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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 GARY Indiana University Northwests nursing program is getting ready to start a masters degree program that will help address a looming shortage of family care physicians while offering nurses higher pay and greater independence. The family nurse practitioner program will be the universitys first Master of Science degree in nursing. Were really excited, said Linda Delunas, a professor and director of the School of Nursing. Weve been working on it several years. The program will prepare nurses to pursue certification as nurse practitioners, a role that allows them to make diagnoses, prescribe medication, and order diagnostic testing. In that perspective we cross over much more into what we traditionally call the physicians role, said Ellen Hennessy-Harstad, an associate clinical professor and a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners must work in collaboration with physicians in Indiana, though other states do not require that. Some patients prefer nurse practitioners, Delunas said, and surveys have shown health care outcomes are as good or better than with physicians. Nurse practitioners are becoming a more important part of family health care, especially in under-served areas, both urban and rural. Theres big demand for nurse practitioners in the rural communities, Hennessy-Harstad said. In addition to traditional offices and clinics, nurse practitioners also work in schools, allowing common illnesses to be diagnosed, and medication prescribed, at school. Its been very successful for some of the schools in the area, Hennessy-Harstad said. In some places, nurse practitioners are the only medical professionals a person sees, Delunas said. Primary care is, and is going to continue to be, a critical need, she said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates job growth of 31 percent for nurse practitioners from 2014 to 2024, or about 53,000 new jobs available. The mean annual salary nationally is about $101,000. In Indiana its between $95,000 and $100,000. Registered nurses often double their salaries when the become practitioners. Its commensurate with the amount of responsibility they have, Hennessy-Harstad said. The university is accepting applications to the program until April 1. Applicants who pass an initial review will be invited to the university for an interview. We going to start small; were only going to admit 15 students initially, Delunas said. The degree requires 42 credit hours and 600 hours of clinical service, and can be accomplished in seven semesters, including summer sessions. Classes meet at most once per week. The program is meant to be very flexible for working nurses, Delunas said. IUN plans to add more degree tracks to the master of science in nursing program, with a track in nursing education likely to be the next one. HAMMOND In the last 18 months, Community Civility Counts has grown from a local initiative to treat others with respect into an international movement that continues to earn kudos. The latest honor induction into membership in the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana at the 12th annual gala at Horseshoe Casino Thursday shows what seems like a simple idea can have enormous power to bring change, said Bob Heisse, executive editor of The Times. Its interesting to me that something as simple as treating others with respect can be innovative in this day and age, and that it can grow, Heisse said. Its great to be recognized by the Society of Innovators. On Wednesday, The Times Media Co. learned that Community Civility Counts is a finalist for a prestigious Editor & Publisher EPPY Award for digital media. There are six other finalists from the U.S. and Canada in contention for the award for best community service on a media-affiliated website (1 million or more monthly unique visitors). Community Civility Counts, a partnership between the Gary Chamber of Commerce and The Times Media Co., launched on April 22, 2015, at a news conference in Gary. Chuck Hughes, executive director of the Gary Chamber of Commerce, credits Gordon E. Bradshaw, the chambers public policy chairman, for bringing the idea forward at a March 2015 committee meeting and for designing a poster. That poster caught the attention of United Nations Ambassador Clyde Rivers of the Golden Rule International and president and founder of iChange Nations. This has spread to other states and to Africa, Hughes said. Rivers serves as ambassador at large for the Republic of Burundi in Africa and founded the Human Rights Global Congress. Civility Counts is now the mantra for his the Golden Rule International, Hughes said. Rivers also served as keynote speaker at the first World Civility Day held on April 14, in Gary. Plans are already underway for a second World Civility Day on April 13, 2017. The Times Media Co. provides a platform for the movement through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the hashtag #civilitycounts, Heisse said. Summer Moore, Times digital and audience engagement editor, continues to establish Civility Counts partnerships with schools, community groups and other news media. Theres a Civility Counts roll-out planned in Rockford, Illinois, for January, Heisse said about one of those partnerships. Its all about curbing the disrespect and incivility prevalent in todays society, he said, adding that The Times refuses to publish vitriolic speeches and letters to the editor and no longer hosts anonymous online comments. The Civility Counts campaign also won the 2016 Associated Press Media Editors Innovator of the Year award presented in September at the American Society Newspaper Editors-APME News Leadership Conference in Philadelphia. This movement has also spread to government entities, Hughes and Heisse said. For the first time, both houses of the Indiana General Assembly voted to adopt this, Hughes said. Gary, Hammond, Valparaiso and LaPorte city councils and Lake County council also have joined the partnership by adopting Civility Counts resolutions. Heisse said that a resolution template is available for other government units. Treating others with respect started out at the community level, Heisse said. Chuck Hughes and the Gary Chamber are to be congratulated on this. Wherever it goes from here, it started right here in Gary, right here in the Region. It keeps happening. Another vehicle crashed into Munster Donut, a beloved Region institution that this time was already closed because of water damage. An SUV crashed into the doughnut shop at 8314 Calumet Ave. Wednesday evening, damaging the outer front door. Munster Fire Department Deputy Chief David Strbjak said a customer pulled in, saw a handwritten sign saying it was closed, and then put the transmission in drive instead of reverse, smashing into the door. The 24-hour doughnut shop, a favorite of many across the Region, had been closed earlier in the day Wednesday. Strbjak said no one was injured, though the SUV suffered enough damage it had to be towed. When asked why vehicles kept plowing into Munster Donut, Strbjak said "you'd have to ask the drivers who keep crashing into it." Munster Donut installed several crash barriers after another driver accidentally drove through the building in May of 2014, which resulted in it being closed until August of that year. A relative of owners Elaine Butynski and Jo Ellen Aleksandrovich, who declined to be identified, said the family hoped to get the restaurant reopened as soon as possible, possibly within a week, but would first have to get an engineer to certify there was no structural damage to the building. In 2014, the car crashed through the brick wall, causing structural damage. This time, the damage was far less severe. The outer door frame was bent, the doors were bashed in and firefighters had to scoop up a lot of broken glass. Munster Donut originally opened as Mister Donut in 1969, and has built a very loyal customer base. Antonio Clavero, a Chicago resident at the crash site Wednesday whose plan to buy doughnuts was thwarted, always makes a point of stopping there when he's in Northwest Indiana to get glazed donuts. "They're not corporate. They taste homemade," he said. "This is really a bummer." Outcry on social media was swift as news spread. People posted comments on Facebook and Twitter like "Why God why?" "Noooooooo!!!" and "WHERE AM I GOING TO GET MY FRIDAY MORNING DONUTS NOW!" If you have never made the trek west to Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook for a play put on by First Folio Theatre, then this falls Dr. Sewards Dracula provides the perfect reason to do so. Through Nov. 6, the professional theater, which makes the 1920s former Tudor mansion its home, presents a fresh, creative adaptation of Bram Stokers deliciously creepy 1897 vampire novel by playwright Joseph Zettelmaier. It is no accident this atmospheric play is produced around Halloween; its a First Folio tradition to put on something spooky every October to get you in the proper holiday spirit. That is just one of the acclaimed theater troupes many charms. Every summer, talented Chicago-area actors and award-winning director, Alison C. Vesely, enact a first-rate production of a Shakespeare play outdoors, which the encroaching dusk always makes more enticing. Gothic and gripping, this falls tale of the vampire count is told from the perspective of Dr. John Seward, a psychiatrist and metaphysician in the words of his mentor, Dutch professor Abraham Van Helsing. Dracula has finally been vanquished, but Seward is anything but relieved. Dead bodies abound, and Seward is at a loss to explain why. Is he responsible for these deaths and other dreadful crimes? That he is visited by his dead love, Emily Covington, who seems as alive as he and as alluring and confounding as ever, coupled with a morphine addiction, causes him to question his own sanity. Thats not helped by visits from the police and his friend, Bram Stoker, the renowned writer, and his former patient, R.M. Renfield. Is Emily a ghost or an element of Sewards madness? Is Dracula really dead? Did he ever exist? Its a clever plot that has the audience questioning what they know of the well-known tale and the characters, as events spin out from various perspectives. If you love scary psychological stories, this production will not disappoint. Christian Gray, who has played a mysterious, possibly mad Edgar Allen Poe several times in First Folios signature Halloween-time offering, The Madness of Edgar Allen Poe, brings his best to the role of Dr. Seward, with an always-convincing British accent. That the action takes place in the former Peabody mansion, built on hundreds of acres between 1919 and 1922 for entrepreneur Francis Stuyvesant Peabody and is believed by many to be seriously haunted, makes this an exceptional fall treat. FYI: First Folios Dr. Sewards Dracula runs at 8 p.m. weekends through Nov. 6, 3 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, and 4 p.m. Saturdays, at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st Street and Route 83, Oak Brook, Illinois. Tickets are $29 to $39. Call (630) 986-8067 or visit firstfolio.org. After ushering in its 75th anniversary year last month with a spectacular party, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra is set to begin its regular season next week. Mahler 5 will be presented by the symphony at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at The Auditorium at Bethel Church in Crown Point. Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra has been bringing monumental programs to the area for the past seven decades. The Mahler composition is known for its engaging sound, wealth of emotion and various sections from a poignant funeral march to a more whimsical Adagietto. During a recent interview for the 75th anniversary, NISOs music director Kirk Muspratt said hes honored to be at the helm of the symphony at this time in history. I want to do what I can to (continue) to see it flourish, he said. The upcoming season, he said, features a range of programs. Therell surely be something for everyone. Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, which began in Gary, performed its first concert on Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941. For the Mahler concert, audience members will be treated to the talents of cellist Loren Brown from the Chicago Symphony. Brown will perform Saint-Saens Cello Concerto. As music fans have come to expect, Muspratt will present a pre-concert lecture at 6:15 p.m. Hell discuss the program and Mahlers works in general. Next weeks concert will be sponsored by Crown Point Community Foundation, BMO Harris, MonoSol and the Dr. Henry G. Giragos Family. Among upcoming shows on the symphony schedule are Holiday Pops, Dec. 8; Dance and Romance, Feb. 10; Beethoven & Bernstein, March 24; and American Songbook, April 27. FYI: Mahler 5 will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at The Auditorium at Bethel Church in Crown Point. Tickets range from $29 to $69. Student tickets are $10. Concert subscriptions are still available. Call (219) 836-0525 or visit NISOrchestra.org. VALPARAISO Three and a half years after being led out of court in shackles to begin serving a 60-year sentence for murdering his 19-year-old former girlfriend, Dustin McCowan will be back Friday for another try at overturning his conviction. This time, the 24-year-old Union Township resident will make a court appearance via a telephone call on his post-conviction relief claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel and ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. Porter County deputy prosecutors Matt Frost and Cheryl Polarek filed a response denying the allegations and pointing out that McCowans conviction has been upheld by the state appellate and supreme courts. Accordingly, the issues raised in the petition provide no present grounds for relief to the petitioner, according to the response. The status hearing on the challenge will be conducted by Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa, who presided over the high-profile trial in February 2013. McCowan was found guilty of shooting Amanda Bach, of Portage, in the throat early on Sept. 16, 2011, after she showed up at the Union Township home he was living in at the time with his father. The Portage womans partially clothed body was found the following day, less than 300 yards from the house in a wooded area along County Road 625 West at the Canadian National railroad tracks. The state Supreme Court rejected a claim that Alexa failed to provide the jury with adequate instructions, according to the ruling. The state Supreme Court did not address challenges to cellphone evidence pertaining to McCowans location at the time of the murder or Alexas decision not to recuse himself after learning about a telephone call involving McCowan from the jail. The call included derogatory and threatening remarks about prosecutors, police and their family members. LAPORTE A LaPorte man made up claims of beating up a clown so his girlfriend would no longer be scared by clowns in their neighborhood, according to court records. Thats the picture drawn from the allegations in LaPorte Superior Court 3 against Matthew Cox, 24, who is charged with false informing, a class A misdemeanor. Cox could face up to one year in jail. Police submitted their findings to Judge Jeffrey Thorne, who ruled Tuesday the evidence was sufficient for Cox to answer to the allegations. Cox is accused of lying to police when he said two clowns approached him Oct. 13 near his residence on Andrew Avenue, and then sticking by those false claims when questioned by the media. LaPorte police Chief of Detectives Tom Thate said false claims are not uncommon. He hopes the case against Cox will discourage others from making up crimes. You can only hope so, said Thate. According to a police report, Cox said he was on foot in the 1200 block of Andrew Ave. when two men wearing clown outfits emerged from some bushes and began spewing profanities at him. He said one clown was dragging his leg and holding a sledge hammer. Cox said the other clown was coming at him when Cox knocked him to the ground with a punch, then disarmed him the knife-wielding clown and worked him over some more. During a telephone interview, Cox said he was trained in martial arts and experienced in cage matches and used those skills to protect himself, thinking the attack could be more than just a joke. Several follow-up attempts to reach Cox were unsuccessful. Thate said the location of the attack was different by about two blocks in the stories Cox gave to police and media, prompting investigators to call him in for further questioning. During the one-hour session, Thate said the defendant claimed there had been clowns in his neighborhood and since his girlfriend was scared of them, he came out with the story to influence people to stop going around with clown suits on. To his knowledge, Thate said his department has received no other reports of a clown sighting before or since the false claims. LaPorte County police did take reports of clown sightings recently at a bus stop in LaPorte and on County Road 800 North near Springfield Elementary School. Sheriff John Boyd said none of those reports could be substantiated. Its not to say it didnt happen, but we did not find evidence, said Boyd, who added dressing as a clown is not a crime and an arrest could happen only if there was an actual breaking of the law. VALPARAISO A 39-year-old Chesterton man facing three felony counts of child molesting turned down an offer for a single reduced charge Thursday in favor of taking his case before a jury next week. David Lazaro is charged with molesting a young girl over a period of five years, reportedly telling her if she turned him in, he would kill himself and it would be her fault. Lazaro, who appeared in court Thursday afternoon hunched over a walker, confirmed for Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper that he rejected the proposed plea agreement. Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Rebecca Buitendorp said the proposed agreement would have reduced one of the C felony molestation counts to D felony sexual battery. The other two counts would have been dismissed and Lazaro would have been sentenced to three years behind bars with all but time served suspended and served on probation, she said. He, however, would have been required to register as a sex offender and comply with those strict regulations. I want to go to trial, Lazaro told the judge. The purported victim said the abuse began when she was in third grade and continued until she was in seventh grade, police said. The alleged abuse dates back to the period of July 2007 to June 2012. She said she asked Lazaro why he was molesting her and he responded, Why? Do you want me to do it to your little sister? Lazaro denied touching the girl inappropriately, police said. The trial will begin with jury selection Monday, with evidence to follow Wednesday. GARY Police are investigating Wednesday night after a man and woman were shot at approximately 5:14 p.m. in the 1900 block of Delaware Street, according to Gary Police Cpl. Douglas Drummond. Police arrived at the scene to find a 45-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the chest, Drummond said, and a 45-year-old woman who was shot in the leg. Both were transported to an area hospital shortly after the incident, he said. The man was reported to be in serious but stable condition Wednesday night and the woman in stable condition. Other information, including the victims' names and last known addresses, was not immediately available. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Det. Sgt. William Fazekas of the Gary Police Violent Crimes Unit at (219) 881-1210 or call anonymously at 1-866-CRIME-GP. OGDEN DUNES The Historical Society of Ogden Dunes is hosting three programs this fall to wrap up the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the State of Indiana, the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and the 50th anniversary of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The October meeting will be 4 p.m. Sunday at the Hour Glass, 8 Lupine Lane, with the Porter County historian and director of the Porter County Museum, Kevin Pazour. The topic is Porter County the Next 100 Years. November's program will be held at the Ogden Dunes Community Hall, 111 Hillcrest Road at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13. The anniversary celebration production of "Shifting Sands: Path to Sustainability," prepared by Tom Desch, Rana Segal, Pat Wisniewski and leadership of Lee Botts, will be shown and discussed. Sunday, Dec. 4, will be the annual Holiday Tea at the Hour Glass, with seatings at noon and 3 p.m. Reservations are required. Cost is $15 per person. Email dotek@juno.com to make reservations or for more information. WAUKEGAN, Ill. The Illinois Department of Transportation is asking Lake County and other local governments surrounding Chicago if they can help clear snow from some state routes this winter. The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2e5BriS) that state transportation officials are taking that precaution while they wait for new plows and trucks. IDOT spokeswoman Gianna Urgo tells the newspaper the agency needed to replenish its snow-removal fleet, which was deteriorating from normal wear and tear. She says that's because of the state's budget crisis and because IDOT was not allowed to buy new plows and trucks during the final two years of former Gov. Pat Quinn's administration. A stopgap budget authorized new equipment this summer, but it can take up to a year for assembly and delivery. ___ Information from: Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com CROWN POINT On Wednesday Lake County Criminal Court Judge Diane Boswell sentenced a 22-year-old East Chicago man to two 8-year prison terms after he pleaded guilty to two armed robberies that occurred in February. Jaime Mendoza will serve the two sentences concurrently with four years spent with the Indiana Department of Correction, two years with the Lake County Community Corrections program and two years on probation. On Feb. 9, Mendoza robbed the Briar East Liquor Store in Hammonds Hessville section, pointing a handgun in the face of the female store clerk while he cleaned out the cash register, court records indicate. About 4:15 a.m. on Feb. 15, he robbed an independent contractor delivering The Times and other publications in the 4900 block of Ivy Street in East Chicago. According to court records, Mendoza asked the carrier if he had his newspaper, then pulled out a gun, pointed it at the carriers head and robbed the carrier of $4 and his cellphone. During the sentencing hearing, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Maureen Koonce read a written victim impact statement from the liquor store clerk. The liquor store armed robbery was when my life changed forever, the woman wrote. Ive lost my confidence. The clerk also wrote that she suffers from PTSD. Think of how you can make yourself better, make better choices, the victim wrote, addressing Mendoza. Defense attorney John Cantrell said Mendoza has no independent remembrance of either crime because he was on a horrible bender taking Xanax in large doses. Cantrell also cited support from his mother and other family members who want Mendoza to get help with his drug problems while in prison. The attorney asked Boswell to assign his client to the therapeutics community drug rehab program in prison. Hes a good person. He made terrible choices, Cantrell said. In his own statement to the court, Mendoza said, Im sorry for everything that happened. Im not a bad person. I got carried away with drugs. Im a better person without drugs. Boswell agreed to place Mendoza in the prisons therapeutic communities program. She also ruled that no modification of the charges would be granted if he completes the program. Unfortunately the penalty is a heavy one. This is your first felony conviction, Boswell told Mendoza. But there is a price to pay. Indiana State Police issued a warning Thursday about a scam involving a pop-up message on computers that warns users of an infection and urges them to call a provided number to have the purported problem fixed. Once the scammers have computer users on the phone, they may ask for money to download their software or ask for a password to gain access to a computer. If the scammers remotely take over a computer, it becomes vulnerable to theft of sensitive data, police said. When a random tech support pop-up appears while surfing the web, its a sign the computer is infected with an adware or potentially unwanted program, police said. The adware usually is acquired when another free software is added and installed. State police issued the following tips: Do not give control of your computer to a third party who calls you out of blue or from a pop-up. Do not rely on caller ID alone, because criminals spoof caller ID numbers. They may appear to be calling from a legitimate company or a local number, when theyre not even in the same country as you. Never provide your credit card or financial information to someone who calls and claims to be from tech support. Call your security software company directly if in doubt and ask for help. Never give your password on the phone. No legitimate organization calls you or sends you a pop-up and asks for your password. If you paid for bogus services with a credit card, call your credit card provider and ask to reverse the charges. If you believe someone may have accessed your personal or financial information, visit the Federal Trade Commission identity theft website <&underline>consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft. You can minimize your risk of further damage and problems. MEN'S HEALTH Whether youre a dad, a granddad or just a busy guy, Dr. Hector Marchand Jr. of the Porter Physician Group in Valparaiso offers this top 10 list of health checks every man should complete each year: 1. Height, Weight and BMI. Experts now believe that cardiac health is impacted by even small ticks above your ideal weight. If your weight has increased more than five or 10 pounds since last year, it may be time to consider lifestyle changes. 2. Blood Pressure. Blood pressure can fluctuate from day to day, so its important to have a reliable machine to check it regularly. If your blood pressure is higher than 140 over 90, you should schedule an appointment with your primary physician. 3. Cholesterol. There are several schools of thought on cholesterol, so any man with risk factors for heart disease (family history, diabetes or kidney disease) should talk at length with his doctor about individual goals. 4. Prostate Screening. Again, recommendations vary by patient and physician. In general, men age 50 or older should discuss the appropriate level of screening for prostate cancer with their doctor. African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should discuss screening at age 45. 5. Lung Cancer Screening. Men aged 55 to 80 with a family history of lung cancer, or who have smoked for a number of years, should talk to their doctor about an annual CT scan of the lungs. Early detection is critical to survival rates for lung cancer, as there are typically no symptoms until the later stages. 6. Blood Sugar and Diabetes. Men should have a fasting blood glucose test at least every three years starting at age 45and more often if they're overweight or have high blood pressure. Another key measurement of healthy blood glucose is an A1C test; talk to your doctor about whether its appropriate for you. 7. Bone Density. Men aged 50 to 70 with risk factors such as long-term steroid, tobacco or alcohol use should be screened routinely for possible osteoporosis and overall bone health. 8. Colonoscopy. Screening for colon cancer for most men starts at age 50. If testing reveals no abnormalities, it will typically only need to be redone every five or 10 years. Men with various gastrointestinal issues can be at higher risk, and may need to be screened more aggressively to catch this deadly cancer early. 9. Skin Checks. Approximately 10,000 people die each year from melanoma, and two-thirds of those deaths are men, according to the American Cancer Society. Add an annual skin check with a dermatologist or qualified practitioner to your health inventory. 10. Dental and Eye Health. Eye health and vision problems are often key indicators of other health problems, and dental problems can significantly impact the health of several vital organs. See your dentist for a deep cleaning at least once per year, and have your eye health and vision checked annually. Looking for something to do this weekend? Try one or more of these stops throughout the area. In contrast to the bombast of the last few weeks, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton maintained measured tones for long stretches as they clashed in their third and final presidential debate Wednesday. After taking the stage in Las Vegas without a customary handshake for the second debate in a row, the two candidates began with a low-key discussion of the Supreme Court's position on gun rights and abortion, which then gave way to a more combative exchange on the topic of Russia and Wikileaks -- but with few of the sustained personal attacks of previous debates. However, things got testy midway through the debate when Clinton attacked Trump for using massive deductions to avoid paying personal income taxes for a number of years. "We have undocumented immigrants in this country who pay more in income taxes than a billionaire," she said. In response, Trump said that when Clinton was in the Senate, she supported those very tax laws for the benefit of her wealthy supporters. "If you don't like what I did, you should have changed the law," Trump said. On the topic of recent accusations made against Trump by several women who say he made unwanted sexual advances in past years, Trump called them "fiction" that was likely orchestrated "by her campaign." "I believe that she got these people to come forward to get their ten minutes of fame," he said. Another heated moment came when Trump delivered an aside in reponse to a Clinton one-liner. "My social security contribution will go up, as will Donald's -- assuming he can't find a way to get out of it," Clinton said in response to a question about social security entitlements. "Such a nasty woman," Trump said. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News began the debate with a question about gun rights, to which Clinton made a case for responsible gun regulation, while Trump pledged to protect gun rights in all cases. Similarly, Trump spelled out his objection to abortion while Clinton laid out her support for broad abortion rights. Unlike the fireworks of the previous debates, in both cases the discussion proceeded calmly and with few interruptions. The candidates' tempers flared slightly when Clinton said Trump choked when he failed to bring up his Mexican wall proposal during his meeting with the Mexican president earlier this year, and Trump responded by accusing Clinton of supporting the building of a wall in 2006. Perhaps the biggest clash came after Clinton was questioned about free-market comments attributed to her by Wikileaks. Clinton said the real issue regarding the leaks is that Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, is trying to influence the election with Trump's support. "He has no respect for her, he has no respect for our president," Trump said. "That's because he'd rather have a puppet for president," Clinton responded. The discussion then returned to more measured tones when the candidates outlined their contrasting views of the economy, with Clinton supporting higher taxes on the wealthy and Trump calling for increased trade regulations. Toward the end of the evening Wallace, after pointing out that Trump's daughter Ivanka and his running mate Mike Pence both said they would respect the outcome of the election, asked Trump: "Will you absolutely accept the results of this election?" "I will look at it at the time," Trump replied. Like the first presidential debate at Hofstra University last month, Wednesday's debate was divided into six 15-minute segments, each starting with a question from the moderator. Each candidate had two minutes to respond, followed by an open discussion. A record 84 million viewers tuned in nationwide to watch the first debate, making it the most-watched presidential debate in history. Around 63 million viewers watched the second debate earlier this month. The event, at the University of Nevada, was carried on all Spectrum News networks including TWC News and NY1, with online fact-checking provided at http://twcnews.com/factcheck. Escalating his fight with House Speaker Paul Ryan and other members of his own party, Donald Trump says members of Congress should face term limits. It is a dramatic flip-flop for Trump. In a 2008 interview with NY1, he strongly denounced the concept of forcing politicians from office. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report. Donald Trump said this in a 2008 NY1 interview about term limits: "I'm not a believer in term limits. I think a term limit is when you go into a voter booth and if you don't like somebody, you press a button." And earlier this week, he said this when proposing term limits for members of Congress: "When it comes to Washington D.C., it is time to drain the damn swamp." Trump says he wants House members to get the boot after three terms. Senators would only be allowed to serve for two under his plan. The announcement this week comes as Trump's rift with top Republicans in Washington is growing. And in many ways, it is a stunning rebuke to the highest-ranking Republican in office, House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is in his ninth term in Congress. "If I'm elected president, I will push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress," Trump said. The push this late in the presidential campaign appears to be a warning shot for longtime lawmakers like Ryan, even more so given Trump's strong opposition to term limits in the past. "I see so many very good politicians, great politicians be literally thrown out of office because of term limits in the height of their power. I've also seen other people come in and take their position who are horrible, and by the time they understand what they are doing, it's time for them to get out," he said in a 2008 NY1 interview. This exchange with NY1 was initially seized on by a pro-Clinton Super PAC, American Bridge, which tweeted out the video. "I think it's people that really press it that want to run for office and the only way they are going to get a chance to be in office, I guess, is to term limit people out because they can't win an election," Trump said in 2008. The discussion of term limits came up with NY1 because then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council had just voted to extend term limits and allow Bloomberg to run for a third and final term. While residents in Maspeth, Queens push back against plans to turn a hotel into shelter, the city has been quietly moving homeless people into a motel in a residential section of the North Bronx, and the community has had enough. NY1's Erin Clarke filed the following report. The Van Cortlandt Motel near the Yonkers border has long been a nuisance to residents. "It's been alleged that there's large-scale prostitution going on there," said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz of the Bronx. For years, they complained that night-time activities were a blight on this leafy neighborhood. Then, this summer, the city quietly moved more than 50 homeless men into the motel. "We had two bank robberies in the same week, and apparently, it was somebody living at the Van Cortlandt Motel," said Sima Wolf, a North Riverdale resident. Residents say they did not learn that the homeless were living here until after that incident. The city's Department of Homeless Services tried to ease the community's concerns. "We were assured they would be out by the end of September," Dinowitz siad. The men were moved out, but Dinowitz says the city pulled a bait and switch, moving 30 homeless families with children into the motel. A DHS spokesperson said it was an emergency. With the explosion of homelessness in the city, there was no other housing available. "Who puts families in a one-room hot sheet motel with no kitchen facilities?" said Laura Spalter, co-chair of the Broadway Community Alliance. Tuesday, a baby whose family had been staying at the motel died, and some wonder if the tragedy could have been prevented. "There isn't counseling. There isn't medical staff," Wolf said. The issues at the Van Cortlandt motel are just one part of a larger problem North Riverdale residents have been facing. They say just on this block, there are three buildings that are a cause for concern. Last year, supportive housing for low-income seniors was built. "We've been hearing lately is that people are being moved in that are formerly homeless or who have other significant problems," Dinowitz said. On the other side of the Van Cortlandt Motel are 250 mentally ill, low-income seniors. "It's too many of these kinds of facilities in a concentrated area," Wolf said. After living here for 11 years, Wolf thinks the neighborhood isn't safe. She wonders how much longer she'll stay. She's among the many here urging the city to find a better way to help its neediest residents. A meeting about the Van Cortlandt Motel will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the 50th Police Precinct, located at 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue. After screenings all over the world, a documentary shot in Broad Channel is making its Queens debut. Producers of "Saving Jamaica Bay" will show their film for free at the American Legion on Cross Bay Boulevard next Wednesday. The documentary follows locals fighting to revitalize Jamaica Bay as it faces rising sea levels, pollution and the aftermath from Hurricane Sandy. Producers say bringing the film home to Broad Channel will give residents a chance to see the progress they've made. "I hope they see Jamaica Bay in a different light. Most people think we're just a polluted estuary but really it's an amazing place with an amazing diversity of wildlife," said Don Riepe, the Jamaica Bay Guardian. "I think it's important for everyone now that we're gotten past it, and not for everybody...some people are still rebuilding, but I think bringing it home to Broad Channel is kind of a big thing for me right now, said Dan Mundy Sr., a longtime Broad Channel resident. The screening will start at 6:30 p.m. on October 26. One problem is that when sanctions were tightened in 2012, Irans ability to sell oil was further limited and its main source of hard currency restricted. Another problem is that Irans main banking infrastructure including the Central Bank of Iran and Bank Tejarat, Irans main trading bank is blacklisted by Washington. Sanctions have also choked-off Iranian banks from the global financial arena by putting draconian restrictions on international banks that deal with Iran, including by cutting them off from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. Penalties for violating U.S. sanctions are so stern as to discourage most international banks, which are generally risk-averse anyway, from engaging in humanitarian trade. A senior representative from a reputable Iranian pharmaceutical company told our study group that when he presented a French bank in Paris with documentation showing that a deal to ship vaccines to Iran was fully legal, he was told, Even if you bring a letter from the French president himself saying it is O.K. to do so, we will not risk this. Today, only one international bank in Turkey is willing to take the chance. In simple terms, even when Iran can get its hands on dollars or euros to buy medical supplies, it cannot find a banking avenue to clear the trade. A senior representative at one American pharmaceutical company told me about a $60 million order for an anti-rejection drug for liver-transplant patients that fell through even though the sale was fully legal, all the needed licensing from the U.S. Treasury was in place, and Iran had allocated the needed hard currency. No bank would perform the transaction. To compensate, Iran has been importing more drugs, or the active ingredients for them, from China and India. But these products are usually of inferior quality and more limited effectiveness than the equivalent from American and European manufacturers. And in the highly patented world of pharmaceuticals, substitution often isnt an option at all, particularly when it comes to advanced medicines used to treat complex diseases like cancer and multiple sclerosis. Yvette Chauvire, one of the 20th centurys outstanding ballerinas and the most lustrous star of French ballet from the 1940s through the 1960s, died on Wednesday at her home in Paris. She was 99. The Paris Opera announced her death. Originally a child prodigy at the Paris Opera Ballet, Ms. Chauvire (pronounced shaw-vih-RAY) was acclaimed as a national symbol of French culture by an adoring public and by the French government, which bestowed its highest honors on her. Although she belonged to a generation of gifted ballerinas at the Paris Opera, she was set apart by a mesmerizing elegance that was never confused with chic. Critics at home and abroad defined her dancing as velvet and steel, a warm lyricism coating a virtuoso technique and perfect classical form. Early in her career, in the 1930s and 40s, she was identified mainly with experimental works by Serge Lifar, the controversial director of the Paris Opera Ballet whose choreography dominated its repertoire. Yet she also made the 19th-century classic Giselle, in which she danced the title role, her signature piece. Few artists have known the roller coaster of fame and shame that the French painter Bernard Buffet experienced during his life. Buffet, who was once hailed as the artistic successor to Picasso only to be reviled later as vulgar and the epitome of poor taste, was an immensely popular artist before falling into near oblivion. He committed suicide in 1999 at the age of 71. Now, Buffets work is undergoing a surprising revival. His first major retrospective in France opened on Oct. 14 at the Musee dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris, a new Buffet biography was released in the United States last month, and a Buffet painting was sold for over 1 million pounds, or about $1.2 million, in auction last June. There is a recent and well-deserved resurgence of market interest in this artist, said Jay Vincze, head of Impressionist and Modern Art at Christies London. A very global audience is looking at high quality Western art today, and buyers respond to Buffets bold, graphic style and expressive colors. Fabrice Hergott, director of the Musee dArt Moderne, decided to put on the Buffet exhibition. Through about 100 paintings a small sampling of the 8,000 or more this prolific painter and illustrator produced the show examines the evolution of an artist who, while a household name in France, has for the past half-century been mostly the subject of derision here. Eddie Applegate, an actor best known for playing Patty Lanes steadfast high school sweetheart on the 1960s sitcom The Patty Duke Show, died on Monday in Los Angeles. He was 81. His death was confirmed by his son Michael, who said Mr. Applegate had been living in a care facility after a stroke in 2013. Mr. Applegate was the third cast member from the show to die this year. Ms. Duke died in March, and William Schallert, who played her father, died in May. On the show, which ran on ABC from 1963 to 1966, Ms. Duke played identical cousins, Cathy Lane, a proper young woman from Scotland, and Patty Lane, a perky, fun-loving teenager from Brooklyn Heights. Laverne Cox tries to fill Tim Currys fishnets and platform Mary Janes in Foxs reboot of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Project Runway: Fashion Startup circles the sharks. And Jago: A Life Underwater follows an 80-year-old Indonesian spear fisherman to the depths of the sea. Whats on TV THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: LETS DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN 8 p.m. on Fox. More than 40 years later, the cult film is retooled with a cast for millennials: Laverne Cox as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania; Victoria Justice and Ryan McCartan as the virginal Janet and Brad, who seek help during a storm at his castle and laboratory; Reeve Carney as Riff-Raff, his creepy aide; Adam Lambert as Eddie, the ill-fated delivery boy; and Staz Nair as Rocky Horror, the monster. The blast from the past: Tim Curry, the original, untoppable Frank-N-Furter, as the criminologist narrator. Some things cant be replicated or recaptured, and thanks to Fox we now know that one of them is the subversive magic of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Neil Genzlinger wrote in The New York Times about Kenny Ortegas new version, which frames the production in a movie theater where the audience is enacting the beloved rituals. Although its moderately entertaining at times, he added, it never makes clear why it needed to be attempted. THE GOOD PLACE 8:30 p.m. NBC. Eleanor and Chidi embark on a quest with Janet as their guide. And Tahani tries to show Michael some appreciation. PROJECT RUNWAY: FASHION STARTUP 10:30 p.m. on Lifetime. Beauty and fashion entrepreneurs pitch their business plans to a panel of sharks, er, investors, including Katia Beauchamp of Birchbox and the designer Rebecca Minkoff, and guests like the designer Tommy Hilfiger and Julie Rice of SoulCycle. DETROIT Tesla Motors said on Wednesday that it would equip all of its new vehicles with technology that enables fully autonomous driving, but would not activate the system until it undergoes further testing. In a blog post, the maker of electric cars said the new hardware included cameras, sensors and radars that allow the vehicles to operate without a human driver. The company said the technology would be installed in all of its models, including the much-anticipated Model 3 sedan, which is expected to reach the United States market next year. We are excited to announce that, as of today, all Tesla vehicles produced in our factory including Model 3 will have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability, the company said. Moreover, as people increasingly put off moving in with partners, marrying and having children, their platonic relationships may stand in for romantic ones. Maintaining faraway friendships can seem just as daunting as starting fresh in a new place. But there are plenty of ways to cope with the challenges of distance and even use them to your benefit. Time Differences Can Help We have more tools at our fingertips than ever to stay in touch, said Max Marder, 27, who moved to Gaziantep, Turkey, just over two years ago to pursue an internship with a Syrian civil society organization. He had just earned his masters degree from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and was seeking full-time employment. It was a race to find a job before I was overstaying my visa, he said. Despite the stress of settling into a new country and looking for work, Mr. Marders relationship with his best friend, Sam Jinishian, remained close. In fact, the seven-hour time difference between Gaziantep and New York worked in their favor; Ms. Jinishian was often on Google Chat at work around the same time Mr. Marder was wrapping up his day at home. Will Lefferts, 25, who is pursuing a masters in communication at Sciences Po in Paris, has also found that living in a different time zone has its social advantages. In fact, weve just published a list of 650 of those questions that ask for personal and narrative writing, on topics like sports, travel, education, gender roles, video games, fashion, family, pop culture, social media and more. Visit the collection to get ideas and to access related Times articles to help you think more about each. Then, ask you yourself, what issues and current events do you care most about? How do they impact your life? What personal stories can you tell that relate to them in some way? For instance, maybe the impact of technology on our lives concerns you. In our collection of prompts, you can find nearly 50 different ways weve taken that topic on, each linked to a Times article or essay on the topic. For just one example, though, you might read Gary Shteyngarts essay Only Disconnect: With each post, each tap of the screen, each drag and click, I am becoming a different person solitary where I was once gregarious; a content provider where I at least once imagined myself an artist; nervous and constantly updated where I once knew the world through sleepy, half-shut eyes; detail-oriented and productive where I once saw life float by like a gorgeously made documentary film. Does it surprise you to realize this essay was written in 2010? Do you think his observations are even more true today? What stories do you have to tell about life online? Another excellent place to glean ideas is the Op-Ed page, where writers respond to the news of the day with occasional personal essays. In this one, a classic from 1999, a teenager reacts to the Columbine school shootings then blamed in part on school cliques that made some feel like outsiders with an essay headlined, Yes, Im in a Clique. Or read this weeks How to Vote as an Immigrant and a Citizen, an Op-Ed by the novelist Imbolo Mbue about what it means to her to vote on November 8 and, for the first time, have a say in Americas future. You could practically see the T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase before it left Donald Trumps mouth on Wednesday night: Such a nasty woman. The hashtag #nastywoman started trending almost immediately on Twitter. From one nasty woman to another, you were an inspiration last night, Nancy Pelosi tweeted at Clinton. RT if youre a nasty woman and its made your life a freakin pleasure, wrote Lena Dunham; by midday Thursday, 3,000 or so women had done just that. The supersaturation of these kinds of moments is such that the phrase might well be over and tired by tomorrow at noon. But then again, it might stick around, because of how well it suits, and reframes, the brand that is Hillary Clinton. It was the insult of her dreams: a rallying cry with more heat and emotion than any her campaign has generated in lo these many years. Im With Her always risked sounding as if it was more about Clinton, as female candidate, than the person saying it. The women who are laying claim to being nasty women, by contrast, are not just announcing their support for Clinton. They are also identifying with an anger that she has rarely shown but they can imagine she feels. To describe yourself, with glee, as a nasty woman is a powerful unleashing, a refutation of all that girls are brought up to be: subservient, silent and accommodating, to the point of personal risk. Clintons own careful control of her emotions has, of course, cost her. The public has sensed the effort that goes into her appearances, the careful titration of her comebacks for fear of appearing witchy or harsh or emasculating. And yet in trying to punish her for her more overt displays of hostility, with one interruption, Trump instantly turned harshness fierceness into a celebrated badge of honor. At the debate, Clinton did seem to let loose a tougher, less insistently congenial version of herself than what she typically allows; even on the subject of late-term abortions, about which she has fallen over herself qualifying her commitment in the past, she did not back off. She spoke, passionately and with authority, about women in China and in Romania who did not have control over their reproductive rights. NEWARK The George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal crept closer to Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, as lawyers for one of his former aides began her defense in federal court here on Wednesday. The aide, Bridget Anne Kelly, and another former Christie official are accused of scheming to shut down access lanes to the bridge in 2013 to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., for declining to endorse the governor for re-election, and then covering up the closings as a traffic study. Ms. Kellys lawyers argued that nearly everyone in the governors inner circle knew about the plot and, as reporters and legislators intensified their scrutiny, scrambled to cover it up. Ms. Kelly was implicated made a human pinata, as Michael Critchley, her lead lawyer, said months after the lane closings, when it was revealed that she had sent an incriminating, and now-famous, email: Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee. As his first witness, Mr. Critchley called Michael Drewniak, the governors former press secretary. Mr. Drewniak had been close to David Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty to orchestrating the lane closings and is now the chief witness against Ms. Kelly and Bill Baroni, Mr. Christies former top staff appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the bridge. In a city as thick with history as New York, it is inevitable that some public events will echo the past. In the case of Deborah Danner, a mentally ill woman fatally shot by the police on Tuesday night in the Bronx, that echo was Eleanor Bumpurs. It was Oct. 29, 1984, and a team from the New York Police Departments elite Emergency Services Unit arrived at Ms. Bumpurss apartment in a public housing complex, summoned by officials who were trying to evict her. Like Ms. Danner, Ms. Bumpurs was a black woman in her late 60s and had a history of mental illness. She lived alone and was four months behind on her monthly rent of $98.65. The New York City Housing Authority had called the police because earlier that day Ms. Bumpurs had screamed through her door at city marshals who had tried to serve an eviction notice. According to courtroom testimony, she had made hostile threats and was considered as possibly dangerous. When the officers stormed her fourth-floor apartment in the Sedgwick Houses in the Bronx, they found Ms. Bumpurs, who weighed about 260 pounds, brandishing a 10-inch kitchen knife. One of them tried to restrain her with a special Y-shaped metal pole. Two others, behind their plastic shields, advanced on her and tried to pin the hand in which she held the knife against a wall. Pedro Hernandez was a man weighed down by what he had done, prosecutors said, and he felt compelled to unburden himself, confessing to a prayer group, a friend, his wife and eventually, years later, to detectives who suspected he was a child killer. Mr. Hernandezs lawyers, however, described him as a man who might seem odd, but had limited intelligence and, in his confession, was repeating a fiction that had been concocted as a result of his mental illness. Pedro Hernandez, the lead defense lawyer, Harvey Fishbein, said, is in an innocent man. The conflicting portrayals of Mr. Hernandez were offered on Wednesday in opening statements at his retrial on charges of kidnapping and killing Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy who vanished as he walked to his school bus stop in Manhattan in 1979. At the time, Mr. Hernandez was an 18-year-old stock clerk working at a bodega along Etans path. Mr. Hernandez, now 55, sat stoically through the statements in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. His wife and daughter were in the courtroom, as was Etans father, Stanley, who showed little emotion. He listened to the arguments, as did a row of jurors from the previous trial who were in court as spectators. Those jurors failed to reach a verdict last year after one member of the panel who was also in court on Wednesday declined to vote to convict. In all, Mr. Stocks took possession of more than 50,000 pounds of discarded materials from the statue, as well as from a historic building on Ellis Island also being renovated at the time. He spent a total of $3 million in order to purchase, haul away and preserve everything. Its a labor of love, he said. I never focused on the money side of things. From time to time, Mr. Stocks has allowed some of the trove out into the world. There was the copper that he used for a line of souvenirs upon the statues centennial in 1986; a popular item was just a Lucite box with a chip of copper inside. He also donated copper for holiday ornaments sold by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the monuments official nonprofit partner, for its own fund-raising purposes. Some of the iron bars were given to the State Department to be fashioned into gifts for foreign dignitaries. One bar was hand forged into another symbol of liberty: a replica of a key to the Bastille, the infamous French fortress and state prison. Another bar was presented intact, with a sculpted peace dove added, to Pope Francis during his visit to the United States last year. It truly is Liberty reaching out and touching peoples lives, said Mr. Stocks, 57, in a recent phone interview from his home in Franklin, Tenn. Im just the caretaker and Im trying to find a way to keep them for the public good. Now, in the biggest release of materials yet, copper from the statue is being featured in a new line of jewelry the Liberty Copper Collection introduced in September by a Rhode Island-based jewelry company, Alex and Ani. More than 10,000 pieces bearing a raised copper flame have been sold so far, according to the company. Australia has gone to great lengths to prevent outsiders from seeing what goes on in these offshore prisons. The contractors who work there are subject to criminal prosecution for speaking publicly about conditions at the centers. Nauru, which has profited handsomely from the deal, has made efforts to shield the arrangement from scrutiny. In 2014, it raised the cost of a journalist visa from $178 to $7,126 and it barred a team from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention from visiting. Amnesty International found that suicide attempts among refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru have become disturbingly common. In late April, Omid Masoumali, a 23-year-old refugee from Iran, set himself ablaze in Nauru after shouting: This is how tired we are. I cannot take it anymore. The following month, a Somali refugee, Hodan Yasin, set herself on fire. Mr. Masoumali died. Ms. Yasin survived, but suffered burns to 70 percent of her body. Among the 58 refugees and asylum seekers Amnesty International interviewed, most said they experienced severe emotional distress. One Iranian man, according to the report, said his pregnant wife attempted to hang herself. She told him, Im homeless; I cant bring another person into this world. While the number of refugees held on Nauru and Manus Island is small compared with refugee numbers in the Middle East and Europe, Australias inhumane imprisonment of desperate people is a disgrace. The government should end its offshore processing of refugees and stop treating anyone who approaches its borders without a visa as automatically inadmissible. The United Nations can assist by redoubling efforts to resettle those stranded on the two islands and by putting pressure on Australia to change its policy. The federal government spends more than $180 billion a year to support higher education. But the system created by Congress to determine eligibility for federal dollars virtually guarantees that a portion of this money will be wasted by schools that have abysmally low standards, high dropout rates and, in many cases, saddle students with huge debt in exchange for useless degrees. Congress can remedy this problem by changing the way schools are accredited and by giving the Department of Education more say in the process. Congress designed the accreditation system to shield colleges from undue interference by the Education Department; the responsibility for determining whether colleges are up to par is left to scores of independent organizations across the country. The department cannot directly require colleges to meet basic student achievement standards as a condition of receiving federal dollars. Incredibly, it also cannot dictate the standards or benchmarks by which these accrediting organizations judge whether a school is financially or academically sound. O.K., Donald Trump wont promise to accept the results of the election. Thats truly good grief. I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense, he told Wednesdays debate moderator, Chris Wallace. The word rigged came up. Yow. Hillary Clinton noted that Trump tends to presume that whenever he loses anything, the system was rigged: There was even a time when he didnt get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged. I should have gotten it, Trump retorted. This is obviously what we should have known was coming when the host of The Celebrity Apprentice wound up as a presidential nominee. But jeepers, people, this is serious. Trump was refusing to acknowledge it was even possible for him to lose a fair fight. At one point, he announced the election was rigged because Hillary Clinton was in it. (She should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with emails.) The rigged-election moment overshadowed everything else in the debate, during which Trump made very strange faces while Clinton was talking, but did manage to avoid going completely off the rails. Does that make him a success? We are once again faced with the problem of the very, very low bar. Still, no. WASHINGTON With every presidential debate this year, Americans are reminded that the Iran nuclear deal remains as controversial as ever. Iranians, too, are watching the election, dreading the potential consequences for the deal and for their countrys future. With only three months before the Obama administration leaves office, the United States and Iran need to work fast to strengthen the deals foundations and ensure that the improvement in relations that took place over the course of President Obamas tenure survives. Both presidential nominees will most likely increase pressure on Tehran, but they differ on the nuclear deal. Donald J. Trump has denounced it as one of the worst deals ever negotiated. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, played a role in forging it and has pledged to continue its implementation. But she has also vowed to be tough on Iran for its ballistic missile program and its support for terrorism. Are you a citizen? the woman standing in front of my apartment building in Manhattan asked me this summer. She had a clipboard with a sign-up sheet in one hand, which she extended to me as I walked toward her. Im looking for registered voters who would like to sign a petition to I took the clipboard before she was done explaining. Are you an American? she asked again. Smiling, I unhooked a pen as I told her, Yes, Im an American. Its unlikely the woman understood my eagerness to sign that petition, whose purpose I now barely remember. After living in America for over a decade, I could finally sign such a legislative document, thanks to my recent naturalization. It was the first time I got to have a say in Americas future. In that moment, I was no longer a Cameroonian immigrant only I was an immigrant and a citizen. This country, which used to be other peoples country, was now my country, too. On Nov. 8, when I cast the first vote of my life, it will be in this adopted country of mine. Ill be a citizen and an immigrant voting in an anti-immigrant age when, around the world, citizens and immigrants are clashing over who belongs where. In the United States, millions are cheering the idea of building a wall and barring Muslim immigrants. In the Dominican Republic, the government has deported countless Haitian immigrants and their native-born children, telling them to go find a new home. In Europe, protesters have carried placards proclaiming, Refugees Not Welcome. At the bottom of the Mediterranean, theres a graveyard filled with aspiring immigrants. The quandary has been far greater for the Germans, whose land is riddled with unwanted monuments to the Nazi past. In the first years after the war, the tendency in West Germany was to efface the past; in later years, partly at the prompting of Jews, the Germans acknowledged the need to maintain memorials of Nazi crimes. Fight forgetfulness, Elie Wiesel, the late Holocaust survivor and chronicler of Nazi crimes, exhorted German youths at a conference in 1987 on what to do with the Wannsee Villa, the Berlin mansion where the final solution was adopted by Nazi officials. Reject any attempt to cover up the past. The authorities in Braunau am Inn, however, had another problem: the building was privately owned, and the owners refused to sell it. So for decades the city leased the house while pondering what to do. Now, at last, following the recommendation of a historical commission to permanently prevent the recognition and the symbolism of the building, the Austrian government has decided to seize the house and either tear it down or totally rebuild it, and on Tuesday took the first step toward expropriating it. At this point, that is for the best. Austria has long abandoned the noxious pretense of being the first victim of Nazi Germany. And the house in Braunau am Inn has only a tiny role in Nazi history. Hitlers family moved out when he was only 3, he showed no later interest in his birthplace, and no terrible decisions or crimes are associated with it. Unlike the Wannsee Villa, say, there is no lesson for townspeople or visitors to absorb at 15 Salzburger Vorstadt, and there should be nothing there for neo-Nazis to venerate. INTERNATIONAL An article on Sept. 20 about Chancellor Angela Merkels acceptance of blame for her partys losses in German regional elections quoted incorrectly from comments by Constanze Stelzenmuller, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who said many Germans felt threatened by the influx of migrants last year. She said, To many, the German state appeared not to be capable of handling this wave of migrants not ... not to be capable of not handling this wave of migrants. An article on Sept. 20 about an airstrike on a humanitarian aid convoy in Syria that killed at least 12 people misstated the surname of one of those killed, the local head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. He was Omar Barakat, not Baraka. NATIONAL Because of an editing error, a headline on Wednesday about a former F.B.I. official at the center of the latest controversy over Hillary Clintons private emails referred incorrectly in some editions to comments he made about his involvement. While he said he did in fact offer to trade favors with the State Department about an email classification issue last year, he also said that he quickly dropped the offer once he realized it involved the 2012 Benghazi attacks and Mrs. Clintons emails. He did not admit to a quid pro quo specifically over Mrs. Clintons emails. THURSDAY STYLES Because of an editing error, an article on Oct. 6 about young people who reject the term fiance misstated one result of an online survey conducted by BuzzFeed about the issue. Almost one-quarter of respondents not a majority said they preferred the term partner. Its hard to imagine that any city in North America will escape the effects of climate change within the next 25 years. But some will be better positioned than others to escape the brunt of drought, wildfire, extreme heat, extreme precipitation, extreme weather and hurricanes. Those were some of the climate change-related threats listed by Benjamin Strauss, who focuses on climate impacts at Climate Central, an independent nonprofit research collaboration of scientists and journalists. Dr. Strauss, 44, identified cities where people could settle in the next two decades if they are aiming to avoid those threats. At the beginning of the Renaissance, in the 16th century, aristocrats and scholars began to fill rooms with exotic artifacts from far-flung territories horns said to have belonged to unicorns, brilliant red coral, animal skeletons, chalices made of silver or coconut shells often displayed among Old Master paintings and sculptures. Over time, the practice of collecting items for ones wunderkammer (cabinet of wonders) became more and more elaborate. Kings would gift extraordinary objects to other rulers to impress them with their wealth, such as a windup automaton that poured wine or a boat carved of gold and set with hundreds of precious stones. Perhaps one of the worlds greatest collections, which still exists, is the Green Vault, the treasure chamber of August the Strong, which reopened to the public in Dresden in 2004 and contains thousands of objects, from a cherry stone carved with over a hundred faces to the largest green-hued diamond in the world. In the last few years, wunderkammers, and the objects found in these collections, have become exceedingly fashionable with contemporary art galleries and collectors. A leading hunter and expert of wunderkammer objects is Georg Laue of the Kunstkammer in Munich, a dizzying Aladdins Cave of rare historic pieces. Among them: a Renaissance-era trunk of carved ebony with secret drawers and a 17th-century automaton clock of a Moor with a dog and a monkey. (When the hour strikes, the dog jumps.) Laues booth is one of the most anticipated at this weekends debut of TEFAF New York, the Manhattan outpost of Europes most prestigious art and antiques fairs, on through Oct. 26. His booth will feature items including an exceptional 16th-century Renaissance mortar with life casts made by the famous Nuremberg artist Wenzel Jamnitzer, which Laue just sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you see a Hirst or Koons, you recognize it and move on, he notes. In my gallery, there are hundreds of objects and a very special atmosphere. Behind each piece is an amazing story. Everyone who stops by, even contemporary gallerists and collectors, is so engaged and asks so many questions. When the American photographer Karen Knorr moved to London in the mid-1970s, she saw the city with an outsiders clarity: She became fascinated by its class system, and in particular its gentlemens clubs, which functioned not only as exclusive sanctuaries for the wealthy, but as backdrops for discreet political networking. Between 1981 and 1983, she took photographs inside three establishments: the Carlton Club, the Turf Club and Brookss, all located in the affluent neighborhood of Mayfair. Gaining access took considerable persuasion, and at the latter two clubs, she had to be vouched for by a friend of a friend: Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland. Once she was permitted to begin the project, she would enter the clubs through the back door; to minimize disruption she worked early in the morning, leaving around 10 a.m. Her photographs, in stark black and white, show a quiet, anachronistic world of three-piece suits, oil paintings and playing cards. Her photo essay, Gentlemen which has recently been republished by Stanley/Barker is a study of a certain type of Britishness: one that focuses on tradition, colonialism and social hierarchy. Knorr was particularly interested in the exclusion of women, who might be invited into the clubs as guests, but did not have access to every room. This was the early 80s and Thatcher was in power, yet she was not allowed to be a full member, says the photographer. The clubs themselves had evolved from 18th-century Londons coffeehouse scene; they were intended to give men a place to talk about politics and philosophy. Though Gentlemen falls into the genre of documentary, it also has elements of performance and intervention: A few of the men who appear in the images were in fact inserted by Knorr. They were friends whose parents had been members of the club, but they themselves were not, so in fact theyre actors playing the role of gentlemen, she explains. She gave each image a piece of accompanying text almost a poem that she wrote herself, mimicking phrases shed heard from politicians, such as: Men are interested in Power. Women are more interested in Service. In a way I was sort of inventing a new type of photo essay, that was based on reading the speeches of parliament during this period, but also immersing myself in British colonial empire literature, she says. One summer holiday on the island of Sicily, home to Mount Etna, Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin became obsessed with basalt, the volcanic rock created as lava cools. Trimarchi was born there and is well acquainted with the unpredictable power of Etna. Its like a mine without miners, he says. Its always throwing out materials. The same could be said of the objects and furniture designed by Trimarchi and Farresin, who work under the name Studio Formafantasma. Based in Amsterdam, the two founded the firm in 2009, opting against using their own names because we wanted to be a different entity than what we are as individuals, says Farresin, 36. The name means ghost shape, which is indicative of their process one that emphasizes the amorphous early stages of creation, when the mind is cloudy and full of potential, says Trimarchi, 33. SAN FRANCISCO Peter Thiel made a relatively modest investment in the presidential candidacy of Donald J. Trump, but it is generating a major uproar in Silicon Valley. Mr. Trump is toxic among technology investors and entrepreneurs. The news last weekend that Mr. Thiel was giving $1.25 million to the Republicans campaign is provoking outrage. And tech executives who work with the billionaire investor are being forced to explain why they plan to continue to do business with him. Now Mr. Thiel will defend himself. A spokesman said Wednesday evening that he would address the controversy in a speech in Washington later this month. He declined to comment further. Mr. Thiel was the first outside investor in Facebook and sits on its board. That has put the social media giant in the cross hairs of this debate. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, warned that cutting ties with Mr. Thiel because of his political views would be a troubling precedent. More often than not, students will apply to programs through their college or university and should enlist the help of their academic adviser. New Yorks CUNY system, for example, has a list of programs in over 50 countries. Some are open only to students of that institution; others are open to all students. Begin planning a year in advance and keep an eye on application deadlines. (I ended up missing an opportunity to go away when I was a student for just that reason. Some domestic study away programs are still available I ended up going to N.Y.U. for my semester abroad.) Financing some of these trips can be tricky. A semester in France through the American Institute of Foreign Study will run $15,000 and that doesnt include the flight. Fortunately, there are many scholarships available to help defray the costs. Scholarship Portal, FastWeb and the College Board all have searchable scholarship databases with awards in varying amounts many students will be able to piece together an award that makes some of the more expensive programs feasible. Barring that, there are a couple of other options. Federal financial aid will actually cover eligible study abroad programs. Another option is to simply pick a cheaper and shorter program. That semester in France might cost $15,000, but this poetry and studio art summer program in Athens through the University of Oregon is less than $3,000. Volunteer Volunteer work is a way to travel cheaply while doing some good. While some volunteer through their church or local community organization, others search for opportunities through clearinghouses like Go Overseas, which lists different programs based on area of interest and destination. AmeriCorps and Teach for America are service-oriented ways to work within the United States. (Teach for America educators, it should be noted, are salaried full-time employees.) Both programs offer potential student loan forgiveness. Peace Corps, the government-run volunteer program, focuses on social and economic development in over 60 countries across the world. I went to El Salvador with the Peace Corps in 2002, and would advise potential candidates to think seriously about the type of work they would like to do before they join. Those in my agroforestry cohort group who had some sort of background in agriculture or geology generally fared better than those with no experience, like me. While fumbling my way through many of the training activities, I was all thumbs and not the green kind, either. Heidi Anne McKinney, 26, was charged with touching another woman on the thigh and groin during an Alaska Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Portland on May 8 this year. In another case, according to a criminal complaint filed in United States District Court in New Jersey, a woman allegedly assaulted by Yoel Oberlander on an overnight El Al flight from Tel Aviv to Newark on May 29 was seated between him and her mother when he began to grope her. She kept repositioning herself to shake his hand off her hand, thigh and breast. It wasnt until her mother awoke that she asked her to switch seats, and eventually reported to the crew what had taken place. Mr. Oberlander, 35, was charged with one count of abusive sexual contact on an airplane. He is a registered sex offender convicted in 2002 of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in New York. Just how frequent sexual assault is during air travel is difficult to determine, but F.B.I. investigations into in-flight sexual assaults have increased 45 percent so far this year. The bureau said that it had opened 58 investigations into sexual assault on aircraft from January through September 2016, compared with 40 for all of 2015. That increase doesnt include incidents reported to local and airport police. It also doesnt account for the 75 percent of sexual assaults that generally go unreported, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, a division of the Department of Justice. Among the airborne sexual assaults reported to the F.B.I. this year was that of a 13-year-old unaccompanied minor who may have been touched inappropriately by a man who had been drinking at the Dallas airport before boarding an American Airlines flight to Portland, Ore., and a woman who said she awoke on a Virgin America redeye flight from Los Angeles to Newark to find the man next to her massaging her genitals and rubbing his bare feet against her. There is no centralized system for collecting sexual assault reports from airlines, and no special training for flight attendants in handling sexual assault. This is a unique crime, said Ms. Nelson, who in addition to her union position is a United Airlines flight attendant with 20 years of experience. Its really not the same as asking, How much did that person hurt you when they hit you on the head? LAS VEGAS The smart money on Wednesdays matchup between Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump was for a 12-round, no-holds-barred bout worthy of this citys prizefights. But Chris Wallace wanted a debate. And for the most part, he got one. The first Fox News journalist chosen to moderate a general-election debate, Mr. Wallace mixed humor with scolding and persistence with patience to guide his charges toward the most substantive encounter of an unusually vicious election. Mr. Wallaces watchword for the evening, it seemed, was defuse: He posed detailed questions on policy, opened the proceedings with a calm query about Supreme Court jurisprudence and kept an eyebrow firmly arched as Mrs. Clinton, and more often, Mr. Trump, attempted to talk over him. In a remarkable statement that seemed to cast doubt on American democracy, Donald J. Trump said Wednesday that he might not accept the results of next months election if he felt it was rigged against him a stand that Hillary Clinton blasted as horrifying at their final and caustic debate on Wednesday. Mr. Trump, under enormous pressure to halt Mrs. Clintons steady rise in opinion polls, came across as repeatedly frustrated as he tried to rally conservative voters with hard-line stands on illegal immigration and abortion rights. But he kept finding himself drawn onto perilous political territory by Mrs. Clinton and the debates moderator, Chris Wallace. He sputtered when Mrs. Clinton charged that he would be a puppet of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia if elected. He lashed out repeatedly, saying that shes been proven to be a liar on so many different ways and that shes guilty of a very, very serious crime over her State Department email practices. And by the end of the debate, when Mrs. Clinton needled him over Social Security, Mr. Trump snapped and said, Such a nasty woman. Mrs. Clinton was repeatedly forced to defend her long service in government, which Mr. Trump charged had yielded no real accomplishments. But she was rarely rattled, and made a determined effort to rise above Mr. Trumps taunts while making overtures to undecided voters. Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump have both tried to rattle each other during the debates by inviting guests who might unsettle their opponent, but Mr. Trump, a talented showman running a scorched-earth presidential campaign, has excelled at inviting attention-grabbing guests. The third and final debate on Wednesday appeared to continue that trend. One of his guests will be Wayne Newton, after all. A quick recap of their past guests: Mrs. Clinton took a well-known Trump antagonist, the billionaire Mark Cuban, to the first debate in September on Long Island. He will be in attendance again on Wednesday along with Meg Whitman, a former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard and a Republican fund-raiser. Mr. Trumps guest list for the second debate in October in St. Louis raised eyebrows. It included three women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault or sexual harassment in the past: Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick. She was just standing there, my dad told my sister, by way of explanation, and she fell. My mom managed a small smile, with her big swollen lip, like it was her fault, my sister told me. The three of them were living in a small apartment in Tokyo at the time. This was five years ago, in 2011, the year my mom started falling down. My Filipina mother, Betty, age 72 and all of 88 pounds at the time, had raised five children in Japan and was endlessly active, hopping on her bicycle to do errands or deliver delicious homemade food to my high school, or hurrying to the subway to spend time with close friends. It was unlike her to lose control of anything, especially her balance. So naturally we were confused when she had a very bad fall later that year, during a wedding in Las Vegas. And, two years later, when she banged her head on a dresser drawer while on vacation in Atlantic City, requiring a visit to an emergency room to get stitches. She insisted she was fine, and we chalked it up to inner-ear problems, which shed had for years. But soon things escalated and we made it a point to keep a watchful eye over our mother, wondering when she might fall again, wondering if one of us would be there to catch her when she did. RIO DE JANEIRO Eduardo Cunha, the former speaker of Brazils lower house of Congress who engineered the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff this year, was arrested Wednesday on corruption charges, federal prosecutors said. Mr. Cunha, until recently one of the countrys most powerful and feared politicians, was taken into custody in the capital, Brasilia, and flown to Curitiba, in the southern state of Parana, where he could stand trial, according to a statement by the prosecutors office. Mr. Cunha is facing multiple allegations, including accusations that he took as much as $40 million in bribes for himself and his allies from the state oil company, Petrobras. He also faces money-laundering charges as well as accusations that he interfered with the authorities investigation, prosecutors said. Mr. Cunha said in a statement on Wednesday that there was no justification for his arrest, and he called it an absurd decision. SEOUL, South Korea North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Thursday, but the test ended in failure, the United States military said. It was the Norths second failed attempt to flight-test that type of missile in five days. The United States Strategic Command detected the failed North Korean missile launch at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, Pyongyang time, the command said in a news release. The test, which took place near the northwestern city of Kusong, involved the Norths Hwasong-10 missile, known to the outside world as the Musudan. The launch did not pose a threat to North America, the news release said. It gave no further details about the failed attempt. North Korea has had a spotty record in test-launching the Musudan, the longest-range ballistic missile it has deployed. In seven previous tests, the projectiles often exploded or crashed into the sea shortly after launch, South Korean and United States officials have said. MANILA Dozens of protesters were hurt on Wednesday after a Philippine police officer used a van to ram into them during a demonstration against the United States in the capital. Television footage showed the van plowing into a throng of protesters outside the United States Embassy in Manila as police officers in riot gear roughed up a group of mostly student activists. The vehicle drove wildly forward and backward, knocking down several protesters. A woman was seen being flung into the air before slamming into the ground. She was then run over, but she was later seen standing and limping away. About 1,000 activists had gathered to demand an end to the United States presence in its former colony; the two countries have been allies since the 1950s. The new Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, has denounced President Obama, Pope Francis, the United Nations and the European Union for criticizing his war on drugs, which has left hundreds of suspected drug dealers and addicts dead. I think for someone like me, you have to take some kind of leap of faith and leave home. Ive seen my colleagues who work in Copenhagen who are from Brazil or Australia, how they develop as human beings. And I wanted that for myself, before it was too late. And New York is a city where theres room for everything, for every personality, for dance, for art, for everything. Were you just waiting for the right offer? No, I came to them. After I guested with the company in 2014 I sent Kevin [McKenzie, the director of Ballet Theater] an old-fashioned letter through the mail. I wanted to be as honest as possible. Ive never done an audition in my life or asked for a job. So I wanted to put myself out there and be vulnerable. He could have said no. Not long after you were hired, you got injured. It felt terrible you join a new company and you want to show who you are and give it your all. But I couldnt, so I went back to Denmark and got surgery. Its definitely a knock to your identity and your ego and your self-confidence. Youve had to learn a lot of new works in just a few weeks. Yeah, especially the Ratmansky piece, Serenade After Platos Symposium, which was difficult to learn. Its a lot of steps and he uses his own vocabulary so its hard to write it down or explain. You just have to work with the ballet master and Alexei [Ratmansky]. The role was made for dancers who are quite different from you: Jeffrey Cirio and Herman Cornejo. Does that make it difficult to walk into? Jeffrey and Herman are very fast I definitely had to do my best to get that quickness. But Alexei allows us to do our own interpretation. He changed tiny things here and there and let me do my thing. Say Maastricht to anyone in a certain precinct of the art world and they will know you are talking about TEFAF Maastricht, the grande dame of art fairs, specializing in extremely high-end art and antiques. Now comes TEFAF New York, a new fair scheduled to appear twice a year at the Park Avenue Armory, in the fall and the spring, and repeat that museum-quality level. The fairs fall debut has accomplished this task. With 94 dealers from 13 countries many of whom have never shown in New York or havent shown here in years the fair fills the 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall and includes art, antiquities and furniture from around the globe. Fifteen period rooms on the second floor of the Armory expand the fairs footprint into other realms. Following are some highlights. DANIEL CROUCH One of the most spectacular objects at the fair, at Daniel Crouch Rare Books, is a map of the known world created in Genoa, Italy, in 1531. More than six feet long and painted with liquid gold, lapis lazuli and watercolor on vellum (that is, six goatskins), it was made and signed by the Genoese cartographer Vesconte Maggiolo, who may have sailed with Verrazzano. Most important, it is the first extant map to show New York Harbor. Camels, elephants, lions, unicorns, dragons and cannibals are also used to describe different continents and locales. When migrants were forced to evacuate the Idomeni refugee camp along the Greek-Macedonian border, the Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei came to gather what they left behind. Mr. Ai did not haul back to his Berlin studio only the filthy clothes, shoes and blankets that would otherwise have been bulldozed away. He washed them. He ironed creases into the pants, brushed lint off the sweaters, scraped mud out of the sneaker treads. Now he is bringing 2,046 of these items to New York, where he lived in the 1980s before he became one of the most influential artists of his day and before he spent four years detained by the Chinese government and denied his passport. The show, Laundromat, opening at Deitch Projects Wooster Street space on Nov. 5, will present those cleaned castoff belongings, along with photographs of the refugee camps he visited (including some of Mr. Ais Instagram shots). It will also include a short documentary about Idomeni, which ends on the image of a pink heart-shaped light, still blinking on the back of a little girls shoe, like a beacon of resilience and hope. In the case of the terra-cotta relief, the attribution is based on the strong similarities with a panel of the same subject done by Verrocchio for the so-called Silver Altar, which was commissioned by the cloth merchants guild for the Baptistery of Florence. A comparison between the terra-cotta relief and the Silver Altar, which are exhibited side by side, might help shed some light on the question of whether Leonardo may have been involved in modeling some of the figures, a hypothesis recently raised by some scholars. Alessandro Vezzosi, one of the art historians who propose a Leonardo affiliation, said he hoped the exhibition would spur debates and conferences to discuss the possibility. Mr. Vezzosi, the director of the Leonardo museum in Vinci, included the relief of the beheading in an exhibition on Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael in Sweden in 2010, but so far it has remained under the scholarship radar. Image The attribution of the relief of St. John the Baptists beheading is based on the strong similarities with a panel of the same subject done by Verrocchio for the so-called Silver Altar Credit... Museo dellOpera del Duomo, photo by Antonio Quattrone Here, at least, weve got a chance for art historians to see it, Mr. Silverman said. This is the reason we loaned it, so art historians can tear it apart, tear me apart all I ask is that people study it. A cluster of forgeries has been identified on the market, including copies of pieces that belonged to Marie Antoinette. Some of Frances most prominent experts have been implicated. (Bill Pallot, who worked at the Didier Aaron gallery in Paris, has been charged with creating several of the fakes and will go on trial next year.) The Frick Collection in Manhattan has analyzed gilded metalwork by Pierre Gouthiere, a Parisian supplier of furniture ornaments used by generations of royals and their inner circles. The works will be in its exhibition Pierre Gouthiere: Virtuoso Gilder at the French Court, opening on Nov. 16. The catalog examines about 60 objects, from cutlery to fireplaces, and it shows drawings and photographs of two dozen Gouthiere works that have been lost. The book also describes his poor business skills; he spent years mired in debt and lawsuits. During a preview of the show, the decorative arts curator Charlotte Vignon and the conservator Joseph Godla explained how Mr. Gouthieres workshop molded foliage, fruit, animals, gods and goddesses in high relief. They have examined hundreds of objects credited to his workshop, and have made a few dozen firm attributions, based on documents, materials and craftsmanship. Mr. Gouthiere pared down gilded metal into delicate sheets, and the work, Mr. Godla said, almost flutters. In the catalog, he praises Mr. Gouthieres skill at rendering a vast range of surfaces the soft skin of a face, a goats rippled fur or the alternating textures of its horns, the fine veins of a leaf. Arguably, Beckmanns greatest work is the 21-foot-wide triptych Departure (1932, 1933-35), which Alfred Barr, then director of the Museum of Modern Art, acquired in 1942. It renders the horror of Germany in the 1930s as a kind of Shakespearean tableau. To the left, people are being tortured in a dungeon; to the right, a grizzled man beats a bass drum before a stage displaying a man tied upside-down to a standing woman. A bellhop walks by with a fish under one arm. In the central panel, a gold-crowned king, his queen holding their infant, and a guardian figure in a knights helmet are setting out in a wooden boat against a flawless blue background of sea and sky. Its one of the saddest paintings in the history of modern art. Image Self-Portrait With White Hat from 1926 by Max Beckmann. Credit... 2016 Max Beckmann/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn,Private Collection, New York New York institutions have not been especially kind to Beckmann, however. Since his death, only two Beckmann retrospectives have appeared in New York museums. The first was at the Museum of Modern Art in 1964-65, and the second, also at MoMA, in 2003. If you believe that Beckmann was one of the 20th centurys artistic giants, this seems strangely neglectful, not to say scandalous, on the part of our cultural arbiters. Was Wednesday the final presidential debate of 2016 or the opening night of the Trump News Channel? Earlier in the week, The Financial Times reported that Donald J. Trumps son-in-law had met with investors about possibly starting a television network. And a half-hour before the debate, we got a sneak preview of what Trump TV might look like, via Mr. Trumps Facebook page. If youre tired of biased, mainstream media reporting (otherwise known as Crooked Hillarys super PAC), Mr. Trump posted, tune into my Facebook Live broadcast. That ramshackle pregame show was like state television produced by QVC, with interviews by, of and for Mr. Trumps supporters, cable-news-like graphics and a relentless sales pitch. Trump endorsers, including the former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Gen. Michael T. Flynn pre-hyped the debate. Ivanka Trump, in a taped message, called for donations and promised, My father will make us all proud! There were ad breaks for Mr. Trumps campaign spots. Even he could not call this coverage rigged against him. It has been a bruising year for hedge funds. Big bets have been disastrous, investors have voiced discontent and some managers have been forced to rewrite their playbooks or call it quits. And now, there is new data to rub salt into the industrys wounds: Over the last three months, investors pulled $28 billion out of hedge funds, according to the research firm Hedge Fund Research. It is the biggest quarterly outflow of dollars since the depths of the financial crisis in 2009. So far this year, more than $50 billion has flowed out much of that from the industrys biggest and best-known funds, Hedge Fund Research said in its latest industry report, released on Thursday. Among this years biggest losers are firms tarred in recent months by scandal. In June, the multibillion-dollar hedge fund Visium Asset Management told investors it would wind down after several employees were charged with insider trading and with conspiring to inflate the value of certain stock positions to extract a bigger payout from investors. One of the employees, Sanjay Valvani, was found dead in an apparent suicide one week after the charges were leveled against the firm. HONG KONG In a case that has raised concerns over freedom of speech in Hong Kongs financial markets, a securities tribunal has issued a trading ban against an American investor who criticized the accounts of a Chinese property developer. The investor, Andrew Left, the founder of the California-based firm Citron Research, was barred on Wednesday from trading in Hong Kong for five years. He was also ordered to surrender more than $200,000 in profit from trading shares of Evergrande Real Estate Group Limited, a developer in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. The case, filed in 2014 by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, has heightened fears that regulators in one of Asias biggest financial centers are seeking to suppress critical commentary and the free flow of financial information. It was the second time in recent years that the commission has taken aim at a foreign financial company for criticizing the accounting, governance or other performance aspects of Chinese businesses. WASHINGTON The International Monetary Fund has over the years been criticized for the byzantine intrigues of its workplace, where domineering department heads zealously guard their turf to the detriment of the funds broader mission. Now, a recent bout of infighting has come to light that raises fresh questions about the institutions culture and its promise to become more transparent. This summer, the funds Independent Evaluation Office, an autonomous unit that has a mandate to judge all aspects of the I.M.Fs conduct and policies, issued an 86-page assessment of the funds performance during the European debt crisis. The paper was unusually blunt in its critique of how the I.M.F. handled Greeces debt woes. Fund staff members were cowed by their counterparts in Europe, missed early signs of stress and did not do enough to push for a debt restructuring, the review laid out. In California, it was people with identification cards issued by Mexican consulates. The absence of a Social Security number made it simpler for Wells Fargo employees to open fraudulent accounts in those customers names. Wells Fargo is one of the few major banks to permit accounts to be opened without Social Security numbers. And in Illinois, one former teller described watching in frustration as older customers fell prey. We had customers of all ages, but the elderly ones would at times be targeted, because they dont ask many questions about fees and such, Brandi Baker, who worked at a branch in Galesburg, Ill., said in an interview. When Mr. Stumpf testified before members of Congress once in the Senate and once in the House he was pressed hard on whether any demographic group had been disproportionately affected. He said he was not sure. Wells Fargo does not collect information on its customers ethnicity, Mr. Stumpf said. Of the two million potentially unauthorized accounts the bank uncovered in its internal review, the affected customers skewed to younger people, not older people, he told the House Financial Services Committee. In the Los Angeles area, for instance, college campuses were considered prime spots for employees seeking to rack up new accounts because younger customers had a tendency to trust a bankers advice. Athena McDaniel-Watkins, a former teller who worked in and around Los Angeles, said a banker she worked with would take stacks of forms with him on campus visits and encourage busy students to sign the blank papers he would fill them out later, he told the students. The aim is to create an association in Washington that represents online lenders that are consumer-friendly and that adhere to the highest possible standards of disclosure, transparency and fair pricing, Mr. Hoopes said. Lenders that want to join must agree to a set of standards, which the board is ready to complete, that could influence the direction of the online lending industry. The proposals draw a line that says members may offer loans with an annual percentage rate of up to 36 percent to consumers and businesses, but they must clearly disclose important loan terms to borrowers, and they cannot offer payday loans or merchant cash advances, a type of business loan where the company pays back the money as a percentage of future sales. Consumer advocates have criticized merchant cash advance offerings for their high rates and structure. The group is also considering opening membership to technology providers and investors. The standards may help the members differentiate themselves from other kinds of short-term lenders that are feeling the heat from federal regulators. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken action against a number of payday and auto title lenders in recent months, often for providing inadequate or misleading information to borrowers. The online lenders are watching regulatory activity closely. The consumer protection agency released a proposal in June that would make major changes to the payday loan market and apply tougher restrictions on installment lenders offering loans above an annual rate of 36 percent the same rate called for in the new membership standards. That 36 percent figure is also in line with the statutory cap for loans to active-duty military personnel and some state usury laws. In addition, three of the largest small-business lenders, OnDeck, Kabbage and CAN Capital, started their own organization, the Innovative Lending Platform Association, in May. The group is focused on online education, advocacy and best practices, said Daniel Gorfine, vice president of external affairs and associate general counsel at OnDeck, speaking on behalf of the association. Jeff Strohl, director of research at the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, said, When I was 17, I wouldnt have known what to make of all the data. But Georgetowns goal is to help students interpret it. We need to move the needle from just presenting the earnings numbers to helping them make a decision based on that. We need to think about this using a public service model, he said. If nothing else, earnings are objective and, as the database grows into the millions, reliable. And theyve helped focus attention on little-known schools that would never crack the high status barrier of the U.S. News rankings, especially the community colleges that educate the vast majority of Americas students. In addition to SUNY Maritime, I found myself looking up some schools Id never heard of that fared well on the earnings-based rankings: Bentley University (Massachusetts), which made both The Economists and Georgetowns top 10 lists; Otis College of Art and Design (California) and Alderson Broaddus University (West Virginia), both in The Economists top 10; and University of the Pacific (California) and Molloy College (New York), both in Georgetowns top 10. In the end, of course, deciding which college to attend is intensely personal. No ranking can assess a students unique personality, goals, strengths and weaknesses and match those to the right college. So how would I rank the rankings? Other than its ability to confer bragging rights, which seems a dubious distinction among already status-crazed students and parents, U.S. News seems in danger of becoming an anachronism as long as it ignores outcomes. It should go without saying that the value of an education should never be reduced to purely monetary terms. But college is a major investment; students and parents should consult PayScale and the College Scorecard in order to understand the financial implications of their decisions. No ranking is perfect, but I found that The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education survey did a creditable job blending a wide variety of factors, including outcomes and student engagement. As Phil Baty, rankings editor at Times Higher Education, told me this week, The success of a college graduate should not be measured purely in terms of the salaries they earn. Theres more to life than a high salary. This is why weve also put an emphasis on how much the student is intellectually engaged, stimulated and stretched by their college education. LONDON One trend that has gone out of fashion in the luxury world this year? Stellar sales growth. The global market for high-end personal goods is headed for its weakest year since 2009. Thanks to a potent cocktail of turbulent currency exchange rates, political volatility in Britain and the United States, and fears about terrorism in Europe, the worlds wealthiest shoppers are being more thrifty, according to a study published on Thursday by the Italian luxury goods association Altagamma and the global consultants Bain & Co. Sales of designer handbags, shoes, cocktail dresses and the like are expected to flatline this year at 249 billion euros, or $273.4 billion, at constant exchange rates (that is to say, excluding currency swings), according to the study. At current exchange rates, sales have slipped 1 percent when compared to the 251 billion in sales of personal luxury goods last year. After years of unstoppable growth, this is the new normal for the luxury industry, said Federica Levato, a Milan-based partner at Bain. As to what that new normal is, here are the four main points you need to know from the 53-page report: Currency turmoil is changing how and where people spend Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates were the leading cause of headaches for luxury brands this year. A strong dollar led to a decline in tourism flows to the United States, for example, while in Japan, a strong yen meant that many expected visitors particularly the big-spending Chinese shoppers chose to head elsewhere in Asia. In Britain, the decline of the pound caused a short-term spike in spending; this week, Burberry announced a 30 percent jump in sales in its home market in its second quarter, as shoppers flocked to what had become the worlds cheapest luxury market. In dollar terms, a Louis Vuitton or Gucci handbag snapped up by a tourist in London now seems like a bargain compared with prices in other countries. In the presidential debate Wednesday night, Donald J. Trump expounded on pregnancy and abortion, asserting that under current abortion law, You can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day. Doctors say the scenario Mr. Trump described does not occur. That is not happening in the United States, said Dr. Aaron B. Caughey, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health and Science University. It is, of course, such an absurd thing to say, he said. Im unaware of anyone thats terminating a pregnancy a few days prior to delivery of a normal pregnancy. There can be situations where complications or problems occur late in pregnancy if the woman was in a car crash, for example, or if she was suffering from severe pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition involving high blood pressure. A spine-tingler about love and death, the allure of mystery and its perils, Creepy is the latest from the prolific Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa. True to its English-language title, the movie is thoroughly and utterly creepy, partly because Mr. Kurosawa knows how to slither under your skin, but also because his movies transcend the classifications (and limits) valued by critics and content providers. Creepy certainly works looks and feels like a horror movie, but it also has the conundrums of a detective story, the emotional currents of a domestic drama and the quickening pulse of a psychological thriller, a combination that creates a kind of destabilization. So, what is this movie, exactly? Its a labyrinth, for one, which begins in an interrogation room where a detective, Takakura (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is questioning a serial killer. Smiling, the murderer seems strangely relaxed, as if his crimes were routine. (Maybe they are.) Takakura believing the killer an example of a perfect psychopath is eager to keep examining him, professional curiosity that comes across as clinical, but also a touch unpleasant and insensitive. A few beats later, the killer is on the loose and holding a fork (an appalling, tellingly quotidian detail) to the throat of a woman; by the time the scene ends, he and the hostage are dead and Takakura is bleeding, having been grievously wounded. This prologue turns out to be a preview of things to come, an abstract that announces, by proxy, some of the narrative players and developments: the detective, the killer, the hostage, the investigation, the murder, the pooling blood. The story proper starts humming in the next scene. Its a year later, and Takakura and his wife, Yasuko (Yuko Takeuchi), are moving into a new house with their dog. Its a perfectly ordinary home, even if the camera position and frontal presentation and especially the opaqued kitchen windows may remind you of that interrogation room where so much went very wrong. Mr. Kurosawa doesnt draw dramatic attention to this resemblance, but its there, creating a connection that becomes part of a complex, unnerving web of signification. Mr. Kurosawa is a master of unease and a virtuoso of the slow buildup. His movies are populated with malignant forces both living and dead, but some of their most effectively discomfiting moments arent the most ghoulish or gory. Rather, what spooks you are the slight shifts that turn the ordinary into the inexplicably unordinary, as when curtains suddenly billow and disturb an unquiet peace, or when a strange wind blows through some trees (and all the way down your neck). In Creepy, trees and bushes rustle, never more ominously than in the yard of a neighbor who calls himself Nishino (Teruyuki Kagawa, fantastically horrible), one of those characters whose smiles haunt dreams. There is a type of documentary one of the most prevalent varieties these days that earnestly acquaints its audience with a terrible problem and rewards our attention with a gold star of virtue. You know the kind of film I mean. We are presented with a tableau of human misery or global catastrophe that has been put together with the vague but unarguably noble intention of raising awareness, as if such awareness were itself a kind of solution. The rules of the genre, at least as observed by American filmmakers, dictate an upbeat conclusion. As grim as things may be, a solution can be imagined, and the simple act of watching is implicitly part of that solution. While the sentiments behind this kind of filmmaking are unimpeachable, the cinema they engender is often dutiful and conventional. If you watch enough of them, the crises of our time war, poverty, ecological disaster can start to seem interchangeable. Documentaries, in other words, are as susceptible to formula as action movies or romantic comedies. But there are, thank goodness, exceptions. And everything Ive said so far is a long way of explaining what Gianfranco Rosis Fire at Sea is not. Mr. Rosi, an intrepid Italian documentarian whose previous work has taken him to the Ganges River, the California desert and inside the Mexican drug trade, is certainly a filmmaker with an active social conscience. Fire at Sea is the fruit of an extended sojourn on Lampedusa, an island that, while part of Italy, is closer to Tunisia than to Sicily. Recently, it has become the landing spot for boatloads of refugees and other migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Mediterranean is an escape route for these displaced people and, also, all too often, a graveyard. News reports of the migrants plight and images of overloaded boats and drowned bodies have tested the worlds capacity for indifference, and also challenged the compassion of European citizens and their leaders. The debate over what to do about this crisis, which is roiling politics in nearly every country on the Continent, provides Fire at Sea with a context. But the films subject is more elusive, at once more below the radar and beyond the reach of political discourse. To say that Mr. Jenkins, Mr. McCraney (and the formidable Mr. Ali) humanize Juan is to get it exactly backward. Nobody in Juans situation or in Chirons or Paulas has ever been anything other than human. You might think that would go without saying by now, but the radical, revelatory power of this movie suggests otherwise. Like James Baldwins Go Tell It on the Mountain or, to take a more recent example, like Ta-Nehisi Coatess Between the World and Me Moonlight dwells on the dignity, beauty and terrible vulnerability of black bodies, on the existential and physical matter of black lives. Only after I had seen Moonlight for a third time and only after a European acquaintance pointed it out to me did I notice the almost complete absence of white people from the movie. I dont bring this up to suggest that the movie or my admiration for it in any way transcends race. Nor do I want to damn this film, so richly evocative of South Florida that it raises the humidity in the theater, with the faint praise of universalism. To insist that stories about poor, oppressed or otherwise marginal groups of people are really about everyone can be a way of denying their specificity. The universe is far too granular and far too vast for any one of us to comprehend, and Mr. Jenkins is far too disciplined a filmmaker to turn his characters into symbols. Words like justice and dignity arent used lightly in The Uncondemned. And while this sober documentary about rape during wartime treats those words and its subject with the required gravity, there are also moments of inspiration. The details of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 are well known, particularly the killings of more than 800,000 people. Less discussed were the countless rapes that occurred. Sexual assaults were often seen as secondary to the murders, and there was little urgency from authorities to investigate them. In 1997, a legal team from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sought to hold rapists accountable, and with that set a precedent while rape has been listed as an international war crime since 1919, it had never been prosecuted as such. The group faced an uphill battle in doing so. Witnesses had been intimidated and killed; victims were sometimes hindered by shame; and resources were ridiculously low. In this film, directed by Michele Mitchell and Nick Louvel, the lawyers recall an emergency meeting once held to discuss how to ration their last ream of paper. The efforts at putting Jean-Paul Akayesu, a Rwandan mayor, on trial for his role in encouraging and ordering rapes are recounted here with clarity by the lawyers and others. Yet most extraordinary are interviews with the women who came forward to provide evidence in court. Their integrity and tenacity, and their loyalty to one another, are enough to bring you to tears. The eventual conviction of Mr. Akayesu (he was sentenced to life in prison) was a hard-earned victory in the aftermath of genocide. Despite their ordeals, these rape survivors and their supporters secured a measure of justice for themselves, as well as for humanity. After a screening of The Whole Truth, a colleague remarked that it looked like a major studio release that had been tweaked to within an inch of its life, leaving only a sliver of the movie that might have been. How else to explain the involvement of two household-name stars (Keanu Reeves and Renee Zellweger) and an award-winning director (Courtney Hunt) in a plot so soulless and poorly dramatized that even the last-minute reveal is a yawn? Our unreliable narrator is Richard Ramsay (Mr. Reeves), a cynical Louisiana lawyer whose teenage client, Mike (Gabriel Basso), has apparently confessed to murdering his wealthy father. Thats convenient for his mother, Loretta (Ms. Zellweger), a twitchy dame who clearly knows more than shes letting on. As revealed in singularly unexciting flashbacks, the deceased (Jim Belushi) was a boor and a bully whose sins might not have stopped at serial adultery. But Mike isnt talking to anyone. Trundling along on the drone of Ramsays pseudo-hardboiled voice-over, The Whole Truth plays like an especially claustrophobic courtroom procedural, drably photographed and generically framed. Ms. Hunt, who has a law degree, made a strong feature debut in 2008 with the blue-collar drama, Frozen River, a movie that burned with the intensity of Melissa Leos lead performance. But neither Mr. Reeves nor his co-star is given the same opportunity to shine in a script (by Rafael Jackson) that feels whittled to the bone. This sense of narrative ellipses is nowhere more evident than in the character of Janelle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a young lawyer with a romantic-stalker background thats confided then simply abandoned. Given her lovely work in the 2014 romance Beyond the Lights, Ms. Mbatha-Raw seems more than capable of making Janelle both Ramsays nemesis and the movies savior. A 61-year-old Brooklyn resident from China was walking on the street one day in April when a woman approached her and struck up a friendly conversation in Cantonese. She claimed to be a clairvoyant, and then she delivered a dire warning. You or a family member will die soon because of a curse, she said. That, according to an indictment unsealed in New York State Supreme Court on Thursday, was the hook in a ruse known as the blessing scam. The scammer, a 44-year-old woman from China, told the older woman that the only way to reverse the curse was with a blessing over her lifes savings and jewelry. The victim returned with $140,000 worth of cash and pieces of 24-karat gold jewelry in a bag, which she was told not to open immediately, in order to preserve the blessing. She was distracted, the bag was switched with another, and her property was stolen, though she did not realize it until later, when she opened the bag. The scheme, the authorities say, was carried out by Chinese nationals who, for the last several years, have been entering the United States to target Chinese immigrants in neighborhoods across New York as well as in cities across the country. The Nassau County executive, Edward P. Mangano, his wife and a local town supervisor were arrested and charged on Thursday with trading government contracts and official favors for free vacations, a no-show job as a food taster and other bribes the latest in a series of corruption scandals to embarrass New York. The arrests capped months of looming trouble for Mr. Mangano, a powerful figure in Republican politics on Long Island and the top elected official in Nassau County. He has been dogged by reports many published in Newsday that he had received free gifts and vacations from a longtime friend, Harendra Singh, a Long Island restaurateur with about 30 businesses in the area and several government contracts. Mr. Manganos arrest was another blow to the Republican machine in Nassau County, already weakened by the conviction last year of the former State Senate majority leader, Dean G. Skelos, on corruption charges. The case seemed destined to tip Long Island politics into upheaval ahead of the elections in November. Several Long Island Republicans are trying to hold onto their seats in the State Senate, which Democrats are targeting in an effort to gain control of the chamber. To the disappointment of some activists, the de Blasio administrations approach to school integration so far can be summed up in one word: incremental. However, one small program aimed at diversifying schools in New York City is getting bigger. Last year, seven elementary schools were allowed to change their admissions policies to give disadvantaged students priority for a certain number of seats. All but one of the schools did not have a designated geographic zone. Some of them set aside seats for students who qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, others for students learning English. One gave priority to students in the child welfare system, another to students with family members who are incarcerated. Now, after the city made an open call for similar admissions proposals, 12 other schools will join the program and initiate their own admissions set-asides. They are a mix of elementary, middle and high schools. Two of the elementary schools, the Charrette School and the East Side School for Social Action, are zoned, so their admissions priorities would go into effect only after all zoned students had been admitted. In some other cases, the new admissions priority has the potential to reverse a shift in demographics. The fierce winds blowing around Kenyas Lake Turkana were long the bane of herders eking out a living in the arid, isolated hills. Now those winds are powering a wind farm whose grand promise and many problems are being closely followed across sub-Saharan Africa, where almost two-thirds of the population still has no access to electricity. This month, the 155th of the planned 365 turbines went up at the Lake Turkana Wind Power project, which when completed next year will provide 310 megawatts, or about a fifth of Kenyas generating capacity. The project is as ambitious as it is huge. It is the largest private investment in Kenyas history, with the wind farm covering 40,000 acres. It is also in one of the most remote corners of Kenya, roughly 750 miles from the main seaport of Mombasa, where the turbines arrive; 375 miles from the capital of Nairobi; and 265 miles from the nearest transmission grid. When construction began last year there were no paved roads anywhere near the lake in fact, no infrastructure of any sort. It is what Kenya and other sub-Saharan countries need: abundant power that helps each nation meet its obligations under the Paris climate-change agreement, unleashes economic potential and lights dark homes. Yet the project also demonstrates the huge hurdles in undertaking large projects in a region of poor infrastructure, widespread corruption and weak financial markets. Since the project was proposed, Kenya has had a number of corruption scandals and a contested election that set off a wave of violence. In 2012 the World Bank decided not to support the project based on the argument that it would generate more power than Kenya needs. And local communities have filed a lawsuit, still pending resolution, to nullify the projects land titles. I recently spent a week in the United States, meeting with policy makers and officials. I was often asked: What can we do to support you to continue your work? I tried to explain that, even if people viewed it as heroic, we didnt want to continue. I do not want to keep pulling babies from beneath the rubble, not knowing if perhaps the next child I find will be my own son or daughter. The White Helmets were honored to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. We are glad that our work has been featured on the cover of Time magazine. But we are not happy to do what we do. We abhor the reality we live in. What we want isnt support to continue, but rather support to end this work. When the so-called cease-fire ended in Aleppo last month, a new, vicious aerial campaign began. Russian and Syrian warplanes began pounding the city with a ferocity and brutality wed never seen before. In just 21 days, we counted 2,400 airstrikes in Aleppo. Of these, more than 20 involved the use of bunker busters, weapons that collapse entire buildings and are new to Syrias war. These horrific bombs destroy the underground hospitals, schools and basement shelters where civilians have sought reprieve from barrel bombs and airstrikes. In addition, weve documented around 200 Russian attacks that have used cluster bombs and incendiary munitions. These attacks have killed or injured more than 2,000 Syrians. This number will rise, because many dead bodies are still trapped beneath the rubble. We now have so many airstrikes that we dont have time to reach all of the bombing sites. I heard a story recently that is emblematic of all of the suffering in Aleppo right now. A gravely wounded man arrived in a hospital, and there were no more spaces on the floor for new patients. The doctor told the nurse: This man will only live for two more hours. Take him out of the hospital so that we can admit those who can possibly be saved. The man was put in a body bag while he was still alive, and placed in the street to be buried. This is the horror that we face in Aleppo. When hundreds of thousands of Syrians took to the streets in 2011, they did so because they had aspirations for a better future for themselves and their children. They did not demonstrate against the government because they wanted to try every kind of death possible. But since then we have tried death by chemical weapons, by barrel bombs, by mortar shells. We have tried death by drowning in the Mediterranean, by freezing in refugee camps. We have tried death by bunker busters and cluster bombs and incendiary weapons. There is no death that the Syrian people have left to try. There are signs that may be changing, at least in certain cases. As Katie Benner reports, Airbnb has proposed to New York City officials that it create a registry of hosts and have a hotline that neighbors of an Airbnb host can call with complaints. Image It was not a move Airbnb made easily. On Tuesday, the New York State governor, Andrew Cuomo, received a bill that would fine people who rent out their apartments on a short-term basis. The fines start at $1,000 and run as high as $7,500 for a third offense. Mr. Cuomo has until Oct. 29 to veto it or let it become law. Proponents of the bill said Airbnbs offer of a registry was intended to stop the bills enactment. Airbnb also called on people listing on the service to call or tweet their protests to the governor. In a call with reporters, an Airbnb spokesman portrayed his company, valued at $30 billion, as a champion of the little guy against big government. There is something to that, after a fashion. In New York, or for that matter in any of the more than 34,000 cities in 191 countries where it has listings, Airbnb could easily provide regulators with a list of the most heavily rented locations, the people or entities listing the most apartments, and the individuals making the most money. If it were to do that, however, it would also put itself in a position to identify everyone committing in a place like New York a legal violation. Donald J. Trump entered the third presidential debate Wednesday night trailing by a wider margin in national polls than any modern candidate who has ever gone on to win the presidency. Whatever you think of his performance, it is hard to argue that it was the sort of resounding victory that he needed to change the trajectory of the race. The post-debate polls suggested that Hillary Clinton won by a comfortable, if not overwhelming, margin. The CNN insta-poll gave her a 13-point win, 52 percent to 39 percent. YouGov gave her a 10-point victory. The big post-debate story lines were probably even worse for Mr. Trump, with most coverage focusing on his refusal to commit to an acceptance of the election result. Obviously, this is not what Mr. Trump needed with just three weeks to go. A majority of voters have persistent concerns about his fitness for the presidency, and dislike him personally. To the east lies Mount Zion Cemetery itself, named for the citys oldest black congregation, Mount Zion United Methodist Church, but founded in 1808 by a white church in need of a place to put to rest its congregants and their enslaved workers. To the west lies what is called the Female Union Band Society Cemetery, which was founded in 1842 by a benevolent society of free black women. Today, despite different ownership, the cemeteries are managed as one and frequently referred to collectively as Mount Zion. The cemetery was probably part of the Underground Railroad. Fleeing slaves are thought to have hidden in a squat brick structure built into the side of a hill, which during the winter held corpses awaiting burial after the spring thaw. From there, escaping slaves could have descended a few hundred yards to Rock Creek, a route that would have taken them along the Potomac River and eventually to free territory in Pennsylvania. Mixed burials largely came to an end there after the early 1850s, when Oak Hill was completed next door and descendants disinterred the remains in many of the white plots for reburial. After the Civil War, Mount Zion became a grazing ground for the horses of Washingtons Metropolitan Railroad, even as burials continued. The cemeterys slide into obscurity over the next century tracked roughly with that of Georgetowns black population, which found itself increasingly marginalized as the neighborhood gentrified and evolved into a largely upper-class preserve. Today, less than 5 percent of Georgetowns residents are black. Donald J. Trump began this quadrennial exercise in campaign humility and self-deprecation on Thursday by comparing himself to the son of God just another carpenter working for his father in his youth. By the end, facing cascading and uncomfortable jeers from a crowd full of white ties and gowns, he had called Hillary Clinton Catholic-hating, so corrupt and potentially jail-bound in a prospective Trump administration. I dont know who theyre angry at, Hillary, you or I, Mr. Trump said sheepishly from the dais, turning to his opponent amid the heckling. It seemed clear to everyone else. Mr. Trump was being booed at a charity dinner. So it went at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in Manhattan, a presidential campaign ritual of levity and feigned warmth upended, like so much else in this election season, by the gale-force bid of Mr. Trump. Donald J. Trump insisted on Thursday that he would not cede the right to contest the outcome of the presidential election, even as Democrats and Republicans expressed concern that his position threatened to upend Americas tradition of peaceful power transfers. But in a small gesture of civility, he suggested that he would not dispute the result if the outcome of the race was clear. Mr. Trumps reluctance to pledge absolutely that he would honor the election outcome follows a rocky performance in the third and last presidential debate and comes as the candidates set off for the frenzied final stretch of campaigning ahead of the Nov. 8 election. On Thursday, Mr. Trump continued to rally his supporters with conspiracy theories about how the race was rigged against him, but he did make clear that there was one result that he would not challenge under any circumstance. I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win, Mr. Trump said to cheers at a rally in Delaware, Ohio. Saying that George W. Bush might have lost the 2000 election to Al Gore if he had made a pre-election pledge not to challenge results, Mr. Trump said he would not take that option off the table. He did, however, try to ease concerns that he was planning to throw the country into postelection turmoil. The three presidential debates had no shortage of discussion about groping, beauty queens and Twitter habits. A question on energy policy this month was memorable only because it gave rise to a meme about the red sweater sported by the voter, Ken Bone, who asked it. Even on Wednesday, when the moderator made policy a priority, the discussion between Donald J. Trump and Hillary Clinton remained skin deep. Lost in the bluster and bombast has been the kind of detailed policy talk that traditionally consumes candidates this time of year. While onstage stalking and shimmying kept body-language experts busy, many who care about tax policy, immigration, health care and climate change were left with little to chew on. Undecided voters curious where the candidates stood on American relations with Israel or their views on the Keystone XL oil pipeline were left to look elsewhere. But even the subjects that did come up didnt result in robust discussions of how the nations most pressing problems should be solved. Following are some of the issues that got short shrift. Taxes Debate audiences have heard much jousting over how little Mr. Trump has paid in income taxes, but far less about how much voters will have to pay if he or Mrs. Clinton is elected. WASHINGTON In Wednesday nights debate, Donald J. Trump excoriated the American-backed Iraqi military offensive to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State, saying it had forfeited the element of surprise and allowed militant leaders to slip away. Douglas MacArthur, George Patton spinning in their graves when they see the stupidity of our country, Mr. Trump added, invoking two of the greatest American commanders from World War II. Actually, probably not, according to some military historians and senior officers, who said on Thursday that Mr. Trumps armchair generalship revealed a fundamental lack of understanding of Iraqi politics, military warfare and even some of the most famous campaigns commanded by MacArthur and Patton. Unlike the top-secret raid by American commandos to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011, there are many good reasons to foreshadow an impending ground offensive, like Mosul, mainly to reduce civilian casualties, isolate the enemy and instill fear within its ranks, military scholars and retired commanders said. Despite their devoted worldwide following, Mr. Azar and many other working novela actors who shoot their shows in Miami struggle to make ends meet between jobs. This is not because they work for a foreign company: The novelas are produced by Telemundo, a Spanish-language network owned by NBCUniversal and based in Miami (Univision, its rival, imports nearly all its novelas from Televisa, a Mexican company). And it is not because Telemundo, once an underdog, is financially ailing: Its ratings have climbed so high that this summer it billed itself as the fourth major network, and it now routinely beats Univision with the coveted 18-to-49-year-old viewers in prime time during the week. Whats more, telenovelas are blockbusters for Spanish-language network television. The difference is this: Telemundos television shows are produced in Spanish, not English, making it easier for the network to argue that the shows are different from others produced in the United States. As a result, it has been easier for Telemundo to sidestep the pressure from the television industrys union, SAG-Aftra, which is pushing the network to come to an agreement. In fact, Telemundo is the only large network in the United States that hires professional actors, but does not produce its shows under union contracts. Telemundo actors say their pay is generally not as high as their counterparts in American soap operas. Now it is facing a push by many of its actors to work under the protection of the union at a time when Telemundo is reimagining telenovelas a kissing cousin, so to speak, of the American soap opera, only on steroids. Unlike American soaps, which have run for decades, the novelas often stay on the air for only a year or two, or on Telemundo a little longer if they are successful. But in Nova Scotia, the overwhelming response is also a measure of how many people, unmoored by the global economy, are hungry for a sense of community. To many, the proposal seemed to present a connection to a famously rich regional culture full of Scottish fiddling, community suppers and square dancing. All of that was far from mind when Jim and Ferne Austin decided to turn their store over to their daughters this year. For the two women, Ms. MacLean and Heather Austin Coulombe, the most immediate concern was where to find employees. We were in a panic, we were so short staffed, Ms. Coulombe said. The Austins opened the business, the Farmers Daughter Country Market, in 1992 in Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia, after a life spent dairy farming. The combination bakery, produce market, ice cream parlor, fudge factory and gift shop now occupies a collection of barn-red buildings along the side of the road on a quiet stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway. Mr. Austins father, also a dairy farmer, had amassed more than 600 acres; after sell-offs, about 200 acres remain. The land that is left is mostly mountain woodland pretty to see, but not of much value unless it were logged. No one in the family wants to shave the hillsides for that. By the end of this summer, the country market was down by three full-time workers, making it difficult to meet a local grocery chains demand for baked goods from the Farmers Daughter. The baking business helps the operation stay afloat in the bleak winter months. Ms. MacLean and Ms. Coulombe tried hiring locally, but said capable and dependable hands were not available. The visa process for foreign workers was too cumbersome, too. That was when they came up with the idea of giving away land. The women put together a questionnaire that emphasized commitment and values and made it clear that the land they were giving away was remote and well off the grid. NEW DELHI India moved on Thursday to intervene in a nationalist furor that has swept Bollywood since an army base was attacked last month and that has threatened to derail the release of major movies starring Pakistani actors. Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated since the attack in September by militants who India says were from Pakistan. One of Indias biggest groups of cinema owners has said that it will not show films featuring Pakistani actors, partly targeting the planned release of a film this month by Karan Johar, one of Bollywoods most successful directors. The movie stars a Pakistani actor, Fawad Khan. A far-right political party based in the state of Maharashtra has also warned all Pakistani performers working in India to leave within 48 hours or risk being beaten up. Image The Pakistani actor Fawad Khan stars in an Indian film to be released later this month. Credit... Agence France-Presse Getty Images The Indian minister of home affairs, Rajnath Singh, met Thursday morning with a delegation led by the president of a major movie producers group and said that steps would be taken to ensure that the film by Mr. Johar would not be disrupted by violence. BEIJING President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, agreed on Thursday to resume direct talks on disputes in the South China Sea after years of escalating tension, a sign of warming relations with Beijing. The announcement came during Mr. Dutertes state visit to China, as he repeatedly sought to distance the Philippines from the United States, a treaty ally. Mr. Duterte, speaking to business leaders shortly after meeting with Mr. Xi, openly declared a separation from the United States. He refrained, however, from saying that he would revoke a 70-year-old treaty alliance with Washington and made no indication of doing what China would like most: scrapping an accord that gives the United States access to five military bases in the Philippines. The decision to reopen discussions on the South China Sea after a hiatus of several years offers the promise of de-escalating tensions in the South China Sea, an issue that has strained Washingtons relationship with Beijing. BRUSSELS It has come to this for the European Union: Its trade policy was being held hostage on Thursday by the Walloons. Facing a set of debilitating crises, the blocs leaders assembled on Thursday for a two-day summit meeting that only underscored how the fractious domestic politics of its 28 member countries are undercutting its ability to confront mounting challenges and restore a sense of common purpose. An accord with Ukraine backed by every other country risked being derailed by the Netherlands, highlighting again the European Unions inability to carry out a muscular foreign policy. Consensus over a toughening of sanctions policy toward Russia appeared as elusive as ever despite Moscows escalation of the conflict in Syria, reflecting the varied economic and political interests in European capitals. The budget discipline that Brussels, urged on by Germany and other northern nations, tries to impose on member governments as a condition of membership in the euro currency, is fraying as calls grow, especially from poorer southern countries, to move away from austerity policies after years of lackluster growth. And then there is the proposed trade deal with Canada, a centerpiece of European Union policy, which is being blocked by the French-speaking Walloons of Belgium. Among the deceased who might be eligible for a pardon is Oscar Wilde, the Irish playwright who was convicted and sentenced to two years of hard labor in 1895 after being accused of sodomy, although the complexity of his case makes it difficult to know for sure. He was tried not once but twice, and only after he withdraw a criminal libel lawsuit against his accuser. Since October 2012, men who were convicted of sexual offenses that are no longer illegal have been able to apply to the Home Office to have those crimes expunged under what is known as the disregard process. So far, 335 applications have been received, and 84 granted. Under the plan announced Thursday, those men also will receive an automatic pardon. It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offenses who would be innocent of any crime today, Sam Gyimah, the parliamentary under secretary of state for prisons and probation, said in a statement. Under the Turing Law, the pardons would apply only to offenses that are no longer crimes. Men who had sex with someone who did not give consent, or who was not 16 or older at the time, will not be eligible for a pardon, nor would men whose crime would now constitute the offense of sexual activity in a public lavatory, which is still a crime. The last provision could be a significant obstacle to a pardon for many men, given that as recently as the 1970s, public bathrooms were often a destination for men seeking same-sex intimacy. John Nicolson, a member of Parliament from Scotland, has put forward a bill that would offer an automatic blanket pardon to men convicted of having gay sex. That bill, which Parliament is scheduled to debate on Friday, has support from Stonewall, the advocacy group, but appears likely to be blocked by the Conservative majority in the House of Commons. Mr. Gyimah said the Nicolson proposal was too broad. A blanket pardon, without the detailed investigations carried out by the Home Office under the disregard process, could see people guilty of an offense which is still a crime today claiming to be pardoned, he said. This would cause an extraordinary and unnecessary amount of distress to victims. Mr. Gordon, a New York Times military correspondent, is with Kurdish pesh merga forces on the northern approach to Mosul. NEAR NAWARAN, Iraq The sounds of battle north of Mosul on Thursday morning told the story of how Islamic State fighters had chosen to meet a new Kurdish assault: the eruptions of suicide car bombs and roadside mines. Grim-faced, a group of Kurdish troops moved to meet the ambulances and gun-laden pickup trucks as they bore the casualties back from the fight at midday. Blood stained the sand near their front-line aid station, and a medevac helicopter touched down on the highway back to Dohuk, ready to take the most grievously hurt to treatment there. One Kurdish fighter was so desperate to get his injured comrade through the snarl of military traffic that he began to fire shots into the air. All civilians are ready to leave, and rebels are not stopping them, said Mr. Ayoud. But, he added, everyone is afraid to be the first to head for the exits. Safe routes had been declared before, but people who tried to use them came under fire. Officials from the United Nations said on Thursday afternoon that Russia had pledged to provide additional 11-hour windows over at least three more days, and to allow participation by humanitarian agencies. The United Nations and other international powers that have called for the protection of civilians have not yet resorted to requiring people to leave their homes for safety and to receive aid. Doing so would be a violation of international law, the United Nations says. But it may be the only way to save lives, with Russia and the Syrian government bombing besieged areas, and claiming it is justified by the presence of the Qaeda-linked fighters of the Levant Conquest Front, formerly known as the Nusra Front. Those fighters, said to make up several hundred of the 8,000 in east Aleppo, have so far refused an offer from the United Nations special envoy to Syria to be bused out with their weapons. Two weeks ago, he proposed that, in exchange, Damascus would allow self-government in eastern Aleppo a provision neither Moscow nor Damascus has shown any inclination to accept, seeking instead to subdue all opposition. Families in Aleppo weighed their options as the United Nations said Russia had agreed that, in the coming days, the pauses would coincide with the delivery of international aid, the evacuation of the wounded, and additional oversight by the Red Crescent and United Nations agencies. The special envoy, Staffan de Mistura, welcomed the cease-fire as an opportunity to bring medical relief to Aleppo. But during remarks to reporters in Geneva, he stressed that the Russian offer fell well short of the cessation of hostilities he had proposed in an attempt to avert the destruction of rebel-held parts of the city. WASHINGTON The wife of an American man secretly detained in Yemen for more than a year said in a Facebook posting that her husband was being held unjustly by one of the countrys security agencies and expressed disappointment that the United States government has been unable to free him. Jihan Mohamed said her husband, Wallead Yusuf Pitts Luqman, was abducted in April 2015. This is the first time that Mr. Luqman has been publicly identified as being held by the Houthis, a Shiite rebel group, in Yemen. The family had stayed silent for fear that public discussion of his kidnapping could endanger his life. Ms. Mohamed said late Thursday on Facebook that her husband was arrested while trying to leave Yemen. The family was on a bus headed for Saudi Arabia when he was taken. THE VOICES WITHIN The History and Science of How We Talk to Ourselves By Charles Fernyhough 307 pp. Basic Books. $27.50. In the course of his life, Vincent van Gogh wrote hundreds of letters to his beloved brother Theo. I have the grounds pretty well in my mind, and will choose a fine potato field at my ease, he wrote in the early 1880s, when he was 30 and just beginning to think of himself as an artist. Vincents letters often sounded more like private speech than outward exchange; he didnt seem to expect or require a reply. The act of writing, the expression of his internal, inchoate jumble of thoughts, was a crucial part of his creative process, helping him orient himself within his own vision and plan its execution. In The Voices Within: The History and Science of How We Talk to Ourselves, Charles Fernyhough, a professor of psychology at Durham University in England, points to van Goghs letters as showing how these voices in our heads are connected to larger questions of thought, decision making, creativity even consciousness itself. Inner voices are Fernyhoughs subject, but he admits they are slippery, hard to track, chaotic and cacophonous. A solitary mind is actually a chorus, he writes. Tune into yours right now: What are you hearing? Whos speaking, and when did the conversation begin? This is ambiguous territory. Measuring ones own private soundtrack is hard enough. Now add in the confounding element of other peoples, too. Studying something as private and ineffable as our inner voices was, my elders might have warned me, never going to furnish a successful research career, Fernyhough writes. Yet he has a penchant for exploring exactly these kinds of shifting landscapes. In an earlier book, Pieces of Light, he took on memory, building an artful case for the intensely improvised, subjective way we recall the experiences that make up our lives. In The Voices Within, he has again rendered complicated mental experience without losing its human texture, as so often happens when psychological questions are addressed in the lab. This article is part of a series aimed at helping you navigate lifes opportunities and challenges. What else should we write about? Contact us: smarterliving@nytimes.com. My eyebrows and I have been through a lot together. When I stumble upon old photographs from childhood, the shape of my brow serves as the keeper of milestones. Too young to care or notice that a unibrow was slowly growing, and then poignantly aghast practically overnight, I began tweezing my eyebrows at about 11. I started simply by making sure I had two rather than one. In middle school, I experimented with different shaping techniques arched too close to the center or blocks straight across always awkward and rarely symmetrical. Over the years I got closer to something that was passable. About five years ago, I finally managed to find the sweet spot in my arch, about three quarters of the way in. Today my eyebrows are full and sculpted and require near daily upkeep. Theyre quick to solicit commentary. Recently someone complimented me on how natural they looked. On Monday afternoon, roughly four months after he died at age 87, more than 1,000 people gathered at Carnegie Hall to pay tribute to the longtime New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham. Fashion world notables like Ralph Lauren, Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, Vera Wang, Naomi Campbell and Jenna Lyons attended, but so did dozens of people some famous, some decidedly not whom Mr. Cunningham had photographed over the years for his weekly On the Street and Evening Hours columns. The invitation said Dress for Bill. Some attendees certainly did. But many of us who are gay, for instance, became the recipients of surprising kindness, from unlikely quarters, when we started coming out in greater number. Folks discovered they already knew (and liked) gay people. They just didnt know they did. Thats the beauty of cross-pollination. Perhaps when your new employee sees that children of immigrants are already our neighbors and co-workers and friends, shell rethink the wisdom of Build That Wall! (And you can fire her if she doesnt work out.) Human Resources Gone Rogue I work at a midsize company in the human resources department. This week, my boss (the head of the department) sent out a companywide email saying how important it is for us to vote for Hillary Clinton, especially if we care about reproductive freedom, as she does. I couldnt believe it! Is this as grossly inappropriate as it seems to my cubicle mate and me? ANONYMOUS If this werent so egregious, it might actually be funny: Your human resources department needs a human resources department. The whole point of H.R. is to make everyone feel included in the common cause of your work. Broadcasting political positions during a hard-fought election is the antithesis of that. It would be wrong for any employee to do it. But it is even worse that she did. The head of human relations should know better. She tried to use her position of authority to influence those with less of it. (Happily, voting still happens in secret.) Still, dont call your boss on her bad behavior and risk putting yourself in the doghouse (or losing your job) unless you are sure she can take constructive criticism and I mean, really sure. If so, say: Deirdre, I know you feel strongly about the election. But shouldnt we be more careful in H.R. to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, even if they dont support Hillary Clinton? If you arent comfortable speaking with her, think about talking with her boss. But dont feel lily-livered if you dont or that this experience didnt have value. Watching our bosses make mistakes can be a great learning experience. I have no doubt that when youre in charge, youll never make an error in judgment like this. (And we have your boss to thank for it, right?) He would follow pigeons around as a toddler, said his mother, Lisa Hsia, a television executive whose friends kidded her about how unlikely it was that she was raising a naturalist who barely uses a cellphone or social media. All he really needs in life is a pair of binoculars, she said. Kai keeps a pair in his school locker in case a rare bird has been reported that he needs to spot. Though he has a passion for birding, he does have an interest in other animals. In fact, he has so many pets that he persuaded Dalton to allow him to keep many of them in the hallway of the schools fourth-floor science area, including 60 different types of fish, and some reptiles. At home, he keeps a parakeet, two gekkos and an older goldfish that can no longer swim but has survived for two years in a makeshift hammock. A recent weekend in the park was a good time to spot some migrating warblers and sparrows. Kai noted two red-tailed hawks soaring above the building line along Central Park West, then abruptly stopped midsentence and peered through his binoculars at a yellow-bellied sapsucker and then at a yellow-rumped warbler. Walking through the Locust Grove, he spied a tufted titmouse, and from the ramparts of Belvedere Castle he spotted through his binoculars a common grackle and a palm warbler. Moving on, he saw an Eastern phoebe, a Northern flicker and a black-capped chickadee. Kai has trained his ears to identify more than 50 species by their calls. Of course, Central Park on a weekend is no serene bird sanctuary. Kai passed tourists, a wedding party being photographed and a group of visitors smoking marijuana. But despite the booming disco music nearby, the sirens from nearby roads and the helicopters overhead, Kais attention rarely wavered from the avian action taking place in the foliage. She also wanted a system for keeping deliveries safe. Ive seen where they just leave packages in the hallway and other people will take them, she said. My friends have had that happen. One obvious choice was the Refinery, a 2015 rental building on Myrtle Avenue conveniently atop the Key Food supermarket. Thats where I do my grocery shopping with my Pratt student discount, Ms. Cho said. (Students receive 5 percent off.) From her balcony, she had watched the building rise, and she liked the landscaped roof deck. But no one-bedrooms were available just a studio for around $2,300 a month, which she and Mr. Soriano decided against. Visiting friends would have nowhere to sit but the bed. At brand-new 180 Franklin, they saw the amenities before they saw the one-bedrooms for rent. The gym didnt interest them, but a pool table and roof deck did. Ms. Cho liked the workroom with tables where you are allowed to cut things, she said. It is like it was made for architecture students. There was a package room, too. Each apartment included a washer-dryer. But they still had more places to see. At yet another new building, the unit they viewed was strewn with trash, and Ms. Cho was leery of potential poor maintenance. At a building that was renovated rather than new, a lobby upgrade was planned. They didnt want to endure construction. But none succeeded like Dads and Moms Deserve More Time Off With Their Kids, which features a real-life couple (the Catfish host Nev Schulman and Laura Perlongo) striking silly domestic poses as they make the case for more parental leave. Its going insanely viral, Mr. Segal said a few hours after the video went live. He was at dinner with his co-founder, Jarrett Moreno, who helped raise nearly $25 million in funding from big-name investors like Bill Maher and Ryan Seacrest. By the time dinner ended, the video had spiked to 21 million views, from 15 million. Feel free to write down that this happens every day, Mr. Segal said jokingly. At the Attn: staff meeting, Mr. Segal wore black jeans and a wrinkled dress shirt as he listened to a pitch lamenting that there are more police officers than counselors in some American school districts. When a young woman proposed a video about reducing the stigma against women who have an abortion, he questioned whether that stigma would preclude women from sharing the video on Facebook, where Attn: has more than three million fans. Theres the launch of Shout Your Abortion, she replied, where women are coming forward. Perfect! Mr. Segal said, interrupting in a way he often does when he gets excited about an idea. He combines intellectual curiosity with a short attention span, which means he rarely lets people finish their thoughts but often has a compelling reason for butting in. 38, rue Carnot; no phone; facebook.com/mangette Image Credit... Alex Cretey-Systermans for The New York Times Ore The chef Alain Ducasse opened this sophisticated restaurant just inside the gates of the chateau last month. With dishes like roasted guinea hen with peaches and fennel and steamed turbot with truffled hollandaise, the menu makes a delectable statement about the glories of Gallic gastronomy thats surprisingly affordable. Chateau de Versailles, Pavillon Dufour, 1st Floor, Place dArmes; 33-1-30-84-12-96; ducasse-chateauversailles.com Image Credit... Alex Cretey-Systermans for The New York Times La Table du 11 After working with Yannick Alleno in Paris, the young chef Jean-Francois Lavergne Morazzani returned to his hometown and opened this casually stylish bistro with a market-driven menu. Serving bright, inventive dishes like shellfish with coriander and poutarge (dried mullet roe); cod with carrots and wild herbs; and red berries with pistachios and coconut, its become the most sought-after table in town. 11, rue Saint-Honore; 33-9-83-34-76-00; latabledu11.com We chose the 2011 vintage because, although it was a complicated year, the wines were pretty good and readily available. Whats more, it was overshadowed by the highly touted 2009 and 2010 vintages. In my experience, the best place to look for values is in a good vintage that comes right after a year that has been deemed great. The 2001 Bordeaux vintage is a classic example. Along with its built-in millennial appeal, the 2000 vintage was hugely hyped by many critics. Bordeaux fans salivated after these wines regardless of costs. They paid far more per bottle than they would have for 2001s, a vintage that I actually prefer to 2000. The 2001s were appealing at an earlier age than the 2000s and, in many cases, are still preferable. I dont mean to say that 2011 was a better vintage than 10 or 09. But its cheaper, and while many bottles require further aging, they do remind me a bit of the 2001s in that they will be ready to drink sooner than their predecessors. The tasting affirmed my sense that the 2011s offer a lot of pleasure. The best of these wines reminded me that Bordeaux excels at the classic mission of all wines: to refresh and to be a great drink with food. The fabled austerity of these wines may be an obstacle if they are drunk as an aperitif or in a bar, but with food, what otherwise may seem astringent comes off as cool, brisk and fresh. These qualities derive from the excellent acidity in many of these wines. We all agreed that the best showed a good balance of tannins and acidity, the elements that provide structure to a wine. The top wines were structured yet fresh, with nuanced aromas and flavors that were fruity, floral, herbal and mineral. We rejected wines that had lost the tension between ripeness and acidity, showing sweet and candied flavors. We also found more than a few wines that were dominated by oaky aromas and flavors, and marred by the bitterness of oak tannins. Mr. Trump said Mrs. Clinton deleted 33,000 of her private emails after she got a subpoena. Mostly true. Read more Hillary Clinton's aides did delete about 33,000 emails from her private server, emails that she said were personal in nature. The F.B.I., however, indicated that many of the deleted emails may, in fact, have been related to her work at the State Department. Days after The New York Times first disclosed Mrs. Clintons use of a private email system in March 2015, the House committee investigating the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, asked that her emails be preserved and subpoenaed those that were related to the attacks. But about three weeks later, an unidentified computer specialist realized that he had not destroyed an archive of emails that was supposed to have been deleted a year earlier, according to the F.B.I. report. The specialist then used a program known as BleachBit to delete an unknown number of emails, the F.B.I. said. It is unknown how many of the deleted emails related to the Benghazi attacks and might have been covered by the congressional subpoena. Mrs. Clinton told F.B.I. investigators that she was unaware that the aide had deleted the emails. The F.B.I. did not find evidence to contradict that assertion. Eric Lichtblau NYTimes.com no longer supports Internet Explorer 9 or earlier. Please upgrade your browser. First, wine was fine. Then beer got big. Now its all about the magic of the spirit world. According to a March report by the American Craft Spirits Association, there are more than 1,280 spirits producers in the U.S. The number of distilleries nationwide has more than tripled since 2007 a tally unmatched since the era before Prohibition changed the landscape in 1920. Spirits have enjoyed a steady buildup over the past 20 years or so, starting with the single-malt Scotch craze, followed by the elevation of formerly working-class booze to cult status: bourbon, tequila, rum, Irish whiskey, rye. Even the non-aged lightweights, vodka and gin, are now the object of millennial obsession and meticulous treatment. The craft distillery trend has been late in coming to Southern California, partly because of restrictive state laws. But finally, the climate has changed. The California Small Spirits Bill, which went into effect Jan. 1, created a new distillers license for operations that produce less than 100,000 gallons annually. It allows for tasting and bottle sales on the premises. Los Angeles and San Diego have their own growing craft spirits scenes. Finally, O.C. has joined their ranks. Blinking Owl Distillery opened this month near the train station in Santa Ana. Its three founders husband-and-wife team Brian and Robin Christenson and their friend Kirsten Vangsness spent almost three years of planning and more than $2 million, burned through three architects, and endured a year of challenge-filled construction that included a fundamental problem: some of the equipment was taller than the building it was supposed to occupy. Oops! But the result was worth the effort. Blinking Owls stylish tasting room and steampunkish distillery are tucked into an austerely attractive, 6,500-square-foot space at the Logan Creative, a former iron staircase manufacturing plant thats home to a growing community of artists and artisans. The place is the epitome of the new downtown Santa Ana: bold, unorthodox, forward-looking, risky and undeniably hip. And the too-tall pieces a pair of 22-foot rectifying columns lined up with a skylight, allowing them to poke through the roof line without necessitating major structural changes. They look like a pair of periscopes from Captain Nemos Nautilus. Theres a big initial hurdle when building a distillery, Brian Christenson explained: flammablility. As soon as youre making something thats above 20 percent alcohol, then the building code and fire code changes drastically especially here in California, in urban environments. Weve met several brewers who wanted to start distilling, and theyre shocked when they find this out. But Brian wasnt deterred; maybe its because he claims an ancestral connection to distilleries. My great-grandfather was a bootlegger in Nebraska, which always inspired me. But they unfortunately didnt write down their recipes. Even as Brian pursued a career as an art director in advertising and Robin built up a practice as a physical therapist, they dabbled seriously in the world of alcoholic beverages. I home-brewed and we studied wine extensively, he said. We both took courses from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and made some wine, she added. Robin and Brian each earned a Level 3 certificate. In early 2013, Brian went to Seattles Spirits Institute of Puget Sound to get hands-on production experience. The hefty initial investment in Blinking Owl was another hurdle, but good fortune and a close friend played important parts. Robins practice was bought by Hoag Hospital in October 2014. And Vangsness, her longtime pal, had risen from a starving actor with a Cal State Fullerton degree to a successful TV star with a decadelong role on Criminal Minds. (IMDB reports that she makes $100,000 per episode.) We wrote a 100-page business plan. I knew exactly where we had to be scalable and when we would need more money, Robin said. And I also knew exactly how much we needed to barrel and put away and how much we had to sell each month. Its a cash-flow game. Sourcing locally is a challenge The trio decided they would start by making vodka, gin, aquavit and some bourbon and other aged spirits. If you want to make a straight whiskey you have to age it for at least two years, Brian said. Thats why nonaged spirits like gin and vodka are crucial to a start-up distillery. They sought out a knowledgeable distillery manager right away. We decided hiring a distiller at the beginning would be smarter, Brian said. We know otherwise we would have a three- to five-year learning curve. We couldnt afford that. They found Ryan Friesen, who already had several years of experience at the Journeyman Distillery in Michigan, where he ended as assistant to the head distiller. Friesen also had some breadth of knowledge. He completed an internship at Minnesotas Black Swan Cooperage to learn about the nuances of barrel making (hes very particular about the degree of toasting and charring he orders for Blinking Owls new barrels) and he also interned with legendary Japanese whiskey maker Ichiro Akuto. One of Blinking Owls hallmarks is its dedication to the finest local and regional ingredients. (Even the name has a local connection. The Blinking Owl was a Santa Ana bar, located for years at Third and Birch streets, with a neon owl sign above its door. Yes, one eye winked. Brian, of course, came up with the distillerys cute owl logo.) Were using four organic grains, including rye from Canada, but ultimately we want to develop a relationship with a grower in California, Friesen said. We feel its important to help develop the grain community in California. Part of the reason for sourcing close by is to create a California style to their spirits, Brian explained. Its similar to wine, where terroir is crucial and vintages will change slightly from year to year, depending on the weather and other factors. We dont want to industrialize the process, where its exactly the same product all the time and it tastes like something from somewhere else. Botanicals the herbal and floral components that go into gin and, sometimes, vodka and other spirits are more problematic, the team agreed. We tried to get only botanicals grown in California. Its almost impossible, Brian said. We do have some people growing hibiscus for us. But the quantities we need are huge, Friesen explained. If you were going to forage enough plants for the distillerys needs, it would take four people all weekend long. Blinking Owls founders have no idea what the demand will be for their product; they have just started talking to distributors. Theyre not even sure about their distillerys ultimate capacity. Were doing about 600 bottles a week right now, Friesen said. We can do more, but it takes a long shift. Once we hire more people, we could hit 1,500 to 2,000 bottles per week. Our goal for the first few months is to get about 3,000 cases out. The nice thing is the new state law allows us to sell three bottles per person per day right here, Brian added. So that will get us a little bit of cash flow. Brian gestured through the window of the tasting room to the Jules Verne-like distillery with its labyrinthine maze of equipment. Ultimately, well have to make a lot more than that. Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@scng.com BEIJING China and the Philippines will sign $13.5 billion in deals this week during the Philippine presidents visit to Beijing in which the two sides agreed to resume a dialogue on their dispute over the South China Sea, officials said Thursday. The move for bilateral talks was a diplomatic victory for Beijing several months after an arbitration tribunal invalidated Chinas expansive territorial claims over the resource-rich waters in a case put forward by the Philippines. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as part of a charm offensive aimed at seeking trade and support from the Asian giant by setting aside the thorny territorial dispute. Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China and said ties between them go back centuries. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, he told Xi in his opening remarks. Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship, he added. Xi said the meeting had milestone significance. In a reference to the South China Sea tensions, Xi said that although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed. Following the talks, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters that the leaders only touched on the topic briefly during their talks. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Liu said. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, he said. While not mentioning the South China Sea specifically, Xi said that the two sides could set aside issues on which an agreement is hard to reach in their discussions, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Philippine diplomats could not be immediately reached for comment. The talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Dutertes predecessor. The Philippines has in the past insisted that the ruling form the basis for any negotiations with China, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. The leaders did not discuss whether China would allow Filipino fishermen to return to Scarborough Shoal, Liu said, an outcome likely to disappoint the Southeast Asian country. The Hague-based international tribunal found the Philippines and China both retained traditional fishing rights in the area. Duterte had previously said he would ask Beijing to allow Filipino fishermen to again operate in the area. But China would lift restrictions on imports of tropical fruit from the Philippines and also cancel a travel advisory that had discouraged Chinese tourists from going to the Philippines, Liu said. Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli told a business forum attended by the visiting president that China is willing to help the Philippines build and provide preferential loans to finance infrastructure such as railways, roads, ports and airports. Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez also said at the forum that his country and China will sign $13.5 billion of deals this week. He did not elaborate. Duterte was greeted by Xi with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing. The two leaders oversaw the signing of agreements between their governments. China has framed Dutertes visit as a step toward ending years of estrangement between the countries. Duterte has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his countrys claims in the disputed South China Sea. In Beijing, the Philippine leader known for his devil-may-care, profanity-laden speeches said Wednesday he would not raise the issue that has angered China unless his Chinese counterpart first brought it up, out of courtesy to his host. The overtures to Beijing have drawn criticism of Duterte at home in the Philippines, where the public is wary of taking a deferential attitude to a country regarded as a bully. His visit is being watched by Washington for signs of just how seriously the new Philippine leader intends to pursue a shift away from Washington and toward Beijing, a move that could have a major impact on regional power dynamics. Aliso Viejo residents will be looking to fill three seats on the City Council from a group of four candidates insurance agent and notary public Mary R. Rios and the three incumbents, Mayor Mike Munzing and council members William Bill A. Phillips and Ross Chun in next months election. Under the councils leadership, Aliso Viejo is in sound financial shape, having built up healthy reserves, has fostered a friendly business climate and generally seems to be headed in the right direction, so we see no reason to change course now. Mike Munzing told us his general philosophy was that government should allow people to live their lives, not dictate it. I want to almost be invisible, he said, and focus city resources on providing the public safety and infrastructure that people expect. Bill Phillips voiced some concerns about rising public safety costs, which now account for nearly half the citys budget, quipping that the city is now basically working for the sheriff. He would like to see the Town Center upgraded, though he noted that it is difficult to get all of the property owners there on the same page. Ross Chun described the importance of having a local voice on state and regional boards, citing his positions on the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency, which manages the 73 toll road, the Southern California Association of Governments and the League of California Cities. The Editorial Board recommends votes for Mike Munzing, Bill Phillips and Ross Chun on Nov. 8. Five candidates are fighting for two open seats in this years race for City Council in Dana Point. Our clear favorite is investment attorney Michelle Brough, a limited government advocate and staunch defender of property rights who will be a strong voice for maintaining fiscal responsibility. Her focuses include maintaining a high level of public safety, providing basic services like filling potholes and advancing stalled projects such as the Town Center and Doheny Village, as such delays are bad both for existing businesses and those that might want to open in the city. We share her frustration that the California Coastal Commission will have authority over future policy decisions concerning short-term rentals, and her feeling that the agency is too powerful and has overstepped its bounds, though state law limits the citys options. Our choice for the second seat is Penny Maynard, who served as chief executive of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce for 11 years and helped turn the organization around when it was suffering from financial issues. That business sense and management experience will serve her well on the council, particularly on issues concerning economic development, given how important tourism is to the city. The Editorial Board recommends votes for Michelle Brough and Penny Maynard on Nov. 8. Many threats of lawsuits against the media have been made, especially by Donald Trump, but no cases have been filed and none are likely to be filed. If lawsuits are brought for defamation or invasion of privacy, for the revelations against Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, they are likely to be quickly dismissed as frivolous and publicity stunts. The First Amendment rightly provides very broad protections to the media in reporting on political campaigns. Trump or Clinton conceivably can sue for defamation if they believe that the media is conveying false information that is harmful to their reputation. Trump, for example, is loudly declaring that women who have accused him of sexual harassment are lying. But the Supreme Court has made it very difficult for those running for public office to win a defamation suit. In the landmark decision, New York Times v. Sullivan in 1964, the court held that a public official, or one running for office, can prevail in a defamation action only by proving with clear and convincing evidence that the statements were false and that they were uttered with actual malice. Actual malice requires showing that the defendant knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard of the truth. The Supreme Court explained that there must be open and robust debate about those holding and running for office. The court said that even false statements have First Amendment protection so that there will be the breathing space needed for freedom of speech. The court eloquently explained that the First Amendment reflects a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials. Trump has threatened to sue newspapers, such as the New York Times, that reported about women who said that they were assaulted by Trump. It is highly unlikely that Trump could prove that these statements were false or that the newspapers and other media outlets had an awareness that their reports were likely false. Trump also has said that as president he would change defamation law to make it easier to hold the media accountable. But it is the First Amendment, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, that limits liability and recovery for defamation and there is no indication that the law will change in this area. New York Times v. Sullivan is one of the most celebrated Supreme Court decisions in history. At the time it was decided, University of Chicago Law Professor Harry Kalven said that it was an occasion for dancing in the streets because of its significance in protecting political speech. Neither liberal nor conservative justices have expressed a desire to change it. Also, although constrained by the Constitution, each state has its own defamation law; there is no federal law concerning defamation for Trump or any other president to try to change. Nor can Trump or Clinton sue for invasion of privacy for the public disclosure of private facts about them. The Supreme Court has been clear that the media cannot be held liable for reporting truthful information, even if it is obtained illegally, so long as it involves a matter of public concern. The most important decision in this regard was Bartnicki v. Vopper in 2001. Two teachers union officials in Pennsylvania were having what they thought was a private conversation. One was talking on a land line and the other on a cellphone. Unknown to them, their conversation was illegally intercepted and illegally recorded. Somehow a tape of the conversation ended up in the hands of a local radio talk show host. He played the tape a couple of times on his program. The teachers sued for invasion of privacy. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the radio talk show host and the radio station. The court stressed that they had not done anything illegal; they had not been part of the unlawful interception or recording of the conversation. Most important, the court emphasized that the conversation involved a matter of public concern: labor management negotiations for the schools. There obviously is great public interest in Trumps comments about the way he treats women and in the WikiLeaks revelations from Clintons emails. They are relevant to many voters in evaluating candidates for president of the United States and their publication is unquestionably protected by the First Amendment. The threats of suits against the press are just bluster. If litigation is commenced, it will be quickly dismissed. This is just the way it should be. The First Amendments protection of freedom of speech is most important in election campaigns to ensure that voters have all of the information and arguments to assess candidates. Courts will not and should not limit this discussion. Erwin Chemerinsky is dean and Raymond Pryke professor of First Amendment law at UC Irvine School of Law. On election day, California voters will decide whether or not the death penalty stays or goes as the ultimate form of punishment for the states most heinous killers. Capital punishment abolitionists are heralding Proposition 62, which would replace the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of parole, as the rightful sunset of a barbaric practice. To them, its a waste of taxpayer money and an immoral practice. I couldnt disagree more. Not only do I think its a good use of public resources, I believe its the moral answer to societys most immoral people. On October 1, 1993, 12-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped at knife point from her Petaluma home and was subsequently sexually molested and strangled to death. Her killer, Richard Allen Davis, was convicted of first-degree murder and four special circumstances robbery, burglary, kidnapping and a lewd act on a child. He was subsequently sentenced to death. Davis, who admitted to the murder, remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison while his attorneys continue to appeal his conviction. Marc Klaas, Pollys father and the founder of the Klaas Kids Foundation, told me that if Prop. 62 passes, he and his family will continue to be victimized by Davis. The killer [Davis] told psychiatrist Llewelen Jones that he Masturbates twice daily and thinks of tying up female victims of past crimes. From my perspective that means that he not only sits in his cell on death row violating my daughter twice a day, but he will continue to do that until the day that he is put down. Polly deserves better than that. She, or her memory, will never truly have peace until the killers vile thoughts and deeds cease to exist, he said. Supporters of Prop. 62 have also admitted that if this initiative were to pass, banning life in prison without the possibility of parole would be next on their list. Kent Scheidegger, the legal director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, told the Sacramento Bee, If the death penalty is abolished on Tuesday, the drive to abolish life without parole begins on Wednesday. This would mean that the family members of murdered people would be forced to relive their trauma every time their loved ones killer comes up for a parole hearing. Thats exactly what has happened to Debra Tate, whose sister Sharon and her unborn child were brutally murdered by the Manson Family in 1969. Manson, and other members of his family were sentenced to death for these brutal murders. However, their sentence was reduced to life in prison because the death penalty was abolished by the state Supreme Court in the early 1970s. Now, Tate spends her life trying to keep the Manson killers behind bars. Tate told me, There must be penalties for taking a life. If youre willing to take a life you should be willing to forfeit your own. The ever changing legal system has made it a monumental task to keep up with the amount of parole hearings and subsequent appeals by these predatory killers. Parole hearings are falling only a few months apart, followed by subsequent appeals. There are also two stats that are important to the conversation and are completely irrefutable the state of California has never executed an innocent person and the recidivism rate among those executed is zero. In other words, the death penalty works. We are executing the right people and are preventing them from ever hurting anyone else again. Marc Klaas believes its incumbent on those of us who support the death penalty to make sure the process works. Death penalty abolitionists crave the execution of an innocent man so that their indignation can run amok, while those who favor the death penalty pray that an innocent is never executed so that the fragile system of ultimate justice can be preserved, he said. Im voting no on Prop. 62 and Im doing it because the death penalty is moral. John Phillips is a CNN political commentator and can be heard weekdays at 3 p.m. on The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips on KABC/AM 790. Winners Hillary Clinton: This was the Democratic nominees best debate performance. She finally figured the right calibration of ignoring and engaging Trump. Given her considerable edge in the electoral map, Clinton didnt need a moment in this debate, she simply needed to survive. But she had a moment anyway with a stirring answer in response to Trumps comments about women. Clinton, borrowing from Michelle Obamas speech on the same subject, was deeply human and relatable in that moment. Throughout the rest of the debate, she did what we know she knows how to do well: She deftly dropped a series of opposition research hits and attempts to goad Trump into mistakes. She came across as calm and composed in the face of his, at times, tough to watch interruptions. (Such a nasty woman, Trump said of Clinton as she was speaking toward the end of the debate. Her performance wasnt perfect; she struggled to defend the Clinton Foundation, for example, but Trump managed to throw her an opening to talk about his own foundations issues. All in all, Clinton won a clean sweep of the three debates. Chris Wallace: Wallace was the best moderator of the four debates three presidential, one vice presidential. Poised and confident, he sought to steer the conversation without dominating it. He allowed the candidates to debate issues back and forth but, when they veered off course and didnt answer his questions, he made sure to let them know about it. And, as was the case in other Fox-sponsored debates in the primary season, Wallaces questions were just top notch. On immigration, on the women alleging that trump groped them, on the Clinton Foundation, Wallace asked blunt questions that demanded straight answers. Vladimir Putin: The Russian leader had to be thrilled about the amount of airtime he and his country received in the debate. And Trump, while insisting that he and the Russian President are not, in fact, friends, repeatedly insisted that he knew for a fact that Putin had no respect for Clinton. Any air time for Putin in a debate with tens of millions of Americans watching probably make him very, very happy. Puppets: There hasnt been this much conversation about puppets in a presidential debate since, well, ever. Losers Donald Trump: Top to bottom, this was Trumps most consistent and best debate. But, it wasnt a good debate for him. Not at all. His signature moment and the defining moment of the entire debate came when he refused to say he would concede if the elections results showed he had lost. Trumps Ill-just-wait-and-see answer was a total disaster and will be the only thing people are talking about coming out of the debate. Trump wasnt all bad in this debate. His first 30 minutes were actually quite good. But, as has so often been the case in this campaign, Trump simply couldnt stick to his plan. As the debate wore on, he became more and more short-tempered and curt; it culminated with his sarcastic praise for Clinton regarding ISIS and his such a nasty woman interruption. Trumps task in this debate to fundamentally re-jigger its course was always a bridge too far. But, its hard to see how he even made incremental progress toward that goal on Wednesday night. Downballot Republicans: For an hour or so, the likes of Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania), Richard Burr (North Carolina) and Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire) had to be, generally speaking, happy with Trumps performance. But then came the question of whether he would respect the election results if he lost and Trumps total debacle of an answer. Its hard for see how Republicans in close downballot races can afford to keep sticking by a candidate who has broken with centuries of tradition when it comes to the peaceful hand over of power. Calls for silence: In the 15 minutes before the debate started, there were roughly 487 warnings from people on stage that the audience needed to remain totally silent during the debate. This is, to be blunt, dumb. If you dont want people to cheer, boo or otherwise react, dont have an audience. Come on man. WASHINGTON Justice Department officials are warning that theyll be dispatching fewer trained election observers as a result of a Supreme Court opinion that gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The reduction is likely to diminish the departments ability to detect voter intimidation and other potential problems at the polls. It comes as more than a dozen states have adopted new voting and registration rules, and as Republican candidate Donald Trump warns without evidence that the Nov. 8 election will be rigged and exhorts his followers to be vigilant against unspecified fraud. Its cause for concern, said Dale Ho, director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project. Its hard to know ahead of time how significant a problem its going to be. Justice Department officials said they still will dispatch hundreds of staffers to the polls and expect to have them in at least as many states as during the 2012 election, when they sent more than 780 observers and department personnel to 23 states. We have been doing everything we can through our monitoring program to be able to be as effective as we can be in ensuring fair elections, said Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. She said voters wont detect any difference in the federal presence this year from the 2012 election. But, Gupta added, theres no way to sugarcoat the impact of the courts 2013 Shelby County v. Holder opinion, which invalidated a cornerstone of the 1965 voting law. In a video released Wednesday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said that though the courts decision had reined in the Justice Departments power, the government would work to ensure that every voter can cast his or her ballot free of unlawful intimidation, discrimination, or obstruction. The exact number of personnel will not be revealed until closer to Election Day. Most of the staffers will be so-called election monitors, who have less authority than federally trained election observers and rely on the cooperation of local officials to do their jobs. Federal observers enjoy unfettered access inside polling places on Election Day and cannot be removed. Justice Department officials say theyve been working with local election officials to secure cooperation for their monitors. The federal observer program has provided an important safeguard during previous elections, especially in places that tried to suppress the votes of blacks, Latinos and other minorities, said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. In past elections, for example, observers were sent to Greensboro, Ala., after white election officials tried to prevent black voters from entering polling places and to Pike County, Ga., after an after-hours voter registration session was open to whites only, the Justice Department says. Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, said he expected his group to try to compensate for any decline in observers by having its own monitors outside polling places. If we see that they have a distressed look on their face, we will go up to them and specifically ask did they have problems voting, he said. Hopefully through that process, we will be able to take the information and channel it to the different organizations. OCTOBER MARKS NATIONAL ENERGY AWARENESS MONTH a perfect time to review the reasons why making energy-efficient home improvements makes sense on many levels. Its good for the environment. It enhances your quality of life. It can save you money. Thanks to the HERO Program, the nations leading residential PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing vehicle, theres no reason to be spooked about coming up with the cash to pay for renewable energy or energy-efficient improvements, from solar panels to efficient windows and doors to more than several dozen other environmentally-friendly projects. No money is required upfront. And because payments are spaced out for up to 25 years as assessments on your property tax bill, depending on the useful life of the installed product, you may realize tax benefits. You also may enjoy immediate savings on utility bills. And HERO Program financing?keeps other existing credit sources available to help?you meet goals and emergencies. The numbers dont lie: Since its inception in 2011, the HERO Program has funded more than $1.89 billion in home energy and efficiency improvements in nearly 80,000 homes. One of these homes is in Anaheim. First-time homebuyers Rosalind Williams and her husband, Sean, loved the three-bedroom property they moved into in October 2014, but the home, built in 1954, had no air conditioning. For a while, Rosalind and Sean and their two adult roommates, along with their dog, Chewy, had to rely on a plastic kiddie pool in their backyard to cool off. But when Rosalind and Sean heard about the HERO Program through Anaheim-based contractor Home Comfort USA, they decided to have a brand-new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system installed in their 1,140-square-foot home. Since that project was completed in July 2015, members of the Williams household have been cool cats. And the Williams first payment isnt due until this December. Choosing an energy-efficient, as opposed to a conventional HVAC system is a wise decision. According to Energystar.gov, as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your homes heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills and your comfort. The average U.S. household spends $5,550 per year on energy, according to the Alliance to Save Energy, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit coalition of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders advocating for enhanced energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy. Slashing that expense is one of the reasons why President Obama has declared October National Energy Awareness Month, which features clean energy events and activities and information about what the federal government is doing to position the U.S. for a sustainable future. Spreading the word about the benefits of energy efficiency and promoting smart energy choices may be in the spotlight this month, but such messages are a daily mantra of the HERO Program. Today, almost all California communities have access to the HERO Property Assessed Clean Energy Program. The public-private partnership with municipalities?has been adopted by 437?communities within 48 of Californias 58 counties, and continues to grow. And its no mystery why: The HERO Program has proven to be a viable option for homeowners to finance energy-efficient home improvements homeowners like Rosalind and Sean Williams, who are considering a new water heater. Says Rosalind: We know HERO will be there to help us through when we get to that point. To take advantage of HERO or find out if it is available where you live, visit heroprogram.com or call 855-HERO-411. HEROs program service representatives are available to take your call seven days a week. Before you worry about deciding Trump or Hillary, vote for Dax. Anaheim resident Dax Holt is a finalist to co-host Live with Kelly with Kelly Ripa on Friday. And you can vote him in. Last month, the ABC morning talk show held Kelly and You, a nationwide search contest offering one lucky person a chance to co-host beside Ripa for a day. The winner will be announced and co-host the show with Ripa on Friday. ABC reps wouldnt say how many entries they received, but Holt was one of five finalist chosen to fly to New York. This past week, Holt competed in several challenges against the other finalists, with viewers voting to see who advances. Holt made it to the top two. In Holts last challenge today, he read a teleprompter while avoiding flying beach balls, having to eat whipped cream and having smoke and confetti blowing in his face. The other finalist is Richard Curtis, a high school teacher from Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Holt is a former TMZ correspondent and currently a stay-at-home dad. VOTE FOR DAX: Viewers can vote for Dax Holt or Richard Curtis in several ways: 1. Visit LiveKelly.com to vote. 2. Visit Facebook.com/LiveKelly and share and/or view 3. Visit Instagram.com/LiveKelly and like 4. Visit Twitter.com/LiveKelly and re-tweet your candidate Contact the writer: 714-796-2443 or jpimentel@SCNG.com or follow on Twitter @OCDisney ALTURAS, Calif. Authorities were expected to release details Thursday about how a deputy responding a roadside disturbance call in Northern California was shot to death a day earlier becoming the states fourth law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty over the last two weeks. Modoc County sheriffs Deputy Jack Hopkins, 31, was fatally shot Wednesday morning after deputies were called to a rural area near the Oregon border. A suspect was detained shortly afterward, authorities said, but few details about how the shooting happened were released ahead of a news conference planned for Thursday morning. Hopkins joined the sheriffs department last year, the sheriffs office said. His death comes after two Palm Springs police officers were shot and killed Oct. 8 during a domestic disturbance call and after a Los Angeles County sheriffs sergeant was gunned down Oct. 6 in the high desert town of Lancaster while answering a burglary call. The killings in California are the latest in a string of fatal attacks on officers that includes ambushes in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A video posted late Wednesday to the Modoc County sheriffs Facebook page showed about two dozen police cruisers with their emergency light illuminated driving down a street to honor Hopkins. The video was titled Deputy Jack Hopkins Procession. Hopkins was recalled as a kind man in an homage posted on the Facebook page of the Alturas Municipal Airport. Modoc County bills itself as a place where the west still lives. Alturas, with fewer than 3,000 residents, is the countys only incorporated city. When he pulled you over for a headlight, or something you did, he always was courteous and had a smile on his face. He didnt have a mean bone in his body, just a great guy. He is missed by all of us, the Facebook post said. The county is nestled between the Nevada and Orgeon borders, in Californias high desert region. It spans about 4,000 square miles and its northern part is called the Modoc Plateau a mile high expanse of lava flows, cinder cones, juniper flats, and pine forests. Recreational enthusiasts flock to the nearly 1 million acres of the Modoc National Forest for hunting, hiking and fishing. California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said Hopkins killing showed how each and every day, brave men and women kiss their families goodbye and risk their lives in service of others. Hopkins made the ultimate sacrifice, her statement added. California taxpayers, beware. The federal government is quietly implementing a massive taxpayer-funded bailout for special interests. Not only that, this bailout will allow the Affordable Care Act to continue wreaking havoc in your state for years to come. So which special interests are getting your money? Health insurance companies. Six years ago, health insurers were some of the ACAs biggest fans. They lobbied for the law because they thought it would be a financial windfall it literally forces Californians to buy their product. But instead of finding gushers of cash, theyre drowning in red ink. Health insurers in California and across the country lost $3.2 billion in 2014 and over $10 billion in 2015. This years losses will be even higher. Many insurers are now abandoning the law. So far, five have pulled out or will pull out of California between 2016 and 2017, and the remainder may soon follow suit. Nationwide, well over 100 insurers have already fled the laws exchanges. Thats where the taxpayer bailout comes in. President Obamas legacy is directly tied to his signature law, so hes trying to stop the exodus at any cost. But insurers will only stay if someone subsidizes their losses. The government has already tried. The ACA contains two programs that shift money from profitable insurers to unprofitable ones, known as reinsurance and risk corridors. But the administration never expected so many companies to lose so much money. As a result, insurers have only received 12.6 percent of what theyve requested. The administration has nonetheless said that it views these payments as an obligation and that its explor[ing] other sources of funding. But the only other source is taxpayers wallets. This bailout could take three forms all of which Congress can and must stop. The first bailout is already happening. The laws plain text requires the Obama administration to deposit $5 billion from the reinsurance program into the U.S. Treasury. Instead, it sent the money to insurers a blatant theft from taxpayers. The Government Accountability Office, a federal agency, declared this move illegal. The second bailout involves Congress. Lawmakers have wisely required the other program, risk corridors, not to spend a cent of taxpayer money. But the White House wants Congress not to renew this provision after the election. This would put California taxpayers on the hook for tens of billions. If this doesnt work, the Obama administration has one last option. Many insurers have sued the federal government claiming theyre owed reimbursement for their losses. The presidents own Department of Justice rejects this argument, but the White House doesnt care. Its trying to settle the lawsuits and pay nearly 200 insurers using an obscure account funded by taxpayers designed to cover federal legal expenses. Once again, the Government Accountability Office ruled this move illegal. The White House is moving forward anyway. Yet any bailout will only use billions of taxpayer dollars to prop up the ACA at a time when Californians can least afford it. The states average premium hikes for 2017 are on track to be over 13 percent. Theres also dwindling competition, narrower networks, and sky-high deductibles of up to nearly $7,000 for the cheapest plans. Between now and December, Congress must block any further bailouts and recoup the $5 billion thats already been funneled to health insurers. Nearly 60 percent of voters agree. No wonder: A taxpayer bailout for special interests is bad enough. A bailout that ignores the need for real health care reform and allows a crumbling law to do ever-more harm to Californians is even worse. Nathan Nascimento is senior policy advisor at Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. COSTA MESA A man suspected of stabbing a woman and her two young sons when they interrupted a burglary has been identified as 20-year-old Israel Larios Jr., police said Thursday. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder after police said he attacked the victims Tuesday night in their Costa Mesa apartment, Lt. Paul Beckman said. According to jail records, Larios was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. Officers were called at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to the 1900 block of Wallace Avenue after the 39-year-old woman and her sons, ages 17 and 11, had been stabbed multiple times. The family had returned home after an evening out when they found Larios trying to burglarize their home, police said, with Larios becoming combative with the victims and stabbing them when they tried to fight him off. He fled the apartment but was tracked by neighbors and police until getting arrested, police said. The officer who arrested him suffered a minor arm injury while trying to detain Larios. The 11-year-old boys injuries were the most serious; he had emergency surgery the night of the attack. All three were recovering in the hospital and expected to survive. Court records show that Larios pleaded guilty in September to misdemeanor charges of possession of controlled-substance paraphernalia and for being in possession of alcohol in a public place while under the age of 21. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and hit-and-run with property damage. In the attack this week, Beckman said, there was no indication that the suspect was under the influence. Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@scng.com The Liberty Mutual Group, Inc, which offers Liberty Mutual auto insurance, will pay $925,000 to three Southern California District Attorneys Offices for not properly disclosing in ads that the companys accident forgiveness program was not available in California. The settlement was obtained Thursday, Oct. 20, by the Riverside, San Diego and Los Angeles District Attorneys offices, according to a Riverside County District Attorneys Office news release. The district attorneys offices filed a consumer protection lawsuit against the Boston-based company in response to a TV ad campaign launched in 2014 for auto insurance that featured actors standing in the foreground of the Statue of Liberty talking about the program and its benefits. California law requires that all advertising must clearly and conspicuously disclose any material facts that viewers need to avoid being misled, the news release said. The civil complaint filed in Riverside Superior Court under Californias Unfair Competition Law and false advertising law, claims that ads could convey an overall impression that California consumers would receive this benefit as part of Liberty Mutual car insurance, the news release said. Liberty Mutual officials estimated that the ad campaign reached 70-80 percent of California households, according to the news release. Under the terms of the final judgement, signed Wednesday by Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Molloy, Liberty Mutual will be subject to an injunction requiring full compliance with Californias advertising laws. Those laws include having clear and conspicuous disclosure of the fact that such programs are not available in California, according to the news release. Liberty Mutual must also pay $830,000 in civil penalties to the three district attorneys officers as well as $95,000 for agency investigative costs. CAMP PENDLETON Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus an often criticized but progressive leader of the Navy and Marine Corps visited the seaside base Wednesday for the last time in his nearly eight-year career. For me, leading the Department of the Navy is the greatest honor of my life, Mabus, who announced his plans to retire earlier this year, told the several hundred Marines gathered around him on the parade field. During a sometimes contentious tenure, Mabus focused on social change and environmental issues. He led a series of energy-saving initiatives for the Marine Corps and Navy, implemented uniform changes to make males and females look more similar, created gender-neutral job titles and extended maternity leave for female service members. Mabus, 68, talked Wednesday about changes he has seen in the Marine Corps and Navy. And he said he is focused on four key priorities that set the foundation to enable the Navy and Marine Corps to maintain a global presence. What the Navy and Marine Corps uniquely give America is presence, Mabus said. In where you need to be, when you need to be there and being in the right place not just at the right time but all the time around the globe and around the clock. There is no next best thing to being there. The way we get that presence is through four things; people our Marines, our sailors; platforms the ships, the aircraft; power how we power these things, how we get our energy sources; and partnerships our partnerships with people around the world, our partnership with the American people. Mabus stressed the need for ship-building and its importance to continued national defense. He said the Navy has contracted for 60 more ships, a number that will bring the fleet back to 300 by 2019 and get to the current assessed need of 308 ships by 2021. Thirty-three will be amphibious ships to support Marines from sea to land, he said. We need to make sure youve got the tools you need when you go ashore, he said. It takes a long time to build ships and a long time to rebuild a fleet. Were living with the fleet size we have today because of decisions made 12 to 15 years ago. Ships were building today will determine the fleet size in 2025. This will make us better war fighters, he said. At our bases were at 50 percent today, five years earlier than expected. It will allow is to pull ourselves off the grid. Despite opposition from Marine Corps brass, Mabus has pushed for women to serve in combat units. The Marine Corps was the only military branch in 2015 to ask for an exception to a Pentagon mandate opening previously closed combat jobs to women. Officials backed their request with a study they said showed that Marine Corps teams with men and women underperformed when compared to all-male teams. Mabus publicly criticized the study and refused the request. The decision to open all ground combat to women made us a more diverse force and a stronger force, he said. At the end of his talk Wednesday, Mabus took questions from Marines ranging from how transgender service members will fit in to why Marines havent been sent over to wipe-out Isis. Every time we open the Marine Corps, we become stronger, he said in reaction to the question on transgenders. Well make it through and in a couple of years, people will wonder what the fuss was all about. On Isis, Mabus said there hasnt been a lot of support from the American people to put more boots on the ground. At the end of the day, it will have to be the people who live there to carry the fight, he said. The problem with Isis is that it metastasizes. We need to confront it, but in a way that doesnt put a whole lot of Marines in the front end of combat. Mabus said he stayed in the job as long as he did because of his love for the Marines and sailors. I love this job, the challenges they have given me, he said. Theyll know if youre telling the truth and if youre sincere. As far as obstacles, Mabus said he doesnt look at those. He looks at accomplishments. Weve had some rough patches and have taken some incoming fire, he said. Im a volunteer not a draftee. I stayed because I wanted to stay and I set my own priorities. Mabus last visit to Camp Pendleton was part of a nationwide Thank you tour. Earlier in the day he toured two Navy ships and spoke with sailors and command staff in San Diego. On Thursday, Mabus will address a class of midshipman at USC in Los Angeles. Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@scng.com or Twitter:@lagunaini Today Cha Chas Latin Kitchen hosts Jaimes Night fundraiser for seventh anniversary: Longtime employee Jaime Palomar recently learned he has a type of kidney cancer, and proceeds will go toward his surgery. The event will feature a Latin band and food and drink specials, with a percentage of sales benefiting Palomar, and a raffle fundraiser. It will start at 5 p.m. at 110 W. Birch St., Brea. Information: 714-240-1055 or chachaslatin kitchen.com Lambrusco harvest dinner: The event focuses on the Emilia-Romagna regions most glorified grape, which is harvested in mid-October. Three courses of rustic foods will be accompanied by a showcase of balsamic vinegar. Dinner will be limited to 20 guests and will include California-inspired ltalian culinary treats of cheeses and charcuterie, salad, duck, whole fish and dessert. 6:30 p.m. at Cucina Enoteca Newport Beach, 951 Newport Center Drive. $72. Info: 949-706-1416 or cucinaenoteca.com Saturday Diwali-themed cooking class: Diwali, or the festival of lights, is an ancient Hindu holiday celebrated in autumn every year. Chef Shachi will share Diwali-inspired recipes and show home cooks how to add a little Indian spice to holiday dinners. 11 a.m. at Adya Irvine, University Town Center, 4213 Campus Drive, Suite P-116D. $30. Information: 714-533-2392 Saturday-Sunday Asian Pacific Festival: Explore the arts and culture of China, Japan, South Korea, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Among the festivities are of native musical performances, cultural exhibits, a hip-hop competition, a childrens art contest and Asian foods. Adults may enjoy the Southern California Craft Beer & Wine Tasting for $45 each. At Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina, 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach. Tickets in advance are $5, with kids under 6 admitted free. Information: apfestival.org Compiled by MAURICE ALCALA, staff writer Contact the writer: When Chada Thai opened in Little Saigon in July in a 30-seat storefront next door to the sprawling Vietnamese mainstay Brodard, the owner hung a large banner above the door advertising Thai Food. Next to that another sign declared: Now Opening, By Thai People. The message was clear: Yes, this is the epicenter of Vietnamese food in Orange County, but this is a Thai restaurant, and its run by Thai people. The owner is a guy named Val. You cant miss him. Hes in the dining room every day, greeting customers, taking orders, delivering food, chatting with anyone who will humor him, always smiling. Sometimes hes in the kitchen wearing an apron, packing takeout orders. He moved here from Thailand in the 1970s, he said. He had another Thai restaurant in O.C. before this one, but there was a fire, so he took some time off to regroup. The food he served at that other place, like so many other Thai restaurants around here, was more Americanized, more Chinese, not really authentic. But he sensed the times were changing, so when he finally opened Chada Thai, he scrapped the Chinese and American stuff. He wanted to get back to his roots, to be more authentic, to serve the food he likes to eat. Youll still find many familiar classics on the menu here, things like spicy beef salad, crab fried rice, papaya salad, pad thai and rad nah. And those things are all very good. But dig a little deeper. Look for the fishcakes. This is where you really taste the difference. Lots of restaurants serve fishcakes, and they are almost universally awful, tasting nothing at all like the fishcakes Ive enjoyed in Thailand. These are the first Ive found locally that come anywhere close to my fondest memories of Bangkok or Koh Pha Ngan. They are soft and supple. Their fragrance is mysterious and exotic, completely transportive. Theyre good, arent they? Val asks. Theyre awesome, I say. He tells me theyre homemade. He beams. Most restaurants serve frozen fish cakes. We make ours fresh every day. Look for something else called nam and crispy rice salad. This is a fantastic dish made from fermented Thai sausage, which is crumbled and mixed with puffed rice, dried chilies, peanuts and a handful of herbs. This is how I remember Thailand tasting. This is the real deal. Similar to that, yet totally different in flavor, is the spicy pork salad, or larb, which is stir-fried minced pork mixed with green onions, rice powder and lime juice and birds eye chilies if you let the kitchen prepare it spicy, the way its meant to be served. This comes with a big wedge of cabbage on the side, which acts as a much-needed fire extinguisher for the blaze that just erupted inside your mouth. The mussels are very good, too, served in a clay pot with a lemongrass broth and fistfuls of basil. Dont ignore the relish served alongside, a mixture of fish sauce and chilies whose intense heat tastes almost floral, like the devils jasmine. A little bit goes a long way. The tom yum, a classic lemongrass soup, is served exclusively with shrimp, while the tom kha, the coconut milk version, is served only with chicken. Meanwhile the traditional basil-chili stir fry known as pad ka prao takes an unexpected turn with chunks of crisp pork belly. The curries are fine, I guess. Ive tried a couple of them, but neither stirs my wanderlust the way the fishcakes or nam salad does. But thats OK. Theres plenty here to keep me coming back. Contact the writer: bajohnson@ocregister.com or Instagram @bradajohnson Republican donor and activist John Cruz is growing more likely to cast a ballot for Donald Trump and said the GOP nominee didnt weaken that tenuous inclination during Wednesdays debate with Hillary Clinton. I dont feel comfortable with either one of them, the San Clemente attorney said afterward. You could sit out the election, I suppose, but life is full of difficult choices. Perhaps more than in any election in recent memory, many Republicans have reservations about their nominee, reflected by the absence of endorsements by any former GOP president. Cruzs concerns include Trumps temperament and attention span. There are times when diplomacy and tone are important, said Cruz, who served in Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggers administration. Im concerned about whether he has the focus necessary. But when Cruz considers the alternative of Hillary Clinton, he cringes. I see a continuation of the growth of government, he said. Hes also concerned about Supreme Court appointments, an expanded use of executive authority and increased taxation. I think she has the ability to do a lot of damage. While Cruz criticized some of Trumps asides in the debate including his comment that Clinton was a nasty woman he was heartened by Trumps closing statement, particularly his pitches for growing the economy, creating fairer trade deals, and increasing respect for law and order. Newport Beachs Mike Schroeder shares Cruzs distaste for Clinton but cant bring himself to vote for Trump. The problem for a lot of Republicans is that they feel they have a choice between somebody whos fundamentally dishonest and someone whos a pig, said the former state GOP chairman, referring to Clinton and Trump, respectively. Schroeder said that if he casts a vote for president, it will be for a third-party candidate. While he thought Wednesdays debate was Trumps strongest of the three, it wasnt enough to persuade Schroeder to change his mind. Hes dug himself into such a deep hole that he needed a knockout punch and didnt get it, he said. What Ive seen come out of his mouth over the past year couldnt be changed in 90 minutes with Hillary. He just has a very tenuous relationship with the truth. Schroeder pointed to Trumps claim that the father of Sen. Ted Cruz was involved with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He also objected to Trumps lewd comments on the open mic tape. It makes you uncomfortable with him having his finger on the button of nuclear weapons, Schroeder said. Schroeder agreed with Trump that theres media bias but doesnt think its an excuse. I think hes done a lot to earn that, but a strong leader can overcome that, he said. Ronald Reagan did. Schroeder also dismissed Trumps allegations that the vote could be rigged. His biggest problem is hes a conspiracy nut, he said. If he doesnt accept the result, nobody will care. But many Republicans remain enthusiastically behind their nominee. Mission Viejos Werner Raes concedes he has concerns about Trumps temperament but says they are far outweighed by his positive qualities. Theres the Supreme Court (appointments), and we need a leader, said the retired cop. Trump is a leader. He wouldnt be where he is if he didnt surround himself with people that are expert in the things he doesnt know about. Raes brushed aside Trump statements that fact checkers have taken issue with. Hes not a true politician, Raes said. He sometimes flies by the seat of his pants and then goes back and gets it right. Hes not a walking encyclopedia. Raes agrees with Trump that Clinton deserves to be in jail because of her use of a private server for her emails while secretary of state. He says he and others he knows will have a fundamentally different view of the presidency than ever before if Clinton is elected. This will be the first time they wont respect the office of president of the United States, he said. It pains me to say that. Shes a crook. He also agrees with Schroeder that the media is against Trump. Ive never seen the press like this in my life, he said. Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com A potentially devastating typhoon made landfall in the Philippines late Wednesday night with slightly less force than was feared. Typhoon Haima came ashore over Penablanca, Cagayan province, in the northeast corner of the island of Luzon at 11 p.m. local time with sustained winds of 140 mph, the countrys weather bureau said on Twitter. The storms intensity had dropped from a Category 5 to a Category 4, according to meteorologists tracking the typhoon. Government and aid agencies prepared for the threat of Typhoon Haima, coming days after another storm, Typhoon Sarika, dumped heavy rains and lashed the northern part of the country with fierce winds. Residents of the northern and eastern parts of the main island of Luzon were put on alert: Evacuations were ordered, some flights were canceled and the Philippine Coast Guard banned sea travel and fishing. President Rodrigo Duterte, on a state visit to China, said in Beijing that Filipinos in the storms path should heed the warnings of disaster officials. We only pray that we be spared destruction such as in the previous past which brought agony and suffering to our people, but we are ready, Duterte said Wednesday at a news conference, The Associated Press reported. Haima is the 12th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, Reuters reported. An average of 20 typhoons hit the country every year, according to The AP, compounding the fear of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in one of the worlds most disaster-prone countries. Super Typhoon Haiyan ripped across the central Philippines in 2013, killing more than 7,300 people and decimating the port city of Tacloban. Much of the damage and many of the casualties were a result of the massive surge after the storms pounding rains and catastrophic winds. On the morning of June 24, I walked into Costa Coffee to get my usual vanilla latte before going to class. Normally, this place was pretty noisy. It was always filled with people who were chatting with their friends, getting some work done, or enjoying a coffee and croissant. However, this day was different. It was quiet, and everyone was staring intently at the television. Somehow, I knew that every other coffee shop in England had a similar atmosphere. This was the day after Britain had officially voted to leave the European Union. And with that, history was unfolding right in front of our eyes. In the summer, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad at the London School of Economics. I had expressed interest in studying abroad since high school, so the benefits of participating in an international study program had been ingrained in my head by the time I was a junior in college: Travel on your own, experience a new culture, meet new people, add to your professional resume the list goes on. For me, this was a chance to study at one of the most prestigious business schools in the world, in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Through the LSE Summer Program, I enrolled in a consumer behavior class, and took every opportunity to relate what I was learning in my class to things that I saw and heard while exploring the city. Outside of the classroom, this program also provided plenty of opportunities to connect with LSE faculty members and professors through workshops and public lectures. One of the public lectures that I found most memorable was that of political science professor Simon Hix, who discussed the results of the EU Referendum vote that had occurred less than a week before. When the results of the vote were announced, everyone was pretty shocked. For the entire week before the vote, the polls had been suggesting that Britain would choose to Remain consequently, the results were surprising. In just one day, the country had voted to leave the European Union; the value of the currency fell; and the prime minister had announced his resignation. In the remaining weeks of my stay, I was able to observe how these developments were settling in among Londoners. I feel that it is very accurate to compare their sentiments to the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. In fact, professor Hix had suggested that same idea in his discussion. By the time I left at the end of July, the locals were in what I saw as the third stage bargaining. Londoners were among several groups of people petitioning for a second vote. A number of U.S. students were attending the same summer program, and I think the result of this vote was a wake-up call for us. The main lesson that we learned from experiencing Brexit: We have to vote. We need to take the steps to become more involved in our local and national governments and develop a better understanding of politics. But at the end of it all, we must vote. We have our own election coming up pretty soon, and the surprising result of the Brexit vote proves that you can never truly know what will happen. Studying abroad is the experience of a lifetime. It is a chance to visit another country, take classes at a new school, meet different people and explore your interests. Sometimes, if youre lucky, you might get to experience history in the making, as I did. I also met many people from such countries as Australia, Colombia, Denmark, India, China and Brazil. Studying with students from such varied countries enhanced my educational experience. We would do research projects, presentations and case studies together, and everyone would bring different ideas that added to the quality of our projects. Beyond that, was London itself a city with so much history everywhere. One day, I was walking with a friend to get lunch between classes, and we stumbled across Charles Dickens house at the end of the road. As a huge fan of his stories, I was very excited to make this discovery. Later during my trip, I also went sightseeing at Windsor Castle, visited the city where the Titanic set sail in 1912 and saw Shakespeares Globe Theatre. My opportunity to study in England came at very short notice, but I did not hesitate to take it. My advice to other students who want to do something like this is: Dont wait! Start saving up, start looking for opportunities and start planning your trip. Dont just talk about how much you want to study abroad go out and do it. When you get there, believe me your whole outlook on the world will change. Elisha Gupta is a senior majoring in business administration on track to graduate from Cal State Fullerton in 2017. She is actively involved in student organizations at the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, including Future Business Leaders of America, Sigma Upsilon Mu and the Mihaylo Tutoring Center. Hello Kitty Wine? Call me prudish, but the concept just seems so WRONG. The world-famous feline is certainly old enough to drink now she was created in 1974 but think about it, people: She has no mouth! Shes also the epitome of the kawaii concept of Japanese pop culture, the quality of cuddly cuteness and overall adorableness that has become an important aspect of modern Japanese fashion and manners. (Kawaii also anthropomorphizes small animals, although the Is Hello Kitty really a girl? question was put to rest by a Sanrio spokeswoman, who compared her to Mickey Mouse: an animal with human qualities.) So the concept of Hello Kitty indulging in a full-meow bacchanal, or even a glass of bubbly with her kibble, doesnt sit well with me. Well, get used to it. Hello Kitty wine is making a push into the American mainstream. (It has been sold in Europe and Asia since 2007.) Antonellos in Santa Ana is serving a Hello Kitty menu through mid-November after a splashy media launch dinner Oct. 12. Italys Torti winery has teamed with Sanrio, the Japanese company that created and marketed the Hello Kitty image, to offer several kinds of wine with the iconic little puss on the label. If you go to the winerys website, youll see the Hello Kitty line of sparkling and nonsparkling rose and white. Heres the mystery: The wine is almost impossible to find, at least in Southern California. Total Wine & More claims to carry it in a couple of stores in Nevada; other than that, good luck tracking down a bottle unless you go to Antonellos. Patrizia Torti told the Los Angeles Times that some Sanrio execs had run into her familys wine at a restaurant. They liked it and got in touch with her about the Hello Kitty idea. The Torti clan has been producing wine for Sanrio under the Hello Kitty label since 2007. Ive tasted the sparkling wine and was not impressed. Some critics, surprisingly, have praised it: Sweet flower scent and lightly spiced; harmonious taste thanks to the very balanced natural sparkling, says Costa Mesas Wine Lab of the sparkling rose. Anybody out there tried this stuff? Let us know! One question: What will you tell your kids if you bring a bottle home and they want to taste it? A BEER FOR THE BRAVE One of Orange Countys pioneers of high-quality craft beer, Taps Fish House & Brewery, has racked up a lot of trophies over the years. The latest is a gold medal from the 2016 Great American Beer Festival, awarded in the wood and barrel-aged strong beer category to Taps soon-to-be released Silent Warrior tribute beer. Silent Warrior was conceived by Taps founder-owner Joe Manzella to support LZ-Grace (Landing Zone-Grace), a retreat in Virginia for special operations personnel from all branches of the military returning home from deployment. Manzella conferred with his Taps colleagues David Huls, Kyle Manns and Jonathan Chiusano to create the barrel-aged American strong ale. It has notes of caramel, brown sugar, dates, figs, oak, vanilla and aged bourbon. ABV is estimated at 10 percent. Silent Warrior will be sold in 22-ounce bottles at Taps three locations beginning in early 2017. THANKSGIVING IS COMING So we decided to crack open some turkey-worthy whites and reds. Castello di Amorosa 2012 La Castellana Super Tuscan Napa Valley Red Wine ($98): grand, silky, with depth and a pronounced vegetal quality, much like a good Rioja. Backbone galore. Wente 2015 Morning Fog Chardonnay ($15): excellent bang for the buck. Big fruit, a little sweet, but balanced. Not too oaky. Good autumnal sipper. Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@scng.com Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Climate change and human rights are inextricably linked. It makes little sense to discuss one without the other. Even in the issue of climate change, human toxins of bigotry and prejudice exist, said UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore. Gilmore was part of the discussion during an Expert Meeting on Climate Change and Human Rights. The two-day session, which met recently in Geneva, looked at rights-based climate action in the implementation of the Paris Agreement to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Paris Agreement brings all nations into common cause to undertake ambitious steps to combat climate change. It is the first universal, binding climate agreement to include a strong and explicit commitment to respect and promote human rights in climate action. We can see the increased connections that the global community is making between climate change and human rights across a number of processes. said Mary Robinson, former High Commissioner for human rights and the current President of the Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice. Gilmore reminded participants that climate change does not impact everyone equally and that certain communities are far more vulnerable to its effects. Small island states are particularly hard hit by climate change calamities. Nelly Caleb, the National Coordinator of the Disability Promotion and Advocacy Association of Vanuatu in the Pacific, said that while climate change has negatively impacted persons with disabilities in her country, they are finding their voices and solutions by joining together. Things move very slowly when advocating alone. The ratification and rules of implementation of the Paris Agreement are developing rapidly and this is a positive step in the global effort to tackle climate change, Robinson said. In this process we must ensure that human rights stand as foundational principles, she warned. We will not be able to bring human rights sensitive approaches in later. Delegates and parties need to see the linkages now. The window of opportunity is closing fast. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad al Hussein, has warned that failure to take strong action right now will take the world further down a path of climate devastation. According to Zeid the time for dialogue has passed and the time for rights-based climate action is upon us. Last year, the Geneva Pledge was established, as an effort to promote rights-based climate action,. Pledge countries agreed to meaningful collaboration between their national human rights and climate experts in the pursuit of more effective climate action that benefits all persons, particularly the most vulnerable. Pledge signatories stand ready to continue helping to foster a transparent, open and mutual beneficial dialogue, said Ambassador Elayne Whyte Gomez, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica before the United Nations. We believe this is a long journey that will have no graduation day but permanent tasks and challenges for which we hope to have better knowledge and preparation as our journey progresses, she said. Robinson advocated that consequential compassion should guide subsequent climate change actions-- that is, an understanding that empathy for those who are suffering must be linked to effective action to alleviate their suffering. Human rights-based action should accompany climate science and impact analysis, said Gilmore. The worst aspects of climate change must be measured in human form to understand impacts on the most excluded, the most vulnerable, and the most affected. It must be non-discriminatory, collaborative, transparent and just. 20 October 2016 Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... Union Pacific on Thursday reported a seventh straight quarter of falling cargo volumes, with declines in five of the six major freight categories. The Omaha-based employer of 8,000 Nebraskans said third-quarter income was $1.1 billion, or $1.36 a share, down from $1.3 billion, or $1.50 a share, a year earlier. The earnings failed to meet the analyst estimate of $1.40 compiled by FactSet. Shipments of ag products rose 6 percent. Everything else fell coal, auto parts and vehicles, industrial goods, chemicals and containers that also move by truck and ship. Union Pacific said it has 2,700 union workers on furlough or alternative work status, about the same number as it had at the end of the second quarter. Two major Omaha employers that are leaders in their industries railroad Union Pacific and trucker Werner Enterprises are expected to report earnings today amid a serious slump in the transportation business. Union Pacific, employer of about 8,000 in Nebraska, appears set to report a seventh straight quarter of declining freight shipments when it releases third-quarter earnings. Analysts polled by FactSet expect Union Pacific to report earnings per share of $1.40. Werner and the nations other truckers have also been facing a demand slump. The American Trucking Association said last week that its national truck tonnage index fell almost 6 percent in September. Analysts polled by FactSet expect Werner to report third-quarter earnings per share of 26 cents. Shareholders will be closely watching the freight numbers to see if the downturn in transport demand shows any signs of reversing. Shares of Union Pacific, the second-largest rail hauler behind BNSF Railway by ton-miles, have risen 25 percent this year as investors saw a bargain after the shares fell about 34 percent in 2015. Werner shares have fallen about 2 percent this year. (The broader stock market is up about 5 percent so far this year.) For the railroads, the problem is low demand from shippers. National shipments at the seven majors are down 6.8 percent so far this year compared with last. Union Pacific shipments have fallen 8 percent so far this year when compared with last year, according to the companys weekly carload reports filed with the Association of American Railroads. Year-to-date dropoffs include a 26 percent decline in farm products other than grain and a 25 percent slide in coal. The freight doldrums have affected things way down the line at Union Pacific, which operates about 32,000 miles of track west of the Mississippi River. The company said at an investor conference last month it had 2,700 union workers on furlough or alternative work status, and had 22 percent fewer train, engine and yard employees than a year earlier, about 14,000 total. Trucking folks are not any more upbeat. According to research firm Cass Information Systems, overall shipments fell 3 percent in September compared with the same month last year, while shippers spent almost 4 percent less on freight expenditures. The dropoff in volume was the 19th in a row. There have been a few areas of growth, mostly related to e-commerce, Avondale Partners analyst Donald Broughton wrote in an investor note. Bottom line, the industrial recession in the U.S. that began in March of 2015 continues to weigh on overall volumes. It has been apparent at Werner, one of the nations largest truckers, with about 7,000 trucks and 12,000 employees, including about 9,000 drivers. Through the first six months of the year, revenue was down 5 percent from a year earlier and net income fell 30 percent to $38 million. Profit has fallen at Werner for the past two quarters in a row. I currently see a softer-than-normal freight environment, which is likely to continue until the inventory correction is complete, trucking association chief economist Bob Costello said in a statement this week. Looking ahead, the slow growth economic environment does not suggest that significantly stronger truck tonnage numbers are in the near term either. A witness hired by the defense testified Thursday that the gun magazine found in the home of Dr. Roger Brumback showed extensive wear and was not likely new. Anthony Garcia had purchased a Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun about two months before Brumback and his wife were killed in their home in May 2013. Investigators found a magazine that would have fit that style and model of handgun in the doorway of their home. During Day 13 of testimony in Garcias trial, Richard Renz, a former naval special warfare expert who now works for a Virginia firearms consulting company, testified on his examination of the magazine found at the crime scene. He said it showed extensive wear from firing or being loaded into a weapon, with scratches and a worn exterior patina. He estimated it would take at least nine months of daily carry or six months of extensive use in firing to become so worn. This magazine was extensively used, he said. Renz also was asked to examine Garcias gun, the frame of which was found about a year after his arrest along an Interstate ramp in Illinois not far from his home in Terre Haute, Indiana. Renz said it was in such bad shape from being out in the elements that he couldnt tell if it had been extensively fired. Renz, an expert in close combat, also testified on the struggle that took place in the Brumback home, including the numerous defensive wounds on Mary Brumbacks hands and arms as she fought off an apparent knife attack. It was a battle, he said. She was very brave to be able to sustain the fight as long as she did with those types of defensive wounds. The day started contentiously as attorneys for Garcia and the prosecution argued over evidence that the defense wants to offer, including new DNA testing results and testimony from a phone expert the defense previously had said it would not call. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine objected to the late notice on the matters, which led to several contentious exchanges between Kleine and Garcia attorney Robert Motta Jr. District Judge Gary Randall tried to calm things down, telling Motta to sit down and lower his voice. It culminated in this exchange: Im sick of his mouth, Motta said of Kleine. Well, Im sick of you acting this way now, Mr. Motta, Randall replied. I am going to hold you in contempt if you do not hold your temper when addressing me. Motta apologized to the judge, and the trial proceeded. Garcia is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the March 2008 slayings of Thomas Hunter, 11, and Shirlee Sherman, 57, and the May 2013 killings of Dr. Roger Brumback and his wife, Mary Brumback, both 65. Live coverage ***** Daily recaps Day 10 recap: FBI agents scrambled to arrest Anthony Garcia after tracking him to hotel Day 9 recap: Detective tells jurors how Anthony Garcia went from being a name on a file to the prime suspect Day 6 recap: Prosecutors in Anthony Garcia case turn to motive: grudge from 2001 firing from Creighton med center Day 4 recap: As prosecution in Garcia case tries to establish when couple was killed, forensic expert says Mary Brumback fought for her life Day 3 recap: Testimony shifts to grisly scene at Roger and Mary Brumback's home in third day of Anthony Garcia trial Day 2 recap: Police detective testifies he suspects 11-year-old boy was killed before housecleaner ***** More trial coverage Students for Life of America isnt pleased with how the Gretna school district responded to its demands, but the group acknowledged that its request to grant equal access to a student anti-abortion club was met. They chose possibly the most inconsiderate and inconvenient route by taking away the privileges of nearly all clubs to meet during school hours, said Kristan Hawkins, president of the group, in a press release Wednesday afternoon. Gretna Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Riley said the district took the route that was most equitable to all groups and it hasnt caused anyone any major inconvenience. Gretna schools adjusted its club policy last week after the Thomas More Society, a national nonprofit law firm, sent an Oct. 3 letter accusing administrators of discriminating against the student group that opposes abortion. Gretna High School junior Bridget Christensen, co-president of Dragons for Life, challenged the district for not allowing her club to meet during the school day, like a number of other clubs. Dragons for Life was considered a recognized club and was allowed to meet before and after school. Only sponsored clubs were allowed to meet during an extended homeroom in the morning. District administrators said they didnt allow religious or political groups to be school-sponsored. The Thomas More Society letter said that policy was discriminatory, and Gretna Public Schools responded by changing its definition of sponsored clubs and prohibiting all non-curriculum-related groups from meeting during the school day. Sure, the clubs all have equal treatment now, Hawkins said in the release, but instead of granting equal privileges to pro-life speech, the school deemed it too threatening and instead took away access from all students. Riley said the districts goal is to treat everyone the same as well as prevent the district from having to revisit this issue in the future. Were the district to have allowed the anti-abortion group to meet during the school day, others could have accused the district of violating the establishment clause for equal access to a school building, Riley said. Christensen said the policy change is not what she wanted. However, we are ready to move forward and work together to promote the value of human life, she said in Wednesdays release. Jocelyn Floyd, special counsel with the Thomas More Society, said in the release she was pleased the district improved its policy, but she hopes the school remains dedicated to equality and fairness going forward. Riley said the new policy addresses the groups qualms. Were going to be criticized in these types of decisions no matter what we do, he said. Lets move on, he added. Weve got more important things to do. These dogs must be good sports. For nearly a decade, Omaha resident Heather Ingraham, 36, has fashioned elaborate costumes for her three dogs, Charlotte, Sophia and Walter, for Halloween. They have donned various costumes, including birds, characters from The Wizard of Oz, an alien and space cadets, and zoo animals. This year, the canine threesome has an under the sea theme, with Charlotte and Sophia dressed as mermaids and Walter in a shark costume. This year, I became certified as an open water diver, so that got me on the marine theme, Ingraham said. She planned to do a shark cage dive while on a recent trip to Africa, but the dive didnt pan out. I had sharks on the brain. Ingraham hand-made the costumes and the underwater backdrop that she used for the dogs photo shoots. The only pieces that werent hand-made: Charlotte and Sophias dog wigs, which were special ordered from China. Even with the elaborate costumes and display, Ingraham said the dogs are good about sitting still. When I take their pictures, I give them lots of treats, so they know costumes and a camera mean treats, she said. Sophia always looks grumpy. Shes older, and she lost a tooth so she always has a little bit of a scowl. Ingraham, who is a diamond buyer for Borsheims Fine Jewelry, adopted all three dogs, separately, from the Nebraska Humane Society with her husband, Matt. Charlotte, a 14-year-old rat terrier, was the first pup the couple adopted, followed by Sophia, a 13-year-old long-haired Chihuahua, and then Walter, an 12-year-old rat terrier-Chihuahua mix. Sophia had been rescued from a puppy mill and Walter had been brought in from a dog-breeding operation. While she and her husband dont have children, the dogs are dressed and ready for trick-or-treaters on Halloween. It takes Ingraham roughly a month to create each costume, but she starts planning a year ahead of time. This year, she worked on the costumes during the summer. Ingraham started creating canine costumes nine years ago when Charlotte was her only dog. That year they entered a costume contest at Petco. Charlotte was dressed as a lobster and Ingraham was a chef. In 2015, she opted for a farm scene, with Walter dressed as a rancher and Charlotte and Sophia as cows. One of my favorites was where I was an astronaut and Charlotte and Sophia were astronauts and Walter was an alien, Ingraham said. That and the year we did The Wizard of Oz where I dressed up as Dorothy and they were dressed up at the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. In 2014, the trio dressed as two flowers and a bee won Martha Stewarts national Francesca and Sharkeys Halloween Canine Costume Contest. As a grand prize, Ingraham and her pets won a basket filled with pet treats. The group has also won the costume contest at Petco, 72nd and Dodge Streets, for several years. In the last 10 years, Team Ingraham has lost once: to a dog dressed as Michael Jackson. The prizes are nice, but I really enjoy the fun of it, she said. A 74-year-old woman was critically injured in a dog attack Wednesday night at her home northwest of Omaha. The Douglas County Sheriffs Office said Sharon Robino was taken to Nebraska Medical Center after the attack around 8:25 p.m. at her home near 252nd Street and Rainwood Road. Robino was found at her residence suffering from serious injuries delivered by the dog she owns, the Sheriffs Office said. The dog is a 3-year-old English Shepherd weighing approximately 45 pounds, the Sheriffs Office said. The attack took place inside the residence, the Sheriffs Office said. Robino suffered numerous puncture wounds to her head and arms, the Sheriffs Office said. She was listed in fair condition Thursday. The dog was impounded by the Nebraska Humane Society, the Sheriffs Office said. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is poised to roll out its first road map in a generation for developing and managing Lake McConaughy. The 90-page master plan and its 33 maps have been in the works for one year and will be presented to commissioners Friday during a regular meeting at Ponca State Park. If approved, the plan would guide commission management of the state recreation area it operates at the popular reservoir for the next 20 years. The last known master plan dates to 1975. The plan envisions new boat ramps and campgrounds, fishing and road improvements, a dog park, an equestrian campground, trails, protective zones for threatened and endangered species and other initiatives. The lake, popularly known as Big Mac, attracts more than 1 million annual visitors. Lake Ogallala, the little reservoir on the downstream side of Kingsley Dam and Lake McConaughy, is included in the plan. Michelle Stryker of Lincoln, the commissions planning and programming administrator, said the master plan is designed to provide only the concepts of management. For example, details such as cost estimates and how and where to erect fences to protect the beach nests of threatened and endangered birds the interior least tern and piping plover would be developed annually, evaluated and adjusted. The plan is divided into multi-year phases, the first of which would begin in 2017. Once we get a commitment from the board, well move forward with specifics, Stryker said. But one lake homeowner said this week that the commission may be hurrying into a plan without considering how it will achieve goals of providing outstanding recreation for the hundreds of thousands of visitors while conserving valued natural resources. I dont understand the rush, Jasper Fanning of Ogallala said. My question is, why dont we spend more time in developing a plan we think has a good chance of working and then implement that? Fanning, general manager of the Upper Republican Natural Resources District in Imperial, lives on a hill overlooking the south side of the reservoir. He has attended meetings held by commission employees with Ogallala-area residents and business owners in recent months as the plan was taking shape. Fanning said cabin owners on both sides of the lake have long been concerned about how commission law enforcement officers and other employees manage the large number of visitors. Other concerns include trash collection and collecting fees. Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area has more than 100 miles of shoreline and 40,000 acres of land and water. It is within four hours of the Denver and Lincoln-Omaha metro areas. Most of the improvements and changes are targeted for the north shore from Omaha Beach east to Martin Bay at the dam. A mountain biking trail is proposed in a hilly area near Spillway Bay, at the southeast corner of the lake. At Lake Ogallala, a hike-bike trail around the reservoir would start south of the dam at the Lake McConaughy Visitor and Water Interpretive Center. The trails have drawn support from area residents. Kayak and canoe launching points would be created. Some roads would close, and some beaches would have restricted access. Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala are owned and operated by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District in Holdrege. Game and Parks manages the site. The commission meeting begins 8 a.m. Friday at Ponca State Parks Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center north of Ponca. Chances are, if you met Jim Smith, he remembered you. And he likely considered you a friend. He could remember a person hed met years before, said Arlene Smith, his wife of 63 years. He could walk up to them and call them by name. He loved people, and it was easy for him to do that. Smith, a former president of the Omaha stockyards and marketing administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, died Oct. 9 after a brief illness. He was 87. Smiths career with the United Stockyards Corporation led him to oversee the 100-year anniversary of the Omaha market. He also served as president of Milwaukee and Sioux Falls markets. After he left the stockyard industry, he worked as the administrator in the marketing division of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Smith traveled all over the world Mexico, China, Russia and several countries in South America promoting crops grown in Wisconsin. He was a salesman at heart, Arlene Smith said. Smith was born June 15, 1929, in Walthill, Nebraska. He moved many times as a child, but he returned to Walthill and met his future wife. The two married in 1953. Smith served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and earned a bachelors of science degree in animal husbandry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1957. He worked in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after graduation. He retired in 1995, and he and his wife moved to Springfield. Although the family had moved around a lot, Omaha was always home, Arlene Smith said. Jim Smith was a long-time member of Dundee Presbyterian Church and a Habitat for Humanity volunteer. Smith was particularly proud of his two daughters, whom he spoke with almost every day. He was a great father, and he enjoyed life, Arlene Smith said. Survivors include his wife, daughters Alysia Ryan and Deanne Smith, two grandchildren and brother Burke Walter. A service was held at Dundee Presbyterian last week. When Sarpy Countys jail opened in 1989, it was expected to meet the countys needs through 2020. With space to spare, it was paid for in part by housing prisoners from elsewhere. County officials praised its computerized, state-of-the-art system. Walk around the jail in 2016 and officials point to facilities that have become inadequate and out of date. A booking area is too small. A room used to house inmates who want to hurt themselves has bare concrete walls with a sink and toilet, instead of a padded floor and walls. Theres a lack of housing for inmates who have mental health or behavioral problems. And not visible are the 40 to 60 inmates housed in jails in other counties because there isnt space in Sarpys 148-bed facility. That lack of space has county officials considering expansions that could be costly. Its not the first time. After voters rejected a $15.5 million referendum to add 160 beds in 2002, Sarpy officials were forced to look at other solutions. In 2004, the Sarpy County Board decided against putting an expansion on the ballot again. They opted to offer more alternatives to jail, as suggested by a South Carolina consulting firm. Those alternatives, like a pretrial services program and diversion programs, have helped keep lower-risk offenders out of the jail. County officials have also put off a jail expansion in part by sending inmates to neighboring county jails. But as the number of inmates rises, officials must weigh the rising transportation and housing costs with the price tag of a bigger jail. And as other counties also see their own jail populations rise, space in nearby jails is not always guaranteed. To further complicate matters, within the population left at the jail are people with behavioral and mental health problems that the Sarpy County Sheriffs Office and the current jail are not equipped to handle. The jail has routinely exceeded its capacity since the 1990s. Currently, an average of 40 to 60 inmates from Sarpy County are housed in other jails, and some inmates with special needs are sent to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. Ideally, the jail would operate slightly below capacity with about 126 inmates so staff could move people around to different parts of the jail if needed, said Sarpy County Corrections Director Mike Jones. But in the middle of last week, the jail was at capacity. And a few days earlier, when the jail was hovering around 142 inmates, Jones said they contacted Douglas, Saunders and Cass Counties, but no one could take additional inmates. Eventually relief was found in Saline County. Its become a common occurrence. Since theres no beds around, that just means were going to go further and further and further away to try to make accommodations for those inmates, Sarpy County Chief Deputy Greg London said. Earlier this year, for instance, the Sarpy County Board approved an agreement with Richardson County to house inmates for $55 a day. One way, the trip is almost 100 miles and takes nearly two hours. And inmates housed in other counties must be returned to Sarpy County for court appearances. In 2015, the county budgeted $530,000 for boarding prisoners in other counties. Almost $1.4 million was budgeted for the current fiscal year. That figure does not include mileage or transportation costs, which a study estimated at between $140,000 and $180,000 a year. Other counties are also seeking solutions to higher inmate populations and older facilities. Part of a $45 million bond issue that Douglas County voters will decide on Nov. 8 would go to renovate portions of the county jail. The older sections are being used more as the jails average daily population and inmates length of stay have increased. Both are up over last year in a trend that has lasted for months. In July, the jail hit an all-time high of 1,360 inmates. And like Sarpy, the Douglas County Jail is seeing record numbers of female inmates and high numbers of people with mental illnesses. In the 110-bed Cass County Jail, only 20 to 25 inmates are from the that county. The rest of the beds are contracted out to Sarpy and Douglas Counties, the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Tuesday, the Cass County Jail was housing 26 inmates for Sarpy County, said Lt. Jeff Lickei, the jail administrator. Sarpy County pays Cass County a daily rate of $58.53 per inmate. But for the Cass County Jail to accept the inmates, they must be sentenced and not have medical, health or behavioral problems, Lickei said. That means Sarpy County is left with inmates who often require more resources to supervise. Faced with the space crunch, Sarpy County paid criminal justice consultant Mark Martin about $16,000 to look at its jail and suggest options going forward. Theres no one magic bullet that I can give you to say this is why this is happening, Martin told Sarpy County officials. Its usually kind of a combination of things. What Martin could tell Sarpy officials is that crime and the number of arrests are down, but inmates are staying at the jail longer. The county will need space for 330 to 370 inmates within the next 20 years, Martin said. Inmates length of stay can be determined by many factors including their sentence or whether they can afford their bail. Jones also pointed to a Nebraska law that allows inmates to retire fines with jail time. One day in jail, Jones said, retires $90 of a fine. Not all of the inmates are coming from Sarpy County. According to the study, of those admitted to the jail in 2015, 55.3 percent listed out-of-county residences, with the majority coming from Douglas County. Of those from Sarpy, the majority resided in Bellevue. Martin offered a number of options to deal with the crowding: Create a special management unit connected to the existing jail that would provide a 24-bed behavior management pod for male and female inmates and a 24-bed medical or mental health pod. The estimated cost would be about $4.9 million, as well as about $920,000 a year in personnel costs. Add on to and renovate the existing jail to create a total of 416 beds, including some special needs housing. That would cost about $28.7 million, as well as about $3 million a year in personnel costs. Its estimated the larger jail would last the county through 2040. Make no changes to the jail and continue to board a rising number of inmates elsewhere. That would cost the county $2.9 million a year by 2025, Martin said. Between now and 2025, he estimates that the county would pay more than $20 million total. At a board meeting last month, Al Povondra of Omaha-based Carlson West Povondra Architects told Sarpy County officials that they have done a good job of diverting people into other programs rather than sending them to jail, but those programs also require office space. Povondra helped design the jail. Povondra gave the board members several options to renovate or redesign offices for the alternative programs that ranged from $350,000 to $7 million. Youve saved those taxpayers millions of dollars over the years. I dont know how widespread that knowledge is, but you really have, Povondra told Sarpy officials. A task force of county staff, representatives from the Sheriffs Office and County Board members Jim Warren and Tom Richards has been formed to review the options, but the county is not tied to picking one of Martins suggestions. Plans are in the works to tour the Douglas County Jail and look at what can be done to immediately alleviate overcrowding and better classify inmates. Richards and Warren said Martin might be tapped to do more work on the issue for the county. Richards said he wants to look at how the current facility can be used and see what modern jails look like. For me, it gets down to: Do you build a jail to grow into or do you build a jail that takes care of immediate need? Richards said. Of the options presented so far, Warren said hes not sure theres enough information to make a decision or if the options are the right ones. And the county cant rush headlong into the wrong choice, he said. After years of studies and programs to try to manage the jail population, however, brick-and-mortar solutions need to be considered, Warren said. The bottom line is those days of the Band-Aid approach are over, said London, Sarpy Countys chief deputy. Everyone realizes we have to expand in some capacity. So now the goal is how to figure out how to do that in a fiscally responsible way. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is rattling his saber again. Twice in the past week, monitors at U.S. Strategic Command have detected the attempted launch of intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The first occurred at 10:33 p.m. Central time last Friday. The second was at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Both were launched near the northwestern city of Kusong, StratCom officials said. Both missiles blew up shortly after launch. StratCom said both launch attempts were presumed to involve Musudan missiles. The Musudan, with an estimated range of 2,500 miles, cannot reach the United States. But it is capable of reaching U.S. military facilities in Japan, South Korea and Guam. Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, called the latest missile launch a provocation in an interview with the Associated Press. He said the U.S. government intended to raise its concerns at the United Nations. The North Koreans have now tested the Musudan missile eight times this year. All but one attempt failed. The launches were monitored by the battle watch team in StratComs Global Operations Center, underneath the commands headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base. The center is staffed 24 hours a day. Overall, North Korea has test-fired more than 30 ballistic missiles this year. It has also conducted two underground nuclear tests. WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump is saying he won't commit to honoring the results of November's election because he wants to reserve his right to file a legal challenge "in the case of a questionable result." Trump, speaking in Ohio on Thursday, said "of course I would accept a clear election result." But he stressed that he was not sure he would receive one, citing misleading statistics on voter fraud. He alleged without evidence that Hillary Clinton's campaign was trying to "rig" the election. Trump made the unprecedented assertion during the final presidential debate Wednesday. Asked if he would concede if he loses the election, Trump said, "I will look at it at the time." He opened his rally in Delaware, Ohio by joking that he would honor the result "if I win." UPDATE (4:30 p.m.) Some families are being allowed back into their homes, according to Magellan Midstream Partners, owners of the anyhdrous ammonia pipeline that ruptured Monday night. The cloud of deadly gas flowing from the pipeline claimed the life of a farmer that night and led to an evacuation 23 households and about 40 people. According to a statement from Magellan, the evacuation zone has been shrunk to a two-mile radius from the leak. Residents outside that zone are being allowed to return. It's unclear how many people are being allowed back in, or when the remaining families will be able to return home. Highway 75 and County Road P remain closed at this time. UPDATE (12:15 p.m.) The air quality in the area between Tekamah and Decatur still is unsafe and roadblocks remain in place, Eric Weiss, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said at midday Thursday. Weiss said there wasnt an estimated time for an "all clear." Residents likely won't return to their homes Thursday, he said. The NTSB investigates pipeline accidents. A preliminary report could take weeks to complete, Weiss said. A full report into what happened, why it happened and any recommendations could take up to a year or more, he said. * * * DECATUR, Neb. Steve Chace had just drifted off to sleep Monday evening when the pungent odor of anhydrous ammonia startled him awake. He lives about 200 feet from a Magellan Midstream Partners pipeline in rural Burt County. Chace, 52, is an environmental consultant, so when the noxious odor of the deadly gas hit his sinuses, he knew what it was. The aroma woke me up. It was in my house, Chace told reporters Wednesday afternoon. By my second breath it was overwhelming. He looked outside. By the treeline where the pipeline runs, smoke bellowed in plumes and back to the ground, like a blackish-gray vaporous oil well. This was towering clouds of ammonia vapor, he said. It was dark out, but you could see it. He called 911. He called Magellan. It was 9:17 p.m. Then he scooped up some of his things and ran out of his house, as a plume of the roiling vapor flowed across his yard. Chace related his story following a meeting held by the pipeline company in order to update the roughly 40 evacuees from a rural area south of Decatur. The pipeline leak was discovered Monday night and triggered the evacuation of 23 households. It also caused the death of Phillip W. Hennig, 59, a farmer who lived nearby who drove into a cloud of the anhydrous ammonia. Funeral services for Hennig will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah. Magellan officials told the group that they would not be able to go home Wednesday, as had been hoped. Instead, the company would try to get them back Thursday evening. But before that can occur, each home must be tested by an air quality expert. Although we have made significant progress ... we are not ready to allow you to go home yet, said Bruce Heine, Magellans director of government and media affairs. Residents couldnt return because the company was not done purging the affected section of pipe. The pipe needs to be excavated and the section replaced before evacuees can return, company officials said. We are trying to do everything as systematic and as safe as we possibly can, Heine said. Magellan representatives reiterated that the company would cover the evacuees expenses. Heine also expressed sympathy for the loss of Hennig. None of the words I can express are appropriate when one of your neighbors has passed away, he said. The exact nature of what happened whether it was a break in the line or a crack is not known. Officials stressed that there will be a thorough investigation. The officials fielded a number of questions, many of which they could not answer. Emmett Hennig, 75, a cousin of Phillip Hennig, asked if the company would pressure Phillip Hennigs wife into a premature settlement. This is very delicate for us, as it is for you, Heine said. There will be an appropriate time for us to talk to the family. Others in the audience mentioned previous pipeline problems. A number of pipelines run under Burt County, and residents recalled leaks and fires over the years. Asked if there had been prior problems on this line (Chace said there had been a tiny pinhole leak in 2013), Heine said he would have to get back with them. Melissa Simmons, 42, of Lincoln, who grew up in the area, asked about the condition of livestock. Heine said Magellan believes that no livestock has died. After the meeting, she said she appreciated Magellans effort to keep people informed, but she remained concerned. Even if livestock survives being exposed to the gas, will it still be edible? Can its milk and eggs still be consumed? Its a catastrophe. Its a tragic catastrophe, she said. Im not sure, really, what to think of it. Anhydrous ammonia is a commonly used fertilizer in agriculture. It is one of the most dangerous materials that farmers use. Some of those at the meeting recalled their own close calls working with it. Its danger was in Chaces mind as he ran from his home Monday night. He said he saw Hennig drive by in a pickup truck and then veer off the road and crash when he entered the cloud of anhydrous ammonia. Chace said he kept running. With all the suffocating ammonia that must have been in the plume, there was nothing he could do. He (was) in an unsurvivable situation, Chace said. There is no rescue from that. Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah is handling arrangements for Hennig's service. * * * * * Leak timeline About 9:20 p.m. Monday, the Burt County Sheriffs Office receives a call about anhydrous ammonia odor in the area of 3310 County Road P. At 9:40 p.m., Tekamah Fire and Rescue is dispatched to the ammonia leak. The surrounding area is evacuated. Around 10 p.m. (precise time unspecified), Magellan Midstream Partners remote sensing system detects a pressure drop on its pipeline in Burt County. The company contacts local authorities. At 10:05 p.m., someone calls 911 to say a man is down in the area of the leak. In the early morning hours, neighbors are evacuated. At 2:25 a.m. Tuesday, Tekamah Fire and Rescue and Nebraska State Patrol hazardous materials crews reach the man and remove him from the area. He is pronounced dead at the scene. Sources: Burt County Sheriff Robert Pickell, Magellan Midstream Partners A 68-year-old Alliance woman was killed Tuesday night in a crash in Nebraskas Panhandle. The accident occurred as Barbara Fritzlers vehicle was stopped in a construction zone on U.S. Highway 26 about a mile and a half east of Minatare, according to the Nebraska State Patrol. As Fritzler waited for a pilot car, her 2016 Ford Focus was struck from behind by a 2006 Ford pickup, the patrol said. The collision pushed Fritzlers car into a 2004 Buick stopped ahead of her. Fritzler died at the scene. The driver of the pickup, Trevor Teichroeb, 29, of Mitchell had to be extricated from the vehicle. He was flown with serious injuries to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. The driver of the Buick was not injured. Everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seat belt. The crash closed part of Highway 26 for about two hours. An investigation into the cause continues. A family of six was killed in a fire that destroyed a house early Thursday in rural Cass County, Nebraska. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal's Office said it could not provide a specific number of deaths. But a family member confirmed to KMTV Channel 3 that the people who were killed are Mike and Michelle Speer and their daughters Ellie, Addalin, Emma and Aniston. The fire was reported after 12:05 a.m. at 10014 McKelvie Road, which is about six miles northeast of Weeping Water. A neighbor who reported the fire told a 911 operator that people were in the house at the time. Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Matzner told the World-Herald News Service that the house was engulfed in fire and flames were coming from every window when firefighters arrived. Firefighters "were not able to make entry," he said. "Its basically a two-story house, Matzner said, "and its completely on the ground. We dont have any walls standing." The house was located at the bottom of a hill. Gravel roads leading to the property -- surrounded by soybean fields -- were blocked off Thursday afternoon as the investigation continued. Firefighters from Weeping Water, Manley and Avoca plus representatives from the Cass County Sheriffs Office and Cass County emergency management arrived early Thursday to find the two-story house engulfed in flames. Nehawka, Murray, Union, Louisville and Plattsmouth firefighters assisted. Fire marshals investigators were investigating at the fire scene. The office said the probe will be time-consuming and will continue into the evening and possibly into Friday. The Cass County Sheriff's Office and the Cass County Attorney's Office are assisting the State Fire Marshal's Office in the investigation. The funeral service for Phillip Hennig, the farmer who was killed after an anhydrous ammonia leak from a pipeline north of Tekamah, will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah. Hennig, 59, died Monday night when he drove through a cloud of anhydrous ammonia that had escaped from the pipeline near his property. After Hennig graduated from Tekamah-Herman High School in 1975, he joined his father in the family farming operation. In 1978, he married Sandra Lynne Gammel. They had three daughters and a son. Hennig was a 4-H leader, superintendent and active 4-H parent for more than 35 years. He was a lifelong member of the Riverside Baptist Church in rural Tekamah, serving many roles in the church, including treasurer. An obituary posted on the website of Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah said he spent countless hours cheering for his children at their competitions, driving them to events and preparing animals for the show ring. He was a patient, kind- hearted family man who had a passion for International tractors, Harley motorcycles and deer hunting, the obituary reads. He was hard-working, able to fix just about anything and a dedicated farmer who was passing on his legacy to the next generation. Survivors include his wife, Sandra Hennig of Tekamah; daughters, Christina Knajdl of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Erin Knajdl of Kearney and Lena Beckner of Oakland; son, Thomas Hennig of Tekamah; two grandchildren; parents, Erwin and Velma Hennig of Tekamah; brother, Alan Hennig of Tekamah; and sister, Pam Stinson of Ferndale, Washington. LINCOLN A staffer at the states womens prison in York was treated and released from a local hospital after an attack by an inmate on Wednesday. The staffer at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women was assaulted with a homemade weapon, which the staff member was able to deflect, a Corrections Department spokeswoman said. The inmate, though, was able to grab the staff member by the hair and strike that person in the face before being subdued by chemical spray and other staffers. An investigation is underway, and the findings will be turned over to the York County Attorneys Office for possible prosecution. A national insurance company has donated nearly $26,000 to the Nebraska State Patrol for its efforts to promote teenage driver safety. Last week in Norfolk, Nebraska, the patrol and State Farm Insurance unveiled a driving simulator, purchased with the insurance companys donation, aimed at helping teens become safe-driving motorists. The Ultra Cockpit Driving Simulator uses three computer screens for wide-angle viewing, the patrol said. The simulator provides teens with more than 200 realistic driving scenarios and exercises that test their driving skills, officials said. The new driving simulator will be managed by the patrols Norfolk office. Safety program requests can be made through the Nebraska State Patrol website, Safety Programs. Wednesday marked the second donation toward a simulator that State Farm has made to the patrol. Money for the first simulator was donated in 2013, the patrol said. If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, shell take office in 13 weeks. The left wing of the Democratic Party isnt waiting. Led by Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the progressives are pressuring Clinton on policies and personnel. Sanders wants commitments to support planks in the Democratic platform such as a national $15-an-hour minimum wage and expanded government subsidies for college tuition. Warren wants to influence personnel decisions to keep Wall Street and big business from dominating key posts. Hillary Clinton is sincere in a number of areas, Sanders said in September in an interview that appears in the Oct. 17 issue of the New Republic. In other areas I think she is gonna have to be pushed, and thats fine. Thats called the democratic process. Both senators are campaigning strongly for Clinton, who wants their help mobilizing young voters and those on the left wing. Thats giving them potential clout and giving Clinton a problem: The more they succeed, the more theyll complicate a White House governing agenda thats likely to include gridlock busting through compromise with conservative Republicans. Clinton has little choice but to try to accommodate the Warren-Sanders wing while the campaign is still in progress, and probably as president, too. Warren, in particular, taps into populist sentiments that transcend the ideological left. Her differences with Clinton, who is more liberal on domestic issues than President Bill Clinton was, are more about tactics than principles; Clinton would be more willing to compromise to win Republican votes needed to accomplish anything big. Compromise is a four-letter word for much of the populist left. Its a squeeze that is both unavoidable and exceedingly difficult to navigate. A recent flurry of warnings followed the release by WikiLeaks of emails stolen from the account of Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta. (U.S. officials have blamed Russia for the leak.) Although substantively rather benign, they reveal a Clinton less hostile to banking interests in private speeches and communications than in her public pronouncements. The Sanders-Warren wing already has affected the Clinton candidacy, pushing her leftward on issues ranging from financial regulation to health insurance to public-college tuition support. Warren offered her most pointed warning about appointments in a Sept. 21 speech to the Clinton-friendly Center for American Progress: When we talk about personnel, we dont mean advisers who just pay lip service to Hillarys bold agenda, coupled with a sigh, a knowing glance and a twiddling of thumbs until its time for the next swing through the revolving door, serving government then going back to the very same industries they regulate. We dont mean Citigroup or Morgan Stanley or BlackRock getting to choose who runs the economy in this country so they can capture our government. No. This is about people who understand the urgency of the need for rebuilding opportunity in America now and will fight for it with everything theyve got. In communication with the Clintonites, the Massachusetts senator reportedly has said shes not opposed in principle to nominees with Wall Street experience. She says nice things about Gary Gensler, a Goldman Sachs alumnus who ran the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during much of President Barack Obamas administration and is chairman of the Clinton campaigns finance committee. If Clinton tried to tap one of her close Wall Street associates to become Treasury secretary or White House chief of staff, Warren would probably protest mightily. That could test Clintons loyalty to associates such as Tom Nides, a top executive at Morgan Stanley who ran the State Departments office of management and resources from 2011-2013, when Clinton was secretary of state. Its not just Wall Street that the populists resist. There was criticism from the progressive wing when Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer at Facebook and a former Treasury official, was rumored to be a candidate for the Treasury post. Last week, Sandberg said she had no interest in coming to Washington. Sanders focuses more on policy. At campaign appearances, he often holds up a copy of the Democratic platform. It calls for a sharp increase in the minimum wage, more government-managed health insurance and federal subsidies for many students attending public colleges. Sanders also has noted that the platform calls for breaking up the big banks (so does the Republican platform) and passage of the 21st-century Glass-Steagall Act. Thats a reference to the Depression-era law that precluded banks from engaging in both regular banking activities and financial trading and deal-making. It was largely repealed in 1999 by legislation signed by Bill Clinton. Much of the lefts agenda would be at cross-purposes with another Clinton goal: to break the partisan deadlock of the last couple of years by forging compromises with House Speaker Paul Ryan on infrastructure, corporate tax reform and maybe even immigration. A deal with Ryan probably wouldnt be acceptable to Warren or Sanders. The left probably has one scalp already: Clintons opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. She supported the trade pact before Sanders drew blood by opposing it during the Democratic presidential primaries, and a retreat by some previously supportive Democratic senators has damaged its prospects. Obama hoped to secure passage in a lame-duck congressional session after the election with Republican support. A year from now it may seem that dispatching Donald Trump, for all his demagoguery, was a cakewalk compared to the challenge of navigating between Warren and Sanders on one side, and Ryan and Republicans on the other. The day after the election, Sanders said in the New Republic interview, we begin the effort of making Clinton the most progressive president that she can become. Democracy was firebombed this past weekend in North Carolina. The competition of ideas was burned, vigorous debate was charred, free speech was defaced. The news that a North Carolina Republican headquarters had been torched was sickening and disheartening not just for Republicans, but for all Americans who understand that our country thrives in part because we choose our government leaders with free elections, not through intimidation or violence. Thats why, even in such a vitriolic election year, people across the political spectrum came together to denounce the attack, from Hillary Clinton to Dallas Woodhouse, North Carolinas GOP executive director. Democrats started a GoFundMe page and, in less than an hour, had raised $13,000 to help repair the Hillsborough County Republican headquarters. Some may dismiss that as a political stunt, but it was an encouraging and proper response. Others from across the spectrum, though, instantly leaped to conclusions about who was responsible, and they tried to capitalize on the incident politically. Though authorities dont know who did it, Twitter does: the Left. The Right. The Media. Those who placed blame without knowing facts contribute to our crumbling discourse. Animals representing Hillary Clinton and Dems in North Carolina just firebombed our office in Orange County because we are winning, Donald Trump tweeted. Violent left-wing Hillary Clinton fascists were to blame, according to the hillaryisdeplorable Twitter account. Jim Blaine, chief of staff for North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger, tweeted that the editorial page editors of the Charlotte Observer and the (Raleigh) News & Observer were getting what they want from the bombing. Those on the left were also irresponsible in declaring, with no evidence, that the attack was the work of Republican operatives who wanted to make Democrats look bad. No one yet knows who was responsible. Maybe it was a Democratic extremist. Maybe it was a scheming Republican. Maybe it was a drunk teenager. That will come out eventually, perhaps. What we know now is that the act violated American principles and should be met with bipartisan intolerance. The attack goes far beyond the heated rhetoric that has marked this election year, though its possible it was inspired by that rhetoric. Whoever was responsible, we need to hope it was an isolated case and that it doesnt prompt anything similar or worse in the final weeks of what has been a dispiriting campaign. The tenor of this election is bordering on dangerous. The Arizona Republic, for instance, received death threats after endorsing a Democrat for president for the first time in its history. Publisher Mi-Ai Parrish wrote a moving piece last weekend in response. She talked about staffers who know that free speech requires compassion, bravery and open debate. U.S. Sen. Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, in calling for a bipartisan approach to foreign policy, declared in 1947 that partisan politics stops at the waters edge. It must stop, also, when a flaming bottle shatters a storefront window. Making predictions three weeks less than 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 Real Clear Politics average. Anything could happen in the final 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 U.S. 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 lifelong 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 Kerrys tireless (and seemingly fruitless) negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. But these meetings reduce the possibility of accidental conflict. So do the almost daily contacts 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 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 GDP this year of 0.8 percent. Monthly wages fell by 9.5 percent in the year 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 Pomeranz, the governments share of GDP has nearly doubled over the last 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. For what has often been a dispiriting election season, it is encouraging to see word from the Nebraska Secretary of States Office about voter enthusiasm. Secretary of State John Gale reports that 41,938 ballots have been cast early or returned to county election offices through last Friday. Plus, tens of thousands of additional Nebraska voters have requested early ballots. Voter registration, meanwhile, has reached a record 1,198,546, exceeding Gales expectations. This shows that Nebraskans understand and care about the outcomes in contests ranging from school boards to the Legislature to the presidency. Its a healthy sign for the state. Be sure to vote. Mehbooba Mufti gets notice to vacate official bungalow 'meant for J&K CMs' Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India (In pics) Kashmir in the past week Feature oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer It has been a roller-coaster ride for the Indian government to tackle border infiltration in the past few days. Apart from the 103 consecutive days of curfew imposed on Srinagar, the state had to bear with armed terrorists looting BSF posts and attacking the Indian army. Here is the situation in pics: The four infiltrators Srinagar: A video shows a group of Hizbul militants displaying weapons snatched from the J & K security forces in an orchard in south Kashmir. PTI The charred remains Srinagar: People inspect the burnt vehicle which was set ablaze by protesters after they defied strike on the 103rd day of Kashmir unrest, at Sadarbal in Srinagar on Wednesday. PTI Abandoned roads Srinagar: Security Personnel stand guard on a deserted street after curfew was re-imposed following the burning of two Sumo vehicles by protesters after they defied strike on the 101st day of Kashmir Unrest,at Parimpora Qamarwari in Srinagar on Monday. PTI Charred remains Srinagar: People inspect the burnt vehicles which were set ablaze by protesters after they defied strike on the 101st day of Kashmir unrest,at Parimpora Qamarwari in Srinagar on Monday. PTI Charred remains Srinagar: Flames rise from two Sumo vehicles which were set ablaze by protesters after they defied the strike on the 101st day of Kashmir Unrest,at Parimpora Qamarwari in Srinagar on Monday. PTI OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 13:26 [IST] TRS, BJP are two sides of same coin: Rahul Gandhi in Telangana Telangana cabinet to discuss water sharing issue Hyderabad oi-PTI Hyderabad, Oct 20: A meeting of the Telangana Cabinet would be held tomorrow to discuss the construction of Secretariat and sharing of Krishna River water. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to hold the Cabinet meeting in the Secretariat tomorrow, a release from his office said today. The Cabinet meeting is likely to discuss construction of new secretariat and the decision of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on sharing of Krishna waters (with neighbouring states). The state government is reportedly contemplating building a new secretariat. The present one reportedly has 'Vastu' defects. PTI Bahuguna a betrayer, Amit Shah amassing army of traitors: Congress India oi-PTI New Delhi, Oct 20: Putting up a brave face, Congress today dubbed Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who joined BJP, as a "betrayer", alleging that she has a family history of switching sides, and insisted that Amit Shah would not be able to gain anything in UP by amassing an "army of traitors". Congress' UP unit chief Raj Babbar also dismissed her criticism of Rahul Gandhi, saying leaders like here who pursued "selfish politics" were afraid that the Congress Vice President was bringing democracy in the party and asserted that Bahuguna's exit will have no bearing on Congress and its prospects in the poll-bound state. "Rita Bahuguna Joshi has exhibited betrayal as the party leadership had entrusted full faith in her. Joshi has been a teacher of history and probably that's why she is repeating her family history of switching sides. "This is the fourth or fifth such change in her family. Her quitting would make no difference to the Congress party's prospects in Uttar Pradesh, just as her brother joining BJP made no difference in Uttarakhand," he told reporters. Launching an attack on BJP, he said the party is showing that it has no faith left in its own leaders. [Rita Bahuguna is Modi's fan today: Here is what she said about him, BJP in past] "In its quest for victory in UP polls, BJP is amassing an army of traitors from other parties. It seems the BJP, which has 71 MPs in the poll-bound state, does not have faith in its own leaders and that is why it is importing party leaders from outside," he said. Reacting to Joshi's exit, party general secretary and incharge of party affairs in UP Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "Opportunist leaders do not stick to one place. The real thing was that she is unlikely to win from her seat as the contest was tough." Asked about Joshi's attack on Rahul Gandhi's leadership qualities, Babbar said all such leaders who acted as "satraps" were feeling insecure as the "kingdoms" of various "Godfathers" were being demolished by the Congress Vice President. "People who are doing politics for their selfish interest and gains are feeling insecure in Congress as Rahul Gandhi is doing such politics which is harming the interests of such 'satraps'. Rahul Gandhi is fighting for democracy within the party," he said. To a question on whether there is any need for introspection within the Congress in the wake of some leaders quitting the party in recent past, Babbar said, "introspection has started within the party. That is why 'satraps' are falling apart and leading the party." PTI Bihar: Nitish Kumar swears in as CM for 8th time; Tejashwi Yadav to be Dy CM Yet another setback for Nitish as 15 JDU Panchayat members join BJP in Daman & Diu Bihar govt to challenge Rocky Yadav's bail in Supreme Court India oi-PTI Patna, Oct 20: A day after Patna High Court granted bail to Rakesh Ranjan Yadav alias Rocky Yadav in Gaya road rage case, Bihar government decided to challenge the order in the Supreme Court. Rocky, son of suspended JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi and historysheeter Bindi Yadav, is accused of shooting dead Class XII student Aditya Sachdeva for overtaking his car on May 7 this year. "The state government is going to file an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the bail granted to Rocky Yadav by the Patna High Court," Principal Additional Advocate General Lalit Kishore told PTI. Asked when the appeal is expected to be filed in the apex court, Kishore said, "We are trying our best to file it by next Monday." He, however, refused to divulge details about the grounds on which the state government would go in for the appeal. [#JusticeForAditya: Rocky Yadav's bail should be challenged in SC, says Father of victim] Police arrested Rocky from his father's mixer plant in Gaya on May 10. Rocky's parents, accused of sheltering him while he was on the run after the murder, were recently enlarged on bail. Police filed a charge sheet in a Gaya court against Rocky and another accused in connection with the murder case. They have also filed charge sheet against Rocky's cousin Teni Yadav, his father Bindi Yadav and his MLC mother's bodyguard Rajesh Kumar in the murder case. The state government had put the case on speedy trial and investigation was completed within three weeks and charge sheet filed within a month of the incident. PTI Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh 40 down and counting: Forces on the verge of wiping out Pakistani terrorists in Valley Chinese flags in the Valley: Why this agenda is a non-starter? India oi-Vicky Srinagar, Oct 20: On Tuesday following a raid, 44 people were arrested in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir. Among the materials seized were Chinese flags. While Pakistan flags have been a regular feature in many parts of the Valley, finding Chinese flags is something new. Does this signal a new form of protest or is it just another gimmick? Intelligence Bureau officials do not read much into it. They say that it is a way of telling India that Pakistan's all weather friend, China would back them in their fight for Kashmir. It is more of an irritant than an actual worry, the official says. There is no real confirmation of any Chinese involvement. It is basically an invitation by the separatists to China to help them. In fact, on some of the flags there is a line which asks China for help. However, the Chinese are unlikely to interfere in this issue, officials also maintain. On the other hand, separatists feel that there is a Chinese connection to the Kashmir issue. The occupation of Aksai Chin by the Chinese which was once part of Jammu and Kashmir is one such connection that the separatists are trying to draw. They would also quote that the Chinese and the Pakistanis want Kashmir to be an international issue and in this regard they hope that China may interfere. The separatists hope that China would play the role of a mediator. India will, however, never accept this and the separatists' dream will not be fulfilled, Indian officials also say. Officials also say that while China is unlikely to interfere and the decision to wave Chinese flags must be Pakistan's idea. Pakistan feels that by waving Chinese flags in the Valley, there is a chance of India getting spooked. Separatists may have bought this argument, but India says that this new agenda is a non-starter. Officials, however, added that the chance of separatists trying to please the Chinese in return for funds is a possibility that cannot be ruled out. They would need money to sustain this struggle and would be hoping that the Chinese may fund them. "Our eyes and ears are open to this and we will not let any Chinese funding into Kashmir," intelligence bureau officials also say. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 11:53 [IST] Jaitley statue at Kotla: Angry Bedi asks DDCA to remove his name from stands, quits membership Reforms in India being done by conviction, not compulsion: PM Narendra Modi BJP leaders pay tribute to former minister Arun Jaitley on his third death anniversary First time In 5 years, PSU profits fell in 2015 India oi-IANS By Ians English For the first time in five years, the profits of Indias state-owned companies shrank, by about 20 per cent in 2015, with 77 public-sector units (PSUs) reporting losses and contribution to the exchequer dropping Rs 20,000 crore ($3 billion) over the previous year, according to the latest government data available. The drop in profits -- from Rs 1.28 lakh crore ($22 billion) to Rs 1.03 lakh crore ($17 billion) -- over 2013-14 comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2016 Independence-day declaration that a "new culture" had helped flag carrie Air India and telephony provider Bharat Sachar Nigam Limited (BSNL) improve their performance. As many as 235 PSUs -- companies in which the central government or other government companies held at least 51 per cent of shares -- surveyed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and public enterprises saw profits drop in a year that India's economy grew 7.3 per cent over 4.7 per cent in 2013-14. "In the past, government companies accounted for a large share of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), today they don't," said P. Rameshan, former director of the Indian Institute of Management-Rohtak. India had 298 PSUs in 2015-16 -- of which 63 have not yet started operations -- in sectors that include mining (Coal India Ltd, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation), manufacturing (Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum), services (BSNL, Air India), electricity (National Thermal Power Corporation) and agriculture (National Seeds Corporation). Except electricity, PSUs in other sectors reported a fall in profits or a rise in losses during 2014-15 compared with the previous year. PSU contribution to the exchequer dropped Rs 20,000 crore in 2014-15 The government's companies contributed Rs 20,000 crore less to the public exchequer in 2014-15 than they did the previous year, when they generated Rs 2.2 lakh crore. Even the top profit-making PSUs -- companies such as ONGC, Coal India Ltd, Indian Oil and NTPC -- saw a 13 per cent dip in profits. A leading reason for this was the global slowdown and weakening of international oil prices, leading to a 29 per cent fall in export earnings and affecting manufacturing companies. "The steel industry, one of the biggest in terms of turnover, suffered because of the fall in oil prices," said Anand Kumar, former director of Indian Oil Corporation, India's largest company by revenue in 2014. Nearly 10 per cent of steel industry's demand comes from the petroleum industry, which is facing a slump due to fall in crude oil prices. As the world gradually recovered in 2014-15, demand for major commodities from India, such as coal and metal, also fell. Ten at the bottom account for 85 per cent of losses In 2014-15, 10 loss-making PSUs accounted for 85 per cent of all PSU losses: Rs 27,000 crore, or Rs 4,000 crore more than the previous year. BSNL, Air India and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd were the biggest losers. These companies could not cope with competition, said Rameshan. "BSNL is but a mere fringe player in the telecom industry today," he said. "Air India, which lost its status as the market leader long ago, is no different." Modi said that Air India had made an operating profit of Rs 100 crore in the financial year 2015-16, but as FactChecker.in reported in August 2016, that is 0.0023 times the airline's accumulated losses, now more than Rs 44,000 crore ($7.3 billion) -- equal to India's annual health budget -- and borrowing has grown to more than Rs 38,000 crore ($6.3 billion), IndiaSpend reported in September 2015. PSUs had also fallen behind on technology, said Hareendran Bhaskaran, dean of Bhavan's Royal Institute of Management, Kochi. The PSU workforce dropped by 50,000, but employees were paid more The PSU workforce was trimmed by nearly 50,000 over the last one year, but the per capita expense on employees rose 10 per cent over the same period. After economic reforms in 1991, private-sector competition, it was hoped, would goad PSUs to reform and improve. But most old problems continue. "There is a lot of backseat driving by the government," said Alok Perti, former secretary, Ministry of Coal. "Public sector companies that have government directors are likely to see them dictating what course of action should be taken. In many cases, the ministry dictates." In 2011, the S.K. Roongta Committee, to suggest PSU reforms, said: "Over-governance promotes conservative, cautious and risk-averse organisational culture, with procedures being paramount and outcomes secondary." The committee recommended a fixed tenure of three years for PSU heads and suggested that 50 more companies be listed on the stock exchanges over the next five years. Not a single company was listed since the recommendation was made. "That (Roongta report) must be now gathering dust in the corridors of bureaucracy," said Kumar. "Nobody wants to antagonise the master, the politician." The divestment plan is revived, but 2015-16 target falls short by 66 per cent Earlier this year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government should "leverage the assets" -- meaning, sell stakes, land and manufacturing units -- of PSUs to raise money for infrastructure. However, a little more than a third of the Rs 69,500-crore target for 2015-16 -- to be achieved by selling stakes or closing loss-making PSUs -- was achieved. Perti said the government's plan to sell stakes would make little difference to the companies. "These will remain government companies, and these companies have the drawback of being run as government departments, rather than companies," he said. IANS/IndiaSpend Video: Why Chinas former president was escorted out from stage Gear up to face challenges from China: Anant Geete to Indian manufacturers India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Oct 20 Indian manufacturers -- both public and private -- must provide quality products at affordable costs to face the challenges from China, Union Minister Anant Geete said here on Thursday. The Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises also underlined the need for enhanced use of latest automation and robotics technologies to produce quality yet affordable products. "The era of globalisation has led to a cut-throat competition across the world, thereby making it a challenge for our manufacturing sector to survive. We need to face up to these global challenges, else we might get isolated," said Geete inaugurating an Assocham international conference "Industry 4.0: Smart Manufacturing". He said although the government feels that pushing the industrial sector will lead to create more job opportunities, the upcoming robotics technology may lead to significant job losses. India's manufacturing sector has been under stress over the recent past due to various reasons, the minister said. Geete also spoke on how the government came to the rescue of the domestic steel industry by fixing the minimum import price for steel, as China was supplying finished products at a cost at which the domestic industry gets raw material. He pointed out that this is how China has been destabilising the domestic steel sector, and more or less a similar situation prevails in the entire manufacturing sector. "We need to compete with China, which has spread across the world...we need to accept this challenge," said Geete. The Union Minister further said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under the aegis of the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, has invited global investors and industrialists to come and set up their manufacturing units in India. "But our first priority should be to save our domestic industry, including both private and public sector enterprises, as they will play the most significant role in the development of programmes like Make in India." IANS Who is Pushkar Singh Dhami, the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami to take oath as new Uttarakhand CM today, swearing-in ceremony at 6 pm PM Modi to interact with Chief Ministers of six states on COVID-19 situation today A Look back at CMs who completed full 5-year term in history of Karnataka Who is Eknath Shinde? The Maharashtra's new Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the 8th time Bihar CM in 22 years | A look at sushasan babu's turns and u-turns so far Haryana's Committee on 7th Pay Commission submits report to CM India oi-PTI Chandigarh, Oct 20: A Committee constituted by the Haryana government to examine the recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission and decisions of the central government submitted its report to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today. The Committee, comprising Chief Secretary D S Dhesi as Chairman and Additional Chief Secretaries Rajan Gupta and P Raghavendra Rao, Principal Secretary Anurag Rastogi and Special Secretary Ashima Brar as members, was constituted vide notifications dated August 8 and October 10, 2016. Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu and Chief Secretary Dhesi presented the report of the Committee to the Chief Minister here, an official spokesman said. The Committee had, since its constitution, deliberated on various issues relevant to pay revision and also heard and examined more than 200 representations from various employee Associations, Unions, groups and individuals. The Committee submitted its report to the Government today, within the prescribed timeframe. Its recommendations would now be examined by the government and appropriate orders would be issued in due course, the spokesman said. Seventh Pay Commission: Manohar Parrikar raises anomalies with PM Modi The revised pay structure would be applicable to the State Government employees with effect from January 1, 2016. The 6th Central Pay Commission due from January 1,2006 was implemented by Central Government in September, 2008 and the State Government had implemented it in January, 2009. The 7th Central Pay Commission due from January 1, 2016 has been implemented by the Government of India in July, 2016. PTI Home Minister asks police to set up special team to trace JNU student India oi-PTI New Delhi, Oct 20: Home Minister Rajnath Singh today directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, where a section of students has been staging protest alleging inaction by authorities in the case. Singh called up the Commissioner of Delhi Police and gave the instruction to set up the special team to find the missing student, a Home Ministry official said. The student, Najeeb Ahmed, went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus the night before. Agitating JNU students have confined the Vice Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar, and about 12 other officials in the university's administrative building since yesterday afternoon though students and mediapersons have been able to access it. Gheraoing VC and other officials is sad, it seems some students come to do politics and not study: Kiren Rijiju,MoS Home #NajeebAhmad pic.twitter.com/cfAJBCexvd ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 We tried to go out of admin building @ 2.20am. Agitating JNU Students did not let us go out. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Agitating JNU students should realize it is wrong to physically confine their own teachers like this. This will only affect our JNU. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Rejecting allegations of inaction, Kumar today said they had written to the police about the missing student and an inquiry by the university will be expedited and the "guilty" will be punished. Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC warned of action against them. Rs 50,000 reward for missing JNU student He said that several rounds of talks were held with the students to convince them regarding the sincerity of the university to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their "illegal" activity. PTI Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar to be next Chief of Naval Staff: Defence Ministry In Pics: Know all about INS Arihant, India's first indigenous nuclear submarine India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Oct 19: INS Arihant, India's first indigenous nuclear submarine on Tuesday was inducted in Indian navy, though Defence Ministry has maintained silence over the same. Navy and Defence officials believe that such silence was "customary" as the project is 'top secret'. Sources say that even the Navy is not aware of the submarine's movements and locations, which are decided by the orders from the highest level. "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," Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retired) said. Here are the main features of INS Arihant. Submarine which can carry ballistic missiles Arihant is a 6,000 tonne nuclear propelled submarine. It is a SSBN (ship submersible ballistic, nuclear submarine), or a submarine that can carry ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Built with significant Russian assistance Its design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarines and its 83mw pressurised water reactor has been built with significant Russian assistance. On July 26, 2009, on Vijay Diwas, the anniversary day of Kargil War victory, Arihant was launched into the water at the ship-building centre in Visakhapatnam. Sea trials started in December 2014 In 2013, the nuclear reactor of the submarine went 'critical'. The sea trials started in December 2014. It was declared fit for operations in February 2016, and quietly inducted in the Indian Navy later. Nuclear submarine is part of Indian Navy's ATV project Arihant is part of Indian Navy's secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, under the supervision 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. The missile is named after former President Abdul Kalam In April, the submarine test fired nuclear capable ballistic missile K-4. The missile is named after former President and scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. INS Arihant can carry 12 K-15 missiles Arihant has four vertical launch tubes, which can carry 12 K-15 missiles or four larger K-4 missiles. Completes India's nuclear triad INS Arihant completes India's nuclear triad - capability of firing nuclear weapons from land, air and sea. OneIndia News Indo-Nepal border to have designated entry, exit points soon India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Oct 20: The Indo-Nepal border would soon have designated entry and exit points. Based on a report given by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Ministry for Home Affairs has decided that security would be stepped along the Indo-Nepal border and soon it would have designated entry and exit points. The IB has said that there are several concerns along this border. Not only is it a hub for smugglers, but has been a favourite point for terrorists as well. Indian Mujahideen operatives would always use this border to cross over and escape to Pakistan. The IB says that with Pakistan going the extra mile to fuel terrorism in India, they are more likely to use the Nepal border as an entry point into India. The likelihood of terrorists being launched from the Nepal border into India is very high. There is a high alert following the surgical strikes carried out by India and the IB had warned of attacks during the festival season. The Home Ministry, which held a meeting with the SSB has sought for a blueprint on how to enhance security along the Indo-Nepal border. The border is likely to be sealed and there would only be designated entry and exit points. Home Ministry officials tell OneIndia that this border has been problematic for long. There are touts along this border who help ferry criminals, smugglers and terrorists into India. They also help in provide an exit route for those who commit acts of crime in India and try to slip into Pakistan through this border, the official also added. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 13:50 [IST] Kerala's ISIS recruits find a new home in Nangarhar, Afghanistan India oi-Vicky Bengaluru, Oct 20: Over the past few months several people from Kerala have gone missing. After a detailed investigation was conducted, it was found that nearly 21 persons who had gone missing had in fact made their way to Afghanistan. It has also been found that these people who were recruited by the ISIS, were told to go to Nangarhar in Afghanistan where the ISIS has set up the Wilayat Khorasan. Indian agencies say that there are 67 from across the country who have gone missing and are today suspected to be part of an ISIS module. Also read: Did 21 Keralites join the Wilayat Khorasan in Afganistan? Officials also state that in the days to come the ISIS will look to recruit more Indians and send them to Afghanistan instead of Iraq or Syria. The ISIS has set up its base in Nangarhar and is attempting to recruit as many Indians as possible, Intelligence Bureau officials also say. It is tough conducting a search operation over there, officials point out. Even the Afghan forces find it hard to find people in this area. A mini-Kerala at Nangarhar Fears regarding the spread of Wahhabism and extremism through radical online Islam have gripped Kerala. The state, which was in denial for long about the rise of Islamic extremism today, has woken up to the problem. In fact several Muslim organisations in Kerala have come forward to sort out the problem. OneIndia earlier had reported that on the rise of an ISIS culture in Kerala Also read: Kerala's religious intolerance: Cocktail of Wahhabism and misinterpreted online Islam The National Investigation Agency which has been probing these cases says that the trail has led to Afghanistan. Almost all the recruits from Kerala including women have been transported to Nangarhar in Afghanistan. Each of them was given a manual on how to prepare explosives. For now, it appears that they will function in the Afghanistan module known as the Wilyat Khorasan. However, one cannot rule out the possibility of these people being sent back to India over a period of time to stage attacks, the officer also adds. It has also been found that the man behind these recruitments is Saeed Abdullah, also from Kerala. He has taken the lead when it comes to setting up the Afghanistan module for the ISIS. He has only gone for educated recruits, investigations have also shown. Also read: Kerala's tryst with the ISIS continues: More suspected to have joined outfit Investigating officers say that the ISIS has been finding it very easy to recruit from Kerala. There appears to be a change in the mindset among many people in the state which has only made the recruitment process easier. Moreover all the recruits from the state have been sent to Afghanistan. This has to do with the proximity to India which the recruits prefer. Many have not been open to the idea of going to Syria or Iraq. Moreover the ISIS also feels that if an attack is to be launched in India, then transporting the cadres from Afghanistan is an easier option when compared to Iraq or Syria. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 12:23 [IST] As per constitutional norms: Goa Speaker on merger of Cong MLAs with BJP Mahadayi row: Laxmikant Parsekar to miss CMs' meet tomorrow India oi-PTI Panaji, Oct 20: Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has told his Maharashtra counterpart that he would not be able to attend the meeting on the ongoing Mahadayi river diversion row, scheduled tomorrow in Mumbai. The Chief Ministers of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka were supposed to meet in Mumbai to try and find an amicable solution to the ongoing tussle among the three states on diversion of Mahadayi river water. "The Chief Minister of Goa has written to Maharashtra counterpart (Devendra Fadanavis) seeking to re-reschedule the meeting of tomorrow to some other date due to pre-scheduled appointments," a senior official attached to Goa CM office told PTI today. The formal communication sent yesterday has asked the Maharashtra government to give option of dates for the Goa Chief Minister to decide on his participation in the meeting. Maharashtra government had earlier agreed to host the tri-partite meeting in Mumbai. Mahadayi river tribunal verdict goes against Karnataka; favours Goa & Maharashtra Mahadayi Water Tribunal, which is currently hearing the dispute among the three states, had earlier suggested that the governments explore the possibility of an amicable solution to the vexed issue. Goa government had called an all-party meeting on October 12 following which Parsekar had decided to participate in the meeting with CMs of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The opposition parties had then expressed apprehension over Parsekar attending the chief ministers' meet. Goa is opposing the move of Karnataka and Maharashtra governments to divert part of Mahadayi river water by constructing a dam upstream. Downstream Mahadayi is called as Mandovi river which meets Arabian Sea near Panaji. PTI UK PM Liz Truss resigns after 45 days in office, successor to be elected next week Iraq gets a new government after a year of deadlock PM condoles loss of lives in Reasi accident India oi-PTI New Delhi, Oct 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight condoled the loss of lives in a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir. "My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate accident in Reasi, J&K. Prayers with the injured," he tweeted. At least 15 people were killed and 30 injured today when a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and rolled into a deep gorge in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. 15 killed, 30 injured in road mishap in Jammu Police said some of the injured persons are in a critical conditions. PTI Social media companies free to do business, but should be accountable to Indian laws: Ravi Shankar Prasad Big step towards transparency: Prasad on first compliance report by Google, FB under new IT rules Ashwini Vaishnaw gets thumbs-up from Ravi Shankar Prasad on IT rules If over 45 countries use Pegasus, why target just India?, asks Ravi Shankar Prasad 'Nitish Kumar has been a non-Congress leader, has that changed?' asks BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad Ravi Shankar Prasad gets VIP security cover India oi-PTI New Delhi, Oct 20: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has been accorded a VIP security cover of armed central paramilitary personnel by the government recently. Officials said the cabinet minister for Law and Justice and Electronics and Information Technology has been brought under the 'Y' security cover and his security duties will be handled by the CRPF's special VIP security commandos. They said as part of this protocol, about seven-eight armed Central Reserve Police Force personnel will be deployed for the security duties of the minister, a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar. A threat assessment report prepared by central security agencies had recommended the requirement of such a cover for Prasad after which the Union Home Ministry sanctioned it, they said. The 'Z+' category is the highest VIP security cover followed by 'Z' and while 40 commandos are usually deployed for the 'Z+' protectee, the latter has about 25-30 personnel. Y' is a scaled down category but the commandos are similarly armed. Sometime back a similar 'Y' cover was accorded to Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani, on a full payment basis. The CRPF provides VIP security cover to over 60 protectees. PTI Devout Hindu Rishi Sunak shares Diwali wishes from NO 10: Says our children will light Diyas Diwali: In Dehi, B'luru, Mumbai, Kolkata, new rules to curb air, noise pollution, but will it work? India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer The festival of lights, Diwali, is round the corner and, if it is business-as-usual, pollution levels will hit the roof, as they do every year. But municipal bodies are waking up to the problem, and chalking out plans -- read, restrictions -- to keep air and noise pollution levels in check. Every year during Diwali festivities, the bursting of firecrackers pushes up pollution levels across the country. According to the National Air Quality Index provided by the Central Pollution Control Board in 10 cities last year, particulate pollution, especially at the dangerous PM 2.5 level was hovering between 200 and 500 in cities like Muzaffarpur, Lucknow, Faridabad, Kanpur and Agra. This year, several cities are taking measures to restrict the rise in air and noise pollution levels. The municipal bodies of cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi are imposing restrictions on firecrackers. To show they are serious about it, they are even calling in the police to enforce the rules, as in Bengaluru. On whom the onus lies Environmental activists say that the onus of checking firecracker pollution ultimately lies on citizens. "Every year, municipal bodies come up with rules to curb pollution levels during Diwali. However, if people don't follow the rules, then these measures are futile. We need to create awareness among people about the dangers of harmful firecrackers," said a Bengaluru-based environmentalist. See what restrictions apply in four major cities: Bengaluru In its latest venture, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has banned bursting of all crackers above 125 decibels in the city. Moreover, residents can lodge complaint with either the police department or Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) if they think that bursting of crackers is causing noise and air pollution. The board has sent a circular to BBMP officials in this regard. The KSPCB has directed the BBMP to notify local areas about the do's and don'ts to be observed during the festival days. Delhi The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi has urged residents to celebrate a firecracker-free Diwali. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has written to the department of customs (import and general) to make sure that harmful imported firecrackers do not make it into the city. During the festival, officials of pollution controlling agencies will keep an eye on increase in pollution levels in the capital. Strict instructions have been issued by officials of municipal bodies so that noise levels don't exceed beyond healthy degrees. There is also a ban on bursting of firecrackers between 10PM and 6 AM in Delhi. Mumbai In has been a while since activists have been asking the government to check astonishing rise in pollution levels during Diwali. In this regard, officials of municipal bodies have already started checking samples of firecrackers being sold for Diwali. A recent testing of samples of firecrackers revealed decline in noise levels as compared to previous years. However, there was a rise in air pollution levels from crackers. As per directives of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), only safe and pollutant free firecrackers will be allowed to use for celebrations. Kolkata The Kolkata police directed vendors not to sell any foreign firecrackers, especially Chinese made. The reason: they have very high sound decibels. This year, the city municipal bodies have banned around 90 firecrackers because they contain high levels of pollutants. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 13:54 [IST] UP: SP leader's car hit by truck, dragged for more than 500 meters in Mainpuri | VIDEO Turf war in Samajwadi Party gets bitter India oi-IANS By Ians English Lucknow, Oct 20: Power seems to be having the better of blood in Uttar Pradesh. As assembly polls draw near, the war of supremacy in the ruling Samajwadi Party is getting intense and bitter. Bruised by the turf war, the party is now slipping into further chaos with both sides - one led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the other by his uncle and state unit chief Shivpal Singh Yadav and supported by patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav - unsheathing the swords. Well wishers and supporters of the party have been either stunned into silence or are reconciled to the fact that the party, which turns 25 next month, might actually be over sooner or later. And notwithstanding the feeble voices of "all is well", there are rumours of an imminent split, with Akhilesh Yadav apparently thinking of forming a new political outfit. Initially boxed into a corner, Akhilesh Yadav -- who was the face of the party in the 2012 assembly elections -- is now openly siding with his young team which has been expelled by the party's old guard and making it evident that he has yielded a lot of space but not any more. Not only has the Chief Minister openly defied the party diktat on not mixing with leaders sacked from the party but is publicly seen with them. His Wednesday's letter informing Mulayam Singh Yadav that he will hit the campaign trail on his own steam from November 3 was like a final blow to the father. Now, a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav, Udayveer Singh, has gone a step further and openly asked Mulayam Singh Yadav to step down and name his son as the national President of the party. In a letter to Mulayam Singh, Udayveer Singh has alleged that Shivpal Singh was jealous of Akhilesh Yadav's charisma. "The developments are unfortunate but the time has come for the leadership to take a call and accept Akhileshji as the universally acceptable and most popular leader," he told IANS. But Udayveer Singh's letter has been taken as a slight to the Samajwadi Party chief. Mulayam Singh -- a former Defence Minister and one of India's most experienced politicians -- has called a meeting of senior party leaders, legislators and MPs on October 24. Rumours suggest that the Chief Minister would skip the November 5 silver jubilee celebration of the party and efforts were on by the Young Turks to get General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav named the party chief. The hostilities have virtually split the party into two camps -- from the top to the bottom. Akhilesh Yadav has shifted his political office from the Samajwadi Party headquarters to that of Janeshwar Mishra Trust. Two separate email ids are being used to contact the media on party issues and different voices emerging from Lucknow have baffled the cadres. IANS UP assembly polls 2017: Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the Congress deserter, who is yet to be BJP favourite Setback for Congress in UP: Senior party leader Rita Bahuguna joins BJP India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Oct 20: Former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna on Thursday joined BJP in party headquarter in Delhi. 67-year-old Joshi, daughter late Congress veteran Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, over whom there has been speculation of deserting Congress, joined BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah A former UPCC president who resigned as a Congress MLA today, said there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP. Joshi, who was said to be unhappy with the Congress leadership over projection of Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh, rued the present state of affairs in the party, alleging that it is in such a bad shape that it has contracted out its working to strategist Prashant Kishore. Slamming Rahul for his 'dalali' barb at Modi over the surgical strikes, Joshi said she has been disheartened by the events which happened in the last few days. "India is fighting terrorism and the Modi government has given the army a free hand. 'Khoon ki dalali' jaise shabd ka upyog kiya gaya, usse main kafi dukhi ho gayi: Rita B Joshi pic.twitter.com/Q06x1c8RaL ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 20, 2016 When whole world has accepted that we carried out #SurgicalStrikes, I didnt like it when Cong & other parties questioned it: Rita B Joshi pic.twitter.com/uqThfqVvNV ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 20, 2016 Senior UP Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joins BJP. pic.twitter.com/KEYYjeZglF ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 20, 2016 Besides valour of the army, the government's strong leadership was also behind the surgical strikes. "Along with the nation, I too was happy. The whole world accepted India's arguments behind the strikes. Congress, however, behaved like a small party and went on to question it. The whole nation was upset with a phrase like 'khoon like dalali'," she said attacking Gandhi. His remarks gave Pakistan an opportunity to question surgical strikes, she said, adding that political differences over national interest were not good. Noting that she had spent 24 years out of 27 years of her political career in Congress and only 10 months in Samajwadi Party, she said, "The decision to quit Congress was not easy. However, I took it in the interest of the nation and the state (UP)." Her joining BJP is expected to give a boost to the party's efforts to consolidate Brahmin voters as it looks to capture power in the state following a gap of over 15 years. The assembly polls in UP are due early next year. Ruling Samajwadi Parry and BSP have been in the power by turn all this while. OneIndia News (With inputs from PTI) Why is Hizbul Mujahideen calling out to Sikhs? News oi-Vicky By Vicky New Delhi, Oct 20 The Hizbul Mujahideen is planning on raising an exclusive group of Sikh youths. Our Sikh brothers have been requesting us to let them join the Hizbul Mujahideen. We are in the process of making that exclusive group, the self styled commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Zakir Rashid Bhat said in a 1.38 minute video message. Since the video was released, officials have been trying to read into the larger message that the commander is trying to give out. It is clear that he is referring to the Khalistan movement and is attempting to enlarge the scope of the Hizbul Mujahideen. After the massive crack down on Sikh militancy, several senior leaders of the Babbar Khalsa, Khalistan Zindabad Force among others fled to Pakistan and have been nurtured by the ISI since. Is the Hizbul Mujahideen trying to revive Sikh militancy: From the message that Rashid tries to give out, it is clear that he is aiming at reviving Sikh militancy. He speaks about an exclusive Sikh outfit and makes an unverified claim that the Sikhs have been asking him to let them into the group. An intelligence bureau official says that the Hizbul Mujahideen is trying to create a forum for the Sikh militants so that they come first to Kashmir and aide them in their fight. The long term plan however would be to create an exclusive wing of the outfit for Sikhs in Punjab. The officer also adds that the message comes at a time when Punjab is readying for elections. A few months back itself there was heightened activity in ISI sponsored camps to spread communal tension in Punjab ahead of the polls. Further the ISI was also planning to launch Sikh militants into Punjab to disrupt the elections. Intelligence Bureau officials have also picked up intercepts suggesting that a major fund raising drive is underway in London and Canada to fund Sikh militants. Officials also say that the Hizbul Mujahideen commander is trying to test the waters. He is trying to lay the ground work and find out how many locals from the Sikh community in Punjab may show interest in his offer. There may not be many takers, officials say. However attempts would be made to launch the Sikh militants who are being nurtured in Pakistan into India, Intelligence Bureau officials also point out. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 17:55 [IST] Anxious wait for news of Mars lander's fate International oi-PTI Darmstadt, Oct 20 Ground controllers waited anxiously for news today on the status of a tiny European craft which touched down on Mars as part of a daring quest for life on the Red Planet, but may not have survived the impact. The paddling pool-sized "Schiaparelli" lander, a trial-run for a Mars rover to follow, was scheduled to land at 1448 GMT yesterday after a scorching, supersonic dash through Mars' thin atmosphere. Hours later, the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the craft had touched down, but said it was emitting no signal -- evoking the ghost of Europe's first, failed, bid to land on Mars 13 years ago. "The lander touched down, that is certain," ESA's Schiaparelli manager Thierry Blancquaert told AFP. "Whether it landed intact, whether it hit a rock or a crater or whether it simply cannot communicate, that I don't know," he said from mission control in Darmstadt, Germany. Blancquaert said he was "not too optimistic" of receiving a clean bill of health. This would be Europe's second failed Mars landing in a row, joining a string of other unsuccessful attempts by global powers to explore our planetary neighbour's hostile surface. The British-built Beagle 2 robot lab disappeared without trace after separating from its mothership, Mars Express, in 2003. Its remains were finally spotted in a NASA photograph last year. Schiaparelli had travelled seven months and 496 million kilometres (308 million miles) onboard the European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to come within a million kilometres from Mars on Sunday, when it set off on its own mission to reach the surface. The pair comprised phase one of the ExoMars mission through which Europe and Russia seek to join the United States in probing the alien Martian surface. The TGO was successfully placed in Mars orbit on yesterday, to cheers and applause from ground controllers some 170 million kilometres away. "It's a good spacecraft in the right place, and we have a mission around Mars," flight operations manager Michel Denis announced. Schiaparelli's silence put a damper on the celebrations, though ESA officials tried to look on the bright side. "Whatever is going to happen, we will have learnt a lot of things because we will have data recorded of the descent," spokeswoman Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin told AFP. "So, we already have quite a bit of lessons learnt." For ESA director-general Jan Woerner, "this is typical for a test". "We did this in order to get data about how to land with European technology on Mars, therefore all the data we will get this night... will be used to understand how to manage... the next landing when we're going with the rover." Schiaparelli's landing was designed to inform technology for a much bigger and more expensive rover scheduled for launch in 2020 -- the second phase and high point of ExoMars. The rover will be equipped with a drill to look for clues of life, past or present, up to a depth of two metres. The TGO, in turn, will aid the search for life by sniffing atmospheric gases potentially excreted by living organisms -- however small or primitive. Its science mission will start in early 2018. AFP Bodies of two Chinese engineers found in Pakistan International oi-IANS By Ians English Islamabad, Oct 20 The bodies of two engineers who died four weeks ago after going inside a lead and zinc mine in Balochistan have been retrieved by rescue workers. According to officials, the engineers had gone into the mine in Dudder area of Lasbela district to rescue Pakistani worker Muhammad Anwar who was trapped, Dawn online reported on Thursday. An official of the MMC Huaye Dudder Mining Company (MHD) said late Wednesday: "Chinese engineers and rescue teams restarted their work and reached the place where the two bodies were stuck," adding that the body of the Pakistani worker had not been found so far. The two bodies would be shifted to Karachi's Aga Khan Hospital for autopsy. The engineers' families had already arrived in Karachi, the official added. IANS Why is 'Mr. Bean controversy trending on Twitter after Zimbabwe beat Pakistan? Pak off the FATF grey list doesn't mean it's not under scrutiny anymore: MEA secretary Imran Khan again targets Pakistan's establishment on Day 2 of protest march; govt rules out talks over snap polls Amid turmoil at home, Pakistan PM Sharif to visit China to felicitate Xi for his record win Pakistan to take legal action if India violates pacts International oi-IANS By Ians English Islamabad, Oct 20: Pakistan said on Thursday that it will take legal action if India breaches any of the bilateral agreements. Pakistan was keeping an eye on the Indus Water Treaty, the Dawn quoted Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria as saying. India has hinted at revisiting the water treat in view of Islamabad's continued support to separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. The official condemned what he said were the violations of the 2003 ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir by New Delhi and said Pakistan would reply to them in a befitting manner. He also condemned the "political manoeuvring" of the eight-nation Saarc, saying its summits had been postponed eight times in the past due to India. The November Saarc Summit scheduled in Islamabad had to be called off after India and some other member countries declined to attend it in view of heightened India-Pakistan tensions. "Indian attempts to diplomatically isolate Pakistan have failed miserably," Zakaria said. IANS When is Dev Diwali 2022? November 7th or November 8th? Know timings, significance and more Pakistan warns of action if India breaches Indus Water Treaty International oi-PTI Islamabad, Oct 20 Pakistan today warned of "appropriate action" if India violates the Indus Water Treaty and said it is closely monitoring the situation, amid reports that New Delhi may revisit the key water sharing accord. "Appropriate action will be taken in line with the Treaty in case of any violation by India," Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing. Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation, Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. Zakaria's remarks come amid reports that India may review the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty. He said that India is making "desperate attempts" to divert attention from the "atrocities and human right violations" being committed in Kashmir. He said Pakistan is highlighting Indian brutalities in Kashmir at world fora and there has been "very substantive outcome" of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that India violated ceasefire on the Line of Control for more than 90 times this year. The notion of isolating Pakistan is "ridiculous", Zakaria said, adding that India's "negative attitude" has been exposed which is the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also termed the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as "very disappointing and highly regrettable" as he deplored India's decision to "use SAARC for its political ambition", according to the report. Zakaria also referred to a media report quoting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a "very, very hot tinderbox" and offered to be "the mediator or arbitrator". Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," he said. "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," he added. PTI Even if not contesting 2020 polls, Hillary Clinton will not be entirely out of scene Hillary Clinton will be sorely missed in 2020 presidential election, says Donald Trump Hillary Clinton says Julian Assange must 'answer for what he has done' Donald Trump orders disclassification of documents on interference in 2016 presidential polls Hillary Clinton retweets own tweet, she put after her 2016 defeat Final Presidential Debate 2016: Donald Trump calls Hillary nasty woman International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Las Vegas, Oct 20 With just 19 days left for the United States to vote for its new President, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will face each other in the final presidential debate for 2016. The debate is being held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The debate is being moderated by Fox News's Chris Wallace. It is for the first time that the presidential debate is being hosted by a journalist from Fox News. [Donald Trump on Hillary Clinton: "She doesn't give up."] In the third and final debate it is expected that recent developments in tax policy proposals may come up for discussion. [Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump face to face for the first presidential debate] Here are the latest updates from the debate: Hillary says "take back Mosul?" We would have NEVER lost Mosul- if it wasn't for #CrookedHillary. #DrainTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/TmsY0ApFLQ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2016 "Nobody respects women more than me." Donald Trump earlier tonight "Such a nasty woman." Donald Trump just now #DebateNight Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2016 8.07 am: "We are going to make America great again and it has to start now."-Donald Trump 8.06 am: Trump says, "I will do more for African Americans and Latinos than Clinton could do in 10 lifetimes." 8.05 am: Clinton has concludes her remarks in debate. She said she will bring the nation together, improve the economy and education. 8.04 am: "I'm reaching out to all Americans because we need everybody to make our country what it should be."-Hillary Clinton 8.04 am: "I think we will be able to get entitlement spending under control."-Hillary Clinton 8.02 am: "We have to repeal and replace Obamacare." -Donald Trump Trump is very effective when attacking Clinton, but not so sharp in defending himself or explaining policies - his key flaws #debatenight Troy Bramston (@TroyBramston) October 20, 2016 7.59 am: Trump: I am going to create tremendous jobs. The GDP will grow from 1% to 4%. I am going to create a country that we were. 7.58 am: I will not shut door on women and children - Hillary Clinton 7.55 am: Trump to Clinton: "Podesta said you have terrible instincts. Bernie Sanders said you have bad judgment. I agree." 7.53 am: Hillary Clinton is willing to take in thousands of refugees and many of them may be IS aligned: Donald Trump 7.52 am: Hillary Clinton: I want to push for "a no-fly zone and safe havens within Syria" 7.51 am: Clinton - I won't allow refugees into the U.S. who haven't been vetted 7.50 am: We want to keep our eye on #ISIS. We have to go after #ISIS from the air, on ground & online - Hillary Clinton 7.48 am: Assad is a bad guy but you might very well end up with a guy worse than Assad: Donald Trump 7.47 am: "He's just tougher and much smarter than [Clinton] and Obama. " - Trump regarding Assad 7.46 am: "Aleppo is a disaster... It has fallen from any standpoint."" -Donald Trump 7.45 am: Trump says onslaught on Mosul is only happening because Clinton is running for president 7.44 am: We had Mosul, but when she(Hillary) left and took everybody out,we lost Mosul( to ISIS): Donald Trump 7.43 am: Debate now focuses on fighting IS. 7.42 am: "I will not support putting American forces into Iraq as an occupying force." -Hillary Clinton 7.40 am: "If Donald is going to whine before the game is even over, he doesn't have what it takes to do this job". - Hillary Clinton 7.38 am: "I will look at it at the time." -Trump regarding accepting results of election 7.35 am: "100% goes to different charities." -Donald Trump regarding his foundation 7.31 am: Clinton and Obama caused violence at my rallies: trump 7.31 am: Clinton attacks Trump Foundation 7.30 am: Hillary Clinton is now talking about Clinton Foundation. 7.27 am: "There's only one of us on this stage who has actually shipped jobs to Mexico" - Clinton 7.26 am: Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump: "I'm happy to compare" my experience with yours 7.24 am: Trump on allegations from women: "Those stories have been largely debunked. I don't know those people.'' 7.23 am: Trump to Clinton: "I say the one thing you have over me is experience, but it's bad experience." 7.20 am: Trump: NAFTA "was one of the worst things that's ever been signed by our country" 7.19 am: Hillary Clinton: Obama took steps that "saved the economy" from the recession 7.18 am: Bottom line is when president gives nuclear weapons order, it must be obeyed - Clinton 7.17 am: Donald Trump: Hillary Clinton wants a "massive, massive tax increase" 7.17 am: Hillary Clinton: I won't add a penny to the national debt. 7.16 am: "Our country is stagnant. We've lost our jobs, we've lost our businesses."-Donald Trump 7.15 am: India is growing at 8%, China is growing at 7%... Our growth rate is just over 1% and I think it's going down. - Donald Trump Hillary Clinton: "What I am proposing is that we invest from the middle out." #debate pic.twitter.com/ueSAw1Gr1V Forbes (@Forbes) October 20, 2016 7.14 am: Hillary Clinton: "I want us to have the biggest jobs program since WWII" 7.13 am: "We are going to start the engine rolling again." -Donald Trump 7.12 am: Trump: I am not a big fan of NATO 7.09 am: "When the middle class thrives, America thrives." -Hillary Clinton 7.08 am: Hillary Clinton: Putin would prefer to have "a puppet" as president of the US 7.07 am: Donald Trump: "She wants open borders" 7.06 am: "I don't know Putin." -- Donald Trump 7.05 am: "Of course I condemn." -Donald Trump re: potential Russian interference in election 7.04 am: Donald Trump: "Obama has deported millions and millions of people" 7.03 am: Hillary Clinton: Trump "choked" when he met with the Mexican president 7.03 am: "We've never had a foreign government trying to interfere in our election." -Hillary Clinton 6.59 am: "We are going to stop radical Islamic terrorism in this country." -Donald Trump 6.57 am: Trump: 'We have some bad hombres here. We're going to get them out.' 6.56 am: "We are both a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws." -Hillary Clinton 6.55 am: Donald Trump: SCOTUS justices I appoint will "automatically" overturn Roe v. Wade: "It will go back to the states." 6.54 am: Both the nominees now discuss on immigration. Hillary Clinton explains why she voted against a ban on so-called partial birth abortion https://t.co/MfqK66srtP pic.twitter.com/YZXhCI2KTp Capital Journal (@WSJPolitics) October 20, 2016 6.53 am: "We have no country if we have no border." -Donald Trump 6.52 am: "I am very proud to have the endorsement of the NRA" - Donald Trump 6.50 am: Hillary Clinton: "I regret" that the gun lobby supports Donald Trump 6.50 am: The final debate so far has focused on the Supreme Court, the 2nd amendment and abortion rights. 6.44 am: "I understand and respect the tradition of gun ownership, it goes back to the founding of our country." - Hillary Clinton 6.43 am: Hillary Clinton insists she doesn't want to take away everyone's guns. She says that she is however in favour of sensible gun control. 6.41 am: "The justices that I'm going to appoint will be pro-life... they will be protecting the Second Amendment." -Donald Trump 6.40 am: Donald Trump has invited half brother of US President Barack Obama to the debate. 6.39 am: "What kind of country are we going to be?" asks Hillary Clinton as she opens the debate. 6.38 am: "I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people." -Hillary Clinton 6.37 am: The first topic of the debate is Supreme Court. 6.36 am: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump take the stage for the final 2016. They do not shake hands before the debate. 6.32 am: Moderator Chris Wallace took the stage just now and implored the audience to remain silent, not to cheer or jeer. 6.30 am: Hillary Clinton's team says WikiLeaks disclosures are not hurting her. 6.14 am: Hillary Clinton has also arrived at the debate site according to her spokesman. 6.02 am: A political action group is urging the Amish, whose leaders discourage voting, to back Donald Trump 5.54 am: Donald Trump arrives at debate venue ahead of the final presidential debate. OneIndia News China pledges, signs climate accord but how green is its promise? Chinese President Xi Jinping on course for record 3rd term; Premier Li dropped in major shake-up Xi Jinping, Rodrigo Duterte agree on full improvement of bilateral ties International oi-IANS By Ians English Beijing, Oct 20: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippines counterpart Rodrigo Duterte here on Thursday resolved to achieve full improvement and greater progress in bilateral ties, media reported. Describing the two countries as "neighbours across the sea", Xi said that though their relations have gone through twists and turns, the foundation of China-Philippines friendship and the willingness to cooperate remain unchanged, Xinhua news agency reported. China highly values its relations with the Philippines, and is ready to work with the country to cement political trust and win-win cooperation, properly handle differences and become good partners, Xi said during talks with Duterte. He said managing differences on the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation is an important foundation for the healthy and stable growth of China-Philippines relations. China supports the efforts of the new Philippine government in fighting against drug, terrorism and crime, and would like to cooperate with the Philippines in these areas, Xi said. China is ready to enhance cooperation with the Philippines under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, he added. Duterte is on a state visit to China from October 18 to 21. His China trip is his first official visit to a foreign country outside Asean since he took office in June this year. Beijing-Manila ties had deteriorated due to the South China Sea arbitration case brought by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, against China. IANS SP feud worsens: Akhilesh might skip SP silver jubilee Lucknow oi-PTI Lucknow, Oct 19: In yet another sign of worsening infighting in Samajwadi Party,UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today announced that he will embark on his 'Vikas Rath Yatra' alone from November 3 which will make him skip the party's silver jubilee celebrations slated to begin two days later. In a letter to his father and party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Chief Minister declared his intention to commence his yatra, which was put off last month after the open turf war with his uncle Shivpal Yadav, saying all political parties have already started their campaign for the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. "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," Akhilesh wrote. The announcement gave rise to speculation that Akhilesh might skip SP's sliver jubilee celebrations that begin on November 5 to send a message that he was unhappy over the expulsion of youth leaders from the party, who would not be present at the event. Apart from reaching out to people and galvanising party workers, Akhilesh's yatra is seen as a move to truncate the influence of Shivpal, who had been appointed the new state party president in his place. 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 will be communicated to district presidents and party workers in due course. 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. 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. 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. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 12:36 [IST] As the countdown clock struck zero, rocket of Aakash BYJUS took off from Bandra Bandstand Mumbai: 3 arrested for flying drone in 'no-fly zone' Mumbai oi-PTI Mumbai, Oct 20: A day after the pilot of a private airline reported seeing a drone near the city airport, three persons were arrested on Wednesday 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 I-Pad 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. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 8:03 [IST] When is Dev Diwali 2022? November 7th or November 8th? Know timings, significance and more Ae Dil Hai Mushkil: Home Minister has assured us of violence free release, says Mukesh Bhatt New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, Oct 20: "The Home Minister has assured us that the movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil will be released without any violence," producer Mukesh Bhatt said. Bhatt, who met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with several other producers, sought protection for the release of Karan Johar's movie which has been mired in controversy as a Pakistan actor is part of its star cast. During the meeting with the home minister, the producers sought his help to ensure that the movie releases across the country without any violence. Singh assured the producers of the same and extended his support. Several groups have come out in protest against the movie and threatened to stall the release of the film. Although Karan Johar had appealed to protesters to allow the release of his movie, none were impressed. Rajnath Singh ji assured us 100% support and that he will convey to CM to maintain law and order: Mukesh Bhatt after meeting HM #ADHM pic.twitter.com/Q1BYpGmO0m ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 In fact groups have threatened to attack movie theatres if the film is released. Several single screen theatres in the country have said that they would not release the movie. Protesters had said that following the Uri attack in which India lost 19 of its brave soldiers, there was never any condemnation by Pakistani actors including Fawad Khan. Following the attack, Fawad Khan left for Pakistan. Although he issued a statement from there, protesters said that the reaction was not instant, but a forced. Also read: Karan Johar in 'muskil': Will not engage with Pak talent,appeals against stalling ADHM A few days back Karan Johar had released a video in which he was seen appealing to let his movie release. He said that he was patriotic and also promised that he would never work with any Pakistani actor again. However, protesters didn't seem impressed. They said that the reaction has come too late. Moreover it would not be right to release a movie starring a Pakistan actor when relations with Pakistan have fallen to an all time low. "They cannot kill our people on one hand and also allow their actors to earn Indian money," the protesters have also said. OneIndia News When is Dev Diwali 2022? November 7th or November 8th? Know timings, significance and more Mushkil for Ae dil: Karan Johar to meet Rajnath Singh New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, Oct 20: Filmmaker Karan Johar will meet Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh on Thursday seeking help in ensuring a trouble-free release for his movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. The movie slated for release this weekend is facing trouble as it stars Fawhad Khan, a Pakistani actor. Several groups have come out in protest against the movie and threatened to stall the release of the movie. Although Karan Johar had appealed to protesters to allow the release of his movie, none were impressed. In fact groups have threatened to attack movie theatres if the film is released. Several single screen theatres in the country have said that they would not release the movie. Also read: Karan Johar in 'muskil': Will not engage with Pak talent,appeals against stalling ADHM Protesters had said that following the Uri attack, in which India lost 19 of its brave soldiers, there was never any condemnation by the Pakistani actors including Fawhad Khan. Following the attack, Fawhad left for Pakistan. Although he issued a statement from there, protesters said that the reaction was not instant, but a forced one. Few days back, Karan Johar had released a video in which he was seen appealing to let his movie release. He said that he was patriotic and also promised that he would never work with any Pakistani actor again. However, protesters weren't impressed. They said that the reaction has come too late. Moreover it would not be right to release a movie starring a Pakistan actor when relations with Pakistan have fallen to an all time low. "They cannot kill our people on one hand and also allow their actors to earn Indian money," the protesters have also said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 12:35 [IST] When is Dev Diwali 2022? November 7th or November 8th? Know timings, significance and more Rajasthan seeks early hearing of appeal against Salman Khan in blackbuck case New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, Oct 20: The Supreme Court will on Thursday fix a date to hear the appeal by the Rajasthan government challenging the acquittal of actor, Salman Khan in the blackbuck case. The Rajasthan Government on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking an urgent hearing of the matter. The court will hear the matter at 2 pm on Thursday and decide on a date. On Wednesday, the Rajasthan Government had moved the Supreme Court in appeal against the acquittal of Salman Khan. The Rajasthan High Court had observed that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the actor and the evidence was too thin to convict him for killing the Chinkaras. The High Court had reversed two trial court verdicts which had awarded the actor one and five years imprisonment in two cases. Also read: Blackbuck poaching: Rajasthan moves SC against Salman Khan The high court had observed that the prosecution failed to prove that a deer had even died as no carcasses were found. Moreover, the police couldn't zero in on either the weapon used for the alleged hunt or the place where it took place. The actor was accused of hunting two chinkaras on September 26, 1998 in Bhawad village area of Jodhpur and another one two days later at Ghora Farm. The incident occurred when Khan was shooting for his film Hum Saath Saath Hain. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 12:45 [IST] Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD 4 Bihar PIOs fined for not providing information Patna oi-PTI Patna, Oct 20: Bihar State Information Commission today imposed fines on four Public Information Officers (PIOs) for not furnishing information or not doing it timely to applicants under the RTI Act. The fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 were slapped on two Block Development Officers (BDOs), one Circle Officer (CO) and one Station House Officer (SHO) for either not furnishing information or failure to provide timely information to the applicants.The four officials are also PIOs. The case pertains to 2012-13 and 2013-14 when the applicants had sought information from these PIOs, the State Information Commission said in a statement. Information Commissioner V K Verma imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Danapur CO in Patna district for not furnishing information. He also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on Barauni Refinery police station SHO for his failure to provide timely information to the applicant. The Commission fined Rs 20,000 on Kusheshwar Asthan BDO in Darbhanga district for not providing timely information and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Goh BDO in Aurangabad district for not providing information to the applicant. The Commission said that copies of the order have been sent to District Magistrates of the four districts so that the amount of fine can be deducted from the PIOs' salaries. The matter would be heard on April 3 next year. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 16:47 [IST] Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD #JusticeForAditya: Rocky Yadav's bail should be challenged in SC, says Father of victim Patna oi-IANS By Ians English Patna, Oct 20: A day after Patna High Court granted bail to Rocky Yadav, who allegedly shot dead Aditya Sachdeva in a road rage incident, the victim's father on Thursday urged the Bihar government to challenge his bail in the Supreme Court. Rocky Yadav, son of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Manorama Devi, had allegedly shot dead Sachdeva, a student in Gaya, in a road rage incident in May. "The Bihar government should file a petition in the Supreme Court against the high court's order granting bail to Rocky Yadav -- the main accused in Aditya's killing," Shyam Sachdeva said. He also said that he plans to move the apex court personally if his demand is not met by the state government. Sachdeva demanded cancellation of the bail, and said: "If the Nitish Kumar government will not challenge it, I will." [Gaya road rage: HC grants bail to suspended JD(U) MLC's son] "It is very shocking for my family as to how Rocky, who had himself confessed to the crime before the police during interrogation, was granted bail. It is an injustice to my son," he said. Rocky Yadav had allegedly shot the class 12 student and son of a businessman on May 7, after the latter overtook Yadav's vehicle in Gaya town, about 100 km from here. According to the police, Yadav had confessed to the killing of Sachdeva. He was lodged in the Gaya Central Jail following his arrest. His father Bindi Yadav, a politician with a criminal past, was also arrested and jailed but later granted bail. Bindi Yadav's bodyguard Rajesh Kumar and a cousin, Teni Yadav, were co-accused in the case. Rocky's mother Manorama Devi is a member of the Bihar legislative council. IANS India and China for the first time carried out joint army exercise in Ladakh. The move comes amid heightened tension between the two countries over a host of issues like Nuclear Suppliers Group and designation of Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the United Nations. BRO Recruitment 2022: Check details for 328 vacancies, last date and salary details here 5 killed in fire at cotton godown in Pune Pune oi-PTI Pune, Oct 20: At least five persons, including four women workers, were charred to death when a major fire broke out at a cotton godown close to Chakan near here this morning, police said. Four-five water tenders were pressed into action and the fire officers were making hectic efforts to control the blaze, they said. The fire erupted at around 10 AM at the cotton godown in Sana industries premises on Talegaon-Chakan road at Kharabwadi near Chakan, about 45 kms from here. "Five persons, including four women workers, have died in the fire and the work is going on to douse the flames," Chakan police official said. Besides water tankers from the fire station, additional fire tenders from various other firms in and around Chakan MIDC area were pressed into action to control the inferno, officials said. According to police, there were some people working in the godown at the time of the mishap. As soon as the fire broke out, some of them escaped but five lost their lives. The Chakan Police is investigating the case. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 13:18 [IST] Sky News 31 Oct 2022 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos is to fly over flood-submerged areas to inspect damage left by Storm Nalgae as it barrelled.. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. CBS News 31 Mar 2021 Bao Bao, now 18 months old, is on her own after zookeepers separated her from her mother. While it may seem sad, it's actually.. CBS News 09 Apr 2021 A new CBS poll out today shows both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump leading their respective parties in the polls; the first games.. "In none of them was he accused of doing anything, saying something nasty to a woman," Taylor said. "That is not who he is. Life.. CBS News 25 Feb 2020 Daily Record 18 Jan 2022 Witches of Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to help right what they see as the terrible wrongs from Scotlands past Jerusalem Post 15 Jun 2022 There has been a long-running Turkish campaign in Iraq and Syria against militants of the PKK and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Rumble 14 Sep 2022 On todays edition of Big Screens & TV Streams, we have on special guest David Waterman returns from The Great Reset.. Students and staff at the University of Technology will have privileged information about anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing under an educational forum that the newly established Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit of the Bank of Papua New Guinea will be conducting in Lae tomorrow.This is part of an awareness program the Central Bank is conducting for financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions including lawyers, accountants, real estate agents and car dealers operating in the province about its new functions and developments.The educational forum at the university is part of the awareness on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing Reforms that the government has undertaken to meet international standards and requirement.According to the BPNG, in order for PNG to meet the internationally-accepted standards for the Financial Action Task Force, PNG has recently passed and certified five suites of legislation to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.This awareness is an opportunity for students and staff to be made aware of the Central Bank's functions as well as professional prospects for employment in industries for students especially from the Business Studies faculty. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Learn more The Prime Minister, Peter ONeill has welcomed the ground turning at the site of the new APEC Haus that will host the APEC Leaders Summit in 2018.APEC Haus will be built on reclaimed land at the juncture of Ela Beach and the Paga Hill Ring Road, and is being undertaken by Oil Search Ltd through a tax credit scheme as was approved by the National Executive Council.PM O Neill said the building will be the focus go global attention during APEC, and will be a national icon that will be used by generations of Papua New Guineans in the decades ahead."In 2018 we will welcome the Leaders of the other 20 APEC countries to APEC Haus, the Prime Minister said.The building will have two levels on an island that is being reclaimed just off the foreshore.The design of the building is based on the shape of a lakatoi sail and will showcase the sailing tradition of our people.The Prime Minister said Papua New Guineas hosting of APEC will deliver a number benefits for the nation in several areas."While the focus of the APEC meetings is policy development, for Papua New Guinea this will be a chance to showcase our country and our economy to the rest of the world.Across the Asia-Pacific and around the world people will learn more about Papua New Guinea, our culture and tradition, and the investment opportunities in our country."APEC Haus will host the main Leaders summit as well as the Leaders dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council.After APEC the building will serve a number of purposes that includes hosting functions such as weddings and musical events, will have shops and restaurants, and will likely have a museum of national artefacts.The room where Leaders meet will likely be kept in place after the meeting and become a tourist attraction in itself and host board meetings and other events.In other countries where they have kept their meeting table people love to come and sit in the same seat and desk where the American, Chinese or Russian President sat.The final cost of the building is in the process of being estimated and engineering designs are finalised, but the cost will be absorbed by Oil Search through a tax credit scheme similar to construction that has been used in the past. This includes the National Rugby League Stadium and the renovation of the Pineapple Building to become Sir Manasupe Haus."I would like to thank Oil Search for partnering with the Government on this project to build Papua New Guineas APEC Haus.We have worked very will in the past with Oil Search to build national infrastructure and this has had a favourable outcome for all parties.The people of the nation have not had to put the cost of the building up front, and Oil Search has once again demonstrated its strong commitment to building our nation. Who Won the Third and Final Presidential Debate? Published October 20, 2016 by Sol FH Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went "All In" in Las Vegas last night in the final Presidential Debate. Find out who won. The third and final Presidential Debate played out last night in Las Vegas and for the Democratic and Republican candidates, it was their last time to try and sway voters until the election on November 8. The debate was the one that Donald Trump really needed to improve his reputation and expand his supporter base turned into a fiasco in which the old, name-calling Trump emerged. He called Clinton a "Nasty Woman" and reverted to the tactics of a child on a school-ground. Clinton was also pulled into the personal attacks when she said that Trump was a "Puppet of Russia", but she was steadfast and all of the major media outlets agree that she won the night. Who Won? Ask the Papers The LA Times, BBC and NY Times each posted their opinions about who won the election, as did all media outlets directly after the debate. There was one thing that stood out from this debate though, and that was that each of them ruled this a win for the Democratic Party and damaged the Republican leader's campaign even more. The Times in LA gathered three of the top political analysts: Cathleen Decker, David Lauter and Doyle McManus to score the debate. They broke the 90 minutes up into six rounds. They agreed that Clinton won rounds 2, 4, 5 and 6, but posted no winner for rounds 1 and 3. To these judges, Clinton was the obvious winner. She was composed, smart and stuck to her guns on the issues that she supports, while Trump was yet again looking to please the far right conservative voters, which will not win him the election unfortunately. The BBC gave the debate to Clinton as well, citing that this was Trump's debate to lose, which he did in true Trump form. Anthony Zercher for the BBC in the United States hit the nail on the head when he wrote, "the headline that Americans will wake up to read in the morning - will certainly be Mr Trump's refusal to back way from his "rigged" election claims. That was what Mr Trump wanted to say, but it isn't something the American people - or American democracy - needed to hear." The NY Times also followed suit and gave the debate to Mrs. Clinton. Trump was meandering with his answers on foreign policy and never really gave any solid answers that passed the fact-check. In fact, most of what Trump said was inaccurate, lies and in some cases offensive to much of the American Public. Las Vegas odds for the outright winner of the election have jumped again in favor of Mrs. Clinton with bet365 posting odds at 1.16 for her and 5.50 for the Donald. (Image by CDC Global) Details DMCA If the United Nations caused 10,000 deaths and 700,000 cholera infections after Haiti's January 12, 2010 disastrous earthquake, then it stands to reason that a continued association with the UN after six years of inaction on the cholera, plus the ravages of Hurricane Matthew, could only lead to more Haitian deaths. Former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, flew over the city of Aux Cayes, in southern Haiti on Saturday, October 16, 2016, and he visited a high school where some people are sheltered. The wet mattresses from Hurricane Matthew had hardly dried before Mr. Ban Ki-moon and his associates began to plot for the UN to prolong its mandate in Haiti. The UN was due to leave in six months, now it will be a year. There should be no more need for a UN force, now that it has trained about 16,000 Haitian police as its replacement. There is, however, money in cholera and rigged elections. As journalist Kim Ives predicted, the pretext put forward by the UN is that it will need to stay until Haiti elects its next government. The hurricane has caused the postponement of Haiti's first-round presidential elections and some legislative elections to November 20, 2016. These will be a retake of the rigged elections of 2015 that were financed mostly by the United States through the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Only two months ago, Ban Ki-moon was beginning to act contrite for exacerbating the effects of the earthquake by plaguing the island nation with cholera. Together with his UN Special Envoy, Bill Clinton and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he had prevented a representative government from burgeoning and burdened Haiti's fragile infrastructure with thousands of UN troops from Southeast Asia, where cholera is endemic. Mr. Ban Ki-moon acknowledged in mid-August 2016 that Nepalese troops had infected Haiti and attributed this admission to a report on August 8 from UN advisor Philip Alston, a professor of law at New York University. (Image by Carsten ten Brink) Details DMCA This sudden reversal, after years of refusal to take responsibility for the cholera, was most likely occasioned, not by Alston's report, but by my article on January 8, 2016. This article revealed to the general public that, even while the UN successfully fought two lawsuits by Haitians, it was infecting Haiti yet again, after 2012, with cholera from Bangladesh. Having closely followed the scientific literature on cholera, I reported the news that Dr. Andrew Camilli's team at Tufts University had discovered a cholera virus called ICP2 in Haitian patients that could only have accompanied cholera bacteria in the untreated wastes of Bangladeshi soldiers. The first group of soldiers from Bangladesh, an all-female unit, joined the UN police contingent in Haiti in 2012. Alston's report also stated that sanitation at the UN bases in Haiti had remained shoddy even after 2010. In my view, theAPstory on this report in the New York Times, which pretended to be critical of the UN, was nothing but a cynical preparation of the public opinion for the news that additional cholera strains from Bangladesh currently exist in Haiti. As of this writing, UN missions have infected at least eight other countries with cholera. They are: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Darfur, South Sudan, Mali, Central African Republic (CAR), Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Abyei. In addition, the UN has always lied about the cholera in Haiti. (Image by Carsten ten Brink) Details DMCA In 2010, the UN was first to learn that it had infected Haiti with Vibrio cholerae from Nepal, but it kept quiet about it. The initial cholera infections in Haitians appeared five days after 1,280 Nepalese troops were returned to Haiti from training in Kathmandu plus a 10-day home leave throughout Nepal in the midst of a cholera epidemic. In Haiti, the soldiers were set up in three camps from which their untreated wastes were dumped in waterways that fed the Artibonite River. This contamination amounted to more than one bathtub of pure choleric waste with billions to trillions of cholera bacteria per liter being dumped into the river! Without this, the cholera bacteria in the Artibonite would never have reached the concentrations to kill residents downstream of these camps within hours. It is almost certain that several Nepalese troops became violently ill on base and that the UN plus the medical personnel who treated the troops, probably from the nearest hospital in the city Mirebalais, have covered up these events. Immediately after the onset of the epidemic, the UN began to clamor for money and for oral cholera vaccines via its Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). As part of a study to develop vaccines against the cholera, the UN demonstrated to itself conclusively, well before any other molecular genetics studies, that the cholera in Haiti was identical to cholera from Nepal. This work was done by UN researcher who reported it to Dr. Dong Wook Kim at the International Vaccine Institute, in South Korea. The UN also kept this secret to itself. Incidentally, South Korea, which is also involved in Haiti's sweatshop complex at Caracol, happens to be the country where Ban Ki-moon originates. (Image by CDC Global) Details DMCA The nightmare is upon us again. One week after Hurricane Matthew, the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) donated one million doses of oral cholera vaccines to Haiti, although the Haitian government had instead asked for help with infrastructure to provide clean drinking water to the population. The vaccines represent a gold rush for Deputy UN Special Envoy Paul Farmer's NGO Partners in Health (PIH), which will get paid to administer the vaccines. As in 2010, the mainstream media, especially The Guardian and NPR, are vigorously promoting vaccines and functioning as bullhorns for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has financed, not only the development of the oral cholera vaccine at the International Vaccine Institute but also its manufacture under the name Shanchol by a subsidiary of the French pharmaceutical giant, Sanofi Pasteur. The current promotion of oral cholera vaccines is a deceitful campaign motivated by pure greed. Vaccination against cholera in Haiti right now is worse than useless. First, even inefficacious vaccines are risky, because the vaccines used on people in the Third World usually contain 6 to 30-fold higher concentrations than the WHO upper limit of thiomersal, a mercury-based preservative that might be linked to autism. Secondly, no one knows which cholera bacteria are in Haiti! The cholera strain identified six years ago has now changed to the point where vaccines manufactured against it will not work at all. These vaccines will certainly be absolutely useless against the strains of cholera from Bangladesh. Finally, even under the best circumstances, when Shanchol is designed and used against a cholera with recently sequenced DNA, protection is poor to nonexistent. A field trial in Bangladesh in 2011 found that the vaccine conferred only 45 percent protection in all age groups after one year, including only about 17 percent protection in children under five, who are those most likely to die from cholera. The results published in 2015 for a field trial in Haiti, passing as a vaccination and poorly monitored, claimed 57 percent protection after one year, but only people older than 12 were inoculated. (Image by CDC Global) Details DMCA Haitian authorities should be further advised that some of the supposed vaccinations might actually be drug trials for new vaccines. This would be nothing short of experimentation on Haitians as a large field laboratory. A number of microbiologists based in the Boston area, at Harvard and Tufts Universities, have developed and patented several vaccines against cholera. Most vaccines are meant ultimately for the US army, which is their biggest market, but they are usually tested on poor brown people in places like India, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Haiti. When they are, it is often without regard for the Declaration of Helsinki ethical guidelines, which should govern such field trials, and the vaccine formulations and methods of preparation for Third World people are always cheaper and riskier than those for US army personnel. After 12 years of rapes, murders, massacres, child trafficking, and epidemics, it is evident that the UN mission (MINUSTAH) in Haiti is an army of military occupation for the US, France, and Canada, with all the attendant implications. The UN has had six years to get rid of a cholera epidemic that could have been eradicated in months with proper epidemiological surveillance, care, and the provision of clean water. Instead, the UN-associated medical non-governmental organizations (NGO) like PIH and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) have achieved a completely unacceptable 1.4 percent mortality rate from a non-lethal disease that can be treated with simple rehydration. By contrast, Cuban health workers in Haiti typically get mortality rates of 0.1 percent or less. At this point, the best thing the UN can do for Haiti is remove itself and pay for its crimes with the funds to repair the country's wastewater-treatment and potable-water infrastructure. Much of this was destroyed, not by natural disasters but by sabotage since 2010. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Paul Craig Roberts Website Today, October 20, 2016, is the fifth anniversary of the murder of Muammar Gaddafi by forces organized and unleashed by US President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Remember the killer b*tch's performance, with gleeful laughter, on CBS "News": "We came, we saw, he died." Muammar Gaddafi was the most progressive political leader in the world. Gaddafi used Libya's oil wealth for the benefit of the Libyan people. He lived in a tent, a nice tent, but not in a palace, and he did not have collections of European exotic cars or any of the other paraphernalia associated with the ruling families in Saudi Arabia and the oil emirates that are Washington's Middle Eastern allies. In Libya, education, medical treatment, and electricity were free. Gasoline was practically free, selling for 14 US cents per litre. Women who gave birth were supported with cash grants and couples received cash grants upon marriage. Libya's state bank provided loans without interest and provided free startup capital to farmers. Gaddafi's independence from Washington is what brought him down. Earlier in life Gaddafi's goal was to organize Arabs as a bloc that could withstand Western depredations. Frustrated, he turned to Pan-Africanism and refused to join the US Africa Command. He wanted to introduce a gold-based African currency that would free Africans from American financial hegemony. Gaddafi had Chinese energy companies developing Libya's energy resources. Washington, already upset with Russian presence in the Mediterranean, was now faced with Chinese presence as well. Washington concluded that Gaddafi was playing ball with the wrong people and that he had to go. Washington organized mercenaries, termed them "rebels" as in Syria, and sicced them on Libya. When it became clear that Gaddafi's forces would prevail, Washington tricked naive and gullible Russian and Chinese governments and secured a UN no-fly zone over Libya to be enforced by NATO. The express purpose of the no-fly zone was to prevent Gaddafi from attacking civilian targets, which he was not doing. The real reason was to prevent a sovereign state from using its own air space so that the Libyan Air Force could not support the troops on the ground. Once the gullible Russians and Chinese failed to veto the Security Council's action, the US and NATO themselves violated the resolution by using Western air power to attack Gaddafi's forces, thus throwing the conflict to the CIA-organized mercenaries. Gaddafi was captured and brutally murdered. Ever since, Libya, formerly a prosperous and successful society, has been in chaos, which is where the Obama regime wanted it. All sorts of lies were told about Gaddafi and Libya, just as lies were told about Saddam Hussein and are told today about Syria and Russia. A British Parliamentary Report concluded unambiguously that the Western peoples were fed lies by their governments in order to gain acceptance for the destruction of Libya, and that Libya was destroyed because Gaddafi was regarded as an obstacle to Western hegemony. Note that none of the presstitutes have asked the killer b*tch about her guilt under the Nuremburg laws for this war crime prepared on her watch. Note that the oligarchs who own the killer b*tch and their press prostitutes intend to make this war criminal the next president of the United States. There is something terribly wrong when the U.S government is deeply involved in a highly volatile situation in Syria that could, at any time, erupt into a shooting war with Russia; and, at the same time, a large portion of the American people have little to no understanding of what is really taking place in that country. Most Americans are ill-informed about how very serious and troubling this situation has become because the media keeps them in the dark and, instead of educating them about what is actually happening there, it concentrates almost entirely on this election from hell. It is, as could not be more evident, engaging in round the clock reporting of Trump's sexual adventures. That's what's called gutter-style journalism. This large majority of Americans who remain uninformed about this tragic situation in Syria, a nation and people currently under siege by various nations, are naturally going to support the actions of their government and the military; this is to be expected when they feel this is the patriotic thing to do. Following are some facts about the intense bombing and fighting on the ground in Syria and what these two very powerful countries, the U.S., Russia and their respective allied nations, are doing. It is very complex to say the least. If anyone doubts that most Americans are not aware and are confused by conditions in that country all they need do is ask some of their friends or co-workers what they know about Syria and then see what they say. When we do hear even a smidgeon of information emanating from this media it is generally limited to the contention that Russia and Putin are the bad guys, that they have no justification for being in Syria; that they are fueling the fires of this conflict and are obstructing the efforts of the U.S. military which is trying to rid the country of the ISIS terrorists. Well, here are the real facts, which this media tries to suppress; Russia entered Syria at the invitation of the Assad government in the fall of 2015. Russia is a close ally of Syria and has both an air base and a naval base in that country. So if anyone thinks that Russia is going anywhere in the near future they better think again. On the other hand, based on the reports coming out of that region of the world, the U.S. military entered that country on its own accord, supposedly to fight and defeat ISIS and its associated terrorist groups, primarily Daesh and Al Nusra. It's no longer any great secret that the chief objective of President Obama and the military has been and continues to be the removal of Syria's president Assad from power and the installation of a new government. Well, when the U.S. government decides it has a need to remove the heard of state of another country, that's not exactly something new, is it? Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. [Note for TomDispatch Readers: As you read Nick Turse's stunning report on his recent visit to the killing fields of South Sudan today, remember that if you support this site with a donation of $100 or more ($125 if you live outside the U.S.), you can get a signed, personalized copy of Next Time They'll Come to Count the Dead: War and Survival in South Sudan. It's Turse's dramatic, up-close-and-personal account of the tragedy of the American-"midwifed" newest nation on the planet. Check our donation page for the details. Tom] Slaughter is all too human. Killing fields or mass burial grounds are in the archeological record from the Neolithic period (6,000 to 7,000 years ago) on. Nonetheless, with the advent of modern weaponry and industrial processes, the killing fields of the world have grown to levels that can stagger the imagination. During World War II, when significant parts of the planet, including many of the globe's great cities, were effectively reduced to ash, an estimated 60 million people, combatants and civilians alike, died (including six million Jews in the killing fields and ovens of Auschwitz, Belzec, Sobibor, and elsewhere). America's wars in our own time have been devastating: perhaps three to four million Koreans, half of them civilians (and 37,000 Americans), as well as possibly a million Chinese troops, died between 1950 and 1953 on a peninsula largely left in rubble. In the Indochina wars of the 1960s and 1970s, the toll was similarly mind-bending. In Vietnam, 3.8 million civilians and combatants are estimated to have perished (along with 58,000 Americans); in Laos, perhaps one million people died; and in Cambodia, the U.S.-led part of that war resulted in an estimated 600,000-800,000 dead, while the rebel Khmer Rouge murdered another two to three million of their fellow countrymen in the autogenocide that followed. In all, we're talking about perhaps, by the roughest of estimates, 12 million dead in Indochina in those years. And that's just to begin to explore some of the numbers from World War II to the present. Nick Turse, who spent years retracing the slaughter that was the Vietnam War for his monumental, award-winning book on war crimes there, Kill Anything That Moves, has more recently turned to a set of killing fields that are anything but history. In the last three years, he's paid three visits to South Sudan, the newest "country" on the planet, the one the U.S. midwifed into existence, producing a dramatic account of the ongoing internecine struggles there in his recent book Next Time They'll Come to Count the Dead: War and Survival in South Sudan. It's a land that has experienced Syrian-level death counts with almost no attention whatsoever from the rest of the world. Recently, he returned to its killing fields and offers a chilling account of a largely forgotten land in which slaughter is the essence of everyday life. Tom The Worst Place on Earth Death and Life in the Lost Town of Leer By Nick Turse LEER, South Sudan -- There it is again. That sickening smell. I'm standing on the threshold of a ghost of a home. Its footprint is all that's left. In the ruins sits a bulbous little silver teakettle -- metal, softly rounded, charred but otherwise perfect, save for two punctures. Something tore through it and ruined it, just as something tore through this home and ruined it, just as something tore through this town and left it a dusty, wasted ruin. This, truth be told, is no longer a town, not even a razed one. It's a killing field, a place where human remains lie unburied, whose residents have long since fled, while its few remaining inhabitants are mostly refugees from similarly ravaged villages. The world is awash in killing fields, sites of slaughter where armed men have laid waste to the innocent, the defenseless, the unlucky; locales where women and children, old and young men have been suffocated, had their skulls shattered, been left gut-shot and gasping. Or sometimes they're just the unhallowed grounds where the battered and broken bodies of such unfortunates are dumped without ceremony or prayer or even a moment of solemn reflection. Over the last century, these blood-soaked sites have sprouted across the globe: Cambodia, the Philippines, the Koreas, South Africa, Mexico, Lebanon, Rwanda, Bosnia, Guatemala, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria -- on and on, year after year, country after country. Chances are, you once heard something about the 1994 Rwandan genocide that saw up to one million men, women, and children murdered in just 100 days. You may remember the 1968 massacre of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops at My Lai. And maybe you recall the images of Saddam Hussein's 1988 chemical weapons attack on Kurds in Halabja. For years, Sudan contributed to this terrible tally. You might, for instance, remember the attention paid to the slaughter of civilians in Darfur during the 2000s. The killings there actually never ended, only the public outcry did. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were also massacres farther south in or around towns you've probably never heard of like Malakal, Bor, and Leer. A 2005 peace deal between U.S.-supported rebels in the south of Sudan and the government in the north was supposed to put a stop to such slaughter, but it never quite did. And in some quarters, worse was predicted for the future. "Looking ahead over the next five years, a number of countries in Africa and Asia are at significant risk for a new outbreak of mass killing," said U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair in 2010. "Among these countries, a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in Southern Sudan." In late 2013 and 2014, Malakal, Bor, Leer, and other towns in the world's newest nation, South Sudan, were indeed littered with bodies. And the killing in this country -- the result of the third civil war since the 1950s -- has only continued. In 2014, I traveled to Malakal to learn what I could about the destruction of that town and the civilians who perished there. In 2015, I walked among the mass graves of Bor where, a year earlier, a bulldozer had dug huge trenches for hundreds of bodies, some so badly decomposed or mutilated that it was impossible to identify whether they had been men, women, or children. This spring, I find myself in Leer, another battered enclave, as aid groups struggled to reestablish their presence, as armed men still stalked the night, as human skulls gleamed beneath the blazing midday sun. The nose-curling odor here told me that somewhere, something was burning. The scent had been in my nostrils all day. Sometimes, it was just a faint, if harsh, note carried on the hot breeze, but when the wind shifted it became an acrid, all-encompassing stench -- not the comforting smell of a cooking fire, but something far more malign. I looked to the sky, searching for a plume of smoke, but there was only the same opaque glare, blinding and ashen. Wiping my eyes, I muttered a quick curse for this place and moved on to the next ruined shell of a home, and the next, and the next. The devastated wattle-and-daub tukuls and wrecked animal pens stretched on as far as I could see. This is Leer -- or at least what's left of it. The ruins of Leer, South Sudan. The town was repeatedly attacked by militias allied to the national government during 2015. (Image by Nick Turse / TomDispatch) Details DMCA The ruins of Leer, South Sudan. The town was repeatedly attacked by militias allied to the national government during 2015. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). US-led sanctions targeting Syria risk adjudication as War Crimes Franklin Lamb Beirut As many of us would agree, the continuing conflict in Syria has created a devastating humanitarian crisis: the magnitude of humanitarian needs is overwhelming in all parts of the country and affects the region and beyond. The Syrian conflict has become the world's largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, the estimated number of people in need of the protection of International Humanitarian Law is approximately 14 million, more than two-thirds of Syria's pre-war population. Of these, more than 6 million are hard to reach 16 besieged, areas, and over 7 million people are internally displaced. Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, recently described the humanitarian situation in Syria as "the great tragedy of this century". It continues to fuel a combustible environment, which has contributed to the refugee and migration crisis as well as to the rise of evermore anti-government rebels groups including extremists affiliated with, if not directly a part of, the so-called Islamic State (IS) and Fatah al-Sham. Bombing Besieged Civilians: War Crimes The Russian bombardment of Aleppo has continued unabated and reached an acme on 10/17/2016 with 14 members of one family reportedly killed in an airstrike on al-Marjeh area of Aleppo according to eyewitness accounts, including White Helmet rescue workers. A list of those killed included several infants, among them two six-week-old babies and six other children aged eight or under. Rescue workers, who like the local population have become expert at identifying aircraft and bombs, claimed the attack used "bunker-buster" munitions that shook the ground for a half kilometer, as well as cluster bombs." The medical aid providers, Me'decins sans Frontieres (MSF), have reported that at least 114 children have been killed and 321 injured in the last three weeks of violence, as primarily Iranian-supported Shia militias backed by Russian warplanes, seek to destroy what little resistance remains in east Aleppo. Against the backdrop of growing calls for western intervention to stop the slaughter, a furious US Secretary of State John Kerry announced last weekend that "Crimes against humanity are taking place on a daily basis. Hospitals are targeted and children are bombed or gassed." The UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and some EU foreign ministers echoed Kerry. This, while Russia has come under increasing criticism from Western nations for its attacks on rebel-held east Aleppo, with the US and several prominent political figures accusing Moscow of war crimes. The EU Foreign Affairs Council published findings on 10/17/2016 that concluded the bombing of Aleppo may amount to war crimes: "The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, schools and essential infrastructure, as well as the use of barrel bombs, cluster bombs, and chemical weapons, constitute a catastrophic escalation of the conflict and may amount to war crimes." 9/24/2016 (Image by Maher Jaloum) Details DMCA Targeting, hospitals, schools, markets bakeries, Mosques, Churches, and places where civilians gather with or without using indiscriminate weapons such as cluster bombs, incendiary bombs, IED devices, barrel bombs, gas, to name a few, are War Crimes. So are sieges targeting, starving, sniping and trapping the civilian populations of Aleppo, the Sunni towns of Madaya and Zabadani, and the Shia towns of Foua, and Kafraya, among 16 towns under siege today in Syria according to the UN. War Crimes all. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Dr. Jill Stein (from The Green Party website) www.gp.org/green_new_deal: A Green New Deal: Create millions of jobs by transitioning to 100% clean renewable energy by 2030, and investing in public transit, sustainable agriculture, and conservation. Create living-wage jobs for every American who needs work, replacing unemployment offices with employment offices. Advance workers rights to form unions, achieve workplace democracy, and keep a fair share of the wealth they create. Guarantee economic human rights, including access to food, water, housing, and utilities, with effective anti-poverty programs to ensure every American a life of dignity. Establish an improved "Medicare For All" single-payer public health insurance program to provide everyone with quality health care, at huge savings. Abolish student debt to free a generation of Americans from debt servitude. Guarantee tuition-free, world-class public education from pre-school through university. End high stakes testing and public school privatization. Set a $15/hour federal minimum wage. Break up "too-big-to-fail" banks and democratize the Federal Reserve. Reject gentrification as a model of economic development. Support development of worker and community cooperatives and small businesses. Make Wall Street, big corporations, and the rich pay their fair share of taxes. Create democratically run public banks and utilities. Replace corporate trade agreements with fair trade agreements. Lead on a global treaty to halt climate change. End destructive energy extraction: fracking, tar sands, offshore drilling, oil trains, mountaintop removal, and uranium mines. Protect our public lands, water supplies, biological diversity, parks, and pollinators. Label GMOs, and put a moratorium on GMOs and pesticides until they are proven safe. Protect the rights of future generations. End police brutality and mass incarceration. Create a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to understand and eliminate the legacy of slavery that lives on as pervasive racism in the economy, education, housing and health. Ensure that communities control their police rather than police controlling our communities, by establishing police review boards and full time investigators to look in to all cases of death in police custody. Demilitarize the police. Expand women's rights, protect LGBTQIA+ people from discrimination, defend indigenous rights and lands, and create a welcoming path to citizenship for immigrants. Protect the free Internet, legalize marijuana/hemp, and treat substance abuse as a public health problem, not a criminal problem. Restore our Constitutional rights, terminate unconstitutional surveillance and unwarranted spying, end persecution of government and media whistleblowers, close Guantanamo, abolish secret kill lists, and repeal indefinite detention without charge or trial. Establish a foreign policy based on diplomacy, international law, and human rights. End the wars and drone attacks, cut military spending by at least 50% and close the 700+ foreign military bases that are turning our republic into a bankrupt empire. Stop U.S. support and arms sales to human rights abusers, and lead on global nuclear disarmament. Abolish corporate personhood. Protect voters' rights by establishing a constitutional right to vote. Enact electoral reforms that break the big money stranglehold and create truly representative democracy: public campaign financing, ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, and open debates. A Green New Deal - in detail is here:http://www.gp.org/green_new_deal Consumption growth called key Updated: 2016-10-20 08:24 By Wang Yanfei(China Daily USA) Consumption is the major economic driver, showing the nation's success in rebalancing the economy, but more efforts are needed to sustain growth, with heightened pressure in sectors with overcapacity, economists said. "China is on the right path of economic rebalancing as consumption contributes a high proportion to economic growth, with both the structure and quality improved," said Sheng Laiyun, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics, on Wednesday. Consumption contributed 71 percent of economic growth in the first three quarters, up by 13.3 percentage points compared with the same period last year, NBS data showed on Wednesday. Retail sales of consumer goods grew by 10.4 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, slightly higher than the 10.3 percent growth in the first half. The growth was largely fueled by rising consumer demand for automobiles, telecommunications products, food, clothing and other commodities, according to Xie Yaxuan, chief economist at China Merchants Securities Co. In September, consumption rose by 10.7 percent year-on-year, up by 0.1 percentage point compared with last month and the highest monthly growth this year. Xie said he believed consumption will continue growing, with demand for high-end products expected to increase. However, he added, maintaining growth momentum is cause for concern, since personal income growth has been slowing. Per capita disposable income in the first three quarters grew by 6.3 percent, down by 0.2 percentage points from the first half of the year. Although slower income growth is a natural result of economic restructuring as the nation deals with overcapacity, it shows how the labor market is facing heightened pressure, said Zhao Xijun, an economics professor at Renmin University of China. Niu Li, director of macroeconomics at the State Information Center, said the government needs to help create more jobs. "That can be quite challenging at a time when demand for investment, despite some signs of an uptick, has yet to stabilize," he said. wangyanfei@chinadaily.com.cn Customers shop for vegetables in a supermarket in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, on Friday.Hu Guolin / For China Daily (China Daily USA 10/20/2016 page3) Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Image via iTunes John Cages 433 is one of the most infamous works of the 20th century and which still has the ability to divide people. Three movements of silence, where the performer does nothing, it forces the audience to listen to its surroundings and be present, a distillation of zen thought if there ever was one. In an increasingly distracted age, being silent and present is very difficult for most people. A Mental Floss article on the pieces legacy referenced a 2014 University of Virginia study where hundreds of people sat in silence for a total of 15 minutes. 25 percent of women and 67 percent of men opted to endure painful electric shocks rather than pass the time without any stimulation, says the article. Two years ago, the John Cage Trust launched the 433 app, which sounds counterintuitive. How can a phone app make one present? Well, it doesnt exactly do that. Instead, it offers a chance for members to record and share their own performances of Cages famous piece, once again demonstrating Cages result-there is no real silence. (Even in 1951, one year before 433s composition, when Cage sat in a sound deadening anechoic chamber in Harvard, he could still hear the blood rushing in his veins.) The iPhone app, which costs 99 cents, is simple and comes with a recording of the piece from John Cages New York apartment, which highlights the traffic sounds and police sirens. Tap on the World of 433 button at the bottom and a world map opens, showing green pushpins in various locations where users recorded their own moments of silence. (The project is similar to the 2008 internet project of field recordings, One Minute Vacation). One users Kaloli, Hawaii recording is all tropical insects and birds busy composing their own music. The one somebody recorded downtown in my home city is of our shopping mall at Christmas, with pedestrians, far off carols, and the sounds of commerce. In Japan, theres a lovely recording of Chitose airport, especially if you find echoey tannoy announcements romantic (I do). From urban to suburban to countryside, this is a portrait of a world that is never silent. Related Content: John Cages Silent, Avant-Garde Piece 433 Gets Covered by a Death Metal Band John Cage Performs His Avant-Garde Piano Piece 433 in 122 (Harvard Square, 1973) Listen to John Cages 5 Hour Art Piece: Diary: How To Improve The World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) Ted Mills is a freelance writer on the arts who currently hosts the FunkZone Podcast. You can also follow him on Twitter at @tedmills, read his other arts writing at tedmills.com and/or watch his films here. Cognitive Computing Market Set to Grow Exponentially During the Forecast 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 Next Generation Data Storage Technology Market Growth Report 2015 - 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/next-generation-data-storage-technology-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/7169 Next generation data storage technology is the need for the hour as everything today we use creates data. For instance our mobile phones, wearable electronics, smart battery, games, advertisements, movies, smart homes, smart city, smart homes i.e. almost everything creates data. The next generation data storage technology offers the storage and fast recovery of our data in an efficient manner. The conventional data storage technology cannot handle the large chunks of data that are being produced every day.Browse through the full Report @The increasing input-output devices are driving the next generation data storage market. Now data is being produced in virtually every sector that is the major growth driver for next generation data storage market.The growing demand for time-saving is a major driver of next generation data storage market. An example of time-saving technologies or system: smart technologies, automated systems, internet of things, online shopping, etc. has taken the next generation data storage market to a next level.Companies working in next generation and data storage market are constantly investing in research and development. For instance: HP has developed affordable flash drives that work at high speed.The invention of new technologies is catering the needs of the data market and boosting the next generation data storage market. For instances: EMC has developed new technology to solve data storage problems in enterprises, also Intel and micron have developed 3D NAND technology to increase data processing speed in solid state drives.Data storage which is a major challenge for numerous industries is helping the next generation data storage technology market to expand its roots. There is a vast demand for data storage which is flourishing the next generation data storage market.With the need to constantly update till the time we find the ultimate data storage technology is biggest demand generator for next generation data storage market because the data generation is never going to end.Cloud computing is a new trend and there has been a significant increase in the number of cloud providers, NetApp and EMC are aggressively focusing on this market. For instance: Virtustream is acquired by EMC to expand its cloud services.The restrain of next generation data storage market is the lack of security in cloud and server based services.Next generation data storage technology market is segmented by technology, by applications, by region. Next generation data storage technology market segmentation by technology is done as cloud-based disaster recovery, all-flash storage arrays, hybrid array, holographic data storage and Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR). The growing technologies will help to store, secure and recover huge volume of data. Hybrid array and all-flash array are popular storage techniques.Next generation data storage technology market segmentation by an application is done into big data storage service, cloud-based storage service, enterprise based storage service and others. The growing data analytics for big data has created the requirement for next generation data storage system, which help in efficient storing and fast searching of necessary data.The global next generation data storage technology market is segmented into seven major regions, which include North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @Some of the key players identified in the global next generation data storage technology market are Dell, EMC Corporation, IBM, VMware, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Development Company, Sandisk corporation, Micron Technology, Nutanix, NetApp, Inc. , Toshiba corporation, Quantum Corporation, Hitachi data systems, HGST, Inc., Drobo , Avago Technologies, SimpliVity Corporation, Tintri. Wherein HP, EMC and IBM are some of the leading players in global next generation data storage technology market. The increase in the cloud services for public and the smart technologies generated the need for new technologies for the enterprise storage industries.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as by technology, by application, by region.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedTechnologyValue ChainDrivers and RestraintsRegional analysis includesNorth America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia-Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)JapanThe Middle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on market performanceMust-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout 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 Foreign 'parents' adopt bears as part of family Updated: 2016-10-20 07:17 (China Daily) A staff worker runs to the rescue of a panda cub falling off a platform at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in September. Twenty-three cubs born this year met the public. [Photo by Zhang Lei/China Daily] Dressed in clothing covered in cartoon pandas, from his T-shirt to his socks, William Burke flew all the way to Southwest China from Hawaii with his wife, Karom Burke, to see their adopted pandas. At the first Chinese International Panda Culture Communication Activity, which ended on Sunday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, more than 60 panda "parents" from around the world had a chance to visit the animals they have sponsored through donations. "I was so surprised that a giant panda cub could be as small as a stick of butter when I first saw Tai Shan at the National Zoo in Washington DC in 2005," Karom said. "Karom and I then decided to adopt a panda. Look, this one on my T-shirt is our first daughter, Bai Xue," William said. Since 2007, William and Karom have sponsored three pandas: Bai Xue, Bai Xue's son Jin Ke, and Bai Xue's granddaughter Lin Ping. The bears have become part of their family. "When Bai Xue died last year, we were so sad that we had lost a family member," Karom said. But William said that "there are happy moments too", adding: "We were so excited when pandas were upgraded from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List last month. My cousin sent me this watch with a panda cartoon on it to celebrate." Suzanne Braden, from the United States, has adopted four pandas. In 1999, she adopted her first panda and named it after her late father, Harvey. "On our way back home from seeing pandas in China, I thought we must do something to protect the cute species," Suzanne said. She and her friend Diane Rees cofounded Pandas International, an NGO devoted to protecting pandas, in 2000. So far, more than 5,000 people from over 20 countries have participated in Pandas International activities. By Xinhua in Chengdu Worldwide Nanobiotechnology Market which is worth USD around 42.0 Billion by 2021 http://bit.ly/2cyqvdu http://bit.ly/2eemvBH http://bit.ly/2doPtOe http://atozresearch.com/ The report covers forecast and analysis for the nanobiotechnology market on a global and regional level. According to the report, the global nanobiotechnology market was valued at approximately USD 28 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach approximately USD 42 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of around 8.5% between 2016 and 2021.The study includes drivers and restraints for the nanobiotechnology market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period.Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the nanobiotechnology market on a global level.The major driving factor for the global nanobiotechnology market is rising health awareness among the people and emerging technology. Government initiatives and funding has provided strong boost to nanobiotechnology market in North America and Asia Pacific. Advancement in technology to provide better health services expected to fuel the nanobiotechnology market over the forecast period. However, environmental concern is expected to hamper the growth of nanobiotechnology market. Lack of resources and high technological cost can be barrier for the growth of this industry in emerging and underdeveloped economies. Nonetheless, strong demand from pharmaceutical industry is projected to open up new growth opportunities within the forecast period.Get a copy of free Sample Report @In order to give the applications of this report a comprehensive view on the nanobiotechnology. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the nanobiotechnology market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein service segments and application segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.Based on application, the global nanobiotechnology market has been segmented into drug discovery, drug delivery, diagnostics and others. Diagnostics was accounted for major share of total nanobiotechnology market in 2015 and expected to exhibit significant share within the forecast period. This growth is mainly due to emerging technology in medical sector. Drug delivery is another key outlet of nanobiotechnology market and expected to show strong growth in this market in the near future. Drug discovery is expected to witness significant growth in the years to come.In terms of geography, North America was the largest market of nanobiotechnology I in the world due to the advancement in technology. Moreover, nanobiotechnology market has huge opportunity in the emerging markets of Asia Pacific due to increasing population coupled with health awareness among people in this region. Latin America is expected to experience significant growth in the near future.Browse detail report with in-depth TOC @The study provides a decisive view on the nanobiotechnology market by segmenting the market based on services, applications and regions. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2015 to 2021. Key application of nanobiotechnology market covered under this study includes discovery, drug delivery, diagnostics and other. The regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa with its further bifurcation into major countries including U.S. Germany, France, UK, China, Japan, India and Brazil. This segmentation includes demand for nanobiotechnology based on individual applications in all the regions and countries.The report also includes detailed profiles of end players such as Calando Pharmaceuticals Inc., Advanced Sensor Technologies, Affymetrix, Gilead Sciences, Applied Nanotech, Advectus Life Sciences, and Elan Pharmaceuticals and others. The detailed description of players includes parameters such as company overview, financial overview, business and recent developments of the company.Read Report TOCThis report segments the global nanobiotechnology market as follows:Global Nanobiotechnology market: Application Segment AnalysisDrug DiscoveryDrug DeliveryDiagnosticsOthersGlobal Nanobiotechnology market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeGermanyFranceUKAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaAbout A to Z ResearchA to Z Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. A to Z Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading publishers and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact US3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442, USATel: +1-386-310-3803GMTTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-465Email: martin@atozresearch.comWebsite: IT Spending by Insurance in the US to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% during the period 2016-2020 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=720157 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=720157 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Insurance IT Spending Market in the US 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.The insurance industry in the Americas is highly competitive and regulated in nature. The insurance market in the US is influenced by economic and political conditions of the country. GDP is one of the major factors that can influence the growth rate of the insurance industry. Currently, the economy of the US is stronger than rest of the world (ROW). The upcoming Presidential election in the US might impact the insurance business in the US. We forecast the formation of new government in the US will lead to changes in policies in the financial sector of the country.Insurance firms in the US face intense competition, tight market regulations, and high customer expectations. These firms are under pressure with rising operational complexities, shrinking profit margin, regulatory changes for IT security, market consolidations, and fraudulent policy claims. Insurers also need to replace their traditional IT systems and obsolete technologies to remain competitive in the domestic as well as international market. Insurers seek multi-channel marketing strategies due to increased number of digital consumers using smart devices to explore insurance servicesTechnavios analysts forecast the IT Spending by Insurance in the US to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% during the period 2016-2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the IT Spending by Insurance in the US for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, we consider revenue generated from the following types of IT spending in insurance sector of the US.Software spendingHardware spendingIT services spendingNew report, IT Spending by Insurance in the US 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 vendorsAccentureCSCFiservGuidewire SoftwareOracleOther prominent vendorsAndesaCognizantEXL ServiceFISGenpactMajescoMicrosoftPegasystemsSAPStoneRiverMarket driverPopularity of usage-based insuranceFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeNeed for unceasing innovationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIntensification of cloud computingFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make 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 @ Global Edible Insects Market Worth to Rise from US$ 423.8 Mn in 2016 to US$ 722.9 Mn by 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11491 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/edible-insects-market.asp Persistence Market Research (PMR) delivers key insights on the global edible insects market in its upcoming outlook titled, Edible Insects Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016 2024. In terms of value, the global edible insects market is projected to register a healthy CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period due to various factors, regarding which PMR offers vital insights in detail.On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into a product as a whole and product as an ingredient. Product as a whole segment is further sub-segmented into steam or fried, raw and BBQ. As an ingredient segment is sub-segmented into drinks, insect confectionery, snack and baked products, and others. The global market is driven by low capital investment, rapid growth in global population, alternatives for egg and dairy proteins, ease of harvesting and processing, low disease risk and food safety, less land for farming, and lower water consumption.View Sample Report @On the basis of insect type, the market is segmented into beetles, caterpillar, hymenoptera, orthoptera, tree bugs, and others. Orthoptera and tree bugs segments are expected to account for relatively high CAGRs of 8.1% and 7.3% respectively during the forecast period.Insect rearing involves low capital investment as compared to that needed for another conventional livestock rearing such as cattle, swine, and chicken. Substantial increase in global population and decreasing resources are other factors expected to drive demand for alternative food sources. According to United Nations, global population in 2050 is expected to reach 9 billion, significantly outgrowing existing food resources. Insects contain high protein and amino acids and can be a sustainable food source in future.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report: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 Global Semiconductor Assembly and Testing Services Market to account for US$ 39,050.7 Mn by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4786 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/semiconductor-assembly-test-services-market.asp/ According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Global Market Study on Semiconductor Assembly & Testing Services (SATS): To be Driven by Increasing Demand for High-End Packaging Solutions, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market is estimated to be valued at US$ 29,585.9 Mn by the end of 2015 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2015 to 2021, to account for US$ 39,050.7 Mn by 2021.Semiconductor Assembly and Testing Services (SATS) market are witnessing increased demand for outsourced SATS services. Presently, around half of the market is exploiting the Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) services, and the trend is expected to continue in the long run. With increasing competition from the leading and regional players, the market is witnessing consolidation. This helps market participants in utilizing resources of other players to meet increasing technological demands.View Sample Report @Currently, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market across the world is mainly driven by factors such as increasing demand for mobility and connectivity in the consumer electronic products. An increasing demand for connected devices worldwide including smartphones and tablets having connectivity and multimedia capabilities are fuelling the demand for higher packaging technologies, setting up potential revenue opportunity for the SATS market. Additional features offered by SATS providers over in-house testing and packaging capabilities is also one of the primary reasons for the market growth. Additionally, SATS providers facilitate a more efficient supply chain and in-turn reduces time-to-market for a product, therefore SATS providers are becoming the primary choice of integrated design manufacturers.Increased use of safety systems in the automobile industry is also one of the factors contributing to the growth of the SATS market. . However, factors such as the high capital requirement for offering higher end packaging solutions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and volatility in the market are expected to constrain the growth of the SATS market.On the basis of services, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market has been segmented into assembly & packaging services and testing services. The assembly & packaging services segment is expected to account for 79.4% share of the global Semiconductor assembly & testing services market by 2015 end and is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 4.9%, during the forecast period (20152021).The Assembly and Packaging services segment is further classified on the basis of packaging solutions (interconnecting technologies) which includes copper and gold wire bonding, copper clip, flip chip, wafer level packaging, and TSV. Copper and gold wire bonding accounted for the 55.5%share of the assembly and packaging services segment in 2014. The wafer level packaging (interconnecting technology) segment in the global SATS market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report: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 3-Chloro-2-Hydroxypropyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride Market: New Growth Opportunities, 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl-trimethyl-ammonium-chloride-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11242 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Global 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC) Market: OverviewCHPTAC is an abbreviation of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride. Chemically CHPTAC is known as Liquid Cationic Etherification Agent with a molecular formula C6H15Cl2NO. CHPTAC has a molecular weight of 188.10. CHPTAC belongs to quaternary ammonium salts. This liquid cationic etherifying agent is miscible with water and lower alcohols. It is commonly used to modify natural and synthetic polymers into quaternary ammonium compounds. It is colorless to slightly yellow, odorless compound widely used in cationization of cellulose, starch, guar gum and related cellulosic compounds. Generally, compound is in liquid form with active matter 69% or 65%. It is also used as an additive, anti-static agent, surfactant, flocculant and emulsifier among others. It finds application across industries such as paper, textile, dyes, nutraceuticals, personal care, petrochemical and water treatment among the others.Checkout full Report:Global 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC) Market: Drivers and RestraintsCHPTAC cationizes cellulosic material in order to produce cationic starch. This cationic starch acts as a paper reinforcer and paper binder to increase dry strength of paper. As such, it finds wide-scale application in paper and textile industry. In textile industry, CHPTAC is used to improve the bonding of the dyes to the fibres. Thus, the growth of aforementioned industries are key factors which are expected to drive the growth of global 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride market during the forecast period. Also, one of the major application of CHPTAC is its use as a cationic reagent in personal care industry. Thus, the growth of personal care industry is expected to result in an increased demand for CHPTAC over the forecast period. CHPTAC also has important application in water treatment industry, as it reacts with suspended solid present in waste water to form cationic polymers, thus, acting as a flocculant. Therefore, the growing end-use industries are expected to result in an increase in demand for CHPTAC during the forecast period. However, increasing manufacturing costs and rising logistic costs are the key challenges affecting the growth of the global CHPTAC market.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:Global 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC) Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of geographic regions, global 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC) market is segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. Among the aforementioned regions, Asia Pacific region is accounted for largest share in global CHPTAC market due to increasing paper, textile and water treatment industries. Thus, Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness relatively faster growth as compared to other regions during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific region is followed by Europe.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: At A CAGR Of 4.3%, Global Laboratory Rack Market Will Grow During The Period 2016-2020 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=729313 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=729313 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Laboratory Rack Market 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.A laboratory rack is a type of laboratory consumable that is used to temporarily store or hold sample handling labware such as test tubes, petri dishes, bottles, and slides. In addition, laboratory racks are used for drying labware and other laboratory utensils, and are also called drying racks. Another common type of laboratory rack is a freezer or cryogenic rack that is used to store test tubes or microcentrifuge tubes in freezers.Technavios analysts forecast the global laboratory rack market to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global laboratory rack market for 2016-2020. The market size was calculated from revenue generated from the sales of laboratory racks by market vendors in the following categories.Tube racksBottle racksOtherThe market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEuropeMEATo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Technavio's report, Global Laboratory Rack 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 vendorsDynalon LabwareGlobal ScientificHeathrow ScientificBel-Art Products-SP SciencewareThermo Fisher ScientificOther prominent vendors3MAbraxisArgos TechnologiesBio PlasCeilBlueCorningBioCisionEppendorfGlas-ColGrant InstrumentsJaeceSimportTroemnerUnited Scientific SuppliesWheatonMarket driverRising R&D expenditureFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeInsufficient scope for innovationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncreasing level of customizationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make 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 @ Leather Chemicals Market: Set to Grow Exponentially During the Forecast 2015-2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/leather-chemicals-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3599 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Leather chemicals are a class of products that are used in the treatment of animal hides for the production of leather. Leather chemicals are required at different stages of leather processing which includes beamhouse, tanning and finishing, fatliquors and water repellents and drum dyeing.Checkout full Report:Leather is an unmatched material for making accessory products and item. In order to make the leather for long lasting for use and to create an appealing richness of leather, many leather chemicals are used. Increasing demand for various leather made products such as apparels, footwear, garments, furniture and automotive upholstery positively influence the demand of leather chemicals and helps in further growth of leather chemical market. Innovation in technology such as use of micro and nano particulates for abrasion resistance and improved innovation in chemical compound that offers improved color, look and feel better leather, superior water resistance and improved finish adhesion are expected to drive the leather chemical market across the globe.Increasing per capita income of individual, growing consumer affluence, growth in tourism industry are some of the key reason, which leads to increase in the demand of luxury and leather goods items in the market. Fast changing fashion trends and increasing the consumer awareness level about various luxury products further boost the demand of leather goods in the market. Regular innovation and changing design model of various leather and luxury product leads to trigger the demand of leather product in the market. Growing trends towards purchasing of various leather product help to trigger the growth of leather chemical market.Asia Pacific is the largest market for leather chemicals. Some of the major factor that drives the leather chemicals success in Indian market in coming years would be its compliance with many international regulations like ISO, REACH, etc. With large number of population in Asia Pacific countries, the demand of various leather products is also on the rise. China produced 4.271 billion pairs of leather shoes in 2011 and the leather shoes market is growing with a CAGR of around 12.4% annually. The growing rate of leather shoe products helps to boost the leather chemicals market in China and in Asia Pacific region. Increasing disposable income level of individual in North America and Europe further tends people to invest more on purchasing leather luxury products including garments, footwear and others product. The total turnover of retail sale of footwear and leather goods in specialized stores in the U.K. was USD 3,973 million in 2010 and it grew to USD 4,649 million in 2013. This growing investment over leather products and product innovation further helps to boost the leather chemical market in European region.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:Some of the companies operating in global leather chemicals market are BASF SE, Lanxess AG, TFL, Clariant Chemicals Ltd., Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., Indofil Industries Ltd., Pidilite Industries Ltd., Schill & Seilacher GmbH & Co., ATC CHEMICALS, Tytan, TEXAPEL, Elementis plc, Zschimmer & Schwarz & Co KG, DyStar, Elementis plc, LANXESS AG, lawrence international, TASA GROUP INTERNATIONAL, Loving Group Ltd., Chemtan Company, Inc. and Stahl International BV.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: Pharmaceuticals Excipients Market Analysis, Trends, Forecast, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-932 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-932 www.futuremarketinsights.com A pharmaceutical excipient, also referred as bulking agent, filler, or diluent, is a natural or synthetic substance formulated with the active ingredient of a medication, included in a pharmaceutical dosage form to aid the manufacturing process, to protect, support or enhance stability, or for bioavailability or patient acceptability. They are also helpful in product identification and enhance the overall safety or functionality of the product during storage or use.Thousands of different excipients are used in medicines and make up, on average, about 90% of each product. They represent a market value accounting about 0.5% of the total pharmaceutical market according to industry experts.The growth of the global market of pharmaceutical excipients is driven by the factors such as growing demand of functional excipients, increasing demand of generics, and emergence of new excipients in the market.Segmentation of Pharmaceutical Excipient MarketSegmentation on basis of functionality:Excipients can be classified into 7 categories on the basis of the kind of function they perform: diluents, binders, disintegrants, glidants, lubricants, tablet coating & films and coloring agents.Diluents, which include sugar compounds such as lactose, dextrin, glucose, sucrose, sorbitol etc., and inorganic compounds such as silicates, salts of calcium & magnesium, sodium chloride etc., are used for providing bulk and enables accurate dosing of potent ingredients.Binders are mainly natural or synthetic polymers such as starch, sugar alcohols and cellulose derivatives which are used to bind the tablet ingredients together to give form and mechanical strength.Disintegrants aids dispersion of the tablets in the gastrointestinal tract, releasing the active ingredient along with increasing the surface area for dissolution.Glidants like colloidal anhydrous silicon, are used in reducing the friction and adhesion between particles and improves the flow of powders during tablet manufacturing.Coloring agents are mainly synthetic dyes used to improve patient acceptability, aid identification and prevent counterfeiting.Request Free Report Sample@Segmentation on basis of regions:Global market of pharmaceutical excipients is sub-segmented into 7 key regions- North America, Latin America, East Europe, West Europe, Asia Pacific excluding japan and Middle East & Africa.Developed regions like North America and Europe are expected to experience a slow growth, due to already established excipients market, during the forecast period while the emerging market like Asia-Pacific is expected to record a strong growth during the same period owing to the availability of cheap labor, skills in abundance and comparatively lower cost of the raw materials. Countries like Brazil, India, and China are expected to be the major contributors in the growth of these emerging markets mainly due to the rising per capita income and increase in the number of companies from the developed regions willing to outsource their excipients manufacturing activities due to low manufacturing and labor costs in these regions.Drivers and RestraintsThe global pharmaceutical excipients market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period due to increasing utilization of parenteral products owing to rise in the global burden of chronic and lifestyle diseases and heavy investments by the pharmaceutical industry on the development of biologics.Additionally, Adoption of modern science like nanotechnology to impart innovative functions to the excipients used for target specific functionality of the active ingredients, resulting in reduced drug toxicity, a major challenge faced by the pharmaceutical industry, is also propelling the global market during the forecast period.The product demand is increasing in the emerging markets like Asia-Pacific and Latin America, therefore proper expansion planning, focus on various R&D and innovations to launch new products would be a great opportunity.The growth of the market is hampered to a certain extent by the factors like declining investments in R&D by excipients producers, and increasing regulatory requirements leading to scarcity of U.S. FDA approved manufacturing sites.Request For TOC@Key PlayersMajor players in the global market of pharmaceutical excipients are BASF (Germany) and Ashland, Inc. (U.S.) which dominate the market share with their diversified product portfolio and aggressive sales strategies.Some other key players include Avantor Performance Materials, Inc. (U.S.), The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), FMC Corporation (U.S.), Evonik Industries (Germany), Lubrizol Corporation (U.S.), Roquette (France) and Colorcon, Inc. (U.S.)Business expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions and collaborations with educational universities are the key strategies adopted by most companies in the global pharmaceutical excipients market. The need for innovative functional excipients in the pharmaceutical industry will lead to innovations in the market during the forecast period. Owing to this strategy, leading players are continuously introducing several advanced excipients and modified categories of existing excipients in the market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: A boy comes of age in achingly powerful Moonlight Updated: 2016-10-20 09:27 (Agencies) Cast members pose as they arrive for the gala screening of the film Moonlight, in London on Oct 6. [Photo/Agencies] Moonlight is as wistful a film as its title might suggest. Director Barry Jenkins, in only his second feature, has created a singularly powerful and masterfully restrained work of art about a young man's coming of age in South Florida told in three different stageschild, teenager and young adult. This is no Boyhood, however. There are three actors portraying Chiron, and although it takes a bit of imagination to accept the three as the same person, Moonlight feels somehow even more poignant than that 12-year experiment. That's no small feat, and perhaps that's because of the power of the subject and its exploration of the gayness of an African-American man. But Jenkins has also accomplished something truly extraordinary in that Moonlight feels as real and raw and vague and specific as a memory. That this all coalesces into a coherent and impactful story is a testament to his singular talent. Jenkins adapted Moonlight from Tarell Alvin McCraney's play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. The subject, Chiron, played first by the promising newcomer Alex Hibbert, is introduced as a wisp of a boy in a rough, sunny neighborhood. He's being chased by some children when he finds refuge in a blighted apartment. An adult on the streets notices the scene and comes to Chiron's aid, coaxing him out of hiding and back into the world. Something is not right with this quiet little boy and this man, Juan, and his girlfriend Teresa are generous and well off enough to help. We soon find out that Chiron is indeed from an unstable home. His mother, Paula is fiercely protective of her little boy when she's alert, but she's also a full-blown addict. Moonlight is not propelled by story so much as atmospherea melancholy blend of music, careful imagery and colors and repeating motifs that will linger in your mind long after the credits roll. It's one of the most exciting character studies in recent memory and one that will endure beyond the politics and impermanence of awards season. Hopefully it doesn't take Jenkins another eight years to make a film. But we can take comfort in the very strong likelihood that, even if it does, it will be well worth the wait. App Development Company to inaugurate new office soon at UAE iMOBDEV has recently announced to open up a new workplace at UAE https://www.imobdevtech.com iMOBDEV has recently announced to open up a new workplace at UAE. The well-established center will be opened up to handle the local clients easily. We are growing! Right now, we are serving the clients from the multiple offices in India, USA, and Canada. Now, a new workplace to be developed at UAE is aim to deliver the local clients right away from the local location.It's a great news for our UAE clients as they can consult the professionals directly from the local place. The other professionals of UAE looking for the development partner with local availability can now connect with the iMOBDEV consultants easily. Considering the long clientele from UAE itself, company delegates came up with the well planned idea to make it possible. Officially, a leading company with the development center in India has recently revealed their plan to open up the office at UAE.The professionals will be serving same services from the upcoming office as well. Any business professional can consult our executive present over there and discuss for any of our below mentioned services:Enterprise Mobility SolutionMobile Application DevelopmentiPhone App & Game DevelopmentiPad App & Game DevelopmentAndroid App & Game DevelopmentWindows Phone App & Game DevelopmentBlackberry App & Game DevelopmentMobile Industry AppsEnterprise Mobility ManagementMobile Line of Business AppsCorporate Web Software SolutionsDESIGN SERVICES Responsive Website Design Ecommerce Website Design Mobile Site Design UI/UX Design For Web & Mobile Mobile Apps UI Design Landing Page Design Logo Design Corporate Identity Design Print Design Services CMS Theme / Template DesignUI ENGINEERING PSD to HTML PSD to Responsive HTML PSD to Email Conversion PSD to WordPress PSD to Joomla PSD to Magento PSD to DrupalWEB DEVELOPMENT PHP Development LAMP Development Joomla Development WordPress Development Magento Development Drupal Development Web Application Development Custom Web Development Ecommerce Development Shopify DevelopmentThe management team is working on the plan and will inaugurate the new space at UAE soon. Company is growing and from now they will have one more workplace to develop.iMOBDEV is the best mobile app development company in India & USA with 150+ clients, over 600+ apps built in iOS, Android & web. Hire App Developers now!iMOBDEV Technologies404, Shail's Mall,B/H Girish Cold Drink,CG Road,Ahmedabad-380009, Gujarat, IndiaPresscontact:Mr. Tauseef Anwarsales@imobdevtech.com Genealogy Products And Services Market : DNA Tests Are Providing A Lucrative Market To The Genealogy Products And Services http://bit.ly/2czEygm http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Genealogy Products and Services Market: OverviewGenealogy, which is also referred as family history is the study and tracing of the lineages and history of an individuals family. In genealogy, various service providers utilize various analysis methods, such as oral interviews, genetic analysis, historical records, and various other records to obtain essential information about an individuals family. This information helps the genealogists to describe the individuals family relationships and lineage of its members.Genealogy is gaining much popularity in various parts of the world. Many people around the world are ready to spend as much as USD 18,000 per year to know their family tree or family history. Various products and services are gaining importance in this genealogy market such as, DNA tests (e.g. Y-DNA and mt-DNA tests), where each test can cost up to USD 400. According to the market estimates around 95,000 new tests are being performed each year worldwide.PDF For More Latest Advancements With Industry Analysis @Genealogy Products and Services Market: DriversThus, these DNA tests are providing a lucrative market to the genealogy products and services. There are many other driving factors for the growth of this market, which include continuous innovations in technology, rapidly increasing interest towards genealogy, and increasing usage of social networking sites worldwide. Recent technological advancements have equipped the genealogy consumers with most up-to-date tools for genealogical research, which will further help the growth of this market.Presently, most of the western nations are efficiently using the genealogical research, but increasing interest of other developing regions towards this research will further fuel the growth of this market. Various genealogical services have now been connected to the social media such as facebook, google plus and others will also result in the generation of increased interest towards genealogy. Thus, most of the above factors will help in the growth of genealogy products and services market.Genealogy Products and Services Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, North America dominates the genealogy products and services market followed by the European market. Major factors responsible for their dominance in this market were high awareness, interest as well as affordability for various tests and other services of the genealogy market. Also, most of the players operating in the genealogy products and services market are domiciled in these regions, which further helped them grow over past few years in the global market space.However, Asia-Pacific is the most lucrative market due to rapid growth during past few years. Increasing penetration of various global players into the region, along with increasing interest of the people of these regions for genealogical research will also contribute towards the growth of this region in future. Highly populated regions like China, India, Indonesia etc. having a large customer base, who are increasingly using various social networking sites like facebook will also contribute towards the growth of genealogy in the region.Various other region nations from LATAM and Middle-East, such as Brazil, Mexico, UAE, Turkey and others have recently shown increased interests towards genealogical research. This will fuel the growth of various genealogical products and services market in these regions as well. Thus, overall market is set to experience a rapid growth in future.Some of the major players operating in the genealogical products and services market are DNAPrint Genomics, Inc., Familybuilder, Family History Library, Family Tree DNA, Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com, MyFamily.com, RootsWeb.com and WorldVitalRecords.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Gout Disease Treatment Market to Register a Strong Growth By 2020 PMR http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/gout-disease-treatment-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3365 Gout is a disease characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis. It occurs when urate crystals accumulate in joint and causes inflammation and intense pain. Urate crystals are formed when high levels of uric acid are present in blood. Human body produces uric acid when it breaks down into purines. Purines are those substances which are present naturally in the body in the form of foods.Request to view Report Page :The global Gout disease treatment market is categorized based on disease condition and by therapeutics. Gout is mainly classified into acute and chronic Gout. The therapeutic segment is further sub-segmented into anti-inflammatory therapies and urate-lowering therapies.In terms of geographic, North America and Europe dominates the global gout disease treatment market due to improved pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research infrastructure in these regions. Several pharmaceutical companies are shifting focus towards research to develop more efficient drugs in North America and Europe. The U.S. represents the largest market for Gout disease treatment followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, France and Germany holds major share of Gout disease treatment market. However, Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in the global Gout disease treatment market due to increasing awareness among people about the disease. Japan, China and India are expected to be the fastest growing Gout disease treatment markets in Asia.In recent time, increasing prevalence of Gout disease and strong R&D pipelines are some of the major drivers for the global Gout disease treatment market. In addition, increased research on Gout therapeutics and introduction of novel drugs are also supporting in the growth of global Gout disease treatment market. However, stringent regulations and patent expiry of various blockbuster drugs are key restraints for the global Gout disease treatment market. Increasing mergers and collaborations between major companies and rapid product launches are some of the major trends for the global Gout disease treatment market. In addition, many biopharmaceutical companies are also trying to develop biologics for the treatment of Gout disease. This would develop opportunity for the global Gout disease treatment market.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @ :Some of the major companies operating in the global Gout disease treatment market are Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Novartis, Pfizer and Merck.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.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Gynecological Cancers Market Would Register a Healthy Growth Rate During the Forecast 2020 Gynecological cancers are characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. These cancers originate in the female reproductive organs such as uterus, cervix, ovaries, vagina and vulva. Several factors are responsible for the occurrence of these cancers. It includes various classes of cancer originating genes, known as oncogenes, which promotes the abnormal growth of cells. The abnormal function of these genes regulates through aging, smoking and environmental influences. In addition, infertility, obesity, mutations, early start of menstruation and late start of menopause also causes gynecological cancers. Gynecological cancers are also originated by some viruses. For instance, almost all cervical cancers and vaginal and vulva cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). These gynecological cancers are treated by medication therapies, radiation therapy, surgeries and chemotherapy. Treatments of these cancers are depends upon the type and different stages of cancers. Request to view Report Page : http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/gynecological-cancers-market.asp The global gynecological cancers market is categorized based on various types of cancers and their treatment therapies. It includes uterine, ovarian cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer and cervical cancer. Uterine cancer is also known as endometrial cancer. It is the most common type of gynecologic cancer. Major risk factors of uterine cancer include the use of estrogen without progesterone, hypertension, diabetes, tamoxifen, obesity and later age of menopause. Obese women have higher circulating levels of estrogen, which increases their risk for uterine cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common type of gynecological cancer. Ovarian cancer is mainly divided into three types: germ cell cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer and stromal ovarian cancer. Vulvar and vaginal cancers are rarest forms of gynecological cancer. It usually affects women with age group of 50-70 years. In terms of geographic, North America and Europe dominates the global gynecological cancers market. The U.S. represents the largest market for gynecological cancers followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, France, Germany and the U.K. holds major share of gynecological cancers market. However, Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in global gynecological cancers market. This is due to increasing awareness among people about various types of gynecological cancers in the region. Japan, China and India are expected to be the fastest growing gynecological cancers markets in Asia. In recent time, increasing prevalence of gynecological cancers is key driver for the global gynecological cancers market. In addition, various government initiatives are also supporting in growth of the global gynecological cancers market. Several government associations have launched various programs to raise awareness among people about these cancers. Moreover, governments provide grant and funds to increase research in oncology field to develop innovative medicines and therapies for their treatment. However, patent expiry of various major drugs is key restraint for the global gynecological cancers market. In addition, stringent regulatory hurdles also obstruct the growth of global gynecological cancers market. Advancement in personalized medicines holds immense potential for the growth of global gynecological cancers market. Increasing mergers and acquisitions between drugs manufacturing companies and government bodies is key trend of global gynecological cancers market. Request for Sample Report and Table of content @ : http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3482 Some of the major companies operating in the global gynecological cancers market are GlaxoSmithKline plc, Becton Dickinson and Co., Eli Lilly and Co., Bristol Myers Squibb Co. and F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd.. 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. 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com This release was published on openPR. Permanent link to this press release: Copy Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release. Diamond Semiconductor Substrates Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15869 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/diamond-semiconductor-substrates-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A diamond is the hardest material on earth, and has long-since been recognized for its beauty as a gemstone. The major producing countries include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia, Botswana, Russia and South Africa. The two types of diamond semiconductor substrates available in the global diamond semiconductor substrates market are natural and synthetic. One of the major factors for this segment will be the rising usage of diamonds in sectors such as electronics, healthcare and construction among others. The other factors boosting the market are low cost of synthetic diamond as compared to natural diamond. In addition, identification of new applications in semiconductor and electronics industry is anticipated to act as an opportunity for the diamond semiconductor substrates market for the near future.PDF Sample For Technological breakthroughs is @Based on types, the diamond semiconductor substrates market is segmented into natural and synthetic. In 2015, the synthetic segment expected to be the most important market and anticipated to be the same during the forecast period. The major factor driving the market is large number of industrial applications. Some of the other factors are usage of synthetic diamond in different industries such as chip production, construction, mining activities, oil and gas industries, in surgeries and stone polishing and cutting. Thus, the specific increase in these activities has lead to an increase in the demand for the diamond semiconductor substrates market. The synthetic diamond is used in research services and for extremely rough tasks such as polishing and cutting. However, complex manufacturing process is the restraining factor for diamond semiconductor substrates market in the forecast period.Based on the various applications, the diamond semiconductor substrates market is segmented into healthcare, consumer electronics, construction & mining, electronics and others. In 2015, the consumer electronics segment anticipated to be the foremost market. There are numerous major factors boosting the diamond semiconductor substrates market such as growing adoption of diamond semiconductor substrates in jewelry making. In addition, rising research and development activity to deliver better products in the forecast period is other factor driving the market for diamond semiconductor substrates market. However, the time consumed for making synthetic diamonds is expected to hinder the expansion of this diamond semiconductor substrates market during the forecast period of 2016 2024.Based on the regions, the diamond semiconductor substrates market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). Asia Pacific holds the major market share followed by North America. In addition, North America is the second largest market for diamond semiconductor substrates market followed by Europe and Rest of the World. China and India are the key contributors to the diamond semiconductor substrates market in Asia Pacific. Diamond semiconductor substrates is high in Asia Pacific is due to identification of new applications of synthetic diamond in electronics and semiconductor industry. However, the market for diamond semiconductor substrates has seen the growth in product improvement from companies like Pure Grown Diamonds, Applied Diamond Inc., Washington Diamonds Corporation, Element Six, and ILJIN among others nearly one hundred others company. Furthermore, opening manufacturing plants in rising country of Asia Pacific such as India, Japan and Korea among others will also give output on higher returns on investments this in turn driving the market for diamond semiconductor substrates market.Market Insight can be Viewed @Some of the important players in the diamond semiconductor substrates market includes are Applied Diamond Inc (The U.S.), Pure Grown Diamonds (The U.S.) and Element Six (Luxembourg). These top players are aiming to penetrate increasing economies and are adopting various methods to drive their market share. Some of the others players are New Diamond Technology LLC (The U.S.), Scio Diamond Technology Corporation (United States), Washington Diamonds Corporation (The U.S.) and ILJIN Diamond Co., Ltd (Korea) among others.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Amine-Function Compounds Exports Declined For The Second Consecutive Year http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-amine-function-compounds-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/ http://www.indexbox.co.uk/news/global-amine-function-compounds-exports-declined-for-the-second-consecutive-year/ www.indexbox.co.uk According to recently published IndexBox research World: Amine-Function Compounds - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2020 (), the global trade in amine-function compounds amounted to 8,382 million USD in 2015. The value of trade fluctuated notably throughout the analyzed period, declining pronouncedly from 2014 to 2015.China emerged as the leader in the global supplies of amine-function compounds. In 2015, China's exports of amine-function compounds totaled 1,773 million USD, which accounted for a 21% share of global exports. The USA, Belgium, Germany, and France were the other key global suppliers of amine-function compounds in 2015, with a 45% combined share of global exports.France (+28.5% per year) and China (+8.9% per year) were the fastest growing exporters from 2007 to 2015. China significantly strengthened its position in the global export structure, growing its share from 11% in 2007 to 21% in 2015.On the other hand, Germany (12%, based on value terms), USA (8%), Belgium (8%), China (7%), and Japan (7%) were the leading destinations of amine-function compound imports in 2015. Imports to the USA grew at a rate of +4.5% per year from 2007 to 2015. By contrast, Belgium slightly contracted its imports of amine-function compounds over the same period. All of the major importers maintained relatively stable shares of global imports over the period from 2007 to 2015, sustaining only minor fluctuations of 1 to 2 percentage points.Source and figures:IndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports. You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Country: United KingdomAdress: 44 Main Street Douglas South Lanarkshire Scotland ML11 0QWWebsite: Sputter Coating Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15932 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sputter-coating-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The field of electron microscope requires the coating of samples for better imaging. Furthermore, the created layer is conductive in nature which enables charging and reduces the thermal damage to improve the secondary electron signals for topographic examination. Sputter Coating is one such method which involves the process of applying an ultra thin coating of electrically conductive metals such as gold, silver platinum and palladium among others. These coatings have a thickness range of 2-20 nanometers. The market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period.PDF Sample For Technological breakthroughs is @The sputter coating technology is increasingly being applied in the glass coating technology. The rising technological innovation in the glass displays is aiding to the growth of glass coating. This will indirectly drive the market for sputter coating market. Furthermore, the technological innovations in the semiconductor industry have lead to the growth of internet of things (IoT) market. Sputter Coating technology also finds it application in semiconductor industry. Hence the rising demand for IoT market is expected to drive the market for sputter coatings market significantly. In addition, there are several technologies under sputter coating which includes ion-assisted deposition which is one of the methods. This method is being used in medical implants, which is in return, pushing the demand for sputter coatings in the healthcare industry. Furthermore, the rising concern and upcoming government regulations for controlled hexavalent chrome emission is further driving the demand for sputter coating market globally.However, the use and application of sputter coating technology involves high expenditure which is restraining the growth of the market. In addition, proper application of sputter coating requires highly skilled technicians. These factors are expected to slow the growth of the market across all the regions.The market is expected to witness robust growth in future. The rising demand for voice over LTE (VOLTE) services in developing regions is expected to drive the market for sputter coatings in the telecommunication industry. Moreover, the demand for improved telecommunication is expected to create the need for improved smart phones with enhanced network capabilities. With the rise in telecommunication and smart phone industry, the overall semiconductor sector is expected to grow robustly. Sputter Coating technology is an essential aspect in rising demand in the semiconductor domain and hence expected to witness a steady growth globally.The sputter coating market can be segmented by substrate, target material, application and geography. In terms of substrate, the market can be segregated into semiconductors, insulators and metals & dielectric. Furthermore, in terms of target material, the market can be bifurcated into compounds, alloys and pure metal. The sputter coatings find their application in several areas which includes automotive, energy, defense, lighting, optical coating, healthcare, architecture, electronics and decorative coating among others.By geography, the sputter coating market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. North America and Europe are expected to witness steady growth at the initial stage as they are the early adapters of new technology. Furthermore, the use of sputter coatings involves high initial investment which is not available across all the regions. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness a strong growth in future due to the presence of developing regions like China and India.Market Insight can be Viewed @The sputter coating market is witnessing strong competition from the major players. Frequent mergers and acquisition among the top players is aiding to the growth of the market globally. The leading players in the market include Umicore Group, Heraeus Deutschland GmbH & Co. Kg, AJA International Inc., Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Treibacher Industries AG, Corning Precision Materials Korea Co., Ltd., Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Intevac Inc, Soleras Advanced Coatings, Honeywell Electronics Material and Plansee among other players.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Semiconductor Dry Strip Systems Market by Application - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15926 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/semiconductor-dry-strip-systems-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Increasing demand for consumer electronics which include smartphones, tablets and other electronics devices is one of the prime reasons contributing in the rapid growth of semiconductor dry strip systems market globally. Rising usage of advanced electronic products is fueling the application of semiconductor dry strip systems across different regions globally. The market has been segmented into by application which includes consumer electronics, automotive, industrial segment among others. The market for semiconductor dry strip systems by geography has been segmented into, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America.Dry strip systems primarily eliminate photoresists and follow every step of diffusion processing. Techniques and process of eliminating these residues include dry and wet strip systems. Moreover, the upgraded advanced dry strip generates plasmas or gaseous chemistries, to which wafers are generally exposed to eliminated mask residues and films. The demand for advanced semiconductor dry strip systems is growing owing to the increasing number and complexity of thin-film layers needed for each wafer has increased. Rising technological advancement the semiconductor manufacturers are focusing on increasing their strip capacity. Furthermore, semiconductor companies also focuses on residue-free stripping and low-damage results. ICs fabrications which feature sizes of sub-100 nm and the application of copper and low k dielectric films are some of the major challenges for the dry strips systems.PDF Sample For Latest Advancements with Technological breakthroughs is @With rising research activities in the field of semiconductor dry strips systems, the application of the system are growing in the consumer electronics, automotive and high-end industrial application segments. Increasing adoption of electronics is one of the major reasons behind the rising popularity of semiconductor dry strips systems. Increasing usage of smartphones, tablets, and other smart gadgets are fueling the market for semiconductor dry strips systems across different regions globally. Furthermore, rising demand for advance quality semiconductor devices is one of the prime factors fueling the market. Major companies operating in the field of semiconductor systems primarily focuses on research activities and introduced dry strips specialized for different photoresist eliminating requirement primarily for foundries and fabs globally.Increasing complexity in the manufacturing process of ICs, the requirement for semiconductor dry strips is growing and is expected to increase in near future. Specialized dry strips applications are on rise in order to meet the diverging clients demand. Strip systems in cost-sensitive memory applications required to give the advance levels of productivity while marinating the lowest cost of ownership. Furthermore semiconductor dry strips systems have also found applications in advanced packaging. In addition, the semiconductor dry strips systems play an important part in the semiconductor devices fabrication. The growing research and development in the field of dry strips solutions for major semiconductor processing fabs is contributing in the positive development of the market. Advanced dry strip processes with negligible substrate damage and high wafer throughput plays a crucial role in the successful semiconductor device fabrication.Asia Pacific is leading the semiconductor dry strip systems market worldwide. Growing usage of consumer electronics devices such as smartphones, tablets, wearable and other smart electronic devices in economies such the China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and India is contributing in the positive growth of this market across Asia Pacific (APAC). North America is one of the prime regions which is contributing in the positive growth of the semiconductor dry strip systems market. The U.S., Mexico and Canada are some of the major economics contributing in the positive development of this market. The U.K., Germany, France and Italy are some of the major countries contributing in the development of the market globally. Brazil, Argentina and U.A.E are expected to witness positive growth over the forecast period from 2016 to 2024 across South America, Middle East and Africa. With increasing advancement in the consumer electronics, industrial and automotive field, the application of semiconductor dry strip systems is growing rapidly.Market Insight can be Viewed @Merger and acquisitions and strategic partnership agreements along with research and development activities are some of the key business strategies adopted by the companies operating in this industry in order to strengthen its presence across different regions globally. Applied Materials, Inc. (California, The U.S.), Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), Lam Research Corporation (California, The U.S.), Mattson Technology Inc. (California, The U.S.), PSK Inc. (South Korea), Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (Massachusetts, The U.S.), GlobalFoundries (California, The U.S.), Intel Corporation (California, The U.S.), Novellus Systems Inc. (California, The U.S.), Samsung Group (South Korea), Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (China), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Limited (Taiwan), United Microelectronics Corporation (Taiwan) and ULVAC Technologies, Inc. (The U.S.) among others are some of the major players operating in the semiconductor dry strip systems market globally.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Hazmat Suits Market to Cross US$ 8.0 Billion by 2022 Hazmat Suits Market http://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/hazmat-suits-market-report http://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/hazmat-suits-market-report http://www.marketresearchengine.com/ New York, October 20: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Hazmat Suits Market By Application (Hazardous materials, Infection control and biohazard, Chemical waste, Others); By End-user (Healthcare, Utilities, Transportation, Manufacturing, Construction, Mining and metallurgy, Oil and Gas) and By Safety Standards (Level A, Level B, Level C, Others) Global Market Analysis and Forecast 2016 - 2022How Big is The Hazmat Suits Market?The hazmat suits market is expected to exceed more than US$ 8.0 Billion by 2022; Growing at a CAGR of more than 5.60% in the given forecast period.Download Free Sample Report:A Hazmat suit is an entire body garment of clothing intended to ensure the wearer against risky materials or substances. Hazmat suit as a general article of clothing worn to shield individuals from perilous materials or substances, including chemicals, organic operators, or radioactive materials. A Hazmat suit is a type of individual defensive gear (PPE), which is frequently utilized by firefighters, crisis restorative teams, paramedics, scientists, staff reacting to dangerous spills, pros tidying up tainted offices and specialists in poisonous situations. Hazmat suits give protection from fire, biological agent, nuclear agent, chemical agents and high temperatures. Hazmat suits requirement depends on level of risk, mission and situations. Suits are regularly gas tight to guarantee the client won't come into direct contact with or breathe in risky substances or particles. They can offer the capacity to be in high temperatures because of the materials they are made out of and have distinctive methods for supplying air to the wearer to guarantee they are breathing crisp, uncontaminated air. Independent breathing mechanical assembly (SCBA) can be encased inside the suit or connected to the suit contingent upon the make.The major driving factors of hazmat suits market are as follows:Expansion of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industriesGrowing government support to biotechnology and pharmaceutical industriesRising chemical industry globallyIncreasing nuclear power plants globallyGrowing oil explorations and oil field service actionsThe restraining factors of hazmat suits market are as follows:Oxygen reduction in level A hazmat suitPotential undesirable fluctuations in alien currency swap ratesRequire training provided to caregivers on efficient use of toolsThe hazmat suits market is segmented on the lines of its application, end user, safety standards and regional. Based on application segmentation it covers hazardous materials, infection control and biohazard, chemical waste and others. Under end user segmentation the hazmat suits market covers healthcare, utilities, transportation, manufacturing, construction, mining and metallurgy, oil and gas and others. The hazmat suits market is segmented on the lines of its safety standards like Level A, Level B, and Level C and other. The hazmat suits markets geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geographic market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.Browse Full Report:This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for hazmat suits and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2022.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for hazmat suits.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for Hazmat Suits with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Dupont Inc. (U.S.), Lakeland Industries Inc. (U.S.), Alpha Pro Tech (Canada), and Kimberly Clark Corporation (U.S.). Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Hazmat Suits Market has been segmented as below:By Application AnalysisHazardous MaterialsInfection Control and BiohazardChemical WasteOthersBy End-user AnalysisHealthcareUtilitiesTransportationManufacturingConstructionMining and metallurgyOil and GasOthersBy Safety Standards AnalysisLevel ALevel BLevel COtherBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all hazmat suits market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of hazmat suits data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States SpecPage head recognized as one of the 50 most creative CEOs to watch by Insight Success magazine www.insightssuccess.com/innovative-food-and-beverages-from-farm-to-fork/ www.specpage.com SpecPage CEO Severin Weiss has been recognized by Insight Success as one of the 50 most creative CEOs to watch in the magazines latest special edition.SpecPage is a global provider of integrated software solutions and online tools for the recipe-based manufacturing industry. Flagship product development solutions include Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Product Data Management (PDM) and Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS), enabling food and beverage companies to innovate competitive products in compliance with relevant food laws.With expertise in the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), the Swiss-based company offers individually customizable online catalogs, including Suppliers Guide, Buyers Guide and Compliance Guide, to help manufacturers and distributors manage high-quality product information at the touch of a button.We are delighted to be featured in this publication that focuses on emerging and leading technology companies, said Severin Weiss, CEO at SpecPage. SpecPage specializes in the food & beverage industry and offers a range of solutions and services tailored to the specific needs of manufacturers, distributors and buyers. Our tools simplify product development from concept to marketplace ensuring data meet the highest quality and regulatory standards at all times.With subsidiaries in the US, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Slovakia, SpecPage is a rapidly growing company and is set to expand its activities in US and Europe, meeting the growing demand in the range of product development and information.For more information, please see:About SpecpageSpecPage with headquarters in Switzerland and branch offices in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Italy, Slovakia and United States is a leading vendor of integrated software solutions and online catalogs for the food and beverage industry. Kelloggs, Subway, Ferrero, Lindt, Dr. Oetker, Mondelez, Develey, Nestle Wagner, Campbell Soup, R&R Ice Cream, OSI, Zeelandia and Glanbia (to name a few) are well-known customers who use the innovative and user-friendly software solutions from SpecPage to successfully manage the special and complex aspects of product development in the global competition for attractive products. With expertise in food law, the company offers turnkey product data management tools for master data and recipe as well product lifecycle management with integrated GDSN interface, simplifying compliance with global labeling requirements. In addition to its standardized software solutions, SpecPage offers master data capturing services and audits.Sabrina WeissMedia & CommunicationsSpecPagePilatusstrasse 356402 Merlischachen-KussnachtSwitzerlandE: sabrina.weiss@specpage.comT: +41 44 500 75 00 Chinese firms mull bid for UK engineers Doncasters Updated: 2016-10-20 00:14 By Angus McNeice in London(chinadaily.com.cn) Two Chinese industrial groups are considering bidding for Doncasters, one of the oldest engineering manufacturers in Britain, media reports said. A person involved in the proposed sale who requested anonymity would not confirm the names of the interested bidders, but said Doncasters was attracting interest from Asia and the US. Sky News and City A.M. newspaper identified the potential Chinese bidders as the Yinyi Group of Ningbo and Impro of Hong Kong. The auction for Doncasters is being handled by Goldman Sachs. The firm is expected to go for between 1 billion and 1.5 billion pounds, though the Chinese firms are yet to lodge formal offers. Yinyi Group, which deals in real estate, construction and industrial equipment, and precision machining specialist Impro would be going head-to-head with a handful of other interest parties thought to include three American investment firms: Clayton Dubilier & Rice, Blackstone; and Carlyle. The Chinese interest may further fuel debate in the UK over foreign ownership of industrial projects, following the signing of an 18 billion pound contract with France and China for the Hinkley Point nuclear power station. Prime Minister Theresa May has said future deals involving foreign ownership would be subject to scrutiny. Doncasters is, however, already in foreign hands, as Dubai International Capital (DIC), the country's sovereign wealth fund, acquired the company in 2006 for 700 million pounds. DIC then put the 238-year-old manufacturer up for auction in April this year as part of the winding down of the private investment fund. Doncasters is a leading manufacturer of specialized, high tolerance metal components for application in civil and military aerospace equipment, as well as for the construction, industrial and transportation markets. The company was founded in 1778 and has 30 sites across the UK, continental Europe, the US, Mexico and also has a manufacturing facility in Tianjin, China. A spokeswoman from Doncasters declined to comment when contacted by China Daily. To contact the reporter: angus@chinadailyuk.com Veritas Technologies Appoints David Dart as Chief of HR www.veritas.com Former Celanese vice president to lead global human resources, drive cultural transformation at VeritasMOUNTAIN VIEW, CA October 19, 2016 Veritas Technologies, the leader in information management, today announced that human resources veteran David Dart has joined the company as chief human resources officer (CHRO). Dart will lead global human resources (HR) and is responsible for all aspects of HR for the organization, including performance management, talent development, talent acquisition and compensation, as well as benefits. With more than 20 years of human resource and leadership experience, Darts extensive background spans all aspects of HR, including strategic change management and leadership development.David brings unparalleled human resources experience to Veritas and will help us drive the cultural transformation and leadership development we want to see as we continue to develop as our own company, said Veritas CEO Bill Coleman. Its more important than ever to make sure we have the right talent and right people on our team to drive and support our vision for the future data management and David has the know-how and expertise to help us achieve this.Prior to Veritas, Dart held the position of vice president of Human Resources for Celanese Corporation, a Fortune 500 global technology and specialty materials company, where he led the strategy deployment efforts for the company. Dart has also held various HR leadership positions at Amgen, Ecolab, Bissell Homecare and ConAgra Foods.Dart holds a bachelor's degree in biophysics and natural resources and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Prior to his career in HR, David spent seven years serving as a logistics officer with the U.S. Navy.About Veritas Technologies:Veritas Technologies enables organizations to harness the power of their information, with information management solutions serving the worlds largest and most complex environments. Veritas works with organizations of all sizes, including 86 percent of global Fortune 500 companies, improving data availability and revealing insights to drive competitive advantage.Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.Press ContactLewis CommunicationsSarah HippoldKarlstr. 6480335 Munich+49 (0) 89 17 90 19 68sarah.hippold@teamlewis.com Global Chiral Chromatography Columns Market Is Considered as One of the Rapidly Growing Dynamic Markets by 2020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/chiral-chromatography-columns-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3331 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Chiral chromatography column is a variant of column chromatography in which the stationary phase contains a single enantiomer of a chiral compound rather than being achiral. In the recent year, due to the technological advancements in the chiral chromatography columns market has led to an increase in the application areas of chiral chromatography columns. For instance, chiral chromatography columns are widely used in different industries such as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, environmental testing and others. The chiral chromatography columns market is segmented on the basis of materials into plastic, glass and metals. The chiral chromatography columns market can be segmented on the basis of application into liquid chromatography systems, gas chromatography systems, supercritical fluid chromatography systems and thin-layer chromatography systems. The chiral chromatography columns market can be segmented on the basis of end-users into pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and beverages, hospitals and others. The liquid chromatography system is the fastest growing segment of the chiral chromatography columns market.Checkout full Report:North America represents the largest market for chiral chromatography columns. The major factors related to the growth of chiral chromatography columns market in the North America region include large number of conferences related to chiral chromatography columns, regular government investments in the chromatography instrumentation market and large number of research for drug and biological development. Europe is the second largest market for chiral chromatography columns. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for chiral chromatography columns. A business-friendly regulatory policy in the Asia-Pacific region has led to an increase in the R&D activities in this region. Asia-Pacific is hub for clinical trials and has witnessed a high growth in the Clinical Research Organizations (CRO) industry in countries such as China and India. According to ClinicalTrials.gov, in June 2013, 11,496 clinical trials are conducted in the world out of which 3,588 clinical trials are being conducted in the Asia-Pacific region. Growth in the R&D activities and Clinical Research Organiztion industry boosting the demand for chiral chromatography columns.Increase in technological advancements, government investment in chromatography techniques and increasing tie-ups with research laboratories and academic institute are some of the major driving force for chiral chromatography columns market.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:The major companies operating in the chiral chromatography columns market include Phenomenex, Inc., Waters Corporation, Agilent Technologies, Shimadzu Corporation, GE Healthcare and Sigma-Aldrich 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: Regenerative Medicine Market to Reach $30,237 Million, Globally, by 2022 http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/regenerative-medicines-market https://goo.gl/v5XVa9 A new report published by Allied Market Research titled, "Regenerative Medicine Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014 - 2022", projects that the global regenerative medicine market would reach $30,237 million by 2022. Cell therapy segment is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. North America led the global market in 2015, and is expected to remain dominant during the 2015-2022.Major factors boosting the market growth include technological advancements in tissue & organ regeneration, increase in prevalence of chronic diseases & trauma emergencies, prominent potential of nanotechnology, and emergence of stem cell technology. In addition, increase in incidence of degenerative diseases and limited availability of organs for transplants are expected to boost the market growth. The ability of regenerative medicine to replace, repair, and regenerate damaged tissues & organs stimulated the market growth.Read more at:The utilization of nano-materials in wound care, drug delivery, and immunomodulation would create new growth opportunities for the market. However, stringent regulations, operational inefficiency, lack of awareness about tissue engineering & regenerative medicine-based products and high cost restricts its growth. An analyst at Allied Market Research states, Advancements in stem cell technology and growing demand of regenerative medicine in the emerging economies would fuel the market growth. In addition, the developed nations are adopting technological advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine field at a rapid pace, which is expected to aid market expansion worldwide.The cell therapy segment accounted for over three-fifths of the overall regenerative medicine market in 2015. This was due to the wide adoption of cell therapy for the treatment of several diseases such as musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, oncology, wound healing, and others. Small molecules & biologics has emerged as the fastest growing segment and is projected to register a CAGR of 34.2% during the forecast period. This is due to biologics, which is a classic active substance, delivering a better overall economic return. These molecules have revolutionized the treatment of specific diseases such as cancer, musculoskeletal diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and non-healing wounds.Biologically derived materials, such as collagen and xenogeneic, are majorly applicable in the construction of protein membranes in connective tissues, surgical procedures for valvular diseases, liver tissue engineering, construction of biopolymer scaffolds for tissue engineering, and others. The growing demand for these biologically derived materials further boosts the market growth. The biologically derived material segment accounted for the major share in 2015, whereas, the synthetic material is expected to grow at a significant CAGR of 35.5% during the forecast period.Geographically, North America accounted for the majority of the market share in 2015, and is expected to maintain its lead throughout. This is attributed to the presence of higher capital investment, high disposable income of patients (increasing the buying potential), rise in clinical studies, and favorable government policies for the commercialization of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine products. However, Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region, owing to the improving healthcare infrastructure and healthcare expenditures in the emerging markets (such as India and China) to overcome the unmet medical needs. In addition, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine market is growing substantially due to the increasing incidence of accidental trauma injuries in this region. Increasing incidences of injuries and the ageing population also contributes to the market growth.Key findings of Regenerative Medicines Market: Biologically derived materials led the market, accounting for almost four-sevenths of the overall market revenue in 2015, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 31.6% during the forecast period. Scaffold in synthetic material segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 42.4%, owing to the degradation properties and bioabsorbable polymer, which acts as a bone fixation device. U.S. is projected to maintain its lead in the regenerative medicine market until 2022. Musculoskeletal and wound healing applications together accounted for around 60% of the overall market shares in 2015. China and Japan are the major shareholders, jointly accounting for almost two-thirds in the Asia-Pacific market. The collagen segment constitutes a major share of the biologically derived materials market. Three-dimensional polymer technology is anticipated to grow at fastest rate, with a CAGR of 44% from 2016 to 2022.Key players in the regenerative medicine market are highly focused on expanding their business operations in the emerging countries with new product launches as a preferred strategy. Leading players profiled in the report include Stryker Corporation, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., Medtronic plc, Baxter International Inc., DePuy Synthes, Organogenesis Inc. (Advanced Biohealing), Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation, Acelity Holdings, Inc., Ocata Therapeutics Inc. (Astellas Pharma Inc.), and CryoLife Inc.Download PDF Sample Copy@Allied Market Research is a global 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.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220,United States.Int'l: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285Fax: +1-800-792-5285help@alliedmarketresearch.com Solar Control Window Films Market Global Industry Analysis Report, Share, Size, Growth, Price Trends and Forecast, 2016 2024 https://www.fractovia.org/request-sample/154 https://www.fractovia.org/news/industry-research-report/solar-control-window-films-market OverviewGlobal Solar Control Window Films Market size was evaluated at more than $641 million for 2015 and is predicted to register CAGR of more than 11.1% during forecast timeframe. Increasing global efforts to minimize carbon foot print is anticipated to favorably affect product demand in commercial as well as residential constructions.Growing construction industry, specifically in regions like Latin America and APAC is predicted to promote industry growth during forecast timeline. Key threat faced in residential business is to limit incoming of additional solar rays as traditionally these solar films allowed high proportion of solar rejection. But, technological innovation has assisted clear visibility from inside both during day and night that can enhance product demand.Rising acceptance of the films owing to increasing ecological as well as health concerns are predicted to be major factors fuelling industry growth during forecast period. These films inhibit emissions of greenhouse gases and protects body or property against ultra violet rays of sun. All these features are predicted enhance the demand of the product and contribute towards industry growth. Further, they block 80.1% of solar power leading to more than 30.1% of savings on utility expenses due to low cooling and heating costs. Also, government support to lessen carbon footprints have boosted demand for product. Rising demand for smart glass can be yet another product threat that can hinder solar control window films market expansion.Request for a sample of this research report @Application InsightsThe industry is segmented into different applications like automotive application, marine application, graphics and construction application. Automotive application is predicted to register more than 11.1% CAGR in terms of revenue. Automobiles during day are tremendously exposed to sun light and this raises interior temperature causing additional burden on air conditioning system which impacts fuel consumption later. Solar films maintain the inside temperature by reflecting ultraviolet rays of sun. This application can favorably affect industry growth.Marine application is predicted to cross $111 million mark by end of 2024 and register CAGR of more than 11.1%. Ships are exposed to harmful sun rays during sail and these films can help in preventing passenger headache problems. Further, they also help in protecting maritime electronics, mobiles and audio devices from harmful effects of ultra violet rays of sun.Construction application segment contributed more than $371 million for 2015. Extensive glass application across construction sector is predicted to improve the appearance and enhance indoor lightning of interior fuelling the demand for segment during forecast timeline.Product InsightsGlobal is segmented into varied products like vacuum coated product, clear product, high performance films and dyed product. Vacuum coated product segment is predicted to register CAGR of more than 11% during forecast timeframe. Solar films when covered with reflective metal during vacuum coating method gives attractive looks. It also provides highly consistent and reflective coating predicted to boost industry expansion.Clear product segment contributed more than $176 million for 2015. Solar films can be applied on many surfaces like big doors and smooth windows.Absorber InsightsGlobal industry is segmented into various absorbers like metallic, organic and inorganic. Metallic absorber segment is predicted to register CAGR of more than 11.1% during forecast timeline. They substantially reflect rays of sun helping in minimizing power expenditure owing to ingress of low heat. Organic absorber segment is predicted to touch $241 million mark by end of forecast period.Regional InsightsGlobal solar control window films market is segmented into key geographical regions like North America, Latin America, APAC, MEA and Europe. North America, led by U.S. solar control window films market share, contributed more than $155 to total industry share for 2015. Growing health consciousness along with increasing requirement for power savings is predicted to promote regional industry expansion.APAC, led by China and India, is predicted to touch $541 million mark by end of forecast timeline. Expanding automotive and construction industries along with large scale modernization in the region is predicted to propel industry development by end of 2024. Europe solar control window films market share is predicted to witness steady gains in next few years.Competitive InsightsKey industry players profiled in the report include Vista Windows Films, CPF Films, Solar Control Films Incorporation, Llumar Window Films, Thermolite, Solar Gard Saint Gobain, 3M, Johnson Window Films, Deposition Technology Innovations, Eastman Chemical Company, Decorative Films LLC, Polytronix Incorporation, Madico Incorporation, Solamatrix Incorporation, CHB Industries, Garware Suncontrol and Pleotint LLC.To access sample pages or view this report titled, Solar Control Window Films Market Size By Application (Construction, Automotive, Graphics/Decorative), By Absorber (Organic, Inorganic, Metallic), By Product (Clear, Dyed, Vacuum Coated, High Performance Films), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, France, UK, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024 in detail along with the table of contents, please click on the link below:About Fractovia.orgFractovia.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 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Systems Market is Expected to Reach $2,930 Million, Globally, by 2021 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/global-continuous-glucose-monitoring-system-market https://goo.gl/ieeXYJ According to a new report by Allied Market Research, titled, "Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Systems Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014- 2021" the global continuous glucose monitoring market would generate a revenue of $2,930 million by 2021, registering a CAGR of 31.3% during 2015-2021. CGM sensors accounted for about two-third share of the global CGM components market in 2014 and would continue to dominate the market until 2021. The need for active management and control of diabetes has grown considerably with in a growing number of diabetic population and associated cost burden. It is projected that, by 2035, the diabetes-affected patient population would reach 471 million with an associated cost burden of $627 billion. Continuous monitoring and managing glucose levels is an essential factor in diabetes management, which is primarily delivered by CGMs.In the progression, many high-tech variants of CGMs have evolved such as smartphone-connected CGMs, wearable CGMs and non-invasive CGMs. The improved efficacy and high disease prevalence have brought these devices to center stage to glucose monitoring. Increasing awareness, FDA approval to the novel and innovative products such as bionic pancreas and focus on developing CGM devices to serve new end user segment are prime drivers to the growth of CGM market. However, lack of adequate reimbursement regime for devices and clinicians, has been the key barrier to the adoption of the devices.Get More Professional And Technical Industry Insights:CGMS has proved to be an extremely effective tool for glucose monitoring in the Critical Care/Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Many healthcare regulatory authorities across developed and developing regions have imposed Tight Glycemic Control (TGC) protocols. Mandatory Tight Glycemic Control (TGC) protocol in ICUs will render ICUs as a lucrative customer-segment market for CGMs by 2020. The need for POC/OTC CGMs will result in the emergence of Home Healthcare as the second-most lucrative customer-segment in the CGM market.Key findings of CGM System Market: The North America CGM market would continue to lead CGM market throughout the forecast period, majorly due to the sustained payers' access, better affordability and increasing confidence of CGMS among dialectologists The ever-growing demand for POC/OTC CGM will enable Home Healthcare to be the second-most lucrative end user-segment The Gen X demographic segment is the highly amenable for usage of CGMS The UK CGM market would register a CAGR of 40.9% during the forecast periodEurope would be the lucrative market segment, as the CE approval process in Europe is faster and relatively easier as compared to the U.S. FDA. However, Asia-Pacific is projected to register the fastest growth mainly due to a large patient pool and rapid penetration of CGMS in emerging markets. China is considered to be the "diabetes capital" of the world by the next decade. Consequently, companies such as Medtronic and Dexcom have already expanded their distribution and supply networks in China. The enhanced supply-side infrastructure and large patient base along with increasing purchasing power would collectively make China CGM market to be the most lucrative within the Asia-Pacific.The key companies profiled in the report are Abbott, Animas, Dexcom, Glysens, Insulet, Medtronic, Omnipod, Roche, Senseonics and Yposomed.Download PDF Sample Copy@Allied Market Research is a global 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.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220,United States.Int'l: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285Fax: +1-800-792-5285help@alliedmarketresearch.com Global Masterbatch Market is Expected to Witness a Steady Growth by 2020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/masterbatch-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/2991 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Masterbatches are solid or liquid mixture of additive or pigments used for coloring or enhancing other properties of polymers such as UV stabilizing, flame retardation, antistatic and antilocking. Masterbatches can be used by several technological methods including injection, blow, spinning and others. Growing end user markets such as packaging, automobile and healthcare is boosting the demand of masterbatch market. Moreover, increasing demand of plastics from construction and luxury goods packaging industries are further driving the global masterbatch market. Among the end-user industries, packaging accounts for the largest share in global masterbatch market. Packaging industry uses all types of masterbatches, wherein color and white masterbatch are the most commonly used segments. Food and beverages manufacturers increasing interest in enhancement of packaging colors is escalating demands for the color masterbatches.Checkout full Report:The raw materials for masterbatch production include pigments, carrier, dispersant and some additives. Masterbatch market can be classified into four segments - additive, color, white and black. Additive masterbatche is the fastest growing segment which finds its application in customized plastic products in industries such as automotive, electronic appliances, textile, pharmaceutical packaging, and food and beverages packaging. Color masterbatche is used in the production of plastics for automobiles, electronic appliances, flexible packaging for food and beverages and medicine packaging. Black masterbatche is mainly used in construction, automotive and electronic appliance industries.The demand for light weight vehicles is escalating globally due to European Unions concern for reduction in green house gases. Increasing the plastic content in vehicles reduces their weight and carbon emission, and also increases fuel efficiency. This is leading to replacement of metal parts in the vehicles by plastic components. This shows growth opportunities for the masterbatch market for the forecasted period (2014-2020). However, the rising oil prices and stringent environmental laws related to non-biodegradability of plastics are posing significant challenge to the growth of plastic industries which is in turn affecting the masterbatch market.Asia Pacific was the largest market for masterbatch in 2013 owing to high demand of plastics from construction and automobile industries. Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East are expected to witness high growth rates during the forecasted period.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:Masterbatch market in Europe and North America is consolidated, whereas the masterbatch market in Asia Pacific has a fragmented structure where china alone is a home to about 500 masterbatch manufacturers. Due to large number of mergers and acquisition taking place, rivalry in the masterbatch industry is expected to reduce during the forecasted period. The major companies operating in global masterbatch market include, A. Schulman Inc., Ampacet Corporation, Clariant International Ltd., PolyOne Corporation, GABRIEL-CHEMIE GROUP, Ferro Corporation and Americhem, Inc.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: Pharmaceutical outsourcing Market Explores New Growth Opportunities By 2016 - 2024 PMR http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/pharmaceutical-outsourcing-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11686 Pharmaceutical outsourcing, principally for contract research organization (CROs) and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), has developed during past ten years, and signs are that it will continue to develop over the forecast period. Complete new outsourcing industry sectors, like high-throughput screening services, have become multi-billion-dollar industries, and many functions earlier considered indispensable, such as in-house instinctive animal toxicology testing, now hardly exist within pharmaceutical companies.Request to view Report Page :Pharmaceutical manufacturers and developers of all extents, but chiefly the leading international pharmaceutical companies, now regularly outsource many functions and tasks earlier thought-to-be in-house principal proficiencies. The primary nature of the pharmaceutical industry has transformed as process efficiencies and cost management have become vital for persistence. Outsourcing has developed as an industry trend, and now comprises the full range of corporate activities from screening and lead identification to toxicology and several other processes like preclinical studies, clinical trials, manufacturing, and marketing at all scales.Pharmaceutical outsourcing has proven effective at deducting infrastructure and operational expenses. However, the pharmaceutical industry during this duration has realized a significant decrease in its new product pipelines due to reduced R&D efforts. This has triggered many organizations to device further internal cut-backs and escalate their outsourcing, as a way to decrease capital and payroll overheads. This economics-driven growth in pharmaceutical outsourcing has, in some ways, contributed to reduced long-term industry efficiency. But even though pharmaceutical outsourcing is eventually demonstrated not to be cost-effective in terms of supporting new product R&D and innovation, outsourcing will carry on to experience growth. Often it is the only alternative accessible to pharmaceutical companies that must adjust to lower profits due to indisposed R&D pipelines and products going off-patent. Global pharmaceutical outsourcing market will endure escalating during the forecast period, but at an increased rate than in the past.Improving efficiencies, reducing costs, ensuring business continuity, better access expertise, reducing staff, allowing staff to focus on the core competency, mitigating risk through using specialists count are few of the drivers associated with the Global pharmaceutical outsourcing market. While the best aspects probable to generate capacity (manufacture) restraints are economics driven, including the inability to hire experienced technical staff, facility constraints, and physical capacity of the equipment.The global pharmaceutical outsourcing market is segmented based on products, services, and geography.Based on products, the global pharmaceutical outsourcing market is segmented into the following:Raw material sourcingActive Pharmaceutical IngredientFinished drugsBased on services, the global pharmaceutical outsourcing market is segmented into the following:Drug discoveryClinical trialsPre-clinical developmentBiology researchThe pharmaceutical outsourcing trend started off with the outsourcing of non-core support functions such as HR finance, and IT. In pharmaceuticals, outsourced contract research and contract manufacturing have become the standard for several pharmaceutical companies. Asian contract research organizations (CROs) and manufacturing organizations (CMOs) compete with their European and North American counterparts in a worldwide pharmaceutical outsourcing marketplace. During the forecast period, pharmaceutical outsourcing market will continue to witness a shift toward developing biopharmaceuticals rather than drugs, as these products offer better profits and protection against ultimate generic competition. Many profitable antibody products and recombinant protein are coming off-patent. Over the forecast period, global pharmaceutical outsourcing market will witness dramatic growth, likely a doubling, in the amount of biopharmaceutical products as bio better, biosimilar, and biogenetic varieties of current products enter world markets.Depending on the geographic region, global pharmaceutical outsourcing market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Considerable of the growth in global pharmaceutical outsourcing market in the previous decade, mostly the rapid and dramatic growth, has occurred in low and middle-income economies, particularly India and China. Moreover low and middle-income economies proposing lower costs, these economies have their own briskly increasing native pharmaceutical industries and markets. Numerous of the leading global pharma companies invest billions in forming their own R&D centers and/or outsourcing to CMOs/CROs in these low and middle-income economies. That has provided a corporate presence and access in these promptly developing markets. Nevertheless, as the wage gap in these emergent economies narrows, employment and other outsourcing costs are growing. In the future, leading global pharma companies will move outsourcing to lesser-developed nations. By the same time, Indian and Chinese firms will shift to providing on advance quality and technology, instead of price.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @ :Some of the key players in global pharmaceutical outsourcing market are ABC Laboratories, Aenova, Alkermes plc, Associates of Cape Cod Inc., BioPharma Solutions, Catalent Pharma Solutions, Coldstream Laboratories Inc., Covance Inc., Cytovance Biologics, Inc., Dalton Pharma Services, DPT Laboratories, Emergent BioSolutions Inc., Fresenius Kabi, Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing (GRAM), Halo Pharmaceutical, IGI Laboratories, Lyophilization Technology, Inc., Metrics Inc., Mikart, Inc., Patheon, Inc., Pillar5 Pharma Inc., and Velesco Pharma and several others.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.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Refrigerated Vehicles Market : Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industries have also been growing at a rapid pace and creating Demand, 2021 Refrigerated Vehicles Market, Refrigerated Vehicles http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/refrigerated-vehicles-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3595 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Refrigerated vehicles are used for transportation of vulnerable food, pharmaceutical and healthcare products. The increasing population and consumer spending on food products has surged their production globally. Among food products, dairy products and fresh fruits and vegetables require cold storage and transportation for their sustainability. The increasing global warming has been emerging as a matter of great concern for the food producers globally which is reducing the shelf life of these products in non-refrigerated conditions. Most of the pharmaceutical and healthcare products need protection from heat and light to maintain their chemical and biological formulation. All these concerns have been driving the refrigerated vehicles market globally and are expected to increase in terms of growth rate during 2014-2020.Browse full Report @Refrigerated vehicles include a large types of vehicles used in several transportation requirements based on loading requirement. Some of their types include refrigerated vans, refrigerated trucks, refrigerated trailers, refrigerated railcars, refrigerated ships, refrigerated transport by air, refrigerated containers, atmosphere controlled containers, intermodal refrigerated containers, insulated containers, integral reefer containers and multimodal temperature containers. The increasing consumer awareness about fresh products is one of the important factors which have been escalating the demand for refrigerated vehicles globally.The developing and underdeveloped countries have an underdeveloped cold-supply chain infrastructure which leads to destruction of a large quantity of food products every year. This also increases warehousing charges of the food manufacturers and the distributors as they have to maintain local distribution points in the area of demand. The growing population and increasing per capita income in these countries is boosting the demand for food products which is further creating demands for the refrigerated vehicles in these countries. The dairy product consumption in Asia Pacific countries have also been increasing to a great extent in recent times. The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries have also been growing at a rapid pace in these developing countries which is creating demand for the refrigerated vehicles in this domain as well. The shortage of skilled labor and unstable fuel prices are the key hurdles for the refrigerated vehicles market. The companies operating in the refrigerated vehicles market are improving the fuel efficiency and noise reduction of these vehicles.There have been several technology development and introduction in the recent times by the refrigerated vehicle manufacturers. They include CorroGuard and ThermGuard by Great Dane, Strip door solution for refrigerated trucks by R.O.M, GRIPTM by RTE, LED based indicator by Carrier, economical cold plates by Johnson, reefer monitoring system by PAR, reefer-trak sentry solutions by Star-Trak, Secureseal system by OEM Group, new alternator by Robert Bosch and Fleetview by Terion.Request for Sample Report @Among regions, North America dominated global sales of refrigerated vehicles market, followed by Europe. There are a large number of market players in the refrigerated vehicles market which are operating in a particular country or globally through their subsidiaries. The global refrigerated vehicles market is fragmented however; it is increasingly advancing towards consolidation with a number of companies engaged in merger and acquisition activities.The key market players include Great Dane Trailers, Ingersol Rand Company Limited, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited, Schmitz Cargobull, R.O.M., Thermo King, Carrier Transicold, Johnson, PAR, Star-Trak, GE, OEM Group, Robert Bosch, Terion, Northgate Plc and Fraikin Limited.Key geographies evaluated in this report are: North Americao U.So Canada Europeo France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UKo Eastern Europeo CIS APACo Chinao Indiao Japano Australiao Others Latin Americao Argentinao Brazilo OthersKey features of this report Drivers, restraints, and challenges shaping the Refrigerated Vehicles market dynamics Latest innovations and key events in the industry Analysis of business strategies of the top players Refrigerated Vehicles market estimates and forecasts(2015 -2021)About UsPersistence 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, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Solanesol Market 2016 - Carolina Xtraction Technologies, Weifang Threepower, Xi'an TonKing Biotech, Caman Biotech, Shaanxi Tianze, Shijiazhuang Shengknag, Nantong Longxiang http://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/10751/request-sample http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-solanesol-market-industry-analysis-size-share-10751.html www.fiormarkets.com www.9dimenreports.com This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Solanesol from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the key technological and market trends in the Solanesol market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Solanesol, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request for sample report atSolanesol is extracted from tobacco. It is the base material for many high-value bio-chemicals, e.g. vitamin-K analogues, vitamin-E and coenzyme Q10. It is also a potentiating agent in these medicines. Research has shown that after the introduction of a 'solanesol' radical into the structure of some medicines, its effects are increased considerably. With solenesol as its base material, co-enzyme Q is useful in the treatment of heart diseases, cancers and ulcers.With the weak market for CoEnzyme Q10 and arrival of many new manufacturers of Solanesol at present, price of Solanesol is decreasing.Global Solanesol Market Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016-2021, has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Solanesol market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies.Access full report atThe competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Solanesol market areCarolina Xtraction Technologies (USA), Weifang Threepower (China), Xi'an TonKing Biotech (China), Caman Biotech (China), Shaanxi Tianze (China), Shijiazhuang Shengknag (China), Nantong Longxiang (China), Aktin Chemicals (China), Hubei Yuancheng Saichuang (China), Jiankun Shengwu (China).The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Solanesol industry has been provided.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Global Bio-membrane Market 2016 - J&J (USA), B. Braun (Germany), Geistlich (Switzerland), Yantai Zhenghai (China), Guanhao Biotech (China), Beijing Tianxinfu (China) http://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/10777/request-sample http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-bio-membrane-market-outlook-2016-2021-10777.html www.fiormarkets.com http://longshortreport.com/ This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Bio-membrane from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the key technological and market trends in the Bio-membrane market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Bio-membrane, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request for sample report atBio-membrane is mainly used in neurosurgery to repair cerebral dura mater defect caused by various reasons, and has good tissue compliance; there is no chemical crosslinking agents added in its production process and no residual cytotoxicity in its finished product; it can degrade completely in human body, which guarantees the synchronization of regeneration and degrading; as an efficient physicalbarrier, it prevents from leakage of cerebrospinal fluid and postoperative adhesion; it is convenient to transport and store with shelf life of two and half years at the room temperature. Bio-membrane is mainly used in neurosurgery to repair cerebral dura mater defect caused by craniocerebral trauma, brain tumor, cerebrovascular disease, etc. It can also be used in spinal surgery to repair spinal dura mater defect and to prevent epidural fibrosis.Global Bio-membrane Market Outlook 2016-2021, has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Bio-membrane market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies.Access full report atThe competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Bio-membrane market areJ&J (USA), B. Braun (Germany), Geistlich (Switzerland), Yantai Zhenghai (China), Guanhao Biotech (China), Beijing Tianxinfu (China).The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Bio-membrane industry has been provided.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Xi: China-Vietnam should enhance high-level exchanges Updated: 2016-10-20 14:05 By An Baijie(chinadaily.com.cn) The Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of Vietnam should enhance exchanges on the experiences of governance and jointly improve the governance capacity, President Xi Jinping told a senior Vietnamese official on Thursday. Xi made the remarks while meeting with visiting Dinh The Huynh, the Executive Secretary of Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, one of the country's five key leaders. Mentioning that the two parties have similar missions and tasks, Xi said that enhancing high-level party-to-party communications could deepen and expand the strategic consensus reached by the two sides. The current China-Vietnam ties are developing in positive direction with improvements made in all areas, Xi said, adding that the two countries should cherish the friendship and make more pragmatic cooperation to benefit the people. Dinh said that it's the Vietnam's long-term policy and top strategic priority to strengthen Vietnam-China traditional friendship. Vietnam would like to enhance political trust and improve cooperative mechanism with China, he said. Global Jaw Crusher Market 2016 - FLSmidth, Metso, Sandvik, ThyssenKrupp, Terex, Earthtechnica, Zhejiang Zhe Kuang Heavy Industries, Zhejiang Shineking, Nanchang Mining Machinery http://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/10774/request-sample http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-jaw-crusher-market-outlook-2016-2021-10774.html www.fiormarkets.com http://longshortreport.com/ This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Jaw Crusher from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the key technological and market trends in the Jaw Crusher market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Jaw Crusher, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request for sample report atA jaw crusher uses compressive force for breaking of particle. This mechanical pressure is achieved by the two jaws of the crusher of which one is fixed while the other reciprocates. A jaw or toggle crusher consists of a set of vertical jaws, one jaw is kept stationary and is called a fixed jaw while the other jaw called a swing jaw, moves back and forth relative to it, by a cam or pitman mechanism, acting like a class II lever or a nutcracker. The volume or cavity between the two jaws is called the crushing chamber. The movement of the swing jaw can be quite small, since complete crushing is not performed in one stroke. The inertia required to crush the material is provided by a weighted flywheel that moves a shaft creating an eccentric motion that causes the closing of the gap.Global Jaw Crusher Market Outlook 2016-2021, has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Jaw Crusher market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies.Access full report atThe competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Jaw Crusher market areFLSmidth (Denmark), Metso (Finland), Sandvik (Sweden), ThyssenKrupp (Germany), Terex (USA), Earthtechnica (Japan), Zhejiang Zhe Kuang Heavy Industries (China), Zhejiang Shineking (China), Nanchang Mining Machinery (China), Liming Heavy Industry (China), Zhejiang Sanme (China), Henan Hongxing (China), Northern Heavy Industries (China).The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Jaw Crusher industry has been provided.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Point-of-care Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market Explores New Growth Opportunities By 2015 to 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/pharmaceutical-packaging-equipment-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3037 The packaging of pharmaceutical products and drug delivery systems is an essential step in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical packaging equipment provides safety and quality of packaging for pharmaceutical products. Unlike traditional packaging systems, pharmaceutical packaging equipment used nowadays are modern, flexible, automated and are integrated to meet pharmaceutical products requirements. Pharmaceutical packaging equipment includes primary packaging equipment, secondary packaging equipment, and equipment for labeling and serialization. Pharmaceutical packaging equipment may be used for packing of solids, semi-solids, liquids and others. Pharmaceutical packaging equipment helps in reducing the time for packaging of pharmaceutical products which helps to increase production and innovations in drug delivery systems and personalized drugs.Request to view Report Page :North America has the largest market for pharmaceutical packaging equipment followed by Asia and Europe. This is due to increase investment in novel drug delivery techniques, increasing awareness about healthcare sector and high healthcare spending in the region. Asia is expected to experience a high growth rate in the next few years due to increasing contract manufacturing activities, rising aging population, government initiatives and growth in the pharmaceutical sector.Increasing demand for flexible and integrated packaging, rising incidence of diseases, innovations in drug delivery techniques and rapid growth of pharmaceutical industry are some of the key factors driving the growth for global pharmaceutical packaging equipment market. In addition, increasing generic and contract manufacturing activities are expected to drive the market for pharmaceutical packaging equipment in Asian countries, especially in India and China. However, high packaging cost, strict environmental and political norms and high competition between the market players are some of the major factors restraining the growth of global pharmaceutical packaging equipment market.Growing demographics and economies in the developing countries such as India and China would lead to growth in pharmaceutical packaging equipment market in Asia. In addition, growing demand for primary pharmaceutical containers would develop an opportunity for global pharmaceutical packaging equipment market. However, changing health regulations and availability and price volatility of raw material could lead a challenge for global pharmaceutical packaging equipment market. Companies involved in pharmaceutical packaging have been involved in saving operational cost. In addition, rising number of mergers and acquisitions, new product launches and an increasing number of collaborations and partnerships are some of the trends that have been observed in global pharmaceutical packaging equipment market.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @ :Some of the major companies operating in the global pharmaceutical packaging equipment market are Romaco Pharmatechnik GmbH, MULTIVAC, Marchesini Group S.p.A., Korber Ag, Robert Bosch Gmbh, MG2 s.r.l., Uhlmann-Group, OPTIMA packaging group GmbH, I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. and Bausch & Strobel Maschinenfabrik llshofen Gmbh Co. Kg.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.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Research Focused On the Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market Outlook to 2022 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/816704 https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketresearchreports-biz http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on " Austria Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market Outlook to 2022 "GlobalDatas new report, Austria Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market Outlook to 2022, provides key market data on the Austria Cardiovascular Surgery Devices market. The report provides value, in millions of US dollars, volume (in units) and average price data (in US dollars), within market segments - Beating Heart Surgery Systems, Cardiopulmonary Bypass Equipment, Perfusion Disposables and Chest Drainage Catheters and Units.Note: This is an on-demand report and will be delivered within 2-3 business days of the purchase (excluding weekends)The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for the market category, and global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants. Based on the availability of data for the particular category and country, information related to pipeline products, news and deals is available in the report.The data in the report is derived from dynamic market forecast models. GlobalData uses epidemiology and capital equipment-based models to estimate and forecast the market size. The objective is to provide information that represents the most up-to-date data of the industry possible.The epidemiology-based forecasting model makes use of epidemiology data gathered from research publications and primary interviews with physicians to establish the target patient population and treatment flow patterns for individual diseases and therapies. Using prevalence and incidence data and diagnosed and treated population, the epidemiology-based forecasting model arrives at the final numbers.Capital equipment-based forecasting models are done based on the installed base, replacements and new sales of a specific device/equipment in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centers. Data for average number of units per facility is used to arrive at the installed base of the capital equipment. Sales for a particular year are arrived at by calculating the replacement units and new units (additional and first-time purchases).Extensive interviews are conducted with key opinion leaders (KOLs), physicians and industry experts to validate the market size, company share and distribution share data and analysis.Download Sample copy of this Report at :Scope- Market size for Cardiovascular Surgery Devices market segments - Beating Heart Surgery Systems, Cardiopulmonary Bypass Equipment, Perfusion Disposables and Chest Drainage Catheters and Units.- Annualized market revenues (USD million), volume (units) and average selling price ($) data for each of the market categories. Data is provided from 2008 to 2015 and forecast to 2022.- 2015 company shares and distribution shares data for Cardiovascular Surgery Devices market.- Global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the Austria Cardiovascular Surgery Devices market.- Key players covered include Medtronic plc, Maquet Holding B.V. & Co. KG., Terumo Corporation and Others.Reasons to buy- Develop business strategies by identifying the key market segments poised for strong growth in the future.- Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies.- Design competition strategies by identifying who-stands-where in the market.- Develop investment strategies by identifying the key market segments expected to register strong growth in the near future.- What are the key distribution channels and whats the most preferred mode of product distribution - Identify, understand and capitalize.Follow us on LinkedIn:Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 31.2 List of Figures 32 Introduction 42.1 What Is This Report About? 42.2 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market Segmentation 42.3 Definitions of Markets Covered in the Report 53 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria 63.1 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), 2007-2014 63.2 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), 2014-2021 83.2.1 Beating Heart Surgery Systems Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2007-2014 103.2.2 Chest Drainage Catheters and Units Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2007-2014 123.2.3 Perfusion Disposables Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2007-2014 143.2.4 Beating Heart Surgery Systems Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2014-2021 163.2.5 Chest Drainage Catheters and Units Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2014-2021 183.2.6 Perfusion Disposables Market, Austria, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2014-2021 203.3 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Volume (Units), 2007-2014 223.4 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Volume (Units), 2014-2021 243.4.1 Beating Heart Surgery Systems Market, Austria, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2007-2014 263.4.2 Chest Drainage Catheters and Units Market, Austria, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2007-2014 283.4.3 Perfusion Disposables Market, Austria, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2007-2014 303.4.4 Beating Heart Surgery Systems Market, Austria, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2014-2021 323.4.5 Chest Drainage Catheters and Units Market, Austria, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2014-2021 343.4.6 Perfusion Disposables Market, Austria, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2014-2021 363.5 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Average Price ($), 2007-2014 383.6 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Average Price ($), by Segment 2007-2014 403.7 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market, Austria, Distribution Share by Revenue ($m), 2007-2021 424 Cardiovascular Surgery Devices Market Pipeline Products 425 Appendix 445.1 Research Methodology 455.1.1 Coverage 455.1.2 Secondary Research 455.1.3 Primary Research 455.1.4 Company Share Analysis 465.1.5 Distribution Share Analysis 465.1.6 Benchmarking 465.2 GlobalData Consulting 475.3 Contact Us 475.4 Disclaimer 47MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global Polyester Film (PET Film) Market 2016 - Fuwei Films, Toray, Mitsubishi, DuPont Teijin, Totobo, Kolon Industries, SKC, Hyosung, SRF, Ester Industries, Polyplex, Jindal, Shaoxing Xiangyu http://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/10757/request-sample http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-polyester-film-pet-film-market-outlook-2016-2021-10757.html www.fiormarkets.com http://longshortreport.com/ This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Polyester Film (PET Film) from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the key technological and market trends in the Polyester Film (PET Film) market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Polyester Film (PET Film), and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request for sample report atPET or polyethylene terephthalate film is a thermoplastic polymer commonly referred to as polyester film. Like most thermoplastics, PET films can be biaxially oriented or bubble extruded. Polyester film is one of the most common substrates used in the converting industry because of its balance of properties in relation to other thermoplastic polymers.The mechanical properties of polyester film make it a choice substrate for a variety of processing technologies, such as vacuum metalizing, coating and laminating. Additionally, polyester film is available in many variations, engineered for specific applications, this combined with the processing tolerance of PET films makes it a good substrate for a variety of applications.Global Polyester Film (PET Film) Market Outlook 2016-2021, has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Polyester Film (PET Film) market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies.Access full report atThe competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Polyester Film (PET Film) market areFuwei Films (China), Toray (Japan), Mitsubishi (Japan), DuPont Teijin (Japan), Totobo (Japan), Kolon Industries (Korea), SKC (Korea), Hyosung (Korea), SRF (India), Garware (India), Ester Industries (India), Polyplex (India), Jindal (India), Nan Ya Plastics (Taiwan), Shaoxing Xiangyu (China), Sichuan Dongfang (China), Zhejiang Great Southeast (China), Shanghai Zidong (China), Jiangsu Shuangxing (China), Heifei Lucky (China), Southern Packaging (China), Nanjing Lanpucheng (China), Jiangsu Yuxing (China) etc..The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Polyester Film (PET Film) industry has been provided.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Wireless Charging Market : Reduction in power reduction and power consumption is projected to drive the market, 2016 - 2024 Wireless Charging Market, Wireless Charging, Charging Wireless Market http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/wireless-charging-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10789 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Wireless charging is defined as charging of any electronic device battery without using any cords and cables constitutes. Nikola Tesla introduced the concept of wireless charging in 1899. This old age technology become popular in consumer electronics goods especially smartphones and tablets. Wireless charging use the concept of electromagnetic field for transmission of energy between two entities. Energy is sent to an electrical device via inductive coupling, which use the energy to charge the batteries of electronic devices.Browse full Report @The wireless charger market is at its infancy stage. Reduction in power reduction and power consumption is projected to drive the market. The potential challenges are the lack of standards, and interoperability. Efficiency of wireless charging is not similar as compare to wired charging. The Qi Standard was established by Wireless Power Consortium for interoperability.Wireless charging is segmented on the basis of applications which includes smartphones and other consumer electronic devices, industrial segment, military, medical and electric vehicles among others. Electric vehicle market has high potential for wireless charging devices. These vehicles would be charge with copper coils fixed under the vehicle and the coils located in the commercial and residential space. Thus, it will not need any discrete plug-in stations. In 2011, the military and the medical devices contributes a minor ratio to the wireless charging market and are projected to rise at slow rate by 2019. Further, wireless charging market is segmented based on geography such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of World (RoW).Request for Sample Report @Some of the major players of this market are Avid Technologies Inc., Convenient Power HK Limited, Energizer, Evatran Llc, Powermat Technologies, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments Incorporated And Verizon Wireless, Inc. among others.About UsPersistence 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, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Chile Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market Outlook to 2022 that is driven by industry demands illuminated by new report http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/816722 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The report analyzes and presents an overview of " Chile Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market Outlook to 2022 " worldwide.GlobalDatas new report, Chile Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market Outlook to 2022, provides key market data on the Chile Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices market. The report provides value, in millions of US dollars, volume (in units) and average price data (in US dollars), within market segments - Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT), Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD), Implantable Loop Recorders (ILR) and Pacemakers.Note: This is an on-demand report and will be delivered within 2-3 business days of the purchase (excluding weekends)The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for the market category, and global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants. Based on the availability of data for the particular category and country, information related to pipeline products, news and deals is available in the report.The data in the report is derived from dynamic market forecast models. GlobalData uses epidemiology and capital equipment-based models to estimate and forecast the market size. The objective is to provide information that represents the most up-to-date data of the industry possible.The epidemiology-based forecasting model makes use of epidemiology data gathered from research publications and primary interviews with physicians to establish the target patient population and treatment flow patterns for individual diseases and therapies. Using prevalence and incidence data and diagnosed and treated population, the epidemiology-based forecasting model arrives at the final numbers.Capital equipment-based forecasting models are done based on the installed base, replacements and new sales of a specific device/equipment in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centers. Data for average number of units per facility is used to arrive at the installed base of the capital equipment. Sales for a particular year are arrived at by calculating the replacement units and new units (additional and first-time purchases).Extensive interviews are conducted with key opinion leaders (KOLs), physicians and industry experts to validate the market size, company share and distribution share data and analysis.Download Sample copy of this Report @Scope- Market size for Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices market segments - Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT), Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD), Implantable Loop Recorders (ILR) and Pacemakers.- Annualized market revenues (USD million), volume (units) and average selling price ($) data for each of the market categories. Data is provided from 2008 to 2015 and forecast to 2022.- 2015 company shares and distribution shares data for Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices market.- Global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the Chile Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices market.- Key players covered include Medtronic plc, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Biotronik SE & Co. KG and Others.Reasons to buy- Develop business strategies by identifying the key market segments poised for strong growth in the future.- Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies.- Design competition strategies by identifying who-stands-where in the market.- Develop investment strategies by identifying the key market segments expected to register strong growth in the near future.- What are the key distribution channels and whats the most preferred mode of product distribution - Identify, understand and capitalize.Table of Content :1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 31.2 List of Figures 32 Introduction 42.1 What Is This Report About? 42.2 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market Segmentation 42.3 Definitions of Markets Covered in the Report 53 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile 63.1 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), 2007-2014 63.2 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), 2014-2021 83.2.1 Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2007-2014 103.2.2 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2007-2014 123.2.3 Pacemakers Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2007-2014 143.2.4 Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2014-2021 163.2.5 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2014-2021 183.2.6 Pacemakers Market, Chile, Revenue ($m), by Segment, 2014-2021 203.3 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Volume (Units), 2007-2014 223.4 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Volume (Units), 2014-2021 243.4.1 Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) Market, Chile, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2007-2014 263.4.2 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) Market, Chile, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2007-2014 283.4.3 Pacemakers Market, Chile, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2007-2014 303.4.4 Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) Market, Chile, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2014-2021 323.4.5 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) Market, Chile, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2014-2021 343.4.6 Pacemakers Market, Chile, Volume (Units), by Segment, 2014-2021 363.5 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Average Price ($), 2007-2014 383.6 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Average Price ($), by Segment 2007-2014 403.7 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market, Chile, Distribution Share by Revenue ($m), 2007-2021 444 Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market Pipeline Products 445 Appendix 465.1 Research Methodology 475.1.1 Coverage 475.1.2 Secondary Research 475.1.3 Primary Research 475.1.4 Company Share Analysis 485.1.5 Distribution Share Analysis 485.1.6 Benchmarking 485.2 GlobalData Consulting 495.3 Contact Us 495.4 Disclaimer 49MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E : sales@marketresearchreports.biz Report Shares Details About the Global Beer Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=545145&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-beer-industry-2016-market-research-report.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/category/food-market-reports-118.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com Global Beer Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.This study on the global Beer market studies the dynamics and scope of the overall market and hence presents an extensive evaluation of the market. This report is a quantitative and qualitative presentation of information and comprises the drivers and issues faced by the market. The key segments, the sub-segments and their predicted stated by the end of the forecast period have also been presented through this study. The segments which will lose their share and the ones poised to rise exponentially have also been detailed upon. The extent of the global Beer market in key geographies has also been presented under the geographical segmentation section of the report.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The study scrutinizes the market on all the key attributes in order to present a detailed understanding of the global Beer market. The top technological developments that took place in the market or are bound to take place have also been presented. The report uses various analytical tools such as SWOT analysis and Porters five forces in order to present a thorough review of the market as well as to present information on the competition present in the global Beer market. The growth opportunities and the challenges faced by the global Beer market also form a key part of this study.The competitive landscape section of the study presents the key players dominant in the market and also mentions their key contributions in the growth of the market. The strengths and weaknesses of these players also form a key part of this study. The established players growth strategies have been deployed in order for the new players to have an enhanced penetration in the global Beer market. The companies leading the market have also been analyzed on their capacity, revenue, gross, and contact information.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One Beer Industry Overview1.1 Beer Definition1.1.1 Beer Product Pictures & Product Specifications1.2 Beer Classification & ApplicationChapter Two Beer Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Beer Raw Material & Equipments Supplier and Price Analysis2.2 Beer Labor & Other Cost Analysis2.3 Beer Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.4 Beer Manufacturing Process AnalysisChapter Three Beer Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Beer Capacity and Commercial Production Date3.2 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Beer Manufacturing Plants Distribution3.3 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Beer R&D Status and Technology Sources3.4 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Beer Raw Materials Sources AnalysisChapter Four Beer Production by Regions, Technology and Applications4.1 2010-2016 Beer Production by Regions(such as US, EU, China and Japan etc)4.2 2010-2016 Beer Production by Product Type & Application4.3 2010-2016 Beer Price by key Manufacturers4.4 2010-2016 US & China Beer Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.5 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Beer Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.6 2010-2016 US and China Beer Supply Import Export Consumption4.7 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Beer Supply Import Export ConsumptionChapter Five Beer Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions5.1 2010-2016 Beer Sales by Regions (such as US, EU, China & Japan etc)5.2 2010-2016 Beer Sales Revenue by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.3 2010-2016 Beer Sales Price by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.4 2010-2016 Beer 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 Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market To Make Great Impact In Near Future by 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1240 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1240 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-1240 www.futuremarketinsights.com Remote patient monitoring devices supports in monitoring of patients physical condition. Patient does not need to visit the medical practitioner. Digital technology is used in remote patient monitoring devices to gather health and other forms of medical data to securely pass on to healthcare providers situated at different location for clinical review. The accuracy of remote patient monitoring devices allows reliable diagnosis, leading to a more specific and efficient treatment. Remote patient monitoring devices helps to reduce costs of hospital stays by continuing to monitor patient condition, irrespective of patient location and also it helps to reduce overcrowding at clinics and diagnostic centers. Remote patient monitoring devices systems are used for continuously monitoring important physiological parameters like, heart activity, body temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate and other clinical conditions. Remote patient monitoring devices is based on real time data sharing which helps physicians to take vital decisions to ensure better patient treatment. Physician and healthcare providers are extending the use ofremote patient monitoring devices to enhance the excellence of patient care and reduce expenses by prognosis.Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsRemote patient monitoring devices market is fueled by great technological advancements. The increasing incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases like heart conditions and diabetes requires compulsory life-long monitoring will also contribute to remote patient monitoring devicesglobal market. Increase in geriatric population around the globe is leading to enhanced global market forremote patient monitoring devices. Awareness among the medical practitioners and improved private sector and government involvement in remote patient monitoring devices is supporting the global market for remote patient monitoring devices dwell in developing countries. Deficiency of trained and expert professionals are hampering the growth of remote patient monitoring devices.Request Free Report Sample@Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market: SegmentationGlobal remote patient monitoring devices market is segmented as following:By Product Type:Heart Rate MonitorsBlood Pressure MonitorsHeart MonitorsBreath MonitorsSleep Apnea MonitorsBlood Glucose MonitorsWeight MonitorsBody Temperature MonitorsInfusion PumpsBy End User:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersHomecare settingsVisit For TOC@Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market: OverviewIncreased technological improvement, rise in the incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases along with increase in aging population, enhanced demand for remote monitoring, private sector and government involvement in remote patient monitoring devices, the global market for remote patient monitoring devices market is expected to have a healthy growth rate in the forecast period (2016-2026).Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global remote patient monitoring devicesmarketis segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa.North America is the leading global remote patient monitoring devices market due to the high volumes of surgical procedures being performed. Also, the availability of established healthcare infrastructure, high influence of healthcare to economy are the reasons for the high demand in North America. Europe is also a lucrative market for remote patient monitoring devices due to rapid technological advancement in terms of healthcare sector. Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at a good rate as compared to NA and Europe as there is ample market opportunity in countries like India and China due the large population.Speak To Analyst@Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the key participating global remote patient monitoring devicesmarketare Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., AMD Global Telemedicine, Honeywell International Inc., Omron Healthcare, Smiths Medical, Medtronic, and others.About Us:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Contact 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.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Lithium Hydroxide Market 2016 - Sichuan GRM, FMC, Albemarle, SQM, Tibet Mineral, Jiangxi Ganfeng, Tianqi Lithium, Xinjiang Haoxin, Yahua http://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/10739/request-sample http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-lithium-hydroxide-market-outlook-2016-2021-10739.html www.fiormarkets.com http://longshortreport.com/ This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Lithium Hydroxide from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the key technological and market trends in the Lithium Hydroxide market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Lithium Hydroxide, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request for sample report atLithium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula LiOH. It is a white hygroscopic crystalline material. It is soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol, and is the weakest base among the alkali metal hydroxides. It is available commercially in anhydrous form and as the monohydrate (LiOH.H2O), both of which are strong bases.Global Lithium Hydroxide Market Outlook 2016-2021 , has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Lithium Hydroxide market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies.Access full report atThe competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Lithium Hydroxide market areSichuan GRM (China), FMC (USA), Albemarle (USA), SQM (Chile), Tibet Mineral (China), Jiangxi Ganfeng (China), Tianqi Lithium (China), Xinjiang Haoxin (China), Yahua (China).The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Lithium Hydroxide industry has been provided.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Global Behenyl Alcohol Market Going to Reach 54,200.9 Metric Tons by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/behenyl-alcohol-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6976 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Behenyl alcohol (CAS: 661-19-8), often referred to as docosanol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilise formulations. It is categorised on the basis of purity level. Behenyl alcohol with the purity level of 70% is most commonly used. However, behenyl alcohol with purity over 80% is very rarely used. Behenyl alcohol accounted for a mere 1.4% share of the overall fatty alcohols market, and for 14% share of the overall C16+ fatty alcohols market in 2014.The global behenyl alcohol market to expand at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period, 2015 - 2021.Global behenyl alcohol market is projected to account for 54,200.9 metric tons by the end of 2021. In terms of value, the global behenyl alcohol market accounted for US$ 119.4 Mn in 2014. It is projected to witness the increase in volume due to rising demand from end-use segments.The report analyses the global behenyl alcohol market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) and market volume (metric tons), by end-use segment, region and application; and provides information regarding market dynamics, value chain, competitive landscape, current trends, market estimations and forecast.Browse Complete Report @Globally, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period and is projected to witness a 1.4X increase in its volume production by the end of 2021. While Japan and India are two major exporters of behenyl alcohol chemicals globally, South Korea is one of the key importers of behenyl alcohol in Asia Pacific. In Asia Pacific, India is the largest producer of rapeseed and behenyl alcohol. A large number of companies based in the country export rapeseed to North America, Europe and other parts of Asia. Sun care products are widely used in Asia Pacific. It accounted for nearly US$ 2.2 Bn in 2014. The increase in demand for sun care products, in turn, is expected to boost overall demand for behenyl alcohol globally. Though the market is gaining traction in Asia-Pacific, low presence of Chinese players in the behenyl alcohol market has significantly reduced price competitiveness among the companies based in Japan, India and Europe. As a result, manufacturers are expected to generate high-profit margins in the Asia Pacific region. Europe is the next lucrative destination for behenyl alcohol manufacturers.Among the end-use segments, behenyl alcohol finds the largest application in the cosmetics industry, followed by pharmaceuticals and others. The pharmaceuticals end-use segment is expected to gain traction in the near future due to increasing demand for behenyl alcohol in ointments. Increasing demand for high-quality cosmetic products is influencing manufacturers to opt for high-quality ingredients such as behenyl alcohol, which has a relatively non-sticky property as compared to other ingredients.Download Report Sample @Globally, per capita consumption of cosmetics is increasing at a rate of 3.4% per year. Per capita consumption of cosmetics is expected to grow exponentially in the near future due to a significant rise in geriatric population, especially in Japan and China.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: North America Forging Market Estimated To Reach USD 15.41 Billion Forecast Period From 2015- 2020 Forging Market in North America http://bit.ly/1Rlq1Gz http://bit.ly/2d8goNt http://www.marketresearchstore.com/requestquote?reportid=35586 http://bit.ly/2evRNiN http://www.marketresearchstore.com Zion Research has published a new report titled Forging Market in North America(Rolled Rings, Open Die and Impression Die) Industry for Automotive, Aerospace, Oil and Gas, and Other Applications: Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast 2014 - 2020. According to the report, North Americas demand for forging industry was valued at USD 11.75 Billion in 2014 is expected to reach USD 15.41 Billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 4.76% between 2015 and 2020. In terms of volume, the North America forging market stood at 23.30 million tons in 2014.Request Report Sample atForging is a manufacturing process of shaping metals using compressive forces. Cold forging and warm (or hot) forging are two major forging processes. Forging is a robust technique as compared to other metal shaping techniques, as it owes to the powerful metal component. The forging mechanism can be exercised as ferrous (aluminum and titanium) forging and non-ferrous forging. Metal forging is done through either impression die, open die, or rolled rings. Forged metal components are widely used in the automotive, aerospace, construction, oil and gas, agriculture, shipbuilding, steel, bearing, and power industries.The forging market is segmented on the basis of different types of forging mechanism such as ferrous metal forging, and non-ferrous metal forging. Forging market can also be segmented as rolled rings, open die and impression die on the basis of product segment. Impression die dominated the North America forging market with over 60% share in total market in 2014. However, rolled ring die segment is expected to witness fastest CAGR during the forecast period. Rolled rings forging market is growing as demand for rolled ring forging equipments demand for automotive, aviation and oil & gas industry is growing. Aerospace industry dominated the demand for rolled rings forging equipments market in North America.Get Inquiry for buying report atThe forging market in North America is segmented on the basis of application segmentation includes the automotive industry, aerospace industry, oil and gas industry, and other applications. The automotive industry is one of the largest industries contributing to the growth of the forging market through the high consumption of forging equipment. Impression dies are mainly used for making several metal components. Strong demand for impression die forging equipments from automotive industry is expected to boost the demand for forging market in the years to come. Aerospace is another important end market for forging industry.Request a Quote atThe key players for forging market in North America include Alcoa, American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, and Precision Castparts. The others prominent players for the forging market in North America include Ellwood Group, ATI Ladish Forging, FRISA, General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems, HHI Forging, Patriot Forge, Scot Forge, Sumitomo, Sypris Solutions, ThyssenKrupp.North America Market: Type Segment AnalysisFerrous Metal ForgingNon-ferrous Metal ForgingNorth America Market: Product Segment AnalysisBrowse The Full Report atRolled RingsOpen DieImpression DieNorth America Market: Application Segment AnalysisAutomotive IndustryAerospace IndustryOil and Gas IndustryOthersAbout UsZion Research 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. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses 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.Contact USJoel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442 United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite: OKPAY payment system becoming a EU regulated company www.okpay.eu http://www.okpay.eu LIMASSOL, Cyprus - Oct. 20, 2016 -- OKPAY has introduced the launch of beta websiteas the first step towards transition to a Cyprus regulated financial institution.OKPAY Inc. has been providing financial services since 2010. Today, OKPAY is starting to operate in Cyprus under the regulatory supervision of the Central Bank of Cyprus."Our main goal has always been empowering our customers' personal and corporate financial experience," said George Paphitis, CEO of OKPAY CY. "I truly believe that by connecting countries, currencies, businesses, and professionals we are helping our customers succeed in more ways than ever before."OKPAY aims to expand internet commerce with unique innovations that improve all the ways electronic payments are used every day.With the help of a world-class IT specialists team, OKPAY is constantly gaining new features. Having an OKPAY account guarantees its owner early access to the most recent financial instruments."We love the web, creating and implementing fresh ideas and services is our passion," said Konstantin Romanovsky, head of IT department. "New user area features dramatically improved interface that is advanced and user-friendly like never before."Modern technology and the Internet are creating exciting new business opportunities all over the world. Thousands of entrepreneurs from over 200 countries and territories professionals, start-ups, and digital platforms actively establish global businesses. Everyday challenges they face in getting paid and making payments for cross-border contracts can be easily overcome with the help of a professional financial service like OKPAY."We believe that current financial limitation is not a problem of a financial nature but mostly a service-based limitation," continues George Paphitis, CEO of OKPAY CY. "We obsessively seek out elegant solutions that allow us to create robust, scalable, and flexible integrations. OKPAY is built for developers and creators of any kind. We avoid needless complexity and extraneous details, that's why you can set up your business with OKPAY in just a couple of minutes."People behind OKPAY are businessmen with vast practical experience in the field of electronic commerce, financial software development, banking, product marketing and Internet sales since 2007.OKPAY CY Ltd (reg. #296419) is duly licensed by the Central Bank of Cyprus (E-Money Issuer License #115.1.3.3) to issue electronic money and payment instruments. OKPAY is a registered trademark of OKPAY CY Ltd. VisitE-mail: kr@okpay.comTelephone: +35725254858Address: 84, Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, 4004, Limassol, Cyprus ReportsWorldwide.com announces distribution of Eurotechnology Japan market research reports http://bit.ly/2en4z3R ReportsWorldwide.com adds industry reports published by Eurotechnology Japan to its collection of global market research reports.We are thrilled to tie-up with Eurotechnology Japan for marketing and distributing their specialized reports. These reports will give our customer access to highly specialized research reports from Japan, stated Abigail Crasto, Senior Vice President at ReportsWorldwide.com.Commenting on the partnership agreement, Dr. Gerhard Fasol, Founder of Eurotechnology Japan, said: We are very happy to reach even more customers globally with our precision research on Japans high-tech industry, telecommunications and energy sectors with our new distribution partner, ReportsWorldwide.com. 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Products include DNA vectors for cloning and expression, cell transfection reagents and cell culture tools, immobilized and soluble enzymes, products for genomics and proteomics research, numerous antibodies and recombinant proteins, superior fluorescence reagents and kits, affinity chromatography products, as well as general laboratory equipment.In parallel to its own product lines, MoBiTec distributes products from international companies in Germany. MoBiTec products are distributed worldwide, in Germany from their home office, in other countries by distributors.MoBiTec GmbHLotzestr. 22a37083 Goettingeninfo@mobitec.com A 50-year-old man killed late Tuesday in Clackamas County lived with the suspect in his stabbing death, deputies said. Dean Christian Boettcher The county sheriff's office identified Matthew Nelson Timmons as the homicide victim in a news release Thursday. Dean Christian Boettcher, 51, is suspected of stabbing him multiple times, killing him. Deputies said a warrant has been issued for Boettcher's arrest. He's still at large. Timmons and Boettcher lived together at a home in the 17000 block of Southeast Oatfield Road, which is near Gladstone. Boettcher has a criminal history that includes a 2001 first-degree assault conviction for beating his former boss with a claw hammer. He was also convicted in 2001 of third-degree sex abuse after he inappropriately touched a 16-year-old girl, according to Clackamas County Community Corrections records. He was released from the Oregon Department of Corrections custody in December 2012, said Betty Bernt, spokeswoman. Court records show Boettcher was convicted of fourth-degree assault and attempt to commit a Class A felony. He again caught prison time in June 2012 until March 2015, Bernt said. Deputies said they found Timmons dead after entering the home after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. They responded to the area on the report of a disturbance. Boettcher may be in an off-white 2010 Mini Cooper with the Oregon license plate 399HJL. Deputies ask anyone who sees the car or Boettcher to call 911 immediately. They consider Boettcher to be armed and dangerous, and they said people shouldn't approach him. A woman who was sought in the investigation was found Wednesday, deputies said. She is a witness in the case, they said, and isn't a suspect. -- Jim Ryan and Tony Hernandez jryan@oregonian.com; thernandez@oregonian.com AILES.JPG In this 2015 photo, Roger Ailes attends a special screening of "Kingsman: The Secret Service" in New York. (AP Photo) By Alyssa Rosenberg Perhaps this marks me as naive, but I've goggled at the sheer sums of money powerful men have recently been paid simply to go away and stop causing trouble. Forty million dollars to Roger Ailes, a man accused of persistent and pervasive sexual harassment? Millions of dollars to Billy Bush, whose appearance cheering Donald Trump's pronouncements about grabbing women on the "Access Hollywood" tape had tanked his already rickety brand? It must be extraordinarily pleasant to occupy a world where even after rendering yourself noxious, the sort of person who is more pollutant than asset to a modern corporate environment or the cozy environment of a morning show, you can get paid astonishing sums of money to stop hanging around and causing trouble. And it's not only money. As CNN's Brian Stelter reported, Bush's negotiations with NBC about his exit were so granular that the final agreement even governed what each party could say on Bush's way out the door. The result was that NBC's Noah Oppenheim had to say of Bush, who served as a cheerleader for Trump's vulgar, disturbing boasts and then encouraged a colleague to hug him, "He was a valued colleague and longtime member of the broader NBC family. We wish him success as he goes forward." Ailes's sins were worse, and seemed to be more pervasive; on his way out the door, Lachlan and James Murdoch alluded to the circumstances behind his departure, though they joined their father, Rupert, in praising his vision. What a pleasure it must be to live in such a rarefied environment, where the consequences of your bad decisions are so cushioned for you! This is not to suggest that being fired from running Fox News, where Ailes made millions of dollars each year, or the "Today" show, is not a punishment. It undoubtedly is. But it's much easier to ride out such a punishment in a $36 million Palm Beach mansion like the one Ailes bought after his exit from Fox News was announced. And it's certainly easier to do so when your former corporate masters are being careful not to sully your name further than you have already, wishing you luck on your way out the door and praising your genius, even if said genius didn't extend to concluding that maybe you shouldn't have asked your female employees to twirl for you. By contrast, let's look at what the women who had to deal with these men are getting out of the interaction. Gretchen Carlson, whose lawsuit precipitated Ailes' demise, settled for $20 million, which is not pocket change. It remains to be seen how Andrea Tantaros' lawsuit against Fox News will shake out. But it's not exactly as if Fox News is moving proactively to set up some sort of compensation fund. And it doesn't seem that Arianne Zucker, who had to greet Trump and Bush at the end of that excruciating bus ride, or Nancy O'Dell, who worked with Bush and whom Trump claimed to have "moved on," are getting compensated in any way for having to put up with this obvious nonsense. Perhaps the answer, then, is that women need to ask for a lot more in their contracts. A car and driver may be nice perks for those in elite positions, but what about a penalty clause that kicks in every time a male co-worker pesters you with his attentions or evaluates you on the basis of your looks? What about a system whereby every time a man undermines a female colleague when she's not around, or encourages her to be physically affectionate with a client or someone from another company, he loses a certain percentage of his salary, which is then paid to that woman? How about anything at all that shifts the incentives from paying people to go away to rewarding people who put up with sexist nonsense to stay and do great work? The writer Sarah Hagi coined an instant slogan when she tweeted: "God give me the confidence of a mediocre white dude." The contract protections of mediocre white dudes would be a pretty nice thing to have, too. (c) 2016, The Washington Post -44a4508cbc362734.jpg Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (Andrew Harnik/Associated Press) HILLARY CLINTON, WARMONGER: There is a great deal that some people find not to like about Donald Trump, but even Green Party candidate Jill Stein pointed out that Hillary Clinton is the greater warmonger of the two. From the failed Libyan incursion to her threats to shoot down Russian jets in Syria as well as her sponsorship of the coup d'etat to topple the democratically elected president of Ukraine, Clinton's career is littered with these and other catastrophes. In particular, if she carries her blatant anti-Russian hostility into the White House, then the risk of a nuclear war with Russia is greatly increased. Is this what you want, Oregon? Gerhardt Goeken, Southeast Portland * HILLARY CLINTON IS AGAINST RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: Most evangelicals face a not-so-difficult decision on Nov. 8. Will we vote for a playboy billionaire businessman or Hillary Clinton, an intelligent, well-educated but lying, mistake-prone, quasi-socialist who, according to her husband in an October 2012 speech, communes and consults with a dead Eleanor Roosevelt? Then there is this from The Washington Post's Marc A. Thiessen (Oct. 13): "In a speech not long before she launched her 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton made a stunning declaration of war on religious Americans. Speaking to the 2015 Women in the World Summit, Clinton declared that 'deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.' Religious beliefs have to be changed? This is perhaps the most radical statement against religious liberty ever uttered by someone seeking the presidency." We will hold our collective noses and vote for Mr. Trump! Alvin Palfenier, Clackamas By Charles Krauthammer WASHINGTON -- The case against Hillary Clinton could have been written before the recent WikiLeaks and FBI disclosures. But these documents do provide hard textual backup. The most sensational disclosure was the proposed deal between the State Department and the FBI in which the FBI would declassify a Hillary Clinton email and State would give the FBI more slots in overseas stations. What made it sensational was the rare appearance in an official account of the phrase "quid pro quo," which is the currently agreed-upon dividing line between acceptable and unacceptable corruption. This is nonetheless an odd choice for a most egregious offense. First, it occurred several layers removed from the campaign and from Clinton. It involved a career State Department official (he occupied the same position under Condoleezza Rice) covering not just for Clinton but for his own department. Second, it's not clear which side originally offered the bargain. Third, nothing tangible was supposed to exchange hands. There was no proposed personal enrichment -- a Rolex in return for your soul -- which tends to be our standard for punishable misconduct. And finally, it never actually happened. The FBI turned down the declassification request. In sum, a warm gun but nonsmoking. Indeed, if the phrase "quid pro quo" hadn't appeared, it would have received little attention. Moreover, it obscures the real scandal -- the bottomless cynicism of the campaign and of the candidate. Among dozens of examples, the Qatari gambit. Qatar, one of the worst actors in the Middle East (having financially supported the Islamic State, for example), offered $1 million as a "birthday" gift to Bill Clinton in return for five minutes of his time. Who offers -- who takes -- $200,000 a minute? We don't know the "quid" here, but it's got to be big. In the final debate, Clinton ran and hid when asked about pay-for-play at the Clinton Foundation. And for good reason. The emails reveal how foundation donors were first in line for favors and contracts. A governance review by an outside law firm reported that some donors "may have an expectation of quid pro quo benefits in return for gifts." You need an outside law firm to tell you that? If your Sultanic heart bleeds for Haiti, why not give to Haiti directly? Because if you give through the Clintons, you have a claim on future favors. The soullessness of this campaign -- all ambition and entitlement -- emerges almost poignantly in the emails, especially when aides keep asking what the campaign is about. In one largely overlooked passage, Clinton complains that her speechwriters have not given her any overall theme or rationale. Isn't that the candidate's job? Asked one of her aides, Joel Benenson: "Do we have any sense from her what she believes or wants her core message to be?" It's that emptiness at the core that makes every policy and position negotiable and politically calculable. Hence the embarrassing about-face on the Trans-Pacific Partnership after the popular winds swung decisively against free trade. So too with financial regulation, as in Dodd-Frank. As she told a Goldman Sachs gathering, after the financial collapse there was "a need to do something because, for political reasons ... you can't sit idly by and do nothing." Giving the appearance that something had to be done. That's not why Elizabeth Warren supported Dodd-Frank. Which is the difference between a conviction politician like Warren and a calculating machine like Clinton. Of course, we knew all this. But we hadn't seen it so clearly laid out. Illicit and illegal as is WikiLeaks, it is the camera in the sausage factory. And what it reveals is surpassingly unpretty. I didn't need the Wiki files to oppose Hillary Clinton. As a conservative, I have long disagreed with her world view and the policies that flow from it. As for character, I have watched her long enough to find her deeply flawed, to the point of unfitness. But for those heretofore unpersuaded, the recent disclosures should close the case. A case so strong that, against any of a dozen possible GOP candidates, voting for her opponent would be a no-brainer. Against Donald Trump, however, it's a dilemma. I will not vote for Hillary Clinton. But, as I've explained in these columns, I could never vote for Donald Trump. The only question is whose name I'm going to write in. With Albert Schweitzer doubly unavailable (noncitizen, dead), I'm down to Paul Ryan or Ben Sasse. Two weeks to decide. Charles Krauthammer's email address is letterscharleskrauthammer.com. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group Brad Perkins I question why Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury is considering selling the Wapato Jail for $9 million when the public has invested $90 million to build, finance and maintain the building. Investing another $1 million to make changes necessary to temporarily house over 500 people is an incredible bargain compared to a recent downtown affordable housing renovation project by REACH which cost $514 per square foot and another project by Central City Concern which costs over $1,000 per square foot, which is three to six times the normal cost to renovate buildings. Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and candidate Eric Zimmerman's attempt to open the mothballed Wapato facility makes economic sense and quickly addresses a great need. They wish to take a more sensitive approach to temporarily shelter people at Wapato and provide medical assistance to those who want help so that they can be properly evaluated for longer term placement and assistance elsewhere. A more permanent solution to the homeless crisis will take multifaceted resources and focused, hard work by those willing to evaluate all state, county and city properties for diverse uses. As a society we must work to put together a multifaceted program to adequately address the worsening homeless situation in a humanitarian way. Once a Portland housing commissioner, I had the opportunity to meet many good people and nonprofit groups who are sincere about helping people in need. Political leaders need to gather experts in related fields, meet weekly and strategize a plan to use our human, monetary and physical resources to address the problem head on and not worry about political correctness. City and county leaders should look to the successful plan that worked well west of Troutdale more than 100 years ago: Multnomah County's Poor Farm, now McMenamins' beautifully renovated Edgefield. The former tenants there maintained the property, prepared food, raised livestock and tended fields for themselves and other public institutions. In return, tenants had stability with access to food, shelter and medical care. Share your opinion Submit your essay of 700 words or less to commentary@oregonlive.com. Please include your email and phone number for verification. Leaders should also consider building sustainable communities as they plan long-term, multi-service approaches to provide shelter. There's no reason why we cannot build inexpensive, affordable housing that satisfies the needs of homeless singles and families in the same quad-style complexes built for university students across the United States since the 1970s. Each quad is an efficiently designed four-bedroom space sharing a kitchen and bathroom. These housing communities could be built on cheaper land outside the central city with nearby or incorporated medical and job training facilities. This humanitarian approach to helping those in need should allow police and counselors the power once again to enforce vagrancy laws on those who refuse help and continue to violate the law. Building self-confidence through counseling, proper medication, work training and stable, long-term living solutions provide the greatest return on investment for society. Insensitive short-term fixes when police try to force the homeless to "move on" is not a good use of public resources and only serves as a Band-Aid on thousands of cuts. Brad Perkins is a real estate broker and resident of Northeast Portland. By David Ignatius WASHINGTON -- Reality TV is about winning. It doesn't matter how you manage to be a "survivor," so long as you stay on the island. That's the sensibility that Donald Trump, the ultimate reality-television star, brings to foreign policy. In Trump's world, winners don't have to worry about alliances, nuclear proliferation or human rights -- if they come out on top. Trump's comments during Wednesday night's debate in Las Vegas conveyed a values-free approach to foreign policy that would make Machiavelli blush. A generous characterization would be that he voiced an extreme "realism" that focused entirely on U.S. interests. A harsher assessment is that Trump's amoral approach would alienate long-standing allies and potentially endanger U.S. security. Trump's disdain for traditional foreign policy positions was clear in his positive comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Even after U.S. intelligence agencies accused Russia of hacking American political parties to destabilize the election, Trump still had good things to say about the Kremlin leader. Trump seems convinced that he and Putin could achieve a kind of personal detente. "He said nice things about me," Trump enthused Wednesday night. "If we got along well, that would be good. If the United States and Russia got along well and went after ISIS, that would be good." It's hard to argue against greater Russian-American cooperation, but Trump seems oblivious to the possibility that he might be used by a belligerent, autocratic Kremlin leader. As in the past, Trump seemed to take Putin's side against President Obama and Hillary Clinton. He suggested that Putin's military success (achieved through aggressive, destabilizing tactics in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria) shows that he's a strong leader who's able to push a weak U.S. around. "[Putin] has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president," Trump said. "Putin has outsmarted her and Obama at every single step of the way. Whether it's Syria, you name it." An example of Putin's supposed outsmarting of the U.S. was the collapse of a Sept. 12 cease-fire in Syria, which led Secretary of State John Kerry to suspend bilateral negotiations: "During the cease-fire, Russia took over vast swatches of land, and then they said we don't want the cease-fire anymore." Trump said America had been "outplayed." Rather than condemning Russian and Syrian military strikes that devastated Aleppo and led the U.S. to suspend talks, Trump said civilians there were dying "because of bad decisions" by the U.S. Trump's most astonishing comment about tough guys was his praise of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a leader who has waged a vicious civil war and used chemical weapons against his own people. "He's just much tougher and much smarter than her [Clinton]," Trump said, adding that if the Syrian opposition should prevail, "you may very well end up with worse than Assad." Moderator Chris Wallace eventually got Trump to "condemn" Russia's hacking of U.S. political parties, but only after the GOP candidate had said "I doubt it, I doubt it" about a statement accusing Russia issued by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on behalf of the 17 spy agencies he oversees. This must be the first time in our political history when a U.S. presidential candidate, after encouraging a foreign adversary to spy on the U.S., challenged the evidence of wrongdoing. What role do alliances play in Trump's realpolitik world? Not much, it seems. Trump claimed that Clinton was telling "just another lie" when she accused him of undermining commitments to defend NATO allies in Europe and Asian allies such as Japan and South Korea. But Trump has repeated often what he said in an April 27 speech, that "the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves," even if that means letting them acquire nuclear weapons. The big news Wednesday night was Trump's refusal to promise he will accept the election result if he loses. But why should that be a surprise? People who've done business with Trump say he's famous for holding back his final payment to contractors and negotiating for a better deal, or stiffing them altogether. Leaving people in suspense about his actions is part of Trump's self-proclaimed "art of the deal." Why would he be any less high-handed in dealing with the American public than with his business associates? For Trump, life is a validation of the cynical aphorism that "might makes right." The best thing you can say about Clinton's debate performance was that she took aim at this untethered, overinflated dirigible and kept landing zingers. David Ignatius' email address is davidignatiuswashpost.com. (c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group 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. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. The Midland Camera Clubs Oct. 25 meeting will feature a workshop on portraits and posing. The meetings are from 7 to 9 p.m. in room 304 of Midland Evangelical Free Church, 7221 N. Jefferson. Chainsaw Man Season 1: The anime community is now buzzing about Chainsaw Man. Although the manga has been out for Read more Pacific Air Forces hosted 78 Republic of Korea Air Force Academy cadets during an immersion here Oct. 19. The visit was part of an effort to build a foundation of partnership and interoperability between PACAF Airmen and future ROKAF leaders. Since 1950 our two nations have fought together to defend the Korean peninsula and that relationship grows stronger each and every day, said Maj. Gen. Mark Dillon, PACAF vice commander, speaking to the cadets. The visit included U.S. Pacific Command strategy and PACAF command briefs to highlight the commands role and mission in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and further the cadets understanding of that role. Additionally, the cadets visited and had the opportunity to pay their respects at the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Missouri Memorial and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific where they participated in a wreath-laying ceremony. During the PACAF briefing, Dillon correlated the ROKAFs part in presence, partnership, power projection and people. He discussed how joint and combined exercises such as Red Flag-Alaska, Vigilant Ace, Cope North and Ulchi Freedom Guardian, help the alliance remain strong for the future. The incredibly strong alliance between our two air forces and the presence of the United States around the theater allows us to project power and presence and partnerships across the entire region, Dillon said. Its all underpinned by our great Airmen. For Republic of Korea Air Force Academy Senior Cadet Seungtae Han, a highlight was visiting a U.S. Air Force base for the first time and learning about how the U.S. and ROK work together. My favorite part of the visit was visiting and speaking with members of the U.S. Air Force, Han said. I learned about U.S. Air Force tasks and strategies and how the U.S. continues to support the Republic of Korea through various exercises and engagements. This allowed me to have a better understanding of our relationship. This was the third time a ROKAFA cadet class visited Headquarters PACAF. Hillary Clinton is a Nasty, Two-Faced Political Monster By Joe Starr | Politics | October 19, 2016 | Over the course of her thirty years of public service, one thing is particularly clear: Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is an icy, calculated monster of a woman. And thats exactly why she has my vote. Seriously, why does everyone who insists that Clinton is a cold two-faced viper consider those bad traits for the President of the United States? Washington DC is a den of lying snakes and thats not gonna change, so voting for Queen Bitch Viper (whose platform is entirely things that I want to see passed in my country) seems like a pretty good fucking idea to me. Clinton has proven again and again that she is an unstoppable machine. Shes Skynet in a power suit. The woman who told the finance sector in a speech that a politician needs to have both a public position and and private position isnt a two-faced crook. Shes a Good Hill Hunting level chess player. She knows the end game and she knows how to get there. Hillary is an ambitious sociopath who will do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals. You know who she sort of reminds me of? A Donald Trump that isnt a fucking idiot or a complete failure at everything he does. Maybe thats why his supporters hate her so much. Shes the real deal; the kind of run-and-gun business woman with mercenary sensibilities that Trump could only dream of being. But how could I say she reminds me of Trump and still follow her into battle? Because I dont dislike the qualities that Trump keeps insisting he has. I have no problem with a ruthless business person fighting for what they want and calling out the system. The problem with Trump is that he is a sham. A charlatan without the resolve of a Gordon Gekko or the charm of a monorail salesman. Clinton, more than anyone, truly recognizes the challenges ahead of us. She knows that the leads are weak. But she recognizes that third place is youre fired. And so shes gonna shit on whoever she needs to to make the deals she needs to make to be a success for our country. Jill Stein wont do that. Stein seems to think she can just get everyone to do a few summer camp trust falls and boom, nationalized healthcare. Even Bernie Sanders, for all his strengths and perceived lack of skeletons, doesnt strike me as willing to go full House of Cards to fight on our behalf. In our current climate, we need someone who keeps her knives sharp watching our backs. Hillary Clinton is the T-800 if it could do all that weird think monologuing Benedict Cumberbatch does in Sherlock when hes sherlocking. Watching Hillary at work, its suddenly so clear. She would never stop. She would always be there. Of all the would-be presidents who came and went over the years, this thing, this machine, was the only one who measured up. In an insane world, she is the sanest choice. Shes Michael Corleone, Walter White, and every other male antihero who has the exact same qualities that we find admirable. Is it because we worship these characters in fiction, but the reality of them is uncomfortable? Not for me, yall. The Godmother is coming and she wants to fix tax code loopholes. Hillary is a brutal bitch. So dont come at me with rants about how shes no angel and the trail of bodies shes left on her way to sit in an office to fight for an agenda I support. Thats exactly why Im voting for her. Hillary Clinton knows whats best in life: Crush your enemies. See them driven before you. Hear the lamentations of their Trump trains. Im with her. BLOOMINGTON Beningo's may be gone, but the owner of the landmark Italian restaurant and several neighbors support a small neighborhood pub occupying its former home in west Bloomington. But for patients of Chestnut Health System's addictions treatment center across the street, it could be a problem. Bob and Amy Crawford and Larry Salvator want to open Crawford's Corner Pub at 610 W. Chestnut St. where the family-owned eatery operated for 46 years until it closed in August. Mayor Tari Renner, acting as the city's sole liquor commissioner, said he will bring the request before the council for a vote on Nov. 11 with two stipulations: The business would not be allowed to have bar signage or banners facing the treatment facility, and it would have to start out with earlier closing times of 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. If there are no problems after six months, the bar would be allowed to stay open an hour longer each night. "I am not doing this without some concerns and reservations. If this didn't have the support from neighbors and Janet, I would be voting 'no,'" Renner said, referring to Beningo's co-owner Janet Whitworth. Bob Crawford said they did not seek a restaurant liquor license because they anticipate more alcohol sales than food. They also plan to add video gaming machines to stay competitive with other bars. "Our patients would not be able to enter or exit our treatment program without seeing signage, without seeing that bar directly across the street," said David Sharar, Chestnut's chief clinical officer at the hearing Tuesday at which Renner later made his recommendation. About 1,600 patients a year are treated through the adult services program at Chestnut's facility at 702 W. Chestnut St., said Sharar. "Many of them, in their first 90 days of treatment, are at great risk for relapse," he added. "We have some concern that a tavern directly across the street with signage could trigger that relapse." Renner said he shares Sharar's concerns about having "not a restaurant but a bar and gambling across from a place treating addictions." Beningo's provided "stability to the west side, which sometimes gets a bad rap," said Bob Crawford. "I hope to continue that tradition." "What we're trying to do is be a neighborhood bar," added Amy Crawford. The Crawfords said they are committed to the neighborhood with having invested $500,000 to fix up 13 older houses within a three-block radius of Beningo's in the past six years. They also live two blocks away. "One of the criteria that I need to examine before I make a recommendation to the City Council is the immediate impact on the neighborhood," said Renner. "Certainly to transition from a restaurant to a tavern in a residential neighborhood is very likely to have an impact." Whitworth and neighborhood residents JohAnna Chambers, Elmer Alsene and Alison Dickson were among seven people who spoke in favor of the pub's request for a tavern liquor license. "I am so happy to see these young men take over our wonderful business and make it flourish again," said Whitworth. "It's going to be different but I think it will be good for the neighborhood." Alsene, who lives about four blocks from the former restaurant, said he is happy to see someone occupy that site "because we don't need any more vacant buildings." Judy Glenn, a 30-year resident of the neighborhood and past president of the Northwest Bloomington Neighborhood Association, wants something positive to happen to the location. "However, this is counterproductive and disrespectful to the employees of Chestnut and their clients who are trying to improve their lives," said Glenn when contacted by The Pantagraph on Wednesday. "I don't think people are fully aware of the services that Chestnut Health Systems offers to the community." Whitworth said after the meeting that the sale of her building is contingent on the council's approval of the liquor license. "We haven't had a lot people beating on our door wanting to buy our building," said Whitworth. "These two young men are putting $100,000 into a very old building that very much needs it. It will increase property values. The city needs its sale taxes, its employment, the gaming fees." Alderman Scott Black, who represents Ward 7 in which the building is located, said he has heard no negative feedback from residents regarding the liquor license. Director Gavin OConnors thriller The Accountant almost seems like an excuse for Ben Affleck to try his hand at playing a math whiz for once. But Afflecks Christian Wolff is a far cry from Will Hunting. Chris is a high-functioning math savant on the autism spectrum, who finds solace in ritual, routine, patterns and finishing his tasks. He leads an unassuming and mundane life in rural Illinois as a strip mall accountant, but of course what looks simple and quiet never is. His unique gifts allow him a lucrative side-hustle as a forensic accountant for some of the scariest people on the planet, according to Ray King (J.K. Simmons), director of crime enforcement at the Department of the Treasury. But that part of his life isnt so much what The Accountant is about. Theres no globe-trotting or cavorting with cartels and mob bosses. The film is a bit of a bait and switch. We think were diving into the antithetical world of the criminal accountant, but what the film wants to explore is where Chris came from, and how he works. Hes from a family ruled with an authoritarian hand by his military psychologist father, who whipped his neuro-divergent son into a super fighter for self-defense purposes. When he works, whiteboards cant contain his extensive, meticulous, nearly supernatural methods. He accepts payment in the form of priceless pieces of fine art. He spends a portion of his nights listening to cacophonous music and battering his leg with what appears to be a rolling pin. He relaxes by shooting cantaloupes with long range anti-aircraft weapons. While King and an upstart Treasury analyst (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) are hot to uncover Chris identity (it involves googling Lewis Carroll a lot), he takes a gig hunting for a financial leak at biomedical company Living Robotics. Its the gig that undoes him, as he connects with young accountant Dana (Anna Kendrick), and runs into foes he never saw coming. The Accountant isnt quite a twisty tale, but it revels in slow-burning reveals that range from the blatantly obvious clearly intended to make the audience feel smart to the entirely inexplicable and confounding. Theres also a double whammy of button-cute ending twists. The film is far more potboiler thriller than prestige picture, but Affleck is fun to watch in this against-type performance. In flashbacks, we see Chris struggle with his neurological condition as a young boy, and Affleck takes those tics and tantrums and turns them into grown-up quirks and tendencies. The cast is a great strength of The Accountant in addition to Simmons, the beloved character actor set is rounded out with Jeffrey Tambor, who plays Chris mentor, and John Lithgow playing the Living Robotics founder, as well as Jean Smart as his sister and business partner. Kendricks own tendency toward the neurotic is well-channeled into her character. There are many story threads left dangling, as if they were planning a sequel to this hero origin story, wherein the accountant finds deductions and loopholes and leaks for the worlds super-villains. The result is that it feels not quite done, a good idea thats only half-baked. Coming soon Scheduled to open in area theaters next weekend (Oct. 28) is just one big newbie: Inferno: Third film in the "Da Vinci Code" series, again directed by Ron Howard and again starring Tom Hanks as dogged symbologist Dr. Robert Langdon, this time on a trail of clues tied to "Dante's Inferno," including a map to Hell and other prophetic goodies, all pointing to a viral pandemic that threatens mankind, pronto. He's teamed with a doctor (Felicity Jones) as they race across Europe and against the clock to foil the impending plague. Ben Foster, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy and Sidse Babett Knudsen co-star. Film clips Sohl train: The McLean County Museum of History's Movies Under the Dome series, featuring films with McLean County connections, returns at 7 p.m. Tuesday for a seasonal salute to former Bloomington-Normal dweller and Pantagraph staffer Jerry Sohl, whose film scripts include 1965's "Die, Monster, Die" with horror legend Boris Karloff, and 1968's "Curse of the Crimson Altar," also with Karloff and co-starring Christopher Lee. Featured will be a pair of Sohl's best-known TV series credits: Queen of the Nile (1964) from "The Twilight Zone" and The Corbomite Maneuver (1966) from "Star Trek." All this and pre-show activities at 6 p.m., too, featuring makeup artists on hand to "transform you." In addition, the museum's Bill Kemp will offer a look at Sohl's life and career, and Halloween and sci-fi-related items from the museum's collection will be on display. Costumes: encouraged! Having a masked ball: The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts' silent movie series with live organ accompaniment by Dennis Scott is back for a Halloween-ready offering at 7 p.m. Tuesday. This time Scott, who is house organist for Chicago's famed Music Box Theater, will be at the organ keyboards for the most famous silent horror movie also featuring an organ ... the 1925 Universal Pictures version of The Phantom of the Opera with Lon Chaney Sr. in the title role. Tickets: $10-$15. BLOOMINGTON Intergovernmental cooperation and fiscal prudence are helping McLean County local governments weather problems created by the state's financial uncertainty, local government leaders told members of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. McLean County Board chairman John McIntyre, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, Normal Mayor Chris Koos and Danvers Village President Tom Caisley spoke at the annual State of McLean County event, sponsored by the chamber, at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center. McIntyre said, I know we're all frustrated by the state's budget situation. Nevertheless, he said, We're well on our way to passing a balanced budget in November. He listed actions that are being taken or planned to address the need for mental health services in the jail and the larger community, saying they are being made possible through intergovernmental agreements with Bloomington and Normal and the work of social service agencies. Cooperation also was a major theme of the presentation by Caisley, president of the McLean County Mayors Association. Caisley said smaller communities share equipment, such as street sweepers and bucket trucks, and five sets of communities share police departments, resulting in better services and the availability of better equipment. Koos said Normal is in pretty good shape financially, pointing to a recent bond review in which the town kept its Triple A rating. He said financial challenges include the low rate of return on the town's investments a problem for all governments that affects such things as pension funds and the state's financial uncertainty, which makes our (financial) forecasting a little cloudy. Both Koos and Renner expressed optimism about economic development. Renner said the community is well positioned for economic growth with a well-trained, well-educated workforce, but faces competition. In reference to the closed Mitsubishi Motors North America plant, Koos said, The interest in that plant is active and strong. You'll know soon what's going to happen at that location. Renner said Bloomington has maintained a stable bond rating and We are in a community that is thriving. The redevelopment of the strip malls that used to contain Kmart, now known as Empire Crossing, and Service Merchandise, now the home of Hy-Vee, are both something to be proud of, said Renner. Empire Crossing, in particular, provides a better welcome to Bloomington for visitors driving into down from the Central Illinois Regional Airport than the virtually abandoned site did, according to Renner. A 14-year-old schoolgirl and her 14-year-old boyfriend stabbed to death a dinner lady and her 13-year-old daughter. The couple was recently convicted, becoming Britain's youngest criminals. Now both 15, the teen couple who stabbed 49-year-old Elizabeth Edwards and her 13-year-old daughter Katie, in their sleep were found guilty and convicted of murder. The teen couple admitted they "meticulously" planned the double murders, according to the Daily Mail. After stabbing Elizabeth and Katie, the two ate ice cream, watched "Twilight" films and even had sex. "I'd felt like murdering for quite a while," the girl said after she was arrested by authorities. The teen couple stabbed Elizabeth Edwards with a knife. After killing her, they went to Katie who was sleeping in the next room.The teen killers, who were drenched in blood, took a bath to clean themselves, with the girl saying they should have used a gun as she didn't like the smell of blood. The young girl also confessed she and her boyfriend would meet every night at McDonald's to plot the murder of Elizabeth Edwards at her home in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The girl only said she had "a grudge" towards the dinner lady. "She deserved it," the girl said of the death of Elizabeth Edwards. According to the girl, they were to kill themselves with 80 tablets and alcohol the next day but the plan did not push through. Moreover, the young girl admitted she was looking forward to the planned murder every day at school. The boy, on the other hand, was reportedly ordered to carry out the stabbings, with the girl as the "driver" of the double murders. The boy had pleaded guilty of murder at the beginning of the court proceeding while girl denied it. Instead, she admitted manslaughter on the "grounds of diminished responsibility, BBC News reported. Meanwhile, they young couple was found by officials five days after the murder of Elizabeth Edwards and Katie Edwards. But what was really more apalling was the fact that the girl seemed unapologetic during the court hearing, as per the Telegraph. Yara Shahidi, the 16-year-old star of the comedy series "Black-ish," has expressed that she's taking a gap year after high school. Delaying a year of college doesn't mean she's not pursuing a degree though, as she has plans to apply at Harvard after taking a year-long break from school. However, is the practice of taking a gap year only a privilege for the rich? Yara Shahidi defends that many kids opting to take a gap year have valid reasons. "It's more than to just roam around or just sit down and stare at a wall," the actress told People. Having worked since she was a child, Yara Shahidi said that she's delaying college to really assess what she wants to do with her life. "I want to study something specific," she further related, adding that she has set her sights on sociology. On the set of "Black-ish," Yara Shahidi is also getting great advice and inspiration from her co-stars and show creator, Kenya Barris, about her college plans. She also said she's open to getting an "unorthodox college experience" during her gap year, which will eventually help her decide on the right campus to attend later on. The teen star is but one of many youngsters now choosing to take a break after their high school graduation. According to New York Times, when these kids do start college formally after their gap year, many actually do better in school. Some of those who have taken a gap year and have gotten their degrees eventually end up in good-paying jobs as well. The gap year as only affordable to the rich might be a misconception because not everyone taking a year off before college do so to travel. According to the Marketplace, some kids take a gap year to help their family with finances. They can get a job or serve in the military for nine months or so, thus enabling them to save for college tuition and help their parents. Kids interested in taking a gap year but are worried about expenses can look into other service programs, such as AmeriCorps, to help cover living costs, according to Boston Globe. Volunteering might also earn the students college credits and open potentials for financial aid for tuition fees. Learn more about making the most of a gap year in the video below. Norway has approved a new ruling that gives foreign pregnant women more abortion rights. If a women is carrying twins, she can choose to abort one of the fetuses even if it's healthy. The said law is supported by Norway's Department of Health but it is causing quite a controversy. Specifically, this abortion right will allow for pregnant women from neighboring countries like Sweden and Denmark to undergo "selective reduction" in Norway. This means that they can get an abortion of one of the fetuses in a twin pregnancy without any legal repercussions. They can also get an abortion at a Norway hospital without having a permanent Norway address, provided that foreign pregnant women properly pay for the procedure and hospital expenses. Several women from the Nordic regions have apparently already made arrangements with Norway hospitals since the new ruling was announced, The Local reports. Selective reduction has been allowed in Norway since February, which provides women the right to abort the fetus in a twin pregnancy of up to the twelve weeks. The country's health department has extended the abortion right to foreign women this week. But some are worried that the ruling might only promote abortion tourism. Dagsavisen reports that Christian Democrats are calling on a ban on all types of fetal reduction. But this has been an ongoing discussion in Norway's parliament for decades. Some doctors have also expressed that there are risks to selective reduction because the twins will be unnecessarily exposed. "Our recommendation was that this should only be allowed for twins if one fetus showed developmental abnormalities, " Dr. Birgitte Heiberg Kahrs from Oslo said, according to Independent. Life News points out that Norway's law might seem liberal but U.S. and Canadian abortion laws are actually a lot more radical. In these countries, abortion is allowable for up to 20 weeks of pregnancy and the reason for terminating the fetus is immaterial. During the aftermath of Typhoon Matthew, a baby boy was born in 'Med 1' unit after Southeastern Regional Medical Center lost its electricity and water supply because of Hurricane Matthew. Logan Britt was born on Oct. 14 during an unexpected situation and in an unlikely setting. Sandra Simon, the mother of Logan, told reporters that she panicked when her water broke early in the morning. "At first I seen that cord, I was nervous about having the baby on the way here to the hospital," Simon told 11abc. So the husband, Knox Britt, rushed Sandra to Southeastern Regional Medical Center. When they arrived at the hospital, attending doctors thought Sandra might need to give birth through an emergency C-section and Med 1 was the quickest option for treatment, the WBTWNews13 has learned. Med 1 unit was brought into the hospital from Carolina's Healthcare System because of the hospital's loss of electricity and water as well as a staffing shortage. Sandra said that when the doctors told her that she was going to the mobile, she didn't really know where she was going, the WBTWNews13 cited. Logan's father also mentioned that it is his first time to hear about the mobile and he also did not know anything about the mobile. In the end, both Sandra and baby Logan has survived the labor. Britt family was also very grateful to John Roberts, the emergency doctor in Med 1, who helped Sandra to deliver baby Logan and Brandon Locklear, the OBGYN in Southeastern Regional Medical Center, who has already delivered between 5,000 and 7,000 babies, as of WBTWNews13. Meanwhile, 10 babies are welcomed in Melbourne hospital during the strikes of Hurricane Matthew, the FloridaToday has learned. Though Hurricane Matthew brought stories of destruction and loss, several families are celebrating life. Two 15-year-old teenagers are now being dubbed as Britain's youngest murder couple after being sentenced guilty for stabbing to death a mother and daughter back in 2015. According to reports, the two teenagers, one male and a female both 15, face life imprisonment after murdering a dinner woman named Elizabeth Edwards, 49, and daughter, Katie, 13 in Spalding, Lincolnshire in 2015. The teen murderers were both 14 during the killings, making them the youngest killer of United Kingdom. The teenager girl denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as a result of abnormality of brain function, but admitted killing the Edwards, the IBT has learned. However, the jury in Nottingham Crown Court rejected her claims and found her guilty of manslaughter after two-and-a-half hours of deliberation. Her accomplice, who is her sweetheart, has pleaded guilty even before the court trial started. She really meant to kill the Edwards as she actually planned the murder together with her boyfriend. The girl confessed to the police that she and her boyfriend went over the plan over and over again, The Guardian reported. Forensic psychiatrist Philip Joseph told the court that when he interviewed the "inappropriately upbeat" female teen over a deliberation, she did not even show remorse or look upset, The Guardian has heard. Joseph added that this is clearly a planned, controlled killing - there is control all the way through it. The teenager boy stabbed the mother Edwards eight times using a kitchen knife, twice in her throat in order to slice her cries and screams for help, while his girlfriend stabbed the daughter Edwards twice in the neck and the boy lastly smothered the body, The Guardian has found out. The girl killer admitted to the police and psychiatrists that the killings had been a breeze, according to The Guardian. After the murder, the teen sweetheart, watched the teen romance Twilight vampire films, ate tea cakes and ice cream and had sex, the Mail Online has discovered. The two teens, now both 15, were compared to Bonnie and Clyde during the court trial, the Mail Online added. Diverse schools shouldn't just contain students from all races. An inclusive classroom comprises a diverse teaching staff as well. A new study, which is a part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching project, measured how students perceive their teachers and it turns out that they prefer having black and Latino teachers than white teachers. The research gathered data from 1,680 teachers and around 50,000 students (grades six to nine) in 200 schools located in six big metropolitan areas across the United States, CNN reported. The research was conducted by Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, who was a math teacher at a majority-black middle school in San Francisco, California, and Peter Halpin, an assistant professor of applied statistics at New York University. The study was published in the journal Educational Researcher last week. The study didn't focus on Asian-American teachers or teachers of other races because there weren't enough of them to gather conclusions from, Cherng said. As for the reason behind students' preference, the pupils said that their black and Latino teachers were "clearer" or easier to understand during classroom lessons than their white teachers. According to the students involved in the study, they feel more motivated and supported by their black and Latino teachers. It should be noted that the students' own race didn't affect their teacher preference. For instance, even white students prefer having Latino teachers and their relationship is at the same level as the relationship between Latino pupils and Latino teachers. Asian-American students, on the other hand, had favorable views about their black teachers. Rich Milner, director of the Center for Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh, said that the study's results aren't surprising because of the nature of teachers of color. Milner said that "teachers of color tend to empathize with their students" and "relate to their inside and outside of school realities," CNN further reported. Teachers of color also cater to the different learning styles of students and they develop "instructional practices that are responsive to students and give students' multiple opportunities for success." A 2004 analysis published by the National Education Association found that increasing the percentage of teacher diversity in classrooms narrows the achievement gap between students from different ethnic groups and economic backgrounds. Better teacher diversity is also connected to improved student performance. Despite the positive effects of teacher diversity in classrooms, 83 percent of all elementary and secondary teachers in the U.S. are white, according to the Department of Education. The country's ethnic diversity of school-age children, on the other hand, is increasing. Thousands of women came to Argentina to protest over the heinous rape and murder of a sixteen-year-old girl. Women were urged by activists to wear black to join them stage a national strike The teenage girl was Lucia Perez who was said to be drugged and raped before she was killed in the city of Mar del Plata earlier this month. Two men left her at a hospital and said that she overdosed on drugs. However doctors found out that she was not only drugged, but she was seriously and violently abused sexually according to a report in BBC News. Protesters left their work to let their voices heard. In fact, pouring rain and ferocious wind meant nothing in order to protest violence against women. People from all parts of the world over the internet also supported the said event under the hashtag #MiercolesNegro (Black Wednesday) according to The Daily Dot. There are also protesters who carry signs stating, "If you touch one of us, we all react!" They expressed their tremendous anger about keeping macho practices alive not just in Argentina, but also all over Latin America. They even said that despite the effort of President Mauricio Macri to tackle gender issues, they would not expect that a change of attitude from the government will come. All they ever wanted was a cultural change and such massive demonstration is perhaps a sign that it is about to take place. The march organizers wrote a demand from people to stop working for a while and support the "no more machista violence." Machismo is a Spanish word that describes an exaggerated form of masculinity that leads them to kill women. The support also comes from Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and Uruguay. A vigil of support found outside the embassy of Argentina in London was also organized by the Argentina Solidarity Campaign. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions It was reported in London today by both The Mobile Network and Babel that Apple's presence on the Mobile World Congress exhibition calalog shows that Apple would be attending/presenting in three meeting rooms. The company's listing shows that it has booked space in the App Planet, Hall 8.1, as well as in the upper level that runs above Hall 2. The proof provided is illustrated in the graphic below. Every year Samsung has been one of the largest draws to the event in Barcelona and that's likely not to change this year as it doesn't seem that Apple hs been booked for any large keynote. While Apple may want to have a presence to promote Apple Pay in Europe, anything we suggest would be pure speculation at this point. The good news is that Apple may be attending this top mobile industry event and it's about time. We could only hope this isn't a one time event. I'd love nothing more than to see Apple hold a high profile event here one of these years if not every year just to put added pressure on Samsung and steal some of their thunder. For now it's a rumor and we'll see what happens in February. 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. Today marked the end of the siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis to Washington. It isnt as if things just fell together and our country rose the next day, ready to enslave and slaughter as good Americans should. The Treaty of Paris wouldnt be signed for two more years. But with the defeat of Cornwallis, the futility of Englands continued resistance against the Colonial bid for independence became clear. The fighting ended and the Colonists could start sorting out this victory while their leaders begin living up to their lofty promises. Given the fact that this came from a break with England, possibly the greatest power in the world in those days, that wasnt bad. Its easy to look back in hindsight and say of course England lost, it was too far away, or it had bigger problems near at home, or whatever excuses we can muster to downplay the phenomenal odds that the Colonists overcame in order to achieve victory. Even Washington wasnt guaranteed his place in history yet. Like most things in history, while it was happening, the outcome was still very much up for grabs. Nonetheless, the victory on this day was hard won, and helped solidify the grab for independence that the Founding Fathers had promised. Podcast About 75% of military recruits arrive at a training base with no bank account and have to be bussed to a local bank to open one, says Jill Castilla, CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond. The bank's team is building a platform that will help service members save and build credit. Two Iranian Labor Rights Activist Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Peaceful Activism 10/20/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Labor rights activists Jafar Azimzadeh and Shapour Ehsani-Rad were sentenced to 11 years in prison each for their peaceful activism on October 15, 2016 by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in the city of Saveh, 76 miles southwest of Tehran. Iranian labor rights activists Shapour Ehsani-Rad (L) and Jafar Azimzadeh According to the courts ruling, Azimzadeh and Ehsani-Rad were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for organizing and operating an illegal group and one year in prison for propaganda against the state. The alleged illegal group is the Free Workers Union of Iran, of which Azimzadeh is president and Ehsani-Rad is a member of the board of directors. I have been sentenced on the basis of charges I was tried and punished for before [for which I was] sentenced to six years in prison. In fact, Im a prisoner on furlough (temporary leave), said Azimzadeh in an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran on October 15. Azimzadeh was sentenced to six years in prison in March 2015 for assembly and collusion against national security and the repeat charge of propaganda against the state. In July 2016 he was temporarily released on furlough after he went on a two-month hunger strike demanding that the authorities reconsider his case. According to Article 14-7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory: No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an offence for which he has already been finally convicted or acquitted in accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country. All the charges and accusations against me are for trade union activities, such as organizing unions, non-violent labor strikes, and interviews with the media to defend workers rights, myself included. I am a worker, added Azimzadeh. Azimzadeh and Ehsani-Rad are also due to appear in the Saveh Criminal Court for the charges of disturbing public opinion and disrupting public order. They are accused of inciting workers at the Safa Rolling and Pipe Mills Company to go on strike in 2015. The Free Workers Union was formed in 2007 on the basis of the Constitution, Jafarzadeh told the Campaign on October 15, referring to the right to assemble freely. Article 27 of Irans Constitutionstates, Public gatherings and marches may be freely held, provided that arms are not carried and that [the events] are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam. According to the Free Workers Unions Articles of Association: The Union sees itself as a vessel for achieving the rights of all workers in Iran and attaining a humane living standard for the working class based on contemporary advances. On October 7, 2016 an appeals court upheld a six-year prison sentence against teachers rights union leader, Esmail Abdi. 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. Iran says talking to 16 firms over oil projects 10/20/16 Source: Press TV Iran says it is negotiating with 16 international energy companies over investing in the exploration and development of oil and gas projects that it recently put out on tender. Gholam-Reza Manouchehri, the deputy head of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for engineering and development affairs, told reporters that all the projects which were put out on tender earlier this week are feasible even with oil at $40 a barrel. "We have a lot of companies approaching NIOC," Bloomberg quoted Manouchehri as saying. "I'm not sure when we'll sign the first contract. I hope it will be earlier" than a year from now. Gholam-Reza Manouchehri On Monday, the NIOC invited eligible international companies to participate in the pre-qualification phase of a tender for 50 exploration and development targets across the country. The targets include a variety of low and average risk oil and gas fields. They include lucrative oil targets like South Azadegan, Changuleh, and Ahwaz-Bangestan as well as promising gas fields such as Kish, Farzad-A, North Pars, Golshan and Ferdowsi. Manouchehri told reporters that South Azadegan field - which is located on Iran's southwestern border with Iraq - will be probably the first deal that will be announced, but could not provide an exact timing. He added that the project probably needs $10 billion to reach 600,000 barrels a day of output. The tender is a central part of Iran's plans to increase its production to above four million barrels per day - the same level that existed before a series of draconian US-led economic sanctions were imposed against the country in 2012. Iran's Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh said earlier that Iran's oil production has already neared pre-sanctions levels, adding that the country was already producing around four million barrels of oil per day. In recent years, Iran's Navy has increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers. In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, safeguarding merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries. Iran's Navy has managed to foil several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during its missions in international waters. TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Keep an eye out for LeEco, a new consumer technology brand that just made a splashy landing in the United States. No, its not a French company. The China-based conglomerate (Le means happiness in Mandarin) packed a San Francisco hall Wednesday morning with more than 1,700 partners, customers, and reporters, as it declared big plans for delivering content on new devices, from smartphones and VR headsets to smart bicycles and cars. If this sounds like a mashup of the business models for Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and Tesla, youre rightLeEco is aiming straight at these tech giants. And if it seems like the United States doesnt need any more phones, TVs, or streaming services, you could make a strong argument for that, too. As luck would have it, though, Samsungs battery debacle leaves a huddled mass of refugees looking for a new phoneand maybe looking askance at their Samsung TVs. LeEco is already offering a raft of content via aggressively priced devices. The Samsung vacuum could be a helpful advantage for LeEco as it enters an otherwise saturated market. The goal of LeEcos eui (Ecosystem User Interface) is a seamless content experience across all connected devices. LeEco claims it does a better job than any of these companies in making the hardware and the content you consume on it easier to use. The company actually started as a streaming media business. As it moved on to developing hardware, LeEco put some thought into how its content would play on the device. Today there are 7.9 devices in every home, and they are fragmented, explained Richard Ren, the president of LeEco North America. We are working to create a more seamless, unified experience. LeEco calls that friction-free design eui, or Ecosystem User Interface. In the most compelling part of the two-hour presentation, a video showed someone watching a movie on a LeEco smartphone (the companys term is ecophone) and making a simple flicking gesture to move that content to a nearby LeEco TV. LeEco LeEcos Pro3 smartphones offer high-end components for aggressive prices. In a dig perhaps aimed at Apple and its we-know-best attitude, LeEco also emphasized how it developed its products with lots of customer testing and feedback through its UP2U (User Planning To User) program. As the user, you are the foundation of our ecosystem, said Danny Bowman, chief revenue officer of LeEco North America. LeEco proceeded to introduce a raft of new products: A flagship Le Pro3 smartphone with high-end specs for just $300, and a more affordable Le S3 model for $249 (both available November 2). A line of TVs, also available November 2, ranges from 43 to 65 inches wide, priced at $649 to $1,399. LeEco also showed its ExploreVR headset (with the promise of VR content to come) and LeEco Super Bike, a smart bicycle with a display built into the frame. The company unveiled the LeSee Pro, a self-driving electric car prototype developed with Aston Martin and studded with multiple displays for streaming content within the carincluding to the driver, apparently kicking back while the car does the work. The LeSee Pro will even let the driver enjoy some content while the car does the heavy lifting. Oh yeah, the content. In China, LeEco says its service boasts a catalog of 5,000 movies and 100,000 TV episodes, with a daily audience of more than 50 million users. In the United States, the company unveiled a long list of partners for its content service. The most well-known names include MGM, Showtime, and SlingTV, as well as Vice Media and Awesomeness TV. LeEco is also producing its own content through its Le Vision business unit, including the upcoming high-budget film The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon and thousands of computer-generated, ravening beasts. LeEco LeEcos ExploreVR headset is designed to work with its ecophones. It is true that no company has achieved the perfect harmony of hardware and content yet. Amazon tried and failed with its Fire Phone. Apple and Google have some strong hardware and service offerings that dont mesh perfectly yet. LeEco has no brand cachet and plenty of entrenched competition ready to quash it. It seems to be ready on the content side, but the real test will be whether its hardware can live up to American standards. If Samsung has provided an opening, its also trained consumers to be more wary of vendors promises. Intels hope of recovering a record antitrust fine have improved with a recommendation from a top European Union judge on Thursday that the case be reviewed. The company paid the 1.06 billion (then US$1.4 billion) fine in 2009 after the European Commission found it guilty of abusing its dominant position in the market for x86 processors. Since then, it has been seeking to have the judgment overturned, first by the EUs General Court and then, since 2014, by the EUs highest legal authority, the Court of Justice. The CJEU heard that appeal in June, and now Advocate General Nils Wahl has issued his recommendation to the court. The opinions of the courts advocates general are not binding, but it often follows them. Wahl recommended Thursday that the case be referred back to the General Court for review. He disagreed with the lower courts findings on a number of points of law raised by Intel. Those points concerned the Commissions treatment of rebates Intel paid to four computer manufacturers, Dell, Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard and NEC on condition that they purchased almost all of their x86 CPUs from it, and payments it made to electronics retailer Media-Saturn on condition it sold only computers containing Intels x86 CPUs. The rebates and payments, the Commission said, made it harder for Intels competitors to compete on the merits of their x86 CPUs, reducing consumer choice and lowering the incentive to innovate. In his analysis of the General Courts handling of Intels appeal, Wahl found the courts treatment of the rebates and payments as exclusivity rebates led it to overlook the capability of such rebates to restrict competition. Further, he wrote, in the case of HP and Lenovo, there was no question of exclusivity because they were still allowed by their agreements with Intel to purchase significant quantities of x86 processors from AMD. Wahl also doubted whether Intels market position was dominant enough to be abused. By averaging Intels market share between 2002 and 2007, he wrote, the court failed to take into account that the companys share was shrinking and by 2007 was no longer sufficient for it to restrict competition. The Commissions failure to record an interview with a Dell executive in accordance with EU law was another point on which Wahl found fault with the lower courts ruling. He even went so far as to question whether the Commission had jurisdiction over some of Intels alleged market abuse. The lower court failed to assess whether certain agreements between Intel and Lenovo had immediate and foreseeable anticompetitive effects within the European Economic Area, of which the EU is part, he wrote. Intel failed to win Wahls support on one point, however: the size of the fine. Although it was a record for the EU at the time, that alone doesnt make it disproportionate, and Intel did not point to any legal errors on the part of the General Court in its assessment of the fine. I agree with the Commission that the arguments put forward by the appellant in relation to the proportionality of the fine must be declared inadmissible, he wrote. The company will now have to wait until next year for the Court of Justice to determine whether to refer the matter back to the lower court. I hate to say it, but this sounds like the solution a man would come up with to solve the problem of makeup: a new Skype overlay applies virtual makeup to women conducting Microsoft Skype calls. Microsoft Japan, in conjunction with cosmetics supplier Shiseido, has developed TeleBeauty, an app that applies virtual makeupwith styles ranging from cool to trendyover a face. TeleBeauty uses the laptops camera to superimpose the makeup scheme as the woman (or a man, though the app seems aimed at women) conducts a Skype for Business call. Coworkers will love it! Its not exactly clear how women will download the app, as the official Shiseido video hasnt posted a link. A search of the Shiseido website didnt turn up anything, either. However, TeleBeauty isnt Shiseidos first foray into apps; this past summer, the company debuted an app to (ahem) rate women on their smile. Shiseidos latest app, apparently used by Microsoft Japan, Shiseido, and other companies that encourage telecommuting, is just as encouraging. Is your lap full? Youll still be ready for a closeup, a Shiseido TeleBeauty video exhorts. Anywhere, anytime. Shiseido A new look for a new day. Shiseido encourages women to explore the apps settings: Go natural, for everyday meetings, or bold, to get undivided attention, or even trendy, to pitch a new idea. To the untrained eye, its not quite clear where the app actually applies the virtual makeup, however. Why this matters: Weve all been there: a Skype call just two minutes away, a quick look in the mirror. Oh no! If youre a man, that could mean running a comb through your hair, or maybe a quick buzz with a razor. But women are held to a higher standard: Hair and makeup are mandatory. So is TeleBeauty an intriguing vision into the future of business communications? Just another microaggression waged upon women? A much-needed timesaver? Or simply something that will inevitably flop? Tell us in the comments below. In a contentious race, Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, R-Rancho Cucamonga, appeared to keep his 40th Assembly District seat. Steinorth was facing Democratic challenger Abigail Medina, a school board member, to represent a district that includes part of the city of San Bernardino, in addition to Redlands, Highland, Loma Linda and most of Rancho Cucamonga. With all precincts counted, Steinorth had 52.3 percent of the vote. RELATED Here are Southern California, Inland area election results A number of ballots must still be counted, including vote-by-mail ballots received on Election Day, provisional ballots, write-in ballots and damaged ballots. Not only was the race one of the most expensive an estimated $1.2 million, combined, was spent it was also among the nastiest. Medina called Steinorth a self-interested politician and tried to link him to Donald Trump. Steinorth, in turn, called Medina a reckless politician who spent taxpayer dollars on trips to Miami Beach and Las Vegas. Original preview story We have a new entry in the race for the ugliest Inland political contest of 2016. It comes from the 40th Assembly District, where Republican Assemblyman Marc Steinorth and Democratic challenger Abigail Medina are getting nasty in a big-money fight that could help alter the balance of power in Sacramento. Steinorths campaign on Thursday, Oct. 20 debuted a new TV ad denouncing Medina as a self-serving dangerous politician who cant be trusted. Why? Abigail Medina wants to let dangerous criminals vote, an off-camera female voice says. The California Republican Party paid for the ad. In response, Ben Golombek of the Medina campaign said: These are the sad lies of a desperate man (whos) willing to say anything to hold on to his Assembly seat. Lets look at the facts, Marc Steinorth voted to make it harder for law enforcement to investigate child pornographers, Golombek said. Marc Steinorth opposed $5 million in funding to help sexually abused children. Im all for having puppies adopted, but wouldnt Marc Steinorths time have been better spent protecting abused children? The hypocrisy of this man is simply galling. The puppies line was a reference to a Steinorths work on behalf of pet adoptions. Steinorth, who is a former Rancho Cucamonga councilman, and Medina, a San Bernardino school board member, are on the Nov. 8 ballot in the 40th Assembly District, which covers Redlands, Loma Linda, Highland and most of Rancho Cucamonga and the city of San Bernardino. The race is high-profile because Democrats view the district as a stepping stone to restoring their two-thirds majority in the state Legislature. Registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in the 40th, and Medina finished ahead of Steinorth in the June 7 primary. Medinas strategy centers on painting Steinorth as a self-interested politician who resembles Donald Trump. One of her campaign mailers feature pictures of Steinorth seeing Trumps reflection in a mirror. This campaign ad prompted a letter from Steinorths attorney to a Charter Communications executive demanding it be pulled. RELATED How all 17 of Californias propositions fared on Election Day California voters approve recreational marijuana Free van service brings immigrant voters to polling places How did the polls get the presidential race so wrong? Trump election elicits some fears, some cheers around the globe Beaumont Councilman Mark Orozco failed in a bid to get his colleagues to consider changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day at Tuesdays council meeting, but he is not giving up his quest. I was hoping for the discussion. I didnt get a chance to do that, he said Wednesday. But he still plans to talk about the idea with members of the community, including Native Americans, because he knows other cities are discussing the topic, including Perris. Columbus Day is a federal holiday observed on the second Monday of October, and by labor contract it is a paid day off for Beaumont city workers. Some jurisdictions including Phoenix, Denver and the state of Vermont have passed measures to honor the contributions of Native Americans who lived in the Americas long before Italian adventurer Christopher Columbus sailed into the Caribbean. Mayor Pro Tem Lloyd White said the item shouldnt have been on Tuesdays agenda in the first place because Orozco didnt follow council policy by getting a consensus of the council. Orozco made a motion to place the item on a future agenda, but the motion died for lack of a second. Vincent Marruffo, who said his family lived in Beaumont before it became a city, said recognizing Native Americans would make him proud of the city. Resident John Halliwill said the council shouldnt change the recognition day because there already is a Native American Day thats marked by the state in late September, on the fourth Friday of the month, and a change might confuse the community. Orozco said of the lack of support, I am upset with my council colleagues. Hillary Clinton leads the 2016 presidential race by two percentage points, according to 7-Eleven coffee drinkers, as she and Donald Trump prepare for Wednesday nights final debate. The Dallas-based convenience store chain says its customers have predicted the last four presidents of the United States. Every four years since the 2000 election, 7-Eleven has sold red and blue coffee cups for patrons to show support of their presidential candidates. The company introduced purple cups this year for non-partisan voters. That group is the clear winner, accounting for 40% of the disposable mugs sold thus far. Blue cups account for 31% of the politicized receptacles sold, compared to 29% for the Republican party. Results are updated and mapped daily at 7election.com. The majority of the 8,500 7-Eleven stores in the United States are franchised and not every store participates in the election promotion. Clinton wins electoral votes If purple cups are ignored, the Democratic party wins 15 states in 7-Elevens non-scientific poll. Twelve states go to the Republican party and three states are tied. Assigning electoral votes to those states gives Clinton 248 of the 270 votes needed to win. Trump gets 120. The two candidates battle for the remaining 170 votes. Most undecided Vermont is the most non-partisan state, where purple is the color of 66% of the promotional cups sold. Blue cups account for 18% of sales at 7-Eleven stores in the Green Mountain State. Fifteen percent are Republican red. Most Democratic In Missouri and California, 35% of the coffee cups sold are blue, more than any other state. Illinois and North Carolina are the only two other states where at least one-third of the cups sold are votes for the Democratic party. Most Republican Idaho is the only state where coffee cup sales backing one political party surpassed non-partisan cups, but that might be because only one 7-Eleven location is listed on the results map. At that Post Falls store, 50% of the cups sold were red, 41% were for the Democratic party and 9% were non-partisan. There are four other states where at least one-third of the cups sold were red: West Virginia, Maine, South Carolina and New York. Write-in votes Customers can fill in a blank on the non-partisan cup to write-in a candidate or cause. Customers shared their photos on social networks, using the #7election hashtag. Some people wrote themselves in. Others wrote in controversial topics. New Yorker Christina Cossentino Tuesday tweeted a fill-in a candidate thats hard to argue against: kindness. Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later. Moreno Valley is moving ahead with plans to buy almost 10,000 streetlights from Southern California Edison in an attempt to deal with rising costs. The Moreno Valley City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 18, voted 4-0 to put together a deal to pay up to $4.9 million for the lights. Councilman George Price abstained. City officials have been studying the proposal for years because of an increasing shortfall between streetlight costs and revenues from a parcel fee for the program. The purchase, which needs approval by the California Public Utilities Commission, would give the city some control over the rising costs, said Candace Cassel, special districts division manager for the city. As in many Southern California cities, most of Moreno Valleys streetlights are owned and operated by Southern California Edison. A small number 1,473, or 13 percent of the streetlights are owned by the Moreno Valley Electric Utility. The city pays two fees to Edison for its lights: a facilities charge for the operations and maintenance of the poles and an energy charge for the transmission of electricity. The monthly rate is $12.06 per light for the two fees. Under city ownership of the lights, charges would drop to $5.72 a month for transmitting electricity, for which Edison would still be responsible. In recent years, the city has seen rates increase by about five percent annually, Cassel said. Over a 20-year period, the city could save $3.6 million, Cassel said. It could save another $4.4 million if it switched to energy efficient lighting. I think in the long run were going to have $8 million in savings, Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez said. We need to take action. Edison has given the city until Dec. 31 to agree to a deal and a non-negotiable price of $526 per pole for 9,411 lights, Cassel said. Street lights that are part of homeowners association plans and the Edgemont Community Services District, which pay for lights separately, will not be part of the purchase. The council will determine a financing plan at a future meeting. City options include bond financing, borrowing from the citys general fund or participate in a financing plan with the Western Riverside Council of Governments, which has explored a regional plan to purchase street lights. Cassel said it could take about 17 months to complete the deal. Moreno Valley has wrestled with the rising costs of its streetlight program for several years. Until 2009, a parcel charge on property owners taxes $32 per year per home, and $9 per year for nonresidential customers paid for 100 percent of the streetlight program. But since 2010, the city has had to subsidize the program through its general fund as rates have increased. The city tried twice to increase streetlight charges, but voters rejected both efforts in 2009 and 2010. Contact the writer: 951-368-9558 orighori@scng.comTwitter: @ImranGhori1 This years council election in Temecula is being contested in the shadow of a budget crunch that has been exacerbated by rising costs for police and fire service. Nine candidates are competing for two available seats, which are held by Mayor Mike Naggar, who was first elected to the council in 1999, and Michael McCracken, who was appointed to fill the seat after Chuck Washington left to serve on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Both Naggar and McCracken voted this summer to add a sales tax hike Measure S to the ballot to address the citys financial situation, which has been described by city staffers as a structural deficit. Some of their challengers support the measure which could generate $23 million for the general fund but others have put together no new taxes platforms that seek to turn the measure into a wedge issue. THE CANDIDATES Ronald E. Bradley Age: 77 Residence: Temecula, 22 years Party: Republican Family: Married to Frances for 56 years; 2 adult children and 5 grandchildren Occupation: Retired City Manager (permanent City Manager of La Mesa, Oceanside, Temecula; Interim City Manager of Laguna Hills, Murrieta, and Hemet). Education: BS Degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University, completed program in Executive Management at UCLA Graduate School of Management, completed program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard. Interesting fact: I am a woodworker and cabinetmaker. I have a fully equipped woodworking shop at home. I have remodeled 5 houses for families and friends in Texas, California, Oregon and North Carolina. I am proud to have graduated first in my class at the San Diego Police Academy. Most important issue: In my opinion there are three important issues. First, declining staffing levels of our police department lead to increased response times to our citizens. Second, is the incorrect perception that we are a business-friendly city. We are not. For example, the loss of 300 high paying jobs because of Council Subcommittee negotiations. Third, the quality of Council decisions. For example, the loss of the Susan G. Komen Race. Breast Cancer is not a political issue. I know I can add value to Council deliberations and improve the quality of the decision-making process What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: I believe my background, education, training and experience will make me an effective council member. I have prepared more than 20 budgets in several cities with no proposed tax increases. In fact, I reduced taxes in several instances. I am a true fiscal conservative that has a record of accomplishing more with less staff. James Cooley Age: 57 Residence: Temecula Party: Democrat Family: Wife (Michelle), 3 adult children Occupation: President/CEO JC Cooley Innovation Solutions LLC; CEO/Founder JC Cooley Options & Opportunities/the Choice Program (Non Profit) Education: Bachelors, MPA Central Michigan University; Executive MBA Certificate University of Notre Dame; Masters Certificates Villanova University; Doctoral Student, Concordia University Interesting fact: Served 23 years in the Navy; Naval JROTC Senior Military Instructor; created a 501C3 to support young people towards adulthood via scholarships and mentoring; awards include George H Bush One Thousand Points of Light, Admirals Gallery and Rankin Award; national motivational speaker for young people. Most important issue: The Council should have districts, so that residents know exactly who to talk to, as opposed to being at large; Term limits should be placed upon all elected officials, with no more than 3 terms being allowed. We are growing and require fresh ideas and must never fall into old thinking as is done in other places; Veterans need greater support by offering educational/vocational programs that come out of Temecula; Finally, the homeless must be addressed in Temecula, both through support programs and vigilance (to the safety of Temecula residents.) What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: My focus is towards families and students, that is Temeculas future; Creating easier physical access to higher learning (e.g. universities, community colleges and vocational programs); Increase public safety awareness and preparedness in areas such as natural disasters (earthquakes), plus a greater understanding and support of our local first responders; Help expand an even greater sense of community for Temecula families; Assist leadership and community to plan and implement its 5-, 10-, and 20-year growth plan, so as to best support the families of Temecula. Jeff Frichner Age: 58 Residence: New York City native, now live in Temecula Party: Republican Family: Married to Kelly Flanagan for 28 years, father of 4 children, James, 25, Joseph, 22, Victoria, 19, Michaela, 15 Occupation: Education Director for Tutor Doctor of Temecula Valley mentoring students of all ages and in all subjects throughout Southwest Riverside County for academic success. Specializing in SAT/ACT Test and College Entrance Prep. Education: B.A. Marketing National University; M.B.A. Mobile Marketing and Social Media National University; Veteran U.S.M.C. Interesting fact: I have been on a life long spiritual journey. After working as a lifeguard and hotel waiter in New Yorks famous Catskill mountains, I became an actor in my 20s and co-starred with Scott Baio in the Emmy Award winning ABC After School Special Stoned. When my acting career was over I enlisted in the Marines and became a born-again Christian in 1986. Most important issue: Traffic. My plan is to build a coalition with the other local Southwest Riverside County governments to bring big business and incubate start-ups. Ive walked the neighborhoods of Temecula for nearly 3 months asking residents what their number one quality of life issue was and they consistently said traffic. Most of our residents commuting to San Diego, Orange County or LA are away from their families far too much already just by being at work 8 hours a day. Tack on another 4 hours and you see how the quality of life that so many had moved here for has disappeared. By bringing big companies here jobs will follow and so will entrepreneurs and start-up capital. It will happen if we make it happen together. What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: I am not ashamed to speak my mind and believe that open and transparent government is what the founders of our country intended. This starts by ordinary citizens like myself running for office, not funded by special interests. I havent taken a penny from anyone for my campaign so I wont be beholden to anyone. When I started thinking about running, I began attending council meetings and found out that they were mostly empty. I found out that Channel 3 broadcasts the meetings but many residents dont get Channel 3. It must and will be a very high priority if I am elected to use Channel 3, Youtube and the Internet and much more meaningful and useful ways to encourage much greater community involvement and participation in government. We are the government and transparency is key to having a government that is truly for the people by the people. Angel Garcia Age: N/A Residence: Temecula Party: N/A Family: N/A Occupation: Small Business Owner Education: Palomar College, UC Riverside graduate Interesting fact: After attending Palomar College at night concurrent with my regular enrollment in Temecula public schools, I received my B.A. from the UC Riverside at 19 Most important issue: Eliminate wasteful spending. No new taxes! Temecula does not have a revenue problem. You should not be burdened with this councils runaway spending habits; Our Council has increased pensions across the board with no regard to future financial liabilities; Conduct an independent expenditure audit to identify waste in our budget and city departments; Explore other fiscally sound retirement options for city employees that is also respectful of the work they do for our city; Ensure city executive wages are based on performance and merit; there is no explanation why the city manager receives automatic pay raises. What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: As a Temecula resident for over 20 years and small business owner, the challenges up ahead will require an assertive, homegrown leader to tackle these obstacles without raising taxes. We need an independent voice willing to represent all Temeculans, not narrow groups looking to influence policy. Its time for someone who will look prudently at the decisions before them and put Temeculans and their infrastructure first, not their own legacy pet projects or financial interests. Michael R. McCracken Age: 54 Residence: Temecula Party: Nonpartisan Family: Wife, two daughters Occupation: Education and Career Technician Education: Education Certification, Management, Frontline Supervision, and Customer Service; Bachelor, Business Management Human Resources; Masters in Adult Education, Instructional; Masters Leadership and Organizational Studies. Interesting fact: Student of history; enjoy interacting with other cultures; good at finding commonality in all things, getting more people involved in civic events, encouraging more first-time voters to vote; encouraging adult learners by providing opening doors through alternative education opportunities Most important issue: Measure S, safeguarding Temeculas legacy for future generations; continue the drive to encourage business to locate in Temecula; safeguarding those family-friendly resources our residents come to love and expect from their leadership. Our city is just one vote and/or election away from turning into what other cities are struggling to free themselves from. Our success was a conscious effort with hard work and strategic planning to achieve, let us keep that going! What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: My background of community-focused/family-friendly, with no personal agenda. Having achieved great success on active duty, I am confident my leadership success will continue as a Council member. Additionally, I am grounded with almost a decade of leadership experience as Community Services Commissioner. Working closely with city staff, engaging with residents, and the fresh real-time, boots on the ground experiences great resources for success: Kaizen! Mike Naggar Age: 54 Residence: Temecula Party: N/A Family: Married 26 years to Mylah, Daughter Sienna, 24, son Liam 11 Occupation: Mayor; Owner of Mike Naggar and Associates Inc. a real estate project management firm in Perris (13 years). Education: Some college Interesting fact: At the age of 15 traveled with Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus selling toys; 40 years later I met the man who hired me who now owns Circus Vargas. His daughter, who I knew at 15, has an Autistic son like me. Circus Vargas now provides hundreds of free tickets to the special needs community each time they come to Temecula in April. How cool is that! Most important issue: The rising cost of public safety will be our greatest challenge in the future. AB 109 is releasing criminals from jail early, and Prop. 47 has made many felonies now misdemeanors and infractions. It is impacting every city and those cities that can get ahead of it will do well. We must face it head on and early. Maintenance and expansion of our police presence is critical to maintaining our quality of life. Critical decisions will have to be made. What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: Experience. Played a large part in building a $700 million tourism industry supporting over 7,000 jobs. Played a major roll in bringing the hospital, which is spawning a growing medical industry and over 1,500 jobs. Cut taxes for 4,000 homeowners, recently spent $100 million on road improvements and have $100 million ready to go with a new interchange at Temecula Parkway starting in a few months. Brought Cal-State campus; Temeculas special needs services are known across the state and country. We are the 20th safest city in the nation and have made Temecula a Family First community. Adam A. Ruiz Age: 37 Residence: Temecula Party: Republican Family: Wife, Yvonne; son Alejandro,13, and daughter Yesenia,11 Occupation: Real estate and mortgage broker Education: Temecula Valley High School and UC Santa Barbara Interesting fact: In addition to starting the Valley Young Professionals, Young Professionals Network, and Rotary Club of Temecula Valley New Generations, I enjoy coaching my sons competitive soccer team with Temecula United Soccer Club. I have been nominated for both Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year multiple times. Most important issue: Public safety and traffic congestion. Public safety costs continue to increase, and is the largest expense within the citys budget. A sales tax measure is being presented to offset this increase. While I fully support our public safety personnel, this measure concerns me as it is a general fund measure. This means the money could be used for anything, not specifically public safety. I will continually review the budget to ensure that the taxpayers money is being spent responsibly. Traffic congestion is another concern, and I have solutions such as more effective traffic light synchronization and restriping of roads. What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: I am a leader who leads by example and I know how to communicate work with others. I have lead many organizations and worked in a leadership role on state and national associations. I have energy, new ideas, and fresh perspective on some of the challenges Temecula faces. I have solutions for these challenges, and know how to implement change. I am raising my children in Temecula and I want to be sure Temecula is the best city for my family! My proven track record as an involved citizen shows that I am dedicated to the betterment of our city. James Stew Stewart Age: 56 Residence: Temecula Party: N/A Family: Married 36 years, wife Lisa; daughter Brittny, 33; son, James III, 31; daughter, Brooke, 29; six grandkids Occupation: Owner of Stews barbershops, total of 4 shops Education: Some college Interesting fact: I started doing triathlon at the age of 52 on a dare from a cousin, I have done a total of five so far. Most important issue: Traffic is out of control, panhandling is a issue that needs to be eliminated. High density housing needs to stop! What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: I am a businessman in the valley for over 25 years in Temecula. I have been a board member of the Rancho California Water District with a budget equal to that of the citys budget. I can add a fresh pair of eyes on the budget and issues the city is facing. My candidate statement is on my Facebook page: Temecula Stew. Skylar Tempel Age: 18 Residence: In the heart of Temecula at the Los Ranchitos neighborhood Party: N/A Family: My parents, Steve and Marsha Tempel, and two siblings attending Temecula Valley High School, Braden, 16, and Makenna,14 Occupation: Cast Member at Carmike Cinemas and a student Education: Graduate of Temecula Valley High School; Currently attending college majoring in political science Interesting fact: I play the bass guitar, trumpet, and I also built my first computer rig when I was 13 Most important issue: We have a lot of issues that the city will be facing over the next few years, however if the city does not have the budget and the money to address those issues its putting the cart before the horse. My plan to address this issue without raising taxes is to take a look at our police spending and explore options that do not involve the Sheriffs office. What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this office?: What sets me apart from the other 8 candidates in this race is not only my age, but my drive and commitment to this city. I was born and raised here and I want to see Temecula flourish as we transition into a modern city thats equipped for the future. I also do not have any ties to land developers unlike many of my opponents. Companies like Truax development seek to buy this election and I wont let it happen. You are my priority, and that will never change. Contact the writer: 951-368-9698 or aclaverie@pressenterprise.com A company that urges businesses to use it to file fictitious business name renewals is apparently making the mailing rounds again, saying it can get the job done for $150. Inland county officials officials say there is no government connection with the company, and you can skip the unauthorized middleman and do the renewal yourself for about $60. An official from Compliance Filings Inc. in Sacramento said the $150 pays to make sure the documents are filed correctly, with a follow-through check on publication of the fictitious business name. Some people prefer that as an option to doing it themselves, said Robert Smith, the IT coordinator for the business. There are a number of companies, including publishers, that do the same things we do. The regional Better Business Bureau has called the notice a scam, but a San Bernardino County spokesman said while it may seem deceptive, it is not illegal. The expiration notice mailer from the Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center, which gives a Sacramento street address, does have a boldface disclaimer at the bottom of its application, which complies with a 2012 California law. This product or service has not been approved or endorsed by any government agency, and this offer is not being made by an agency of the government. We take care of the entire process, Smith said in a phone interview Tuesday, Oct. 18. We make sure that if it requires publication, that the publication is completed, a final step that can be overlooked, he said. The website says Compliance Filings also provides service for U.S. patent and trademark renewal and labor poster compliance. The (Riverside County) Assessor-Clerk-Recorder (ACR) reports that this company has sent these solicitations out for years, county spokesman Ray Smith said in an email. The ACR has a post on its web page warning that customers should be wary of any company that wants to charge upwards of $500 for services that are offered free or for substantially less through the county, Smith wrote. The current basic fee for a fictitious business name statement is $58 in Riverside County and between $55-$59 in San Bernardino County. While San Bernardino County officials said they werent familiar with the Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center, it appears to be one of many that offer to do something for a fee that anyone can do on their own either for free or for much less by dealing directly with the county, county spokesman David Wert said in an email. Some of the counties are not favorable with us, but some appreciate us, because of the efficiency of its filings, Smith said. In a November 2014 statement, the BBB serving northeast California said Compliance Filings Inc., also doing business as Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center, had an F rating, with 17 complaints at that time over a three-year period. The BBB memo called the renewal offers a scam. Smith said Compliance Filings provides full refunds to dissatisifed customers. He said a similarly named company in Texas operates out of a post office box, and the Sacramento outfit has been contacted with complaints meant for the Texas company. We are trying to find the owners, Smith said. Although it could be seen as deceptive, its not illegal, San Bernardino Countys Wert wrote of the middleman companies. For what is being offered for $150 through the mailer the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector would charge $55-$59. Contact the writer: 951-368-9573rdeatley@scng.com@RKDeAtley ALTURAS (AP) A sheriffs deputy in a Northern California county near the Oregon border was shot to death Wednesday while responding to a disturbance call, the Modoc County Sheriffs Office said. Deputies were responding to a call on County Road 115, in a rural area about 10 miles south of Alturas when the deputy was shot. A suspect was detained shortly after, the sheriffs office said. The deputys name was not released pending the notification of family. The shooting is being investigated by the Shasta County Sheriffs Office and California Highway Patrol, the office said. The California Highway Patrol, the Alturas Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service responded to the scene after a call about an officer-involved shooting went out, the office said. The Modoc County Sheriffs Office said earlier in a brief statement the deputy was involved in an active-shooter incident. It didnt release any other details. The deputy is the fourth law enforcement officer in California to die in the line of duty in the last 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. This story is developing. check back for updates. CORRECTION: Honor Flight Southland, which provides veterans with all-expense-paid trip to see memorials in Washington, D.C., was formed in February 2014. The name of the group was incorrect in an article on Page 8 of the Local section in the Oct. 21 edition of The Press-Enterprise. Some old warriors flew again earlier this month. The occasion was an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., an all-expense-paid trip to see memorials that honored their sacrifices. They were heroes of World War II who fought for their country half a world away. On Oct. 8, the 36 heroes were welcomed back to Los Angeles International Airport with patriotic fanfare, hugs and tears. Army veteran Jack Hill, 91, of San Bernardino was among them. Accompanied by his son, Jimmie, 66, also of San Bernardino, Jack was not expecting the welcome home. He was overwhelmed, the younger Hill said. The veterans and their guardians were welcomed with military brass, and hundreds of customers and well-wishers filling a Southwest Airlines baggage claim area festooned with red, white and blue balloons and American flags. Jack Hill was emotional at the airport tribute but also at the memorials the group visited, according to his son. The World War II Memorial brought back memories. My dads eyes teared up when he said, They werent able to return home, said the younger Hill, who has been staying with his father quite a bit since Jack Hill suffered a stroke a year ago. SO THANKFUL Jack Hill was drafted into the military out of San Bernardino High School and served in the Army from 1942 to 1945 in France and Germany, then went to serve in Korea, according to Jimmie Hill. He received his diploma when he returned, said Jimmie Hill, a 1968 graduate of San Bernardino High School who is now a retired adjunct professor at Norco College in the Riverside Community College District. The senior Hill did not know how much he was appreciated. It was unbelievable how appreciative people are the appreciation they would show at the memorials, the hotels, everywhere was so touching, he said. They would hug you, thank you; they just were so excited. Jimmie Hill believes that genuine emotions were coming through, rather than anything political. People were so thankful for the veterans service, he said. They werent representing any political party, but just appreciative. After the war, Jack Hill owned and operated a successful catering business. He also worked at Norton Air Force Base as a civilian, working on jet engines and the Titan II missile. For many years, he was active in the community, serving as president of the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce, a member of the library board and with Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire. He also started the first African American Boy Scout Troop in San Bernardino. HONOR AND CLOSURE Jimmie Hill and his two younger siblings are proud of their dad. Brother Joey and sister Jeana join in making sure the family is together with Jack for holidays and birthdays. Honor Flight is dedicated to providing veterans with honor and closure. These days, Honor Flight is processing all applications. World War II veterans are the priority, the website noted. Our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out, the website said. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 640 World War II veterans die each day. The nonprofit Honor Flight was established in 2005. It wasnt long before the ever-expanding waiting list of veterans led to the transition to commercial airline carriers, according to the Honor Flight Network website. Honor Flight Southland was formed in 2014. Southwest Airlines, the official commercial carrier of the Honor Flight Network, provides the complimentary round-trip travel to unite military heroes with their war memorials. Contact the writer: mnolan@scng.comTwitter: @MichelNolan Huntington Beach-based BJs Restaurants Inc. is blaming the volatile presidential election and particularly the debates for keeping customers away. The company posted a comparable-sales decline of 3.4 percent for the third quarter and missed earnings estimates, sending its shares tumbling as much as 12 percent in early trading on Thursday. BJs also scaled back the number of restaurants it expects to open this year, citing the slump. Chief Executive Officer Greg Trojan said the presidential debates distracted customers, and the relatively late timing of the Summer Olympics may have kept Americans from going out to eat as much last quarter. He also pointed to the general tenor of the election as contributing to an industrywide slowdown. The tone of this years political season, regardless of where your allegiance may lie, has generated what some would call a nearly unprecedented level of negativity and doubt in the minds of everyday American citizens, Trojan said on a conference call. Overall, retail trends and the results of other businesses dependent on consumer discretionary spending confirm that during the quarter, many preferred to stay home versus going out. BJs shares fell as low as $31.50 in premarket trading. Even before the rout, the stock was down 18 percent this year. Excluding some items, BJs earnings were 30 cents a share in the third quarter. Analysts had estimated 32 cents. The casual-dining chain known for pizza and beer now plans to open as few as 10 restaurants this year, down from an earlier target of 17. Still, Trojan sees the picture improving after the election concludes next month. Hopefully, post-election, people will get into a more normal rhythm and mindset, Trojan said on the conference call. We would look forward to that happening. Though BJs is known for its indulgent Chicago-style pizzas, the chain has recently been promoting a healthier menu called EnLIGHTened. Due to high demand, the chain said it recently added four new superfood-packed entrees to the menu, which has yielded 76 percent additional sales since first being introduced in 2014. The new items include a soba noodle bowl with shrimp, a kale and quinoa salad, spicy peanut chicken with soba noodles, and shrimp and arugula pita tacos. Register staff writer Nancy Luna contributed to this report. Sabine Durden of Moreno Valley, who was spurred to activism following her sons death, was Donald Trumps guest at the third and last presidential debate Wednesday, Oct. 19 in Las Vegas. Durden said the Trump campaign invited her to the debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She posted a picture on Twitter of her with the debate stage in the background. It was an amazing experience, she said by telephone Thursday. It was an honor to be here to witness this historic event. Durden has met Trump; he mentioned her in a North Carolina campaign speech. She also spoke at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. She became a vocal advocate against illegal immigration after her son Dominic, a Riverside County sheriffs dispatcher and former Moreno Valley volunteer of the year, died in a 2012 traffic collision while on his way to work. The other driver in the crash, Juan Zacarias Tzun, was an unlicensed, undocumented immigrant who had been allowed to remain in the U.S. despite two convictions for driving under the influence. He was convicted of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and served about 35 days in jail and was deported to his native Guatemala. Since losing her son, Sabine Durden has appeared on TV and radio and makes public appearances with family members of others who died at the hands of undocumented immigrants. Durden goes by Deplorable Sabine on Twitter, a reference to Hillary Clintons basket of deplorable comment about Trump supporters. Update with comment from Liberty Mutual spokesman. The Liberty Mutual Group, Inc, which offers Liberty Mutual auto insurance, will pay $925,000 to three Southern California district Attorneys offices for not properly disclosing in ads that the companys accident forgiveness program was not available in California. The settlement was obtained Thursday, Oct. 20, by the Riverside, San Diego and Los Angeles district attorneys offices, according to a Riverside County District Attorneys Office news release. The district attorneys offices filed a consumer protection lawsuit against the Boston-based company in response to a TV ad campaign launched in 2014 for auto insurance that featured actors standing in the foreground of the Statue of Liberty talking about the program and its benefits. Though the program is available to Liberty Mutual customers in other states, the California Department of Insurance prohibits accident forgiveness provisions in auto insurance policies, the news release said. California law also requires all advertising to clearly and conspicuously disclose any material facts that viewers need to avoid being misled. Liberty Mutual spokesman Glenn Greenberg,in an phone interview, said company officials dont believe they misled their California customers. We certainly disagreed with the allegations and the outcome but we accept the penalties and are pleased that the matter is resolved and behind us, Greenberg said. Liberty Mutual entered the settlement without admitting that it violated the law, said Riverside County District Attorneys Office spokesman John Hall. The civil complaint filed in Riverside Superior Court under Californias unfair competition Law and false advertising law, claims that ads could convey an overall impression that California consumers would receive this benefit as part of Liberty Mutual car insurance, the news release said. Liberty Mutual officials estimated that the ad campaign reached 70-80 percent of California households, according to the news release. Under the terms of the final judgment, signed Wednesday by Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Molloy, Liberty Mutual will be subject to an injunction requiring full compliance with Californias advertising laws. Those laws include clearly disclosing that the program is not available in California. Greenberg said legal disclaimers that were displayed at the bottom of the ads have since been changed to meet the legal standards. Liberty Mutual must also pay $830,000 in civil penalties to the three district attorneys offices as well as $95,000 for agency investigative costs. A special meeting held by the Menifee City Council to discuss Mayor Scott Manns admitted campaign financing violations ended without action Wednesday night, Oct. 19. After the California Fair Political Practices Commission announced Friday that Mann would be fined $60,000 for using nearly $45,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses, State Sen. Jeff Stone, R-Temecula, called for the mayors resignation. Councilman Matt Liesemeyer said Mann should take a leave of absence at least until the FPPC board formalizes its action in mid-December. While voicing their disappointment with Manns behavior in Wednesdays meeting, Councilmen Bob Denver and Greg August contended the council should wait to take action until the FPPC acts and because Menifee voters will be able to decide whether to re-elect or reject him on Nov. 8. Liesemeyer responded by proposing a motion of censure to rebuke Mann for his transgressions and asking the council to consider possible punishments in their next meeting. Councilwoman Lesa Sobek voted in support, while Denver, August and Mann cast no votes. Manns vote sparked cries of a conflict of interest from some in the audience of about 60 people. After the meeting, the city attorney said it was a moot point because the motion would have failed in a tie without Manns participation. Contact Michael J. Williams at 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@pressenterprise.com One of Californias larger recyclers must pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in connection with the 2013 death of an employee at its Rancho Cucamonga operation. The San Bernardino County District Attorneys office announced Wednesday that rePlanet was convicted and found guilty in connection with the death of 61-year-old Salvador Garcia, a Rialto resident. On Aug. 20, 2013, a 35,000-pound earth mover crushed Garcia, a truck driver for RePlanet, at the companys regional plant at 9910 Sixth St. in Rancho Cucamonga. In a criminal plea agreement to two misdemeanor violations of Labor Code Section 6425, rePlanet will be placed on probation for three years and must pay $500,000 to the victims family, according to a district attorneys news release. In addition, rePlanet faces a $400,000 fine stayed pending successful completion of probation, and a $21,000 fine payable to the court. Finally, rePlanet will pay $140,000 to the California District Attorneys Association Worker Safety Training Fund and nearly $90,000 to Cal-OSHA for fines and training costs, the news release states. The rePlanet family still mourns the loss of Salvador Garcia, said Joe Perez, director of Business Development, on behalf of the company. Today, our facilities are safer, and we are more vigilant about safety and our individual responsibility to each other. The plea agreement was made only after rePlanet overhauled their site and work practices in an effort to minimize the risk that a tragedy like this will happen again, Lead Deputy District Attorney Douglas Poston was quoted in the news release. Equipment upgrades, traffic controls, and safety personnel have cost rePlanet well over a million dollars in addition to the fines and payments in this case. A criminal complaint in July alleged the company willfully violated worker safety rules which caused the death of Garcia. Contact the writer: jblodgett@scng.comTwitter: @BlodgettJohnM Mike Spence, chief of staff for a San Bernardino County supervisor and a West Covina councilman, has battled alcoholism and drug abuse for more than 20 years, he said during a recent interview when confronted about a DUI he pleaded guilty to in 1998. The revelations may place Spences future with Supervisor Curt Hagman in question. Spences past has become relevant in the wake of a June 12 crash in which his rented Hyundai Accent smashed into a utility pole near Azusa Avenue and Cypress Street in Covina. Police determined he was driving under the influence of an illegal drug methamphetamine. A toxicology report revealed there was no alcohol in his system. Update: Spence pleads not guilty to DUI charge Spence was charged Sept. 26 with one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of a drug, a misdemeanor. He is scheduled for arraignment Thursday in West Covina Superior Court. Related: Mike Spence, Supervisor Curt Hagmans chief of staff, says he wont resign NEVER CLAIMED TO BE PERFECT Spence, 50, ran for 55th District state Assemblyman this year, but he came in third in the June primary. He has been candid in admitting to his alcoholism and use of methamphetamine and cocaine, and said he has attended 12-step programs including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. He has even admitted to having blackouts. In February 1998, Spence pleaded guilty in West Valley Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol, court records show. I never claimed to be perfect, Spence said in a recent telephone interview. That was something that happened 20 years ago. Per the terms of his 1998 plea agreement, Spence was ordered by Superior Court Judge Michael J. Welch to attend a county-approved alcohol program, pay a fine of $1,224, and serve three years probation. He was granted a restricted drivers license, allowing him to drive to and from work and to his alcohol treatment program, court records show. In California, prior misdemeanor convictions older than 10 years are not alleged in a defendants new misdemeanor filing, according to Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office. That said, there were no prior previous convictions listed in the current misdemeanor complaint against Michael Spence, Ardalani said in an email. EXEMPLARARY EMPLOYEE San Bernardino County Supervisor Hagman said in a telephone interview he was unaware of Spences 1998 DUI conviction, and previously stated he was unaware of Spences longtime struggle with addiction. He said he did not meet Spence until 2007, during his campaign for state Assembly. Hagman appointed Spence as his chief of staff when he was elected 55th District assemblyman in 2008, then kept him on as his chief of staff when he was elected Fourth District county supervisor in 2014. I do believe in people starting anew, said Hagman, adding that Spence, in the 10 years he has worked for Hagman, has always been an exemplary employee. In the June 12 accident, Spence suffered severe injuries, including a broken back, hip, femur, and ribs. He has been recovering ever since. He still says he has no recollection of the day of his accident, and while he has admitted to having blackouts in the past, he could not say if his accident was a drug-induced blackout. Spence says has requested a copy of the accident report, buthas not been provided a copy. The hospital told me blackouts in car accidents happen all the time, Spence said. Spences admissions regarding his addictions have sounded an alarm with Hagman. It definitely raises concerns, Hagman said. He said the county has good health benefits and other resources available, which he encourages Spence utilize. We wish him a speedy recovery, and to address those demons that hes facing, Hagman said. He said it is still too soon to say if he will retain Spence as his chief of staff. RECOVERY SLOW, STEADY Chronic drug abuse was partly attributable to the downfall of former San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus, who became addicted to methamphetamine while serving on the Board of Supervisors, before he was elected county assessor in November 2006. Methamphetamine is one of the most addictive drugs. It basically destroyed me as a person, both spiritually and morally, and I pray that Mike has reached his rock bottom and hell now be willing to get some help, Postmus said in a recent telephone interview. It wasnt until I hit rock bottom in 2012 that I was able to really deal with my addiction and seek help. Now doing consultant work, Postmus said he has been sober since 2012, and regularly attends a 12-step program and helps others with their addictions. Spence, a former ward bishop at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in West Covina, said his Mormon faith and support from his family, friends and church community is keeping him strong. He said his recovery from his accident has been slow but steady. In recent weeks he was able to stop using a wheelchair and is now ambulatory. Now, Spence has to deal with his torn rotator cuff. I have one more surgery. I need to have my (right) shoulder repaired, said Spence, concluding with the familiar 12-step program adage: Im just taking it one day at a time, he said. Contact the writer: jnelson@scng.comTwitter: @SBCountyNow Trump has been telling us that the media and the press are all against him. That is funny, because this paper runs letters nearly daily telling us how great Trump is and how horrible Hillary Clinton is. Now, how can that happen when all the media is against him? Its true that, at last count, all American papers but two endorse his opponents, but the fact that people could freely make their voices heard by the press does not support Trumps complaints. Stanley Ivan Riverside Time to repudiate Trump Re: Do Southern California GOP politicians still support Donald Trump? [News, Oct. 10]: I was appalled to see in the Press-Enterprise that GOP congressional candidate Paul Chabot is still endorsing Donald Trump even after those disgusting tapes showed Trumps true feelings about women. Doesnt Chabot understand how truly offensive his remarks were, not only to women but to fathers and husbands as well? We all should expect better from someone who wants to represent Inland Empire families in Congress. Beth Kolpien Redlands Hillary is unfit for office Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump of being unfit for office. That accusation is based on words and lies, not actions. Hillary has proven that she is unfit for office based on hundreds of bad decisions in office and the loss of four lives in Benghazi and many more in Iraq and Syria. On top of that her operatives were caught on tape admitting they were responsible for the very violence outside of Trumps rallies that they claimed he was responsible for. What a whopper of a lie that was. If the American people dont wake up we will soon have a liar in chief. Donald Trump may not be a choir boy, but Hillary Clinton will never be a Mother Theresa. Glen Chaffin Corona A bourse expert has identified sole proprietorship as the reason for which many local companies become stagnant and collapse after few years in operation. The desire to be sole owners of small businesses is the challenge for our indigenous enterprises, said Ekow Afedzie, Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), adding that The ownership culture is killing our small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs). Our people believe in quantity and not value. According to a GNA report, Mr. Afedzie made the assertion in Ho at a forum organised for members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI). The forum was on the theme, Raising Capital through the Ghana Alternative Market. He said it was better to own 10 per cent of a one-billion-worth enterprise than being the sole owner of an unproductive business. Mr. Afedzie, therefore, encouraged SMEs to go into partnerships to expand their businesses. He said partnership was the way to grow businesses now as it helped to raise long-term capital for equipment and expansion. The Ghana Alternative Market (GAX), he said, was introduced to cater for domestic companies and advised participants at the forum to take advantage of the initiative, which comes with a lower cost. Madam Joyce Boakye, Head of Listing at the GSE, said the Ghana Alternative Market focused on businesses with the potential to grow, including start-ups and existing enterprises. She said it offered easier access to long-term capital at relatively lower cost, reduced risk and improved liquidity, among others. Mr. Philip Kobina Abodoh, the Officer at the Ghana Alternative Market (GAX), encouraged SMEs to contact stock brokers and convert their businesses to public limited liability companies to benefit from GAX. 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 The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has revealed that hundreds of prospective home owners have requested to purchase housing units under the Governments Affordable Housing Project, the first phase of which was inspected by President Mahama a fortnight ago. The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Abraham Otabil, who said this in an interview with Citi News, added that a committee has been set up to determine among others the pricing for the newly inaugurated affordable houses at Seglemi in the Greater Accra Region. President John Mahama two weeks ago inspected work on the 1,500 housing units at Ningo. The inauguration constituted the first phase of the project which is expected to produce 5,000 housing units for low and middle income earners in the country. There have been fears that the houses may be sold out to government officials and their cronies since they have the purchasing power than most of the middle income earners who are the target of the project. Speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Abraham Otabil, said government is committed to ensuring that processes that lead to the purchase of the houses are Demand for housing units is on the increase. Its gone so far and the Ministry on a daily basis receives a number of requests from many prospective buyers. To say the least on a weekly basis, about 700 people express interest in occupying these facilities and I can tell you that on a daily basis not less than 50 people visit the Ministry in search of these affordable housing projects so it clearly indicates that there is a high demand for the affordable housing project. As we speak, a committee is in place and they will come out with agreed prices on the pricing level and as soon as this is done, it will be made known to the public. President Mahama cut sod for the project in 2013, when he said the construction was aimed at halving Ghanas 1.7 million housing deficit by 2016. 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 Local cement manufacturers have called on government to immediately stop the importation of bagged Dangote cement from Nigeria. According to them, Dangote Cement was making more dollars in Ghana via what they termed unfair trade practices which is grossly affecting their operations. In a statement released recently, the local manufactures said Dangote cement (in powder form) and currently being imported from Korea has been described as semi-unfinished cement and attracts only 10 percent import duty. They further pointed out that the powdered cement being imported by Dangote was a finished product that could be delivered directly from the ship side to a customer for any construction work, adding that the duty paid on it was inappropriate. Since it is not easy to export to Francophone countries and remit dollars to Nigeria, Dangote is concentrating in Ghana for dollars, they said. Unfair trade practices The local manufacturers also said such imports by Dangote were made under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) which opened the gateway for unfair trade practices that greatly affect the local producers. They said bagged imports from Dangote Cement in Nigeria are covered by 30 percent export subsidy from the government of Nigeria which gives the company an edge over the local cement industry. What measures are in place in Ghana to counteract this unfair trade practice? The manufacturers appealed to the government to expedite action through the recently established Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC) to protect the local cement industry. Nigerias stance What is worrying is that the Nigerian Government has restricted 41 items, including cement, imported into Nigeria. Why should Ghana not retaliate but allow Nigerian imports such as cement which is restricted into Nigeria. We, the manufacturers of local cement, are calling on the government to immediately halt the importation of cement from Nigeria, they said. Nigerias oil drop effects The group said the drop in oil prices in Nigeria had affected the inflow of major foreign currencies, especially dollars so export of other products like cement is encouraged by allowing 30 percent on these products to obtain dollars at any cost. Money cannot be transferred from Nigeria for the 41 items, an indirect preventive measure of imports even for ECOWAS countries. Dangotes concentration in Ghana BUSINESS GUIDE has gathered that Dangote is targeting the Ghanaian market because it is not making enough money in Nigeria. Dangote Cement sells cement at N2,300 per bag (GH28.9) in Nigeria but selling in Ghana at GH27. Many people wonder why Dangote cement which is manufactured in Nigeria is selling at higher price in that country than Ghana. According to them, it appears Dangote is not paying the right import duties on its imported cement that is why the product is sold cheap on the Ghanaian market. The situation, they said, is affecting operations of the local manufactures and driving them out of business due to the high cost of producing cement in Ghana. What Ghana Must Do The group said Ghana has to impose countervailing duty since Dangote is availing 30 percent subsidy, prevent anti-dumping since the prices in Nigeria are more than Ghana; charge normal duties instead of concessional duty of 10 percent and prevent unfair trade practices. We also maintain that Dangote importation of bulk (powder) cement from Korea is finished product and not semi-finished as described and can be used directly from the quay for any construction works. Therefore the current concessionary duty rate of 10 percent is unfair and must be reviewed to ensure fairness in the cement competition, they said. Increase FOB Value After various checks and investigations by the cement manufacturers, the declaration from the importers which was about $20 per ton, was raised to $60 per tin FOB. We, the Cement Manufacturers, still believe that the FOB value should be increased to $90 per ton to serve as a prohibitive measure to protect the heavily local invested capabilities. The cement manufacturers said they have adequate installed capacities to meet the growing demand, and therefore importation of cement with its attendant on fair trade practices must be addressed in line with the Legislative Instrument and the Ghana International Trade Commission. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Last week the headmaster of the St Augustine's College in Cape Coast, Joseph Connel was reported to have been interdicted by the Ministry of Education, for charging newly admitted students unapproved fees of GH430.00. According to Adomonline, the Deputy Minister of Education said the ministry took the action after investigating (I wonder how many days of investigation) and confirming reports on social media that the headmaster was charging the unapproved fees. According to him, the Ministry upon hearing and reading the news dispatched the regional director of Education to go to the school and investigate the reports. The regional director, the report said, confirmed the act and this caused the Director of Ghana Education Service (GES) to also go to the school for further investigations. The Director after confirming this handed an interdiction to him and has asked someone to take charge of the school. This is all winding, arbitrary, lack of due process and confusing. The long and short of the story is that the Deputy Minister is attempting to look good in the eyes of the public, that he has spotted a wrongdoing in St Augustines College, and has taken action to punish the person involved, right? Why are we using Mr Joseph Connel to justify our relevance? You see why I get angry at myself all the time? Why did I even read this story in the first place; am just checking my BP. Ghana Education Service, please, just take a sample of twenty schools across the country, and audit how much the schools are charging for both continuous and newly admitted students, and you will realize how much you have failed in your supervisory role. We sit down for a social media to tell us how much schools are charging, and we are proud to say these things on air, and the headmaster get interdicted, but the Minister retains his job? If a person responsible for secondary education does not know that charging unapproved fees has been a rule rather than exception, then what is he occupying his position for? Maybe I should help the Ministry to know how wide spread the situation is. And please dont tell me I am boasting; Im only giving you an information. I am sponsoring a fresh student in Apam Secondary school. Last Friday I paid GH922.20 for his fees, did you get that? Again, I am sponsoring three continuing students in T. I. Ahmmadyya Secondary school. A few weeks ago I paid GH483 for each one of them in fees. I am sponsoring two continuing Day Students in Winneba Secondary School, and Im paying GH133 each for their fees. I am sponsoring one student in Zion Girls, and I am paying GH713 for her fees, and Im sponsoring two girls in Cape Coast Technical Institute, and I am paying GH400 in fees for each one of them. So Mr. Deputy Minister, this is not social media. This is me informing you about some of the fees I have paid to the schools I have mentioned. Do you think any one of them have violated the rules of approved fees? Is it time for some of them to be interdicted as well? In September 2012, while visiting Iowa State, in USA, I met a gentleman who was introduced to me as the consulting campaign strategist for President John Dramani Mahama. Our meeting lasted for a couple of hours, as he tried to glean as much information out of me as possible, to help him plan effective consulting strategy for the President. This consultant, let me call him Jeff, had told me that his research findings, prior to meeting me, showed that what was going to decide the outcome of the elections was the performance of the Ghanaian economy. That if the government was able to fix the economy, the president stood a chance of winning the election. I disagreed with Jeffs research claims, and argued that if the president focused only on the economy, he was bound to lose the election. I believed the election was about the promise of the introduction of free education. So I was not surprised when I later saw the president, on his campaign tours, mentioned gradual introduction of free secondary school education, just to neutralize the effect the catch phrase was having on the general public. In August 2015, the Ghana Education Service issued a statement to the effect that all Day Students across Ghana are exempted from paying any fees in the various secondary schools in the year under review, and for the rest of their secondary schooling. That, according to the government, is the first step in making secondary school education progressively free. And my enquiries also showed that this year, the 2016/2017 academic year was going to see over 45,000 targeted disadvantaged secondary school students who will benefit from government scholarships. Hear this; amongst the secondary school students I am personally sponsoring are two day students of Winneba Secondary School. One of them has two other siblings in other secondary schools. The parents are unemployed and poor, but the boy is a brilliant and smart. However this so called Day student scholarship did not cover him. Again the second boy is one of six children being taken care of by his single unemployed mother. All his siblings have been affected by child trafficking, and I had helped the family to be established in the community. He too did not benefit from this so called free Day School scholarship. Amongst the students I am sponsoring this year is an orphan whose father died when he was barely two years old, and his mother died when he was in primary class two. I took responsibility for the two of them, the youngest just got admitted to Apam Secondary school. Obviously if anyone should qualify for any government scholarship, all the above are more than qualified to receive those so called scholarships. An orphan who lived in a very poor fishing community, and scored a distinction in the BECE, who else qualifies more than him? But unfortunately, he too has not been covered by this gradual introduction of free secondary school education, and I had to pay over GHC900 before he was allowed in the school. I can go on and on, but let me give you one last example: I brought Rita from the Lake Volta when she was barely seven years old. She was the sixth born of four girls, and three surviving boys. I took all the four girls to school while their parents continued to wallow in poverty. In the course of time all the three other teen sisters became pregnant, some having had four children presently. Soon the mother was strike with massive stroke, and for five years has been confined in the house. To help the family survive, I offered the father a job as a security guard. Rita, despite all these challenges, was determined to go to school. She eventually completed her BECE in 2014, and got admitted to a girls secondary school. Currently in form three, I have just paid GH713 in fees for Rita, and GH1,150 for her books, totaling GH1,863. My question: Is this a question of the non existence of the scholarship scheme, or a question of unfair inequitable selection of the beneficiaries, or is it a question of mental ulcer? Are we talking here of ethics, morality, or sheer insensitivity? If Rita, and all those I have referred to in this article do not deserved to be covered by a government scholarship, then who are those who are deserving of our government scholarships? Do you now see why I support a universal application of free secondary school education? My view is that if you make it free for all, then you remove the greed, the corrupt partisan cronyism, and you give fairness a chance to apply. Saint Augustines college has done what every secondary school head is doing. Some ask for cement, brooms, shovels, paint, and others ask for fish. In the end, they have all asked the poor parents more than they can afford. So please, leave Mr. Joseph Connel alone, and fix the system. What you have done is an unnecessary unsustainable show of power, a show of being a strong man. That is not what we need. We need Obamas strong institutions, strong systems that does not need you to spot the problems on social media. We are doing these to ourselves, to our children. One day we will all be punished, some for crimes they did not commit, but the crimes they saw being committed. One day we will all be punished, for the pain we wore, and the greed we shared. One day, and this day will be to all those who took their riches in government, that day the poor will rise, and the rich will fall Source: James Kofi Annan/ [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 Nasia Community Senior High School is the 78th on the list of 123 Community Day Senior High Schools (SHSs) released by the Ministry of Education and said to be at various "stages of completion". Nasia Community SHS is located in the West Mamprusi district in the Northern Region and funded by the Government of Ghana. The project was contracted to Haybel Company Ltd. As part of Peace FM's Kokrokoo Production Team's commitment to render a situational account of the progress of the schools which the government claims are in different stages of completion, our Correspondent Prince Kwame Tamakloe was at the land site to file a report on the state of the Nasia Community SHS. From his account, there is absolutely no work going on the land site. In fact, the site only has a sign post indicating that the land has been demarcated for the establishment of the school but the site has been abandoned. The land is covered with bushes and trees and is now almost 'a mini-forest'. There is not even a foundation to show that such project would be carried out on the site. The residents have expressed resentments over what they describe as the deception by government to Ghanaians that the school was also at various "stages of completion". According to Peace FM's Northern Regional Correspondent, the residents complained bitterly about the lies told Ghanians by the Mahama government. The disclosed that "there has never been a day a construction vehicle moved towards the site." Watch images below: Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana 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 Chief of Staff Mr Julius Debrah has advised adults in the country to refrain from sweet drinks stressing that such drinks are not good for the health of people who are advanced in age. He gave the advice whilst speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Subinso Number Two in the Wenchi District of the Brong Ahafo region as part of his six-day campaign tour of the region. The chief of staff's advice comes at a time when the apparent band wagon effect of a Face Book picture of Flag bearer of the NPP Nana Akuffo Addo sipping Kalyppo is waning. He urged the people to be mindful of their health and desist from practices which will not make them healthy. I am pleading with you that you the adults here if you take Kalyppo, the sugar content can leave you with some sickness so please dont take it, he said in Twi to the supporters who shouted Noooo. Attempts by some NDC functionaries to mock the NPP leader triggered what has become known in Ghana as #Kalyselfie. NPP executives and supporters, in their bid to solidarise with Mr Akufo-Addo, circulated their pictures on social media, especially Facebook sipping the juice. Mr Julius Debrah and his team also addressed the chiefs and people of Buoku and Chiraa and appealed to them to extend the mandate of President Mahama in the December 7th election. He told the supporters to go out in their numbers on December 7 to cast their votes for President John Mahama. According to Mr Debrah, the President is one such individual who remains true to his words and would fulfill every promise made to Ghanaians. Source: Emmanuel Akorli/ Peacefmonline.com/Ghana 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 crowd of NDC sympathizers tumultuously welcomed Vice President Amissah-Arthur and his entourage to Dunkwa-on Offin in the Upper Denkyira East of the Central Region. It was a night of joy as hundreds of people from the Dunkwa Zongo community waited to catch a glimpse of the Running Mate and Economic Surgeon to President John Mahama, His Excellency Vice President Kwesi Amissah -Arthur. Some residents noted that for them to come out in their numbers at night, signifies their appreciation on the transformation change that the NDC has given to their area under his leadership of President Mahama. In an address to the crowd, Mr Amissah-Arthur told the supporters that theres the need to give President Mahama another term to continue with his massive infrastructure development that they have witnessed in the area. Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur urged the rank and file of the party to go out to the communities and spread the good news in terms of the unprecedented infrastructural development by the government to the people. He also charged them to embark on house to house campaign to ensure a one touch victory for the NDC. He therefore cautioned the rank and file of the party to guard against complacency and work assiduously to ensure a win for President Mahama and the party in general. He charged NDC foot-soldiers to offer themselves as disciples of President Mahama to spread his good deeds for the people to see and renew his mandate to continue with the development agenda. He said President Mahama had already laid a solid foundation for the nation and what was required now was for Ghanaians to renew his mandate to continue with his transformation agenda. Vice President Amissah-Arthur warned the NDC supporters against skirt and blouse voting. He explained that President Mahama needs more NDC members in parliament to help him deliver on his second term mandate. He pleaded with them to vote for their DCE Hon Emelia Ankoma, who is contesting as the NDCs Parliamentary Candidate for the area. Judging from her track record in the area, Mr. AmissahArthur noted that she is the best choice. Earlier, the Vice President and his team held a mini durbar at Kyekyewere in Denkyira East to interact with the chiefs and people of the area. He informed them of his mission in the town and to take time to inspect the completed E block Senior High School at Kyekyewere. 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 Autism groups have slammed the media for its reporting of the tragic murder-suicide in Sydneys North Shore. Details are still emerging, but police confirmed on Wednesday that Fernando Manrique, 44, Maria Claudia Lutz, 43, and their two children Elisa, 11, and Martin, 10, likely died as a result of air-borne gas rigged up in an extensive, elaborate and well-planned operation. Much has been made of the two children living with non-verbal autism, and several news outlets (including this one) have run quotes from acquaintances of the family about this, in both a positive and negative light. However, disability groups and activists are not impressed by speculation, slamming coverage that has attempted to explain this tragedy a result of suffering parents. We are also horrified at the reframing of family violence as an act by parents who were suffering, said Briannon Lee, Co-Convenor of Autistic Family Collective. A reframing which paints the children as the cause of their own death and the murderer as a suffering hero. Autistic people (and our disabled colleagues) stand united in the belief that we are not a burden or a tragedy and that we do not cause suffering. ASAN AU/NZ chair Katherine Annear said that these deaths are not understandable, acceptable or justifiable in the face of autism; they are criminal in the face of humanity and that two children are dead, there should be outrage. And disability advocate Samantha Connor slammed the media for speculating about motives for this crime. Speculation about motives including a perceived lack of support or the concept of burden devalues the lives of the children who are the innocent victims of this tragedy, she said. There is no evidence that the identity of the children played any part in this crime. This disturbing community and media response, which includes the publication of articles which tacitly endorse family violence, is both stigmatising and victim blaming. Police are still working to determine what happened, but have noted that with the familys relatives overseas in Colombia and no survivors, it may be some time before answers come to light. Photo: Facebook. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732. You can also find a number of national resources available at the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria. Mmmmm yeah, love that water. Delicious beverage. Cool on the lips, baby. Get it into me. That cool, refreshing, life-sustaining liquid that bonds and unites us all aint exactly thought of as being something with taste great enough to rate beyond a scale of its drinkable. But here we are in the Wet Days of our Lives, basking in the fact that someone has gone out and found Australias Tastiest Tap Water. The Water Industries Operators Association of Australia conducted the search for the nations best drop, which culminated in a blind taste test of H2O samples from five different states in the national final. And the tastiest water in the land? Folks, youre not gonna believe it. Its from Tasmania. The Tassie sample, taken from the northern region of Barrington, beat out samples from Bowraville in NSW, Morgan in South Australia, Myrtleford in Victoria, and Barcaldine in Queensland. The WIOA devised a water-tasting wheel which rates the taste of water on a number of factors, including taste (which can be acidic, sour, salty, sweet, or bitter) and mouthfeel (which includes descriptors like drying, astringent, cooling, oily, chalky, tingling, or metallic). Craig Mathison, the COO of WIOA, explains the perfect water in rather romantic language thusly: Youre looking for a nice, transparent appearance. The smell is important, you dont want it to be too chemical or earthy. You want it to be a pleasant odour. Although with all that said he did note that taste was an individual thing. The winning Tassie sample will now be entered into the 2017 global tastiest water competition, which is absolutely a real thing. Mathison and the WIOA are now turning their attention to other ventures, like a potential trans-Tasman water battle, which Mathison dubs the Bledisloe Cup of water. You cant make this stuff up, ladies and germs. Source: The Guardian. Just because someone is dead does not in itself mean that someone is criminally responsible for that death. This is the statement that defence barrister Saul Holt QC hammered home in the murder trial of Gable Tostee, and his words were likely still ringing in the minds of the jury when they delivered a verdict of not guilty today, after three and a half days of deliberations. In 2014, Warriena Wright, a New Zealand tourist, connected with Tostee, a Gold Coast carpet layer, on Tinder. After an exchange of flirtatious messages, they met up in Surfers Paradise, bought beer at a bottle shop and went upstairs to his Avalon Towers apartment where they drank, took selfies and had sex. After midnight, for reasons which are still unclear, Tostee hit record on his phone and captured what would be Wrights final hours, before she plunged to her death from his 14th floor balcony. The recording, played to the jury in Brisbanes Supreme Court and made available on the internet, is chilling as fuck. In it, Tostee can be heard arguing with a near-incomprehensible Wright, and asking her to leave his apartment. A physical altercation breaks out, and she attacks him with objects from around the apartment. In its final minutes, an increasingly fearful Wright can be heard shouting No, no, just let me go home. I would, but you have been a bad girl, Tostee replies, before faint screams are heard. Tostee called no witnesses in his murder trial, which began in Brisbanes Supreme Court on Monday October 10, and he did not take the stand to defend himself. He relied solely on the evidence from the recording, and the argument that he locked Wright on his apartment balcony in order to de-escalate the situation and defend himself, never imagining that she would jump to her death. The longer the jury deliberated, the more likely it seemed they would return a verdict of not guilty. On Tuesday of this week, unable to reach a unanimous verdict, they were given a Black direction and sent back by Justice John Byrne to consider the facts again and overcome their disagreements. Tellingly, they asked Byrne to clarify a number of points of law, including the meaning of terms like causation, unlawfulness and intent; they asked whether Wrights level of intoxication on the night was relevant, and whether the language used by Tostee could be considered force (His short answer? No). Members of the public gathered outside the court after the verdict was read out, and chanted pig at Tostee as he walked away a free man. Many on social media have questioned how in the face of the reported facts the jury could have reached such a verdict. Below is my best explanation of the law as it stands on the concept of causation. Ill also explain how, as Holt argued, the tragic events of Wrights death did not amount to murder or manslaughter. In Queensland, a homicide occurs when one person kills another in circumstances that do not lawfully permit the killing. This killing may occur through an act or omission, and causation must be shown that is, it must be proven that the death was caused directly or indirectly by the accused, which is a question of fact for juries to decide. To satisfy the elements of the offence of murder, it is also necessary for the accused to have had intent to kill the victim or cause them grievous bodily harm. If this intent cannot be proven, then the accused might instead be liable for some form of manslaughter, defined in Queenslands Criminal Code as the killing of another under such circumstances as not to constitute murder. Manslaughter can be the result of an unlawful and dangerous act, carrying with it a risk of serious injury, or it can likewise be the result of criminal negligence. Either way, manslaughter presents a jury with a lower bar to clear, because unlike murder it is not necessary to prove that the accused actually intended to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to the victim. The element of causation is all-important: it is for the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the victims death was caused by the actions of the accused. Courts will apply the sine non qua test of factual causation and ask if the death would have occurred but for the defendants actions. They will ask if the victims death was a natural consequence of the defendants conduct, or if this conduct was a substantial cause of the death. There is no consensus as to which test should be applied, and courts will often refer to them interchangeably when trying to establish the connection between conduct and result. On the facts and arguments from the Gable Tostee trial, arguably the most important test used was that of factual causation, as applied in the notorious case of Royall v The Queen. In November 1986, Kelly Louise Healey plunged to her death from the window of her sixth-floor apartment after a violent altercation with her former boyfriend Kym William Royall. There was evidence of a struggle in the apartments bathroom, including hair, blood splatters, a chipped ashtray, and gouge marks in the wall, suggesting he had swung said ashtray at her during the fight. One theory was that Royall pushed Healey out of the window; Royall himself maintained that she jumped of her own volition, in an act of suicide. The Crown took the position that Healey jumped out the window, but argued that, while Royall did not physically push his ex-girlfriend out, he might as well have, because her fear of him was so great in that moment that she thought jumping to be a safer option. The Crown argued that a reasonable person in Royalls position would have foreseen the results eventuating from his conduct, and a NSW jury agreed, finding him guilty of murder. The verdict was appealed to the High Court of Australia, who upheld it, and in doing so, shaped the way Australian courts approach the concept of foreseeability. In closing statements to the jury in the Gable Tostee case, the Crown argued that Wright felt her only reasonable and rational option in the circumstances was to climb off Tostees balcony, meaning that he as good as pushed her over the edge. The defence, however, argued that Wrights response to the situation was disproportionate, and that the decision to climb over the balcony to her death was hers alone. In the eyes of the law, there is a limit to what the reasonable person can foresee. A victims reaction to a particular event can be so extreme and irrational that it effectively breaks the chain of causation, and the accused will no longer be held responsible for their death. Justice Brennan articulated as much in his ruling in the case of Royall, saying that if the final steps taken by a victim are not reasonable or proportionate, the chain is broken, and the death cannot be treated as a result of the accuseds conduct. In his own ruling in the case of Royall v The Queen, Justice McHugh said on this same point: An accused should not be held to be guilty unless his or her conduct induced the victim to take action which was either intended by the accused or was of a type which a reasonable person could have foreseen as a consequence of the accuseds conduct any irrational or unreasonable conduct of the victim will be a variable factor to be weighed according to all the circumstances of the case. In recounting Wrights final moments, Crown prosecutor Glen Cash QC said that she was in a state of terror bordering on hysteria as she was forced onto Tostees balcony. Cash conceded that Wright probably unlawfully assaulted Tostee in the minutes before her death, throwing ornamental rocks at him and hitting him with a part of a telescope, but that his subsequent use of force restraining her, choking and possibly strangling her, and forcing her onto his balcony was unreasonable. In his closing arguments, Cash said that Wright was faced with two possibilities in the final moments of her life: One was to try and go back into the apartment, to go back through where Gable Tostee was, to have to engage with the man who on the crown case had violently restrained her. The man who had just told her in response to her begging to be permitted to go home that he would not let her do so because she had been in his words a bad girl. In light of what he had done and what she feared he would do, what then was her only reasonable and rational option in those circumstances? The only remaining option is to attempt to climb down the balcony to escape Gable Tostee. In his own closing remarks, defence barrister Holt maintained that Tostees decision to put Wright on his balcony was an act of de-escalation, and that doing so was his legal entitlement to defend himself from her attacks. Gable Tostee was lawfully permitted to restrain Ms Wright because she attacked him with rocks he was acting to remove a disorderly person from his property and the law says you can do that. Locking her on the balcony, shutting and locking the door was an act of de-escalation to intervene, an act that created safety, in essence, for both of them. His remarks hit on the issue of reasonable foreseeability, and he argued, in essence, that Wrights death could not have been foreseeable to Tostee, as the action she took was too extreme. He said: This was a climb that couldnt work unless you were Spider-Man Her decision to climb over a 14th floor balcony was not a proportionate, reasonable or rational response to the situation she was in That sequence of events is a desperate tragedy but it is not murder and it is not manslaughter. Just because somebody is dead does not in itself mean someone is criminally responsible for that death. Legally speaking, there is not a lot else that can be done now that the jury has reached its verdict, and Tostee is a free man. Queenslands double jeopardy laws mean that he cannot be tried again, and Attorney-General Yvette Dath cannot appeal his acquittal, although she may appeal any point of law raised in the trial, which could have implications for murder cases in the future. This incident will surely haunt the Tostee and Wright families for the rest of their lives, but in an address to the media outside the court, Gable Tostees lawyer Nick Dore said: Hes relieved this matter is now behind him and hes looking forward to moving on with his life. He thanks all those people who have supported him through this and realises just how tragic this has been for many people. At this stage, hes looking forward to putting it behind him and considering his future from here. Image: Supplied. We post about Bill Leaks extremely stupid cartoons a lot, but I would be more than willing to confess something fairly large: a huge portion of Australia simply do not give much of a shit either way. There are those who dont care he publishes moronic racist screeds, and they also dont think hes the final battleground for free speech. Its a collective meh. Which is why its extremely funny to see an op-ed in The Australian this morning backing the calls from fellow conservative cartoonist Paul Zanetti to kickstart a literal Je Suis Bill Leak movement. Have just updated my profile pic. It will stay there until Sect 18C is repealed. Feel free to copy and share. #auspol#BillLeak@timsout pic.twitter.com/XeoGP36GMq Zanetti Cartoons (@ZanettiCartoons) October 19, 2016 After Leak faced a Human Rights Commission complaint over his cartoons, the Oz has been gearing up for a war and theyre waging it in the straight up most cretinous way possible. Yes, there are perfectly legitimate grounds to argue that Leak ought to be able to publish what he wants under the provisions of free speech. But comparing some bloke who draws Chinese people with enormous buck teeth and conical hats and cops a few angry tweets about it to the murdered Charlie Hebdo cartoonists does come across as extremely stupid. Op-ed writer James Allen elaborates: You might think the millions who emoted Je suis Charlie for some French cartoonists might summon up the gumption to yell Je suis Bill Leak for a man who simply drew a cartoon of the plight of Aboriginal children with one Aboriginal neer-do-well and one Aboriginal policeman. No, that offends me, cried the zealots as they invoked 18C and brought Leak under the aegis of this abomination of a law. Its great how Leak is held up as some deeply compassionate bloke who merely cares about the plight of Aboriginal children, despite the fact he has a long and storied of plainly racist cartoonists about Aboriginals far, far worse than the one thats copped so much airtime: Wage your culture war if youre keen but I reckon this might be the wrong tack. Source: The Australian. Photo: Bill Leak. One of the more concerning things about this US election is Trumps escalating rhetoric that the whole thing is rigged either by the media, voter fraud, or actual tampering of the ballots or all of the above. Considering his fairly bad polling, its more likely than not that he will lose, so its been raising questions of something you might consider unthinkable in modern American politics: a losing candidate not conceding the vote. Even in 2000, when there was a massive upset with the Florida vote which many thought handed the election illegitimately to George Bush over Al Gore, everything proceeded somewhat rationally. The idea of an elected government and a loyal opposition is how republican democracy works. But Trump might buck that trend. He was asked directly during todays debate in no uncertain terms whether he would concede if he lost. He wouldnt answer and said hed keep everyone in suspense. Ill keep you in suspense: Trump declines to say whether he would concede to Clinton if he loses. #debatenight https://t.co/5pky1ldi1H CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2016 There are two things that could be happening here. Either Trump is a legit maniac with a revolutionary bent and has no plans to actually hand the reins of power to Clinton if she wins, or hes just trying to rile up his supporters, who already think this is an everything or nothing election. My take? I reckon its option 2. Trump literally has nothing to gain from a revolution like that. In fact, the status quo has been quite kind to him overall. But regardless of what hes doing, getting a lot of very angry people who think the system has failed them thinking undemocratically is a real worrying move. In any case, its time to fix the damn hats: Source: Twitter. Photo: Getty Images. Finally, Australia is set to connect with Paris Hilton in a manner that doesnt involve Rob Mills, nor his yuck genitalia-rating capabilities. Instead, the heiress, reality TV star, noughties cultural touchstone and human punchline of waning impact will be coming Down Under to perform at least one DJ set. Hilton, who has apparently made a legitimate gig out of her party-starting skills around the joint for the past few years, will be bringing her nostalgic brand of OTT opulence to Brisbanes Fluffy on November 20. Its all a part of her Gold Rush tour, which implies there will be more than one stop on this diamante-encrusted journey. Oh, for the record, this whole deal is to promote her new fragrance. So, uh, job done already then. If the news of her arrival aint enough for you, youll actually be to buy tickets here from 9am tomorrow. While you toss the mummified chihuahua shit out of your least-favourite hold-all, feel free to hear about the stereotypical bunk hurled at Australias female DJs on the reg and hold out hope for Hilton actually delivering a night of polyphonic ringtone bangers: Source: Fluffy / Facebook. Photo: Gallo Images / Getty. Harry Potter promotion Promotional still from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" The wizarding world of Harry Potter is coming to life in a Philadelphia neighborhood. Chestnut Hill is transforming itself into Hogsmeade on Oct. 22, complete with shops selling Butter Beer and PolyJuice Potion. You can even channel Cho Chang and Harry Potter's date (but without the tears (hopefully) at Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop - also known as The Night Kitchen (7725 Germantown Ave.) There will be no shortage of things to do and see. The festival will host fortune tellers, photo booths, face painters, circus performers and live owls. You can also catch a ride upon both thestrals and the Knight Bus. Make Hermione Granger proud by attending a S.P.E.W. Rally or put your magical skills to the test at a Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Find out if you're a Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Slytherin as well with the Sorting Hat Demonstrations. Get a taste of Hogwarts life by stopping by Jenks Academy, which will have a Firebolt 5K and games of Wizard Chess. For those wanting to get lost in their own Tri-Wizard Straw Maze, Woodmere Art Museum is a must-visit. Don't forget to cheer on Gryffindor or Slytherin in the Hogwarts House Cup Improv Challenge at 3 p.m. at 8100 Germantown Ave. Whether you root for the Chudley Cannons or the Holyhead Harpies, put a stop at Chestnut Hill College on your list. The school is hosting the Brotherly Love Quidditch Tournament. And perhaps the coolest part of the festival we've failed to mention so far... you can get there aboard the Hogwarts Express. That's right, SEPTA is transforming the Chestnut Hill East and Chestnut Hill West Regional Rail Lines to the "Hogwarts Local." It has also renamed stations in Philadelphia accordingly, with Jefferson Station becoming the Ministry of Magic, Temple University being Knockturn Alley and Allen Lane becoming Godric's Hollow. Harry Potter and his friends will be hanging at Jefferson Station from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. before coming to the festival, so its best to catch those trains in. But be sure to get your ticket ahead of time, the trains are expected to be packed. Click here for more information on the train. The festival is free to attend and runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. DETAILS: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 22 on Germantown Ave. from Bethlehem Pike to Mermaid Lane, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Cost: Free. chestnuthillpa.com/events/harry-potter-festival-2016 This story has been updated to correct the date for the event. It is Oct. 22 not Oct. 21. Playing off the popularity of all-you-can-eat restaurants in Lancaster County, Walnut Grove Smorgasbord gives diners a chance to fill up their plates multiple times. The restaurant opened Oct. 18 at 300 N. Mountain Road in a former Country Oven Restaurant in Lower Paxton Twp. It's visible from Route 81 and close to Linglestown. Hot and cold buffet tables are scattered throughout the dining rooms in the 240 seat restaurant. Diners can help themselves to home style favorites such as meatloaf, Gene Wenger's ham loaf, chicken pot pie, stuffed shells and sweet potato casserole. "We just thought of bringing a taste of Lancaster County to the Harrisburg area," said Angie Grassmyer, who owns Walnut Grove with her husband, Randy. Randy Grassmyer, who is a Navy veteran, has worked in food distribution for 25 years, while Angie Grassmyer has done catering for about five years. They named the restaurant after the Minnesota town featured in the "Little House on the Prairie" series. Although, Angie Grassmyer admitted some younger diners are not familiar with the name. Primitive country gifts such as candles and Christmas ornaments are available for sale in the restaurant's lobby. An Amish back board wagon Randy Grassmyer purchased from an Amish farm sits outside of the restaurant. The Country Oven closed in 2007, and through the years, a variety of restaurants operated there including Geo's Country Oven, Mountain Road Diner and Sindbaad Restaurant. "We are hoping to bring back the Country Oven's reputation with a clean environment, wholesome atmosphere and quality food," Angie Grassmyer said. They also have brought back a Country Oven favorite, cheddar garlic biscuits. Before Walnut Grove opened, many nearby residents stopped by the restaurant and would reminisce about the Country Oven and its food, Angie Grassmyer said. "They would talk about the cheese bread. It's all they would talk about," she added. The couple and their staff experimented with several cheddar biscuit recipes until they settled on one they believe is close to the original Country Oven recipe. All together the restaurant serves dozens of items, starting with hot and cold breakfast items such as cereal, pancakes, bacon, eggs and ham. The selections grow throughout the day to include a carving station with ham, turkey and sliced sirloin, a milkshake bar and salad bar. "As the day goes on, the smorgasbord expands," Angie Grassmyer said. The milkshake bar is already a favorite. Diners can pick from 10 different flavors of Turkey Hill Ice Cream and drink as many milkshakes as they want. The restaurant also serves seven types of pies and four flavors of cakes. Food is the focus but the couple said they want to maintain a community and family-oriented feel. Every Thursday they will host a contest for children ages 12 and under to win a free bicycle with a helmet, while around the holidays they will bring in a Santa Claus for a special event. In addition, the restaurant gives discounts to active duty military, veterans and police officers. Senior citizens ages 62-years and older receive a 10 percent discount. Angie Grassmyer operates a full catering service, WGC Catering, from the restaurant doing events such as backyard picnics and weddings. Clients can meet with her in a consultation room at the restaurant and also sample food in a tasting room. The smorgasbord prices are as follows: Breakfast is $8.99 for a full smorgasbord and $4.99 for beverage and Danish option as well as for children ages 4-10. Lunch is $12.99 for the full smorgasbord, $8.99 for soup and salad and $6.99 for children ages 4-10. Dinner is priced at $15.99 for a full smorgasbord, $9.99 for soup and salad and $6.99 for children ages 4-10. An additional endless beverage option is $2.49 for adults and 99 cents for children ages 4-10. The restaurant is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday. Phone is 717-727-7463. Per the new normal, major fact-checking took place during and after the Clinton-Trump debate on Wednesday night, and continues this morning. Here are some highlights and links: Donald Trump, arguing for the existence of rampant voter fraud, said there are millions of people who are wrongly registered to vote. Politico said the Pew study cited by Trump isn't as clearcut as he claims. According to Politico, the report says about 24 million registrations are "either invalid or very inaccurate." That includes 1.8 million people listed as voters. But Politico notes the report doesn't say they had actually voted, and doesn't suggest the rampant voter fraud claimed by Trump. Politico concluded Hillary Clinton's claim that her economic plan "doesn't add a penny" to the national debt falls into a "gray area." It cited research stating her plan would boost revenues by $1.4 trillion over a decade, but it remains unclear how she would pay for all her plans, and its hard to measure the impact on the debt without more details. Politico cited the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget which concluded Clinton's policies would add $200 billion to the debt over ten years, while Trump's plan would add $5.3 trillion. Politico also took a look at Trump's claim that Clinton is encouraging violence at his rallies. It detailed results of a sting operation run by conservative activist James O'Keefe "that appears to suggest effort to send plants into [Trump] rallies to cause trouble." The Clinton campaign denies any role. The Associated Press concluded: "Donald Trump painted an inaccurately dark portrait of manufacturing in America while Hillary Clinton stretched credulity in boasting that her spending plans won't add to the country's debt. As well, both struggled in the presidential final debate to explain comments from their past." in the United States anymore is inaccurate. It said factory production has doubled since 1979, when manufacturing employment was at an all-time high. But the AP pointed out: "The problem is that it takes fewer people to produce more. The United States has lost more than 7 million factory jobs, a drop of nearly 40 percent, since the 1979 manufacturing employment peak." Trump said Clinton called for "open borders" in a speech to a Brazilian bank. Clinton said she was talking about energy rather than immigration. AP wrote, in part, "She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks." Trump "overstated" the size of Obamacare premium increases. The Times deemed it "highly unlikely" that there are, as claimed by Trump, tens of thousands of Isis-aligned Syrians in the United States. It concluded Clinton was "half-right, half-wrong" when she said that when her husband Bill was president, a $300 billion budget deficit turned into a $200 billion surplus, and that "we were actually on a path to eliminating the national debt." Here are some of the other fact checks: and which at some points fact-checked statements made by the partisan commentators who analyzed the debate. "36 Fact Checks From the Final Presidential Debate" "Presidential Debate Fact-Check: What Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Are Claiming." Texas-Taco-Truck-Voter-Registration Thomas Hull, a local design and marketing executive, is interviewed in front of the Tierra Caliente taco truck, one of eight trucks in Houston on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, that his firm and Mi Familia Vota have designated as voter registration sites. Hull said he was influenced when a surrogate of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suggested that unless the United States fortifies its borders and tightens immigration limits, "You're going to have taco trucks on every corner." (AP Photo/John L. Mone, file) Taco trucks lined up in front of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel before his debate Wednesday with Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nevada city. According to NBC News: A "wall" of taco and food trucks lined up in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas in a clear message to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump ahead of the third and final debate. "Latinos for Trump" spokesperson Marco Gutierrez, a Mexican immigrant, said in September that if that if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency and Mexican immigration goes unchecked, there would be "taco trucks on every corner." Trump has said that, if elected, he would make sure a wall goes up between the U.S. and Mexico. Donald Trump got a wall a taco & food truck wall at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas just hours before the 3rd #debate https://t.co/kgYN5XhZ3e NBC Latino (@NBCLatino) October 20, 2016 GREETING DONALD! TACO TRUCK WALL PROTEST AROUND THE TRUMP HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS GOING ON NOW! pic.twitter.com/7Fhc6GPacL Rogelio Garcia Lawyer (@LawyerRogelio) October 19, 2016 Taco truck "wall" of protest in front of Trump hotel in Las Vegas, where the candidate spent the night. pic.twitter.com/yPtcGUGBDb Janet Hook (@hookjan) October 19, 2016 Ahead of debate, protesters stage taco-truck rally outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel https://t.co/rOOK4Pe9iq The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 19, 2016 Donald Trump used the last debate before the general election to tell millions of viewers and voters that he may not accept their choice for president. The Republican nominee has been saying for days that the election is rigged in Democrat Hillary Clinton's favor. When debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he would accept vote counts on Nov. 8, the candidate said, "I will look at it at the time." "I will keep you in suspense," Trump added. It was line that likely pleased Trump's core supporters, but didn't help him among the independents and college-educated voters he needs in order to win Pennsylvania and the general election. "That moment was the biggest takeaway of the night," said Terry Madonna, veteran political analyst and pollster at Franklin & Marshall College. "It's something I don't remember a candidate saying in modern history." It's also something that could be toxic to his candidacy in the final two weeks of the campaign. "This helps with very few people outside his core group of supporters," said Chris Borick, a political scientist at Muhlenberg College. "In many ways, it's dangerous. It tells people he's not willing to play by the rules." By keeping voters in suspense and refusing to say whether he will accept election results, he again took the focus off of Clinton's answers about her emails, paid Wall Street speeches and the most substantive debate of the three parleys. "I think it's pretty troubling for a lot of people that he said that," said Kyle Kopko, a political scientist at Elizabethtown College. "Trump did reasonably well compared to his past debate performances, but it's that one line that everyone will be talking about." Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord said it was an important line and one that is well-founded. The CNN political analyst and Camp Hill resident said he is not concerned about the integrity of his polling place in East Pennsboro Township, but he is concerned about electronic voting. "A paper ballot, which when marked, is unmistakably marked physically," Lord said. "No one who votes knows for sure when they tap the screen for a candidate that the vote is registered that way. And what about hacking?" Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said "it's nonsense" and widespread voter fraud doesn't exist, according to a previous PennLive report. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Uber An Uber worker opens the door for a passenger outside the Uber-only lane and entrance at the Democratic National Convention. (Candy Woodall, PennLive) HARRISBURG -- Approval for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft to operate statewide is nearing final approval in the Pennsylvania Legislature before temporary regulatory authority to operate in most counties runs out early next year. The House voted unanimously Wednesday to send legislation back to the Senate, which approved an earlier version last year. The bumpy ride for Uber and Lyft in Pennsylvania has included clashing with Philadelphia regulators and a record-setting $11.4 million state fine imposed on Uber. Under the bill, Uber's fine would be limited to $250,000 while the companies would pay 1.4 percent of gross receipts in Philadelphia to the city and school district. Companies and drivers would be subject to licensing and safety standards and requirements to carry insurance and report accidents in a timely manner. Criminal background checks would also required for drivers. A former U.S. Navy contractor was sentenced to a 21 month federal prison sentence Wednesday after pleading guilty to bilking subcontractors out of more $1.2 million for work at a midstate naval facility. In February, Andrew Persaud, 44, admitted to providing false statements to the government after he defrauded subcontractors out of more than $1.2 million in payments after his company landed a $4.4 million contract to renovate warehouses at the Naval Support Activity Center in Hampden Township , the U.S. attorney's office said. Persaud stole more than $1.2 million in payments from the Navy that were supposed to be used to pay subcontractors involved with the project, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. In October of 2015, an indictment was filed against Persaud, who was president and corporate director of Persaud Companies Inc., a construction company based in Maryland and Virginia, after he entered into a contract to renovate the warehouses in 2011. Persaud hired 17 subcontractors to work on the project, with work beginning in May of 2012. In June and July of that year, Persaud submitted invoices for payments to the Navy, certifying that all of the subcontractors had been paid for their work on the project. Based on his certifications, the Navy sent Persaud more than $1.2 million between June and August of 2012, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. However, by the next month, most of the subcontractors had walked off the job site, claiming not one had received payment for work on the project, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Navy immediately terminated its contract with Persaud upon learning the subcontractors had walked off of the job site. Since the Navy required Persaud to buy a materials/labor bond that cost him $53,539, the subcontractors eventually were paid, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Federal Judge Sylvia Rambo ordered Persaud to pay $1.2 million in restitution and she entered a forfeiture against him in the same amount. Persaud must report to the Bureau of Prisons on Nov. 21. The Dauphin County District Attorney's office arrested and charged a Bishop McDevitt High School teacher with dozens of child sex abuse counts Thursday. Randi Lynn Zurenko Randi Lynn Zurenko, 33, of Millerstown, Perry County, is charged with 13 counts of institutional sexual assault, 153 counts of sexual abuse of children, 33 counts of unlawful contact with minors, 20 counts of dissemination of obscene material to a minor and 13 counts of corruption of minors. Between January 1, 2013, and October 14, 2016, Zurenko sexually abused two Bishop McDevitt students while she was a teacher at the school in Lower Paxton Township, according to DA Ed Marsico Jr.'s office. The DA's office said Zurenko and the first victim had "an encounter" at Fort Hunter park in Susquehanna Township before the student graduated in 2013. During the meeting, Zurenko massaged the student's back and undid her bra, and she gave the underage victim alcohol several times, before and after the student graduated from Bishop McDevitt, the DA's office said. Police interviewed the victim Monday and Tuesday. In early 2015, Zurenko also began sexually abusing a second student, and continued to do so until Oct. 14, the DA's office said. Zurenko had sex with the second victim, according to the DA's office. She also took pictures of the second student in various stages of undress, Marsico's office said, and took pictures of her and the student having sex. Zurenko also sent the victim nude photos, according to the DA's office. Detectives seized Zurenko's phone and other electronic devices and found numerous nude photos of the student, the DA's office said. Authorities said the "sexual encounters" with the second victim occurred at various locations throughout Lower Paxton, Susquehanna and Swatara townships. They also took place at Zurenko's home and in Myrtle Beach, S.C., according to the DA's office. The last encounter occurred Friday, and the victim was interviewed Tuesday, the DA's office said. On Tuesday, detectives also interviewed Zurenko, who admitted to providing alcohol to both victims while they were students at Bishop McDevitt, according to the DA's office. She also admitted that she had sexual contact with and took nude photos of the second victim, the DA's office said. Bishop McDevitt officials placed Zurenko on administrative leave when they were advised of the investigation Tuesday. Anyone with information about the incidents may contact detective John O'Connor at 717-780-6432. Donald Meyer Jr., the Perry County man accused in his 12-year-old daughter's accidental shooting death, will face trial on charges he lied to obtain weapons despite a past mental health commitment. Meyer, 58, is also charged with homicide in the Jan. 11 death of daughter Ciara Meyer at their Penn Township apartment. He was bound over for court Thursday by District Judge Gregory Johnson on six counts each of lying to sale or transfer of firearms violations and unsworn falsification to authorities. He remains in Perry County prison without bail on the homicide charges. Meyer is accused of pointing a rifle at a constable who came to evict the family. Constable Clark Steele fired in self-defense, authorities say, and the bullet went through Meyer's arm and struck Ciara in the chest. Meyer has maintained he is innocent. "Just remember - it was his bullet, not mine," he said after the hearing. Despite having an involuntary mental commitment Nov. 27, 2011, Meyer was able to obtain six firearms between Oct. 1, 2012 and May 7, 2015 after police said he lied on gun purchase forms that he never had a commitment. Trooper Donald Chewning of Newport barracks testified that after several guns were seized from Meyer's home, and troopers learned of a possible mental health commitment in his past, they investigated how he obtained the weapons. Documents from Dauphin County Crisis Intervention Center showed that Meyer, then living in Dauphin County, was committed Nov. 27, 2011 for inpatient therapy, Chewning said. Meyer had been involuntarily committed after he was accused of threatening to kill himself and his family, Chewning said in court records. Meyer answered "no" on both ATF and state police background check forms to obtain the weapons, Chewning said. Meyer is accused of purchasing these firearms: At Gander Mountain in Lower Paxton Township: Sig Saur .22 and Bersa Thunder .38 automatic pistol Oct. 1, 2012.Sturm Ruger .22 revolver April 13, 2013. At OD Tactical in Swatara Township: IWI Tavor SAR .223 assault rifle Sept. 21, 2013. At Trop Gun Shop in West Donegal Township: Colt M4 carbine .223 assault rifle Sept. 27, 2012. At Reeser's Gunsmithing and Gun Shop in Reed Township: IWI Tavor SAR .223 rifle he had placed on consignment - pickup up May 7, 2015. Pennsylvania counties are required to report mental health information to state police, who enter the information into the Pennsylvania Instant Check System. Chewning said that usually forms are forwarded from mental health establishments to the county sheriff's office to state police. Deanna Muller, Meyer's attorney from the Dauphin County public defender's office, asked why Meyer was able to purchase the weapons, with the mental health commitment. "So at some point this information didn't make it to PSP," she said. "I'm not sure where the disconnect occurred, but you are correct," Chewning said. In February, state police said they didn't have Meyer's medical information on record, said Trooper Adam Reed, state police spokesman. Dauphin County officials declined to specifically comment on Meyer's case but said that, generally, protocols were followed. Reed said Thursday that additional searches of paper records were performed, and never found the commitment data from Dauphin County. "It wasn't entered before because we didn't receive it," he said. "However, it's since been entered. Since then, we have implemented some proactive measures to keep something similar from happening again. We now provide each county with a summary of all records we receive from them every two weeks. This allows the county to inventory and cross-check their records to ensure that our records are complete and accurate," Reed said. The county currently submits the commitments into the database electronically via a web-based screen, Reed said. At the time of Meyer's commitment, paper copies were still being submitted. The electronic submission option came along as a result of improvements to our PICS system. Amy Richards Harinath, Dauphin County spokeswoman, said, "Dauphin County Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities complies with the law to report involuntary commitments to the PA State Police and to the Sheriff's Office. Due to confidentiality laws, however, we can't discuss specific cases." UPDATE: Comments from Dauphin County were added to this story. Amy Richards Harinath ULYSSES -- The unnamed brook starts somewhere near the ridgeline above this narrow, tree-lined hollow. It runs downhill through the neat-looking farm fields on the hillside before crossing under a gravel and stone road -- an improbable state route -- and joining with Ludington Run, which meanders through the hills before joining the Genesee River near the small farming town of Ulysses, high in Potter County. This slice of Pennsylvania is called "God's Country," a claim that is at the same time both a boast and a simple statement of fact. For on a blue-sky day, when the bounds of the sky are seemingly constrained only by the tree-lined ridges, and the quiet is broken only by the soft whisper of the wind or the cry of a hawk, it is hard not to feel the hand of the creator or a touch of the divine at work. To become lost, if only for a moment, in a deep sense of peace that resides in the narrow valleys that shape this region of the northern Allegheny Plateau. For most of the 70 years he's been on Earth, Gene Kosa has been farming this narrow valley in Potter County, fields his family has tended since his grandfather arrived in the mid-1920s. In all that time, he said, there almost always has been water. But this year, after a 40-day string in June and July when no rain fell as the sun blazed down into this little valley and the other valleys of north-central Pennsylvania, the brook is dry. "There's just no water here," Kosa said on a cloudless September afternoon as temperatures approached 80 degrees. "I've never seen anything like this year. ... It just doesn't happen." Pennsylvania is a state defined by two main features -- its mountains and its waterways, which together define many of the state's characteristics. A map of Pennsylvania as defined by its streams, creeks and rivers. Source: Environmental Resources Research Institute/Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The mountains determined where our forefathers settled and subsequently, where we live today, in part by directing the water that flows off their flanks into the valleys, valleys that over a millennia of erosion nature conspired to be among the most fertile on earth, awaiting only the tip of a plow to yield the types of harvests that can help feed a nation. And Pennsylvania's myriad streams, creeks and rivers - fed by the unfailing rain and winter snows - have provided the water to grow those harvests. Most of us have forgotten this. Snug in our suburbs or cities, we lose perspective on how the natural world quietly conspires to influence our lives. But this year, along Pennsylvania's northern tier and up into New England, the earth is dry. Ponds have turned to mud and in the fields, a brown dust is rising, even as farmers plant their fall crops - crops they depend on to feed their cows and livestock and, in turn, all of us. *** Lack of rain in northern Pennsylvania is causing drought in Potter and Tioga county farms with some farmers losing 40 percent of their crops. Sept. 21, 2016. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com Unlike perhaps any other, a drought is an insidious natural disaster. Earthquakes are sudden and violent. Hurricanes can be predicted and prepared for. Blizzards can be safely weathered indoors until the plow trucks clear the lane. But a drought is quiet and lingering. Its effects compound over time and often it cannot be diagnosed until after it has arrived -- when the dust is already rising from the fields and wells are threatening to go dry. A tornado may destroy a town, but a drought can asphyxiate a region. Along Pennsylvania's northern tier, the growing season started promisingly enough in the spring. Warm, wet weather quickly nursed the first green shoots of the harvest from the earth. Farmers moved quickly to sow their seeds and looked forward to what, for a moment, appeared to be a banner year. But then came the dry spell -- a string of dry months that had farmers from Pennsylvania to Maine anxiously watching weather reports, waiting for the rains which never came. By the start of fall the corn on some farms stood waist-high, dry and brittle to the touch. The rivers that run through the small farming towns of Ulysses and Westfield held more smooth rocks than flowing water. "If we'd have had six more inches of rain it probably would have been one of the best seasons that's ever been," said farmer John Painter II, as he drove his dust-covered pickup through the hills. Painter, or "Johnny" as he's known to his friends, owns and operates one of the largest non-corporate farming operations in Tioga County -- 5,500 acres scattered across hilltops and bottomland, down from the hollow his family started farming in 1940 and out past Westfield, into the Cowanesque Valley. It's a patchwork quilt put together by his father, who, Painter said with a laugh, had a penchant for buying farms, starting at a young age. "Some people collect matchbox cars, he collected farms," Painter said. Painter has a diverse, certified organic operation (in a good year the margins, always thin for farmers, are a little better being organic). The family tends corn fields to produce silage, alongside grass and alfalfa fields to feed their 350 dairy cows and beef steers. The grass fields allow Painter to pasture-graze his herd. As an organic farmer, he is encouraged to do this (it is recommended that more than a third of the cows' feed come from pasture), "but that just didn't happen in the month of July and August," he said. After an good start, the dry weather meant his grass fields didn't bounce back after the first cutting for hay, which led to smaller-than-usual follow-on cuttings. It also decimated his pasturage. The modern farm is a complex organism, with each piece building upon and relying upon the others. Painter's operation is largely self-reliant. He grows crops to feed his cows or steers, which in turn produce milk or meat for the market. His farm is large enough that he typically grows more than he uses, which means he sells his excess hay and feed to other farmers. In a good year, all those different operations balance and everything works. But the long stretch of dry days mid-summer altered that equation and has already led to some difficult decisions. Call it drought math. Painter: "Come along the first part of August, the pastures were shot. So we started feedin hay to the steers. Now, normally we would have kept those steers 'til October as long as the pasture was good, even though they would have been big enough to go to the market, they would have gained another 100, 150 pounds. Well, we sell a lot of hay. So once we started putting in 20, 30 bales of hay a day to the steers and heifers, we decided we would cash those steers in and save that hay to feed the dairy, or to sell to other dairymen. ... The margin is so small that -- like those steers, there's no sense in feedin 'em. We couldn't put enough weight on our steers fast enough by feedin 'em the hay than we'd make off selling the hay. That's why we did that." *** No rain The following map shows cumulative monthly rainfall departures from normal for Pennsylvania beginning in January of this year. It is based off data reported by the National Weather Service and more than 6,500 data points. *** The conditions in Potter and Tioga counties are not outliers. Rather, they are part of a finger of dry conditions reaching from the New York border down into Clinton, Clearfield and northern Centre counties in the center of Pennsylvania. Weather doesn't recognize state boundaries either. North of the border, dry conditions have been hammering the Finger Lakes region of New York and the state's "southern tier," part of a massive drought that reaches all the way through New England to the coast of Maine: The genesis of this year's drought actually began over the past winter. Despite a single record snowfall, the winter was largely bereft of snow, especially along Pennsylvania's northern tier and into New York. And while the spring was relatively mild, broader weather patterns (namely dry Canadian air and warmer-than-average temperatures) conspired to both prevent storm systems from entering the region and further dried out what moisture was already in the ground. While much of Pennsylvania was placed in a drought watch by September, the effects of the drought have not been equally distributed. Dry pockets in the north-central part of the state were considered to be under a 'severe drought' by mid-August. In New York state, by the end of September, 25 counties had been declared disaster areas due to the drought, which has been deemed the worst in more than a decade. And despite some rain recently, most of the region is still far below its average annual rainfall. "The reality is the drought is expanding in New York as of last week and is continuing to expand," said Keith Tidball, a senior associate with the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Department of Natural Resources. "And frankly," Tidball continued, "if we don't have significant amounts of rain or snowpack, we could start with a deficit heading into next year." It's the threat of a dry fall leading into next year that has farmers and other drought watchers worried. In the Susquehannock State Forest, dry conditions led to local fire companies being dispatched regularly to brush fires this summer. The dry conditions can also stress the forest's trees to the point of death, especially if they are already under stress from disease or insects, said Chris Nicholas, a forest district manager with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. "I have not seen this widespread this summer but sometimes it may not show up totally until next growing season as trees will continue to die. I wouldn't expect that to be a major issue but it could happen to some trees," Nicholas wrote in an email. "Droughts in our area are typically seasonal so overall the impacts are short term. If this drought were to continue into next summer then the impacts would become worse." For the farmers along the northern tier, a dry autumn and winter would spell trouble as well. In Potter County, where Gene Kosa farms more than 1,000 acres, farmers are hoping for rain before the frost sets in. "We have to get water in the ground before it freezes," Kosa said. "If it don't ... then we'll be in real trouble." Kosa joked that he can tell how well the farm is operating by how agitated his son Josh is. Josh, who manages the farm's books, has been plenty agitated this year, Kosa said. Like most farmers, Kosa has crop insurance, but that only goes so far. Josh said insurance will cover a farm's costs -- "it will basically get you through to the next year," he said -- but that doesn't mean they can afford to write off the year. And Kosa said in September he was already seeing orders for hay and feed, something that normally doesn't start until closer to winter. Meanwhile, milk prices aren't helping either. Since the start of the year national dairy prices have fallen by about 15 percent, approaching levels not seen since the Great Recession in 2009, when many smaller dairy farmers were forced to sell their herds. The two issues -- low dairy prices and drought - are making farmers feel squeezed. "The worst part is, the people who have the worst corn are the people who can least afford it," Kosa said, shaking his head. "I don't know how they are going to feed their cows." Down the hollow and out in the fields outside of nearby Ulysees, one of Kosa's combines is cutting the chest-high rows of corn to feed the farm's herd through the winter. The combine reaches the end of a row and pivots before making its way back down the corn rows, all the while chased by a truck collecting the cuttings. The two move in tandem through the fields -- a scene playing out at farms across the northern tier as farmers prepare for the fall and winter -- all the while under a rising cloud of brown dust. 31st senate race.jpg John Bosha (left), Ken Gehosky (center) and Mike Regan (right) are all running for the 31st District of the Pennsylvania State Senate. (Provided photos. ) In Cumberland and York counties, three candidates are vying to fill the seat that will be left vacant by a state senator who has represented the 31st District for the last 12 years. With the upcoming retirement of Sen. Pat Vance, a state representative, a pharmacist and a teacher have all thrown their hats in the ring. For more about the candidates, check out our This is a state senatorial race that really doesn't seem to have one defining issue, but many evergreen concerns are around and will likely have to be addressed by the winner, said Terry Madonna, a political scientist from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. PennLive asked the candidates about some of these issues, including education, job creation and pension reform. Here's what they had to say: Mike Regan: Republican candidate Mike Regan, of Carroll Township, is currently a state representative for the 92nd District and was elected to that position in 2012. He had previously served as the state's deputy inspector general and as a U.S. marshal. Education and spending will continue to be an issue, but Regan said he is pleased with some of the progress that has been made since he's been in office. "We got into last year's budget some reforms," Regan said. "The money is following the student, which I think is beneficial to the schools in the 31st District." These reforms are directed at making sure students will receive an equitable amount of funding more based upon the students than geography in the state, he said, which he wants to see continue. Even with recent reforms, Regan said it will be important in the coming year to serve as a watchdog against Gov. Tom Wolf's "open checkbook" spending in terms of education. "Over the years, it's been shown that just throwing money at ailing school districts just doesn't work," Regan said. That has been done with the Philadelphia school system, he said, adding that method has not brought about improved graduation rates or test scores. Regan wants to make sure that money is used in a way that is going to have a positive impact children and the schools and will get the best use out of taxpayer dollars. Cumberland Valley School District is a good example of a quality school, which has among the lowest per-student costs in the state and excels, he said. Regan also wants to focus more attention on attracting businesses to the region to create new jobs. "In Pennsylvania, our taxes are high. Our corporate net income tax is the first or second highest in the country at 9.9 percent," he said. "We need to lower that and we need to create a climate that is good for business." Companies are doing all they can to protect their bottom lines, he said, and Pennsylvania does not make it easy for them. "Businesses want to come here, but our taxes are too high, and our regulations and union system are too onerous," he said. With Pennsylvania being within a three-and-a-half-hour drive to most of the country's population, the region's location is ideal and more needs to be done to help businesses, and the state itself, prosper, he said. While some work is being done and both Senate and House bills are pending, pension reform remains an issue. And with the State Employees Retirement System and Public School Employees Retirement System facing a nearly $60 billion shortfall, it's high on the priority list of many. "We need to get on this," Regan said. "It's one of the major factors in our structural deficit." Much more work needs to be done on reforming the pension system, he said, adding that he is personally for a straight-defined contribution plan, like a 401K, for new employees, but not current employees or retirees. "We need to stop the bleeding and we need to find a way to address the issue of this unfunded liability," he said. "I don' think we're going to see true pension reform under Wolf administration, but we're kicking a dangerous can down the road." He said the governor is not making it easy, and pointed out he had vetoed a previous senate bill. One way to save money would be to have a company in the private sector manage these funds instead of the state - he said some estimates show this can save $400 to $700 million. "It has to be a priority," he said. "We have to start paying on this debt without raising taxes, and we have to do it immediately." One other important issue that Regan wants to focus on is welfare reform. "My time as a U.S. marshal and deputy inspector general has provided me with an opportunity to see welfare fraud up close," Regan said. "I know we can save millions and millions of dollars each year if address it properly." One example of this abuse, he said, can be seen in a recent auditor general's recent report showing that 2,000 deceased people are still receiving benefits. His proposal is in the early stages, and he's examining how such a proposal has worked in other states, but Regan said he is in the process of formulating a bill that would put some recipients to work, if they are capable, he said. "We can't afford it anymore," he said. John Bosha: John Bosha is a pharmacist who owns a pharmacy in East Pennsboro Township, where he has lived for more than a decade. When Jon Ritchie declined the Democratic nomination earned through write-in votes, Bosha said he gladly accepted the opportunity after he was approved as a candidate by the state. As a small-business owner, Bosha said he has seen the ins and outs of operating a business in Pennsylvania. Bosha has also has some experience on the educational front after serving on the East Pennsboro School Board. Additionally, with a mother who was a teacher, education is a big priority for the Democratic candidate for state senate. "I know what it's like to deal with funding cuts," he said, speaking from his time on the school board. The state constitution is very clear that the general assembly shall provide funding for education, Bosha said, adding, as things stand now, the state legislature is not serving the needs of the commonwealth in education. "We just need vastly more public education funding," he said. At one point, the state provided 50 percent of funding for public schools, he said, and now, that number is down to one third. That is what has led to the issues facing many schools -- like fewer teachers, growing classroom sizes and program cuts. "Education is an absolute priority, and it will be my biggest priority in office," Bosha said. Also, as a former school board member, Bosha said he saw the impact the pension system had and how it had made balancing the budget tough on school districts and at the state level. "People who have worked for the state for 20 or 30 years, there is no way we should touch those pensions," he said. "For the future, we need to do some sort of reforming." Another significant issue facing the state, and the nation, is the opioid epidemic, and, as a pharmacist, Bosha said he can bring a unique perspective to combat this crisis. "We need to treat it like any medical problem first," he said, adding it starts by treating those facing opiate addictions as patients. One other issue he would like to address is improving emergency services in the rural areas of Cumberland and York counties. He would like to see expanded EMS services, small clinics and health services. "You shouldn't be more likely to die of a heart attack just because of a zip code," he said. Ken Gehosky: Ken Gehosky, of Camp Hill, entered the race as an independent candidate, he said, to challenge the Democrats and Republicans. And it's the constant clashing between the parties has contributed to much of the dysfunction in Harrisburg, he said. Gehosky is a U.S. history teacher with the West Shore School District, which he said gives him a unique perspective on education and spending. "I believe there are some ways we can reallocate the funding to be more efficient," Gehosky said. "One of my priorities will be increasing the attention on early childhood education." That's where the seed can be planted, he said. "We need to start thinking of education as an investment and find ways to start to recover dividends on that investment," Gehosky said. Every dollar spent on education can, down the road, become reoccurring dollars in the form of increased productivity and lifelong learning. One area he wants to explore to potentially cut down on administrative costs and redundancies is the merger of school districts into a countywide system - or at least raising the question and exploring the issue to see if it would work, he said. The perennial issues of business creation and expansion can be tied back to education, as well, Gehosky said. By partnering with universities and vocational schools, Gehosky said the state can start working with students earlier - like ninth or tenth grade - to help match them with a vocation for which they have an aptitude and let them start to get a taste for these fields and gain experience, and possibly a paycheck, while getting their education. One common concern is that the owners of small businesses often don't know where to start, and creating a state agency to field these questions and help small businesses get off the ground could be worth exploring, he said. In order to fully give educational-system improvements the attention they deserve, pension reform will be necessary, Gehosky said. He said he's not sure if creating a 401K system will solve the problem completely as it stands now because the solution lies in trying to lessen the impact on the budget. But for Gehosky, his main thrust for running is to tackle the partisan divisiveness. And one way to fight that divisiveness, he said, is to create an independent commission that will be responsible for redrawing district boundaries and take the legislature out of that process. His also wants to have the parties pay for their own primaries, or open up the primary elections to allow all voters to choose the candidates. FILE - This July 6, 2016, file photo, shows the logo of Takata Corp. at an auto supply shop in Tokyo. The U.S. government is confirming another death due to the rupture of an air bag made by Takata Corp. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says a 50-year-old woman died Sept. 30, 2016, in Riverside County, in California. Honda Motor Co. also confirmed the woman's death and said she was driving a 2001 Civic. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File) Modoc County sheriff's officials are consoled Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at the Shasta County Coroner's Office following the procession of Modoc County Deputy Jack Hopkins in Redding, Calif. Authorities identified the suspect in the shooting of a deputy killed while responding to a family disturbance call in Northern California a day earlier, becoming the state's fourth law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty over the last two weeks. Hopkins, 31, was fatally shot Wednesday morning after deputies were called to a rural area near the Oregon border. (Andreas Fuhrmann/The Record Searchlight via AP) ANCHORAGE The two main candidates for Alaskas sole U.S. House seat vowed Monday to work with whoever wins the presidential election to advance Alaskas interests in resource development. I wont be happy particularly with one of them being elected, and wont be too happy with the other one, said Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, without naming either presidential candidate. Young, the longest serving Republican in the U.S. House, is seeking his 23rd term. Ive worked with eight presidents, and Ill work with a ninth president to make sure Alaskas properly represented... ANCHORAGE - Two southeast Alaska hunters have been cited for shooting swimming deer. Alaska Wildlife Troopers on Saturday seized six deer from the fishing vessel Sumner near Washington Bay on Kuiu Island. Troopers say 49-year-old Robert Martin of Petersburg and a 15-year-old juvenile shot the deer as the animals swam near Mist Cove. Troopers seized two rifles. Martin was cited for taking big game from a boat and taking swimming big game. On Tuesday, the juvenile was issued a summons on counts of taking big game while swimming, taking big game with a rimfire rifle, and taking big game from... 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. Saudis says oil market at end of downturn Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid al-Falih says, more clarity needed on production in Libya, Nigeria Venezuela, non-OPEC willing to not only freeze but cut output LONDON Petroleumworld.com 10 20 2016 Saudi Arabia's energy minister gave an upbeat message to an audience of industry executives on Wednesday, saying the oil market was at the end of a downturn and producer action to limit supply would help it improve further. Khalid al-Falih also told the annual Oil and Money conference in London that non-OPEC countries were showing a willingness to freeze and even cut supplies alongside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. "Market forces are clearly working after a testing period of sub-$30 prices. The fundamentals are improving and the market is clearly balancing the supply and demand equation," Falih said. "With this contribution of improving fundamentals, rebalancing and the joint action by OPEC and non-OPEC alike, I fully expect market conditions to continue improving." Oil is trading near $52 a barrel, less than half its level in mid-2014 when prices began to slide due to oversupply. The downturn deepened after OPEC in November 2014 dropped its traditional role of cutting its supply to support prices. Appointed as energy minister for the top OPEC oil producer and world's biggest exporter earlier this year, Falih has overseen a return by the group to managing supply. OPEC agreed in Algiers on Sept. 28 to reduce production to a range of 32.50 million to 33.0 million barrels per day, which would be its first output cut since 2008. Another meeting on Nov. 30 is set to firm up details of the accord. Falih said that by freezing production or slightly reducing it, OPEC wanted to signal to the market that it wanted to lower inventories and encourage investment. Spending has fallen due to the price drop, raising concern about supply in the medium term. I am happy to see more rigs coming back," he said, adding that unconventional oil production was important for helping to meet global demand growth. A challenge for OPEC is to work out how to manage the aspiration of members whose output has been cut involuntarily to pump more. Output levels are not known in some countries that have disruptions, Libya, Nigeria and Venezuela, Falih said. "We want some clarity on where those producers are as we approach the meeting in November," he said. OPEC wants non-member producers such as Russia to contribute to the supply limiting effort and Falih was optimistic that they would deliver. "Non-OPEC is showing willingness to join, I won't mention names, to not only freeze but cut production," he said. "Their contribution to stabilisation could be as significant as those made by OPEC members." Hillary Clinton got to coast through debates It's a Shame Clinton just when coasting through, there was no "serious debate" on the issues. SAN FRANCISCO Petroleumworld.com 10 20 2016 What a misfortune it is that Hillary Clinton was able to coast through three presidential debates without being pressed significantly on any of her weaknesses. At this point, I'm out of ways to express outrage at Donald Trump, who almost certainly will not become president. But let's get this next part out of the way, at least, in reaction to his performance at the third and final debate: It was unacceptable for a major-party candidate to say he refuses to accept in advance the results of the U.S. election and claim that his opponent should not have been "allowed" to run. Oh, Trump knew a few catchphrases. He knew to work in "e-mails" every once in a while. And he repeated like a schoolboy who read only one paragraph of the assigned reading that she was caught in a fib over the Trans-Pacific Partnership in the first debate (as he already said in the second debate, she had falsely denied calling it a "gold standard"). But mostly Trump proved incapable of laying a glove on her. Calling her a "nasty woman" doesn't count. Take, for example, his part in the foreign-affairs segment in Wednesday night's debate that focused on Mosul and Aleppo. The Barack Obama administration's conduct in Iraq and Syria while Clinton was secretary of State is open to criticism, as are her stated plans for what she would do as president. But Trump could not formulate anything close to a critique. The complex situation of the current battle over Mosul was reduced to his fixation on how ISIS knew in advance about the operation by Iraqi forces and their allies, with the support of the U.S. -- as if armies could magically appear without, well, advancing toward the city. On Syria, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump about his bizarre statement at the last debate that Aleppo had already "fallen." The Republican nominee could not resist digging a deeper hole for himself, babbling about how things were really bad in the Syrian city, meaning (I guess?) that he must have been correct in saying it had fallen. In a normal election, the presidential debates push candidates to lay out their plans for what they would do if they took office, including those things they would rather not talk about. Clinton didn't have to do that in any detail. She's very good at rattling off her talking points, and she knows her stuff. But over three debates, her opponent rarely if ever challenged her to explain the substance at all. She had a beautiful answer prepared on Trump's "rigged" elections, and a terrific response ready for his accusation that she had done nothing but talk for 30 years. And she delivered them well. Trump displayed no ability at all to listen, analyze and respond, and certainly not to pounce on any weaknesses she displayed. Rather, as usual, he was easily tricked into wasting his time defending himself, rather than pivoting to where he wanted to go. Trump's failure to take democracy seriously enough to show up prepared to talk about the issues facing the nation and to confront the opposing candidate competently is not the worst insult he is guilty of in his campaign. But don't believe it doesn't matter: The nation suffers from the lack of real discussion between the people who would be its president. *---------------*---------------*---------------* Q] Welcome to Fantasy Book Critic. To begin with, could you tell us a little about yourself and your background? RDH: Thank you for the warm welcome. Very happy to be here. I live near Seattle, Washington. I am married and have two boys. I grew up in the Midwest, completed my education in New England, worked for about a year in Japan, and then settled in the Pacific Northwest. My background includes playing Dungeons & Dragons in high school and throughout college, collecting and reading comic books monthly for the last twenty years, and have a passion for fantasy as well. Q] Can you tell us what inspired you to be a writer in the first place, what experience you went through in finishing your book, & why you choose to go the self-publishing route? RDH: Since I was young, I was always interested in being a writer. The problem was I did not really write unless it was school assignments, or papers in college and graduate school. I have always been a reader, and fantasy has always been my favorite genre. In 2007, I was finally inspired to take the next step in the process to becoming a writer when I had a germ of an idea for a story that I could no longer ignore. The problem was the idea was not clear, concrete, or vivid enough for me to take pen to paper. After awhile, I guess I lost focus and my attention was drawn to the ebbs and flow of everyday life, and forgot about the idea. In middle of 2009, I read the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, and I really became enamored with the Northmen characters he created, especially Logan Nine Fingers. I was inspired to read more fantasy, and I read the first two books in the Gentlemen Bastards series by Scott Lynch, and I like the plot points featuring cons. I started to put pen to paper because I was inspired by these characters and these plot points. The more I brainstormed, the germ of an idea returned in full-force and became more clear, concrete, and vivid. The experience I went through in finishing my book started with NaNoWriMo in 2009. I did not have a specific character or plot point, but I wanted to write a fantasy story featuring elves, gnomes, kobolds, halfling, dwarves who could be criminals. One aspect of the story I enjoyed writing was a corrupt and traitorous intelligence operative who was a black elf named Nestor deNeffo with an intelligence service called the Nambroc Knives. I started writing and accomplished the fifty thousand word goal for NaNoWriMo, and then I kept writing until February 2010 with what I thought could be a potentially interesting story, but it needed to be revised and rewritten to become a better story. I enjoyed writing the first story so much that I continued to write fantasy stories for the next couple of years. I did not start thinking about publishing until I felt the quality of my writing improved technically and grammatically as well as the qualities of the story, plot, and character. After my writing and stories improved, I started to research online about publishing. I knew traditional publishing was not for me because it would take too long to get to market. I did not have the patience to endure the time to wait submission process of getting an agent to a traditional publishing company taking my book to market. Self-publishing was preferable because I controlled the publishing process and could publish my books on my schedule. Q] Many writers have a muse, who directs their writing, and others do not seem to be affected the same way. Which group do you fall into? What is your main motivation and source of inspiration? RDH: I don't have a muse. I really don't have a specific process or way I get ideas for stories. Sometimes a character or a plot point pops appears to me. Sometimes I get an idea by reading an interesting article in the newspaper or online. Another way is I am reading a novel or non-fiction book and I see an interest plot point and that gets me thinking. I have also gotten story ideas from something I have seen on television or in a movie or film. My main motivation to write is to get the stories out of my head and into a fixed and tangible form so I can write the next story. My source of inspiration is to write stories that I would like to read. Q] Please elaborate how the genesis of HONDUS POINTE occurred. How long have you been working on it? Has it evolved from its original idea (if any)? RDH: The genesis for Hondus Pointe was that part of story was in the original book I wrote for NaNoWriMo in 2009. After I finished writing the book, a developmental editor read it and told me a story was somewhere in there, but it was hidden in the flat characters, too many dropped story lines, and large and gaping plot holes. She suggested that I pick one major plot point and the applicable characters and develop and deepen them. I took her advice and ripped the original book to the studs and Nestor deNeffo and the Nambroc Knives made their presence known to me. In the fall of 2013, I started to write the story which ultimately became Hondus Pointe and it was published in January 2015. Yes, the published version evolved a great deal from when I completed the first draft at the end of 2013. Q] Hondus Pointe is the first volume in the Nambroc Sequence. Could you give our readers an outline of your plans for the series as a whole? Is it complete and what can readers expect from it? RDH: Nambroc Sequence is a fantasy series featuring Nestor deNeffo, a traitorous and corrupt black elf intelligence operative, who holds an important senior position within the Nambroc Knives. The Nambroc Knives is the pre-eminent black intelligence service in all of the Nether Realm -- self-proclaimed by its operatives -- and based in Nambroc which is a black elf city. Nestor is motivated by his love of money so he can acquire the finer things in life. He is very comfortable passing state secrets to the enemies of Nambroc as well as being an enforcer and fixer for a local narcotics trafficking organization. The rest of the series features Nestor expanding his criminal activities to the Earth Realm because it enhances the possibility of him making more money. Nestor engineers a deal of selling a cache of specially-constructed black elven arrows with each of them armed with an explosive component to an unknown buyer in Hartshire which is a city in the Earth Realm. The black arrows are used in the assassinations of several politicians as well as other powerful, wealthy, and influential people in Hartshire. In Hartshire, Luigi Darkhawk, a mage, has to contend with the fall-out from the assassinations because all of the victims were his colleagues on the Hartshire Noble Council. The noble council is the organization responsible for mediating disputes between criminals as a way to ease the burden on the already over-worked members of the local constabulary. Luigi is very concerned that one of the black arrows is meant for him. What makes this situation particularly difficult for his is he accepts bribes and other favors from a certain portion of the criminal element in Hartshire because of his love of money so he can acquire the finer things in life. Readers can expect the Nambroc Sequence to feature standard fantasy tropes such as elves, dwarves, gnomes, kobolds, goblins, and orcs, but with a bent blended both of crime and espionage. Hondus Pointe, the first novella, along with the remaining six novellas in the fantasy series are available in ebook format to download from Amazon. Q] Your covers have a very distinct look and all together look quite striking. What was your thought process in their creation? Who's the artist/designer for your books? RDH: Thank you for the kind words. The person responsible for creating the striking and distinct-looking book covers for all of the novellas in the Nambroc Sequence as well as the Water Falcon Trilogy is Clarissa Yeo of Clarissa that I wanted to have a symbol on the cover similar to the covers of some of recent editions of A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the UK editions of Wheel of Time series. She weaved her magic and created the awesome and eye-catching covers. Clarissa is an overall awesome book cover designer and produces stellar covers. Not only she a great designer, she is great to work with as well. She produces great work by the promised due date, responsive, and very personable. Please check out Q] Could you tell us about the research which you undertook before attempting to write this series and what were things which you focused upon and any fascinating things that you found amidst your research? RDH: I read my interviews of authors of fiction, including fantasy and science fiction, mention they get ideas for potential stories and characters as well as to ensure get the setting, atmosphere, context, emotions, among things just right to make the story interesting, plausible, immersive, and believable journey for the reader. Following the lead of more experienced and established authors, I read a fair bit about espionage and traitors as well as about criminals and the crimes that they committed for potential story ideas or interesting characters. When I was reading about espionage and traitors, I learned about Lisbon during World War II was full of spies from both the Allied and Axis countries because Portugal remained neutral. Portugal, however, was very important strategically and tactically to both Allied and Axis countries because of its location. Everyone knew everyone was spying on each other, and Portugal secret police was spying on the spies. It was also very difficult for the Portuguese government leaders to remain neutral because of the imminent threat of military incursion from both the Allied and Axis powers. One interesting nugget of information I discovered in my reading about criminals was Al Capone, the famous Chicago gangster of the 1920s and behind the brutal St. Valentine's Day massacre, was never convicted of murder or any of other numerous heinous crimes he committed, but he was convicted of tax crimes and sentenced to five years in prison. He was sent to Alcatraz which was one of the most secure and isolated prisons locate on an island off the California coast near San Francisco, and housed the most dangerous and difficult felons in America between 1934 and 1963. Q] What other books have you written? Can you tell us about them and what genres they belong to? RDH: Besides writing the Nambroc Sequence, I have also written the Water Falcon Trilogy which is also a fantasy series and takes place in the same world but in the Fairy Realm. Wit Fallo, the first novella in the trilogy, features Wit Fallo, a white gnome and shiftless boat captain, wants nothing more than to retire and enjoy the free and easy life. He accepts the deal of a lifetime when he is offered to be part of a narcotics trafficking operation to deliver narcotics on the high seas on the Earth Realm Life sometimes does not go as planned. When circumstances occur beyond his control and three of his associates are killed during one of the deliveries, he is forced to leave the Earth Realm for the Fairy Realm with a hope of a new start and life. The new life is very much like the old life when he is forced to work for a halfling crime lord because he owes the crime lord a great deal of money. The trilogy focuses on the relationship between Wit Fallo and the halfling crime lord as the white gnome is involved in deals of the criminal sort such as delivering narcotics, passing intelligence and information to the highest bidder, and killing enemies of the crime lord as ways to pay what is owed to the halfling. The series also features pixies, sprites, brownies, elves, dwarves, gold goblins, pirates, mages, and a bard who are involved in crime, espionage, and business transactions. Wit Fallo along with the other two novellas in the Water Falcon Trilogy, a fantasy series, are available in ebook format to download from Amazon. Q] Your book deals with some grey and essentially morally unreliable characters. What was your inspiration for the setting and characters? RDH: The setting was inspired was my interest for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game I used to play while I was in high school and college. I took what I remembered from the setting for the D&D adventures I played as the starting point, and then brainstormed and worked on the setting until I created the setting which is used in the novellas in both the Nambroc Sequence and Water Falcon Trilogy. The inspiration of using elves, gnomes, dwarves, halflings, orcs, and other standard fantasy type of characters in my stories was also inspired by D&D as well as the drow elves featured in the Forgotten Realms novels written by R.A. Salvatore. The inspiration for creating gray and morally unreliable characters is my interest in television shows such as Sopranos and Breaking Bad and movies such as Usual Suspects, Godfather, Godfather II, and Spanish Prisoner. I combined my fond memories of D&D with my interests in crime dramas and created characters that are elves, gnomes, dwarves, halflings, and the like who are criminals, spies, and traitors in the Nambroc Sequence and Water Falcon Trilogy. Q] Please tell us about the books and authors who have captured your imagination and inspired you to become a wordsmith in your own right. Similarly, are there any current authors you would like to give a shout out to? RDH: The books and authors who have captured my imagination are Noble House by James Clavell, Return of Moriarty by John Gardner, Revenge of Moriarty by John Gardner, and A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. The Canadian television series Intelligence produced by Chris Haddock also captured my imagination. I became very interested in incorporating espionage and corporate elements in my novellas after reading the novel written by James Clavell. My interest in inserting both espionage and criminal components in my novellas was due watching the Intelligence television series. My imagination was captured when I read the two novels by John Gardner featuring Professor James Moriarty, primary nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, as the head of a mafia-type organization in Victorian England. My interest in gray and morally unreliable characters crystallize after reading the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. Martin is the master of creating gray characters and political machinations in a fantasy setting. I do not think I have read anything more surprising, gut-wrenching, and exhilarating as the Red Wedding scene in A Storm of Swords. The author who got me to think about becoming a wordsmith was Joe Abercrombie after reading his First Law Trilogy and becoming very enamored with Logan Ninefingers and the other Northmen characters he created. These characters are as gray and morally unreliable as can be. I finally decided to start writing for publication was after reading about the Northmen character of Caul Shivers in Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. Caul Shivers is the epitome of the gray and morally unreliable character I would like to create. Besides the authors that I have already mentioned, I would like to give a shout out to the following authors: Michelle West for her Sun Sword series and House War series; Adrian Tchaikovsky for his Shadows of the Apt series; Timothy Zahn for the Thrawn trilogy and the sequel Hand of Thrawn duology by, and James Luceno for Darth Plagueis. Each of these authors does a tremendous job of including espionage and criminal components in both fantasy and space-opera stories. I recently started to read the Sanctuary series by Robert J. Crane which I find to be rip-roaring and action-paced fantasy series about mercenary company/guild populated with very interesting characters. Q] Thank you for taking the time to answer all the questions. In closing, do you have any parting thoughts or comments you would like to share with our readers? RDH: I want to thank the good folks at Fantasy Book Critic for this opportunity as well as the review of Hondus Pointe the first novella in Nambroc Sequence a fantasy series. I also want to thank Mark Lawrence for creating and sponsoring #SPFBO as an opportunity to get self-published authors to get their fantasy stories exposed to a wider audience. I look forward to reading Powers of the Six by Kristal Shaff, Storm without End by R.J. Blain, The Moonlight War by S.K.S. Perry, The Dungeoneers by Jeffrey Russell, Nolander by Becca Mills as well as many other due to #SPFBO. Because of #SPFBO, I have learned so much about all the great fantasy being created, and it is amazing. In the next few months, I plan to publish a four novella series which is the sequel to the Nambroc Sequence. I hope people give them a whirl and find them interesting. Thank you very much. is a fantasy series featuring, a traitorous and corrupt black elf intelligence operative, who holds an important senior position withinis the pre-eminent black intelligence service in all of the Nether Realm -- self-proclaimed by its operatives -- and based in Nambroc which is a black elf city.is motivated by his love of money so he can acquire the finer things in life. He is very comfortable passing state secrets to the enemies of Nambroc as well as being an enforcer and fixer for a local narcotics trafficking organization. The rest of the series featuresexpanding his criminal activities to the Earth Realm because it enhances the possibility of him making more money.engineers a deal of selling a cache of specially-constructed black elven arrows with each of them armed with an explosive component to an unknown buyer in Hartshire which is a city in the Earth Realm. The black arrows are used in the assassinations of several politicians as well as other powerful, wealthy, and influential people in Hartshire.In Hartshire,, a mage, has to contend with the fall-out from the assassinations because all of the victims were his colleagues on the Hartshire Noble Council. The noble council is the organization responsible for mediating disputes between criminals as a way to ease the burden on the already over-worked members of the local constabulary.is very concerned that one of the black arrows is meant for him. What makes this situation particularly difficult for his is he accepts bribes and other favors from a certain portion of the criminal element in Hartshire because of his love of money so he can acquire the finer things in life.Readers can expect theto feature standard fantasy tropes such as elves, dwarves, gnomes, kobolds, goblins, and orcs, but with a bent blended both of crime and espionage., the first novella, along with the remaining six novellas in the fantasy series are available in ebook format to download from Amazon.Thank you for the kind words.The person responsible for creating the striking and distinct-looking book covers for all of the novellas inas well as theisof Yocla Book Cover Designs . I toldthat I wanted to have a symbol on the cover similar to the covers of some of recent editions ofnovels and the UK editions ofseries. She weaved her magic and created the awesome and eye-catching covers.is an overall awesome book cover designer and produces stellar covers.Not only she a great designer, she is great to work with as well. She produces great work by the promised due date, responsive, and very personable. Please check out her work at her site I read my interviews of authors of fiction, including fantasy and science fiction, mention they get ideas for potential stories and characters as well as to ensure get the setting, atmosphere, context, emotions, among things just right to make the story interesting, plausible, immersive, and believable journey for the reader.Following the lead of more experienced and established authors, I read a fair bit about espionage and traitors as well as about criminals and the crimes that they committed for potential story ideas or interesting characters. When I was reading about espionage and traitors, I learned about Lisbon during World War II was full of spies from both the Allied and Axis countries because Portugal remained neutral. Portugal, however, was very important strategically and tactically to both Allied and Axis countries because of its location. Everyone knew everyone was spying on each other, and Portugal secret police was spying on the spies. It was also very difficult for the Portuguese government leaders to remain neutral because of the imminent threat of military incursion from both the Allied and Axis powers.One interesting nugget of information I discovered in my reading about criminals was, the famous Chicago gangster of the 1920s and behind the brutal St. Valentine's Day massacre, was never convicted of murder or any of other numerous heinous crimes he committed, but he was convicted of tax crimes and sentenced to five years in prison. He was sent to Alcatraz which was one of the most secure and isolated prisons locate on an island off the California coast near San Francisco, and housed the most dangerous and difficult felons in America between 1934 and 1963.Besides writing, I have also writtenwhich is also a fantasy series and takes place in the same world but in the Fairy Realm., the first novella in the trilogy, features, a white gnome and shiftless boat captain, wants nothing more than to retire and enjoy the free and easy life. He accepts the deal of a lifetime when he is offered to be part of a narcotics trafficking operation to deliver narcotics on the high seas on the Earth RealmLife sometimes does not go as planned.When circumstances occur beyond his control and three of his associates are killed during one of the deliveries, he is forced to leave the Earth Realm for the Fairy Realm with a hope of a new start and life. The new life is very much like the old life when he is forced to work for a halfling crime lord because he owes the crime lord a great deal of money.The trilogy focuses on the relationship betweenand the halfling crime lord asis involved in deals of the criminal sort such as delivering narcotics, passing intelligence and information to the highest bidder, and killing enemies of the crime lord as ways to pay what is owed to the halfling. The series also features pixies, sprites, brownies, elves, dwarves, gold goblins, pirates, mages, and a bard who are involved in crime, espionage, and business transactions.along with the other two novellas in the, a fantasy series, are available in ebook format to download from Amazon.The setting was inspired was my interest for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game I used to play while I was in high school and college. I took what I remembered from the setting for the D&D adventures I played as the starting point, and then brainstormed and worked on the setting until I created the setting which is used in the novellas in both theandThe inspiration of using elves, gnomes, dwarves, halflings, orcs, and other standard fantasy type of characters in my stories was also inspired by D&D as well as the drow elves featured in the Forgotten Realms novels written by. The inspiration for creating gray and morally unreliable characters is my interest in television shows such asandand movies such asandI combined my fond memories of D&D with my interests in crime dramas and created characters that are elves, gnomes, dwarves, halflings, and the like who are criminals, spies, and traitors in theandThe books and authors who have captured my imagination arebybyby, andby. The Canadian television seriesproduced byalso captured my imagination.I became very interested in incorporating espionage and corporate elements in my novellas after reading the novel written by. My interest in inserting both espionage and criminal components in my novellas was due watching the Intelligence television series.My imagination was captured when I read the two novels byfeaturing, primary nemesis of, as the head of a mafia-type organization in Victorian England.My interest in gray and morally unreliable characters crystallize after reading thenovels byis the master of creating gray characters and political machinations in a fantasy setting. I do not think I have read anything more surprising, gut-wrenching, and exhilarating as the Red Wedding scene inThe author who got me to think about becoming a wordsmith wasafter reading hisand becoming very enamored withand the other Northmen characters he created. These characters are as gray and morally unreliable as can be. I finally decided to start writing for publication was after reading about the Northmen character ofinbyis the epitome of the gray and morally unreliable character I would like to create.Besides the authors that I have already mentioned, I would like to give a shout out to the following authors:for herandfor hisfor tand the sequelby, andforEach of these authors does a tremendous job of including espionage and criminal components in both fantasy and space-opera stories. I recently started to readbywhich I find to be rip-roaring and action-paced fantasy series about mercenary company/guild populated with very interesting characters.I want to thank the good folks at Fantasy Book Critic for this opportunity as well as the review ofthe first novella ina fantasy series.I also want to thankfor creating and sponsoring #SPFBO as an opportunity to get self-published authors to get their fantasy stories exposed to a wider audience. I look forward to readingbybybybybyas well as many other due to #SPFBO.Because of #SPFBO, I have learned so much about all the great fantasy being created, and it is amazing.In the next few months, I plan to publish a four novella series which is the sequel to the. I hope people give them a whirl and find them interesting. Thank you very much. is the first novella of the, what drew my eye to this novella was its blurb and what held my attention throughout the story was its quick pace & grey characters.The plot begins with, a black elf and senior operative in the. Hes extremely efficient at his work and soon realizes that theres more money to be made if one were to be a bit more unscrupulous and were to have no master. So thats what he does and soon recruits a number of knife operatives who are loyal only to him and follow his profit plan. This book dwells on a wide cast of characters and the repercussions their actions start to have.This story being a novella is on the shorter side but definitely reads quicker and packs quite a punch. Our main protagonist (or is it antagonist) is as Machiavellian as they come.only wants to get rich no matter the cost to anyone around him. He loves the finer things in life and knowing the high price that they cost. He will do anything and everything including selling information, weapons and other stuff to anybody on the black market. While being such a duplicitous agent, he also has to be careful as to not let his fellow Nambroc colleagues know of his true nature. This premise of this novella and the characters reminded me a lot of the TV seriesand its main protagonist (?)Sureis more calculating and perhaps a shade more dangerous but both these characters share similar reasoning for their shady activities.proclaims to be doing it for the betterment of his family and Nestor proclaims the same for the betterment of his own life. As the story consists of only twelve chapters, the story opens up pretty quickly and then as quickly descends into a lot of murder, back-dealings and chaos. The pace of the plot is extremely high as the reader is constantly shunted from page to page wherein the actions shifts from the octane kind to the simmering type before twisting back again. The readers will never be sure where the story is headed and how exactly it will end and thats the biggest draw, the unpredictability.I liked this story a lot as it seemed very much in line with stories byandshowcases that there are no heroes in this tale. Just various shades of grey that turn more and more towards the black as the story progresses. The novella ends also on a big note and sets up the sequel novella as most readers will want to know what happens next and what willdo?The only drawback I can think of for this story is the novella format and the world-building which seems to be eschewed for the reasons of plot and pace. Sure there are some tidbits scattered here and there but the world most stays dark as most of the action occurs below ground. I hope in the ensuing novellas the author expands on the world scene and we get to know more. But for now, I couldnt stop myself from finishingas quickly as possible. Folks who love dark characters and plotlines, theis exactly what you have been looking for. Welcome! Welcome to FH & Other Things! One of my favorite things is studying The Male Form in Art, photography, the media and culture. Although you will find many great looking men on the blog, I strive to showcase talent, both in front of, and behind the camera. You will also find some of my favorite things, not just from today, but from years gone by. FH also loves to focus on upcoming talent; actors, photographers and models. So sit back, relax and spend a bit of time with some of my favorite things Best ride of the year RC. Thanks so much! It was the third such text from local legend Harold Preston. Youd think after reading them that we had just returned from an all-day epic in Squamish, BC, or Hurricane, Utah not a one-hour, cross-country loop on our home trails in San Diego.Some of you may know Preston. Hes one of the better bike-handlers in my city, an indomitable spirit, and a trusted PB test rider who often appears in my bike reviews. A while back, Preston parted company with his bike at the top of a tricky compression drop and ended up with two plates and a number of stainless steel screws inside of his left shoulder. The surgeon handed down a three-month sentence: No mountain biking until we get that plate out.Harry handled the news surprisingly well and, within a week he was on a stationary bike, preparing in earnest for a swift return to his rightful place on the Southlands Strava reports. By the half-way point, Harry was secretly training on his road bike, still deliriously optimistic, but by the beginning of month three, I could sense the strain in his voice. He was over it. So, I returned a favor.Harry. Im riding this afternoon. Youre coming with me, I texted. Ill be at your house at three.Crashing with a plate could hand-grenade his healing process. I assured Harry that we would take it easy. I chose a zone with numerous turns and grade changes, and steered away from jumps and technical descents. My plan went out the window in thirty seconds. Harry was tentative when we first rolled out, but then the supercharger kicked in and it was foot-out, flat-out - almost an hour of drifting and dodging oak trees. I was riding at the top of my game just to stay in contact. The mountain bike had worked its magic. Harry was radiant.Five months earlier, I suffered a different fate with a similar outcome: two unexpected crashes and two minor concussions. Im pretty good at mitigating crashes when I can anticipate the danger, but the dirt was moist and tacky, the trails were freshly tuned, and I was flying downhill, relaxed, and riding at 85-percent. What could have gone wrong? The short version for the first off was: bike, no bike, then sky-ground-sky-ground I had to piece together the second one from clues, because I woke up face down. Two helmets in as many months. The doctor said it would be both foolish and permanent to risk rattling my brain even slightly for a long time, and she ordered me off my bike.Four weeks crawled by. I anticipated great news about a record recovery at my follow-up visit, but all I got was: As you age, head trauma becomes far more serious and recovery intervals increase.I was fine, at least I felt fine. The doctor asked in an off-handed way, if I had returned from the grocery store recently only to discover that I had duplicated items which I had purchased a week earlier. Damn! Turns out that self-diagnosing ones state of mind after a good rattle is like self-assessing ones ability to carry on an intelligent conversation at a bar with a non-inebriated love interest after one drink too many. It rarely goes well.When the doc finally did give me the OK to ride, it was not the celebration I expected. She knew I rode bikes for a living and grudgingly gave me the nod, followed by a number of phrases like: no jarring impacts, mild exercise, and utmost care. What I heard was: Bla bla bla You can ride your bike bla bla bla bla. I wasted no time. I was kitted up, tires pressurized, and bike loaded in less than an hour after my checkup. I rode solo. No peer pressure. Just an easy roll on a familiar loop.It was awful. Trying so hard not to crash virtually ensured that I would. I missed lines. I foot-dabbed easy drops. There was no flow in my ride. Was my brain still addled, or was I overcautious and overthinking everything? I regretted taking so much time off.Not so long ago, I would have shaken off those crashes and been back on the horse the next day, but new studies related to long-term effects of head trauma reveal that minor concussions the ones most of us once laughed off can have cumulative and permanent consequences. Once you know something, you cant un-know it. I had visions of ending my mountain biking career on a mobility scooter, helping my caregiver pick out my favorite baby food flavors at Walmart.Salvation came a short while later in the form of a phone call: RC. Lets ride this afternoon! Meet me at my house at three. Ill take it easy on you I promise! It was Harold Preston. Of course, he was lying. We blasted cross-country trails at full gas until sunset. It was the best ride of the year. A Paris, KY, police officer's bullet-resistant vest saved him from serious injury during a confrontation with a suspect who was later killed during a gun battle. Kentucky State Police from Dry Ridge assisted the Paris Police Department with an investigation about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at the home of Charles Stidham of Paris. When officers entered Stidham's home on Brent Street to speak with him, Stidham opened fire. One officer from the Paris Police Department was hit one time in the abdomen area of his bullet-resistant arrest. He did not suffer a life-threatening injury, according to KSP. His name has not been released. A standoff ensued. Stidham was pronounced dead by the Bourbon County Coroner's Office after he was shot in a gunfight with officers, WAVE TV reports. A man wearing body armor pointed a semi-auto rifle at two police officers in a California Starbucks, only to have the weapon malfunction before he fled and was shot by the officers nearby, police said Monday. Vallejo Police Chief Andrew Bidou called it an "attempted assassination" of the two officers, who were on break when the confrontation occurred. The officers were caught off-guard and "were ambushed by somebody who has superior firepower," the chief said. Police in Vallejo said Adam Powell, 41, had passed by the Starbucks six minutes earlier, apparently planning the attack. Police said Powell appeared to keep trying to clear his weapon as he ran away from the coffee shop after the weapon malfunctioned and officers pursued him. Officers shot him three times about 100 feet from the Starbucks. Powell was in critical condition but stable on Monday. Police Lt. Jeff Bassett told the Associated Press that authorities expect to arraign him within the next few days. Police said Powell's weapon never fired. A photo provided by police showed a semi-auto rifle bearing wear marks and duct tape. Bassett said the gun was operable except for the jam. The man also carried a loaded handgun, police said. They described his body armor as "police-style." The attempted coffee shop attack in Vallejo reminded many in law enforcement of the Lakewood (WA) coffee shop massacre that killed four officers in 2009. Deputy Jack Hopkins (Photo: Modoc County Sheriff's Office) A Modoc County, CA, sheriff's deputy was killed in the line of duty Wednesday morning in a shooting on a rural county road, authorities said. The CHP office in San Andreas confirmed the fatal shooting, reports KPIX. Modoc County Sheriff's Deputy Jack Hopkins, 31, responded to a reported assault or disturbance about 10:30 a.m. in a rural area 10 miles south of Alturas, according to a statement from the sheriff's office, reports the Los Angeles Times. While responding, Hopkins was shot and killed. The suspected gunman was taken into custody. It's unclear what led to the shooting, which prompted a massive response from state and federal law enforcement, including officers from the California Highway Patrol and U.S. Forest Service. The shooting is under investigation by the CHP as well as authorities from neighboring counties' sheriff's offices. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Hillary Clinton sent Trump into full blow-up mode by calling him Putins puppet at the third presidential debate. Video: After Trump launched into his usual defense of Putin, and how Putin feels, even though he claims not to know the guy. Clinton said that Putin supports Trump because he wants a puppet as President Of The United States. Clinton said that Trump was getting help from Putin because he has a very clear favorite in this race. Clinton cited the 17 intelligence agencies who have pointed the finger to Russia for the cyber attacks. Clinton said that Trump would rather believe Putin that the intelligence agencies who are sworn to defend us. Hillary Clinton couldnt hold in her laughter as Trump continued to defend Putin and kill any chance that he ever had of winning the election. Whatever the deal is that Trump made with Putin just destroyed his campaign. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Rudy Giuliani is good at babbling nonsense when no one is around to challenge him, but in a pre-debate debate on CNN between the former New York mayor and real billionaire Mark Cuban, he wasnt allowed to get away with it. From complaining about email classification to calling Trump courtly with women, Cuban wasnt having it. Video: After Giuliani rambled about the governments classification system and Clintons memory, Cuban set him straight, saying the former mayors comments are like out of the X-files. Cuban said: Youre so wrong. First of all, shes an OCA, which means she has the opportunity to decide what is or what is not classified. She made the professional decision that it wasnt classified, as did the people who worked for her. Somebody disagreed. Disagreements in classification are commonplace thats why there are hearings, thats why there are different departments that work with these things. On the issue of the 2005 videotape in which Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women, Giuliani quickly changed the subject to Trumps successful business experience. Cuban wouldnt let him get away with that lie either. Video: Mark Cuban: Ill give Trump credit on real estate business, but everything else, hes been a major failure at https://t.co/w3NkC358Na CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2016 He said: So lets talk about [Trumps] great success in business. Name any of his products that are still successful. He cheated cheated! 6,000 people from Trump University, hardworking men and women. He took more than 6,000 people, he took tens of thousands of dollars from. Thats success in business? Trump Games, Trump Cards, Trump Steaks, Trump clothes, you know when somebody has to give their name and sell their name that often, that tells me theyre desperate. He has not had a long track record in business. I guess him credit, hes done okay in real estate, but everything else hes been a major failure at. And now hes crushing his brands Everything he says hurts his brand even more. In a way, Rudy Giuliani is just like Donald Trump. Hes good at standing behind a podium and spewing incoherent thoughts, but he quickly crumbles when faced with actual facts. Trump will likely face the same problem on Wednesday night when he debates Hillary Clinton for the final time of this campaign. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print With less than two hours until Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump meet in what will be the last presidential debate of the campaign, we are still learning more about the Republican nominees guest list. Aside from Obamas half brother, who Trump has decided to bring with him to the debate, his guests are sure to make the alt-right blush. Pat Smith, the mother of Sean Smith who died in Benghazi, is among those Trump has invited to the debate. Despite independent report after independent report clearing Clinton of any scandalous activity with relation to the 2012 attack, Smith personally blames the Democratic nominee for the loss of her son. This is an appealing argument for those who chant lock her up at campaign rallies, but most Americans want to move past the politicization of a terror attack. Its also reported that Sarah Palin is on the list of Trump guests. While the right-wing fringe of American politics applauds her presence at the debate, the rest of America is simply shrugging and laughing. Of course, it wouldnt be a presidential debate with Donald Trump if at least one Bill Clinton accuser wasnt there. Leslie Millwee, who this week accused the former president of sexual assault, will also be in attendance. Theres only one problem: Bill Clinton isnt on the ballot, and Americans dont blame Hillary Clinton for her husbands well-documented private life. Its also fitting that, as Trumps campaign has officially jumped the shark, former Happy Days star Scott Baio will cheering on the Republican nominee from the crowd. Baio previously delivered a forgetful speech at the RNC in Cleveland this summer. There is one person in the audience supporting Trump on Wednesday night that Scott Baio is attending the debate tonight. This could be a game changer. Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) October 20, 2016 Ultimately, the cast of characters accompanying Donald Trump to the third and final presidential debate is an attempt to rile up the most extremist, right-wing voters in the electorate. Hes doing his best to appeal to voters who live in an alternate reality. It does nothing to expand his appeal to those who live outside of a Breitbart comment section, and he cannot win an election with just those voters. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print One candidate clearly outclassed the other during the final presidential debate. Here are the winners and losers of the third presidential debate. Winners: 1). Hillary Clinton- Former Sec. Clinton had one mission in the third presidential debate, and that was to stay on message, and not fall into Donald Trumps mudslinging. Clinton once again showed that she is an expert in getting under Donald Trumps skin. Clinton was strong on the Supreme Court. She destroyed Trump on immigration. Clinton handled Trump on trade and got the Republican nominee to admit that he uses Chinese steel instead of American steel in his building. Hillary Clinton was able to talk to the voters while knowing when to step back and allow Trump to act like a crazy man. This was a very good debate for Hillary Clinton. Trump substituted conspiracy theories for policy, while Hillary Clinton stayed the course. Clinton looked like a president, sounded like a president, and tore Trumps claims that the election will be rigged to pieces. While Trump sounded like a rambling lunatic, Hillary Clinton showed that she is the only candidate in this race who is competent and fit to be the next president. 2). Viewers and Voters- This will hopefully be the last time that the American people will be forced to listen to Donald Trump, or take him seriously again. America is suffering from a serious case of Trump fatigue, and the third debate was the last time that the American people will have to listen to Trumps conspiracy theories ever again. Sarah Jones and Jason Easley discuss the winners and losers from the third debate: Losers: 1). Donald Trump- The consensus was that the best outcome for Trump is that he would stop the bleeding. It is uncertain whether or not he was able to clear the lowest bar imaginable. Trump completely self-destructed and defended Putin in a prolonged rant. Trump claimed that the stories of every woman who has accused him of sexual assault had been debunked. Trump lied and claimed that 100% of his foundations money is spent on charity. Trump started the debate by speaking softly, but he quickly, as in 3 minutes into the debate, descended into whining about being insulted by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump zig-zagged between an unhinged conspiracy theorist and self-absorbed billionaire stuck in an endless pity party. The third debate was Trumps last chance, and he completely blew it. 2). Chris Wallace- The Fox Newser could leave his Fox News ways at the door. Wallace read edited Clinton quotes, claimed that the Obama recovery is the slowest since 1949, and quoted Republican talking points about the Clinton Foundation. Wallace also lost control of the debate. The candidates were allowed to talk over each other constantly, and the debate format of open discussion was a disaster. Chris Wallace was easily the worst of the four moderators that participated in the three 2016 presidential debates. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Republicans are admitting that they had already given up on Trump winning the White House, but his third debate performance was so awful that they are worried about keeping control of the House and Senate. Politico reported: In interviews with over a dozen senior Republican strategists, not one said Trump did anything to change the trajectory of a contest that is growing further out of reach. And many said they were deeply distressed by Trumps refusal to accept the results of the Nov. 8 election, an eyebrow-raising moment already dominating headlines. . The biggest loser tonight was not Trump, the presidential race is over, said Robert Blizzard, a GOP pollster who is working on a number of congressional races. Instead, down-ticket Republicans lost tonight they needed some help and got absolutely none. Only a fool would believe that Trump is capable of caring about what happens to the rest of the Republican Party. Donald Trump doesnt care about the GOP. He doesnt care if every other Republican loses on election day. All Trump cares about is himself. Republicans keep waiting for responsible Trump to show up without ever realizing that there is no part of Donald Trump that is responsible. Republicans are facing a double whammy. Because of Trump, efforts to keep the Senate and the House are underfunded, and they are facing a potential wave of Democratic voters heading to the polls to cast their ballots. The Republican Party is still likely to keep control of the House, but as one GOP Congressman told CNNs Jake Tapper: GOP congressman: "Trump is toast. Toast. Literally anyone else in the world could have beaten her. Except him. I worry about the House." Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 20, 2016 The reality is that one or both of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan will likely be out of power, because of Donald Trump. Republicans will be finally reaping what they have sown for eight long years. 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. You are the owner of this article. The newly released results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly known as the nations report card, showed South Carolina performed in line with the national average in most major academic benchmarks. Read moreOn national report card, SC holds steady while other states fall 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 All of us have local and national issues that we worry about: gender-related and race-related issues, education and social welfare issues, pump prices and what to do about Confederate monuments. Thats usually how we vote whats worrying us at the moment. But older adults, of all people, may be capable of standing back from whats in our face to take a longer perspective on politics. Read moreAging for Amateurs: Elections make us get clear on priorities 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 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. 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 NEW YORK T-Mobile, the country's No. 3 wireless carrier, will pay $48 million for not clearly telling customers how "unlimited" data plans weren't really, well, unlimited. The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday that T-Mobile had a policy to slow down the speeds of customers who were the heaviest data users. But the agency said the company didn't let customers know how much data used would trigger the lower speed. The FCC says T-Mobile started doing a better job with disclosures in June 2015. The carrier now says in small print on its website that slower speeds may result for customers using more than 26 gigabytes a month if the network is congested. Asked about changes to company policy, T-Mobile spokesman Clint Patterson referred to CEO John Legere's tweet that it was a "good settlement with the FCC" and that the company "believes more info is best for customers." Patterson did not answer if T-Mobile was making any further changes in its ads or policies. ADVERTISEMENT This isn't the first time the agency has gone after the limits of unlimited plans. It fined AT&T $100 million last year for misleading customers on the mechanics of its unlimited plans the carrier had been slowing speeds significantly after users hit a certain data threshold, even if there was no bottleneck. AT&T has contested the fine. Today, AT&T says on its website (also in small print) that it slows down heavy users' data speeds after 22 GB are used in a month if there is network congestion. In its settlement with the FCC, T-Mobile will pay a $7.5 million penalty while $35.5 million will go to customers in the form of discounts or data upgrades. And $5 million will go toward expanding access to the internet for poorer children. T-Mobile will provide free internet service on devices for children in low-income school districts. The children can take the devices home to help them do their homework. When a conference call turns tedious, Brent Robertson still can count on getting a smile from watching Gus rolling around on the floor. The golden retriever is a regular visitor to Fathom, Robertson's management consulting business in West Hartford, Conn.. So are Pookie and Ari, dogs owned by two of Robertson's co-workers. Beyond the old tradition of a used bookstore or antique shop having a resident cat, some urban delicatessens and bodegas have cats to mitigate any rodent problems. And at some smaller professional businesses with a relaxed culture, it's becoming more acceptable for employees to bring in their pets. Robertson is among business owners who think having animals around boosts morale, improves the work atmosphere and raises productivity. "Everyone seems to smile and immediately become a little bit happier," says Barbara Goldberg, CEO of O'Connell & Goldberg, a public relations company based in Hollywood, Fla. Her bulldog, Rosie, is a frequent visitor. A survey by the Society for Human Resources Management found that 7 percent of organizations allow pets in the workplace, though that may not reflect the practices of very small businesses that don't have HR officers. ADVERTISEMENT At Badger Maps, owner Steve Benson's Pomeranian mix, Foxy, seems to know when employees of the San Francisco app developer need some comfort. "They're very intuitive," Benson says of dogs. "They have the ability to recognize when someone's stressed out." But not everyone, including employees, customers and visitors, thinks animals belong in an office or a store. For as many customers that may be charmed, some people are allergic or afraid and might take their business elsewhere. So besides paying attention to permission from landlords and laws about having animals where food is being prepared, people need to consider how to accommodate uncomfortable staffers or clients. Rodney Alvarez, a human resources executive at Celtra, a video advertising company, says legal issues to consider include making sure the company's insurance covers any incidents such as biting and keeping animals well-behaved so they won't frighten visitors. Some owners say when they interview job candidates, they let them know there are pets around. Staffers at Celtra's San Francisco office asked to bring in their pooches. Managers decided that was OK at its four offices, but only if every staffer agreed, Alvarez says. One Boston employee said no, and so there are no dogs in that office. One regular deliveryman to Fathom is petrified of dogs. Because Gus "is a full-contact dog," Robertson says, "we collect the dogs and put them away in a room so (the deliveryman) can do his thing." At Sterling Communications, seven of the 20 staffers want to bring their dogs into the Los Gatos, Calif.-based office. CEO Marianne O'Connor, who has a German shepherd named Kaya, worked out a schedule that allows two dogs each day. Upholstered furniture may be off limits. "We push them off gently, and they learn that's not for them," O'Connor says. ADVERTISEMENT When visitors arrive, pups may be placed in a closed office with a water bowl and toy. At Crescent City Books in New Orleans, the majority of customers are glad to see Isabel, a Maine coon mix cat, and some let her curl up on their laps as they sit reading. "Most with any issues just keep their distance," manager Michael Zell says. Most often, a business becomes pet-friendly when it's the owner who brings an animal in. Anne Buchanan adopted a dog about 12 years ago who turned out to be emotionally needy and much happier when Buchanan was around. So she began taking him to work at her eponymous PR firm in Bryn Mawr, Pa. As her company grew, staffers asked if they could bring pets in, too. There are generally two dogs in the office, and sometimes as many as four, including Buchanan's two rescues, Katie and Lacey. Behavioral issues can crop up, but many owners said they can be dealt with. If Rosie the bulldog at O'Connell & Goldberg starts barking during a phone call, the office manager quickly lures her away from Goldberg's side. When Buchanan's dog and a staffer's couldn't get along, the boss paid for a trainer to work with both pups and their owners. Peace was restored. Sterling staffer Rosie Brown recalls when Hazel, a co-worker's Swedish Vallhund, couldn't wait for her owner to get out of a meeting and left a present behind Brown's chair. The next day, Hazel's owner brought a cake for the office that said, "Sorry I pooped. Love, Hazel." "We all laughed it off," Brown says. Many people without pets are happy to have co-workers' animals nearby. ADVERTISEMENT "The dogs just wander around from office to office, say hi to everyone and nobody minds," says Mike Dunklee, co-owner of Blvd Suites, a corporate housing company based in Oak Park, Mich. Some staffers without pets keep treats in their desks. Cats also sometimes make themselves at home in workplaces with dogs. When Brandon Scivolette, president of Elite Moving Labor, goes on vacation, his cat boards at the Tampa, Fla.-based company, where there often is at least one dog about. "A cat is a great thing for an office. It goes from office to office to hang out with people," Scivolette says. The entryway to Judy Onofrio's art studio in southwest Rochester is ablaze. Its surfaces are coated in vibrantly colored jewels, beads, and mirror shards. There's even a stuffed squirrel just inside the door. The effect is joyfully humorous, yet somehow serene. "There is always a sensuality underlying my work, but equally a sense of humor," said Onofrio, who is self-taught. "In my most recent work, I've taken a step towards a spiritually-centering confidence." Her career, which began in the late 1960s, has included forays into a plethora of mediums. She worked in ceramics in the '70s. In the '80s, she turned to soft sculpture and flaming wooden structures. From there, she began working on ornate bracelets and brooches. The jewelry transformed into rainbow-colored, shrine-like mosaic sculptures featuring sparkling women balanced amid Venus fly traps. Currently, Onofrio works on ethereal white bone sculptures. "I always want to be involved in change," she said. "I don't want to be repeating myself." ADVERTISEMENT Onofrio is an internationally recognized artist who's received awards including the McKnight Distinguished Artist Award (2005) and the Bush Artist Fellowship (1998-1999). She's had work on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Bronx Museum of the Arts , and her work is part of permanent collections at museums including the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Onofrio has come a long way from supporting her clay studio, then in Bethesda, Md., by selling "Judy's Lemon Dreams" from her home bakery. In 1981, living in Rochester with her neurosurgeon husband Burton, she moved from a laundry room work space into a studio built specifically for her artistic endeavors. Recently, Onofrio had a solo show, "Unearth," part of the Rochester Art Center's 70th anniversary. Onofrio has been an integral part of the Art Center. Besides taking painting classes there at the beginning of her career, she also taught adult ceramic classes, served as its director in 1970, and founded the still-running Total Arts Day Camp in 1971. Mentorship has been an important component of Onofrio's career. She's mentored many young artists, now professionals. One of her current studio assistants, Chris Delisle, sees her as the consummate mentor. "I have learned many things from Judy Onofrio," he said. "One of the major takeaways for me (as an artist) is to never stop. Never stop making art, never stop having fun, never let something be an obstacle let the obstacle become opportunity. That is Judy." An outside wall of Onofrio's studio is studded with ornately framed mirrors dispersed between two windows. The contrast between the beholder's reflection and the potential to look into the studio suggests the complexity of Onofrio's work; it has the ability to reveal the artist's interior personality while letting the viewer make self-discoveries. Five Questions with Judy Onofrio 1. Are there any advantages to being an artist in Rochester? ADVERTISEMENT I never have thought of myself as a Rochester artist. I've always thought of myself as an artist in the world or the universe. I've never pin-holed myself, and I feel like my studio here has been perfect. I probably would have had a much harder time working to the extent I did if I was right in the middle of an art community. I don't feel in any way isolated at all. 2. What was it like to win the McKnight Distinguished Artist Award in 2005? (The award came with a $40,000 prize.) That one was really wonderful because they stayed with me for that whole year and took photographs to put together a really interesting catalogue. The previous awards had gone to people like Robert Bly and Warren MacKenzie. It was really, really a big honor. It was like I was a queen for a day because there was absolutely no warning about it. They just showed up one day. 3. When you are creating your collage-based mosaic sculptures, what is the significance of the smaller components in the larger work? Everything I do is like a slice of my life. It is usually either something I'm obsessed with visually or something that is going on in my life that can be transferred into some kind of an idea. A lot of the time, with the mosaic pieces, they were all set in kind of a playful, circus-like atmosphere, but oftentimes I was talking about physical frailties underneath, about acrobats that could do things I couldn't do. The piece in the Rochester Art Center, that high-heeled shoe (the piece Onofrio refers to here is from 2012 and entitled "Ouch" it is a high-heeled shoe constructed from a jawbone-like structure with teeth pointed towards the wearer's soft soles), tjat's about having to wear orthotic shoes, but it's done with a sense of humor. 4. How much time do you spend gathering the raw materials for your art? I used to spend my weekends (searching). Pretty much work all week, and then spend my weekends going to auctions and flea markets, but I also had, and still have, a great collection of people that bring stuff to me. 5. What was it like to share the 2010 "Arabesque" exhibit at St. Olaf with your daughter, Jennifer Onofrio Fornes? ADVERTISEMENT That show was so wonderful. Jenny and I, we talk every day. I am vividly aware of her work and she of mine. She can walk into my studio and tell me what's (terrible) and what's wonderful. Having that kind of communication with your daughter is the ultimate. I knew with her black-and-white photography and with my new stuff (mono-chromatic, primarily white, sculpture composed mainly from bone), it would fit. I would love to do another one with her. The suspect in a shooting in July made his first appearance Monday in Olmsted County District Court, where he's been charged with multiple felonies. Liban Mohamed Ahmed, 29, faces two counts of second-degree assault and one count of possessing ammo/firearm after a conviction for crime of violence. He remains in custody in lieu of $250,000 conditional bond and is due back in court Oct. 26. The case began July 29, when Rochester police were called about 3:15 a.m. to the area of 17th Street and 20th Avenue Southeast for a report of a gunshot. They found the victim, a 22-year-old man, on the ground bleeding from a gunshot wound to the upper thigh; a shell casing for a .380 caliber handgun was under him. He told officers he and his brother had gotten a ride home from the downtown bars with a woman and her roommate, as well as a man named "Mohamed." The five stopped at a store on Marion Road; Ahmed arrived in a car with another man and allegedly pulled a gun and pointed it at Mohamed, who was in the backseat of the woman's vehicle. ADVERTISEMENT The woman stood between Mohamed and Ahmed, who then put the gun away, the reports say. Moments later, a group of men began to fight in the parking lot. The 22-year-old shooting victim came out of the store and tried to break up the fight, at one point tangling with Ahmed, the complaint says. When the fight broke up, Ahmed left in his vehicle and the victim left with the four people he'd come with. The woman drove to apartments in the 1500 block of Marion Road Southeast and everyone got out of the vehicle, reportedly concerned that Ahmed would be looking for them. When the woman and the victim returned to the car a few minutes later, Ahmed came around the corner of the building, pointed a handgun at them and began to run toward them, court documents say. Ahmed asked each of them where Mohamed was, pointing the pistol at their head as he did, the reports say. When they said they didn't know, Ahmed allegedly lowered the gun and shot the victim once in the leg, then ran away. The woman said she knew Ahmed as "Shorty;" a review of police records showed that Ahmed was known to go by the name "Shorty." Both the woman and her roommate reportedly picked Ahmed out of a photo lineup as the man with the gun. Authorities were unable to find Ahmed after the shooting; he was spotted and arrested at a Rochester business Saturday night. A Kasson man was sentenced to 60 days in jail and must register as a predatory offender after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a woman who'd passed out. Deandre Alexander Brewster, 32, formerly of Rochester, was also placed on 10 years' probation during Wednesday's sentencing and ordered to complete sex offender education/treatment, have no contact with vulnerable adults, possess no sexually explicit material and have no access to Internet without approval. He pleaded guilty in August in Olmsted County District Court to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct-victim helpless; in exchange, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct was dismissed. Both are felonies. The investigation began in March 2015, when a woman called Rochester police from a local hospital to report she'd been sexually assaulted earlier that day. The woman said Brewster had come over the night before to help her pack for a move. About midnight, he invited the woman to his sister's house to play video games. ADVERTISEMENT According to the criminal complaint, the victim drank two bottles of wine, stayed up all night, then drank more alcohol and smoked marijuana with Brewster. About 8:30 a.m., the woman fell asleep on the floor; Brewster was on the couch. The victim woke up about 2:30 p.m. with her pants and underwear around her ankles, court documents say; Brewster initially denied anything happened, then said, "I made a mistake." When the woman pressed him about what he meant, Brewster allegedly said he "wasn't in the right state of mind" and apologized, but said he didn't have sex with her. The victim experienced sharp pains and burning, the complaint says. Brewster "begged her not to go to the hospital." He admitted to the assault when questioned by an investigator and agreed his conduct was inappropriate and criminal. A Bureau of Criminal Apprehension analysis showed Brewster's DNA on a swab taken from the victim's body. A 45-year-old Rochester man is behind bars today after officials say he tried to steal a hoverboard from a local business. Mario Randell Peterson could be charged with fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of theft and reckless driving. The case began about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, when Rochester police were called to Kohl's, 20 25th St. SE, for a report of a shoplifter. They were notified after the loss prevention officer there saw Peterson attempting to take a hoverboard from the store without paying; the store officer was unable to stop Peterson in the parking lot, the report says. Police arrived about the time Peterson was leaving the parking lot; he allegedly evaded them by heading east on 20th Street Southeast, then turning north on Third Avenue Southeast. Officers didn't pursue his vehicle, said Capt. John Sherwin, but were able to see him as he crossed 16th Street, then lost sight. ADVERTISEMENT As they headed that direction, a citizen pointed out the direction Peterson had traveled, the report says; his vehicle was found abandoned in the 1300 block of 10th Avenue Southeast. Officer spotted Peterson walking in the area of 11th Avenue and 12th Street Southeast, Sherwin said, where he was arrested. The hoverboard was recovered in the parking lot of the store. Just two months after being released from prison, a Rochester man is back behind bars for failing to register as a predatory offender. Terry Izeal Heggs, 33, was released from the Minnesota Department of Corrections Aug. 20 and arrested Wednesday for violating terms of his 2011 sentencing. He could be arraigned as early as today. Rochester Police Capt. John Sherwin called him "a violent guy;" Heggs' criminal history confirms that. In a one-year period from 2009-2010 Heggs shot a man outside a nightclub, was arrested after a months-long cocaine investigation and sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl. He was sentenced for all three crimes in August 2011 in Olmsted County District Court, the longest a 68-month term, with credit for 222 days already served. ADVERTISEMENT As part of a plea agreement at the time, Heggs pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon for the Nov. 1, 2009, shooting outside the former Aquarius nightclub in southeast Rochester. Heggs fired a gun in the parking lot and hit the victim in the leg. The sexual assault and the drug sting both happened in 2010, while Heggs was awaiting trial for the shooting. The sexual-assault victim said Heggs raped her while she was sleeping. The original charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct was amended to fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct as part of the plea agreement. Heggs also pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree drug sale crime after originally being charged with nine felonies, resulting from a police investigation in late 2010. Heggs addressed the court at his sentencing, claiming he was going to prison because people "wanted to get me in trouble." Olmsted County District Judge Kevin Lund corrected him, saying, "You got yourself locked up by your behavior." As part of the sexual assault plea, he must also register as a predatory offender for 10 years. The two candidates vying for Minnesota House District 25A offer two very different approaches to improving life in Minnesota. Rep. Duane Quam talks extensively about the need to get rid of excessive government regulation and mandates. The Byron Republican argues that is the best way to help create more full-time jobs in the state. "If you weren't wasting money on bureaucracy and duplicate paperwork, you could have more full-time jobs and more jobs total," he said. His opponent, retired teacher Linda Walbruch, talks about the need to make key investments. For instance, the Mantorville Democrat wants the state to start paying more of the cost of K-12 education so local property taxpayers aren't shouldering the bulk of that burden. "I'd like us to look at the funding so that the state is picking up more of their responsibility, quite honestly. And that provides relief for our local taxpayers," she said. ADVERTISEMENT How to pay for transportation The two disagree on how best to fund the state's long-term transportation needs. Quam backs the idea put forward by House Republicans to dedicate existing sales tax revenue from auto parts, car rentals and leases to improving roads and bridges. But Quam said he is not interested in raising the gas tax before steps are taken to improve how Minnesota prioritizes its transportation projects. Once a project gets funded, he said it is critical the state move quickly to get it done instead of dragging out the process, which ends up costing taxpayers more. "Fix the system before we start pouring more money down into something that is really good at starting a lot of stuff, not good at finishing it," Quam said. Walbruch disagrees with the idea of redirecting existing sales taxes on auto-related items because it would take money out of the state's general fund. "No, we can't do that. We need that money for education. We need that money to assist our seniors," she said. Instead, Walbruch said lawmakers need to look at other ways to boost revenue for roads and bridges. That includes considering a gas tax increase and using money from the state's budget surplus. She also is open to the idea of allowing counties to impose an additional wheelage tax to help fund road repairs. Different views on social issues The candidates also have sharply different views when it comes to social issues. Walbruch noted Quam has sponsored a bill that requires public school students to use the locker room, changing room or shower that corresponds to their biological gender at birth a measure critics say discriminates against transgender students. Quam also has sponsored a bill that would enable wedding photographers, florists and bakers to refuse service to same-sex couples without facing criminal or civil penalties. Walburch said she strongly opposes these measures. ADVERTISEMENT "It's really important to safeguard our rights and that would be the right to marry the person you love, that would be the right to be treated equally so that when I walk into a restaurant I'm not refused based on my sexual preference, based on the color of my skin, based on my religion," Walbruch said. Quam said he believes it is important to introduce these sorts of bills to foster discussion on these topics. He said these proposals are about protecting individuals' religious freedom. "There is a difference between government preventing you from doing something and government forcing you to do something. Government should not be able to force you to do something against your strongly held religious beliefs," he said. Reducing health insurance costs The two candidates also offer different approaches for addressing rising health insurance costs. Walbruch is not in favor of getting rid of the state's health insurance exchange, MNsure. Instead, she would like to see efforts made to improve the website's technology. "We have to tweak and figure out what's not working," she said. As for rising health care costs in the individual insurance market, Walbruch said she would like steps taken to regulate the cost of prescription drugs. She also said more needs to be done to encourage doctors to stop ordering unnecessary tests that can drive up health care costs. Quam favors getting rid of MNsure and moving to the federal exchange. He argues the state already has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into MNsure, and it's still not working properly. To bring down health insurance costs, Quam supports reducing the type of coverage required for health insurance plans to be sold in the state. ADVERTISEMENT He added, "It used to be that you would get a policy that had what you needed. Now we've basically thrown everything into it. Everybody has to have everything." Profile: Duane Quam - Minnesota House District 25A Profile: Linda Walbruch - House District 25A Red Wing, Council Member Ward 1 Kim Beise Age:59 Education:Hastings High School, engineering and journeyman pipe fitter (Local 300 Bismarck, N.D.) Occupation:Owner Dowco Valve Co., Hastings and two locations in DeWitt, Iowa, and Council Bluffs Iowa, employing 32 people ADVERTISEMENT Political experience:Member of the Red Wing City Council since 2016 Community involvement:President of the Homeowners Association, vice president of Red Wing Sportsmen's Club, past vice president of Frontenac Sportsmen's Club, Minnesota State Code Advisory Committee, past elder and Sunday school teacher at Cornerstone Community Church, Hiawatha Valley Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, Cannon Valley Trail Joint Powers Board and Sister Cities Commission. Website:facebook@KimBeiseforRedWingCityCouncil What are your top three priorities? 1. Affordable taxes. 2. Affordable housing. 3. Businesses to meet needs of the community. What should the city's role be in encouraging new home construction? ADVERTISEMENT The city should use whatever tools and financing we can to encourage new home construction, particularly multifamily or workforce housing. Without the housing we can't draw new businesses because there is no place for their employees to live. Are you satisfied with the current plans to realign the intersections of U.S. Highway 61/Spring Creek Road and/or Pioneer Road/Twin Bluff Road? Not yet, however we are getting closer to a plan that works for most if not all of the businesses as well as working with the home owners to retain the integrity of the neighborhoods. I'm pleased to see how the process has worked to include the homeowners, businesses, city officials and other citizens to come up with a project that will work for all those affected. What balance needs to be struck between Red Wing's history and the city's future progress? The balance between moving forward with city growth and upholding the integrity of its history is crucial for Red Wing. We are a historic river town and pride ourselves on our history. While working on future projects maintaining Red Wing's historical charm must be a priority as well as balancing it with what is best for growth and development. It is essential for Red Wing to have this balance and keep it as a priority. Thomas Day Age:68 ADVERTISEMENT Education: E.E.T., University of Nebraska-Omaha; bachelor's degree in technical writing, Cal State Long Beach Occupation:Retired electrical engineer, reliability assurance and manufacturing manager, technical writer and college instructor Political experience:None Community involvement: I have volunteered for a variety of activities, but since moving to Red Wing in 2014, I have volunteered at the Sheldon Theater, the Community Clean-Up and for events at Hobgoblin Music. What are your top three priorities? 1. Make the Red Wing city government more accessible and responsive to the city's citizens. 2. Providing high value service to Red Wing residents for their tax investment. 3. More aggressive (24/7) construction schedules when construction impacts local businesses or significant traffic. What should the city's role be in encouraging new home construction? The core of the city is absolutely critical to the city's survival. There needs to be a well-considered mix of inner city and new development. Red Wing already suffers from the usual depletion of downtown businesses due to outlying Big Box vendors and malls and the Red Wing mall has several empty buildings. Future home and business development should be encouraged, through tax incentives and infrastructure, to be closer to the city's center. Are you satisfied with the current plans to realign the intersections of U.S. Highway 61 / Spring Creek Road and / or Pioneer Road / Twin Bluff Road? As a frequent Pioneer Road user, it's obvious that intersection was "naturally evolved" rather than designed for current traffic. It is hard for me to visualize bus traffic through a traffic circle, especially when that is complicated with large trucks, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users. I'd like to have some input from bus drivers who will have to negotiate this design. Generally, I'm a fan of traffic circles over multiple-way stop intersections. What balance needs to be struck between Red Wing's history and the city's future progress? Almost everything we know about "progress" from the past 50 years will be obsolete in the near future. These are times when "no one knows anything" is more true than ever before. I think the best plan is to concentrate on delivering a high quality of life, encouraging social diversity and keeping a critical eye on city services efficiency and quality is the local government equivalent of "do what you love, the money will follow." On Monday night school board candidates sat down and answered questions from the community in the League of Women Voters forum. Here's a selection of the questions candidates responded to, lighted edited for clarity. Seat 1: Don Barlow v. Richard Hinds Q: How would you address the needs of students at opposite ends of the achievement gap? Hinds: Hinds said the district is working to make sure students receive education on equal terms, specifically, increasing the number of gifted and talented staff, so hopefully more students can be involved, he said. ADVERTISEMENT "We are taking serious looks at the way students enter into those programs," he said. "We need to move away from the mantra, if you're low-income, or if you're a minority you just have to work harder in order to receive your education on equal terms. It's very important that when we work to support our students, we do it through the normal programming during the school day, so that after school programming can truly be enrichment." Barlow: "It is important for us to realize and to acknowledge that there are two sides to the spectrum overrepresentation and underrepresentation. In areas of discipline there's overrepresentation, and areas of underrepresentation there's AP courses, and accelerated courses. We best close that gap by acknowledging there is a great opportunity to be innovative in our approach and style, not by making excuses, but by acknowledging that there's opportunity, and rather than create barriers, remove barriers." Q: What is your No. 1 priority for your school board term? Hinds: Hinds said he would immediately work on providing relief for those students who are disproportionately disciplined. "I know there's going to be a lot of conversation tonight that's going to deal with a lot of economic issues, and say that there's problems at home, etc.," Hinds said, "but at the end of the day, the U.S. Supreme Court made up their mind on this a long time ago in Brown v. Board of Education, so I think we have an obligation and a duty to provide immediate relief to our students that are disproportionately impacted to ensure that our students have the ability to fully rise up to their potential." Hinds said how this is done is "really important," and should be done through policy, possibly looking at the district map and doing some re-districting to make schools more accessible to families. Barlow: "That is a view that is two years too late. In 2014, I said during the same forum when I ran against Director (Anne) Becker, it was something the board was unaware of, I don't know what happened what I do know, is that I researched and I was able to see that there was an issue. I didn't know how deep it was, but I was thankful I was ahead of this." Seat 3: Bobbie Gallas v. Deborah Seelinger ADVERTISEMENT Q: Do you think the school district is spending too much money, not enough money or just the right amount of money in educating our students? If too much, where would you cut? If not enough, where would you add? Seelinger: "Do I think we have too much money? No. I think we do very well with what we have... We were very fortunate to be able to add some teaching staff this year, that is through some of our general education funds, some of our compensatory funds and some of our (Title I) funds those are special funds we can use at a site level to help mitigate some of those instances. We have also used some of those title dollars to help with staffing special ed teachers as well." Gallas: "Do I think that we have too much money, or not enough money, or just enough? What I think is we have a budget, and that's what we need to stick to. Our budget for the district is laid out, we know how much money we're getting... We know how much money as a district we will be getting, and we need to look at that and stay within the means." Q: What will be the impact of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act on Rochester Public Schools? Gallas: "I went to the meeting just the other night on this and they talked very much how they were moving forward with the act and this year they were going out and they were communicating with the state and with stakeholders in this and how this was going to move forward. I'm not sure how it's going to impact, I'm not sure yet, because they are still rolling it out." Seelinger:"The Every Student Succeeds Act is replacing what used to be called, 'No Child Left Behind.' Minnesota had a waiver for NCLB, so a lot of folks aren't necessarily familiar with it here in Minnesota. The ESSA has five indicators of things schools and possible districts are going to need to look at that's academic achievement, academic growth, graduation rations, EL (English learner) proficiency, and then one other quality for student success indicator. The biggest change for our district, I think, will be the EL proficiency, because that's an indicator that wasn't included last time. So we have to do some work in our EL department to make sure that we're moving our EL students toward proficiency at a much greater, and more sustained length. Seat 7: Ahmed Ragab v. Mark Schleusner Q: Rochester Public Schools is considering a 45/15 expansion. During candidate interviews, most told the Post Bulletin they would like to see more evidence-based research before making a decision. What is your stance currently, and what information would you need to come to a decision? ADVERTISEMENT Schleusner: If elected, he would listen to what the community has to say, though education studies are inconclusive as far as educational benefits to students, he said he is interested in the schedule's impact on the achievement gap. "When you talk about summer slide, there has been studies that do show benefit in that space, but that doesn't mean that applies to all students of Rochester Public Schools. I think we need to study this." He added he feels the district could have handled certain community outreach better, but their efforts to gather the input in the first place to get that input is nice. Ragab: Ragab said this is the only thing Mark and he disagree on. After seeing a 30 percent response rate from parents, "I feel that we don't really have enough buy-in from the community and from our teachers." So far, Ragab said, we have not seen many studies that have linked improvement in the achievement gap with 45/15 so I don't want to make a decision without buy-in and without studies later in the future that truly support that. Q: In your view, what has the district done well over the last five years, and what has the district done poorly that you would change? Ragab: "In my opinion, the one thing that I've observed is trying to engage the community and attempting to engage the community and rebuild that faith in the district. I think the district has done an OK job so far, but we can do better." As for focusing on the priorities short-term and long-term, Ragab said he wants to see better long-term planning. Schleusner: Schleusner said if you compare the district to what it was five years ago, "it's a very different district." The district is doing a "much better job of trying to get out to the community and listen," but he said the district could improve how it listens to the community. "I've been apart of a number of task forces that I end up thinking, 'wow, I just spent all this time, trying to help the district, and at the end of the day, they kind of ignored whatever the community members suggested for whatever the task force was." Mower County Symposium displays powerful microscope AUSTIN About 100 scientists gathered at The Hormel Institute Monday for a joint structural biology symposium that focused on cryo-electron microscopy. Its centerpiece was the Triton Krios, arguably the largest and best microscope in the world. The $4.3 million microscope, whose installation began earlier this year as part of the Institute's multi million dollar expansion, is undergoing diagnostic testing by its maker, FEI, and should be up and running by the New Year, said Anna Sundborger, lead scientist for cryo-EM at the institute. The Triton Krios uses 2-D electron imaging where samples are studied at extremely cold temperatures. The better the microscope, the better to study the structure of proteins and amino acids, which can help fight cancer. ADVERTISEMENT Wabasha County Grandpa's Barn Boutique open until Saturday WABASHA Thanks to popular demand and fall leaf colors, Wabasha's Grandpa's Barn Boutique will be open through Saturday. The holiday decor and antique store will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until that day. The store is at 128 Second St. W. Goodhue County Eagle Center to visit Goodhue Historical Society RED WING The National Eagle Center will fly upstream for a visit to the Goodhue County Historical Society at 6 p.m. on Nov. 1, according to the GCHS. The visit, which will include a few feathered friends, is in conjunction with the Water/Ways exhibit at GCHS. Experts will discuss the lives of eagles in the region and their critical role in the Upper Mississippi River ecosystem. ADVERTISEMENT Admission is $5 for children 7-18 years old and members, free to those 6 and under and $10 for non-members, the GCHS reported. Houston County County bumps up seat-belt enforcement To continue educating motorists that seat belts save lives, the Houston County Sheriff's Office and Caledonia, Spring Grove and La Crescent police departments will join more 300 law enforcement agencies across the state, participating in the statewide "Click It or Ticket" campaign. Through Oct. 30, these agencies will be providing extra enforcement. Fillmore County Wykoff's Affeldts chosen as Century Farm WYKOFF Lyle Affeldt's farmland dates back to 1915, when his grandparents, Henry and Emma Sophia Affeldt, purchased it. ADVERTISEMENT Lyle and his wife Marilyn purchased the farm in 1968. Lyle retired from farming in 1995, and this year, their son, Kirk, encouraged them to apply for the certification from Minnesota Farm Bureau. They plan to get a stone engraved with "Affeldt Century Farm" for their front yard. Dodge County Superintendent's contract not renewed DODGE CENTER The Triton School Board voted Oct. 17 not to renew superintendent Brett Joyce's contract in a 4-3 vote. The proposal was to table that decision until January when a new board takes over, which was defeated. It was then moved to not renew Joyce's contract, a motion that passed. No reasons were given for not renewing. Winona County Capra Nera specializes in goat cheese ALTURA There's a new creamery in town. Utica native Katie Wiste founded Capra Nera Creamery earlier this year by utilizing the milk her goats produce during their natural birthing cycle to create varieties of goat cheese. Capra Nera Creamery includes 15 goats out of matriarch Blossom's lineage and a fully functioning production room, aging room and milking parlor. Wiste grew up on a dairy farm in Spring Grove and always had a love for goats. Her interest in making cheese started when she won a goat in a 4-H essay competition. That's how she acquired Blossom. In college, Wiste studied cheese making at Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese and in Perugia, Italy. RACINE A LeRoy man was injured after a car crash in Mower County just north of Racine late Wednesday night Thomas Soltau, 62, was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 63 at around 11:07 p.m. when an unidentified driver that was traveling northbound came into Soltau's lane. The driver's vehicle struck Soltau's vehicle, according to Minnesota State Patrol reports. Other news outlets reported that one of the vehicles was split in half and the other erupted in flames. The unidentified driver ran from the scene, according to authorities. Soltau sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Mayo Clinic HospitalSt. Marys. He was listed in fair condition as of this morning, according to a hospital spokeswoman. The Austin Police Department, Mower County Sheriff's Office and the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office assisted on scene. GOODVIEW A man was taken to Winona Health hospital Wednesday morning after a collision on Minnesota Highway 61 in Goodview. Lawrence Green, 75, of Winona was driving a sport utility vehicle on 44th Avenue heading northeast across the intersection with Highway 61 when his vehicle was struck broadside by a southbound pickup driven by Jay North, 53, of New Auburn, Wis., according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The pickup failed to stop at the red light at the intersection before the collision, hitting the SUV on the driver's side, the State Patrol reported. Green was taken to Winona Health with non-life threatening conditions. When Howard Taswell died earlier this month at 88, he had been retired from Mayo Clinic for more than 20 years. But such was the man and his work that his memory has long remained vivid among colleagues and staff at Mayo. For when he retired in 1993, Taswell's pioneering work as head of Mayo's blood bank and transfusion services were renowned internationally. Recognizing that most adverse transfusion reactions were due to clerical error, Taswell pioneered safety measures every step of the way, from blood collection and storage to administration. "He was a pioneer for safety," said Dr. Chuck Rosen, chairman of the division of transplantation surgery and a friend for nearly four decades. "Safety is being practiced all across medicine right now with all kinds of procedures and checklists, but he started doing that back in the early '70s. There is an old saying that the military makes boys into men, but in Taswell's case, it made him into a doctor. After graduating from medical school, Taswell signed up for the Navy. Americans were fighting in Korea and there was a draft. Taswell was stationed on a Marine transport ship, the only doctor on a ship with 3,000 men. He soon found himself making life-and-death decisions. ADVERTISEMENT When a young man came to him complaining of severe stomach pain, Taswell put him into sick bay hoping the pain would go away. When it didn't, he was forced to perform an appendix operation, even though his only experience with the operation had been holding the retractors. As the ship yawed and rolled, Taswell operated on the man and removed the appendix, saving the man's life. "If you're the only one around, you make decisions, and that was a big influence on him," said his wife, Beryl Byman. Before joining the staff at Mayo Clinic, he changed his name from Feigelman to Taswell. It was the 1950s, a time when a man with a Jewish background had legitimate concerns about anti-Semitism in the U.S. Mayo at the time employed few Jews, and the few who were employed concealed their identifies. "I thought it would be easier if my name were anglicized," Taswell once wrote. He was known as a taskmaster, but one that was "incredibly fair." He was in charge of Mayo's blood bank when testing became available for several viral illnesses, such as hepatitis B. Taswell set about adopting the highest level of testing to avoid transmitting those viruses to patients. "He was incredibly determined to do the right thing for the patient," Rosen said. "He would not be dissuaded by anything unless there were data or information to sway his thinking." He wouldn't hesitate to butt heads with surgeons if he felt changes needed to be made. One of his insights was that it was better to separate blood into its component parts and administrator them separately as needed. So instead of getting whole blood, patients would receive either red blood cells, platelets or plasma based on their needs. But some surgeons, particularly cardiac surgeons, resisted the change, wanting to use whole blood. "That took a lot of politicking. People were against him for that for awhile, until they realized that that indeed was the best way to go," Rosen said. ADVERTISEMENT He would expand the blood bank into a number of different labs. He wrote or co-wrote more than 200 articles. He was also elected president of the American Association of Blood Banks. When his term ended, Taswell was presented with a bullwhip in recognition of his headstrong ways. While at Mayo, Taswell traveled to Iran and the then-Soviet Union as part of an exchange of scientists. It was easy to pick out the Americans from the Russians in the photographs taken at the time. The Americans wore smiling faces while the Russians looked on grimly. At dinners with their Russian hosts, Americans sat down with bottles of vodka at their place settings instead of wine glasses. The bottles would be nearly empty by the end of the banquet, and the Americans who tried to keep up with their Russian counterparts passed out. When Taswell departed Mayo Clinic after a 30-year career there, he didn't see it as a retirement. He had dreams of starting an institute for family therapy, one that would help families cope with long-term chronic illness. It was a concept dear to his heart. His first wife, Elaine, suffered from the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis at a time when there were no caregivers to help support families. She died in 2003. "He was more or less cast at sea, with a sick wife and six children and a very demanding job," Byman said. He and Byman moved to Chicago to begin their new adventure, but then Taswell became ill himself with Parkinson's. About a year and a half ago, 20 years after Taswell's retirement from Mayo, Rosen passed a book of Mayo photographs around the blood bank, inviting anybody who remembered Taswell to write a little note. The book was soon filled with page upon page of memories and well-wishes. "What was amazing to me was that 20 years after his retirement, there were so many people secretaries, laboratory people and clerks in the blood bank, physicians that remembered him and had such wonderful things to say about him," Rosen said. Taswell was "pretty sick" with Parkinson's when Rosen presented him with the book. Rosen spent several hours with Taswell in his kitchen at his Chicago apartment poring over the book with Taswell, who read each and every note. ADVERTISEMENT "I try to focus on the things that give me joy. In the end, it's not my accomplishments at Mayo but my loving wife, my children, Beryl's children, and all our grandchildren," Taswell wrote. A 27-year-old Rochester woman was injured after her car struck an exit sign and slid into a pond near Apache Mall early today. The incident happened around 3:42 a.m. Samantha Yancey was southbound on U.S. Highway 52 when her vehicle collided with the exit sign at the base of the ramp, according to Minnesota State Patrol reports. The car then went down an embankment into a pond. Yancey sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Mayo Clinic Hospital - Saint Marys Campus for treatment. Her condition was listed as "fair" as of this morning, according to a hospital spokeswoman. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office the Rochester Police Department and the Rochester Fire Department assisted on scene. Advocates support revising but continuing Great Lakes plan DULUTH Policy experts say a federal program that has pumped $2.2 billion into cleaning up the Great Lakes needs some improvements but has served a valuable purpose and should continue. Government officials, advocates and scientists called for extending federal funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative during a meeting this month on Madeline Island in Lake Superior. The gathering was sponsored by Northland College's Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation in Ashland, Wis. The initiative was started by the Obama administration in 2009 and has funded projects to cleanse toxic waste sites, battle invasive species, restore wildlife habitat and prevent runoff that causes harmful algal blooms. A paper released Wednesday by the Burke Center says meeting participants agreed that more scientific monitoring is needed to make sure individual projects succeed. ADVERTISEMENT It also calls for more partnerships with the private sector and Canada to make the U.S. investment go further. Associated Press Lawyers say kidnapping suspect is 'largely unresponsive' BEMIDJI Lawyers for a man accused of kidnapping and raping a 5-year-old girl say he's "largely unresponsive" and isn't helping them defend him. In a recent court filing, defense attorneys suggested 33-year-old Jacob Kinn may be mentally or physically ill. They say he's been "largely unresponsive to stimuli," refuses to walk, frequently urinates on himself and seems to have lost the ability to verbally communicate. Kinn is charged with kidnapping the girl in June. She was found alive. No trial date is set, but his next hearing is Oct. 28. His attorneys are asking the court for access to his medical records. Authorities initially suspected Kinn of involvement in a fatal mobile home fire that they thought was linked with the kidnapping but have not charged him in that matter. Associated Press Murder charges dropped in missing woman case ST. PAUL Authorities have dropped murder charges against a Minnesota man suspected in the disappearance of a woman who's been the subject of searches in the Dakotas. ADVERTISEMENT Fifty-one-year-old Timothy James Barr, of Lakeville, was charged with second-degree murder and criminal vehicular homicide. He was accused of killing 45-year-old Michelle Lee Newell, of Vadnais Heights, who was last seen with him in late August. Barr pleaded guilty Wednesday to fleeing police. But Ramsey County prosecutors dropped the more serious charges, saying the court lacks jurisdiction because there's no evidence the alleged crimes were committed in Minnesota. Prosecutors allege Barr indicated to informants he argued with Newell and ran her over before disposing of her body, possibly in North or South Dakota. Authorities say Barr remains a suspect and the charges could be refiled. Associated Press Edina mayor, council apologize over police incident EDINA Edina's mayor and city council have apologized for an incident involving a white police officer and a black man from Minneapolis. A bystander video posted on social media shows police Lt. Tim Olson grabbing Larnie Thomas by the back of his jacket and reprimanding him for walking in the street near a construction zone Oct. 12. Thomas objected to the treatment, sometimes swearing at Olson, who wasn't in uniform. Thomas was cited, but the city dismissed the citation Monday even though it said Olson followed protocol. ADVERTISEMENT City leaders Tuesday told a crowd of about 150 people that they were sorry about the incident. The Minneapolis NAACP demanded an independent investigation after the incident. Mayor Jim Hovland said Tuesday that the state crime bureau declined. Associated Press Bonoff gets a boost from Obama in congressional challenge ST. PAUL A Minnesota Democrat facing a tough climb to unseat Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen is getting a hand from her party's standard bearer. President Barack Obama was featured in a video released Wednesday promoting state Sen. Terri Bonoff's campaign for Congress. The 30-second spot mentions that Bonoff's son is one of the president's closest aides. Obama also references her tenure in the state Legislature and says her brand of bipartisanship is direly needed in Washington, D.C. Bonoff launched her campaign this spring and has sought to tie Paulsen to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the suburban Minneapolis district. But Paulsen is a popular, four-term Republican who has built up a major fundraising lead for his re-election bid. Associated Press Moose hunted again in after 3-year hiatus MINNEAPOLIS A three-year hunting reprieve for the struggling moose population in Minnesota has ended with the planned shooting of 38 bulls by three Chippewa tribes. The targeting of moose ends a three-year period when state and tribal game managers stopped moose hunting because of an alarming population decline in Minnesota's Arrowhead region. Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa members have already killed 25 of the moose in a legal hunt that went against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' wishes. The state now is negotiating with the Bois Forte and Grand Portage bands for significantly smaller, ceremonial hunts expected to occur before the end of the year. "We just don't feel it's appropriate to hunt moose in this time when they have declined significantly," said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife population's program manager. Seth Moore, director of biology and environment for the Grand Portage band, said the tribes' hiatus from moose hunting stemmed from sociological concern at a time when uncertainty surrounded a plunge in the population. "We've been sacrificing the hunt for the benefit of the moose population, but it doesn't have a population effect," Moore said. The DNR estimates the population to be under 4,000 animals. Brainworm transmitted by deer has been a prime contributor to the decline. But predation by wolves and bears, ticks and climate change have all contributed to the decline. Associated Press MANKATO As much as a third of the corn on Kevin Paap's farm southeast of Mankato won't be sticking around long after the harvest. It's headed for sale across the globe. World trade is vital to his and other Midwest farms. Markets for Minnesota farmers have quadrupled in the 22 years since the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect, he said. That's why he's more than a little concerned that NAFTA and a proposed Asia-Pacific trade deal have been taking such a beating recently in the presidential race. "Ninety-five percent of our customers don't live here in the United States," said Paap, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau, the state's largest agricultural association. "They want our products. We want to get them to them." Anti-trade deal rhetoric might play well this year in industrial states crucial to Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton. But in Minnesota where agriculture and other businesses have generally benefited from lower tariffs and the easing of rules to let goods move across borders, the tough talk cultivates worry. "We have to have trade in agriculture," said Paap. "Whether it was NAFTA, whether it's Trans-Pacific Partnership, we've got to be able to trade with the rest of the world." ADVERTISEMENT Trade deals haven't been this important in a presidential race since 1992, when businessman and third-party candidate Ross Perot repeatedly slammed NAFTA as incumbent Republican George Bush and Democratic candidate Bill Clinton supported the deal. "There will be a giant sucking sound going south," Perot famously said during a debate. He said high-paying U.S. jobs would go to Mexico where labor costs are cheaper. Bill Clinton won the election and signed NAFTA into law at the end of his first year in the White House. Trump's tried to use that support to jab Hillary Clinton in this year's race, calling the deal "one of the worst things that ever happened to the manufacturing industry." TPP under fire Trump has accused U.S. trade negotiators of incompetence and said he'd renegotiate trade deals and strictly enforce them to keep America from getting ripped off. He also swiped at the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, designed to reduce trade barriers between North American countries and several across the Pacific including Japan, Vietnam Australia and New Zealand. Clinton, who once called the Trans-Pacific Partnership the "gold standard in trade agreements," now says she opposes the deal, breaking with President Barack Obama, who has said it would help U.S. small businesses, manufacturers and farmers. Clinton says she supports global trade provided it does not harm American workers and has proposed a special trade prosecutor to enforce agreements. "We haven't had this kind of very serious high-profile discussion of trade for quite a long time now," said University of Minnesota economics professor Robert Kudrle. The problem is that even though a country benefits overall from trade, trade often hurts pockets of workers in specific industries, Kudrle said. So blaming trade for economic problems is an easy campaign trail sell, he added. ADVERTISEMENT "Populism has never seen trade as other than with suspicion, whether it's on the left or the right," he said. "It's difficult for many people to understand that even if one country is better at doing everything than another, both can benefit from trading with each other. Even if we can make clothing much more efficiently than it can be made elsewhere in the world, we might still benefit from importing clothing and having our workers go into areas in which we have an even greater advantage over the rest of the world." Americans split Kudrle calls the decline of the textile, apparel and furniture industries in the South and other regions of the U.S. "one of the big, sad stories of the last 10 or 15 years. "They've just been completely wiped out, mainly from China, and with a devastating effect on local communities. That's something which clearly in retrospect we should have done more about, but we didn't." Americans appear to be torn on whether international trade and trade deals are good or bad for the U.S. A Bloomberg poll released last spring found nearly two out of three Americans want more restrictions on imports. A Gallup poll published earlier this year found one in three Americans views foreign trade as a threat while 58 percent saw it as an opportunity for economic growth. Americans with higher education are more likely to see trade as an opportunity. Paap believes cooler heads will prevail when the election is finally over. Kudrle believes the focus should be on helping Americans who get hurt in trade deals, not punishing other countries that want to sell things here. The tariffs Trump has proposed would trigger trade wars, he added, which would hurt many more Americans than are hurting now under trade deals. "It would be disastrous. It's true that agriculture and processed foods are at the top of Minnesota exports," Kudrle said. "They would be damaged. But all of our sophisticated manufacturers, all of our software, all of our high-tech, all of that, would be put in jeopardy." MINNEAPOLIS Prince's siblings say a woman and girl purported to be his niece and grandniece have no genetic connection to the late superstar and should not be named as heirs to his estate, according to court documents made public Tuesday. Attorneys for Prince's siblings and half-siblings argued that Brianna Nelson and Victoria Nelson aren't Prince's heirs as a matter of law, and a judge should deny their claims. A hearing on the issue is set for Friday. Prince, 57, died April 21 of an accidental fentanyl overdose in his Paisley Park studio and estate. He left no known will. Brianna Nelson and her niece, Victoria Nelson, have filed court documents claiming they are descendants of the late Duane Nelson Sr., who they say was Prince's half brother. They don't claim a genetic link, but say Prince's biological father considered Duane Nelson as his own son and Prince treated Duane like a brother. Duane died in 2011. Prince's siblings, however, believe that isn't enough to prove heirship under Minnesota law. ADVERTISEMENT "If an heirship claim could rely on behavior alone as a basis, it would open the floodgates to individuals claiming they were treated 'like a brother' or 'like a son,'" the attorneys wrote. They argued that with no known will, a parent-child relationship must be validated through genetics, adoption, assisted reproduction or an established presumption of parentage laws. They said that Brianna and Victoria Nelson are asking the court "to casually sweep aside these well-established tenets of Minnesota law and instead seek to base their claim entirely on behavioral and anecdotal evidence." In Minnesota, there are circumstances in which someone can be considered a parent based on having a familial relationship with a child, such as informally raising a non-biological child as their own. Experts say the law doesn't give clear guidance. The judge overseeing Prince's estate will have to sort out a complex interplay between probate and parentage laws that appears to be unique to Minnesota. As it stands now, Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, and his five half-siblings are in line to split Prince's estate six ways. Should the court count Duane Nelson as another half-sibling, Brianna and Victoria Nelson as well as possibly a man who recently claimed to be Duane Nelson's son would be entitled to one-seventh of the estate, which has been estimated at between $100 million and $300 million in total. Carver County District Judge Kevin Eide has already found that Brianna and Victoria Nelson have presented a plausible enough case to proceed and don't need to undergo genetic testing. The candidates in the District 21A race for the Minnesota House acknowledge a bit of name confusion exists in their campaigns. Red Wing residents Lisa Bayley and Barb Haley seek to fill the seat being vacated by Rep. Tim Kelly. Beyond name similarities, the candidates find common ground on some issues that quickly divide other races along party lines. Both raise concerns about rising health insurance costs related to MNsure. Neither says the state's system needs to be scrapped, but both point to the need for changes. "The current system is not working," said Bayley, a DFLer. "These costs are just not sustainable." The candidates also find agreement in wanting to establish a state-issued driver's license for undocumented workers. They cite conversations with local law enforcement officials in calling it a public safety issue that helps make sure drivers are trained and insured. "These folks are contributing to our economy," said Haley, a Republican, said of the immigrants. "They are filling needed jobs. They need to get to work." ADVERTISEMENT Experience The candidates also point to their experience as their greatest assets. Each suggests their unique experiences set them apart. Haley is a Red Wing graduate who spent 15 years working in the telecommunications industry before returning to her hometown to work in the nonprofit sector, She served five years on the Fairview Red Wing Health Services community board and three years as director of collective impact strategies with Every Hand Joined, an education initiative. Most recently, she initiated Red Wing WORKS to promote manufacturing and build connections between schools and manufacturers. "I have the experience that is critical at this time,in health care, in workforce and in education" she told the Post Bulletin Editorial Board. "I have proven I can solve problems and get things done. That's what people want." Bayley, a Rochester native, runs a private law practice in Red Wing, handling child protection, criminal defense and family law cases. Prior to starting her own practice, she was a clerk for a U.S. district court judge, worked for a metro-area firm and served as criminal prosecutor in Hennepin and Wabasha counties. In Wabasha County, she also served as adviser to the county board. For the past eight years, she has been a member of the Red Wing City Council. "I don't think there's any replacement for having been in the trenches in a real concrete way, both at at the county level and the city level," she told us, noting she has had to make budget cuts and knows first-hand the local impact of decisions made in St. Paul. Issues While they both tout health care, economic development and education as key factors in the race and consider themselves moderate members of their parties, they find party-line divisions. ADVERTISEMENT Haley points toward the need to find tax relief for small businesses and farmers, while also reducing the state's estate tax and taxes in veterans' benefits, which can lead some Minnesotans to retire in other states. Bayley said she doesn't see tax reform as a big issue, noting the legislature should concentrate on how to spend existing revenue carefully. With the candidates' diverse backgrounds Haley's on a hospital board and Bayley as a criminal prosecutor we were expecting unique insights when we asked about the state's shortage of mental health beds. Both acknowledge a need to find solutions, but diverged at that point. Bayley said first-hand experience has shown the issue to be complex. "I think this is a public safety issue as well as being a social issue," she said she has seen clients struggle with the system after state hospitals were closed. Citing a need for improved services, she suggested the state should consider breaking up portions of the Department of Human Service to provide improved focus and quality control of state-funded services. Haley, who noted she saw struggles for beds while on the Fairview Red Wing Health Services community board, said she needed more information before being able to suggest a solution. "I like to dig into issues and understand the data before giving an answer," she said. In the end, the answers were indicative of what we saw in the two candidates. Bayley seemed to be able to provide detailed answers on a variety of subjects, while Haley too often indicated a need for more study. While we applaud lawmakers' efforts to research and speak with constituents before solidifying opinions, candidates should be able to suggest workable solutions. We are confident Lisa Bayley can do that with the important issues for the region, which is why the Post Bulletin Editorial Board is endorsing her for the District 21A seat in the Minnesota House. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more The Post Bulletin Editorial Board endorsements are offered to provide one view of candidates for local and regional offices. We encourage you to do your own research as you get ready to vote. To find out more about the candidates in Minnesota House District 21A, visit their websites: Lisa Bayley www.lisabayleyforminnesotahouse.org Barb Haley www.haleyforhouse.com For information on polling places and sample ballots, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State website at www.sos.state.mn.us. Upcoming endorsements: Oct. 21 Minnesota Senate, District 21 Matt Schmit vs. Mike Goggin Oct. 22 Minnesota House, District 25A Duane Quam vs. Linda Walbruch Minnesota House, District 25B Duane Sauke vs. Fran Bradley Oct. 24 Minnesota Senate, District 25 Dave Senjem vs. Dale Amorosia Oct. 25 Minnesota House, District 26A Tina Liebling vs. Will Waggoner Minnesota House, District 26B Nels Pierson vs. John Austinson Oct. 26 Minnesota Senate, District 26 Carla Nelson vs. Richard Wright Endorsements published: Oct. 10: Olmsted County Board, District 3 Oct. 11: Olmsted County Board, District 7 Oct. 12: Rochester City Council, Ward 2 Oct. 13: Rochester City Council, Ward 4 Oct. 14; Rochester City Council, Ward 6 Oct. 15: Rochester City Council president Oct. 17: Rochester School Board, Seat 1 Oct. 18: Rochester School Board, Seat 3 Oct. 19: Rochester School Board, Seat 7 Past endorsements are available online at postbulletin.com/opinion It would be hard to find a candidate in Southeast Minnesota who doesn't believe they are the voice for their district. The candidates on the District 21B race for the Minnesota House is no different. Incumbent Steve Drazkowski , known as one of the House's most conservative members, claims to know the desires of the region that includes portions of Dodge, Goodhue, Wabasha and Winona counties. "I do a good job of constituent outreach and like to always relate the work I'm doing to what's in their interest," the Mazeppa Republican said. His challenger, Elise Diesslin , however, says Drazkowski falls short when listening to opposing views that fill the district. "I know the people of my my area, and I know the district," the Elgin DFLer said. "I've lived here my whole life." As the Post Bulletin Editorial Board sat with the two candidates, we received drastically different impressions about what is best for the district and what is needed. Taxes and education ADVERTISEMENT Drazkowski continues pushing for tax changes. The five-term representative is seeking a Fair Tax policy to eliminate income taxes and generate revenue from other sources, such as increased sales tax. He said that will reduce the "disincentive to work" highlighted by the state's lowest workforce participation rate since the 1980s. As chairman of the House Property Tax and Local Government Finance Division and a member of the House Taxes Committee, Drazkowski has quite a bit to say about the state's tax structure. He wants to reduce business and farm property taxes, which were part of the unsigned tax bill. Diesslin, aside from citing agreement on the need for property tax relief for farmers and a concern about aggressive cuts, had little to say on the tax structure when talking with our editorial board. However, when it comes to education, she reaches her comfort zone, similar to Drazkowski on taxes. Diesslin is an avid supporter of pre-K education to promote early childhood learning, which she said will produce better students and a better workforce for the state. "I see no harm in educating our children," said the daughter of two area teachers. Drazkowski rarely discusses education needs, aside from pushing to reduce state mandates and equalize funding formulas. The formula adjustment is similar to his stance on Local Government Aid, which he voted to increase in the recent tax bill. However, he told the Post Bulletin Editorial Board the increase was something he didn't support in the bill. He said the state funding should be distributed differently, rather than increased. Diesslin supports the proposed increase of LGA, noting communities like Elgin rely on it. ADVERTISEMENT Health care In discussing MNsure, the state's health insurance exchange, the pair are predictably opposed as well. While it comes behind the need for tax reform in his list of priorities, Drazkowski said change is needed to provide more choices at reduced costs. "MNsure is running our families over," he said, but proposed no specific changes. Diesslin also lacked specific proposals for changes, but noted the success the program has reduced the number of uninsured in the state. As a 26-year-old recently removed from her parents' policy, she understands the worry associated with not having health insurance. She landed a job at the University of Minnesota, Rochester, shortly before needing to find options without an employer-provided health plan. However, she said MNsure's existing merits can be strengthened. "Any time you roll out something new, you can only do so much before rolling it out, and I think once you start to see the wrinkles in it is when you can fine-tune and iron them out," she said. Representation Which view best represents District 21B's constituents is something voters will decide next month, but whoever wins must become aware that the district has opinions diverse enough to allow candidates to be well-rooted in opposing views. While we have seen Drazkowski struggle with opposing views at public forums and demonstrate a lack of interest when listening to others, we also know he is a fiscal watchdog for the state and a strong voice for the conservative portion of his district. ADVERTISEMENT With that, we endorse Steve Drazkowski for re-election to District 21B in the Minnesota House, but we must note it is a tepid endorsement. If re-elected, we encourage him to better demonstrate what he claims as his top quality: listening to his constituents. It is clear many want to be heard. At the same time, we also acknowledge Diesslin is a candidate with a lot of potential. If voters don't put her into office this year, we encourage her to consider tackling service at the local level to prepare for her next state campaign. Learn more To find out more about the candidates in Minnesota House District 21B, visit their websites: Steve Drazkowski www.draz.com Elise Diesslin diesslinfor21b.com A sentence was handed down yesterday to a man charged with smuggling methamphetamine into Guam from the Philippines. In December 2015, John Paul Talavera Marquez was accused of importing 47.3 grams of methamphetamine from the Philippines into Guam in his rectal cavity. Yesterday, Marquez was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $200 special assessment fee. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. A career offender? At the sentencing hearing yesterday in the District Court of Guam, Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood discussed with the parties whether or not to consider Marquez a career offender. A career offender is one who has three felonies that are either violent in nature or involve drugs. Marquez had two prior felony charges for aggravated assault. If Marquez was found to be a career offender, he faced up to 151 to 188 months incarceration. After deliberations it was found the nature of Marquezs priors were not as violent as perceived and occurred a long time ago. The government reported the defendant had been cooperative and suggested a downward variance and recommended a sentence between 51 and 63 months. Later investigation revealed that the amount of drugs was only 28 grams. The methamphetamine was discovered by drug-detecting dogs. Last December, Marquez arrived at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport aboard Philippine Airlines Flight 110 originating from Manila. All passengers, including Marquez, deplaned and proceeded to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ultimately to the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency for customs processing. Drug-sniffing dogs According to court documents, Drug Detector Dog Unit team Officer Jeremy Artero and Detector Dog Kay conducted a sniff on arriving passengers, including Marquez, at the customs passenger processing area. While Artero and Kay conducted a sniff search of Marquez's person, Kay reacted with a positive alert indicating the presence of a narcotic odor emanating from Marquez's groin. Artero and Kay concluded the sniff search of all arriving passengers with no other alerts. Officers then obtained a search warrant for Marquez's person. Balloons full of drugs During the process of obtaining the search warrant, Marquez made several spontaneous utterances to agents, advising agents of the presence of four balloons inside his rectal cavity. Marquez later expelled the four balloons. The following day, at 10:19 a.m., Erwin Fejeran, investigation agent for Homeland Security, field-tested a representative sample of the white crystal-like substance, which was concealed within one of the four balloons expelled from Marquezs body. The field test yielded a presumptive positive result for the presence of methamphetamine. Im not sure what it means to accept the results of an election, but after tonights debate Im more convinced than ever that this election is unacceptable. In this corner, wearing the nauseating grin, is Hillary Clinton. She delivered a lengthy oration about the Supreme Court without ever mentioning the Constitution (which Chris Wallace specifically asked her about). Instead, she said she wants the Supreme Court to take sides. To me, this answer is more inconsistent with Americanism than Trump leaving open the possibility of not accepting the results of the election (about which more in a moment). In the other corner, looking pissed off and menacing, is Donald Trump. Apparently, he does not favor defeating ISIS in Mosul. In addition, as far as I can tell, he wants to concede Syria to Assad, and by extension to Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia. And speaking of Russia, Trump seems agnostic about Putin, and thats giving Trump the benefit of the doubt. I havent heard the tycoon utter a negative word about the Russian thug and the threat he poses to the world during the entire campaign. Before assessing the debate, let me say something about accepting the results of an election. If, when Trump says hell consider his options after the votes are in, he is thinking about perhaps declaring himself president or trying to stage a coup, then Hillary Clinton is right to be horrified. We all should be. If Trump means he might not formally concede, then hes contemplating being a very bad loser. To not concede would run counter to a salutary custom, but there is no requirement that losing candidates concede. Not conceding would cast Trump in a bad light, but would hardly threaten the Republic. If by possibly not accepting the election Trump means he might vigorously argue that it was rigged against him e.g., the media was horribly biased and large numbers of illegal immigrants voted this would be nothing more than Trump expressing his opinions. The only issue then should be whether Trumps opinions are valid. If Trump is correct that he was the victim of unprecedented media bias and or voter fraud, then he would be doing America a favor by pointing these things out. The mainstream media and other Clinton supporters are trying to insulate themselves from criticism over bias and fraud by demonizing Trump. But Trump should not be demonized if all hes contemplating is arguing that the election wasnt fair i.e., refusing to accept that the election he lost was a fair one as long as he can provide evidence to back his argument up. As for the debate, there were fewer fireworks than I had expected. For the most part, the candidates debated the issues in an almost civilized manner. I thought Trump started unevenly and missed some good opportunities to hammer Clinton, but picked up steam as the debate progressed and may have won on points. But I think the public might well adjudge Clinton the winner by about the same margin as her lead in the polls. In other words, I doubt that the debate changed many minds. Trump needed to show that hes decent and stable. He came off that way during most of the debate, but he wont be judged by this debate alone. And Clinton did an effective job of reminding voters of the long list of Trump transgressions that suggest a lack of decency and stability. Moreover, Trumps unwillingness to commit to accepting the results of the election may undo whatever progress he made tonight in persuading voters that hes decent, stable, and presidential. Of all the statements made tonight, Trumps unwillingness in this regard (whatever it actually means) will probably be the main talking point from the debate. Certainly, it will be what the media talks about the most. Trump shot himself in the foot with his answer here. In my view, he needed a near flawless performance tonight, and didnt come close to delivering one. NOTE: In the original version of this post, I criticized Chris Wallace for not saying what he meant by accepting the result of the election. Looking at the transcript, I see that Wallace spoke in terms of Trump conceding. Thus, I was wrong to criticize Wallace who, for the most part, did a good job tonight. As we steel ourselves for the final presidential debate, it is worth remembering that Hillary Clinton has no talents that would have brought her to public attention, had she not married Bill Clinton. For the first time ever, service as First Lady is offered as a qualification for the presidency. Hillary carpet-bagged a Senate seat, running in New York while she was the First Lady, living in the White House. She thereby took unfair advantage of a privileged position that she held only by virtue of her marriage. Her tenure in the Senate was so undistinguished that, I have read, she doesnt even mention it in her autobiography. I cant say for sure since, like virtually all other Americans, I have had better things to do than read Hillarys book. Next it was on to the State Department. Here, Hillarys performance was abysmal. She accomplished nothing in four years, and was sometimes embarrassed, as by the misbegotten (and misspelled) Russian reset. Documents released pursuant to various Freedom of Information Act requests demonstrate beyond debate that Hillary and her sycophantic circle intended the overthrow of Moammar Qaddafi in Libya to be the crown jewel of her diplomatic career and the basis of her inevitable presidential run. Only Hillary committed an appalling blunder: she led the overthrow of a government without having a plan for what would come next. What came next was predictable to anyone with any sensechaos, and a vacuum that was quickly filled by Islamic terrorists, particularly ISIS. The fiasco of Benghazi, and her lies about that fiasco, were the bitter fruits of the broader disaster of her Libya policy. Now she is running for presidentsort of. She makes as few campaign appearances as possible, and wherever she goes she is greeted by small, unenthusiastic crowds. Most people would as soon get a root canal as listen to one of her speeches. As she nears the finish line, she is being propped up: figuratively by the press, which is determined to drag her across the finish line, and literally by her aides when she falls down, or appears about to. All of that is a preamble to an email exchange that was made public yesterday by Wikileaks. It is an email thread between Hillarys campaign manager, John Podesta, and Neera Tanden, supposedly a close friend of Hillary and the head of the Center for American Progress, a left-wing think tank that is a branch of the Democratic Party. The date is September 15, 2015. What prompts the emails is Hillarys exclamation to an audience in Ohio, You know, I get accused of being kind of moderate and center, I plead guilty. First, here are the emails as disclosed by Wikileaks. Click to enlarge: Neera Tanden begins: Why did she call herself a moderate? This was, of course, during the windup to the 2016 primary season, when Hillarys main competition came from the far left. The response from Podestaher campaign manager!is stunning: I pushed her on this on Sunday night. She claims she didnt remember saying it. Not sure I believe her. We were speculating, that it may be a Don Baer intervention. This is remarkable on two levels. First, Hillary described herself as a moderateseemingly a significant pointand then claimed she didnt remember doing so. That raises questions about her mental acuity. But Podesta says he isnt sure he believes her, which means that her own campaign manager thinks she is a liar. Don Baer, if you wondered, is a former communications director and speechwriter for Bill Clinton, who apparently was suspected by the Left of having moderate tendencies. Neera Tanden wraps up the dialogue: I mean it makes my life more difficult after telling every reporter I know shes actually progressive but that is really the smallest of issues. It worries me more that she doesnt seem to know what planet we are all living in at the moment. She doesnt seem to know what planet we are all living in at the moment. Tanden, a Democratic Party operative, refers to Hillary Clinton with casual contemptwhen talking to Hillarys campaign manager, who, she obviously thinks, shares that contempt. It appears that Hillary Clinton, in the eyes of her closest associates, is a pathetic figure, neither truthful nor competent. Today we could add, not only is she neither truthful nor competent, she may not be capable of standing at a podium without help. It is remarkable that a woman with few if any accomplishments, who is viewed with casual contempt by those who know her best, is apparently on the brink of being elected president. I said I wouldnt comment on tonights debate until tomorrow, when I host the third hour of Laura Ingrahams radio show. But I cant resist, having seen how the liberal press is trying to spin what, by any objective standard, was a pretty good night for Donald Trump. Its all about Trumps refusal to commit to accepting the result of the election should he lose: Horrifying! Trump upends a basic pillar of American democracy by saying he will wait and see what happens on election day, because of his concern about voter fraud. But wait! Who was the last candidate who refused to accept the result on election day, as certified by election authorities? Al Gore. Did Gore upend a basic pillar of American democracy when he tried to overturn the result of the 2000 election? I dont remember the Associated Press saying so at the time. In fact, I would bet that the authors of this piece of AP hysteria were rooting for Gore, at the time. Unbelievable. When Hillary Clinton nominates a Supreme Court Justice to replace Antonin Scalia (assuming Merrick Garland is not confirmed before Clinton takes office), that nominee will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee that he or she will uphold the Constitution impartially and decide cases based on the law, not his or her policy preferences or the status of the litigants. That nominee will be lying. This is clear from what Clinton said last night about the Supreme Court and the kind of Justice she will nominate. Here is how Clinton answered Chris Wallaces opening question regarding her view of how the Constitution should be interpreted: You know, I think when we talk about the Supreme Court, it really raises the central issue in this election, namely, what kind of country are we going to be? What kind of opportunities will we provide for our citizens? What kind of rights will Americans have? And I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people, not on the side of the powerful corporations and the wealthy. For me, that means that we need a Supreme Court that will stand up on behalf of womens rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community, that will stand up and say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system. Clinton never mentioned the Constitution. She never so much as nodded at it. Clintons answer shows that she thinks interpreting the Constitution means standing up on behalf of womens rights and on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community. It also means ignoring the rights of powerful corporations and the wealthy. In other words, cases should be decided based (at least in part, though Clinton never qualified her answer this way) on the gender, sexual preference, or wealth of the litigants, not on what the Constitution or applicable statute provides. The Constitution, in her view, is not a set of rules that applies equally to everyone, but rather a means of favoring members of groups that appeal to Hillary Clinton. Here, though, is the oath taken by Supreme Court Justices: I, _________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as _________ under the Constitution and laws of the United States. (Emphasis added). Hillary Clinton has effectively promised to nominate Justices who will not uphold that oath. For Republicans, and anyone else who believes in the Constitution and the rule of law, such Justices are not acceptable and cannot be confirmed. When a Clinton nominee testifies that he or she will uphold the oath, Senators ought not believe the testimony. God knows, Clinton has her flaws but they do not include an inability (with the help of her apparatchiks) to identify lawyers and judges who will uphold her anti-constitutional vision of the Supreme Court. However the Senate races turn out, Republicans will have the votes to block Clinton Supreme Court nominees under the current rules. Unfortunately, if the Democrats control the Senate, they will change the rules as necessary to confirm Clintons nominees. In any case, I cant imagine Republicans holding firm enough to block Clintons nominees indefinitely. So when Clinton appointed Justices cast decisive votes, conservatives must denounce the decisions not just as wrongly decided, but as illegitimate. We should accept the decisions in the sense of abiding by the results, but we should not accept them as legitimate interpretations of the Constitution or the applicable statute. We should attack the Court non-stop as illegitimate, the way conservatives used to do in the days of the Warren Court. Driving through the south in those days, I sued to see impeach Earl Warren signs. If worse comes to worst, I would like to see impeach Goodwin Liu (or whomever) signs. The Hillary Clinton Court is likely to overreach in ways even the Warren Court never did. Its leftist decisions will become a major political issue. In advancing that issue, it will be important for conservatives to throw Clintons manifesto of last night in her face as the basis for arguing that the Supreme Court is acting illegitimately, not just misguidedly. Tonight, John, Scott and Steve got together to talk about the strangest political season of modern times. Questions abound: Does Trump still have a chance? Will tomorrow nights debate matter? Will the Hillary Clinton scandals that have come out recently give Trump a shot in the campaigns waning days? How about the Senate? Can the Republicans hold it? If Hillary wins and the Senate is 50/50, will control of the Senate depend on a special election in Virginia? What about the House? Is there a danger that the Democrats could retake the House as well as the Senate? And, finally, if Hillary wins following a virtually issues-free campaign, will she have a mandate to govern? Or will she be a lame duck from the day of her inauguration? The episode winds up with an interview with Senator Ron Johnson, the man standing in the way of Russ Feingolds return to the Senate. The interview should be more than enough to convince you to go here and contribute to Johnsons campaign. Simply tap above to play; this works if you are reading on an iPad or mobile device, too. Or click here to listen or to download the episode directly to your computer or mobile device. The Power Line show is also available on iTunes. If you go here, you can subscribe on iTunes and never have to miss an episode. Be sure to rate us five stars, too. Power Line is supported by Power Line VIP. Please consider subscribing to VIP todayit eliminates most ads and supports the work we do here. Click below for more information. The British Army learned that lesson recently. It apologized after deleting a tweet that depicted a soldier in what some claim is blackface. Online outraged followed the tweetwhich contained a photo depicting a smiling, gun-toting solider in camouflage accompanied by the caption, Being a soldier in the jungle requires a robust sense of humour. .@BritishArmy just tweeted this photo, what were they thinking?? pic.twitter.com/YVB9C7Nq9L Jon Scammell (@JonScammell) October 19, 2016 The Army said in a statement to media that the soldier was actually wearing camouflage and concealment measures, standard for jungle training in Belize. RELATED: Keep your cool in a crisis with these 13 tips. The organization issued an apology on its Twitter account and said it would urge the public to view that imagery to set the activities being undertaken by these soldiers in context: Six principal officers of the University of Jos (UniJos),are to contribute N1 million each for the restocking of the institutions burnt library complex. The Vice-Chancellor, Sebastian Maimako, who announced the contribution on Thursday in Abuja, tagged Beauty from Ashes, said the effort is to bring back the library to life. The principal officers in a university are the vice-chancellor, registrar, bursar, librarian, among others. The library complex which housed two faculties with six departments was razed on October 8. Mr. Maimako said an integrity test has been conducted on the structure by relevant bodies and it had been certified fit for usage. He said there was urgent need to renovate the burnt library and restock it for the benefit of the university community. The six principal officers of the university have agreed to voluntarily contribute N1 million each. This is our desire to lead by example and we urge deans, directors, staff of the university and students to contribute for the Beauty from Ashes project. He said contributions were not limited to money alone as people are free to contribute books, journals and other materials. Stephen Akintunde, UniJos Librarian said since the incident, library services continued in other campuses of the university. The librarian advised students to visit other campuses to access the electronic library of the institution. Some deans and directors promised to make donations in due course. Yakubu Gomos, Director, Advancement Office, whose responsibility is to link the school with its alumni, promised to contact the alumni members for assistance. (NAN) The Senate on Thursday warned of imminent plane crashes in the country if the aviation industry was not fixed immediately. The alert followed a motion tagged Disturbing Development in the Nigerian Aviation Industry by Dino Melaye. Contributing to the motion, the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, said the fear of plane crashes was real as airlines could no longer access foreign exchange to service their aircraft. He said some operators may resort to cutting corners as a result of their inability to access foreign exchange, thereby endangering the lives of air travellers. Mr. Akpabio said many airlines in the country were bankrupt and dead. These problems are caused by policies of government. Monetary policies of government have not allowed the airlines to operate. Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended says that government must ensure the security and welfare of the people. We are likely to have a spectre of crashes because most airlines cannot access foreign exchange to service their aircrafts, he said. Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said that the withdrawal of airlines from Nigerias aviation industry was a bad omen which may lead to massive job losses. A situation whereby airlines cannot send back their money to their home countries is a disaster. Competition becomes less and the few left will charge as they want. It is embarrassing that airlines have to go and refuel in Ghana, he said. After the debate, the senate resolved to assist the Federal Government in its planned intervention in the current challenges in aviation sector. The Senate also urged the government to ensure that all operators who would benefit from the intervention would not increase fares arbitrarily. The lawmakers urged the Federal Government to prevail and insist that airlines used the Naira as the official currency in all transactions in the industry. (NAN) The Chairman, Bi-Courtney Group Nigeria Limited, Wale Babalakin, has accused the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, of violating rule of law principles by failing to heed courts judgement. Mr. Babalakin made the allegation on Thursday at ongoing four-day public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation in Abuja. He said that a Federal High Court on March 3, 2009, in a judgment, ordered FAAN to hand over General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, to Bi- Courtney Limited. He added that the judgment also ordered FAAN to paid damages of N132 billion to Bi-Courtney in 2012, which he said, had not been paid. Mr. Babalakin told the committee that FAAN had stifled the development of the airport. He said that the airport had hotel, conference facilities, mono-rail, fuel hydrant and power plant but that because of FAANs resistance, the projects were delayed. He further said the company took over the relics of the former domestic terminal of the Lagos airport to build the multi-terminal that had remained the best in the country followed transparent process. In 2000, after the old Lagos Domestic Terminal was destroyed by fire, FAAN advertised for a Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) concession which was given to Standerton but was unable to execute. After 12 months, the BCL was invited as reserve bidder. BCL executed concession agreement with Federal Government and FAAN in April, 2003 after two years of extensive negotiation. FAAN did not defend itself properly at the court; Bi-Courtney defended itself vigorously and won the case. Sanderton was forced to discontinue against Stabilini Visinoni (SVL) and Bi-Courtney. FAAN lost the case. If any judgment was obtained against FAAN, it was due to poor conduct of its case. Bi-Courtney cannot be responsible for FAANs dereliction of duty, he said. On its part, the representative of FAAN, Monica Alphonse, said that FAAN was never involved in the committee set up to look into the agreement. FAAN was never involved; it never had a representative in signing the agreement so there is no way as far as FAAN was concerned that the committee existed. When we constituted the agreement, GAT was not involved in the area given to Bi-Courtney. GAT never formed part of the concession. It cannot be handed over through a mere letter but has to be through a cogent agreement, she said. Ms. Alphonse told the committee that that FAAN issued a termination letter of the contract to Bi-Courtney because the project was delayed. Last year, FAAN had an agreement with Bi-Courtney on the termination and a new agreement was made but up till this day, Bi-Courtney has not commenced work on that site, she said. Chairman of the committee, Nkiruka Onyejocha, said that the essence of the hearing was to consider all the concessions and review them to enable the committee come up with solution. (NAN) Al Jazeera journalists arrested in Somalia on suspicion of researching for a one-sided story in support of radical Islamists were released on Thursday after two days under arrest, the National Union of Somali Journalists said. Reporter Hamza Mohamed, a cameraman, a driver and a local Journalist were detained in Mogadishu on Tuesday. A senior intelligence source, who asked not to be named, said they were questioned about their visit to areas held by the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab. Information Minister Mohamed Maareeye told journalists that the crew had entered Somalia without the knowledge of the government and wanted to do a one-sided story against the government in favour of al-Shabaab. Mohamed Moalimu, secretary-general of the journalists union, said that they were very pleased with the release of the Al Jazeera journalists. We are very pleased with the release of the Al Jazeera journalists. But we want more explanations from the government on why those journalists were targeted, Mr. Moalimu said. Al Jazeera said in a statement that Hamza Mohamed has frequently travelled to Somalia over the past few years to cover politics, economics and culture with accuracy and integrity. (dpa/NAN) Republican candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday would not commit to accepting the outcome of the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy and sending shock waves across the political spectrum. Mr. Trumps refusal, which his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called horrifying, was the standout remark of the their third and final debate, and ratcheted up claims he has made for weeks that the election was rigged against him. Asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether Mr. Trump would not commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Ok? Mr. Trumps statement may appeal to his anti-establishment followers, but it was unlikely to reverse opinion polls that show him losing, including in key states that will decide the election. That is not the way our democracy works, Mrs. Clinton said during the debate. Weve been around for 240 years. Weve had free and fair elections. Weve accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election. Later she told reporters: What he said tonight is part of his whole effort to blame somebody else for where he is in his campaign. A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 per cent thought Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, won the debate while 39 per cent said Mr. Trump, making his first run at public office, was the victor. Mexicos peso currency, seen as a measure of Mr. Trumps prospects, rose to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the debate, suggesting growing investor confidence of a Clinton victory. Mr. Trump has vowed to build a wall on the border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and has said he would make Mexico pay for it. Mainstream Republicans were quick to denounce the comment. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a former Republican presidential candidate who has never warmed to Mr. Trump, said: If he loses, it will not be because the system is rigged but because he failed as a candidate. Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who also ran for the Republican presidential nomination and now supports Mr. Trump, defended him. He said Mr. Trumps message was that if theres some kind of obvious fraud going on, hes going to say something about it. He didnt say he wouldnt accept it, Mr. Carson told journalists. He said he would evaluate it at the time. Mr. Trumps running mate, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, said Mr. Trump will accept the outcome because he is going to win. But Republican strategist, Ryan Williams, found Mr. Trumps statement deeply concerning. You have to accept the results of the election unless there are grounds for a recount and at this point it does not appear that were heading for a close election, he said. In a debate that for the first time focused more on policy than character, the two candidates nonetheless lashed out at each other. Mr. Trump, 70, called Mrs. Clinton such a nasty woman, accused her campaign of orchestrating a series of accusations by women who said the businessman made unwanted sexual advances and said that both she and President Barack Obama were behind disturbances at his rallies. He said the Clinton Foundation was a criminal enterprise and as a result she should not have been allowed to seek the presidency ticket. Mrs. Clinton, 68, said Mr. Trump himself had incited violence, belittled women and posed a danger to the U.S.. She said Trump, a former reality TV star, had in the past also complained that his show was unjustly denied a U.S. television Emmy award. I should have gotten it, Mr. Trump retorted. Mr. Trump said all of the stories of sexual misdeeds were totally false and suggested Mrs. Clinton was behind the charges. He called her campaign sleazy and said, Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody. Mrs. Clinton said the women came forward after Mr. Trump said in the last debate he had never made unwanted advances on women. In a 2005 video, Mr. Trump was recorded bragging about groping women against their will. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth and I dont think there is a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like, said Clinton, the first woman to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party. The two candidates also had a spirited exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration during the showdown. Mrs. Clinton said she would raise taxes on the wealthy to help fund the U.S. governments Social Security retirement program. She said Trump, who Forbes says is worth $3.7 billion, would be paying higher taxes too unless he can get out of it. Such a nasty woman, Mr. Trump said. Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton battled sharply over the influence of Vladimir Putin, with Clinton calling Trump the Russian presidents puppet and Trump charging Putin had repeatedly outsmarted Clinton. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump walked straight to their podiums when they were introduced at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, once again forgoing the traditional handshake as they did at the second debate last week in St. Louis, Missouri. This time they did not shake hands at the end of the debate either. (Reuters/ NAN) An anti-government extremist who calls himself the King of Germany will appear before a German court on Thursday on charges bordering on embezzlement for extorting $1.4 million from followers of his movement. Peter Fitzek is a member of the so-called Reich Citizens Movement, whose followers do not recognise the German State nor adhere to its laws, statutes or proceedings. In 2009, Fitzek declared himself king of a monarchy that encompassed an abandoned hospital in the eastern German city of Wittenberg. Prosecutors said Fitzek administered the savings of 574 of his followers without a licence and embezzled funds of the said amount in 27 separate cases. The Reich Citizens Movement, which is under surveillance by Germanys domestic intelligence agency, has been compared to the sovereign citizen movement in the United States. (dpa/NAN) Republican candidate Donald Trump on Thursday said he will accept the results of the U.S. presidential election if he wins. I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters, supporters and the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election. If I win, he said at a rally in Ohio, pausing before he added the second statement. He clarified minutes later that he wanted to maintain the right to file a legal challenge if the contest is questionable or close. He pointed to the 2000 election that ended with a recount in Florida and handed the presidency to George W. Bush. I would accept a clear election result, but would also reserve my right to file a contest or legal challenge in the case of a questionable result, Trump said. In the debate on Wednesday, Trump refused to say he would concede the U.S. election if he loses to Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. I will tell you at the time, I will keep you in suspense, he said. However, Clinton immediately condemned his stance as horrifying. Trumps Wednesday remarks had drawn widespread condemnation from members of both political parties who said it went against the most basic traditions of U.S. democracy. John McCain, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Barack Obama, said in a statement on Thursday that although he did not like that result, he accepted it without reluctance. A concession is not just an exercise in graciousness, it is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leaders first responsibility, the senator said. Report says Clinton holds a commanding lead with fewer than three weeks before the November 8 election as the campaign has increasingly devolved into accusations slung by both sides. (dpa/NAN) A yet unknown number of Nigerian soldiers drowned in the Yobe River in North-East Nigeria as they tried to escape intense fire from Boko Haram fighters on Monday, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report. Also, no fewer than 22 soldiers are currently recuperating in a hospital in neighbouring Niger Republic following the attack. The troops were manning an outpost in Gashigar, Borno State, near the border with Niger, when hundreds of terrorists advanced rapidly towards them, forcing the troops to abandon their position with some diving into the nearby river, top military sources familiar with the development told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday. The Nigerian Army had on Tuesday distributed a statement announcing the assault on Nigerian troops, but blamed it on escaping Boko Haram remnants. But a day after the statement, which was signed by Sani Usman, a colonel, details of what actually transpired on the battlefield that day and the reaction of commanders on the ground have been exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. According to the security sources, the soldiers, attached to 145 Task Force Battalion, came under attack around 5:00 p.m. on Monday, but rescue operation did not yield result until the next day. On that Tuesday, three rescue operations were carried out by soldiers from the neighbouring Republic of Niger operating in Ngarwa. Around 7:00 a.m., they rescued the first set of nine Nigerian soldiers. At about 2:00 p.m., seven more were rescued. The last set of six troops was rescued around 5:30 p.m. in the River Komadougou Yobe, which empties into Lake Chad through Niger. The troops, numbering 22, were dispatched to Diffa General Hospital in Niger. Two of them sustained gunshot wounds while the rest were said to have been rescued unscathed. The casualty figure, including those who drowned, was yet to be determined as at the time of filing this report. The sources said the troops have started recounting the incident to their superiors. The soldiers said they were manning their post in Gashigar when they learnt that suspected terrorists, dressed in black and multi-coloured camouflage, were approaching in several utility trucks while chanting Allah Akbar! (Allah is great). Troops then had to flee from their position because of their their inability to take on the terrorists in such a large number and firepower, one of our sources said. The terrorists then began chasing them, and we learnt that many jumped into the Yobe River where some of them drown or get fatally shot by the attackers. The soldiers also said Boko Haram seized their armoured vehicle and set it alight. But the sources said the military leadership might open an investigation into the attacks to establish the claims of the soldiers. One source said some of the claims made by the troops were doubtful. For instance, the commanders said it is difficult to explain how utility trucks were used to dispossess soldiers of their armoured vehicles especially when the soldiers said they were standing alert in their position. The leadership also found it curious that the soldiers were rescued with their bullets still largely unspent. If they actually came under attack while they were fully at alert, then they should have exhausted their ammunition before taking to their heels, the source said. At least that much should be clear. Mr. Usman did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments. Nigerian troops are fighting alongside their counterparts from Cameroon and the Republic of Niger. Mondays development marked the first time in more than two years that Nigerian troops would come under superior firepower that required foreign military personnel to come to counter. A similar incident last occurred in August 2014 when about 480 troops crossed the border into Cameroon while fleeing Boko Haram. It also underscored the renewed vigour of the sect to launch major attacks on not just civilians but uniformed men after losing the huge swathes of land it once controlled. Besides losing territory, the insurgents had also been largely decimated by the troops which experts said is responsible for their activities being whittled down across their stronghold in the northeast. The insurgency, which began in 2009, has left approximately 20,000 people dead and displacement of millions. Boko Haram leaders recently engaged in negotiation with the Nigerian government which led to last weeks release of 21 of the over 200 girls kidnapped from Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014. Nigerian soldiers on Wednesday carried out a raid of armed bandits and kidnappers hideouts in Zamfara and Kaduna states during which four cattle rustlers were killed, an official said. The troops, deployed under the Operation Sharan Daji a special military campaign aimed at dislodging all camps and hideouts of armed criminals, also arrested three suspected kidnappers at some bushy locations in Kaduna State. The spokesman of the Nigeria Army, Sani Usman, made this known in a statement issued to media houses. Mr. Usman, a colonel and acting director army public relations, said the operations were carried out by troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army deployed on Operation SHARAN DAJI. He said the operation that was carried out on October 18 was a raid on livestock rustlers and armed bandits camp at Barikin Daji forest near Masafa village in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State. During the operation, the troops killed 4 bandits, recovered a motorcycle and destroyed all the camps at the forest, he said. Similarly troops of the same formation, in conjunction with local vigilante also carried out similar operation at the notorious livestock, armed bandits and kidnappers hideout in Anchau forest, Kubau Local Government Area, Kaduna State same day. During the operation, 3 kidnappers, Umaru Buje, Sanusi Shuaibu and Samaila Ibrahim were arrested by the troops. The arrested persons are currently being interrogated, Mr. Usman said. In the past one year, kidnapping and cattle rustling have become another major security threat, aside Boko Haram insurgency, which the Nigeria Army has been tackling. Nearly a hundred kidnappers and cattle rustlers were either killed in shootouts or arrested by soldiers. And over a thousand cows rustled from herdsmen were recovered. Fulani herdsmen, who have been accused of attacking communities using assault rifles, have complained that they sometimes resort to arms to defend themselves because cattle rustlers use guns to attack them and steal their livestock. The revenue allocation to federal, states and local governments for September dropped by about N90.27 billion, as they shared a total of N420 billion for the month. About N510.2 billion was shared at the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in August. The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, said the total revenue available for distribution for the month was N420 billion. This consists of earnings from statutory sources, N250.95 billion; value added tax (VAT) N64.27 billion; exchange gain, N41.4 billion; excess petroleum profit tax, N63.39 billion and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC) refund to the Federal Government N6.33 billion. The gross statutory revenue of N279.75 billion received for the month was lower than the N319.05 billion received in the previous month by N35.29billion, Mr. Dutse said. He blamed the situation on attacks on oil facilities by vandals in the Niger Delta and the negative impact of declining global oil prices of crude oil in the international market. We need to do everything possible to normalize things in the Niger Delta region, Mr. Dutse said. He said the decline was also attributed to the Force Majeure declared at both the Bonny and Forcados crude oil exporting terminals as well as the shut-in of crude oil production and shut-down of pipelines for routine repairs and maintenance in the region. Force Majeure is declared by a company when it is unable to meet agreed obligations, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond its control. Besides, he said there were decreases in the volume of dutiable import receipts from Joint Venture Cash Call, Foreign Companies Income and Value Added Tax. Details of the allocations showed that about N120.351 billion was disbursed as statutory share to the federal government, N61.044 billion to the state governments, while local governments received N47.062 billion. The mineral producing states got N13.729 billion. In addition, the three tiers of government shared a total of N61.694 billion from VAT with the federal government receiving N9.254 billion; state governments, N30.847 billion and local governments, N21.593 billion. Apart from the disbursements, the permanent secretary said the Excess crude oil revenue Account has a balance of $2.454 billion. He was optimistic Nigerias potential for growth remained positive in view of the recent pronouncement by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the countrys economy was now larger than South Africas. This will make us a major destination for investors and it shows that Nigeria is on the path of growth, Mr. Dutse said. The Accountant General of the Federation, (AGF), Idris Ahmed, attributed Nigerias economy overtaking South Africas to the massive capital investment by the federal government. He assured the country would soon come out of the economic recession the country was experiencing, as all indices and parameters were pointing to this. The Edo state commissioner for finance and chairman finance commissioners forum, John Inegbedion, criticised the cost of collection usually deducted by revenue generating agencies, like the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) were unconstitutional. Under the current arrangement, both DPR and FIRS receive 4 per cent of their total revenue collection each as cost of collection every month, while Customs is paid 7 per cent for a similar purpose. Mr. Inegbedion however said it was agreed politically by all stakeholders that the agencies should go ahead and receive cost of collection since the federal government was not able to fund them properly. A few days after Justice Inyang Okoro accused the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of seeking to manipulate a court judgement, another judge has made similar allegations. Justice Sylvester Ungwuta, also of the Supreme Court, accused Mr. Amaechi of attempting to manipulate him to rule in favour of Nigerias ruling All Progressives Congress in an election dispute. The two accusers, Messrs. Okoro and Ungwuta, are the most senior among the seven judges arrested a fortnight ago for alleged corruption by the State Security Service, SSS. All the arrested judges were later released on bail. Like Mr. Okoro, Mr. Ungwuta also addressed his letter, sourced from online news medium, The Nigerian Times, to the Chief Justice of Nigeria. In the letter, Mr. Ungwuta narrated his version of how he was arrested by SSS officials. He accused the agency of planting huge sums of money in his house when it was searched. Apart from accusing Mr. Amaechi of plotting to manipulate him to rule in favour of the APC in the Ekiti election dispute, Mr. Ungwuta also accused the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, of also seeking his help to manipulate an election hearing. None of the two judges provided any reasons why they did not report the allegations to law enforcement agencies before their arrest for corruption. Mr. Amaechi had earlier denied the charges by Justice Okoro. Mr. Amaechi has also denied Mr. Ungwutas allegations, describing it as unadulterated fallacy. Read Mr. Ungwutas unedited full letter below: My Lord, The Hon. the Chief Justice of Nigeria & Chairman, National Judicial Council Supreme Court Complex ABUJA My Lord INVASION OF MY HOUSE IN THE NIGHT, PLANTING OF HUGE SUMS OF MONEY IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES, PURPORTED RECOVERY OF THE MONEY, CARTING AWAY OF MY DOCUMENTS AND OTHER VALUABLE ITEMS AND MY SUBSEQUENT ABDUCTION BY MASKED OPERATIVES OF THE DSS BETWEEN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7TH AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2016 1. Some days before Friday, 7th October, 2016 I started feeling symptoms of malaria attack. Any malaria drug keeps me drowsy and sleeping for days and since I had to go to work I decided to hang on until Friday to take the drug after work. 2. I returned from work late Friday afternoon, had a meal and took the medication I got from Dr. Ukah of the Supreme Court Medical Centre. By 7.30 pm I was already in bed having switched off my hand sets. After a little while my house maid knocked on the door to my bedroom. I reluctantly dragged myself to the door. She told me that a group of people wanted to see me. I told her to inform whoever wanted to see me that night that I do not see visitors in the night, that they could come to see me in day time. I went back to sleep. I could not tell how long later that I heard knocks on the door. I ignored the knocks but when my house girl continued knocking on the door I managed to get up and opened the door. She told me that some people said that the President sent them to me. I got out of the room to find that a large number of people some of whom wore face masks and hand gloves were everywhere in the ground floor. I told my house maid to ask the people to meet me in my study next door to the bedroom. 3. They rushed into my study, one of them said his name was John. He flashed a card to me and showed me what he said was a search warrant. My vision was blurred as a result of the malaria and the drug I took. They had drawn guns. I was terrified and I thought they had a more sinister mission than a mere search. I made to know whether the Chief Justice of Nigeria knew of their mission. One of them contemptuously spat Who is Chief Judge of Nigeria. I brought out my handset to call the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, they would not let me do so. Rather they collected my three phones and another phone that I had discarded. I lay down on the seat in the parlour downstairs while they turned everything upside down on the ground floor. When they finished downstairs they demanded that I should show them the rooms on the next floor. Again I had to lie down on the seat in the room while they turned everything upside down. I had to go to another seat when they want to upturn the seat I occupied. One of them saw the sum of forty thousand naira (N40,000.00) and one thousand naira notes in one of the drawers. He was excited and called their lead who saw the money and said This is not the kind of money we came to pick. They left the N40,000.000. 4. In the next bedroom I lay on the bed out of sight of the wardrobe from which they brought some boxes and brief cases and travelling bags. All the bags and briefcases and travelling bags except one contained only magazines, papers and some old clothing. Some were empty. Only one small bag was locked with a padlock and this was the only bag that contained money. They directed me to come over and remove the padlock. I retrieved the key from the side pocket of the bag and removed the padlock and returned to my bed. They put the bags together by the toilet door. They called me again and asked me whether the bags were my property and I answered they were my property. None of the bags were neither opened in my presence nor in the presence of my housemaid who was the only person in the house with me at all material times. 5. Some of them stayed in the room while I took them to my study. At this time I became very dizzy and I had to return to lie down on a seat in the parlour and a man with a gun and a face mask stood over me while I dozed. He followed each time I went to the toilet. Another one followed my housemaid each time I asked her for water. There was no way out of the house. They were at all doors. Those searching and those outside the house went into the house through the main door, kitchen door and back doors. They went in and out of every room including the room in which the bags were kept. I dozed intermittently but my house girl was kept sitting on the steps and was able to observe them coming through the kitchen door but she could not see those who came from back doors, took the second steps and went in and out of the rooms on the upper floor. 6. After many hours they came down to the sitting room downstairs and told me they were going to bring down the bags. I was speechless when I saw them bringing out huge bundles of different currencies from the bags that had contained only magazine papers and old clothes and some were empty. Some were contained in multi-coloured plastic bags which they tore and discarded. They put the money in different bags and brief cases and then proceeded to count a large amount of N5, N10, N20 and N50 notes which was the change I returned each time I went to shop over the years. They kept waking me up to ask how I came about the small denomination of naira notes. No one asked me any question about the huge sums of money they put in the bags. 7. One of them came to where I was lying down and ordered me to sit up. One of the gun men who stood a few feet from me came and stood next to me with his gun drawn. I was ordered to sign a paper which they said contained a list of what they were taking away. Confronted with the life-threatening situation I made an instant mental decision that it was better for me to comply with their orders and stay alive to tell my story rather than get shot and killed on the pretext that I attacked them or that I tried to escape. I signed the paper and wrote my name as ordered. No one told me what offence I was alleged to have committed. No one told me of any petition or allegation against me. 8. The only bag that contained money was the small bag I locked with a padlock which I unlocked when ordered to do so. The bag contained the sum of $25,000, 10 = = and a brown envelope containing the sum of N710,000 which was a monthly allowance paid to me for September 2016. In the brief case, which I carry to my office daily, I had the sum of N300,000 and some loose change. The above are the only sums of money taken from me along with my phones, papers and other household items. I do not know how they came about the huge sums of money I saw for the first time in my parlour on the early hours of Saturday, 8th October, 2016. The various sums of money alleged to have been recovered from me were said to be in the social media in the early hours of Saturday, 8th October, 2016 when the invaders were yet to complete their search. 9. They took me away in their vehicle but before they drove away they ordered my housemaid to get in and lock the house and not to ever come out or let anyone into the house. It was when I saw DSS in the premises into which they drove me that I realized my invaders were agents of a Federal Government Department. Prior to getting into the premises I thought that the invaders were even armed robbers or kidnappers, more so when I was not questioned by anyone about anything. 10. Then I became much more disturbed not only for myself but for the future of this great Nation, Nigeria. I could not convince myself that any agency of the Federal Government, in a democratic setting, could for any undisclosed reason violate the rights of a Nigerian citizen, a Judicial Officer and Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, for that matter with such impunity. I thought that the democratic government had been overthrown and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) abolished or suspended. 11. Then the next phase of the ordeal started. I was taken to a room where I met my learned brother, Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro, JSC. He looked spent and so were other Judicial Officers both serving, sacked and retired. No one told me anything or asked me any question till late in the night when they drove from over one hour to a place they called villa. They took Justice Okoro and myself into a room that contained only a bed with a discarded, stained old mattress and both of us had to share it for the night. There was no towel, no soap and worst of all there was no toilet paper. We slept in our clothes, went under the tap and used our handkerchiefs in place of towels. 12. The next day, Sunday, we were driven back to the office. I was taken to a room where two operatives fired questions at me in quick succession. I answered as much as I could in the circumstances. I pleaded with them to tell me why I was abducted and detained and subjected to endless questioning. I also asked why everyone kept mute over the huge sums of money allegedly recovered in my house but none of the two men would answer my question. We were allowed to go home Sunday night only as a result of the intervention of the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON. We were ordered to return on Monday and since then we have been reporting daily to them. 13. On Friday last week, I was ordered to report by 10 am. Justice Okoro and I were required to appear before the Judiciary Committee of the Senate. We told our stories to the Senators and rushed from them to meet our interrogators. On one particular occasion, I was taken to, and locked up, in their different rooms. Each room had only a table and a set of chairs and I was kept for about one and half hours in each room. No one was with me in any of the rooms. 14. My Noble Lord, I am a victim of my own resolve never to violate my sacred oath of office as a Judicial Officer. Politicians and their collaborators have been hunting me on that account. It started in Ebonyi State where I was falsely accused before a panel set up by NJC in August 2000. It was replicated in 2009 when I was pulled from my Division, Calabar, to preside over a motion filed by Senator Andy Uba seeking to be a Governor without going through the process of election. In each case I was exonerated. 15. My present plight started sometime between 2013 and 2014. I represented the then Chief Justice of Nigeria in an event organised in the International Conference Centre. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi came in late and sat next to me at the high table. He introduced himself to me and we exchanged contacts. A few weeks after, Fayoses case was determined in the Court of Appeal. Amaechi called me by 6.45 am. He said he had come to see me but was told I had left for my office. When he said he would return in the evening, I demanded to know what he wanted but he would not tell me. He did not come that evening but came the following morning when I was already prepared to go to work. He begged me to ensure that Fayoses election was set aside and another election ordered for his friend Fayemi to contest. I told him I would not help him and that even if I am on the panel I have only my one vote. 16. After the Rivers State Governorship election was determined by the Court of Appeal, he called to tell me his ears were full and he would like to tell me what he heard. I told him I was out of Abuja at the time. On my return he came in the evening and even before he sat down he barked You have seen Wike. I asked him whether that was a question or a statement. Then he made a call and asked me to speak with someone. The man he called said he was a DSS man. We exchanged greetings and I handed the phone to him. Next, he said Oga is not happy. I asked him who is the unhappy Oga and he answered Buhari. I retorted go and talk to his wife. He got very angry, and left, remarking we shall see several times. 17. Your Lordship may recall one morning when I pleaded not be on the Panel for Rivers Appeal. Your Lordship said I was already on the Panel and asked me to explain why I made the request to be excluded. When I explained what transpired the previous night, Your Lordship told me Amaechi had also attempted to influence other Justices. My Lord, on the day we heard the appeal with your Lordship presiding, we were allowed lunch break at 4.20 pm. The moment I got into my Chambers he, Amaechi, called. When he told who was calling, I said to him, Your Excellency, you want to issue more threats? He replied Have you been threatened before? I replied I know a threat when I hear one even if veiled. In any case I will not talk to you and I switched off my phone. 18. The people who failed in their attempt to destroy me in Ebonyi in 2000 and in Enugu in Andy Ubas case in the Court of Appeal, Enugu in 2009 are now supplying Amaechi with information to fight me for my negative response to his demands, especially my answer to his statement that Oga was not happy. This infuriated him and as he stormed out he said he would deal with the situation. 19. The incident I will narrate below may or may not bear on this case. When the Governorship Election appeal from my State, Ebonyi, came to the Court of Appeal, one Mr. Igwenyi, a Senior staff of Federal Judicial Service Commission came to my Chambers and told me that the former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu had pleaded with him to convince me to see him, Dr. Onu. I asked him to call Dr. Onu; he did and I wanted to know why he wanted to see me. He said it was confidential. I asked when he wanted to see me and he said he would like me to come in the evening. I told Igwenyi that he would have to take me to Dr. Onu in his car and bring me back. I had wanted him to listen to what Dr. Onu had to say but when we arrived, Dr Onu put him in a different room. He asked me whether I know the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal and I told him that His Lordship was my Presiding Justice in the Court of Appeal, Benin Division. He asked of my relationship with the PJA and I said it was cordial. He nodded his head several times in apparent satisfaction. 20. He told me that the candidate for the Labour Party was ready to switch over to APC if he could help him win the appeal in the Court of Appeal and that in appreciation of the undertaking to come over to his party, he had obtained the services of three Justices of the Court of Appeal to ensure victory for Labour Party. He said he needed one to convince the PJA to include his three Justices of the Court of Appeal in the five-man panel to hear the appeal. I told him I would not help him and that I could not in good conscience convey such request even to a Customary Court Judge. He was disappointed and asked me whether I knew the husband of the PJA. I told him I did not know the man. I bid him good night and left. Igwenyi joined me in the passage and when he drove me back to my home I told him what Dr. Onu wanted. Igwenyi apologised to me and assured me that he would not have bothered me if he had known what Dr. Onu wanted me to do. 21. In addition to the above I have been subjected to visits to the DSS offices. I was made to stay idle for the whole day, without food or even water. On 17th October, 2016 I went to the DSS office to collect my passports as directed. I was to be there by 10 am but I arrived by 9.30 am and I was assured that I would return to my office in no time. I was kept there till 3.45 pm before I was questioned on the passports till 5.00 pm. After that, one of them took the passports to his boss. He returned an hour later, handed me my passports and told me he had finished with me but that only the man in whose office I was could let me go. I was only allowed to go about 10 pm with a warning to report at 10 am on 18thOctober 2016. From 9.30 am to 10 pm I was not given water or food. 22. I am on my way to the DSS office and who knows if and when I will be allowed to leave the place. 23. My Lord, the facts stated here in can be verified. 24. Attached is an Affidavit deposed by me in the Supreme Court Registry to this effect. Yours faithfully The jobs lost to technology won't be brought back by putting up walls so we need to embrace the future, Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, told CNBC's " Power Lunch " on Wednesday. "I do understand some of the Trump support a lot of people are angry, frustrated, feel like they've been left behind by globalization, digitization. They're fearful of the future," Case said. "But I don't think you can move backwards. I don't think you can just put up walls. I don't think the jobs that we have lost are going to come back." Case publicly backed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the Washington Post late last month, citing her more extensive agenda on technology and economic issues. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has suggested reviving manufacturing jobs in the U.S. by renegotiating trade deals and tariffs with areas that are commonly associated with outsourcing, and building a wall on the Mexican border. Meanwhile, Trump has previously called for "immigration moderation," including raising wages to limit H-1B visas, a strategy he said would improve the representation of black, Hispanic and female workers in Silicon Valley. Industries like manufacturing and agriculture will likely be disrupted by technology, the way they were during the industrial revolution, Case said. He said entrepreneurs must attack new solutions in industries like health care, food, energy, education and transportation. "We've got to keep leaning into the future. We've go to figure out what the jobs, what the industries of the future are," Case said. Case also spoke at Vanity Fair's 2016 New Establishment Summit in San Francisco on Wednesday, inspired by "figures who are setting the global agenda and leading the Age of Innovation." Case is the author of "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future." "The third wave is going to be integrating the internet in more seamless ways throughout our lives," Case said. "But it's not going to just happen in Silicon Valley. It's going to happen all over the country. And trying to promote more regional entrepreneurship, and give everybody everywhere a shot at building a company a shot at the American dream is one way to deal with that." More From CNBC No fewer than 94,141 pregnant women are said to be HIV/AIDS positive in Zamfara. A United States Agency for International Aids (USAID) funded programme said this through Management Services for Health Organisation, the USAID Prevention and Organisational Systems-AIDS Care and Treatment (PRO-ACT). The team leader of the organisation, Aminu Sarki, spoke at the end of a seven-year treatment and support rolling plan for those living with HIV in the state in Gusau on Thursday. Mr. Sarki said more than 500 women living with HIV received anti-retroviral drugs in the state during the period. He said 4,436 persons living with HIV in the state were cared for by his organisation. He explained that the project was aimed at strengthening the capacity of the countrys public, private and community sectors for sustainable HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis prevention, control, care and treatment within the health system. He said his organisation had succeeded in providing services at four comprehensive care and treatment sites as well as trained health personnel in 19 Management Sciences for Health (MSH) supported facilities in injection, safety and waste management. He said as the project was winding up in the state by November, there was need for the state government to takeover and continue in order to eliminate HIV in the state. While applauding the services rendered by the organisation in the state, the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Shinkafi, assured that the state government would soon study and take over in order to sustain the programme. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the project was conducted in the five states of Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. Highlight of the event was the presentation of certificates of appreciation to the programme participants. (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Niger Command, said 147 people were killed and 915 injured in 361 road crashes in the state between January and September. The FRSC Sector Commander, Susan Ajenge, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna on Thursday. Ms. Ajenge said 74 of the accidents were fatal, while 265 were serious and 22 were minor road traffic crashes. She also said that 23,096 drivers were arrested and made to pay fines for various traffic offences across the state. The sector commander said the offences included overloading, speeding, using bad tyres, dangerous overtaking as well as underage persons on the wheel. We will do everything humanly possible to reduce road crashes through intensive public enlightenment, she said. She called on motorists to cooperate with the corps in its efforts to make Nigerian roads accident-free. (NAN) The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, has urged media practitioners to avoid the spread of hate messages capable of destabilising the peace of the nation. Mr. Abubakar made the call at a joint press conference in Abuja as part of a three-day international program on religions for peace. He said a lot of the damage caused by terrorists would be prevented if most media organisations acted responsibly towards reducing the gap between various groups and religions. Mr. Abubakar, who had earlier called for greater cooperation of the citizens with government, said the media must also imbibe cooperative and responsive approach to reporting, as a way of contributing towards the struggle for peace. The little detail you publish on your platforms can go a long way to cause or prevent chaos. A lot of media organisations still engage in negative publicity that will not help the unity or peace of Nigeria, he said. The Sultan, who was represented by the Secretary General of the National Mosque, Ibrahim Jega, urged the media to be optimistic in its approach to issues of national unity, growth and development. Also speaking at the event, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan commended the effort of government towards combating terrorism, but warned that the struggle to ensure the return of all those abducted by terrorists should not stop with the return of the Chibok girls. He said the Chibok girls command the kind of attention that they have come to be known with because of groups that spoke out for them. Mr. Onaiyekan, however, said the people still held by the terrorists should not be neglected just as the crimes committed by the Boko Haram should also not be taken lightly. People out there think that when the girls are back then it is over, but we know it is not so. While we are happy that the girls are back, we know that it is not over, the cardinal said. The Secretary General of religion for peace, William Vendley, said the program, titled; Faith Works Africa: Partnership for Peace and Prosperity, brought together over 400 religious leaders from across the world to Nigeria, to discuss possible ways of strengthening the peace and prosperity of nations. He said the involvements of international agencies like the USAID and other international organs in the conference was a welcome development, better than the involvement of world leaders in the purchase of arms for war. He noted the importance religious leaders in the fight against war, adding that religions for peace has over the years tried to strengthen the partnership between government and religious leaders in the fight against terror. The Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, has denied any involvement in the alleged illegal repatriation of over $13 billion by telecom giant, MTN. Mr. Enelamah was accused of collaborating with MTN to take the money out of Nigeria. In his letter to the Senate committee investigating the allegations, Mr. Enelamah denied any involvement in the alleged repatriation. In the letter HMITI/GEN.CORR./VOL.1/, dated October 7, Mr. Enelamah said that he was never involved with MTN as he had never been a director of the company. He said he had neither had any engagement with the company nor earned dividends. I was never owner of Celtelecom Investment Limited or a shareholder in Celtelecom as recorded on pages 402 and 403 of the Votes and Proceedings of the Senate of Tuesday, September 27. Between 1998 and 2015, I served as the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Alliance, a wholly owned subsidiary of African Capital Alliance (ACA), an investment company. Two funds managed by ACA together with some individuals and entities invested in MTN with Celtelecom as the investment vehicle; I served as a director in Celtelecom representing the ACA management fund. I have never claimed that I invested in MTN neither did I obtain a Certificate of Capital Importation on 7th February 2008; the investment by Celtelecom in MTN was made in 2001. The Form A dated 7th February 2008 that I signed in my capacity as a director of Celtelecom was to enable the processing of payments due from the sale of part of its shares in MTN. This is evidenced by the letter to IBTC Chartered Bank Plc dated 7 February 2008, he said. He urged the Senate to note that investors do not have responsibility for the remittance of proceeds from the company they invested in. So at no time was I ever in the position to transfer funds out of Nigeria on behalf of MTN and at no time did I transfer funds out of Nigeria on behalf of MTN, he said. An investigation by the Senate into the allegations continues on Thursday. On Wednesday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Rufai Ibrahim, said his committee had hired international and local forensic experts to assist in the investigation 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, he said. (NAN) To end the disparity between polytechnic and university graduates, the Federal Government will soon introduce a National Vocational Qualification Framework, NVQF. Margaret Ladipo, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), announced the plan at the 30th pre-convocation news briefing on Wednesday in Lagos. Ms. Ladipo said that the framework was still being formulated by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and would be adopted as soon as the paper work was completed. With the framework in place, she said polytechnic graduates would write an examination which would place them at par with their counterparts in the university. The Federal Government is working on the framework, the unions are also working on it and very soon, everything will be okay. If you go to developed countries, the framework is the way to end disparity between the HND and B.Sc. It is all about competency in education and on the job. Once you are skilled, if you have HND, by the time you take the NVQF examination and if you are more skilled than the person with the B.Sc., you are better, she said. The rector said that without skilled manpower, no country could develop. According to her, developed countries are also addressing the need to have skilled manpower to drive their industries. The disparity will eventually be removed and there will be no problem again. For lecturers, they are not happy about the disparity because they are all parents and want the disparity to be removed. I want to assure that the only way it can be removed is to embrace skills acquisition. YABATECH is a centre for the United Nations Entrepreneur and Vocational Centre (UNEVOC) established to improve the skills of our youths. When our graduates pass through the centre, they do not have to look for white collar jobs, Ms. Ladipo said. Speaking on the upgrade of YABATECH to a degree awarding institution, the rector said the process was ongoing. She added that a committee had visited the college to assess the facilities and staff strength. The rector said that the college had also improved on its manpower, noting that many of the lecturers were PhD and Masters Degree holders. (NAN) Two more judges reported to the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday to write statements on the findings against them. James Agbadu-Fishim and Uwani Abba-Aji were at the Commissions office sequel to a letter of invitation from the agency. Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, however, was yet to honour her invitation, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia had been billed to report to the EFCC on Monday but the agency said she was absent and was yet to report to the commission. Five judges have reported to the EFCCS office since Monday as investigation into alleged corruption in the judiciary continues. Mohammed Yunusa and Nganjiwa Hyeladzira were at EFCC on Monday while Musa Kurya reported on Tuesday. Some of the judges who were accompanied by their lawyers have so far been cooperating with operatives, a source at the EFCC said. Meanwhile, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, one of the invited judges who was expected to show up at the Commission yesterday, is yet to honour the invitation. Last March, the National Judicial Commission barred Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia from further elevation on the bench till retirement after she was found to have failed to deliver judgement in a pre-election matter that began in 2011. One week later, she was transferred to the Ilorin Division of the Federal High Court. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP has been sued over alleged campaign of calumny against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15m (US) and ought to be prosecuted. In a statement dated October 20 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization said, On 18th October 2016 at about 3 p.m. we received court papers dated 6th October 2016 from a bailiff. The papers indicate that one Union of Niger Delta Youth Organization for Equity, Justice and Good Governance suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan filed a suit number FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 before a Federal High Court in Lagos against SERAP. According to Mumuni, the court papers also indicate a prayer for an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in further vilification, condemnation and conviction of the Former First Lady Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, in all public media and in the use of the judicial process for that purpose by the extremely publicized pursuit of any application for the coercion of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the Plaintiff/Applicant for owning legitimate private property, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons. Mr. Mumuni also revealed that, The suit is seeking an order directing SERAP to stay all action and to desist forthwith from proceeding against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, with any process whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons. SERAP was also served a separate application to be joined in the suit number FHC/L/CS/1318/2016 earlier filed by SERAP against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over allegations of $15 million unexplained wealth against Mrs. Jonathan. In reaction to the development, Mr. Mumuni said, SERAP categorically rejects these misleading and entirely unfounded accusations against us by Mrs. Patience Jonathan and her group, and we will vigorously oppose the suit in court. SERAP will never, in the discharge of its mandates, succumb to any intimidation, harassment and attacks in any way, shape or form. We are now consulting with our lawyers and will be preparing shortly our defence in court. According to Mr. Mumuni, At no time did SERAP suggest or even hint that Mrs Jonathan was guilty of the allegations against her. On the contrary, what SERAP has said is that the fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15 million. Mr. Mumuni also said, To be sure, SERAP is not engaged in any campaign against Mrs. Jonathan or any other politically exposed persons for that matter. Our suit was filed against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, and not Mrs Jonathan. Its a joke to accuse SERAP of trying to coerce the Attorney General to perform his constitutional duty, as this is for the court to decide. Mr. Mumuni said that, SERAP consistently strives to ensure that its human rights and accountability work meet international standards and the highest standards of analytical rigour devoid of bias or assumptions as to individuals guilt. Mrs Jonathan should end her attacks on an NGO simply working to make the government function to improve the conditions of millions of marginalized and disadvantaged Nigerians. Mr. Mumuni further said that, Our work is driven solely by the fundamental principles of justice, impartiality, solidarity, universality of human rights, transparency and accountability in the management of Nigerias resources and wealth. We believe that it is through action that we have taken in this matter that the government can be motivated to live up to its commitments and to meet the expectations of Nigerians for good governance, human rights and the rule of law. SERAP quoted the court papers it received from Mrs. Jonathan and her group as reading in part: The campaign by SERAP is in breach of Mrs Jonathans right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended). The action by SERAP seeks to coerce the Attorney General of the Federation to embark on a breach of the same right when the Attorney General is in a better position than SERAP and the Court to know whether or not there is any evidence of wrongdoing by Mrs Jonathan. SERAPs action is blatant misuse of the processes of this Court. SERAP therefore no longer deserves to continue as an incorporated entity and ought to be dissolved. It is just and equitable to dissolve SERAP in the circumstances of this case. Damages will not be adequate compensation for the irreparable damage Mrs. Jonathan will suffer if the application is not granted. The Plaintiff undertakes as to damages in favour of SERAP in the event the instant application ought not to have been granted. There has been a running battle between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Mrs Jonathan with respect to the release of her legitimately earned funds which were deposited in accounts opened in the names of certain companies by one of her husbands aides without her authorization. The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria. The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira. In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja. It was when the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010 that she began to think about banking these gifts which had now grown to large sums in United States Dollars. In 2010 she therefore summoned one of her husbands domestic aids, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited. Unknown to her the said Mr. Dudafa in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question. When in 2016 Mr. Dudafa was arrested and detained she had no fear for the funds as she realized that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts. It was therefore a rude shock to her when she discovered that a no transaction order had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Mr. Dudafa. She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalized and led to the plaintiffs vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter. SERAP is playing to the public gallery in order to gain the notoriety it has achieved over the past years. SERAP has done this mostly by intervening in high profile issues without regard to the rights of persons it claims to protect. SERAP jumped into the fray of ignorant accusations being made against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan in the public media and has begun a campaign of calumny against her using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole the funds in question and ought to be prosecuted. SERAP has maintained this position, notwithstanding the fact that there is no evidence whatsoever by which Mrs Jonathan could be prosecuted for obtaining the funds through unlawful means. In furtherance of this campaign, SERAP, being in breach of its own objects for which it was incorporated, has continued to proclaim the guilt of Mrs Jonathan in the media and recently was widely reported in the news media to have commenced a self-serving action to attempt to coerce the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute her. A nominee of President Muhamadu Buhari for the position of national commissioner of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Aliyu Abubakar, told senators, before whom he appeared for screening on Wednesday, that the Senate should be scrapped. Mr. Abubakar, nominated to represent North East on the NCC board, told the Senate committee on communications chaired by Gift Nnaji (PDP-Enugu) that the upper legislative arm was a waste of resources and, therefore, must go. Mr. Abubakar, Bauchi State, participated in the #OccupyNASS campaign, months ago, seeking end to bicameral legislature, scrapping of the Senate and removal of Bukola Saraki as Senate President in view of his corruption trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. One of the committee members challenged Mr. Abubakar on why he led a protest against the Senate, same body he faced to be screened and confirmed for appointment. He was confronted with photographs of himself and others protesting at the NASS gate and asking that the Senate be scrapped. But an unrepentant Mr. Abubakar not only owned up to participating in the organised action against the Senate, but insisted and gave reasons why it should be scrapped. That senators receive huge transport, wardrobe and dressing allowances and they purchase expensive cars from public purse, an economic loss to the country, Mr. Abubakar said. The Senate is an avenue for wastage of scarce economic resources of the country Senate must go, he said. Addressing reporters after the session with the Senate committee, he attempted to clarify his position, saying that he only admitted to participating in the protest against NASS and stated reasons why he did. It is not true that I told members of the committee that the Senate should be scrapped. They asked me whether I was part of the group that agitated for the scrapping of the Senate and I said yes because of so many things involved in the Senate and their budget. They asked me to state the reasons why we were agitating for the scrapping of the Senate, I said it is because of their huge budget; they consume a lot of resources from the government; they put it in their own budget. Also, they have transport allowance and, yet, they budget a lot of money to acquire vehicles. Still, when asked if he stood by his position during the protest, he said, The Senate must go because something has to be done to cut down the expenses on the Senate. I still maintain that. Procuring Credentials After Nomination Earlier, at the screening session, the Senate committee said it saw grave irregularities in the personal and academic records of Mr. Abubakar. Apart from his birth certificate, Mr. Abubakar submitted affidavit and police extract dated same date, claiming loss of credentials. The committee expressed suspicion that Mr. Abubakar procured the affidavit and police extract after he was nominated by Mr. Buhari. Also, Mr. Abubakars highest academic qualification is a Diploma in Computer from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University with an attached statement of result dated September 23, 2016 again a date after his nomination. He was then asked to explain why he submitted documents received after he had been nominated and if hes suitable for the NCC job with his academic background in view of the expertise required. Mr. Abubakar said he did not bother to go for the credentials having been self-employed prior to the nomination. He said he only went to school merely for knowledge. However, the person nominated to chair the board, Bisi Durojaiye, a former senator who also headed the communications committee, said he was committed to seeing a stronger Senate and was worried about the public perception of the legislature. He said, The oldest living former Senator, Chief Reuben Farosanti, who just clocked 91 requested for a closed door meeting of the current Senate and the old generation in view of the public perception and the heat from the other side. Patience, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has explained how she accumulated in 15 years $15million in several bank accounts linked to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The explanation was given in court papers filed by a group that sued Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on her behalf. SERAP had filed a suit in court to compel the attorney-general of the Federation to take legal action against Mrs. Jonathan. The Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance, suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs. Jonathan filed a suit number FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 before a Federal High Court in Lagos, alleging campaign of calumny by SERAP against her. The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria. The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira. In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja. It was when the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010 that she began to think about banking these gifts which had now grown to large sums in United States Dollars. In 2010 she therefore summoned one of her husbands domestic aides, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited. Unknown to her, the said Dudafa in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds, decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question. When in 2016, Dudafa was arrested and detained she had no fear for the funds as she realized that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts. It was therefore a rude shock to her when she discovered that a no transaction order had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Dudafa. She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalised and led to the plaintiffs vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter. SERAP is playing to the public gallery in order to gain the notoriety it has achieved over the past years. SERAP has done this mostly by intervening in high profile issues without regard to the rights of persons it claims to protect. SERAP jumped into the fray of ignorant accusations being made against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan in the public media and has begun a campaign of calumny against her using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole the funds in question and ought to be prosecuted. The suit accuses SERAP of using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15m (US) and ought to be prosecuted. SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the organisation received Mrs. Jonathans court papers, dated October 6 from a bailiff on Tuesday The court papers also indicate a prayer for an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in further vilification, condemnation and conviction of the Former First Lady Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, in all public media and in the use of the judicial process for that purpose by the extremely publicised pursuit of any application for the coercion of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the Plaintiff/Applicant for owning legitimate private property, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons. The suit is seeking an order directing SERAP to stay all action and to desist forthwith from proceeding against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, with any process whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons. Mr. Mumuni said, SERAP categorically rejects these misleading and entirely unfounded accusations against us by Mrs Patience Jonathan and her group, and we will vigorously oppose the suit in court. SERAP will never, in the discharge of its mandates, succumb to any intimidation, harassment and attacks in any way, shape or form. We are now consulting with our lawyers and will be preparing shortly our defence in court. At no time did SERAP suggest or even hint that Mrs Jonathan was guilty of the allegations against her. On the contrary, what SERAP has said is that the fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15m. To be sure, SERAP is not engaged in any campaign against Mrs Jonathan or any other politically exposed persons for that matter. Our suit was filed against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and not Mrs Jonathan. Its a joke to accuse SERAP of trying to coerce the Attorney General to perform his constitutional duty, as this is for the court to decide. NAN Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, who submitted himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday morning, has yet to be released, PREMIUM TIMES learnt late Thursday. Sources close to him said no deal had been reached as of Thursday evening, a pointer he could spend the weekend in custody. Mr. Obanikoro flew into Nigeria on Monday morning and reported at the EFCC office in Abuja a few hours later. The politician faces allegations that he defrauded Nigeria up to N4.7 billion in a racket he allegedly perpetrated with his sons, Jide and Gbolahan. Sources close to the former minister told PREMIUM TIMES he had given useful information to his interrogators. Mr. Obanikoro had also clarified the role he played in the Ekiti and Osun elections during which he helped the candidates coordinate money from Abuja, the source said. But it seems they just want him to cool off there for a while. Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State had distanced himself from the alleged confessions made by Mr. Obanikoro. But PREMIUM TIMES gathered that unlike Mr. Fayose, Iyiola Omisore, the candidate of PDP in the 2014 elections in Osun, had admitted receiving money through Mr. Obanikoro. Mr. Omisore, our source said, handed the amount he received back to the government over the past three months. Mr. Obanikoro left for the U.S. shortly after his party lost the 2015 elections. The EFCC is accusing him of using his sons, Gbolahan and Jide, to take out government contracts worth about N4.7 billion. The contracts were never executed, the commission said. Mr. Obanikoro has also been implicated in the Ekiti elections scandal where soldiers allegedly connived with the then PDP candidate, Mr. Fayose, to manipulate the elections. Gov. Fayose later won that election. Mr. Obanikoro, who was Minister of State for Defence at the time, denied any wrongdoing. The former senator had initially vowed not to return to the country, alleging persecution by the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government. EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comments. The prosecution on Thursday opened the trial of the alleged N22.8 billion fraud against a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, and 10 others in a Federal High Court, Lagos. Mr. Amosun is charged alongside two other officers of the Air Force, AVM Jacob Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga. Also charged were some companies: Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, and Fonds and Pricey Ltd. The accused are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Mohammed Idris. They were arraigned on June 26 and had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The judge had granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each with two sureties each in like sum. At the resumed proceedings, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, called his first witness, Mojeed Olatunji, a compliance officer with Skye bank. Mr. Olatunji told the court that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had an account numbered 1750013097 with Skye Bank. He said the account had as its signatories as at January 28, 2014, Air Commodore J. Adigun, Air Commodore O. Gbadebo and Group Capt. B. Ifeobu He said that Messrs Adigun, Gbadebo and Ifeobu were those who had the mandate on the account and on whose instruction monies were withdrawn. Armed with the statement of the said NAFs account with Skye Bank, Mr. Olatunji took the court through a number of inflow and outflow of cash transactions carried out on the account. For example, he told the court how N2.4 billion was credited into the account on September 11, 2014 and how this was followed by a debit transaction of N959.7 million, N893.2 million and N556.3 million, respectively. The witness said that the debit was in favour of the NAF Special Emergency Operation account. Justice Idris further adjourned trial till October 21. The charges against the accused border on conspiracy, stealing and money laundering. In one of the counts, the accused were said to have indirectly converted N3.6 billion belonging to the Nigerian Air force to their own use. In another instance, the EFCC alleged that Mr. Amosun and the others stole over N323 million from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between March 21, 2014 and March 12, 2015. The commission said the alleged theft was for the purpose of purchasing for themselves a property situated at No.1, River Street, Wuse II, Abuja. The alleged offences contravened Section18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012. (NAN) The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has denied the recent allegations made against him by a judge of Supreme Court, Sylvester Ungwuta. Mr. Ungwuta, in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria alleged that Mr. Amaechi lobbied him to give a favourable judgement to Nigerias ruling All Progressives Congress in an Ekiti State governorship election matter. Another judge of the Supreme Court, Inyang Okoro, had made similar allegations against the minister. Both accusers are being investigated for corruption by the State Security Service, SSS. In his reaction on Thursday evening, Mr. Amaechi said both allegations were false. For emphasis, we want to state categorically that Amaechi did not and has never tried to lobby, induce or make the Hon. Justice Ngwuta to influence the outcome of any matter before the Supreme Court or any other court, a statement by Mr. Amaechis media office said. Amaechi did not and has never lobbied, approached or attempted to make the CJN or any other Justice of the apex court to influence the Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers State and Ekiti State Governorship Elections petition appeals or any other matter before the apex court or any other court. Read the full statement by Mr, Amaechis media office below. Our attention has been drawn to the allegations levelled against Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, by Supreme Court Justice, The Honourable Justice Sylvester Ngwuta. In response we state that: Some indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Thursday barricaded the main entrance of the National Assembly protesting a quit notice allegedly issued to them by the Nigerian Army. The leader of the group, Jubrin Mamman, said the Army recently encroached into their lands, located at Tunga Maje, along Gwagwalada-Abaji axis of the FCT. Mr. Mamman said that the action violated a court ruling restraining them from doing so. He further claimed that the security agency had given them up till the end of October to vacate the areas. We will not accept to be treated as strangers in our lands. We have been living at Tunga Maje and its environs for years and wont let anyone, including the Nigerian Army, to intimidate us out of our lands. We are appealing to the authorities of Federal Capital Territory to tell Army to leave us alone. There is an existing court order restraining them from chasing us away from our lands but they are not obeying it. That is why we have come to express our grievances, he said. Mr. Mamman added that the group had earlier petitioned the Attorney General of the Federation on the matter. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the protesters, who arrived the National Assembly at 11 a.m. prevented vehicles from entering the complex. They displayed placards with various inscriptions expressing their displeasure over any move to evict them from the area. However, attempt by the protesters to force themselves into the complex to meet the leadership of Senate and the House of Representatives was resisted by the security operatives. The main gate was reopened at about 2 p.m. when the protesters had dispersed. (NAN) The Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on Wednesday formally filed a petition before the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal in Benin, challenging the outcome of the September 28 governorship election. The Independent National Electoral Commission declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Godwin Obaseki, winner of the polls. In the petition now before the tribunal, the PDP is asking that its candidate be declared winner of the Edo state 2016 governorship election because he scored the highest number of valid and lawful votes cast. In the results declared by INEC, Mr. Obaseki scored 319,483 votes of the 582,299 valid votes cast. PDPs Mr. Ize-Iyamu recorded 253, 173 votes winning only five of the 18 Local governments in the state. Mr. Ize-Iyamu told journalists in Benin on Wednesday that his party thought it necessary to challenge the election after studying the situation within the last few weeks. We have studied the situation and sure that we are ready to show to the world that the election was rigged, he said. We are here to seek redress for the results which we strongly believe was rigged against us. And I have to do this in agreement with my party and that is why you are seeing my chairman and other party chieftain here with me. Mr. Ize-Iyamu said he had assured the people during the campaign that he would defend their votes and that is what he had come to do at the tribunal. And of course that gave them a huge encouragement which was on display on the very day of election when the people trooped out in large numbers to vote, the PDP candidate said. Seeing that their mandate seems to be stolen we have to make do with our promise of defending their vote and that is why we are here at the tribunal today. The PDP chairman, Dan Orbih, who was at the tribunal, along with Mathew Uroghide, senator for Edo South, urged the people to stay calm, in the hope that the tribunal would grant all parties fair hearing. Also, Mr. Uroghide said he was confident that the partys candidate would emerge the winner of the Edo governorship poll because he was the actual winner of the election contrary to the INECs proclamation. The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, on Wednesday chided state workers for their threat to embark on an indefinite strike on Thursday, saying they were unreasonable in their demands. Mr. Amosun who lashed out at the workers while speaking at a town hall organised by the Ministry of Budget and Planning at June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, insisted he could not give what he did not have. The workers had issued an ultimatum to embark on a strike on Thursday if the government failed to heed to their demands. The government had also responded with a threat of no work no pay, should the workers make good their threat to commence strike on Thursday. Governor Amosun said it was irritating to see workers pressing for a strike given the public knowledge of the financial status of the state. He said despite the nationwide financial challenges, his administration remained a leading state in the payment of salaries and welfare of workers. We all know this, yet some are not using their brains. They dont have brains and they dont know what they are doing, he said. They dont have sense. I cannot give what I dont have. Teachers alone collect N2 billion monthly. He also advised any of the workers interested in politics to resign and join politics, alleging that the strike was politically motivated. If you want to join politics go and resign, you can then become card carrying member of political parties, you can start printing posters if you want to contest, Mr. Amosun said. The governor also declared that his administration would crush any civil servant who wants to run down the government without justification. Meanwhile, efforts by traditional rulers in the state to persuade the workers not to embark on the planned strike action suffered set back as the workers boycotted a dialogue with the monarchs. The Chairman of the Traditional Council, Kehinde Olugbenle, the Olu of Ilaro, said the workers expressed total disregard for the traditional institution and elders by shunning the parley. The Paramount Rulers and all Obas in Ogun State are not in support of any call by the organised labour to call workers out to embark on any action at a critical time in the history of our nation, the monarch said. Strike is not the solution to the problem confronting the nation as the critical productivity sectors of the State will suffer. The organised labour are enjoined to show understanding and perseverance during this recession period with the state government that is striving within its means to ensure that salaries are paid regularly as and when due, compared to their contemporaries in other states being owned several months of unpaid salaries. When sought to respond to the governors remarks, the Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council, Abiodun Olakanmi, said he would not engage the government in verbal war. What is paramount to us for now is going on strike to press home our demands, he said. The Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday flagged off its governorship campaign for its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, ahead of the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State. The flag off followed the completion of court processes asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to stay execution of its earlier judgment declaring businessman Jimoh Ibrahim the candidate of the party. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the campaign rally and flag presentation, which held in Akure at the Democracy Park, was delayed until 3 p.m. due to the fact that party officials who went to Abuja to perfect the filing of the documents at the courts did not arrive on time. The State Publicity Secretary, Banji Okunomo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday that the party on Wednesday filed a stay of execution of the said judgment of the Federal High Court. He said a copy of the filing was made available to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Besides filing a stay of execution and making same available to INEC, we also filed an appeal against the judgment at the Appeal Court in Abuja in a bid to set aside the High Court ruling, Mr. Okunomo said. Now that we have notified INEC, it means that all parties must maintain the status quo, meaning that Jegede remains the partys candidate pending the determination of the matter at the appeal court. He expressed the confidence that the judgment of the Federal High Court in favour of Mr. Ibrahim would be struck out by the Appeal Court. Mr. Jegede was officially presented with the flag by the partys publicity secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, at a rally in Akure on Wednesday. Two primaries were conducted by the two factions of the party. The one led by Ali Modu Sheriff produced Mr. Ibrahim while the Ahmed Makarfi group had Mr. Jegede as its candidate. The INEC said it is yet to take a decision on the ruling by the federal high court, but would seek legal advice before reaching a decision. Mr. Adeyeye, while making the flag presentation, said Mr. Jegedes name had been submitted to INEC as the PDP candidate for the November 26 election. Eyitayo Jegede is the authentic candidate of PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo state, he said. Anybody parading himself as the candidate of the party is fake and empty. Jegedes primary election was done in Akure, supervised by the INEC, security agencies and conducted under the chairmanship of the Governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson. The people of Ondo State must come out en-mass and work very hard to vote for the candidate of our party come November 26 governorship election in the state. The Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who led other PDP leaders in the state to the Democracy Park, venue of the rally, said he had seen in Eyitayo Jegede, a good successor. Mr. Mimiko who was in company of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, noted that his government had proved to the people of the state that it could solve their problems. The governor described Mr. Jegede as a close confidant, who would continue the good work of his administration after the expiration of his tenure. Eight years ago, I had the privilege to be elected as the governor of the state. I stand before you today to declare to you that we have worked for you, Mr. Mimiko declared. We have proved that we can make our city beautiful without injuring our people. Mr. Fayose, in his remarks said PDP was not contesting against the All Progressives Congress but INEC in the forthcoming election. I have an answer to that, because Nigeria belongs to us. Ondo State belongs to you. What they did in Edo State will not happen here in Ondo. Somebody should tell them what happened in 1983 was not good, he said. The country is going back rather than moving forward. Everybody is a thief except you are in APC. Nigeria cannot wait to vote again in the general election. We want to correct that mistake. Mr. Jegede, in his address, promised the people a continuation of good governance, and urged them to vote for him come November 26. He said if they vote for the PDP the good work of the present administration would continue. Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has called on Nigerians to curb excessive appetite for foreign foods and fabrics. Mr. Aregbesola said this in Osogbo on Thursday while playing host to some youth who returned from Germany after two months of training in modern agricultural techniques. He said it was more pertinent to practise birth control as panacea to poverty reduction during economic recession. According to him, the reality today is that Nigeria is in economic crisis especially as the nations economic mainstay, oil, was cheap on the international market. He added that the production capacity had reduced significantly due to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. Besides, we also face food crisis and if we are unable to feed ourselves, then there is problem. We believe, as a government, that we must produce what we consume. The first panacea out of the food crisis is for us as a people to drastically curb our excessive taste for foreign foods. We should patronise our local foods rather than spend huge but scarce foreign exchange on importation of rice. Apart from this, now is also the time for our people to practise birth control and control our population. This, he said, would go in no small measure in reducing poverty in the land. Mr. Aregbesola said the state government decided to send the youth for the agriculture programme to boost food production in the state. He said the youth would impact positively on the mode of agricultural practice to boost food production. The governor, who promised that government would assist the youth financially, advised them not to fold their hands until such assistance comes. (NAN) Thomas Barwick | Getty Images. A few women have snared top jobs in the tech industry's executive suite. A look at the companies doing their best to promote women in computing. Women like Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, have snared some top jobs in the tech industry's executive suite, but a lot more needs to be done to promote women in the industry. The 2016 Top Companies for Women Technologists Findings & Insights report released today by the Anita Borg Institute revealed that women held just 21.7 percent of technical roles among the 60 companies evaluated. These companies had a total of 1.4 million U.S. employees, including 552,000 technologists, across a range of 10 industries, from financial services, media and research to retail and information services. While that was a 0.9 percent increase from 2015 at all levels entry, mid, senior and executive the study revealed that jobs for women at the senior and executive levels continue to lag entry-level jobs, due to a promotion gap. The trend has had unintended consequences: It has fueled turnover rates among women in the tech industry. "Women love their work, but if they don't see career advancement, it is a reason for them to leave," said Telle Whitney, president and CEO of the ABI. "It's time to move beyond just talking about the problem of gender diversity in tech and change the focus to what companies can do to increase the representation of women technologists." As she explained, the first steps are for companies to set rigorous goals and implement diversity and leadership training programs. Whitney should know. The ABI has focused on the advancement of women in computing since its founding in 1997. Today it has a social community of some 100,000 technologists looking to be change agents. 2016 Leadership Index The 2016 Top Companies for Women Technologists Leadership Index named 25 organizations as leaders in recruiting, retaining and advancing more women in technical roles. Out of 60 companies, ThoughtWorks scored highest in all the key metrics. Here is the entire list, in alphabetical order, of the companies that scored above the industry mean. Accenture ADP Allstate American Express Athenahealth Bank of America BNY Mellon Capgemini Capital One Goldman Sachs Google Grubhub IBM Intel Intuit Macys.com Nationwide New York Life The New York Times SAP T. Rowe Price Thomson Reuters ThoughtWorks USAA Visa Story continues So what companies are doing the best job? According to ABI's report, the industry's 25 top performers are on its Top Companies for Women Technologists Leadership Index, a national benchmark that names organizations that are leaders in recruiting, retaining and advancing more women in technical roles. It is a quantitative assessment that uses data supplied by participating companies and a statistical methodology to score participants. More from iCONIC: SoulCycle co-founders share their unconventional key to success Start-up founder says a Melinda Gates quote perfectly captures how to be successful A Boston native creates an Uber-like beauty app High-performing companies that make the index all have policies and programs that support women in the workplace, including flex time; maternity and paternity leave; leadership development for mid-career and executive-level employees and gender diversity training. While companies on the Leadership Index have an average of 27,000 employees, the companies range in size from 700 employees to 180,000. This year ThoughtWorks, a custom software-development company, tops the list with the highest overall score. Some 40.5 percent of ThoughtWorks' new recruits are women across all career levels, compared to an average of 23 percent at all participating companies in the study. At the entry level, women hold 59.6 percent of the positions compared to an average 26.8 percent; at mid-level women hold 46.2 percent, compared to 22.6 percent; and at the executive level women hold 23.8 percent of all positions, compared to an average of 14.1 percent. According to Rebecca Parsons, PhD., chief technology officer at ThoughtWorks, the company has a number of initiatives to foster women technologists in the workplace. "We don't just look to hire graduates with computer science degrees. We expand our pool to include those with degrees in other sciences, including anthropology, math and mechanical engineering." In addition, she notes that training is key. "All graduate hires with less than three years of experience attend a five-week program at ThoughtWorks University in India to learn more about coding and problem-solving abilities." To make sure women move up the career ladder, ThoughtWorks provides leadership training and monitors the workplace environment to make sure it is inclusive for women. Just as important, it tracks the rate of promotions for women in technical positions and pay equality. As ABI's Whitney notes, companies like ThoughtWorks are trying to create cultural change, and these types of initiatives help them retain talent. "The executive team has always made diversity a priority and part of the company's DNA. It's a fairly different model others can emulate." More From CNBC Taiwanese Brands Bullish about the Fast-growing ICT Market in India ( Read 3813 Times) 20 Oct 16 Share | Print This Page Udaipur. In an effort to further strengthen their presence in India this year, prominent Taiwanese ICT brands showcased a wide range of products at the COM-IT EXPO 2016. In its 9th year, Indias largest annual international exhibition and conference was held in Mumbai from Sep. 30th Oct. 2nd at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon. The event featured products offering IT, security and mobile solutions. The Taiwan Excellence Pavilion hosted 37 leading Taiwan Excellence Award winning products with the theme Taiwan ICT Technology: Connects You to the World. Taiwan Excellence represents the innovative and technological image of Taiwans most competitive industries. It is a symbol of reliability, innovation and tremendous value. Such excellence radiates from many of Taiwans niche industries, particularly the ICT industry, of which many have become renowned brands in their field. In the Indian market, Taiwan Excellence, along with a selection of 62 Taiwanese brands that are popular internationally, were brought in to provide consumers excellent lifestyles. Taiwanese brands are already a part of the everyday life of Indians. A recent market research report suggests that Indian enterprises are upbeat about the growing prospects of Information & Communications Technology, which is reflected in their investment strategies. Most IT and ICT strategies revolve around cost-effective ways to increase productivity, and Taiwanese ICT brands fit the bill perfectly. We see this as a promising sign to strengthen our presence in India, said Mr. Michael Lin, Director of the Taipei World Trade Centre Liaison Office in Mumbai.Taiwanese brands are upbeat, in particular, about the market for hardware, security management, and gaming in India. Hardware and storage devices are popular with various Taiwanese brands having strong presence in India. World leading memory brand ADATA, quality network appliance provider QNAP, power solution provider CyberPower and multi-award winning hardware company GIGABYTE were all on display during the COM-IT Expo. Designer and producer of image scanners and multifunction printers Avision and award winning projector brand Optoma, were also well received during the event. Research firm Gartner estimates that security spending on hardware, software and services in India is on track to touch USD 1.69 billion mark by the year 2019, of which consumer security software could account for as much as USD 92 million. Edimax is a representative brand of Smart Life IoT products, which features state-of-the-art network cameras, repeaters, smart plugs and a brand new range of door cameras all incorporated into an easy to use app. Taiwanese firms also see potential in the countrys growing gaming market and aims to add value to it through its innovations in the Virtual Reality space. Virtual reality transports gamers to a different environment, creating a new thrill to the gaming experience. Taiwanese brand MSI is set to offer a never-before Virtual Reality experience for Indian gaming enthusiasts alongside its innovative range of gaming laptops. Taiwans participation in the COM-IT EXPO is a part of the Taiwan Industry Image Enhancement Project (IEP) in India, organized by Taiwans Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), and implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). Source : This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : Business News Your Comments ! Share Your Openion Among those rescued was a 17-year-old from New Jersey, the FBI said, with 29 adults arrested by agents in Newark. An additional 15 people were arrested in the Philadelphia area. Sex trafficking of our children has no place in our society; the FBI, with our law-enforcement partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue and bring to justice for their horrific crimes those who prey on vulnerable children, Timothy Gallagher, special agent in charge of the FBIs Newark Division, said in a statement. I would like to commend the FBI personnel, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and all the state and local law enforcement for protecting our children from a life of prostitution and their unwavering commitment to the eradication of child prostitution from our communities. TUCKERTON In past incarnations, Seaport Plaza has been a skating rink, an Acme market and what one current occupant said reminded him of an abandoned building in Syria. But now, this piece of East Main Street shows little evidence of those old identities. Its become home to almost a dozen businesses whose owners swear by the location and say they like being part of the new kid on the block in the little town of Tuckerton. The owner, Tony Cheng, did a real nice job here fixing the place up, said Steve Reckel, who moved his R&R Pet Supply to Tuckerton earlier this year after about 15 years in neighboring Little Egg Harbor Township. It fits in with the town very nicely. Ohio company buys Vineland steak company for $60 million VINELAND An Ohio-based company is the new owner of a local enterprise with links to one of Seaport Plaza, where the businesses plan to get together and host a grand-opening event Saturday, was a happy landing place for Bonnie James, too. James opened Splashes Salon 24 years ago, also in Little Egg Harbor, but realized she needed to downsize both her old space and the range of services she offered. She said the new home works for her business, in part because of the mix of other businesses its drawn. For Gus Stavrides, the plaza was a spot to open a new business, Kostas Grill, although that was part of an older family dream. And Tuckerton has been a good starting place, said Stavrides, who had his eye on todays Seaport Plaza when it was still empty. Hes the one who said it looked like it had been caught in a war zone, even just a few years ago. I was looking for a place to run a restaurant and saw a sign (seeking tenants) in 2013, but that never happened. In 2014, it was boarded up, but I drove by one day and saw a car and stopped, Stavrides said the other day. That put him in touch with Cheng, and when he started working on it, I saw progress, Stavrides said. He took it and made it a very valuable property in this area, and hes bringing in good businesses. Another one is Retro Fitness. Manager Jen Pfohl said the 12,500-square-foot gym opened around Memorial Day but continues to draw new members. Shes also happy with the merchant mix around her. A.C. Chamber: Casino expansion issue won't disappear If voters defeat the North Jersey casino referendum Nov. 8, the leaders of the Greater Atlan I think we send business to (Splashes), and they send business here, Pfohl said. At R&R Pet Supply, Reckel cut down on his selling space with the move to Seaport Plaza, but he sees the energy among owners growing nicely. Theres a little bit of everything, said Reckel, who added that customers pets are welcome in his store every day, not just at grand openings. We have a new veterinarian coming in at the other end (of the plaza), so that can only be good news for us. At Splashes, James has seen the transformations of the place over the years. She knew it in its past lives and even skated at the Tuckerton Skateway rink, which is mainly taken up now by Kostas Grill and Retro Fitness. Most other businesses are in a section Cheng added. She opened first and said its a whole different look from the shambles she remembers before Seaport Plazas rescue. Its not as big as my other place, James said, but it really works. Goodbye, Cape Bank; hello OceanFirst The Cape Bank name has disappeared from more than 20 South Jersey branches. The number of low-income children getting free breakfast in school crept up to more than 225,000 in 2016, according to the annual report released Thursday by Advocates for Children of New Jersey. But that still represents only 44 percent of all eligible children in the state, leaving almost 320,000 eligible children not served. This year, ACNJ and its Food for Thought Campaign will expand its efforts to promote not just breakfast in school but also summer, after-school and dinner food programs. Representatives of ACNJ will be at the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City on Thursday to discuss the report and the next frontier of after-school meals. The club offers a snack and dinner to participating students through the federal At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program, which reimburses schools or community groups just more than $3 per dinner. Nancy Parello, project manager for Food for Thought, said Atlantic City was chosen this year because of its success not only with breakfast but with school and community efforts to offer summer and after-school meals. She said public awareness of and media attention on the issue of childhood hunger and the importance of breakfast have spurred more schools to offer the meal over the past five years. Since the project began in 2010, the number of eligible children receiving breakfast has almost doubled from 123,300 in 2010. But, she said, the most rapid growth has been in large, urban districts that have the most children, so annual growth is now slowing. In the first five years of the project, the percentage of eligible children receiving breakfast rose from 30 percent to 43 percent. This years increase was only about 1 percent. We really succeeded in getting the big districts on board, Parello said. Its actually easier to implement in the small districts, but its harder to get them on board. They have to have the will. The group will also target high schools this year. Parello named Atlantic City as one of the few high schools in the state successfully implementing breakfast. The annual report highlights districts that are doing well in providing breakfast and some the group believes could do more. Six local districts are included in the reports top 20 in which at least 50 percent of children are eligible for the federal free meal program. They are the Atlantic Community Charter School, Atlantic City public schools, Egg Harbor City, Cape May, Lower Township and Fairfield Township in Cumberland County. More than 75 percent of eligible children in those districts are getting breakfast. Seven local districts also were included in the top 20 districts in which fewer than 50 percent of children are eligible for the free meal program: Estell Manor, Hamilton Township, West Cape May, Lower Cape May Regional, Deerfield Township, Greenwich Township and the Compass Academy Charter School in Vineland. Districts the report calls underachievers include North Wildwood, Brigantine and Somers Point. Those districts have at least half of all children eligible for free meals, but less than 30 percent of them are getting breakfast. Brigantine and North Wildwood just exceeded the 50 percent eligibility rate last year, reflecting the still struggling economy of the region. Parello said the most successful programs offer breakfast after the bell as part of the school day. Several districts, including Wildwood, Commercial Township and Fairfield Township, participate in the Community Eligibility Program, which provides free meals to all children because their rates of eligibility are so high. Parello said ultimately it is the will of local school officials that determines how a breakfast program is offered and whether it is successful. She said school remains one of the most effective places to feed children. Some schools still resist it, she said. But we have to get meals to children when they are there. Officials arrested two men and seized 5 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $230,000 this week after investigators launched a joint investigation into cocaine trafficking, authorities said Thursday. Esquio Salgado, 30, and Crisanto Ramirez, 33, both of Texas, were arrested Tuesday and charged with cocaine distribution, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy, according to a statement issued by New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino. Both men were sent to the Burlington County jail in Mount Holly. Salgados bail was set at $350,000, and Ramirezs bail was set at $200,000. The Atlantic City Task Force received information that the two men were allegedly dealing cocaine in South Jersey. Undercover officers planned to purchase 5 kilograms from the men, the statement said. Both men were arrested in a vehicle with Connecticut license plates after they gave cocaine, found in a duffel bag, to police, according to the statement. Porrino commended the task force working on the investigation. The Atlantic City Task Force was formed to make the city and the surrounding communities in South Jersey safer by combating the narcotics trade that often fuels violent crime, Porrino said in the statement. This drug bust is a shining example of the fine work of the task force. The Atlantic City Task Force includes the Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey State Police, State Parole Board, Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, Atlantic County Sheriffs Office, Atlantic City Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Brigantine Police Department and Pleasantville Police Department. The task force was assisted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Cherry Hill, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Jersey State Police TEAMS South Unit. Prime Minister Theresa May angered EU members by stating her intention to control EU migration into Britain while seeking "maximum freedom" to operate in the EU market (AFP Photo/Justin Tallis) Brussels (AFP) - Theresa May vowed Thursday that Britain will play a full part in the European Union until it leaves, as the bloc's president promised the prime minister's first EU summit would be a "nest of doves". The Conservative leader will use the meeting in Brussels to update EU counterparts on her plan to start formal exit talks by the end of March, paving the way for Britain to leave the bloc by early 2019. But as she arrived to take the seat formerly occupied by David Cameron, she made clear Brexit was not the only issue on the table, calling for a "robust and united" EU response to Russia's "atrocities" in Syria. "The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left," she told reporters. May was excluded from last month's summit of 27 leaders in Bratislava, but EU president Donald Tusk played down speculation that the two day meeting in Brussels would be a frosty affair. "Some media described her first meeting in the European Council as entering the lion's den. It's not true. It's more like a nest of doves," he told reporters. "She'll be absolutely safe with us. And I hope that she will also realise that the European Union is simply the best company in the world." However, he repeated that there would be no negotiations before Britain triggers Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon treaty, which begins a two-year countdown to leaving. - 'Smooth, constructive process' - May's plan to trigger Article 50 by March, unveiled at her party conference earlier this month, has been welcomed by European leaders who had been pressing for a swift divorce. But she angered many member states by stating her intention to limit EU migration into Britain, while also seeking "maximum freedom" to operate in the EU's single market. European leaders have repeatedly said the two demands are incompatible, and warned London should expect to pay a heavy price for its decision to leave. Story continues The face-off has caused the pound to plunge and raised global economic fears about the impact of a so-called hard Brexit. Over a working dinner on Thursday evening, May will urge EU leaders to help make Brexit work for both sides, a source in her office said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We want our departure to be a smooth, constructive, orderly process, minimising uncertainty," the source said. After the summit ends on Friday, May will hold her first bilateral talks with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, over lunch. His spokeswoman said it would be an "introductory" meeting with no talk of Brexit. The British premier, who took over in July following the resignation of David Cameron, will still likely use the summit to sound out potential allies. She has already visited Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, and had bilateral meetings planned Thursday with the leaders of Estonia and Romania. - Government divided - One major problem May faces is that even her own government cannot agree on its strategy for Brexit, with some ministers pushing for a clean break with the EU and others seeking continued ties to protect the economy. "The British have shown a total lack of preparation politically or administratively. It's only now that they are waking up to the immensity of the task," an EU diplomat said. Her timetable also risks being upset by a legal challenge at the High Court over her refusal to allow parliament a vote before she triggers Article 50. A decision is due by the end of the year. Another domestic headache is Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU and whose nationalist government is threatening a second referendum on independence if it is forced to leave the single market. In a sign of the complexity of the discussions ahead, May indicated Wednesday that she could seek to extend the negotiation process, telling lawmakers it might take "two years or more". ATLANTIC CITY A 17-year-old male city resident was arrested Wednesday after he fired shots in a neighborhood and later at a jitney, police said. Officers responded to the 1100 block of Adriatic Avenue at 5:12 p.m. in reference to shots fired in the area and found several shell casings. Members of the public described the shooter, who had fled the area, police said. While searching for the shooter and any potential victims, officers went to New Hampshire and Melrose avenues for a report of a jitney that was struck by gunfire. Somerdale man killed in Atlantic City shooting ATLANTIC CITY A 20-year-old Camden County man died Tuesday night after being shot in the c A female passenger was struck by glass after it shattered from a gunshot. She had a minor injury and was treated at the scene by ambulance personnel, police said. Officer Justin Draper found the suspect at 5:55 p.m. in the 200 block of N. South Carolina Avenue. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The teen was sent to the Harborfields Juvenile Detention Center in Egg Harbor City. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. MARGATE Five beachfront homeowners sued to stop a beach replenishment project Thursday, a day before bids were due to be opened on the project. The suit alleges the project design will force water to pool at street ends and will create health hazards, odors and standing water at homeowners doorsteps. This is a case about taxpayers looking out for their community as the Christie administration has attempted to impose this project by brute force, said their attorney, Jordan M. Rand of Dilworth Paxson in Philadelphia, in a written statement. The city of Margate had sued to stop the project over drainage and other issues, arguing its bulkhead system was all the city needed for storm protection. But earlier this year, the city decided not to appeal a ruling that allowed the project to move forward. In September, state and federal officials said the $50 million to $60 million project to create dunes in Longport, Margate and parts of Ventnor and replenish others in Ventnor and Atlantic City would start this fall and be finished sometime next summer. The lawsuit is not expected to affect the bid opening, but it will be up to a judge whether the project itself will be delayed, said Margate Mayor Michael Becker, who said he heard about the suit Thursday morning. A state Department of Environmental Protection spokesman declined comment Thursday, as did a spokesman for the state Office of the Attorney General. We are very concerned about drainage. Its been at the top of the list since all this began, Becker said. The attorney for the five homeowners also represented the city in its legal bid, Becker said. The homeowners are Steven Erlbaum, of South Barclay Avenue, Frank Binswanger Jr., of South Iroquois Avenue, John Turchi, of South Sumner Avenue, David Boath, of South Fredericksburg Avenue, and Ron Cohen, of South Argyle Avenue. The case will go to Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez, who handled the citys suit and is familiar with the case, Becker said. Becker said the citys street ends drain onto the beach, and the Public Works Department has had to dig trenches to the ocean to allow the street water to drain after significant rains. A dune system would prevent the city from trenching, and the water would pool at the street ends and between the dunes and bulkheads, he said. He said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to lower the beach behind the dunes to allow water to pond there, and the Army Corps believes it will percolate through the sand in 24 hours. Our engineers say thats not the case, said Becker. So we are very concerned about drainage. He said Margate has been negotiating with the state and Army Corps over how to handle the drainage, as instructed by Mendez in his decision on the citys suit. But it hasnt gotten its concerns addressed, said Becker. The city would like to see the Army Corps install pipes under the dunes from the street ends to the ocean, but the Army Corps was not receptive to that much more expensive approach, Becker said. They said they wanted to try the percolation method and were agreeable to come back in a year to see if it would work, said Becker. But he said the city got nothing in writing promising to address drainage if it didnt work. The Army Corps would manage all construction, while the DEP is the nonfederal sponsor. The dune project will give every town on Absecon Island beachfront protection, an Army Corps spokesman said at a September press conference on the Boardwalk. The new dune construction is being paid for in full by the federal government, while the replenishment part of the project in Ventnor and Atlantic City will require the typical split of 65 percent from the federal government, about 26 percent from the state and about 9 percent from the local government, Army Corps spokesman Steven Rochette said. CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE Windows and walls are crumbling at the county jail, and some inmates are even able to make weapons out of the failing infrastructure, Cape May County Sheriff Gary Schaffer said. The security issues and the facilitys overcrowding have led the county to build a new, $37 million, 85,000-square-foot jail. Work on the new facility began in August, Schaffer said. Theyre laying the foundation very shortly, he said. Panel discussion on Hurricane Sandy then and now The New Jersey Sierra Club will host a discussion Oct. 25 on Hurricane Sandy, what happened After 10 years of failed inspections and facing costly alternatives, the county had no other choice but to give up on its old jail, he said. Overcrowding has led to deterioration at the 40-year-old facility, which Schaffer said was not built properly. It has hollow walls, he said, noting the building was required to have reinforced walls. It wasnt constructed right years ago when it was built. A fence was erected outside the facility to tighten security, but that doesnt address the overcrowding problem, he said. The facility can house 188 inmates. Currently we have anywhere on a given day from 245 to 255, he said. Schaffer said the state Department of Corrections has cited the county for overcrowding, which he said could result in the state prohibiting the county from accepting new inmates or forcing the county to send some of the existing inmates to a different facility. Schaffer estimated it could cost more than $7,000 a day to house inmates at another facility, not including transportation costs. He said overcrowding also exposes the county to class-action lawsuits. Complaints about overcrowding have continued for more than a decade. In 2006, an inmate accused of theft filed a civil rights complaint in federal court alleging he had to sleep on the floor of the jail and that he was stepped on and urinated on as a result. Religious groups face choices with seaside beach retreats For seaside religious retreat houses, it has become a matter of innovate or die. The complaint was dismissed after court personnel could not track him down after he was released. The new, prefabricated building will hold as many as 340 inmates and will be within 30 feet of the old jail at the Crest Haven Complex. The old jail will be torn down and become a parking lot. Warden Don Lombardo said the jail will be energy-efficient, modernized with tighter security and require no new officers. Our new facility is direct supervision, thats the wave of the future in corrections, Lombardo said. The officers know more of whats going on in the institution, which can stop the flow of contraband within the facility. He said the technology improvements will allow the corrections officers to do more with the same amount of manpower, saving money for taxpayers. Lombardo said one of the biggest burdens on taxpayers from the jail is the cost of medical bills. The new jail includes a medical wing, Schaffer said, which will decrease hospital runs for inmates and costs for the county. Last year, we had $536,000 in outside medical bills, Schaffer said, in addition to a $1 million annual contract with a private medical firm for in-house doctors and nurses. Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton said the new jail will not result in new taxes for county residents. The decision to build the new facility was not made without careful consideration of costs and safety, Thornton said. The new jail will meet all the current (DOC) mandates and will meet the needs of the county well into the future. He said the new design will yield a substantial savings in operating costs and, more importantly, improve the safety of the corrections officers and support staff. Thornton spoke after Schaffer presented plans for the jail at a recent freeholder meeting. Schaffer said other options were considered, including rehabilitating the old jail, estimated to cost $29.5 million. The evaluation process began eight years ago. One of the options considered was closing the jail and housing inmates in another facility at a cost of about $12 million annually. A second option was regionalization. Schaffer said a study is being conducted to evaluate regionalizing county jails in New Jersey. It could take seven to nine years to determine costs per county, decide on a central location and determine construction time, he said. A third option was rehabilitation of the existing jail. Schaffer said the renovations would have brought the jail up to current DOC mandates for housing, but it would still have had an aging HVAC system and deteriorating infrastructure. He said there was also a cost to move inmates during the rehabilitation. The new jail is expected to be open in spring 2018. Hillary Clinton Fox News host and presidential debate moderator Chris Wallace questioned Hillary Clinton on her family's controversial foundation at the final presidential debate on Wednesday night. Wallace asked the Democratic presidential nominee why her ties to the Clinton Foundation while she was secretary of state didn't present any conflicts of interest. "Secretary Clinton, during your 2009 Senate confirmation hearing, you promised to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest with your dealing with the Clinton Foundation while you were secretary of state," Wallace said. He continued: "But emails show that donors got special access to you those seeking grants for Haiti relief were considered separately from non-donors, and some of those donors got government contracts, taxpayer money. Can you really say that you kept your pledge to that Senate committee?" Clinton denied accusations of "pay to play" and special access for foundation donors. "Everything I did as secretary of state was in furtherance of our country's interests and our values," she said. "The State Department has said that. I think that's been proven, but I am happy, in fact, I am thrilled to talk about the Clinton Foundation because it is a world-renowned charity and I am so proud about the work that it does." Wallace cut in. "Secretary Clinton, respectfully, this is an open discussion, I understand the specific question went to 'pay for play,'" Wallace said. "Do you want to talk about that?" Republican nominee Donald Trump then joined in. "It's a criminal enterprise. Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all of these countries," Trump said. "[T]hese are people that kill women and treat women horribly and yet you take their money." He also said the Clinton Foundation's aid after the earthquake in Haiti was mishandled. Story continues Clinton defended the foundation. "We at the Clinton Foundation spend 90%, 90% of all the money that is donated on behalf of programs of people around the world and in our own country," she said. "I'm very proud of that. We have the highest rating from the watchdogs that follow foundations." NOW WATCH: 'Such a nasty woman': Trump lashes out at Clinton during the last presidential debate More From Business Insider 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. KOPAVOGUR and REYKJAVIK, Iceland, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AirServer now Airplays across an even wider range of devices, including Mac, PC and Xbox One. The new release for Xbox One adds Apple's AirPlay technology allowing users to project their mobile games on Xbox One. Background audio allows users to play music from Spotify or Apple Music straight on to the Xbox or even into their favorite games. AirServer is the first and only application that brings AirPlay functionality to the Xbox. What is AirServer? It is the most advanced screen mirroring software receiver with over 2 million users globally. AirServer has become the pioneer in screen projection technology and supports all 3 major industry standard protocols in screen mirroring: AirPlay, Miracast and Google Cast. AirServer has the technology to transform any computer or application into a universal mirroring receiver. Background: Pratik Kumar & his wife Kristin Osk Oskars founded App Dynamic ehf., the creator or AirServer, in 2011. AirServer has been self-funded, with no investors. It is a European success story, gaining worldwide market leadership in screen casting solutions. AirServer has over 2M+ users, with its core focus as a tool for classrooms. AirServer is available and is currently being featured in the Xbox Store! More about AirServer here: http://www.airserver.com AirServer timeline: AirServer is the original AirPlay receiver that introduced AirPlay to various platforms: First to introduce AirPlay to the Xbox One First to introduce Miracast to the PC First to introduce AirPlay to the PC First to introduce AirPlay to the Mac with audio streaming First to introduce AirPlay to the first generation Apple TV SOURCE App Dynamic, makers of AirServer BRUSSELS, Belgium, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovative fraud prevention service provides mobile operators with proactive control over fraud attempts within outbound roaming voice traffic BICS, a global wholesale carrier for voice, mobile data and capacity services, today announced the launch of its Voice Roaming Firewall solution, which automatically blocks incidents of voice fraud in roaming for its customers. The telecoms sector is behind the curve when it comes to managing and combatting fraud in roaming, such as IRSF (International Revenue Share Fraud). This is due in part to the inherent nature of roaming, which introduces delays in fraud detection ranging anywhere between a few hours and a few days. As a result, roaming has emerged as the biggest exploit within the industry, contributing significantly to the total 38.1 billion USD worth of fraud losses estimated by the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA). The Voice Roaming Firewall solution is the first of its kind in the industry. As an innovative roaming fraud 'prevention' service for mobile operators, it sits in line with BICS' roaming platform and provides customers with greater visibility and control on outbound roaming voice traffic. It also enables operators to proactively protect their bottom line by reducing overall instances of fraud. This around the clock, automated and fully managed service is helping BICS' roaming service customers block outbound roamer fraudulent voice call attempts in real time. This is achieved by harnessing the strategic position of BICS as a hub of roaming signalling traffic by automatically monitoring the subscriber's voice call attempts. The service taps into BICS' comprehensive and uniquely crowdsourced database, covering 50+ million fraudulent numbers around the world. "As more and more cases of fraud are reported by service providers, it is clear the industry is in need of a more proactive and reliable solution to help detect, prevent and eventually eliminate fraud," said Katia Gonzalez, Head of Fraud Prevention Operations & Services at BICS. "Our longstanding credentials in this space - 15 years of experience, carrying approximately 30 billion minutes per year from more than 1,000 customers - has enabled us to create a solution that will help mobile operators to combat fraud head on. By sharing knowledge and collaborating with our partners, our fraud intelligence database has already helped block 550+ million minutes of fraudulent traffic on our carrier platform and we anticipate our new Voice Roaming Firewall solution will achieve so much more for our customers." # # # About BICS BICS is recognized in the wholesale communications market as a top global voice carrier and the leading provider of mobile data services. We aim at bridging the telecom world with the new unconventional communication providers worldwide. Our innovative suite of solutions for Voice, Messaging, Data & Connectivity, Business Intelligence & Analytics, Fraud & Security, Roaming, MVNE and Asset Monetization are designed to bring value to our customers' businesses. BICS is headquartered in Brussels with regional offices in Bern, Dubai, Madrid, New York, San Francisco and Singapore. We also have a satellite office in Beijing and local representation in Accra, Cape Town, Miami, Montevideo, Quito, Nairobi and Toronto. For more information visit http://www.bics.com SOURCE BICS LONDON, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week's Brand Licensing Europe, which took place from 11 - 13 October 2016 at Olympia, London, has surpassed its targets with a record breaking show. Now in its 18th year, BLE is the largest and most prestigious licensing event in Europe, and is organised by UBM and sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130723/629764-a ) BLE 2016 show stats at a glance: 8% increase in gross square meterage, making it the largest show to date. Over 250 exhibitors, of which 63 were new. Overall visitor attendance of more than 7,500 - a 5% increase on 2015 visitor numbers.* 13% increase in attendance from retailers. Attendees from 81 countries. Biggest-ever character parade featuring more than 80 famous faces. Largest Retail Mentoring Programme to date with 50 retailers participating in the scheme, the only one of its kind in the UK, including The Entertainer, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury's. Over 1,700 meetings took place as part of the inaugural Matchmaking Service. Highlights during the three days included: Brand new Matchmaking Service, which resulted in 200,000 online user profile views and 1m of business generated from one user alone. Over 2,500 properties on display and available to license, plus a guest appearance from David Hasselhoff to promote his multi-year agreement with Prominent Brand+Talent to develop his brand across numerous categories. to promote his multi-year agreement with Prominent Brand+Talent to develop his brand across numerous categories. New Product Showcase walk-through installation, bringing licensing to life with a display of licensed products through the years. New format educational sessions, including roundtables hosted by LIMA and a standing room only panel debate hosted by Pink Key Consulting. and a standing room only panel debate hosted by Pink Key Consulting. Sports licensing keynote with insights from Rugby Football Union, FIFA and the NBA. The launch of the Retail Licensing Club which will bring retailers together at exclusive events throughout the year for networking and licensing industry updates. The final of the License This! competition which saw unlicensed property Let The Thoughts Be With You chosen as the winner by a panel of judges including senior licensing representatives from Marks & Spencer, The Natural History Museum, Nickelodeon and Jazwares. The launch of Licensing Expo China and the announcement of an exclusive strategic partnership between UBM, LIMA and Alifish to harness the potential of the Chinese licensing market. Anna Knight, BLE Brand Director, said "We couldn't be happier with the success of this year's show. The show remained busy and buzzing throughout with a record number of European licensing professionals in attendance. We specifically set out to increase the number of retailers attending and have seen a significant jump this year with the help of our Retail Mentoring Programme, new and improved Retail Lounge and Retail Licensing Club launch. We are also very excited by the results of the new Matchmaking Service and the increased footfall to our Brands & Lifestyle Zone, both of which have generated a significant amount of new business for visitors and exhibitors alike. The whole team is now looking forward to building on this success and planning next year's event." Brand Licensing Europe 2017 takes place from 10 - 12 October 2017 at Olympia, London. Notes to editors: *Final attendee figures subject to audit. Please contact Emma Mackley for official show photography or further information. About Brand Licensing Europe, part of UBM's Licensing group Brand Licensing Europe 2016 (http://www.brandlicensing.eu) took place from 11 - 13th October 2016 at Olympia, London. It is the only pan-European event dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Now in its 18th successful year, Brand Licensing Europe 2016 was the biggest event to date. Brand Licensing Europe is owned by UBM which also organises Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, USA, Licensing Expo Japan and Licensing Expo China. All shows are sponsored by the international Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). License! Global is the official publication. About UBM EMEA UBM EMEA (http://ubmemea.com/) connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote brands and expand markets. Operating in more than 23 countries, UBM EMEA organises many of the world's largest, most important live events, awards and community sites in a wide variety of industries. Its events include Brand Licensing Europe, Technology for Marketing, eCommerce Expo, Customer Contact Expo and Decorex. SOURCE Brand Licensing Europe New LG smartphone with MediaTek's premium Helio P10 chipset debuts on Verizon network HSINCHU, Taiwan, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MediaTek today announces the launch of the first-ever MediaTek-powered CDMA/LTE smartphone by Verizon Wireless. The LG Stylo 2 V marks MediaTek's debut as a certified smartphone chipset provider to Verizon Wireless. The LG Stylo 2 V uses the MediaTek Helio P10, a richly integrated system-on-chip ( SoC) for high-performance, power-efficient and slim smartphone designs. This first device launch with Verizon Wireless in collaboration with LG validates MediaTek as a relevant SoC supplier to the U.S. smartphone marketplace. "MediaTek has worked diligently to prove its silicon, modem and software capabilities on the Verizon network and meet its high quality expectations," said Mohit Bhushan, MediaTek Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Business Development. "We collaborated with LG on a best-in-class phablet device that delivers uncompromised quality, features and technology." MediaTek Helio P10 is a high-performance 4G LTE octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz. MediaTek's modem advancements extend through its Helio family of chipsets, from its P-series of power-efficient and performance-based system-on-chips (SoCs), to the X-series which offer extreme computing performance for flagship devices. The MediaTek Helio P10 integrates a suite of multimedia features, including gaming-quality graphics, 1080p video recording and HD screen support. MediaTek's premium chipsets additionally include technology that power superior hi-fidelity, hi-clarity audio and dual-camera features for increased light capture and enhanced color resolution. The LG Stylo 2 V features a large 5.7" HD display, 1.8GHz octa-core processor, 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. Other features include Android Marshmallow OS, 1080p HD video recording, 16GB built-in storage with expansion capability to 128GB via microSD card. It is available now in Verizon outlets. This launch is a significant win for MediaTek, said Bhushan. While already a global force in smartphone systems-on-chip (SoC's), industry watchers have looked for MediaTek to make gains in the U.S. with its Helio family chipsets. "The collaboration leaves no doubt that MediaTek has arrived as a key player in the U.S. smartphone market," added Bhushan. " LG Stylo 2 V allows us to cater to consumers' need for an array of device choices while continuing MediaTek's commitment to bring advanced technologies to the growing middle-class consumer." More details about MediaTek's Helio P10 chipset are available at www.mediatek-helio.com. About MediaTek Since 1997, MediaTek has been a pioneering fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in cutting-edge systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices, wireless networking, HDTV, DVD and Blu-ray. Our tightly-integrated, innovative chip designs help manufacturers optimize supply chains, reduce the development time of new products, and extend a competitive edge in crowded markets. Through MediaTek Labs, the company is also building a developer hub that will support device creation, application development, and services for the Internet of Things era. By building technologies that help connect individuals to the world around them, MediaTek is enabling people to expand their horizons and more easily achieve their goals. We believe anyone can achieve something amazing. And we believe they can do it every single day. We call this idea Everyday Genius and it drives everything we do. Visit mediatek.com for more information. MediaTek Press Office: PR@mediatek.com Kevin Keating, MediaTek +1- 206-321-7295 10188 Telesis Ct #500, San Diego, CA 92121, USA Joey Lee, MediaTek +886 3-567-0766 # 31602 No. 1, Dusing 1st Rd., Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu City 30078, Taiwan Related Links http://www.mediatek.com SOURCE MediaTek Inc. DUBLIN, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "The Future of Qatar Gas Markets, Investments, Projects and Companies to 2025- Exploration, Gas Production, Gas Pipelines, Storage, LNG and Supply Demand" report to their offering. The Future of Qatar Gas industry' from one of the world's leading energy research firm analyses the effect of current global market changes on Qatar Gas markets. The impact of recent developments including OPEC decision to cut production at Algiers, US shale production decline, Qatar government policy changes and CAPEX reductions on companies across Qatar Gas value chain are analysed in detail. The research provides detailed analysis of all major risks and opportunities faced by gas companies in Qatar. The report identifies key trends and drivers of Qatar 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 - Qatar Primary Energy mix, 2015 - GDP, Population and Investment Outlook, 2005-2025 Competitive Landscape - 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 Qatar Gas markets. Business operations, SWOT Analysis and financial performance of the companies are provided. Key Topics Covered: 1 Tables & Figures 2 Executive Summary 3 Qatar Gas Market Factsheet 4 Investment and Business Expansion Opportunities in Qatar Gas Markets 5 Qatar Gas Market Outlook and Forecasts 6 Competitive Landscape in Qatar Gas Markets, 2016 7 Qatar Upstream Gas Market Analysis 8 Qatar LNG Market Analysis 9 Qatar Gas storage market Analysis 10 Qatar Pipeline Market Analysis 11 Competitor Operations and Business Profiles For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pr2dwf/the_future_of About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. 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 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Adult Store Market 2016-2020" report to their offering. The report forecasts the global adult store market to grow at a CAGR of 5.68% during the period 2016-2020. Vendors employ discrete packaging even when shipping their online products. They have started packaging the products with no indication of contents. Thus, anonymity is maintained even from the delivery person. This trend is making consumers more comfortable with shopping for products from the privacy of their homes. This is expected to drive the demand in the market during the forecast period. According to the report, rise in disposable income will be a key driver for market growth. Per capita disposable income exhibits low volatility in the case of developed countries because of a higher number of double-income households. Disposable income is increasing globally, especially at a faster rate in Pacific Rim countries such as India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This has directly boosted the consumer's purchasing power and the number of women working has increased consumption of sex toys such as vibrators and dildos sold through both channels of distribution, namely online and retail outlets, globally to meet their sexual desires. Further, the report states that sexual wellness products, especially sex toys, are perceived as vulgar and risque. The taboos associated with these products have prevented vendors from venturing into this space. Societal norms related to intimacy are discouraging consumers from openly buying these products, which is the biggest challenge for the market. A large number of consumers perceive adult games, erotic lingerie, lubricants, toys, and even contraceptives as immoral and inappropriate. Vendors need to find a strategy to sell these products that fits in with the consumer mentality and promote them as those that would help to lead healthy sex lives. Key vendors: Church & Dwight Doc Johnson LELO Pleasure Chest Reckitt Benckiser Key Topics Covered: PART 01: Executive summary PART 02: Scope of the report PART 03: Market research methodology PART 04: Introduction PART 05: Market landscape PART 06: Market segmentation by distribution channel PART 07: Market segmentation by product PART 08: Geographical segmentation PART 09: Market drivers PART 10: Impact of drivers PART 11: Market challenges PART 12: Impact of drivers and challenges PART 13: Market trends PART 14: Buying criteria PART 15: Vendor landscape PART 16: Key vendor analysis PART 17: Appendix For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pg8nnc/global_adult 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 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dublin - Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Live Chat Software Market 2016-2020" report to their offering. The report forecasts the global live chat software market to grow at a CAGR of 7.98% during the period 2016-2020. A key trend which is boosting market growth is the growing popularity of live chat. While telephonic conversation is a preferred mode for complex financial questions for most of the customers, certain population still prefer using live chat for online-shopping questions. Enterprises that target customers in the age group of 30 to 50 years use live chat software for customer support. Also, customers increasingly opt for live chat because it offers instant response to their inquiries. According to the report, a key growth driver is the increased need to improve CRM. Customer relationships are crucial for effective revenue generation in any enterprise. Enterprises are striving to develop a wide customer base because of the increase in competition, to obtain the largest market share. They have started implementing enterprise solutions like enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM). Further, the report states that a major factor that could hamper market growth is the increasing demand for web self-service. Web self-service allows customers and employees to use the enterprise website without the need to interact with a representative of an enterprise. Enterprises deploy chatbot software, as it eases web self-services through automatic analysis, and the search for new content eliminates the need for any specialist skills or dedicated resources to answer client queries. Key vendors: LivePerson Zendesk LogMeIn LiveChat SnapEngage Key Topics Covered: PART 01: Executive summary PART 02: Scope of the report PART 03: Market research methodology PART 04: Introduction PART 05: Benefits of live chat software PART 06: Market landscape PART 07: Market segmentation by end-user PART 08: Geographical segmentation PART 09: Market drivers PART 10: Impact of drivers PART 11: Market challenges PART 12: Impact of drivers and challenges PART 13: Market trends PART 14: Impact of trends PART 15: Five forces model PART 16: Vendor landscape PART 17: Key vendor analysis PART 18: Prominent vendors PART 19: Assumptions For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3q7n6z/global_live_chat 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 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report published by Allied Market Research titled, "Hydrophobic Coatings Market by Material, Fabrication Method, Application, and Region - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014-2022", projects that the world hydrophobic coatings market is expected to reach $2,471 million by 2022 from $1,628 million in 2015 with a CAGR of 6.2% from 2016-2022. Building & Construction application segment is expected to remain the highest revenue-generating segment throughout the forecast period. Asia-Pacific held the leading position in the global hydrophobic coatings market in 2015, and is expected to maintain its lead throughout the study period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 ) Summary of the Hydrophobic Coatings Market Report can be accessed on the website at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/hydrophobic-coatings-market Hydrophobic coatings can be easily applied over any substrate such as glass, metal, wood, and plastic irrespective of its composition and can also be applied to complex geometries. These coatings in building & construction application segment holds the largest share in 2015 and this segment is expected to maintain its lead throughout the forecast period. The market in building & construction application segment is driven by rise in modernization and improved standards of living. As Per Eswara Prasad, Team Lead Chemicals & Materials at Allied Market Research, "The preparation process of hydrophobic coating requires sparse technical knowledge, which is leading towards high threat of forward integration by raw material suppliers to manufacture hydrophobic coatings" The demand for hydrophobic coatings has increased owing to its exceptional properties such as resistant to water, corrosion, and abrasion; stable against bio-fouling, inorganic, and organic pollutants, and ability of self-cleanliness. The market has witnessed substantial growth during the past few years and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2%, in terms of value. These coatings can be applied to any substrate, which increases their adoption over other coatings in several applications such as building & construction, automotive, aerospace, marine, and others. However, long-term maintenance instability is the major hindrance for market growth. In the year 2015, building & construction was dominant, in terms of value, occupying 25% market share. Hydrophobic coatings also protect the building against aggressive environmental agents such as freeze/thaw attack, and provides resistance from corrosion and abrasion, which increases their adoption, especially in the building & construction application. Hydrophobic coatings in automotive application segment occupied around one-firth share in 2015, in terms of value, in the global hydrophobic coatings market. Key findings of the study Hydrophobic coatings in building & construction application occupied the highest share in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.0%, in terms of value. China is the leading consumer of hydrophobic coatings in Asia-Pacific , followed by India . is the leading consumer of hydrophobic coatings in , followed by . U.S. is the leading market for hydrophobic coatings in the North American region, growing at a CAGR of 6.0%, in terms of value. The polysiloxane based hydrophobic coatings is expected to expand with the highest CAGR of 6.4%, in terms of value during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest share in the global hydrophobic and superhydrophobic coatings market in 2015 and is expected to maintain its leading position. This is attributable to increase in building & construction and automotive segment and improvement in economy. China is the fastest growing country for the consumption of hydrophobic coatings, which is expected to continue this dominance. Recently, in April 2016, NEI Corporation launched a new anti-fog durable coating namely, NANOMYTE SAF-100, which provides resistance to oil, scratch, and corrosion. This product launch helped the company to expand its product portfolio and strengthen its market position. The prominent players profiled include 3M, BASF SE, Abrisa Technologies, Aculon, NEI Corporation, P2I, DuPont, DryWired, Accucoat Inc., Nanex Company, and Oerlikon Metco Inc. Summary of Similar Reports can be viewed at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/materials-&-chemicals-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 Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com SOURCE Allied Market Research LONDON, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ip.access has launched a major upgrade of its Presence data monetisation service with the release of a new next generation sensor. The new sensor significantly expands the capabilities of ip.access' Presence solution to unlock even more value from location data for mobile operators, retailers, property owners, outdoor media companies, events and stadium operators, and fintech customers. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430648LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430649 ) Presence is the only field-proven solution specifically focused on driving carrier data monetisation strategies based on micro location, and the addition of the new sensor brings unrivalled capabilities to ip.access' unique operator data monetisation service. The new sensor now combines licensed, unlicensed (Wi-Fi) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data sets, delivering the most complete micro-proximity data available from a single, simple to deploy sensor. Rob Jones, GM Presence, ip.access, commented: "Every carrier around the world is embracing data monetisation strategies, mainly via their macro networks, but there is no doubt that the ability to complement that capability with highly granular data can realise significant extra value and revenue. The new sensor means that our Presence service can now uniquely provide levels of insight to offline bricks and mortar establishments that were previously only available in the online world." Presence from ip.access unlocks the full value of micro-proximity data. Presence provides fine grain location and phone identity data, resolved down to 5-10 meters or better, within indoor or urban deployment environments. This data effortlessly provides greater insights into customer buying patterns and demographics, or can support "opt in" use cases such as SMS Push, all from the same solution. Crucially the Presence service is delivered within a robust privacy, permissions and policy framework without the inherent flaws that limit the value Wi-Fi or beacon solutions can generate. Presence does not require device applications, user interaction or extensive macro network integration. ip.access will be demonstrating the updated Presence service at Telco Data Analytics Europe in Madrid, 25-26 October 2016. To arrange a demonstration at the show contact events@ipaccess.com About ip.access Headquartered in the United Kingdom, ip.access originates the best-in-class wireless solutions that maximise the value of radio and data assets via disruptive business models. The company has products and solutions live in over 100 customers' networks around the world. As part of the ip.access portfolio of products, Presence has delivered excellence in the field of micro proximity having been selected as sole vendor for a number of Global Telco, Financial Services, Retail & IoT customers. Media contacts Jhanvi Gudka / Rachel Nulty Wildfire ipaccess@wildfirepr.com +44(0)20-8408-8000 SOURCE ip.access CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IPC, a leading global provider of secure, compliant communications and networking solutions for the financial markets community, and Hotspot, a leading institutional foreign exchange (FX) market owned and operated by Bats Global Markets, today announced that market participants can now gain secure and reliable access to Hotspot's marketplace for outright deliverable forwards through IPC's FX Hub. The announcement was made at the 2016 FIA Futures & Options Expo in Chicago. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352841LOGO The IPC FX Hub supports the global foreign exchange markets through data centers in key markets such as New York, London, Tokyo, Singapore, Moscow, Chicago, Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Zurich - all with connectivity to IPC's vast community of diverse financial market participants and low latency access via IPC's dark fiber rings to key FX liquidity providers and dealers. The Hotspot marketplace for outright deliverable forwards operates as an anonymous order book, underpinned by Hotspot's matching engine located in the NY5 data center in Secaucus, NJ. The existing Hotspot credit infrastructure will be extended to cater to the new products. "We are excited that our recently launched marketplace for outright deliverable forwards is a part of the IPC FX Hub and the broader IPC financial ecosystem," said Bill Goodbody, SVP, Foreign Exchange, Bats Global Markets. "This will empower a larger base of institutional investors, asset managers and sell-side firms to securely and reliably access our platform to trade outright deliverable forwards contracts." "Connectivity throughout the trade lifecycle and access to an established ecosystem of diverse counterparties have become indispensable to trading FX derivatives given the increased participation of non-dealer financial institutions such as asset managers, pension funds, hedge funds and regional banks in the asset class," said David Brown, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Financial Markets Network, IPC. "We are pleased that our FX Hub solution is empowering market participants to connect to Hotspot's marketplace for outright deliverable forwards." The IPC Financial Markets Network portfolio includes data connectivity solutions consisting of the Connexus Extranet, Connexus Ethernet and Connexus WAN as well as voice solutions consisting of Connexus Voice and Trader Voice services. IPC's Financial Markets Network interconnects global financial centers and allows access to more than 6,000 market participant locations across 700 cities in more than 60 countries. About Bats Global Markets Bats Global Markets, Inc. (Bats: BATS) is a leading global operator of exchanges and services for financial markets, dedicated to Making Markets Better. Bats is the second-largest stock exchange operator in the U.S., operates the largest stock exchange and trade reporting facility in Europe, and the #1 market globally for ETF trading. We also operate growing ETF listings venues in the U.S. and Europe, two U.S. options exchanges and Bats Hotspot, our global foreign exchange market. Also, ETF.com, a leading provider of ETF news, data and analysis, is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company is headquartered in Kansas City with offices in New York, London, Chicago, San Francisco, Singapore and Quito. Visit bats.com and @BatsGlobal for more information. About IPC IPC is a technology and service leader that powers financial markets globally. We help clients anticipate change and solve problems, setting the standard with industry expertise, exceptional service and comprehensive technology. With customers first and always, we collaborate with each to understand their individual needs to help make them secure, productive and compliant within our connected community. Through service excellence, long-developed expertise and a focus on innovation and community, we provide agile and efficient ways for our customers to accelerate their ability to adapt to the everchanging requirements for advanced data networks, compliance and collaboration with all counter-parties across the financial markets. www.ipc.com Certain statements contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or similar terminology. Any forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Media Contacts: Khurram Mirza Victoria Perlak IPC Systems, Inc. Finn Partners for IPC +1 201-253-2285 +1 646-202-9782 Khurram.Mirza@ipc.com victoria.perlak@finnpartners.com Related Links http://www.ipc.com SOURCE IPC Systems, Inc. "We've been humbled by the tremendous reception we've received from consumers across the country since our launch last year," said CEO and Founder, Michael Louden. "In 2016, there has been a growing demand for our products from consumers beyond the U.S. who are looking for clothing that exudes the relaxed vibe of Key West. We are excited to extend our footprint overseas, reaching people all over the world with high-quality, island lifestyle clothing, and igniting them with the same adventurous spirit we, and the Keys, embody." Madda Fella experienced 300% annual growth since the brand's launch in May 2015. With the average five-year growth of the U.S. apparel market lying at under 3%, Madda Fella has established itself as one of the fastest-growing men's clothing companies in the U.S. and, as a result, is opening its platform to international sales due to growing demand from international consumers. About Madda Fella Named after Caribbean slang used to express surprise or astonishment, Madda Fella is a men's lifestyle brand for those who appreciate the unpredictable excitement of Key West adventure and a life full of sunshine, blue water and friends. Known primarily for its casual and island wear for men, Madda Fella designs its fabrics with a pattern unique to each piece of clothing and aligned with its Key West palette. The company launched in May 2015 and is available internationally via its website as well as at select retailers across the U.S. For more information, visit www.maddafella.com. Related Links http://www.maddafella.com SOURCE Madda Fella, LLC DUBLIN, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Metal Aerosol Can Market Analysis By Application (Personal Care, Household) And Segment Forecasts To 2024" report to their offering. The global metal aerosol can market is forecast to reach a value of USD 3.81 billion by 2024. Increasing demand for portable household products such as insecticides and bug sprays is likely to drive the demand for the product over the projected period. In addition, increasing demand for food & beverage, auto care, and industrial aerosol products majorly due to rising disposable income coupled with population growth is expected to drive the demand for such containers. Furthermore, the growth of the end-use industries such as automotive and cosmetics is expected to drive the demand for the product over the projection period. However, concerns regarding toxicity of the propellants used in such containers are expected to act as a major restraint for industry growth. Personal care accounted for over 55% of the total revenue due to substantial demand for the product for deodorants, dry shampoos, body sprays, and hair color sprays. In addition, growing consciousness regarding personal hygiene is expected to drive the demand for personal care aerosol cans over the projection period. Europe accounted for over 35% of the consumption volume in 2015 due to high demand for personal care and household products coupled with the presence of a large number of propellant fillers. In addition, the demand for the product is expected to be driven by flourishing automotive industry in Germany. Asia Pacific is expected to register a CAGR growth of over 5% from 2016 to 2024 owing to increasing disposable income coupled with rapid development of the application industries. The abundance of low-cost raw material coupled with the presence of a dominant manufacturing base primarily in China is expected to lower the production cost of the product, leading to increased demand. Key participants include Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings Inc., and The Ardagh Group. Crown Holdings introduced EarthSafe Dispensing system that replaced hydrocarbons with compressed air as the propellant in a bid to provide an environment-friendly cans. The company also produced a bi-compartmented technology that prevents interaction between the propellant and product. Companies Mentioned: Ball Corporation Crown Holdings Inc. The Ardagh Group. Report Structure: 1. Methodology and Scope 2. Executive Summary 3. Metal Aerosol Cans Industry Outlook 4. Metal Aerosol Cans Application Outlook 5. Metal Aerosol Cans Regional Outlook 6. Competitive Landscape For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5mpn3l/metal_aerosol_can 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 The developers of Rosewholesale, an e-store that has become quite popular among its fashion-loving patrons, recently fixed a few bugs and gave the e-store a new, special Halloween theme. SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosewholesale, which has become one of the top destinations for fashionable apparel and accessories thanks to its user-friendly policies, has received a makeover. The e-store's developers have made this Halloween more exciting for their patrons by redesigned the site and improved the user experience by fixing a few bugs. Rosewholesale has steadily grown its user base thanks to its intelligent pricing and seasonal offers. The company offers factory-direct delivery which helps their delivery outlets and distributors source products as per order directly from manufacturers or factories. Rosewholesale's management keeps their profit margin to a minimum so that customers can snag up maximum savings all year, even more so during and before major festivals, such as Halloween. This, in turn, helps them retain their loyal and happy customers. "This Halloween, we invite everyone to take a look at the redesigned e-store, as it now has a renewed look with a special Halloween theme. Also, we have patched a few bugs here and there, especially in the shopping cart and the clearance sections. We believe that sales will pick up in the month of October," said Leo Wang, a marketing executive at Rosewholesale. "We previously received negative feedback from our customers as they were facing difficulties using the back button on the shopping cart. We have now added a 'Continue Shopping' button which will definitely solve the problem. Customers can easily continue shopping without losing the items already added," he added. According to the executive, Rosewholesale has also added a clearance button to the shopping cart. The clearance button will allow customers to filter through the items and select items which are offered at marked down prices. At present, Rosewholesale is offering special Halloween discounts on many of its products. The e-commerce store sells dresses and hoodies, home decoration and improvement products as well as jewellery and many other everyday items. The store has also launched a "Light the Pumpkin" contest, which comes with loads of surprising offers and gifts for their patrons. Its sister sites, Nastydress and DressLily, are also offering special discounts, the executive revealed. http://www.rosewholesale.com/ SOURCE Rosewholesale DUBLIN, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Saudi Arabia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" report to their offering. The market of tire in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 11% during 2016-2021 Growing construction activities, expanding vehicle fleet and growing automobile sales are the prominent factors expected to drive the tire market in Saudi Arabia during forecast period. Moreover, growing urbanization coupled with increasing immigration and per capita GDP have resulted in an increasing number of consumers in Saudi Arabia readily adopting new tire technologies being offered by premium tire brands. Central region grabbed the largest share in the country's tire market in 2015. Over the last decade, the region has evolved as the country's economic powerhouse due to largescale infrastructure development activities coupled with rising population and business activities. Saudi Arabia happens to be one of the largest automotive market for both new as well as used vehicles amongst GCC countries in turn making it one of the largest market for tire's as well. As per OICA, Saudi Arabia's vehicle motorization rate (for passenger cars and commercial vehicles) stood at 212 vehicles per 1,000 people in 2014. As a result of harsh climatic conditions in the country, the replacement period of tires is generally about one and a half years. Due to absence of tire production in the country, the tire market in Saudi Arabia is import driven, with significant penetration of Chinese tire brands due to easy availability and low cost pricing as compared to flagship tire brands. However, the share of Chinese tire brands in Saudi Arabia tire market is anticipated to decline during the forecast period due to increasing availability of high quality tires by flagship tire brands, which are expected to gain popularity among vehicle owners due to their higher life cycle. Saudi Arabia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021 discusses: Saudi Arabia Tire Market Size, Share & Forecast Segmental Analysis - Passenger Car, Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle, Two-Wheelers, Off-the-Road & Light Commercial Vehicle Policy & Regulatory Landscape Changing Market Trends and Emerging Opportunities Competitive Landscape and Strategic Recommendations Market Trends & Developments Establishment of Local Tire Manufacturing Facilities Used Car Market Tire Recycling Projects Rising Automobile Sales Tire Pressure Monitoring System Competitive Landscape Bridgestone Middle East & Africa FZE Goodyear Middle East FZE Continental AG Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. Pirelli & C. SpA Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Nexen Tire TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD. Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin Key Topics Covered: 1. Product Overview 2. Research Methodology 3. Analyst View 4. Saudi Arabia Tire Market Outlook 5. Saudi Arabia Passenger Car (PC) Tire Market Outlook 6. Saudi Arabia Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Tire Market Outlook 7. Saudi Arabia Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) Tire Market Outlook 8. Saudi Arabia OTR Tire Market Outlook 9. Saudi Arabia Two-Wheeler Tire Market Outlook 10. Import-Export Analysis 11. Market Dynamics 12. Market Trends & Developments 13. Policy & Regulatory Landscape 14. Saudi Arabia Economic Profile 15. Competitive Landscape 16. Strategic Recommendations For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3d8sj6/saudi_arabia_tire 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 New York City Start-Up wins 'Most Promising Company Award' at global industry event recognizing excellence in the next generation of cyber security solutions NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SecurityScorecard, the most accurate security rating and continuous risk monitoring platform, has received the 'Most Promising Company Award' for their sophisticated technology and strategic implementation during PwC's Inaugural Cyber Security Day, held on Tuesday, October 18 at Crystal Park in Luxembourg, Europe. The inaugural event, run by PwC's Accelerator team in Luxembourg, aims to foster technology company growth for businesses boasting a high potential for development across the world. The PwC Cyber Security Day gathered the most influential decision leaders in the cyber security industry and offered rising cyber security technology companies the opportunity to present their solutions to potential investors who can help expand their footprint globally. Following a strict selection process, SecurityScorecard was selected as one of the ten cyber security technology companies globally and was invited to compete in a 'Local to Global' pitching competition and strategic networking forum. Chris Meidinger, Senior Director Customer Success at SecurityScorecard presented to over 200 international investors and executives in Luxembourg. Through the rigorous competition SecurityScorecard competed against cyber security companies from Europe, Israel, and the United States but it was the company's ten critical security categories, such as Patching Cadence and Endpoint Security that assess the security of third-parties, and the collaborative capabilities of SecurityScorecard's continuous monitoring and rating platform, which includes the world's first and only security search engine ThreatMarket, that awarded them the 'Most Promising Company Award'. "This award is an honor to receive as the SecurityScorecard team has worked hard to make such an intelligent and comprehensive cyber risk monitoring platform," said Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy Co-Founder and CEO of SecurityScorecard. "As we look to next year and our momentum, the innovations we will be producing will help educate and further help industries assess their risk and their third-party risk." ABOUT SECURITYSCORECARD SecurityScorecard provides the most accurate rating of security risk for any organization worldwide. The proprietary SaaS platform helps enterprises gain operational command of the security posture for themselves and across all of their partners, and vendors. It provides continuous, non-intrusive monitoring for any organization including third and fourth parties. The platform offers a breadth and depth of critical data points not available from any other service provider including a broad range of risk categories such as Application Security, Malware, Patching Cadence, Network Security, Hacker Chatter, Social Engineering and Leaked Information. To receive a free SecurityScorecard assessment and consultation for your business, visit instant.securityscorecard.com. For further details on PwC's Inaugural Cyber Security Day visit here. Related Links http://securityscorecard.com SOURCE SecurityScorecard CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SIRVA, Inc., an industry-leading global relocation and moving services provider, today announced that Holger Reimers joined SIRVA as the new president of the European business, leading the company's relocation and moving operations in this important global business region. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150213/175515LOGO "As international companies continue to expand their global operations, particularly in Europe, SIRVA has been focused on enhancing our European service offering with higher quality, more products, greater flexibility, increased efficiency and access to local resources necessary to ensure a highly successful relocation experience," said Wes Lucas, President and Chief Executive Officer at SIRVA. "Holger is an outstanding leader with extensive experience in the European market and I'm confident he will have a tremendous impact in helping our team build on the progress we have made and expanding our capabilities and local expertise within Europe." Reimers has over 25 years of experience leading major business units within Europe and has held a variety of executive leadership roles with several prominent global companies. Most recently, he was at IBM Europe and held the position of Vice President Europe for Business Process Outsourcing with responsibilities including business development and sales leadership for the industrial industry in Europe. Prior to IBM, Reimers spent two years at Genpact, where he led significant efforts in the global outsourcing space and was the leader for the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region. He also spent 16 years at Accenture where he held multiple senior level positions within Accenture's European operations. "For years, SIRVA has been a recognized leader in the relocation market and demonstrated great success in building a strong global network," said Holger Reimers, President of Europe at SIRVA. "I am excited to be joining a market leader and look forward to continuing to expand SIRVA's European capabilities and services to deliver increased value to our customers." About SIRVA, Inc. SIRVA delivers customized relocation and moving solutions that satisfy the needs of clients and their people in the highest quality and most efficient way wherever they do business. Offering an extensive portfolio of mobility services across 170 countries, SIRVA provides end-to-end solutions and delivers an enhanced mobility experience for clients and their people. SIRVA has a portfolio of well-known and recognizable brands including Allied, northAmerican, SMARTBOX, and Allied Pickfords. For more information please visit www.sirva.com. Media Contacts Mike DeGraff Sard Verbinnen & Co 312-895-4700 Related Links http://www.SIRVA.com SOURCE SIRVA, Inc. Acquisition of T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L, including its daughter companies in Morocco and Algeria, provides technical services and certifications required for the free circulation of industrial products ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV Rheinland AG, a global leader in independent inspection services has announced the acquisition of T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L., a leading certification body in the Maghreb Region. The acquisition is part of TUV Rheinland's global strategy of expanding its network in over 69 countries and investing in other potential markets. According to Andreas Hofer, the Executive Vice President for India, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific at TUV Rheinland, this latest development will help customers in the Maghreb Region (AMU) -- a Pan-Arab trade region that includes Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia -- to export to lucrative European Union (EU) markets. It will enable them to conform to the standards required today and benefit in future from the know-how and expertise of the TUV Rheinland Group in Industrial Services, Products, Mobility and ICT and Business Solutions. "As our representative office in the Maghreb Region, T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L has been a valued partner for close to twenty years and enjoyed excellent connections with TUV Maghreb companies in and around Sub-Saharan Africa -- especially in French speaking countries. Now, as a fully integrated part of the TUV Rheinland global network, it is even better positioned to strengthen the range of services it offers and meet the expanding needs of customers in the Maghreb Region," said Mr. Hofer. The timing is ideal, as the Maghreb Region is increasingly leveraging on the Association Agreement between the AMU and the EU to tap the potential of European markets. The EU action plan for the free circulation of industrial products hinges on Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAAs) -- an area where TUV Rheinland's in-depth expertise and comprehensive service portfolio is extremely strong. As the leading certification body for management systems in the Region, T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L., with its daughter companies in Morocco and Algeria, already serves more than 600 customers in a wide variety of sectors. They range from mechanical, electronics and automotive to chemical and textiles, IT and communications as well as construction, oil and gas, and even food processing. Following the acquisition, TUV Rheinland is expanding its focus in management systems. It is also ramping up in conformity assessment, which is a critical component for companies seeking the ACAA certification required to do business in the EU. Other key targets for service enhancement and development include training and industrial services. "TUV Rheinland started our management systems business in Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, and we have seen tremendous success through the years. This acquisition will enable us to develop that fundamental capability further and faster, growing many fold in terms of volume and market share and serving more customers," said Michael Weppler, Executive Vice President for Systems at TUV Rheinland. Tarek Khelifi, the former General Manager of T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L, who has joined the newly acquired organization as Managing Director said, "This is a landmark development for the region, especially when it comes to professional training and personnel certification. With our Business Stream Academy and Life Care, we are already a leading provider of IRCA courses. Joining TUV Rheinland will give us greater depth to serve our clients and accelerate our growth in the region." TUV Rheinland AG TUV Rheinland AG is a global leader in independent inspection services, founded 140 years ago. The group employs 19,600 people around the globe. Annual turnover is nearly 1.9 billion. The independent experts stand for quality and safety for people, technology, and the environment in nearly all aspects of life. TUV Rheinland inspects technical equipment, products and services, and oversees projects and processes for companies. Its experts train people in a wide range of careers and industries. To this end, the company operates a global network of approved labs, testing and education centers. Since 2006, TUV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. www.tuv.com T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L with its daughter companies in Morocco and Algeria is the leading certification body and training centre for Management Systems in the Maghreb Region and has represented TUV Rheinland AG since 1998. It was the first accredited international certification body for Management Systems in the region. It serves more than 600 customers in 11 countries in a wide variety of sectors, ranging from mechanical, electronics and automotive to chemical and textiles, IT and communications as well as construction, oil and gas and food processing. Related Links http://www.tuv.com SOURCE TUV Rheinland Singapore Pte Ltd "Now that the Paris Agreement is coming into force, countries need to get serious about what they committed to last December. Meeting the Paris targets means a completely decarbonised electricity supply well before 2050, and wind power will play the major role in getting us there," said Steve Sawyer, GWEC Secretary General. According to the new report by 2030 wind power could reach 2,110 GW, and supply up to 20% of global electricity, creating 2.4 million new jobs and reducing CO2 emissions by more than 3.3 billion tonnes per year, and attract annual investment of about 200 billion. Global wind energy installations totalled 433 GW as of the end of 2015, and the industry is set to grow by another ~60 GW in 2016. Download your copy of the report Related Links http://www.gwec.net SOURCE Global Wind Energy Council In 2016, many luxury brands including Chanel and Dior have realized the importance of the Internet and embarked on the journey to join hands with online partners, though still having concerns in brand image and its negative effect on offline retail stores. Everyone is looking for an online solution, especially one that's appealing to Chinese consumers. Unfortunately current Chinese online players can't fulfill luxury brand needs due to false brand perception, unfit target audience, and lack of control on product authenticity. Some chose to set up their own e-commerce platforms, but found it difficult to attract traffic with one single brand. Yaok -- the most appraisable business model combining luxury and internet As brand's own official reservation platform, luxury brands will have absolute control in managing their image, product inventory, order status, and customer database through Yaok. It also allows instant communication between brand and its customers. According to the China's Fortune Character Institute, 73% of Chinese consumers have a shopping-list prior to overseas travel, 45% of which cannot be fulfilled due to lack of desired size, model and etc. Resulting in loss of sales and unsatisfying customer experience. Yaok allows customers to reserve products in advance and enjoy VIP services while in store, which helps to improve both operational efficiency and customer service in store. Currently, most of international top brands have reached global or regional collaboration intention with Yaok. CEO of a LVMH brand said that Yaok would be the inevitable trend of luxury retail. Steven Yao, Founder and CEO of Yaok said the platform's official launch to users will be at the end of November where 80% of top luxury brand products will be available and users can make VIP reservations in 9 countries and regions. In 2017, among it's over 3,000,000 users whose net wealth exceeds $2 million, 500,000 will use Yaok to purchase luxury goods globally. The prestige service provided by Yaok is either by invite only or available only to current brand VIPs. One can submit application via Yaok App or WeChat but acceptance is not guaranteed. Yaok aims to serve only luxury brands and core customers. Yaok has successfully completed two rounds of fundraising. Its angel investor Mr. Feng Ye said Yaok team's vast luxury brand experience and the promising future of Consumer Consumption Upgrade are key magnets to investors. Founder Steven Yao was the first CEO for Hurun Report. He has great insights on the ultra-riches in China. Other core members also have worked in brand houses like Luis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani for more than 10 years. This team knows luxury industry, knows what luxury brands want and how to work with them. Mr. Yao is thrilled to hear many media calling Yaok "The Most Innovative Project in Online Luxury Industry for 2016". Yaok can help luxury brands extend their offline store service to every corner of the world, and help brands provide best service to the most valuable customers, drive sales for luxury brands and provide best shopping experience for customers. Yaok, affiliated to Fortune Character group, China's largest group serving HNWIs life style. Founded in 2008, Fortune Character specializes in the research of luxury market, media, club and consumption. SOURCE Yaok KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- About one in six Americans get sick from a foodborne illness every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Lockton wants to help food transporters prevent illness and protect their reputation by following new rules from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). With 128,000 foodborne-related hospitalizations in the United States every year, Lockton's Senior Loss Consultant Mark Oldham's new report, "Good Enough to Eat," helps food transporters understand the new FSMA rules to minimize the spread of foodborne illnesses. "Any company engaged in the transportation of food should develop standardized policies, procedures and training to ensure food safety and compliance," advised Oldham. "The act expands on risk-based controls to decrease the likelihood of food becoming unsafe while in transit." Most companies must be in compliance by April 2017, but there are a few exceptions. Small businesses other than motor carriers who are not also shippers or receivers with less than 500 employees have until April 2018 to comply. Motor carriers that have less than $27.5 M in annual receipts also have until April 2018 to comply. To help companies comply, Oldham outline five key areas of the FSMA rules. Requirements What shippers, receivers, loaders and carriers need to know for effective food controls. Responsibilities The specific responsibilities of shippers, receivers, loaders and carriers for compliance. Training Carriers are required under a food contract for food safety in transit to train engaged personnel. Records Carriers, shippers, loaders and receivers must maintain records of any written agreements associated with FSMA requirements for 12 months beyond termination of those agreements. Waivers The FDA can wave requirements under FSMA if it is determined through a petition that the waiver will not result in in unsafe food transportation. "These new requirements expand regulation beyond the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program and expands on risk-based controls," said Oldham. These rules apply to food transportation beyond those transshipped through the United States, imported from future exports or regulated by the USDA for inspection of meat, poultry and egg products. Read Oldham's white paper "Good Enough to Eat," for more information on implementing FSMA. About Lockton More than 6,000 professionals at Lockton provide 50,000 clients around the world with risk management, insurance, employee benefits consulting, and retirement services that improve their businesses. From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, Lockton has attracted entrepreneurial professionals who have driven its growth to become the largest privately held, independent insurance broker in the world and 9th largest overall. For eight consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update. CONTACT: Elizabeth Ferguson [email protected] 816-960-9459 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090415/CG99351LOGO SOURCE Lockton Related Links http://www.lockton.com LYNDHURST, N.J., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Scarinci Hollenbeck (www.sh-law.com) intellectual property attorneys Ronald S. Bienstock and Brent "Giles" Davis secured a major victory in a trademark infringement http://scarincihollenbeck.com/practices/intellectual-property/ suit. Gibson Brands, Inc. ("Gibson") sued Scarinci Hollenbeck's client, U.K. musical instrument company John Hornby Skewes & Co., Ltd. ("Skewes"), alleging that Gibson owned trademarks in certain two-dimensional body and headstock shapes and that Skewes has violated those trademarks. The case, Gibson Brands, Inc. v. John Homby Skewes & Co., Ltd. is currently pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California (Case. No. 2:14-cv-00609-DDP-SS). Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430463 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430465 Court Dismisses Gibson's Counterfeiting Claim According to Gibson, Skewes used counterfeit versions of the shapes at issue. Skewes argued that it should be granted judgment as a matter of law on the counterfeiting count, since (1) all its guitars prominently displays the brand name of "Vintage," and (2) all advertising and packaging state that the guitars came from John Hornby Skewes. Skewes moved for summary judgment and oral argument was held with trial counsel Davis appearing for Skewes. The Court granted summary judgment in favor of Skewes on the counterfeiting claim. In so doing, the Court eliminated Gibson's ability to collect $8 Million in statutory damages. In its Order of September 29, 2016, the Court concluded that "no reasonable jury could find that [John Hornby Skewes]'s guitars were counterfeits of Gibson's guitars." The Court explained that "counterfeiting is the 'hard core' or 'first degree' of trademark infringement that seeks to trick the consumer into believing he or she is getting the genuine article, rather than a 'colorable imitation.'" Counterfeiting also gives the aggrieved party "wider range of statutory penalties and remedies." The Court found that: "guitars in question cannot be deemed identical or substantially indistinguishable from each other. Aside from certain visual distinctions between the guitars, as both [John Hornby Skewes] and Gibson acknowledge, guitars are typically identified by the branding on the headstock. Here, [John Hornby Skewes]'s guitars are marked with the "Vintage" branding on the front and the [John Hornby Skewes] trademark on the back." Remaining Guitar Shape Trademark Infringement Claims The remaining claims, set for trial in February 2017, limit damages to profits on the sale of, as the Court noted, about "300 such guitars." The Court declined to grant summary judgment to either party on Gibson's claims of trademark infringement of the guitar body and headstock shapes. Skewes has asserted counterclaims of cancellation of the trademark registrations for the body and headstock shape, citing to rampant third-party usage throughout the guitar industry for fifty years. About Scarinci Hollenbeck With a growing practice of more than 50 experienced attorneys, Scarinci Hollenbeck is a regional alternative to a National 250 law firm. With offices in New Jersey, New York City, and the District of Columbia, we serve the niche practice areas most often required by institutions, corporations, entities, and the people who own and control them. Throughout the decades, we have maintained our reputation for knowledge, experience, and professionalism. Our intellectual property attorneys understand that our clients' trademarks, patents, copyrights, proprietary technology, and trade secrets are among their most valuable assets, and that securing protection of such intellectual property will ensure long lasting benefits. The attorneys in our Intellectual Property ("IP") Group advise and represent companies of all sizes, worldwide, who are seeking to maximize, maintain, and protect their intellectual property portfolio. Contact : Peter Moeller Tel: 201-896-4100 x 3328 Email SOURCE Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC Related Links http://www.sh-law.com MONTREAL, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - ACCEO Solutions Inc., a leader in payment solutions, and TruRating, a revolutionary consumer ratings startup, announced their strategic partnership and launch set for 2017. ACCEO's secure EMV-certified Tender Retail payment software will combine TruRating's customer feedback solution to enable North American merchants and retailers to gather live consumer feedback at the point of payment. "The need to innovate and provide services beyond just payments is core to ACCEO Tender Retail's vision for the future by leading the marketplace to make great value-added services like TruRating available to our merchants, we want to make it clear that we're putting our customers' needs first," said Joey Vaccaro, VP of Business Development and Strategic Alliances at ACCEO. Since its launch in January 2015, TruRating has consistently delivered response rates from an average 88% of customers, offering a huge increase on alternative industry-wide methods of feedback, which are often recognized as representing fewer than 1% of customers. TruRating takes the pulse of consumer sentiment via the Pin pad, asking each customer to anonymously rate an aspect of their experience from 0-9 on the keypad, just before they pay. TruRating is making it easier than ever for every consumer to have a say. For the first time, businesses are benefiting from mass, validated, representative feedback every single day. Jon Horsman, head of TruRating Canada, reinforced the value of the partnership: "It's very exciting to work with the incredible portfolio of retailers currently using Tender Retail's services. In the UK and Australia, TruRating has already shown major benefits for the retailers we work with. We are delighted to have ACCEO as a partner to bring this technology to the North American market." About ACCEO Solutions Inc. Leading Canadian IT company ACCEO Solutions Inc. specializes in the design, implementation and integration of, and support for, management software; e-business development; and payment, professional, and technical services. Deployed in major retailers throughout the United States and Canada, ACCEO Tender Retail is a North American leader in the payment industry and one of the first EMV-ready payment solutions with End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) in North America. For more information, visit www.acceo.com and www.tender-retail.com About TruRating TruRating is a UK-based consumer ratings startup, changing the way people give feedback on the experiences they've had in shops, restaurants, or any customer-facing business. It works by asking customers one anonymous question that they rate on a scale of 0 to 9 using the Pin pad. The ratings feed an analytics dashboard, giving businesses an instant gauge of their performance so they can look to make appropriate adjustments where needed, for example: changing staffing patterns, or introducing better training or a different product selection. TruRating crucially links sentiment to spend, which helps to identify increased revenue opportunities that can be made from service, product range and offers. TruRating has won numerous awards for its groundbreaking technology. For more information, visit www.trurating.com SOURCE ACCEO Solutions inc. Related Links http://acceo.com/ MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Addepar, the operating system for our financial world, today announced major company milestones and significant updates to its technology, notably the availability of the Addepar Open API. With 97 percent year-over-year growth, Addepar now reports more than $500 billion in assets on its platform, and serves as mission-critical technology to more than 200 wealth managers, family offices, and large banks. In the past year alone, Addepar has added more than 85 new clients and partners to its impressive roster, including Crescent Grove Advisors, Crow Holdings, Dynasty Financial Partners, Jefferies and Tiedemann Wealth Management. For decades, financial advisors have been plagued by a surprisingly complex problem: a lack of full transparency into clients' investment portfolios in order to deliver high-quality, tailored advice at scale. Addepar solved this problem by building a unified platform that aggregates and normalizes all investment details and market data in a common language, no matter the data source, asset type or currency. "Finance needs a proper operating system to organize all of the information about investments, in the same way that marketing and advertising needed Google and Facebook to modernize. That's how we'll create a thriving ecosystem for innovation that serves us all," said Eric Poirier, Addepar CEO. "We're proud of our record growth and client partnerships with some of the world's most respected and demanding financial services firms, which underscores the imperative to strategically embrace technology and become truly client centric. Today we're excited to announce key steps towards our broader mission of powering the global financial system with a unified platform." New Client Wins Highlight Demand for Better Technology During the past year, Addepar's innovative approach has earned the attention of RIAs looking to focus more on their business and their clientsrather than IT and reporting. Additionally, complex family offices and large banks with sophisticated wealth management businesses are also adopting Addepar at record pace. Firms such as Robertson Stephens, Rincon Advisors, The Fremont Group, and CAM Capital have all chosen Addepar to support their unique investment management and reporting needs. Similarly, Addepar has established partnerships with some of the industry's most innovative service providers. Dynasty Financial Partners recognizes Addepar's technical vision and renowned performance reporting and portfolio analysis. Citco and iCapital Network both connect directly to Addepar's platform to automate performance reporting for alternative investments. New Addepar Open API Calls for Unprecedented Innovation Addepar provides a consistent way to view investments on a single platform that encapsulates transactions, holdings, securities, tax lots and related metadata. To accelerate innovation, Addepar released the Addepar Open API, which gives clients and integration partners a programmatic solution to tie Addepar's data and calculations into a multitude of other products and systems. The Addepar Open API will allow developers to build their own applications on the Addepar platform, enhancing the value of the overall system for all Addepar clients. Last month, Addepar was referenced by Salesforce as a launch partner of Wave for Financial Services Cloud. Addepar's data platform and portfolio analysis and reporting applications provide advisors with a comprehensive view across client relationships, allowing advisors to access data from siloed systems in one coherent and seamless experience. "Eric and our team are updating this decades-old, interconnected industry with a financial operating system designed to benefit everyone, bringing data-driven and ethical decision-making to the investment world," said Joe Lonsdale, founding partner of 8VC, and co-founder of Addepar. "The global financial crisis demonstrated that fixing finance is an issue for everyone, and Addepar's technology shines a light on the hidden parts of global portfolios. Whether for a family office, an RIA, a big bank, or a pension fund, Addepar is providing the backbone this industry so desperately needs. I'm excited to see what other important new applications the industry creates with Addepar and for transparency, data-driven processes, and related innovation to spread to trillions of dollars of assets." Extending Best-In-Class Security Addepar's dedication to improving security, risk and compliance using technology continues to attract top-tier institutions, sophisticated family offices and RIAs alike. Further extending its best-in-class security infrastructure, Addepar now enables clients to use single sign-on to consolidate user credentials and to extend any specialized corporate network or security settings to their instance of Addepar. Clients can also use two-factor authentication to add an extra level of security to their login process. These enhancements complement Addepar's unrivaled approach to securing its platform, infrastructure and data, which is often cited by clients as the company's biggest differentiator with respect to risk mitigation. Company Opens New Offices and Grows Team Addepar To meet the needs of new clients and prepare for continued growth, the company announced employee headcount has reached 224. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Addepar has expanded is footprint across the United States. Earlier this year the company doubled its New York City office to 25,000 square feet and in June opened a 25,000 square-foot Salt Lake City office to streamline Addepar's client solutions infrastructure and offer more measurable deployment assistance to the expanding client base. To learn more about how clients of all sizes are using Addepar to streamline operations, make more informed investment decisions, and provide superior client service, visit https://www.addepar.com/clients About Addepar Addepar is the financial operating system designed to bring common sense and ethical, data-driven investing to our financial world. Addepar handles all types of assets in any currency so investors and advisors have a clearer financial picture at every level, all in one place. With customizable reporting, financial advisors can visualize and communicate relevant information to anyone who needs it. Secure, scalable, and fast, Addepar is purpose-built to power the global financial system. With offices in Silicon Valley, New York, Chicago and Salt Lake City, Addepar works with more than 200 single and multi-family offices, wealth advisors, large financial institutions, endowments and foundations representing more than $500 billion in assets under management. Learn more at www.addepar.com SOURCE Addepar Related Links http://www.addepar.com Dickey's Barbecue Pit is nothing new to Owner/Operator Bob Rusnak, as these new stores will be his fourth and fifth to open in Colorado. As a retired Air Force officer, Rusnak decided it was time to forge a new path by opening his own business. He opened his first three stores with his wife, Barbara Rusnak, who is also an Air Force veteran. "Our three existing stores have been so successful in Colorado Springs," says Bob Rusnak. "We are very excited to bring two new locations to our community and give the residents more access to delicious, slow-smoked barbecue." The Rusnaks' new stores will be a family business endeavor, as they are now bringing their son into the equation. Family is the most important thing to the Rusnaks, and they look forward to expanding their family business. To learn more about franchising with Dickey's, visit www.dickeys.com/franchise or call 866-340-6188. To find the Dickey's Barbecue Pit nearest you, click here. Find Dickey's on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest barbecue chain was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey with the goal of authentic slow-smoked barbecue. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant living up to the company tagline, "We Speak Barbecue." The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides, tangy barbecue sauce and free kids' meals every Sunday. The fast-casual concept has expanded to more than 560 locations in 43 states. This year Dickey's won first place on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" and ranked in the top ten of Franchise Times' "Fast and Serious." Dickey's Barbecue Pit was recognized for the third year by Nation's Restaurant News as a "Top 10 Growth Chain" and by Technomic as the "Fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country." For more information, visit www.dickeys.com or for barbecue franchise opportunities call 866.340.6188. Media Contact: Michelle George / Callie Head [email protected] / [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430683 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140102/LA39739LOGO SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue Related Links http://www.dickeys.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Algomizer, an Israeli-based internet technology company specializing in the online marketing field, is headed to the November 2016 ad:tech Conference that will take place in New York City this time. The conference will commence on November 2nd, 2016 and will end on the following day, November 3rd. Algomizer will be represented at ad:tech by three of its senior staff members: Noam Band, CEO, Aviv Berkovitch, Deputy CEO and CMO, and Yulya Kanarsh, VP of Marketing and Sales. ad:tech is the original industry authority for marketing and media technology, where marketing, technology and media communities convene to brainstorm and share new ways of thinking, build strong partnerships and relationships, and define new strategies to be able to compete in an ever-changing marketplace. ad:tech organizes several annual events around the world that deliver mesmeric education through notable keynote speakers, timely topic-driven panels and hands-on workshops as well as showcase the latest products and solutions to strengthen comprehension and create new ideas that will drive innovation. Attendees, on their part, contribute by leaving ad:tech inspired by what's new and what's next, armed with the tools and techniques they need to shift and re-imagine their own businesses. November 2016 will give the industry a taste of what's to come for the future of ad:tech, as the event celebrates its 20th anniversary and continues to evolve with the ever-changing marketplace. A diverse audience made up of C-level/President/ Executive Management, Director/Sr. Director Manager/Sr. is expected to attend this upcoming conference. Company types in attendance include Brand Marketer/ Advertiser, Insights/ Analytics, B2B Service, Marketing Platform/ Technology Solutions, Agency, Media Publishers, Other Marketing Solutions, Data Providers, Retailers/ Etailers, Ad Networks, Bloggers/Journalists, Investors, Venture Capital Firms and more. Moreover, some of the world's leading companies in the online marketing field will be participating in ad:tech. 68 countries are represented at ad:tech New York, with the top countries including the United States, Canada, IsraeI, Japan, United Kingdom, Argentina, India, Germany, and Brazil. 20% of attendees come from other parts of the world to learn from, and do business with, their marketing and media counterparts. Algomizer develops and markets a set of unique and revolutionary software solutions, that automate and optimize campaigns on the internet and the world's leading platforms (Google, Facebook, Twitter etc.). The aim is to enable small businesses to market and advertise themselves on these platforms. Its expert team of developers, analysts and online advertising experts develop innovative algorithmic tools for online advertising campaigns. These Software-as-a-service tools allow small businesses, for the first time ever, to advertise and promote themselves very rapidly, efficiently, and comfortably, without any effort on their part ("with just one click of the mouse") whatsoever. The company has unique knowledge and intellectual property, development capacity, expertise in commercialization and business development, that lean on vast experience in the field. One of Algomizer's goals at ad:tech is to find new partners and distributors that will help the company spread its innovative and revolutionary tools around the world. Meet Our Revolutionary Solutions for Small Businesses Online Presence Ad-Assistant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4vmeoBmP_s Appforma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=fdSoPz6zBv0 Contact information: [email protected] +1-888-844-4136 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430821LOGO SOURCE Algomizer Related Links http://www.algomizer.com/ {Visit the Allstate Newsroom to download video of Allstate's drone in action on Tybee Island, Georgia, following Hurricane Matthew ( https://www.allstatenewsroom.com/news/allstate-continues-use-of-drones-after-hurricane-matthew/ ). Sound bites are available along with video of and from the drone.} "When I started back in 1999 with the National Catastrophe Team, I used a polaroid camera to take pictures of the damage," says Allstate Catastrophe Adjuster Charlie Urban. "Now, seeing us use drones is unbelievable. I'm really excited to see where the technology might go in the future." Allstate had previously tested the use of drones in Texas after a hail storm, to help determine their potential use as a tool in the adjusting process. It was the first use case with a customer under the Federal Aviation Administration's revised rules for commercial drone use (referred to as Part 107). Allstate believes drones can be especially helpful in evaluating wide-spread damage or areas that may be restricted after a major storm. All of it leads to faster and more efficient claims settlement for Allstate customers. "Our customers have been very receptive and interested in this innovative use of technology and how it will help shape the way we identify damage in the future," says Allstate Chief Claims Officer Glenn Shapiro. "We have been active in the drone space, testing and researching use cases for a while now. To be able to use drones with our customers who have actual storm damage is a big step forward." Allstate policyholders can file a claim and begin the claim process by calling 1-800-54-STORM (1-800-547-8676), visiting a mobile claim center, contacting any Allstate agent, using the AllstateSM Mobile app or logging on to Allstate.com. The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Now celebrating its 85th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate." Allstate agencies are in virtually every local community in America. In 2015, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $36 million to support local communities. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/MM88193-b SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company Related Links http://Allstate.com Abstract of the study wins "Scholar-in Training Award" for presentation at the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy in Boston in October of 2016 EDMONTON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - OncoQuest Inc. ("OncoQuest"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic products for the treatment of cancer, today announced positive results from its pre-clinical pharmacology studies using its Anti-MUC1 antibody, MAb AR20.5, against pancreatic cancer in a human MUC1 expressing transgenic mouse model. The pre-clinical studies are being conducted at the Eppley Institute for Cancer and Allied Disease at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, under the direction of Dr. Michael Hollingsworth. The results will be presented at the upcoming AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy in Boston in October of 2016. The study concludes that the combination of MAb AR20.5, together with a checkpoint inhibitor and a TLR-3 agonist based immune adjuvant, induced rejection or significant inhibition of tumor growth when challenged with MUC1 expressing pancreatic tumor cell lines. The MUC1 specific immune response is persistent, and can be adoptively transferred to other mice, which protects them against subsequent tumor challenge. The author of the abstract, Dr. Kamiya Mehla, has won a Scholar-in-Training Award based on the quality of the abstract. "The pancreatic cancer market is among the highest unmet therapy needs within the overall oncology market," said Dr. Madi Madiyalakan, Chief Executive Officer of Quest PharmaTech Inc. and OncoQuest. "OncoQuest's combinatory immunotherapy technology has the potential to help cancer patients generate a clinically meaningful immune response to the disease, which is being investigated with our lead product, oregovomab, in ovarian cancer. We are encouraged by the positive pre-clinical results, which will help guide on the clinical development of our second product using our anti-MUC1 antibody, AR20.5, as a therapeutic treatment for pancreatic cancer." About Anti-MUC1 MAb AR20.5 Anti-MUC1 MAb-AR20.5 is a novel immunotherapeutic drug for investigational use in the treatment of patients with malignancies expressing the tumor-associated antigen known as MUC1. MAb-AR20.5 binds with high affinity to MUC1, recognizing the tandem repeat peptide sequence DTRPAP of the high molecular weight MUC1 glycoprotein. MUC1 is expressed on many adenocarcinomas including pancreatic, breast, lung, colon and prostate as well as in multiple myeloma. A Phase I clinical study has established bioactivity associated with dosage along with a favorable safety profile. OncoQuest is developing this antibody in conjunction with OncoVent Co., Ltd. ("OncoVent), a Chinese joint venture between OncoQuest and Shenzhen Hepalink, for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. About OncoQuest OncoQuest is a subsidiary of Quest PharmaTech Inc. (TSXV-QPT), and is a privately held, Canadian based pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapies for cancer. OncoQuest's technology platform includes a panel of tumor antigen specific monoclonal immunoglobulins including CA125, MUC1, PSA and Her2/neu; and the application of combinatorial immunotherapy to enhance tumor specific immunity and clinical outcome. OncoQuest's lead product, oregovomab, is currently undergoing a confirmatory phase IIb clinical trial involving 80 ovarian cancer patients in Italy and the United States. Additional clinical studies are underway or planned for oregovomab in combination with other therapeutic modalities for the treatment of pancreatic and ovarian cancers to identify optimal design for a product registration trial. OncoQuest's MUC1 program has already undergone a phase I clinical trial in breast cancer patients. OncoQuest's next-generation products are based on immunoglobulin E licensed from UCLA, Stanford University and Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc. These antigen-specific monoclonal IgE antibodies are currently in preclinical development. OncoQuest's current clinical and preclinical programs are funded by a U.S. $13 Million private placement made to Hepalink USA Inc., a subsidiary of Shenzhen Hepalink. SOURCE Quest PharmaTech Inc. SANTA MONICA, CA, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - The legal marijuana business in Canada is positioned for considerable growth. Medical marijuana has been legal for a decade and a half and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to legalize recreational marijuana, saying that a controlled and regulated industry will reduce access to marijuana by minors while simultaneously taking money out of the pockets of organized crime. According to a poll commissioned by CTV News and conducted by Nanos earlier this year, the majority of Canadians are on board with Trudeau, with 69 percent of survey participants saying they either "support" or "somewhat support" legalization of marijuana. Just how big the legal marijuana market will become varies amongst experts. Mackie Research Capital Corp. forecasts the legal Canadian marijuana market to reach C$2.5 billion by 2020 if recreational is legalized and C$1.1 billion if only medical marijuana remains legal. Dundee Capital Markets thinks the recreational pot market alone will grow to $5.0 billion. No matter how it shakes out, with about 27 million Canadians over the age of 19, there is a significant market opportunity at hand. On Tuesday, San Francisco-based MassRoots, Inc. (OTCQB: MSRT) and Leamington, Ontario-based Aphria Inc. (TSX-Venture: APH)(OTCQB: APHQF) inked one of the first cannabis-oriented partnerships between a U.S.-based company and a Canadian-based company with the goal of Aphria capturing a larger share of the Canadian market. The deal brings together two companies getting firm footing as leaders in their respective fields. MassRoots is one the biggest and most active cannabis technology platforms in the world with in excess of 900,000 registered members consisting of consumers, businesses and marijuana activists. In many instances, MassRoots has been called the "Facebook of Cannabis" and similar terms because of its high user engagement and social media and advertising components. Aphria is a leading producer, supplier and seller of pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis. The company has distinguished itself from peers in the public domain by becoming the first licensed producer to report positive cash flow from operations and the first to report positive earnings in consecutive quarters. Per the new pact, MassRoots will create awareness of Aphria's products and services amongst its nearly one million-strong member base. Aphria has agreed to pay MassRoots for each referral coming from its platform. MassRoots didn't just pick up a valuable partner and client, it gained a significant investor as well. On Monday, Aphria purchased 500,000 shares of MSRT for $250,000 as part of a registered offering by MassRoots. As part of the share purchase, Aphria also received warrants allowing the company to acquire another 500,000 shares of MSRT for an additional $450,000 within the next three years. Legal Disclaimer: Financial Press Media Group, Inc. is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority and does not provide, nor claims to provide, investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release to buy, sell or hold any securities. Investing intrinsically involves substantial risk and readers are reminded to consult an investment professional and complete their own due diligence, including SEC filings, when researching any companies mentioned in this release. This release is based upon publicly available information and, while vetted, is not considered to be all-inclusive or guaranteed to be free from errors. With respect to Section 17(B) of the Securities Act of 1933 and in the interest of full disclosure, we call the reader's attention to the fact that Financial Press Media Group, Inc. may have received compensation from the companies mentioned in this release. SOURCE Financial Press Media Group Inc. "We want to improve the experience of travelers, and we are ready to face the challenges posed by the hospitality industry of this millennium. That is why we will rate our hotels using different parameters [] in order to have better communication with contemporary travelers", according to Francisco Gutierrez, CEO of Atelier de Hoteles. The brand classification proposed by Atelier de Hoteles begins with MET, that makes its first appearance as "Opera Prima", followed by ESTUDIO classified as "Opera Magna", and Atelier, identified as "Masterpiece", whose purpose is to redefine luxury and Mexican sophistication. Finally, its hybrid brand, OLEO, which takes existing hotels and reinvents them, uses an "A Tempo" category. Met (Opera Prima) is the urban, warm, and fun brand targeted to the new and young executives who seek connectivity, independence and reliability at a fair price. Its mission is to make guests smile and feel comfortable. (Opera Prima) is the urban, warm, and fun brand targeted to the new and young executives who seek connectivity, independence and reliability at a fair price. Its mission is to make guests smile and feel comfortable. Estudio (Opera Magna) is the urban and beach (all-inclusive family friendly), efficient and quality brand targeted to mid-high income executives and families who want comfortable spaces to work and interact in, as well as connectivity and entertainment. Its mission is to make guests reflect upon the experiences they had at each facility. (Opera Magna) is the urban and beach (all-inclusive family friendly), efficient and quality brand targeted to mid-high income executives and families who want comfortable spaces to work and interact in, as well as connectivity and entertainment. Its mission is to make guests reflect upon the experiences they had at each facility. Atelier (Masterpiece) is the premium urban and beach (all-inclusive, adults only) brand targeted to those high-income guests who wish to live memorable experiences by themselves or with their companions in a barefoot luxury atmosphere. Its mission is to touch and excite guests through artwork. (Masterpiece) is the premium urban and beach (all-inclusive, adults only) brand targeted to those high-income guests who wish to live memorable experiences by themselves or with their companions in a barefoot luxury atmosphere. Its mission is to touch and excite guests through artwork. Oleo (A Tempo) The brand transforms existing urban and beach hotels and reinvents them to meet the Atelier de Hoteles' standards. Its mission is to inspire reinvention. Atelier de Hoteles will open the first Oleo in February 2017: OLEO CANCUN PLAYA. In July 2017, it will open ESTUDIO CANCUN CENTRO and in December 2017, the first Masterpiece will be ready, ATELIER PLAYA MUJERES. "Atelier de Hoteles is a socially responsible company that voluntarily contributes to the social, economic and environmental improvement of the communities that surround them. The brand will create jobs and development of vulnerable groups, such as senior citizens, indigenous communities, disabled persons and single mothers. Furthermore, we are working hand in hand with Victoria 147 to promote and help female entrepreneurs. Also, the construction of our hotels will follow the LEED certification". Atelier de Hoteles is a great investment opportunity, as it will provide higher ROIs than is common in the industry. It will also be the breeding grounds for Mexican contemporary artists and Mexican talent. It will be an inspiration for the new generations", added Francisco Gutierrez. About Atelier de Hoteles Atelier de Hoteles is an innovative and disruptive Mexican chain that challenges the traditional models of the hospitality industry, while being a socially responsible company. It is the only hotel chain conceived from its origin as a workshop in the hospitality industry that invites talent to create memorable experiences for its guests and visitors, and therefore, the chain is made up of a multi-disciplinary group of Mexican talent. The hotels will tell positive stories about Mexico and they will all be unique in terms of their architecture, spaces, and environments. The brands motto, "handcrafted hospitality", expresses originality, innovation and attention to detail. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/431038 SOURCE Atelier de Hoteles TORONTO and MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BlueCat, a leading provider of DNS-based solutions, today announced that AutoZone Inc. [NYSE: AZO], has chosen its DNS, DHCP and IP Address Management (DDI) solutions to drive efficiencies and support growth. AutoZone is the leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories with more than 5,814 stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Brazil. The company is expanding rapidly and has enlisted BlueCat to help automate and streamline its network management and provisioning systems. "We are excited to be working with BlueCat," explains Ron Griffin, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Customer Satisfaction, AutoZone. "AutoZone is committed to providing exceptional customer service, driving organizational efficiency across our stores and supply chain, and securely supporting our global business growth. BlueCat was the right solution to meet our enterprise address management needs." "AutoZone is a highly dynamic, high-growth market leader," states Michael Harris, Chief Executive Officer, BlueCat. "We are thrilled AutoZone has chosen BlueCat to enable their critical IT initiatives and ongoing support needs. We look forward to collaborating with their team." About AutoZone: As of August 27, 2016, AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 5,297 AutoZone stores in 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S., and 483 stores in Mexico, 26 IMC branches and eight stores in Brazil for a total count of 5,814. AutoZone is the leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. Each AutoZone store carries an extensive product line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Many stores also have a commercial sales program that provides commercial credit and prompt delivery of parts and other products to local, regional and national repair garages, dealers, service stations, and public sector accounts. IMC branches carry an extensive line of original equipment quality import replacement parts. AutoZone also sells the ALLDATA brand diagnostic and repair software through www.alldata.com. Additionally, we sell automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through www.autozone.com, and accessories, performance and replacement parts through www.autoanything.com, and our commercial customers can make purchases through www.autozonepro.com and www.imcparts.net. AutoZone does not derive revenue from automotive repair or installation. About BlueCat BlueCat delivers software-based DNS, DHCP and IP Address Management (DDI) solutions that enable our customers to build and manage their most complex network infrastructure to meet the rapid pace of change of their business. With offices around the globe, leading enterprises trust BlueCat. For more information visit www.bluecatnetworks.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160411/354091LOGO SOURCE BlueCat Related Links http://www.bluecatnetworks.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a global leader in transaction services, and ModoPayments, LLC (Modo), an industry leader in digital payments innovation, today announced a strategic relationship that will give the bank access to Modo's patented COIN Operated Digital Payments Hub. Through the hub, Bank of America Merrill Lynch clients will have the ability to connect with multiple emerging payment networks. Furthermore, the new global capabilities can extend the reach of the bank's existing digital business-to-consumer offering, Digital Disbursements. "We're excited to be working with Modo on a truly differentiated offering that will provide a gateway for clients to reach their increasingly dispersed consumer and employee population with a diversity of payment options," said Ather Williams, head of Global Transaction Services at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "This strategic relationship signals our commitment to bring leading-edge payment solutions to our clients around the world." Since it was introduced two years ago, many companies have adopted the bank's Digital Disbursements solution in response to customer and employee demands for more flexibility and timeliness in receiving payments. With access to Modo's COIN Operated Digital Payments Hub, companies may be able to reach new populations around the world in a cost-effective manner, an increasingly critical consideration as commerce crosses borders and the "gig economy" (temporary or freelance workers) continues to grow. Additionally, collaborating with Modo will allow Bank of America Merrill Lynch to rapidly explore additional areas of innovation in transaction services. "We are delighted that Bank of America Merrill Lynch chose Modo to help connect their clients to dozens of digital payments networks," said Bruce Parker, founder and CEO at Modo. "Bank of America Merrill Lynch is a recognized leader in bringing new payment innovations to market, leveraging their world-class infrastructure and powerful scale. We look forward to working with them in the coming years to introduce new innovations that will further advance global payments and global commerce." About Modo ModoPayments, or just Modo to its friends, was founded in Dallas in 2010, and provides a COIN operated Digital Payments Hub that connects new digital experiences to payments systems worldwide. Modo's patented COIN transaction takes monetary value from just about any source, and can deliver it to just about any destination, without requiring partners to modify their systems. Truly a 'shipping container for global payments', the Modo COIN simplifies the complex world of payments in the digital era. To learn more about Modo, visit https://modopayments.com. Bank of America Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 47 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,600 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs, and award-winning online banking with approximately 34 million active accounts and more than 21 million mobile active users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("Investment Banking Affiliates"), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., all of which are registered broker-dealers and Members of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed. Visit the Bank of America newsroom for more Bank of America news. www.bankofamerica.com Reporters May Contact: Louise Hennessy, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, 1.646.858.6471 [email protected] ModoPayments Lindy Nelson, ModoPayments, 1.214.238.4792 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160404/351203LOGO SOURCE ModoPayments, LLC Related Links https://modopayments.com ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BRG Communications announced that its founder and president, Jane Barwis, is a finalist in the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Business Services 11 to 2,500 Employees category in the 13th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and will ultimately be a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Award winner in the program. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees and the companies they run worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the world's premier business awards. "I'm honored to be a finalist in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business," said Jane Barwis, founder and president of BRG Communications. "It is especially fulfilling to be recognized for my entrepreneurial approach to running a business that is celebrating its 15th anniversary. When I started BRG, I knew that motivating a team who really cares about the work, as well as the workplace, would take maintaining the energy and spirit of a start-up, while providing a long-term vision that can be authentically realized by each member of the team. Recognition for these efforts from the distinguished Stevie Award judges means a great deal to me. I look forward to celebrating with my team and toasting to all of my fellow finalists at the ceremony in November." More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 90 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women and Women Run Workplace of the Year. Jane Barwis is a Finalist in the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Business Services 11 to 2,500 Employees category. "In the 13th year of the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the judges were very impressed with the quality of each nomination that qualified as a Stevie Finalist. The competition has grown each year because there are so many high-achieving women all over the world, who serve as an inspiration to those who would like to start, grow or lead a business," said Michael Gallagher, founder and president of the Stevie Awards. "We're looking forward to recognizing these outstanding women in New York on November 18." Finalists were chosen by more than 110 business professionals worldwide during preliminary judging. Members of five final judging committees will determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists during final judging October 17-26. Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced during a gala event at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Friday, November 18. Nominated women executives and entrepreneurs from the U.S.A and several other countries are expected to attend. The event will be broadcast on Livestream and the pre-show from the red carpet will be streamed on the Stevie Awards' Facebook feed. Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at www.StevieAwards.com/Women. About The Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. About BRG Communications BRG Communications is a woman-owned, nationally recognized communications agency. Founded in 2001, the firm is built on flexibility, functionality and uncommon performance. BRG produces success for clients by forming creative strategies and solid execution plans that ignite the passion of target audiences and drive results. BRG supports corporations, nonprofit organizations and trade associations that focus on improving safety, health, wellness and overall social good. BRG helps clients deliver Communications for Better Living. Learn more here: http://www.brgcommunications.com/. Contact: Erin DeGiorgi [email protected] 703-739-8356 SOURCE BRG Communications Related Links http://www.brgcommunications.com JACKSON, Mich., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of CMS Energy has declared a quarterly dividend on the company's common stock. The dividend for the common stock (CUSIP: 125896100) is 31 cents per share. It is payable Nov. 30, 2016, to shareholders of record on Nov. 4, 2016. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business and also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at www.cmsenergy.com. To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website. SOURCE CMS Energy Related Links http://www.cmsenergy.com PANAMA CITY, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Copa Holdings (NYSE: CPA), parent company of Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia, has officially launched Wingo in Colombia. Wingo, which will begin operations on December 1st, brings a low-cost/low-price offering, with flexible amenities to the market in Colombia and the region. Designed for travelers who prefer a simple and no-frills travel option, Wingo is a strategic response to dynamic market opportunities and a reflection of Copa Holdings' experience and strength. Wingo adds a unique business model to Copa Holdings, whose full-service airline Copa Airlines offer the best connectivity through the Hub of the Americas in Panama City. "We are proud to launch Wingo, which diversifies and expands Copa Holdings' business and operational models, allowing us to better serve a market segment where many opportunities for growth and development still exist", said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Holdings. Wingo will operate administratively and functionally under Copa Airlines Colombian unit, with completely autonomous structures for its commercialization, distribution systems and customer service. The "point-to-point" business model, with a simple organizational structure and low operating costs, allows Wingo to offer low prices and convenient payment methods, as well as the option for travelers to personalize their travel experience with the amenities and services they value during their flight. "In addition to being a low-price business model, Wingo will deliver reliable service and operations, thanks in part to the support it will receive from the Copa family. Furthermore, Copa Holdings' economies of scale and business culture will allow Wingo to control costs better", Heilbron said. "We are confident this will be a winning formula." Catalina M Breton, who has more than 12 years of experience in strategic planning, corporate and commercial management in the airline industry, will lead Wingo, with the goal of making it a successful and growing venture. Eduardo Lombana, current CEO of Copa Colombia, will oversee operations, administration and finance of both Copa Airlines Colombian unit and Wingo. Wingo will begin operations initially with service to 16 cities in 10 countries, including direct flights from Bogota to Cancun, Havana, Aruba, Punta Cana, Mexico City, San Andres, Panama City, Quito and Cartagena, among others. Most of these flights were previously operated under the Copa Colombia business model. A fleet of four Boeing 737-700 aircraft, each with single class seating capacity for 142 passengers, will cover the route network. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning October 20th via the website Wingo.com or by contacting the call center available at Wingo.com. Tickets may be paid with cash at Surtimax, Exito and Carulla supermarkets; at Efecty electronic payment stations in Colombia; and at the airports in Bogota, Panama and Havana up to four hours before flight departure. Wingos Network: 16 cities in 10 countries Market Route Round Trip Weekly Frequencies Domestic Barranquilla - San Andres - Barranquilla 3x Bogota - San Andres - Bogota 3x Cali - San Andres - Cali 5x Cartagena - San Andres - Cartagena 5x Bogota - Cartagena - Bogota 7x 23x International Bogota - Aruba - Bogota 2x Bogota - Panama Pacifico - Bogota 6x Cali - Panama Pacifico - Cali 2x Medellin - Panama Pacifico - Medellin 4x Panama Pacifico - San Jose - Panama Pacifico 5x Bogota - Caracas - Bogota 7x Bogota - Cancun - Bogota 5x Bogota - Havana - Bogota 3x Bogota - Mexico - Bogota 4x Bogota - Punta Cana - Bogota 2x Bogota - Quito - Bogota 4x San Jose - Guatemala - San Jose 3x 47x Total 70x For more information, visit Wingo.com. Raul Pascual Panama Director Investor Relations +507 304-2774 SOURCE Copa Holdings, S.A. Related Links http://www.copa.com The first London production to be seen for 40 years, the musical opened at England's Chichester Festival Theatre before moving to the West End's Savoy Theatre. This critically acclaimed West End production features Imelda Staunton as Rose, as well as acclaimed turns by Lara Pulver as Louise and Peter Davison as Herbie. Critics were unanimous in their praise of Staunton and the production. "Every facet of the character is caught by Imelda Staunton who gives one of the greatest performances I've ever seen in musical theatre," raved The Guardian. And The Times enthused, "If you like musical theatre, I urge you to see this stunning revival of one of the greatest Broadway musicals. If you don't like musical theatre, see it anyway." With a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the show was suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee. The score features songs that have since become show standards, and helped launch the career of Sondheim. "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Some People," "Let Me Entertain You," "Together, Wherever We Go" and of course "Rose's Turn" are among the musical highlights. Gypsy is considered by many to be one of Broadway's all-time triumphs. It tells the story of ambitious showbiz mother Rose, who treks across the country with her daughters Baby June and Louise in search of success with their homespun vaudeville act. As times change, Rose is forced to accept the demise of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque, as well as her daughters' quest for autonomy. The London production was honored with five Olivier Awards, including Best Musical Revival, Best Actress in a Musical (Imelda Staunton), Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Lara Pulver). Since Gypsy's premiere in 1959, Broadway has enjoyed four revivals, all of which have provided a unique take on the musical and its characters. Much of the show rests on the central casting of Rose, and each actress who takes on the challenge brings something very different to the role. Gypsy first appeared in 1959 on Broadway under the title Gypsy: A Musical Fable. Subsequent revivals starred Angela Lansbury (1974), Tyne Daly (1989), Bernadette Peters (2003), and Patti LuPone (2008). The role of Rose is often called the 'King Lear' of the musical theatre canon. The show continues to be produced by regional theatre companies around the whole of the USA. A London production had not been seen in the West End since 1973. Imelda Staunton, OBE, is an Academy Award-nominated English actress best known for her performances in the films "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (as Dolores Umbridge) and "Vera Drake." For the latter, she drew widespread critical acclaim, earning a number of awards including the BAFTA and Venice Film Festival Awards. She has twice before received an Olivier Award for roles in two 1985 productions: "A Chorus of Disapproval" and "The Corn Is Green" and for the 1991 "Into the Woods." Films include "Peter's Friends" (1992), "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993), "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), "Twelfth Night" (1996), "Bright Young Things" (2003), "Shakespeare in Love" (2004) and "Freedom Writers" (2007). The production was filmed by Emmy Award-winner Lonny Price for Ellen M. Krass Productions with Serpent Productions and Shout! Factory, in association with the BBC. For Great Performances, Bill O'Donnell is series producer; David Horn is executive producer. Great Performances is produced by THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET, one of America's most prolific and respected public media providers. Throughout its more than 40 year history on public television, Great Performances has provided viewers across the country with an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America's most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. The Great Performances presentation is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Rosalind P. Walter, The Agnes Varis Trust, The Starr Foundation, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, the Lenore Hecht Foundation, The Abra Prentice Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold, and PBS. Visit Great Performances Online at www.pbs.org/gperf for additional information about this and other programs. 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. PBS Arts Fall Festival Gypsy is part of the sixth annual PBS Arts Fall Festival, a ten-week series hosted this fall by Grammy and Tony Award-winning star Lin-Manuel Miranda. Starting October 21, the festival features a variety of legendary artists, dazzling musical performances and captivating dance works, beginning with "Hamilton's America" from Great Performances, a look at the making of the hottest show on Broadway. The PBS Arts Fall Festival, which last year reached more than nine million viewers, is a cornerstone of the Friday primetime lineup, underscoring PBS' ongoing commitment to give audiences the best seats in the house to watch arts performances on air and online. Most programs will be available online at http://video.pbs.org/ after their broadcast premiere. For more, visit http://pressroom.pbs.org/ Website: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GreatPerformances Twitter: @GPerfPBS Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140620/119789 SOURCE THIRTEEN/WNET New York Related Links http://www.thirteen.org "Safe drug disposal is an important priority for CVS Health because of the critical role it plays in helping to combat the opioid abuse epidemic that is challenging so many communities around the country," said Tom Davis, RPh, Vice President of Pharmacy Professional Practices at CVS Pharmacy. "The more than 600 drug disposal units we have donated to law enforcement agencies through the Safer Communities program have collected more than 47 metric tons or more than 100,000 pounds of unwanted medication. We are also pleased to host law enforcement officials at more than 135 CVS Pharmacy locations for Take Back Day events this weekend on Saturday, October 22, and at the same time, launch a new tool that enables people to find local disposal options year-round." Launched in 2014, the CVS Health Medication Disposal for Safer Communities program is an innovative community partnership that allows local police departments to apply to receive a drug collection unit to help their communities safely dispose of unwanted medications, including controlled substances. Through the program, CVS Health works with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to provide the drug collection units that help rid communities of unwanted medications that may otherwise be diverted, abused or contaminate our water supply. "As a proud partner of the Medication Disposal for Safer Communities program, we have seen CVS Health's long track record of making safe drug disposal a priority," said Marcia Lee Taylor, President and CEO, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. "The tens of thousands of pounds of unwanted medication collected as part of the Safer Communities program truly has a critical impact on preventing drug diversion and abuse for families across the country." In addition to its focus on proper medication disposal through the Safer Communities program, CVS Health is also working to address and prevent prescription drug abuse in other ways. The company has increased access to the opioid-overdose reversal medication naloxone in 36 states and operates a number of prevention education efforts. Through the company's Pharmacists Teach program, CVS pharmacists have volunteered to speak to more than 100,000 students about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. The company also provides drug abuse prevention tips for patients on CVS.com and recently announced a partnership with DoSomething.org to reach teenagers with a prevention message online and via text message. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. About CVS Health CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,600 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 80 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com. Media Contact: Erin Shields Britt Corporate Communications (401) 770-9237 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140905/143585 SOURCE CVS Health Related Links http://www.cvshealth.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- dangene: The Institute of Skinovation today announces collaboration with LightStim to exclusively offer the LightStim Professional LED Bed, launching nationally on November 1st. The prestigious skincare atelier will be the premier location for the public to experience this full-body wellness treatment, which is the first LED bed to receive over-the-counter FDA clearance. "The LightStim bed is designed to rejuvenate, repair and energize every cell in the body, resulting in total body wellness," said Samantha Wright, Senior Esthetician at dangene: The Institute of Skinovation. "This innovative technology perfectly aligns with our goal to develop customizable protocols that create the skin you dream of." LightStim advances the LED technology used by NASA for wound healing by harnessing four different therapeutic wavelengths, instead of just one, across 18,240 temperature controlled LEDs. Through the resulting increased production of the miracle molecule, Nitric Oxide, and ATP, known as the energy currency of the body, the LightStim MultiWave Patented Technology not only addresses wrinkles, acne and collagen building but joint pain, inflammation and muscle fatigue as well, further expanding dangene: The Institute of Skinovation's wellness services beyond skincare. Treatment with the LightStim Professional LED Bed is non-invasive, holistic and supported by over 200 medical and university studies showing LED light therapy protects against UV damage, free radicals, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, it can improve post-exercise recovery, promote muscle regeneration and increase circulation. "We are thrilled to be uniting with dangene: The Institute of Skinovation for the launch of the LightStim LED Bed," said Joniann Marchese, President of LightStim. "We share the same viewpoint on incorporating constant cutting-edge innovation in our respective businesses." Known for its proprietary methodology and pioneering foresight, dangene: The Institute of Skinovation was the first specialist in the United States to apply LED technology to skincare. With the LightStim MultiWave Patented Technology, dangene: The Institute of Skinovation continues to progress the intersection of science and the art of wellness. A standard 40 minute treatment will be $300 and for those who would like to harness the power of the LightStim Professional LED Bed at home, they can do so for $60,000. About dangene: The Institute of Skinovation The Institute of Skinovation is a first-of-its-kind skincare concept that melds cutting-edge scientific techniques with artistic sensibilities. Founded by Dangene Enterprise, a leader and innovator in her field, the Institute of Skinovation advances the treatment of skin head to toe through an array of comprehensive and customized protocols designed to restore, revitalize and reverse the effects of aging. The Institute's highly trained team of estheticians, doctors and nurses known as "Skinovators" perform a broad range of techniques that remove sun damage, wrinkles, acne scars - anything brown red, bumpy and veiny. Located on the top floor of the exclusive, private CORE: club, the Institute of Skinovation is dedicated to providing dramatic results for all clients. Please visit www.dangene.com. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram About LightStim LightStim has been leading the way in LED Light Therapy since 2001. LightStim MultiWave Patented Technology delivers proven, lasting results to the consumer for the treatment of Anti-Aging, Acne and Pain. Touted amongst Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, Estheticians and the Beauty Industry Elite as the leader in LED Light Therapy Technology, the trailblazing brand continues to innovate and revolutionize the face of beauty. Industry Professionals and LightStim customers are not the only LightStim aficionados; Beauty Editors and Social Influencers alike are also admirers of the line, propelling LightStim to earn kudos from top publications including: Marie Claire, American Spa, InStyle, New Beauty, Redbook, The Coveteur, The New York Times and more. The LightStim collection is proudly designed and manufactured in the USA. For more information, please visit LightStim at www.LightStim.com. Contact: Amy Smith JConnelly 646-922-7768 [email protected] SOURCE dangene: The Institute of Skinovation Related Links http://www.dangene.com AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DELL EMC WORLD -- News Summary: New software-defined version of Dell EMC Data Domain protection storage delivers 6x increase in scalability and support for Dell EMC PowerEdge Servers Native cloud tiering across portfolio reduces operating costs and improves IT productivity Dell EMC NetWorker with CloudBoost provides in-cloud protection of applications running on Microsoft Azure Provides unified management of data protection for workloads running on and off-premise EU data compliance capabilities now supported in Spanning Backup for Office 365 Dell EMC Services introduces ProSupport One for Data Center; combines the best of Dell and EMC support capabilities into a unified, best-in-class service experience Full Story: Leveraging its market-leading portfolio of data protection software and servers, Dell EMC today announced product and service enhancements to deliver software-defined, cloud-enabled data protection for the modern data center. As customers of all sizes look to transform IT, the first step will be to modernize their data center. With a modern architecture, utilizing technologies that are software-defined and cloud-enabled is key. Today, Dell EMC is making its market-leading data protection portfolio cloud-enabled as well as enabling its market-leading Purpose Built Backup Appliance software-defined to run on the world's leading server, Dell EMC PowerEdge. At Dell EMC World this week, attendees will be the first to see the newest data protection offerings from the combined Dell EMC. Data Domain Virtual Edition 3.0 Available immediately, Dell EMC has released Data Domain Virtual Edition 3.0 (DD VE), delivering customers the number-one purpose-built backup appliance in an economical software-defined solution wherever it's needed. DD VE runs as a virtual machine and is now qualified to run on Dell EMC PowerEdge servers. With DD VE 3.0, Dell EMC also introduces pre-validated, fully supported, pre-tested reference architectures that combine the strengths of PowerEdge 13G servers with DD VE software. As announced last month, DD VE is also supported on Dell EMC VxRail appliances, allowing customers to deploy software-defined protection storage in a hyperconverged environment. DD VE 3.0 features a 6x increase in scalability, capable of protecting up to 96TB in a single instance. Dell EMC has expanded hypervisor support in DD VE, enabling it to run as a virtual machine on both VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V. Customers can also leverage cloud tiering capabilities in DD VE for long-term data retention in public, private or hybrid clouds such as Dell EMC Elastic Cloud Storage and Virtustream Storage Cloud. Secure multi-tenancy in DD VE makes it optimal for Backup-as-a-Service deployments in a private cloud or service provider cloud. Enhancing Cloud Data Protection and Manageability Enterprises today have applications and data both on-premise and in the cloud, introducing sprawl and complexity for IT staff trying to manage and protect highly distributed applications and data. Dell EMC's data protection portfolio is designed to help IT centralize data protection management and control of the entire information environment and is now extensible to more cloud platforms, providing the same enterprise-grade protection experience. Dell EMC today is announcing two new protection solutions for in-cloud applications and data as well as the addition of multiple cloud-enabled enhancements designed to simplify and lower the cost of protection for both backup and application administrators, including: Protection of applications running on Microsoft Azure: Following the announcement of a protection solution for Amazon AWS at EMC World in May, NetWorker with CloudBoost now protects applications running on the Microsoft Azure platform, employing the same source-side data de-duplication, compression and encryption for highly efficient and secure backups in the cloud Following the announcement of a protection solution for Amazon AWS at EMC World in May, NetWorker with CloudBoost now protects applications running on the Microsoft Azure platform, employing the same source-side data de-duplication, compression and encryption for highly efficient and secure backups in the cloud Native cloud tiering in NetWorker 9.1 and Avamar 7.4: Native administration of Data Domain Cloud Tier via the NetWorker or Avamar management consoles allows you to create, control and manage long-term data retention and data movement policies using Data Domain Cloud Tier from the same user interface being used for on-premises data retention workflows Native administration of Data Domain Cloud Tier via the NetWorker or Avamar management consoles allows you to create, control and manage long-term data retention and data movement policies using Data Domain Cloud Tier from the same user interface being used for on-premises data retention workflows Native cloud tiering for applications: With Data Domain Boost for Enterprise Applications, IT application administrators are now empowered to perform their own backup to the cloud for long-term retention, all while using their own application's native interface or CLI commands. Supported applications include Oracle, SQL, SAP, SAP HANA, IBM DB2 With Data Domain Boost for Enterprise Applications, IT application administrators are now empowered to perform their own backup to the cloud for long-term retention, all while using their own application's native interface or CLI commands. Supported applications include Oracle, SQL, SAP, SAP HANA, IBM DB2 Natively tier de-duplicated data directly to cloud platforms: Data Domain Cloud Tier requires no cloud gateway or virtual appliance to tier de-duplicated data directly to the public, private or hybrid cloud. To further lower TCO, the solution ensures that only unique data is uploaded to already de-duplicated data within cloud object storage Data Domain Cloud Tier requires no cloud gateway or virtual appliance to tier de-duplicated data directly to the public, private or hybrid cloud. To further lower TCO, the solution ensures that only unique data is uploaded to already de-duplicated data within cloud object storage Secure data tiering to a variety of cloud platforms: Data Domain Cloud Tier supports data tiering to clouds including Virtustream Storage Cloud, Dell EMC ECS for on-premise object storage as well as third party public clouds and employs DD Encryption and DD Retention Lock to ensure data in the cloud remains secure Data Domain Cloud Tier supports data tiering to clouds including Virtustream Storage Cloud, Dell EMC ECS for on-premise object storage as well as third party public clouds and employs DD Encryption and DD Retention Lock to ensure data in the cloud remains secure Spanning Backup Global Expansion: Microsoft Office 365 and SalesForce.com have become staple cloud-based business applications for office workers around the globe. Spanning Backup for Office 365 now simplifies compliance with European Union data sovereignty regulations, offering EU customers a backup and recovery solution for their cloud-based Office 365 and SalesForce data. All European customer data storage and processing is handled within a new regional data center located in the EU. Spanning, a Dell EMC company, intends to extend these services to other regions in 2017. ProSupport One for Data Center With a focus on providing consistent, seamless support across the data center, Dell EMC is announcing ProSupport One for Data Center. This service brings together Dell and EMC's industry-leading support capabilities for enterprise customers looking for a high-quality, unified service experience across their IT environment. Backed by unrivaled expertise, innovative tools and a global infrastructure, the service includes: Collaborative, personalized services account management Priority access to specialized Dell EMC technical support engineers on a 24x7x365 basis Up to 90% less IT effort with proactive monitoring for automated issue prevention and accelerated resolution from SupportAssist and Secure Remote Services (ESRS) Availability: Data Domain Virtual Edition 3.0 is available now. NetWorker 9.1 support for Microsoft Azure is available now. NetWorker 9.1 with CloudBoost will be available in December 2016. Native management of Data Domain Cloud Tier support with NetWorker 9.1, Avamar 7.4 and Data Domain Boost for Enterprise Applications 3.5 will be available in December. Spanning Backup for Office 365 service is available now. ProSupport One for Data Center is available now. EMC Executive Quote: Beth Phalen, SVP and GM, Data Protection Solutions, Dell EMC "Dell EMC offers a world-class portfolio of data protection solutions designed to help ensure our customers can trust their data is protected to meet any service level across all consumption models. We provide our customers protection where they need it and how they want it from traditional on-premise to virtualized infrastructure, to converged infrastructure, to cloud, Dell EMC solutions cover the continuum of requirements and ensure data protection everywhere." Additional Resources: Dell EMC Dell EMC, a part of Dell Technologies, enables organizations to modernize, automate and transform their data center using industry-leading converged infrastructure, servers, storage and data protection technologies. This provides a trusted foundation for businesses to transform IT, through the creation of a hybrid cloud, and transform their business through the creation of cloud-native applications and big data solutions. Dell EMC services customers across 180 countries including 98 percent of the Fortune 500 with the industry's most comprehensive and innovative portfolio from edge to core to cloud. Dell EMC World Join us Oct. 18-20 at Dell EMC World 2016, Dell Technologies' flagship event, bringing together technology and business professionals to network, share ideas and help co-create a better future. Learn more at www.dellemcworld.com and follow #DellEMCWorld on Twitter. Copyright 2016 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell, EMC and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Dell EMC Related Links http://www.dellemc.com The 6-Pack Charging Station from DEWALT is designed to charge the batteries necessary to power DEWALT outdoor power equipment and to eliminate the need for 2-cycle gas mix on landscaping trucks. Plug in the 6-Pack Charging Station to sequentially charge up to six 40V MAX* batteries at a fast rate. Each DEWALT 7.5Ah battery charges in under an hour, and each 6.0Ah battery in 45 minutes. Once one battery is charged, the charger will automatically switch to the next battery, choosing the battery closest to full charge. Each battery compartment includes indicators showing charging status: fully charged, charge in process, or waiting to be charged. The 6-Pack Charging Station is also water resistant and includes a cover to help protect the batteries from outdoor elements and landscaping debris. In addition, the 6-Pack Charging Station provides an organized storage solution for DEWALT 40V MAX* batteries and is optimized for transport with carrying handles. The Pole Hedge Trimmer is designed to cut through a variety of landscape overgrowth including medium and tall hedges as well as large bushes. With a cut-rate equivalent to that of competitive gas-powered units, the 22" dual-reciprocating, laser cut blades offer sharp shearing with a cut capacity of up to 1" thick branches. The Pole Hedge Trimmer features a telescoping shaft for trimming in compact spaces when retracted, as well as in many hard-to-reach areas when fully extended. An articulating head allows the user to maneuver the Pole Hedge Trimmer to a variety of angles, cutting in 8 different positions, adjusted by 15 increments. This Pole Hedge Trimmer provides a runtime of over 3 hours when paired with a 7.5Ah 40V MAX* battery pack (DCHT895X1). Equipped with the brushless motor and removable gear case cover, the Pole Hedge Trimmer allows for easy serviceability and eliminating gas-related maintenance issues. Available in early 2017, the 6-Pack Charging Station will retail for approximately $399 MSRP. The Pole Hedge Trimmer will come bare at $399 MSRP (DCHT895B), kitted with one 4.0Ah battery at $449 MSRP (DCHT895M1), and kitted with one 7.5Ah battery at $549 MSRP (DCHT895X1). The DEWALT 40V MAX* Outdoor Power Equipment provides the power, runtime and durability the professional landscaper demands with GAS PERFORMANCE. GUARANTEED. The DEWALT battery-operated equipment improves workplace efficiency by eliminating trips to the pump, fuel mixing, constant pull starts, minimizes maintenance and provides low noise levels for properties with noise restrictions and cities with bans on noise levels or gas-powered equipment. DEWALT Outdoor Power Equipment comes standard with a commercial three-year limited warranty, one-year free service contract, and 90-day money-back satisfaction guarantee. Getting into a battery-powered system has never been easier; premium 40V MAX* 6Ah and 7.5Ah batteries come with an extended 2-year free service contract, eliminating many of the maintenance and gas costs including gas, oil, and stabilizer costs associated with operating gas-powered products. *Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 40 volts. Nominal voltage is 36. About DEWALT DEWALT is a leading manufacturer of industrial corded and cordless power tools, power tool accessories, and hand tools in categories that include Woodworking, Drilling & Fastening, Concrete & Metal Power Tools, as well as Cutting, Abrasive, and IMPACT READY Impact Driver Power Tool Accessories. Hand Tool categories include Measuring & Layout, Knives & Blades, Mechanics Tools, and Storage Solutions. With seven manufacturing locations in the USA, DEWALT remains committed to domestic manufacturing and produced approximately 62 million individual units of Power Tools, Hand Tools, and Accessories in the United States with global materials in 2015 alone. DEWALT tools can be found nationally and internationally, wherever tools are sold. With more than 1,000 factory-owned and authorized locations, DEWALT has one of the most extensive service and repair networks in North America. For more information, visit www.dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook and Twitter. Contact: Sarah Windham 410-716-3699 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430521 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150421/199933LOGO SOURCE DEWALT Related Links http://www.dewalt.com ELKHART, Ind., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Drew Industries Incorporated (NYSE: DW), a supplier of components for the leading OEMs of recreational vehicles and adjacent industries and the aftermarkets of these industries, will release its third-quarter 2016 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, November 3, 2016. Drew Industries will also host a conference call on Thursday, November 3, 2016, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the results and other business matters. The call will conclude with a question-and-answer session with participation limited to institutional investors and analysts. Individual investors, retail brokers and the media are invited to listen to a live webcast of the call on the Drew Industries website at www.drewindustries.com. Participating in the conference call will be: Jason Lippert, CEO Scott Mereness, President Brian Hall, CFO About Drew Industries From 45 manufacturing and distribution facilities located throughout the United States and in Canada and Italy, Drew Industries, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, supplies a broad array of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers of recreational vehicles and adjacent industries including buses; trailers used to haul boats, livestock, equipment and other cargo; pontoon boats; manufactured homes; modular housing; and factory-built mobile office units. The Company also supplies components to the related aftermarkets of these industries primarily by selling to dealers and service centers. Drew's products include steel chassis and related components; axles and suspension solutions; slide-out mechanisms and solutions; thermoformed bath, kitchen and other products; vinyl, aluminum and frameless windows; manual, electric and hydraulic stabilizer and leveling systems; furniture and mattresses; entry, luggage, patio and ramp doors; electric and manual entry steps; awnings and awning accessories; electronic components; LED televisions and sound systems; navigation systems; wireless backup cameras; appliances; and other accessories. Additional information about Drew and its products can be found at www.drewindustries.com. SOURCE Drew Industries Incorporated Related Links http://www.drewindustries.com ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Hill Consulting is one of the fastest growing firms in North America according to Consulting Magazine. With revenue growth at 355 percent between 2012 and 2015, the company ranked sixth, up from the number eight position last year. This year, 61 firms qualified for the ranking, which requires a minimum growth rate of 20 percent. The Fastest Growing Firms were unveiled at Consulting Magazine's award dinner in New York City, and the winners will be featured in the November issue of the magazine. "With off-the-charts growth, there's absolutely no doubt these consulting firms are shaking up the industry from the bottom up," said Joseph Kornik, Consulting Magazine's publisher & editor-in-chief. "This award is aimed squarely at up-and-comers that too often fly below the radar because they typically aren't the largest and best known consultancies. We want to bring these fast-growing firms to the forefront. These firms are the future." Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill said, "We're continuing to grow at a rapid clip because we deliver results for our clients. After we get the job done, clients ask us back to help solve their next business challenge." A full 100 percent of Eagle Hill clients report that they would work with the company again, and 90 percent of Eagle Hill's business stems from client referrals. The team's ability to achieve this high level of client satisfaction is the single most important factor in explaining why Eagle Hill is growing at such a rapid pace. Jezior says that she is committed to growth while also ensuring the company remains a great place to work. "Ultimately, it's our people who drive Eagle Hill's success. We hire the best and the brightest, and we keep them because we foster a culture that values and rewards their work. We also remain diligent about shaping an environment that truly respects work-life balance. The end result is a sharp team at the top of their game that stays with us. Too often, consulting firms burn out their talent, and we reject that approach," Jezior said. Earlier this year, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce named Eagle Hill Consulting one of the fastest growing companies in the state. Eagle Hill also was named by Forbes as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms of 2016, and the company had earned workplace awards from The Washington Business Journal, The Washington Post, Washingtonian and Vault. Watch a video about what Eagle Hill's employee say about working at the company here. View a series of videos with a glimpse at unconventional career paths at Eagle Hill here. Get a snapshot of a year in the life of an Eagle Hill employee here. Learn about Eagle Hill's current career opportunities here. Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides management consulting services in the areas of business strategy, organizational transformation, human capital transformation, process improvement, program management and change management. Eagle Hill works with a range of public, private, and non-profit organizations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and across the nation. More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com. SOURCE Eagle Hill Consulting Related Links http://www.eaglehillconsulting.com ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal Computer Week (FCW), a leading technology magazine, recently announced eGlobalTech (eGT) is among their Federal List of Top 20 Woman-Owned Companies in the government information technology (IT) market for the second year in a row. Federal Computer Week, a publication of FCW Media Group, addresses the business value of technology in the government. The 20 top-selling companies owned by women did an aggregate government business of $2.4 Billion of prime contracts in fiscal 2015. eGT climbed up the list from number 13 in 2014 to number 12 in 2015. "We are proud to be one of the Top 20 Woman-Owned IT Companies rated by FCW. We strive to meet our Federal clients' everyday business and IT needs by developing transformative and lasting solutions that make a positive difference," said Sonya Jain, Chief Executive Officer and President of eGT. She further stated, "The reason we've been so successful is because of our talented and innovative team and I am proud of them." About eGlobalTech eGT is a woman-owned management consulting and IT solutions firm based in Arlington, Virginia. eGT supports multiple Federal customers including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Homeland Security, State, Education, Labor, Energy, and the General Services Administration. For more information, please visit our website at www.eglobaltech.com. For More Information Contact: eGT Public Relations (571) 224-0807 | [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130509/MM11093LOGO SOURCE eGlobalTech Related Links http://www.eglobaltech.com SAN FRANCISCO and ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Vice President of Transportation & Logistics Risk Control Michael Nischan will speak at the Seventh Annual CMV Litigation Seminar on Thursday, October 27 at Villa Christina in Atlanta, Georgia. EPIC will co-sponsor the one-of-a-kind seminar that Nischan co-founded to educate and promote commercial motor vehicle safety. Registration and breakfast will kick off the event at 7:30 a.m., with presentations beginning at 8:30 a.m. In an ever-changing world where truck crashes can be prevented by technology and crash settlements are skyrocketing, it is crucial to be aware of the latest resources available. This seminar will include talks from 28 industry experts who will discuss the latest in technology, issues and trends that are affecting the trucking industry and its insurers. Additional presenters include EPIC Wellness Consultant Ayana Collins and 26 others with transportation industry expertise from law firms, trucking companies, specialty insurance agencies, engineering firms, and more. The session will include the following takeaways: Risk management best practices Post-crash response and accident reconstruction techniques Legal proceedings and litigation management depositions, mediation, witnesses, trials, etc. Click here to download the full agenda, and Click here to register. About Michael Nischan, Vice President of Transportation & Logistics Risk Control, EPIC Michael Nischan is responsible for the transportation risk control practice of EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, working out of the Southeast Region office in Atlanta. With more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement, private industry management and consulting, he has a genuine understanding of what it takes to operate a fleet safely and profitably. He helps motor carriers achieve and exceed regulatory requirements, develops management and training programs, implements operational controls to enhance efficiency and educates all members of an organization on compliance and security measures. He is an instructor with the North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI) and provides professional training courses on behalf of the Georgia Motor Trucking Association (GMTA). He is the only Certified Cargo Security Professional (CCSP) employed by an insurance or risk management firm in Georgia and is active in the battle against cargo and equipment theft. Michael is a member of numerous organizations, including the GMTA and the Southeastern Transportation Security Council (SETSC). He is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College. About EPIC EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally. EPIC now has more than 850 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 13,000 clients. With more than $200 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit www.epicbrokers.com. MEDIA CONTACTS: David Hock 650-295-4608 [email protected] Nicole Conley 650-422-3156 [email protected] * PHOTO for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/15-0923-nischan-300dpi.jpg This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants Related Links http://www.epicbrokers.com MIAMI, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FEAM Maintenance / Engineering today announces its expansion into 3 new line maintenance locations at Ontario, California (ONT), Richmond, Virginia (RIC), and Allentown, Pennsylvania (ABE). FEAM has leveraged its current bandwidth of over 550 aircraft maintenance technicians to simultaneously open all 3 locations on time for a major cargo operator. FEAM will support Boeing B767 freighters at the new locations effective October 3rd. FEAM will provide an array of line maintenance services, including daily scheduled maintenance support, unscheduled maintenance support, and AOG Tiger Team services at all 3 locations. Each new line operation will be staffed with fully qualified B767 technicians and managers. "We are very excited about the opportunities these new locations represent," said Dan Allawat, COO. "Our growth trajectory over the years has traditionally led us to major gateway airports where we provide service to world renown domestic and international air carriers. While those markets remain robust for FEAM, these new locations offer us the opportunity to take part in the growing domestic express freight market." More about FEAM: F&E Aircraft Maintenance (FEAM), founded in 1992, is an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) company providing aircraft line maintenance services to a variety of domestic and international air carriers flying transport category aircraft. FEAM employs over 550 Aircraft Maintenance Technicians and Line Maintenance Engineers (LME) throughout the company's network of 15 domestic line stations. FEAM holds numerous Repair Station certifications from domestic and international aviation regulatory authorities, including the first Japanese Civil Aeronautics Board (JCAB) line maintenance approval awarded to a U.S based MRO. For more information, visit www.feam.aero Contact: Scott Diaz Director of Business Development- Americas 305-871-3758 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141031/155952LOGO SOURCE F&E Aircraft Maintenance Related Links http://www.feam.aero As online shopping and shipping continue to soar, campus mailrooms are tasked with sorting and delivering hundreds of packages and parcels including large, oversized items like mini fridges and mattresses. With more than 16,000 students enrolled at Stanford University, services including print and shipping are in high demand. "We understand the challenges universities and colleges face to deliver services driven by the demands of today's eCommerce economy," said Aimee DiCicco, senior vice president of commercial business development, FedEx Office. "We customize print and shipping solutions to meet the unique needs of each community and are constantly innovating to provide new technologies and services. Our customers can count on the reliability from FedEx Office packing and shipping experts as well as state-of-the-art equipment and print production services." Expanding services in the university sector is a top initiative for FedEx Office. The company continues to invest and create new tools and solutions to help college and university campuses address the evolving challenges of today's world and to meet the needs of its students. About FedEx Office FedEx Office has more than 1,800 stores and locations in the U.S. and Canada, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company's network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at hotels, convention centers and universities. Services include digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, copying, computer rental, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. In addition, the company offers FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping, Hold at FedEx Location, and packing services backed by the FedEx Packing Pledge. For more information, please visit fedex.com/office. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430695 SOURCE FedEx Office Related Links http://fedex.com Tony Nuzzo, Chairman, President, and CEO of First Commons Bank, said, "We continue to be very pleased with our Net Income results. The third quarter of 2016 represents our fourth consecutive quarter of strong and increasing earnings as well as a tripling of Net Income earned in the third quarter of 2015. Further, our Net Income for the first three quarters of 2016 exceeds our total 2015 Net Income by over 50%." Mr. Nuzzo also stated that, "As of September 30, 2016 the bank has no loans delinquent 30 days or more." Tangible Book Value on September 30, 2016, was $10.63 per share, with approximately $33 million in equity and a Tier 1 Capital to Average Assets Ratio for the quarter of 9.66%. First Commons Bank's financial results are available on the FDIC's website at: https://goo.gl/gO02MC. About First Commons Bank First Commons Bank, N.A., is a nationally chartered, FDIC-insured full-service community bank dedicated to serving the businesses and individuals of Newton, Wellesley, Waltham, and eastern Massachusetts. The bank opened for business on July 22, 2009. Locations include its headquarters at 718 Beacon Street in Newton Centre, Mass., and 161 Linden Square in Wellesley, Mass. Visit the First Commons Bank website at http://www.firstcommonsbank.com. Follow the bank on Facebook at http://facebook.com/firstcommonsbank and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/firstcommonsbnk. First Commons Bank, N.A. Balance Sheet (Unaudited) September 30, September 30, 2016 2015 (Dollars in thousands) Assets Cash and Due from Banks $3,124 $1,807 Interest-bearing demand deposits with other banks 3,478 140 Money market mutual funds 309 182 Federal funds sold 35,400 25,500 Cash and cash equivalents 42,311 27,629 Interest-bearing time deposits with other banks 9,808 7,579 Investment in held-to-maturity securities 22,932 2,000 Federal Home Loan Bank Stock, at cost 979 956 Federal Reserve Bank Stock, at cost 1,922 1,719 Loans, net 264,408 249,291 Premises and equipment 804 1,014 Accrued interest receivable 800 832 Deferred income tax asset, net 1,234 1,225 Other assets 2,174 842 Total Assets $347,372 $293,087 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Deposits Noninterest-bearing $27,538 $26,150 Interest-bearing 275,222 224,519 Total Deposits 302,760 250,669 Federal Home Loan Bank Advances 10,000 10,000 Other Liabilities 1,436 1,228 Total Liabilities 314,196 261,897 Stockholders' equity Common Stock, par value .01; authorized 10,000,000 shares; 3,122,122 and 3,120,122 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015 31 31 respectively Paid-in capital 33,419 33,393 Accumulated deficit -274 -2,234 Total Stockholders' Equity 33,176 31,190 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $347,372 $293,087 First Commons Bank, N.A. Statement of Income (Unaudited) Nine Months Ended September 2016 2015 (Dollars in thousands) Interest Income Interest and fees on loans $9,394 $8,187 Interest on securities 181 67 Other interest 427 69 Total interest income 10,002 8,323 Interest Expense Interest on deposits and borrowings 2,261 1,818 Total interest expense 2,261 1,818 Net interest income 7,741 6,505 Provision for loan losses 128 303 Net interest income after provision for loan losses 7,613 6,202 Noninterest income Service charges on deposit accounts 72 50 Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities 0 0 Gain on sale of loans 238 134 Other income 293 115 Total noninterest income 603 299 Noninterest expense Salaries and employee benefits 3,077 3,080 Occupancy expense 723 646 Equipment expense 150 155 Professional fees 368 323 Regulatory assessment 243 164 Other expense 984 990 Total noninterest expense 5,545 5,358 Income before income tax expense 2,671 1,143 Income Tax expense 1,078 482 Net Income $1,593 $661 Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Tony Nuzzo ProfNet - http://www.profnetconnect.com/tony_nuzzo SOURCE First Commons Bank Related Links http://www.firstcommonsbank.com DUBLIN, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FLY Leasing Limited (NYSE: FLY) ("FLY"), a global leader in aircraft leasing, today announced that it extended the maturity date of its 2012 Term Loan from August 2019 to February 2022. The Term Loan had a balance of approximately $410 million as of September 30, 2016. In connection with the extension, FLY paid its lenders a one-time fee of 0.25% of the current outstanding principal amount. "FLY continues to manage its liability structure in an aggressive manner, taking every opportunity to extend its debt maturities, de-risk its financial position and secure attractive, long-term financing to fund growth," said Colm Barrington, CEO of FLY. About FLY FLY is a global aircraft leasing company with a fleet of modern, high-demand and fuel-efficient commercial jet aircraft. FLY leases its aircraft under multi-year operating lease contracts to a diverse group of airlines throughout the world. FLY is managed and serviced by BBAM LP, a worldwide leader in aircraft lease management and financing. For more information visit www.flyleasing.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "will," or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for FLY's future business and financial performance and the financial and accounting impact of the transaction described herein. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially due to global political, economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and other factors and risks. FLY expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether because of future events, new information, a change in its views or expectations, or otherwise. Contact: Matt Dallas Investor Relations FLY Leasing Limited +1 203-769-5916 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130709/SF44539LOGO SOURCE FLY Leasing Limited Related Links http://www.flyleasing.com LOS ANGELES, Oct 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikki DuBose, former model turned author and activist, just released her memoir, Washed Away: From Darkness to Light, detailing her recovery from a more than seventeen year battle with mental health issues such as psychosis, depression, PTSD from abuse, and the dark side of the modeling industry. In the book trailer, directed by Ole Schell (Picture Me), Nikki talks about being raped by a photographer during a lunch, set up by the director of her agency. She recently appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Network alongside Supermodel Emme on the TD Jakes Show to speak about her recovery from Body Dysmorphic Disorder and eating disorders, and how the pressure to "fit into" the modeling industry nearly killed her. Watch the raw interview with TD Jakes, which will air again on October 20th on OWN. Nikki described how she perceived herself when she battled BDD as a model: "I looked in the mirror and saw a monster...a creature. I was locking myself in my house. I was binging and purging ten times a day, before and after castings. I was self-harmingbecause I hated the person that I sawI just wanted to die." Nikki began modeling at 16 in her hometown, where she was fat shamed, she explained to Bishop Jakes. She had already been dealing with bulimia for eight years, and by the time she began modeling professionally, her eating disorder was out-of-control. By twenty-six, her weight had plummeted to 90 pounds. As Washed Away: From Darkness to Light uncovers, she overcame her warped perception with God's love, hard work, and help from professionals. Nikki offered a message of hope and recovery to viewers, saying, "My worth...is knowing that I'm God's child, and...that saved my life. That has helped to build the self-esteem...I had no self-esteem." Nikki DuBose will be signing books and speaking with animal advocate and author Shannon Kopp (Pound for Pound) October 27th, 2016, from 6-8pm at Montecatini Treatment Center, 6183 Paseo Del Norte, Suite 110 - Carlsbad, CA 92011. RSVP with Eventbrite. Amalia Crawford represents Nikki DuBose. She can be reached at [email protected] or 310.293.6023. Related Images image1.jpg image2.png image3.png image4.png Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbGF9FdXI_w This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Amalia Crawford NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Summary The Future of Foodservice in France to 2020 Report published by Canadean Intelligence provides readers with a detailed analysis of consumer, operator and technology level trends in the French Foodservice sector, analysis of market size, outlets and transactions in France and key players in the French Foodservice market. Key Findings - The French Foodservice market is expected to experience a growth of 2.0% during 2015-2020 - The weak economic situation has compelled French consumers to remain price-sensitive and in turn seek discounted food options - A large proportion of urban population is time-pressed, and with these consumers seeking convenient food options, there is significant demand for Quick Service Restaurants and Fast Food. - Social networking is playing a pivotal role in bringing consumers and restaurant operators closer with a number of platforms offering consumers to share their views and experiences online, thus bridging the gap between consumers and Foodservice operators - Accommodation will be the fastest growing Profit channel in terms of sales during 2015-2020, driven by the tourism industry which is expected witness a boost in the number of international visitors in the times ahead. Synopsis This report offers detailed analysis of the French Foodservice market with market size forecasts covering the next five years. This report will also analyze macro-economic factors that influence the foodservice market, key consumer, operator and technology trends and key players in the market. In particular, it provides an in-depth analysis of the following: - Macro-economic analyses and trends: detailed analysis of the macro-economic factors, GDP per capita, consumer price index, unemployment rate and age profile, that impact the foodservice market. It also provides insights into consumer, operator and technology trends in the French Foodservice market - Foodservice market attractiveness: details and insights into the development of the foodservice sector within France for 2010-2020 - Sector analysis: provides in-depth data on the valuation and development of both the profit and the cost sectors, details on the number of outlets, transactions, average price, foodservice sales, sales per outlet, and transactions per outlet across nearly 50 sub-channels - Competitive landscape: provides an overview of key players, together with insights such as number of outlets, business description and product profile - Regulatory scenario: insights into regulatory environment for foodservice operators in the French market Reasons To Buy - This report will give the user confidence to make the correct business decisions based on a detailed analysis of the French Foodservice market and to identify emerging/declining markets over the next 5 years. - This report will give the user a thorough fact based analysis with information about value of the foodservice market across the channels in both the sectors and the underlying factors that are driving the channel sales. For example, Restaurants is the largest channel in the French Foodservice market, driven b y the demand for Quick Service Restaurants. - The analysts have placed a significant emphasis on the major trends that will shape the foodservice market and will provide the user with a clear picture about the future opportunities that can be tapped, resulting in revenue expansion. E.g. most French consumers are seeking authentic food which contributes to the overall health and wellbeing. Additionally, laws such as Fait Maison are also playing a prominent role since it requires restaurant operators to mention if food offered by them is homemade or not. - Brief profiles of the key foodservice companies in France with information about their business description, product profile and number of outlets wherever available. This will provide the user with a total competitive landscape of the sector. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04221328-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 Ascom has responded to its customers' changing on-site mobility needs with purposeful innovations in both traditional and emerging wireless technologies such as traditional paging systems, digitally enhanced cordless telephony (DECT), voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi), and even cellular. The company has significantly improved customers' communications and mobility through the following: Continuing to develop IP-DECT, improving security, maximizing scalability, and increasing system capacity up to 100,000 users. Integrating advanced personal alarm functionality (e.g., push button, automated man-down/no-movement alarms suitable for lone workers) into wireless handsets. Developing the first line of VoWiFi handsets to support the 802.11n standard. Developing Ascom d81, one of the most rugged DECT handsets in the industry; and the intrinsically safe Ascom d81Ex, suitable for use in potentially explosive environments. Developing the Unite Messaging Suite, Ascom's middleware platform that allows customers' mission-critical systems to be integrated with mobile communications. Developing Unite Axess, a healthcare-related communications app for smart devices. Introducing Ascom Myco, a revolutionary VoWiFi+3G cellular Android-based smartphone designed for caregivers. Planning next-generation Ascom Myco (DECT + Wi-Fi) for release in 2017, combining superior speech quality of DECT with high data throughput for broadband applications over Wi-Fi. "Early on, Ascom recognized the need to build processes and tools that deliver consistent outcomes. It identified the commonalities in successful wireless phone implementations and, accordingly, made available the required documentation, best practice material, and diagnostic tools to a wide ecosystem of channel partners, individuals, and institutions," said Frost & Sullivan ICT Principal Analyst Alaa Saayed. "For the healthcare vertical in particular, Ascom offers multiple forms of education, including instructor-led training, self-paced eLearning, comprehensive user guides, and quick reference guides." Over the years, Ascom has enjoyed considerable success in terms of aggregate revenues, revenue growth, operating margins, and other key financial metrics. The Wireless Solutions division accounts for 74% of the group's business and has consistently demonstrated profitability. In North America, the Wireless Solutions division helped Ascom post double-digit growth rates in 2015 in both incoming orders and revenue. In Europe, the company continues to meet growth targets, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, and is growing in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Ascom customers' ownership experience is among the best in the industry. Hospitals, healthcare institutions, manufacturing facilities, and retail stores report that Ascom addresses their unique needs and specific constraints through high levels of customization when implementing its solutions. "Ascom Wireless Solutions provides customers with multiple tools for potential inquiries and problem solving," noted Saayed. "Ascom Technical Service presents resellers and customers with a wide range of services, including technical support, technical training, system analysis, field engineering, product repair, and contract services. Professional services can be tailored to meet customer-specific needs." Ascom enjoys solid brand recognition and mindshare among organizations with on-site mobility needs. Currently, 60% of the company's Wireless Solutions net revenue comes from the healthcare vertical; the company aims to become the leader in healthcare ICT by 2020. Because of Ascom's strong overall growth and visionary leadership, Frost & Sullivan is pleased to present Ascom with the 2016 Global Company of the Year Award. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated superiority in devising and implementing a strong growth strategy. The recipient has shown strength in terms of innovation in products and technologies, leadership in customer value, and speed in response to market needs. In short, the award looks at the emerging market participants in the industry and recognizes their best practices that position them for future growth. Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for outstanding achievement in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that could make or break today's market participants. Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnership supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating 2 key elements driving visionary innovation: the Integrated Value Proposition and the Partnership Infrastructure. The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation, including research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation, and implementation. The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible, including 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, and career best practices as well as Frost & Sullivan's global footprint of more than 40 offices. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics, and emerging economies? Contact Us: Start the discussion Join Us: Join our community Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing" Register: Gain access to visionary innovation Contact: Chiara Carella P: +44 (0) 207.343.8314 F: 210.348.1003 E: [email protected] About Ascom Ascom is a global solutions provider focused on healthcare ICT and mobile workflow solutions. The vision of Ascom is to close digital information gaps allowing for the best possible decisions anytime and anywhere. Ascom's mission is to provide mission-critical, real-time solutions for highly mobile, ad hoc, and time-sensitive environments. Ascom uses its unique product and solutions portfolio and software architecture capabilities to devise integration and mobilization solutions that provide truly smooth, complete and efficient workflows for healthcare as well as for industry, security and retail sectors. Ascom is headquartered in Baar (Switzerland), has subsidiaries in 15 countries and employs around 1,300 people worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161017/429313 SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com HOUSTON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Gastar Exploration Inc. (NYSE MKT: GST) ("Gastar" or the "Company") announced that it has executed a definitive agreement with a large private global investment fund ("Investor") to jointly develop up to 60 Gastar operated wells in the STACK Play in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma ("Development Agreement"). The drilling program ("Drilling Program") will target the Meramec and Osage formations within the Mississippi Lime on a contract area within three townships covering approximately 18,000 undeveloped net mineral acres under leases held by Gastar. Gastar will be the operator of all wells jointly developed under the Development Agreement. Under the Development Agreement, the Investor will fund 90% of Gastar's working interest portion of drilling and completion costs to initially earn 80% of Gastar's working interest in each new well (in each case, proportionately reduced by other participating working interests in the well). As a result, Gastar will pay 10% of its working interest portion of such costs for 20% of its original working interest in the well. The proposed Drilling Program wells will be mutually developed in three tranches of 20 wells each. The locations of the first 20 wells have been mutually agreed upon with 18 wells targeting the Meramec formation and two wells targeting the Osage formation. The locations of the second tranche of 20 Drilling Program wells will be at the election of the Investor and the third tranche of 20 wells will require mutual consent. With respect to each 20 well tranche, when the Investor has achieved an aggregate 15% internal rate of return ("IRR") for its investment in the tranche, its interest will be reduced from 80% to 40% of Gastar's original working interest and Gastar's working interest increases from 20% to 60% of Gastar's original working interest. When a tranche IRR of 20% is achieved by the Investor, its working interest decreases to 10% and Gastar's working interest increases to 90% of the working interest originally owned by it. The parties to the Development Agreement can mutually agree to expand the Drilling Program's contract area and formation focus. Key highlights of the Development Agreement are: Enhances Gastar's ability to hold acreage by production, reducing future lease renewal costs; Increased drilling activity allows for more rapid delineation of Gastar's STACK acreage; Investor earns only an interest in the well bores drilled under the Drilling Program, with Gastar retaining all operational control and right to keep offset formation locations at its full original working interest. Gastar may book offsetting proved undeveloped locations at full original working interest; and Gastar's 10% carried working interest and projected future reversionary interests will increase production and cash flow while reducing capital requirements. J. Russell Porter, Gastar's President and CEO, commented, "This Development Agreement greatly expands our ability to delineate and hold our acreage in the STACK Play without putting undue pressure on our balance sheet or requiring equity issuances in the current market. The structure of this Drilling Program, which allows us to revert to 90% of Gastar's original interest after our partner receives a 20% return, reflects our confidence in the quality of our acreage. We will also benefit from information garnered from the Drilling Program to develop future offset locations for our own interest. We have already commenced drilling five of the initial 20 wells that will be included in the first tranche of the Drilling Program. We also plan to continue to drill and complete wells apart from the Development Agreement on acreage outside of the contract area as we further explore and develop our Oklahoma acreage." Canadian County Property Sale Gastar has entered into a purchase and sale agreement to sell certain non-core leasehold interests primarily in northeast Canadian County and also in southeast Kingfisher County, Oklahoma to a private third party for approximately $71.0 million (of which up to $10 million is contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions), subject to certain adjustments. The transaction is expected to close on or before November 18, 2016, with a property sale effective date of August 1, 2016. "The sale of these assets will allow us to focus on and accelerate our core STACK delineation program in northern Kingfisher and southern Garfield Counties, Oklahoma, while significantly enhancing our liquidity position," said J. Russell Porter, Gastar's President and CEO.. "Assuming completion of this transaction, our June 30, 2016 pro forma Mid-Continent area net acreage would be approximately 83,200 net surface acres, including acreage dedicated under our Development Agreement, with approximately 1,031 net STACK locations." "Upon closing of this sale, we expect to have ample liquidity to support our capital expenditure plans for the remainder of 2016 and 2017. On a pro forma basis as of September 30, 2016, and after payment of 20% of the Canadian County net sales proceeds to reduce revolving credit facility debt, Gastar would have a cash position of approximately $102.4 million." The sales price includes allocated value for 19,100 net acres and current production of approximately 181 barrels of oil equivalent per day from 25 gross (11.2 net) wells, of which 32% is oil. The closing of the proposed property sale is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Revolving Credit Facility Amendment Effective October 14, 2016, Gastar entered into an amendment to its revolving credit facility. Key amendment terms include: Borrowing base reaffirmed at $100.0 million (the current amount outstanding under the facility) with next redetermination scheduled for November 2016 ; (the current amount outstanding under the facility) with next redetermination scheduled for ; Revolver debt balance to be reduced by 20% of any future net sales proceeds from the sale of the Company's South STACK acreage primarily located in Canadian County, Oklahoma ; ; Minimum interest coverage ratio reduced to 0.8 to 1.0 for fourth quarter 2016 and first quarter 2017, 1.0 to 1.0 for second quarter 2017 and 2.50 to 1.0 thereafter, each as determined using adjusted EBITDA for previous four quarters; and Modifies provisions related to lien and asset dispositions to accommodate the Drilling Program. About Gastar Exploration Gastar Exploration Inc. is a pure play Mid-Continent independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil, condensate, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Gastar's principal business activities include the identification, acquisition, and subsequent exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties with an emphasis on unconventional reserves, such as shale resource plays. Gastar holds a concentrated acreage position in what is believed to be the core of the STACK Play, an area of central Oklahoma which is home to multiple oil and natural gas-rich reservoirs including the Meramec, Oswego, Osage, Woodford and Hunton formations. For more information, visit Gastar's website at www.gastar.com. Forward Looking Statements This news release includes "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. Forward looking statements give our current expectations, opinion, belief or forecasts of future events and performance. A statement identified by the use of forward looking words including "may," "expects," "projects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "estimate," "will," "should," and certain of the other foregoing statements may be deemed forward-looking statements. Although Gastar believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future activities and results to be materially different from those suggested or described in this news release. These include risks regarding closing the sale of Gastar's non-core assets in Canadian County, Oklahoma and in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma the risk of receipt of the settlement funds; and other risks described in Gastar's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. By issuing forward looking statements based on current expectations, opinions, views or beliefs, Gastar has no obligation and, except as required by law, is not undertaking any obligation, to update or revise these statements or provide any other information relating to such statements. Contacts: Gastar Exploration Inc. J. Russell Porter, Chief Executive Officer 713-739-1800 / [email protected] Investor Relations Counsel: Lisa Elliott, Dennard-Lascar Associates: 713-529-6600 / [email protected] SOURCE Gastar Exploration Inc. Related Links http://www.gastar.com SALT LAKE CITY and PROVO, Utah, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 90 percent of parents over the age of 65 were married when they first had children, but only 30 percent of those younger than 30 were married when their first child was born, finds the second annual American Family Survey, a wide-ranging national study of American family practices and attitudes. Releasing the 2016 findings today, the study, commissioned by the Deseret News and Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy and conducted by YouGov, polled Americans on a range of topics including their beliefs on the stability of the family unit, ideal family structure, the desirability and value of marriage as an institution, appropriate parenting practices, the effect of economic factors on American families, degree of social connectedness, the diversity of modern family arrangements and the value of government benefit programs for families. The American Family Survey was created to contribute new research to ongoing policy and academic discussions about the changing American family. The implications of the survey's findings will also be discussed and debated during a moderated panel event, "Like Father, Like Son? Family Instability Across Generations," to be held at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., this morning. Panelists include Richard V. Reeves, Brookings Senior Fellow in Economic Studies and Policy Director of the Center on Children and Families; W. Bradford Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project and Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia; and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, Director of The Hamilton Project and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. "This second year of findings builds on the valuable data gathered by the first American Family Survey, expanding and deepening our research on the American family into the area of family economics," said Allison Pond, Deseret News Enterprise Editor and a former Pew Research Center staffer. "It adds insight and context to election-year policy debates and provides a springboard for continued research and analysis." This poll is a year-over-year look at the changing American family through the twin lenses of political science and sociology. The poll revealed, among many other things, that 40 percent of families do not have enough savings to survive more than one month. Fifteen percent of relatively high-income respondents those making more than $100,000 per year reported proportionately similar savings levels. The poll's data that the largest factor in rating government benefit programs for families such as food stamps, housing assistance or Medicaid, is experience with the programs rather than economic deprivation. Those who have benefitted from the programs consistently rate the benefits much more highly than those who have not experienced the aid of the programs. "This year's survey validates many of the findings of the first American Family Survey, including our observation that despite their ideological differences liberal and conservative Americans have largely similar family lives," said Dr. Christopher Karpowitz, Associate Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED). "But the results also offer intriguing new findings. One of the most compelling is the correlation between respondents' family stability today and the family stability they experienced as a child. In other words, family stability or instability appears to have a strong intergenerational component that deserves continued analysis." Some of the findings of the poll, which drew 3,000 responses from Americans across racial, religious, gender and age groups, include: The way Americans approach marriage and having children varies dramatically across age groups. More than 90 percent of parents over age 65 were married when they first had children, but only 30 percent of those younger than 30 were married when their first child was born. Just as in the 2015 American Family Survey, most respondents have positive views of their own marriages and families, with large majorities saying they are growing stronger or staying about the same. But they are less optimistic about the state of marriages and families generally, with most saying they are weaker or about the same. Conservatives are more worried about the state of marriage and family with 49 percent seeing today's families as "weaker" while only 17 percent of liberals believe the same. Nearly two-thirds of liberals value a personal commitment to a partner as more important than marriage, while only one third of conservatives accept that idea. Four in 10 Americans have faced significant economic challenges in the last year, including problems like not being able to pay a major bill or avoiding a doctor appointment because of cost. Experiencing an economic crisis is associated with family structure (married people experience them less) and other measures of personal and familial success. Marital stability in a person's childhood relates to their marital and economic stability as adults. Respondents whose mothers were continuously married to the same person throughout their childhood are 16 percentage points less likely to have experienced a financial crisis in the past 12 months. They are also 7 points more likely to be married today and 12 points less likely to be concerned about their current relationship. Liberals and conservatives have very different views about marriage and families, but their marital and parenting practices are closely similar. For example, a vast majority of both liberals (84 percent) and conservatives (91 percent) believe parents should set boundaries on their children's media consumption. Liberal and conservative families also eat dinner together, do chores, go out together and support family members' activities at roughly the same rates. That said, there are some social and economic differences depending on which candidate Americans support. Those who supported Trump in the primaries were more likely to be male, more likely to be married, more authoritarian in their attitudes and less likely to have experienced any kind of economic crisis in the last year. Trump's primary election supporters also included an unusually large number of voters who lacked as many connections outside their own family. To see more results from the poll or download a PDF of the report, visit deseretnews.com/american-family-survey. The Deseret News will also be releasing a content series exploring the survey's implications in depth. The articles include: An in-depth piece studying how economic issues affect family life. A piece discussing policy issues related to the family, such as the ongoing debate over paid family leave. A close look at shifting family structures and ideals and how different types of families navigate life. The poll was designed by Paul Edwards, Editor of the Deseret News; Allison Pond, Enterprise Editor of the Deseret News and a former Pew Research Center staffer; Christopher Karpowitz and Jeremy C. Pope of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University; and Sam Sturgeon, President of Demographic Intelligence. They consulted an advisory board which included Karlyn Bowman, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; Sara McLanahan, Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton; Richard Reeves, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and former strategy advisor to the deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom; and W. Brad Wilcox, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and Director of the National Marriage Project. METHODOLOGY The American Family Survey was fielded by the YouGov polling company from July 25 to July 30, 2016. YouGov interviewed 3,268 respondents who were then matched down to a sample of 3,000 to produce the final dataset. The respondents were matched to a sampling frame on gender, age, race, education, party identification, ideology and political interest. The margin of error for this study is 2.48%. ABOUT THE DESERET NEWS Founded in 1850, the Deseret News (www.deseretnews.com) offers news, analysis and commentary for family-oriented audiences across the country. The award-winning writers at the Deseret News keep their growing readership informed with real-world solutions that can make a positive difference in families and communities. The Deseret News is the first news organization and longest continuously-operating business in the state of Utah. ABOUT THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRACY (CSED) AT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY (BYU) The Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED) at Brigham Young University is a nonpartisan academic research center seeking to increase knowledge about the practice of American democracy. CSED is committed to the production and dissemination of research that meets high academic standards, is useful to policy makers, and informs citizens. CSED-sponsored research has been published by leading academic journals and presses in the areas of campaign finance, voting technology and election reform, presidential and congressional elections, religion and politics and democratic deliberation. CONTACT: Barbara Thatcher 408-701-7528 [email protected] SOURCE Deseret News Related Links http://www.deseretnews.com FILE PHOTO: Joaquin A judge in Mexico City has dismissed the efforts of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to halt his extradition to the US, where he faces homicide, money laundering, and drug-trafficking charges. The Mexican government signed off on Guzman's extradition in May, approving extradition requests from courts in Texas and California. But the drug lord's legal team has filed several appeals, including ones presented to a judge on September 26 that were rejected on Thursday. A statement from Mexico's attorney general on Thursday said the judge had ruled against Guzman, but the Sinaloa cartel kingpin's lawyers immediately confirmed to AFP that they would appeal to a higher court. Andres Granados, one of Guzman's lawyers, said he would get the court documents on Tuesday, and from that point have 10 days to file an appeal with a "college" of judges, according to AFP. "We are not defeated," he told AFP, saying he would pursue a hearing before the country's supreme court and that they could still take the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. He also said he thought the Mexican government intended to violate Guzman's due process rights by accelerating the extradition process. Andres Granados El Chapo Guzman lawyer attorney court legal extradition In mid-October, Mexico's national-security commissioner, Renato Sales, said the country hoped to send Guzman to the US by January or February 2017. Jose Refugio Rodriguez, one of Guzman's lawyers, disputed Sales' timeline, saying that all the conditions needed for the extradition to be carried out had not been met. One of Guzman's attorneys also said in late September that whatever ruling was made by the judge, both sides could be expected to appeal if the decision went against them. Story continues "If it doesn't favor us we are going to request a revision" by a panel of judges, the attorney, Andres Granados went on, noting that the kingpin's representatives could take the legal fight all the way to the country's supreme court. Guzman's lawyers have also alleged that the kingpin has faced torturous conditions, including isolation, reduced sleep, constant monitoring, and frequent movement between cells. Cruel and unusual treatment is torture, Rodriguez said in late September. The government of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has said was committed to extraditing Guzman who is currently being held at a prison outside of Ciudad Juarez since the drug lord was recaptured in January. The extradition process has dragged on since then, and estimates vary widely about when it could be carried out. Mexico El Chapo Guzman prison transfer Granados told AFP in September that if Guzman is "judged according to the law, he won't be extradited this year or during the six-year term" of current President Enrique Pena Nieto, which ends in 2018. A US government official told AFP that the Sinaloa cartel chief could be in US hands before the end of this year. A court decision is not the only avenue by which the Mexican government could rid itself of Guzman, according to Peter Vincent, a former legal adviser to the US Department of Homeland Security. "As a technical matter, the Mexican executive [branch] is not at all dependent on the Mexican judicial system to approve of extradition," Vincent told Business Insider. "It in fact has unilateral authority ... to ultimately approve of extradition, because extradition is after all a diplomatic matter, best handled by the executive branch." Peter Vincent 60 Minutes El Chapo Pena Nieto's predecessor, Felipe Calderon, took this step with Benjamin Arellano Felix, a Mexican kingpin and one-time enemy of Guzman. Arellano Felix was sent to the US despite a judge's order against it, with Calderon's government justifying it by saying the capo would not be tried in the US for charges he had already faced in the US. On the US side of the border, prosecutors in seven states are preparing, should Guzman ever wind up in their courtrooms. "The full weight of the United States government, predominantly the US Department of Justice, will assist whichever US attorney's office is actually essentially awarded the opportunity to prosecute him," Vincent told Business Insider. "And believe me, they all want the opportunity to prosecute him." NOW WATCH: 1 YEAR LATER: Heres what may come next for 'El Chapo' Guzman More From Business Insider LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent years, as China's economic development has entered a new normal, agricultural machinery industry also sees the end of a golden decade (2004-2013) of rapid growth and expands at a medium-high growth rate. In 2015, Chinese agricultural machinery enterprises with annual prime operating revenue of RMB20 million and more registered combined revenue of RMB428.37 billion, edging up 2.5% from a year ago, at the weakest pace over the past ten years. Features are presented as follows: 1) Agricultural machinery subsidies decline gradually. Funding for agricultural machinery subsidies and the subsidies for each set of agricultural machinery dropped and the scope of subsidies narrowed in 2015 and 2016. 2.) The level of agricultural mechanization improves. The total power of agricultural machinery was1.1 billion kilowatts in 2015 and is expected to hit 1.2 billion kilowatts in 2020. The overall level of mechanization in crop plowing, sowing, and harvesting came to 63% in 2015 and will touch 70% in 2020. 3) Standards for agricultural machinery emission are upgraded. The Ministry of Environmental Protection announced the implementation of Limits and Measurement Methods for Exhaust Pollutants from Diesel Engines of Non-road Mobile Machinery (CHINA III, IV) in January 2016, requiring that, from December 1st, 2016, all domestically-manufactured, imported and sold agricultural machinery shall not be equipped with the diesel engines that fail to conform to the Standard (III). 4) Demand for agricultural machinery changes. With evolution of farming practices from traditional ones to subsoiling and deep ploughing and of operator from individual household to family farm and agricultural machinery cooperative, the demand for large andhigh-power agricultural machinery has kept growing. In 2015, China experienced declines in both output and output value of tractors but saw over 30% increase in 100HP-above large tractors. 5) Import and export of agricultural machinery both fall. China imported USD2.28 billion and exported USD10.17 billion worth of agricultural machinery in 2015, down 8.4% and 3.8%, respectively, over the previous year. 6) "Agricultural Machinery + Internet" starts to prevail. In 2015, a group of e-commerce firms including Taobao and JD began pushing forward online agricultural machinery sales and services with agricultural machinery enterprises. With transformation and upgrading of the Chinese agricultural machinery market, domestic agricultural machinery enterprises have actively enhanced their corporate competitiveness via resource consolidation, merger & reorganization, and independent innovation. Foton Lovol International Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.: The company has accelerated its global strategy in recent years, taking full control of Arbos and MaterMacc in 2014, further integrating Lovol European Technical Center and factories of Arbos and MaterMacc to set up LovolArbos Group Spa in September 2015 and acquiring Italian GOLDONI, a well-known European manufacturer of orchard tractors, in the following December. Changzhou Dongfeng Agricultural Machinery Group Co., Ltd.: With tractors as its primary business, the company has been actively in exploring combine-harvester and rice transplanter markets. The company and Xinghua Economic Development Zone entered into an agreement on investment in XinghuaDongfeng Agricultural Machinery Industrial Park which will be primarily engaged in manufacturing of agricultural equipment like grain combine harvesters with Phase I starting construction in July 2016 and going into trial production in October 2017. Xingguang Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd.: In 2015, the company sold 7,796 combine harvesters, its leading products, and recorded revenue of RMB559 million, 95.5% of the company's total. To perfect product system, the company bought a 56.66% stake in Jiangsu Zhenggong Cotton-picker Co., Ltd. and a 51% stake in Hubei Yulong Machinery Co., Ltd. in March 2016. Global and China Agricultural Machinery Industry Report, 2016-2020 by ResearchInChina highlights the followings: Global agricultural machinery market and developments in major countries; Main policies on agricultural machinery and agricultural machinery subsidies in China; Agricultural machinery industry in China (overview, main products, status of key enterprises, and level of agricultural mechanization); Status quo of the Chinese tractor, harvester, rice transplanter, and agricultural vehicle markets; Agricultural machinery industry in 17 major provinces in China including Heilongjiang, Shandong, and Henan; 7 global and 18 major Chinese agricultural machinery enterprises (operation, R&D, development strategy, etc.). Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/286402/ 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 LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Scope of the Report The report titled "Global End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020)" provides an in-depth analysis of the global ESRD market with detailed analysis of market size and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides market size of each of the segments of the market on the basis of the treatment opted by the patients along with the detailed overview of the home dialysis market. The report provides detailed market share analysis of the global dialysis market by players as well. The report also includes the country analysis of the U.S. and Japan for ESRD market. It provides the analysis of ESRD patient volume along with the kidney transplant and dialysis market on the basis of the volume. The segments of the dialysis market are also analyzed in detail. The report provides detailed regional analysis of North America, Europe, Meddle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific and Latin America for the dialysis market. Regional analysis includes market size by volume along with the segments and clinic operators in each region. Furthermore, the report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global ESRD market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in the global dialysis market is stiff and dominated by the big players like FMC. Further, key players of the dialysis market Baxter and Davita are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies. Regional Coverage - North America - EMEA - Asia-Pacific - Latin America Country Coverage - The U.S. - Japan Company Coverage - Fresenius Medical Care - Baxter International - Davita Healthcare Partners Executive Summary End Stage renal disease (ESRD) occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to carry out their daily functions, requiring either dialysis or transplantation to sustain life. When properly functioning, kidneys act to filter the body of metabolic wastes, which are excreted as urine, and to maintain fluid balance. Chronic kidney failure, a decline in kidney function most often related to diabetes or hypertension, but resulting from other causes as well, including vascular disease, genetic disorders, and exposure to toxic levels of certain drugs. The best strategy for preventing ESRD is to detect chronic kidney failure at the earliest possible stage so that the decline in kidney function can be slowed through the use of medications and tight control of blood sugar and blood pressure levels. The global ESRD market increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 5 years, i.e. 2010-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The upsurge in the market was due to the various reasons such as is diabetic nephropathy, genetic diseases, infection, drugs, traumatic injury, major surgery and etc. The market can be segmented on the basis of treatment as kidney transplant and dialysis. The global dialysis market can be segmented on the basis of products and services. On the basis of products, the market is segmented into hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis while on the basis of services, the market is segmented into in-center dialysis and home dialysis. The growth drivers for the market are: rise in diabetic and aging population, upsurge in per capita healthcare expenditure along with the emerging countries such as India, China and Brazil. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: disparities in the access to renal transplant therapy, less public awareness and negative societal effects. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3912509/ 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 MIAMI, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS), a BARBRI Professional Association, today announced that renowned global security advisor and financial crime prevention expert Charles "Chuck" Andrews, MSME, CPP, CFE, has joined as Senior Advisor. In his new role, Andrews will focus on developing and maintaining relationships with clients in the financial, legal, education and law enforcement sectors. Andrews has more than 35 years of law enforcement, corporate security, business risk and consulting professional experience. He has also provided training and education in both domestic and international venues, organizations and corporations. He is known throughout the industry as a security expert across multiple business environments, and for his ability to successfully identify emerging issues and technologies that impact security programs in the business and government environments. Andrews has successfully implemented threat mitigation strategies that directly contributed to his clients' profits. In addition to his professional engagements and consultations, Andrews is the founder of Friends of Chuck (FOC), a security professionals' organization focused on networking, exchanging business opportunities and best practices, discovering new emerging security technologies, and sharing information. Through this organization, Andrews maintains more than 5,000 direct relationships and fosters approximately 27,000 working contacts within the law enforcement and corporate security sectors. Andrews received his degree from Sam Houston State University in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement/Police Science. "We're tremendously excited to have someone with Chuck's experience and reputation join our team," said ACFCS Executive Director Garry Clement, CAMS, CFE, CFCS. "Our clients view ACFCS as an expert resource and Chuck's addition certainly validates that." About ACFCS The Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS), a BARBRI Professional Association, is a worldwide organization for private and public sector professionals who work in diverse financial crime prevention disciplines, including anti-money laundering, FATCA-tax evasion, FCPA-corruption, fraud, data analytics and security, compliance, regulation, enforcement and more. ACFCS awards the Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS) certification to qualified candidates who pass a proctored examination offered at authorized testing centers around the world. Professionals in financial crime prevention from more than 50 nations have already obtained the CFCS certification. Contacts: ACFCS -- Cindy Parks - 913-526-6912 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160509/365140LOGO SOURCE Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists Related Links http://www.acfcs.org LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Scope of the Report The report titled "Global Shipbuilding Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020)" provides an in-depth analysis of the global shipbuilding market with detailed analysis of market size and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides market size of each of the segments of the market on the basis of the types of ships. The report provides detailed regional analysis of Asian countries, leading the global market, which are South Korea, Japan and China. Regional analysis includes market size of the basis of new orders, order book, order completions and delivery trend along with the commercial vessel market. The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. The current status of the overall global shipbuilding market has been analyzed, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in the global shipbuilding market is stiff and dominated by the big players like DSME. Further, key players of the market Hyundai Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies. Regional Coverage South Korea Japan China Company Coverage Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Company Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.? Executive Summary The maritime business has long been known for being cyclical. In times of growth and high profits, ship owners have positive cash flows and they order new capacity. This capacity, however, takes time to be delivered. There are waiting times, because shipbuilding berths tend to be full in times of prosperity; any new construction will only be started two to three years after it has been ordered, and then the construction itself can take up to one year. During the industry's boom years, the world saw records for new vessel orders being set year after year. The companies in this industry build and repair barges, cargo ships, naval vessels, and passenger ships, as well as platforms used for oil and gas drilling and production. The global shipbuilding market can be analyzed on the basis of new orders, order book and delivery trend of ships. Currently, the market is experiencing tough times but is expected to regain its momentum with Asia leading the global market. South Korea, China, and Japan are the leading countries in the market accounting almost the entire global shipbuilding market. The shipbuilders in a given country typically specialize in certain types of vessels. South Korean companies, tend to focus on containerships and tankers. China produces large numbers of dry bulk containers and Japan builds large numbers of oil tankers. The growth drivers of the global shipbuilding market, especially for the global shipbuilding market are: rise in seaborne trade & shipping confidence level and upsurge in the demand for eco-friendly ships. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: volatile oil prices, write-downs on existing backlogs, increasing competition in the commercial segment, delay in financial decisions, political & financial instability, financial crises and stringent environmental regulations. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3999070/ 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 REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GoFundMe, the world's largest social fundraising platform, today announced the ten recipients of the first GoFundMe Scholarship program, giving a total of $100,000 toward their education. Each of the ten students will be awarded $10,000 to help pay for their college expenses. To qualify for the scholarship, each student created a GoFundMe campaign, sharing personal stories of obstacles they've overcome in pursuing their education, how they've demonstrated character, and what winning the scholarship would mean to them with the hashtag #GFMScholarship. In just a week, the contest had more than 600 campaigns raise over $200,000 towards college expenses. "We're proud and excited to help these remarkable, determined students achieve their educational dreams," said Rob Solomon, GoFundMe CEO. "All of us here have been touched by the stories shared by the scholarship winners, and we can't wait to see how they'll continue to give back to their communities." The ten GoFundMe scholarship winners come from different backgrounds and have unique life goals, but all have been determined to get an education despite challenges that have come their way. From Emettra, a single mother who went back to school and is finishing up her senior year to Alan, who went from a life of gang violence to college dean's list. Over the past several years, students, teachers, and parents are increasingly turning to GoFundMe to raise money for education expenses, including tuition. In fact, in the last two years, over $100 million has been raised on GoFundMe for education related campaigns, making it the fastest growing category on the platform. Here are the winners of this year's GoFundMe Scholarship: Aubriana Mency is attending Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. When she was in second grade her father died of bone cancer, and she and her mother became homeless. Without a reliable home, the Boston native missed several months of school, but made a promise to both of her parents that she would always work hard in school. Mency received a scholarship from Hampshire that will pay for her first year in full, but she's raising money on GoFundMe to help with additional expenses in the years to come. Pauline Muturi came to the U.S. with her family from East Africa 19 years ago, and despite their struggles, her parents taught her the importance of perseverance and the value of getting an education. Pauline is a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) student and is not eligible for federal financial aid. She is currently attending Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, and while she works two jobs and maintains a 3.56 GPA, she worries if she'll be able to stay. Emettra Nelson is a single mother in her final year at Michigan State with only 19 credit hours between her and a degree in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Currently living in East Lansing, she recently learned she was not awarded the financial aid that she's had in previous years. While she works part-time, the money she makes is not enough to cover tuition. Emettra turned to GoFundMe to get to the finish line and make her daughter proud. Amir Fluellen's father has been incarcerated since before Amir could walk. The Philadelphia native is starting his freshman year at Salisbury University in Maryland. He and his two brothers were raised primarily by his mother, and at age 5, Amir made a promise to his parents that he would graduate from college. He was well on his way until his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Though she has recovered, the financial burden of her illness limited his family's ability to help him pay for college. Amir, an avid lacrosse player, turned to GoFundMe for help. Alyssa Wray is an honor student who graduated high school with a 4.01 GPA. Wray has always prioritized her education and was excited to attend Virginia Tech this fall. When her sister contracted a rare "flesh-eating" bacterial infection, which requires someone to be with her 24 hours a day, Alyssa and her family focused on her sister's recovery. Medical bills have taken a toll on the family, so Alyssa turned to GoFundMe to help with tuition for her first year at Virginia Tech. Alan Gonez loved school when he was younger, but after getting mixed up with the wrong crowd in middle school, and losing his close friends in gang shootings, Alan moved to a different school. It was there he joined the P.R.I.D.E program and turned his life around, raising his GPA from 1.8 to 3.8. After high school, Alan attended Cerritos Community College where he obtained a 4.0 GPA and made the Dean's List his last two semesters. Along with his full school load, he pursued extracurricular activities and volunteer opportunities to give back to his community. Alan is now attending UCLA studying Geography. Bezaleel (Bez) Balan was born in the Philippines and grew up in Guam. Her family then moved to San Francisco so she could pursue her college education. Her parents did cooking, cleaning, and construction jobs to support her undergraduate education at University of San Francisco, where she graduated magna cum laude. Bez is now in her final year of graduate school at the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design. Bez has designed an elementary school in Sudan and orphanages in Haiti. She works multiple jobs and maintains straight As in hopes of continuing to pay it forward. Sandy Gonzalez moved to the U.S. from Mexico at age 6, only to be abandoned by her mother. Her grandmother, an immigrant herself, fought to become her legal guardian and get Sandy permanent residency so she could stay in the U.S. and continue her education. Sandy is the first person in her family to attend college and is a sophomore at California Lutheran University with a GPA of 3.7. In three years, Gonzalez will be able to apply for citizenship and will also help her grandmother become a citizen. Sandy says she wants to help those in need so that they never have to feel alone in a big world like she did. She plans to go on to get her PhD in Psychology. Mayia Vranas was diagnosed with Tourette's and OCD in the 3rd grade. Despite her disability, Mayia stayed focused and graduated with straight As. She's now attending UC Berkeley, where she is studying physics and is the Co-VP of the Society for Physics Students. Because of her disability, Mayia cannot maintain a job on top of her academic schedule, but needs to take an extra semester for her courses. She plans to go on to graduate school in physics to receive her Ph.D., which she has dreamed of doing since she was a young girl. Thayne Yazzie grew up on a Navajo reservation without running water or electricity. When he was a child, he had an emergency where he was airlifted out of the remote area and rushed to a hospital. If not for that flight, he wouldn't have received the necessary medical treatment. He realized then that he wanted to help the Navajo Nation by giving them more access to healthcare and get a Medevac certification. He graduated from Western Washington University, moved back home to teach at his childhood school and is now at Eastern New Mexico University working towards his flight certification. Thayne is also a talented artist, and for each donation he received on his GoFundMe campaign he sent a piece of his art. About GoFundMe Launched in 2010, GoFundMe is the world's largest online fundraising platform, with over $3 billion raised so far. With a community of more than 25 million donors, GoFundMe is changing the way the world gives. SOURCE GoFundMe Related Links https://www.gofundme.com BEIJING, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Justin Luo, the Co-founder and CEO of Tujia, announced that the company had concluded a strategic agreement with Ctrip.com and Qunar.com to acquire their homestay businesses. Through this acquisition, the homestay channels of both Ctrip and Qunar's web sites and Apps, along with their operation teams and the entire business, will be merged into Tujia. It represents another strategic move by Tujia after its purchase of the short-term rental platform Mayi.com this June. This latest consolidation of homestay businesses is viewed as a deep integration of business resources and is expected to serve as a milestone for China's accommodation sharing industry, symbolizing that the market has exited the start-up stage and moved into the growth stage. Upon the completion of the deal Tujia will receive a wide range of benefits from Ctrip and Qunar, including inventory, traffic, branding and operations support. The purpose of the deal is to ensure that all users, guests and hosts can gain sustainable benefits. Meanwhile, Tujia will further strengthen its dominant position in China's accommodation sharing market. Justin Luo said that the acquisition was executed mainly out of the sustained optimism of all stakeholders towards the market and that the objective is to deliver a better user experience. With combined inventory and customer base plus unified IT systems, the new Tujia platform is about to create a better experience for both the guests and the hosts of shared accommodation. For the guests, the new platform means more choices on all of the platforms, higher standards and better services. For hosts, it means reducing overhead in dealing with multiple platforms, working with different systems and fragmented promotions. It also means a much larger exposure of their properties, which will almost guarantee higher income and lower cost. The goal of Tujia has never changed, which is to use accommodation sharing to create better lodging experiences for customers. The central themes of those experiences are accommodations for multiple people, for extended periods, at unique lodgings and in a greater number of locations. With full support from investors like Ctrip, more M&A may be coming to complete the industry chain According to Justin Luo, Tujia and its investors saw eye-to-eye on this M&A and rapidly reached a consensus, deciding to carry out the biggest M&A action in the industry. All parties share the same goal- providing better experiences to more users. Maria Sun, the Executive Vice President of Ctrip.com and CEO of Accommodation Division, said, "in the segmented vertical sector of the homestay and accommodation business, Tujia has built itself into a great brand and established a high reputation. Therefore, we are very pleased to integrate the favorable advantages by handing the homestay business of Ctrip over to Tujia, infusing more energy into the latter so as to create greater value for apartment owners and customers." Following this deal, Tujia will release a series of new products and services. The five strategies Tujia announced at its launch event in March have all been implemented, especially the RBA program (run by agents), which pilot-runs well in several key regions in China. Tujia has also expanded its overseas business. With offices operating in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Taiwan region, Tujia is committed to building a platform for Chinese customers to travel all over the world. Justin Luo said that this acquisition enables Tujia to basically complete the integration of the short-term rental platforms in China and that the company would focus on the fusion of the various online brands in the future, unify the management of inventory, improve the whole industrial chain, and, finally, push forward the standardization and regulation of the short-term rental industry. Any possible future merger will be considered in the context of completing the ecosystem and industry chain. Creating an ecosystem and setting apart online and offline business to launch the second five-year plan Alongside the announcement of the acquisition, Justin Luo also announced Tujia's launch of its next five-year plan, signaling that the company will enter a new fast-growing period after the start-up stage is concluded. This will help fuel the development and thriving of China's accommodation sharing industry. The five-year plan will focus on two dimensions - continuing to build the ecosystem and set apart Tujia's online and offline businesses. After five years of development, Tujia has become a leading accommodation sharing platform in China, delivering integrated solutions to guests, real estate developers and individual hosts. Currently, Tujia has built a complete supply chain layout from pre-real estate development to existing commercial apartment rentals by virtue of its innovative business models, Tu Li Fang, Tuyuan, RBO (run by owner), and RBA (run by agent), along with its various operation platforms such as guest booking, a commercial travel business, and host management. The corporate service chain layout has been expanded to related market sectors through such platforms as Tuli, Xiantu, and Tuzhu. Meanwhile, the company has boosted its short- and long-term lodging and serviced apartment business chain through such partners as 51wofang, 52xiaoluo, and Ascott, and the acquisition of Mayi has completed its industrial layout in the short-term rental sector. All these moves will extend the industry's ecological chain and help paint a coordinated and integrated picture for the industry. The acquisition of the homestay businesses of Ctrip and Qunar represents a strategic move for its online platform. In addition, Tujia is set to complete its online and offline business separation soon. Tujia's offline business includes the self-managed homestay brand Sweetome, which has become a benchmark in China's vacation rental sector, the self-managed villa and resort brand Tu Villa, which was also launched on October 16th this year, and several other business branches. The online business includes Tujia.com, Mayi.com and the newly acquired business units of Ctrip and Qunar. The division between online and offline operations will help both of Tujia's business lines to be more focused and have bigger room for growth in the future. The acquisition of the homestay businesses of Ctrip and Qunar once again demonstrate that the accommodation sharing industry has entered the fast growth stage, and that providing richer products and better services will be the key to win the market. The integration of the four major platforms, Tujia, Ctrip, Qunar, and Mayi, is the starting point for a brighter business future. SOURCE Tujia Related Links http://tujia.com DENVER, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotel Engine today announced the official launch of a client solution to enhance workforce benefits. Companies can roll-out Hotel Engine to their entire workforce in 24 hours or less. Their workforce will receive members-only access to more than 80,000 hotels across North America and Europe, offering rates up to 60 percent off public prices. "We understand that travel benefits in the workplace are sought after now more than ever," said Elia Wallen, President of Hotel Engine. "We wanted to provide employers with a way to quickly and easily enhance their workforce benefits, strengthening their position to better compete in today's fierce market for top talent." The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) recently issued a study noting that travel benefits are among the top ten most desired employee benefits. Hotel Engine's new offering is free to employers, and does not require any contracts or minimum spend. Hotel Engine is trusted by more than 8,000 businesses of all sizes, and provides them with 24/7 customer support and substantial time and cost savings. To get started, a company simply needs to request access. Learn more about Hotel Engine's workforce benefits. About Hotel Engine Hotel Engine, a Travelers Haven company, provides hotel booking solutions designed for business. Hotel Engine offers up to 60 percent off public rates at thousands of locations across North America, Europe, and Latin America for both work and play. Hotel Engine's vast partner network, smart technology, and passionate people enable them to offer a full suite of tools and features for businesses to optimize and manage their hotel programs. For more information, go to www.hotelengine.com. Hotel Engine and the Hotel Engine logo are registered trademarks in the U.S. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2016 Hotel Engine, LLC. All rights reserved. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160914/407663LOGO SOURCE Hotel Engine Related Links http://www.hotelengine.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hudson Ferry Capital is pleased to announce that it made an investment in Laguna Tools, Inc. ("Laguna Tools") on March 31, 2016. Founded in 1983, Laguna Tools (www.lagunatools.com) is an Irvine, California-based manufacturer of CNC machinery and award-winning band saws, table saws, edge banders, lathes, dust collectors and other woodworking equipment. Laguna Tools is led by President Torben Helshoj, Chief Operating Officer Stephen Stoppenbrink and Vice President Catherine Helshoj. The management team of Laguna Tools has retained a significant equity ownership in the company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "We are excited to be executing our growth plans and partnering with Hudson Ferry Capital," said Torben Helshoj. "They are experienced investors and we look forward to working with them as we continue to expand our product lines and grow our customer base." "Laguna Tools has built a great portfolio of CNC machinery and woodworking equipment," said Bruce Robertson, Partner at Hudson Ferry Capital. "We believe Torben, Catherine, Stephen and their team have done an excellent job building a company with a premier brand name. We look forward to working with Laguna to continue the Company's success." About Hudson Ferry Capital Hudson Ferry Capital (www.hudsonferry.com) is a New York-based private equity firm that specializes in investing in lower middle market companies. The firm partners with entrepreneurial owners and managers of established privately-owned companies that are differentiated through product or process innovation. The principals of Hudson Ferry Capital have invested in dozens of niche manufacturers, business services companies and outsourcing providers over the last several decades. As a trusted financial partner, Hudson Ferry Capital can provide liquidity to current owners, provide capital to execute a growth strategy, and assist in transitioning an organization from a smaller or regional family-owned business into a larger, integrated enterprise. SOURCE Hudson Ferry Capital Related Links http://www.hudsonferry.com MANCHESTER, Pa., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy today visited Northeastern High School in York County to discuss the Department of Health's efforts to provide schools with the overdose reversal medication naloxone. She also commended Northeastern High School for their drug education and awareness efforts and spoke with students and administrators about the important role the community plays in battling the opioid epidemic. "Schools like Northeastern are essential to helping students, families, and communities make better choices and help us in the fight against this public health crisis. Having naloxone readily available in schools could help save lives," said Secretary Murphy. Earlier this month, a total of 128 public high schools, including charter schools, intermediate units, and career and technical centers, each received two free doses of naloxone. Doses are still available for other interested school districts. Any school districts who have not yet obtained naloxone from the Department of Health, but would like to, can find more information here. In February, the Wolf Administration partnered with Pennsylvania-based pharmaceutical company Adapt Pharma to increase statewide access to Narcan, a brand of naloxone, including distribution to schools. Pennsylvania is the first state to implement what will serve as a model partnership program for other states. Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose from prescription pain medication or heroin. When administered during an overdose, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and restores breathing within two to eight minutes. Naloxone has been used safely by medical professionals for more than 40 years and its only function is to reverse the effects of opioids on the brain and respiratory system in order to prevent death. Anyone can obtain naloxone by filling a prescription from a health care provider or by using the standing order issued by Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine. The standing order, which serves as a naloxone prescription for anyone in the general public to use, is kept on file at many pharmacies. The standing order can also be downloaded from the Department of Health website. The Wolf Administration holds the fight against heroin and prescription opioids as a top priority. Some of the administration's other initiatives include: Strengthening the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) so that doctors are required and able to check the system each time they prescribe opioids; Better preparing doctors and physicians for prescribing opioids and pain management drugs to improve medical school and continuing education curricula on opioids; Limiting the number of opioids a patient can receive at emergency rooms to a seven-day supply with no refills; Requiring insurance companies to cover abuse deterrent opioids that make it more difficult to abuse these drugs; and Establishing a voluntary directive to allow patients who do not want to be prescribed opioids the ability to deny or refuse the administration of these drugs. You may view the list of schools approved for naloxone on the department's website. For more information on how the department is fighting the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania, visit the opioid abuse page. MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1783 SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Health Related Links http://www.state.pa.us NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The influenza diagnostics market is expected to reach USD 3.3 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Influenza, or "the flu," is an infectious disease and affects the upper respiratory tract in humans. The disease is common in children and elderly population (aged 65 years and above). The disease has a huge impact on public health. Influenza A virus poses a greater risk as compared to the influenza B virus. The B virus is responsible for 20% to 25% of infections globally. The growth in the influenza diagnostic market is attributed to factors such as emergence of technologically advanced diagnostic tests with shorter turnaround time; initiatives by regulatory bodies, such as CDC's seasonal influenza vaccination for prevention and control of seasonal influenza; and the demand created for influenza diagnosis in the flu season. Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests (RIDTs) accounted for the largest share in 2015. RIDTs are tests that deliver accurate results in approximately 15 minutes. This factor deems them efficient, which has resulted in the lucrative growth of this segment with the fastest CAGR. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) holds the second highest market share following RIDTs, and this can be attributed to the fact that it provides detailed analytical results, sharper turnaround times, and high throughput. Hospitals held the highest market share in 2015, but Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) is anticipated to overtake and lead the market in the coming future, owing to the increasing usage of POCT because of its ease of use and short turnaround times. North America dominates the market, due to a high focus of the government and healthcare bodies to control influenza. Further Key Findings From the Study Suggest: North America is anticipated to dominate the global influenza diagnostics market. The high adoption rates of in vitro diagnostics and presence of technologically advanced medical devices is expected to drive growth in the region. The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to be the fastest growing region in the study period. This growth is attributed to factors such as increasing initiatives by the countries to counter the incidence of the disease. For instance, CDC reached a cooperative agreement with South-East Asian Region to fund non research-related bilateral influenza as a measure to respond to avian, seasonal, and pandemic influenza. The RIDT segment is expected to grow at a significant rate compared to others and accounts for the largest share in 2015. This market comprises several local as well as global players. Some of the major players of this vertical include Becton, Dickinson and Company, Roche Diagnostics, Alere, Quidel Corporation, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04230385-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 MORRISTOWN, N.J., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) celebrated "New Jersey Careers in Utilities Week" today with a demonstration event in Morristown for public officials showcasing the special training and equipment needed to help provide safe and reliable electric service to customers. JCP&L President Jim Fakult and New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Commissioner Joseph Fiordaliso welcomed guests, including municipal officials and community leaders, to a company facility in Morristown. Employees from JCP&L's line, substation and meter reading departments participated in skills demonstrations and displayed the equipment they use on a daily basis to safely perform their jobs. Several employees who graduated from JCP&L's Power Systems Institute Program, a workforce development partnership with Brookdale Community College and Raritan Valley Community College created to train line workers and substation personnel, also attended. "Careers in Utilities Week offers an opportunity to raise awareness of the wide variety of jobs that are essential to providing safe and reliable utility service to New Jersey residents and businesses," said Commissioner Fiordaliso. "Many careers in the New Jersey utility sector offer stable employment, and with an estimated 50 percent retirement rate over the next five years, it is imperative that we begin to attract and train the workers of tomorrow to ensure reliable utility service in the future." The event included: Pole climbing demonstrations Safety exercises Overhead lines and substation equipment demonstrations Special aerial truck with a boom and bucket that can extend to 197 feet and is used for work on transmission lines and structures. "Even as our job market continues to evolve, what doesn't change is that JCP&L line workers and other support personnel always will be needed to ensure that electricity is delivered to customers in a safe and reliable manner," said JCP&L President Jim Fakult. "By supporting Careers in Utilities Week, we hope prospective employees realize that working for a utility is not just a job, but rather a rewarding career choice, with good benefits, that can be a great source of pride in the communities where they live." During the event, Fakult announced that JCP&L's Power System Institute Program will be holding information sessions for prospective students for the fall 2017 program in November. The sessions will take place on Thursday, November 3, 2016, from 6-8 p.m. at Brookdale Community College, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, N.J.; and on Thursday, November 10, 2016, from 6-8 p.m. at Raritan Valley Community College, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, N.J. Tuition, required books, lab fees and special clothing and tools will be paid by JCP&L for qualifying students. Information about future enrollment in the Power Systems Institute is available at www.firstenergycorp.com/psi or by calling 800-829-6801. JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE). JCP&L serves 1.1 million New Jersey customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL or online at www.jcp-l.com. Editor's Note: Photos of JCP&L's "New Jersey Careers in Utilities Week" event are available for download on Flickr. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Joey New York, Inc. (OTC: JOEY) a Health, Beauty and Medical company, is scheduled to present at RedChip's Global Online Growth Conference on Thursday, October 20, 2016, at 1:00 pm 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 Joey New York, Inc. Joey New York was founded in 1993. The company has had great success selling its beauty products in prestige department stores, salons and spas throughout the world. Joey Chancis, the company's Founder and CEO decided to take her company into the Public Arena in 2013 for the sole purpose of acquiring small and innovative up and coming Beauty Brands to essentially being an incubator for them, while growing her own company at the same time. Chancis realized from her own experience how challenging the Beauty Industry could be when you don't have the Proper Capital and Infrastructure to compete with the major Beauty Brands. She felt that by having access to the capital markets they would give the Joey New York brand as well as all the brands in the JOEY Portfolio the opportunity and the ability to take their companies to a greater level along with hers. Contact: Michael Sullivan (407) 712-8960 [email protected] SOURCE Joey New York, Inc. Federal District Judge Vince Chhabria has granted the SBA's motion to dismiss the case stating, "The upshot is that Congress enacted a statute requiring the Small Business Administration to provide information about the participation of small businesses in federal contracting. If the Small Business Administration is giving Congress bad information, then Congress can do something about it, either in an oversight or legislative capacity." "This is not unexpected," says ASBL President Lloyd Chapman, "This case would uncover billions in fraud in federal small business contracting programs. If the Federal courts cannot stop fraud in federal small contracting, where do you go?" The Small Business Act mandates small businesses receive a minimum of 23% of all federal contracts. Within that goal are separate goals for small businesses owned by women, minorities and service-disabled veterans. The Congressional Budget Office reported an acquisition budget of $1.2 trillion in 2015. Twenty-three percent (what small businesses are legally entitled to) would equal a minimum of $276 billion. In 2015, the SBA only used an acquisition budget of $370 billion, a major decline from the $1.2 trillion. The ASBL estimates that as opposed to the $276 billion legitimate small businesses should have received in 2015, they likely received between $35 to $40 billion or just 3% of all federal contracts. A Government Accountability Office investigation uncovered the SBA had falsified the government's compliance with the 23% small business contracting goal by including billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to over 5,300 Fortune 500 firms and other large businesses. Professor Charles Tiefer, one of the nation's leading experts in federal contracting law and former Commissioner of Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, submitted a declaration in support of the ASBL case. "If the lawsuit had been allowed to get its rightful day in court on the merits, the lawsuit would have required the SBA to give all small businesses -- and doubly so for minority, women-owned, and disabled veteran businesses -- a larger and proper share of federal procurement." The ASBL will be appealing the case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Contact: Kyle Hilmoe [email protected] 707-789-9575 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140811/135286 SOURCE American Small Business League Related Links http://www.asbl.com LOS ANGELES and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ketchum, one of the world leaders in communications and public relations, today announced the appointment of two new associate directors in Ketchum West. Suzanne Maloney, partner and director of strategic and creative planning, and Kevin Oates, partner and director of the Ketchum West Corporate & Public Affairs Practice, assume the roles of associate directors for Ketchum West, effective immediately. Maloney and Oates will continue to be based in Ketchum's San Francisco and Los Angeles offices, respectively. Both seasoned veterans within the agency, Maloney and Oates will partner closely with Ketchum West director Melissa Kinch in their new roles to oversee operations for the Ketchum West regional business while continuing to fulfill their client responsibilities and business development efforts. "Sue and Kevin already bring their unique points of view and trusted counsel to our clients' communication strategies every day," said Barri Rafferty, partner and president of Ketchum. "Their commitment to leadership, creativity and client service will continue to steer the Ketchum West region on the forward-looking growth path that has become the agency's hallmark." During Maloney's 17-year career at Ketchum, she has contributed to shaping Ketchum's reputation as one of the marquee creative communications organizations. Prior to her current strategic and creative planning role, Maloney led the agency's San Francisco Brand Marketing Practice, building a roster of notable consumer brand clients. Today, her boundless energy and creative passion help drive countless award-winning campaigns on behalf of many of the agency's clients, spanning consumer products, food, wellness and financial services, among other sectors. "Sue recognizes that in serving our clients, not only is what we do tremendously important, but how we do it also matters," said Kinch. "In this spirit, Sue focuses on both the 'what' and 'how' equally, constantly driving toward creative, dynamic, innovative campaigns that shape storytelling on behalf of our clients. I'm thrilled to continue partnering with Sue in her new role." Oates, having joined Ketchum in its internship program 17 years ago, has since worn many hats in Ketchum West's Corporate & Public Affairs Practice. As a client director, senior vice president and director, Oates and his teams have created and executed client programs recognized with seven PRSA Silver Anvil awards and three SABRE Awards of Excellence. He also has been at the center of Ketchum's involvement in the automotive industry, having grown the agency's expertise in this space over the last decade. Kinch said of Oates: "Kevin understands the complex intersection of corporate reputation, consumer brand marketing and pop culture, and has a unique ability to spot trends and conversations in this intersection that impact our work and, often, our clients' worlds. I look forward to Kevin's continued steadfast leadership in Ketchum West." About Ketchum Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The winner of 19 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented five PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, visit www.ketchum.com. About Omnicom Public Relations Group Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. SOURCE Ketchum Related Links http://www.ketchum.com Kidde worked with Firehouse , the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to create the "Step Up and Stand Out" program. Launched nationwide in February, " Step Up and Stand Out " asked fire departments and the public to submit videos nominating a current volunteer firefighter or support volunteer for recognition of their community service. Once submissions were accepted, the public had the opportunity to vote online to determine the winner with the highest score. "We appreciate everyone who took the time to vote and show support for Bob Love and volunteer firefighters across the nation. These men and women play a critical role in keeping our communities safe, and it's important to us that we do our part in recognizing their efforts and service," said Chris Rovenstine, vice president of sales and marketing, Kidde. "I would like to encourage everyone to learn more about becoming a volunteer for their local fire department and continue to raise awareness about fire and carbon monoxide safety." The winner of "Step Up and Stand Out" received a $1,000 training grant for his fire department and additional prizes including a free trip for two to Nashville, Tennessee. All of the top finalists of the contest received a prize pack consisting of 200 Kidde smoke alarms for their local fire department, a NFPA Fire Prevention Week Kit and more. About Kidde Kidde is a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and fire extinguishers, and has been delivering advanced fire-safety technology since it produced the first integrated smoke detection and carbon dioxide extinguishing system nearly 100 years ago. Kidde is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.kidde.com or follow @KiddeSafety on Twitter. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430896 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430895LOGO SOURCE Kidde Related Links http://www.kidde.com Ms. Hian's design philosophy is one in which " color, shape and texture can be combined with modern style in a timeless way ." A proponent of looking put-together at all times, she wears her own designs and finds a kinship with women who similarly are strong, independent-minded and have their own sense of style. For Fall/Winter 2016, her knit tweeds and abstract plaids are intended to look crisp and soft at the same time "to reflect the feminine/menswear vibe I am looking to portray." Hian has developed cutting edge knitwear materials that resemble wovens to complement her designs. "I created the embroidered soutache material for the killer boardroom Patricia /Renee Suit- either in black/black or navy/black. And I dreamed up a lightweight herringbone to mix with double faced jacquard plaid to pleat into the Emily dress or combine with solid double faced black sleeves to create the Maryse jacket. This herringbone tweed looks staid in black and white, and then heats up when knitted in electric blue and juxtaposed against the black blocks of color." The colors run the spectrum from black and navy to azure blue, poppy and electric blue into tonal greys. "I see these colors and the mixtures of them as 'Paula neutrals'... to cleanse the palate. I am not a beige person- ever. Rarely pastels. These colors feel Fall 16 to me rather than the browns and more traditional autumn-looking shades. The touches of grey I feel gives it the fall edge, and adding white for highlights." Ms. Hian frequently travels to Paris, where she oversees the manufacturing of her designs. She also designs custom pieces for select celebrity (and ultra) clients. The Paula Hian Collection is presently available online at www.paulahian.com and select specialty stores. About Paula Hian The daughter of a prominent photographer and classical musician, Hian knew she wanted to be a fashion designer since age five, when she began sketching, cutting, and using a sewing machine to create her own wardrobe. She majored in art history at Northwestern University and attended New York's Fashion Institute of Technology as a graduate student. While pursuing her post-graduate design degree, at F.I.T, she was selected to participate in the famous Concours International Des Jeunes Createurs De Mode Competition, one of the world's most prestigious international competitions for fashion students, in Paris, where she was awarded first prize for the US. Her winning dress can be found in the permanent collection of the Louvre. Her label was born there, with France forever stamped as the birthplace of her career. For Fall/Winter 2016 collection images, click here. (Photographed by Hugo Arturi). For more information, email [email protected], call 215-487-3067, or at www.paulahian.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430748 SOURCE Paula Hian Related Links http://paulahian.com CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Secure Futures LLC, a Staunton-based solar development company, and the Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) co-hosted a dedication ceremony at Monticello High School for the largest installed solar photovoltaic array on a public school system in the Commonwealth of Virginia, totaling 1.1MW on six Albemarle schools. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe keynoted the event, highlighting how this project supports the Commonwealth's energy and economic development goals. The Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between Secure Futures and ACPS represents a milestone in Virginia, as the first solar installation on a public school system in the Commonwealth under the 2013 Pilot PPA Program legislation. With zero capital investment by ACPS and annual savings projections of $3,800, the system will provide 22% of the annual electricity requirements for the six schools it serves. "We are thrilled to work with ACPS, as the school district charts new territory in the Commonwealth. This collaboration not only benefits the schools in energy savings and curriculum enhancement, but it also creates a positive precedent for other school systems to follow," said Dr. Tony Smith, CEO of Secure Futures. "We're very thankful to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the $500,000 REAP grant that made financing for this project possible with City National Bank and Virginia Community Capital." Under the 20-year PPA, Secure Futures builds, owns, operates and maintains the solar photovoltaic system, and sells the solar electricity to ACPS. SolarWorld Americas, the largest U.S. manufacturer of mono-crystalline solar panels, provided the panels, engineering, procurement, and construction management for the project. The 1.1MW solar photovoltaic system grew out of a three-year campaign initiated by ACPS students seeking to increase their school's economic resources while reducing its environmental footprint. One of the student activists, Elenor Glassco, said "As more schools install solar panels, more students will learn about energy and the environment." Secure Futures, LLC, a solar development company headquartered in Staunton, VA, combines state-ofthe-art solar technology with an innovative business model to make commercial scale solar readily affordable in Virginia. The company currently owns and operates over 1,950 kilowatts of solar properties in Virginia, which will save over 63,160 tons of CO2 over their 35-year lifetime. Contact: Jesse Reist Secure Futures LLC [email protected] 717-606-2593 SOURCE Secure Futures LLC Related Links http://www.securefutures.us LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Executive Summary The report titled "Malaysia Furniture Market Outlook to 2020 Growth in Furniture export & rise in trend of online furniture sales to drive future" provides a comprehensive analysis of Furniture market in Malaysia. The report covers various aspects such as market size of Furniture market, market size of furniture export and import, segmentation by Residential furniture market, non-residential furniture market, organized and unorganized market, Product categories, types of material used, by utility. The report also provides competitive landscape and profile of major players operating in Furniture market of Malaysia. The future analysis of overall furniture market and by segments has also been discussed in each of the sub segment. The report is useful for furniture exporters, retailers, manufacturers and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future. Malaysia Furniture Market The furniture industry in Malaysia has undergone a dynamic change from traditional operations to technology driven industry over the last few years 2010-2015. The growth in the furniture industry in past decades was phenomenal and was quite evident through consistent surge in exports. In 2015, the furniture industry of Malaysia was valued at USD ~ million. The market had grown at a CAGR of ~% during 2010-15. Malaysia furniture market has witnessed a growth in recent years on account of increase in furniture export, rising demand for Malaysian Furniture products globally, increase in residential and Non-Residential units, increase in travel & Tourist industry and entry of new players. The surge in growth is majorly originated from growth in export market. Malaysia furniture market has been segmented by residential and non-residential market and by organized and unorganized market. Residential furniture market accounted for a market share of ~% and non-residential furniture market had accounted for ~% in the overall Malaysia furniture market. The furniture market of Malaysia has been predominantly driven by the small scale unorganized sector which has accounted for ~% of the furniture producing outlets in 2015. The unorganized market has accounted for a market share of ~% in 2015.the online furniture market had increase from USD ~ million in 2010 to USD ~ Million in 2015. It has been forecasted that the furniture market of Malaysia will increase at a CAGR of ~% during 2016-20 to be valued at USD ~ million. Residential Furniture Market In Furniture industry, the residential furniture market is booming in Malaysia. Residential furniture market has dominated the domestic furniture industry with a share of ~% in 2015. The residential furniture market size had been driven by the increase in residential units in the country, increase in disposable income, the concept of fully furnished apartments, growth of the middle-class income segment and change in customers' preference towards branded products. The market size of residential furniture in 2015 was USD ~ million grown at a CAGR of ~% during 2010-2015. In residential furniture market, the major demand is originated through bedroom furniture products in 2015, followed by living room, dining room & kitchen furniture. Bed has contributed largely in terms of sales revenue in product category list of residential furniture segment. The other important categories are Sofa Sets, Dressers, Dining table, cabinets and others. In residential sector, wooden material furniture contributed to ~ % share in 2015 in terms of sales revenue. Metal furniture and plastic furniture commanded ~ % and ~ % share respectively. The other material furniture includes fabric furniture, leather furniture, upholstery and others. Kuala Lumpur and George Town were the major cities, which contributed largely to residential furniture market with the share of ~ % and ~ % respectively in terms of sales revenue in 2015. It is anticipated that the market for residential furniture will increase in at a CAGR of ~% from 2016-20 to be values at USD ~ million in 2020. Non-Residential Furniture Market The non-residential segment includes furniture which are used in hotels, bars and restaurants, lodges, offices, manufacturing companies, Shopping Malls and others small and large scale business firms. In 2015, the share of non-residential furniture in overall furniture market was ~%. The market for Non-residential furniture was valued at USD ~ million in 2015, grown at a CAGR of ~% during 2010-2015. The growth in the hospitality sector and travel & tourism industry will enhance the structure of hotel industry in the country, which will lead to the growth Non-residential furniture market in Malaysia. Non-Residential furniture market was primarily guided through office and industrial furniture during 2015, which was followed by hotel and retail furniture. The other furniture market in non-residential segment encompasses hospital furniture, school college furniture and others. Customized based and contract based furniture plays an important role in Non-Residential sector. The star hotels, resorts, bars & Restaurants mostly prefer customized furniture as the furniture can be designed as per their needs and it can be sync with the interiors. The other normal class hotels, bars, restaurant prefer contract based furniture over customized furniture as the customized furniture are expensive and they take more time for installation than contract based furniture. It has been forecasted that the non-residential furniture market will grow at a CAGR of ~% from 2016-2020 to be valued at USD ~ million in 2020. Competition in Furniture Space There is an intense competition between the furniture companies in residential furniture market in the country. The leading organized players in Residential furniture markets such as Lorenzo furniture, Teakia Furniture, Maju Home, Macy Home Furniture, IKEA and others are facing tough competition from the unorganized players in the country. These organized players are focusing on increase in their presence in all the cities of Malaysia. The companies such as Lazada, Rakuten You beli are some of the leading players of online sell of Furniture in Malaysia. The online furniture market had been growing at a CAGR of ~% during 2010-2015. In 2010, the market was valued at USD ~ million and has currently increased to USD ~ million in 2015. Key Topics Covered in the Report: -The market size of the Malaysia Furniture market. -The market size of residential furniture market. -Market segmentation of the Residential market on the basis of product category, utility, demand from major cities, Distribution channel -The market size of Non-residential furniture market. -Market segmentation of the Non-Residential market on the basis of customized furniture and contract based furniture, By utility -The market size of the Malaysia Online Furniture market. -Competitive landscape of leading players in Malaysia Furniture Market. -Porters Five forces analysis of Malaysia Furniture market -Trade scenario of Malaysia Furniture market -Trends and Development in the Malaysia Furniture market -Issues and challenges for Malaysia Furniture market -Government Regulations in Malaysia Furniture market -Competitive landscape detailed company profiles and market share of the major exporters, retailers, manufacturers of Malaysia Furniture market -Macro Economic factors affecting Malaysia Furniture market -Future outlook and projections of Malaysia Furniture market on the basis of residential & Non-residential Furniture market Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3940201/ 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 CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in Indiana as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in Kentucky as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in Ohio as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in Pennsylvania as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in South Carolina as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in Tennessee as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com HOUSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dennard - Lascar Associates, LLC, a leading provider of advanced investor relations counsel and innovative analytical services, today announced that Mark Preng has joined the firm as Senior Vice President in its Houston office. He will be responsible for new business development and expanding client relationships. Preng joins Dennard - Lascar from Gulf Bend Resources, LLC, a private exploration and production company, where he managed business development, finance, and capital market relationships. Prior to Gulf Bend, Mark Preng served as an executive search consultant for Preng & Associates, specializing in financial opportunities within the energy sector. He began his career on Wall Street, ultimately building and managing a trading floor for a large equity trading firm. Ken Dennard, Dennard - Lascar's CEO & Managing Partner, stated, "We are excited that Mark has accepted this key role within our firm. His experience and expertise in the energy sector will be a great addition to our firm and our clients. There is an enormous opportunity to expand our practice through his broad network, and it is a great reward to have someone of his caliber on our team." Preng earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Dartmouth College. He is a member of Independent Producers of America (IPAA); Houston Energy Finance Group; Acquisition, Divestiture, and Mergers Group of Houston (ADAM); and Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). He is an executive board member for Sugar Land Little League and a volunteer for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Preng added, "The ability to join an established, well-respected firm and uniquely combine my past experiences into a new opportunity is beyond thrilling. Dennard - Lascar has a proven track record of efficiently and effectively assisting its clients, and I am looking forward to extending the firm's reach while helping management teams improve their visibility with Wall Street audiences." About Dennard - Lascar Associates Dennard - Lascar Associates has provided customized, expert IR counsel, strategic planning and tactical support to public and pre-IPO companies since 1997. Each of our Senior IR professionals has more than 20 years of industry expertise, and our senior analysts bring sell-side and buy-side experience and insight to our customized client service programs. For more information regarding clients or services, please visit www.DennardLascar.com or call (713) 529-6600. SOURCE Dennard-Lascar Associates Related Links http://www.dennardlascar.com FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Miami Grill has further solidified its expansion into the global marketplace with the recent formation of Miami Grill International, Inc., and the appointment of International entrepreneur, Stephen Austin Saldanha as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Saldanha brings deep international perspective and experience to the Miami Grill expansion, and under his leadership, Miami Grill International will be responsible for the growth of the Miami Grill and Salad Creations operations outside of the USA. Currently, Miami Grill is operating primarily in South Florida, but has already started its International growth with restaurants open or currently under construction in Guyana, Malaysia, Panama, Myanmar and Ecuador. Saldanha is already in discussions with potential franchisees in 12 other countries and 20 more cities. According to Richard Chwatt, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Miami Grill Group, the creation of Miami Grill International, Inc. aligns with both current developments and future plans for the company. "The diversity of our brand has already brought success to our existing international franchises, and as we aggressively pursue more international locations, it makes sense to lay a foundation and put structure to our plans by forming a designated entity that brings laser focus to our goals," he said. "Stephen is an exceptional leader with a demonstrated international track record," Chwatt added. "We look forward to partnering with him on our expansion goals." About Miami Grill South-Florida based Miami Grill is the hottest fast casual concept to hit the market, developed by the same owners as Miami Subs, Miami Subs Capital Partners 1, Inc., and key equity partner, Armando Christian "Pitbull" Perez. Miami Grill and its "Everything Goes" concept embody the taste and sensations of South Beach and provide a diverse menu unlike any other chain in the category. For franchising and other information, visit www.miamigrillfranchise.com. SOURCE Miami Grill "Repeal of Michigan's wholly unique and uncompetitive Health Insurance Claims Assessment, or 'HICA Tax,' has long been a priority for the Michigan Chamber because the tax makes it more costly and difficult for individuals and employers to purchase health insurance," said Jim Holcomb, Senior Vice President for Business Advocacy & General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber. "We applaud the Michigan Senate and House for their leadership in making health insurance more affordable." "We strongly urge Governor Snyder to sign this common sense and bipartisan legislation," added Holcomb. "The HICA Tax was hurriedly put into place in 2011 because the Use Tax on Medicaid Managed Care Organizations was subject to federal scrutiny and it was thought it would be deemed an impermissible mechanism to draw down federal dollars to help fund Michigan's traditional Medicaid program," said Wendy Block, Director of Health Policy & Human Resources for the Michigan Chamber. "Five years later, we can safely say the HICA Tax has been a total flop, as it not only has added over $1 billion to the cost of health insurance, but also has proven to be an unstable and inadequate revenue source for the state." "Absent this legislation, the state faces an annual shortfall for the general fund in Fiscal Year 2017 and beyond and a fiscal cliff in 2020 when the current HICA tax expires, leaving the state with a $332 million annual shortfall," added Block. "Although some say there may be too many 'risks' associated with this legislation, there are even bigger risks associated with doing nothing." "This solution presented to the Governor will restructure the existing Use Tax on Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) by bringing the tax into compliance with federal law," Block noted. "In doing so, the state can fully preserve necessary funding for Michigan's traditional Medicaid program and boost the School Aid Fund by over $150 million." "The Senate bills are a win-win-win," concluded Holcomb. "The bills are a win for individuals and businesses who will see their health insurance premiums drop and a win for the state budget because it allows Michigan to continue to collect and use MCO Use Tax revenues and use those revenues for the School Aid Fund and other budget priorities. It is also a win for those serving the Medicaid population because this legislation will ensure there's a stable revenue source to reimburse providers for their services." The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is a statewide business organization representing approximately 6,700 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber represents businesses of every size and type in all 83 counties of the state. The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan's job providers in the legislative, political and legal process. It is one of only six state chambers accredited by the U.S. Chamber and one of only four state chambers accredited with distinction. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140812/135529 SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce Related Links http://www.michamber.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Monetary Metals announces that it has hired three Relationship Managers. This team works to identify investors who can benefit from the Monetary Metals Gold Exponential Fund, the only fund that offers a yield on gold, paid in gold ounces. The company has set a goal of 60,000 ounces (about two tons) of gold under management in its Gold Exponential Fund by the end of 2017. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430367LOGO The company welcomes on board Daniel Rozzi, who was previously a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley, Dickson Buchanan and Addison Quale who were previously at Schiff Gold. This department is structured to collaborate closely. "We have incorporated both conventional investment and gold subject matter experts. This team will drive growth of our unique offer of a yield on gold, paid in gold," said Keith Weiner, CEO of Monetary Metals. Regulatory compliance for sales activity will be supervised by Monetary Metals partner Ashton Stewart & Co., a registered broker dealer, Member FINRA & SIPC. The Monetary Metals Gold Exponential Fund is a managed, private investment created to meet the needs of sophisticated investors looking to put their gold to work. The Fund seeks to compound investors' physical gold, while vaulting it outside the banking system to avoid counterparty risk. About Monetary Metals Monetary Metals is the pioneer in gold investments. Monetary Metals believes a prudent investment strategy utilizes assets to generate yield, not to speculate. The company's flagship offering is the Gold Exponential Fund. Monetary Metals also offers a fixed income product, with other investment vehicles under development. Monetary Metals publishes groundbreaking research to help investors understand the emerging role of gold as the ultimate measure of wealth. CONTACT: Arie Levy-Cohen Email 917.692.6999 About Daniel Rozzi Daniel joins Monetary Metals after a career in asset management and private client strategy at Morgan Stanley. With a degree in History and Political Science from the University of Delaware, he has a profound interest in the role of gold throughout history and its potential within the modern global economy. About Dickson Buchanan Prior to Monetary Metals, Dickson was the Director of International Development at SchiffGold. He has a Masters in Economics from King Juan Carlos University in Madrid, where he studied under renowned economists Jesus Huerta de Soto and Juan Ramon Rallo. His interests include monetary theory, capital theory, entrepreneurship, and the history of economics. About Addison Quale With an economics degree from Harvard University and an MDIV from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Addison has experience both in investment consulting at Cambridge Associates and in youth ministry. His discovery of the importance of gold led him to SchiffGold, where he was a broker for the last three years. SOURCE Monetary Metals (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430835 ) The 11th World Health Tourism Congress was held under the patronage of the Government of Dubai, Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Tourism Commercial Marketing. The congress brings together corporate purchasers of healthcare with world-class medical providers, including health authorities and major companies operating in the health tourism industry. Receiving the award, Mr. David Probert, Chief Executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital, said, "I am delighted to receive this prestigious award on behalf of Moorfields. It is due recognition for the efforts of the entire team that has expanded and developed the hospital's reach internationally in recent years, through our first branch hospital here in Dubai, and now our new facility in Abu Dhabi." Since opening in Dubai in 2007, Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai has treated more than 100,000 patients from more than 180 countries, as well as local and regional patients. Moorfields also puts a strong emphasis on research and teaching, which are part of the hospital's overall mission. About Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (MEHD) is the first overseas branch of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the oldest and one of the largest centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in the world. Located at the Al Razi Medical Complex in Dubai Health Care City, the facility provides day case surgery and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services, for a variety of surgical and non-surgical eye conditions. MEHD will also raise standards for research and teaching in the region. MEHD is owned and managed by the NHS Foundation Trust, and maintains close links with London, to ensure that patients in the GCC receive the best eye care treatment in the world. http://www.moorfields.ae Issued on behalf of Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai by WPR. SOURCE Moorfields Eye Hospital The Vos Hestia was then called to assist in a second rescue, which took place over several hours at night. In total, more than 200 people were brought on board, including pregnant women, and a large number of lone children and families with children as young as one year old. "This tragic event once again highlights the dangers faced by those crossing the Mediterranean Sea to seek the safety of Europe," added Ms. Moyes. "So far in 2016, more than 3,600 people have drowned while attempting this treacherous journey. The continuing loss of life clearly shows how search and rescue operations capacity must be a primary focus of the European response to save all lives at risk." Save the Children has provided fresh water, food and blankets to everyone on board. The survivors of the first rescue, in particular, are being assisted by the medical and child protection teams to ensure they receive the specific support they need following such a harrowing event. Vos Hestia will arrive at the port of Catania in Sicily on October 21. Save the Children staff will be present to help with the disembarkation process and will continue to work to ensure children have access to their basic needs and rights. Save the Children has launched an online crowdfunding campaign to allow people around the world to support our life-saving search and rescue efforts. Individuals can learn more and contribute to our work to save more lives at sea at http://www.savethechildren.org/rescue. For interviews, more information, or photos, please contact Negin Janati [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/431043 SOURCE Save the Children Related Links http://www.savethechildren.org NOVI, Mich., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- 4Men, Metro Detroit's premier men's retailer since 1992, has opened a store with local Detroit fashion designer and Project Runway alumni Joe Faris to offer a unique retail denim heavy shopping experience. "The idea is to feature an emerging local designer with larger brands while being able to offer unique products that our customers can't find anywhere else." - Mike Alpert "We really tried to capture a true Motor City vibe without making it overstated." - Joe Faris For over 25 years, 4Men has focused on being the first to offer high-end emerging and timeless brands to a loyal fashion-forward customer. 4Men provides a personal shopper approach to the customer's shopping experience. Mike Alpert, originally from Detroit, is the founder and owner and a veteran retailer as well as an industry recognized trendsetter for over 40 years. 4Men has come to be known as The store in Metro Detroit for the latest brands. Joe Faris, originally from Southfield, started his career as a young-men's denim and parachute pant designer in the late-eighties for Bugle Boy, while still studying at Parsons School of Design in NYC. Over his 30-year career Joe has designed for several high-profile fashion brands and he made Detroiters proud when he was a contestant on Project Runway Season 5. Joe founded Motor City Design Co. in 2011 and continuously works to produce products with manufactures in the USA. Twelve Oaks Mall is located in Novi, Michigan and features nearly 200 distinctive specialty stores and restaurants and offers a World-class shopping experience. This is the first 4Men Joe Faris store in Michigan with other locations planned. 4Men Joe Faris store is located 2nd level outside Nordstrom: - Twelve Oaks Mall, 27500 Novi Road, Suite 211, Novi, MI 48377, (248) 513-4769 Hours: - Mon. thru Sat. 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM - Sun. 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM 4Men's three Metro Detroit locations: - Eastland Mall, 18000 Vernier Road, Harper Woods, MI 48225, (313) 372-9923 - Fairlane Mall, 18900 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126, (313) 323-3600 - Southfield, 29121 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield, MI 48034, (248) 440-5395 More info: www.4menusa.com www.joefarisusa.com www.shoptwelveoaks.com SOURCE Joe Faris Related Links http://www.joe-faris.com SEATTLE, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) - Views of Mount Rainier greet guests at the new Delta Sky Club in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where the airline has added a second club to meet growing travel demand at its Pacific Northwest hub. Delta Sky Club in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Construction began in late 2015, and the 21,000-square-foot lounge, which opens Friday, stands as one of Delta's five largest clubs. With exceptional views of the runway and the mountain range, it creates a relaxing environment to touch down between flights. This opening follows the Atlanta B flagship club opening last month. For more than two years, the airline has invested in Delta Sky Clubs, making them another reason to choose Delta. Seattle's Club represents the newest in renewed thinking behind the airline's guest experience and features local touches designed to provide a meaningful, inviting environment for members and guests, from modern decor seating to locally inspired art, premium drink offerings and a first-of-its-kind, in-club spa. Conveniently located beyond airport security between Concourses A and B, the new club seats more than 400 customers on two levels. "We are constantly striving to go above and beyond for our guests," said Claude Roussel, Managing Director Delta Sky Club. "In the new Seattle Delta Sky Club, unique amenities will keep travelers plugged in, comfortable and relaxed. From the first-class view to the local food and beverages, the club will be a showcase of what Seattle has to offer." Exclusive to the Seattle A/B club are: Spa services from Asanda Spa Lounge, featuring seated chair massages with guided meditation audio/video by Deepak Chopra in addition to a full line of spa and wellness products for purchase from Comfort Zone and Stay Well in addition to a full line of spa and wellness products for purchase from Comfort Zone and Stay Well A partnership with acclaimed Chef Ethan Stowell , who will provide locally inspired fare exclusive to this location , who will provide locally inspired fare exclusive to this location Beecher's "World's Best" Mac & Cheese, made with a combination of its Flagship and Just Jack cheeses, available on the buffet cheeses, available on the buffet A 60-foot suspended sculpture created by Paul Vexler and a Pike Place-inspired pixelated mural by Craig Alan McMillan and a Pike Place-inspired pixelated mural by Large windows with View Dynamic Glass energy efficient, intelligently tinting windows that keep the Club temperature and sunlight at optimal levels, eliminating glare and the need for blinds or shades In addition to chef crafted items, guests can enjoy a buffet including bagels, hard-boiled eggs and yogurt for breakfast, as well as soups, salads, veggies, crackers, dips, fruit and snacks throughout the day. THE BAR at Delta Sky Club offers a variety of premium and complimentary options including Washington wines curated by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, cocktails from local distilleries, Georgetown Lucille IPA craft beer, a self-serve espresso machine and freshly brewed Starbucks coffee. The club's interior pays homage to the Pacific Northwest with a heavy focus on wood, water and movement. The lounge features 30-foot ceilings with curved paneling and a mezzanine level with an art gallery showcasing work from emerging artists and local galleries. It will feature contemporary furniture with power outlets near every seat. Six shower suites will be a welcome feature for travelers transitioning between international flights. This new Delta Sky Club location represents the airline's continued investment to serving the growing customer base in the Pacific Northwest. Delta is the largest global carrier at Sea-Tac and has more than tripled flights and destinations at its Seattle hub since 2012. Delta offers 127 peak-day departures to 36 destinations from Seattle, and every Delta flight from Seattle features jet service with Delta One/First Class and Delta Comfort+ seating. Delta people are active members of the community, giving their time and resources to more than 100 organizations close to the hearts of Seattleites, including Habitat for Humanity of King County, Boys & Girls Club of King County, PATH, KaBOOM!, Seattle Pride and End AIDS Walk Seattle, among others. In 2016, Delta paid out more than $53 million in profit sharing to its Seattle employees and committed to contributing 1 percent of its net income from the previous year to key charitable organizations, including organizations in Seattle. The airline's expansion at Sea-Tac is estimated to contribute $571 million annually in total economic output. What's next: The renovated club in Raleigh-Durham is set to open in late November 2016 , and will offer additional seats, more accessible power and a new food and beverage area. , and will offer additional seats, more accessible power and a new food and beverage area. A new club expansion is coming to Newark in late 2016, including a redesigned bar and more food options. About Delta Delta Air Lines serves nearly 180 million customers each year. In 2016, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fifth time in six years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented five consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 319 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/431148 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO SOURCE Delta Air Lines Related Links http://www.delta.com MIAMI, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Group Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: NXGH) (the "Company"), is scheduled to present at RedChip's Global Online Growth Conference on October 20th, 2016, at 10:30p.m. Eastern Time. The presentation can be viewed at http://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 Next Group Holdings (NXGH): NXGH is a corporation headquartered in Miami, Florida, which, through its operating subsidiaries, engages in the business of using proprietary technology and certain licensed technology to provide innovative mobile banking, mobility, and telecommunications solutions to underserved, unbanked, and emerging markets. Learn more at http://www.nextgroupholdings.com. Visit us at Investors Hangout: http://investorshangout.com Contact: NEXT Group Holdings, Inc. Telephone: +1-800-611-3622 [email protected] SOURCE Next Group Holdings, Inc. The new iMRI system is attached to a ceiling-mounted track system that brings the MRI directly to the child in the surgical suite, as needed. The high-resolution magnetic resonance images provide surgeons with a view of the affected area in real-time to determine if the targeted area is thoroughly treated or if surgical plans need to be adjusted before procedure completion. When not in use, the iMRI is housed in a separate imaging suite, where it can be used for MRI procedures for hospital inpatients requiring anesthesia monitoring. The iMRI is integrated with the hospital's Brainlab Cranial neuro-navigation application in the operating suite. This technology provides surgeons with "GPS-like guidance" within the brain. "The Intraoperative MRI supports our neurosurgical team in maximizing resection of abnormal tissue in the safest manner possible," said Dr. John Ragheb, Director of the Division of Neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children's. "Studies demonstrate that use of an intraoperative MRI improves safety and the effectiveness of surgery, therefore giving the best possible neurosurgical results in the hands of an experienced surgical team." The Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children's part of the hospital's renowned Brain Institute is the most experienced neurosurgical service in Florida and one of the most recognized in the nation. The Brain Institute neurosurgeons are experts in the treatment of children with brain tumors, intractable epilepsy and other brain anomalies and are known for pioneering minimally invasive techniques. Nicklaus Children's is ranked 13th in the nation, and is the highest ranked program in Florida for pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2016-2017 "Best Children's Hospitals" publication. The iMRI is housed in a new state-of-the-art surgical suite within the hospital's Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion, a new six-story critical care tower on the Nicklaus Children's campus, slated to open this month. About Nicklaus Children's Hospital Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children's Hospital part of Miami Children's Health System is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 740 attending physicians and over 220 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016-17, by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org. About IMRIS, Deerfield Imaging As a leader in image guided therapy solutions, IMRIS, Deerfield Imaging provides optimized, fully integrated image-guided therapy environments that serve to address the important needs of patients, clinicians and hospitals by delivering timely information on surgical targets and results to clinicians for use during surgical or interventional procedures. The IMRIS Surgical Theatre incorporates MRI, CT and angiography into multi-purpose surgical suites to provide advanced intraoperative imaging directly in operating rooms. IMRIS products are sold globally to hospitals in the neurosurgical, spinal, cardiovascular, and orthopedic markets. For more information, please visit www.imris.com. Contact: Jennifer Caminas 305-663-8476 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430502 SOURCE Nicklaus Children's Hospital Related Links https://www.nicklauschildrens.org "Initial interest is very high from the HME community for this unique snoring solution," said Dora Lin, Director of Sales, Nitetronic. "We want to ensure our provider customer base is protected by our internet policy and MAP pricing." "We are currently adding new re-sellers to our current provider network," said Larry Pellerito, President, OxiMD. "Call for pricing and details, visit http://www.mygoodnitepillow.com/." The goodnite Anti-Snore Pillow with its patented smart technology is light years ahead of the competition. It uses advanced snore detection and head position sensors inside the pillow with air chambers that inflate or deflate without a sound. When snoring is detected, one of the chambers inflates and gently turns the head to the side which reduces or eliminates snoring. goodnite was clinically shown to alleviate snoring an average of 67% for test participants. "In today's current reimbursement environment, adding retail sales to your business model has been a topic of conversation for the past several years," said Ron Richard, CEO of Americas, Nitetronic. "This product is the perfect fit for your businessa healthy price point, no prescription needed and it is clinically proven to reduce or eliminate snoring." Visit us at Medtrade, booth #1267. For more information, visit https://nitetronic.com/ For distribution inquiries, call 909.931.2999 or email [email protected] About Nitetronic America, LLC In 2011, the Nitetronic Group was founded to develop, manufacture and sell advanced healthcare products to increase sleep quality in the U.S. and worldwide. Nitetronic operates its own factory and four sales offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hamburg and recently in Upland, CA. Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/Nitetronic-Pillow.mp4 SOURCE Nitetronic America, LLC Related Links http://nitetronic.com LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Corporation plc (NYSE:NE) today announced that its report of drilling rig status and contract information has been updated as of October 20, 2016. The report, titled "Fleet Status Report," can be found on the Company's Website www.noblecorp.com, under the "Investor Relations" section of the Website. About Noble Corporation plc Noble is a leading offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry. The Company owns and operates one of the most modern, versatile and technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. Noble performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of 30 offshore drilling units, consisting of 16 semisubmersibles and drillships and 14 jackups, focused largely on ultra-deepwater and high-specification jackup drilling opportunities in both established and emerging regions worldwide. Noble is a public limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 08354954 and registered office at Devonshire House, 1 Mayfair Place, London, W1J 8AJ England. Additional information on Noble is available at www.noblecorp.com. SOURCE Noble Corporation Related Links http://www.noblecorp.com SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) announced today that its program management office for the U.S. Air Force's Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program will be located in the Falcon Hill National Aerospace Research Park at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The company made the announcement here at the Governor's Office of Economic Development at a lease signing ceremony with Woodbury Corporation, the developer of Falcon Hill. The lease agreement is for 25,000 square feet of office space and technology development capability in a new, 75,000-square-foot facility. Lockheed Martin's office will include high-tech laboratory space to enhance collaboration with local Air Force officials and facilitate Air Force ownership and access to the GBSD technical baseline. GBSD is a competition to replace the Air Force's Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system with a modern and capable integrated weapon system. "Our GBSD program management team will work and live in Utah because the Hill Air Force Base community matters to the ICBM mission," said John Karas, Lockheed Martin vice president and GBSD program manager. "We look forward to moving into this state-of-the art facility and building partnerships across the state to deliver a capable, low-risk GBSD solution that meets all mission requirements." Lockheed Martin employees in Utah currently work on Minuteman III sustainment programs and aircraft like the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor in the Hill Air Force Base area. The company participated in the first Rural Utah Aerospace Tour earlier this month. The goal of the event, sponsored by the Aerospace States Association Utah Chapter and the Governor's Office of Economic Development, was to learn about the capabilities of local businesses and potential supplier opportunities. The group also visited local schools during the tour to share information about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Lockheed Martin submitted a proposal to the Air Force for the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction phase of GBSD on Oct. 11. Lockheed Martin expects to occupy the building beginning August 2017. Lockheed Martin's qualified GBSD industry team includes: General Dynamics for weapon system command and control; Draper Laboratories for guidance, navigation and control; Moog for thrust vector control systems; Bechtel for launch facility expertise; Orbital ATK for propulsion subsystems; and Aerojet Rocketdyne for propulsion subsystems. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/GBSD About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. About Falcon Hill Aerospace Research Park Falcon Hill is one of the most strategically located aerospace research parks in the nation, located at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, with space available both inside and outside of the fence. As a joint venture between Woodbury Corporation and the Hunt Companies, this 550-acre private development, under an Air Force Enhanced Use Lease, will feature over 2 million square feet of commercial space. This development offers unmatched location, expansion capability, staging benefits and infrastructure. Media Contact: Sydney Owens, +1 408-242-3129; [email protected] SOURCE Lockheed Martin Related Links http://www.lockheedmartin.com RARITAN, N.J., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Ortho), a global leader of in vitro diagnostics, today announced it will present two scientific posters on its automated immunohematology instruments and showcase three next-generation automation products at its booth (No. 1001) at the 2016 AABB Annual Meeting. Ortho will also host a customer event that will feature presentations by local hospital blood bank, laboratory and transfusion services managers, including two from Orlando Regional Medical Center, who will discuss the hospital's mass transfusion protocol in the aftermath of the nightclub attack in June 2016. The conference will be held October 22-25 in Orlando's Orange County Convention Center. "As the world leader in immunohematology, we are committed to empowering transfusion medicine laboratories with product solutions and information that help to improve processes and meet increased pressures on blood banks," said Heidi Casaletto, head of transfusion medicine for Ortho. "We welcome this opportunity to present our research and demonstrate to the industry what's possible in the laboratory through our workshops and ORTHO VISION platform." Ortho and its customers will share the following poster presentations: A Multicenter Evaluation Comparing a New Automated Immunohematology Instrument with the ORTHO ProVue Author Presentation: October 23, 2016 Presenters: Agnes Aysola , M.D., Leslie Wheeler , Richard Brown , M.D., Rebecca Denham , Connie Colavecchia , Katerina Pavenski , M.D., Elizabeth Krok , Chelsea Hayes , M.D., Ellen Klapper , M.D. Multi-Site Evaluation for Performance of a Platform Based Fully Automated Immunohematology (IH) Instrument Author Presentation: October 23, 2016 Presenter: Tony Casina , Ortho Clinical Diagnostics The company will also host an invitation-only customer event on Sunday, October 23, at 6:30 p.m., featuring sessions on mass transfusion protocol and testing in transfusion services. The featured speakers will include: Massive Transfusion Protocols (MTP) Theory and Practice: Lourdes Miller , blood bank supervisor at Orlando Regional Medical Center, and Carol Fortier , laboratory manager at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, will discuss the Orlando Health Hospitals' response to the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in June. Orlando Regional Medical Center is the main hospital of Orlando Health, Inc., a not-for-profit healthcare network serving Central Florida . Representatives will discuss how they planned for, practiced and ultimately executed their massive transfusion protocol in the wake of the tragic event. , blood bank supervisor at Orlando Regional Medical Center, and , laboratory manager at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, will discuss the Orlando Health Hospitals' response to the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in June. Orlando Regional Medical Center is the main hospital of Orlando Health, Inc., a not-for-profit healthcare network serving . Representatives will discuss how they planned for, practiced and ultimately executed their massive transfusion protocol in the wake of the tragic event. Health System Standardization Decisions in the Blood Bank: Diana Ramirez-Gomez , manager of transfusion services, and Morgan Lenhart , assistant manager of transfusion services, both of Florida Hospital, will discuss how the facility's laboratory has handled challenges in methodology. Hospital managers faced a system-wide decision to standardize processes, while reducing costs. Another highlight of Ortho's presence at the AABB Annual Meeting will be an industry workshop in partnership with Quotient on Monday, October 24 at 7:00 a.m., entitled, "Challenges and Opportunities to Better Match Donor Units with Patients to Reduce Alloimmunization Risks and Efficiently Improve Patient Care". Speakers at this workshop will address the increasing role of personalized medicine in immunohematology as it relates to better matching of donor units to patients. Dr. Gregory Denomme, senior director of immunohematology and innovation for Versiti blood centers, Dr. Aaron Tobian, associate professor of pathology, medicine and epidemiology of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Dr. Silvano Wendel, medical director of Hospital Sirio Libanes Blood Bank in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will share examples of how they have implemented personalized medicine in patient-matching and advances in donor identification with the goal of mitigating alloimmunization. Topics will include limitations of current practices; potential changes in practice with an eye toward future standards of care; and the health economic impact. Products showcased in Ortho's booth (No. 1001) will include the ORTHO VISION and ORTHO VISION Max* analyzers. Part of the integrated, comprehensive product suite of the ORTHO VISION platform, the fully automated analyzers improve workflow and standardize systems and processes in transfusion laboratories. Also displayed at the booth will be the ORTHO Workstation, the only compact 2-in-1 blood testing system with reliable ID-Micro Typing System (ID-MTS) Gel Column Agglutination Technology (CAT). *Pending 510(k) clearance About Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a global leader of in vitro diagnostics serving the clinical laboratory and immunohematology communities. Across hospitals, hospital networks, blood banks and labs in more than 120 countries, Ortho's high-quality products and services enable health care professionals to make better-informed treatment decisions. For the immunohematology community, Ortho's blood typing products help ensure every patient receives blood that is safe, the right type and the right unit. Ortho brings sophisticated testing technologies, automation, information management and interpretation tools to clinical laboratories around the world to help them run more efficiently and effectively and improve patient care. Ortho's purpose is to improve and save lives with diagnostics, and it does that by reimagining what's possible. This is what has defined Ortho for more than 75 years, and it's what drives Ortho forward. For more information, visit www.orthoclinicaldiagnostics.com. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics 2016 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430310LOGO SOURCE Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Related Links https://www.orthoclinical.com/en-us/home BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul Gauguin Cruises (www.pgcruises.com), operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, the m/s Paul Gauguin, is pleased to announce its 2018 voyages in Tahiti, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific. In 2018, Paul Gauguin Cruises will be the first cruise line to visit the port city of Vairao in Tahiti Iti, which is the smaller of two landmasses that comprise the island of Tahiti and offers a wild coastline, ancient petroglyphs, marae (temples), Polynesian culture, and surfing fame. Tahiti Iti is scheduled on 7-night Society Islands & Tahiti Iti voyages and a special sailing of the 10-night Society Islands & Tuamotus itinerary. The Gauguin will also be showcasing its most sought-after itineraries in 2018: the 7-night Tahiti & the Society Islands; 7-night Tahiti, the Society Islands & Tuamotus; 10-night Society Islands & Tuamotus; 11-night Cook Islands & Society Islands; and 14-night Marquesas, Tuamotus & Society Islands. Designed specifically to sail the pristine lagoons of these islands, The Gauguin provides an up-close, authentic experience of the South Seas and offers an elegant yet casual ambiance with luxurious accommodations, gourmet dining, trademark Polynesian hospitality, and extraordinary all-inclusive value. On all 2018 sailings, guests also receive complimentary access to Paul Gauguin Cruises' two exclusive retreats. Off the coast of Taha'a lies the islet of Motu Mahana, where guests can enjoy a day of watersports, Polynesian activities, a sumptuous barbecue feast, and cocktails from a floating bar. In Bora Bora, guests can relax on a private, white-sand beach and enjoy refreshments, a game of volleyball, and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters. Again in 2018, Paul Gauguin Cruises' partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) offers two interactive, educational programs to enrich guests' experience on board. During the summer months and holiday season, Stewards of Nature is offered and invites children ages 7 to 17, as well as their families, to discover and value nature through hands-on interactive learning. The Wildlife Discovery Series is an onboard lecture program focusing on the environment and wildlife of our planet presented by some of the world's most fascinating conservationists, scientists, and oceanographers. To launch its 2018 voyages, Paul Gauguin Cruises is offering savings of 50% off standard cruise fares on all voyages, plus included airfare from Los Angeles. For rates or more information on Paul Gauguin Cruises, please contact a Travel Professional, call 800-848-6172, or visit www.pgcruises.com. About Paul Gauguin Cruises Owned by Pacific Beachcomber S.C., French Polynesia's leading luxury hotel and cruise operator, Paul Gauguin Cruises operates the 5+-star cruise ship, the 332-guest m/s Paul Gauguin, providing a deluxe cruise experience tailored to the unparalleled wonders of Tahiti, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific. Paul Gauguin Cruises accolades include being voted #2 in the category of "Top Small Cruise Lines" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2015 Readers' Choice Awards and recognition on the publication's 2016 "Gold List." In addition, the line was voted by Travel + Leisure readers "#1 Small-Ship Cruise Line" and "#1 Small-Ship Cruise Line for Families" in the Travel + Leisure 2014 World's Best Awards. Recently, readers voted Paul Gauguin Cruises "#1 Midsize-Ship Ocean Cruise Line" in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2016. Media Contact: Paul Gauguin Cruises Vanessa Bloy, Director of Public Relations (425) 440-6255 [email protected] From Travel + Leisure, August 2016 2016 Time Inc. Affluent Media Group. Used under license. Travel + Leisure and Time Inc. Affluent Media Group are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of Paul Gauguin Cruises. SOURCE Paul Gauguin Cruises Related Links http://www.pgcruises.com DALLAS, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Frito-Lay and other PepsiCo employees from offices throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex today will take part in the seventh annual PepsiCo United Way Day of Caring. In what stands as one of the largest corporate United Way Day of Caring events in North Texas, an estimated 1,300 Frito-Lay and PepsiCo volunteers will contribute approximately 6,000 hours of their time to 19 United Way service providers to help countless North Texans in need. Volunteers will disperse throughout North Texas, working to paint and repair facilities, sort donations, host a fall festival for senior citizens and construct a playground for preschoolers, among many other activities. All projects align with United Way's key focus areas of education, financial stability and health. Over the past six years, Frito-Lay and PepsiCo associates have contributed an estimated 34,000 volunteer hours to area nonprofits through Day of Caring events. "The PepsiCo United Way Day of Caring is a great opportunity for our associates to get out and volunteer in the community," said Chris Kuechenmeister, vice president communications, PepsiCo. "The wide range of projects and volunteer opportunities allow our associates to truly make an impact and experience firsthand life-changing connections with the clients who benefit from United Way programs." Volunteers will support the following local organizations during this year's event: Caldwell Elementary School ChildCareGroup Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County Children's Health Dallas Furniture Bank The Family Place Goodwill Industries Jewish Family Services Mesquite Social Services Mi Escuelita Preschool Mosaic Family Service Nexus Recovery Center PediPlace Rainbow Days REAL School Gardens The Salvation Army The Senior Source Trinity River Mission Vogel Alcove PepsiCo and its Frito-Lay division have a long history of supporting United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. Each fall, Frito-Lay and other DFW-based PepsiCo associates participate in a fundraising campaign to show their commitment to the community and United Way programs. Between these annual campaigns and a grant from The PepsiCo Foundation to support the Healthy Zone School Recognition Program, PepsiCo and its associates have invested more than $10 million in United Way programs over the last three years. Support will help United Way reach its 10-year community goals: preparing at least 60 percent of kids to graduate ready to succeed, moving 250,000 people out of poverty permanently, and improving health across the region. "We are incredibly grateful for PepsiCo's longstanding and generous support of United Way," said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton United Way of Metropolitan Dallas president and CEO. "By giving their time, resources and collective heart power, employees are changing lives in North Texas forever, offering opportunity and secure futures for all who live and work here." About United Way of Metropolitan Dallas: United Way of Metropolitan Dallas brings people together to improve lives and create lasting change here in North Texas by focusing on education, income, and health -- the building blocks for strong families and thriving communities. We galvanize and connect all sectors of society individuals, businesses, non-profits, and government to create long-term change through investing in solutions that produce healthy, well-educated and financially stable individuals and families. We raise, invest and leverage over $50M annually in community-focused solutions serving Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and southern Denton counties. We do more than help one person beat the odds we are changing the odds for entire communities. Together, we UNITE FOREVER. To learn more, please visit UnitedWayDallas.org. About PepsiCo: PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com/. Editor's note: High-resolution photos and video are available upon request. SOURCE PepsiCo Related Links http://www.pepsico.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- How did FINRA respond to a March 2014 report by the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA) detailing the serious deficiencies in the background information provided about financial professionals to investors through FINRA's BrokerCheck website? Two and half years later, a new PIABA report found that FINRA did not fix BrokerCheck. Instead, the industry self-regulatory organization made things worse by spending millions in advertising to get unwary investors to rely on the flawed BrokerCheck system. Examples of information routinely not included in BrokerCheck reports, but available from many state securities agencies, include the circumstances of a broker's termination of employment (especially when the broker quits during the course of his firm's investigation of his conduct), bankruptcy filings, tax liens, and test scores. As the PIABA report notes: " FINRA's conduct in promoting the BrokerCheck system as the only way to check those backgrounds and qualifications has imposed a disservice upon those investors using the system. The reality is that investors who may have once researched their brokers by contacting their state securities regulators have been led to believe they can simply rely on an online BrokerCheck report, which they can access themselves on the internet or through brokerage firm website links. Unless an investor is employed in, or otherwise familiar with the securities industry, the chances are negligible that they know that the BrokerCheck report may well be hiding relevant information." Report co-author and PIABA President Hugh D. Berkson said: "Before FINRA spent millions of dollars advertising BrokerCheck, it should have fixed its broken disclosure system. The current incomplete BrokerCheck reports are of limited value. As things stand now, FINRA claims to offer information 'You might want to know about,' but fails to offer information you definitely want to know about. Investors should not be subject to the vagaries of their local public records laws to ensure that they gain the information necessary to fully and fairly assess their potential financial advisor. The answer to the problem is so simple, and the result so meaningful, FINRA cannot be allowed to continue to hype a broken system it knows is of limited utility." PIABA Executive Vice President and President-Elect Marnie C. Lambert, who co-authored the report, said: "This is a major problem when it comes to what investors are relying on for information about their financial advisors. FINRA incorrectly advertises the BrokerCheck reports as being 'complete' and helpful to investors but, in reality, BrokerCheck reports often omit information about brokers that is highly relevant and necessary for investors to make informed decisions about who they may want to hire." BrokerCheck reports provided by FINRA and background reports offered by states for any given broker-dealer (firm) or registered representative (broker) rely on the same source for information the Central Registration Depository (CRD). The CRD system is a database maintained as a joint venture between FINRA and the states. FINRA's reports, branded "BrokerCheck reports" are often missing critical information about a firm or broker that investors may not be able to obtain elsewhere -- depending on with which states a broker is registered. Typically, only those states where a broker is registered will have background information on that broker. On June 1, 2015, FINRA announced that it was launching a major new promotion of BrokerCheck. As the PIABA report notes: "It is no coincidence that one of FINRA's public governors, Shelly Lazarus, has been the Chairman Emeritus of Ogilvy & Mather the firm that created the BrokerCheck ads since July 2012." The TV, print, and online campaign was first reported to have cost $3.5 million, but the FINRA annual report for 2015 indicates that a substantial portion of the self-regulatory organization's $27.4 million in expenditure for "professional and contract services" went to BrokerCheck hype. The impact was clear: FINRA reported 71 million reviews of broker or firm records in 2015, up from 29 million the year before. Even though the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) urges investors to consult with state securities regulators for CRD reports, BrokerCheck does not. As the PIABA report indicates: "There is nothing on the BrokerCheck homepage that tells an investor looking at it for the first time that they should also contact their state securities regulator for more information FINRA 's BrokerCheck homepage misleads investors when it fails to put them on notice that there is additional relevant information, not identified, that is missing from BrokerCheck reports." In calling for action, the PIABA report states: "[I]f FINRA is serious about protecting investors and truly believes, as it has professed, that researching a broker is a meaningful part of an investor's broker selection process, PIABA calls upon FINRA to: Ensure that all complaints, arbitration awards, and settlements are promptly and accurately recorded in a broker's and/or firm's CRD record(s); Ensure that the data disclosed via BrokerCheck is, at a minimum, congruous with the most liberal state sunshine law; Include in BrokerCheck reports data concerning whether arbitration awards or settlements were actually paid; Add statistical information on the BrokerCheck home page to allow an investor to put an individual BrokerCheck report into context (e.g., include statistics showing the total number of registered brokers in the industry and the total number in the industry with one, two, three, four, or more investor complaints on their record); Open the entire BrokerCheck database to the public (e.g., academics and other third parties) to allow deep data analysis and development of quantitative and qualitative reports concerning brokers and brokers' co-workers. If FINRA fails to act, Congress should step to require more complete and transparent disclosure through BrokerCheck, according to PIABA. ABOUT PIABA Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association is an international, not-for-profit, voluntary bar association of lawyers who represent claimants in securities and commodities arbitration proceedings and securities litigation. The mission of PIABA is to promote the interests of the public investor in securities and commodities arbitration, by seeking to protect such investors from abuses in the arbitration process, by seeking to make securities arbitration as just and fair as systemically possible and by educating investors concerning their rights. For more information, go to www.piaba.org. SOURCE Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), Oklahoma City, OK Related Links http://www.piaba.org LONDON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global piling machine market is expected to reach USD 6.47 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growth of the construction sector in various countries including India, China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Thailand and Malaysia in light of urbanization, population growth, and government infrastructure development initiatives is expected to promote the foundation activity. Rising wind farms are likely to augment industry growth over the next eight years. Increasing product usage in residential premises, commercial structures, manufacturing facilities, drilling platforms, mining bases, wind farms, solar power plants, and power transmission plants will propel industry growth over the forecast period. Moreover, rapid expansion in transport, water, energy, social infrastructure, hospitals, schools, government accommodation, defense infrastructure, and natural resources will create immense market potential over the forecast period. North America is expected to drive demand on account of the growing construction sector primarily in the U.S. and Mexico. Under the National Infrastructure Plan of Mexico, the government has planned an investment of USD 590 billion from 2014 to 2018, which is anticipated to promote the construction of residential and commercial structures. The North America piling machine market is estimated to be worth USD 1.19 billion by 2024. Further key findings from the report suggest: Vibratory drivers accounted for 20.6% of the overall industry in 2015 and will witness steady growth owing to increasing application in sandy or gravel geographies on account of effectively breaking down skin friction to drive the piles. Rising usage of vibratory drivers on account of their exceptional penetration speed is expected to fuel demand over the forecast period. However, stringent regulations to reduce the vibrations and noises during construction is expected to hamper its growth over the forecast period. Asia Pacific market was valued at USD 1.8 billion in 2015 and will show significant rise owing to favorable government policies to improve infrastructure in India and China. Robust mining base in Australia in light of the presence of minerals including diamond and coal is likely to promote the foundation activity over the forecast period. As of 2015, the Government of Australia launched Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) for the development of necessary infrastructure for recreation and sports. MEA will witness significant rise at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2016 to 2024 in light of favorable government inclination towards the development of infrastructure and tourism. Abundant availability of solar energy to produce electricity in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase the installations of power stations, which in turn will drive product demand over the upcoming years. Key participants include Bauer AG, The Casagrande Group, Soilmec, Tescar, Atlas Copco, BSP International Foundations, Sinomach, and Delmag. Tescar has a market presence through its piling rigs under the brand name, CF Series. Casagrande has manufacturing facilities located across the U.S., India, and the Middle East. As of 2014, the company manufactured over 20,000 foundation equipment for the construction industry. Sinovo and FAE are other prominent companies with a presence in the leading markets of Asia Pacific including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4230370/ 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 BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pingup, the leading local services transaction platform with access to over 300 million monthly users across their network of directory, search and social platforms, today announced their integration with Facebook Pages. As a result of this relationship, consumers will be able to easily book appointments and schedule services on local business Pages. Pingup's technology brings consumers real-time availability and allows them to make decisions in-context, easily scheduling activities such as haircuts, manicures and massages. Consumers can close the commerce loop within seconds without needing to contact a merchant directly. This provides local merchants on Pages the opportunity to increase business activity 24/7, even outside of open business hours. "Facebook is working on enabling people to seamlessly schedule, order and do more by clicking call-to-action buttons on Pages, and Pingup is honored to be one of their initial integrations," said Mark Slater, Pingup CEO. "All of our publisher and social media partners want an on-demand interface with an optimized and branded checkout. They like the ease of working with Pingup's aggregated feed of local merchants and trust our ability to deliver a flawless, integrated experience for consumers." Pingup aggregates 20 API connections to the transaction software providers of local businesses. This initial Facebook integration features Booker, Setster, BookingBug and simplybook.me. Expansion to additional software provider partners will follow. About Pingup Pingup is the nation's largest transaction platform for local services businesses, using proprietary technology to connect hundreds of thousands of local merchants with leading publishers and social platforms including Facebook, Kik, Bing and Yahoo that have over 300 million monthly users. Pingup aggregates over 180,000 US businesses, more than triple OpenTable's quantity in the US and continues to add thousands of businesses each month. The company is headquartered in Boston's Innovation District and backed by Avalon Ventures. For more information visit http://pingup.com. Follow us on Twitter:@pingupapp. Media contact: Heather Sears [email protected] (617) 752-1691 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160310/342968LOGO SOURCE Pingup Related Links http://www.pingup.com WOODBURY, N.Y., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As we enter the final stretch of the presidential campaign, economists are increasingly alarmed that the economy may suffer a massive post-Election Day hangover that could impact jobs and income. "Election concerns are growing and the economic gauges are lagging," states a recent USA Today article. "Ultimately, what will determine whether we have a recession next year is the comfort level Americans have with who occupies the White House in 2017." Given the intense dislike each side feels for the opposing candidate, it's highly doubtful we can look forward to much "comfort level" regardless of who is elected which is why workers are wasting no time signing up for IncomeAssure. IncomeAssure is a unique form of private sector supplemental unemployment insurance that combines with state unemployment benefits to provide policyholders with up to 50% of their former weekly salary should they become involuntarily unemployed. That's significant since people who are unexpectedly laid off quickly discover that state unemployment insurance alone is not enough to cover mortgage payments, tuition, medical bills, or most household expenses. According to SterlingRisk CEO David Sterling, whose company administers IncomeAssure, today's professional requires a financial cushion that realistically reflects his or her salary. "Rather than a state benefit that can be capped at $300," he concludes, "IncomeAssure covers salaries up to $250,000 a year. It allows policyholders to maintain their current lifestyle and pay their bills while unemployed, regardless of which candidate wins the election." To learn more, call 1-888-428-3133 or visit IncomeAssure at www.incomeassure.com. SOURCE IncomeAssure Related Links https://www.incomeassure.com How it works: social media users nationwide are asked to post a photograph of themselves receiving Flublok (note it must be Flublok and not another flu vaccine) with the hashtag "#ShowMeTheVial" and/or "#FlublokProtected on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. For each post, Protein Sciences will donate $1 to a health-based charity. First up is the American Heart Association. Participants will also have their name entered 5 times per post for a chance to win the prize package. People can also be entered to win the prize package by sharing any #ShowMeTheVial or #FlublokProtected post on any of their social media channels; each share gets a person one entry into the prize drawing. A winner will be named at the end of the flu season on April 30 th , 2017. "Flublok ambassadors are everywhere and we'd like to recognize the passion they show for our product," said Manon Cox, President and CEO of Protein Sciences Corporation. "This is our way of giving back to them and to an important cause. Many people still don't realize they have a choice in flu vaccines, and we hope this campaign will help educate people about Flublok." Flublok is currently available at hundreds of pharmacies across the United States. To find the closest location to you, visit their Flublok Finder today. If you still have difficulty finding a location close to you, please contact Protein Sciences directly by calling them at the phone number listed below. For more information about Flublok, please visit www.flublok.com. About Protein Sciences Protein Sciences specializes in vaccine development and protein production. Our mission is our inspiration: to save lives and improve health through the creation of innovative vaccines and biopharmaceuticals. About Flublok Flublok, the world's first recombinant protein-based vaccine for the prevention of seasonal influenza disease, was initially approved by the U.S. FDA in January 2013. FDA expanded its approval in October 2014 to include everyone over 18 years, approved a nine month shelf life in June 2016, and approved a quadrivalent formulation in October 2016. Flublok is also licensed for sale in Mexico and licensure in additional countries, including Japan, is expected in the near future. Flublok is the only flu vaccine made in a 100% egg-free system using modern cell culture technology, making it unnecessary to use an infectious influenza virus, antibiotics or harsh chemicals in manufacturing. Flublok is highly purified and does not contain any preservatives (e.g., thimerosal, which contains mercury), egg proteins, gelatin or latex. In addition, Flublok contains three times more antigen than traditional flu vaccines (3x45mcg hemagglutinin protein versus 3x15mcg hemagglutinin protein).* In a 2014/15 post-marketing study of 9,000 adults 50 years and older, people who received Flublok were over 40% less likely to get cell culture confirmed influenza than people who received a traditional flu vaccine. Flublok is an accurate copy of the virus coat and is not subject to the egg-adapted mutations associated with low vaccine effectiveness (see Skowronski et al. (2014) PLOS ONE 9(3), e92153). Healthcare professionals wishing to order Flublok should contact one of the following distributors: Protein Sciences Corporation: 203-686-0800 www.flublok.com FFF Enterprises: 800-843-7477 www.myfluvaccine.com Cardinal Health: 866-677-4844 http://www.cardinal.com/flu McKesson: 877-MCK-4FLU mms.mckesson.com Moore Medical: 800-234-1464 www.mooremedical.com/flu Henry Schein : 1-800-772-4346 www.henryschein.com Learn more at www.proteinsciences.com and www.flublok.com. Flublok Safety Information Flublok is approved for people 18 and older to prevent influenza disease. The most common side effect from Flublok is pain at the site of injection. Headache, fatigue or muscle ache may occur. Tell the doctor if you have ever experienced Guillain-Barre syndrome (severe muscle weakness) or have had a severe allergic reaction to any component of Flublok vaccine. Vaccination with Flublok may not protect all individuals. Please see the complete Package Insert available at www.flublok.com or call 203-686-0800 for more information. *Flublok demonstrated a higher antibody response to the A strains in two field trials in adults 50 years old. The B strain antibody responses were comparable to traditional trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140617/118909 SOURCE Protein Sciences Corporation Related Links http://www.proteinsciences.com Gasteiger served as Chief of Staff at FERC culminating a noteworthy 19-year tenure at FERC in which he held a variety of leadership roles. He previously served as the Acting Director of the Office of Enforcement from August 2014 to April 2015 after having served as the Deputy Director from 2009 to 2014. Before he joined the Office of Enforcement, Mr. Gasteiger was the Director of the Division of Tariffs and Market Development - East in the Office of Energy Market Regulation. Prior to that, he held several other positions at the Commission, including Deputy Associate General Counsel, Legal Advisor to Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher, and attorney in the FERC's Solicitor's Office. "We are very pleased to have Larry join PSEG," said Linde. "Larry, with his wide-ranging and rich federal regulatory background, will add significant value to our already strong FERC team. In particular, his experience working on a variety of topics from compliance to formulating policies to achieve the Commission's goals on electric reliability and energy infrastructure further enhances our ability to be prepared for the future needs of our investors and industry." "I'm excited to join PSEG, and become part of a well-respected diversified energy company that has been providing reliable, safe and economic energy to its customers for over 100 years," Gasteiger said. "I look forward to working with the PSEG team and helping to build on this proud tradition for the energy needs of the next 100 years." Before joining FERC in 1997, Mr. Gasteiger was an attorney in the General Counsel's Office at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and from 1989 to 1991 he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Edwin M. Kosik in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Gasteiger is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Dickinson School of Law. He is a former Board Member of the Northeast Chapter of the Energy Bar Association and former Board Member and Secretary of the Saint Ambrose School. He resides in Fairfax County, Virginia. Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of approximately $11 billion. Its operating subsidiaries are: Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), PSEG Power, and PSEG Long Island. Want to know what's new at PSEG? Go to www.pseg.com/getnews and sign up to have our press releases sent right to your inbox. Visit PSEG at: www.pseg.com PSEG on Facebook PSEG on Twitter PSEG on LinkedIn PSEG blog, Energize! Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430857 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120830/MM62627LOGO SOURCE PSEG Related Links https://www.pseg.com RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight hundred Rancho Cucamonga families in need will receive enough food to supplement meals for a week plus daily essentials, thanks to a partnership between PepsiCo and Feed the Children. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at The Rivers Edge Church, 9271 Arrow Route, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. This is the first year PepsiCo and Feed the Children have partnered to help feed families in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, which is home to one of Frito-Lay's manufacturing facilities. This distribution event is part of a larger initiative between the two organizations to help feed communities in cities throughout the United States. "Because of the generosity of PepsiCo and The Rivers Edge Church, Feed the Children is able to aid families who need us most," said J.C. Watts, Jr., Feed the Children president and CEO. "Together we can provide assistance to the residents of Rancho Cucamonga." The receiving families have been identified and preselected by The Rivers Edge Church. Each qualifying recipient will be given: One 25-pound box of nonperishable food items One 15-pound box of personal-care items One box of AVON products Books from Disney Publishing Worldwide Frito-Lay snacks PepsiCo beverages Life Original Cereal Standard Quaker Oats Chewy Granola Bars Nut Harvest snacks "We're excited to bring this partnership to the city of Rancho Cucamonga and help our friends and neighbors by providing food, books and personal-care items," said Margie Orozco, HR senior director, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division. "Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are committed to giving back to our communities where we live and work, and providing enough food to supplement meals for a week is a small way we can help make a difference." About Feed the Children Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to end child hunger. It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education, essentials and disaster relief. Domestically, it operates 5 distribution centers (located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania). In fiscal year 2015, Feed the Children distributed 107 million pounds of food and essentials valued at $302 million to people in the U.S., and internationally, it sponsored nearly 24,500 children, addressing the root causes of poverty through child sponsorship and school sponsorship. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and is rated by Charity Navigator. Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information. About PepsiCo PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com/. SOURCE PepsiCo Related Links http://www.feedthechildren.org MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today launched its first graduate degree program, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)1. The online master's degree program is designed to meet the increasing need for a more skilled and educated workforce, including nurse leaders and nurse educators. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nearly 70,000 qualified nursing candidates were turned away from college nursing programs due to an insufficient number of faculty in 2014. For 116 years, Rasmussen College has graduated students with skills and credentials that help address changing needs of the workforce and its communities. Occupations requiring master's degrees are projected to grow 18.4 percent through 2022, and of the 448,500 jobs projected to require a master's degree, 255,000 are within the healthcare and social assistance fields. "Our first master's degree program is an evolution of the College's longstanding commitment to our students, communities and employers," said Dr. Trenda Boyum-Breen, Rasmussen College president. "We have successfully built a robust culture of baccalaureate education over the past ten years and now is the right time to build on that success. Addressing career advancement and community needs that require a higher level of education and skills helps students thrive in today's 21st century workforce and positions them well as future leaders." Rasmussen College MSN to Help Advance Nursing Profession The Rasmussen College Master of Science in Nursing degree program is designed to prepare currently licensed registered nurses (RNs) who hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing to assume advanced nursing leadership roles and directly contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession in both educational and healthcare settings. Students have the opportunity to choose from two specializations: Nurse Educator or Nursing Leadership and Administration. The innovative and progressive curriculum helps students unleash their potential and thrive as dynamic leaders in healthcare and educational settings. Content will range from budgeting, scheduling and administration to instructional techniques, curriculum design and innovative teaching and assessment strategies. Classes will include interactive learning as well as collaboration among peers and faculty that aligns with the evolving healthcare and education environments of today. The online environment and ability to take one class at a time also supports balance between school, work and family for nurses already in the field while still allowing them to graduate in a few as 18 months2. "Our first cohort of MSN students will be prepared to impact the current and future state of the healthcare industry," said Dr. Joan Rich, vice president of the Rasmussen College School of Nursing. "Students will graduate from our program with the confidence to be at the forefront of change and innovation for the nursing profession, nursing education and the communities we serve." Interested, licensed RNs can begin enrolling in the program immediately with courses starting in January. To learn more about the Rasmussen College Master of Science in Nursing degree program, visit http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/master-science-nursing/. 1The Rasmussen College MSN degree program is not available to residents of all states. Please speak with a program manager to determine enrollment eligibility. 2Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and courses completed each term. ABOUT RASMUSSEN COLLEGE: Rasmussen College is a regionally accredited private college and Public Benefit Corporation that is dedicated to changing lives through high-demand educational programs and public service. In addition to this new program, Rasmussen College offers certificate and diploma programs through associate's and bachelor's degrees online and across its 22 Midwest and Florida campuses in a supportive, student-centered and career-focused environment. Since 1900, Rasmussen College has been dedicated to being a primary contributor to the growth and development of the communities it serves. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Rasmussen College is committed to helping change lives through education and making a positive impact on society through public service and a variety of community-based initiatives. For more information about Rasmussen College, please visit www.rasmussen.edu. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121105/MM06109LOGO SOURCE Rasmussen College Related Links http://www.rasmussen.edu MEXICO CITY, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rassini, S.A.B. de C.V. (Mexican Stock Exchange Ticker: RASSINI), a Mexican industrial company engaged in the design and manufacture of suspension and brake components for the automotive industry, announced today its unaudited financial results for the third quarter and accumulated nine months ended September 30, 2016. Third Quarter 2016 Financial Highlights: Net revenue climbed 25.7% year-over-year to $4,178 million Mexican pesos, a new record high. Mexican pesos, a new record high. EBITDA was $782 million Mexican pesos, up 30.8% compared to the same period in 2015. Mexican pesos, up 30.8% compared to the same period in 2015. Net income increased 24.5% to $376 million Mexican pesos. First Nine Months 2016 Financial Highlights: Net revenue rose 23.3% year-over-year to $11,987 million Mexican pesos. Mexican pesos. EBITDA grew 41.3% to $2,369 million Mexican pesos. Mexican pesos. Net operating cash flow rose 21.4% to $1,646 million Mexican pesos. Mexican pesos. Net income increased 58.7% to $1,230 million Mexican pesos. Mexican pesos. Net Debt / annualized EBITDA ratio as of September 30, 2016 was 0.5x. was 0.5x. EBITDA / Net Interest Expense ratio as of September 30, 2016 was 9.8x. Financial Results: Consolidated Nine Month Results (January 1-September 30) Third Quarter Results (July 1-September 30) 2016 (mill. Pesos) 2015 (mill. Pesos) % Change 2016 (mill. Pesos) 2015 (mill. Pesos) % Change Sales $11,987 $9,724 23% $4,178 $3,324 26% Gross Profit $3,227 $2,295 41% $1,082 $812 33% EBITDA $2,369 $1,677 41% $782 $598 31% Net Income before taxes and minority interest $1,466 $935 57% $450 $335 34% Net Income $1,230 $775 59% $376 $302 25% For a complete overview of our financial results, please visit: http://www.rassini.com/en/financial.html. Conference Call: Rassini will host a conference call on Friday, October 21, 2016 at 9:00 am (U.S. Central Time/Mexico City Time) / 10:00 am (U.S. Eastern Time) to discuss its unaudited third quarter financial results and recent business activities. The conference call may be accessed using the following numbers: US: +1-844-759-3792 Mexico: 001-800-926-9157 International: +1-574-990-9507 Passcode: 94667826 Please dial in approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled time of this call. A replay of the conference call will be available starting from 12:00 pm (U.S. Central Time/Mexico City Time) on October 21, 2016 to 11:00 (U.S. Central Time/Mexico City Time) on October 28, 2016 using the following numbers: US: +1-855-859-2056 Mexico: 001-800-926-9113 Passcode: 94667826 A presentation deck for the call will be available at: http://www.rassini.com/en/financial.html RASSINI Rassini is a leading designer and manufacturer of suspension and brake components for the global automotive industry, mainly focused on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Rassini is the world's largest producer of suspension components for light commercial vehicles as well as the largest fully integrated brakes disc producer in the Americas and has eight manufacturing sites strategically located in Mexico, the US and Brazil, as well as four tech centers located in the same countries. Suspension products include leaf springs (parabolic and multi-leaf) for light and commercial trucks, coil springs and bushings. The brakes business manufactures rotors, drums, brake assemblies, clutch plates and motor balancers. Its solid and diversified customer base includes: General Motors, Ford Motor Co., FCA, Nissan, Volkswagen, Toyota, MAN, Scania, Maserati, Mercedes Benz and Daimler among others. Contact: Francisco Freyre Servin Rassini, S.A.B. de C.V. Tel: (5255) 5229-58-20 E-mail: [email protected] www.rassini.com SOURCE Rassini, S.A.B. de C.V. ARMONK, N.Y., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that for the fifth time, its consulting organization was named the industry's top producer of thought leadership in a White Space Report by Source Global Research, a leading research and strategy firm for the global management consulting industry. According to the most recent White Space report evaluating the quality and impact of 25 major global consulting firms in the world, IBM remains the leader for the consistent high quality of its thought leadership. The White Space rankings are based on four evaluation criteria - Resilience, Differentiation, Appeal, and Prompting Action. This is the fifth time IBM has led the ranking. IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) part of the company's consulting unit, IBM Global Business Services, creates innovative thought leadership on behalf of IBM and provides practical insight for business leaders across industries. The White Space report highlighted the IBV's recent study, "Inspiring Deeper Brand Enthusiasm: Your Cognitive Future in the Consumer Products Industry" as an example of IBM's effect approach. The study was praised for using data "effectively to underpin points of view" and providing a forward-looking recommendation. "When creating high quality thought leadership, consultancies are faced with the challenge of working around constraints such as the required evidence, length, tone, and topics to reflect the needs and wants of target readers," said Rachel Ainsworth, co-founder of Source Global Research and White Space. "IBM tops our list once again for showing that the Institute for Business Value can successfully work within those constraints to produce creative reports that resonate with today's senior executives." IBM-produced thought leadership leads all firms in both appealing readers to continue reading past the introduction and resilience, "building a reader's trust and confidence in what they have read," based on its methodology and analysis, as well as, "prompting action" via a clearly outlined courses of action. This recognition of IBM's thought leadership is a result of IBM's ongoing commitment to provide its clients with insight on issues of industry dynamics and business transformation. "Businesses are experiencing an unprecedented level of disruption so we want to critically evaluate business trends shaping those changes in the world today and give executives a clear path forward," says Peter Korsten, Vice President and Global leader thought leadership and eminence, IBM Global Business Services. "Our recent blockchain series is a great example of an emerging technology that is reinventing global trade and how transactions are conducted and recorded. We've outlined how this technology can be used and will impact business networks from organizations to ecosystems and economies. By conducting in depth global research, we're able to more fully understand industry transformation and provide support to improve business performance." The IBV's trademark C-Suite studies series, which have followed and analyzed the priorities of global CXOs for more than a decade, are celebrated for the research method's thoroughness and face-to -face interviews with key business leaders. For example, last year IBM leveraged a worldwide team of business strategists, consultants, data scientists and statisticians to conduct mostly in person interviews with more than 5,200 business leaders from 21 industries in 70 countries. These professionals examined how members of the C-Suite are tackling the threat of competition, technology disruptors and planning for the future of business to garner the insights released in the IBM 2015 C-suite study. Individual reports specific to professional roles, including CEO, CMO, CHRO, CIO, CFO and COO. For more information on the Source Global Research's White Space Quality Report, visit http://www.sourceglobalresearch.com/portal/whitespace/ (subscription required). About IBM Global Business Services For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/services/gbs. About IBM Institute for Business Value For more information, http://www.ibm.com/iibv Download the IBM IBV app from iTunes About Source Global Research Source Global Research (Source) is the leading research and strategy firm for the global management consulting industry. Set up in 2007 and with offices in London and Dubai, Source serves both consulting firms and their clients with expert analysis, research and reporting. Source draw not only on our extensive in-house experience, but also on the breadth of our relationships with both suppliers and buyers. All of our work is underpinned by our core values of intelligence, integrity, efficiency and transparency. Source was founded by Fiona Czerniawska and Joy Burnford. Fiona is one of the world's leading experts on the consulting industry. She has written numerous books on the industry including: The Intelligent Client and The Economist books, Business Consulting: A Guide to How it Works and How to Make it Work and Buying Professional Services. Joy Burnford was Marketing and Operations Director at the UK Management Consultancies Association between 2003 and 2010, and prior to that worked for PA Consulting Group and has extensive experience of marketing consulting services. For further information, please visit: www.sourceglobalresearch.com About White Space White Space is a subscriber-based web service which provides detailed analysis of the thought leadership of around 30 leading global consulting firms. This analysis is updated regularly, giving up-to-date market intelligence on the state of the thought leadership market. Contact: Katie Leasor 212-671-9356 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO SOURCE IBM Related Links http://www.ibm.com "The agency's success in attracting and developing nationally recognized brands has allowed us to expand into our third space in just three years," said Heather Ripley, founder and CEO of Ripley PR. "The vision for Ripley PR, from the very beginning, has been to offer our clients highly-qualified, senior branding and PR experts. Our ability to deliver on our promises and provide quantifiable and noticeable results to our clients is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the skilled team we have built." The building, located on Ellis Avenue, was renovated with the help of two East Tennessee businesses. Studio Four Design, a leading architecture firm located in Knoxville, worked to develop the initial design, while Maryville-based commercial construction company Leon Williams Contractors worked to build out the space. "Both Leon Williams Contractors and Studio Four Design made the renovation process a lot easier for me so that I can focus on my business," said Ripley. "Mike Keller and the team at Studio Four understood exactly what my vision was for the agency and was able to incorporate that into every detail. As for the build out, Jimmy Hawkins and his team at Leon Williams made sure that I was able to run my business instead of having to worry about every little detail that came up during the renovation. They really made the process as easy as possible for me." The new facility incorporates interactive training areas, brainstorming spots and multiple conference rooms to accommodate creativity and the expansion needs of the agency. The new space combines high design with functionality, and a nod to mid-century modern through furnishings and the use of color throughout. About Ripley PR Ripley PR, Inc. is a global B2B public relations agency using a blend of strategic business accounting and creative public relations branding to deliver measurable results. Specializing in construction, franchising, technology, home services and manufacturing, the agency offers a full range of strategic communication services, including crisis management, media relations and social media strategies. Ripley PR is a partner in IPREX, the $250 million network of communication agencies, with 1,800 staff and 120 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.ripleypr.com or call 865-977-1973. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430566 SOURCE Ripley PR, Inc. Related Links http://www.ripleypr.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RiXtrema, a company that provides risk management tools and analysis to the financial advisory and broker/dealer community to help ensure that clients get the analysis and advice they need, today announced the launch of its IRAFiduciaryOptimizer tool to help financial advisors document clients' best interests and ensure compliant rollovers. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430674LOGO This new fiduciary tool is the first software to quantitatively compare and convert existing retirement portfolios into proposed new, compliant portfolios comprised of securities approved by the independent financial advisor or broker/dealer. The comparison highlights a variety of measures such as fees, track record of the investments, risk vs. risk tolerance, and best fiduciary practices. These might include investing in the best share class, as well as additional services provided by the advisor to the client. The IRAFiduciaryOptimizer produces a report summarizing why a rollover is in the best interest of the client based on the abovementioned measures. Reports can be generated by individual advisors, or by a home office compliance team using an administrator portal to manage outcomes for all advisors/representatives with the firm. "When the DOL ruling takes effect in April 2017, all advisors who manage clients' retirement assets will have to be prepared to document that the portfolios they recommend are constructed in the clients' best interests," said RiXtrema President Daniel Satchkov, CFA. "While much of the recent media coverage has addressed the requirements for advisors who deal with qualified plans (401k, 403b, etc.), the fact is that all advisors, including RIAs working with clients to roll over plan assets into individual retirement accounts, will be required to meet the 'best interest' rules and document the results. We developed the IRAFiduciaryOptimizer to address this need." The Optimizer, developed by RiXtrema's award winning research team, uses a quantitative methodology to find approved investments to replace those currently held in a 401(k) (or any) portfolio. It also enables the advisor to quantify and document any savings, performance improvements, fiduciary best practices, as well as additional services available by switching from the existing portfolio to a portfolio comprised of the advisor's suggested investments. Additionally, it allows the advisor to compare the risk/return profile of the original portfolio with the rollover recommendation, as well as show how it compares on metrics such as total fees, returns, risk, Sharpe ratio and fiduciary best practices. The IRAFiduciaryOptimizer is also fully integrated with the FinaMetrica risk tolerance system enabling compliance groups to create risk-appropriate portfolios, while fulfilling other fiduciary requirements. SINGLE PROCESS / PATCH PROCESSING Importantly, the IRAFiduciaryOptimizer not only contrasts a 401(k) portfolio with a compliant rollover solution, proving client's best interest as required under the DOL Rule, but it can also convert plan portfolios from non-compliant to compliant using a company's own selected list of compliant investments, and documenting best interest. While this compliance documentation can be done on an individual advisor level, it can also be done for an entire firm or broker/dealer, with batch tools available to make thousands of portfolios compliant in a single process along with producing documentation that shows client's best interest. ADOPTION BY ADVISORS, CONSULTANTS AND COMPLIANCE OFFICERS Margaret Hornbeck, COO and Chief Compliance Officer for Truenorth, Inc., a $425 million AUM investment advisor based in Wichita, Kansas, was looking for a tool to help her firm meet compliance obligations under the DOL Fiduciary Rule when she discovered the IRAFiduciaryOptimizer. "What I found is so much more than I expected. Our advisors are thrilled with the IRAFiduciaryOptimizer," said Hornbeck. "It not only saves considerable time collecting and illustrating data, it creates comprehensive, professional reports that tie back to the prospect's risk profile and clearly illustrate the value that we bring to the table. The Optimizer is an impressive sales tool that solves a serious compliance need, at a surprisingly reasonable price." "As advisors and consultants to qualified accounts (ERISA and IRA), the need to comply with upcoming DOL regulations will be of paramount importance," said Lance Hicks, managing member at Alternative Asset Group in Newport Beach, Calif. "A sophisticated planning tool such as the IRAFiduciaryOptimizer is essential to our practice in order to maintain both compliance and competitiveness in the marketplace. In addition, the Optimizer has the auxiliary benefit of allowing us to test the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of both existing and proposed model portfolios, to see whether they can be enhanced and improved. In our experience, the Optimizer has proven to be valid, practical, and easy to use a powerful and valuable time-saving application." Thomas Doherty, MBA, CFP, owner of Half Moon Financial Planning LLC, an independent financial advisor in Kingston, New Hampshire has found RiXtrema's Optimizer to be an extremely effective tool to help him remain compliant. "I have been reading a lot in the financial press about the increasing requirements of advisors of all sizes to document their fiduciary compliance," said Doherty. "I have a small business and I often do rollovers of workplace plans to low-cost IRAs. I had always assumed the broader investment selections would outweigh any difference in expenses to my clients. In the increasingly strict regulatory environment, I became uneasy with not having justified my intuition on rollovers with a sound analysis. After seeing a demonstration of RiXtrema's IRAFiduciaryOptimizer, I realized it is ideal to address that gap in my compliance documentation." ABOUT RiXtrema RiXtrema, founded in 2010, is a portfolio crash-testing company that helps advisors discuss risk with clients. Long used by fund managers, pensions plans and funds of funds, RiXtrema has introduced its risk management tools to the financial advisory and broker/dealer community to help ensure that clients get the analysis and advice they need. The RiXtrema research team received the 2015 Peter L. Bernstein award, one of the most prestigious awards in finance, for its article Risk Estimation and Hedging: A Reverse Stress Testing Approach, published in The Journal of Derivatives in April 2015. RiXtrema solutions include Portfolio Crash Testing; BioniX, the first robo platform for advisors that includes sophisticated risk modeling; IRAFiduciaryOptimizer, and the related 401(k) Fiduciary Optimizer geared for plan advisors. For more information, visit www.rixtrema.com. Contact: Leesy Palmer Director Media Relations Impact Communications 913-649-5009 [email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE RiXtrema Related Links http://www.rixtrema.com/advisor WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocket Software joins an elite group of thought leaders at World of Watson showcasing how some of the most innovative IBM customers and partners are disrupting their industries fueled by data and data science. Rocket Software supports IBM's cognitive strategy by building and optimizing the core infrastructure that empowers z Systems intelligence to deliver peak performance and continuous availability and analyzes z data in place with insights from other sources. WHO: Rocket Software WHERE: IBM World of Watson Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas Booth #500 (Cognitive Concourse) WHAT: Presentations on Mainframe Technologies and Cognitive Computing WHEN: October 24-27 The scheduled list of presentations led by Rocket leaders includes: TITLE ROCKET SPEAKER Using Mainframe Data Virtualization to Accelerate Digital Business Transformation Bryan Smith, VP R&D and CTO Best Practices for Protecting Sensitive, Mission-Critical z/OS Data with zSecure and Guardium Barry Davis, Software Specialist Intro to Open Source on z/OS: Develop in Python, SparkR, and PHP on z/OS with Open Source Tools Joe Devlin, VP of Software Development Peter Fandel, Senior Manager of Software Engineering Levering Operational Analytics to enable Self Managing DB2 Tim Willging, Database Tools Architect & Strategist Leveraging IT Operational Analytics with IBM IMS Tools and Spark on z System Ron Bisceglia, Software Engineer Best Practices with DB2 for z/OS Solutions to Maximize Your Analytics Investment Timm Zimmerman, Technical Advisor for Data and Analysis Information at the Speed of Thought: How Social Business Solutions Power Collaborative Analytics Patrick Spedding, Managing Director of BI R&D Advanced DB2 Recovery Analytics Using Spark on z/OS and Machine Learning Patterns Timm Zimmerman, Technical Advisor for Data and Analysis DB2 z/OS Accelerator/Loader Integration at American International Group Anthony Ciabattoni, Database Tools Technical Advisor About Rocket Software Rocket Software (www.rocketsoftware.com) is a technology company that helps organizations in the IBM ecosystem build solutions that meet today's needs while extending the value of their technology investments for the future. Thousands of companies depend on Rocket to solve their most challenging business problems by helping them run their critical infrastructure, business processes, and data, as well as extend those assets to take advantage of cloud, mobile, analytics, and other future innovations. Founded in 1990, Rocket is based in Waltham, Massachusetts with locations in Europe, Asia, and Australia. CONTACT: Richard Berman PHONE & EMAIL: [email protected]; 415 359 4906 SOURCE Rocket Software Related Links http://www.rocketsoftware.com ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX), a global information solutions provider, today announced that Roostify Inc., a leader in automated mortgage transaction technology, plans to build a connection between The Work Number, provided by Equifax WorkForce Solutions, a business unit of Equifax Inc. and its mortgage platform by the end of 2016. The connection to the Equifax data will enable lenders to access employment and income verifications from the Roostify platform. The Work Number is the largest source of employer-direct income and employment information and is refreshed each pay period. The database includes records from more than 75% of the Fortune 500 companies and an increasing number of medium-to small-sized employers. "This alliance with Roostify breaks new ground in mortgage decision automation. Lenders currently using the Roostify platform will benefit from the connection to The Work Number, as they will now have access to reliable data instantaneously, helping to simplify one more vital step in the application process," said Seth Kronemeyer, vertical marketing leader, Equifax Mortgage Services. "We are happy to be able to provide our data to lenders who aim to offer consumers the most efficient closing process possible." The Roostify platform allows borrowers to submit an application, upload documents and collaborate with all parties involved from application to closing. Through key integrations and features, the Roostify platform enables lenders to close more loans in less time and provide a better experience to customers. "We expect our alliance with Equifax to deliver transformational change to our customers," said Rajesh Bhat, CEO and Co-Founder of Roostify. "Applicant income is a primary determinant of whether a loan is approved. Therefore it greatly benefits both borrowers and lenders for this to be verified quickly. Using The Work Number, the industry leading employment and income information database, we can help our customers benefit from faster decisioning and quicker closings." About Equifax Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 5,000 employers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,200 employees worldwide. Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com. About Roostify Founded by three technologists frustrated with their home buying experiences, Roostify enables a more efficient, transparent mortgage process for lenders, agents and homebuyers. Roostify's software platform is trusted by prominent banks and mortgage brokers nationwide to deliver more loan volume, faster closes and happier customers. Roostify is backed by private investors, and headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.roostify.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060224/CLF037LOGO SOURCE Equifax Inc. Related Links http://www.equifax.com TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump sparred in Las Vegas in the third Presidential debate on Oct 20, 10 vessels from Vladimir Putin's fleet were preparing a pincer move in the English Channel, according to an article in The Sun, which was featured in the Drudge Report. An ad on Drudge accompanying the article referred to "The Good News about Nuclear Destruction." Candidate Clinton referred to Putin's "attempt to interfere in the American election"allegedly by hacking emails and turning them over to WikiLeaks. (The context was a question concerning a $225,000 speech Clinton made to a Brazilian bank.) Candidate Trump responded with a reference to Russia's 1,800 nuclear warheads: "They expanded and we didn't." He accused Clinton of "playing chicken" with Russia in the Middle East. Clinton advocated a "no-fly" zone within Syria to exert "leverage" on the Russians and the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad. Jets taking off from the Russian flotilla in the North Sea were carrying out training drills before heading for Syria, where Russians are bombing anti-Assad forces in Aleppo. The Royal Navy will "man-mark" the ships and shadow them to the Straits of Gibraltar. Russian military insiders say the action "marks a first step towards Russia asserting its dominance in the Mediterranean," states The Sun. Trump stated that NATO and other U.S. allies need to pay the cost of their defense. Clinton accused Trump of wanting to break up NATO, and she pledged to "work with our allies." Meanwhile, defense expert for Russian news agency RIA, Alexander Khrolenko, warned that the balance of power was shifting away from NATO in the Mediterranean. As war tensions rise, the "Good News" is not a Dr. Strangelove spoof but rather an article about the fact that most people can survive the war into which politicians seem to be plunging us. However, survival will depend on individuals because of denial of the problem at the highest levels, including the U.S. Department of State under Clinton and her successor. "The debate may be most notable for the implications of what was not said by either candidate: the utter lack of civilian preparedness for the outcome of events now unfolding," said Jane Orient, M.D., president of Physicians for Civil Defense. Physicians for Civil Defense distributes information to help to save lives in the event of war or other disaster. Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected] SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense Related Links http://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This Sunday, October 23, 2016 the Lupus Foundation of America will host its annual Walk to End Lupus Now event in Golden Gate Park. More than 1,500 people are expected to turnout at the event and experience first-hand the power of the movement to end lupus. Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people worldwide. Despite its widespread prevalence, lupus research funding and awareness of its brutal impact remain low. "While we work to solve the cruel mystery of lupus, we must ensure that all Bay area residents affected by lupus have access to the resources and support they need," said Sandra C. Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. "By coming together to raise funds and awareness, Bay area residents are showing their power and support for people with lupus, families, friends and entire the community of those suffering with lupus." Every dollar raised at the Walk to End Lupus Now brings us one step closer to solving the cruel mystery of this disease. Walk to End Lupus Now events are held in more than 60 cities across the country, making it the largest lupus walk program in the entire country. Register today at walktoendlupus.org/sanfrancisco. The Walk to End Lupus Now is made possible with the generous support of its sponsors including Coolibar and Anthera Pharmaceuticals. To learn more or to make a donation, visit http://www.lupus.org/california. Want to know what it's like to attend a Walk event? Watch now: https://youtu.be/epwdMP3aW1o The full release can be accessed at http://www.lupus.org/general-news/entry/San-Fran-Walk. Contact Zachary Feuerherd, [email protected] 202-212-6775 About the Lupus Foundation of America The Lupus Foundation of America is the only national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America Related Links http://www.lupus.org Mr. Adkins is a long-time veteran of the printing and packaging industry according to Mr. James R. Schultz, Chairman of the Board and CEO of GLI. "Scot brings a wealth of printing knowledge and management expertise to our company and to our broad range of regional, national and international clients. I have known Scot for many years through our involvement in various professional printing organizations, and he is ideally suited to lead GLI's day-to-day operations going forward. We look forward to his contributions," he says. Mr. Schultz explains that as the entire marketing industry is continually changing, Great Lakes Integrated has evolved into a multi-channel marketing execution company to serve clients' needs, with an emphasis on marketing technology, fulfillment services, and print, mobile, email and web production. Mr. Adkins steps into this new role at GLI, ready to deliver multi-channel solutions, using his strong background of senior management leadership. He was most recently President/CEO for Rohrer Corporation in Wadsworth, Ohio, from 2003 to 2016, a multi-plant packaging company producing high visibility consumer packaging in North America. From 2002 to 2003, he was Vice President, Commercial Sales at St. Ives in Cleveland, a company providing commercial printing services across the United States. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Adkins served as Vice President of Membership & Marketing for the trade association, Printing Industries of America, Northern Kentucky and Ohio. Prior to that, he was Operations Manager at Rohrich Corporation in Akron, Ohio, from 1990 to 2000, a premium quality commercial printing company. Mr. Adkins attended the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, New York, where he received a B.A. in Industrial Management/Printing Management, and an A.S. in Applied Science Technology. He also received additional coursework at University of Michigan Executive Education, and Kent State University The Corporate University. Great Lakes Integrated is a Marketing Execution company comprised of industry leading professionals whom deliver award winning print, advanced marketing software and State-of-the-Art fulfillment and distribution services. Contact: Jason Schultz Great Lakes Integrated Vice President - Marketing Office: 216-651-1500 ext. 1117 Mobile: 216-235-2424 Email: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430651 SOURCE Great Lakes Integrated NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SecurityScorecard, the most accurate security rating and continuous risk monitoring platform, has received the 'Most Promising Company Award' for their sophisticated technology and strategic implementation during PwC's Inaugural Cyber Security Day, held on Tuesday, October 18 at Crystal Park in Luxembourg, Europe. The inaugural event, run by PwC's Accelerator team in Luxembourg, aims to foster technology company growth for businesses boasting a high potential for development across the world. The PwC Cyber Security Day gathered the most influential decision leaders in the cyber security industry and offered rising cyber security technology companies the opportunity to present their solutions to potential investors who can help expand their footprint globally. Following a strict selection process, SecurityScorecard was selected as one of the ten cyber security technology companies globally and was invited to compete in a 'Local to Global' pitching competition and strategic networking forum. Chris Meidinger, Senior Director Customer Success at SecurityScorecard presented to over 200 international investors and executives in Luxembourg. Through the rigorous competition SecurityScorecard competed against cyber security companies from Europe, Israel, and the United States but it was the company's ten critical security categories, such as Patching Cadence and Endpoint Security that assess the security of third-parties, and the collaborative capabilities of SecurityScorecard's continuous monitoring and rating platform, which includes the world's first and only security search engine ThreatMarket, that awarded them the 'Most Promising Company Award'. "This award is an honor to receive as the SecurityScorecard team has worked hard to make such an intelligent and comprehensive cyber risk monitoring platform," said Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy Co-Founder and CEO of SecurityScorecard. "As we look to next year and our momentum, the innovations we will be producing will help educate and further help industries assess their risk and their third-party risk." ABOUT SECURITYSCORECARD SecurityScorecard provides the most accurate rating of security risk for any organization worldwide. The proprietary SaaS platform helps enterprises gain operational command of the security posture for themselves and across all of their partners, and vendors. It provides continuous, non-intrusive monitoring for any organization including third and fourth parties. The platform offers a breadth and depth of critical data points not available from any other service provider including a broad range of risk categories such as Application Security, Malware, Patching Cadence, Network Security, Hacker Chatter, Social Engineering and Leaked Information. To receive a free SecurityScorecard assessment and consultation for your business, visit instant.securityscorecard.com. For further details on PwC's Inaugural Cyber Security Day visit here. SOURCE SecurityScorecard Related Links http://securityscorecard.com SAN DIEGO, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) plans to announce its third-quarter 2016 earnings at 8:30 a.m. EDT, Nov. 2. Sempra Energy executives will conduct a conference call at 11 a.m. EDT, Nov. 2. Investors, media, analysts and the general public may listen to a live webcast of the conference call at the company's website, www.sempra.com, by clicking on the appropriate audio link. For those unable to obtain access to the live webcast, the teleconference will be available on replay a few hours after its conclusion by dialing (888) 203-1112 and entering passcode 7018826. Briefing materials will be posted on the company's website by 8:30 a.m. EDT, Nov. 2. Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2015 revenues of more than $10 billion. The Sempra Energy companies' 17,000 employees serve more than 32 million consumers worldwide. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110108/SEMPRAENERGYLOGO SOURCE Sempra Energy Related Links http://www.sempra.com "We're so excited that Serena & Lily was chosen to be part of this incredible group of brands," said Lori Greeley, Chief Executive Officer. "What we really love about Lido Marina Village is the rich history of the marina and the thoughtfulness that has gone into the planning to create a wonderful gathering place for family and friends that celebrates the beauty of Southern California. We look forward to introducing Newport Beach to our brand and our hands-on approach to interior design." With approximately 1,300 square feet and an additional 350 square feet of outdoor space, the Design Shop will feature samples of every style from Serena & Lily's signature bedding, textiles, wallpaper, rug and paint collections, as well as a curated collection of furniture, lighting, outdoor living and decor. There will also be an assortment of gift items sold exclusively in this location. Key features will include an extensive swatch wall featuring more than 300 original Serena & Lily textile designs, rotating art displays featuring original works and special paddle installation by Serena, along with Design Advisors offering inspiring solutions that incorporate Serena & Lily's product range. The Design Shop will also be open to interior designers for private appointments, client meetings and presentations during and outside of regular store hours. The Serena & Lily Design Shop opens to the public on Saturday, October 22nd with two days of special events, gifts and promotions, including a $100 shopping spree to the first 25 visitors on Saturday, October 22nd and a partnership with the Glass Slipper Guild, where Serena & Lily will donate 15% of all sales from opening weekend (Saturday, October 22nd through Sunday, October 23rd). Store details: 3636 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, CA 92663 949.287.5764 [email protected] Hours: Mon- Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 11am-5pm ABOUT SERENA & LILY Lifestyle brand Serena & Lily brings a creative spirit to the everyday with its inspired approach to home, design, and art. The Sausalito-based company was founded in 2003 when Serena Dugan, an independent artist and textile designer, met Lily Kanter, an accomplished executive-turned-entrepreneur. The two joined forces with a vision to bring something entirely new to the design world. Today, Serena's original textiles continue to anchor Serena & Lily, while a commitment to inspirational living is reflected in all that the brand puts forth, from innovative retail experiences to furniture, bedding, decor, nursery and art. The company's four retail locations in East Hampton, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Westport reflect the individual spirit of their locations, giving each store a unique flavor, while allowing customers to experience Serena & Lily products in a variety of settings. To shop the website or for more information, please visit www.serenaandlily.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430565 SOURCE Serena & Lily Related Links http://www.serenaandlily.com WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Seven Lakes Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of innovative software solutions for the oil and gas industry, today launched Joyn workflow and analytics platform. Joyn delivers powerful configurability, data integration, and analysis capabilities, making data accessible for everyone in the organization. Joyn harnesses big data, machine learning, and cloud and mobile computing to scale effortlessly for the needs of smaller enterprises all the way to super majors. "We envisioned this integrated platform with one mission in mind to give the doers in your organization true ownership of data to manage by exception, all in one place from the corporate office to the field. The platform empowers people to trust the data, find exceptions, and take immediate action on their data. Joyn is built on the foundation of key strengths from our existing solutions - understanding the language of oil and gas, knowing the industry data, and keeping solutions simple," described Shiva Rajagopalan, CEO of Seven Lakes. The Joyn platform supports Joyn Solutions, which are built to expose exceptions on every level data, insight and action and generate business value rapidly. These 16 out-of-the-box workflow and analytics solutions empower oil and gas organizations to zero-in on insights with google-like search capabilities and drill down to the invoice level. The trusted insights such as efficient pumping routes, distressed wells, over-budget AFEs, duplicate invoices or non-productive rigs equip doers to take action easily through robust alerts, subscription reports and workflows. The Joyn platform also offers customers Joyn Professional, which enables organizations to build, view and manage configurable visualizations, dashboards and reports. As business conditions change, the platform modifies visualizations and reports effortlessly to fit new business needs. The solutions integrate deep understanding of industry-specific data, transforming data quality and efficacy. "We met three significant customer needs with the launch of Joyn. Our proven analytics solutions will now be built on one platform, allowing us to standardize and serve more enterprise customers efficiently. Also, instead of relying on us, our customers can now equip their people to modify solutions and respond to business changes. In addition, the rebrand to Joyn expresses our product strategy to integrate workflow and analytics solutions on one platform," explained Jimmy Sebastian, Chief Product Officer. About Seven Lakes Technologies Seven Lakes Technologies is a vertically focused analytics and workflow software firm offering solutions and services for the upstream (E&P) oil and gas sector; focused on improving business drivers and enhancing execution of customer business strategies. Seven Lakes offers innovative product suites focused on production, capex and opex improvements. Seven Lakes Technologies is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Houston, Denver and Bangalore, India. For more information, please visit http://www.sevenlakes.com. SOURCE Seven Lakes Technologies Related Links http://www.sevenlakes.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Experience the magic and splendor of Shen Yun 2017 at more locations than ever before, including California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Washington, Illinois, Nebraska, Alabama, Virginia, Ohio, Georgia, Pennsylvania, to mention a few. Find your city and get your tickets through www.shenyun.com. Shen Yun is dedicated to reviving 5,000 years of divinely inspired civilization by bringing its profound spirit to life on stage with unrivaled artistic mastery. Every dance movement and every musical note makes this a stunning visual and emotional experience you won't find anywhere else. Since 2007, more than 5,000,000 people in 30 countries on four continents have been raving about Shen Yun. In 2016, a record number of sold-out performances thrilled Southern California fans. Each year, a new production is created and in 2017, five touring companies will travel the globe to perform 500 shows, bringing the beauty and spectacular of Shen Yun to millions of fans. Originating several thousand years ago from the tradition of martial arts, Chinese dance is one of the most rigorous and expressive art forms in the world. The Shen Yun Orchestra combines the spirit, beauty and distinctiveness of Chinese music with the precision, power and grandeur of the Western symphony orchestra. Step into a divine land, full of ancient wisdom and timeless beauty. A lost culture returns when Shen Yun takes the stage. Shen Yun is a journey to another world with exquisite costumes and stunning animated backdrops. Come and celebrate Shen Yun's incredible 11th anniversary of sharing the beauty of Chinese culture with the world. See for yourself why Shen Yun is leaving millions in awe and returning again and again! MEDIA CONTACT Ayelet Corona, ACA Marketing + Public Relations [email protected] c: 818 232 1062 SOURCE Shen Yun Related Links http://www.shenyun.com N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, CEO and President commented, "We are very encouraged with the early success from our initial drilling campaign at Las Chispas, which has confirmed continuity of high grades over potential mineable thicknesses. With the underground drilling permit, we will start drill-defining resources and preparing for a broader Phase II exploration program. Our current focus is to systematically drill the Las Chispas and William Tell veins in a grid pattern for resource estimation, test vein extensions and to further explore the Babicanora area. SilverCrest's schedule is to establish a maiden resource estimation in the first half of 2017. We see further upside in this historic silver-gold mining district with prospective discoveries of multiple unidentified veins, and drill testing Babicanora which is considered the largest target in the district." Summary of Phase I Exploration Program SilverCrest's recently completed Phase I exploration work consisted of approximately 6,400 metres of drilling in 22 core holes. Details of the Phase I drilling results were previously announced on the Company's news releases dated August 2, September 7 and September 14, 2016. In summary, 19 core holes have been drilled in the Las Chispas and William Tell veins. All drill holes intercepted quartz stockwork veinlets, veining and/or breccia. The drilling has defined several discoveries and confirmed high grade continuity with resultant multiple drill intercepts of greater than 2,000 grams per tonne ("gpt") silver equivalent ("AgEq", based on 75:1 Ag:Au and 100% metallurgical recovery). The remaining 3 holes, of the 22 drilled, targeted the La Victoria area which is approximately one kilometre southwest of the historic Babicanora Mine. The Las Chispas discoveries may be influenced by a controlling, cross-cutting, high-grade structural corridor that extends from the Las Chispas Vein through the William Tell Vein and southwest beyond Babicanora. This corridor is potentially 750 metres wide (Figure 1), and high grade mineralization appears to extend to a depth of at least 300 metres from the surface. Some of the more significant core drilling results for the Las Chispas Vein include 4.6 metres in true width of 4.56 gpt gold and 621.5 gpt silver, or 963 gpt AgEq, including 0.8 metres grading 18.55 gpt gold and 2,460.0 gpt silver, or 3,851 gpt AgEq in hole LC16-05. Drill hole LC16-08 showed 7.2 metres in true width grading 2.41 gpt gold and 311.5 gpt silver, or 492 gpt AgEq, and a more recently announced drill assay from hole LC16-18 drilled 1.0 metre grading 1.55 gpt gold and 706.0 gpt silver, or 822 gpt AgEq (Figure 2). The William Tell Vein runs parallel to the Las Chispas Vein and is about 120 metres to the west. The Company discovered what appears to be an unmined faulted southern extension of the William Tell Vein. Four of seven drill holes at William Tell intersected high-grade mineralization. The most notable core drilling results are 2.3 metres in true width grading 1.63 gpt gold and 583.6 gpt silver, or 705 gpt AgEq, including 0.8 metre of 3.81 gpt gold and 1,102.0 gpt silver, or 1,388 gpt AgEq in hole LC16-03 (Figure 3). Hole LC16-03 has been reinterpreted, and true thickness has been changed from 1.5 metres, as previously announced on September 7, 2016, to 2.3 metres. Drill hole LC16-15 showed 1.3 metres in true width grading 1.94 gpt gold and 352.0 gpt silver, or 494 gpt AgEq. Two new vein discoveries were made with drill holes LC16-13 and LC16-16 near the William Tell vein. Reported grades of these new veins were 4.79 gpt gold and 364.0 gpt silver, or 723 gpt AgEq and 6.57 gpt gold and 395.0 gpt silver, or 888 gpt AgEq over estimated true widths of 0.8 metres and 0.9 metres, respectively. Of the 14 historically identified veins near the Las Chispas and William Tell veins, 12 have been located by the Company. In the Babicanora area, five historically identified veins plus two additional veins have been located by the Company (see Figure 1). As of September 15, 2016, approximately 6 kilometres of 11.5 kilometres of underground workings have been rehabilitated by the Company, with rehabilitation work continuing over the remainder of 2016. To date, an estimated 2,055 underground rock chip/channel samples have been collected and assayed, with 301 sample results grading above a cutoff grade of 150 gpt AgEq; averaging 4.35 gpt gold and 331.6 gpt silver or 658 gpt AgEq. In addition to chip/channel sampling, underground backfill sampling is being completed while removing material to gain access to the workings. Average backfill sample results show 2.45 gpt gold and 226.3 gpt silver, or 410 gpt AgEq for the Las Chispas Vein, 1.24 gpt gold and 212.1 gpt silver, or 305 gpt AgEq for the William Tell Vein, and 1.88 gpt gold and 126.1 gpt silver, or 267 gpt AgEq for the Babicanora Vein. Backfill material will be considered in the upcoming resource estimation. Surface dump trenching and sampling is ongoing in easily accessible areas. Results as of September 15, 2016 from 493 samples show potential economic material immediately available for possible processing. Average dump grades are 1.04 gpt gold and 78.1 gpt silver, or 156 gpt AgEq with select grades up to 4,548 gpt AgEq. Dumps will be considered in the upcoming resource estimation. Approximately 1.2 square kilometres of surface area have been geologically mapped with select sampling. Surface rock sampling results range from trace to 15.05 gpt gold and 1340.0 gpt silver or 2,469 gpt AgEq. Further expanding surface mapping and sampling is ongoing. Phase II Exploration Program Outlook The Company is preparing an underground core drilling program of 2,000 metres and a minimum surface core drill program of 6,000 metres. Phase II will commence in November 2016 and will test potential near-surface resource areas, as well as extensional targets along trend and below the historic workings. Underground drilling is planned to start at Babicanora with approximately 5 to 10 core holes to initially test the historic mine area and multiple parallel veins. Drill access to the historic mine is provided by a 4 metre by 4 metre portal and a 230 metre drift which intersects the Babicanora Vein. Subsequent Phase II surface drilling is planned for Babicanora to initially evaluate its estimated 2.5 kilometre strike length with multiple parallel veins, stockwork and breccias (Figure 1). As with the Las Chispas and William Tell veins, Babicanora has not been previously drilled. Additional surface and underground drilling will be conducted at the Las Chispas and William Tell veins where the Company recently completed the successful Phase I program. The focus will be on infill drilling for resource estimation and step out drilling to test the possible southern and northern vein extensions of the Las Chispas and William Tell veins. Phase II drilling will also include initial drilling of other targets on the Company's concessions including the historic Varela Mine, Espiritu Santo Mine, and Granaditas Mine (Figure 1). The Company anticipates that this Phase II campaign will be completed by early Q2 2017, with the results to be incorporated into a maiden resource estimate for the Las Chispas project in late Q2 2017. As previously reported, the underground drill program will also focus on the delineation of a large bulk sample. A bulk sample is a large sample, in many cases hundreds or thousands of tonnes, and is generally a composite of material from development drifts and raises. It is also used to define metallurgical characteristics. With continued success, the Company expects to begin with its bulk sample in late 2017. Arrangements for processing the bulk sample off site are required. Other Developments As previously reported, the first Las Chispas NI 43-101 technical report (non-resource) is currently being completed and will be available before the end of October 2016. The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, CEO and President, who has reviewed and approved its contents. ABOUT THE LAS CHISPAS PROJECT The Las Chispas Project is located in Sonora State, Mexico, and is in a historic silver-gold mining district which presently hosts two nearby precious metal producers. Historic information indicates that of the nineteen historically reported veins in the Las Chispas district, only three veins, the Las Chispas, William Tell and Babicanora, had documented high grade production, which occurred between 1880 and 1930. SilverCrest's initial focus is on these three veins. To the Company's knowledge, none of the historic known veins has been drilled prior to the Company's recently completed Phase I drill campaign. For more information, please refer to our website at www.silvercrestmetals.com. ABOUT SILVERCREST METALS INC. SilverCrest is a Canadian precious metals exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that is focused on new discoveries, value-added acquisitions and targeting production in Mexico's historic precious metal districts. The Company is led by a proven management team in all aspects of the precious metal mining sector, including the pioneering of a responsible "phased approach" business model taking projects through discovery, finance, on time and on budget construction, and production with subsequent increased value to shareholders. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. These include, without limitation, statements with respect to: the strategic plans, timing and expectations for the Company's exploration, rehabilitation and drilling programs of the Las Chispas Project, including initial extraction program for bulk sample testing and preparation of an initial resource estimate; information with respect to high grade areas and size of veins projected from underground sampling results and drilling results; and the accessibility of future mining at the Las Chispas Project. Such forwardlooking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the conditions in general economic and financial markets; precious metals prices; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of expenditures related to rehabilitation and drilling programs; and effects of regulation by governmental agencies. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; precious metal prices and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng. CEO and President SilverCrest Metals Inc. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SilverCrest Metals Inc., Contact: Fred Cooper, Investor Relations, Telephone: +1 (604) 694-1730, Fax: +1 (604) 694-1761, Toll Free: 1-866-691-1730 (Canada & USA), Email: [email protected], Website: www.silvercrestmetals.com, 570 Granville Street, Suite 501, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3P1 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430826 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430827 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430828 SOURCE SilverCrest Metals Inc. NORWALK, Conn., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tortilla chips. Tap dance. Cheese pizza. Buttons. There seems to be a national day for everything except the country's most searched cocktail: the Moscow Mule. Food and beverage trends come and go, but no vodka cocktail is more iconic than the Moscow Mule. Today, 75 years after SMIRNOFF vodka invented the original Moscow Mule in 1941, the extremely popular vodka cocktail finally will have its own day. SMIRNOFF vodka, the brand that invented the Moscow Mule in 1941, celebrates the classic cocktail's 75th anniversary at an event in Los Angeles, CA on October 19, 2016 (photo by Jesse Grant) To commemorate the Moscow Mule's significance in cocktail history and its impact on cocktail culture, SMIRNOFF vodka and Foodimentary, the official source for all food holidays, are declaring March 3rd as National Moscow Mule Day. SMIRNOFF vodka announced the date last night as the country's best-selling vodka brand welcomed guests to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Moscow Mule with a one-of-a-kind, immersive cocktail party that took guests back in time to 1941 to explain how the cocktail became a pop-culture sensation. The event took place just miles away from where the cocktail was first invented on Hollywood's Sunset Strip. The date of National Moscow Mule Day March 3 or "3-3" is significant. The Original Moscow Mule was crafted with three ingredients: SMIRNOFF No. 21 vodka, premium ginger beer and lime. As the story goes, there were also three key people involved in the cocktail's creation: the first, John G. Martin, had trouble selling his SMIRNOFF vodka at a time when brown spirits were king. The second, Jack Morgan, owner of a popular pub on the Sunset Strip, could not convince his patrons to try his ginger beer. The third, a woman named Ozeline Schmidt, provided the copper mugs, the perfect vessels for enjoying the zesty creation they called the Moscow Mule. The trio came together to creatively combine their crafts and simultaneously revolutionized cocktail culture with the Moscow Mule. "The Moscow Mule is a timeless cocktail, also recently the most searched cocktail, and an important part of SMIRNOFF vodka's history so we felt the cocktail deserved its own holiday beginning March 3, 2017," said Jay Sethi, Vice President of Marketing, SMIRNOFF. "The cocktail's simplicity of three quality ingredients provides the perfect canvas for anyone over the age of 21 to create and enjoy responsibly, especially on National Moscow Mule Day." On March 3, 2017, and every "3-3" to come, commemorate National Moscow Mule Day by raising a frosty copper mug and toast to #TheOriginalMule made with SMIRNOFF vodka. Remember that smart choices are as important now as they were 75 years ago when the cocktail was created; make sure you've planned a safe way home after enjoying Smirnoff Moscow Mules. SMIRNOFF vodka is the world's best-selling premium vodka by volume. As a tasteless and odorless vodka, SMIRNOFF No. 21's mixability from its production ten times filtered and triple distilled highlights the flavor of the ginger beer and lime and remains the vodka of choice for the Moscow Mule. About SMIRNOFF The SMIRNOFF brand, the world's number-one selling vodka, traces its heritage back to 19th century Russia. Products from the SMIRNOFF brand have always been known for quality and are enjoyed responsibly in 130 countries around the world. For more information, log on to www.smirnoff.com. About Diageo Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere. MEDIA CONTACTS: Jim Sias Diageo [email protected] 646-223-2305 Jenna Mitchell Taylor [email protected] 212-714-5713 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430878 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160414/355518LOGO SOURCE SMIRNOFF Related Links http://www.smirnoff.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This research study analyzes the market for solvent-based inks in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (kilo tons). The solvent-based inks market has been segmented on the basis of product, printing type, end use applications, and geography. The report features a detailed regional segmentation with market growth forecasts for the 2016?2024 period. For the research, 2015 has been considered as the base year and 2016 the estimated year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2016 to 2024. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional and country-specific levels from 2016 to 2024. The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the development of solvent-based inks technologies for the solvent-based inks business. The report also includes key market dynamics such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the global solvent-based inks market. These market dynamics are analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the market with the help of the Porter's Five Forces Analysis model, which helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the structure and profitability of the global solvent-based inks market. The forces analyzed are the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, and the degree of competition. The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the solvent-based inks business globally. There are currently several drivers for the market. The most prominent drivers include rapid growth in the packaging industry along with growth in the digital printing industry. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the solvent-based inks market on the basis of product type, printing type, application, region, and country. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market. On the basis of printing type, the market has been segmented into lithographic, gravure, flexographic, screen-printing, letterpress, and digital. On the basis of product type, the market has been segmented into vinyl inks, vinyl-acrylic inks, epoxy inks, polyurethanic inks, and cellulose inks. By application, the solvent-based inks market has been segmented by various end-use applications, including packaging, advertising, tags & labels, books & catalog, office stationery, magazines, newspaper, and other applications. In terms of geography, the market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. China is expected to remain the dominant market for solvent-based inks, with demand reaching 275.7 kilo tons by 2024. A zero tax agreement between ASEAN and China has created a stable position for ASEAN, which is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.2% between 2016 and 2024. India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Favorable government regulations and emergence of medium and small enterprises in India have contributed significantly to the solvent-based inks market. Key players in the solvent-based inks market are Tokyo Printing Ink Mfg. Co. Ltd., Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd., Sun Chemical Corporation, Flint Group, Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co., Ltd., Lawter Inc. , Yansefu Inks and Coatings Pvt. Ltd., Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA, Sakata INX Corporation, Huber Group, Zeller+Gmelin GmbH & Co. KG, ALTANA AG, Wikoff Color Corporation, SICPA Holding SA, Fujifilm Sericol India Private Limited, Royal Dutch Printing Ink Factories Van Son and T&K Toka Co., Ltd. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, and recent developments. Solvent-based Inks Market: By Printing Type Lithographic Gravure Flexographic Screen-printing Letterpress Digital Solvent-based Inks Market: By Product Type Vinyl Inks Vinyl-Acrylic Inks Epoxy Inks Polyurethanic Inks Cellulose Inks Solvent-based Inks Market: By Application Packaging Books & Catalogue Advertising Tags & Labels Office Stationery Magazines Newspaper Others Solvent-based Inks Market: By Region North America The U.S. Canada Europe The U.K. France Germany Spain Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa GCC Egypt South Africa Rest of Middle East and Africa Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04239935-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 "We're so proud to be here opening this incredible new facility, as this inauguration represents a significant investment for Georgia and a clear commitment to Bayer's investment in advancing technology across cotton," said Monty Christian, Bayer vice president for U.S. Cotton Operations. "We will continue here with Bayer's proven record of delivering cotton varieties with high yield potential and high quality fiber packages, specifically through our flagship brands, Stoneville and FiberMax." The Southeast Cotton Breeding Station is part of Bayer's commitment to invest nearly $1 billion in the United States between 2013-2016 in new facilities and capital expansion to complement the approximately $1 billion invested globally in research and development annually. The breeding and research focus here is on varieties and traits that clear agronomic hurdles and enhance both, efficiency and profitability for growers who are working to provide food, feed, fiber and renewable raw materials globally. "For us, it is important to continue expanding our Seeds business through R&D, and this facility will bring together significant scientific and technology resources to support the advancement of the agricultural industry, specifically for cotton seed trait and plant research," said Mike Gilbert, V.P. and Head of Global Breeding & Trait Development for Bayer. With exclusive traits and a product portfolio focused on addressing grower challenges, the Bayer team is poised to deliver higher returns for growers. Bayer offers integrated crop solutions in a range of products from seeds and traits, to chemical and biological protection products and services to ensure growers have the right tools they need when they need them. For the Stoneville brand, the breeding station will continue to build on a lineup focused on providing varieties adapted to the Southeast with excellent early-season vigor and proven performance under the unrelenting regional pest pressures. Southeast industry leaders and university researchers commended Bayer's commitment to cotton while touring the facility, where harvest has started for the first crop of breeding and research plots. The facility adds to the economic weight brought by agriculture - and cotton specifically, in Georgia and the Southeast. The Cotton Breeding Station will employ 10 to 15 people who will work with a larger global team to promote advanced research on genetics, chemistry, and traits to provide holistic agricultural solutions to customers around the world. In addition to the full-time employees, many area residents will be hired each year to assist with planting and harvesting activities. Providing food, feed, fiber and renewable raw materials for the growing global population is one of the greatest challenges facing the world. Studies show that by the year 2050, our planet will be home to more than nine billion people. However, the amount of available agricultural land is limited and under pressure due to increasing urbanization, higher salinity levels and soil erosion. In addition, extreme weather conditions like drought and flooding are impacting harvest quantity and quality. Bayer is the third-largest innovative agricultural input company in the world. Bayer is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer representative, or visit Crop Science, a division of Bayer, online at www.cropscience.bayer.us. Visit the Bayer Connect - Social Hub for social media, recent news, blog posts, videos and more from Crop Science, a division of Bayer. Bayer: Science For A Better Life Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com. Find more information at www.cropscience.bayer.us. Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 2016 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, FiberMax, and Stoneville are registered trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.CropScience.Bayer.us. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429962 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429972LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140312/NY79226LOGO SOURCE Bayer Related Links http://www.bayerus.com THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: SMLP) announced today that it will report financial results for the third quarter of 2016 on Thursday, November 3, 2016, after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. SMLP will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, November 4, 2016, to discuss its quarterly operating and financial results. Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing 847-585-4405 or toll-free 888-771-4371 and entering the passcode 43651663. The conference call will also be webcast live and can be accessed through the Investors section of SMLP's website at www.summitmidstream.com. A replay of the conference call will be available until November 18, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, and can be accessed by dialing 888-843-7419 and entering the replay passcode 43651663#. An archive of the conference call will also be available on SMLP's website. About Summit Midstream Partners, LP SMLP is a growth-oriented limited partnership focused on developing, owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets that are strategically located in the core producing areas of unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations, in the continental United States. SMLP provides natural gas, crude oil and produced water gathering services pursuant to primarily long-term and fee-based gathering and processing agreements with customers and counterparties in five unconventional resource basins: (i) the Appalachian Basin, which includes the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in West Virginia and Ohio; (ii) the Williston Basin, which includes the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations in North Dakota; (iii) the Fort Worth Basin, which includes the Barnett Shale formation in Texas; (iv) the Piceance Basin, which includes the Mesaverde formation as well as the Mancos and Niobrara shale formations in Colorado and Utah; and (v) the Denver-Julesburg Basin, which includes the Niobrara and Codell shale formations in Colorado and Wyoming. SMLP also owns substantially all of a 40% ownership interest in Ohio Gathering, which is developing natural gas gathering and condensate stabilization infrastructure in the Utica Shale in Ohio. SMLP is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, with regional corporate offices in Denver, Colorado and Atlanta, Georgia. About Summit Midstream Partners, LLC As of September 30, 2016, Summit Midstream Partners, LLC ("Summit Investments") beneficially owned a 40.6% limited partner interest in SMLP and indirectly owns and controls the general partner of SMLP, Summit Midstream GP, LLC, which has sole responsibility for conducting the business and managing the operations of SMLP. Summit Investments is a privately held company controlled by Energy Capital Partners II, LLC, and certain of its affiliates. As of September 30, 2016, an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners II, LLC directly owned an 8.2% limited partner interest in SMLP. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are forward-looking within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements contain known and unknown risks and uncertainties (many of which are difficult to predict and beyond management's control) that may cause SMLP's actual results in future periods to differ materially from anticipated or projected results. An extensive list of specific material risks and uncertainties affecting SMLP is contained in its 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K as updated and superseded by the Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2016, and as amended and updated from time to time. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and SMLP undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120927/MM82470LOGO SOURCE Summit Midstream Partners, LP Related Links http://www.summitmidstream.com Apollo Gum Company and the Apollo JetPack recently performed an extreme water stunt at Lake San Cristobal for Apollo's official launch announcement. The JetPack pilot emerged from beneath the waters of Lake San Cristobal, soared 510 feet across the lake and landed the 800-horsepower rocket-powered jetpack on the edge of a cliff. You can see the stunt video here: http://bit.ly/2dBdro3 Apollo Energy Gum is one of the fastest-acting sources of energy in the world due to its innovative delivery system that instantly boosts the user's energy levels. The liquid center of the gum, which contains vitamins B3, B6 and B12, 80 mg of caffeine and zero sugar, absorbs through the lining of the mouth and is delivered directly into the bloodstream, providing energy up to five times faster than other energy supplements. Apollo's shell has more Xylitol than any Xylitol gum on a market. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that helps to prevent cavities, repairs tooth enamel and can strengthen the immune system. Apollo Energy Gum is also free from Aspartame and Acesulfame. "We are very excited to finally share our product. Apollo is about to change the energy market completely. Apollo is unique. It tastes great, is portable, and good for your body and teeth. Think of it as your new pre-workout or energy on the go," shared Boyd Wilkinson, Director of Brand Development. About Apollo Gum Company (ApolloEnergyGum.com) Apollo Gum Company is excited to announce its new marketing strategy and international launch. This supplement company will change the way people consume energy. With headquarters in Colorado, Apollo Gum Company is providing a clean, healthy, portable and affordable alternative to other energy supplements. Apollo Gum Company is on a mission to inspire people all over the world to go after their dreams, push their limits and live a healthier lifestyle. It doesn't matter if you are an athlete, stay-at-home mom, or a CEO. We want you to join our community of #BeLimitless individuals who want to release their inner superhero. Apollo Gum Company is ready for its official launch, and we do not want you to miss it. Join us today: ApolloEnergyGum.com About JetPack International (JetPackInternational.com) JetPack International was created 12 years ago to research, develop and construct what was once a childhood dream. The goal of JetPack International was to build a lighter, faster, more economical and longer-flying jetpack than the originals built by Bell Aerosystems in the 1960s. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, materials, and engineering along with incredible passion, determination and an extreme amount of work, JetPack International has developed the world's most advanced personal flying machine. The Apollo JetPack, formerly GO FAST! JetPack, has flown for events all over the world. JetPack International is continuing to blaze the path of human flight and has caused a rebirth of the cultural phenomenon of personal jetpacks. For more information contact: [email protected] Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T52_eiOnCuU SOURCE Apollo Gum Company Related Links http://ApolloEnergyGum.com With the relaunch, MR PORTER has added new tech and social media enhancements by integrating Google Maps , along with adding service partner support from OpenTable and Uber , so users can book rides and reservations directly from the Style Council page on MR PORTER.COM and in the MR PORTER App. MR PORTER Style Council is your one-stop concierge 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and is accessible for reference and bookings all from the palm of your hand. To celebrate the launch, MR PORTER will debut a dedicated issue of The Journal highlighting existing and new Style Council members who are leaders in their respective fields: art director Alex de Betak, paddle8 founder Alexander Gilkes, men's wear stylist Eugene Tong, adventurer and ecologist David de Rothschild, media publisher Wei Koh, and more. Additionally MR PORTER has appointed an in-house liaison, Style Council Director Ms Ashlyn Chesney, to oversee relationships with Style Council members so recommendations and profiles are as up-to-date and evolving as our members expanding palates and favourite things. Ms Chesney and MR PORTER Brand & Content Director Mr Jeremy Langmead will kick-off the re-launch with intimate dinners around the world, hosted at some of MR PORTER'S favourite restaurants, all to be featured in Mr Porter's own profile. They are: Bennelong in Sydney; Rhoda in Hong Kong; Mark's Club in London, and the Waverly Inn in New York City. "We're thrilled to be relaunching MR PORTER's Style Council, making it all the more accessible and functional for the modern man or woman on-the-go. It's a one-stop, mobile city guide populated by the most stylish and brightest minds around the world." Mr Jeremy Langmead, MR PORTER Brand and Content Director "MR PORTER's Style Council boasts some of the world's most inspiring tastemakers. From professional athletes to designers, musicians and journalists, these global citizens offer up their favourite places and dream items, providing advice, information and inspiration to men on a global scale." Ms Ashlyn Chesney, MR PORTER Style Council Director MR PORTER Style Council will re-launch exclusively on MR PORTER.COM 20th October and is also accessible through MR PORTER's Style App for mobile. To view the MR PORTER Style Council online, please click here: https://www.mrporter.com/style-council To view the MR PORTER Style Council editorial in The Journal, please click here: https://www.mrporter.com/journal To view the MR PORTER Style Council video on YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/X9XaQQHS3hY About MRPORTER.COM MR PORTER launched in February 2011 and has established itself as the award-winning global retail destination for men's style, combining unparalleled product offering from the world's best menswear brands including Brioni, Givenchy, Gucci, Lanvin, ACNE Studios, Burberry Prorsum, Paul Smith, Slowear, and Saint Laurent alongside fine watches, over 45 specialist grooming brands and most recently MR PORTER SPORT a dedicated sport and performance category that encompasses technical and stylish wares suited to nine disciplines. MR PORTER publishes unmatched content through its weekly shoppable digital magazine, The Journal, its bi-monthly newspaper, The MR PORTER Post, and its bite-sized, several-times-a-day digital news source, The Daily, all powered by MRPORTER.COM. MR PORTER champions unparalleled customer service with express worldwide shipping to more than 170 countries including same-day delivery to New York and London and next day delivery to the UK, US, Germany and France, a seamless shopping experience across mobile, tablet, desktop, email and telephone, signature white and black packaging, easy returns and a multi-lingual customer care and personal shopping team that are available 24/7, 365 days a year. www.mrporter.com Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/mrporter.mp4 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430408 SOURCE MRPORTER.COM Related Links https://www.mrporter.com/style-council NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to announce that the firm has been recognized by THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL as one of a select group of "America's Elite Trial Lawyers" for the third consecutive year. The firm was selected for its creative and significant work on behalf of plaintiffs in the antitrust litigation category. The firm was previously selected in 2014 and 2015 for its work on behalf of plaintiffs in the securities litigation category. THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL'S focus this year on the firm's antitrust practice is a testament to the firm's versatility and excellence in representing plaintiffs in all types of complex litigation. The firm was recognized for its work in a number of nationwide antitrust class actions, including the In re Polyurethane Foam Antitrust Litigation, No. 10-MD-02196-JZ (N.D. Ohio) ($400 million recovery for the class); the In re Processed Egg Products Antitrust Litigation, No. 08-MD-02002 (GP) (E.D. Pa.) ($60 million recovery for the class); and the In re Fresh and Process Potatoes Antitrust Litigation No. 10-MD-02186-BLW-CWD (D. Idaho) ($19.5 million recovery for the class). In making its selection, the editorial staff of THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL vetted numerous nomination submissions for accomplishments across various categories of plaintiff lawyers, based on particular types of cases in which they've excelled. To qualify, "firms had to have scored at least one significant plaintiffs win" between July 1, 2015 and July 1, 2016 "and possess an impressive track record of wins within the past three to five years." To be considered, the firm must have prevailed in a bench or jury trial, or negotiated a major high-stakes settlement (such as a substantial amount of money or an outcome that could affect litigation strategy or case law nationwide). Bernstein Liebhard LLP, established in 1993, represents plaintiffs in class action and complex litigation and has pursued hundreds of securities, antitrust, consumer, and shareholder rights cases, resulting in over $3.5 billion in recoveries for its clients and the classes it has represented. For more information, please contact Stanley D. Bernstein at (212) 779-1414 or [email protected]. Bernstein Liebhard LLP 10 East 40th Street New York, New York 10016 (212) 779-1414 (877) 779-1414 www.bernlieb.com ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2016 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. Contact Information Stephanie M. Beige Bernstein Liebhard LLP http://www.bernlieb.com (212) 779-1414 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120202/MM47134LOGO SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP Related Links http://www.bernlieb.com Travel nurses work for Aya Healthcare throughout the United States, typically on 13-week assignments. At the end of an assignment, a travel nurse can extend or choose to travel to another Aya Healthcare hospital in need of temporary clinicians. "We've dedicated considerable resources to ensure our travelers have the best experiences in the industry," says Amy Bruce, Aya Healthcare Director of Traveler Experience. "Most of the time it just boils down to doing the right thing." In addition to the departments that are standard in the healthcare staffing industry, like payroll, credentialing and housing, Aya has dedicated an entire team to ensure travelers have an exceptional experience. The Traveler Experience Department exists to anticipate travelers' needs, and when the unexpected happens, has the autonomy to address any issues on the spot as they occur, day or night, seven days a week. For instance, if a traveler misses a connecting flight between assignments and is sleep deprived with nowhere to go, he or she can call Aya in the middle of the night to get things sorted out. Travelers are also surprised and delighted to receive a pizza on their birthday when on assignment with Aya Healthcare. Recently, Staffing Industry Analysts named Aya Healthcare to their lists of the Largest Travel Nurse Firms in the United States and the Largest Healthcare Staffing Firms. Currently, 11% of travel nurses in the United States work for Aya Healthcare. About Aya Healthcare Aya Healthcare is dedicated to creating exceptional experiences for their clinicians, their corporate employees and the healthcare facilities they serve. For healthcare facilities, Aya delivers a robust suite of software and services to manage the procurement of contingent labor. Aya Healthcare's platform provides access to one of the largest sources of contract clinicians in the country while improving efficiency, increasing quality and reducing cost for healthcare systems. For travel nurses, Aya delivers the best experience in the industry while providing access to the widest base of travel assignments in the United States. For more information, visit www.ayahealthcare.com. Media Contact Heather Gjerde 858-352-6020 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430789-INFO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430788LOGO SOURCE Aya Healthcare Related Links http://www.ayahealthcare.com DENVER, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ardent Mills today announced that it has reached agreement with Armour Specialty Marketing to produce and sell Ultragrain Pasta into the foodservice and food manufacturing channels. "We're tremendously excited about Armour Specialty Marketing's enthusiasm to represent and build the Ultragrain Pasta brand. Ultragrain Pasta is made with a blend of semolina and Ardent Mills' Ultragrain whole wheat flour, which has the taste, texture and appearance benefits of white flour, and is ideal for making a pasta that cooks up with the light color, smooth texture and al dente bite of traditional pasta preferred by consumers," said Don Trouba, Director of Marketing, Ardent Mills. Available immediately from Armour Specialty Marketing, Ultragrain Pasta now comes in six classic shapes: spaghetti, rotini, penne, elbows, lasagna and egg noodles. Perfect for any recipe that uses these shapes, Ultragrain Pasta is ideal for foodservice companies and food manufacturers interested increasing whole grain nutrition without sacrificing the taste and texture associated with traditional semolina pasta. Ultragrain Pasta can also be used to replace existing whole wheat pastas that are often soft, bitter, gritty and have visible specks, helping to improve consumer appeal. "Ultragrain Pasta is a wonderful addition to our specialty food portfolio. We look forward to providing school districts, foodservice and food manufacturing companies a superior quality whole grain pasta. Close relationships with our customers and a passion for our products are the foundation of the Armour business. Ardent Mills' Ultragrain brand makes our mission that much easier," said Kristel Halbert, Armour Sales Manager. Ultragrain whole wheat flour is uniquely milled to deliver the taste, texture and appearance of traditional white flour, while maintaining the whole grain nutrition naturally found in the wheat kernel. The finest white whole wheat flour available, Ultragrain is milled from identity-preserved white wheat that is mild in flavor and light in color. The exclusive wheat varieties used for Ultragrain are raised by farmers who participate in the Ultragrain Grower Program which supports family farmers by paying them a premium above market prices. For more information or to purchase Ultragrain Pasta, contact Armour Specialty Marketing at 972-660-9980 or visit armourlard.com. For more information on Ultragrain, which is ideal for a variety applications including: breads, bagels, soft pretzels, pizza dough, tortillas, coatings, biscuits, batters and breadings, contact Ardent Mills at 800-851-9618 or visit ardentmills.com. About Armour Specialty Marketing Armour Specialty Marketing is a specialty food company and the home of the #1 Brand of Retail Lard - Armour Lard. The Armour Brand has been a trusted brand in the home kitchen for more than 100 years. In addition to retail products, Armour Specialty Marketing owns a line of specialty commercial oils and shortenings. Currently Armour has 11 distribution points throughout the United States and exports products to Mexico and Puerto Rico. Based in Grand Prairie, Texas, Armour's key objectives are to provide exceptional customer service and to produce a high quality product. To learn more about Armour Specialty Marketing, visit armourlard.com. About Ardent Mills Ardent Mills is the premier flour-milling and ingredient company whose vision is to be the trusted partner in nurturing its customers, consumers and communities through innovative and nutritious grain-based solutions. Ardent Mills' operations and services are supported by more than 40 flour mills and bakery-mix facilities along with a specialty bakery and Mobile Innovation Center, all located in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Deeply rooted in communities throughout North America, Ardent Mills is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and employs more than 100 certified millers, supporting thousands of local jobs and contributing billions of dollars to local economies. To learn more about Ardent Mills, visit ardentmills.com. SOURCE Ardent Mills Related Links http://www.ardentmills.com NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- USRealty.com, an innovative online real estate company, announced today the closing of a round of financing with New York-based venture firm Third Prime Capital, which focuses on early stage companies. Proceeds from the round will support the company's continued development of its real estate listing technology, sales and marketing efforts, and partnerships with institutional owners of residential properties. "The rapid growth of our business has created a need to scale our customer offerings," said Colby Sambrotto, President and CEO of USRealty.com. "This funding will allow us to develop the services and products we need to meet the growing demands of our expanding customer base, while maintaining excellent customer services and support." USRealty.com, which is revolutionizing the home selling process by offering free access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), sold nearly $1 billion worth of homes in 2015. The company will refine and expand its service offerings to ensure that it remains the most effective and affordable way to sell homes. In addition, the company will continue to develop relationships and services with institutional property owners. "We believe that a growing number of homeowners want to reduce their transaction costs via an a la carte approach to listing their homes for sale, provided that time to close and likelihood of a successful sale are not negatively impacted. With its extensive MLS access and seamless online listing process, USRealty.com is providing home sellers that option," said Keith Hamlin, a Managing Partner at Third Prime Capital. With its unique hybrid model, USRealty.com is re-defining the home-selling process by giving consumers the opportunity to save up to 60% on commissions, retaining equity in their homes and putting money back in their pockets. For more information, visit https://usrealty.com/. About Third Prime Capital Third Prime Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm based in New York that invests in companies building scalable platforms with a competitive advantage. The firm's current fund invests across sectors opportunistically and Third Prime's partners actively work with management teams to accelerate growth. About USRealty.com Launched in 2014, USRealty.com has opened new paths for real estate owners to sell homes more cost-effectively and efficiently. With real estate brokerage licenses in 33 states covering 80% of home sellers across the country, USRealty.com's national online tools enable homeowners, portfolio managers and institutional investors a simple, streamlined method to list properties and choose the commissions they pay to buyers' agents. USRealty.com's President and CEO Colby Sambrotto co-founded ForSaleByOwner.com in 1998, helping to create the category of online, do-it-yourself selling for homeowners. SOURCE USRealty.com Related Links https://usrealty.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspired by Small Business Saturday, Valpak has teamed up with American Express to offer a variety of Shop Small marketing solutions to help drive consumers to shop, support and save at local businesses across the country on Small Business Saturday (November 26) and throughout the year. Created in 2010 by American Express, Small Business Saturday is celebrated each year on the Saturday following Thanksgiving and has helped inspire a year-round, nationwide Shop Small movement by highlighting the valuable contributions that small businesses make to their neighborhoods. With the new Valpak offerings, merchants accepting American Express can market their businesses with Shop Small branded tools and advertising materials year-round to help reinforce the Shop Small message to customers. "We've been supporting small businesses through effective direct marketing for nearly 50 years," said Lisa Sullivan, vice president of marketing at Valpak. "We're thrilled to be part of such a meaningful program. Small Business Saturday and the Shop Small movement tie in perfectly with our message to open the neighborhood, as small businesses help support local families and make for stronger neighborhoods and communities." Valpak is recognized for the powerful marketing resources it offers to small businesses that otherwise might not have such an extensive, targeted reach with their limited marketing budgets. Valpak will be showcasing its support for Small Business Saturday and the Shop Small movement across many platforms including its website, the Blue Envelope of savings, and direct mail coupons. Small businesses nationwide can take advantage of Shop Small marketing solutions through Valpak print and digital products, encouraging consumers to Shop Small and support their favorite local businesses. Businesses can request information about the Shop Small marketing solutions offered by Valpak at valpak.com/thinkbig and consumers can learn more about Small Business Saturday and Shop Small by visiting valpak.com/ShopSmall. ABOUT VALPAK Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Valpak is one of the leading direct marketing companies in the U.S. and Canada. We provide print and digital advertising through a network of 160 local franchises. From mailbox to mobile phone, Valpak brings exciting local business offers and opportunities to millions of consumers. Each month, our well-known Blue Envelope of savings is mailed to about 39 million demographically targeted households in 45 states and in four Canadian provinces. Our digital suite of products, including valpak.com, reaches more than 110 million users. Founded in 1968, Valpak is owned by Cox Target Media, a subsidiary of Cox Media Group in Atlanta. ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY November 26 is the seventh annual Small Business Saturday. Dedicated to supporting local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve neighborhoods around the country, Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 in response to small business owners' most pressing need: getting more customers. ABOUT THE SHOP SMALL MOVEMENT Shop Small is a nationwide movement dedicated to supporting and celebrating small businesses and the neighborhoods they're a part of, every day of the year. Media Contact: Samantha Rego 727.399.3139 [email protected] SOURCE Valpak Related Links https://www.valpak.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Venbrook Group, LLC, one of the largest independent property/casualty brokerages in the U.S., today announced the completion of a $42 million debt capital raise from Madison Capital Funding, a subsidiary of New York Life. A portion of the proceeds from the funding were used to acquire Manalapan, New Jersey-based wholesaler Brooks Insurance Group. "The simultaneous completion of this debt capital raise and our acquisition of Brooks Insurance Group represent exciting next steps in our company's evolution," said Venbrook President and Chief Executive Officer, Jason Turner. "Madison Capital Funding provided us with the financial capital we need to strategically grow our business. Through the acquisition of Brooks Insurance Group, we have partnered with a top-tier team of seasoned insurance professionals with deep and longstanding relationships in its core northeastern market. We couldn't be more thrilled with both of these transactions." Brooks Insurance Group was founded in 1991 by Claudia and David Rosen, both of whom will remain with Brooks and serve as senior members of the Venbrook management team. "When we were reviewing offers, we made the decision not just on the numbers, but because Jason shares our entrepreneurial culture and vision," said David Rosen. "I knew with Venbrook our employees could realize their full potential." About Venbrook Venbrook Group, LLC is a leading independent property/casualty brokerage catering principally to middle market commercial clients throughout the U.S. Venbrook offers a diverse roster of products and services including retail and wholesale brokerage, program management, and risk management. Venbrook is headquartered in Woodland Hills, CA with locations throughout the country. For more information on Venbrook, visit http://www.venbrook.com. SOURCE Venbrook Group, LLC Related Links http://www.venbrook.com MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) is recognizing Verb Surgical's President & CEO Scott Huennekens as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2016 at its Builders + Innovators Summit in Santa Barbara, California. Goldman Sachs selected Scott Huennekens as one of 100 entrepreneurs from multiple industries to be honored at the two-day event. Scott is a successful entrepreneur in the medical device and biotech industries, having served as CEO, board member and investor in numerous startups with market valuations that have totaled over $5B, and more importantly, with over 20 million patients that have benefited from the therapies and diagnostics of these companies. He is currently Chairman, President & CEO of Verb Surgical, Alphabet Inc. (formerly Google) and Johnson & Johnson's new start-up to revolutionize the future of surgery. The company, located on the Google campus in Mountain View, CA, was founded in August 2015, with Scott joining as employee #1. Verb's big vision is to democratize surgery globally, and in turn improve access to the benefits of surgery for the 5 billion people who do not have access today. At the same time, Verb aims to improve outcomes, lower costs and enable more surgical procedures globally. There are over 200 employees currently working on building and commercializing the Verb platform, including team members at Verb, Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences) and Johnson & Johnson. Prior to joining Verb, Scott led Volcano Corp., as its first and only President & CEO, from start-up in 2002 to its IPO in 2006 and sale to Philips in 2015. Volcano 2015 revenue was > $400+ million and its market capitalization peaked at nearly $2 billion. "This is a tremendous honor not for me, but for Verb and our partners at J&J and Verily," said Scott. "Verb is a company driven by taking action for patients. We are in a unique position to leverage technology in ways never imagined before, to create the future of surgery. This a future we call digital surgery, which we believe can improve access to the 5 billion patients worldwide that need surgical care." "We are honored to recognize Scott Huennekens 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." (link to video http://www.goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/technology-driving-innovation/builders-and-innovators-2016/index.html?videoId=146334) 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. About Verb Surgical Verb Surgical is working with physicians around the world to create the future of surgery. A future that aims to achieve improved patient outcomes, lower costs, and greater hospital efficiency. Verb Surgical was founded in 2015 with technology, expertise, and funding from Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences) and Ethicon, a medical device company in the Johnson & Johnson family of companies. This company will continue in strong partnership with Verily and Johnson & Johnson (Google and Johnson & Johnson Team for Robotic Surgery) to advance the surgical tools and capabilities available to surgeons and OR professionals today. We are a company dedicated to making possibilities happen. Along with our clinician partners, we turn technology and information into actions that matter. Contact: For further information, please contact [email protected] www.verbsurgical.com SOURCE Verb Surgical Inc. Related Links http://www.verbsurgical.com SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Verbling, an online platform where language learners take lessons with professional teachers, today launched Verbling Enterprise. The new service enables companies to set up language lessons for their employees. Verbling Enterprise has already signed customers such as Volkswagen Group and Zara's parent company Inditex. Verbling was founded in 2011 by three former Stanford students from Sweden. The company launched in Y Combinator and has since raised $4.4 million in venture capital. As of today, 1 million people have used Verbling to study 38 different languages. Lessons take place with individual teachers over video chat, and Verbling vets prospective teachers to ensure they meet rigorous standards. The company aims to make the sharing economy a pillar of global education. "We started by building the most effective language learning product for serious, dedicated learners," said Jake Jolis, cofounder & CEO of Verbling. "Regular Verbling users who are managers at large multinationals then wanted a solution they could use as an organization. Because the quality of Verbling's teachers and software is already widely known, we earned the trust of some of the world's largest brands. We realized that we could provide even better service if we built a true business solution. We are proud to launch that today." Verbling Enterprise aims to address one of the biggest problems in international business: language barriers. Although email, chat, and video conferencing have made it easy to communicate over long distances, international colleagues don't necessarily understand each other. For the U.S. alone, this communication gap is significant. Foreign-owned companies employed 5.6 million people in the U.S., and U.S.-owned businesses employed 11.6 million workers abroad according to a 2013 report by the U.S. Department of Commerce. While some companies strictly hire multilingual employees, that practice can disqualify talented individuals who are willing and eager to learn. Normally, companies hire "language consultants" who visit the office during set hours to teach group lessons. HR managers get stuck coordinating schedules among dozens of employees. The difficulty of scheduling leads to conflicts, which, in turn, result in poor attendance because employees have to prioritize their core responsibilities over lessons. The burden of tracking language proficiencies and assigning employees to the appropriate-level classes also falls on HR. When companies sign up for Verbling Enterprise, employees can book their own language lessons with professional, native-speaking teachers. Employers don't have to worry about scheduling lessons, contracting instructors, or tracking language proficiencies. Their teams can learn new languages from the office or at home, and lesson times are available 24/7. HR or learning and development (L&D) teams can track usage at the company and individual level. Verbling provides metrics on adoption, progress, and performance so that HR can measure the return on investment. Verbling will enter the enterprise market with some well-known customers. Volkswagen Group, the world's largest automaker and #7 company on the Fortune Global 500, has signed up for Verbling Enterprise. The company employs more than 610,000 people across its brands, which include VW, Audi, Porsche, and other iconic names. Inditex, one of the world's largest fashion retail groups, has also joined Verbling Enterprise. The company operates over 7,000 stores worldwide and is best known for its flagship brand, Zara. To learn more about Verbling Enterprise, visit www.verbling.com/enterprise. About Verbling Verbling is an online platform where language learners take lessons with professional teachers. The company's mission is to empower people all over the world to become fluent in a foreign language. While the core team is based in San Francisco, the teachers and students who make Verbling possible are spread across six continents. Verbling's investors include Bullpen Capital, Y Combinator, Ace & Company, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Ernstrom Kapitalpartner, SV Angel, and Sam Altman of Hydrazine Capital. SOURCE Verbling Related Links http://www.verbling.com SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Verdigris, an artificial intelligence company powering the world's smartest buildings, announced today an additional $6.7 million round led by Jabil and including participation by Verizon Ventures. The company plans to use the funds to scale manufacturing and customer operations to meet increased customer demand and assist with product rollout. Other investors in this round include Stanford StartX Fund and existing angels. This Series A extension brings Verdigris' total funding to $16 million to date. "In an on-demand economy, critical businesses need smarter, more connected buildings. Verdigris offers unprecedented clarity into facility equipment and energy use, saving our customers millions in both annual energy costs and reliability," said Verdigris co-founder and CEO Mark Chung. "We are thrilled that Jabil and Verizon Ventures and the rest of our team of investors see the promise of our AI energy management solution and we look forward to this next phase of growth." In addition to investing, Jabil plans to roll out Verdigris' AI energy sensor platform in a number of its largest manufacturing sites. Following that, it will roll out Verdigris across its entire portfolio. "Our partnership with Verdigris exemplifies one of the many ways Jabil is working to innovate a better, more responsive energy future in the smartest, most efficient ways possible," said Joe McGee, EVP Strategic Planning & Development at Jabil. "Verdigris has allowed us to much better understand the drivers of our energy consumption and how we can minimize our demand." This partnership and funding news comes on the heels of the debut of Verdigris' latest product upgrade, a next-generation smart sensor and metering solution that reduces energy consumption and costs for large buildings. "Investing in a visionary leader in AI and energy monitoring for commercial and industrial facilities like Verdigris is a very natural step for us," said Mark Smith, Executive Director at Verizon Ventures. "Verizon through our ThingSpace platform and sales channels, as well as our Venture program supports entrepreneurs who figure out new ways to use network connected devices for data collection, combined with artificial intelligence, to develop innovative solutions." Verdigris' patented artificial intelligence platform and sensors transform large, mission critical facilities into living environments. Each sensor wirelessly streams thousands of samples per second from a building's electrical panel into the cloud. The Verdigris artificial intelligence then analyzes these electrical "fingerprints" to automatically optimize building controls, predict future breakdowns, and send users critical notifications about energy use. By analyzing this continuous stream of energy data, Verdigris drives smarter and more responsive building operation, saving customers tens of thousands to millions of dollars annually on energy costs. Verdigris customers include Autodesk, Honeywell, Hyatt Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels, Jabil, JBS, Marriott, Megabess, NRG, and Starwood Hotels. Verdigris also has a partnership with NASA's Sustainability Base to research the platform's potential for future habitat design and predictive analytics to reduce failure on future missions to outer space. ABOUT VERDIGRIS Verdigris is an artificial intelligence and IoT platform that makes buildings smarter and more connected while reducing energy consumption and costs. By combining proprietary hardware sensors, machine learning, and software, Verdigris "learns" the energy patterns of a building. Their software produces comprehensive reports including energy forecasts, alerts about faulty equipment, maintenance reminders, and detailed energy usage information for each and every device and appliance. Verdigris offers a suite of applications that gives building engineers a comprehensive overview, an "itemized utility bill", powerful reporting, and simple automation tools for their facility. For more information, visit www.verdigris.co. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160324/347789LOGO SOURCE Verdigris Related Links http://www.verdigris.co "MAKER refers to people including designers, printers, and paper makers who creatively make or produce an idea, design or an object with passion. Each exhibit and exhibitor at this year's Chicago Paper show will support this theme," said Andrew Dembitz, Director of Specification, for VeritivChicago. Several leading paper suppliers will have showcase exhibits at the event. Mohawk's exhibit entitled, "Celebrating the Culture of the Craft," will include The Mohawk Maker Quarterly Issue 10, as well as a special pop-up exhibition of past issues of this celebrated publication. In addition, Sappi will exhibit "Ideas that Matter," demonstrating how designers use paper to make things happen. The exhibit will exclusively feature Illinois-based designers whose designs support charitable causes. Other exhibits include: Chicago 50-Print Collateral an annual exhibit featuring fifty of Chicago's finest companies and institutions. 50-Print Collateral an annual exhibit featuring fifty of finest companies and institutions. The 2016-2017 Newberry Library Calendar presented by Munro Campagna artist representatives. The Chicago Design Museum, a new venue, which supports the Chicago Graphic Arts Market. An environmental display by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Veritiv Private Brands showcasing the company's unique coated and uncoated grades. The keynote presentation, "Evolution of Offset and Print," will be delivered by Daniel Dejan, Sappi's North American ETC Print and Creative Manager and sponsored by Sappi. Dejan will discuss how the printing industry is incorporating new technology and evolving. The Veritiv Chicago Paper Show features 13 of the world's leading paper mills including: Appleton Coated, CTI Paper USA, Finch, Glatfelter, Iggesund, International Paper, MACtac, Mohawk, Neenah Paper, Sappi Fine Paper, Verso, West Rock and Yupo. This year's event also includes wide-format suppliers General Formulations, Gilman Brothers, Nekoosa Coated Products and Ultraflex Systems. Proceeds from the show will benefit Marwen (www.marwen.org), a nationally recognized art education organization, providing free visual art programs to Chicago's underserved youth in grades 6-12. Follow the 2016 Veritiv Chicago Paper Show events through Twitter at https://twitter.com/Veritiv and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VeritivCorp. About Veritiv Veritiv Corporation (NYSE: VRTV), headquartered in Atlanta and a Fortune 500 company, is a leading North American business-to-business distributor of print, publishing, packaging, and facility solutions; and also a provider of logistics and supply chain management services. Serving customers in a wide range of industries, the Company has approximately 180 distribution centers throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and employs approximately 8,800 team members worldwide that help shape the success of its customers. For more information about Veritiv and its business segments visit www.veritivcorp.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140826/140160 SOURCE Veritiv Corporation Related Links http://www.veritivcorp.com "Consumer and industrial robotics are among GGV Capital's major focus on the landscape of new technology, besides drone and electric transportation," said GGV Capital managing partner Jenny Lee, "We are excited to see the many innovations from Vincross. The startup has a concise team. They are young but creative and experienced at robotics. Each one of them is an all-sided talent and also a complementation to each other. The team has its unique understanding and solution of the essential robotic dynamical system (servo), real-time operating system optimization, sensor system for environmental perception, software algorithm, and product development. We think highly of what they have accumulated in the field and what they can do with their technology." When some AI companies are too busy building robots with wheels and faces, Vincross takes a totally different approach. The company is about to launch its first product -- all-terrain robot HEXA, and it will be the first robot that can climb stairs in the market. This six-legged robot-spider can walk, climb, and travel across rough terrain, which makes it suitable for scientific expeditions. Vincross also says the robot can be used in firefighting, rescue operations, and even Elon Musk's Mars plan. Unlike all those robotics companies that make wheeled and motionless products, Vincross believes a robot is not only a body that can interact with the physical world, but also a brain that can learn. Thus, it has created an open ecosystem for HEXA. According to the company, HEXA is a living being and a primary state of an artificial life. The startup is inviting interested developers to build new functions for the hexapod, to fulfill its immense potential. Vincross said developers can create "skills" for HEXA using the SDK, which will be released soon, and sell their works in the company's Skill Store. "We are seeking 2,048 insightful developers to train HEXA. We call them HEXA's human mentors, and they will be the first group of people to adopt this robot. In a way, HEXA's future begins with them," the company's founder and CEO Sun Tianqi said. The current consumer robotics market is dominated by wheeled and motionless products. As a result, HEXA easily stands out from the crowd with its hexapod structure. The six legs free the robot from any restraint of the outside world and make it move dexterously on rough terrain. With this uniqueness, HEXA can do what others can't, such as scientific exploration, firefighting and rescue operations. And as it is well known, when it comes to legged robotics, Boston Dynamics gains the most spotlight. Its robot dogs and humanoids wowed people with their mobility, but those machines rely heavily on diesel fuel and hydraulics. Such technical features inevitably alien the Alphabet subsidiary from general consumers. Taking that into account, HEXA can precisely fill the void of legged robotics in the consumer market. Vincross was founded in 2014. As the company's CEO, Tianqi has extensive experience in robotics and artificial intelligence. Before starting Vincross, Tianqi worked as an AI scientist at Tsinghua University, where he researched on neural modeling and neural networks. At the beginning of 2015, Vincross attracted $1 million in angel funding from ZhenFund, which increased its stake in the latest round. Vincross plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign for HEXA and start mass production later this year. HEXA Video: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OQrAyfnBBo Tencent Video: http://v.qq.com/x/page/n0198fo0b9j.html Youku: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTc2Mzg4NzkxMg==.html iQiyi: http://www.iqiyi.com/w_19ruhxr93h.html LeTV: http://www.le.com/ptv/vplay/26807459.html Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430305 SOURCE Vincross FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Walsh, the 7,200-acre community under development in west Fort Worth, announced four initial homebuilders for the neighborhood: David Weekley Homes, Drees Custom Homes, Highland Homes, and Village Homes were selected for the first phase, consisting of 580 homes, with model construction to begin this November. Comparable in size to a small town, Walsh is located 12 minutes from downtown Fort Worth where Interstate 20 and I-30 merge. Exit 1A at Walsh Ranch Parkway will serve as the entrance to the new neighborhood. Walsh is the latest development from Republic Property Group, which has more than four decades of success building award-winning communities in North Texas. Current RPG projects include two of the top 25 best-selling master planned communities in the nation in Frisco's Phillips Creek Ranch and Light Farms in Celina. "We studied the iconic neighborhoods of Fort Worth as inspiration for the home architectural style at Walsh and visited more than 35 communities across eight states to determine what works best in developing communities for today's homebuyers," said Jake Wagner, co-CEO of Republic Property Group. "Our builders bring a unique mix of local, regional, and national character and expertise that will deliver on our vision to make Walsh the next great neighborhood of Fort Worth." Village Homes, based in Fort Worth, and Highland Homes, which builds exclusively in Texas, both have a long history in Fort Worth. Drees Custom Homes and Houston-based David Weekley Homes each build in numerous cities throughout the U.S. and Texas, with local offices in Dallas-Fort Worth. Homebuilders at Walsh are producing new architectural designs and floor plans to honor the heritage of Fort Worth, guided by a carefully curated 130-page pattern book developed by RPG. Homes will be set on a landscape designed to preserve natural elevation changes some lots feature as much as a 10-foot grade change and the property's rolling Texas prairie landscape. A variety of product types will be offered and homesites will range from 3,800-square-foot lots to just shy of an acre. "The land's natural characteristics, from the elevation changes to the prairie and creek systems we are preserving, created an opportunity for a dynamic land plan. Homes at Walsh will appeal to a variety of tastes, whether your preference is for park access, scenic views, neighboring trails, convenience to schools or more. We want to create a place that still feels relevant 100 years from now," said Wagner. Walsh will ultimately feature more than 15,000 homes, with prices from the upper $200,000s in the initial phase. Families will benefit from students attending award-winning schools in Aledo ISD, with a new AISD elementary school scheduled to open at Walsh for the 2017-2018 academic school year. Among the community amenities planned for the first phase of development are a 10,000-square-foot gym, a family pool with cabanas, slides and kids' areas, a separate Junior Olympic lap pool, a recreational lake and miles of hiking and walking trails, with more to be announced in the coming months. Model homes at Walsh will be completed in Spring 2017, with presales beginning early next year. More than 770 acres along seven miles of interstate-front property are dedicated to future commercial development. Additional builders for Walsh's initial phase, including high-end custom homebuilders, are currently being interviewed and will be announced in future months. To learn more, please visit walshtx.com and subscribe to the Walsh newsletter. MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Broyles [email protected] 214-891-3585 SOURCE Walsh Related Links http://www.walshtx.com RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Whitlock, a video collaboration company, announces its Vice President of Technology, John Bailey, has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Global Presence Alliance (GPA). The GPA was founded in 2008 with a singular goal to bring a standardized, global delivery and support model for high quality audio and video collaboration solutions to global enterprises. "When we founded the GPA, businesses could not find one resource for AV or UC technology deployments in multiple countries," explains Byron Tarry, current GPA Board President and Director of Enterprise Solutions for Sharps Audio Visual in Canada. "We followed the example set by the Star Alliance in the airline industry, and have built an exceptionally strong foundation worldwide of likeminded organizations aligned with a common delivery methodology and operational infrastructure." "The GPA offers the only effective and efficient solution for customers who need to deploy and manage technology on a global scale, which includes a holistic design-build-manage approach, global pricing and support structures, and a comprehensive quality assurance model," states John Bailey. "I have spent many years driving international technology standards within the GPA, and I'm now honored to be engaged in the oversight and direction of this organization." John will start as a new board member, effective immediately, joining other leaders from Sharps Audio Visual, GMS, Asnet, ProAV, AV Media and Absolut Technologies. He replaces outgoing board member and Whitlock Executive Vice President Julian Phillips, who moves into his role as President Elect for Infocomm in 2017. John will assume board responsibility for Vendor Strategy, leveraging his extensive Whitlock experience and relationships in this regard. The GPA is hosting its next strategic planning session on October 24-27 at its 3rd and final Summit to be held in Dubai, where announcements will be made related to the expansion of its Accredited Vendor Program. A key focus for John will be to build upon his significant efforts to date in furthering the GPA's engagement with Microsoft as one of the leading organizations bringing the Microsoft Surface Hub and related Skype Room Systems to market in multiple countries across the globe. With his specialist expertise in new technologies and the future of work, John Bailey has also accepted an appointment to the Advisory Board for the Digital Signage Expo for 2017. About Whitlock Whitlock is a video collaboration company that provides strategy, management, technologies and support to the world's largest and most innovative businesses. We believe face-to-face collaboration creates stronger relationships and makes way for both business and personal success. What we give to a customer is the ability to connect, work together and share ideas with each other and the world, with a reliable video experience every time. Whitlock serves customers across the U.S. and provides multi-national solutions through the Global Presence Alliance. About The GPA The Global Presence Alliance (GPA) comprises a select group of leading audiovisual, unified communications and managed services solution providers worldwide, who have joined together to reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance communication for global clients. The GPA provides a single source solutions approach and offers global pricing support as well as greater simplicity through a global services delivery model. The GPA is largest AV & UC systems integration provider in the world with 24 members and an excess of $1.5B in combined annual revenues. SOURCE Whitlock Related Links http://www.whitlock.com READING, Pa., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To help enhance the reliability of its system, Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed), a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utility, has inspected more than 16,400 wooden utility poles this year for signs of wear, insect infestation or damage from motor vehicle accidents as part of the company's annual inspection program. As a result of the inspections, the company expects to replace or repair nearly 100 wooden utility poles this year, which would stretch nearly a mile if laid end to end. A standard 40-foot wooden distribution pole typically is expected to last more than 50 years. The most common utility pole is made from a Southern Yellow Pine tree and costs about $400. "Met-Ed's pole inspection and replacement program is designed to help enhance service reliability for our customers," said Ed Shuttleworth, regional president, Met-Ed. "While certainly durable, these poles are subject to damage from severe weather, falling trees, and traffic accidents. Met-Ed's 342,000 utility poles are vital to the delivery of electricity to homes and businesses in our service area. Over time, some poles need to be replaced or repaired to help ensure reliable operations." Typically, specialized contractors perform the pole inspections. As part of the process, a visual inspection is completed, along with checking the pole to determine if the interior is sound. Poles also can be reinforced rather than replaced. One of the most common reinforcement techniques is to snug a C-shaped steel beam against the pole, jackhammer the beam into the ground, and secure it to the pole with tight, metal bands. All wood poles throughout the 15-county Met-Ed service territory are inspected on a 12-year cycle. Inspections began in January and continued through summer, with the remaining pole replacements and repairs scheduled to be completed during the fall. Year-to-date, Met-Ed has inspected more than 16,400 wooden poles in and around the following communities: Easton 775 775 Gettysburg 529 529 Hanover 280 280 Lebanon 2,563 2,563 Reading 541 541 York 9,035 Stroudsburg 2,708 Met-Ed serves approximately 560,000 customers in 15 Pennsylvania counties. Follow Met-Ed on Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric. 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. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wpromote today announced that it will host the inaugural "Wprobono: Digital Day in LA" on October 25, 2016 at its El Segundo, California headquarters. This free event will feature a day of workshops, courses and discussions, bringing Wpromote's digital marketing expertise to a select group of non-profit organizations and charities. Participants will learn how to apply digital marketing best practices to their own organizations. Sessions will cover a range of topics, including paid and earned social media, content marketing, email marketing, SEO, paid search, and more. Participants will come away with the insights and knowledge they need to increase growth and drive awareness while cutting costs. Each session will focus on steps that are immediately actionable following the eventfor example, applying for Google AdWords grants. "We already know that best-in-class digital marketing empowers, and we're thrilled to be bringing this knowledge to our community," said Michael Mothner, Wpromote Founder & CEO. "We want to make sure that charities and non-profits in El Segundo and Los Angeles bring in more leads, boost their donations, and ultimately challenge themselves to do more online." Wprobono: Digital Day in LA is part of an ongoing effort by the agency to help non-profits and charities succeed. Driven by success with clients like Good360 and ONEHOPE Wine, Wpromote continues to support non-profits and charities in their efforts to overcome digital barriers to recognition, lead generation, and progress. To learn more, visit the Wprobono: Digital Day in LA landing page here, or check out the Wpromote suite of digital marketing services. Invitees include a select group of organizations based in or near El Segundo, California. Event space is limited. Some seats remain available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For qualifying organizations interested in attending, please contact: Jessica Bright at [email protected] by Monday, October 24, 2016. About Wpromote Founded in 2001 by Michael Mothner, Wpromote is an award-winning online marketing firm headquartered in El Segundo, California with nearly 200 employees and expanding rapidly. Named one of the Best Places to Work in the US by Ad Age two years running, Wpromote has helped hundreds of clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies grow their businesses online with end-to-end digital solutions. Through integrated search, mobile, and social marketing, the firm has propelled Toyota, Bayer HealthCare, Verizon, Sungard, Z Gallerie, Wienerschnitzel, Shutterstock, J.D. Power, TUMI, and Billabong into dominating the online Commerce space. With unmatched experience in multi-channel, content-centric campaigns and unrivaled dedication to clients' results, Wpromote helps companies big and small act and move like large enterprises. For more information, visit http://www.wpromote.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160630/385438LOGO SOURCE Wpromote Related Links http://www.wpromote.com The forum examined themes ranging from how the fashion economy is impacting new territories and demographics to consumer expectations, and how brands are transforming the retail experience in the digital age. It also examined themes including brand exclusivity and design eclecticism, including examining the emerging design talent in new markets such as China. "It was an honor to speak at WWD's Global Fashion Forum in Beijing, and share my experiences in building a global lifestyle brand and business," said Tommy Hilfiger, Principal Designer, The Tommy Hilfiger Group. "Tommy Hilfiger has developed great momentum in Asia with strong consumer awareness, and China in particular is a powerhouse where we continue to invest in new ways to engage, and inspire consumers. We are excited and energized by the unique opportunities the market presents for our brand, and we look forward to what the future holds." "Jimmy Choo is considered a late comer to the China luxury market but we have managed to achieve impressive results consistently," said Pierre Denis, Chief Executive Officer of Jimmy Choo PLC. "Technology, innovation and pop culture will continue to forge our growth in this market." "We're honored to present our forum in Beijing at such a dynamic time for the global fashion and retail industries," said Ed Nardoza, editor in chief of WWD. "Changes in the past that were merely cyclical are giving way to fundamental, structural shifts. The rules of business engagement are being rewritten and market intelligence has never been more vital." This inaugural event was held in conjunction with the International Association of Department Stores (IADS) General Assembly, also held this month in Beijing. This annual forum will rotate cities in 2017 and the following years. With 30+ annual events, Fairchild Summits & Events brings the editorial properties of Fairchild Media to life by connecting the titans of industry at events designed to inform and inspire. With content curated by WWD's renowned editorial team, it's where relationships are born and deals are made. For more information about Fairchild Summits and the WWD Global Fashion Forum visit http://summits.wwd.com/ About WWD WWD is the authority for news and trends in the worlds of fashion, beauty and retail. Featuring daily headlines and breaking news from all Women's Wear Daily publications, WWD provides the most comprehensive coverage anywhere of fashion, beauty and retail news and is the leading destination for all fashion week updates and show reviews from New York, Paris, Milan and London. About SKP SKP Beijing is the high-end fashion department store company controlled by Beijing Hualian Group. It is also one of the benchmarks among the global fashion department store industry. SKP is the destination of elegant life-styles in Beijing, as well as the leader in high-end fashion department store industry in China. SKP Beijing offers customers with unique and unrivaled experience full of imaginations, innovations and passion. Press Contact: Amber Mundinger [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430829 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430830 SOURCE WWD Related Links http://summits.wwd.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 Benaulim (Goa), Oct 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday recognised terrorism as a "key issue", an Indian official said after a meeting between the two leaders here. But Beijing gave no assurance on supporting New Delhi's bid on a UN ban against Pakistan-based militant leader Masood Azhar, "Both sides recognised terrorism as a key issue. President Xi said we should strengthen our security dialogue and partnership," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup told reporters. Modi and Xi Jinping met at a beach resort here, ahead of the BRICS Summit to review bilateral ties and its dimensions. "Modi said that both India and China had been victims of terrorism which was a scourge afflicting the entire region," Swarup said. Swarup said that Xi underlined that "terrorism and violent extremism were on the increase", alluding to the threat from the Islamic State terror group. Asked about China blocking the Indian effort to have Azhar banned, Swarup said it was up to China to consider the move that will safeguard not only the region but the entire world from terrorism. "The Chinese side is very well aware of our concerns, and the need for us to ensure that globally notified terrorists are designated by the UN," he said, adding that the two sides are coordinating on the issue and talks would continue over it. The Spokesperson said that the Modi and Xi also had a "brief discussion on" India's prospects of joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). "PM Modi said we look forward to working with China to realise India's membership of the NSG," he said. Swarup said that one round of dialogue has already been held on this issue and the second would be conducted soon. This apart, both leaders expressed satisfaction at the increase in high-level visits between the two countries. Modi and Xi agreed that bilateral investment and economic cooperation has increased. Xi said that Chinese companies were being encouraged to invest in India, according to Swarup. Modi also appreciated China's contributions to the BRICS and said the New Development Bank of BRICS nations was a symbol of partnership of the member states of the grouping. Agartala, Oct 15 : BJP workers on Saturday clashed with police as they tried to gherao the Chief Minister's official residence here to protest the damage to the party state unit's president's vehicle the previous night, police said. Three BJP workers and four police personnel, including a woman constable, received injuries in the incident. "The clash took place when police tried to disperse the BJP supporters, who were trying to lay siege to the CM's residence," a police official said. Earlier, according to him, around 150 BJP workers, led by party leaders Jawahar Saha and Subal Bhowmik, brought out a protest rally in the city and then tried to gherao the official residence of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. The police official said that late Friday night a truck carrying the members of a local club hit the vehicle of state BJP President Biplab Deb. The vehicle was parked in front of Deb's house. When the driver of the vehicle protested the incident, the club members got into an altercation with him during which the bodyguard of the BJP chief fired one round from his service revolver. Deb, who was inside his house during the incident, told the media and police that the club members are supporters of the ruling CPI-M and they tried to attack him. Condemning the incident, Trinamool Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman demanded more security for the BJP's state party chief. Terming the incident as "bogus", CPI-M state Secretary Bijan Dhar said that the incident took place when local club members were returning in a truck after the immersion of the Goddess Durga idol. "How the CPI-M supporters came in the scene? The BJP is making a trivial road mishap a major issue to get political mileage, as they and other opposition parties have no issue against the Left Front," Dhar, a CPI-M central committee member, told reporters. Wellington, Oct 17 : New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is aiming to strengthen political and economic links with India during his visit to New Delhi next week. Key, who is leading a business and education delegation from October 24 to 28, will hold talks in New Delhi with President Pranab Mukherjee, who visited New Zealand earlier this year, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xinhua news agency reported. "Along with further strengthening New Zealand's political, security, and economic connections with India, my meeting with Prime Minister Modi will be an opportunity to discuss his efforts to reform India's economy and how New Zealand can be part of India' s growth," Key said in a statement Monday. "India is a key partner for New Zealand. It is a leading source of skilled migrants, international students and tourists, and in the five years since I last visited our two way trade has grown by 41 per cent to 2.4 billion New Zealand dollars ($1 billion)." Key, last visited India in 2011. Besides New Delhi, the Prime Minister will also visit Mumbai and Kochi. Benaulim (Goa), Oct 17 : Pakistan has been isolated because of its own policies and India did not have to play any role in it, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Monday. He said the Saarc countries acted on their own in deciding not to participate in the summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad this year, citing lack of requisite conditions for a constructive dialogue. "We do not speak about such issues. If someone is isolated, it is because of the policies followed by that country. India did not have to do anything, because the countries in one voice said there cannot be constructive dialogue in the terror-tainted atmosphere in the context of Saarc," Swarup said. "... the first letter (on non-participation in Saarc summit) came from Afghanistan, followed by Nepal, then by India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Nepal also said it on its own. So when all Saarc countries express the same opinion in one voice -- that the Saarc summit cannot happen in Islamabad in this atmosphere -- you can draw your own conclusions," the MEA spokesman said. He was responding to a query if India had been successful in isolating Pakistan following the September 18 terror attack on Uri army camp in Jammu and Kashmir. The 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November, was postponed after India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka pulled out, citing terrorism concerns in the region. Kolkata, Oct 17 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the process to hand over physical possession of land at Singur to farmers will begin from Thursday. "We are trying to complete the process within 10 weeks following the Supreme Court order to return the land to the cultivators within 12 weeks," she said. "The process to hand over physical possession will begin from Thursday (October 20). I will also be present there," Banerjee said after a meeting with ministers and top government officials. "As much as 80 per cent of the land has been made cultivable. There is existence of concrete in 36 acres. The government departments will continue their work to make this land (36 acres) cultivable too," she added. The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the work done by the government officials and ministers in this regard. The Supreme Court on August 31 struck down the land acquisition by the erstwhile Left Front government in west Bengal for the small car factory promoted by Tata Group and ordered the land to be returned to the cultivators. On September 29, Banerjee, during a Hooghly district administrative meeting, set an October 21 dateline to remove all constructions from the Tata Nano project area as the state government was given the responsibility by the Supreme Court to return the land to farmers. As she promised years ago, Banerjee last month returned land records to farmers and compensated peasants from whom the land had been taken against their wishes. New Delhi, Oct 17 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday reiterated his demand that Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung should axe a panel he set up to probe some of the AAP government's decisions. Sisodia also asked Jung to return the files "impounded" by his office to the concerned departments. "Failure to do so would cause unlawful obstruction in discharge of the constitutional obligations of the Delhi government," he stated in a letter to Jung. Sisodia last week called the three-member committee headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General V.K. Shunglu "unconstitutional" and said that there was no provision in the Constitution for such a committee. Jung set up the three-member committee to study alleged irregularities of the Aam Aadmi Party government following an August 4 Delhi High Court ruling giving primacy to the Lt. Governor in Delhi's administration. In his letter, the Deputy Chief Minister urged Jung to "observe and respect the division of powers". Sisodia added that a dangerous precedent is being set by Lt. Governor's office by unsettling the decisions taken by the government long after they had been implemented. Last week, the Delhi cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, advised Jung to dissolve the Shunglu Committee. Jung hit back, saying the Delhi cabinet's appeal was an attempt to divert attention from "grave misdemeanours". "The truth must come out and it must be put in public domain," he said. New Delhi, Oct 18 : In what is an obvious reference to Pakistan's use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy, External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the invitation to member states of the Bimstec group for an outreach summit at the BRICS Summit last weekend showed that these countries "today represent the polar opposite of a terrorism promoting polity". "The selection of Bimstec as the outreach group for the Goa Summit of the BRICS is also worth reflecting upon," said Sushma Swaraj while inaugurating the BRICS Media Forum here. "Members of Bimstec- Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand - today represent the polar opposite of a terrorism promoting polity," she said. "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." After last month's cross-border terror attack on an army base at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers, India launched a diplomatic blitz to isolate Pakistan in the international community. India has blamed the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed for the Uri attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled out of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) meet that was scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November in protest against Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism. Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan too followed suit citing the same reason while Sri Lanka held that a Saarc summit would not be possible in India's absence. As host of this year's BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit held in Goa on October 15-16, India decided to invite neighbouring countries belonging to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) instead of the Saarc countries. Pakistan is a member of Saarc but not of Bimstec. Sushma Swaraj said that the Bimstec countries were "actively promoting connectivity, cooperation and contacts amongst themselves". Stating the Bimstec nations' interface with the BRICS has a message in itself, she said: "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 visualise a prosperous collective future. There cannot be a greater contrast with those who reject even trade and connectivity for political reasons." Sushma Swaraj reiterated that terrorism was universally recognised as a key threat to stability, progress and development and said that it featured strongly in the BRICS Summit narrative and its eventual outcome. "Indeed, what we saw was not just an understanding of the dangers posed by terrorism to the economic aspirations of the world but a growing recognition that this has now become a truly global challenge that the international community can only ignore at its peril," she said. In The Goa Declaration adopted after the BRICS Summit, all five nations strongly condemned "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations", including the recent attacks on India. Stating that there was a developing consensus that it cannot be business as usual, Sushma Swaraj said: "We must be prepared to extract costs for those who sponsor and support terrorists, who provide them sanctuary, and who, despite their own claimed victimhood, continue to make the false distinction between good and bad terrorists. BRICS has always been global in its approach and today, there is no bigger global challenge than state-sponsored and state-protected terrorism." She said that as chair of BRICS this year, India brought the summit-level meeting of the five-nation group "outside the conference room and endeavoured to instil it in popular thinking". "To do that, we partnered organisations and activities across the breadth of civil society. We were conscious that the BRICS not only represents a sixth of humanity, but is also a powerful voice of hope for future generations," Sushma Swaraj said. "It is for this reason that, in line with Prime Minister Modi's vision, we have sought to lay particular emphasis on the people-to-people linkages that will bring our nations closer." The External Affairs Minister said that from its very inception, BRICS has focused on issues of development and economic growth, addressing challenges confronting the world and encouraging the emergence of a more equitable and sustainable global architecture. "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," she said. In this connection, Sushma Swaraj mentioned initiatives like a BRICS rating agency that can complement the New Development Bank formed by the five emerging economies, a 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". Imphal, Oct 18 : Human rights activist Irom Sharmila launched a new political party, 'People Resurgence and Justice Alliance' in Imphal on Tuesday. She said she will contest against Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi from Thoubal constituency in the 2017 assembly elections. She will also contest from Khurai, her home constituency, she added. Sharmila said, "I want to become the Chief Minister to repeal the AFSPA... since Ibobi has kept all sections of the people in his constituency satisfied they may reject me. But I want to know whether people in other districts in general and the hills in particular are well looked after. Since my mission is to repeal the AFSPA I am throwing the gauntlet to the Chief Minister." She further disclosed that her party will field 20 candidates and names of four candidates have been finalised. Earlier in the day, she visited Johnstone Higher Secondary School in the heart of Imphal city where the first session of the elected Assembly of Manipur was held on October 18, 1948. "Since this is the cornerstone of democracy I have come seeking blessings," Sharmila said. Sharmila, known as India's 'Iron Lady', had in August broken her 16-year-long fast against Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and said that she would contest the Manipur Assembly elections due in 2017. She had been fasting since November 2, 2000. New Delhi, Oct 18 : While India is looking to export its surplus coal to Bangladesh because of low domestic demand, the government is trying to come to grips with what has been ailing the country's coal and power sectors, a senior official said on Tuesday. "Articulation of demand is not happening at the discom (electricity distribution companies) level. Today, railway rakes are available for coal evacuation, but unfortunately, there is no demand," Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said addressing a World Coal Association conference here. "The focus is on the discoms now. The real problem is not the debt burden of the discoms, but the losses they are incurring...transmission losses and losses on recoveries, among others," he said. The Coal Secretary explained that while in his sector, the accent on implementation and the "change in paradigm" introduced by the current central government has yielded results in the form of surplus fuel production, the discoms' issues had been left unaddressed for a long time. "In 2015-16, Coal India acquired 5,000 hectares of land for mining purposes, which is unprecedented in the history of the company," Swarup said illustrating how the state miner had managed to reverse a situation of earlier production shortfalls. "Instead, things were not being implemented at the discom level. Governments were postponing addressing the crisis year after year," he said. Referring to the Centre's Uday discoms' debt restructuring scheme, Swarup said the current scheme, although also a postponement of the debt, has certain additional features. "Today, we're taking the bull by the horns on discoms. They were earlier not being monitored on accountability and parameters, which this government is trying to do," he said. The current low capacity utilisation of power plants is driven primarily by stressed discoms, which are unable to buy electricity because of weak their financial condition. Swarup said the central government's Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) debt restructuring scheme would help improve the financial position of state discoms, which will also have a positive impact on coal demand. Twenty Indian states and one union territory have given in-principle approval and 16 have already signed up for the scheme, which envisages taking over 75 per cent of discoms' cumulative debt. States would issue loans against the debt at prevailing market rates. The balance 25 per cent would be issued as sovereign backed bonds by discoms. The scheme also envisages access to cheaper coal, modernising transformers to cut distribution losses, as well as a provision to revise tariffs, which has been criticised by the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu stands out among states, which have not yet opted for UDAY. According to US rating agency Fitch, the committed Indian states and UTs accounted for almost 77 per cent of the total net cash losses reported by discoms in fiscal 2014, and around 58 per cent of the total debt outstanding at end-September 2015. Ludhiana, Oct 18 : Launching the National SC/ST Hub and the ZED (Zero-Defect, Zero-Effect) Scheme for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector here on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the manufacturers to make the most of the new schemes. The SC/ST (Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes) Hub will facilitate things for people from these categories to start their own micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) units. "A spirit of entrepreneurship among Dalits will benefit us. There are youngsters whose dream is to create enterprises and jobs," the Prime Minister, who was visiting this industrial city on Tuesday, said and also tweeted later. Urging the manufacturing sector to target the global markets and ensure that there is no compromise on quality and eco-friendliness of their products, Modi urged them to adopt the ZED Scheme. "The world market is waiting for us. No need to think that our enterprise is small. Can our MSME sector only keep looking at the market in India? No. Let us look at global market and match their quality control standards," he said. Strongly pitching for Khadi products, Modi said: "Things are different today. See how well Khadi is marketed now. Earlier, it was only 'Khadi for nation', but now it is also 'Khadi for fashion'." The Prime Minister gave away 'charkhas' (spinning wheels) to women to help them make self-reliant. In all, 500 women were presented charkhas. "Today, charkhas were given to women. Khadi is a priority for us. A charkha at home brings more income," Modi said. New Delhi, Oct 18 : The Indian Navy on Tuesday said it is not looking at including the indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system in the last two Scorpene submarines, and it could be added later during retrofit. Vice Admiral G.S. Pabby, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, Indian Navy, said the project is progressing well, but will not be included in the Scorpenes. "AIP is progressing very well, it is progressing on schedule and I think it will be ready well before requirement," Pabby said. "For the Scorpene class - we are not looking at five and six. We will do it as a retrofit if we have to do it," he said. The indigenous AIP, being developed by Maharashtra-based Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL), is a fuel cell replacing diesel in the conventional submarines. Initially, the Navy was looking at fitting at least two of the six Scorpene submarines with the system. Later, officials had said they expected to fit the system in at least the last of the boats as the programme got delayed. With this system, a conventional submarine that needs to surface every three to four days for oxygen, can stay under water for up to two weeks. Developing this technology is costing India around Rs 50,000 crore. The system, which is based on a fuel cell, converts methanol like substances to produce hydrogen, which is the fuel that runs the cell in producing electricity. While diesel engines need oxygen to function, these cells are air independent. It also makes lesser noise, increasing its stealth, the most critical feature of a submarine. Conventional submarines with the Indian Navy fleet lack this critical technology. On the other hand, submarines of the Pakistani Navy, mostly procured from France, are equipped with the AIP. In 2005, India purchased six Scorpene submarines for US$3 billion. These submarines are being manufactured under a technology transfer agreement by the state-owned Mazagon Docks in Mumbai in collaboration with French group DCNS. The submarines were initially to be delivered between 2012 and 2016. However, the project is running almost four years behind schedule, and the first of the six Scorpene submarines, named INS Kalvari, is currently undergoing sea trials. Phnom Penh, Oct 19 : At least 137 school children in Cambodia's Takeo province fell sick after eating tainted food distributed by a local volunteer group, officials said on Wednesday. The children fell ill on Tuesday afternoon, about four hours after they ate fried rice with egg, corn and sausage and drank milk and fresh water, Deputy Police Chief of Tram Kak district told Xinhua news agency. "They all have the same symptoms: vomiting and diarrhoea," he said, adding that they had been rushed to hospitals soon after the incident. The police chief said a sample of the tainted fried rice was sent to the provincial food safety bureau for examination. According to him, the contaminated food was distributed to the school children at Wat Tatai primary school by a group of students from a school in Phnom Penh. The police chief said that he and the group of students visited and made cash donation to the ill-fated children in hospitals on Wednesday afternoon and saw that they were all in stable condition. Checks on food are rare in Cambodia, where safety regulations are lax. Last month, the Ministry of Health urged all citizens to be careful with food hygiene to avoid illness after 37 Buddhist monks fell ill in Kampong Cham province after eating contaminated food. New Delhi, Oct 19 : Delhi Zoo will remain shut for some more days, an official said on Wednesday, as tests confirmed that bird influenza had indeed killed two of the 10 migratory birds. "We sent the carcasses to a lab in Jalandhar which were forwarded to Bhopal. The presence of bird influenza was confirmed in two samples," a zoo official told IANS on the condition of anonymity. He said the zoo, which was shut on Tuesday, would remain closed for another four to five days while the staff take stool samples of other birds. The zoo was temporarily shut since nine uncaged or migratory birds died on October 14, 15 and 17. The 10th bird died on Wednesday. The dead birds included Painted Stork, Rosy Pelican and common ducks. Officials said these birds migrate from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in August and leave in March. An official told IANS that these birds dwell in the ponds of the zoo. Officials do not know where the birds caught bird influenza or bird flu. "The common ducks lived in a separate pond while Pelicans and Storks live in one. There are three such ponds in the zoo," an official said. The carcasses were sent to Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar, which forwarded them to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal. Jammu, Oct 20 : Pakistani troops on Thursday resorted to unprovoked shelling and at Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region's Poonch district. Defence spokesman, lieutenant colonel, Manish Mehta told IANS, "The troops violated bilateral ceasefire in Bhimber Ghali (BG) sector of the LoC. They used mortars to target our positions." The shelling stopped at 3.30 a.m., however small arms and automatic gunfire exchanges continued, Mehta added. On Wednesday, Pakistani troops shelled Indian positions Tarkundi area of Rajouri district. Bhubaneswar, Oct 20 : Odisha police on Thursday arrested SUM Hospital's owner Manoj Nayak in connection to the fire tragedy earlier this week that killed 21 persons. Nayak surrendered before the Khandagiri police early Thursday morning and was later arrested, said Director General of Police (DGP) K.B. Singh. "He surrendered at about 3.30 a.m. He is being interrogated," said Police Commissioner Y.B. Khurania. A lookout circular was issued against Nayak and his wife, Saswati Das on Wednesday. Both are trustees of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, which runs the hospital. Das is yet to be arrested. "There was no information about Das. We will interrogate all the hospital trustees," said Khurania. The Odisha government has already lodged two FIRs against hospital management citing negligence in terms of fire safety and evacuation of patients during the incident. The state fire service directorate found gross negligence with the SUM Hospitals leading to the tragedy. The hospital did not comply to the guidelines of health department, said DGP Singh. The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate had on Tuesday arrested four persons including the Medical Superintendent, former engineers and the Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das. The blaze broke out on Monday in the ICU of the dialysis ward at 7.30 p.m. on Monday. A total of 106 persons were injured in the incident. San Francisco, Oct 20 : Claiming that genuine Apple accessories like Lightning-to-USB cables and USB power adapters sold on Amazon and Groupon are 90 per cent fake, the Cupertino-based tech giant has filed a lawsuit against US-based Mobile Star LLC, accusing it of selling counterfeit accessories online. "Almost nine out of 10 Apple-branded products the iPhone maker bought on Amazon were fakes," according to the trademark infringement case reported by Patently Apple on Thursday. Apple seeks up to $150,000 per copyright violation and $2 million per trademark infringement, believing that these counterfeit products could lead to fires and are, therefore, a risk to the public. "Consumers, relying on Amazon.com's reputation, have no reason to suspect the power products they purchased from Amazon.com are anything but genuine. Consumers are likewise unaware that the counterfeit Apple products that Amazon.com sourced from Mobile Star have not been safety certified or properly constructed... and pose a significant risk of overheating, fire, and electrical shock," the lawsuit read. The suit targets 5 Watt USB power adapters and Lightning-to-USB cables sold by Mobile Star, according to court documents from the US District Court for the Northern District of California, highlighted by Patently Apple. "Apple purchased the power products from Amazon.com and determined that they were counterfeit. Apple was informed by Amazon.com, and upon that basis believes that Mobile Star was the source of those particular counterfeit power products purchased by Apple," the lawsuit further read. Reacting to this, Amazon told AppleInsider in a statement: "Amazon has zero tolerance for the sale of counterfeits on our site. We work closely with manufacturers and brands, and pursue wrongdoers aggressively." xi WASHINGTON, D.C. As the world, led by the US and its Asian allies, has tried to confront and defuse North Korea's nuclear ambitions, the Hermit Kingdom's closest ally and the region's most powerful nation has ignored and thwarted international efforts. "China has been part of the problem rather than part of the solution to the North Korean nuclear problem," Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow of Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation, told Business Insider. "They have acted like North Korea's lawyer at the UN Security Council by obstructing more robust international sanctions, denying evidence of North Korean provocations, watering down stronger UN resolutions, and insisting on loopholes," Klingner added. "China is the reason sanctions against North Korea haven't had much of an effect," Rebeccah Heinrichs, a fellow at the Hudson Institute specializing in nuclear deterrence and missile defense, told Business Insider. While Pyongyang has been slammed with heavy sanctions, Klingner explains that the US can use "secondary sanctions to wean Chinese banks and businesses away from economically engaging with North Korea." "US legal authorities and the centrality of the US dollar to the international financial system gives Washington tremendous leverage. The vast majority of all international financial transactions, including North Korea's, are denominated in dollars and thus must pass through a US Treasury Department-regulated bank in the United States," Klingner told Business Insider. Meanwhile, the Hermit Kingdom's brazen missile tests continue. north korea nuclear test earthquake So far this year, Pyongyang has conducted eight Musudan missile tests. The Musudun is speculated to have a range of approximately 1,500 to 2,400 miles, making it capable of targeting military installations in South Korea, Japan, and Guam, according to estimates from the Missile Defense Project. Story continues All Musudan launches except the sixth one on June 22 were considered to be failures. However, despite a string of unsuccessful tests, experts argue that several of Pyongyang's missile programs are closer than ever for deployment. 'They will get it right sooner or later, so we'd better be ready' kim j y'all On October 14, at approximately 10:33 p.m. CDT, the US military detected a unsuccessful North Korean missile test near the northwestern city of Kusong. While the launch of the presumed Musudun intermediate-range ballistic missile failed immediately, "it signals their continued resolve to get this right," Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider. "They will get it right sooner or later, so we'd better be ready," Karako added. Similarly, Heinrichs told Business Insider that North Korean "technology is steadily improving despite intermittent failed tests." "The main take-away here is not that they are still having problems, the main take-away is that they are absolutely committed to achieving a credible nuclear missile force," Rebeccah Heinrichs, a fellow at the Hudson Institute specializing in nuclear deterrence and missile defense, told Business Insider. What's more, China is opposed to the bilateral decision between the US and South Korea to deploy America's most advanced missile defense system to the Korean Peninsula. Mad about THAAD In order to counter North Korean threats and further defend the region, the US agreed to equip South Korea with a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, America's most advanced and highly mobile missile defense system. And while negotiations to deploy THAAD to the region have been ongoing since South Korean President Park Geun-hye's October 2015 visit to the White House, North Korea's fourth nuclear bomb test on January 6 and long-range rocket launch on February 7 proved to be catalysts for the deployment. Read more about THAAD: We spent a day with the world's most advanced missile defense system that has China spooked China argues that since Washington agreed to equip Seoul with the unique missile-defense system, the North's missile tests have expanded and are poised to increase. thaad range "They've [China] aided and abetted North Korea for long enough that they have no one to blame but themselves for the missile defenses and other deployments to come," Karako told Business Insider. And while THAAD's deployment has China peeved, Heinrichs adds that a layered ballistic missile defense system between the US, South Korea, and Japan will "provide a deterrent verse North Korea and will be help absorb an initial missile attack, should deterrence fail." "Patriot is already deployed to South Korea and it handles the smaller, short-range missiles. THAAD, once deployed, would complement Patriot by providing an upper tier defense," Heinrichs said. As of now, a THAAD battery is slated to be operational in South Korea by the end of 2017; however, Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said the system would be deployed "as soon as possible," Reuters reports. NOW WATCH: Meet THAAD: Americas answer to North Korean threats More From Business Insider New Delhi, Oct 20 : JNU students angry over a student who went missing six days ago on Thursday continued their siege of Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, who has refrained from calling the police. Hundreds of students belonging to almost all student groups barring the ABVP laid siege to the administrative block at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), accusing Kumar of taking a negative attitude. Kumar, the Proctor, the Registrar and some other officials were forced to spend the night inside the building, student activists told IANS. "We are continuing the protest but have allowed other junior employees to move freely and carry on with their work," Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) President Bhupali Magare told IANS. The JNU has been in ferment ever since an undergraduate science student, Najeeb Ahmed, went missing on the night of October 14-15, reportedly after a brawl with a few members of the ABVP. Police have been told that Ahmed may have been kidnapped or may be in illegal confinement. The students deny they have gheraoed the Vice Chancellor but he insists that he and other officials have been confined to the building. Reporters, however, have access to Kumar. Magare said the Vice Chancellor was not responding to their demands and had displayed a negative attitude. She said a few students from the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) went to meet Kumar around midnight on Wednesday but he immediately asked the security to video the discussion. "We walked out after that. He is dealing with the issue in a very negative manner," she said. The Vice Chancellor appealed to the students on Wednesday night to end the siege and discuss their concerns. On Thursday, Kumar again appealed to the students to end the siege and let him and other officials function freely. He said the university had already met with their demands. "They asked for a police complaint, which has been filed. Moreover, a proctorial inquiry has been initiated by the varsity," he said. He rubbished claims that the students had offered him and the other officials food during confinement. "We were not sent any food. We slept on the floor." New Delhi, Oct 20 : A Srinagar journalist who runs a news portal said he was questioned and "harassed" by police over a video statement by Hizbul Mujahideen he had published on his website a month ago. In an email to IANS, Vijdan Kawoosa, who also writes for some international websites, said he got the Hizb video through an anonymous email. He said he had run the clip with the disclaimer that its authenticity was subject to verification. On Wednesday evening, he was summoned to the police cyber cell and accused of sympathizing with the militant group and being "on their payrolls" or having links with militants. He said all this happened "only because my website was the first to share their statement", which was also carried by various media houses in Jammu and Kashmir and beyond. Kawoosa alleged that three police officers "shouted at me, saying the news post on my site JandKnow.com instigate youth to take to violence and I was an equal party to the crime. "They threatened me if I did not reveal the person I was in 'contact' with in the militant group. I showed them all my emails and also the particular email. I gave them access to my e-mail account on which I had received the anonymously e-mailed statement." He said police took a "note of most of my e-mail addresses, phone numbers and family members and also took the password of my Facebook profile to which my website's page is linked". He said his driving license was also seized. The Jammu and Kashmir government has come under flak for allegedly curbing media freedom in the wake of an ongoing agitation that has crippled normal life in the Kashmir Valley for more than three months now. Over 90 people have been killed, some 12,000 injured and thousands arrested in the unrest sparked by the July 8 killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani. A crackdown was also launched against the Srinagar-based media in the initial days of the unrest after which newspapers in the valley couldn't hit the newstands for days. A Srinagar-based daily, Kashmir Reader, has been banned from printing and publication over allegations of inciting trouble. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Indian manufacturers -- both public and private -- must provide quality products at affordable costs to face the challenges from China, Union Minister Anant Geete said here on Thursday. The Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises also underlined the need for enhanced use of latest automation and robotics technologies to produce quality yet affordable products. "The era of globalisation has led to a cut-throat competition across the world, thereby making it a challenge for our manufacturing sector to survive. We need to face up to these global challenges, else we might get isolated," said Geete inaugurating an Assocham international conference "Industry 4.0: Smart Manufacturing". He said although the government feels that pushing the industrial sector will lead to create more job opportunities, the upcoming robotics technology may lead to significant job losses. India's manufacturing sector has been under stress over the recent past due to various reasons, the minister said. Geete also spoke on how the government came to the rescue of the domestic steel industry by fixing the minimum import price for steel, as China was supplying finished products at a cost at which the domestic industry gets raw material. He pointed out that this is how China has been destabilising the domestic steel sector, and more or less a similar situation prevails in the entire manufacturing sector. "We need to compete with China, which has spread across the world...we need to accept this challenge," said Geete. The Union Minister further said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under the aegis of the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, has invited global investors and industrialists to come and set up their manufacturing units in India. "But our first priority should be to save our domestic industry, including both private and public sector enterprises, as they will play the most significant role in the development of programmes like Make in India." Lucknow, Oct 20 : A young MLC considered close to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has asked Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to step down and let his son take his place. Udayveer Singh, a first time MLC, wrote a "private letter" to Mulayam Singh but it has now found its way into the media. Udayveer Singh told IANS on Thursday that he was merely airing his personal feelings but which he insisted echoed the views of most party colleagues. Udayveer Singh has also accused Mulayam Singh's second wife Sadhna of harbouring ill feeling towards her stepson Akhilesh. He added that Shivpal Singh Yadav, the state party chief and a brother of Mulayam Singh, was jealous of the Chief Minister's popularity. Accusing Sadhna and Shivpal Yadav of collusion, Udayveer Singh alleged that the Chief Minister was being subject to black magic with a view to harm him. Demanding that the party revoke the expulsion of young party leaders, he said Akhilesh Yadav was the most credible face of the Samajwadi Party. Reacting sharply to the letter, party leader Ashu Malik said people writing such letters were not "even worth 500 votes". He added that the party would not tolerate indiscipline. "Any attempt to humiliate Netaji (Mulayam Singh) will not be tolerated." New Delhi, Oct 20 : With eight more birds succumbing to bird flu in Delhi, authorities on Thursday shut down the popular Deer Park and warned people not to touch any dead bird. Deaths of two more birds each were reported in Delhi Zoo and Deer Park while three dead birds were spotted in Sundar Nagar, near the zoo, and one in Tughlakabad in the city's deep south. Giving details, Delhi's Animal Husbandry Minister Gopal Rai said the total number of deaths of migratory birds in the capital since last week had touched 18. "We are trying our level best to control the situation before it gets bad. For now, citizens need not worry and just be careful and alert," Rai said. "Reports of dead birds have come from various areas including Sundar Nagar, Tughlakabad and Deer Park. Deer Park has been closed for reasons of safety," Rai said, adding he will visit the park on Friday at 2 p.m. "I appeal to the citizens not to touch any dead bird and to instead inform the Animal Husbandry Department on the Helpline," he added. The government fears that the deaths may be due to H5 influenza virus which causes avian or bird flu. Rai said 50 samples from the zoo, various bird sanctuaries in the city and poultry markets in Delhi had been sent to labs for analysis. Both the Delhi zoo, closed on Tuesday, and the Deer Park will remain shut until normalcy returns. On Wednesday, the Delhi government announced a Helpline (011-2389 0318) to report cases of bird flu and seek help. Rai said he would write to the concerned ministers of neighbouring states urging them to take precautionary steps and to coordinate with the Delhi government in its attempts to curb the outbreak. The Delhi government has set up a 23-member committee to coordinate work among various departments and to probe the reasons behind the bird deaths since last week. The committee will be headed by Development Commissioner Sandeep Kumar. On Wednesday, Rai set up six rapid response teams to visit various places including bird sanctuaries and poultry markets. On Thursday, Rai increased their number to 10. All leave in the concerned departments have been cancelled. The first deaths of two migratory birds were reported on October 14 in the Delhi Zoo, where six more birds were found dead the next day. One more bird each died on October 17 and 19. Samples of the eight birds were sent to a lab in Jalandhar and to Bhopal, which confirmed the presence of H5 influenza virus. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Delhi Police on Thursday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Nupur Prasad told IANS that the SIT will be headed by Additional DCP Munishi Chandra. Delhi police had earlier announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information about Ahmed, five days after he vanished. Prasad said that Ahmed's mobile phone and wallet were found in his hostel room and it appears that he himself left them there. Ahmed went missing on October 15 night from the university hostel Mahi-Mandvi after a brawl with ABVP students. A police complaint was filed under section 365 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person, and a proctorial inquiry was also initiated by the varsity. Meanwhile, carrying photos of Ahmed, JNU students went about in the neighbourhood inquiring about him. They have also pasted "missing posters" in areas around JNU and on various roads leading to the university. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Agitating students on Thursday let JNU Vice Chancellor (VC) M. Jagadesh Kumar leave his office, after keeping him confined there for almost 20 hours over a missing student. The students on Wednesday held a protest outside the administrative block over the disappearance of Najeeb Ahmed, who has been missing for the past six days. The Jawaharlal Nehru University students forced top officials, including the VC, to stay confined in their offices on Wednesday. The protesting students, including student wings of Left party and the Congress, claimed inaction of the varsity administration in tracing Ahmed. The Left student wing has been accusing the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for its involvement in the alleged abduction of the undergraduate student following a brawl. "What is the responsibility of a VC, an FIR was also filed by Najeeb Ahmed's mother. Only one person has been found guilty in the Proctorial inquiry; what about the others," Sunny Dhiman, National Students Union of India (NSUI), member said. Dhiman also said that a student from the School of Russian Studies was also involved in the brawl and had tried to pick a fight with Ahmed on Wednesday. Apart from the ABVP, all student political bodies took part in the protest and vented their anger against the university officials. Carrying photos of Ahmed, JNU students went about in the neighbourhood inquiring about him. The Delhi Police on Wednesday announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information about Ahmed. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Underlining the need to improve the business environment in India in order to ensure greater investment inflow, US Trade Representative Michael Froman on Thursday said certain areas in the Indian economy like retail and financial services needed further opening up. "There needs to be continued work on improving the business environment if India is going to attract the kind of investment -- domestic and foreign -- to meet its aspirations," Froman said while delivering a talk on Indo-US trade relations at the University of Chicago Centre here. "Liberalising the retail, financial services and professional services sectors would help create an open, non-discriminatory and predictable regime that enhances the development of those markets," he said. Noting that India's position has improved in the World Bank overall ease of doing business rankings, Froman cautioned India against becoming complacent. "India has recently seen a positive trend in investment activity, but it should not be complacent. As an Italian economist once said, 'investors have the memories of elephants, the hearts of lambs and the legs of hares'," he said. "Businesses are keenly sensitive to the business environment, whether the climate is commercially friendly or whether bureaucracy and corruption make doing business difficult," Froman added. Noting with concern "Indian efforts to renegotiate and weaken existing agreements", the US Trade Representative said India should continue on the path of opening its economy. "India's relatively high tariffs and continued requests for exemptions from global trade rules -- the need for which has already been questioned by the Ministry of Finance -- only slows India's full participation into the global economy," Froman said. Lauding the reforms in India, like the landmark Goods and Services Tax, the revision of the bankruptcy code, setting up of dedicated commercial courts, and the release of the National Intellectual Property Rights Policy, Froman said the US has a direct interest in India's aim to achieve economic growth. Earlier on Thursday, Froman, who is leading a high-level delegation here for the 10th India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) meeting, met Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and discussed ways to improve trade and investments relations, an official said. TPF is the bilateral forum for discussion and resolution of trade and investment issues between the two countries. It has five focus groups: agriculture, investment, innovation and creativity (intellectual property rights), services, and tariff and non-tariff barriers. India-US bilateral trade was worth $109 billion in 2015-16. Tokyo, Oct 20 : Japan's Morinari Watanabe has been elected the new President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) after he beat rival candidate Georges Guelzec of France by a huge margin in a vote at the governing body's Congress. The Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA) secretary-general won 100 of the 119 votes, with Guelzec, the head of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG), receiving 19 here on Thursday, reports Xinhua. The 57-year-old becomes the ninth President of the FIG since it was established in 1881 and will succeed Bruno Grandi, who had held the position for 20 years. Watanabe is due to officially take charge on January 1, with the 82-year-old Italian's mandate coming to an end in December. Three vice-presidents were elected following Watanabe's win. Russia's Vasily Titov, the only incumbent in the race, was selected as first vice-president after securing 68 votes in the first round. The Russian will be joined by five-time Olympic champion Nellie Kim of Belarus, who prevailed in the second round with 64 votes, and China's Luo Chaoyi, who received 50. Germany's Wolfgang William and Margaret Sikkens Ahlquist of Sweden were both unsuccessful in round two, while George Tatai of Australia and Venezuela's Zobeira Hernandez withdrew following the first round. Ranchi, Oct 20 : The foreign tour of Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has been postponed due to the ongoing protests over land acquisition and proposed changes to land acts, officials said on Thursday. The Chief Minister was scheduled to leave for China and two other countries on Friday. Sources in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said that the foreign tour will now take place after November 15. The Chief Minister returned from a US tour on October 2 and was scheduled to leave China on Friday to lure the investors for the Global Investors Meet, scheduled for February next year. When Das was in the US, police firing took place at Barkagao of Hazaribagh district, in which four villagers protesting acquisition of their land were killed. Sources in the government said considering the proposed rally and shutdown, the Chief Minister opted to stay back. Since Diwali is also around the corner, Das did not want to take any chances, and decided against the visit. On October 22, Jharkhand Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha has called a rally in Ranchi to protest the changes proposed in two land acts -- Chotangapur Tenancy (CNT) Act and Santhal Pargana Act (SPT). Once the ordinances are cleared by the President of India, agricultural land can be acquired for non-agricultural purposes. The opposition parties and BJP alliance partner All Jharkhand Students Union are opposing the proposed changes in the acts. On October 24, the opposition parties have called a shutdown in the state against the police firing at Barkagao and land acquisition for the NTPC coal block mining project. On October 1, police had opened fire at villagers in which four people, including three minors, were killed at Barkagao. The residents of Barkagao are protesting the land acquisition 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 acquired from the 'rayats' (contract tillers), 2,900 acres forest land and 1,200 acres government land. The land acquisition was estimated to hit 8,745 families, and the annual coal yield from this mining project was estimated at 13 million tones. It's hard to fathom one issue on which both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton agree, but trade agreements have become the pinata of choice for beating by both parties in the 2016 presidential race. Both campaigns have tapped into voter anger over U.S. job losses and have placed blame solely on our "evil" trade partners. The most recent swipe was a memo released by the Trump camp discussing job losses in Pennsylvania which they attributed to NAFTA and the South Korea trade agreement. The numbers are packaged to be as scary as possible to voters, but any economist will tell you that statistics can be used to spin many different compelling stories. And there is more than one factor at work here. Jobs in U.S. manufacturing have been declining since long before NAFTA or the South Korea agreement. As China, India, and other developing nations started to grow and became more competitive, we started losing ground in certain sectors. However, even the sectors which did not suffer production losses, showed a decrease in their employment. The major factor behind this is technology. As we adopt technology throughout the production process (some prefer the word "automation"), the demand for labor in some sectors goes down. Look no further than your neighborhood retail stores, where checkout counters are being replaced one-by-one with self-checkout options. In fact, the 2016 Economic Report of the President has a special section on the possible effects of automation on workers. Their calculations indicate that lower wage jobs, such as those paying less than 20 dollars per hour, are more likely to be automated (with a probability of automation of more than 80 percent). Whether or not there is trade, experts expect this automation process to pick up pace. However, you do not hear either of the candidates discussing this trend, maybe because it is not juicy enough. Furthermore, there is one important gain from trade that everyone in politics loves to ignore: lower prices for consumers. It is probably easy to ignore this important impact since the gains to each individual from trade are relatively small compared to someone who loses his or her job and livelihood. But they add up. Story continues Many of us enjoy the increased product variety and lower prices without noticing that it could be the result of free trade. A 2014 study by Fajgelbaum and Khandelwal notes that a large share of this price benefit accrues to lower income consumers, since they spend a larger share of their disposable income on heavily traded food and clothing items. They estimate that consumers in the bottom 10th percentile of the income distribution would lose more than half of their purchasing power if U.S. pulled out from international trade. It is interesting that this fact is not part of the discussion when there is an increasing focus on growing income inequality in U.S. politics. It is vital to evaluate trade agreements not only based on the losses, but also on gains whether they accrue to exporting industries or consumers. Most economists agree that the benefits from free trade outweigh any resulting job loss and that appropriate domestic policies such as trade adjustment assistance can help shore up any domestic labor impact. This could take various forms such as retraining workers for other booming industries or financial assistance. In addition, as trade agreements were adopted, overall job growth in the U.S. has trended upward over time, only slipping back during recessions. Furthermore, total U.S. manufacturing output has increased in recent decades even though it employs fewer workers. Rather than pointing our fingers at foreigners for the sad state of our economy and blaming trade, maybe it is time to ask where did we go wrong? The list is not short: our outdated tax code, increasing regulatory burden, crumbling infrastructure, and deteriorating education system are just a few culprits that have contributed to our sluggish economy and slow job growth. Our decreasing competitiveness in the international arena is most likely due to not keeping up with an evolving global economy. To address these major issues, we need strong leadership that is willing to break the growing partisanship in the Congress and make tough decisions. Kicking the can down the road will become harder and harder as the cost of inaction balloons. Whether or not there is a vote on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) during the lame duck session is still uncertain. Both presidential candidates have voiced their opposition to the agreement and that is shortsighted. Despite the noise made by trade opponents, 60 percent of Americans supports the passage of TPP, according to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. We can continue lowering the trade pinata for everyone to whack and claim that "we cannot compete." Or we can reach for the higher goal, put our fiscal house in order, approve TPP, and lead the pack in Asia, the fastest growing region of the world. Commentary by Pinar Cebi Wilber, Ph.D., a senior economist at the American Council for Capital Formation, a nonprofit organization advocating tax, energy and regulatory policies that facilitate saving and investment, economic growth and job creation. Follow her on Twitter @Drcebiwilber. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion onTwitter. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Calling it "height of intolerance", the BJP on Thursday said that anything related to Lord Ram is seen as communal, even though it is a matter of faith and not politics. "This is height of intolerance that anything even distantly related with Lord Ram is seen as communal," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told IANS when asked about the role of Mandir politics in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections due early next year. The BJP-led central government recently announced it would build a Ramayana Museum in Ayodhya, and Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma visited Ayodhya on Tuesday to inspect the proposed site, some 15 km away from the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site. Opposition parties and the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh have accused the BJP of announcing the project just ahead of the state assembly polls solely for political gains. However, Sharma said his party is not trying to cash in on the Ram temple issue in Uttar Pradesh elections. "Let me say it once again that Ram Mandir is not a political issue but that of people's faith. We would be fighting the Uttar Pradesh elections on the issues like law and order, road, water and infrastructure, and not on Ram Mandir," Sharma said. "Mandir to aastha ka mudda hai (Mandir is a matter of faith)," he added. However, he quickly added that his party is "committed to building a Ram temple in Ayodhya", but it would be either through judicial orders or public consensus. On senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joining the BJP on Thursday, Sharma said that people in the Congress are disenchanted with Rahul Gandhi's leadership. "It is not just Congress leaders, but senior members from other parties in the state -- be it Bahujan Samaj Party or the Samajwadi Party -- are also joining the BJP. They are dissatisfied and looking towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP with hope," Sharma said. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday showcased the investment opportunities in the state in front of envoys of 25 countries at an "Ambassadors' Meet" here. Patnaik also invited them to participate along with their business delegations in the 'Make in Odisha Conclave' to be held at Bhubaneswar from November 30 to December 2 this year. The envoys of 25 countries and the European Union attended the meet organised by the Ministry of External Affairs. Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Odisha Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra and other officials participated in the deliberations. The Chief Minister said Odisha has undertaken crucial reforms in various sectors and improved governance, strengthened institutions and streamlined regulatory framework. He urged the participating dignitaries from foreign missions to encourage companies and investors from their respective countries to explore Odisha as an investment destination as the state stands committed to ensuring 'Investor Delight' while welcoming entrepreneurs from across the globe for a mutually rewarding engagement. The Chief Minister said the state is leveraging technology in a big way and the integration of business approvals with eBiZ platform and GIS-based land information system, GO-iPLUS have been undertaken to provide the hassle-free business environment. He mentioned that the World Bank in their Business Reforms Report, 2015 has acknowledged the state's efforts for creating a conducive business environment with fast paced reforms and has recognised Odisha as an 'Aspiring Leader'. He added that the state has formulated Odisha Industrial Development Plan - Vision 2025 to sustain the high growth trajectory, which envisages additional investments of over $35 billion and creation of additional employment of three million people. Owing to a favourable business climate, Odisha secured about $11 billion investment commitments during 'Make in India' week held in February 2016 in Mumbai and $13 billion at the Bangaluru 'Investors' Meet' held in August 2016. The Chief Minister underlined that Odisha is now a leading state of India which offers wide business opportunities in various mega investment regions including at Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region at Paradip, Information Technology Investment Region at Bhubaneswar and National Investment Manufacturing Zone at Kalinganagar. Mumbai, Oct 20 : With mounting cases of white-collar crime impacting businesses adversely, "sweeping changes" along with "ramping up of skill-sets" of anti-fraud fighting professionals in India are required to mitigate future threats and risks, said a report released on Thursday. A white paper -- The changing dynamics of white-collar crime in India -- prepared by the global consultancy firm EY (Ernst & Young) unravels the impact of white-collar crime and the need to undertake drastic changes with respect to technology, transparency, ethical frameworks and strengthening the compliance ecosystem. "The cost and impact of white-collar crime has proved steep, and is increasing in magnitude, incidence and intricacy. Mitigating these risks will require sweeping changes at a macro as well as micro level, and also involve the expertise of anti-fraud or forensic specialists to deter current and future threats," said Arpinder Singh, Partner and National Leader, Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services, EY. According to the paper, as many as 6,533 corruption cases were prepared by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over last 10 years and 517 corruption cases were referred to the investigating agency in the last two years. The future of investigations will also be redefined by ramping up skill-sets and creation of a wider pool of anti-fraud or forensic professionals, the report said. "Increased public awareness, changing mind-set and technological disruption has created a challenging environment. As fraudsters attempt to break ethical and regulatory barriers, corporates, government and the society at large need to join forces with the mutual objective of curbing white-collar crime," said Satish Mathur, Director General of Police, Maharashtra. Stringent anti-fraud and anti-corruption frameworks, coupled with penalties on errant companies and fraudsters, have helped mature markets such as the US and UK deter such risks at an early stage. "Emerging markets such as India are not far behind and have taken strides in the right direction to come up with different and effective methods of identification and deterrence, in line with its global counterparts," the report said. EY's Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services in collaboration with the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Mumbai Chapter launched the Forensic Trailblazer Award to recognise the growing talent in the anti-fraud fighting space. New Delhi, Oct 20 : A 46-year-old BJP worker was shot dead by unidentified assailant in Aman Vihar area here, the police said on Thursday. Asharam, a property dealer and Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party's SC/ST Cell in the Kirari area, was shot twice by unidentified assailant around 8.45 p.m. on Wednesday. "Asharam was sitting with his wife Sunita at his office in Aman Vihar in outer district. The unidentified assailant barged into the office and shot at him. The accused fled the spot," a senior police officer said. Asharam was rushed to nearby Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. A murder case was registered against unknown persons at the Aman Vihar police station, the officer said. Asharam was staying in Pravesh Nagar in Aman Vihar area with his wife and three children. The police are investigating if enmity was the motive behind the murder. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Satire and humour, once part of Indian political life, have gradually dwindled, Union Finance Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley observed on Thursday at an event here. "Satire and humour once had a place in Indian politics and political life. But to my disappointment, I find that these qualities have slowly come to an end now," Jaitley said at the unveiling of the Hindi translation of some of his works. "I will wait for the time when humour returns to Indian politics so that we can take full advantage of it," the minister, known in the BJP circles for his witty observations, said. Earlier, BJP President Amit Shah unveiled the book titled "Andhere Se Ujale Ki Or", a compilation of Jaitley's articles published in various newspapers/magazines, blog posts written over several years, and now translated in Hindi by Prabhat Prakashan. Jaitley said that the objective behind his writing was to present the party's point of view in a serious and no-nonsense manner, adding in a lighter vein, that it was not possible just through the media. Dwelling on the experiences in his long public life, Jaitley said that with the "changing character of the media it became evident" that one cannot rely only on the media to convey through it the exact message one wants to convey. "Over the years I learnt that you cannot totally rely on the media to carry across your message, because media has a tendency to only pick parts/pieces which they find interesting or relevant for the day. In this way, the media sets the agenda," he said. He added that the advent of social media, however, made it possible for the people to communicate more freely. Jaitley also expressed satisfaction that despite writing so much and interacting with media very frequently, he has "not once uttered a word or sentence" that could embarrass his party. Speaking on the occasion, Amit Shah said that the title of the book was quite apt as Jaitley had struggled along with the BJP since his student days and has even remained in jail during the Emergency. "Among the leaders born after Independence, and I am deliberately making this demarcation (born after Independence), Arun Jaitley is one of those few politicians who have upheld the ideals of transparent and value-based politics," Shah said. Shah said that although Jaitley is seen as a Lutyens' Delhi product (meaning one living in opulence), but his writings also reflect the pain of the rural and the marginalised. Shah said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) legislation and the recovery of black money, so far to the tune of Rs 65,000 crore, were very important achievements of the Narendra Modi government, and Jaitley has played a crucial role in both. Kolkata, Oct 20 : A clash took place between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters and police near Kolkata's Hazra crossing on Thursday leaving at least 17 injured. Video grabs showed police resorted to a cane-charge to control the BJP activists protesting against the attack on Union Minister Babul Supriyo in Asansol town of West Bengal's Burdwan district on Wednesday. Police said they had to take evasive action following "unprovoked stone pelting" by the agitators that injured 13 police personnel and damaged three vans. Four BJP supporters were also injured in the process. "Total 18 agitators were arrested including five women in the incident," police said. The BJP called for a mass agitation at Hazra crossing on Thursday to protest against the alleged attack on Supriyo allegedly by Trinamool supporters. The situation went out of control when the agitators tried to break the three layered police barricade to go towards West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at nearby Kalighat. "We were holding a peaceful rally but police started pushing and instigating us. Several of our party workers including women were severely beaten up," said actor-turned- BJP leader Roopa Ganguly. "Trinamool is trying to terrorise the opposition and creating undemocratic regime in the state," complained state BJP president Rahul Sinha. Islamabad, Oct 20 : The Pakistan Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his family members and others in the "Panama Papers" scandal on petitions seeking his disqualification over alleged corruption. The five petitions maintain that the premier and his dependants were involved in establishing offshore firms as exposed by the Panama Papers, and that he concealed assets of his dependants and also concealed the truth from the National Assembly. The bunch of petitions also adds that he is no longer eligible to hold office under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, the Dawn reported. The court was adjourned for two weeks after the initial hearing. Prime Minister Sharif said: "I welcome the judicial proceedings in connection with Panama Papers." In a statement issued after consultation with his legal team, he said, "The court of public opinion has been making decisions, it would be better to wait for the judiciary's decision." The premier held the opposition responsible for the prolonged delay into investigation of the matter by a judicial commission. He said he had not only made his stance on the matter clear in the National Assembly and before the people, but had also announced a commission to probe "Panama Papers" scandal. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami, Barrister ZafarAullah Khan of Watan Party, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Advocate Asad have filed petitions seeking the disqualification of the PM and his family members from holding public office. Guwahati, Oct 20 : North East United FC lost their second game of the Indian Super League (ISL) as defending champions Chennaiyin FC shaded the table-toppers 1-0 here on Thursday. Italian striker Davide Succi (49th minute) scored a brilliant second half goal to help his team to grab the second win of the tournament. They are now at third spot in the points table with seven points while North East remained top of the heap with 10 points from six matches. North East made just one change bringing in Nirmal Chhetri who was serving a suspension in place of Reagan Singh, while Marco Materazzi made three changes with Maurizio Peluso, Bernard Mendy, and Siam Hangal replacing the trio of Manuele Blassi, John Arne Riise and Jayesh Rane. There were no clear cut chances in the first half but Subrata Paul pulled off a brace of saves from Peluso to keep things level. As the half wore on, tempers flared with Succi and North East's marquee player Didier Zokora getting involved in a scuffle. The hosts were dealt a blow when Nico Velez had to be replaced by Wellington Priori in what looked like the former had picked up a niggle. Both teams went into the break with the score 0-0. Four minutes into the second half, Chennaiyin FC took the lead courtesy a superb volley from Succi. Against the run of play, the Bologna-born Italian turned towards goal and netted at one go from the edge of the box. Since conceding the goal, the Highlanders upped the ante and raided their rival citadel numerous times. Romaric and Holicharan Narzary came close but Emiliano Alfaro had the best chance to level things but for the brilliance of Mendy who made a inch perfect tackle to deny the in-form hitman just when he was about to pull the trigger. Alfaro got another chance to equalise late in the match when he nodded a beautifully floated free kick by Yusa Katsumi over the bar. New Delhi, Oct 20 : In a major setback to the Congress, senior Uttar Pradesh leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday quit the party after 24 years to join the BJP, with the all-important state assembly polls a few months away. Joshi, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of party chief Amit Shah, also gave up her membership of the Uttar Pradesh assembly. Announcing her decision to quit the Congress -- as was being being widely speculated for the past few days over her apparent unhappiness at being sidelined in Uttar Pradesh -- Joshi did not spare Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in her parting shot. Joshi was among those at the forefront in championing Rahul Gandhi as leader not too long ago. "Soniaji used to understand us. She might take any decision but used to listen to us. But even that is not possible under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi," Joshi told reporters after joining the BJP. In a fierce attack on the Congress Vice President, Joshi said: "His leadership is not acceptable not just to Uttar Pradesh but the entire nation. Even senior leaders of the state are angry." "The way he should have given leadership to a national party, he failed to do it seriously. His leadership is not acceptable to the people." Joshi said it was not an easy decision for her to quit the Congress but she took it in the interest of the country. Joshi also criticised Rahul Gandhi's "khoon ki dalali" remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the Congress demand for proof of the army's surgical strikes acoss the Line of Control made her angry. The Congress reacted with disdain to Joshi's desertion. The party dubbed her an "opportunist" and said she left the party as she knew she couldn't have won in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. "This is absolute opportunism. She just made an excuse to leave. The reality is she couldn't have won the election. The contest is very tough," said Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad. Joshi was apparently miffed at the party naming Sheila Dikshit the chief ministerial face for Uttar Pradesh and Raj Babbar as the state party chief. On Joshi's comments on Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Azad said: "These are all excuses. Those who leave, they leave by blaming the party. The real reason was she knew she couldn't have won." Raj Babbar said her defection would make no difference to the party in Uttar Pradesh just as her brother's (former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna) leaving the Congress in Uttarakhand had no impact. In a sharp attack, Babbar said, "She said she is a history teacher; today, she has repeated her family history." Joshi, a former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, also took on Congress poll manager in Uttar Pradesh Prashant Kishor, saying "a poll manager can never be a poll director". "After the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, the way Congress should have proceeded, it didn't." Joshi till not long ago was known as an ardent supporter of Rahul Gandhi. But on Thursday, she accused the Congress of handing over the whole election management to Prashant Kishor. "Not only the direction of the election but the whole leadership was handed over to him. The party has lost its credibility... What can be more unfortunate than a party being given out on contact? Even powerful leaders were not allowed to speak freely," she said. Joshi also took on Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party and the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party. "Both the SP and BSP have looted the state. There is mafia raj in Uttar Pradesh. UP needs to be freed from both these parties." Joshi is daughter of the late Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna,a Congress stalwart, and sister of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who joined the BJP some time back. Joshi is likely to be the BJP candidate from Lucknow Cantt against Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav. Several leaders of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress flayed Joshi for joining the BJP and accused her of compromising on her secular credentials for personal gains. Senior Congress leader Satyadev Tripathi accused her of hobnobbing with the communal forces for quite some time and passing information on party affairs to the rival camp. Several other Congress leaders too slammed Joshi for her scathing remarks against party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, dubbing them "baseless and mischievous". New Delhi, Oct 20 : New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will be on a state visit to India from October 24 to 27 and his visit will boost business ties with India, said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday. "He will lead a high-level business and education delegation. He will arrive in Mumbai on 24th evening. In Mumbai, he will deliver a keynote address in event organised by the Bombay Stock Exchange in association with Chambers of Commerce," said Swarup. "He will also meet with the Governor and Chief minister of Maharashtra. He will also attend Innovation showcase event to celebrate 'Innovation in New Zealand-India business partnership'," he added. In New Delhi, Key will hold one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by official delegation-level meet to discuss the growing bilateral relations. He will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee. "He will be attending a business summit as well," Swarup said. The New Zealand Prime Minister will depart from New Delhi on October 27 via Kochi. "In Kochi, the Prime Minister and his delegation will undertake a short tour of the new Kochi international terminal and the work undertaken by the New Zealand company Glidepath," said Swarup. Key will also be accompanied by members of New Zealand Parliament Mark Mitchell, who is chair of foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee, and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi. Rodrigo Duterte Xi Jinping Since taking office at the end of June, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has made strident denunciations of the US, lashing out over Washington's criticism of his bloody drug war and rebuking the US colonial legacy in his country. Duterte has also repeatedly mentioned moving way from the US as an ally, a status Washington and Manila have had for more than a half-century. In the days since the Philippine president's arrival in China for a state visit, he has doubled down on breaking from the US and added to the insults he has directed toward Americans. On Wednesday, to hundreds of cheering Filipinos in Beijing, Duterte said his country's foreign policy would continue veering toward China. "I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there," Duterte said. "So time to say goodbye my friend." In a speech on Thursday, Duterte announced his country's "separation" from the US, in terms of "military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost," he said. He stopped short of saying he would revoke treaty commitments with the US, and the White House has said it has received no official requests to change its cooperation with the Philippines. He accompanied that announcement with a mocking impression of how Americans speak, recorded by Pia Ranada, a journalist with Philippine news site Rappler: WATCH: Duterte describes Americans, impersonates them accdg to his perception. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/6awpfjhjbg Pia Ranada (@piaranada) October 20, 2016 "The Americans are ... loud, sometimes rowdy," Duterte said during the Philippines-China Trade and Investment Forum. "And they have this volume of the voice in the larynx, not adjusted to civility," he said in front of a crowd of Chinese businessmen and government officials, before launching into what appeared to be an impression of conversations he's had with Americans. Story continues According to Ranada, Duterte's speech had a decidedly anti-American bent, which his audience seemed to enjoy. He also called Americans a "discourteous people" and underscored his affinity for the Chinese. Duterte of the Philippines is veering towards China because China has the character of an Oriental. It does not go around insulting people, Duterte said, eliciting loud applause. Philippines Rodrigo Duterte China visit business investment Beijing speech The Philippine president is in China for high-level meetings and to facilitate talks between Chinese and Filipino businesses. Duterte took some 200 business people along with him to Beijing, and Philippine trade secretary Ramon Lopez told Reuters that $13.5 billion in deals would be signed. Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jingpin agreed to reopen bilateral talks on disputes in the South China Sea, where Manila, Beijing, and several other countries in the region have clashed over territorial claims. After Duterte met with Xi, China's vice foreign minister said, "The two sides agreed that they will do what they agreed five years ago, that is to pursue bilateral dialogue and consultation in seeking a proper settlement of the South China Sea issue," according to Reuters. Philippine Rodrigo Duterte China Beijing speech However, the vice foreign minister said the two leaders did not mention Scarborough Shoal, which China seized in 2012 and have since denied Philippine fishermen access to. He did say that Duterte and Xi had agreed on coast guard and fisheries cooperation without elaborating, but did not answer a question about if Filipino fishermen would permitted access to waters around the shoal. China has dismissed an international-court ruling issued this summer that rejected its claims in the South China Sea, and Duterte has said he would not give up his country's sovereignty. But prior to their meeting, Duterte said that ruling was just a "piece of paper," and that South China Sea arbitration would "take the back seat" during talks between the two countries. For his part, Xi said that issues not discussed during Duterte's time in Beijing "should be set aside," Reuters reported, quoting the Chinese foreign ministry. Duterte's meeting with Xi, and his statements about Americans, come a day after anti-American protesters and Philippine police clashed in front of the US embassy in Manila, leaving several people injured. NOW WATCH: 'America has lost': The Philippines president just announced that he's allying with China, wants to talk to Putin More From Business Insider New Delhi, Oct 20 : Swaraj Abhiyan on Thursday released a letter written by US-based lawyer C. Edmonds Allen to the Prime Minister's Office that alleged BJP MP Varun Gandhi was "honey trapped and compromised" by defence middleman Abhishek Verma. Gandhi, LOk Sabha member from Sultanpur constitguency in Uttar Pradesh, has termed the allegations as baseless. The letter, written on September 16, said that "a member of parliament of defence consultative committee named Varun Gandhi has been honey trapped and compromised by the notorious arms dealer Abhishek Verma." Varun Gandhi is no longer a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Defence Ministry. The letter was released by Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan at a press conference here. Allen has also sent the letter to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Yadav said Allen was a former partner of Verma and had parted ways with him in 2012. Responding to the allegations, Gandhi told IANS that he was deeply hurt by the "sleazy allegations". "I was deeply hurt by the sleazy allegations against me. I will file a criminal defamation suit against Prashant Bhushan," Gandhi said. The Bharatiya Janata Paty MP added that as member of the Defence Consultative Committee he had no access to any secret information and Defence Consultative Committee's report on generic matters. Swaraj Abhiyan leaders also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government and the Congress of colluding with each other and compromising "national security". Yadav accused the government of "deliberate inaction" against the Congress in the alleged Scorpene submarine deal scam. Yadav said the BJP would accuse the Congress of irregularities in the Scorpene deal while in the opposition, but it took no action after coming to power. "That is because if the BJP brings out the name of the middleman involved in the deal, then as per rules the company supplying the submarines will have to be blacklisted," Yadav said. "But in that case, the recent Rs 58,000-crore Rafale deal would also have not been possible as the same company that supplied Scorpene submarines is involved in Rafale deal as well," he added. New Delhi, Oct 20 : The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday declined to comment on the Foreign Secretary's briefing to the parliamentary committee on last month's surgical strikes across the Line of Control. Answering multiple questions on the Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar's briefing to the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs on the surgical strikes conducted by Indian army on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "Proceedings of the parliamentary standing committee are confidential. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on it." Adding he said, "Indian position on the surgical strikes was made very clearly and very categorically by the Director General of Military Operations from this very podium on September 29." Jaishanker briefed the Parliamentary committee on October 18 on the surgical strikes conducted by Indian army across the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on terrorist launch pads. Media reports said that Jaishankar told the parliamentary committee that India had in the past too conducted similar strikes across the LoC. Replying to a query on the issue of terrorism in the BRICS declaration, Swarup said that the world terror features some 37 times in the declaration and there was unprecedented condemnation of terrorism. He said that for the first time BRICS has called all states to prevent terror action from their territory. BRICS also agreed that religion is no justification for terrorism. BRICS also realised the growing nexus between weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. This was the strongest ever declaration of BRICS on terrorism, he said. Asked about the reported disagreement between India and China on describing Pakistan as the mother ship of terrorism, Swarup said, "We are all aware that in our region which country is the epicentre of terrorism." India and China have ongoing dialogue on countering terrorism which is a phenomenon that affects China as well and China has said so in the past. So India's dialogue with China on the issue of terrorism will continue. In the coming two months number of dialogue mechanisms are scheduled to happen with China on this issue, he added. Swarup also informed that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad was summoned by the Pakistan Foreign Office on Thursday and Pakistan conveyed its concerns about alleged ceasefire violations. But the Indian understanding is that there was an exchange of fire connected with attempt of infiltration on the Pakistani side, he added. Vikas Swarup informed that India has not banned content from Pakistan on Indian media. He termed the Pakistani ban as unfortunate and said it shows lack of confidence on part of Pakistan. Damascus, Oct 21 : The Syrian Army on Thursday accused Turkish air strikes of killing 150 people in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo a day earlier, state news agency SANA reported. Xinhua news agency quoted the General Command of the Syrian Army as saying that the Turkish air strikes on towns and villages in the northern countryside of Aleppo had targeted "innocent people" and constituted a "dangerous development that will further complicate the situation". Meanwhile, the army threatened to down any Turkish plane that would violate the Syrian airspace. "Any further violation to the Syrian airspace by the Turkish warplanes will be dealt with by downing them with all possible means," the statement said. The Turkish air forces and tanks have been backing several rebel groups in an operation dubbed the Euphrates Shield, which aims primarily at thwarting the advance of the Kurdish forces near the Turkish borders, and dislodge the Islamic State (IS) group from the areas they hold in northern Syria. Washington, Oct 21 : US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday warned that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's refusal to commit himself to accepting the result of the November 8 elections, if he is defeated, is a "threat" to the country's democratic process. "No democratic process can be sustained without a sense of trust. He's questioning not the legitimacy of our elections, (but) the legitimacy of our democracy," EFE news quoted Biden as saying in New Hampshire, where he is campaigning for Trump's Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump's failure to commit himself to accepting the election result is "a big problem", besides being a "threat to our democratic process", emphasised Biden on a visit to one of Clinton's campaign offices. Biden said that the response of the public to Trump's challenge should be to ensure an "exceptional turnout" at the polls in November. Almost at the same time Biden was speaking, Trump said at a Delaware, Ohio, campaign rally that he will accept the results of the elections "if I win". The mogul remarked that he would accept a "clear" election result, but "would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. And always, I will follow and abide by all of the rules and traditions of all of the many candidates who have come before me. Always". During the third and last presidential debate with Clinton on Wednesday evening in Las Vegas, the real estate magnate refused to promise to accept the election result if she wins. "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense," Trump told debate moderator Chris Wallace. The businessman-turned-politician has frequently claimed that there may be voter fraud in the upcoming balloting, and he has complained about what he calls an electoral system that is "rigged" in Clinton's favour, EFE news reported. That response contradicts what Trump said in the first televised debate with Clinton in late September, when he unequivocally committed himself to support the former Secretary of State if she wins the election. According to Catherine Serie, COO of NABAC, "Many Alzheimer caregivers are home-based, especially in initial stages of the diseases - sometimes throughout. These caregivers are often selfless family members that willingly step up to the challenge with little or no preparation." A recent report from the Alzheimer Association* indicates that as many as 15 million workers contribute 18.1 billion hours of unpaid care annually. Much, if not most of this care is provided by family members. Serie adds, "Training is a challenge for family caregivers. They often get some basics from the patient's health care professionals, but because they are largely home-based, getting to a class or another type of group session can be difficult. We will offer the Family Caregiver course on-line. We believe this course will help students (family caregivers) better understand how the disease works and how they can best help their patients." According to Daniel Maher, Nurse Practitioner with Rush University Senior Care, "One way ADRD is particularly challenging is that each case progresses at its own rate. Family caregivers learn about the disease by observing their patients. But because each case is different, training can help the caregiver understand the bigger picture and help caregivers with communication strategies, coping and expectations." The Alzheimer Family Caregiver course is now in development and will be available in 2017. NCBAC offers other courses related to ADRD. Earlier this year, their training was accredited by the Florida State Department of Elder Affairs. NCBAC is the only independent national board that follows the healthcare certification/licensure model to administer standardized certification examinations in dementia care. The purpose of the board is to provide a benchmark for core competencies and knowledge for those who provide care and education in the field of dementia. *2015 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, Alzheimer's Association. 2015 Triseum grew out of the LIVE Lab at Texas A&M University, which is why education will always remain at the heart of this gaming company. By developing highly engaging game-based learning opportunities that complement existing curriculum, students have another avenue to explore course content in a way that makes sense to them. It fosters new levels of motivation and excitement, said Thomas. By advancing the learning experience with hands-on, relatable and academically rigorous games, Triseum is transforming higher education as we know it. A new round of funding is enabling the company to make an even bigger difference in the way students learn. Triseum, which grew out of the LIVE Lab at Texas A&M University, has closed an additional $2 million in funding led by existing private investors, enabling the company to further build out its products, operations and team. Triseum creates fun, engaging and immersive experiences, connecting todays students with content in a way that resonates on a higher level. Staying true to its academic roots, experts from across Texas A&M remain close collaborators with the Triseum team, ensuring games adhere to rigorous scientific standards as well as the latest research. Triseums games are meticulously crafted, fully tested and evaluated to provide the ultimate educational experience. "Higher ed has been focused on improving student success with new technologies and approaches including competency-based and adaptive learning. These models are advancing the way educational outcomes can be achieved, and we believe game-based learning builds on these concepts. We are not out to displace what is working in higher education, but we know we can make the experience better," said Andre Thomas, founder and CEO of Triseum. "By developing highly engaging game-based learning opportunities that complement existing curriculum, students have another avenue to explore course content in a way that makes sense to them. It fosters new levels of motivation and excitement." Triseum is continuing to make tremendous progress since its founding in 2014, developing a thorough roadmap of the most in-demand games, as well as building its team of academic, strategy and gaming veterans. The company recently hired longtime EdTech executive Scot Chadwick as Chief Revenue Officer. Chadwick most recently served as VP and GM at Pearson, where he led the launch and rollout of OpenClass, a CODiE award winning startup highlighted in Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies in Education. He also spent a number of years in sales leadership roles at Pearson's eCollege division working closely with institutional presidents, provosts and CIOs to integrate mission critical online learning SaaS applications and services at scale. "We are thrilled to have Scot join our incredibly talented team - he brings a keen insight into the mind of the innovative educator and the digital learning landscape, and his track record growing businesses will serve our team, our clients and our investors well," noted Thomas. About Triseum Triseum grew out of the LIVE Lab at Texas A&M University, which is why education will always remain at the heart of this gaming company. Since then, Triseum has partnered with industry leading experts in gaming and instructional design dedicated to building the highest quality educational video games. Creating world class digital experiences that profoundly impact students, Triseum's bold curiosity means pushing the boundaries of what educational games are all about. For more information, please visit http://www.triseum.com. # # # McGee Wealth Management announces that the McGee Wealth Management Investment Advisory firm is a Gold Sponsor and recipient of Portlands top corporations for philanthropic giving at the 2016 Portland Business Journals Corporate Philanthropic Awards Luncheon, Friday October 14 at the Hilton Hotel, Portland, Oregon. The Corporate Philanthropy Awards are presented by the Portland Business Journal and the Cambia Health Foundation. The luncheon is a celebration of corporate giving and innovation. The awards luncheon will include announcements of the top ten organizations for its non-profit cash contributions in 2015 and a presentation highlighting three Innovation in Philanthropy partnerships. Philanthropic and community service is written into McGee Wealth Managements mission statement, followed up by company policies that support each employee with their cause of choice, giving paid time off, and supporting fund raising endeavors. The McGee Wealth Management team is committed in supporting community charitable causes. We believe that through philanthropy, we can help make life a richer experience for others. The links below represent some of the charitable organizations that the McGee Wealth Management team, as well as many of our clients, support. McGee Wealth Management President, Linette Dobbins CFP, is an active member of the OHSU Foundation, Circle of Giving. Executive Vice President Jennifer Currin Gutridge, CFP is a member of GO RED for WOMEN, a division of the American Heart Association. CEO/Chair Judith McGee CFP, currently serves on the Presidents Advancement Council for Warner Pacific College and has played a key role in developing the Social Entrepreneurship degree program. She also serves the Multnomah County Library Foundation, the NW Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals, and is a member of the Oregon Business Council Task Force on Poverty. Judith received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD) from Warner Pacific College in 1993 for her life achievements, published works and service. McGee Wealth Management is a fee based advisory wealth management firm integrating financial services with holistic planning, consulting, and asset management. With the exemplary credentialed staff, comprehensive services, and philanthropic recognition, McGee Wealth Management believes their Making Life a Richer Experience motto exemplifies their stellar client relationships, built on trust and collaboration, with a strong focus on the financial needs of multi-generational families. McGee Wealth Managements key team members include Judith McGee, L.H.D., C.F.P., ChFC, CEO/Chairwoman (MWM) & Co-Branch manager (RJFS), D. Linette Dobbins, CFP, President/CCO (MWM), Co-Branch Manager (RJFS), and Jennifer Currin Gutridge, CFP, Executive Vice President (MWM) and Financial Advisor (RJFS). 12455 SW 68th Ave. Portland, Oregon 97223. 503-597-2222. Visit http://www.McGeeWM.com for more information. For media requests contact Diane Dennis with Inspired Media at info(at)inspiredmc(dot)com. McGee Wealth Management is an independent firm. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. The awards are bestowed by independent third party organizations not affiliated with Raymond James. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any websites users and/or members. Lucas Group We view this new management role as reinforcement to our commitment as the preeminent leader within our industry Lucas Group announces the expansion of its Sales & Marketing recruiting management team with the addition of Carly Gorman as Branch Practice Manager- a new managerial position created throughout the recruiting firm. Gorman will lead, train and develop a team of seven to ten recruiters, while acquiring high-caliber Sales & Marketing talent for her clients. Carlys wealth of experience and industry knowledge has already made her an invaluable Associate to the Lucas Group family. We view this new management role as reinforcement to our commitment as the preeminent leader within our industry. We realize the exponential growth across Lucas Group, and we want to ensure our associates have several opportunities for professional development and career progression, said Carolina King, Vice President of Human Resources at Lucas Group. After joining Lucas Group in 2015, Gorman quickly proved her momentous worth by making strategic, long-term placements. Together with her management experience at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, she advanced to Branch Practice Manager to train, develop and support her peers. In her new role, she will manage a group of recruiters and provide leadership for her team, while continuing to create a robust network of Clients and placing talented Candidates into long-term Sales & Marketing positions. Carly holds a Bachelors in Media Communications from California State University, Long Beach. We understand the continuous need to effectively develop and train recruiters on emerging industry trends and key topics, implementation of exceptional Client and Candidate service, while cultivating top-tier performing Associates into remarkable leaders and mentors. I am confident that Carlys skillset correlates strongly with the proactive managerial responsibilities of this new position, said King. The Branch Practice Manager role will serve as a stepping stone for Associates and external candidates that demonstrate leadership capabilities and managerial interest. In addition to Sales & Marketing, Lucas Group specializes in six other functionalities including Accounting & Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal Manufacturing and Military Transition. Taking pride in the professional growth and career advancement of its Associates, Lucas Group provides clear career path trajectories together with the industrys most sophisticated onboarding and ongoing educational programming. Working throughout 15 offices in the U.S., Lucas Group recruiters are able to source leading talent that no one else can. About Lucas Group Lucas Group is North Americas premier executive search firm. Since 1970, our culture and methodologies have driven superior results. We assist clients ranging in size from small to medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 companies find transcendent, executive talent; candidates fully realize their ambitions; and associates find professional success. To learn more, please visit Lucas Group at http://www.lucasgroup.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Sustainability is a team effort at Hersha Hospitality Trust. Both the ownership team and the management team work together on environmental endeavors. The company tackled drought restrictions at one of their California hotels by cutting water usage in halfand set the standard for sustainable hospitality as well as fully integrated community and environmental policies. The companys EarthView program is focused on cultivating new concepts for sustainable hospitality at all of their major markets, which include New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Focusing on sustainability not only aligns with our companys core values, but it is also a strategic move. Sustainability and financial success are not mutually exclusiveyou can run a profitable business and be environmentally conscious at the same time, says Bennett Thomas, the Senior Vice President of Finance and Sustainability. The ambitious sustainability goals set by Thomas and Dave Campbell, Director of Engineering, have been impressively achieved. Since its implementation, Hershas EarthView has saved more than 57 million gallons of water, reduced carbon emissions by 16 percent, and reduced waste by 45 percent. Hersha Hospitality Trust and other inspiring companies come to The Whos Who in Building & Construction to share their stories and values. The biannual digital and print magazine (and buyers guide of the industrys top companies) contains local project news, the latest content from the construction industrys thought-leaders. At the regional Whos Who in Building & Construction Showcase events, attendees find a plethora of opportunities in the commercial construction industry to build new connections and discover the latest techniques and technology at seminars. Be sure to check out San Diegos Whos Who Showcase on Thursday, October 20th, at Petco Park. To find out more details about all upcoming Showcases please go to: http://thewhoswhoshowcase.com/ To read the premier editions of The Whos Who in Building & Construction, please go to: http://www.thewhoswho.build/digital-editions/ About The Blue Book Building & Construction Network: The Blue Book Network, an Employee-Owned enterprise, is the largest and most active construction network in the United States. For over one hundred years, the commercial construction industry has turned to The Blue Book Network for accurate, complete and up-to-date information on the people and products required for their projects. The company maintains a nationwide industry search engine at http://www.thebluebook.com powered by BlueSearch technology. In addition, The Blue Book Network provides a complete suite of Internet-based information, workflow and marketing resources for all segments of the building and construction industry. Avery UltraDuty GHS Chemical Labels and Avery GHS Wizard Software won New Product of the Year awards from Occupational Health & Safety magazine. Avery Products was recently honored by Occupational Health & Safety magazine and North American Office Products Award for its new Avery UltraDuty GHS Chemical Labels, GHS Wizard Labeling Software and Easy Align Self-Laminating Labels. Avery Products Corporation, the leading manufacturer of printable labels and cards, is proud to announce that three of its newest products have won prestigious awards for New Product of the Year and Best Product. Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) magazine honored both Avery UltraDuty GHS Chemical Labels and Avery GHS Wizard Labeling Software with New Product of the Year awards, while the North American Office Products Award (NAOPA) honored Avery Easy Align Self-Laminating Labels as Best Product. Avery UltraDuty GHS Chemical Labels won the OH&S New Product of the Year award for Signage and Identification. The labels are specifically designed to be waterproof and resistant to chemicals, abrasion, sun and extreme temperatures, as well as to help companies become, and stay compliant with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) mandated by OSHA. They resist tearing and scuffing, and stand up to frequent use. With high-performance adhesive, the durable labels pass the BS5609 protocol for 90-day seawater immersion. The free Avery GHS Wizard software took home the New Product of the Year award for Environment Health & Safety Software. The online software at avery.com/GHS lets end users easily customize and print their required GHS-compliant labels on demand. They can take advantage of complimentary ready-to-use templates, or design their own GHS labels step by step, and then print them on Avery UltraDuty GHS Chemical Labels using a standard sheet-fed laser printer or pigment-based inkjet printer. Labels can be customized with a company logo, lot numbers, barcodes or other information, and update as needed. Now in its eighth year, the OH&S New Product of the Year contest is a significant event for safety manufacturers. A record number of 84 entries were submitted this year in 21 categories. Both products were recognized during the 2016 National Safety Congress & Expo that took place in Anaheim, Calif., from October 17-19. Avery Easy Align Self-Laminating Labels won the NAOPA for Best Product in the Core Office Products category. The laminated labels are UV resistant, providing extra protection against exposure to sun and other harsh conditions. Theyre also water resistant so surfaces can be wiped clean, and they resist scuffing, tearing and smudging, so they remain intact and easy to read. Ideal for use in warehouses, storage areas, worksites and classrooms, their permanent adhesive sticks on a variety of surfaces including plastic, wood, metal, paper, ceramic and glass. The Easy Align design makes it simple to create perfectly laminated labels without bubbles or wrinkles every time just fold to laminate. Users can easily print customized laminated labels using the no-cost templates and designs at avery.com/print. NAOPA was created by Office Products International in association with SP Richards. Now in their seventh year, the awards aim to find the best business products and dealer community executives in North America. The vendor winners were announced during SP Richards ABC and EXPO this summer. Avery is extremely honored to have three of its newest products awarded as top products in their categories, said Jenifer Do, Marketing Director for Avery Industrial Labeling Solutions. Were excited to bring our world-leading label expertise to the industrial arena where we can help companies stay in compliance, while keeping workers safe. We look forward to developing more new, innovative solutions in the future. All three of the award-winning products are part of the Avery Industrial Labeling Solutions that were created to handle tough jobs and harsh environments. With a wide selection of shapes, sizes and materials to choose from, theres a label for every tough job. To learn more about Avery Industrial Solutions, visit avery.com/industrial. About Avery Products Corporation Avery Products Corporation is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of printable labels, name badges, business cards, dividers and more, and markets products under the well-known Avery brand. The company offers innovative solutions to make life easier, including free templates to design, customize and print projects. Avery Products Corporation, a division of CCL Industries, is based in Brea, California. For more information about Avery products, visit avery.com. About CCL Industries CCL Industries Inc., a world leader in specialty label and packaging solutions for global corporations, small businesses and consumers, employs more than 19,000 people and operates 150 production facilities in 35 countries on 6 continents with corporate offices in Toronto, Canada and Framingham, Massachusetts. For more information, visit http://www.cclind.com. Avery and all other Avery brands, product names and codes are trademarks of Avery Products Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. WinnTi Medical and US based Elevate Medical signed a cooperation agreement to provide customized product development services in accordance with strict international standards for WinnTi Medicals customers. WinnTi Medical also contracted with a globally recognized, independent testing organization to make sure products developed from this platform meet the worldwide highest regulatory requirements. Chinese Orthopedics market has maintained a two-digit growth in recent years, but the competition has become increasingly fierce. As Chinese enterprises are generally weak in research and development, therefore products show a high degree of homogeneity, leading to low price and low quality products. Since its establishment, WinnTi Medical has put innovation as a high priority as we believe in-order for the company to have a long-term, sustainable growth, we must focus on innovation and R & D in conjunction with our customers to develop new products and new techniques to solve clinical problems. As our commitment to innovation, WinnTi Medical has been granted various patents within three years. With Elevate Medicals cooperation, we mainly target at high value projects that have potential to globalize. We will apply the highest standard from the very beginning of the development stage to ensure that the final outputs have highest quality. In the long run, we would be able to maintain competitive advantage through product quality and differentiation. said Sam Fan, VP Marketing & Intl Sales of WinnTi Medical. With this partnership, WinnTi Medical is able to provide more and better products to our surgeons and, ultimately, treat more patients with better results. Elevate Medical is known in the medical device industry for offering exceptional services to its partners. We are excited to partner with WinnTi Medicals fast and innovative team said Chad Lewis, President & CEO, Elevate Medical. Elevate is thrilled to be part of the WinnTi team to swiftly develop innovative medical devices leading to improved clinical outcomes. About WinnTi Medical: WinnTi Medical was founded in 2013, aiming to become a diversified medical devices company with global influence. Our mission is to create world class medical devices through continuous product innovations and manufacturing improvements, meeting surgeons' increasing demands and improving patients' wellness. What distinguishes WinnTi from the rest are our people, whose passion to serve our customers and support our distribution partners every day. The founders and management are committed to providing a rewarding and open environment for our employees, allowing them to reach their best potential. While we aim to provide exceptional returns for our investors, our goal is to improve the lives of patients who suffer from trauma injuries or spine disorders. Visit WinnTi Medical at en.winnti.com. About Elevate Medical: Elevate Medical is a solutions partner with more than 15 years of experience in research, development, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory support for the medical device industry. The Companys goal is to function as a transparent extension of our partner teams, which range from independent inventors to multinational OEMs, while cultivating creative solutions to meet their customers clinical needs. Elevates mission is to provide the highest quality services in the medical device industry. Visit Elevate Medical at elevate-medical.com. Marketplace Chaplains employee Paul Shirley talks with a Rasa Floors employee on his forklift during a regular Marketplace Chaplains visit. "This is what we do all the time to help others," Marketplace Chaplain Luke Witte Marketplace Chaplains, Americas original, largest and leading workplace chaplaincy organization, has helped innovative business leaders and their employees for more than three decades navigate the storms of life. Recently, those chaplains helped people with the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew as it came ashore on the East Coast, hampering Marketplace-served companies and employees. While the largest forecasted hurricane in a decade did extensive damage to the East Coast, Marketplace Chaplains helped companies impacted by the storm. At North Carolinas The Generation Companies, an employee lost everything when the powerful hurricane flooded her home. CEO Mark Daley called the help Marketplace Chaplains provided a key piece in what they do for his thriving companies in the Tar Heel state. Our chaplain connected with her; we got her connected to the company benevolence fund for clothing and essentials, said Marketplace chaplain Luke Witte who helps oversees the chaplain service at The Generation Companies. Actually, this is a typical response, but one that was tremendously appreciated. That is what we do all the time to help others. In Florida, the storm slammed into several Marketplace-served restaurants which operate under the name of Squid Lips, causing damage to their docks, their signs and the pond at the facilities. Chaplains also comforted employees who were concerned and felt ill-prepared for the storm. They were able to help them deal with the stress and offer prayer support. Caring and hope in an uncertain time, thats what Marketplace Chaplains offers our employees at all times, said CEO Buz Underill, owner of the group of seafood restaurants in Florida. Chaplains are there to deal with stress and help in any way possible, added Florida chaplain Roland Barlowe. Marketplace Chaplains offers numerous employee care services and are available for employees in the stormy times of life which is why over 110 new companies this year have added this unique workplace offering for their employees and family members. When a storm comes to create havoc, Marketplace Chaplains come to create hope and help, say Marketplace Executive President and CEO Doug Fagerstrom. Our chaplains show up as first responders, because they care. For more information on this unique employee benefit which has been featured in Marketplace Chaplains on CNN, NBC Nightly News, and in the Washington Post, the New York Times and Bloomberg BusinessWeek, visit http://www.mchapusa.com. About Marketplace Chaplains: To arrange an interview with a Marketplace Chaplain, contact Art Stricklin, Vice President Public Relations, at artstricklin(at)mchapusa(dot)com or call 1-800-775-7657. GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+ This will be the 40th year the GRC has brought together the U.S. and international geothermal community. The GRC Annual Meeting will feature over 40 hours of technical presentations, posters, workshops, field trips, a plenary session, networking events and more. The GRC Opening Session on Monday morning, October 24 will feature distinguished speakers in geothermal energy and legislation, from California, the U.S. and from around the world. The GRC Annual Meeting this year supports the theme "Geothermal Energy - Here and Now: Sustainable, Clean, Flexible" highlighting the important role and values of geothermal energy today. "This will be the 40th year the GRC has brought together the U.S. and international geothermal community," said Steve Ponder, GRC Executive Director. Occurring in conjunction with GRCs events, GEAs Trade Show Hall will feature approximately 100 diverse exhibitors spanning the range of geothermal interests, with new technologies and emerging opportunities in the industry on display. In addition, a new exciting feature of the GEA GEOEXPO+ is the industry-tailored Marketing Forum. Sessions, led by key players like the IADB, KfW Development Bank and Global Geothermal Alliance, will cover everything from development operations in nations with high geothermal potential to Agency Briefing Sessions with the US DOE GTO, USAID, IADB, USTDA, Ex-Im Bank, World Bank-ESMAP, and OPIC. Mark your calendars for the Exhibitors Leading Innovation Session and the topical USEA-East Africa Geothermal Partnership Event. GEAs GEOEXPO+ is also facilitating the brand new Agency Matchmaking Sessions. In this unique opportunity, company representatives meet one-on-one with representatives from IADB, USTDA, OPIC, Ex-Im Bank and ITA. Meetings will be arranged prior to the event. RSVP to rani(at)geo-energy(dot)org by Wednesday, October 19th. This ultimate geothermal event occurs in tandem with the release the GEA International Market Update, available at: http://geo-energy.org/reports.aspx. The report shows strong market growth which should make for an exciting Expo, said Karl Gawell, Executive Director of GEA. Online registration for the GRC Annual Meeting ends on Saturday, October 22nd. After that time a $50 fee will be charged for on-site registration. Register today at http://www.geothermal.org. For more information on the 40th GRC Annual Meeting, please contact Estela Smith at grc(at)geothermal(dot)org or (530) 758-2360. Online registration for the GEA GEOEXPO+ ends Sunday, October 23rd. After this time, only on-site registration will take place. Register today at http://www.geothermalexpo.org. For more information including questions about registration, the GEA's Marketing Forum, or the Agency Match Making Event, please contact Rani Chatrath at rani(at)geo-energy(dot)org. To request press credentials, please contact Allie Nelson at allie(at)geo-energy(dot)org. About the Geothermal Resources Council: With the experience and dedication of its diverse, international membership bolstering a 45year track record, the Geothermal Resources Council has built a solid reputation as one of the worlds preeminent geothermal associations. The GRC serves as a focal point for continuing professional development for its members through its outreach, information transfer and education services. For more information, please visit http://www.geothermal.org. Get your daily geothermal news at Global Geothermal News [globalgeothermalnews.com]. Become a fan on Facebook [facebook.com/GeothermalResourcesCouncil]. Follow GRC on Twitter [#GRCAM2016 & @GRC2001]. Check out GRCs YouTube Channel [youtube.com/GeothermalCouncil]. See geothermal photos on GRCs Flicker page. [flickr.com/photos/geothermalresourcescouncil] About the Geothermal Energy Association: The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) is a trade association comprised of U.S. companies that support the expanded use of geothermal energy and are developing geothermal resources worldwide for electrical power generation and direct-heat uses. For more information, please visit http://www.geo-energy.org. Subscribe to GEAs newsletter. Follow GEA on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook. Advocate Pain Management Center Interventional Pain Management doctors that find the cause of pain to get it under control. Advocate Pain Management Clinic, has a new location in Pasadena, Texas right off Highway 225. The doctors at APMC look forward to providing their much needed care in this location. They specialize in both pain medication management and interventional procedures, offering over 30 non-surgical effective treatments for pain. All major insurances are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid. The doctors at Advocate Pain Management Center are Board Certified Houston pain management doctors and their treatment philosophy is a multidisciplinary approach. The physicians provide quality, state-of-the-art care unique to the needs of each patient. Treatments include extensive options for both medication management and interventional procedures. Many of the procedure are preformed in office and are minimally invasive. The care philosophy is to develop a customized treatment plan for each patient that might involve medication management such as anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers or opiates to help control or reduce pain. The interventional doctors believe in finding the origin of the pain and then directing treatment specifically to that source. Some non-surgical interventional procedures include multiple types of epidural injections, selective nerve blocks, joint injections and innovative options like spinal cord stimulator implants and radiofrequency ablation. For more information about our pain management specialists, please visit http://www.advocatetx.com or call 713-475-8686 Safeguarding customer data and preventing fraud remains an ongoing challenge for financial institutions. Mobile ID World, the leading authority on mobile identity news and thought leadership, and Samsung SDSA, the North American division of the leading global software solutions and IT services company, have partnered to announce the biometrics webinar event of the year: FinServ in the New Age of Identity: Addressing Your Biometrics Concerns. As financial institutions advance their digital capabilities, the use of biometrics presents an intuitive and convenient way to prove true identity and mitigate risk, but biometric adoption has its challenges. Addressing the threat of spoofing, deciding where to store sensitive biometric data, and the overall security level of any given biometric solutions are only some of the uncertainties facing the financial services sector when it comes to deploying biometrics. I have been covering the mobile digital identity market for well over a decade and there has never been a more exciting time in biometrics, said Peter ONeill, President & Founder, Mobile ID World & FindBiometrics. The experts we have assembled with Samsung SDSA for FinServ in the New Age of Identity are simply the best in the business. They are the perfect guides to a financial world without passwords. On November 2nd at 2pm ET Mobile ID World and Samsung SDSA invite you to discuss various applications and use cases for biometrics, the benefits and capabilities you should look for in a biometric solution, when the best time is to implement a biometric solution, answers to popular biometrics myths and much more. Registration is free and the webinar lineup of expert speakers includes: Peter ONeill President & Founder, Mobile ID World & FindBiometrics Al Pascual SVP, Research Director, Head of Fraud & Security, Javelin Strategy & Research Richard Lobovsky VP, Financial Services Enterprise Solutions, Samsung SDS America Inc. , Shankar Saibabu Director, Financial Services Solutions Architecture, Samsung SDS America, Inc. Brett McDowell Executive Director, The FIDO Alliance Safeguarding customer data and preventing fraud remains an ongoing challenge for financial institutions. User names and passwords alone are simply inadequate, according to Richard Lobovsky, VP, Financial Services Enterprise Solutions,Samsung SDS America, Inc. We are looking forward to debunking the myths around biometrics and encouraging organizations to stop relying on passwords and use stronger methods of identity authentication. As competitive forces continue to push financial institutions to evolve their online and mobile service delivery into a true first-rate experience for their customers, banks are looking to innovations that will enable them to avoid the age old tradeoff between convenience and security, knowing full well they cannot afford to undervalue either," states Brett McDowell, Executive Director, The FIDO Alliance. This webinar is a good opportunity for financial institutions to learn how FIDO authentication standards and the growing ecosystem of FIDO Certified products and services can make this tradeoff go away by delivering strong authentication security in a very easy to use experience. To learn more about the upcoming webinar, FinServ in the New Age of Identity: Addressing Your Biometrics Concerns, visit the registration page. About Mobile ID World: Mobile ID World is the industry leading authority on mobile digital identity news and thought leadership. With daily news coverage, expert opinions, live event coverage, and interviews with the biggest names in FinTech, IoT, access control and biometrics, Mobile ID World is your gateway to whats next for your identity. Our editorial staff leads the conversation on a global scale, bringing identity management to the tech worlds biggest stages. From Shanghai, to Barcelona; from Copenhagen to Las Vegas, Mobile ID World is there, facilitating industrys most crucial discussions. Procura Healthcare Software, a leading global provider of technology for long-term and post-acute care, today re-introduced itself to the healthcare industry under a new brand and company name, Complia Health. The company also adopted Enabling the Business of Caring as its new mission statement. The new name and mission reflect the completeness of Complia Healths product portfolio: unmatched clinical, operational, and financial solutions for home health, residential, community care, and hospice organizations. With constantly-changing regulations facing healthcare providers, the new name also reflects the companys laser focus on compliance as well as on comprehensive support for all funding sources that fuel healthcare delivery. These capabilities, supported with the expertise of Complia Healths team, enable organizations to deliver great care while profitably growing their businesses. Todays announcement brings five incredible product brands together, allowing us to communicate more clearly the power of our combined offerings, said Chris Junker, Chief Executive Officer of Complia Health. More importantly, were able to share exciting announcements were making in our current product platforms, the customer experience, and the development of a unified cloud-based suite for the complete continuum of long-term and post-acute care. As indicative of our commitment to our customers and product content, most recently we acquired Suncoast Solutions, one of the most recognized names in hospice care software. Investments in current product platforms Complia Health product platformsincluding Procura, ContinuLink, Suncoast, Igea, and Progresatackle the clinical, operational, and financial complexities of delivering quality home and hospice care. The company is making significant investments in these platforms, including new functionality, enhanced efficiency, and even greater scalability. Investments in the customer experience Complia Health is making significant investments in the customer experience with a new Global Center of Excellence in Schaumburg, Illinois focused on innovation and client success. The company is implementing new technologies to provide enhanced levels of support and recently added a global vice president of customer success to its executive team. Investments in the first unified suite in the cloud Complia Health is also investing considerable resources in the development of the first unified suite in the cloud for the full continuum of long-term and post-acute care. These investments build on the companys core offerings for home health, residential, community care, and hospice. Our customers operate in an incredibly dynamic market, said Scott Overhill, Chief Technology Officer of Complia Health. One thing is certain: their business models will look different in the next 18-24 months. The key to success is being nimble enough to turn change into opportunity, and weve been helping our customers do that for 25 years. Todays announcement about our new name, significant technology and focus on customer experience further deepens our commitment to helping our customers stay agile. About Complia Health, formerly Procura Healthcare Software Complia Health is a leading global provider of technology and expertise for the long-term and post-acute care market. Nearly 3,000 home health, residential, community care, and hospice organizations count on Complia Health for the clinical, operational, and financial solutions required to profitability deliver quality care. Complia Healths innovative productsincluding Procura, ContinuLink, Suncoast, Igea, and Progresaare supported by a team of global health and technology experts located in the United States, Canada, and Australia. For more information, visit http://www.compliahealth.com. This is a significant milestone for Cambridge Federal as well as the residents of Dorchester County and the City of Cambridge. Cambridge Federal (CF) is a technology-based certified SBA HUBZone, Veteran Owned Small Business, and a MDoT Small Business Enterprise (SBE) located in Cambridge Maryland. CF announced today that it was awarded a 5-year General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70 contract, with 3 five year options. In fiscal year 2015, GSA Schedule 70 processed a total of $14.8 billion in IT Products and Professional Services. "This is a significant milestone for Cambridge Federal as well as the residents of Dorchester County and the City of Cambridge. GSA Schedule 70 is the largest and most widely used acquisition vehicle in the federal government. With this GSA Schedule 70 contract, we are now able to serve all Federal, State, and Local government agencies high quality IT Products, Services and Personnel in over 30 IT labor categories at affordable rates. Cambridge Federal recruits, trains and employs local residents from the HUBZone as well as interns from the Dorchester County Career and Tech Center (Comp TIA A+, Security +, CISCO Network Engineers, 3-D Printing, etc.) and college interns from Salisbury University (IT/SAP Help Desk, Call Center, Accounting and Marketing majors). "- Michael Ross, Cambridge Federal, Founder and CEO About Cambridge Federal Cambridge Federal was established in 2012 in an effort to give back to the community by increasing quality employment opportunities, technical training, investment, and overall economic development on Delmarva. Cambridge Federal was founded by a US Navy Aviator and combat veteran (served in Beirut and Grenada in the 1980s) who is an experienced government contracting executive and an Adjunct Professor at Salisbury University. CF is located in Dorchester County, a HUBZone county, and works closely with the Dorchester County Department of Economic Development (DCED). CF is currently located in the Eastern Shore Innovation Center (ESIC/Incubator). Cambridge Federal is an IT value added reseller, provides professional services, and has a US based multi-tenant IT Call Center and SAP Help Desk with trained and certified personnel. Currently, CF is serving both government and commercial clients across five lines of business; Information Technology, Aeronautics, Base Operations & Energy Efficiency, Investigations & Security, and Business Consulting. Cambridge Federal is committed to fostering economic development and career opportunities for the surrounding community and looks forward to providing Federal, State, and Local government agencies high quality IT products and services via the GSA IT 70 contract vehicle for the next 20 years. If you have an interest in doing business with CF as a HUBZone, VOSB certified small business or if you would like to discuss the possibilities of adding your firms products and services to our GSA catalog, please contact us. GSA Contract GS-35F-013GA Qualcomm is nearing a deal to buy NXP Semiconductors, according to Alex Sherman and Ian King at Bloomberg. The tech giant is in the final stages of negotiations to buy the company in what could be an all-cash deal for $110 to $120 per share, the report said. NXP's share price jumped a little more than 3% on the news, from around $100.70 to $104 per share. Qualcomm jumped around 2.5%, to $67.46. The share price reaction suggests that both NXP's shareholders and, critically, Qualcomm's investors like the idea of a deal. Qualcomm now has a market cap of around $99 billion, while NXP has a market cap of around $36 billion. The deal would be the largest in the history of the semiconductor industry, according to Bloomberg. It would also be one of the biggest deals this year, ahead of Softbank's deal for ARM and Abbott Laboratories' deal for St Jude Medical. Screen Shot 2016 10 20 at 3.30.29 PM The deal could be announced at NXP's earnings, set for October 26, or at Qualcomm's earnings on November 2, according to Bloomberg. Eyk Henning, Dana Mattioli, and Dana Cimilluca at The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the two companies were in talks. Qualcomm is sitting on a huge cash pile of more than $30 billion. Much of this is trapped overseas, making an acquisition of a foreign company especially attractive. Though NXP is listed on Nasdaq, it is based in the Netherlands. The deal would add to a wave of consolidation that's swept the semiconductor industry in the past few years. There has been a frenzy of multibillion-dollar deals in the tech industry over the past 20 months, including Intel's takeover of Altera, Avago's acquisition of Broadcom, and Dell's $67 billion takeover of EMC. Also, Analog Devices struck a $14.8 billion deal to buy Linear Technology, Dutch chip-making company ASML bought Taiwan's Hermes Microvision for $3.1 billion, and NXP sold its standard-products business to a group of Chinese investors for $2.75 billion. NOW WATCH: FEMA is tracking Hurricane Matthew using the 'Waffle House Index' More From Business Insider While its great to be recognized, says Jennie, its vital we do not lose sight of why we are recognized in the first place. We each have a responsibility to help others. More importantly we have the ability to do so. I strive to ensure that this is apparent in everything I do, both personally and professionally. Its only fitting we help others by donating our time, energy and abilities. "This is a great acknowledgement for Jennie and others like her, said Cantella Chief Executive Officer Jay Lanstein. Women continue to make well deserved strides in the financial services industry which can be a great place to build a career. Jennie and others like her are terrific examples of this. Regularly keeping an eye for opportunities for women in financial services, Jennie has personally mentored numerous women who went on to careers in the industry. Similarly, Jennie has helped institute family-friendly policies at Cantella, making it easier for all employees to balance the demands of family and career. As a mother of three children with a demanding yet thriving career Im living my American Dream and want to help others achieve theirs, says Jennie. A graduate of Boston College, Devlin joined Cantella in 2000, becoming its Chief Operating Officer in 2009. She was named President in 2012. Devlin is an active member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the New England Broker/Dealer Investment Advisor Association, and the Women in Pensions Network. She holds FINRA Series 7 and 24 licenses. Over 200 local executives and guests participated in the Boston Brava Awards ceremony which recognizes the achievements of women business leaders in three categories: CEOs, Executive Directors of Nonprofits, and C-suite executives. Winners are selected by an independent committee comprised of local business leaders. We are honored to recognize women who are truly making a difference, said SmartCEO President Jaime Nespor-Zawmon, The Brava Awards are sponsored by SmartCEO to encourage local philanthropy and mentoring within an atmosphere of business growth. The awards were presented at a special ceremony at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on Oct. 19. Profiles of award winners can be found in SmartCEO magazine (http://www.smartceo.com). Members of the media wishing to speak with Jennie Devlin should contact: Joseph Finora / 631-680-7870 / jfinora(at)optonline(dot)net. *** Since 1952 Cantella & Co., Inc., has been providing individuals, businesses and institutions with financial products and services to reduce taxes, save for retirement, and plan for childrens education. Additional information may be found at: http://www.cantella.com. Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on managements current expectations and subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors. More information is in Cantella & Co., Inc.s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Cantella & Co., Inc., member FINRA/SIPC is headquartered at: 28 State St., 40th Floor Boston, MA 02109, tel: 800-333-3502 / 617-224-1408 / http://www.cantella.com http://www.joincantella.com Cuebiq, a next generation location intelligence company that helps businesses glean actionable insights about real-world consumer behaviors and trends, has released its study examining consumers geo-behavior, location patterns and visit trends at the new Westfield World Trade Center mall, which finds that visits to the mall increased since its opening, and that visitors were more likely to visit the mall on Sundays. Leveraging its proprietary intelligence platform and data collection methodology, Cuebiq analyzed anonymous geo-behavioral patterns for visitors of the newly opened Westfield mall in downtown Manhattan for a period of four weeks from its grand opening on August 16, 2016 to September 16, 2016. Visitors geo-behavioral patterns were determined by analyzing location visit data as well as a range of leading brands retail and consumer electronic locations. The study found that visits from tourists, city locals and commuters to the new attraction steadily increased since its opening. Key takeaways and statistics include: There was a 53 percent growth in total visits among tourists and 33 percent growth in total visits among locals and commuters in September compared to August On the first Saturday of its opening, tourists spent an average of 113 minutes in the mall Foot traffic among tourists was 47 percent higher than the daily average on the anniversary of September 11 For locals, Sundays were the most popular day to visit the mall while Thursdays were the least popular The average distance locals traveled to Westfield Mall was 11.2 miles The study also analyzed visitors brand affinity. Interestingly, none of the top brands that analyzed visitors like, such as Zumiez, Prada and Best Buy currently do not have locations within Westfield World Trade Center. This information presents an opportunity to drive even more consumer foot traffic to the shopping complex by including visitors favorite brand stores. This study gleans some powerful insights into the visit trends at the Westfield World Trade Center mall. For instance, seeing that Sundays were the most popular day for locals to visit the mall and that locals were traveling an average distance of 11.2 miles shows that they are commuting from outside of Manhattan. They view the location as more than just a commuter hub. Its also a new and exciting shopping location, said Antonio Tomarchio, founder and CEO for Cuebiq. By also examining visitors brand affinity, we presented a few brands Westfield could include if they want to increase consumer foot traffic. Westfield World Trade Center is a high end, luxury mall located near the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The 365,000 square-foot structure is a brand new addition to the downtown area of New York City, that includes more than 100 global, local, fashion, lifestyle and technology brand stores - as well as premiere upscale restaurants. About Cuebiq Cuebiq is a next generation location intelligence company that allows businesses to glean actionable insights about real-world consumer behaviors and trends. Using its data intelligence platform, Cuebiq provides geo-behavioral insights and offline location analytics, geo-behavioral audiences for cross-platform ad targeting, and offline attribution analysis. Cuebiq is a member of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), the leading self-regulatory industry association dedicated to responsible data collection and its use for digital advertising. Cuebiq is headquartered in New York with offices in Italy and China. The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, a national legal advocacy organization advancing the rights of people with mental disabilities, is urging people with mental disabilities to register to vote. Registration deadlines in many states are still open, with several offering on-site registration on Election Day, November 8, 2016*. People with mental disabilities represent millions of the U.S. population and their voices should be heard, so were urging them to get out and vote, said Jennifer Mathis, Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy for the Bazelon Center. We also want to remind the public that people with mental disabilities have the same right to vote as others and should exercise this right. Volunteers at voting precincts, poll watchers, passers-by, employers, caregivers and government officials should not try to restrict a person with mental disabilities from casting a vote. The Bazelon Centers advocacy has resulted in a number of states updating their voting laws to ensure that if a person with a mental disability can make a choice, that person can vote. New Mexico was the most recent state to change its laws to protect voting rights, following similar changes in California, Maryland and Nevada. Mathis offers important tips for people with mental disabilities and their advocates on what to know when you register and go to the polls to vote: People with mental disabilities HAVE the right to register to vote and cast their vote, just like every other United States citizen. People with mental disabilities registering to vote must meet their states requirements for all voters but should ask for an accommodation if they need one. If a state has competence requirements for voters, those requirements must be applied to ALL voters and not single out people with disabilities. Generally, only a court can take away a person's right to vote. If an individuals right to vote is challenged at the polling station, the voter has the right to (and must be given) a provisional ballot. People with mental disabilities CAN receive help to register and vote, by a helper of the persons choice. If a person with mental disabilities or an advocate needs additional support or resources, contact the Protection and Advocacy office in your state. Visit the National Disability Rights Network at http://www.ndrn.org to find your states Protection and Advocacy office. In time for this critical presidential election, the Bazelon Center has issued a revised edition of its guide to the voting rights of people with mental disabilities, VOTE. It's Your Right. Guide to the Voting Rights of People with Mental Disabilities. The guide lists key legal principles and focuses on four areas of concern: 1) voter-competence requirements, 2) state photo-ID laws, 3) voter challenges and 4) providing help to voters with disabilities. The guide also includes an updated chart listing each state's laws affecting the voting rights of people with mental disabilities. Other updated charts listing state laws affecting the right to vote are available at the Centers website. VOTE. It's Your Right. is available as a free PDF to download from the Bazelon Center's website, at: VOTE. It's Your Right. Guide to the Voting Rights of People with Mental Disabilities. To obtain print copies, please email pubs(at)bazelon(dot)org. About The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a national legal advocacy organization protecting and advancing the rights of people with mental disabilities. The Center promotes laws and policies that enable people with mental disabilities to live independently in their own homes and communities, and to enjoy the same opportunities that everyone else does. For more information, visit http://www.bazelon.org. *Upcoming Voter Registration Deadlines Still Open, by State (see attachment). # # # Long Beach Fisher House Tracye B. Davis, Acting Director VA Long Beach Healthcare System joined Fisher House Foundation president, David Coker here today to dedicate the newest Fisher House at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. This home will provide lodging for up to 16 families of eligible veterans and military at no cost, allowing them to be close to their loved one at the most stressful time during the hospitalization for an injury, illness or disease. The Long Beach Fisher House will not only create an instant community for its residents, united by their common mission of supporting a sick or injured loved one, but it will also provide each individual with a secure and private refuge after a long day at the hospital to rest and recharge. The 16-suite, 14,000 sq.-ft. comfort home joins the more than 70 Fisher Houses operating in the United States and Europe, and was gifted to VA as part of todays ceremony. Each bedroom suite comes equipped with a private, handicapped-accessible bathroom, and common areas that include a spacious kitchen, large communal living, dining and family rooms, laundry room and patio. We are excited to open a Fisher House in Long Beach, said Mr. Coker. There are so many people in the Long Beach community that helped make this Fisher House a reality. Because of their tremendous efforts, we are able to support those we consider to be "our greatest national treasure, our military service men and women, and their loved ones. Our ability to provide a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment for the families of our Veteran patients ensures holistic care and promotes healing, said Ms. Davis. We are grateful to the Fisher House Foundation, our board, and our neighbors for making this possible and for supporting our shared Veterans "Four years ago this house was a twinkle in our eyes, said Steve Kuykendall, president of Fisher House Southern California, Inc. After thousands of volunteer hours and donations across the spectrum of givers and geography we are smiling as we watch the VA Long Beach Fisher House begin a long career serving veterans and their families." Delta is committed to giving back to the communities where we live, work and serve, said Dana Debel, Managing Director State and Local Government Affairs, Delta Air Lines. With more than 10,000 veteran and active military employees, Delta is a longtime supporter of the U.S. Armed Forces and a proud partner of Fisher House Foundation. We are honored to have played a role in the opening of a Fisher House in Long Beach, and we know it will be a valuable resource to the community for years to come. Construction of this Fisher House was supported by: Delta Air Lines, Fisher House Southern California, Inc., American Legion Post 516, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Nguyen Family, Members of Rotary Club of Long Beach, Shipley Foundation, California Veterans Charity Fund, Supervisor Don Knabe, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. & Blue Star Mothers of America, American Legion Families of Los Angeles & Orange Counties, Greater Los Angeles Chapter Association of the United States Army, Evalyn M. Bauer Foundation & the Ackerman Family, The Kevin & Bean Show KROQ-FM, The listeners of Armstrong & Getty, Elizabeth H. Lucas, Masco Corporation Foundation, The Owen Family, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Tee It Up for the Troops California Chapter, and Mike & Arlene Walter. About Fisher House Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans families an estimated $320 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans. http://www.fisherhouse.org About the VA Long Beach Healthcare System VA Long Beach Healthcare System provides care to over 56,000 Veterans living in Long Beach and Orange County communities. With five local community clinics in addition to the main campus, VA Long Beach hosted just under 780,000 out-patient visits through September of 2016 and has a staff of approximately 2800. In addition to traditional ambulatory care services, VA Long Beach hosts one of the largest Spinal Cord Injury Centers within VA, a one of the Newest Blind Rehabilitation Center as well. Hi Res Event Photos Available from Aestill(at)fisherhouse(dot).org. AffordableCollegesOnline.org, a leading online higher education information and resource provider, is highlighting 25 schools as the Best Online Colleges in Colorado for 2016-2017. Comparing more than a dozen unique cost and quality measures, the following two-year and four-year schools received top marks respectively: Lamar Community College, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Trinidad State Junior College, Northeastern Junior College and Morgan Community College; Colorado Christian University, University of Northern Colorado, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Adams State University and Metropolitan State University of Denver. "In 2014 alone, non-residents made up nearly half of all four-year college applicants in Colorado. That shows a growing opportunity for distance and online learning programs in the state, said Dan Schuessler, CEO and Founder of AffordableCollegesOnline.org. "Were highlighting colleges who are going above and beyond to create quality, affordable online programs to accommodate the growing number of students looking to Colorado for higher education resources. Schools are required to meet specific baseline requirements to make the AffordableCollegesOnline.org lists. An institution must hold regional accreditation and be a public or private not-for-profit college or university to qualify. Tuition rates must also fall under specific minimums: two-year schools must offer an in-state tuition rate below $5,000 per year and four-year schools must offer an in-state tuition rate below $25,000 per year. All schools on the Best Online Colleges in Colorado ranking are listed below. For more details on where each ranks and the data and methodology used to determine each schools score visit the following page: http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/online-colleges/colorado/ The Best Online Colleges in Colorado (Two-Year) for 2016-2017: Lamar Community College Colorado Northwestern Community College Trinidad State Junior College Northeastern Junior College Morgan Community College Otero Junior College Arapahoe Community College Front Range Community College Aims Community College Pikes Peak Community College Community College of Aurora Community College of Denver Pueblo Community College The Best Online Colleges in Colorado (Four-Year) for 2016-2017: Colorado Christian University University of Northern Colorado University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Adams State University Metropolitan State University of Denver University of Colorado Denver Colorado State University - Fort Collins Western State Colorado University Nazarene Bible College Colorado Mesa University Colorado State University - Global Campus Colorado State University - Pueblo ### AffordableCollegesOnline.org began in 2011 to provide quality data and information about pursuing an affordable higher education. Our free community resource materials and tools span topics such as financial aid and college savings, opportunities for veterans and people with disabilities, and online learning resources. We feature higher education institutions that have developed online learning environments that include highly trained faculty, new technology and resources, and online support services to help students achieve educational and career success. We have been featured by nearly 1,100 postsecondary institutions and nearly 120 government organizations. 247SOS Android App 247SOS has captured the attention of the industry for its technologies that combine self-defense functions with the smartphones that people carry with them daily, as there have been growing concerns about safety issues and the need to prevent various crimes against women, as well as a rising interest in self-defense products. 247SOS sends an alarm signal immediately when the app is launched during an emergency, and calls 112 and any designated contacts to report that the user is in an emergency situation. In addition, the smartphones camera is automatically activated and starts recording, and the image is sent to a security company together with the location. Prior to this, 247 USA also released its self-defense smartphone case, theVOLT CASE. VOLT CASE includes a small electric shocker and can be utilized as an effective means of self-defense. To prevent misuse,the electric shocker can be operated using only the registered security unlocking method. When the 247SOS app is used together with a case, its effects are maximized. But even without the case, if the user enters his or her personal information and applies for rescue services, a report can be send automatically in the event of an emergency. Meanwhile, an Indiegogocrowdfunding campaign for VOLT CASE will launch October 17, and it is also planned to hold free limited edition VOLT CASE events for overseas fans through the official Facebook page. Currently, 247SOS is available for free download on Google Play, and can be used with devices that support Android 6.0 or higher. 247 USA participated in CES2016 and has received huge interest among foreign buyers from the US, Germany and France.VOLT CASE has also begun crowdfunding in the US. In Korea, products and services are currently being discussed with KT and the case is slated for launch in the second half of 2016. 247 VOLT that received global attention won the special award at last years IWIS (International Warsaw Invention Show) and participated in the Las Vegas CES in January 2016, recording a total of 6.7 million views for the 247 VOLT news interview in the US. It has thus been receiving a high level of interest. 247SOS Android download https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twentyfoursevenkorea.sosapp Dynamic has been very active in Massachusetts, with over 20MW of projects in process, including these exciting projects with Williams. Williams College, and Dynamic Energy Solutions, LLC, a turnkey solar project builder, have begun construction on 360kW of solar projects on three campus buildings Hollander, Schapiro and Horn Halls. The projects are supported by the Massachusetts SREC II solar incentive program, managed by the MA Department of Energy Resources. Williams is deeply committed to sustainability and has set a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2020. Last year, the college announced a comprehensive response to climate change, which includes new solar projects on campus and college-owned land. Dynamic has been very active in Massachusetts, with over 20MW of projects in process, including these exciting projects with Williams. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with the college, and to be building a cleaner future for us all. We look forward to collaborating with Williams on a number of other projects planned for the coming years, said Mike Perillo, CEO of Dynamic. About Williams College Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The colleges 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions on U.S. applicants are made regardless of a students financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted. About Dynamic Energy Solutions, LLC Dynamic Energy, founded in 2007, is a turnkey energy solutions provider that develops, finances, engineers, constructs and operates projects for corporate, industrial and institutional customers. Dynamic builds energy projects that reduce customer expenses, improve operating efficiency, provide an attractive return on investment and achieve sustainability goals. For more information please visit http://www.dynamicenergyusa.com or call 1-877-809-8884. Esker, a worldwide leader in document process automation solutions and pioneer in cloud computing, announced today that U.S. Chief Operating Officer Steve Smith will present a webinar on Forrester Consultings Total Economic Impact (TEI) analysis of the company with guest speaker Jonathan Lipsitz, a Forrester TEI project director. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. CDT. Registration is now open. The commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Esker was published in August and addresses the financial effects of automating order processing to gain efficiency and visibility throughout the supply chain. In compiling the study, Forrester interviewed two unnamed Esker customers: a medical device manufacturer and a home security equipment manufacturer. Forrester then synthesized a composite organization that struggled to manually process 140,000 orders per year and suffered from limited visibility into workloads and order status, order entry errors and customer and salesperson complaints before adopting Eskers solution. Based on this analysis, Forrester identified the cost, benefit, flexibility and risk factors that are relevant to organizations considering implementing Eskers order processing solution. Attend this live webinar to learn more about the study and the benefits actual users reaped, including: Order processing time decreased from 8 minutes to 2 minutes Error rates reduced, resulting in a $1.56 million risk-adjusted savings Increased customer experience ratings and CSR job satisfaction We commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate our order processing solution, because its TEI methodology is trusted, comprehensive and objective, said Smith. During the webinar I hope to educate participants about how Eskers solution can affect the bottom line by improving visibility, workforce optimization and customer satisfaction. About Esker Esker is a worldwide leader in cloud-based document process automation software. Esker solutions help organizations of all sizes to improve efficiencies, accuracy, visibility and costs associated with business processes. Esker provides on-demand and on-premises software to automate accounts payable, order processing, accounts receivable, purchasing and more. Founded in 1985, Esker operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific with global headquarters in Lyon, France and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. Last year Esker generated 58.5 million euros in total sales revenue. For more information on Esker and its solutions, visit http://www.esker.com. Follow Esker on Twitter @EskerInc and join the conversation on the Esker blog at blog.esker.com. Maple's computational capabilities are unmatched. While multiplication of matrices is not possible in Mathcad, even complex matrix manipulations are easily processed in Maple. Cranes are large machines used to lift and relocate heavy payloads. Due to safety concerns, as well as potential damage to the payload or property, the well-trained operators must ensure precise movements of the crane. Often this requires performing multiple tasks simultaneously. Hiab, a leading provider of load handling equipment, is designing new ways to unburden the crane operator of some tasks while maintaining the safe and precise operation of the machine. Dr. Daniel Morales, Hiabs Research Manager for Control Systems, provides engineering solutions for all product lines at Hiab. Faced with the limitations of his companys current computing software, Dr. Morales chose Maple to improve the speed and accuracy of the calculations used to model crane behaviour in Hiabs existing simulation environment. Dr. Morales was familiar with Maple, the technical computing software from Maplesoft. He had used Maple extensively during his doctoral studies at Umea University in Sweden, where he studied motion control of forestry cranes. On a crane, the boom sections are extended and retracted by hydraulic cylinders. The operator controls the action in which hydraulic fluid is transmitted under high pressure into the cylinder. The hydraulic cylinders apply a force to the crane elements that control joint motions. Within the cab of the crane, the operator controls each cylinder separately in order to move the tip of the crane to its desired location. The operators joystick movement directly controls the cylinder force and the velocity of joint rotation. The control method is very complicated and Dr. Morales is working on enhanced control algorithms to simplify the operation of the cylinders; controlling the individual cylinders with an end-effector (gripper). Maple provides two key features which were lacking in Hiabs current mathematical tool, PTC Mathcad. First, the manipulation of the variable matrices used in the control algorithms are very formidable. Mathcad performed only limited matrix manipulations; it could not process more than four dimensions. Maple, however, solved this problem. Maples advanced computing capacity processes complex matrix manipulations, greater than four dimensions. Dr. Morales commented, Maples computational capabilities are unmatched. While multiplication of matrices is not possible in Mathcad, even complex matrix manipulations are easily processed by Maple. Secondly, Mathcad was unable to export computations directly to Hiabs existing simulation software, Simulink from MathWorks. Maple, however, is able to export computations directly to Simulink. Because Maple efficiently optimizes the calculations, simulations in Simulink run faster using computations performed in Maple. Maple is a very robust tool which can quickly perform advanced matrix manipulations, efficiently manage all of the calculations and easily export the computations to other simulation tools. Dr. Morales added, I am very pleased with the results we obtain using Maple. I use Maple every day and look forward to expanding the use of Maple within our company. For further information on how engineers are using Maplesoft technology to support the design of complex machines, please view the following whitepaper: Advanced System-Level Modeling of Complex Machines John R. Coogan (left) representing OCV Architects at the Gala and Stephan Russo of Goddard Riverside Communuty Center (right) with the award for Outstanding Residence of the Year for Capitol Hall. On October 13, 2016, the Supportive Housing Network of New York (SHNNY) celebrated Capitol Hall, a supportive housing Single Room Occupancy (SRO) on Manhattan's Upper West Side ran by Goddard Riverside Community Center (Goddard), by honoring the rehabilitation project by Oaklander, Coogan and Vitto Architects, PC (OCV) with an Outstanding Residence of the Year award. Laura Mascuch of SHNNY presented the award to Stephan Russo, Executive Director of Goddard. Capitol Hall provides 202 units of supportive housing on Manhattan's Upper West Side to men and women vulnerable to homelessness because of their age, income, or disability. It was one of the first buildings in the late 1970s in New York City to be secured and developed as supportive housing for this at-risk group. Almost 40 years later, the rehabilitation ensures that Capitol Hall will continue to serve its residents and the community for years to come. Completed in 2015, the gut rehabilitation work was spearheaded by OCV's partner Richard Vitto and built by Notias Construction, with Rockabill as construction consultant, through a three-year, tenant-in-occupancy construction plan which rehabilitated and upgraded the existing arrangement of shared bathrooms and kitchens to one in which each unit is provided with its own private kitchette and bathroom. Tenants now enjoy the private use of basic facilities with continued access to community spaces. Offices and community rooms were also improved and expanded. Through a clever repurposing of the buildings interior courtyard, space which was once used as trash storage was transformed into a new skylit community room. About SHNNY The Supportive Housing Network of New York represents more than 180 nonprofit organizations and over 80 corporate partners that together fund, develop and operate supportive housing across the state. In addition to being the voice of the provider community, SHNNY oversees the operation of over 39,000 units of supportive housing and is the only supportive housing network in New York. About Goddard Riverside Community Center Goddard Riverside Community Center serves some 17,000 people each year through 26 programs on the Upper West Side and throughout Manhattan. Founded in 1959 with the merger of two historic settlement houses, Riverside Community House (1887) and Goddard Neighborhood Center (1892), the new agency moved to the heart of the West Side Urban Renewal Area, the largest urban renewal area in the country, consisting of 20 square blocks from West 87th Street to West 97th Street and from Central Park West to Amsterdam Avenue. In addition to starting a number of the programs and services still in operation today, the center became deeply involved in the issues of affordable housing that were central to the urban renewal process. About OCV Architects Oaklander, Coogan & Vitto Architects, P.C. is a versatile, award-winning architectural firm serving the New York Metropolitan area for over 30 years. OCVs body of work ranges from affordable and special needs housing to high-end private residences, from gut rehabs and historic preservation to innovative new construction. Having produced over 1,000 units of residential housing, the firm regularly partners with urban housing authorities and development groups to create sustainable, attractive residences within restrictive budgets. As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and an Enterprise Green Communities Partner, OCV strives to bring to each design respect for a projects site, setting, history and culture, while making every effort to build responsibly and sustainably. For more on OCV please visit http://www.ocvarch.com. For further information on this release, Capitol Hall, or similar projects, please contact: Mireille Moga Oaklander, Coogan & Vitto Architects, PC 14 East 4th Street, Suite 408 New York, NY 10012 212-675-6470 mogam(at)ocvarch(dot)com Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images. Trump has coughed up around $60 million of his own money for the campaign, shy of the $100 million he's been promising. Shortly after announcing his run for president last year, Donald Trump said he would spend up to $1 billion of his own money on the campaign. But in recent weeks, the Republican nominee has said that number is now $100 million. "Remember, by the time this ends," Trump told a crowd in Colorado Tuesday, "I will have spent over $100 million on this campaign. Hillary has spent nothing. She gets all her money from the special interest and donors. My interest is you." Yet to hit even the $100 million mark, he'd better start spending. According to election filings, Trump has coughed up around $60 million of his own money for the campaign. And rather than ramping up his contributions as the election gets closer, he's been cutting back. In the beginning of the year, Trump was spending more than $5 million a month on his campaign, hitting a peak of $11 million in March. But in July and August, the latest periods measured, Trump had dialed his spending back to $2 million a month. Though September's official filing isn't due until Thursday, Trump's camp has already said the candidate contributed $2 million to his campaign that month. That means to hit his target, he would have to spend roughly $40 million over the course of a few weeks. What's more, some of Trump's campaign spending has gone to companies owned or related to him. So his net out-of-pocket expenditures may actually be lower than the reported amount. "Mr. Trump's contribution more than covered the costs of any reimbursements to him (or his related entities)," a spokesperson for the campaign said, adding "he has contributed an unprecedented amount to his campaign." More From CNBC Industries face challenges with multiple communications platforms because voice, video, and IM/Presence technologies pose new challenges for organizations implementing them. ISI Telemanagement Solutions, a leading Unified Communication (UC) management solutions provider, is pleased to announce they are a sponsoring partner of and will exhibit at the annual Presidio Exchange event. The event is an engineering and sales conference that is held this year from October 20-22 on the Norwegian Cruise Lines' The Pearl, setting sail from Miami, Florida to the Bahamas. Presidios Exchange 2016 features partners and professionals participating in the two-day event centered on an expo and breakout sessions spanning from design to technical application. ISIs Unified Collaboration Practice Lead, David Dishek, and Channel Sales Manager, Chris Welch, will be onsite to discuss ISIs Unified Communications Management Solutions for Reporting, Recording, Speech Analytics, and Technology Expense Management. Attendees who want to learn more about ISIs solutions for Enhanced UCCX Reporting & Wallboards, HCS/UCaaS Billing Mediation Reporting & Recording, IM Compliance Recording & Archiving, Integrated UC Reporting & Recording, Network Capacity Planning & Trunk Utilization, UC Regulatory Compliance can meet with ISIs team. Mr. Dishek states, Industries face challenges with multiple communications platforms because voice, video, and IM/Presence technologies pose new challenges for organizations implementing them. Managing these UC technologies requires new types of solutions. ISI is a leader in these advancements and is delivering better business outcomes for companies facing these issues. Attendees are encouraged to find Mr. Dishek and Mr. Welch at the expo in the ISI booth. For more information, visit our website: http://www.isi-info.com. About ISI Telemanagement Solutions ISI is a global leader in Unified Communications management solutions for voice, video, IM compliance, and conferencing. ISI offers a broad portfolio of certified solutions for managing usage, content, people, and expenses, through UC reporting & traffic analytics, collaboration recording, speech analytics, workforce management, and TEM. Co-manager, Janet Stolarski, owner, James Hallberg and co-manager Christine Largent. Katies Hallmark remains a thriving local business because it was built upon the principles of hard work and dedication. As a result, Katies Hallmark has built a customer base of generations of loyal patrons. Located at 10730 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, Illinois Katies Hallmark celebrates 30 years of delivering quality products and exceptional service to area residents. Earning Hallmarks Gold Crown Store, Katies Hallmark is one of the few stand-alone Hallmark stores remaining. It feels like yesterday when my parents, wife Pat and I first cut the ribbon marking the opening of business for Katies Hallmark, remarked store owner James P. Hallberg (Palos Heights). Katies Hallmark was named after my mother, Katherine or Kate, a woman who exemplified hard work. Katies Hallmark remains a thriving local business because like my mother, the business was built upon the principles of hard work and dedication. As a result, I am proud to say Katies Hallmark has built a customer base of generations of loyal patrons. Co-managed by Christine Largent and Janet Stolarski, Katies Hallmark is known for the unique merchandise and superior customer service. Christine Largent explained Over the years we have grown to know many of our customers on a first-name bases. We have helped them select gifts and cards for so many of lifes most memorable occasions. We have witnessed their children grow, many of whom are now customers of Katies Hallmark. It really has been an honor to be a small part of their lives. Because Katies Hallmark is privately owned, it has the freedom to bring in unique quality merchandise from a variety of vendors that are not typically found at a corporately owned Hallmark stores. It is this commitment to always offering its customers fresh unique quality merchandise that keeps drawing customers back to the store. Janet Stolarski explained, In addition to having Hallmark favorites like Willow Tree figurines and Yankee Candles, we carry a rich variety of products not found at your typical Hallmark store. We are committed to turning over the merchandise quickly in order to have a constant flow of new quality merchandise for our customers. Because we have such a good grasp on what our customers are looking for, nearly 99% of our customers leave with something in hand. What Katies Hallmark is best known for is the superior, personalized service their customers receive. As soon as a patron walks through the doors of Katies Hallmark, they are welcomed. Often, Katies employees walk the customer to the area of the store that houses what they are searching for. The staff has even been known to take phone oders from long standing customers and bring the merchandise out to the cars of the eldery patrons who no longer can physically make it into the store. It is this level of customer service that helps keeps Katies Hallmark a thriving local favorite amongst the Oak Lawn business community. About Katies Hallmark James P. Hallberg and his wife Pat Hallberg own Katies Hallmark. Katies Hallmark has attained the status of a Hallmark Gold Crown Store. It carries the widest selection of Hallmark greeting cards, stationery, gift wrap and products for decorating and entertaining. Katies Hallmark also has personal accessories, baby and child gifts, and a number of specialized gifts from other vendors. We also offer the Crown Rewards store loyalty program, which lets our customers accumulate points. Introduced in 1994, this loyalty program is a great addition to the customer experience our patrons have at Katies Hallmark. Katies Hallmark is located at 10730 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, IL 60453, 708-425-0552. http://www.katieshallmarkoaklawn.com/ Pasadena Recovery Center is pleased to welcome Congresswoman Judy Chu, to their groundbreaking speaker series event on Thursday, October 27th at 12 P.M. Judy Chu was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2009. She represents the 27th Congressional District, which includes Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley of southern California. Congresswoman Chu recently partnered with Pasadena Recovery Center Alumnus and Democratic Delegate, Ryan Hampton, for the #AddictionXAmerica project, which highlighted the devastation caused by addiction throughout the country. Congresswoman Chu currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, where she is a member of the Subcommittees on Intellectual Property and the Internet as well as Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. She also serves on the House Small Business Committee, which has oversight of the Small Business Administration. Congresswoman Chu is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access. She is also a member of the Subcommittees on Contracting and Workforce as well as Investigations, Oversight and Regulations. We are so incredibly honored to welcome Congresswoman Judy Chu to be our featured guest for this month's speaker series," says Michael Bloom, CEO of Pasadena Recovery Center. Pasadena Recovery Center Speaker Series hosts amazing authors, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and experts to talk about their personal experiences with addiction and the way it has affected both themselves and the people around them. Previous guests include Dr. Drew Pinsky, Bob Forrest, Mackenzie Phillips, Robert Shapiro, Steve-O, Kristen Johnston, David Sheff, Kevin Sabet, Pat O'Brien, Candy Finnigan, and many more. Pasadena Recovery Center: Located in the charming historic district of Pasadena, the Pasadena Recovery Center was co-founded in 2000 by renowned psychiatrist Dr. Lee Bloom, his daughter Alison Triessl, and his son Michael Bloom. The 98-bed drug and alcohol treatment center is nationally known for its 12-step based comprehensive treatment program and highly skilled, licensed and certified staff. Pasadena Recovery Center is dedicated to providing compassionate, comprehensive care to those suffering from chemical dependency and is proud to offer lifesaving and life-changing treatment at an affordable cost. The Pasadena Recovery Centers goal is to reintroduce sober individuals into society with the skills necessary to lead meaningful, productive lives and offers sober housing in addition to treatment. Spruce House is located only minutes away from their facility and is committed to providing an affordable home-like environment for men in early recovery from chemical dependency. Culinary travel adventures are one of the fastest-growing segments of travel and tourism in the U.S., and a fascinating and informative segment of Front Page with James Earl Jones will explore its growing popularity and the panorama of available experiences. Overall, 20% of people who travel do so solely for culinary adventure. The Millennial and Baby Boomer generations are particularly enthusiastic about culinary travel. Food is the deciding factor for travel more than 60% of the time for each group. One of the reasons for the growing popularity of culinary travel adventure is the wide range of activities available. Participants tour countries and regions known for their unique cuisine, travel to food festivals, trek to wine or beer tastings, and walk historic food and agricultural routes. They may also participate in harvests, watch chef demonstrations, and learn to prepare local cuisines. Culinary travel adventures also cover nearly every region of the globe, from gourmet meals in France to making chocolate from native cacao beans in Belize. "Front Page" is produced by an award-winning team of writers, producers, and videographers. It is created solely for and distributed Public Television and PBS member stations, but is independently produced. Each episode of the program is filmed in high definition with the highest quality standards. (Source: National Tour Association. Culinary. http://businessbuilder.ntaonline.com/education/travel-market-guides/culinary/ (19 October 2016). It is important to recognize that at no time in history has the pace of disruptions been quicker or have had greater magnitude than today. What companies are currently experiencing is unprecedented. Jim Tompkins, CEO, Tompkins International, newest thought leadership video Supply Chain Revolutions: Responding to Digital Disruptions has just been released. Jim Tompkins continues to shape and grow the supply chain industry through innovative ideas, insight, and intelligence. Throughout the video Tompkins explains the importance of understanding how digital disruptions are affecting companies supply chains. Also, explained is what needs to take place to respond to these disruptions. With the use of graphics, quotes, data, and proven results, Tompkins makes it clear why businesses must become digitally capable in order to achieve profitability. Being digital is the ability to market, sell, and serve through digital means. Digital encompasses the entire product and service life cycle, and impacts all trading partners of national and international supply chains. It is important to recognize that at no time in history has the pace of disruptions been quicker or have had greater magnitude than today. What companies are currently experiencing is unprecedented. There is no indication that there will be a reduction in the pace or scale of digital disruptions that companies are and will continue to face. The 11 digital components creating disruptions and impacting supply chains are, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, customer experience, digital payment, eCommerce, end-to-end visibility, Internet of Things (IoT), mobile commerce, social interaction, and uni-channel. There are a number of companies that have used digital components to separate themselves from other companies. Some well known examples, Alibaba the worlds highest volume merchant yet owns no inventory, Airbnb the worlds largest accommodation provider yet owns no property, Uber the worlds largest taxi company yet owns no vehicles, and Facebook the worlds largest media company, yet creates no content. Due to the continued disruptions a companys supply chain must be capable of responding to competitors digital capabilities in the digital age. The actions taken to date have not been commensurate with the growing threat presented by Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers is a cancer-sized challenge requiring a cancer-sized solution. Two companies dedicated to empowering people living with Alzheimers, their caregivers, and those worried about getting the disease, today announced a unique partnership with GALAXY, an online portal that offers mobile tools and resources that make it easy for patients to influence and participate in Alzheimers disease research. Roobrik, whose online decision tools help patients and their families make difficult care choices, is launching a new assessment to help GALAXY visitors answer the question, Is clinical research right for us? Antidote, a digital health startup that connects patients and researchers to help accelerate medical research, will provide people visiting GALAXY with the opportunity to find clinical trials that are right for them, quickly and easily. More than 80 percent of trials are currently delayed or closed because researchers cannot find eligible patients. This problem is especially pronounced in Alzheimers disease where seven to ten million people are needed for registries to meet planned clinical trial enrollment requirements. Research has found that only one-third of Alzheimers trials in a given year are able to find enough people to take part. Yet, in the words of UsAgainstAlzheimers Co-Founder and Chairman George Vradenburg, The actions taken to date have not been commensurate with the growing threat presented by Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers is a cancer-sized challenge requiring a cancer-sized solution." The partnership between GALAXY, Roobrik, and Antidote aims to meet this challenge head-on. We see the inclusion of Antidote and Roobrik on the GALAXY platform as a critical solution and way to fast-track the process of recruiting the right patient for the right trial," said Meryl Comer, Co-Principal Investigator of PCORIs Alzheimers and Dementia Patient and Caregiver Powered Research Network (AD-PCPRN) and President/CEO of the Geoffrey Beene Foundation Alzheimers Initiative. Antidote Match, which uses natural language processing, artificial intelligence, and an army of medical annotators to make it easier than ever before for people to find their best clinical trial matches, is now integrated into the GALAXY portal. This means that for the first time, patients visiting GALAXY will be able to use Roobriks brief assessment to navigate difficult questions around taking part in Alzheimers research and then use Antidote to identify the trials that are right for them. With so many patients needed to take part in Alzheimers trials, now is the perfect time to focus on transforming the way patients find, understand, and take part in clinical trials, said Pablo Graiver, CEO of Antidote. As we work with GALAXY to spread our search tool far and wide, we encourage any interested organization to contact us to learn more about how we can work together to stem the tide of the Alzheimers epidemic. Every decision to take part in clinical research for Alzheimers starts with small concerns: a repeated story or lost set of keys, said Nate OKeefe, co-founder and CEO of Roobrik. Our partnership with GALAXY and Antidote enables us to reach older adults and caregivers in these moments, help them understand their situation, and guide them to what works best for them, whether thats signing up to join a registry or finding a clinical trial. This is just the beginning. Data gathered during the first year of this collaboration will be used to support initiatives across the public and private sector to increase clinical research participation. This includes Antidotes expansion to make its search tool available at no cost to all Alzheimers organizations, patient communities, and online health portals, GALAXYs continued work to give patients a voice in Alzheimers research, and Roobriks ongoing mission to make getting informed the easiest part of family decisions around Alzheimers and related dementias. ### About Alzheimers Disease Not only is Alzheimers disease the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, but its the least understood and it's on the rise. In fact, if the prevalence continues to rise at the current rate, by mid-century, it is estimated that someone in the United States will develop the disease every 33 seconds. There is a critical need to develop new, effective treatments, and these potential breakthroughs are being evaluated in clinical trials every day. But an influx of new studies means an estimated seven to ten million people are needed for registries to carry out currently planned studies. As more trials are added, the need for patients to participate will continue to grow. About GALAXY GALAXY is a virtual gateway to a constellation of initiatives that makes it easy for patients to influence and participate in Alzheimers disease research. It showcases private/public partnerships and projects, supported through non-profit collaboration, that focus on modeling new online ways to support those living with AD and their families. GALAXY, while a distinct initiative, shares the 3-year goals of the Alzheimers and Dementia Patient and Caregiver Powered Research Network (AD-PCPRN) to amplify the patient and caregiver voice to accelerate development of effective treatments for Alzheimers disease and related dementias. http://www.galaxybraintrust.org. GALAXY Media Contact Robin Strongin President & CEO, Amplify Public Affairs, LLC (202) 263-2917 About Antidote Antidote is a digital health company on a mission. Their aim is to accelerate the breakthroughs of new treatments by bridging the gap between medical research and the people who need them. In a world where 80% of clinical trials are delayed or closed due to lack of awareness, Antidote uses cutting-edge technology to match the right patients with the right trials, helping medical researchers make faster progress, and offering new treatment options to patients in need. Antidote was launched as TrialReach in 2010, and is based in the US and UK. This is a global effort to advance health care for everyone. To find out how you can help shape medical history, visit http://www.antidote.me. Antidote Media Contacts Sarah Kerruish Chief Strategy and Growth Officer +44 7546364484 sarah@antidote.me Lisa Brockway Director of Communications (215) 872-2917 lisa@antidote.me About Roobrik Roobrik builds online tools to help people make difficult health and care decisions, particularly for issues related to getting older and caregiving. Their innovative platform combines medical decision science with new models for digital engagement to help families get answers throughout the continuum of care. Roobrik works with health care, senior care, and clinical research organizations committed to informed decisionmaking for its potential to improve health, emotional, and financial outcomes. To find out more about Roobriks decision tools, visit http://roobrik.com. Roobrik Media Contact Virginia Ingram (919) 475-7706 virginia@roobrik.com Major, Lindsey & Africa, the worlds leading legal search firm, today announced that W. DeVane Tidwell has joined the firm as a director in the Partner Practice Group in the Atlanta office. In this role, DeVane focuses on representing individual law firm partners and partner groups in the lateral market with an emphasis on the Atlanta and Charlotte markets. DeVane has nearly 20 years of combined law firm and in-house experience. Prior to joining Major, Lindsey & Africa, he was a partner in the Charlotte office of Helms Mulliss & Wicker, now a part of McGuireWoods. His practice focused on securities and mergers and acquisitions, serving corporate clients, including Bank of America Corporation and its subsidiaries. He then enjoyed a successful career in Atlanta as a vice president and division general counsel at Newell Brands, a worldwide marketer of consumer and commercial products. In this role, he managed the legal affairs for two of Newell's largest operating divisions. DeVane has a valuable blend of experience that allows him to be keenly aware of the specific career objectives of law firm partners and the needs of their corporate clients, said Kirsten Vasquez, partner and executive director, Law Firm Recruiting West Region. His background as both a law firm partner and a senior in-house counsel presents a very rare set of skills, not commonly found in the recruiting industry. His many years of experience will benefit both law firms and the talented partner candidates they seek, and we are delighted he has joined the firm. DeVane received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his B.A. from Davidson College. About Major, Lindsey & Africa Founded in 1982, Major, Lindsey & Africa is the world's largest and most experienced legal search firm. Combining local market knowledge and a global recruiting network, Major, Lindsey & Africa has earned recognition for its track record of successful general counsel, corporate counsel, partner, associate and law firm management placements. The firm also provides law firms and companies with highly specialized legal professionals on project, interim and temporary-to-permanent hire basis. With 25 offices worldwide, Major, Lindsey & Africa recruiters are dedicated to understanding and meeting client and candidate needs while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality. The firm considers every search a diversity search and has been committed to diversity in the law since its inception. Major, Lindsey & Africa is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. To learn more about Major, Lindsey & Africa, visit http://www.mlaglobal.com In the Public Safety Sector, its vital to fill any required overtime shifts quickly and efficiently. Its also important to manage it effectively to save money and to distribute it fairly. This agency, comprised of career fire personnel, previously had to determine which qualified staff should be offered overtime and then try to contact them. We had to call each member eligible to work and speak to them or leave messages, wait for their response and try to fairly decide who to assign it to. It was very time consuming, states Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Smith, Falmouth Fire Rescue Department, Falmouth, MA. Now, we use Aladtec for scheduling overtime by looking for coverage through the system when needed. We send out the shift coverage request via the text/email system. Personnel can respond immediately if they want the shift. This is a significant time savings for our Duty Officers who are responsible for filling any open shifts. Our department has complex overtime but we can easily manage it by using Aladtec. Since implementing Aladtec, Deputy Fire Chief Smith indicates they now save up to 10 hours a week in time spent finding coverage for overtime shifts. We use an overtime roster that is generated each day by virtue of overtime hours each person worked. This creates a report based on all hours worked and positioned personnel from low hours to high overtime hours each day. When a position needing to be filled is created, we just use the find coverage paging feature and have a limit of 10 minutes for members to reply. We can then quickly look to see who has the lowest overtime hours and then approve that member for the shift. At a glance, Aladtec allows us to have continuity throughout all shifts and we can quickly make corrections or adjustments to manage each oncoming shift. All processes completed within Aladtec are documented which helps with checks and balances, so overtime is distributed fairly and communication is tracked. The Shift Commander can send out specific group or individual texts when station assignments change. When this occurs, it is recorded and ensures that they got the message. From an administrative overview, we can see whats being made and its all documented - regarding detailed texts, emails, time off requests, etc. The fact that we can record these notifications and review any discrepancies asserted by our personnel is important. Smith adds, Plus, the attendance accrual tracking is a great feature as well. Aladtecs mobility was also a valuable feature to this department. Before, the members had no way of knowing what type of changes were made to their assignments after they went home. Now all administrators and members can access the schedule from any computer, smartphone or other mobile device via the Internet. They can immediately see in real time when an adjustment has been made to the schedule. The ability for our 70 members to be able to use their smartphones was also a selling point for us. Personnel can check the schedule and make time off requests on their personal phone or home computer. Smith shares that they did consider another online employee scheduling and workforce management product. After trying Aladtecs free demo they determined because of the features available, along with the ability to subscribe to the system annually, Aladtec was the best choice. We are able to easily budget Aladtec into our contractual services year to year. The fact that we now use technology based scheduling and attendance has created a better tracking system overall. Additionally, Aladtecs support and training component made it clear that we made the right decision. We are very impressed with the system and our personnel are all happy with this product, concludes Deputy Fire Chief Smith. About Falmouth Fire Rescue Department: Falmouth is a coastal town on scenic Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This agency serves their community and the influx of tourists The Cape brings throughout the year. Their mission statement reads - To provide to the citizens and visitors of our town the most effective, efficient and expedient emergency services for the protection of life and property due to fire, medical emergencies, and natural or man-made disasters. About Aladtec: They proudly provide online employee scheduling and workforce management software to over 1,700 organizations, primarily within the Public Safety Sector. These customers count on Aladtec every day to help them save time and improve efficiency. For information about their affordable industry specific options, or to try a free demo, please visit http://www.aladtec.com. ### CONTACT INFORMATION: Aladtec, Inc. 387 Arrow Court River Falls, WI 54022 (888) 749-5550 Toll-Free (715) 690-2300 Phone (801) 406-5550 Fax mellissa(at)aladtec.com info(at)aladtec.com http://www.aladtec.com Lansdale Facility "As a company we see PRE-K FOR PA as a partner, giving families access to the very best in quality childhood education. says Jim Perretty, CEO Florida based Children of America, LLC welcomes State Senator Bob Mensch, 24th District of PA to its Lansdale PA facility Thursday, October 20th. The event advances Children of Americas commitment for all Pennsylvania children to have access to high-quality early learning opportunities. Its prudent to further our commitment to this issue. says Children of America, CEO Jim Perretty, "As a company we see PRE-K FOR PA as a partner, giving families access to the very best in quality childhood education. "Our goals mesh. Were committed to quality programming and preparing young children for advanced education and PRE-K FOR PA is committed to the accessibility of these services " Perretty added. PRE-K FOR PAs goal is by 2022, every at-risk child will have access to a high-quality pre-kindergarten program and middle-income families will more easily afford these services for their children. Children of America is the product of years of development and research expanding its programming to include a proprietary book series written for children, a staffed nutritionist for school meal planning, private nutrition consultations and family recipes and tips and our daily reporting tools for parents, updating the daily progress of each child. Children of Americas commitment to the family and child is paramount to the company philosophy. About Children of America Children of America operates facilities throughout Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company plans to open 50 new facilities across the country over the next five years. COA offers the highest level of care for children ages six weeks to twelve years of age. The premier programs include infant care, toddler care, nationally renowned preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, before-and-after school care, and summer camp. An industry pioneer, Children of America is a subsidiary of World Wide Child Care Corp. Visit childrenofamerica.com for more information or interact with COA on Twitter and Facebook. This is an example of symbols from QA Graphics v5 Symbol Library placed together to create an Air Handling Unit with an Energy Recovery Wheel. QA Graphics serves as an expert design resource for the building controls industry and can provide graphics for any type of building automation system (BAS). Collaborating with several leading control system manufacturers and private companies over the years, QA Graphics has used this experience to develop their new BAS Symbol Library v5 with state of the art 3D software and rendering styles. This library will be debuted at the AHR Expo in Las Vegas January 30th through February 1st, booth 1489. This library offers a competitive advantage in the BAS industry, delivering more appealing and realistic graphics than typically provided with BAS software. The Symbol Library v5 is powerful and includes over 450 total graphic files available, more detailed graphics, and higher resolution images. Giving users access to high-end graphics and animations that more realistically represent the mechanical systems in place. The Symbol Library v5 includes a variety of graphics and animations needed to construct building automation system graphics and HVAC graphics or MEP equipment. Almost any system graphic can be created, static or animated graphics, as QA Graphics symbol library is compatible with more than 95% of all major mechanical systems. Our custom designed graphics and 3D animations symbols include boilers, chillers, dampers, filters, piping, fans, cooling towers, generators, valves, ductwork, coils and more. Several newer categories have been added to offer graphics for: Fire, lighting, lab and security system graphics More LEDs and UI elements Our custom symbol library also offers a variety of features, such as: More than 350 static graphics with over 100 animations in orthographic view Your 3-letter acronym on major equipment components displaying a watermark on major equipment components to protect the graphics (watermark can be visible or undetectable) Represent mechanical control drawings in a schematic, graphical view Multiple duct lengths Pre-assembled damper configurations Symbol for energy efficient equipment Preconfigured terminal air units Visit QA Graphics website to learn more at: https://www.qagraphics.com/system-graphics/ Or visit the Niagara Marketplace to learn more about this product as well: https://www.niagaramarketplace.com/asb_ListingDetail?listingId=a0nD000000ClvP1IAJ&appType=Product About QA Graphics - QA Graphics is a leader in the building automation and green building industries. The company specializes in HVAC graphic development services, system graphics, floor plan graphics, and Energy Efficiency Education Dashboards (EEEDs). These dashboards help organizations teach occupants about building performance and sustainability. The company also provides marketing solutions such as interactive applications, 3D design and animation, UX design, videos, and more. Visit http://www.qagraphics.com to learn more. LendingUSA is clearly demonstrating its commitment to excellence in veterinary surgery. LendingUSA, a leader in consumer financing solutions for veterinary surgery practices and other specialties, has entered into a partnership with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), the company announced today. The three-year partnership with the ACVS, the standard bearer for advanced professionalism in veterinary surgery, includes year-round visibility and recognition for LendingUSA, joint programs between the two organizations, and ongoing face-to-face meetings with ACVS leadership. Were excited to be working with an organization like ACVS, says Mike Testa, President of LendingUSA. Were working to build the most practice-friendly financing solution that is better for veterinary surgeons as well as pet owners, and our new partnership will go a long way towards helping us accomplish that goal. As a member and Chair of the ACVS Board of Regents, its great to see LendingUSA and ACVS partner to increase opportunities for veterinary surgeons, adds Gary Baxter, VMD, MS, DACVS. LendingUSA is clearly demonstrating its commitment to excellence in veterinary surgery. As an Industry Partner and sponsor, LendingUSA exhibited and hosted events at the 2016 ACVS Surgery Summit, which took place October 6-8 in Seattle. Testa adds, our attendance at the Surgery Summit was a huge success. We had a lot of interest from veterinary surgeon groups and we look forward to returning again next year. For more information about LendingUSA, please call 1 (800) 994-6177 or visit http://www.lendingusa.com. About the American College of Veterinary Surgeons The mission of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) is to advance the art and science of surgery and promote excellence in animal health care through research, education and service to the public. The ACVS defines the standards of surgical excellence for the profession, promotes advancements in veterinary surgery, and provides the latest in surgical educational programs. By fostering the highest standards of excellence in veterinary surgery, the ACVS is helping the veterinary profession achieve its goals of providing outstanding service to the public and care to animals. About LendingUSA LendingUSA specializes in point of sale and direct-to-consumer financing solutions with a special focus on a wide range of medical services and consumer goods. The companys proprietary technology combines traditional and next generation underwriting and fraud detection techniques to approve loan applications in real-time often in a matter of seconds. LendingUSA builds strong relationships with its merchant partners by providing the tools and training necessary for them to provide the appropriate financing to customers at their point of need. All loans are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered bank, Member FDIC. Dont worry about serving up a dry bird this year. Goode Company Hall of Flame is ready to deliver turkey and pie to homes throughout the United States. As of November 1, 2016 families can order online and enjoy a calmer Thanksgiving and mouthwatering Texas tastes. Of course, these arent just average lifeless, deli-bought turkeys. Goode Company turkeys are bursting with flavor and love. Goode Company only uses high-quality, all-natural, Grade A turkeys cured in old-fashioned brown sugar until they are aged to perfection. The turkeys are then slow-smoked over natural mesquite wood, achieving flavors that cant be accomplished in Moms oven or Dads Cajun microwave. The smooth, authentic Texas flavor has depth and plenty of character. Customers can choose between two options: a turkey, or the Texas Holiday Table, which includes both a turkey and Brazos-Bottom pecan pie. At that point, all the customer would have to worry about is providing the sides. Tell each family member to bring one with them, and dinner is served. As a child, I have fond memories of riding in our 1949 Chevy Panel Truck with longhorns mounted on the hood, delivering smoked turkeys and pecan pies to friends and family every holiday season, notes Levi Goode, Owner and Smokeologist. That was our family tradition. I am very proud to now offer our family tradition to you. The cooked weight of each smoked turkey is approximately 10 pounds, so consider ordering extra if entertaining a big crowd. Products will not be delivered on Mondays, Saturdays (available to some Home Delivery addresses within a specific radius), Sundays or Holidays. Orders are available to ship same day until 12PM CST Monday through Thursday and some Friday for orders available for Saturday delivery. All orders placed after 12PM CST will ship the following business day. Orders are only available to ship within the United States at this time (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are excluded). Shipping begins on November 7. Click here to order now. For more information, visit us at http://www.goodecompany.com/default.asp. ABOUT GOODE COMPANY We believe in the tried-and-true. The homemade. The handcrafted. Food thats as genuine as we are. Were a family-owned and operated business, devoted to the craft of serving the very finest Texas fare. Our barbeque pits have been smoking away since 1977. Contact: Goode Company BBQ Hall of Flame 13843 N. Promenade Blvd. #900B Stafford, TX 77477 (800) 627-3502 http:// http://www.goodecompany.com/default.asp Manish Jain joins Access Healthcare as Chief Marketing Officer Access Healthcare is well poised for its next wave of growth by bringing in a fresh approach to healthcare revenue cycle services delivery. I am excited at the prospect of applying my skills to provide impetus to the organizations growth strategy. Access Healthcare, a leading provider of end-to-end healthcare business process services, recently announced the addition of Manish Jain as Chief Marketing Officer. Manish will be responsible for the organizations marketing, corporate communications, solution innovation, and sales support activities. Manish brings more than fifteen years of diverse professional experience in the business process and IT outsourcing industry. He comes to Access Healthcare from Dell Services where he served as the Solutions Architect Director for Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Banking business process outsourcing services. At Dell, Manish worked on developing multiple industry solutions for customers in Healthcare Payer & Provider, Life Insurance, Banking and Financial services markets. Manish is an outstanding marketing professional, with an impressive track record and an infectious enthusiasm for his work, said Vardhman Jain, Vice Chairman of Access Healthcare. I am confident he will help strengthen our position as one of the most trusted providers of Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Services. Prior to taking over as the Solutions Architect Director at Dell Services, Manish served as the Head of Global Solutions Design in the same company and was responsible for designing solution frameworks for the BPO organization, pricing models, and enabling business growth through new and emerging frameworks. Manish also led corporate communications and served in various capacities within the global marketing and sales teams at Perot Systems. Manish began his outsourcing career in 2002 with Vision Healthsource, a healthcare BPO start-up that was acquired by Perot Systems in 2003. Access Healthcare is well poised for its next wave of growth by bringing in a fresh approach to healthcare revenue cycle services delivery. I am excited at the prospect of applying my skills to provide impetus to the organizations growth strategy, said Manish. An energetic, motivated and multi-skilled professional, Manish has deep insights in designing and transforming business processes. He holds an MBA from IMT Ghaziabad and an engineering degree from Shivaji University. About Access Healthcare Exceptional healthcare organizations compliment the highest standards of care with a commitment to excellence in revenue cycle management. Billing companies and healthcare provider systems use Access Healthcare to bring excellence to their back office Revenue Cycle Management enabling better focus on strategic priorities, like profitability and creating great patient experiences. By leveraging the Access Healthcare Best Practice Engine for Revenue Cycle Management, our focus on creating results enables not only improved profitability, but opportunity to cultivate growth through reduced costs, better productivity, and higher quality. For more information, check out accesshealthcare.org. From high-asset divorce to international divorce, seven new videos and podcasts on a variety of divorce-related topics are now available on The Divorce School. Individuals going through the divorce process will benefit from the professional advice provided by our Divorce School faculty members who are some of the top divorce professionals in North America. Check out these and many other sessions before the semester ends on December 15. Complex Issues in High-Asset Divorce Cases Sonya K. Zeigler a family lawyer and partner at Stolfe Zeigler, a New Jersey law firm discusses some of the common issues divorcing parties face when a lot of assets are at stake. Listeners who have a high net worth, own a business, or own numerous assets will gain a deeper understanding of what to expect during the divorce process. International Divorce: Custody and Jurisdiction When borders are involved, child custody issues become more complex. John K. Grubb a family law attorney in Texas discusses international divorce and family law and outlines the options and rights of parents who do not live in the same country. Pensions, Retirement Accounts, and Divorce Carolyn M. Grimes, Jessica L. Leischner, and Rebecca Janet Wade who practice family law at Wade, Grimes, Friedman, Sutter and Leischner in Virginia outline everything a divorcing couple needs to know about dividing pensions and retirement accounts this Divorce School video. Can You Really Mediate a High-Conflict Divorce? Going to court doesnt have to be the only option. In this podcast, Hon. Michele F. Lowrance (Ret.) a family law mediator and attorney in Illinois helps listeners understand the potential advantages of mediating a high-conflict divorce. The Divorce Process in Illinois for Financially Complex Cases Candace L. Meyers a family law attorney at Boyle Feinberg in Illinois explains the divorce process for cases where one or both spouses are business owners or have a high net worth. Listeners will find out what to expect while going through the process and what steps to take to protect a business and assets. Divorce Dos and Donts for Business Owners and High-Net-Worth Individuals There are special considerations business owners and high-net-worth individuals must keep in mind when going through a divorce. Marta J. Papa a divorce attorney and mediator in Missouri outlines the dos and donts and offers advice to those who are looking to protect their assets and their privacy. Property and Retirement Assets in Florida Ginger L. Dugan a family lawyer at All Family Law Group in Florida answers the most frequently asked questions Florida couples have about the division of property and retirement assets, including real estate, furniture and household items, engagement and wedding rings, pensions, and much more. Log in to access these and 37 other Divorce School sessions. Havent registered yet? Register here to receive unlimited access to videos and podcasts. ________________________________________ This year, Divorce Magazine and Divorce Marketing Group are celebrating their 20th anniversary of offering support, advice, and guidance to separated and divorced individuals. As part of their anniversary celebrations, they teamed up with DivorcedMoms.com (the Webs leading resource and community for divorced moms) to launch The Divorce School on April 1, 2016. Practical and transformative, TheDivorceSchool.com offers essential guidance in the form of videos and podcasts from a wide range of leading divorce professionals as well as separated and divorced people. Sessions cover a wide range of topics: legal, financial, emotional, and childrens issues. Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting disaster response efforts in Haiti and several Episcopal dioceses in the United States following Hurricane Matthew, which blasted through the Caribbean as a Category 4 storm before moving up the Atlantic coast and causing damage from Florida through southern Virginia. Episcopal Relief & Development is providing direct support for food, water and shelter for approximately 520 families staying on church properties in Haitis southern peninsula, and is working with US dioceses to assess and respond to local needs after the storm. Churches in affected areas are leveraging their existing ministries and community relationships to provide specialized services and care for people who are displaced from their homes. Dioceses are engaging in creative and insightful disaster response outreach activities to populations that might not otherwise be able to easily access assistance, said Katie Mears, Director of the organizations US Disaster Program. Florida is a great example of this, in their support of an existing, thriving worship community whose membership is primarily people experiencing homelessness, and East Carolinas bolstering of a long-running ministry that assists migrant farmworkers is exactly the kind of thing that shows excellent stewardship of resources. In Florida, diocesan leaders are responding to emergency needs and continuing community assessments. Currently, Episcopal Relief & Development support will expand the ministry of Church Without Walls in Jacksonville to provide food, water, clothing, bedding and sheltering materials for up to 300 homeless individuals in the area. Church Without Walls reaches people through weekly outdoor prayer and worship services that welcome all to share their unique gifts in community. As flooding remains and evacuations continue in North Carolina, the Diocese of East Carolina is responding by reaching out and providing gift cards in hard-hit areas. In particular, support from Episcopal Relief & Development is helping to increase the response of the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry affiliated with La Iglesia Episcopal de la Sagrada Familia, a Spanish-language congregation in the town of Dunn. This ministrys nearly 30 distinct outreach programs offer assistance with food, clothing, housing, immigration and advocacy, and the additional funds will help provide storage space and replacement of household goods. This support will also enable two other Spanish-language congregations with connections to well-established English-speaking congregations to use their buildings and connections to aid migrant workers. Im extremely proud of how the dioceses throughout the impacted region are caring for their neighbors and meeting needs in this initial phase of the emergency response, Mears said. They have done impressive work reaching out during these first ten days, and are developing relationships that will continue to be useful through the entire disaster recovery process. In Haiti, Episcopal Relief & Development is providing direct assistance for food, water and shelter to church partners and displaced families sheltering in Petit Trou de Nippes, Paillant-Jeanette, Miragoane, Torbeck, Beraud, Jeremie and Bainet. The organizations staff has received information on specific vulnerable families through the network of Episcopal priests and is on the ground providing support in each community. Approximately 520 families are currently receiving assistance through these efforts. The Haiti response is developing rapidly as transport and communications are restored to impacted areas, said Abagail Nelson, Episcopal Relief & Developments Senior Vice President of Programs. The hurricane caused extensive flooding and mudslides, power outages and water shortages compounding concerns about the possible spread of cholera. The Church is reaching out to the vulnerable in its midst. Please continue to pray for communities affected by Hurricane Matthew, and donate to the Hurricane Matthew Response Fund to help Episcopal Relief & Development assist local partners in responding to critical needs. Congregations are invited to download and use these bulletin inserts to raise awareness and support for this vital response effort. For over 75 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has served as a compassionate response to human suffering in the world. The agency works with more than 3 million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger and disease through multi-sector programs, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework. An independent 501(c)(3) organization, it works closely with Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners to help communities create long-term development strategies and rebuild after disasters. The top scam reported to the Better Business Bureau is the tax scam (also known as the IRS scam), which has accounted for about one in four reports to BBB Scam Tracker during its first year of operation. But BBB has seen a dramatic drop in new reports on this scam since police in Mumbai, India, raided a call center earlier this month. The tax scam involves call center con artists posing as IRS agents in the U.S. and Canadian Revenue agents in Canada. They threaten their targets with financial penalties, lawsuits, and even arrest if they dont pay the back taxes they supposedly owe. In a typical week, BBB Scam Tracker receives approximately 200 reports on tax scams. That number has dropped to just 11 reports of this scam in the past week, nearly a 95% decline. [Go to bbb.org/taxscam for BBBs tips and a recording of a tax scam robocall] We are delighted with this news, said Mary E. Power, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, which manages BBB Scam Tracker with support from local BBBs across North America. We appreciate the efforts of the Mumbai police and the law enforcement agencies they worked with to close down this operation that has cost American and Canadian consumers millions of dollars. To immediately see the success of this raid reflected in our BBB Scam Tracker data is really remarkable, and validates our belief in the importance of using reports from the public to better understand the scam landscape, notes Emma Fletcher, manager of BBB Scam Tracker. But we know from past experience that scammers are opportunists. Hopefully this crew wont be stealing from anyone again for a long while. But we will be keeping an eye on incoming scam reports so we can alert consumers what the next big thing in scams turns out to be. According to news reports, there were 770 employees working at the Mumbai call center when the midnight raid was conducted; 70 were charged with fraud and other crimes as a result of the raid. -30- ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2015, people turned to BBB more than 172 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as home to its national programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation. CONTACTS (journalists only): Katherine Hutt (703-247-9345 or khutt(at)council(dot)bbb.org) or Jasmine Turner (703-247-9376 or jturner(at)council(dot)bbb.org Respected Periodontist, Dr. Amarik Singh Honors National Dental Hygiene Month in Oak Brook, IL Dr. Amarik Singh, a distinguished periodontist, celebrates National Dental Hygiene Month by educating patients on the risks of untreated gum recession in Oak Brook, IL. Dr. Singh now accepts new patents for gum recession treatment without a referral. Receding gums can expose the tooth root if they are not treated quickly and can eventually lead to gum disease and a host of systemic issues. Patients who experience any of the common symptoms of gum recession, including increased tooth sensitivity, elongated appearing teeth, loose teeth and tooth loss, should promptly be treated by a qualified periodontist. Dr. Singh invites new patients with gum recession in Oak Brook, IL, to take advantage of National Dental Hygiene Month by receiving treatment at his practice. Dr. Singh offers treatment with the revolutionary Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique. This technique treats gum recession in a quick and minimally-invasive manner. Patients who do not want to receive one or more gum grafts as treatment for their receding gums are encouraged to discuss the benefits of the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique with Dr. Singh. Unlike traditional treatment options for moderate to severe gum recession, the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique effectively corrects the gum line without scalpels or sutures. This innovative procedure is performed by making a small hole directly in the gums above the receded site. Dr. Singh uses the minor hole as an entry point to adjust the gums to a natural position. The safe and gentle procedure limits tissue trauma and allows for only minimal bleeding. Recovery time is shorter compared to traditional solutions and most patients can immediately return to their normal routines after treatment. Patients with gum recession in Oak Brook, IL are urged to meet with Dr. Singh, a trusted periodontist, to learn more about the benefits of the highly effective and gentle Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique. To schedule an appointment, patients are invited to call Periodontal Implant Associates at 630-424-9404. About the Doctor Periodontal Implant Associates is a periodontal practice offering personalized dental care for patients in Oak Brook, IL and the Chicago area. After graduating from Northwestern University Dental School, Dr. Amarik Singh went on to obtain his Specialty Certificate in Periodontics and earn his Masters from Northwestern University. Dr. Singh is deeply committed to continuing education and prides himself on remaining on the cutting-edge of the newest techniques and technology in dentistry. Dr. Singh has placed over 15,000 dental implants using a minimally-invasive technique and is part of an elite group of dental professionals at the forefront of the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST), a revolutionary new approach to repairing gum recession. To learn more about the periodontal services available at Periodontal Implant Associates, please visit http://www.pidentists.com or call (630) 424-9404. Splice Machine, provider of the open-source SQL RDBMS powered by Hadoop and Spark, has been announced as one of 35 organizations to be selected through a merit-based process as eligible to be joint venture partners (JVPs) by the U.S. Commerce Departments National Technical Information Service (NTIS). By becoming an NTIS JVP, Splice Machine will be eligible to be chosen to work with the NTIS on data-driven projects that are requested and funded by federal agencies. These joint ventures mark a major milestone for the data economy, said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker in a recent press release. As Americas data agency, the Commerce Department is committed to making it easier for businesses, government, taxpayers and communities to access, analyze and use data to strengthen economic growth and create new jobs. I am confident the partnerships between NTIS and each selected organization will unlock new federal data that will leverage advances in data science, promote software development and accelerate innovation. The NTIS joint ventures are defined as an NTIS Business Partnership where both parties invest resources to deliver a product or service to Federal agencies. These business partnerships are focused on complex data projects that require fast execution and innovative technologies and are not amenable to typical contracts or available commercial solutions. The partnerships mission is to collect and widely disseminate federal scientific, technical, engineering and business-related information as well as to aid in the focus on providing federal customers with online data and services. The NTIS JVP program gives us a unique opportunity to power intelligent applications that tap into the wealth of federal data resources and drive innovation at a national level, said Monte Zweben, co-founder and CEO, Splice Machine. With the advancements being made every day in machine learning and artificial intelligence, this program and its participants can help propel government agencies forward, from audacious moon shots to seemingly mundane data sharing. About Splice Machine Splice Machine is disrupting the $30 billion traditional database world with the open-source RDBMS powered by Apache Hadoop and Apache Spark, for mixed operational and analytical workloads. Splice Machine makes it easy to create modern, real-time, scalable applications, or to offload operational and analytical workloads from expensive Oracle, Teradata, and Netezza systems. The Splice Machine RDBMS simplifies the Lambda architecture, so businesses no longer have to manage the complexity of integrating multiple compute engines to ingest, serve, or analyze data. With Splice Machines Lambda in a Box architecture, developers and data scientists can store their data all in one place and just write SQL. Splice Machine is a trademark of Splice Machine, Inc. Apache Hadoop, Hadoop, Apache HBase, HBase, and Apache Spark, and Spark are trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). Oracle and PL/SQL are trademarks of Oracle Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective registered owners. Trademark use is for identification only and does not imply sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement. The Mount Sinai National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute will celebrate its first year of treating patients by officially opening a new, state-of-the-art practice on Friday, October 21, 2016. The new location, on the fifth floor of 10 East 102nd Street, has been completely renovated and updated with exam rooms and treatment suites designed specifically for diagnosing and treating respiratory diseases. Spacious waiting areas and comfortable consultation offices enhance the patient experience. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, based in Manhattan, launched the Respiratory Institute last year in partnership with National Jewish Health, the nations leading respiratory hospital, which is based in Denver. The partnership creates a strong, integrated program for the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory illnesses, including Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). Since the Respiratory Institutes launch, patients were seen in two separate temporary locations on Mount Sinais main campus in Manhattan. One in four Americans suffers from a serious, chronic or life-threatening respiratory disease, making the need for excellent patient care and cutting-edge research crucial. The new home for The Mount Sinai National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute will facilitate the best possible care for patients suffering from Asthma, COPD, and other lung diseases, said Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System. When the Respiratory Institute launched last year, we saw an immediate increase in patients seeking the excellent care that comes from this partnership, said Michael Salem, MD, President and CEO of National Jewish Health. The new space enhances our ability to share our expertise and innovations with more patients in the New York region and beyond. Patients from around the New York region and beyond come to the Mount Sinai National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute for expert respiratory care. In its first full year of operations, the Respiratory Institute recorded about 18,000 patient visits, significantly more than were seen previously by the Respiratory services at Mount Sinai and well beyond initial expectations for the Institute. National Jewish Health is the only institution in the nation dedicated to research and treatment of respiratory diseases for both adults and children. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is ranked among the top medical schools in the United States and is the medical education and research hub for the Mount Sinai Health System, one of the largest not-for-profit, multi-site Health Care Systems in the country. The Mount Sinai Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine houses world-class programs in Sarcoidosis, Lung Cancer, Critical Care Medicine, Genomics, and Immunological Sciences. The Respiratory Institute uses an interdisciplinary approach developed by National Jewish Health in its outpatient programs. Pulmonologists collaborate with specialists in related disciplines, including Cardiology, Allergy, Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, ENT, and Thoracic Surgery, to provide team-based, patient-centered care. The Respiratory Institute also draws on Mount Sinais programs in Personalized Medicine, Genomics, and data-driven clinical protocols to enhance the quality and outcomes of the respiratory disease practice. We are pleased with see the progress already made in our collaboration with National Jewish Health. As the Respiratory Institute moves into its new, permanent home, we look forward to seeing further advances in respiratory care in both New York City and throughout the country, from disease management to education and research, said Charles Powell, MD, Janice and Coleman Rabin Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, System Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai-National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute. The Respiratory Institute is led by Dr. Powell and Louis DePalo, MD, Clinical Director of the Respiratory Institute and Sarah and Eric Lane Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Physicians at the Respiratory Institute first began seeing patients in January 2015 and are now accepting outside referrals and new patients. Patients and physicians wishing to make an appointment at the Respiratory Institute can call 212-241-5656 or visit http://nationaljewish.mountsinai.org/. About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient servicesfrom community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 12 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is in the Honor Roll of best hospitals in America, ranked No. 15 nationally in the 2016-2017 Best Hospitals issue of U.S. News & World Report. The Mount Sinai Hospital is also ranked as one of the nations top 20 hospitals in Geriatrics, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Nephrology, Neurology/Neurosurgery, and Ear, Nose & Throat, and is in the top 50 in four other specialties. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 10 nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. Mount Sinais Kravis Childrens Hospital is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report in "Best Children's Hospitals." For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. About National Jewish Health National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation. Founded 117 years ago as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health today is the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking medical research and treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Patients and families come to National Jewish Health from around the world to receive cutting-edge, comprehensive and coordinated care. To learn more, visit http://www.njhealth.org. # # # BabelBark Platform Kerri's rich background in customer experience, technology and management will add a valuable perspective to our executive team and board, fully underscoring our commitment to our partners and thousands of veterinary practices worldwide BabelBark, a pet related software developer located in Newton, Massachusetts, announced today that Kerri Marshall, DVM, has joined the BabelBark founding team as chief veterinary officer and member of their board of directors. Kerri's rich background in customer experience, technology and management will add a valuable perspective to our executive team and board, fully underscoring our commitment to our partners and thousands of veterinary practices worldwide, shared Roy Stein, chairman, founder and CEO of BabelBark. BabelBarks veterinary product, BabelVet, revolutionizes the way veterinarians connect with pets and pet parents. The application integrates with veterinarians existing practice management software and marketing tools, provides detailed health and activity information, and helps veterinarians better understand their clients' pets needs and connect with their clients more efficiently, effectively and easily. Marshall, a second generation veterinarian who after 10 years of practicing, was part of the founding management team of Banfield. While at the company she designed various technology applications including electronic health records for pets, a pet parent portal, and a digital radiology platform to support Banfield practices. Following her 16 years with Banfield, Marshall was with the executive team at Trupanion, a provider of medical plans for cats and dogs throughout the United States and Canada. While with Trupanion she designed Trupanion Express, a web based application available to veterinarians that allows the company to receive, process, approve and disburse payments for eligible claims within minutes, allowing veterinarians to concentrate on active care. Most recently, Marshall was the chief relationship manager for the animal health division of Sikka Software, a technology company serving retail healthcare businesses such as dentistry, vision care, and veterinary practices. It is such an honor to be a part of the BabelBark team, said Kerri Marshall, DVM. Their dedication to improving the pet owners experience with the highly fragmented and fast growing pet health industry is unrivaled. Marshall holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Oregon, and a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Washington State University. Marshall lives in Seattle with her husband and three dogs, including Rudy Einstein, who is a beta dog for BabelBarks fitness tracker. She also enjoys endurance riding with her Arabian horse, Kharma. About BabelBark BabelBark is dedicated to bringing families an easy way to connect the many facets of their dogs life through a mobile app that tracks activity and connects with their favorite veterinarian, pet store, groomer, dog walker, pet sitter and moreall to help pet parents understand their dog and provide them the happiest and healthiest life possible, while helping pet businesses and veterinarians maintain a closer relationship with their customers and clients. For more information, visit babelbark.com or email at info@babelbark.com. IT Gala 2016 - Bratislava, Slovakia We believe every little bit of success should be shared with those who truly are behind it. Therefore, we divide 25% of Rescos profits among all of our dedicated team, year after year. BRATISLAVA, Slovakia October 20, 2016 - Resco, a world-renowned provider of mobile solutions for service and sales reps in the field, was recently recognized among the most profitable companies of 2015. Well-known IT companies, Eset and Sygic, had taken second and first place. Resco was presented this award at the 2016 IT Gala in Bratislava, hosted by publishing house Digital Visions s.r.o. In every IT company, profit and success go hand in hand, says Resco CEO Radomir Vozar. We are happy to see our company getting more and more recognition, worldwide. Vozar explains that award winning profitability comes with great responsibility, one Resco and Vozar do not take lightly. We believe every little bit of success should be shared with those who truly are behind it. Therefore, we divide 25% of Rescos profits among all of our dedicated team, year after year. As a leader in business innovation, Resco goes a step further in dispersal of wealth. In addition to fair distribution within the company, Resco significantly invests the companys capital into research and development annually. About Resco Resco, founded in 1999, is one of the global leaders in developing cross-platform mobile software solutions for Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Oracle CX, and other back-end systems. The team of Resco professionals utilizes its knowledge by designing products for corporate customers, developers, integrators, end users and today, Resco Mobile solution for field sales and service is utilized by more than 1500 corporate customers around the world. For more information please visit http://www.resco.net About Resco Mobile CRM Resco Mobile CRM is the all-in-one mobile solution that gives users around-the-clock access to CRM data wherever they are. It can be utilized as a mobile client for CRM systems, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Oracle CX, Salesforce, or as a standalone CRM system. It offers full offline functionality, interactive maps, support of custom entities & many other capabilities that make it the product people love to use. The NYC Autumn Wine Festival presented by New York Wine Events returns to NYY Steak in midtown Manhattan on Saturday, November 19. With exceptional fall wines and artisanal foods on each level... well create an elegant, enjoyable atmosphere in which guests can relax and celebrate this beautiful time of year right before the bustling New York City holiday season kicks in. New York Wine Events is pleased to announce its 4th Annual NYC Autumn Wine Festival will be returning to NYY Steak in midtown Manhattan on Saturday, November 19. General admission sessions will be held at 2:30-5pm and 7:30-10pm. A special Premium Early Access ticket offers guests the option of walking the upscale food and wine event one hour earlier than the rest of the crowd, commencing at 1:30pm for the afternoon session and 6:30pm for the evening. The New York City tasting will feature over 150 wines curated with the experts of Vintry Fine Wines along with light fare including charcuterie, cheese and breads and Ravioli Classico with pomodoro sauce, fresh basil, and parmesan, plus light hors doeuvres including Mini Sliders with fontina and tomato chorizo relish and Roasted Tomato & Mozzarella Flatbread. Numerous artisan food tables will also be sampling chocolates, salsas, sauces, non-alcoholic beverages, and more. In addition to samples, participating artisanal food makers will have full sized items on hand for patrons to purchase and take home. Guests will also be able to keep their complimentary wine tasting glass as a souvenir and enjoy live jazz performances throughout each session by the Saul Rubin Duo. Tasting tables located throughout multi-level space will feature a mix of wines perfect for fall and the holiday season. Selections include bold, full-bodied red wines, bright and buttery white wines, plus sparkling, sweet and specialty selections. Wines from Old World, New World and emerging regions will be featured and include varietals from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, South America, South Africa, Australia, Slovenia, Greece, the United States, and more. The event will also include several New York State wineries and guests will be able to purchase the selections they savor by the bottle or case. A VIP Ticket option is available (limited to 50 people per session) which includes early access to the main tasting plus admission to a private VIP wine tasting suite. The exclusive suite features 10 high-end wines plus a premium selection of passed hors d'oeuvres including Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with black garlic and tomato jam, Wild Mushroom Flatbread, Ahi Tuna with avocado, crispy shallots, cilantro, and ponzu, Lobster Sliders with tarragon aioli and pickled shallots on a brioche bun, and Eggplant, Caponata, Pomegranate Agro Dolce on semolina crostini. Wines will include outstanding offerings from Argentina, Bordeaux, Burgundy, California, and Champagne. Were delighted to return to the luxurious NYY Steak, says Sam Kimball, founder of New York Wine Events. With exceptional fall wines and artisanal foods on each level, an optional VIP Suite experience featuring some spectacular high end wines and delicious accompaniments, and classic jazz from the talented Saul Rubin, well create an elegant, enjoyable atmosphere in which guests can relax and celebrate this beautiful time of year right before the bustling New York City holiday season kicks in. A mainstay on the New York jazz scene, musical guest Saul Rubin graduated from the Hartt School of Music, where he majored in composition and studied jazz with the legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean and saxophonist/arranger Paul Jeffrey, before moving back home to New York. Since then Sauls soulful and virtuosic guitar playing has been heard alongside some of the world's greatest jazz musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Roy Hargrove, Renee Fleming, John Hicks, Victor Lewis, Bob Cranshaw, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Cameron Brown, Larry Willis, Sue Terry, Willie Jones III, Eric Revis, and many more. Sponsors and participating artisan food companies to date include Cadillac as presenting sponsor, ARV Sweets, barkThins, Bodegas Vivanco, Casa Visco, Cutco, Darsana Truffle, Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Don Tony Perez Wine, Fulkerson Winery, Gramercy Vineyards, Green Mountain Energy, John Wm. Macys Cheesesticks, Karen Grace Designs, Laureate Imports, Li-lac Chocolates, The Luscious Little Dessert Company, Ma Lung Winery, Patrichius Tokaj, Purely Greece Imports, Reilly Cellars, Salsa di Parma, Topo Chico Sparkling Water, Trois Petits Cochons, The Virgin Olive, The Wining Hour, and Yankee Folly Cider. New York Wine Events popular tastings in the New York Metro area have had sold out crowds over the last decade, and the New York City autumn event is expected to do the same. Tickets are on sale now, priced from $99 to $225, depending upon ticket level and time of purchase. Check the web site for details about limited time early purchase discounts, 15% savings for groups of 10 or more, and the Taste VIP program membership benefits including complimentary event tickets and discounts. Advance purchase for the November 19th fest is highly recommended. For complete details and to purchase tickets to the New York City Autumn Wine Festival, visit NewYorkWineEvents.com. About New York Wine Events New York Wine Events is a comprehensive web site and event directory committed to bringing together New York Metro wine and food lovers, whether it is at one of their own wine festivals, at the other New York area food and drink events appearing on their pages, or through their in-depth articles about New York's vibrant food and drink scene. Visit NewYorkWineEvents.com. About Vintry Fine Wines Vintry Fine Wines brings fine wine to NYCs revitalized downtown. With 2,500+ selections focusing on both collectibles and drinkables, Vintry is a destination in bourgeoning Battery Park City. Featuring iconic design marrying classic and modern elements by architecture firm Rogers Marvel, this indicates what the store is all about: the best wines from both old and new world regions. Visit VintryFineWines.com. The Dragonfly Foundation works diligently to help young people in our area face down and overcome cancer, and for that theyve more than earned the support of every single family in our community The Dianne Michael Insurance Agency, a family owned and operated firm providing insurance and financial consulting services to residential and business clients throughout Cincinnati, is embarking on a charity drive to raise funds and support for the ongoing efforts of the Dragonfly Foundation. The Dragonfly Foundation is committed to providing emotional care and community-based support to young hospitalized cancer patients, along with their families and caregivers. The Dragonfly Foundation works to thoroughly explain the specifics of cancer treatment, educating young patients on what to expect while they are in the hospital, and helping them to step back into their lives once treatment is complete. The Dragonfly Foundation works diligently to help young people in our area face down and overcome cancer, and for that theyve more than earned the support of every single family in our community, says Dianne Michael, founder and director of Dianne Michael Insurance Agency. Michael and her team are making connections with local civic leaders, business owners, families, and friends over social media and email to raise awareness and donations for the Dragonfly Foundation charity event. Dianne Michael Insurance Agency will also be including a full length article on the charity drive in their next publication of Our Hometown, a monthly online magazine hosted by the firm: http://diannemichaelinsurance.com/magazines/. Dianne Michael Insurance Agency is one of the newest affiliates of a national charity empowerment campaign called Agents of Change. As part of their membership in this group, Michael and her team have committed to assisting at least one new charitable cause operating in the Cincinnati area every other month. Readers who would like to join the Dianne Michael Insurance Agency for the Dragonfly Foundation charity drive are personally invited to support the cause by visiting this page and taking action: http://diannemichaelinsurance.com/causes/dragonflyfound-commcause-dianne-michael/. Future charitable causes assisted by the Dianne Michael Insurance team will be detailed on the agencys permanent Community Causes page: http://diannemichaelinsurance.com/community/. About Dianne Michael Insurance Agency As a Personal Finance Representative in Cincinnati, agency owner Dianne Michael knows many local families. Her knowledge and understanding of the people in her community ensures that clients of Dianne Michael Insurance are provided with an outstanding level of service. Dianne and her team look forward to helping families protect the things that are most important - family, home, car and more. Dianne Michael Insurance Agency also offers clients a preparation strategy for achieving their financial goals. To contact an expert at Dianne Michael Insurance Agency, visit http://diannemichaelinsurance.com/ or call (513) 451-8700 or (513) 322-4300. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Restaurant stocks have failed to find favors with investors so far in 2016. As a result, most of the restaurateurs have been grappling with sluggish comps and soft traffic growth. In fact, per a report by TDn2Ks Black Box Intelligence, the second quarter of 2016 was the second consecutive quarter in which the restaurant industry failed to generate positive comps growth. Same-store sales growth during the quarter dipped 0.7% year over year, following a 0.2% decline witnessed in the first quarter, thereby continuing the somber mood at the restaurant industry. Also, the Zacks Industry Rank for the Retail-Restaurants industry currently stands at #199. This puts the industry in the bottom 25%, corresponding to a negative outlook. However, notwithstanding a long list of apprehensions, there are a few restaurant stocks that are performing well at the moment. One such company is Shake Shack Inc. SHAK. Notably, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock debuted as a public company on Jan 15, 2015 and saw its stock price scale higher in the months that followed. Though Shake Shack came crashing down in the later part of 2015, this has made the stock more reasonably priced as its Forward Price to Earnings ratio dropped from the previous levels of nearly 1000 times earnings. However, despite being a relatively expensive stock, Shake Shack has solid growth potential given its strong brand, solid balance sheet and lucrative store economics. Also, menu innovation and limited time offerings have been boosting comps. Shake Shack has also been focusing on highly valued millennial consumers who prefer brand experience and healthy food. Such efforts to meet consumer preferences have made it a hit among the younger generation. In fact, the companys cult following and successful expansion into various cities around the world have been driving growth. Moreover, the companys earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all of the last four quarters, with an average beat of 31.69%. Also, over the past 60 days, the company has been seeing an upward trend in earnings estimate revision for 2016 and 2017. Further, for full-year 2016, sales growth is pegged at 35.4% while EPS is expected to grow a solid 41.8%. However, Shake Shack is not the only company looking up in the U.S. restaurant industry. Many companies in the space have held ground in spite of the recent chaos, thereby beating the sluggish restaurant trend. 4 Other Winners With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have zeroed-in on four other stocks in the Retail-Restaurants industry, apart from Shake Shack, flaunting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Wingstop Inc. WING, together with its subsidiaries, franchises and operates restaurants under the Wingstop brand. Its restaurants offer cooked-to-order, hand-sauced, and tossed chicken wings. Solid unit development, investments in technology along with migrating to a national advertising platform, should continue to drive growth at Wingstop. Notably, the stock has rallied over 47% year to date and upward estimate revisions for 2016 and 2017 earnings, over the past 60 days, add to the optimism. Moreover, for full-year 2016, sales and EPS are projected to grow a respective 17.2% and 17.6%. Headquartered in Syracuse, NY, Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. TAST operates through its subsidiaries and is one of the largest restaurant companies in the U.S. The company is the largest Burger King franchisee, based on restaurant count. The companys astounding earnings growth, significant improvement in the top line and operating margin along with innovative product introductions hold well for long-term growth. The stock has returned nearly 12% on a year-to-date basis and has been seeing an upward trend in earnings estimate revision for 2016 and 2017, over the past 60 days. Additionally, for full-year 2016, sales growth is pegged at 10.2% while EPS is likely to improve a solid 55.3%. Headquartered in Calabasas Hills, CA, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated CAKE operates many upscale, high volume casual dining restaurants. Notably, Cheesecake Factory restaurants have posted positive comps in 26 consequent quarters. Going forward, various initiatives to boost sales and traffic volumes like roll out of an improved server training program and its mobile payment app coupled with menu innovation should aid in keeping up the trend of positive comps. Notably, the company has surged nearly 10% year to date. The companys differentiated menu, operational distinction and unique ambiance has been appealing to customers. Further, for full-year 2016, sales growth is poised at 7.8% while EPS is expected to grow 15.4%. Headquartered in Dublin, OH, The Wendy's Company WEN is the world's third-largest quick-service hamburger company. Wendys sales initiatives like menu innovation and promotional offerings are driving growth. Moreover, increased investments in technology are quickening service and thus, resulting in increased customer count. The companys international business is also poised to be a long-term growth driver. Adding to the positives, upward estimate revisions for 2016 and 2017 earnings, over the past 60 days, reinstate hope on the stocks prospects. Further, for full-year 2016, EPS is expected to grow 20.1%. Bottom Line Though the restaurant industry has its share of pitfalls in the form of sluggish comps growth and traffic trends along with rising labor costs, effective sales initiatives undertaken by the companies should keep them going. Now See Our Private Investment Ideas While the above ideas are being shared with the public, other trades are hidden from everyone but selected members. Would you like to peek behind the curtain and view them? Starting today, for the next month, you can follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time from value to momentum . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from insider trades to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises (we've called them with 80%+ accuracy). You can even look inside portfolios so exclusive that they are normally closed to new investors. Click here for Zacks' secret trades >> 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 CHEESECAKE FACT (CAKE): Free Stock Analysis Report WENDYS CO/THE (WEN): Free Stock Analysis Report CARROLS RESTRNT (TAST): Free Stock Analysis Report SHAKE SHACK INC (SHAK): Free Stock Analysis Report WINGSTOP INC (WING): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East The proposed merger of the International Digital Publishing Forum with the W3C, the web standards organization founded by Tim Berners-Lee, remains a contentious issue. OverDrive CEO Steve Potash challenged the proposal during the IDPF conference at BEA in Chicago this spring, and has renewed efforts to block or delay the proposal at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Potash believes a merger with the W3C will leave the book publishing industry with little influence over the continued development of ePUB, the widely supported e-book file standard developed by the IDPF. Indeed, he is challenging the proposed merger just as the IDPF board has placed the proposal before IDPF members for a vote. IDPF has about 130 members eligible to vote (which means members who have paid all dues). IDPF executive director Bill McCoy said the board has recommended that the proposal be approved, and members can vote until November 4. The results will be released on November 7. In response to Potashs concerns, McCoy cautioned that a vote in favor of the merger doesnt mean the process has ended. Approval only allows the board to begin negotiating the details of the merger, which McCoy said could still be rejected. Member approval would not imply that the combination is definitely happening, as definitive agreements would need to be developed and approved by IDPF Board as well as W3C, McCoy said. Nevertheless, in an interview from Frankfurt, Potash called for a slow down or postponement of the merger, and said he was meeting with IDPF members at Frankfurt to organize an effort to forestall the proposed merger. Potash said he was disappointed in the rush to vote on the proposal, and he claimed that process around vetting the proposal lacked transparency. Potash has also posted an online petition calling for a halt to the vote on the W3C/IDPF merger proposal. The IDPF brought the book community together around the idea of digital books and digital reading. But this merger puts that community at peril, Potash told PW. He has also been meeting with IDPF members and other digital publishing professionals in Frankfurt about the issue. Potash's concerns are essentially the same ones he voiced in May during the IDPF conference at BEA in Chicago. During that press conference, Potash, who founded the Open E-Book Forum, the predecessor to the IDPF, was pointedly skeptical of the benefits of the merger, and questioned the process for informing members. He suggested that members did not understand the scope of the proposalthe IDPF will disappear and its intellectual property, specifically the ePUB standard, will become property of the W3C. McCoy told PW he doesnt believe the proposal has been rushed to a vote. He emphasized that the merger proposal was first presented to IDPF members in April 2016.. According to McCoy, the issues surrounding the merger were presented before an open meeting of IDPF membership during BEA in Chicago; at webinars held at W3C conventions overseas, and board members went to Japan to discuss the merger face to face with Japanese digital and manga publisher/members. We think six months of this process is enough, McCoy said. If the members vote yes, it still doesnt mean well merge. We have to go over the details of the transaction to make sure it makes sense to proceed. Jeanne Mosure is stepping down as senior v-p and group publisher of Disney Publishing Worldwide. Disney confirmed that Mosure, who has been with Disney since 1998, is leaving the company but offered few other details. News of Mosure's departure was first reported by Publishing Trends. "Jeanne has left a significant mark on our business and we thank her for her many contributions during her time at Disney Publishing," a Disney spokesperson said. Sources outside of the company said that Mary Ann Naples, who was named v-p and publisher of the Disney Book Group this past February, will now report directly to Andrew Sugerman, executive v-p of content and media at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. No other significant changes are planned, sources said. During Mosures time with Disney, the company closed the Disney Publishing Worldwide office in White Plains, N.Y. and moved most book group employees to New York City and other DPW employees to Glendale, Calif. where they are with Disney Consumer Products and Disney Interactive units and close to Disney headquarters in Burbank. As part of the change, which took place in late 2012, Mosure moved to Glendale and Sugerman was named to head DPW. CORRECTION: This story previously misworded Andrew Sugerman's position. The top 52 companies in the global book business generate approximately 60 billion euros in value each year, according to the latest report of the top global publishers compiled by Ruediger Wischenbart, the Vienna-based publishing consultant. (PW published the list of the largest publishers in August). You now see that publishing is a global business and there is now a process of stabilization driven by consolidation driven by the big companies absorbing the smaller ones, he said as part of his introduction to an interview with Jacob Dalborg, CEO of Bonnier Books. Overall, Bonnier is one of the worlds largest conglomerates in publishing, comprising more than 250 brands in 14 different countries. You may not know it, but Bonnier a Swedish conglomerate is actually the third largest publisher in Germany, said Wischenbart. For his part, Dalborg said that he wanted people to think of Bonniers German imprints before they think of the parent companys brand: Ullstein Buchverlage, Piper Verlag, Carlsen Verlag, et al. But, he emphasized throughout the hour long interview, Bonnier really has the closeness of the family. Our emphasis is on people, finding, training and retaining, the right people. Discussing the companys overall book strategy, he said, Compared to other businesses, not only in media, books are really in a good place. We have business models that work.We sell stories, that is what we sell whether that is in print, digital or audio, it doesnt matter, as long as there is a buyer for that. It is not a walk in the park, the core of what we do, the literature itself, there is a demand for it and you have to pay for it. Asked specifically about the U.K. and U.S. markets, where the company has launched new bookstores (Pocket Shop in the U.K.) and imprints (among others, Little Bee in the U.S.), Dalborg acknowledged Bonnier has set itself some big goals. This August, when Bonnier announced the creation of Bonnier Publishing USA, it said it want to raise revenue in the U.S. from about $40 million to $100 million by 2019. At Frankfurt, Dalborg said it will take time for Bonnier to hit its objectives but added "we will get there" . Roastery Starbucks is opening another Willy Wonka-inspired Roastery this time, in Tokyo, Japan. On Thursday, CEO Howard Schultz announced that the coffee giant would open its fourth Roastery in Tokyo in 2018. "Its clear to the me that the universal interest in premium retail experiences is not skewed to only the US," Schultz told Business Insider. "I think there is a bigger trend here as companies face the threat of e-commerce and mobile shopping, the burden of responsibility of the bricks and mortar retailers is to create a very immersive, dynamic experience." For Starbucks, Roasteries are a major piece of the puzzle in creating this immersive experience. The coffee chain opened its first Roastery in Seattle in 2014, and has plans to open a second in Shanghai in 2017 and a third in New York in 2018. Starbucks Roastery The Seattle location provides a basic blueprint for future Roasteries, as well as a window into the future of Starbucks more broadly. The 15,000-square-foot location combines coffee production, menu testing, and architectural whimsy, serving up drinks like the $10 Nitro Cold Brew Float made with coffee roasted on location. The Tokyo Roastery, which will be located in the upscale Nakameguro district, will be 13,000 square feet. The space will be designed by Kengo Kuma, an architect who has previously collaborated with Starbucks to create one of its most creative and striking locations to date. Like all future Roastery locations, the Tokyo Roastery will have a fully-integrated bakery operation, thanks to Starbucks recent partnership with Italian artisanal bakery Pinci. As more Roasteries open, each will have distinct aspects that set it apart. "Every Roastery that we open will have all the elements and the foundation of the Seattle Roastery, with locally relevant products and retail theater," Schultz said. Story continues Japan_Store2_Photo_Credit _Masao_Nishikawa The Tokyo Roastery represents two major trends happening at Starbucks: the increasing importance of brand-boosting, upscale locations and the growth in Asia. Widespread popularity can be the kiss of death for brands like Starbucks that have built their business on attracting younger, trendy customers. Gourmet shops, like the Roasteries, have used physical locations to help build Starbucks' coffee-snob approved brand, giving the chain a leg up on less prestigious coffee shops and e-commerce retailers. "What the Roasteries have shown us is that there is this a real opportunity for our company to create this super premium brand," says Schultz. As Starbucks opens more Roasteries, the chain is also working on scaled-down versions of the mega-stores. The chain plans to open roughly 500 to 1,000 Reserve stores, which offers premium Roastery beverages and artisanal Princi food, over time. In the next year, Starbucks plans to open 1,000 stores with Reserve Bars, which will serve drinks made in a wider variety of styles such as pour-over and siphoning. starbucks slide Starbucks exploration of super-premium branding isn't restricted to the US. While it is notable that half of its currently planned Roasteries will be located in Asia, the move is unsurprising looking at the chain's growth in the region, especially in China. Today, Starbucks has more than 6,200 locations in the Asia Pacific region. That includes 2,300 locations in China, compared to 400 stores in 2011. The company plans to reach 5,000 stores in China where it is currently opening a new store roughly every day by 2021. "I am quite convinced that, over time, China will be larger than the US and larger than any market we have in the world," says Schultz. However, with the Shanghai and Tokyo Roasteries, as well as business in Asia more broadly, Starbucks is careful not to assume what works in Seattle will succeed in China and Japan. "We want to apply the same discipline and thoughtfulness and, most importantly, respect for the Chinese customer, and Japanese customer and realize that our success in US does not give us the license to succeed anywhere else in the world," says Schultz. "We have to earn it." NOW WATCH: The world's coolest Starbucks has 2,000 wooden sticks jutting out of the walls More From Business Insider SAN DIEGO (TNS) -- 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. 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 bill essentially runs parallel with the 30 percent tax credit that wind and solar receive from the federal government and, similar to those credits, eventually would taper off. "Storage is too expensive," said Keith Martin, an attorney at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Chadbourne & Parke and panelist at the Energy Storage North America conference earlier this month in San Diego. "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. But in addition to the Congressional hurdles the legislation would have to clear, there are other questions. For example, while wind and solar generate energy for the electrical grid, storage captures energy produced at one time and then deploys it later. "The subsidy for wind and solar energy is already an indirect subsidy for the energy storage industry," said William Yeatman at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. If the energy storage industry receives a taxpayer-funded tax credit, "it's basically double-dipping," he said. -- Business: Betty's Wig Boutique. -- Business address: Davenport store, 1120 Jersey Ridge Road; Iowa City store, 1840 S. Gilbert St. -- Describe the business: We offer a large variety of wigs, hats and turbans. Also products to care for your wig, hairpiece, ponytails and add-ons. Our main focus is the outstanding professional customer service that all of our clients receive from the moment they walk in the door. We offer a relaxed and private atmosphere or a party setting, depending on the client's needs. We focus on the customer's color and style, and give the clients the best fit and look they need. Classes are offered on how to care for their wig. Our motto: These are not your momma's wigs! -- Why did you pursue this opportunity? Betty was my mother in-law. In 2007, Betty and my sister in-law, Cheryl, were involved in a very tragic accident. Cheryl passed away in that accident, and Betty suffered terrible injuries. Betty lived five and a half years in a nursing home. Our choice was to close the location on Locust Street where Betty had been for 20 years. This was her second location. The first had been in downtown Davenport for 20 years. We had to move to our new location eight years ago. The building was to be torn down. Turns out I fell in love with the business and customers. I get to go to work every day and hear cancer patients, alopecia clients, women or men with thinning hair say to me, "Thank you for making me feel like myself again! Plus, can I hug you?" Wow, I wonder if they realize what an honor it is for me to be able to make them happy? I thank God for that special gift! Now, for another wonderful dream, my daughter Sarah opened a Betty's in Iowa City three years ago. How wonderful: a great legacy and family business that is run by three generations of women. Rhonda Crawford, 45, is accused of donning a robe and briefly hearing traffic cases in a Cook County courthouse on Aug. 11, months after she won the Democratic primary for an open county judgeship. Crawford had been considered a shoo-in to win the Nov. 8 election, but news that she briefly played the role of a judge astonished the legal community, drew ridicule and triggered the criminal investigation. Crawford has been indicted on charges of misdemeanor false impersonation and felony official misconduct, which carries a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said in a statement. "(Crawford's) conduct in this case was offensive to the integrity of our system and cannot be excused or ignored as a mere lapse in judgment," Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said in the statement, adding that judges are "at the heart of our criminal justice system." A message left for Crawford's lawyer, Victor Henderson, wasn't immediately returned. He has previously described the incident as, at worst, "a minor infraction," and accuses Democratic powerbrokers exploiting the incident to undermine Crawford's election bid. Crawford herself has said the matter has been blown out of proportion, telling reporters at a September news conference that she'd been shadowing judges to observe how they work when one offered to let her put on the robes. Crawford said she agreed in a spur-of-the-moment decision. "I did not tell anyone that I was the judge," she said last month. "I want to emphasize that the judge was always standing over me. She never left the bench." Crawford has said she donned the robe for just five minutes, but regrets having done it. "I allowed my respect for the judge and my enthusiasm to learn the procedures of being a judge to become a distraction to others and to my own lifelong ambition of being on the bench," she said. "It is a lesson I will never forget." Crawford, who was a staff attorney assigned to Chief Judge Timothy Evans at the time, was fired from her $57,000-a-year position. Her annual salary as a judge, should she win in November, would be more than $180,000. Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak found 54-year-old Robert Gold-Smith guilty in March of solicitation of murder for hire. Will County prosecutors say Gold-Smith offered to pay a fellow jail detainee to kill his ex-wife. Gold-Smith made the offer while he was being held on aggravated domestic battery charges involving his ex-wife. A conversation between Gold-Smith and Brian McDaniel recorded at the jail was played during his bench trial. McDaniel also testified against Gold-Smith. The domestic battery charges are pending. Also pending is a charge of communicating with a witness, which alleges Gold-Smith contacted McDaniel indirectly while the solicitation case was pending in an effort to sway his testimony. ANNAWAN -- Students and staff members in the Annawan school district raised about $11,000 to assist a teacher and a student dealing with life emergencies. Superintendent Joe Buresh told board members Wednesday a check for $8,000 was presented to Diane Savage, a teacher in the district who has been diagnosed with cancer for a second time. The money was raised by students and staff through various community fundraisers, he said. He said an additional $3,000 or so was raised and will be presented to the Jeff Gerber family,which its lost their home and belongings in a fire this week. They have two students in our district. In other business, Mr. Buresh told the board the district has received financial recognition on the State Financial Report Card, which is the highest category a school district can achieve. Three board seats will be up for re-election in the April 2017 election. They are Dwaine Shaw Jr., president; Brian Childs, secretary, and Alvin Landwehr , board member. All three indicated they will seek re-election. Petitions of candidacy can be circulated and are available online or at the Henry County or Bureau County courthouses. Petitions can be filed from Dec. 12-19 at the Henry County Courthouse. ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL First Army will welcome a new command sergeant major during a change of responsibility ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday at Memorial Field. Incoming Command Sgt. Maj. Richard K. Johnson comes to First Army from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he was sergeant major, Combined Arms Center-Training. Outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Sam K. Young, has been First Armys senior enlisted leader since October 2013. He will retire soon after more than 30 years of Army service. Lt. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty, First Army commanding general, will preside over the ceremony. In the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be in Heritage Hall inside Building 60. Today is Thursday, Oct. 20, the 294th day of 2016. There are 72 days left in the year. 1866 -- 150 years ago: The steamship Bridgeport left Rock Island with a full cargo and sank about 10 miles from here at Dodges Point. 1891 -- 125 years ago: Dr. W.L. Allen was elected a director of the Rock Island Street Railway Co. 1916 -- 100 years ago: Earl Henderson, local fighter, returned from a tour of the Southwest, during which he won four out of five matches. 1941 -- 75 years ago: Rock Island Patrolman Larry C. Bain will address the Moline Optimist Club. 1966 -- 50 years ago: The Post Office Department is recruiting an army of 150,000 temporary employees for its battle against the annual avalanche of Christmas mail. 1991 -- 25 years ago: The Drivers Services Department on 1st St. A., Moline, on Thursday became one of the first in the state to sell license plate renewal stickers over the counter. WASHINGTON (AP) As Iraqi tanks charge across the country to purge the city of Mosul of the Islamic State group, the United States has perhaps as much to gain from the operation as the Iraqis themselves. Wresting Iraq's second largest city from the extremists is key to eventually defeating them militarily, a major U.S. objective. Still, President Barack Obama's strategy to engage in this war without the use of combat forces has been received with some skepticism; some say this approach allowed IS to expand in the first place. Since 2014, the U.S. has provided advise-and-assist operations to put the beleaguered Iraqi military back on its feet after IS gutted it of weapons, supplies and soldiers during its blitzkrieg across Iraq and Syria. A U.S.-led coalition later launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, reinforcing Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian ground forces, while maintaining that no foreign combat troops would take part in the fight. A look at the U.S. role against IS: ___ HOW MANY U.S. SOLDIERS ARE CURRENTLY IN IRAQ AND SYRIA? According to the Pentagon, there are 4,815 U.S. troops in Iraq, including special operations forces. The Obama administration has authorized a maximum troop level of 5,262. That number does not include as many as 1,500 troops on temporary duty or short-term contracts. In Syria, the Obama administration has authorized 300 troops most of them special operations forces who mainly work with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab allies. Medical and logistics units are also included in that number. ___ WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? U.S. forces in Iraq use bases in the cities of Baghdad, Irbil, Taji and Habaniyah. There are also "several hundred" American troops at the military base in Qayara West, south of Mosul, where they are helping build a staging area for the Iraqi security forces operation to recapture the city, according to a U.S. military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the details haven't been made public. In northern Syria, details are not released, given the sensitivity of the operations. U.S. support is ultimately aimed at helping the Syrian Democratic Forces advance on Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital. U.S. special operations forces sometimes stay in the country for several weeks at a time. ___ WHAT IS THE OVERALL MISSION? In Iraq, U.S. advisers, trainers, special operations forces and others are stationed at Iraqi bases, working with Iraqi forces. Some U.S. advisers work at the division headquarters level. Others are deployed at the brigade and battalion level, meaning they are embedded with smaller units, closer to the fight. A U.S. official said there are now more than 100 special operations forces embedded with Iraqi special operations forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity since the matter has not been made public, said there are small teams of about a dozen troops each, including force protection, communications, medical, engineering and forward air controllers, who help call in airstrikes. These teams are embedded at the battalion or headquarters level and they will continue to move with those units, but will stay behind the forward line of troops, the official said. American forces dealing with Syria are based in neighboring countries, such as Turkey and Iraq, and travel in and out of Syria, at times staying there a few days at a time. They provide advice and other assistance, but do not fight alongside the Syrians. Pentagon officials say that U.S. Special Forces have carried out about 400 missions in Syria to date. ___ HOW IS THE AIR CAMPAIGN GOING? Since airstrikes began in August 2014, over 10,200 airstrikes had been carried out in Iraq and nearly 5,600 in Syria. August saw a second consecutive month that coalition airstrikes in Syria outnumbered those in Iraq. According to Chris Woods, director of the Airwars project, a group that tracks and archives data from the international air war against IS, only 7 percent of the airstrikes being conducted in Iraq and Syria were by Reaper and Predator drones. ___ WHO ARE PARTNERS OF THE U.S.? The vast majority of airstrikes in both Iraq and Syria are conducted by the U.S. Coalition partners include the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Belgium and Bahrain. Backed by coalition airstrikes, Turkey has also sent tanks, warplanes and special operations forces into northern Syria. Turkey's objective has been twofold: It's looking to clear IS militants from its remaining border stronghold, while also rolling back any advances made by Syrian Kurdish militias, which Turkey regards as a significant national security threat. Russia backs Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russia's air force, along with that of Syria, has been bombing targets in the country, including those of IS. Russia is not part of the U.S.-led coalition, but Russia and the U.S. have worked out limited coordination on flights to maintain airspace safety and avoid collisions. But diplomatic talks with Russia disintegrated this month after the U.S. formally accused Russia of trying to meddle in the U.S. election by hacking U.S. political groups. Secretary of State John Kerry also accused the Kremlin of war crimes in Syria, all but ending efforts to boost cooperation between Washington and Moscow on the issue of Syria. ___ SO, WHERE DO WE STAND ON THE MOSUL OPERATION? Timeframes provided by American and Iraqi officials for recapturing Mosul is generally a few weeks, or longer. East of Mosul, about 2,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, backed by coalition air- and artillery strikes, are conducting an operation dubbed Evergreen II, designed to seize and control key terrain near the Gaur River Bridge and the Great Zab River. Coalition-supported forces have also cleared five villages around Mosul, including Qayara, which will be used as a critical staging ground for the Mosul operation, as well as a center for humanitarian efforts. The coalition is providing training to remove many of the explosive remnants of war that IS fighters typically leave behind once they've been driven from an area. It is also conducting multiple strikes around the city with the goal of denying the militants access to critical infrastructure and resources, including the Tigris River. WASHINGTON The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks is claiming that an elaborate and somewhat wacky smear campaign has targeted the groups founder, Julian Assange, to paint him as a pedophile and Russian client. WikiLeaks said the smear efforts, which its outlined in tweets and a series of documents over the past two days, include a sham offer from the Russian government to pay Assange $1 million to promote a womens dating site and a separate scheme to link Assange to a criminal case in the Bahamas. The assertions are the latest twist in events that have kept Assange and WikiLeaks at center stage of the presidential campaign. The smears come as WikiLeaks releases tens thousands of emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee and from the personal email account of Hillary Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta. Assange, an Australian who has been holed up in Ecuadors embassy in London for more than four years, had been accelerating the release of the hacked material this month in a drive to embarrass Clinton. Ecuador cut his internet connection Saturday, saying it did not want him interfering in U.S. domestic affairs. The alleged smear campaign centers on a Houston company, toddandclare.com, that describes itself as an online dating site for single women. A representative for the company, Hannah Hammond, wrote to Assanges legal team in London and Sweden with an offer to pay him to appear in a tongue-in-cheek five-minute television advertisement for the company that it said would air on the Lifetime channel. The source of the $1 million is the Russian government. It will be wired to Mr. Assanges nominated account, upon his cooperation, and before filming of the ToddandClare.com ad by the SoHo camera crew, Hammond wrote in a Sept. 16 email, according to a copy WikiLeaks published. Hammond described how the ad would start with burlesque dancers gossiping backstage at a Las Vegas revue about men whove used the dating site to text them. One dancer receives a ping on her cellphone, and tells the others Julian Assange has asked for a date. She holds up the phone with Assanges moving image. The ad would air Nov. 7, one day before U.S. presidential elections, Hammond noted. Your email appears to convey an elaborate scam designed to entrap Mr. Assanges reputation into unwanted and unwarranted publicity, a member of his legal team, identified only as James, responded Sept. 16, demanding that you immediately cease any plans that you have to use Mr. Assanges name to draw attention to your business. WikiLeaks said its investigators conducted an inquiry into toddandclare.com and its parent, T&C Network Solutions, and found that it exhibits the characteristics of a highly suspicious and likely fabricated business entity. (EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM) The company listed its address as a shipping dock at a warehouse in Houston, and no records of the company exist with the Texas Secretary of State, the Better Business Bureau of Houston or the Harris County Clerk, the WikiLeaks report says. The website for toddandclare.com suggested that more than 100,000 single women use the service. WikiLeaks says the site lifted photos from elsewhere on the internet and mirrored them left to right to prevent image searches. (END OPTIONAL TRIM) A second alleged plot also involves toddandclare.com, and suggested that Assange used the dating website to sexually molest an 8-year-old Canadian girl vacationing with her family in Nassau, Bahamas. The Houston company gained standing apparently as a defender of womens rights with the U.N. Global Compact, a U.N.-created initiative to persuade businesses to adopt socially responsible policies. On Oct. 4, it filed a statement asking to bring to the attention of the U.N. body criminal child sex offenses that purportedly were under investigation by the Royal Bahamas Police Force involving Assange. It said it had been contacted by the Canadian father of the 8-year-old, whose 22-year-old sister was a toddandclare.com client. WikiLeaks tweeted that it was a false accusation and released what it called full docs and investigation into the plot to frame Assange as a paedophile & Russian spy. Phone numbers associated with toddandclare.com appear to have been disconnected. On Wednesday, WikiLeaks tweeted that internet sleuths had linked a mysterious intelligence contractor close to Clinton to the alleged smear effort. It said that an archival internet search linked toddandclare.com to an address in San Francisco that until a year or so ago was used by Premise Data, a data-crunching firm whose co-founder and chief executive, David Soloff, is seen in a photo earlier this year with Clinton. He denied any connections to the smears or the Clinton campaign. Premise is not associated with, has never had dealings with, and has no knowledge of T&C Network Solutions, Soloff said in an email. This all appears to tie back to mistaken internet information about a previous office address (645 7th St.) Premise occupied through August 2015 before we outgrew the space and moved to our current San Francisco offices. Soloff added: We have no professional or donor affiliation with any political candidate. The picture you refer to was taken at a speaking event near Washington, DC in January or February 2016. I was offered an opportunity to say hello to the candidate and I did so! 2016 McClatchy Washington Bureau Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at www.mcclatchydc.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON Hillary Clintons campaign chief once opened doors at home and abroad for an alternative energy firm whose investors include a Vladimir Putin-supported Russian company. These ties were highlighted last week when Donald Trumps campaign alleged that John Podesta, a former chief of staff to Bill Clinton and special counselor to Barack Obama in 2014 and 2015, had secretly transferred shares of stock in a Putin-backed company to an anonymous Delaware company. The accusations were misleading. For example, the Trump campaign wrongly claimed that Podesta failed to declare stock holdings of that company when he joined the White House in 2014. And on Sunday, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrongly told ABCs This Week that Podesta was on a Russian company advisory board that was apparently funded by Putin. Podesta never sat on a Russian company advisory board. He did, however, sit on the board of directors of an American company that attracted a Russian state fund as an investor. His private emails, made public this month by WikiLeaks, a website that publishes leaked documents, shed more light on his indirect ties to Russia. U.S. law enforcement and intelligence have accused Russia of meddling in the coming U.S. elections, including hacking into the Democratic National Committees server and into Podestas personal emails. The details in the WikiLeaks emails are also important because both campaigns are accusing the other of ties to, and support from, Russia. Trump said Monday that, if elected, he might meet with Russian President Putin before the inauguration, leading President Barack Obama a day later to call Trumps flattery of Putin unprecedented in American politics. Podesta served from December 2010 through January 2014 as a director of Joule Unlimited Technologies. Its a privately held company that aims for the commercial-scale production of ethanol made from carbon dioxide. Its sometimes called solar fuel, and Joule is testing it with German automaker Audi. Trump calls Joule a Putin-backed company because one of its stakeholders is RUSNANO USA of Menlo Park, Calif., which invested $35 million in the company in March 2011. The Joule website says that at least $200 million has been raised from investors. RUSNANO USAs parent company is JSC RUSNANO, a Russian state enterprise whose self-described mission is to co-invest in nanotechnology projects around the world that have substantial economic or social potential. Nanotechnology involves computer chips and other microscopic devices constructed on a scale as small as individual atoms and molecules. JSC RUSNANO, according to news reports, fell out of favor with Putin, who considered closing the state enterprise over allegations that some of the $5 billion set aside for its 2007 startup had ended up in offshore shell companies. RUSNANO USA President Dmitry Akhanov said his company was a small stakeholder in Joule, controlling about 5 percent. We do not have and have never had any business relationship with Mr. Podesta, he said. Akhanov said hed joined the Joule board at the time Podesta was leaving it. From what I heard from my peers he was just one of the board members, the Russian executive said, adding that RUSNANO USA operates independently from its parent company as an investment fund that takes small stakes in tech companies that show promise. As to Putins alleged involvement, Akhanov said he never hears from the Russian leader and that we have never been involved in politics, neither in Russia nor the U.S.; we are a pure investment fund. Exactly what Podesta did as a Joule board member is unclear, and Joules chairman didnt answer an email asking for clarification. When Podesta joined the board, then-Joule CEO Bill Sims said in a statement that we look forward to leveraging his insights as we progress toward international deployment. Joules chairman, Noubar Afeyan, is a venture capitalist who runs Flagship Ventures, a Massachusetts investment firm with the Midas touch. Forbes reported March 19 that the Lebanese immigrant has launched 38 companies in America. The Obama administration has made renewable and alternative fuels a top priority, and Afeyan saw Podesta as a well-connected insider. Thats evident in one of the leaked Afeyan emails to Podesta asking for help in opening doors in Europe and Asia. Dear John, I wanted to get this back on your radar screen hoping you can make some intros in the far east as we had previously discussed, Afeyan wrote on Oct. 12, 2015. In an Aug. 31, 2015, email, he had asked Podesta for guidance on how best to forge partnerships globally. The Clinton campaign has not commented on the authenticity of the emails. McClatchy sent a detailed list of questions to Joules PR firm, Version 2.0 Communications, and Libby Botsford, an outside spokesperson, said the Joule executive team had no comment. The leaked Podesta emails suggest he was invited to join the Joule board of directors on Oct. 23, 2010, and accepted on Dec. 17, 2010. The existing board created an extra seat for him. The invitation included an option to purchase 100,000 shares of common stock with a price equal to fair-market value. He could buy 100,000 shares in the future, with a price determined by the board at the time of granting. Because the company is privately held, there is no public information on share value. The business data group Hoovers lists Joules annual sales at $38.31 million. Podesta stepped down from Joules board on Jan. 4, 2014, when he joined the Obama administration. A leaked email shows he transferred his Joule shares to Leonidio Holdings LLC, a company formed in Delaware a state favored by Trump, whose own disclosure forms list 378 companies there. Delawares laws allow the true owners and other company details to remain secret. The private correspondence between Podesta and Joule executives includes a Dublin, Calif., address for Leonidio Holdings that is also the address of his daughter Megan Rouse, a certified financial planner. Records with the Delaware secretary of states office show only that Leonidio Holdings was established by a registered agent in Wilmington called Corporation Service Co. on Dec. 20, 2013. John Cobb, a tax adviser for the law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP, signed the company-formation document. Cobbs online bio shows he works in the groups Washington, D.C., office. Yet another leaked email from 2015, after Podesta had left the Joule board, shows his daughter telling him that she had learned from Cobb that Joule was taking a stake in Colorado-based Red Rock Biofuelsto create a biofuels refinery, suggesting the Podesta family tracked Joule developments. In his White House disclosure records, signed in February 2014, Podesta reported owning less than $1,000 in stock and options for Joule Global Holdings and for Joule Unlimited Technologies Inc. and deriving less than $201 in income from them. He did not make any mention of Leonidio Holdings, the Delaware company, which the WikiLeaks emails suggest received 75,000 transferred shares. When Podesta went back to the work at the White House, he worked with White House counsel to personally divest from Joule and ensure he was in full compliance with all government ethics rules, Josh Schwerin, a Clinton campaign spokesman, said in an email to McClatchy. He transferred the entirety of his holdings to his adult children, resigned all positions with the company and filed the appropriate forms which were then certified by the appropriate ethics officials. As an additional step, he recused himself from all matters pertaining to Joule for the duration of his time at the White House. Podestas disclosure forms also list him as sitting on the Joule board of directors as of July 2011, but the WikiLeaks documents show him signing an agreement to join the board on Dec. 17, 2010. The reason for this discrepancy is unclear. (EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) Former Joule chief counsel Mark Solakian, who interacts by email with Podesta in the leaked documents, did not return a call asking for comment. The WikiLeaks emails show that Podesta had deep access within the Obama administration. Emails show him conversing on Nov. 28, 2011, with Brandon Hurlbut, then-chief of staff to then-Energy Secretary Steven Chu, about a coming visit by Chu to Joules laboratories. The gang is excited. I think hell be impressed, Podesta tells Hurlbut, going on to say that hed like to get his views on the agencys priorities for 2012 and 2013. In an email the following day, Hurlbut, who has since created a consultancy for renewable energy called Boundary Stone Partners, answers. He tells Podesta about a meeting that day with more than a dozen senators to determine the political viability of energy-innovation ideas. He also shares plans to engage the scientific and academic community on key tech challenges like solar biofuels, electric vehicle batteries and how to make it all cost competitive. In a telephone interview, Hurlbut said there was nothing wrong with the question from Podesta, who sat on the board of a private firm whose business goals coincided with the administrations alternative energy push. People ask me all the time what the department is up to, he said. Theres nothing sensitive in that email. The Clinton campaign declined to answer questions about Podestas emails to Hurlbut. Hurlbut said: I felt fortunate to be able to engage with a leading expert like John to get feedback, as I did with many other experts. Akhanov, the Russian investor, also saw no conflict in Podestas political connections. Its pretty common to have experienced people on commercial boards of companies, people who are no longer in service, he said. 2016 McClatchy Washington Bureau Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at www.mcclatchydc.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Almost 50 Illinois counties have filed lawsuits against Democratic Governor, JB Pritzker, and the ill crafted SAFE-T Act. Introduced in the General Assembly by the Illinois Black Caucus, the Act passed the Democratic-led General Assembly in the wee hours of Jan. 13, 2021. Amongst many of its weaknesses and deficiencies, the Act eliminates cash bail, emboldens criminals, and makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to keep offenders off our streets. Public Safety personnel and States Attorneys across our great State have decried the legislation, noting that it was drafted and written with very little constructive input from Public Safety leadership, from either party; potentially impacting every Illinois community with dangerous consequences. Allowing perpetrators to bail out of jail, based on their good word that they will be glad to return to court is laughable, at best, and both ludicrous and dangerous, at worst. Soon after the SAFE-T Act was passed at the State level, the Republican-led Henry County Board drafted a resolution, requesting that the General Assembly repeal and replace the SAFE-T Act with a new criminal justice bill, this time with input from professional law enforcement, States Attorneys from across the State, and other Public Safety officials. We unanimously passed our resolution on May 19, 2022, and encourage all County Boards in Illinois to follow our lead. Our Republican-led Board in Henry County believes we all, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, deserve effective and fair law enforcement in our communities. G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now! U.S. national wireless carrier T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS is slated to report third-quarter 2016 results, before the opening bell on Oct 25. Last quarter, T-Mobile US posted a positive earnings surprise of 13.64%. Moreover, the companys earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the previous four quarters, with an average beat of 89.52%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Why a Likely Positive Surprise? Our proven model shows that T-Mobile US is likely to beat estimates because it has the right combination of two key elements. Zacks ESP: T-Mobile US has an Earnings ESP of +4.35%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate stands at 24 cents while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged lower at 23 cents. This is a meaningful and leading indicator of a likely positive earnings surprise. Zacks Rank: T-Mobile US has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Note that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 have a significantly higher chance of beating estimates. Conversely, Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement. The combination of T-Mobile USs Zacks Rank #3 and +4.35% ESP makes us confident of an earnings beat at the company. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. What is Driving the Better-than-Expected Earnings? T-Mobile US continues to gain postpaid wireless customers, which has encouraged management to raise the subscriber gain outlook for 2016. In Sep 2016, the company provided a sneak peek into its third-quarter 2016 earnings report, wherein the company claimed to have added 753,000 branded postpaid customers since Jul 1, 2016, compared with the addition of 646,000 in the second quarter of 2016. The company has also reached out to 650,000 prepaid customers in the third quarter of 2016. T-Mobile US believes that its innovative network expansion methodologies have helped drive substantial consumer growth. In order to lure customers from competitors, the company has been launching several low-priced service plans through varied promotional and advertising schemes for individual consumers as well as small business entities. In relation to this, T-Mobile US announced a Stock Up plan as part of its Get Thanked program which involved the granting of a stock to postpaid customers. In Aug 2016, T-Mobile US came up with unlimited offerings T-Mobile One plan for $70 a month, replacing its prior $95 unlimited plan. Story continues T-Mobile US along with Ericsson ERIC recently declared the results of their 5-Generation (5G) trial, which includes a voice call among 4-Generation (4G) and 5G networks. The company also signed a deal with Charter Communications Inc. CHTR to acquire a license of 700 MHz A Block spectrum for Eastern Montana from the latter. T-Mobile US operates in a highly competitive and saturated wireless market where success depends on technical superiority, quality of services and scalability. Hence, intense competition could limit the companys ability to attract and retain customers and adversely affect its results. Moreover, such offers and discounted prices may dent the companys margins. T-Mobile US has also been facing increased scrutiny into its working conditions by institutional investors. T-MOBILE US INC Price and EPS Surprise T-MOBILE US INC Price and EPS Surprise | T-MOBILE US INC Quote A Key Pick Heres a company that has the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter. Apple Inc. AAPL, with an earnings ESP of +1.21% and a Zacks Rank #2. The companys earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the previous four quarters. 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 ERICSSON LM ADR (ERIC): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARTER COMM-A (CHTR): Free Stock Analysis Report T-MOBILE US INC (TMUS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Designs for the second phase, which will run from Nairobi to Naivasha, were approved by the government earlier this year which later signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with China Communications Construction Company. Kenya Railways Corporation says the Nairobi - Naivasha section will stimulate the economy and maximise returns from Phase 1 from Mombasa to Nairobi, the civil works of which are now 80% complete, through the establishment of an industrial park in Naivasha. Kenya has signed a $US 1.5bn deal with the Export/Import Bank of China to finance 85% of the total project cost. The remaining 15% will be provided by the government of Kenya through the Railway Development Levy Fund. The contracts will be awarded for two years with two possible extensions of one year each. Consultants with a minimum of 15 years experience in railway consultancy are being sought for operations and maintenance, infrastructure, rolling stock, management, railway facilities, a mass transit system, and associated services covering mines and ports. Bid documents must be collected by November 7, and the closing date for bids is December 12. This is the first significant tender to be launched by Oman Rail since the cancellation last year of tenders for the provision of network independent safety assessment, the appointment of a legal advisory panel, and supervision of the EPC contract for Segment 1, and in January this year for land acquisition for Segment 2. Omans part of the Gulf Railway project was also put on hold last year, following Etihad Rails decision earlier in the year to suspend the second phase of its national railway network, the 628km line from the Omani frontier near Al Ain to Ghweifat on the Saudi border. The train was built specifically for operation in Romania, and is fully functional but its interior will be completed in Romania in accordance with specific requests from infrastructure manager CFR SA. This work will be completed in early 2017. The project also includes the modernisation and resignalling of the 170km Sighisoara Simeria line, which will also be equipped with Alstoms ERTMS Level 2 solution, Atlas 200. The Coradia Polyvalent which can run at a maximum speed of 160km/h on both electrified and non-electrified lines will be used to test and measure the performances of the supplied systems. Acciona is preparing a tunnel boring machine (TBM) in Noblejas, Spain, which will be used to excavate the first metro line in Ecuadorian capital Quito. The 1660-tonne machine is the first of the three TBMs which will be used to construct Line 1. The other two will be prepared and checked in Germany. The machine is 9.3m (31 feet) high, and is capable of boring through the earth at an average speed of 15 18m (49-59 feet) per day. It will excavate a 4km (2.5-mile) section, advancing non-stop 24-hours a day. The machine is being tested in Noblejas before it is dismantled, shipped and reassembled on site at the portal of the future tunnel in Quito at the end of 2016. Work will begin in 2017. The 22km (14 mile) Line 1 will have 15 stations, and the total contract to construct the metro is worth $US 1.54bn. The line will connect the north and south of Quito, with a journey time of 30 minutes. It will have capacity to transport around 400,000 passengers per day. Works are expected to take three years to complete, plus six months for the systems integration and final preparation work. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK Despite being responsible for the success of the businesses along South Division, the working class is faced with little room to advocate for financial freedom and equitable access to opportunities. Supermercado Bedolla Sergio Bautista attending to a client behind the meat display at Supermercado Bedolla. Gema Lowe Inside of Supermercado Bedolla Lindsay Mcholme at Southwest Community Campus during one of her daily English Language Arts classes. Students at Southwest Community Campus practice words in English. West Michigan is home to some 25,000 refugees. Susan Kragt, the Executive Director of the West Michigan Refugee Education and Cultural Center, explains why we must do a better job about seeking these voices out as we discuss the development of our economy, our schools, and our neighborhoods. When we do, Grand Rapids will become an even better place to live. This op-ed is part of Rapid Growth's West Michigan is home to some 25,000 refugees. These individuals once called places like Burundi and Burma home. They lived next to Mt. Everest and the Nile and spent their time not so differently than you and I: cultivating the land, growing a small business, and caring for their family and friends. And then, for reasons outside of their control, they were forced to leave. They made their way to a refugee campa place of waiting between there and here, unsure if there would ever be another here. A few were chosen. And an even smaller segment of the few were told they were going to a place called Grand Rapids, Michigan. And when they came, we were all better for it. Susan Kragt However simplistic and rose-colored this narrative of the refugee experience may seem, its essence is true. Refugee resettlement reflects our better humanitarian nature, a nature that due to international and domestic upheaval is being called into question. As the number of refugees in world has increased to unprecedented levels, communities like ours have risen to the challenge. This coming year, West Michigan will welcome around 900 newcomers. Unfortunately, as the number of individuals resettled has risen, federal funding for support services (such as school support services), has not increased. Due to changes in how funds are allocated, funding for the upcoming year is reduced and services are being cut. This coming year, organizations like the Refugee Education Center are receiving funding federal funding based on a year when the number of refugees arriving in our community was 450. And these cuts are coming at a time when the value of refugee lives is being debated. It is easy to write these issues off as policy issues or a question of economics to be decided at a national or even international level. But refugee resettlement has always been driven by local communities. And as such, should be a topic we discuss in every sector and in every level of leadership in our community. This conversation should not focus on what happens before they are herewho comes and how and why. Immigration is an important conversation but it can overshadow other important issues. We need to discuss what it means to be together now that we are all taking up the same place in this world. We should ask questions like how can we use education to unlock the potential of an incredibly diverse and global workforce? Or how are we promoting refugee owned businesses so that our local economy is enriched? Right now, refugees are often left out of our community conversations. This means that when refugee support programs are cut, most of the community is unaware. It also means that the only message many local refugees hear is one of fear and hostility towards themselves and their family and friends. But including refugees in community conversations is not just about refugees. Yes, resettling refugees is a good humanitarian deed. Welcoming refugees is very much about morality. But it is not just something we do self-sacrificially to make us feel good. Refugees bring diverse perspectives and unique gifts. When a single voice is silenced, we miss out. People often use the example that Albert Einstein as a refugee to highlight this point. But someone does not need to be Einstein to have value. What can we learn from a refugee parent, farmer, teacher, or child? It is not enough to simply allow refugees to co-exist with us. We need to do a better job about seeking these voices out as we discuss the development of our economy, our schools, and our neighborhoods. And when we do, Grand Rapids will become an even better place to live. IAC's investigation into Total CEO plane crash complete MOSCOW, October 20 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) The Interstate Aviation Committees (IAC) has finished investigation into the death of Total CEO Cristophe de Maergerie during the air crash in Russias Vnukovo airport, organization's website reads on Thursday. Christophe de Margerie died in a plane crash at Vnukovo airport on October 21, 2014, when his planes wing hit a snow plow. Among the victims were three crew members, all French citizens. Investigation into the air crash has been completed, IACs press-release reads. However the report itself has not been published yet. Reportedly, France and Netherlands have no objections against the conclusions made by the IAC. Lead airfield service engineer Vladimir Ledenev, snow plow driver Vladimir Martynenko, air traffic controller Alexander Kruglov, airport flight manager Roman Dunayev, and dispatcher Nadezhda Arkhipova stand charged in the case. Russian Supreme Court to review termination of MP status for Ilya Ponomaryov MOSCOW, October 20 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) Russias Supreme Court has postponed review of legal debate surrounding preliminary termination of the State Duma lawmakers status for Ilya Ponomaryov until November 24, RAPSI learned in the courtroom on Thursday. Ponomaryov has filed an administrative lawsuit with the Supreme Court against the State Dumas ruling on preliminary termination of his MP status. Representatives of the State Duma have not showed up for the hearing and the court ruled to postpone it until later date. Earlier, the lower houses official website has published a report over a meeting that happened on June 10 that resulted in preliminary termination of Ponomaryovs status. Ex-lawmakers absence during the parliamentary hearings was announced as a reason for such termination. On October 2, Vietnam discreetly welcomed a landmark visit by United States Navy's submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain, to its Cam Ranh Bay. This was the first time American warships had docked at Vietnam's deep-water South China Sea base, one of the region's most strategic ports, since the two former battlefield foes normalized relations in 1995. "Tell me how this ends" is a familiar presidential refrain. U.S. President Barack Obama used it often throughout his administration to justify his policy of restraint in the Middle East, troubled by the second- and third-order effects of deepening any intervention to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the Islamic State. The next U.S. president will have to make the same solicitation next year. By then, Mosul will likely have been wrested away from the militant group. But the question of whether to widen the scope of the United States' activities in Syria from counterterrorism to taking down the government of Syrian President Bashar al Assad will loom as large as ever. Perhaps a more instructive question to lead with is, "How did this begin?" When planning for the future, a president must be as conscious of the past as he or she is gripped by the present. This does not mean fixating on voting records over the Iraq war or on contemporary leaders such as al Assad or former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. To understand the current map of the Middle East beyond the battle for Mosul, we must reach back nearly a century to an epic diplomatic showdown in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Fight for Turkish Redemption In 1922, Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk dispatched his foreign minister, Mustafa Ismet Pasha, to Lausanne to save the fledgling Turkish republic from the jaws of voracious European colonialists. Two years earlier, the Treaty of Sevres had dismembered the Ottoman Empire, ceding big chunks of territory to the leading Allied powers along with the Greeks, Armenians and Kurds. Deeply traumatized, Turkey under the nationalist command of Ataturk was determined to return to the negotiating table, not as supplicant but as Europe's equal, to re-carve its post-colonial boundaries in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. Though the country regained control of Anatolia and the strategic straits through the deal, Turkey left some critical unfinished business at Lausanne: the former Ottoman vilayet of Mosul. The Turks demanded that the British, represented by Foreign Secretary Lord George Nathaniel Curzon, return the expansive territory, which stretched from Anatolia beyond the mountains of upper Kurdistan. From there, it followed the Tigris southeast from the Sinjar Mountains near the Syrian border, across the Nineveh plain through Mosul to Arbil and Kirkuk before butting up against the Zagros Mountains along the Iranian border. Ismet Pasha insisted that this swath of land was the natural dividing line between Anatolia and Mesopotamia, a strategic frontier where most inhabitants were intricately bound with Turkey by trade, tongue and culture. "Mosul has become more closely connected with the ports of the Mediterranean than with those of the Persian Gulf," he argued. The region's oil wealth, in no small part, influenced the Turks' interest in Mosul. At the same time, they were also trying to extend the strategic depth of their new republic as far as possible, knowing that an array of adversaries could pit ethnic minorities in the Turkish periphery against the newborn state. null Lord Curzon, armed with his own demographic and ethnographic studies, struck down the Turkish argument at every turn. London could not afford to let the threat of Turkey's expansionism thwart its own goal of establishing a strategic foothold in Mesopotamia and monopolizing the region's energy resources. Looking at the region demographically, Lord Curzon saw the Mosul vilayet as a land full of Arabs and ethnic minorities who were more willing to fight the Turks than to assimilate with them. "Why should Mosul city be handed back to the Turks? It is an Arab town built by Arabs. During centuries of Turkish occupation it has never lost its Arab character," he maintained. He also insisted that the Turkish argument for a natural mountainous buffer along the Sinjar-Mosul-Arbil-Kirkuk line was disingenuous: "Ismet Pasha has suggested that the Jebel Hamrin will make a good defensive boundary. But it is well known that this is not a great range of mountains, but merely a series of rolling downs. Is it not obvious that a Turkish army placed at Mosul would have Baghdad at its mercy, and could cut off the wheat supply almost at a moment's notice? It could practically reduce Bagdad by starvation." Ismet Pasha, known for driving Lord Curzon mad with his penchant for wearing earplugs while his British counterpart spoke, responded with utmost innocence: "Turkey, which has now ceased to be an Empire and become a national State, cannot think of attacking and conquering a country whose population belongs to a different race [T]he Turkish and Arab people who have lived together like brothers for centuries would obviously never think of attacking each other when left to themselves." London and Ankara sparred for another three years over the Mosul Question, as it was called. The League of Nations finally put the matter to rest in 1926, and Turkey begrudgingly ceded rights to the Mosul vilayet to the British Mandate in Iraq in exchange for a few economic concessions. But Turkey's obsession with Mosul and its surroundings never ceased. A Turkish-Iranian Rivalry Reborn Decades later, Turkey again staked its claim in the region. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) began using Iraqi Kurdistan as a staging ground and refuge to carry out insurgent attacks in Turkey in the 1990s. To keep the Kurdish militant threat in check, Turkish forces set up a handful of small forward operating bases and intelligence posts scattered across northern Iraq. Then came the economic invasion. Over the past decade, Turkish construction crews, energy investors and merchants have flooded into Iraqi Kurdistan, getting a tight economic grip on prominent figures such as Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Massoud Barzani to sanction their presence politically. With Mosul soon up for grabs and northern Syria in disarray, Turkey's military footprint is now set to expand significantly in its former Ottoman vilayets. In northern Syria, Turkish forces are racing southward in Aleppo province against Syrian government troops and Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), hoping to capture territory from the Islamic State without running into Russian forces. Meanwhile, Turkey is proceeding apace with its plans to establish a so-called safe zone along the border, and Turkish construction crews are busy building housing for Syrian refugees. Ankara is not waiting around for an international endorsement for these plans. Turkey will focus on developing a strong military anchor in northern Syria to curb Syrian Kurds' ambitions for statehood while expecting the West to thank it later for containing migrant flows across its borders and into Europe. In Iraq, Turkey will use the threat of demographic re-engineering to try to establish a Sunni protectorate over its former vilayet. Mosul is a majority Sunni Arab city, and the Islamic State has driven out most of its Kurdish, Shiite Arab, Turkmen, Yazidi and Shabak minorities. When the complex cast of U.S.-backed Iraqi security forces, Kurdish peshmerga fighters, Iranian-backed Shiite militias and Turkish-backed Sunni militias eventually recapture the area, they will open the door to property reclamations and revenge killings of Sunni Arabs even remotely suspected of abetting the Islamic State. The group directly responsible for retaking and securing a certain area will attempt to claim the territory for itself, populating it with its own ethnic and sectarian kin. From Ankara's perspective, if the Kurds and Shiites were to expand into Mosul, they could threaten the belt of influence that Turkey is trying to re-establish along the Sinjar-Mosul-Arbil-Kirkuk line. To prevent that outcome, Turkey will frame itself as the Sunni Arabs' protector, with quiet support from Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as they band together (for now) to counter Iran's influence in the region. The Iranians will naturally push back, using their influence in Shiite-dominated Baghdad and among pliable local governors and rival Kurdish factions to stress Ankara's tenuous web of alliances in the region. But if it took a powerful British empire to keep the Mosul vilayet out of Turkey's grasp, the Turks are not about to let a broken sectarian pseudo-state such as Iraq deny them their historical objective of doubling their strategic depth. For Ankara, this land is either a buffer in Turkish hands or a menace in the hands of its adversaries. And between Tehran, Damascus, Moscow, the PKK and the Islamic State, Turkey has no shortage of foes, each of which has no shortage of proxies to weaken the Turkish state. A Fluid Battlefield Well beyond the conflict of the day, Turkish and Persian spheres of influence have been colliding for centuries over the Mosul vilayet. As Turkey deepens its presence there, chipping away at Iran's Shiite crescent, that competition is bound to intensify. The Turks and Iranians are not abiding by the political borders of a contemporary map. Neither do they intend to draw up a new one, post-Sykes Picot, with states neatly repartitioned along ethno-sectarian lines that would threaten their own territorial integrity, particularly when it comes to the Kurds. On this fluid battleground, cranes, tanks and cash will shape the ebb and flow of competition among the strongest regional players, while the weak and fractious remnants of former empires try to stoke their own nationalist embers in defense. The more distant powers operating in this theater have more modest aims than rescripting history in a sectarian battle for influence. Instead, the United States and Europe are focused on denying the Islamic State the richly symbolic territory it uses to draw recruits from abroad, tax its citizenry and emulate a functioning government in its self-styled caliphate. But their goal, however limited, is no less thorny. As the black ink blot across Iraq and Syria gradually fades under twin offensives in Mosul and Raqqa and tighter border controls, many fighters will go underground, encouraging more resourceful attacks beyond the Islamic State's core. Once the Islamic State threat has been reduced, territorial and sectarian disputes will reignite in the absence of a common enemy, and rival jihadist groups will see an opportunity to assert themselves. Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, an al Qaeda affiliate formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, remains a formidable presence on the Syrian battlefield. Meanwhile, in Yemen, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has managed to leverage the Saudi-led military campaign against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Houthi rebels to extend its tribal ties and territorial reach in the country. Consequently, as custodian of the two holy mosques, Saudi Arabia will face an enduring jihadist threat on the peninsula on top of its struggles to diversify its economy and employ its youth, balance political and social reforms with the demands of the Wahhabi religious establishment, and contain militant spillover from deeply fractured Yemen. No matter the brand of jihadism, battle cries against the Ottoman, Safavid and Western occupiers will have a potent rallying effect on potential recruits. Distant powers such as the United States will resist Turkey's and Iran's fluid interpretations of the map, preferring instead to whip up nationalism to temper sectarianism, create a bulwark against competing influences and manage the local balance of power through state institutions. But sectarian violence enflamed by regional rivalries is more likely to draw locals to unsavory strongmen for protection than to weak and fractured institutions. This will make it exceedingly difficult to dislodge the al Assads and al-Malikis who fuel the sectarian cycle while enfeebling and exploiting the institutions around them to enrich and empower their patronage networks. As the United States tries to avoid getting more entangled in the Middle East so that it can deal with developing crises farther afield, Russia will keep searching for opportunities to bargain with the West while deepening its military foothold in the Mediterranean. But distant powers have only so much clout to wield on the ground, putting Russia in a better position to play the role of spoiler than of healer in these conflict zones. That, in turn, makes it harder for Moscow to leverage the battlefield to exact concessions from the West. As the United States makes more headway in degrading the Islamic State, distant powers will seize another chance to pull back their support, hoping that enough exhaustion will eventually set in to make feuding parties negotiate seriously. But that will require an understanding between the United States and Russia that bleeds well beyond the Middle East, and the regional powers competing on a sectarian scale will still have the means to prolong their proxy battles. And so, in many ways, this conflict ends the same way it began: with a mold of historical redemption, baked in an ethno-sectarian furnace and coated in great power intrigue. 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 VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - October 20, 2016) - MediaValet Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MVP), a leading provider of cloud-based digital asset management (DAM) software, is excited to announce that the Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (KACVB), a Wisconsin-based private, not-for-profit corporation responsible for Kenosha tourism, has selected MediaValet to provide a centralized, highly accessible, cloud-based digital asset management system. MediaValet will enable KACVB's staff and collaborators to quickly and easily access and search KACVB's extensive collection of Kenosha Area media assets. This robust and widespread accessibility will eliminate the main roadblock preventing local businesses from using of KACVB's stunning photos, videos and maps in their marketing and advertising campaigns. Previously, KACVB stored their assets on their local network and a series of external hard drives. The scattered, siloed and inaccessible storage system meant KACVB's extensive collection of carefully curated and approved media assets was a challenge to navigate and difficult to share with media contacts or collaborators. With KACVB's entire collection of media, brand and marketing assets centralized and available via MediaValet, KACVB and its tourism partners will now be able to easily access, search, preview, format, size, share and download any approved asset. "The Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau takes great pride in showcasing our community to visitors from around the world," commented Dennis DuChene, President of Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "With our entire media collection now located in a central and highly accessible media library, our team's productivity will significantly increase, and our stunning assets will be widely used by our partners to further promote Kenosha and surrounding areas. We're confident MediaValet will help us meet the needs of our community partners and drive tourism in the Kenosha Area." Story continues In addition to increasing accessibility, usage and productivity, MediaValet will provide KACVB with the peace of mind that their high-value media assets are secure and protected at all times. Built entirely on Microsoft's cutting-edge platform-as-a-service (PaaS) cloud offering, Microsoft Azure, MediaValet delivers the highest level of security, scalability, accessibility and reliability. "MediaValet's beginnings are deeply rooted in the global hospitality and tourism industries," commented David MacLaren, founder and CEO of MediaValet. "Our business model, our renown customer service, even our UI, was -- and still is -- heavily influenced by our decades of experience providing media production services to hotels, tourism boards and CVBs around the world. We're incredibly excited to add another well-known CVB to our burgeoning list of tourism customers." About The Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau The KACVB promotes the Kenosha Area to key travel markets in the Midwest using a number of strategies including advertising, social media, e-marketing, public relations, and customer care efforts. As publisher of the Official Kenosha Area Visitors Guide and companion website VisitKenosha.com, the KACVB proudly represents and supports more than 100 local businesses and organizations -- our Tourism Partners -- that cater to travelers. KACVB's primary target market is the Leisure Traveler, defined as individuals traveling for business or leisure, as well as families or small groups traveling together for leisure activity. It also focuses on specialty target markets including Sports, Group Tours, and Meetings. About MediaValet Inc. MediaValet stands at the forefront of the cloud-based digital asset management industry. Built exclusively on Microsoft Azure and available on 34 highly secure and hyper scalable data centers around the world, MediaValet is uniquely equipped to meet the digital asset management needs of any organization, no matter its size, its industry or its location. Cutting-edge technology, exceptional product design, and unlimited friendly customer service are at the core of MediaValet's DNA ensuring exceptional customer and user experiences are delivered at all times. Follow MediaValet: Blog, Twitter and LinkedIn Surf: www.mediavalet.com "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/10/20/11G118798/Images/Streetcar_LGT-4730699740f2882fafa2982e70bd5fdb.jpg Halloween is here, but with the pile of work and stress that seems to never end, its easy to dismiss the holiday as one meant for kids. Here SHARE By Ryan Sabalow And Dale Kasler, The Sacramento Bee Signaling a cutback in water supplies for farming and cities, California regulators on Wednesday issued a new scientific analysis that proposes overhauling the management of the Sacramento River and devoting more water to Northern California's dwindling fish populations. The State Water Resources Control Board, in a widely-anticipated report crafted by its staff, said it's considering allowing much more of the flow from the Sacramento River and its tributaries to wash out into the ocean. The board avoided issuing a specific recommendation on how much additional water should go to fish. Instead, the agency is analyzing the impact of allowing anywhere from 35 percent to 75 percent of the flows from the Sacramento River watershed to wash out to sea. Currently about half of the flow from the Sacramento and its tributaries, including the American and Feather rivers, is allowed to flow unimpeded to the ocean for the benefit of fish. Water board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus cautioned that Wednesday's staff report is merely a draft. She said her agency wants various groups to submit comments before it makes a decision, sometime next year. She said the board will take into account human needs before adopting any comprehensive plan. "This is not a proposal to require those flows at all," she said. "That is down the line. This is just putting out the science for folks to comment on, so that we can revise it and get it reviewed by more people and have the scientific basis from which we would know what fish and wildlife needs are, and then we balance from there." The proposal comes a month after the water board called for people to take far less water out of the San Joaquin River system. Marcus said the process governing the San Joaquin system is much further along than the Sacramento watershed. Taken together, the two proposals could dramatically alter the balance of power in the endless fight between cities, farmers and environmentalists over California's water supply a fight that already has been intensified by the five-year-old drought. If more of California's river water flows unimpeded to the ocean, that would likely leave less water for Sacramento Valley farmers, who enjoy some of the most powerful water rights in all of California, and for urban areas like Sacramento. It could also mean less water flowing into the massive government-run pumping stations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which deliver billions of gallons of water each year to Southern California, the Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley. Tom Gohring of the Sacramento Water Forum, a coalition of urban agencies and environmentalists, said the state's plan could disrupt a 15-year-old compromise over allocating water in the Sacramento area. Urban water managers "will be absolutely watching (their) back," Gohring said. Sacramento Valley rice grower Don Bransford, president of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, said diverting a lot more water to fish "would probably be disastrous for a lot of people." The head of the California Farm Bureau, Modesto almond grower Paul Wenger, called the twin proposals "a one-two punch aimed at rural California." The water board first floated the concept of dedicating more of the Sacramento and San Joaquin watersheds to the environment in 2010, triggering feverish warnings from a coalition of water agencies that up to 1.7 million acres of farmland would be idled as a result. With the proposals now taking on greater urgency, water users are responding with renewed alarm. "It's both predictable and troublesome," said Tim Quinn of the Association of California Water Agencies, which represents urban and rural districts. He argued that the state should also examine other measures to help fish, such as habitat restoration. Jonathan Rosenfield, a marine biologist with the nonprofit Bay Institute in San Francisco, said he's pleased that the board is finally taking steps to address the long-standing problem of too much water being diverted from California's rivers for human use. But he said he's disappointed that the water board didn't propose allowing even more to flow out to sea to benefit the numerous imperiled fish and wildlife species that inhabit the network of waterways that eventually feed the San Francisco Bay. Two species in particular have been pushed to the brink of extinction by years of drought and decades of Delta pumping and upstream diversion for human needs: the Delta smelt and the winter-run Chinook salmon. He said that in 2010, the board acknowledged that at least a 75 percent ocean outflow was necessary to ensure the species' survival. "It shouldn't be the maximum," he said. SHARE Man arrested in fatal shooting A 31-year-old Tehama County man was arrested on suspicion of murder Wednesday morning after he said he shot and killed a man whom he claimed was breaking into his home, Tehama County sheriff's deputies said. Kory Daniel Lefler, 31, of Gerber was arrested around 11 a.m. after he was interviewed by sheriff's detectives. Deputies said Lefler called 911 shortly after 6 a.m, to report he had shot a man breaking into his Mariposa Avenue residence. Deputies arrived to find the body of Joshua Daniel Pacheco Sr., 31, also of Gerber, lying in the middle of the yard with multiple gunshot wounds. The firearm, which was not identified, was recovered by deputies on the scene. Lefler and a woman, who has not been identified, were taken to the Tehama County Sheriff's Office in Red Bluff for questioning with Lefler subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and booked into Tehama County Jail. Fisherman finds body in Lake Shasta A body floating face down in Lake Shasta was discovered by a fisherman Wednesday morning just before 9 a.m. Due to decomposition the body of the man was not identified at the scene, the Shasta County Sheriff's Office said. Chris Peters was fishing along the shoreline north of Digger Bay Marina on Shasta Lake when he found the body floating face down next to the shore, deputies said. Deputy Ray Hughes of the Sheriff's Office Boating Safety Unit, a deputy coroner and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection personnel helped in retrieving the body. The Coroner's Office will investigate to determine the cause of death and identify the man once the next of kin is notified. Police: Bike thief caught quickly A bicycle thief was arrested Wednesday after he knocked down a rider, took his bicycle and was caught riding the stolen bike near Redding City Hall on Cypress Street, police said. Joe Eallard, 62, of Redding was riding his mountain bike about 2 p.m. near the Bank of America on East Street when he was approached by a man who knocked him to the ground, according to police. The suspect took the bicycle, which was valued at over $2,000, according to police. Eallard described the bicycle to officers. About 10 minutes later, officers Ryan O'Hern and Joanna Bland found a suspect riding the bicycle near the Cypress Street Car Wash, across the street from Redding City Hall. The man was arrested and identified as Michael Espinoza, 36, of Redding. Espinoza is on felony probation for a weapons violation and possession of stolen property, according to Sgt. Ron Icely. Espinoza was booked into Shasta County Jail on suspicion of strong arm robbery and violation of probation. He is being held without bail, according to police. Coroner IDs man killed on street The pedestrian who was struck and killed Tuesday night while crossing West Cypress Avenue has been identified as Martin Joseph Condon, 57, of Redding. Condon was declared dead at the scene after being struck by a car around 7 p.m. west of Athens Avenue, according to the Shasta County Coroner's Office. Condon was not in a crosswalk, police said. An autopsy will be done later this week. The car's driver, who has not been identified, was driving within the speed limit, police said, adding that he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and was not cited. Members 1st holding a party Members 1st Credit Union will celebrate its 80th anniversary at its Anderson branch near Wal-Mart on Thursday. The block party begins at 4:30 p.m. at the branch, which is across Highway 273 from the Shasta Outlets mall in Anderson. The family-friendly event will feature free food, a raffle and prizes. Earlier in the day, the branch will also give away Think Pink goodie bags. Anderson logo SHARE By Joe Szydlowski of the Redding Record Searchlight A planned 19-home development in Anderson is moving forward after the City Council approved the project's final map. The lot for the proposed Parkside Grove subdivision, planned for the corner of Stingy Lane and North Street, is ready to be sold to a contractor who will design and build the homes, said Duane Miller, the project's engineer for Lone Tree Inc. On Tuesday, the council voted to split that property into two pieces a 2.25-acre lot for the Parkside Grove development and another 4-acre lot intended for a multi-family development. The latter is still in the works, but Parkside Grove is ready for construction, Miller said. As part of the agreement, Lone Tree has put up $5,000 collateral as a promise to build a sidewalk on the property along North Street, said Dave Durette, Anderson's city engineer. But Parkside is not the only residential project that's heating up. Skyview Estates has pulled six permits in the previous few months and plans to start four more within the next two months, said Craig Lund, Skyview's developer. "It's significant. It seems as though somebody hit a switch and we're starting to get a lot more interest," he said Wednesday, noting inquiries are arriving via Skyview's Facebook page and website. "Overall the area seems to be doing much better, Crews have already built 22 homes at the project, which sits on a ridge with views of Mt. Shasta, Lassen Peak and the Trinity Alps near the Anderson Wal-Mart. All 22 have been sold and two more under construction, he said. The project stalled under a previous developer when the economy crashed in 2008. In 2014, Lund took it over but remained cautious. "The last house we started, and again we were taking it slowly, it sold while framing," he said. "The Shasta County area, Redding and Anderson, have been slow to pick up." The demand for houses does seem to be picking up in Anderson and Lake Shastina, said Debe Hopkins, a Realtor and the Anderson Chamber of Commerce's executive director. The Homewood subdivision, south of B&B RVs, is nearing completion as well. "New homes are moving a little faster as opposed to ... pre-existing," Hopkins said, adding that pre-existing home sales figures are "good" as well. She said she hopes those are signs of an improving economy. Lund said he believes Bay Area residents are seeking relief from high prices and looking elsewhere in the state his homes currently are in the low $300,000-range. Parkside Grove's Miller said the subdivision may break ground in the spring, though that's ultimately up to the contractor. SHARE A suspected bicycle thief was arrested after knocking down a man and then riding near Redding City Hall on Cypress Street. Joe Eallard, 62, of Redding was riding his mountain bicycle near the Bank of America on East Street when he was approached by a man who knocked him to the ground, according to police. The suspect took the bicycle, which was valued at over $2,000 according to police. Eallard described the bicycle to officers. Shortly after Officers Ryan O'Hern and Joanna Bland found a suspect riding the bicycle near the Cypress Street Car Wash, across the street from Redding City Hall. The man was arrested and identified as Michael Espinoza, 36, of Redding. Espinoza is on felony probation for a weapons violation and possession of stolen property, according to Sgt. Ron Icely. Espinoza was booked into the Shasta County Jail on charges of strong arm robbery and violation of probation. He is being held without bail, according to police. SHARE Jack Lee Breiner Jack Breiner in a booking photo from the Modoc County Sheriff's Office. A spokesman for the Modoc County Sheriff's office said a 47-year-old man shot and killed deputy Jack Hopkins Wednesday during a confrontation. Jack Lee Breiner also exchanged fire with Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter before being shot himself and arrested, Undersheriff William "Tex" Dowdy said during an emotional news conference in Alturas. Hopkins was responding to a family disturbance call at a property about 8 miles south of Alturas at about 10:30 a.m. when he confronted Breiner, Dowdy said. Breiner's shot killed Hopkins on impact, investigators allege. Dowdy said Breiner fled in a car and Poindexter, who was also responding to the call, caught up with him. In an exchange of gunfire, Dowdy said, Poindexter hit Breiner. Breiner was taken to a Redding hospital for treatment, where he remains hospitalized. He's expected to survive the gunshot wound, Dowdy said. The intentional killing of an on-duty police officer is punishable by the death penalty, Modoc County District Attorney Jordan Funk said. However, he said it's too early to say what charges Breiner will face. Its conceivable charges could be filed relatively quickly, I dont whether it would be the end of this week or not," Funk said. "Much of it has to do with the suspects medical condition and when he can appear in court. It's also too early to say whether a trial could be held in Modoc County. We would file the case here and hope to prosecute it here," Funk said. Poindexter suffered minor wounds during the confrontation with Breiner but returned to duty immediately, according to the Sheriff's Office. The Modoc County Sheriffs Office and the entire law enforcement community of our region and state grieves the irrevocable loss of deputy Hopkins," Poindexter said in a news release. "I am grateful for the extraordinary allied-agency assistance we have received and we are thankful for the countless expressions of support we have received in the aftermath of Jacks tragic death. Our thoughts and prayers go out to deputy Hopkins, his family, his co-workers, his many friends and to all those impacted by this tragic and senseless loss of a dedicated law enforcement professional and friend. Breiner is a registered sex offender and was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a child, according to California's Megan's Law database. The Butte County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growden, is handling the criminal investigation into the murder of Hopkins and attempted murder of Poindexter. The California Highway Patrol is handling the administrative investigation into the officer-involved shooting. More than 15 North State law enforcement, firefighting and other agencies, in addition to the Los Angeles Police Department, have offered assistance. The case remains under investigation and the Sheriff's Office asks anyone with information to call 233-4416. Hopkins began working for Modoc County last year after working for the Alturas Police Department. He has five siblings and a dog, Bandit. A memorial service for Hopkins is being planned, though a location and time haven't been set. Its a very tough time for our department," Dowdy said. "Its a tough time for law enforcement. Its an extremely tough time for his family. For the most part our law enforcement family has joined together and were in absolute support of his family. Whatever they need, were available for them. Record Searchlight file photo Jose Orlando Luna (foreground) and Felix Ruben Ayala are shown in Shasta County Superior Court during one of their many court appearances. SHARE Ayala. xxxxxxx xxx xx By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight Three of five men charged in the October 2015 beating and stabbing death of a 61-year-old Redding man were ordered Wednesday to stand trial for murder. Superior Court Judge Monica Marlow ordered Felix Ruben Ayala, 37, Jose Orlando Luna, 52, both of Shingletown, and Felix "Phil" Ayala, 45, of Bronx, N.Y., to stand trial in the murder of Bradley Stephen Yoder. Her order came following a two-day preliminary hearing in Shasta County Superior Court. In what's become an unwieldy multi-defendant and multi-crime case, Marlow also ordered the elder Ayala to stand trial for robbing an East Cypress Avenue hydroponics business last year. Both Luna and the younger Ayala are already standing trial for that crime in Shasta County Superior Court. Meanwhile, two other co-defendants, Sergio Martinez, of Bronx, N.Y., and Elioenaid Rivera, 19, of Anderson, are also accused of murdering Yoder, whose body was found Oct. 4, 2015, inside his Shasta View Drive home in Redding. Rivera had earlier waived his preliminary hearing and is scheduled to begin standing trial for murder and other crimes, including the hydroponics business robbery, Nov. 15, in Shasta County Superior Court. The fifth defendant, Martinez, who is suspected of cutting Yoder's throat, remains in custody in New York on murder charges unrelated to the Redding cases. Authorities have said Yoder, who was the brother-in-law of former Anderson City Councilman Butch Schaefer, was brutally beaten and repeatedly stabbed during what they described as a marijuana robbery. In fact, Senior Deputy District Attorney Emily Mees said, all the crimes the five men are accused of committing are marijuana related. "These were planned events," Mees said. "They (the victims) were targeted for marijuana, including Mr. Yoder." Police have said the five men are linked to a series of events that began to unfold Oct. 2 following an attempted robbery and shooting in Shasta Lake. Among those crimes included the murder, as well as the Oct. 26 robbery of the Bare Roots Hydroponics & Organic Supply store in Redding, which saw some of the defendants dressed up like federal drug agents. All five are also accused of pulling off an Oct. 25 home invasion robbery in Live Oak in Sutter County. Felix Ruben Ayala and Luna were arrested Oct. 30 following a raid at a Scharsch Meadow Lane home in Shingletown, and an extensive investigation that included multiple agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, was able to link the other three men to the crimes, police have said. FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit. Adam McElvain (left) and Gary Cadd. SHARE The Redding Peace Officers Association sent this flier out earlier in the week. By Sean Longoria of the Redding Record Searchlight A Redding police union called out two council candidates this week over their stances on a plan to boost sales tax in the city to help fund public safety. The Redding Peace Officers Association in a mailer sent to 4,000 voters asked "Why do candidates Gary Cadd and Adam McElvain oppose the plan to improve public safety?" The union, which has more than a hundred members, has endorsed Lea Tate and Julie Winter for council. They both, along with the union, support Measures D and E, the half-cent sales tax and advisory to spend the money on public safety. A plan formed by a team working to implement recommendations from the Blueprint for Public Safety calls for hiring more police officers and firefighters, adding more jail beds and funding in part a sobering center and mental health crisis unit. The union sent the flier to reinforce the message that Cadd and McElvain "cannot be trusted with public safety," said Sam Llamas, a Redding police investigator and first vice president for RPOA. "We believe that it's the central point of this election. Our city needs drastic help and Measures D and E are going to help do that," Llamas said. Cadd said the mailer was surprising as both he and McElvain support police despite opposing the sales tax. "The biggest thing I would say is who's going to be the biggest recipient if the sales tax passes? The Redding Police Department," Cadd said. McElvain said he was saddened by the mailer and to see the union leaders take the low road and bring negative, Washington (D.C.)-style politics into local races in Redding. He called it a fear tactic, a strategy that is beneath them. Furthermore, as a veteran and father of two small children, I have always supported public safety and law enforcement, McElvain said. For Cadd, the issue is how the money generate by the tax will be spent. He worries the money would go toward officers' unfunded pension liabilities and said the $3 million per year planned to go to the county wouldn't increase jail bed space because that's dependent on the completion of the now-delayed project for a new Shasta County courthouse. Proponents of the measure say there are, indeed, immediate steps they can take. "It's unfortunate. It looks like they sent it to everyone in town," Cadd said of the mailer. McElvain said the mailer misrepresents his position on using general-fund reserve money. I said I would be open to using surplus money but not the statutory reserve, McElvain said. The mailer also says McElvain would have supported medical marijuana dispensaries had he been on the council when Redding decided to close all dispensaries in the city limits. The reason that I would be open to marijuana stores if legalization occurs is to create more revenue for public safety, McElvain said. Llamas wouldn't say whether the union believes anyone who votes against the measures deserves the same criticism as Cadd and McElvain. "I respect the decision that our citizens make and I can't speak about their choice but I know that we cannot trust Gary Cadd and Adam McElvain with public safety," he said. Both Cadd and Llamas say the heated rhetoric of the campaign won't last past the election. "The RPOA is very professional and we understand politics," Llamas said. "After Nov. 8 if they were to win we would be respectful and hopefully sit at a table with them and work together." Cadd said he won't hold the mailer against the union if he retains his seat. "If there was contention that would not be in the best interest of the citizens of Redding and that's who I represent," he said. SHARE Medical marijuana may be a billion-dollar industry in California, but it's a cash business. Because marijuana remains illegal under federal law, most pot shops can't get bank accounts or accept credit card transactions because the financial services companies fear they would be penalized or shut down by federal regulators for handling money gained from unlawful drug sales. That means marijuana products are typically sold for cash, and dispensary owners pay their employees, their landlords and others in cash as well. It's not unusual for pot shop owners to haul bags of money -- tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars -- to the state tax collector's office. But as unwieldy as the cash-only system is now, California regulators and cannabis businesses could be swimming in even more cash if voters pass Proposition 64 in November and the state legalizes adult recreational use of marijuana. California dispensaries sold an estimated $2.7-billion worth of marijuana last year, and industry observers predict the recreational and medicinal market could increase to $6 billion by 2020. Even Proposition 64 proponents must acknowledge that as long as the marijuana industry is a cash business, it will be harder for California to regulate and control. And there is little state officials can do to fix the banking problem as long as the federal government considers marijuana an illegal drug and classifies marijuana revenues as illegal proceeds. The problems are already apparent. Board of Equalization Chairwoman Fiona Ma estimates that the state collects only about a third of the taxes owed by existing medical marijuana businesses. And because cash transactions don't generate a reliable paper trail, tax collectors have resorted to sitting outside pot shops and counting customers to estimate sales revenue and taxes. Proposition 64 proponents say a new "seed-to-sale" regulatory system created for medical marijuana, and which would apply to recreational cannabis as well, should make it easier for the state to track tax revenues. Then there are the safety and logistical challenges of having so much cash on hand. Pot shops have been targeted for robberies and are often staffed with armed security guards. In theory, banks have some cover for working with marijuana customers. The Justice and Treasury departments issued guidance on how banks could serve state-sanctioned marijuana businesses, as part of President Obama's policy of allowing states to experiment with legalizing marijuana. But that doesn't apply to independent bank regulators like the Federal Reserve or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. In practice, pot shops that are able to open accounts often find them shut down after a few months when the large cash deposits raise alarms, according to the National Cannabis Industry Assn. There have been various attempts by states to facilitate banking services for cannabis businesses. In 2014, Colorado officials approved a charter for the first-ever credit union created specifically to serve marijuana businesses, but the Federal Reserve refused to grant a master account to conduct transactions from the illegal sale of marijuana. California officials have also tried to devise workarounds. Ma, the Board of Equalization chairwoman, proposed creating a state bank to take cash deposits and allow businesses to make electronic transfers to pay their tax bills. But that wouldn't address the larger goal of letting customers and shops conduct transactions without cash. Ultimately, the solution will have to come from the federal government. Congress or the next administration could reclassify marijuana from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (a designation meaning it's as addictive as heroin and has no medicinal value) to a less-restrictive category that would allow banking transactions. Or Congress could bar federal regulators from penalizing banks that provide services to state-legal marijuana businesses. Lawmakers from Colorado and Oregon have introduced bipartisan bills that would allow banks to start providing services to marijuana businesses that are licensed and regulated by the state, but they've failed to get traction in the House and Senate. If voters in California and four other states choose to legalize marijuana in November, how much longer can federal leaders ignore a multibillion dollar industry? Chinese cellphone maker Xiaomi has sold a record one million smartphones in India in 18 days during the Diwali festive season, despite boycott calls of Chinese goods in the country, state media reported on Thursday. The Beijing-based company now aims at becoming largest smartphone vendor in India, the world's fastest growing handset market, in the next three to five years, said Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi. Lei, in an internal letter on Wednesday, announced that the company has sold one million smartphones in the first 18 days of this month in India, state-run China Daily reported. India is an extremely important market in Xiaomis globalisation strategy. It has become our largest market outside of the Chinese mainland, Lei said. The announcement comes after its arch-rival Huawei Technologies Company Limited said it would start assembling phones in India from October. The move highlights Xiaomis latest efforts to revive declining sales as the Chinese smartphone market, its home turf, is reaching saturation, the report said. It came in the midst of anxieties among Chinese investors over growing calls for boycott of Chinese goods in India following China's blocking of Indias move to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UN and blocking India's bid to become the member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. According to Lei, as of Tuesday, the firm has sold one million smartphones within 18 days in October in the run-up to Diwali, the biggest festival in India. In September, Xiaomi became the third-largest smartphone vendor within India's top 30 cities with 8.4 per cent market share, the firm quoted data from International Data Corporation as saying. We will continue investing in India-expanding our supply, and further improving our after-sales service, Lei said. Launched in 2010, Xiaomi achieved a rapid rise by seizing the e-commerce boom in China to sell handsets directly to consumers. But as online sales of smartphones peak, it is struggling with declining sales and facing mounting pressure from rivals such as Oppo and Vivo, the report said. IDC China research manager Jin Di said it is hard to say whether Xiaomi can prevail in the Indian market, given the growing competition from both its Chinese peers and Indian vendors. Almost every major Chinese smartphone brand is eyeing a presence in India. I do not think Xiaomi has a big edge, especially when Indias e-commerce business, which Xiaomi is most good at, is not as well-developed as that of China, Jin was quoted as saying by the report. Also, it will take time for Chinese brands to properly localise their operations, given the different business environments and polices in India and China, she added. In the second quarter of 2016, smartphone shipments in India grew by a healthy 15 per cent annually, while the global smartphone market grew at a modest three per cent. Chinese brands captured almost 27 per cent of the Indian market, data from Counterpoint Research show. Xiaomis arch rival Huawei said on Tuesday it would start manufacturing its first smartphone model in India in October by partnering with a local factory whose annual production capacity will reach three million units by the end of 2017. Zhao Ming, in charge of smartphone business at Honor, the sub-brand of Huawei said, The India smartphone market is likely to exceed 100 million units this year. It is a market no one can neglect. We have long-term commitment to it. Image: Lei Jun (left), founder and chief executive officer of Xiaomi, and Hugo Barra, Xiaomi's vice president of international operations, display Mi 4i phones during its launch in New Delhi in May 2015. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters. IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. 'It is possible Akhilesh has set his sights on 2022.' 'By then, his present day enemies will be more or less a spent force while he will still have a clean image and, at 49, will be regarded as young,' says Amulya Ganguli. How long will Akhilesh Yadav accept the humiliation meted out to him by his father and uncle? Or does he have a plan up his sleeve? For a chief minister who said at the beginning of the tussle with his uncle that he took his own decisions, the present meekness can seem contrived or gutless. Which one is it? For the present, his nose is being rubbed in the dust by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav in keeping with the hoary tradition of Indian joint families where the elders have the final say and the younger generation has no option but to abide by their diktats. Since Akhilesh could not have been unaware of this age-old custom, which is all the more prevalent in the still backward cow belt, it is odd that he decided to take on the elders, especially his uncle, a few weeks ago when he deprived Shivpal Yadav of his ministerial portfolios and sacked those ministers and bureaucrats who were believed to be close to him. But after Shivpal Yadav sought the intercession of his all-powerful elder brother Mulayam Singh, the wheels of change which the young chief minister had set in motion began turning in the reverse direction. Shivpal Yadav's portfolios were restored to him by an obsequious Akhilesh and a dismissed minister was reinstated. But perhaps the most telling blow was the merger of the Samajwadi Party and the Quami Ekta Dal of the don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, a step which was earlier opposed by an image-conscious chief minister. Now his image is in tatters and the jibes of the ruling party's critics have been confirmed that Uttar Pradesh is run by four-and-a-half chief ministers -- Mulayam Singh, Shivpal Yadav, Ramgopal Yadav and Azam Khan with Akhilesh being the 'half.' If the Samajwadi Party's new general secretary Amar Singh's name is included in the list, then the state can now be said to be under the aegis of five-and-a-half CMs. What is clear, however, is that Akhilesh is currently at the lowest point of his career. He may not even by the chief minister in the (unlikely) event of the Samajwadi Party securing a majority, as his father has indicated. Many people will wonder why he doesn't resign after all the crippling blows to his self-respect inflicted by the elders unless it is acknowledged that such a show of defiance isn't kosher in a 'happy' joint family. Or, is Akhilesh working to a plan in accordance with Mao Zedong's guerrilla tactics which dictate that when the enemy advances, retreat; when the enemy halts halt; when the enemy retreats, advance? Akhilesh probably believes that for all his current humiliation, his popularity remains undiminished, especially among the youth and the forward-looking middle class. In a party with a reputation for harbouring toughies, he is seen as someone who has been trying to repair its image. Hence, his opposition to Mukhtar Ansari, who is UP's counter to Bihar's Mohammed Shahabuddin. In this respect, as also in the matter of projecting a modern outlook, Akhilesh is different from his father who was once vocally against computers and the teaching of English, reflecting all that is wrong with the Hindi heartland. Mulayam Singh, Shivpal Yadav and co are perceived, therefore, as typically retrogressive politicians who are not overburdened with scruples about money and muscle power and base their political influence on the crass exploitation of caste loyalties and regressively conservative standards of behaviour. Akhilesh, in contrast, is more in sync with the emerging world of middle-class aspirations in a market economy where his father and uncle are strangers. As a result, the latter are probably courting electoral disaster by their curbing of the chief minister's liberalism and adherence to norms in political and personal conduct. No one can be more aware of the possibility of a negative electoral outcome for the Samajwadi Party than Akhilesh. It is possible, therefore, that he has decided to let his father and uncle come to the forefront and take the full impact of a setback in next year's assembly elections. The chances of a drubbing are now all the higher because of Narendra Modi's proactive policy against Pakistan. In 2014, Modi had a sweeping success in UP, winning 73 of the 80 parliamentary seats by promising development. Now, he can base his success on the surgical strikes against Pakistan. The projected 7.6 per cent economic growth -- the fastest in the world -- will also help Modi. It is possible, therefore, that Akhilesh has set his sights on 2022. By then, his present day 'enemies' will be more or less a spent force while he himself will still have a clean image and, at 49, will be regarded as young. He will also be seen as someone who was done in by his scheming pitaji and chacha, who hadn't a clue that their old-style politics of shoring up local goons for terrorising voters and pandering to primordial caste loyalties was no longer effective. When the enemy retreats, advance. Amulya Ganguli writes on current affairs. 'Platinum grade support from Washington has not been forthcoming, the christening of the US-Indian ties as a 'defining partnership' notwithstanding,' says A,bassador M K Bhadrakumar. Career diplomats call it 'localitis' -- the propensity of envoys to play to the gallery in countries of their accreditation when called upon to take open stance on issues of extremely high sensitivity where convergence with the host country is lacking. It all finally boils down to word craft. The fascinating interview given by the American ambassador to India Richard Verma to The Hindu newspaper is to the point, where he was called upon to take a stance on the cascading India-Pakistan tensions and our 'strategic strikes'. Platinum grade support from Washington has not been forthcoming, the christening of the US-Indian ties as a 'defining partnership' notwithstanding. Washington cannot be faulted insofar as India-Pakistan tensions impact its vital interests. However, the contradiction apparently embarrasses us. Why it should be so remains a mystery. After all, no two countries need to see eye to eye on all major issues affecting them. Probably, the Indians take America far too emotionally as second home. Or, it could be a matter of self-confidence. At any rate, Ambassador Verma brilliantly danced around his interviewer, bearing in mind what his audience expected to hear but what he simply cannot say -- and yet he somehow must. So he spoke in generics and selectively. He knew it'd delight the Indian heart to hear US-Pakistan ties are in the pits, therefore, he dipped into the dark period of Abbottabad strike (to kill bin Laden). Remember, how Pakistan had closed the transit routes for NATO convoys for almost an year, forcing the West, most reluctantly, to knock on Moscow's doors to allow a northern route via Central Asia? Indeed, that was a genuinely difficult period in US-Pakistan alliance. However, the stunning fact is that Pakistan just recently put together a few quiet sessions for the US to interact with senior Taliban functionaries through the month of September (when the Uri attack, 'surgical strikes', et al, were keeping us busy). You don't have to be cerebral to make out that things can't be so bad between Washington and Rawalpindi when the latter lends a big hand to ensure Afghanistan doesn't spoil Hillary Clinton's election bid. Of course, we are free to interpret Ambassador Verma's words. But then, he knows that the Obama administration has to walk a fine line between Delhi and Islamabad. To be sure, he knows White House thinking. Back there, even as his Hindu interview appeared, President Obama's spokesman Josh Ernest gave the authoritative version on how Pakistan appears through the looking glass. Ernest neatly sidestepped Prime Minister Narendra Modi's famous 'mothership' remark in Goa, and said: 'What I can say in general is that the United States has been able to work effectively with Pakistan to confront extremist threats that threaten the interests of both our countries.' 'At the same time, we've acknowledged on a number of occasions that there is more that we would like to see Pakistan do to confront that threat, in part because the Pakistani people face a unique threat from those extremists. And there are many times when I've stood at this podium being asked to respond to the attacks from extremists that were carried out inside of Pakistan that resulted in the death or injury of many Pakistani citizens.' 'So there is a built-in interest for Pakistan to confront this extremist threat that they face. And there are a variety of ways in which the United States supports them in those efforts. But, of course, there is more that we believe that they can and should do, and we'll continue to have those conversations with them. Why should we make life more complicated than it already is for Ambassador Richard Verma (or Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin)? The bottom line is, our narrative lacks credibility. Why it is so needs honest analysis. Some beginning seems to be happening, if one were to go by today's editorial in the Hindustan Times entitled 'Few share India's views on terror: Aung San Suu Kyi is the latest leader to give a thumbs down to isolating Pakistan.' 'There is a lot of support for the work we do,' says Arnab Goswami. Arnab Goswami, the anchor of the NewsHour show on the Times Now television news channel, has been granted 'Y' class security by the Government of India. As Rediff.com reported on Monday, October 17, military intelligence alerted the government to perceived threats emanating from Pakistan to Times Now Editor-in-Chief Goswami. Two terrorist organisations in Pakistan, military intelligence learnt, had detailed information about Goswami's movements in Mumbai. An eight page transcript of conversations in Urdu was provided by military intelligence to the Union home ministry in New Delhi. A joint secretary in the home ministry had requested Maharashtra's director general of police to assign 20 policemen to guard Goswami around the clock. Policemen will be stationed at Goswami's home and office. All visitors will undergo a comprehensive security check before they meet the news anchor. So is Arnab fazed by the terror threats? "There is no need to worry," Goswami told Subhash K Jha. "There is a lot of support for the work we do," he said. "Public support and goodwill is what matters the most." "In many ways, it is the best security blanket that I can get." With Pakistani troops suspectedly providing cover fire, four to six heavily-armed militants on Thursday tried to sneak into India through the International Border in Jammu but the attempt was foiled by the alert Border Security Force which claimed to have injured or killed at least one of them. "The BSF will soon be lodging a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers for the nefarious activities from Pakistan territory, particularly from the area nearby their post," said the spokesman of the paramilitary force about the incident in Hiranagar area of Kathua district. "Last night, movement of a group of terrorists was noticed on the Pakistan side of International Border. Their movement was kept under watch by alert BSF troops," the spokesman said. At about 2345 hours, the group of heavily-armed terrorists were again spotted by alert BSF troops close to IB on the Pakistan side where they reached taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth. "Terrorists took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth," he said. In view of this, all the nearby BSF and army posts as well as Police were alerted. "At about 2355 hours, militants fired two RPG shells aiming BSF night patrol vehicle in the area followed by heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons towards patrolling party and BSF duty points," the spokesman said. The BSF troops retaliated. "The firing from the BSF was not only to suppress their (militants') fire but also to create havoc among terrorists," he said, adding it not only pinned them down but forced them to retreat. "During illumination of Para bomb fire, it was clearly seen by BSF troops that four terrorists were fleeing and also dragging one of their injured or killed associate," the spokesman said. Earlier, BSF Inspector General (Jammu Frontier) D K Upadhyaya said a group of 4 to 6 militants made an infiltration bid into Indian side along IB and attacked one vehicle carrying troops on patrolling with RPGs followed by heavy and indiscriminate firing at forward area (Bobiya) in Kathua on Wednesday night. The vehicle was patrolling the borderline at the time of the infiltration bid, he said, adding that BSF troops guarding the borderline fired back heavily resulting in exchanges. He said that there was possibly support fire from the Border Out Posts of Pakistan troops. "Because BoPs are close by, so there is possibility of tactical support of rangers as well," he said. The militants retreated, taking advantage of thick growth of bushes and darkness, the officer said, adding that "when we fired para bombs for illumination of the area, the militants escaping back were carrying one injured back." They continued firing and BSF troops fired for over 20 minutes. Border Security Force men patrol near International Border in RS Pura Sector in Jammu on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo In a jolt to ther Congress in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, senior party leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and attacked Rahul Gandhi over the way he was running the party and his reaction to the army's surgical strikes. Joshi, 67, daughter late Congress veteran Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, over whom there has been speculation of deserting Congress, joined the BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah at the party headquaters in New Delhi. A former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president who resigned as a Congress MLA, said there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Joshi, who was said to be unhappy with the Congress leadership over projection of Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh, rued the present state of affairs in the party, alleging that it is in such a bad shape that it has contracted out its working to strategist Prashant Kishore. Slamming Rahul for his 'dalali' barb at Modi over the surgical strikes, Joshi said she has been disheartened by the events which happened in the last few days. "India is fighting terrorism and the Modi government has given the army a free hand. Besides valour of the army, the government's strong leadership was also behind the surgical strikes. "Along with the nation, I too was happy. The whole world accepted India's arguments behind the strikes. The Congress, however, behaved like a small party and went on to question it. The whole nation was upset with a phrase like 'khoon like dalali'," she said attacking Gandhi. His remarks gave Pakistan an opportunity to question surgical strikes, she said, adding that political differences over national interest were not good. Noting that she had spent 24 years out of 27 years of her political career in Congress and only 10 months in Samajwadi Party, she said, "The decision to quit Congress was not easy. However, I took it in the interest of the nation and the state." Her joining the BJP is expected to give a boost to the party's efforts to consolidate Brahmin voters as it looks to capture power in the state following a gap of over 15 years. The assembly polls in UP are due early next year. Ruling Samajwadi Parry and BSP have been in the power by turn all this while. Sharing her disillusionment with the Congress, Joshi said it has made an "outsider" like Kishore "election director" and senior leaders like her were being told that how much and when they have to speak. The nation is not willing to accept Rahul's leadership, she said, claiming that several senior Congress leaders are upset with him. While Congress chief Sonia Gandhi understands leadership and interacts with different people, Rahul Gandhi is not taken seriously, she said. Praising Modi and Shah's leadership, she said there is no alternative to them. After meeting Shah, she realised that the BJP had no hidden agenda, she said. Her brother and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna Joshi had also quit Congress and joined the BJP a few months back. She accused SP of destroying Uttar Pradesh and that liquor, mining and land mafia are active in the state while there is no law and order. She said it is necessary to rid the state of misgovernance of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, both of which have injected "poison of casteism" into the state politics. She said she will work overtime to help the BJP to come to power. During 2014 Lok Sabha polls, which the BJP had swept in the state winning 71 of 80 seats, the caste barriers were broken, she claimed, adding that the Congress did not live up to the expectations. IMAGE: BJP President Amit Shah being greeted with a floral bouquet by former UP Congress President Rita Bahuguna Joshi in New Delhi. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo An IPS officer was not recognised by his subordinates when he arrived at the SP office in Kanpur after travelling in a state roadways bus to take charge as the new Kanpur Superintendent of Police-Rural. Breaking away from the usual VIP culture, the 2010 batch IPS officer Prabhakar Chaudhary traveled in a roadways bus from his hometown in Lucknow and arrived in Kanpur on Wednesday. Usually, an SP-level officer arrives at the new office in a convoy of cars. "It is not at all surprising. Whenever I am off duty, I prefer to travel in public transport. I use official vehicles only when I am on duty. Why should I use them for personal purpose," said. The officer was serving as SP-Balia and was transferred to Kanpur five days back. He has also served as Kanpur city SP in the past. On why he did not arrange for an official vehicle, he said, "When there is a direct bus service from Lucknow to Kanpur, why would I do so. I like to travel in roadways bus since my student life and now that I have become an IPS, I am still doing the same". According to police sources in Kanpur-Rural SP office, when Chaudhary arrived here, he was recognised only after he introduced himself as the new SP. Representative image IMAGE: A nurse peers out of the damaged SUM Hospital in Bhubaneshwar that killed at least 20. Photograph: PTI Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the Sum Hospital where 21 people were killed in a fire mishap, was on Thursday arrested after he surrendered before the police. With the arrest of Nayak, the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy now stands at five. Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation, Commissioner of Police, Y B Khurania said. Sources said Nayak surrendered at the Khandagiri Police Station about 3.30 am. He was taken to an undisclosed destination where the police officers were interrogating him. On Wednesday evening, the commissionerate of Police had issued a Look Out Circular in the name of Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the charitable trust. The police had informed all the airports and railway stations to ensure that Nayak and his wife Saswati do not escape from the state capital. The ministry of home affairs was also apprised about the police action in this regard, Khurania said. We may go for arrest of more people during course of investigation, he said. IMAGE: Minister for Health & Family Welfare JP Nadda interacting with the victims of SUM Hospital fire tragedy, at Capital Hospital, in Bhubaneswar. Photograph: Press Information Bureau The police issued LOC after Union Health Minister J P Nadda made it clear to the state government that persons responsible for the fire tragedy should not go scot free. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also assured the state that all the guilty persons would be taken to task. Two days ago, the police had arrested four senior officials including the medical superintendent of Sum Hospital Pushparaj Samantasinghar. They were booked under section 304. 308, 285 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The four officials were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state governments fire service department. A case was registered against the authorities of Sum Hospital which has been accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of state government to improve its firefighting mechanism. The hospital does not possess a fire safety certificate. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has won the third and final presidential debate with her Republican rival Donald Trump by an impressive 13 percentage points after a feisty fight, according to a latest poll. IMAGE: Puppets in the likeness of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump face-off in the debate. Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters Overall 52 per cent of those who watched the debate said Clinton did the best job, while 39 per cent said Trump was the winner, CNN said, releasing the results of its unscientific poll. As per CNN, Clinton has won all the three presidential debates. But it noted that the victory margin was narrowest for Clinton in the third and final debate in Las Vegas. She won the first debate in New York by a 35 point margin and the second debate in St Louis with 23 points. Clinton also won the Breitbart online poll, according to which she had the support of 59.3 per cent of the respondents, while 40.65 backed Trump. This is interesting because Trumps campaign CEO is former Breitbart chairman Steve Bannon. IMAGE: People at The Abbey bar watch the third and final presidential debate in West Hollywood, California. Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images Meanwhile, both the camps declared victory for themselves. Tonight, Donald Trump succeeded in reminding the American people once again that Hillary Clintons actions have disqualified her from being our Commander-In-Chief, said Congressman Bill Johnson in a statement issued by the Trump campaign. During tonights final debate, the American people again saw the stark contrast in this presidential election. Trump is an outsider businessman who is helping hard working Americans get from payday to payday, said Senator David Perdue from Georgia. The third and final presidential debate has ended, and it can now be said: Clinton crushed Trump in the most effective series of debate performances in modern political history, Vox said. The Democratic National Committee interim Chair Donna Brazile said this was Trumps last real chance to give undecided voters a reason to vote for him. Instead, he imploded, saying he might refuse to accept the results of the election if he loses, making a mockery of our democracy, she said. He threw empty slogans at serious questions, made grossly false claims about his respect for women, and sided with Vladimir Putin and the Russian government instead of accepting the facts as laid out by the American Intelligence Community. Trump is simply unfit for the presidency, Brazile alleged. Trump tweeted a Washington Times poll in which he won the debate. The Washington Times, which conducted an online poll, said 77 per cent supported Trump while just 17 per cent backed Clinton. The third and final debate for the United States presidency was held on October 20 at the University of Nevada. Fox News anchor Chris Wallace was the moderator for the final debate between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. This debate, for Trump, is perhaps his last opportunity to turn around a race that appears to be slipping away from him. Here are the big takeaways from the debate. IMAGE: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton debates with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center in Nevada, Las Vegas. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images >> Supreme court So, the debate starts off with the question about the supreme court and where do both candidates seeing the court take the country. Hillary Clinton: When we talk about Supreme Court it raises the central issue in this election. I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand beside American people and not corporate. I want the Supreme Court to stand up for women rights, LGBT. Stands against election money. It is important that we not reserve marriage equality. The Supreme Court should represent all of us. I hope the Senate does its job. Donald Trump: We need a Supreme Court that is going to uphold the Second Amendment the right to bear arms -- which is truly under siege. He also says he will appoint people who are pro-life and will interpret the Constitution the way the founders intended it. Its all about the Constitution the way it was meant to be. >> Gun Control Soon, the debate twists into gun control and both the candidates have, obviously differing views. Clinton: Clinton explains. I support the second amendment, she says. I understand and respect the tradition of gun ownership. But there can be and must be reasonable control. We have 33,000 people a year who die from guns. We need comprehensive background checks, close the online loophole and gun show loophole. These measures would not conflict with the amendment. Trump: Trump replies that Chicago has a lot of gun violence despite its tough gun laws. Im very proud to have the endorsement of the NRA, he says. He says he will appoint justices that feel very strongly about the second amendment. He does not answer the question. >> Pro-life vs Pro choice Moderator Chriss Wallace introduces one of Americas most controversial debates the debate of abortion. He asks if the candidates want to see the court overturn Roe vs Wade, which protects abortion rights? IMAGE: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the third US presidential debate. Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Images Trump: The Republican candidate says thats what will happen if he puts pro-life justices on the Supreme Court, and the decision will go back to the states. Clinton: Hillary says she supports Roe vs Wade and a womans right to make their own healthcare decisions. We have come too far now she says, to turn back. I will defend planned parenthood. I will defend womens right to take their own healthcare decisions. Trump counters, Its sad to hear what Hilary is saying that you can rip apart the baby in the ninth month. She can be okay with it, I cant. >> Immigration IMAGE: The two candidates battle it out at the final debate, their last chance to woo voters. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Pool/Reuters Trump: He says Clinton wants to give them amnesty. He says four mothers in the crowd have children who were killed by illegal immigrants. You have no borders you have no country. Immigration and Customs Enforcement endorsed me. I was up in New Hampshire many of the problems caused by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama...heroin. We have to have strong borders. And heres his favourite mention -- the wall. Im going to build a wall. We need a wall... we stop the drugs. .. one of my first acts would be round up all of the drug lords and were going to get them out. And we cant help but highlight this statement, the Republican just made: We have some bad hombres here and we are going to get em out. Clinton: Clinton says Trumps mass deportation plans for all undocumented immigrants will rip families apart. I think that is an idea that is not in keeping with out nation. I think that is an idea that would rip our nation apart. She says Trump wasnt even able to raise the issue of the wall with the President of Mexico when he met him: He didnt even raise it, he choked. Trump: The real estate mogul drops a bomb, says, Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Clinton counters, I voted for border security and there are some limited places where that was appropriate.. but it is clear when you look at what Donald has been proposing... that he has a very different view about what we should do. >> WikiLeaks and Russia Wallace asks Clinton about remarks in a email released by WikiLeaks, where she said she wanted open borders. IMAGE: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the debate. The real estate mogul was, according to pundits, much better in his final debate. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Clinton: She says she was talking energy policy, and pivots to blaming the Russian government for the WikiLeaks hack. She challenges Trump to acknowledge Russias involvement. Trump: Trump moves to Putin: I dont know Putin... he (Putin) has no respect for her, he has no respect for our president. Thats because hed rather have a puppet, she shoots back. No youre the puppet, he responds. >> Economy and jobs Wallace moves to the economy. He asks why they believe their plans will create more jobs and growth than their opponent? Clinton: Optimistic on her plan, Ms Clinton says, I want us to have the biggest jobs program since World War II. We are going to have the wealthy pay their fair share. I also will not add a penny to the debt. I have said repeatedly throughout this campaign, I will not raise taxes on anyone making $250,000 or less. Trump: Her (Hillary Clinton) plan is going to raise taxes and double the taxes. She can say about tuitions. We are going to do help kids in tuition fees. Countries like Saudi Arabia have a lot of money. We are protecting them, they have to pay up. I am a big fan of NATO, but they have to pay up. Our debt has doubled under (Barack) Obama. We need to renegotiate NAFTA and trade agreements. We are going to make great trade deals. We will get our jobs back from Mexico and other places. Right now, our country is dying at 1 per cent GDP. Wallace puts to Trump that even conservative economists say his plan doesnt add up. Trump says India and China are growing at much higher rates than the US. He doesnt go to specifics of the question but goes to generalities: Its horrible whats happened to these people in these communities, he says, of visiting places where factories have closed. Ive gotten to know so many friends, and they cry when they see whats happened. Clinton says Trump is crying crocodile tears and that his hotel here in Vegas was built with Chinese steel. >> Fitness to be president The moderator asks Trump about why so many women have come out accusing him of kissing or groping them without consent? He asks Clinton to respond to Trumps accusations about her husband and her behaviour towards his accusers. IMAGE: Chelsea Clinton and her father, former US. president Bill Clinton arrive for the third debate. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters Trump: Nobody has more respect for women than I do. The Republican goes on to say that he doesnt know any know of these women who have levelled charges of indecent behaviour against him. Clinton campaign may have paid these women to come forward. I dont know, may be they wanted fame. These are lies and its fiction. Clinton: Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity their self worth, I dont think theres a woman out there who doesnt know what that feels like. >> Will they accept the results? IMAGE: In our opinion, a real star in the debate was Fox News moderator Chris Wallace. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters Trump: The brash talker says there are millions of people registered to vote who shouldnt be. Then Trump says Clinton should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect I say that its rigged. She should never have been allowed. Clinton: Let me respond to that, because thats horrifying. She says Trump always says things are rigged: the Iowa primary, the judge in Trump U lawsuits, the Emmys... >> Islamic State and Mosul The question is: Would you use US troops in Syria or Iraq? IMAGE: Clinton supporters take a photo during demonstrations on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas, before the last debate. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters Trump: Trump: Mosuls so sad. We had Mosul. About three months ago, I started reading, that theyre going to attack... whatever happened to the element of surprise... these people have all left. The element of surprise. Trump hails the stupidity of our country. Trump says the only reason Iraq is going into Mosul is because Clinton is running for president. She wanted to look tough. He also raises that she supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, She responds he did too. He keeps interrupting and saying wrong. She tells people to Google it. >> National debt The final segment. IMAGE: A ticket to the debate seen prior to the start of the third US. presidential debate. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Trump: Im going to create a bunch of jobs and hit 6 per cent growth with my tremendous economic machine. Im going to create the kind of country that we were from the standpoint of industry. We have the greatest business people in the world... we use political hacks. We have to use our great people. Clinton: When I hear Donald talk like that, I wonder when he thought America was great. He says before me and Obama. But He has been criticizing our country for decades. In 1987 he took out a $100,000 ad in the New York Times, when Ronald Reagan was president, and said exactly what he said just now. If you look at the debt, I pay for everything Im proposing... well have what economists call middle-out growth... I want to invest in you, I want to invest in your family... he started off as a millionaire. I will keep you in suspense, said the Republican as he refused to commit to accepting the election result if he loses, in the third debate against Hillary Clinton. Lalit K Jha and Yoshita Singh report. IMAGE: Democratic US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to a member of the audience as she walks off the debate stage as Republican nominee Donald Trump remains at his podium after the conclusion of their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters Donald Trump on Thursday threw hints that he may not accept defeat in the presidential polls which he has been saying is rigged, stunning the political scene threatening to overturn United States democratic convention of a smooth transfer of power. His stance drew a sharp attack from Hillary Clinton as the two faced off in the feisty final presidential debate in which she was declared the winner. The controversial 70-year-old Republican candidate maintained that he would keep the suspense about accepting the election result till November 8. I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now, he said in response to a question whether he would accept the poll results, during the third presidential debate at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. IMAGE: Trump listens as Hillary Clinton speaks during their third debate. Photograph: Mark Ralston/Pool/Reuters I will tell you at that time. I will keep you in suspense, he said in the primetime debate that lasted for over 90 minutes, reiterating that the current elections are rigged. The media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile on is so amazing, The New York Times wrote an article about it. They dont even care, its so dishonest, theyve poisoned the minds of the voters, but unfortunately for them, I think the voters are seeing through it, he said. Trumps comments at the Las Vegas showdown marked a stunning moment that has never been seen in the weeks before a modern US presidential election, CNN said. The stance threatens to cast doubt on one of the fundamental principles of American politics -- the peaceful, undisputed transfer of power from one president to a successor who is recognised as legitimate after winning an election, it said. Trumps remarks came after moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News said the peaceful transfer of power, a hallmark of American democracy, depends on the losing candidate accepting the validity of the electoral results. Democratic nominee, Clinton, described her rivals refusal to accept the outcome of the election as horrifying, and even went so far as to paint him as a puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is denigrating and he is talking down our democracy, said the former secretary of state, the 68-year-old former secretary of state said. And I, for one, am appalled that someone who is the nominee of one of two major parties would take that position. Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is is rigged against him, said Clinton, adding that he has, at various times, accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Republican primary process and judicial system of being corrupt. That is not the way our democracy works. Weve been around for 240 years. Weve had free and fair elections. Weve accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. That is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election. IMAGE: Donald Trump, his daughter Ivanka, son Eric and wife Melania speak after the third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters Trump, meanwhile, said American voters are wise enough to see through everything. The bad blood between the two was unmistakable throughout their final head-to-head and pointedly there was no handshake before or after the contest. According to CNN, Clinton emerged as winner in the debate with an impressive 13 percentage points lead. Overall, 52 per cent of those who watched the debate said Clinton did the best job, while 39 per cent said Trump was the winner, CNN said, releasing the results of its unscientific poll. Clinton has won all the three presidential debates. But the network noted that the victory margin was narrowest for Clinton in the third and final debate. She won the first debate in New York by 35 point margin and the second debate in St Louis with 23 points. During the debate, Trump accused Clinton campaign of orchestrating a series of accusations by women who said the businessman made unwanted sexual advancements. She should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect, I say its rigged, because she should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with e-mails and so many other things, Trump said during the debate to woo undecided American voters. IMAGE: Hillary Clinton greets the crowd after the third debate in Nevada. Photograph: Mark Ralston/Pool/Reuters Asked about the nine women who have come forward to accuse Trump of the sexually predatory behaviour he bragged about in a 2005 video leaked earlier this month, Trump insisted they were all either seeking 10 minutes of fame. Those stories are all totally false -- I have to say that, Trump said. And I didnt even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didnt do anything. Trump called Clinton such a nasty woman after she attacked his personal record on paying no income tax for years. Trump, under enormous pressure to halt Clintons steady rise in opinion polls, came across as repeatedly frustrated as he tried to rally conservative voters with hard-line stands on illegal immigration, abortion rights and gun laws. The two accused each other of not being fit to be the president of the country. Clinton said that Trump is the most dangerous person to run for presidency. Trump is unfit (to be president, and he proves it every time he talks, Clinton alleged. No, you are the one thats unfit, Trump responded by interrupting her remarks. Trump also slammed the foreign policy of outgoing US President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in Iraq and Syria. After the Patna high court granted Rocky Yadav bail in the infamous Gaya road rage case, the victim's family expresses their anguish. M I Khan reports from Patna. A day after the Patna high court granted bail to Rakesh Ranjan 'Rocky' Yadav in the infamous Gaya road rage case, the Bihar government on Thursday, October 20, decided to move the Supreme Court against the order. "The Bihar government will file a petition in the apex court to challenge Yadav's bail," says Additional Advocate General Lalit Kishore. Rocky Yadav, 21, allegedly shot dead Aditya Sachdeva, a Class 12 student, on May 7 after the boy overtook his vehicle in Gaya. "How did the high court grant a murderer, who confessed to his crime, bail?" Aditya's parents ask. Rocky's suspended Janata Dal-United MLC Manorama Devi's son. "The court's decision surprised us. The high court should explain on what basis it granted Rocky bail," says Chand Sachdeva, Aditya's mother. According to the police chargesheet, Rocky was driving a new Land Rover and he had a licensed Italian pistol in the vehicle. He got into a fight with Aditya and his friends who were returning home in a Maruti Swift after a birthday party in Gaya following which Rocky allegedly shot dead the teenager. According to the police, Rocky confessed to killing Aditya and was lodged in the Gaya central jail. Earlier, his father Bindi Yadav, a politician with a criminal past and a co-accused in Aditya's death, was granted bail by the high court. Shyam Sachdeva, Aditya's distraught father, says Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had assured the murdered teenager's parents justice when he visited them in June. "After Rocky got bail," Shyam says, "our only hope is the Supreme Court." He says they will not meet any political leader or allow them to visit their house till they have secured justice. "We are angry, but more than anger we feel helpless," Chand Sachdeva says. The parents say they will also not vote till they receive justice. "What is the use of casting our vote?" the mother asks, "if we don't get justice." With Rocky out on bail, she says, the family would have to live in fear. "We will not step out of our homes as there is a threat to our lives. Who will protect us?" she asks. Until justice is done and Rocky Yadav is jailed for killing their son, Aditya Sachdeva's parents promise they will not rest. Amid Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trumps calls to be vigilant against voter fraud on Election Day, an expert in the United States has warned that violence is certainly a possibility at these places if a significant number of his supporters show up and challenge voters. The chance for mischief at the polling places, if there are significant numbers of Trump supporters showing up and challenging voters on sight -- who knows what could happen? But violence is certainly a possibility, Dean of the Austin Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College David Birdsell said. And more likely is the prevention of people voting. Those are not mutually exclusive for obvious reasons. So thats a concern, he said. He said Trump has been urging his supporters to go to polling sites to monitor what is happening and make sure that the votes are not stolen. Thats his language, and he has used other language as well, but he has used those words in basically taking untrained, common citizens, and asking them to go to polling places and effectively challenge people and say, You dont look like youre registered in this area? he said at a session organised by the New York Foreign Press Centre last week. Trump has called on his supporters to be vigilant against widespread voter fraud and a rigged outcome. Voter fraud is all too common, and then they criticise us for saying that, Trump said at a rally on Tuesday in Colorado Springs. But take a look at Philadelphia, what is been going on, take a look at Chicago, take a look at St Louis. Take a look at some of these cities, where you see things happening that are horrendous. Birdsell said that Trump cannot simply get up and say the election is illegitimate. If everything scans with the polls, if there is no evidence of any impropriety, if the monitors to the extent that they exist -- and Im talking about those who actually come from election boards and other authorities rather than volunteers from campaigns -- see no indications of impropriety, its going to be very hard to present any credible evidence to a court that would invalidate the result of the election, he said. Birdsell noted that there is an allegation that there will be cyber hacking, perhaps some of it from abroad. I have given you the scenario that we could have violence at polling places that would prevent people from voting and change the character of a vote in a precinct that might tip a state. Again, unlikely, but its possible, he said. He added that while he is not too worried about a constitutional crisis, he is worried about further diminishment of the basic reputation of the voting process in the US. There might be a significant minority of voters rejecting the election result on November 8. Image: A man holds voter registration forms outside a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters Lockheed Martin's offer involves transferring the world's only F-16 production line from Fort Worth, Texas, to India. Thereafter, every F-16 built, and a large share of the spare parts and sub-systems for every F-16 flying across the globe would come from India. Ajai Shukla reports. On Monday, US defence giant Lockheed Martin became the first international vendor to respond to an Indian Air Force letter, soliciting interest in building a single-engine, medium fighter aircraft in India, with full transfer of technology. "We sent our acceptance (to the IAF) earlier this week," Lockheed Martin's Randy Howard, who markets the F-16 worldwide, told Business Standard. Meanwhile, Swedish defence corporation, Saab, which was sent a similar invitation, is learnt to be finalising its acceptance. "We will definitely say 'yes'; most likely by the end of this month," says a Saab official. As Business Standard reported on October 8, the IAF sent out letters last week to top global aerospace vendors, inviting them to build a single-engine fighter in India. Defence ministry sources confirm the Boeing company has also been approached. Unlike Lockheed Martin and Saab, which are actively marketing single-engine fighters -- the F-16 Block 70 and the Gripen E respectively -- Boeing has no single-engine fighter to offer. Instead, it has been offering its twin-engine F/A-18 E/F. Nor does Eurofighter, the European consortium that builds the twin-engine Typhoon, whose member firms also reportedly received the IAF inquiry. The contours of the 'single-engine fighter' contest are therefore emerging --- Lockheed Martin and Saab seem poised to be the only contenders. As this newspaper reported on August 16, both companies had earlier submitted what IAF boss, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, described as 'unsolicited offers' for building single-engine fighters in India. Now, with Lockheed Martin having responded positively to the IAF's inquiry, Saab's acceptance, when received, will formally kick off a multi-vendor acquisition process. The F-16 is amongst the older fighters still in frontline service, but Lockheed Martin describes to Business Standard an attractive offer that would make India the F-16 global hub, galvanising aerospace component fabrication in the country. The offer involves transferring the world's only F-16 production line from Fort Worth, Texas, to India. Thereafter, every F-16 built, and a large share of the spare parts and sub-systems for every F-16 flying across the globe would come from India. "Our offer is not for just building a hundred F-16s in India; or even another hundred F-16s for the export market. The real value would come from the tens of thousands of spare parts, components, sub-systems and systems that would sustain the 3,200-plus F-16s still flying in the US, and in 24 other countries," says Howard. Intriguingly, that could mean spares and expendables for Pakistan's F-16 fleet would be sourced largely from India. Lockheed Martin points out that bringing the production line to India would be "a strategic opportunity." In truth, India would have little control over the F-16 components it builds for the global F-16 fleet, including Pakistan's. Governed by a 'global F-16 sustainment programme,' the components would go into a chain of US-controlled warehouses across the globe, from where user air forces would draw their requirements. In discussions with Lockheed Martin officials, it is evident that they are concerned by the negativity in India caused by Pakistan's long association with the F-16. Yet the company is banking on an attractive business case to tamp down Indian reservations. For Lockheed Martin, shifting the F-16 line to India would be a double benefit. With the F-16 ending its prodigious production run (of 4,588 F-16s ordered over the years, just 15 remain to be delivered), Lockheed Martin now wants to build the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Fort Worth. Yet, an F-16 line is essential, since the US Air Force plans to operate its late-model F-16s (Block 40 and Block 50 versions) for another 30 years, till 2045. Transferring the production line to India would assure Washington that its F-16s would be reliably sustained. Howard argues that F-16 production is not yet closed. Bahrain and other West Asian countries are negotiating purchases and there are potential buyers in former Soviet countries in NATO, Indonesia and Columbia. He holds out the possibility of building these orders in India. It remains unclear how much weightage cost would have in selecting a light fighter for the IAF. Lockheed Martin is confident of offering the cheapest fighter in its class, having more than amortised its production line while building over 4,500 fighters. "Transferring the line to India will make the F-16 even cheaper. And that will bring in even more export orders," predicts Howard, optimistically. There is little clarity, however, on whether Washington or New Delhi would have the casting vote on foreign sales of F-16s built in India. It seems likely that both governments would have to concur on third-party, export sales. Lockheed Martin strongly rejects the notion that the F-16, first built in the 1970s, is obsolescent. Howard points to the Block 70's battle-proven Northrop Grumman APG-83 airborne electronically scanned array radar, a key fighter combat system. That leverages technologies developed for the F-35's fifth-generation AESA radar. "Nothing in the world compares with the experience in AESA radars that Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman bring to the table," argues Howard. To be sure, the F-16 Block 70 is a versatile combat platform. It flies faster, climbs quicker and carries more armament than most fighters in its class. The 'conformal fuel tanks' in late-version F-16s allow long-range operations. With two additional 370-gallon drop tanks and predominantly air-to-air armament, the F-16 has a combat radius of 1,500 kilometres --- comparable to the much bigger Rafale. With the heavier air-to-ground weaponry that the F-16 carries for strike missions, the radius of action is still an impressive 700 kilometres. Alongside an aggressive marketing pitch to the IAF, Lockheed Martin is also moving ahead strongly with developing vendors in India, and a supply chain that would feed into an Indian F-16 line. On November 7 and 8, a vendors' conference is planned in Bengaluru. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday asserted that that he will totally accept the outcome of the "historic" presidential election if he wins but reserved his right to file a legal challenge in case of a "questionable result". "Ladies and gentleman, I want to make a major announcement today. I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters, and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic Presidential election, if I win," Trump told his supporters in Delaware, Ohio. However, the 70-year-old billionaire, went on to state, "I will accept a clear election result, but I will also reserve my right to contest and file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." During the third and final presidential debate, Trump refused to commit himself to whether he would accept the results of the November 8 general elections. "The debate last night was amazing. And everybody said, I won. Including every single online poll, and some had it at 90 and close to 90 per cent, so that's pretty cool," he said. Trump, however, continued with his allegations of voter's fraud. "The question of voter fraud came up during the debate. We want fairness in the election. This is having nothing to do with me. But having to do with the future of our country. We have to have fairness. John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, was quoted in WikiLeaks as saying, illegal immigrants could vote as long as they have their drivers license," Trump said. "What I'm saying is don't be naive folks. Don't be naive. One of the big issues that came up last night, was the fact that the Clinton campaign has paid people to disrupt, violently, our rallies, and to incite absolute total bedlam. It's so bad, so bad," Trump said. "And you know, I have had occasions where we had rallies and it was so incredibly violent. I said, what's going on over here? These were paid people by the Clinton campaign and it just came out," he alleged. Trump said he gives a lot of credit to the people that brought this out. "Believe me. This is criminal behavior that violates centuries of tradition of peaceful, democratic elections. A campaign like Clinton's that will incite violence, is truly a campaign that will do anything to win," he said. The Republican presidential candidate said that Clinton would endanger the country if elected. "The candidate like crooked Hillary Clinton, who will lie to Congress, lie to the FBI, destroy 33,000 e-mails, put her office up for sale and put our confidential information in the reach of our enemies, is a candidate who is truly capable of anything, including voter fraud," he said. "In addition, it was just learned that Hillary Clinton was given the exact questions to a previous debate, word for word, by Donna Brazile...who is now under tremendous pressure to resign from the DNC, as she should be. She should resign. How can a woman do that? That is cheating at the highest level," he added. "But I ask you, why shouldn't Hillary Clinton resign from the race? She was given -- think of it -- she was given these questions. She used these questions, studied the questions, got the perfect answer for the questions, and never said that she did something that was totally wrong and inappropriate. Hence the name crooked Hillary," Trump said. IMAGE: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump smiles during his campaign rally in Delaware, Ohio. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters An industry of scamsters is operating in the guise of call centres in India, report Ranjita Ganesan, Dhruv Munjal and Nikita Puri. For the last few months, hundreds of people had been pulling night shifts at offices in Mira Road, the northernmost appendage of Mumbai. They had landed jobs in call centres, friends and family were informed, drawing salaries of Rs 12,000 to Rs 30,000. They were young men and women, educated up to Class 10 or 12, with a dithering knowledge of English. The workplace was spread across seven storeys of a new commercial building. Between 7 pm and 4.30 am, five days a week, they would field calls from people in various parts of the United States, who enquired about taxes they owed to the Internal Revenue Service. It all seemed quite professional, except the connection between IRS and these call centres is about as authentic as the Loch Ness monster. Dozens of fake companies posing as legitimate helplines have popped up with the sole purpose of 'vishing.' They use the telephone to dupe people outside and within India into divulging personal information that helps with identity theft. Seven centres on Mira Road, including the one described earlier, were busted by the Thane police in the first week of October. Some 70 employees were arrested, the rest detained, and more than 850 hard disks, DVRs, high-end servers, laptops and equipment worth Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) were seized. Also found were scripts that taught callers how to respond in a variety of potential scenarios. Increasing incidents of scam calls led the US Federal Trade Commission to warn citizens that if the IRS wanted to contact them, it would do so by mail, and it would not demand credit card or Social Security numbers over the phone. In one public notice, the FTC said 'a caller who creates a sense of urgency or uses high-pressure tactics is probably a scam artist.' Naming the callers 'artists' of any kind may be an unworthy compliment. While the set-up was sophisticated, their methods were not always masterful. The scammers had computers, fitted with headsets and a device that directed calls from the United States to them. At work, they would not be allowed to log into Facebook or Gmail. Part of office decor usually was a whiteboard bearing the logo of the IRS, and a list of United States area codes. Daily, employees would send blasts of voicemails from an 'Officer Julie Smith' or 'Officer Steve Martin' telling people they owed a large sum to the tax department, and leaving a number to call back. The phone database was reportedly purchased from the Dark Web. Most receivers saw right through the messages that had a perceptible Indian accent, either ignoring them or cross-checking their payment history and the IRS Web site. Some called back, but quickly spotted the trick. A few fell for it. In an eight-hour shift, the employees could answer about five or six inbound calls from the gullible. In conversations lasting anywhere between 30 minutes and six hours, they first read out a made-up affidavit from the IRS, and threatened the victims with police action if they hung up. Later, they softened their stand, asking a few questions, and offering to help 'stop the warrant and get this thing resolved.' Once a victim had been reeled in sufficiently, the 'dialler' handed the call to the more-experienced 'closer' who proposed a settlement of sorts. Callers were convinced to buy Vanilla gift cards or iTunes cards for $500 to $9,000, and share the PIN numbers. That money would be deposited into accounts maintained by kingpins, who could be operating from abroad. Each call centre brought in roughly Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) to Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million) a day, according to police estimates. The top bosses would allegedly transfer 75 per cent of the sum to the local partners who run these businesses day-to-day, while retaining the rest. During the course of the day, they would get updates on the day's performance from local call centre owners and some floor managers on WhatsApp. The higher rung locally is composed of young people, mostly 24 to 28 years of age. They bought flashy cars; one even drove a Hummer. Unit 1 of the Thane crime branch, where the call centre crackdowns were masterminded, has perhaps one of the best safeguards against vishing: Phone signals tend to wither here. Days are busier than usual now. Assistant Commissioner of Police Mukund Hatote was among those who raided the centres late at night. He has since received e-mails from the United States, some congratulating the police and others sharing their woes. One of the victims, a woman of 65, died of a heart attack, he says. Another victim was pressured for four hours until he parted with $4,600. "The call recordings are bizarre. They just talk non-stop, like "popat panchi (parrots)," Hatote says with a laugh. While falling for the scam seems ludicrous, the US Treasury inspector general for tax administration estimates more than 5,000 victims have lost over $26 million to it in the past two years, according to the US-based non-profit organisation, Better Business Bureau. IRS officials are in touch with Thane police over the investigation. The latest bust is not the first of its kind. Last year, Pennsylvania's Sahil Patel was sentenced to prison for 14 years for controlling a similar scam in India since 2011. Besides the IRS, there are imposters of Microsoft tech support, debt collectors, and even the Australian tax office. Such scams are also believed to be running out of Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Surat, Noida and Gurgaon. Less prominent job sites still carry ads, often poorly worded, asking for 'closers for payday and IRS.' People with 'hardcore aggression to earn money' are encouraged to apply. Some of these outfits prey on locals. In the summer of 2014, Nitish Agarwal, 26, who had just graduated in computer engineering from a little-known university in Meerut, was fretting over the future. He had drawn a blank in the handful of campus interviews. He uploaded his resume on an engineering job portal, but felt the dream of working for a major technology firm turning to dust. One afternoon, he received a phone call. The man on the other side, one who went by the surname Sareen, pitched him a job that involved offering 'technical support' to customers with new computers. Sareen, Agarwal recalls, spoke in near impeccable English, like an executive from some big firm. "He wasn't offering a lot of money, Rs 22,000 a month, but it seemed a good start." On day one, he was handed a script to memorise. Agarwal was also told about the details of a PayPal account through which the customers had to pay for the services that they were being given, which included the cleaning up of viruses and malware from their systems. For the next two weeks, he made calls from a database with some 500 names, sticking to the script. Most people who were called, he adds, ended up paying the money. Each customer was shelling out Rs 2,500 on an average. It was much later that Agarwal realised that the call centre where he was working, located in a narrow, bustling lane in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar, was duping customers by planting viruses that actually did not exist. Giving him company were 20 others, some of whom, much like Agarwal, say they did not know what they were doing. "They were using something akin to TeamViewer (the desktop sharing software) but way more sophisticated. In a way, the customer was seeing what was being shown to them," says Agarwal. "The moment you tell people that their computer safety can be compromised, they get really scared." Fearing a police clampdown, Agarwal quit the job after a month. He never got to meet Sareen. "The mastermind never exposes himself to the employees. He always has a group of people to carry out his operations for him," says Agarwal. Residents of Laxmi Nagar say the call centre abruptly wound up operations late last year. Nobody knows why. A number of call centres line this congested neighbourhood, where buffaloes are tethered on one side of the street and rickshaw-pullers struggle to not crash into each other. Rentals in the area are cheap: A 450 to 500 sq ft space costs no more than Rs 30,000 a month. The consequences for the victims are devastating. In the early days of January, when film and theatre actor Prakash Belawadi was working and his wife was on a call, she kept asking if he had received any message on his cell phone. "I thought she was booking something online, so I gave her the OTP I had just received. Since I was writing something, I asked her to move to the other room and talk. I then heard her give the OTP to someone and quickly went to ask who she was speaking with," says Belawadi. When Belawadi quizzed the man on the other end, a person who claimed to be from Citibank, he was told that it was just procedural; after all, his wife's details had not been updated in some time. "By the time I told him I would register a case against him, the money had been deducted," he says. In a matter of seconds, the Belawadis had lost Rs 90,000, the maximum limit on her card. "The feeling of being cheated, that's really bad," says Belawadi. That sinking feeling drove Palak V, a mother of two and wife of an IT professional, to suicide recently. She had paid Rs 11 lakh (Rs 1.1 million) to claim prize money of Rs 45 lakh (Rs 4.5 million) which never existed. Before that in March, a 65-year-old woman lost Rs 38 lakh (Rs 3.8 million), all of her retirement savings, to a similar con. Advocate Prashant Mali, a cyber law specialist who is advising the Thane police, says the police everywhere should be vigilant about the specific processes running in each call centre in their jurisdiction. Some reckon employees who want to report to the police may have been blackmailed. According to a report by security company TAC that was published last year, there are at least 300 call centres across urban India involved in some form of illegal activity. "All call centres have to be registered with Nasscom, but I doubt if any of the ones that commit frauds are registered. The real problem here is regulation," says S Amar Prasad Reddy, additional director general, National Cyber Safety and Security Standards. "They don't fall under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India either, so it is almost impossible to monitor their activities." Nasscom says it is working with global consumer protection agencies on the issue. Members of the public have raised their guard recently, as aware users sometimes play along with scammers and post these conversations on YouTube. Complaint forums list dubious numbers in various geographies. "As awareness of such cases increases, the cases themselves are likely to increase," says Hemant Nimbalkar, deputy inspector general of police, crime investigation department, Bengaluru. "In most of these cases, the victims are educated people." At times, however, attempts to raise awareness have backfired. The Thane police found that consumer protection videos by IRS, which explained how scammers typically operate, had ended up informing the scripts and material used by the new fraudsters. Lima, Peru -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/20/2016 --World Oil Group, Inc.'s (OTC:WOGI) Abstract of the signed a 20-year private contract for land rights of 4081.92 hectares of land in the Tambopata Region of Madre de Dios, Peru. World Oil Group, Inc. will look to develop a host of projects on the property. PRIVATE CONTRACT ABSTRACT Buffer zone of the Tambopata National Reserve and Baguaja Sonene National Park 1) The Concession is for ECO Tourism located in the following; a. DISTRICT: INAMBARI b. PROVINCIA: TAMBOPATA c. REGION: MADRE DE DIOS 2) TERM OF CONCESSION: The concession is for 20 years 3) CONTROL/MANAGEMENT OF CONCESSSION: WOGI will have 100% operational control and management of the concession/property for: 1. Carbon Tax Credits, 2. Eco Tourism/Hotels/Resorts, 3. Medical Research, 4, Medical Health Tourism, and 5. Agriculture Business to name a few. 4) EQUITY POSITION(s): All general business 75% WOGI/25% Concessionaire. Medical Research: 90% WOGI/10% Concessionaire. 5) World Oil Group, Inc. reserves the right to assign the agreement in whole and or in part to negotiate with new equity partners in each area of business. This will allow World Oil Group, Inc.'s shareholders to receive benefit(s) and not dilute shares to raise capital to build out each level of business allowed by the concession. 6) WORKING CAPITAL RESPONSIBILITY: 100% WOGI CONCLUSION World Oil Group, Inc. has signed a 20-year renewable contract and has acquired a physical asset in excess of 15 million dollars that is 10,086.64 acres of fertile land with natural organic food currently growing on the property. This contract gives World Oil Group, Inc. 100% Command and Control/Management to generate varies businesses opportunities on the property. This gives WOGI the ability to grow the company in balanced portfolio and generate an enormous upside for WOGI shareholders in a growing diverse market. Organic Foods Market: https://www.ota.com/news/press-releases/19031 http://foodtank.com/news/2016/07/record-breaking-growth-of-organic-industry Medical Research: https://medicine.dal.ca/research/peru/news/2016/05/09/success_stories_by_peru_s_research_in_medicine_students.html https://globalhealth.duke.edu/priority-partnership-locations/lima-peru US Naval Medical Research in Peru https://www.facebook.com/NAMRU6/ Foods That Heal: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/manuel-villacorta/peru-superfood_b_3890210.html http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/health_food/organic_food/health_benefitsof_organic_raw_peruvian_maca.html http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/what-is-lucuma FOOD SECURITY: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_security http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/daniel_speckhard http://www.ava.gov.sg/files/avavision/issues3-4_2013/food-security-roadmap.html http://www.sustainabletable.org/280/food-security-food-access World Oil Group, Inc., will continue providing shareholder updates over the next few weeks so that shareholders can follow the development of each business segment as its unfolds. World Oil Group, Inc. will continue to press forward to build a strong company despite the obstacles its faced in the market. About World Oil Group, Inc. World Oil Group, Inc. is an international company with oil exploration operations in Oil City, Pennsylvania and its Management, Petroleum, Commodities & Mining Operations based in Lima, Peru. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The foregoing press announcement contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by such terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. In particular, management's expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties relating to our success in completing acquisitions, financing our operations, entering into strategic partnerships, engaging management and other matters disclosed by us in our public filings from time to time. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. For more information, contact: Nathan Hall World Oil Group, Inc. Phone Number: 407-777-9228 Email: worldoilgroupinc@gmail.com www.worldoilgroup.com Twitter.com/epapetroleum Source: Uptick Newswire Richard Allen, suspect in Delphi teen slayings, led unassuming life Five and a half years after two teen girls were slain, Delphi, Indiana resident Richard Allen has been arrested in the case. His community is shocked. If you have a need for firewood, get it now while you can I recently read the results from a project called Project Time Off (projecttimeoff.com) that reported in the past year Americans have left $272 billion yes, the one with the'b' worth of vacation time on the table unused. That is absolutely crazy! We, as a culture, often describe ourselves as always busy, stressed and overworked. I've even been guilty of using the phrase 'so many task, not enough hours in the day.' We're a culture that thrives on the go, go, go lifestyle. Why as Americans do we do this to ourselves? I myself am also guilty of rolling over at least one week of unused vacation each year as well. Many companies welcome the idea of their employees taking vacation. The report data showed that more than 90 percent of managers believe it's important their employees take their earned vacation time. Does not taking vacation that we're given show we're better, harder, more committed workers? Honestly, no, it doesn't. It does mean we're at the office more. When we take our vacation we can reduce our likelihood of feeling the effects of burning out and being emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. We're more likely to be willing to stay late for deadlines and projects when we're not doing it every night for weeks on end with no break. I've lived in a couple of other countries, which are much more relaxed in their daily life. They leave work on time, they appreciate long lunches, and yet their productivity seems to be increased. When the feeling of work/life balance is in a healthy place, it would make sense our ability to complete tasks and do them well are improved. Changing the mindset that taking your vacation and more importantly not working remotely while on said vacation and getting rest isn't necessary won't happen overnight. We have to start taking steps to disconnect from work and focus on our own well-being and on our families and hobbies in front of us. Even if you don't feel financially able to take a vacation out of town/state/country, take advantage of a staycation. Use the day to visit a local museum that's always closed by time you're out of the office. Teaching ourselves to rest won't take long, once we feel our bodies recharge, we're likely to want the boost again without such a long break in between. UPDATE: A 104th District Court jury Friday afternoon found 18-year-old Emmanuel Diaz guilty of murder and deadly conduct. The jury deliberated less than 90 minutes. Diaz was 16 when he ran over Jesse Cortinez with a vehicle on Halloween 2014 after Cortinez refused to buy him beer. Diaz was later certified to stand trial as an adult. The jury will set his punishment Monday. ORIGINAL STORY: Both the state and the defense rested Thursday in the murder trial of 18-year-old Emmanuel Diaz, accused of running over Jesse Cortinez with a vehicle on Halloween 2014. Before testimony concluded, both sides called witnesses to argue their narratives of events the night Cortinez was struck and killed while walking on South Seventh Street after visiting a convenience store on the corner of South Seventh and Butternut streets. Among those taking the stand Thursday in 104th District Court was Abilene police officer Tyson Kropp, who provides crash reconstruction models among his many duties for the Abilene Police Department. Kropp showed the court computer-animated re-creations from his investigation of the crash scene. Kropp said he designed the re-creations to show both the driver's perspective and a bird's-eye view of the scene. He said he designed one scenario in which the vehicle, a Jeep Liberty, stopped and one in which it never halted at the scene, with both scenarios deemed possible based on previous testimony of witnesses. Kropp said, however, that dirt at the scene and tire tracks led him to conclude that the vehicle accelerated before striking Cortinez, 58. Also testifying was APD Detective Erin Bennett, who served as lead investigator. She reviewed security camera footage for the court from the convenience store where Cortinez encountered the occupants of the Jeep Liberty. She said the videos, broken up because the system refreshed at midnight Nov. 1, 2014, showed Cortinez leave the store and eventually make contact with the vehicle occupants. After a brief encounter, he walks away and shortly after, the vehicle pulls out of the parking spot it had occupied and travels in the same direction as the victim, she said. Bennett also provided evidence regarding a second charge against Diaz in connection with a drive-by shooting at a residence on Waldemar Street hours before Cortinez was killed. She provided vehicle parts collected at the scene of an incident in which a vehicle struck a tree as its occupants fled after allegedly shooting at a residence where a party was taking place. Bennett also provided tree bark and shell casings from the scene. A window frame with a bullet lodged in it also was provided for the court. She also was questioned about her observations of Diaz an hour after the events took place. She said Diaz acted aggressively toward police when first contacted after 1 a.m. Nov. 1, 2014. 'He was calling officers names,' she said. 'He was doing it intentionally, getting a kick out of his friends seeing him act that way in front of authority figures.' Defense attorney Sam Mehaffey asked whether Diaz displayed signs of intoxication or of Xanax use, but Bennett said he didn't display such signs until later that morning during questioning at police headquarters. Mehaffey, who alleges that Diaz was not driving the vehicle and that co-defendant Joseph Anthony Carrillo was behind the wheel, also called Diaz's mother and her boyfriend to testify Thursday. Both were asked whether Diaz was known to consume alcohol despite being a minor he was 16 at the time of the incident and whether he was known to allow other people to drive the family vehicle. Each said yes to both questions. Earlier Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Joel Wilks recalled Osiris Washington to the stand to correct a statement he made while testifying Tuesday. Washington, who was at the convenience store at the time the incident and rushed to assist Cortinez after he was struck, said his previous testimony mixed up the colors of the T-shirts worn by the driver and passenger of the vehicle. On Tuesday, he said, he told the court the driver was wearing a dark shirt or hoodie and the passenger was wearing an orange shirt. On Thursday, he said the driver was wearing orange. He made the correction, he said, after reviewing his statement made to police the night of Cortinez's death. Proceedings are scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Friday, when charges will be read to the jury. Closing arguments and deliberations are expected to follow. Twitter: @TimothyChippARN If you're busy shielding impressionable children from one presidential candidate's sexual boasts, or busy being one of the other candidate's irredeemable deplorables, you may have missed this news: The Obama administration confirms that the government's annual budget deficits, which had declined since the close of the Great Recession, are rising again. The deficit for the federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 was $587 billion. That's 34 percent higher than the previous year's deficit. When we peeked Tuesday at USDebtClock.org a live-action website that delivers terrible news to despairing readers our government's debt stood just north of $19.7 trillion. That's more than $60,600 for every man, woman and innocent child. Oh, and those numbers don't include the unfunded liabilities of entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Did you know that the number of Americans 65 and older will explode by almost 40 percent over the next decade? So if we could interject one question into Wednesday night's final presidential debate of 2016, it would be this: Secretary Clinton, Mr. Trump, you have children. Why aren't you scared? We know these major-party candidates are blissful about Debt Mountain because each of them plans to increase its height. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget calculates that Hillary Clinton's policies would add $200 billion to the national debt over the next decade. She would raise tax revenue but devote that money to new spending, not to retiring debt. And Donald Trump? Because he would cut taxes, his policies would grow the national debt by $5.3 trillion over the same decade. Here please add your screed of choice to this editorial. Among your options: We wouldn't be in this fix if President Barack Obama hadn't been forced to clean up the economic debacle that started on George Bush's watch. If Obama and the Democratic Congress of his early years had spent more money to stimulate the economy, we'd have more jobs and more tax revenue today. Obama has nearly doubled a national debt that was $10.6 trillion when he took office in January 2009. He's been spending all he can for eight years, the better to buy votes for himself and other Democratic candidates. When did you last hear him warn Americans about how this vast debt will constrict their children's futures? Stop litigating how we got here. What matters is where we're headed. And with Clinton or Trump, the likely answer is: toward doom. In our next recession it's sure to arrive, the only question is when what will we do if the world gets nervous and stops buying U.S. government securities? Then what, big spenders? During this campaign, Americans have heard next to nothing about these enormous obligations debts taken in the name of taxpayers, and debts that taxpayers truly will have to repay. We planned to listen Wednesday night for clues that Clinton or Trump cares in the least about this. We'll also be mulling one of the Obama administration's disclosures in its acknowledgment of the fiscal 2016 deficit. Among the areas where spending is rising quickly: interest payments to investors, here and overseas, on that nearly $20 trillion national debt. Which prompts another debate question: Can either of you suggest a less productive way than that for the U.S. government to spend taxpayers' dollars? Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... Cambodians hold images of Kem Ley, a Cambodian political analyst who was shot dead in broad daylight on July 10, during a funeral procession for him in Phnom Penh, July 24, 2016. The head of a Cambodian National Assembly commission wants two members of Prime Minister Hun Sens cabinet to answer questions about the investigation into the murder in July of popular government critic Kem Ley, RFAs Khmer Service has learned. As the investigation into the slaying drags on with what looks like little progress, the chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, Complaints, and Investigation wants to get some answers from Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana and Interior Minister Sar Kheng. Its very regrettable that over this past three months the investigation seems to have come up with nothing new, said commission chairman Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmaker Eng Chhai Eang. I am more concerned that the person named Chuop Samlap could be released, he told RFA, using suspect Oeuth Angs nom de plume. Roughly translated Choup Samlap means meet to kill. Kem Ley was gunned down in broad daylight on July 10 when he stopped in a Star Mart convenience store beside a Caltex gas station in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Though authorities charged Oueth Ang with the killing, many in Cambodia dont believe the governments story that Kem Ley was killed by the former soldier over a debt. Just days before he was gunned down, Kem Ley had discussed on an RFA Khmer Service call-in show a report by London-based Global Witness detailing the extent of the wealth of the family of Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 31 years. Since the arrest, the investigation has apparently stalled, or is not being pursued as the Cambodian authorities have someone in custody. There are many issues as we know," Eng Chhai Eang said. As head of the commission, I will do whatever I can to push for them to seek the real killer. Eng Chhai Eang did not give a date for the summons, but said he hoped it would come soon after opposition party lawmakers decide to return to the parliament. Justice Ministry spokesperson Chin Malin told RFA that the ministry will look into the summon letter if it is officially submitted. Opposition party lawmakers have been boycotting the National Assembly as the two parties have now been locked for months in a political statement, with Cambodian authorities stripping several opposition lawmakers of their legislative immunity. Lawmakers have also been put on trial for a variety of offenses, many of which appear to be aimed at undercutting the CNRP before local elections in 2017 and national elections the following year. A Sam Rainsy Return? One of those lawmakers, CNRP president Sam Rainsy, told activists on Wednesday that he would return to Cambodia as soon as the 30 jailed human rights workers and opposition party officials are released. 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. I will return to Cambodia immediately, he told supporters via Skype. They can do whatever to me, arrest me and put in jail or even kill me, but [I] just ask for one thing: The release of those compatriots, the release of political prisoners, he added. Government spokesman Phay Siphan called Sam Rainsys proposal a political ploy. It should be embarrassing, he said. His [Sam Rainsys] action, bravery and leadership is no comparison to Kem Sokha, who has never left the country despite all kinds of warning, threats, and facing arrest. 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. The charges against both Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha are widely viewed as being politically motivated. Political analyst So Chantha said he believed Sam Rainsy should return to Cambodia. To me, whether there is any exchange or not, Sam Rainsys choice should be to return to Cambodia rather than sending political statements, he told RFA. He should return to show his bravery to the people in a way that would help the opposition party win the upcoming election. Local elections in Cambodia are set for 2017, with national elections scheduled for 2018. Hun Manet faces protests abroad While opposition party officials face issues at home, Prime Minister Hun Sens regime is facing headwinds abroad as his eldest son who is considered his successor was heckled by overseas Cambodians during a recent visit to Australia. In a press conference at the Phnom Penh international airport on Wednesday, Hun Manet, lashed out at demonstrations against him in Australia, saying they were ginned up by the CNRP. Do not forget that the [ruling Cambodian Peoples Party] CPP also has forces we can use, but we did not, he said. [CNRP lawmaker] Nhay Chamroeun goes everywhere, but the CPP does not go protesting and holding banners, and there are no demonstrations in Cambodia. While there may be no CPP-sponsored demonstrations in Cambodia, Nhay Chamroeun was one of two opposition lawmakers brutally beaten in front of the National Assembly building in May. Witnesses say that about 200 young men from Prime Minister Hun Sens corps of bodyguards were driven in trucks to the protest and later boasted about beating the politicians. Hun Manet is lieutenant general in the Cambodian army and is deputy commander of the bodyguard unit. Social development researcher Meas Ny told RFA that Hun Manet is likely to become the countrys leader in future. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Screen grab of footage of senior North Korean diplomat Thae Yong Ho, recorded at the North Korean embassy in London on Nov. 3, 2014, about 20 months before he defected with his family to South Korea. In what appears to be a reaction to the defection of a high-ranking diplomat, North Korea is tightening the reigns on traders doing business with China, sources tell RFAs Korean Service. While Pyongyang has always assigned traders a designated area, the authorities never appeared to care if they moved to another place as long as they were bringing in much-desired hard currency to North Korea. With the defection of Thae Yong-ho, North Koreas deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, that laissez-faire attitude looks to have changed, sources in China tell RFA. Previously the North Korean authorities allowed several trade workers to work at lucrative appointments although they were working in places where they were not assigned, said a source in China. However, because of this new order, all trade workers who left their assigned areas have already come back or are hurrying to return. Thae, North Koreas second highest ranking official in the United Kingdom, defected to South Korea. He is the highest-ranking diplomat ever to defect to South Korea, and his August defection gave the Kim Jong Un regime a black eye. Since then North Korean authorities have been enforcing the regimes requirement that traders work in their specified territory, sources tell RFA. This instruction was issued right after Thae Yong-ho's defection, said the Chinese source. Another source agreed: This is not unrelated to the exile cases of elite North Koreans; including, Thae Young-ho. City of big profits While traders are assigned a specific area in which to work, they often pick up and go to Dandong where they can make a bigger profit, said another source in China. Dandong has the largest population of ethnic Koreans who live in China and ethnic Chinese from North Korea. North Korean citizens who represent their countrys trade offices in China often employ these bilingual people from border regions to conduct their business. Dandong lies across the Yalu River from Sinuiju, North Korea, making it a desirable location for people who frequently shuttle between the two countries. For traders, the most popular area to trade is Dandong, said the Chinese source. This is because Dandong is closer to their home country (North Korea), and the prices are lower than other major cities. A restaurateur whose establishment is popular with North Koreans told RFA that some of his customers who are also traders have stopped coming by. Its been a while since I have seen some of my regular customers from North Korea, he said. So I thought they went back home, but I recently found out that most of them moved into their assigned areas. Keeping traders in their designated areas makes it easier for the North Korean authorities to monitor and control them, according to one of the sources. Trade workers have to report their daily movements to state security agents via phone at least once a day, but if trade workers change their areas randomly, it may cause the authorities to lose control, said a source. Reported by Joon-ho Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Hyosun Kim. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Local Lao villagers accuse the Lao Brewery Co. in Vientiane of polluting the water in a nearby marsh, Oct. 20, 2016. The Lao Brewery Co. may produce the countrys most popular beer, but the company is out of favor in the village neighboring its brewery in Vientiane, where residents there blame it for polluting the air and water. There is a bad smell, and we cannot use the water in the marsh and canal because it is dirty, a resident of the Salakham village told RFAs Lao Service. Polluted water from the Lao brewery flows into Salakham marsh, and now people cannot catch fish there like they did in the past, added the resident who spoke on condition of anonymity. The villager said the problem becomes more acute when the brewery ramps up production ahead of holidays, including the Lao New Year in April. When the company rushes to increase production on the occasions of Lao New Year and international New Year, it causes more polluted water than usual, the villager said. The company, which is jointly owned by the Lao government and the brewing giant Carlsberg, claims a 99 percent share of the Lao beer market. BeerLao, the nations most popular beer, is among the products it manufactures in its brewery in Vientiane Hatsayfong district. On the companys website, it claims to be fully aware of environmental impact and is doing its utmost to protect the environment and quality of life both at its plants and in society in general. In an interview with RFA, a company official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, both dismissed the complaints and said the company was working to clean up its act. Adding a second treatment facility That [pollution] is not big issue because our team and Vientiane environmental officials inspect it, so there is no problem, the official said. Now, the company is improving and building a second water pollution management system after the people submitted complaints to the government. But the Salakham villager says the company is taking too long to fix the issue. In 2014, over 1,000 families throughout the villages of Salakham, Nahai, Donfai and Dongphonelao signed their names to a petition to the prime minister seeking resolution, but nothing has been done, the villager said. As a result, the aquatic animals and plants in the marsh and canal died in the dry season because the polluted water is not drained into Mekong River like it is during the rainy season. A Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment official told RFA that they have inspected the brewery, adding that the Lao Brewery Co. is not the only offender. Not only do we inspect the Lao Brewery Company, but also others if they are suspected of causing pollution, said Bounty Dethvongsone, the ministrys first secretary. Then we report to the government for a resolution in due course. Its not the first time business associated with the Lao Brewery Co. has come under scrutiny for pollution. Earlier this month the Lao government ordered a factory in the capital Vientiane that recycles 80 tons of spent beer malt a day to shut down after its owners failed to control pollution from the process. That factory in the Saysettha districts Doung village recycles spent brewers malt from the Lao Brewing Company breweries and exports the used grains to Thailands Charoen Pokphand Foods, where it is turned into animal feed. On Oct. 17, The Vientiane Times reported that the social and environmental impacts caused by chemical substances, and the National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) for 2017 will be among top agendas of the upcoming ordinary session of the National Assembly. The National Assembly Economic, Technology and Environment Commission put those issues up for discussion during a meeting last week in Vientiane as preparation for the upcoming National Assembly session that runs from Oct. 24 to Nov. 18. Reported by RFA's Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. U.S. Democratic presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton has directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of a string of cyberattacks targeting U.S. political organizations and prominent current and former officials. Clashing with Republican rival Donald Trump on October 19 in their third and final debate of the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, Clinton said the recent hacking and leak of e-mails of U.S. individuals and groups was "clearly" ordered by "Putin himself" in order to benefit her opponent. U.S. officials have accused Moscow of coordinating the cyberattacks, including on the Democratic National Committee, ahead of the November 8 election. In the debate, Clinton accused Russia of handing the stolen information to the antisecrecy website WikiLeaks, which has published troves of e-mails from her campaign. Clintons campaign has repeatedly accused the Kremlin of trying to swing the election for Trump, who has spoken warmly of Putin and advocated a warming of battered ties between Washington and Moscow. Both Trump and the Kremlin have dismissed the accusations as absurd. Trump responded during the debate by saying that he would condemn Russia "or anyone else" who was behind the cyberattacks. He said Putin did not respect Clinton or U.S. President Barack Obama and had "outsmarted" both of them "at every single step of the way." With reporting by AP and Reuters U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump traded accusations over their respective relations with Russia during their third and final televised debate. Speaking on October 19 in Las Vegas, Clinton said Trump is "willing to spout the Putin line," while Trump said the Russian president "has no respect" for Clinton. (AP) U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clashed over Russia in their final debate of the campaign, with Clinton directly accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering cyberattacks to help her Republican rival win. The sparring over Russia was one of several fierce exchanges on October 19 during a debate in which Trump, who claims the election is being "rigged" by the media and the U.S. political establishment to keep him out of the White House, refused to say he would accept the results of the November 8 election. Clinton alleged that the string of cyberattacks targeting U.S. political organizations and prominent individuals were "clearly" ordered by "Putin himself" in order to swing the election in Trump's favor. She said that the Russian president considers Trump, who has spoken warmly of Putin and advocated a warming of battered ties between Washington and Moscow, a potential "puppet" in the White House. As he has previously done, Trump rejected the allegation that Moscow is trying to meddle in the election on his behalf and accused Clinton of trying to shift the discussion on immigration during which their sharp exchange over Russia erupted. He said that Putin did not respect Clinton or U.S. President Barack Obama and had "outsmarted" both of them "at every single step of the way." U.S. officials have accused Moscow of coordinating the cyberattacks, including on the Democratic National Committee, ahead of the election. WATCH: Clinton, Trump Clash Over Russia During the debate, Clinton accused Russia of handing the stolen information to the antisecrecy website Wikileaks, which has published troves of e-mails from her campaign. WikiLeaks on October 15 released hacked transcripts of paid speeches she made to Wall Street firms in which she avoided directly criticizing the powerful U.S. finance industry for causing the 2008 financial crisis. Those and other leaked e-mails have raised questions about Clintons authenticity and trustworthiness, though the electoral map currently leans in her favor. Trump said he would condemn Russia "or anyone else" who was behind the cyberattacks, but added that Clinton "has no idea whether it's Russia, China, or anybody else" responsible. The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected accusations that the Russian government is behind the cyberattacks and trying to meddle in the U.S. election. Groping Charges And 'Rigged' Election The debate at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, comes amid Trump's weakening support among voters since the release on October 8 of recordings from 2005 in which he made lewd and predatory comments about women. Several woman have come forward since then and accused Trump of sexually assaulting them. Trump continued to vigorously deny the accusations during the debate, calling them "all fiction." "Those stories are all totally false," Trump said. "I didn't even apologize to my wife, who's sitting right here, because I didn't do anything." Clinton responded by citing personal attacks Trump has launched against his accusers, saying that her opponent "thinks belittling women makes him bigger." "He goes after their dignity, their self-worth, and I don't think there's a woman anywhere who doesn't know what that feels like," she said. Since the release of the video featuring his lewd remarks, Trump has repeatedly lashed out at what he calls a "rigged" political and media system aimed at hurting his campaign, in an apparent preemptive effort to discredit the election prior to the vote. WATCH: Trump Refuses To Commit To Accepting Election Results Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, said earlier on October 19 that the Republican candidate would accept the results of the election, remarks that come amid fears that his supporters could take action to challenge the results if they feel Trump lost unfairly. "He'll either win or he won't win and I believe he'll accept the outcome either way," she said in an interview with MSNBC. But during the debate, Trump refused to say that he would accept the results of the election regardless of the outcome. "I'll look at it at the time," he said. "What I've seen is so bad." Clinton responded to his remark with disbelief, saying that she was "appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position." On October 20, speaking in the battleground state of Ohio at his first public appearance since the final debate, Trump told his supporters: "I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win." He went on to say: "I will accept a clear election result, but I will also reserve my right to contest and file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, NPR, and The Washington Post Russia resumed its military blockade of Ukrainian ports on October 30, halting the supply of grain supplies largely headed to low-income nations and reigniting fears of a spiral in global food prices. The United States immediately criticized Russia's actions, accusing it of "weaponizing food" to gain leverage in its failing invasion of Ukraine. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Russia announced a day earlier it would suspend its participation in a UN-brokered deal that allowed Ukraine, one of the world's breadbaskets, to export grain after accusing Kyiv of staging a drone attack against its Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has rejected the accusations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on October 30 that he was "deeply concerned" about Russia's decision to halt its participation in the July deal, which helped reverse skyrocketing food prices that threatened to put millions at risk of starvation. Guterres said he would delay his departure for the Arab League summit in Algiers by one day to work on saving the grain deal. Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry reported on October 30 that 218 ships involved in grain exports are currently blocked -- 22 loaded and stuck at ports, 95 loaded and departed from ports, and 101 awaiting inspections. Ukraine's grain exports are a key revenue source for the country, whose economy has been decimated by Russia's eight-month war. They are also a critical source of food for countries in Africa and Asia. Earlier in the day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to resume its participation in the deal, warning it was "exacerbating" an already dire food crisis impacting largely poor countries. "Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry. In suspending this arrangement, Russia is again weaponizing food in the war it started," he said. In a post on Twitter, European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell also urged Russia to revert its decision. The July deal allowed Ukraine to resume exports of grain, other foodstuffs, and fertilizer, including ammonia, through a safe maritime humanitarian corridor from three of its Black Sea ports. To implement the deal, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN set up a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) to inspect vessels headed to and from Ukraine traveling along the corridor. Turkey played a major role in brokering the agreement. Russia on October 30 announced it was suspending its participation in the JCC, including inspecting ships off Istanbul. Earlier in the day, Turkey said the JCC would continue inspecting ships on October 30 and 31. The JCC had inspected 11 shipments on October 30 with more than 100 waiting for clearance. Analysts have been warning for the past two months that Russian President Vladimir Putin would look for an excuse to pull out of the deal to pressure the West over its continued military aid to Ukraine. Kyiv has used that military aid with effectiveness, driving the Russians back in the northeast, east, and southeast since launching a counteroffensive in September. "Given Ukraine's successful counterattack, the fighting there isn't going Russia's way. Putin, who is used to engaging in dialogue from a position of strength, finds he does not have so many ways of putting pressure on the West at his disposal. Threatening to torpedo the grain deal is one of his few remaining options," Aleksandra Prokopenko, an independent analyst, wrote in a September 16 note posted on the website of Washington-based think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In a video address after Russia's announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the move "a completely transparent attempt by Russia to return to the threat of large-scale famine for Africa and Asia." Zelenskiy called for Russia to be expelled from the Group of 20 leading global economies (G20). U.S. President Joe Biden called Moscow's decision "purely outrageous." The July 22 grain deal was intended to last 120 days with the option for renewal on November 19 "if no party objects," the UN said on October 28. Moscow has asked the UN Security Council to meet on October 31 to discuss the reported attack on its Black Sea Fleet at the Crimean port city of Sevastopol in the early hours of October 29. Russia's Defense Ministry said drones were used in the attack and that one Russian ship, a minesweeper, was damaged. Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said Kyiv would try to continue using the Black Sea shipping corridor as long as possible. Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Russian state television that Moscow was prepared to "supply up to 500,000 tons of grain to the poorest countries free of charge in the next four months." With reporting by Reuters Mohammad Nayeb-Zehi was among the hundreds of worshippers who gathered on September 30 at the Great Mosalla, a religious site in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, for Friday Prayers. Just hours later, the 16-year-old's family learned he was dead. Nayeb-Zehi was among the scores of people gunned down by security forces in a brutal crackdown following anti-government protests in Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which is home to the country's Baluch minority. "He was a simple laborer and not political," Nayeb-Zehi's brother, Ahmad, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda in a telephone interview from Zahedan, adding that his sibling had been shot in the heart. "We're in pain, and we cannot accept it." The crackdown in Zahedan came amid weeks-long nationwide protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died on September 16, days after she was detained by Iran's morality police. In Sistan-Baluchistan, public anger at the authorities escalated amid reports that a 15-year-old Baluch girl had been raped by a police official in the province's southern port city of Chabahar. The violence erupted soon after protesters gathered outside a police station near the central mosque in Zahedan. Members of the crowd chanted anti-government slogans, and some threw rocks. Security forces responded with deadly force by firing on the crowd from the station, according to witnesses. Security forces also raided the central mosque and the nearby Great Mosalla and opened fire on worshippers using live ammunition, rights groups said, adding that many were shot in the head, heart, neck, or torso, revealing a clear intent to kill or seriously wound. At least 94 people were killed and 350 wounded on that day, referred to as "Bloody Friday," according to the U.S.-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. At least 13 minors were among those killed, including Nayeb-Zehi. The victims were overwhelmingly Baluch -- a mostly Sunni ethnic group that has long faced disproportionate discrimination at the hands of the Iranian authorities. "He was martyred inside the Mosalla while holding his prayer mat," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. Nayeb-Zehi's family first visited Zahedan's Khatam al-Anbia hospital, hoping he was among the wounded. They later found his body in a seminary at the Great Mosalla. "We entered a room there and saw about 10 bodies," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. "[Mohammad] was among them." He said the authorities prevented the family from filming the scene. "I told them this has to be documented, it has to be published by international media," he said, adding that footage later emerged on social media showing the gruesome scene at the seminary. The family refused to send Nayeb-Zehi's body to the morgue. Instead, his body lay in the living room for around 24 hours before he was buried. "We said he was martyred and there was no need for an autopsy," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. The authorities accused Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group, of attacking the police station. The group is recognized as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States and has previously claimed deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchistan targeting Iranian security forces. But local and independent sources have rejected the authorities' claims. The authorities have also reported a much lower number of fatalities, announcing that only 19 people, including several members of the security forces, were killed. Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi said the authorities were "rubbing salt into the wounds of the people" by claiming "terrorists" were involved. He said he witnessed a military helicopter shooting at civilians near the Great Mosalla. "I haven't even seen such scenes in Hollywood movies," he said. "A helicopter was shooting at people. A lady was shot in front of my eyes." RFE/RL could not verify his account. But activists have accused security forces of shooting at protestors from helicopters. "I don't know what the intention of this crime was," he said. "Our only demand from the establishment is for the murderers of our [family members] to be punished." The killings have led to widespread anger in Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Iran's poorest provinces. Anti-establishment protests have been reported in Zahedan since the crackdown, including on October 14 and October 21, when protesters took to the streets after Friday Prayers and chanted "Death to the dictator." During his Friday Prayers sermon on October 21, influential Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi said senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were "responsible" for the September 30 killings. "We are surprised by the silence of the high-ranking officials," he said in his sermon, which was posted on his website. "Scores were killed here without any reason. I don't have the exact number. Some have reported 90, some say less, some say more," Ismaeelzahi added. He also said people will not be satisfied until "those who killed the people" are brought to justice. The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center said the events of September 30 amounted to "a massacre of protesters by security forces." "The government's total denial of responsibility for the massacring of citizens by its security apparatus is consistent with similar past denials and is evidence that internal calls for investigation of such crimes are insufficient," said the rights group, which documents human rights violations in Iran. The Pentagon says a U.S. soldier has been killed by an improvised explosive device in northern Iraq. U.S. defense officials said on October 20 that the soldier was wounded by the blast near the city of Mosul and died later from his injuries. The soldier was among about 100 U.S. troops embedded with Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces that are helping to guide U.S.-led coalition air strikes in support of an Iraqi-led military offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State (IS) militants. IS militants have set up booby traps and improvised explosive devices in villages, on roads, and in the desert around Mosul, a city they have held since the summer of 2014. Iraq's Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said on October 20 that the military offensive, now in its fourth day, was progressing "more quickly" than originally planned. Abadi hailed cooperation between the Iraqi Army and Kurdish forces, saying they were "fighting harmoniously together" to free Iraqi territory. Some Kurdish Peshmerga troops that had been advancing from the east side of Mosul have been redeployed and were fighting on October 20 to seize control of villages to the north of the city. Their strategic swing to the north puts the Peshmerga soldiers between Mosul and Turkish-trained Sunni militia fighters further north who have not played a coordinated role with Iraq's army in the battle. Meanwhile, the advance of the Iraqi Army from the south side of Mosul was continuing to pivot around the east side of the city on October 20. Backed by international air strikes, Iraqi Army troops had advanced by early October 20 to the town of Bartella, about 12 kilometers due east of Mosul. That strategic town controls access into Mosul from Iraq's Highway 2, which links Mosul with Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region. The head of Iraq's Special Forces, Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, said his troops surrounded Bartella and had advanced to the center of the village by the end of the day -- killing at least 15 IS militants. Later, Iraqi state television quoted an Iraqi military spokesman as saying a total of 80 IS militants were killed at Bartella, including 11 who attempted to drive suicide car bombs at Iraqi government troops. Militants have been using suicide car bombs, roadside bombs, snipers, and mortars to try to repel the offensive against them. Iraqi Army forces also have encircled Hamdaniya and were battling on October 20 for control of the strategic desert crossroads town about 12 kilometers to the southeast of Mosul. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP As military strategists laid plans to retake Mosul from Islamic State (IS) militants, aid agencies began quietly preparing for the grave humanitarian crisis they expect the northern Iraqi city's liberation to reveal. "There's no question that, in the worst case, Mosul will represent the single largest, most complex humanitarian crisis in the world in 2016," United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande said on October 18, hours after an Iraqi-led coalition launched its offensive. There is no telling exactly what the joint force of Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga troops will encounter in their effort to reclaim IS's last stronghold in Iraq, an operation that is expected to take weeks or even months. But aid groups, working in cooperation with Baghdad and Kurdish regional government authorities, have prepared for the worst. Uncertainty For UN and relief agencies, not knowing is one of the most difficult things to deal with. "One of the challenges about this is that you can only count on the best information you have at the time so a map is drawn up with a particular scenario and then the next day you have to tear it up and start again," says Chris Weeks, communications director for the relief organization World Vision International. Mosul, a city that once had a population of 2.5 million, is estimated to house as many as 1.5 million civilians today. All are expected to be affected by the military operation, with as many as many as 200,000 in the first few weeks, according to the UN. But it is difficult to predict when, where, and how quickly residents could flee once troops move in, says Andreas Needham, a Baghdad-based communications officer with the United Nations Refugee Agency. Security Once people start to leave, they will be first vetted and screened to prevent IS fighters from escaping with them, says Kurdistan regional government Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa. The security of civilians, he notes, is among the top priorities. After the screening process, people will be directed to numerous camps and shelters that have been set up by aid groups outside Mosul. World Vision International's Weeks voices concerns that the process, which could mean that males as young as 14 may be temporarily separated from their families, will cause further strain on civilians. "Men are going to be separated from their families and that means the remaining families are quite vulnerable, a woman with several children moving to a new area that they don't know can be quite a threatening environment," he says. Basic Necessities Supplies are believed to be in short supply after two years of IS occupation, winter is on the horizon, and there are serious concerns over the mental and physical condition of residents. And as International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) spokeswoman Sara al-Zawqari notes, "When people flee, they flee with nothing except their clothes." To address such problems, the humanitarian community has been collecting contributions and requesting funding for months, and are prepared to provide displaced persons with basic necessities. Zawqari says the ICRC will provide civilians with emergency relief, including food, bottled water, blankets, health kits, kitchen utensils, and other basic items. She says her organization is currently ready to provide emergency aid to 300,000 people. Other aid groups will also be involved in providing emergency help to those escaping Mosul, including the Catholic Relief Service, which according to its country representative Hadi al-Mahdi has recruited about 120 volunteers to deliver emergency aid and even cash. The World Food Program (WFP) has said that it has prepared more than 14,000 tons of family food rations -- enough to feed 1 million people for one month -- in warehouses near Mosul. In addition, the WFP has also prepared ready-to-eat food rations for 240,000 people. Some 240 tons of medicine will be available at distribution points and medical assistance will be provided by mobile units. Zawqari says the only local hospital in operation, located about 40 kilometers away from Mosul, has been prepped to perform surgeries and treat the wounded among the displaced. Shelter For now, Needham says, the UNHCR has set up five camps for up to 45,000 people. He says the UNHCR hopes to soon have a total of 11 camps set up. The camps are expected to have the combined capacity to shelter up to 120,000 people. However, Mahdi says, many of the displaced are expected to prefer to stay in non-camp areas and within communities. To account for this reality his group has devised a new transitional shelter model made from locally available materials. The UN says material for shelter construction will be provided to the displaced to support families who flee Mosul but opt against staying in camps. Psychological Help After two years of harsh IS rule and the stress of their escape, many Mosul residents are expected to require psychological help. Weeks says children are particularly vulnerable. "We believe half of the people who flee might be children. We're talking possibly about half a million, possibly 600,000," he said. "They're going to have incredible emotional and psychological needs." He added that specialized staff have been trained to recognize signs of distress in children, and safe, calming, places have been established at the camps. Worst-Case Scenarios Of all the bad scenarios, the worst consider the possibility that Mosul residents could be subjected to even greater danger as troops move in. This could mean the mass expulsion of 100,000 people by IS, the extremist group's use of civilians as human shields to stave off advancing liberators, or, worst of all, a chemical attack, according to Grande. The UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq says the World Health Organization has first responders ready in case IS uses chemical weapons. "More than 100 people have now received specialized training and that's a hugely important step in preparing for a worst-case [scenario]," she says. French President Francois Hollande says there is evidence that Islamic State (IS) militants are fleeing Mosul to Syria, amid a massive operation to oust the extremist group from the northern Iraqi city entered its fourth day. Addressing an international meeting in Paris on the future of Mosul, Hollande said on October 20 that everything needed to be done to stop the militants regrouping in their Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. "We can't afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqqa," he said. There are thought to be up to 4,500 IS fighters in Iraq's second-largest city, which IS militants have been holding since June 2014. On October 19, a top U.S. commander in Iraq, Major General Gary Volesky said, said there were "indications that [IS] leaders have left" Mosul. The chief of the Russian military's General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, earlier argued it was "necessary not to drive terrorists from one country to the other but to destroy them on the spot." Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP The Kazakh government says it has reiterated a ban of the hijab, or head scarf, and any other clothing that "directly or indirectly propagates religion" in schools. The Education Ministry said on October 19 that the decision was made following consultations between different ministries. In January, Kazakhstan adopted a law banning the hijab in schools across the country. However, a number of parents have complained that some children continue to attend class wearing a hijab. Kazakh authorities have been increasingly concerned about religious extremism. In June, a group of 25 alleged Islamic militants carried out a series of attacks in the northwestern city of Aqtobe. Five civilians and three members of Kazakhstan's security forces were killed in the violence. The country declared itself a secular state after it gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Based on reporting by Tengrinews and Today.kz The leaders of France and Germany, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, lambasted Moscow for its bombardment of Syria and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Russia. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime. One of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its [Russian] backers must end," French President Francois Hollande said after an hourlong meeting between the three leaders in Berlin on October 20 that occurred after a five-hour meeting on pushing for peace in Ukraine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the air raids on Syria's largest city as "inhumane and cruel." She described the talks with Putin on Syria as "very hard." "We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians," Merkel said. Both leaders warned that they would not rule out imposing sanctions on Russia, hours ahead of an European Union summit where Russia's role in Syria is set to be discussed. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said, while Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option." Turning to a planned cease-fire Russia and Syria announced for the city of Aleppo on October 20, Hollande said that Putin appeared to be ready to extend the truce, set to last for 11 hours. "We came out of the meeting with the impression that there could be an extension of the truce, but it's up to the Syrian regime and Russia to show it," he said. A truce of just a few hours would not be enough to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and allow civilians to leave the area, Hollande said. Putin said after the meeting that Russia was willing to halt air strikes on Aleppo indefinitely. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes," he said. "We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo." The Syrian Army separately said that the cease-fire would last three days. Putin said he also offered to speed up work on a new constitution for Syria under which elections would be held to possibly replace the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The European leaders did not appear to pick up on the proposal. Eastern Aleppo, held by rebels determined to oust Assad, has come under heavy bombardment since a tentative cease-fire deal set to cover the city broke down earlier this month. Air strikes there have flattened numerous residential buildings and civilian facilities, and caused hundreds of deaths. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he is "concerned" that a Russian aircraft carrier and its task force that is heading to the eastern Mediterranean Sea will join Russian attacks on the Syrian city of Aleppo and "increase human suffering." Stoltenberg said on October 20 that navies from NATO member states would monitor the movements of the Russian task force in a "responsible and measured way." The Russian Navy deployment would increase its firepower in Syria, where it has been carrying out air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad's army for more than a year. The Admiral Kuznetsov, Russias only aircraft carrier, can carry dozens of fighter bombers. It is accompanied by a nuclear-powered battle cruiser, two antisubmarine warships, and four support vessels. The deployment comes amid an offensive by Assad's troops on rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, backed by Russian warplanes, that has caused international outrage. It also comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and NATO, which has accused Russia of provocative military maneuvers. The British Navy was shadowing the Admiral Kuznetsov and seven other Russian warships on their journey from the Norwegian Sea to the North Sea and through the English Channel as they head toward Syria. Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, the former commander of Russia's Northern Fleet, says the task force could cover the distance from the English Channel to the eastern Mediterranean in "less than a week" at top speed. He said that at "medium speed, it can take up to two weeks." British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said on October 19: "When these ships near our waters, we will man-mark them every step of the way" and will be watching them "as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged the European Union to unite in condemning Russia's role in Syria and bring an end to what she called Moscow's "sickening atrocities" there. Meanwhile, momentum was building among EU leaders for sanctions against supporters of Assad's regime -- including Russia -- if they fail to stop atrocities in Syria. A draft statement obtained by RFE/RL at an EU summit in Brussels on October 20 said the bloc was "considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the [Syrian] regime, should the current atrocities continue." Russia was not specifically named in the threat of more punitive measures, but was singled out in the draft statement -- which said the EU "strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo." Russia announced on October 20 that it would pause its air strikes for 11 hours each day for the next four days to allow civilians to leave Aleppo and aid workers to deliver humanitarian supplies. But officials at the EU summit dismissed the gesture as being timed to coincide with their talks in Brussels in an attempt to minimize the growing momentum toward sanctions against Russia. During the break in fighting in Aleppo on October 20, Syria's military used loudspeakers to call on residents to evacuate. However. there was no sign of such a move among the estimated 250,000 civilians trapped in the besieged city's rebel-held eastern district. With reporting by Reuters, AP, BBC, and The Telegraph PRAGUE -- An investigation by Current Time TV has determined that the Russian national accused by American officials of hacking U.S. targets and arrested earlier this month in the Czech capital is 29-year-old Moscow resident Yevgeny Nikulin. Czech authorities this week said the suspect was detained in downtown Prague on October 5 in response to an Interpol warrant requested by the United States and now faces a Czech extradition hearing. Czech police and local media have identified him only as "Yevgeniy N," and the Russian and U.S. governments revealed only that he was a Russian citizen. The investigation by Current Time, which is run jointly by RFE/RL and VOA, uncovered Nikulin's Instagram account under the handle "i.tak.soidet," displaying a taste for luxury cars and jewelry and a digital trail that led through Belarus and Poland to the Czech Republic in the weeks before the Prague arrest. WATCH: Czech Police Arrest Russian Accused Of Cybercrimes The Instagram account went private shortly after Current Time's Russian-language report was published on October 20. Soon after that, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed Nikulins identity for journalists in Moscow. "The Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Prague are actively working with the Czech authorities to prevent the extradition of a Russian citizen to the United States," she added. The Instagram account contained numerous photographs that included a gold Rolex watch, a distinctive bracelet and sneakers, and a luxury Mercedes AMG GLE63 automobile that all match items shown in a video of the arrest released by Czech police. A social-media friend of Nikulin's who asked not to be identified told Current Time that Nikulin was "an idiot" for traveling abroad and that "he knew about Interpol." The last post to the i.tak.soidet Instagram account appeared on October 11, six days after Nikulin's arrest. It is a simple text message that says, "I will return soon, what's all the fuss?" and was tagged "Prague Old Town." LinkedIn Hack One of the Instagram road photos from the days before the detention shows Nikulin's Mercedes apparently in Poland, and has a comment from a user asking, "What about Interpol?" Current Time was also able to learn the license-plate number of Nikulin's Mercedes, which appears to match the blurred number shown in the video released by the Czech police It is unclear exactly what role Nikulin is suspected of playing in the alleged U.S. website hacks or even which websites were involved. A spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Prague confirmed that a Russian had been detained who was "suspected of hacking U.S. targets." Hours after news emerged of the arrest, the professional networking service LinkedIn issued a statement suggesting the development was connected to a 2012 breach of its members' information. In May, LinkedIn acknowledged that intrusion compromised more than 100 million of its users' passwords. The social-media friend who spoke with Current Time described Nikulin as "a young genius" who "now will be working for the government in the United States." The i.tak.soidet Instagram account, however, does not hint at any specific expertise in computers. The i.tak.soidet account is popular, with nearly 44,000 followers and most of his posts garnering hundreds, or even thousands, of "likes." 'A Successful Entrepreneur' In a 2015 interview with the Russian car website AvtoRambler, Nikulin describes his experience of owning Lamborghini cars. He is described as "a very busy young man." "Yevgeny is already a successful entrepreneur whose business interests include a construction firm, an automobile service garage, and a company that sells luxury watches. As you can see from our interview," the article states, "the Huracan is not his first Lamborghini." He boasts of owning a Bentley, a Continental GT, and a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. No date has been set for Nikulin's extradition hearing, but Czech authorities said the man would remain in custody until that process. The Russian Embassy in Prague told Current Time that Moscow will be seeking his return to Russia. Moscow, an embassy source said, rejects "the U.S. practice of forcing the entire world to enforce its extraterritorial jurisdiction." Interpol had issued a so-called Red Notice for the alleged Russian hacker, a designation for "wanted international fugitives." President Barack Obama's administration on October 7 explicitly pointed to Russia as the alleged director of recent cyberattacks and leaks seemingly aimed at disrupting the U.S. elections in November, citing e-mails and digital intrusions on a range of election-related institutions. A week later, Vice President Joe Biden said the United States was "sending a message" over Russia's apparent role in the digital attacks and Russian President Vladimir Putin would get it. Putin's spokesman and other Russian officials have downplayed such allegations and suggested that they are "dirty tricks" and Americans should pay more attention to the information contained in the leaks. Russian authorities say they have detained six individuals in the North Caucasus for alleged links to the Islamic State (IS) militant group. Federal Security Service (FSB) officials in Karachayevo-Cherkesia said on October 20 that the six were detained after investigators found assault rifles, ammunition, camouflage outfits, and explosives in a house. Authorities said they also discovered video recordings of the suspects taking an oath of allegiance to the IS extremist group. The suspects -- described as residents of the Karachayevo-Cherkesia, Daghestan, and Stavropol regions -- face terrorism charges. Russian officials say at least 5,000 Russians and citizens of other former Soviet republics have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join IS extremists. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Seven alleged members of a banned Islamic group have been detained in Russia's Tatarstan. The Federal Security Service (FSB) in Tatarstan says the suspects were detained on October 20 after searches were conducted in several towns and cities across the mostly Muslim-populated region. The FSB says they propagated teachings of the Islamic group Tablighi Jamaat (Messenger's Assembly) in local mosques. Tablighi Jamaat was founded in India in 1926, and describes itself as a pacifist organization that is not involved in politics. The group was branded as extremist and officially banned in Russia in May 2009. It is also outlawed in the majority of Central Asian countries. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax KAZAN, Russia -- A high-profile terrorism trial has kicked off in Russia's mostly Muslim-populated region of Tatarstan. A military court in the regional capital, Kazan, started hearings into the case on October 20 against nine men charged with terrorism-related offenses. The men, all residents of Tatarstan's central city of Chistopol, are accused of being members of the so-called Chistopol Jamaat radical Islamist group. Investigators say the group is behind the July 2012 attacks in Kazan in which Tatarstan's Grand Mufti Ildus Faizov was seriously injured and his former deputy, Valiulla Yakupov, was killed. They are also accused of carrying out seven arson attacks against Orthodox churches in Tatarstan and a handmade-missile attack against a chemical plant in 2013. In 2012 and 2014, two leaders of Chistopol Jamaat were killed by security officers. Six other members of the group were jailed in 2014. Human rights activists have expressed concerns that the suspects were tortured while in custody. The leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France, and Russia agreed to draw up a road map by the end of next month to carry out the Minsk peace agreement for eastern Ukraine. After six hours of talks on the wars in Ukraine and Syria in Berlin on October 19-20, German Chancellor Angela Merkel emerged to say the leaders "didn't achieve miracles," but the road map would enable all sides to keep pushing ahead with the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. The leaders also discussed creating zones of disengagement between the warring parties in eastern Ukraine, as well as measures to improve the humanitarian situation there, she said. "It's urgently necessary to keep having such talks in order not to lose momentum," she said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the road map "should have the sequence of the implementation of the Minsk agreements and guarantee their implementation." He also said they agreed to withdrawals of Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists in four new areas on the front line of the fighting in the Donbas region. The leaders also agreed on deploying an armed police mission in eastern Ukraine, allowing monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to be armed and given unimpeded access in the region. The OSCE said in May that it would consider sending an armed mission to help conduct elections in separatist-held areas. Poroshenko said that Germany, the current chair of the OSCE, would present the mission proposal to the organization. But he said elections in Donbass would not occur until all foreign forces are withdrawn. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far despite the Minsk cease-fire deal. With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and TASS Serbia's top diplomat has complained that the European Union is putting "unacceptable" pressure on the Balkan country to impose sanctions against Russia. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on October 19 that "pressures on Serbia to, diplomatically speaking, align its foreign policy with the EU...to impose sanctions against Russia, are absolutely unacceptable." An EU foreign-policy report earlier in the week said Brussels "will continue to call on Serbia to progressively align with the EU" on foreign policy. Although Serbia has opened negotiations to join the EU, it remains Moscow's closest ally in the Balkans and has refused to join sanctions against Russia over its aggression in Ukraine. "Serbia wants to join EU, but it will never do anything against its national interests.... We want good relations with everyone but we should not work against our own" interest, Dacic said. Officials also said Serbia will join Russia in sending humanitarian aid to Syria, and the aid will be sent by Russian planes from a Russian-Serbian humanitarian center in the southern Serbian city of Nis. Based on reporting by AP and AFP A "humanitarian pause" announced by Russia has come into effect in Aleppo to allow civilians and rebel fighters who want to leave the northern Syrian city. The pause formally started at 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT/UTC) on October 20. Moscow said the originally proposed eight-hour pause would be extended by three hours until 7 p.m., and suggested it could prolong the measure further. Russia earlier said strikes by Syrian and Russian warplanes had been halted on October 18. The Syrian military said it was opening exit corridors to provide safe passage for those leaving. But clashes between rebels and government forces erupted on the front line in the divided city, with both sides putting the blame on one another. Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, launched last month an offensive on Aleppo's rebel-held areas. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, French President Francois Hollande said after talks with the German and Russian leaders in Berlin. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the bombardment of Syria's largest city as "inhumane." Russia has rejected the accusations, with President Vladimir Putin describing them as "rhetoric" that do not take into account the realities in Syria. Based on reporting by AFP, dpa, and Reuters WASHINGTON -- The United States has called for a special meeting with Russia over alleged violations of a landmark Cold War-era arms-control treaty, a policy reversal that echoes deepening U.S. fears about Moscow's intentions. The planned meeting of the Special Verification Commission, scheduled in the near future, focuses new attention on concerns about the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF). The treaty, which bans testing, producing, and possessing ground-launched cruise missiles with ranges between 500 to 5,500 kilometers, eliminated an entire class of missiles from Europe, and set up an extensive system of verification and compliance. The agreement was considered crucial in the thaw between the Soviet Union and the United States. Two years ago, the United States first asserted that Russia was in violation of the treaty, by developing a missile system that fell within the INF prohibitions. Moscow denied the allegations, and later charged that U.S.-led efforts to install elements of a missile-defense system in Europe were in fact prohibited by the INF. Since then, U.S. officials have pressed Russia on the alleged violations; at one point, President Barack Obama raised the issue directly with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Last year, Rose Gottemoeller, the chief U.S. arms-control negotiator, warned that Russia risked provoking "military and economic countermeasures" if it continued to stonewall the INF issue. And in December, a leading Pentagon official told Congress that Russias alleged treaty violations, and other actions in Europe and elsewhere, had prompted Washington to develop a "comprehensive response to Russian military actions." The INF set up the Special Verification Commission (SVC) as a way to deal with disputes surrounding the treaty. Many arms-control experts have called on the U.S. administration to request an SVC meeting to air the alleged INF violations. The last time such a meeting was convened was in 2003. But Gottemoeller told RFE/RL that an SVC meeting would not be helpful, because she said the United States had given adequate information to the Russians, identifying the missile-system question. "When one side categorically denies the very existence of a ground-launched cruise missile that violates the treaty, then there's little prospect that an SVC request [would] result in a desired outcome," she said in the interview last year. A U.S. government official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed to RFE/RL on October 19 that the Americans had in fact recently requested an SVC meeting with the Russians. Other ex-Soviet republics that are also party to the treaty -- Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan -- were also scheduled to attend. The official declined to say exactly what prompted the reversal in U.S. position, citing classified intelligence information. However, The New York Times reported on October 19 that U.S. intelligence had concluded Russia was moving ahead with a program to produce a ground-launched cruise missile, and producing more missiles than are needed to sustain a flight-test program. That has led to fears by U.S. officials that Russia might be moving to deploy INF-prohibited missiles, the Times reported. Earlier this month, NATO reported that Russia had moved a formidable, highly sophisticated ballistic-missile system known as the Iskander to the Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad. The missile's range puts cities like Warsaw potentially at risk. Some U.S. arms-control experts have speculated that the Iskander system might in fact be the focus of U.S. intelligence fears on the INF violations, though U.S. officials have refused to comment. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. YORKTOWN It could be a sign of just how well weve evolved as a civilized society or perhaps he was just the right guy for the job that 235 years after the British surrender at Yorktown, an executive at the newly reconstituted American Revolution Museum at Yorktown speaks with a British accent. Born and reared in England, Peter Armstrong is the senior director of museum operations and education for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the educational agency of the commonwealth of Virginia that operates the Yorktown museum and Jamestown Settlement. He was asked during a preview tour of the museums galleries that opened last weekend if he was still irritated that America won the war. Depends on what you classify as winning, Armstrong said as dryly as humanly possible. It might just be a tactical retreat. Its not over yet. Later, I asked Armstrong if he took ribbing from friends back home for his stateside gig with the (former) enemy. On a constant basis, he said. Armstrong, 52, came to the foundation in 2014 after a decade at the United Kingdoms National Museum of Arms and Armour, also known as the Royal Armouries, which is housed in the Tower of London. He had become acquainted with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in 2007 during the 400th anniversary celebration of the founding of Jamestown. His museum lent objects to the exhibition associated with the commemoration, and he came over to set it up and deliver a series of lectures. He had never visited Virginia, and he liked it and thought he might enjoy working in the United States. When the job came open, the timing was right: His kids were in college or had graduated, so he came to America with wife Sue and their chocolate lab Tilly, now 13, who spends a lot of time sleeping under the air conditioner during Tidewater summers. Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Executive Director Philip Emerson said in a statement, With innovative concepts and a touch of British humor, Peter is helping us expand our reach through partnerships, technology, and new approaches to programs and exhibitions. The humor was on full display in our conversations. Wednesday, for example, was the 235th anniversary of the surrender at Yorktown by Britains Gen. Charles Cornwallis, a day known around Yorktown as Victory Day, but one that Armstrong joked that he prefers to call If-You-Want-It-That-Much-You-Can-Have-It Day. His teasing is all in good fun, of course. Armstrongs job is to consider the visitor experience: What are we giving them thats interesting? What is going to be too much information? What is going to be not enough information? Where can we make it hands-on? Where can we make it interactive? Im not a historian or a curator, he said. We have experts like Tom (Davidson, senior curator, who helped lead the preview tour of the new galleries). I just look at it from what the public would receive. Armstrong grew up in Newcastle, a city in the northeast of England known for its shipbuilding and manufacturing. As you might expect, the American Revolution is not taught to British schoolchildren in the way it shows up in the curricula of U.S. schools. British history goes back a good bit further than U.S. history, meaning the American Revolution represents something of a blip on Britains historical timeline. Its also viewed as a power struggle between King George III and Parliament, less than a heroic fight by patriots seeking independence, but its all in how you look at it. That different perspective is something Armstrong brings to the job of helping to tell the story of both the founding of Jamestown and the American victory at Yorktown. In England, we look at the good old days when we had the wonderful British Empire, Armstrong said, noting that in building the empire we did some things we shouldnt be too proud of. Sometimes its useful to have somebody look at it from a different perspective. A nations history is one thing. Cultural history is something else. He is mystified by many of the cultural references Americans make to television shows or personalities he has never heard of. But hes learning. I kind of vaguely know who the Three Stooges are, he said, somewhat proudly, but Ive never seen a program with them in it. He marvels at the vastness of America and variety of Americans. At home in England, you dont realize that an American who lives in Virginia might have a completely different lifestyle and beliefs as an American who lives in California, he said. Overall, Armstrong has found a main difference between the people of his homeland and those of his adopted country is this: Americans believe 100 years is a long time, and the English believe 100 miles is a long way to travel. He has come to enjoy living here. He finds American weather or at least the weather in coastal Virginia to be less rainy and dreary than in England. He loves that for much of the year, he can sit in his backyard at the end of a workday, bathed by the warmth of the sun. Then theres this: You can put your mail in your mailbox at the end of your road, put the little flag up and somebody will take it away, he said. Thats fantastic! As he moves around the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Armstrong consistently encounters good-hearted Americans who take pity on him once he opens his mouth. As soon as they find out Im British they always apologize to me, he said with a laugh. I say, Look at what youve got, but look at what you couldve had! Richmond police are asking for the publics help identifying the suspect in a robbery that happened inside a small market connected to Cedar Broad Apartments in Shockoe Bottom. At about 1:13 p.m. Wednesday, a man entered Shockoe Valley Market at 311 N. 18th Street - just north of East Broad Street - and brandished a gun, according to police. The suspect then robbed the store of cash and a box of cigars, police said. The robber was last seen running eastbound on East Marshall Street. The suspect is described as a black man with a goatee, approximately 6 feet tall, weighing 160 pounds. He wore a grey hooded sweatshirt, jeans and black boots at the time. Former Venture Richmond Director Jack Berry joined Joseph D. Morrissey on Thursday in criticizing their mutual opponent in the mayoral race, Levar Stoney, for his recently revealed role in the latest stadium negotiations. What we dont need is a candidate who failed to remove himself or even disclose his involvement after announcing his intention to run for mayor, meanwhile working to influence the outcome behind closed doors, Berry said in a statement. Berry was also critical of Morrissey, who for the second day in a row publicly challenged Stoneys involvement in the talks: We also dont need a candidate who continues to showboat to make headlines, first calling to renovate The Diamond, then calling to keep city money out of the project, then calling for a referendum, Berry said. Berry said that, as mayor, he would keep citizens abreast of every step in the process by holding briefings every two weeks to ensure transparency. As Mayor, I will work with VCU, the Squirrels, and our regional partners to lay out plans for the new stadium while bringing the community together and encouraging citizen input, Berry said. Stoneys campaign responded by criticizing Berry for his role in planning the unpopular Shockoe Bottom stadium proposal. Jack Berry is the last person who should be lecturing anyone about baseball stadiums, a campaign spokesman said in a statement. If Jack had it his way, the stadium would be in Shockoe Bottom and the city would be $80 million dollars in the hole. The spokesman, Matt Corridoni, described Stoney as the only person who has been successful in getting the public and private sector together to discuss keeping the stadium on the Boulevard and securing the best deal for Richmond. Stoney first revealed his role in stadium talks between the city, VCU, the state and the Squirrels this week in response to direct questions from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Stoney said he was asked by his former boss, Gov. Terry McAuliffe, to help bring the parties together when he was serving as secretary of the commonwealth. When Stoney stepped down from his position to run for mayor in April, he continued participating in meetings roughly every two weeks as a private citizen as recently as last week, his campaign said. Morrissey held his own press conference on the issue in a hallway outside the City Council chambers at City Hall, once again criticizing Stoney for going to secret meetings. He also accused Stoney of trying to figure out a way to force the taxpayers of Richmond to fund their backroom deals for the new baseball stadium. Morrissey pledged that, as mayor, he would ask the City Council to request that the General Assembly change the citys charter to require any public funding for a sports complex be approved by voters in a referendum. As to Berrys criticisms, a campaign spokesman followed up with an email addressing Berry as Shockoe Bottom Baseball Berry and accusing him of being at it again. While his opponents have at a minimum left the door open to some level of city support for a stadium, Morrissey has said unequivocally he wouldnt support taxpayer funding for such a project. Asked why he wouldnt simply veto any stadium projects as mayor, Morrissey said he was worried what might happen after his time in office. Councilman Jon Baliles, who has polled fourth in the race, offered a more tempered response when asked for his thoughts on news of Stoneys involvement. A 25-year-old man has been acquitted of killing his father in the north Church Hill home the two shared. Thomas Jones Jr. was found not guilty Thursday of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the death of his father, Thomas Jones Sr., 54, of the 1300 block of North 29th Street. Police said the father was shot in the back of the head March 2 while watching television at home. Investigators believe the bullet came from Jones Sr.s own gun, a .40-caliber Hi-Point handgun, but the weapon was never recovered. A Richmond jury of seven men and five women deliberated for less than 30 minutes before delivering their verdict. Justice still hasnt been served, said Tanisha Jackson, sister of Jones Jr. My brother was found not guilty. But there is still a killer out there. Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Learned Barry told the jury that father and son lived together for about four months, but they fought often. The elder Jones didnt want his son having women over or using his truck. Barry said Jones Jr. was fed up and was the only one with enough access to kill his father. The only person who could have killed Thomas Jones Sr. is someone who he trusted, who had access to the gun, and who could have snuck up behind him, Barry said in his closing arguments. Barry alleged that the Jones Jr. killed his father between 5 and 6 p.m. when the two were at home together after work. Then Jones Jr. went to his girlfriends home for an alibi and arrived back home two hours later to find his father dead, Barry said. In an interview with police, a video of which was played for the jury, Jones Jr. told them his father was a drug addict and he believed one of Jones Sr.s junkie friends killed the man. Barry called three of the elder Jones long-time friends to testify all of them denied that Jones Sr. ever used drugs, specifically crack cocaine. Police found no drug paraphernalia in their search of the home, and the medical examiner found no drugs in Jones Sr.s system at the time of his death. Defense attorney Kevin Schork called only one witness, Monica Jocic, his clients girlfriend. She testified that Jones Jr. appeared fine when he arrived at her home in Highland Springs around 6:24 p.m. March 2 in his fathers white truck. Text messages were shown to corroborate her alibi testimony. The couple was together for about a hour when the defendant called his father and got no answer she said Jones Sr. often called to complain when the vehicle was gone too long. Jocic and Jones Jr. then went to the home on North 29th Street, she said. Jones went inside for a few seconds, she testified, and when he came back, it was like hed seen a ghost. Jones Jr. wiped his eyes after the verdict was read. His uncle, Michael Tucker, criticized police and prosecutors for being too quick to rush to judgement. An additional charge of possession of a firearm by a felon was dropped against Jones Jr., who has prior gun and drug convictions. Six young local men whom police described as gang members were arrested Thursday morning at various residences and charged with killing two people at a house party last month in a home under construction in the upscale community of Chesdin Landing in Chesterfield County. More than 100 law enforcement personnel from six local, state and federal agencies in the Richmond region participated in the roundup of suspects. Each of the six men was charged with one count each of second-degree murder, felony gang participation and felony use of a firearm. We conducted multiple search warrants simultaneously at the addresses where these people (lived) and were able to locate everyone we were looking for, said Chesterfield County police Capt. Michael Louth. We just wanted to make sure we got each of them, so that was the method that we chose. Because investigators were still conducting interviews with the suspects, police said they could not immediately provide a possible motive for the killings or say whether their alleged involvement with a gang played a role. Louth also declined to say whether the suspects knew, or were acquainted with, the two victims: Duval Turner, 22, of Richmond, and Marc Starkes, 24, of Amelia County. A third partygoer was shot and wounded but survived. Louth said the six defendants are all known to each other and were members of a gang. But I cant elaborate on any other details about it, he said. Authorities have moved to have sealed the search warrants served at each of the defendants homes, Louth said. The men arrested are: Djion C. Bowles, 20, of the 2900 block of Blendwell Road in Richmond; Kennson Clairsaint, 20, of the 2700 block of Geneva Drive in Richmond; Corey T. Harris, 19, of the 3200 block of Kingsdale Road in Chesterfield; Kendric R. Hill, 20, of the 4100 block of Mallard Landing Circle in Chesterfield; Devin D. Taylor, 21, of the 4000 block of Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond; and Tevon J. Todd, 18, of the 2900 block of Burley Ridge Terrace in Chesterfield. The defendants were not expected to make their first court appearances until today. Were still doing some of our interviews with these folks, and were trying to sort out a lot of the details involving the whole thing, Louth said late Thursday morning. But we were certainly at a point where we had probable cause (to charge them), so we went ahead and made the arrests. The apprehensions and arrests of the suspects was a collaborative effort that involved Chesterfield police, Richmond police, Henrico County police, the FBIs Richmond office, Virginia State Police and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. The fatal shootings occurred Sept. 4 in a home that may have been randomly selected as a party house after the gathering was promoted on Instagram and drew 200 to 300 people, police said. In September, police said they did not believe the three shooting victims knew one another or had been armed. One of the young men died in the garage of the house in the 15000 block of Chesdin Green Way, and the other man who died was found just inside the house from the garage, police said. The custom house where the party occurred was being built for a family that planned to move in within the next 30 days, Scott Camp, the developer of Chesdin Landing and president of the Chesdin Landing homeowners association, said in early September. The 3,800-square-foot dwelling had electricity and air conditioning, but there was no working water or sewer service. The electricity had just been turned on that day, Camp had said. Police received a call about 1:50 a.m. that a person in the house had been shot. Police said it appeared that partygoers brought their own alcohol to drink. Young people from throughout the area were in attendance, with some coming from Ashland, Richmond and the counties of Amelia, Chesterfield and Henrico. The home apparently was randomly picked for what is known as a mansion party well-organized, illegal events taking place across the country in high-end communities, Camp said. Several of the defendants have previous arrests and/or convictions for crimes ranging from petit larceny to armed robbery, according to online court records. Taylor was charged in Richmond in September 2013 with robbery and felony use of a firearm. The charges were certified to Richmond Circuit Court but were withdrawn by prosecutors in May 2014. Jonathan Lewis, who headed Richmonds school district for six months in 2013, has been named interim director of the Maggie L. Walker Governors School. He will remain in the position as the search for a permanent replacement for outgoing director Jeffrey W. McGee is found. I think hell be an asset as we move forward to find a permanent director, Kim Gray, a Richmond School Board member who sits on Maggie Walkers board, said Thursday. Lewis, according to Gray, is familiar with the school after serving as its summer school director in previous years. Gray said Lewis assured the board that he was not interested in applying for the permanent position, which helped convince Maggie Walkers board that he was the right person for the job. Lewis replaced Yvonne W. Brandon as the superintendent of Richmond schools in July 2013. He had recently retired after 14 years as a superintendent five in Fauquier County, nine in the city of Poquoson and served until Dana T. Bedden took over in January 2014. McGee announced his retirement last month, just 10 days after the school year began. He started at Maggie Walker in 2012 and will retire Nov. 30. McGee began his career in Henrico County, where he was a high school business and math teacher and assistant principal. He later worked as an assistant principal and principal for Chesterfield County, as well as a principal for the Department of Defense. Gray said Thursday that Maggie Walker has officially begun its search for a new director and will post a survey on its website Friday. The school also will solicit input from the public and stakeholders over the next several weeks. She said the selection committee that will help pick the new director will include parents and faculty members. A skunk that attacked domesticated ducks in eastern Henrico County has tested positive for rabies, police said on Thursday. On Tuesday, Henrico Animal Protection officers responded to a call in the 3700 block of Meadow Road for possible rabies exposure after a skunk attacked a pen of mallard ducks. The skunk was shot while attempting to escape the pen, and its remains were sent to the state lab where they tested positive for rabies. The incident is the third confirmed rabies case of 2016 in Henrico County. All three have been in the eastern part of the county. 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 Trump's 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 were being temporarily relocated to North Carolina and insisting the campaign still intends to compete in Virginia. Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin, a conservative running as an alternative to GOP nominee Donald Trump, will attend a town hall Oct. 27 at the University of Richmond. The Community Conversation with Evan McMullin will take place in the schools Moot Courtroom. The event is open to the public, and registration is not required. McMullin is a former CIA operative and previously was a top policy aide to the House Republican Conference in Congress. He announced his candidacy on Aug. 8, saying: Its never too late to do the right thing. He is one of five presidential candidates on the Virginia ballot Nov. 8, along with Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton, Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein. GRIFFIS, Kathryn Stanley, 33, of Ashland, Va., went to be with the Lord October 19, 2016, after a long, hard battle with Acute Leukemia. She is survived by her parents, Sonny and Janet Stanley; her loving husband, James V. Griffis; son, James "LJ"; daughter, Kelsie Lynn; sister, Tracy Allen (DJ); brothers, G. David Stanley, Jeffrey S. Stanley(Amy); six nephews, nieces and one great-niece. Katie was born July 8, 1983, in Richmond, Va. She graduated in 2000 from Patrick Henry High School in Ashland, Va. Katie's walk with the Lord was of utmost importance in her life and therefore was contagious and inspiring to all who met her. Her love of people could be seen in her volunteering as a Cub Scout Leader for Pack 704, being a member of the Ashland Moose Lodge Chapter 1252 and her enthusiam for her Thirty-One business. The family will receive friends on Friday, October 21, 2016, from 4 to 8 p.m., at Bliley's-Staples Mill, 8510 Staples Mill Rd. A funeral is scheduled for Saturday, October 22, 2016, 11 a.m., at New Found Church of Christ. Interment Woodland Cemetery in Ashland. A reception is to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a trust fund set up for her children in her memory: Union Bank & Trust, 302 Ashcake Rd. Ashland, Va. 23005, 804-798-4488. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. It is those four small words, in the middle of the First Amendment, that give us the most important tool to challenge the abuse of power. Or of the press. As an independent, free press, we have the ability to call to account those with political power. Without this right, there is no democracy. As Eleanor Roosevelt has famously said, With freedom comes responsibility. The media must use this power to investigate where there is a need for accurate information and tell the stories people need to know. And it is up to the American people to view information through a critical lens and make their own informed decisions, using their own voices to speak up on the issues that matter most. A strong democracy is an informed democracy, where all citizens have the right to information, the right to think for themselves and the right to speak for themselves. Free speech is so fundamental to the American body politic and our relationship with government that we, sadly, can also take it for granted. Sometimes it takes an example from another part of the world to remind us of the immense value of our own First Amendment. Recently, the government of Turkey began action to shut down the press, following the failed coup attempt. Arrest warrants were issued for newspaper staff and dozens of media outlets were shut down. For many years, Turkey has had more free-expression cases filed against it in the European Court of Human Rights than any other signatory to the convention. The alliance wrote a letter to Vice President Biden in August asking that he prioritize press freedom on his visit to Turkey. In this election cycle, we have seen Donald Trump continually bash the media, even blacklisting publications from his campaign. It wasnt just theatrics though; it was a dangerous threat to the First Amendment. Trump has also said that, if elected, he said he plans to loosen the libel laws in the United States so that he can have an easier time suing news organizations. In America, press reporters serve as public watchdogs, holding government, corporate, union and other powerful officials accountable for their actions. They are the eyes and ears of our democracy. However, in a digital communications world, there are challenges to the role and impact of credible reporting. As Facebook recently aimed to automate trending stories, it quickly became apparent that false stories were going viral. When anyone can broadcast anything to the entire world, how can you tell what is important or even true? The abundance of information from the expanding number of media sources available makes it more important than ever for all publishers to adhere to stringent verification procedures to fact-check the statements, images or videos used by others. Only those who do so will be able to build and maintain public trust and preserve the power of the First Amendment. *** Free Speech Week is October 17-23, 2016. For more information and to participate in Free Speech Week visit www.freespeechweek.org. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Lynn Marie (nee Witte) Cunningham, 66, passed away on 10/18/2016 at the Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Radford. Lynn was born in Milwaukee, Wisc. to Otto and June Witte on December 29, 1949.She received her Bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Texas at Dallas. On October 18, 1980, she married Dr. Don "Doc" Cunningham. She worked for years as a computer programmer until her retirement. In 2003, she became Grand Adah of the Pansy, IL Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was an avid philanthropist, most recently volunteering with the City of Radford Beautification Committee; Relay for Life; Woman's Club of Radford; VFW Ladies Auxiliary; and was a supporter of the Reading is Fundamental Program. She held multiple offices within these organizations.Lynn's favorite hobbies included scrapbooking, needlework, and playing bridge. She also loved to travel. In the last three years, she toured much of the United States and Europe with friends and family. Most recently, she enjoyed redecorating her home.Lynn is preceded in death by her parents, Otto and June Witte; and her husband, Dr. Don "Doc" Cunningham. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Cory and Sonia Cunningham; daughter, Sarah Cunningham; grand-daughter, Eliyana; her brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Wayne and Judy Witte; and her dachshund, Radford.Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2016, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Mullins Funeral Home in Radford. The Order of the Eastern Star ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2016, at Grove United Methodist Church. The graveside service will be held immediately after the funeral at the Southwest Virginia Veteran's Cemetery in Dublin. A light meal will be provided for family and friends at Grove United Methodist Church after the graveside service. Arrangements are by Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory in Radford, VA. www.mullinsfuneralhome.com. ROTHER Valley MP Kevin Barron will face no further action and can return to chairing two Commons committees despite an investigation concluding that he breached Parliamentary rules. Mr Barron, then chairman of the Parliamentary Standards Committee and the Committee of Privileges, referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner on Standards last year following newspaper allegations that he had organised two dinners and a breakfast in Parliament for the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group. A report by the committee based on Commissioner Kathryn Hudsons investigation was published today and said that he had committed a minor and inadvertent breach of a rule against accepting payment in return for arranging events. It said the MP had entered into an agreement in 2011 to provide services to the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group (JPG). These services included meeting members of the JPG three times a year in central London and possibly sponsoring an occasional event at the House of Commons, the report continued. In return, JPG agreed to pay up to 5,000 per annum in the form of a donation to a charity in Rotherham which he had nominated (Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice). Kevin Barron lodged the agreement with the Registrar of Members Interests on May 3, 2011, with further agreements lodged in the same way in 2012 and 2014. He registered the payments received from JPG (three cheques of 3,000 made payable to the charity) as remuneration for employment in the Register of Members Financial Interests at about the same time as he submitted the agreements. Kevin Barron sponsored a total of three events at the House for JPG and on each occasion he declared his interest on the booking form and each invitation recorded the declaration. The Commissioner concluded that accepting the payments constitutes a benefit to a Member acting as a sponsor for arranging the use of House of Commons facilities and that Mr Barron therefore breached one of the Parliamentary rules. But the final report noted that Mr Barron did not benefit financially himself from the arrangement and said the rule breach was clearly at the least serious end of the spectrum. There was no reason to doubt the MPs integrity or honesty, the report said. The Rother Valley MP was cleared of two other possible breaches. The report said: The Commissioner concludes that Kevin Barron adhered fully to the rules on disclosure of his relationship with JPG and did not breach the 1995 resolution of the House, which prevents a Member entering into a contractual agreement with an outside body, controlling or limiting the Members complete independence and freedom of action in Parliament. Mr Barron said following the reports publication today that it had found no serious breaches as I always maintained. He added: The inquiry has found a minor and inadvertent breach of a banqueting rule. I felt that I had taken all the steps I could to check the rules, but acknowledge my mistake. Just to make it absolutely clear, this arrangement led to no personal financial gain as payment was made, as a donation, to a local children's hospice in my constituency. I would like to thank Kathryn Hudson for her very thorough investigation into this matter and the Committee on Standards for their judgement. I will be resuming my duties as Chair of the Committee on Standards and the Committee of Privileges. It has always been a huge honour to chair these committees and I am delighted to return to this role. (rns.online) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a joint statement welcomed the initiative on the development of relations in the diamond industry, the Kremlin press service reports. "The sides gave a positive assessment of the special customs zone within the Mumbai diamond bourse, noting the active support of the project on the part of ALROSA, including the holding of regular rough diamond trading," - said in a statement. In addition, the document stresses the importance of further development of the mechanisms and conditions of the Joint Customs Zone and marked increase in the number of companies in the Russian-Indian diamond trade. ALROSA meets with Endiama representatives 20 october 2016 News The President of ALROSA Andrey Zharkov met with the chairman of the administrative council of the Angolan national diamond mining company Endiama Antonio Carlos Sumbula. The sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation. ALROSA is a co-founder of the Catoca diamond mining company (share in the authorized capital is 32.8%). Catoca operates in the Lunda Sul province in the Republic of Angola. In 2014, Alrosa and Endiama, which own a 32.8-percent stake in the Catoca each, established a joint venture for diamond exploration in the country. In 2016, a new exploration company KIMANG started to implement the production program. In Angola, ALROSA is involved in a sizeable Luachi diamond project, one of the world's largest kimberlite diamond mines. Currently, Alrosa has 6 projects of various technological content in three African countries: Angola, Botswana and South Africa. The company deals with extraction and sale of diamonds, prospecting of diamonds, supply and service of equipment for the needs of the diamond industry, production and sale of electricity at hydropower plants owned by ALROSA. DiamondCorp said it will, apart from funding, carry out a wider strategic review to explore additional opportunities including a merger with or a sale of its businesses in South Africa. The companys underground operations at Lace mine were suspended last week due to a fire incident. Operations, however, resumed this week. Consequently the third party with whom it had been in advanced talks for the provision of a 500 000 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. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) of India has made a representation to the Indian government urging it to ensure that the export sector is exempted from the proposed new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime; and that the domestic sector is taxed at a minimal rate of between 0 - 1.25% on different products. The representation, made on the eve of a crucial meeting of the GST Council, stresses that continued tax-exemption will help the industry maintain its global competitiveness and leading position in the world, while a minimal GST rate of 1.25% on domestic jewellery sales would be tax-revenue neutral for the government and encourage greater transparency and tax compliance within the industry. At a press briefing, Paveenshankar Pandya, Chairman, GJEPC stressed that the Council and the industry were completely supportive of Indias move towards Goods & Services Tax (GST) regime. He also stressed that the industry was a key contributor to development across the country and that the government should take this into account while developing the new tax regime. The sector has also been selected as a thrust area for exports, Pandya said, explaining that the GJEPCs representation was aimed at ensuring that the industrys contribution to the economy would increase under the new GST regime. The GJEPCs representation to the GST Council suggested that all raw materials such as rough and polished diamonds and coloured gemstones, as well as inputs and input services that contribute to exports should be GST exempt i.e. 0% tax. Gold, silver, platinum jewellery, including studded jewellery and costume fashion jewellery, may be taxed at 1.25%.He also pointed out that jewellery sales in India currently attract a 1% VAT and experience has shown that higher rates actually encourage smuggling and evasion and affect revenue. Pandya also pointed out that Indias major global competitors all have low tax regimes and existing tax exemption benefits should be maintained to ensure that the Indian export industry continues to flourish. Further, a pragmatic domestic tax structure, would encourage the modern, organised sector which is committed to transparency and making its contribution to the Indian economy. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished Botswana Diamonds said drilling has commenced on kimberlite pipe AK 22 on Licence PL 260 in the Orapa area of Botswana. Company chairperson John Teeling said last month that its joint venture company with Alrosa, Sunland Minerals, would drill two holes on AK 22, a known kimberlite containing diamonds. Meanwhile, Botswana Diamonds said it would make a further update as soon as practicable regarding the commencement of drilling on licence PL 135 in the Gope region. Sunland intends to drill four core holes in Gope on PL 135. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished The organisers of the 34th edition of the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair have revealed that the Fair attracted 55,768 buyers from 147 countries and regions. The show, which had 3,615 exhibitors participating from 55 countries and regions, concluded on September 19, the press statement added. Accordig to UBM Asia, the organisers, Hong Kong based visitors accounted for about 30% of the total while the remaining came from a wide variety of countries across the globe including mainland China. The number of visitors from many countries such as India, Belgium, UK, Australia, Myanmar and Japan rose as compared to a year earlier. Celine Lau, Director of Jewellery Fairs, UBM Asia, noted that the traffic remained optimistic and centered on large carat diamonds, precious stones, South Sea pearls, fine finished jewellery, tools, packaging and equipment. One of the new developments in this edition of the show was the Declaration Programme on Exhibits of Natural Diamond whose participants had to make an explicit declaration that the stones they were selling were all natural diamonds. Members of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, the Antwerp World Diamond Center, Belgium, and the Israel Diamond Institute were among those who participated in this initiative. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished ALROSA Group posted operating results and preliminary sales for the third quarter and nine months of 2016. The mining groups output totaled 27.9 million carats in the first three quarters of this year, going down 6% compared to the same period last year. The diamond miner said this was due to lower gravels processing at its Nyurba Division after the latter revised its production target for 2016. This was exacerbated by a decrease in ore production at the Aikhal underground mine caused by additional amount of ore coming to its Concentrating Plant No. 8 from the Komsomolskaya open-pit mine following the completion of expansion works there, as well as by the termination of operations at the Udachnaya Mine. The Aikhal Mining Division contributed 8.303 million carats to ALROSAs total nine-month output; its Mirny Mining Division added 5.69 million carats and its Nyurba Mine yielded 4.989 million carats, while Almazy Anabara produced 3.421 million carats. According to the diamond miners preliminary data, the Groups sales reached 8.3 million carats in the third quarter of 2016, including 5.8 million carats of gem-quality diamonds at an average price of $ 165/carat and 2.5 million carats of industrial-quality diamonds at an average price of 7 $/carat. The proceeds from diamond sales amounted to at least $ 976 million for the third quarter of 2016 and at least $ 3.5 billion for the first 9 months of 2016. Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow Spain's foreign trade deficit decreased in August from a year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from the Economy Ministry showed Thursday. The trade deficit fell to EUR 2.56 billion in August from EUR 3.19 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year. Exports surged 8.9 percent year-over-year to EUR 17.6 billion in August. Moreover, it was the highest August value since the beginning of the historical series. Imports climbed 4.2 percent to EUR 20.2 billion. During the first eight months of the year, total trade deficit of the country was EUR 10.9 billion, 31.6 percent lower than in same period of 2015. Exports totaled EUR 167.5 billion, up 1.3 percent from a year ago. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Indian shares rose notably on Thursday even as the mood in global turned cautious ahead of a European Central Bank meeting later in the day. The rupee also traded a tad lower as traders keep bets of a December Fed rate hike afloat. The benchmark S&P/BSE Sensex rose by 145.47 points or 0.52 percent to 28,129.84, while the broader Nifty index closed 40.30 points or 0.47 percent higher at 8,699.40. ICICI Bank climbed 4.7 percent on expectations that it would receive the proceeds from the sale of Essar Oil. Yes Bank rose 1.4 percent after its Q2 profit beat estimates. Newly-listed RBL Bank rallied 4.6 percent on robust Q2 results. SBI advanced 1.8 percent and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone jumped 5 percent after unveiling fund raising plans. Aptech added nearly 3 percent after its quarterly profit jumped nearly three-fold. Bayer CropScience fell 3.4 percent on disappointing quarterly results. Globally, other Asian markets closed mostly higher, with the overnight rally in oil prices, a weaker yen and hopes that the European Central Bank will extend its QE program supporting underlying sentiment. European shares were mixed in early trade after a clutch of profit warnings from companies across Europe took the shine off the earnings season. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Ultratech, Inc. (UTEK), a supplier of lithography, laser-processing and inspection systems for semiconductor devices and high-brightness LEDs, reported Thursday that its third-quarter net income was $5.5 million or $0.20 per share, compared to prior year's net loss of $6.1 million, or $0.22 per share. Ultratech's adjusted net income was $8.0 million or $0.29 per share, compared to net loss of $1.3 million, or $0.05 per share last year. On average, five analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of $0.29 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. For the third quarter, net sales increased to $48.6 million from $33.1 million a year ago. Analysts expected sales of $51.42 million. Third quarter revenues increased by 47 percent as compared with a year ago, driven by higher sales of inspection, laser spike annealing, and advanced packaging product lines, the company noted. Arthur Zafiropoulo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "In the third quarter of 2016, we saw continued strength in sales of our inspection products, which grew by 70 percent in the quarter. Looking ahead, we expect increased sales of our LSA tools as our foundry customers continue to expect an extended 28nm production node." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News A majority of likely voters agree with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's claim that the news media is biased against him, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll. Fifty-five percent of likely voters think the media is biased against Trump, while 42 percent disagreed. The results showed a significant partisan divide on the issue. The poll found that 88 percent of Republicans agreed that the media is biased against the GOP nominee, but 77 percent of Democrats said the media is not biased. Independent voters are more likely to say the media is biased against Trump, with 61 percent agreeing with the real estate tycoon's claims. "Donald Trump made the charge, and American likely voters agree: There IS a media bias against the GOP contender," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. "But does that explain his lackluster standing with his core base?" The national poll showed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton with a 47 percent to 40 percent lead over Trump, which compares to a 45 percent to 40 percent advantage for Clinton earlier this month. Clinton benefits from substantial leads among women and non-white voters, while men are divided and Trump has a moderate advantage among white voters. Trump has repeatedly suggested that media bias in favor of Clinton is part of an effort to rig the election for the Democratic nominee. The Quinnipiac survey of 1,007 likely voters was conducted October 17th through 18th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News 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. 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 ... By SA Commercial Prop News New Frontier Properties said it would proceed with caution until the uncertainty in the UK economy had eased and there was more clarity on the state of the property investment market. The U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union created uncertainty in several sectors of the economy, including the property investment market. New buyer enquiries have declined significantly across the country with the south of UK being the hardest hit. The value of shopping centre owner New Frontier Properties assets has also been under pressure, with the company cautious about making new acquisitions in Britain, so soon after the referendum in favour of the UK leaving the EU. ALSO READ: Brexit decision shocks Rand-Hedge Real Estate Counters New Frontier, which on Monday reported results for the year to August, said it would proceed with caution until the uncertainty in the UK economy had eased and there was more clarity on the state of the property investment market. The groups total comprehensive income for the period, according to International Financial Reporting Standards, was a loss of 6.37m, which incorporated the writing off of the acquisition fees associated with the acquisition of The Houndshill Shopping Centre in Blackpool, the fall in valuation of its three retail investment properties and the mark to market value of the financial derivatives taken out to fix the companys interest cost. The company is 67.5% owned by JSE-listed Rebosis Property Fund. East London businessman Sisa Ngebulana, who is CEO of Rebosis, invested in New Frontier in order to diversify Rebosiss investments. Garreth Elston, a fund manager at Alternative Real Estate Capital Management, said there were concerns that New Frontiers assets, many of which were in secondary UK cities, could come under further economic pressure soon because of the Brexit process. The board declared a dividend of 4p per share for the reporting period and this, combined with an interim dividend declared earlier in 2016, totalled 7.6p per share. By SA Commercial Prop News Redefine International reported on Tuesday that its earnings available for distribution was GBP20.3 million for the period ended August 31 from GBP7.5 million a year ago. The group announced a second interim dividend of 2.10 pence per share giving a total dividend of 4.13 pence per share in comparison to 3.21 pence in 2010. Net operating profit lifted to GBP25.2 million for the 12 month period ended August 31, from GBP13.3 million for the comparative period a year ago. Phillippe de Nicolay, outgoing Chairman of the Board said: "The 2011 financial period has been a landmark one. The successful reverse acquisition between Redefine International plc (subsequently renamed Redefine International Holdings Limited [RIHL]) and Wichford PLC ("Wichford") has created a mid-tier, diversified income-focused property company. It has also secured a significant capital commitment from the Company's largest shareholder." The results indicated a decline in fully diluted Net Asset Value (NAV) per share to 46.59 pence this year from 46.77 pence the year before and the group attributed the decline to the costs of the reverse acquisition. De Nicolay said that following RIHL's initial approach to Wichford in November 2010, the Wichford Board undertook a thorough strategic review and concluded that a reverse acquisition with its largest shareholder provided the best possible basis from which to address its 2012 debt maturities as well as securing a supportive and well capitalised major shareholder alongside, with whom to pursue growth opportunities. The results for the period ended August 31 reflect the first set of results for the enlarged group following the reverse acquisition. As a result of the application of reverse takeover accounting the results reflect those of RIHL for the twelve month period to August 31 and do not give a true reflection of the enlarged group's underlying earnings available for distribution for the period. Significant transactions since the interim period include the reverse acquisition of Wichford as well as the acquisitions of the St George's Shopping Centre ("St George's") and the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Reading. De Nicolay outlined the prospects of the company stating how the year had been one of substantial change. Following this period, "the 2012 financial year is set to be one of consolidation and positioning the company for future growth. The integration with Wichford has progressed well and identified cost savings will be fully achieved in the next financial year. With an asset base of over GBP1.2 billion, the company has become a significant player in the listed real estate sector and will look to leverage off this base to improve access to capital and take advantage of investment opportunities." He said the company was considering selective share buybacks, in accordance with the existing shareholder authority granted at the AGM held on January 27 (such authority being subject to the subsequent consolidation of the company's share capital which was approved by the Company on August 4 and effected on August 22). The authority would only be exercised after careful consideration by the board, as and when conditions were favourable, with a view to enhancing earnings per share and/or net asset value per share. Shares acquired would be held in treasury and details of all transactions would be announced to the market in accordance with the listing rules, when any relevant purchases had been made. Planning for the refinancing of the debt facilities maturing in 2012 was underway, and was expected to result in a rationalised government portfolio through a refinancing of a core portfolio of assets. The intention, as set out at the time of the reverse acquisition, was to undertake a capital raising during the course of 2012 to partly support a refinancing and to provide capital for identified and secured investment opportunities. Disposals of assets with limited growth potential or significant re-letting risk would be targeted to strengthen the lease length profile and improve the overall quality of the portfolio. By SA Commercial Prop News Block D of the Boulevard Office Park in Upper Woodstock, Cape Town, where accounting firm BDO South Africa has recently taken the top two floors. According to Dave Russell, a director of Baker Street Properties, the first SAPOA Office vacancy survey of 2011 shows little change to vacancy levels in most of the Cape Town nodes surveyed. Russell comments, In fact, if one compares the vacancy levels with those recorded a year ago it would appear that vacancy levels may be reaching their peak. Year on year figures have seen a slight increase in vacancies in three of the seven nodes surveyed with vacancies in 3 nodes decreasing and one node remaining the same. The total office vacancy in the Cape Town CBD is now at 9,8% where a year ago it was 9,1%. In the Rondebosch/Newlands node there has been an increase from 4,8% to 5,9% in the past year, along with the V & A Waterfront where there was a small increase from 2,9% to 3,7%. Russell says that areas which have enjoyed a decrease in vacancies over the past year are Claremont, where it has reduced from 16,6% to 12,7%, Pinelands down from 5,2% to 4,8%, and Century City where a vacancy of 11,7% last year is now down to 10,2%. In Bellville the vacancies remained the same as a year ago at 6,2%. Russell adds, New developments coming on stream are often the main contributing factor to increasing vacancies. However, with no significant speculative office developments taking place, a major change to these figures is not anticipated. While this is good news for landlords there is no doubt that it is still a tenants market. Attractive lease terms can still be negotiated for offices in most locations where tenants can find the right premises to meet their requirements. Baker Street Properties have experienced a steady flow of enquiries from office tenants who want to take advantage of current market conditions. We are in a position to find the right property solution, or if necessary, renegotiate their existing lease should they wish to remain in their premises. In both instances the tenant receives the best advice enabling them to take advantage of the concessions available in the market today, concludes Russell. In the last 24 hours, India reported 1,326 new Covid-19 cases and eight cases, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. ... 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. LAS VEGAS (AP) Threatening to upend a fundamental pillar of American democracy, Donald Trump refused to say Wednesday night that he will accept the results of next month's election if he loses to Hillary Clinton. The Democratic nominee declared Trump's resistance "horrifying." Trump had spent the days leading up to the third and final presidential debate warning voters that the election would be "rigged." Asked whether he would accept the outcome if Clinton emerges victorious, he said, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." The Republican National Committee immediately disavowed Trump's statement. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and election officials across the country have denied and denounced Trump's charges. Trump's assertions raise the prospect that millions of his supporters may not accept the results on Nov. 8 if he loses, thrusting the nation into uncharted territory. Free and fair elections, with the vanquished peacefully stepping aside for the victor, have been the underpinning of American democracy since its founding 240 years ago. Wednesday's contest quickly shifted from a calm, policy-focused faceoff into a bitter and deeply personal confrontation. Trump called Clinton a "nasty woman," while the Democrat panned him as "unfit" to be commander in chief. Clinton, who began the debate with a lead in nearly all battleground states, forcefully accused Trump of favoring Russia's leader over American military and intelligence experts after the Republican nominee pointedly refused to accept the U.S. government's assertion that Moscow has sought to meddle in the U.S. election. She charged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing Trump because "he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump denied any relationship with Putin and said he would condemn any foreign interference in the election. But he notably declined to back the intelligence community's assessment that Russia was involved in the hacking of Democratic organizations. The Clinton campaign has said the FBI also is investigating Russia's involvement in the hacking of a top adviser's emails. The 90-minute contest in Las Vegas came just under three weeks before Election Day and with early voting underway in more than 30 states. Trump has struggled to expand his support beyond his most loyal backers and must reshape the race in its closing days if he hopes to defeat Clinton. The candidates clashed repeatedly over their drastically different visions for the nation's future. Trump backed Supreme Court justices who would overturn the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling, while Clinton vowed to appoint justices that would uphold the decision legalizing abortion, saying, "We have come too far to have that turned back now." The businessman entered the final debate facing a string of sexual assault accusations from women who came forward after he denied in the previous contest that he had kissed or groped women without their consent. That Trump denial followed the release of a video of in which he's heard bragging about exactly that. Trump denied the accusations anew Wednesday night, saying the women coming forward "either want fame or her campaign did it." He falsely said the women's allegations had been debunked. Clinton said Trump "thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth." She avoided answering a question about her husband's infidelities. Trump pressed Clinton on immigration, accusing her of wanting an "open borders" policy, a characterization she vigorously disputes. The Republican, who has called for building a wall the length of the U.S.-Mexico border, said that under a Clinton presidency, "People are going to pour into our country." Clashing on trade, Trump said Clinton had misrepresented her position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, noting that she had originally called it the "gold standard" of trade agreements. Clinton shot back that once the deal was finished, it didn't meet her standards. "I'm against it now. I'll be against after the election. I'll be against it when I'm president," she said. Both were asked if they would consider tax increases or benefit cuts to support Social Security and Medicare programs. Trump said he would cut taxes and repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but he did not detail any plans for Social Security or other entitlement programs. Clinton said she would put more money in the Social Security trust fund through increasing taxes on the wealthy and other methods and promised not to cut benefits. She also argued that the Affordable Care Act has extended the solvency of Medicare and said she would work to bring costs down. On foreign policy, Clinton reasserted her opposition to sending a large-scale U.S. troop presence to the Middle East to defeat the Islamic State. She's backed a no-fly zone in Syria, which would mark an expansion of the current U.S. strategy. For Trump, the debate marked one of his final chances to reshape a race that appears to be slipping away from him. Clinton's campaign is confidently expanding into traditionally Republican states, while Trump's narrow electoral path is shrinking. Clinton has struggled throughout the campaign to overcome persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. In the campaign's closing weeks, she's begun appealing to Americans to overcome the deep divisions that have been exacerbated by the heated campaign, saying on stage Wednesday that she intended to be a president for those who vote for her and those who do not. Clinton faced debate questions for the first time about revelations in her top adviser's hacked emails that show her striking a different tone in private than in public regarding Wall Street banks and trade. But she quickly turned the discussion to Russia's potential role in stealing the emails. Underscoring the deep discord between Trump and Clinton, the candidates did not shake hands at the beginning or end of the debate. This country is on a dangerous path. They don't need to alienate their allies, Duerte will soon make sure they have none and will be abhorred by the world. Calling the president of an ally a 'Son of a Bi%$ch' is never a good idea, and what he said about the Australian lady who was gang raped by tugs... 'to bad she was raped, she was so beautiful, but the mayor should have been the first', seriously!! Saying about the pope: "the Pope, that son of a wh$#e, go home"... this man is boorish and the most tasteless pest that's been put in front of a podium since Pol Pot. Lets see. Last year, one of Prime Minister Tuilaepas grand dreams in as far as the legal fraternity goes was realised. It happened when the Criminal Prosecutions Division of the Attorney Generals Office was removed to create what we now have as the National Prosecution Office (N.P.O). At the time, we were told Prime Minister Tuilaepa wanted to improve the provision of prosecution services. You see; prosecutions were handled separately, in a rather confusing manner.While matters before the District Court were handled by the Police, the Attorney Generals Office was responsible for prosecutions before the Supreme Court. The idea therefore was for the N.P.O to take over all prosecutions to avoid the confusion. At the outset, it was great idea; long overdue too we might add. But the setting up of the N.P.O required a lot of work. For example, in 2014 legal consultants from the Commonwealth Secretariat were deployed to formulate and structure the organisation. There were consultations held with all the relevant stakeholders costing a lot of money and time. From all that, a Bill to establish the Office was drafted and quickly approved by Parliament, fast tracking the process so that by the beginning of 2016 the N.P.O was born. Mauga Precious Chang, as the Director of Public Prosecutions (D.P.P), initially headed the Office. We were told her function was to carry out the prosecutorial powers which were performed by the Attorney General then. But she wasnt alone. She was to lead a team of lawyers including all prosecutors of the Criminal Prosecutions Division of the Attorney Generals Office and Police prosecutors. With the Office opened, from an outsiders perspective, all seemed to have been functioning well. If there were any internal divisions including clashes with the Attorney Generals Office and the Police they certainly werent visible publically. But the calm didnt last long. In August this year, it all started to unravel when Mauga was arrested and charged by the Police. At her office at the Tofilau Eti Alesana Building at Mulinuu, Police officers in uniform and members of the Tactical Operation Squad (T.O.S.) turned up in truckloads to execute the arrest warrant for charges of negligent driving causing injury, dangerous driving and failing to stop. On the other side of town, the Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, was also charged on the same day in relation to the wrongful arrest of a member of the public at the Fugalei market last year. A day later, both Mauga and Fuiavailili were suspended by Cabinet, pending the hearing of charges against them. But just when you think it cannot get any worse, another intriguing development emerged two weeks ago. This time, the woman who was the Acting Director of N.P.O, Muriel Lui, was suspended. Her suspension according to Cabinet is pursuant to sections 11(4), 11 (7) and 11(8) of the N.P.O Act 2015. Cabinet has noted the continued refusal of the suspended Acting Director of N.P.O and suspended Director of N.P.O to properly perform powers and duties to uphold the rule of law and objectivity of the criminal justice system, a statement from Cabinet said. Cabinet acknowledges that the actions of Ms. Lui and Ms. Chang have created unnecessary conflicts between government departments while diminishing public confidence in law enforcement processes and the justice system in Samoa. But here is the kicker. With the suspensions, Cabinet decided to return the prosecutorial duties previously with N.P.O. to the Office of the Attorney General immediately. But that wasnt all. Cabinet appointed a Tribunal to evaluate not just the performance of the suspended Director and Acting Director of N.P.O but also the validity of the establishment of the N.P.O. That means the findings of the Tribunal should it be accepted and endorsed by Cabinet could well spell the end of this short-lived dream of Prime Minister Tuilaepa. Earlier this week, asked if the government would abolish the N.P.O, Tuilaepa told the government-owned Savali Newspaper that the answer is not straightforward. Its not as simple as abolishing or not abolishing, he said. Cabinet has to review the processes that have led to the recent clashes between government agencies. The N.P.O has a clear responsibility to uphold the rule of law and objectivity of the criminal justice system. What weve seen has been the opposite of that. There has been a distinct lack of wisdom in decision-making, stemming from conflicts of interest that have not been handled in the proper manner. Okay then, fair enough Mr. Prime Minister. Have it whatever way you like. But lets get back to basics here. Mauga is charged with a traffic violation offense. This needs to be dealt with. We get that. Ms. Lui for all we know has been suspended for the alleged violation of the N.P.O Act. It cant be that bad, surely! The facts are, years and years of work had gone into establishing the N.P.O costing taxpayers thousands of tala and here is the government already wasting more money on a Tribunal to find a reason to shut it down. Why dont they just close it if it makes them happy? Besides, if we are to take whats been thrown before us at face value, including the so-called distinct lack of wisdom in decision making and conflicts of interest youll find that this happens in the public service all the time. Which brings us to the question, what has the N.P.O done so badly that is not different from the abuse and the corruption associated with the government that have made these two officials deserving of such a treatment as this? Or perhaps even better, who of the powerful and mighty have Mauga and Ms. Lui upset? Do they know something we dont? Come to think of it, in the words of Prime Minister Tuilaepa, these officials are his children. Would it be wrong for us to suggest then that this government nurtured and fed this monster to the point where it has now returned to bite them where the sun dont shine and the embarrassment this has created is simply impossible to ignore? What do you think? Have a great Friday Samoa, God bless! Samoas first Chevening Scholarship recipient, Clayton Simamao, has returned to Samoa after successfully completing his studies at Cardiff University. The Chevening Scholarship programme is part of the bilateral relationship between the U.K. and Samoa. The scholarship enables talented young leaders from around the world to complete their fully funded, one-year Masters degree in the U.K. British High Commissioner, Jonathan Sinclair, congratulated Mr. Simamao. Last year Clayton was the first student to receive such an award. It was with great pleasure that this time last year, Clayton went off to Cardiff University to study a one year masters, he said. He has just returned having completed that and hes waiting for his final results. According to the High Commissioner, the course Clayton took was no easy task but he managed to complete it nevertheless. Half of the year you had to pass some exams to get to the very end and only 40% of the class passed, he said. Clayton was one of them. He is a very good example of talented young Samoans we want to come and study in the U.K. Mr. Simamao is extremely grateful for the opportunity. First and foremost I would like to give thanks on behalf of not only my family, but the whole of Samoa, he said. Samoa owes a lot to the U.K. for this great scholarship. The Chevening scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the whole world. From my year alone, about 25,000 people applied and from my intake, only 1,800 people were successful. Mr. Simamao said the scholarship was the opportunity of a lifetime. They really do look after the students from the first day you get there till the day you leave, he said. They look after you well with the main aim of when you return, you give back to your country. Its for potential leaders. The U.K. has now looked at this way for sustainable development especially with those countries involved with the commonwealth. But all in all, Clayton said that he had a great time in the U.K. and urges others to take the programme. My time in the U.K. was amazing, he said. Although there is a big difference in the weather, it was a new experience culture wise. I got to meet a lot of Samoans living abroad. I also got to network with a lot of other Pacific Islanders. It was a really good experience and I really urge our youth and anyone out there to challenge yourself education wise. Take the opportunity with this programme. Two more students from Samoa Felton Pavitt (N.U.S.) and Ferila Brown (M.N.R.E.) have just arrived in the U.K. to undertake their year-long masters courses. According to Mr. Sinclair, the scholarship is valued at 35,000 - 40,000 (WST$107,800 WST$123,200) per scholar. Digicel will soon open a second CoderDojo with winners of its current artwork competition securing spots in the class. October marks one year since Digicel joined the CoderDojo network, a global movement of non-profit community based programs that teach young children basic coding and an understanding of technology. This has helped pave the way for children of Samoa to enter into and succeed in the world of technology. I have been delighted to see the progress these children have made over the past year, said Rory Condon, C.E.O of Digicel Samoa. They have moved from foundation skills to more sophisticated coding, website and application development. It is amazing how quickly they pick up these skills. Key to the success has been the focus learning in a fun environment. A second Dojo means that we can further share our passion for technology and open doors for more kids to join the movement. Every Saturday from 10am 12pm, our students have joined us at Digicel HQ in an informal, creative and social learning environment and the results of our first Dojo have spoken for themselves. Eugene Barker, CoderDojo facilitator and local IT expert says the progress the kids have made is breathtaking. I remember seeing some struggle using the shift key and finding letters. Now these same kids are launching Notepad++, working with browsers, slinging code, and customizing websites. To kick-start enrolment for our second Dojo, Digicel has launched an artwork competition asking children aged 7 12 years old to think about what technology means to them and to put those thoughts to paper - the most creative drawings will win places in our second CoderDojo class in Apia on Saturday mornings 10 12pm. Digicel is investing in the future leaders of Samoa. We are developing a purpose built facility dedicated to learning. Digicel will provide all equipment, and children need no prior knowledge of computers, just an interest, dedication and a passion to learn! said Rory Condon Digicel is passionate about helping our younger generation to learn how technology works at a young age in a supervised and fun environment. CoderDojo is a big part of Digicels focus on education as key to the future success of Samoa. With the project to build a fibre optic cable to Fiji just around the corner, internet access will become accessible to all. This provides great opportunities to the next generation of young Samoans. Samoa is a step closer towards realising the dream of the Tui-Samoa Cable. This week, the Samoa Submarine Cable Company Limited (S.S.C.C.) and Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks, part of Nokia, have signed a turnkey contract to roll out a new submarine cable system named Tui-Samoa Cable, which will span more than 1,470 km, providing an advanced broadband highway for inclusive social and economic growth. Strengthening Samoas domestic and international connectivity, Tui-Samoa Cable will have landing points in Apia and Tuasivi (Samoa) and Suva (Fiji). It will deliver a capacity of at least 8 Terabits-per-second (Tbit/s) using 100 Gbit/s transmission technology. The system will enable possible future extensions to the islands of Vanua Levu Savusavu (Fiji) and Wallis & Futuna. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupai, said the Cable will deliver Samoas commitment to universal access and high speed broadband internet. The Samoa Connectivity Project has been possible with the enormous support and commitment of our development partners - the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the Australian Government - working closely together with local Samoan investors, he said. S.S.C.C will deliver the government of Samoas commitment to universal access and high speed broadband connectivity for all our people as communicated in the Strategy for the Development of Samoa (S.D.S). In addition, Tui-Samoa Cable will contribute to Samoas economic and social development by encouraging I.C.T innovation in education, commerce, agriculture, finance, health, tourism and E-government. The Chairperson of S.S.C.C, Pepe Fia'ailetoa Fruean, is excited about the possibilities. Fast, reliable and affordable internet services will no longer be seen as a luxury reserved for a few, but as a basic right for the Samoan people who will now have access to information, innovative services and applications that will improve their lives, he said. The accessibility of high quality connectivity via state-of-the-art fibre optic cable technology will stimulate Samoas I.C.T growth and drive our economy. With the support of Alcatel-Lucents submarine cable technology, Tui-Samoa Cable will reduce the current dependence on satellite and further accelerate the development of innovative services and applications. S.S.C.C is committed to promoting regional cooperation by offering partnerships with Wallis & Fatuna and Vanua Levu Fiji with the objective of sharing the substantial benefits of Tui-Samoa Cable. One key component of that vision is to maintain carrier neutrality, enabling S.S.C.C to provide our partners a dramatically increased bandwidth at the lowest cost. Philippe Piron, President of Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks, said: The continued need for broadband access is driving new projects in the Asia-Pacific region. We are pleased to work with S.S.C.C helping them enhance broadband capacity and connectivity for the Pacific people, institutions and businesses by making our expertise and knowledge of the Pacific area available. S.S.C.C is a private company incorporated in Apia Samoa and will build, manage and operate the Tui-Samoa submarine cable between Apia Samoa and Suva Fiji. S.S.C.C will operate a Cooperative Sustainable Wholesale Model (C.S.W.M) with the mandate to deliver fast, reliable and affordable internet services to stimulate I.C.T innovation and development as an enabler of economic growth and social prosperity for the people of Samoa. LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) In the age of space travel, an American explorer is preparing to cross the Pacific Ocean from South America to Australia using a reed boat built by Bolivian Aymara Indians. The expedition seeks to prove that ancient mariners could have made such journeys across huge ocean expanses in reed ships, and that such vessels could have been a factor in human migration. The nearly 60-foot (18-meter) boat was built in La Paz at more than 11,800 feet (3,600-meters) above sea level. It uses techniques developed by the indigenous people of the Andes cordillera to ply the waters of Lake Titicaca. "This type of technology doesn't exist anymore; it's like an art form. I admire these people and their culture," said 51-year-old adventurer Phil Buck, who leads the project. The six-month expedition due to start in February seeks to cross more than 10,000 nautical miles from northern Chile to Sidney, Australia. Buck made a similar trip in 2000 when he used a Bolivian-crafted reed boat to travel 3,500 nautical miles from Chile to Easter Island. An attempt to reach Australia in 2003 was interrupted by damage to the boat. "On this second try, I'm sure we'll reach all the way to Australia," Buck said as he supervised the construction of the vessel known in Spanish as a balsa. "Such a distant journey has never been done before and the goal is to show how far these rustic boats can go." Buck said his dream of exploring the world began at the age of 11 when he read the best-selling book by Thor Heyerdahl about the famed adventurer's journey aboard the balsa raft Kon-Tiki. In 1947, Heyerdahl and his team sailed their primitive raft 5,000 miles from Peru to Polynesia in 101 days to support Heyerdahl's theory that the South Sea Islands were settled by ancient mariners from South America. The Viracocha III was named after the supreme Inca deity who is believed to have created the sun and the moon on Lake Titicaca. The expedition's crew includes up to 10 people of different nationalities. They will navigate mostly by the stars and currents and will feed themselves with grains, including the Andean quinoa. The three-masted boat was made from several tons of dried reeds of the totora plant. It will be transported on a trailer along more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the Andean highlands to the Chilean desert port of Arica. Seventy-one-year-old Juan Limachi has been building the reed boats since the age of 7, using the technology inherited from his Aymara ancestors. He now wants to retire knowing that his final work helped an expedition reach another part of the world. "This is my dream after building these 25 giant boats," he said. This is the second part of a question-and-answer session between The San Diego Union-Tribune and Peter Schultz, president of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla. Go to j.mp/schultzquanda1 for the first portion. In this second segment, Schultz discusses how he leveraged clinical development knowledge he gained at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) to swiftly build up a drug pipeline at the nearby California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr). Hes importing that knowledge into TSRI, with Calibr serving as its translational medicine arm. Schultz discusses the financial rewards of carrying a potential drug all the way into clinical trials before signing a commercialization deal. Its much more profitable than doing a preclinical licensing deal, such as has been done with a number of TSRI spinoff companies. Advertisement Biotech companies have been known to hold on to drugs through the early stages of clinical trials so as to minimize their risk of problems. But for a biomedical research institute to do this takes a long breadth of vision, from investigational research to getting a molecule in people -- and beyond. Schultz also discusses relations with Scripps Florida, philanthropists here and elsewhere, the important of keeping TSRI independent, and collaborating with other San Diego biomedical centers. The interview with Schultz took place at his office on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The interview has been edited for clarity. A vision for commercialization Q: Were talking about a long road here. A: Once you get a molecule into the clinic, and you show its safe in people, and you have any sign of efficacy, youre talking nowadays of deals between half a billion up to many billions of dollars. So theres a huge difference in the ability to put a molecule into human testing, and everything that has to be done to do that, and partnering a molecule at a very early stage. Which weve done, historically. We did Receptos. We did Ambrx. We did a lot of these other companies. But when you license a molecule at that stage, theres a massive dilution factor. When you license a molecule post-Phase 1, its a different story. If you can do that twice a year, and you do it for the next 20 years ....! Q: Where do you get the people to do that? A: We hired em. Thats what I did at GNF. I spent well over $1 billion learning how to do this when I ran GNF. The chairman of the board called me and told me how much I spent. He said its probably the best investment they ever made. The point is, I was the first employee, and we learned how to do this from scratch. So we actually took all of that know-how, and all of those tools and technologies, and put em into Calibr. We hired a number of GNF people. We hired the head of global development of Novartis to help us. We raised roughly $250 million since we started in funding for preclinical research, which is pretty good for 130 people. We now actually have a pipeline, not of one molecule, but of eight. Nobodys done that, that I know of, in academics. Herb Boyer, founder of Genentech, probably the greatest biotech company in history of the United States, just joined our board. Hes like, If you guys are going to do this in the nonprofit sector, what we did in Genentech in the for-profit sector, this is exciting. Because if you pull this off, the money will make this whole thing evergreen and go back and fund new drugs and new research for the foreseeable future. Strengthening the endowment Q: What would be a good endowment? A: I want to have more money than we can spend for great science and making new drugs. And Im also talking about forming some startup companies for multiple sclerosis and for cancer. If Im successful in putting eight (drugs in the clinic) -- and not all of them but just two (succeed) -- I think thatll be a billion dollars. Is a billion dollars enough? If I can do two more the following year, and two more the following year, then weve created something nobodys ever been able to create in the nonprofit sector. You can get there like Harvard did by getting many tens of billions of dollars of endowment. But to create those kinds based on your own success -- and at the same time youre making new medicines that saves peoples lives -- thats a different model. Thats why were getting people like Bill Gates and Will Hearst interested. Were also talking with Gerald Chan. Gerald spent days looking at what weve done. We spent eight hours straight going through all the science and all the opportunities. And when Gerald came out of that, he said, I want to be involved with you guys because youre going to change the world. So were getting a lot of people involved like that, including chairmen of the boards of major biotechs and others. I think it is because theyre seeing for the first time a model that could really change the way nonprofits not only fund their science, but create new medicines. And the reason I took this job on wasnt simply to fix a $20 million a year deficit. Q: Are you saying its plausible the institute could have an endowment of several billion dollars ? A: Within the next 5 to 10 years. In fact, if we dont, Ill be disappointed in myself, in the model. Q: What is the endowment now? A: The endowment here now is a mixture of all kinds of things. Its probably pretty hard to quantify, because it involves a lot of chairs, it involves some restricted funds, it involves some unrestricted funds, but its not in the billion-dollar range yet. Because Scripps, as you know, was built on pharma deals. And those pharma deals required the money to be spent. Novartis gave a lot of money, Pfizer gave a lot of money. That money could not be used to build an endowment because pharma needs it to produce science. Richard (Lerner, the former TSRI president) used it very thoughtfully to hire a terrific group of people and build a great reputation. And now what were doing is taking those great people and that great reputation and coupling it with a translational research capability, and marrying the two. Philanthropy Q: Do you think the endowment will benefit from not just from the royalties and sales of molecules, but from private donations, both from local donors and from donors around the world? A: Yes. The vast majority of my time has probably been spent describing this model to various people. And I would say weve met with a huge amount of enthusiasm, not only locally with folks like Denny and Irwin and others who have contributed amazingly to various institutes in the area. Theres a lot of people who are incredibly generous ... Theyve been somewhat frustrated that in their lifetime, they dont necessarily see the results of the drug. They see a lot of research, but the kids (still) have Type 1 diabetes. What they now see is not only an opportunity to do great science, but actually move that into new medicines. So weve gotten really terrific feedback, even from people locally. Ted Waitt came to the dinner we had with Bill Gates (in the summer), because he was so interested in the model. Teds on the Salk board ... and then I had dinner with Ted. So the good news is that the model of turning science into great new medicines not only potentially can help fund Scripps, but it also attracts a lot of interest from very generous philanthropic individuals in the institute. It also attracts people to some of the other interesting things were doing, like education. Were helping to build an institute in China called the Global Health Discovery Institute thats funded by the Gates Foundation with the government of China. Calibr is heavily involved in that. Tsinghua is involved in that. And now Tsinghua wants to start a joint graduate student program with Scripps. We just signed an MOU and we had the president of Tsinghua here two weeks ago, (with) 16 people. And they were like, we want to have a great relationship with you, not only to train people, but to learn how you guys are doing this. Florida operations Q: Lets touch on Scripps Florida. (Reference to Sanford Burnham Medical Discovery Institutes decision to pull out of Florida) A: My view on Scripps Florida is a little bit different from Perrys, from what I read. Were actually the fourth-highest recipient of NIH funding in the state of Florida, which isnt bad for a pretty young, small institute. Secondly, Im going in the opposite direction. I actually think Scripps Florida and Scripps (La Jolla) were evolving a little bit separately. Now were putting together a strategic plan for every department to be joined at the hip between Scripps Florida and here. Were going through a process where were integrating chemistry, were integrating neuroscience, were integrating structural biology, and working very closely together. I think Scripps Florida has a terrific reputation. I was out there talking with government leaders and civic leaders and people in West Palm Beach who are very interested in philanthropy. Theres a real enthusiasm for what were doing in Florida. We have very high net-worth people offering to host dinners for us to bring the West Palm Beach community together to support Scripps. Theres a person in Scripps Florida who has a very interesting molecule for fibrosis, who just came out here. Another one has a really interesting molecule for stomach cancer, who is coming out to see how we can work together to develop it. Another person has a really interesting molecule for autoimmune disease. Hes been out here; we now have a collaboration. So theres this huge number of really interesting scientific and translational opportunities that have been developed in Scripps Florida. Uniting San Diego bioscience If you think about the real centers of science and biotechnology, you think about the Bay Area with UCSF, Berkeley and Stanford. You think about Boston, with MIT and Harvard. What we really need to do is make San Diego the equivalent of one of those. We have smaller institutions. Salk and Scripps and Sanford-Burnham arent the size of Berkeley, Stanford and UCSF. We do have UCSD, which is our UCSF. But whats interesting is that theyre close together and they complement each other well .So I want to not only focus on Scripps, but focus on how Scripps can work together with Salk, and Burnham and UCSD and La Jolla Institute( for Allergy & Immunology). Q: And Calibr too? A: Calibr too. Calibr is a collaborative institution. Scripps is collaborative. I have collaborations with Rusty Gage at Salk. We have a desert meeting every year in Palm Springs that weve used for science. And now this year were going to host all the local institutes, bring everybody together to figure out how we can better work together. What you see with philanthropy from Irwin and Denny and others is to make San Diego a great science center, and for the institutes to work together. So what were doing at Scripps with Calibr, what Sanford Burnhams trying to do, what UCSD is trying to do -- what we really want to do in the end is have San Diego be like Boston and be like the Bay Area Its really important because it creates new jobs, it creates a really interesting culture, and it just does a huge amount for the community. A firmly independent Scripps Q: Would you welcome a bigger life sciences presence here by the University of Southern California? (USC had earlier explored a merger with or acquisition of TSRI). A: Weve had discussions with USC, weve had discussions with Cedars-Sinai, a major hospital. I think we would be delighted to work together with any outstanding research organization or hospital. But what we really want to do is control our own destiny. And now that we have a model that is different and potentially can generate huge resources, that can take Scripps to a totally different level -- Richard did a great job but we can take it way higher -- why would we want to enter into a relationship where we dont control our own destiny? It just doesnt make sense. We have work to do, but we have the resources to get us through the period where this model really begins. So I have no qualms about the short term, and I have a huge amount of optimism about the long-term model were building. bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 What prompted Saudi Arabia to reverse field Sept. 28 and agree to a scheduled oil production freeze for OPEC? Some numbers from a regional report issued by the International Monetary Fund earlier this week indicate that maybe the Saudis were influenced by tough economic times in the kingdoms own backyard, er, sandbox. According to the IMF estimates, the fiscal break-even point for a barrel of oil in Saudi Arabia this year is going to be higher than originally thought. Advertisement Back in April, the IMF pegged the break-even price at $66.70 a barrel but in this latest update, it adjusted the number up to $79.70 a barrel. Thats still lower than the $92.90 break-even price the IMF had for Saudi Arabia in 2015 but indicates how hard the low-price environment has been hitting the Saudis. A production freeze is expected to lead to higher oil prices. Within days of the announcement in Algiers, the price of Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude each each shot past the $50 a barrel mark. The freeze still has to be finalized by OPEC members when they gather later this year but the Saudis have dominated the cartel since it came into existence in 1960 and analysts say if the kingdom wants the freeze, it will get one. In comparison to other locations, the costs of extracting oil from locales such as Saudi Arabia and other Middle East nations is cheap. But the kingdom has a relatively high break-even point and so do a number of its neighbors. Take a look at the IMF break-even numbers for countries in what is called the MENA region the Middle East and North Africa: The price slump has hurt the bottom line of many OPEC countries, including Saudi Arabia. Income from crude exports accounts for about 75 percent of the kingdoms revenue and its estimated as much as 92 percent of its total revenue comes from oil. Last year, the Saudi government which provides generous subsidies to its people posted a $98 billion deficit. Just yesterday (Wednesday), Saudi Arabia raised $17.5 billion in first-ever international bond sale, seen as part of a larger effort by the Saudi government to try to diversify its economy. Other cartel members are hurting, too. The economy of fellow OPEC member Venezuela where oil accounts for a staggering 96 percent of the countrys hard currency revenue has been in a sorry state of disintegration. It was estimated earlier this year by analysts at RBC Capital Markets that the break-even price for Venezuela is $121.06 a barrel. U.S. oil producers were in high cotton in the summer of 2014 when oil prices were at more than $100 a barrel. But after the Saudis and OPEC decided not to cut production at the cartels November 2014, a downward trend in oil prices turned into a rout, with oil dropping to $26 a barrel in February of this year. That led to plenty of pain for shale producers in the U.S. But while dozens of companies have gone bankrupt in the downturn, producers have become much more lean, coming up with more creative and cost-efficient do business. Chris Hall, president of Drilling & Production Co., which has wells in Kern County, told me last month his company needs oil at about $50 a barrel to get his small company of eight employees back up to where it was before the glut. But some producers in the Permian Basin, the Bakken and the Eagle Ford Shale are making money at prices as low as $40 a barrel. All this has led some to wonder if the Saudis dominant role may be descent. But the oil sector and the energy landscape in general is a dangerous place to make bold predictions. My crystal ball was and is no clearer than my colleagues, said Khalid al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, in a speech Wednesday in London, but there can be no doubt that the dynamics of our industry are synonymous with change. *** Heres video from the IMF regarding its regional economic outlook for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia: rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski National Philanthropy Day will be celebrated in San Diego Nov. 16 when the Association of Fundraising Professionals San Diego Chapter honors seven community leaders who have made their philanthropic stamp on San Diego. The recipients will be recognized at the 44th Annual National Philanthropy Day Awards, which will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at Jacobs Music Centers Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St. in downtown San Diego. Tickets are $85. This years theme is A Symphony of Philanthropy in recognition of the ceremonys new location at Copley Symphony Hall. The San Diego Symphony will perform at the event. Advertisement Just as musicians play both solo and in concert with others, San Diego is strengthened by the efforts of individual philanthropists, non-profit professionals and board members, volunteers, corporate groups, and grant makers who work together to make our community a better place, said Keely Tidrow, the San Diego president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and major gifts officer at The Old Globe Theatre. Seven community leaders have been chosen for their contributions to the community and their leadership in philanthropic efforts. This year, T. Denny Sanford will receive the Outstanding Philanthropist Award. Sanford has been listed among the top 50 Philanthropists in the United States by Business Week and by the Chronicle of Philanthropy and over time has contributed more than $1 billion to causes throughout the country, according to a statement. With a deep dedication to education, healthcare, wildlife and youth programs, Sanfords philanthropic support for the San Diego community has been nothing less than transformational. This years honorees are: Outstanding Philanthropist: T. Denny Sanford Outstanding Development Professional: Amy Parrott, San Diego Zoo Global Outstanding Organizational Volunteer: Dylan Dabasinskas, Firefighter Aid Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer: John Seiber, Kraemer Endowment Foundation, UBS Outstanding Grant Making Organization: Susan G. Komen Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation: Brookfield Residential, HomeAid San Diego Outstanding Youth/Student Volunteer: Linh Luong, Reality Changers For more information about the awards and the Nov. 16 event, go to NPD2016.org Twitter: @outdoorlivingsd michael.rocha@sduniontribune.com A Huntington Beach man slit his throat in a courtroom Wednesday morning after a jury found him guilty of raping a girl when she was 13. Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, had just been convicted of two felony counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one felony count of continuous sexual abuse. As the verdict was announced at about 11 a.m. in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Jones produced a small razor blade and sliced his throat, according to Jones attorney, Edward Welbourn, and Deputy Dist. Atty. Heather Brown. Advertisement Jones was screaming and bleeding heavily from his neck while a sheriffs deputy tried to restrain him and the jury was rushed from the room, Brown said. Welbourn said he saw his clients head hit the defense table as he bled profusely. Jones had to be handcuffed as medical personnel tried to stop the bleeding, Orange County sheriffs Lt. Mark Stichter said. As Jones was taken out of the courtroom on a gurney, a pool of blood was left on the table, Brown said. Jones was being treated at a hospital for injuries that are not life-threatening, Stichter said. It wasnt clear how he got the razor blade, the attorneys said. Stichter did not confirm that it was a razor blade, calling it a cutting instrument. He said the Sheriffs Department would investigate whether Jones brought it into the courthouse or found it in the building. Jones had been released from custody after posting $1-million bail on July 25, 2013, according to the Orange County district attorneys office. Jones was a teacher for 27 years at Bell High School in Bell and Gahr High School in Cerritos, according to prosecutors. Brown said during Jones trial that his abuse of the girl who is now 17 began when she was in the eighth grade. At first, Brown said, Jones made sexual comments to the girl before progressing to inappropriate touching in the fall of 2012 and rape in the spring of 2013. Judge Steven Bromberg scheduled Jones sentencing for Nov. 4. He faces a maximum of 68 years to life in state prison, according to the district attorneys office. Brazil writes for Times Community News. benjamin.brazil@latimes.com Twitter: @benbrazilpilot Who would have thought the biggest dining opening of the year would involve a butcher, a baker and an empanada maker? The debut of Liberty Public Market in March to enthusiastic and hungry hordes represented more than the latest launch of a big-name restaurant. Located in a restored historic Naval facility at Liberty Station, the market signals San Diegos culinary coming of age. And in no small feat, the market replaced Little Italy as the go-to gastronomic location in 2016. Like marketplaces around the world, from San Francisco to New York and Barcelona, the 25,000-square-foot assemblage of artisans appeals to a wide cross-section of people, from home cooks to grazers, from tourists to families, hipsters, and everyone in between. Its a shopping destination, a lunch spot, a wine bar, a craft beer emporium, a community gathering place and a people-watching bonanza. Advertisement Eggplant and mushroom pockets of perfection from Parana Empanadas, one of the most perpetually crowded shops at Liberty Public Market. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune ) As I wrote after it opened and I tried every one of its two-dozen or so eateries Liberty Public Market is a delicious hit. In the months since, my list of favorite places to eat hasnt evolved so much as expanded. My original top five picks (Mastiff Sausage Co., Wicked Maine Lobster, Grape Smuggler, Parana Empanadas and Le Parfait Paris) are now joined by the Venissimo cheese-fueled creations at Attic Salt Sandwiches, the bottled awesomeness of olive oils and balsamics from Baker & Olive and the healthful salads at Local Greens. In the gazillion times Ive visited, there have been two constants: I can always down a nitro cold-brew from TheWestBean Coffee Roasters and I can never snag a seat at the popular raw bar at FishBone Kitchen. San Diegos exuberant embrace of the market has surpassed even its creators hopes. In a word, Im ecstatic, said David Spatafore, whose Blue Bridge Hospitality group co-developed and manages Liberty Public Market. Im so happy for the vendors, that it works for them. Friends of mine tell me, Its better than we imagined it would be. And if were successful beyond peoples expectations, thats great. The markets few naysayers have moaned about the crowds (hey, its popular!), the parking (come on, its free and its only a block away!), and a lack of produce booths (hello, there are farmers markets all over San Diego!). Spatafore said plans are in the works to increase seating a valid complaint and to add a boutique spirits retailer, communal tables in the central dining area, a shop he first discovered at the Victoria Public Market, called Roast Meat & Sandwich, a Vietnamese shop, Pho 5th Avenue and a permanent space for the craftspeople who sell everything from handmade jewelry to wood-framed eyeglasses. My one wish is for some tweaking at Mess Hall, the markets sole sit-down, full-service restaurant. After a promising start, two subsequent meals there have been lackluster. Like its somewhat awkward dining room, the kitchen could use more definition. But that is a small nit in the biggest dining story of the year. In a word, Im ecstatic over Liberty Public Market. Liberty Public Market, 2820 Historic Decatur Road; (619) 487-9346; libertypublicmarket.com William Dano, wife Geena, and their two boys Adrien, 8, and Aiden, 6, dig into the lobster rolls from Wicked Maine Lobster in July. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune ) Twitter: @sdeditgirl michele.parente@sduniontribune.com Twyla Tharp last year celebrated her 50th anniversary as an award-winning choreographer. She is a tireless force in a world of dance that she has indelibly impacted, both as a performer and deft architect of movement. During that time, she has choreographed more than 160 works, collaborated with everyone from Mikhail Baryshnikov to David Byrne of Talking Heads, and won a Tony Award and two Emmy Awards. She also has received 19 honorary doctorates, as well as a 2004 National Medal of the Arts and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor. How, then, does this 75-year-old legend regard her formidable body of work? Advertisement Tharp, an Indiana native who moved to the San Bernardino area when she was 8, laughed. I dont! I just dont, she said, speaking from her New York dance studio. With these pieces (of mine), its a matter of treating them as if its an experience the artist will have right now, here, today, so lets make it positive. My thinking is always that the audience needs to leave a performance feeling rejuvenated, healed, unified and physically strengthened. If they dont, we havent done our job. Her virtuoso troupe, Twyla Tharp Dance, opens the La Jolla Music Societys 2016/2017 dance series with a Saturday performance at Spreckels Theatre. (Ticket information appears below.) The program will feature three works by Tharp that span a 40-year period: 1976s whimsical Country Dances; 1980s Brahms Paganini; and one of her newest pieces, Beethoven Opus 130, a showcase for dancer Matthew Dibble, who was featured in two of Tharps Broadway productions, Movin Out (which featured the songs of Billy Joel) and the Frank Sinatra homage Come Fly Away. Has Tharps creative impetus changed much since 1976, or 1996, for that matter? I dont think so, at all, she said. My intention has always been to do the best work I can do. And, also, analyzing how the conditions and situations both of myself and the world that exists when I have done a work has changed. In other words, where are we now? When I worked with the Beach Boys in the early 1970s, the feeling for that kind of music was very different than after I worked classical music (collaborators). So when I worked with (Talking Heads co-founder) David Byrne (on 1981s The Catherine Wheel), I contemplated how how has the work I do changed? And how has the audiences understanding changed of what that work is from those two realms, which are obviously very different. One of Tharps trademarks as a choreographer is how her dances meld careful consideration and precision with an organic sense of freewheeling movement. Ive always understood there is a notion of structure, and then the notion of vernacular, she noted. I listen to a lot of music. And I think that any good composer is equally adept with that which springs out of contemporary life, and that which is more disciplined. Does Tharp think in syncopation, so to speak? I would say more in tandem, she said. There is what I call vernacular and non-vernacular, so have ( a span) from Bach to Beethoven to the more contemporary composers, like Philip Glass, and then rock and pop music. So I would say its more on a scale of balancing two disciplines with music that is, for lack of a better word and its an unfair word classical, as opposed to what is currently more popular, if that label makes sense. The word classical is very strange. Tharp has been one of the dance worlds most distinctive and celebrated artistic forces for decades. But when she started her company, there were years of struggling for recognition and acceptance. And there were years of balancing creative endeavors with day jobs of all kinds. From 1965 to 1978 is the era in which we were known as the bunch of broads, she recalled of her fledgling troupe. We were,basically, six women. We worked all the time and nobody was ever paid. And thats what we did. When we got a (paying) gig, we split the fee six ways. Essentially, we supported ourselves any way we could. Some of us sold perfume. I did a Kelly Girl job; Im a very good typist. Did these day jobs make Tharp and her colleagues more determined to succeed in their dance pursuits? I dont know about more determined; we were always more determined.(Struggle) forces one to be resourceful and one is working because one wants to, not because one is getting a lot of support and encouragement We took whatever came our way we never said no, and always made it work. That is to say, we made it work and it became what it was going to be. And we were grateful for any opportunity and took it. Tharps troupes over the years have yielded an array of gifted dancers and choreographers, including San Diegos John Malashock. What, specifically, does she look for in a collaborator? Well, if youre asking me about dancers, each of them is unique, Tharp replied. What I look for is, well, I always say they cause me to fall in love with them. They must have a technical grounding. They have to have intelligence, a desire to be challenged, and a sense of humor. And, she concluded, her voice playfully pirouetting over the phone line, they have to be beautiful! La Jolla Music Society presents Twyla Tharp Dance When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway, downtown Tickets: $20-$75 Phone: (858) 459-3728 Online: ljms.org Twitter @georgevarga george.varga@sduniontribune.com Celebrate this Mexican holiday to honor the dead during the Dia de los Muertos festival at the Sherman Heights Community Center. The festivities will go on for a few days, starting with the Noche de Mole opening reception and altar preview from 6:30 to 9 p.m. with samples of mole sauces, traditional Mexican food, live music, a special ballet folklorico dance performance, silent auction and more than 20 community altars. The big festival is on Saturday and starts with the blessing of the community altars, live performances, food, shopping and a self-guided tour of the altars. On Sunday, attend a community breakfast (with a menu that includes menudo, tamales, aguas frescas and pan de muertos) in memory of the deceased, followed by the market where people can find traditional items to use to build a Day of the Dead altar. Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Sherman Heights Community Center, 2258 Island Ave., San Diego. Free. (619) 232-5181 or shermanheights.com/day-of-the-dead.html. The NAT museum in Balboa Park will soon be showing off Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered. Sue, on loan from the Field Museum in Chicago, is a life-size cast skeleton and part of an exhibit called Animals: Machines in Motion that opens Oct. 29 at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. Tickets are on sale now for the exhibit. How big is Sue? She arrived at the museum in a semi packed with several crates, said Beth Redmond-Jones, The NATs senior director of public programs. Sue is 42 feet long from nose to tale and 13 feet tall at her hips. Advertisement Its been fun watching her be installed, Redmond-Jones said. The exhibits goal is to show how plants and animals have evolved so they can survive, Judy Gradwohl, president and CEO of The NAT, said in a statement. By presenting the inner-workings of plants and animals, Animals gives us a newfound appreciation for the machine inside every living thing, Gradwohl said. The show will use real specimens, life-like models and video footage to explain everything from why cheetahs run so fast to how a Venus fly trap detects its next meal. Its also loaded with interactives for kids, Redmond-Jones said. The show also includes examples of biomimicry innovations developed by people and inspired by things found in nature. One example: Velcro. Swiss engineer George de Mestral patented the Velcro fastener in 1955 after examining burdock burrs stuck in his dogs fur. He noticed the hooked ends on the burrs made it possible for them to cling to clothing and other looped fibers. Now you can find Velcro on everything from shoes to lunchboxes. The NAT exhibit was developed by The Field Museum in partnership with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. San Diego County and the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture provided financial support for the exhibit in Balboa Park. Tickets for the show include admission to all other exhibitions in the museum. Because kids get in to the parks museums for free in October with one paid adult admission, children can check out Animals for free on Oct. 29 to Oct. 31. NBC News has reached a settlement with Billy Bush, who is leaving the Today show after remarks he made in a vulgar videotaped conversation with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Bushs departure, expected for several days, was made official in a message sent to the programs staff Monday by Noah Oppenheim, the executive in charge of Today. Billy Bush will be leaving the Today shows 9 a.m. hour, effective today, Oppenheim wrote. While he was a new member of the TODAY team, he was a valued colleague and longtime member of the broader NBC family. We wish him success as he goes forward. Advertisement In a statement, Bush said: I am deeply grateful for the conversations Ive had with my daughters, and for all of the support from family, friends and colleagues. I look forward to what lies ahead. Bush, 45, was suspended indefinitely Oct. 9, after he was heard in a leaked 2005 video engaging in sexist banter with Trump. The existence of the tape has been a major headache to NBC since it was revealed by the Washington Post on Oct. 7. The settlement is an expensive attempt to make the controversy go away. Bush is probably leaving with whatever he was owed on his contract, which was said to earn him $2 million to $3 million annually, according to people familiar with the terms of the deal. Bushs attorney Marshall Grossman has reportedly been seeking a settlement since the middle of last week. In the provocative tape, made while Bush was co-host of NBCs syndicated news magazine Access Hollywood, Trump obscenely boasts about his ability to kiss women and grope their genitals with impunity because he is a celebrity. Bush is heard chuckling and encouraging Trumps coarse chatter even as the reality show star crudely talked about how he tried to have sex with Nancy ODell, then a co-host on Access. Bush is also seen telling Days of Our Lives soap opera actress Arianne Zucker to embrace Trump just after the exchange. Bush issued an apology for his behavior, saying he was younger, less mature and acted foolishly in playing along. But the negative reaction to Bushs role in the explosive campaign revelation, focusing attention on Trumps history of alleged inappropriate behavior with women, was untenable for NBC News going forward. Although some members of NBC News management were willing to forgive Bush, there was concern the Today audience would reject him. Some female staffers at Today also made it known to their bosses they would be upset if Bush returned. Bush had been a co-host on the 9 a.m. hour of Today, in which 68% of the 3 million viewers who watch are women. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio ALSO: Could Trump TV become a reality for the nominee if he loses? Stephen Colbert headed to Showtime for live election night specialAs allegations against Trump and others pour in, Hollywoods culture of sexual harassment is being exposed UPDATES: 4:30 p.m.: This story was updated to include Billy Bushs statement. The story was originally published at 4:15 p.m. Speculation continues to swirl around whether Donald Trumps Plan B is to create a Trump-branded TV network to capitalize on his fervent support. The Financial Times reported this week that 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 start-up media venture should Trump lose the presidential election. Kushner was not available for comment. Bourkoff, through a spokesperson, declined to comment. Advertisement Kushners outreach occurred about two months ago, according to 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 Ivanka Trump, 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 that LionTree is not interested in working on such a project. As the Los Angeles Times reported last month, 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 last week, Trump has seemed intent on preserving his brand as a successful billionaire even if Hillary Clinton defeats him on Nov. 8, telling crowds that the election is being rigged. However, launching a TV venture would be cost at least $500 million and perhaps as much as $1 billion, according to industry experts. Discovery Communications, for example, spent more than $500 million to launch OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network more than six years ago. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 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 the Blaze, 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 that 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 prominent advisors steeped in media. In August, Trump turned to Stephen Bannon, chairman of the Breitbart News website, as his campaigns CEO, 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 noncompete clause, according to a person familiar with the terms. Some speculate that 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. meg.james@latimes.com @MegJamesLAT UPDATES: 3:04 p.m. This article was updated with information about the conversation between Jared Kushner and Aryeh Bourkoff of LionTree Advisors. This article was originally published at 2:05 p.m. Just two weeks ago, Michael Moore wasnt promoting a movie. He wasnt editing a movie. He hadnt even shot a movie. But in the past 11 days, the documentary provocateur had done what takes most people including him years to do. He staged a one-man-show about the election at a theater in the true-red town of Wilmington, Ohio. Then he and his team cut the piece into a film, titled TrumpLand, and prepared to release it ahead of election day Nov. 8. "This election is going be decided by whether people will stay home, Moore said. I hope I can light a fire and get it out in the next weeks to millions of people. The director was speaking and speaking, and speaking after the surprise world premiere of TrumpLand on Tuesday night at New Yorks IFC Center. Thats where his film will open Wednesday, as it will at the Laemmle 5 in Encino and on several digital platforms. Advertisement Moore had undertaken the project to rally what he termed the depressed Hillary voter. Whether due to a lack of enthusiasm for their candidate or the sense that the election was a done deal, too many Democratic voters, Moore believed, were going to stay home in November. And because Trump supporters are more fervent and the research from Brexit states places like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, with their high number of disaffected working-class whites couldnt be trusted, the election was still a tossup, he argued. I am here to fight the idea [that Trump is doomed], Moore said at the premiere. Stop looking at these polls. Anything a Michigander is telling a pollster is [bull]. Moore had often stayed quiet during this election season. Some had presumed it was due to his ambivalence over the Clintons. But he said Tuesday he had actually been writing the theater piece for much of this time it had taken him nearly a year. (It was not clear when he made the decision to record the show and release it as a movie.) Neither the play nor the film satirizes Trump (no one writes that movie better than him, Moore said), though the film does contain an eye-popping bit of video of Trump praising Hillary Clinton (and Moore!) during an interview for an episode of the directors The Awful Truth TV series in the 1990s. Instead, it looks at the psychology of the Donald Trump voter and the underrated virtues of Hillary Clinton as Moore sees them. Essentially, TrumpLand is Moores Spalding Gray moment. Over its 73 minutes, the director eschews his usual field interviews to hold forth from a desk and podium on the Wilmington stage. There is a standup-inflected riff about the larger ascendancy of women over men, which culminates in Moores main psycho-social argument about Trumps popularity: that it is a function of a kind of last-gasping by the white-male dying dinosaur. (Moore does sound effects too.) Indeed, he spends about half the film on the Trump side, addressing the large number of GOP voters in the Ohio room by saying that a protest vote would only make them feel good for a week, maybe a month and then theyd have to deal with the consequences. In one of the only pieces of non-theater video, there is a fake interpolated news segment imagining a Trump Inauguration Day. The new POTUS opts to not live in the White House and declares that hes headed to Mar-a-Lago instead. (Moore includes few bells and whistles in the film. One of the others is a conceptual bit in which he isolates Mexican members of the audience and proceeds to build a wall around them, then cordons off Muslim voters and sends a drone flying over their heads.) Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter The other half of the film is devoted to the glories of Clinton. Framed by pictures of the Democratic presidential candidate as a young woman, Moore extols her character, describing their warm meeting at a White House state dinner in the 1990s, her fortitude during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, her 1994-era vision on healthcare (a million people died because we refused to listen to Hillary, Moore posits) and, in one of the films funniest riffs, a comically exaggerated reconstruction of how she must have personally killed Vince Foster. The argument that she is unlikable, he believes, is moot. You dont want someone likable, he said. Because unlikable will make ISIS, he added, using a profanity for scared. Moore also dug up audio of an idealistic graduation speech Clinton gave at Wellesley College and said at the theater, That voice is still there, adding, What if she hasnt forgotten; Im going to bet she hasnt forgotten. And at one point at the premiere he compared Clinton to another agent of social change whom many were once skeptical of. What if shes Pope Francis? he said. These expressions of unqualified love may land oddly with those who follow Moore and know of his complicated relationship with the Clintons. Support for a Democratic presidential candidate is one thing. But what could possibly have caused Moore to become a hardcore Hillary evangelist? He said he has come around because a) he feels the currents of Never Trump strongly and b) he learned of Clintons passion for the healthcare issue while visiting a hospital in Estonia for his previous movie, Where To Invade Next. There, a doctor Moore encountered described Clintons past efforts visiting the nation, gesturing to a picture of her taken at the hospital. Those on-the-ground efforts sealed the deal for him, Moore said. I have a lot of hope and a lot of weird optimism, noted the director. Im not saying forget the bad. But theres a lot of good. The rally-like feel was not limited to the director. The TrumpLand screening was free to the public, prompting many to line up early for a ticket to the approximately 400-seat venue, which IFC had allowed Moore to use for free. The progressive activist group Move On was a partner at the premiere and handed out some tickets of their own, one reason the audience may have been so overwhelmingly pro-Moore. A Trump fortune-telling machine stood on the sidewalk outside the theater and attracted a crowd before the screening. If I leave here tonight with people thinking this is a nice, funny show and were not in any kind of trouble and Trump has imploded, then Id have failed. Michael Moore As the film played, Moore watched from a seat in the back of the house. He said he wanted to take it in after having just finished postproduction at 7 that morning. For some political junkies, Tuesdays proceedings were on par with the release of Beyonces Lemonade an unexpected new piece from a longtime favorite at the moment the faithful most wanted it. A Q&A stretched nearly an hour, as more than a dozen audience members asked earnest, thoughtful questions, all sympathetic to the films message. In perhaps the most politically oriented pronouncement ever committed to a Lite-Brite board, a woman held up a Dump Trump sign made of LED bulbs. Another person called out Michael, youre a hero. Of course, Moore alienates as much as he attracts, particularly in the vast swath of the country he himself called between the Hudson River and Interstate 5. And his track record for influencing elections is spotty at best. Though seen by tens of millions of people, his anti-Bush screed Fahrenheit 9/11" did not give the 2004 election to John F. Kerry, and the most that can be said of his socialist-minded primary-season release Where To Invade Next is that it enjoyed some fortuitous timing with the Bernie Sanders phenomenon. On Tuesday night, though, those facts remained beside the point to Moore. He exhorted the people in the room to spread the word about the film and said that he wanted his message to help carry Clinton to victory. We shouldnt even be here, you and I. We should be knocking on doors in Altoona, he said to one of the Clinton-supporting questioners. If I leave here tonight with people thinking this is a nice, funny show and were not in any kind of trouble and Trump has imploded, then Id have failed. Look, I want to be wrong. But I will not rest until the last poll closes. On Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT ALSO Laura Benanti returns as Melania Trump on The Late Show to unintentionally endorse Hillary Clinton Five things you may not have known about debate moderator Chris Wallace Review: Less a documentary than a stand-up gig, Michael Moores TrumpLand isnt the firebrand one might expect A 31-year-old sheriffs deputy in Northern California was fatally shot Wednesday while responding to a disturbance call, and the suspected gunman was taken into custody, authorities said. Modoc County Sheriffs Deputy Jack Hopkins responded to a reported assault or disturbance about 10:30 a.m. in a rural area 10 miles south of Alturas, according to a statement from the sheriffs office. While responding, Hopkins a sworn sheriffs deputy since 2015 was gunned down. Advertisement Its unclear what led to the shooting, which prompted a massive response from state and federal law enforcement, including officers from the California Highway Patrol and U.S. Forest Service. The shooting is under investigation by the CHP as well as authorities from neighboring counties sheriffs offices. By 11 a.m., a suspect was taken into custody. The suspects identity was not released. Hopkins was survived by extended family and co-workers, and the sheriffs office said the deputys slaying resulted in an outpouring of support and generosity. Late Wednesday, law enforcement patrol cars had a procession in tribute to Hopkins, and a video of the caravan was posted on the departments Facebook page. Shortly after news of Hopkins death spread, the Alturas Municipal Airport wrote on Facebook that he had been recently transferred from the Alturas Police Department to the sheriffs office. He was probably the nicest man, the airport wrote. When he pulled you over for a headlight, or something you did, he always was courteous and had a smile on his face. He didnt have a mean bone in his body, just a great guy. He is missed by all of us. The shooting was at least the fourth slaying of a law enforcement officer in California in two weeks. On Oct. 6, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Sgt. Steve Owen was fatally shot as he responded to a burglary report. Trenton Trevon Lovell, 27, was charged with murdering Owen, attempted murder of a second sheriffs deputy, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts each of residential robbery and false imprisonment. Days later, Palm Springs Police officers Lesley Zerebny, 27, and Jose Gil Vega, 63, were shot and killed in what officials said was a planned attack. Riverside County Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin said John Hernandez Felix, 26, was prepared for the Oct. 8 attack and set up a trap. Felix ambushed the officers as they stood outside his door, Hestrin said. veronica.rocha@latimes.com Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA matt.hamilton@latimes.com Twitter: @MattHjourno ALSO No charges filed against 2 men arrested in deadly Jamaican restaurant shooting Q&A: Proposition HHH would raise funds to build homeless housing in L.A. Jury rules NBA star Derrick Rose and friends did not rape woman UPDATES: 10:50 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional details on the circumstances of the shooting and the identity of the sheriffs deputy. This article was originally published at 5:35 p.m. Proposition HHH on the Nov. 8 ballot asks Los Angeles city voters to approve a general obligation bond that would raise money to build housing for chronically homeless people. The proposal involves complicated financing and service arrangements between the city, county and state. Following are answers to some of the questions about the measure: What would Proposition HHH do? Advertisement If the measure obtains the two-thirds vote needed to pass, the city would borrow up to $1.2 billion over 10 years for construction projects to provide safe, clean, affordable housing for the homeless and for those in danger of becoming homeless. The City Council resolution that placed Proposition HHH on the ballot requires that 80% of the money be directed to permanent supportive housing. Up to 20% could be spent on conventional affordable housing without services, and an unspecified amount could be spent on shelters and other measures such as portable showers and storage facilities. How much would it cost property owners? As bonds are issued, the annual cost to taxpayers would increase gradually from the first year and peak in 2027, when it would be $18.54 for every $100,000 of assessed valuation. Thats the value the Los Angeles County assessor places on the property, a figure that is generally lower than its market value. Los Angeles City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana estimates that the average annual cost over the 29 years the bonds are being repaid would be $9.64 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. That would be $32.87 on a home valued at the median of $341,000. What is permanent supportive housing? Permanent supportive housing is for people who have been living on the street for a year or more because of mental illness, physical disability or addiction. It primarily consists of apartments with a high percentage of single units in buildings that include space for on-site case managers and clinicians. It is paired with services that can include mental health treatment, addiction therapy and vocational training. Rent subsidies assure a permanent home as long as the person needs the services. Who would pay for the services? Services are provided either by Los Angeles County or private mental health organizations using county funds. Who would pay for the subsidies? The Los Angeles Housing Authority has committed up to 1,000 federal housing subsidies per year for the new units as they are constructed. Those vouchers would come from the supply of about 2,100 the Housing Authority distributes each year to eligible applicants who have been waiting since 2003 to get subsidies effectively allowing them to jump to the head of the line. What does the housing cost? Permanent supportive housing costs more to build than comparable market-rate housing. Space set aside for case managers and clinical staff is one factor. The requirements of public funding sources include prevailing wage, high-energy efficiency and extra-large bathrooms for handicapped accessibility also raise the costs. City planning laws result in many projects being proposed at 49 units, even when the underlying zoning would allow more. Thats the maximum that can be built without an environmental review that can add months and raise costs. Smaller buildings with space set aside for services incur larger per-unit costs. Developers of permanent supportive housing also commit extra resources to gain community acceptance of their projects. For instance, they usually spend extra on architecture to make their buildings visually appealing. They also spend extra on outreach to head off potential backlash over negative perception of their clients. The Corporation for Supportive Housing, a nonprofit that provides technical and financial assistance to agencies that build permanent supportive housing, estimates the cost in Los Angeles at $350,000 per unit. A Times analysis of projects funded by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, which includes most permanent supportive housing projects, shows that recent projects have usually cost more, averaging about $420,000 per unit in 2016. How much permanent supportive housing is needed? In an analysis based on the 2015 homeless count, the Los Angeles County Homeless Services Authority estimated that 25,000 units of permanent supportive housing are needed countywide to serve the portion of the homeless population requiring intense services to live independently. About 9,000 units already exist, leaving a gap of about 14,000. The gap in Los Angeles city is estimated at 9,849. How is permanent supportive housing financed? Most projects receive about 65% of their cost from federal tax credits. Under a state-administered program, developers are allocated tax credits that they sell to investors in exchange for equity in the project. The credits currently sell for more than face value because the investors can declare depreciation in addition to the tax credit. The remainder of the money comes from a combination of local, state or federal subsidies that usually include soft loans from the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department that are repaid from excess revenue. Before they can apply for tax credits, developers have to own the land, have an approved development plan and obtain commitments for all the remainder of the financing. How would Proposition HHH help? The city plans to contribute up to $150,000 per unit to permanent supportive housing projects, enough in most cases to pay about a third of the cost. That would allow the developer to complete their financing through a less-desirable tax credit program that pays about 35% of a projects cost. The lower-yield credits are not competitive, meaning that developers could obtain financing quickly for as many projects as they can get ready. Why is the city focusing on permanent supportive housing? Based on a growing body of research, homeless advocates generally regard permanent supportive housing as the most effective solution for the chronically homeless who remain on the streets because of mental illness, addiction or disability. (The research covers topics including Medicaid costs, as well as the impact of housing on the cost of treating homeless people with severe alcohol problems and those who use hospitals. Theres also a map of studies of such costs.) Why will it take 10 years to build the units? Currently, a permanent supportive housing development takes about three to five years to complete. Along with financing, the primary obstacles are land acquisition and the approval process. Both must be completed before a developer can apply for tax credits. Developers of permanent supportive housing compete with market-rate developers for scarce sites suitable for multifamily development in the city. Community opposition to projects geared to the homeless can extend the approval process. The city is working to shorten the development time by providing excess city land to developers and streamlining the development process. The City Administrative Office and Housing and Community Investment Department have identified about two dozen city-owned parcels that could be used for housing. Both agencies have received proposals from developers. The City Administrative Office is expected to make recommendations on the proposals The citys Department of City Planning is developing a Permanent Supportive Housing Ordinance, which the council is expected to vote on by summer. It would remove regulatory barriers and streamline the entitlement process, shortening the development timeline by up to two years. Are there any alternatives? Homeless advocates widely believe that expanding the supply of permanent supportive housing is the only way to reduce the chronically homeless population. There are skeptics, though, who contend that only a small percentage of the chronically homeless population requires the intense services. Most of the mentally ill, they say, would be able to function independently in regular apartment buildings with drop-in services provided by mobile providers the scattered housing approach. More expensive permanent supportive housing is necessary only for a small portion of the homeless population, they say. Proponents of permanent supportive housing say that rental subsidies for scattered housing are less costly than building new units only in the short term. Permanent housing units are subject to rent limits in effect for decades. Over that period, rent subsidies for market housing cost more. Subsidies for scattered housing also require thousands of homeless people to find housing In a tight rental market. Who will be watching to make sure the money is spent wisely? An administrative committee of city officials and a citizen committee would be created to provide oversight. Will Proposition HHH end homelessness in Los Angeles? Proposition HHH is part of a plan to reduce homelessness to what an analysis for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority calls a less than perfect equilibrium. That means that chronically homeless people have obtained permanent housing and resources exist so that people who become homeless can be rehoused. Proposition HHH addresses only housing for the chronically homeless. To reach the goal, additional funds need to be spent on rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention programs. According to the analysis, at least 14,000 people will always be homeless in Los Angeles County until more money is spent to increase the supply of affordable housing. doug.smith@latimes.com Twitter: @LATDoug ALSO Ballot measure could upset L.A.'s plan for housing the homeless Fears mount over a homeless plan that residents say will end Venice as we know it I have a corner of my own: Santa Anas bus terminal-turned-shelter offers the homeless some relief FRFEE McDonalds Chicken Muffin Burger Giveaway ~Click here for more information~ McDonalds Malaysia is giving away 1,000 FREE Chicken Muffins celebrating upcoming National Breakfast Day 2016. This giveaway is only valid on 24 October 2016, at ALL McDonalds outlets. Terms and conditions apply. Limited 1,000 Chicken Muffins giveaway, while stock last. **Terms and conditions apply** ~Click here for more information~ Promotion Details Date : 24 October 2016 Time : 7am 10am Venue : All McDonalds restaurants in Malaysia. Terms and conditions FREE chicken Muffin limited to the first 1,000 customers per restaurant and only from 7AM till 10AM, whichever comes first. Redemption hours vary by restaurants only valid at restaurants that serve breakfast. Only one FREE chicken muffin per customer. Valid through Drive Thru, only one FREE chicken muffin ala carte per car allowed. Not valid through McDelivery. No purchase needed. Other Ongoing FREE Samples Giveaway Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump sparred in Wednesdays debate over Trumps plan to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump accused Clinton of favoring open borders and not having a plan to stop migrants and drug smugglers from illegally crossing into the country, while at the same time assailing her of voting for building a border wall when she was a senator. Clinton countered by pointing out that when Trump met in private with Mexicos president in August, he didnt bring up his plan to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it. Advertisement He went to Mexico, he had a meeting with the Mexican president. Didnt even raise it, Clinton said. He choked. If elected, Trump said, he will improve trade relations with Mexico, but he didnt explain why he didnt discuss the wall during his visit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. I had a very good meeting with the president of Mexico, Trump said. Trump then accused Clinton of being for a wall before she was against it, voting to tighten border security in 2006 when a broad immigration reform bill was up for a vote. I voted for border security; there are some limited places where that was appropriate, Clinton said, adding that her plan of course includes border security. In fact, Clintons immigration reform plan on her website doesnt mention adding additional border security for stopping illegal migration and smuggling. Her immigration platform is focused on expanding ways for people already in the country to pay a penalty and apply for legal status and work permits. I dont want to rip families apart. I dont want to be sending parents away from children, she said. Trumps call to make Mexico pay for a border wall often receives the loudest applause at his campaign rallies. Logistically, building a wall across the entire southwest border would be tough. The border between the U.S. and Mexico is nearly 2,000 miles, with a fence that spans about 650 miles, according to the Government Accountability Office. Natural barriers such as the Colorado River and Rio Grande River also make it difficult for any wall to be constructed. In addition, hundreds of acres along the border belong to sovereign Native American tribes such as Tohono Oodham Nation. To construct a wall in those sections would require appropriations and waivers from Congress. While theres no official government estimate for how much it would cost to build a wall, Trump has estimated $4 billion to $12 billion for a wall 1,000 miles long, made of precast concrete slabs rising 35 to 40 feet. Trumps prediction is well below outside cost estimates. A New York Times report cited experts who put the cost of constructing a wall at $26 billion. On his campaign website, Trump says cash will be raised by threatening to stop remittances, the estimated $20 billion sent each year to families in Mexico from relatives living in the U.S. Trump says hell use this threat as leverage to force Mexico to pay for the wall. I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words, Trump said when he announced his candidacy last year. Not so fast, say Mexico officials. Pena Nieto has insisted repeatedly that the country would not pay for such a wall, and he and Trump tangled over how extensively they discussed the wall in a private meeting in Mexico City in August. Trumps prime reason for the wall, he says, is to keep illegal immigrants from crossing into the U.S. A recent study by the Pew Research Center showed that the number of unauthorized immigrants in the country has held steady over the last seven years. Illegal immigration from Mexico has declined by about half a million people since 2009, while illegal immigration from Asia and Central America has increased. For more political news follow @kurtisalee kurtis.lee@latimes.com ALSO Trumps immigration speech decoded: What he said, what it means and how it would work Donald Trump wrestling with how and whether to deport 11 million people from U.S. Elite Republicans tried to ignore them. Now theyre shaping Donald Trumps immigration policy Donald Trump slashed fiercely at Hillary Clinton on Wednesday night in their third and final presidential debate, calling her a nasty woman, a liar and a failure, and saying he might not accept the results of the election if she wins. Clinton parried the assault with a scathing attack on the GOP nominee as a greedy misogynist and bully, who used his public prominence to personally enrich himself, take advantage of women and exploit employees of his lucrative business empire. She said she found horrifying the intimation he would not accept the will of the people on Nov. 8. Advertisement After a fairly placid start, in which they differed over guns, Supreme Court appointments and taxes in a relatively civil tone, the debate turned into an angry flood of innuendo and insult, starting when Trump defended himself against allegations he had repeatedly forced himself on women. Trump categorically denied the charges, which have dominated the campaign in the last week, and asserted without proof that the Clinton campaign had orchestrated the statements from more than half a dozen women who came forward to accuse Trump. These stories are all totally false, he said firmly. I didnt know any of these women I didnt see these women. I think they want either fame or her campaign did it, and I think its her campaign. Clinton, speaking slowly and deliberately into the television camera, noted that Trump had earlier denied the allegations, in part, by suggesting the women were not attractive enough to draw his interest. Donald Trump thinks belittling women makes him bigger, Clinton said. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth, and I dont think there is a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like. I think its really up to all of us to demonstrate who we are, she went on, and who our country is, and to stand up and be very clear about what we expect from our next president. Trump simply repeated his contention that the various accounts were false. Nobody has more respect for women than I do, he said. The 90 minutes onstage at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, represented Trumps last, best chance to stop a drastic political slide and keep the White House in reach. He used the opportunity to repeatedly disparage Clintons character and personal integrity. Such a nasty woman, he uttered at one point. This is just another lie, he said at another. He suggested the Democrat would continue what he described as the failed domestic and foreign policies of President Obama. And he said putting Clinton in the White House would do nothing to bring about the change he said the country desperately needs, insisting her more than 30 years in public life had accomplished nothing. The one thing you have over me is experience, he said, but its bad experience. The problem is you talk but you dont get anything done, Hillary. If you become president this country is going to be in some mess, believe me. Clinton countered that she had spent her entire career working to help the poor, children and minorities while Trump was accumulating personal wealth. While she was in the White House Situation Room, as secretary of State monitoring the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice, she scoffed. So I am happy to compare my 30 years of experience, she said. Under the intended format, Wednesday nights debate was sectioned off in 15-minute intervals devoted to topics chosen by the moderator, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace. For roughly half an hour, that managed to corral the candidates. They differed over Supreme Court appointments, Clinton saying she would appoint justices who uphold legalized abortion, same-sex marriage and rein in unlimited political contributions. Trump said he would appoint justices that would overturn the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion and would strictly uphold expansive gun rights. But Trump has shown a penchant on the debate stage and, especially, at his boisterous rallies for straying far afield from policy and typical campaign discourse, and he did so again Wednesday night. In a striking breach of the countrys long-standing tradition, he twice declined when pressed to say whether he would accept the outcome of the election. I will look at it at the time, Trump said. Ill keep you in suspense. There was a gasp from the audience inside the debate hall. That is not the way our democracy works, Clinton said. He is denigrating, he is talking down our democracy. And I for one am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of a position. In a discussion of immigration, Trump accused Clinton of favoring amnesty for millions of people in the country without proper documentation, calling that unfair to those who entered the country properly. We either have a country or we dont, said Trump, whose signature issue is construction of an impenetrable wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. At one point, the GOP nominee, who is highly unpopular among Latinos, tossed in a word of Spanish as he vowed to rid the U.S. of drug lords and other bad, bad people who entered the country illegally. We have some bad hombres here, and were going to get them out, he said. Clinton said she favored tough border security but not going school to school, home to home, business to business rounding up people who are undocumented, as she said Trumps policy would require. The first two debates have proved to be pivot points in the contest, turning a race that favored Clinton into a potential blowout. Her lead in polls has grown, both nationally and in states Trump needs to win. Even some traditionally Republican states, such as Arizona, Georgia and Utah, have grown competitive in the final weeks of the contest. Trumps response has been to assert, without proof, that a collection of conspirators Clinton, the media, international financiers and fellow Republicans, including House Speaker Paul D. Ryan are trying to steal the election. But his earlier performances on the debate stage contributed greatly to his problems. An ill-prepared Trump was tetchy and erratic in last months first session, then compounded his troubles by spending days on a body-shaming campaign against a former Miss Universe whom Clinton had defended. Subsequent revelations that Trump may have avoided federal income taxes for close to two decades and bragged in a 2005 videotaped conversation that his celebrity allowed him to force himself on women dominated the second debate. Trumps insistence in the last debate that he never acted inappropriately was the cause for several women to step forward and accuse him of unwanted sexual advances. Trumps difficulties have overshadowed developments that could have been harmful to Clinton, including a series of hacked private emails of her campaign chairman that portray the candidate in less-than-flattering ways and new details concerning her private email server. A question from Wallace about the hacking which U.S. intelligence officials have blamed on Russia led to a harsh exchange over Trumps professed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Clinton accused Trump of accepting the help of Russian operatives believed to have hacked the documents and giving them to WikiLeaks to try to influence the American election. Clinton demanded that Trump make it clear he will not have the help of Putin in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage against Americans. Trump accused Clinton of trying to deflect the discussion away from another of the WikiLeaks disclosures. She had been asked about a document that showed her telling a group of bankers during a paid speech that she supported a hemispheric common market with open trade and open borders. That was a great pivot off the fact that she wants open borders, Trump said. I dont know Putin. He said nice things about me. If we got along well that would be good. He has no respect for her, he has no respect for our president, and Ill tell you what, we are in very serious trouble. Clinton shot back: Thats because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States, referring to Putins praise of Trump. Youre the puppet, Trump responded. A discussion of the economy centered on the candidates respective tax plans. Clinton charged that Trump would give the biggest tax breaks ever to the wealthy and to corporations and cited analyses that it would reduce employment overall. Trump accused Clinton of proposing a massive, massive tax increase before turning to what has proved to be more comfortable terrain: trade. He vowed to work to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, and potentially rescind it if a better deal wasnt possible. Clinton defended her tax plan, reiterating a pledge not to raise taxes on anyone making $250,000 or less but seeking higher taxes from wealthier Americans that would allow her to make investments in new jobs and innovation. She also reiterated her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed 12-nation agreement championed by Obama, and said she would aggressively enforce existing trade agreements. Before the debate, both campaigns engaged in a bit of psychological gamesmanship. Trump announced his guests would include the mother of an American killed in the 2012 attacks on the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya, as well as Obamas Kenyan half-brother, Malik. Clintons guests included billionaire Mark Cuban, a longtime Trump detractor, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Chief Executive Meg Whitman, the 2010 GOP nominee for California governor, who endorsed Clinton. Trump and Clinton may share a stage one more time before election day on Nov. 8. The antagonists were both scheduled to attend the 71st annual Alfred E. Smith memorial dinner Thursday night in Manhattan, a traditionally lighthearted affair that raises funds for Catholic charities. Barabak reported from San Francisco, Halper from Las Vegas and Memoli from Washington. Twitter: @markzbarabak, @evanhalper, @mikememoli ALSO What it was like to watch Trump talk about bad hombres in a Mexican BBQ joint How an expert tweaked the USC/ L.A. Times poll and put Clinton ahead of Trump Weve updated our electoral map, as Trumps fortunes dwindle UPDATES: 9:45 p.m.: This story has been updated with additional comments from the debate and for clarity. 8:25 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from the debate. 6:10 p.m.: This story was updated with the start of the debate. This story was originally published at 3:55 p.m. When Donald Trump apologized for saying in 2005 that he could grope women because of his celebrity, he immediately pointed to Bill Clinton as having done worse. Trump appeared before a debate alongside Clintons accusers and again mentioned the former presidents past while onstage with Hillary Clinton. But Trumps argument was undercut when more women publicly came forward with allegations that he had groped or kissed them without consent. Heres a look at the pasts of both Trump and Bill Clinton and accusations against them. Donald Trump In a screen grab of a 2005 Access Hollywood video, Donald Trump prepares for his cameo on Days of Our Lives with actress Arianne Zucker and Billy Bush, right, then Access co-host. (Getty) (Getty) 1977, 31-year-old Trump Trump marries his first wife, Ivana Trump Donald Trump Jr. is born Early-1980s, 30-something Donald Trump Allegation: While Trump was seated next to her on a plane, businesswoman Jessica Leeds said, he lifted her armrest and touched her inappropriately. He was like an octopus, Leeds, now 74, told the New York Times. His hands were everywhere. Response: Trump called it a ridiculous tale. At a rally in North Carolina, he said, She would not be my first choice. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/786560925113266176 1981, 35-year-old Trump Ivanka Trump is born. 1984, 38-year-old Trump Eric Trump is born. 1989, 43-year-old Trump Allegation: Ivana Trump used the word rape in a 1992 deposition during their divorce to describe an encounter with Trump when they were married in 1989. In 2015, after the allegation resurfaced, she said it was without merit and that she had made it at a time of very high tension during my divorce from Donald. Response: After the allegation resurfaced last summer, Michael Cohen, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, incorrectly said that a man cannot legally rape his wife. Many states have laws outlawing marital rape. Trump distanced himself from that statement. Early 1990s, 40-something Trump Allegation: Kristin Anderson told the Washington Post that when she was at a Manhattan nightclub, someone sitting next to her "touched her vagina through her underwear. Anderson said she fled the couch and only then realized it was Trump. Response: "Mr. Trump strongly denies this phony allegation by someone looking to get some free publicity. It is totally ridiculous," Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said to the Post. 1991, 44-year-old Trump Ivana Trump files for divorce. 1992, 45-year-old Trump Accusation: Donald Trump reportedly talked about dating young girls once they reached maturity. A 1992 wire service report said he joked to 14-year-old girls that hed be dating them in a few years. In CBS footage from around the same time, he says of a 10-year-old girl that hed be dating her in 10 years. Response: Trump has not commented specifically on those allegations. Accusation: Jill Harth filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Trump, alleging that while working on a beauty competition with him, he harassed her to the point of what she called attempted rape. He pushed me up against the wall, and had his hands all over me and tried to get up my dress again, she told the Guardian. And I had to physically say: What are you doing? Stop it. Response: In an interview with CNN on Friday, Trump said he was the victim of a political smear campaign. 1993, 46-year-old Trump Tiffany Trump is born. Trump marries Marla Maples. 1997, 50-year-old Trump Trump and Marla Maples separate. Accusation: Temple Taggart told the New York Times that when she was Miss Utah, Trump kissed her on the lips without consent. Response: Trump has denied the allegations. 1998, 51-year-old Trump Accusation: During a press conference with Gloria Allred on Thursday, Karena Virginia said Trump approached her after the 1998 U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing, N.Y. He then grabbed her arm and touched her breast. Dont you know who I am? Virginia said Trump asked her when she flinched. Response: "Gloria Allred, in another coordinated, publicity seeking attack with the Clinton campaign, will stop at nothing to smear Mr. Trump, Trump spokeswoman Jessica Ditto said. Give me a break. Voters are tired of these circus-like antics and reject these fictional stories and the clear efforts to benefit Hillary Clinton. 1999, 52-year-old Trump Trump and Marla Maples divorce 2003, 56-year-old Trump Accusation: Mindy McGillivray says Trump groped her at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida while she was working with a photographer at the site. She was 23. Response: Trump has denied the allegations. 2005, 58-year-old Trump Trump marries Melania Trump Allegation: Trump makes lewd comments about groping women. Response: Apologized, calling it locker room talk, while dismissing it as a distraction. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/785842546878578688 Accusation: Natasha Stoynoff of People magazine says Trump groped her while she was waiting for Melania Trump to return for an interview. Within seconds, he was pushing me against the wall, and forcing his tongue down my throat, Response: Trump called the story a total lie. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/786554517680693248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Accusation: Rachel Crooks says Trump kissed her without permission outside an elevator bank at Trump Tower in Manhattan when she was 22. Response: Trump denied the allegations. When questioned by a New York Times reporter, he told the journalist, You are a disgusting human being. 2006, 59-year-old Trump Barron Trump is born. Allegation: During a Saturday press conference with Gloria Allred, adult film star Jessica Drake said she met Trump in 2006 at a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe where she said he made sexual advances toward her and two friends. "When we entered the room he grabbed each of us tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking permission," Drake said, releasing a posed photo she took with Trump at the event. Drake said that later, Trump or a male speaking on his behalf offered her $10,000 and use of his private jet for sex. She said she declined. Response: "This story is totally false and ridiculous. The picture is one of thousands taken out of respect for people asking to have their picture taken with Mr. Trump," Trumps campaign said in a statement. "Mr. Trump does not know this person, does not remember this person and would have no interest in ever knowing her." 2007, 60-year-old Trump Accusation: Former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos says Trump invited her into his bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel and proceeded to kiss her against her will, groped her and shoved his genitals towards her. Response: "To be clear, I never met her at a hotel or greeted her inappropriately a decade ago. That is not who I am as a person, and it is not how Ive conducted my life, Trump said in a statement. Bill Clinton President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. (Getty Images) 1975, 29-year-old Bill Clinton Bill Clinton marries Hillary Rodham. Mid-1970s to 1992, 30- to 40-something Clinton Allegation: Dolly Kyle Browning, a high school friend of Clintons, said she had an occasional sexual relationship with him over about 15 years. Response: Clinton has not publicly responded. 1978, 32-year-old Clinton Allegation: Juanita Broaddrick said in 1999 that when Clinton was Arkansas governor, he invited her to a hotel room where she said he kissed, then raped her. Response: Clinton denied the allegations. 1980, 34-year-old Clinton Chelsea Clinton is born. 1982, 36-year-old Clinton Allegation: In 1998, Elizabeth Ward Gracen said she had had a consensual one-night stand with Clinton when he was Arkansas governor in 1982. It was the same year she won the title of Miss America. Response: Clinton denied the allegations. 1983, 37-year-old Clinton Allegation: In 1994, 1958s Miss Arkansas, Sally Perdue, said she had an affair with Clinton the previous year. She claimed that a Democratic staffer told her not to reveal any information, and was warned "they knew that I went jogging by myself and he couldn't guarantee what would happen to my pretty little legs." Response: He has not publicly responded to the allegation. 1991, 44-year-old Clinton Allegation: Paula Jones said a state trooper asked her to meet then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton in his hotel room. Jones said that Clinton dropped his pants and underwear and told her to kiss it. She refused. Jones sued Clinton for sexual harassment in 1998, prompting the investigation that culminated in the revelation of Clintons affair with Monica Lewinsky. Response: Clinton settled a sexual harassment suit with Jones with no apology or admission of guilt. 1980-1992, 45-year-old Clinton Allegation: During Clintons presidential campaign in 1992, Gennifer Flowers said she had had a 12-year sexual relationship with him. Response: Clinton admitted to a sexual affair with Flowers while under oath in 1998. 1993, 46-year-old Bill Clinton Allegation: In 1998, Kathleen Willey alleged Clinton groped her without permission in the Oval Office. Response: Clinton denied the encounter while under oath in 1998. 1995-1996, 49-year-old Bill Clinton Allegation: Monica Lewinskys affair with Bill Clinton surfaced in 1998, when Lewinskys friend Linda Tripp learned that she had signed an affidavit in the Paula Jones case denying her relationship with Clinton. Tripp handed secret recordings of Lewinskys account of the affair to investigator Kenneth Starr. Response: Clinton initially denied the allegations. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, he said famously. Clinton later admitted to the affair, and the House of Representatives voted to impeach him. Updated at 11:10 a.m. on Oct. 24, 2016: This story was updated with Jessica Drakes statements. Updated at 1:20 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2016: This story was updated with Karena Virginias statements. This article was originally published at 3:35 p.m. on Oct. 19, 2016. colleen.shalby@latimes.com Twitter: @cshalby ALSO: Melania Trump echoes Hillary Clinton as she defends her husband More women accuse Trump: 'You do not have a right to treat women as sexual objects just because you are a star' New sex assault allegations against Trump: 'He was like an octopus' In the history books, the publication of a leaked Access Hollywood tape of Donald Trump making vulgar comments about women will likely go down as one of the most decisive and newsworthy moments of the 2016 presidential campaign. Yet many Americans disagreed with some media outlets decisions to air Trumps remarks caught on a hot microphone during a 2005 conversation with TV host Billy Bush in which Trump said in vulgar language that he grabbed women by their vaginas without their consent. In more than 20 complaints filed to the Federal Communications Commission in the days immediately after the tapes publication on Oct. 7, viewers from around America asked the FCC to investigate and punish news outlets for broadcasting Trumps words unedited. The complaints were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Advertisement CNN has been running the trump tape non stop since Friday October 7th 2016, wrote a viewer from Las Vegas. (All complainants names were redacted in the FCC records.) In that tape is vulgar language yet they play it and repeat it constantly. If its so bad that trump should drop out of the race saying it ONE time then why is it ok for CNN to run it 4 times an hour for 48 hours straight?????? Many of the complainants were parents who had been watching the news with their children. One Madison, Ala., viewer wrote: I was watching the show with my 13 year old and was completely stunned they did not edit those words in the subtitle or audio. A Geneva, N.Y., viewer complained, How do I a parent of a fifteen year old talk about what Trump was talking about on the video? In reality, there is little the FCC can do about the complaints. At the over-the-air radio and television broadcast stations licensed by the FCC, federal law forbids the broadcast of obscene programming at all times and indecent or profane material between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. But the FCC doesnt have the power to restrict programming on cable and satellite programs like CNN the channel that received the brunt of the viewers complaints for broadcasting what Trump said. I am offended by CNN running the actual words that Donald Trump said during a taped audio in 2005 and which CNN is constantly airing today, wrote a Knoxville, Tenn., viewer. Our childrens ears (and adults) do not need to hear or see this vulgar language aired. Please take appropriate actions. A viewer in Statesboro, Ga., wrote: I understand that the news media need to make this news but kids are watching and can read. When you put [a derogatory word for vagina] on the top of Don Lemon show on CNN show tonight come on. How many times do we need to hear this tape or see the video, we get the point. WE know you dragging Donald through the mud. But, lets not bring the kids into this ok? An Edison, N.J., viewer wrote of CNN, I am very concerned as to the display of this vulgar information as my young daughter was watching TV next to me. A viewer in Keokuk, Iowa, wanted to take CNN to court. CNN is continuing to run over and over Donald Trump audio with [vulgar words] on live TV, the viewer wrote. My children just heard it and we are going to sue. The viewer followed up with another complaint four days later: Please provide an update to this submission. We are considering obtaining a lawyer to bring formal charges against CNN. Trump has apologized for the remarks he made on the video, which drew broad condemnation, including from leaders of his own party. Anyone who knows me knows these words dont reflect who I am, Trump said in an apology video released after the Access Hollwood tape was released. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize. Not all the complaints were about the foul language. One Seattle viewer complained about a Trump surrogate on CNN defending Trumps remarks. One [CNN guest] actually justified the use of the profane words, said it is normal and typical of men to discuss sexual assault against women, thereby promoting conspiracy to commit sex assault and the ultimate crime of sex assault, the viewer wrote. A Van Buren, Mo., viewer complained that the media was violating Trumps privacy in publishing the video: For Donald Trump to be taped without his knowledge in a private meeting and then shown on CBS National news without his permission should be a violation of his rights and the FCC should hold CBS accountable. The FCC responded to many of the complaints by explaining it didnt have the power to regulate cable news. The FCC receives many complaints and comments that do not involve violations of the Communications Act or any FCC rule or order, the FCC said in a statement in response to The Times Freedom of Information Act request for the complaints. Thus, a complaint or comment does not necessarily indicate any wrongdoing by any individuals or entities named in the complaint or comment. For more on the presidential campaign Email: matt.pearce@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @mattdpearce U.S. and Mexican authorities on Thursday confirmed the discovery of a clandestine cross-border tunnel between Tijuana and San Diego. The tunnels entrance was found near Tijuanas A.L. Rodriguez International Airport. A source with Baja Californias Public Safety Secretariat said authorities believe that five tons of marijuana are inside the structure. The source said that the tunnel had been in operation, and that an anonymous tip had led Mexican soldiers and members of the state police to its discovery. Advertisement Few details as to passageways length and sophistication were immediately available. By Thursday evening, Mexican authorities had yet to conduct a formal search of the property, as they still awaited a judges order to go inside, according to a statement. The interior contained what appeared to be marijuana wrapped in plastic rectangular packages, it said. The entrance to the tunnel was inside an ice-making business southwest of the airport, La Hielera del Aeropuerto. It is located about 330 yards from the U.S. border fence on Boulevard Cuauhtemoc. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations released a statement Thursday confirming the discovery of a tunnel in the San Diego/Tijuana area, but did not disclose its location. In order to ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigation, HSI San Diego is not providing additional details at this time, the statement said. The location of the tunnel came six months after the discovery of one of the longest cross-border tunnels on the California border. The tunnel, about 800 yards long, stretched from a house in Tijuana to a fenced commercial lot in Otay Mesa, and was equipped with rail and ventilation systems, lights, and an elevator. That tunnel was the 13th large-scale operational smuggling tunnel found along the California border since 2006, according to U.S.Customs and Immigration Enforcement. Over the past five years, U.S. authorities have detected more than 75 cross-border smuggling tunnels, most of them in California and Arizona. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com Liberty Mutual auto insurance carrier has settled a consumer protection lawsuit that alleged its television commercials advertising an accident-forgiveness program were misleading to Californians, the San Diego County District Attorneys Office said Thursday. The $925,000 settlement, approved Wednesday, will be divided among district attorneys offices in San Diego, Riverside and Los Angeles counties, the agencies that brought the case. The lawsuit, filed in Riverside County Superior Court, alleged that the Liberty Mutual Group did not properly disclose that its accident-forgiveness benefit is not available in California. The commercials aired nationwide and featured spokespeople standing in front of the Statue of Liberty. They reached 70 percent to 80 percent of California households. Advertisement Accident-forgiveness programs are not allowed as mandated by Proposition 103, an initiative California voters approved in 1988 that gave the state Department of Insurance more control over insurance programs. Such forgiveness programs typically feature higher premiums and promise drivers that their rates would not automatically increase in the event of a car accident. The lawsuit alleged the Liberty Mutual commercials did include a small disclaimer at the bottom of the screen that flashed briefly, but the notice was too discreet for viewers to make sense of. The suit claimed the ads were illegal under Californias false advertising law and Unfair Competition Law. These ads could convey an overall impression that California consumers would receive this benefit as part of Liberty Mutual car insurance, according to a district attorney news release. The settlement, which Liberty Mutual entered into without admitting liability, requires the insurance carrier to comply with California laws. The district attorneys offices will each receive $308,322 in civil penalties and investigative costs. Liberty Mutual worked with the district attorneys to change its advertising practices and resolve the case, the San Diego County District Attorneys Office said. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis Karene Sanchez was all smiles Tuesday afternoon after receiving a surprise visit in the hospital from two San Diego Chargers players. The-40-year-old wife and mother of five developed a severe sepsis infection while visiting family in Mexico. She fell ill and unfortunately went into septic shock, which landed her in the hospital. My feet and my hands were turning all purple and they were very stiff, Sanchez said. They said there was actually multiple infections that were just running through and everything so they were giving me antibiotics but it wasnt killing it fast enough, it was spreading through my limbs, she added. Advertisement Sepsis is the bodys life-threatening response to any kind of infection even a minor one and can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and in some cases, death. The first time I got sick was June 15, when I first got hospitalized, Sanchez said. July 2, they ended up having to amputate my legs and then July 8, they did my hands. According to the CDC there are more than 1 million cases of sepsis in the U.S. every year, killing close to 258,000 people. Sanchez herself nearly died, but doctors at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center were able to save her life. Shes been under their care for the last two months. The staff at the hospital decided to raise Sanchezs spirits by coordinating the surprise visit by Chargers running back Branden Oliver and wide receiver Dontrelle Inman. She didnt know if she could live or not, so we came to come and give her some uplifting encouragement and all the family is here and we surprised her and we just came to put a smile on her face, Inman said. Sanchezs family has created a GoFundMe account to help with expenses. Moving forward, the Chula Vista resident says shes looking forward to being home with her children. Shes determined to learn how to lead her life successfully with her new prosthetic limbs. Walking into the Dodge County Clerks Office Thursday afternoon, a small, red, white and blue booth was tucked away neatly in the corner. Since Sept. 23, Dodge County residents have been visiting the Office, 435 N. Park St, Room 102 inside of the Dodge County Courthouse, filling out and handing in absentee ballots. Per state law, Nebraska residents can begin submitting absentee ballots 45 days prior to an upcoming election. Dodge County Clerk Fred Mytty said that so far, right around 1,800 Dodge County Residents have mailed in absentee ballots or stopped by the office the only open polling station to complete the voting process. The record is around 2,300 (absentees), Mytty said. Presidential years are far different though than Gubernatorial years this could break the record this year for the most absentees. During the primary election held in May, around 30 percent of Dodge County residents filled out ballots, Mytty said. Of that number, 41 percent were Republicans and 27 percent were Democrats. Mytty expected a drastic increase in voter participation in the November election, which is why the high number of absentee ballots doesnt shock him. Im not surprised, theres a lot of interest in the races this year, he said. Youve got the Fremont races, youve got the Legislative race, youve got the presidential race, youve got the capital punishment referendum just a lot of stuff on the ballot this year. While many people have completed the voting process, its important for those who havent to be informed about a few important upcoming dates. Friday, Oct. 21, is the final day for mail-in registrations, and the final day deputy registrars can register people to vote. Deputy registrars are agencies outside of the County Clerks office. A common registrar is the DMV. The main agency that accepts voter registration is the DMV, because when you apply for a drivers license you can also check that you want to be registered to vote. Additionally, between Friday and Oct. 28, people who havent registered to vote must do so by visiting the County Clerks office. This time period is also the last time people can request an absentee ballot be mailed to their home address. The absentee ballot must be returned to the County Clerks Office, or dropped off in the drop-box in the alleyway between the Courthouse and Judicial Center, by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 election night. For more information, people are encouraged to contact Mytty at 402-727-2767. San Diego Countys homegrown effort to fight Alzheimers disease just received a $1 million federal grant to enhance the abilities of social workers who serve dementia patients and provide respite to loved ones who care for such patients at home. The funding, awarded by the Administration on Aging at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is intended to help the countys Alzheimers Project build a case management program that will hopefully make it easier for dementia patients to find the resources they need quickly after diagnosis. The money, coming as it does from one of the most powerful and far-reaching health organizations in the nation, lends credibility to the project, which started bringing together the San Diego regions research, clinical and nonprofit resources in 2014. Advertisement During the past two years, the project has moved forward on several fronts formulating the regions first Alzheimers screening standards; improving the San Diego County Sheriff Departments Take Me Home program for dementia patients, who are prone to wandering; jump-started the Collaboration4Cure program, which brings together researchers from different local organizations; and worked with San Diego State University to create a new program to train health-care workers in geriatrics an effort backed by a separate $2.5 million federal grant. The countys Aging & Independence Services department will oversee the new grant and work with the nonprofit group Alzheimers San Diego to build out related services. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who co-founded the Alzheimers Project with fellow Supervisor Dave Roberts, said the latest funds will directly benefit many San Diegans. Families dealing with Alzheimers are often under a lot of stress, and they need all the assistance we can give them. These federal funds will help us do that, Jacob said in a statement. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, an early supporter of the Alzheimers Project, added: It inspires San Diegos continued momentum toward addressing the Alzheimers epidemic and finding a cure. For more information on the project, visit www.sdalzheimersproject.org. paul.sisson@sduniountribune.com (619) 293-1850 Twitter: @paulsisson A man accused of robbing a bank in Hillcrest was arrested Wednesday morning outside of an Old Town motel, police said. The 52-year-old suspect was taken into custody at the EZ 8 motel on Pacific Highway about 7:15 a.m., San Diego police Lt. Todd Griffin said. The man is accused of robbing the Mission Federal Credit Union on Washington Street at Albatross Street about 2:30 p.m. Monday, police said. The thief, who had given a teller a note demanding money, got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. Advertisement Griffin said an Oceanside police officer who had previously encountered the suspect recognized him from the banks surveillance footage. Robbery detectives confirmed the suspects identity. Officers who patrol the neighborhoods near Hillcrest took it upon themselves to check hotels in the area, Griffin said. They discovered the suspected thief was checked into the EZ 8 motel. Detectives saw the suspect leave a motel room and arrested him without a struggle, Griffin said. Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez A Navy man in bandages and neck brace sat in a hospital wheelchair Wednesday as he pleaded not guilty to charges that he was driving under the influence when his pickup flew off the San Diego-Coronado Bridge and killed four people at Chicano Park on Saturday. A Superior Court judge, attorneys, a court reporter, bailiffs and two news reporters crowded near Richard Sepolio at a UC San Diego Medical Center conference room as he was arraigned on four counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two other DUI-related charges. Prosecutor Cally Bright said Sepolio had a .08 percent blood-alcohol level half an hour after the crash. That is the legal limit for drivers in California. Advertisement Sepolio and a friend had taken an Uber ride-sharing lift to a restaurant, where they drank a bottle of wine and cocktails before going back to her place, Bright said. When Sepolio started to drive away an hour later, to head for his residence in Coronado, his friend urged him not to drive because hed been drinking, Bright said. Sepolios attorney, Paul Pfingst, said his client was not under the influence at the time, and that his pickup was cut off by another vehicle, causing him to swerve and go off the side of the bridge. Pfingst also said the bridge was badly designed to allow such incidents. Superior Court Judge Eugenia Eyherabide set Sepolios bail at $2 million. Bright said he faces up to 23 years, eight months in prison if convicted of all charges. Sepolio, 24, is a Navy aviation technician stationed at North Island in Coronado. He lost control of his pickup on transition lanes from northbound Interstate 5 onto the bridge about 3:45 p.m. Saturday. The pickup crashed through a barrier wall next to traffic lanes, soared over a bandstand in the park packed with about 3,000 bikers and local residents, and landed on top of four people. Killed were Cruz Contreras, 52, and his wife, Annamarie Contreras, 50, of Chandler, Ariz.., and Andre Banks, 49, and his wife, Francine Jimenez, 46, of Hacienda Heights in the Los Angeles area. Sepolio and three other people were hospitalized with major injuries, Bright said during the hospital hearing. Authorities said five other people were treated for lesser injuries. Many of the visitors watched in horror as the pickup hurtled off the bridge. Some people had time to run from its path and push others out of the way. Pfingst said Sepolio suffered a fractured neck, broken left hand, broken ribs and other injuries. He sat silently through the 10-minute hearing, except to softly agree that his preliminary hearing could be set on Jan. 25. He wore a green hospital gown over lightweight blue pants. Pfingst said Sepolio was on pain medication, but was able to understand the proceedings. The defense attorney said a number of blood-alcohol tests conducted on Sepolio showed results ranging from .04 to .08 or .09 percent. He said he has not yet received California Highway Patrol investigation reports or the lab reports. Sepolio was in training to test for acceptance into the Navy SEAL elite special operations team and has no prior criminal record, Pfingst said. Court records in Texas show he was arrested at age 19 on suspicion of possessing or delivering drug paraphernalia. No record was found on the outcome of the case. (Note: This is the first of a two-part question and answer interview with TSRI President Peter Schultz. Go to j.mp/tsrischultz2 to read the second and last part). The president of the financially troubled Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla on Wednesday said hell put the center back in the black within two years through drug-development deals that could eventually be worth billions of dollars. Peter Schultz also said he has been courting billionaire philanthropists such as Bill Gates and Gerald Chan in hopes that they will invest in his efforts to more quickly turn basic discoveries into medications to treat everything from cancer to tuberculosis. Advertisement Toward that end, Scripps Research which focuses on early stage science in the lab is absorbing the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr), a nearby center that Schultz founded to develop drugs. Scripps Research is one of the worlds most respected biomedical institutes. It has discovered drugs such as Humira, which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, and ozanimod, an experimental drug for ulcerative colitis. Ozanimod was developed by San Diegos Receptos, acquired for $7.3 billion in 2015 by Celgene. Such spin-offs bring licensing revenue to Scripps Research if the drugs are successfully commercialized. Despite its vaunted reputation, Scripps Research has operated at a deficit for five straight years, largely because of its struggle to obtain National Institutes of Health funding and its limited success in raising private donations. The institute recorded a roughly $20 million deficit during the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30. The institutes board of directors shook things up last year, hiring Schultz, a prominent chemist, as CEO and biologist Steve Kay as president. But Kay returned to the University of Southern California after barely six months in his post, raising fresh concerns about the institutes direction. Schultz, now president of the combined Scripps Research and Calibr, discussed the institutes health and future during a 30-minute interview Wednesday. The conversation has been edited for space and continuity. Q: Steve Kay left and we never heard any public explanation. What happened? A: Steve, for personal reasons, decided that he wanted to go back to USC. Hes doing science. Were great friends. He really enjoyed what he did here. He really helped us get this Calibr-[Scripps Research] merger put together. I think he decided he liked what he was doing at USC more that what he was doing here. Q: Did you expect that sort of change when you started? A: It turns out (that) sometimes you get into a job (and) realize that wasnt quite the best job for you in terms of what you really wanted. Q: Wasnt the operating deficit $20 million for the fiscal year that just ended? A: Well, I think the more important issue here is where were going and what were doing to build institutes. Because all institutes now, even universities, face the issue of how theyre going to fund themselves well into the future. I think given the ups and downs of NIH funding and the number of people who are applying to the NIH for funding, this is a real problem for everybody to solve. My focus has not been on an interim solution of Do I have a $20 million deficit next year? and Do I have philanthropy? It is how do you build a long-term, self-sustaining model for nonprofit biomedical research institutes. Q: That doesnt give us a sense of where the institute is now. A: In two years, I think well start to generate significant surpluses of cash that will allow us to grow not only the resources we have to do science and drug discovery, but to build an endowment thats probably going to be, over the next five to 10 years, really significant. We also have royalty income that weve analyzed -- from not one, but four drugs. Were talking to various groups about monetizing that. There are antibiotics, there are cardiovascular drugs, theres autoimmune drugs And I think we could benefit substantially from partnering those drugs. But I think as those drugs mature even more, the benefit to the institute will be greater. And our financial situation is such that I am not at all interested in partnering those drugs right now, even though they could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in income. I would far rather hold onto those and partner them in the next one to two years than now. Its building a long-term model thats the most important thing to do. There are a couple of ways research institutes can sustainably support themselves. One of them is through philanthropy. Weve been working really hard in establishing a network of folks who are very interested in the model were building at [Scripps Research]. Bill Gates is very interested in what were doing, and he offered to host a dinner for us. Will Hearst of the Hearst Foundation has joined the board. Q: Early last year, you discussed how Calibr would get drugs developed quickly. What is that plan? A: The point is, you want to do great research, but you also want to make new medicines. You want to accelerate that process and make it more efficient. Its really hard to build that model within conventional academic institutions. We built Calibr as a separate organization from Scripps Research. Its very difficult to go to an academic and say, To me, Professor Xs research is more important to me than yours. But in drug discovery, you need to be able to say, This is probably a more important and technically feasible program than that. Q: Is Scripps Research absorbing Calibr? A: Calibr will move under [the institute], and the institute will be the sole corporate member. The board of Calibr is coming together with the board of the institute. There will be one board of directors. Q: Devils advocate here: Youre talking about a model a lot of people are describing. Are you really so different? A: Yes. Right now [Calibr has] eight molecules were going to put into the clinic in the next two years. With the Gates Foundation, we have a molecule for [tuberculosis] and one for childhood diarrhea, going into the clinic in the first quarter of next year. We started the Gates collaboration two and a half years ago. We have a chemical vaccine against malaria, and we have novel antivirals that target not only Ebola but also Marburg and we also have a novel strategy for Zika. Thats just with the Gates Foundation. Were just finishing (toxicology studies) with a regenerative medicine for osteoarthritis that [the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine] wants to fund. Thatll be dosed in patients probably in the first quarter of next year. We have a regenerative medicine therapy for multiple sclerosis thats a remyelination therapy; it actually repairs the damage from [that disease]. Were looking at doing a Phase 2b study on that. We have a molecule for metastatic prostate cancer. Wellcome Trust is funding all the manufacturing to make enough product for a Phase 1 trial. We have probably the solution to the major problem with CAR-T therapy (for cancer), which is due to the acute toxicity. Were working with Carl June (a noted physician who pioneered the technology). It could revolutionize CAR-T therapy. We have a molecule for fibrosis that weve partnered with pharma. We have one for chronic heart failure weve partnered with pharma. And in that case, the pharma asked us to do the Phase 1 trial. Have you ever heard pharma ask a not-for-profit research institute to run a clinical trial, instead of them? We have a molecule for childhood diabetes, which is liver-targeted insulin. And we have molecule that could actually change the way we treat autoimmune disease We have all of those molecules, and theyre all in late-stage preclinical activities. In the next two years, we think we can put eight molecules into the clinic. In the next four months, therell be three two with the Gates Foundation, one with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com Suppose we ask all Americans to vote on whether anyone whose first name starts with the letter A should to pay an extra tax, giving everyone else a tax break. The appalling measure would probably pass. From the perspective of us A-listers (sorry, couldnt resist), that would amount to a classic case of the kind of tyranny of the majority our Founding Fathers were so eager to avoid, illustrating why certain filters, or brakes, on direct democracy are desirable. And even if the peoples representatives get carried away, our political system has other checks and balances to insulate it from too much democracy: Congress itself is split into two bodies; unelected judges protect the Constitution from lawmakers; our nations monetary policy is set by an independent (undemocratic, that is) Federal Reserve Board. Weve also developed technocratic agencies like the Food and Drug Administration to govern areas of American life. Advertisement All these checks on democracy, together, constitute the genius of American democracy. We pride ourselves on our freedom to do as we damned please, but at the same time weve locked away all the chocolate and given the key to a friend, and warned him not to listen to us if we call to ask for it urgently late some night. Of course we then complain about how the system doesnt work, about how we cant binge on chocolate whenever we want. Such complaints are the fuel of the term populism. The word wasnt current in the era of the Founders, and it remains vaguely defined in ours, but its precisely what our republics designers were intent on protecting against: the danger that overindulging majority passions could overwhelm and subvert the system at any given moment. This is the election year of mad-as-hell-and-not-going-to-take-it-anymore populism (to cite the Howard Beale character from the classic Network movie), with Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump railing against how bankers, Washington, the Federal Reserve, foreigners and conspiring elites are holding back the people. Those are familiar rants, yet, there is something novel about the threat posed by todays populism: The real threat nowadays is a potential tyranny of an agitated minority, more so than a potential tyranny of the majority. The two dangers are easy to confuse because agitated minorities can look very much like a majority now that they can mobilize via once unimaginable communications technology and dominate wall-to-wall cable TV news coverage. Who knows how far William Jennings Bryant or Eugene V. Debs would have gotten with a Twitter following, a YouTube channel, and the ability to call into CNN? Lets tweak our imagined tax referendum to illustrate what a tyranny of the minority looks like. Suppose that instead of asking Americans whether people whose first name starts with an A should pay more taxes, we ask them to vote on whether A-listers should be exempted from ever again having to pay any taxes. This measure, if uncoupled from any other balloting in a low-turnout vote, might conceivably pass. Why? Because we A-listers would turn out to vote in droves, and most everyone else would have little incentive to vote, or to speak out against the measure. Its an extreme hypothetical, but too much of American political life has become vulnerable to hijacking by intensely motivated and agitated minorities. Its why teachers unions can control school board elections, why the gun lobby can punch above its weight in Washington and why we havent fixed our broken immigration system. The danger of not appreciating the threat posed by an extremely motivated minority, as opposed to an untrammeled majority, is that our society is enabling the former threat with its overzealous vigilance against the latter. So while a bicameral Congress and the separation of powers that allots the executive a veto and the courts judicial review are good brakes on majority rule, the Senates filibuster rules and the so-called Hastert Rule observed by House Republicans go too far in empowering agitating minorities. The Senates longtime filibuster rules were infamous in delaying the adoption of needed civil rights in the 20th century, long after a majority of Americans were ready to go along. This was a case of an aggrieved minority white Southern Democrats subverting the will of the majority to protect said minority. The Hastert Rule in the House is a more recent, and less formalized, tradition in the House of Representatives that has similarly served to block immigration reform favored by a majority of Americans, and by a majority of their representatives in Congress. The policy, enunciated by Dennis Hastert when he was the Republican speaker of the House, is that proposed legislation should not be brought for a vote on the floor of the House unless it is supported by a majority of the partys own caucus. Richard Nixons odes to the concept of a silent majority whose support he cherished were often mocked by pundits in his day, but its a concept worth revisiting. Today there is a silent majority that thinks itd be insane to deport millions of hardworking, law-abiding immigrant workers. But, like many other insane ideas out there, this one isnt going to keep most people from going about their daily business. Its the supporters of the insanity who likely consider immigration THE ISSUE of our times, and can be found screaming at rallies and threatening to have members of Congress primaried if they work with Democrats on the issue. The dangers posed by agitated minorities are not merely an American phenomenon. They are wreaking greater havoc in other western democracies, like Colombia and Britain, that have ill-advisedly put big questions to a public vote in 2016. Elites in London and Bogota were seeking additional legitimacy for their decisions to stay in the European Union and reach a final peace settlement with a vanquished narco-insurgency by engaging their silent majorities in the process. In the end, sizable impassioned minorities prevailed. Trumps populist campaign narrative of elites pitted against the people is off. Todays politics is pitting elites and a silent (or quieter) majority against a loud, angry, mobilized faction of people susceptible to a populist pitch. The question on Nov. 8 is whether the silent majority makes itself heard, or whether it will cede the electoral battleground to the more clamorous minority. Martinez is the executive editor of Zocalo Public Square. If there was a moment in the third and final 2016 presidential debate that set Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump apart, it may have been the final moment: their closing remarks. On one hand, Clinton made an appeal to Republican and independent voters. On the other, Trump appealed to national anxieties like illegal immigration and joblessness. But who did a better job at winning audiences at home? The Democratic and Republican candidates faced questions on debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign conflicts and hot spots, and the fitness to be president. In the final minutes of the debate, debate moderator Chris Wallace asked each to deliver a closing statement to make it more interesting. With one minute to respond, this is how Clinton closed the debate: I would like to say to everyone watching tonight that Im reaching out to all Americans Democrats, Republicans and Independents because we need everybody to help make our country what it should be. To grow the economy, to make it fairer, to make it work for everyone. We need your talents, your skills, your commitment, your energy, your ambition. I have been privileged to see the presidency up close, and I know the awesome responsibility of protecting our country and the incredible opportunity of working to try to make life better for all of you. I have made the cause of children and families really my lifes work. Thats what my mission will be in the presidency. I will stand up for families against powerful interests, against corporations. I will do everything that I can to make sure that you have good jobs with rising incomes. That your kids have good educations from preschool through college. I hope you will give me a chance to serve as your president. And this is how Trump closed the debate: Shes raising women from the people she wants to control. Doesnt work that way. But when I started this campaign, I started it very strongly. Its called Make America Great Again. Were going to make America great. We have depleted the military. It has to be helped and fixed. We have the greatest people on earth in our military. We dont take care of our veterans. We take care of illegal immigrants, people that come into the country illegally, better than our vets. That cant happen. Our policemen and women are disrespected. We need law and order but we need justice too. Our inner cities are a disaster. You get shot walking to the store. They have no education. They have no jobs. I will do more for African-Americans and Latinos than she can do in 10 lifetimes. All shes done is talked to the African-Americans and Latinos but to get the vote the vote and come back and say, well see you in four years. We are going to make America strong again, and we are going to make America great again, and it has to start now. We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama and thats what you get when you get her. You can watch their closing remarks here: https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/788933726453366785 https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/788934387672846337 But how did people watching from home react to this portion of the debate? https://twitter.com/tomrossmanith/status/788932067564347392 https://twitter.com/katiegrossbard/status/788931733404147712 https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/788962234558877696 https://twitter.com/johnmyers/status/788932061847433217 https://twitter.com/nerdjoke/status/788957182595174400 Who delivered the better closing remarks? Share your thoughts on this moment or the debate overall. Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @RunGomez ALSO 'You're a puppet!' Clinton, Trump went there in third debate Accept election result? Donald Trump 'will keep you in suspense' Poll: Who won the final debate? A 4S Ranch resident has been honored for his pro bono legal help to those seeking asylum and other immigration assistance. Jae Park was named Casa Cornelia Law Centers 2016 Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year during its ninth annual La Mancha Awards ceremony, held Oct. 13 at the University of San Diego. It was completely unexpected, Park said. I was blown away to be considered. I do this work because I enjoy serving these clients, not expecting any recognition. Im incredibly humbled. ... There are lots of people who do more work than I do helping victims of human rights abuses, so it is a great honor to me. Park, who has lived in 4S Ranch for four years, is a senior managing associate at Dentons US LLP, where he specializes in complex business and commercial litigation and construction disputes. While immigration law is vastly different from his speciality, Park said he was drawn seven years ago to help those seeking Casa Cornelias assistance when introduced to it by a colleague. Casa Cornelia is a non-profit with a mission to provide quality pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations. Its more than 300 volunteer attorneys and 132 volunteer interpreters responded to 1,991 clients last year, officials said. These include unaccompanied children at risk, asylum seekers fleeing persecution and torture, and survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Since 2013 it has helped nearly 2,400 abused, abandoned and neglected children. To do this, it provides training to its pro bono lawyers since immigration law is typically not their specialty. It also has an immigration lawyer who advises them on specific procedures, Park said. My firm encourages (pro bono work) and immigration is near and dear to me because my family immigrated (to the U.S. from Korea) when I was 12, he said. I know what it is like to move to a new country not knowing anything (about it). Legal issues can be especially daunting when you do not know English. Park said his first client was an Ethiopian persecuted because of his ethnicity and political beliefs. In Ethiopia he had been falsely accused of supporting a separatist organization, was jailed and tortured. He escaped, made his way to Brazil and eventually to the U.S.-Mexico border, where he requested asylum. One of the most incredible moments in my professional career was right after my client was granted asylum, Park said. He broke down in tears, overwhelmed with emotion, knowing that his life was spared. As we walked from court back to the office, he high-fived me and said, My man, thats why you went to law school. That was definitely a highlight for me. Park said the mans gratitude was incredibly touching and meant the world to me. I was hooked (and knew) Ill help people with humanitarian immigration relief for the rest of my life. Subsequent cases included a three-generation family of seven from Haiti persecuted because of their political beliefs, a domestic violence victim from Brazil and an Iraqi woman and her daughter in danger because of their religion, he said. Park has also encouraged his firms colleagues to help. Right now, Dentons has lawyers doing pro bono work on four Casa Cornelia cases, he said. Were always ... looking for pro bono opportunities, he said. Its one of our obligations as attorneys to provide community service and pro bono help to those who cannot afford (legal help). Its their access to justice. Park said there were multiple reasons he went into law. The L.A. riots had an impact on me in high school, he said. A lot of those in the Korean-American community suffered undo hardship in my perspective. They were not familiar with the legal system or political process, so they did not understand the various vehicles out there like insurance or opportunities to protect themselves. I wanted to be part of educating this group of people in how to be more involved. Park said he was also interested learning how the government and Constitution works on an everyday basis and the jury trial system. I wanted to learn more about the process, he said. He earned his bachelors degree from UCLA and juris doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law. Park also mentors at-risk youths in underserved and underrepresented communities interested in legal careers. Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/20/2016 -- The report "3D Printing Materials Market by Type (Plastics, Metals, Ceramics, and Others), by Form (Filament, Powder and Liquid), by Application, and by Region - Global Forecasts to 2021", The 3D printing materials market is projected to grow from USD 530.1 Million in 2016 to USD 1,409.5 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 21.60% during the same period. Browse 73 market data Tables and 44 Figures spread through 142 Pages and in-depth TOC on "3D Printing Materials Market - Global Forecasts to 2021" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/3d-printing-materials-market-1295.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. 3D printing technology has been adopted by major end-use industries because of its design flexibility, less wastage, and environmentally friendly properties among others. The increase in the demand for 3D printing technology in aerospace & defense, medical & dental, automotive, and consumer goods is driving the 3D printing materials market, globally. Medical & dental is one of the key segments in the 3D printing materials market Medical & dental is one of the major applications that use 3D printing technology. Several medical products such as surgical equipment, prosthetics & implants, and tissue engineering products are manufactured through 3D printing technology. Apart from this, 3D printing is also used for technologies in the field of medicine such as orthopedic, dental, and cranio-maxillofacial. With recent advancements in bio-printing applications of the 3D printing technology, human organs can also be printed. Metal materials are expected to dominate the 3D printing materials market Metals have a higher market share in comparison to plastics and ceramics owning to its high strength. Therefore, they have a wide range applications in the aerospace & defense, medical & dental, and automotive industries that require strong materials for the making of end-use parts by using 3D printing technology. Metals are generally available in powder form with different grades of colors. Titanium is a special material with high strength used in 3D printing spare parts, medical, jewelry, home decor, tools, and army related products. Download PDF Brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=1295 North America is the largest 3D printing materials market The U.S. accounts for a major share of the 3D printing materials market in North America, whereas Germany accounts for the major market of the European region. High growth in the U.S. is attributed to the growing demand for 3D printing technology, especially from the aerospace & defense industry. The Asia-Pacific region is also experiencing high growth in the 3D printing materials market. This increase in growth is due to the adoption of 3D printing technology in countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea. Major players in the 3D printing materials market: 3D Systems Corporation (U.S.) Arcam AB (Sweden) Arkema S.A. (France) Royal DSM N.V. (Netherlands) ExOne GmbH (Germany) Stratasys Ltd. (U.S.) Enquire Before Buying of this Report @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=1295 MarketsandMarkets broadly segments the 3D printing materials market based on material type, form, and application. The study covers more than seven countries for the four main regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW. Browse Related Reports: 3D Printing Metal Market by Form (Powder and Filament), by Type (Titanium, Nickel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Others), by Application (Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Medical & Dental, Others), and by Region - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/3d-printing-metal-market-34714085.html 3D Printing Plastic Market by Type (Photopolymers, ABS, PLA, Polyamide/Nylon, Others), by Form (Filament, Ink, Powder), by Application, by End-User Industry, and by Region - Global Forecasts to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/3d-printing-plastic-market-21707470.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets 701 Pike Street Suite 2175, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Tel: 888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Visit MarketsandMarkets Website: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/20/2016 -- Bolivia Incahuasi Project Panorama, GlobalDatas latest release, presents a comprehensive overview of the asset. This upstream report includes detailed qualitative and quantitative information on the asset, provides a full economic assessment and reflects several parameters including (but not limited to) geological profile, asset development and specific challenges. Based on this analysis, future outlook for the asset is presented with possible trends and related scenarios identifying upside/downside potential. View Reprot At :http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/835138 Scope - Overview of the asset based on an analysis of the economic indicators - Key financial indicators including Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return - Review of factors affecting the economic outcome of the field including development overview, geology, challenges, reserves and production with qualitative perspective on of the overall assets life with GlobalDatas analysis on the assets future outlook - Detailed production profile for the asset, giving annual output rates for each commodity produced - Cash flow statements from our economic analysis of the asset including capital expenditures, operating expenditures and tax liability - Individual valuations for equity holders - Sensitivity analysis for asset value considering a range of factors Reasons to buy - Understand the economic and non-economic factors that affect production of an asset - Benefit from an asset valuation derived from detailed research and modeling by our analysts - Basic view of various scenarios and its effect on the asset for risk or strategy planning - Utilize the quantitative and qualitative evaluation to ascertain trends within the region to inform decision making - Identify economic trends of an asset to determine investment requirements Get Sample copy of this Report @ http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/835138 Table of Contents 1 Table of Contents 1 Table of Contents 1 1.1 List of Tables 2 1.2 List of Figures 2 2 Project Panorama 3 3 Project Update 4 4 Outlook 5 5 Asset Summary 6 6 Development Overview 11 7 Geology 13 8 Challenges 14 9 Reserves and Production 15 10 Economic Analysis 18 11 Appendix 21 11.1 Contact Us 21 11.2 Disclaimer 21 1.1 List of Tables Table 1: Project Details 3 Table 2: Participation Overview 6 Table 3: Key Valuation Metrics 6 Table 4: Asset Valuation Metrics 8 Table 5: Cash Flow Summary 9 Table 6: Fiscal Take Summary 9 Table 7: Production Summary 16 Table 8: Production Data 16 Table 9: Project Cash Flow 19 1.2 List of Figures Figure 1: Annual Cash Flow 7 Figure 2: Full Cycle Expenditure And Revenue Split 7 Figure 3: Remaining Expenditure And Revenue Split 8 Figure 4: NPV Sensitivity 9 Figure 5: Percentage NPV Difference 10 Figure 6: Production 15 Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketresearchreports-biz About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries. Contact State Tower 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: 518-618-1030 USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948 Website: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/20/2016 -- Europe is among the major regions contributing to the global heparin market owing to its developed economy and high prevalence of coagulation disorders. According to the Ageing Report published by the European Commission in 2015, the percentage of population aged above 65 years is expected to increase from 21.0% in 2013 to 32.0% in 2060. Aging is directly proportional to the rising incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) diseases such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Hence, the demand for heparin in Europe is expected to increase in the next few years. The heparin market in Europe was valued at US$2.2 bn in 2015 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2016 to 2024 to reach US$3.5 bn in 2024. Heparin Most Widely Used in Hospitals across Europe Based on end user, the heparin market in Europe has been categorized into hospitals, blood and stem cell banks, and others. Hospitals and clinics widely use heparin as a blood thinner in the treatment of various diseases related to cardiovascular, cancer, and orthopedic. Heparin such as Calcilean, Calciparine, Hepalean, Heparin Leo, and Hepalean-lok are prominently used in hospitals for surgical purposes. The hospitals segment accounted for a major share of the heparin market in Europe as most surgical procedures are often performed in hospitals. The blood and stem cell banks segment also held a significant share of the market in 2015. Blood and stem cell banks use heparin to collect cord blood and stem cells as heparin promotes the growth of human embryonic stem cells in a defined serum-free medium. Get a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/1039 The heparin market in Europe has been segmented on the basis of geography into the following major markets: Germany, France, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia, and Rest of Europe. Germany accounted for the leading share in the heparin market in Europe in 2015 and is expected to continue its dominance till 2024. Key attributes to the market growth in Germany encompass burgeoning incidence of VTE among patients, resulting in the increased demand for heparin. Moreover, stringent regulations pertaining to Chinese active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) due to adulteration issues have attracted new players to the heparin processing and manufacturing business in Europe. Europe has been known to adhere to strict regulations pertaining to the import of heparin. For instance, in 2013, Germany-based meat company, Tonnies GmbH & Co, acquired Pharma Action, a heparin API manufacturer, and proposed to manufacture 30 metric tons of heparin API. Such developments are expected to augment the heparin market's growth in Germany. Read Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.mrrse.com/europe-heparin-market France, Belgium, and Portugal are anticipated to register the highest growth in the coming years. France also held the second position in the heparin market in Europe in 2015. Heparin consumption during and after surgical procedures such as knee replacement, hip surgery, appendectomy, and breast surgery is higher in France as compared to Italy, Spain, and the U.K. The increased risk of thrombosis among the geriatric population is also expected to drive the market for heparin in France. Major players in the Europe heparin market include Sanofi SA, Pfizer, Inc., Leo Pharma, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. About MRRSE MRRSE 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. Early humans living in southern Africa in the Middle Stone Age after 65,000 years ago used advanced heating techniques to produce silcrete blades, according to a new study. South African Middle Stone Age humans deliberately heated silcrete, a hard, fine-grained, local rock, so that they could more easily obtain blades from the core material. The blades were then crescent shaped and glued into arrow heads. This is the first time anywhere that bows and arrows were used. This would have had a major effect on hunting practices as both spears and bow and arrow could be used to hunt animals, said study senior author Prof. Christopher Henshilwood, from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the University of Bergen in Norway. The extensive heat treatment enabled early humans to produce tougher, harder tools 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. Prof. Henshilwood and his colleagues addressed this issue by using a new 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 researchers 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. Heating was applied, non-randomly, at an early stage of core exploitation and was sometimes preceded by an initial knapping stage, said co-author Dr. Karen van Niekerk, from the University of Bergen. As a consequence, the whole operational chain, from core preparation to blade production and tool manufacturing, benefited from the advantages of the heating process. The scientists 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. The advantages of the heating process are multiple: by reducing the materials fracture toughness and increasing its hardness, less force was needed to detach blades after heat treatment, resulting in better control and precision during percussion, Prof. Henshilwood explained. This heating process marks the emergence of fire engineering as a response to a variety of needs that largely transcend hominin basic subsistence requirements, although it did not require highly specialized technical skills and was likely performed as part of on-site domestic activities, he said. The research was published this week in the journal PLoS ONE. _____ Delagnes A. 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 More than 10,000 Titicaca water frogs were found dead in the waters of Lake Titicaca in Peru. Officials are now investigating the cause of their deaths. The said creature was listed as critically endangered and can only be found in the freshwater lake shared by Peru and Bolivia. The Committee Against Pollution of the Coata River blamed the deaths of the water frogs to serious pollution in the Coata River that feeds into the lake. They also said that the authorities in Peru failed to attend to the problem in pollution, according to BBC. Meanwhile, most of the locals believe that the deaths could be caused by the sewage runoff from Juliaca. The authorities have seen sludge and solid waste during the investigation. The latest potential threat to the said creature could be the sewage, according to Christian Science Monitor. Maruja Inquilla Sucasaca, the first person who reported the die-off to SERFOR and an activist together with other activists brought 100 of the dead frogs to the central square of Puno. They felt that the problem was not getting enough attention. She said that I had to bring them the dead frogs. They don't realize how they are living. "They have no idea how major the pollution is. The situation is maddening." The National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SEFOR) in Peru is now investigating the incident and currently testing water samples. They are looking for answers on the probable cause of death of the Titicaca water frogs. The population of the Titicaca water frog declined by almost 80 percent in 15 years due to over-harvesting, habitat destruction and predators such as trout that eats the tadpoles. In some investigations, there are about 50 and 150 frogs that are harvested every day used as the treatment for different ailments and cook as a delicacy. Titicaca water frogs have thick layers of folded skin. They use their skin for evolutionary adaptation. These frogs live in Lake Titicaca, which is about 12,507 feet, the world's highest navigable lake. So, in order for them to breathe at this high altitude place, they breathe through their skin folds and have a high red blood cell count, that provides them enough oxygen. Viking Lander mission in 1976 had found extant microbial life on the planet Mars, a major study claimed. The researchers investigated the findings from Viking Labeled Release (LR) experiment 40 years ago and gauged the "non-biological hypotheses." In the article printed in the journal Astrobiology, the authors stated that the evidence is coherent with a biological description. This indicates microorganisms on the Red Planet acclimated and developed to endure the tough environmental conditions. The authors of the study are from Arizona State University, Tempe and the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda. NASA's Maven space probe captures stunning ultraviolet image of the red planet, Mars. pic.twitter.com/QzYaG92Rrq ABC News (@ABC) October 18, 2016 In the experiment, the landers collected samples of soil from various areas of the planet Mars. They were exposed to preheating, nutrient injection and stored in the dark for two months. The findings of the experiments indicated noticeable similarities to reactions seen in terrestrial soil that included data from samples gathered in Alaska, California and Antarctica, according to Daily Mail. The authors explained that each of these characteristics is reminiscent of responses by a compendium of terrestrial microorganism species. This involves the early positive responses, the 160C and 50C heat controls, the reabsorption of evolved gas upon the second injection of nutrient and death from isolated long-term storage. The researchers also stated that the manned missions to Mars are now predictable in the coming years. They said that it is a concern for safety, health and biology to explain the findings found in 1976. "Plans for any Mars sample return mission should also take into account that such a sample may contain viable, even if dormant, alien life, "as noted by the Sun. Meanwhile, Chris McKay, Ph.D., senior editor of astrobiology and an astrobiologist with Nasa Ames Research Centre corresponds on the said study. He said that even if one is not convinced that the Viking LR results give strong evidence for life on Mars, the study evidently suggests that the possibility must be considered. Even though Samsung experienced a hug blow due to the faulty Galaxy Note 7, it is still in the race with increasing revenues through other devices. And, now with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8, there is soon to be excitement in the mobile industry. Rumors about Samsung Galaxy S8 specs and features are coming up. The most prominent rumor about the Samsung Galaxy S8 is that the company is getting rid of the headphone jack and the physical home button just like Apple did with the iPhone 7. Samsung is rumored to use a touch screen home button and finger sensor in the screen. This will let the phone deliver a complete display from edge-to-edge in the front. Besides that, Samsung also plans on removing the headphone jack and will use the USB Type-C audio jack. Samsung Galaxy S8 will move on Apple's steps and use wired headphones or USB Type-C charging as stated in rumors. Saumsung, however, might provide with a USB Type-C to 3.5mm audio jack adapter cable. Further rumors state that a 4K-resolution display might also be included which will operate through a Qualcomm SnapDragon 830 chip and an ARM Mali-G71 GPU chip, supported by Exynos 8895. Samsung Galaxy S8 might also move to a dual-camera lens which will be capable of shooting DSLR-level pics. Samsung is maintaining discretion about the features and specs on the Samsung Galaxy S8 as much as possible. The company has forbidden its official dealers to avoid talking about the phone for now. For that a gag order has also been rumored to pass out to the employees by the Korean Giant. For now, confirmed details are yet to come out for the Samsung Galaxy S8. But, we can expect the phone to get a February 26, 2017 release date, right before the starting of the Mobile World Congress. A memorial sign dedicated to the place where Emmett Till's mangled body was discovered floating in the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi in 1955 has been riddled with bullet holes. It has been vandalized repeatedly since it was mounted in 2007 while a similar sign that marks the home of the murderer is adorned with flowers. The 14-year-old black Chicago teen's racially charged murder turned out to be a catalyst in the civil rights movement. He was murdered on August 28, 1955 by two white men, J.W. Milan and Roy Bryant when Till whistled at Bryant's wife to impress his cousins and other boys while he visited his uncle in Money, Miss. Till's killers were initially declared innocent by the jury comprising of all white people, however, the accused later confessed to kidnapping, agonizing and murdering the teen. In 2007, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission erected 8 site-markers. One was mounted at the location where Till's mutilated body was found in the Tallahatchie River three days after the murder was committed. Till had a cotton gin fan around his neck with barbed wire, many of his teeth and left eye were missing, and a bullet hole in his right temple was found. Kevin Wilson, Jr., a filmmaker and Facebook user, recently visited the memorial only to find that the sign board had been shot dozens of times, rendering the text almost illegible. On the contrary, the killer's home sign board was well-preserved and decorated with flowers. This has not been the first time when the sign board was shot or vandalized. It had been stolen in 2007 and the replacement sign board was shot first in 2013. Since then the board has been shot from various angles. The local authorities assured at that time to preserve the boards and not let such incidents occur again, according to RawStory. So somebody shot up the marker where Emmett Till's body was found. 30 bulletholes: pic.twitter.com/4dz5uekUlz Christopher Hooks (@cd_hooks) December 28, 2013 "It shows that there's still people who do not want to remember or talk about Emmett Till," Patrick Weems, a project coordinator for the Emmett Till Memorial Commission, told the Daily News. According to reports, the Emmett Till Interpretive Centre is raising funds to replace the damaged sign board and have collected around $500 of its goal of $15,000. With October nearing its end, rumors about Microsoft's yet-to-be confirmed Surface Phone specs, features and price details can be found in abundance on the internet. While, the software giant hasn't revealed anything about the much anticipated smartphones, tech enthusiasts are expecting the Microsoft Surface Phone release date to get announced sometime at the end of this month. It was after Microsoft reportedly obtained the Surfacephone.com domain name that rumors about the smartphone started making rounds. Notably, the Redmond-based tech giant hasn't confirmed or denied the existence of the smartphone. There are even reports which claim that Microsoft has decided to end it Lumia line of smartphones. So, there are high chances that the new Surface phones will replace the Lumia smartphones. Talking about Microsoft Surface Phone specs, the software giant is expected to release three variants of the smartphone- the first offering 3GB of RAM and 32 GB storage, the second with 6GB of RAM and 128 GB storage and the high end variant with a massive 8GB of RAM and 512GB of built-in storage. Rumors are that the Surface phones will be specially designed for businessmen and professionals. Among other specs, the Microsoft Surface Phone is expected to come equipped with a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor, Windows 10 Redstone 2, Surface Pen, USB Type-C connectivity, Carl Zeiss lens, a 20 megapixel rear camera and an 8 megapixel front camera. The handset is also rumored to come with a fingerprint scanner fitted in its front glass. Considering the list of top notch specs, the Microsoft Surface Phone is expected to come with a hefty price tag of between $700-$1100. As far as Microsoft Surface Phone release date is concerned, the handset is likely to get an early 2017 launch. Notably, Microsoft has scheduled its fall hardware event for October 26. So, we are expecting the tech giant to announce some information about the eagerly awaited smartphone. Don't forget to check with SWR for more updates and latest news on Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs and price details. Researchers from the New Horizons mission claim to have spotted some cloud candidates on the dwarf planet, Pluto, after careful examination of images captured during the spacecraft's flight through the planet system in July 2015. The spacecraft has nearly finished its 16-month send-off from Pluto and its next destination is in the distant ring in the Solar System, said NASA scientists on Tuesday. "We're excited about the exploration ahead for New Horizons, and also about what we are still discovering from Pluto flyby data," stated Alan Stern, the principal investigator from Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. He added that Pluto's complex and layered atmosphere is hazy and it seems to be mostly free of clouds. However, the research team has identified few potential clouds in the images captured by New Horizon's cameras. "If there are clouds, it would mean the weather on Pluto is even more complex than we imagined," Stern said. Scientists are well aware of the fact that Pluto's icy surface below that atmosphere varies widely in brightness. Accoring to The Indian Express, these findings are based on the telescopic observations. Last year, researchers had discovered that Pluto has 'layers of strange hazes towering' 200km in the sky, but they did not see any swirling storms that cover gas giants. On Tuesday, Stern explained that NASA has found around 7 candidates for clouds, each of them being quite suggestive of a probable yet rare condensation cloud on Pluto. However, none of them could be confirmed as a cloud right away as they are lying very close to the surface of Pluto, and can not be reached by New Horizons' instruments. "The first flyby has given us a fantastic taste of a very dynamic and changing environment, but it's not enough," Stern said. "In order to confirm we would have to go back with more instrumentation and more time." The spacecraft has already sent back a large amount of data back to the researchers that will be downloaded by Sunday from Pluto's first flyby, almost a year and a half after New Horizons became the first ever manmade spacecraft to visit and explore the dwarf planet system of Pluto. According to reports, New Horizons is now on its way to MU69, another celestial object in the belt, and programmed to come within 3,000 km of it around the New Years Day of 2019. Facebook status and messages stating that the company will reveal all the user's private photos and messages is absolutely baseless. These messages, which started in June 2012, have been getting attention from then. There is absolutely no truth in any such messages or status updates. Also, the rumors that once you agree to Facebook's term and condition to use their platform, Facebook can use your photos and messages publicly as baseless. These rumors are just baseless and don't have any connection with Facebook. Reported Telegraph. According to the Guardian, it is further observed that these messages always quote law 'UCC 1-308 -11 308-103" against Facebook and claim that according to this law Facebook can use your personal information. Rome statute is also quoted several time with the law, Rome statue is actually a legal term used by International Criminal Court, which looks after crime against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. Rome statute doesn't deal with privacy and copyright infringement; it is just not their area of concern. Facebook clearly state that your personal details are subjected to privacy and application settings. Also, Facebook holds the right to alter the terms any time as per their wish. In past, Facebook did surprise its users by changing or introducing few features overnight.These changes were particularly done around user's privacy. Around a decade back, Facebook introduced 'news feed' feature, wherein other users can see your activities. This change was not accepted by Facebook users who then protested and lashed out on Facebook. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had to apologize to the Facebook community for introducing such feature before any prior announcement. After that incident, it is established that Facebook will not try to alter users Privacy setting. It is a humble request to anyone who has believed in such fake stories to not believe them and spread the message that these kind of Facebook messages or Post are just not true. Even if you have been tricked to post something of this sort, you can always delete it from your Facebook page and assure your connections that this is not true. HEMINGWAY, S.C. Mayor Grady Richardson said the inaugural Bluegrass Festival was a success. The weather cooperated, the chili cook-off proved successful and the music was great at the event, Richardson said. Hemingway residents and people from surrounding communities turned out for the festival. In addition to performances by local bands, The Hatley Family, A Deeper Shade of Blue and South of K performed bluegrass music through the day while festival-goers watched from their lawn chairs. Richardson said he would have liked to have seen more people attend the festival, but he realized that several other events and festivals occur during the fall. He said between 250 and 300 people attended the Bluegrass Festival. But overall, I think it was a success. Everybody that came out, I think, had a good time, he said. I heard no negative comments. A good time was had by all. Vendors were set up along Broad Street, and they sold anything from boiled peanuts, Italian ice and rocking horses to jewelry, wreaths and cosmetics. Ten cooks participated in the chili cook-off. The peoples choice winner was Bryan Lewis. Crystal Tisdale won the grand prize of $250. Donald Pope came in second place and Trilla Gaskins finished third. Patty Lee, one of the chili cook-off judges, said judging was almost impossible because of the good submissions. When we (the judges) were standing up there (on stage), we were just as anxious to see who the winners were as they were, Lee said. For the first year, Lee, a Hemingway native, said she was pleased with the crowd that showed up. The energy was good, too, she said. Its always good when we can bring people into town, Lee said. Its just so nice to see folks gathering and enjoying it. Lee said Richardson works hard for the town and has good ideas. The inaugural Bluegrass Festival was just one of those good ideas, she said. The port congestion that halted shipments to Metro Manila and caused price hikes during the past two Christmas seasons were mainly caused by a February 2014 truck ban in the city that took almost a year to unravel. "We do not see that happening this year," Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon was quoted as saying. Jay Daniel Santiago, general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority said: "We are not expecting port congestion as of the moment." As of this week, Port of Manila and Manila International Container Port (MICP) have recorded an average yard utilization of 68% down from the over 90% level recorded in 2014 and in early 2015. The two ports, the largest in the country, got clogged with shipments as a result of a truck ban imposed by Manila Mayor Joesph Estrada in February 2014 which prevented deliveries from plying the capital's roads. The ban was lifted in September 2014, but it was not until March last year that congestion was relieved. "This time we are seeing very effective movements of shipments. It is averaging 25 to 30 moves per hour compared with just 10 during the congestion," Santiago said. Outside the ports, he added that the "no-window policy" for vehicle coding that began this week could also help ease shipment deliveries. Santiago said only "perishables" forming holiday demand for food and other items are expected to come in over the last three months of the year, towards the end of the peak season. Sought for comment, Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, echoed the government's view. "There are some improvement making it (port congestion) not so bad this year. There still is, but not of similar magnitude than before," Ortiz-Luis said by phone. "Hopefully, the situation will remain the same even with the influx of more shipments," he added. Milaha Gas & Petrochems revenue grew by 24% as a result of the full period impact of the investment in two LNG carriers made in the second half of 2015. However, Milahas operating revenues of QR 1.99bn to September 30 were down from QR 2.30bn year-on-year as revenue across its four other departments fell - Maritime & Logistics by 13%, Offshore by 17%, Trading by 26% and Milaha Capital by 21%. Its Q3 net profit was QR 759m ($208.4m), down from QR 959m for the corresponding period. Shipping is experiencing some of the most difficult conditions we have seen since the financial crisis, Milaha president and ceo Abdulrahman Essa Al-Mannai conceded before accentuating the companys profit margin positive. Despite these difficulties and the drop in earnings relative to the same period last year, Milahas net profit margin remains a healthy 38%. RELATED CONTENT Milaha H1 profit down 15% but still a 'healthy' $151m Milaha reports 3.5% dip in Q1 profits Milaha profits up 4% in 2015 Low oil prices and the resulting cuts in investments by oil and gas majors continued to weigh down on Milaha Offshores performance. Milaha Maritime & Logistics port services unit continued to be negatively impacted by lower revenues from ancillary services, non-containerised general cargo, and RORO. In addition, despite growing market share and volumes, the Container Shipping unit was negatively impacted by rate pressure. The 26% dip in Milaha Tradings revenue was driven by lower heavy equipment sales while lower dividend income from the first quarter continues to hamper Milaha Capitals results. Milaha chairman, H.E. Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani, remained upbeat despite the downturn. Due to the weaker macroeconomic conditions and volatility in our core sectors, we continue to operate in a challenging environment. In the face of these difficult times, however, Milaha remains focused on investing for the future and pursuing the best growth opportunities domestically and internationally, Established in July 1957 as the first public shareholding company registered in Qatar, Milahas current activities include marine transportation in gas, petroleum products, containers and bulk; offshore support services; port management and operations; logistics services; shipyard; trading agencies; real estate investments; and asset management. Crain's Detroit Business This could be troubling news for Auburn Hills. Crain's Detroit Business writer Bill Shea After the Lions moved to downtown Detroits Ford Field in 2002, the Silverdome began to decline rapidly. It was Its just now a blight, and its bringing down property values and perceptions of the city, so we would support the demolition of that facility at this point, said Kyle Westburg, president of West Construction Services in a 2015 But as John Gallagher Gallagher talked to realtor John DeGroot, who noted that of 1,200 industrial properties more than 20,000 square feet, only 30 are vacant in the strong Oakland County R&D real estate market. That bodes well for Auburn Hills' future. In 1994, the same year Apple launched the Power Macintosh and Amazon registered its domain name, physicist Stephen Thaler invented the Creativity Machine, a computer that used artificial neural networks to generate novel ideas. Some of the results of its inventive "thinking" included 11,000 original songs written over a single weekend and the stiffly named Neural-Network-Based Prototyping System and Method. A patent was granted for the prototyping system in 1998, and although Thaler listed himself as the inventor, he told colleagues, including General Dynamics contractor Rusty Miller, that the Creativity Machine came up with the idea. A machine had invented. Thaler didn't disclose the Creativity Machine's contribution on the patent application, and why should he? The Patent Act has never had a policy about giving credit to computers as inventors. And who would have thought back then that a machine was capable of such a thing? Certainly not the U.S. Patent Office, which unwittingly granted a patent for an invention created by a nonhuman entity. Today of course, with software that mimics the workings of the human mind, the notion that artificially intelligent systems can create new ideas autonomously is a no-brainer. Therefore, the rules should change, says Ryan Abbott, professor of law and health sciences at the University of Surrey in the U.K. Artificial intelligence at the core of systems like Google's DeepMind and IBM's Watson should be elevated from the role of sophisticated tool and listed as an inventor alongside its human owners, he argues in his paper published this week in Boston College Law Review. Doing so would encourage researchers to develop more A.I., while at the same time prevent company outsiders from claiming a creative computer's ideas as their own - a feasibility under current law. "Automation of invention is going to be a major driver of economic growth pretty soon, and so it begs a couple of interesting questions, which are very important to businesses like Google and IBM and Apple that are investing in artificial intelligence," Abbott told Seeker. "Namely, if a computer invents something, is it patentable and if so, who owns it?" RELATED: Pop! Clack! Buzz! Science Fair Winners Invent One doesn't have to throw a thumb drive far to hit a computer dreaming up new inventions. IBM's supercomputer Watson is nearly a household name. After winning $1 million on Jeopardy!, it went on to create new food recipes, new treatment plans for cancer patients, assist in financial planning and help set up clinical trials by matching the genetic profiles of patients with potential drugs. Google's DeepMind has written songs, generated artwork and created a voice synthesizer that sounds more human than ever. But the patents to the different technologies that make up those A.I. systems are distinct from the products they create. Who owns those creations is up to legal interpretation. "On the patent end, this issue has not been seriously debated," said Abbott. "There's no case on it; there's no law on it; there's no Patent Office policy." If a case did come up, the US Patent Office could follow the policy of the Copyright Office, which states that only a human author can create copyrightable material. Whatever a supercomputer created would then belong in the public domain, alongside creations by other nonhumans, such as art drawn by elephants and selfies accidentally taken by monkeys. "(It's) more sensible to say programmers are agents that set inventive process in motion," wrote Pamela Samuelson in an email to Seeker. Samuelson is a professor of law and information at the University of California, Berkeley and the co-director of Berkeley Center for Law and Technology. But that could leave open a backdoor. WATCH VIDEO: Galileo Didn't Invent the Telescope ... Sorry! In rural Klickitat County in southwestern Washington state, a trio of thriving farms point the way toward a better future for an area where the economy has struggled over the years, in part due to the shuttering of a local aluminum smelting plant. But those farms don't grow wheat, wine grapes or other crops for which Klickitat traditionally has been known. Instead, the outdoor fields and greenhouses are filled with tall marijuana plants, which produce a product that Washington legalized back in 2012. The farms supply cannabis to Seattle-based Solstice, a company that processes, packages and distributes the legal weed on a wholesale basis to licensed dispensaries in Washington. In the process, the farms employ 15 people on a permanent basis and additional seasonal workers, according to Solstice co-founder Alex Cooley. The four-year-old marijuana company, which has grown to $5 million in annual sales, has partnerships with six farms across the state and employs up to 150 people at those locations and its Seattle headquarters. But Cooley says that's just part of the economic impact. RELATED: This College Wants to Teach You How to Grow Weed "For every employee, we probably create two other jobs in other businesses - from carpenters, electricians, plumbers and air conditioning technicians, to people who make packaging and sell us scissors," he explains. Add the specially-trained retail workers who help emporium customers pick their variety of marijuana, and it all adds up to an economic boost. The legal marijuana industry's potential for creating jobs and income has other places across the U.S. and Canada, where medical marijuana is widely legal, looking to use it as an economic development tool. Industry advocates tout it as a way to revive depressed rural areas and small towns that have lost jobs due to the closure of mills and factories and the decline of industries such as coal mining. One hint of pot's potential as an economic driver comes from a recent report issued by Arcview Market Research and New Frontier Data, which says that legal marijuana sales grew by a robust 23 percent nationwide between 2014 and 2015, to $5.7 billion-and may hit $22 billion by 2020. About half of that future revenue is projected to come from marijuana sold for recreational use. That's already legal in Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Alaska, and several more states have referendums this fall in which voters can opt to legalize it as well. "It certainly has the potential to be an economic boon for states that create regulated systems," explains Taylor West, director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. Another sign of marijuana's moneymaking potential is Colorado, which joined Washington in 2012 as the first states to legalize cannabis. Pot-related businesses generated nearly $1 billion in revenue in 2016, according to The Denver Post. RELATED: Pot Dealers Traced Back 5,000 Years U.S. states who want a template also could look to the Canadian province of New Brunswick, whose government recently began promoting cannabis as a job-creating industry. The province has invested slightly more than $3 million in U.S. dollars in Zenabis, a company whose medical marijuana facility in northern New Brunswick will create a projected 208 jobs. But there are limits to how much the cannabis industry can contribute to economic growth, even supporters admit. In the U.S., marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law, so it can't be shipped across state lines, even between places where local laws permit its cultivation, sale and use. Until that changes, the legal cannabis industry in states will be limited to their own residents. For largely rural states with fewer inhabitants, and depressed areas that have seen population declines, that puts a hard ceiling on the market for legal marijuana, and how much revenue it can generate. Cannabis industry lobbyists hope to convince Congress and other officials in the nation's capital to lift the federal government to remove marijuana from its list of illegal drugs. That would allow regulation of marijuana to revert to the states, which could then make their own rules and engage in interstate commerce, West says. WATCH: What Would A World With Legal Pot Look Like If you have a driver's license, odds are better than even that your photo is sitting in a police database somewhere. And if you are young, female or black, the facial recognition software that compares your face to a video image may not get a perfect match. Those are two of the surprising findings of a new study this week that found that 117 million Americans - more than half of all adults - have been quietly added to facial recognition databases held by state and local law enforcement agencies. All drivers in Maryland and Virginia, for example, have been added into a computer. So, too, have residents of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, Calif. The New York Police Department may soon use these databases to match drivers' licenses to video from close-circuit TV cameras. Police in Florida don't even need probable cause to sift through 22 million drivers' licenses on file in their state. Checking for identification markers such as fingerprints or DNA against a database of known criminals has been commonplace in police departments. But now law enforcement is casting a wider net. "Historically, biometric databases have been composed of criminals," said Harrison Rudolph, a fellow at Georgetown University Law Center. "This database is made of innocent people." Rudolph and colleagues at the Center on Privacy and Technology spent a year collecting information from police agencies across the country using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In their study "The Perpetual Lineup," they found that police use of facial recognition systems is more pervasive, more advanced and less controlled than many Americans realize. What's more, there has been almost no debate in Congress or in statehouses about whether this is a good idea. RELATED: Face Recognition Method Works in Utter Darkness Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., has been one of the few lawmakers interested in the issue. He held hearings on the accuracy of facial recognition databases in 2012, and earlier this year requested the General Accountability Office to examine the FBI's massive facial recognition database of 400 million images. The GAO found the FBI failed to check the accuracy or privacy of the database, which includes 30 million criminal mugshots and 140 million images from visa applications by foreign nationals. The FBI database also contains drivers' license pictures from 16 US states and 6.7 million photos from the Defense Department's ID's of people detained by US forces abroad. "Face recognition can be a very useful tool in the fight against crime - it can in fact help us catch violent offenders and criminals," Franken said in a statement. "But I'm also a firm believer that Americans have a fundamental right to privacy." A spokesman for Senator Franken said he expects that legislation to require more privacy and civil rights safeguards will be introduced in the next session of Congress. Representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union and 52 other groups sent a letter to the Department of Justice this week requesting a review of police practices of facial recognition databases. WATCH VIDEO: How Do Our Brains Recognize Faces? There are hundreds of satellites in geostationary orbit, meaning that they orbit the Earth at roughly the same pace that our planet spins. It's a long way from where humans currently roam in space; while the International Space Station is about 250 miles above Earth, geostationary orbit is about 10 times higher - at 27,000 miles. So how do you get one of these satellites up to this extreme altitude? The traditional methods include strapping on an extra rocket or rocket stage to kick them into high orbit, or using a lightweight electric thruster on the spacecraft that slowly pushes the satellite to the right spot. Both options are expensive, especially when you factor in the lost time as companies wait for their satellites to get up and running. Surprisingly, an answer to this dilemma could come from an asteroid mining concept. Joel Sercel, who heads startup mining company TransAstra, and Phil Metzger, a planetary physicist at the Florida Space Institute, are among the advocates for a spacecraft that would fly back and forth, from Earth and then out to a propellant depot. This so-called "space tug" could not only provide a ride for satellites, but also extract valuable resources from asteroids. RELATED: Asteroid Mining: Booming 21st Century Gold Rush? Scientists and engineers recently came together at the Asteroid Science Intersections with In-Space Mine Engineering (ASIME) conference in Luxembourg to discuss the best paths to our potential asteroid mining future and how to make it more cost-effective for customers. The space tug is one of those ideas. The depot idea has actually been kicking around for a few decades, but coupling the idea with asteroid mining is relatively new. "We agree that there is a business case," Metzger told Seeker. "You can recover the capital investment and deliver the spacecraft at a cost savings and make a profit." While the exact locations of the spacecraft network are being worked out, this is the bare bones of the proposal: Deep in space on a mission in a few decades' time, a mining spacecraft would head out to an asteroid and extract water from it (along with other materials and precious metals). Once its mission is complete, the mining spacecraft would come back to the Earth-moon system with the water on board. A propellant depot somewhere near Earth would then accept the water. It would break down the water into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen gas, which are both excellent rocket fuels. And this is the genius of the plan - space launch companies don't need launch fuel into space; the fuel is already there, waiting in the depot to refuel any spacecraft that requires it. Now comes the space tug. Once a satellite is launched, the space tug nabs the satellite and brings it up to the propellant depot to pick up a load of fuel. Then the tug zooms up to geosynchronous orbit, where it releases the satellite to do its mission. RELATED: Mining Asteroids: Not Mankind's Silver Bullet With such a network in place, argues Sercel, we could greatly reduce the costs associated with our current method of sending satellites to high orbits and accessing deep space. Currently, if we want to break free of Earth's orbit, the only option we have is to launch a mission with everything we need on board -- all the fuel, the electronics, and in the future astronauts. With this space tug infrastructure, we at least don't need to launch huge quantities of fuel out of Earth's gravitational well. NASA is currently developing a large rocket called the Space Launch System that is supposed to better open up the solar system to the agency and its astronauts. SLS could be used for future missions to Mars, if NASA's plans to get there materialize as planned in the 2030s. The SLS concept is currently envisioned as an "all in one" rocket where everything, including all the fuel for the entire Mars mission's lifetime, is transmorted from Earth's surface. An obviously expensive undertaking. Sercel argues that it's time for NASA to embrace other methods, just like it does with services to the International Space Station. NASA has a commercial cargo program with SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, and is developing a commercial crew program with SpaceX and Boeing. "They can build the capsules in the traditional method and have the astronauts, but the NASA rocket and transportation systems are too expensive," Sercel said. He argues that by using rockets such as SpaceX's Falcon 9 - a rocket that is designed to land and be re-used again in space, although the technology is still being tested and developed - that there will be an immense cost savings in space transportation compared to government services. It will be increased "even more than that if all the propellant comes from asteroids," he added. How much of a cost savings is hard to determine, however, because SpaceX is a private company and does not release all its figures. Earlier this year, Space News' Peter B. de Selding pointed out that SpaceX isn't the first to try to reuse space hardware. The space shuttle's main engines were designed to be re-used 55 times, but it cost far more money than what designers expected, the article said. Scientists reported Wednesday the first evidence that the immune systems of wild Tasmanian devils can fight back against the contagious face cancer that has pushed the species to the brink of extinction. In a race against the clock, scientists have been looking for a way-a cure or vaccine-to save the carnivorous marsupials, which live exclusively on the Australian island state with which they share a name. Strange facial tumors showed up in the mid-1990s, and have since wiped out some 80 percent of the population. The disease-nearly 100 percent fatal-spreads through facial biting, a common behavior among both males and females. Some 20,000 individuals are thought to remain. RELATED: Tasmanian Devils Evolving Resistance to Deadly Disease In the study, a team led by Ruth Pye of the University of Tasmania collected blood samples from 52 closely monitored wild animals from 2008 through 2014. The scientists checked for the presence of cancer cells, and antibodies that might attack them. Thirty-four of the animals either had the disease at the outset or developed it during the monitoring period. The researchers were surprised to find six devils that developed serum antibodies against the cancer cells. Such a response has been induced in captivity through immunization with killed cancer cells, but had not-before this-been observed in the wild. The result "suggests that a proportion of wild devils can produce a protective immune response against naturally acquired devil facial tumor disease," the researchers concluded. A study published in August reported that the famously aggressive animals, the size of a heavy-set small dog, seem to be pulling back from the brink through lightning-fast genetic evolution. A detailed comparison of the genomes of 294 devils-before and after the cancer emerged 20 years ago-revealed species-wide adaptations in seven genes in a span of just a handful of generations. WATCH VIDEO: Scientists Made A Stunning New Discovery About the Immune System Australian health technology startup Curo director Steve Hopkins says the strategic decision to move the company's core operations to the United States was based on the size of the domestic market and better positioning for continued international growth. "All of our tech development going forward will be based here in Ann Arbor for the global operation," he says. Curos wireless sensor technology monitors seniors' daily activities (with their consent and without any cameras, Hopkins says), such as the completion of expected tasksthink opening a bedroom door, refrigerator, or medicine cabinetwhether they are home or away. It can then alert caregivers if the patient deviates from his or her normal routine. "We're basically a software company that gathers data and then conceptualizes it," Hopkins says. Hopkins, a Dexter resident, joined the company in January after helping to arrange and oversee its first commercial pilot with his previous employer, Hopkins brings more than 10 years of health care industry experience to Curo from his own private consulting business and previous role as chief operating officer for Evangelical Homes of Michigan. If things go as planned, Hopkins plans to double Curo's staff of four in the next six months as he hires software developers and a business development support team to work out of the new office. This year the company is focused on generating massive amounts of data to help identify trends in senior health and well-being, and proactive ways that data can be used. Curo is sold directly to care centers and other businesses for now, and it will likely be at least a year before consumers can start purchasing it directly here in the United States. Curo continues to maintain a presence in Australia, including six commercial pilots underway there now. It also recently received a $1 million investment from Australian-based health insurance company HCF. Curo is the second international company to make a "soft landing" at SPARK Central. It joins Germany's Press Release October 19, 2016 STATEMENT OF SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA ON THE DISPERSAL OF IP RALLYISTS I am deeply concerned over the recent dispersals of rallying Indigenous Peoples (IPs) at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday and the US Embassy this morning. These two incidents may have gone beyond the allowable methods prescribed by law. The lands of IPs have been taken away from them; they have become victims of militarization and development aggression. They marched here to let their concerns be heard by the government and the general public. Considered as minorities in society, these IPs were merely exercising their right to peaceably assemble as guaranteed and protected by the 1987 Constitution. They have every right to air their grievances; and no one can take that right away from them. Our government should accord these IP with compassion and respect, instead of water cannons and patrol trucks as weapons of violent dispersal, as reported by news agencies[1]. It is clear in the PNP Manual of Operations that non-lethal methods shall be used to disperse such assemblies. It is quite obvious that the method used, particularly at this morning's assembly at the US Embassy, is obviously unnecessary and unreasonable, even if when a non-weapon was used. There is no excuse to use such dispersal, as the rallyists were clearly unarmed. We must not lose sight of the fact that the assigned PNP units attempted to disperse the rally through unnecessary force. I call on PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa to look into this incident, identify the lapses, and enforce command responsibility in exacting accountability from the concerned officials involved in the dispersals. ________________________________________ [1] http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/585417/news/metro/military-blasts-protesting-indigenous-peoples-militant-groups-with-water-cannons http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/19/16/watch-police-car-runs-over-protesters-after-us-embassy-scuffle Press Release October 20, 2016 On the violent dispersal of protesters at the US embassy Statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros The actions of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in yesterday's rally at the US embassy were extremely reprehensible, unacceptable and indefensible. The police force's complete disregard for human rights, particularly the right to life and peaceful assembly, adds to the growing climate of fear and impunity in the country. I call on PNP Chief Rolando Dela Rosa to immediately punish all those police personnel responsible for the violent incident. While an investigation is necessary and welcome, I believe that there are already compelling evidences, such as the video of a police van driven by a policeman ploughing through unarmed protesters, to merit the filing of administrative and criminal charges. I expect that the PNP top brass will enforce the law to the fullest and swiftly exact accountability.. I also call on President Rodrigo Duterte, being the Commander-in-Chief, to ensure professionalism and discipline in the police force. The PNP must act responsibly and judiciously in accordance with existing laws and the principles of human rights. The President cannot possibly convince the public that the country is safer now if our very own police force cannot respect human rights and civil liberties. On the incident that marred a protest at the US Embassy That was a judgement call made by one policeman behind the wheel of a police van who might have felt threatened by the possibility of being lynched by the protesters, and who impulsively drove the van wherever he could to avoid the dire consequences of his inaction. I think it's unfair to the Philippine National Police as an institution to be accused of police brutality. It was a personal judgement call of the driver of the van. Maximum tolerance or not, he acted based on his appreciation of the situation prevailing at the time he made that move. Koko calls for probe as video of police van running over rallyists goes viral Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III called for an investigation of a video, currently going viral, of a police van running over protesters at the US Embassy. "I call on PNP Chief Director-General Ronald dela Rosa to immediately investigate this incident and take action against those responsible, uniformed or otherwise" Pimentel said. The incident happened during police attempts to disperse a rally at the US Embassy on Wednesday, October 19. The video showed a police van reversing into a crowd of protesters and then moving back and forth among them. A protester in green was shown being pinned and run over by the van. Pimentel however clarified that his call does not mean he is presuming guilt on any party. He said, "The video on its own is very disturbing, but is not the whole picture. We must not pass judgment until we know the whole story." He added that he is concerned that the video may damage the image of the Philippine National Police force as a protector of the people. The protesters were a part of the "Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan," and were rallying in support of the administration's independent foreign policy. Press Release October 20, 2016 Koko expresses support for President Duterte's foreign policy Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III threw his all-out support for the independent foreign policy of President Rodrigo Duterte. In an interview held on Wednesday, October 19, Pimentel lauded Duterte and defended his stand over his recent pronouncements on dealing with the United States and other Western countries. "It's very good that for the first time, we have a president who is now emphasizing that concept in our Constitution, that we must pursue an independent foreign policy," Pimentel, a bar topnotcher, said. He said the president's pronouncement on his foreign policy "is the first step into having an independent foreign policy" and Filipinos "should realize that there are other powers, other points of view than the American point of view, which we should open ourselves too." "If we do not accept or realize that, we could never have an independent foreign policy because we will always toe the American line," said Pimentel. Amidst the President's fierce criticism of some western nations, the Senate leader explained that, "[the President] just emphasized our need and his desire to pursue an independent foreign policy. Masyadong nakadikit ang pusod natin sa pusod ng Amerikano." "...it's time to [step] back but ultimately hindi po tayo mag-aaway," he added. Asked if opening to other countries entailed moving away or antagonizing other nations, Pimentel replied, "No, let the Philippines be a friend to all nations." Pimentel's remarks matched the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte in China, who said, "There will be no military alliances entered into. There will be no military alliances broken. What I am just saying is that we are not interested in adding fuel to what is already a volatile world." Pimentel ended the interview by saying he believed that the alliance between the Philippines and the United States is still ironclad since the bond between the two nations "is people to people." POE BLASTS PLOWING OF PROTESTERS AT US EMBASSY Sen. Grace Poe today condemned the violent dispersal and ruthless plowing of protesters outside the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday. Poe filed Senate Resolution No. 210 with the end goal of formulating measures to ensure compliance with the rules of engagement of the Philippine National Police (PNP), deter the use of excessive force during public assemblies and ensure accountability. "Though it could be argued that the protesters might have crossed the line at some point during the violent dispersal, it is clear that the act of repeatedly ramming over numerous protesters with a police van without due regard to their presence and safety is an act worthy of utmost condemnation and should be labeled barbaric and illegal," Poe said in filing the resolution. News reports indicate that nine members of the Manila Police District who led the violent dispersal of demonstrators have been relieved to pave the way for an impartial investigation by the PNP. Poe said the government should exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with such public demonstrations. "We should be reminded that government was established to protect the people, thus, its power should not be unleashed against defenseless citizens," the senator said in her resolution. Press Release October 20, 2016 POE: WHY NO DISASTER ALERTS? Sen. Grace Poe wants to find out why disaster agencies and telecommunication companies fell short of sending mobile disaster alerts to effectively warn residents of the impacts of Supertyphoon Lawin (international name: Haima) that pummelled provinces in northern Luzon on Wednesday. Poe filed Senate Resolution No. 211 seeking explanation from implementing agencies and telcos on possible lapses even though Republic Act No. 10639 or the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) are already in place. "Such failure goes against the objective of the law to ensure the immediate dissemination of useful, timely, and relevant information in order to help our people prepare for natural disasters," Poe said. Poe said she received information from residents in the areas affected by the supertyphoon that they were not able to receive alerts on their mobile phones before Lawin struck. Under the law's IRR, in the event of impending calamities, mobile phone service providers are mandated to send out emergency alerts at regular intervals, but such did not happen during the onslaught of Lawin. The law was signed on June 20, 2014 and its IRR were issued last July 21, 2015. "Our countrymen deserve to know who should be accountable for lapses in the release of mobile alerts on typhoon Lawin, which could leave residents unprepared for the onslaught of the disaster," she added. Poe said concerned individuals may report violations of the law to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The senator cited stringent penalties under Sec. 6 of the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act, which stipulates that any person who gives false or misleading data or information or willfully or through gross negligence, conceals or falsifies a material fact, in any investigation, inquiry, study, or other proceeding pursuant to the Act face imprisonment of two months to six months and a fine ranging from P1,000 to P10,000. If the offender is a corporation, the penalties may range from a fine of P1 million to P10 million and/or face suspension or revocation of its legislative franchise and other permits and licenses issued by the NTC. The super typhoon, which has a massive 800-kilometer diameter, wrought havoc in northern Luzon provinces, toppling over trees and electric posts, damaging houses and establishments and inundating streets and ricefields. Press Release October 20, 2016 Zubiri condemns violent dispersal, cautions hot heads in the PNP ranks Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri "condemned the violent dispersal and cautioned hot heads in the PNP who raised tensions and physically injured more than 50 protesters" in front of the US Embassy. "What happened to the maximum tolerance policy of the police? Even during martial law, protesters have always known that police & protesters can always negotiate for events covered & even outside of their rally permits." Zubiri said he was concerned that Indigenous People have been hurt. "I know IPs always try to just suffer the setbacks in their life. Now, that they find courage to express their discontent, we should listen. I myself participated in marches as an idealist student in our province, 'kapit-bisig kasama ang mga tribo.' I know how valuable our freedom of expression and right to peaceably assemble". These are enshrined in our Constitution." Zubiri stressed that the PNP should "review the lessons learned from all those years of rallies & demonstrations. Among them are how to deal with lightning rallies, no-permit rallies and rallies extending beyond their allowed time or permitted areas. There are a lot of those lessons with the biggest example being the EDSA People Power Revolt." "We are in a democracy. We should also consider the impact of asymmetric use of force by the police. Protesters have clenched fists & loud voices. Police have truncheons, shields, huge water hoses, cars & trucks. The police should have encouraged the use of megaphones from opposing sides." Zubiri recalled that President Duterte started "an open presidency to the extent that all demonstrators were allowed to approach the Batasan as close as possible during his first SONA." "Finally, I welcome Malacanang's decision to trigger an investigation of the PNP personnel and relieve cops involved in the violent dispersal," Zubiri concluded. Twenty-five years after a horrific firestorm killed 25 people and wiped out nearly 3,500 homes in the Oakland hills, the conditions are ripe once again for a similar if not worse disaster. The 1991 inferno led to improved policies and equipment for fire and emergency crews, as well as fire-proof materials on homes and roofs. But the highly flammable trees that fueled the blaze have since regrown, and an ongoing legal battle has thwarted the citys efforts to remove them. I go with what the Australians say about eucalyptus they call them gasoline on a stick, said Susan Piper, who is still haunted by a searing image from her escape on Oct. 20, 1991: A grove of eucalyptus trees aglow in flame exploded just yards from where she sat in her family van, stuck in traffic with her 9-year-old daughter. Though some residents still hold painful memories of the fire, a few of them stoutly oppose a tree-cutting effort that many fire experts say is the best way to prevent future disasters. As a result, the hills are still dotted with thousands of towering eucalyptus, most of them older and more brittle than they were in 1991. A horrific firestorms spread On Oct. 20, 1991, the Oakland hills fire killed 25 people and wiped out nearly 3,500 homes. This map shows the infernos rapid spread. 8:50 a.m. Firefighters notice hot spots from a fire that had been put out the previous day in the Oakland hills. 11:15 a.m. The fire begins its spread, with high winds driving it. 11:30 to 11:45 a.m. By this time the fire is out of control, moving west and burning many structures. It is spreading through the Parkwood Apartments. Hiller Highlands is in its direct path. Noon to 12:15 p.m. Several lives and dozens of structures have been lost. The north side of Temescal Canyon is burning and the blaze is spreading into Hiller Highlands and toward upper Broadway Terrace. The Parkwood Apartments complex is in flames. The fire has spread into Grandview Canyon and over Grizzly Peak Drive into Contra Costa County. 12:45 to 1 p.m. The fire is burning on five major fronts: (1) Rockridge district, west of Lake Temescal; (2) Grandview Canyon, threatening to jump Tunnel Road; (3) Chabot Road; (4) Claremont Canyon; (5) along the south side of Temescal Canyon, threatening upper Broadway Terrace. The historic Claremont Hotel is being threatened. 2 p.m. The fire advances through Rockridge and into the Forest Park area. The upper reaches of Broadway Terrace are burning, along Tunnel Road and Chabot Road, and in upper Claremont Canyon. Firefighters recognize the possibility that the flames will threaten the UC Berkeley campus. Two new fires are burning on the east slope in Contra Costa County. 4 p.m. The Oakland and Berkeley firefighting operations begin to work together to battle the blaze, which continues its spread. 6 p.m. New teams from across the Bay Area are deployed to battle the fire. Conclusion This shows the Oakland hills fires ultimate spread. The inferno led to improved policies and equipment for fire and emergency crews, as well as fireproof materials on homes and roofs. The highly flammable trees that fueled the blaze have since regrown. A horrific firestorms spread On Oct. 20, 1991, the Oakland hills fire killed 25 people and wiped out nearly 3,500 homes. This map shows the infernos rapid spread. 8:50 a.m. Firefighters notice hot spots from a fire that had been put out the previous day in the Oakland hills. 11:15 a.m. The fire begins its spread, with high winds driving it. 11:30 to 11:45 a.m. By this time the fire is out of control, moving west and burning many structures. It is spreading through the Parkwood Apartments. Hiller Highlands is in its direct path. Noon to 12:15 p.m. Several lives and dozens of structures have been lost. The north side of Temescal Canyon is burning and the blaze is spreading into Hiller Highlands and toward upper Broadway Terrace. The Parkwood Apartments complex is in flames. The fire has spread into Grandview Canyon and over Grizzly Peak Drive into Contra Costa County. 12:45 to 1 p.m. The fire is burning on five major fronts: (1) Rockridge district, west of Lake Temescal; (2) Grandview Canyon, threatening to jump Tunnel Road; (3) Chabot Road; (4) Claremont Canyon; (5) along the south side of Temescal Canyon, threatening upper Broadway Terrace. The historic Claremont Hotel is being threatened. 2 p.m. The fire advances through Rockridge and into the Forest Park area. The upper reaches of Broadway Terrace are burning, along Tunnel Road and Chabot Road, and in upper Claremont Canyon. Firefighters recognize the possibility that the flames will threaten the UC Berkeley campus. Two new fires are burning on the east slope in Contra Costa County. 4 p.m. The Oakland and Berkeley firefighting operations begin to work together to battle the blaze, which continues its spread. 6 p.m. New teams from across the Bay Area are deployed to battle the fire. Conclusion This shows the Oakland hills fires ultimate spread. The inferno led to improved policies and equipment for fire and emergency crews, as well as fireproof materials on homes and roofs. The highly flammable trees that fueled the blaze have since regrown. Graphics by: Todd Trumbull Developed by: Lucio Villa Conditions in the fire-hazard area, which runs mostly above Highway 13 and Interstate 580 from Highway 24 south to San Leandro, have gotten worse, said Robert Doyle, general manager of the East Bay Regional Park District, largely due to the drought but also because of the failure to remove brush and trees. We have a worse drought, more dead trees and drier hillsides, Doyle said. Emergency crews and fire departments are very concerned, and in the meantime we have this squabble thats preventing progress. Although firefighting equipment has improved since 1991, the city hasnt been able to cut down eucalyptus and Monterey pines from the ridgeline because of the steadfast opposition of some residents. Last year, six neighbors who call themselves the Hills Conservation Network sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency and landowners UC Berkeley and the city of Oakland, accusing them of unfairly clear-cutting eucalyptus, Monterey pines and acacia trees. The group claimed that thistle, hemlock and poison oak would replace the felled trees, creating a greater fire risk. The East Bay Regional Park District was also named in the suit. Dan Grassetti, who heads the Hills Conversation Network, said his group advocates a species neutral approach a term that angers many experts, who blame eucalyptus and other invasive species for spreading the 1991 fire. Eucalyptus are highly flammable, so, essentially, we have huge plantations of fire-creating materials, said Norman La Force, chair of the Sierra Clubs East Bay Public Lands Committee. And people in the Hills Conservation Network just dont believe that. Michael Macor/The Chronicle FEMA settled the lawsuit in September when the federal agency and the states Office of Emergency Services agreed to withhold $3.5 million grants to UC Berkeley and Oakland, which would have funded tree removal. The agency still will set aside $2.6 million for EBRPD to cut brush and eucalyptus on 540 acres from Point Pinole to Chabot Regional Park. Yet even that money could be threatened because of a second lawsuit. The Sierra Club also sued FEMA last year in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, claiming the agencys fire prevention plan didnt go far enough. The Sierra Club wants the eucalyptus along 1,500 acres of ridgeline removed to make way for a native forest. The litigation over competing environmental philosophies has cost the city, university and park district hundreds of thousands of dollars, said Doyle of the parks agency. Michael Macor/The Chronicle Some residents, particularly those who survived the 1991 blaze, are growing anxious. Barry Pilger and Catherine Moss, real-estate brokers who lost their home on Buckingham Boulevard to the fire and have since rebuilt, are fed up with what they see as mulish resistance by a small group of activists. Theyre a group of about half a dozen people, all self-appointed experts, who have come up with their own version of a flat Earth society, Pilger said of the Hills Conservation Network. Grassetti said his groups six-member board includes five survivors of the 1991 fire and that members are just as concerned about fire as everyone else. He said federal money was being misspent to advance a native-plant agenda. But La Force and other ecologists say kindling in the hills has increased over 25 years. There are at least as many eucalyptus trees in the hills as there were in 1991, said UC Berkeley Prof. Scott Stephens, who specializes in fire ecology. The trees propagate quickly: A burned or chopped stump can spawn several shoots at its base, and each of those can grow to be 40 feet tall and 10 inches thick within seven years, he said. Michael Macor/The Chronicle Todays trees are older, with long, ribbony bark that breaks off and forms dangerous embers during a wildfire, Stephens said. Drought, periodic freezes and beetle infestations have made the bark more feeble. Weve got these trees suffering in the hills, and the Caldecott acting as a natural wind tunnel, said Piper, who now chairs the Oakland Firesafe Council, a neighborhood group dedicated to wildfire prevention. And every 20 years or so, something gets really bad on those hot, windy days. The East Bay Regional Park District is moving forward with its own plan to thin the eucalyptus in Tilden Park, Claremont Canyon and Chabot Regional Park a sprawling, 3,000-acre swath of land using funding from a $12 annual parcel tax in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Fred Larson/The Chronicle Without federal grant money for clearing vegetation, Oakland has focused on regulations. Since 1991, the city has tightened building codes for houses in the hills, requiring residents to use nonflammable roofing materials, cover eaves to keep embers from blowing in, and build the exteriors of new homes with fire-resistant material. Ten years ago the city also passed an ordinance to require sprinkler systems in any new construction in the fire hazard area. The Oakland Fire Department has also acquired new fire engines equipped with all-wheel drive, and purchased better radios to communicate with outside agencies. Oakland has standardized its fire hydrants so engines from other areas can hook up their hoses. Since the 1991 fire, the department also has conducted annual home inspections in the hills and provided brochures on vegetation management. 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. Michael Macor/The Chronicle Getting people to comply has been tough because most residents werent there in 1991, said Deputy Fire Chief Mark Hoffmann. Pilger and Moss led a successful 2003 campaign for a 10-year tax, which generated about $1.6 million annually that pays for city inspections, debris removal and goats to graze on grass and brush. Their bid to renew the tax lost by a handful of votes in 2014. Grassetti, who opposed the tax, said it was mismanaged by people who support native-plant restoration and want to cut down eucalyptus. Pilger said no tax money was spent on chopping down trees. The constant wrangling has frustrated Hoffmann, who fought the blaze as a lieutenant in 1991 and is still rattled by his memories of that scorching fall day. Brant Ward/The Chronicle The firestorm had its origins in a small grass fire the previous day near Buckingham Boulevard. Firefighters thought they had knocked it down, but when Diablo winds howled out of the east the next day it sprang back to life and turned into an uncontrollable inferno. The father of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf lost his home in the fire, and spent years replacing all his possessions. Among the people who died were Oakland police Officer John Grubensky and a Fire Department battalion chief, James Riley. You have this fight going on in the hills, and people complaining that were trying to clear-cut the parks, Hoffmann said. As we get further away from the firestorm there are people who werent there when the fire happened, and they say, We like our shady glade, we like our canopy of trees. But another giant firestorm is inevitable because wildfires ignite in the Oakland hills about every 20 or 30 years, he said. When that small grass fire flared back 25 years ago, fire crews were already at the scene but were unable to stop it from spreading. Its not a question of if, its a question of when, said Moss, who remembers a moonscape where her home had been. There were dead animals, fire hydrants drizzling, and all the power lines were down. We didnt know where we were because all the landmarks were gone. Piper, who also rebuilt her house, remembers looking at a landscape where only chimneys remained of neighbors homes. Its almost surreal, being in the middle of a disaster, she said. But picking up the pieces afterward thats surreal, too. And thats an experience you dont want anyone else to have to go through. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan A new recreational facility will come to the western shores of Lake Merced as early as 2018. San Franciscos Recreation and Park Commission voted unanimously Thursday to support the proposal. The $2.9 million plan will bring more than a dozen activities to the 11-acre site, including bird watching, kayaking, paddle boarding, picnicking and fishing. The three-phase project is a joint venture involving Greener Excavations & Construction and Outback Adventures. The proposal will head to the city Public Utilities Commission and the Board of Supervisors for final approvals before construction breaks ground. While the first phase is expected to open in 2018, construction wont be finished until 2020. We were looking for high-quality opportunities for recreation, said Cassandra Costello, Rec and Parks property manager. Skeet and trap shooting was not a prohibited use in the request for proposals put out by the city. Former members of the Pacific Rod and Gun Club, which had its decades-long lease ended by the city last year, protested that the proposal did not include a new shooting facility. While that use was not explicitly prohibited, the PUC which owns the site did ban any foreign materials from being deposited in the lake. The gun club would have littered the water with nontoxic shot, making it noncompliant with the requests criteria. The gun club practiced shooting and education opportunities for obtaining ones hunting license, said resident Aaron Myers, who works for a tech company in the Financial District. I understand the club is not coming back. That ship has sailed. I am asking you to consider strongly a way to incorporate it into these new plans. But others said the proposal was bringing the park back to its former glory when San Franciscans could fish on Lake Merceds shore and eat dinner at the boathouse. 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. As I boarded Muni at West Portal, I started reminiscing about the last 18 years that Ive been involved with Lake Merced and trying to save the lake, said Dick Allen, a neighbor and longtime rower. Its a pleasure to be here and get to this point. I strongly support the proposal. There will be activities for everyone under the new plan, said Jay Ganjei of Outback Adventures, which operates facilities in Pinnacles, Yosemite and Lassen national parks, among other locations. Ive made my mission to enable people to enjoy the outdoors, he said. Im very excited about the prospect of including this mission at Lake Merced. Compared to right now, there were times when Lake Merced offered more. But things are changing for the better, and thats why we are all here today. Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Francisco police closed streets in the South of Market area, shut down parts of two freeways and ordered people at the Hall of Justice to shelter in place Thursday as they investigated a suspicious object inside a car at a tow yard that was later declared safe. Police said shortly before 2:30 p.m. that the area around the 400 block of Seventh Street in the South of Market neighborhood was secure and lifted a shelter-in-place order at the scene. A bomb squad responded with a robot used to detect explosives, along with a mobile device to detonate bombs, said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman. All lanes of Interstate 80 and Highway 101 reopened about 2:30 p.m. after the threat initially forced the closures of the freeways in the area, said Office Victor Ruiz, a California Highway Patrol spokesman. A note left on the vehicle, which was towed to the yard, led to the investigation in the impound lot, Talkoff said. She declined to describe the contents of the note, citing the ongoing investigation. It was unclear if the note was on the car when it was towed to the lot. The (bomb squad) deemed the vehicle in question safe and did not present any further concerns, Talkoff said in a statement. The area around Bryant and Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Harrison streets was blocked off to vehicle traffic for about 2 hours while police investigated, Talkoff said. An ambulance and fire truck were also stationed on site. An employee at AutoReturn, a towing company at 450 Seventh St. directly underneath I-80, said something suspicious that could have been a bomb was found in a car towed into the yard near the back of the lot. The company called police shortly after, the worker said. Felipe Hernandez, a 40-year-old San Francisco resident, said the threat affected his plans to pick up his car from AutoReturn after it was towed in the Ingleside neighborhood Thursday morning. He had been at the business since noon but could not get his 1991 Honda Civic back. 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. Hernandez said he was grateful additional late fees for his towed car were waived. Its getting scary here in San Francisco with this bomb threat and with the shooting at the school the other day, he said, referring to Tuesdays incident at June Jordan High School in the citys Excelsior neighborhood. Its a lot of ignorance on the part of folks who would do things like this. Rosie Clark, 53, of San Francisco said he was at the Hall of Justice to testify as a witness in court Thursday morning and was kept inside for about half an hour. I was a little frightened because I thought, if theres a bomb, Id want to get the heck out of there, he said. Michael Bodley and Jenna Lyons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com, jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno, @michael_bodley The gender gap in tech, a new report suggests, starts very, very young before kindergarten. And it may begin when children first pick up their parents smartphones, laptops or tablets. New research published recently by the Computing Technology Industry Association, a nonprofit trade group, found that young girls and boys have notably divergent experiences when it comes to technology in the home. And those experiences may shape their attitudes toward working in the tech industry later in life. In June the nonprofit, also known as CompTIA, commissioned the Blackstone Group to conduct a study of children between ages 10 and 13 and another group between 13 and 17. They conducted an online survey of 200 boys and 200 girls as well as follow-up, in-person focus groups with 37 girls. More than twice the number of boys reported using mobile devices by the time they turned 5 years old than did girls, according to CompTIAs study. Among girls, just 5 percent reported using their parents devices by age 5, while 11 percent of boys did. Parents, according to the study, are more likely to sit down with male children and teach them how to use certain devices. More than 70 percent of boys surveyed by CompTIA reported some level of parental direction or encouragement with regard to their interest in tech. About 59 percent of girls said the same. While boys and girls fairly equally have access to smartphones and tablets from a very young age, boys seem to get more encouragement to tinker with things and figure out how they work and what you can do with them than girls do, said Steven Ostrowski, a CompTIA spokesman. Some of that starts in the home. By middle school, girls begin to count themselves out of the tech sector, with only 27 percent reporting interest in entering a technology field. Over the next several years, that interest declines further, CompTIA found. About 18 percent of high school girls reported similar interests. Starting to recruit women in college is often too little, too late, a report issued in December by the New America think tank argued. Research shows that middle school and high school teachers can play key roles in shifting perceptions around stereotypical images of what a computer scientist or cybersecurity professional can look like by introducing students to non-stereotypical professionals in the field, discussing the stereotypes and exposing them to media that challenges traditional images and traits that they may think a cyber professional ought to have. In cybersecurity in particular, a million jobs are predicted to open up this year alone. According to Mountain Views Symantec, one of the largest security software companies, global demand for information security professionals will hit about 6 million by 2019 but the pool of available workers is expected to fall about 1.5 million short. Its a major threat to the security of any American who uses the Internet, and any business with digital operations, according to the New America report, written by Elizabeth Weingarten and Megan Garcia. Thats because as more of our personal information migrates to the cloud and global cyber threats continue to evolve and multiply, we will need more and more cybersecurity professionals working across industries. Without women, the industry will face a major talent shortfall to the tune of 1.5 million in the next five years. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes More than 209,000 cybersecurity jobs in the United States were unfilled as of last year, according to a 2015 analysis by Stanford University. And women make up just 10 percent of the information security workforce, according to the International Information System Security Certification Consortium. One key element of the problem, experts say, comes down to how girls and eventually women perceive the industry. Part of the issue is image, Ostrowski said. The perception of what a techie looks like is out there, and thats something we need to reverse through getting (girls) exposed to female role models and CEOs and industry professionals, so they see that there are women out there running tech companies and chairing boards of directors. Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Marissa_Jae Starting this week, all of Tesla Motors electric vehicles will come equipped with the hardware needed to drive themselves without human intervention, CEO Elon Musk announced Wednesday. Although the software to enable autonomous driving will be rolled out over time, all cars made at the companys Fremont factory including the upcoming Model 3 sedan will have the necessary cameras and extended-range sensors, as well as a powerful new onboard computer to process their data. Teslas popular Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle already have a smaller, less potent suite of cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors that enable the companys Autopilot feature, which can steer the cars at freeway speed. The new sensor package is supposed to eventually make possible completely autonomous driving, in which the cars take care of every element of the trip. The foundation is laid for the cars to be fully autonomous at a safety level we believe to be at least twice that of a person, maybe better, Musk said during a conference call with reporters. I think thats unexpected by most, but its happening right now. Automakers are racing each other to develop cars capable of level 5 autonomy, in which human drivers no longer need to do anything more than tell the car where to go. Musk said the new hardware suite will be capable of achieving level 5 an immense leap from Autopilot, which cant drive the car in all circumstances and requires the driver to pay attention. Teslas Autopilot system has come under intense scrutiny since a fatal May accident in which a Model S, steering itself on a Florida road, smashed into a truck. Musk has nonetheless insisted that the autonomous system is safer than human drivers in most circumstances, and Tesla owners have posted online testimonials arguing that Autopilot saved them from accidents. Musk said Tesla plans to stage a demonstration autonomous road trip from Los Angeles to New York by the end of next year, with the car handling every element of the journey, including recharging its battery along the way and parking itself at the end. The new hardware suite includes eight cameras ringing the car, whereas earlier, Autopilot-enabled Teslas had only one. The ultrasonic sensors now have greater range than their predecessors, enabling the car to spot objects nearly twice as far away. And the new computer processing all of that information is 40 times more powerful than the one it replaces. Its basically a supercomputer in a car, Musk said. While enabling the Autopilot system requires a software download with a one-time cost of $3,000, turning on the new hardware suite will cost $8,000, Musk said. Thats still a pittance compared with the cost of the cars; Teslas cheapest version of the Model S sells for $66,000. Analysts called the hardware upgrade a bold commitment to a self-driving future, but some noted that it carries risks. Competing automakers, in coming years, may be able to leapfrog it with their own technology in a fast-changing field. Theres no doubt that Tesla has aggressively pushed and inspired more innovation than just about anyone else in the autonomous space, but the way technology cycles refresh so quickly, its not far-fetched to think that this hardware may be obsolete almost as soon as its activated for prime time, said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis at the Edmunds.com auto information website, in an email. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The hardware upgrade will introduce a brief but awkward transition period for Teslas evolving technology. Tesla is still validating the programming that will make use of the new hardware. As a result, for the next few months, older Autopilot-enabled cars will have more capabilities than the newer vehicles, Musk said. The newer ones should reach parity with their predecessors in December. After that, Tesla plans to roll out self-driving improvements to the cars every two or three months, Musk said. The company will not retrofit older Teslas with the new hardware, he said. David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF There was a time not so long ago when the word showrooming was the most profane word in retailing. The term refers to physical stores serving as little more than showrooms for people who want to see the merchandise in person but ultimately intend to buy it somewhere else. For example, consumers visit a Best Buy store to examine a television and then later purchase it on Amazon, often at a cheaper price. Today, companies of all stripes proudly show off their showrooms and they dont care if you buy on the spot. Last year, Target unveiled Open House beneath its Metreon store in San Francisco to educate consumers about how the Internet can link together disparate household devices. This month AT&T opened a 23,000-square-foot space at the old Bank of Italy building near Union Square, designed to demonstrate the latest in media technology. Its the perfect space here in downtown San Francisco, said Allie Borg, vice president and general manager of retail sales and services for AT&T. What you should feel when you walk in here is celebration of our history as an innovator. Tesla recently opened a flagship store on Van Ness Avenue and OFarrell Street, in the heart of what once was San Franciscos Auto Row. The electric automaker in Palo Alto occupies a three-story, Art Deco dealership built in 1937 for Chevrolet. In 2017, furniture maker Restoration Hardware in Corte Madera will debut a five-story, 60,000-square-foot showroom in the historic Bethlehem Steel administrative building on the corner of Illinois and 20th streets at Pier 70 in San Francisco. And of course, the Apple Store is the one showroom that many retailers, whether they like to admit it or not, love to emulate, if not blatantly copy. So what has changed? A few years ago, Amazon was stealing quite a bit of market share from brick-and-mortar chains because of its reputation for convenience and lower prices. In addition, traditional retailers didnt have particularly good e-commerce operations: The digital and store sides of the business worked in silos and often competed for resources and clout within the company. But retailers eventually started to price-match Amazon more closely, so consumers could buy merchandise at the store instead of online thereby eliminating the showroom effect. They also started to better integrate brick and mortar with e-commerce, including the option to pick up online orders at physical stores. Moreover, retailers started to use their store space in more creative ways: Best Buy, for example, focused heavily on partnering with manufacturers like Sony, Microsoft and Samsung to open special store-within-store concepts. Showrooming was once portrayed as the number one threat to brick-and-mortar retail, said Carol Spieckerman, founder and president of Spieckerman Retail consulting firm. But retailers have definitely chilled out. They are now looking at their stores as assets. They are asking what are we doing to make the most out of the specific space we have? For example, at Targets Open House, consumers can purchase a variety of smart devices such as home thermostats that can be controlled by a mobile phone or coffeemakers that automatically brew at set times. But the real point of the store is not to sell but rather to educate and learn, said Gene Han, a vice president who heads Targets innovation center in San Francisco. Theres no substitute for direct consumer feedback, Han said. These products dont sell themselves, and we are trying to tell a bigger story. Were asking Americans to become the technologists of tomorrow. For a brick-and-mortar retailer to not focus on pushing sales represents a sea change in culture. After all, Wall Street tends to measure retail performance by quarterly sales at stores open for at least a year. Target, however, sees enormous potential in the emerging Internet of Things category, in which a number of Internet-connected devices can work together to automate tasks and solve problems for consumers. Its a complicated concept, which is why Target felt the need to build a showroom to demonstrate the technology. Just like any (very large) company, youve got to make a commitment to research and development, Han said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Making immediate sales is not the only purpose of the Tesla store, either. Uncluttered and sparsely decorated, each store has a handful of cars for test-drives. But the stores largely focus on teaching potential customers about the brand. Buyers can order and customize a Model S or a Model X at a Tesla store, but they cant drive home with one. Whereas carmakers primarily distribute vehicles through physical dealerships, analysts think such locations will increasingly serve as showrooms to push consumers to purchase cars in cyberspace. New cars will be sold via a number of channels, leveraging the existing dealer network and new flagship stores, but also through online and mobile channels, with sales staff even traveling to customers to showcase the vehicles digitally, according to a 2013 report by Frost & Sullivan. Leasing space, especially large amounts of real estate in prime locations in New York and San Francisco, is an expensive proposition, so stores still need to financially justify their existence. Retailers are trying to balance the desire to educate and entertain but also generate sales, Spieckerman, the retail consultant, said. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle That tension is best illustrated in the new AT&T store. On the bottom floor, AT&T is selling the usual mobile phones, accessories and other services. But on the second floor, AT&T is using large touch-screens, animation and even a hologram to educate consumers about connected homes and smart cities. We want to sell because we are still a retail space, said Devina Ewing, AT&Ts area store manager. But one of the nuances that we do here is to integrate these stores by explaining to customers all of the services and products we have. Of course, there will still be numbers, and internally thats what we will be reporting, and there will be focus on performance, she said. But ultimately its about connecting customers to the AT&T brand. Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate California Attorney General Kamala Harris is investigating Wells Fargo for possible identity theft crimes, according to a search warrant and supporting documents issued by her office on Oct. 5. Harris, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate, joins a growing list of law enforcement officials looking into the company since Sept. 8, when regulators disclosed in a settlement that the bank fired 5,300 employees for allegedly opening more than 2 million deposit or credit card accounts since 2011 without customers knowledge or consent. Harris office is asking the San Francisco bank to provide wide-ranging customer account and other information to see whether it violated Sections 529 and 530.5 of the California penal code. The former makes it a crime to falsely impersonate someone, and the latter makes it a crime to use personal identifying information of another person for any unlawful purpose, including to obtain or attempt to obtain credit, goods, services, real property or medical information without that persons consent. Convictions under both sections are punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment up to one year. In a statement, Wells Fargo said, We are cooperating in providing the requested information. On Sept. 29 and 30, James Hirt, a special agent supervisor for the attorney generals office, interviewed four Wells Fargo customers identified by the Los Angeles city attorneys office, which filed a civil complaint in May 2015 alleging that Wells Fargo engaged in unfair and fraudulent business and sales practices. In an affidavit, Hirt said the customers, whose names were not disclosed, told him that Wells employees had opened a line of credit, insurance policy, savings account or online banking credentials without their knowledge or permission. Based on these interviews, Harris office electronically served a search warrant on Wells Fargo requesting the identity of all customers who received any account, life insurance or other product without their consent between May 2011 and July 2015; an accounting of all fees associated with these accounts; the names and branch locations of employees who opened these accounts; and the employees branch, area and regional managers. It also requested all text and email messages, phone calls and social network posts that referenced these accounts. Wells settled the Los Angeles city attorneys complaint on Sept. 8 without admitting or denying guilt. That settlement also included the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which were looking into the same activities. However, that did not put an end to investigations. U.S. attorneys in San Francisco, New York and Charlotte, N.C., have opened inquiries, according to news reports, but its not clear whether they could lead to civil or criminal charges. Several U.S. senators, including Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have called on the Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the company and former Wells chief John Stumpf. Stumpf, who had been the banks chief executive since 2007 and chairman since 2010, retired last week. Tim Sloan, a longtime lieutenant, replaced him as CEO. Stephen Sanger, who was the boards independent lead director since 2012, replaced him as chairman. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes This week, Stumpf resigned from the boards of Target and Chevron. The investigations are hindering Wells Fargos attempts to put the scandal behind it. Its shares have fallen 9.3 percent since Sept. 8. Competitors JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup have seen their shares rise 1.6, 3.8 and 3.5 percent, respectively, over the same period. In a note this week, analysts for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their investment recommendation on Wells Fargo stock. The top concern to us is that more findings emerge that show more unethical activity took place. We believe only time will shake this concern for us and it could be a year or more before one gains comfort that cross-sell was an isolated scandal, they wrote in a note. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender Kaseem Bentley and two exhausted stand-up comedians walked through a moving BART train after an Oakland comedy show. The two weary comics were heading home at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday night, but Bentley, still in a suit from his day job, was en route to his next gig. You guys coming? Bentley asked at his San Francisco stop. No? No one? Fine. Ill see you guys at the top! The Oakland comedy show from which all three were returning was an open mike at the Layover, a venue that somehow manages to be a dive bar and upscale venue that hosts a variety of performance art. A seasoned comic after nine years of stand-up, Bentley took the stage last. Itd been a long, slow night. The laughs had been few and far between, perhaps because the only big table full of patrons got up and left when the shows host began his Scooby-Doo impressions. Some people dont like the silence, said Bentley of performing to a sparse crowd. But I know Ill come back in two weeks, and itll be packed and Ill murder. Courtesy Kaseem Bentley Bentley grew up in Lakeview, a working-class African American neighborhood near San Francisco City College. His late dad, whom Bentley describes as really, really funny, was a Muni driver. His mom was a social worker, and she is funny, too, he said. Bentleys deep local roots make it hard for him to move to either Los Angeles or New York, as so many of his comedy contemporaries have already done. Im not afraid of going to L.A., said Bentley a few days after his set at the Layover. I just dont want to be down there doing three-minute open mikes. There are a lot of things Bentley doesnt want to do. For example, I dont want to be the next Steve Harvey, he said, as if the world were even open to that possibility. And I dont want to be in this to be a broke comic. Thats fine, but its not why Im in this. Im living for me, not Mitzi at the damn Comedy Store. These days, living for Bentley means keeping his job working for a housing nonprofit while performing nearly every night wherever he can. In between work and gigs, Bentley juggles calls and emails from New York and Los Angeles because things are really starting to happen. Maybe. Probably. He doesnt want to jinx it. Bentley didnt even get started in comedy until he was nearly 30, an age regarded as ancient in the world of stand-up. He studied art in college and planned to become a curator. It was while working as an educational adviser for high school-age college hopefuls that Bentley started to consider comedy. (One of his students revealed his plans to try stand-up. He said it like it was a secret, remembered Bentley.) Stand-up comedy is probably one of the most vital parts of the arts. Its one of the most dangerous art forms, he said. Its just you and your thoughts and the microphone. In the beginning, Bentley spent more than a year just hanging out in comedy clubs. He was the funny guy holding court after shows until a club manager told him to either get onstage or get out. So he got onstage. Nine years later, hes in talks for television shows and writing gigs, and hes premiering a podcast at next years San Francisco Sketchfest. As we chatted in a Mission District coffee shop (for hours, because Bentley asked me as many questions as I asked him), he waved an old comic friend in off the street. The young friend had given up stand-up and was working for a tech firm. Coding, right? Bentley asked, with a laugh. Then the bearded 39-year-old switched into big brother mode and looked up from his seat at the young former comic. Dont be the funny guy at the water cooler for the rest of your life, bro. Come back! Bentley still isnt sure that hes ready to leave San Francisco, especially with his theory that the Bay Areas tech culture provides creative opportunities that arent available in bigger comedy towns. Plus, this is his home. Living in San Francisco is like eating a day-old pastry, said Bentley. Sure its not as good as it was, but its still a cronut. Its still good. Beth Spotswoods column appears Thursdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com The 2012 film Jack Reacher didnt seem like the beginning of anything, but more like a mediocre one-off, something that Tom Cruise was trying out that didnt quite succeed. But the sequel, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, is of a whole other order. This is a superior and assured action movie, a quality product that makes the case for a franchise. There are certainly lots of stories to choose from. The movie is based on Never Go Back, Lee Childs 18th novel featuring Reacher, a huge and relentless ex-military officer, now living the life of a drifter. Cruise cant exactly make himself huge, but its amazing what Cruise can do just by thinking huge, and relentlessness for him is second nature. And this time, there is a quality team behind the camera. Edward Zwick (Glory) directed, and he also co-wrote the script, in collaboration with Richard Wenk (The Equalizer) and Marshall Herskovitz (Love and Other Drugs, The Last Samurai). Never Go Back gets off to a great start. A local sheriff is about to lead Reacher away in handcuffs, but Reacher is typically unfazed. In 90 seconds, two things are going to happen, he says. He predicts that the pay phone on the wall will soon ring and that the sheriff himself will be led away in handcuffs. What follows is a highly entertaining 90 seconds. The film tops this flashy opening with an assured and speedy plunge into story. Reacher heads back to his old military headquarters to meet a major (Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother) whom he has become interested in. They have developed a flirtatious relationship over the phone. But when he arrives in town, he finds that the major is in a military prison, charged with espionage. Movies like this action thrillers, involving nations and governments are elaborate constructions. Their scale and mechanical nature will not appeal to everyone, but those who appreciate them will enjoy the workings of the machinery here. Never Go Back presents Reacher with a monumental problem. Hes operating only on a hunch that a woman he barely knows is innocent. He is in a maze, without a clue as to what is happening or why. And he soon finds that everyone is against him local law enforcement, teams of paid assassins and, of course, the entire United States government. Thrown into the mix, and bordering on overkill, Reacher also has to protect a teenage girl who might very well be his own daughter. Samantha (Danika Yarosh) is loud and feral, seemingly raised by wolves, and she definitely wins the prize for Most Annoying Action Movie Daughter Since Maggie Grace in Taken. Fortunately, the pairing of Cruise and Smulders is a good one. In a way thats both satisfying and compelling, they seem evenly matched. Smulders is utterly believable as a career military woman, tough and no-nonsense, with the bearing of someone who has had to muscle her way through a male-run organization. As an actress and as a character, Smulders looks at Cruise as an equal; she doesnt act like a guest star in a Cruise universe. This is a balance that Zwick enforces, to the movies benefit. Such are the advantages of getting a quality director to work in the action genre. If characters are running from bad guys, it really does help to know who those characters are, to have a sense of their interaction, and to worry about their safety. All good movies are about people, even good action movies. As for Cruise, the Reacher character is a challenge. Reacher never smiles, so right off thats one weapon in the Cruise arsenal taken off the table. He doesnt talk much, so Cruises verbal dexterity doesnt come into play, either. Reacher is also something of a pessimist, which means Cruise must contain his natural ebullience. The only point of intersection between Cruise and Reacher is sheer will. And at the risk of sounding like a bad Shakespeare sonnet the question is this: Does Cruise have enough will to play will and succeed through force of will alone? The answer is yes. With Tom Cruise, the answer is always yes. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Action. Starring Tom Cruise and Cobie Smulders. Directed by Edward Zwick. (PG-13. 118 minutes.) To see a trailer: www.youtube.com/watch ?v=aoCP_JHzBUM For the first time in its 44-year history, Sequoia Capital, one of the most vaunted venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, has hired a female investing partner for its U.S. operations. Sequoia had been wooing Jess Lee since 2012. Shes the co-founder and CEO of Polyvore, a shopping site for fashion and home decor. Yahoo acquired it last year for $230 million, and as Yahoo is now being bought by Verizon Communications, Lee agreed to join Sequoia. When she starts on Nov. 7, Lee, 33, will become the 11th partner and one of the youngest investing partners at the firm. In an email to Bloomberg, she wrote she was excited to join Sequoia to help the next generation of founders. Sequoia is among the worlds most respected firms because of its early bets on companies including Apple, Cisco, PayPal and Google. The firm has several female investors overseeing its global funds, but like many venture firms, its Silicon Valley headquarters is run by a group of older men. Women make up just 6 percent of the senior investment teams at top venture firms in 2016, according to researcher PitchBook Data, up slightly from 5 percent in 2010. Getting the first female venture capitalist into a top-tier partnership is a big deal, said Kate Mitchell, the co-founder and partner of Scale Venture Partners and the chairwoman of the National Venture Capital Associations task force on diversity. Whether that translates into a long-term commitment to better inclusion, only time will tell. As standard bearers in the industry, Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers have been lightning rods in the diversity debate. Kleiner Perkins, which was unsuccessfully sued by Ellen Pao for gender discrimination, has added several female investing partners over the last decade or so. In India and China, Sequoia has five female investing partners. In the U.S., Sequoia was slower. Sequoia Chairman Mike Moritz told Bloomberg TV last year he was working to find a female partner but that it was difficult and the firm wasnt prepared to lower standards. The statement sparked outrage. (He later clarified his remarks in an email to Bloomberg, saying, I know there are many remarkable women who would flourish in the venture business. Were working hard to find them.) Despite that apology, Moritz continued to stumble in discussing diversity in the technology industry. In remarks Wednesday at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit, Moritz referred to a female venture capitalist as a lady investor. Becoming a venture investor marks a turning point for Lee, a computer science graduate of Stanford University. Her first job after school was as a product manager developing features for Google Maps. Lee left Google to join fashion shopping and styling startup Polyvore as its first outside employee in 2008. She did everything from writing code to selling ads and finding office space, and in 2010, Polyvores three founders made her an honorary co-founder. In 2012, they asked her to become CEO. Lee fits a rare profile: an entrepreneur with a lot of success, yet young enough to have a long career ahead of her. Sequoia could potentially groom her for a leadership role. Her rare blend of product and design sensibility, leadership and grit will make her a tremendous asset to Sequoia founders and our team, Sequoia partner Roelof Botha wrote in an email. 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. Sequoia added Mike Vernal as a partner in May, the first addition since the departure of Michael Goguen, a longtime partner who left this year after he was sued for alleged sexual abuse. (Sequoia quickly severed all ties with him, and Goguen countersued for extortion.) Botha said Sequoia may add one more partner; he was vague on timing and other details. If we have a more diverse group, we will make better decisions, he said. San Francisco Chronicle Business Editor Owen Thomas contributed to this report. Lizette Chapman and Sarah McBride are Bloomberg writers. Email: lchapman19@bloomberg.net, smcbride24@bloomberg.net Ethan Miller/Getty Images In the most defining moment of a contentious debate, Republican nominee Donald Trump refused to say whether he would accept the result of the Nov. 8 election. I will tell you at the time, Trump said in response to the question from moderator Chris Wallace. Ill keep you in suspense. It was an unprecedented moment in American history. Even in the closest and most disputed of U.S. elections, the losing candidate has stepped up to put the interest of the nation above his ego and political ambitions. Think about Richard Nixon in 1960, conceding to John F. Kennedy even after questions lingered about the efficacy of the Illinois vote. Think about Al Gore in 2000, conceding to George W. Bush even after he had won the popular vote, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to stop the recount in Florida and independent surveys later suggested that the Democrat would have won with a more extensive recount. In 1981, songwriter Jackson Browne was among the 2,000 people arrested during the boldest demonstration yet against a nuclear future, according to Rolling Stone, a massive, well-planned event the Los Angeles Times described as the Normandy Invasion of civil protests. Uncomfortable with a nuclear facility on a fault line, a younger Gov. Jerry Brown had promised two years earlier to do everything he could to stop the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant from opening. Nonetheless, the plant went online in 1985. And, through the years, by PG&Es own estimate, Diablo became an economic powerhouse, with an annual impact of nearly $1 billion in San Luis Obispo County and $1.5 billion statewide. But now Diablo remains the last nuclear plant operating in California. And, reflecting a nationwide shift from nuclear energy, PG&E proposes to close it by 2025. While that decision pleases those who opposed nuclear energy, Diablos closure now poses a new risk the threat of substantial regional economic impacts. And we fear that PG&E wants to rush approval of the plants closure to avoid helping our communities prevent such losses. In August, PG&E formally filed its closure application with the California Public Utilities Commission. While it consulted with environmental and labor groups behind closed doors before filing its request, it didnt inform elected officials or seek their input. Its proposal neglected to consider how the closure might impact the cities, and it certainly didnt offer assistance in offsetting negative impacts to our local economy. To be fair, PG&E offered to offset some of the direct tax losses in the form of a Community Impact Fund. Unfortunately, this fund is simply insufficient. Recognizing the impact the plant closure would have on our communities, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles and Morro Bay formed an unprecedented Coalition of Cities to address a post-Diablo economy. The coalition believes that PG&E has a responsibility to fairly address the impacts of Diablos closure, and negotiate in good faith to achieve meaningful solutions to community concerns and provide economic assistance to ensure the local economy doesnt falter. While living with the risk of a nuclear plant in our backyard, our communities greatly contributed to Diablos success and provided a competent, loyal workforce that helped PG&E realize revenues of $1.45 billion in 2014. Our county also benefited. PG&E, the countys largest private employer, offered outstanding wages and, as the countys biggest taxpayer, provided millions of dollars for local schools, libraries and roads. While we were living with this risk, PG&E contributed resources toward emergency preparedness, but is now uncertain about what resources will be available when the plant shutters and nuclear waste is left behind. If PG&E is held only to its present proposal, it will not only leave nuclear waste for several generations to deal with, but it will also leave behind an economy in peril. While PG&E initially expressed regret for failing to consult with local cities before filing its plant closure application, that regret is belied by its formal response to the coalitions protest. In its rebuttal, PG&E argued that the CPUC had no obligation to consider economic impact, future land use or nuclear waste storage. This would be unacceptable. PG&E says it is willing to consider these important issues only after the closure is approved by CPUC. PG&E simply expects the coalition to trust that it will do the right thing without making any real commitments to do so. Residents who want to continue enjoying the economic and natural resources of our region need to speak out and demand corporate accountability, and insist that PG&E not bequeath economic hardship and nuclear waste as its legacy of our time together. A rookie congressman has an idea for how to fix the Department of Veterans Affairs beleaguered health care system. His solution? Forcing his fellow lawmakers to sign up. The Lead by Example Act, introduced last month by Ohio Republican Warren Davidson, mandates that lawmakers and congressional staffers get their medical care exclusively through the VA a single-payer system notorious for rationed care and long wait times. Davidsons bill carries an important message. Supporters of government-run health care should try living under such a system. If they did, these champions of socialized medicine would change their tune in a hurry. It wasnt long ago that single-payer advocates heralded the Veterans Health Administration as a shining example of what the rest of the country could enjoy. That is, until it came to light that veterans suffered chronic, sometimes deadly delays in getting care and that VA officials were covering it up. After that scandal broke, Congress rushed in with $15 billion in emergency funds. President Obama promised urgent reforms. All to no avail. One recent audit found a VHA clinic in Houston had been falsifying data on wait times even after the scandal broke. A National Public Radio report this spring found that wait times were worse than ever before. More than half a million veterans wait more than a month for care, and 88,000 face wait times of more than three months. Things are no better in single-payer systems abroad. The United Kingdoms National Health Service is on the brink of financial collapse. Its funding crisis has prompted a secretive effort to close hospitals, shutter emergency rooms, and eliminate hospital beds and acute care services. Without these cuts, the NHS will face a shortfall of $26 billion within four years. Not to be outdone, Canadas government-run system continues to generate a steady supply of health-care horror stories. Consider the cases of Wolf and Anita Gottschalk, two residents of British Columbia. After 62 years of marriage, the couple now live apart, thanks to their countrys single-payer system. Following a bout of congestive heart failure, Wolf failed to secure a spot at the assisted living facility where Anita now lives. Hes now recovering in a transitional facility while he waits for an open bed. The family explicitly blames backlogs and delays by our health care system for this painful separation. In Ontario, meanwhile, hospitals are relying on American health-care providers to treat their most critical patients. According to a recent investigation by the Toronto Star, the province actually budgeted $100 million to send hundreds of Ontario patients who would have died waiting for treatment in this province to hospitals in Buffalo, Cleveland and Detroit. In one case, a 46-year-old blood cancer patient requiring a stem-cell transplant faced an eight-month wait. By the time she sought care in Buffalo, her cancer had progressed too far for the transplant to be effective. As a native of Canada, I know all too well the devastating costs of single-payer health care. My mother died from colon cancer after doctors delayed her colonoscopy a routine preventive procedure. Yet here in the United States, the lefts passion for single-payer health care continues to burn bright. It doesnt hurt that these advocates have never experienced the dreadful consequences of a government-run system firsthand. Lets hope they never do. Former South Bay Rep. Tom Campbell is on the short list for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Of course, Libertarian Gary Johnson would have to win the presidency for that to happen, but hey, its something. The former GOP legislator, now a law professor at Chapman University in Orange County, said he was honored by the unexpected notice from Johnson, former governor of New Mexico and a long shot in the November election. It was a very kind recognition, Campbell told Law.com, a legal affairs website. Campbells name has been showing up a lot in the political world in recent months, which isnt a surprise. When he took the job as dean of Chapmans law school in 2011, he agreed to stay out of the political whirl. But when he gave up his spot as dean earlier this year, that deal was off. This month, for example, he was one of 30 Republican former members of Congress to sign a letter announcing their opposition to GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump. Campbell also has put out a plan he says would allow Republicans to avoid a repeat of their humiliation in this years U.S. Senate race in California, where a bunch of little-known and underfunded GOP candidates couldnt keep a pair of Democrats from moving on to the November election. The vast number of California Republicans can unite behind a few very important principles, leaving the points that divide us to one side, Campbell said in a letter to Republicans. We need to find a candidate for governor in 2018 and support her or him strongly and early. Although Campbell has said hes not looking to be that candidate, Republicans could do worse. The 64-year-old Illinois native has a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago and a law degree from Harvard, and he was a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Byron White. He won a South Bay congressional seat in 1988 and served until he lost a 1992 primary run for Senate. He later served in the state Senate and then spent six more years in Congress, leaving when he lost the 2000 Senate race to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Campbell also has been dean of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and head of Californias Department of Finance. Still, the Supreme Court ... I think its like being pope, he said in the interview. You say, I am not worthy. Then you look to your left and right and say, Hey, tell them Im worthy. John Wildermuth Youve got mail: In a San Francisco supervisorial district with huge problems including evictions, gentrification and tent encampments email response time may seem pretty minor. But its become a surprisingly big issue in the race to replace termed-out Supervisor David Campos in District Nine, which includes the Mission and Bernal Heights. Campos is backing Hillary Ronen, his legislative aide but her challengers have made hay with assertions that Campos and Ronen ignore constituents emails and phone calls. This isnt Fantasy Island, where you can pick and choose what you want to take credit for, Joshua Arce, Ronens main challenger, said in a debate last week. He said Campos and Ronen focus on headline-grabbing issues at the expense of residents smaller concerns. The issue of responsiveness and failure to deliver is one of the defining issues in this race, Arce said. Hes got the vote of Kathy Sabatino, a Bernal Heights resident who said she repeatedly called, emailed and wrote letters to Campos office in frustration at parking tickets she was receiving for leaving her car in front of her own house. I didnt get any response, she said. I honestly cant even count how many times I wrote to Campos. I just gave up. Those who email Campos usually get an automatic reply that he cant respond to every message. But Arce says that from what he hears, Campos never responds to anything. Campos calls it a fabricated thing and said his office is pretty responsive. You have campaigns that are not doing very well, and theyre trying to grab something even if its not based on the facts, Campos said. The candidates were asked by an audience member in last weeks debate, Will you return calls and emails? We know youll be shocked by this, but each candidate said, Yes. Heather Knight John Wildermuth and Heather Knight are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, hknight@sfchronicle.com A new recreational facility will come to the western shores of Lake Merced as early as 2018. San Franciscos Recreation and Park Commission voted unanimously Thursday to support the proposal. The $2.9 million plan will bring more than a dozen activities to the 11-acre site, including bird watching, kayaking, paddle boarding, picnicking and fishing. The three-phase project is a joint venture involving Greener Excavations & Construction and Outback Adventures. The proposal will head to the city Public Utilities Commission and the Board of Supervisors for final approvals before construction breaks ground. While the first phase is expected to open in 2018, construction wont be finished until 2020. We were looking for high-quality opportunities for recreation, said Cassandra Costello, Rec and Parks property manager. Skeet and trap shooting was not a prohibited use in the request for proposals put out by the city. Former members of the Pacific Rod and Gun Club, which had its decades-long lease ended by the city last year, protested that the proposal did not include a new shooting facility. While that use was not explicitly prohibited, the PUC which owns the site did ban any foreign materials from being deposited in the lake. The gun club would have littered the water with nontoxic shot, making it noncompliant with the requests criteria. The gun club practiced shooting and education opportunities for obtaining ones hunting license, said resident Aaron Myers, who works for a tech company in the Financial District. I understand the club is not coming back. That ship has sailed. I am asking you to consider strongly a way to incorporate it into these new plans. But others said the proposal was bringing the park back to its former glory when San Franciscans could fish on Lake Merceds shore and eat dinner at the boathouse. As I boarded Muni at West Portal, I started reminiscing about the last 18 years that Ive been involved with Lake Merced and trying to save the lake, said Dick Allen, a neighbor and longtime rower. Its a pleasure to be here and get to this point. I strongly support the proposal. There will be activities for everyone under the new plan, said Jay Ganjei of Outback Adventures, which operates facilities in Pinnacles, Yosemite and Lassen national parks, among other locations. Ive made my mission to enable people to enjoy the outdoors, he said. Im very excited about the prospect of including this mission at Lake Merced. Compared to right now, there were times when Lake Merced offered more. But things are changing for the better, and thats why we are all here today. Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn When Moriah Larkins worked a previous job for a retailer in Emeryville, she says her schedule was so unpredictable, shed sometimes be asked to pick up shifts only hours before they began and as a single mother, that created lots of problems. Sometimes Id have to decline because I cant find a babysitter on the spot. And when I declined, they had to cut my hours down to 19, 22 hours a week, she said. I had to figure out what bill to pay first. Her problem is a common one among retail workers, but in Emeryville, that may change after a Tuesday night City Council vote unanimously approved an ordinance requiring large retailers to give employees schedules two weeks in advance, with extra compensation for last-minute scheduling changes. It also requires businesses to offer extra hours to existing part-time employees before hiring people to staff those hours. The ordinance is the second of its kind in California and the third in the country, after San Francisco and Seattle. Emeryvilles ordinance will take effect in July. Emeryville has the highest citywide minimum wage in the country. Right now, businesses with more than 55 employees are required to pay workers $14.82 per hour. But even with higher wages, many workers say they struggle with cuts to their hours and abrupt schedule changes, leaving them scrambling to find child care and making it harder to patch together a living from multiple part-time jobs. When people dont have stable full-time or even part-time hours, they cant budget or schedule basic things like child care, doctor visits, classes, family time or self care, wrote Emeryville Mayor Dianne Martinez and Councilwoman Ruth Atkin in a May opinion piece in The Chronicle. Some businesspeople say that flexible schedules are a necessity in retail and that requiring compensation for last-minute schedule changes makes it less likely employees will be offered more hours even if they want them. The largest employers in Emeryville include Ikea, Peets Coffee and Tea, Oaks Card Club, and AC Transit. The city is dense with retail as Councilwoman Jac Asher observed, We have one public school in 1 square mile. We have four malls. Emeryville has a chance to learn from San Franciscos experience implementing the ordinance, according to Jennifer Lin, deputy director of the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, a nonprofit that has pushed for the ordinance. In the case of San Franciscos ordinance, businesses warned that the quality of service would likely decline. But Seema Patel, deputy director of San Franciscos Office of Labor Standards Enforcement and the person in charge of enforcing the San Francisco rules, said that hasnt happened. I just want to show that none of the concerns that the retailers had raised as far as the law being too complex and burdensome to comply with have actually come to bear in our experience, she told the Emeryville City Council. Seattles, San Franciscos and Emeryvilles ordinances all grant exemptions to small businesses, but Emeryvilles exemption is the narrowest, applying only to businesses with fewer than 55 employees worldwide. Seattles ordinance, in contrast, only affects businesses with at least 500 employees, and San Franciscos mainly applies to chains with at least 40 stores worldwide and 20 San Francisco employees. A fair workweek ordinance will also appear on the ballot in San Jose next month. Opponents argue that the rules apply a one-size-fits-all approach that is damaging to businesses. I urge the council to not impose requirements that would have an adverse impact on scheduling programs that were already working, said Steven Manlove, a human resources manager at Home Depot. Others say its important to hold employers accountable. Everywhere Ive worked has had similar policies in place, but people dont always adhere to them said Stevie Miles, who has worked for various Emeryville retailers and has held management positions. Youre pushing full-time work on part-timers, 35 hours a week during the busier parts of the year, Miles said. People are quitting their second jobs so that they are more available to us, and then we have to cut them back down to 16 hours a week. You could tell people just didnt feel respected. Larkins says even though things are better at her new job, she wants to advocate for better conditions for workers coming after her including her 3-year-old son, Sean-James. Thats why I bring my baby to City Council meetings, she said with a laugh. I hope I can help make a better place so that when he starts to work, he doesnt have to go through all this crazy stuff. Filipa A. Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Francisco police closed streets in the South of Market area, shut down parts of two freeways and ordered people at the Hall of Justice to shelter in place Thursday as they investigated a suspicious object inside a car at a tow yard that was later declared safe. Police said shortly before 2:30 p.m. that the area around the 400 block of Seventh Street in the South of Market neighborhood was secure and lifted a shelter-in-place order at the scene. A bomb squad responded with a robot used to detect explosives, along with a mobile device to detonate bombs, said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman. All lanes of Interstate 80 and Highway 101 reopened about 2:30 p.m. after the threat initially forced the closures of the freeways in the area, said Office Victor Ruiz, a California Highway Patrol spokesman. A note left on the vehicle, which was towed to the yard, led to the investigation in the impound lot, Talkoff said. She declined to describe the contents of the note, citing the ongoing investigation. It was unclear if the note was on the car when it was towed to the lot. The (bomb squad) deemed the vehicle in question safe and did not present any further concerns, Talkoff said in a statement. The area around Bryant and Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Harrison streets was blocked off to vehicle traffic for about 2 hours while police investigated, Talkoff said. An ambulance and fire truck were also stationed on site. An employee at AutoReturn, a towing company at 450 Seventh St. directly underneath I-80, said something suspicious that could have been a bomb was found in a car towed into the yard near the back of the lot. The company called police shortly after, the worker said. Felipe Hernandez, a 40-year-old San Francisco resident, said the threat affected his plans to pick up his car from AutoReturn after it was towed in the Ingleside neighborhood Thursday morning. He had been at the business since noon but could not get his 1991 Honda Civic back. Hernandez said he was grateful additional late fees for his towed car were waived. Its getting scary here in San Francisco with this bomb threat and with the shooting at the school the other day, he said, referring to Tuesdays incident at June Jordan High School in the citys Excelsior neighborhood. Its a lot of ignorance on the part of folks who would do things like this. Rosie Clark, 53, of San Francisco said he was at the Hall of Justice to testify as a witness in court Thursday morning and was kept inside for about half an hour. I was a little frightened because I thought, if theres a bomb, Id want to get the heck out of there, he said. Michael Bodley and Jenna Lyons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com, jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno, @michael_bodley Emily Witt knows how to do research. Attending a live porn shoot at a bar near San Franciscos Tenderloin district, she interviews director and dominatrix Princess Donna of Kink.com as well as tiny blond starlet Penny Pax. Then she fixes her keen reporters eye on the male lead, Spanish performer Ramon Nomar, whos just finished shooting his climactic scene: With the rooms attention focused on Penny he yanked off his sweaty T-shirt, flung it into a corner, and wandered off into a dark part of the bar, naked but for his combat boots. Like a long-distance runner who has just crossed the finish line, he walked it off, moving his arms in circles, wiping the sweat from his face with his arm, and taking deep breaths. In this moment, and in many others in her genre-bending first book, Future Sex, Witt captures lonely, tender truths about human sexuality. Seeking the future of sex in our culture, she shrewdly examines the past, weaving a brief history of pornography into her present-day experience, touching on the antiporn feminist movement, the movie Deep Throat and pioneering performer/director Annie Sprinkle. And thats just one chapter. Witt also explores Internet dating, the practice of orgasmic meditation, live webcams, polyamory and the hedonistic Burning Man festival, where she concludes her journey in the orgy dome. The result is a riveting chronicle of 21st century sexuality, told by a smart and talented writer. Witts story begins in Brooklyn, where she finds herself unhappily single at age 30, nursing a heartbreak that bores her and a persistent worry about the future. Uncoupled and straight, shes stuck in sexual adventure mode sleeping with some of her friends, who in turn sleep with other friends not by choice, like the polyamorous young Google employees she later profiles, but by accident. An Ivy League scholar and cultural critic whos written for the New Yorker and the New York Times, Witt questions the whole industry of coupling: weddings, gift registries and baby-making, the universal approval that comes with having a family. And when the monogamous destiny shes planned for doesnt arrive, she embarks on a quest both intellectual and personal: to explore the possibilities of free love and try to understand her generations sexual mores. The project takes her to San Francisco, because in those years, San Francisco was where the future was going to be figured out, or at least it was the city America had designated for people who still believed in free love. A word of caution: if youre looking for a juicy, confessional memoir, find another book. Witt is a journalist and keeps an observers distance from her subject, even while trying out an anonymous online sexual encounter via private webcam. She stays guarded about the details of her erotic life, reluctant to depict true arousal or desire. Her tone can be cold, as if shes going through the motions of sexual experimentation, more social scientist than memoirist. After attending a hip sex party in a rented loft south of Market Street, Witt remains coolly intellectual: I was still thinking of myself as just a visitor someone undertaking an abstract inquiry but not yet with true intention. But her courage is indisputable, and her crisp narration, wry humor and critical insights make for a compelling read. Witt documents the sexual subcultures she encounters, examining how technology has opened up new possibilities of ingenuity and self-expression. Future Sex delves into the world of live webcams, particularly the website Chaturbate, which one Swedish performer calls an introverts paradise that allows women to remain in complete control of each encounter. Witt interviews an enigmatic 19-year-old college student named Edith a virgin who reads Walt Whitman aloud to her thousands of followers and describes herself as Internet sexual. The definition of sex as something essentially private and sacred breaks down as people experience economic and sexual autonomy through their devices. Future Sex traces the origin of the word polyamory, following a trio of high-tech Millennials through their open relationships. Witt investigates the free love legacy of the 1960s and gives us an insiders view of the new sexual freedom, a demographic that is young, urban, well-educated and well-off. The polyamorists we meet are earnest and self-confident, sharing a genuine commitment to the idea that all things [are] possible. Their world is alluring but exclusive, and the New Yorkers view of Northern California is not always generous. Living in San Francisco is like visiting a planet made of pastel marzipan, Witt says, her tone verging on snarky when describing the beautiful people on Valencia Street. Instead, the primal carnival of Burning Man is the books high point. Witt is at her best when immersed in a scene, writing fast-paced novelistic prose that draws us into the moment. After so much abstract inquiry, she opens up, lets go and becomes playful in the desert, eating caramel-corn marijuana with a guy named Lunar Fox. Future Sex transports us into this anticorporate bacchanal, so its a letdown to end on a decidedly sterile scene: a lunch of quinoa and green juice on the Facebook campus. You got to get it while you can, sang Janis Joplin in the Summer of Love, and maybe the lesson is to savor all the getting and the giving, no matter what the future will bring. Diana Whitney, poet and essayist, is the author of Wanting It. Email: books@sfchronicle.com. Future Sex By Emily Witt (Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 210 pages; $25) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Point Reyes Books, the small but vibrant Marin County bookstore, is about to turn a page. Steve Costa and Kate Levinson, the stores owners for 14 years, announced that they have sold the business to a young San Francisco couple deeply rooted in the Bay Areas literary community. Molly Parent and Stephen Sparks, who met in 2010 as booksellers at San Franciscos venerable Green Apple Books, will take over as Point Reyes Books new owners on Jan. 1. The fact that we have such a great literary community, and to be in the midst of Point Reyes National Seashore this is like a dream come true, Sparks said by phone. Long a haven for both locals and out-of-towners, Point Reyes Books has firmly established itself in the community, hosting hundreds of author readings and raising more than half a million dollars for regional nonprofits. The store also co-publishes the West Marin Review literary journal. One of the stores devoted friends, the author Terry Tempest Williams, will read from her new book, The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of Americas National Parks, at a farewell party for Costa and Levinson at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at West Marin School Gymnasium. As rewarding as its been to manage an independent bookstore, Costa said the job can be all-consuming, and he and Levinson are eager to rest. Weve been in this vortex for 14 years, Costa said, and were feeling like we want to be still and quiet for a while and then see what transpires. Costa and Levinson announced the sale of their store in May, and took their time, he said, to find the ideal buyers. Parent and Sparks were their favorites among the 27 serious letters of interest they received from around the country. Theyre really smart and they also have similar values in that they really want to serve the community, Costa said. And theyre beloved in the book community. Sparks, a 39-year-old native of New Jersey, is the manager at Green Apple Books on the Park, on Ninth Avenue in the Inner Sunset. As manager of the shop, a 2-year-old offshoot of the Richmond District store, Sparks has overseen numerous literary events attended by such prominent authors as Karl Ove Knausgaard, Lauren Groff and Patti Smith. Sparks is also on the steering committee of the Bay Area Book Festival and has been a juror for several literary prizes. Parent, 30, grew up in Massachusetts and Santa Monica. She is programs and communications manager at 826 Valencia, the nonprofit writing center co-founded by Dave Eggers. Parent will continue to work at 826 Valencia for the conceivable future. Sparks said he and Parent will add some of our own personal touches to the store as well as more literary events. Theyd also like to carry more small-press and independently published books, which he called their passion. Costa wouldnt divulge the sale price of the store, but he said it was less than half a million dollars. Sparks said he and Parent have five investors helping them with financing, and they hope to get a couple more. Theyll also launch an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, possibly for $30,000, to cover some operating costs. Becoming bookstore owners isnt the only big news in Parent and Sparks lives: Theyre getting married Nov. 12. But compared to buying a bookstore, Sparks said with a laugh, The wedding planning seems like a piece of cake. John McMurtrie is The San Francisco Chronicles book editor. Email: jmcmurtrie@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @McMurtrieSF Yahoo is asking the government to clear the air regarding reports that it scanned incoming user email for the feds. Reuters reported this month that Yahoo searched hundreds of millions of emails for specific information at the governments request, raising concerns about secret government surveillance. Yahoo called the Reuters story misleading and declined to comment on a subsequent New York Times story. Yahoo says that while it cant respond in detail, the government can. In a letter to James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, it asks the government to confirm whether it issued such an order, to declassify the order if it exists and to make a public comment. Cybersecurity Arrest in LinkedIn hack Czech authorities have arrested a man U.S. officials and LinkedIn believe stole personal information about millions of users of the social network for professionals. Yevgeniy Nikulin, identified by law enforcement officials Wednesday as a Russian citizen, was arrested at a Prague hotel Oct. 5 on charges stemming from the 2012 data breach. The theft didnt come to light until this spring, when a hacker claimed to have more than 100 million LinkedIn login names and passwords, or about a quarter of the Mountain View companys user base. LinkedIn confirmed the breach in May and reset passwords of affected users. The company cooperated with the FBI to track down the suspect, saying Wednesday that it was thankful for the FBIs efforts to locate and capture the parties believed to be responsible for this criminal activity. The FBI confirmed the arrest of a Russian citizen suspected of conducting criminal activities targeting U.S. interests, though the bureau declined to comment further. Streaming Garth Brooks, Amazon in pact A week after launching its paid streaming music service, Amazon announced a deal with one of streaming musics biggest holdouts: country superstar Garth Brooks. Brooks, the best-selling solo artist in U.S. history with 138 million albums sold, has kept his music off streaming services. On Wednesday, select albums and songs will be available on Amazon Music Unlimited. His albums, previously available only through his GhostTunes service, will be sold digitally via Amazon Music. Brooks said he waited until the right partner came along before he was ready to dive into streaming. Data T-Mobile to pay $48 million T-Mobile has agreed to a $48 million settlement with the Federal Communications Commission over claims it misled customers when promoting its unlimited data plan policy. T-Mobile must pay a $7.5 million fine, give $5 million in services and equipment to schools and give affected customers $35.5 million in discounts and data credits. The FCCs investigation targeted T-Mobiles marketing of its unlimited data plan. Customers expected to be able to use as much data as they wanted at high speeds, the FCC said, but speeds for some data users were being slowed. T-Mobile slows down, or throttles, data for customers that use a large amount of data. The policy means customers who use more than 17 GB of data in a month may see slower speeds during times of heavy use, according to the FCC. Housing Construction declines again Home builders pulled back on construction for a second straight month in September, with a plunge in apartments offsetting gains in single-family homes. Activity was weak in all parts of the country except the Midwest. Construction tumbled 9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.05 million units, the slowest pace in 18 months, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Construction fell 5.6 percent in August. The weakness last month reflected a 38 percent drop in construction of apartments, which overshadowed an 8.1 percent rise in single-family construction. Chronicle News Services This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate David Bunnell, a pioneer in technology publishing, died Tuesday night of pancreatic cancer, according to his wife, Jackie Poitier. He was 69. Bunnell took writing about computers from the realm of hobbyists to a mass-market media phenomenon, launching glossy titles like PC Magazine, Macworld and PC World. Many of those whose careers he influenced wrote remembrances of Bunnell this week. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, in a letter sent to Bunnell before his death, credited him with shaping the modern computer industry. Your work, of course, helped launch Microsoft, and the personal computing company it became, Gates wrote. We all have you to thank for transforming a niche interest into a ubiquitous tool. Early in his career, Bunnell was a teacher, first in Chicago and later at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. During the siege at Wounded Knee in 1973, he smuggled food to members of the American Indian Movement. That year he also began working as a technical writer at MITS, where he worked alongside Gates and Paul Allen. A few years later, Gates and Allen left to found Microsoft in Seattle. Bunnell started his first magazine, Personal Computing, but parted ways with its backers and moved to San Francisco. There, he got the idea for a magazine dedicated to the then-brand-new IBM PC. He and Poitier, then his girlfriend, along with some other friends, ran it out of a living room in the Sunset District. That magazine was a success, and Bunnell planned to sell it to Pat McGovern, the head of technology publisher IDG. A partner sold the magazine instead to IDG archrival Ziff-Davis. Bunnell and most of the staff of PC Magazine left and went to work for IDG instead, launching PC World. At IDG, he also started Macworld and Publish. Bunnell left IDG and joined Upside, a magazine chronicling the business of technology. Known for cheeky covers like one that depicted Wired co-founders Louis Rossetto and Jane Metcalfe as Adam and Eve, it struggled after the dot-com bust and ended up being sold in foreclosure. The business struggles were accentuated by the loss of his son, Aaron, who worked on Upsides website and died in 2000 at the age of 26. "Sometimes I think, I should have just quit then," Bunnell told The Chronicle in 2002. Instead, he went on to try new ventures. Eldr, a magazine for aging Baby Boomers launched in 2007, proved short-lived. One last publication will outlive Bunnell: Good Friday on the Rez, a memoir of his time at the Pine Ridge Reservation, comes out next April. PC Magazine, PC World and Macworld, while no longer in print, continue to thrive online. And Bunnells legacy shapes those who worked for him. His death comes at a time when the technology sector needs more than ever the sort of humbling, irreverent, technically sharp journalism and satire that David pioneered, wrote Ryan Tate, a former Upside employee, in an email. What was most brilliant about David, in my eyes, was that he always saw the essential humanity of the valley. Bunnell, who lived in Berkeley, is survived by Poitier and three children, Mara Vander Veur, Buffy De Luna, and Jennifer Poitier. Owen Thomas is the San Francisco Chronicle business editor. Email: othomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @owenthomas NEW YORK When a conference call turns tedious, Brent Robertson can still count on getting a smile from watching Gus rolling around on the floor. The golden retriever is a regular visitor to Fathom, Robertsons management consulting business in West Hartford, Conn. So are Pookie and Ari, dogs owned by two of Robertsons co-workers. Beyond the old tradition of a used bookstore or antique shop having a resident cat, some urban delicatessens and bodegas have cats to mitigate any rodent problems. And at some smaller professional businesses with a relaxed culture, its becoming more acceptable for employees bring in their pets. Robertson is among business owners who think having animals around boosts morale, improves the work atmosphere and raises productivity. Everyone seems to smile and immediately become a little bit happier, says Barbara Goldberg, CEO of OConnell & Goldberg, a public relations company in Hollywood, Fla. Her bulldog, Rosie, is a frequent visitor. A survey by the Society for Human Resources Management found that 7 percent of organizations allow pets in the workplace, though that may not reflect the practices of very small businesses that dont have HR officers. At Badger Maps, owner Steve Bensons Pomeranian mix, Foxy, seems to know when employees of the San Francisco app developer need some comfort. Theyre very intuitive, Benson says of dogs. They have the ability to recognize when someones stressed out. But not everyone, including employees, customers and visitors, thinks animals belong in an office or a store. For as many customers that may be charmed, some people are allergic or afraid and might take their business elsewhere. So besides paying attention to permission from landlords and laws about having animals where food is being prepared, people need to consider how to accommodate uncomfortable staffers or clients. Rodney Alvarez, a human resources executive at Celtra, a video advertising company, says legal issues to consider include making sure the companys insurance covers any incidents like biting, and keeping animals well-behaved so they wont frighten visitors. Some owners say when they interview job candidates, they let them know there are pets around. Staffers at Celtras San Francisco office asked to bring in their pooches. Managers decided that was OK at its four offices, but only if every staffer agreed, Alvarez says. One Boston employee said no, and so there are no dogs in that office. One regular deliveryman to Fathom is petrified of dogs. Since Gus is a full contact dog, Robertson says, we collect the dogs and put them away in a room so (the deliveryman) can do his thing. And at Sterling Communications, seven of the 20 staffers want to bring their dogs into the Los Gatos office. CEO Marianne OConnor, who has a German shepherd named Kaya, worked out a schedule that allows two dogs each day. Upholstered furniture may be off limits. We push them off gently, and they learn, thats not for them, OConnor says. When visitors arrive, pups may be placed in a closed office with a water bowl and toy. Most often, a business becomes pet-friendly when its the owner who brings an animal in. Anne Buchanan adopted a dog about 12 years ago who turned out to be emotionally needy and much happier when Buchanan was around. So she began taking him to work at her eponymous PR firm in Bryn Mawr, Pa. As her company grew, staffers asked if they could bring pets in, too. There are generally two dogs in the office, and sometimes as many as four, including Buchanans two rescues, Katie and Lacey. Behavioral issues can crop up, but many owners said they can be dealt with. If Rosie the bulldog at OConnell & Goldberg starts barking during a phone call, the office manager quickly lures her away from Goldbergs side. When Buchanans dog and a staffers couldnt get along, the boss paid for a trainer to work with both pups and their owners. Peace was restored. Sterling staffer Rosie Brown recalls when Hazel, a co-workers Swedish Vallhund, couldnt wait for her owner to get out of a meeting and left a present behind Browns chair. The next day, Hazels owner brought a cake for the office that said, Sorry I pooped. Love, Hazel. We all laughed it off, Brown says. ATLANTA A man convicted of killing an Atlanta police officer and wounding a second officer with an AR-15 rifle was scheduled to be the seventh person executed by the state this year. Gregory Paul Lawler, 63, was set to die by injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital on Wednesday night. He was convicted in the October 1997 slaying of Officer John Sowa and for critically wounding Officer Patricia Cocciolone. Lawler would be the seventh inmate executed in Georgia this year, the most in a calendar year in the state since the death penalty was reinstated nationwide in 1976. Georgia executed five inmates last year and five in 1987. Georgia is one of five states that have carried out executions this year for a total of 16 nationwide. Texas has executed seven inmates, while Alabama, Florida and Missouri have executed one apiece. Sowa and Cocciolone were responding to a report of a man hitting a woman the evening of Oct. 12, 1997, and arrived at a parking lot to find Lawler trying to pull his drunken girlfriend to her feet. Lawler quickly left and went to his nearby town house, and the officers decided to help his girlfriend get home. When they knocked on the door, Lawler cursed, yelled and told the officers to leave. Once his girlfriend was inside, he tried to shut the door on them. Sowa put his hand up to keep the door from shutting and said they just wanted to make sure the girlfriend lived there and that she would be safe. Lawler grabbed an AR-15 rifle and fired 15 times as the officers fled, using bullets that can penetrate body armor, prosecutors said. When other officers responded to Cocciolones radio distress call, they found Sowa lying near the sidewalk and Cocciolone on the ground in the front yard. Both officers pistols were still in their holsters. The responding officers got Lawlers girlfriend out of the apartment, and Lawler finally surrendered after a six-hour standoff. Lawlers attorneys have argued that a diagnosis last month of autism spectrum disorder helps explain why their client acted the way he did during the encounter with the officers. That disorder, which wasnt diagnosed at the time, caused Lawler to misinterpret the officers intentions and led him to believe he was in danger and needed to fight for his life, his attorneys have argued. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In a couple of years you're going to be really embarrassed by that hoodie you are wearing. It doesn't even sync to your smartwatch and the only way to adjust the temperature is by taking it off. Fortunately for you it's Silicon Valley Fashion Week?! and Bay Area tech couture is about to move way beyond Google Glass. We're talking here about 3D printed clothing and pants and shirts that look more like they belong in Black Rock City than in Redwood City. Chris Lindland, founder and CEO of the clothing company Betabrand, is putting on the event with Zappos.com, and says there's a legitimate reason the name has both a question mark and an exclamation point. "A lot of people wonder whether Silicon Valley has any connection to the world of style, and we're trying to show what that looks like. The show is meant to be a crazy mash-up of the Maker movement and Burning Man and the fashion/tech world." Drones will serve as models, carrying clothing items up and down the runway. "It's beautiful, it's amazing because they flutter like ghosts in the air," he said. He says there really is some interesting, creative work being done that weds fashion and tech, and "Fashion Week" will illuminate a lot of those new items. The show is designed to be entertaining and exploratory. "It's a fashion show that takes itself seriously and doesn't take itself seriously at the very same time," Lindland told SF Gate. "If you think about all the costuming that goes into Burning Man, there's creative thinking. That's a design movement that's starting to affect the way people dress all the time. These are influences that are distinctly Bay area and deserve a runway, so we built one for them." Silicon Valley Fashion Week?! runs October 2o-22nd at GANTRY, which is conveniently sandwiched between UBER and Twitter's Headquarters at 1425 Market Street in San Francisco. Vanish Films A documentary about the militarization of U.S. police forces, Do Not Resist addresses a genuinely compelling subject, and glances at a fair number of related topics. But it meanders over the surface of these important issues, never quite getting to the point and leaving us to wonder what exactly the point is. The general trend examined here has been reported extensively police forces are increasingly armed and trained as if they were combat troops patrolling hostile territory. This tendency has led to obvious absurdities, such as small, relatively peaceful American towns acquiring MRAPs, heavily armored vehicles designed to withstand explosions from land mines. For many decades, the Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder has been regaling the international musical world with a cultured, masterful approach to the keyboard repertoire. His focus has been on the Viennese classical masters, particularly Beethoven, but his artistry ranges over a wide swath of music history, from the Baroque to the contemporary period. Yet, Buchbinders local appearances have been few and sporadic a solo recital here, a visit with a touring orchestra there and even those have not necessarily garnered the attention theyre due. He returns to the Bay Area this week, shortly before his 70th birthday in December, to perform Mozarts Piano Concerto No. 20 with the San Francisco Symphony in his first appearance with the orchestra in more than 30 years. Buchbinder spoke recently by phone from Munich, where he was about to perform Beethovens Piano Concerto No. 1 with Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Q: The latter part of this year will include a number of performances marking your 70th birthday. In what ways are you a different artist now than when you started out? A: This profession is not normal because you work and study as long as you live. When I first recorded the complete Beethoven sonatas more than 35 years ago, I had certain ideas about these pieces. Then the music critic Joachim Kaiser told me, Rudi, now that you understand the pieces, you must record them again. And so I did, and then I recorded them a third time at the Salzburg Festival. Q: Do you look back on the earlier recordings now and take issue with some of your interpretive decisions? A: I never was absolutely wrong, but my approach was different. For example, as a young person you are not so flexible. The older I get, the more rubato I use. Q: You have a very large discography. Do you listen to your old recordings and rethink them? A: I never listen to my own recordings, because after recording a piece, the next day I would play it in a different way. You know, a painter makes a painting and it remains the same way for years, hanging on the wall. But when I play Beethoven it changes every day. Although I dont mind listening to recordings from when I was a child! A few months ago, I found an old tape of myself at 8 years old, playing a Chopin etude. I was surprised by the force of instinct. When youre a child you can play a piece like that absolutely right, simply by instinct. Q: What was your childhood like? Were you raised in a musical family? A: Not at all. I grew up in Vienna right after the war, and we had no money at all. My father died before I was born, but I had an uncle who got us an old upright piano, and when I heard something on the radio I would go and play it by ear. I entered the musical academy in Vienna when I was just 5 one of the youngest students in its history. I couldnt read or write, but I could play the piano. Q: What was the training like? A: Throughout my time there I never had a lesson alone the whole class was always there listening. And it wasnt a fixed hour, 9 to 10 and 10 to 11 and so on. If someone was playing a Brahms concerto, the lesson would take two hours; if it was a Haydn sonata, maybe 45 minutes. Q: And all the other students were observing? That must have been stressful. A: Well, its a very critical audience. You learn to play in public that way very early. Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman San Francisco Symphony: Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the orchestra, with pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, in music of Allegri, Mozart and Brahms. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 27-29; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. $35-$129. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F. (415) 864-6000. www.sfsymphony.org Buchbinder performs Mozart with the Vienna Philharmonic at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POWVTXuB68I Ask a music lover what they think about the artistry of cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and youll get a fairly concise snapshot of whats important to them in the scheme of things. Aficionados of her playing thrill to her full-throated string tone and hell-for-leather rhythmic approach; skeptics pine for a little more nuance and precision amid all the gusto. Yet its hard to imagine members of either camp being anything but floored by Weilersteins phenomenal rendition of Schumanns Cello Concerto on Wednesday, Oct. 19, with the San Francisco Symphony and guest conductor Pablo Heras-Casado. It doesnt really count as a Rorschach test when all you can say is Wowza. In this matter, I stand before you as a longtime equivocator, straddling both sides of the divide. Theres something irresistible about the fervor with which Weilerstein throws herself into anything she plays, digging deep into every phrase and never shying away from the physicality of a performance. Its taken me a while, though, to reconcile myself to the other attributes that can sometimes accompany that raw, gritty energy the occasional gracelessness of her sound (especially in the upper range), the tendency to hector rather than persuade. In Davies Symphony Hall on Wednesday, in a superb collaboration with Heras-Casado, Weilerstein laid all those doubts to rest. This was a luminous account of a work that has the potential to be problematic, and Weilerstein didnt so much finesse those issues as face them head-on in an explosive show of artistic strength. In the first movement, with its broad, vaulting main theme, Weilerstein cast an expansive net. While heeding the composers warning not to take the music too fast, she and Heras-Casado brought a wonderful momentum to every paragraph the effect was like some fairy-tale giant taking huge, picturesque strides across the countryside. And all of it was rendered in robust, burnished tones, which carried on into the gorgeous central slow movement (the concertos three movements are played without a break). Suddenly, all that vigor seemed to turn inward, resulting in a rhapsody whose expressive urgency was only barely kept in check. The rapid passagework of the finale, admittedly, found Weilerstein running off the rails here and there, but by that point, the overall eloquence of the performance was proof against any lapses. Heras-Casado, too, made a valiant accompanist, steadying her at every turn without taming her more extravagant impulses. The rest of the program was just the latest reminder of what a vivid and resourceful conductor Heras-Casado is. (He currently leads the Orchestra of St. Lukes in New York, but the first major American orchestra to snap him up as music director will have hit the jackpot.) He began by leading the Symphony in a subtle but zesty account of Mozarts Symphony No. 29 in A, one that emphasized the musics easy symmetries while still giving it plenty of rhythmic intensity. Even more impressive was the performance of Dvoraks Symphony No. 7 that occupied the concerts second half in a virtuoso display of orchestral color and architectural solidity. Throughout the early stages of the symphony, Heras-Casado kept ramping up the forcefulness of his rhetoric slowly but ineluctably until the entire stage seemed to quiver with possibility, and the finale brought everything to a glorious conclusion. The orchestra members seemed to respond with enthusiasm to Heras-Casados ministrations. The brass sounded as voluble and polished as Ive heard them, and the contributions of Edward Stephan, the Symphonys excellent new timpanist, were a constant source of inspiration. This was exactly the kind of performance that makes a conductor sound like a wizard. Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman San Francisco Symphony: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Oct. 21-22. $45-$165. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F. (415) 864-6000. www.sfsymphony.org WASHINGTON The Environmental Protection Agency had sufficient authority and information to issue an emergency order to protect residents of Flint, Mich., from lead-contaminated water as early as June 2015 seven months before it declared an emergency, the EPAs inspector general said Thursday. The Flint crisis should have generated a greater sense of urgency at the agency to intervene when the safety of drinking water is compromised, Inspector General Arthur Elkins said in an interim report. EL CAJON, San Diego County Seated at his desk at a suburban San Diego middle school, 12-year-old Abdulhamid Ashehneh tries not to let his mind wander to the painful memories of his life in civil war-torn Syria. His father disappeared suddenly four years ago and, the family believes, was killed. Months later, Abdulhamids mother boarded a bus with her six children, the youngest 2, and fled to Jordan, the sound of bombs ringing in the distance. I think about my dad a lot, Abdulhamid said recently after practicing English at Cajon Valley Middle School, which has received an influx of Syrian children. I wish he would come back. Abdulhamid is like many of the Syrian refugees arriving in the U.S.: According to the State Department, nearly 80 percent of the more than 11,000 Syrian arrivals over the past year were children. Thats a larger percentage than most refugee groups, in part because Syrians tend to have larger families and many have managed to stay together despite displacement, according to resettlement agencies helping the families acclimate to the U.S. Many of those children are enrolling in public schools around the country, including Chicago; Austin, Texas; New Haven, Conn.; and El Cajon, which received 76 new Syrian students the first week of school. Syrian children face many of the same challenges as other young refugees limited English, an interrupted education but they are somewhat distinct in the level of trauma they have experienced, school leaders said. The truth is, a lot of them have seen some pretty nasty stuff, said Eyal Bergman, a family and community engagement officer for the Cajon Valley Union School District. But I also see incredible resilience. In response to the influx, school districts are beefing up English instruction and making extra efforts to reach out to parents unfamiliar with the U.S. school system. In El Cajon, one-on-one orientations introduce families to the schools teachers and staff and show them basics like how to read the academic-year calendar. COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio voters who were wrongfully removed from the swing states registration lists can cast ballots in the Nov. 8 presidential election, a federal judge has ruled. The number of voters in the perennial presidential battleground affected by Wednesdays ruling is unclear, but some estimates are in the tens of thousands. The Ohio secretary of states office says thats a high estimate. The ruling impacts voters improperly purged from registration lists since 2011 and who still live in the same county where they had previously signed up to vote. Such voters can cast provisional ballots in the election, the court said. Provisional ballots are used when a voters identity or registration is in question. The persons eligibility is verified later. The judges decision comes as early voting is under way in the state. Ohio removed voters from its rolls who failed to vote in six years, update their registrations or respond to mailed notifications. The process had been in place for more than 20 years and carried out by Republican and Democratic elections chiefs, Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted has said. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and the New York public advocacy group Demos sued Husted in April, claiming the voter maintenance procedures illegally remove voters in violation of federal law. Last month, a federal appeals court agreed and ordered a lower court to decide a remedy. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge George Smith noted the complications of the case. Smith said the court had to craft an order that restores the rights of as many disenfranchised voters as possible without placing an undue burden on election officials, fundamentally changing the States voting processes, or making room for abuse of those same processes. His order does not reinstate all voters removed from the voter registration rolls, but sets up procedures that allow them to vote provisionally. Isabella Griffin is a modern-day hero. An article in American Profile magazine* tells her story. Isabella was 9 when she was bullied at her school in Colorado. She was told to stand up for herself or it would only get worse. Then she noticed a student with special needs who was being bullied. So she stood up for him. After that, Isabella began doing research on bullying. She learned that 5 percent of people are victims, 10 percent are bullies and the other 85 percent are bystanders. She opted to focus on the bystanders. With the help of her principal, Isabella started Be a Buddy Not a Bully. She asks students to take an anti-bullying pledge and wear a bracelet that says Stand Up! Step In! When theyre in a bullying situation, students can look at that bracelet and remember their pledge. Since she began the effort, the now-13-year-old girl has spoken to more than 7,000 students nationwide. Students in other parts of the country have launched anti-bullying efforts as well. To me, theyre brave young people in a very tough world. My late husband, Chuck, and I were bullied at schools we attended. Years later, I came to understand that God protected me. I came to know more fully the God who fights for us. There are many Bible stories depicting how God fought for those who loved and served him and how he battled the bullies. Who were some of those bullies? I can think of more than a few, some of whom actually were killers. Here are a couple: * Goliath. This big crabby guy was a classic case. Choose a man., Goliath roars. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants. For 40 days, this 9-foot-tall soldier issues his challenge. All the Israelites are petrified, except one young shepherd named David, whose God delivered him from a lion and a bear. You know the rest of the story. With a sling, David sends a stone hurling through the air right into Goliaths big head. Goliath falls and David kills the giant with his own sword. Am I saying violence is the answer to solving our problems today? No, I think we need to find peaceful solutions. I also believe we face giants of different kinds. While we may never face an actual 9-foot-tall giant, our problems can seem just as big. And thats when we must remember that young shepherd and who was on his side. When were facing those giants of fear, doubt, discouragement, illness, sorrow or shame, we can call on our Lord who knows how to help us defeat them, and who gives us hope. * Sennacherib. Ohhhhh. Here was an ancient-day bully who took psychological warfare to a new low. The story begins when the Assyrian king takes the fortified cities of Judah and sends some of his thugs to Jerusalem, where they holler out threats. Then the arrogant Sennacherib sends a letter, which basically asks: Has any gods from the other conquered nations ever delivered them? Judahs King Hezekiah goes to the temple. There, he spreads out the poison pen prose before God the only one who can help the frightened ruler and his people. God takes the evil letter personally. Then he sends the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah with a good news flash: Sennacherib wont come into the city or even shoot an arrow there. God will save the city. And he does. That night, the angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 in the Assyrian army camp. Sennacherib goes home, where two of his sons kill him. When faced with scary situations, we can take a tip from Hezekiah who literally spread out his problems before God and trusted him for help. * Saul of Tarsus. Here was a different kind of bully. Saul thinks hes doing right by persecuting the early Christians. He stands nearby while his fellow countrymen stone the stalwart Stephen to death. Saul ravages the early church, entering house after house, dragging off men and women and having them sent to prison. Still breathing threats against the Christians, Saul heads to Damascus. But this will be a life-changing trip. Jesus doesnt just stop Saul. He lays him out. A bright light from heaven shines around Saul who falls down. He hears one question: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Did you notice the Lord did not say: Why are you persecuting the Christians? He asked why Saul was persecuting him. Jesus was showing just how personally he takes our hurts. Saul is blind after the encounter, but is led into the city where his eyes truly are opened. After this, Saul will spend the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus. Oh, and Saul will get a name change. He will become known as the Apostle Paul, who will write much of the New Testament. I love the story of Saul who became Paul, because its an example of Gods life-changing power. Thats good news for any of us whove stood by when we should have stood up for someone. And its good news for those of us who may have been bullies or got swept up with a group of badly behaving pals and made some less-than-stellar choices. Our Lord knows how to redirect those whove gotten on the wrong path even if it takes a Road to Damascus experience. He knows how to turn bullies into believers. The Lord also protects those to come to him. He loves and heals the brokenhearted. He can help make people brave even in the face of fear and danger. I like reading about people such as Isabella, who overcome trials and, in turn, reach out to help others. It makes me want to be a little bolder and braver. Whats more, it reminds me of how God can bring good outcomes from bad situations. He is the faithful, almighty, everlasting God and the truest hero of them all. * Battling Bullying Cool ways five kids are standing up for themselves and their classmates, by Lambeth Hochwald, American Profile magazine, Oct. 2-8, page 8. An Oakland police officer was charged Thursday with engaging in prostitution and obstruction of justice, the latest jolt to a department roiled by scandals and the loss of its former chief. Officer Ryan Walterhouse, 26, had sex with a prostitute on Oct. 1 in a Castro Valley motel and paid her in cash, prosecutors said in court records. He warned her twice last week about undercover prostitution operations, the prosecutors said. Walterhouse was arrested when he showed up for work Wednesday following a weeks-long investigation that involved surveillance of his home, officials said. The original tip of possible misconduct came from one of Walterhouses rank-and-file colleagues, said Deputy Chief John Lois of the Oakland Police Department. Investigators discovered that some of the alleged criminal activity happened while Walterhouse was on duty, Lois said. Prosecutors said Walterhouse called and texted a sex worker to warn her about the undercover stings. You might want to call it an early night tonight, he told the unidentified woman during a phone call Oct. 13, according to court records. You might want to stick to the online thing right now. The following day, prosecutors said, he texted the woman when she should stay off the streets. Ill let you know when to, he wrote in the message, according to court records. Not yet, they still out, probably after 12, he said in another message. Walterhouse had befriended the woman over the last half year during his duties as a police officer, Officer Omega Crum wrote in an affidavit. Tipping her off to the stings put other officers in harms way, Crum said. He was booked at 1 a.m. Thursday at the Glenn Dyer Jail in downtown Oakland and bailed out three hours later, said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriffs Department. The Alameda County district attorneys office charged him with two felony counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice and one misdemeanor count of engaging in prostitution. Walterhouses arrest comes weeks after District Attorney Nancy OMalley filed charges against three current or former Oakland police officers in connection with their dealings with a sexually exploited teenager. Two others will be charged, prosecutors said. They said they are waiting for key reports from the Police Department before charging the pair. The scandal spread to several Bay Area law enforcement agencies and led to the abrupt departure of Oakland Police Chief Sean Whent in June. Oakland has been without a chief for four months. At a news conference Thursday, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf denounced Walterhouses behavior while praising the officer who turned him in. It is incredibly disturbing that, in light of whats happened, any officer could think its acceptable to engage in this type of behavior and further sully a department that has worked so hard to rebuild the public trust, Schaaf said. She and City Administrator Sabrina Landreth applauded Walterhouses colleague for initiating the criminal investigation, deeming it a sign of hope for the embattled department. Although the conduct today is disturbing, this demonstrates that the administrative processes weve put in place are working, said Landreth, who has overseen the Police Department since June. Although Walterhouses arrest is not linked to the previous sexual misconduct scandal, some city officials saw it as another illustration of systemic problems in the police force. Even if theyre claiming its unrelated in the sense that its not the same young woman, its still related, said City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan. She said the city has helped perpetuate a macho culture in the department by making little effort to recruit more women or to screen out people with misogynistic attitudes. I think its a mistake to believe that you can hire people with attitudes of disrespect and train them to stop, she said. You have to screen for that. Walterhouse was a recent hire who graduated from the 170th police academy in October 2014. His class of 35 cadets boosted Oaklands ranks to 715 officers, the highest number since a crippling round of layoffs in 2010. When Mayor Jean Quan took office in January 2011 there were only 656 officers working in the Police Department, and the number fell as some retired or transferred to other departments with more resources and higher morale. By 2013, the city had only 613 rank-and-file police officers, and officials were desperate to beef up the force and bring down the citys crime rate. Although Schaaf has continued the effort to hire more officers, she has also expressed concern about recruitment and hiring practices following a recent string of disciplinary cases. Walterhouse and several other officers who were implicated in misconduct scandals this year were hired between 2012 and 2014, right before Schaaf took office. The city is currently conducting an audit of police recruitment and hiring to look for patterns in the recent misconduct cases. In a statement released Thursday, the Oakland Police Officers Association distanced itself from Walterhouse. This officers actions have no place, nor are they condoned in any way by the police officers who work diligently to keep our Oakland community safe, said Sgt. Barry Donelan, who heads the association. He went on to describe Walterhouses behavior as a blemish on the department and an embarrassment to the community. In addition to the city audit, several City Council members are pushing reforms of their own. Councilmen Dan Kalb and Noel Gallo co-authored a November ballot measure for a citizen-led police commission that would have the power to discipline and fire officers. Kaplan is advocating for new recruitment methods to bring more women, LGBT candidates and people of color into the force. At the news conference Thursday, Landreth and other officials said the department is already making reforms. In recent months, it has hired more background investigators and strengthened its oversight of police cadets as they move through the training process, said Deputy Chief Danielle Outlaw of the Police Departments Bureau of Services. The next police academy, which starts Oct. 31, will have a very small class, Outlaw said. Rachel Swan, Kimberly Veklerov and Michael Bodley are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, mbodley@sfchronicle.com, Twitter: @rachelswan @kveklerov @michael_bodley Two hours after Donald Trump referred to bad hombres illegally crossing the border in the Wednesday, Oct. 19, presidential debate, Magic Theatre, in collaboration with Campo Santo and Tucsons Borderlands Theater, opened a show that marked a stunning rebuke to the Republican candidates racism, xenophobia and demagoguery. Thats as debate rebuttal, though. As theater, Nogales compels less. Written by Richard Montoya and directed by Sean San Jose, and starring both artists, the play, whose full title is Nogales: Storytellers in Cartel Country, was motivated by the 2012 killing of an unarmed 16-year-old boy, Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, by the U.S. Border Patrol. Rodriguez was on the Mexican side of the border town of Nogales when, breaking international law, the Border Patrol on the Arizona side shot him, allegedly for throwing rocks, at least 10 times. To create the play, Montoya and San Jose, along with fellow lead artist Joan Osato, conducted a series of interviews not just in Nogales but also with the notorious Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose brutal policies and hateful rhetoric, the play posits, lead to more deaths in the desert. While Nogales isnt strictly documentary theater, text from those interviews makes up about 60 percent of the script, and video recordings from those encounters get projected onto corrugated metal walls at the rear of the stage. The heart of the drama is a series of conversations between an Interviewer (San Jose) and Arpaio (Montoya), and as a character study of the sheriff, the show excels. Montoya delivers the officers ceaseless blather with the rat-a-tat rhythm of a muffled machine gun. Spookily at ease, he doesnt have to speak loudly to be heard and heeded; his Arpaio is a vigilante tyrant whose patter is as static a part of his office as the chintzy Southwestern tchotchkes vomited, the sheriff jokes, upon every surface. A co-founder of the pioneering Latino performance trio Culture Clash, which specialized in satire, Montoya is wonderfully restrained with his punch lines. He makes you lean in and work to keep up, much as it must be like to play audience to the real-life master manipulator. The shows greatest strength is that hes evenly matched to the Interviewer, whose righteous, provocative questions Is it open season on Mexicans? youd think might flummox, or at least fluster. But in Nogales, Arpaio is no blustering buffoon; each time hes trapped in the crosshairs, he wends his way back out, as if he could turn the tables at any moment and sic his deputies on the Interviewer. The segments of the play set outside the sheriffs office are much less strong. Theyre meant to create a collage of the town, but they dont drive the central story forward: A young American Indian woman (Laura Espino) speaks with the vagueness and naivete of a typical American adolescent about her peoples suffering; justice warrior Kat Rodriguez (Carla Pantoja) displays a death map showing all the deaths along the border that she says are the direct result of U.S. policy; Jose Antonios abuela (Eliana Lopez) laments the injustice of her grandsons death, but doesnt say anything you wouldnt expect a mourning grandmother to say. Each of these scenes could be interesting, but its not clear why they were chosen to be in the play over any other interview one might conduct with a resident of either side of Nogales. The human-rights crisis at our southern border is such a massive, complex problem that opening the play up from a human-size interaction to take stabs at it yet also forgoing the full documentary theater route is a choice doomed to fall in between. Lily Janiak is The San Francisco Chronicles theater critic. Email: ljaniak@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LilyJaniak Nogales: By Richard Montoya. Directed by Sean San Jose. Through Oct. 30. 90 minutes. $50-$90. Magic Theatre, Fort Mason, Building D, 2 Marina Blvd., S.F. (415) 441-8822. www.magictheatre.org To see a video: https://vimeo.com/127795139 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Imagine having a self-sufficient compound with four cabins, two lakes and 320 acres to call your own. A place where water serves as panes of glass, reflecting the pristine woodland surroundings and azure sky. Where bald eagles soar, deer frolic and trout are waiting to be reeled in. Thats going to be everyday life for the next owner of 1353 Rocky Ridge Road in Fort Bidwell. We bought it in 2003 to escape the population explosion of the North Lake Tahoe area, said current homeowner Jack Bazler. This special spot was a short drive from our Northstar home and exceeded our desire to find beauty and adventure in a tranquil environment. The gorgeous trees, wildlife and lakes exceeded our expectations. Fort Bidwell is tucked in Californias northeastern corner in Modoc County, mere miles from the borders of Oregon and Nevada. A paved airstrip sits roughly 20 miles away, and the nearby town provides a spot to pick up supplies before hunkering down in luxury all your own. Dive into the water from decks attached to lakeside cabins, or shove off in a canoe, kayak or paddleboard. The cabins are peppered throughout the landscape, creating a loosely knit community thats still very much in its own world. A freshly crafted shoreline spans part of one lake, while the estates barn creates potential for equestrian activities and raising livestock. Three A-frame cabins surround the lots 5-acre lake, while a traditional home stands beside a smaller body of water. Eighteen people can comfortably lodge at the various cabins as they are currently constructed. Each of the four cabins as well as the attached workshop and garage enjoy essentials like electricity, heat and plumbing. Steep gambrels beget sharply pitched rooftops for each of the A-frame cabins. A series of connected picture windows in one lakeside cabin creates a wall of glass overlooking the water. Perched at more than a mile above sea level (5,500 feet, to be exact) the estate is surrounded by a logging forest. Roads once used to haul away lumber now exist as hiking trails winding about the collage of white fir, aspens, ponderosa pines and white fir trees. In fact, the property still resides in a timber production zone, enabling special tax benefits for the incoming owner. Listing agent: Chris Hinkel, Sierra Sothebys International Realty, (530) 412-2644, chris.@lakefrontson tahoe.com. Details Address: 1353 Rocky Ridge Road, Fort Bidwell. Price: $1.6 million. Features: This 320-acre compound in Modoc County includes two private lakes, three A-frame cabins, and a traditional home. The land can be subdivided into two lots and is a short drive from both Oregon and Nevada. Opportunities abound for hunters, anglers, equestrians, and outdoor enthusiasts at this virtually self-sufficient estate. The property is accessible by vehicle, through a dirt runway that is 3 miles from the home, and a paved runway is less than a half-hour away. LONDON Britain will posthumously pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men who were convicted of sexual offenses that were decriminalized decades ago, the government announced Thursday. In addition, the process for people who are still alive and want to clear their names will be streamlined. The decision comes nearly three years after Queen Elizabeth II formally pardoned Alan Turing, the British mathematician regarded as one of the central figures in the development of the computer, who was convicted on charges of homosexuality in 1952. He committed suicide in 1954. 1 Peace talks: Taliban officials and the Afghan government have held new secret talks in Qatar aimed at restarting peace negotiations to end the countrys long war, three officials say, though questions remain over which faction of the insurgency is doing the talking. Talks between the U.S.-backed government in Kabul and the militants fell apart last year after Afghan officials announced the death years earlier of the insurgencys longtime leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar. In the time since, a leadership struggle within its ranks broke into the open and Omars successor was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan. 2 Americans killed: An Afghan soldier opened fire on a group of Americans at a military depot near Kabul on Wednesday, killing two and wounding another three in the latest outbreak of green on blue insider violence, American and Afghan officials said. The U.S. military said one of the people killed had been a service member and the other a civilian. Green-on-blue attacks caused enormous strain between Americans and Afghans at its peak in 2012, when 44 such incidents caused about 15 percent of the total coalition deaths that year. Since then, the number of incidents has dropped with the decrease in the number of coalition forces, who have drawn down to fewer than 10,000 troops. BEIJING Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that his country is separating from the U.S. in a speech before a Beijing economic forum on Thursday, after handing China a major diplomatic victory, agreeing to resume dialogue on their South China Sea territorial dispute following months of acrimony. The rapprochement between the two Asia nations could widen a political rift between the United States and the Philippines, whose recently elected leader has made no secret of his antipathy for America and ordered an end to joint maneuvers between their militaries. Your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States ... both in military and economics also, Duterte said. His remarks were met with applause, but Duterte was not more specific. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said Dutertes remarks were inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship we have with the Filipino people as well as the government there on many different levels, not just from a security perspective. After talks in Beijing between Duterte and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, a senior Chinese diplomat announced the sides had agreed to restore the full range of contacts, although he said the leaders touched only briefly on the South China Sea. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, Liu said. That was followed with an announcement by Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez at a bilateral economic forum that his country and China will sign $13.5 billion of deals this week. He did not elaborate. Separately, the Philippines Presidential Communications Office said Xi committed more than $9 billion in low-interest loans to the country, with about a third of the loan offer coming from private banks. About $15 million in loans will go toward drug rehabilitation programs. In opening remarks to his talks with Xi, Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China. China has been a friend of the Philippines, and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, he said. Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship. Xi, who greeted Duterte with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing, said the meeting had milestone significance. SEOUL The United States and South Korea said they detected a failed North Korean missile launch Wednesday, the countrys second failed test in less than a week. The U.S. Strategic Command issued a statement late Wednesday saying it presumed the missile was a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the launch was attempted near an airport in North Koreas Pyongan province, where the North on Saturday unsuccessfully tried to launch what U.S. and South Korean military officials assessed as the same type of missile. State Still Faces Funding Problems Despite Budget Fixes Gov. Susana Martinez , but still has three bills to consider. Not everyone is happy with her line item veto to language that would have specifically aimed at reducing child abuse and neglect. Johnson: "Really, it just sucks" There were lots of presidential debate watch parties around the state last night, but Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson wasnt attending any of them. He was in Los Angeles and told supporters, that he wasnt on the stage debating the issues since hes the only third party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states. Republicans Criticized for Direct Mailer Sent to School District Staff Andy Lyman reports, Some staff and faculty of a school district in northern New Mexico are questioning how and why the House Republican caucus criticizing a Democratic lawmaker." Teachers Protest Evaluations A group of teachers in Albuquerque to protest the program that they say is driving educators away from careers in the classroom. Oil Industry Downturn Impacts Schools Meanwhile, in oil patch towns like Hobbs, Jal, Eunice and Tatum, due to declining enrollments as people get laid off and move away. Zozobra Merchandise Stolen TS Last over at the Albuquerque Journal North writes people in Santa Fe and surrounding communities, for purloined bobble-head dolls, T-shirts and other goods depicting a strange, big-eared man wearing a bow tie and what looks like a long, white dress. Santa Fe Reporter Mercer Group shares are languishing unloved at a record low on the stock exchange as the unprofitable stainless steel fabricator restructures its operations, undertakes a refinancing to keep it afloat, and faces questions about its products after one of its stainless steel silos collapsed last month at Fonterra Cooperative Group's biggest factory in Edendale, Southland. Shares in Mercer Group last changed hands a week ago at 1.3 cents, the lowest level the shares have traded at since NZX records began in 1967. The metal manufacturer, whose history stretches back to 1884 when founder James Mercer started a South Island coppersmithing and metalworking firm, has lost three-quarters of its value on the stock exchange this year, reducing its market capitalisation to $4 million. Shareholders at the company's annual meeting in Christchurch this week approved a plan to inject $7 million of new shareholder equity to repay debt and keep it afloat following three years of losses. Chief executive Richard Rookes told shareholders that the silo collapse is still being worked through by its fabrication division and the cause and any impact on Mercer is "unknown at this time". Mercer's equipment is in the majority of dairy plants across New Zealand and news reports today say an additional four Fonterra silos have been found to have cracks. Fonterra wasn't immediately able to confirm the reports. "Whatever the outcome, it's not going to be good news for Mercer," said Grant Williamson, a director at brokerage Hamilton Hindin Greene, noting the company may face compensation claims. "They have had some extremely difficult periods and they have to undertake a pretty substantial capital raise," Williamson said, adding that a lot of the money raised would be used to repay debt. "It will certainly strengthen the balance sheet but they certainly need to turn around their operational performance." While the company's sterilisation technology appeared to have good potential, it would take time to bring to market and the company needed to turn around the performance of its stainless and slicing businesses to try and achieve at least break-even so they are not burning any more cash, he said. "It's a possible turnaround story but I think it's going to remain a struggle for the company for some time until they can really turn around the operating performances of their different divisions," he said. "There's really very little investor interest in this stock at all." 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: South Port NZ Ltd - 2022 Annual Meeting ENS - Rights Issue Offer Document 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 Dairy brand company Lewis Road Creamery is launching a chocolate butter in the first collaboration with Whittakers since its up-market chocolate milk sent Kiwis into a sugar-laden frenzy in 2014. The four-year-old Auckland-based company said the chocolate butter, which will be stocked in the two main supermarket chains and leading speciality food stores, is the first of its kind combining Lewis Road butter with Whittakers 72 percent Dark Ghana chocolate and sunflower oil to achieve spreadability. Lewis Roads product range already includes butter, cream, fresh milk, flavoured milk, ice cream, and bread and it has two other dairy-related innovations it hopes to launch before Christmas. Lewis Road founder and majority shareholder Peter Cullinane said the idea for chocolate butter emerged over an afternoon tea of French pastries at the companys kitchen table. The French, who know a thing or two about butter, chocolate, and pastries, have always had a soft spot for pain au chocolat and it got us thinking. What if we combined the worlds best butter and best chocolate in an easy-to-spread blend that would be good with almost anything?. As a school child, Cullinane also had a teacher who used to talk about French children having chocolate on their sandwiches and that always appealed to me. The new product should appeal to anyone who likes chocolate, he said, but it was unclear whether it will achieve the unprecedented social media frenzy that hit the launch of its chocolate milk two years ago, sparking queues in supermarkets, security guards to oversee allocation, counterfeit bottles on sale, and corporate competitors. The chocolate butter will go up against the long-established hazelnut spread Nutella which has been in the market since the 1940s. Cullinane said other so-called chocolate spreads are loaded with palm oil and sugar and no real chocolate. This is New Zealands answer to that. We have kept it as simple as possible. The product hasnt been easy to get right, he said, and will be made by Tauranga-based Constantia Foods, a contract processor for dairy and food products. It will be packaged in a gold 200gm pottle and sell for around $8.99. The company will consider exporting chocolate butter if demand in New Zealand proves strong enough. Whittakers Holly Whittaker said the chocolate butter showcases both brands commitment to innovation. Our customers love it when they see their favourite chocolate used in new ways, she said. When asked how fattening the chocolate butter was, Cullinane said Only if you eat too much. Our answer to that is everything in moderation. 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: South Port NZ Ltd - 2022 Annual Meeting ENS - Rights Issue Offer Document 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 Pumpkin Patch shares were the biggest decliner on the NZX today as the deadline looms today for directors to propose measures to address its capital constraints with lender ANZ Bank New Zealand. In its full-year results published last month, the Auckland-based childrenswear retailer told investors that its directors had given an undertaking to the bank that it would put forward proposals by Oct 20. The capital constraints were highlighted in the accounts as a "material risk" to the ongoing viability of the business. Its debt to ANZ rose to $46 million from $39.1 million in the year to the end of July 2016. It posted a loss of $15.5 million in the same period. The directors said the 2016 financial year was the first in a four-year turnaround plan, and "very good progress has been achieved, although this is not immediately apparent from the headline numbers reported." The decline in sales was put down to the fall in its international wholesale business and online channels in the northern hemisphere, which have historically delivered profits. The directors warned that the business remains over-leveraged and capital constrained, with "our ability to move forward impacted by the lack of available capital for debt reduction and reinvestment." The board's primary focus was described as assessing what options are "realistically available" to address its position. Shares fell 16.6 percent or 1.2 cents to 6 cents in trading on Thursday. Shares have fallen 43.3 percent since the start of the year. 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: South Port NZ Ltd - 2022 Annual Meeting ENS - Rights Issue Offer Document 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 New Zealand shares were flat as investors saw no reason to buy, with Trade Me Group dropping alongside Infratil and Summerset Group Holdings while Metro Performance Glass rose. The S&P/NZX50 dropped 2.76 points, or 0.04 percent, to 6,973.78. Within the index, 24 stocks rose, 18 fell and eight were unchanged. Turnover was $158.9 million. "There's no real reason for offshore investors to own stocks if they're concerned about where the market is heading, they're just paying dividends and they can always buy back in again," said Peter McIntyre, investment adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. "We've also seen broad sell-offs in government bonds which seems driven by a desire from American investors to repatriate funds before the election there. The market's still pricing a rate cut in November - swap rates have all risen too, and that's feeding through into the equity market. We're just waiting for some good affirmative comment from AGMs." Trade Me was the worst performer, down 4.9 percent to $4.87, a three-month low. It's declined 17 percent since reaching a record of $5.86 in September. "There are concerns over competition from Facebook entering what has pretty much been TradeMe's domain for a period of time," McIntyre said. "We're seeing movement on brisk volume, and you'd have to suspect there have been offshore moves in that stock as well, moving money away, for such a dramatic drop." Infratil declined 2.5 percent to $2.96, Summerset Group Holdings fell 1.7 percent to $4.61, and Orion Health Group dropped 1.6 percent to $3.15. Port of Tauranga was unchanged at $3.80. It expects full-year earnings in the range of $79 million to $83 million, an increase on the $77.3 million reported for 2016, according to a transcript of a speech published to the NZX. Chief executive Mark Cairns told shareholders at their annual general meeting that the forecast was given on the assumption that there would be no significant change to market conditions. Sky Network Television rose 0.4 percent to $4.78. Chief executive John Fellet hit out at submissions opposing the pay-television broadcasters planned $3.44 billion merger with Vodafone at its annual meeting today. Fellet said the merger was on track, with the Commerce Commission not yet changing its November 11 target date for a decision. Metro Performance Glass was the best performer, up 1.9 percent to $2.16, something McIntyre said could be the result of Fletcher Building presenting to investors and talking up the strong construction sector. Spark New Zealand rose 1.9 percent to $3.52, Auckland International Airport gained 1.7 percent to $6.72, and Chorus advanced 1.6 percent to $3.72. Outside the benchmark index, Wynyard Group was unchanged at 21.5 cents. The crime-fighting and intelligence software company today extended its trading halt until Tuesday as it seeks to tap a $10 million stand-by loan facility agreed with Skipton Building Society, in August, saying it needs the funds so the business can operate normally. "It's one that listed with so much promise, but unless you get revenue coming in, and solid contracts providing that revenue, those that have financed the business can get very uneasy and that's what we've seen," McIntyre said. Childrenswear retailer Pumpkin Patch plunged 16.7 percent to 6 cents. The shares were the second-biggest decliner on the NZX today on the deadline for directors to propose measures to address its capital constraints with lender ANZ Bank New Zealand. The constraints were highlighted in its full year accounts as a "material risk" to the ongoing viability of the business. 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: South Port NZ Ltd - 2022 Annual Meeting ENS - Rights Issue Offer Document 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 Airman brings years of service to AF Airman 1st Class Daniel Caraglio, 20th Medical Operations Squadron mental health technician, chose to enlist later than most Airmen with reasons all his own. Enlisting at age 32, Caraglio used his diverse work experience and skills gained through holding over 20 different jobs to assist his fellow Airmen throughout basic military training, and continues to do so at his first duty assignment at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Having worked career fields ranging from factory lines to retail management, I am capable of applying my skills to assist anyone in need, said Caraglio. I worked in factory lines as the only English speaker and grappled up the sides of homes with 90 pounds of gear as a roofer. Caraglios drive to help people be their best was brought about almost 20 years ago. My dad left pretty early, said Caraglio. I was in sixth grade, about 12. It was just my mom in the house and as the big brother, I had to put my childhood on hold just a little bit to take care of my younger siblings. Coming from what he describes as absolutely nothing, was rough, said Caraglio. Having been impacted this early in life, he dedicated himself to taking care of his family and anyone else he met along his journey. I did those 20 odd jobs to help provide for my wife and daughter, but in the end it was just taking away from my time with them, said Caraglio. Caraglio said honor was the biggest drive behind his decision to join the armed forces, admitting he felt he would regret his decision later in life if he did not serve while he was eligible. Basic training was my first taste of being in the Air Force and probably one of the hardest things mentally, said Caraglio. I had to leave my family behind temporarily to help provide for them. Utilizing his refined people skills and attentive mindset, he helped build cohesion in his struggling flight throughout BMT. I used to focus on the little things in basic training. Said Caraglio. When we were told to get on the wall, everybody would rush to the wall which was great, but I would go help and get the slower ones on the wall first. While in BMT, Caraglio served as dorm chief helping to ensure the success of not only his flight but also his brother and sister flights who were in need of assistance. I helped lower-week dorm chiefs report their flights for accountability, said Caraglio. It was unheard of for a BMT trainee to report a flight and say Sir, trainee Caraglio reports as ordered, permission to assist wingman in accountability? Upon graduation, Caraglio applied his newly acquired Air Force knowledge to his innate caring for others to make an impact on his new family at Shaw AFB. Given my age, the idea of rank has never brought fear to me, even in basic, said Caraglio. As long as I was respectful, being able to talk to someone as an equal has been awesome. As a mental health technician, Caraglio has provided numerous services to the Airmen, Soldiers and dependents on base. I can take vital signs, schedule patients and follow-up appointments for my wingmen, said Caraglio. Im not trying to teach all my skills to people, Im just here to help so you can do your job and succeed. The concept of rank plays a huge role in the military no matter the career field, it is all dependent on how you shine light on that rank. Im just happy that Im able to serve my country and that I made the enlistment window, said Caraglio. That is more important than having a few more stripes on my shoulders. His positive outlook of service before self has been seen by supervision in and out of his career field, although he has been on station for less than half a year. He is a very hard worker and is dedicated to what he does, said Staff Sgt. Natalia Yarbrough, 20th Medical Operations Squadron mental health noncommissioned officer in charge. He is always first to jump up and ask to assist. Whether it be military or civilian, everyone chooses a path in life. One Airmans years of experience have helped mold the lives of those he has come in contact with. In his final remarks, Caraglio leaves everyone with a few small words of wisdom: live life and love living it; dont be scared of anything. Oct. 24 is United Nations Day. On this date in 1945 the United Nations was founded, following the horrors of World War II. The Iowa observance of United Nations Day will feature John Lange, former U.S. ambassador to Botswana and current head of global health diplomacy at the United Nations Foundation, who will be giving talks to students and the general public in Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Iowa City Oct. 24-26. His topic will be Global Health and Sustainable Development. Lange will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Youth Symposium on the UN, held each year at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines with 200 Iowa high school students from over 30 communities participating. The public is invited to this presentation, 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the State Capitol House Chamber. Langes other public presentations are: 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, Cardinal Room, ISU Memorial Union, Ames (sponsored by the ISU Lecture Series). 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, Cedar Falls Public Library, 524 Main St., Cedar Falls (sponsored by the Cedar Valley UNA). Noon Tuesday, Oct. 25, First Congregational Church, 30 North Clinton St. Iowa City (co-sponsored by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council and the Johnson County UNA). 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, First Lutheran Church, 1000 Third Ave. S.E., Cedar Rapids (sponsored by the Linn County UNA). The UN continues to help countries work together for security and development, to provide peacekeepers in countries with ongoing conflicts, to make progress toward combating disease, hunger and poverty, to support action to combat climate change and to encourage quality education for all. To support these goals, in 2015 the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals with a total of 169 specific targets to be accomplished by 2030. At the Paris climate conference last fall, organized by the UN, 197 countries plus the EU signed the historic Paris Accord that has started the world on a path to address global climate issues. Iowans have already seen effects of climate change, as described by the annual Iowa Climate Statements issued by nearly 200 Iowa scientists. The mayors of Des Moines, Dubuque and Iowa City, have joined the global Compact of Mayors, committing to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The UN helps Iowans in many ways. UN agencies, working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, protect Iowans from infectious diseases. Iowa farmers benefit from long-range global weather forecasts coordinated by the UNs World Meteorological Organization. Air travel from Iowa to international destinations is made possible by the International Air Transport Association. The UN promotes higher standards of living abroad, thereby creating markets for Iowa farm and factory products. And the UN advances values cherished by Iowans and other Americans: assistance to those in need, self-government, democracy, and respect for human dignity. United Nations Day is an occasion for Iowans to reaffirm their commitment to international cooperation. SIOUX CITY The U.S. Senate candidates in Iowa debated campaign issues on Wednesday, with mentions of presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton quite scant. Incumbent Republican Charles Grassley and Democrat Patty Judge primarily focused on their own issues as they debated in what could be seen as a regional undercard to the big national debate by Clinton and Trump right after the Iowa event wrapped. Grassley is seeking to be returned to the Senate in 2017 while Judge pointed to several examples of what she said constituted obstructionism by Grassley in the most recent period of his 42-year tenure in the House and Senate. Grassley at several points mentioned his clout in passing substantial pieces of legislation, such as farm bills and others that gained bipartisan support. Judge retorted, Chuck Grassley in 42 years has not changed Washington. Washington, in fact, has probably changed him. Grassley contended he keeps his eye on Iowa, coming back to his home in New Hartford frequently and holding meetings in all 99 counties each year to understand what is important to state residents. Washington is an island surrounded by reality. Get out of there, Grassley said. The debate at Morningside College lasted one hour. The tone of the event was civil before a crowd of 300. As expected, an issue that has been prominent in the senatorial campaign returned Wednesday. The U.S. Supreme Court has had a vacancy since February, when Justice Antonin Scalia died. Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, has continued refusing to hold hearings to fill the vacancy until after a new president is inaugurated in January. President Obama nominated appeals court Judge Merrick Garland for the open spot on the nine-member Supreme Court. Judge said Grassley is shirking his duty to the detriment of the court and nation. We have a Supreme Court that is unable to function. This is exactly what is wrong with Washington. This is why people are angry, Judge said. Grassley was asked if he would change his mind if Clinton won the presidency on Nov. 8 and majority-party Republicans wanted him to hold court hearings this year. He said he could shift to hold hearings if that Republican urging ensued, but added, I dont expect that to happen. The two also tangled on the right approach to possible tinkering with immigration policy and the 2010 Affordable Care Act that brought federal health care reform. It is a failure. It is a failure ... Weve been lied to about ObamaCare, Grassley said, pointing to health cost and insurance premium increases. Judge said Grassley failed by voting against the 2014 immigration reform package that passed the Senate but died in the House. She said it is time to give millions of undocumented workers legal status so they can continue to work hard at jobs and come out of the shadows. Grassley responded that the bill didnt have enough border enforcement. He said immigration is an issue less on the minds of Iowans in 2016 when compared to 2014 and 2013. Grassley has been the polling and fundraising leader in the race to win the six-year term. Judge, who lives in Albia, has served as a state legislator, Iowa secretary of state and lieutenant governor. Some Democratic candidates have sought to tie their opponents to Trump, who has dropped in national polls over the month of October after a series of controversies, including highly-charged comments on women. Judge made a different calculation at the debate, mentioning Trump only for what she said was bragging about not paying taxes. The candidates will have one other debate, Nov. 4 on WHO Radio in Des Moines. DES MOINES Iowa Republicans are making robust investments in their attempt to win control of the Iowa Senate, outspending Democrats by nearly 70 percent in the chambers most critical election races. In four races that will go a long way toward deciding which party sets the agenda in the Iowa Senate the next two years, Republicans outspent Democrats by an average of roughly $117,000, according to campaign fundraising reports filed Wednesday. The new reports cover statehouse fundraising from July 15 to Oct. 14. The majority party in the Iowa Legislature determines which pieces of legislation are debated and voted on. Republicans control the Iowa House and Democrats control the Senate. Going into the November election, the Senate is comprised of 25 Democrats and 23 Republicans, with one independent senator and one vacant seat to be filled by a special election in December. That vacant seat in a Democratic-leaning district was created by the death of Sen. Joe Seng, a Democrat from Davenport. That means Republicans likely need to flip three seats if they are to gain control of the Senate. Republicans have targeted roughly a handful of seats, and for the seats most vulnerable to change the GOP has significantly outspent the Democratic incumbents on campaign advertising. In a key northern Iowa race, where Democratic incumbent Mary Jo Wilhelm faces Republican challenger Waylon Brown, Republicans more than doubled the Democrats spending. The state GOP devoted nearly $300,000 in mostly advertising to Browns campaign, while the Senate Democrats campaign organization devoted roughly $142,000 to Wilhelms campaign. In a Muscatine County race that is expected to be one of the most contested Senate races this fall, Democratic incumbent Chris Brase faces a challenge from former state legislator Mark Lofgren. The Republican Party of Iowa devoted nearly $259,000, most of it in advertising, to Lofgrens campaign during the three-month period, while the Iowa Democratic Party devoted roughly $237,000 to Brases campaign. Brase did well on his own, raising nearly $130,000, but he also spent much of his war chest and has just more than $5,000 remaining. Lofgren raised just $25,000 during the period, but still has nearly $43,000 in his account heading into the home stretch. In a critical Cedar Valley race, the state Republican Party poured more than $314,000 in mostly advertising into the campaign of Craig Johnson, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Brian Schoenjahn. The Democratic Party, meantime, devoted roughly $193,000 to help Schoenjahn. On his own, Schoenjahn raised nearly $69,000 in the period compared to the roughly $21,000 raised by Johnson. Republicans also more than doubled Democrats spending in an important central Iowa race, where Democratic incumbent Steve Sodders faces GOP challenger Jeff Edler. The state Republican Party paid for more than $283,000 in mostly advertising for Edlers campaign, while the state Democratic Party chipped in roughly $117,000 for Sodders campaign. In those four races, Republican Party spending averaged roughly $289,000, while the Democrats spending averaged roughly $172,000. Republicans appear to have high hopes for the Cedar Rapids-area race in which Democratic incumbent Liz Mathis is up for re-election. The state GOP devoted more than $242,000 in mostly advertising to the campaign of Republican challenger Rene Gadelha. The Democratic Party, perhaps signaling its confidence in Mathis, provided just more than $44,000 to her campaign. Mathis also raised nearly $72,000 on her own, compared to the roughly $24,000 raised by Gadelha. CEDAR RAPIDS Democratic challenger Monica Vernon has taken a slim lead over Republican Rep. Rod Blum in Iowas 1st District, according to a poll released Thursday. Vernon, a former Cedar Rapids City Council member and business owner, has taken a 48 percent to 47 percent lead, according to a GBA Strategies poll of 400 likely voters Oct. 16 and 17 with a margin of error is 4.9 percentage points. More than 40 percent of all interviews were conducted via cell phone. Previous polls showed Blum, a Dubuque business owner and first-term congressman, leading by as much as 16 points. GBA said Blums financial advantage after Vernon emerged from the competitive Democratic June primary helped him build a solid lead and a nearly 2-to-1 favorability rating from voters. However, his favorability rating has dropped from +20 to +3 39 percent favorable to 36 percent unfavorable. His favorable and unfavorables are slightly higher than Vernons, which were virtually unchanged from September at +3 33 percent to 30 percent. Both candidates have consolidated their partisan bases, but Vernon has gained 10 points and now leads among independents. GBA attributed the shift in Blums rating to perceptions of his connection to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Forty-one percent said Blum shares the same attitudes and values of Trump and 48 percent said he shares Trumps policy goals. MASON CITY Incumbent State Rep. Sharon Steckman and her challenger, Barbara Hovland, differ on how to regulate hog confinement facilities in Iowa a divisive issue in their legislative district. Steckman, a Democrat from Mason City, is seeking her fifth term in the Iowa House from District 53 which includes Mason City, Rockwell and central Cerro Gordo County. Hovland, also of Mason City, is the Cerro Gordo County Republican chairwoman and has been active in Republican politics for many years. Earlier this year, Steckman took an active role in opposing the Prestage pork processing plant that was proposed for Mason City and was ultimately rejected by a 3-3 vote of the City Council. Prestage now plans to build its $240 million plant near Eagle Grove in Wright County. One of the concerns of opponents was the proximity of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, to residential areas because of possible environmental hazards. Counties are bound by state laws governing the building of CAFOs. If a proposed CAFO meets requirements of the state matrix, it must be approved. Steckman believes there should be local control; Hovland disagrees. The state matrix was put together in 2002 by 12 legislators, including Mark Kuhn, said Steckman. The matrix has too many holes in it. There needs to be local control. A big concern is water quality. I dont want to see water quality impaired any more than it already is, she said. Hovland said there is a lot of fear mongering going on with respect to CAFOs. Control of CAFOs should be at the state level, she said. The EPA and DNR are overseeing it. There are strict guidelines on water. CAFOs have been around for a long time. We shouldnt take away from other programs to fund water quality, she said. Cerro Gordo County supervisors recently learned firsthand how local control is not an option. Supervisors rejected a proposed CAFO near Ventura because of its proximity to residences and wildlife areas. But the application met state standards so the Department of Natural Resources overturned the county recommendation. The county appeal to the Environmental Protection Commission was denied. 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. BENGALURU: Despite the swelling public sentiment against the flyover, the government has gone ahead and announced an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system for the steel flyover. However, the amount of toll to travel from Raj Bhavan to Esteem Mall has not been decided yet. The decision to collect toll was taken in the last cabinet meeting and it has been made clear to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). According to a state government official, The issue will be discussed in the cabinet and will also be placed before the common public for comments. There has been a growing angst among the ordinary citizens, who are against this flyover and dont want this 1,791-crore steel structure to take shape. The government is very keen on implementing the ORT system, which is doing reasonably well in several countries, including the US and Singapore. ORT allows vehicles to drive past on the flyover without stopping. In other words, the steel flyover will have no toll booths. Those who want to use it should buy reloadable tags or cards that enable automatic deduction of toll charges while on the move, the official explained. This step will lead to less congestion on the flyover and it will take only 25 minutes to reach the Kempegowda International Airport from the heart of the city. On the revenue-sharing model, BDA sources said: "Our primary focus now is to get the work started and we'll put out the details in the public domain shortly." Read Also: Top Five Countries with the Most Nobel Laureates in 21st Century Most Divine Bookshops that you Will Find No Where in the Planet BENGALURU: The rapidly growing start-up eco-system in India has been attracting investors, incubators, and angel funding companies from all over the world. A new boost was added to it when T-Hub, a start-up ecosystem builder, along with Uber and TiE Silicon Valley announced the launch of a program to inspire Indian start-ups and connect with global market opportunities. This will definitely be a crucial and gleeful moment for new start-ups to explore international opportunities and create an identity of their own. According to a statement issued by T-Bridge, a start-up incubator, it will facilitate start-up communities in India as well as around the world to innovate, inter-breed ideas, and create ways and means for knowledge exchange. The activities will also assist in creating a network of mentors, incubators, and accelerators to advance the Indian start-up ecosystem. Telangana minister for IT, K .T. Rama Rao inaugurated T-Bridge at the headquarter of Uber in San Francisco, last week, as reported by a news agency (Source Unknown). T-Bridge will act as a welcoming platform to fast-track companies in tech awaiting to stave in the Indias huge consumer market and back start-ups access UberEXCHANGEUbers flagship start-up mentorship program and TiE Silicon Valleys mentor network. We have a strong vision to make Hyderabad one of the top 10 startup cities in the world. TBridge is one such move towards opening a channel of investment from the world to the state of Telangana. I am proud to open our first outpost in the US in association with Uber and TiE Silicon Valley and believe that this association will forge new partnerships and spur investment and innovation between the two countries, Rama Rao said. Telangana is one of the most progressive states in India, and it has set up a culture of regulatoryincubationallowing new ideas and business models to thrive, said Rachel Whetstone, Ubers senior vice president for policy and communications. Today more and more people around the world want to build something themselves. Through initiatives like UberEXCHANGE, our mentorship program for Indian startups, we hope to spur entrepreneurship. Creative partnerships like T-Bridge will continue to strengthen ties between India and the global startup scene, Whetstone said. Read Also: IBM, IAN Collaborate To Boost Indian Start-Up Ecosystem Startup Contest To Kick Off In Kochi On October 20 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The annual Tournees Film Festival has chosen the College of Staten Island as its 2016 venue. The series is hosted by the Department of Media Culture through a FACE (French-American Cultural Exchange) grant, with screenings every Thursday through November 17 from 2:30 p.m to 4:20 p.m in 1P-223 on the campus at 2800 Victory Blvd. in Willowbrook. All are welcome to enjoy the free film screenings -- not just students. "Through the generous support of the French Embassy, CSI was able to offer scholarships to eight students studying in France this summer as well as promote and coordinate this film festival," said Dr. Stephen Ferst, executive director of the Center of Global Engagement. "This support, and our continued close relationship with the French Embassy in the U.S., sets the stage for expanded study abroad opportunities for CSI students in France." After weeks of screening recent French cinema, the fest come to a close with a full-night screening of the French classic "Rififi" and presentations from Mathieu Fournet, French Embassy, Audiovisual Attache, Head of Film, TV, and New Media and Lea Futschik French Embassy, Higher Education Attache, Executive Director, PUF Program. The evening will also feature the screening of a short student film shot in Tours, France by students from the College of Staten Island and The CUNY Graduate Center. Dr. David Gerstner, working closely with Ferst, has established strong relationships with the French Embassy as well as with French film directors and producers. "Our students have been working intensely on completing their film," said Gerstner. "From the footage I have seen, and working closely with them on the film's subject, we will be presenting a remarkable project." IF YOU ATTEND... Here's the lineup of films featured during this year's festival. To see the trailers, watch the "2016 Tournees Film Festival" video on the Center of International Studies YouTube channel. Oct. 17: Summertime & Simply Clarisse Summertime, a film by Catherine Corsini, France 2015. Run time is 105 min. Simply Clarisse, a film by Ludivine Petit and Charlotte Font. France 2015. Run time is 8 min. Oct. 20: May Allah Bless France May Allah Bless France, a film by Abd Al Malik, France 2015. Run time is 96 min. Oct. 27: Mustang & Pluie Mustang, a film bu Deniz Gamze Erguven and Alice Winocour, France 2015. Run time is 94 min. Pluie, a film by Nick Jastrzebski, United States 2015. Run time is 9 min. Nov. 3: Girlhood Girlhood, a film by Celine Sciamma, France 2014. Run time is 112 min. Nov. 10: School of Babel & Dreaming of Baltimore The School of Babel, a film by Julie Bertucelli. France, 2013. Run time is 89 min. Dreaming of Baltimore, a film by Lola Quivoron, France 2016. Run time is 26 min. Nov. 17: Rififi Rififi, a film by Jules Dassin, France 1955. Run time is 118 min. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Today's archive page is from June 5, 1943. In observation of Children's Day, the New Dorp Moravian Church will host the "Treasures of Youth" pageant. The girl soloist will be Joan Ten Eyck. The boy soloist will be Walter Bodemann. At 11 a.m., the Sunday School students all proceed to the church, while the organist plays "Lead on O King Eternal." There will be a call to worship and an opening prayer before the pageant begins. Pageant music will include: "Jesus Makes My Heart Rejoice" and "Fairest Lord Jesus." pill.jpeg The DEA will be holding its semi-annual National Prescription Take-Back Day Saturday. (NYPD) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- On Saturday, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration will host its semi-annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, providing Islanders with a few spots to safely drop off their unwanted prescription medication. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations: 122nd Precinct Stationhouse at 2320 Hylan Blvd. in New Dorp 120th Precinct Stationhouse at 78 Richmond Terrace in St. George 123rd Precinct Stationhouse at 116 Main St. in Tottenville The DEA started National Drug Take-Back Day in 2010, in which spots are set up for people to drop off their unwanted medications on Staten Island and across the country. "Heroin use and abuse is at epic levels throughout the country. 80% of new heroin users started by using opioid prescription drugs," said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt. "DEA's National Prescription Pill Take Back Initiative is a way for families to prevent drug use, abuse and overdoses by ridding their medicine cabinets of unused, unwanted and expired medication." At the last nation-wide event in April, the agency collected 893,498 pounds of unwanted medicines -- about 447 tons -- at almost 5,400 sites spread through all 50 states, beating its previous high of 390 tons in the spring of 2014 by 57 tons, or more than 114,000 pounds, according to a DEA press release. The top five states with the largest collections, in order, were Texas (almost 40 tons); California (32 tons); Wisconsin (31 tons); Illinois (24 tons); and Massachusetts (24 tons), the release said. According to the DEA, 47,596 pounds of unwanted pills were collected from New York state in April. Specific Staten Island totals were not available. Approximately 6.4 million Americans age 12 and over -- 2.4 percent of the population -- abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last month, more than abuse cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine combined, a DEA spokeswoman said. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes or firearms, the release said. But borough residents don't have to wait for the DEA event to dispose of their pills. In 2014, the DEA approved regulations that allow Staten Island pharmacies and community organizations to collect left-over prescription drugs that otherwise might be used by addicts. The new rules allow a pharmacy to register with the DEA and put a drop box at its store that customers can use to dispose of old prescriptions. LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Threatening a fundamental pillar of American democracy, Donald Trump refused to say Wednesday night that he will accept the results of next month's election if he loses to Hillary Clinton. The Democratic nominee declared Trump's resistance "horrifying." Trump has spent the days leading up to third and final presidential debate warning voters that the election will be "rigged." Asked whether he would accept the outcome if Clinton emerges victorious, he said, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." That contradicted pledges by his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, as well as his daughter, Ivanka. Wednesday's contest quickly shifted from a calm, policy-focused faceoff into a bitter and deeply personal confrontation. Trump repeatedly called Clinton a "nasty woman," while the Democrat panned him as "unfit" to be commander in chief. Clinton, who began the debate with a lead in nearly all battleground states, forcefully accused Trump of favoring Russia's leader over American military and intelligence experts after the Republican nominee pointedly refused to accept the U.S. government's assertion that Moscow has sought to meddle in the U.S. election. Voters concerned about security of the US electoral system, poll shows She charged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing Trump because "he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump denied any relationship with Putin and said he would condemn any foreign interference in the election. But he notably declined to back the intelligence community's assessment that Russia was involved in the hacking of Democratic organizations. The Clinton campaign has said the FBI also is investigating Russia's involvement in the hacking of a top adviser's emails. The 90-minute contest in Las Vegas came just under three weeks before Election Day and with early voting underway in more than 30 states. Trump has struggled to expand his support beyond his most loyal backers and must reshape the race in its closing days if he hopes to defeat Clinton. The candidates clashed repeatedly over their drastically different visions for the nation's future. Trump backed Supreme Court justices who would overturn the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling, while Clinton vowed to appoint justices that would uphold the decision legalizing abortion, saying, "We have come too far to have that turned back now." The businessman entered the final debate facing a string of sexual assault accusations from women who came forward after he denied in the previous contest that he had kissed or groped women without their consent. That Trump denial followed the release of a video of in which he's heard bragging about exactly that. Trump denied the accusations anew Wednesday night, saying the women coming forward "either want fame or her campaign did it." Clinton said Trump "thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth." She avoided answering a question about her husband's infidelities. Trump pressed Clinton on immigration, accusing her of wanting an "open borders" policy, a characterization she vigorously disputes. The Republican, who has called for building a wall the length of the U.S.-Mexico border, said that under a Clinton presidency, "People are going to pour into our country." Clashing on trade, Trump said Clinton had misrepresented her position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, noting that she had originally called it the "gold standard" of trade agreements. Clinton shot back that once the deal was finished, it didn't meet her standards. "I'll be against it when I'm president," she said. On foreign policy, Clinton reasserted her opposition to sending a large-scale U.S. troop presence to the Middle East to defeat the Islamic State. She's backed a no-fly zone in Syria, which would mark an expansion of the current U.S. strategy. For Trump, the debate marked one of his final chances to reshape a race that appears to be slipping away from him. Clinton's campaign is confidently expanding into traditionally Republican states, while Trump's narrow electoral path is shrinking. Clinton has struggled throughout the campaign to overcome persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. In the campaign's closing weeks, she's begun appealing to Americans to overcome the deep divisions that have been exacerbated by the heated campaign, saying on stage Wednesday that she intended to be a president for those who vote for her and those who do not. These 15 questions will tell you who you really support for president Clinton faced debate questions for the first time about revelations in her top adviser's hacked emails that show her striking a different tone in private than in public regarding Wall Street banks and trade. She quickly turned the discussion to Russia's potential role in stealing the emails. Underscoring the deep discord between Trump and Clinton, the candidates did not shake hands at the beginning or end of the debate. AX028_4556_9.JPG Manhattan Assistant District Attorneys Joel Seidemann and Staten Islander Joan Illuzzi-Orbon, right, leave during a court recess in the retrial of Pedro Hernandez, in New York, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Painting a picture of a crime that shattered a bygone era's sense of safety, Illuzzi opened the retrial of one of the nation's most influential missing-child cases, the 1979 disappearance of Etan Patz. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Lifelong Staten Islander and prosecutor Joan Illuzzi is back in the spotlight with the retrial in the Etan Patz murder case that got underway Wednesday in State Supreme Court, Manhattan. Republican Illuzzi, lost to Democrat Michael McMahon in a biter election battle a year ago for Staten Island district attorney. She has since returned to her position as senior trial counsel in the Manhattan D.A.'s office and head of its Hate Crimes Unit. In that capacity she presented opening arguments in the prosecution's case against Pedro Hernandez, accused of at his retrial, of kidnapping and killing Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy who vanished as he walked to his school bus stop in Manhattan in 1979. According to a report in the New York Times, as she laid out the prosecution's arguments, Illuzzi showed jurors pictures of Lower Manhattan in 1979, a section of New York City that looked far different than it does now. At the time, SoHo was a more industrial neighborhood. The Patz family, she said, was one of a few to live in the area. On the morning of May 25, 1979, according to Illuzzi, Etan Patz set off to walk to school, stopping off at a bodega to buy a soda with a dollar bill he had in his pocket. It was there he encountered Hernandez, a stock clerk at the store, who lured him to the basement and then strangled the boy. Lead defense lawyer, Harvey Fishbein, refuted Illuzzi; he said his client Hernandez is in an innocent man. The trial continues today in downtown Manhattan. 2994-16 50 PDU 10-17-16 PHOTO.jpg Alyssa Baez, 14, from Staten Island, has been reported missing in the Bronx. (Courtesy of NYPD) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD is asking for the public's help in locating a 14-year-old girl from Staten Island who went missing in the Bronx. Alyssa Baez, 14, of Kingsbridge Terrace in the Bronx, was last seen on Monday at about 8:15 a.m. in front of 100 West Mosholu Parkway South in the Bronx, according to a statement from the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public information. The address where police said she disappeared from is for DeWitt Clinton High School. Police described the missing teen as a female Hispanic, standing 5'7" tall, weighing about 115 pounds, having brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a purple hooded sweater, a black polo shirt and khaki pants, the police statement said. Alyssa Baez, 14, last seen 10/17 in front of Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx. Call 911 if seen, #800577TIPS with info. pic.twitter.com/PPBhxtmJQR Chief Nilda Hofmann (@NYPDCommAffairs) October 20, 2016 Tiffany Valentin of Clifton reached out to the Advance for help in finding her daughter Alyssa. The mother told the Advance that her daughter was last seen at Clinton Dewitt High School around 8 a.m. on Monday, but that none of her teachers remembered her being in class that day. "I just want to find my baby,'' Valentin said. "That's it." She said her daughter, who previously attended Egbert Intermediate School in Midland Beach, had been living with her father, Angel Baez, on Kingsbridge Terrace so she could have an easier commute to school. When her father went to pick her up after school on Monday, Alyssa never showed up. Valentin said he spoke with the school principal and the principal said he had not seen Alyssa in their sixth period class. Valentin went up to the Bronx that night and said she and Alyssa's father called the police later that evening around 9 p.m. "We have no idea where she could've went," Valentin said. "There's a 'no cell phone' policy at the school, and she doesn't have any social media that we know of." Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The son of the woman who died after being struck by a car in Stapleton in September remembered her as a "great mother" in an interview with the Staten Island Advance. Anthony Chon, 27, said his mother, Myung, 61, had just left the Chase Bank on 621 Bay St. after making a deposit and was returning to Tony Cleaners on Canal Street, where she she worked with her husband, Jae Ho. "I couldn't have asked for better parents, especially my mom," Anthony said. "They were people who believed in giving all to their children." He said his father was working with his mother the day she was hit by a 66-year-old male in a 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, who was making a left turn from Canal Street onto Bay Street. Jae Ho didn't immediately realize that the large emergency response on Sept. 30 on Bay Street was for his wife. Eventually he understood what had happened, and called his son, so he could get to Richmond University Medical Center, where his mother was transported. Chon, a first lieutenant in the Army National Guard, said his father has been taking the loss particularly hard. "I'm hanging in there, but I'm just trying to be strong for my dad," he said. Chon didn't place the blame for his mother's death on anyone, but said the combination of a sharp turn and his mother's small stature contributed to the incident. Myung was a very devout woman who was very involved in her church, St. Robert Bellarmine, in Bayside, Queens. Anthony said the family had friends and family in the area, which is why she made such a long commute to worship. He said his mother had been struggling with the death of his sister, Patricia, who passed away in 2007. He said it affected the entire family, but that his mother took the tragedy particularly hard. "I think it was only recently that she started to enjoy her life," he said. "We take comfort in knowing she's with my sister now." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New Dorp resident Ilir Sela, 36, grew up surrounded by friends and family members in the pizza business. His parents and grandparents, owed Charlie's Pizza in Manhattan during the 1970s, and he has many friends who have owned or still own pizzerias on Staten Island. He was always a tech savvy student from a young age. This led Sela to pursue a bachelor of science degree in computer science from the College of Staten Island. For the early part of his career, he designed websites for small businesses in the borough. As the tech-guru among his friends and family, he would often be asked for ideas to better reach customers in the digital age. So five years ago he developed MyPizza.com, a business that allows people to order pizza online from a local pizzeria. "The first 30 or so customers I had were through friends and family on Staten Island. I ended up developing over 3,000 relationships with pizza restaurants throughout the country," said Sela. "I started this really genuinely wanting to help people. ... Last year, I reached out to one of the founding members of Seamless, a website that allows you to order food from nearby restaurants online. They immediately opened the door for me and introduced me to their network," he added. CREATING THE SLICE APP But that wasn't enough. The digital age is rapidly progressing and people are doing more today through phone apps than their desktop computers or laptops. Plus, Sela was tired of seeing people opt for "convenience over quality." "It's easier for people to just order from Dominos because they would download the app on their phone; I wanted them to be able to do the same with local businesses," he said. "On Staten Island we realize how big the pizza industry is; it's a $40 billion a year industry. It's kind of like a tug of war between locals and independents and (chains like) Dominos," added Sela. So he used his technical background and large array of connections in the pizza and food business to develop Slice, an app you can download onto your iPhone, so you can order pizza instantly with a tap on your screen. (An Android app will be available soon). "The Slice app helps consumers order and reorder from their favorite pizzerias and we have made it super simple to do that and we've also brought world class technology to these mom and pop stores," said Sela, noting Apple Pay, cash or credit cards are acceptable methods for paying for your order through the app, which was launched last week. The app allows you to choose a local pizzeria by your location or you can search for your favorite, he said. "The app is built around loyalty. It's built around helping customers order and reorder from their local pizzeria. We have made it supper simple to do that," said Sela. "You can also order from the rest of the menu. You can order pizza, salad, pasta," he added. With 6,000 pizzerias available through the app, Sela said he is adding new restaurants every day. SLICE AT A GLANCE Website: Slicelife.com New Businesses in Focus is a weekly column that relates the stories of new Staten Island businesses owners. If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK 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. CITY HALL -- A subway will most likely never go to Staten Island. Metropolitan Transportation Authority head Tom Prendergast explained to Borough President James Oddo this month that connecting Staten Island to Brooklyn through a rail tunnel would be particularly challenging. "Even 90 years ago, funding constraints were a major consideration in the decision to not undertake a complex and at times, politically charged, project," Prendergast wrote to Oddo on Oct. 3. Oddo wanted to know if the MTA had ever analyzed the proposal in the decades since the project was abandoned. "Whenever we talk about Staten Island's transportation problems, someone inevitably brings up the start of the rail tunnel almost a century ago," Oddo said in a statement. A CENTURY OF DREAMING Plans for a subway link to Brooklyn were among reasons why Staten Islanders wanted to consolidate with the other four boroughs in 1898. A decade before that, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad proposed a tunnel between Brooklyn and Staten Island but the the plan was never funded. Such a connection to the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit (or BMT) subway system was actually mapped as part of an expansion of additional lines through the Dual Contracts. The idea was to extend the 4th Avenue BMT R line under the Narrows and connect it to what's now called the Staten Island Railway. "While a shaft was sunk about 150 feet into the Narrows, a rail tunnel from Owl's Head Park to Staten Island never came to fruition," Prendergast wrote to Oddo. He added that no formal or informal studies have been conducted since the state legislature created what is now known as MTA New York City Transit in 1953. BUT WHAT IF? Oddo said he also wanted to know what would happen "if the MTA suddenly became flush with the many billions of dollars needed for such a project." "In the event that NYCT came across the funding to make this tunnel a reality," Prendergast wrote, "the hypothetical 'next steps' would be to start with some sort of high level needs/feasibility study to understand what the potential benefit for this would be, what sort of land use changes it would induce, what development would be required and what sort of routing and service options would be feasible." The alternative analysis process would begin, followed by preliminary engineering and an environmental impact statement. "Aside from the cost engineering constraints and finding sound ways of operating additional service alone 4th Avenue R in Brooklyn, carrying this out today would also prove to be extremely challenging on the Staten Island side," Prendergast wrote. "If we were able to connect 4th Av R service to Staten Island, the line would tie into the middle of SIR, requiring comprehensive track reconfigurations." And if that's not enough, Prendergast added, "The introduction of R service into the SIR system would also have considerable scheduling impacts on the current SIR operation." This timeline can vary, but Prendergast pointed to the long process for the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan. Planning and environmental review began in 1995 and opening of the first phase is only expected later this year. OTHER PROJECTS IN WORKS Oddo said that Staten Island still has "other potentially transformative projects on the drawing board that are much more likely to occur" like the North Shore Bus Rapid Transit, increased fast ferry service and West Shore Light Rail. The Staten Island subway will still be a distant dream for the mass transit-starved borough. "I understand if such a project were viable there would be some who oppose it and some who strongly support it," Oddo said. "I couldn't say where I would stand because there is no realistic proposal." Page Content A three man delegation from EPI (Intermediate Professional Education) Aruba have concluded a very successful three day meeting and discussion session with the Board and management of NIPA. The delegation consisted of Mr. Ryan Maduro , Dean of Academic Affairs, Mrs. Irayka Yanez, Director of Education and Mr. Andres Geerman , Dean of Academic Affairs for Hospitality and Tourisms Affairs. The discussions with NIPA centered of the Innovations and 2020 plans of EPI as well as discussions regarding common areas for collaboration and cooperation that could materialized in a living document and articulation agreement. Common areas for cooperation and collaboration were; the sharing of expertise, technical support to NIPA in the form of curriculum development , renovation and innovation, lifelong learning and adult education courses, best practices and areas for mutual development and opportunities for third party partnerships. The visit was concluded with a debriefing between the visiting EPI delegation, the school management and the school board as well as an evaluation and future planning session. Students of the Culinary Arts department prepared and served an impressive and tasty three course dinner for which the visiting delegation and invited guests that included Minister of Education, Culture , Youth and Sports, Minister Silveria Jacobs also gave raving reviews. At the end of the evening Minister Jacobs presented a letter to the delegation to take back to their Minister of Education outlining the willingness to strengthen ties and expand the current relationship between the countries as well as an outline of the Sint Maarten's future willingness to cooperate with Aruba in the area of Education. The team from EPI and an advisory team from NIPA will continue their discussions and seek to finalize an Articulation Agreement between the two institutions in the very near future." Page Content The UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean is working with other organizations in the region to implement the second phase of an online consultation, which asks young people between the ages of 15 and 25 to Tell them what you want to learn. The first phase of the consultation -implemented from June 14th, to July 14th, of this year- showed that young people want to learn about a wide range of topics, and to open themselves up for learning about pending issues for todays world. The preliminary results illustrate young peoples desire to learn in settings beyond schools and traditional forms of teaching. The consultation allows young people to express their thoughts on what types of learning they consider to be relevant, how they want to learn, and the topics and methods that are most interesting to them. The ideas and answers received will help the rethinking and redesigning of education in the future. The online consultation was launched to get young peoples perspective on how particularly Goal # 4 To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education promote lifelong learning opportunities for all in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, can be achieved. This global commitment, was adopted by over 193 countries, and is now in need of adaptation to the realities of Latin America and the Caribbean. In order to do this, it is pivotal that the opinion of our young people are obtained to guide the educational policies of the next years. The Deadline to submit input is Oct. 30th, 2016.UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean with headquarters in Santiago, Chile (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago), was created in 1963 for the purpose of assisting the regions 37 Member States, which includes St. Maarten, in the definition of strategies to further the development of their education policies. The short survey which comprises of less than 10 questions, can be done online in the English or Spanish languages. Take part, share your opinions, visit the following link: http://on.unesco.org/1ZLq2V9 For further information you can follow news at www.facebook.com/unescosantiago Helen May Blondie Halsne CLEAR LAKE Helen May Blondie Halsne, 89, of Clear Lake, died Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, at Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. A funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, 2016, at Galilean Lutheran Church, 4454 255th St., Clear Lake, with Pastor Scot McCloskey officiating. Burial will be in Clear Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake. Family suggests memorial contributions to the Alzheimers Association or to the Humane Society of North Iowa. Helen was born on Feb. 23, 1927, the daughter of Andrew and Goldie (Reynolds) Paulson in Mason City. She married James Halsne on July 28, 1946, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City. He preceded her in death on May 17, 1992. Helen grew up and attended school in Mason City. She and Jim farmed many years south of Clear Lake before moving to Brookings, SD and later Jacksonville, IL, and finally returning to Clear Lake in 1983. She worked various jobs while raising her six children, and later in life worked 17 years for McDonalds in Clear Lake, retiring at the age of 76. Helen was a charter member of Galilean Lutheran Church in Clear Lake. She was a very good roller skater in her younger years. She enjoyed dirt track racing and was known as Grandma of the track and rarely missing a race of her grandchildren. She also liked walking to the corner, dancing, flowers and feeding the birds. She enjoyed going to the casino, bowling with friends, and especially loved spending time with her family and grandchildren. Helen is survived by five children, Jim Halsne of Clear Lake, Carol (Cliff) Monson of Clear Lake, Diana (Delmar) Grinkey of Manchester, IL, Tom Halsne of Lacrosse, WI and Mike (Trish) Halsne of Chapin, IL; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Emily Reab of Appleton, WI; many nieces and nephews; a daughter-in-law, Lorie Halsne of Thornton; and her cat, Georgie. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; a son, Dick; a grandson, Brian Halsne; a brother, Bob Paulson; and a daughter-in-law, Judy Halsne. Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, IA; 641-357-2193. ColonialChapels.com. Ronald G. Haroldson EMMONS, Minn. Ronald G. Haroldson, 83, of Emmons, Minnesota, died Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, at home. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Emmons Lutheran Church with Pastor Christopher Martin officiating. Interment will be at Lime Creek Cemetery, rural Emmons, with military honors conducted by the Louis Tveite Post #317. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, is in charge of arrangements. PLAINFIELD Authorities believe they have found the remains of an elderly rural Plainfield woman who disappeared in July. A local farmer found a body around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday while harvesting corn near a home at 1477 120th St., according to the Bremer County Sheriffs Office. Deputies said their findings strongly suggest the body is that of 76-year-old Cloris Mehmen, whose family said she had Alzheimers and dementia. Search continues for missing Plainfield woman PLAINFIELD Family members and officials continued to hold out hope Wednesday for the safe An autopsy has been scheduled to verify the identity and determine a cause of death. No foul play is suspected, deputies said. The body was found about half a mile from Mehmens home. She was last seen July 5. Art Mehmen told the Globe Gazette in July it wasnt the first time his wife had wandered away from home, but said shed always been found quickly. Mehmens disappearance triggered a large search, with volunteers combing road ditches, buildings and fields for miles around her rural Plainfield home. Two planes and a boat were also involved in the search. 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 Have you ever wondered what a hypocrite smells like? All you need to do is sniff a homeless person to know what hypocrites dont smell like. Most of the homeless people Ive helped straight-up stink. They dont smell as nice as all the self-righteous folks out there arrogantly condemning Christians who support Trump. Thats why I prefer spending my spare time helping homeless people who pass through my little town on their way to nowhere in particular. They carry no pretenses, walking around in smelly clothes and worn out, oversized shoes. They are not hypocrites. Nor are they too proud to accept food ... cash ... a blanket ... a warm coat. And every once in a while, they allow me the privilege of telling them about the time the Friend of Sinners befriended me, inspiring me to go and sin no more. In fact, there isnt a person Jesus ever ate with, or a prostitute he ever conversed with or a Pharisee he ever came in contact with that he did not remind to go and sin no more. Were all sinners and at times we are hypocrites. A hypocrite is someone who pretends to have certain convictions that they do not actually have. Thats why Im not a hypocrite when I call out Democrats on things like abortion, big government or religious liberty. I am a sinner saved by grace, though. I sometimes write carelessly and later have to ask for Gods forgiveness, then do my best to go and sin no more. We know Donald Trump wasnt a Christian 11 years ago, but we also know he professed to be a Christian in 2011 on CBN News Brody File. During the interview Trump said, I believe in God. I am Christian. Obviously, his faith has influenced the political views he now embraces like pro-life and Scalia-like Supreme Court justices. But thats not enough for judgmental evangelicals whove thrown Trump and his supporters to the lions but oddly take President Obama at his word on his supposed Christian faith, although he supports much of what the Bible opposes. Its fair to ask what would have happened to Christianity if Paul the apostle was treated the same way as some evangelicals treat Trump for his pre-conversion activities. While we dont have a hot mic to prove it, Paul, once known as Saul, was a Christian killer who had a divine encounter with Jesus on a road trip. He was a changed man, over time. Apparently, old habits die hard if you read what Paul wrote in Romans 7:15. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. So I ask all my better-than-thou friends out there, where have your convictions been all these years? Wheres your outrage now that Hillary wants you to fund partial birth abortions? Or the damning WikiLeaks emails? Or that shes spent her whole political career embracing issues that break Gods heart? We know how you feel about pre-conversion locker room talk, but wheres your outrage over Obamas policies allowing boys to shower in your little girls locker room? Why were you silent when the Obama administration slapped a $70 million per year fine on a group of nuns, Little Sisters of the Poor, who gave up their lives to care for the impoverished elderly, punished for their faiths stance on birth control? Both Hillarys and Obamas policies show they are no friend of Christianity, so if you find yourself siding with them, you might want to ask yourself the same question I regularly ask myself: Are you on Gods side? Its clear that many of my sweet-smelling friends have forgotten to remember that Christ came for sinners. All of us. As a former county supervisor, Mary Jo understands the issues we face at a county and city levels. During her time in the Legislature she has kept a focus on supporting us a the local level, especially with her position as the vice chair of the committee on Local Government. Dr Karl Kruszelnicki is quite happy to admit he's not very smart. It's a big call from the man who was once named as the ninth most trusted person in Australia, one of the nation's favourite science communicators. "My IQ is only 110," Dr Karl says. "I wrote about that in a previous book, how the average IQ is rising by nine IQ points every generation. Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. Credit:Mel Koutchavlis "I'm barely above average now." What this averageness allows him to do, he says, is explain stuff so the rest of us average people can understand it. A former Marist College Canberra teacher will plead guilty to indecently assaulting two boys at the school in the 1980s, a court has been told. Gregory Joseph Sutton, 65, was one of four men police charged with fresh offences earlier this year as part of an investigation into historical child sexual abuse in territory schools. Gregory Sutton outside the ACT Magistrates Court at a previous court appearance. Credit:Rohan Thomson Sutton had faced allegations in the ACT Magistrates Court of indecent assault committed against two children in the early 1980s. He had not entered pleas but the matter was committed to the ACT Supreme Court in August. Two Canberra school friends charged with trafficking ice and MDMA racked up debts of more than $100,000 owed to drug dealers linked to criminal groups, a court has heard. Joel Andrew Lemmon, 26, and Robert James Masling, 27, were denied bail after prosecutors told the ACT Magistrates Court the "inexperienced" pair had led double lives in the weeks before they were arrested in an undercover police sting on Thursday. ACT Policing Detective Acting Superintendent Marcus Boorman said the men were arrested on Thursday night. Credit:Megan Gorrey ACT Policing said in a statement the men were each charged with eight drug trafficking offences after officers raided properties in Amaroo and Kaleen as part of a long-running investigation into an illicit drug syndicate operating in Canberra. Police had seized drugs with a potential street value up to $700,000, three cars, six firearms, ammunition, a banned weapon and $5500 as proceeds of crime as part of a wider investigation spanning 10 months, the statement said. Gold Coast believe they "extracted our pound of flesh" from Hawthorn in the Jaeger O'Meara deal which was finally sealed moments before the deadline for the trade period on Thursday. After insisting they would only trade O'Meara to Hawthorn for a deal involving a player the Suns eventually agreed to a deal for pick 10 in this year's draft and a future second round pick, securing a second future second rounder through an independent deal with Fremantle. The Suns secured three experienced players - Jarrod Witts, Jarryd Lyons and Pearce Hanley - in trades with other clubs. As the trade talks neared their deadline a deal between Carlton and Hawthorn over an exchange of draft picks provided the Hawks with the extra pick they needed to break the impasse in negotiations with the Suns. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB:ALLM) (the Company) is pleased to announce that the Airports Council International North America (ACI-NA) has given its written support of the CTS process for the production of aviation biofuels and Alliances application to the Department of Energy for a bio-refinery demonstration plant, producing jet fuel from agriculture and yard waste. As one of the founding organizations of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), a public-private partnership to promote the development of the aviation biofuels industry, ACI-NA is extremely supportive of efforts to advance the commercialization of aviation biofuels. The airline industry is taking a proactive approach to its impact on climate change, and ACI has signed on to a collective industry goal of carbon-neutral growth from 2020. In order to meet this goal, biofuels must be a part of the solution. The volume of production will need to scale up quickly in order to start making meaningful contributions towards stabilizing our collective carbon footprint in the coming years. In addition, the incentives for developing a sustainable, domestic fuel supply that is not subject to the same price volatility as petroleum-based fuels are significant. Katherine Preston, Senior Director of Environmental Affairs said, The work being done by Alliance BioEnergy and Ek Laboratories is critical towards meeting these goals. Katherine Preston went on to say, This promising technology would offer a sustainable pathway for the production of aviation biofuels from multiple, different feedstock. About ALLM: Alliance BioEnergy +, Inc. (ALLM) is a publicly traded company focusing on the commercialization and licensing of a patented cellulose conversion technology that it controls through a master license agreement with the University of Central Florida. ALLMs subsidiary, AMG Energy Group, LLC (AMG), owns 50% of Carbolosic, LLC, in a joint venture with Thor Renewable Energy Singapore. Carbolosic holds the exclusive, worldwide license to four (4) issued patents and fourteen (14) filed and pending patents revolving around the core CTS (cellulose to sugar) technology. ALLM also holds the exclusive CTS rights to North America (Canada, US, and Mexico) and Africa. The CTS process is the only known patented, dry mechanical process that can convert virtually any cellulose material into sugars and other products in a matter of minutes with no liquid acids, no applied heat, pressure or hazardous materials of any kind. The CTS process when used in the production of Ethanol is clean, less expensive to build and operate than traditional ethanol plants or other cellulose ethanol technologies and is completely environmentally friendly. Information in this document constitute forward-looking statements or statements which may be deemed or construed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "forecast", "anticipate", "estimate", "project", "intend", "expect", "should", "believe", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve, and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. actual results, performance (financial or operating) or achievements to differ from the future results, performance (financial or operating) or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties and other factors are more fully discussed in Alliance Media Group Holdings, Incs filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements attributable to Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by the above-mentioned cautionary statement. Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this estimate, except as may be required by law. Australia just found out the price of blocking foreign investment. The NSW state government announced on Thursday it had sold a 50.4 per cent stake in Ausgrid to two local superannuation funds in a deal valuing the entire company, including debt, at about $20.8 billion. Two months earlier, the federal government barred NSW from accepting an offer from State Grid Corp. of China that was said to value the power network at about $25.1 billion, citing national security concerns. The difference shows the cost to the nation of limiting ownership of sensitive infrastructure to local buyers, amid public opposition to overseas investment, particularly by state-owned Chinese firms. The Ausgrid sale has also raised doubts about Australia's openness to foreign investment and caused confusion about its regulatory regime. The process "was not run as well as it could have been", said Hans Hendrischke, a professor at the University of Sydney Business School who specialises in Chinese investment in Australia. "It possibly has cost the government a considerable sum of money." Australian mining giant BHP Billiton wants half its traditionally male-dominated workforce to be women by 2025. If the ambitious target is achieved, it will represent a radical change inside one of the world's biggest miners in just nine years. Today, 17 per cent of BHP's worldwide workforce are women. Chief executive Andrew Mackenzie will announce the "aspirational goal" at the company's annual general meeting in London on Thursday. In a note to staff revealing the policy, Mr Mackenzie said meeting the "challenging" target would require significant change, with senior managers now having performance targets to lift female staff numbers by at least 3 per cent a year. An Australian is among 22 people charged by Brazilian prosecutors over their roles in the collapse of a tailings dam at the Samarco Mineracao iron ore mine last November that killed 19 people. Of the 22, 21 have been charged with qualified homicide. The charges follow what is now considered to be the largest environmental disaster in Brazil's history. The dam collapse released millions of tonnes of muddy mine waste, wiping out several small communities. Samarco, its co-owners Brazil's Vale and Australia's BHP Billiton, and Brazilian engineering company VOGBR Recursos Hidricas e Geotechnica which certified the dam's safety, were charged with environmental crimes. First, it's bad for interns. They're currently operating in an environment where their legal status is already unclear where the distinction at law between "unpaid work experience" and "employee" differs from case to case. So as internships rise in rapid numbers, unscrupulous organisations can take advantage of this lack of clarity, and hire interns to perform the tasks of employees, without the corresponding rights, entitlements or paycheck. Interns remain silent, hoping it will lead to a job, yet our research indicates that only 20 per cent of unpaid interns are offered employment with the same organisation . The Fair Work Ombudsman for its part secured fines for businesses exploiting vulnerable interns. With youth unemployment hitting unprecedented heights, it's important to consider creative solutions, and at a cursory glance, the internship programme seems like a good idea. But dig deeper and you'll see just how bad it is: bad for interns, bad for decent business, and bad for the notion of a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. The Youth Jobs PaTH Bill removes the final legislative barriers for the creation of the Government's internship program: an "intern army" that will be 120,000-strong. Young people who have been on Centrelink for six months or more will receive a $200 "incentive payment" for completing 30-50 hours of unpaid labour with an employer, who will receive $1000 for taking them on. Last week, interns across Australia diligently slipped on their second-hand shoes and headed off to work. As they wrote articles, managed events and collected coffees without pay, the Turnbull Government was getting to work itself: quietly introducing legislation that would see interns installed in businesses across the country. We're seeing this internships culture develop in industries such as media, the arts, not-for-profits, marketing and law, where interns are becoming part of the furniture (or in the design industry, even making the furniture). It's a rapidly developing problem in need of a solution. The internship program, however, creates 120,000 new interns, and labels their activities as "unpaid work experience", not employment. In addition, it'll be targeting industries where internships haven't previously been seen, such as motor trades, hospitality and retail. That's not fixing the problem, that's supercharging it on a massive scale: taking the brand of intern and bringing it to your mechanics, your designer stores and your cafes, without clarifying what it actually means. And with it, potentially replacing these jobs and they are jobs with interns. Second, it's bad for businesses. Not unscrupulous businesses, of course. It's great for them: after all, if you're getting a worker for four-12 weeks for free from the government and $1000 as an incentive, why wouldn't you take them on? And when their internships are done, why wouldn't you fire them and look for another one (and another incentive cheque)? In fact, with a constant stream of interns the need for hiring an entry-level employee reduces completely, eroding these jobs and splintering the path to well-paid work. It's decent business that is hurt by the supercharging of an Australian internships culture. Interns Australia gets contacted week after week by employers wanting to create great internships, but without any knowledge of what their obligations towards their interns would be. Creating 120,000 new workers who are not employees makes it more confusing for businesses to know what's legal and what's not, and makes it even more likely for them to unintentionally break the law. But it's not just bad for interns and business, it's bad for all of us for all who care that our employment rights are adequately protected. What are the rights of the 120,000 interns in the internship program? Are they the same as the unclear rights of that unpaid intern, rushing to what she hopes will one day be employment? Are they different? And if so, how are we sure a scheme which aims to "strengthen the business environment", according to the minister introducing the bill, will adequately protect those rights? The shocking tragedy in Davidson this week, the apparent murder/suicide of a family with two children on the autistic spectrum, is sadly not an isolated event. On February 1, 2015, a similar terrible tragedy occurred for a family with the intellectual disability Fragile X Syndrome, another condition that can produce autistic spectrum consequences. Fragile X, a genetic condition, is the world's leading cause of inherited intellectual disability. That fine Sunday, Darren Milne, the father in a Fragile X family, in desperation about the future of his FX boys, took the family for a weekend drive on the Central Coast. He deliberately drove them all at high speed into a tree. He killed them all except for one little boy, Ben, who miraculously survived. The father committed suicide; his wife, one son and an unborn baby, were murdered. His Mexican wife Susana was 29 weeks pregnant with a child whom they had conceived after 7 IVF treatments to ensure the baby was not affected by FX. An engineer with Ausgrid, Darren had planned the suicide/murder down to the last detail over a long period. After the crash it was discovered he had investigated possible crash sites in detail, even recording them on his dashcam. He had installed an elaborate fire bomb in the car hoping it would explode on impact. He had also written long explanations as to why he was taking this action, his despair at what the future lives of his sons and family would be. Warren offered her most pointed warning about appointments in a September 21 speech to the Clinton-friendly Centre for American Progress: "When we talk about personnel, we don't mean advisers who just pay lip service to Hillary's bold agenda, coupled with a sigh, a knowing glance and a twiddling of thumbs until it's time for the next swing through the revolving door, serving government then going back to the very same industries they regulate. We don't mean Citigroup or Morgan Stanley or BlackRock getting to choose who runs the economy in this country so they can capture our government. No. This is about people who understand the urgency of the need for rebuilding opportunity in America now and will fight for it with everything they've got." In communication with the Clintonites, the Massachusetts senator reportedly has said she's not opposed in principle to nominees with Wall Street experience. She says nice things about Gary Gensler, a Goldman Sachs alumnus who ran the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during much of President Barack Obama's administration and is chairman of the Clinton campaign's finance committee. And when she was the top adviser to the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, she pushed Raj Date, a former managing director of Deutsche Bank, for a top post. Warren is critical of Mary Jo White, a prosecutor and corporate lawyer before heading the Securities and Exchange Commission, but praises Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, an academic and government economist. If Clinton tried to tap one of her close Wall Street associates to become Treasury secretary or White House chief of staff, Warren would probably raise hell. That could test Clinton's loyalty to associates such as Tom Nides, a top executive at Morgan Stanley who ran the State Department's office of management and resources from 2011-2013, when Clinton was Secretary of State. It's not just Wall Street that the populists resist. There was criticism from the progressive wing when Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer at Facebook and a former Treasury official, was rumoured to be a candidate for the Treasury post. Last week, Ms Sandberg said she had no interest in going to Washington. Australia's offshore "processing" policy keeps some 1150 people, including 173 children, confined to a tiny tropical island in the Pacific whose indigenous population, on the whole, doesn't want them. Most have been there for more than three years. There is no reason for them to hope that they won't be there for another three years, or 10, or a lifetime unless they agree to return to the countries from which, usually for good reason, they fled in the first place. Children playing near the Refugee Processing Centre on Nauru. Credit:Amnesty International Theoretically, they are no longer detained. They can go where they like, within the rather strict limits imposed by thousands of kilometres of open ocean. The Nauruans charge $8000 to process an application by an Australian for a journalist's visa. If the application is refused as by far the majority are this money is not refundable. In recent years only the Nine Network's A Current Affair, and The Australian's Chris Kenny, have been granted visas. GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Quarter Results/Change in Forecast 19.10.2016 23:52 Disclosure of an inside information according to Article 17 MAR, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ad-hoc notification pursuant to sec. 15 WpHG Preliminary Q3-figures, adjustment of Guidance for 2016 Dusseldorf, October 19, 2016 - Based on preliminary figures for September 2016, GEA expects for Q3 2016 sales around EUR 1,100 million (last year EUR 1,107 million, -1.8% organic change - i.e. adjusted for currency and acquisition effects - against Q3 2015), order intake around EUR 1,084 million (last year EUR 1,068 million, 0.3% organic change against Q3 2015) and operating EBITDA* around EUR 113 million (last year EUR 144 million). Influencing factors for sales - Business Area Solutions: Slower execution mainly of dairy processing projects - in large parts customer induced - and decline in cooling solutions for the oil and gas industry leading to an approx. 4.5% organic decline - Business Area Equipment: Limited overall growth in light of an organic decline of approx. 8% in the dairy farming business Influencing factors for order intake Only slight organic growth due to delays in the placement of larger dairy processing orders which were expected for Q3 2016, as well as a continuing investment-restraint in the dairy farming and oil and gas industries. Influencing factors EBITDA - Business Area Solutions: Cost overruns in a couple of large projects including additional provisions for remaining risks from these; adverse operating leverage effect from approx. 4.5% organic sales decline of the entire business area in Q3 2016 compared to previous year - Business Area Equipment: Adverse operating leverage effect from 8% organic sales decline in the dairy farming business during Q3 2016 compared to previous year The figures for September revealed that adverse impacts for the group had accrued to such an extent that further potentials to fully mitigate these impacts until year's end by countermeasures such as additional saving initiatives seemed exhausted. While all other businesses are on track, they cannot mitigate the above mentioned adverse effects any more. As a consequence, GEA adjusts its guidance for the financial year 2016 with assumptions unchanged as follows: - Moderate sales decline against prior year (previously: moderate increase) - An operating EBITDA* of around EUR 570 million including approx. EUR 10 million from the acquisition Imaforni (previously: guided range between EUR 645 million and EUR 715 million without Imaforni) - Operating cash flow driver margin** around 10% (previously: 10.0-11.0%) The mid-term financial targets given at the occasion of the Capital Markets Day at the beginning of October 2016 are confirmed in all aspects (see CMD 2016 presentation p. 98; accessible at www.gea.com). GEA's Q3 results will be published on 28 October 2016. * operating EBITDA is defined in GEA's half-yearly financial report 2016, p. 42 ** operating cash flow driver margin is defined in GEA's half-yearly financial report 2016, p. 3, FN 2 GEA's half-yearly financial report 2016 is accessible at www.gea.com. Contact: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft Phone +49 (0)211 9136 1492 Fax +49 (0)211 9136 31087 www.gea.com 19.10.2016 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft Peter-Muller-Strae 12 40468 Dusseldorf Germany Phone: +49 (0)211 9136-0 Fax: +49 (0)211 9136-31087 E-mail: ir@gea.com Internet: www.gea.com ISIN: DE0006602006 WKN: 660200 Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulated Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hamburg, Munich; Regulated Unofficial Market in Hanover, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of Announcement DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's an interesting twist that while most commentators do not expect politicians elevated to the executive to have specific qualifications in the ministry he or she is to hold, the same thinking does not apply regarding the appointment of first law officers, also known as attorneys-general. Exhibit A is the Canberra Times article "A degree of concern over finding a law office to suit", (October 19, p4). Disappointingly, exhibit B was the criticism by outgoing Magistrate Peter Dingwell of the then attorney-general ("Plaudits roll in for retiring magistrate", Forum, October 8, p6). I have much respect for Peter Dingwell and his contribution to the magistrate's court over a long period, but I thought his comment "I don't think we've been well served by having an attorney who's not even a lawyer" was an unnecessary swipe. Politicians are generally voted in because they reflect society, as well as lawyers, doctors and teachers. Credit:Graham Tidy GGT Others, of course, have a different view about whether the ACT attorney-general should be a lawyer or someone with legal qualifications. Was Mr Dingwell's view formed by the struggle to convince attorney-general Simon Corbell that an additional magistrate was required, while the Executive insisted that workplace efficiencies should be implemented first? It's not going so well, federally, either is it? There we have an attorney-general who is a a Queen's Counsel (no less) who is under attack from many quarters, including the legal profession itself. Jenny first discovered her love for the bush as a little girl, while riding horses around the Dandenong Ranges with family friends. She went on to study sculpture as part of a fine art degree at the University of Melbourne, and then completed a masters in community art and a diploma of education. It was these three passions art, community and the bush which defined her. She married her first husband, bird painter and author Robin Hill, and then after their divorce married graphic designer Rodney Saulwick. In 1968, the pair opted for a tree-change. They built an architect-designed home on the edge of Sherbrooke Forest in Belgrave and established their own full-sized art studio and a main-street craft shop, called Mother of All. Adam said they wanted to raise their family of four on the urban fringe, where they could be free to explore nature and develop their creativity. "Looking back, they were successful in this," he said. "But it wasn't only home-baked bread, the menagerie of hobby farm animals, the vegie patch, blackberries and beehives, to the tunes of Joan Baez and Ravi She is one of the classic, understated people who worked tirelessly for a cause Shankar. "There was also the steady stream of arty-farty, looney-tunes types dropping by for coffee and intellectual discourse on topics from Monet to Marx, Tolkien to Tolstoy and Picasso to Pushkin." Jenny began teaching at Ferntree Gully High School, but was frustrated by the region's lack of educational diversity. She got together with other teachers who had alternative ideas and established the Dandenong Ranges Community School in Sassafras. The school focused on creating a community of passionate, globally-aware citizens and is still operating successfully today. As a community artist, Jenny worked with local governments, schools and architects on public and community art projects. Her work can be seen around the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. She was active with the local council and helped to set up Landcare friends groups, to preserve the Dandenong Ranges' rainforests from the threat of over-development. When burger giant McDonalds attempted to move into Belgrave in 1992, Jenny jumped into action along with the local community to successfully fight it. It was that same year that she stood as an independent Green for the seat of Monbulk in the state election. She established the first Victorian branch of the Greens in what is now the highly marginal seat of La Trobe, and she held many office-bearing positions in the branch over the years. Bob Brown spent time at her Belgrave home, working on policy and campaigns. He said he could see her potential. "She was a great candidate, who has a fine place in Greens' history," Mr Brown said. Adam said Jenny was happy how the party had increased its primary vote over the years, and ended up with a member in the House of Representatives. "But she was also concerned that it should retain its grass-roots basis, and not lose its environmental consciousness," he said. When the Kennett government amalgamated local councils in 1996, the old Shire of Sherbrooke offices were left up for grabs. Jenny helped to stop the building's sale, and was on the board to turn it into what is now the Burrinja Cultural Centre in Upwey, a vibrant arts hub with studios, live theatre, music and galleries. Jenny and Rod had amassed an impressive collection of aboriginal artwork and artefacts, which Rod had collected during his travel around Australia in the 1950s. They donated the lot to Burrinja. More than 20 years later, Jenny was back in the fight to save her local community from rampant development when she joined the Save the Dandenongs League. She was bitterly disappointed when McDonalds won its fight against the community and opened in Tecoma three years ago. Jenny also fought against a more silent predator threatening the local bush environmental weeds and in 2012, she jumped on board the Community Weed Alliance of the Dandenongs. One of Jenny's proudest moments was being named this year's Australia Day Shire of Yarra Ranges Environmentalist of the Year. Kigeli V Ndahindurwa, a Rwandan king who spent less than two years on the throne and more than a half-century in exile, living in penury as he decried the atrocities visited upon his people and seeking a restoration that never came, has died aged 80 at a hospital in the Washington area. Rwanda Kigeli V Ndahindurwa (front) escorted through a town, c1959. Credit:Getty Images His death was announced by the Rwandan government. Guye Pennington, his private secretary, said the cause was an apparent heart ailment and that "for security" the king's office was keeping the precise location of his death "under wraps". Kigeli the name he took as king had lived for the past 24 years in the United States, where he obtained political asylum. According to a 2013 profile in Washingtonian magazine, he resided in Section 8 housing in Oakton, Virginia, subsisting on government assistance, proceeds from the bestowal of honorific titles and the generosity of Rwandan refugees and others moved by the plight of a king without a crown. Scrapping the cap on small planes at Sydney Airport will keep our regions connected, and ensure those living on the coast or in the bush have fair access to essential services. Moree GP Les Woollard this week put a human face to the problem air services to our regions are drying up, sick people face losing access to specialists in Sydney and communities face airport-mandated isolation. It is time for Federal Parliament to show leadership and relax the cap for regional planes at Sydney Airport. In doing so, they must lock in iron clad rules that mean any increase to the cap is reserved solely for regional services, to stop airports shunting regional planes for massive jets. It is clear from plummeting service numbers that regional air passengers are getting a raw deal. We can fix this by getting off regional airlines' backs. Former Coalition minister Philip Ruddock has been "double dipping" by receiving a parliamentary pension of more than $200,000 a year on top of full pay for his new role as Australia's human rights representative. In Senate estimates hearings on Thursday, Labor senator Penny Wong asked Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials to explain how much the Liberal Party elder and former immigration minister was being paid for serving as the government's special envoy for human rights. After 42 years in federal Parliament, Mr Ruddock is entitled to an annual pension of about $215,000 per year, or a lump sum payment of about $2.15 million plus $107,500 per year. He is also being paid for his new departmental contract, a per diem share of between $210,482 and $241,715, in line with a senior public service SES band 2 role. Mr Ruddock is only paid for days worked. NSW Premier Mike Baird has been forced to clarify a claim by Nationals leader Troy Grant that his government supports reclassification of the controversial Adler shotgun, which would lead to a ban on its importation being overturned. In a statement on Thursday, Mr Grant, who is also Deputy Premier, said cabinet "has agreed today to support the Commonwealth ban on importing lever action shotguns with a capacity of more than five rounds until the gun is reclassified". He added that "the NSW government supports a strengthening of classification of the Adler A110 shotgun from its current A category to a tighter one". But a short time later, Mr Baird said cabinet had not taken a position on the reclassification of the weapon. US President Lyndon B. Johnson in his paint-splattered car in Melbourne in 1966. He fitted the 1960s perfectly, his restless imagination attracting all sorts of exotic friends. He once described the decade as "a great time for making money, starting enterprises, for making love ... for most things." He made his millions from building a trucking empire called IPEC, and he spent quite a bit of it on what at the time were considered radical pursuits. Protesters take to the streets during Mr Johnson's Sydney visit. He was vehemently against the Vietnam War and, having established two newspapers, let their journalists have their heads. There was the short-lived Sunday Observer (Melbourne's first Sunday newspaper) and the inquiring, satirical, libertarian and anarchic Nation Review, which spent the 1970s redefining Australian journalism and attracting a well-educated, dedicated and largely left-leaning readership. All these years later, the time of the small parties - including Pauline Hanson's One Nation - has arrived with a vengeance. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Before all this, on October 22, 1966 precisely half a century ago Barton won a lasting place in Australian political history when he paid $1782 to take out a full-page advertisement in Fairfax's Sydney Morning Herald. It was in the form of an open letter to the president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, who had arrived in Australia two days before on a three-day visit. It began: "Dear Mr President: It is unfortunate that your welcome in Australia has been clouded by the deep disagreement in this country as to our part in the Vietnamese War. I am concerned that the thought, comment and actions of our government have reflected very little of this disagreement, nor indeed much awareness of what is involved." His paid letter went on at length to excoriate US policies, and those of allies such as Australia, in Vietnam. "It is no small thing to be willing to kill people in a remote country, which has offered us no provocation, merely to safeguard what we conceive to be our political interests. I believe such a policy will fail by its moral bankruptcy alone," Barton's letter thundered presciently. Sydney Morning Herald _ Saturday, October 22, 1966 on Scribd The letter caused a considerable stir. The Vietnam War was widely popular, or was at least accepted, in Australia at the time. The new Australian prime minister, Harold Holt who would win an election only a month after Barton's letter was published by a bigger margin than Bob Menzies ever enjoyed had adopted as his slogan: "All the way with LBJ." However, anti-war demonstrations were also gaining pace, and in Melbourne a demonstrator had thrown red paint at Johnson's motorcade, splashing his Secret Service agent, the wonderfully named Rufus Youngblood. The letter to the US president from a wealthy businessman gave legitimate political expression to many who felt they had nowhere to go in their opposition to the war. "From the time the ad appeared, Barton's phone did not stop ringing with messages of support," journalist Mike Steketee wrote later, reviewing a biography of Barton by Sam Everingham. "Eleven days later, he [Barton] set up the Liberal Reform Group, which ran 22 candidates at that year's federal election, winning an average of 5 per cent of the vote in each seat. He had caught a wave of change." The following year, the group had another name: the Australian Reform Movement. It put together for the 1967 half senate election a team of candidates that included the famed architect Harry Seidler, the founder of the TNT trucking empire Ken Thomas, and Barton himself. Finally, in 1969 came the formal naming of The Australia Party. The Labor Party had floundered in the wilderness for two decades, largely because it had split acrimoniously in the 1950s. The Democratic Labor Party had taken many Catholic, anti-communist and right-wing supporters from the central labour movement, effectively blocking Labor's chances at the ballot box. Barton's Australia Party was something genuinely and "organically" new. It hadn't evolved through a straight split with a major party, as the DLP had. Richard Whitington, a young journalist recruited to The Australia Party in 1969 and who has stayed in touch with some of the other "old stagers" from the Australia Party days, says Barton's party "neutralised" the DLP's 15-year influence by siphoning votes from the conservative side to Labor. He contends the Australia Party also gave Labor a "spine" on Vietnam. Its high point came in the 1972 "It's Time" election that elevated Gough Whitlam to power. The Australia Party still won no seats, but it got almost half the House of Representatives votes of the DLP (159,916 to 346,415). Psephologist Malcolm Mackerras later credited the Australia Party with delivering the preferences that gave Labor its victory. At the next election, in 1974, the Australia Party contested 116 seats; more than the Liberal Party (110). In aggregate, it received more votes than all the independents combined, and more than the DLP. But without seats, it had run its race. By 1977, it merged with the New Liberal Movement to form the Australian Democrats, with former Liberal minister Don Chipp as its leader. Barton, finally bored with Australia, left in 1979 to establish his IPEC transport business in Europe. With characteristic style, he moved into a medieval castle in the Netherlands. It took a decade before his empire collapsed, after which he lived with a son, Geoffrey, overlooking Lake Como, in Italy. Deaf and increasingly confused, he died in 2005 while staying with a daughter, Cindy, and her husband, Jose-Maria Cepero Rojas, in Marbella, Spain. Loading Celebrity fitness guru Michelle Bridges has lost her legal battle to have an apprehended violence order taken out against a Sydney photographer. In the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, magistrate Joanne Keogh said Bridges' frustration at intrusions into her private life were understandable but the conduct of the photographer did not warrant the making of an order. Bridges, who rose to fame as a trainer on reality television show The Biggest Loser and was not in court for the decision, had sought to have the AVO taken out against 21-year-old paparazzo Liam Mendes. Outside court, Mendes said the decision was an important demonstration of the right of the media to do its job. He did not respond to any questions, including if he intended to continue photographing Bridges. Melbourne designers have scooped the pool at the Brownlow of the fashion world the Australian Fashion Laureate. Toni Maticevski was awarded Australia's most prestigious fashion trophy, while last year's best emerging designer Strateas.Carlucci added the best menswear prize to its trophy cabinet. Maticevski creations stole the show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Resort 17 in May. Credit:Getty Images Both labels have made big inroads locally and internationally this year, with Strateas.Carlucci showing on schedule at Milan Fashion Week, while Maticevski continued to impress buyers from Selfridges and Harrods with his unique gowns and innovative fabrications. "My Australian customers have always been the strongest; it's been kind of magic for a local designer like me to have so much local support," Maticevski told Fairfax Media. "You don't get that in any other regions except maybe in New Zealand." Leaving a relationship where you are being treated badly is rarely simple and it can be very dangerous. There are many ways to leave a partner and stay safe. For example, a most unlikely way to leave - but one which actually happened - was demonstrated by the woman who persuaded her abusive partner to let her take her small son for a tram ride. They hopped on the tram and just never returned! They went to a safe place and started a new life. Make a plan. If you are thinking of leaving a relationship where you are unsafe, put as much in place beforehand as you can to help your escape. Be aware too, that it can take time to leave when you are being abused. Credit:Stocksy Speak to a domestic violence worker, or call a hotline. A face-to-face meeting is better and you can find out about different services and decide which ones you will need. Get legal advice and get it early. I know many women who believed their partners when they were told complete lies about their legal rights. For example, you might be told that the house is not in your name, so "you will not get a thing", or that you will never get custody of your children because you are not working or have had depression. While these threats should be nonsense, legally speaking, court outcomes can never be assumed. Until all courts have a consistently better record of ensuring the safety of victims, and until the judicial system does a better job of holding perpetrators to account, there will be some unjust and dangerous outcomes. A local community legal service can assist you with information in a usually free session to help you understand what you need to know. FOLSOM Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Folsom Lake Bank (OTCQB:FOLB), announced unaudited financial results for quarter and year to date periods ending September 30, 2016. For the first nine months of 2016, the Bank reported net income of $667,075, a 10.1% increase over 2015. Third quarter earnings were $202,018, up 2.0% from the third quarter of 2015 and the Banks 27th consecutive quarter of profitability. Total assets, total deposits and total loans all increased compared to the third quarter of 2015, up 16.3%, 20.5% and 5.7%, respectively. We are very pleased with the continued strong growth of the Bank with total assets increasing $27 million over the past twelve months, said Robert J. Flautt, President and Chief Executive Officer. Especially noteworthy is the impressive growth in new business deposit relationships, with checking account balances up 32.9% compared to September 2015. Total assets were $194.6 million at September 30, 2016, up $27.3 million, or 16.3% compared to $167.3 million at September 30, 2015, and up $6.6 million, or 3.5% compared to the prior quarter ending June 30, 2016. Total deposits were $168.3 million, up $28.7 million, or 20.5% from 2015, and up $10.4 million, or 6.6% compared to the prior quarter. Total loans were $109.5 million at September 30, 2016, up $5.9 million or 5.7% from 2015, and up $7.6 million, or 7.5% over the prior quarter. Asset growth has been driven primarily by success in growing business deposit relationships enhanced, in part, by local banking relationships moving from financial institutions acquired by larger out of area banks. Net income for first nine months of 2016 was $667,075, up $61,304 or 10.1% compared to net income of $605,771 for the first nine months of 2015. For the quarter, net income of $202,018 was up $4,008, or 2.0% compared to the third quarter of 2015, but down $36,440, or 15.3% compared to the prior quarter. Earnings have been positively impacted primarily by substantially higher earning assets (up $20.0 million or 13.2% over the past twelve months), and expenses lower than 2015. Earnings have been impacted negatively by lower interest income on loans due to lower than expected loan yields. Net interest income for the nine month period ending September 30, 2016 was $4,304,082 up $70,647 or 1.7% over the same period in 2015. Net interest income for the third quarter of 2016 was $1,420,951, compared to $1,501,957 in the third quarter of 2015, a decrease of $81,006. The Banks net interest margin was 3.37% in the third quarter of 2016, down from 3.99% during the third quarter of 2015. Overall, the Banks net interest income suffered from declining loan rates in the Banks market area. The Banks loan to deposit ratio declined from 74.2% at September 30 2015 to 65.1% at September 30, 2016. Non-interest income for the third quarter of 2016 was $87,594 an increase of $12,087 or 16.0% over the third quarter of 2015. On a year to date basis, the Bank earned $287,701 in non-interest income, up 4.4% from the same nine month period in 2015. The Bank had positive increases in all areas of non-interest income with significant increases in fee income. The Bank was able to contain non-Interest expense for the first nine months of 2016 to $3,571,018, a decrease of $10,541 over the first nine months of 2015. Non-Interest expense for the third quarter of 2016 was $1,228,096, an increase of only $12,612 over the third quarter of 2015. The Banks efficiency ratio rose to 81.4% for the third quarter from 77.1% in 2015. As with the moderating increase in expenses for the third quarter, the efficiency ratio is expected to improve in a quarterly basis into 2017, as the impact of our new branch expenses are absorbed. The Bank had no provision to the allowance for loan and lease losses in the third quarter and has had no loan losses for the first nine months of 2016, with the allowance adjusting from $1,516,920 at September 30, 2015 to $1,466,920 as of September 30, 2016, including a $50,000 reversal to the allowance in the second quarter of 2016, due to continually improving credit conditions. There were no non-accrual loans at September 30, 2016 or September 30, 2015. OREO declined from $293,000 in 2015 to $0, at September 30, 2016. The Banks Allowance for Loan & Lease Losses (ALLL) was 1.34% of loans as of September 30, 2016 compared to 1.46% as of September 30, 2015. The balance in the Banks loan loss reserve is considered adequate to absorb the inherent risk of credit loss in the Banks loan portfolio. Return on average assets was 0.55% for 2016 compared to 0.57% in 2015. Return on average equity was 5.02% for the nine months of 2016 and 4.97% for the nine months of 2015. The improved levels in ROA and ROE were due growth in the earning assets with virtually no growth in expenses. Tier 1 Capital at September 30, 2016 was $16,834,000, up from $15,874,000 at September 30, 2015, an increase of $960,000 or 6.05%. At September 30, 2016, the Banks Tier 1 Capital Ratio was 8.79% compared to 9.68% at September 30, 2015. Total Risk Based Capital to Risk Weighted Assets was 14.18% compared to 14.14% at quarter end 2016 and 2015, respectively. Both capital ratios are well above minimum regulatory standards to be considered a well-capitalized bank by the FDIC. Liquidity remains healthy at $62.3 million as of September 30, 2016, and the Bank maintained a moderate loan to deposit ratio of 65.1%. The Banks investment portfolio consists primarily of safe U.S. Government agency bonds and mortgage-backed securities. The Bank continues to be involved heavily in the community. Among the many organizations the Bank supports are: Mercy Hospital Foundation, Sutter Roseville Foundation, Folsom Lake College Foundation, Harris Center at Three Stages, Eureka Schools Foundation, Folsom Economic Development Corporation, Folsom, Roseville, Rancho Cordova & El Dorado Hills Chambers, Rotary International, Kiwanis, Placer County SPCA, Folsom Pro Rodeo & the Folsom Historical Society. Folsom Lake Bank has three locations, one in the heart of the Folsoms historic district on Sutter Street, one in Roseville on Douglas Boulevard and our new branch in Rancho Cordova on Sunrise just south of Hwy 50. The Bank is a locally owned and locally operated full service commercial bank focused on small business owners, professionals and individuals in the communities surrounding Folsom Lake. This correspondence may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act. All of the statements contained in this correspondence, other than statements of historical fact, should be considered forward-looking statements. Although the Bank believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof and are not intended to give any assurance as to future results. NSW education leaders have savaged the Board of Studies for "sabotaging its own syllabuses" by issuing "insanely difficult to read" documents to teachers outlining changes to the state's mathematics program. Sydney Grammar's former master of mathematics, Bill Pender, has accused the board of copying and pasting material, neglecting basic principles, and warned that the board was in danger of losing its credibility as the authority responsible for mathematics education in NSW. "Material from goodness knows where seems to have been cut and pasted into the drafts," Dr Pender said in a submission to the board. "It is unclear how 30 years of discussion has led to such a disaster." How would vocational training work if it was set up for students, not the industry? That's what 29-year-old Adam Brimo pondered as he read story after story of dodgy private providers ripping off students, signing them up to courses they would never complete, saddling them with mountains of debt, and skimming millions in taxpayer dollars for themselves. With a history of successful consumer activism - at 23 he built the website Vodafail - and a very millennial mix of entrepreneurial ambition and social idealism, Brimo was sure there was a better way. The Sydney entrepreneur came up with an Australian first which could send a chill wind through the private vocational sector, already reeling from the overhaul announced by federal education minister Simon Birmingham this month. The federal government has slashed the hours of thousands of its casual public servants and now it will not have to give them meal or tea breaks. Workers who have spoken to Fairfax say the cut, to a maximum shift of five hours and as little as three, will see their families' incomes slashed by thousands of dollars each year. Thousand of federal government call centre workers have had their hours slashed. Credit:istock The giant Department of Human Services, which employs the "intermittent and irregular employees" denies capping their hours and says it is making new shift offers based on "operational requirements". But internal documentation shows casuals being told in early September that they could only be offered shifts of three, four or five hour durations and the change was being enforced nationally. Family of a 64-year-old man, who is missing from Sydney's south, fear for his welfare after he was involved in a car crash and told a friend he was deteriorating. Police are asking for help to find him. Police are concerned for the welfare of Paul Parkinson, who has been missing since Monday. Police said Paul Parkinson was involved in a minor crash on Monday afternoon. Friends and family last heard from him about 6.30pm on Monday. International student Kamran Yousaf, 28, was trying to build a life for himself and his new wife by working hard in a western Sydney fruit shop. But his dreams of a life in Australia would never be fulfilled after he was fatally shot during a botched robbery at Villawood Value Fruit Market on October 12, 2013. Kamran Yousaf was murdered during a robbery at the Villawood Value Fruit Market in October 2013. Mr Yousaf died a hero, for he was holding down one of the robbers - Jame Phan - when he was shot in the stomach and the back by another robber - Lance Murdoch. On Thursday, Murdoch, 30, was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years' jail for the murder of Mr Yousaf. A crash on the M1 is causing a traffic headache for afternoon commuters. Paramedics were called to the M1 at Nerang after reports a vehicle crashed into a barrier at 3.30pm. The crash is causing major delays along the M1. Credit:Google Maps When they arrived at the scene, the vehicle was empty. Crews were working to clear the southbound left lane near the Southport-Nerang Road exit. Warriena Wright's mother never wanted to hear her dying screams. She didn't want them to be the last thing she remembered of her 26-year-old daughter. Outside court, she criticised the media and a Supreme Court justice over the public airing of her daughter's final moments. Merzabeth Tagpuno-Wright, in a statement read out by friend Fiona Garvin, said Justice John Byrne's decision to release the tapes aired in accused murderer Gable Tostee's trial to the media had "disrespected" her family. "To the media, you have made this trip the most saddest, hardest trip I have ever had to endure," she said, in comments not initially published because of legal concerns. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has stood firm after a small group of homeless were forcibly removed from beneath the Go Between Bridge at West End. Police and Brisbane City Council workers removed the group on Thursday morning, following weeks of complaints from local residents. Cr Quirk said the process had gone smoothly, in the main, but one person returned "fairly aggressively" to complain his belongings had been taken. "Everyone was given an opportunity to take their possessions as they moved off, in most cases, some sort of formalised housing," he said. A European space lander reached Mars on Wednesday in what scientists hope will mark a major milestone in the exploration of the Red Planet, but whether it touched down on the surface in good working condition is far from certain. Older European and US spacecraft already in orbit relayed data of the lander's six-minute descent. Then the transmission stopped, leaving questions over what state the disc-shaped 577-kilogram Schiaparelli probe was in. "It is clear that these are not good signs," Paolo Ferri, the European Space Agency's head of mission operations, said. Yarloop post office licensee Ron Sackville said distressed residents did not think the clean-up and recovery of the bushfire-ravaged town was a success after Premier Colin Barnett declared the process just about complete. The town, about 100 kilometres south of Perth, was just about wiped out in a bushfire in January that killed two people and destroyed more than 180 homes. The clean-up had now been disbanded after the most difficult such operation ever undertaken, Mr Barnett said. Mr Sackville said less than 10 per cent of Yarloop's population of 650 before the fire was currently living in the town. ESPOO, Finland, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nokia will publish its third quarter 2016 and January-September 2016 interim report on October 27, 2016 at approximately 8 a.m. Finnish time (CET +1). The interim report will be made available on the Nokia website immediately after publication. Nokia only publishes a summary of its interim reports in stock exchange releases. The summary focuses on Nokia Group's financial information as well as on Nokia's outlook. The detailed segment level discussion will be available in the complete third quarter 2016 and January-September 2016 interim report available at http://company.nokia.com/financials. Investors should not rely solely on summaries of Nokia's reports, but should also review the complete reports with tables. Nokia's analyst conference call will begin on October 27 at 3 p.m. Finnish time. A link to the webcast of the conference call will be available at http://company.nokia.com/financials. Media representatives can listen in via the link on that website, or alternatively call +1 412 317 6760. About Nokia Nokia is a global leader in the technologies that connect people and things. Powered by the innovation of Nokia Bell Labs and Nokia Technologies, the company is at the forefront of creating and licensing the technologies that are increasingly at the heart of our connected lives. With state-of-the-art software, hardware and services for any type of network, Nokia is uniquely positioned to help communication service providers, governments, and large enterprises deliver on the promise of 5G, the Cloud and the Internet of Things. www.nokia.com Media Enquiries: Nokia Communications Tel. +358 (0) 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Developer Edge Living has finally won an 18-month fight with council and residents to build the Lumiere tower in the South Perth 'station precinct'. The council's new Town Planning Scheme, drafted to encourage development, allowed unlimited heights in the Mill Point area around the long hoped-for train station. Another planning battle ends in Perth. Credit:Emma Young The council was taken aback by the rush of interest from property developers and scrambled to bring back height limits, but not before approvals went through for multiple towers of up to 38 storeys, including $60 million Lumiere. In February, a residents' Supreme Court appeal overturned the Lumiere approval, with the 29-storey building not meeting requirements for a 50-50 residential-commercial mix. The strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, typhoon Haima has killed at least eight people and seen more than 90,000 evacuated as it heads toward China after leaving vast areas flooded without electricity and communication lines. Haima, a Category 5 super typhoon before it reached land, moved back over water as a weaker typhoon with winds of up to 150 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 185km/h on Thursday. The Hong Kong Observatory said the storm was moving toward the coast of Guangdong on Thursday night. The US military's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre estimated that the storm would be 70 nautical miles from Hong Kong by Friday. Four people were buried in separate landslides in the provinces of Ifugao and Benguet, in the Philippines, while one was missing after being swept away by strong water currents, the Cordillera region's civil defence office said. Bangkok: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has declared it is "time to say goodbye" to the United States as he steered his country towards Beijing's sphere of influence during a red-carpet state visit to China. "No more American influence. No more American exercises. It's time to say goodbye, my friend. Your stay in my country was for your own benefit," Mr Duterte said, referring to his country's long alliance with the US, its former colonial power. "I will not go to America anymore. I will just be insulted there," he added, before once again referring to US President Barack Obama as the "son of a whore". The comments aimed at the US's strongest ally in Asia over decades will further alarm policy-makers in the US and its allies in Asia and the Pacific, including Australia. Budapest: Janos Boris was 12 when he watched the statue of Stalin being toppled. It was the Hungarian Uprising in 1956 12 days of Hungarian revolt and Hungarian Communist-Soviet reprisals and, to a boy his age, it was at once exciting and frightening. A mural to mark the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution and freedom fight against Soviet oppression in 1956 adorns the wall of an apartment house in Budapest, Hungary, Credit:AP "It was a real job for the rebels to bring [the statue] down," he recalls. "They were hacking away at it; they brought in trucks, cables and metal-cutting equipment. Mum said, 'This is going to take forever,' and we left for home. As we did, we heard that they'd started shooting at the radio building." Washington, D.C: Ivanka Trump, the daughter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, says her father will "do the right thing" and, whether he wins or loses, will accept the result of the November 8 election. In remarks to Time magazine, Ivanka Trump expressed confidence that her father, if he is defeated by Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, will acknowledge her victory. "Well, look, my father is in this to win it and, you know, I'm not interested in talking about alternative outcomes and, of course, I think my father will always do the right thing," she said. "That's the type of person he is," she added. When is the US election 2016? The US presidential election will be held on Tuesday, November 8 but counting will not start until approximately 10am on Wednesday, November 9 (AEDT). The US election is always held on the first Tuesday after November 1, a law which extends back to 1845. What is the United States Electoral College? It is the body that directly votes for the president. Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump will be directly elected president on November 8. It is the electoral college that votes for the president. There are 538 members in the college with 270 needed for a majority. Each state is given an elector to match their House and Senate numbers in Congress. California has 55 (two senators plus 53 members from the House of Representatives) while no state has less than three. The District of Columbia has no congressional representation but has three electors. PHILIPSBURG:--- A group of global Internet experts will gather in Sint Maarten from October 24 to 28 for a regional tech conference focused on developing the Caribbean Internet. Called Internet Week Sint Maarten, the meeting is expected to attract a broad profile of Internet stakeholders, including government officials, policymakers, regulators, academic researchers, journalists and ordinary Internet users. The Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will jointly kickstart the week with CaribNOG's twelfth regional meeting and ICANNs LAC-I Roadshow. At CaribNOG 12, our aim is to foster dialogue with the Sint Maarten Internet community about the global Internet ecosystem, Internet resources, and other related themes, said Stephen Lee, CaribNOG Program Director. Albert Daniels, Manager of Stakeholder Engagement for the Caribbean at ICANN, said one main aim of the LAC-I Roadshow is to raise awareness across the Latin America and Caribbean region on key topics related to the critical Internet infrastructure, security, stability and growth. The two-day gathering is supported by several important players in the global Internet landscape: the Caribbean Telecommunications Union; the American Registry for Internet Numbers; Packet Clearing House, the Internet Society (ISOC), ArkiTechs and The BrightPath Foundation. Internet Week Sint Maarten will close with Sint Maarten on the Move, a two-day event jointly hosted by ISOC and the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses registry (LACNIC). Several regional experts will conduct hands-on workshops on topics including cyber security, Internet Governance, IPv6 adoption and Internet Exchange Points. The weeklong conference is coordinated by the St Maarten telecommunications regulator, BTP. It is open to the public and free of charge, but space is limited and registration is required. All events will take place at the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa, Philipsburg, with a live video stream for remote participants. GREAT BAY:---- Dr. Virginia Asin, who is Head of the Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Sint Maarten Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, attended the 13th Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) Health Meeting which took place recently in Washington. Dr. Asin attended three meetings, two in her official capacity representing country Sint Maarten Pan American Health Organization 55th Directing Council Meeting and the Caribbean Public Health Agency Executive Board Meeting where Sint Maarten is a board member. Dr. Asin attended COHSOD due to her personal involvement with the Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH) CCH-III evaluation and the CCH-IV development process. In an interview with the Department of Communication, Dr. Asin explained that she got involved back in early 2015 when she was approached by a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) representative to take part in a small group of professionals that were involved with CCH from its inception. I was asked as one of the more senior Chief Medical Officers in the Caribbean to also take part in the drafting committee and the monitoring steering committee for CCH-IV, Dr. Asin explained. The vision of CCH is: Caribbean people will be happier, healthier and more productive, each respected for his/her individuality and creativity and living more harmoniously within cleaner, greener environments. The goal is: People will be resilient, live longer and have less illness and disability throughout their lives. The mission of CCH is: To build the capacity of countries to improve the conditions for health, for all especially among vulnerable groups and to develop and maintain cost-effective and efficient health systems. When asked about the agenda of the meeting, Dr. Asin spoke about the main points: The issues that were discussed at the COHSOD meeting was PANCAP (Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS) grant importance. PANCAP is for Cooperation Civil Society and Government to deliver to citizens. Challenges discussed were Chikungunya, Zika and health care financing. Some of the other issues deliberated upon were universal health care and health coverage; and health information system. One of the main points discussed was Caribbean Cooperation in Health IV 2016-2025, focusing on Regional Public Goods for Sustainable Health Development. On the question of what are the main development goals of CCH, Dr. Asin responded with: The following principles guide the development and implementation of the CCH IV: equity; solidarity; country-driven and people-centered; inclusive leadership; and good governance. The aforementioned document is from the CARICOM, associate member states, and non-CARICOM members who are members of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which Sint Maarten is a member. 17 million people from the 15 Member States of CARICOM, and the five Associate Member States of CARICOM are in a transition phase from CCH III to CCH IV. This is related to the individual countries health security associated with their tourism-dependent economies that require a broader vision. Regarding the type of programs and projects that CCH is involved with, Dr. Asin had this to say: The CCH deals with functional cooperation in health in the Caribbean Basin. The region has made many health gains through cooperation under CCH III such as the establishment of CARPHA; and regional cooperative approach to addressing emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been nearly eliminated and some countries are preparing for certification of elimination; regional cooperation around the implementation and evaluation of the 2007 Declaration on the prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs); and observation of Caribbean Wellness Day in all countries. CARICOMs successful high-level advocacy elevated NCDs as a development challenge at the global level at the 2011 United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of NCDs, according to a report that I read. Another gain has been the approval of the Caribbean Pharmaceutical Policy and the establishment of the Caribbean Regulatory System, a unified registration process. A CARPHA Lab Advisory Group was established and plans have been developed for a Laboratory Network. Advances have also been made in the implementation of International Health Regulations 2005. There was approval of the Plan of Action for Prevention and Control of Childhood Obesity, 2014-2019 Safeguarding our Future Development Promoting Health Weights in the Caribbean, and 61 years of Annual Caribbean Health Research Conference. When Dr. Asin was asked about the CCH-IV program, she had this so say: The new CCH IV has benefitted from a comprehensive evaluation of CCH III which included the participation of a wide range of stakeholders. The CCH IV, a framework for coordinated action and collaboration among partners for health in the Caribbean, has been compiled in the context of recently approved regional and global health agendas such as the CARICOM Strategic Plan 2014-2019, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. CCH IV also integrates the One Health Policy approved by COHSOD in 2014 which calls for a shift in paradigm to consider the health of humans, animals and the state of the environment when addressing an issue in anyone of these sectors, Dr. Virginia Asin concluded. Various member states were in attendance represented by 11 Ministers, Caribbean institutions including Regional civil society organizations: Caribbean Family Planning Association, Healthy Caribbean Coalition, and University of the West Indies, CARPHA, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control. PHILIPSBURG:--- The UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean is working with other organizations in the region to implement the second phase of an online consultation, which asks young people between the ages of 15 and 25 to Tell them what you want to learn. The first phase of the consultation -implemented from June 14th, to July 14th, of this year- showed that young people want to learn about a wide range of topics, and to open themselves up for learning about pending issues for todays world. The preliminary results illustrate young peoples desire to learn in settings beyond schools and traditional forms of teaching. The consultation allows young people to express their thoughts on what types of learning they consider to be relevant, how they want to learn, and the topics and methods that are most interesting to them. The ideas and answers received will help the rethinking and redesigning of education in the future. The online consultation was launched to get young peoples perspective on how particularly Goal # 4 To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education promote lifelong learning opportunities for all in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, can be achieved. This global commitment, was adopted by over 193 countries, and is now in need of adaptation to the realities of Latin America and the Caribbean. In order to do this, it is pivotal that the opinion of our young people are obtained to guide the educational policies of the next years. The Deadline to submit input is Oct. 30th, 2016.UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean with headquarters in Santiago, Chile (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago), was created in 1963 for the purpose of assisting the regions 37 Member States, which includes St. Maarten, in the definition of strategies to further the development of their education policies. The short survey which comprises of less than 10 questions, can be done online in the English or Spanish languages. Take part, share your opinions, visit the following link: http://on.unesco.org/1ZLq2V9 For further information you can follow news at www.facebook.com/unescosantiago Tortola, British Virgin Islands:--- The Chief Executive Officer of regional bank CIBC FirstCaribbean says the banks ability to grow and remain profitable hangs squarely on how it responds to the needs of its customers in the BVI and across the region. Mr. Gary Brown, who took over leadership of the bank in January this year, was speaking to bank staff during a town hall meeting where he reiterated the banks mission to deliver the best banking service and support for its clients. Our mission to satisfy our customers and help them achieve what matters to them is dependent on our ability as individuals and as a team to perform our daily tasks with excellence and enthusiasm, he said. Our existence and our ability to grow as profitable business hinges on how well we are able to execute and deliver what we promise, Mr. Brown added. The bank has undergone quite a lot of changes in a relatively short period of time and having taken stock of where we are, we are addressing what needs to be done regionally and in each territory to meet our vision, he said. Mr. Brown acknowledged that as part of its internal audit in the BVI, there had been some necessary adjustments in the different business segments to improve efficiency and reliability. As a team, we need to continually review where we need to adapt to create the best working systems and environment, he said. Following a question and answer session, Mr. Brown thanked the staff for their commitment to the bank and encouraged them to keep the lines of communication open between the front line and head office in order to foster effective team work. Mr., Brown was in the British Virgin Islands from October 11-13, 2016 as part of his annual meetings with bank staff throughout the region. During the two-day visit, he was accompanied by Mr. Gemel Sobers, Director, Corporate Investment Banking (Ag) and Mr. Rollrick Connell, Corporate Manager and they also met with some clients and other key political and industry leaders. The tight schedule included a courtesy call on the Premier, Dr. The Honourable D. Orlando Smith. During his first trip to the BVI in October 2015, Mr. Brown was introduced as the new CEO to take over from Mr. Rik Parkhill in January 2016. At that time, Mr. Brown was taken on a tour of the Cruise Ship Pier development project for which CIBC FirstCaribbean had approved a loan of $15 million to the BVI Ports Authority to complete the landside development. Mr. Brown joined the banks head office in Barbados from his position as Managing Director and Global Head, Corporate Banking at CIBC in Toronto. AcadeMedias annual report for 2015/16 is now available on the corporate website under the following link: https://corporate.academedia.se/en/financials/reports -presentations/ A PDF-version of the annual report is also available as an attachment to this press release. Shareholders and other interested parties who wish to receive a printed copy of the annual report may order it via navet@academedia.se. For more information Christian Hall, Investor Relations Telephone: +46 763 111 242 E-mail: christian.hall@academedia.se About AcadeMedia AcadeMedia is the leading and single largest independent education provider in northern Europe. In 2015/16, approximately 63 000 children and students attended AcadeMedias preschools, compulsory schools and upper secondary schools. An additional 80 000 individuals participated in AcadeMedias adult education courses. In 2015/16, AcadeMedia had approximately 425 preschools, compulsory schools and upper secondary schools in Sweden and Norway and approximately 150 adult education units in Sweden. Since February 2016 AcadeMedia also operates seven preschools in the Munich region of Germany. AcadeMedia has operations throughout the education chain, from preschool, compulsory school and upper secondary school to adult education. More information about AcadeMedia is available on www.academedia.se This information is information that AcadeMedia AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication at 13:00 CET on October 20, 2016. Zoomdata CEO Justin Langseth Honored by Goldman Sachs for Entrepreneurship Posted by Publisher Hardware SAN MATEO, CA (Marketwired) 10/19/16 Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is recognizing Zoomdata CEO Justin Langseth as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2016 at its Builders + Innovators Summit in Santa Barbara, California. Goldman Sachs selected Justin Langseth as one of 100 entrepreneurs from multiple industries to be honored at the two-day event. Langseth is CEO and founder of Zoomdata, developer of the worlds fastest visual analytics platform for big data for customers deploying workloads on-premises, in the cloud or in hybrid clouds. The founder of business intelligence software firm Calabridge, Langseth currently holds 12 technology patents. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received an SB in Management of Information Technology from the MIT Sloan School of Management. It is very gratifying to build a team and company that has seen the success were experienced with Zoomdata and to have that hard work recognized by Goldman Sachs, said Langseth. Theyre a terrific technology and investment partner and we look forward to the next steps in continuing to innovate on the industrys fastest, most flexible and easy-to-use solution that developers can easily embed into their applications for the most advanced visual analytics. We are honored to recognize Justin 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 weve 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. , with five granted patents and one pending, develops the worlds fastest visual analytics solution for big data. Using data sharpening and micro-query technologies, Zoomdata empowers business users to visually consume data in seconds, even across billions of rows of data. Zoomdata Fusion enables interactive analytics across disparate data sources, bridging modern and legacy data architectures, blending real-time streams and historical data, and unifying enterprise data with data in the cloud. Delivered in a microservices architecture for elastic scalability, Zoomdata runs on premises, in the cloud or embedded in an application. With offices in Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Redwood City, CA and Reston, VA, Zoomdata is venture-backed by Accel, Columbus Nova Technology Partners, Comcast Ventures, Goldman Sachs, In-Q-Tel, NEA and Razors Edge. Lonn Johnston for Zoomdata +1 650.219.7764 Visionstates WANDA rates restroom satisfaction EDMONTON, ALBERTA (Marketwired) 10/19/16 Visionstate Corp. (TSX VENTURE: VIS) A bad restroom experience can be a death knell for any customer-centric company that offers such services to their patrons. In the age of social media, the impact of negative restroom reviews can be even more damaging to the companys brand and reputation. Additionally, according to a 2015 study commissioned by Visionstate, 65% of people believe that a poorly maintained restroom reflects negatively on the entire company. While these statistics shed light on the overall importance of well maintained restrooms, what they dont reveal to facility managers is whether or not their own customers are satisfied with their experiences. In other words, how do these facility managers gauge satisfaction in their own restrooms, and more importantly, are they losing customers as a result? Gauging satisfaction has traditionally been a tricky endeavour. Research shows that customers are more likely to share experiences anonymously, and if there is no mechanism in place to express their level of satisfaction, customers typically walk out the door never to return. Based on customer feedback on WANDA, a smart device that tracks cleaning and maintenance activities in public facilities, including restrooms, Visionstate took on the challenge of how to effectively collect data on customer satisfaction while they are still in the restroom. In looking at what data is most important to facility managers, explains company President John Putters, we found that a simple feature designed to measure overall customer satisfaction would be extremely beneficial. Visionstate designed the feature to run on the existing WANDA device, a 10 or 15 inch industrial tablet that is mounted at the entrance of restrooms and prominently displays the time and date of the last cleaning. Facility staff use the device to log in and enter cleaning activities performed and supplies used, providing an audit trail for managers to track who cleaned what, and when. The new survey feature enables patrons to gauge their experience with a series of happy to sad faces. To provide context to the responses, a bad experience will prompt the customer to indicate what aspect of the restroom experience was negative. The mere fact WANDA is on the wall in the first place demonstrates the fact that the facility is serious about restroom cleanliness, Putters explains. Now facility managers will be able to ask patrons to share their experience, and if that experience was negative, what caused it to be that way. The data collected by the rating system is accessed through the content management system, which provides detailed reports on the use of WANDA, as well as an analytics dashboard that highlights an overall view of how well areas have been maintained. Our new rating system is a reflection of how Visionstate responds to customer requests, Putters added. The WANDA system continues to get better as the company implements valuable input from its customers. The new survey feature is available as an upgrade to existing WANDA releases and as a feature on all new WANDA deployments. About Visionstate Inc. Visionstate Inc., a division of Visionstate Corp (TSX VENTURE: VIS) specializes in the Internet of Things and analytics. The Companys core product, WANDA, is a 10/15 inch smart device used to monitor restroom cleaning, supplies, and maintenance activities. WANDA is installed in locations throughout North America, including hospitals, airports, office buildings, public facilities and shopping centers. More information can be found at Visionstate.com. Contacts: Visionstate Inc. John Putters CEO Ph: 780-425-9460 Email: SpecPage head recognized as one of the 50 most creative CEOs to watch by Insight Success magazine SpecPage is a global provider of integrated software solutions and online tools for the recipe-based manufacturing industry. Flagship product development solutions include Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Product Data Management (PDM) and Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS), enabling food and beverage companies to innovate competitive products in compliance with relevant food laws. With expertise in the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), the Swiss-based company offers individually customizable online catalogs, including Suppliers Guide, Buyers Guide and Compliance Guide, to help manufacturers and distributors manage high-quality product information at the touch of a button. We are delighted to be featured in this publication that focuses on emerging and leading technology companies, said Severin Weiss, CEO at SpecPage. SpecPage specializes in the food & beverage industry and offers a range of solutions and services tailored to the specific needs of manufacturers, distributors and buyers. Our tools simplify product development from concept to marketplace ensuring data meet the highest quality and regulatory standards at all times. With subsidiaries in the US, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Slovakia, SpecPage is a rapidly growing company and is set to expand its activities in US and Europe, meeting the growing demand in the range of product development and information. For more information, please see: www.insightssuccess.com/innovative-food-and-beverages-from-farm-to-fork/ Veritas Technologies Appoints David Dart as Chief of HR MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA October 19, 2016 Veritas Technologies, the leader in information management, today announced that human resources veteran David Dart has joined the company as chief human resources officer (CHRO). Dart will lead global human resources (HR) and is responsible for all aspects of HR for the organization, including performance management, talent development, talent acquisition and compensation, as well as benefits. With more than 20 years of human resource and leadership experience, Darts extensive background spans all aspects of HR, including strategic change management and leadership development. David brings unparalleled human resources experience to Veritas and will help us drive the cultural transformation and leadership development we want to see as we continue to develop as our own company, said Veritas CEO Bill Coleman. Its more important than ever to make sure we have the right talent and right people on our team to drive and support our vision for the future data management and David has the know-how and expertise to help us achieve this. Prior to Veritas, Dart held the position of vice president of Human Resources for Celanese Corporation, a Fortune 500 global technology and specialty materials company, where he led the strategy deployment efforts for the company. Dart has also held various HR leadership positions at Amgen, Ecolab, Bissell Homecare and ConAgra Foods. Dart holds a bachelors degree in biophysics and natural resources and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Prior to his career in HR, David spent seven years serving as a logistics officer with the U.S. Navy. Hyderabad, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report Global Tissue Banking Market By Type (Blood, Soft Tissues, Bone, Heart alves); By End Use (Clinical/Therapeutic, Cosmetic, Medical Research); By Equipment (Cryopreservation, Labeling, Quality Control); By Service (Processing, Storage and Preservation) and By Geography - Forcast to (2016 2021) , published by IndustryARC, estimates the market to reach $48,125 Million by 2021 at high CAGR. Browse 53 Market Tables, 18 Figures spread through 122 Pages and an in-depth TOC on Global Tissue Banking Market (2016 - 2021) http://industryarc.com/Report/237/tissue-banking-market-research-analysis-report.html Tissue banking is the collection and preservation of allograft/autograft tissue from people who died from sudden illness or accident or some other reason. Rising shortage of tissues has led to millions of premature deaths. The feasibility of transplant and trauma procedures is limited not by the availability of donor tissue but by the time required to deliver that tissue to the recipient. Immediate transplant medicine, surgical cancer treatment, the treatment of combat trauma and industrial accidents is thus possible with tissue banking along with ability to prepare for mass casualty events. The global market for tissue banking is segmented based on type, equipment type, service type, end use type and geography. Make an Inquiry @ http://www.industryarc.com/inquiry-before-buying.php?id=237 The total tissue banking market was estimated to be $34,673m in 2015. This market is led by robust growth in clinical/therapeutic, cosmetic and medical research end use sectors. Clinical/therapeutic end use segment is estimated to continue its dominance in the global tissue banking market during the forecast period. Blood banking is the single largest segment for tissue banking market, mainly due to its significance and frequent requirement coupled with huge base of donor availability. Umbilical cord banking on the other hand is estimated to witness fastest growth during 2016-2021 owing to growing instances of metabolic and genetic diseases. Growth in government funding, advancements in bio banking technology, evolution in regenerative medicine and growing awareness are the other major factors that are driving the tissue banking market globally. Americas held the major share in the market mainly driven by increased spending on healthcare, rise in geriatric population and private investments. On the bank of government initiatives, rise in incidences of cardiovascular diseases and increasing per capita income will act as a catalyst for the market in the APAC region. Countries such as Israel, South Africa and Turkey are estimated to foster the market growth in the RoW region making it the fastest growing region during 2016-2021. The key players in tissue banking market include; Epic Systems Corporation McKesson Corporation Alere Inc Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc Wolters Kluwer N.V For complete list of companies cited in report, Request a sample PDF @ http://www.industryarc.com/pdfdownload.php?id=237 Top five companies held more than 40% of the market share in 2015. The growing number of start-ups coupled with technological advancements is estimated to however shift the market share slightly from key players to smaller companies. Furthermore, the entry of cloud competitors into the market will lead to competitive development of innovative software and solutions. Acquisitions and expansion are few of the growth strategies of the key players in the industry who are striving to increase their market share. Scope of the Study: The report covers quantitative analysis including values ($M) and volumes (KT) as well as qualitative analysis of the following: Market potential of several materials and end users at global, regional and country level Various insulation materials in different applications and end-users Competitive landscape and growth strategies Trends, drivers and opportunities impacting the growth Why buy this report? Get a detailed picture of the tissue banking market landscape and growth markets, opportunities. Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change. Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands. A five-year forecast method is used in order to assess how the market is predicted to develop. More than 100 data tables and figures to assist in strategic decision making plans. Purchase Report @ http://industryarc.com/purchasereport.php?id=237 Browse Related Reports: Biometrics Banking Market: By End-Use (Branch Banking, Internet Banking, Banking ATMs, Mobile Banking and Others); By Type (Hardware, Software); By Geography (Americas, APAC, Europe, RoW) - With Forecast (2016-2021) http://industryarc.com/Report/15165/biometrics-banking-market.html About IndustryARC: IndustryARC is a research and consulting firm that publishes more than 500 Reports Annually in various industries, such as Agriculture, Automotive, Automation & Instrumentation, Chemicals and Materials, Energy and Power, Electronics, Food & Beverages, Information Technology, Life sciences & Healthcare. IndustryARC primarily focuses on Cutting Edge Technologies and Newer Applications of the Market. Our Custom Research Services are designed to provide insights on the constant flux in the global demand-supply gap of markets. Our strong analyst team enables us to meet the client research needs at a very quick speed with a variety of options for your business. We look forward to support the client to be able to better address customer needs; stay ahead in the market; become the top competitor and get real-time recommendations on business strategies and deals. Contact us to find out how we can help you today. Media Contact Mr. Sanjay Matthews Sales Manager Email: sales@industryarc.com Contact Sales: 1-614-588-8538 (Ext-101) Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/industryarc Healthcare Market Research Reports - http://www.industryarc.com/Domain/8/lifesciences-healthcare-market-research.html Know more about IndustryARC Events: http://industryarc.com/events.php Snowflake Shatters The Data Warehouse Cost Barrier SAN MATEO, CA (Marketwired) 10/20/16 , the data warehouse built for the cloud, today announces a 75 percent price reduction for its uncompressed cloud storage. This makes Snowflake the most affordable data warehouse in the world. More importantly, this drop in price means the smallest organizations, up to the largest enterprises, can easily and cost-effectively store, access and analyze data volumes ranging from a few terabytes to multiple petabytes. This latest initiative in Snowflakes customer-centric strategy further advances its built-for-the-cloud data warehouse as the only solution organizations need to store and analyze all of their data. Snowflakes technology is far ahead of the competition and continues to evolve with new features and benefits. Snowflakes architecture separates compute from storage, enabling Snowflake to dramatically lower the cost of storage so customers can focus on compute, where the highest value in data warehousing lies. Effective Nov. 1, Snowflakes storage price will drop to the current baseline price of Amazon S3 Snowflakes cloud storage provider. This pricing makes Snowflake the first data warehouse solutions provider, cloud or on-premises, to provide customers the true cost benefits of cloud object storage. Reduce capacity storage pricing to $30/TB/month a 75 percent savings. Reduce on-demand storage prices to $50/TB/month a 67 percent savings. Effectively reduce compressed storage pricing to $10/TB/month or less. These prices, coupled with Snowflakes innovative technology and architecture, make Snowflake the most affordable, efficient and top-performing data warehouse provider. True separation of storage and compute Scale up/scale down/scale out elasticity of compute and storage Full automation to easily increase/decrease resources to keep costs low Automatic encryption and columnar compression of structured and semi-structured data Snowflake has been instrumental in allowing us to realize and leverage the complete value of our data, CEO of healthcare information provider Amino Inc., David Vivero said. With its reduced pricing, Snowflake continues to outstep traditional data warehouse providers and others that claim the true benefits of the cloud. Snowflakes innovative, cloud-built architecture and technology already enable huge cost savings for customers. With todays price drop, Google BigQuery charges $20/TB/month storage for uncompressed data. With Snowflakes new $30/TB/month price, Snowflake is significantly less expensive because Snowflake storage prices apply to compressed data. Snowflake enables at least a 3:1 compression ratio, reducing Snowflakes effective storage cost to $10/TB/month or less. Microsofts Azure SQL Data Warehouse requires Azure Premium storage, which costs at least $122.88/TB/month four times more than Snowflakes new pricing of $30/TB/month. Redshifts dense storage option of $1000/TB/year and its dense compute price of $5500/TB/year far exceed Snowflakes price of $360/TB/year for storage. Adding the annual Snowflake compute activity for the average customer, Snowflake costs much less than either of these options. Oracle and Teradata charge exponentially higher prices than Snowflake for their cloud and on-premises data warehouse solutions. Snowflake charges customers only for actual storage usage after compression. Oracle, Redshift, Teradata and most other data warehouses require paying for large systems even when much of the storage often goes unused. Thanks to our built-for-the-cloud architecture, Snowflake delivers the worlds most powerful data warehouse at the industrys lowest cost to organizations of all sizes, Snowflake CEO Bob Muglia said. As cloud storage continues to drop in price, Snowflake will pass these savings onto customers. Whether youre working with one terabyte or multiple petabytes of data, Snowflake is the fastest, easiest and now the most cost-effective way to store, access and analyze data to drive business results. Traditional data warehouse vendors and big data platform vendors have been slow to take full advantage of the economies of cloud storage. Their legacy architecture and storage methods result in expensive, complex solutions. This forces companies to leave data in silos or move data into inaccessible data lakes. Whats the result? Companies are forced to make business decisions based on incomplete data. Snowflake continues to overcome the technology, access and cost barriers inflicted by on-premises, legacy systems. And vendors that simply move these systems to the cloud are not addressing these problems. With Snowflake, organizations can now acquire insight from all of their data to better serve their customers, advance their companies and lead their industries. Snowflakes price reduction leverages its multi-cluster, shared data architecture that separates data analysis into three distinct layers: storage, compute and service. Therefore, Snowflake can deliver the functionality and value for each layer that best serves each customer. Companies keen to extract insight from all of their data, by all of their users, get exactly that with the price, performance, security, availability and support from the only data warehouse built for the cloud: Snowflake. For more details on all of Snowflakes newest initiatives, view Snowflakes and its other, individual announcements on and . You can also view a personal message from Snowflakes CEO Bob Muglia and . Snowflake Computing: Snowflake Twitter: LinkedIn: YouTube: Google+: Snowflake is hiring: Snowflake is the only data warehouse built for the cloud. Snowflake delivers the performance, concurrency and simplicity to store and analyze all of an organizations data in one location. Snowflakes technology combines the power of data warehousing, the flexibility of big data platforms and the elasticity of the cloud at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. Snowflake: Your data, no limits. Find out more at . Jim Dvorak Kulesa Faul for Snowflake Computing (415) 735-1622 Cogeco Peer 1 Recognized by IDC MarketScape as a Leader in Canadian Data Centre Operations and Management Posted by Publisher Software TORONTO, ONTARIO (Marketwired) 10/20/16 Note to Editors: There is a photo and a video associated with this press release. , a global provider of secure cloud, network, data centre and managed IT services, has been recognized in the Leaders Category in the (September, 2016, IDC#CA40622416). Being recognized in this category is a testament to Cogeco Peer 1s ability to help companies meet their strategic needs in terms of innovation and operational effectiveness, said Bertrand Labelle, Vice President, Marketing, Cogeco Peer 1. Cogeco Peer 1 is delivering value to customers every day with a robust suite of secure, hybrid IT enabled facilities that deliver true operational efficiency for their critical workloads. The IDC MarketScape assessment recognizes Cogeco Peer 1s data centres, FastFiber Network and hybrid IT solutions, all of which increase the Companys ability to help Canadian organizations migrate from on-premise facilities to third-party data centres and hybrid environments. The IDC MarketScape found that over the past two years, many organizations have experienced an increased need for data centres, but are reluctant to build and manage these facilities in-house. Instead, Canadian companies have shifted data centre loads to commercial hosting vendors that offer colocation, managed hosting and cloud services. Technology leaders are shifting away from corporate-run data centres and placing workloads with commercial providers, said Mark Schrutt, Vice President, Services and Enterprise Applications, IDC Canada. Cogeco Peer 1 has positioned itself as a leader in the Canadian market and now has one of the strongest sets of data centre and network assets in the country. It works closely with its clients to scale quickly, leverage IT as an enabler rather than an inhibitor of growth, and provides the world-class performance needed to become front-runners in the marketplace. To read more about Cogeco Peer 1s recognition, download an excerpt of the report , doc #CA40622416, September 2016. ABOUT IDC MARKETSCAPE IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendors position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360 degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors. ABOUT COGECO PEER 1 Cogeco Peer 1 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cogeco Communications Inc. (TSX: CCA) and is a global provider of essential business-to-business products and services, such as colocation, network connectivity, managed hosting, cloud services and managed IT services, that allow customers across Canada, Mexico, the United States and Western Europe to focus on their core business. With 17 data centres, extensive FastFiber Network and more than 50 points-of-presence in North America and Europe combined, Cogeco Peer 1 is a trusted partner to businesses small, medium and large, providing the ability to access, move, manage and store mission-critical data worldwide, backed by superior customer support. For more information visit: . To view the photo and video associated with this press release, please visit the following links: Contacts: Shawna Gee Director, Communications and PR (416) 903-2025 ZTE wins Best Wireless Broadband Innovation award for Pre5G massive MIMO London, 20 October 2016 ZTE Corporation, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for mobile Internet, today announced that it has won the Best Wireless Broadband Innovation award for its Pre5G massive multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology at Broadband World Forum in London. Sponsored by Informa, the global business media company, Broadband World Forum is an important event in the broadband industry and this award further recognises ZTEs innovation in Pre5G massive MIMO technology. In a commercial network, the single-carrier peak rate of Pre5G massive MIMO exceeds 400 Mbps, increasing spectral efficiency by four to six times when compared with that of existing 4G networks. In addition, Pre5G massive MIMO technology is compatible with existing 4G terminals (such as 4G customer premises equipment (CPE) and handsets) so that users can enjoy a high-speed broadband experience without changing their terminals. Pre5G massive MIMO technology solves the Internets last mile problem by improving Internet access and therefore enhancing the user experience. Compared with digital subscriber line (xDSL) and very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) technologies, massive MIMO can provide a more competitive access rate without the expense of fibre to the home. In fact, this is highly practical for both mobile carriers and fixed network carriers. Earlier this year at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, ZTEs Pre5G massive MIMO base station, described as a disruptive innovation, won both the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough and the Outstanding Overall Mobile Technology The CTOs Choice 2016 awards. Since 2015, ZTE has launched several commercial Pre5G massive MIMO pilot projects in multiple markets. ZTE has also signed memorandums on strategic cooperation in Pre5G/5G technologies with China Mobile, Softbank, Korea Telecom, U Mobile, and Hutchison Drei Austria for joint technical validation, testing, assessment and research and development. So far, more than 20 Pre5G networks have been deployed all over the world and ZTE will continue to promote a wider application of Pre5G. Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Foundation for Excellence in Education today announced that Todd Rose, author of The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World that Values Sameness, will address the 2016 National Summit on Education Reform on Thursday, December 1 in Washington, D.C. "We leave minds untapped and potential by the wayside with a public education system that moves students along in lockstep to the bureaucratic expectation of average. One size not only fails to fit all, it rarely fits any," said Dr. Todd Rose. "ExcelinEd has long advocated for a student-centered approach to learning that nurtures the unique talents and abilities of individuals. The National Summit brings together the top minds in the reform movement, and I very much look forward to joining the discussion on how we can move toward a more relevant and effective education system." Todd Rose is the director of the Mind, Brain and Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he leads the Laboratory for the Science of the Individual. The Lab's flagship project is the Individual Mastery Project, a long-term study investigating the development of individual excellence and expertise. He is also the co-founder of The Center for Individual Opportunity, a non-profit organization that promotes the principles of individuality in work, school and society. He is the author of The End of Average. "From school dropout to welfare recipient to Harvard scholar, Todd Rose weaves a compelling life story with fascinating insight on our flawed concepts of defining average," said ExcelinEd CEO Patricia Levesque. "As we move to a 21st century education system centered on the individual abilities of students, his research and writings offer a unique and necessary perspective. This is going to be a fascinating presentation." Now in its ninth year, the summit will be held in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 at the Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C. ExcelinEd Founder and Chairman Governor Jeb Bush will open the summit with a morning keynote address on Thursday, December 1. The two-day event will feature general sessions with nationally renowned speakers plus strategy sessions featuring policy experts, legislators and education leaders discussing topics ranging from personalized learning and educational choice to solutions for states implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act. This unique gathering is a one-stop shop for state policymakers and education leaders who want a comprehensive overview of all elements of education reform. The goal is to share lessons learned across states and arm leaders with the knowledge and know-how to champion all students in every classroom. Last year's National Summit was attended by more than 900 education leaders from 45 states and D.C. ExcelinEd will release additional agenda details in the coming weeks. Follow @ExcelinEd on Twitter for the latest news and updates, and use #EIE16 to join the National Summit conversation. For event details visit ExcelinEd.org/National-Summit. **** Keynote addresses and strategy sessions will be open to the media. Members of the press interested in covering the event must request credentials in advance of the summit. Media registration will open online soon. ### Special thanks to our sponsors for their support of the 2016 National Summit on Education Reform. Achiever: The Susan & Bill Oberndorf Foundation, Walton Family Foundation; Reformer: College Board, McGraw-Hill Education,Pearson; Scholar: Amplify, Charter Schools USA, Doris & Donald Fisher Fund, K12, Northwest Evaluation Association and State Farm. A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=41716 Fri, 11/4 (11:30am ET): 5 Most Common Data Sufficiency Traps - Live with Erika Tyler-John (Magoosh) Tina Geiger was stabbed 61 times, and Krissy Geiger was stabbed over 20 times, both suffering gashes to their necks. 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 NASAs Resource Prospector mission robot, currently in development, is designed to be the first mining expedition on the moon. The mission could inform future mining missions to Mars. NASA's goals to land humans on Mars in the 2030s will require Mars settlers to "live off the land," just as the early European settlers did when they came to what is now the United States, according to a recent statement from the agency. The practice of using local Martian resources for human survival also known as "in-situ resource utilization" ISRU) is something researchers are pursuing at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. "It was an incredible accomplishment when we went to the moon," said Bob Cabana, director of KSC and a former space shuttle astronaut, inthe statement. "We stayed for a couple of days and took some rocks home. We explored." [How Will a Human Mars Base Work? NASA's Vision in Images] "But now," he said, "we want to be pioneers. As pioneers, we will create a sustained human presence in an ever more extreme environment." These are some of the things KSC scientists are working on in the area of ISRU. Durable machinery Mars has harsh conditions with wildly different temperatures, ranging from minus 195 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 126 Celsius) during winter at the poles to 70 F (21 C) during summer at the equator. The atmosphere is also 95 percent carbon dioxide. Earths atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen. "To (use ISRU resources) on a remote planet or an asteroid, the systems need to be very reliable," Jim Mantovani, a Kennedy planetary scientist and granular physics researcher, said in the statement. Epic recycling Some of the long-term aims at KSC include using resources on Mars to create propellant for rockets and other consumables for life support. But first, the agency needs to know where on Mars to look for those resources. NASA plans to send an orbiter to Mars with instruments to look for water in the regolith (loose rocks and dirt on top of bedrock) or soil, said Rob Mueller, a senior technologist at Kennedy's spaceport systems branch. A future lander would then survey the materials up close. A possible model for Martian mining missions would be NASA's Resource Prospector, a lunar robot that could launch in the 2020s, according to the statement. The prospector will try to locate specific resources at the lunar poles, and excavate samples of resources, such as hydrogen, water and oxygen. The MARCO POLO/Mars Pathfinder spacecraft undergoes an integrated test of an in-situ resource utilization, or ISRU, system at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis) Mining on Mars NASA could dig for resources on the Red Planet using a robot called RASSOR, for Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot. It will be designed to work in the lower gravity of Mars (62 percent lower than Earth's) and will pick up several small scoops of regolith. Then the material will be processed to remove water, hydrogen and oxygen, the statement said. Besides providing resources for people to live off of, the regolith could also be used to 3D print shelters and other things. Growing crops "Food is something we all depend on, and it's not going to be easy to get food out of regolith," Gioia Massa, a Kennedy project scientist that has worked on plant growth experiments on the International Space Station, said in the statement. "Right now, we pretty much take all our food along to the space station. But seeds are very small. Seeds are easy to take." NASA researchers on Earth and aboard the station are working to find optimum growing environments for plants and crops in microgravity; they are testing the impact of factors that include lighting, nutrients and watering. "There are a number of different types of plants we can grow [on the station]," Massa said. "We can start with produce that is just fresh that you can pick and eat. Other crops, such as potatoes, can be added depending on available time and resources." Robots may also help tend to plants and crops so astronauts can devote their time to other activities. 'Trash to gas' Kennedy is also working on ways to repurpose the waste from food, packaging and biological activities. A trash compactor being tested can take more than three quarts of material and burn it at 1,000 F (537 C). Possible byproducts of trash could include oxygen, water or rocket fuel, which would further reduce the amount of stuff to haul from home. "It costs a great deal to launch a ton of payload beyond Earth orbit," Annie Meier, a chemical engineer at Kennedy, said in the statement. "So why not reuse it." Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. ExoMars Lander Crash Site in Color: Crater NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona Zoomed-in view of the crater caused by the crash of Europe's Schiaparelli Mars lander on Oct. 19, 2016. Photo taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Nov. 1, 2016. ExoMars Lander Crash Site: After View NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS The European Space Agency tried to land a spacecraft on Mars on Wednesday (Oct. 19), but it failed during its descent. The Schiaparelli lander crashed (as seen in this image) but its mothership Trace Gas Orbiter entered Mars orbit as planned. See more images from the probe's landing day here. HERE: This image by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows what appears to be the ExoMars lander's parachute (bright spot at bottom) and the impact site of the lander itself (dark patch at top). Read the Full Story. ExoMars Lander's Crash Site: MRO Photo NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona This Oct. 25, 2016, image from the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the area where Europe's Schiaparelli lander struck Mars. The inset at center shows where the main lander hit; at bottom is Schiaparellis parachute and back heat shield, while the inset at upper right shows the front heat shield. ExoMars Lander's Crash Site: Zoomed-in MRO View NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona Zoomed-in view of an Oct. 25, 2016, image from the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter showing the crater gauged out by the impact of Europe's Schiaparelli lander on Oct. 19, 2016 (center). The inset at upper right shows the vehicles front heat shield. Schiaparelli ExoMars Lander: Crash Site Main image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, Arizona State University; inserts: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS The landing site of the ExoMars Schiaparelli lander within the predicted landing ellipse (top), along with zoomed-in, before-and-after views (bottom left and bottom right, respectively) showing evidence of the landers crash. Read the Full Story. ESA sets the stage for their first Mars landing ESA The European Space Agency's stage at the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany on Oct. 19 for the arrival of ExoMars 2016. The mission includes two spacecraft: the Trace Gas Orbiter and the Schiaparelli lander. on Mars Color Photo of ExoMars Lander Crash Site NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona These images taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Nov. 1, 2016, show the wreckage of Europes Schiaparelli lander, which crashed on the Red Planet on Oct. 19, 2016. At top is the crater caused by the landers impact; at bottom left is the crafts parachute and attached back heat shield. The feature at bottom right is thought to be the front heat shield. The 10-meter scale bar applies to all three portions of the image. ExoMars 2016 Landing Infographic ESA/ATG Medialab This infographic illustrates the steps of Schiaparelli's descent and landing on Mars. Thrusters fired ESA/ATG medialab Artist's illustration of ExoMars' Schiaparelli lander about to touch down on the Red Planet. The lander fired its thrusters at about 0.68 miles (1.1 km) above the surface to slow down before impact. ESA/P. Shlyaev In a press briefing on Oct. 20, ESA officials explain that contact has been lost with the Schiaparelli lander. Mission control prepares for descent ESA/P. Shlyaev ESA's mission operators await the landing of the Schiaparelli spacecraft at the ESOC mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany on Oct. 19. Artist's illustration of Planet Nine, a world about 10 times more massive than Earth that may lie undiscovered in the outer solar system. Planet Nine's days of lurking unseen in the dark depths of the outer solar system may be numbered. The hypothetical giant planet, which is thought to be about 10 times more massive than Earth, will be discovered within 16 months or so, astronomer Mike Brown predicted. "I'm pretty sure, I think, that by the end of next winter not this winter, next winter I think that there'll be enough people looking for it that somebody's actually going to track this down," Brown said during a news conference Wednesday (Oct. 19) at a joint meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) in Pasadena, California. Brown said that eight to 10 groups are currently looking for the planet. [The Evidence for 'Planet Nine' in Images (Gallery)] 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) At the "next one of these [DPS-EPSC meetings], we'll be talking about finding Planet Nine instead of just looking for it," added Brown, who's based at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. That would be a pretty quick path from hypothetical planet to confirmed world. The existence of Planet Nine was seriously proposed for the first time just in 2014, by astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chadwick Trujillo, of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C., and the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii, respectively. Sheppard and Trujillo noted that the dwarf planet Sedna, the newfound object 2012 VP113 and several other bodies far beyond Pluto share certain odd orbital characteristics, a coincidence that would make sense if their paths through space had been shaped by an unseen, giant "perturber" in the region. The researchers suggested that this putative planet is perhaps two to 15 times more massive than Earth and lies hundreds of astronomical units (AU) from the sun. (One AU is the Earth-sun distance, about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers.) This interpretation was bolstered in January of this year by Brown and fellow Caltech astronomer Konstantin Batygin, who found evidence of a perturber's influence in the orbits of a handful of additional distant objects. This "Planet Nine," as Batygin and Brown dubbed the putative world, likely contains about 10 Earth masses and orbits on a highly elliptical path whose aphelion (farthest distance from the sun) is about 1,000 AU, the researchers said. (For perspective, Pluto gets just 49.3 AU from the sun at aphelion.) The evidence for Planet Nine's existence has continued to grow over the past nine months, as several different research teams have determined that the orbits of other small, distant objects appear to have been sculpted as well. One team, led by Renu Malhotra of the University of Arizona, discussed four such objects at the DPS/EPSC meeting Wednesday. And Brown's team, led by Elizabeth Bailey of Caltech, announced at the meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 18) that Planet Nine appears to have tilted the orbits of all eight "official" planets by 6 degrees relative to the sun. The ongoing Planet Nine research also includes efforts to pin down where the world might be in the sky these days. This is a key part of the discovery effort, since a blind search for an object so far away, and with such a huge and elliptical orbit, has little chance of success in the near term, Brown has said.[Evidence Mounts for Existence of 'Planet Nine' (Video)] It's likely that Planet Nine is currently at or near aphelion, located perhaps 1,000 AU from the sun, in a patch of sky measuring about 400 square degrees, Brown said. (For comparison, the full moon viewed from Earth covers about 0.5 degrees of sky.) Astronomers have said Planet Nine is perhaps four times wider than Earth, and such an object would be easily visible with professional-grade equipment if it were relatively close to Earth, Brown explained. In addition, planets on highly elliptical orbits spend most of their time near aphelion, since they're traveling most slowly on this part of their path, he said. An object four times bigger than Earth that's located at 1,000 AU would have a magnitude of about +25 on astronomers' brightness scale, Brown added. "This is well within reach of the giant telescopes," he said. "The Subaru telescope, I think, on Mauna Kea, [in Hawaii] the Japanese national telescope is the prime instrument for doing the search. But there are a lot of other people who have clever ideas on how to find it, too, that are trying with their own telescopes." So which research team will ultimately find Planet Nine? Brown said he isn't sure, and he stressed that getting credit for the historic discovery should be a secondary concern for astronomers. "There are a lot of people looking, and we are trying as hard as we can to tell people where to look," he said. "We want it to be found." Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Dr. Leroy Chiao served as a NASA astronaut from 1990 to 2005. During his 15-year career, he flew four missions into space, three times on space shuttles and once as the co-pilot of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station. On that flight, he served as the commander of Expedition 10, a six-and-a-half-month mission. Dr. Chiao has performed six spacewalks, in both U.S. and Russian spacesuits, and has logged nearly 230 days in space. You can read more of Chiao's Expert Voices Op-Eds and film reviews on his Space.com landing page. Chiao contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. I vividly remember the Apollo 11 moon landing. I was 8 years old, watching the events unfold on a grainy black-and-white TV screen, when Eagle approached the surface of the moon and then actually landed. That evening, I looked up at the moon, and it was exciting to realize that there were people actually up there, right at that moment. It was life-changing. My generation was going to be the "Mars Generation": Everyone was certain that by the 1990s, we would have established a moon base and ventured on to Mars. I was inspired. I made a plan, worked hard, and many years later, was fortunate enough to be selected to be a NASA astronaut myself. [See All of NASA's 'Mars Explorers Wanted' Posters (Slideshow)] Moon/Mars in the 1990s was not to be. However, in 1989, after I had applied to NASA, President George Bush proposed a new plan that would return Americans to the moon and then land astronauts on Mars by 2019, the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. He intended to put the money up for it too, proposing an amazing 24 percent increase in NASA's budget. It was an exciting time. The following year, when NASA selected me as a member of Astronaut Group 13, I dared to think that I just might get to Mars, or maybe at least have a shot at the moon! It didn't work out that way. I had a very rich flying career and have absolutely no complaints, but mine didn't turn out to be the Mars Generation. President Bush was unable to get the political and financial commitments for his vision. In 2009, I was asked to be a member of the White House-appointed Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee. Led by aerospace legend Norm Augustine, our charter was to review then-current NASA plans and assemble options for the new administration, for a new space policy. We were trying to lay the groundwork for the Mars Generation and define high-level paths on how we might get there. Our central message was clear: In the first paragraphs of the report, we emphasized that it was essential to match goals with resources. So, it was with somewhat furrowed brow that I read President Obama's recent article on the state of the space program. Everything he wrote is factually true. And, when I go talk to young school children, I do tell them that maybe they will be the Mars Generation. But the difference is that I don't tell them that they are the Mars Generation today, as he did. The reason I don't is that since the early 1970s, we seem to always be about 20 years away from landing astronauts on Mars. The President reiterated that projection, writing that he set the goal to get there in the 2030s. But an actual Mars program is missing; while it is true that NASA has received small increases in its budget and technological progress is being made, the funding and political resource commitments do not match the goal of landing humans on Mars in the 2030s. I enthusiastically agree with the President that our space program inspires the next generation, just like it did for our generation. And over the years, NASA has made progress and mounted spectacular missions, such as the New Horizons probe that flew by Pluto last year. But for us to get humans to Mars anywhere close to the 2030s, the next administration must plan and announce such a bold program, and make the necessary commitments to see it through. Otherwise, we will simply continue to kick the can down the road, as we have been doing for way too long. In that case, instead of today's hopefuls, the Mars Generation will continue to be the one that's about twenty years in the future. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. 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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. STAMFORD When Svitlana Pasquale and Cristian Cano purchased their Hope Street home last December, they expected to hear trains rumbling up and down the tracks of Metro-Norths New Canaan Branch. What they werent prepared for was being frequently awakened by the blast of horns warning that a train was passing through their neighborhood. We didnt take out a mortgage to live at the train station, and it feels like we live at Grand Central Terminal, Pasquale said. But even at Grand Central, the horns arent blowing all the time. Over the past two months, Pasquale said the horns have gotten louder and more frequent, with a 1:07 a.m. train arriving in Springdale on weekends often waking her from a sound sleep. It wakes you in bed, Pasquale said. It depends on the day. Sometimes it is one long blast that feels like it is for the entirety of Hope Street and other times they are very frequent and very loud. Madeleine and Alan Sleath, residents of Chatfield Street for 37 years, said the horns from trains near their back porch became even more ear piercing two years ago, with the sound louder and generally longer in duration. It depends on the conductor sometimes they will blast it all the way from Glenbrook almost into New Canaan, Madeleine Sleath said. More Information Little recourse Residents with gripes about train noise have little recourse to cut the racket - in particular the stentorian horns that help deter collisions. Under the Federal Railroad Administration's Horn Rule (49 CFR Part 222), locomotive engineers must begin to sound horns at least 15 seconds - but no more than 20 seconds - in advance of all public street-level crossings. Local noise ordinances are preempted by the federal rules requiring horns. In Stamford, those are geared toward limiting volume at stationary locations like construction sites and auto repair shops. Regulations around establishing Quiet Zones can be found at www.fra.dot .gov/Page/P0889. See More Collapse Pasquale and Cano are pursuing a federal Quiet Zone designation for the section of the New Canaan Branch traveling past their house. The zones established in 2005 by the Federal Railroad Administration allow communities to petition to eliminate the requirement that engineers blow horns to warn motorists and pedestrians of a trains approach. However, the engineers would still be permitted to sound the horns if they felt it necessary to maintain safety. In cities where petitions have been approved, the FRA often required local governments to pay for the additional safeguards like median barriers, vehicle-detection equipment or additional drop-arm gates to offset the loss of the auditory warnings. Some cities shut crossings to vehicle traffic altogether. Its definitely something I would consider, Pasquale said of the quiet zone. I cant imagine there arent more people who wouldnt feel the same way. State Sen. Carlo Leone, D-27, said Thursday that he has been working with a resident who lives near the Glenbrook station to try to mitigate a perceived excess of horn blasts in the early morning. Leone served as vice chair of the state General Assemblys Transportation Committee during the most recent legislative session. Leone said that given the federal laws around quiet zones, it is hard to predict whether state transportation officials have the authority to reduce noise in an area where there is a crossing every few blocks. The idea would be to have them do it less or maybe not have the horn so loud or not to lean on the horn for X amount of seconds, Leone said. There are a lot of things people want but the DOT has very stringent regulations ... always with the mindset of safety being the main driver. Dangerous crossings State and railroad officials declined to speculate on the cost for safety measures to create a noise-free zone along the New Canaan Branch. The stretch of railway includes the two most dangerous crossings in Connecticut Riverbend Drive South and Largo Drive. The state Department of Transportation last year completed a $1.27 million project to install gates and warning lights at the Riverbend Drive South crossing, where there have been four accidents involving cars colliding with trains over the last decade. The most recent incident occurred in 2011. The Largo Drive crossing less than a mile north and also off Hope Street has gates in addition to traffic signals that are coordinated with train routes, flashing lights and bells. Seven accidents have occurred there since 1993. Metro-North Railroad spokesman Aaron Donovan said there has been no recent work on the New Canaan Branch that would prompt an increased need for the horn warnings. The FRA mandates the warnings are sounded as trains travel through Springdale, where there are five rail crossings between Riverbend Drive South and Camp Avenue. According to federal regulations, train engineers must begin to sound horns at least 15 seconds, and no more than 20 seconds, in advance of all public grade-level crossings. Donovan said the horns must be at least 96 decibels and no louder than 110 decibels in volume as measured 100 feet in front of a train. Train horns are sounded in accordance with regulations of the Federal Railroad Administration and Metro-North is not permitted to deviate from those regulations, Donovan said. We can understand the neighbors concerns, but we are not permitted to deviate from federal regulations, and frankly, safety comes first at Metro-North. Fewer crossings? Robert Bernick, assistant rail administrator for the state Department of Transportation, said Stamford would need to initiate the process with federal rail officials to exempt the branch from train horn rules and propose necessary safety enhancements. There has to be a diagnostic review done by the FRA, which assesses the risk of the crossing as is and of not having the train horn sound and then determine what mitigation would be required to bring the crossing back up to a safe level without horns, Bernick said. Cano, Pasquales boyfriend, said the noise varies and is less intrusive or frequent at times. The frequency and duration vary significantly from one train to the other, which is evidence to me of subjectivity left to engineers rather than the federal requirement, he said. Cano said the noise will be a nuisance to more people as development continues to increase in the Glenbrook and Springdale neighborhoods. Cano suggested the city should consider closing some of the grade-level crossings. Has the city looked into the number of crossings in the area to determine if any of them serve a redundant purpose? Cano asked. I doubt closure of one or two of them may pose an issue for commuters, given the proximity of these (crossings). No Stamfordites have complained to state Rep. Jonathan Hoch, whose District 17 represents Springdale, about the horns, he said. The citys Citizen Services Bureau, the mayors office and the Board of Representatives have not received complaints about train horn noise in Springdale, according to Libby Carlson, a special assistant to Mayor David Martin. Hoch said the railroad should be responsive to resident concerns about noise, but that substantial changes would need to be weighed carefully to assure quieter trains would not jeopardize driver safety. I wouldnt want to do or recommend something that could compromise the safety of people without having all the information, Hoch said. Its really, really important because weve seen some incidents on that line. We need to have a thoughtful approach to it. I t has often been said that if all the economists in the world were laid end to end, they would still all point in different directions. But in a world of increasing complexity, such tendencies can also be seen elsewhere. Pensions experts are a case in point. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association today published the interim report of the Defined Benefit Taskforce, chaired by Ashok Gupta and set up to establish the facts behind the myths about pensions today. The aim is to inform the debate and provide Government with hard evidence on which to base any changes in policy. It is a noble intention although Government, if it behaves true to form, will take no notice. Indeed, I fully expect it will launch its own inquiry before too long, probably in the form of a Green Paper to establish its version of the facts but that is another story. Gupta points out in his report that pensions are big business. Although this is obvious, the facts bear repetition. Pension schemes pay out about 81 billion a year, spread across 4.27 million people. As those still of working age move through to retirement, that total will rise to 27.3 million. The cost is high, too. Employers last year paid 31 billion into schemes, 11 billion of which was additional payments to ease projected shortfalls in scheme funding. These top-ups are needed almost across the board of the 6000 private-sector schemes in the UK, some 5000 are in deficit. The bad news in the prevalence and scale of deficits prompts Gupta to say the current state of pension schemes poses a significant risk to members benefits for all but the most strongly-funded schemes... for many members, the risk is they will lose 15%20% of their benefits. Strong stuff but before you slash you wrists, read a blog published last month by Andrew Warwick-Thompson, executive director for regulatory policy at the Pension Regulator. He does not quite say such analyses are rubbish but, as a regulator, he sees all the data and his conclusion is that talk of a pension crisis is overdone. It is a bit dry but the message is clear enough. The real scheme data does not show that there is a systemic DB [defined benefit] affordability issue, he writes. The majority of employers will be able to ensure that their DB schemes are sufficiently funded to meet their liabilities as they fall due. The real problem is actually quite small. Employers facing difficulty account for only about 10% of the total, Warwick-Thompson says, and of these some, but not all, may eventually end up in the Pension Protection Fund. It is, of course, only those who actually end up in the PPF that could face the level of cuts suggested by Gupta. The rest should be OK. He notes: A minority of DB schemes and their sponsors are in distressed circumstances but the data does not bear out the argument that in general DB schemes are unaffordable not that they are about to fail, nor are they about to bankrupt their sponsors, nor will they overwhelm the pensions life-raft, the Pension Protection Fund. Most of the FTSE 350 companies can afford to at least maintain their deficit reduction contributions and many can afford to increase them if necessary, albeit at the potential rice of reducing their dividends Gupta suggests this version of events does not get reported much because the truth does not make for such a good headline. However, the need for a rethink on pensions is about more than just solvency. He is on less-disputed ground, for example, when he says the current system is too rigid, and it might be in everyones interest if ways could be found to make it more flexible. This is a nod to Holland, where the schemes have the ability to flex the benefits in response to changing economic circumstances sharing the pain more evenly between employers and pension members and making the schemes more sustainable. Gupta also takes a pop at pension regulation, some of which he says costs a substantial amount of money and delivers very little benefit. He also thinks we should search for better and more flexible ways to resolve the problems of firms whose schemes get into difficulty. All these ideas would seem to merit further enquiry. Finally, he homes in on the fact that there are far too many small pension schemes, and huge efficiency savings could be made if they could be persuaded to merge into larger units. Again, few would argue it has been said many times before. That, however, is not the hard part. The challenge lies in getting turkeys to vote for Christmas. The current upheaval in local government is testament to the difficulties. One of George Osbornes last acts as chancellor still a work in progress was to force almost 100 local authorities to pool their pension funds into half a dozen much larger units, thinking this would enable better-quality investment strategies at a much lower cost. However, if you read the business plans submitted to the Treasury by the organisers of these pools the savings are derisory. Instead, most pension schemes have seized the opportunity to add another layer of complexity to their organisations by leaving most of their existing bureaucracies intact and superimposing the pools. They could probably have achieved bigger cost savings if they had simply negotiated a bit harder with their existing fund managers, or shifted some funds from active to passive management. But that is not how organisations work. They usually see an advantage in making their businesses bigger and more complex. Why is that a good thing? Because it justifies significant pay rises for those running the show. What do the Treasury filings also show? Exactly that. T he London boss of Barratt Developments, who was arrested yesterday on suspicion of bribery, offloaded his entire 2 million stake in the housebuilder last year. Alastair Baird, who has been suspended by the FTSE 100 group, sold 344,475 shares in Barratt, according to a filing on 1 December. A spokesman for the company confirmed Baird, who was arrested by the Metropolitan Police along with another employee, sold the shares in October, two months earlier. The exact value of the sale is unclear, but the housebuilders share price traded above 600p for the whole of October, meaning Baird would have pocketed more than 2 million. The shares are now 20% below that level at 484p. Barratt revealed yesterday that it had launched an internal investigation into possible misconduct in the process for awarding and managing certain material and subcontract supply contracts in the London region. The probe was launched in August last year. Barratts internal investigation led to civil action against a third employee which began last October. The worker was fired in February. Barratt referred the case to the Met in April. A Met spokeswoman confirmed the arrests, which she said were on suspicion of bribery. It is not known whether Baird was aware of the companys investigation when he sold his stake. Because he was not a director or held a significant stake, Barratt did not have to disclose the share sale. Baird has been London regional managing director for five years, but joined the business almost 30 years ago as a site manager. The company declined to comment on Bairds share dealings. Chief executive David Thomas said yesterday: 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 and referring the matter to the Metropolitan Police. Thomas added: We will continue to co-operate fully with the Metropolitan Police and to conduct our own investigation into these matters. We will take whatever action is required to ensure our values and standards are upheld. Since the inquiry, Barratt said it had hired an accountancy firm to conduct a review into its tendering and procurement businesses in London. It said it had adopted additional controls, adding that its London procurement processes differ from the rest of the group due to the one-off nature of construction projects in the capital. The company also said that it did not expect any material financial impact. B arclays chief executive Jes Staley plans to continue his drive to ditch assets outside the US and UK. Staley has already begun selling off Barclays African arm, a controversial move given its longstanding involvement in that continent. Staley, who took over in December from the ousted Antony Jenkins, has pledged to slash costs and boost returns to shareholders. He told Bloomberg: If you can generate a return above your cost of capital, I think youre doing reasonably well. What we need to do is close the things that are our outside our core bank. According to the City rumour mill, that strategy could put him at odds with his chairman, John McFarlane, the feng shui devotee who was opposed to the Africa sale originally, but has since come on board. So far, Staley has pulled Barclays investment bank out of seven Asian countries to concentrate on London and New York. The former JPMorgan banker has cut the banks dividend in half to boost the balance sheet. C yber-crime is showing no signs of disappearing just ask the Duchess of Cambridges sister Pippa Middleton, who last month became the latest victim of celebrity photo-hacking. But an army of computer geeks trying to extract private information from A-listers was not enough to help cyber security experts NCC Group avoid issuing a profit warning on Thursday. In an update for the four months from June to September 30, the firm warned that profits growth will be hit by a number of setbacks including three large contract cancellations. Shares in NCC plunged 118.7p, or more than 34%, to 227p, making it the FTSE 250s biggest victim. But there was better news elsewhere on the mid-cap index for warehouse developer Segro whose boss David Sleath indicated confidence after the Brexit vote: Liquidity is starting to return to the UK investment market and there remains strong demand for high quality warehouses. The logistics company added that it secured 13.5 million in new rent deals in the third quarter. It edged up 2p to 438p. The FTSE 250 fell 69.18 points to 117,971.35. Oil was on the slide on Thursday after yesterdays rally in the markets led to profit taking. The rise was fuelled by a fall in US stocks on the expectation of an Opec-led cut in production. Brent crude dropped 0.5 cents to $52.15 a barrel. This reduction in stocks in the worlds largest oil consumer has added to bullish sentiment that arose after Opec proposed to cut or at least curb oil production. As the market held its breath ahead of the European Central Banks rate decision where it was expected to keep policy unchanged the FTSE 100 was flat in early trading, down 10.47 points to 7011.45. Rio Tinto was among the biggest risers on the blue-chip index. It edged up 9.5p to 2633p after it released its latest quarterly production report and revealed increases in production for copper, aluminium and iron ore. However, confidence in media giant Sky was not so high, with the company due to host an investor day today where it would give details on its strategy, position in each market and cost efficiency. It was also updating on its progress towards the launch of Sky Mobile. The shares fell 13p to 843p. Elsewhere, in the fashion retail sector today, Bonmarche fell 7.25p to 82.25p. That came after the firm last month reported poor sales of its autumn range as shoppers sweltered in Britains indian summer. U niqlo today came under fire over claims it uses factories that have allegedly denied the rights of staff making the brands clothes. In a 28-page report, non-governmental organisation War on Want, which campaigns to fight international poverty, highlighted two cases involving Uniqlo suppliers that it claims expose a disparity between what Uniqlo puts forward as its public image and what it actually does in reality. It said striking workers at the Artigas factory in China, mainly women close to retirement, were unfairly dismissed, denied certain payments owed to them and, in some cases, subjected to violent police repression. Meanwhile at the Zhong Yin facility in Cambodia, union members were routinely dismissed and punishing overtime in difficult conditions was commonplace. Uniqlos parent Fast Retailing denied the claims relating to Artigas, saying workers in fact resigned and were then awarded bonuses as a gesture of goodwill. A court sided with the factory because it had complied with the relevant labour laws, it added. The company said it suspended production in Zhong Yin as a result of dispute with the workers union. The row has now been resolved and the affected employees are set to be rehired. It reiterated that respecting human rights and ensuring fair working conditions are a top priority and that it expects suppliers to comply with a specially created code of conduct as a matter of principle. War on Want believes some Artigas employees are still awaiting compensation, while workers at Zhong Yin have not been offered back pay and continues to campaign on their behalf. While the two are at loggerheads and in the absence of an international law or industry regulation to hold fashion companies to account for what happens in their supply chains, War on Want is calling on Uniqlo and other major retailers to follow the example of H&M, Marks & Spencer and Gap and publish details of the factories they work with. This is critical for workers and unions as this gives them information to hold fashion brands accountable for labour rights abuses, War on Wants report concludes. Review at a glance A musical about cancer, complete with sparkly, all-singing and dancing cancer cells, is certainly an audacious choice. Performance artist Bryony Kimmings, who writes and directs, says she wants to get us talking about the tough stuff, about illness and death. This is, of course, both commendable and useful, but the piece strays disappointingly far from these noble aims, culminating in a misguidedly meta-theatrical second half that descends into a mire of mawkish sentimentality and self-indulgence. I was squirming by the end. The first half has the air of a very jolly and brightly coloured primary school assembly, albeit one about a difficult topic. It takes us through a day in the life of an oncology department in the company of Emma (Amanda Hadingue), whose baby boy has been summoned for worrying tests. There we meet a range of other cancer patients, but were afforded no more than a fleeting surface engagement with any individual situation, which only adds to the disconcertingly cartoon-like feel of the whole enterprise. Tom Parkinsons music is unmemorable and is all but jettisoned after the interval in favour of a wearying number of pre-recorded voiceovers from Kimmings herself to her actors. What would have been preferable is a far greater level of insight into the real, awkward individual lives behind the headline diagnosis. Until Nov 29, National Theatre; nationaltheatre.org.uk Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from Londons theatre scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout T he team behind the exclusive Arts Club in Mayfair is planning to open the first private members venue in Canary Wharf. The Quay Club is being launched by property investor Gary Landesberg and the Waney family, founders of the capitals Zuma and Roka restaurants. Today Tower Hamlets councils strategic development committee is expected to approve plans for a futuristic aluminium-clad base for the club. It is to be built on a pontoon overlooking Middle Dock on Bank Street, to the disapproval of Historic England. The multi-million-pound project will include a restaurant, bar, gym and spa, guest bedrooms and roof terraces with views across Canary Wharf. The vision for the club is to be globally the most desirable and inspirational private members club for the urban professional, says a report by Adamson Associates, executive architects of the project. Upon the successful launch of Canary Wharf, the aim is to create sister clubs in the key financial centres of the world with Dubai, New York, Singapore and Shanghai shortlisted. Alice Chadwyck-Healey, executive director of the Arts Club, said the decision had been made to bring a Mayfair-style venue to Canary Wharf because it contains the demographic which fits with what we are trying to do. She added: We are looking forward to venturing into pastures new. London's modern private members clubs 1 /13 London's modern private members clubs The Devonshire Club Opened: June 2016 Whos behind it? Property consultancy SUSD and Brian Clivaz, co-founder of Home House and chief executive of Sohos LEscargot. Whos it for? This is the focal point where those with Mayfair style and glamour meet East-End chic, says Clivaz. That means financiers and city professionals but also creative executives from Shoreditch and Hoxton. Where is it? An 18th-century former East India Company warehouse and large Georgian townhouse on Devonshire Square in the City. The Devonshire Club What do you get? A library and private meeting rooms; secret garden; blow-dry and brow bar, gym and yoga studio, and 68 bedrooms. Theres curious-sounding St Jamess meets St Tropez with an Asian twist food from former LEscargot head chef Oliver Lesnik in the brasserie restaurant. And besides the facilities? Events include a Monthly Tech Mingle networking party and private events. Whats more, they proclaim that rules are made to be broken, which means that mobile phone usage is permitted, theres no dress code and dogs are allowed. Membership fees: 2,400 a year, 2,400 joining fee. Quo Vadis (Re)opened: September 2016 Whos behind it? Brothers Sam and Eddie Hart and chef Jeremy Lee, who also own the Barrafina chain. Where is it? Quo Vadis has been on Sohos Dean Street since 1926 and Karl Marx lived in the building in the 19th century. Its re-opening after a big refurb for its 90th birthday. Whos it for? Foodie types. Barrafina serves the finest tapas in London and its former outpost in Frith Street is moving into the building. Lee, meanwhile, is all about seasonal British cuisine. While the downstairs restaurant is open to all, members will have an additional 26-cover dining room upstairs. And this is Soho, so expect maximum eclecticism alongside the media types. Quo Vadis What do you get? The private restaurant, a late-night bar serving Dukes infamous martinis, and the chance to admire works by resident artist John Broadly. And besides the facilities? Food events from special dinners with Angela Hartnett to a Negroni championship later this year and foraging trips. Membership fees: 500 a year or 650 for couples. Neuehouse Opening: late 2016 Whos behind it? American tech entrepreneurs Joshua Abram and Alan Murray, founders of Neuehouse New York and LA. Whos it for? Collaborators and networkers: this is shared office space for creative freelancers. The first rule is to be nice and have manners, says Abram. Whats not nice or good-mannered is sloppy dressing. Michelle Grey, NeueHouses global creative director, says: Its important in life to dress well...fashion is a great template for expressing your inner creativity. Gym kit isnt permitted and shoes must be worn at all times (sorry, Steve Hilton). Where is it? The Art Deco Adelphi building just off the Strand, once home to Thomas Hardy. Neuehouse What do you get? Every tool a start-up, social media co-ordinator or vlogger could need: rentable private offices, studios, event spaces, screening room and a florist, for getting in touch with your inner petunia. And besides the facilities? If you dont have time to go to the gallery or museum, well bring it to you, Abram has said. The New York branch has hosted talks by Sir Salman Rushdie and designer Sir Paul Smith. Membership fees: Its New York rates start at $200 a month. Neds Club at The Ned Opening: early 2017 Whos behind it? Soho Houses Nick Jones and the Sydell Group, owner of Manhattans NoMad. The Ned is independent from the Soho House Group. Whos it for? While Soho house has a policy of only admitting members with creative backgrounds, The Ned welcomes anyone appreciative of their gorgeous decor, food, and general vibes. Where is it? The 1920s former Midland Bank building in the City designed by Sir Edwin Ned Lutyens. Neds Club at The Ned What do you get? Everything you could possibly need under one roof, and loads of it: 252 bedrooms; seven restaurants serving everything from ramen to Reubens; eight beauty treatment rooms; two swimming pools; a gym with a boxing ring and a Turkish hammam. The building also houses the original bank vault, with a 2m-wide, 20-ton door, which will be turned into a late-night bar. And besides the facilities? Given that the likes of Victoria Beckham have previously hosted fashion breakfasts at Soho House, you can expect a seriously impressive range of top-notch cultural events. Membership fees: Not confirmed, but membership for Soho House starts at 1,000 a year. Chess Club Mayfair Opening: December 2016 Whos behind it? Expect extreme debauchery and even more extreme cocktails: this is a collaboration between the Experimental Cocktail Club brothers and Francesca Chess Zampi of The Box. Where is it? Chesterfield Street, in the heart of old-school Mayfair clubland. The building was previously home to the Rags Club. Whos it for? Zampi wants people from all walks of life we dont want people who think the same way as us. Chess Club Mayfair What do you get? Somewhere designed for the user, which ECCs Romee de Goriainoff reckons isnt always the case in members clubs. That means a brilliant drinks list, with ECC classics and affordable wine. It also means stellar food, courtesy of Zampis pal Jackson Boxer. The Brunswick House chef will be plating up vegetable-centric seasonal ingredients, although Chess Club philosophy is that the most delicious part of any meal should be the company shared. And besides the facilities? Besides the awesome cocktails, you mean? Comedy nights and, given the name, it would be rude not to crack out a late-night board game. Membership fees: About 500 a year. It is not yet known how much it will cost to become a member of the new club Arts Club members pay a 2,000 joining fee, plus 2,000 annual subscriptions but Ms Chadwyck-Healey said she hoped that a broad mix of people would be inspired to join. If planning consent is granted the club should open in early 2018. Aman Dalvi, director of development and renewal at Tower Hamlets, is backing the high standard five-storey building. It will bridge the original curved walls of the docks, which were designed to accommodate ships hulls. Claire Brady, inspector of historic buildings and areas with Historic England, formerly English Heritage, has made a formal objection to the plans. In a letter to the council she raised concerns that installing a modern building effectively on top of the very rare, Grade I-listed historic wall will cause significant harm to the heritage site. Ms Chadwyck-Healey denied this saying the building had been designed to be sympathetic to its location. At the moment [the site] looks very sad and unloved, she said. Mr Landesberg and his team relaunched Dover Streets Arts Club five years ago, assisted by Gwyneth Paltrow who acted as head of membership. It has been a huge success with celebrities including Beyonce, Jessie J and Pippa Middleton. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout T his festive season Londoners can visit a luxurious winter wonderland in the sky as the top of the Gherkin is kitted out with snow, glitter and diamonds. The 39th and 40th floors of the iconic building, usually available to members only, will open to the public for a series of lunches, dinners and Champagne afternoon teas throughout December. The teas will feature finger sandwiches, cakes and pastries, macaroons and mince pies as well as a glass of Champagne. Whats more, while most people will receive a fake diamond in their Champagne flute, one lucky diner each sitting will receive a real one to take home with them. The afternoon teas will be held on 4, 11 and 18 December from 12.30-4pm, and cost 65 a person. Diners can also book lunches and dinners on select dates between November 28 and January 1, while tickets for an exclusive New Years Eve party are selling for 290 a pop. Book at searcysclubthegherkin.co.uk. Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene. Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout A n 11-year-old actor is stealing the show in the West End production of Ragtime only three years after a major operation to combat the cerebral palsy that threatened to put him in a wheelchair. Ethan Quinn was diagnosed with the condition which affects muscle control when he was three and had the surgery after his parents Karen and Wayne raised 50,000 to pay for it. Mrs Quinn, who lives in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, said her sons performance as Little Boy in the hit musical was evidence of the life-changing effect of the operation, which was carried out at a Bristol hospital. She said: This would have been impossible for him to do and would not have happened, without a shadow of a doubt, without the operation. Ethan was always an independent walker but as he was starting to get older his mobility was starting to decrease. He still managed of a fashion but it was getting harder and certainly longer distances and things like that we did have to use a chair for. Among the audience to see Ethan at Charing Cross Theatre is the surgeon who performed the operation. The surgery helped reduce the effect of the condition by dividing nerve fibres that connected his muscles to his spine. Mrs Quinn said: Ethan has kept a lot of it up his sleeve, he wanted us to be surprised, and I think Wayne and I were gobsmacked by what he was actually doing on the stage. Not just the acting side of it but his movement; he is on a piano and he is up and down stairs, and the show is two hours and 40 minutes as well so it is a long time for him. Ragtime is at the Charing Cross Theatre until December 10. For more information go to charingcrosstheatre.co.uk Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from Londons theatre scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout G eneral Richard Dannatt stands out from his military peers in the way he spoke truth to power. Shortly after taking command of the Army, he mused out loud to the Daily Mail that in many respects, 10 years ago, the British military presence in Iraq might be as much part of the problem, as the solution. Of course, the sky fell in. It shouldnt have done because, broadly speaking, the general was right. Ministers huffed, fellow commanders flapped their fans and spokesmen weaselled their words. Dannatt went on to command the Army with distinction but his truth to power may have cost him the top job as Chief of the Defence Staff. All this makes him well placed to write an assessment of the role, achievements, mistakes and prospects for the Army and the approach of British politicians to the use of hard power today. It is an intriguing book, fearlessly pulling no punches, and thought-provoking at every turn. He assesses the Iraq operation of 2003 as the biggest blunder in post-war defence and foreign policy, and for the Army perhaps the biggest in its 350-year history. One of Dannatts favourite notions is what is known as the Question Four moment. Question Four arises when the context and circumstances of the first three propositions in a mission plan or statement have changed so much that it needs to be altered or reconsidered. Right now we have reached a Question Four moment on a whole range of matters from Brexit, to Iraq and Syria, Libya and Yemen, and the future of the armed services and defence policy altogether. Dannatt provides a handy resume of how the Army has been reduced to a strength of 2.9 million in 1945 to 82,000 today. There is a continuous weaving of policy and practicality, of necessary cuts, deployments and employments and retreats. There have been eight major policy reviews, one of the most devastating being the retreat from Suez White Paper of Duncan Sandys in 1957. Most damaging has been the lasting effect of the Options for Change paper brought in after success in Kuwait in 1991 as the Major governments desperate bid for a peace dividend at the end of the Cold War. It left the Army ill- equipped and unprepared for the wars of choice in the two decades to come, from Bosnia to Iraq and Syria, Afghanistan and Libya. On the whole, he believes the Army coped with the Friday surprises wars and missions coming out of the blue, such as the Falklands. In 1969 soldiers were sent to Belfast and Derry to support the failing police and what should have been a mission of a few months turned into a counter-terrorism and insurgency campaign of 38 years. Nor does he avoid the scandals, such as the shoot-to-kill accusation in Northern Ireland and the still unresolved story of Deepcut. It is in the aftermath of the Iraq operation of 2003 and Afghanistan in the same decade that we come to the big turning point. The later policy White Papers of Labour and the Cameron governments were simply not fit for purpose. The armed forces are not funded or prepared for what the politicians have required of them. Take todays defence budget of around 34 billion, which is expected to fund a future Trident ballistic-missile system, an aircraft-carrier fleet as well as an effective Army that can send a division of more than 40,000 into the field. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review The structures of political direction and management are unfit, too, from the National Security Council to the Cabinet Office and No 10 itself. In David Camerons hands this led to politicians fiddling in tactical and operational minutiae, to disastrous effect in the Libya and Afghanistan missions. Dannatt praises the skill and courage of the soldiers but doesnt question the culture of institutionalised complacency that pervades much of the officer class today. The Chilcot inquiry into Iraq should have brought self-examination about the mistakes of the recent past, and what the forces are for in the future. Instead it has brought a closing of ranks, and even outright denial. This challenging book merits a sequel: Question Four and Britain Today. H ere in succession to Writing Home of 1994, which collected his diaries from 1980 to 1990 alongside other prose, and Untold Stories of 2005, which featured diaries from 1996-2004, among essays and reviews is another massive omnium-gatherum from Alan Bennett, a whole decades work. It includes two full-length play-scripts, various introductions, speeches and tributes, as well as the diaries again, this time from 2005 to 2015. At 711 pages, this makes it heavy to hold in the hand and onerous to carry about, as if it were only ever meant as a work of reference rather than a treat to read. Thats a pity, for a treat it is. The Diaries, all 377 pages of them, are a pleasure in a different way from the rest of the material, often written for specific occasions (The National Theatre at Fifty a good cause but not perhaps one for the Tube) and they might better have been published as a separate volume. Never mind. We should be so lucky to have so much more of such an enjoyable writer. For this later Bennett is a little different from previous incarnations. In 1995, his mother, Lilian Bennett, Mam, the archetype of all Bennetts difficult women, died, after long senility and in 1997, Bennett himself was diagnosed with cancer. In an essay at the time (An Average Rock Bun) Bennett disclosed that it was then that his partner of five years, Rupert Thomas, first moved in with him. Happily, Bennett recovered and, at 82, he is still with us, still writing, now in a rewarding civil partnership. And his work has changed a little too: definitely happier, focused less on barmy old ladies, freer about love and sex the body simply. He concludes his introduction to the volume, saying quite simply: I have been very lucky. Not that theres any less snarkiness or self-deprecation; just as many absurdities are relished. Theres the same deflation of all afflatus. That deliberately flat title? So good to find its source in this diary entry: 19 April 1990. I see I dont figure on todays Independent on Sunday Happy List, one hundred people who make Britain a better, more caring and contented nation. It does include Ian McKellen (actor), Ray Mears (woodsman) and Sam Roddick, for revolutionising sex accessories. All of them representing values that need trumpeting. Clinging on, thats what needs trumpeting, this Sunday morning Keep on keeping on. Then again, among his many affectionate and grateful remarks about his partner Rupert, especially those recording their many visits to churches and country houses, provisioned with their own sandwiches, theres this corker: 31 August. R. having spent most of the evening (and yesterdays) watching Wuthering Heights turns to me at the finish and says: Youre rather like Heathcliff. Me (gratified): Really? R: Yeah. Difficult, Northern and a c**t. Likewise, whereas in the past Bennett was a great snapper-up of overheard mistakes and misconceptions, these days he often provides his own subject matter. 27 September 2014. Increasingly deaf. In the friendly antique shop in Southwold a man with a camera round his neck wants to shake my hand. I ask if he is a photographer. Only in an amateur way. Ramsgate mostly. Me: Oh, Ive never been to Ramsgate. Not Ramsgate, R. bellows from the other end of the shop. Landscapes. Landscapes. His eyesights not so sharp either. In 2012 theyre sitting in Bettys in Ilkley, looking out at the shops. Me: What is that shop called? R: Which? Me: It looks to me like Hot Faeces. R: Its Fat Face. Less endearing are his comfy-Left predictabilities, such as his constant disparagement of the police, whom he suspects of killing people (Jean de Menezes, Mark Duggan, mostly) out of hand. The truth is that on the relatively few occasions that the police kill, they do so with impunity. This may be a little less true of our police than those of many other countries? Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch and Margaret Thatcher regularly get it in the neck once again too and, he says that, if he were a member of the Labour Party, hed vote for Corbyn, if only out of hope that the better part of salvation lies not in electoral calculation but the aspirations of the people a slightly tricky, perhaps inconsistent, remark. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review Never mind. As a fully paid-up member of the awkward squad, he is, on the other hand, no less invariably respectful towards HMQ, as he calls her, admiring her sheer inexhaustibility at a party he attends at the RA. Come away at eight oclock with HMQ still at it, and the policemen in the forecourt very jolly and eating ice cream, the entry thus closing on a classic Bennettian homely detail, extended for once to the bobbies. But then HMQ did generously provide him with the subject matter of his best story from recent years, The Uncommon Reader. So he owes her. As we owe him. There is no other writer, certainly none from any other era or nation, quite like Alan Bennett, and having this much more of his work is an uncovenanted blessing. He has kept on. S ix years ago, a little red book was published not a Maoist tract but The Language of Things, a witty and insightful examination of the meaning of the objects in our lives. Its author was Deyan Sudjic, the director of Londons Design Museum. He has now published a companion volume, The Language of Cities. This little grey book is in the same compact hardback format. Cities structural conceit is that it is organised as a How to primer. He starts with attempting to define what a city is, and then turns to their naming, their monuments, their streets, buildings and people before adding a coda on crowd control. He looks at how they are made and the forces that change them. What makes a city a city? Thats the central question. A city is not simply the same as an urban area or a large population, Sudjic reminds us. There are labour and refugee camps and slums housing hundreds of thousands that cant be said to function as cities (there are others that may well do). These are interesting questions to be asking at a time when the digital revolution and globalisation are disrupting how cities work with, if not the same violence as the Industrial Revolution, then something akin. But while there are few great writers on the design of objects and Sudjic is most definitely one of them there are many good writers on cities, and it often feels like he is struggling to say something new. There are too many so what? moments in the text concepts we are all familiar with written as revelations: The possibility of anonymity is one of the most important qualities that differentiates a city from a village. Sudjic is at his best when hes on familiar ground such as how megalomaniacs have shaped monuments and cities such as Paris (Baron Haussmann) or New York (Robert Moses) that he first explored in his book, The Edifice Complex. Or about the sprawling settlements and business parks of diffuse ersatz urban areas such as Silicon Valley a theme he pioneered decades ago in The 100 Mile City. Theres a fundamental second question in this latest offering: Are urban transformations actually possible any more? How do we move forward in the wake of the loss of faith in grand visions and the often equally dire consequences of laissez-faire non-planning we have seen subsequently? More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review On ways out of the impasse, Sudjic flounders but he has cautionary tales aplenty. Among these, he tells of the tussle between Canary Wharf and the City of London that led to the dismantling of controls across London that has resulted in the many-towered skyline we have today. He writes eloquently of the dangers of developers homogenising and coarsening the physical and social grain of cities such as London: Oversimplifying a city means that you strip it of everything that makes it function as one When streets are overwhelmed by out-of-town shopping malls, when affordable social housing is out of balance with homes built for sale to overseas investors, when workshops migrate to remote business parks, the city is being simplified. Not all cities are successful indefinitely. We have been warned. O ne of my absolute favourite excerpts from Alexandra Shulmans diary of Vogues 100th year (and there are many) is when she cant find anything to wear in the racks of designer clothes at Selfridges. Im the editor of Vogue, she declares, surely this should not be happening. So she goes to Jigsaw instead and finds lots of really good, well-priced, easy clothes. She says shed love to wear Preen, but would look like a bag lady, and later buys her mother, the writer and former magazine editor, Drusilla Beyfus, a nice, safe Liberty print wallet for her 90th birthday. So when I sit down in her light, bright kitchen in Queens Park, Im surprised to find shes in Erdem and Dolce & Gabbana. This is just for the pictures, she corrects. This is not me. What is her is the chicken carcass in a Le Creuset pan roast chicken is her favourite and the endless cups of coffee she provides from a moka pot. Theres a ribbing exchange with her son, Sam Spike, 21, who lives with her and her boyfriend, the writer David Jenkins. Sam accuses her of being dismissive of his view of contemporary feminism and says Jenkins agrees with him. She replies somewhat dismissively that they are just ganging up. The first thing to say about Inside Vogue the book is that it is everything the BBC2 documentary Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue was not. Shulman, 58, says writing was therapy, really: I thought, Ill put it all down. Ive got to be careful not to edit. So in the end theres more than I thought. Even without the piquant observations Karl Lagerfeld is a benevolent Bond villain; Mick Jagger is soft shoes and Mount Rushmore face; the late Zaha Hadid just like Big Bird in an enormous ostrich cape its eye-popping. She faithfully reports Sophie Hunter telling her how she met Benedict Cumberbatch in a loo, Ben Goldsmith calling Sadiq Khan a smug little f***er, David Bailey comparing himself to Picasso and then asking Vogues fashion director, Lucinda Chambers, why she hasnt had Botox. Tracey Emin cancels expensive shoots at a moments notice, as does Naomi Campbell. Shulman relates how Campbell calls in a cold fury that she wont be included in the centenary issue because she didnt turn up to a shoot, adding, threateningly, Its not going to look good in the press if Im not there. The shoot is rearranged and Campbell sends a sweet text with lots of emojis I cant interpret. Charles Saatchi is weird, undoubtedly for stopping Shulman in the hall as she leaves a dinner party to check her ears for plastic-surgery scars. And I cringed reading that Kate Moss put her arm around Shulmans son, Sam, like a cat with a baby mouse. (The next day Sam says he has her hair extensions in his jacket pocket.) My God, is she worried about causing offence? Its not in my nature to offend, she says. But I decided to do this so I have to be prepared that some people might be upset. My main thing was it had to be honest. What shatters ego in her world is, anyway, hard to judge. You can say someone is a serial killer and they wont be offended. But say they wore a red tie and they never wear a red tie, and they really mind. The main thing is that its an antidote to the dull thud of the documentary. That wasnt me, she says. The book is. Certainly I was nervous to meet her after reading it not just because of her waspishness but the number of times she is cross, grumpy, irritated, mildly annoyed or snaps at an assistant, hair colourist or driver. In person, though, she is warm and droll. The only time she gets exercised in our hour together is over pubic hair, and the notion that women are waxing themselves bald for men. Its absolutely appalling for women to have to feel that they have to be different from the way that theyre created, she says. Women have pubic hair, they should have pubic hair. The idea that they feel they cant have pubic hair because their generation of men will think theyre less attractive, I find absolutely repellent. It really makes me quite distressed. She waxes her legs, she concedes, so on one level theres something Im changing. But not her arms. Lots of people would wax their arms if they had as much hair as Ive always had. She gives it a stroke. Rather than be drawn into condemning the march of skeletal models down the catwalk (Id like to say, And Ive changed the world! But I havent), Shulman believes the way to confront the issue of Size Zero is by providing heroines who are not in fashion or fashion thin. One bug bear is designers who wont lend clothes for them to shoot, say, the head of pathology in a hospital. If you want teenage girls to be something other than Kim Kardashian or Holly Willoughby or Keira Knightley, well I suppose Keira is an actress, if you want them to aspire to be in the professions lawyers, doctors, economists, engineers youve got to also encourage them to think they can have all the fun of glamour, too. Perhaps its no surprise, then, that one person shed love to shoot for Vogue is Theresa May: Absolutely love to. I love the way that she clearly enjoys her clothes, and that shes this very hard- hitting, tough-seeming person. She holds her own in a mans world and she doesnt want to be granted any favours because shes a woman. But at the same time she had really great red nail polish on when she opened the Tory party conference, and lipstick. And she likes her jewellery. Obviously she likes her shoes, and she has great legs its a huge help when you are going to wear trousers. Of course, Shulmans big coup was getting the Duchess of Cambridge to pose for the centenary cover of Vogue this year. How does she differ from the late Diana, Princess of Wales? Diana was more interested in that high-voltage celebrity, that was something she really embraced. One of the things Ive learned in this job is how much celebrity is a decision. Credit: Chris Tubbs / Jonny Cochrane The Duchess of Cambridge is prepared to do her bit, but its not one of the things that she most cares about. She loves her kids and the countryside. Dressing up, thats a professional side to her. Its a sort of uniform, all those lovely couture costumes. Shulman describes the Duchess as very amenable. Shes incredibly likeable, she really is. She wants to do what shes doing well, and shes very professional. Thats the point with the royal family. Its when they stop being professional that things go wrong. We want them to be pros, to get everything right, to be on message and look great. We dont want them to have off days. Shulman is dark and pretty, yet her lack of vanity is striking. She cant be bothered with the fiddle-faddle of a blow-dry one of my least favourite activities and the idea of having hair and make up done daily is unbearable. Actually, shes happy to change into eveningwear in the office loo and will slug a glass of wine at 9am if it helps her overcome her fear of flying. She cheerfully admits to scarfing two croissants in a binge of disappointment after Alber Elbaz fails to turn up to breakfast with her in Paris, and trying on a dress one day, she remarks she looks like a sequin sausage. My diary has appointments on the half-hour every hour, she reflects. That sounds as if it would make one thinner, but not in my case. While The Saintly Audrey, as she calls her yoga teacher, comes regularly and she runs in nearby Dog Poo Park, she also smokes between two and four roll-ups every night with a glass of wine (I always drink on my own). A childhood habit of waiting for her father, Milton Shulman, the former Evening Standard theatre critic, to get home before having supper means that she cant eat before 8.30pm at the very earliest. Im terribly unhealthy. I do everything the wrong way round: eat, drink, smoke and sleep. Its more Bridget Jones than Anna Wintour. Kim Kardashian West (L) and British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman attend British Vogue's Centenary gala dinner at Kensington Gardens on May 23, 2016 / Dave Benett/Getty Images Like Wintours father (Charles), Shulmans father worked on the Standard. Both women attended high-achieving, competitive London girls schools Shulman St Pauls, Wintour North London Collegiate. There the similarity ends. She hugely admires American Vogue. Are they friends? We dont hang out, she says, but we have had supper together and we have mutual friends. Her good friends are people shes known forever, such as her neighbour Jane Bonham Carter, the Lib Dem peer. Shes also loyal to Philip Green, whose appearance in front of the Select Committee over the BHS sale and subsequent fall-out over pensions is chronicled in her diary. As the press mounts against him, Shulman is firm that he is a friend of British fashion. When I ask what she thinks of his tax avoidance, she says: There are all kinds of other people who pay no taxes at all, companies or whatever. How great do we feel about that? She concedes, [Green] hasnt handled it brilliantly. Ive spoken to him about it. I know his arguments. But clearly it was a bad decision to sell. Should he pay back the money? Its difficult for me to say what somebody like him should do, but he should do something that makes people feel better about him, yup. Shulman is, understandably, patriotic about British fashion. It annoys her that Stella McCartney shows in Paris instead of London, for example. I really wish all the British designers would show in London: Stella McCartney, Sarah Burton and McQueen, Victoria Beckham. It would be so fantastic and I dont really understand why they dont. Shes had this conversation with Victoria Beckham, she says. And? People normally say its about the market. Is she firm? Listen, I cant tell people what to do with their businesses. I dont doubt she tries. Actually shes funny about Brand Beckham, as she calls it. Thats a strong-worked image and as I say in the book they all contribute. Its unbelievable. Its like the royal family: its a machine isnt it? Theyre all in there. Even Harper is now adding to the lustre of the Beckhams. Shes only four. Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof, Kendall Jenner and Alexandra Shulman attend the Topshop Unique show during London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2015/16 / Getty Images for Topshop After 24 years at Vogue (before that she was editor of GQ), shes fairly cynical about fame. She was thrilled when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West came to the Vogue Festival, although she was openly clueless about Keeping Up With The Kardashians. When they asked for security she observed: No such thing as a free celeb. Despite the pragmatism and the dry wit, Shulman is brilliant at writing female anxiety, especially her own. When she meets the still, rooted Duchess of Cambridge, she says: I compared myself, looking beyond hideous with swivelling eyes and hands waving all over the place. Anxiety has hovered on the fringes since she was 21, and after several episodes of very bad anxiety she took medication. Today she always carries an emergency Xanax, although I havent used it for quite a long time. She says: Lots of people feel bad about admitting [to anxiety]. Drugs to treat anxiety and depression are absolutely invaluable. Anybody who thinks it is wrong is not giving themselves a chance. She doesnt know what will come next in her life. I never thought I would do anything I did, so Im open to seeing what happens. I certainly dont want to stop working, she says. My mum is still working and shes 90. My dad worked until he was 87. Im not genetically predisposed to stop working. She doesnt rule out moving to New York but would need a good job because to not be successful in New York would be terrible. Meanwhile, shes rented a flat on the seafront in Aldeburgh. Im looking forward to having somewhere different to be, to doing things that arent anything to do with Vogue, like spending a lot of time in pubs. Yes pub lunches. How fabulously un-Vogue. Inside Vogue: A Diary of My 100th Year by Alexandra Shulman, out on 27 October (Fig Tree) Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial T he city of Matera in Basilicata, in the arch of Italys boot, is steeped in history. Teetering on the side of the Gravina Gorge, the town is home to the famous Sassi cave dwellings, a designated Unesco World Heritage Site, which date back more than 9,000 years. Cobbled streets and labyrinthine alleyways twist and turn to reveal centuries-old limestone grottoes containing churches and homes. In summer, the weather can make the city unbearably hot but its perfect for an autumn break. Where to stay The best and most evocative place in Matera is Le Grotte della Civita, which teeters on the edge of the Gravina gorge. Formerly abandoned caves, all rooms are housed deep in the tufa limestone and lit almost entirely by candlelight. With freestanding baths, no televisions and awe-inspiring views unchanged for thousands of years, there are few locations more romantic than this. Rooms start at 150 (legrottedellacivita.sextantio.it) Le Grotte della Civita What to see The Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario museum is a must-see if you want to understand how life used to be in Matera, as is the rock-hewn Madonna di Idris cave church in the centre of the Sassi. For a contemporary afternoon, visit the Musma sculpture museum on Via San Giacomo, housed in caves once used for storing wine. Where to eat Huge plates of antipasti are the order of the day, as well as Materas famed orecchiette pasta (meaning little ears) and fava-bean puree. If you want to try the best of what the town has to offer, dine at the Ristorante Francesca on Vico Bruno Buozzi its terrace is hard to beat both for food and ambience. But its La Gatta Buia (90 Via delle Beccherie) that wins plaudits for its local wine list. Where to drink Cocktails at Area 8 If you have a whole evening to spare, start at Piazza Vittorio Veneto in the middle of the historical centre. From early evening this square, with its array of open-air cafes and gelato kiosks, is the meeting place for people beginning their night out. Area 8, on Via Casalnuovo, offers fantastic aperitivo accompanied by live jazz. And while good coffee is never hard to come by in Italy, Altereno (Via Madonna delle Virtu) is a must for fans of potent espresso. Where to shop Into your Italian food? Make sure you visit the Sapori dei Sassi to pick up supplies for a picnic with a view. This gourmet grocery store sells everything from local olives and wine to truffle-infused cheeses from the region, alongside indecently good focaccia. Nearby I Vizi degli Angeli (36 Via Domenico Ridola) is a gelato laboratory purported to make some of the smoothest ice cream in Italy with out-of-this-world flavours. Madonna di Idris What to do Matera is not car-friendly but its compact enough to explore on foot. Spread across the Murgia plateau, the deep gorge running around Matera provides the backdrop for the famed Sassi a complex network of ancient cave dwellings and prehistoric rock churches linked by higgledy-piggledy streets, archways and terraces. But for a glimpse of what life was like in the Paleolithic Period, explore the Sasso Barisano and the uninhabited rawness of the Sasso Caveoso neighbourhood, where you can wander through empty caves. Getting there British Airways flies to Bari, an hours drive from Matera. Prices start at 56 each way. (britishairways.com) ' Do you want a cuddle? asks Russell Brand, fixing me with his enormous brown eyes, smiling and wrapping his long arms around me. Its certainly an unusual situation in which to find yourself, mid-interview. We are sitting in a sunny office at DreamWorks Animation Studios in Glendale, California, and are supposed to be discussing the 41-year-old comic, actor, and sometime activists role in the animated blockbuster Trolls. But then, perhaps I shouldnt be surprised with Brand, I learn its best to expect the unexpected. The cuddle is intended as an apology. The usually loquacious star has lost his voice. Ive got a bad cold and cant talk much, he whispers. Bearded, wearing black-leather trousers and a tie-dyed sweater, this is the first UK interview hes given for 18 months. Hes kept a low profile ever since that controversial interview at his London home with former Labour leader Ed Miliband, prior to last years general election. Brand had urged his 12 million Twitter followers not to vote, called for the dismantling of the political system or revolution as his 2014 book was called only, at the 11th hour, to endorse Labour after the deadline for voter registration was up. Blamed by many when the party lost, he stepped back from Twitter and took a break from his hugely popular current affairs-themed YouTube channel, The Trews, though he returned last week with an episode on Donald Trump. What I was looking at was much too limiting, he says. What I learned is that I was right in the first place; the system will preserve itself. Now Im focused on whats best for human beings. Now Brand who was expelled from several schools, never took A levels and was asked to leave the Italia Conti stage school for drug use and poor attendance is now focusing on education and has enrolled at SOAS, London Universitys School of Oriental and African Studies, to study Religion in Global Politics. I am very interested in the role that religion and spirituality will play in the further formulation of world events and how secular societies are held together, he says. The old idea [about politics] is dead and people dont know whats replacing it yet, so Im spending some time discovering what it is. Id like to understand what the deep truths are of Islam, Bahaism, Christianity; I want to know more. Its not the only change in his life. Together with fiancee Laura Gallacher, 27, sister of TV presenter Kirsty, Brand left London last year and bought a house in Henley-on-Thames. It is very calm. I look at the chickens, they hatch some eggs. Basically Im like a village idiot just looking at livestock. The couple are expecting their first child imminently. I feel lit up by the idea, he says. Its quite a transformation. Brand has a longstanding reputation as a womaniser, having been linked to a string of high-profile women including Kate Moss and Courtney Love. There was also a short-lived marriage to the American pop star Katy Perry, whom he met in 2009 when she filmed a cameo for his film Get Him to the Greek and married in 2010 in an extravagant Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan (they divorced the following year with Brand citing irreconcilable differences) and a relationship with Jemima Khan. When I ask whats different now, he complains that journalists intuitively try to place the organic experience I am having into an existing, predetermined template. He throws out a typical example of a headline he says would be misleading, to illustrate his point: It all changed for Russell when he met his Laura. He says the relationship hasnt changed him his internal transformation has made him more available for a lasting partnership, because I am no longer looking to the external world to resolve my problems. If I feel connected spiritually, then I find that I am happy and I am a good boyfriend. Credit: Maya Wild Still, he says: There is constant conflict between the primal drives: the drive to procreate, the drive to survive, and the drive to have status. But I am no longer deluded as to what may provide happiness. His rural retreat suits him: Im so much happier over the course of the day to see one or two people and a few chickens, thats a good way of living. Suddenly, he takes my Cath Kidston notebook, rips out a page, and starts doodling: hearts and stars. One can tell from your flowery notebook that you are a sweet person, he says. I grab the book back. Youre protective of your notebook? I say hes trying to distract me; people still want to hear his views; they are interested in him. People are interested in pornography he flings back. Weve got an obligation to talk about things that are relevant. He argues that it is ridiculous that observers describe his critique of capitalism in Revolution and elsewhere as hypocritical, claiming that his personal wealth and lifestyle have nothing to do with his populist views. Im not going to let other people tie me down with hard and fast rules of whether Im allowed to have Nike shoes. I dont remember saying everyone should become a monk. Long before dabbling in politics, Brand was a provocateur. He started out in stand-up, then became an MTV presenter only to be fired after coming to work dressed as Osama bin Laden on the day after the September 11 attacks and bringing his drug dealer to the studios. Yet he continued to surprise, producing two acclaimed memoirs: My Booky Wook and My Booky Wook 2, chronicling his difficult childhood growing up in Grays, Essex, with his mother Barbara and his battles with addiction. He developed a successful career as a stand-up comic but he alienated many fans in the notorious 2008 Sachsgate, when Brand and Jonathan Ross left obscene messages on Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachss answering machine. He has since apologised for the prank. Russell Brand: in pictures 1 /12 Russell Brand: in pictures The Trews with Ed Miliband With Laura Gallacher With Jemima Khan Brand and Jonathan Ross In The Bill in 1994 With ex-wife Katy Perry With his mum Maya Wild Maya Wild These days, he says, hes focusing on being kind to people, being loving. Last March, he announced he would use money from Revolution to open the Trew Era Cafe on Hackneys New Era housing estate employing recovering drug addicts. The project has just been donated to rehab charity RAPt (the Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust) where Brand is a patron. I recognise that I feel happier when I do things that have a positive impact on other people, he says, before telling me that he has to end the interview because Ive only got about nine syllables left in my little throat. Weve been together for 45 minutes. I return to DreamWorks to continue our discussion the following morning and find that Brand is still hoarse, but feeling better. Theres another hug. Around us, the walls are decorated with posters for Trolls. Inspired by the cute/ugly naked dolls with rainbow-coloured hair, the film explores the nature of happiness. The ridiculously cheerful singing and dancing trolls live in a forest utopia, led by Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick). Their sworn enemies, the Bergens, are miserable monsters (led by John Cleese) who hunt down trolls and eat them at their ritualistic feast day, Trollstice. Justin Timberlake is the films executive music producer and also voices the character Branch. Its highly entertaining and Brand is funny playing Creek, a troll. Whoever does casting at DreamWorks is very skilful, he laughs. Brand was attracted to the positive theme. If you make a decision to be positive like the Trolls, life will be more abundant than if you zombie around in Bergen Town cannibalising adorable trolls, he muses. One of the appealing characteristics of the Trolls is that they wear flower watches that light up on the hour, reminding them to hug regularly. Hugging releases oxytocins, a self-manufactured chemical, says Brand. If we hug each other more and love each other more, then were making a commitment to move closer to one another its an essentially optimistic act. Twenty minutes in, Brand has to leave again, but his manager Nik assures me that I will have more time with him when his voice returns. A few weeks later, back in London, Im summoned to meet him at Electric House in Notting Hill, where I wait in a book-lined room. Brand doesnt appear. Forty-five minutes pass and I get a text informing me that he is now at The Mitre, a pub in Holland Park. It takes 20 minutes to find a taxi; the traffic is gridlocked. Frazzled, I arrive to find Brand, yoga-teacher serene in white-cotton trousers, a grey T-shirt, silky gold scarf, wooden beads and Nikes, his hair tied in two buns, languidly chatting to the woman behind the bar. Elaine, Ive been waiting all afternoon, where have you been? he exclaims in mock fury. Waiting for you at the Electric. Thats not the sort of place Id go to, he deadpans and so it goes on. Exasperating? Yes. But Brand wins you over. Waxing lyrical about the pleasures of country life, walking by the river with his fiancee, their cats, Morrissey and Jericho, and his German shepherd, Bear, hes charismatic and charming company. I felt very peaceful. Im enjoying rural life because theres less stimulation. He hasnt abandoned London, he insists. Sometimes I am here for work, I go to watch West Ham. I go to the National [Theatre], I saw The Caretaker (the recent production of Harold Pinters play with Timothy Spall) at the Old Vic. Maya Wild Sober for 13 years, Brands writing a book about addiction to be published next September. Addiction is about the way you relate to the outside world. If youre lucky, youll get a substance misuse problem, which drills it right down. If youre not lucky, youll have a food, sex or spending issue; those things are insidious because theyre culturally endorsed, theyre habitual. Addiction should, he argues be regarded like autism. He says: Everybody is somewhere on the spectrum. If you look at your own life, what is it you do that isnt good for you and you cant stop doing, even if it is seemingly innocuous, like the way you watch TV. For the past seven years, Brand has meditated twice daily, a practice he was introduced to by director David Lynch, who runs a global Transcendental Meditation foundation. I commune with the inner world relatively frequently or else I get a bit barmy. He takes my notebook again and doodles: Hearts then a bit of a spiral, then a staircase... he says as he does it. Does he believe in God? Yes, but I havent devoted myself to any specific thing [religion] or teacher, he says before, 20 minutes in, suddenly breaking off again and announcing that he has to leave for his next appointment. But not before promising yet another interview. Our final encounter is on the phone a month later. He sounds buoyant. Im very excited about becoming a dad and Im preparing myself. I am just getting ready to be with a new little person and see what it is they want. He doesnt know the babys sex: I might never find out. I may never look! He says Laura is busy decorating the nursery. Around domestic issues, my vote is often secondary... Or the vote of my gender at least, so I will just wait to see what is determined. As a child, he says, he was a very solitary, mischievous, unremarkable little boy. The first time that I performed when I was 14 was the happiest moment in my life, in a school play (Bugsy Malone), and I didnt want to do anything else ever again. When he was eight, his mother contracted uterine cancer and then breast cancer. His father who took him on a sex tourism holiday in the Far East when he was 17 was largely absent and his relationship with his stepfather was strained. These days he takes a philosophical view of his upbringing. I always had this tremendous sense that I could do whatever I wanted, probably from a combination of my mothers devotion and my fathers sense of can-do individualism. He remains close to his mother. Shes very well and shes so excited to become a grandmother. Shes a beautiful, kind woman who taught me through example that its really important to be compassionate, loving and understanding, to put other people before yourself. Will it be difficult not to spoil their child, who unlike him, will enjoy a privileged upbringing? Im just going to be really loving and giving; I will do what my parents did, which was their best. It seems the thing that is important is that children know that they can trust you and be open with you. Our interview over, Brand says he hopes I have enough material. Its hilarious, he laughs, Ive never been so in touch [with a journalist] in my f**king life. Youve got enough for a four-hour documentary, the definitive biography. This has been a thorough, coruscating, CAT scan of a mans soul, an MRI of a mans identity. He chuckles again. It is all going to be all right, you know? My article or life in general? Both; life more importantly. And with a friendly farewell in lieu of a hug, the intriguing Russell Brand hangs up. Trolls is in cinemas on Friday. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial R ias Baixas in north-western Spain has much in common with the south-west of England. With the Atlantic spread out between them, both regions are dominated by a humid maritime climate with mild winters, relatively cool summers - compared to the rest of Spain, anyway - and heavy annual rainfall. Another common link between these two coastal areas is the abundance of superb seafood and shellfish, for which the Galician coastline is a proverbial sweetshop, with scallops, prawns, lobster, mussels, oysters, clams, red mullet, hake and even the speciality gooseneck barnacles all found in abundance. This is also the area that produces one of Spains best white wines, Albarino. Delicate handling in the winery keeps the naturally high acidity and freshness of this grape at the forefront. Drunk young, these wines complement perfectly the salinity of seafood dishes. Paula Fandino Pita, technical director and winemaker for Mar de Frades in Pontevedra, says: "Galicia has a privileged advantage from the climatic point of view, as these conditions of humidity and rain during many parts of the year allow Albarino grapes to ripen with the perfect balance." The granitic soils in the Salnes Valley also add an extraordinary complexity. "Here you can find very poor soils, with a very poor yieldoffering the perfect qualities for pairing with all kinds of fish and seafood." You dont even need to stick with white wines. Rioja red wines are made from the thick-skinned Tempranillo grape which, with its low acidity, also thrives in the cooler climes of northern Spain. Too much heat can easily spoil its red fruit charm. A young or joven Rioja is a great partner for clams, their sweetness matched with the strawberry-scented wine. Luckily, we need only travel to Galicia by way of the bottle, as autumn is one of the best times for eating seafood from our own Devonshire coastline. Mitch Tonks, chef and owner of the renowned Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth, says: The water cools, fishing is good and shellfish like mussels are at their best, and Native oysters are well in season. Dont delay - get your fridge stocked with these: 1. Mar de Frades Albarino Brut Nature Citrus, white stone fruit and trademark high acidity, with toast and almond notes. A perfect match for oysters, according to Diego Muntoni, head sommelier at OXO Tower Restaurant in Londons South Bank. "The wine comes alive with the minerality of the oyster, the bright acidity of the Albarino together with the salinity works as a seasoning, you really dont need anything else." 21.60, Sommeliers Choice. Buy it here 2. Albarino, Mar de Frades 2015 Technical director and winemaker Paula Fandino Pita describes Mar de Frades as a wine that brings fresh aromas of the sea with hints of citrus and tropical fruit. The perfect combination of minerality and fruit intensity make it perfect with seafood. The OXO Towers Diego Muntoni enthuses: Eating sweet, fleshy steamed mussels with Albarino is a simple treat but also gastronomically a great experience... the two together have a synergy that few wines haveYou can almost feel a little sparkle on the tongue followed by an iodine minerality." 16, Sommeliers Choice, Buy it here 3. Cruz de Alba, 2013, Ribera del Duero Crianza A fruity, modern-style of Rioja with careful use of oak to give balance and structure: pure red-berry fruit with subtle spice and a silky mouth-feel. Mitch Tonks pushes for a surprise match of clams with smoked peppers, fino sherry, peas and Romesco sauce. RSP 17, Ellis of Richmond. Buy it here 4. Bodgas Ramon Bilbao, Rioja Vinedos de Altura 2013 Tim Mclaughlin-Green, ex-sommelier and owner of Sommeliers Choice, says the key message about red wine and fish pairings is temperature. Serving the wine between 14-16 degrees could be a little controversial in the UK but this is normal when drinking from the winery. McLaughlin-Green would pair Tonkss Galician-inspired dish of roast hake with garlic vinegar and Romesco sauce with Rioja Vinedos de Altura 2013, a blend of 50 per cent old-vine Garnacha from Rioja Baja and 50 per cent Tempranillo from Rioja Alta. Served slightly chilled, the combination of high-altitude, fresh red fruit and French oak-ageing allows the wine and fish to balance each other. 12.85, Sandhams Wines. Buy it here 5. Cruz de Alba, Finca Los Hoyales And if all this talk of fish leaves you yearning for some hearty meat instead, Michelin-star restaurant Pepe Solla serves a simple pancake with smoked pork and a glass of Cruz de Alba Finca los Hoyales. This is a full-flavoured dish. The smokiness of the pork and its soft bite are at the same level as the wine, adds Muntoni. "The wine is elegant and intense with a silky texturewith black fruit aromas of ripe brambles and cassis, and opens up with root spice and a dusty smokiness of toast." 85, Sommeliers Choice. Call 01689 855034 T ech has always beaten other careers when it comes to perks. The banks hand staff the odd free pizza (if they work until midnight); Old Street roundabouts directional offices serve free gourmet lunches every day. Staff can take their pick from free office bars, nap pods, massages, home-working when they fancy it, ping-pong tables, sabbaticals... But as the industry has grown tech and science now employ 700,000 people in London competition to entice the capitals best workers to their desks is intense. Fun perks have transformed into generous employee rights and tech is taking the lead on childcare. I thought having a baby would really limit my career options, says one developer with two children under four. But I actually moved jobs during maternity leave, and three firms all offered flexible hours, help with nursery fees, working from home one even said I could bring the baby into the office when I needed to. For evidence of techs adoption of new parents, look no further than Googles Shoreditch entrepreneur hub on a Tuesday morning. It hosts a start-up school, with the timetable including lessons on marketing, branding and seeking funding, from the likes of venture capitalist Eileen Burbidge (who has four children) and Seedcamp investor Carlos Espinal. But this course invites tots under 18 months too. There are changing mats at the back, baby toys and beanbags around the room, and a highchair for hungry babes. So far 160 parents have enrolled about 85 per cent of them are mums, many on maternity leave from employers including 10 Downing Street, Amazon, investment banks, law firms, the BBC and John Lewis. Derivatives lawyer Shruti Ajitsaria, 37, is halfway through the course. Shes working on a website where kids can write diaries about their holidays while learning about the history behind the locations. She has two daughters aged six and four, but it was embarking on her third maternity leave with her baby son that gave me the impetus to sign up [to Google Campus for Mums] to work on my idea. Ajitsaria, who is now back at work part-time at a City law firm, explains. Its a relaxed environment if your baby cries, people just talk louder. If a baby runs up to a high-profile speaker, they pick them up and continue presenting with someone elses baby in their arms. The kids are all right: Google Campus for mums, is a child-friendly space On the first day one woman gave this impressive presentation, while holding her week-old baby. I was in awe. I enjoyed studying in the evenings on maternity leave rather than sleeping it felt good to do something different. Campus for Mums was started in Tel Aviv by a Googler who had just returned from maternity leave. This gave Sarah Drinkwater, Googles Head of Campus, the idea to bring it to London. I thought the community in London which at that time was very male-dominated would benefit from a programme aimed at mums, business- focused, quite selective, but who often havent worked in the traditional tech scene, she says. The only thing they have in common is theyre all parents, and are all starting something new for the first time. Three years on, Londons Campus for Mums idea has spread to Google sites in Madrid, Tel Aviv, Warsaw, Seoul and Sao Paulo. In the capital, graduates of the course run a parent tech group of entrepreneurs solving problems faced by families. Theres a breast cancer surgeon who enrolled at Google Campus on maternity leave, unable to hyperlink an email. Shes now building an app to help patients cut through obfuscating medical language. Green mother and baby changing bag products - in pictures 1 /16 Green mother and baby changing bag products - in pictures Pai Skincare Pomegranate & Pumpkin Seed Stretch Mark System, RRP 45 If Natalie Portman swears by it then we all should. Whether youre pregnant or not there is a possibility of getting stretch marks somewhere on your body. If youre the type to want to reduce or even prevent the sight of these bad boys the Pai Stretch Mark System will be your new 24 hour best friend. Using the hydrating cream in the morning will add nourishment and promote elasticity as well as minimise tearing while the Omega rich conditioning oil will get that skin super soft and supple to help prevent marks. The most important part is that it's certified organic and 100% safe to use from the first day of pregnancy. Available at Whole Foods, Lloyds Pharmacy, Holland & Barrett, Waitrose, Ocado paiskincare.com Earth Friendly Baby Chamomile Shampoo & Body Wash, RRP 4.89 When it comes to bath time for the little one, you want something which does it all-in-one as gently as possible. Flip around many conventional washes and youll find Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) in the ingredients list, a proven potential skin irritant which makes products foam. Alternatively, this eco friendly option uses skin loving ingredients derived from coconuts to create suds and wash babies clean, whilst extracts of chamomile and lavender soothe. Youll safely find no tears here. Available at Boots, Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Mothercare and Superdrug earthfriendlybaby.co.uk Lulu & Boo Organics Rose Soothing Baby Spray, RRP 16 In times of extra soothing, especially when it comes to the baby bottom area an organic aloe vera packed skin soother is just what is needed. There is sure to be minimal irritation all day due to the healing St. Johns Wort extract and skin softening vegetable glycerin and it can be used in conjunction with other baby bottom balms. Being in the form of a spray is especially a bonus when out and about with your little one and changing opportunities are limited. Available online and Whole Foods luluandboo.com Naty By Nature Sensitive Unscented Wipes (56 wipes), RRP 2.75 From code brown diaper situations to spit ups, theres not many things the humble baby wipe cant take care of. When youre going through a pack a day, the last thing you want to be unknowingly exposing your babys (and your) skin to is drying alcohols and synthetic chemicals. Take the natural approach with these cheap and cheerful wipes that dont compromise on performance. Free from alcohol and parabens, and instead packed with moisturising ingredients such as glycerin and aloe vera. Available at Sainsburys, Waitrose, Tesco, Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy, Mothercare and Whole Foods. naty.com Naty Diapers The real deal in green diapers! There are many other brands out there that claim to be free of all those harsh materials but are still made with a ridiculous amount of oil-based plastics. Naty went on a mission to perfect their eco-diaper without compromising performance and comfort for your little one. Naty diapers are completely bleach free, contain no fragrance, latex or TBT (tributylin - a biocide, a toxic form of which used to be used to prevent the growth of marine organisms on the hulls of large ships) are hypo-allergenic and come in various sizes. Available at Sainsburys, Waitrose, Tesco, Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy, Mothercare, Holland & Barrett and Whole Foods naty.com Green People Organic Babies Newborn Hamper, 44 During the newborn days, skin is certainly at its most sensitive. Here are five certified organic newborn essentials all in one reusable white wicker basket lined with unbleached cotton, making it super easy for new, and most likely sleep deprived, parents. Green People is one of the leading organic green beauty brands and at the forefront of organic product regulation so you can rest assured that there is nothing but the cleanest, safest, best quality ingredients. This affordable non-toxic hamper includes five newborn essentials including Scent Free Mum & Baby Rescue Balm, Scent Free Baby Oil, Scent Free Baby Wash & Shampoo, Nappy Cream Baby Balm, as well as a soft and cuddly organic cotton bib. Available online only greenpeople.co.uk Weleda Baby Calendula Nappy Change Cream, RRP 6.95 Theres an endless list of nappy creams out there, but ultimately you want it to do three simple jobs very well; moisturise, soothe and protect. This thick nourishing formula uses calendula and chamomile flower extracts which are some of the best remedies out there for calming sensitive and irritated skin. With beeswax and lanolin, it also creates a natural barrier to keep that softness baby bottoms are so famous for! Available at Waitrose, Whole Foods and Planet Organic weleda.co.uk Weleda Calendula Baby Oil, 9.50 Theres a general rule of thumb to go by when youre combing through the ingredients on baby products, and thats the less of them there are the better. It doesn't get purer than this Weleda oil which only contains two ingredients; sesame oil and the previously mentioned skin saviour calendula. As well as after bathing, it is perfect for a baby massage and will have the added bonus of leaving your own hands silky smooth. Nothing wrong with sharing the benefits is there? Available at Waitrose, Whole Foods and Planet Organic weleda.co.uk Nom Nom Organics Relax Oil - Frankincense, Lavender, and Chamomile, 20 This is a special one for the mums. From the first days of the growing bump right up to the big day of arrival pregnancy can be challenging and demanding on a mothers body. Sleep can become more stressful than relaxing and your muscles strained and achy from simple everyday movements. Nom Noms Relax Oil is a blend of 96% organic base oils and naturally occurring essential oils making it completely safe to use throughout the entire pregnancy and even during labour. You can also add this organic blend of oils to baths to alleviate muscle pain, and use as a massage or luxurious body oil. Available online only nomnomskincare.com Bloom & Blossom Soothing Nipple Balm, RRP 16 Weve all heard of stretch marks and achy backs, but the joys of motherhood dont stop there! Sore nipples come with the territory for breastfeeding mums, so a safe ointment to heal and soothe had to be on our list. Mothercare experts Bloom & Blossom have the answer with this functional natural balm, designed specifically for the needs of breastfeeders. Safe enough to eat, theres no chance of it causing baby any harm, but do wipe off excess inbetween feeds. Available at Whole Foods and Space.NK blossomandblossom.com Waitrose Baby Solid Coconut Massage Oil, 3.20 Its pretty much common knowledge that coconut oil is amazing for everything and this goes for your baby needs as well. The uses extend beyond massages to use on hair, meconium, cradle cap, diaper rash, baby acne, lice, as a bath oil, eczema and more. What makes this solid coconut oil just a little bit more special is the lovely scent provided by the vanilla extract and the extra nourishment thanks to the addition of Vitamin E. With so many amazing uses, a delightful scent and extra nourishment no one will blame any parents for stealing a little here and there for themselves. Available at Waitrose waitrose.com Neals Yard Remedies Organic Baby Powder. RRP 5 Baby Powder has always been a hero product for parents. Not only does it help keep babies dry and reduce the chances of diaper rash, but its a handy deodoriser when youre rushed off your feet and dont have the time to shower. Lets not deny it, weve all been there! Amazingly, the organic gurus at Neal's Yard Remedies have a talc-free option which is just as effective and fragrance free - ideal for the delicate skin of newborns. Available at Neals Yard Remedies stores, Whole Foods, Planet Organic nealsyardremedies.com Another graduate, Adele Frejus, 35, attended one of the first courses when her son Cai was a toddler, before launching her baking business and website, BKD, which now sells hundreds of thousands of kits each year. Many course attendees yearn to turn their start-up idea into a tech business that will fit more easily into their life as a parent. The 300,000 UK businesses currently run by mothers with young children generate 7 billion a year and thus tech firms are mindful that spending a bit of cash or time retaining their top talent when they become parents is a worthy investment. So they offer generous time off four months paid leave from Facebook, five from Twitter, for all new parents fathers as well as mothers, and adoptive parents. Theyre more flexible than Olympic gymnast Max Whitlock: theres nothing unusual about the offering from Old Street social payments app Circle Pay, which gives staff unlimited holiday. European boss Marieke Flament says: Were not here to police when people get in the office and when they leave, or if they want to work from home. Family responsibilities are very much respected happier individuals are better-performing individuals. Its a philosophy that Rohan Silva, the brains behind Tech City and co-founder of the creative working space Second Home, reckons will help popularise Second Homes second site in London Fields, which opens next June with a nursery and creche (bilingual in English and Mandarin, obviously) on-site. The goal is to create the most family-friendly working environment in the world, helping more parents to start businesses and start-ups to hire people with young children, he says. Its designed to support family-friendly working breastfeeding areas, scooter parking for kids, rounded corners in the cafe. We dont think its fair that only the likes of Google, Goldman Sachs and the Foreign Office should have the right to offer employees childcare facilities it should be available to everyone. The best mother and baby Instagram accounts 1 /6 The best mother and baby Instagram accounts The Yes Mum @theyesmummum Tiba + Marl @tibaandmarl Selfish Mother @selfishmother Little Prints Clothing @littleprintskidsclothing Dont Buy Her Flowers @Steph_dontbuyherflowers While there are still pockets of male-dominated tech firms, many start-up founders are now thirtysomething parents with a child-friendly culture in mind. Take Sarah Wood, founder of Unruly, the video ad tech company bought by News Corp for up to 114 million last year. She bought her son into the office when he was sick including on the day she met Rupert Murdoch to announce the deal when he hung out in the sleep pod where I could go kiss him and make sure he was OK. Unruly has flexible working hours and job-share options for parents, and Wood says the offices lounge area and games room are available to help parents who have children off school sick. Drinkwater identifies a current crop of parent founders who from the outset are thinking about a culture that works for all employees they might let staff set their own hours so they can leave for a school pick-up, or go back to their laptop later on. She explains: The strength of Londons tech community is its diversity spanning gender, parents, older entrepreneurs. Innovation by everyone, for everyone thats how it succeeds. Follow Lucy Tobin on Twitter: @lucytobin Lucy Tobins parenting blog is runoutofwomb.com T idy desk, tidy mind, right? Not according to Tim Harford, the behavioural economist who is here to validate my life. Sorry, I mean talk about his new book in praise of mess. Life is messy, he says, but we try to pretend otherwise. Being tidy is generally aspirational. Nobody feels pride in having a messy desk. They might, at best, be relaxed about it but they dont take pride in it. They dont say, Oh, Im so embarrassed because my desk is so tidy, my kitchen is so tidy, and my house is like a magazine shoot! No one ever feels guilty about that but they do feel guilty about the opposite. Except, perhaps, they wont after reading Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives, which in true Harford-style declutters the facts and figures about societys obsession with tidying up, concluding that we shouldnt bother. At least, not if we want to unleash our inner creativity. Harford, who also explains and debunks numbers on Radio 4s More or Less, cites study after study showing that complicated filing systems are mostly a waste of time: piles of paper do the job just as well. The stuff you havent touched recently sinks to the bottom. The stuff youre using a lot stays at the top. You have this organic filing system on your desk. After a while you think, Oh, Ive got too much stuff. You pick up a pile of papers and think, Oh, the bottom half is mainly junk. Why did I keep it? and you throw it in the bin. A messy desk is basically a highly functional system for dealing with your everyday demands, except if youre a surgeon or a librarian. Most of us in office jobs face this miscellaneous rush of documentation that comes in. Digital, paper, letters, emails, social media: its all coming in and were feeling that we should organise it but it turns out that it really cant be done and if we try, then we make it worse. Filing systems concocted for something we might need in three months time, or emails submerged in endless folders within folders, make things harder to find, says Harford, a father of three who has escaped his own desk at the Financial Times, where he is better known as the Undercover Economist, to meet me just down the river at Tate Modern for coffee. (His is a no-messing-around Americano with milk on the side.) His weekly FT column takes its name from his best-selling book. All the filers achieve is creating a very highly structured waste basket. Thats filers as opposed to pilers, which we learn is a distinction first made in the Eighties by Thomas Malone, a management professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Harfords books and columns are full of these sorts of nuggets and the beauty is theyre wonderfully easy to read, which explains his soar-away success. He was a founding member of the new tribe popularising the dismal science: the number of students sitting A-level economics has jumped by 50 per cent since the financial crisis first hit in 2007. I was delighted to discover that the whole messy papers thing is actually the way computers manage their memory caches, he adds. The Least Recently Used rule, which dates back 50 years to Hungarian computer scientist Laszlo Belady, says computers keep only data youve most recently used in their fastest memory cache. Most computers work pretty well. Yet it can often feel like our bosses live to condemn how we work. We judge other people based on whether theyre tidy or not. We judge ourselves. We know we are being judged. And we need to stop. Its all superficial. Its not a good measure of whether someone is professional. What goes for desks goes for buildings too. Companies as diverse as HM Revenue & Customs and the BBC like to police the way everything is organised, a spillover, Harford thinks, from the operating theatre or the high-tech manufacturing production line where everything needs to be really tidy. People over-generalise and say, Production lines are impressive, so our offices should be like that too. Thats just a fundamental category error because youre not talking about the same thing. You often see very circular justifications. We need a tidy desk because they look tidy. Or, We need to do this because this is what professionals do. But the resentment those policies cause is fascinating. A lot of the time, you have to say Does it matter? Is it causing a problem that this person has paper on their desk? Storage baskets - in pictures 1 /12 Storage baskets - in pictures Scroll to see our pick of the best storage baskets for your home... Olli Ella Pink Pom Pom Belly Basket Handmade by artisans, this seagrass basket by Fair trade brand Olli Ella makes a lovely addition to a nursery. The large handles make it easy to carry bundles of clothes and toys around the room, while the colourful pom-poms are a playful touch that will brighten up any space. 35, Notonthehighstreet, Buy it now Macey Orange seagrass basket with handles Add a tropical flair to your decor with this orange seagrass basket from Habitat. With enough space for storing away newspapers and TV accessories, this one should work nicely in the living room. Other colours available. 45, Habitat, Buy it now H&M Large metal wire basket Scandi touches are still de rigueur, so why not give your home the rustic look with H&Ms nifty wire basket. In a stylish metallic finish, its a great choice for stashing towels or toiletries in the bathroom. 17.99, H&M, Buy it now Lakeland Large Faux Rattan Storage Basket This elegant basket from Lakeland provides the right amount of room for storing bedding or laundry. Crafted from wipe-clean polypropylene, its simple yet chic design is complete with two sturdy handles for easy carrying and an eye-catching rattan pattern. 4.98, Lakeland, Buy it now Zara Plaited Colourful Basket With its pretty pastel tones, this oval-shaped basket will work nicely with various decorating styles and includes a handy lid that makes it ideal for stashing laundry. Available in three different sizes. From 29.99, Zara, Buy it now Matalan Woven Basket If you want to bring tribal patterns into your space but are scared they might look too busy, then this two-tone basket is for you. Its designed for carrying dry materials and makes a great statement piece for a polished room. 10, Matalan, Buy it now Rice Denmark Raffia Storage Basket If youre aiming for a fresh vibe to welcome the new season, then this mint-green basket is right up your street. Each of these has been produced ethically in Madagascar and should fit into most shelving compartments.. 32.50, Cloudberry Living, Buy it now Morell Yellow Woven Plastic Storage Basket Suitable for outdoor use, this durable plastic basket comes in three different colours for mixing and matching. The yellow design is a simple way to bring some vibrancy into your home for spring. 20 each, Habitat, Buy it now Nowhere, he says, sparked creativity like the mess that was MITs Building 20, which was thrown up as a temporary prefab in Massachusetts during the Second World War. The ugly, wooden building ended up being this tremendously productive place and that was partly because no one wanted to police what happened there. Nobody cared if the desks were clear or if you took out three storeys, like when they built the first atomic clock there. The problem with really nice office spaces is that the nicer they look, the more fastidious management gets about keeping them looking nice. He thinks the closest London has to a Building 20, which was eventually pulled down in 1998, is east London in general. But he wonders if the area can keep its creative edge with gentrification in full swing. It is a real question whether London has enough neglected spaces. He gestures to the building around us, a power station disused until the late Nineties. Do we still have enough of this now? Its unclear. You need a mix of places because new ideas cant really take shape in new buildings. There is a fallacy when we see all the hi-tech companies around Silicon Roundabout, and the new Google headquarters, and they are super-cool and super-trendy; we think thats what innovation looks like. But no, thats what happens when youve made a ton of money because youve already innovated. And if that isnt validation for finding creativity in your own mess, then I dont know what is. Follow Susie Mesure on Twitter: @susiemesure Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives is published by Little Brown A n Italian banker strangled a Met Police officer at a sex party before dissolving his body in a bath of acid, the Old Bailey heard. Stefano Brizzi, 50, allegedly murdered PC Gordon Semple at his Bermondsey flat after meeting through gay dating app Grindr for extreme sadomasochistic sex. After strangling the 59-year-old officer, Brizzi used a saw to chop up the body, disposing of some parts in the River Thames, the court heard. When neighbours complained of a revolting smell coming from the flat, police were called and caught Brizzi trying to dispose of the rest of the body. Inside the flat, the officers were met with a sight that must have been beyond anything for which they had been trained, said prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC. In the bathroom, the bath was full of what turned out to be acid." The body of PC Gordon Semple was found after he went missing / Metropolitan Police Mr Aylett added that flesh was found in the bath. He added: "On the bathroom floor were plastic buckets containing human remains. Quizzed about what happened, Brizzi allegedly told the officer: Ive tried to dissolve the body...Ive killed a police officer. I killed him last week. I met him on Grindr and I killed him. Satan told me to. Mr Aylett warned the jury as he opened the case: The nature of the evidence, I am afraid, is such as to call for strong stomachs as well as broad minds. The court heard Brizzi invited PC Semple, from Greenhithe, Dartford, to his flat on the Peabody Estate in Southwark Street on April 1, despite him being on duty. Mr Aylett said the officer was openly gay and in a relationship, but was sexually promiscuous and used Grindr to meet other men. He said: The sexual activity that followed might be of an extreme nature: domination, bondage, and much else besides. It is also the case that drugs were often involved. PC Semple went to meet Brizzi on April 1, texting that he was free now for hot dirty sleazy session, and together they invited others to a gay sex orgy. Mr Aylett said two men said they were interested in joining in, but one was put off by the possible use of drugs. Mr Aylett said an associate of Brizzi told police he was a fan of hit TV show Breaking Bad. "Stefano Brizzi had been obsessed with the American television show Breaking Bad", he told the jury. "In the series a chemistry teacher named Walter White starts producing crystal meth. "At first this is done to pay for medical care but he soon decades into the criminal underworld - after poisoning a rival White ends up dissolving the body in acid." Jurors have heard Brizzi was hooked on crystal meth and had lost his job at Morgan Stanley when the drugs were affecting his lifestyle. The other man, known in court as CD, arrived at Brizzis home later in the afternoon, but when he pressed the buzzer he was told: We are having a situation here. Someone fell ill but were taking care of it. So our party is cancelled. Mr Aylett said: CD must have arrived at the front door of the block at the very point at which Gordon Semple was meeting his death inside the defendants flat. The court heard that Brizzi later told the police: I was right in the middle of strangling Gordon and I said to - he was right at the door - and I said to him: Look, this is not the right time now, people are falling ill on drugs and its a mess. Over the next few days, the defendants neighbours became increasingly conscious of a revolting smell that was coming from the defendants flat. The discovery of PC Semples remains was not made until April 7, a week after he had been killed, when Brizzi answered the door wearing only sunglasses and his underpants. A missing persons search was launched for the Scottish-born officer before the eventual discovery that he was dead. Brizzi, of the Peabody Estate, in Southwark Street, Bermondsey, has pleaded guilty to obstructing a coroner by disposing of the body, but denies murder. The trial continues. A brave wife who chased a man along a station platform after he attacked her husband on the Tube today said: He was just rude. Spanish-speaking Kilian Ahmed, 35, screamed Cabron! Hijo de Puta! [son of a b****] at the man when he suddenly struck her husband Jubair Ahmed in the face in an alleged assault. She set off in pursuit when the man, bald and wearing a hooded jacket, jumped off the District Line train as it stopped at Upton Park station, east London. Footage of the incident and ensuing chase captured by a fellow passenger was investigated by British Transport Police who confirmed a 33-year-old man has been arrested. Finance student Mr Ahmed, 31, told the Standard he was struggling to eat following the alleged assault at 3.40pm on Monday. Pursuit: The woman sprints down the platform after a 'racist' attack on the Tube / Twitter The couple were travelling to Whitechapel from their home in Barking when the man leaned over them and launched into a torrent of expletives. He said: When we boarded and sat down he was shouting and swearing, I didnt look at him because I knew maybe it was dangerous. Couple: Kilian Ahmed and her husband Jubair Ahmed He come over to us as we approached East Ham station and started swearing at me. He was shouting in front of me. At the next stop it looked like he intended to get off but when the train arrived suddenly he hit my cheek and ran away. My wife followed him shouting to everyone to help to catch him I was shocked, it was unexpected and my head was dizzy, I couldnt think. Vigilante: The woman leapt off the train to challenge the man / Twitter The camera phone footage shows Kilian leap from her seat and chase down the platform after the man, yelling in Spanish. In an interview for Bangladeshi TV network Channel S, she said: I talked to this man, I say, Why you touch my husband? This man tell me, Shut up, shut up, please, shut up. I say, I not shut up, why you touch my husband? Why? Its rude, because why touch my husband. Mr Ahmed, who moved to London from Bangladesh in 2011, said: Im finding it difficult to eat because of my jaw. He revealed it was the second time since he had moved to the UK that he had been the victim of alleged hate crime - a problem he believes has worsened since Britains vote to leave the European Union in June. He said: I see news reading the Evening Standard, I see cases like this and I think its increased. I dont know why this man talked to me, for what reason. Now, he said, he was just trying to move on from what happened. He added: I want justice, any punishment and Im happy. Miqdaad Versi, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, was among those who called for authorities to take action following the incident. A British Transport Police spokesman said a 33-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and using threatening and abusive words and behaviour. He has been bailed until November 14. Witnesses are ask to contact the BTP on 0800 405040 quoting reference number 554. A prison officer who was jailed for being the paid mole of a tabloid reporter has lost his appeal against conviction. Robert Norman, 54, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in June last year of committing misconduct in a public office while working at HMP Belmarsh, south London, home to a number of high-profile prisoners. The court heard that between April 2006 and May 2011, he was paid 10,684 for 40 tips to reporter Stephen Moyes. Norman, of Swanscombe, Kent, denied wrongdoing, claiming he had acted in the public interest as a whistleblower to highlight problems at the prison. However he was jailed for 20 months, with the Common Serjeant of London Richard Marks saying that was not his sole motivation. He said he had decided on an immediate custodial sentence because of the "scope and scale of the offending", but had reduced the term from 30 to 20 months after hearing he was the sole carer for his sick wife. During the trial, prosecutor Julian Christopher QC said Norman - who became a prison officer in 1992 and was a member of the Prison Officers Association, acting as union representative to colleagues - effectively became "the journalist's paid mole" at Belmarsh. At the Court of Appeal today, Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, Mr Justice Popplewell and Mr Justice Goss dismissed Norman's appeal. They said: "We have considered all the circumstances of the case and the conduct of the proceedings and the trial and are satisfied that the conviction was safe." Charges against Mr Moyes were dropped following a root-and-branch review of Operation Elveden cases by the Crown Prosecution Service. A 30-year-old man who crushed a teenager to death with his Audi in south London has been found guilty of manslaughter. Jerrell Elie, 17, suffered horrendous head injuries and died after being mowed down by Nathan Bell, in Camberwell, last August. Bell, from Portland Grove, pinned the teen between his car and another vehicle following a row over a dispute between Jerrell and another 16-year-old boy, the Old Bailey heard. The row led to the teenager being stabbed a month before his death on August 8. Guilty: Nathan Bell has been found guilty of manslaughter over the death of Jerrell Elie / Met Police The court heard how Jerrell was labelled a snitch for talking to the police about the stabbing. He had armed himself with a knife and was in Brixton looking for the 16-year-old, the court heard. He briefly chased the teenager, but then fled himself when Bell, behind the wheel of his girlfriends white Audi A5, came after him, the jury was told. Despite there being no CCTV footage of the fatal crash, the prosecution maintained that the wheels of the Audi crushed Jerrells skull, killing him on impact. The following day, the Audi was taken to a car wash in Herne Hill, it was then taken to have a dent in the bonnet fixed and replacement tyres fitted. Bell was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter at the same court today. He was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice. Liston Ruber, 20, from Tadworth was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice. Bell will be sentenced tomorrow. He will also be sentenced over dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm in a separate incident. In February last year, Bell got into a fight with another man while out celebrating his birthday. Following the altercation he drove off in a panic and hit a lamppost. Officers discovered his Range Rover abandoned in Park Lane. Detective Chief Inspector Sam Price said: "Jerrell's death was the result of local gang conflicts in which Bell chose to intervene that night. "He used his vehicle as a weapon and caused horrific crush injuries to Jerrell that he did not survive. Bell then went to considerable lengths to conceal his crime. "I am satisfied at his conviction today and hope it demonstrates the Met's commitment to tackling gang crime." J oyriders destroyed a 38,000 BMW after smashing into a row of luxury parked cars as they careered out of control. Witnesses said four youths fled from a Ford Fiesta that had been driven along a residential street in Wapping. Canisters of what appeared to be laughing gas were later found scattered across the road, according to residents. The smash on Tuesday afternoon comes after a spate of reported incidents in recent months, with residents complaining of being terrorised by boy-racers high on nitrous oxide . Smashed: a Ford Fiesta after the crash Samantha Collins, who works at estate agent ea2 with her husband Matthew Melbye, was in their office in Sampson Street when she heard a loud bang. She raced outside to discover her limited-edition BMW convertible had been wrecked, shunted into her husbands BMW, which was also written off. Mrs Collins, 40, said three of the men had managed to escape following the crash, while a fourth was caught by an off-duty police officer. She said: Loads of witnesses saw the car as it came down Wapping High Street. Three boys ran from the car, then the fourth one, and you could see my car completely written off. A knife was also found in the abandoned vehicle. Written off: the BMWs were owned by Samantha Collins and her husband Matthew Melbye The crash occurred about 4.40pm yards from luxury converted warehouse apartments overlooking the Thames. Racers are thought to be attracted to the areas quiet streets, and as a result some residents are now considering moving out of the historic area popular with City workers, where two-bedroom flats fetch more than 2 million. Local councillor Julia Dockerill has written about the problem and has been in contact with police over the issue in the area. On the Wapping Conservatives website she said: Ive been working with residents to raise concerns about nitrous oxide (those horrible little canisters that are constantly strewn on the pavement) and anti-social behaviour. Mark Baynes, editor of the local news website Love Wapping, said the chaos was the accident Wapping has been expecting to happen. He said: Its now not uncommon to see vehicles being driven around Wapping at speed, and you can see drivers inhaling nitrous oxide through balloons, then throwing them out of the car. Formerly a legal high, nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, was outlawed earlier this year under the Governments Psychoactive Substances Act. A Met spokesman said: A male was taken into police custody on suspicion of dangerous driving, possession of an offensive weapon and driving without insurance and a valid driving licence. R ush hour commuters faced travel chaos on the Tube this evening after a suspect item found on a train was blown up by the bomb squad. North Greenwich station was shut just after 11am, with a large area near The O2 Arena cordoned off as counter-terror police investigated and the item was detonated in a controlled explosion. The station was due to reopen at 6.15pm, but commuters reported they were still not being let through. The security emergency caused massive transport problems for fans of the band Nickelback who are playing a gig at the O2. Officials suggested they use boat, cable car or Docklands Light Rail services to reach the venue. Meanwhile, there were severe delays across the Jubilee Line, causing chaos for travellers and commuters. Photos from around the network showed huge crowds of people trying to squeeze into other stations. Police advised people to avoid Canary Wharf Tube station to avoid the crush. Thomas Dwan tweeted: Bad week for transport out of London; DLR now rammed after today's Jubilee line issues. People using the Thames Clipper service were also told to expect delays because of the extra numbers. Counter terrorism detectives were tonight scouring CCTV systems along the Jubilee line in a massive operation to identify who carried the item onto the train and where. A spokesman for the Met Police said: "While we are keeping an open mind, the Mets Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation because it has the expertise to deal with incidents of this kind. "British Transport Police is supporting them in their investigation." Anyone saw anything suspicious on the train should call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321. A suspect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence is on a most wanted list of British criminals thought to have fled to Spain. Suspected drug dealer Jamie Acourt, 40, from south-east London, is among 10 criminals believed to be hiding on the continent. The others include a man accused knifing to death a 21-year-old in a bar in Hillingdon, west London, last year. Acourt was allegedly part of a cannabis-dealing gang between January 2014 and February this year, but previously achieved notoriety after he was named as one of the suspects in the investigation into the racist murder of 18-year-old Stephen. The teenager was killed by up to six attackers in Eltham, south-east London, in 1993. In 2012, David Norris and Gary Dobson were convicted of his murder and are serving life sentences. Stephen Lawrence was knifed to death in Eltham in 1993 / PA Shane O'Brien, 28, who is accused of murdering 21-year-old Josh Hanson in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon in October last year, is also on the list. Police believe he has "strong links" to Spain and uses a false identity to evade capture. A second line of investigation is that he may be in Dubai. The list also includes suspected fraudster Mark Acklom, 43, from London, who allegedly posed as a Swiss banker and MI6 agent as he fleeced a woman, whom he said he would marry, out of 850,000. 10 most wanted British criminals thought to be hiding in Spain 1 /13 10 most wanted British criminals thought to be hiding in Spain Jamie Acourt, 40, from south east London, was allegedly part of a cannabis-dealing gang between January 2014 and February 2016. He is 5ft 8in and athletic, with a pale complexion, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and sometimes wears glasses. Acourt is a suspect in the 1993 racist murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence. Metropolitan Police/PA Violent offender Jonathan Kelly, 36, from Glasgow, who paralysed one victim in a machete attack, is wanted after going on the run when he was released on licence in 2014. He has convictions for a string of violent crimes including assaults causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement, robbery, and having a sharply pointed weapon in prison. He was also subject to a sexual offences prevention order. Kelly is 5ft 10in, heavily built, and has blue/grey eyes, short, brown hair and occasionally has a beard. There are scars to both sides of his face, on his arms and right hand. Crimestoppers/PA Sarah Panitzke, 42, from Fulford, North Yorkshire, laundered 1 billion as part of a massive tax fraud. She went on the run in May 2013 before the end of her trial for conspiracy to acquire criminal property, and in her absence was sentenced to eight years in prison. Panitzke is 5ft 7in, slim, and has "mousey", straight hair, and blue eyes. Crimestoppers/PA Suspected drug dealer Simon McGuffie, 41, from Liverpool is accused of being part of a Merseyside gang that sold cocaine, heroin and cannabis across the North West. He has a two-inch (5cm) scar on his right cheek, and a scarred right arm. Crimestoppers/PA Shane O'Brien, 28, is accused of murdering 21-year-old Josh Hanson in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon, west London in October 2015. Police believe he has "strong links" to Spain, is using a false identity and has been helped to avoid capture. Another line of investigation is that he may be in Dubai. A 20,000 reward is on offer for information leading to his arrest and prosecution. O'Brien has a birthmark on his face and a tattoo on his back that says "Shannon 15-04-06". Crimestoppers/PA Matthew Sammon, 45, from Croydon, south London, is wanted on suspicion of making and possessing indecent photographs of children. He was arrested and questioned in April 2014, but went on the run when he was released on bail and has not been seen since. He is 5ft 9in and has short, brown hair. Crimestoppers/PA Dominic McInally, 25, from Liverpool is allegedly the boss of a cocaine-dealing gang that pulled in 1.25 million per month. It is claimed that members of the drug ring travelled to the border of France and Belgium in January 2014 to pick up 6kg of the class A drug and hid it in a secret compartment in a Seat Leon, before it was seized by police. McInally is 5ft 10in and has blond hair. Crimestoppers/PA Suspected paedophile Steven Carruthers, 43, from Bury, Greater Manchester, is wanted by Cumbria Police after officers found more than 5,000 obscene images of children, including some being sexually abused, on his computer. He was interviewed after police raided his home in Ambleside, Cumbria in March 2014 and denied committing any crimes, then went on the run when he was released on bail. He is 5ft 8in and has short, brown hair or a shaved head, and blue eyes. Crimestoppers/PA Suspected fraudster Mark Acklom, 43, from London, allegedly posed as a Swiss banker and an MI6 agent as he fleeced a woman whom he said he would marry out of 850,000. He is wanted by Avon and Somerset Police for fraud by false representation after starting the relationship with a woman from Bath in January 2012. He allegedly deceived her into lending him more and more money, apparently for renovation work on a property that she later discovered he did not own. He is 5ft 10in and has dark brown hair and green eyes. Crimestoppers/PA Mark Quinn, 52, from Liverpool, is wanted by Police Scotland for allegedly being involved in a drug dealing gang that made, smuggled and sold amphetamine with a street value of more than 11 million between August 2013 and April 2014. He is 5ft 9in and has short, brown hair. Crimestoppers/PA Accused conman Acklom convinced her that he needed money to renovate a property, which she later found out that he did not own. The alleged victim, Carolyn Woods, 55, told Sky News: "I was completely devastated, he left me destitute and destroyed my life." Investigators are also hunting convicted fraudster Sarah Panitzke, 42, from North Yorkshire, who laundered 1 billion as part of a massive tax scam and is due to serve an eight-year jail term for conspiracy to acquire criminal property. Steve Reynolds, Head of International Operations for the National Crime Agency, said: "The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice. We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets." The list was unveiled by British and Spanish authorities at a joint press conference in Malaga earlier today. Jonathan Kelly, 36, from Glasgow, who is wanted for a string of violent crimes including a machete attack that left his victim paralysed, and alleged drugs kingpin Dominic McInally, 25, from Liverpool, who is accused of leading a cocaine-dealing gang that made 1.25 million per month, are also featured. Chairman of Crimestoppers Lord Ashcroft said: "These people have managed to evade arrest and avoid justice. We know that with the help of Spanish authorities, along with the public in Spain and the UK, we can find these people." A landlord has been fined more than 150,000 after 18 people were found living in slum-like conditions in a Grade II-listed property in Kensington. The tenants, many of whom were migrants working in London hotels, were crowded into a converted four-bedroom flat in a mansion overlooking Hyde Park. Landlord Abbas Rasul, 64, of Paddington, charged an average of 800 a month in rent from each of the tenants, netting him nearly 15,000 a month. The property on Hyde Park Gate is next door to the Dutch embassy and near the 23 million house where Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965. The flat was divided using thin pieces of plasterboard to create 14 bedsits occupied by 18 people. Hammersmith magistrates heard that there were no fire doors, smoke detectors or alarms in the unsafe property, some rooms lacked basic lighting and there was only one kitchen. The flat was also said to be a serious fire hazard, with a cracked flue on its unserviced gas boiler. 'Slum': the outside of the house in Kensington (Nigel Howard) Rasul and his companies, Grosvenor Property Investments Ltd and London Victoria Estates Ltd, were this month found guilty of failing to license a house in multiple occupation. They were also found to be in breach of 22 housing regulations. He and his companies were fined a combined total of 162,000 and ordered to pay 3,498 in costs. Rock Feilding-Mellen, Kensington and Chelsea councils deputy leader, said: This type of landlord has no place anywhere, and in Kensington and Chelsea we will do our utmost to crack down on them. Tenants were living in crowded conditions created by illegal and unsafe alterations. Neighbour Melanie Taylor said: The comings and goings were ridiculous. There were so many people arriving and leaving with suitcases the landlord was clearly cramming them in and it amounted to years of hell for us. The building used to be split into family apartments, but that all changed. This is an embassy district and he was running a downmarket hostel. We were all very angry about it. The building is now believed to have been renovated. Abbas did not appear in court and was found guilty of the offences in his absence. A man stunned London commuters by getting on the Tube barefooted. The man was pictured on the Piccadilly line, with a photo later posted online. In it, the man is seen wearing jeans and a jacket - but does not have any shoes or socks on. People quickly commented on the post, which was published on website Reddit by user ginkyboy on Wednesday night, with a flood jokes. Many suggested the man might have been from Australia or New Zealand, where it is reportedly more common to go barefooted in public. User MrLips said: Probably a Kiwi. Unusual: There are other reports on social media of people seeing barefooted people on the Tube. / ginkyboy Reddit. Weve grown up with bare feet often, its kinda a way of life. When you move to a big city for the first time, you might do it once or twice before you learn. First time I went to Paris I was wearing sandals which became all sweaty after a day, so I took them off. The black soles I saw that night convinced me to never do it again. Reddit user BitcoinBanker said: Same in South Africa. I met kids in a Cape Town suburb who'd grown out of shoes they'd never worn! One user pointed out the Tube floor looked clean although others disagreed. Another person commented: "Man, Brexit hit you guys hard." Boris Johnson: Brexiteers are a "nest of singing birds" The sight seems to have been spotted by other Londoners - although there is no clue as to how many people have taken up the unusual trend. Earlier this month Lauren Wetton said on Twitter: "Just seen a man on the tube, barefoot." A Tube station has been evacuated and "bomb squad" called in after reports of a security alert on a train near The O2 Arena. North Greenwich station and the area around the O2 has been put on lockdown for more than four hours after the alert on a Jubilee line train, witnesses said. Trains were being held and people have been cleared from the station as alarms rang and police dealt with the emergency. Witnesses reported being told there was a "suspect package" on a Tube train and at 3pm, hours after the alert was made, the area was still cordoned off. Mike Simmonds, 28, from Essex, was waiting to climb the O2 with his girlfriend when he was told the climb had been cancelled. He said alarms started ringing when they got off the Jubilee line and when they arrived at the O2 climb the manager said there was a suspect package on a train underneath the O2. North Greenwich station cordoned off due to suspect package Trains are being held causing delays on the Jubilee Line. Ghost town: The area around the O2 and station has been evacuated. / @norrisollie Twitter British Transport Police said they were called at 11am to the scare. Delays: Passengers were forced to get out the station because of the alert. / Dan Worth, Twitter. James Nunns told the Standard: "I've left the area now, but the alarms started going off to tell everyone to evacuate. "The police then showed up and asked everyone to urgently evacuate the area. Bit of pandemonium but the station was evacuated quickly and a friendly London bus driver let all passengers on for free." On social media people have posted photos of passengers waiting outside the station. Dan Worth said on Twitter: "Emergency at North Greenwich Station. Everyone told to leave. No idea why though. Mr Worth added: "Police here now and people running around. High vis jacket levels increasing." A British Transport Police spokesman said: "Just after 11am today we were called to North Greenwich station after train staff reported finding a suspicious item. Alarms: The station was evacuated at around 11.30am this morning. / Dan Worth, Twitter. "The station is currently closed whilst specialist officers from British Transport Police and Metropolitan Police examine the item. "We ask travellers to avoid the area and check with Transport For London before commencing their journey." Evacuated: Trains are being held and people have been cleared out of the station. / @aileenyd Twitter Between 200 and 300 people currently attending a Google conference at the nearby Intercontinental Hotel face being stranded in North Greenwich this evening. Robin Jobber, 35, from Stratford told the Standard he had been trying to leave the site since lunchtime but the station was on lock-down. He added: "At 4pm around 200 to 300 people are going to be trying to go home. "No one will tell us what's going on, just that the line is suspended." The O2 spokesman said: "We closed Up at The O2 as a cordon was in place around North Greenwich tube station. That cordon has now been reduced but were staying closed until the situation at North Greenwich is resolved. "The information we have is that there is a suspect package on a train currently in the station and the bomb squad have been called to investigate." The station reopened at around 6.15pm. T wo people were rescued from a West London block of flats today after a flames 'ten feet high' engulfed the block. Smoke could be seen from more than three miles away after fire crews were called at 9am this morning to Notting Hill Gate. One man was dragged to safety from an internal stairwell while a woman was plucked from the third floor by fire crews using a ladder. More than 30 fire fighters descended on the five storey block of flats near Marks and Spencer as residents said it was sparked by an 'unattended candle' in an upper floor flat. Fire in Notting Hill Dozens of people were forced to leave their homes after a fire engulfed the second floor. American tourist Fred Marks, 69, a retired pilot from Boston, was staying in an Airbnb flat within the building when the fire alarms sounded. He said: "I was told someone on the second floor lit a candle and it caught fire. "The alarm went off. I went to the front door and there was a lot of smoke. I grabbed my important items and went outside. "The corridor was full of smoke and you could barely see. The third floor was fully engulfed in flames which were pouring out of the window. "The flames were ten feet high." The London Fire Brigade said it received more than a dozen calls from the public today. Emergency services at the scene of the blaze / Tom Powell Station Manager John Ryan said: "When crews arrived they were could see flames coming out of a flat on the second floor. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued a man via an internal staircase from the flat affected. He is being treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service crews. "A woman has also been rescued from a third floor window via aerial ladder platform. Around 30 residents self evacuated from the block." A semi-derelict pub where boxer Sir Henry Cooper trained and lived before his 1963 fight with Muhammad Ali is to be transformed with a 4 million grant. Funding from the Heritage Lottery Funds Heritage Enterprise scheme will restore the Fellowship Inn in south London and make it commercially sustainable, with a cinema, new live music venue, cafe, microbrewery, bakery and artists studios. Built in the 1920s for returning First World War veterans and their families, the pub was at the centre of the Bellingham homes for heroes estate, in Lewisham, which was constructed to ease inner city crowding. The Fellowship Inn originally had two bars, a 200-seat dance and music hall, a vast function room which often hosted wedding receptions, an off-licence bottle shop and family accommodation. Transformation: the derelict Fellowship Inn in south London / Phoenix Community Housing/PA Heavyweight boxer Sir Henry Cooper was a local boy who grew up in Farmstead Road on the Bellingham estate. Ahead of the first of his two fights against Muhammad Ali, then still known as Cassius Clay, at Wembley Stadium in 1963, he moved into the pub to focus solely on his training. Jim Ripley, chief executive of Phoenix Community Housing, said: This is the best news Bellingham has had in decades. Were so proud to have the opportunity to restore this historic pub and create a thriving venue for our residents and the wider population of south London to enjoy. For two pretty different places, were more alike than you might think. Have you heard the news? You can now fly direct between London and New Orleans. Starting in March 2017, British Airways will offer nonstop flights from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to Heathrow International Airport in London. Purchase your tickets now! Louisianans ready to pack your bags and head abroad? Londoners cant wait to come see what this city is all about? Weve got you covered. Keep reading for why youll want to book your tickets ASAP, no matter which side of the pond youre on. FOR LOUISIANANS Londons calling! As a state, Louisiana embraces history and culture, so its worth checking out how other countries hold dear those very same values. History and tradition greet you at every corner in London a modern, cosmopolitan city with a rich history dating all the way back to the Roman Empire. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abby, the Globe Theater, the Tate Modern they all call London home. The United Kingdom is also the gateway to Europe, offering a host of cultural and culinary experiences. Spread your wings and take flight literally. Dont worry; youll always keep your nest in Louisiana. FOR LONDONERS Youve outdone us in the history department, but by American standards, New Orleans is one of the very oldest spots you can visit in the United States. As we gear up for our tricentennial anniversary in 2018, the city is more vibrant than ever and every single day is a celebration. Live music on every corner, award-winning restaurants, distinctive architecture, and a dizzying array of festivals and things to do make New Orleans a truly one-of-a-kind destination. (If you visit other American cities while youre here, youll see exactly what we mean.) Our temperate weather also beckons: sunshine and warmth are commonplace, and our year-round temperature averages at about 77 degrees Fahrenheit (about 25 degrees Celsius). Like shopping? Our tax free shopping options and fabulous stores mean you might be heading back with an extra suitcase! New Orleans VS. LONDON For two pretty different places, we have a few similarities that may make you feel at home. Just see our handy equivalency chart below! Fish and Chips = Fried Shrimp Po-Boy Both are deliciously naughty in all the right ways: any-time-of-day foods that rely on seafood and a deep fryer. Yum. Big Ben = St. Louis Cathedral These iconic buildings hark back to more or less the same decade: although St. Louis Cathedral predates Big Ben by more than 100 years, it was largely rebuilt in 1850 (Big Ben was completed in 1859). Theyre also two must-photograph spots have your cameras ready! Tea + Crumpets = Beignets + Cafe Au Lait Afternoon hunger pang? Sweet (but not overly sweet) treats and a cup of hot coffee or tea always does the trick. Buckingham Palace = Mardi Gras Balls and Parades Londons got royalty, but we have our own royal family of sort. They parade through the streets and throw spectacular parties at Mardi Gras. Shoreditch = Frenchmen Street Nightlife abounds in both cities, as do hip neighborhoods like Londons Shoreditch and the Marigny in New Orleans (home to Frenchmen Street, a popular music destination). Thames River = Mississippi River These two large waterways are crucial for trade and transport. The Thames is the longest river in England (the second-longest in the United Kingdom), and the Mississippi is the longest river in the United States (and all of North America!). London Underground = Streetcar The Tube is the worlds first underground railway, and the New Orleans streetcar (in particular the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line) is the worlds oldest continually operating street railway system. Hyde Park = City Park Catch a break from urban landscapes at either one of these large parks. Londons Hyde Park covers 350 acres, and New Orleans City Park spans 1,300 acres. Get to exploring! Borough Market = French Market Hungry? These food-focused markets have you covered. Borough Market is significantly larger and a whole lot older (the market dates back to 1014). But by American standards, the French Market in New Orleans is pretty ancient, too: it first started in 1791. Remember, as of today, you can book your flight on BA.com. Get planning! S adiq Khan is calling for more powers to build skills among Londons workforce - and to help keep the capital globally competitive in the wake of Brexit. The Mayor is concerned about the skills gap that already exists and could be made worse if the UK starts pulling up the drawbridge on the best global talent. Londons businesses are already reliant on large numbers of European Union workers, filling around 12.5 per cent of all jobs. In recent months, Mr Khan has held talks with Government, including Theresa May and Philip Hammond, on the devolution of the skills agenda and City Hall is confident of progress, particularly on adult skills, in the Autumn Statement. The Mayor wants the power to train Londoners in areas that are most crying out for skilled workers as the impact of leaving the European Union on the flow of skilled migrant workers remains unclear. The number of skilled job vacancies in London has already more than doubled from 14,000 in 2011 to 37,000 in 2015, and a high proportion of these are for professional roles. In addition, Europeans currently fill 25 per cent of all construction jobs, 32 per cent of hotel and restaurant jobs and 20 per cent of administrative positions. Mr Khan said: London has a strong, dynamic economy that makes a significant contribution to the UK. When London does well, Britain does well and it is therefore crucial we have the skills system to continue to be a globally competitive city that works for all Londoners. The uncertainty around Brexit means it is critical we have a strong skills base with a good mix of local and global talent to both retain and attract business. Its important we give businesses the confidence that London will continue to deliver for them and were doing all we can to build and protect the skills base they need to thrive. As well powers to boost home-grown talent, the Mayor wants to be given strategic control - and funds - over post-16 skills to meet the needs of Londons economy and help reduce youth unemployment. He has called for replacement funding for the European Social Fund post-Brexit, currently worth 400 million up to 2020 and an important source of skills funding. The Mayor, who has launched a Skills for London taskforce, also wants the power to set up further education colleges for 16 to 19-year-olds. F ormer BHS owner Sir Philip Green should be stripped of his knighthood, MPs have said. A proposal tabled in the House of Commons had asked for the billionaire business moguls knighthood to be cancelled and annulled. The unprecedented decision came after nearly three hours of debate in which Sir Philip faced accusations of behaving like Napoleon and Robert Maxwell, as well as being an "asset-stripper". Although the decision is non-binding, Downing Street indicated it believes the independent Honours Forfeiture Committee may have a decision to make in the future. BHS went into administration shortly after being sold for 1 by Sir Philip, with a 571 million pension scheme deficit. Labour MP David Winnick questioned how Sir Philip was deemed worthy of a knighthood in the first place, highlighting how the tycoon had put the business in the name of his wife, who lives in Monaco. He also said: "I see Green as a billionaire spiv, a billionaire spiv who should never have received a knighthood, a billionaire spiv who has shamed British capitalism, and the least we can do today is to make our views clear and strong." Iain Wright, chairman of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said BHS is "one of the biggest corporate scandals of modern times". The Labour MP told the Commons: "(Sir Philip) took the rings from BHS's fingers, he beat it black and blue, he starved it of food and water, he put it on life support, and then he wanted credit for keeping it alive. "His extraction of value early on in his ownership made the company less able to innovate, to retain a market share or have a competitive place in the retail market, which would allow the firm to generate the profits and be in more of a position to survive the growing pension deficit. "This drip, drip decline provided the backdrop to Sir Philip's wish to sell the business." Opening the debate Frank Field described Sir Philip as a "very successful traditional asset-stripper". He said: "Given my age, you may have thought I might be able to touch the hem of the garment of Napoleon. "I never knew Napoleon, but in my mind's eye this was a character most like the Napoleon I read about in the history books while I was at school." A Number 10 spokesman said: "There will obviously be a decision potentially made at some stage by the forfeitures committee. "But that is an independent committee, the Government has no role in that at all." T heresa May today pledged that Britain will be a strong and dependable partner with Europe after Brexit. Arriving in Brussels for her first EU summit, the Prime Minister sought to build bridges with the 27 other leaders by promising co-operation on security in the face of Russian aggression. She said: "This is my first European Council and I'm here with a very clear message: The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we have left. "It's in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together, including at this summit. "We must show that robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression. "The UK has put Russian actions in Syria on the agenda for this summit. We must continue to work together and it's vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." There were fears that EU leaders are closing ranks against the UK following the Brexit referendum, with some diplomats predicting a cool reception when Mrs May sets out her plans at a working dinner tonight. Leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch premier Mark Rutte, who both face elections next year, signalled in advance that they are not willing to offer concessions on the European single market in Britains leaving terms. City chiefs today proposed a visa system that would allow Londons powerhouse firms to recruit highly skilled workers from abroad after Brexit. The regional visa system proposed by the City of London Corporation would let every region give permits for migrants if they stayed in the same area. Policy chairman Mark Boleat said it would allow areas worried about skills shortages not to be held back by regions worried about immigration. Migration has always been a key element of thriving and strong UK economy, he said. Local businesses are the people best placed to know their employment needs in their area, so they should be playing the lead role in filling job vacancies internationally and addressing local skills shortages. Boris Johnson: Brexiteers are a "nest of singing birds" In the Commons, Junior Brexit Minister Robin Walker, asked about a possible London visa, said there needed to be a policy that worked for the whole of the UK. City corporation chiefs said their system could fit the bill. The idea which Downing Street said would be considered could offer a solution to the Cabinet dispute over a curbs on future immigration. Scottish independence plausible within 'two year' Brexit period Chancellor Philip Hammond has publicly called for students and highly skilled people to be allowed in to fill shortages. One of David Camerons most senior aides today published a damning analysis of how No 10 lost the referendum. Daniel Korski, former deputy head of the No 10 policy unit, said the ex-prime minister failed until too late to present a positive case for Europe when his re-form deal came up short, and failed for years to understand the unwillingness of other EU leaders to surrender key principles like freedom of movement. R ussian warships have entered the North Sea as they continue on course for the English Channel, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The Royal Navy is tracking Vladimir Putin's flotilla, dubbed Operation Sea Fist in Russia and led by the Admiral Kuzentsov, the whole way. The Russian fleet is heading through the English Channel to join Assad's bombing campaign on the Syrian city of Aleppo. A MoD spokesman said: "It is pretty unambiguous that they have set a course to pass through the Dover Strait." Navy: HMS Richmond, a Type 23 Duke Class frigate, shadowing Admiral Kuznetsov / EPA Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday to "man-mark" the Kuznetsov group. Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond also escorted the group from the Norwegian Sea as it steamed south. The Russian fleet includes cruisers like this, the Kirov class Peter the Great / Reuters "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. "We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe," said a MoD spokesman. Launch: A British Royal Navy lookout observing the Russian group / EPA Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, have agreed a humanitarian truce in Aleppo but Cabinet minister Priti Patel said the temporary truce was "woefully inadequate". The prospect of Russia's only aircraft carrier heading to the region does not "inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syrian conflict, Nato said. A Nato official said: "Russia has the right to operate in international waters. There are plans in place for Nato navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean. Loading.... "At the same time, the deployment of the carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean does not inspire confidence that Russia is working towards a political solution to the conflict in Syria." H illary Clinton has branded as horrifying a warning by Donald Trump that he may not accept the result if he loses the US presidential election. The extraordinary threat, challenging one of the defining tenets of American democracy, stunned the tens of millions watching the third and final televised showdown between the warring White House candidates. I will look at it at the time, said a defiant Mr Trump after he was asked if he would concede to his Democratic rival if the pollsters prove correct and Mrs Clinton becomes Americas first ever woman Commander-in-Chief. The billionaire, who has spent the past week making largely unsubstantiated claims that the election is rigged against him, added: I will keep you in suspense. Trump v Clinton: Highlights from the third and final presidential debate His remarks were in stark contrast to his running mate Mike Pence and his daughter, Ivanka, who declared that they would respect the results of the November 8 poll. By throwing into doubt the fundamental principle of a peaceful handover of power from one democratically elected president to a successor, Mr Trump may have doomed his chances of winning over voters questioning his temperament for the most powerful job on the planet. Mrs Clinton reacted by saying: Thats horrifying. That is not the way our democracy works. Weve been around for 240 years. We have had free and fair elections. "Weve accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what is expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election. He is denigrating - hes talking down - our democracy and I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position. Any hopes Mr Trump may have had of appealing to those female voters not already put off by allegations by nine women over the past 10 days that they were either groped by him or kissed without permission cant have been helped by his reference to Mrs Clinton during one confrontation as such a nasty woman. The 70-year-old property mogul refused to apologise, saying the accusations were all false and that the women who came forward either want fame or were put up to it by the Clinton campaign. Those stories have been largely debunked, he added. I didnt even apologise to my wife, who is sitting right here, because I didnt do anything. Another group of voters with the potential to sway the election, Hispanics, were also up in arms on social media over his use of the words bad hombres when describing violent immigrants who were in the US illegally. There was no love lost from the start with the candidates refusing to shake hands before the debate at Las Vegas University. They parted without a handshake 90 minutes later after a relatively calm, policy-based first 15 minutes deteriorated into a terse, bad-tempered stand-off. In pictures: US Presidential debate 1 /10 In pictures: US Presidential debate Trump speaks during their presidential town hall debate REUTERS Head-to-head: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clash at the second live US Presidential debate REUTERS Head-to-head: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clash at the second live US Presidential debate REUTERS Trump speaks during their presidential town hall debate REUTERS Clash: Trump addresses Hillary Clinton during the second presidential debate AP US Presidential debate: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head to head in St Louis, Missouri REUTERS Donald Trump sits with (R-L) Paula Jones, Kathy Shelton, Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey at impromptu press conference REUTERS Arrival: US Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at St Louis International Airport ahead of tonight's debate AFP/Getty Images The first blow went to Mrs Clinton, 68, who claimed that Russian president Vladimir Putin was backing Mr Trump because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Mr Trump spluttered: No puppet, no puppet - youre the puppet. Composing himself, he added: She has been outsmarted and outplayed worse than anybody Ive ever seen in any government. The candidates clashed repeatedly over their very different visions for the nations future. Trump v Clinton: The third debate in numbers While Mr Trump said he would appoint Supreme Court justices who would oppose and possibly overrule the landmark Roe v Wade ruling making abortions legal in the US, Mrs Clinton made an impassioned appeal for the importance of womens hard won right to choose. Analysts and viewers appeared united in their view that Mrs Clinton dominated the final debate just three weeks before Election Day. Mr Trump disagreed, tweeting immediately afterwards, Hillary is finished. A man wearing a killer-clown mask has died after stepping on a landmine in Cambodia, according to reports. The man trod on a mine which detonated after scaring residents of Samraong in northwestern Cambodia by dressing up as a clown and reportedly acting in an aggressive manner. According to the Times of Cambodia local residents chased the killer clown into the jungle where they then heard a blast and realised the man must have stepped on a landmine. Some residents went to investigate while others reported the incident to the police. A 'killer clown' ran into the jungle before stepping on a landmine (AFP/Getty Images) The man could not be identified due to the extent of his injuries, local police told the newspaper. But he is believed to be a 25-year-old local man who had returned to Cambodia to visit relatives from the US, where he was studying. More sightings as 'killer clown' craze grips UK Police told the Times that there is little doubt that the dead man was a local 25-year-old who was reported missing by his family on the day of the incident. The killer-clown craze swept the US and has led to arrests in the UK. I mages of the men suspected of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint for 8.5 million worth of jewellery in Paris have been released for the first time. The reality star was bound and gagged as she had the jewels stolen in a terrifying heist on October 3. Video published today by French website M6 appears to show the gang arriving and then leaving her apartment at the luxury Hotel de Pourtales. Taken from a private security camera, the grainy images show three men in reflective clothing riding bicycles near her block in the French capital. Around 10 minutes afterwards, two pedestrians are seen walking past in the same direction. Raid: Around 8.5 million in jewellery was stolen from Kim Kardashian / M6 Later, members of the alleged gang are seeing leaving the area again, all with their faces covered and appearing to be carrying bags. Despite the CCTV footage, the men have not yet been tracked down by detectives. Victim: Kim Kardashian had been in Paris for the fashion week / Ian West/PA On Tuesday, a concierge who was held at gunpoint during the raid spoke of his terror as five armed men stormed the building. Named only as Abdulrahman, he told MailOnline that he was handcuffed and forced to lead the robbers to Kardashians room. Kim Kardashian at Paris Fashion Week 2017 1 /16 Kim Kardashian at Paris Fashion Week 2017 Raid terror: Kim Kardashian at a Paris fashion week show shortly before she was held up Rex Kim Kardashian attends the Balmain show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2017 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Kim Kardashian in the front row at Balenciaga show, Spring Summer 2017, Paris Fashion Week, France Rex Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble attend the Off-white 2017 Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection fashion show AFP/Getty Images Kendall Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Riccardo Tisci and Kim Kardashian at Givenchy show, Spring Summer 2017, Paris Fashion Week Rex Kim Kardashian at Balmain show, after party, Spring Summer 2017, Paris Fashion Week Rex Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian are seen looking amazing as they step out to dinner at Alaia in Paris Splash News Kim Kardashian and Kanye West out and about in Paris Rex Kim Kardashian out and about in Paris Rex Kanye West and Kim Kardashian attend the Off-white 2017 Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection fashion show AFP/Getty Images Kim Kardashian in the front row at Balenciaga show, Spring Summer 2017, Paris Fashion Week, France Swan Gallet/WWD/Rex Kim Kardashian attends the Givenchy show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2017 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images He said: The hotel doesnt mind about security. We told them years and years before, you have to make a camera, you have to put [in place] a security process, about keys. Kardashian is currently taking time off to recover from the ordeal. D onald Trump was hilariously mocked on Twitter as viewers of the final Presidential debate reacted when he said: We have lots of bad hombres in the US. The Republican Presidential candidate was answering a question about immigration policy when he said he would build a wall on the Mexican border and deport some bad, bad people. We have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out, Mr Trump said. His use of the word, which is Spanish for men, was immediately interpreted by many as a reference to Mexicans and his comments at the start of his campaign that Mexican immigrants were rapists and criminals. TV clash: Donald Trump speaks during his final Presidential debate with Hillary Clinton / REUTERS In response, debate viewers took to social media in disbelief to mock the billionaire businessman with some accusing him of being racist. One Twitter user wrote: Bad hombres? I cant even. #debatenight. Trump v Clinton: The third debate in numbers Another said: Omg did he say bad hombres? US actor and comedian Zach Braff tweeted: "Bad hombres is such a good band name." Erin Burr tweeted: Wait, can we please go back because I have some questions about the bad hombres. Others flooded Twitter with memes, while some ridiculed his pronunciation of the word and tweeted pictures of the ombre hairstyle. Mr Trump said his immigration plan would focus on securing the US-Mexico border to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs coming into the country. His supporter Marco Gutierrez has previously said that without action on immigration reform: "You're going to have taco trucks on every corner." Ahead of the debate, hundreds of hospitality workers built a wall of taco trucks outside his Las Vegas hotel in protest at Mr Trump's immigration proposals. D onald Trump refused to say if he would accept the result of the presidential election if he loses during his final TV clash with Hillary Clinton. The Republican presidential nominee was asked if he would follow the US tradition of accepting the result of presidential elections following his claims this week of large-scale voter fraud. I will tell you at the time, I will keep you in suspense, Mr Trump told the moderator, Fox News Chris Wallace at the end of the fiery 90-minute showdown in Las Vegas. Democratic presidential nominee Mrs Clinton interjected: Chris, let me respond to that. Thats horrifying. Trump v Clinton: The third debate in numbers The billionaire tycoon again referenced a rigged election and said the media was so dishonest and had poisoned the minds of voters. Debate: Donald Trump speaks during his final TV showdown with Hillary Clinton / REUTERS Mrs Clinton said: "Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction he claims it is rigged against him." She said this could range from Iowa primary, to lawsuits and not getting an Emmy for a TV programme. US election: Hillary Clinton speaks during the final debate between the candidates / AP The former secretary of state added: "This is a mindset. This is how Donald thinks. It is funny but it is also really troubling - that is not the way our democracy works." Loading.... Mr Trump repeated his belief that the FBI should prosecute Mrs Clinton for using a private email server to handle government business when she was secretary of state. Donald Trump discusses immigration during the final US Presidential debate / EPA He said: "She shouldn't be allowed to run. It's crooked. She's guilty of a very serious crime. "Just in that respect I say it's rigged. She should never have been allowed to run for the presidency." How does the US election work? The two did not shake hands as they stepped onto the stage in Las Vegas from opposite sides, each briefly waving to the audience before immediately moving behind their podiums. In contrast to the fiery personal attacks of the first two debates, the candidates had a sharp but issues-based exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration at the beginning of the head to head. Mr Trump said if he is elected president he would make it a priority to make sure that bad hombres living in the US illegally would be booted out of the country. Things got heated as Mrs Clinton branded Mr Trump a "puppet" of Vladimir Putin after he claimed the Russian president had "no respect" for her. Loading.... "I don't know Putin," Mr Trump said. "He nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good," he said. Hillary Clinton waves to an audience member as she walks off the debate stage / REUTERS "He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president. "We're in very serious trouble. We have a country with tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads ... 1,800 nuclear warheads and she's playing chicken. "From everything I see, Putin has no respect for this person." Mr Clinton responded: "That's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States". Mr Trump replied: "No puppet! You're the puppet." Loading.... He went onto accuse Mrs Clintons campaign team of making up allegations of sexual assault against him. Since the last debate 10 days ago, several women have come forward to say Mr Trump groped or kissed them without consent. P rotesters formed a wall of taco trucks outside Donald Trumps Las Vegas hotel as he prepared for the final US Presidential debate. Hundreds of hospitality workers waving signs and banners gathered outside the hotel co-owned by the Republican presidential nominee ahead of his TV clash with Hillary Clinton on Wednesday. The action is in protest at Mr Trumps proposal to build a wall on the US border with Mexico and comments by his supporter Marco Gutierrez who said that without action on immigration reform: "You're going to have taco trucks on every corner." "We have fought for our rights and we don't want Donald Trump to take them away from us," said Las Vegas resident and protester Miguel Faria. Protest: An activist outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas / EPA "If this man gets the presidency then everything will be ruined." Several demonstrators wore sashes printed with the phrases "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping," using the names that Mrs Clinton has said Mr Trump called a former beauty queen who had gained weight and who was Latina. How does the US election work? The protest was organised by the Culinary Union, which represents about 57,000 workers in the US state of Nevada, the majority of whom are Latino. Among the speakers at the protest was civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who said he hoped the candidates would stick to policies at Wednesday's debate, instead of attacking each other. He said: "We all as Americans live under one big tent. Hillary represents that higher ground. "I hope that tonight they will not wallow in snake politics but will fly like eagles and take us all to higher ground." 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 comedian, who was booed and jeered at during her show in Tampa, Florida on Sunday, read a sarcastic letter out while on stage in New York. Dearest Tampa: Im sorry you didnt want me, a comedian who talks about what she believes in, to mention the biggest thing going on in our country right now, she said. How could I think it was OK to spend five minutes having a peaceful conversation with someone with different views? After the show, I want you to know that I will go straight to a rehab facility that will teach me how to make all people happy - both the rich, entitled, white people who are gonna vote for him and the very poor people whove been tricked into it. Trump v Clinton: The third debate in numbers Schumer continued: And Tampa I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that he was an orange sexually assaulting fake college-starting monster. Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election 1 /93 Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump votes at PS 59 in New York Carlo Allegri/Reuters U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton fills out her ballot at the Douglas Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Brian Snyder/Reuters Topless protestors cause commotion at the site where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to work at PS 59 located at 233 East 56th Street in Manhattan NY Daily News via Getty Images Republician presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives at a polling station in New York to cast his ballot in the presidential election Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to vote in the U.S. presidential election at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Mike Segar/Reuters A voter looks at a sample ballot as he waits in line at a polling location in Kansas City, Missouri. Whitney Curtis/Getty Images Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont, Pennsylvania Jeff Swensen/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and her husband former President Bill Clinton, leave their polling place in Chappaqua Seth Wenig/AP lay Smith is the first voter to cast the ballot in the US presidential election, in the small village of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire Herb Swanson/EPA Poll workers look on as US President Barack Obama gestures towards the press as he votes early at the Cook County Office Building in Chicago, Illinois Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Elise Amendola/AP Donald Trump takes a break from speaking to compare his face to a mask during a rally at the Sarasota Fairgrounds in Sarasota, Florida Loren Elliott/The Tampa Bay Times via AP Lady Gaga speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and husband, former President Bill Clinton take the stage during a campaign rally in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Madonna sings a song as she campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a surprise performance at Washington Square Park in New York Matt Rourke/AP Musician Bruce Springsteen performs at an election eve rally for Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spencer Platt/Getty Images Supporters hold signs and a copy of the Bible during a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Manchester Charles Krupa/AP Republican vice presidential candidate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, speaks to a campaign rally before the arrival of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Manchester Bill Sikes/AP Jon Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga perform during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Musician Jon Bon Jovi performs at an election eve rally for Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on November in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spencer Platt/Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton boards her plane at Philadelphia International Airport Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Part of a Nov. 6, 2016, letter from FBI director James Comey to Congress is photographed in Washington. Comey tells Congress that a review of new Hillary Clinton emails has "not changed our conclusions" from earlier this year that she should not face charges Jon Elswick/AP Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during a campaign rally in Leesburg Evan Vucci/AP Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan Carlo Allegri/Reuters NBA basketball player Lebron James introduces U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio Carlo Allegri/Reuters A member of the audience holds a sign during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Sterling Heights, , Michigan Paul Sancya/AP President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Kissimmee. Florida John Raoux/AP Secret Service agents rush Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump off the stage during a campaign rally in Reno John Locher/AP Hillary Clinton smiles holding a mask onboard her campaign plane on Halloween Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of Donald Trump pose with a Hillary Clinton character during a campaign rally at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas John Gurzinski/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump holds a rainbow flag given to him by supporter Max Nowak during a campaign rally at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of University of Northern Colorado Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign event at The Manor Complex in Wilton Manors, Florida Getty Images A Donald Trump supporter's pet bulldog is decked out in campaign stickers Jason Connoll/ AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton joins Jennifer Lopez at a campaign concert in Miami, Florida Brian Snyder/Reuters A Donald Trump mural covering a building in Miami, Florida Rhona WiseAFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, greet supporters during a campaign rally in Winston-Salem Chuck Burton/AP A crowd gathers to watch as Donald Trump's vandalised star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is cleaned up Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton delivers birthday cake to reporters on her campaign plane Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A Donald Trump look-a-like walks with bikini-clad women in Times Square. The stunt was organized by artist Alison Jackson Drew Angerer/Getty Images Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hugs a the American flag as he arrives to speak to a campaign rally in Tampa Evan Vucci/AP Katy Perry speaks at a rally in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas AP Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to a member of the audience as she walks off the debate stage as Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump remains at his podium after the conclusion of their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada Mike Blake/Reuters NFL fans wear Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton masks during a game between the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals Norm Hall/Getty Images Donald Trump holds a child onstage during a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Hillary Clinton (Kate McKinnon) and Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) take on the 'Town Hall Debate Cold Open' on SNL Saturday Night Live Hillary Clinton chats to Ellen DeGeneres during a commercial break during the filming of the Ellen Show Brenan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images A Donald Trump themed fortune telling machine stands on the street in Columbus Circle in New YorK Lucas Jackson/Reuters Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump kisses a "Women for Trump" placard during a rally at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the town hall debate at Washington University Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Kevin Lake of Jefferson, Iowa, wears a wall outfit in honour of Donald Trump's pledge to build a wall along the Mexico border Scott Morgan/Reuters Donald Trump holds two-year-old Hunter Tirpak, who is dressed as Trump, during a rally at Mohegan Sun Arena Christopher Dolan/The Citizensi Voice via AP Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the town hall debate at Washington University Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images Ken Bone found himself going viral after his attention-grabbing question during the town hall debate at Washington University Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Donald Trump's daughters-in-law Lara Trump and Vanessa Trump and daughter Tiffany Trump Scott Olson/Getty Images Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump leave the stage after the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Melania (L) and Ivanka (C) Trump sit next to Republican vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence ahead of the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Joe Raedle/Pool/Reuters Hillary Clinton shakes hands with husband and former U.S. President Bill Clinton after the first Presidential Debate Joe Raedle/Getty Images Donald Trump with wife Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr.'s wife Vanessa Trump, Eric Trumps wife Lara Yunaska, and Eric Trump Paul J. Richards/AFP US actresses Lena Dunham and America Ferrera speak at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Peter Foley/EPA Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Hillary Clinton attempts to open a pickle jar on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Andy Holmes/ABC Donald Trump greets supporters at a rally at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images Denis Leary and James Corden on The Late Late Show CBS Donald Trump reacts to the cries of three-month-old Kellen Campbell, of Denver, right, while holding six-month-old Evelyn Keane, of Castel Rock, Colorado Joe Mahoney/Getty Images Bill Clintonon on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mike Segar/Reuters Alicia Keys performs at he Democratic National Convention Shawn Thew/EPA Meryl Streep at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center Alex Wong/Getty Images Donald Trump hugs his daughter Ivanka Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Sarah Palin endorses Donald Trump's run for the Republican presidential nomination Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images Donald Trump during a campaign stop on the campus of the University of Central Florida Joe Raedle/Getty Images I shouldn't have said that. I will never again say that he is an orange, sexual assaulting fake college-starting monster. Never again. The US star was met with a backlash after she turned her attentions to the impending presidential election while in Florida. More than 200 people got up and walked out halfway through her performance, with many other booing after she called Trump a "orange, sexual-assaulting, fake-college-starting monster". T om Cruise recreated scenes from all of his most iconic films in just nine minutes on the Late Late Show. Following in the footsteps of Tom Hanks and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the A-lister took on the challenge like a pro alongside James Corden on Wednesday night. Reminding fans of what an epic back catalogue he has, the 54-year-old delivered some of his most famous one-liners from films including Top Gun and Jerry Maguire. Are you ready to do this? Corden asked the superstar before they started. No, Im not ready. Im really not ready, but Ill do it anyway, Cruise responded. The pair kicked off by acting out scenes from 1986 classic Top Gun and quickly transitioned to Days Of Thunder, Rain Man and Tropic Thunder. Cameo: Cuba Gooding Jr pops up in the Jerry Maguire scene / LateLateShow/Youtube After acting out the five Mission Impossible films in quick succession, the pair smoothly slipped into Jerry Maguire. Cruises co-star Cuba Gooding Jr even made a surprise appearance, taking over from Corden in the iconic show me the money scene. After quick stop offs on films including Rock of Ages and Eyes Wide Shut, Cruise and Corden then showed off their impressive bar skills in a re-enactment of one of the bar scenes from Cocktail. During their Minority Report segment, Cruise described Corden as having a fake British accent, physique of a snowman and zero muscles. The nine minutes ends with the pair acting out the Cruises famous scene from Risky Business, with both showing off their vocal talents by singing along to Old Time Rock and Roll. H es known for spending hours talking to fans at his premieres and the London launch of Jack Reacher: Never Go Back was no different for Tom Cruise. The Hollywood A-lister arrived early to Thursday nights European premiere in Leicester Square and made sure that he chatted to every fan on the red carpet, despite getting off a plane just hours earlier. Making his arrival at the Cineworld more than half an hour before his co-stars, the 54-year-old was suited and booted and looking fresh-faced. But the star admitted that it was a little surreal to be at the crowded London premiere of his film less than 24 hours after he was in the US. Bringing the glam: Cobie Smulders on the red carpet in Leicester Square / Dave Benett I was LA last night and I just got off the plane and I'm in London tonight, he told Alex Zane on the red carpet. Its kind of crazy. You always face challenges making a movie, he added. Films are just a really demanding period. It takes months and months to prepare something like this. I'm always shooting one movie as I'm prepping the next movie. Suited and booted: Tom Cruise makes an early arrival / Dave Benett He went on to describe being back in London as fantastic, saying that he loved this city and this country. Discussing the new movie, he added: With each film you learn something different, learning pool or to fly a fighter jet or fighting in Jack Reacher. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back - Trailer 2 He's also military police so he has a different way of looking at the world. I always learn when Im making a film. Cruise was also joined on the red carpet by co-stars Cobie Smulders and Danika Yarosh. The follow-up to 2012s Jack Reacher sees Cruises action hero go on the run as a fugitive after uncovering a government conspiracy. Never Go Back is directed by Blood Diamonds Edward Zwick, and is based on the 2013 book of the same name from Lee Childs series. Christopher McQuarries first film proved a modest success on initial release, pulling in $218 million worldwide from a $60 million budget. For eight years now, a Boerum Hill couple has been putting their creative energies to great use terrifying little children in the neighborhood with their elaborate Halloween displays. And this year, the Wes Craven-approved horror family has invited you to go on a nightmare bus ride aboard the B666 line, where innocent pumpkins are terrorized, trampled, or induced to vomit up their seeds. There are 12 figures made up of a total of 25 pumpkins used in the display. The bus includes terrified pumpkin passengers puking as their malevolent bus driver gleefully takes credit (look at the confidence in that stance) for running over an innocent pumpkin person. Meanwhile, lots of pumpkin onlookers stand around snapping photos with their phones instead of calling the pumpkin police, which is basically a real thing these days. Whether or not this is a statement about Vision Zero or just another B-movie brainstorm from the minds who previously brought you bloody babies, bloody pumpkin massacres, and bloody clowns, we can't say for sure (mostly because the couple wasn't home when we stopped by this week). But if you want to see this display for yourself, just head over to Bergen Street between Bond and Nevins. While the rest of the nation needs a day off to recover from a debate-sourced emotional hangover, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will actually have to stomach food next to each other tonight at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria (expect some traffic in midtown!) Tradition also mandates the two candidates poke fun at themselves and each other, which should be easy enough for someone as thick-skinned and self-effacing as the Donald. The white-tie dinner, which benefits Catholic charities, celebrates Al Smith, a former Governor of New York and the first Catholic to win a presidential nomination back in the pre-#PussyGrabGate year of 1928. Since 1960, presidential candidates have been invited to roast their opponents, but some good-natured self-deprecation is expected, tooin 2012, a tuxedo-clad Mitt Romney joked that it was "nice to finally relax and wear what Ann and I wear around the house," while Obama noted re: his crappy first debate performance, "As some of you may have noticed, I had a lot more energy in our second debate. I felt really well-rested after the nice, long nap I had in the first debate." Presidents are not great comedians, but it is nice when candidates can be civil to one another, which is something both Donald "Such A Nasty Woman" Trump and Hillary "What Is With This Fucking Guy?" Clinton have struggled with in the last couple of debates (though, in fairness, if any person spoke to me in the sniveling tone Trump uses to address Clinton, I'd physically assault him and do my prison time in stride). It's hard to imagine this year's candidates poking gentle fun at each other. Still harder, though, is imagining Trump making jokes about himself. I have never seen Trump laugh, and aside from his apparent "jokes" about, say, sexual assault, or encouraging a foreign nation to hack our emails, it does not appear that he has much of a sense of humor, least of all about himself. This is a man who criticized SNL for parodying him, even though SNL invited him to sully its stage last year. This is a man who, when roasted by Seth Meyers at the 2011 White House Press Correspondents Dinner, sat stony-faced and silently seethed. He didn't seem to enjoy Obama's jokes, either: So, tonight Hillary will probably make some lame jokes about how she's basically a reanimated corpse or a robot, while Trump will threaten to sue everyone in the room. Should be fun! It's also noteworthy that the former governor/presidential candidate whom this dinner memorializes was one of Trump's father's ideological enemies. Fred Trump, the man who sired our current national nightmare, was arrested at a Ku Klax Klan rally in Queens 1927, while protesting the "Roman Catholic police of New York City" who were allegedly assaulting "Native-born Protestant Americans." This anti-Catholic outrage came right around the time Smith was discussing making a presidential run, and Smith made combating bigotry a part of his campaign platform. I, as the candidate of the Democratic Party, owe it to the people of this country to discuss frankly and opening with them this attempt to inject bigotry, hatred, intolerance and un-American sectarian division into a campaign which should be an intelligent debate of the important issues which confront the American people, he said in a broadcasted 1928 speech. Perhaps Smith's ghost will be kind enough to grace us with a cameo tonight. More than 100 peoplemostly womengathered outside of Trump Tower in midtown before last night's final presidential debate to voice their passionate opposition to both Donald Trump's candidacy and to his pathological sexism. According to organizer Karen Fratti, the protest, dubbed "Pussy Power at Trump Tower," was organized by four women over drinks and is unrelated to the #GOPHandsOffMe protests that have taken place outside the building twice since October 12th. The crowd, made up of women of all ages (and a dozen or so men), included women dressed as a human wall, a woman in a Trump costume who mimed attacking the protesters before running away, and a woman dressed as a giant vulva. For some, the protest was as much about supporting Hillary Clinton as it was about denouncing Trump. And many women brought their children to the rally in an effort to teach them that sexual assault and hate speech should always be condemned. "I am so thrilled, overjoyed, excited to vote for Hillary," Jennifer Hughes, 42, told Gothamist. Hughes and her 13-year-old daughter Vivian had come to the protest from Jersey City. "Obviously you don't necessarily want to take your 13-year-old to a protest about pussies, but if that's what it takes to raise awareness about sexual assault, that's what I'll do," Hughes said. "Any boy at my school would get suspended for saying those things," Vivian added. "They'd get in more trouble than Trump did." Rachel Klein and her 34-year-old daughter Raisa Rexer, both from Brooklyn, were at the protest with Rexer's 5-year-old and 18-month-old sons. "I'm excited to build some momentum for Hillary. I'm excited to have a female president!" Rexer exclaimed. "This is amazing, all the women who are here. Not only is Trump not fit to be a politician, but he's a groper. When I heard about the tapes, I wasn't shocked; he's racist, a horrible businessman, an idiot. This isn't the only thing I'm mad about." Dawn Babbush brought her two children and four of their classmates from the School of Arts & Letters in Fort Greene to the protest. Throughout the rally, Babbush divided her time between chanting"Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump, go away!"and making sure the children didn't wander off. The kids were carrying signs that read "Pussy Power!" and "I'm just finding my voice. Don't silence me with your misogyny" and asked Babbush if they could march one more time before returning home. "We can't just tell children that things are wrong in the world and then not connect them with the means to express their thoughts and feelings," Babbush later said in an email. "We must connect them with opportunities and empower them to have their voices heard." Even though the attendees were horrified by Trump's words and actions, few were surprisedbut many found their lack of surprise especially troubling. "I was young in the '80s in New York City," Jennie Driesen, 51, said. "I saw all his scandals. I'm just glad someone shared this," she said of Trump's infamous hot mic tape that made pussy a part of public discourse. "I think a lot of people out there don't know the truth about him." Pussy Power attracted a handful of pro-Trump counter-protesters: a 16-year-old boy from Brooklyn, a 70-year-old man from the Bronx, 31-year-old man of Syrian descent, a man from Staten Island who previously supported Bernie; and a resident of Trump Tower were among them. "I see him in the elevator. I know his kids. I know a different man," a 56-year-old woman who gave her name as Elena said. "He is so nice with womenlook at his daughter. I don't believe this whole accusation." Less than two hours later, Trump called Hillary Clinton a "nasty woman" on national television during the final presidential debate. The meltdown at Chernobyl occurred at 1:23:58 a.m., on April 26, 1986. Three days later, TASS, the Soviet news agency, released a short statement there was an accident. In the aftermath, it was suggested to people who knew what was happening to keep quiet. Since 1986, Ive read news articles and magazine features, and watched documentaries about Chernobyl. Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of the Nuclear Disaster, was like nothing else Id read. It is a compilation of interviews with survivors and is set as a narrative, with breaks in between speakers. Sometimes, speakers are named, other times its wife or soldier or something similar. Still others are not identified at all. Author Svetlana Alexievich lets the stories flow, the rawness of memory revealed. Its the heartbreaking testimony of a catastrophe. Among the heart-wrenching stories, two accounts remain with me. In a seven page monologue, Zoya Bruk, environmental inspector said, They only started making noise after our Belarussian writer Aleksei Adamovich spoke out in Moscow, raising the alarm. How they hated him! It was unreal. their children live here, and their grandchildren, but instead of them its a writer calling to the world: Save us! Youd think some sort of self-preservation mechanism would kick in. Instead, at all the Party meetings, and during smoke breaks, all you heard about was those writers. Why are they sticking their noses where they dont belong? Adamovich stuck his nose where it didnt belong because he saw an injustice. The Soviet government wasnt telling people what was happening. They said everything was fine, while all forms of life plants, animals, people were in grave danger. Adamovich spoke out and was hated for it. Vasily Nesterenko, former director of the Institute for Nuclear Energy at the Belarussian Academy of Sciences, had this to say about what happened when he tried to tell people about the dangers of Cherynobl, It was more like a conspiracy of ignorance and obedience. The principle of their lives, the one thing the Party machine had taught them, was never to stick their necks out. Better to keep everyone happy. Platonov, the president of the Academy of Sciences called me in. The Belarussian people will remember you someday, youve done a lot for them, but you shouldnt have written to Moscow. That was very bad. Theyre demanding that I relieve you of your post. Why did you write? Dont you understand who youre going up against? Im sure Nesterenko knew exactly what he was going up against. The real question is, as a citizen, do you want to live in a world where you are the soldier who lies to the grandma that the milk from her cow is safe to drink while party officials whisk their wives and children to safety and say everything is fine? For those who write, running away isnt an option. A prosecutor in North Dakota sought charges twice against Democracy Now! host and award-winning journalist Amy Goodman for reporting on the Dakota Access Pipeline Project. At the time of her reporting, no other major network had been to the site. She was instrumental in bringing the story into the open. Documentary filmaker Laura Poitras was stopped 50 times at the U.S. border in six years. Poitras co-founded The Intercept. On one occasion, security officers at the airport refused to allow her to take notes on her interrogation, arguing that her pen could be used as a weapon, wrote Jenna McLaughlin for the Intercept. Poitras ceased to be harassed after Glenn Greenwald published an article in Salon about the constant harassment. Tamoa Calzadilla, former Venezuelan investigative reporter, was interrogated by her government and had multiple breakins at her home after reporting on police brutality. She told the New York Times in March she had a message for the United States. I want to tell the journalists, and the people, that they must be constantly aware of the danger of a less-free press. Buzzfeed wrote of what could happen, citing Russia in the early 2000s. Putin moved heavily against privately owned television networks, and where critical journalists like Paul Klebnikov and, later, Anna Politkovskaya wound up dead. But in a contemporary world shaped by media, the trend is global. Index on Censorship reports and updates on journalists who are threatened and/or imprisoned for criticizing governments. One case is of Azadliq journalist Seymur Hezi in Azerbaijan who was sentenced to five years in prison. We should be careful when we hear presidential candidates say they will find a way to loosen libel laws and throw journalists in prison for saying things candidates dont like. Journalism is about shining a light on what the most powerful factions do in the dark, Glenn Greenwald wrote on Twitter on Saturday. It is in that darkness where investigative reporters walk to inform the world of injustices the powers that be do not want the public to know. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe Late Wednesday night, days before the four year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, members of the City Council received Mayor de Blasio's formal admission that his office will not finish construction on hurricane-damaged homes in the Build It Back program by the end of 2016, as promised. "We will fall short of that goal, for which my team and I take personal responsibility," de Blasio wrote in the introduction to his October Build It Back Progress Update, which is now public [PDF]. Instead, the mayor said, 75 percent of the 4,016 single-family homes that the city is rebuilding from the ground up are on track for completion by year's end. Widen the pool to include all homes in the program, and more than 3,000 of the total 5,565 are incomplete as of this monthabout 56 percent of them. Build it Back leaders detailed snags the project has hit since its June 2013 inception. For one, the sandy terrain underneath many damaged buildings proved difficult to build on. "The original model assumed that over 90% of these houses could be lifted and set back down," said Build It Back Director Amy Peterson. "Certainly what we found with the architects, is that this is not what it takes." John Grathwol, budget director for the Office of Management and Budget, added that, in the midst of a construction boom, the program has "struggled to get enough architects." The shortcomings of Build it Back, which was formed during the Bloomberg administration to help families either elevate their homes above flood level, permanently relocate, or demolish and rebuild completely, have been widely reported. By February 2014, more than a year after the storm, no houses had been built in the program. By that July, 30 had. In June, a Build It Back house in Gerritsen Beach collapsed dramatically and, it could be said, metaphorically. The process of acquiring allocated federal funds has proven lengthy and complicated. But the City Council's Committee on Recovery and Resiliency said during a Thursday hearing that this latest update speaks to City Hall's communication failures. The Committee is tasked with monitoring the progress and cost of storm-recovery efforts, but says the city has kept them in the dark about major holdups twice in under two months. In late September, the Wall Street Journal reported that Build it Back is $500 million over budget and will make up the difference using city taxpayer, rather than federal, moneynews that came as a surprise to the Council and dominated last month's oversight hearing. Now, this status update. "The cavalier disregard for this oversight committee is truly shameful," said Committee Chair Mark Treyger, who represents Coney Island. "It feels a little like groundhog day," added Council Member Steven Matteo, who has many constituents in the program. Matteo added that he is worried that other capital projects might suffer as a result of the $500 million reallocation to a program that's not keeping its promises. "I'm very uncomfortable with all of the money moving around," he said. "I feel like you're asking us to make a leap of faith that we're not going to have a huge budget hole in the coming years." "We failed you and failed ourselves in [not] bringing our case to you in advance of our hearing," said Grathwal, of the budget shortcoming. "We'll do better." Staten Island's Midland Beach a few days after Sandy (Jessica Lehrman / Gothamist) Treyger said the latest news is especially upsetting in light of the fact that Build It Back was initially budgeted to serve 22,000 applicants, and is now serving only 8,585. "The amount of $1.7 billion was initially estimated for a pool of 22,000 [households]," he said. "Now there's been a shifting of hundreds of millions in city capital, which takes us to $2.2 billion. That's $2.2 billion to serve a total of 8,500 applicants. So clearly we are spending more than originally anticipated and only helping and assisting under half of the original applicant pool." Peterson said that her team has instated measures to help families that are considering exiting the program, like rental assistance during construction and help navigating the brutal rental market to find a temporary home. As for why so many people have left the program, she said the city had hired researchers from the City University of New York to "do some outreach to understand that better." In order to speed things up in the coming months, Peterson added that Build It Back is increasing incentives for homeowners to sell their damaged homes to New York State, rather than rebuild them. The maximum acquisition incentive is now $150,000, on top of the purchase price of the home pre-storm. But council members said on Thursday that the city should have done a better job of advertising the acquisition option, sooner: Why march forward with reconstruction efforts that have proven costly and challenging, when some homeowners might be better served with a check to ease their relocation further inland? If, as Treyger put it, "someone's home is literally right by the ocean, where there are still risks posed to them." "Acquisition was not advertised through all parts of the Sandy-impacted communities," Treyger claimed. "Families in my district were always told repair, or reimbursement. Acquisition was not talked about in Coney Island." Grathwol said that Build It Back is committed to giving residents the choice to stay in their communities. "If someone decides to get elevated and rehabbed, we are for that," he said. In the middle of Thursday's hearing, Council Member Matteo asked bluntly when the remaining 25 percent of the Sandy-damaged single-family homes will be complete. "We're committed to come out and see the interest in acquisition," Peterson deflected. Pressed later for a more direct answer she said, "We will come and let you know in November what the timeline is." 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. Amy Sidden describes her experience with breast cancer as a whirlwind, leaving little time to even process what was happening to her body before her treatment began. Sidden, 38, a Statesville resident who works in the finance department for Lowes Corporate Headquarters in Mooresville, describes herself as very active and outdoorsy, and said she loves traveling, photography, and her four pets. Her first brush with a cancer scare came when she was 17 years old, and Sidden said she was freaked out to find a lump at that age, but luckily, it turned out to be benign. From that point on, she was diligent about doing self-exams on a regular basis, which is how she found a lump in early October 2015. I already had an appointment scheduled for late October with my OB-GYN, so I decided to keep that and just wait, she said. The lump was closer to my armpit than my breast, so I didnt know what it could be, and thought maybe it was just a swollen lymph node. During her appointment, she was told to get a mammogram, and that she would probably need to get her lymph nodes biopsied, so an appointment was made with Dr. Michelle Bertsch. I wasnt concerned at that point, she said. I was a little nervous, but I sucked it up. Her mammogram was on Nov. 1, and she was also given an ultrasound, which she believed at the time was par for the course. Once I was dressed, though, the radiologist sat me down and said several times that I had areas that looked suspicious, and thats when I started paying more attention, Sidden said. THE DIAGNOSIS With two suspicious areas, Sidden was given two biopsies, a stereotactic biopsy and an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, and she said that made for a very long day, and then I had to wait for two weeks to find out the results. After meeting again with Dr. Bertsch, she was given a preliminary diagnosis of cancer. During all of my scans and screenings, the radiologists and staff members mentioned that I should bring someone with me to the results appointment, and they were right, Sidden said. I brought my boyfriend, who was the one asking questions when they told me what the results were. I was just sitting there going, 'OK, whats next?' I just wanted to move forward and do what I had to do to get this over with. Sidden scheduled an appointment with the oncologist for the following week, but still didnt tell anyone about her diagnosis, until a bonfire with friends just before Thanksgiving. I just didnt really want to talk about it, until we were leaving the bonfire, and I told my best friend that I loved her, Sidden said. Im not really a very emotional person, so she knew something was up, so I told her and we cried. SUPPORT GROUP BEGINS She later told her brother and parents, and slowly, she let her friends know. She said that telling them started the support group that carried her through her treatments. Sidden was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer (which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a breast cancer that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells) and estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer (meaning the hormone therapies that are available to treat breast cancer would not be effective). When I went to see the oncologist, I was just thinking, lets do the surgery and get this over with, she said. Chemotherapy was my worst fear, and I was scared to death to think about it. "Ive always been very healthy and I watch what I ingest, so thinking about all those chemicals in my body really scared me. When Sidden was told she would have chemotherapy before surgery, as one of her tumors was more than five centimeters and needed to shrink before surgery, she said it was the worst word I could have been told that day. But then a voice in my head said, do you want to have cancer, or do you want to treat it, cure it and move on? she said. I said, 'lets do it.' In early December 2015, she had her port put in and did a bone scan to make sure the cancer hadnt spread, which it did not. Her first round of chemotherapy was on Dec. 9. I actually went to (Lake Norman Regional Medical Centers) cancer support group before I started chemo, and I really had a sense of peace about it, she said. I felt like it was going to turn out fine. Her first day of chemo was seven hours long, with four different drugs. My brother came along to keep me company, I had friends and co-workers come to visit me, and it was so social, she said. I really appreciated all of the support that I got from my family and friends, as well as the nurses. TAKING CONTROL After her first treatment, Sidden decided to take control by making a drastic change to her long hair. I decided to cut my hair because I knew it was going to fall out, and I wanted to take control of what I could at the time, she explained. Four of my girlfriends came with me, and I felt like it was the first step in kicking cancers ass. I wanted my cancer to know that it picked the wrong girl, and that became my mantra through the whole experience. Humor was also one of Siddens coping mechanisms, and she said she tried to stay as positive as she could through the journey, cracking jokes about how her breast betrayed her. She added that Julie McClain, the hospitals oncology nurse navigator, was a wealth of information and helped her through the entire process. McClain was able to guide her to the hospitals Integrative Medicine program, which are educational, informative topics focusing on mind, body and spirit and incorporates conventional, as well as alternative therapies for current patients with cancer (as well as topics for cancer survivors, family members and caregivers). Sidden said she became interested in the therapeutic yoga program that McClain mentioned, and Shelly Johns, certified yoga instructor and owner of Your Karma in Mooresville, offers classes several times a week for $5, not only to cancer patients, but also to patients with illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and lupus. I wasnt sure if it was going to be my thing, since I am typically more about strength training and cardio, but one of the instructors, Teresa Sharp, is also a breast cancer survivor, and she was so open about her diagnosis and treatment, Sidden said. It felt awesome to connect with someone who knew what I was going through, and I find the classes very relaxing and rejuvenating. Johns said that the class focuses on range of motion and tends to pick up where physical therapy leaves off with exercises. Mentally, we incorporate that human touch in and some extra TLC, Johns said. We want them to know that self-care is so important. LOSING HER HAIR As Sidden continued on with her journey, she said that her first and second rounds of chemo went really well, and I started to get my hopes up that maybe this wouldnt be so bad. On New Years Eve, I had a round of chemo, and my friends FaceTimed me during their party, because I was sad about missing out, she said. A little part of me even wondered if it would be my last New Years Eve, and if it was my last one, I wanted to make sure I stayed awake until midnight, so I wouldnt miss it. A few days after her second round of chemo, her hair began to fall out by the handful. I decided to once again take charge, and asked a bunch of friends who had clippers, so I could shave it off, Sidden said. I ended up at a friends beautician shop, and we had fun with it. We shaved a little off, and I looked like Ace Ventura. After shaving it off bit by bit and having a good laugh, Sidden said she wasnt as traumatized by her newly shorn scalp as she thought she would be. I never ended up wearing a wig, because it felt like I was putting on a facade, and I wanted to be my true, authentic self throughout the entire experience, she said. As the rounds of chemo went on, Sidden said she started to feel more tired and had less of an appetite. HELPFUL COLLEAGUES I was fortunate that my team at work was so flexible and let me work from home as much as I needed to, but I tried to be in the office as much as I could, she said. That is, until the mumps hit Mooresville and the Lowes office. When our office started to have cases of mumps show up in February, my oncologist said that was it for me going into the office, because my body couldnt take it, she said. I was working from home from February until April. Her last round of the chemo cocktail was March 23, but Sidden still has to receive Herceptin infusions for an entire year after her diagnosis (which helps treat HER2-positive breast cancer), and has three left until her year is up. Her final treatment will be Nov. 30. In mid-April, she chose to have a double mastectomy, and also opted to do reconstructive surgery. On May 12, I went back to Dr. Bertsch as a follow-up to my surgery to discuss margins and pathology, Sidden said. She explained to me that the pathology was clean; meaning no signs of cancer. I consider this the day I became a survivor, as everything prior to that had been all about being a fighter. Her reconstructive surgery was Sept. 21, and Sidden said she feels pretty good. Now, she wants to make it her mission to give back and raise awareness. One of her first steps in giving back was to participate in the American Cancer Societys Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that took place on Oct. 15. With her friends, family and co-workers, the Amys Angels team managed to raise $1,423 for breast cancer research. Shes also making sure that everyone she knows is doing self-exams monthly to detect any irregularities. Its my passion to tell people about doing self-exams because it can save your life, she said. Its so important to do it and pay attention if anything isnt right. 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Donate today Head of Romania's Directorate for Organised Crime and Terror Investigation (DIICOT) Daniel Horodniceanu on Thursday said no letters rogatory have been completed for the UK in a case of false representation by British Sky News journalists, because cooperation with British authorities is quite hard to get. "There has been no outcome so far, which worries us all because two months have already passed and pre-trial measures have been ordered for the defendants in Romania, which seems a bit unfair, given that they did not act alone. Unfortunately, cooperation with Brutish authorities is quite hard to get. Cooperation with Brutish colleagues is harder to get than cooperation with other colleagues from Europe, and that will get even harder after the Brexit," Horodniceanu said at the DIICOT main office. He said data in his possession indicate that the case has reached the Home Office and a reply is awaited, but if the response does not come, international demarches will continue. According to DIICOT, in early July 2016, Aurelian Szanto, a Romanian citizen residing in the UK for several years, was contacted by phone by a British journalist who asked him to work as a translator for the Sky News channel. The journalist told him he intended to make a documentary on arms dealers, asking him to find people who would demonstrate firearms. Also Szanto said he cannot demonstrate military weapons, only hunting weapon legally possessed by one of his friends in Romania, the journalist agreed. Szanto got in touch with his friend Attila-Csaba Pantics, who agreed to make a demo together with his cousin Levente Pantics. The prosecutors also claimed that the British journalists offered Szanto 2,000 de euro for the "journalistic investigation," of which he kept 1,000 euro. The remaining 1,000 euro was to be shared by Attila Pantics and Levente Pantics. The reportage was shot on July 31, with Attila-Csaba Pantics, Levente Pantics and Aurelian Szanto cast as arms dealers with their heads covered ski masks. agerpres. More empathy is needed in relation with the migrants and it's time to specify the difference between refugees and migrants, said Ioan Jinga, Romania's ambassador to the United Nations, in an interview with the Euractiv website. "Let's imagine for one instant that one day we could share their fate," said the diplomat. He also stressed that the refugees are people who fled their native countries due to various reasons, like persecution, violence or conflict and that they need international protection, while the migrants are those who change their residence country regardless of the reasons they were made to emigrate for. "And yet, refugees or migrants, they share the same vulnerabilities, they benefit from the same universal human rights, and many of the challenges they share are similar," explained the Romanian diplomat. He added that over the past years, Romania has extended its contributions to include humanitarian activities and has constantly advocating for the observance of the international humanitarian law. "Starting from the affinity between development and migration, our country has expressed its strong support for solutions that combine the use of economic, humanitarian and of development tools, backed by the political dialogue and partnerships," stressed Jinga. He also emphasised that the obligations taken by Romania over the refugee crisis should be analysed in the larger context of all measures the Bucharest authorities have endorsed to helping solve the problems. "There is a joint European response Romania is contributing toward and backing. There is also a series of national financial contributions to support the activity of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) and also the EU Facility for the Syrian refugees in Turkey, toward which Romania will contribute 21.6 million lei in 2016- 2020," said Jinga. Likewise, he added, experts have been dispatched to the European Asylum Support Office, and one quarter of the foreign asylum experts in Greece comes from Romania. agerpres. The final debate of the 2016 presidential race came as Hillary Clinton threatened to shut the door on Donald Trump and as Donald Trump threatened to unleash a torrent of attacks and accusations about the "rigged" election process. WALLACE: Good evening from the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I'm Chris Wallace of Fox News, and I welcome you to the third and final of the 2016 presidential debates between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump. WALLACE: This debate is sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The commission has designed the format: Six roughly 15-minute segments with two-minute answers to the first question, then open discussion for the rest of each segment. Both campaigns have agreed to those rules. For the record, I decided the topics and the questions in each topic. None of those questions has been shared with the commission or the two candidates. The audience here in the hall has promised to remain silent. No cheers, boos, or other interruptions so we and you can focus on what the candidates have to say. WALLACE: No noise, except right now, as we welcome the Democratic nominee for president, Secretary Clinton, and the Republican nominee for president, Mr. Trump. (APPLAUSE) Secretary Clinton, Mr. Trump, welcome. Let's get right to it. The first topic is the Supreme Court. You both talked briefly about the court in the last debate, but I want to drill down on this, because the next president will almost certainly have at least one appointment and likely or possibly two or three appointments. WALLACE: Which means that you will, in effect, determine the balance of the court for what could be the next quarter century. First of all, where do you want to see the court take the country? And secondly, what's your view on how the Constitution should be interpreted? Do the founders' words mean what they say or is it a living document to be applied flexibly according to changing circumstances? In this segment, Secretary Clinton, you go first. You have two minutes. CLINTON: Thank you very much, Chris. And thanks to UNLV for hosting us. You know, I think when we talk about the Supreme Court, it really raises the central issue in this election, namely, what kind of country are we going to be? What kind of opportunities will we provide for our citizens? What kind of rights will Americans have? And I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people, not on the side of the powerful corporations and the wealthy. For me, that means that we need a Supreme Court that will stand up on behalf of women's rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community, that will stand up and say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system. I have major disagreements with my opponent about these issues and others that will be before the Supreme Court. But I feel that at this point in our country's history, it is important that we not reverse marriage equality, that we not reverse Roe v. Wade, that we stand up against Citizens United, we stand up for the rights of people in the workplace, that we stand up and basically say: The Supreme Court should represent all of us. That's how I see the court, and the kind of people that I would be looking to nominate to the court would be in the great tradition of standing up to the powerful, standing up on behalf of our rights as Americans. And I look forward to having that opportunity. I would hope that the Senate would do its job and confirm the nominee that President Obama has sent to them. That's the way the Constitution fundamentally should operate. The president nominates, and then the Senate advises and consents, or not, but they go forward with the process. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton, thank you. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, same question. Where do you want to see the court take the country? And how do you believe the Constitution should be interpreted? TRUMP: Well, first of all, it's great to be with you, and thank you, everybody. The Supreme Court: It's what it's all about. Our country is so, so -- it's just so imperative that we have the right justices. Something happened recently where Justice Ginsburg made some very, very inappropriate statements toward me and toward a tremendous number of people, many, many millions of people that I represent. And she was forced to apologize. And apologize she did. But these were statements that should never, ever have been made. We need a Supreme Court that in my opinion is going to uphold the Second Amendment, and all amendments, but the Second Amendment, which is under absolute siege. I believe if my opponent should win this race, which I truly don't think will happen, we will have a Second Amendment which will be a very, very small replica of what it is right now. But I feel that it's absolutely important that we uphold, because of the fact that it is under such trauma. I feel that the justices that I am going to appoint -- and I've named 20 of them -- the justices that I'm going to appoint will be pro-life. They will have a conservative bent. They will be protecting the Second Amendment. They are great scholars in all cases, and they're people of tremendous respect. They will interpret the Constitution the way the founders wanted it interpreted. And I believe that's very, very important. I don't think we should have justices appointed that decide what they want to hear. It's all about the Constitution of -- of -- and so important, the Constitution the way it was meant to be. And those are the people that I will appoint. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, thank you. WALLACE: We now have about 10 minutes for an open discussion. I want to focus on two issues that, in fact, by the justices that you name could end up changing the existing law of the land. First is one that you mentioned, Mr. Trump, and that is guns. Secretary Clinton, you said last year, let me quote, "The Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment." And now, in fact, in the 2008 Heller case, the court ruled that there is a constitutional right to bear arms, but a right that is reasonably limited. Those were the words of the Judge Antonin Scalia who wrote the decision. What's wrong with that? CLINTON: Well, first of all, I support the Second Amendment. I lived in Arkansas for 18 wonderful years. I represented upstate New York. I understand and respect the tradition of gun ownership. It goes back to the founding of our country. But I also believe that there can be and must be reasonable regulation. Because I support the Second Amendment doesn't mean that I want people who shouldn't have guns to be able to threaten you, kill you or members of your family. And so when I think about what we need to do, we have 33,000 people a year who die from guns. I think we need comprehensive background checks, need to close the online loophole, close the gun show loophole. There's other matters that I think are sensible that are the kind of reforms that would make a difference that are not in any way conflicting with the Second Amendment. You mentioned the Heller decision. And what I was saying that you referenced, Chris, was that I disagreed with the way the court applied the Second Amendment in that case, because what the District of Columbia was trying to do was to protect toddlers from guns and so they wanted people with guns to safely store them. And the court didn't accept that reasonable regulation, but they've accepted many others. So I see no conflict between saving people's lives and defending the Second Amendment. WALLACE: Let me bring Mr. Trump in here. The bipartisan Open Debate Coalition got millions of votes on questions to ask here, and this was, in fact, one of the top questions that they got. How will you ensure the Second Amendment is protected? You just heard Secretary Clinton's answer. Does she persuade you that, while you may disagree on regulation, that, in fact, she supports a Second Amendment right to bear arms? TRUMP: Well, the D.C. vs. Heller decision was very strongly -- and she was extremely angry about it. I watched. I mean, she was very, very angry when upheld. And Justice Scalia was so involved. And it was a well-crafted decision. But Hillary was extremely upset, extremely angry. And people that believe in the Second Amendment and believe in it very strongly were very upset with what she had to say. WALLACE: Well, let me bring in Secretary Clinton. Were you extremely upset? CLINTON: Well, I was upset because, unfortunately, dozens of toddlers injure themselves, even kill people with guns, because, unfortunately, not everyone who has loaded guns in their homes takes appropriate precautions. But there's no doubt that I respect the Second Amendment, that I also believe there's an individual right to bear arms. That is not in conflict with sensible, commonsense regulation. And, you know, look, I understand that Donald's been strongly supported by the NRA. The gun lobby's on his side. They're running millions of dollars of ads against me. And I regret that, because what I would like to see is for people to come together and say: Of course we're going to protect and defend the Second Amendment. But we're going to do it in a way that tries to save some of these 33,000 lives that we lose every year. WALLACE: Let me bring Mr. Trump back into this, because, in fact, you oppose any limits on assault weapons, any limits on high- capacity magazines. You support a national right to carry law. Why, sir? TRUMP: Well, let me just tell you before we go any further. In Chicago, which has the toughest gun laws in the United States, probably you could say by far, they have more gun violence than any other city. So we have the toughest laws, and you have tremendous gun violence. I am a very strong supporter of the Second Amendment. And I am -- I don't know if Hillary was saying it in a sarcastic manner, but I'm very proud to have the endorsement of the NRA. And it's the earliest endorsement they've ever given to anybody who ran for president. So I'm very honored by all of that. We are going to appoint justices -- this is the best way to help the Second Amendment. We are going to appoint justices that will feel very strongly about the Second Amendment, that will not do damage to the Second Amendment. WALLACE: Well, let's pick up on another issue which divides you and the justices that whoever ends up winning this election appoints could have a dramatic effect there, and that's the issue of abortion. TRUMP: Right. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, you're pro-life. But I want to ask you specifically: Do you want the court, including the justices that you will name, to overturn Roe v. Wade, which includes -- in fact, states -- a woman's right to abortion? TRUMP: Well, if that would happen, because I am pro-life, and I will be appointing pro-life judges, I would think that that will go back to the individual states. WALLACE: But I'm asking you specifically. Would you like to... TRUMP: If they overturned it, it will go back to the states. WALLACE: But what I'm asking you, sir, is, do you want to see the court overturn -- you just said you want to see the court protect the Second Amendment. Do you want to see the court overturn Roe v. Wade? TRUMP: Well, if we put another two or perhaps three justice on, that's really what's going to be -- that will happen. And that'll happen automatically, in my opinion, because I am putting pro-life justices on the court. I will say this: It will go back to the states, and the states will then make a determination. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton? CLINTON: Well, I strongly support Roe v. Wade, which guarantees a constitutional right to a woman to make the most intimate, most difficult, in many cases, decisions about her health care that one can imagine. And in this case, it's not only about Roe v. Wade. It is about what's happening right now in America. So many states are putting very stringent regulations on women that block them from exercising that choice to the extent that they are defunding Planned Parenthood, which, of course, provides all kinds of cancer screenings and other benefits for women in our country. Donald has said he's in favor of defunding Planned Parenthood. He even supported shutting the government down to defund Planned Parenthood. I will defend Planned Parenthood. I will defend Roe v. Wade, and I will defend women's rights to make their own health care decisions. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton... CLINTON: And we have come too far to have that turned back now. And, indeed, he said women should be punished, that there should be some form of punishment for women who obtain abortions. And I could just not be more opposed to that kind of thinking. WALLACE: I'm going to give you a chance to respond, but I want to ask you, Secretary Clinton, I want to explore how far you believe the right to abortion goes. You have been quoted as saying that the fetus has no constitutional rights. You also voted against a ban on late-term, partial-birth abortions. Why? CLINTON: Because Roe v. Wade very clearly sets out that there can be regulations on abortion so long as the life and the health of the mother are taken into account. And when I voted as a senator, I did not think that that was the case. The kinds of cases that fall at the end of pregnancy are often the most heartbreaking, painful decisions for families to make. I have met with women who toward the end of their pregnancy get the worst news one could get, that their health is in jeopardy if they continue to carry to term or that something terrible has happened or just been discovered about the pregnancy. I do not think the United States government should be stepping in and making those most personal of decisions. So you can regulate if you are doing so with the life and the health of the mother taken into account. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, your reaction? And particularly on this issue of late-term, partial-birth abortions. TRUMP: Well, I think it's terrible. If you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. Now, you can say that that's OK and Hillary can say that that's OK. But it's not OK with me, because based on what she's saying, and based on where she's going, and where she's been, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month on the final day. And that's not acceptable. CLINTON: Well, that is not what happens in these cases. And using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate. You should meet with some of the women that I have met with, women I have known over the course of my life. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make. And I do not believe the government should be making it. You know, I've had the great honor of traveling across the world on behalf of our country. I've been to countries where governments either forced women to have abortions, like they used to do in China, or forced women to bear children, like they used to do in Romania. And I can tell you: The government has no business in the decisions that women make with their families in accordance with their faith, with medical advice. And I will stand up for that right. WALLACE: All right. But just briefly, I want to move on to another segment... TRUMP: And, honestly, nobody has business doing what I just said, doing that, as late as one or two or three or four days prior to birth. Nobody has that. WALLACE: All right. Let's move on to the subject of immigration. And there is almost no issue that separates the two of you more than the issue of immigration. Actually, there are a lot of issues that separate the two of you. Mr. Trump, you want to build a wall. Secretary Clinton, you have offered no specific plan for how you want to secure our southern border. Mr. Trump, you are calling for major deportations. Secretary Clinton, you say that within your first 100 days as president you're going to offer a package that includes a pathway to citizenship. The question, really, is, why are you right and your opponent wrong? Mr. Trump, you go first in this segment. You have two minutes. TRUMP: Well, first of all, she wants to give amnesty, which is a disaster and very unfair to all of the people that are waiting on line for many, many years. We need strong borders. In the audience tonight, we have four mothers of -- I mean, these are unbelievable people that I've gotten to know over a period of years whose children have been killed, brutally killed by people that came into the country illegally. You have thousands of mothers and fathers and relatives all over the country. They're coming in illegally. Drugs are pouring in through the border. We have no country if we have no border. Hillary wants to give amnesty. She wants to have open borders. The border -- as you know, the Border Patrol agents, 16,500-plus ICE last week, endorsed me. First time they've ever endorsed a candidate. It means their job is tougher. But they know what's going on. They know it better than anybody. They want strong borders. They feel we have to have strong borders. I was up in New Hampshire the other day. The biggest complaint they have -- it's with all of the problems going on in the world, many of the problems caused by Hillary Clinton and by Barack Obama. All of the problems -- the single biggest problem is heroin that pours across our southern border. It's just pouring and destroying their youth. It's poisoning the blood of their youth and plenty of other people. We have to have strong borders. We have to keep the drugs out of our country. We are -- right now, we're getting the drugs, they're getting the cash. We need strong borders. We need absolute -- we cannot give amnesty. Now, I want to build the wall. We need the wall. And the Border Patrol, ICE, they all want the wall. We stop the drugs. We shore up the border. One of my first acts will be to get all of the drug lords, all of the bad ones -- we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out. We're going to get them out; we're going to secure the border. And once the border is secured, at a later date, we'll make a determination as to the rest. But we have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, thank you. Same question to you, Secretary Clinton. Basically, why are you right and Mr. Trump is wrong? CLINTON: Well, as he was talking, I was thinking about a young girl I met here in Las Vegas, Carla, who is very worried that her parents might be deported, because she was born in this country but they were not. They work hard, they do everything they can to give her a good life. And you're right. I don't want to rip families apart. I don't want to be sending parents away from children. I don't want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about in action in our country. We have 11 million undocumented people. They have 4 million American citizen children, 15 million people. He said as recently as a few weeks ago in Phoenix that every undocumented person would be subject to deportation. Now, here's what that means. It means you would have to have a massive law enforcement presence, where law enforcement officers would be going school to school, home to home, business to business, rounding up people who are undocumented. And we would then have to put them on trains, on buses to get them out of our country. I think that is an idea that is not in keeping with who we are as a nation. I think it's an idea that would rip our country apart. I have been for border security for years. I voted for border security in the United States Senate. And my comprehensive immigration reform plan of course includes border security. But I want to put our resources where I think they're most needed: Getting rid of any violent person. Anybody who should be deported, we should deport them. When it comes to the wall that Donald talks about building, he went to Mexico, he had a meeting with the Mexican president. Didn't even raise it. He choked and then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said we're not paying for that wall. So I think we are both a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws and that we can act accordingly. And that's why I'm introducing comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days with the path to citizenship. WALLACE: Thank you, Secretary Clinton. I want to follow up... TRUMP: Chris, I think it's... WALLACE: OK. TRUMP: I think I should respond to that. First of all, I had a very good meeting with the president of Mexico. Very nice man. We will be doing very much better with Mexico on trade deals. Believe me. The NAFTA deal signed by her husband is one of the worst deals ever made of any kind, signed by anybody. It's a disaster. Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally the wall wasn't built. But Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. WALLACE: Well, let me -- wait, wait, sir, let me... TRUMP: We are a country of laws. We either have -- and by the way... WALLACE: Now, wait. I'd like to hear from... TRUMP: Well -- well, but she said one thing. WALLACE: I'd like to hear -- I'd like to hear from Secretary Clinton. CLINTON: I voted for border security, and there are... TRUMP: And the wall. CLINTON: There are some limited places where that was appropriate. There also is necessarily going to be new technology and how best to deploy that. But it is clear, when you look at what Donald has been proposing, he started his campaign bashing immigrants, calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals and drug dealers, that he has a very different view about what we should do to deal with immigrants. Now, what I am also arguing is that bringing undocumented immigrants out from the shadows, putting them into the formal economy will be good, because then employers can't exploit them and undercut Americans' wages. And Donald knows a lot about this. He used undocumented labor to build the Trump Tower. He underpaid undocumented workers, and when they complained, he basically said what a lot of employers do: "You complain, I'll get you deported." I want to get everybody out of the shadows, get the economy working, and not let employers like Donald exploit undocumented workers, which hurts them, but also hurts American workers. WALLACE: Mr. Trump? TRUMP: President Obama has moved millions of people out. Nobody knows about it, nobody talks about it. But under Obama, millions of people have been moved out of this country. They've been deported. She doesn't want to say that, but that's what's happened, and that's what happened big league. As far as moving these people out and moving -- we either have a country or we don't. We're a country of laws. We either have a border or we don't. Now, you can come back in and you can become a citizen. But it's very unfair. We have millions of people that did it the right way. They're on line. They're waiting. We're going to speed up the process, big league, because it's very inefficient. But they're on line and they're waiting to become citizens. Very unfair that somebody runs across the border, becomes a citizen, under her plan, you have open borders. You would have a disaster on trade, and you will have a disaster with your open borders. WALLACE: I want to... TRUMP: But what she doesn't say is that President Obama has deported millions and millions of people just the way it is. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton, I want to... CLINTON: We will not have open borders. That is... WALLACE: Well, let me -- Secretary... CLINTON: That is a rank mischaracterization. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton... CLINTON: We will have secure borders, but we'll also have reform. And this used to be a bipartisan issue. Ronald Reagan was the last president... WALLACE: Secretary Clinton, excuse me. Secretary Clinton. CLINTON: ... to sign immigration reform, and George W. Bush supported it, as well. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton, I want to clear up your position on this issue, because in a speech you gave to a Brazilian bank, for which you were paid $225,000, we've learned from the WikiLeaks, that you said this, and I want to quote. "My dream is a hemispheric common market with open trade and open borders." So that's the question... TRUMP: Thank you. WALLACE: That's the question. Please quiet, everybody. Is that your dream, open borders? CLINTON: Well, if you went on to read the rest of the sentence, I was talking about energy. You know, we trade more energy with our neighbors than we trade with the rest of the world combined. And I do want us to have an electric grid, an energy system that crosses borders. I think that would be a great benefit to us. But you are very clearly quoting from WikiLeaks. And what's really important about WikiLeaks is that the Russian government has engaged in espionage against Americans. They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions. Then they have given that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting it on the Internet. This has come from the highest levels of the Russian government, clearly, from Putin himself, in an effort, as 17 of our intelligence agencies have confirmed, to influence our election. CLINTON: So I actually think the most important question of this evening, Chris, is, finally, will Donald Trump admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this and make it clear that he will not have the help of Putin in in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage against Americans, which he actually encouraged in the past? Those are the questions we need answered. We've never had anything like this happen in any of our elections before. WALLACE: Well? TRUMP: That was a great pivot off the fact that she wants open borders, OK? How did we get on to Putin? WALLACE: Hold on -- hold on, wait. Hold on, folks. Because we -- this is going to end up getting out of control. Let's try to keep it quiet so -- for the candidates and for the American people. TRUMP: So just to finish on the borders... WALLACE: Yes? TRUMP: She wants open borders. People are going to pour into our country. People are going to come in from Syria. She wants 550 percent more people than Barack Obama, and he has thousands and thousands of people. They have no idea where they come from. And you see, we are going to stop radical Islamic terrorism in this country. She won't even mention the words, and neither will President Obama. So I just want to tell you, she wants open borders. Now we can talk about Putin. I don't know Putin. He said nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good. If Russia and the United States got along well and went after ISIS, that would be good. He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president. And I'll tell you what: We're in very serious trouble, because we have a country with tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads -- 1,800, by the way -- where they expanded and we didn't, 1,800 nuclear warheads. And she's playing chicken. Look, Putin... WALLACE: Wait, but... TRUMP: ... from everything I see, has no respect for this person. CLINTON: Well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States. TRUMP: No puppet. No puppet. CLINTON: And it's pretty clear... TRUMP: You're the puppet! CLINTON: It's pretty clear you won't admit... TRUMP: No, you're the puppet. CLINTON: ... that the Russians have engaged in cyberattacks against the United States of America, that you encouraged espionage against our people, that you are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do, and that you continue to get help from him, because he has a very clear favorite in this race. So I think that this is such an unprecedented situation. We've never had a foreign government trying to interfere in our election. We have 17 -- 17 intelligence agencies, civilian and military, who have all concluded that these espionage attacks, these cyberattacks, come from the highest levels of the Kremlin and they are designed to influence our election. I find that deeply disturbing. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton... CLINTON: And I think it's time you take a stand... TRUMP: She has no idea whether it's Russia, China, or anybody else. CLINTON: I am not quoting myself. TRUMP: She has no idea. CLINTON: I am quoting 17... TRUMP: Hillary, you have no idea. CLINTON: ... 17 intelligence -- do you doubt 17 military and civilian... TRUMP: And our country has no idea. CLINTON: ... agencies. TRUMP: Yeah, I doubt it. I doubt it. CLINTON: Well, he'd rather believe Vladimir Putin than the military and civilian intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect us. I find that just absolutely... (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way. WALLACE: Mr. Trump... TRUMP: Excuse me. Putin has outsmarted her in Syria. WALLACE: Mr. Trump... (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: He's outsmarted her every step of the way. WALLACE: I do get to ask some questions. TRUMP: Yes, that's fine. WALLACE: And I would like to ask you this direct question. The top national security officials of this country do believe that Russia has been behind these hacks. Even if you don't know for sure whether they are, do you condemn any interference by Russia in the American election? TRUMP: By Russia or anybody else. WALLACE: You condemn their interference? TRUMP: Of course I condemn. Of course I -- I don't know Putin. I have no idea. WALLACE: I'm not asking -- I'm asking do you condemn? TRUMP: I never met Putin. This is not my best friend. But if the United States got along with Russia, wouldn't be so bad. Let me tell you, Putin has outsmarted her and Obama at every single step of the way. Whether it's Syria, you name it. Missiles. Take a look at the "start up" that they signed. The Russians have said, according to many, many reports, I can't believe they allowed us to do this. They create warheads, and we can't. The Russians can't believe it. She has been outsmarted by Putin. And all you have to do is look at the Middle East. They've taken over. We've spent $6 trillion. They've taken over the Middle East. She has been outsmarted and outplayed worse than anybody I've ever seen in any government whatsoever. WALLACE: We're a long way away from immigration, but I'm going to let you finish this topic. You got about 45 seconds. TRUMP: And she always will be. CLINTON: I -- I find it ironic that he's raising nuclear weapons. This is a person who has been very cavalier, even casual about the use of nuclear weapons. He's... TRUMP: Wrong. CLINTON: ... advocated more countries getting them, Japan, Korea, even Saudi Arabia. He said, well, if we have them, why don't we use them, which I think is terrifying. But here's the deal. The bottom line on nuclear weapons is that when the president gives the order, it must be followed. There's about four minutes between the order being given and the people responsible for launching nuclear weapons to do so. And that's why 10 people who have had that awesome responsibility have come out and, in an unprecedented way, said they would not trust Donald Trump with the nuclear codes or to have his finger on the nuclear button. TRUMP: I have 200 generals... WALLACE: Very quickly. TRUMP: ... and admirals, 21 endorsing me, 21 congressional Medal of Honor recipients. As far as Japan and other countries, we are being ripped off by everybody in the -- we're defending other countries. We are spending a fortune doing it. They have the bargain of the century. All I said is, we have to renegotiate these agreements, because our country cannot afford to defend Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, South Korea, and many other places. We cannot continue to afford -- she took that as saying nuclear weapons. WALLACE: OK. TRUMP: Look, she's been proven to be a liar on so many different ways. This is just another lie. CLINTON: Well, I'm just quoting you when you were asked... TRUMP: There's no quote. You're not going to find a quote from me. CLINTON: ... about a potential nuclear -- nuclear competition in Asia, you said, you know, go ahead, enjoy yourselves, folks. That kind... TRUMP: And defend yourselves. CLINTON: ... of language -- well... TRUMP: And defend yourselves. I didn't say nuclear. And defend yourself. CLINTON: The United States has kept the peace -- the United States has kept the peace through our alliances. Donald wants to tear up our alliances. I think it makes the world safer and, frankly, it makes the United States safer. I would work with our allies in Asia, in Europe, in the Middle East, and elsewhere. That's the only way we're going to be able to keep the peace. WALLACE: We're going to -- no, we are going to move on to the next topic, which is the economy. And I hope we handle that as well as we did immigration. You also have very different ideas about how to get the economy growing faster. Secretary Clinton, in your plan, government plays a big role. You see more government spending, more entitlements, more tax credits, more tax penalties. Mr. Trump, you want to get government out with lower taxes and less regulation. TRUMP: Yes. WALLACE: We're going to drill down into this a little bit more. But in this overview, please explain to me why you believe that your plan will create more jobs and growth for this country and your opponent's plan will not. In this round, you go first, Secretary Clinton. CLINTON: Well, I think when the middle class thrives, America thrives. And so my plan is based on growing the economy, giving middle-class families many more opportunities. I want us to have the biggest jobs program since World War II, jobs in infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. I think we can compete with high-wage countries, and I believe we should. New jobs and clean energy, not only to fight climate change, which is a serious problem, but to create new opportunities and new businesses. I want us to do more to help small business. That's where two- thirds of the new jobs are going to come from. I want us to raise the national minimum wage, because people who live in poverty should not -- who work full-time should not still be in poverty. And I sure do want to make sure women get equal pay for the work we do. I feel strongly that we have to have an education system that starts with preschool and goes through college. That's why I want more technical education in high schools and in community colleges, real apprenticeships to prepare young people for the jobs of the future. I want to make college debt-free and for families making less than $125,000, you will not get a tuition bill from a public college or university if the plan that I worked on with Bernie Sanders is enacted. And we're going to work hard to make sure that it is, because we are going to go where the money is. Most of the gains in the last years since the Great Recession have gone to the very top. So we are going to have the wealthy pay their fair share. We're going to have corporations make a contribution greater than they are now to our country. That is a plan that has been analyzed by independent experts which said that it could produce 10 million new jobs. By contrast, Donald's plan has been analyzed to conclude it might lose 3.5 million jobs. Why? Because his whole plan is to cut taxes, to give the biggest tax breaks ever to the wealthy and to corporations, adding $20 trillion to our debt, and causing the kind of dislocation that we have seen before, because it truly will be trickle-down economics on steroids. So the plan I have I think will actually produce greater opportunities. The plan he has will cost us jobs and possibly lead to another Great Recession. WALLACE: Secretary, thank you. Mr. Trump, why will your plan create more jobs and growth than Secretary Clinton's? TRUMP: Well, first of all, before I start on my plan, her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes. Her tax plan is a disaster. And she can say all she wants about college tuition. And I'm a big proponent. We're going to do a lot of things for college tuition. But the rest of the public's going to be paying for it. We will have a massive, massive tax increase under Hillary Clinton's plan. TRUMP: But I'd like to start off where we left, because when I said Japan and Germany, and I'm -- not to single them out, but South Korea, these are very rich, powerful countries. Saudi Arabia, nothing but money. We protect Saudi Arabia. Why aren't they paying? She immediately -- when she heard this, I questioned it, and I questioned NATO. Why aren't the NATO questioned -- why aren't they paying? Because they weren't paying. Since I did this -- this was a year ago -- all of a sudden, they're paying. And I've been given a lot -- a lot of credit for it. All of a sudden, they're starting to pay up. They have to pay up. We're protecting people, they have to pay up. And I'm a big fan of NATO. But they have to pay up. She comes out and said, we love our allies, we think our allies are great. Well, it's awfully hard to get them to pay up when you have somebody saying we think how great they are. We have to tell Japan in a very nice way, we have to tell Germany, all of these countries, South Korea, we have to say, you have to help us out. We have, during his regime, during President Obama's regime, we've doubled our national debt. We're up to $20 trillion. So my plan -- we're going to renegotiate trade deals. We're going to have a lot of free trade. We're going to have free trade, more free trade than we have right now. But we have horrible deals. Our jobs are being taken out by the deal that her husband signed, NAFTA, one of the worst deals ever. Our jobs are being sucked out of our economy. You look at all of the places that I just left, you go to Pennsylvania, you go to Ohio, you go to Florida, you go to any of them. You go upstate New York. Our jobs have fled to Mexico and other places. We're bringing our jobs back. I am going to renegotiate NAFTA. And if I can't make a great deal -- then we're going to terminate NAFTA and we're going to create new deals. We're going to have trade, but we're going -- we're going to terminate it, we're going to make a great trade deal. And if we can't, we're going to do it -- we're going to go a separate way, because it has been a disaster. We are going to cut taxes massively. We're going to cut business taxes massively. They're going to start hiring people. We're going to bring the $2.5 trillion... WALLACE: Time, Mr. Trump. TRUMP: ... that's offshore back into the country. We are going to start the engine rolling again, because... WALLACE: Mr. Trump? TRUMP: ... right now, our country is dying at 1 percent GDP. CLINTON: Well, let me translate that, if I can, Chris, because... TRUMP: You can't. CLINTON: ... the fact is, he's going to advocate for the largest tax cuts we've ever seen, three times more than the tax cuts under the Bush administration. I have said repeatedly throughout this campaign: I will not raise taxes on anyone making $250,000 or less. I also will not add a penny to the debt. I have costed out what I'm going to do. He will, through his massive tax cuts, add $20 trillion to the debt. Well, he mentioned the debt. We know how to get control of the debt. When my husband was president, we went from a $300 billion deficit to a $200 billion surplus and we were actually on the path to eliminating the national debt. When President Obama came into office, he inherited the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression. He has cut the deficit by two-thirds. So, yes, one of the ways you go after the debt, one of the ways you create jobs is by investing in people. So I do have investments, investments in new jobs, investments in education, skill training, and the opportunities for people to get ahead and stay ahead. That's the kind of approach that will work. WALLACE: Secretary... CLINTON: Cutting taxes on the wealthy, we've tried that. It has not worked the way that it has been promised. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton, I want to pursue your plan, because in many ways it is similar to the Obama stimulus plan in 2009, which has led to the slowest GDP growth since 1949. TRUMP: Correct. WALLACE: Thank you, sir. You told me in July when we spoke that the problem is that President Obama didn't get to do enough in what he was trying to do with his stimulus. So is your plan basically more -- even more of the Obama stimulus? CLINTON: Well, it's a combination, Chris. And let me say that when you inherit the level of economic catastrophe that President Obama inherited, it was a real touch-and-go situation. I was in the Senate before I became secretary of state. I've never seen people as physically distraught as the Bush administration team was because of what was happening to the economy. I personally believe that the steps that President Obama took saved the economy. He doesn't get the credit he deserves for taking some very hard positions. But it was a terrible recession. So now we've dug ourselves out of it, we're standing, but we're not yet running. So what I am proposing is that we invest from the middle out and the ground up, not the top down. That is not going to work. That's why what I have put forward doesn't add a penny to the debt, but it is the kind of approach that will enable more people to take those new jobs, higher-paying jobs. We're beginning to see some increase in incomes, and we certainly have had a long string of increasing jobs. We've got to do more to get the whole economy moving, and that's what I believe I will be able to do. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, even conservative economists who have looked at your plan say that the numbers don't add up, that your idea, and you've talked about 25 million jobs created, 4 percent... TRUMP: Over a 10-year period. WALLACE: ... growth is unrealistic. And they say -- you talk a lot about growing the energy industry. They say with oil prices as low as they are right now, that's unrealistic, as well. Your response, sir? TRUMP: So I just left some high representatives of India. They're growing at 8 percent. China is growing at 7 percent. And that for them is a catastrophically low number. We are growing -- our last report came out -- and it's right around the 1 percent level. And I think it's going down. Last week, as you know, the end of last week, they came out with an anemic jobs report. A terrible jobs report. In fact I said, is that the last jobs report before the election? Because if it is, I should win easily, it was so bad. The report was so bad. Look, our country is stagnant. We've lost our jobs. We've lost our businesses. We're not making things anymore, relatively speaking. Our product is pouring in from China, pouring in from Vietnam, pouring in from all over the world. I've visited so many communities. This has been such an incredible education for me, Chris. I've gotten to know so many -- I've developed so many friends over the last year. And they cry when they see what's happened. I pass factories that were thriving 20, 25 years ago, and because of the bill that her husband signed and she blessed 100 percent, it is just horrible what's happened to these people in these communities. Now, she can say that her husband did well, but, boy, did they suffer as NAFTA kicked in, because it didn't really kick in very much, but it kicked in after they left. Boy, did they suffer. That was one of the worst things that's ever been signed by our country. Now she wants to sign Trans-Pacific Partnership. And she wants it. She lied when she said she didn't call it the gold standard in one of the debates. She totally lied. She did call it the gold standard. And they actually fact checked, and they said I was right. I was so honored. WALLACE: I want you to give you a chance to briefly speak to that, and then I want to pivot to one-sixth of the economy... TRUMP: And that will be as bad as NAFTA. WALLACE: ... which is Obamacare. But go ahead, briefly. CLINTON: Well, first, let me say, number one, when I saw the final agreement for TPP, I said I was against it. It didn't meet my test. I've had the same test. Does it create jobs, raise incomes, and further our national security? I'm against it now. I'll be against it after the election. I'll be against it when I'm president. There's only one of us on this stage who's actually shipped jobs to Mexico, because that's Donald. He's shipped jobs to 12 countries, including Mexico. But he mentioned China. And, you know, one of the biggest problems we have with China is the illegal dumping of steel and aluminum into our markets. I have fought against that as a senator. I've stood up against it as secretary of state. Donald has bought Chinese steel and aluminum. In fact, the Trump Hotel right here in Las Vegas was made with Chinese steel. So he goes around with crocodile tears about how terrible it is, but he has given jobs to Chinese steelworkers, not American steelworkers. WALLACE: Mr. Trump? CLINTON: That's the kind of approach that is just not going to work. TRUMP: Well, let me just say -- let me just say. CLINTON: We're going to pull the country together. We're going to have trade agreements that we enforce. That's why I'm going to have a trade prosecutor for the first time in history. And we're going to enforce those agreements, and we're going to look for businesses to help us by buying American products. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton? Go ahead, Mr. Trump. TRUMP: Let me ask a simple question. She's been doing this for 30 years. Why the hell didn't you do it over the last 15, 20 years? CLINTON: No, I voted. TRUMP: You were very much involved -- excuse me. My turn. You were very much involved in every aspect of this country. Very much. And you do have experience. I say the one thing you have over me is experience, but it's bad experience, because what you've done has turned out badly. For 30 years, you've been in a position to help, and if you say that I use steel or I use something else, I -- make it impossible for me to do that. I wouldn't mind. The problem is, you talk, but you don't get anything done, Hillary. You don't. Just like when you ran the State Department, $6 billion was missing. How do you miss $6 billion? You ran the State Department, $6 billion was either stolen. They don't know. It's gone, $6 billion. If you become president, this country is going to be in some mess. Believe me. CLINTON: Well, first of all, what he just said about the State Department is not only untrue, it's been debunked numerous times. CLINTON: But I think it's really an important issue. He raised the 30 years of experience, so let me just talk briefly about that. You know, back in the 1970s, I worked for the Children's Defense Fund. And I was taking on discrimination against African-American kids in schools. He was getting sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination in his apartment buildings. In the 1980s, I was working to reform the schools in Arkansas. He was borrowing $14 million from his father to start his businesses. In the 1990s, I went to Beijing and I said women's rights are human rights. He insulted a former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, called her an eating machine. TRUMP: Give me a break. CLINTON: And on the day when I was in the Situation Room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting the "Celebrity Apprentice." So I'm happy to compare my 30 years of experience, what I've done for this country, trying to help in every way I could, especially kids and families get ahead and stay ahead, with your 30 years, and I'll let the American people make that decision. TRUMP: Well, I think I did a much better job. I built a massive company, a great company, some of the greatest assets anywhere in the world, worth many, many billions of dollars. I started with a $1 million loan. I agree with that. It's a $1 million loan. But I built a phenomenal company. And if we could run our country the way I've run my company, we would have a country that you would be so proud of. You would even be proud of it. And frankly, when you look at her real record, take a look at Syria. Take a look at the migration. Take a look at Libya. Take a look at Iraq. She gave us ISIS, because her and Obama created this huge vacuum, and a small group came out of that huge vacuum because when -- we should never have been in Iraq, but once we were there, we should have never got out the way they wanted to get out. She gave us ISIS as sure as you are sitting there. And what happened is now ISIS is in 32 countries. And now I listen how she's going to get rid of ISIS. She's going to get rid of nobody. WALLACE: All right. We are going to get to foreign hot spots in a few moments, but the next segment is fitness to be president of the United States. Mr. Trump, at the last debate, you said your talk about grabbing women was just that, talk, and that you'd never actually done it. And since then, as we all know, nine women have come forward and have said that you either groped them or kissed them without their consent. Why would so many different women from so many different circumstances over so many different years, why would they all in this last couple of weeks make up -- you deny this -- why would they all make up these stories? Since this is a question for both of you, Secretary Clinton, Mr. Trump says what your husband did and that you defended was even worse. Mr. Trump, you go first. TRUMP: Well, first of all, those stories have been largely debunked. Those people -- I don't know those people. I have a feeling how they came. I believe it was her campaign that did it. Just like if you look at what came out today on the clips where I was wondering what happened with my rally in Chicago and other rallies where we had such violence? She's the one and Obama that caused the violence. They hired people -- they paid them $1,500, and they're on tape saying be violent, cause fights, do bad things. I would say the only way -- because those stories are all totally false, I have to say that. And I didn't even apologize to my wife, who's sitting right here, because I didn't do anything. I didn't know any of these -- I didn't see these women. These women -- the woman on the plane, the -- I think they want either fame or her campaign did it. And I think it's her campaign. Because what I saw what they did, which is a criminal act, by the way, where they're telling people to go out and start fist-fights and start violence. And I'll tell you what, in particular in Chicago, people were hurt and people could have been killed in that riot. And that was now all on tape, started by her. I believe, Chris, that she got these people to step forward. If it wasn't, they get their 10 minutes of fame. But they were all totally -- it was all fiction. It was lies, and it was fiction. CLINTON: Well... WALLACE: Secretary Clinton? CLINTON: At the last debate, we heard Donald talking about what he did to women. And after that, a number of women have come forward saying that's exactly what he did to them. Now, what was his response? Well, he held a number of big rallies where he said that he could not possibly have done those things to those women because they were not attractive enough for them to be assaulted. TRUMP: I did not say that. I did not say that. CLINTON: In fact, he went on to say... WALLACE: Her two minutes -- sir, her two minutes. Her two minutes. TRUMP: I did not say that. WALLACE: It's her two minutes. CLINTON: He went on to say, "Look at her. I don't think so." About another woman, he said, "That wouldn't be my first choice." He attacked the woman reporter writing the story, called her "disgusting," as he has called a number of women during this campaign. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth, and I don't think there is a woman anywhere who doesn't know what that feels like. So we now know what Donald thinks and what he says and how he acts toward women. That's who Donald is. I think it's really up to all of us to demonstrate who we are and who our country is, and to stand up and be very clear about what we expect from our next president, how we want to bring our country together, where we don't want to have the kind of pitting of people one against the other, where instead we celebrate our diversity, we lift people up, and we make our country even greater. America is great, because America is good. And it really is up to all of us to make that true, now and in the future, and particularly for our children and our grandchildren. WALLACE: Mr. Trump... TRUMP: Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Nobody. (LAUGHTER) Nobody has more respect... WALLACE: Please, everybody. TRUMP: And frankly, those stories have been largely debunked. And I really want to just talk about something slightly different. She mentions this, which is all fiction, all fictionalized, probably or possibly started by her and her very sleazy campaign. But I will tell you what isn't fictionalized are her e-mails, where she destroyed 33,000 e-mails criminally, criminally, after getting a subpoena from the United States Congress. What happened to the FBI, I don't know. We have a great general, four-star general, today you read it in all of the papers, going to potentially serve five years in jail for lying to the FBI. One lie. She's lied hundreds of times to the people, to Congress, and to the FBI. He's going to probably go to jail. This is a four-star general. And she gets away with it, and she can run for the presidency of the United States? That's really what you should be talking about, not fiction, where somebody wants fame or where they come out of her crooked campaign. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton? CLINTON: Well, every time Donald is pushed on something which is obviously uncomfortable, like what these women are saying, he immediately goes to denying responsibility. And it's not just about women. He never apologizes or says he's sorry for anything. So we know what he has said and what he's done to women. But he also went after a disabled reporter, mocked and mimicked him on national television. TRUMP: Wrong. CLINTON: He went after Mr. and Mrs. Khan, the parents of a young man who died serving our country, a Gold Star family, because of their religion. He went after John McCain, a prisoner of war, said he prefers "people who aren't captured." He went after a federal judge, born in Indiana, but who Donald said couldn't be trusted to try the fraud and racketeering case against Trump University because his parents were Mexican. So it's not one thing. This is a pattern, a pattern of divisiveness, of a very dark and in many ways dangerous vision of our country, where he incites violence, where he applauds people who are pushing and pulling and punching at his rallies. That is not who America is. And I hope that as we move in the last weeks of this campaign, more and more people will understand what's at stake in this election. It really does come down to what kind of country we are going to have. TRUMP: So sad when she talks about violence at my rallies, and she caused the violence. It's on tape. WALLACE: During the last... TRUMP: The other things are false, but honestly, I'd love to talk about getting rid of ISIS, and I'd love to talk about other things... WALLACE: OK. TRUMP: ... but those other charges, as she knows, are false. WALLACE: In this bucket about fitness to be president, there's been a lot of developments over the last 10 days since the last debate. I'd like to ask you about them. These are questions that the American people have. Secretary Clinton, during your 2009 Senate confirmation hearing, you promised to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest with your dealing with the Clinton Foundation while you were secretary of state, but e-mails show that donors got special access to you. Those seeking grants for Haiti relief were considered separately from non-donors, and some of those donors got contracts, government contracts, taxpayer money. Can you really say that you kept your pledge to that Senate committee? And why isn't what happened and what went on between you and the Clinton Foundation, why isn't it what Mr. Trump calls pay to play? CLINTON: Well, everything I did as secretary of state was in furtherance of our country's interests and our values. The State Department has said that. I think that's been proven. But I am happy, in fact I'm thrilled to talk about the Clinton Foundation, because it is a world-renowned charity and I am so proud of the work that it does. You know, I could talk for the rest of the debate -- I know I don't have the time to do that. But just briefly, the Clinton Foundation made it possible for 11 million people around the world with HIV-AIDS to afford treatment, and that's about half all the people in the world who are getting treatment. In partnership with the American Health Association... WALLACE: Secretary Clinton... CLINTON: ... we have made environments in schools healthier for kids, including healthier lunches... WALLACE: Secretary Clinton, respectfully, this is -- this is an open discussion. CLINTON: Well, it is an open discussion. And you... WALLACE: And the specific question went to pay for play. Do you want to talk about that? CLINTON: Well, but there is no -- but there is no evidence -- but there is... (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: I think that it's been very well... WALLACE: Let's ask Mr. Trump. CLINTON: There is a lot of evidence about the very good work... TRUMP: It's been very well studied. CLINTON: ... and the high rankings... (CROSSTALK) WALLACE: Please let me Mr. Trump speak. TRUMP: ... and it's a criminal enterprise, and so many people know it. WALLACE: Please let Mr. Trump speak. (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: It's a criminal enterprise. Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all of these countries. You talk about women and women's rights? So these are people that push gays off business -- off buildings. These are people that kill women and treat women horribly. And yet you take their money. So I'd like to ask you right now, why don't you give back the money that you've taken from certain countries that treat certain groups of people so horribly? Why don't you give back the money? I think it would be a great gesture. Because she takes a tremendous amount of money. And you take a look at the people of Haiti. I was at a little Haiti the other day in Florida. And I want to tell you, they hate the Clintons, because what's happened in Haiti with the Clinton Foundation is a disgrace. And you know it, and they know it, and everybody knows it. WALLACE: Secretary Clinton? CLINTON: Well, very quickly, we at the Clinton Foundation spend 90 percent -- 90 percent of all the money that is donated on behalf of programs of people around the world and in our own country. I'm very proud of that. We have the highest rating from the watchdogs that follow foundations. And I'd be happy to compare what we do with the Trump Foundation, which took money from other people and bought a six- foot portrait of Donald. I mean, who does that? It just was astonishing. But when it comes to Haiti, Haiti is the poorest country in our hemisphere. The earthquake and the hurricanes, it has devastated Haiti. Bill and I have been involved in trying to help Haiti for many years. The Clinton Foundation raised $30 million to help Haiti after the catastrophic earthquake and all of the terrible problems the people there had. We have done things to help small businesses, agriculture, and so much else. And we're going to keep working to help Haiti... WALLACE: All right. CLINTON: ... because it's an important part of the American experience. TRUMP: They don't want you to help them anymore. (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: I'd like to mention one thing. Trump Foundation, small foundation. People contribute, I contribute. The money goes 100 percent -- 100 percent goes to different charities, including a lot of military. I don't get anything. I don't buy boats. I don't buy planes. What happens -- the money goes to them. WALLACE: Wasn't some of the money used to settle your lawsuits, sir? TRUMP: No, it was -- we put up the American flag. And that's it. They put up the American flag. We fought for the right in Palm Beach to put up the American flag. WALLACE: Right. But there was a penalty that was imposed by Palm Beach County, and the money came from your foundation... TRUMP: There was. There was. And, by the way... WALLACE: ... instead of Mar-a-Lago or yourself, sir. TRUMP: ... the money -- the money went to Fisher House, where they build houses -- the money that you're talking about went to Fisher House, where they build houses for veterans and disabled vets. WALLACE: I want to get into one... CLINTON: But, of course, there's no way we can know whether any of that is true, because he hasn't released his tax returns. He is the first candidate ever to run for president in the last 40-plus years who has not released his tax returns, so everything he says about charity or anything else, we can't prove it. You can look at our tax returns. We've got them all out there. But what is really troubling is that we learned in the last debate he has not paid a penny in federal income tax. And we were talking about immigrants a few minutes ago, Chris. You know, half of all immigrants -- undocumented immigrants in our country -- actually pay federal income tax. So we have undocumented immigrants in America who are paying more federal income tax than a billionaire. I find that just astonishing. WALLACE: I want... TRUMP: So let me just tell you very quickly, we're entitled because of the laws that people like her passed to take massive amounts of depreciation on other charges, and we do it. And all of her donors -- just about all of them -- I know Buffett took hundreds of millions of dollars, Soros, George Soros, took hundreds of millions of dollars... WALLACE: We... TRUMP: Let me just explain. WALLACE: But, no, we heard this... TRUMP: Most of her donors have done the same thing as I do. WALLACE: Mr. Trump, we -- OK. TRUMP: You know what she should have done? WALLACE: Folks, we heard this... TRUMP: And you know, Hillary, what you should have done, you should have changed the law when you were a United States senator... WALLACE: Folks, we heard this... TRUMP: ... because your donors and your special interests are doing the same thing as I do, except even more so. CLINTON: Well, you know... TRUMP: You should have changed the law. But you won't change the law, because you take in so much money. I mean, I sat in my apartment today on a very beautiful hotel down the street known as Trump... CLINTON: Made with Chinese steel. TRUMP: But I will tell you, I sat there... (LAUGHTER) ... I sat there watching ad after ad after ad, false ad. All paid for by your friends on Wall Street that gave so much money because they know you're going to protect them. The latest woman to accuse Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of sexual assault is a yoga instructor who came forward to share an alleged incident from 1998. In a Manhattan press conference with lawyer Gloria Allred, Karena Virginia said, "I have lost sleep over this. I have been fearful about bringing unwanted attention to me and my loving family, which includes my husband, daughter and son, but in the end, I feel that it is my duty as a woman, a mother, a human being and an American citizen to speak out and tell the truth about what happened to me." Virginia, who is from the tri-state area, was 27 years old and waiting for a car to take her home after the U.S. Open in Flushing, Queens in 1998 when she encountered Trump. "As I was waiting, Donald Trump approached me. I knew who he was but I had never met him," she said. "He was with a few other men. I was surprised when I overheard him talking to the other men about me. He said, 'Hey, look at this one, we haven't seen her before, look at those legs': as though I was an object rather than a person. He then walked up to me and reached out his right arm and grabbed my right arm. Then his hand touch the right side of my breast." "I was in shock," Virginia recalled. "I flinched. He said, 'Don't you know who I am?' I felt intimidated and powerless." She said she responded "Yes," and then left in her car. "My shock turned to shame," Virginia told reporters today. "I felt ashamed that I was wearing a short dress and heels. That feeling of shame stayed with me for a while. And it made me disinclined to wear short dresses or high heels. For a number of years afterwards, I struggled with what to wear so as not to attract unwanted attention. I can remember one evening discussing this with my husband when he asked me why I did not enjoy dress shopping and why I would often wear a shawl at a dinner party or wear a longer dress. I had made my husband aware of what Mr. Trump had done to me. It was difficult for him to understand why I would ever blame myself for being violated." Latest Trump accuser says he "violated" her in press conference with Gloria Allred https://t.co/H9n7JKbYS7 pic.twitter.com/lXT0ATHIqU CBS News (@CBSNews) October 20, 2016 Then, five years ago, Virginia said she saw Trump "in a business setting with many other people around. He looked me up and down a few times in a lecherous manner. This time, mixed with the feelings of shame, I felt disgust towards him because I had come to the realization that I was the victim and he had violated me when he groped me years earlier. I now understand that I was not to blame." "She has shown tremendous courage in coming forward," Allred said of Virginia. Allred held a press conference last week with another Trump accuser, Summer Zervos, a former Apprentice contestant who accused Trump of groping and kissing her during what she thought would be a business meeting. Virginia, Allred said, was "noteworthy in that her allegations demonstrate how Mr. Trump selects his victims at random." Virginia was emotional (Getty Images) Allred, who was an elected delegate for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic convention, said she has had no contact with the Clinton campaign. The attorney said she is aghast at Trump's apparent use of his fame and celebrity to assault women: "The fact that you're a celebrity does not give you a license to violate women. To the contrary it gives you more responsibility to respect women as many women will look up to you as a role model because of your celebrity status. To show respect to women means that you need to respect their boundaries and not to act on your impulses to grab and grope at your pleasure." Virginia was motivated to contact Allred after the Access Hollywood tape, which featured Trump bragging to host Billy Bush how he happily kisses and grabs women by the genitals without asking for consent, was leaked two weeks ago. Virginia also said that Trump's subsequent claims that this was just "talk" also prompted her to come forward. "No one has asked me to come forward," Virginia told reporters. "In fact, many people advised me not to speak publicly about what Donald Trump did to me out of concern that I would also be attacked by him. I have been advised that Mr. Trump will probably call me a liar just as he has called all the other women liars who have made accusations against him, or perhaps he will just label me as another 'nasty woman.'" She later reflected on her work as a yoga instructor, "I truly believe in the divine and in God... We are in a time of crisis. We are all need to find this inner peace within ourselves. This is how I'm finding my inner peace." COLUMBUS, Ohio The former CEO of a Phoenix-based traffic-camera company has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for her role in a scheme to bribe public officials in Ohio's capital city in exchange for city contracts. A federal judge in Columbus, Ohio, sentenced Karen Finley on Wednesday to 14 months in prison. Finley pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit bribery. She awaits sentencing in a similar corruption case in Chicago. Ohio lobbyist John Raphael was sentenced in June to 15 months in federal prison for extortion in the scandal. Authorities say Raphael extorted money in the form of campaign contributions for elected officials from the traffic-camera company Redflex for contracts awarded by the Columbus City Council. Finley has apologized for her role in the scheme. BEIJING Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that his country is separating from the U.S. in a speech before a Beijing economic forum on Thursday, after handing China a major diplomatic victory, agreeing to resume dialogue on their South China Sea territorial dispute following months of acrimony. The rapprochement between the two Asia nations could widen a political rift between the United States and the Philippines, whose recently elected leader has made no secret of its antipathy for America and ordered an end to joint maneuvers between their militaries. "Your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States ... both in military and economics also," Duterte said. His remarks were met with applause, but Duterte was not more specific. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Duterte's remarks were "inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship we have with the Filipino people as well as the government there on many different levels, not just from a security perspective." Following talks in Beijing between Duterte and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, a senior Chinese diplomat announced the sides had agreed to restore the full range of contacts, although he said the leaders touched only briefly on the South China Sea. "Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship," Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, Liu said. That was followed with an announcement by Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez at a bilateral economic forum that his country and China will sign $13.5 billion of deals this week. He did not elaborate. Separately, the Philippines Presidential Communications Office said Xi committed more than $9 billion in low-interest loans to the country, with about a third of the loan offer coming from private banks. About $15 million in loans will go toward drug rehabilitation programs. In opening remarks to his talks with Xi, Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China. "China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed," he said. "Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship." Xi, who greeted Duterte with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing, said the meeting had "milestone significance." In a reference to the South China Sea tensions, Xi said that "although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed." While not mentioning the South China Sea specifically, Xi said that the two sides could set aside "issues on which an agreement is hard to reach" in their discussions, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Bilateral talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Duterte's predecessor. The Philippines has insisted the ruling form the basis for any negotiations, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. Duterte has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his country's claims in the South China Sea. The Philippine leader known for his devil-may-care, profanity-laden speeches had said he would not raise the issue that has angered China unless his Chinese counterpart first brought it up, out of "courtesy" to his host. Duterte's visit showed his desire for economic benefits, while the Chinese want to manage issues between the two countries through bilateral talks, Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., wrote in an email. "This is an interesting courtship between China and the Philippines," Glaser wrote. "It remains to be seen whether China will seek Manila's respect for Chinese sovereignty. That would likely be a deal breaker." In Washington, officials seemed puzzled by Duerte's comments. "We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from us," Kirby told reporters. "It's not clear to us exactly what that means and all its ramifications." Kirby said the top U.S. diplomat for Asia, Daniel Russel, is traveling to Manila this weekend and would hold conversations with Filipino government officials. "It isn't just the United States that is baffled by this rhetoric," Kirby said. "We have heard from many of our friends and partners in the region who are likewise confused about where this is going." Despite Duterte's increasingly sharp criticism of the United States, Kirby said the two countries' 70-year alliance hasn't yet been affected. "We remain rock solid in our commitment in the mutual defense treaty we have with the Philippines. That hasn't changed," he said, adding that he hoped the alliance would "grow and develop and deepen." Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed to this report from Manila, Philippines. WASHINGTON Two senators are pressing Wells Fargo & Co. about how much new Chief Executive Timothy Sloan knew about the unauthorized-accounts scandal that led to his appointment. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., outspoken critics of Wells Fargo, also want to know more about how much money former Chief Executive John Stumpf will get after resigning last week in the wake of the controversy. "Given the scope of wrongdoing on his watch, Mr. Stumpf's resignation is entirely appropriate," the senators wrote in a letter Thursday to Stephen Sanger, who is the new chairman of Wells Fargo's board of directors. "But a resignation alone is not enough to assure proper accountability at Wells Fargo," they said. "Instead, it raises additional questions." The letter is another signal that Stumpf's resignation didn't end the problems stemming from the revelations last month in a $185 million settlement with Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and federal regulators that bank employees created as many as 2 million accounts without customer authorization. The California Department of Justice is investigating allegations of criminal identity theft in the creation of the accounts, according to a search warrant and related documents sent to Wells Fargo that was obtained this week by the Los Angeles Times through a public records request. U.S. attorneys in San Francisco, New York and Charlotte, N.C., also have opened investigations, as have two congressional committees. And lawmakers continue to pound on Wells Fargo. On Tuesday, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., wrote to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency requesting more information about the bank's compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that includes fair lending and consumer compliance regulations. Wells Fargo also has yet to respond to questions put to the bank last month by Warren, Menendez and other Democratic members of the Senate Banking Committee. Following Stumpf's Sept. 20 appearance before the committee, senators sent the bank dozens of questions, including whether unauthorized accounts might have been created earlier than 2009 and whether fraudulent sales practices took place in the bank's other business units. The Sept. 28 letter also targeted Stumpf and former community banking executive Carrie Tolstedt, demanding emails and other communications between those two related to unauthorized accounts. Bank spokesman Mark Folk said Wednesday the bank is "working to respond to the inquiries we've received from senators and members of Congress." Warren and Menendez in their new request Thursday asked how the board decided to choose Sloan, a longtime Wells Fargo executive; whether he was questioned about his knowledge of the creation of unauthorized customer accounts; and any actions he might have taken in response. The senators also asked if the board conducted "an independent investigation of whether Mr. Sloan knew about or took appropriate actions to prevent this scandal" and if so, what that investigation showed. In announcing Sloan's promotion Oct. 12, Wells Fargo said he had been with the bank for 29 years and "knows Wells Fargo's operations deeply." "It is difficult to believe that he had no knowledge of or bears no responsibility for the actions of thousands of Wells Fargo employees creating fake accounts under his and other top executives' watch," Warren and Menendez wrote. Sloan, who became president and chief operating officer in November, has said he was aware of the scandal as early as late 2013, when a Los Angeles Times investigation first publicly revealed the problems. A Wells Fargo spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest letter. The senators also raised questions about Stumpf's retirement compensation. Stumpf will not receive any severance, according to public filings. But he will retain more than $100 million in vested stock, plus accumulated pension and 401(k) benefits exceeding $24 million, the filings said. Wells Fargo's board announced last month that Stumpf would forfeit about $41 million in unvested stock awards and eligibility for an annual bonus, which had totaled $4 million for several years. But Warren and Menendez asked whether the board would attempt to claw back more of Stump's compensation and if he would "serve as a 'consultant' or in any other capacity for Wells Fargo or the board." The senators requested answers to their questions by Oct. 27 and a briefing by Nov. 3. Jacqueline Woodson has written about 30 books for children, but shes not trying to escape the world. I want to be in this world. I want my writing to help change this world. Flying griffins or future space stations are less interesting to her than, say, a baby who looks like a green-and-white angel in a lace baptismal gown pinned with folded fans of $20 bills. Im interested in the real world, Woodson says, talking by phone from her home in Brooklyn. Four of her works have won Newbery Honor Awards, including her 2014 memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming, just out in paperback. That book also took a Coretta Scott King Award, the National Book Award for young peoples literature and other honors. Telling her story in verse, Woodson is the brown girl who moves from South Carolina to Brooklyn and looks at the baptized baby and her own brother, whom she wants to send back to wherever babies live before they get here. Her highly praised memoir may come up when Woodson is the headliner for this years Lit in the Lou, which focuses Saturday on childrens literature. In addition to her individual books honors, she has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement for contributions to young adult literature and has been named young peoples poet laureate by the Poetry Foundation. Kids can meet a wide variety of authors, including Marc Brown, whose picture books about a young aardvark led to PBS Arthur, at 20 years old the longest-running animated childrens series on TV. And eight local writers will join Brown and Woodson at Jackson Park Elementary School in University City. In the evening, a pub crawl featuring adult writers is set in the Delmar Loop. The childrens events are free. If any young readers ask how they can become a writer, Woodson has simple advice: Write. You have to want to write to be a writer, she says. Everyone has a dream to have their name on a book saying they wrote it. But, really, is that what writing is? Its sitting down and being isolated and making something out of nothing and being very alone sometimes. Studying the world and seeing what is painful, what is beautiful. In Brown Girl Dreaming, she mentions that her family is descended from Sally Hemings and, probably, Thomas Jefferson. (Shes not as interested in that as her genealogy-studying aunt. Woodson would rather be descended from Martin Luther King Jr. than a Founding Father with slaves.) Born in 1963 in Ohio, she spent some happy summers with her grandparents in the South after her mother divorced. Memories of biscuits and hair ribbons mix easily with overheard references to civil rights meetings in her memoir. Later, the family moves to Brooklyn, where Jacqueline is disappointed that there are no pine trees, no porch swing and no money falling from the sky. But she finds a book featuring African-American children, Stevie by John Steptoe. Later, she tells her family she wants to be a writer, and they say: But maybe you should be a teacher, a lawyer, do hair ... Ill think about it, I say. After graduating from college with a degree in English, Woodson began writing. Asked if her writing has changed over the last 25 years, shes straightforward: Its gotten better. If it didnt, Id have to quit. Today, she still lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two children, a girl, 14, and a boy, 8. Woodson says the kids have their own library near their bedrooms but are allowed to read anything, anywhere. Her latest novel, Another Brooklyn, is a finalist for a National Book Award in fiction. Its been marketed to adults, but no doubt older teens could enjoy it. Woodson says the adult label mostly comes from the fact that the story switches back and forth in time. In it, a Brooklyn girl becomes friends with three other girls, and as an adult she refuses to speak to one. Readers later learn why, and also read, allusively, about an instance of one friends abuse. In Another Brooklyn, I felt like I could not talk about the experience of girlhood without talking about the many, many ways that people experience girlhood, including, sometimes, sexual assault. Following trends or literary labels doesnt interest her: I write because I love writing. Another Brooklyn is for whoever, she says. Young people tend to compartmentalize and take in what they can take in and disregard the rest. They might be able to understand some parts and not others until later. I tend to not subscribe to a book for one group of people. But she does wish that white readers would delve more into worlds other than their own: When you look at our country, as a person of color, you get a lot of windows into the white world. I wanted more mirrors to the world I existed in. There is a need for both, but if youre going to talk realistically about this country, the majority of books arent windows into the worlds of people of color. What books do is give people other ways of seeing the world. Windows into other ways people live, other ways that people think, other ways that people have family. People begin to realize that this way Im existing isnt my only option. I can change this world; it empowers them in that way. What to do at Lit in the Lou Kickoff Party The kickoff party features Patricia C. McKissack of Chesterfield receiving the Tradition of Literary Excellence Award. McKissack, often with her husband, the late Fredrick L. McKissack, is the author of dozens of award-winning books, including A Long Hard Journey, Days of Jubilee, Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters and The Dark-Thirty. When 7 p.m. Friday Where University Citys City Hall, 6801 Delmar Boulevard How much $25, which benefits the festival More info brownpapertickets.com Childrens Book Festival The childrens book festival includes authors, coloring, storytellers, food trucks, booksellers and an appearance by Curious George. Authors scheduled for discussions and signings include: Marc Brown at 10 a.m.; Mary Engelbreit, Amy Sklansky, John Hendrix and Bobby Norfolk from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.; Jacqueline Woodson at 1:30 p.m.; and Sarah Jude, Pam Devoe, Robert Treskillard and Laura Nowlin from 3 to 4:15 p.m. When 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday Where Jackson Park Elementary School, 7400 Balson Avenue How much Free More info literarystl.com/lit-in-the-lou Literary Pub Crawl At the literary pub crawl, meet and chat with authors on Delmar Loop, including Ann Leckie, Jane Ellen Ibur, Qui Xiaolong, David Baugher, Terry Mulligan and two dozen more. I smiled when I saw the Pancake Rollup at Yolklore smiled and then laughed. I dont know what else I expected when I ordered something called the Pancake Rollup. I guess I couldnt appreciate the dish until it was in front of me. The Pancake Rollup ($9.50) is essentially a breakfast burrito: scrambled eggs, turkey chorizo, cheddar cheese, salsa, lime crema and slices of pickled jalapeno. The wrap, as youve certainly figured out by now, is a buttermilk pancake instead of a tortilla. Its silly. Its clever. It works, sort of. You cant really pick it up as you would a burrito or wrap. The pancake falls apart after a couple of bites. This is to the dishs overall benefit, though. You can taste the pancake, and its sweetness works as a foil for the jalapenos heat, but its still light enough that it doesnt overwhelm everything wrapped inside it. The dish isnt perfect I wanted more vibrant spice from the chorizo and the salsa but it best represents how Yolklore is trying to distinguish itself as a breakfast restaurant. Its fun, and the presentation is memorable, but the Pancake Rollup also hits all of the classic breakfast pleasure points, and the kitchen takes care to source excellent eggs and turkey from Buttonwood Farm in California, Mo. Yolklore opened at the end of July on the upper floor of a small, two-level commercial building on Watson Road in Crestwood. The building is homely, but Yolklores interior features a simple, contemporary design of contrasting dark paint and white tile. A communal table fills most of the narrow dining room, which looks into the open kitchen. The Crestwood location is an important part of Yolklores identity. This is the next Maplewood, the next real community, co-owner Mary Bogacki told me in a phone interview in August. And the restaurant manages the trick, more difficult than it might seem, of following an efficient fast-casual format while conveying a friendly, just-a-neighborhood-joint vibe. (If you join its Coffee Club, you get to hang your mug on the wall to one side of the counter where you order.) Yolklores scope might be modest. The talent behind it isnt. Bogacki previously worked as the corporate chef at Strange Donuts and, prior to that, as the pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. Her husband and business partner, John Bogacki, has worked at Old Warson Country Club and Bolyards Meat and Provisions in Maplewood as well as in corporate management for Chipotle Mexican Grill. Yolklores third partner, Billy Oziransky, counts the Four Seasons Hotel in Vail, Colo., and the Chesterfield location of Pi Pizzeria among his experience. The menu features a pancake platter and a classic breakfast with eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes and a biscuit with gravy, but dishes like the Pancake Rollup or the Nest Egg ($9) are what likely will expand Yolklores audience beyond Crestwood. The latter is a flaky, buttery biscuit shell that contains two soft-boiled eggs, bacon and cheddar cheese. The essential elements are hearty, but what elevates the dish are its accents, tart pickled red onion and gently sweet preserved lemon. Yolklores sandwiches are so substantial that I hesitate to call them breakfast sandwiches. These are no palm-sized McMuffins. The Billy the Kid ($9) is a slinger served between the halves of a ciabatta bun, with a juicy, spicy sausage patty, a fried egg and cheddar cheese topped with a generous ladling of chili. (The chili, like the Pancake Rollups turkey chorizo, could pack a stronger punch.) The Johnny Ham Hands ($9) pairs a fried egg with a slab of ham steak tender, its flavor a lovely balance of porcine essence and salt and then spikes it with Devil Sauce, a mildly spicy mayonnaise. Not every sandwich is a celebration of pork and egg. The Mary B.E.A.R. ($8) is understated, even elegant, with a soft-boiled egg, a smear of brie and crisp arugula sweetened with apple butter and cut with pickled red onion. If the Pancake Rollup shows the fun Yolklore can have with breakfast, this dish shows that breakfast might just be the beginning of what this restaurant has to offer. What Yolklore, 8958 Watson Road, Crestwood Two stars out of four More info 314-270-8538; yolklore.com Menu Fast-casual breakfast fare Hours Breakfast and lunch daily Fair Good Excellent Extraordinary News Man finds a bag containing Dhs276,000 in Dubai and keeps it at home, fined Dhs10,000 An Arab young man found a bag containing Dhs276,000 on Baniyas Road in Dubai and instead of reporting it to the police kept it inside his house. However, police detected his location and arrested him with the bag and the money in his possession. UPDATED: In September 2019, a judge vacated Paul Murphy's 12-year sentence and conviction for involuntary manslaughter by consent of prosecutors and defense lawyers following a legal fight over blood testing before trial. Murphy's sentence was reduced to 2 years with credit for time served. Original story published on Oct. 19, 2016: ST. CHARLES A St. Charles man was sentenced on Wednesday to 12 years in prison for his role in a crash that killed an unborn baby and seriously injured three people. Paul J. Murphy, 55, was convicted by a jury in July of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of assault for operating a vehicle under the influence. He was sentenced to 12 years for the involuntary manslaughter and seven years for each count of assault second-degree, to run concurrently. Murphy must serve 85 percent of his sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The crash happened on March 16, 2013, in the 2800 block of West Clay Street in St. Charles. Murphys eastbound Hyundai swerved into a Toyota driven by a 22-year-old St. Charles woman who was 19 weeks pregnant. The fetus was later delivered stillborn. The woman and her two passengers were seriously injured. Murphy had been drinking at the time of the crash and he tested positive for a prescription anxiety drug, police said. ST. LOUIS The city is extending some relief, through Oct. 28, to residents with outstanding warrants. During this period, the city will temporarily lift nonviolent, municipal warrants for failure to show up to court, so people can satisfy their legal obligations without fear of arrest. Warrants will not be recalled for defendants with charges for driving while intoxicated or leaving the scene of an accident. Those defendants, however, will have the opportunity to post bond without fear of arrest through the grace period. Warrants stemming from state charges are not eligible. In addition, extra staff is on hand, and hours and locations of St. Louis Municipal Court have been extended. Mayor Francis Slay said the extended hours and the temporary satellite courts offered people a good opportunity to get their affairs in order. The St. Louis Municipal Court also has special dockets, payment plans and alternatives to fines and incarceration, like community service for people who cannot afford to pay, Slay said. So there is no reason not to come to one of our court options and get squared away. Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 29, warrants will be back in place for people who fail to take advantage of the grace period. The city estimates that more than 51,000 people have outstanding warrants. It means every time they are pulled over, they could be subject to arrest. Maggie Crane, a spokeswoman for the mayor, urged people to take advantage of the opportunity. She said it was not the citys intention to jail people because they couldnt pay. The city has set up a website for people to find out if they have a warrant. Municipal court cases can be searched by name, ticket number, court date, license number or violation date by visiting MuniCourt.net. There is no charge to reschedule court dates, but rescheduling must be done in person with valid identification. Court times and locations are: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays at St. Louis Municipal Court 1520 Market Street. Enter on 16th Street. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday at Community Court at the Carondelet Park Rec Complex, 930 Holly Hills Ave. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 27 at Community Court at OFallon Park Rec Complex, 4343 West Florissant. UPDATED at 9:45 a.m. with additional details from fire captain ST. LOUIS Two firefighters were rescued after falling through a stairwell in a burning home Thursday morning, and a third firefighter was shocked after coming into contact with lives wires. The two who fell suffered minor injuries; the third was evaluated and released, said Capt. Garon Mosby of the St. Louis Fire Department. It happened at a home fire on Wherry Avenue, at the corner of Eichelberger Street. The fire was reported at about 7 a.m. inside the unoccupied, 1- story brick home. Lightning may have sparked the blaze. Flames were coming from the rear of the home, in the city's Princeton Heights neighborhood just east of Hampton Avenue. Firefighters were working in pairs, and two of them were assigned to carry a hose into the attic where the flames were. "The stairwell just gave out," Mosby said. They fell into the basement, a drop of about 15 feet. They were trapped for less than five minutes. Other crews extended a ladder to them, and they were able to climb out on their own. "They walked away," he said. A third member of the St. Louis Fire Department was shocked after coming into contact with live wires at the fire scene, authorities say. That firefighter was assessed for injuries and released. Mosby, spokesman for the department, said the incident underscores the dangers of the job: "Some of the daily challenges we face fighting fires." Mosby said neighbors reported that the storms overnight included loud thunder and possibly a lightning strike, so investigators will consider that when looking for a cause. He said it's not uncommon for a lightning strike to smolder for awhile before a fire is detected. At 7:20 a.m., crews were told to get out of the home and work from the outside to extinguish flames on the roof. The fire appeared to be under control about 10 minutes later. ST. LOUIS COUNTY Police have identified a man fatally shot outside a rap concert early Sunday as a convicted killer who had been acquitted last spring in a separate fatal shooting. Police identified the victim Wednesday as John Trevillion, 34, of the 3900 block of Beachwood Avenue in Pine Lawn. Trevillion was killed in a triple shooting about 1 a.m. Sunday at the Ambassador at 9800 Halls Ferry Road. Two other people a man, 31, and a woman, 25 had minor wounds and were not taken to a hospital. The shooting followed a concert by Atlanta-based rapper Gucci Mane. In March, Trevillion was found not guilty of first-degree murder by a St. Louis County jury in the fatal shooting of Brian Jordan, 25, and the near-fatal shooting of another man. Those shootings happened Jan. 6, 2014, in the 4700 block of Fletcher Street in Northwoods. Jordan was shot twice in the head. Police believed the killing was drug-related. Another victim, Tony West, then 25, was shot in the same attack but survived. Court documents said witnesses identified Trevillion as the gunman. Trevillion was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. He was acquitted of all charges after a jury deliberated about five hours March 4. Trevillion had been paroled from prison on Sept. 25, 2012, after serving 11 years and seven months for murdering someone in St. Louis in April 1998, records show. In that case, Douglas Reed, 34, was killed in a drive-by shooting in the 2100 block of East Alice Avenue. Reed, of Dellwood, was shot in the side and died a few hours later. The shooting early Sunday is under investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons. Police said Monday that the crowd outside the Ambassador was uncooperative with police and that no one came forward as a witness to the shooting. Detectives said they believed Trevillion was the intended target. Authorities asked anyone with information to contact St. Louis County Police at 314-889-2341 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-8477. ST. LOUIS Lawyers representing the Ferguson-Florissant schools are standing by the method the district uses to elect school board members, even though a judge says it violates the Voting Rights Act. On Wednesday, the district filed a 31-page recommendation to U.S. District Court Judge Rodney W. Sippel that asks the judge to preserve the current system. At the same time, the district is signalling it may appeal Sippels ruling, which mandated that new election methods be used. An appeal is certainly not out of the question, said district lawyer Cindy Ormsby on Wednesday. I think the current system really is the best. Sippel ruled in August that the current elections, in which school board members are elected across the whole school district, weakened the voting power of black residents. Since then, the NAACP and the ACLU, who are plaintiffs in the case, have offered alternatives that include cumulative voting, seven-member districts and a combination of five single-member and two at-large districts. In the school districts response Thursday, it not only called some of the suggestions confusing, but also said that the proposed remedies risk reducing African-Americans representation below the status quo. The board currently has three African-American members, all elected within the last three years. The Ferguson-Florissant district serves about 11,200 students in parts of 11 municipalities. About 80 percent of those students are black and 12 percent are white. The population of the region is nearly evenly split between whites and blacks. ST. LOUIS A key portion of developer Paul McKees NorthSide Regeneration project hit a snag Wednesday when city Comptroller Darlene Green objected to a 40-year, 1 percent sales tax called for in the projects financing package. Green voiced her objections as the Board of Estimate and Apportionment was set to vote on a bill that would authorize $2.8 million in tax increment financing assistance to build a grocery store and gas station near the corner of Cass Avenue and North Tucker Boulevard. Also included in the financing package but not on Wednesdays meeting agenda is the establishment of a Community Improvement District, a special taxing district that can be established by property owners to levy property and sales taxes to fund projects. Last week, members of the public and the Board of Aldermen complained that the planned sales tax included in the CID would be imposed in a poor area to help a developer who has already been granted millions in city and state tax incentives. On Wednesday, Green used her position as one-third of the powerful Estimate & Apportionment board to add to the criticism and ask for concessions before she could support the overall package. Specifically, Green said a 40-year tax was too long. She suggested the CID should be terminated after 25 years once the money it generates is no longer needed to help improve infrastructure. Another concession Green asked for is community input over how portions of the revenue generated by the CID will be used. Green proposed that some of the money should go toward paying for extra security for people who live in the area. Any CID needs to have some community control, she said after the meeting. We have to make sure we are thinking about the needs of the community. Green, along with the boards other two members, Mayor Francis Slay and Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed, agreed to hold a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss the comptrollers objections. The proposed grocery store and gas station have been advertised as central pieces needed to develop the area around the coming National Geospatial Intelligence Agency headquarters. Otis Williams, executive director of St. Louis Development Corp. described the gas station as a convenience store that will sell gas, rather than just a regular gas station. The grocery store will be a GreenLeaf Market run by Good Natured Family Farms, a farmers group that provides fresh food from small family farms in the Kansas City area. A retracted endorsement, a comment about promiscuity and a radio personalitys offer to share a microphone with his opponent add variety to the partisan rhetoric for Metro East seats in the Illinois House of Representatives. Predictably, when it comes to the states budget stalemate and deficit, Democrats blame GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican; and Republicans point to House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, who has been in the Legislature since 1971. The governor is not up for re-election for another two years. Madigan, with no opponent on Nov. 8, is expected to once again lead the heavily Democratic House. In the five contested area seats on the ballot, four are defended by incumbents. The open seat is being vacated by Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson of East St. Louis. LaToya Greenwood, a fellow Democrat and East St. Louis city councilwoman, faces Republican Bob Romanik, the Grim Reaper of Radio on station KQQZ, who regularly berates the Democratic political establishment on his talk show. The most visible battle is between Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon, and Democratic challenger Katie Stuart of Edwardsville. Thats because Kay has run a steady drumbeat on radio and TV attacking Stuart on the matter of an endorsement she made, and quickly retracted, in May. In turn, she calls him anti-woman because of a comment he made on the House floor in April about contraception coverage. Winners will take office on the second Wednesday of January, the first day of the 2017 legislative session. Here are sketches of the area races, by district number. 95th District Part of northern Madison County to Taylorville The states youngest legislator is challenged by a veteran of local politics who held office longer than she has been alive. Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond, 24, received her partys appointment in February 2015 to fill a vacancy and seeks election to a full two-year term. She worked on the campaigns or staffs of Gov. Bruce Rauner and other Republicans. Democrat Mike Mathis, 67, of Gillespie, was a mayor and councilman in Gillespie, and Macoupin County circuit clerk, for a total of 34 years. He is a former coal miner and is making his first bid for the Legislature. Bourne says she supports term limits for all legislators, generally backs Rauner and wants Illinois to fix its culture of spending. She said Illinois has suffered tremendously from Madigan. Mathis said his experience in public office shows I know what it takes to work on a budget and services. He said he will protect unions and public pensions. Bourne said her youth gives her an outsiders perspective on the states longstanding issues. 111th District Includes Alton, Bethalto, Wood River and north Granite City Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, wants to keep the seat he has held since his partys appointment to replace a retiring Democrat in 2004. Beiser said he will continue opposing Rauner, especially his call for a limited right-to-work bill. As long as that is part of his agenda, its going nowhere, he said. His Republican challenger, Mike Babcock of Bethalto, said he supports most of Rauners proposals, although not his challenge to labor. We have to balance the budget and stop raising taxes, and we cant keep chasing good people and businesses out of Illinois, Babcock said. Babcock, 54, is Wood River Township supervisor and owns an insurance agency. He called Beiser a reliable vote for Madigan. Beiser, 60, said Illinois needs to cut spending, but even the governor knows we cant just cut our way out of this. Beiser declined to say whether hed support a tax increase. He said his co-sponsorship of Illinios concealed-carry law shows he can buck party leadership. Mike didnt favor that, he said of Madigan. Beiser formerly was Alton city treasurer. 112th District Includes Collinsville, Glen Carbon and most of Edwardsville For weeks, Kay has been running ads attacking his Democratic challenger for her brief public endorsement, quickly retracted, of a legislative proposal to revise the formula for state aid to schools. Kays ads accuse Stuart of wanting to bail out Chicago schools at the expense of Metro East schools. Stuart said she was asked at an event in May about the proposal and backed it, but quickly learned more about its details. I had bad information, she said. Kay, 69, said he continued running the ad because she said it. Stuart, 45, accused Kay of complete lack of respect for women because of the following comment he made during a legislative debate in April about contraceptive coverage: I seriously question how much promiscuity should an insurance company pay (for). A math teacher for 25 years, Stuart said she wants to protect education and opposes Rauners effort to turn everything backward. This is her first bid for public office. Kay, a trucking company executive, seeks a fourth term. He said Rauner has tried to steady the ship. We have overspent and over-borrowed. 113th District Includes Granite City, Fairview Heights and Belleville Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, seeks a 12th full term since 1990. He faces Republican Katherine Ruocco, a Swansea village trustee who received 48 percent of the vote against Sen. James Clayborne Jr., D-Belleville, in the 2014 general election. Hoffman, chairman of the House Labor Committee, said he opposes Rauners anti-middle class, anti-worker agenda. Hoffman, 54, said Rauner made a critical mistake by allowing the states temporary income-tax increase to expire in 2015 rather than phase it out. There has to be a combination of belt-tightening and more revenue, Hoffman said, although he didnt commit to a revenue idea other than supporting the proposed higher tax on incomes of $1 million or more. Ruocco, a lawyer with a solo practice in elder law, said Hoffman is in step with Madigan, has had (nearly) 25 years to move Illinois forward and has failed. On tax increases, Ruocco, 49, said any proposal would need to be evaluated so its not unduly burdensome. As for Rauner, she said, I support the governors tenacity in refusing to bend on a balanced budget. Hoffmans legislative run was broken by a failed bid for Congress in 1996 and a loss to Kay in 2010. Hoffman returned to Springfield after winning in a redrawn district in 2012. 114th District East St. Louis, south of Belleville and OFallon Romanik, the local broadcasting firebrand, said he asked Greenwood to be a guest on his radio show. Greenwood said she never got the offer and wouldnt go on KQQZ anyway. Romanik, regarding himself absolved of equal-time rules, They wont shut me up on the radio because she wont talk. Greenwood said she had nothing to say about Romanik and will campaign door to door and before small groups. She said she opposes Rauner because he has made devastating cuts in social services. She offered no position on whether to raise taxes. Romanik, 67, said Greenwood will be a bobblehead for Madigan and promised that, if he ever backed a tax increase, I will blow my own head off. In addition to serving on the East St. Louis council, Greenwood, 42, is human resources director at East St. Louis School District 189, where the school board president is her father, Lonzo Greenwood. Romanik is a former Washington Park police chief who was convicted of lying to a federal grand jury. Illinois law does not bar him from running for the Legislature. In 2012, Greenwood and a male friend were arrested at the Fairview Heights Best Buy store after they allegedly argued with a guard who asked to see a receipt. Her friend, Hickey Thompson, was accused of striking the guard, and pleaded guilty of a lesser offense. The charge against Greenwood was dismissed. 116th District Cahokia south to Chester and DuQuoin Rep. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton, son of longtime former congressman Jerry Costello, may face opposition. The younger Costello, 47, was appointed by his party to fill a vacancy in 2011 and seeks a third full term. Bubba Harsy of DuQuoin filed as an independent but was removed from the ballot Aug. 26 by the Illinois State Board of Elections for not having enough petition signatures of support. Harsy was appealing the decision in circuit court in Springfield. Two other Metro East incumbents face no opposition. They are Republicans Christopher Davidsmeyer, of Jacksonville, in the 100th District, and Charles Meier, of Okawville, in the 108th. UPDATED at 5 p.m. on Thursday to include a GoFundMe page. MARYLAND HEIGHTS James Fortune heard an explosion, felt the house around him shake and then watched his farmhouse here fill with smoke Wednesday afternoon. Fortune, 85, said he dropped to his knees and crawled to safety as the home hed built in the 1960s and then rebuilt after it was ruined by the Great Flood of 1993 went up in flames. Fortune managed to escape unharmed Wednesday, but the fire destroyed his home and with it most of the possessions of the patriarch of one of Maryland Heights only African-American farming families. With my dad being 85, I dont know whats going to happen to him, said Angie Davis, one of Fortunes six children, who came to the scene. Bob Rauss, acting battalion chief for the Pattonville Fire Protection District, said the cause of the blaze, which started as storms crossed the region, was under investigation. The house on River Valley Drive near Maryland Heights Expressway is on a narrow muddy road among rows of pumpkin and cabbage plants. The house is on land in the Missouri River floodplain that Fortune has lived on his whole life and that has been in his family for 100 years. Fortune, who can't walk well without assistance, said he was alone in the three-bedroom house when lightning struck and the fire started. He crawled out on his own, and Maryland Heights Officer Kevin McComas and a passing motorist helped get him safely away from the building. As firefighters doused the blackened ruins of the house and a light rain fell, Fortune rested nearby in a friends car with the heater on high. He said building the house had been a neighborhood project 50 years ago, with friends coming to help. After the 1993 flood, he rebuilt the home because water had filled it to just four inches below the roof. Now, Fortune says hes not sure yet where hell live. Possibly with family. Along with his home, Fortune said he lost thousands of dollars in cash he had kept there to pay his taxes. Gone too are family photos, his belongings and the belongings of his wife, who died about seven years ago. Everybodys memories are in the house, Davis said. You had a whole history of 70 years in there. Her father used to have chickens, pigs, cows and horses on his farm, she said. He grew wheat, corn, hay, cabbage, tomatoes and other crops. But he stopped farming in his early 70s, when the arthritis in his hands made it hard for him. Now the land around his house is rented out, Davis said. Fortunes family was one of the only African-American farming families in Maryland Heights, according to The History of Maryland Heights by Paul H. Thompson. His family also has Indian roots. It wasnt long ago that her father had told her how happy he was to have his own home, Davis said. Thats all he had, right there, she said. A GoFundMe page started for Fortune has raised more than $9,600 as of Thursday afternoon. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump needed less than half an hour Wednesday night to transition from a quiet and composed discussion of important issues to chaotic bickering, interruptions and non sequiturs. The worse the bickering got, the more it worked in Clintons favor. The turning point came an hour into the debate, when moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump directly whether he would accept the results of the Nov. 8 election, and Trump repeatedly refused to commit. I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense, Trump responded. Asserting that the election is rigged, he alleged without any substantiation that millions of people are registered to vote who shouldnt be. Thats horrifying, Clinton responded. And she was correct. The notion that any major party candidate would refuse to accept the will of the American people on Nov. 8 is appalling. That exchange underscored, as Clinton said, agreeing with her primary opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, that Trump is the most dangerous person to run for president in the modern history of America. Issues of nuclear proliferation, immigration, gun control and abortion got lost in a barrage of accusations and assertions that ultimately prompted Trump to fall into his own worst rhetorical trap the one where he begins uttering half-sentences and spluttering disconnected thoughts that simply make no sense. For example, a question about allegations that he groped women prompted Trump to jump to Clinton aides deletion of 30,000 email messages. Then he jumped to the Islamic State all within a 30-second interlude. Trump repeatedly lost but regained his composure, demonstrating exactly the kind of mercurial behavior that accentuates why hes unfit to be president. Clinton entered Wednesdays debate with an eight-point average lead in national polls, an unprecedented advantage in a modern presidential race. This late in the campaign, it would have required an epic stumble on her part to put Trump back in contention. Clinton had a straightforward mission: Avoid responding to Trumps taunts, maintain composure, and just allow Trump to be Trump. He gladly obliged. Trump tried as best he could to rattle her with references to recent email exchanges among senior staffers in the Clinton campaign, published by WikiLeaks. U.S. officials say the emails appear to have been obtained via hacking by Russian intelligence operatives. A tepid Trump supporter, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, warned Wednesday that the campaign needed to back away from exploiting these hacked emails, saying, Tomorrow, it could be us. Rubio also joined Trumps running mate, Mike Pence, and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway in rejecting the presidential candidates unfounded assertions that the vote was rigged against Trump. Its exactly these kinds of outlandish statements that are giving millions of voters good reason to reject him as a serious presidential candidate. At this stage, the only thing rigging the vote against Trump is Trump himself. 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? Research related to promoting the well-being of children is clear on two counts. First, investing to meet their critical needs produces a host of social, educational and economic benefits. Those benefits accrue to both individual children and the communities in which we live. Advantages of providing for early childhood development include better life-long health, higher rates of academic achievement, greater earnings and more home ownership. Additional benefits result from lower participation in welfare programs, less need for educational remediation and reduced rates of incarceration. The cap on this good news is that research by Nobel laureate economist James Heckman, the Federal Reserve Bank and others documents that investing in quality early childhood programs produces the highest return of any public investment. Against this backdrop, the state of Missouri does far less than most states to promote early childhood development. Missouri does not have a Quality Rating and Improvement System, child care assistance payments are very low, and the percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds in public preschool ranks near the bottom. High levels of disparity and inequity in child well-being result. In this context, Raise Your Hands for Kids mounted a successful campaign to put Amendment 3 on the ballot Nov. 8. The amendment will incrementally raise the states cigarette tax by 60 cents and dedicate the revenues generated to promoting early childhood health and development and smoking cessation. At 17 cents a pack, Missouris tobacco tax now is the lowest in the nation. The $305 million in dedicated revenue generated by the proposition represents about 10 times the paltry amount Missouri currently invests in early childhood. The proposal ought be hard to argue with, right? Well, apparently, thats wrong. While Amendment 3 has plenty of supporters, in our current political culture of reflexively promoting narrow self-interest over the common good, the amendment has encountered opposition from a dizzying array of narrowly focused, self-serving parties. Opponents form such a mish-mash of improbable bedfellows it would be comical if the collective opposition did not threaten the well-being of our children. Some of these self-interests are real and direct; others are abstract or imagined. Opposition begins with the Missouri petroleum marketers and convenience store operators. They want to sell more cigarettes and make more money. That opposition is kind of old-fashioned, straightforward and, comparatively, almost refreshing. Much of the remaining opposition to Amendment 3 comes from improbable sources. Included are well-heeled segments of the medical/health care juggernaut, some hidebound education groups and narrowly focused social activist organizations concerned only about whatever their sacred cow issues might be. The laundry list of concerns raised is long, convoluted and often contrived. Included are: the inviolable sanctity of stem cell research, fear of restrictions on abortion, limiting funding only to public K-12 education, and even fear among high-end special interests of encountering the horror of a nuisance lawsuit. A common thread running through the opponents is annoyance at not having control over the tobacco tax revenues generated. They suppose entitlement to any revenues simply because they are big players this even though on two previous occasions they could not persuade Missouri voters of the merits of their case or their entitlement. It is in this muddled stew that anything floats to the top as more important than the well-being of children. Informed legal opinion has asserted the fabricated list of gratuitously raised red herring issues has no relevance to Amendment 3, a well-crafted, straightforward proposal to modestly increase the states low cigarette tax and dedicate revenues generated to child health and well-being. Missouri voters should turn a deaf ear to the narrowly focused, self-interested opposition to the Raise Your Hands for Kids proposal. The smart vote is for Amendment 3 to assert that promoting the well-being of our children and better quality of life in our local communities is the higher common good. Nothing rather than anything and everything is more important than the future of our children and communities Richard Patton is director of Vision for Children at Risk. Sea Cadets parade along Sheep Street, Stratford. ONE of the most significant naval battles in British maritime history was celebrated in Stratford last Sunday. Sea cadets from all over the UK took part in a Trafalgar Day parade to commemorate Lord Nelsons victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. In Warwickshire all of the cadet units traditionally parade through one town. Each unit takes a turn in hosting the event on a ten-year cycle and Stratford was the designated location this year. Approximately 250 uniformed sea cadets plus officers from across the county were involved and the salute to the parade was taken by Sea Cadet Captain Captain Philip Russell RN. Other dignitaries attending included Stratford Mayor, Cllr Juliet Short and the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire Tim Cox. The two Padres who took the service of remembrance at Stratford Methodist Church were Chaplain, Sea Cadet Corps Sheila Brown Royal Naval Reserves and Stratford upon Avon Sea Cadets Chaplain and Chaplain (SCC) John Davies, Royal Naval Reserves. The Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805 was fought by the Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish navies. A total of 27 British ships led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated 33 French and Spanish ships. This historic victory confirmed the supremacy of Britain on the high seas but Nelson was mortally wounded during the battle. Aptec, an Ingram Micro Inc. company (NYSE: IM), announced the launch of the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace, a leading automated cloud services platform that is now available in the following countries across the Middle East region including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. The Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace is an ecosystem that brings together buyers and sellers to conduct business on a single platform. Rather than building out a comprehensive and multi-layered infrastructure, resellers can leverage the pre-built, flexible platform from Ingram Micro to purchase, provision, manage and invoice technology solutions for their end-user customers. "In order to provide a fully automated cloud platform that enables resellers to offer a wide range of solutions to their customers, there can be significant barriers to entry due to high capital costs needed to develop, manage, and support an underlying infrastructure," said Dr. Ali Baghdadi, senior vice president and chief executive, Ingram Micro META. "To help remove these barriers, Ingram Micro Cloud has made substantial investments in the channel to develop an automated cloud services platform and provide resellers with greater capability to effectively sell cloud solutions." With today's launch, the following cloud solutions have been added to the Cloud Marketplace including Microsoft Office 365 through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program and a suite of migration services from SkyKick which allows service providers to move their customers' mail and related data to Office 365 in an easy way for increased sales velocity and reduced project risk. A number of additional cloud offerings including Dropbox for Business and BitTitan are expected to be added soon. The Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program empowers solution providers to fully own the end-customer relationship. This enables them to manage the end-to-end subscription lifecycle which helps ensure greater customer satisfaction, higher renewal margins and topline cloud revenue. "With our cloud platform, customers have the ability to significantly expand their IT capabilities with minimal investment," said Rahul Bhavsar, director, Cloud Sales, META, Ingram Micro. "Rather than designing, managing, and maintaining a costly technology infrastructure, the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace enables solution providers to free up valuable resources so they can concentrate more on marketing, business development and customer satisfaction." Ingram Micro currently operates 20 Cloud Marketplaces worldwide throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and now the Middle East. Aptec will be showcasing demonstrations of the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace at its booth (Hall 4, Stand C4-1) at Gitex Technology Exhibition this week in Dubai. To learn more about the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace, please visit: https://me.cloud.im/. The Florida House of Representatives has repeatedly voted down broadening access to healthcare for over a million Floridians; meanwhile communities all over the state demand that lawmakers stop putting politics before people and focus on insuring all Floridians. MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AIDS Healthcare Foundation lauded Miami-Dade Countys commissioners for urging the Florida Legislature to grant healthcare access to roughly 1.2 million uninsured Floridians. The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution that communicates to the Florida Legislature the expectation that lawmakers expand the Medicaid program. The resolution also calls for the Florida Association of Counties to prioritize advocacy around Medicaid expansion for the upcoming Legislative Session. In its current form, Floridas Medicaid program is limited to children, pregnant women, adults with disabilities and extremely low-income parents. Many who do not qualify go without treatment or incur great debt to receive the medical they require, and thousands more rely on emergency rooms to receive care when their pain or condition is too severe to tolerate. Emergency room care is the most expensive type of care, and taxpayers are left shouldering the costs. The federal government is offering a really good deal to states who expand Medicaid, said Michael Kahane, AHF Southern Bureau Chief. The feds will fund expanded Medicaid up to 90% indefinitely. This is very financially favorable to Florida. Had the Florida Legislature passed expanded Medicaid from the moment it was able, the feds would have picked up the entire cost through the remainder of this year. That opportunity was wasted because members of the House of Representatives and Governor Rick Scott chose politics over peoples lives. The time to expand Florida Medicaid is long overdue, said Jason King, Legislative Affairs Manager for AHFs Southern Bureau. If Medicaid were able to take on more HIV patients, it would alleviate the fiscal constraints placed on other HIV programs, thus allowing them to redirect funds for more effective programs that test and link people to medical treatment. The state is on the right track with expanded HIV testing and the legalization of Miami-Dades needle exchange program. Every effort to make HIV testing and treatment readily available to those in need should be employed. Medicaid expansion under the ACA intended to relax eligibility requirements to afford coverage to most non-elderly adults with incomes at or below 138% of the FPL. The federal government would pick up 100% of the cost associated with the influx of new Medicaid beneficiaries through 2016, and it would sustain the program by covering no less than 90% on a permanent basis. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) created a marketplace of health plans accompanied by a federal tax subsidy made accessible to millions whose income falls between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Although this has enabled hundreds of thousands of Floridians to obtain coverage, if the state continues to block expanded Medicaid, many others will fall into the coverage gap. These people will continue going on uninsured because they do not qualify for Medicaid and they make too little to be eligible for the tax credit that helps pay for a plan in the Marketplace. Some of the most vulnerable that would benefit under expanded Medicaid are those with serious chronic conditions, like HIV. HIV patients do not generally qualify for Medicaid unless they have children or are considered disabled. Ryan White programs, the safety net programs that care for uninsured and underinsured people with HIV, have also been unduly burdened by the inaction of lawmakers. Ryan White programs have been forced under these circumstances to use their scarce funding to cover HIV patients who would otherwise have access to Medicaid were Florida to expand. Ryan White programs are experimenting with the cost effectiveness of ACA plans versus their traditional fee-for-service reimbursement model. The programs currently use their funding to purchase Marketplace plans for eligible clients, including a large population of clients between 100% and 138% of the FPL. Medicaid expansion would free up those funds to be used to significantly enhance medical and support services, including programs that help keep people in care and on their medication. Miami-Dade County currently ranks first nationally for new HIV infections when compared to other metropolitan statistical areas. Florida ranks second as a state and has 4 of the most affected regions in the country. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 611,000 individuals in 36 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006704/en/ AHF Southern Bureau Imara Canady, Regional Director, Communications and Community Engagement +1.404.870.7789 work +1.954.952.0258 mobile [email protected] or AHF Ged Kenslea, Senior Director, Communications +1.323.308.1833 work +1.323.791.5526 mobile [email protected] Source: AIDS Healthcare Foundation SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 10/19/16 -- 2016 marks the 50th Anniversary of Singapore-Japan Diplomatic Relations (SJ50). Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia, a leader in print and enterprise content management, today announced its sponsorship of the golden jubilee as the Official Document Management Company in support of inclusiveness for the SJ50 public Mall Event held at The Paragon shopping centre from October 21 to 23, 2016. The autograph cards and postcards featuring a selection of iconic works by renowned calligraphy artist and Down syndrome advocate Shoko Kanazawa are produced with Konica Minolta technology. "Konica Minolta and Singapore have a longstanding relationship and we are proud to be part of the celebrations in support of inclusiveness. As a global company that creates new value to improve quality of life, we believe the power of inclusiveness and collaboration will drive innovation for the future and have a positive influence on the society and business we serve," said Tadayuki Funakura, Managing Director Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia. The SJ50 Mall Event will include calligraphy performance titled 'A Stroke of Genius' by Shoko Kanazawa and piano recital titled 'The Sound of Silence' by award-winning pianist Azariah Tan. Stroke of Genius by Shoko Kanazawa A self-advocate with Down syndrome, Kanazawa-san is one of the most noted young calligraphers today with many accomplishments. In 2013, she has transcribed a poem by the Japanese Emperor which was recognised as a Japanese monument and established the Shoko Kanazawa Museum in Ginza, Tokyo which displays a personal exhibition of her works. In 2015, Shoko conveyed an inspirational message of hope at the 'World Down Syndrome Day Conference' held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. The Sound of Silence by Azariah Tan Though diagnosed with a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, Azariah has scored distinctions at numerous piano examinations across the world. The pianist's performances have been broadcasted over the Yugoslavian National TV, and he has been featured over the Voice of America and on the Singapore Mediacorp TV Channels. Azariah holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance and a double Masters in Music degree at the University of Michigan. For more information about the SJ50 celebrations, please visit http://www.sj50astrokeofgenius.sg/ Company Logo http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/1128 Press Contacts: Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd. Celine Long Email Contact PR Contact: Huntington Communications Eugene Chuang Email Contact Carina Chan Email Contact Source: Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd. CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide 160,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in Kentucky as well as across the U.S. Midwest and Central Appalachia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications. Mallinckrodt will make the pouches available free of charge at nearly 800 Walmart store pharmacy locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A potential 7.2 million prescription pills could be destroyed if each of the 160,000 pouches is used to capacity. The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. This donation is part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today. "As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer. "We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. "Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands." The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse. A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016, in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith FischerChief Public Affairs Officer314-654-3318[email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Vice President, Government Affairs 202-383-0090 [email protected] Investor RelationsColeman N. Lannum, CFASenior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO314-654-6649[email protected] Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Director, Investor Relations 314-654-3638 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mallinckrodt-pharmaceuticals-donates-drug-deactivation-pouches-to-enable-safe-disposal-of-prescription-drugs-in-kentucky-300347887.html SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Secretary Pedro A. Rivera met with education stakeholders, including teachers and administrators, field experts, and organizations including the William Penn Foundation to develop a system of school-based partnerships around the commonwealth. The group met in Philadelphia to examine school support systems and discuss new research on effective school-based partnerships. "Research has shown that success stems from strong partnerships, with significant benefits passed on to students and schools," said Sec. Rivera. "By working together, we can address the critical needs schools currently face and, in turn, provide an investment in Pennsylvania's public education system." According to the William Penn Foundation, "school-based partnerships have many benefits, including exposing students to more diverse learning opportunities, improving student social and academic outcomes, and providing added resources and staff support." As part of his promise to create "schools that teach," Gov. Wolf has made a commitment to the commonwealth's schools to restore critical funding and support all students from pre-k to post-secondary programs. The governor and Sec. Rivera have traveled the state in support of this mission on the Schools That Teach tour, meeting with students, community members, and educators to strengthen relationships and foster open communication. Over the first two years, the Wolf Administration has secured nearly $640 million in increased funding to invest in public education at all levels, from early childhood to post-secondary. "As we have met with teachers, administrators, and support staff across Pennsylvania, we have learned firsthand of their needs and priorities. Using available resources and tools to foster strong partnerships will help us better serve the schools and students of the commonwealth," said Sec. Rivera. The William Penn Foundation was started in 1945 to improve education for low-income children and foster creative and engaged communities around Philadelphia. MEDIA CONTACT: Nicole Reigelman, 717-783-9802 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/secretary-of-education-joins-coalition-to-strengthen-school-based-partnerships-across-pennsylvania-300348886.html SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Education Orange, CA, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. (OTC PINK: SPRV), Jim Farooquee, CEO and President of Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the board of directors approval and establishment of new Company division for 2017 and beyond. The corporate foundation laid now for mobile app development and deployment of its application to various industries.We look forward to executing on our business model. Software/Mobile App Development to provide dairy operations a better profit Control: A Platform to support the dairy farmers in bringing herd management to mobile devices As the market has accepted mobile smart phone as an alternative to desk top computers, a successful mobile application strategy is essential to almost all future businesses.The apps will improve the profitability and sustainability for dairy farms by tracking multiple aspects of their herd, and addressing a number of issues in the dairy industry. The mobile app will calculate income over feed costs and compares prices of various forages, grains and commodities. The app database will give dairy farmers instant, accurate cow health dataright in the palm of their hands, and address some of the issues they face today with antiquated systems. There are approximately 8,000,000 dairy cows in the US alone. Most dairy farms do not have updated systems or utilizing mobile technology to assist in managing their massive operations. Creating a mobile platform for the industry could be just the beginning for the companys vision for the dairy industry. Supurva believes this division is a strategic expansion into mobile app platform development. The Company states that users will be able to download a mobile application to facilitate a better profit control for their businesses in the dairy industry. As Supurvas new president and CEO, JimFarooquee is overseeing the process of maintaining the Companys financial statements and bringing disclosures up to date. These filings are now updated at OTC Markets as well as on the Companys investor page.We are moving quickly forward with the process of hiring a team of professionals for the business Mr. Farooquee remarked.We are bringing in new marketing teams and employees to run our operations at a higher level of efficiency. There was a solid base of ideas and relationships in place when I took over the Company with better management and implementation there is a massive opportunity for Supurva going forward in the rapidly growing mobile application market. On a side note, Iwant to thank all of our loyal shareholders for sticking with Supurva. I will keep you updated as developments arise with the Company, but please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns you may have. About Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, is a healthcare holdings company based in Orange, California. Supurva, through its wholly owned subsidiary On Site Solutions, LLC, provides on-site healthcare and dentistry for acute, subacute, and nursing facility residents/patients. Forward Looking Statement This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks. Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. is a healthcare holdings company. At the time of this release Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. lacks the financial capabilities to meet its financial obligations and its management expects to dilute the company's shares to raise the necessary operating capital. Based upon industry standards Supurva would be considered highly speculative and lacks any competitive advantage over its competition. Additional risks you should consider are that this list is limited and additional risk not mentioned may apply: failure to meet Supurva's financial and contractual obligations, Supurva's managerial errors made based upon the Company's limited experience and knowledge of the industry, acts of God and regulatory risk. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements Contact Jim Farooquee, CEO/President Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. [email protected] 1-501-777-8004 Source: Supurva Healthcare Group, Inc. Students display placards as Norbert Hofer, Joint Acting President of Austria and Third President of the National Council, speaks during a panel discussion on "Can Europes politicians solve its migration crisis?" at Geneva's graduate institute, in Gene GENEVA (Reuters) - Austrian presidential hopeful Norbert Hofer brushed off student protests on Thursday as he publicly debated immigration with former European Commission president Juan-Manuel Barroso. Barroso won applause from a packed auditorium at Geneva's Graduate Institute when he laid out the merits of migration and derided Hofer's call for "safe areas" in North Africa to process migrants, saying this reminded him of World War Two concentration camps. "It's always the same," sighed Hofer, who is preparing to contest a Dec. 4 election as the candidate of the right-wing Freedom party of Austria. "What about you, do you have refugees at home? You're a rich man. Do you have refugees at home? Do you?" Laughter drowned out Barroso's exasperated responses, before a student representative, the daugher of Bosnian refugees, read out a petition against Hofer's appearance and blamed his FPO party for spreading racism, Islamophobia, homophobia and sexism. Dozens of students held up signs every time Hofer spoke, with slogans such as "No Borders" and "Say No to racism". "We shouldn't hate each other," he said, to jeers from the audience. "Yes, I hear you, but it's not tolerant, you know?" He taunted Barroso, a former Portuguese prime minister, for being friends with former U.S. President George W. Bush. "Don't shout," Hofer told him. "You supported the war (in Iraq). It's true. It's true, that's why you are so nervous." (Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Richard Balmforth) HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam will receive three Chinese warships from Saturday at its newly-opened Cam Ranh international port, a provincial government official said on Thursday, following a similar visit by U.S. vessels last month. The visit will run from Saturday until October 26, an official of the external relations department of Vietnam's central province of Khanh Hoa, where the port is located, told Reuters. The official, who declined to be identified because of lack of authorization to speak to the media, gave no further details. The visit will be the first by Chinese navy ships to Cam Ranh, state-controlled news website VnExpress said, adding that 750 Chinese military personnel would participate in activities with Vietnam's navy. The new international port is separate from Vietnam's military installations at Cam Ranh, a strategic deep water bay used by the U.S. during the Vietnam war. Vietnam's invitation to China, although the two nations are at odds over the South China Sea, is in line with the Communist Party's stated goal of a balanced foreign policy that favors no country, even as ties with Washington are at their warmest yet. It comes amid uncertainty over the U.S. "pivot" to Asia, and troubles with some of its historic alliances and with a new administration soon to be decided in Washington. "This is actually quite normal, showing that Vietnam is open to all countries and does not take any particular side," said Ha Hoang Hop, a Vietnamese academic who has advised the government. "Vietnam's diplomatic policy is to not engage with any military ally, or engage with any country, to oppose a third country," Hop said. Vietnam, however, welcomes a U.S. role in the region when it intervenes to keep peace, stability and prosperity, a top Vietnamese general said on Monday. The deep water bay at Cam Ranh is now home to Hanoi's fleet of modern submarines, the key plank of its deterrent strategy for the South China Sea. Since opening early this year the international port has hosted ships from several countries including France, Japan, Singapore and the United States. (Reporting by My Pham; Editing by Mai Nguyen and Clarence Fernandez) (Reuters) - An energy industry coalition including competitive non-nuclear electricity producers sued on Wednesday to oppose a plan to subsidize nuclear power plants in New York State. The lawsuit in federal court said the New York Public Service Commission's (PSC) plan to raise electric rates across the state by requiring consumers to pay for zero emission credits (ZECs), infringes illegally into federal regulators territory. The coalition said in a statement that the litigation was "solely to save several New York nuclear plants that, allegedly, can no longer compete successfully in the federally-regulated wholesale electric power market." The subsidies were part of an effort to keep the nuclear reactors, which produce almost no emissions, operating at a time of low prices for power and natural gas, an alternative generator fuel. "The frivolous lawsuit is right out of fossil fuel industrys play book to deny and thwart actions to combat climate change," New York PSC Chairwoman Audrey Zibelman said in a statement. She noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the rights of states to protect their environment for the welfare of citizens. The owners of the state's nuclear reactors include units of Exelon Corp and Entergy Corp. Exelon in August agreed to buy Entergy's FitzPatrick reactor in New York, which Entergy said it would retire in 2017, after the state adopted the Clean Energy Standard to help the state's nuclear reactors. Officials at Exelon were not immediately available for comment. Coalition members opposed to the nuclear subsidies include units of Dynegy Inc and NRG Energy Inc. (Reporting by Harshith Aranya in Bengaluru and Scott DiSavino in New York; editing by Grant McCool) By Krisztina Than BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A Hungarian man has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out a bomb attack in central Budapest last month in which two police officers were injured, chief prosecutor Tibor Keresztes told a news conference on Thursday. Police have said that police on patrol were the target of the home-made shrapnel bomb. Keresztes said the man, a Hungarian citizen detained by anti-terrorist squads in the town of Keszthely, in western Hungary, was detained on suspicion of the attempted murder of several people and of abuse of explosives. "The case has one suspect," Keresztes said. He declined to comment on the man's motive and declined to give any further details about him. Keresztes said the man, who has no previous criminal record, did not make a confession. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Alison Williams) By Emma Batha LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Islamic State militants must be brought to justice for the sexual enslavement of Yazidis in Iraq, a prominent American lawyer said ahead of the release of a film about the world's first conviction of rape as a war crime. "The Uncondemned" tells the story behind the first genocide trial in history and the three rural Rwandan women who overcame their fear and shame to testify about the atrocities perpetrated against them. "This film is particularly important given the scale of sexual violence in so many conflicts today," said Pierre Prosper, who led the landmark prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). "It's a reminder of our responsibility to act. We made legal history back in the 1990s - Rwanda showed us that this is a crime that can and should be prosecuted, but it feels as if the lesson has stopped there." Prosper, who later became U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes from 2001 to 2005, said a special tribunal like the ICTR should be set up to try militants involved in the mass enslavement of Yazidi girls and women. U.N. war crimes investigators said this year that Islamic State (IS) was committing genocide against the Yazidis, a religious community of 400,000 people in northern Iraq. "If there was ever a case for an international tribunal, it's this one. I'm puzzled by the slow action of the international community," Prosper told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Los Angeles. "If you are going to call it genocide, you have a responsibility to do something about it. That's the lesson we learned in Rwanda." Yazidi survivors of IS atrocities were among guests invited to the film's premiere in New York at the United Nations on Wednesday night. Tens of thousands of women were raped during Rwanda's 1994 genocide when extremist Hutu militiamen slaughtered 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the central African country. Although rape had been declared a war crime in 1919, it had never been prosecuted until the 1997 trial of a small-town Rwandan mayor Jean-Paul Akayesu. Prosper broke new ground when he also convinced the U.N. tribunal to recognize rape as an act of genocide. "When you are raping and abusing women, the fabric of society is destroyed the women are clearly destroyed, but you are also destroying the men and boys," said Prosper, a partner in a U.S. law firm. "Rwanda is rebounding remarkably, but in the depths of people's eyes you can still see the impact it has had." TOOL OF TERROR Akayesu, who was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity, is serving a life sentence in a Mali prison. "The Uncondemned", which is scheduled for release in the United States on Friday, highlights the role of three key witnesses in securing his conviction. Prosper said the women, known only as JJ, NN and OO during the trial, showed the power of individuals to change the world when they had the courage to speak up. The film's director Michele Mitchell said making the documentary taught her the "incredible healing value of justice" for both individuals and communities. "One of the things witness JJ says in the film is 'keeping quiet kills you softly'." Mitchell said she was shocked that so little was being done to bring to justice perpetrators of sexual violence in conflicts in Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan and elsewhere. She hopes the film, which receives its British premiere next month, will spur the public to press politicians to take action. "Rape is still not taken as seriously as other crimes of war, and that needs to change," Mitchell said, adding that the term "sexual violence" underplayed the true nature and impact of the crime. "It's an act of torture, an act of power, an act of humiliation, and we have to start tackling it like it's an act of torture." Mitchell said rape cannot be dismissed as "just something that happens in war". "Rape is an act of deadly intent and in conflict it is used to destroy communities and people," she added. "We probably won't be able to stop it happening because it's just such an effective tactic, but we can make it a lot harder for people to get away with it." (Reporting by Emma Batha, editing by Alisa Tang. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.) This Is Helena fans whove attended the popular art exhibit at Free Ceramics in the past, should be pretty familiar with works by Adam Riggs. His canvases are not ones you soon forget. This Is Helena, now in its fourth year, brings together work by Riggs and that of more than 100 other Helena artists who use an array of different media. Expect to see paintings, photos, pots, quilts, marble and brass sculptures, jewelry, cut paper art and much more. The opening public reception is 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at Free Ceramics Studio Art Center, 650 Logan St. It runs through Dec. 17. Once again, Riggs does not disappoint. His huge oil painting, Throne of Suppression, features a wolf wearing a business suit and royal red robe slouching in a throne, his feet resting on the heads of sheep and a sheepskin draped atop his head and shoulders. I was thinking about the political season, Riggs said. To me this painting is about free will. Not only was he thinking about who wields political power, but how all people also have internal struggles with their own ego and personality and their own free will. Riggs is reluctant to say much more. He wants the viewers to create their own narrative of whats going on in his pictures. A previous year, his painting, Self Worship depicted a baboon wearing a jeweled crown sitting atop a stack of books, his mouth open in a roar with teeth bared, while his hands fiddle with a yo-yo. Another year, it was Sheep Go to Heaven, Goats Go to Hell, a painting of a giant king of hearts card with the head of a mountain sheep on one end, and a mountain goat on the other. You spin it, said Riggs as he gave the card a pull to set it in motion -- so the viewer decides which one is headed where. This canvas, like many of Riggs works, was inspired by a song. Im a huge music fan. Sometimes its just a lyric from a band that brings an image to mind. In this case, it was a Cake song that got his paintbrush moving. A lot of times when I work I dont know what Im doing, he said. I start drawing. My idea is to just let the image or piece of art evolve on its own. So I usually start with something simple that I think is kind of cool. Then he adds and subtracts things to see what works. A canvas hes working on in his living room was started a year-and-a-half ago. He lets it sit, and as the months go by he begins to see where he wants to go with it. Often, his canvas will include a wild animal image, owing to both Riggs love of nature and inspiration from his work at Monarch Taxidermy, where he builds bases and habitats for mounts. Its a job he loves, he said. I get to go to work and build mountains. They give me the animals and say, Make something cool. Hes also been fascinated with nature since he was a child. When I was a kid, I started collecting bones and skulls and just rocks and things I could find, and it became an obsession with me. ... I think skulls are beautiful, sculptural. My stuff with animals stems from thinking about the purity and innocence of nature -- that we as human beings have been separating ourselves from mentally. But the close relationship of animals and humans goes back throughout time, he said. Human beings have been turning themselves into animals forever. All these ancient cultures have relationships with animals, whether its worshipping animals or seeing themselves as half human and half animal. When Riggs isnt backpacking, or hiking, or working, or hanging out with his daughters, hes likely making art. Ive been making art since I was a little kid, he said. He grew up in Miles City and after high school took a year off and then headed to the University of Montana-Missoula to study art, where he graduated in 2004 with a bachelors of fine arts degree. To him, hes learned the most by just making art. I do it for my own sanity, he said. Its also a journey of self discovery. Im trying to create this language that is not as limiting as real physical words ... but something deeper than that, he said. Art is the only way to get feelings and emotions out there that are deeper than words. As to his future in art, I dont have a plan, he said. I just want to do the work and go along for the ride. His immediate goal is putting together enough high-quality works to have a solo show in a good gallery. A student of art history, Riggs is particularly influenced by artists ranging from Salvador Dali, Chet Zar and Alex Grey to Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and Peter Paul Rubens. My painting style I always try to go back to is Caravaggio and ... Rubens. ... Structurally, the way that they paint is a way I really strive to follow. They were very big on layers with thin washes to get that depth. He admits hes had to give the technique a modern twist -- otherwise it would take years for him to finish his paintings. Riggs art interests and subjects range a lot further than what one has seen in This Is Helena. Im not a one-trick pony, he said. He does portraits, animals and landscapes in styles that range from realism to surrealism to fantasy and visionary art. For more information about Riggs, visit adamriggsart.com. And for more information about This Is Helena, call 438-6212 or visit www.freeceramics.com. A 38-year-old Helena man is accused of driving drunk through an alley while children played nearby. Joshua Eric Morris is jailed on a felony charge of driving under the influence, fourth offense. He also faces misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and assault. On Tuesday night, police responded to the report of an intoxicated, disorderly man on the 1300 block of Phoenix, court documents say. Witnesses said they saw Morris behind the wheel of a truck, which was spinning in the dirt. Morris allegedly began to argue with a woman who witnessed his driving and yelled at her while clenching his fists, the documents state. Morris later admitted to drinking a six pack, according to court documents. -- Angela Brandt, Independent Record Ella Ensor had a little lamb named Crystal, the two were not only best friends they were family. But the eight-year-old has been left devastated after a teenage boy killed Crystal by repeatedly kicking the 10-week-old purebred Suffolk lamb at the Oropi School Calf Club event last Friday. Her mother Sarah says the incident occurred after the competition had finished, and at the time Crystal had been tied up to a fence behind her car on the edge of the field, hidden from view. Ella saw this boy kicking Crystal several times on the left hand side of her stomach. Ella told him to stop hurting her lamb, he was also with another boy who was asking him to stop kicking Crystal too. They then both ran away along the fence line behind the vehicles. Ella didnt mention the incident to her parents at the time. Sarah thinks her daughter, who she describes as a tough kid, probably felt like she dealt with the situation and would never have expected the tragic outcome. Sarah recalls how Crystal was really tired when the family first got home and lay down on the lounge floor like she was about to go to sleep. Within the hour I heard her make a baa like she was in pain. I went and checked in on her, but it was Ella who found Crystal. "Ella just started screaming, she was so upset, Ive never seen my daughter that upset before. We tried to save her, but we couldnt. The next day Sarahs mother and father, a nurse and hunter respectively, carried out an autopsy on Crystal and discovered the entire left hand side of the lambs body was covered in bruises and her liver was full of blood. Its just disgusting that someone, let alone a young child, could do this to an animal, or any living creature for that matter. His behaviour was unacceptable and animal abuse of the highest degree. Ella described the boy as looking about 13-14 years old, had blonde hair, and was wearing a black hoodie at the time. Sarah says they want to meet with the boy to share how his actions have affected Ella and the family, and the extent of the grief theyve experienced over losing Crystal. Crystal was more than a lamb, she was so spoilt, she was part of the family. Every night she would come into the kitchen and skipped around waiting for her bottler. Wed let her off and shed run around outside with Ella chasing each other. They were best friends. Oropi School Calf Club was an absolutely amazing day, but it was all ruined by the boys actions. Nothing will ever bring our gorgeous Crystal back, but I want knowledge to be taught to children in schools about how to treat and care for animals. Oropi School principal Andrew King says its unfortunate this incident possibly occurred during the school Calf Club Day as it had been a great success with record numbers of people involved. Its a very devastating situation for the family to have gone through and on behalf of the school I wish to pass on our condolences, particularly as the lamb had won the competition and Ella was going on to represent the school. It is possible the lamb has died as a result of trauma, the school has made contact with a number of experts, farmers and a vet, but nothing conclusive has been established. Andrew says the school has sought more information about the incident from teachers, support staff, children and community members, but no information has come to light yet. The school would like to know if anyone noticed any unusual behaviour from a person during the day. If anyone has any information please make direct contact with the principal. If you have any information please contact Oropi School principal Andrew King on 07-543-1479 or the SPCA on 07-578-0245. Court orders approving Trustpowers proposal to split its Australian solar and wind farms from the companys hydro gas and broadband were granted this week. Trustpower chief executive Vince Hawksworth says the two new companies will appeal to differently to different investors. Trustpower has been very successful in developing a large pipeline of new project opportunities in Australia for new renewable wind or solar, says Vince. Australias current electricity generation is about 85-90 percent fossil fuel mostly coal powered, but doing the new renewable projects requires a lot of capital. The view the board came to that we took to shareholders and got a positive vote on, was that by having a business that was focused on just that; building, constructing and operating new wind generation shareholders will be able to choose to invest in that - which is a big growth opportunity. And the remainder, which is the Trustpower retail business and our hydro generation in New Zealand and Australia is much more characteristic of a yield type of investment which wont be looking for lots of new capital in the short term. All conditions relating to the demerger have been met and the Tauranga based energy company has produced a time table for the partition into Tilt Renewables and Bay Energy Ltd, the new Trustpower. Tilt Renewables holds Trustpowers Australian and New Zealand wind generation assets and its wind and solar development projects. Bay Energy Limited (New Trustpower) will continue to operate Trustpowers New Zealand and Australian hydro generation assets and its multi-product New Zealand retail business. New Trustpower will retain Trustpowers name and brand. Both Tilt Renewables and New Trustpower will be listed on the NZ Stock Exchange Main Board. Tilt Renewables is also expected to be listed on the ASX. Trustpower Shares will cease trading on the NZX Main Board at 5pm on October 26, 2016. All Trustpower Shareholders at this time and date will be entitled to receive Tilt Renewables Shares and New Trustpower Shares, which will begin trading on the NZX Main board on a conditional settlement basis on October 28, 2016. Tilt Renewables Shares begin trading on the ASX on a deferred settlement basis on the same day. The Implementation Date of the Scheme in October 31, 2016. The Distribution Date of Tilt Renewables Shares and New Trustpower Shares to Trustpower Shareholders is November 1, 2016. Normal trading of Tilt Renewables Shares and New Trustpower Shares commences on the NZX Main Board on November 1, 2016. It was the phone call Sharon and Gary Robertson have been hoping for - someone in Tauranga had spotted their Shitzu cross Harry which has been missing for five weeks. On a visit from their home in Cambridge, Harry fled in a panic from a friends house in Miles Lane when fireworks started going off during an event held at Bethlehem College in September. Recalling the phone call they received Thursday, Sharon says a man saw a dog running up and down Cambridge Road. He tried to grab it and another woman saw it and realised it was Harry so she stopped to try and help him. But Harry, frightened, ran off down into the Furniss Lane area. He was then spotted by a woodcutter chopping a tree in the bottom of a gully below Furniss Lane. Looking up he saw Harry moving along the top of the ridge above him, and the flyers repeatedly dropped by the family into mailboxes throughout the area over the last few weeks helped with the instant realisation that this was Harry. Another phone call to Sharon who was on her way to Tauranga with her other dog Ben, and her daughter Jackie Murray with her dog Gucci. Gary joined them later in the day as they searched the lane and surrounding area. Harry, the missing Shitzu cross. File Photo. News spread fast over social media and Julia Graham from the Western Bay Wildlife Trust met the family near dusk with two large cat traps and smelly meat. The plan was to also put up a drone over the area, but the rain meant this had to wait until morning. Permission was sought from the owners of the properties in Furniss Lane who have been looking out for Harry since he first went missing. Sharon says if people do spot Harry, please dont rush him. If you rush at him, you will scare him off and he will run. You need to get down, crouch down, and talk to him quietly - come on Harry, come here Harry and if you do that he might come to you. But if you run towards him, he will turn around and bolt, and he is such a fast runner. Jackie and her husband Eric Murray, who won Olympic gold at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, bought Harry for Jackies parents Sharon and Gary Robertson as a Christmas present because Ben, Sharons dog had been used to having another little dog staying with them while they were living in Sydney. When they shifted back to New Zealand, they found Ben suffered anxiety when left by himself, so Sharon would take him around to Jackie and Erics home for Doggy Daycare while they went to work. One day Jackie and Eric arrived on their doorstep with Harry as an early Christmas present. Eric was secretly hoping his parents-in-law would say they didnt want another dog, so they could keep Harry for themselves, but as Sharon said we just fell in love with him, so he stayed. That was July 21, over four years ago, and Harry has become a well-loved member of their family. Sharons dog Ben demoing the cat trap. Supplied Photo The two large cat traps are used by the wildlife trust to catch cats that may be roaming around Mauao, Moturiki Island and other areas where little blue penguins and grey faced petrels and their young could be at risk. Baited with meat, it draws the cat towards the back of the wire cage, where a spring pad pressed down by the weight of the cat instantly shuts the trap door behind it, catching it live. Harry, being a small dog, can easily enter these traps, however they will be replaced this morning by larger dog traps. Julia and the family placed one trap along the ridge line where the woodcutter saw Harry yesterday, and the other trap further on, covering them with some leaves and wood debris. Sharon wishes to thank the public for their support and help. We just cant thank everyone enough. There are so many wonderful kind people out there that have been helping us. One of the traps placed along the ridge line where Harry was seen from below by a woodchopper on Thursday afternoon. Supplied Photo. MISSOULA -- Why do students choose the University of Montana? The mountains nearby are one answer, but not the most frequent one, at least by one measure. When UM posed the question this fall to students at its "Welcome Feast," most said the strength of its programs was more important than the surrounding mountains. So said Dean Brock Tessman on Tuesday at a meeting of the University Council offering an update of UM's strategic planning process. At the meeting, Tessman reported some of the themes that are coming to light in feedback about how to move UM forward, and at least a couple of the 17 people who attended urged the committee to engage more with the campus and community. Tessman noted the mountains play second fiddle to academics as a way to illustrate one of the committee's values. In undertaking its charge to rethink UM's strategic plan, he said, the group aims to be inclusive, transparent, and to use data to make decisions. Creating a word cloud of students' responses to the reason they chose UM was a good example of using data to inform the plan President Royce Engstrom launched, Tessman said. "That's being data-driven it's not being data-obsessed," said Tessman, dean of the Davidson Honors College and also chair of the committee. Several themes have emerged in the first phase of the plan, the data collection currently underway, he said. People are interested in the relevance of the university's curricula, and in UM's identity as a flagship with a liberal arts foundation, but also one with noteworthy professional schools. They're interested in customer service as well, an issue Engstrom noted as a problem in his State of the University Address this fall. "We need to perhaps look more closely at the experience that our students and their parents and our alumni and, in fact, the experience that we all have on campus," Tessman said. A third theme that emerged is the "outstanding" relationships that UM nurtures, he said. Alumni report keeping up connections with a professor or someone in Business Services, and he said building on that strength makes a lot of sense. One goal is to figure out how those themes connect to UM's enrollment decline. UM has experienced a 24 percent drop in enrollment since 2010 despite strong academic programs. After the group collects input this semester, it will write a draft of the plan, and Tessman said people are eager to move quickly on a document that guides the university into the future. "It is an important moment at the University of Montana, so we want to honor that sense of urgency while at the same time crafting a durable plan," Tessman said. In his fall address, Engstrom said the 2011 strategic plan for UM had served its purpose, and it was time for renewal. Tuesday, Tessman said UM had experienced significant changes since the earlier plan, such as new arrivals and new thinking on campus, enrollment and budgetary decreases, and breakthroughs in research and faculty accomplishments. At the meeting, Sue Bradford suggested the committee consider an engagement phase to ensure the plan has grassroots support. Bradford, a faculty member, said members of the campus community, students, professors, and others, will have concrete ideas for ways to reach goals the plan will identify. Lexi Klawitter also called for more engagement specifically from students. Klawitter is a sophomore and among just two or three students who turned up to hear the update. "I was very concerned when I got here and no one else was here," Klawitter said of her fellow students. Klawitter is a student in the Davidson Honors College, and she'd heard about the plan from Tessman, who is her adviser. She wanted to learn more at the presentation. As she sees it, if enrollment is the primary issue of concern campus, students are the key to unlocking it. "I think addressing that problem through student ideas is the way to solve that problem," Klawitter said. In response to calls for more outreach, Tessman said the committee would redouble its efforts. To date, more than 700 people have commented at neighborland.com/montana, he said, and he's pleased to see that many responses (see related box). Tessman also said the group has been pushing ahead without getting bogged down in politics and with belief in UM's strong future. "The committee is open-minded and optimistic about the future of the University of Montana," he said. TV Superyacht TV left the drawing boards of Espen Oeino for the construction halls of Lurssen Yachts before hitting in the water in 2008. Available through Moran Yacht & Ship, this stand-out superyacht measures 78.5 metres (2576 ft), featuring an immediately eye-catching baby-blue hull and flowing superstructure which only hint at the sophistication throughout. Her Alberto Pinto interior offers a relaxed South Beach style while the vast internal space holds ample room for true superyacht lifestyle amenities. Galactica Supernova After her world debut at the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show, Galactica Supernova is headed for the Fort Lauderdale waters for an American premier. This is the largest superyacht ever built by Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts, and a remarkable example of their design, engineering and style. A sleek profile stretches across 70.7 metres (22910 ft) which can power through the water at top speeds of 30 knots. Apogee Built in 2003 by the Codecasa shipyard, Apogee is a vision of Made in Italy style taken to new lengths. Completely designed and built in-house, with a Della Role Design interior, this is a superyacht display for those looking for a sophisticated charter experience or a superyacht with more volume than her 62 metre (2034 ft) length would have you believe. Lady Lola Oceanco is one of the finest yacht builders in the world, and Lady Lola is a testament not only to the yards quality, but timelessness in design. Launched in 2002, this is not an old yacht, but she is immaculately maintained nonetheless and, with exterior styling by The A Group, stands up to the style of modern superyachts of today. Far-cruising and highly private, this 62.60 metre (2054 ft) superyacht is a must-see in Fort Lauderdale. Just Js Delivered in 2016, Just Js was built by Dutch family shipyard Hakvoort and offers those on board a world of luxury innovations through revolutionary design. Her five-deck layout each with its own theme gives her a comparatively high amount of volume for her size of 61 metres (200 ft) and stands as the shipyards largest launch to date. This is a significant yacht and one which will provide a first-hand look at Dutch attention to detail on the docks of Fort Lauderdale. While this list covers our view of the must-see yachts on the more extreme end of the spectrum, visitors on the docks can make the most of other attending superyachts such as Party Girl, Madsummer, Mia Elise II, Skyfall, Fast & Furious, Huntress and hundreds more. Well be bringing you updates from the docks of the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show during one of the most important political and economic phases for the United States, guaranteeing a valuable insight into the American Superyacht Market. The NCA is joining forces with Crimestoppers to locate and arrest British fugitives who are believed to have fled to Spain Simon Manley, the British Ambassador to Spain, spoke of the success of Operation Captura. :: EFE Information : Full details and photos of the fugitives are at www.crimestoppers.es To provide information anonymously call 900 555 111. The UKs National Crime Agency (NCA) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Operation Captura with the release of information regarding ten of Britains most-wanted fugitives. The operation is a joint initiative of the United Kingdom and Spain that targets some British criminals who are believed to be hiding in Spains expat communities. The NCA works in partnership with the crime-fighting charity, Crimestoppers, which takes anonymous calls and tips from the general public. The campaign has so far afforded a great deal of success, with 76 fugitives apprehended out of 86 publicised. Lord Ashcroft, the Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said: As we mark the tenth anniversary of Operation Captura, it is safe to say it has been an extremely effective way of tracking down some of the most wanted individuals who are deliberately running from justice. These people have managed to evade arrest and avoid justice. We know that with the help of Spanish authorities, along with the public in Spain and the UK, we can find these people. The ten fugitives are wanted in connection with a number of crimes, including murder, child sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering and serious assault. Steve Reynolds, Head of International Operations for the NCA, said: The success of Captura demonstrates our relentless pursuit of fugitives. We never give up. Many of them use Spain as a base to continue illegal activities which still have an impact on the UK, but it is not a safe haven. Senior figures within the organisations also cite the close liaisons with the British Embassy in Madrid and with both the British and Spanish law enforcement agencies as reasons behind the operations success. Reynolds said , Seventy-six fugitives on the Captura list have been caught to date, along with many more fugitives linked to other operations. The exceptional level of collaboration and intelligence-sharing we have with the Spanish authorities has been vital to these arrests. The British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, affirms this view: Captura is one of the best examples of the fantastic collaboration between Spanish and British law enforcement. Our objective is for this collaboration to continue and strengthen in the coming years. I would like to congratulate all those that have worked over the last 10 years to bring fugitives to justice. Crimestoppers and the NCA are appealing to everyday citizens to provide any information they can about these dangerous criminals. In both the United Kingdom and Spain there is a free phone number which grants you complete anonymity. Reynolds states, The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice. We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets. State Sen. Debby Barrett is asking for an investigation into allegations of waste, fraud and abuse within the Department of Health and Human Services. The allegations were the focus of a story that appeared in the Independent Record on Sept. 11. The story said former Montana auditors accused state officials of discouraging Department of Public Health and Human Services staffers from investigating a variety of questioned payments dating back to 2005. At the time, Gov. Steve Bullock said through a spokeswoman that as attorney general, he forwarded those concerns to the legislative auditor, who found no evidence of wrongdoing. Angus Maciver, who took over as legislative auditor this summer, said his office "found no such reports sent to his division by the then attorney general" but added the Attorney General's office sometimes asks auditors for help in their own investigations. DPHHS Director Richard Opper called Barrett's request "obviously politically motivated without basis." "The allegations are factually inaccurate. Its disheartening that Senator Barrett would want to use tax dollars to fuel baseless political attacks sent from a private email account," he said. Barrett, the senate president, asked the audit division to investigate allegations: by former internal agency auditors who accused state officials of discouraging DPHHS staffers from investigating a variety of questioned payments going back 11 years; that a Columbia Falls vendor used more than $536,000 in federal money that was meant for financial literacy and job training to buy construction materials and equipment; that $4.1 million in federal money meant to defray the cost of enrolling children from low-income families in Medicaid was instead diverted to disability, drug addiction and senior care vendors; that internal agency auditors were not allowed to fully investigate transactions, "sometimes through bullying or being warned not to adopt a 'gotcha attitude' toward contractors'; by two DPHHS employees they were told by Bullock to push through "questionable welfare payments" to important Democratic voting blocs; by former DPHHS audit reviewer Wendie Fredrickson that "state officials have accused employees of insubordination as a means of getting rid of those who speak out"; and at least seven employees who raised red flags were fired or demoted and three who raised questions were accused of insubordination before being fired. Barrett asked for a report of the findings during the upcoming Legislative session, which starts Jan. 2 and adjourns sometime in April. derrick wilson crop.jpg Derrick Wilson before County Court Judge Anthony Aloi in late 2015. (Douglass Dowty | ddowty@syracuse.com) Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse murder suspect says the government has been out to get him for decades. Derrick Wilson, 36, said that's why he was prosecuted for running a high-level heroin and cocaine ring. And he says police fabricated evidence in 2014 to pin him for a cold-case murder in 2000. "It's totally bull," County Court Judge Anthony Aloi said today of police faking drug evidence against Wilson. Wilson and the judge sparred for an hour and a half this morning over his murder charge in the Easter 2000 shooting of Waliek Hamer outside a South Salina Street burger joint. In maybe no other recent Syracuse murder case has the accused spoken so much to the judge directly. Typically, defense lawyers handle those duties. But Wilson is undeterred. He fired his own lawyer during his drug case in federal court. A jury found him guilty of drug conspiracy and he'll spend 28 years in prison for that case. Wilson has repeatedly claimed the entire drug case was fabricated in retribution by Syracuse police and federal authorities for a lawsuit he won over a 1998 strip search. A federal prosecutor called Wilson "perhaps the most vain individual you will ever hear." Wilson called the entire drug case -- including wiretaps, body mics and 12 guilty co-defendants -- a sham. Which now brings us to the murder prosecution. One of Wilson's co-conspirators in the drug case happened to be a witness the night Hamer was killed 16 years ago. Jamall Harris told police at the time he was too far away to see who shot Hamer, according to the judge's account today. But after getting busted in the drug ring, Harris changed his tune. He now says he saw Wilson commit the murder. Wilson has seized on that to label Harris a liar and to suggest that the entire drug investigation was fabricated to squeeze Harris into lying. Aloi called that scenario "almost unimaginable": that police were out to get Wilson since the 2000 murder, but waited until he happened to be in a drug ring with the witness Harris 14 years later so they could fabricate evidence against him. Wilson fixated on a discrepancy in the number of illegal drug buys that police used to bust Harris. Wilson says at least two were fabricated after a typographical error inflated the number from three to five purchases. But Aloi said only three purchases were proven because Harris admitted guilt after that point. In addition, there was "a mountain" of other evidence tying Wilson to the drug ring, the judge said. That included wiretaps in which prosecutors said Wilson discussed the drug business with Harris. It also included testimony at the drug trial that Harris and Wilson went to New York City together to pick up drugs. "I never went nowhere with that man. I never sold anybody drugs," Wilson said today. He suggested that he wasn't responsible for what his 12 co-defendants did around him, saying he never had the drugs. The suspect also accused federal prosecutors of saying they wouldn't pursue the murder charge if he agreed not to fight the drug charges. (Prosecutors have denied this claim.) Aloi did not have evidence of that either way. But he said it was irrelevant to the murder case: the question was whether there was enough evidence against Wilson to proceed to trial. The only new evidence, everyone agreed, was Harris's cooperation against Wilson. Whether or not to believe Harris would be up to a jury at trial, Aloi said. "You can cross examine Jamall Harris until the cows come home about why he changed his story," the judge told Wilson. The next step is a day of more hearings Dec. 12. Wilson is expected to go to trial sometime in the middle of next year. He will remain in state or federal custody until then. LENOX, N.Y. -- A Madison County man is accused of drunken driving when he got into a crash, the New York State Police said. Just after 6:30 p.m. Saturday troopers responded to a 2-crash on North Main Street Road in the town of Lenox. Kyle P. Phillips, 21, of Mill Street, Canastota, had pulled out of a driveway in a 1998 Dodge Ram pickup-truck to go south on North Main Street Road. State police said he failed to yield the right of way to Morgan L. Casler, 18, of North Main Street Road, who was driving a 2001 Oldsmobile south. The two vehicle crashed on the south lane of the road. The Canastota Fire Department and Greater Lenox Ambulance responded with troopers. State police said that while talking to Phillips troopers smelled alcohol on his breath and sobriety tests showed he was intoxicated. A breath test later showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.13 percent, state police said. Phillips was also found to have a suspended license. Phillips was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or greater, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to yield the right of way, and unlicensed operation. He was issued tickets and is scheduled to appear in Lenox Town Court at a later date. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse University student seriously injured last week in a fiery crash on Erie Boulevard East has died, according to SU officials. Vincent "Vinny" Maugeri, 22, of New Hartford, was injured when his car crashed and caught fire early Friday morning in an Erie Boulevard East parking lot, said Sgt. David Sackett, of the Syracuse Police Department. Maugeri died today, according to Syracuse University officials. Maugeri was driving in the 2200 block of Erie Boulevard East around 4:30 a.m. Friday when he drove off the road, police said. He drove through several parking lots before hitting a portable generator and a parked car, police said. Syracuse police Sgt. William Galvin and Sgt. David Burgess were returning to Syracuse police's Erie Boulevard East office at 4:36 a.m. Friday when they spotted flames and smoke in the parking lot of 2211 Erie Boulevard East. They then discovered Maugeri's burning car and called 911. After repeated attempts, Galvin and Burgess were able to open the driver's door of the car -- allowing Maugeri to escape, police said. Maugeri graduated from New Hartford High School in 2013. He was a senior at Syracuse University in the College of Arts and Sciences. Maugeri was majoring in biology and was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity held a memorial service Monday for Hunter B. Watson, 20, of Virginia who died in a crash in June. Watson was killed when the Jeep he was riding in collided with another vehicle north of Dover, Maryland. The fraternity is holding a "Safe Driving Week" this week in Watson's memory. Syracuse University sent out an email this afternoon to inform students and staff about Maugeri's death. "Chancellor Syverud and I join the entire university community in extending our sympathy to his family, friends and all who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those mourning his loss," Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, dean of student affairs, said in the email. The university is offering counseling services for students and staff. Since the accident, family, friends and classmates have taken to social media to send support to Maugeri and his family. A public group, #AllInForVin, was created. The page describes Maugeri as a big kid with a big heart. Earlier versions incorrectly reported that Maugeri was 27 years old. He was 22. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Principal Eliezer Hernandez starts his day with the morning announcements and Pledge of Allegiance, each read first in English, then Spanish. Behind him, a receptionist at the Delaware elementary school takes a phone call from a mom with a sick kid: "Do you speak any English?" she asks, straining to connect with the woman on the other end of the line. "Do you know the teacher's name?" Hernandez hits the hallways, doing laps around the building in a brightly-colored, patterned bow tie -- walkie-talkie buzzing at his hip. He cruises past a series of signs in two languages: Rules for the bathroom and reglas del bano. In the basement, where the dual language academy is housed, he peeks into teacher Drioni Vergaras' kindergarten classroom. Vergaras bounces between a Spanish vocabulary lesson and tending to a student who didn't have breakfast at home. Vergaras hands off her pointing stick to a bubbly girl with braids, while she doles out a carton of milk and a fruit cup to a lethargic, rosy-cheeked girl. Tiny voices, some with Latino accents, chime in, "yo, soy, un, una," and so on. Back upstairs, the upbeat principal stops three older students who are dawdling at a water fountain with a hall pass. He asks them a series of questions that prompt them, one by one, to return quickly to their class. Hernandez encounters two Syracuse police investigators in the main office. They are concerned a custody dispute could spill into the school. He can't talk about the particulars with a reporter, but says he wishes sometimes he could put a bubble around 900 Geddes St. to shield its students from what happens outside. Principal Eli Hernandez talks to a school safety officer. Delaware Primary School is a bilingual school on Syracuse's West Side. The neighborhood is one of the poorest, most crime-ridden in Upstate New York. Last spring, students dodged bullets on their way in. Drugs have been found on the new playground next door. Those aren't the only things that set it apart. It's the only place for miles where you can find, for example, authentic Puerto Rican and Dominican food, Hernandez says. For lunch, he orders a spread of roast pork, beans and rice, fish stew, fried plantains and cola champagne. The West Side building is home to two schools: one, a vibrant new bilingual academy; the other, on and off New York's failing schools lists for 40 years now, has been shut down by the state. The bilingual school, Delaware Primary, is replacing the old school, Delaware Academy, one grade at a time over five years. Hernandez is balancing the instinct to put a bubble around the school with his plan to draw from the neighborhood's Latino culture to make the school a better place. He is hiring Spanish-speaking teachers, infusing lessons with Latino culture and signaling to kids that it's OK to speak their native language in school. This is all to make neighbors feel welcome, and make the school more attractive to students and families. The dual language academy is a statement that the school values bilingualism, with the hope that the bilingual community, in turn, values the school. Bilingual schools Dual language academies are becoming more popular, especially as the English-learning population rapidly grows. The New York State Education Department requires districts to offer bilingual programs if they have 20 or more students at a given grade who share a language other than English. The Syracuse City School District has obtained waivers for the last several years because of the difficulties of meeting the requirement. Adding bilingual schools, especially for Spanish speakers who make up a third of the district's non-English speakers, is still a long-term goal. It's part of the reason for the school at Delaware, which will offer two "50/50" classes of bilingual programming at each grade level. The 50/50 approach means classes are made up of half Spanish-speaking students. They have two teachers, who swap students for half the day. One speaks in Spanish and the other English. "We recognize the importance of maintaining the native language," said Jackie LeRoy, the director of the district's language services. School board member Rita Paniagua, who is also director of the nonprofit Spanish Action League (or La Liga) on Syracuse's West Side, supports the school's efforts. She has promoted the school on local Spanish radio with kindergarten teacher Vergaras, Hernandez and students. She ticked off a list of reasons why she is behind the bilingual program at Delaware: Students develop better language skills throughout their lives if they are taught a second language at a young age. Bilingual programs incorporate other cultures, which helps students grow and families feel pride. Bilingualism makes students more employable and better college applicants. Spanish-speaking students have a better shot at doing well in all subjects in school. It's easier to talk about dividing numbers or to find a country on a map in your native language, for example. Paniagua said Hernandez, who speaks Spanish fluently, can have a major impact on how people living next door view the school. Puertorriqueno The fact that Hernandez, a Puerto Rican, is leading the efforts at a school where half the students are Latino can't be ignored. "Being Hispanic, he understands the Hispanic community inside and out," Paniagua said. Hernandez recalls growing up in the Bronx after his family moved from Puerto Rico. His first day of school was in New York City and he spoke no English. "I'm no different than any child who grows up at this school," he said. "I came here from a single-parent household. It was violent in my area. At times, it was difficult to learn. I know and can relate to my kids here." He shares with his students the story of a certification exam he failed 17 times. Every time, he was within five points of passing. Finally, he realized he was eligible for more time as a Spanish speaker. When he took the test with extra time, he passed by 25 points. "I think in Spanish," he said. History repeating Delaware had a bilingual program once before. It has tried many of the other efforts Hernandez is leading, like incentives for good behavior and revamping the curriculum. In 1993, two young educators were appointed the district's first Latino principals. Jaime Alicea, who is now interim superintendent, led a successful program at Seymour Dual Language Academy, also on the West Side. Seymour's program is still going strong, but efforts at Delaware were later abandoned -- despite having another energetic young Latino principal at the helm. Milagros Escalera, the district's first Latina principal, appointed just before Alicea, enacted a set of reforms at Delaware. She put in a "community living room," with carpets, a washer and dryer and magazines. She fought to keep reading recovery teachers at the school and implemented an instructional model that emphasized literacy and highly-structured teaching techniques. Years later, the school was back on the state's failing list. Built in 1890 as Delaware Academy, the school first landed on a state list in 1986, according to Post-Standard archives. In this 1999 file photo, students at the Delaware school celebrate Latino heritage month. Since, it's been renamed twice. The "Delaware Academy of Continuous Progress" got rid of grade levels, moving students along at their own pace. The school has tried adding thematic classes, community partners for health care or tutoring, "expeditionary" or hands-on, student-driven learning -- things that have worked at other city schools. Each time Delaware saw success, it shed the state's "failing" label, and with it, funding. Economic downturns led to staff reductions. When the school turned its attention to academic programs and gained traction, behavioral problems increased. Meanwhile, many middle-class families left the district. Puerto Rican and other Latino families -- a large percentage living below the poverty line -- moved into the area rapidly. In 1981, 75 percent of students received free lunch; in 1998, 90 percent; now, all students qualify for three free meals a day plus a snack. The district's Spanish-speaking population swelled from about 400 in 1984 to well over 1,000 now. Challenges The hardest part of starting another bilingual school in Syracuse is finding qualified, certified teachers. "It's hard to teach in two languages, plain and simple," Hernandez said. "That's a struggle we're in right now." The district is looking to work with a local education school, perhaps to offer online courses to get current Syracuse teachers certified in bilingual education. They have to speak two languages fluently. Right now, the closest school to offer the certification is State University of New York Brockport, district officials said. English as a new language teacher Areli Schermerhorn, who now works as an evaluator of other teachers, said bilingual teaching is a lot to ask -- especially at a school like Delaware, where students often suffer the effects of poverty. She is nonetheless supportive and excited about the program at Delaware. A native Spanish speaker herself, Schermerhorn agreed that research and experience support bilingual education. Still she said she was cautiously optimistic, knowing some of the pitfalls. While bilingual programs often lead to better outcomes overall, students' English proficiency is sometimes stunted. "They absolutely have the capacity, but it's hard," Schermerhorn said. "Many of these students are the same students who come to school with gaps in learning, literacy in even their native language, and struggling with social skills." What needs to be different this time around? The West Side's problems have festered, but the community has treated its schools like a junk drawer, said Karen Fruscello, a former teacher there. "The (drawer) in the kitchen that you keep putting stuff in and eventually it starts popping out and you have to address it." Fruscello, the Syracuse Teachers Association president, got her start at Delaware in the 1980s when the cycle of reforms there began. She put in 12 years at the school, observing how good intentions fell flat without a real buy-in from the community. The people living on the West Side are too often disengaged from politics, government and education. They don't get a voice in the changes to the school, Fruscello said. Outside the school, Geddes Street is busy, but most of the people passing through don't a have a stake in the neighborhood. Kindergarten teacher Drioni Vergaras leads students during recreational time in the gym. "We drive by it, we walk by it, but we don't partake in it," Fruscello said. "You are your brother's keeper. It takes a village. However you want to say it, we have a moral obligation to address these things and not think someone else is just going to take care of it." This time, a strong leader with a vision gives teachers and community members hope. The state's interest and oversight in English learners is relatively new. The district, with a bilingual superintendent and school board member, wants to dedicate resources to the school. It may be the same old building, but the name and the focus of the school are new. That's enough to persuade Fanny Villareal, a bilingual community organizer on the West Side and head of the YWCA, which runs an afterschool program at Delaware. When she visits Delaware, she said she can feel how much love the principal, teachers and all the staff have for the dual language program growing in the basement. She said parents are telling her they are excited too. "Let's shake it up and do something different," she said. "If we're going to change the mentality of the neighborhood, we have to start with the kids." Reporter Julie McMahon covers Syracuse University and Syracuse city schools. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 Naloxone.jpg (Associated Press) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- New York state has taken steps to tamp down the soaring price of naloxone, the life-saving drug used to revive heroin and painkiller overdose patients. After naloxone manufacturer Amphastar doubled its prices in 2014, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman negotiated a 20 percent price reduction with the company for all state and local government agencies that buy naloxone from the company. The state buys much of the naloxone distributed in New York. The state Health Department provides naloxone kits to syringe exchange programs that give them away free to drug users, their friends and loved ones. ACR Health in Syracuse, which operates a syringe exchange program, has distributed more than 1,200 kits in Central New York over the past two years. It also trains people how to administer naloxone. ACR is feeling some ripple effects from the rise in price and demand for naloxone, said Erin Bortel, ACR's director of prevention services. When the agency orders more kits from the state it only gets half or less of the amount requested and has to wait six to eight weeks for delivery, she said. The state also provides naloxone at no cost to police agencies like the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, which administered it 20 times in 2015 and 34 times during the first nine months of this year. A state grant program also covers the cost of naloxone and training for small fire departments and other basic life support agencies. But larger public and private EMS agencies that provide ambulance service are not eligible for that program and have to absorb the higher naloxone prices. Under a new state law, health insurers in New York are required to cover naloxone. Under existing state regulations, large group health insurance policies are not required to cover prescription drugs. But starting Jan. 1, those policies must cover naloxone and other medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of drug abuse. Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245 peregrine.jpg A rendering of an $11 million assisted living facility Peregrine Senior Living Company plans to build on Route 175 opposite Onondaga Community College. (Peregrine) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse company will break ground today on an $11 million assisted living facility on Route 175 across from Onondaga Community College. Peregrine Senior Living Company is building a "memory care" community that will accommodate 64 residents and offer specialized care for people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The building will feature three courtyards, a chapel, Koi pond and bird aviary. Peregrine President Stephen Bowman said in a press release the facility's memory care program will focus on stimulating the memories of residents in areas such as spirituality, music and education. Peregrine operates the Athenaeum in Skaneateles and other assisted living facilities in Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Schenectady, Massachusetts, Maryland, Georgia and Colorado. Hillary Clinton,Donald Trump Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, take the stage for the third presidential debate at University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off in the third and final presidential debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas. Journalist Chris Wallace moderated the debate. The 90-minute debate came with just less than three weeks until the election on Nov. 8. Here are some highlights from the debate: A tale of two debates The debate's opening 40 minutes were marked by substantive debate on policy, opening with a discussion on Supreme Court justices and covering immigration, abortion and gun control. Both candidates were composed and hardly interrupted one another or the moderator. Trump said he would appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark abortion decision. Clinton said she would appoint justices who would support the decision. The latter portion of the debate was more freewheeling, as the candidates began to interrupt and talk over one another, occasionally swapping more personal attacks. 'Nasty woman' One such personal attack received lots of attention after the debate. Shortly after Trump insisted that "nobody has more respect for women than I do," he referred to Clinton as a "nasty woman." The comment immediately lit up social media. Trump's remark was a response to a jab from Clinton, where she suggested he might try to evade paying taxes. No environment, veterans Wednesday marked the third and final presidential debate. Certain topics came up frequently throughout the debates, like economic policies, temperament and fighting the Islamic State. Topics like climate change and veterans affairs, however, were never specifically addressed. Upstate NY gets shout-outs For the second time in as many debates, Trump invoked Upstate New York as he listed areas with depressed economies. He previously called the region "a disaster" and repeated his concern for Upstate Wednesday night. "You look at all of the places that I just left," Trump said. "You go to Pennsylvania, you go to Ohio, you go to Florida, you go to any of them. You go Upstate New York. Our jobs have fled to Mexico and other places. We're bringing our jobs back." Clinton, too, mentioned Upstate New York, saying she represented an area where many gun owners live. "I support the Second Amendment," Clinton said. "I lived in Arkansas for 18 wonderful years. I represented Upstate New York. I understand and respect the tradition of gun ownership. It goes back to the founding of our country." 'I'll keep you in suspense' When asked if he would accept the results of November's election, Trump said he will keep the public in suspense. Wallace pressed Trump on the issue and Trump declined to say whether he would accept the results. The comment came after several weeks where Trump has warned supporters that Clinton and the media will rig the upcoming election. His running mate, Mike Pence, said just before the debate that he and Trump would "absolutely" accept the election results. Afterward, Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said Trump will accept the results "because he's going to win." Clinton's 'criminal enterprise' Moderator Chris Wallace pressed Clinton on her dealings with her charitable foundation. Clinton is accused of giving more State Department access to donors while she was secretary. Clinton attempted to pivot, talking about the good work her charity does. Trump fired back, calling her foundation a "criminal enterprise." Putin's puppet? Trump and Clinton sparred over Russia, questioning one another's relationship with President Vladmir Putin. Trump said that Clinton had been "outsmarted" by Putin during her time as Secretary of State. Clinton fired back, calling Trump a "puppet" for the Kremlin. "No, you're the puppet," Trump responded. Giuliani Cuban.jpg Rudy Giuliani (left) and Mark Cuban (right) squared off in a pre-debate debate on CNN (YouTube) Top surrogates for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton squared off against one another prior to tonight's presidential debate. In a sometimes heated exchange, Clinton supporter and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban sparred with Trump supporter and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The two mostly rehashed points both campaigns have made over the last several months. Giuliani went after Clinton over her use of a private email server, and suggested she might be losing her memory. "This is out of the X-Files," Cuban replied, laughing. "X-Files? They're out of the FBI files," Giuliani responded. Giuliani also addressed allegations against Trump of unwanted sexual advances. The former mayor said he's never seen Trump "do anything remotely close to that." CNN host Erin Burnett "moderated" the matchup between the two surrogates. Cuban is attending tonight's debate in Las Vegas as Clinton's guest. Giuliani has been a close ally of Trump's throughout the campaign. The pair will meet again on CNN following the debate. Watch the entire exchange below: Vladimir Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen at the Business Russia Congress in Moscow on Tuesday. (Alexander Zemlianichenko | AP Photo pool) Russia tried to send monitors to U.S. polling stations for the Nov. 8 election, but was rebuffed by the State Department, according to USA Today. The request to monitor the vote was an apparent attempt to embarrass the U.S. over Donald Trump's claims of a rigged election, the paper said. A spokeswoman for Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, who received one of the Russian requests, called the move a "propaganda ploy," according to USA Today. Trump has complained for weeks about potential election fraud, the paper noted. During last night's debate, he refused to say whether he'd accept the results on Election Day. On Thursday he said he'd accept them if he wins, USA Today said. U.S. officials have said Russia is behind a series of hacks that leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign staffers, according to the paper. Trump has been skeptical about Russia's role in the hacks and tried to defend against Clinton's attacks during the debate that he admires Russian President Vladimir Putin, USA Today said. Russia was invited to participate in routine monitoring of the U.S. vote by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, but the level of access was unacceptable to the Russians, USA Today said. The European group will observe the election with a delegation of 439 people from 10 countries, including a Russian. Officials in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas threatened to throw Russian agents in jail if they show up at polling places, according to Salon. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security advised officials in Louisiana against the monitoring, USA Today said. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112 Hillary Clinton,Donald Trump Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, take the stage for the third presidential debate at University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Trump said he would appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Donald Trump said tonight he would appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn a landmark abortion decision. At Wednesday's presidential debate, Trump said Roe v. Wade would be "automatically" overturned if he is able to appoint Supreme Court justices. "I am pro-life," Trump said. He added that he would make abortion a states' rights issue. Moderator Chris Wallace opened the debate with a question about appointing Supreme Court judges. He soon brought up issues of abortion and gun rights. Clinton responded by saying she strongly supports a woman's right to make her own decision. Trump then said Clinton was in favor of late-term abortions where a fetus could be "ripped out" of a mother's womb. Roe v. Wade is a 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized a woman's right to have an abortion nationwide. Campaign 2016 Debate Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump answers a question during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Trump said he would not unconditionally accept the results of November's election. (AP Photo/John Locher) Donald Trump said he plans to keep the public in suspense about whether he'll accept the results of November's election. At Wednesday's debate, moderator Chris Wallace asked whether the GOP nominee will accept the result of the election. Trump refused to say yes. "I'll look at it at the time," Trump said. Wallace pushed Trump, saying the loser has always conceded at the end of a campaign for the good of the country. "I will tell you at the time," Trump said. "I'll keep you in suspense." Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton called Trump's rhetoric scary. "That's horrifying," she said. "This is not the way our democracy works." In recent weeks, Trump has doubled down on rhetoric that the upcoming election will be rigged by Clinton and the media. At rallies he has warned of widespread voter fraud, despite little evidence that such fraud exists or could impact an election. Prior to the debate, Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said he and Trump would "absolutely" accept the results of the election. Its mostly silent now outside in the morning. Snows predicted for the high country with a slow, dreary rain on the prairie. Fall is here. And yet the meadowlark sings. Bird breeding season is long gone and the vast majority of migratory songbirds have left for points south. And yet the meadowlark sings. In the spring, the western meadowlark is harbinger of better times ahead, and we love it. Some people even make note of the day each year they first hear a meadowlark; mid-March this year, first week of April last year. Like many other prairie birds, meadowlarks nest and forage on the ground. Their chunky bodies and sharp bills are perfect for a life hunkered down on a nest or poking among grasses for insects in the warmer months and seeds in the fall and winter. But when other birds leave and their songs fade away like summer wages, Montanas state bird continues singing into the fall. There are several theories on why the western meadowlark whistles and warbles in autumn. Maybe its this years young males practicing for next breeding season. With a mortality rate of 50 percent or more for many songbirds before they reach the age of one, that is optimism in the extreme. Maybe the males are staking out territory to get a head start on next year. Its thought Montana meadowlarks dont travel too far south, perhaps to Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, even New Mexico for the winter. The website for Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a solid natural history description and a wonderful map outlining the summer and winter ranges of the western meadowlark: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Meadowlark/id With not far to travel compared to songbirds that head to Central America, Montanas meadowlarks might stick around to ward off claim jumpers that want to check out next years hot spots for females. And maybe meadowlarks just like to sing. We often put human qualities into birds the majestic bald eagle, the wise old owl so why not assume meadowlarks like to hear their own voices like a TV contestant. Think Americas got talent? Check out the avian world. Not all birds are talented songsters. Some can only grunt or hiss. Sharp-tailed grouse, one of our native prairie grouse, have air sacks in their throats that allow the males to make booming sounds when courting in the spring. Woodpeckers hammer on whatever makes the loudest noise; sometimes to the consternation of a homeowner when the pecking takes place on a chimney or siding. Then there are those species that produce melodic sounds rivaling symphonies, often to mark territory or attract a mate. Fall is not the mating time for North American birds, which brings us back to why the meadowlark sings. Maybe the better question is: Why not? Just the other morning after a rain, I walked outside and closed my eyes. It was easy to imagine the calendar read spring. The temperature was delightfully cool, the air smelled of wet earth and the meadowlark sang. Then the bird stopped and there was silence. Fall, again. I know why the meadowlark sings. It sings so we can enjoy it. Bruce Auchly is the Region 4 information officer for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. BILLINGS -- The BLM is looking to settle a 127-year-old debt with Montana that could mean state acquisition of a lot in Miles City as well as lands in Richland County that have oil and gas production potential. We chose these because they have some potential of getting income back for the trust beneficiaries, said Emily Cooper, Lands Section supervisor for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The lot in Miles City is already being leased for the states fire cache, and the DNRC office there is in a room at an old hotel. The land transfers could also mean a 500 percent increase in grazing fees for any ranchers who lease BLM lands that get transferred to the state. Ancient history The debt dates back to the Enabling Act of 1889, which admitted Montana, Washington, North Dakota and South Dakota to the Union. Under the act, the states were given sections 16 and 36 of each township. The problem was that some of those lands had already been set aside for national parks or Indian reservations, so the BLM inherited a debt owed to the states to compensate them for those lands. Montana cashed in part of its debt in 1984 and again in 1990, but decided not to completely resolve the issue citing staffing and resource constraints, according to the BLM website. That left a balance of 1,184.16 acres owed to the state land now valued at about $4.1 million. In 2012 the BLM and Western States Land Commissioners Association agreed to prioritize finishing the land transfers. The target date for the Montana deal to be finalized is July 2017. To clear the debt, last December the state gave the BLM its prioritized list requesting certain lands in Eastern Montana. The BLM has scheduled hearings in Billings, Miles City and Havre next month to take comments on the proposal. With this application if everything goes through the process will satisfy all of this obligation, said Jim Ledger, BLM realty specialist in Billings. Ranchers About 20 ranchers graze cattle on the BLM land scattered across Eastern Montana that has been identified in the transfer application. Those ranchers have received notice that in two years their grazing authorization on the BLM land could be terminated. Upon Land Board approval, DNRC will offer 10 year state leases to existing BLM grazing permit or lease holders, according to the BLM. The catch is that the states grazing rate is substantially more expensive. The BLM rate per animal unit month this year was $2.11 compared to $19.57 per AUM for a state grazing lease. The state rate will drop to $14.01 per AUM in 2017, but thats still a 560 percent increase. Jay Bodner, executive director of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said his group hasnt received any calls from worried lessees. It will be a substantial increase, he said. But first and foremost there are assurances that the lessee would not lose a permit. That was a concern. He also said there are benefits to dealing with the state, such as the longer lease agreement. On the downside, at the end of the lease period the parcel may be subject to open bidding. Across the East The DNRC identified BLM lands in Chouteau, Custer, Fallon, Hill, Prairie, Richland and Yellowstone counties as possible transfer parcels. The state requested more than it wanted in case the BLM doesnt want to part with certain parcels because of their value as cultural sites or maybe for sage grouse habitat. In all about 16,000 acres were identified but only about 10,000 will be transferred. Some pieces we may not find suitable to transfer, Ledger said. We anticipate not all of the acres will be needed. But we wont know which ones until we go through the environmental assessment process. Thats why the agency is holding hearings in November to take public comment on the proposal. Picking and choosing Its been a long process, said Chris Pileski, DNRCs Eastern Area manager. To identify lands the state would like to see transferred from the BLM, Pileski said he sat down with his field staff and looked for, first and foremost, productive lands with good revenue-generating capacity. The second priority was BLM lands that would provide access to other state parcels or that had recreation potential, he said. Although Montana hasnt been compensated for less than 1,200 acres, Cooper said those lands were in valuable places like just outside of Yellowstone National Park or inside Glacier National Park, meaning they were worth a lot. A 1980 lawsuit established that the states were entitled to convert the land entitlement to a value, rather than an acre-for-acre exchange. Although no appraisals will be conducted, the realty staffs will look at comparable values to try and align the prices of the properties, Ledger said. No one contacted for this story knew how much land the BLM is still waiting to transfer to western states, but a 2005 publication by the nonprofit Childrens Land Alliance Supporting Schools put the number at 65,000 spread across at least eight western states. Since then, North and South Dakota have settled their transfers with the BLM, Ledger said. Across 11 western states, the BLM is the largest single landowner, overseeing management of about 172,000 acres. A few years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court called money speech and corporations people, and then allowed tax exemption for phony social welfare organizations that do not have to identify their donors -- even though those organizations now pour money to political campaigns. Since then, campaigns in Montana have been a clash between the goals of outside dark money and Montana values. This year the Montana values that are threatened by outside interests are the two great equalizers that enable all Montanans to enjoy life here, and give all equal opportunity. These are protection of public lands and public access to those lands; and protection and support of public education. It is clear that these issues are paramount in the races for Governor and Congress, where this year the Democratic candidates are on the side of Montana values and Republicans are not. It is not always so. This is true also for those statewide officers, especially Superintendent of Public Instruction, whose occupants constitute the State Land Board. Often overlooked is the role of the Montana Supreme Court in protecting our values and holding the line against outside interests who would seize our public lands, deny public access, and begin to privatize our public schools. It is critically important this year that Montana voters consider the importance of this race, and elect Judge Dirk Sandefur to the supreme court. In addition to his superior judicial qualifications and resultant high professional standing, Judge Sandefur will protect Montana values and our way of life against the outside dark money groups that support his opponent. Lawrence K. Pettit Helena Welcome, DISH customer! Please note that we cannot save your viewing history due to an arrangement with DISH. Watchlist and resume progress features have been disabled. ACCEPT Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Tesla Motors cars will come fitted with full self-driving hardware, as the company jousts with tech rivals like Google and car makers like Ford who are making a dash for the autonomous car market. Model S and Model X cars with the inbuilt hardware are already in production and customers can buy one, Tesla said Wednesday. But the features possible with the new hardware will be enabled only later through over-the-air updates after testing over millions of miles of real-world driving, Tesla added. The company is evidently not taking chances after deaths in accidents involving Tesla cars in China and Florida raised some questions about the readiness of autonomous technology. In the Florida instance, it was confirmed that Teslas Autopilot technology for driver-assistance was activated, while in the China incident, Tesla said it does not have sufficient data to establish that the technology was engaged. The company has since then upgraded the Autopilot technology, adding radar as a primary control sensor. The radar was added to all Tesla vehicles in October 2014 as part of the Autopilot hardware suite, but was only meant to be a supplementary sensor to the primary camera and image processing system, Tesla said. CEO Elon Musk told reporters Wednesday that it would take the company some time into the future to complete validation of the software and to get the required regulatory approval, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company said that as of Wednesday all cars, including Model 3, produced in its factory will have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver. The full self-driving capability would put the car at Level 5 classification of SAE International, which describes a car for which no human intervention is required for driving tasks like steering, braking, accelerating and monitoring the vehicle and roadway, apart from determining destinations and waypoints. The company is equipping its cars with eight surround cameras that provide 360 degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range, 12 updated ultrasonic sensors to complement this vision by allowing the detection of both hard and soft objects at nearly twice the distance of the previous system, and a forward-facing radar that uses a redundant wavelength to see through heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead, Tesla wrote in a blog post. The data will be processed on a neural net that runs on an onboard computer that is 40 times more powerful than the previous generation of Tesla computers. While the company tests the new cars for safety and convenience, the vehicles will temporarily lack certain features currently available on Teslas with first-generation Autopilot hardware. These include standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, collision warning, lane holding and active cruise control, Tesla said. As these features are robustly validated we will enable them over the air, together with a rapidly expanding set of entirely new features, it added. Musk said his goal is to demonstrate a vehicle traveling in fully autonomous mode from Los Angeles to New York by the end of next year, according to the WSJ report. Other car makers are racing to meet similar deadlines. Ford said in August it intends to have a high volume, fully autonomous vehicle in commercial operation in a ride hailing or sharing service by 2021. Uber has started testing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a self-driving ride-hailing service, while rival Lyft is working with General Motors on developing a network of autonomous vehicles. Southwest Airlines on Wednesday evacuated a plane in Louisville, Kentucky, after a Samsung Galaxy Note7 began popping and issuing thick smoke. Samsung last month began replacing Galaxy Note7s globally, following reports of several of the devices catching fire or exploding. It blamed the problem on an isolated faulty battery cell issue. The device involved in the Southwest Airline incident reportedly was a replacement phone, according to owner Brian Green. Samsung has said it will verify whether the phone actually was a replacement. The latest incident throws a pall over the future of the Galaxy Note series, which had been Samsungs flagship line. Wall Street and some retailers might understand that the problem may not have been created by Samsung, but they will not care, said Larry Chiagouris, a professor of marketing at Pace University. Consumers will certainly care less, he told TechNewsWorld. All will hold Samsung responsible for its supply chain and as a result, all will now rethink buying anything Samsung. Samsung officials may be in denial, since they will likely view it as not their fault but they specified the battery and chose the suppliers, and they cannot ignore the lingering impact on the Samsung brand and reputation, Chiagouris said. No End in Sight We are still investigating the Southwest Airlines 944 incident, said Tammy Jones, a spokesperson for the United States Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has issued safety alerts for operators and advisory circulars advising the airlines that they must have procedures for fighting these in-cabin fires, she told TechNewsWorld. The FAA previously issued advisories to airlines and passengers about the Galaxy Note7 in response to Samsungs recall. Meanwhile, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has begun looking into the issue, and has reached out to the FAA and Samsung. The problem with the Note7 may drag on for several months, said Neil Mawston, a research executive director at Strategy Analytics. The company has millions of models in many countries to replace, he told TechNewsWorld. Dells big recall of millions of laptop batteries in 2006 took around six months. As smartphones become more complex, product glitches and recalls will become more common, Mawston predicted. The iPhone, for example, was recently accused of touch disease for a display glitch. The Fiery Fallout Airlines have begun telling passengers on all flights that they must shut off their Samsung phones for the entire flight based on government directives, Chiagouris noted. In effect, the entire flying public is being constantly reminded about Samsungs problems, he said. Samsung will have to retire the Galaxy brand and Note models and introduce new ones to replace them, Chiagouris suggested. The company also may have to offer longer warranties and rebates to regain consumer trust. Samsung has two issues to fix, according to Mawston. First, its quality control during design and production needs improving. Second, it needs better contingency plans for product recalls when things go wrong. It was caught on the hop by the Note7 recall. Samsungs base is now pretty much gone, observed Will Stofega, a research program director at IDC. The company did its best to get the faulty phoned out of the market prior to the official recall, but this problem will likely hurt their revenue for this quarter, he told TechNewsWorld. With its recently announced Pixel line, Google has a golden opportunity to take market share from Samsung, Mawston said. Other Android flagship device makers likely will look to capitalize on Samsungs problems as well, Stofega noted, but the opportunity will be limited for Chinese phone makers, which face distribution challenges in the U.S. At a Helena rally Wednesday, medical marijuana patients encouraged early voting and said the drug has helped them battle cancer, return to work with degenerative disk disease and find sleep for the first time in years. About 15 supporters of Initiative 182, which includes repealing some legislative restrictions on medical marijuana while requiring licensing for providers, participated in the rally at Hill Park. I-182 has become one of the most hotly debated ballot initiatives of this election season. In a Mason-Dixon statewide poll conducted Oct. 10-12, 51 percent of voters said they opposed I-182, 44 percent said they supported it and five percent said they were undecided. While criticizing a 2011 bill restricting providers and limiting patient access, several speakers at the rally offered their personal feelings on finding a working treatment only to then have it taken away when the bill took effect in August. Chelsia Rice was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2012 and underwent aggressive chemotherapy that left her debilitated. Medical marijuana allowed me to be awake and engage with family members and take care of myself and participate in activities with my family and friends for the five months I was going through treatment, she said. Rice has a medical marijuana prescription for persistent infections and associated pain, but she is unable to fill it because no providers are available. Barb Trego found herself paralyzed for six months due to degenerative disk disease. An opioid treatment left her unable to work, but after six months of medical marijuana use she regained mobility and now holds three jobs. Medical marijuana has helped me more than I can say, she said. I would still be disabled, still unable to work, not be able to drive because I was on so much pain medication. Mike McGuire was a dentist before hand tremors and a pinched nerve forced him to leave his practice. Ten years of numbness in his arms and insomnia were finally relieved in March, when he tried medical marijuana. To be able to live pain free is just incredible, he said. Former state legislator Bob Ream held the podium with his hands for balance as he spoke about his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Chemo caused difficulty sleeping and a lack of feeling in his fingers and toes from neuropathy. It came as a shock we had lots of other plans and it changed our whole outlook and plans for the future, he said of his diagnosis. Ream said medical marijuana has provided relief. Speakers pushed not only voting for I-182, but voting early. Early voting not only ensures that a last minute emergency doesn't keep voters from the polls, but allows election trackers to focus campaigning on those who have yet to cast a ballot, Ream said. Dont just let (your ballot) sit on your desk and wait to get it in take it in now, he said. In 2004, Montana voters passed an initiative allowing medical marijuana, which saw thousands register as patients and dispensaries pop up across the state. 2011 legislation restricted providers to three patients each, prohibited advertising and reviewed doctors that recommended the drug to more than 25 patients. After five years of legal battles, the Montana Supreme Court eventually upheld the law that went into effect in August. If approved, I-182 would: Lift the three-patient limit for caregivers; Establish licensing fees to pay for administering the program; Require yearly inspection of providers; Include post-traumatic stress disorders among the conditions for which medicinal marijuana can be used. Jeff Kraus, treasurer for Montana Citizens for I-182, says the campaign is simply about getting patients the medicine they need. For the 93 percent (of medical marijuana patients) that no longer have access would you stand between them and finding relief? he asked. Supporters of the initiative plan additional get-out-the-vote rallies around the state, he said. Steve Zabawa, founder of Safe Montana, the group opposing the initiative, says his organization is planning TV and newspaper advertisements as well as public speaking events up until the election. Opponents largely saw the aftermath of the 2004 initiative as de facto legalization in which providers and doctors were under few regulations. I-182 would not do enough to regulate medical marijuana, Zabawa says, and a state ballot initiative is an improper process of approving medicine. The general public is not qualified to make medical decisions, he wrote in an opinion piece published by The Billings Gazette. It guarantees the failure of a program that may have potential success for patients who need medical marijuana under a doctors care and it ensures the accessibility of recreational marijuana to the rest of the population. Both sides have filed campaign complaints in recent weeks, and Commissioner of Political Practices Johnathan Motl has ruled on a portion of those campaign finance allegations. Last week Motl found that Safe Montana failed to report about $20,000 in expenses and was improperly set up to both oppose and initiative while supporting its own ballot initiative I-176, which failed to achieve enough signatures to get on the ballot. Motl this week dismissed a claim that the I-182 ballot committee was improperly funded using dark money. this elegant handset features a slew of fresh innovations from the company including a triple image sensing technology, a more intelligent battery, and a re-imagined design that should appeal to discerning consumers. Just like Sony Xperia Z5, Xperia XZ's Fingerprint Scanner is located on the right panel for quick and easy access using the thumb when holding the phone with one hand. Crafted to put a smile on the faces of the most demanding mobile photographers, Sony Xperia XZ is equipped with a 23 MegaPixel camera featuring three imaging sensors that analyze and capture images better than previous models in various lighting conditions This main camera is complemented by a 13 MegaPixel front snapper with Beauty or Soft Skin mode that should give you selfies that are instantly ready for sharing on Facebook and Instagram. Available in a number of classy colors including Forest Blue, Platinum, and Mineral Black, Sony Xperia XZ has already been previewed in the Philippines so there's a big chance that it will be launched here TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST) Sony Xperia XZ Philippines Equipped with the best pair of cameras and set of internal hardware on any Android smartphone by the Japanese tech giant this year, theis a top-notch flagship release through and through.Practically the follow-up to the 2015from the discontinuedLooks-wise, it flaunts a no-non-sense design language, a clear and vibrantwith X-Reality Engine that enhances hues and contrast depending on the ambient light or the user's preference, and a tubular feel in the hand that - together - allow the device to exude an air of sophistication. The back is crafted from what the company calls ALKALEIDO metal that adds more depth and brilliance to the finish.. To be specific, it has a standard sensor, a laser autofocus sensor measuring the distance of the shooter from the subject, and another one that tracks visible color and infrared information to better adjust white balance and deliver more natural tones.Under the hood, Sony Xperia XZ runs Android Marshmallow OS right out of the box with the beastly Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor for industry-leading mobile gaming performance, has 3GB of RAM, and comes with either 32 or 64GB of internal storage that's expandable via the dedicated microSD card slot on the Single SIM version or the hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot on the Dual SIM variant.This flagship smartphone is powered by a non-removable 2,900 mAh Li-Ion battery pack providing two days of uptime from 100% and featuring Sony's all-new intelligent charging technology that prevents long-term battery decline.. The official price and release date have yet to be disclosed but I'm guessing it should land here comewith SRP in the range oftofor the Dual SIM version.Sony Xperia XZ has been officially launched in the Philippines with an official suggested retail price of Php 37,990.Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)High-End (Flagship Level)146 x 72 x 8.1 mm161 gramsPlatinum, Mineral Back, Forest Blue, Deep PinkAndroid 7.1 Nougat (via upgrade) with Xperia UI5.2 inches (~70.9% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 1920 pixels (~424 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Corning Gorilla Glass (TBD)64-Bit Quad Core (2.15 GHz Kryo X 2 + 1.6 GHz Kryo X 2), Adreno 530 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 chipset4GB RAM32GB/64GB ROM options, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot doubling as microSD card slot supporting up to 256GBBack: 23 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 25mm focal length, EIS (gyro), predictive phase detection and laser autofocus, 1/2.3" sensor size, LED flashFront: 13 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 22mm, 1/3" sensor size, 1.12 m pixel sizeBack - 4K 30 frames per second, Full HD 30 frames per secondFront - 1080pMP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jackWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A Cat9A-GPS, GLONASS, BDSNoAccelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner, Color Spectrum2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 21004G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 17(700), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 32(1500), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)Dual nanoSIMNon-removable 2,900 mAh Li-Ion battery610 Hours of Standby, 17 Hours and 30 Minutes of Talk TimePremium Build, Dual Front Facing Speakers, IP68 Certified Water and Dust ResistantPhilippines - Q1 2017Philippines - Q1 2017Official SRP in the Philippines - CBS has become the first major network to sign up for YouTube's upcoming over-the-top Internet television service according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. People familiar with the matter tell the Journal that Google is also close to signing a distribution deal with 21st Century Fox and is conducting advanced talks with Comcast's Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal. Variety also corroborated the Journal's report. Rumors surfaced earlier this year that YouTube would be launching an over-the-top television service called Unplugged that'll debut in early 2017 at the soonest. Like rivals Sling TV and PlayStation Vue, the idea behind Unplugged is to offer consumers a low-cost option to pay-TV targeting both cord-cutters and those that may have never done business with traditional cable and satellite providers. Both Apple and streaming provider Hulu are reportedly building streaming TV services. AT&T is also working on a DirecTV-powered streaming video service that's likely to arrive by the end of the year, setting the stage for what could quickly become a crowded market. CBS and YouTube aren't exactly strangers. Nearly a decade ago, the two reportedly flirted with a partnership that would have let YouTube host clips from various CBS shows after they aired on broadcast television. A deal would have created additional revenue for both parties but ultimately fell apart as the two sides couldn't agree on how best to implement it. LinkedIn said on Wednesday that police in the Czech Republic recently arrested a man allegedly responsible for the 2012 hack on the business social network that resulted in over 117 million members' email and password combinations posted online. Acting on behalf of the FBI and Interpol, authorities arrested 29-year-old Russian citizen, Yevgeniy N, on October 5 in Prague after Interpol issued a Red Notice against him - indicating he is wanted for extradition. He is also suspected of attacks on other US websites. "Following the 2012 breach of LinkedIn member information, we have remained actively involved with the FBI's case to pursue those responsible," LinkedIn representatives said in a statement. "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." Video footage (below) shows police arresting the alleged hacker in a restaurant located within a Prague hotel. He had driven a luxury car into the city and was traveling with his girlfriend. The suspect didn't resist arrest but had to be taken to hospital for a short stay after he collapsed due to an undisclosed medical condition. He is currently in a Czech jail. Two days after the arrest, the US publicly accused Russia of being behind high-profile attacks on government organizations, including the Democratic National Committee hack. It's unclear if his apprehension influenced the US Intelligence agencies' statement. Yevgeniy N isn't connected to the recent breaches but he may be extradited to the US, something that Russia is apparently trying to block. Despite publicly supporting Donald Trump's bid to become president for quite some time, Peter Thiel's recent $1.25 million donation to the Republican candidate's campaign angered many in the tech world. But the PayPal co-founder has found a surprising ally in Mark Zuckerberg. The Facebook CEO sent out an internal company post defending the actions of Thiel, who is one of the social network's board members. Despite publicly attacking Trump over his position on immigration and plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico, Zuckerberg said: "We can't create a culture that says it cares about diversity and then excludes almost half the country because they back a political candidate." "There are many reasons a person might support Trump that do not involve racism, sexism, xenophobia, or accepting sexual assault," he added. The memo first appeared on Hacker News, where it was captured in a photo rather than a screenshot. Its authenticity has been confirmed by Facebook to The Verge. The memo seems to have been posted to the enterprise version of the social media platform - formerly known as Facebook For Work, now called Workplace - which recently came out of beta. It's not known who took the photograph. Zuckerberg's words echo those of Y Combinator president Sam Altman. Thiel is a part-time partner at the start-up incubator, which has already seen one nonprofit stop working with it for not removing the Trump supporter. "Thiel is a high profile supporter of Trump. I disagree with this. YC is not going to fire someone for supporting a major party nominee," Altman tweeted. Before Theil's donation, the tech industry had donated almost $8 million to Hillary Clinton's campaign, while Donald Trump received just $300,000. Those who can't get enough of British and Aussie TV have lots to look forward to in the month of November. That's because the streaming service Acorn TV, which is dedicated to these types of titles, just announced its upcoming lineup that features series that are just waiting to be binge-watched. This includes the release of the Acorn TV original series Close to the Enemy, a drama that follows an officer and a scientist who form a friendship post-WWII that is not really as it seems. The series is yet to have an official release date, but will be available to stream exclusively for subscribers to coincide with its premiere on BBC. Other series worth checking out is the Aussie thriller Deep Water that will debut on Nov. 7, as well as season twp of The Code, which was just added in October. Raised by Wolves is also back for a new season. It's the hilarious sitcom about a single mother and her awkward kids. Seems like a great time to add the service, which costs $4.99 a month, for watching fall TV from across the pond. Here's the complete list of movies and TV series being added to Acorn TV in November. Monday, Nov. 7 Deep Water This four-part Aussie crime thriller is based on the true story surrounding the investigation into the "suicides" of 80 gay men in New South Wales in the '80s and '90s. Deep Water follows the two detectives that are assigned to a murder case that they find has ties into the unexplained deaths. Things get personal when one of the detectives becomes obsessed with the case after her teenage brother goes missing. The series stars Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones), Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black), Danielle Cormack (Wentworth) and Dan Spielman (The Code). Also premiering: Black Widows (Foreign Language) Brief Encounters, Series 1, Episodes 3-4 The Code, Season 2, Episode 6 Monday, Nov. 14 Brief Encounters, Series 1, Episodes 5-6 Deep Water, Series 1, Episode 2 Close to the Enemy Monday, Nov. 21 Raised By Wolves, series 2 Starring Rebekah Station (Doctor Who), Alexa Davies (Detectorists), Helen Monks (Upstart Crow) and Philip Jackson (Agatha Christie's Poirot), this comedy series follows the story of six socially awkward home-schooled siblings and their single mother. This comedy was awarded Best Sitcom at the 2016 Rose d'Or Awards. Also premiering: Suspects, Series 5 (Exclusive U.S. Premiere) Close to the Enemy, Episode 2 Deep Water, Series 1, Episode 3 Thursday, Nov. 24 A Place To Call Home, season 4 This Aussie period drama is exclusively premiering in the United States on Thanksgiving Day. It takes place in post-World War II Australia where a nurse played by Marta Dusseldorf (Jack Irish) gets involved with a wealthy family. The series features themes like social class, sexuality and anti-Semitism. It has quickly become Acorn TV's most popular series and the next-best series to binge on. Also premiering: Where the Heart Is, Series 6 Monday, Nov. 28 Close to the Enemy, Episode 3 Deep Water, Series 1, Episode 4 A Place to Call Home, Season 4, Episodes 3-4 November 14 Close to the Enemy (Acorn TV original series) This original series will premiere exclusively in the United States sometime in November/December to coincide with its BBC broadcast. This thriller is set in a hotel located in London after WWII, and follows the story of an intelligence officer who must capture a German scientist who starts working for the British RAF to help develop the jet engine. The office uses unorthodox methods to get the scientist on board as the Cold War looms, and the two men eventually form a friendship. But tensions rise and viewers find out all is not what it seems. Close to the Enemy comes from filmmaker Stephen Poliakoff (Perfect Strangers) and stars Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, 21), Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story), August Diehl (Inglorious Basterds), Lindsay Duncan (The Honourable Woman, About Time), Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel), Robert Glenister (Hustle, Prime Suspect), and Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders). Currently Available On Acorn TV Jericho Agatha Raisin, Acorn TV original series The Disappearance The Syndicate: All of Nothing Janet King 800 Words The Secret Agent Brief Encounters The Code, season 2 19-2, season 3 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We know that Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon take place in the islands of the Alola Region, which game developer Game Freak has based on the islands of Hawaii. We also know that the developer's adaptation of Hawaiian topography caused the Pokemon to evolve. What we didn't know is that Alolan's environment caused Dugtrio to grow hair! That's right. The burrowing, round, brown, pink-nosed set of Diglett triplets, which was once bald, now has hair on all three heads. And based on what @ruiisuD tweeted, Dugtrio is blond. It doesn't take much to see the surfer reference with this new iteration of Dugtrio. However, one look at Pokemon Sun and Moon's version of Dugtrio brings the American pop rock band Hanson to mind. You may remember them from such hits as "MMMBop" and "Penny and Me." Pokemon lovers who are anticipating Pokemon Sun and Moon's release have come up with plenty of puns and memes that tie up Dugtrio with the 90s band. However, this should not come as a surprise. A few months ago, the Pokemon Sun and Moon version of Exeggutor was also revealed along with other classic Pokemon. According to the lore, because of the abundance of sunlight and environmental pressures in the Alolan region, Exeggutor, which was originally a grass/psychic Pokemon, somehow mutated to a grass/dragon type. And with the dragon classification comes the Pokemon's towering figure that is five times taller than Exeggutors in other regions, along with a tail that has a head. The Exeggutor's Alolan form looks like a proper coconut tree rather than a pineapple-coconut hybrid. Quite a big leap from a Pokemon that starts as a pile of eggs in its most basic form. Continuing with Pokemon Sun and Moon's dive into the Hawaiian culture, Comfey, a small, light green Pokemon that surrounds itself with flowers, was also unveiled in July. Game Freak most likely took inspiration from a lei when Comfey was designed. Mimicking the Hawaiian tradition of welcoming guests by giving them leis, Comfey will hand out flower rings to those it likes. This Pokemon also laces flowers with oil, which makes them emit a soothing fragrance that can affect allies and Comfey itself. Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon will be released worldwide for the Nintendo 3DS on Nov. 18 to commemorate the Pokemon franchise's 20th anniversary. However, the European release won't come until Nov. 23. A hat tip to Kotaku for bringing Dugtrio's Alolan form to light. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung's Note 7 fallout keeps expanding, as a possible class action lawsuit looms against the company, after three former Note 7 owners in the U.S. joined ranks to take the OEM to court. The news lands only a week after the company pulled the plug on the manufacturing of the handset, a decision determined by mounting numbers of devices that overheat and burst into flames. The lawsuit, which needs a judge's approval before starting, is interestingly not connected to damages or injuries caused by the flammable phone. The plaintiffs are suing Samsung for how it managed the recall, which they claim caused them to go without a smartphone for several weeks. What is more, the plaintiffs accuse Samsung of charging them for the device and plan charges. On Sept. 9, a joint statement from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Samsung urged owners of the smartphone to stop using it, citing safety concerns. The suit reads that Samsung waited until Sept. 21 to roll out replacement phones. As a dire reminder, a number of the exchange handsets were faulty as well. According to the legal action, Samsung told customers that they must wait between "several days and weeks" for a replacement device. The plaintiffs add that during the waiting time, Samsung continued to tax them for the phones and cellular carrier plans, despite both being unavailable to the clients. Richard McCune, one of the lawyers who is on the case, confirmed that "the loss that the case is focused on" consists in the continuing payments for data and voice plans. At the time of writing, Samsung did not make any official commentary about the proposed lawsuit. Such legal hurdles will only burden the OEM even more, after the Note 7 debacle eroded its prestige. Not only did Samsung's reputation suffer, but the company is expecting to see massive losses north of $1 billion in the following months. When Galaxy Note 7 first landed this August, it was greeted with good reviews and high consumer enthusiasm. However, the honey moon period for the device ended abruptly as more reports surfaced showing that the smartphone is prone to overheating and even going full fiery. Despite the company's sustained efforts for damage control, it was clear that the replacement units also suffered from identical or similarly annoying problems as the original phones. Should you be curious to read the full suit, head to Motherboard, which reported on it first. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Comics can be weird sometimes. Though there are still three issues left in Marvel's Civil War II comic book event, delays and other factors have resulted in a number of new comics that take place after the event already hitting store shelves. One of those comics is Infamous Iron Man, released this week. Fans have known Tony Stark might not emerge from Civil War II unscathed for a while now. After all, Marvel has spent months hyping up two new Iron Man comics in the form of Infamous Iron Man and Invincible Iron Heart, with Tony himself nowhere to be seen. While the first issue of Infamous Iron Man doesn't go into specifics, it does give fans a solid idea of what happens to Tony Stark at the end of Civil War II, even though fans won't get the nitty-gritty until the event concludes later this year. Major spoilers for Infamous Iron Man #1 and Civil War II below! As it would be kind of lame for a comic out right now to spoil all the major events to come at the end of Civil War II, Infamous Iron Man #1 instead tiptoes around the exact details of what happens. Tony, obviously, is missing, and that leads Victor von Doom to step into the spotlight as a new Iron Man. That may seem a little confusing at first, but if you've kept up with Marvel's Invincible Iron Man series it makes sense. The one-time villain is a different man in the post-Secret Wars world, and he has been working with Tony on saving the world from behind the scenes ever since. So what happened to Tony? A conversation between Doom and Tony's on-again, off-again romantic interest Doctor Amara Perera offers one key detail, namely that whatever happened to Tony was broadcast on national television. Amara also brings up the fact that superheroes often have a knack for coming back to life or faking their death, which seems to heavily imply that Tony met his end at the end of Civil War II, one would assume on live TV. That would give it some nice parallels with Marvel's original Civil War event, which saw Captain America assassinated on his way to trial as cameras across the world watched. It turns out Amara is on to something though, as it's revealed later in the issue that Tony is, in fact, alive. Sort of. He's downloaded his consciousness, or his "essence," into a computer in case his body ever dies. For all intents and purposes, Tony is now an artificial intelligence, presumably one that could at some point be downloaded into a new body. There you have it. Tony Stark will meet his end in Civil War II, only to live on digitally as Doom steps up to become the new Iron Man. Fans will have to wait a little longer to learn the specifics, but it seems Tony's battle against Captain Marvel takes a dark and deadly turn. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. After the massive Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, attention is turning toward the future Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone and a new rumor hints at technology borrowed from the ill-fated Note 7. Samsung's fall from grace after two Galaxy Note 7 recalls dealt a heavy blow, so it's paramount for the company to salvage its reputation and come up with a stellar product that would reinstate the public's confidence in its devices. The next-generation Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to rock top-notch specs such as a 4K Super AMOLED curved display, but a new leak also suggests it will borrow key features the Note 7 brought to the Galaxy table. More specifically, the Galaxy Note 7 boasted iris recognition that added an extra layer of security, and a Samsung supplier reportedly told Korea Herald that the Galaxy S8 will sport the technology as well. Iris recognition was supposed to be a major selling point for the Galaxy Note 7, especially since Samsung tried to target the phablet at the enterprise market. The company most likely planned all along to bring the extra security to the Galaxy S8 as well, but it would've been easier to market it if it had a successful Note 7 to build on. After the Note 7 recalls, however, Samsung can no longer build on the Note 7's security profile to promote the Galaxy S8 so it has to start all over again. Moreover, the Galaxy S8 not only has to establish itself as a strong product, but it also has to make up for the Note 7 flop and subsequent concerns regarding the safety of Samsung devices. In addition to a high-end iris scanner, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will reportedly sport a dual-lens rear camera system as well, which should compensate for the financial losses the Note 7 caused lens suppliers. A dual rear camera has virtually become the norm for top-notch smartphone flagships, so it makes sense that Samsung would want to pack it onto its Galaxy S8. At the same time, at least some sort of improvement should be on the table. "Samsung never uses the same camera for its flagship models, upgrading the camera of its flagship device every year, so there surely will be an improvement (for the S8 camera)," an official from one of the component suppliers working on Samsung's Galaxy S8 told The Korea Herald. All in all, it definitely looks like the Galaxy S8 will be a crucial device for the company and that has a lot to do with the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. Hopefully by the time the Galaxy S8 is ready to hit the market, Samsung would have solved any and all issues that could cause a device to overheat so much that it catches fire. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This month, rumors circulated around the web claiming Apple is reportedly developing its MacBook lineup with e-ink keyboards in mind. According to reports, Apple is working with Australian design startup Sonder, which is set to release its own Bluetooth e-ink keyboard before 2016 closes. Named the "Sonder keyboard," it is a standard Bluetooth keyboard that is able to change the display of its keys. Think of it as a Kindle, but for individual keyboard keys. Reports of Apple's plans with e-ink keyboards for MacBooks first broke on Reddit and an article from The Guardian. App or software shortcuts are crucial for productivity in various professions, and the notion of an e-ink keyboard that can flawlessly integrate shortcuts without requiring cumbersome memorization might be a huge potential selling point for Apple, since many professionals both in the creative and entrepreneurial field use its products. A Wall Street Journal report seems to confirm that Apple is indeed set to outfit its MacBook laptops with an e-ink keyboard. The e-ink keyboards on the new Macbooks will be able to display any alphabet alongside different commands and yes, emojis. Wall Street Journal said that Apple will release the MacBooks on 2018, citing sources familiar with Apple's plans. The reports also confirm that Apple is working with Sonder, since the latter company will provide the technology to be used behind the new keyboards. Additionally, Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, allegedly held a discussion with the heads of Sonder and Foxconn. The latter company is an important backer of Sonder. However, Sonder has released its own statement regarding the rumors. It's saying that Apple did not meet with Sonder's founder Francisco Serra-Martins, but it expressed that it would "very much like the opportunity to do so in the future." A rather vague placeholder confirmation was also issued: "We are not able to comment further on information on any single company or customer." The prospect of an e-ink keyboard in one of the most popular and widely used laptops in the world would certainly be an added leap in functionality. Users who are more affluent with a different language may configure the keyboard to reflect their own preferred alphabet. Gamers can take advantage of a laundry list of game-related shortcuts, commands and combinations. Graphic designers can integrate the adaptive keyboard to better suit their workflow and efficiency. While the vast array of possibilities sound pleasant, keep in mind that there's still a chance that this might all be well within rumor and speculation territory. There's no guarantee that Apple will indeed ship the new MacBooks with e-ink keyboards, but if they do, at least it makes a lot of sense. Unlike the iPhone 7's lack of headphone jack, which to this day scratches heads. Sonder's Bluetooth e-ink keyboard is available for preorder on its own site for $199. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The paper "Discovery of peculiar periodic spectral modulations in a small fraction of solar type stars" from the Universite Laval, Quebec this year reports the analysis of 2.5 million stars explored as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The light signals exhibited "strobe-like" bursts from 234 stars. The researchers' work is all the more dazzling for the scientific community as it strongly suggests the light pulses "have exactly the shape of an Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence signal." Following the strength of this claim, Stephen Hawking has started to analyze the truth behind it, as part of the Breakthrough Listen project, a pursuit to look for alien life in the universe. What the paper suggests is that more than 200 extra-terrestrial civilizations could send light signals toward Earth, based on the bizarre data they observed during their research. However, the scientific community is skeptical when it comes to these assumptions, as the data based on which the paper was published doesn't unmistakably attribute the light signals to different civilizations. "Internationally agreed-upon protocols for searches for evidence of advanced life beyond Earth (SETI) require candidates to be confirmed by independent groups using their own telescopes, and for all natural explanations to be exhausted before invoking extraterrestrial agents as an explanation," noted the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) report on the study. As previously observed during such scientific propositions, false positives should always be taken into consideration, which would imply finding natural and instrumental causes using more than one telescope in the process. The scientific claims are bound to be taken as premature all the more so, since one of the researchers hypothesized in 2012 that, were alien civilizations to ever contact us, it would only make sense to do it through the means of light pulses. The explanation behind this theory is that the bizarre activity would compel us to investigate the source of strange occurrence. However scientifically accurate this hypothesis could be, conducting research with an idea in mind is never a good idea, as subconscious biases could lead the said scientist to ignore information that would otherwise perfectly explain the investigated phenomenon. This tendency can go as far as to limit the researchers' pursuit of confirming an aprioristic theory. The SETI team has decided to get involved and analyze the outputs of the paper, while separately examining the data with at least another telescope. However, on a Rio scale, which is an established way of measuring the possibility of alien detection, this research is believed to be a 0-1 (None-Insignificant). Photo: Abdul Rahman | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Torrents have been one of the best content distribution platforms on the web. The system comprises of a package (file) that contains metadata about the content to be distributed and the network of devices that are sharing these files. In simple words, a torrent file is not the actual content but a key to acquire it. For easy distribution, a file is divided into small chunks (generally between 32 kB and 32 MB). These pieces, when simultaneously downloaded from multiple sources improve transfer speeds. However, recently the Indian government has blocked access to almost all torrent and file sharing websites. Like they say, you can't really regulate the Internet. There are plenty of workarounds to access torrent websites in India, and I'm going to share a couple of easiest methods with you. Now before you use this tutorial to access torrents, please understand that while there's nothing wrong in using Torrents, distributing copyrighted content is illegal. Especially in India, opening a torrent website may get you landed in jail for up to three years. That's more term than a popular film star spend for taking a life in hit and run case. I fully endorse sharing non copyrighted movies, music, and software on torrents. For instance, torrent sites have helped the Linux community grow. Similarly, many indie film makers and garage bands distribute their work for global exposure. In no way we endorse downloading or distributing copyrighted content over torrents. If you choose to do so, you will be solely responsible for your actions. 1. After the fall of Kickass torrents, PirateBay remains the last standing source of torrents. However, entering its URL http://thepiratebay.org returns a following message: 2. The first workaround is incredibly simple. All you have to do here is replace http:// in the URL to https://. Once the secured connection is established, you can access ThePirateBay.org. 3. If this doesn't work for you, then we need a 4. In Settings, navigate to Privacy & Security. Scroll down and tick the box next to Enable VPN. 5. Once the VPN is enabled, the traffic goes through one of the many remote servers set up by Opera. Since the location is no more detected as India, most of the websites banned in India will be easily accessible. The first workaround is incredibly simple. All you have to do here is replacein the URL to https://. Once the secured connection is established, you can access ThePirateBay.org.If this doesn't work for you, then we need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to solve the issue. There are plenty of VPN software available on the Internet. However, some of them cost money while the others are filled with ads. Hence, we recommend the Opera browser that comes with free VPN access. To enable this feature, go to Settings panel.In Settings, navigate to Privacy & Security. Scroll down and tick the box next to Enable VPN.Once the VPN is enabled, the traffic goes through one of the many remote servers set up by Opera. Since the location is no more detected as India, most of the websites banned in India will be easily accessible. Torrent, file-sharing 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 Heads up to prevent injury from falls Morning walks in my neighborhood are one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I love the coolness of daybreak and the special sightings of the stag and two does that frequent our open space. I also enjoy my walk because each day at... Signs that point to the best time for retirement Ive been thinking a lot about retirement lately. One of our amazing staff members, who has been with Senior Concerns for the last 13 years, retired last month. It just doesnt seem real. I always thought of Dana as young. Certainly not the person to... Rethinking the mandatory retirement age How old is too old for working at a job? Last week a news story hit my inbox and it really got me to thinking about age and retirement. The article noted that Target Corp. abandoned its mandatory retirement age of 65 for its CEO,... Tips to promoting a healthy nights sleep for children Question: Help, please. My daughter is almost 2 years old and has been an easy child to put into her own bed. Yet in the past few weeks she is purposefully stretching out the bedtime routine longer and longer. She wants more: more stories, more... The first of the two dozen candidates to suspend his campaign in Louisianas U.S. Senate is throwing his support to Congressman Charles Boustany. Republican Abhay Patel withdrew from active campaigning Thursday. When we got into this thing, we knew it was going to be an uphill climb, Patel told The Advocate. He is a New Orleans business consultant. The open primary, in which all candidates participate regardless of party affiliation, is Nov. 8. Patel's name will remain on the ballot and he can't legally withdraw from the race. But Patel said he will no longer campaign. He had entered the race thinking that his conservative vision and his energy would build enough momentum to at least get him a place in the CABL/LPB debate. There, he could show a statewide audience his ability to articulate how conservative principles would help businessmen and the middle class, Patel told The Advocate. Patel had reported raising about $305,000, which separated him from many of the two dozen candidates in the race. But he said he thought hed need a minimum of $1 million to make a credible run and couldnt raise that much. His blue campaign signs are up here and there. He has a website. He ran some radio advertisements and attended a handful of the forums that would invite some of the other candidates who are not in the Top 5. Patels race never gained traction. But during campaign appearances, Patel had an opportunity to visit with Boustany. He found that he and the Lafayette Republican shared many of same pastimes they both are avid readers who enjoy talking history and both see the world through a similar political prism. "Though we are not in the position we hoped to be in, I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure that we elect a conservative Republican to the United States Senate," Patel said of his endorsement of Boustany. I found him a very bright, very articulate young man, Boustany said in an interview, recalling their first encounter at a Jefferson Parish GOP function. Abhay Patels passion and knowledge for conservative values, small government, and the Constitution have impressed me over that last several months. His campaign has been focused on ideas and substance rather than platitudes and lip service," Boustany said. Patel, a lawyer, said he and Boustany talked about creating a committee that could advise Boustany on who to recommend for federal judges and prosecutors in Louisiana; what kind of positions a conservative lawyer would take. Patel grew up working in his familys Forest, Mississippi motel. He came to Louisiana on a scholarship to LSU. He went to law school at Boston University, then moved to New Orleans with his wife to work as financial advisor for businesses. Patel served as vice president of Business Development for the New Orleans Business Alliance, where he led the implementation of ProsperityNOLA, the citys five-year strategic growth plan. It was barely more than a month after C. Denise Marcelle entered the Baton Rouge mayor's race when she became one of the most recognizable politicians in the city. After a Baton Rouge Police Department officer fatally shot Alton Sterling on July 5 in a scuffle outside a convenience store in Marcelle's state House district and a cellphone video emerged of the encounter, protests broke out across the city. Marcelle was at North Foster Drive and Fairfields Avenue which later became the epicenter of protests before the video that set off protests even began to circulate publicly. She quickly called for an outside investigation into the shooting. For those who know her best, her activism even amid a campaign made sense. "She's one of those open books," said Marcelle's daughter D'Licia Brown, "If she says she believes it, she's going to stand behind it." It was one of the defining moments of Marcelle's political life, as she had previously pushed for officers to be equipped with body cameras should this exact situation arise. She was furious when BRPD Chief Carl Dabadie said the officers' body cameras fell off during their struggle with Sterling. She became both protester and leader protesting what she sees as a systemic problem of police brutality against black people and also asking those around her to remain peaceful. "People were looking for somebody to stand up and there was nobody else there," she said. "If I would have waited two or three days to show up, the city would have been destroyed." Marcelle says protesters listened to her because they know her and respect her. She remained visible at Sterling protests in the days after Sterling's death, and she handed out paper fans at Sterling's funeral saying "when will it end" on one side and "special condolences to the family and friends of Alton Sterling, donated by La. State Rep. C. Denise Marcelle" on the other side. Marcelle sees openness about past struggles as the reason why people can relate to her, as she is particularly popular in pockets of Baton Rouge with mostly black and poor residents. And she likes to have fun, with fundraisers at cigar bars and her constituents sipping on cocktails with jazz music in the background. Her campaign site has a funky and catchy song reminding people that "when you go to cast your vote, Denise Marcelle is the way to go, Denise Marcelle!" Marcelle, 55, has come a long way from when she was a pregnant 15 year old at Capital Heights High School. She graduated at 16, worked her way up to becoming a paralegal and later became a certified public notary. Not having a college degree nagged at her, so she went back to school at Southern University and finally graduated with a criminal justice degree in 2011. Decades earlier, she had struggled with drug addiction and nearly died in a domestic violence incident. "I'd have to say being a recovering addict myself with 25 plus years clean was my largest challenge, and then marrying an alcoholic for a husband who stabbed me and left me for dead," Marcelle nonchalantly told a gasping audience at a recent mayoral forum when candidates were asked to describe surmounting their greatest obstacle. "The left ventricle to my heart was severed, he stabbed me multiple times, and having come out of an addiction myself, I thought that I could help him. And so I married him, and that didn't help." No longer married, Marcelle has spent years working hotlines for people with addiction and thoughts of suicide. Her foray into public service began when her now-grown daughters were young, and she discovered that other children in their Eden Park neighborhood did not get Easter baskets or school supplies. She started hosting annual Halloween parties because people worried about the neighborhood being unsafe for kids to trick-or-treat. She defeated incumbent Metro Councilman Byron Sharper -- also a candidate this year for mayor -- to win a seat on the Metro Council in 2008 until she was elected to the Louisiana Legislature in the fall of 2015. Marcelle has successfully pushed for policies that do not require city-parish and state employees from disclosing criminal histories on job applications, and she sponsored an unsuccessful "fairness ordinance" at the Metro Council level to ban employers or landlords from discriminating against people in the LGBT community. She supports requiring Baton Rouge Police Department officers to live within parish limits along with a host of other policing reforms. Marcelle was one of the most vocal opponents of a recent push to open a temporary misdemeanor jail for people with uncleared warrants, clogging the court system. She pressed the argument about policies that have led to disproportionate imprisonment of nonviolent black men, helping lead the defeat of the proposed jail. In its place, she worked to create an amnesty day where people could clear their warrants without fear of arrest. Policing issues and her defense of Sterling are where Marcelle has drawn heightened outrage and criticisms. She wore a blood-spattered white T-shirt that said "Alton Sterling" during protests after his death, and wore another variation with the names of fallen law enforcement officers Montrell Jackson, Matthew Gerald and Brad Garafola after a gunman killed the three and critically injured another on July 17. BRPD Union President Sgt. C. Bryan Taylor called Marcelle's shirts disgusting and blasted her for wearing it. Marcelle said she does not condone violence in any form and that she donated flags for the fallen officers' funerals to show her support of them and their families as well. Jackson's father supported Marcelle in a letter to the editor and thanked her for support. Marcelle also came under fire as she was about to move up to the Legislature and looked to make the appointment to fill her council seat. She initially recommended ex-Capital Area Transit System board member Isaiah Marshall, the chairman of the CATS board in 2013 when a board member was caught using money from the agency to pay his personal bills. Emails obtained by The Advocate at the time showed that Marshall knew about the transgressions of his fellow board member two months before CATS notified police, and that Marshall instructed the CATS attorney not to notify law enforcement. Metro Council members and other political leaders called on Marshall to resign from the CATS board, which he eventually did. After she proposed recommending Marshall to fill her council seat, other council members eventually balked, given his history with CATS and ethics fines. Marcelle created a committee and chose current councilman LaMont Cole instead. Marcelle said Marshall had run for Metro Council and that she thought he should be given a second chance. Looking forward to her possible administration, Marcelle said she hoped to keep on several of Mayor-President Kip Holden's staffers. "I'm not a fortuneteller, but I wouldn't appoint anyone with a bad background," she said. Marcelle's record of liberal policies is one reason she decided to run for mayor. Former State Sen. Sharon Weston Broome entered the race before Marcelle, and the two are both black and Democrats, as well as both hailing from north Baton Rouge. But Marcelle is more liberal on social issues. Marcelle said people in her community asked her to run because they felt more connected to her and more comfortable with her leading. She says she is not too liberal to lead all of Baton Rouge, and has pointed to issues as mundane as zoning and bike paths where she has worked to represent diverse groups of people and Republicans. As mayor-president, Marcelle said, she would want more programs to deter crime and to keep nonviolent offenders out of prison. She also wants alternative court on nights and weekends to help people who now have to choose between showing up in court or going to work. Marcelle has also said she wants to use the successful model of building up downtown Baton Rouge and replicate it across the parish. She has said Baton Rouge needs an equitable division of economic development, while downtown has been in the spotlight for several years. Marcelle's campaign for the Nov. 8 primary is grassroots-oriented, and she is relying on help from family and friends as she strives to make it into the Dec. 10 runoff. She trails most of the other major candidates in fundraising, and had just $7,860 left in her campaign bank account as of October 11. +2 Bodi White maintains big mayoral fundraising lead though flooding slows donations Republican State Sen. Bodi White is continuing to raise far more money than his 11 opponents As she campaigns, she describes herself as a mayor for everyone, and as someone who gets out in front of issues before they happen highlighting her press for body cameras years ago. "When people get into a room with me and find out I'm more than someone from Eden Park or I'm more than someone who fights stuff against police, they find substance there," she said. Contractors say they are working around the clock to ensure there won't be any further fires at two flood debris staging sites after spontaneous combustion caused a small blaze to break out at one of the locations Tuesday night. State officials said Wednesday they have also moved up the timetable they set to have all flood-damaged debris cleared out at the temporary landfill in the 3000 block of North Sherwood Forest Boulevard and will no longer haul debris there following what happened. "This is really the only hiccup we've had. We're just asking people for a little patience and will be done with debris," said Greg Langley, press secretary for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The North Sherwood Boulevard site is located is a mostly industrial business zone near South Choctaw Drive.The city-parish and DEQ in late August also opened a second debris staging site in the 15000 block of Old Perkins Road. Officials with DRC Emergency Services, the contractor working with DEQ and the city-parish on debris removal, said Wednesday they've beefed up on-site security at the two staging sites and have implemented around-the-clock measures to limit the chances of another fire. "We have water trucks equipped with a hose and cannon at both locations to douse debris piles," said Kristy Fuentes, vice president of DRC Emergency Services. "And we have 24-hour security and added two more fire watchers at both sites to lookout for any fire issues." The Baton Rouge Fire Department was dispatched to the Sherwood Forest location around 8:19 p.m. Tuesday after reports of smoke plumes from beneath piles of dry wall, flooring, furniture and other household goods that had been hauled off the curbs of residential neighborhoods and dumped at the makeshift landfill following August's historic floods. Curt Monte, spokesman for the Baton Rouge Fire Department, said it only took firefighters an hour to extinguish the smoldering blaze. He said air quality test were performed that night and no dangerous threats to the public were found. "In pretty large piles of stuff like this, lots of heat is being generated from within," Monte said Wednesday. "When the heat is unable to escape in the pile, spontaneous combustion can occur." Adam Smith, head of the city-parish's Environmental Services, said more than 750,000 cubic-yards of debris had been hauled to the North Sherwood debris landfill as of Tuesday. The staging sites were opened to speed up the debris removal process for flood-impacted communities. Officials previously said it was taking dump trucks as long as two hours to haul debris back and forth to a private landfill in north Baton Rouge due to long wait lines to dump their loads. State Representative Edward C. "Ted" James II, D-Baton Rouge, who lives near the North Sherwood location, was among those who objected to the staging sites. James, who was at the scene Tuesday night monitoring the fire department's response to the incident, said Wednesday the small blaze has only amplified the foul stench that's been permeating his neighborhood since the site opened. "I've been coughing so much I had to go to the doctor three times; he had to give me an inhaler," James said. "This is what happens when you have all this stuff being piled together. I recognize it has to go somewhere, but that close to neighborhoods and businesses? Who wants to come back to that in a community that has already been through so much?" Langley said DEQ and DCR Emergency Services is now working overtime to have all the debris cleared out of the Sherwood site by the end of the month instead of by Nov. 30. "It's going to be an inconvenience for some people, but this is movement of a massive amount of material," he said. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission If Huey Long were alive today, he would be 123 years old. Russia sought to send monitors to U.S. polling stations in Louisiana and two other states for the Nov. 8 elections, but was rebuffed, USA Today and Russian media reported Thursday. Calling the request a "propaganda ploy," Meg Casper, a spokeswoman for Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, said the FBI and Department of Homeland Security "told us not to do this," the USA Today report says. "We've allowed observers from overseas in the past from other countries, never from Russia," she said. Quiz: How well do you know the presidential candidates? On Nov. 8, voters across the country will cast their votes for the next president. Here, tes The story says Schedler cited the August flooding in south Louisiana in declining the Russian request, according to a copy of an Aug. 26 letter sent to Alexander Zakharov, Russia's consul general in Houston. Schedler explained that his office in Baton Rouge sustained heavy damage that left his office short-staffed. In Wednesday's presidential debate, Hillary Clinton charged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing Donald Trump because "he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States," The Associated Press reported. Trump denied any relationship with Putin and said he would condemn any foreign interference in the election. Russia made the request for monitors in the U.S. during talks with the State Department and was "categorically rejected," the Russian newspaper Izvestia reported. Russian officials also sought access on the state level in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Izvestia said Russia was turned down in "harsh" terms. See the USA Today story here. Not seeing the video below? Click here. Adding a new exit off Interstate 110 South will trim daily traffic tie-ups by preventing motorists from leaving the highway for Washington Street, Louisiana's transportation chief said Wednesday. Instead, the new Terrace Avenue exit for southbound traffic will get motorists to the same area, and the Washington Street exit will be used only for eastbound traffic leaving the new Mississippi River bridge, officials said. "You will no longer have traffic exiting off I-110 for Washington Street with Terrace," said Shawn Wilson, who is secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development. Wilson made his comments during a DOTD "open house" to show citizens what the plans look like. The session included a short film spelling out the changes, drawings and DOTD officials on hand to answer questions. State officials say the reworked exits are an inexpensive way to ease backups, and eliminate the daily traffic weaving on one of the most heavily-traveled sections of interstate in Baton Rouge. Drivers leaving the bridge are moving left onto I-10 at the same time others are leaving the interstate for the Washington Street exit. Critics have long said that it is the only point on I-10 between California and Florida where the interstate narrows to one lane. "It seems like a death trap," said Patsy Parker, who works in the area and attended the open house. "I think it is a great idea," Parker said of the changes, which will cost about $20 million. The project is undergoing a required environmental study now. Wilson said he hopes work will get started by early 2018. He said the project may be done in less than 18 months an often cited estimate depending on what firms pledge to get the work. Regardless of who briefed Obama on I-10 mess, even best scenario puts Baton Rouge traffic relief years away While President Barack Obama was briefed on Baton Rouge traffic problems last week, any road The fact the Washington Street exit will remain open after the work has sparked questions on whether some motorists on I-110 South would continue to use it and keep causing delays. However, previous efforts to close the exit, including for a plan to widen I-10 from the bridge to the I-10/12 split, triggered a political firestorm from nearby residents. The latest plan avoids a politically thorny topic while essentially closing it to southbound motorists on I-110. Wilson said that can be done with signs, highways stripes and enforcement initially. He said travelers from north Baton Rouge will see clear indications that the Terrace Avenue/Washington Street exit is ahead, on the left. The new exit will be built on the left hand side of I-110 South. Work will begin on the interstate over Myrtle Avenue, extend over Julia Street and intersect with Terrace Avenue, where motorists can turn left or right. Lillie Gallagher, who lives around City Park, praised the project. Gallagher said she takes her life in her hands now traveling around the Washington and nearby Dalrymple exits. "And I don't think it is going to have an impact on residents, which is important to me," she said. Some nearby residents are concerned about what the new routes will mean for traffic on Terrace. Regina Latimore, who has lived in the area for seven years, said there are already lots of cars and trucks on Terrace, and likely to be lots more when the new exit opens. "Are they going to set up speed bumps?" she asked. Traci Johnson, who lives off Government Street, raised the same concern. "I just have a couple of questions," she said. State Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, was positive about the proposal. "I am hoping it is going to alleviate some of that congestion," Smith said. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Whether or not Burl Cain enjoys swimming, he evidently never thought of taking a dip in the employee pool when he ran the state pen at Angola. Our Views: The editor who said no to Dunces Doug Alexander: A survey exhibition and tribute. ANU Drill Hall Gallery. Until November 6. Doug Alexander was the first resident potter at the Cuppacumbalong Arts and Crafts Centre at Tharwa when it opened in 1975 under the directorship of Karen O'Clery who leased the property from the government. Alexander continued his residency there from 1976 until his premature death in 1981. In his memory, the Canberra Potters Society initially instigated a series of lectures. Due to declining audiences they were replaced in 1990 with the Doug Alexander Award given to an outstanding work at the annual member's exhibition. This survey of the artist's career curated by Meredith Hinchliffe celebrates the life of this gifted potter and honours the contribution he made to the careers of other potters. Doug Alexander, Untitled (large bowl), 1978, Art Collection of the Australian National University, in Doug Alexander: A survey exhibition and tribute at ANU Drill Hall Gallery. Doug Alexander was born in Victoria in 1945. He obtained a Diploma in Art at the School of Mines in Ballarat. After working for a short time at the Ballarat Potteries he travelled to New Zealand in 1968 where he worked at the Red Barn Pottery at Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands. He returned to Australia in 1970 and set up the Springmount Pottery at Creswick near Ballarat. There are several pieces of pottery from this period in the exhibition on loan from the Creswick Museum. The forms of these stoneware ceramics tend to be traditional a lidded container, three thin-necked vessels and a robust teapot. Only the flat vase (no. 25) has an unusual crescent shape on a high foot. At this stage of his development the glazes in earth tones with their minimalist decoration seem to be an intuitive response to the form of the pot itself. Beauty lies in the subtle laying of glazes where they run slightly across the pot and where one area tips into another. It is not hard to see the influence of the Japanese aesthetic so influential among the studio pottery movement at the time. Other decoration is influenced by English slipware with decoration made by using slips before glazing as well as sgraffito or scraping back into the glaze. Alexander also used wax resist decoration effectively for subtle designs with a motif of leaves being repeated on various wares. Doug Alexander, Lidded jar, Judith Pearce and David Rofe Collection in Doug Alexander: A survey exhibition and tribute at ANU Drill Hall Gallery. For most of his short career Alexander was influenced by the concept of the studio pottery workshop. This was a functional workshop where an experienced potter could mentor other less experienced potters in conjunction with the production of affordable domestic ware and other works that could be sold to provide an income. An inspirational example of a studio pottery was set up by the English potter Bernard Leach (1887-1979) who, with Japanese potter Hamada Shoji, founded a studio workshop in 1920 at St Ives in Cornwall. In 1976, Alexander left Creswell to establish a studio pottery based on the Bernard Leach model at Cuppacumbalong. Initially the studio was in the old barn which he converted into a studio with the help of Ian Jones his first trainee potter. (Ian Jones and Moraig McKenna now have a pottery workshop at Gundaroo.) With another of his trainees Malcolm Cooke, Alexander established a studio production line of functional ware. There are several examples of this ware in the exhibition. Among them are some attractive pieces in blue and white glazed porcelaneous stoneware. They include a beautiful work bottle (no.8) that stands out because of the intensity of the blue glaze along its shoulders and at its foot enhancing the form of the bottle. Connecting both areas is a motif of trailing leaves done with an assured calligraphic and painterly gesture. This motif appears in many works from this period sometimes prescriptive, at other times loosely painted and more abstract. Other decoration includes chattering which is a method of making regular rhythmic marks into the dry hard clay with a tool before firing. This method of decoration is seen in the large elegant and accomplished vessel Untitled (Large bowl) 1978 (no.1) which is at the entrance to the exhibition. It rightly deserves its prominent position. It is made in stoneware and decorated with a pattern of regular surface markings. The dark grey glaze has the colour and texture of volcanic sand and its rough surface reflects a lively play of light. Other pots such as the two large stoneware pod forms (nos.52, 53) decorated with brown oxide stains and a delicate small oyster like form (no.18) with a matt grey speckled surface show a more adventurous experimentation with forms and glazes. The untitled skirted form (no. 41) from Alexander's later period at Cuppacumbalong along with some of the earlier work such as the pod forms demonstrate a creative talent that was perhaps seeking new stylistic modes and more freedom of expression away from the imperative of the studio line of production. Crown Resorts chairman Robert Rankin has warned that any assessment of the impact the arrests of the company's China-based employees would have on the business was premature and speculative. Mr Rankin's comments came as the stock market sell-off of Crown shares continued, with the share price now down 17 per cent from its levels before Chinese authorities raided Crown offices on the mainland, detaining 18 employees including three Australian citizens. He said that given the lack of information available, it was not possible for anyone to provide informed commentary on the detentions. Investors who had gathered in Perth for the company's annual meeting on Thursday heard again that the most immediate concern of the board, management and major shareholder James Packer was the welfare and safety of the detained staff. Troubled milk processor Murray Goulburn has warned of a steep fall in its milk volumes as farmers switch to supplying rival processors or quit the industry. A wet spring will slash its volumes by an estimated 20 per cent, it warned on Thursday. The decline has prompted the company to seek further cost reductions, with earnings now expected to fall short of an earlier forecast of $42 million for 2016/17. Murray Goulburn is suffering as its suppliers flee to other milk processors. Credit:Jessica Shapiro While other milk processors are forecasting an improved farmgate price as global markets stabilise, Murray Goulburn on Thursday cut its farmgate price for milk. However, the impact is likely to be muted as it has decided to suspend the need for farmers to repay advances made last year. The processor's farmgate milk price is now expected to run at $4.70 per kilogram of milk solids, down from $4.88, the company said with the repayment of the clawback of prior payments, the milk supply support package, of 14c/kg of milk solids suspended until mid-2017. Hotel agents and property trust analysts say pricing will be crucial if Crown Resorts' plan to float its Australian hotel property portfolio was to succeed. Crown Resorts has flagged it is looking at creating a separately-listed property trust to own 49 per cent of its multi-million dollar hotel portfolio. Crown Resorts wants to float its Australian property portfolio. Credit:Carla Gottgens At the group's annual general meeting in Perth on Thursday, chairman Rob Rankin confirmed the creation of a listed property trust to hold its massive hotels was under serious consideration although final sign-off by the board was still required. There are no true comparative Australian listed hotel trusts and one analyst said the trust could have a value of between $600 million to $1 billion, based on the sale price of luxury hotel assets, which on average are about $450 million. 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. Senator David Leyonhjelm is the latest in a long line of individuals and organisations who have tried to unpick Australia's gun laws since their introduction almost 20 years ago. His efforts are extremely unlikely to gather traction outside the ranks of a small, but vocal, minority who disconcertingly suggest their "right" to bear large-calibre, rapid-fire weapons outweighs public safety. This is a bizarre position to adopt given Australia's record of no mass shootings for two decades is the envy of much of the world and is rightly regarded as John Howard's greatest achievement. The latest cause celebre is the ban on the importation of the Adler A110, a lever action, rapid-fire, seven-shot,12-gauge shotgun into Australia. The nine men arrested in Malaysia this month after stripping to their underwear at a Formula One grand prix now forever to be known as the "budgie nine" do not on the surface have much in common with the Crown Resorts employees being held in China on suspicion of gambling-related offences. One was a group playing up while on holidays, the other employees of a large company arrested in relation to their work. While the plight of the Crown employees is still playing out and judgment should be reserved, they do have something in common, a plight seemingly shared by a growing number of Australians. Members of the ''budge nine''. Credit:Facebook Data released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade this week revealed a dramatic increase in the number of Australians getting into trouble overseas. More than 1550 were arrested in foreign countries last financial year a 23 per cent rise. A quarter of those arrested needed help after being jailed, most commonly over drugs, fraud and assault offences. Australians are also managing to hurt themselves overseas at an alarming rate. There was a 15 per cent jump in the number of travellers who found themselves in foreign hospitals. The figures suggest a growing lack of awareness and care among Australians when abroad. Worse, they also imply a rising sense of self-entitlement, a belief that local laws and customs can be ignored or discarded where they do not fit with our plans. The case of the men arrested in Kuala Lumpur is a case in point. Not only did they strip to their underwear, but they chose to adorn what skimpy clothing they did wear with the Malaysian flag. What if James Packer built a lavish casino in his home town of Sydney, but nobody came? It's a question on the lips of more than a few people at the moment the NSW government no doubt among them as his company Crown Resorts swings into crisis mode over the arrest of 18 staff in China. Construction is poised to begin on Packer's 75-storey edifice at Barangaroo on the edge of Sydney Harbour, with a projected opening date of around 2020. But as speculation mounts the arrests could signal a significant, permanent reduction to the conga line of rich Chinese high rollers Packer and other casinos specialise in attracting, the casino's entire raison d'etre has been thrown into question. Malcolm Turnbull has publicly contradicted his predecessor, Tony Abbott, suggesting the former prime minister lied by claiming his office was unaware of a 2015 deal to trade a Senate vote for a change in gun laws. This week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull showed little trace of that relaxed, confident, outward-looking guy with the sense of humour. Credit:Andrew Meares In Parliament, the Prime Minister's rebuke of Mr Abbott drew an audible gasp from MPs in the House of Representatives and came at the end of a week in which the government's attempt to focus on a pair of key industrial relations bills has been sidetracked by debate about Australia's gun laws. It is certain to escalate simmering tensions in the Coalition. And in a dramatic conclusion to a day of drama in the House, Mr Abbott earned a roar of approval from his own side at the end of Question Time as he claimed he had been grievously misrepresented - but by Labor, not Mr Turnbull. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten sparked the confrontation when he asked Mr Turnbull whether, as Mr Abbott had claimed on the ABC's 7.30 on Wednesday night, "the Minister for Immigration [Peter Dutton] and the Minister for Justice [Michael Keenan] made a deal to trade guns for votes without the authority of the then prime minister". Neither Abbott nor Turnbull come out of the week anything other than damaged after open warfare broke out between the two over gun control. Abbott's colleagues aren't copping his tricksiness and called out his lies in Parliament on Thursday. [James Massola, Michael Koziol/Fairfax] Former prime minister Tony Abbott hits back in Parliament. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told Abbott to make a clarifying statement, as there is an email indicating his office knew of the deal. When he refused, Turnbull effectively called Abbott a liar. It doesn't get more serious than this, says Michelle Grattan. [The Conversation] What's behind this openly destructive scattergun approach from Abbott? Dennis Shannahan, with an insight into Abbott's thinking, says the former PM's realised he is "not considered comeback material within the party any time soon." [The Australian] (Abbott on Wednesday night said he wasn't expecting a vacancy in the leadership "any time soon.") Malcolm Turnbull used Question Time to fire a broadside at Tony Abbott. Credit:Andrew Meares For Malcolm Turnbull, and the government, this is the most dangerous position for Abbott to be in - without any immediate hope of a comeback there is no need for him to be disciplined and wrecking is what he knows and does best. It also means that something has changed in just the few weeks since Abbott was in Britain telling Tory allies that he had a reasonable chance of a comeback. The "disastrous" week underlined the need for Abbott to depart parliament, say some Liberals. [The Australian] And don't miss Pamela Williams' lovely scene-setter of the toxic factional battle due to come to a head this weekend when Tony Abbott pursues plebiscites to preselect candidates at the NSW State council. [The Australian] 3. Is this the end for Triggs? Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs at Senate estimates. Credit:Andrew Meares Gillian Triggs, the Human Rights Commission President, has long been a target of the Liberals and now she is an even bigger one. Triggs' attempt to discredit a journalist by claiming the respected author and journalist Ramona Koval misquoted her comments came undone during Senate Estimates when she acknowledged Koval's audio recording of their interview backed her report in The Saturday Paper. In that article, Triggs said: "Our parliamentarians are usually seriously ill-informed and uneducated. All they know is the world of Canberra and politics and they've lost any sense of a rule of law, and curiously enough for Canberra they don't even understand what democracy is." Further Triggs boasted: "I knew I could have responded and destroyed them I could have said, 'You've asked me a question that demonstrated you have not read our statute. How dare you question what I do?'." [Catch up] This week, Triggs told Parliament, during a Senate hearing that she did not say "destroyed" and had been taken out of context. [Jared Owens/The Australian] The tape showed otherwise and on Thursday, Triggs was back -tracking. "Upon further reflection I accept that the article was an accurate excerpt from a longer interview. I had no intention of questioning The Saturday Paper's journalistic integrity," she said in a statement. Not surprisingly the government is keen to replace Professor Triggs asap but not before hauling her back before parliament to explain her initial testimony. (Her term is due to expire in 2017) [Michael Koziol, James Massola/Fairfax] This whole episode is a good reminder that politicians and public figures from the left and right can resort to personally attacking journalists by accusing them of making things up instead of just admitting they said what they were reported to have said, however indiscreet at the time. 4. May's visit to Brussels Theresa May and those advising her have "glimpsed the future and run with it" as journalist Martin Jacques wrote of the Thatcherites three decades ago. Credit:Pablo Blazquez Dominguez British Prime Minister Theresa May has arrived in Belgium, promising Britain will stick close to the EU. She called for unity in pressuring Russia over its "sickening atrocities" in Syria. [Reuters] Britain sent warships to shadow Russian warships in the English Channel. [AP] 5. Mosul advance making quick gains Iraqi soldiers are seen outside the city of Mosul on Wednesday. Credit:AP The Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi forces have advanced towards Mosul faster than expected and are now just about 10 kilometres from Islamic State's stronghold. [The Guardian] 6. New Nintendo console switch Nintendo Switch is part tablet part console and can play a brand new Super Mario game. [Tim Biggs/Fairfax] WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT The King's School headmaster Tim Hawkes told the parents of a student who suffered an alleged indecent assault on a camp that the boy "bore some of the blame" for subsequent bullying, a royal commission has heard. Justice Peter McClellan paid tribute to survivors of child sexual abuse who have shared their stories. Credit:Jeremy Piper The school failed to make a formal report to police about the incident, despite a senior constable advising the deputy headmaster to do so, according to evidence to be presented to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. In his opening address, counsel assisting the commission David Lloyd told the hearing The King's School student, given the pseudonym CLC, was on a camp in April 2013 when another student allegedly ejaculated on his sleeping bag. Intense and passionate community interest has followed moves to decriminalise abortion in Queensland, with a parliamentary committee swamped with more than 2400 submissions. Politicians have been accused of being "pro-abortion" and sent emails arguing against reform. There are more than 2000 submissions from the public on two bills to decriminalise abortion in Queensland. Independent member for Cairns Rob Pyne introduced two private member's bills into the House, the first aiming to remove abortion from the Criminal Code and the second setting guidelines, the establishment of 50 metre "safe zones" and gestation limits. The first bill has attracted 1450 submissions to the Health, Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee, and the second bill 1042 submissions. The Brisbane backyard will be preserved despite a new South East Queensland Regional Plan that allowed for 1.98 million new residents by 2041, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk insisted on Thursday. In fact, Cr Quirk said, the state government's new planning document would not require any changes to his council's own City Plan 2014. Backyards won't be lost to Brisbane as it squeezes in more than 220,000 new dwellings over 25 years. Credit:Michel O'Sullivan The plan, released by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad at the Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference on Thursday morning, required Brisbane to provide 223,400 new dwellings over 30 years. Ninety-four per cent of those new dwellings would be "in-fill", meaning existing houses, for example, would make way for units and townhouses. Former NRL player Anthony Watts still intends to fight an assault charge after his lawyer received medical records and photos relating to an alleged incident at a wedding in August. Watts didn't appear in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday as his case was called, and key documents in the matter were handed over by the prosecution. The court is still waiting for a statement from the plaintiff in the case, which was due a fortnight ago. Outside court Watts' solicitor, Mollie Roper, told reporters the former North Queensland and Cronulla hooker still intended to challenge the case. Gable Tostee, the Gold Coast man who was charged with the murder of a Tinder date who fell from his Surfers Paradise balcony, has been found not guilty of murder by a Brisbane jury. After four days of deliberation, the jury returned the verdict on Thursday afternoon in the Brisbane Supreme Court. He was also found not guilty of New Zealander Warriena Wright's manslaughter, which the jury had been left open to decide. The jury had been deliberating as to whether Mr Tostee, 30, was guilty of the murder or manslaughter of Ms Wright in the early hours of August 8, 2014. MISSOULA -- Two separate alleged sexual assaults involving University of Montana students on campus are under investigation. Law enforcement officials are apparently aware of the identities of the suspects in both cases, but they have not been identified and no arrests have been made as of Wednesday afternoon. The first, for which UM issued a text and email alert late Tuesday night, apparently was reported by a third party to campus police. The person reported that a non-stranger sexual assault allegedly occurred in an unidentified UM residence hall. UM police and the Missoula Police Department are working together on the investigation, and UM spokesperson Paula Short said no additional information is available at this time. Based on the circumstances of this incident, as well as information which became available to the university later in the evening yesterday, the decision was made to issue a UM Alert, which was sent at approximately 9:50 p.m., Short said. The university issues an alert if there is potential danger or a continuing threat to the campus community. The UM alert is intended to alert the campus community of a potential risk and to increase situational awareness around personal safety. Federal law requires campus officials to send out an alert if there are dangerous situations. The second case involved two UM students but was unrelated. Missoula Police spokesman Travis Welsh said that a woman came to the police department on Oct. 14 to report non-consensual sex with a male acquaintance on campus. The incident was reported to have occurred on Oct. 7. She was met by a detective, who took her report and has been assigned to the case. No arrests have been made in that case. Welsh said that the investigation is still ongoing, but police do not believe there is a threat to the public. An Ipswich lawyer has lost his appeal for $250,000 in damages after he was compared to the bumbling solicitor Dennis Denuto from the Australian movie classic, The Castle. Brett Clayton Smith took his case to the Court of Appeal after a trial judge in the District Court dismissed claims of damages of defamation against Kenneth Craig Lucht, former husband of Mr Smith's daughter-in-law, Sally Smith. A Queensland solicitor sued for being likened to bumbling suburban lawyer Dennis Denuto. Mr Smith claimed Mr Lucht had referred to him as "Dennis Denuto" in an email addressed to Ms Smith where he made reference to Mr Smith - "the barrage I received from Dennis Denuto from Ipswich about stupid things". Mr Smith also claimed Mr Lucht referred to him as the fictional character in two verbal conversations between the respondent, Ms Smith and his son Jarrad Smith. Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson is the new president of Queensland's Local Government Association of Queensland. The second-term mayor was elected by LGAQ delegates at the three-day LGAQ conference which finished on the Gold Coast on Thursday. Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson. Cr Jamieson spoke about being "terribly excited" about the prospect of becoming LGAQ president immediately before the vote between himself and Western Downs' former mayor Ray Brown for local government's top job. Mayor Jamieson studied at Harvard and served as chief executive of Australian Provincial News and Media before being elected as Sunshine Coast mayor in 2012. As many as 600,000 illegal guns could be circulating in the Australian underworld, but national efforts to control the spread is being hampered by inconsistencies between states, a firearms intelligence report has found. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report on guns - to be released on Friday, the same day as state and federal government representatives meet to thrash out a way to combat illegal firearms - also backs a national amnesty. The Victoria Police Forensic Centre in Macleod, where guns are crushed. Credit:Jason South Chris Dawson, the chief executive of the ACIC, revealed that the commission was in the midst of an investigation into the organised crime groups which traffic illegal firearms. He said outlaw bikie gangs and Middle Eastern crime groups may be increasingly responsible for gun trafficking. A total ban on the heaviest trucks crossing the West Gate Bridge will start on November 1, forcing more hulking B-Doubles to mix with inner city traffic. VicRoads has deemed Melbourne's busiest bridge can no longer support the weight of 77.5-tonne container trucks while also carrying an average 200,000 vehicles a day. Heavy truck traffic on the West Gate Bridge. Credit:Jason South The authority is set to revoke permits held by several freight companies to use fully loaded 30-metre B-Double trucks on the bridge, and will limit loads to 68.5 tonnes. The ban, to protect the ageing bridge, will sever the only freeway link between the Port of Melbourne and the industrial parks of Melbourne's west for the longer trucks, known in the industry as high-productivity freight vehicles because of the bigger loads they shift. Hizir Ferman was a beloved family member and friend; he was also a feared underworld figure and violent standover man. On Thursday, Ferman's family watched as State Coroner Sara Hinchey opened an official investigation into his death, which came after a violent clash with two prison guards at Loddon Prison, north-west of Melbourne, in July. Hizir Ferman after being arrested in 2003 Credit:Channel Nine Ferman, 35, who is one of more than a dozen Victorian prisoners to die in custody this year, had been due for release in seven months. Counsel assisting the coroner Jodie Burns told the court that Ferman had been set for release in February 2017, and was moved to the prison's Middleton unit, a medium-security section, in preparation for that event. Ben Qin giving his speech at Melbourne High. "Several times across the course of this year, we have seen the consequences played out in the media of football clubs, board rooms and schools where a locker room mentality has been allowed to flourish unchallenged," the principal wrote. "It is the responsibility of all men to redress this uncomfortable truth about our own culture." He did not resile, he said, from addressing it at Melbourne High. The principal said he also cancelled a "Milk Run" where students drank milk and lemon juice until they vomited. "For the past two years, the Year 12 leaders have been charged with cleaning up afterwards and on every occasion it has been left to the staff to undertake the very unpleasant task of cleaning up a substantial amount of vomit," he said. While Ben did not explicitly criticise the school's decision to cancel social events in his speech at the school assembly, he said the school had failed to listen to students about major changes. Many students are unhappy with the changes the school has made to social events. In the speech, Ben accused teachers at the sought-after school of being out of touch with students. He said that while society had changed, the school still problematically treated students as gentlemen. "Melbourne High students are not gentlemen. We stopped being gentlemen a long time ago. We stopped being gentlemen when the demographic changed. We stopped being gentlemen when the world changed. "Someone who once wholeheartedly believed in this school is telling you, 'you don't understand your students anymore. You don't know who and what we are'." He criticised the school for a recent clamp down on muck-up day an Australian tradition where students dress up and carry out pranks to celebrate 13 years of schooling coming to an end. Melbourne High School now requires students to register their pranks and have them approved by senior staff. Many students say this has taken the fun out of the event. Ben, who is the student representative council vice-president, also took aim at the school for suggesting that the Year 12 students' legacy would depend on their fundraising efforts. "A threat about a month ago that our legacy as a year level was contingent on demands of $50 donations ... I hardly think this was ever a good attitude," he said. "Don't we give back our intellect and our academic ability? Don't we give back our physical, artistic and musical talents? We thought this was valuable. Don't we, every year, give back in leadership, student representation?" "Don't our parents pay? Don't they donate yearly to the school?" The school raised nearly $4.5 million in donations, fees and other private sources in 2014, the latest MySchool data shows. The Year 12 student told a crowd of students assembled for the end of the year that the school had failed to treat students respectfully, drawing loud applause from the audience and a standing ovation. Ben hinted that the school had mishandled a 3000-word submission that students wrote for a curriculum review, and said student consultation on a summer uniform change was insufficient. The student told Fairfax Media that he wrote the speech because his year level felt disillusioned and "needed something". He never expected that it would uploaded to Facebook, and watched so many times. The 17-year-old said the select-entry school did not spend enough time listening to students or trying to understand them. "It was a big regret that we weren't able to feel connected to the school," he said. Loading Jockey Danny Nikolic this week lost his right to attend racecourses after a Supreme Court ruling. Credit:Jesse Marlow While Mr Nikolic opted not to make any comment about the 1996 incident, sources close to the former jockey said he was allegedly assaulted by Mr Ryan after falling asleep in a Sydney apartment. Mr Nikolic, who was 22, awoke and grabbed Mr Ryan by the neck and threw him against a wall. Other Hobson's Lodge staff sleeping in adjoining apartments were woken by the commotion. Gerald Ryan and Danny Nikolic both worked at stables owned by racing identity David Moodie. Credit:Vince Caligiuri A source close to Mr Nikolic said he was not "overly emotionally traumatised or scarred by the incident" and never made a complaint to police. Mr Nikolic is believed to have informed Mr Moodie and Victorian Racing Club stewards of the alleged attack, but with his riding career about to take off, he wanted to avoid a scandal. The Hobsons Lodge stables at Flemington in 1996. "Gerald Ryan was a popular racing figure with a quiet and likeable nature," one source said. "He made a lot of people plenty of money with his prodigious horse training talents. And we all know what a powerful motivator money is." Jockey Jamie Evans said his life 'started to spiral out of control' after he was assaulted by Gerald Ryan. Credit:Vince Caligiuri Staff meeting Following a string of accusations against Mr Ryan, Mr Moodie called a meeting of all staff at Hobson's Lodge in April 1996. According to reports at the time, Mr Moodie asked if anyone had been sexually harassed and more than half of the 22 employees raised their hands. The mother of jockey Mark Goring said her son was one of several riders to provide a victim impact statement to the Victorian Racing Club. Within days of the meeting, Mr Ryan went on a month's leave from Hobson's Lodge, while an investigation was launched by stewards from the VRC, which was responsible for oversight of the sport in Victoria at the time. Racing Victoria assumed control of the integrity of the sport in this state in 2001. More than 30 people were interviewed by VRC stewards, including 22 stablehands, six jockeys, three apprentice jockeys, and an owner believed to be Mr Moodie. The VRC informed Mr Ryan that he would have to "show cause" as to why he should keep his trainer's licence, at a hearing on June 6, 1996. On June 3 just three days before he was due to defend the serious accusations Mr Ryan handed back his licence to the VRC. At the time, he was Victoria's leading trainer, but did not explain his shock departure. He is understood to have trained horses in Malaysia for a stint, before returning to Australia in 1997 and establishing a base on the Gold Coast. Several alleged victims and their families are scathing of the racing industry's handling of the sexual abuse allegations, and some say the allegations may explain Mr Nikolic's fiery attitude toward the racing establishment. 'Who'd believe me' Gail Goring, the mother of former jockey Mark Goring, says her son was routinely groped by Mr Ryan as a 15-year-old apprentice. She says the VRC and Mr Moodie should have done more to protect staff at Hobson's Lodge from the trainer's predatory behaviour. Mrs Goring said her son was one of several jockeys to provide a victim impact statement to the VRC but he never reported the assaults to police because of fears it would damage his career prospects. "When this matter came to a head, I asked Mark why he hadn't said anything. His answer was 'who's going to believe me against Gerald Ryan?' " In August 1997, Mrs Goring sent a letter to the VRC pleading with them to never issue Mr Ryan with another licence in Victoria. "Inspector Mark Flanagan of the vice squad, racing division, advised Mark to press charges because he was a minor at the time. "Mark declined to do so because he thought the immense interest and publicity could be detrimental to his career," Mrs Goring said in the letter. At the time, Mrs Goring says, she was given an assurance from former chief steward Des Gleeson that Ryan would never work in Victoria on his watch. In 2003, Mark Goring was killed in a race fall at Tatura. For the past two decades, Mr Ryan has stayed north of the border and enhanced his reputation as one of the nation's finest trainers. He's won the Brisbane trainers' premiership and finished in the top 10 of the Sydney trainers' premiership in six out of the past seven years. While he attended Melbourne races, the 61-year-old never had a permanent base in his home town. But last December, Mr Ryan told Fairfax Media he was thinking about setting up a satellite stable in Melbourne. "I'm 60 though, and I've got to think about that, but I never go into these things half-hearted. It's a lot of work and it would take time to build the Melbourne business," Mr Ryan said. Despite fleeing the state in 1996 without facing his accusers, Mr Ryan's plan to return to Melbourne was endorsed by Mr Moodie, who was appointed chairman of Racing Victoria in May last year. "We enjoyed some sensational success in those times. He's a wonderful horseman who's a hard worker and I'm sure if he had some presence in Melbourne I would support him," Mr Moodie said in December last year. As recently as October 2009, Victoria Police continued to receive sworn statements about Mr Ryan's alleged historical offending. Spiralling out of control Former jockey Jamie Evans told police he was working as an apprentice from 1986 until 1988 at the Epsom training centre in Mordialloc to trainer Kath Smith, whom he was boarding with. In 1986, while riding at Geelong racecourse, he was injured by a horse and took twopowerful pain medication tablets. "I became very drowsy after about 20 minutes," he said. At the time, Gerald Ryan was a fellow jockey, but much older than Mr Evans, who was 17 at the time. "I looked up to him, he was like a mentor to me." Driving home with Mr Ryan, Mr Evans said, he fell asleep in the front passenger seat but woke up at the training centre in Mordialloc to find Mr Ryan performing oral sex on him in the car. He told police he ran from the car onto the street, hailed a taxi and went to Mrs Smith's house, but didn't tell her what had happened. "From that day onwards I started drinking heavily, started taking pills to numb the embarrassment ... my life started to spiral out of control," Mr Evans said. Then, Mr Evans said, in 1996, with Mr Ryan now a trainer, his friend and fellow jockey Danny Nikolic told him Mr Ryan had sexually abused him after he had fallen asleep. Mr Evans told police that a stewards' inquiry was opened after a media report about allegations against Mr Ryan and a meeting was held between Mr Nikolic, Mr Moodie, and a group of stewards. "Danny told me Gerald Ryan walked into the conference, threw his hands in the air and said: 'I can't help it, I like blokes'." Racing Victoria CEO Bernard Saundry said the current governing body was only constituted in 2001, so could not comment on what processes were taken in the mid-1990's by the state's then-administrative body. "Racing Victoria takes any allegations of sexual assault or any criminal activity with the utmost seriousness," he said. "If any allegation of criminal activity is brought before Racing Victoria it is standard procedure that the matter is referred to Victoria Police." Loading The state's highest court has dismissed former stripper Robyn Lindholm's attempt to reduce her prison term, with judges saying her 25-year sentence was "merciful" given what she had done. Lindholm pleaded guilty to murder after enlisting her lover Torsten Trabert and another man, John Ryan, to kill Hawthorn gym owner Wayne Amey on December 10, 2013. Femme fatale stripper Robyn Lindholm's application for a reduced sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. This was one day before Lindholm and Mr Amey were due in court to address a dispute they had over a farm they owned in Bittern. The trio last week appealed their prison terms, arguing they were "manifestly excessive". Melburnians looking for a reprieve from the recent windy weather had best stay indoors until Monday. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast damaging winds over southwest Victoria, including Melbourne, and they're predicting gusts of between 90km/h and 100km/h on Thursday evening. Gusts of up to 110km/h are expected in areas above 1000 metres. Do you know more? Send photos and video to scoop@theage.com.au A record 71,142 deer were shot and killed in Victoria last year, a jump of more than 14 per cent on the previous year and more evidence of the threat posed by deer to the environment, agriculture and even motorists. The "deer harvest" for 2015, an estimate based on regular surveys of Victorian hunters, is almost double the number from as recently as 2009, a sign that the widespread deer population is growing. Kevin Sanders at one of the fences he built to keep deer out of his apple orchard. Credit:Simon Schluter The report, obtained by The Age, comes as a push grows for wild-shot deer meat to be used commercially in pet food and for human consumption. It also comes as farmers hit out over the devastating damage deer are inflicting on their farms and their earnings. Farmer Nick Hulland has been teased mercilessly this week as his portrait has been painted on to the 35 metre high wheat silos of his home town, Patchewollock. Mates are calling him "silo man" instead of his nickname Noodle, and joke that he paid big bucks to be immortalised on these sentinels overlooking the tiny Mallee town, population 250, which is 420km north-west of Melbourne. In fact Mr Hulland, 42, a reserved wheat and sheep farmer, is embarrassed. He says he told artist Fintan Magee "that I hoped he was using water paint so it would wash off". No luck. It could be there for centuries. But he'll suck it up. He allowed himself to be talked into it, because street art might be a life saver for his beloved 'Patche', by drawing in tourists. All of the 22,000 people who lost their full-time mining sector jobs between 2013 and 2015 - not to mention their families - can relate to the question 'what next?' There has been little guidance so far, but a picture of a "new normal" workforce did emerge on Thursday as Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre released its latest report. Tellingly, the 400-strong audience was the largest crowd the 'think-tank' has ever drawn at a report launch. Back to the Future: WA's Economic Future After The Boom painted a bleak picture of significant wealth inequality and a persistent gender wealth gap in WA. New York: The day after he refused to commit to accepting the result of the presidential election, Republican nominee Donald Trump has shifted his tone, saying now he will "totally" accept the results "if I win" and if there is a "clear result." Speaking at his first campaign rally after the third and final debate, Mr Trump told a crowd of supporters in Ohio he had a major announcement to make. "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win," he said. He went on to say: "Of course, I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." Nissan Acquires 34% Stake in Mitsubishi Motors YOKOHAMA, Japan Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., ("Nissan") today completed its acquisition of a 34 percent equity stake in Mitsubishi Motors ("MMC") and became its largest shareholder. MMC will also become part of the global Alliance with Nissan and Renault. With the addition of MMC, the Alliance will be in the world's top three automotive groups by global volumes, with sales of 10 million units in fiscal year 2016. Nissan Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn announced that Nissan and MMC would collaborate on joint purchasing, deeper localization, joint plant utilization, common vehicle platforms, technology-sharing and an expansion of the companies' combined presence in both developed and emerging markets. "The combination of Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Renault will create a new force in global car-making," said Ghosn. "It will be one of the world's three largest automotive groups, with the economies of scale, breakthrough technologies and manufacturing capabilities to produce vehicles to serve customer demand in every market segment and in every geographic market around the world." Ghosn predicted that through its partnership with MMC, Nissan would target synergy benefits worth 24 billion yen in fiscal year 2017, rising to 60 billion yen in fiscal year 2018 and beyond. The gains will contribute to increased earnings per share worth an estimated 4 yen per share in fiscal year 2017 and 10 yen per share in fiscal year 2018 on top of any earnings accretion linked to Nissan's overall shareholding in Mitsubishi Motors. Nissan offered its assistance at the request of Osamu Masuko, president and chief executive officer of MMC, following the company's fuel economy crisis. The two companies have cooperated on kei-cars for the Japanese market over the past five years. "We are committed to assisting Mitsubishi Motors as it rebuilds customer trust," said Ghosn. "This is a priority as we pursue the synergies and growth potential of our enlarged relationship." As part of this strategy, Nissan has nominated four representatives to the Board of MMC, including Ghosn as chairman-elect. The other nominees are Hitoshi Kawaguchi, chief sustainability officer and head of global external affairs; Hiroshi Karube, global controller and global asset manager; and Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Nissan's current representative on the Mitsubishi Motors board. At Masuko's request, Yamashita joined the company earlier this year as executive vice president of development and as a member of its executive committee. Ghosn has announced a number of other management changes, effective November 1, to allow him to continue to focus on maintaining Nissan's momentum in delivering performance, while at the same time supporting Masuko at MMC. Ghosn has proposed to the Nissan Board, which has approved, the appointment of Hiroto Saikawa, currently chief competitive officer, as co-chief executive officer. Saikawa will be succeeded as chief competitive officer by Yasuhiro Yamauchi, currently Alliance executive vice president of purchasing. Veronique Sarlat-Depotte, currently deputy to Yamauchi will assume the responsibility as Alliance executive vice president of purchasing and head of the Renault Nissan Purchasing Organization. She will be supported by Makoto Uchida who will take responsibility for purchasing at Nissan. Also at the request of Masuko, the management team of MMC will be further strengthened by current Nissan Chief Performance Officer Trevor Mann, who will become chief operating officer of MMC. Mann will be replaced as chief performance officer by Jose Munoz who will continue as chairman of Nissan's North American region. Ghosn concluded: "At a time of unprecedented change in the global auto industry, this strategy will build on our existing strengths and management capabilities to ensure increased competitiveness, better products for our customers and attractive returns for shareholders." Live Archive: Nissan Motor Corp. / Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Press Conferences The Mitsubishi Motors Corp. press conference runs from 1:45 to :54. The Nissan Motor Corp. press conference begins at 1:46:00. About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2015, the company sold more than 5.4 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 12.2 trillion yen. Nissan engineers, manufactures and markets the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan manages operations in six regions: ASEAN & Oceania; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America and North America. Nissan has a global workforce of 247,500, and has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault under the Renault-Nissan Alliance since March 1999. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... City charity appeals to business community for new trustees ONE of Birminghams best known charities has appealed to the citys business community for people willing to join its board of trustees. Birmingham Childrens Hospital is looking for up to four people who can help it realise its ambitious plans for the future. This award-winning regional charity helps to deliver projects that improve excellence in research, treatment and patient experience as the hospital strives to provide the very best care for children and families. Following a period of significant growth, the charity is seeking a group of professionals with a demonstrable interest in child health, Birmingham Childrens Hospital in particular or the NHS in general, to help lead the organisation through the next stage in its development. Applicants with significant experience in fundraising at a senior level, accountancy or medical research are being courted for the unpaid roles. Applications close on November 7 and more information is available from here or by contacting Stuart Reynolds on 0300 323 1100. 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. DECATUR The Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra continues to expand musically and conceptually with new director Sergey Bogza. For Saturday's concert, the conductor has invited young cellist Gabriel Cabezas to join the orchestra as a special guest. The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Millikin University's Kirkland Fine Arts Center. To give the public a taste of Cabezas's music, the symphony guild has planned outreach events to best utilize Cabezas's talents. The musician will be playing his cello during what is described as pop-up performances at area restaurants during Friday's lunch hour. We couldn't do this with a piano, Bogza said. This the perfect instrument. Beginning at 10:10 a.m., he will be performing at Panera Bread, followed by Gin Mill at 11:40 a.m., Tap Root at 12:05 p.m., Bizou at 12:30 p.m., and Pacos Sol Bistro at 12:50 p.m. Each mini-concert will be approximately 15 minutes. During the performances, members of the symphony guild will distribute invitations with concert information. Bogza describes this concert as an uplifting event. The music isn't like candy where the reaction is quick,he said. Both the cello concerto and symphony are like taking a journey. Bogza will begin the evening before the performance with a pre-concert lecture beginning at 6:40 p.m. in the Kirkland hall. The conductor has described the performance as an exploration between the relationship of two composers, Johannes Brahms and Antonin Dvorak. Although experience and age set them apart, one often helped the other in their careers. The concert explores the friendship between the two composers, Bogza said. After leaving Decatur, Cabezas continued his education at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Ive been performing around the world for about 10 years now, playing solo and as a chamber musician, he said As a young artist, the professional will speak with Millikin music students about his career. Be open to every opportunity that comes your way and stay positive, Cabezas said he often tells young musicians. It can be hard to be a professional musician, but beyond worth it. Bogza invited Cabezas to discuss the music business with the students because he can relate to them more than other professionals. It is important to hear what it is like to work in the business at such a young age, Bogza said. It is different for a seasoned musician. The younger ones have a different understanding. For Dogs, its Trick and Treat Its almost Halloween, a great time to teach your dog a trick and give him a treat. Most trainers are fans of trick training. Its not as silly as it... Muzzle is not a bad word If you see a dog in a muzzle, you immediately think the dog is aggressive. Right? Well, this is not always true. Unfortunately, seeing a dog in a muzzle carries... DECATUR Hospitals are scary enough for children, who probably don't completely understand why they're there and what all the equipment is. Kids at HSHS St. Mary's Hospital will soon have a bit of comfort to help them through the experience. Students in Eisenhower High School's fashion class are making bright and cheerful pillowcases to donate to the pediatrics department, and when the children go home from the hospital, they can take their pillowcase with them. They've got about 60 of them, said Patricia Brackett, who teaches the class, which is part of the consumer and family science department. This is for them to have a community project, and since we're close to St. Mary's, I figured it was something we could do. The material was all donated, and they didn't have to have any expense for their first project. Fashion II students share the class with Fashion I students, who are just learning their way around a sewing machine, but after the summer off, even the more advanced students needed something simple to make to get back into the swing of things. Their next project is a clothing item with a waistband, which is a bit tricky, so the practice is necessary. The students will have to buy their own materials for that project. I thought we would take some time to let them get back into sewing, Brackett said. Alexis Smith learned a new way to put the contrasting trim inside the main color to hide the seam and showed a classmate what she was doing, while Brackett taught another student to put her pins into her material horizontally instead of vertically, so she can sew over them instead of removing them as she sews the seam. In the main classroom, the stack of finished pillowcases is growing daily, and a clothesline hangs across the windows where freshly ironed cases are hung before being folded and added to the stack. It's something they can lay their head on, and it's something cheery they can take home with them, Brackett said. A pillowcase doesn't age out the way a stuffed animal does. Later this week, the students will visit the hospital to deliver their work in person. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton did not waste any time on Wednesday night sparring over two of the most contentious issues in U.S. politics: Americans rights to guns and abortions. Clinton was very careful with her rhetoric on gun rights, while Trump suggested that Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that gave women the right to have an abortion, would be overturned if his nominees to the high court prevail. Moderator and Fox News host Chris Wallace kicked off the debate by asking the candidates in what direction they want to see the Supreme Court take the country, and digging into their views on how the Constitution should be interpreted. That led the candidates straight to the third rail of American politics. The former secretary of state defended her past statements about District of Columbia v. Heller, a 2008 decision in which the Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that the Second Amendment right to bear arms specifically applies to individual self-defense. Trump has cited Clintons criticisms of the Heller ruling to claim that Clinton would repeal the Second Amendment if elected, even as Clinton says there is no doubt she respects it. I see no conflict between saving peoples lives and defending the Second Amendment, a measured Clinton said, in a clear attempt to tamper down on traditionally liberal gun control rhetoric in order to appeal to red-state swing voters. That is not in conflict with sensible, common sense regulation, she said, later adding that Americans should come together to proclaim, of course were going to protect and defend the Second Amendment. Shifting to abortion, Trump said he would appoint conservative, pro-life justices, which would automatically lead to overturning Roe v. Wade. It will go back to the states and the states will be making the decision, the GOP nominee said. Clinton, meanwhile, said she supports Roe v. Wade. Asked how far the right to an abortion should go, Clinton said there are regulations already in place in order to ensure that the life and health of the mother can be taken into consideration. Donald Trump is not so sure about the integrity of American elections. At the third and final presidential debate Wednesday night, he stubbornly refused to commit to accepting the results of the presidential election, instead floating the possibility that the race could be rigged in Hillary Clintons favor. She shouldnt be allowed to run, he said of Clinton. Shes guilty of a very, very serious crime. She should not be allowed to run, he reiterated, and just in that respect I say its rigged because she should neverChris. She should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with emails and so many other things. Moderator Chris Wallace pushed back, pointing out that the peaceful transition of power is a centerpiece of American democracy. Not saying youre necessarily going to be the loser or the winner, Wallace continued, but that the loser concedes to the winner and the country comes together, in part for the good of the country. Are you saying youre not prepared now to commit to that principle? Trump didnt blink. Ill will tell you at the time, he retorted. Ill keep you in suspense, OK? Clinton called Trumps remarks horrifying. Hes denigrating and talking down our democracy, she said. I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position. For Trump, the position is new. In the first debate, when moderator Lester Holt asked Trump if he would accept the election outcome, he said he would. Look, heres the story, he said then. I want to make America great again. Im going to be able to do it. I dont believe Hillary will. The answer is, if she wins, I will absolutely support her. Since then, though, the mogul has spent much of his time on the campaign trail arguing that the election is rigged in Clintons favor. Hes cited a host of grievances as evidence, including voter fraud (which happens, but on an infinitesimal level and not to a degree that could even remotely affect a presidential race); the growing number of women who have come forward over the last week saying he sexually harassed or assaulted them; and unflattering media coverage of him. He even pointed to an email leaked by WikiLeaks in which a reporter asked Clintons campaign chairman to fact-check part of a story as evidence that the American democratic system is rotten to the core. By the end of Wednesday nights debate, Trumps new position seemed clear: that American democracy might not actually work. Shortly after the debate wrapped, though, Kellyanne Conwayhis campaign manager and clean-up crewclarified his stance on CNN. Donald Trump will accept the results of the election, she said, because he will win the election. In a surreal and curious exchange at the final presidential debate, Donald Trump seemed to try to ally himself with President Obama on immigration enforcement, as Hillary Clinton seemed to try to compare her stance with Trumps. The moment highlighted just how strange and complicated the politics of immigration areeven in a presidential cycle that has been historically stupid. Trump opened the immigration portion of the night by telling moderator Chris Wallace that he will deport criminal undocumented immigrants and immediately tighten border security if elected. We have some bad hombres, and were going to get them out, he said. Clinton then ripped Trumps plan for mass deportation, calling it an idea that would rip our country apart. But, she then added, she and Trump arent entirely opposed on the issue. I have been for border security for years, she said. I voted for border security in the United States Senate, and my comprehensive immigration reform plan, of course, includes border security. I want to put our resources where I think theyre most needed: getting rid of any violent person, anyone who should be deported, we should deport them. Depending on what day of the week it is, Trump is partially on the same page as Clinton regarding deportations. His immigration policy proposal says he will prioritize deporting violent criminals and undocumented immigrants who have overstayed their visas (upward of 4 million people). Clinton doesnt say she will look to deport that second group of peoplea huge difference between the two candidatesbut the two candidates seem to be aligned on criminal undocumented immigrants. Then, curiously enough, Trump argued that Clinton agrees with him on the wall. Hillary Clinton wanted the wall, he said. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally the wall wasnt built. But Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. That isnt quite truebut its not 100 percent false, either. Clinton did vote for a 700-mile border fence in 2006. Trumps proposed wall would be 1,000 miles long. Clinton fired back by saying she would try to legalize non-criminal undocumented immigrants, and cited the fact that Trump used undocumented workers on construction projects as evidence they need better protections. Thenagain, weirdlyTrump invoked Obama tocriticize Clinton? It wasnt totally clear. President Obama has moved millions of people out, he said. Nobody knows about it. Nobody talks about it. But under Obama, millions of people have been moved out of this country. Theyve been deported. She doesnt want to say that, but thats what has happened. Trumps claim is correct. Obama has deported millions of undocumented immigrantsupward of 2.5 millionmuch to the chagrin of immigration attorneys, who argue many of these deportees, particularly those from violent Central American countries, should have been treated like refugees, not pariahs. Still, Trump has spent most of his presidential campaign arguing that Obama refuses to enforce immigration laws. So his turnaround on the president is a bit of a head-scratcher. In reality, Clintons immigration policies would likely be a continuation of Obamas. Shes defended the deportation of undocumented children and voted for a biometric entry-exit system to monitor whether tourists and businesspeople visiting the U.S. stay longer than allowed. Immigration policy is complicated. Its also extremely important, and affects every sector of this countrys economy, as well as the lives of millions of legal and undocumented immigrants. But you wouldnt have gathered that from the discussion at the debate, which was a muddled hodge-podge of mess. Ivanka Trump and Anita Hill were photographed backstage Wednesday at Fortunes Most Powerful Women Summit in what appeared to be a face-off: Trump mid-sentence and unsmiling, her right arm cocked and palm facing the ceiling in a listen here or the bottom line gesture; Hill, also talking, with both hands up as though shed had enough of Trumps bullshit. Patricia Sellers (she interviewed Trump at last years summit), executive director of Fortune MPW Summits and Live Content, hovered close behind them, hands clasped together like an anxious peacemaker. The image was first tweeted by Fortunes Nina Easton on Wednesday morning from the summit in southern California. Twitter went into a tailspin over the delicious irony of Trump and Hill running into each other in what looked like the ultimate showdown. Trump, after all, has continued to be a devoted daughter and campaigner for her father in the wake of the GOP nominees leaked grab em by the pussy tape, and as 10 women have subsequently come forward to accuse him of sexual assault. Then theres Hill, who famously testified in 1991 before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her. Naturally, imaginations ran wild when they were fed that image of Ivanka Trump and Anita Hill locked in what looked like a heated exchange. Which of these two Most Powerful Women started it? Who won the smackdown? Yet things were not as sensational as they seemed, according to Sellers. It was very friendly, Sellers told The Daily Beast. I introduced Anita to Ivanka in the green room. Theyre both class acts and seemed genuinely happy to meet each other. Sellers said she did not hear the substance of the exchange between Hill and Trump. I walked away; I didnt feel like it was appropriate for me to stand there and listen. A source close to Ivanka Trump told The Daily Beast: It was a quick conversation and she [Hill] was very nice. Trump had just arrived and only saw a small portion of Hills presentation, but she mentioned that it was a great group and Pattie told her the audience feedback [had] been really positive. It was a very nice, quick chat. Trump was then called away to put her mic on. Hill did not return a Daily Beast request for comment. Visually at least, the encounter remains an arresting meeting of feminist flashpoints. Hill claimed that Thomas had made lewd comments (she alleged he referred to his penis as Long Dong Silver) and unwanted sexual advances toward her when he was her boss at the Department of Education and, later, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Senates all-white male committee members were hostile toward her, with one senator suggesting she had a psychiatric condition wherein a woman fantasizes that a powerful, prominent man is in love with her. Others criticized her for staying at her job despite the harassment and for taking so long to report it. Thomas was confirmed to the court on a 52-48 vote, while Hill was blamed, shamed, and threatened with death threats and sexual violence after the hearing. She became a feminist heroine, though, and is still credited with inspiring other women, like Trumps accusers, to come forward. Hill herself responded to news of the Access Hollywood tape in a recent Boston Globe op-ed, describing Trumps language as predatory and hostile. Missing from the conversation this weekend, which focused almost exclusively on the character of the offender, was concern about the victims of sexual violence, she wrote. At virtually every dinner table this weekend little consideration was given to what impact the brutish behavior he claimed to have had on the women he victimized. When Donald Trump was asked whether he believed Thomas or Hill during an August 2015 interview with Bloomberg TV, the then-presidential candidate replied, I really have a lot of respectI like Clarence Thomas a lot, and I will go with Clarence Thomas. Before Trumps sexual assault controversy engulfed him, responding to sexual harassment claims against ex-Fox News boss Roger Ailes in August, Trump all but dismissed them, saying he felt very badly for Ailes, who had just resigned, but not the women. I can tell you that some of the women that are complaining, I know how much hes helped them, he told NBC News Meet the Press. (Today, it was reported, the men no longer speak.) In a fantastic moment of ignorance, Trump claimed Ivanka wouldnt allow herself to be subjected to sexual harassment because shes a strong, powerful woman. Its a good thing CNNs Erin Burnett was seated between Rudy Giuliani and Mark Cuban in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening or things might have gotten physical. The two surrogates for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, respectively, just barely remained respectful as they tore into the opposing candidates records. From the start, the two men were at each others throats over Hillary Clintons handling of classified emails and Donald Trumps business record. After Giuliani ticked off a litany of things that he believes would land Clinton in prison if she were anyone else, Cuban replied, I say this with all due respect Rudy Giuliani: You are an American hero and I respect everything you have done but everything you said is incorrect about Hillary Clinton. One hundred percent, absolutely incorrect. Later, he accused the former New York mayor and then Republican presidential candidate of pushing conspiracy theories like out of the X-Files. The fight only escalated when Giuliani brought up Trumps great deal of success in business as justification for why he should be elected president. Name any of his products that are still successful, Cuban said, arguing that Trump cheated the paying students of Trump University. Trump cards, Trump steaks, Trump clothes, when somebody has to give their name and sell their name that often, that tells me theyre desperate. While Cuban said Trump did OK in real estate, he described the rest of his business career as a major failure. And now, said Cuban, his presidential campaign is hurting his brand even more. As Giuliani argued that everyones had failures, Cuban repeated the line, Not that many. When the former mayor said, People doing bold things sometimes fail, Cuban asked, Trump steaks is bold? Trump playing cards is bold? After a break, things only got more difficult for Giuliani as Burnett shifted the conversation to the accusations of sexual assault against Trump. Like the candidate, Giuliani categorically denied that any of the alleged incidents took place, despite Trump himself describing similar situations in the leaked Access Hollywood tape from 2005. Ive known him for 28 years, Ive never seen him do anything remotely close to that, Giuliani said of Trump. I have known men who are touchy, feely. I know men who sometimes seem to act inappropriately in the way they touch or handle women. I dont like it, but Donald Trump is not one of them. Meanwhile, Cuban said he personally knows two women in addition to the nine who have come recently forward who say they were mistreated in a sexual way by Trump. When something goes wrong for Donald, he never owns it, Cuban said. Its always a conspiracy theory. By the end of their on-air debate, Cuban appeared to be sitting on his hands in an attempt to control himself as the conversation devolved into a relitigation of Bill Clintons past, with Giuliani saying that Monica Lewinsky would be in an insane asylum if she didnt have that dress. They were trying to drive that woman insane. At one point, Giuliani even brought up Bill Clintons alleged illegitimate children, to which Cuban shot back, The illegitimate children? That was disproven! All right, it was disproven, Giuliani said. Or was it disproven? Hillary Clinton went after Donald Trump on Wednesday night over mounting allegations of sexual assault against the Republican nominee, characterizing him as unrepentant. Trump, who has denied the allegations against him, said each of the stories has been debunked, calling them lies and fiction. He accused the Clinton campaign of orchestrating the news cycle last week, in which at least nine women came forward alleging that Trump inappropriately kissed or groped them against their willall after the release of a video in which Trump was caught bragging about the exact same type of behavior. I didnt see these women, Trump said. I think they want fame or her campaign did it. Trump later said he did not apologize to his wife after the allegations began to surface, because he didnt do anything. Melania Trump said in an interview earlier this week that her husband did apologize to her, though, for the lewd comments about groping women that were caught on tape. Clinton blasted Trump for a string of comments last week in which the GOP nominee responded to the allegations by commenting on the attractiveness (or perceived lack thereof) of his accusers. In at least two instances, Trump suggested that he could not have sexually assaulted the women who came forward because they are not beautiful enough for him. He said of one of the women: She wouldnt be my first choice. Trump interrupted Clinton: I did not say that. The Democratic nominee added: Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. Thats who Donald is. Trump repeated a line he often says during interviews and rallies on the campaign trailthat nobody has more respect for women than I doprompting the audience to laugh and moderator Chris Wallace to ask them to be quiet. Trump then attempted to pivot to attacking Clinton over her exclusive use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. She mentions this, which is all fiction, Trump said of the allegations. But what isnt fictionalized are her emails where she destroyed 30,000 emails criminally after getting a subpoena from the United States Congress. In her response, Clinton meandered back to the issue at hand, accusing Trump of consistently denying responsibility. She said Trump never apologizes for his missteps, namely his attacks on a Gold Star family and an American judge of Mexican descent. A presidential debate that almost seemed destined for serious discussion about policy careened suddenly into shouting and interruptions over Russias efforts to influence the American election. Putin, from everything Ive seen, has no respect for [Hillary Clinton], Donald Trump charged, one of the first moments where he perked up, after an unusually reserved 30 minutes to open up the third and final 2016 presidential debate. Then Clinton strucksparking the two candidates first confrontation of the night: Well, thats because he would rather have a puppet as president of the United States. This did not sit well with the businessman, who shot back: Youre the puppet! The Democratic nominee, sensing she had hit a sore point, went on the offensive, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin has a very clear favorite in this race because Trump has been willing to support break[ing] up NATO. Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta, and the Democratic National Committee have both been hacked in recent months and their private communications released to the publicwith embarrassing effects. The intelligence community has assessed that the Russian government was involved with the cyberintrusions, which Trump has questioned. She has no idea whether it is Russia, China, or anybody else, Trump said. He would rather believe Vladimir Putin than the military and civilian intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect us, Clinton responded. Ultimately, Trump said he objected to foreign influence on the American election, regardless of the sourcebut he ultimately declined to agree that Russia was even involved. Of course I condemn, Trump said. But he did have some praise for the Russian leader: Putin has outsmarted her and Obama at every single step of the way. Then Trump added, unprompted, I dont know Putin this is not my best friend. Trump has previously bragged about his relationship with Putin, in particular the idea that the Russian president was very interested in what Trump had to say. I do have a relationship [with Putin] and I can tell you that hes very interested in what were doing here today. Hes probably very interested in what you and I am saying today, and Im sure hes going to be seeing it in some form, Trump said back in 2013. British gay-rights campaigners have criticized a legal amendment that will see an estimated 15,000 living men convicted of the crime of having gay sexual relations prior to 2003 be pardoned. The campaigners say a pardon still implies guilt on the part of gay men, and that the pardon does not go far enough to apologize for centuries of injustice. The new amendment, which will also automatically pardon deceased men convicted of now-abolished sexual offenses in England and Wales, is being dubbed the Turing Law, after the legendary British code breaker Alan Turing, who was posthumously pardoned for a conviction for gross indecency in 2013. Turings horrific life story captured the attention of the British public after it was dramatized in The Imitation Game, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as the code-breaker whose genius is widely credited with shortening the Second World War by several years and saving countless millions of lives. Turing was convicted in 1952 of gross indecency after having consensual sex with a 19-year-old man. He was subsequently chemically castrated and died in 1954 after poisoning himself with cyanide. Turings pardon followed a Private Members Bill introduced by a British peer, Lord Sharkey, who is also responsible for tabling the legislation that has been adopted today. Peter Tatchell, the leading British gay-rights campaigner, told The Daily Beast that while most gay people supported the pardon, there also needed to be a public apology by British Prime Minister Theresa May and that compensation should be paid for the incredible suffering these men went through. Tatchell added, Many were imprisoned and abused by fellow inmates and warders, some lost their jobs and homes and were driven to alcoholism, mental illness, and suicide. The word pardon has unpleasant connotations; it implies forgiveness for a crime committed. Most people in society would now agree that consenting adult same-sex behavior should have never been a crime in the first place, so no forgiveness is required. The crucial thing is a public apology on behalf of the British people. A pardon is waving a conviction without acknowledging that the conviction was wrong in the first place. Although it is often said that gay sex was legalized in 1967 in the U.K., Tatchell points out that the 1967 legislation in fact only represented the partial decriminalization of gay sex in certain very specific circumstancesspecifically between two men over 21, and in private. Those men caught having consensual sex with those under the age of consent, or with more than one other person, or in public, were subject to prosecution. For many years, the age of consent in Britain was 21 for gay men, and 16 for heterosexuals (lesbian sexuality was not codified in law). It was equalized at 16 for all in 2000. As recently as 1997, gay men were being incarcerated for consensual gay sex in the U.K. Aiding or facilitating a homosexual act remained unlawful, as did public displays of affection and men chatting up men in a public place, said Tatchell. Incredibly, in 1989, more than 2,000 men were convicted of consenting adult same-sex relations, which was almost as many annual convictions as in the years 1950-55. These men will all now automatically be among those who are to be pardoned. One prominent campaigner, George Montague, the 93-year old author of the book The Oldest Gay in the Village, who was convicted in 1974 of gross indecency, told the BBC that he would not accept the pardon. To accept a pardon means you accept that you were guilty. I was not guilty of anything. I was only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he told the BBCs Newsnight. I think it was wrong to give Alan Turingone of the heroes of my lifea pardon. What was he guilty of? He was guilty of the same as what they called me guilty ofbeing born only able to fall in love with another man. He added: If I get an apology, I will not need a pardon. However, others saw the move as a welcome first step. Paul Martin OBE, chief executive of the LGBT Foundation in Manchester, told The Daily Beast, It is an important day for all the gay and bisexual men who have been convicted under these laws, and their families. The gross indecency legislation ruined the lives and careers of many. For all those who have worked tirelessly to bring about this legislation, it is long overdue, and so we welcome todays decision. Nick Duffy, editor of PinkNews, told The Daily Beast, There is a whole discussion around semantics but the bigger issue, I think, is that men who are alive today now have the option to finally have it, on paper, that they didnt do anything wrong, that these laws were a mistake and never should have been. It sends a message within our country that these laws were totally wrong, that we regret them, and that they should never have been on the books in the first place, but whats important as well is the message it sends to the rest of the world, especially in the Commonwealth. We talk about British anti-gay laws like they are a thing that stopped existing 50 years ago, but around the world right now, more than a billion people still live under archaic anti-gay laws that were imposed by the British Empire and never repealed. Forty out of the 53 Commonwealth member states still criminalize homosexuality under colonial-era lawsincluding India, Uganda, Cameroon, and Nigeriaand todays decision sends a very powerful message to those countries that we made a mistake by passing these laws, and theyre not something we stand by in 2016. During the final presidential debate on Wednesday night, Donald Trump accused Hillary Clinton of paying protesters to start fights at his rallies. But Trump is the only candidate facing a lawsuit for inciting violence on the campaign trail. Two activists have filed suit against Trump, after they were beaten by a crowd at a Trump rally in Birmingham, Alabama last November. Mercutio Southall was beaten on camera, while fellow activist Carlos Chaverst was allegedly pushed from the event by a group of attendees who chanted all lives matter. Trump encouraged the crowd to Get him the hell out of here, will you please? The plaintiffs, both African American, said the incident was disturbingly reminiscent of the racial violence that plagued their Alabama city during the 1960s civil rights movement. It is shocking to see that at a rally at ... a publicly funded facility, black residents were brutally attacked by a white mob, the suit, filed Monday, reads. Video from the November event shows Southall chanting black lives matter near the back of the convention center. A crowd descends on him, pushing him to the ground, where rally attendees pile on him. Southall was then kicked, choked, shoved, punched, scratched and referred to as nearly every racial slur known, the suit against Trump and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center claims. [Southall] pushed the mob back but he was substantially outnumbered. Speaking to The Daily Beast in November, Southalls then-lawyer David Gespass described the incident as a hate crime, saying Southalls attackers called him a nigger and a monkey. Chaversts alleged beating was not captured on camera, as he had been using his phone to film the attack on Southall. Were at the Donald Trump rally, here in Birmingham, Alabama, and we want to inform Donald Trump hes not welcome here. We need to dump the Trump, Chaverst narrated his video. Upon hearing this, a nearby attendee allegedly slapped the phone from Chaversts hand, calling the protester boy and other slurs. When Chaverst told the rally attendee not to touch his phone, the man allegedly said he could do whatever he wanted to Chaverst. Trumps onstage rhetoric escalated both incidents, the plaintiffs said. Meanwhile, Donald F. Trump, Republican nominee for the office of President of the United States of America, is continuously yelling get him the hell out of here and making other incendiary statements further inciting the violent melee to continue, the suit says. But Trumps comments in Birmingham were not an isolated incident; the suit lists a sample of the candidates responses to protesters at his rallies, including Knock the crap out of him, would you? Seriously, and Id like to punch them in the face, I tell you, and I love the old days. Do you know what they used to do to guys like that in a place like this? Theyd be carried out on a stretcher, folks. The suit also cites Trumps promise to foot the legal bills of anyone who attacked a protester, claiming the language incites his followers to violence. The beatdown resulted bruising for Chaverst, while Southall suffered severe personal injuries including lacerations to his face, head and neck, concussion, bruises to his back and torso areas, the suit claims. Southall and Chaverst are seeking $1,000,000 from the convention center and from the Trump campaign, which did not respond to a request for comment. During Wednesday nights debate, Trump accused Clinton of paying protesters to incite violence at his rallies. I was wondering what happened with my rally in Chicago and other rallies where we had such violence, Trump said. Shes the one, and Obama, that caused the violence. They hired people, they paid them $1,500, and theyre on tape saying, be violent, cause fights, do bad things. The remarks were in reference to a dubious video by conservative activist James OKeefe, who released a Monday video claiming to show a Clinton-affiliated organizer discussing violence at Trump rallies. The video, curiously edited, does not address Trumps claims of paid protesters. However, Trumps son Eric, and Trumps campaign manager Kellyanne Conway have both tweeted links to a parody news site, which claimed the Clinton campaign paid protesters $3,500 to demonstrate at Trump rallies. Conway and Eric Trump deleted their tweets many hundred retweets later. DECATUR -- The Decatur Township Board of Trustees is down a member after the resignation of Susan Gant Reynolds. The lone Republican on the board, Reynolds notified the board last week of her resignation due to her moving out of the township. The resignation, sent Oct. 12, goes into effect immediately. In her resignation letter, Reynolds said she hopes the board will continue to be fiscally responsible and expressed fear that income loss from a declining tax base would necessitate a future tax increase. The residents of (the) Decatur Township deserve responsible management of their tax dollar, Reynolds said. With her resignation, the board will need to appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of Reynolds term, which goes until next spring. Any appointment would have to be from the Republican Party, and Reynolds recommended the board appoint Michael Sexton to her term. Sexton, who currently serves on the Decatur Library Board, has twice served four-year terms as a township trustee. But when asked about Reynolds recommendation, Township Supervisor Lisa Stanley was noncommittal to Sexton and did not rule out looking at other options. The board is likely to appoint a new trustee at its Nov. 2 meeting. If the vote is tied, then Clerk Ada Owens would hold the tie-breaking vote. Reynolds resignation just a week after she joined trustees Amy Rueff and Debbie Sheets in approving salary cuts to all elected township positions; a move that irked Stanley and Trustee Michael Smith. Before the meeting, Stanley checked with Reynolds to follow up on word that the latter had already moved out of the township, which would have made her ineligible to vote on the salaries. In an email obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Reynolds told Stanley two days before that meeting Oct. 5 that her home in the township was still on the market, but not yet sold, and that she had not completely moved out. Therefore, she was still a resident of the township and eligible to hold the trustee position. The fallout from that Oct. 5 meeting is still resonating though, as Stanley confirmed this week that she has filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General's Office, allegedly with video proof that the three trustees who supported the cuts meeting before the public meeting, which would be a violation of the Open Meetings Act. The complaint was news to Rueff when contacted Wednesday afternoon, who denied any sort of meeting occurred. She said she talked with Reynolds in the past about making salary cuts to better align the township with others across the state and to offset the expected loss of $76,000 of annual revenue once Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois moves out of the township facility. None of the discussions would have been a violation the Open Meetings Act, she added. Hillary Clintons campaign team is now asserting that Donald Trump may have had secret prior knowledge of the WikiLeaks hacksin other words, that he might have colluded with the Russian government to undermine the American electoral system. Its a eyebrow-raising allegation (one might even call a conspiracy theory), and one for which they have provided scant evidence. And the Trump campaign says its false. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon floated the possibility of Trump colluding with Russia in a statement provided to The Daily Beast on Oct. 18, before the final presidential debate. Fallon criticized Trump for refusing to disavow the WikiLeaks hacks which laid bare the inbox of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, then suggested the Republican nominee might have had something to do with them. 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, Fallon said at the time. Since then, two news reports published Oct. 20 have undergirded the first part of Clinton teams argumentthat the Russian government bears some responsibility for the initial hacking of Podestas email. First, Esquire reported that Fancy Bear, a Russian hacking group affiliated with its top military intelligence organization, broke into Podestas inbox. Additionally, Motherboard reported that Fancy Bear is likely also responsible for the cache of hacked emails from Colin Powell that DCLeaks published in September. The Clinton team cited both of these stories in a press release blasted out on Thursday afternoon. But the campaign then went further than either report did and linked Trump directly with the Kremlin. There is no longer any doubt that Putin is trying to help Donald Trump by weaponizing WikiLeaks, said Jake Sullivan, Clintons top foreign policy advisor, in a statement. In light of his associates admitted back-channeling with Assange, and Trumps own undisclosed business ties with Russia, its time for Trump to tell the American people what he knew about these hacks and when he knew it, Sullivan added. In other words, the Clinton campaign is now arguing that Russian hackers or their affiliates may have given Trump a heads-up about their illegal hacking. We emailed the Clinton campaign and asked if they have any evidence Fancy Bear, Guccifer, Julian Assange, or anyone else potentially affiliated with the hacking operation informed Trump of their activities before publicizing them. The Clinton campaign didnt provide any evidence of that. Now, its certainly possible that Trump got a heads-up. But the intelligence community isnt saying that. And while some intelligence officials have said that they think the Russian hacks could be designed to boost Trumps chances of winning by embarrassing Clinton and other Democrats, theres no consensus on that point either. Rather, the intelligence agencies agreed in a rare joint statement that the hacks are intended to interfere with the US election process, but stopped short of saying they were benefiting one candidate. Clinton herself has previously implied that the hacks were designed to help Trump. And Podesta suggested last week that the Trump campaign may have known in advance that WikiLeaks intended to publish his own purloined emails. Democrats in Congress have practically begged the FBI to investigate Trumps Russia ties and his campaigns possible connections to the hacking campaign. But GOP leaders have refused to support efforts to investigate any possible Trump-Russia connections, which have been raised in news reports and closed-door intelligence briefings. But that isnt to say they arent concerned; Sen. Marco Rubio said earlier this week that Republicans could also be in the Kremlins sights. I want to warn my fellow Republicans who may want to capitalize politically on these leaks, he said. Today it is the Democrats. Tomorrow it could be us. Democrats have noted in particular that Trumps former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, did business with Ukraines ousted, Moscow-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovych. They also point to the fact that Trump adviser Carter Page met with at least two Russian officials and was suspected of negotiating an end to some sanctions in a Trump administration. U.S. officials told The Daily Beast that Pages meetings are of particular concern to congressional Democrats who worry that he may have been freelancing U.S. foreign policy. In an interview this week with The Daily Beast, Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called these circumstances deeply alarming. And he said Trumps financial ties to the country deserve more scrutiny. We dont have a full appreciation at all of financial interests Trump has in Russia, Schiff said. In a statement Thursday, Schiff blasted the GOP nominee for refusing to agree to abide by the election results, suggesting Putin must have loved Trumps infamous comment. Trumps whining of rigged elections must be music to the Kremlin, which has endured withering criticism over its rigging of elections and anti-democratic decline, Schiff said. When Donald Trump threatens to jail his opponent if he wins, contest the results if he loses, and blames all his problems on a corrupt press and rigged system, he describes a system only Vladimir Putin could applaud. The Trump campaign denies this. When asked about the Clinton campaigns charges on Oct. 18, a Trump spokesperson said the campaign had nothing to do with the hacks, and we certainly had nothing to do with the terrible content of the emails. The Trump campaign didnt respond to a request for additional comment on todays developments. So here we are: less than three weeks from an election, with one candidate contending the contest is rigged, and the other suggesting her opponent is in league with the Russians.\ Voters pining for a debate question on reproductive choice finally got what they wanted Wednesday night when Fox Newss Chris Wallace, moderator of the third and final presidential debate of the year, asked both candidates about their views on abortion. Finally, some substantive conversation between two candidates with seriously divergent views on an issue that people on both sides view as a matter of life and death. Finally, some smart talk of womens health, or of how a pro-life candidate can realistically push an agenda that restricts abortion in a post-Texas v. Whole Womens Health world. Just kidding. Donald Trump spun an abortion stance so removed from the reality that it read less like a serious policy proposal and more like abortion fan fiction. The big moment came early in the Las Vegas debate, when Wallace pivoted from guns to the Supreme Courts impact on abortion access. Wallace wanted to know if, as president, Trump would appoint justices who would move to overturn Roe v. Wade. Trump said that he would, and that abortion should be left up to the states, which is a fringe enough claim without what came next. But Donald was just getting warmed up. Hillary Clinton noted that late-term abortion should be allowed if it is necessary to protect the life or health of a woman, and that the decision that leads to abortion late in pregnancy is often difficult. Trump responded with a third-hand story looking at itself in a funhouse mirror. I think it is terrible, said the Republican nominee for president. If you go with what Hillary is saying, you can take baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. Well, no. Thats not what abortion is. Most abortions take place during the first trimester. Killing a viable fetus willy-nilly was never something Roe v. Wade protected. But Trump wasnt done. Now, you can say that that is OK and Hillary can say that that is OK, but its not OK with me, Trump continued. Because based on what she is saying and based on where shes going and where shes been, you can take baby and rip the baby out of the womb. In the ninth month. On the final day. Thats not acceptable. Its also not legal, unless there are extraordinary circumstances. Trumps puzzlingly weird lie could have come from a number of places. He may have been achieving a C-grade in parroting a talking point used during the primaries by his former rivals Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio. But both of those candidates version of this particular nontruth wasnt quite so graphic, even the one where Carly Fiorina said that shed seen a nonexistent video of a baby being born fully alive and then ripped up by Planned Parenthood ghouls. Trump running mate Mike Pence used a less graphic, same easy-to-debunk set of myths during the vice-presidential debate this month. But what Trump said Wednesday was more colorful than any of the previous iterations. Planned Parenthood, unsurprisingly, wasnt impressed. Said PPFA Political Communications Director Erica Sackin, Donald Trump has been clear that he would ban abortion, and appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade. Donald Trumps hostility to women, their health, and well-being has been clear from the beginning of his campaignand it makes him unfit to lead this country. Conservative commentator Glenn Beck was less formal. You have got to be kidding, Beck tweeted. Trump doesnt even know what partial birth abortion even is! Ahhhhhhhgggggg. Ahhhhhhhgggggg indeed. Donald Trump says the U.S. military is depleted. Those who serve increasingly say they feel deflated. Some troops said they increasingly feel drained by the rhetoric of the presidential campaign, including last night when Trump suggested that the U.S. military timed a campaign to shape the U.S. electionand that he may not accept the results of the election. Yet again, an institution desperate to stay out of the campaign as is tasked to salute whoever wins it, found itself at the heart of political storm. And for all the attempts to stay out, the growing frustration oozed out of the hallways as comrades met Thursday morning to discuss what they heard at Wednesdays debate and what it means for the values they took an oath to defend. Officially, the Pentagon will not discuss the election. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, while appearing at a press conference with his South Korean counterpart Thursday, refused to answer even a question about nuclear policy because it was related, in part, to Wednesdays debate. Anything even remotely cast in politics would not get an answer, Carter said. Regardless, there was a feeling of malaise in the Pentagon on Thursday morning. Some feared that the rhetoric of the debate could lead to violence after the election. When asked if he would accept the elections results, Trump said, What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. Many here have served in countries where there is no guarantee of a peaceful transition in power. And in Iraq and Afghanistan, their comrades died to bring stability to allow the introduction of democratic practices.Even those who have never deployed to the war zones has studied at military colleges about other countries where nations erupted into violence because the someone rejected the results of an election. Some troops said they were worried that Trumps unwillingness to accept the election results could bring the kind of violence to the United States that U.S. troops have deployed overseas to stop. Still others turned to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice for a means to stop the use of language that could bring similar outcomes to the United States: In my mind, this is sedition, one Air Force major explained. I wouldnt be allowed to say it. Article 94 of UCMJ defines sedition, in part, as: Someone with the intent to usurp or override lawful military authority, refuses, in concert with any other person, to obey orders or otherwise do his duty or creates any violence or disturbance is guilty of mutiny. Trump said that the U.S. military started the campaign to liberate the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from the self-proclaimed Islamic State to help Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton win on November 8. The only reason they did it is because she is running for the office of president, he said. And they want to look tough. They want to look good. The Iraqis timed the start, not the U.S., officials have repeatedly said publicly. Privately, some noted that the U.S. military has a bad track record of predicting outcomes in Mosul. The U.S. was caught off guard when ISIS troops stormed the city June 10, 2014 and met Iraqi forces who fled. And the U.S. military once said the offensive to claim Iraqs second largest city would begin in the spring of 2015, and when that did not happen, the fall of that year. Neither timeframe was correct. For a building filled with veterans of the 2003 invasion, the idea that the U.S. could shape Iraqi decision making was laughable. There are at least 45,000 Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish peshmerga forces participating in the Mosul campaign, compared to a few hundred U.S. troops. The bulk of the U.S. effort has been through airstrikes in and around ISIS assets in Mosul. We have never made the Iraqis do anything we want, one Army colonel complained. That is why we keep going back there. Clinton, in response to Trumps claim, said: I'm just am amazed that he seems to think the Iraqi government and our allies and everybody else launched the attack on Mosul to help me in this election, but thats how Donald thinks, you know, he always is looking for some conspiracy. And Trumps claim challenged a repeated claim by the U.S. military that it was not in the lead of the campaign for Mosul, but rather in support of it. Moreover, such talk took away from the military success on the battlefield; Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi said the campaign for Mosul is ahead of schedule. Not all troops agree about what was said at the debate as the U.S. military is as varied as the nation it serves. Some said they refused to watch the debate, that they supported Trump or that they did not want to discuss the election. But it is not the first time the election has set off fury of anxiety within the Pentagon. As early as late last year, there were some commanders suggesting they would quit before serving under President Trump, at that time because he said he would order them to commit war crimes like killing terrorists innocent families. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has repeatedly urged the military to not speak about political matters. Emails reminding the troops of his order arrive regularly. And for the most part, the military obligesexcept in the hours after the presidential debate when, some feel, the very values they took an oath to defend are under attack. At that point, it feels personal, some said. How many days until the election? one Army colonel asked. This is dangerous. Ill keep you in suspense. That was Donald Trump, candidate for president of the United States, treating the peaceful transfer of power like a reality-TV show cliffhanger in the final presidential debate. The hyperpartisan hype man was either teasing the opening season of Trump TV or promising a constitutional crisis. Either way, its a display of stomach-churning disregard for our democracy by a celebrity demagogue whose narcissism has already stained our political history. By now, were now used to The Donald treating this election as a vehicle for his vanity. Most sober Republicans have slowly come to the horrified realization that they have a manifestly irresponsible man at the top of their ticket. But the radius of damage seemed contained to the GOP and the quality of our civic debates. Donald changed that Wednesday night. Once the act-like-an-adult sedatives wore off around 30 minutes into the third debate, he lapsed into his reflexive lying and insult comedy. He lied about insulting a disabled reporter. He lied about his past praise of Putin and his call for Japan to pursue nukes. He called his opponent a nasty woman and said she shouldnt be allowed to vote, let alone run for president. But those were just the fetid appetizers before the rotten main course that instantly defined the third debate. The most troubling rumble from Trumps flailing final weeks has been his suggestions that maybe he wouldnt accept defeat. He teased this riff repeatedly to crowds only to have it be denied by his designated straight man, Mike Pence. But Trump went full wingnut with his comments in the third debate, refusing to say whether he would accept the results of the election ifas the polls show is likelyhe loses on Nov. 8. Put down the popcorn for a second. Remember that this election is real. It is not a reality show. We in the media may try to entertain as we educate, but at the end of the day this is deadly serious stuffselecting a leader who will make decisions about war and peace. And in democracy, we get the government we deserve. Donald Trump has gone beyond dog-whistle appeals to the ethno-nationalist crowd. He is doubling down on the delegitimizing of duly elected presidents that has helped cripple our democracy over the past few decades. Much of the alt-right Clinton-hating crowd staffing his senior teamDavid Bossie especiallystarted this anti-democratic cycle with the hunting of the president in Bill Clintons term. The blame shifted to the left after the loss of the popular vote made many of those folks consider W. illegitimate. And God knows, weve had the same putrid stain grow during the Obama years, symbolized by the birther conspiracy theories that Trump used to grab the heart of the GOP base, who couldnt accept a black man as president. If Hillary Clinton is elected, well see sexism take the place of racism in the most unhinged corners of the internet activist class. But the fundamental message of illegitimacy is the same. And the recourse? Ill keep you in suspense. Trump surrogates were furiously spinning in the aftermath, understandably panicked that their man had once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Apparently the talking points had been emailed out before the end of the debate because both campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and Jeffrey Lord were spouting the same ahistorical nonsense on CNN about how there is a liberal double standard because Al Gore didnt concede the 2000 election until December. Of course, that ignores the whole Florida recount and loss of the popular vote. There is no precedent in modern American politics for contesting an election before the votes are in. Both Conway and Lord are political pros who know better as, presumably, does Kayleigh McEnany, who was reduced to talking about dead voters and fraud in a desperate attempt to distract from the fact that her candidate is playing footsie with a fanatical disregard for the democratic process. The most generous explanation is that Donald Trump just doesnt have the psychological capacity to admit defeat. The prospect of being defined in the history books as a loserpossibly on an epic scaleis too much to bear. And so the only face-saving play is to say that the whole system is rigged against him. This is the ultimate expression of the conservative-as-victim card. But what makes little Donald feel better isnt the best gauge for whats best for our democracy. I know this is hard for Trump to compute, but some things matter more than himself. The real damage comes when his anti-democracy defiance is heard as validation by extremists looking for an excuse to make the culture wars even more real. During the Tea Party wave, I interviewed a fringe folk hero on the far-far right: a patriot militia man named Mike Vanderboegh, who recently died. His favorite slogan was all politics in this country now is just dress rehearsal for civil war. We are rapidly coming to a point in this country when half of the people are going to become convinced of the illegitimacy of this administration and its designs upon our liberty, he told me. Need I remind you that this side is the one with most of the firearms? Talk about Second Amendment solutions. Likewise, Trumps favorite unhinged conspiracy entrepreneur, Alex Jones, loves to say the cure for 1984 is 1776. The same echoes are evident. And lest this just sound like a litany of cranks, one month ago Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin referenced Timothy McVeighs favorite Jefferson quoteThe tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrantsbefore talking about how America could survive a President Hillary Clinton only if the blood of patriots were shed as well. Whose blood will be shed? he asked in a speech. It might be that of our children and grandchildren. I have nine children. And it breaks my heart to think that it might be their blood that is needed to redeem something, to reclaim something that we, through our apathy and indifference, have given away. Got that? The governor of one of our 50 states was actively musing about civil war and the bloodshed it could cause in his family if Hillary Clinton is elected president. Spin that any way you wantand Bevin tried to say that he had been talking about a foreign warbut the audience at the Values Voter Summit heard him loud and clear. Losing an election is akin to living under tyranny, and it will be up to patriots to take down tyrants to make America great again. Finally, on Wednesday night, just after Trump left the stage, his surrogate Sarah Palin told reporters hed only accept a legitimate election since doing otherwise would betray those who died for freedom. The point is that none of this happens in a vacuum. Calls for massive resistance to democratic processes and legal decisions have been a repeated riff in conservative populist circles for decades. Its possible that the proud Fifth Avenue redneck has no idea about the historical ghosts hes stirring up. Or he may know exactly what hes doing. The sick twist is that everyone understands Trump isnt motivated by political convictions. Hes just looking for his next marketing campaign. Were living through the final stages of Eric Hoffers immortal insight: Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket. By denying that he would accept the results of this election in a presidential debate, Donald Trump delivered perhaps the final insult to our democracy in his disgraceful campaign. The only saving grace is that a true constitutional crisis would require that the election results be close. But less than three weeks from Election Day, he has offered the latest example of why he is deeply unfit to be president of the United States. He has no interest in uniting the nation. Donald Trump is one of those folks who want to ruin if they cannot rule. In a school yard, hed be called a spoiled brat. In politics, hes a dangerous demagogue with a dictatorial streak. Her whole life is this big, fabulous fuck you. She just was who she was whether you liked it or not until she became one of the most famous people in history. That is really inspiring to me, composer Ricky Ian Gordon told The Daily Beast recently. He was speaking of Gertrude Stein, famed writer, muse, lesbian, champion of the avant-garde, and the subject of his opera 27, with a libretto by Royce Vavrek, which has its New York City premiere October 20th and 21st at New York City Center. The 27 of the title refers to the address she shared with her longtime companion and wife, Alice B. Toklas, at 27 Rue de Fleurus in Paris during the years 1903 to 1938, also home to her famous salon, where she hosted, befriended, and championed Picasso, Matisse, Man Ray, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and others. Gordon continues, Were talking about a generation of people where none of them asked permission to be who they were or to do what they did. They didnt ask for government approval. They were who they were and they did what they did. Every one of them broke the mold. They are a model for courage of conviction and imprimatur. 27 had its world premiere at the Opera Theatre of St Louis in June 2014. The reviews were positive, especially for mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, for whom the role of Gertrude Stein was written. Blythe is reprising it for the New York City premiere. There have been many contemporary operas with openly LGBT themes. Patience and Sarah, based on the novel of the same name, premiered in 1998 and tells the story of a lesbian couple in the early 19th century. It was the first opera to openly portray a gay relationship and is described as the first mainstream gay-themed opera. More recently, in 2008 there was Three Decembers by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Terrance McNally, in which the lead characters son nurses his longtime partner, who is dying from AIDS. Composer Nico Muhlys Two Boys, the story of an online gay love affair which leads to violence, premiered in 2011 and was produced at the Metropolitan Opera in 2013. Also in 2013 was Oscar, an operatic retelling of Oscar Wildes jail sentence for gross indecency. The British government is now seeking to pardon those who were prosecuted under such laws. In 2014, an opera version of Brokeback Mountain premiered in Madrid; in the same year, As One, the story of Hannah, a transgender woman, premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. 27 is 90 minutes long and structured in five acts, opening with the conceit of Toklas, who outlived Stein by more than 20 years, knitting alone and reflecting upon her life with Stein. She knits their past in the salon back into life and the audience watches it replay, taking the action through two world wars and the various luminaries of modern art and literature that came and went and the various power struggles they engaged in, often at Steins prodding. The Daily Beast sat in on a room rehearsal for 27 the week before the premiere. The scene being rehearsed involved Matisse discovering his painting had been taken down by Stein from a center position of prominence on the salon wall. Stein then unveils its replacement, the famous portrait of her by Picasso. Matisse is not pleased with his demotion, nor impressed with the portrait. The action then shifts back in time to the actual creation of the portrait, where Picasso suddenly loses the thread of the work and stops painting in frustration. Stein comforts him and leads him back to inspiration. Both sides of Stein are depicted in the brief section, the socially machinating patron, and the muse. But Vavrek and Gordon wanted 27 to be first and foremost a love story. I think that it was a marvelous opportunity to create a piece that really distills everything down to this central relationship of Gertrude and Alice, Vavrek told The Daily Beast. This feels like a grand romance in more ways than one... Its a straight romance in the sense that it is normal, the romance is universal, not heterosexual, not that theyre concealing their lesbian relationship and trying to make it hetero-normative or anything like that. It is a romance, period and its just a great love story. Gordon continues, They are two women living together, loving each other, having a romantic relationship, delighting each other, feeding each other, fighting for each other. That is just it. This is a story about these two women who love each other. In trying to contextualize the LGBT life in Paris in the early 1900s and Stein herself for a present day audience, Woody Allen, of all people, helped a great deal. Vavreks first exposure to Stein was actually through Allens 2011 film Midnight in Paris. Before this project I knew only that three-minute cameo that Kathy Bates did in Midnight in Paris. I knew nothing else. I took three weeks to intake as much of her language as possible. I read quite a bit and I had never really spent any time whatsoever with her. I don't know that my generation is necessarily all that well-versed in Gertrude Stein, Vavrek tells The Daily Beast. Around the same time, securing marriage equality was one of the biggest issues on the LGBT landscape. That was particularly poignant for Gordon, who has been married to Kevin Doyle, the executive editor of Consumer Reports, since 2010. I think that it was inevitable that eventually gay marriage was going to be a topic [in this country], that actual permission, because youre talking about things like when Kevin and I got married, our entire tax life changed, our insurance life changed. Gertrude and Alice weren't thinking about that then. We suddenly have to be thinking about it. It was inevitable that that kind of recognition would happen... But at that time they werent thinking about practicalities, they were simply acting out of love. We love each other and were married. 27 has its New York premiere on October 20 and 21st at New York City Center. For more information about 27 or tickets, visit here. LAS VEGAS Weve got Diamond and Silk, what do you think Hillarys got? Boris Epshteyn asked me. Come on, admit it, Republicans are more fun! Epshteyn is a senior adviser to Donald Trumps presidential campaign and late Wednesday evening, after the debate, he stood at the head of a long table in the half-empty restaurant of the Trump International Hotel here, drinking and eating jovially with the rest of the staff. The hotel has served as the campaigns mothership during this Vegas jaunt, despite its questionable cleanliness (I found a hair that didnt belong to me on my sheets) and charmless decor. Earlier in the day, the restaurant had been shut down and shielded by a large curtain while Trump addressed a private crowd. His fans listened from the opposite side of the lobby, lined up like they were waiting to catch a glimpse of the pope. Quality of the location aside, Epshteyn was delighted by the presence of Diamond and Silk, two African-American vloggers who support Trumps candidacy and often attend his events wearing furs. On Wednesday they wore cheetah prints. When your candidate who is losing in the polls loses the final debate before Election Day, its not usually cause for celebration. Wednesday night, Trump earned the distinction of being the first major-party nominee in modern American history to publicly say he might not accept the outcome of the election if he loses. He also called his opponent, Hillary Clinton, a nasty woman. But Epshteyn and his dining companions understand that their presence in Las Vegas in late October 2016, 6.5 points behind Clinton nationally on average, is a miracle in itselfhe was never supposed to get this far, and neither were they. Every night until Nov. 8 might as well be New Years Eve. Epshteyn, who is in his thirties, is a bulky, friendly man with a passion for custom-made suits and garish cufflinks. He seems Italian even though he was born in the Soviet Union. Although hes not a gifted public speaker, he frequently appears on TV to speak for his candidate. Earlier in the day on Wednesday, hed been on CNN, where he declared that Barack Obama rigged the 2008 election. In the past, he claimed Russia never seized Crimea. Next to Epshteyn was Kellyanne Conway, the campaign manager who sipped red wine and ate carrot sticks, and next to her Rebekah Mercer, the deep-pocketed Republican donor who looks like she could be related to Sarah Palin (though Palin was in the spin room after the debate, she wasnt at the party). The two women whispered and hugged. At the next table over sat Don Jr., with his slicked-back hair and Gordon Gekko outfit, and across from him Katrina Pierson, a campaign spokeswoman who is lovely in person but tends to say things on television like, So what? Theyre Muslim! when discussing denying rights to certain people based on their faith. The group ate pizzas and salads and passed around a large plate of shrimp as they posed for photos with supporters and fans. Jeanine Pirro made the rounds by the bar. Conway has become something of a celebrity in her own right, a frequent guest on cable news and the subject of an extensive profile in The New Yorker. When fans approached to take photos with her, Mercer, whom shes very close to, happily snapped them on their iPhones. Earlier in the evening, Mercer was overheard by another guest in the restaurant giving a negative review of Trumps performance to Don Jr. When she stopped by my table, she said shed been reading the Drudge Report on the plane and was shocked that when she clicked on a link about a Republican mega-donor, the story turned out to be about her. Oh, thats me! she laughed. It was me! I thought it was somebodyI was like, oh, this is somebody who could help us! A disruptive donor whos fueling Republican revolt, thats my kind of person, I love it! And then I click on the article, I was like what the hell! These people are ridiculous, theyve written enough stuff. I mean theres not anything more you need to write about! The capital of the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq is now under assault. But ISIS isnt going anywhere. Instead, the terror group is beginning to rebrand itself from a caliphate to an insurgency, a top U.S. general fighting ISIS said Wednesday. Its much more than a change of name, or even a shift in tactics. It could well mean that there will be no lasting defeat of ISIS, even if it loses control of Iraqs second-largest city, despite Secretary of Defense Ash Carters claim of such a victory just four days ago, when the Iraqi campaign for Mosul began. After two years of either training local forces to fight ISIS or hitting the terror group with airstrikes, U.S. officials said they believe it still could evolve into the kind of threat that has plagued Iraq since shortly after the 2003 U.S. invasion. Fighting that insurgency cost as much as $2 trillion, according to one estimate, and the lives of nearly 5,000 American troops. At its peak, 170,000-plus forces were required to weaken that uprising. It would be the most bitter of ironies if, years later, Iraq once again devolved into a guerrilla war. An ISIS insurgency could use its foreign fighters to threaten not only Iraq but the West as well. And it likely would fall to nascent Iraqi fighters, who just two years ago ditched their weapons and uniforms in Mosul, to repel ISIS and launch a counterinsurgency. During a briefing with reporters, Army Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the commander of U.S.-led coalition ground forces in Iraq, said troops are seeing three- to five-man mortar teams launching intermittent small-arms fire in cities once controlled by ISIS, such as Fallujah and Ramadi. Its not this organized insurgency that people think of, Volesky said. But we are seeing these indications Thats what we are preparing the Iraqis for. Volesky warned that such attacks in liberated areas are one reason the U.S. is advising the Iraqi and Kurdish forces charged with liberating Mosul to move deliberately. Fast-moving forces can open themselves up to strikes from behind. But can a jihadi movement that no longer has a caliphate successfully evolve into a potent insurgency? Or is this the U.S. firing a warning shot across the bow to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his Shiite-dominated government not to ignore Iraqs Sunni minorities? After all, such mistreatment helped fuel the rise of ISIS. Either way, Voleskys statement was the latest sign of a U.S.-led coalitions confidence of the Islamic States demiseand its fear that, despite the loss of land, ISIS could still terrorize Iraq. The warning came during what appears to be a steady push by Iraqi and Kurdish forces toward Mosuls city center. On Wednesday, they continued advancing toward Mosul, amid reports of residents in villages leading up to the city celebrating ISISs defeat. Iraqi and Kurdish forces are now as far as 20 miles outside Mosuls city center. The U.S. military has said the operation could last anywhere from weeks to months. But that timetable could shift. In the last week, ISIS has lost a number of key cities in a matter of days. And in those battles, the group appears to be on the defensive before abandoning territory altogether. Most notably, ISIS lost the Syrian city of Dabiq on Saturday to Syrian opposition forces, backed by Turkey, after not much of a fight. ISIS once declared it would fight to the death for that northern city. According to the group, citing an ancient prophecy, Dabiq would one day become the site of an apocalyptic battle between Christians and Muslims. After its defeat, ISIS said the promised apocalyptic battle would come at a later, unspecified date. And residents in Raqqa, the terror groups capital in Syria, have reportedly said ISIS families are pouring in from places like Dabiq and Mosul. Moreover, there are certainly signs of regular insurgency attacks returning to Iraq. There are nearly daily bombings, usually targeting Shiite-dominated communities and Iraqi security forces. A series of attacks last week killed at least 55 people in Baghdad. And in July, at least 324 people died when a truck bomb struck a popular shopping area in central Baghdad, the deadliest attack since the fall of Saddam Husseins regime in 2003. ISIS claimed responsibility for both attacks. But after two years of brutal reign, ISIS may not be able to attract Sunnis to its insurgency. Not after the terror group that robbed their cities, beheaded their citizens, and made crimes of smoking, shaving, and playing music. ISIS is taking its resources and channeling it toward irregular warfare. But one of the problems ISIS has is that everyone understands what life under ISIS is like, said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. ISIS has uniquely overplayed its hand. But there are alternatives. Al Qaeda, for example, has embraced local Sunnis, not terrorized them, allowing the group to return to areas and recruit members. That said, ISIS would likely have more resources than most to support an insurgency. And like al Qaeda, it could rebrand itself. And even as it has suffered major territorial losses in recent months, it still retains control of Raqqa, allowing the group a setting to regroup and potentially rebuild the caliphate. U.S. and Kurdish officials are reportedly discussing a potential plan to liberate the city, but it is unclear what incentive the Kurds have to fight a violent battle for the Arab-dominated city. As long as they still hold Raqqa, ISIS doesnt need to abandon the caliphate, one U.S. official explained to The Daily Beast. And it is possible that ISIS, in taking credit for bombings, is exploiting the frustration of other groups seeking to upend the current Iraqi government. Its entirely possible that you will see an insurgency in some of these areas that we think of an ISIS insurgency that is actually a Sunni insurgency, Gartenstein-Ross explained. Or just as likely, the U.S. military is wrong. After all, last year, U.S. commanders forecasted an ISIS expansion in Libya, which instead flailed. Robert Novys website says he derives tremendous satisfaction from helping elderly clients, but the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office says the lawyer, who also served on state commissions for the elderly, stole more than $1.2 million from them. Prosecutors say his four victims included at least three octogenarians and at least two people with dementia or Alzheimers. Novy stole more than $500,000 from one elderly woman, according to prosecutors, funneling $300,000 into company accounts and writing himself a personal check for $250,000. While Novy held himself out as a leading legal advocate for the elderly, we allege that he corruptly used his reputation and his law license to prey on vulnerable seniors, taking control of their finances and stealing more than $1 million from their life savings. New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino said. In his greed, Novy not only betrayed his oath as a lawyer to uphold the law, he betrayed all standards of decency. An 87-year-old woman also lost nearly $500,000 to Novy, according to prosecutors. He claimed part of the money was attorneys fees and power of attorney fees, but he did not justify those huge fees, prosecutors said. Another 85-year-old woman allegedly lost $176,000 to Novy, who allegedly deposited $60,000 of her cash into his personal accounts using cashiers checks and another $117,000 to company accounts for power of attorney fees. The fourth alleged victim, an 88-year-old woman suffering from dementia, was billed $78,000, a sum that was not supported by any invoice or records showing justification. Novys wife, Catherine, declined to comment or provide the name of the attorney representing Novy. A video posted to Novys website, however, touted him as a passionate elder care advocate who went far beyond the typical confines of elder law. He went so far as to arrange caretakers and pay bills for clients, the video said. Rob Novy is not only a great attorney, but hes a very compassionate man, a man who spends the time with his clients to make sure they understand all the intricacies of what is involved, Vito Nardelli, a former vice president of a local bank, said in the video testimonial. He was also appointed to state commissions on Alzheimers and aging, according to the video. (The New Jersey Division of Aging Services did not return a request for comment.) And New Jersey resident Carl Koyi wrote an impassioned post supporting Novy after the charges were announced, noting that he had done more for this county and hospitals than you can imagine. If I know him. hes going to straighten all this out, He will rise above it. and its only going to make him stronger, Koyi wrote. Robert novy is the best citizen in Ocean County. that I know, and I know a lot of people. But a judge decided to err on the side of caution. Novys bail was set at $500,000, and a court froze $3.5 million in assets held by Novy and the firm. If convicted, Novy faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. His attorney, Gerald Krovatin, did not respond to a request for comment. Another new accuser, the most depressing three-word combination in the English language of late, is getting more play today, as the 13th woman to accuse Donald Trump of sexual misconduct has come forward. Flanked by attorney Gloria Allred in the London Hotel in New York, 45-year-old yoga instructor Karena Virginia fought back tears as she described the fear she felt in coming forward, for herself and her family. In a nod to last nights presidential debate, she remarked before describing the incident that shed been told Trump would likely think of her as another nasty woman. Virginia alleges that she was waiting for a car to take her home from the 1998 U.S. Open in Queens when Donald Trump lecherously glared at her and made comments about her appearance to his male companions. Then he allegedly grabbed her right arm and made contact with her right breast. I flinched, Virginia said. He said: Dont you know who I am? I felt intimidated and powerless. I said yes. Virginia, who bears a slight passing resemblance to Trumps wife Melania, said that the incident left her feeling embarrassed and that she blamed herself for what he did to her. She altered the way she dressed for years afterward, she said, opting for shawls and longer dresses. Your random moment of sexual pleasure came at my expense and affected me greatly, Virginia added, before paraphrasing that quote from Maya Angelou thats become a sort of rallying cry for anti-Trump punditry: When someone shows you who they are, believe them; the first time. (She used the same quote in a now-not-so-cryptic Facebook post earlier this month.) Allred explained that Virginias experience with Trump shows how the embattled businessman-cum-politician seems to select his victims completely at random. Some of the women, including the woman who is here today, had an encounter with Mr. Trump that appeared to be strictly by chance, she said. Mr. Trump allegedly felt that whether on an airplane or seeing a woman waiting for a car that he had the absolute right to do whatever he wanted to because, after all, he is a celebrity. Allred, who is a vocal Hillary Clinton supporter, denied collusion with the Clinton campaign over this or the other accuser who sought her counsel. Allred last week represented Summer Zervos, who claims Trump tried to have sex with her when she sought a job. The grimmest act in this circus of an election year has been the parade of sexual-abuse allegations against Trump and his campaigns reciprocal grasping at Bill Clintons alleged sexual misconduct. On Wednesday, Breitbart published an interview with a woman who accused the former president of sexually assaulting her in 1980. (Trump campaign CEO Stephen Bannon was Breitbarts chairman.) Trump brought three women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct to the second presidential debate, attempting to seat them in his family box before debate officials said no. Its all been a desperate effort to combat the avalanche of women whove come forward to accuse Trump ever since The Washington Post published video of him bragging about how easy it is for him to sexually assault women, how he just starts kissing them and can grab them by the pussy. In response, Trump has made fun of his accusers looks on the stump, as though hed only grope somebody if he meant it as a compliment. The Trump campaign has responded to the new accusation, releasing a statement attributed to Deputy Communications Director Jessica Ditto. "Discredited political operative Gloria Allred, in another coordinated, publicity seeking attack with the Clinton campaign, will stop at nothing to smear Mr. Trump. Give me a break. Voters are tired of these circus-like antics and reject these fictional stories and the clear efforts to benefit Hillary Clinton." [sic] Virginia may not be the last Trump accuser to come forward, but as he fades spectacularly in the polls, the nations security may no longer rely on previously anonymous women outing themselves. But this has been a weird year. Anything could happen. The Supreme Court had its highest-profile moment in a presidential debate in decades Wednesday. But this time, its Republicans who are cheeringbecause on this issue, and perhaps this issue alone, Donald Trump sounded like one of them. One of the common refrains among Trumps backers, particularly among the Christian right, has been that while he may be deeply flawed, the stakes are too high for this to be a referendum on character. (Of course, it helps that many think Hillary Clintons character is even more deeply flawed.) For a half-hour last night, before Trump once again made his character the defining issue of the campaign, that narrative is exactly what played out. Trump sang the Republican chorus perfectly. He framed judicial conservatism as interpret[ing] the Constitution the way the Founders wanted it interpreted. He avoided the necessary consequences of that position, which would include rolling back marriage-equality (which is based on an expansive reading of due process); allowing states to ban contraception as well as abortion (same); overturning numerous civil-rights, environmental, and other federal laws (based on the Commerce Clause); and even, according to one of his potential nominees, ending the right to remain silent warning. And, of course, he talked about the Second Amendment. Trump also reminded viewers that the Supreme Court: Its what its all about. That is ridiculous, in terms of how many words Trump and Clinton have each devoted to it (close to zero in the previous two debates, and fewer than a dozen in their standard stump speeches). But it is profoundly true in terms of how millions of Republicans are thinking about this election. Yes, Trump is bad news, but the Supreme Courtthats what its all about. Ironically, this used to be a liberal chantremember the Supreme Court!as recently as this summer, when Democrats were trying to woo Bernie Sanderss supporters back into the fold. But now, the issue is a plus for Trump. Clinton, in contrast, took positions that majorities of the country agree with, but rarely vote on. For example, 56 percent of Americans believe that abortion should be legal in most cases, a number that hasnt moved much in the last 20 years. But only a few of them are as ardently pro-choice as the Christian right is pro-life. And obviously, ardent pro-choicers werent wavering in their support of Hillary Clinton. Likewise on guns. An astonishing 92 percent of Americans support background checks for all gun buyers. But most of that support, too, tends to be too weak to swing the voters who express it, whereas the National Rifle Associations hard-core base regards the Second Amendment as a litmus test. In short, if you were a Republican wavering on Trump, the Supreme Court discussion probably encouraged you to vote for him. Whereas if you were wavering on Clinton, it was unlikely to sway you one way or the other. The jury is out on Trumps calling out of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her comments this summer about him. Some pundits on Twitter noted that Trumps shotIt is so imperative that we have the right justices. Justice Ginsburg made some very, very inappropriate statements towards me and towards a tremendous number of people and was forced to apologize and apologize she didreflected his narcissism. One tweeted: Hillary: Heres what I think about the Supreme Court. Trump: Heres what the Supreme Court thinks about me. Im not sure thats true. Justice Ginsburg was widely condemned for her statement in a July interview that Trump was a faker He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego. How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that. While she wasnt quite forced to apologize, as Trump said, she certainly was encouraged to do so by critics on right and left. To the extent anyone remembers it, Trumps invocation of Ginsburg made a powerful, and dangerous, point: The court is just about politics anyway. Here, after all, was a sitting Supreme Court justice offering strong criticism of a presidential candidate. And while she was talking about his personality, not his policies, her comments were, at the very least, contrary to custom. More strongly, they seemed to reinforce the view, commonplace on the right wing, that the Supreme Court is in the business of making policy, rather than deciding the law. Never mind that, to the extent its true at all, its true of both conservatives and liberals. The point is, conservatives complain about this all the time, and here was Trump validating those concerns with, it must be said, the perfect example. Of course, while moderator Chris Wallace may have wanted to highlight the Supreme Court by making it the first topic, one unintended consequence of that decision was that the issue got buried by the subsequent hour of Trump snorting, sniping, muttering, and refusing to accept the legitimacy of United States democracy. Its not hard to imagine some of the Republicans on the fence leaning Trumpward when he talked about guns and abortion, and then remembering why they were on the fence in the first place when he called Clinton a nasty woman and admitted to not paying income tax. This is not to say that liberals had nothing to cheer in Clintons remarks. Marge Baker, executive vice president of the liberal group People for the American Way, said that in tonights debate, the contrast on the Supreme Court could not have been clearer. Hillary Clinton said shell appoint justices who understand that the Constitution protects all of us, not just the wealthy and powerful. And if theres one issue that animates liberals as much as Roe and guns animate conservatives, its Citizens United, which Clinton called out by name and described as a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system. Will the invocation of Citizens United get a few more Bernie Sanders supporters to the polls? Perhaps. Will it move one in the middle? No. And, thank the stars, Clinton even mentioned the appalling, unprecedented, and oath-defying refusal of the Senate to consider the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. I would hope, she said, that the Senate would do its job and confirm the nominee that President Obama has sent to them. Thats the way the Constitution fundamentally should operate. The president nominates, and then the Senate advises and consents, or not, but they go forward with the process. Well, at last. Even here, however, Clinton left some items on the table. As weve reported, the public strongly favors hearings for Garland. Its a losing issue for Senate Republicans, especially those in tight races. It would have been nice had Clinton tied this issue to Trump specifically, noting that Trump himself counseled delay, delay, delay, and linking opposition to Garland to support for Trump. But perhaps this is to ask too much of a candidate who basically had to just stand there, be reasonable, and let the other candidate destroy himself, which Trump graciously did. Clinton acquitted herself well, took principled stands, and seemed presidential. Trump, meanwhile, won the issue, and seemed on the verge of at least trying to make the race competitive again. But then came the next hour. Nobody has more respect for women than I do, Donald Trump said during Wednesday nights mercifully final presidential debate, drawing sniggers from the audience. Its hard to believe the flailing GOP nominee isnt in on the joke. After 90 minutes of attacking and belittling Hillary Clinton, he delivered the final indignity in the debates closing remarksa succinct but ultimately weak sputter directed at his opponent: Such a nasty woman. Trump had flamed out, exhausted by his own rage. Somewhere, the 13 women who have accused him of sexual assault or misconduct were enraged, too, by his nobody has more respect for women than I do claim, which is patently absurd at this point, along with his remark that he doesnt even know any of his accusers (those people), one of whom interviewed him. After accusing the Clinton campaign of engineering those allegations, Trump needlessly dragged his wife, Melania, back into the scandal, boasting that he didnt even apologize to my wife, who is sitting right here because I didnt do anything. He could have simply denied the allegations, but instead he invoked Melania, whom he has ritually humiliated over the course of his campaign. Trump talks endlessly about how much he cherishes the women hes close to, especially his daughter Ivanka, but hes repeatedly thrown them under the bus in failed attempts to make himself look like less of a loser.Still, the Trump women determinedly, and devotedly, work for Donald Trump. Tiffany, his 23-year-old daughter with Marla Maples, did not grow up with her father in her daily life, but she has been increasingly present during his presidential campaign. She gave a speech singing her fathers praises at the RNC convention, and The New York Times reported recently that Mr. Trumps team appears to be grooming Tiffanygingerlyto pitch in on the campaign trail in the coming weeks, particularly with millennials. On Tuesday, Melania was trotted out for an interview with Fox & Friends to tell the country that, while what her husband said in the leaked 2005 Access Hollywood tape was offensive to me and inappropriate, hes apologized to her and we are moving on. She also said it was fair for the media to dig into Bill Clintons past because they had dug into hers, referring to the nude, full-frontal images the New York Post featured on its cover two days in a row back in August. Needless to say, the Post had endorsed Trump by that point, and her husband was seemingly complicit in the re-publication of Melanias old modeling photos. He was even quoted in one of the features, meekly defending his wife (In Europe, pictures like this are very fashionable and common) but mostly defending himself, claiming the photo was taken prior to my knowing Melania. The mini-scandal was also a convenient distraction for Trump, whose feud with the parents of a fallen Muslim soldier had provoked outrage at the time from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and other Republican leaders. Trump was also under fire for suggesting Russia hack his opponents private email server. In the midst of a particularly negative news cycle for Trump, it seemed like Melania was being used as a scapegoat for her husbands reckless presidential campaign. Likewise when, after it was revealed that a passage of her RNC speech was plagiarized from a 2008 convention speech by Michelle Obama, the Trump campaign lied and deflected for a day and a half before an in-house speechwriter claimed responsibility. Melanias RNC speech was supposed to be her time to shine, a rare moment when the silent trophy wife running to be Americas first lady would say something substantive. Given how poor her English is, youd think the Trump campaign might have hired a better speechwriter to prevent her from brutally embarrassing herself. Then theres the superhumanly buttoned-up Ivanka, a devoted daughter and loyal campaigner for her father, despite being routinely humiliated by him.Earlier Wednesday, when asked whether her father would accept the election results at Fortunes Most Powerful Women Summit in California, Ivanka told Time editor Nancy Gibbs that she believed her father would accept the outcome either way.But during his final moments on the debate stage Wednesday night, Trump left America with an unprecedented question mark when he refused to say whether he would accept the results of the election should he lose. I will look at it at the time...I will keep you in suspense, he said.At the Fortune summit, Ivanka countered a New York Times report that suggested that Trump businesses were suffering because of her father's presidential campaign.Its demoralizing when youre working very hard and you have teams working tremendously hard to read these things, Ivanka said. So I think the bias is very, very real and I dont think I would have said this to you even a year ago but Ive seen it too many times. Its tremendous. Arguably, the peril of her fathers words and deeds would have the gravest impact on Ivankas clothing business itselffocused as it is on women and with a hashtag (#WomenWhoWork) aimed at fostering female empowerment. Ivanka hasso far non-criticallyobserved her father creepily suggesting that he finds his own daughter sexually attractive, and now a potential sexual predator and misogynist who proudly said he gropes non-consenting women, and denied sexual assault accusations because his accusers were too ugly to be assaulted. When everyone else was either mocking Trump or enraged over his nobody has more respect for women than I do claim Wednesday night, Melania and Ivanka remained, as ever, silent. On Monday, YouTube star Joey Salads claimed he had damning evidence that the black community is very violent toward [Republican presidential nominee] Donald Trump and his supporters. By Tuesday, YouTube star Joey Salads, a 22-year-old whose real name is Joseph Saladino, was asking for forgiveness for staging anti-Trump violence in a black neighborhood. On October 17, Salads accrued more than a million views on his most newsworthy social experiment yet: Trump Car DESTROYED in Black Neighborhood (Social Experiment). In the video, he explains how his social experiment will show how black people behave violently toward Donald Trump. You may have seen on the internet and through the polls that a lot of black people dont like Trump, he says in the video. And they dont even like his supporters in some cases. So what I did was, I got a car, put some Trump apparel on it, and were gonna park it in a black neighborhood and see what happens. After the intro, 30 minutes pass, according to the video. Then, captured by what appears to be hidden-camera footage, a black man with his face blurred walks up to the car. He calls up friends, and within 15 minutes the man is joined by four other black men. After opening the doors and trunk of the inexplicably unlocked car, the group spends about 30 seconds attacking the car with a metal pipe and a rock, smashing the cars windows while ripping off some of the Trump signs attached to the car. Then, as quickly as they arrived, they run away. As you can see from this video, the black community is very violent toward Trump and his supporters, Salads says earnestly at the end of the video. Within hours of its posting to Salads more than 1.4 million YouTube subscribers, the video went viral, racking up more than a million views. It was even featured at the top of The Drudge Report. The only problem? The entire video was staged. Pedro Torres said he was on the fifth floor of a building in Staten Islands Park Hill neighborhood, when he saw the video being shot in a parking lot outside. To be honest with you I was just chilling and I look outside the window and see Joey, Torres, 17, told The Daily Beast. I [know hes] known for making shitty vids, and I [know] they were all fake. I wanted to show the world that the videos were actually fake. Torres took out his phone and filmed Salads shooting the intro of the video, catching the black men who supposedly spontaneously found and attacked the car waiting patiently just behind a camera tripod. The mens clothing matches the exact outfits of the men filmed in the video. Viewers also noticed that the metal pipe used to smash the car mysteriously appears in the shot after Salads finishes his intro. Torres waited to share his clips until after Salads posted his video, then tweeted his phone footage out to popular YouTube duo h3h3Productions, who have criticized Salads in the past. Within hours, other internet personalities picked up on the fakery, and Salads was getting dragged left and right on social media. When reached by email, Salads said he was sorry, but that he wasnt gonna answer any more questions, and referred The Daily Beast to his latest apology video. In this latest apology video, Salads says hes turned the Trump Car video to private, which he says has cost him thousands of dollars in ad revenue from YouTube. He also claims that his whole original plan was to go to these black communities and donate thousands of dollars to homeless shelters and orphanages. Salads is widely known on YouTube for his prank videos, which regularly rack up millions of views. Saladss pranks arent the lighthearted type that might immediately spring to mind, like Jimmy Kimmel tricking kids out of their Halloween candy or even Ashton Kutcher scaring celebrities on Punkd. Salads specializes in this unique brand of ham-handed, race-baiting pranks. As The Daily Beasts Samantha Allen said of a similar YouTuber, hes one of a group of self-declared YouTube pranksters who cross boundaries of human decency at will and then laugh off their indiscretions. Salads most-viewed video on his YouTube channel is titled Roofied Drink (Social Experiment). In the two-minute clip, Salads provides a blueprint for drugging womens drinks at a bar, concluding that it is pretty easy to drug a girl and warning that women should never let your drink out of your sight. Other videos have been picked up by rightwing news blogs like The Daily Caller, who blared YouTube Prankster Attacked For Holding All Lives Matter Sign In Black Neighborhood in a headline. Salads once dressed up as an Islamic terrorist and threatened people with fake bombs in a video uploaded just one day after the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando. Hes put on a wig and a dress and entered public bathrooms to dress and act like a transgender, concluding that most women are not comfortable sharing a bathroom with a trans person. Hes filmed nearly a dozen Funny Public Hood Pranks, where he attempts to anger black and Latino men on camera by tricking them into thinking he has called them racial slurs. In his initial apology video, prankster Salads took to his personal Vlogging YouTube channel to reflect on his misdeeds. His explanation for the fakery? The purpose of the original video was to get peoples reactions to that scene, he said in the response video. Will they join in? Will they call the cops? Will they try to stop them?But as I was editing the video, he continues later, I was like, I could easily make this go a total different direction, and I basically re-edited it to make it look like something else happened that didnt.And I apologize for that, and I definitely will never do something like that again. I thought I could of got away with it, but I didnt. Salads then said he would make a couple more prank videos, but promised he planned on doing more stuff that couldnt possibly be fake. SPRINGFIELD A bipartisan pair of state senators are introducing legislation that would ban directors of state agencies and other high-level gubernatorial appointees from using their official authority or influence to sway elections. Announcing the proposal Wednesday at Statehouse news conference, state Sens. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, and Sam McCann, R-Plainview, touted it as an important expansion of the states ethics laws. Manar said the measure will close a gaping hole in existing law and is similar to restrictions at the federal level and in other states. Im of the opinion that agency directors should not spend their time campaigning, he said. They should spend their time managing the agencies that they have been entrusted to run and to manage when the Senate confirmed their appointments. The proposal wouldnt place new restrictions officials financial contributions to campaigns. The announcement comes during a tough election season, one in which Wayne Rosenthal, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, has appeared in a radio ad for state Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond. Bourne is running against Democrat Mike Mathis of Gillespie for Rosenthals former House seat, to which she was appointed when Gov. Bruce Rauner tapped Rosenthal to lead the state agency. In the ad, Rosenthal calls Mathis, a former circuit court clerk and Democratic Party chairman in Macoupin County, a career politician who will do or say anything to get elected. He doesnt identify himself by his current state position. The Department of Natural Resources declined to comment. In a written statement, Bourne noted Rosenthals service in the Illinois Air National Guard and the General Assembly. Its clear that Wayne is passionate about Central Illinois, and I share his commitment to defending our values at the Capitol, she said. Im honored to have his endorsement and hope to continue his record of service to the people of Central Illinois. McCann said he and Manar began discussing the idea during the spring primary season when constituents contacted them both about Department of Agriculture Director Raymond Poe appearing in ads for McCanns opponent. The lawmakers said the issue isnt about any one election or party, noting that Manar testified on Rosenthals behalf at his Senate confirmation hearing and McCann testified on Poes behalf. This is good government, McCann said. This is what we should do regardless of whos in control. Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly wrote in an email that the governor welcomes any discussion to reform our political process, like constitutional amendments on fair (legislative district) maps and term limits. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, issued a statement saying that the proposal may be too narrow. If we are to consider legislation to ensure accountability to the taxpayers, we should consider the same restrictions be placed on taxpayer-paid appointees to boards and commissions, term limits and redistricting reform, Radogno said. Manar and McCanns proposal is modeled on the federal Hatch Act, a 1939 law that limits the political activities of federal employees. Similar laws exist in 43 other states. Many observers were shocked Wednesday night when Republican Donald Trump suggested at the final presidential debate that he might not accept the results of the Nov. 8 election. Legal, electoral and political experts, however, disagree somewhat on whether Trump is generally right to take a wait-and-see approach. Its impossible to predict what might happen on Election Day or whether legal action will be needed to determine the outcome, even though the possibility of a rigged election is virtually nonexistent. Its hard to draw a conclusion until you actually have the election, said former Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter. Sometimes, there can be miscounting of votes or irregularities that are not necessarily criminal, and thats what gets fixed in a recount. Carter, a Republican, said theres nothing particularly dangerous about Trump advising his supporters that hell protect his interests in a fair outcome. After all, he said, there are processes in place for candidates to review and contest election results, just as Democrat Al Gore did in Florida during the 2000 presidential election against Republican George W. Bush. But Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, sees it differently. Mooney said Trumps statements should give pause to voters of all political stripes. Thats hugely dangerous, he said. To satisfy his own ego, basically, he is calling into question some of the fundamental, bedrock principles of American democracy. Mooney cited the 2000 election as an example of a smooth transition of power after a contentious race. Carter, who has experience in ferreting out voter fraud, said another reason to wait is that the effects of electoral misdeeds may not be immediately apparent on election night. East Chicago, Ind., Mayor Robert Pastrick appeared to have lost his 2003 re-election bid until mail-in absentee ballots counted several days later gave him a razor-thin margin of victory. However, further investigations determined that Pastrick campaign workers fraudulently produced many of those ballots. Ultimately, 47 people were convicted of various crimes out of that election, and the Indiana Supreme Court later overturned the result. However, researchers widely agree that in-person voter fraud is extremely rare. Illinois and Iowa authorities say there are safeguards in place to ensure that the type of widespread election rigging Trump has warned about is virtually impossible. Jim Tenuto, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections, noted there are 109 individual election authorities across the state, each responsible for counting its own ballots. Its hard to imagine how you would put something together to rig an election, Tenuto said. The elections board issued a statement Thursday outlining its safeguards, which include public testing of voting equipment prior to Election Day and the presence of five election judges, composed of both Democrats and Republicans, at each of the states roughly 10,000 voting precincts. The board encourages those who are concerned about the integrity of the process to volunteer as election judges. In response to an earlier Trump tweet alleging large scale voter fraud, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Monday that politicians should knock it off when it comes to casting doubt on the voting process. This state has a pretty darn good track record, and I really resent anybody trying to blemish it, said Pate, a Republican who also serves as Iowas election commissioner. The office of Democratic Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan takes steps each election to uphold the integrity of the voting process, spokeswoman Annie Thompson said. Our office will be sending out teams of assistant attorneys general and investigators to monitor elections throughout the state to make sure that voters rights are protected, Thompson said. We encourage voters to contact our office if they encounter suspected improper or illegal activity, and we will have hotlines up on Election Day. The Madigans office, the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of Illinois and the state elections board quickly met with Kankakee County officials earlier this month in response to dueling allegations of voter fraud and intimidation. That area is home to one of this years most hotly contested Illinois House races. Political science professor Andrew Downs of Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne heard gasps at a debate viewing party Wednesday when Trump said he might not accept the election results. But after thinking it over, Downs said he realized technically, legally that is the correct answer since the law provides numerous methods for a candidate to challenge or correct the vote count. Downs is doubtful Trump will be able to pile up enough electoral votes to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, or even come close, making any localized ballot counting errors all but irrelevant to the national outcome. But he said Trump certainly has his reasons for claiming the election could be rigged. He manages to motivate his base. The pro-Trump base gets to get excited a little bit longer, and thats all good for him, Downs said. But the problem for him, I think, is his base is not big enough to win an election. At the same time, Downs said, Americans who arent supporting Trump are rightfully shocked by his rhetoric. It is dangerous to say things like that because youre talking about institutions that for a couple hundred years weve trusted to pick the winners of the election, he said. To say youre not going to accept them says you dont trust the entire system. Trump clarified his position in a speech Thursday, joking that he happily will accept the results If I win. He later committed to participating in a peaceful transition of power. Of course I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result, and always I will follow and abide by all of the rules and traditions of all of the many candidates who have come before me, Trump said. Despite living in the 21st century, a staggering 1.4 billion people across the globe go hungry every day. So perhaps it is no wonder that some clamor for more food to be produced, for food production to be intensified. After all, who could argue with feeding the world? Each year, the UN holds a plenary on World Food Security - and it's taking place inRome, Italy, right now, uniting stakeholders and experts to discuss how we can develop food policies that work for everyone, and ensure that no one goes hungry. A side event at the plenary this year is being hosted by Compassion in World Farming and Brooke to discuss the role of livestock in sustainable agriculture. And the message we are bringing to the table is simple: livestock play a crucial role in providing food security. This role, however, is wildly different from the one that many would have them play - crammed into filthy sheds, dosed with antibiotics, fed on pesticide-laden GM foods - even when healthy, bred to produce ever-increasing yields. In short enduring lives barely worth living. Inefficient and cruel food production Two thirds of farm animals worldwide are reared in these intensive systems, often living in cramped and stressful conditions. Their lives are typically spent in barren pens, crates or cages which prevent them from expressing natural behaviours such as nesting or foraging. These systems rely heavily on vast quantities of grain to use as feed. The production of grain for animal feed creates desolate, pesticide-soaked landscapes and the large quantities of manure produced from animals crammed into intensive units can lead to polluted water courses. Biodiversity loss across the globe has reached critical levels. Despite already producing sufficient food globally to feed the current population and more, most is wasted by feeding crops to animals. For every 100 food calories of edible crops fed to livestock, we get back just 30 calories in the form of meat and dairy - a 70% loss. In short, people are being forced to compete with farm animals for food. But we don't need to produce more food - we just need to produce it differently. Factory farming is not just bad for farm animals, it also negatively impacts human health. It has been shown that eating too much meat, especially processed meat, can cause cancer. The overuse of antibiotics in farming is fuelling the global antibiotic-resistance crisis. Factory farmed animals are regularly given antibiotics in their feed or water because of the higher risk of disease when large numbers of animals are kept in inhumane, overcrowded conditions. Soon, we could be unable to treat fatal diseases with life-saving drugs. Making a return to our two favourite summer locations, Mount Maunganui and Nelson in early January 2023, we've got whiff of the first release lineup and me oh my, yes boy 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. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 59F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 59F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Notes from Howard's Sabbatical from Working. The name comes from a 1998 lunch conversation. Someone asked if everything man knew was on the web. I answered "no" and off the top of my head said "Fidel Castro's favorite color". About every 6-12 months I've searched for this. It doesn't show up in the first 50 Google results (this blog is finally first for that search), AskJeeves says it's: red. Dave Collins / Associated Press A former New Canaan resident received a prison sentence of nearly three years, after he pleaded guilty in March 2016 to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors of more than $1.3 million by convincing them to invest in fictitious shipping companies. John B. Jeffrey, a 49-year-old also known by the nickname Tucker, now lives in Denver, Colo. according to the office of Deirdre Daly, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut. NORWALK Students traveling to Norwalk to illegally attend school from a residence out of district may soon be the target of a private investigator hired on by the Board of Education. In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the board approved a contract with Winn Investigations, LLC to address residency issues for students. The board will pay the investigators $125 per surveillance hour and $125 per investigative hour, up to a $25,000 limit. We anticipate it is going to be far less than that, Superintendent Steven Adamowski said at the meeting, ...but this is important to have in place because it sends a message that residency cannot be evaded. In August, the board unanimously approved a new nonresident attendance policy, the first true update to the policy in more than 30 years. That policy tightened requirements for proof of residency for incoming students and required the hiring of an investigator to inspect the living situations of students suspected of residing out of town without authorization to attend Norwalk schools. Key revisions to the policy included a clearer definition of a resident, clarification of who is required to register, and an outline for the process by which a district would remove a non-resident student. Although the policy is quite thorough, it is not self-enforcing, said Mike Lyons, Board of Education chairman.. He said the school system will periodically get reports usually from teachers suspecting that a student lives in another town. While it is illegal, though no longer criminal, for such a student to attend Norwalk Public Schools while living outside of the district, Lyons said school officials cannot send those students back to their home school district on the basis of rumors. In order to allow us to acquire solid evidence one way or the other, we have followed the lead of many school districts and retained a licensed private investigator to investigate any such reports of non-residency and give us a factual basis for making residency decisions, Lyons said. A key component of getting that policy passed was to have a private investigator, Heidi Keyes, chairman of the boards Policy Committee, said at Tuesdays meeting. That was kind of the missing link that we knew that we needed. Its something that we really needed to have fall in place to make this effective. The thought of students illegally attending Norwalk Public Schools is of particular concern to district administrators because schools are close to 110 percent capacity and the student population is growing. Officials hope the enforcement of the policy will help alleviate some of that worry. School board officials have said Jefferson Elementary School, Kendall Elementary School and the ninth grade are suspected hot spots for illegally attending students. The board, according to the newly passed contract, will pay Winn Investigations, LLC a $1,000 advance retainer. The board will also be responsible for covering any out-of-pocket expenses associated with collecting evidence due to unforeseen events and activities of the subject. Adamoswki said one of these investigations costs about $1,000, meaning Winn could theoretically perform nearly 25 of them within the established budget. The investigators will have to gain approval, though, to exceed the $25,000 spending cap set by the contract, which also guarantees the board will hold the investigators harmless from damages, losses, cost and expenses, including any attorney/legal fees, suffered or incurred in connection with or arising out of claims based on investigative results provided. KSchultz@thehour.com; 203- 354-1049; @kevinedschultz WESTPORT An experienced steel industry executive and chairwoman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Westporter Cathy Walsh is running on the Republican ticket for the Connecticut House of Representatives 136th District. Here are her stances on some crucial issues facing Westporters. Saugatuck Swing Bridge In their June report, the state Department of Transportation recommended either major rehabilitation or structure replacement for the 132-year-old Saugatuck Swing Bridge. The two options were analyzed for how much they would cost over a 75-year span. Life cycle cost over that span would be $41.43 million for a replacement bridge and $41.27 million for renovating the bridge. Walsh said she didnt support either of those proposed measures. I have a position. What I can tell you is that either option will result in a complete upgrading to current federal standards, Walsh said. The issue with that, right now, it acts as a traffic calming device because its old and its quirky. They (DOT) did five options, they dismissed three of them out-of-hand. There was a low-cost option, which is the option I think they should be doing, which is repair. Repair pier number two and then they should sand and paint the trusses thats it. Ive called some of my own bridge experts theres nothing wrong with the bridge. It is structurally intact. Theres nothing wrong with the pier. It needs to be repaired. Deferred maintenance is whats killed that bridge. What theyre trying to do is beef it up to current ConnDot standards. And if they do that there will be semis coming across the bridge trying to make the turn into Saugatuck and it will make that traffic situation 10 times worse, Walsh said. Despite the DOT offering only two options going forward with the bridge, Walsh said that the option she described, which was not recommended by DOT, can become a viable option through negotiations. Taxes in Connecticut People are going to do what they are going to do and ... its only the wealthy that are going to leave, those who have the mobility, who bring everything, who create the jobs, who have the high income that are the high taxable incomes. Those are the people who are going to leave, Walsh said. You have to eliminate the estate tax. Connecticuts estate tax you either eliminate or have to make the bar higher, Walsh said. When asked how to make up the gap if the estate tax is eliminated, Walsh said, One of the things that you have to do also is lower the tax on business. Everything, every business. Walsh also advocated for a spending cap to be put in place. Transit-oriented development In June Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced that Westport received a $440,000 grant in order to revamp the Saugatuck train station area as part of the states Transit-Oriented Development Planning Grant Program. I think that block needs to be redone. I cant really prejudice myself because Im chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Walsh said. Walsh did say she thought the plan, without getting into detail, is in the right direction. Walsh said she has a great deal of faith in the people selected to lead the downtown planning. We just finalized, last week, the list of people who are going to be on the study committee and this list of people is phenomenal. They all have planning, architectural experience. We have one woman who works in Sauagtuck who has a Ph.D. in planning and has designed the garbage routes for Newark she is a planner, Walsh said. The people involved are true professionals so I think they will come up to speed very quickly. Theyre also going to be looking at things like infrastructure within this plan. The funding that was granted to us. They have to get together do the scoping and thats where it is right now. We dont know what the scope is yet, Walsh said. Traffic congestion I wish I knew the answer. Westport just has these little-bitty tiny streets. I dont know where this traffic is coming from. The one suggestion I have is for that intersection at the Cribari Bridge, I think we probably need to have a traffic person there at different times in the day, Walsh said. She went on to explain that quite often, when there is an accident or backup on Interstate 95, a great deal of traffic comes through the Saugatuck Swing Bridge on Route 136. Her political opponent What really differentiates us is probably our style and our experience. I have a 40-year career in the steel industry. I have spent my life putting deals together, internationally and domestically. I believe in the power of having lunch with people to get things moving in the right direction and I do that as a way of life around here. I think its a differentiation of style and just I tend to get my hands dirty and Im not quite sure if Jonathan does do that. Hes more of a policy wonk. Sure, I have my opinions, but I like listening to all sides and just trying to forge a path. I believe in jumping into the fire. If my enemy is sitting across the table, Id rather sit down with my enemy and try to forge a common ground and I dont know that Jonathan does that, Walsh said. cmarquette@bcnnew.com; @chrismmarquette These days, dairying isnt for the financial faint of heart. Wild and scary price swings have become normal in the industry, occasionally plunging below the cost of production long enough to be fatal for some. How volatile have they been? In the last eight years, monthly Class III prices have ranged from a staggering high of $24.60 per hundredweight to a staggering low of $9.31. No matter how carefully producers step, theres no guaranteed way to make it through that minefield. But there are some good tips, which University of Vermont agricultural economist Robert Parsons (above) gave during his World Dairy Expo seminar this month, Surviving Low Milk Prices. He had three major take-home messages for producers, the first one being a dose of encouragement: If you are still here you have proven you are sustainable, he said. The second was preparation. The future starts tomorrow. Plan today for tomorrows downturn keep cash on hand. The third was action. Dont hesitate to identify and set plans into motion. Dont allow your farm business options to disappear because of inaction. Parsons talk was mainly directed at small farms, which often have lower production per cow and lack economies of scale, putting them at a disadvantage to bigger operations. As a result, their top challenge tends to be generating enough profit to cover their major expenses that keep rising: family living costs and health insurance. But his basic suggestions apply to operations of all sizes: Cost control Maximizing revenue Maintaining communication with lenders Working closely with suppliers and consultants to be as efficient as possible Not doing one big thing right, but doing 100 small things right The number of examples he cited suggests that none are more important than cost control reducing waste, getting the most out of every dollar spent, and always looking for ways to spend fewer of them. Its an area with virtually unlimited potential for scrutiny; everything from reducing calf mortality to identifying cows that arent paying their way to using one less squirt of teat dip per cow. His point is that they all add up. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2016 October 17, 2016 But Parsons also emphasized that effective cost control cant be a one-person job, because insight and good ideas can come from everyone on the farm. As a result, owners and managers should actively engage and reward employees for suggestions that make a positive impact. Hillary Clintons campaign team warns that damaging leaks of campaign staff emails leaked via the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks and probably hacked by Russia are proof that Russia wants to tilt the election in favor of Donald Trump. Be it noted Team Clinton had little trouble using registered agents for foreign governments to raise large donations for the presidential campaign. When the campaign decided to take money raised by lobbyists for foreign interests, campaign manager Robby Mook wrote in newly leaked email chain from 2015, Im ok just taking the money and dealing with any attacks. Take the money!! communications director Jennifer Palmieri added. The decision was a tricky one, according to the emails, Politico reported, in part because the campaign already was accepting help from lobbyists for foreign nations. In HillaryLand there are no walls. When she was secretary of state, Clintons deputy chief of staff, Huma Abedin, also was on the payroll of the Clinton Foundation, which raised money from global interests, and the private consulting firm Teneo. The American people should have been Abedins only consideration, but with multiple paychecks, she had to answer to more than one master, and she held the keys to Clintons calendar. Last week, WikiLeaks revealed that Clinton State Department senior aide Caitlin Klevorick gave special access to big Clinton Foundation donors eager to get in on the lucrative rebuilding after Haitis devastating 2010 earthquake. Need you to flag when people are friends of WJC, Klevorick wrote to the Foundations director of foreign policy. Foundation donors might expect concierge service, while those who didnt give to the Clinton charity could be shunted to a large government website. Was this arrangement best for the desperate people of Haiti? I truly doubt it. The very fact that Clinton set up a homebrew server to host her national security correspondence says it all. In her youth, Clinton worked on the House Judiciary Committees Watergate investigation. Surely she understood that official correspondence belongs not to officials, but to the public. Yet she took the risk that classified documents could be hacked in order to maintain control. Then she claimed that she handed all of her work emails to the government. Not true. FBI Director James Comey later revealed the FBI found thousands of work emails not turned over to the State Department. The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch filed suit to learn more about Clintons emails. A federal judge ordered Clinton to respond to Judicial Watch questions in writing. On Thursday, Clintons attorneys filed her under-oath responses. In answer to 25 questions about the emails, Clinton gave a variations on the theme that she did not recall at least 21 times and objected to 18 questions. When she answered, she provided no new insight. In July, Clinton complained to 60 Minutes that theres the Hillary standard and then theres the standard for everybody else. She is right. Most people couldnt get away with deleting thousands of State Department emails. Clinton complains people dont think she is honest or trustworthy, but really why did she do it? Alas, she cannot exactly recall. I hate to admit it, but Im a little insulted. I am a few days away from the most important election in my lifetime, an election that will determine the fate of our country, and given events involving Russia and Syria, quite possibly the fate of the world. Id like to trust that the American media would keep me informed about important developments that might influence my decision. But unfortunately, the American media doesnt trust me. Recently, within hours of each other, we received revelations about both candidates. While it was easy to learn about the allegations against Mr. Trump on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, negative news about Ms. Clinton was nearly non-existent. Journalists are supposed to report ALL of the news. Here is how they did their job. Major networks spent 198 minutes telling me about the Trump tapes and 13 minutes on the WikiLeaks revelations about Hillary Clnton. Apparently, the media doesnt trust that the American people have the capacity to read the news, evaluate it and make an informed decision. They dont believe that people can make a sound and independent determination about which revelations are most likely to affect a candidates job performance as president. The media controls our choice by controlling the information we have access to. If your newspaper and your news channel is not covering all the news, equally and unbiased, stop supporting them. Send that message home by hitting them where it hurts in reduced subscriptions and viewership. You do have other options. Knowledge is power. When the media has knowledge that they do not report, they have the power. Show them that Americans dont like to be controlled. If the media doesnt trust you enough to report ALL the news, how can you trust ANY of their news? World Series Game 3 postponed due to rain, rescheduled for Tuesday Rain in Philadelphia forced the postponement of Game 3 of the World Series. The game between the Phillies and Astros will now be played on Tuesday. For the past week, I have been preparing to take a vacation. That means doing all of my regular tasks on the farm, plus making lists for my daughter and my herdsman of things I would like accomplished while I am away. I stressed to them to follow all protocols, write down any issues that I will need to address after returning, and to not call me unless it is an emergency. My daughter Caitlyn replied, I got this, Dad. I am writing this blog at 37,000 feet above sea level, headed to see six national parks in Arizona and Utah. While on vacation, I plan on doing some hiking, sightseeing, and will not be calling home to check on the farm. I will text some great photos to my daughter of sights we see, and hopefully all she has to reply to me is, Looks like fun, and everything is going great here! I have noticed that she is learning to utilize our consulting team more when I am away. She is quicker to call the nutritionist or veterinarian for advice. (I always inform them that I will be out of town and ask them to call and check in more often while I am gone.) She realizes that with me not there, she may have to call DRMS (Dairy Records Management Systems) or DelPro support and work out any software issues. She also has to be more flexible with her days schedule when she is managing the entire staff. It is sometimes tough to let the next generation make the decisions, but it is the only way to give them the confidence they need to succeed in this business. I also realize there are some great places in this country that my wife and I would like to visit. By letting Caitlyn manage, it gives me the opportunity to leave the farm and go see them . A Troy woman has pleaded guilty to charges she tried to scam people for money by claiming she had cancer and her son had leukemia. Prosecutors will be seeking prison time for Melissa D. Barton, 28, after her guilty plea to felony charges of theft over $500 and theft by deception. Troy police began investigating Barton in June of 2014 after receiving information she had been telling people she had cancer and her son had leukemia. Barton had been asking for money from religious organizations, individuals, and from online donation websites such as youcaring.com, wepay.com, and possibly others, according to a 2014 press release from the Troy Police Department. The theft over $500 charge includes alleged theft incidents at First Baptist Church in Maryville on or about March 14, 2013 and between May 13 and 20, 2014. A warrant for her arrest was issued on Aug. 5 and she was arrested a short time later. Barton was initially held at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville on $50,000 bail. Its a shame someone would claim to have cancer just to receive money, Troy Police Chief Brad Parsons said in a news release at the time. Troy is a community that will come together to help each other when its needed. It's acts like this that make people more hesitant to assist those that really need the help. She was released on bail but arrested several days later in Springfield, Ill. Barton had been on her way to Chicago to tell her story on the Dr. Phil Show but Troy police had located a second victim, and she was arrested at Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport. She was charged with theft by deception. Troy Police say Barton had been using several aliases including Melissa Dawn Pruett Barton, Melissa Pruett and Missy Barton. She remains out on bond until her sentencing, probably in four to six weeks. You can earn college credit for swimming with manatees, snorkeling in a coral reef and hiking the Everglades in the Southwestern Illinois College Introduction to Marine Biology lab course. BIOL 110 Introduction to Marine Biology - Increment II-Lab: Field Experience offers you the unique opportunity to travel to the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Keys and Gulf of Mexico to study the coral reefs and fishes of the region May 20 to June 2, 2017. In Georgia, you will experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the Georgia Aquarium. In Florida, you will visit numerous marine biology sites including the famous Everglades, the Florida Keys and, as a highlight, Dry Tortugas National Park. You will also get a chance to participate in real scientific research on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lab and at Mote Marine Laboratory. The cost of this two-semester-credit lab course will be approximately $1,200 per person (based on a class size of 16 students), plus tuition and fees. The cost includes all travel to and throughout Georgia and Florida, camping and lodging, some meals, all field trips, park entrance fees and adventures, and lab equipment. Scuba opportunities and equipment will be available for licensed divers at an extra cost. To earn credit, you must enroll in BIOL 110 Introduction to Marine Biology Increment II-Lab: Field Experience. A nonrefundable $200 deposit is required when you enroll. The course requires a great deal of personal instruction; therefore, space is limited. SWIC also offers the three-semester-credit BIOL 110 Increment I-Lecture class, which can be taken separately. For more information or for a course application, contact Papke at 618-235-2700, ext. 5458, or randi.papke@swic.edu; or Weck at 618-235-2700, ext. 5607 or bob.weck@swic.edu. Visit swic.edu/marine-biology to find out more about BIOL 110 lecture and lab classes. Southern Illinois University System President Randy Dunn discussed at Tuesdays State of the System address that higher education in Illinois is in the midst of massive landscape shift. Pointing to the political battles taking place in Springfield, Dunn said how state colleges and universities operate in the future is not certain, but universities must begin changing the ways they plan. Not a typical State of the System address, Dunn told the crowd at SIUEs Meridian Ballroom that his speech was not going to be a list of tactics and plans the university would carry out to meet future goals. Instead, Dunn painted a broader vision for the future of SIU. While it is unclear how the relationship between the state and public universities will evolve in the future, Dunn said that it does appear as if there will be a different relationship as it relates to the states level of funding for higher education and how funds are allocated. He said the university system has to stop creating strategies to get by. We are in a large complicated ongoing policy deliberation about the nature of the state and the public university covenant. The notion of higher education as a public good, as an investment in economic development and state growth, something that is a service that the state funds to build a common wheel - we dont know how that is going to play out in Illinois, he said. But if we dont stop talking about this tactic and that tactic to get us to the new year and dont see a new landscape and a new mindscape that we provide, then I think we will have a difficult time. Dunn said the changing landscape has already caused problems in other state universities. Some of our sister systems are crumbling, he said. Two maybe three are wondering if they can make it through this year - that is not SIU, but one of the big questions from the public policy deliberation - one of the questions is Do we need all the state universities? How much degree duplication should we allow. I ask you, does every state university have to have a bachelors degree in philosophy? Dunn said it is the answers to these questions that will ultimately, depending on how this all shakes out, change the landscape and some state universities are going to have a tough time. Thats not our problem or our challenge. Ours is thinking where we can take ourselves from here. The goodwill you have for the institution, giving your heart and soul and investing in SIUE is the greatest power we have going for us -- but we need to be louder and stronger. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kahlil Rowter (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 In stark contrast to the previous administration, this one is hands-on. And there are encouraging signs it is moving the needle. But in the desire to see things happen fast many underlying issues remain unaddressed. Meanwhile, the global situation is not improving. First, growth is slowing everywhere. Second, there are even more downside risks: European banking, US elections and the Chinese housing bubble. The administration of the former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deliberated policy ad-nauseum. It tried not to ruffle feathers. The approach of President Joko Jokowi Widodo is almost the complete opposite. It dispenses with a thorough analysis of known problems. Then it comes up fast with solutions. Followed by a speedy implementation. Take the case of infrastructure. To speed things up why not just use state-owned enterprises (SOEs)? You complain that they lack capital. So, just inject money into their balance sheet. Finding difficulty in clearing up land? Just build roads through state-owned land or those owned by other SOEs. Not enough money in the budget? Then cut out the wasteful fuel subsidy. With huge political capital after getting into office, Jokowi has been able to afford to do such things. This logic has the appeal of getting things done fast. But there are two flaws. First, the governments budget cannot come up with the required funds for all infrastructure investments. Second, and related, focusing only on its own effort misses the bigger picture. It would have been better to use state funds to make uneconomical infrastructure financially viable. It also entails a lot of enhancements in the legal and regulatory environment. If done well this will open the floodgates for private investors, including foreign ones. Examples abound from the oil and gas and electricity sectors. The government also revamped social welfare regulations. In this, the government either created new initiatives or implemented existing policies. First, to increase health participation moving toward universal coverage. Second, to enlarge the small and medium enterprise credit subsidy. And third, to move to mandatory pension provision. It has also moved to tackle a long list of structural changes left over from the previous government. These are policy packages put forward since Darmin Nasution became the economic policy czar (coordinating economics minister). This government is also moving ahead with the creation of SOE holding companies. The aim is to distance politics from corporate decision making. It should also narrow the governments span of control. Furthermore, the holdings structure should streamline corporate with sectoral policies. The higher efficiency created by synergizing several similar operations will enhance shareholder value. Huge expectations created by the cut in fuel subsidy tapered down when oil prices fell in late 2014. But expenditure already planned was difficult to cut. Hence in 2015 we began to see the state budget coming under pressure. This also took place in 2016. Thus, the state-led, infrastructure-driven growth story lost ground due to problems on the revenue side. With tepid global growth our exports suffered and GDP growth hovered around 5 percent. Although consumption remains the engine of growth this is also showing signs of fatigue. Investments, meanwhile, remain subdued. It is unrealistic to expect fast growth in the face of a global slowdown and no big domestic programs. Infrastructure development using state-owned enterprises and other interventionist policies reveal a pattern. First, the government is impatient. Second, it thinks it knows best. And third, it thinks that solving one problem will unravel the Gordian knot a la Alexander. We can sympathize with the first. But the second rationale is questionable at best. Private-sector players usually know more about the pitfalls of infrastructure projects. And for the third reason, cutting the prices of cement and gas plus toll fees did not turn out well. And now we are looking at how the government is aiming at lowering lending rates. Banks are under pressure to get deposits. Meanwhile, debtors are asking for lower loan rates. Hence banks lower retail deposit rates to maintain margins. But on the lending side, they can only lower lending rates so far. Commercial and retail loan rates are expensive to maintain. Hence their rates are difficult to cut. That leaves corporate lending that may see some rate cut. Depending on lending book mix this will lower banks margins. All this is happening when banks are facing higher non-performing loan provisioning. Furthermore, liquidity is getting tighter as deposit growth slows down. A few banks are saying that this is the result of crowding out from government bond issuances. It appears this may be true for retail government bonds. And the effect has more to do with pricing rather than volumes involved. We laud the governments desire to see things happen fast. We too want to see positive development take place as soon as possible. But partial solutions can have unintended consequences. Even when reversed, the damage inflicted by these policies takes some time to heal. It is better to combine the desire for a quick fix with the proper diagnosis and prescription. *** The writer is chief economist at PT Danareksa. The views expressed are his own. --------------- 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 News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Bandung in West Java is set to launch a public service monitoring app named JAGA as part of a pilot program implemented by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Bandung will be a model city for the KPKs project to launch the JAGA application, said Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil on Tuesday as quoted by Antara news agency. JAGA will be available for public access with full transparency, said Ridwan, and the application will assist the city administration and residents in acquiring information about public services in terms of city budget and facilities, while serving as a platform for the public to make suggestions and criticisms all monitored directly by the KPK. (Read also: Bandung murals imagine future and celebrate culture) "All schools, hospitals, community health centers and other forms of public service must be informed about this application, because their activities and budget will be monitored and accessible to the public," said Ridwan. In addition to Bandung, three other cities will participate in the pilot project, namely Jakarta, Semarang, Central Java, and Surabaya, East Java. The application is set to launch on Dec. 5 and will be inaugurated by President [Joko "Jokowi" Widodo]. All the data is ready, Bandung city administration just needs to upload the information. (mra/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Those looking to marvel at artworks while holidaying in Bali should consider a visit to the museum in Sanur that hosts more than 80 paintings by Belgian-born painter Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur. The Le Mayeur Museum, which used to be a house, features paintings that were created between 1921 and 1957. Many of the artworks reflect the painter's affection toward his wife and muse, a Balinese legong-dancer named Ni Pollok, such as the canvas paintings titled Pollok and Di Sekitar Rumah Pollok (around Pollok's house). (Read also: Bali festival to screen 9 German films) A photo posted by Farah Wardani (@farahwawah) on Mar 1, 2016 at 6:51pm PST There are also paintings of places visited by Le Mayeur prior to settling down in the once quiet fishing village of Sanur, such as the Canal of Giudecca, Early Morning in the Harbour of Marseille, Istanbul (Turkey), and The Native of Gabes. In general, the museum's artworks are divided into five categories based on the painting media: bagor (woven palm leaf), hardboard, plywood, plain sheets and canvas. As in object, most of the paintings are of bare-chested Balinese women. (Read also: Jakarta museums in for a makeover) A photo posted by amixcrime (@xamixcrimex) on Aug 4, 2016 at 10:36pm PDT Visiting the museum Adorned with Balinese architectural features, the Le Mayeur Museum comprises four rooms: a living room where the painter used to receive visitors, a private reading room, a studio and the bedroom of Le Mayeur and Ni Pollok. After the artist passed away, his wife remained in the house until she died in 1985. However, more effort is needed to maintain the museum. As reported by kompas.com, the place felt humid and the artworks were quite dusty and lacked informative descriptions. Located on Jl. Hang Tuah, Sanur Kaja in South Denpasar, the museum opens every day except national holidays with an admission fee of Rp 10,000 (less than US$1) for adults and Rp 3,000 for students. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 The University of Indonesia (UI) in collaboration with the West Java town of Depok and cosmetics company CV Cahaya Multi Mandiri has introduced beauty products based on the star fruit. The Belimbing Island line of products includes a facial serum, a scrub, a moisturizer and soap. Made from star fruit extract, the products are the result of research conducted by UI's pharmaceutical faculty dean Mahdi Jufri. I started the star fruit extract formulation research in 2012, he said as quoted by the university's newsroom. Star fruits are good for beauty products because they are rich in antioxidant and vitamin C. (Read also: Bandung start-up turns mushrooms into durable building material) The product uses extracts of the Averrhoa carambola L plant as its main ingredient. The fruit can easily be found across Depok and is larger in size, with sweeter flesh and a longer lifetime than other star fruit species. Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris expressed his support for the research. "This innovation will help promote star fruit as the city's icon and as a unique food from Depok." (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Chris Davis (China Daily/Asia News Network) Thu, October 20, 2016 The best thing about science is that it's all about solving mysteries. A new one comes from the world of archaeology and it's already making headlines around the world. Evidence suggests Xi'an's fabulous 8,000-man, 300 BC terracotta army may have been influenced by ancient Greek sculptures, the headlines read. "The figures' startlingly lifelike appearance could have been influenced by the arrival in China of ancient Greek sculptures," the Guardian reported. Greek sculptors themselves may have made their way to teach their techniques, one of the researchers suggested. The scientist cited DNA evidence that Europeans were mingling genes in Xinjiang in the second century BC, when the Silk Road officially opened (1,500 years before Marco Polo hit it), so the time frame can be nailed down. Li Xiuzhen, an archaeologist at the Xi'an site, said, "We now think the Terracotta Army, the acrobats and the bronze sculptures found on the site have been inspired by ancient Greek sculptures and art." There's apparently no prior tradition of Chinese artisans making life-sized human figures, but new ancient artifacts are turning up in China all the time and remember archaeology's cardinal rule: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. (Read also: Archaeologist denies BBC report on Terracotta Army) Professor Lukas Nickel, chair of Asian art history at the University of Vienna, told Fox News that "the massive employment of sculpture in the mausoleum is totally unprecedented in the Chinese tradition" making it "likely that the skills necessary came not from China but from the outside". Nickel also had some written evidence in the form of a record written about 100 years after the death of Emperor Qin, the ruler the 8,000-man terracotta army was crafted over four decades to protect. "It states that the first sculptures the emperor made were intentional copies of other figures the Chinese had found at the Western end of the Chinese world," he said. A few days after the article went viral, Li Xiuzhen refuted the report, saying her remarks had been taken out of context and clarified to Xinhua. "I think the terracotta warriors may be inspired by Western culture," she said, "but were uniquely made by the Chinese." Dr. Fan Zhang, Chinese art curator at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco said that the whole argument fuses at least two or more issues and makes a conclusion without any strong evidence. "1). Did commercial or cultural connections between the Mediterranean world and China exist before 200 BCE?" he wrote in an email to China Daily, and "2) Were Chinese craftsmen inspired by Greek artisans to create life-size round sculptural work in a naturalistic style?" The answer to question one, he said, is yes, for sure. "Chinese archaeologists have already found some evidence in the past three decades to prove trade between East and West around 200 BCE," he said. "There were not only contacts over land, but also on the seas." As for the second question, there is no direct evidence, but he agrees that, "as some scholars have proposed decades ago, some artistic influence from the Hellenistic world can be observed in Chinese art during the late Warring States period." "Artisans from the Hellenistic world, possibly South, Central or even West Asian peoples, might have ended up in China by 200 BCE," he said. "We depend on more archaeological finds to shed light on many interesting issues." Gwen Bennett, archaeologist and assistant professor of anthropology and East Asian studies at McGill, also decried the lack of data supporting the claims, writing on a facebook post, "I think they are referencing the Xinjiang mummies without saying it, but their DNA evidence only indicates that they are most similar to Central Asian populations. It's a horrible stretch to claim they are Greek." Bennett also notes that the terracotta army figures were made by the same craftspeople that worked at the factories that produced the pipes and tiles used for the city's drainage system. And every craftsman left his mark on every tile and warrior they made. "And the names are Chinese names," she writes. "Foreigners in China at the time had distinctive names, so they can usually be identified." As Li told Xinhua, "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." This article appeared on the China Daily newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post TheJakartaPost Please Update your browser Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono has tried to convince Chinese-Indonesian residents in the capital that he is a leader for all Jakarta people, including minority communities because his administration will follow non-discriminatory policies if he is elected. "I want to introduce our spirit to achieve a 'Jakarta for all' that includes citizens of Chinese descent and Buddhist people," Agus said at Cilandak, South Jakarta, on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Agus, who was accompanied by his running mate Sylvian Murni visited a Buddhist temple and met with Buddhist and Chinese-Indonesian residents in Mangga Dua, Central Jakarta. Read also: Agus promises to defend pluralism in Jakarta It was the first time for Agus and Sylvi to meet with a minority group as previously most of his activities related to his candidacy in the 2017 gubernatorial election involved Muslim communities such as visits to mosques and Islamic study groups (pengajian). Agus said that there were a number of citizens of Chinese descent who told him that they were worried by the situation ahead of the election following the emergence of ethnic, religious, racial and intergroup (SARA) sentiments that had spread in the public sphere. Agus, a son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, stressed that sectarian issues should never be raised prior to the election on Feb. 15, 2017. "I urge all citizens including my supporters to uphold ethical politics. We shall not heat up voters' emotions by using sensitive issues," he said. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama is hoping to win over Muslim voters after a faction of the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) hopped onto his bandwagon, despite his recent controversial statement quoting the Quran. Ahok and the faction leader Djan Faridz signed a political contract on Monday requiring the former to draft policies in the interest of the Muslim community, which makes up 93 percent of all Jakarta voters, if he wins the Jakarta election in February next year. With Djans faction now joining our team, we expect to attract more Muslim voters, Bestari Barus, a spokesman for Ahoks campaign team, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. 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 Indra Budiari and Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 Sylviana Murni, Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnamas assistant for culture and tourism, now running against the governor as a candidate for deputy governor, has criticized the citys new parks in an apparent attempt to undermine Ahok. The governor has won applause for the citys ambitious integrated, child-friendly public space (RPTRA) project. The project has led to the development of dozens of integrated public parks across the city. But Sylvi, still formally serving as Ahoks subordinate, has blatantly called the project nothing more than a recycled idea of the interactive parks that were introduced by past administrations. Sylvi also said the projects were the result of repackaging existing parks. She said past governors, including Sutiyoso and Fauzi Bowo, had built various interactive parks in densely-populated areas. Sutiyoso was governor between 1997 and 2007, while Fauzi served from 2007 to 2012. 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 Jonathan Lemire and Bill Barrow (Associated Press) Las Vegas, United States Thu, October 20, 2016 Donald Trump's allies are struggling to defend his refusal at the final presidential debate to say he will honor the results of the November election should he lose, with condemnation arriving from both Republicans and Democrats alike. Sean Spicer, the chief strategist of the Republican National Committee, which is supplying much of the Trump campaign's get out the vote and voter outreach efforts, said the national party would "respect the will of the people." "I cannot speak for what he thinks," Spicer said. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement that "Mr. Trump is doing the party and the country a great disservice" by suggesting the election is rigged, while Arionza Sen. Jeff Flake called the New York billionaire's statements "beyond the pale." After spending the past few weeks claiming without evidence that the November election will be "rigged" in favor of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Trump was asked directly by Fox News anchor and debate moderator Chris Wallace if he would concede should he lose to Clinton. "I will look at it at the time," Trump said. When pressed moments later, Trump added simply: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense." Clinton called Trump's comments "horrifying." Billionaire Mark Cuban, one of Clinton's top supporters, called Trump's words "a slap in the face of every American in the history of this country, the Constitution and our democracy." "That's what we're proud of," he said. "So, for him to question that, that's disqualifying." Trump's remarkable comments came just hours after his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, said on CNN "that we'll certainly accept the outcome of this election." And Trump's daughter Ivanka, arguably his most influential adviser, said earlier Wednesday that her father would "do the right thing" when she was asked if he would concede after a defeat in November. The debate answer left his own team scrambling in the aftermath of the debate. Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, at first responded to questions about the comment by saying he "would accept the results, because he'll win the election." "So, you know, absent widespread fraud and irregularities, then, we'll see," Conway said. "What he's saying is we have to see what happens." She later rejected the outcry over Trump's comment, saying it's "not fair" to suggest Trump is undermining the prospects of a peaceful transfer of power. "You've got to listen to everything he said," she argued. "Al Gore did not accept the results of the elections and he said he would. He actually conceded to George W. Bush on election night in 2000 and then called and retracted his concession." Gore pulled back his concession only after updated vote count results in Florida showed the state too close to call, throwing the outcome of the election into doubt. When the US Supreme Court later halted a recount, leaving Bush ahead in Florida and giving him the election, Gore conceded and asked the country to accept Bush as the nation's next leader. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another of Trump's top allies, said the Republican nominee had good reason to be suspicious about potential fraud. "There are indications of a lot of fraud around by the Clintons," Giuliani said. In fact, there is no proof that voter fraud is a widespread problem in the United States. A study by a Loyola Law School professor found that out of 1 billion votes cast in all American elections between 2000 and 2014, there were only 31 known cases of impersonation fraud. ___ Lemire reported from New York. Steve Peoples and Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas, and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver, contributed reporting. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung Thu, October 20 2016 Victims of forced evictions in Bandung, West Java, are finding it hard to adapt to their new lives in a low-cost rental apartment (rusunawa) far away from their former homes, which is a story of struggle very much similar to their counterparts in Jakarta the capital is a big proponent of rusunawa as a solution to urban renewal. One evictee, Iya, 67, said since he moved to a rusunawa he could not earn any money. He sold beverages before he was evicted. What will I sell on the fifth floor? I dont even have any capital. I am ashamed that I have to beg for food now, Iya said recently. 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 Haeril Halim and Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 The governments plan to establish Indonesias first nuclear power plant might falter as environmentalists have raised concerns about two sites proposed for the project. The National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) has proposed Bangka Belitung province and Jepara regency in Central Java as potential places for the plant, saying that both have a lower risk of earthquakes than other regions. The Bangka Belitung branch of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has challenged the safety claims, arguing that the province has volcanic rivers underneath connected to the volcanic island of Krakatau in the Sunda Strait, which is still active. 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 Thu, October 20 2016 Over 30 businesspeople from Belgium were accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union Yuri O. Thamrin to the recent Trade Expo Indonesia, resulting in contracts worth US$16.5 million. The Trade Expo Indonesia from Oct. 12 to 16 at the Jakarta International Expo venue in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, was held by the Trade Ministry and included manufactured goods, furniture, home decorations, food and beverages, fishery and agricultural products, crafts, beauty products, creative industry items, services and investment opportunities. 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) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 To newlywed Hita Arthati, 27, ownership of a house in the capital is as reachable as the stars given soaring prices. It is very difficult to buy a house in Jakarta. They are very expensive, Hita said, chuckling. Second-hand houses are usually cheaper but then my husband and I do not have that much money. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 The National Police's counterterrorism squad Densus 88 is investigating possible terrorist links behind the suspect in an attack against police officers in Tangerang on Thursday morning. We believe that he has links with a terrorist group. His action could be considered as a terror act, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Anwar said in Jakarta on Thursday, as reported by tribunnews.com. The 22-year-old man allegedly attacked three police officers, including Tangerang City police subprecinct chief Comr. Effendi. Police reportedly shot SA in his legs as he tried to escape after the attack. The three officers were treated at a nearby hospital, while SA received treatment at the police hospital in Kramatjati, East Jakarta. Police seized a knife and a dagger from the suspect, a jobless man living in the Sepatan subdistrict of Tangerang. They also seized two possible explosive devices from the roadside near the attacked police post. Boy stressed that the Densus 88 members had started working. Densus has deployed officers to develop the case, Boy said, but adding that they needed more time to disclose possible links of the suspect with terrorist networks. Dozens of heavily armed police officers were deployed to guard the area soon after the incident. The road has since been reopened for the public. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 A lack of coordination among government institutions is the main factor holding back the implementation of the deregulation policies launched recently by President Joko Jokowi Widodo's administration. According to Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) economist Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, regional governments were still reluctant to cut red tape as instructed by the central government because it would make them lose a significant amount of income. "The central government claimed to have revoked 137 regulations, but in fact the ministries later issued new regulations with functions similar to the old ones," Bhima said in Jakarta on Thursday during an INDEF seminar on "evaluating Jokowi's second year". In spite of 13 economic policy packages recently issued, the slow implementation on the grassroots level still held back Indonesia's competitiveness, he argued. Indonesia's global competitiveness rank was down from 37 in 2015 to 41 in 2016. The governments measures have also been ineffective, Bhima said, since illegal fee collectors and rent seekers were still rampant on the regional level. "The economic policy packages and the successful tax amnesty might make impacts in the short term, such as the stock market rally, but the longer term results, on the practical level, are yet to be seen," he said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra Thu, October 20, 2016 European Union Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam Vincent Guerend and diplomats from 12 EU member countries are sounding out possibilities for increased links with North Sumatra in a three-day visit that began on Wednesday. Guerend said that during the visit, the EU delegation would carry out a string of activities, such as attending discussions with civil society groups on human rights, religious tolerance, environmental protection and education. The ambassador said he had discussed developments in regional politics and several social and economic issues with North Sumatra Governor T. Erry Nuradi on Wednesday. The EU is interested in increasing its partnership with North Sumatra and strengthen ties with Medan as the provinces capital and the center of the region, he told journalists. Representatives of EU member countries participating in the visit include Italian Ambassador Vittorio Sandalli, Greek Ambassador Gergios Dogoritas, Slovakian Ambassador Michal Slivovic, Hungarian Ambassador Judit Nemeth-Pach, Irish Ambassador Kyle OSullivan and Austrian Ambassador Helene Steinhausl. On the first day of their visit, Guerend and the EU diplomats opened an EU scholarship exhibition that aims to attract Indonesian students to pursue further education in European countries. For Thursday, the delegation was scheduled to visit culture sites in Medan and attend a seminar on sustainable tourism at the University of North Sumatra, before proceeding to Belawan Port to explore its passenger and freight shipping activities. On Friday, the delegation is scheduled to visit the Tangkahan elephant conservation unit at the Mount Leuser National Park in Langkat. During the visit, they will see a baby elephant named Europe, as the EU mascot in Indonesia. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta Thu, October 20 2016 Former members of the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) have long ceased association with the organization outlawed by the government, however, they are still finding it difficult to obtain official documents that should be of no problem for citizens of the country. They demand the government take measures to prevent discrimination against them and be treated equally as other citizens. We want the government to fulfill its promise in upholding our treatment as equal citizens without discrimination, former Gafatar member Harmanto, 43, said at a recent press conference. 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) Depok Thu, October 20 2016 Thirty-year-old mother of one, identified as Yanti, was found dead with bruises on her body and her face covered by a pillow in her home in Sukmajaya, Depok, West Jakarta, on Wednesday morning. Sukmajaya Police chief Comr. Supriyadi said based on initial identification, Yanti was a murder victim. We found her with a pillow covering her face, 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 News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Indo Premier Investment Management, a subsidiary of securities firm PT Indo Premier Securities, projects it will book total assets under management (AUM) of Rp 6.5 trillion (US$499 million) next year. Diah Sofiyanti, the fund management firms president director, said the strong growth of its exchange traded funds (ETF)traded under the XISC tickerwould help to boost the companys AUM, which currently stood at Rp 4.2 trillion. The return of XISC since it was established on Oct. 17 last year reached 43.27 percent, compared to the Jakarta Composite Index, which was only 27.16 percent. XISCs AUM grew to Rp 1.2 trillion, implying that the product is appealing for investors, she said in Jakarta on Thursday. Hendrisman Rahim, president director of insurance firm Jiwasraya, explained that although the JCI plunged to around 4,300 on Oct. 1 last year when the ETF was launched, Jiwasraya took a bet to invest in XISC to support the development of the new product. At that time, only Jiwasraya who was willing to support the issuance of BUMN [state-owned company] stocks based ETF as the early investor, because we believe the market will rebound, primarily because BUMN stocks are usually the major drivers of Indonesias markets, he said. As shown by the result, from Jiwasrayas initial investment of Rp 100 billion, the value has jumped to Rp 1.1 trillion or increased more than 1,000 percent in only one year, he said. (win/ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Two years after getting into office, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have not yet been able to make significant changes to improve Indonesias energy and mineral resources sector, lawmakers have said. House of Representatives deputy speaker Agus Hermanto said Indonesias energy resilience had continued to decline because the government still relied on fossil fuels and had yet to significantly develop renewable energy sources despite the existence of the 2014 Geothermal Law the House passed to eliminate obstacles for the country to develop geothermal energy. As Indonesia had officially ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, Agus said, the Jokowi administration should maximize the use of the country's potential geothermal energy, which could produce an estimated 29 gigawatts of electricity and be environmentally friendly. "Geothermal energy fulfills the principles of mitigating impacts to the climate. [In Indonesia] the utilized geothermal energy currently amounts to only around 5 percent of the total potential. Therefore, we should boost its development," Agus told journalists on Thursday. A member of the House's Commission VII overseeing energy, Rofi Munawar, said the implementation of the government's national energy reorientation program was still far from what had been targeted, even though it had been supported by a national law. The program mandates more development and use of new and renewable energy. The lawmaker further criticized the governments poor commitment to implementing the 2009 Mining Law, which required mining firms to process minerals in local smelters before selling them overseas. He referred to the governments plan to ease raw ore exports for companies that had not finished building smelters. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kahlil Rowter (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 In stark contrast to the previous administration, this one is hands-on. And there are encouraging signs it is moving the needle. But in the desire to see things happen fast many underlying issues remain unaddressed. Meanwhile, the global situation is not improving. First, growth is slowing everywhere. Second, there are even more downside risks: European banking, US elections and the Chinese housing bubble. The administration of the former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deliberated policy ad-nauseum. It tried not to ruffle feathers. The approach of President Joko Jokowi Widodo is almost the complete opposite. It dispenses with a thorough analysis of known problems. Then it comes up fast with solutions. Followed by a speedy implementation. 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 Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has instructed local administrations to take concrete measures to combat illegal levies, highlighting that Indonesia has been too permissive of the economically harmful practice. During a coordination meeting with 34 governors throughout the country at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, Jokowi reiterated that the widespread practice of bureaucrats demanding illegal levies had led to a high-cost economy and deterioration of Indonesias competitiveness. "Illegal levies have been going on for years and we have been too permissive of that. I urge all governors to take concrete steps to wipe out illegal levies in their regions," Jokowi said, citing the practice of illegal levies in application processes for ID cards, land certificates, shipments, and even in health care. The government last week formed Tim Saber Pungli (the Illegal Levies Eradication Team) to gather reports from the public on illegal levies and take action to eradicate them. "Anything related to illegal levies must be reduced and eliminated. [...] We hope the operation of the Illegal Levies Eradication Team will be effective," Jokowi went on. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should set up a new fact-finding team to investigate individuals allegedly involved in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, as alleged in a 2005 investigative document on his murder case, a rights watchdog has said. Imparsial director Al-Araf said even though the State Secretariat had claimed it did not know where the document was, there was no doubt that Jokowi and his administration officials knew about the result of the investigation conducted by a government-commissioned fact-finding team established in 2004 to solve the case. This was especially because the report had been widely circulated in public, he went on. As reported earlier, the Central Information Commission (KIP) has called on the government to publish the report, which has remained under wraps for 12 years. Al-Araf said Jokowi should use the opportunity to fulfill his promise and use the report as the first step toward finding the real perpetrators of Munir's murder. "The report named several persons who should be further investigated. He [Jokowi] should form another fact-finding team or at least a team under the National Police to investigate the persons mentioned in the document, who remain untroubled by the legal process," Al-Araf told journalists on Wednesday. He further said Jokowi should also order Attorney General HM Prasetyo to file for a review of Munir's murder case at the Supreme Court, given that the 2005 document also revealed new evidence the government could use to take such a measure, Al-Araf said. The fact-finding team, formed by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2004, identified the alleged role of State Intelligence Agency (BIN) officials in the case, including BIN deputy head Muchdi Purwoprandjono and spy chief Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono. Muchdi was acquitted of all charges in 2011.The report revealed Hendropriyono was found to have exchanged telephone calls with Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, a former Garuda pilot who was found guilty of killing Munir, around the time of the murder. Hendropriyono has repeatedly denied any role in orchestrating the arsenic poisoning of Munir on a Garuda Indonesia flight to the Netherlands. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 The administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla has yet to prioritize human rights and security reform during their two years in office, rights watchdog Imparsial says. There has not been significant initiative to improve protection for citizens' rights of freedom of belief shown by Jokowi's administration, Imparsial deputy director Gufron Mabruri said on Wednesday. The state of the nation has resulted in widespread acts of intolerance directed at religious minority groups, ranging from discrimination in public services to attacks against houses of worship. "A number of laws that apparently threaten religious freedom are still maintained and not being reviewed. It is problematic since the laws are used by groups to discriminate and attack minorities," Gufron said on Wednesday, citing Blasphemy Law as well as joint ministerial decree (SKB) that declared Ahmadiyah a deviant sect. The government has failed to protect freedom of expression, shown by the repeated disbandment of academic discussions and film screenings by groups to whom state officials are submissive. Protection of rights activists have also been at risk under Jokowi-Kalla's administration as violent attacks ranging from arrest to torture have persisted, he added. Meanwhile, Imparsial director Al-Araf said Jokowi's administration had yet to make any serious attempt for security sector reform. There has been no concrete push for intelligence agency reform to end impunity of Indonesian Military (TNI) by reforming military tribunals as well as to eradicate the culture of violence committed by TNI and police personnel against civilians. The government also lacks concern in preventing TNI from becoming too large an influence in civilians lives, he said, criticizing TNI's involvement in non-military operations, such as eviction. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stevie Emilia (The Jakarta Post) Frankfurt Thu, October 20 2016 Fact and fiction: Indonesian author Seno Gumira Ajidarma (right) is engaged in a discussion titled soul mates: fact and fiction with Belgian author David Van Reybrouck (center) and moderator Alexandra Koch at Indonesia's stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Wednesday. (JP/Stevie Emilia) Witnessed by a full-house audience at the Congress Center Messe Frankfurt, the worlds oldest and biggest book fair officially opened its doors on Tuesday evening, with special attention given to Guest of Honor Flanders and the Netherlands. 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, North Sumatra Thu, October 20, 2016 North Sumatra Governor T. Erry Nuradi has welcomed a delegation of European diplomats to the province, saying the three-day visit created momentum for closer ties. He expressed hope that the trip, led by EU Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam Vincent Guerend, would strengthen partnerships in various fields between the Indonesian province and EU member countries. There are many investment opportunities in North Sumatra that could benefit EU businesspeople, said Erry in his welcoming remarks to Guerend and representatives of 12 EU member countries on Wednesday. The governor said investment opportunities the EU could tap into included the Sei Mangke special economic zone for the development of the palm oil industry and its derivatives in Simalungun regency. He said investment opportunities in North Sumatra would become more promising in the future with the development of infrastructure such as Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serang regency, Belawan Port in Medan and Kuala Tanjung Port in Batubara regency. Guerend said Medan was the third city the EU delegation visited after Bandung in West Java and Surabaya in East Java. He said it was in the EUs interest to build a bilateral partnership with the central government in Jakarta. However, the EU was also willing to look directly at areas across Indonesia, especially those located outside Java. We consider Medan as unique not only in its culture but also in its economy. North Sumatra is a strategic province, because it has both sea and forests. Thats why we want to see directly the potential to increase our partnership with the province, said Guerend. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani and Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Jayapura Thu, October 20, 2016 The governments move to reduce fuel prices in Papua and West Papua may have been well-intended, but poorly thought out, analysts have warned. President Joko Jokowi Widodo announced on Tuesday the commencement of a one-price policy, which will lower fuel prices in the countrys easternmost province to the same level as those in Java and other regions. The new policy will allow locals to buy premium gasoline for Rp 6,450 (49 US cents) per liter, diesel for Rp 5,150 per liter and kerosene for Rp 2,500 per liter. Experts were not enthusiastic about the announcement and have cast doubt on the sustainability of the one-price policy. Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) executive director Fabby Tumiwa said the government had good intentions, but it was only a short-term solution at best. Fabby questioned whether the government had considered the possibility that subsidized fuel demand would increase exponentially as the cheaper prices would change consumer behavior in the region. Will demand increase? Of course it will. Locals could afford to buy fuel at Rp 50,000 per liter before, he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, adding that they would most certainly be able to buy the fuel at an 87 percent discount. ReforMiner Institute researcher Komaidi Notonegoro said the implementation of the one-price policy was odd, especially since the government had long planned to reduce sale of subsidized fuel in order to save money. The government has to seriously think about how this will affect the countrys fiscal situation because the policy will affect the state budget, he said. It is estimated the huge price gap will burden Pertamina with additional spending of Rp 800 billion. Most of the costs will come from air transportation to its distributors located in eight regencies in Papua and West Papua. Pertamina uses an air tractor operated by subsidiary Pelita Air to transport the fuel. The aircraft is capable of transporting 4,000 liters of fuel per flight. Pertamina insists it is not overly concerned about the new policy. Pertamina finance director Arief Budiman said the companys finances would remain stable as it could cross subsidize any potential losses from the companys other businesses. In general, [Pertaminas] finances will still be in a good condition, he said. Pertamina marketing director Ahmad Bambang cited non-subsidized fuel, subsidized industrial fuel, lubricants, non-subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and petrochemicals as sectors that may possibly be selected to cross subsidize the low-cost fuel. Jokowis announcement enthralled locals and Bintang Mountain regent Costan Oktemka. Costan said he would soon issue a regulation prohibiting the sale of premium and diesel at more than Rp 10,000 per liter. Although Pertamina supplies the Bintang Mountain regency with 75,000 liters of premium and 25,000 liters of diesel per month, prices remain high because of the difficulties in transporting to the Oksibil district. However, despite Pertaminas denials, the company may still feel the pinch. Last year, Pertaminas revenues dropped significantly by 40.3 percent to $41.76 billion from $70 billion in 2014. It attributed the revenue plunge to falling oil prices. Last year saw prices of both West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent Crude sink to their lowest levels of around $30 per barrel. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said it was prepared to recalculate the alpha the distribution costs and margin set by the ministry of subsidized fuel in order to lighten Pertaminas burden. We will calculate the alpha again so that it does not burden anyone, the ministrys director for downstream oil and gas business guidance, Setyorini Tri Hutami, said. Up to Rp 94.4 trillion was allocated in the revised 2016 state budget for fuel and LPG subsidies. The government has proposed Rp 92.2 trillion to be allocated in next years draft state budget. Meanwhile, Fabby recommended that in the long run, the government should start looking at non-petroleum fuel sources that could be developed locally in order to minimize the regions reliance on subsidized fuel. Furthermore, more renewable energy-fueled power plants needed to be built in Papua and West Papua, instead of the more widely-used diesel, he 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 Lita Aruperes (The Jakarta Post) Manado Thu, October 20, 2016 Only 54 out of 6,000 stateless people, who have been living in Bitung, North Sulawesi, most of them coming from the Philippines, received Indonesian citizenship on Wednesday, an official has said. They entered the country without documents. Theyd become a problem. Therefore, we had to grant them citizenship as required by the law and it has become an international issue, said head of the ministrys office in North Jakarta, Sudirman Hury, in Bitung on Wednesday On Wednesday, Hury handed over documents officiating Indonesian citizenship to 54 people of Sangile- Filipino descent. They had been living in Bitung for a long time and were married to local people. Hury said before granting the citizenship that his office had carried out long and careful studies that finally convinced his office to recommend their citizenship to the central government. Based on the latest survey, in Bitung alone, there are 1,492 stateless people. They live in eight districts, but most of them live in Aertembaga district. Most of them earn their living as fishermen or work for the fisheries industry in Bitung. Bitung Mayor Maurits Mantiri expressed his gratitude to the government for granting citizenship to the residents. Although it only involves a small number of the people, it is meaningful, particularly because Pak Hury wants to continue the program, he said, adding that their ID cards would be proceeded soon. (bbn). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 After two years at the helm of Southeast Asias largest economy, President Joko Jokowi Widodo continues to face allegations that Indonesia is punching below its weight on the international arena. Part of the reason Indonesia remains a relatively unknown middle power on the global stage might be due to the way foreign policy is shaped under Jokowis direction or lack thereof. Compared to SBY, I believe the current government has a much lower [foreign policy] profile, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon said on Tuesday, referring to former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. 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 Grace D. Amianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20 2016 Government officials assigned to manage quadrillions of rupiah in Southeast Asias largest economy should never underestimate their job as their integrity is at stake. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati tried to impart this idea to graduates of the State Accounting Academy (STAN) on Wednesday. Sri Mulyani, the former managing director of the World Bank, told 3,200 STAN graduates to continue expanding and improving their knowledge and skills even after they joined government institutions and started their careers there. I am glad that most of you will join the ranks of the Finance Ministry as I hope you can inject fresh blood and become reformers to improve the ministry, she said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 PT Kobo Media Spirit CEO Stefanus Slamet Wibowo has stressed that no funds from LIPPO Group were disbursed to The Jakarta Post through his consultant company to prevent reports on alleged bribery involving the group being published. There was not a cent for The Jakarta Post. I know almost no one at the Post, said Slamet in a letter to The Jakarta Post Digital editor-in-chief Nezar Patria on Thursday. Speaking as a witness for graft suspect Edy Nasution, a Central Jakarta District Court clerk, on Oct. 19, as reported by kompas.com, Slamet said that over five to six months he had received Rp 600 million (US$46,127) to pay media outlets to help build a positive image for the group. Edy, who was being tried at the Jakarta Corruption Court, was accused of accepting a Rp 2.3 billion bribe to help resolve legal issues related to LIPPO Group. In his press clarification issued on Thursday Slamet offered his apology over the media reports relating to his testimony in court. Regarding the list of alleged media beneficiaries, as stated during the court hearing, Slamet said it was only a proposal to his client Paul Montolalu, who is an executive at LIPPO Group. As was explained during the trial, such a proposal could be corrected, discounted or accepted, Slamet said, insisting that no funds had been distributed to print media personnel as gratuities. Meanwhile, the Post's editor-in-chief Endy Bayuni said Slamet did not provide any evidence to back up his testimony in court. "We have checked all our stories related to the case and have found no stories that could be construed as having been influenced by bribes. Nevertheless, we take this allegation seriously and we are setting up an ombudsman to make further enquiries," Endy said. Nezar expressed his concern that in his testimony Slamet had stated that the Post and other major media organizations had received funds, while in the case dossier, the Post was not listed as among the media organizations that had allegedly received funds. The information is baseless. Such practices are against the journalistic principles of the Post and the journalistic code of ethics, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Three policemen were injured when they were attacked by man armed with knives and what may have been homemade bombs in the Cikokol area of Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday morning. The attack took place on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan near Yupentek School in Cikokol at 7:10 a.m., Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr . Awi Setiyono said. Police personnel shot the attacker in the legs three times and took him to Kramat Jati Hospital in East Jakarta. "The suspect attacked wildly using a dagger and he was also throwing two sticks resembling explosive devices," Awi told journalists in a press statement on Thursday. Police say the alleged attacker was an unemployed 22-year-old, identified only as SA. The three injured policemen have been named as Tangerang Police chief Comr. Efendi who was stabbed in the abdomen, First. Insp. Bambang Haryadi who also suffered stab wounds to the abdomen while traffic police Chief. Brig Sukardi suffered wounds to his back and right arm. Police seized a knife, a dagger, two suspected pipe bombs, a backpack, a white turban and a sticker that was stuck to a traffic police post at the scene. Tangerang Police personnel have been deployed to secure the crime scene and the area, Awi added. The story is developing. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 US firms are pleased with reform efforts during the two years of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration and are looking for opportunity to increase their business activities in Indonesia. A number of leading US companies in various sectors such as resources, manufacturing and information and technology under the US-ASEAN Business Council, visited the State Palace on Thursday to meet with the President on his two-year anniversary. Brian McFeeters, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy, said apart from celebrating Jokowi's two years in office, the business council had also expressed its commitment to increasing economic activity, for all foreign and Indonesian companies. "It's a general opportunity for companies to talk about what they're doing in Indonesia, what they can do more, and to thank the President for the reform efforts," Brian told reporters. US-ASEAN Business Council president and CEO Alexander Feldman added that the focus of the councils mission was to thank ministers in areas where US companies were operating and to look for opportunity, not only for American companies but also Indonesian companies, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs). "We're talking about how we can help the President continue the reform efforts and stimulate the Indonesian economy," he went on. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Seoul Thu, October 20, 2016 The United States and South Korea said they detected a failed North Korean missile launch Wednesday, the country's second failed test in less than a week. The US Strategic Command issued a statement late Wednesday saying it presumed the missile was a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the launch was attempted near an airport in North Korea's Pyongan province, where the North on Saturday unsuccessfully tried to launch what US and South Korean military officials assessed as the same type of missile. Cho June-hyuck, spokesman of South Korea's Foreign Ministry, said the latest launches show North Korea's "fanatical obsession" with nuclear weapons and missile developments. "Such repeated provocations only aggravate North Korea's isolation from the international community and economic hardship and further strengthen the international community's determination toward [adopting] a new resolution of strong sanctions," Cho said. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, said the US condemns the attempted missile launch, calling it a provocation. He said the US government intends to raise its concerns at the United Nations. Musudan missiles have a potential range of about 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles), which would put US military bases in Guam within their striking distance. North Korea is also pushing to develop a nuclear-armed long-range missile capable of reaching the US mainland, although US and South Korean experts believe it doesn't currently have such a weapon. North Korea on Wednesday vowed to continue launching satellites as part of its "peaceful" space development plans, although outsiders see the country's space launches as a cover for banned tests of long-range missile technology. Experts say a militarized version of the rocket the North used to put its second satellite into orbit in February would potentially have the range to reach the US mainland. An anchor from North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television said that the North Korea will launch more satellites to "conquer" space, even if rival South Korea "barks" at the launches like a "mad dog." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Matthew Pennington ( Associated Press) Washington Thu, October 20, 2016 The United States warned Wednesday that any attack on American allies or use of nuclear weapons by North Korea would be met with an "overwhelming" US response as it sought to reassure close ally South Korea that the US has its back. The statement by Defense Secretary Ash Carter came as top US and South Korean diplomats and military officials met, weeks after North Korea's most powerful nuclear test explosion to date, and days after its failed test launch of a ballistic missile one of more than 20 such tests this year alone. The flurry of activity has deepened concern over the North's progress toward having a nuclear warhead it can mount on a long-range missile. The two sides discussed steps to strengthen the so-called "extended deterrence" provided by US nuclear forces in defending South Korea and agreed to begin a high-level dialogue about it. Seoul is looking to allay calls from conservatives at home who want South Korea to develop its own nuclear arsenal. "The US commitment to the defense of South Korea is unwavering. This includes our commitment to provide extended deterrence, guaranteed by the full spectrum of US defense capabilities," Carter said in opening remarks. "Make no mistake, any attack on America or our allies will not only be defeated, but any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response," he said. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said the threat posed by North Korea is "more grave than ever" and that the North is "nearing the final stage of nuclear weaponization." "North Korea's threat is no longer confined to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. It's now a direct threat to the mainland US," he said after the talks. "The next few years will be the tipping point." He said defense officials on Thursday would discuss the possibility of deploying US "strategic assets" to the South an apparent reference to permanently basing nuclear-capable planes or vessels there. Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated the US will deploy "as soon as possible" a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, a missile defense system intended to protect South Korea and the nearly 30,000 US forces based there. The plans for THAAD have angered China and Russia, which see it as a threat to their own defense. Kerry called for every country to rigorously enforce UN sanctions on North Korea, which are intended but have failed to prevent its development of weapons of mass destruction. He said the international community needs to cooperate so the North "pays a price for its dangerous actions." The US and China, which is the North's traditional ally and main trading partner, are currently negotiating at the UN Security Council on tightening sanctions in response to the Sept. 9 nuclear test. The UN, South Korea and Japan are considering additional sanctions of their own. Kerry said the US wants to close a loophole in the current UN sanctions allowing coal exports from North Korea to support the livelihood of its people. Kerry said that provision was being abused and the "greatest amount" of coal and revenue has just passed between China and North Korea. The US hopes that tighter sanctions can force impoverished North Korea to return to long-stalled negotiations on providing aid in exchange for denuclearization, but there appears to be little prospect of their resumption because of Pyongyang's determination to have nuclear weapons. North Korea's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Wednesday said the North would strengthen its nuclear capabilities in quantity and quality in response to the threat from its enemies. "We have warned that South Korea will be engulfed in a sea of fire and the US military units in the Pacific region and the mainland will be in chaos if the US wages nuclear strikes against us," the newspaper said. "Our warning is not an empty word." Kerry said claims from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he needs nuclear weapons to defend against the US defy common sense. "The United States has had the power to wipe out North Korea for years, for years. And if indeed that was out goal, we wouldn't be sitting around waiting" while they get additional nuclear weapons, he said. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Daxim L Lucas and Doris Dumlao-Abadilla (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) Beijing Thu, October 20, 2016 The Philippines and China will sign at least eight government-to-government deals on Thursday. The deals do not include joint exploration for energy resources in the South China Sea. Duterte said on Wednesday there were no discussions between Philippine and Chinese officials about joint exploration for oil and natural gas in the heavily contested waterway. He said joint exploration with China in those waters needed approval by Congress. Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin warned the government against entering into such an agreement with China, pointing out that it might compromise the Philippines interests in the South China Sea. It is not clear whether a fisheries agreement allowing Filipino fishermen access to Scarborough Shoal, or Panatag Shoal, is among those to be signed during Dutertes four-day state visit to China, which began on Tuesday. The government-to-government deals, to be signed at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, include cooperation in the fight against crime, which will boost Dutertes campaign against illegal drugs. On Friday, Filipino and Chinese businessmen will sign eight agreements covering rail and land transportation, industrial zones, ICT development, infrastructure, tourism, energy and telecommunications. The deals include one between Huawei and Globe Telecom and another between Alcatel Lucent Shanghai Bell Co. Ltd. and Globe that will add speed to the Philippines slow internet service. Another deal is for the construction of a railway that will connect Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales province to Clark Freeport in Pampanga province for the benefit of business and industry locators at both special economic zones. This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, October 20, 2016 Some 200 high school students in Batam, Riau Islands, have joined an anti-HIV/AIDS campaign held by the government to raise awareness about the virus among the young generation. As campaign ambassadors, the youths made a pledge on Wednesday to maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent themselves from getting infected with HIV and to support those who have been infected, as well as not to engage in stigmatization or discrimination. According to Riau Health Agency data, up to 1075 people have been infected with HIV and 305 of them are suffering from AIDS. (Read also: Huge challenges remain to end AIDS by 2030) "This is a worrying state. If we continue to let this happen, then the future generation, especially in Riau Islands, will collapse," said the agency's head, Tjetjep Yudiana, as quoted by the Antara news agency. "It's time for the youths to come together with the government and communities to prevent the spread of narcotics and HIV/AIDS." The Health Ministry's director general for disease control, Muhammad Subuh, said an estimated 600,000 people were infected with HIV across the nation, with tens of thousands found to be AIDS positive and thousands having died of the disease. (mra/kes) One of the initiatives honors the son of Emergency Management Director Charles Tubbs. Earlier this year, Tubbs son died after using fentanyl-laced marijuana. 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Those budget cuts have forced districts to close buildings, reduce services and discontinue or scale back critically important special education programs. While our jobs as administrators require us to make difficult decisions to balance our budgets, we are also educators who want our kids to have every opportunity available to succeed. Unfortunately, as weve lost funding over the years, weve found ourselves too often being unable to ensure those opportunities exist while still fulfilling our responsibilities to the taxpayers. Its clear we need solutions that provide new, stable funding for our schools, but in todays political climate, those solutions are not going to come from Lansing. The reality is that if we want to invest in the success of kids across Wayne County, its going to be up to those of us who live here to make that happen. Thankfully, Michigan law allows local school boards to request the intermediate school district to place a countywide millage on the ballot to provide additional support for the local schools in that county. In recent months, the vast majority of school boards across Wayne County passed resolutions in support of Wayne RESA doing just that. The proposal would be for 2 mills to be levied for a six-year period, and while this would mean the average homeowner in our region would be asked to pay around $8 per month, it would result in every single public school in Wayne County receiving an additional $385 per student in additional annual support. The money would be collected by Wayne RESA, but every penny would then by law be directly passed down to the local districts on an equal, per-student basis. The difference this would make for our students cannot be overstated. It would allow districts to have the option to hire and retain the very best teachers, reduce class sizes, repair and upgrade buildings, increase the use of technology in the classroom, improve security and expand academic offerings across the board. Best of all, this proposal would allow each district to make the decision of how to best spend that money themselves without interference from Lansing or elsewhere, and every dollar would be subject to independent audit to ensure that money is being spent properly. Asking voters to approve a new millage isnt something any official takes lightly; however, this regional enhancement millage is a potential game changer for Wayne County schools and our students. Its an opportunity to reinvest in our classrooms and in the future of our communities. And its one we hope youll join us in supporting. John Sturock, Superintendent, Allen Park Public Schools Laurine VanValkenburg, Superintendent, Crestwood School District John Frazer, Superintendent, Dearborn Heights School District 7 Andrew Brodie, Superintendent, Flat Rock Community School District Amy Conway, Superintendent, Gibraltar School District Richard Naughton, Superintendent, Huron School District Terry Dangerfield, Superintendent, Lincoln Park Public Schools Kimberly Soranno, Superintendent, Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Public Schools Russell E. Pickell, Superintendent, Riverview Community School District Marjie McAnally, Superintendent, Romulus Community Schools Leslie Hainrihar, Superintendent, Southgate Community Schools Ben Williams, Superintendent, Taylor Public Schools Rodney Wakeham, Superintendent, Trenton Public Schools Sue C. Carnell, Superintendent, Westwood Community Schools Catherine Cost, Superintendent, Wyandotte Public Schools Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump debates with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Mark Ralston/Pool via AP) Loy Kratong, Patong Carnival cancelled PHUKET: A number of events scheduled to take place in Patong over the coming weeks have been cancelled the Patong Major has confirmed to The Phuket News. One such event is the popular Loy Krathong festival that was scheduled to take place on November 14. deathculturetourism By Tanyaluk Sakoot Thursday 20 October 2016, 03:47PM Loy Kratong has been cancelled in a number of municipalities this year. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kepsab confirmed to The Phuket News yesterday (Oct 19) that following the death of the late His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Loy Krathong festival is cancelled. If people wish to do their own Loy Kratong celebrations then they can, but Patong Municiplaity will not been holding any event to mark the occasion, there will be no celebration or music as there has been in the past. Those wanting to float Kratongs can do so at the Pak Bang canal, Mayor Chalermluck said. In addition, I can also confirm that this years Patong Carnival has also been cancelled. Patong Carnival usually marks the start of Phukets high season of Phuket, and each and every year tourist and locals join and enjoy the elaborate parade, cabaret shows, modern and Thai traditional performance. Patong Carnival is not being postponed, there is nothing to celebrate this year. It will be held again next year, said Mayor Chalermluck. As for other celebrations in Patong such as the New Year countdown, I believe private businesses in Patong know full well how they should act during this time. However, I will make an official announcement to them next month. Regarding National Childrens Day, a decision has not yet been reached as to whether any activities will go ahead. Patong municipality will consider about this later, Mayor Chalermluck added. Phuket Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan added, People still can float Krathongs, but the fairs will not be happened. While Anoma Vongyai, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand(TAT), Phuket Office said, Loy Krathong celebrations at Srisoonthorn, Chalong, Rawai, Kathu and Patong have been cancelled by their respective municipal offices. However, Loy Krathong at Saphan Hin is still being considered by Phuket City Municipality. Police confirm two Phuket bomb suspects arrested PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police have confirmed today (Oct 20) that two suspects wanted in connection with the August 12 bombings in Patong have been arrested. crimepatongpoliceviolence By Yutthawat Lekmak Thursday 20 October 2016, 05:28PM One suspect was identified by a local witness in an identity parade held before today's meeting. One of the suspects, Muhammad Muhi, was presented to media during a meeting held at Phuket City Police Station at 2pm this afternoon. While the second, who has not yet been named, was formally identified by a local witness at the police station before the meeting took place. Officers from the Royal Thai Police flew to Phuket from Bangkok this morning and were then flown to Phuket City Police Station via helicopter with the suspect. They then held the meeting to update local police regarding the two bombs which exploded in Patong on the morning of Aug 12. During the meeting Deputy Chief of the Royal Thai Police Lt Gen Sriwara Rangsipromkul said, I can confirm that we now have two suspects connected with the Patong bombings in custody. The two men are from the deep south and they have been formally identified by witnesses. When asked by media if the men could be named, Lt Gen Sriwara confirmed one name, Muhammad Muhi, he said. Lt Gen Sriwara gave no further details about Muhammads arrest or the second suspect. However, he did add, The two men at first denied that they caused the explosions when interviewed by police, but Muhammad Muhi admitted he was one of the bombers whilst being questioned by the military. When asked if more suspects are likely to be arrested, he said, If we have evidence which leads us to more suspects then we will ask for warrants from the court. Lt Gen Sriwara was then asked if he was confident that the suspects would be brought to justice. We have enough evidence such as CCTV footage and witnesses, he replied. Chief of the Phuket Provincial Police Maj Gen Teerapol Thipjaroen then announced that media had asked enough questions and that Lt Gen Sriwara had to leave to go to Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Van operators offer free ride to Bangkok for poor mourners SURAT THANI: Twenty van operators are pooling their resources to give low-income mourners a free return trip to Bangkok to pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol at the Grand Palace. deathtransport By Bangkok Post Thursday 20 October 2016, 03:16PM Van operators in Surat Thani are offering poor people a free ride to the Grand Palace in Bangkok to pay their respects to the late King. Photo: Supapong Chaolan The operators, led by Khanthong Satsanas, have 10-seat VIP vans. They are offering a free-of-charge shuttle service for 200 low-income earners from Surat Thani to the Grand Palace. Mr Khanthong, 32, said most Thais wanted to pay their respects to the beloved King. Poor people were no different, but they could not afford the cost of the trip. Van operators from Ratchapreuk, Siripak Hiace Surat Thani, Kae Kai Van Surat, Khru Ood and Na Sert groups had joined hands to do a good deed as a tribute to the late King. The vans will leave for Bangkok at 4pm on Nov 1 and return to Surat Thani on Nov 2. He said people could register their names on Saturday (Oct 22) at the provincial halls canteen from 10am-4pm. If more than 200 people sign up for the trip, his team would arrange one more trip, he said. He urged other van operators to join this volunteer activity. Read original story here. Local beer drinkers can get a taste of things to come at a special Beer & Wine Tasting Event at the Columbus Country Club on Sunday, Oct. 23. Cercis Brewing Co., Columbus' future brew pub, expected to open in the summer of 2017, will be hosting the event, as a way to introduce its beer to the public, get some feedback and create a little buzz about the new business. "We're hoping people will come out and taste our beer," said Tyler Walker of Columbus, one of the owners of Cercis Brewing. "We want to see what people like and which ones bubble to the top.'" The brew pub's name comes from "Cercis canadensis," the scientific name for the redbud tree. Columbus is known as the "Redbud City." Walker said he and his co-owners, who bought the old Hydro Street Brewing equipment last spring, had originally wanted to name their company Redbud Brewing. Unfortunately another brewer already had dibs on the word "Bud," and they were advised to look for a different moniker. Walker's co-owners include Kurt Benzine of the town of Dekorra, Keith Benzine of Cottage Grove and Randy Sunde of Oregon. The group recently announced the future location of their brew pub: in the old carriage building on Dickason Boulevard across from City Hall. Because not everybody drinks beer, the Cercis group decided to partner with Fawn Creek Winery of Wisconsin Dells for the tasting event, so people will get their choice of drinking beer or wine. The first 100 people in attendance will receive a complimentary Cercis Brewing Co. tasting glass. Proceeds from the event will go to the Country Club, for facility and course improvements. JUNEAU William J. Bonney, 55, of Lomira, was sentenced in Dodge County Court to 20 years in prison for first-degree sexual assault Wednesday. He also was sentenced to 10 years of extended supervision. Bonney forced sexual intercourse with a woman in 2014 when the woman was 19 causing a pregnancy. Bonney had known the victim since the age of 14 and admitted to having intercourse with her since she was a teenager. Dodge County ADA Jim Sempf, who prosecuted and argued the case, urged the court to order a severe sentence. Sempf said This is a man that has committed a heinous crime on a vulnerable victim. He deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Judge Joseph Sciascia sentenced Bonney. The pre-sentence investigation originally called for 13 to 16 years of initial confinement and 7 to 10 years of extended supervision, but Sempf argued that due to the nature of the crime, that the sentence should be extended. He said, I would ask the court to look at the fairness to the victim here. There are far reaching consequences to the child that I cant even begin to fathom. Sempf requested a 45-year sentence with 25 years of initial confinement and 20 years of extended supervision. Defense attorney Bill Mayer argued that though the circumstances of Bonneys case were heinous, that Bonney himself lacked the mental capacity to help in his own defense. Mayer said, He has a very simple mindedness. I am not suggesting he get a pass but I am asking the court to consider his mental faculties. Mayer requested that the recommendation from the pre-sentencing investigation be reversed, giving Bonney 7 to 10 years of initial confinement and 13 to 16 years of extended supervision arguing that a single-digit range for initial confinement was most appropriate. Bonney attempted to make a statement during his sentencing but became emotionally overwhelmed and was unable to continue. Mayer read his statement on his behalf which read, I have been sitting in jail for the past year and a half and during that time I have had the chance to take a look at my life. I saw all the good things in my life like spending time with my family and going on vacations together. Now I think of all the bad things, including the horrible thing that I did. I take responsibility for what I did. I put my family through a lot of agony. If I could go back and do things over I would do things very differently. I know I need to be punished. I will take advantage of any program that there is to rehabilitate me. I am so sorry for the things that have happened and I pray that God will forgive me. Bonney added, I am really ashamed for what Ive done. Im really sorry. District Attorney Kurt Klomberg praised Sempfs handling of the case, saying The citizens of Dodge County should be proud of prosecutors like ADA Sempf who pursue cases like this so thoroughly to a successful conclusion. Dodge County citizens are safer because of ADA Sempfs efforts. Ghost hunters seek spirits at Sisseton orphanage, Watertown auditorium The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Paranormal Society have explored dozens of locations, including the Sisseton orphanage and the Watertown city auditorium. Propeller Health, a Madison health technology company, is getting $21.5 million from investors, including the venture capital offshoots of 3M, GlaxoSmithKline and a major pharmaceutical company in Jordan. Propeller Health, founded in 2010, makes sensors, mobile apps and analytical software that work with inhalers for people with respiratory ailments. The sensors monitor when asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients use their rescue devices to help them better manage their symptoms. With the new funding, Propeller will be able to fine-tune the technology to provide personalized treatment recommendations, CEO and co-founder David Van Sickle said. Think of it like a guidance system to help patients better use the medications (they) already have, he said. Van Sickle said Propellers device is being used by thousands of patients as part of 45 programs with health care organizations around the U.S. Our goal is to use the digital tools to help them better manage and control costs from asthma and COPD, he said. The new funds bring the total raised by Propeller to $44.5 million and include participation by 3M Ventures; S.R. One, the venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline and London-based Hikma Ventures, part of Hikma Pharmaceuticals one of the fastest growing companies making generic drugs worldwide, Van Sickle said. He said the latest investment will help Propeller launch more studies overseas, advance its technology, and add 10 to 20 employees over the next year or so. Propeller currently has 55 employees, about 40 of them in Madison and most of the others in San Francisco. Van Sickle said Propeller has gathered enough data through its projects, particularly a pilot study in Louisville, Kentucky, to mark a turning point in respiratory care. Figures from the Louisville program, released earlier this year, showed a 44 percent average reduction in the use of rescue inhalers by participants within 12 weeks, mainly by helping them understand asthma triggers and remember to take their medicine. Van Sickle said he thinks the data will help local governments make decisions about tree planting or traffic calming to reduce pollution in areas near schools, for example, where there are children whose lungs are still developing. Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan was in Madison on Friday to warn a group of college Republicans about the evil posed by elites. Then he took a page from the playbook of a person he considers a leading elite, Hillary Clinton, by doing something shes become known for: refusing to take questions from the press. Its a testament to the power of political re-definition that when Ryan and other Republicans go after the elites, everyone knows what theyre talking about. Because technically, nothing in the definition of elite would lead you to think its a pejorative. Elite means a select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms of ability or qualities, according to one online definition. Its the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons, according to another. Think elite athletes, elite mathematicians, elite CEOs. Even some of the secondary definitions dont sound that bad. One is a group of persons exercising the major share of authority or influence within a larger group. I thought exercising influence and authority in work or in the community was part of being a leader, maybe even part of the American dream. Ryan campaign spokesman Zack Roday declined to provide other specific examples of who his boss thinks is elite which is probably smart given that definitionally speaking, the educated, accomplished, powerful speaker of the U.S. House certainly qualifies. Ryan is disputing the argument the left makes, that liberal progressivism is for the people, Roday said, and elitism has more to do with ones philosophy of government than with a persons status or situation. Ryan told his audience Friday to beware of those whose theory is that if you stock the bureaucracy with so-called experts and technocrats who would decide what was best for the collective, we would be better off. Thinking we know whats best for other people isnt a matter of party or ideology, though. Some people think wed all be better off if abortion were illegal and more people carried guns. Others think outlawing fossil fuels and going vegetarian will cure what ails us. I think we should all believe in God and ride our bikes to work. The day we stop thinking we know whats better for our fellow humans is the day we stop being human. UW-Madison journalism professor Mike Wagner said the GOP re-definition of elite goes all the way back to the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994. Today, talk radio and other conservative outlets have also done such a good job assigning negative connotations to liberal that a lot of liberals now prefer to be called progressives, he said. Of late, Ive undertaken my own personal re-re-definition of elite something Ive occasionally been accused of for things Ive written or because I look down on, say, adults who read young adult fiction. But if having opinions including a disdain for Harry Potter and a far keener disdain for elected officials who endorse a serial mysogynist and bullying reality TV star for president make someone elite, then heck yeah, call me a proud elitist. Anyone got a problem with that? Charles Prindiville, charged this week with conspiracy to keep a place of prostitution at the Rising Sun bathhouse in Downtown Madison, was arrested Wednesday morning after surrendering at the Dane County Public Safety Building. Prindiville turned himself in just before 6 a.m., said his lawyer, Charles Giesen. Hours later, Prindiville, 64, of Middleton, was released from jail on a signature bond after appearing in Dane County Circuit Court. Prindiville and his ex-wife, Catherine Prindiville, 56, along with the Rising Suns accountant, Donald Goodweiler, 69, were charged this week with running a prostitution operation from the business, which has been located for decades in a second floor space at 117 W. Main St. A criminal complaint states that the scheme ran between February 2003 and Oct. 20, 2010, when police raided the Rising Sun and the Prindiville home in Middleton. The investigation continued for years after, and Madison police turned the case over to the Dane County District Attorneys Office in 2013. District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said Wednesday that he could not answer questions about the case, including why it took so long to charge anyone connected to it. Catherine Prindiville and Goodweiler are scheduled to make initial court appearances on Thursday. A former Madison man who flew to Turkey in 2014 and went to the Syrian border to try to join the Islamic State terrorist organization pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal charge of attempting to give material support to a terrorist group. Your honor, I am a Muslim and I wanted to be a part of the caliphate that is occurring or will be occurring in the Sham, the Levant and Syria, Joshua Van Haften, 35, told U.S. District Judge James Peterson, referring to the region in which Syria is located. So I attempted to cross the border and join. Van Haften faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced by Peterson on Feb. 17. Before he is sentenced, federal prosecutors and Van Haftens lawyer, federal defender Joseph Bugni, have to convince Peterson whether a federal sentencing enhancement for terrorism applies, which could push his advisory sentencing guideline range to 30 years to life. That would not increase his potential prison sentence beyond the 15-year maximum, but it could influence the length of the sentence that Peterson hands down. Van Haften, a Janesville native who also lived in Madison, was arrested and charged in April 2015 after he returned to Chicago from Istanbul, where he had gone in an attempt to get into Syria. Court documents state that he was to meet a contact to take him into Syria but nobody appeared, and he returned to Istanbul. Van Haftens case had been long delayed by examinations to determine whether he was competent to proceed. He decided against challenging a finding of competence in June, and in court again on Thursday he said he did not suffer from any mental illness. No sir, not that I am cognizant of, Van Haften answered when asked by Peterson whether he was suffering from depression. If I was ailing from such a condition I would know. In court, Van Haften appeared calm, and spoke slowly and in a measured tone. His hair was cropped to the slightest stubble and his face was clean-shaven, a contrast from the long-haired and long-bearded man who first appeared in court in April 2015. U.S. Attorney John Vaudreuil said Van Haften traveled in August 2014 from Chicago to Istanbul and posted several times on Facebook that he had arrived there. In another posting, he wrote about crossing into Syria: Its gonna be coming soon. I was about to cross to Syria the day before the Americans through Saudi and (United Arab Emirates) started bombing in Syria from their ships. At another point, Vaudreuil said, Van Haften wrote that his bags are packed and ready, including with it a photo of a room with bags in the corner. On another occasion, he wrote to his mother, Today is my last day. Im traveling to Syria tonight. Later, in October 2014, he wrote on Facebook, My password has always been Death to Americas NEW WORLD ORDER. Vaudreuil said Van Haften also posted a picture of himself, with a list of steroids he is taking while getting ready for the big war against Muslims, also stating that he is hitting the gym...just to get ready for hiking the mountains into (Syria). He also posted an image of himself with text stating he was pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group. Around the same time, Vaudreuil said, Van Haften wrote to his mother through social media, We are going to enslave Americans and kill Bush and Obama and their children and grandchildren will be sold as slaves at our markets!!! A week later, he told her, again through social media, The only thing that matters to me is joining my brothers for the war against (American) liars. He added, There is nothing greater than having my blood spilled on the battlefield against the enemies of Allah! Wisconsins attorney general asked a federal appeals court Wednesday to let stand the conviction of a man found guilty in a case profiled in the popular Making a Murderer series on Netflix. A federal magistrate judge ruled in August that investigators tricked Brendan Dassey into confessing he helped his uncle, Steven Avery, rape, kill and mutilate photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005. Dassey, who turned 27 Wednesday, was 16 at the time. The magistrate ordered that Dassey be freed unless prosecutors appealed or decided to retry him. In a brief filed with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Attorney General Brad Schimel urged the appeals court to reject Dasseys claim that his confession was coerced. Substantial police coercion is required for any confession to be ruled involuntary, Schmel said. And he said the Wisconsin Court of Appeals was right to affirm in 2013 that Dasseys confession was voluntary. Magistrate Judge William Duffin held that investigators made specific promises of leniency to Dassey and that no fair-minded jurists could disagree. He cited one investigators comment early in the interview that you dont have to worry about things, plus repeated comments like its OK and that they already knew what happened. But the magistrates ruling ignores both the facts and the law, the attorney general said. Investigators didnt promise leniency, he said, and specifically told Dassey they couldnt make any promises. The teenager willingly spoke with investigators and was properly informed of his rights, Schimel said. The interview took a few hours in the middle of the day, while Dassey sat on a couch and drank a soda, the investigators spoke in normal tones, and did not threaten him or make false promises, he said. And Dassey confessed to most of the important details within an hour, in response to open-ended questions, he added. The state courts conclusion that Dasseys confession was voluntary is not only reasonable; it is entirely correct. Accordingly, Dassey is not entitled to relief, the attorney general said. Halbach was killed on Halloween 2005, after she visited the Avery familys salvage yard in Manitowoc County. Investigators allege Avery lured her there by asking her to take photos of a minivan. Dassey was sentenced to life in prison in 2007. Court documents describe him as a slow learner who had poor grades and has difficulty understanding language and speaking. Avery was convicted in a separate trial and was also sentenced to life in prison. Hes pursuing his own appeal. Ten western Wisconsin counties that suffered millions of dollars in damage during flooding in September will get federal assistance. Gov. Scott Walker announced on Thursday that 10 of the 12 counties he listed in a request for disaster assistance were included in a major disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The damage caused by these flash floods and mudslides placed significant strains on many local budgets, Walker said in a statement. This federal assistance is a welcome relief. The 10 counties are: Adams, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland and Vernon. Eau Claire and Trempealeau counties were not included because they didnt incur enough damage to qualify for federal aid, FEMA said. The help from FEMA will be used to repair and replace public infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the flash flooding and mudslides on Sept. 21 and 22, public damage that totaled over $11 million, according to FEMA estimates. With the declaration, projects submitted by municipalities and certain non-profits can get up to 75 percent funding from FEMA for eligible costs. The governor said communities should contact their local county emergency management office for more information. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leaves following the third presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman) An Iraqi military helicopter flies over the frontline near Bartella, Iraq on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on the nearby town held by the Islamic State group, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, welcomes the President of Russia Vladimir Putin for a summit with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and France at the chancellery in Berlin, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) In this photo taken May 18, 2016, a Google self-driving car is seen on display at Google's I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif. California regulators are asking members of the public what they think about proposed regulations that would eventually permit self-driving cars that lack a steering wheel or pedals on public roads. The California Department of Motor Vehicles is hosting the hearing Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in the state Capitol. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) Whether in a car or on foot, people who pass through the intersection of Pflaum Road and Maher Avenue early on a weekday morning have their day brightened by a big wave from Kearn Blocker. A crossing guard at that corner for five years, Blocker shepherds children of all ages from Glendale Elementary, Sennett Middle and La Follette High schools to their school buildings. Blocker has such a friendly reputation that drivers stop their cars to give him cookies. He received an award from a La Follette High School marketing teacher designed to honor someone who goes above and beyond in his job. Blocker, 76, was an art teacher for nearly half a century. And he creates his own art, as La Follette Assistant Principal Beth Steffen discovered when she saw one of his drawings on display in a show at the Madison Senior Center. Steffen and La Follette art department head Brady Nichols invited Blocker to exhibit in the schools art gallery, which is open by appointment. The one-man show runs through Nov. 4. Blocker, who recently celebrated his 51st wedding anniversary with wife Stella, is part of a long line of teachers: His father taught art, and his mother was a teacher before she started a family. Daughter Kimberly Lodewyk and son-in-law Brent are both teachers in Madison elementary schools. Blocker taught for 47 years in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, and in the Denver area. His pieces in the La Follette show are done in colored pencil and graphite, and range from portraits to still lifes. One illustrates a bad-weather day in the life of an East Side crossing guard; another was inspired by the 2011 protests at the state Capitol. Others depict the Old West or the African-American 9th Cavalry of the Civil War era, known as the Buffalo Soldiers. You are an associate Buffalo Soldier? I grew up in Gary, Indiana, watching westerns. All I saw was white soldiers, white settlers, white frontiersmen. I had no idea that African-American soldiers played a role (in that history). I was in my mid- to late 20s before I found out about the Buffalo Soldiers. I started making compositions, drawings and paintings from the information I discovered. I have never served in the military, but in 1992, I attended a convention in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (and exhibited artwork there), and was made an associate or honorary member of the Ninth and Tenth Horse Cavalry Association. Why did you teach art for 47 years? I enjoyed it. ... Art is one of the subjects that will hold students attention, and will keep them in education. ... Its also involving students in a process where they will find success in using art as a background to succeed in other areas. When I retired, I found myself going back to my own individual work. Being retired and being a crossing guard using that time in between the morning and the afternoon crossings, plus weekends allows me to do my creative work. What brought you to Madison? My daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters. The daughter is the youngest of our three children, and when she left (Colorado) we found that empty nesting is for the birds. We missed them tremendously. And when she and her husband suggested that we join them in Wisconsin (in 2008), we did not hesitate. How did you become known as the waving crossing guard? When we moved here, we realized the pension would not be enough. I saw an ad for a crossing guard job, but I hesitated I knew about the winters here. ... (When there are no pedestrians to cross) I just started waving to the school bus drivers. Then I started waving to the Metro bus drivers. And as I waved to the bus drivers, I could see the drivers in the cars waiting behind them all trying to wave, too, and the thing just spread. It has become quite a thing, and Ive been surprised how much its meant to people. Around the holidays I get the Christmas cards, the Starbucks cards, things of that nature. It gives me a charge to find out they appreciate it. Thats just uplifting to me. Interview by Gayle Worland This map provided by NOAA shows the winter temperature outlook for the U.S. Federal forecasters say thanks to a nascent La Nina it is likely to be warmer and drier than normal down south, colder and wetter up north and in the middle it's hard to say what's going to happen, sort of meh. And it doesn't look good for drought-hit California. (NOAA via AP) Kurdish Peshmerga forces gather prior to opening up a front against Islamic state in Nawaran, some 20 kilometers (13 miles) northeast of Mosul, Iraq, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Peshmerga are launching an offensive to take the villages on the Nawaran mountain, pulling closer to Mosul. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) Actor Mallika Sherawat, who shuttles between India and the US for work, is rooting for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The 39-year-old actor shared a throwback photograph of herself along with former US president Bill Clinton and mentioned that she was "honoured" to meet the "charismatic" president. The old photograph also featured musician Stevie Wonder and actor Samuel L. Jackson too. "Had the honour of meeting the charismatic President Clinton, praying for Hillary Clinton victory...Stevie Wonder, Samuel Jackson. Throwback Thursday," Mallika captioned the image. The actor is known for her bold performances in films such as Khwahish and Murder, and was last seen on screen in the 2015 film Dirty Politics. Hillary won Wednesday night's final presidential debate, while Republican rival Donald Trump refused to say that he would accept the result of the November 8 election if he lost. In what assumes significance in the backdrop of Pakistans efforts to get international support for its stand on Jammu and Kashmir, Algeria has said that it believes the state is an integral part of India. Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal expressed his countrys full support to Indias stand on Jammu and Kashmir in his meeting with Vice President Hamid Ansari. According to official sources, Sellal told Ansari that Algeria was with India on Jammu and Kashmir and fully supported its efforts to fight cross-border terrorism. Algerias stand on Jammu and Kashmir is significant since it is a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, of which Pakistan is also a member. Pakistan has accused India of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir at the OIC. Ansaris meeting with Sellal took place as part of a series of high-level bilateral discussions during his two-day visit to Algeria. The vice president returned home on Thursday after completing a five-day, two-nation visit to Hungary and Algeria. Briefing mediapersons as he headed back home, the vice president said the question of terrorism came up prominently in his discussions with the leadership of both Hungary and Algeria. Views expressed by both the countries were entirely to our satisfaction. It was agreed that terrorism is a disease that is affecting the whole world and it has to be eradicated, he said. When asked specifically if he mentioned Pakistan in his discussions with the leaders of the two countries for its role in promoting cross-border terrorism, he said no names were taken, but it was understood which country was being referred to. Names do not have to be taken at this level. When it is discussed, it is known which country I am talking about, he said. Talking about Algerias own fight against terrorism, he said it had proved to be a costly affair in terms of the effort made and also the lives lost. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost. There was not a family that did not lose a life, he said. He also spoke about the efforts made by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to bring back the dissidents into the mainstream. Ansari had over an hour-long meeting with Bouteflika. Talking about the major thrust of the two-nation visit, Ansari said the main purpose was to reconnect with the two countries. The last high-level visit by India to Hungary was in 1993, while a top Indian leader last visited Algeria in 1985. Ansari noted that the reception as well as the farewell accorded to him in Algiers was overwhelming, with as many as five ministers coming to the airport to receive him and see him off. A highlight of the visit to Algeria, he said, was the holding of substantive discussions on India setting up a fertiliser plant in the north African country as a joint venture to tap and process the rich phosphate reserves present there. Besides fertilisers, India and Algeria have identified areas of cooperation in defence and security, hydrocarbon resources, peaceful use of atomic energy and space. Ansari also extended an invitation on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Algerian Prime Minister, which he accepted. About his visit to Budapest, Ansari said an MoU had been signed with Hungary on cleaning of rivers and making them navigable, and a working group had been set up to look for areas of cooperation in the fields of science and technology, including in security and defence technologies. Till a few months back, Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi was stringent in her attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Now, as the elections to the Uttar Pradesh is round the corner, she switched camps to join the BJP, a party his brother and former Uttarakhand CM Vijay Bahuguna had joined some time back. She started her innings in the saffron party with a sharp attack on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi accusing him of lacking leadership qualities and slamming him for his Khoon Ki Dalali remark on surgical strikes. An MLA in the Uttar Pradesh assembly, Bahuguna joined the BJP at the party headquarters in Delhi in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. Congress was quick to call her an opportunist for her decision to leave party and attack Gandhi. Daughter of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Hemawati Nandan Bahuguna, her entry into the BJP is likely to help the saffron party in sending a message to the electorally important Brahmins in the state. Bahugunas scathing attack on Rahul became the highlight of her induction ceremony. I felt sad over Rahul Gandhis Khoon Ki Dalali remarks questioning the surgical strikes. When the whole world had accepted that we carried out surgical strikes, I didnt like it when Congress and other parties questioned it. I had even tweeted about it, She said in the press conference. She also expressed faith in the leadership of Modi and Shah. She went on to question Rahuls leadership qualities saying he did not evoke confidence among people or his partymen. Sonia Gandhi was different. She used to listen to us, though she might do whatever she liked. But this does not happen under Rahul, She added. Going a step ahead, she even hit out at Congress campaign manager in Uttar Pradesh Prashant Kishore saying he was controlling the Congress leaders in the state. He takes decisions on our programmes. How can he do so to leaders like us. Congress has outsourced the party to him, Bahuguna charged. Amit Shah, though present during the induction, did not speak to the media on it. Congress attacked Bahuguna calling her an opportunist. Opportunist leaders do not stick at one place. Earlier, she was in Samajwadi Party, then Congres and now she is in the BJP. Tomorrow, she'll go somewhere else," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said. "This is absolute opportunism. She just made an excuse to leave. The reality is she couldn't have won the election. The contest is very tough," said Azad. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar rubbed it in. He said Bahuguna did what some other members of her party had done in the past, an apparent reference to her father who had left Congress to join Lok Dal. Her brother was instrumental in bringing down Congress government in Uttarakhand before joining the BJP. A Poynette firm has been charged with multiple willful and serious health violations after its workers got ill renovating a New Glarus nursing home in April. A&A Environmental Inc., was issued four willful and nine serious violations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for exposing five employees to asbestos and carbon monoxide while working at New Glarus Home, 600 Second Ave., on April 19. The company could be fined over $240,000 for the 13 violations. OSHA said A&A failed to monitor carbon monoxide levels in an asbestos containment area and violated safe handling procedures for asbestos. The five employees were treated at a hospital after getting sick from exposure to carbon monoxide. The workers were the only ones affected by the exposure, since they were in a confined containment area; nobody in the nursing home was affected, an OSHA spokeswoman said. "A company like A&A Environmental that specializes in asbestos abatement should be setting the standard in employee protection while handling known carcinogenic material," said Ann Grevenkamp, OSHAs area director in Madison, in a statement. The company has 15 days to contest OSHAs findings. [Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a correction. The original version misidentified the company that has been fined. It is A&A Environmental Inc.] 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 down 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 that there was 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 Tuesday, Vice Chancellor had also met the parents of Ahmed and had apprised them of all that they were doing to find him. As protests erupt in Jawaharlal Nehru university over a missing student, Union home minister Rajnath Singh has directed the Delhi police to form a special team to probe the case. Singh spoke to Delhi police commissioner twice even as the cops have launched a manhunt to trace Najeeb Ahmed, who went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus a night before. The Delhi police has formed a special investigation team and is also liasioning with other state police forces to find out his whereabouts . Sources in the Home ministry said that various angles of the missing case including any possible rivalries, both personal and political in nature, would be examined. Meanwhile, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju came down heavily on the protesting students saying, "It seems that some students go to JNU not for studying but for doing only politics." He said, "It is wrong to confine the vice chancellor and other officials of the university. JNU is a big institution. They should concentrate on studies and carry out all their activities within the framework of law and order." It may be recalled that the Rajnath Singh had earlier said that terror outfits, backed by the ISI, were trying to foment trouble in the university campus during the protests led by student leader Kanhaiya Kumar where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised. The ministry is keeping a close watch on the developments as it is concerned over the latest incident and does not want the protests to spiral out of control. WASHINGTON I just finished watching Stranger Things, the Netflix series in which government scientists try to spy on Russians by sending a girl with telekinetic powers into a parallel universe. The plan goes awry when the girl, by opening the gate between universes, allows a faceless, long-clawed monster to escape. The Demogorgon begins kidnapping and eating people in the real world, and the scientists, powerless to stop it, are themselves devoured. Watching this flesh-eating monster consume the very people who made it possible naturally brought to mind Donald Trump. Republican leaders tried to harness the power of parallel universes the tea party, the birthers, the alt-right and others aggrieved by women, immigrants and racial and religious minorities and their experimentation unleashed Demogorgon Trump, who is now eating defenseless party leaders alive. Take House Speaker Paul Ryan, who didnt step up to oppose Trump a year ago when he and other leaders, acting in concert, probably could have rallied the GOP to reject Trump. Now Ryan is doing many of the right things condemning Trumps videotaped remarks about women, announcing he wont defend or campaign with Trump and advising members to do whats best for you in your district regarding Trump. But the monster continues marauding. Last weekend, Ryan took issue with Trumps talk about rigged elections and other remarks that could induce violence on and after Election Day. His office released a statement saying he is fully confident in election integrity. Trump swiped at Ryan in a series of tweets: Paul Ryan, always fighting the Republican nominee! ... Paul Ryan, a man who doesnt know how to win (including failed run four years ago). ... Paul Ryan does zilch! And its not just Ryan who lost control. Even Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, cant bring the monster to heel. We will absolutely accept the results of the election, he said Sunday, only for Trump to tweet Monday that there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before Election Day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive! Between Saturday morning and Monday morning, the Trump monster fired off tweets and retweets with a combined 30 exclamation points: CORRUPTION CONFIRMED ... voter fraud! ... RIGGED! ... another hoax ... totally phoney [sic] stories ... corrupt political machine pushing crooked Hillary Clinton ... SO CORRUPT! ... Media rigging election! ... Media rigging election! Trump in recent days has suggested Clinton is on drugs, talked of a stolen election and called Clinton the devil. The Anti-Defamation League has protested Trumps use of anti-Semitic tropes when he talks of Clinton meeting in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of U.S. sovereignty and of media enablers controlling the nation through means that are very well known. Trump earlier called international-trade supporters bloodsuckers. The prospect of Trump-induced violence on or after Election Day he has directed his supporters to monitor polling places, a recipe for conflict seems to be growing. After the Arizona Republic endorsed a Democrat for president for the first time in its 125-year history, the papers management received death threats. After Saturdays firebombing of a county GOP office in North Carolina (Clinton called it horrific and unacceptable and was grateful that everyone is safe), Trump inflamed tensions by saying, Animals representing Hillary Clinton and Dems in North Carolina just firebombed our office. Trumps depredations have left Ryan, the highest-ranking Republican in the land, in a no-win situation. He could revoke his Trump endorsement, but this would require resigning the speakership, because a majority of GOP caucus members are from heavily conservative districts where Trump is popular. They, like Trump and his legions, are already furious with Ryan, and his criticism of Trump only makes them angrier. Im told Ryan considered resigning, but this would accomplish little beyond generating more chaos in an already ungovernable GOP caucus. Alternatively, Ryan could have been quiet about Trumps outrages as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has, or he could have become a Trump cheerleader the way Pence has. That might have better preserved Ryans standing with conservatives for a 2020 presidential run. But Pence and McConnell have sacrificed their moral standing. Liberals call Ryan cowardly because he wont formally un-endorse Trump, but he has left no doubt about his contempt for his partys nominee. More than 15 months ago, I argued that Trump may be a monster, but hes the monster Republicans created. Ryan failed to act, and now its too late. GOP leaders long ago lost their leash on this monster. The widows of Rabbi Nechemia Lavi HYD, R Aharon Benita-Bennett HYD and Rabbi Reuven Biermacher HYD, who were murdered in terror attacks in the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem, sent out an invitation ahead of Sukkos, inviting yomtov celebrators to come and visit Jerusalem, the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and the Kosel. The call is the initiative of the OneFamily organization, the supporters of thousands of families hurt and bereaved in terror attacks, relates to the latest renewal of terror attacks in the past month and as a result of the UNESCO latest decision regarding the Kosel. The published call was announced in the name of Mrs. Adel Benita-Bennett, who was severely wounded in a terror attack in which her husband Aharon was murdered in the attack last Sukkos; Mrs. Neta Lavi, whose husband Nechemia was murdered while trying to assist Aharon and his family; and the Biermacher family, whose father Reuven was murdered at Jaffa Gate December of 2015. They proclaim Here we stand together, the families of the bereaved and terror victims from the past year, and invite Am Yisrael to come up during Sukkot this year and visit the Jewish Quarter and the Kosel. More so in the announcement was said that Despite the threats and despite the fear, we ask Am Yisrael not to give in to terror. As the main purpose of terror is to scare us and bring down our spirit, we stand by and ask Am Yisrael to proudly march the streets of our historic and capital city as we celebrate this holiday of joy and as we commemorate the many murdered over the past year, who all join the chain of generation of the fallen from our nation for Jerusalem the holy city. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her Chantal Belzberg, director of OneFamily organization says that the outrageous UNESCO decision has brought out one good thing: it has united all of Am Yisrael around Jerusalem and around the Kotel. We therefore call out during this holiday of Sukkos, alongside with the families of the terror victims to all of Am Yisrael to put aside all controversy and unite together at our best connecting source the sites that are the core of history of our nation. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Authorities on Wednesday, second day chol hamoed Sukkos in Israel, permitted publicizing the arrested of a 32-year-old Turkish national three weeks ago. Ohrhan Biruk was taken into custody by security authorities on suspicion of security crimes and after being detained since his arrest, he was deported on Wednesday 17 Tishrei. It is reported that Biruk has visited Israel in the past in his capacity as a tour guide and last month, he was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport. It is reported he also visited Har Habayis during his last visit and is suspected of maintaining ties with Iranian intelligence. The Shin Bet has decided to deport him back to Turkey. A partial lifting of the gag order in the case permits publicizing his arrest and subsequent deportation. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Today, eleven years after the expulsion from Gaza and N. Shomron, 29% of the former 8000 residents of Gaza are still not living in permanent homes and 14% of the expellees are unemployed. The poll was conducted by the Rafi Smith Research Center, including 248 former Gush Katif residents, released on Tuesday, 16 Tishrei 5777. Half of the expellees believe that one day it may be possible for them to return to Gaza and 70% of them state if given the opportunity, they would return, 30% still view themselves residents of Gush Katif, 45% miss the community they once lived in while 34% miss the surroundings and weather. A mere 4% explained they do not miss anything from their former lives. Israel expelled about 8,600 Jews from Gaza in the so-called Disengagement Plan carried out by the Ariel Sharon administration. Baruch Hashem 66% report that they have successfully rehabilitated their lives and 71% feel they succeeded in relocating. However, 29% of the expellees still view their current home as being temporary. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) As Iraqi tanks charge across their country to purge the city of Mosul from the Islamic State group, the United States has just as much to gain from the operation as the Iraqis themselves. Since 2014, the U.S. has provided advise and assist operations to prop the beleaguered Iraqi military back on its feet after IS group gutted it of weapons, supplies and soldiers during its blitzkrieg across Iraq and Syria. Coalition forces later launched airstrikes in both countries, reinforcing Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian ground forces, while maintaining that no foreign combat troops would partake in the fight. A look at the U.S. role against the Islamic State group: HOW MANY U.S. SOLDIERS ARE CURRENTLY IN IRAQ AND SYRIA? According to the Pentagon, there are 4,815 U.S. forces currently in Iraq, including some special operations forces. That number does not include as many as 1,500 troops who are there on temporary duty or other short-term contracts. The Obama administration has authorized a maximum troop level of 5,262. In Syria, the Obama administration has authorized 300 troops most of them special operations forces who are tasked mainly with working with Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab allies. Medical and logistics units are also included in that number. WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? U.S. forces in Iraq use bases in the cities of Baghdad, Irbil, Taji and Habaniyah. There are also several hundred American troops at the military base in Qayara West, south of Mosul, where they are helping build a staging area for the Iraqi security forces operation to recapture the city, according to a U.S. military official, who spoke anonymously because the details havent been made public. In northern Syria, details remain a closely-guarded secret given the sensitivity of the operations. U.S. support is ultimately aimed at helping the Syrian Democratic Forces advance on Raqqa, Islamic States de facto capital. They sometimes stay in the country for several weeks at a time. WHAT IS THE OVERALL MISSION? In Iraq there are advisers, trainers, special operations forces and others stationed at Iraqi bases, working with the Iraqi forces. In addition to working with the Iraqis at the division headquarters level, some advisers are advising the Iraqis at the brigade and battalion level, meaning that they are embedding those teams of advisers with smaller units, closer to the fight. American forces in Syria arent actually based in Syria. They travel in and out from neighboring countries mainly Turkey and Iraq sometimes staying in the country for several days at a time. They are there to provide advice and other assistance, but do not fight alongside the Syrians. Pentagon officials say that U.S. Special Forces have carried out about 400 missions in Syria to date. HOW IS THE AIR CAMPAIGN GOING? Since airstrikes began in August 2014, over 10,200 airstrikes had been cumulatively carried out in Iraq and nearly 5,600 in Syria. August saw a second consecutive month that coalition airstrikes in Syria outnumbered those in Iraq. According to Chris Woods, director of the Airwars project, a group that tracks and archives data from the international air war against the IS group, only 7 percent of the airstrikes being conducted in Iraq and Syria were by Reaper and Predator drones. WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS? While the vast majority of airstrikes are conducted by the U.S. in both Iraq and Syria, coalition partners include the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Belgium and Bahrain. Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Turkey has also sent tanks, warplanes and special operations forces into northern Syria. Turkeys objective has been twofold: Its looking to clear Islamic State militants from its remaining border stronghold, while also rolling back any advances made by Syrian Kurdish militias, which Turkey regards as a significant national security threat. While Russia is not part of the coalition in Syria, the U.S. has worked out a limited agreement with the Russians to de-conflict flights over Syria to maintain airspace safety and avoid collisions. But diplomatic talks with Russia became to disintegrate this month after the U.S. formally accused Russia of trying to meddle in the U.S. election by hacking U.S. political groups. Secretary of State John Kerry also accused the Kremlin of war crimes in Syria, all but ending efforts to boost cooperation between Washington and Moscow on the issue of Syria. SO, WHERE DO WE STAND ON THE MOSUL OPERATION? Timeframes provided by American and Iraqi officials have varied between a few weeks to a few months, but there is no question that the push toward the Islamic State stronghold is very much underway. East of Mosul, coalition forces, supported Kurdish peshmerga fighters, are conducting an operation dubbed Evergreen II, which was designed to seize and control the key terrain near the Gaur River Bridge and the Great Zab River. The operation was executed with nearly 2,000 peshmerga fighters, with support from coalition and artillery strikes. Coalition supported forces have also cleared five villages around Mosul, namely Qayara, which will be used as a critical staging ground for the Mosul operation, as well as a center for humanitarian efforts. The coalition is providing training to remove many of the explosive remnants of war that IS fighters typically leave behind once theyve been driven from an area. It is also conducting multiple strikes around the city with the goal of denying the militants access to critical infrastructure and resources, including the Tigris River. (AP) Lawmakers in the Czech Parliaments lower house have condemned this weeks resolution by UNESCO that Israel says denies the deep historic Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem. The resolution, titled Occupied Palestine, lays out rules about the preservation of holy sites in Jerusalem, and uses only the Islamic name for the Har Habayis including the Kosel. In a Wednesday vote, 119 of the 149 lawmakers present approved a strongly worded protest against the step, saying the resolution denies historic links between the Jews and their holy sites, discredits UNESCO and fuels anti-Semitism. The Czech Republic is one of Israels closest allies in the European Union. (AP) Written by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com Rav Leibel Rand shlita heads an outstanding Kollel in the heart if the Far Rockaway/Five Towns Community, called Kolle Avreichim. This Kollel has produced remarkable products including: Founders of a world-class Mesivta Program Shaarei Chaim (which just launched its own Beis Medrash program with Talmidim coming from as far as Lakewood and Monsey) Rabbonim who have taken leadership positions throughout the country. Kiruv Professionals who have created facts on the ground. Poskim in halacha such as Eiruvin and the like. What follows is a previous shiur given by Rav Leibel Rand Shlita at Kollel Avreichim in Far Rockaway/Five Towns. The following is a synopsis of what was presented in that previous shiur. DORAISAH MITZVOS The Mitzvos doraisah that come once a year are very special to Klal Yisroel. We are under the impression that we have 613 Mitzvos, but in our days, they are much rarer. The Minchas Elazar used to cry when he performed one of the once-per-year Mitzvos. When asked why he was crying he responded, Nowadays we do not have taryag Mitzvos anymore. We only have 270 mitzvos [the siman is Raish Ayin which in gematria is 270 and also means bad.] The Minchas Elazar was crying for those Mitzvos that are missing. So, we should chap-a-rein when faced with the rarer once-per-year Mitzvos and perform them in the most optimal manner possible. PLEASE HELP A VERY CHOSHUV HACHNASSAS KALLAH SITUATION https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/hachnasaskallah WHAT IS OPTIMUM IN AN ESROG So what is the optimum esrog? We will try to rank the maalos. The first is that it should be clean. Nekius. The Pri Magadim says that is the ikkar essential quality in what makes an ideal esrog. The only thing that is considered a true blemish is something that is nirah lanayim seeable to the naked eye and is obvious at arms length. At that distance you ought to be able to detect that blemish without particular concentration. If you dont notice a blemish at arms length then it is okay. This means without iyun bhistaklus. What are we looking for? Maaros psulos colors that disqualify the esrog Black or white. Where on the esrog is the maareh pasul? The line is the nose the chotem of the esrog. above the half line where it starts sloping. If you have a mareh pasul anywhere from there to the top it is pasul. There is, however, a Machlokes about where the chotem is. There are four shitos opinions. Rashi, the Rosh, the Chsam Sofer, and the Ri migash and Rach. This fourth opinion holds that the stem of the pitom is the chotem. The final halacha is that anywhere in these four areas a maareh pasul would render the esrog pasul. Optimum is completely clean above here. No need for magnifying glass. As far as the lower part of the esrog , it is nisht geferlach. That is the first thing to look for. 2. The second is the look of the esrog. This is not a psul but a maalah. An esrog where the color is not uniform, is not a good look. It should not have different blotches. Either fully yellow or fully green is okay. However, if it has blotches of these two different colors then it is a bad look. The raavads shita is that it is an issue. the Mishna Brurah says to be choshesh to be concerned for it. So maaleh #2 is uniform. 3. The third issue is a bletl a scab or a crust. It comes in various forms sometimes lighter, a gray or a brown discoloration. It is a scab. Sometimes it is very small and you dont recognize it as a scab. The scab has two presentations. a. The first type is thick. If you go over it with your finger you can discern it is a higher than the esrog. b. The second is very thin, nice and smooth and you dont get a bump. The Ramah says that these things (the second type) are not a problem. We will discuss the first type. On this one you should be machmir stringent. If it is above the chotem you should find another esrog. If it is readily discernable as a type one, you should be machmir. If it is not higher than the rest of the surface of the esrog (type B) the Minhag of the olam is not to be machmir. If you can get one without it, of course, do so, but the Minhag is to be lenient. [Now we will digress to a psul. An esrog has a problem where it is in more than one place in 2 or 3 places even below the chotem. Since these encompass most of the circumference of the esro. The esrogg has been effected by these huge black dots. It pasuls the esrog, since it is berov hekeifo. Even though it is below the chotem. There is another case of this, where it may not encompass most of the circumference but it does go down the length of it it is the height that pasuls. Also an esrog that has a black dot on the pitom. The Mishna Brurah in his Biur Halacha says that you should be machmir, stringent, regarding a black dot on the pitom. The velt does not consider the pitom as part of the chotem, but the Mishna Brurah says that the rishonim who hold the chotem is lower did not mean to exclude the pitom.] 4. The next one is that you should get an esrog with a pitom. There are two reasons. The second reason deal with the problem of ascertaining at what stage of the Esrogs development the pitom fell off in its growth. If you look where the pitom was, it will typically leave a depression or groove. That is a sign that the pitom fell off early in the development and then it is not a problem. 5. The next hiddur is that you should not get a little esrog. Hiddur mitzvah ad shlish the beautification of a Mitzvah is up to a third more. To get a minimum shiur is not a hiddur. What is the shiur? [Editors Note: The Shulchan Aruch rules that it is the size of an egg] As an added note the achronim are very machmir that something green like grass is a mareh pasul. A patch of green as grass in the chotem may be a maareh pasul, thus in two or three areas as well it may be a problem. 6. The last maaleh is that it should be pretty. It should be aligned nicely and it should be like a Migdal, a tower, nice and long and a nice chotem. It should have a pretty color. That is zeh kaili vanveihu. Psulim 1. The first psul is when part of the Esrog is missing chaser.. In anything chaser it is pasul. Some rishonim say that the amount is like the size of an issur [an Italian coin], but we rule that it is any amount. An esrog is actually covered by a thin, thin membrane that covers the entire esrog. Beneath that is what you see the pores and color. Below that, the esrog turns white. When we talk about chaser the membrane is not what we are concerned about that would be a shailah of niklaf but not chaser. The white part is certainly considered chaser. What about the green part? Nowadays we have plenty of esrogim so be machmir. SAFEK A doubt in Chaser What if you have a safek and you cannot tell 100 percent whether it is chaser? On a safek, if you are stuck you can make a bracha. Why? Because we have a sfek sfaikah a double doubt. There is a safek as to how much it is missing that is one doubt. Whether we paskin that way. And the second is the doubt as to whether we rule like those Poskim who say that you need the minimum shiur of an issur to be considered chaser. The issue of chaser is true at any point and not just at arms length. This is at any distance. Also if the safek is at the chotem then the sfek sfaikah doesnt necessarily work. On the chotem, the chaser will change the color. 2. When discussing niklaf the membrane is missing, then that can change the color. If it is above the chotem then it is pasul. Also, if it is in 2 or 3 areas that occupy most of the esrog that also pasuls. 3. If the oketz falls out and leaves a hole that pasuls. [Going back to the previous issue of missing chaser A chaser is permitted on the rest of the days and you can make a bracha even if the pitom falls off. You can make a bracha on the second day, but it is not hiddur Mitzvah. If you are stuck you can even make a bracha on the second day even though it is a sfeika dyoma.] 4. One of the psulim is called nikav this is pasul even if it is not missing anything. If it has a hole and it goes down to the chambers where the seeds are. Sometimes, a teimani (Yemenite) esrog has a hole. A Yemenite esrog has no pitom, it is probably rare that the whole goes down to the chadrei haEsrog, but nonetheless we should be worried.. It is sometimes difficult to figure out how deep that hole goes. PLEASE HELP A VERY CHOSHUV HACHNASSAS KALLAH SITUATION https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/hachnasaskallah Other Halacha LMaaseh Issues 1. The first is when you bench esrog. You should hold them all together. This should be done at a higher point to make sure that you have all four in your grasp. 2. You should ascertain that the spine, the shidrah should protrude beyond the level of hadassim four inches above the hadassim. Not just the leaves but the spine itself. 3. The first day there is a din of lachem. You can do matana al menas lhachzir, the common difficulty that everyone faces is if you have children at home. So if you give your son an esrog, it is his for keeps and he cannot give it back to you as a matana. The second day you cant fulfill the lachem as a result. The MB says that if you have a child who knows how to shake but cannot give it back his father should buy him a lulav. The Mishna Brurah says that there are those who say for chinuch purposes that since outwardly the mitzvah is bseder the fact that it is missing the lachem doesnt pasul according to some people. This is one tzad in the Mishna Brurah. Rav Moshe Feinstein, in his Igros Moshe, says that bzman hazeh we should not rely on this leniency that was when everyone was poor. Now what about a ktana an underaged girl? there is no Mitzvah in chinuch for daled minim so if she does it, and she has lachem there is no way she could make a bracha. The other more lenient side of the Mishna Brurah would not apply to her. So a ktana is more chamur than a katan. 4. There is a hiddur mitzvah in making a bracha on your own daled minim. Therefore if you have someone who has prettier minim than yours there is a hiddur on your own. Thats true if the others is prettier, but what about if the other persons daled minim is kosher according to more shitos? Is that a maaleh? This is a little complicated. The velt relates a story of Rav Chaim who had two esrogim: one was prettier but not so meyuchas, and the other was more meyuchas but not as pretty. As an aside, murkav is the main issue regarding not meyuchas. If it is grafted it may not be considered the species of esrog. It is not an esrog. The way you know that it is not murkav is through a chazakah. Rav Chaim had an esrog that wasnt pretty and he had another one that was certainly not murkav. He recited the bracha on both. He would shake the yanav which is certainly not murkav.. Then he would recite it on the other. If your friends esrog is just prettier than yours then reciting the bracha on your own esrog is also a hiddur mitzvah. If there are shitos that hold that yours is not than do yours first and then his that is a question. As an aside, the Ohr HaChaim says you have to pay for the mitzvah or it doesnt count. [Editors note This seems to be more than the chayei adams requirement of paying full cost for a Mitzvah]. And now a thought. Kol atzmosai tomarnah Hashem Mi Chamocha All my bones shall say, Hashem who is like You.. In Nishmas we say these words. The Midrash states that it refers to the 4 minim. The Lulav is spine haddasim is eyes aravah is sfasayim esrog is the lev. The Meforshim explain that we say Hallel for the nes that we were saved on this past Rosh HaShana. Regarding praising Hashem, had we had the faculties and capabilities, even if we were able to do it infinite times like the waves of the ocean on such an ongoing level we would not be able to express our praise and thanks even to one billionth of what we are obliged to do. We are mortals and our abilities are limited. Since it is this way, therefore we say, al kain aivarim they, our limbs, should express it. This is a problem. Didnt we just say that it was not possible? The world asks this question. The Meforshim give a moshol: There was a king that went on a hunting trip in the rural areas of the province. His carriage was sinking, his small hunting party couldnt rescue him. An uneducated provincial individual had a pair of oxen and he hitched the kings carriage to it and he saved the kings life. The king gave an order to send him a gift. They sent him a set of royal china. This fellow ate on the floor regularly. He didnt know what to do with the royal china and didnt use it. One day the king happened to be in the same neighborhood. The minister told him, you ought to say hello to the person that saved your life. The king came to the door of his savior. The person didnt know what to do. What could he possibly offer the king? He got out the royal china. He brought that out. Al kain aivarim.. We have nothing. These aivarim, these limbs, are the royal china. This is the moshol as heard. Rabbi Rand wanted to add that this person at least saved the royal china. If he had less saichel, he could possibly have used it for less important purposes. He might have used it to dig with or even to have used it as a chamber pot. That is perhaps another reason why the aibershter gave us Yom Kippur. In case that we perhaps used the royal china in a way that is inappropriate. We, at least, washed it. That is one of the purposes, perhaps of Yom Kippur, even for those who passed the test on Rosh Hashana. A gut gebenched year. The transcriber can be reached at [email protected] PLEASE HELP A VERY CHOSHUV HACHNASSAS KALLAH SITUATION https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/hachnasaskallah Threatening to upend a basic pillar of American democracy, Donald Trump refused Wednesday night to say he would accept the results of the November election if he loses to Hillary Clinton. The Democratic nominee declared Trumps resistance horrifying. Trump has spent the days leading up to Wednesday nights presidential debate warning voters that the election will be rigged. Asked whether he would accept the results, he said, I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Earlier, Clinton forcefully accused Trump of favoring Russias leader over American military and intelligence experts Wednesday night, as the Republican nominee pointedly refused to accept the U.S. governments assertion that Moscow has sought to meddle in the presidential election. In a combative exchange in the final presidential debate, Clinton charged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing Trump because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Trump denied any relationship with Putin and said he would condemn any foreign interference in the election. But he notably refused to accept the intelligence communitys assessment that Russia was involved in the hacking of Democratic organizations. The Clinton campaign has also said the FBI is investigating Russias involvement in the hacking of a top advisers emails. The third presidential debate opened with a measured, policy-focused discussion a stark contrast to the heated and highly personal clashes that defined the earlier contests. However, Trump quickly reverted to his previous style of repeatedly bursting in to interrupt Clinton as well as moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. The 90-minute contest in Las Vegas came just under three weeks before Election Day and with early voting underway in more than 30 states. The candidates outlined starkly different visions for the Supreme Court under their potential presidencies, with the Republican declaring the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion would be overturned by his judicial nominees. Clinton vowed to appoint justices who would uphold the ruling legalizing abortion, saying, We have come too far to have that turned back now. Trump pressed Clinton on immigration, accusing her of wanting an open borders policy, a characterization she vigorously disputes. The Republican, who has called for building a wall the length of the U.S.-Mexico border, said that under a Clinton presidency, People are going to pour into our country. Clashing on trade, Trump said Clinton had misrepresented her position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, noting that she had originally called it the gold standard of trade agreements. Clinton shot back that once the deal was finished, it didnt meet her standards. Ill be against it when Im president, she said. For Trump, the debate marked one of his final chances to reshape a race that appears to be slipping away from him. Clintons campaign is confidently expanding into traditionally Republican states, while Trumps narrow electoral path is shrinking. Already unpopular with a majority of Americans, the GOP nominee has been battered by recent revelations of his vulgar comments about women and a string of assault allegations. Clinton began the debate with a lead in most battleground states. Her challenge was to both keep up her efforts to paint Trump as unfit to be president and start moving to ease Americas deep divisions, which have only been exacerbated during the campaign. The latter is no easy task for the Democratic nominee, given the publics persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Clinton faced debate questions for the first time about revelations in her top advisers hacked emails that show her striking a different tone in private than in public regarding Wall Street banks and trade. She quickly turned the discussion to Russias potential role in stealing the emails. (AP) The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has scheduled a public meeting about the proposed deck replacement on the Milwaukee Street bridge over the northbound lanes of Interstate 39/90. The project isn't scheduled until 2018, but DOT officials want public input now, so the meeting is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Madison Fire Department station at 6350 Town Center Drive. The project includes deck removal and replacement on the existing bridge. Milwaukee Street has two bridges over the Interstate, one over the southbound lanes, the other over the northbound lanes. Work would be done on the northbound lane bridge. The road would be closed during construction, with the detour including Thompson Drive, Commercial Avenue and Sprecher Road. DOT representatives will be at the meeting to answer questions; no formal presentation is planned. For those unable to attend the public meeting, or for more information, contact project manager Amy Coughlin, 608-245-5358, or email her at amy.coughlin@dot.wi.gov. The Republican National Committee will accept the results of the general election even if Donald Trump doesnt. Thats according to RNC spokesman Sean Spicer. He says, Were going to respect the will of the people. The answer was in response to Trumps refusal during the debate to say whether he would concede if he loses the general election. He said, Ill keep you in suspense. He has been railing against the U.S. election system as rigged for weeks. Spicer addressed Trumps explosive comment after the debate. He says it likely wont be an issue because Trump will win. When pressed, Spicer said, I cannot speak for what he thinks. (AP) Cleared for Release: Shin Bet officials on Thursday 18 Tishrei removed a gag order, permitting publication of a conspiracy to perpetrate a major terror attack in southern Israel. According to the information released, the terror cell planned to target a simcha hall but Bchasdei Hashem, they were apprehended before they could carry it out as they were arrested by police on September 21, 2016. Hassin Abu-Taheh, a resident of Khan Yunis (Gaza) was arrested as he tried passing through the Erez Crossing. Officials report the cell members are aligned with the Islamic Jihad in Gaza and they planned a large attack in a simcha hall that included abducting and murdering an IDF soldier. Others Gazans were also enlisted by the cell including at least one Gazan who was inside Green Line Israel illegally. Indictments were handed down in the Beersheva District Court on Thursday, 18 Tishrei. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) European Union leaders lashed out at Russia Thursday, criticizing its backing for the Syrian regime and accusing it of atrocities in the besieged city of Aleppo. It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities, in Syria, British Prime Minister Theresa May told reporters as she arrived for a summit of European heads of state and government in Brussels. Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas also took a hard line against Moscow and its backing for President Bashar Assad. They have the ambition of turning Aleppo into a new Grozny. This is absolutely unacceptable, he said, referring to the destruction of the Chechen capital in 1999-2000 by Russian troops. The EU has imposed sanctions on Syrian officials, but unanimity is lacking within the 28-nation bloc about extending the measures to Russia. The leaders are set to discuss their tense relations with Russia over dinner later Thursday. They had hoped to do so without the issue of sanctions weighing on their talks. However, the siege of Aleppo and increasing civilian casualties in Syria means punitive measures are being considered once again. And as they gathered, Britain was sending warships to monitor a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels as they sail through the North Sea and the English Channel on their way to Syria via the Mediterranean Sea. I hope that we as the European Council are in a position to make clear that what is happening in Aleppo, with Russian support, is completely inhuman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. So there must be work as soon as possible on achieving a cease-fire not just one over several hours per day, followed by many hours of bombing, but a lasting cease-fire. And above all getting humanitarian aid to people. People in Aleppo, she said, need a cease-fire, need an end to the war, and in their overwhelming majority have nothing in common with the terrorists. EU Council President Donald Tusk, who is chairing the summit, said the EU should keep all options open, including sanctions, if the crimes continue. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Loefven said we probably also have witnessed war crimes, and that needs to be dealt with. On sanctions, he noted that I dont think there is unity now but I think it should be on the table, that this is an option for the future. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said its important to keep up the sanctions pressure over Ukraine, particularly because of Russias annexation of Crimea. Russia, contrary to all international rules, is still in Crimea, also in eastern Ukraine, and still causes major instability in the region, Rutte said. (AP) News & Information Visit us at the new www.wklawbusiness.com for all legal, business and health care products and services from Wolters Kluwer Law & Business CCH UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 10/20/16 Taxes paid to couple working in France were creditable under Social Security Act The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Tax Court incorrectly determined that taxes paid to the French government by a married couple who worked in France were not creditable under Section 317(b)(4) of the Social Security Act. The lower court had held that the taxes, Contribution SocialeGeneralisee (CSG) and Contribution pour le Remboursement de la DetteSociale (CRDS), were paid in accordance with the terms of a totalization agreement between France and the United States and so were neither creditable nor deductible. According to the court, the CSG and CRDS both amended and supplemented specified laws making up the French Social Security system under the plain meaning of the terms. Thus, the taxes were covered by the totalization agreement. However, the Tax Court reached the conclusion that the CSG and CRDS "amend or supplement" the designated French laws without looking to the text of the totalization agreement or the signatory countries' shared understanding; the Tax Court only looked at what "amends" or "supplements" means in domestic dictionaries, as it might do if construing a purely domestic statute. Yet, the totalization agreement is not a domestic statute. It is an executive agreement with a foreign country, initiated by the State Department, negotiated by the Social Security Administration, signed by the president and a foreign government, and approved by Congress. Thus, it must be interpreted under the same principles as international treaties. The appellate court found that whether the CSG and CRDS "amend or supplement" the enumerated French laws was fundamentally an inquiry into the content and meaning of the French laws referred to in Article 2(b) of the totalization agreement. For that reason, when determining the meaning of "amend or supplement," the French laws should have been consulted. Further, the plain text of the totalization agreement foreclosed the definition the Tax Court applied because it looked not to the laws specified in Article 2(3), but the French Social Security system as a whole. Moreover, the question of whether the CSG or CRDS amend or supplement the French laws turned on the shared expectations of both governments, which are grounded in the provisions of the agreement. Finally, the IRS failed to provide any evidence of how the U.S. or French governments interpreted the agreement. Neither the IRS nor its witnesses asserted any authority to speak for the State Department or the U.S. government as a party to the agreement. Accordingly, the judgment of the Tax Court was reversed and the case was remanded for further proceedings (Eshel, CA-DC, No. 14-1215, August 5, 2016). Is all tickety-boo at Santander chairman Baroness Vaderas post-Brexit task force? Redoubtable Shriti established the lobby group in August, enlisting London Stock Exchange Boss Xavier Rolet and Morgan Stanleys Robert Rooney. Since then, Im told, certain members have begun to wonder if shes the right candidate to lead them. Is all tickety-boo? Redoubtable Shriti established the lobby group in August As a former Treasury minister during the 2008 crisis, some are grumbling Vadera, 54, is tainted goods and her devotion to the single market unhelpful. Shes also failed to establish much of a rapport with dull dog Chancellor Philip Hammond, though surely thats understandable. Legendary oil baron Algy Cluff has sold his 4,000-acre Highlands estate, Gruinards, for just over 1.5m. Im 76 and can no longer enjoy the challenges of a wild estate, he tells me. When Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe visited Gruinards in 1994, Cluff laid on a bagpiper to greet him. The murderous toad was unimpressed, remarking: Unless I am mistaken, this gentleman is squeezing the gut of a dead animal. And they call us primitive. Fast food chain Leons millionaire founder John Vincent is learning Wing Chun, a Chinese martial art, which he says involves staying relaxed, recognising that most conflict is created by your own ego. Not that many would begrudge Vincent, 44, a jumbo-sized ego. The jammy devil shares a marital four-poster with toothsome BBC presenter Katie Derham. Verdict in The Spectator on the Bank of Englands Canadian Governor Mark Carney serving a full term until 2020: He should not be allowed to. He has got too much wrong. As Mr Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice, says to his daughter Mary, who is playing the piano badly: You have delighted us long enough. Let the other young ladies have time to exhibit. It is time for Mr Carney to shut the piano and go home. A harsh judgment. Singapore Airlines is named the worlds best airline by Conde Nast Traveller. Particularly praised is the first class section on its mammoth A380 planes where couples get their own suite. How cosy. French officials will seek to hurt Britains financial industry after Brexit, a top City figure has warned. Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers Association, said sources had told him of a plot to prevent the UK securing access under a so-called equivalence regime. This is where banks can get access to EU markets provided UK rules are as strong as those overseas. The warning from Browne came as the French ambassador to the UK mounted a charm offensive and evidence grew of a concerted lobbying effort by Paris to steal the Citys crown. Warning: Evidence is growing of a concerted lobbying effort by Paris to steal the Citys crown Banks are braced for the loss of the prized passporting regime that allows them to offer their products in any foreign country within the single market. But European Union rules grant some access if outsider countries can show that their rules are as stringent as the blocs own. Some experts argue that since Britain has been governed by EU law for decades, this equivalence is beyond doubt and could be relied upon once the nation has quit. But Browne warned that although the French accepted this would hold true to begin with, they would immediately look for ways to break ties. The alternatives, such as equivalence, are shadows of genuine passporting, he said at the BBAs annual conference yesterday. Other countries are actively lobbying banks to move jobs and businesses away from the UK. I recently heard that the French Treasury told a group of banks it was trying to persuade to move to Paris that although the UK might have to be granted equivalence initially, the question is how quickly they could force the UK to lose equivalence. The French authorities have made no secret of their plans to steal business from London, with President Francois Hollande saying it was time for them to come to France. The socialist introduced a punitive tax regime, which led to a stampede for the exits soon after his election and he has previously been known for his hostility to high finance. And many City insiders are now wary of his intentions, describing the demands to strip London of access as unhelpful and hectoring. Several speakers at the conference argued that EU cities would never be able to match the depths of Londons markets. And economist Gerard Lyons, a Brexit-backing former adviser to Boris Johnson, warned New York would be the biggest winner if negotiations turned fractious. Despite these concerns, a major lobbying effort is underway to woo the Citys bankers. French ambassador Sylvie Bergman used the conference to offer lenders a new home. This is fair competition thats what we learnt from the British, she said. Paris is the biggest financial market in Continental Europe. We have a sound banking system and regulatory organisation and a deep pool of talent. If youre tired of the smog, try France. Trade minister Mark Garnier told BBA guests that a French delegation had been in Japan at the same time as he visited the country. They were trying to persuade Japanese financiers to move to Paris, he said. Garnier stressed the Governments commitment to financial services and said Brexit offered upsides as well as risks. Theres opportunities from Brexit to address some regulatory issues, which can make the UK an even more attractive place to do business, he said British construction firms' input costs have risen firmly and their workload has grown at the slowest pace in over three years in the third quarter, according to new figures. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said its latest survey suggested that many firms were still concerned about the implications of Brexit. It found that, although workload and employment expectations had improved since the initial shock following the referendum , they were still lower than at the beginning of the year. Growth in the private commercial sector was unchanged from the second quarter, while in the infrastructure sector 17 per cent more surveyors reported a rise rather than a fall in workloads. Some 19 per cent more chartered surveyors reported that construction workloads in the UK had risen rather than fallen the lowest reading since the second quarter of 2013, RICS said. Input costs have also continued to rise firmly as the pound weakens, with a net balance of 48 per cent of respondents reporting a rise. RICS chief economist Simon Rubinsohn said: The picture painted by the Q3 survey is one of subdued growth, and although expectations have improved following the immediate shock of the vote to leave the EU, anecdotal evidence from respondents suggests that much uncertainty still remains on the outlook for the year ahead. All sectors of construction saw a slowdown, although private housing continued to show the highest levels of growth, with 27 per cent more surveyors reporting that workloads had risen rather than fallen. But RICS said that the figures masked the disparity between the kinds of properties that are being built. Jeremy Blackburn, RICS UK head of policy, said: When the Communities Secretary publishes his Housing White Paper later this month, he must deliver a housing programme that benefits more than the just the fortunate few. We need to shift the rhetoric away from home ownership and encourage the building of affordable rental properties in the suburbs and our cities. The Midlands remained the region with the strongest construction industry, while London and the South East have seen growth levels moderate significantly due largely to a slowdown in activity in the private commercial sector. In the UK overall, growth in the private commercial sector was unchanged from the second quarter, while in the infrastructure sector 17 per cent more surveyors reported a rise rather than a fall in workloads. It comes as building merchant Travis Perkins, which is closely linked to the wider UK housing and construction market, announced it was closing 30 branches in a move that puts 600 jobs at risk. The company said it was taking the steps due to an 'uncertain UK outlook' for next year. The survey follows official figures last week showing all areas of construction except for private commercial, recording a monthly drop, including housebuilding and, most of all, infrastructure projects. I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think. South Jersey Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides energy-related products and services. The company engages in the purchase, transmission, and sale of natural gas. It also sells natural gas and pipeline transportation capacity on a wholesale basis to residential, commercial, and industrial customers on the interstate pipeline system, as well as transports natural gas purchased directly from producers or suppliers to customers. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 147 miles of mains in the transmission system and 6,815 miles of mains in the distribution system; and served 384,062 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southern New Jersey. In addition, it markets natural gas storage, commodity, and transportation assets on a wholesale basis for energy marketers, electric and gas utilities, power plants, and natural gas producers in the mid-Atlantic, Appalachian, and southern regions of the United States. Further, the company owns and operates rooftop solar-generation sites. Additionally, it owns oil, gas, and mineral rights in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania; acquires and markets natural gas and electricity to retail end users, as well as provides total energy management, fuel management, and energy procurement and cost reduction services. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Folsom, New Jersey. The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V.. Read More 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 BorgWarner: Akasol AG, B80 Italia S.r.l., BERU AG, BW El Salto S.A. De C.V., BWA Receivables Corporation, BWA Turbo Systems Holding LLC, Borg Warner Europe Holdings (PDS) B. V., BorgWarner (China) Investment Co. Ltd., BorgWarner (Reman) Holdings L.L.C., BorgWarner (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner Aftermarket Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Alternators Inc., BorgWarner Arden LLC, BorgWarner Arnstadt RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Asia Inc., BorgWarner Automotive Asia Limited, BorgWarner Automotive Components (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Brasil Ltda., BorgWarner Chungju Co. LLC, BorgWarner Comercial e Distribuidora de Pecas para Veiculos Automotores Ltda., BorgWarner Comercializadora PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Componentes PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Cooling Systems (India) Private Limited, BorgWarner Cooling Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Diversified Transmission Products Services Inc., BorgWarner Drivetrain Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Drivetrain Management Services de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Drivetrain de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Electric Motors L.L.C., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems Holding LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Emissions Systems LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Portugal Unipessoal LDA, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Spain S.L.U., BorgWarner Emissions Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Emissions Talegaon Private Limited, BorgWarner Engineering Ketsch RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Engineering Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH, BorgWarner Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Europe Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Gateshead Limited, BorgWarner Germany Holding GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Holding Services GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REH GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REM GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, BorgWarner Global Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Heidelberg I RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg II RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg REH GmbH, BorgWarner Heidelberg REM GmbH, BorgWarner Holding Inc., BorgWarner Holdings Limited, BorgWarner Hungary Kft., BorgWarner IT Services Europe GmbH, BorgWarner India Holdings Inc., BorgWarner Investment Holding Inc., BorgWarner Ithaca LLC, BorgWarner Ketsch Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Ketsch REH GmbH, BorgWarner Ketsch REM GmbH, BorgWarner Kft., BorgWarner Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Korea Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Korea Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Korea LLC, BorgWarner Limited, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf REH GmbH, BorgWarner Markdorf REM GmbH, BorgWarner Massachusetts Inc., BorgWarner Mauritius Holdings Ltd., BorgWarner Mexico Holding BV, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings II LLC, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Morse Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Morse Systems Italy S.r.l., BorgWarner Morse Systems Japan K.K., BorgWarner Morse Systems Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Muggendorf RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner NW Inc., BorgWarner Netherlands Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Oroszlany Kft., BorgWarner PDS (Anderson) L.L.C., BorgWarner PDS (Changnyeong) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Indiana) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Livonia) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Ochang) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner PDS (USA) Inc., BorgWarner PDS Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., BorgWarner PDS Irapuato S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Technologies L.L.C., BorgWarner Poland Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Pyongtaek LLC, BorgWarner Romeo Power LLC, BorgWarner Rzeszow Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Shenglong (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner South Asia LLC, BorgWarner Southborough Inc., BorgWarner Spain Holding S.L.U, BorgWarner Sweden AB, BorgWarner Systems Lugo S.r.l., BorgWarner Thermal Systems Inc., BorgWarner Thermal Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Tralee Ltd., BorgWarner Transmission Products LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Arnstadt GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Korea LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Tulle S.A.S., BorgWarner Trustees Limited, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems France S.A.S., BorgWarner Turbo Systems Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems LLC, BorgWarner Turbo Systems Worldwide Headquarters GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Turbo and Emissions Systems de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner UK Financing Ltd., BorgWarner UK Holding and Services Ltd., BorgWarner US Holding LLC, BorgWarner USA Industries L.L.C., BorgWarner United Transmission Systems Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Waterloo Inc., BorgWarner Wrexham Limited, Cascadia Motion LLC, Creon Insurance Agency Limited, Delphi Technologies, Dytech ENSA, Gustav Wahler GmbH u. Co. KG, Haldex, Kuhlman LLC, Kysor Europe Limited, M. & M. Knopf Auto Parts L.L.C., NSK-Warner (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., NSK-Warner K.K., NSK-Warner Mexico S.A. de C.V, NSK-Warner U.S.A. Inc., New PDS Corp., Old Remco Holdings L.L.C., Old Remco International Holdings L.L.C., Remy International, SeohanWarner Turbo Systems LLC, Sevcon, Sevcon New Energy Technology (Hubei) Company Limited, and Transmission Systems AutoForm LLC. Read More SUPERVALU INC., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a grocery wholesaler and retailer in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The Wholesale segment engages in the wholesale distribution of various food and non-food products to independent retail customers, such as single and multiple grocery store operators, regional chains, and the military. It also provides professional services, such as pass-through programs; and various services comprising retail store support, advertising, couponing, e-commerce, network and data hosting, training and certifications classes, and administrative back-office solutions. The Retail segment operates retail stores that provide groceries and various additional products that include general merchandise, home, health and beauty care, and pharmacy products. It provides its products under the Cub Foods, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, and Hornbacher's names, as well as 1 Rainbow stores. The company's stores offer a range of branded and private-label products comprising perishable and nonperishable grocery products. As of February 24, 2018, it operated a network of 3,437 stores, including 3,323 wholesale primary stores; and 114 retail grocery stores. The company was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Morgan Stanley is the 6th largest financial institution in the US. The company is ranked 61st on the Forbes Fortune 500 list and is the 39th largest bank in the world. A financial holding company, Morgan Stanley provides a full range of financial services to clients around the world. Morgan Stanley was formed in 1935 as a result of the Glass-Steagall Act. Glass-Steagall separated commercial and investment banking in a way that forced the then-largest bank J.P. Morgan & Co to split into two groups. J.P. Morgan & Co. chose to retain the commercial side of the business while partners Henry S. Morga, grandson of J.P., and Harold Stanley took the investment end. In its first year, Morgan Stanley did 24% of the IPO business and maintains a lions share of the market to this day. The original company existed and grew through acquisitions until 1987 when it merged with Dean Witter Discover & Co. The new Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Discover & Co existed for 14 years until 2001 when the name was shortened back to Morgan Stanley. The bank is credited in part with both beginning and ending the financial crisis of 2007/2008. The Process Driven Trading unit lost $300 million in one day due to a short-squeeze that popped the bubble in the housing market. After teetering on the brink of failure Morgan Stanley agreed to become a bank holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve, a key factor in the original decision to split from parent J.P. Morgan & Co. Ironically when given the chance, present-day J.P. Morgan refused to buy Morgan Stanley but that was for the better. Today, Morgan Stanley operates through three segments via offices in 41 countries and employs more than 75,000 people. Revenue in 2021 topped $49 billion and total assets topped $1.15 trillion. The operating segments are Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments. The Institutional Securities segment is by far the largest and most profitable. It offers a range of services and products for businesses, institutions, and entities that include capital raising, strategic advisory, underwriting, advice on M&A, restructuring, and real estate. The Wealth Management segment provides brokerage and investment advisory services for individuals and employers. The services include brokerage, financial planning, company stock-plan administration, insurance, mortgage loans, lines of credit, and retirement planning. The Investment Management segment provides investment products to a range of institutions, organizations, corporations, and governments. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sports shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Alstyle, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer pantyhose, tights, and leggings under the Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel brands. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brands; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, and embellishers, as well as to retailers and lifestyle brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Telefonica Brasil S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides mobile and fixed telecommunications services to residential and corporate customers in Brazil. Its fixed line services portfolio includes local, domestic long-distance, and international long-distance calls; and mobile portfolio comprises voice and broadband internet access through 3G, 4G, 4.5G, and 5G as well as mobile value-added services and wireless roaming services. The company also offers data services, including broadband and mobile data services. In addition, it provides pay TV services through direct to home satellite technology, IPTV, and cable, as well as pay-per-view and video on demand services; network services, such as rental of facilities; other services comprising internet access, private network connectivity, computer equipment leasing, extended service, caller identification, voice mail, cellular blocker, and others; wholesale services, including interconnection services to users of other network providers; and digital services, such as entertainment, cloud, and security and financial services. Further, the company offers multimedia communication services, which include audio, data, voice and other sounds, images, texts, and other information, as well as sells devices, such as smartphones, broadband USB modems, and other devices. Additionally, it provides telecommunications solutions and IT support to various industries, such as retail, manufacturing, services, financial institutions, government, etc. It markets and sells its solutions through own stores, dealers, retail and distribution channels, door-to-door sales, and outbound tele sales. The company was formerly known as Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo S.A. - TELESP and changed its name to Telefonica Brasil S.A. in October 2011. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Addressing fire safety Living in San Diego County, the threat of fires is constant, that is why I have made fire safety one... Supporting animals As a trained Project Wildlife Native Songbird Rehabilitator, my experience raising orphaned and injured songbirds and returning them to the... Upon entering college, most colleges/universities ask freshman students to complete a written survey that asks extremely personal questions. Some parents have concerns about the purpose of asking many of those questions, but that is an issue for another article. The take-away from one of the latest surveys conducted at the University of California at Los Angeles should raise a warning flag for all American patriots. Results revealed that 71% of the incoming freshman students thought that colleges should prohibit racist/sexist speech on campus. Over 40% of these incoming students also believe colleges have the right to ban specific people they consider offensive from speaking on college campuses. It has been recognized for some time that Americas colleges have become learning and training centers for progressives to peddle their political product. Unfortunately, the liberal bug has been caught by high school students as well, infecting them with a rash of radical thinking that should concern all Americans who fret about the future health of this nation. Such behavior indicates a disturbing trend that individuals of conservative and moderate political leanings are likely to deem serious problems. It should raise concerns that our students are not being taught basic lessons of history or the important privileges endowed to American citizens thanks to our founders wisdom which provided us with the Bill of Rights and our amazing American Constitution. Too many students in America today lack essential knowledge which would help them understand the many important lessons about our nation's past. Wisdom comes when students are taught and given examples of mistakes and disastrous decisions made by other countries with once were great, but allowed supercilious leaders to take away their rights. This loss usually occurs gradually, one freedom at a time. As such, the actions of liberal politicians often are overlooked by the population, until enough power has been transferred from the people to the government, rendering citizens rights non-existent. Once the transfer of power is complete, the people no longer have the means to recover what been lost. Gateway for Totalitarian Government Such is the way free societies have been replaced with a Totalitarian government which then controlled everything within the country. We know the famous quote: "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. But do not think it cannot happen here in America. No country or people are too big to fall. We all should pay attention to the signs, while there is time to stop and correct any disastrous decision and/or direction. That is why the survey taken by freshman students at U.C.L.A. must be seen as a harbinger that patriots cannot take lightly. Each of us must be alert to changes we see and speak out about them. We must demand that all our public schools put an emphasis on teaching our children conservative values that have proven to be timeless and true. No student should graduate from high school without a knowledge of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Do you know if that is happening in your school district? If not ASK! Conservatives complain the media is 95% liberal. Well, that is largely because of our schools. Teachers and professors play a major role in shaping the ideas and opinions of students who then enter into a variety of jobs and positions which influence society. Some of those jobs/positions, such as those in the field of media, have the ability to shape people to a specific viewpoint, a philosophy which can then impact the direction of our entire country. Movies, music, television programming, newspapers, books, and/or politics all have left their fingerprints on our society. Changes in how Americans view an issue are often traced to a trend the media has fostered. Consider their portrayal of cigarette smoking. Watch an old movie and most every star has a cigarette in his/her hand or mouth, thus the habit became wide-spread. Today smoking on screen is almost non-existent and for that society has benefited. Today schools are no longer graduating students who have the same values of our forefathers. Schools no longer encourage students to learn about biblical viewpoints once taught in our schools, when prayer was encouraged and the Ten Commandments hung from the walls in most school classrooms or hallways. Colleges that once had separate dorms for females and males choose to mix the two and thus promote opportunities for sexual encounters. Modesty has become almost non-existent. This trend has led to even more sexual freedom as faculties promote comprehensive sex education classes. Colleges today have classes with assignments to try a new sexual experience and to make a report on their discoveries. Liberal professors throughout America outnumber Conservative professors at a ratio as high as twelve to one. Our schools are graduating students who enter society with a whole new set of liberal standards very different from those of their parents and grandparents. They are changing America in a multitude of ways with a new set of standards and ideas, many of which are based on sexuality, physical appearance, and the glorification of youth. Unfortunately, this tends to then minimize the worth of many time honored values such as modesty, fidelity, conservative values, and respect for the elderly who have accumulated wisdom through their years of experiences. These examples of changes in our society can be traced to the many questionable liberal influences of our liberal educators. Laws Determine Societal Trends and Direction Another effective way to change people for the better or worse, and thus nations, is through our system of laws. Laws permit or prohibit much of what will be tolerated by society. Liberal leaders produce liberal laws. Those who lived in the 1960s would not have thought abortion on demand would ever be lawful in America or that states would be forced by the federal government to allow homosexuals to marry. Society underestimated the power of liberals who have shared their philosophy with our children, who then perpetuated the liberal agenda. Some may argue that liberal ideas are helpful, but often those who promote them do not always consider what seems a good idea at the time can morph into becoming much worse by unintended consequences. Consider also what happened after our marriage laws changed in the 1970s and allowed irreconcilable differences" as the only reason needed for a divorce. No longer was it necessary to prove adultery or brutality. Thus, our divorce rates went from 23% to 50% within 20 years. Divorce is a tragedy, not just for the couple, but for their family, friends, and ultimately society. History has proven that when countries abandon their spiritual roots, practices, and laws, there are inevitable negative consequences. The health of a country can largely be determined by the number of citizens who honor God and live accordingly. When schools begin to teach and produce a different product, one that discourages tradition, religion, and time-proven values, there are negative consequences. Agents of Change Those who understand and agree our families and country are beginning to suffer largely due to the liberals dominating our school system, must join the battle to demand equal representation of professors and chancellors. It is simply not fair or profitable that our school system is dominated and ruled by liberals who are facilitating the negative changes we see today. Lets all call our elected officials and demand that school hiring practices be fair. Ask your elected officials why universities are allowed to hire liberal professors over conservative professors at the unbalanced ratio of 12 - 1. If liberal professors dispute your claim, ask them to provide you with documented facts to the contrary. Call your local school board and ask if they are teaching students about our wonderful American Constitution and Bill of Rights. Ask if their students know why free speech must be protected, even if and when it is offends someone. It is imperative we join together and fight to reclaim what we have lost and restore what has been lost, while we still have the chance to do so. Doing nothing is no longer an option if we want America to stay the great country we know and love. By Steve Barnes Earlier this year, the Queens Museum saluted one of Queens biggest contributions to the history of rock n roll with the exhibit Hey! Ho! Lets Go: The Ramones and the Birth of Punk, which told the story of the legendary punk rockers on the 40th anniversary of the release of their first album. Now, a new film gets up close and personal with another native son of Queens, one who played a big role in making the band a household name. Danny Says, a documentary by Brendan Toller that opened last month at the IFC Center in Manhattan, as well as being available on iTunes and Amazon, introduces movie-goers to editor, press agent, manager and bon vivant Danny Fieldsborn Daniel Feinberg in Richmond Hill. Fields, still a New Yorker at 76, went on to rub elbows and influence the careers of some of the central musical figures of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Starting out on a path that would make any mother proudgraduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania by the age of 20 and attending Harvard Law SchoolFields found his true path in life when he hooked up with the crowd from Andy Warhols Factory. Befriending both Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick, and the members of the Warhol-mentored Velvet Underground (Lou Reed, John Cale and an impossibly glamorous Nico), Fields managed to place himself at the center of what was happening in the most cutting-edge of New York scenes. From those beginnings, Fields blazed a trail through the music business that included stints working with the Doors, the MC5, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, Alice Cooper and in a somewhat surprising change of pace, Judy Collins. While he was not literally an artist himself, he had the knack of knowing what was worth listening to and seeing where the music world was going. He knew what to put up there and say Hey, you should be looking at this, according to Pop. Iggy, as well as many of the other people whose careers Fields fostered, show up on screen to salute him. In addition, two music-business titansJac Holzman of Elektra Records and Seymour Stein of Sireweigh in, noting Dannys talent both for picking talent and living on the edge. That cast of characters gives the film enough of a sense of personality for two or three regular documentaries. From a still-kinetic Iggy Pop to Tommy Ramone, a regal-looking Judy Collins and John Cameron Mitchell of Hedwig and the Angry Inch fame, the talking heads in Danny Says are never less than interesting, giving sharp glimpses at what made Fields such a pivotal figure. Holzman and Stein add a more prosaic look at what made him special. In addition, the film is something of a time capsule of New York in the 1960s and 70s. Lovely snapshots of a naive Edie Sedgwick newly arrived on the scene give way to images of a brooding Jim Morrison, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe lurking in the background at Maxs Kansas City, and footage of the Stooges, MC5 and Ramones playing their music. But the most captivating presence in the film is Danny Fields himself. An equal mixture of wide-eyed 5-year-old, boisterous nightlife maven and hovering, obsessive yenta, he brings all the threads of the story together in an appealing way. Winnowed down from over 250 hours of interviews, his oncreen remembrances offer vivid justification of why so many people on both sides of the music industry wanted to work with him. Frank to an extreme degree, his openness gives the film the air of a casual home movie, albeit one with an unusual cast of characters. Heightening the childlike aura of Fields reminiscences, Toller includes animated sequences that illustrate his stories. Assembled by a team that includes noted animator Emily Hubley, they add an air of magic and fantasy, one that is thorougly appropriate for the star-crossed path of Fields career. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry Several elected officials say they believe yet another hotel in Queens has been earmarked by the Department of Homeless Services to be partially converted into a shelter for the homeless. U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) and Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-East Elmhurst) said Monday they had learned that the Courtyard by Marriott, located at 90-10 Ditmars Blvd., has potentially been slated to house a population of up to 60 homeless single men, but City Hall refuted this. There are currently no plans to convert this hotel into a shelter or to temporarily rent rooms to help meet our legal and moral obligation to shelter homeless New Yorkers, DHS spokeswoman Lauren Gray said. We do have an open-ended RFP and are always looking to review strong proposals, but the Department of Homeless Services has not received a proposal for this location. The three leaders said that while their communities remain sympathetic to the ongoing issue of homelessness in New York, their neighborhoods already carry a fair share of the problem by hosting no less than five shelters, and that their experience with DHS brings the agencies credibility into question. When we reached out to DHS asking about the possible conversion of the Clarion Hotel into a homeless shelter, DHS also said there were currently no plans for that purpose, Peralta said. Two months later, the Clarion Hotel (in East Elmhurst) was transformed, changing its name to The Landing, and it opened a homeless shelter. Based on that record, how can I trust DHS? Last month, Peralta, Crowley and Moya became aware that DHS had been housing homeless families for months at a Holiday Inn Express in Corona. Again, there was no notice provided to elected or community leaders. Whether the Courtyard by Marriott will be yet another quietly placed shelter for the homeless remains to be seen, but my experience in my district has been that getting a straight answer on these matters has been hit or miss, Moya said. Homeless families and individuals deserve better than these conditions, and this community has already done its fair share to combat the rise of homelessness. Meanwhile, anger against DHS spread to the Rockaway peninsula where the city is now renting rooms at the Playland Motel to house homeless families. More than 100 Rockaway residents gathered Sunday at a Knights of Columbus Hall to hear City Councilman Eric Ulrich (D-Ozone Park), who denounced the citys move. Instead of fulfilling his pledge to end the use of hotels to shelter people who have fallen on hard times, Mayor de Blasio quietly signed a deal to use Playland Motel in Rockaway Beach as a homeless facility. I am outraged. My constituents and all New Yorkers deserve better, Ulrich said. Mayor de Blasios so-called progressive agenda has caused the homeless population to skyrocket. The time has come for this administration to put forth real and meaningful solutions that will actually help people find permanent housing and rebuild their lives. The Playland Motel is not the right answer. The boutique motel, located just a block from the surf on Rockaway Beach Boulevard, is closing Nov. 1. There are no plans to convert this location into a shelter, Gray said. We are currently renting rooms at this location to help meet our legal and moral obligation to shelter homeless families with children. Ulrich organized a public demonstration that was to take place on the steps of City Hall this Friday morning to protest what he called de Blasios failed homeless policies. Since Mayor de Blasio took office, the homeless population in our city has skyrocketed to record levels, Ulrich said. Now more than ever, New Yorkers want real solutions that actually help people who have fallen on hard times. We demand a better plan. In Maspeth, where nightly protests have tripled since DHS moved 30 homeless men into the Holiday Inn Express Oct. 10, a civic leader who spearheaded the protests said the Maspeth-Middle Village Task Force would be at the City Hall. Weve been talking with Ulrich about this since August, Juniper Park Civic Association President Bob Holder said. But I guess the Playland Motel moved him to go ahead and reserve the steps. We said we were going to go to City Hall and were going to bring our coalition of civic organizations with us with our message that putting homeless in hotels is bad policy. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Mark Hallum State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) announced progress had been made at an abandoned house in Flushing where he had previously held a July news conference to call attention to the dangerous and unhealthy condition of the long-neglected property. The land has been cleaned up, thanks to help from the Queens County Public Administrators office, and the house is going to auction in December. The house at 50-19 175th Place had been abandoned for close to a decade with no trace of where the deceased owners son might be today or whether he is still alive. Trees and weeds had grown into a full-fledged forest and two cars in the driveway were left so packed with newspapers, some dating back to 1992, that the windows were broken out by moisture as The New York Times copies expanded in the humid weather. The windows and doors have been cemented up since a fire nearly took the building down. Residents have complained about raccoons and mosquitoes. This eyesore that has gone on for about a decade is finally going to be addressed, Avella said. As you can see, this is a well-maintained, middle-class neighborhood. Homeowners here pay some of the highest property taxes in the country. They want to live in a quiet, safe environment, and they have to live next to this eyesore. Its unfortunate that it lasted for so long, but Im happy that Im working with the homeowners and the Public Administrators office. The owner, Stella Beckman, died about a decade ago, according to Avella. Her son, Franklin only returned to the house occasionally after her death and could be seen by neighbors sleeping on the porch, but he eventually stopped coming around. His whereabouts today are not known, Gerard Sweeney, counsel to the Queens County Public Administrator, said at the Friday news conference. If the Beckman is still alive, the home could be a place to house a potentially homeless man, Sweeney said, adding that he fears the man may be buried on Hart Island in a paupers grave. Sweeney said the estate was never resolved after the owner died and the younger Beckman did not assume the task of taking over ownership. The inside of this house is as bad as the outside, Sweeney said, explaining the details of how to move the property to a new owner. Its a project for whoever would want to acquire it, but we feel confident well be able to sell it on Dec. 7. According to Sweeney, any information leading to the whereabouts of Beckman would greatly benefit the man suspected of being homeless. An insurance recovery done by an appointed guardian after the fire would go toward renovating the house for Beckman to live in. Sweeney has been in contact with the medical examiners office to determine the fate of Beckman. Sweeney had been told by the guardian they had hired a private investigator to locate Beckman, but found no trace of him. Nobody has seen him since April. Elaine Marmiroli, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1952, said she knew Beckman since he was a child. Very sweet person, but very withdrawn and introverted, she said. If you reach out to him, he might not answer immediately, but he always talked to us. The auction is set to take place at the Queens County Public Administrators office at 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., in Jamaica. Kurdish forces launched a major assault Thursday on a town held by the Islamic State group near Mosul, opening a new front in the offensive to wrest back the jihadists\ last Iraqi bastion. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told an international meeting in Paris that the offensive was "advancing faster than expected" as it entered its fourth day. France and Iraq were co-chairing the meeting on the future of Mosul, which observers have warned could raise even greater challenges than the massive military operation to retake it. In some areas, the Iraqi advance was met by a trickle of civilians fleeing both the fighting and the jihadists who ruled them for two years, but the feared mass exodus from Mosul has yet to materialise. The main target of the latest Kurdish push was the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Iraqi forces also pressed assaults towards the city from the east and south. "The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL\s movements," the peshmerga command said, using an alternative acronym for IS. At around 6:00 am (0300 GMT), bulldozers flattened a path for forces in armoured vehicles to carve their way down towards Bashiqa. As tanks and personnel carriers prepared to advance, a shadow glided above them and one peshmerga shouted "drone!" Fighters opened fire at it with every weapon available, causing an almighty din and lighting up the dim morning sky, until it fell to the ground and the troops resumed their advance. IS drones An AFP reporter in the village of Nawaran near Bashiqa saw the downed drone, a Raven RQ-11B model similar to a booby-trapped one that killed two Kurdish fighters and wounded two French soldiers a week ago. "These drones belong to IS So we shot this drone and brought it down. As you can see, the peshmerga destroyed it," said General Aziz Weysi, commander of the peshmerga\s elite Zaravani task force. "These drones can do observation and can explode. They sent this one but it did not explode," he told AFP. Iranian Kurdish rebels of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) were involved in the operation alongside the peshmerga and apparently taking a frontline role. East of Mosul, where the peshmerga launched the offensive on Monday, Iraq\s elite federal counter-terrorism service was taking control of Bartalla, a town whose mostly Christian residents fled the IS advance two years ago. "We started breaching Bartalla early today. There are only 750 metres (yards) to cover to reach the centre," Lieutenant General Abdelwahab al-Saadi, who is commanding operations in the area, told AFP by telephone. "There is resistance, we already blew up three car bombs today," he said. Bartalla, which lies less than 15 kilometres (10 miles) from the eastern edge of Mosul, saw fierce resistance from the jihadists earlier this week. Iraqi forces were also poised to attack nearby Qaraqosh, which was the largest Christian town in Iraq before IS swept across the Nineveh plain in August 2014, forcing everyone to flee. To the south, Iraqi forces were making steady gains, working their way up the Tigris Valley and meeting small numbers of fleeing civilians heading the other way. Dozens of men, women and children who escaped from the village of Mdaraj, south of Mosul, some on foot and others with vehicles, were waiting as police searched their belongings. "We snuck out," said a man who gave his name as Abu Hussein. He said that the huge plumes of black smoke from fires lit by IS to provide cover from air strikes had helped them slip out unnoticed. "We raised white flags and went towards them," Abu Hussein said, describing how they approached Iraqi security forces. The UN fears up to a million people still trapped inside Mosul could be forced to flee by the fighting, sparking a humanitarian emergency. But Iraqi forces are still some distance from the city limits and no major outflows of civilians have been reported yet. "Reports indicate that military activities remain concentrated in less populated areas, with no large-scale civilian displacement recorded at this stage," UN aid chief Stephen O\Brien said late Wednesday. The Iraqi prime minister told the Paris meeting on Mosul\s future that the operation to retake it was making progress. "We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned," he said by video link. French President Francois Hollande told the meeting that jihadists were already leaving for Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. "We can\t afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa," Hollande said. "We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate." Iraq\s second city was seized by IS in June 2014. It touched off an offensive that saw the jihadists conquer about a third of the country and declare a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria. IS\s rule has seen some of the worst war crimes in recent history and the task of reconciling all the components of the area\s complex religious and ethnic mosaic is daunting. "Given the sheer size of Mosul and its experience of savage rule at the hands of the Islamic State revenge killing will likely be an issue in the days and months ahead," the Soufan consultancy said in a recent brief. "A massive effort will be required to begin to heal what is a truly fractured city and society," it said. SOURCE: AFP 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. A view of downtown Wichita Falls looking West from Eighth Street and Ohio Avenue. The decorative concrete work in the intersection was laid over new water mains and utilities. Attractive light posts and benches were placed at each corner of the intersection. SHARE By John Ingle of the Times Record News Members of the Wichita Falls Economic Development Corp. board approved a $128,000 incentive package that could help a small, family-owned manufacturing company grow. The Wichita Falls City Council, the final approval authority for the package that could be a seven-year forgivable loan, will consider the offer at its Nov. 1 meeting. The incentive would help Wichita Falls-based Chantex Manufacturing Inc. purchase two new 20-ton cranes to be used in building pressure vessels for the oil and natural gas industry. In exchange, the company would add 16 jobs mostly welders to the 12 employees the company has now. Brothers Ray and Josh Roberts met with the WFEDC board Wednesday to discuss their request and how the incentive package would help them expand their more than 30-year-old business. Ray Roberts said they have previously performed welding work for Mineral Wells-base PECOFacet, a company that specializes in making contaminant management solutions. "We've been doing business with them for about two years now," Ray Roberts said. "About every six months they came back to us asking us to grow please grow due to our quality." The brothers said they are expanding the company with a 7,500-square-foot building to be completed soon, and have also invested in new equipment. But, the cranes are needed to be able to fully accept a contract offer from PECOFacet. The board asked if Chantex would be able to find the right employees to maintain their high quality, and Ray Roberts said hiring experienced and quality welders won't be a problem in Wichita Falls. Several workers from recently closed Peerless and Cameron in Electra have been in contact with the company looking for work. For each year Chantex Manufacturing is able to maintain the 16 position they have agreed to create, the city will forgive the loan at a rate of 14.29 percent annually. After the seven-year period, the company will own the equipment outright. If for some reason the company cannot maintain the additional jobs, they will have to pay a percentage of the loan back to the city based on the percentage below the agreed 16 positions. The city will also hold first lien on the cranes. Henry Florsheim, president and CEO of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said the WFEDC choosing to invest in a small, locally owned manufacturer is an example of another tenet the board and chamber has, and that is to retain and help grow existing businesses. "As much as people like to talk about recruitment of new industry, assisting our existing businesses with expansion opportunities is just as important," he said. "So, helping a local company, whether they're going to create 10 jobs or 50 or 100, is a great economic development strategy." Josh Roberts indicated this is just the beginning of growth for Chantex Manufacturing. "The plan is to keep growing, definitely," he said. Winter Outlook Drier SHARE Winter outlook Warmer By Lynn Walker of the Times Record News Don't put away the shorts just yet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its outlook for the winter of 2016-2017 Thursday and the word is warmer and drier than normal for North Texas. Official government forecasters predict a La Nina event will influence the weather this winter, developing later in the fall or early in the winter. La Nina events, brought about by warming in a portion of the Pacific Ocean, often means warmer and drier weather in the Southern states, and wetter, colder conditions in the north. NOAA does not expect this to be a major La Nina event. The meteorologists put the Wichita Falls area at 40 percent odds of being drier than normal and 40 percent odds of being warmer than normal. "Regardless of the outlook, there is always some chance for extreme winter weather, so prepare now for what might come later this winter," said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. NOAA warns that drought will likely persist through the winter in many regions currently experiencing it, including much of California and the Southwest. The Wichita Falls area is having a near-record year for rainfall. The official outlook tends to agree with most unofficial prognostications. The Old Farmers Almanac, the most venerable of predictors, agrees folks in Texas and Oklahoma will have relatively mild, dry winter season with precipitation staying below normal over the southern two thirds of the country. AccuWeather, one of the biggest private forecasting services, concurs, but warns,"A turnaround could come into late December and January as chillier air masses work down from the north. The outlier is the Farmers Almanac (different from the Old Farmers Almanac), which has the words "Chilled-to-the-Bone & Wet" emblazoned in large letters across Texas and Oklahoma on its forecast map. Whichever source is right won't be known until later say, May. TRN file photo Some 1,500 more Wichita County voters will be eligible to vote in the 2016 presidential election than were registered in 2012. By Bridget Knight of the Times Record News Nearly three out of every four Wichita County residents ages 18 or older are registered to vote in the Nov. 8 presidential election, according to final figures provided by Wichita County Clerk Lori Bohannon. The deadline to register was Oct. 11, but it took days to process a late influx of applications that flooded into the clerk's office on the final day. Bohannon said Wednesday the final tally of registered voters landed at 75,251. Wichita County has some 102,200 residents ages 18 or older, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2015, meaning that more than 74 percent of those old enough to vote are now registered. Bohannon said her office does not keep records of registration totals by date, so it would be impossible to calculate the number of new registrations since primary voting in March. But it does represent an increase of more than 1,500 voters since the last presidential year in 2012. That year, a Times Record News story reported that 73,739 voters were registered to decide the race between Republican challenger Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama. The increase comes despite almost no net change in county population between 2012 and 2015, according to Census Bureau data. VOTERID The seven approved forms of voter ID are: Texas driver license Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS Texas personal identification card issued by DPS Texas license to carry a handgun issued by DPS U.S. military identification card containing the persons photo U.S. citizenship certificate containing the persons photograph U.S. passport. The IDs are still valid for voting up to four years after the expiration date. Acceptable identification for those without approved forms of voter ID: Valid voter registration certificate Certified birth certificate (must be an original) Copy of or original current utility bill Copy of or original bank statement Copy of or original government check Copy of or original paycheck Copy of or original government document with name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph). After presenting a supporting form of ID, the voter must execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration. Source: VoteTexas.gov SHARE By Chicago Tribune (Tns) The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday, Oct. 19: For years, billionaire entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has expressed his passion for colonizing Mars. With the recent explosion of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral (not to mention the trouble with the Tesla, Musk's other high-profile venture), we wondered if his Mars enthusiasm had waned. We're glad to say that the answer is: Apparently not. In a recent speech to the International Astronautical Congress, Musk revealed engineering details and timelines (optimistic, to be sure) to make the mission happen. He has his sights set on sending humans to Mars by 2024 or so. That's just around the corner, in space flight time. Musk figures it will cost about $10 billion to develop a Mars rocket that could ferry 100 passengers on the seven-month journey. Estimated ticket cost: $500,000 per. Not for everyone, but sure, we could see hundreds of people lining up for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. ("What do you do after you've climbed Mt. Everest? Conquer Mars!") Musk wowed his audience. "The mood at the conference was almost as giddy as a rock concert or the launch of a new Apple product, with people lining up for Mr. Musk's presentation a couple of hours in advance," The New York Times reports. Good for him. If Musk wants to raise and risk billions to fulfill his dream (fantasy?), we say go for it. We expect those $500K tickets will go fast. And we'll sure be rooting for those plucky space tourists to reach the Red Planet. Meanwhile, however, NASA says it is also on track to launch a Mars mission in the 2030s. But why? NASA has carved out a science-rich niche, sending probes to distant planets (and Mars), reaping tons of data, exploring reaches of the solar system. Just recently, Rosetta, the first spacecraft to orbit a comet, sent its last trove of data back to Earth before it spiraled to its death. From that mission, scientists have reaped major clues about how the solar system formed and evolved, how life came to flourish on Earth. That's thrilling. But the gee-whiz, nation-on-the-edge-of-its-seat days of the 1960s space missions are long gone. A small Florida startup named Moon Express just received permission from NASA to send a robotic lander to the moon. If it succeeds, Moon Express will win a $20 million Google Lunar X Prize competition launched in 2007. Will anyone on Earth notice? Meanwhile, Blue Origin, Amazon zillionaire Jeff Bezos' private spaceflight company, is racing Musk and others to transport people into space. Blue Origin just aced a crucial "in-flight escape test" of its New Shepard rocket. The system is named after Alan Shepard, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, and the first American to reach space. Mars is still a long way off. Musk says he won't be among the first colonists because he wants to see his children grow up. The chances of dying on the initial voyage to Mars, he says, are "quite high." NASA, you want a piece of that action? Our advice is: Stick to those science-expanding probes. Why spend billions to what? beat Musk and Bezos and the others in the Billionaire Rocket Boys Club to Mars? Let them take the risks and sell the $500,000 tickets. You've got better things to do. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during a meeting of the Alabama Democratic Conference in Hoover, Ala., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. (AP Photo/ Mark Almond) SHARE Phillip Swan, Olney I guess there is no limit to what the Democratic Party will do to stay in control. They have been in control so long they feel it is their "right." Video (factual) evidence has recently surfaced of groups hired by the DNC to hire other people to go to Trump rally's to incite violence and when violence cannot be enticed perform violence themselves as a supposed trump fan and then make sure to get the story to the media. This comes from the same people who are heavily funded by George Soros. George Soros is the billionaire whose Open Society Foundation funds MORE. MORE is the organization that pays protestors $16-$17 an hour to protest like in Ferguson, Baltimore, Dallas and Cleveland with Black Lives Matter and the hate group pink (Black) Panther Party, which is on record as saying "kill all white people and kill white babies." It might seem ridiculous to we civil folks for such to happen, but to the DNC, it's worth every dime paid out if they keep their power. How does that saying go "power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely." 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 Jim Edwards, Iowa Park I feel that no matter how lewd or gross, what Trump said 11 years ago in a private conversation should not have been released. In fact I don't think anyone's private conversation should be aired. (Unless it is of a criminal nature that could result in violence.) If anyone, be it a public or private citizen, had their conversation recorded over a period of time there would most probably be something, even benign, they wouldn't want to be broadcast to the world. It's on a par with what people do "behind closed doors" should not be made available for public consumption. I think it would not be overly suspicious to assume that the "boys will be boys" tape shot by Access Hollywood all those years ago was planned by the liberal media to be used as a fatal blow if a conservative candidate (unknown at the time) began threaten Hillary Clinton's obsessive drive to be president. Whether by accident or design it was a master stroke of diabolical genius to release this tape two days before the second debate. And the overreaction of conservatives may have helped to drive the fatal nails in Trump's coffin. I am reminded of what Jesus said to the men who were about to stone to death the woman accused of adultery, "He who is without guilt can cast the first stone!" Can Hillary cast the first stone? SHARE On October 16, the Iraqi government officially declared that offensive operations to retake the city of Mosul have officially begun. The announcement was a political statement signaling moral determination, akin to saying "the die is cast." Since the official government announcement, several Iraqi military leaders have attempted to curb expectations of quick victory. One Iraqi Kurd general said the battle could take two months. ISIS says Mosul is the capital of its Caliphate and ISIS fighters will defend it to the last. Mosul is a case study of what military planners call "battlefield shaping operations." Battles fought to improve the prospects of subsequent battles are "kinetic" shaping operations. Attacking enemy supply lines shapes operations. The allied airstrikes on German supply lines in Western Europe before D-Day deprived German ground units of ammo and gas. Many planners interpret the term broadly. Tailoring supplies for a specific battle is a shaping operation. Gathering intelligence is always a shaping operation. Strengthening political relations could be a vital shaping operation. I think that applies to Mosul. Bucking up Iraq's fragile coalition government and reducing friction between the Baghdad government and the Iraqi Kurdistan regional government were definitely a political "shaping" operations pursued by the U.S. and its anti-ISIS coalition. Military operations to drive ISIS from Mosul began in January 2015. They were not decisive battles not The Battle for Mosul but they were preparatory battles fought with the ultimate goal of retaking the city. Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga militiamen fought those first battles. They drove ISIS fighters from several small villages to the north and west of Mosul. In the process they cut an ISIS supply line between Mosul and Syria. The Iraqi and U.S. governments indicated that the Iraqi Army would launch an offensive in April 2015 to take Mosul. In March 2015, the Iraqi Army, en route to Mosul, attacked the city of Tikrit. Tikrit was a slow battle of blood and rubble house to house fighting, airstrikes and suicide bomb attacks. The Iraqi Army took Tikrit in early April. ISIS decided to defend Mosul with an offensive. ISIS fighters seized the city of Ramadi in May 2015. ISIS hoped the offensive would send the message that the Iraqi Army's expensive victory in Tikrit settled nothing. ISIS could strike at will. ISIS commanders thought they might once again shatter Iraqi Army morale and damage the political coalition. Baghdad and Washington decided that ISIS had to be driven from Iraq's Anbar province (west of Baghdad). The Iraqi Army attacked Ramadi in Fall 2015. It wouldn't gain full control of Ramadi until early 2016. Ramadi was a ruin. The Iraqi Army fought another slow battle in Fallujah, finally clearing the badly damaged city in May 2016. Mosul, however, was never quite on the back burner. Allied airstrikes, Kurdish and Iraqi Army operations continued. Cutting off ISIS supplies was one goal. Securing positions for the drive into Mosul was another. U.S. and other anti-ISIS coalition members began supplying more than airpower. Boots hit the ground. Artillery units and the infantry to protect them joined advisers and communications experts. Ramadi and Fallujah were not training exercises, they were difficult battles. However, Iraqi commanders and coalition advisers used these battles to hone the urban combat skills taking Mosul will require. Yes, combat experience turning volunteers into veterans is a shaping operation. Over the last three months, some of the Iraqi Army units that were deployed in Anbar and units stationed elsewhere in the country moved into positions near Mosul positions secured by prior battles. The Iraqi government wants to minimize civilian casualties. Mosul's civilians are Iraqi citizens. ISIS fighters, however, have seeded Mosul with booby traps and mines. ISIS always uses civilians as "human shields" -- hostages. Though the Battle of Mosul does not have a set timetable, it does have a definite objective: liberating the city from the apocalyptic tyranny of ISIS. SHARE The sorry saga of the Republican Party's fitful embrace of Donald Trump can best be told by borrowing an old template originally shaped by a faraway Protestant pastor who wanted to tell a very different story in a very different era. Sadly, the old template works all too well, adding a context of rarely spoken truth to a Trump story we all figured we knew. (We'll get to that Protestant pastor who created it later.) Here's our Tale of Trump, as shaped by that wise theologian: First Trump villainized the Mexicans. (On Day 1, as he announced he was running for president, he called Mexicans who illegally enter the United States criminals and rapists.) And the GOP's famous leaders went along. Because the GOP leaders weren't Mexicans and neither were their prime backers or big-money givers. Besides, fed-up voters of all persuasions were cheering Trump's anti-Mexican tough talk. Then Trump ridiculed the physically disabled. He sneeringly mocked the severe disability of a journalist who displeased him. And the GOP's famous leaders let it go. Because Trump's soulless mockery still didn't reach into their homes. Then Trump began heaping praise upon Russia's Vladimir Putin despite Russia's military adventurism in Ukraine and propping up of Syria's dictator. And Trump railed against Muslim Americans even the Gold Star Muslim American parents whose son gave his life to protect fellow soldiers. And the GOP's luminaries mostly looked the other way. Because Trump was winning their Republican presidential primaries. Then Trump repeatedly made news for insulting women he considered overweight or not pretty enough. He even suggested Fox News debate moderator Megyn Kelly might have been bleeding from her wherever. And GOP leaders got away with saying little and trying to just look the other way. Because, after all, Republican voters seemed entertained by Trump's alternating fits of rage and outrage. If any of that seems familiar, it is because it is a modernization of a template crafted more than 70 years ago, in Germany, by the Rev. Martin Niemoller, who was an outspoken opponent of Nazism. Parallels that reach back into that era are almost always unfair and politically wrong and we aren't drawing any parallel to that evil era. But Niemoller's poetic analysis left us a bracing reminder of the human condition: we tend to look the other way, even when we know something is wrong as long as we can rationalize that it really isn't about us. So he famously wrote: "First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out / Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out / Because I was not a Jew. / Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me." But last week, we fortunately broke through the shackles of Pastor Niemoller's template. We liberated ourselves from humanity's worst instincts, perhaps, thanks to a politically stunning event the leak of the Video Heard 'Round the World. By now, all the planet's cognoscenti have heard the best and worst bits of the "Access Hollywood" outtakes from 2005: Trump is stupidly bragging (while wearing a live microphone!) that he gets away with all sorts of acts against women because he is "a star." He said he could do anything grab them by the privates and so on. Here in the USA, scores of prominent Republicans began whipping out news releases explaining they had mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, granddaughters and that they could no longer justify voting for Trump to the females in their lives. GOP superstars were saying they won't vote for Trump. House Speaker Paul Ryan stopped short of that but told his colleagues he won't defend Trump any more he'll just work to elect a Republican Congress. Now this: An article in the Christianity Today magazine, founded by the Rev. Billy Graham, reported this week that "there has been little public movement among his leading evangelical supporters and detractors." It went on to report: "One of the most notable reactions to Trump's lewd comments came from Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald, a member of Trump's evangelical advisory council. Over the weekend, MacDonald denounced Trump's 'misogynistic trash that reveals a man to be lecherous and worthless,' according to email excerpts published with MacDonald's permission by CT (Christianity Today) blogger Ed Stetzer. "'I cannot and will not offer help to a man who believes this kind of talk a minor error,' wrote MacDonald. He later noted, 'No more defending Mr. Trump as simply foolish or loose lipped.'" Trump's obscene conduct has finally penetrated the homes and lives of the Republican leaders in ways that even the worst and most soulless of his past words and deeds apparently did not. Martin Schram, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, is a veteran Washington journalist, author and TV documentary executive. Readers may send him email at martin.schram@gmail.com. George Soros gave Ivanka's husband's business a $250 million credit line in 2015 per WSJ. Soros is also an investor in Jared's business. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy Three men who are suspects in two separate killings in Rensselaer County this week were arrested in Virginia and are being held on charges in one of the homicides while the investigation continues, law enforcement authorities said Thursday. Javier Gomez, 23, was killed Monday afternoon in his second-floor apartment on East Glen Avenue. He was beaten and stabbed to death, according to Troy detectives and arrest warrants filed in City Court. Gomez's death in his North Central home is tied to the killing of his roommate, Cristian Gonzalez Hernandez, 24, whose body was found Tuesday night in the Quacken Kill in Cropseyville. Virginia state police arrested Luis A. Monge Guevara, 20, of Clifton Park; Magdalono Perez-Calixto, 28, of Latham; and Solomon Najera-Hernandez, 21, of Mexico. A mobile phone used by one of the men helped police track them down in Virginia, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the case. The three men were accused of causing "the death of Javier Gomez by means of multiple strikes to the head using a hammer and multiple stabs to the torso using a knife," according to a criminal complaint signed by Troy Detective Sgt. Raymond White. The three men are scheduled to be extradited from Wythe County, Va., in the coming days. Investigators from the New York State Police, Troy police and Rennselaer County Sheriffs's Office flew to Virginia as part of the multi-agency investigation. Virginia state police referred all questions about the arrests to Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove. Gonzalez and Gomez were roommates with ties stretching back to their hometown in Mexico, according to officials involved in the investigation. The men's deaths were described as acquaintance killings by the investigating agencies the police and district attorney's office. "We are very confident that these men are acquaintances," Troy Chief John Tedesco said. Tedesco advised the community that there was nothing to fear. It has been circulating in the city that the homicides were gang-related, but authorities dispelled that rumor. They would not discuss any motive in the twin killings. Investigators spent Thursday afternoon searching a room at the Quality Inn on Route 7 in Colonie, police said. Police said footage from cameras at the Quality Inn and a nearby Target are being reviewed by investigators. Law enforcements sources with knowledge of the investigation said that the three suspects were partying with Gonzalez at the Colonie motel when the situation became violent and they allegedly beat Gonzalez as part of a robbery. Police believe the three suspects drove a badly bludgeoned Gonzalez to Brunswick and slit his throat before tossing his body into the creek. The law enforcement source said investigators believe the three then drove to Gonzalez's apartment in Troy to get money and drugs when they encountered Gomez, who was also killed. The investigation is complicated due to the undocumented status of some of the men involved and multiple identifies in use, Sheriff Patrick Russo said. "We still have a lot of work to do," Russo said. The sheriff declined to comment on whether additional suspects are being sought in the case. Abelove described the case as "very fluid." Police did not provide details about the connections between the two homicides in a case that stretched from a hotel and apartment complexes in Colonie to a rural area off Blue Factory Road in Brunswick and the poorest section of Troy. Troy police initially were not aware that Gonzalez was dead when they alerted other law enforcement agencies Tuesday to be on the look out for him as a person of interest in the death of his roommate, law enforcement sources said. The initial teletype said Gonzalez may have been armed with a knife and traveling in a station wagon with Virginia license plates. It's unclear when police shifted their focus to the other three men now in custody. Authorities declined to discuss what led them to believe the station wagon was used by suspects in the homicides, or whether that vehicle has been recovered. There are surveillance cameras in the neighborhood where the victims lives, but it's unclear if they captured images of the station wagon. City and State Police and county sheriff's deputies executed search warrants at Rosewood Garden Apartments in Latham for at least 18 hours Wednesday, Colonie police Lt. Bob Winn said. State Police Troop G Maj. William Keeler confirmed evidence was being collected but did not provide details or say whether any of the suspects lived at that apartment complex. Uniformed Colonie officers were posted at the Swatling Road complex while investigators worked inside, but Colonie police have no further role in the investigation, Winn said. emasters@timesunion.com 518-454-5467 @emilysmasters HUDSON FALLS -- A substitute teaching assistant at the BOCES campus on Dix Avenue was charged with rape for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old student, the school's superintendent said. Daniel G. Stoy, 38, of Main Street in Hudson Falls was charged Wednesday with felony rape and endangering the welfare of a child after an investigation by Hudson Falls Police. President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, have been high-profile surrogates for Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail this year. But not all the Obamas are on board. The president's half-brother, Malik Obama, is expected to be Donald Trump's invited guest at Wednesday night's debate in Las Vegas. From Sigmund Freud to South American shamanism to "Inception," the power and meaning of dreams hold endless fascination. Perhaps that's because there's so much about them that we don't understand, says Andrea Williams, co-creator of "SleepWalks: The Body of Dreams." The project includes an art exhibit and two performances in Troy this weekend with the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company. "I'm really interested in what we don't know about dreaming," said Williams, a Ph.D. candidate in electronic arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "We spend one-third of our lives asleep, about 25 years, and tend to dream about two hours a night yet scientists still don't know why we dream." More Information If you go "SleepWalks: The Body of Dreams" When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: Chapel + Cultural Center, 2125 Burdett Ave., Troy Tickets: $10 Info: http://www.sleepwalks.org Also: An exhibit of SleepWalks ephemera is on view at the Chapel + Cultural Center through Oct. 27. See More Collapse With SleepWalks, which she launched in 2009, Williams set out to explore a specific aspect of dreaming: how sound affects the dream world. Her first challenge: assembling a group of sleeping people to use as her lab rats. At the first iteration of the SleepWalks series, people were invited to take a catnap, accompanied by a soundscape created by Williams and fellow composer Lee Pembleton. Later that year, they staged their first overnight SleepWalk at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., as part of the Deep Listening/Ione's Dream Festival. Since then, they have had overnights in San Francisco, New York City and Holyoke, Mass. "It's like an art opening, but you sleep over," Williams said with a laugh. The soundscapes she and Pembleton create for the events are assembled from field recordings and mixed live throughout the night (they spell each other for short naps). Each one has a theme; for the two overnights in September that informed the creation of the Troy exhibit and performances, the theme was water. Participants slept in one large room, lulled by a composition of watery sounds recorded all over the country foghorns, a rainstorm, ocean waves, waterfalls, thunder layered and repeated in multiple ways. "It's very surreal and cinematic," Williams said. "We're creating a dreamlike world that envelops the audience. Water is a particularly strong archetype it has the ability to give life and to take it away." In order to track how the sound influences the dreamers, participants are asked to keep dream journals and to wear EEG wireless headbands created by another collaborator, neuroscientist and coder Todd Anderson that monitor their brainwaves and REM cycles as they pass through the four stages of sleep. The artists compare each participant's data with the soundscape's time stamps and with the other dreamers' reports, and take note of the places where activity coincides. They look for common themes, similar associations and collective dreaming experiences. Data and ephemera from SleepWalks overnights since 2009, including participants' data streams (called hypnograms), dream journals and drawings inspired by their dreams, are on view through Oct. 27 at the Chapel + Cultural Center. "Andrea was interested in us taking this information and turning it into dance," Sinopoli said. To prepare for the performances, which take place Friday and Saturday at the Chapel + Cultural Center, Sinopoli and her dancers participated in one of the September overnights, reviewed the data with Williams and choreographed an eight-section work that reflects the intertwining stories and images that emerged. "The dancers embody the dreams emotions and other things that are hard to describe verbally," Williams said. She approached the troupe because their fluidity of movement was a good match for the water theme, she said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. The sections range in length from three to 15 minutes long, and explore questions such as: Can a dream pick up where it left off? Can you inhabit someone else's body in a dream, while still being yourself? Can you intentionally dream about someone else? The dancers bring to life figures and symbols that recurred among the dreamersa mysterious blonde woman, giant geese, seagulls and move in and out of each other's dream worlds. "Sometimes there's a slightly surreal, disjointed feel, and sometimes it threads together a little more," Sinopoli said. Along with the soundscape, there's a video component to the work, including footage that Williams recorded underwater and on a 19th-century three-mast ship docked in a New York City harbor. The images are projected on a scrim that represents the division between the waking world and the dream world. "Some scientists think that dreams are just gobbledygook but, in other cultures, dreaming is integral to souls and communities, for healing, repair and wisdom," Williams said. "Dreams are like a virtual reality simulatorwe can take risks that we can't in real life." Tresca Weinstein is a frequent contributor to the Times Union. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Parents in the United States are less happy than people without children. That may or not surprise you. It certainly surprised me, at least at first, but studies have repeatedly found it so. But get this: A recent study of 22 industrialized countries found American parents suffer from the biggest happiness shortfall of all. In some countries, there is no happiness gap. In others including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Hungary parents report being happier than non-parents. We are an outlier. More than other countries, we have managed to turn the most loving and fulfilling of all human relationships into something that depresses daily satisfaction and even joy. I can think of no greater cultural indictment. More Information Contact Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse But why? Why are American parents in the dumps? The study's authors, including Jennifer Glass, executive director of the Texas-based Council on Contemporary Families, explained the difference by pointing to family-friendly government policies or the lack thereof. Those policies include extended maternity and paternity leave, guaranteed paid sick and vacation days, subsidized child care and other steps that reduce the stress of parenting. "What we found was astonishing," the authors wrote. "The negative effects of parenthood on happiness were entirely explained by the presence or absence of social policies allowing parents to better combine paid work with family obligations. And this was true for both mothers and fathers." I don't doubt the truth of that. Talk to parents and you'll hear anxiety about the cost of day care or college. But it is simplistic to say government policies are the only reason for the unhappiness gap among American parents. What follows are other potential reasons that come to mind, based on anecdotal observations, my family's experience raising a toddler and conversations with Capital Region parents. (I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts on the topic.) Lack of extended family networks. Poor support from employers and government is one thing, but many parents also lack family support because they live far from grandparents, siblings and cousins. (Americans are an unusually mobile people, and our country is larger than most in the study.) That isolation adds to the stress of parenting, and not just because it makes it harder to find a baby sitter. The breakdown of the nuclear family. Nearly half of American children are born to unwed parents, and single-parent households often struggle financially. In Albany County, nearly 20 percent of children are living in poverty. In the city of Albany, it is nearly 40 percent. Raising children in a two-parent, middle-class household is stressful enough. Raising children while alone and struggling to put food on the table must be not just exhausting, but terrifying. The busyness culture. Generally speaking, we parents are harried by ferrying children to activity after activity across sprawling suburbs when we're not working long hours or commuting. Our culture seems to suggest that a quiet day around the house is time wasted and akin to laziness. Meanwhile, kids spend less time playing outside on their own than past generations, largely because the wider world is perceived, often wrongly, as unsafe. It isn't this way in many other countries. My favorite example: Danish parents often leave sleeping babies outside in strollers while they shop or dine, a habit that could get you arrested here. Homework. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Many children, even young children, get a heavy nightly load, adding to household stress and robbing families of time together. Again, it isn't this way everywhere. Take Finland, home to what many consider the world's best education system, where kids don't start school until they're seven and rarely get homework. The push for perfection. Parents seem determined to give their kids an absolutely perfect childhood, no matter the financial cost, and to view children as pearls to be polished. Sometimes, this manifests as the desire to throw the best birthday party or the biggest Christmas. Other times, it is the push to prepare children for "the global economy," though we can't know what the world will be when our kids are grown. The instinct is admirable and based in love, but perfection is impossible. We're chasing our tails and inevitably feel guilty when we fall short. No wonder we are less happy than we should be. Whatever the cause, the happiness gap is nothing less than tragic. Being a parent can be difficult and arduous, sure, but it is also an extraordinary and life-defining experience. It should be as joyous as possible. It's a constant reminder of all that's beautiful and wondrous about life. That parenthood is apparently falling short says nothing good about us. It should worry even the childless. Anxious parents eventually produce generations of anxious adults living in an unhappy country. It's possible we're already there. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill Staff at Liber Tea Rooms in Liberty Square, Thurles are calling on secondary schools to run Irish Sign Language classes for Transition Year students after they learned ISL to communicate with a fellow co-worker. Cathy Carr, from Knockmaroe near Upperchurch, was born deaf and began working at the busy Thurles tea room three years ago, initially communicating with her colleagues through pen and paper. Within a few weeks Cathy's co-workers had already started learning basic words and phrases so that they could greet Cathy when she arrived for her shift. However when team member Barbara O'Donohue began asking Cathy how to sign extra words she decided to sign herself up for sign language classes to further her understanding of ISL. To Barbara's dismay there were no courses running in the area so she decided to enrol in an Irish Sign Language course online. Meanwhile manager at the tea room Marietta Doheny also downloaded an Irish Sign Language app to her phone so that the co-workers could practice during their lunch breaks. At our first Christmas party we all brought pens and paper so that we could talk to Cathy but by the second year both myself and Marietta were able to have proper conversations with her, explains Barbara. We've had a few of Cathy's friends come in and others from the deaf community and they are often so surprised when you are able to sign back. If you only know basic signs it can mean a lot to someone, she adds. Cathy, who also relies on lip reading to communicate, now says she is thrilled to be able to chat to her colleagues and teach them extra words and phrases, even introducing a new 'word of the day' to keep her co-workers on their toes. All staff now agree that there is a need for sign language classes in the area with Cathy suggesting that schools in the town offer classes for Transition Year students. ISL is easy to learn and can mean a lot to someone when you can say hello and ask them how they are, says Marietta. A Whole School Evaluation (WSE) has found the overall quality of teaching in Mt Bruis primary school, west Tipperary, to be very good. Mount Bruis NS is a rural, co-educational, primary school under the patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Cashel and Emly. The school has three mainstream teachers, a learning support teacher and a part-time resource teacher. Attendance levels for the sixty pupils enrolled are very good. A Dept. of Education Inspector carried out the WSE on all aspects of learning and teaching, on May 18th, and the results were published on Sept. 26th. The evaluation has found: a very positive climate, which is characterised by a sense of community, permeates the life of the school.The overall learning achievements of the pupils are very good. The overall quality of teaching is very good and teachers are committed to extending and developing their practice. The introduction of Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework provides an opportunity to focus on the achievement of specific language learning goals. The ancillary staff gives dedicated support to the school. In Irish, more use should be made of both real books and free writing. The pupils are very well behaved and display high levels of engagement in their learning. The board of management and the parents association work industriously to support the school. The principal demonstrates very good school leadership and has a very clear vision for the development of education in the school. The school has engaged positively with the school self-evaluation (SSE) process. The following main recommendations are made: An enhanced focus on further developing the learning goals for communication in the Aistear Framework would enrich the effectiveness of this initiative in the school. In Irish, pupils should read more real books and have more opportunities to write independently. It is now opportune to review the duties assigned to in-school management so as to incorporate a stronger focus on curriculum related responsibilities. The report concluded: The schools capacity to develop further is very good. Full report at www.education.ie [October 20, 2016] David Pyott and Scott Morrison to be Named Recipients of Life Sciences Leadership Award at CLSA's 2016 Pantheon DiNA Awards Ceremony California Life Sciences Association (CLSA), the state's largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization representing California's leading life sciences innovators, has announced the winners of its 2016 Life Sciences Leadership Award. Part of CLSA's Pantheon DiNA Awards program, the Life Sciences Leadership Award honors California's most innovative and dedicated life sciences leaders for their ongoing commitments and contributions to California's life sciences communities. The 2016 Life Sciences Leadership Award will be awarded to David E.I. Pyott, CBE, MD (Hon.), former chairman of the board and CEO at Allergan, and Scott Morrison, former U.S. Life Sciences Leader, Ernst & Young. Both honorees will be acknowledged at the 2016 Pantheon Awards ceremony on Dec. 2 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. David Pyott, Former Chairman of the Board and CEO at Allergan Pyott played an instrumental role in transforming Allergan Inc., a once small eye care business, into a global specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company, growing the company's sales from $1 billion to $7 billion during his 17-year tenure. Pyott was recognized by Harvard Business Review as one of "The 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World," and in 2006 was bestowed with the honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. He actively holds a number of positions, including lead director and member of the board of directors of Avery Dennison Corporation, member of the board of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., a member of the supervisory board of Royal hilips in the Netherlands, and chairman of privately held Bioniz Therapeutics and member of the Board of Rani Therapeutics. Pyott was Chairman of CLSA's legacy organization, California Healthcare Institute (CHI) in 2003 and again in July 2012. View full biography. Scott Morrison, Former U.S. Life Sciences Leader at Ernst & Young Morrison served as Ernst & Young's U.S. life sciences leader from 2002 until his retirement in Dec. 2015, and has dedicated his 36-year career to helping life sciences companies excel from start-ups to global leaders. During his extensive career, Morrison has worked on hundreds of public and private financings, including more than 50 IPOs and 150 follow-on offerings, and has served clients such as Abgenix, Bio-Rad, Genomic Health, InterMune, Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Onyx. Morrison is a former chairman and treasurer of CLSA's legacy organization, the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio), is a founding board member of the Biotechnology Institute, and member of the board of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America, Silicon Valley Chapter. View full biography. "The Life Sciences Leadership Award recognizes the individuals who work relentlessly to drive innovation and collaboration within California's life sciences sector. It's thanks to individuals such as David Pyott and Scott Morrison that California's life sciences industry continues to blossom and evolve, and we're pleased to honor both for their enormous contributions to our growing life sciences community," said Sara Radcliffe, President and CEO of California Life Sciences Association (CLSA). "We welcome all to join us at CLSA's 2016 Pantheon DiNA Awards ceremony on Dec. 2, where we will pay tribute to our 2016 Life Sciences Leadership Award recipients, and all our Pantheon Award winners." To attend the 2016 Pantheon Awards, registration and ticket purchase information is available at www.clsapantheon.org. To learn more about CLSA and its offerings, please visit: www.califesciences.org. About California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) is the state's largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, South San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington DC, CLSA works closely with industry, government, academia and others to shape public policy, improve access to innovative technologies and grow California's life sciences economy. CLSA serves biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies, research universities and institutes, investors and service providers throughout the Golden State. CLSA was founded in 2015 when the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio) and the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) merged. Visit CLSA at www.califesciences.org, and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @CALifeSciences, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005457/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Fitch Affirms Jackson County Schneck Memorial Hospital's (IN) Revs at 'A+'; Outlook Stable Fitch Ratings has affirmed the following Jackson County Schneck Memorial Hospital (JCSMH) Indiana outstanding debt at 'A+': --$18.6 million Indiana Health and Educational Facility Financing Authority revenue bonds, series 2006B; --10.9 million Indiana Finance Authority revenue bonds, series 2010. The Rating Outlook is Stable. SECURITY The bonds are secured by gross revenues, a debt service reserve fund, and any other property which is subjected to the lien of the bond indenture or pledged/or assigned to the bond trustee. KEY RATING DRIVERS LONG-TERM CARE AFFILIATIONS: JCSMH continues to benefit from additional net income through its long-term care affiliations where it has entered into 15 lease agreements with long-term care providers. The agreements allow the hospital to share intergovernmental transfer (IGT) payments which have translated into an additional $14.2 million in net income for fiscal 2015. Revenues from these affiliations comprised approximately 53% of JCSMH's total revenues in fiscal 2015. SMALL REVENUE BASE: JCSMH had total revenues (excluding long-term care revenues) of $134 million in fiscal 2015 which exposes the organization to potential performance volatility from any changes in physician staffing, local demographics, or reimbursement methodology. JCSMH's enhanced revenues from its long-term care affiliations and robust liquidity levels help mitigate concerns over their small revenue base. STRONG OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE: JCSMH further improved its strong operational performance in fiscal 2015 (includes long-term care revenues) as evidenced by its 11% operating margin, 14.6% operating EBITDA margin, and 14.6% EBITDA margin which all compare favorably to Fitch's 'A' category medians. Additionally, strong operational performance has led to a robust maximum annual debt service (MADS) coverage level of 16.1x in fiscal 2015. DOMINANT MARKET POSITION: JCSMH remained the market leader in 2015 with a 65% market share in its primary service area. The next closest competitor had a 13% market share. REDUCED DEBT BURDEN: In September 2016, JCSMH defeased approximately $4.5 million of outstanding debt which further reduced its low debt burden. The reduced MADS number represented 1.9% of fiscal 2015 revenues (hospital only) which is in line with Fitch's 'A' category median of 2.7%. Additionally, JCSMH has no new debt plans and its manageable capital plans are expected to be funded from unrestricted cash or operating cash flow. GROWING LIQUIDITY POSITION: JCSMH's unrestricted cash and investments increased to approximately $200 million in fiscal 2015 which translates into 298 days cash on hand (DCOH), a 77x cushion ratio, and 583% cash to debt, are all significantly above Fitch's 'A' category medians. RATING SENSITIVITIES LONG-TERM CARE AFFILIATIONS: While the loss of this additional income would be viewed negatively, absent these revenues the current rating could withstand a discontinuation of this program given the current operating profile of the hospital. Alternatively, a continuation of additional income from IGT payments could further increase liquidity levels and moderate its debt burden which may result in upward movement of the rating. CREDIT PROFILE JCSMH is located in Seymour, IN approximately 60 miles south of Indianapolis. As a county-owned acute care hospital, JCSMH has 93 staffed beds (licensed for 166 beds) in addition to 20 beds utilized primarily for outpatient surgery and observation patients. JCSMH had total revenues of $284 million (includes long-term care revenues) in fiscal 2015. DOMINANT MARKET POSITION JCSMH held its dominant market position in 2015 with a 65% market share (includes inpatient and outpatient) in its primary service area. The next closest competitor has approximately a 13% market share. Despite maintenance of its leading market position, JCSMH has seen mixed results in its utilization volumes. In fiscal 2015, admissions decreased 6.9%, births fell by 6.6%, and surgeries fell by 3.2%. Conversely, ED volumes increased by 14.7% and clinic visits increased by 8.6%. Concerns over a decrease in utilization are mitigated by the enhanced revenues from the IGT payments and JCSMH's robust liquidity levels. STRONG OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE JCSMH continued its solid operational performance in fiscal 2015 with approximately $31.3 million in income from operations. In fiscal 2015, JCSMH had a 11.0% operating margin, 13.6% operating EBITDA margin, and a 14.6% EBITDA margin which compares favorably to the 'A' category medians of 3.8%, 10.3%, and 12.6% respectively. Solid operational performance has translated into robust coverage levels. In fiscal 2015, JCSMH had MADS coverage 16.1x by EBITDA and coverage of 15.9x by operating EBITDA which both compare favorably to the 'A' category medians of 4.5x and 3.9x. JCSMH's strong performance is partially attributed to its long-term care affiliations which have helped enhance its operations. JCSMH has entered into lease agreements with 15 long-term care providers in which JCSMH owns the operating license and is the party to a long-term care facility's Medicaid provider agreement and qualifies for enhanced Medicaid reimbursement, which is split with the long-term care facility. Approximately $14.2 million in income from operations is attributable to the long-term care affiliations. Enhanced revenues from the long-term care agreements are expected to continue for at least fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2017. However, enhanced revenues from the program are uncertain beyond the next few years. ROBUST LIQUIDITY POSITION JCSMH's operational performance has helped enhance its liquidity position in recent years. JCSMH increased its unrestricted cash and investments to $200 million in fiscal 2015 which is an increase from the $139 million in unrestricted cash and investments in fiscal 012. JCSMH's $200 million in unrestricted cash and investments translates into 298.1 DCOH, a 77.0x cushion ratio, and 582.7% cash to debt which all compare favorably to Fitch's 'A' category medians of 215.5, 19.4x, and 148.6%, respectively. Fitch considers JCSMH's robust liquidity position as a primary credit strength and a key mitigant to JCSMH's small revenue base. DEBT PROFILE JCSMH has approximately $30 million in outstanding debt which is all fixed-rate. JCSMH's outstanding 2006B bonds were placed in May 2013 with Capital One (News - Alert) Public Funding and Jackson County Bank with an initial term of 10 years and faces renewal risk in 2023. In September 2016, JCSMH used cash to defease the $4.5 million in outstanding 2006A bonds. This attests to management's conservative practices as $10.5 million in outstanding 2006A bonds were defeased in May 2013. Both of these actions have reduced the organization's debt burden which is viewed favorably. The new MADS figure represented 1.9% of fiscal 2015 (hospital-only) revenues which compares favorably to Fitch's 'A' category median of 2.7%. Debt to capitalization was 11.4% in fiscal 2015 which also compares favorably to the 'A' category median of 36%. Furthermore, JCSMH has no new debt plans and its manageable capital plans are expected to be funded from unrestricted cash or operating cash flow. DISCLOSURE JCSMH has covenanted to provide audited financial statements and operating data within 180 days of fiscal year end and quarterly financial information and operating data within 60 days of each quarter end. All information will be posted to MSRB's EMMA website. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/750012 U.S. Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems Rating Criteria (pub. 09 Jun 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/866807 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1013457 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1013457 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/regulatory ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. Copyright 2016 by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Fitch Ratings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. 33 Whitehall Street, NY, NY 10004. Telephone: 1-800-753-4824, (212) 908-0500. Fax: (212) 480-4435. Reproduction or retransmission in whole or in part is prohibited except by permission. All rights reserved. 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View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006591/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Temasek Invests $250M in Columbia Pacific's China Operations Columbia Pacific Management, one of the largest and fastest-growing healthcare providers in Asia, is partnering with Temasek, an investment company based in Singapore, on a joint venture that will provide China's growing middle-class population with affordable, patient-centered care across a spectrum of healthcare and senior services. Temasek is investing about $250 million USD in Columbia China, the China healthcare arm of Seattle's Columbia Pacific Management, which will result in a 50/50 joint venture with Columbia Pacific. Columbia China currently has a 220-bed orthopedic hospital, two multi-specialty clinics and three senior living facilities in Shanghai and Beijing. The company is also developing three multi-specialty hospitals of 300-500 beds, in Wuxi, Jiaxing and Changzhou, as well as a 300-bed senior living facility in Ningbo and a growing pipeline of other projects across China. The partnership with Temasek will enable Columbia China to further expand in China through acquisitions and greenfield projects. "We've already built a strong team in China that has quickly expanded since we first entered the China market five years ago," said Bee Lan Tan, Group CEO of Columbia China. "With such valued support from Temasek, we look forward to continuing to accelerate our growth." "China's demand for healthcare services and senior living at international standards is unprecedented and growing every day," said Nate McLemore, Managing Director of Columbia Pacific Management. "We are thrilled to have a partner like Temasek that has both a shared vision of providing high-quality healthcare to Chinese patients and seniors, as well as a long track record of successful investments in China and around the world." Columbia Pacific Management has been operating in Asia for 20 years. The company's expansion in China is similar to the network of hospitals the company owns in India and Southeast Asia through another affiliate, Columbia Asia. Columbia Asia opened its first hospital in Malaysia in 1996 and over two decades has developed one of the largest hospital companies in Asia, with 27 hospitals and two clinics delivering high-quality, affordable and standardized care. Columbia Pacific is committed to the China market. In 2011 the firm became the first foreign-owned company to receive permission from the Chinese govenment to build senior care facilities in China and now has three senior care facilities: one in Beijing and two in Shanghai. Columbia Pacific went on to acquire a 220-bed orthopedic hospital and two multi-specialty clinics in Shanghai. Columbia Pacific is focusing on large cities - the three hospitals of 300-500 beds under development are in Wuxi (6.4 million), Jiaxing (4.5 million) and Changzhou (4.6 million) - with facilities designed to serve the wide-ranging medical needs of China's fast-growing middle class. For more information about the Columbia China hospital network, go to the company's website, Columbia-China.com. To learn more about Columbia China's senior care facilities, go to KaijanCare.com. For more about Columbia Pacific Management, go to columbiapacificmanagement.com. UBS was the placement agent and financial advisor to Columbia Pacific Management on the transaction with Temasek. About Columbia Pacific Management Columbia Pacific Management (CPM), based in Seattle, oversees an international healthcare business that develops and operates hospitals, clinics and senior housing in Asia. With locations in China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia and Vietnam, CPM's operating companies provide healthcare and senior care services in markets making up more than half the world's population. All of these countries have rapidly aging populations, rising middle- and upper-middle-class populations, an under-supply of quality healthcare and senior care facilities, and increasing rates of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiac diseases - creating an unprecedented demand for world-class healthcare services and senior housing. The company's affiliates include Columbia Asia, operating hospitals in India and Southeast Asia; Columbia Africa, which operates a clinic in Nairobi, Kenya; Columbia China, which is building a network of hospitals and clinics in China; Cascade Healthcare, a subsidiary of Columbia China that operates senior care facilities; and Remote Medical International, which provides medical services and supplies to challenging locations around the globe. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006612/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Indiana Woman Undergoes Double Hand Transplant at Jewish Hospital A Jeffersonville, Ind. woman has become the first female hand transplant recipient in Kentucky and the tenth patient to receive a hand transplant from the Louisville Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) program. The program is a partnership of physicians, researchers and healthcare providers from Jewish Hospital, part of KentuckyOne Health; the Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery (CMKI); the Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center; and the University of Louisville. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006625/en/ Louella Aker, double hand transplant, pictured with Christina Kaufman, Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand & Microsurgery; Stu Williams, PhD, division chief, Bioficial Heart, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute; and Tuna Ozyurekoglu, MD, lead hand surgeon, Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center. (Photo: Business Wire) During a 17-hour procedure on September 17, 2016, Louella Aker underwent a double hand transplant at Jewish Hospital. The 69-year-old acquired an infection while involved in the cleanup of Henryville, Ind. after an EF4 tornado hit the area on March 2, 2012. Aker was later diagnosed with septicemia and underwent a bilateral, below-the-knee amputation on her legs, left forearm amputation, and right partial hand amputation. Aker was added to the organ donor registry on September 18, 2015. "There are so many things you cannot do without your hands. This will change my life and allow me to do the things I miss, like holding my granddaughter's hand," said Aker. "I spent many days praying for a donor, but also crying for the donor's family for their loss. This is such a huge and exquisite gift they have given me and I thank and bless them for their sacrifice. I also want to thank the surgeons, my family and my church for their support." "Although a little slow, we are pleased with the progress that Louella has been making," said Tuna Ozyurekoglu, MD, lead surgeon, Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center. "She is truly a fighter who has continued to grow stronger each day following this surgery. We look forward to watching her return to her normal activities, as she shows the world how successful transplantation can be." "Operations such as this help demonstrate the enormous importance of organ and tissue donation," said Christopher Jones, MD, director of abdominal transplantation and associate professor of surgery, University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital. "If it were not for the donor family graciously agreeing to limb donation, the efforts of Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates and neighboring organ procurement organizations, this certainly would not have been possible." Aker was placed on immunosuppressive medications to prevent rejection of the new hand. "She is tolerating her medications, and to date, has no signs of clinical rejection," added Jones, who is overseeing the patient's immunosuppressive therapy by closely monitoring her for signs of rejection and adverse reaction to medications. The success of the Louisville VCA program has led to additional funding for ongoing transplantation and research. Early funding for research on composite tissue allotransplantation and immunotherapy from the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Foundation, also part of KentuckyOne Health, helped to bring about the nation's first hand transplant. Other hand transplants were funded by the Department of Defense. In late 2012, the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Foundation allocated $1.5 million for the Louisville VCA program to bring potential hand transplant recipients to Louisville for screening, performance of the hand transplantation surgery, and patient therapy and rehabilitation after surgery. In 2013, the Louisville VCA program was awarded $850,000 to fund a clinical trial of a new treatment that will help prevent rejection of hand transplants as part of the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) research program. AFIRM II is a five-year, $75 million federally funded project that will focus on applying regenerative medicine to battlefield injuries. Results of this trial will be far-reaching and benefit not only military patients, but all hand transplant recipients. "We are all very pleased at how well Ms. Aker handled the surgical procedure, and we are grateful that she agreed to participate in the AFIRM-funded study," said Christina Kaufman, PhD, Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery. "It is through participation in research by patients like Ms. Aker that we are able to find ways to make hand transplantation more accessible to everyone who might benefit." The AFIRM II funding enables Louisville VCA researchers to explore the potential for a cell-based therapy to help control the immune system's response to a hand transplant, with a goal to lessen or eliminate the need for immune-suppressant drugs. "It is amazing to be part of an extraordinary team, performing procedures such as this double hand transplant," said Stuart K. Williams, II, PhD, director, Bioficial Organs Program, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute. "New innovations developed by investigators at the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute are being translated to help patients recover more quickly from transplant surgery." The Louisville team developed the pioneering hand transplant procedure and has performed hand transplants on 10 patients since 1999. The clinical trial is led by Dr. Tuna Ozyurekoglu, MD, with research at the CMKI and the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute, a partnership of Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and the University of Louisville. Funding for the surgical procedure was provided by the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Foundation, part of KentuckyOne Health. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006625/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] ip.access Launches Major Update to Presence Data Monetisation Service LONDON, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ip.access has launched a major upgrade of its Presence data monetisation service with the release of a new next generation sensor. The new sensor significantly expands the capabilities of ip.access' Presence solution to unlock even more value from location data for mobile operators, retailers, property owners, outdoor media companies, events and stadium operators, and fintech customers. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430648LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430649 ) Presence is the only field-proven solution specifically focused on driving carrier data monetisation strategies based on micro location, and the addition of the new sensor brings unrivalled capabilities to ip.access' unique operator data monetisation service. The new sensor now combines licensed, unlicensed (Wi-Fi) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data sets, delivering the most complete micro-proximity data available from a single, simple to deloy sensor. Rob Jones, GM Presence, ip.access, commented: "Every carrier around the world is embracing data monetisation strategies, mainly via their macro networks, but there is no doubt that the ability to complement that capability with highly granular data can realise significant extra value and revenue. The new sensor means that our Presence service can now uniquely provide levels of insight to offline bricks and mortar establishments that were previously only available in the online world." Presence from ip.access unlocks the full value of micro-proximity data. Presence provides fine grain location and phone identity data, resolved down to 5-10 meters or better, within indoor or urban deployment environments. This data effortlessly provides greater insights into customer buying patterns and demographics, or can support "opt in" use cases such as SMS Push, all from the same solution. Crucially the Presence service is delivered within a robust privacy, permissions and policy framework without the inherent flaws that limit the value Wi-Fi or beacon solutions can generate. Presence does not require device applications, user interaction or extensive macro network integration. ip.access will be demonstrating the updated Presence service at Telco Data Analytics Europe in Madrid, 25-26 October 2016. To arrange a demonstration at the show contact [email protected] About ip.access Headquartered in the United Kingdom, ip.access originates the best-in-class wireless solutions that maximise the value of radio and data assets via disruptive business models. The company has products and solutions live in over 100 customers' networks around the world. As part of the ip.access portfolio of products, Presence has delivered excellence in the field of micro proximity having been selected as sole vendor for a number of Global Telco, Financial Services, Retail & IoT customers. Media contacts Jhanvi Gudka / Rachel Nulty Wildfire [email protected] +44(0)20-8408-8000 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] The MR PORTER Style Council In Association With IWC Schaffhausen INSIDER TIPS FROM THE WORLD'S MOST STYLISH MEN LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The MR PORTER Style Council, our newly-relaunched ambassador-driven digital Rolodex, features recommendations, tips, facts and tools to discover and navigate the world's best bars, restaurants, hotels and brands. The Style Council is comprised of MR PORTER's elite-group of select Style Council members - from Mr Pharrell Williams through to Mr Hugh Jackman and is searchable, filterable and sortable by venue type, city, and profession all from the ease of MR PORTER.COM and our downloadable Style App. Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/mrporter.mp4 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430408 With the relaunch, MR PORTER has added new tech and social media enhancements by integrating Google Maps, along with adding service partner support from OpenTable and Uber, so users can book rides and reservations directly from the Style Council page on MR PORTER.COM and in the MR PORTER App. MR PORTER Style Council is your one-stop concierge 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and is accessible for reference and bookings all from the palm of your hand. To celebrate the launch, MR PORTER will debut a dedicated issue of The Journal highlighting existing and new Style Council members who are leaders in their respective fields: art director Alex de Betak, paddle8 founder Alexander Gilkes, men's wear stylist Eugene Tong, adventurer and ecologist David de Rothschild, media publisher Wei Koh, and more. Additionally MR PORTER has appointed an in-house liaison, Style Council Director Ms Ashlyn Chesney, to oversee relationships with Style Council members so recommendations and profiles are as up-to-date and evolving as our members expanding palates and favourite things. Ms Chesney and MR PORTER Brand & Content Director Mr Jeremy Langmead will kick-off the re-launch with intimate dinners around the world, hosted at some of MR PORTER'S favourite restaurants, all to be featured in Mr Porter's own profile. They are: Bennelong in Sydney; Rhoda in Hong Kong; Mark's Club in London, and the Waverly Inn in New York City. "We're thrilled to be relaunching MR PORTER's Style Council, making it all the more accessible and functional for the modern man or woman on-the-go. It's a one-stop, mobile city guide populated by the most stylish and brightest minds around the world." Mr Jeremy Langmead, MR PORTER Brand and Content Director "MR PORTER's Style Council boasts some of the world's most inspiring tastemakers. From professional athletes to designers, musicians and journalists, these global citizens offer up their favourite places and dream items, providing advice, information and inspiration to men on a global scale." Ms Ashlyn Chesney, MR PORTER Style Council Director MR PORTER Style Council will re-launch exclusively on MR PORTER.COM 20th October and is also accessible through MR PORTER's Style App for mobile. To view the MR PORTER Style Council online, please click here: https://www.mrporter.com/style-council To view the MR PORTER Style Council editorial in The Journal, please click here: https://www.mrporter.com/journal To view the MR PORTER Style Council video on YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/X9XaQQHS3hY About MRPORTER.COM MR PORTER launched in February 2011 and has established itself as the award-winning global retail destination for men's style, combining unparalleled product offering from the world's best menswear brands including Brioni, Givenchy, Gucci, Lanvin, ACNE Studios, Burberry Prorsum, Paul Smith, Slowear, and Saint Laurent alongside fine watches, over 45 specialist grooming brands and most recently MR PORTER SPORT a dedicated sport and performance category that encompasses technical and stylish wares suited to nine disciplines. MR PORTER publishes unmatched content through its weekly shoppable digital magazine, The Journal, its bi-monthly newspaper, The MR PORTER Post, and its bite-sized, several-times-a-day digital news source, The Daily, all powered by MRPORTER.COM. MR PORTER champions unparalleled customer service with express worldwide shipping to more than 170 countries including same-day delivery to New York and London and next day delivery to the UK, US, Germany and France, a seamless shopping experience across mobile, tablet, desktop, email and telephone, signature white and black packaging, easy returns and a multi-lingual customer care and personal shopping team that are available 24/7, 365 days a year. www.mrporter.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] RadioMedix Inc. successfully completed the Phase I/ II clinical studies for AminoMedix used for radiation kidney protection during Peptide-Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) Houston, TX, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RadioMedix Inc. (Houston,TX) is excited to announce the completion of the Phase I/II clinical trial of AminoMedix proprietary formulation used for kidney radioprotection during PRRT. Kidneys are dose-limiting organs during the Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) due to reabsorption of radiotherapeutic agents in the kidneys. Due to the lack of an FDA approved compound to protect kidneys during PRRT, currently different solutions of amino acids are being used, off-labeled, in the clinics. While the co-administration of these megalin-targeting compositions, decrease the accumulation of nephrotoxic radiopeptides in renal proximal tubular cells, it also may lead to severe side effect, including grade 3 or 4 hyperkalemia and severe nausea and vomiting. RadioMedix Phase I/II clinical trials confirmed the correct dose of the components of AminoMedix and also presented both safety and effectiveness of AminoMedix composition in reducing kidney radiation absorbed dose while preventing clinically significant hyperkalemia, nausea and vomiting, during PRRT. RadioMedix has completed the dose optimization of AminoMedix formulation and the company is inthe process of scaling up of GMP manufacturing and stability studies of AminoMedix for its centralized distribution plan. AminoMedix responds to an unmet need in the growing area of PRRT in patients with Neuroendocrine tumors. The current off label use of TPN and other amino-acid solutions to remedy radiation toxicity related to PRRT in U.S. or other countries in the world is very suboptimal and causes significant adverse effects such as severe nausea, vomiting and hyperkalemia in patients undergoing PRRT. These side effects sometimes have been so severe preventing patients tolerating their treatment. AminoMedixTM proprietory composition (WO 2014/204854 A1) addresses all these adverse effects while protecting the kidneys during PRRT , said Dr. Ebrahim S. Delpassand, MD, CEO and Chairman of RadioMedix. The AminoMedix composition will limit the nephrotoxic effect of both beta and alpha-emitter labeled agents, including but not limited to positively charged peptides and antibodies. The commercialization of AminoMedixTM aligns well with pipeline of radio-theranostic agents developed by RadioMedix, echoes Izabela Tworowska, PhD, CSO of RadioMedix. MORE ABOUT RadioMedix Inc. RadioMedix, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company, based in Houston, Texas, focused on innovative targeted radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis, monitoring and therapy of cancer. The company is commercializing generator-produced radiopharmaceuticals based on Gallium-68 chemistry for PET imaging and therapeutic (Alpha and Beta) radiopharmaceuticals for targeted radionuclide therapy in cancer. RadioMedix has also established two service facilities for academic and industrial partners: cGMP Manufacturing Suite for human clinical trials and probe development and small animal Molecular Imaging Facility for evaluation of agents in animal models. More information at http://www.radiomedix.com. Izabela Tworowska , Ph.D., Chief Science Officer RADIOMEDIX, Inc. I 9701 Richmond Ave., Suite 222 I Houston, TX 77042 Mobile: 832-868-2812 I Fax: 713-581-8937 E-mail: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Frost & Sullivan Lauds Ascom's Continued Dominance of the Enterprise Wireless Phone Market Based on its recent analysis of the enterprise wireless phone market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Ascom (News - Alert) Wireless Solutions with the 2016 Global Company of the Year Award. Ascom has gained a 22% share of the total market revenue through its keenness to address underserved customer needs, solid implementation of best practices, a differentiated and innovative portfolio that targets evolving trends, and a tight customer focus. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005050/en/ Global enterprise wireless phone company of the year award (Photo: Business Wire) Ascom has responded to its customers' changing on-site mobility needs with purposeful innovations in both traditional and emerging wireless technologies such as traditional paging systems, digitally enhanced cordless telephony (DECT (News - Alert)), voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi), and even cellular. The company has significantly improved customers' communications and mobility through the following: Continuing to develop IP-DECT, improving security, maximizing scalability, and increasing system capacity up to 100,000 users. Integrating advanced personal alarm functionality (e.g., push button, automated man-down/no-movement alarms suitable for lone workers) into wireless handsets. Developing the first line of VoWiFi handsets to support the 802.11n standard. Developing Ascom d81, one of the most rugged DECT handsets in the industry; and the intrinsically safe Ascom d81Ex, suitable for use in potentially explosive environments. Developing the Unite Messaging Suite, Ascom's middleware platform that allows customers' mission-critical systems to be integrated with mobile communications. Developing Unite Axess, a healthcare-related communications app for smart devices. Introducing Ascom Myco, a revolutionary VoWiFi+3G cellular Android (News - Alert)-based smartphone designed for caregivers. Planning next-generation Ascom Myco (DECT + Wi-Fi) for release in 2017, combining superior speech quality of DECT with high data throughput for broadband applications over Wi-Fi. "Early on, Ascom recognized the need to build processes and tools that deliver consistent outcomes. It identified the commonalities in successful wireless phone implementations and, accordingly, made available the required documentation, best practice material, and diagnostic tools to a wide ecosystem of channel partners, individuals, and institutions," said Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) ICT Principal Analyst Alaa Saayed. "For the healthcare vertical in particular, Ascom offers multiple forms of education, including instructor-led training, self-paced eLearning, comprehensive user guides, and quick reference guides." Over the years, Ascom has enjoyed considerable success in terms of aggregate revenues, revenue growth, operating margins, and other key financial metrics. The Wireless Solutions division accounts for 74% of the group's business and has consisently demonstrated profitability. In North America, the Wireless Solutions division helped Ascom post double-digit growth rates in 2015 in both incoming orders and revenue. In Europe, the company continues to meet growth targets, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, and is growing in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Ascom customers' ownership experience is among the best in the industry. Hospitals, healthcare institutions, manufacturing facilities, and retail stores report that Ascom addresses their unique needs and specific constraints through high levels of customization when implementing its solutions. "Ascom Wireless Solutions provides customers with multiple tools for potential inquiries and problem solving," noted Saayed. "Ascom Technical Service presents resellers and customers with a wide range of services, including technical support, technical training, system analysis, field engineering, product repair, and contract services. Professional services can be tailored to meet customer-specific needs." Ascom enjoys solid brand recognition and mindshare among organizations with on-site mobility needs. Currently, 60% of the company's Wireless Solutions net revenue comes from the healthcare vertical; the company aims to become the leader in healthcare ICT by 2020. Because of Ascom's strong overall growth and visionary leadership, Frost & Sullivan is pleased to present Ascom with the 2016 Global Company of the Year Award. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated superiority in devising and implementing a strong growth strategy. The recipient has shown strength in terms of innovation in products and technologies, leadership in customer value, and speed in response to market needs. In short, the award looks at the emerging market participants in the industry and recognizes their best practices that position them for future growth. Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for outstanding achievement in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that could make or break today's market participants. Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnership supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating 2 key elements driving visionary innovation: the Integrated Value Proposition and the Partnership Infrastructure. The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation, including research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation, and implementation. The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible, including 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, and career best practices as well as Frost & Sullivan's global footprint of more than 40 offices. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics, and emerging economies? Contact Us: Start the discussion Join Us: Join our community Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing" Register: Gain access to visionary innovation About Ascom Ascom is a global solutions provider focused on healthcare ICT and mobile workflow solutions. The vision of Ascom is to close digital information gaps allowing for the best possible decisions - anytime and anywhere. Ascom's mission is to provide mission-critical, real-time solutions for highly mobile, ad hoc, and time-sensitive environments. Ascom uses its unique product and solutions portfolio and software architecture capabilities to devise integration and mobilization solutions that provide truly smooth, complete and efficient workflows for healthcare as well as for industry, security and retail sectors. Ascom is headquartered in Baar (Switzerland), has subsidiaries in 15 countries and employs around 1,300 people worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005050/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] College Students across the Country Donate More Than 10,000 Hats to Children Battling Cancer in One Day Love Your Melon, an apparel brand that aims to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children battling cancer, is visiting 150 hospitals and support facilities around the country to bring a smile to the faces of kids battling cancer. The fourth-annual Love Your Melon Day will take place on October 20, 2016. In celebration of the holiday, campus ambassador teams across the nation will host donation events where they will dress as superheroes and donate warm hats to children in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005445/en/ Love Your Melon Day 2016 Snapchat Geo Filter (Photo: Business Wire) Love Your Melon Day began in 2013 to celebrate the inception of Love Your Melon, an company that was founded by Zachary Quinn and Brian Keller while the two were in college. Since the company's beginning, Love Your Melon has donated more than 84,646 hats to kids across the country attling cancer. Love Your Melon apparel is sold at www.loveyourmelon.com and for every sale, 50 percent of profits are donated to one of Love Your Melon's non-profit partners in the fight against pediatric cancer. To date, Love Your Melon has donated more than $1 million to its partners to help find a cure for cancer. For a full list of participating hospitals and support facilities participating in Love Your Melon Day, visit www.loveyourmelon.com. "We're incredibly proud to be celebrating our largest Love Your Melon Day yet," says Charlie Carlisle, National Program Director of Love Your Melon. "Our Campus Crew Members at colleges across the country will be spreading the mission of Love Your Melon and putting a smile on the faces of children battling cancer across the United States." In total, Love Your Melon has a millennial network of more than 11,200 college students that act as brand ambassadors on 709 ambassador teams. These ambassador teams help carry the mission of Love Your Melon and at least one ambassador team can be found in each of the fifty states in the U.S. ABOUT LOVE YOUR MELON Love Your Melon is an apparel brand with a mission to instill hope and create smiles on the faces of children battling cancer. Zachary Quinn and Brian Keller founded the company on Oct. 22, 2012 while the two were students at the University of St. Thomas. To date, more than 84,646 hats have been donated and more than $1 million has been donated to fund cancer research initiatives as a part of Love Your Melon's mission. For every sale on loveyourmelon.com, 50% of profits will be donated to Love Your Melon's non-profit partners in the fight against pediatric cancer. More information on Love Your Melon can be found at www.loveyourmelon.com. Follow Love Your Melon on Facebook (News - Alert), Instagram and Twitter. If you are on a college campus today, use their awesome Snapchat Geo Filter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005445/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Critical Mention Announces Substantial Growth and Management Changes and Promotions NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Critical Mention, Inc., the leader in real-time media monitoring and analytics, announces significant growth in its user base driven in part by enhancements to its technology platform and content sets subscribed to by thousands of clients in the public relations, marketing and public policy sectors. In addition, Critical Mention has named a new CEO, a promoted its sales executive and consolidated management of its technology teams. Management Changes Don Yount has been named CEO. He had been serving as the companys president since March and succeeds Sean Morgan, who founded the company and built it into a global media monitoring company. Sean will continue to serve as chairman of the Board of Directors. Yount joined Critical Mention after having served as president of Corente, a cloud networking-technology company. During his tenure there, Corente expanded its software-as-a-service-based networking solution to include multiple, large-scale distribution partnerships on top of its direct-to-user model, ultimately leading to an acquisition by Oracle. Prior to Corente, Yount served as executive vice president and COO of TVI Corp., operating principal at Mid-Atlantic Venture Funds, and in executive positions in corporate strategy and finance at several high-tech firms in the telecom, datacom, software development and media industries. on is a terrific executive, and were so pleased hell apply his management expertise to take Critical Mention to the next stage of development, said Morgan. We expect Critical Mentions already impressive growth to accelerate further, building on our unmatched technology infrastructure, intuitive user experience, and ever-growing sets of real-time media content. I am looking forward to building upon the foundation Sean has built since starting the company, said Yount. With a strong customer base, truly superior technology and an impressively talented team, I believe Critical Mention is poised to further expand its reach in the media monitoring market. Other organizational changes include promotion of Steve Shannon to SVP, Sales and Marketing. Steve has led the Critical Mention sales and account management teams for seven years, and with this promotion, will drive an integrated approach to growing the Critical Mention brand and customer base. Also, Critical Mention has consolidated all aspects of its technology teams into two groups, Engineering and Technical Operations, to create greater efficiency in development and delivery of content through the Critical Mention platform. Both groups report to SVP Nancy Ellman, who has recently driven a number of major technology upgrades at Critical Mention, including a more robust, redundant cloud-based infrastructure that strengthens service uptime under virtually any circumstances. Growth in Customer Base and Content Sets Sales have accelerated in 2016. New customer acquisition grew 45% in the third quarter and new bookings revenue increased 67% over the same period last year while sales headcount remained steady. In 2016, Critical Mention is hitting all-time highs for client renewals in both number of subscriptions and revenue. More public relations professionals are finding that the real-time speed and simplicity of the Critical Mention media monitoring and reporting platform save them a lot of time and frees them to focus on their core responsibilities, said Yount. Its really a complete, reliable solution backed by 24/7/365 customer support. We understand that more than ever, PR professionals need to be in the know to do the work they want to do. About Critical Mention Critical Mention is the leading global media monitoring platform, delivering real-time broadcast, online and social media content and advanced analytics tools. Founded in 2002 in New York City, Critical Mention serves customers in business, government and non-profit sectors delivering real-time media content. For more information, visit http://www.criticalmention.com or Follow us on Twitter @CriticalMention or contact Steve Shannon at 212-398-1141 or email [email protected]. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Konrad Technologies: We Are Expanding in the USA! Konrad Technologies, the provider of value added platform- based automated test solutions to solve the worlds most complex engineering challenges, announced today that David Loadman, Vice President of sales National Instruments (News - Alert) was appointed to join Konrad board of directors as Vice President & General Manager. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005758/en/ David Loadman to join Konrad technologies as Vice President & General Manager (Photo: Business Wire) "During this time of global expansion and transformation, there is no better person to lead Konrad Technologies than David," said Michael Konrad, Konrad GmbHs Founder and CEO. "David is a proven leader with extensive experience, hard-core engineering skills, a unique perspective on global business environment, and trong leadership skills. His vision on technological innovations and how these will be experienced around the world is exactly what Konrad Technologies needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product, technological innovation in industrial standards and global expansion." "What attracted me to Konrad is the quality of the people, the deep domain knowledge in automated test and the technology investments in areas such as ABex and mm Wave based radar. With the expansion into North America enabled by locations in Austin, Texas and San Jose, California, Konrad Technologies now offers customers a truly global footprint with support in Europe, North America and Asia". About Konrad Technologies With high technology standards, Konrad Technologies (www.konrad-technologies.com) has successfully developed, designed and integrated customer-speci?c test solutions providing customers with R&D, quali?cation and manufacturing of electronic products with tools to ful?ll their quality goals, accelerate engineering and development throughput. Customers in a wide range of industries - from the Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, to Telecommunication and from the household electronics industry, Medical, Semiconductors, General Electronic Manufacturing and Industrial Automation industries use Konrad's integrated hardware and software platform based solutions to improve their performance worldwide. Konrad technologies, KT (News - Alert) and Konrad GmbH are trademarks of Konrad technologies. Other products and company names listed are trademarks of their respective companies. For further information - please visit: www.Konrad-technologies.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005758/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Invoca Debuts Voice Marketing Cloud at 2016 Call Intelligence Summit SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Invoca, the call intelligence company, today launched the Voice Marketing Cloud at its annual Call Intelligence Summit. The Invoca Voice Marketing Cloud is the first solution to connect and inform the entire customer experience, delivering the same capabilities for voice interactions that digital marketing clouds from Salesforce, Adobe and Oracle bring to channels like web, email, social and display. As the path to purchase has evolved across devices and channels, customer experience has become the new battlefield. According to Gartner, 89 percent of companies today expect to compete mostly on the basis of customer experience, while four years ago, that number was only 36 percent. Marketers are using marketing cloud technology from Salesforce, Adobe, Google, Facebook and others to personalize and automate experiences across digital channels. And investment here will continue to increase; IDC predicts that digital marketing technology spend will increase from $20.2 billion in 2014 to $32.4 billion in 2018. However, until now, marketing clouds have solely focused on digital channels, leaving out one of the most important customer touchpoints: a voice conversation. A recent survey revealed that a positive phone call experience can drive more than 60 percent of customers to spend more with a business with 74 percent taking their business elsewhere after a negative call experience. The Invoca Voice Marketing Cloud is the first solution to connect insights from voice conversations to the rest of the customer journey by bringing a full suite of marketing automation capabilities to phone calls. The Voice Marketing Cloud delivers the same capabilities for voice interactions that digital marketing clouds bring to web, email, social and display. Now marketers can optimize their marketing performance, personalize the caller experience, automate the omnichannel journey, and expand their audiences with both digital and voice interactions. "Voice is central to how we communicate both in our personal lives and with businesses. With innovations in AI and messaging, voice is becoming the new user interface, the new killer feature, and the most pivotal conversion point," said Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca. "These interactions represent a 'moment of truth' for brands. A good experience means increased sales and valuable customer insights, whereas a bad experience can be devastating to a brand, especially over time. With the Invoca Voice Marketing Cloud, marketers can take control of the opportunity to bridge digital and voice interactions to create an unforgettable, consistent customer experience." "The opportunity to drive ROI from voice conversations goes way beyond call tracking and attribution," said Ian Bell, manager of Marketing Systems and Analytics at Vivint Smart Home. "With the Invoca Voice Marketing Cloud, we get individual-level insights about our customers, enabling us to make better decisions in real time about how to engage with them across our marketing channels." The Invoca Voice Marketing Cloud natively connects with all major digital marketing clouds, including industry-first integrations with the Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Facebook Ad Manager. At the Call Intelligence Summit, Invoca unveiled a new custom data and audience solution as part of the Voice Marketing Cloud. With this technology, marketers can use insights discovered during phone calls to create custom audiences for retargeting or expanding reach in any channel. For example, callers with specific demographic profiles and purchase histories who express interest in "Hawaii vacations" during the conversation are automatically sent emails via Salesforce Marketing Cloud. This insight can be applied to reach lookalike audiences via Adobe Marketing Cloud for web display campaigns, or with Facebook for social campaigns. Invoca's Call Intelligence Summit is the industry's foremost gathering for marketers who believe in voice conversations as an integral part of the customer experience. Invoca executives will be joined by senior marketers and thought leaders from Google, Facebook, Adobe, Microsoft, Forrester, AllState, LendingTree and many others to address Invoca's customers, partners and prospects. Follow #InvocaSummit to join the conversation on Twitter. About Invoca Invoca helps the modern marketer optimize for the most important step in the customer journey: the phone call. With Invoca, marketers can get granular campaign attribution to understand why customers are calling, gain real-time intelligence about who's calling and analyze what's being said in conversations. Marketers can put this data to work directly in the platform by automating the ideal customer experience before, during and after each call. With an ecosystem of over 30 technology partners, marketers can inject call intelligence into their existing technology stack, giving them the ability to orchestrate a true omnichannel customer journey. Invoca is backed by Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners, Accel Partners, Upfront Ventures, Rincon Venture Partners, Salesforce Ventures, and Stepstone. For more information, please visit www.invoca.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/invoca-debuts-voice-marketing-cloud-at-2016-call-intelligence-summit-300348294.html SOURCE Invoca [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] BlackThorn Therapeutics Launches to Develop Novel, Targeted Treatments for Neurobehavioral Disorders BlackThorn Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing targeted treatments for neurobehavioral disorders, announced that it has closed a $40 million Series A financing. The financing was led by founding investor ARCH Venture Partners and supported by Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., along with Altitude Life Science Ventures, Mercury Fund, Alexandria Real Estate Equities and an undisclosed crossover fund. Founded in collaboration with top research institutions and with a world-class roster of scientific advisors, BlackThorn aims to be the leading neurobehavioral health company. "Academic research in the field of neurobehavioral disorders has provided sophisticated methods for assessing brain disease. BlackThorn is dedicated to putting into practice this new and modern framework for drug discovery and development that applies scientific rigor and capital efficiency," said Mark Corrigan, M.D., executive chairman of BlackThorn. "We intend to lead the change in the treatment paradigm by investing in the validation and standardization of new technologies that will not only advance our own drug development platform and pipeline, but ultimately help a growing patient population suffering with imprecise and inadequate treatment options." BlackThorn is committed to building a robust portfolio of first- and best-in-class treatments by leveraging recent advances in neuroscience. The company's lead program will evaluate BTRX-246040, a first-in-class antagonist of the nociceptin receptor (NOPR), a target linked to multiple neurobehavioral disorders. The compound is currently entering phase 2 clinical trials and leads a pipeline of small molecule programs. Development of BTRX-246040 as well as the rest of the BlackThorn portfolio is enabled by the company's INFORM platform. INFORM supports the discovery and development of targeted treatments by linking brain physiology to behavior using advanced functional imaging and objective assessment tools that quantify emotion, behavior and cognition while relying less on traditional qualitative clinical observations. "BlackThorn's management team and Board are highly respected and experienced, with a solid track record of scientific excellence and commercial success in CNS," said Kristina Burow, managing director at ARCH Venture Partners. "With the enormous need for new thinking in CNS drug development, BlackThorn aims for nothing less than to develop new treatments fueled by an understanding of brain physiology and its relationship to neurobehavioral disorders to transform the lives of patients and their families." Experienced Management Team with Deep CNS Expertise BlackThorn is currently led by Dr. Corrigan, who previously served as chief executive officer of Zalicus and executive vice president of Research and Development at Sepracor, where he developed three marketed drugs, including Lunesta. He is a director of CoLucid, Cardiome, Quartet and Nabriva. Other members of BlackThorn's senior leadership team include: Bill Martin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, who was previously at Theravance Biopharma, where he was executive director, leading teams of scientists in discovery and development for multiple therapeutic areas, including neuroscience. Annette Madrid, M.D., chief medical officer, who served as chief medical officer for Balance Therapeutics and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Scott Forrest, Ph.D., vice president of operations and corporate development, who was previously vice president of business development at The Scripps Research Institute, where he was responsible for all corporate partnership activities. BlackThorn's leadership team is complemented by its experienced Board of Directors. Joining Dr. Corrigan and Kristina Burow are John MacPhee, currently chief executive officer of The Jed Foundation and a director at Adamas Pharmaceuticals, who as vice president of Forest Laboratories led the launches of Celexa and Lexapro; and Asish Xavier, Ph.D., from Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., who has invested in over 20 healthcare companies. World-class Researchers and Thought Leaders Serve as Scientific Advisors BlackThorn's founding scientific team includes Edward Roberts, Ph.D., and Hugh Rosen, M.D., Ph.D., of The Scripps Research Institute, who previously co-founded Receptos (acquired by Celgene for $7.8 billion) and are collectively responsible for seven marketed drugs and multiple drug candidates in advanced development. A distinguished scientific advisory board is led by co-chairs Steven Hyman, M.D., director of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research and core member at the Broad Institute of MIT (News - Alert) and Harvard University, and Matt State, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and director of the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute. Thomas Daniel, M.D., most recently president of research and early development at Celgene Corporation, serves as a senior advisor to the team. A New Understanding of Brain Disorders Historically, neurobehavioral disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and schizophrenia have been described in broad categorical terms; however, such categories do not necessarily map to disease pathology. Advances in neuroscience are allowing researchers to understand the underlying physiology of each disorder and consequently identify patient subpopulations that can be specifically targeted. The ability to segment patients will allow for more accurate and less expensive clinical trials yielding novel, targeted treatments that directly modulate the brain physiology responsible for neurobehavioral health. About BlackThorn Therapeutics, Inc. BlackThorn Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the lives of people with neurobehavioral disorders through the discovery and development of novel, targeted treatments. BlackThorn is building a robust pipeline of first- and best-in-class treatments, and is redefining the industry approach to drug discovery and development through its INFORM platform, which links brain physiology and its relationship to behavior. With its network of collaborations with leading academic investigators, BlackThorn is developing and deploying a set of technologies that will enable focused, rapid, resource-efficient translational studies for drug development. The company is headquartered in South San Francisco, California. For more information, please visit http://www.blackthornrx.com. About ARCH Venture Partners ARCH Venture Partners, one of the largest early stage technology venture firms in the U.S., invests in seed and early stage advanced technology companies. ARCH enjoys special recognition as a leader in the commercialization of technologies developed at academic institutions, corporate research labs and national laboratories. ARCH has earned a reputation as one of the leading venture firms in early stage biotechnology, advanced materials, alternative energy, and specialty semiconductors, and is known for identifying and capitalizing early on fundamental trends in disruptive technology. Now in its 30th year, ARCH has over $2 billion in committed capital through nine venture funds, and has co-founded and provided initial investments for over 200 companies, including Illumina, Juno Therapeutics, Receptos, Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Ikaria and Agios Pharmaceuticals. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005447/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] InvenSense Announces SensorStudio 2.2 Supporting MCU-Agnostic GenericSensorHub Platform InvenSense, Inc. (NYSE:INVN), a leading provider of MEMS sensor platforms, announced the new SensorStudio 2.2 release, the newly-released GenericSensorHub Platform and the new ICM-20690 development kit, a sensor prototyping and development platform for the Internet of Things (IoT). The new InvenSense solution generates sensor and algorithm development projects to market faster. SensorStudio is a powerful graphical development tool originated by InvenSense to ease the development and programming of an increasing range of sensors and algorithms. With this new release, SensorStudio 2.2 has added numerous user experience improvements comprising the inclusion of Embedded Motion Driver packages from within the SensorStudio platform and adding a professional C editor with many new features such as search and replace, goto and line numbers. Of particular interest to IoT developers needing fast prototyping, SensorStudio 2.2 now adds the capability to Record and Replay all sensor and algorithm signals; creating repeatable development and test scenarios. These include rare-to-reproduce use-cases which are key to building solid test harnesses, validating ideas and turning algorithms into products quickly. The new InvenSense IoT development platform is comprised of an integrated sensor framework software, called GenericSensorHub; integrated in an ST Microelectronics Nucleo-F411RE board. The new GenericSensorHub platform allows IoT developers a wider range of platforms thanks to its compatibility with other MCU platforms. SensorStudio 2.2 also support the higher performance ICM-20690 MEMS 6-axis sensor that combines a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer in a small 2.5x3x0.91 mm (14-pin LGA) package. Together SensorStudio 2.2 with the new ICM-20690 development kit, developers are able to select and build on top of the GenericSensorHub embedded features (orientation, activty tracking, gestures, etc.), enabling quick design and validation of embedded sensor features on an ARM Cortex M4 MCU. The new InvenSense Development Kit comes with more processing power, additional Flash, and increased RAM (News - Alert), allowing developers to unleash their creativity and build smarter IoT applications quicker. SensorStudio also now works with GCC/Linaro-based development tools and Eclipse IDE debugger. In addition, the number of 3rd party components required with the Development Kit and the overall pricing has been reduced. "Our growing community within the InvenSense Developers Corner are asking for faster yet highly-reliable ways to test their ideas in their target market while having choices for MCU platforms," said Nicolas Sauvage, Sr. Director Ecosystem, InvenSense. "SensorStudio 2.2 with its unique Record and Replay feature and GenericSensorHub with its easy path to any ARM (News - Alert) Cortex M4 MCU platforms are bringing compelling elements that will help them bring their sensor and algorithm development projects to market faster and more reliably." The ICM-20690 Development Kit is available for purchase from the InvenSense online store and SensorStudio 2.2. is ready for download from InvenSense's Developers Corner website. The SensorStudio and the Development Kit will be exhibited at the InvenSense Developers Conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center - Oct 20-21, 2016. To schedule press and partner meetings at the show, contact [email protected]. For additional information on the InvenSense development platform, please visit www.invensense.com or contact InvenSense Sales at [email protected]. About InvenSense InvenSense, Inc. (NYSE:INVN) is the world's leading provider of MEMS sensor platforms. InvenSense's vision of Sensing Everything targets the consumer electronics and industrial markets with integrated Motion and Sound solutions. Our solutions combine MEMS (micro electrical mechanical systems) sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, and microphones with proprietary algorithms and firmware that intelligently process, synthesize, and calibrate the output of sensors, maximizing performance and accuracy. InvenSense's motion tracking, audio and location platforms, and services can be found in Mobile, Wearables, Smart Home, Industrial, Automotive, and IoT products. InvenSense is headquartered in San Jose, California and has offices worldwide. For more information, go to www.invensense.com and http://www.coursaretail.com. 2016 InvenSense, Inc. All rights reserved. InvenSense, Sensing Everything, FireFly, SensorStudio, TrustedSensor, Coursa, Coursa Sports, Coursa Retail, UltraPrint, MotionTracking, MotionProcessing, MotionProcessor, MotionFusion, MotionApps, InvenSenseTV, DMP, AAR, and the InvenSense logo are trademarks of InvenSense, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005493/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] PaySimple Poised for Growth with $115M Investment from Providence Equity PaySimple, a leading Service Commerce platform for businesses, today announced that it has received a significant growth investment from Providence Strategic Growth (PSG), the growth equity affiliate of Providence Equity Partners, a global private equity firm with $47 billion in assets under management. The investment is expected to accelerate PaySimple's strategy to market services online, automate payment acceptance, and deliver one end-to-end solution to its customers. PaySimple is disrupting the service commerce space with its full-featured platform that allows service-based business owners to run their companies the way they think about them - centered on their customers. PaySimple combines the ways service businesses need to generate business online (with online appointment scheduling, payment and registration forms, and an online store) with all the ways they need to collect payment (in person, online, over the phone, via invoice, and by recurring billing), and strengthens these capabilities with a powerful customer management solution at its core. The cloud-based platform provides business owners simpler systems, greater productivity, and strategic growth through automation and insights. PaySimple supports the success of over 17,000 companies across the country, ranging in industries from fitness and wellness, to non-profit and education, to home and professional services. The PaySimple API also powes leading SaaS (News - Alert) companies' payment acceptance, card on file, customer management, and billing automation capabilities. "PSG brings more than just capital to PaySimple and we are looking forward to leveraging their considerable resources to help accelerate our growth," said Eric Remer, CEO of PaySimple. "PSG has the industry experience and operational expertise to help us more quickly realize our goal to make the lives of business owners easier. PaySimple is the first true service commerce solution on the market and we are excited for the opportunities that our PSG partnership will bring." "Legacy paper-based cash and check processes, and even terminal point-of-sale solutions, don't fit the needs of relationship-oriented verticals, and limit their growth," said Mark Hastings, Managing Director and head of Providence Strategic Growth, who will join the PaySimple Board of Directors. "That gap affects a great number of SMBs across the country and PaySimple is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of this market with the platform they've built. We're very excited to work with Eric and the team at PaySimple to provide business-changing technology and vertically-focused offerings in this underserved and rapidly growing space." About PaySimple PaySimple is a leading Service Commerce platform for businesses, supporting the success of over 17,000 companies across the country. PaySimple enables businesses to market services, accept payments, and retain customers using one end-to-end solution that covers everything from payments and appointments, to online sales and customer management. Products include: Point-of-Sale, Payment Forms & Online Store, Appointment Scheduling, Virtual Terminal, credit card and echeck processing, Recurring Billing, Mobile Payments, Secure Customer Management, e-Invoicing, cash flow reporting, and more. Founded in 2006, PaySimple is headquartered in the heart of LoDo, in downtown Denver, CO. To learn more, visit https://paysimple.com. About Providence Equity Providence is a premier, global asset management firm with $47 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 150 companies and is the leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI and also has offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Delhi. For more information on Providence Equity, please visit www.provequity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005847/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] The Keys to Effectively Monitor Traditional And Social Media TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - A communications strategy that monitors both traditional and social media is the most effective for today's marketers. This CNW whitepaper looks at how you can identify opportunities and issues using the right media monitoring mix for your company. Finding earned media and brand mentions is no longer the sole function of media monitoring; it's also about leveraging opportunities. If you are not using your monitoring platform for more than just tracking your brand mentions, you may be missing out on some vital information about your customers, competitors and industry as a whole. Identifying Opportunities & Issues: Keys to Monitoring Traditional & Social Media discusses: How anyone can be an influencer, and the challenges inherent to monitoring social media Traditional media, its renewed importance and strategies for monitoring it Competitive intelligence and prospecting empowered by the right kind of monitoring strategies Successfulmultichannel monitoring strategies consist of finding the right mix of tools, people and best practices. Refining your strategy and using your media monitoring platform for industrial monitoring and competitive intelligence, allows you to engage in social listening and in turn, identify opportunities to build your business and effectively position your brand in the market place. Download this whitepaper in full here. About CNW Group CNW Group Ltd. (a Cision company) gets people talking about our clients online and in the news. We deliver authenticated news releases and multimedia content in the right way and to the right places in order to fulfill disclosure requirements and maximize exposure, engagement and earned media opportunities. CNW also provides professional video, photography and webcast production, translation, regulatory filing and printing services as well as monitoring and measurement platforms. About Cision Cision is a leading global media intelligence company, serving the complete workflow of today's communication professionals. Offering the industry's most comprehensive PR, IR and social media software, rich analytics, content distribution, and influencer outreach, Cision enables clients to engage audiences, enhance campaigns and strengthen data-driven decision making. Cision solutions include PR Newswire, the Gorkana Group, PRWeb, Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and iContact brands. Headquartered in Chicago, Cision serves over 100,000 customers in 170 countries and over 40 languages worldwide, and maintains offices in North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. For more information, visit www.cision.com or follow @Cision on Twitter. SOURCE CNW Group Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Wipro to Acquire Appirio, a Global Cloud Services Company Wipro (News - Alert) Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Appirio, a global cloud services company that creates next generation worker and customer experiences, for a purchase consideration of USD 500 Million. Established in 2006, Appirio is headquartered in Indianapolis with offices in San Francisco, Dublin, London, Jaipur, and Tokyo and has 1250 employees worldwide. Appirio is a trusted partner to some of the world's leading brands, including Stryker, Robert Half, Johnson Controls, Cardinal Health, Coca-Cola, eBay (News - Alert), Facebook, Home Depot, and Sony PlayStation. Once completed, Wipro's acquisition of Appirio will create one of the world's largest cloud transformation practices, a game changer in today's as-a-service and digital economy. Appirio also brings to Wipro, Topcoder, a leading crowdsourcing marketplace connecting over a million designers, developers and data scientists around the world with customers. "In an increasingly digital world, as consumer behaviors and expectations continue to be reshaped by experiences, companies are recognizing that they need to transform how they engage with customers and employees by leveraging the power of Cloud. Appirio and Wipro are coming together to unlock transformational synergies in the applications space and help enterprises create new business models," said Abidali Z. Neemuchwala, Chief Executive Officer & Member of the Board, Wipro Limited. Wipro will consolidate its existing cloud applications practices of Salesforce and Workday under the Appirio brand and structure. Chris Barbin, Chief Executive Officer of Appirio, will lead the expanded business. "When you combine Wipro's global scale and deep digital focus with Appirio's transformative worker and customer experience expertise, and best in class team, brand, and partners, you create a formidable force in the industry," said Chris Barbin, Chief Executive Officer of Appirio. "Together, our aim is to dominate the market and claim the top spots in industry Net Promoter Score, market share, and best places to work." "Chris and his team have spent the last decade building Appirio into a global leader delivering amazing customer experiences with Salesforce," said Marc Benioff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce. "I couldn't be more proud of Appirio as it joins Wipro, where together they will continue to drive customer successon a much larger scale." "As one of our earliest partners, Appirio has played a key role in the Workday Community, and we're thrilled to see such a great opportunity for the team's continued growth," said Aneel Bhusri, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Workday. "With Appirio, Wipro gains an organization with deep industry expertise and a strong commitment to customer service, dedicated to helping companies take their businesses to the cloud." The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to be closed in the quarter ending December 31, 2016. William Blair & Company acted as financial advisor to Appirio during the transaction. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360-degree view of "Business through Technology." By combining digital strategy, customer centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 170,000, serving clients across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com. About Appirio Appirio is a global services company that helps customers create next-generation Worker and Customer Experience using the latest cloud technologies. Our free-thinking consultants deliver unmatched customer value by creating actionable strategies, delivering results quickly, and helping organizations adapt to a new experience-driven era. We do this by harnessing the power of one of the world's largest crowdsourcing communities and thousands of pre-built solution accelerators. Appirio is a trusted partner to some of the world's largest brands, including Stryker, Robert Half, Johnson Controls, Cardinal Health, Coca-Cola, eBay, Facebook (News - Alert), Home Depot, and Sony PlayStation. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005927/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] IDC MarketScape names OVH a Leader in Datacentre Operations and Management in Canada MONTREAL, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The IDC MarketScape: Canadian Data Centre Operations and Management 2016 Vendor Assessment has named OVH a Leader, highlighting its unique approach to building datacentres, deploying technology, and packaging the company's services. The conclusions of the report match the growing ambitions of OVH in Canada since arriving over 5 years ago. This expansion will translate in the near future by the opening of new offices in Toronto this upcoming October 24. The report (doc #CA40622416, September 2016) assesses the 18 leading providers of technological services in Canada and highlights the specific characteristics of OVH's business model, as well as its distinct approach to datacentre design and management giving the company a particularly competitive edge and great business agility. Located in Beauharnois on Montreal's south shore, the OVH Canadian datacentre can host close to 400,000 servers. Since its acquisition by OVH back in 2012, the site - an old Rio Tinto Alcan aluminum plant - has been completely reconfigured to meet the highest security and energy efficiency standards. With its ISO/IEC27001 certification, its SOC 1 and 2 Type II compliances for the Private Cloud service offer, and by meeting Tier IV requirements, OVH has reached a PUE rating of 1.08, making its Canadian datacentre one of the most environmentally efficient in the world. This indicator supports OVH's efforts o effectively eliminate air conditioning from its datacentres and cut its energy bill in half by combining optimal air flow management inside the b2uilding with an exclusive water cooling system for its servers, which are assembled in-house. This approach is unique on the market and one of the keys to success for OVH in Canada. The company's expansion is accelerating and partnerships are rapidly growing: the most recent one was launched with telecommunications company Rogers whose new cloud services rely on OVH's Public Cloud technology. In Quebec, now a big part of OVH's history as its very first location in North America, HOVH has also built close relationships with Fibrenoire, LinkbyNet and Cologix. The company is still investing in the province - with a commitment totalling 33 million dollars since 2015, notably for the development of an R&D office in Quebec City - and is now taking things to the next level by opening an office in Toronto. Moreover, the company's North American expansion is about to reach beyond Canadian borders: 47 million dollars will be allocated to the launch by the end of the year of a new office and its first American datacentre, both set in Virginia. About IDC MarketScape IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360 degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors. About OVH Specializing in cloud and internet infrastructure, OVH offers innovative products and services evolving around three universes: Web, Dedicated and Cloud. Since being founded in 1999, the company has become an established partner for hundreds of thousands of professionals worldwide. OVH owes its success not only to a development model built on innovation but also to keeping full control over the supply chain, from server manufacturing and in-house maintenance of their infrastructure, right down to customer assistance. OVH is able to ensure stable and reliable product and service offerings to all clients across all its brands while also providing the best price quality ratio. Learn more on OVH www.ovh.com and follow us on Twitter @ovh. SOURCE hebergement Ovh inc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] USG Breaks New Ground in Higher Education, Prepares to Power Regional Workforce Yesterday, the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) broke ground on its Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility (BSE). Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford, Maryland State Senator Nancy King, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and University System of Maryland Chancellor Robert Caret all came together to applaud USG and the county and state's commitment to higher education. Governor Larry Hogan, who had planned to attend the event but was called away at the last minute due to the death of a close friend, released the following statement: "Our administration is proud to have worked closely with our partners in the University System and the General Assembly to bring this new Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility to fruition. With this ground breaking today, Universities at Shady Grove is setting a new standard in high-quality higher education that directly meets Maryland's unique workforce development needs." According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Maryland leads the country in academic research and development and has the third highest concentration of high-tech businesses in the nation. However, the growth of highly skilled jobs in Montgomery County continues to outpace available candidates in the region. There is a projected demand for nearly 117,000 new workers by 2017 to fill new or vacated positions in Montgomery County, and an expected shortage of qualified workers to fill the region's wide range of occupations. "We are breaking new ground on a building that will allow USG to nearly double the number of students it serves - from 4,000 students today to 7,500 when the building opens its doors in 2019," said USG Executive Director Dr. Stewart Edelstein. "This means providing even more businesses in Montgomery County and the surrounding region with a talent pool of qualified graduates in cutting edge, high-demand science, technology, engineering, math and medical sciences positions." When the building opens in 2019, Maryland's premier research universities, including University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland, College Park and UMBC will offer undergraduate and graduate degree opportunities in critical and rapidly growing industries, including healthcare, biosciences, engineering and computational sciences. The new facility, designed by the nationally renowned architectural firm Cooper Carry and its partner Lake/Flato, will be one of the most sustainably sourced and built laboratory buildings in the country. It will include teaching laboratories, collaborative learning spaces, clinical training facilities, academic offices and expanded student services. Earlier this year, the General Assembly and Governor Hogan provided $36.7 million in funding for construction of the Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education facility. The actions of the Governor's office, the University System, the Montgomery County General Assembly delegation and the Montgomery County government took in support of USG underscore the significance of USG's approach to provide pathways to degrees and careers that support the economic and workforce development of the Montgomery County region and state. More than 200 academic, business and community leaders along with 100 students celebrated the momentous occasion on USG's campus. Other notable guests and groundbreaking participants included Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot; Chair of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents James Brady; USG Board Chair, CEO & Co-Founder of SkillSmart Michael Knapp; and representatives of University of Maryland, College Park; UMBC; and University of Maryland, Baltimore. To learn more about USG's Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility, please visit www.shadygrove.umd.edu/bse. EDITOR'S NOTE: High-res photos from yesterday's ground breaking are available upon request. To request photos or to coordinate interviews please contact Sara Neumann at [email protected] or (202) 256-8687. About The Universities at Shady Grove The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) is part of the University System of Maryland and the partner campus of 9 Maryland public universities, all of which share in the mission of creating educational and economic opportunities for the residents of Montgomery County and the surrounding region. Since its founding in 2000, USG has been providing innovative approaches to some of higher education's biggest challenges - quality, access, and affordability. Over the last 16 years, USG has grown its initial offering of 14 undergraduate degree programs to more than 80 degree programs awarded by nine of Maryland's top public universities. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006019/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] FINEOS Launches New Absence Management Solution FINEOS Corporation, a market leading provider of core systems for Life, Accident and Health insurance, today announced the launch of FINEOS Claims for Absence Management. The new solution offers next generation integrated absence management to allow insurers to put order around the ongoing regulatory disruption of absence management. FINEOS Claims for Absence Management was unveiled at the FINEOS Global Summit which concluded yesterday in San Francisco. FINEOS Claims for Absence Management provides a single book of record for all absence management related services, enabling carriers to showcase the strengths of their products, services, people, and partnerships in a unique, consistent, and compliant fashion. The new solution incorporates a foundationally solid Absence Policy Administration that is comprehensive and organized for analysis and growth. FINEOS offers regulatory support by staying current with relevant legislation and including pre-defined (out-of-the-box) federal, state and mnicipal leave plans (paid and unpaid) and ongoing regulatory updates. In this way, FINEOS Claims for Absence Management will continue to meet carrier needs. The Integrated Service Management capability allows carriers to easily manage integrated absence requests including leave, disability and accommodation. Uniquely in the market, it also offers paid leave management of statutory and private family insurance programs and paid sick leave policies. Commenting on the launch of the new product, Michael Kelly (News - Alert), CEO, FINEOS said, "We are delighted to be able to bring this new product to market. We believe FINEOS Claims for Absence Management is the most innovative solution available anywhere. Feedback from our customers here at the Summit has been excellent. As integrated absence management and technology evolve, FINEOS will continue to provide solutions to meet that evolution." FINEOS will further showcase its plans for Absence Management in a webinar on 10 November. Entitled "Rising to the Challenge of Absence Management", the event will be run in collaboration with Insurance Networking News. For more information and to register for the event, please click here. FINEOS is a global leader in insurance software with customers in nine countries and has been chosen by 8 of the top 20 Group Life & Health insurers in the US and 4 of the top 5 Life & Health insurers in Australia. FINEOS has many years' experience working with insurers in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific and has over 20,000 licenced users globally. About FINEOS Corporation The FINEOS flagship product, the FINEOS AdminSuite, is based on the FINEOS Digital Platform, which can be hosted in the cloud or on premise. The FINEOS AdminSuite will deliver a full service Policy, Billing and Claims software solution providing best-in-class functionality for Group, Voluntary and Individual Policy administration on a single platform while also supporting self-admin, full-admin and TPA models. FINEOS delivers innovative solutions to a global market and has customers, employees and established bases in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific markets. For more information, visit www.FINEOS.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006030/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Avaleris, Microsoft Hold Identity-Driven Security Panel Discussion OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Avaleris, the leading provider of identity-based security, hybrid identity, and enterprise mobility services to Microsoft clients, today announces the panel discussion entitled "Your Most Pressing Questions in Identity-Based Security," now available to the public on demand. Centered around questions from the audience, this panel featured three expert speakers from Microsoft: Patrick Arnold, Principal Program Manager in Cloud + Enterprise Security, Alex Weinert, Group Program Manager in Identity, Security and Protection, and Patrick Huff, Principal Program Manager in Cloud + Enterprise Identity, as well as Hugh Lindley, VP of IT Security and Emerging Technologies at Avaleris. "There is a great amount of consideration evident in the way organizations are approaching cyber security today," said Hugh Lindley, VP, IT Security & Emerging Technologies at Avaleris. "As was evident in the questions posed to the panel, security has come to the forefront of all organizational IT decisions. IT professionals are looking not only to understand the technology options available, but also to assess the provider's investment in security and how the toos will fare in the uncertain future of evolving security threats. There is a new level of sophistication clearly seen in security-driven decision making." In the increasingly cloud-based world, IT professionals are faced with the elusive challenge of protecting the organization's identities as the new perimeter, the new control plane. The topics addressed in this panel discussion included: Why should I trust Microsoft with my security? How much MFA (multi-factor authentication) is too much? How do we know if an account has been hijacked? If Microsoft is attacked, what happens to my security products? How do we protect from the threat of disgruntled employees? When evaluating identity-driven security solutions, what are the key features to look for? How do we know which cloud apps pose a threat? Does Microsoft use these same externally-facing security services? What roadmap would you suggest in terms of identity management and security, taking a multi-phased approach? IT professionals are invited to view the full recorded version of the panel discussion on Avaleris' webinar platform. About Avaleris As a niche consulting firm focused exclusively on hybrid identity, enterprise mobility, and identity-driven security, Avaleris is the trusted advisor to Microsoft's largest private and public sector clients. Leveraging their extensive experience, Avaleris is sharply focused on the development of flexible and integrated business solutions that empower users, improve business agility, and protect corporate data. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430964LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avaleris-microsoft-hold-identity-driven-security-panel-discussion-300348553.html SOURCE Avaleris [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] McKesson Canada employees donate $10,000 to support future generations of Paralympians SAINT-LAURENT, QC, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Inspired by Canadian Paralympic wheelchair rugby player David Willsie, the Canadian Paralympic Team and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, employees at McKesson Canada have donated $10,000 to the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, helping support future generations of Canadian Paralympians. This past summer, McKesson Canada launched a six-week team employee challenge called "Road to Rio." Employees from across Canada competed in various physical activities for wellness points. Fifty-two teams participated, raising $10,000 for the Canadian Paralympic Foundation. McKesson Canada served as the official pharmacy partner of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, where the company was also proud to sponsor Canadian Paralympic wheelchair rugby player David Willsie. "We were inspired to support David through his participation in the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games because he embodies leadership values that we believe deeply in at McKesson," said Genevieve Fortier, Senior Vce President, Human Resources and Public Affairs, McKesson Canada. "We are so impressed by David's commitment to physical wellness, his mental resilience and by the many sacrifices he made throughout his life and career. We need more athletes and leaders like David, that's why we decided to also support the Paralympic Canadian Foundation as they develop the next generation of Canadian athletes." As the newly established philanthropic arm of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Paralympic Foundation of Canada's goal is to ensure that the programs, equipment and people are in place to propel more Canadians with a disability all the way from the playground to the Paralympic podium. "Our sincere thanks to the employees of McKesson Canada for their donations," said Jim Westlake, Chair of the Paralympic Foundation of Canada. "This investment will go towards furture parasport athletes, helping support and nurture the next generation of Paralympic champions. As we celebrate Canada's success in Rio and look ahead to future Games, we look forward to working with supporters such as McKesson Canada to help Canada become a world leading Paralympic nation." McKesson Canada continues to invest resources in an effort to become the healthiest health care company in Canada. McKesson Canada is taking a holistic approach to building a culture that places physical and mental health as well as wellness at the centre of the employee experience. About McKesson Canada Founded more than 100 years ago, McKesson Canada is dedicated to delivering vital medicines, supplies and information technologies that enable the health care industry to provide patients with better, safer care. Our solutions empower pharmacies, manufacturers, hospitals and other health care institutions by enabling them to get closer to the millions of patients they serve every single day, while contributing to the quality and safety of care in Canada. About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca SOURCE MCKESSON CANADA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Hello Paisa Wins Second Annual MasterCard Foundation Clients at the Centre Prize The MasterCard (News - Alert) Foundation today presented its second annual Clients at the Centre Prize to Hello Paisa. The US$150,000 Prize recognizes the company's innovative work in South Africa to facilitate international money transfers for foreign workers. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006379/en/ Winner of The MasterCard Foundation Clients at the Centre Prize 2016 is Ahmed Cassim, Managing Director of the Hello Group Financial Services. Presenting the award was the Foundation's Ann Miles, Director of Financial Inclusion and Youth Livelihoods and Sumaiya Sajjad, Program Manager. (Photo: Business Wire) The award came after the 300+ members of the audience at The MasterCard Foundation Symposium on Financial Inclusion voted for one of three finalist firms competing for the Prize. The Symposium is the annual gathering of financial service practitioners and experts serving the needs of poor people in developing ountries, being held this year from October 20-21 in Kigali, Rwanda. The MasterCard Foundation believes that banks and other financial service providers in developing countries should focus on the needs and expectations of people living in poverty. Putting poor clients at the centre of the design of new financial products and services helps bring underserved people into the formal banking system, improving their livelihoods and their ability to plan for the future. The Clients at the Centre Prize finds and recognizes the most customer-focused organizations working to deliver access to formal financial products and services to poor people. Ahmed Cassim, Managing Director of the Hello Group Financial Services unit, said "This exercise with The MasterCard Foundation has been truly amazing. It's forced us to look deeper into client centricity and really ask ourselves some challenging questions. We are truly honoured to have won this prize and we will not let the Foundation down." "Hello Paisa has shown, and the audience agreed, that we can only achieve full universal financial inclusion if financial service providers truly understand the context and needs of the people that they serve," said Ann Miles, Director of Financial Inclusion and Youth Livelihoods at The MasterCard Foundation. "Hello Paisa is doing just that. It understands that in order to provide for financially underserved communities, the clients they serve must be at the very centre of all of their efforts." The other two Prize finalists were Artoo IT Solutions, a digital lending business and 4G Capital, a loan company focused on micro-entrepreneurs. The full agenda of the Symposium can be found here. To follow the conversation at the Symposium on Financial Inclusion, follow the Foundation on Twitter (News - Alert) @MastercardFdn via the event hashtag, #SoFI2016. About The MasterCard Foundation The MasterCard Foundation works with visionary organizations to provide greater access to education, skills training and financial services for people living in poverty, primarily in Africa. As one of the largest private foundations its work is guided by its mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. Based in Toronto, Canada, its independence was established by MasterCard when the Foundation was created in 2006. For more information and to sign up for the Foundation's newsletter, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org. Follow the Foundation at @MastercardFdn on Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006379/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] COPC Inc. Launches Global Customer Journey Mapping Consulting and Training Services COPC (News - Alert) Inc., a global consulting firm that helps companies improve operations to transform the customer experience, announces the availability of its global customer journey mapping consulting services and training program. A customer journey map illustrates the path of a customer's experience with a company's product or service from discovery to purchase. Companies use this information to know where and how to improve this experience to create lasting customer relationships and build brand loyalty. COPC Inc. engages with clients to document and analyze their customer journey segments, process gaps, and opportunities. The COPC Inc. team observes key touchpoints in the customer's journey through individual channels and across multiple channels. This includes the discovery phase, the purchase process-both online and in-store-and fulfillment, post-sale, and returns. The company utilizes these data-driven methods to build insightful customer journey maps. "Our customer journey mapping program gives our clients an independent, unbiased view of their customer's experience. We often find that companies operate in silos. We look at the experience through the customer's eyes and explore the journey across these silos to uncover gaps in how well they interact. Our goal is to determine cost-effective change, based on industry best practices and our client's brand promise, to deliver the customer experience they aspire to deliver," said Kathleen Jezierski, chief operating officer, COPC Inc. In conjunction with the launch of customer journey mapping consulting, the company will offer COPC Customer Journey Mapping Certification, a 2.5 day training and certification program. This program is available now as a private, client-site session. The first public training session will be held in Dallas, TX, January 30 - Feb 1, 2017. Additional public classes are planned for 2017 in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In this course, participants will learn the key steps required to lead their own mapping project. They will be taught how to execute the COPC Customer Journey Mapping methodology and how to use COPC Inc.'s exclusive tools and techniques. Participants also will learn key steps required to gain organization buy-in to build a meaningful customer journey map. At the end of the course and upon successful completion of the exam, participants will be certified in COPC Customer Journey Mapping. "While some of our clients want to rely on our expertise to lead their mapping projects, others prefer to be trained and certified in our mapping methodology. We are confident once someone becomes certified, they will have both the tools and knowledge to successfully plan and develop their own mapping project. More importantly, they will know how to use that map to implement change within their organization to improve the customer experience," said Jezierski. COPC Inc.'s customer journey mapping service offering is one component of its customer experience consulting program. The company advises clients to create, review or operationalize their customer experience management program. Leveraging its 20-year history of improving call center operations, COPC Inc. provides guidance regarding customer experience strategy development, operational effectiveness with individual channels, performance across channels, measurement methods, and omnichannel integration. COPC Inc. also has published the COPC Customer Experience Standard, Release 6.0., documenting operational best practices for the entire customer journey. For more information about customer journey mapping consulting or training, contact the COPC Inc. sales team. About COPC Inc. COPC Inc. is an innovative global leader that empowers organizations to manage complex customer journeys. The company created the COPC Customer Experience (CX) Standard and provides consulting, training and certification for operations that support the customer experience. Founded in 1996, COPC Inc. began by helping call centers increase their performance. Today, the company works with leading brands worldwide to optimize key customer touchpoints and deliver a seamless experience across channels. COPC Inc. is privately held with headquarters in Winter Park, Florida, U.S. and has operations in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, India and Japan. To learn more, visit www.copc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006427/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Online Video of a Community Conversation on Prostate Cancer Now Available Online video is now available from an Us TOO Community Conversation on Prostate Cancer in Detroit. Content addresses the importance of informed decision making for patients and caregivers specific to testing, active surveillance, treatment options for all phases of prostate cancer from an initial diagnosis to advancing disease, and management of side effects. The event was a feature presentation at the Sixth Annual Men's Health Event presented by the Michigan Institute of Urology (MIU) Men's Health Foundation on September 24 at Ford (News - Alert) Field in Detroit. Community Conversations were led by urologist, Dr. Jason Hafron, and oncologist, Dr. Elisabeth Heath. The same information was presented in two separate sessions, which were both broadcast live on the internet, recorded, and are now available online in short, easily accessible segments by topic at www.ustoo.org/Education-Videos. "Unlike other cancers, a diagnosis of prostate cancer presents many options for moving forward," explained Dr Jason Hafron, a urologist with Michigan Institute of Urology, P.C. "It's very important for men who are diagnosed to know all the facts before determining their path of treatment for prostate cancer. Events like this are important for raising awareness and education in the local community." Dr. Elisabeth Heath, an oncologist with Karmanos Cancer Institute noted that "men have a tendency to silently endure and procrastinate on matters surrounding their healthcare. This can be dangerous, particularly when we're talking about something as serious as prostate cancer, which has no symptoms until it's advanced. These Community Conversations really help to spark an important dialogue with men, their loved ones, and healthcare professionals." The Community Conversation on Prostate Cancer in Detroit was one of four events in the 2016 series hosted by Us TOO and presented by Bayer in addition to other corporate sponsors. Other event locations were The Villages, FL; Columbus, OH; and Austin, TX. Us TOO will be hosting additional Community Conversations on Prostate Cancer in various locations throughout the country in 2017. About Us TOO International Us TOO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves the prostate cancer community by providing educational materials and resources at no charge. The organization was founded by-and continues to be governed by-people directly affected by prostate cancer. Us TOO develops digital and printed educational materials and support services that include more than 250 volunteer-led support groups, the Us TOO website (www.ustoo.org), online communities, toll-free HelpLine (1-800-808-7866), and the monthly distribution of Hot SHEET newsletter and Prostate Cancer News You Can Use, in addition to educational/awareness events such as Community Conversations on Prostate Cancer, the annual SEA Blue Chicago Prostate Cancer Walk & Run. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006433/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Leidos Wins Prime Contract With Department of Homeland Security RESTON, Va., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a global science and technology solutions company, was awarded a prime contract by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to provide systems administration and maintenance services for X-ray and imaging technology. This hybrid firm fixed-price time and materials contract has a one-year base period of performance, and includes four one-year options. If all options are exercised, the contract carries a total value of approximately $155 million. Under this award, Leidos will help the CBP's efforts in securing the Nation's borders, by providing post-warranty support for fielded technology. This includes Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) gamma imaging and X-ray equipment like Leidos' VACIS inspection systems, Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM), and Radiation Isotope Identification Devices (RIID). Through the company's maintenance and support efforts, the CBP will be able to better maintain operational readiness and ensure the equipment is functioning appropriately. "We are pleased to continue our support of the CBP mission by providing critical administration and maintenance services," said Tim Reardon, President of Leidos Intelligence and Homeland Security. "Through our efforts, the CBP will be better able to secure land border crossings, airports, seaports, and rail crossings within the United States and abroad." About Leidos Leidos is a global science and technology solutions leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 33,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported pro forma annual revenues of approximately $10 billion for the fiscal year ended Jan. 1, 2016 after giving effect to the recently completed combination of Leidos with Lockheed Martin's Information Systems & Global Solutions business (IS&GS). For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 30, 2015, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Contact: Melissa Koskovich Jennifer Moffett (571) 526-6850 (571) 526-6852 [email protected] [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131120/PH20896LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leidos-wins-prime-contract-with-department-of-homeland-security-300348515.html SOURCE Leidos [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Commences Investigation on Behalf of Banc of California, Inc. Investors Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Banc of California, Inc. ("Banc of California") or the "Company") (NYSE: BANC) concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On October 18, 2016, an article was published on Seeking Alpha alleging that Banc of California had concealed ties to Jason Galanis-a man the article claims has a "long history of secretly gaining control of banks and public companies via front men, looting assets, and leaving unsuspecting investors nd taxpayers with hundreds of millions in losses." Specifically, the article alleged: (1) that Galanis controlled the Company's founding shareholder; (2) that an off-balance sheet lender controlled by the Company's senior-most officers financed Galanis; and (3) that the Company's lead independent director had strong ties to Galanis. On this news, shares of Banc of California fell over 29% per share on October 18, 2016, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Banc of California securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at http://www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. 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/20161020006552/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 20, 2016] A.M. Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited and Majority of Its Subsidiaries A.M. Best has affirmed the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of "bbb" and the Long-Term Issue Credit Rating (Long-Term IR) on the unsecured debt and preferred equity of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Fairfax) [TSX: FFH and FFH.U] (Toronto, Canada). A.M. Best also has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of "a+" of the members of Odyssey Reinsurance Group (Odyssey Re). Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of "a" of the members of the Northbridge Companies; the members of the Crum & Forster Insurance Group (C&F), the members of the Zenith National Insurance Group (Zenith Group), and Wentworth Insurance Company Limited (Wentworth) (Barbados). In addition, A.M. Best has affirmed the Long-Term ICRs of "bbb" and the Long-Term IRs of Zenith National Insurance Corp. (headquartered in Woodland Hills, CA (News - Alert)), Fairfax (US) Inc. (Delaware) and Odyssey Re Holdings Corp. (Wilmington, DE), all of which are indirect wholly owned, downstream holding companies of Fairfax. Concurrently, A.M. Best has withdrawn the Long-Term ICR of Odyssey Re Holdings Corp., as the company no longer has any rated debt outstanding. The outlook of all of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. (See link below for a detailed listing of the companies and ratings.) The ratings of Fairfax reflect its historically favorable, albeit variable, levels of pre-tax operating and net income, as well as its financial leverage and cash coverage levels, which are within A.M. Best's requirements for its rating level. At June 30, 2016, Fairfax's adjusted debt-to-total-capital level was 25.3% (excluding accumulated other comprehensive income). This includes subsidiary debt that is guaranteed by Fairfax, although the subsidiaries are capable of supporting their own debt. In addition, Fairfax consistently maintains a significant amount of holding company cash and investments to provide additional liquidity and flexibility for the group. While the majority of Fairfax's invested assets are held by its insurance operating subsidiaries, the additional assets maintained at the holding company are available to support subsidiary capital levels. Fairfax has a demonstrated willingness to contribute funds to subsidiaries to support growth strategies or meet unanticipated needs. Fairfax's investment strategy reflects management's long-term, value-oriented total return approach which has been affected by net losses on investments and depressed net investment income, producing volatile and lower than average total returns at the insurance operations in recent years. However, favorable underwriting performance has helped support total return over the past few years. The insurance companies benefit from being part of the Fairfax's diversified business platform, decentralized yet collaborative business practices and fungible and strong capital position. Odysey Re's ratings reflect its rank among the top 15 global reinsurers supported by its diversified global geographic footprint, which includes reinsurance and specialty primary insurance, large line capacity and broad product offerings. These positive attributes are supported by Odyssey Re's excellent risk-adjusted capitalization and strong financial performance. Somewhat offsetting these strengths is Odyssey Re's challenging operating environment, which limits growth and accordingly Odyssey Re's ability to improve its position in the global reinsurance market. The ratings of the Northbridge Companies acknowledge the group's position within Canada's commercial insurance market, diversified commercial lines franchise and strong broker distribution network. The ratings also reflect the group's supportive balance sheet strength and improved underwriting performance within its small to mid-market commercial segment. Partially offsetting these positive rating factors are competitive market conditions that persist in Canada's commercial and personal lines segments and the group's relatively unfavorable expense levels. Additionally, the improved underwriting results over the past few years have been driven in part by favorable loss reserve development recognized on the most recent accident year performance, which could be susceptible to variability. The ratings of C&F reflect the consolidated group's supportive balance sheet strength and improved underwriting and operating performance within its specialty market segments. C&F benefits from its diversified and growing product portfolio and distribution networks. Management has recently focused on growth of its specialty business through the strategic acquisition of agencies, as well as expanding established books of business at appropriate rates, terms and conditions. The growth in premium, as well as the absorption of the related integration costs, should eventually enable C&F to realize a more competitive expense ratio. Partially offsetting these positive rating factors is the variability in loss reserve development over the past few years, due in part to adverse development on more recent accident years relating to general liability and its California workers' compensation business. The group is also exposed to competitive market conditions that persist in the commercial lines sector, significant dividend payments and relatively unfavorable expense levels. The ratings of the Zenith Group reflect its excellent capitalization, strong operating performance and management's expertise and commitment to maintaining underwriting discipline throughout market cycles. Somewhat offsetting these positive rating factors is Zenith's concentration of written premium in California and Florida. Additionally, the improved underwriting results are driven by the most recent accident year performance, which could be susceptible to variability. The rating for Wentworth is based on its supportive level of risk-adjusted capitalization, historically profitable underwriting and operating performance and its investment portfolio, which includes a significant allocation of cash and short-term securities. Partially offsetting these positive factors are the company's relatively modest business profile within the highly competitive reinsurance market, and the concentration of property catastrophe exposures within its book of business, which subjects it to a substantial degree of volatility as evidenced over the past few years. For a complete listing of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited's FSRs, Long-Term ICRs and Long-Term IRs, please visit Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2016 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006665/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Saddling up to help children What gave rise to the Ventura County Sheriffs Posses latest initiative to help kids with disabilities? Just a man and his horse. Somis resident Russell... CRPD to dedicate latest neighborhood park near Janss/23 The newest installation in the Conejo Rec and Park District system is now open to the public. On Oct. 21, CRPD crews took down the... The best birthday gift ever As Kerri Braemer-Castro looked down at the mountains and valleys of Camarillo from the cockpit of a World War II B-25 bomber earlier this month,... Break out the costumes HISTORIC FUNTop, Layla Sayegh, 8, of West Hills tries her hand at roping on Oct. 22 during Leonis Adobe Museums annual Pumpkin Party. Above, Lisa... Intel CEO Brian Krzanich provided an update on its 3D XPoint efforts during the company's Q3 2016 earnings call and also noted that 3D XPoint would come to the second-generation Purley platform. In the past, Krzanich has publicly outlined Intel's plan to leverage its 99.8% control of the data center CPU market as a beachhead to assault other segments; namely networking, memory, and storage. The company's revelations indicate that it is moving ahead with several initiatives that could bring key portions of these realms firmly under its control. Intel's strategic machinations aren't secret, and three broad industry consortium's lined up this week to counter its moves. Let's dive in. The Purley Connection Purley is the next-generation server platform for Intel's Xeon processors based on the Skylake microarchitecture, which will supplant the current-gen Broadwell Xeon series. Intel's CEO noted that the company is already sampling Purley products to leading-edge customers and also provided more color on some of the planned features for the new series of Xeon processors; "Theyre seeing not only just an overall TCO performance advantage that we typically see with each one of these, but this also continues our integration of things like the omni-path fabric, [and] it has more integration of the silicon photonics, so its still the adjacency functions that are quite strong, and they will get more and better as we go through each one of these...there will be a second generation of Purley that includes 3D XPoint," said Krzanich. "It allows pooling of memory, and then there will be future ones that will allow additional pooling of things like FPGA. So, each one of these now add some additional features across the rack that really helps in the overall system performance." (via Seeking Alpha) Intel has indicated in the past that it plans to bring 3D XPoint to market with its next-generation platforms. The news that 3D XPoint will not make its debut on the first-generation Purley products, which Intel still hasn't announced, might indicate that tighter integration will require more developmental efforts. Slotting 3D XPoint in as a storage device or DIMM is fairly straightforward, but bringing it on-package (or even on-die) presents daunting challenges. As usual, several details have emerged on the Purley platform as it works its way to market. At Computex 2016, and we spotted the LGA 3647 socket that the new Purley processors will purportedly slot into. Intel employs the LGA 3647 socket for its Knights Landing (KNL) processors but has not officially verified that it uses it for the Purley platform. In either case, we weathered a barrage of takedown requests associated with our article, and more specifically, the pictures. Read into that as you will. Noctua also had a heatsink on display at Computex 2016 prominently labeled as compatible with the Intel Socket P (LGA 3647) for both Skylake-EP and Knights Landing, throwing another log on the speculatory fire. The LGA 3647 socket certainly provides enough real estate to infuse plenty of high-powered additives, such as FPGA and GPU accelerators, but the Skylake-EP line may include on-package 3D XPoint, similar to the on-package MCDRAM (Multi-Channel DRAM) Micron HBM packages found on Knights Landing products (pictured). The Purley platform reportedly includes a new undefined UPI interconnect that supports 2- and 3-channel UPI options with 9.6 and 10.4 GT/s data transfers. UPI is widely thought to be a newer version of the venerable QPI interface. Intel has indicated that it plans to utilize proprietary interconnects for its 3D XPoint products, and the UPI interface tracks well with industry speculation that the new interconnect will feature a QPI-like interface. All signs also point to an on-die Intel Omni-Path implementation (a 100Gbps fabric) with the Purley products, and Krzanich specifically called out the integration of Omni-Path and Intel's silicon photonics as key platform additives. Intel already has the support structure for on-die Omni-Path, such as the opening at the end of the LGA 3647 socket for KNL's networking adapter, so Purleys Omni-Path integration plods through well-traveled territory. Intel's $16.7 Altera acquisition laid the groundwork for Intel's plans to bring FPGAs on-die with CPUs; the company has even demoed working Xeon-FPGA hybrids at the 2016 OCP (Open Compute Project) Summit. Krzanich's comments indicate that it continues to be a strong part of Intel's strategy. The data center is trending towards machine learning-fueled architectures, which isn't the best situation in terms of CPU sales. Machine learning workloads tend to execute on GPUs, FPGAs and ASICs, but also tend to require a CPU-driven platform. Merging CPUs and FPGAs into one package kills two birds with one stone; it reduces the need for a secondary FPGA (which will reduce power consumption and complexity) and also assures an automatic sale of the accompanying CPU. Proprietary Interconnects Stir The Troubled Industry's Waters Intel's intentions aren't exactly a secret, and its use of proprietary interconnects is raising the industry's ire. If Intel puts 3D XPoint behind its own interconnects, particularly for on-package Xeon implementations and DIMMs, then it has a pretty solid start to controlling portions of the memory market. The company also has a strong presence in the storage world with its 3D NAND, and its return to manufacturing memory products (after a 31-year hiatus) at the Dalian fab indicates its continued commitment to that segment. Finally, Omni-Path, which Intel is pairing with its own silicon photonics products, puts the networking segment in a proprietary stranglehold. Bringing all these technologies on-die, or even on-package, with its Xeon CPUs is the coup de grace that provides a chokehold on all three segments. On the one hand, it provides one central and optimized solution. On the other hand, it places yet more control in Intel's hands, which is somewhat scary considering the company already essentially owns the world's data centers. In the grand scheme of things, proprietary implementations aren't good for pricing nor innovation. However, the industry isn't blind to these developments (or Intel's public statements). In fact, we have witnessed a massive reaction over the last few weeks as three new industry groups emerged with open interfaces to counter Intel's plans in the storage, memory, and networking areas. The Gen-Z consortium, OpenCAPI Consortium, and CCIX consortium are composed of broad groups, which include industry heavyweights such as AMD, Dell, EMC, Google, Mellanox, Micron, ARM, Broadcom, IBM, Seagate, Samsung, and Xilinx, and are working to create open alternatives to promote innovation and lower price structures. The current state of application scaling, which is largely memory- and storage-bound, limits the gains from adding more compute to existing implementations. The new interconnects also aim to solve computing challenges without adding more cores, so it's easy to see how that could run counter to Intel's objectives. Intel and Cisco are the most notable holdouts from all three of these new industry groups, but the message is clear; the industry wants, and needs, open interfaces. At this point, the only question is how Intel responds. Artists being asked to work for free in the interest of gaining invaluable exposure is nothing new. Often, the size of the company doesnt matter. Even a shopping mall giant like Westfield, whose revenues exceed $1 billion annually, isnt above the practice. Nor is The Bachelor, the wildly popular Channel Ten reality series. As Tone Deaf reported in March, the producers behind the show, Warner Bros, put out a classified looking for an orchestra to play a piece of copyright-free music for free. You can now add media giant Fairfax, the entity behind papers like The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, to that list. They recently asked a Sydney band to play one of their events, but specified that there wouldnt be any financial incentive, only exposure. Dear ASX200-listed-company Fairfax Media, Black Bird Hum wrote on Facebook earlier this week. Thanks for the recent offer to play at your Good Food Month event the Night Noodle Markets. For free. Were flattered to be on the radar of a company with an annual Total Group Revenue of $1,867.2 million (FY2016). We have, however, decided to decline the invitation to perform at the event on account of you deciding not to pay us. Were guessing that the sound tech who ran the PA on the night was paid; as were the graphic designers and marketing companies that did the event website, promo and marketing material; and the companies that supplied the lighting, tables, chairs and umbrellas; and the cleaners. And so on. Were guessing no one else was offered the chance to work on the event in exchange for exposure. Were guessing you made a decision to pay everyone who worked on your event in real money except the musicians. In October alone, we will have performed 15 gigs across three states as Black Bird Hum. We will have been paid for all of these gigs, often by companies with annual total group revenues probably less than 0.1% of your companys. Speaking to Crikey, Black Bird Hum member Nish Manjunath said that after being contacted by an agent representing Fairfax, the band reached out to other bands whod played the event and found out that they also did not get paid. It has never been our intention to simply be on the take and not giving back, a Fairfax rep told Crikey We work with the artist community in a range of ways including paid and promotional arrangements but clearly we need to look at how we are engaging with everyone to ensure we are showing RESPECT. It remains a mystery why, as Black Bird Hum explain in their post, music seems to be so undervalued when companies understand the need to pay the other members of their creative team, whether it be graphic designers or web developers. These organisations know the value that music brings to their event or venue and pay accordingly, the band write. So to you, and any other corporation perpetuating the line that its ok to have musicians work for free dont call us. We dont want to work with you. To everyone else who pays musicians to bring positive vibrations to their events RESPECT. Here's the Jackson CountyTax explained from the number crunchers at a local Conservative think tank . . . TKC trolls imagine they pay our blogger bills and while it's fun to act like middle-class and rich people owe us money . . . The fact is, our blog community has questiontax funds since before this crew was bothering local talk show hosts.That's not to say that we don't agree with arguments against another local forever tax . . . But we also agree with the wardrobe choices of Nicki Minaj . . . Yet there is no connection to either institution.Anyhoo . . . Check a Conservative argument the tax that mostly preaches to the choir . . . AFTER THE TKC BLOG COMMUNITY FIRST REPORTED THIS EPIC COURT DECISION . . . THE SCHOOL BOARD HONCHO STEPS DOWN!!! "School board president Shawn C. Kirkwood resigned from the Hickman Mills School District board and Evelyn Hildebrand will be sworn in . . ." Remember that early in the week our blog community reported aAnd now . . .Here's the word . . .Credit where it's due . . . A broad coalition of South Kansas City residents stood up to this challenge to local Democracy and the ensuing conversation about this effort includes a great deal of talk from our blog community about the impact of Cerner and new jobs on this school board drama that is, just now, starting to get sorted out thanks to the efforts ofDeveloping . . . The new, 'improved' privatisation fund for Greece will be the first item on the agenda on Friday in negotiations between Greece and its creditors The new, 'improved' privatisation fund for Greece, the Hellenic Holdings and Property Company, will be the first item on the agenda on Friday, during the start of negotiations between Greek authorities and the institutions representing its creditors on the second review of the Greek programme. The start of talks was delayed a few days but the government's financial team has indicated that the review must be concluded before the Eurogroup on December 5. In this way, Eurogroup ministers will be able to make a decision on debt relief for Greece that will allow it to join the European Central Bank's quantitative easing (QE) programme. The issues to be negotiated include changes in labour law, the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework and primary surpluses, out-of-court dispute resolution for non-performing loans, greater competition in the engineering profession, licensing and energy market, public administration, privatisations and staffing for the new privatisation fund. Sources said that the heads of the institutions' missions for Greece will remain in Athens for roughly a week and then return after the Eurogroup meeting on November 7 since the first week of the next month is considered a holiday in Europe. The scheduled meetings on Friday, according to finance ministry sources, are as follows: 10:00 - 11:30 Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, to discuss the new 'hyperfund' 11:30 - 12:00 Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, on state arrears 12:00 - 13:00 Education Minister Nikos Filis, on education 16:00 - 17:00 Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos, on corruption 17:00 - 18:00 Environment and Energy Minister Panos Skourletis, on energy and land cadastre 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 Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump met Wednesday night at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for their third and final face-off After two debates filled with pointed rhetoric, intimidation tactics and surprise guests, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump met Wednesday night at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for their third and final face-off. Clinton, whose lead in national polls has expanded in recent weeks, sought to protect her standing and further differentiate her policy proposals from those of her GOP rival, Trump. As Trump attempted to make up ground, he utilized the presence of a few invited guests Malik Obama, the half-brother of President Barack Obama; Leslie Millwee, who claimed she was groped by Bill Clinton in 1980; and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell to increase the pressure on Clinton. Here are some of the most memorable lines from the third debate: I would hope that the senate would do its job and confirm the nominee that President Obama has sent to them. Supreme Court appointments Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News kicked off the debate with a question to the candidates about their plans for Supreme Court appointments. In her response, Clinton included criticism for the senates inaction on current nominee Merrick Garland. I believe, if my opponent should win this race, which I truly dont think will happen, we will have a Second Amendmentwhich will be a very, very small replica of what it is right now. Trump used his opportunity to speak about the Supreme Court to attack Clintons stance on gun control and providing a prediction for Election Day. I think its terrible, if you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. As the discussion turned to abortion rights, Trump described the reasoning behind his pro-life stance. Well, that is not what happens in these cases. And using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate. Portrayal of abortion Clinton took issue with Trumps portrayal of abortion. We have some bad hombres here and were going to get them out. Following an explanation of his immigration policies, with emphasis on the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump used the Spanish word for men to describe people he would have deported. You are very clearly quoting from WikiLeaks and whats really important about WikiLeaks is that the Russian government has engaged in espionage against Americans. Wallace asked about Clintons border policies, quoting from leaked emails in which a transcript of a speech stated she was in favor of a hemispheric common market with open trade and open borders. Open borders That was a great pivot off the fact that she wants open borders, OK? When Trump had the chance to speak, he reminded the audience about Wallaces original question. [Russian President Vladimir Putin would] rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Clinton provided her theory as to why Russia could be behind the hacking of emails later released by WikiLeaks, implying that Putin wants Trump in power. Source: abc.go.com 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 Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of Greeces major opposition party New Democracy (ND), underlined that the country was slipping into an unprecedented institutional degeneration, during his speech in parliament over the TV licences and the Supreme Courts ruling on the case that effectively suspended the enactment of the law until its constitutionality was decided upon in a new meeting by the countrys Supreme Court. The government is adopting extreme methods that insult our State of Justice and undermine the quality of democracy itself, the leader of the opposition party stressed. In an acrimonious debate in parliament, Mitsotakis blasted the Greek government, characterising its contrivances unacceptable, with no other intent than to exercise pressure on judges in the wake of the Council of States (CoS), Greeces supreme judicial body, next meeting to reach a verdict on the constitutionality of Minister Pappass TV license law. Mitsotakis stressed that the law introduced by Minister of State Nikos Pappas would be abolished either by the justice system or when ND came to power. These machinations are common in deep states of lawlessness and not in states of Justice, he said, commenting on the publication of personal information of a judge in pro-SYRIZA press. He pointed to a statement released by the Association of Judges and Prosecutors that criticised the controversial article about the judge participating in the session examining the TV Licence case in an article in left newspaper Avgi, the unofficial mouthpiece of SYRIZA. Mitsotakis said ND had always supported the functioning of powerful independent authorities that would exercise their roles in a responsible and effective manner. Mitsotakis called on the government to refrain from intervening in the judicial process and allow it to reach its verdicts free from pressures. The president of ND dubbed the decision reached by the CoS on the Pappas TV law s vindication for his party on the matter. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Greek Alternate Minister for Migration Policy Yiannis Mouzalas urged European Parliament President Martin Schulz to boost the body's role in the refugee issue, during a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. According to a ministry press release, Mouzalas described the situation in Greece by asking Schulzs support on the following issues: -Ensuring the EU-Turkey deal is implemented by all sides as its the only way for a legal and safe transport of refugees to Europe. -The relocation of refugees from Greece to other member-states, especially concerning unaccompanied minors, as the procedure essentially has stopped. By the end of 2016, 33,000 people must have relocated, but so far only 5,000 have done so. -The resettlement of refugees for humanitarian reasons from Turkey to Europe so as to send the message of a legal transport to Europe. -The creation of a European return mechanism instead of the system implemented today, whereby each member-state returns people separately. This will facilitate the return of migrants to their country of origin. -The amendment of the Dublin regulation concerning the asylum petition process in a way that doesnt burden solely the countries of first entrance. On his part, Schulz expressed his solidarity with Greece, noting that many member-states have essentially abandoned Greece, noting that authorities must speed up relocation. At the same time, he criticized Greece for delaying returns to Turkey. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report The Greek Meteorological Services (EMY) has issued a severe weather warning staring from late Thursday. According to the emergency forecast, the weather will deteriorate substantially with heavy rainfalls, low temperatures, strong winds and topical hail storms until Sunday. The severe phenomena are expected to hit the regions the Ionian islands, Epirus, western Peloponnese, western and central mainland Greece and possibly spread to Thessaly. The sever front will spread to central and western Macedonia and the eastern Peloponnese on Friday and Saturday, while the eastern parts of Greece, including the islands could feel the effects of the weather front. 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 Demand for Greece was slower in September than in recent months, with bookings to Heraklion up by just 4% while Rhodes had a 1% fall A surge in Madeira bookings, generally improved demand for most destinations and signs of a comeback in demand for Turkey are some of the latest trends on the German outbound travel market, according to fvw.com. Most top destinations saw stronger bookings in September, according to figures from reservations provider Traveltainment for German package holiday bookings to leading destination airports. This ties in with GfKs figure of a 2% revenue increase for travel agents last month due to good late sales. Madeira was the most eye-catching destination in the airport booking figures for September. The Portuguese island saw a 36% increase in bookings last month, which left it in ninth place in the ranking of the ten largest destination airports in September. There was also strong growth for Palma (+24%), Las Palmas (+16%) and Tenerife South (+17%) but Arrecife saw only a 4% rise and Fuerteventura dropped by 2% compared to 12 months ago. In contrast, demand for Greece was slower in September than in recent months, with bookings to Heraklion up by just 4% while Rhodes had a 1% fall. Hurghada remained in the dumps with a 21% drop in bookings. Significantly, bookings to Antalya were only 4% behind last years level, suggesting better demand from German holidaymakers. This figure ties in with comments from tour operators and travel agents about improving sales for the Turkish Riviera after a turbulent year with rising late sales for October, when there are half-term autumn holidays in most of Germany. Were very satisfied with late bookings. Bookings have picked up again strongly, commented Detlev Schroer, sales director for Schauinsland-Reisen. TUI, DER Touristik and Thomas Cook apparently also all had good late sales in recent weeks. FTIs last-minute holidays unit 5 vor Flug has seen a remarkable surge of 40-50% in daily bookings, according to managing director Ralf Kathagen. Both he and Schroer confirmed good demand for Turkey due to attractive prices as well as for Egypt. However, market researchers GfK, whose monthly sales survey showed a 7% drop in summer 2016 sales as of end-September, were pessimistic about the overall impact of last monthS improved demand. The sales growth achieved with last-minute holiday bookings for departures in September and October doesnt have any great effect, commented researcher Dorte Nordback. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report The Sovereign British Bases have issued a statement in regards to a blockade made by some individuals, as base personnel were trying to clear the invasive Acacia species The Sovereign British Bases have issued a statement in regards to a blockade made by some individuals, as base personnel were trying to clear the invasive Acacia species from an area in the Pyla range. The statement issued on Thursday by the bases is as follows: Earlier today a group of individuals carried out an illegal protest against Bases personnel who were clearing a small part of Pyla range of 4 acres of mixed vegetation for safety reasons. The Bases recognise the right to protest however protests must be both peaceful and legal. In this instance a group of individuals have acted in an unacceptable manner. The vegetation, most of it acacia, was restricting arcs of fire and visibility. This presents a danger for troops when using live ammunition. Early reports suggested that military personal were prevented from leaving the area, this was not true, they were able to leave on foot but elected to stay with their vehicles. The statement added that the SBA authorities were pleased that through negotiation with local community leaders they were able to resolve the issue. Whilst vegetation was predominantly removed for range safety reasons this action bolsters the SBAs long term commitment to remove all invasive plant species from our agreed Special Areas of Conservation and contributes towards our campaign to prevent illegal hunting of migrating birds, the statement said. SigmaLive spoke with BirdLife Cyprus, who said that the incident is another reminder of how big illegal bird trapping is in the region. 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 Provence Network Tourism Provence Network Tourism The event took place in the evening of October 19in Marseille, in the 3d arrondissement.All the 5 project initiators (, chief executive Le Ponant,, President at Vigimilia,, co-founder of Rendez-Vous Chez Nous, and, the two owners of TourMaG Group) attended the meeting. Provence Network Tourism will develop meetings an events in the upcoming months to gather young and accomplished tourism managers.During theevening on Wednesday October 19, Stephane Soto,head of the list for Marseille-Provence Chambers of Commerce and Industry elections gave a speech in which he talked about his program. Also on the list, Mr. Fabien da Luz is an additional candidate to the Marseille-Provence CCI elections. Bahrain's NBB recorded a net profit of BD46.21 million ($122.90 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 compared to BD43.36 million ($115.32 million) for same period last year, an increase of 6.6 per cent. For the third quarter of 2016, the bank recorded a net profit of BD14.49 million ($38.54 million) compared with BD13.69 million ($36.41 million) for the third quarter of 2015, an increase of 5.8 per cent, a bank statement said. The financial results were approved at the board meeting held yesterday (October 19), chaired by the banks chairman Farouk Yousuf Khalil Almoayyed. Almoayyed expressed his satisfaction on the continued progress achieved by the bank. He thanked the banks clients for their valued business relationship and the confidence reposed by them in the institution and the executive management team and employees for their dedicated service. Abdul Razak Abdulla Hassan Al Qassim, chief executive officer and director, said: While business growth continues to be a challenge given the tough external environment, we were able to increase our revenue streams and profitability due to efficient balance sheet management and continued focus on maintaining asset quality. The net interest income for the nine-month period was BD48.67 million ($129.44 million) compared to BD43.89 million ($116.73 million) for the corresponding period of the previous year. The increase of 10.9 per cent in net interest income is attributable to growth in loans and advances and better asset liability management resulting in improvement in the net interest margin, the bank said. Other income for the nine-month period was BD25.05 million ($66.62 million), compared to BD29.07 million ($77.31 million) the previous year. The decrease was due to capital gains on sale of certain fixed rate investments in the previous year which was not available in 2016 due to prevalent market conditions. However, the bank realized a profit of BD3.89 million ($10.35 million) from sale of equity investments during 2016. Operating expenses continue to be closely managed which increased from BD22.34 million ($59.41 million) for the nine-month period in 2015 to BD23.59 million ($62.74 million). The banks focus on asset quality resulted in a lower impairment charge on loans and advances of BD1.47 million ($3.91 million) during the current year. Continued decline in stock market valuations resulted in an impairment charge on equity investments of BD2.45 million ($6.52 million) during 2016. The earnings per share for the first nine months of 2016 was 40.4 fils, compared to 38.0 fils for the corresponding period of 2015, with a healthy average return on equity of 16.6 per cent, the statement said. - TradeArabia News Service Keypoint, a business consulting and advisory firm based in Bahrain, organised a workshop on Common Reporting Standard (CRS) at Downtown Rotana Hotel, Manama, yesterday (October 19). The workshop focused on key aspects of CRS and provided guidelines to participants on how to make an easy transition from the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) of United States to CRS at optimal cost and effort, said a press release. Highlights of the workshop included an overview of the CRS or Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (AEFAOI), comparison between FATCA and CRS and guidance on how to implement CRS due diligence and reporting requirements. The event was attended by representatives of leading financial institutions and regulators, it said. - TradeArabia News Service Omans leading plastic pipe manufacturer Muna Noor is set to make its debut at the upcoming Big 5, a leading international building and construction show, to be held from November 21 to 24 in Dubai, UAE, with a showcase of its innovative products. Muna Noor was established over 40 years ago and is one of Omans oldest companies. It is now a subsidiary of Kuwait-based Boubyan Petrochemical Company. An ISO 9001:2008-certified company, Muna Noor manufactures Omans premium range of plastic pipes, valves, pumps, fittings and accessories required for water control projects in the Middle East. The Omani company will be showcasing some of the worlds best-selling plastic pipe products for water control projects, including the multi-layer HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipe at the event, besides celebrating the success of its newly-launched pipe and valve centre in Salalah. Made of three co-extruded layers that become one during extrusion, the multi-layer HDPE pipe can be laid into excavated trenches without the need for expensive bedding material, said the company in a statement. Additionally, these pipes can be lined with an abrasion-resistant layer for moving materials such as mining slurry or pumping sands during dredging, making it the ideal solution for water, gas and sewer applications in the hot and harsh grounds of the Middle East, it added. Grant Phipps, the company's group general manager, said: "We are proud to pioneer new approaches for our company and Oman. The Salalah launch has been a massive landmark for Muna Noor and we look forward to launching more new centres in Oman and throughout the Middle East over the next year." "Within the last few years, Muna Noor has grown exponentially and our aim is to maintain that momentum for growth and reach our target of becoming the go to company for large-scale and bespoke state-of-the-art piping solutions in the GCC region, whilst exploring new pipe solutions and applications in order to exceed industry expectations," he stated. "The Big 5 certainly is the event for Muna Noor to showcase at and we look forward to offering expert technical advice whilst making new contacts and building strong relationships," remarked Phipps. The Big 5 network has been growing for more than three decades throughout the Middle East, India and South East Asia and now supports over 300,000 construction businesses from 120 countries worldwide with large-scale exhibitions, educational events, certified training workshops and excellent networking opportunities. Operated by dmg events Middle East, The Big 5 in Dubai will welcome over 75,000 participants and 3,100 exhibiting companies from 142 countries this year.-TradeArabia News Service More than 100 companies and top experts will participate and discuss Omans strategic economic plan at Meed's Outlook Oman Forum next week, in Muscat, a senior official was quoted as saying. The event will take place from October 24, at the Shangri-La Hotel. During his keynote address at the event, Dr Ali Al Sunaidy, Omans Minister of Commerce and Industry, will outline the sectors where the government are prioritising for investment opportunities through public-private-partnerships (PPP) and finance raised from the local and international banking market, said a statement. This is timely conference that will bring together key stakeholders in the public and private sector to discuss and facilitate investment opportunities that will progress the sultanate from an infrastructure and economic development point of view, said Al Sunaidy. He will be supported by Central Bank of Omans executive president Hamood Al Zadjali and more than 25 other speakers and panellists representing the government and business sector, it said. As Oman enters its ninth five-year plan, a key indicator of the Vision 2020 programmes achievement will be the launch of projects prioritised to achieve the goal of economic diversification. With several projects in the pipeline, Muscat is focused on establishing the public-private-partnership (PPP) framework to solve the funding challenge and attract much-needed investment, it added. The forum will discuss these seminal developments in detail and examine plans for further expansions in Omans power and water production capacity and its domestic transport and telecommunications infrastructure. The one-day programme will also take a look at initiatives to boost tourism, including the opening of the new terminal at Muscat International Airport this year and the expansion of Oman Airs global network. Packed into a single day, the forum has designed an agenda to provide a complete outlook of the $209 billion projects market with speakers lined up to discuss Omans progress and plans for its non-oil manufacturing and service industries, housing and real estate projects and further expansions in education and healthcare, it stated. This is one of the most important conferences MEED has ever held says Richard Thompson, editorial director at MEED. In common with all oil producing countries, Oman is facing major economic challenges. Al Sunaidy is driving an ambitious economic reform programme in response. It will touch every aspect of business in the Sultanate and we are honoured and privileged to have his support in this important event, he added. The forum is sponsored by Parsons (Networking Sponsor), Trowers & Hamlins (Bronze Sponsor), it added. TradeArabia News Service Qatargas, the worlds premier liquefied natural gas (LNG) company, has signed a new five-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Petronas LNG UK. Under the terms of the new SPA, Qatargas will deliver LNG to Petronas until December 31, 2023, an extension of its current contract due to expire on December 31, 2018. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, chairman of Qatargas Board of Directors, said: I am delighted to announce that by this agreement, Qatargas has extended its strong relationship with Petronas for many years into the future. This extension will enhance Qatars leading position in the LNG market, and will further reinforce Qatargas commitment to meeting the needs of its customers of this clean energy source." Most importantly, this agreement is a testament to our proven ability to safely and reliably deliver LNG to customers not only in the UK but all over the world, he added. Commenting on the new deal, Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, chief executive officer, Qatargas, said: Qatargas continues to win new business, and I am very pleased to extend our relationship with Petronas. At Qatargas, we are focused on building strong, long-term relationships with our customers, and reinforcing our reputation for being the most reliable and flexible supplier of LNG in the marketplace. Ahmad Adly Alias, Petronas vice president of LNG Marketing and Trading, said that the extension of the agreement proves the value of a long-term LNG business relationship for both Petronas and Qatargas: As a buyer and seller of LNG, Petronas looks forward to enhancing a mutually-beneficial partnership with Qatargas for value added opportunities amidst the current business environment. A total of 1.1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) is secured for a partnership that will now extend to a decade-long supply of LNG to the UK-based entity. The LNG will be supplied from Qatargas 4 (Train 7), a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Shell which started production in January 2011 and will be delivered on board Q-Flex LNG vessels to Dragon LNG terminal at Milford Haven, UK. Petronas LNG UK Ltd is the Atlantic basin-focused LNG trading subsidiary of Petronas, the national oil and gas company of Malaysia. PLUK is also responsible for securing LNG supplies into Dragon LNG terminal where Petronas owns 50 per cent equity and capacity stake. TradeArabia News Service You can opt out of certain types of cookies (e.g. those used in social media sharing) by choosing "I do not accept". The website will still largely function well, but with slightly less functionality in places. To manage your cookie preferences in future, visit the "Cookie Statement" link at the bottom of any page. Following a global recall of its devices last month, caused by faulty batteries, overheating, and combustion, Samsung Electronics is in more hot water again, with airline companies banning the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone aboard their aircrafts. Initially Qantas Airlines allowed the Galaxy Note 7 onboard, according to Traveller AU, for so long as the unit was switched off. However, following the reporting of more incidents, and Samsung themselves suspending the production of the Note 7, a total ban has been enforced by the airline company. This ban, probably sparked by an incident where a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 aboard a US Plane allegedly overheated and started smoking. The total ban means that the device is absolutely forbidden onboard the aircraft, including both carry-on baggage and check-in luggage. Other Samsung products are still allowed, but travelers are advised to follow proper safety procedures announced by the cabin crew before take off. Here is a list of countries and airlines from The Guardian that have enforced a total or partial ban on the Galaxy Note 7 aboard their aircrafts: 1. US Federal Aviation Authority - Virgin, and others 2. Japan Transport Ministry - Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines 3. South Korea - Asiana, Korean Air 4. China - Cathay Pacific, and almost all others 5. Hong Kong - Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express 6. Taiwan - China Airlines, EVA Air 7. Singapore - Singapore Airlines 8. Malaysia - AirAsia, JetStar 9. Germany - Air Berlin, Lufthansa 10. Italy - Alitalia 11. UK - British Airways (on flights to US, Canada, and Hong Kong) 12. Australia and New Zealand - most airlines Aside from commercial flights, the UN Aviation Agency earlier this year prohibited cargo shipments of lithium-ion batteries on passenger aircraft, following an incident with Boeing where 787 Dreamliners built-in lithium-ion batteries catching fire, causing a design overhaul for the aircraft giant. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 In August this year, an international expedition organized by the Russian Geographical Society conducted a unique salvage operation in one of the Earth's remotest regions. The 70-year old American Douglas C-47 aircraft made an emergency landing in Siberia back in 1947, and the remains are just now being recovered, with some shocking discoveries. Lend-Lease Program Back in 1943, when the US and the Soviet Union were allied in defeating Nazi Germany, the US started a Lend-Lease act that guaranteed that a continuous stream of American war material made its way to the Soviets. According to CNN, this is the case of this C-47 in particular, transported along a thousand miles of the Alaska-Siberia road that cuts through the Arctic. Without having been used during the war, the aircraft was used by civilians, flying from Krasnoyarsk to remote outposts in Northern Siberia. Story Behind the Crash "I'm Tyurikov's board," says a penned message on the plane's interior, according to The Siberian Times, "there are three women and six children onboard. On 22.04.47 at 00:30 we took off from Kozhevnikovo and headed for Krasnoyarsk. At 5:30 was the emergency landing. No casualties." Captain Maxim Tyurikov saved all 32 lives on board after engine failure due to bad weather. Most of the survivors were rescued 20 days after the crash, amid dwindling food supplies. The good captain, however, and a group of eight crew and passengers who attempted to venture out and seek help all died in the tundra's harsh conditions. An Emotional Reunion Having been moved from the remote Arctic to Kransnoyarsk city by the barge Kislovodsk on the Yenisei River, it has now been moved to a special facility of the Expeditionary Centre of Krasnoyarsk Branch of the Russian Geographical Society. Restoration works are expected to take place soon, however, before disassembly, Captain Turikov's daughter Avelina Antsiferova, 76, came to see the wreck for the first time, and to sit in the cockpit of the stricken plane her father had safely landed. "If I can touch this plane, then my life is not lived in vain," said Avelina, who had last seen her father when she was only six years old, "all my feelings awakened in me. There was quite a cool, northern wind. This is the far north, after all, and we even saw a reindeer running in the tundra far away...I climbed into the cabin, where my father had been at the helm. I touched all this, I felt everything. All this was so dear to me. I had dreamed for so long of seeing his plane, but I was so lucky to be able to get inside it. It was such an emotional moment." Captain Tyurikov's body was only found in 1953, by a reindeer herder. Avelina's notebook had been with his remains then, and that was how the captain's body was identified. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 If you want to be up-to-date in your travel adventure, then it's a must to include China in your bucket list. The country made headlines when they opened the longest sightseeing escalator in the world during its week-long National Day celebration earlier in October, according to Lonely Planet. The 688-meter-long escalator is located in the Enshi Grand Canyon in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei province. This one-of-a-kind escalator can transport about 7000 people per hour. About 600,000 people can be carried by it per year. Visitors will be entertained by the stunning natural sceneries made of luxurious greens, rocky mountains and the breathtaking beauty of the province, away from the busy life of the city, as reported by Jakarta Post. Tourist will have to pay 20 Yuan (US$2.97) to marvel around the area. China has a lot of well-known and most visited destinations that entices locals and foreigners to come and explore, some of which are The Great Wall of China, The Terracotta Army in Xi'an, The Forbidden City in Beijing , The Li River in Guilin, The Potala Palace in Lhasa and The Yellow Mountains. Also this year, another tourist attraction was opened in August. Eight thousand people had the chance to experience walking across the world's longest and tallest glass bridge, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. It's the 430 metres long with a six-metre-wide walkway in Hunan Province. The glass-bottomed suspension bridge provides exhilarating experience, lifting visitors nearly 600 feet above the valley floor. Ready that itchy feet and be struck by wanderlust. Embrace China's travel offerings and be prepared to be amazed. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Want to know what to expect on travel destinations? Good news! Locals are giving travel advice and tips online using Reddit. All the travelers have to do is to post their questions on Reddit and Redditors in the area are very much willing to give information on their place. According to an article in Express, regular travelers and locals near Grand Canyon, one of America's most popular spot, had given prospective tourists many life-saving tips on Reddit, including what they should bring with them during their trek and what they should avoid doing. One user cautioned people to avoid taking selfies especially near the edge of the cliffs. Many tourists have fallen and died because of capturing these 'daring pics'. Another advised bringing enough water for the 7 plus mile trail, for many have already died of exhaustion. Meanwhile, residents in London and New York also advice slow-moving tourists to be considerate to busy commuters, and stop treating their hometowns as theme parks. A Londoner urged sightseeing vacationers to walk faster as the capital's busy commuters find them as annoyances according to a Daily Mail article. Many Redditors recommended against traveling on the subways during rush hour. Others advised visitors to walk between train stations. A New York Redittor dukeofbun shared the same feelings against visitors of their bustling city, saying they need to walk and move fast in the Big Apple. "This (New York) isn't a theme park, it wasn't all laid on to feed your Instagram. Some of us live and work here. Wake up," he said. Online users in other cities also admitted that major attractions in their cities are disappointing to travelers. Residents near the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles warned tourists against touching the stars on the fear that other people urinate on them. In Venice, a Redditor living near the city urged tourists to avoid jumping in public fountains. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Traveling to Cuba from the United States is a little less complicated.After 88 years, President Obama became the first American head of state to arrive in Havana since Calvin Coolidge. Eisenhower became the first president to exclude all exports to Cuba, but subsequent administrations continued to do so. While it was always possible to do so (via other countries), it is now a little easier; there are still many restrictions and hoops to jump through, but if you have the time and the patience you can negotiate through the bureaucracy in less time than it takes to watch a series on Netflix. A good place to start is always with the governing body and they can answer any of your questions regarding traveling to Cuba as a U.S. citizen. Cuba still outlaws tourism, but this is more of a technicality than a hard and fast rule and if you are booking a solo trip you may want to say you are on an educational trip, while having a friend in country will certainly help but may not be essential. There was a time (and not so long ago) that these trips could cost upwards of $3,000 but now the cost of traveling to Cuba is a lot more reasonable and certainly cheaper than taking a trip to Europe. With a little research and a few dollars you could be having one of the best mojitos you ever had while enjoying a Caribbean sunset at the same time. JetBlue began regular service to Havana in the last days of August this year and plans to service Havana with at least seven daily flights. 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. 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. Sanjeev Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 20 The US has asked India to consider relaxing local sourcing requirements in single brand retail trade. India has, in turn, mentioned recent FDI reforms providing relaxation in local sourcing norms in specific cases. The issue came up during the meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Trade Representative Michael Froman as part of the 10th ministerial-level meeting of the India and United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF). According to a joint statement, the US and India also decided to continue their engagement on visa issues. The trade between the two countries reached $109 billion in 2015 and the ministers recognised that for economies of their size, a great deal of potential remains. Both sides agreed to continue their efforts for exploring possibilities for opening up the markets. New Delhi, October 20 Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani and other retailers today demanded a level-playing field for brick-and-mortar stores vis-a-vis e-commerce players. At a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Biyani discussed the issues concerning hefty discount doled out on the e-commerce platform and also foreign direct investment norms in the retail sector. The meeting of the Retailers Association of India (RAI) came against the backdrop of controversy over advertisements for discounts by online retailers. As per DIPP guidelines, the e-commerce players providing marketplace will not directly or indirectly influence the sale price of goods or services and will maintain a level-playing field. Seeking to take advantage of the festive season, e-retailers like Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal have gone in for an aggressive media blitz to attract consumers. Offlines players, including traders body CAIT, have been crying hoarse over such advertisements, alleging that they infringe the guidelines in place. Asked if e-commerce discount came up for discussion, Biyani said, "We discussed the issue... There should be a level-playing field for retailers and e-commerce players, and there should be uniformity in policy". Earlier this year, the government had allowed 100 per cent FDI through automatic route in most of e-commerce retailing. As per the norms, an e-commerce firm will not be permitted to sell more than 25 per cent of total sales from one vendor or its group companies. pti Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) WITH ISIS (Daesh) under increasing pressure in Northern Iraq, it's future in West Asia may well be decided by the battle for Mosul which began on October 17. Western electronic media is beaming live pictures of the hostilities which have not yet begun in earnest. However, it will be a long-drawn and tragically a very bloody affair. How are battles for major cities fought in modern times and what major issues will decide the outcome of this battle? Before delving into any detail it may be remembered that Daesh is not down and out yet. It has the resources, the will and the capacity to fight; especially since it's so-called Amir, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi is known to be in Mosul. Mosul is the second-largest city of Iraq, with a population which was earlier 2.5-million strong. Currently, approximately a little more than one million people reside there after Daesh defeated the Iraqi army in 2014. The presence of civilian population of this magnitude creates more problems for the attacker who has to restrict the use of firepower and tip toe around the populated zones, if the morals of warfare are implicitly followed. The defender, on the other hand, has the option of using the population as a human shield to prevent unrestricted movement of the offensive force. This isnt conventional warfare so rules are grudgingly followed as is evident with the kind of destruction witnessed in Fallujah a few months ago. Cities usually have suburbs and even further away from the city centre are small rural clusters. These are used by the defender to prevent the offensive elements from closing with the city. Open stretches are mined with both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines and covered by missiles or anti-tank rockets to prevent tanks and infantry combat vehicles opening routes for the infantry. Once these peripheral zones are breached at the cost of heavy casualties, the defender will fall back on improvised explosive devices (IED) to cause more attrition as the battle moves into the city. The presence of population prevents the freedom of use of air power due to the high risk of collateral damage. In the case of the war in Syria and Iraq, estimates of civilian casualties from air strikes against cities have been extremely high. Entire stretches of Aleppo have been reduced to rubble and humanitarian considerations have not been in focus. To what extent the US air force will follow humanitarian norms in Mosul cannot yet be assessed. The battle for the core of the city will be equally bloody contingent upon the will of the defender, the resources available and, most importantly, the effectiveness or otherwise of the isolation and investment of the city. It is at that stage that the civilian population suffers the most. In Fallujah, one avenue of escape was kept open for the civilians to flee. Many Daesh fighters may attempt to exploit this opening too. What are isolation and investment? Before commencing the attack on a city, it is important for the attacker to cut off avenues of reinforcement or escape. The resultant isolation in the case of Mosul will ensure that Daesh fighters from elsewhere do not get in. Once the city is being reduced, there is no escape for Daesh to live and fight another day. The isolation involves placing tanks and ICVs centred on infantry deployments which are occupied astride the roads and tracks which act as avenues. Since Daesh would have deployed in the rural clusters around Mosul to deny close reconnaissance and a foothold into the city it is important for the Iraqi army to push back a major part of these elements to afford launch pads, footholds and other multiple options for the direction of commencement of the main attack against the city. The intent is to keep Daesh guessing and address the crust of the defences to punch holes through which the attacking troops will be funnelled. The use of artillery to reduce the buildings from where resistance will be intense will be restricted but again contingent upon the discretion of the attacker. Once the penetrations have been effected, it becomes a slogging match. A city like Mosul is not closely packed with buildings. There are sufficient open spaces where helicopters can hover or land disgorging Special Forces who would target some specific objectives like command centres and communication facilities. The chief weapons of the infantry of the Iraqi army should be the rocket launcher to punch holes and destroy pill boxes; the sniper; and the flame thrower. The term Iraqi army, is being generically used here to signify the attacking force. It is however well-known that the offensive against Mosul has three or even four elements. First, is the Iraqi army, largely Shia but with many Sunnis too. Second is the Kurdish Peshmerga of Masoud Barzani from the north. Third are the US Special Forces and air force. The Shia militias are an important element, although there are reports that they may not participate unless things go wrong for the Iraqi army. The latest entrant is Erdogan's Turkish army which is attempting to secure a role for itself in both Syria and northern Iraq to prevent undue influence and political significance to the Kurdish elements involved in the fight. The US has made it clear that the presences of any foreign armed elements require approval of the government at Baghdad and such approval has yet to be given. The planning, command and control and application of a force of such disparate groups with their diverse interests and operational methods will be a big challenge. The possibility of some elements of Iran also being directly involved cannot be ruled out. Russia is unlikely to be directly involved but it has promised full support to the Peshmerga in terms of arms and equipment supplies. Russia has also provided helicopters and artillery equipment to Iraq with the intent of ensuring that it retains influence in a fight which will be dictated by US advisers and planners. The bewildering issue currently is the emerging relationship between Turkey and Russia which is apparently taking a positive turn. How the Russian support to the Kurds of any hue and nationality will be taken by the Turkish leadership is unclear at present. The factor which should be uppermost in all minds is the effect that the operations and the intensity of Daesh resistance will have on the civil population. The displacement of the large population is not something the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is fully prepared for, financially or from infrastructure point of view. For a change in Iraq the human angle is being looked upon with great concern but clearly resources do not match requirement. The challenge is greatly multiplied by Daesh's propensity to remain unpredictable and resort to unethical practices such as a potential mass use of chemical weapons known to be in its possession. Finally, does the timing indicate any considerations other than military and strategic. With the US presidential election in another two weeks, could this have waited? That's the question no one will answer for now. The writer, a former GoC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, is now a Fellow with the Delhi Policy Group. Sat Singh Tribune News Service Charkhi Dadri, October 20 According to the Agriculture Department estimate, more than 3,500 acres in Charkhi Dadri villages have been waterlogged for the past few months and it is likely to fail its target of sowing rabi crop. Jaishree, Kamod, Rawaldhi, Bond, Jhinger, Khatiwas, Dhani Phogat, Samaspur, Imlota, Mirch, Kanheti, Morwala and Mishri villagers in the district have been reeling under the problem of waterlogging. Randhir Singh, a resident of Dadri, said the problem had been prevailing for six-seven years, but this time it was acute. He said several farmers had turned to labour to make their ends meet as their standing crops were destroyed. Other local farmers said the authorities knew about their problem, but it had been carrying out the work of draining out the water at a snails pace. An agriculture expert said since some villages had been waterlogged for months, the land had started turning barren. Turning it into a fertile land would be a daunting task for the agrarian community, he said. Krishan Kumar, SDO, Agriculture Department, said a report was being prepared to be sent to the higher authorities. Badhra MLA Sukhwinder Sheoran said a drain had been approved in Dadri, which would resolve the issue permanently. Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 20 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that extension lecturers were not legally entitled to minimum pay scales, salaries paid to regular employees or remuneration for the vacation period. At the same time, Justice Rajiv Narain Raina made it clear that the dismissal of petition by the extension lecturers would not preclude them from approaching the Director, Higher Education, Haryana, for reengagement in case they have done good teaching work as extension lecturers and are NET qualified. Justice Raina asserted: In case they are not NET qualified and the college in which they taught on a lecture basis does not have NET qualified guest faculty teachers or regular teachers, their cases may be considered sympathetically to permit the arrangement to continue for the time being. Justice Raina added the court expected that the Director, Higher Education, if approached, would take care of the interests of the petitioners, the college and the students keeping in mind in the overarching dilemma created by a scarcity of jobs from where sustenance and livelihoods come. If such a request was made, it would be decided expeditiously during the current session. The developments took place on an application moved in a petition filed by Deepak Kumar and other petitioners against Haryana and other respondents. The petitioners were demanding the grant of a minimum pay scale to extension lecturers, to keep them in service till regular recruits were available, arrears of salary and salary for the vacation period. The extension lecturers are not appointed but engaged on a lecture basis with a ceiling on the monthly payment. As the extension lecturers do not earn salary from the government, their engagement is not seen as public employment. It is, rather, a temporary ad hoc measure adopted in schools and colleges where the state has been unable to make regular recruitment. This arrangement is a passing phase Their cases are not similar to those of ad hoc employees They are paid honorarium per lecture and, therefore, the question of arrears of pay also does not arise and their emoluments cannot be enlarged by the court beyond what the policy envisages, Justice Raina added. Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 20 Handling of the Jat agitation that claimed 30 lives and caused damage to property worth over Rs 20,000 crore in February remains one of the biggest failures of the Manohar Lal Khattar government. Not only did the government, which completes its two years in the office this month, fail to prevent the violence, it also failed miserably to control the situation when rioters were running amok killing people and torching property. Now, the Khattar government looks dithering not only in arresting the perpetrators of violence, but also lacks the will to act against some of its own leaders, who have been vitiating atmosphere of the state by their caste politics. Questions are also being raised at BJP governments action of selective handing over to the CBI three cases pertaining to torching of Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyus properties. Former UP DGP Parkash Singh, who headed a committee that probed the acts of commission and omission of officers during the Jat quota violence, observed that 1,196 shops, 371 vehicles, 30 schools/colleges, 75 houses, 53 hotels/marriage palaces, 23 petrol pumps and 15 religious institutions were set afire or vandalised. The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry had put the loss figures at over Rs 34,000 crore. Besides, 550 trains were disrupted and there was complete choking of road traffic leading to heavy losses to Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The government remained in denial mode on reports of gang rapes of women on national highway near Murthal till the Punjab and Haryana High Court took cognisance and witnesses started coming in media with details. Responding to a notice by the Haryana Human Rights Commission, the Forest Department had said 18,000 trees were felled during the Jat agitation. The department further said though 120 FIRs had been lodged, no arrest had been made so far, as all reports had been registered against unknown persons. The quota violence not only caused loss of life and property, it also shattered the social fabric of the state, which will take years to repair. The government took action against some middle rung official on the basis of the Prakash Singh Committee report, but it had to retract its steps when a strong disapproval of the report was witnessed among bureaucracy. The government has also set up a two-member commission of inquiry headed by Justice SN Jha to inquire into the violence and the circumstances leading to it. The state government claimed to have released Rs 65.38 crore in compensation, including interim and final payment, to those whose properties were damaged. If the quota violence has left bad memories of caste violence and a plethora of hate messages on the social media, a video message showing former national chess champion Anuradha Beniwal making an emotional appeal to the Haryanavis to end this madness when the rampaging was at its peak stood out. Our Correspondent Jind, October 20 Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Jat Aaraskhan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) today protested against the state government for registering a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC against five Jat youths who threw ink on BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini in Kurukshetra on October 16. In a memorandum sent to the Chief Minister, the samiti demanded withdrawal of Section 307 of the IPC and and registration of an FIR against supporters of the MP for thrashing the youths. District ABJASS president Capt Bhupinder Singh (retd) said that the government was not acting fairly in the case. He said that the youths only threw ink and were not carrying any weapon. We are surprised that the police have booked them under serious charges within no time. This shows that a particular community is on the target of the government, he alleged. He said that the Jat youths were beaten up by supporters of the MP mercilessly in the presence of the police, but the government was soft on them. We want the police to register a case against them otherwise the government will be responsible for dire consequences, he said. Singh said: We condemn the act of throwing ink, but feel that the MP himself is responsible for the incident. Saini is trying to create a rift among 36 communities in the state and the youths had just expressed their anger. Saini creating drama, says Sangwan Bhiwani: Jat leader Hawa Singh Sangwan said the ink attack on MP Raj Kumar Saini was wrong. Sangwan said that brutal thrashing of accused by supporters of Saini before handing them over to the police was equally wrong. The ink attack was not the first such incident occurred with Saini and it had happened with several politicians but no one had created a drama like him by getting the accused booked under attempt to murder charge. Khap starts dharna Hisar: The Barah khap panchayat today started a dharna in protest against the registration of an attempt to murder case against five youths of Budana village in Narnaund tehsil of the district. Suresh Koth, president of the khap, said said the panchayat had served a five-day ultimatum on the state government to take a favourable decision on their demands. Koth said: A case under Section 307 of IPC against the five youths is not justified and they would launch a statewide agitation on October 26 if the government fails to heed to their demands. Former Hisar MP and BJP leader Surender Barwala also supported the dharna and demanded action against his party MP. Sainis medical report awaited Kurukshetra: Investigators are waiting for the medical and forensic reports in the alleged complaint of attempt to murder local BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini. As four youths splashed black oily substance on the MP here on October 16, it was alleged that the accused tried to throttle him. A day later, another accomplice was arrested. All are residents of Budhana village in Hisar district. A local court sent them to 14-day judicial remand on Wednesday. Various Jat organisations, khap panchayats and the INLD raised objection on invoking stringent Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC against the accused, the district police said the matter was being probed. Simardeep Singh, SP, said medical examination report of Saini was yet to be obtained from the Civil Surgeon office. Saini got himself medically examined at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Civil Hospital and the medical report may give some hint on the alleged attempt of throttling, he said. The SP said the oily substance had been sent to the FSL, Madhuban, to analyse if it was an incendiary material. The accused had reportedly told the police it was not ink but oil which was thrown on Saini. TNS Manch seeks Z-plus security for MP Kaithal: Members of the Lok Tantra Suraksha Manch today took out a procession in support of MP Raj Kumar Saini here. Roshan Lal Arya, former MLA, demanded Z-plus security for the MP. Meanwhile, members of the Jat community today held a protest and raised slogans against MP Raj Kumar Saini. They demanded withdrawal of Section 307 of the IPC invoked against youths who were arrested for throwing ink on Saini. OC Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, October 20 The two Eco-Battalions of the Forest Department may now be assigned the task of shooting monkeys within Shimla Municipal Corporation and the 39 tehsils where the simians have been declared vermin as people have so far desisted from eliminating the monkeys on their own. With not even a single monkey being killed despite the simians being declared vermin within the Shimla MC and 39 tehsils, the Wildlife wing of the Forest Department has been forced to consider entrusting the task of shooting monkeys to the two Eco-Battalions of the department. The six-month time for which monkeys were declared vermin within Shimla MC has lapsed but a fresh nod from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for another six months is likely to be received within this week. To provide relief to the people, especially children and women, the Forest Department has already deputed 15 monkey watchers within the state capital. Their job will to shoo away monkeys in the high concentration areas like Jakhu, US Club and around schools and crowded areas where people are more vulnerable to monkey attacks. Tarun Kapoor, Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment, confirmed that the department was contemplating deploying the eco-battalion to shoot monkeys in problem areas. As of now the two eco-battalions at Shimla and McLeodganj are primarily working to ensure that there is no illegal muck dumping in the forest area, planting of ornamental plants, removal of unwanted species and conservation of the entire urban forest. Based on the monkey survey held in the state in June 2015, eight forest beats of Jakhu, Summer Hill, Glen, Kaithu, Khalini, Fagli, Tuti Kandi and Bharari had been declared as problematic areas with high monkey concentration. The results of the latest census had indicated that there were about 2,452 monkeys within the municipal limits, which is higher than their number reflected in the last census undertaken in 2013. However, even wildlife officials admit that considering the rise in monkey bite cases, the number of monkeys in the state capital is certainly higher than the number reflected in the census. Despite the wildlife wing running eight sterilization centres in the state and sterilizing over 1.10 lakh monkeys, there has been no reduction in the number of attacks by monkeys. The eight sterilization centres functioning in the state are located at Tutikandi (Shimla), Sastar (Hamirpur), Gopalpur (Kangra), Baul (Una), Sarol (Chamba), Sapalar (Mandi), Paonta Sahib (Sirmaur) and Ishpur (Una). Tribune News Service Shimla, October 20 Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes and Food and Civil Supplies Minister GS Bali today condemned Opposition leaders for making baseless complaint against state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. They said the way statements were made to malign the image of Sukhu, it is obvious that a political conspiracy is being hatched against him. Throughout his political career, he has struggled. His college time and his entire life is an example of honesty and hard work, they said. They said decency and decorum must be maintained in public life and charges should be leveled only if there is documentary evidence. The ministers said the baseless complaint against Sukhu had exposed the conspiracy of the leaders of the Opposition. Their ulterior motives to damage the image of honest Congress leaders would never be fulfilled by such malicious propaganda, they remarked. They said before making such accusations against anyone in public life, facts should be confirmed from the concerned agency. Stokes and Bali said the inquiry report in this case clearly reveals that the complaint against Sukhu was not based on facts. Srinagar, October 20 Amid the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir government has terminated services of 12 employees for allegedly indulging in anti-national activities after dossiers were prepared against them. The employees, who were dismissed from government service, belonged to various departments, including Revenue, Public Health Engineering, Rural Development and Education Department, a senior government official said. The state government invoked Article 126 of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution for dismissing these employees, the official said. He said some of these employees had been arrested and booked under the Public Safety Act while others were either out on bail or evading arrest. The intelligence wing of the state police last month had prepared a dossier against 36 employees for fomenting trouble in Kashmir and inciting youth to violence. The dossier was sent to the Chief Secretarys office for further action. State government employees have been allegedly found involved in anti-national activities in the past as well and some of them were dismissed from service. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Education Minister Naeem Akhtar was among five government employees dismissed from service by the state government in 1990 for his alleged involvement in anti-national activities. Their services were later restored after employees went on a mass strike for nearly three months. Kashmir Valley has been witnessing unrest for the past over 100 days. The violence was triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani. PTI Amir Karim Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, October 20 The Border Security Force last night foiled an infiltration bid on the international border when militants fired upon its vehicle near the Bobiyan border outpost in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district. During the retaliatory firing by the BSF, one militant was injured, who was later dragged back by fellow infiltrators. The militants were detected by using thermal imagers and the recording was showed by the BSF to mediapersons too. Giving details, Inspector General of the BSF, Jammu frontiers, DK Upadhyay said about five to six militants tried to infiltrate into the Indian side around 11:45 pm on Wednesday and fired upon the BSF post. They used AK-47 fire and RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) shells, which was retaliated in an effective manner by the BSF. During the ensuing fire, one infiltrator was injured and others were pushed back, Upadhyay said. This is the first infiltration attempt by militants on the international border since September 29 surgical strikes by the Army on militant launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. So far the international border has remained calm and no ceasefire violation has taken place. The Hiranagar and Samba sectors on the Jammu frontiers have remained the favourite route for infiltration by militants in the past. The BSF IG said this was an attempt by militants to pin down BSF men. Had they been able to pin down us, they would have crossed over. But our men were alert and gave a befitting reply and retaliated in an effective manner. Whenever they will try to cross over, they will not go back alive, the IG said. Youth shot at by militants in Shopian district Srinagar: Militants shot at a youth (27) in south Kashmirs Shopian district on Thursday evening. The police said Mohammad Aamir Bhat, a resident of Cheirmarg Zainapora in Shopian, was fired upon by militants at his home. Two unidentified militants fired upon him (Aamir Bhat) and fled taking the advantage of darkness, a police officer said. Bhat was shifted to hospital. The officer said they were ascertaining the reason behind the attack. TNS Jammu, October 20 BSF troops foiled a major infiltration bid by a group of six militants after a heavy fire-fight using rocket propelled grenades along the International Border in Kathua district, a senior officer said on Thursday. A group of four-six militants made an infiltration bid into this side along the IB and attacked a vehicle carrying troops on patrolling with RPGs, followed by heavy and indiscriminate firing at forward area Bobiya in Kathua around 11.45 pm, the officer said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The vehicle was patrolling the borderline at the time of the infiltration bid, he said. WATCH: Forced infiltration bid foiled by BSF late last night in Hiranagar sector of Kathua, J&K pic.twitter.com/CdnZpMhUUZ ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated resulting in exchanges for over 20 minutes, he said, adding perhaps there was support fire from the Border Out Posts (BoPs) of Pakistan. As BoPs is close by, there is tactic support of rangers as well, he said. When the BSF fired para-bombs for illumination of the area, the militants escaped and were seen carrying an injured, the officer said. Everything is fine on our side, he said. PTI New Delhi, October 20 The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has sought details from the Road Transport and Highways Ministry over cancellation of Rs 10,050-crore Zojila tunnel contract in Jammu and Kashmir. The ministry in March ordered rebidding of the contract, which was earlier given to IRB Infrastructure. The CVC has sought further clarification on the matter from the Chief Vigilance Officer of the ministry with regard to reasons of withdrawal of the contract, which is still awaited, official sources said today. Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh had in January written to the CVC alleging that Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had violated the commissions guidelines while awarding the contract. Gadkari had rubbished the charges of corruption and termed Digvijay Singhs allegations as completely false. Following the Congress leaders letter, the CVC had conducted an intensive examination of the construction of the Zojila tunnel, which was done in February. Subsequently, the contract given to IRB Infrastructure was cancelled in March. The company had on January 3 intimated the BSE about the letter of award for construction, operation and maintenance of the Zozila tunnel, including approaches on NH-1 (Srinagar-Sonmarg- Gumri road) on the design, build, finance, operate and transfer (annuity) basis. Soon after the award, the Road Transport Ministry had said all due processes in line with the Cabinet approval were followed in the award of strategic Rs 10,050-crore contract to IRB Infrastructure. The statement had come a day after the Congress had demanded sacking of Gadkari, alleging that the award was a clear case of corruption at the highest level. PTI Tribune News Service Jammu, October 20 National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today strongly pitched for peace and cooperation between India and Pakistan, saying people of the region in general and J&K in particular could not live in an atmosphere of animosity and uncertainty anymore. Making a fervent appeal to the Indo-Pak leadership from Gali Maidan on Zero Line along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district to resume dialogue and end all hostilities, Abdullah said, Wars havent and wont resolve inherent political issues between India and Pakistan. He walked up to Gali Maidan, the most adversely affected region in the recent mortar shelling, which left almost an entire habitation devastated. He hoped that better sense would prevail upon New Delhi and Islamabad with a realisation that mutual cooperation and peace was imperative for growth and prosperity in the region and that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were the primary victims of such animosity. Visiting Zero Line against the advice of security apparatus, the NC president called for a meaningful and credible political engagement between the two neighbours, saying dividends of such an enduring peace would be harvested by people living along borders on both the sides, who had been hit and hurt most due to episodes of shelling and cross-border firing. During his interaction with border dwellers at Sabjian, Abdullah expressed solidarity with the people, saying they had been facing the brunt of border skirmishes valiantly. He said the border hostilities were detrimental for both India and Pakistan, as any full-fledged conflict would lead to devastation and destruction in the entire region. War will not only cause human loss, but also shatter the economy of the region and the costs of confrontation will be borne by generations to come, he said, adding that dialogue had no substitute, as even after four wars during the past seven decades all outstanding issues remained unresolved. Addressing workers at Chandak and Sabjian, the NC chief said the people of Kashmir in general and south Kashmir in particular felt let down and betrayed by the PDPs alliance with the BJP which was formed despite the PDP fighting the 2014 parliamentary and Assembly elections on an anti-BJP and anti-RSS plank. The National Conference stands vindicated, though unfortunately at the cost of colossal human sufferings, as we had seen through the PDPs game plan much earlier, he said, adding that scripted anti-BJP posturing by a few leaders was just a ploy to fool the people. National Conference general secretary Ali Mohammed Sagar, additional general secretary Sheikh Mustaffa Kamal and provincial president, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana also addressed the workers and called for preserving amity and unity, which they described as pivotal for inclusiveness of the state. Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 20 Governor NN Vohra has emphasised the importance of launching innovative projects and promoting the application of newer approaches and technologies for the resolution of problems faced in the day-to-day lives of the people of the state. The Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Jammu, was chairing the 81st meeting of the University Council of the University of Jammu here today. He advised the Vice Chancellor to avail maximum possible benefit from the Rural Technology Action Group, which is guided and advised by the collegium of all IITs and the Institute of Science, Bangalore. Minister for Education Naeem Akhter participated in the discussions. While reviewing the ongoing research projects in the university, the Governor stressed the need for quality research in groundwater analysis and solid waste management to keep a check on the rapidly advancing pollution of the environment. Reviewing the short-term vocational courses offered by the university, the Chancellor suggested follow-up of the pass outs to assess the number who had been gainfully employed. The Governor also stressed strengthening the research activities and urged that the maximum number of PhD scholars should be involved with the ongoing research projects. He suggested time-bound construction of additional residential facilities for the students, especially girls, on the campus. Both Chancellor and the minister felt the need for critically reviewing the current relevance of the ongoing programmes vis-a-vis the demands of the emerging job markets. The Chancellor urged RD Sharma, Vice Chancellor of the University of Jammu, and Khurshid Andrabi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, to make it a continuous phenomenon so that the courses which were not relevant were dropped or suitably modified and new courses introduced to meet the arising market requirements. They asked the universities to undertake internal reviews, involving external experts, to identify the required modifications in the existing departments. The Governor advised the VC to ensure round-the-year maintenance and hygiene within the university and continuously carry out awareness activities among the staff and students. The council discussed the functioning of the offsite campuses and urged the VC to critically review their academic functioning. The Education Minister suggested engaging experienced and qualified faculty to raise the standards of teaching and research in all campuses. Tribune News Service Jammu, October 20 Displaced Kashmiri Pandits today alleged that the police had started withdrawing the security of minority enclaves and temples in Kashmir following rising rifle-snatching incidents by militants. They said the PDP-BJP coalition government was abdicating from its duty of safeguarding the minority community in the Valley. The community has alleged that in the absence of any management mechanism and deliberate delay in passing the Temples and Shrines Bill by the successive governments, ancient shrines and temples in the Valley are becoming the target of the land mafia which has encroached upon several shrines. The minorities fear the worst as the security provided to most of the shrines and families living in the Valley has been withdrawn. It is a matter of concern as the state government has left the minorities at the mercy of militants, said Ravinder Raina, president, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC). Raina said they had received reports that policemen guarding key Hindu shrines in the Valley had been shifted after several incidents of weapon snatching during the past four months of unrest. In October alone, there were three incidents in which militants overpowered policemen guarding members of the Hindu community. It mainly happened in volatile south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama. A Pandit youth was also injured when he was caught in the crossfire between militants and policemen in Shopian. The ASKPC has urged the government to restore the security of all temples and religious places, including some ancient shrines, and take a decision on future of more than 2,000 employees who had to shift from the Valley after July 8 when their transit camps were attacked by mobs. The PDP-BJP coalition should take steps to address issues of the government employees engaged under the PMs package. The rise in militancy incidents is a matter of concern for minorities. Their transit camps were attacked by mobs and damaged. Where will they live now? asked TK Bhat, social worker. As many as 651 non-migrant Pandit families live in the Valley and are scattered across Kashmir. Two sets of women; same desires and dreams, but a huge divide. Thursday morning brought the two together. While one set brought along painstakingly put together crafts, bright and colourful; the other set the table with delicacies culled from all across the globe. Put together by Aline Brault, wife of Canadian Consul General Dr Christopher Gibbins, the event had women from all walks of life. Coming in touch with Meher Baba Charitable Trust (MBCT) for Jago initiative, which aims at making women in rural areas independent, Aline had a chance to visit this NGO at Bassi Pathana and returned impressed with the remarkable crafts these village women had put together. Getting together with her friends Dyan Chadha, Priti Chaudhary, Preciosa Wilk, Neepa Sharma - she hosted an exhibition at her house at Chandigarh to make these two different worlds meet. MBCT is not just another self-help group but an institution thats doing remarkable work. Not that it was not possible for me take my entire friends group to Bassi Patahna, but I invited them over here, shares Aline. As the guests go-gaga over the rich tapestry of products duppatas in bright Phulkari, juttis with the same colourful work, wallets, file folders, key chains, tea cosies, potlis and small purses we find Priti Chaudhary trying her hands aari work. When we go out to buy, how much attention do we really pay on what really has gone into making of it. I am not going to take our crafts just for granted from now onwards, says one of the five instrumental in bringing about this event. Jaspreet Kaur, from Morinda, who has been learning Phulkari and beauticians job at the trust, is upbeat. I got know about this place from my masi, who lives near Bassi Pathana. I am learning and hope to have my own boutique someday. Well, that what Eline aims at, Being a Canadian, I am wonderstruck by the beauty of such fine pieces. I wish this fetches them financial independence, which is critical to improving womens status in the family and community. If you want to help these rural women, you can check out their stall at CII Fair in Chandigarh, starting today. mona@tribunemail.com New Delhi, October 20 Mukesh Bhatt, president of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, on Thursday here met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who assured them of a great Diwali with a safe and secure release of Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil on October 28--two days before the festival of lights. Bhatt, along with singer-politician Babul Supriyo, met Singh to appeal for security amid vandalism threats from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which is against the movies release as it features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) We are entertainers. We are interested in working with artistes, and not whether they belong to Pakistan, China or Africa, Bhatt told the media after meeting Singh. As the head honcho of the producers guild, Bhatt had earlier met a Mumbai police representative to appeal for police protection to ensure that the citys theatres which would screen the film remained safe. Asked if they didnt have full faith in the Mumbai police, he said: I will give 200 per cent marks to the Mumbai police. But the film isnt releasing just in Mumbai. We want to safeguard ourselves, so who better than the Home Minister? It is his domain. Before his meeting with Singh, Bhatt said that as a citizen he felt its his right to feel safe. We want to celebrate Diwali. We want to get entertained with a good family entertainer. I feel the state is definitely going to give me support and protection against people who want to create violence for no reason, he said. Bhatt said people are free to see the movie. India is a free country, but at least you should not stop people and then stop people violently. That is something I feel that the government should have zero tolerance towards violence. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has become the first target of those who are against inclusion of Pakistani artistes in Indian films after the September 18 Uri attack. The subsequent bilateral unrest between India and Pakistan had a spillover in film industries on both sides of the border. While the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) issued an ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to quit India, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association passed a resolution asking producers to avoid working with talent from Pakistan. Then, the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India announced that single-screen theatres in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat would not screen the film. The MNS has been open about condemning the idea of releasing the movie. IANS Beijing, October 20 A campaign to boycott Chinese goods in India due to differences over Indias bid for NSG membership and UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar will not have much political effect and will fail to fundamentally change the bilateral trade ties, state-run Chinese media said on Thursday. Quoting Indian media reports, an article in the state-run Global Times said that some politicians and citizens in India have recently launched campaigns to boycott Chinese products. They blame China for Indias failure to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and for Beijing blocking Indias UN bid on sanctioning a commander in Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based military group. Beijing and New Delhi are currently negotiating about these two issues and it is believed that mutual understanding will be reached eventually, said the article written by Liu Xiaoxue, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said. India is seeking a UN ban on Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) which has been blamed for the January 2 Pathankot attack. Scuttling Indias move, China has recently put a second technical hold on Azhars UN ban issue. Underlining that Sino-Indian relationship has always been haunted by border disputes and Chinas ties with Pakistan, the article, said, However, the two sides have long realised that setting aside divergences is beneficial for both sides overall development than being hostile to each other. Referring to improvement in India-China political ties since the visit of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988, the daily said economic and trade ties have also been boosted following which China has become Indias largest trading partner since 2013. After Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started promoting the slogan Make in India, some of the countrys media and citizens have tended to hype up the substantial quantities of made-in-China balloons, coloured lanterns and ribbons that always appear in the nations Hindu spring festival by asking, should our valuable foreign currency be wasted on these products? or Are Indian manufacturing industries too backward to produce those goods? it said. However, for consumers, attractive goods with a reasonable price are naturally their first option. Moreover, the merchandise, which is mentioned by Indian media all the time, is only a small part of Chinese exports to India, the daily said. Being a major exporter of high-tech goods, todays China mainly exports high-tech products to India, including electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, train locomotives, computers and telephones. These are all necessary for Indias economic development and its peoples everyday lives, it said. Will Indian people answer the call of boycott? How long can the campaign last? What specific influence will it have on Sino-Indian trade relations? Even the Indian media pushing for a ban does not have the answers, the daily said. It is believed that after this round of patriotic passion, businessmen and consumers in India will make a rational choice, it said. PTI Sivakasi (TN), October 20 As many as eight persons, including six women, were killed in a fire cracker mishap at the fireworks hub of Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district on Thursday. The mishap, which occurred when a fire broke out while crackers were being offloaded from a vehicle to a shop, comes days ahead of Diwali festival when fireworks units in the district are abuzz with activity to cater to the countrywide demand for crackers. A total of eight persons were killed and six of them were women, a senior police official told PTI here. Virudhunagar District Collector A Sivagnanam said a total of 22 persons were affected, of whom eight died. The deaths occurred due to suffocation as result of excess fumes and not because of any blast, he said, adding those affected by smoke inhalation were admitted to a government hospital and a nearby private hospital. Some were also referred to Madurai hospitals for being administered with breathing facility, he said. The incident occurred when a fire broke out while crackers were being offloaded from a van to a cracker shop, resulting in its spreading and affecting a nearby scan centre also. It also damaged parked vehicles, including two-wheelers, police said. #WATCH: Moment when fire broke out at a fire cracker factory in Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu) killing 9. Fire has now been doused. pic.twitter.com/RE5Tyie9eF ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 They said the fire was caused due to mishandling of the consignment of crackers while being offloaded by the employees and that the fire had been brought under control by Fire and Rescue services. Describing it as an unfortunate accident, Sivagnanam asserted that the administration has been carrying out safety drills in the district, about 500 km from Chennai, to prevent any such mishaps. 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. Ahmedabad, October 20 The Gujarat High Court on Thursday acquitted 14 people out of 31 convicted by a lower court and confirmed life sentence of 17 others, in the 2002 post-Godhra Sardarpura massacre case in which 33 people were burnt alive. A division bench of Justices Harsha Devani and Biren Vaishnav confirmed the life imprisonment of 17 people. However, 14 of the 31 convicted by the lower court were acquitted by the high court due to lack of evidence and contradiction in witnesses account. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) In all, 76 accused were arrested in Sardarpur case by police, out of whom two died during pendency of trial, while one was a juvenile. The court had framed charges against 73 accused in June 2009 and initiated trial in the case. Besides the conviction of 31, the lower court had acquitted 42 others. The SIT later challenged in high court the acquittal of 31 people out of these 42. However, the high court on Thursday upheld the Mehsana district court order acquitting 31 out of these 42. Meanwhile, the 17 were convicted by the high court of murder, attempt to murder, rioting and other sections of the IPC. The high court also upheld the decision of the lower court not to accept the conspiracy theory put up by the prosecution, which had alleged that the attack on the minority community was planned and a conspiracy was hatched following the Godhra train burning incident. Thirty-one people were earlier awarded life sentence along with a fine of Rs 50,000 each in the verdict passed by special SIT court judge SC Srivastava while hearing the matter on November 9, 2011. As many as 73 people were made accused in the case, in which 33 people of minority community were burnt to death at Sardarpura in Vijapur taluka of Mehsana district on the night of February 28, 2002, to avenge the Godhra train burning incident in which 59 people, mainly kar sevaks, were burnt to death on February 27, 2002. This was one of the nine post-Godhra riot cases probed by Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT). A mob of hundreds of people had surrounded a lane, called Sheikh Vaas, in Sardarpura on the intervening night of February 28 and March 1, 2002, where minority population of the village used to live. The people of the minority community took shelter in a pucca house of one Ibrahim Sheikh. However, the mob torched the house after pouring petrol on it, in which 33 people, including 22 women, were charred to death. PTI New Delhi, October 20 Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday directed Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, where a section of students has been staging protest alleging inaction by authorities. Singh called up the Commissioner of Delhi Police and gave the instruction to set up the special team to find the missing student, a Home Ministry official said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Najeeb Ahmed went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus the night before. Agitating JNU students have confined Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and about 12 other officials in the universitys administrative building since Wednesday afternoon though students and media have been able to access it. Rejecting allegations of inaction, Kumar on Thursday said they had written to the police and an inquiry by the university would be expedited and the guilty would be punished. Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC warned of action against them. He said several rounds of talks were held with the students to convince them regarding the sincerity of the university to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their illegal activity. PTI United Nations, October 20 India voiced deep concern over terror groups acquiring chemical weapons, asserting that the international community must take urgent measures and decisive actions to prevent possibility of any future use of such weapons. It has been our consistent position that the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at anytime by anybody under any circumstances cannot be justified and the perpetrators of such abhorrent acts must be held accountable, Ambassador D B Venkatesh Varma, Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, said at a debate on weapons of mass destruction here on Wednesday. He said India was deeply concerned with reports of acquisitions of chemical weapons and their delivery system by terrorist groups and continuing use of chemical weapons and toxic chemicals in Syria and Iraq by terrorists. We believe that the international community must take urgent measures and decisive actions to prevent the possibility of any future use of chemical weapons, he said at the First Committee session of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Varma said India had a large and growing chemical industry and also had the second largest number of declared facilities and received among the largest number of inspections from Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He underscored that India had a flawless track record of verification inspections and believes that the OPCW needs to evolve transparent and objective criteria and modalities for inspections. The provisions of the Convention should be implemented in a manner that does not hinder legitimate activities, especially in countries like India with a large and growing chemical industry, he said. Varma told the committee, which deals with disarmament and international security, that India has strong and law-based national export controls consistent with the highest international standards with reference to control of nuclear, chemical, biological and toxin weapons and their means of delivery. India contributed to international efforts under UN and the OPCW for destruction of Syrian chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) and welcomed the progress made so far in their destruction. We would encourage further consultations between Syria and the OPCW with an aim to fully resolve all the outstanding issues in the spirit of trust and cooperation, he said. He reiterated Indias committment to improving the effectiveness of the Biological Weapons Convention and strengthening its implementation and its universalisation. Varma also added that India shares the widespread interest amongst States Parties to strengthen the effectiveness and improve the implementation of the Convention through the negotiation and conclusion of a Protocol for that purpose. We believe this is necessary in view of the new challenges to international peace and security emanating from proliferation trends, including the threat posed by terrorists or other non-state actors seeking access to biological agents or toxins for terrorist purposes, he said. India is also actively participating in the preparatory process among States Parties leading to the Eighth Review Conference to be held in November 2016. PTI On Board Air India One, October 20 Amidst escalating Indo-Pak tension over Pakistans continuing support to cross-border terror, Algeria has unequivocally conveyed that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and terrorism in all forms has to be eradicated. Algeria has conveyed this to Vice President Hamid Ansari during his two-day visit to the North African country. During the bilateral talks, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told the Vice President that his country fully supported Indias position on Jammu and Kashmir, a senior official accompanying Ansari said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) However, Pakistans name was directly not taken by either side. New Delhi has always been maintaining that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and blames Pakistan for sponsoring cross-border terrorism in the border state. In an on-board briefing, the Vice President said that during his five-day two-nation tour, the issue of terrorism was discussed with the top leaderships of both Algeria and Hungary. Asked whether the issue of a third countrys support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir figured in the bilateral talks with the two countries, Ansari said, Everyone knows which one is the third country. Obvious is obvious. The Vice President said that in his discussions with Hungary and Algerian leaderships, menace of terrorism was discussed and their view was that it is a disease for the entire world and it had to be eradicated in all forms and manifestations. Ansari said Algeria had faced terrorism in the past and it was ended after years of efforts and at a great cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. There was not a single family who did not lose its member due to terror in Algeria, he said. The Vice Presidents visit to the two countries came after a long gap--the last political visit to Hungary was of the then President Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1993 while a senior political functionary had visited Algeria in 1985. Political visits to the two countries were lacking and the trip was undertaken to reconnect the old ties. There were substantive discussions on various issues. It was a very satisfactory visit, he told reporters accompanying him. Ansari said the two agreements, including one on water management, were signed with Hungary while there was a key meeting on the possibility of setting up a joint venture fertilisers plant by Algeria and India in the north African country. The meeting was held between Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Mansukh L Mandaviya, who was accompanying Ansari, and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb. 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. The fertiliser plant is linked to our efforts for food security, Ansari said. The Vice President said there were substantive discussions on future cooperation in sectors like phosphate, fertilisers, defence and security, peaceful use of nuclear energy and space. During his discussions with Hungarys President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other top leadership, both the countries favoured elimination of the menace of terrorism and sought a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat. The Hungarian Prime Minister had said his country had set up a working group on technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence production for mutual benefits. During his two-day visit to Algeria, Ansari had wide-ranging discussions with Algerias President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister 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. PTI Legal Correspondent New Delhi, October 20 The seven-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur on Thursday said the ban on seeking votes on the basis of religion, caste or language appeared to be inadequate to ensure that poll campaigns were free from these issues. The bench said going by the arguments of litigants counsel it was clear that Section 123 of the Representation of People Act 1951 had banned only the candidates, their parties and agents from appealing to the voters in the name of their respective religions. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The candidates could overcome this impediment by taking the help of people belonging to other castes and religions to exploit the voters sentiments, the bench noted. You seem to be arguing that though it is desirable to keep religion and caste out of electoral politics, the legislature has chosen to bar only the candidates and their agents and parties from seeking vote on these lines, the bench told senior counsel Shyam Divan who was arguing for one of the litigants in batch of petitions on the issue. Can there be a ban on discussion of religion and caste in election meetings, the bench asked Divan. The other members of the bench are Justices MB Lokur, SA Bobde, AK Goel, UU Lalit, DY Chandrachud and LN Rao. Meanwhile, social activist Teesta Setalvad and two others pleaded for intervening in the case, contending that the apex court could come to the right conclusions only if it heard the views of neutral persons like them, instead of restricting the proceedings to the winning and losing candidates. Parties in the present appeals are people with allegiance to some political party or the other hence their submissions may not necessarily uphold the Constitutional framework, they said in their application. Theatre activist Shamsul Islam and journalist Dilip Mandal are the other applicants. They found fault with the apex courts 1996 ruling that reference to Hindutva and Hinduism could not be construed as misuse of religion as these two expressions only denoted a way of life, not the Hindu religion. Bhubaneswar, October 20 Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the Sum Hospital where 21 people were killed in a fire mishap, was on Thursday arrested after he surrendered before police here. With the arrest of Nayak, the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy now stands at five. Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation, Commissioner of Police, YB Khurania told reporters. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Sources said Nayak surrendered at the Khandagiri Police Station at about 3.30 am. He was taken to an undisclosed destination where the police officers were interrogating him. On Wednesday evening, the commissinorate of police had issued a Look Out Circular in the name of Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the charitable trust. The police had informed all airports and railway stations to ensure that Nayak and his wife Saswati did not escape from the state capital. The Ministry of Home affairs was also apprised of the police action, Khurania said. We may go for arrest of more people during course of investigation, he said. The police issued LOC after Union Health Minister JP Nadda made it clear to the state government that those responsible for the tragedy should not go scotfree. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also assured the state that all guilty would be taken to task. Two days ago, the police had arrested four senior officials, including the medical superintendent of Sum Hospital Pushparaj Samantasinghar. They were booked under Sections 304, 308, 285 and 34 of the IPC. The four officials were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state governments fire service department. A case was registered against the authorities of Sum Hospital which has been accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of state government to improve its firefighting mechanism. The hospital does not possess a fire safety certificate. PTI Islamabad, October 20 Pakistan on Thursday warned of appropriate action if India violates the Indus Water Treaty and said it was closely monitoring the situation, amid reports that New Delhi may revisit the key water sharing accord. Appropriate action will be taken in line with the Treaty in case of any violation by India, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing. Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation, Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. Zakarias remarks come amid reports that India may review the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty. He said that India was making desperate attempts to divert attention from the atrocities and human right violations being committed in Kashmir. He said Pakistan was highlighting Indian brutalities in Kashmir at world fora and there had been very substantive outcome of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that India violated ceasefire on the Line of Control for more than 90 times this year. The notion of isolating Pakistan is ridiculous, Zakaria said, adding that Indias negative attitude had been exposed which is the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also termed the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as very disappointing and highly regrettable as he deplored Indias decision to use SAARC for its political ambition, according to the report. Zakaria also referred to a media report quoting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a very, very hot tinderbox and offered to be the mediator or arbitrator. Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute, he said. And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers, he added. PTI New Delhi, October 20 Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday ordered Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing JNU student even as its Vice-Chancellor and some other top officials were allowed to leave their offices after being under siege by agitating students for over 20 hours. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The agitating students, who have been accusing the JNU administration of not doing enough to trace missing student Najeeb Ahmed, said they have not softened their stand and allowed V-C M Jagadesh Kumar and others to leave their offices only to attend a scheduled meeting of the Academic Council. As the students protest over the missing student entered the sixth day, the Home Minister directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace Najeeb who went missing on Saturday following a brawl with a group of ABVP supporters in a JNU hostel. Singh called up the Commissioner of Delhi Police and gave the instruction to set up the special team. The students did not allow the V-C and around 12 other officials to come out of the administrative building since yesterday afternoon as part of their protest though mediapersons were allowed to go inside it. JNU teachers association, which have been supportive of the students on most of the issues, criticised the confinement of the V-C and others. The V-C had this morning warned the students of strict action over the "illegal confinement". Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC said several rounds of talks were held to convince the students about sincerity of the university authority to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their "illegal" activities". "This is a university run in a democratic manner. We value debate and discussion. That's why we had several rounds of discussions with the students to convince them that the university is sincerely working to locate Najeeb Ahmed. "We have tried by every possible means to convince the students that we are trying our best to locate Najeeb. However, they are not relenting and resorting to this kind of illegal means," Kumar said hours before he was allowed to go. He said, "We cannot be coerced by these illegal means. The university has to be run in a proper manner and the academic activities should not suffer. We again appeal to the students not to resort to this kind of illegal activities which will affect the university." Rejecting allegations of inaction, he said the administration had written to the police about the missing student and an inquiry by the university will be expedited and "guilty" punished. Later, Delhi Police said they have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to trace Najeeb. Commenting on the issue, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, said, "It is wrong to confine VC and other officials. Some students have come in JNU to do politics and not study. All activities should be done within the law." An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station after the police received a complaint from the student's guardians. Meanwhile, the blame game between the Left-affiliated groups and BJP student wing ABVP also continued with the latter denying any involvement in missing of Najeeb. JNU students union president Mohit Pandey said, "Najeeb has gone missing after the scuffle with ABVP members. They definitely know about his whereabouts. We have allowed the officials and V-C to attend the AC meeting but this does not mean end our deadlock with the administration. We will continue with our agitation till he is traced. Alok Singh, president of JNU's ABVP Unit, said, "From the beginning of the issue, they have been claiming that ABVP has a role in this. "We have nothing to do with this. We had our suspicion on Qasim who is Najeeb's roommate and had even demanded action against him in the past". PTI Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 20 Ending days of speculation, senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the BJP, spelling trouble for the grand old party in the poll-bound state while evoking mixed reactions from her new place of mooring. Surprisingly though, as she heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi (there is no alternative to him and the BJP, she said), Joshi launched a no-holds-barred attack against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi someone she had been defending with equal fierceness till about a few days back questioning his leadership and "theka" (contract) given to PK poll strategist Prashant Kishor. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Rahuls leadership was unacceptable to many senior Congress leaders, she said. The entire world accepted Narendra Modi government's strong action across the PoK but the Congress questioned it," she said, also attacking Rahul for his "khoon ki dalali" remark. Congress reaction, she said, undermined the nation and gave a chance to Pakistan to question the Indian Armys actions. Joshi said many Congress leaders were upset over the way the party was being run. The party has lost ground and does not provide an alternative in UP, she said. Read: Bahuguna a betrayer, Amit Shah amassing army of traitors, says Cong Casting doubts about Rahuls leadership qualities, she said: Sonia Gandhi understood the organisation she used to listen to us irrespective of whatever decision she took. But under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi even this is not possible. The people of Uttar Pradesh are not ready to accept his leadership just as the whole country. Even senior Congress leaders are not happy with him, she alleged as she hit out at the leadership for giving the theka of the party to outsider Kishore, tauntingly referring to him as PK. It was a difficult choice to leave the Congress of which she had been a part of many years but it was a choice taken for the benefit of the country. I have served Congress for 24 years and have taken this decision for the benefit of the nation," she said while also making scathing remarks against the incumbent Samajwadi Party for the poor law-and-order situation and corruption prevalent in the state. The BJP government means welfare of the state and the country and it had no hidden agenda, she maintained, adding that she had also resigned as MLA in UP. She also made scathing remarks against the incumbent Samajwadi Party for the poor law-and-order situation and corruption prevalent in the state. She taunted poll strategist Prashant Kishor, referring to him as PK. Terming it a sad state of affairs in the Congress, she wondered if the party had given him a 'theka' (contract). She criticised the Congress for giving the charge of the UP elections to him. The BJP government meant the welfare of the state and the country and it had no hidden agenda, she said, adding that she had also resigned as MLA in UP. London, October 20 The UK will send two major delegations to India this week to strengthen business links ahead of British Prime Minister Theresa Mays visit next month. Alok Sharma, the Indian-origin minister for Asia and the Pacific in the UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), will lead a team of 28 British businesses to the Global Investors Summit in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. The UK is a country partner for the summit, which takes place every two years to showcase the industrial strengths of the state. Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in India and a great example of how the UK and India are working together for both of our benefit, said Sharma, who will make the opening speech at the summit and also hold talks with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The UK has been a long-term supporter of the state, through aid and other partnerships, and it now has a vibrant economy. The Global Investors Summit will allow us to build and strengthen business links in thriving areas like tourism, urban development and a dynamic manufacturing and industrial sector, he added. Sharmas team will arrive in Indore soon after an infrastructure delegation comprising 11 British companies to Chandigarh on Thursday and Friday. The participating UK companies have expertise in infrastructure and urban planning, architectural design and heritage conservation, transport design, water and waste management, renewable energy and services including project and programme management and construction delivery. David Lelliott, the British Deputy High Commissioner Chandigarh, said: We are aware how important infrastructure and urban development projects are for the people of this region, and have been engaging closely with governments at state and city level. The UK has much to offer, so Im delighted that this delegation representing UK expertise across a wide range of relevant fields is visiting Chandigarh. The visit underlines the interest that UK companies have in doing more in this region. The delegation will hold roundtable meetings with the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana, as well as the Chandigarh administration, to discuss plans for upcoming infrastructure projects in the region. The British Deputy High Commission will also host an interactive session on Infrastructure and Urban Development in Chandigarh on Friday to provide an opportunity for representatives of state governments, municipalities and the private sector to learn more about the expertise and capabilities of the UK companies and to explore how best they might participate in projects in the region. The delegations follow an announcement by May recently that she will lead her own trade mission of small and medium sized businesses from all regions of the UK when she visits India between November 6 and 8. During her visit she will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the first India-UK Tech Summit, a showcase for partnership in technological industries, as well as hold bilateral talks. India has been named among the priority countries the UK wants to clinch trade deals with as it officially leaves the European Union (EU) after a referendum in favour of Brexit in June. PTI New Delhi, October 20 BJP MP Varun Gandhi was at the centre of a controversy over allegations that he had leaked defence secrets to middleman Abhishek Verma and arms manufacturers after being "honey trapped", a charge he stoutly denied. At a press conference here, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav released a letter written by Edmonds Allen, a New York-based lawyer, to the PMO last month that Varun was honey trapped and compromised by Verma. He alleged that Verma "blackmailed" Varun, a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, into sharing sensitive information on crucial arms matters. Varun rejected these charges, saying he has not met Verma since 2004 and threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. "The entire information presented does not contain an iota of proof that either I had access or shared any communication regarding sensitive information to Verma," Varun said. Allen, who was a partner of Verma, fell out with him in 2012. Verma is facing trial in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case. Bhushan alleged that despite having all the details, the BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it. India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft. "Any action against Thales may have jeopardised the Rafale deal. Moreover, contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircrafts, the government bought 36 aircrafts, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy," Bhushan said. However, Bhushan and Yadav did not take Varun's name during the press conference and instead asked journalists to refer to the letter. They claimed to have withheld photographic evidences pertaining to the matter. Allen wrote to the PM, Defence Minister, CBI and the NSA with all the details on August and September this year. Varun said he last met Verma when he was a post graduate student in London at the age of 22. "I am going to turn 37 now. I have never met him since I entered public life in 2004. The only reason why I even know of him is because his parents were members of parliament and was a respected family. I knew them as many other leaders knew them," he said. Asked if he had come across any sensitive information during his tenure on the consultative committee on defence, he said, "Any MP who has been on that committee knows that not even 0.1 percentage of any confidential information is shared with the committee." PTI New Delhi, October 20 BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday appointed Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar as the Punjab election in-charge and Captain Abhimanyu, a minister in Haryana government, as co-incharge. The party's general secretary Saroj Pandey will be in-charge of Chandigarh's local elections. The assembly polls are scheduled in Punjab early next year. The BJP is in power in Punjab as a junior partner of the Shiromani Akali Dal and their alliance is locked in a tough battle with the opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party. PTI New York, October 20 In a rare honour, New York City declared October 19, 2016 as Waris Ahluwalia day in recognition of the Sikh-American actor and designer for his powerful message of countering ignorance and advocating for religious understanding and tolerance. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio honoured Ahluwalia at a special reception at his official residence Gracie Mansion here on Wednesday to celebrate the festival of Diwali. de Blasio presented Ahluwalia a proclamation that declared October 19, 2016 in the city of New York as Waris Ahluwalia Day. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Lauding Ahluwalias talents of being a fashion designer, writer, actor and model, de Blasio said that as a Sikh, Ahluwalia proudly wears his dastar (turban) wherever he goes and so he sends a powerful message to our city, to our country of countering ignorance, celebrating inclusion and advocating for religious understanding and tolerance in everything he does. Addressing a gathering of over 300-400 Indian-Americans and other people from the South Asian community, de Blasio extended a special greeting to his Sikh brothers and sisters and underscored that an attack on any community and individual because of their faith is an attack on all of us. We believe that when any community is attacked, any individual is attacked because of who they are, because of their faith, because of where they come from, the attack on one is an attack on all of us, de Blasio said. Joined by his wife First Lady Chirlane McCray, Ahluwalia and other members of his administration on a stage erected in the sprawling lawns of the Gracie Mansion, de Blasio said whenever any community is affronted, the New York Police Department is present to protect that community. Whenever there is a hate crime, we will call it a hate crime and act on it as a hate crime, protect the people and say it is unacceptable in the city of New York to act in any biased fashion against any people of the city. Amid loud cheers and applause, the Mayor said a special Diwali guide would be distributed to New York teachers through the Department of Education to help them educate students in the city about the meaning of the Indian festival of lights. Ahluwalia thanked the Mayor for the incredible honour and said that while Diwali had been celebrated for centuries, this year its message of triumph of good over evil is more important and relevant than ever. He said while he had called New York City home ever since he moved here from India as a child, after the 9/11 terror attacks, people would glare at me with anger and hate as I walked down my own streets, in my own hometown. That was very confusing for me, he said, adding that six months after the 9/11 attacks, he was assaulted and nearly lost vision in his right eye. The Mayor and his wife began the reception by lighting the traditional lamp. The citys First Lady was dressed in traditional Indian attire of a yellow salwar kurta. India music, including popular movie songs, played in the background. PTI Amritsar, October 20 Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today said that all roads and routes approaching to Golden Temple will be beautified with a group of musicians playing melodious tunes depicting its history. He said work to beautify main route was in progress on war footing level. Badal told reporters here that main route to Golden Temple is being given a heritage look, even front elevation of all private buildings, either commercial or residential, were being changed on Government expenses. He said that in the coming days pilgrims using the main route to Golden Temple would be greeted with water fountains besides a team of musicians will play melodious tunes depicting the history of the Golden temple and the holy city. He said that special laser show and traditional Punjabi Marshal Arts would also be organized on roadside near Golden Temple and historic Jallianwalla Bagh. PTI Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Kalanaur, October 20 Punjab Shiv Sena leader Surjit Singh Billa (43) escaped unhurt after a Nihang fired at him in Chandu Wadala village near here on Thursday. Gurdaspur SSP Jasdeep Singh confirmed the incident and added that Kalanaur police station SHO Ashok Kumar was inquiring into the sequence of events leading to the firing. The incident occurred when Billa went to the village following a call from his daughter who is involved in a matrimonial dispute with her in-laws. Police sources claim that Billa had entered into an argument with the in-laws when suddenly a Nihang, a distant relative of Billa, fired from his rifle. The SSP said that the rifle had been confiscated and an inquiry was underway. The police will not tolerate any political interference. I have ordered my men to let the law take its due course. There are reports that the Nihang enjoys proximity to a SAD leader. However, let me assure residents that under no circumstances will anybody be allowed to intervene, the SSP said. Meanwhile, Dera Baba Nanak Congress MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa claimed that the law and order machinery in this border district had completely broken down. Kalanaur is a part of the Dera Baba Nanak assembly seat. 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) London, October 20 British physicist Stephen Hawking has warned that the creation of powerful artificial intelligence may turn out to be the worst thing ever to happen to humanity despite its potential benefits. The world-renowned physicist has often been cautious about AI, raising concerns that humanity could be the architect of its own destruction if it creates a superintelligence with a will of its own. Speaking at the opening of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI) at Cambridge University, he was also quick to highlight the positives that AI research can bring. Hawking praised the creation of the academic institute dedicated to researching the future of intelligence as "crucial to the future of our civilisation and our species. The institute will attempt to tackle some of the open-ended questions raised by the rapid pace of development in AI research. "The potential benefits of creating intelligence are huge. We cannot predict what we might achieve when our own minds are amplified by AI," Hawkings was quoted as saying by 'The Guardian'. "Perhaps with the tools of this new technological revolution, we will be able to undo some of the damage done to the natural world by the last one industrialisation, he said. PTI New Delhi, October 20 Social networking giant Facebook today said it is witnessing strong growth in the Indian market, adding users at a faster pace than in the US, and the country could become its largest base in coming years. Adam Mosseri, VP of Product at Facebook, said the Indian market saw a 22 per cent growth last year, while the same in the US was "much slower than India". He, however, did not disclose the growth rate numbers for the American market. "India could become larger than the US. By when, that is something I can't say right now," Mosseri added. India has the second largest userbase of Facebook with 155 million monthly active users. Of this, 77 million logged in every day at the end of June quarter. At the end of the second quarter, daily actives on Facebook in India had grown 22 per cent year-on-year, compared with a 17 per cent increase in daily actives globally. Interestingly, about 147 million Indians use their mobile devices to browse through Facebook. Mosseri said the company is focussing its efforts on improving news feed on its platform for users, regardless of device or network connection. "We are now launching a new architecture so you can see less grey boxes, regardless of your network connection. We have also worked on optimising stories in News Feed for each session, so users can see the most relevant stories even if they're on slow internet connections," he said. Mosseri said "reactions" -- introduced to allow users options to express feelings like anger, sadness and surprise to posts on Facebook -- have also found huge uptake in the Indian market. "Not including Likes, more than 50 per cent of the reactions used in India are Love, and more than 30 per cent of Reactions used in India are Haha," he added. He, however, did not comment on whether the company would launch the "dislike" button as has been demanded by many users worldwide. PTI Dehradun, October 20 Activists of the Swaraj Abhiyan today said the state government should take immediate steps to check illegal land mining going on in Garhwal and Kumaon. The government should draft a proposal to check privatisation and commercialisation of school education in the state. They took part in the Swaraj Yatra in support of their demands here. The yatra commenced from the Lansdowne chowk and culminated at the court compound. The protesters lamented that the government had failed to check corruption. It should take immediate steps to tighten the noose around the liquor mafia in the state, they said. Nirmala Bisht, convener of the Swaraj Yatra, said the government should improve the basic infrastructure of roads, potable water, government school buildings and health centres in hilly areas of the state. TNS Dehradun: An Indian Air Force Mi17-V5 helicopter developed a snag during a routine sortie after it took off from the Ghastoli helipad, 7 km from Mana in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, at 9:24 am on Wednesday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The pilot had to make an emergency landing. Sources said a few jawans received minor injuries. Two IAF pilots, two Army officers, two JCOs and 12 jawans were on board the copter. Chamoli District Magistrate Vinod Kumar Suman confirmed the incident. TNS Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 20 The newly-inaugurated Mahatma Gandhi Shatabdi Eye Hospital continues to be marred by poor planning and very few patients. Even after several glitches, the Department of Health had managed to start the Mahatma Gandhi Shatabdi Eye Hospital this month, but it is not getting many patients. The Department of Medical and Health had shifted the skin unit and attached two physicians but the idea of a stand alone hospital that is providing only specialty eye care, has so far not been popular with people. I came here because I was told that the ophthalmology department is functioning here. I had to visit the eye specialist because my daughter had been complaining of eye-infection. I am experiencing leg pain and I have to rush to the Doon Medical College Teaching Hospital as doctors concerned are not available in the eye hospital, said Dewakar, a patient. Though the Department of Health and Medical Services has posted six doctors at the eye department, including eye-surgeons and consultants, it is yet to start conducting operations. We have not been able to set up a modular operating theater, which is necessary to conduct eye operations. These operations can only be conducted in a sterilised atmosphere. The work on these operating theaters will take at least four to six weeks, said Dr RC Nagpal, consultant ophthalmologist. As a result, operations are now being conducted at the coronation hospital. This has created new problems as the staff (doctors and nurses) have to keep moving between these two hospitals. Further, for the entire eye hospital to function properly as a specialised unit, six more super specialists are required to run the retina surgical unit, cornea unit for carrying out cartoplasti, which will also be useful for the functioning of the eye bank and carrying out implants, paediatric ophthalmology, glaucoma and ocular plasti units. Significantly, the Health Department did manage to shift the skin section and depute two physicians at the eye hospital, it has proved to be a futile exercise in the absence of patients. Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 20 The man-eater tigress in the Gorakhpur village of Ramnagar was gunned down this morning. A team of hunters, who noted her presence in Gorakhpur village late last night, managed to shoot her down around 11 am today. Twelve rounds were fired to kill the beast, allegedly involved in killing two villagers and injuring two others. Parag Madhukar Dhakate, conservator of forests, who has been leading the search campaign for nearly a month, said the gunning down of the tigress had come as a big sigh of relief for the Ramnagar villagers who had been living under a constant fear of the wild beast. While the tigress took her first victim on September 6 when she mauled Govindi Devi of Gaujani village, her second victim was Paramjeet, who was killed on September 12. This was followed by the September 26 incident in which Suman Devi was injured. It was after these incidents and growing public pressure that the Uttarkhand Wildlife Authorities declared the tigress a man eater on September 27. On September 30, the tigress injured another resident Bhawani Devi. All the incidents took place in the Ramnagar region. It was a challenging task to gun down the tigress and an extensive survey was undertaken in the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve for the purpose. It was for the first time that a helicopter and drones were used in the search operation to locate the tigress. Tribune News Service Haridwar, October 20 Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today denied that there was discontent among senior party leaders over the issue of the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Nishank, while addressing a meeting of the district working committee and later mediapersons, said all party leaders and workers were united and were focusing on winning the majority in the state Assembly. The chief ministerial candidate doesnt matter as there is a pro-BJP wave in Uttarakhand and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh as well where also the Assembly elections are due early next year. Party workers have been told about the directives of national party president Amit Shah and national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya to reach out to people and selflessly work for the partys electoral success, said Nishank, who was felicitated for the honours he received in Uganda and Dubai for his poetic and social works. He said the deep-set corruption in the Chief Ministers office and factionalism in the Congress would lead to its exit in the next Assembly elections. City legislator Madan Kaushik said party workers need to focus on their wards and booths as the electoral success of the party depends upon them. Elections are round the corner and we need to ensure that now onward we devote additional time to the party to win the majority in the Assembly. Irrespective of who is granted ticket, every worker should ensure that they work together for the partys larger cause, said Kaushik, who was Urban Development Minister in the previous BJP government in the state. Ranipur-BHEL legislator Aadesh Chauhan said the BJP would win on most of the total 11 Assembly seats in Haridwar as people were fed up with the ill-governance of the Congress and they were looking up to the BJP to replicate the development and corruption-free governance agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jwalapur MLA Chandrasekhar Bhattewala, Mayor Manoj Garg, district BJP president Suresh Rathore, vice-president Vikas Tiwari and district womens unit president Rita Chamoli attended the meeting. Jotirmay Thapliyal Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 20 Entomologist Dr SS Singh is known for his efforts to curb the spread of shoot gall psylla, a pest that has given mango growers sleepless nights in Uttarakhand. When mango growers across the state were contemplating abandoning mango orchards due to the attack of the pest on their produce, Dr SS Singh came to their rescue. For the last one decade, the infestation of pest shoot gall psylla has increased considerably in the state, particularly in Dehradun, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar. Heavily infested trees bear only 40-50 kg of fruits against a normal yield of 250-300 kg. According to an estimate, more than 20,000-hectare area was badly affected with shoot gall psylla in Uttarakhand. The gravity of the situation was such that many farmers even started abandoning their mango orchards. Dr Singh, while talking to the Tribune, said he, after coming to know about the widespread affect of this pest in Uttarakhand, he approached the Indian Council of Agriculture Research-Central Institute of Sub-Tropical Horticulture, Lucknow. The Institute suggested me that Thiamethoxam, Profenophos and Sticker, if mixed in right proportions with water, can effectively manage shoot gall psylla, he said. I, at once, prepared the mixture and sprayed it in the most affected orchards. To my utter happiness, it reduced the strength of shoot gall psylla up to 90 per cent in most of the orchards, he pointed out. He said, subsequently a campaign was started to mobilise the farmers and to develop trust and faith among mango growers in Dehradun from 2013 till date. Farmers were sensitised about the management of pest shoot gall psylla. Dr SS Singhs efforts thus resulted in changing the mindset of farmers in the Dehradun region, whose interest towards mango cultivation was dwindling year after year and they were under the impression that this devastating pest couldnt be controlled. The efforts of Dr SS Singh and his team restored the farmers faith and confidence. Dr SS Singh heads the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhakrani, Dehradun, that works under Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. Milan, October 20 The Chinese Embassy in Rome on Thursday strongly protested plans by Milan city council to bestow honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama, saying it would have a negative impact on bilateral relations and regional cooperation. The embassy said in a statement that honoring the Dalai Lama has seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people and expressed its strong protest and firm opposition. Protests were expected at the University of Milan-Bicocca, where the Dalai Lama was scheduled to speak to students and where officials plan to give him a key to the city. He also was meeting with Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola on the first day of a three-day visit that includes a series of spiritual talks. China accuses the Dalai Lama of leading a campaign to split Tibet from the rest of China. The Dalai Lama says he simply wants a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. He said in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica that the climate in Tibet remains extremely grim and repressive, characterised by constant controls of Tibetans, who are denied many basic human rights. Whether they admit it or not, Tibet remains a thorn for China, which wants to play an important role in the world, he was quoted as saying. AP Berlin, October 20 A teenage German-Moroccan girl accused of stabbing a policeman at a train station in Hanover on the orders of the Islamic State militant group went on trial in Germany on Thursday. Safia S, a dual citizen who has been in prison awaiting trial, is charged with attempted murder and with being a supporter of the jihadist group. She travelled to Istanbul in January, where she met members of the group who planned to help her enter Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria, prosecutors have said. While in Istanbul, she received orders from Islamic State members to carry out a "martyrdom attack" in Germany. She stabbed and seriously wounded the policeman in February after she was brought back to Germany by her mother, the prosecution has said. She was 16 at the time. After being returned to Germany, Safia S contacted Islamic State members online and asked them to help her plan an attack, prosecutors have said. The accused is believed to have been radicalised in Germany by people with ties to the ultra-conservative Salafi strand of Islam. Authorities believe 820 Germans have left for war zones in Syria and Iraq. A 20-year-old German Syrian is also standing trial in the same case. Prosecutors believe Mohamad K knew of Safia's plan to carry out the attack and did not inform the police. Reuters Paris, October 20 Iraqi forces are advancing faster than expected in a major offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State jihadists, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said today. We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned, Abadi said, speaking on a videoconference link to an international meeting co-hosted by France and Iraq on the future of Mosul following the start of the offensive this week. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had warned on Tuesday that the battle to retake Iraqs second-biggest city could take months. French President Francois Hollande told todays meeting that the jihadists were already fleeing to Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. We cant afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa, Hollande said, adding: We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate. The long-awaited offensive on Mosul was launched on Monday, with some 30,000 troops involved in Iraq's largest military operation since the pullout of US troops in 2011. Representatives from around 20 countries including the US, Turkey, Gulf states and EU member states are attending the Paris meeting co-chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Todays talks come ahead of a meeting in Paris next Tuesday of the coalition's defence ministers to assess progress in the Mosul offensive. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter will be among 13 ministers at the talks, an aide to Le Drian said. AFP Las Vegas, October 20 Slamming Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his refusal to commit that he will accept the results of the November 8 polls, top American newspapers on Thursday described his remarks as contempt for democracy. Trumps breathtaking repudiation of American democracy, screamed The Washington Post in its lead editorial, while The New York Times described this as contempt for democracy. Mr Trumps meltdown in the closing weeks could be dismissed as a sore losers bizarre attempt at rationalising his likely defeat. But his trashing of the democratic process, in service of his own ego, risks lasting damage to the country, and politicians of both parties should recoil from him and his cynical example, The New York Times editorial board said. The presidential debate was another exercise in narcissism, bombast and mendacity by Mr Trump. One could only hope that this might be the last grand display of his gross unfitness to be president, the major US daily said. In his third debate, Trump said he would look at the time when asked if he would accept the results of the November 8 presidential elections. The Washington Post said though Clinton made some gaffes during the debate, but they fade to the status of trivia in the face of an opponent who will not accept the basic rules of American democracy. Mr Trumps biggest mistake was his refusal to say he would accept the election results if he loses, The Wall Street Journal said. Mr Trump made it worse by saying I will keep you in suspense, the daily said. Voters on the right and left want to have faith in the electoral system. Mr Trumps statement makes us wonder if Mr Trump and adviser Steve Bannon are planning to blame everyone else if he does lose, The Wall Street Journal said. Trumps vice presidential running mate Mike Pence said that he is taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding to accept the results of the elections. Hell take a wait-and-see approach, he told MSNBC in a post-debate interview. PTI London, October 20 Britain could issue regional work visas in a bid to solve the explosive issue of immigration when it leaves the European Union, a study commissioned by the City of London Corporation found today. Such a system could allay the concerns of businesses that are dependent on migrant workers as well as those opposed to free movement of labour, according to the report by consultancy PwC. "There are skills shortage issues that need to be tackled effectively to ensure the UK remains competitive post Brexit," said the report. "A regional visa system is a viable, workable solution to address these issues," it added, citing similar schemes in Australia and Canada. Immigration was the subject of fierce debate before Britain's June vote to leave the European Union, and Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to restrict EU immigrant arrivals as part of an eventual Brexit deal. Big cities such as London and Manchester voted to remain in the EU, with many of the cities' businesses benefiting from the pool of EU labour. London mayor Sadiq Khan has given his support to the proposals to allow EU migrants to continue to locate to the British capital. However, many of Britain's post-industrial regions such as Yorkshire voted to leave, with some voters claiming that cheap labour had driven down wages, prompting calls for a regionally tailored work visa system. "By allowing the regions to control immigration this will recognise the fact that the needs of London and Yorkshire will differ dramatically," said the report. It suggested two possible models; one in which local businesses identify regional needs before applying to the government for a visa allocation and another in which government agencies would use their expertise to directly assess requests from businesses. Visas could either be long-term or short-term, and would also allow the dependents of successful applicants to live and work in the region. Those obtaining a visa would only be able to buy property in the stated region, or would be subjected to landlord checks if renting, in order to impose the policy. They would also be subjected to a 200 ($245, 223 euros) annual fee in exchange for access to Britain's National Health Service, under the proposal. The report argued that regional visas could help develop areas outside London's dominant economy, and reduce the "unchecked flow of low-skilled labour migration" from the EU. But it warned any scheme would "require time, energy and additional costs at the outset from business." AFP Seoul, October 20 North Korea on Thursday conducted what appeared to be its second failed test in a week of a powerful medium-range missile that experts warn could be operationally deployed as early as next year. South Korean and US military monitors said the missile--believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan-- exploded shortly after take-off at around 6.30 am Pyongyang time. The attempted launch came just hours before the start of the third US presidential debate--a timely reminder of the challenge North Korea;s fast-moving nuclear weapons programme will pose to the next occupant of the White House. It also followed a meeting in Washington between the US and South Korean defence and foreign ministers, at which US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by the North would be met with an effective and overwhelming response. Kerry also confirmed the imminent deployment of a sophisticated US missile-defence system in the South to deter the growing North Korean missile threat. It was the second failed launch in less than a week of the Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres. The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Our military strongly condemns North Koreas continued illegal provocative actions and are fully prepared for the possibilities of further provocation, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The last Musudan test on Saturday was denounced by the UN Security Council which is currently debating a fresh sanctions resolution against Pyongyang over its fifth nuclear test carried out last month. The missile has now been tested eight times this year--but only once successfully. A Musudan launched in June flew 400 kilometres into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and was hailed by leader Kim Jong-Un as proof of the Norths ability to strike US bases across the Pacific operation theatre. Despite the string of failures, some experts believe the missile is moving swiftly towards operational deployment. According to John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specialising in rocket propulsion, the aggressive launch schedule, while multiplying the risk of failure, also increases the information gleaned from each test. If they continue at this rate, the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile could enter operational service sometime next year--much sooner than had previously been expected, Schilling wrote recently on the 38North website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. AFP Las Vegas, October 20 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump today threw hints that he may not accept defeat in the presidential polls which he has been saying is rigged, stunning the political scene and threatening to overturn US democratic convention of a smooth transfer of power. His stance drew a sharp attack from Hillary Clinton as the two faced off in the feisty final presidential debate in which she was declared the winner. The controversial 70-year-old Republican candidate maintained that he would keep the suspense about accepting the election result till November 8. I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now, he said in response to a question whether he would accept the poll results, during the third presidential debate at the University of Nevada here. I will tell you at that time. I will keep you in suspense, he said in the primetime debate that lasted for over 90 minutes, reiterating that the current elections are rigged. The media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile on is so amazing, The New York Times wrote an article about it. They dont even care, its so dishonest, theyve poisoned the minds of the voters, but unfortunately for them, I think the voters are seeing through it, he said. Trumps comments at the Las Vegas showdown marked a stunning moment that has never been seen in the weeks before a modern US presidential election, CNN said. The stance threatens to cast doubt on one of the fundamental principles of American politics the peaceful, undisputed transfer of power from one president to a successor who is recognised as legitimate after winning an election, it said. Trumps remarks came after moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News said the peaceful transfer of power, a hallmark of American democracy, depends on the losing candidate accepting the validity of the electoral results. Democratic nominee, Clinton, described her rivals refusal to accept the outcome of the election as horrifying, and even went so far as to paint him as a puppet of Russian president Vladimir Putin. He is denigrating and he is talking down our democracy, said the 68-year-old former secretary of state. And I, for one, am appalled that someone who is the nominee of one of two major parties would take that position. Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is is rigged against him, said Clinton, adding that he has, at various times, accused the FBI, Republican primary process and judicial system of being corrupt. Agencies Republicans concerned Mainstream Republicans were quick to denounce Trumps comment. Senator Lindsey Graham, a former presidential candidate, said: If he loses, it will not be because the system is rigged but because he failed as a candidate Republican strategist Ryan Williams found Trumps statement deeply concerning. You have to accept the results unless there are grounds for a recount and at this point it does not appear that were heading for a close election. Pak welcomes Trumps K-mediation offer Pakistans Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria on Thursday referred to a media report quoting Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a very, very hot tinderbox and offered to be the mediator or arbitrator Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. We continue to urge our American friends to play their due role in resolving the Kashmir issue, he said. Running for Prez a step down: Trump Jr Donald Trumps son thinks that running for President is a step down for his father who is very new to politics. He (Trump) hasnt spent his whole life to be up on the debate stage like a career politician. He spent his life creating jobs, building things, doing things that would benefit American workers, Donald Trump Junior said. Indian economy growing at 8%... So I just left some high representatives of India. They are growing at 8%. China is growing at 7%, and that for them is the catastrophically low number. We are growing, our last report came out, its right over from the 1% level. And I think its going down. Donald Trump Early this year, Daimler Trucks North America named Kary Schaefer general manager, marketing and strategy. We spoke with her last month after Freightliner unveiled its next-generation Cascadia. The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Kary Schaefer Photo: Daimler Trucks North America HDT: What are the most exciting and unique things about the new Cascadia? Schaefer: I think the Drivers Loft, the new updated interior that weve introduced; I really think thats a leap forward in our interior design and a big improvement in driver experience. Weve got that Murphy bed configuration thats easy to set up and take down, and the interior noise level when youre driving the truck is outstanding. Weve improved the storage, trim levels are really nice. its a great improvement in the drivers living space. Fuel economy is my second one for you. Between aerodynamic improvements with our new aero packages and drivetrain development changes, weve improved the fuel economy by 8% over a model year 16 Cascadia Evolution, so its another big leap forward for us in terms of fuel economy leadership. And the changes we made to the driveline, weve been able to introduce a super fine finish on transmission gears, so it can use low viscosity oil which reduces friction losses. And axle lubrication management it reduced all of the churning loss of the ring gear as it goes through the oil. Then the Intelligent Powertrain Management. Weve incorporated additional map data and extended the intervals for coasting, which also improves fuel economy. Its really impressive performance. HDT: Its interesting that you brought up the interior first. One of your recent jobs at DTNA was leading the cab engineering department. Weve seen a lot of attention in recent years to cab design in new trucks as a way to make drivers happier and healthier. What are your thoughts on this trend? How far can we go? "I think engineering is about problem solving, and I have a lot of project management background in my engineering roles, and so I think you can definitely bring that over to this role." Schaefer: When I was the cab chief engineer, I tried to get out in the field; we worked with large fleets to interview drivers to find out what would make their jobs more comfortable, reduce fatigue, make driving more attractive. I think interior noise is a big part of it, and safety systems not just active safety, but visibility, solid mirrors, all those things are just as important as active safety systems. And well continue to see trends like that in the future. I think connectivity will play into it; I think drivers and fleets and small feet owners will be able to use connectivity to be more efficient in their jobs. HDT: Youve been in your new job about eight months now; so its been a busy time! What are some of the things youve been doing so far? Schaefer: Ive been really trying to get up to speed on changes in our products and in our marketplace. I had left the company and hadnt been there for the last three years so had to get myself up to speed on products both current and future product road maps on new technologies were working on here and in Europe and in Japan. [Ive been] trying to understand companies like Otto and Nikola One and what theyre trying to accomplish, and how it may or may not affect our business. Ive been putting a process in place to do a market watch to stay on top of those. Ive been trying to get out to meet with customers and dealers; I think thats really important to develop those relationships. And then host a press event here or there! The Detroit DD 5 was a new product for us, so working with our group on that product launch, and working on the new Cascadia. I have a great team. HDT: What do you think are the advantages of having a career engineer like yourself heading up marketing and strategy? Schaefer: I think engineering is about problem solving, and I have a lot of project management background in my engineering roles, and so I think you can definitely bring that over to this role. And on the engineering side, I understand the product development process. Im not a super technical person, but I can talk the talk and understand and walk the walk, which helps me ask the right questions of engineers and our product strategy folks to make sure were filling the pipeline with good products in the future. Schaefer talks to the trucking press during the rollout of the Detroit DD5 engine. Photo: Deborah Lockridge HDT: Any downsides? What are the challenges of switching hats? Schaefer: Ooh [laughs]. You should never have an engineer read a press release I pick on words, like is it almost or is it exactly. HDT: Because engineers have to be very precise. Schaefer: I have a hard time, if [somethings] correct but maybe not precise. Thats a challenge. And a lot of the look and feel and design of the ads Im really glad we have talented people that put those designs together! [Another challenge] of all the new technology is trying to understand, when you react to something new? When do you react to a new entry into the market and how do you know if there is a threat to your company or a product? To me its really hard to suss out which things need to have attention or not. HDT: Im sure youre not the only one. Youre coming into this at an unusual time in our industry. Schaefer: Think about it if we really see these Uber for trucking apps, how people outside of trucking can change logistics. And if you're a truck manufacturer, whats your piece of the pie, whats in it for you? HDT: Prior to DTNA, you held leadership positions with companies such as Boeing, Pacific Testing Laboratories, Abossein Engineering and Cloud Cap Technologies. Tell us about insights those experiences bring in your new job. Schaefer: I think whats interesting is how you can apply technology in different ways to these different industries, [such as] the application of a radar or camera system in a [drone] versus how its applied in a truck in a safety system. At Boing, we worked on aerodynamics and range, how far could the plane fly, so I think aerodynamics and range and fuel efficiency topics translate a little into the truck industry, too. And all of it has product development processes that are somehow similar between the different industries. HDT: Another trend were seeing is the increased globalization of the industry when it comes to making and selling trucks and components. While the Class 8 cabovers used in Europe arent likely to make an appearance here, under the hood its a different story. As an engineer, what are the pros and cons of this approach? How hard is it to take a powertrain that initially appeared in a European cabover and adapt it for the North American market? Schaefer: It depends on what point in time you get involved in the process. Its hard to take something that was point designed and adapt something for a different market. But over time weve put processes in place to gather local market needs up front in the development process to be able to use those products [in different markets]. I think the DD5 [medium-duty engine] is a great example of that, a global engine platform developed with that in mind from the start. And we all reap the benefits from it. Were able to learn from each other, understand the market needs, and you get the scale effect. We get the advantage of test miles in Europe; the engines already been in thousands of trucks in Europe, its already a proven engine. HDT: During the Cascadia introduction, you told reporters that Freightliner had learned from its mistakes in designing the new Drivers Loft sleeper option. How important is it to have that attitude of admitting mistakes and then learning from them? I think its invaluable. You have to always do a lessons-learned and understand where your failures are, where you can make improvements. If we felt like our fuel economy was good enough, we would never introduce incremental improvements. If we felt our interiors were good enough, we would never introduce improvements. And learning from warranty issues and trying to build in improvements is critical to having a successful product. HDT: From a truck builders perspective, what are the top trends to stay on top of in the coming year? Definitely the connectivity topic. Electric trucks and hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels. Im watching different shifts in the market in terms of length of haul and the makeup of day cabs vs. sleepers. Safety systems and autonomy Id put right up there, in fact I should have mentioned that first. Fuel prices obviously, we have to monitor that. And obviously regulations. HDT: Speaking of autonomy, you see a lot of articles these days in the non-trucking media about driverless trucks putting drivers out of work. I think those are distractions for the market. I think theyre unrealistic and I think theyre distraction. Theyre hype, right? I don't think its realistic in the short term. There are a lot of hurdles to overcome. HDT: What are your goals moving forward in this position? My goals are to ensure we have a successful new Cascadia launch; one of the key things for me is making sure were training dealers and dealer salespeople on how to spec the truck correctly for the application to get the most value and fuel economy benefits. So theres a lot of education and a lot of training and sales tools to make sure were able to deliver whats expected. Ensuring that we have a good medium-duty engine launch; its not like you have an opportunity to bring a new medium-duty engine platform to the market often, if ever. And I want to be a good partner with our dealers and customers. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station is expected to visit with Jenks students in an educational question-and-answer session scheduled for Jan. 26. Jenks Public Schools announced Wednesday that it has been selected to hold a live NASA downlink in which eighth-grade students will direct questions to NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough while students in classrooms across the district tune in to a live stream on NASA TV and the NASA website. Kimbrough and two Russian cosmonauts launched Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in a Soyuz spacecraft and will arrive Friday at the space station, according to NASA. During the Expedition 50 mission, Kimbrough will be part of a team conducting experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and earth science, according to a news release from Jenks Public Schools. Kimbrough and the two Russians are scheduled to remain aboard the station until late February. In the weeks leading up to their visit with the astronaut, the eighth-graders will study earth and space science to gain a better understanding of scientific principles and cultivate a curiosity for exploration, according to the release. The 20-minute downlink event, which will center on the theme Mission: Life, is part of the school districts effort to provide high-quality STEM learning experiences and to help students create community and career connections, the release says. A planetarium show and a variety of NASA exhibits coordinated by Jenks Public Schools Community Education will be available to the public in the weeks leading up to the event, according to the release. Speaking live to an astronaut is an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students, Jenks Superintendent Stacey Butterfield said in the release. Our administrators and teachers have worked extremely hard to bring this event together, and I know each and every student who participates in the downlink or watches online will have a truly memorable experience. BROKEN ARROW When Joshua Farrell saw the car accident just ahead of him, he did what the Army had trained him to do. He rushed in to help. He saved a woman and child as electric lines sparked around a car leaking gas. Then, after the police and fire departments arrived, he walked away. I wasnt there to get credit, said Farrell. I just did it because it was the right thing to do. I didnt tell anyone. But word started to leak out. Farrell, the humble hero, will be honored at 2 p.m. Thursday at the VFW Post 577, 1109 E. Sixth St., with the Soldiers Medal. It is the highest honor awarded to active-duty service members for non-combat valor and heroism. Farrell, a 1994 graduate of Rogers High School, is credited with saving the lives of Caitlin Coffeen and her son, Liam, after a car accident in August 2015 near Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At the time, Sgt. 1st Class Farrell, who was twice deployed to Irag during his 20 years in the U.S. Army, was stationed at Fort Bragg and was on his way home in a thunderstorm. It was coming down so hard my windshield wipers were not enough, said Farrell. I was seriously thinking about pulling over and waiting it out when I saw a car coming toward me swerve across the highway, go airborne then roll over several times before hitting an electric pole. I did what any person would do. I went toward it to see if I could help. When he arrived at the car, he noticed a strong smell of gas. And, the electric lines were nearby on the ground sparking. I knew I needed to get people out of there, said Farrell. So, he helped Coffeen as she exited the passenger-side window. She was cut up pretty bad, said Farrell. Then, he asked her if there was anyone else in the car. Thats when I found out there was a baby in the car, said Farrell. I went straight to the back window and climbed into the car. The little baby boy was sitting there in his car seat all snug and safe. I unhooked him and got him out of the car and took both of them away from the car. He got out a first aid kit and started working on the mothers many cuts. Then, as police officers and firefighters arrived, he walked away. The authorities were there, said Farrell. They didnt need my help any longer. They were safe and they were taken care of. So, Farrell went home, told his wife and no one else. However, there were stories floating around the base about this act of heroism. I didnt do it to get noticed, said Farrell. He admitted to his superiors that he was indeed the person that had pulled the two from the accident despite the obvious danger of leaking gas and sparking electric lines. It was just me doing what you should do, said Farrell. However, the Army officers on base believed it was more than just an act of kindness. It was an act worthy of one of the Armys highest honors. I just didnt think what I did met the standards for this award, but they told me the general disagreed, said Farrell. So, on Thursday, Farrell will receive the Soldiers Medal from Lt. Col. Brett Ayvazian, who is traveling from Fort Bragg to Tulsa for the ceremony. Farrell is now retired from the Army and works as a transportation manager at Cedar Creek, a wholesale lumber company in Broken Arrow. He had a reunion with the mother and child earlier this year. Hes happy that he was around to help but certainly didnt want any recognition. I was always taught to be humble, said Farrell. I really believe I just did what I was trained to do by the Army. When you are in the Army, you are always planning for the unexpected. So, when there was a wreck, I just did what I was trained to do. I went toward it to help. OKLAHOMA CITY A spokesman for Gov. Mary Fallin said she and one of her chief advisors did nothing improper in demanding the resignation of Workers Compensation Commission Chairman Robert Gilliland, despite Gillilands claim their actions were inappropriate and illegal. Gilliland, in a Sept. 1 letter to Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger that the World obtained through an Open Records Act request, says Doerflinger asked Gilliland to resign on Aug. 29 because of dissatisfaction with a decision the Commission made in a case. I asked if there were any other reasons and you stated you know of no other reasons for the request to resign. Fallin spokesman Michael McNutt objected to that characterization, saying Gillilands letter omits multiple reasons the governor is dissatisfied with his performance, (and) that were shared with the commissioner in the meeting the letter references and subsequent meetings. McNutt declined to clarify what the other reasons were or whether they related to Gillilands administrative duties or to the decisions of the commission. He said the governor continues to consider (Gillilands) status on the commission, but has determined he will not be reappointed when his term expires in August 2017. In the Sept. 1 letter, Gilliland says he decided it is in the best interest of the injured workers, employers, insurance carriers, employees of the Commission and the people of the State of Oklahoma that I remain at the Commission. Gilliland declined comment on Wednesday. At the urging of the State Chamber of Commerce, Fallin and Republican legislative leadership created the Workers Compensation Commission in 2013 to replace the old Workers Compensation Court. In essence, the reform moved new workers compensation cases from the independent judicial branch of state government to the administrative. Fallin and some business leaders argued the commission would cut employers workers compensation costs and better serve injured workers. The state Insurance Department has reported lower workers compensation insurance rates the past few years, but workers comp lawyers and injured workers say its mainly because of reduced benefits. Several portions of the reform law have been ruled unconstitutional, and in February the commission itself invalidated the so-called opt-out portion, which allowed employers to largely determine their own workers compensation benefits. That decision was subsequently upheld by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Gillilands letter came to light last week when Neal Leader, a former senior assistant attorney general, mentioned it at a workers compensation conference. Leader, as a special commissioner, was involved in drafting the Workers Compensation Commissions order on the opt-out challenge. Wednesday, Leader said it was improper for Fallin to ask Gilliland to resign because of commission rulings. He said it would be just as inappropriate for members of the Oklahoma Supreme Court to be asked to resign over a ruling that justices made. Leader said the Workers Compensation Commission is exercising the states judicial power and is afforded the same independence as judges. Under the tradition of separation of powers, it is inappropriate for people to try to affect those decisions, Leader said. The rule of law requires judicial independence. Bob Burke, the Oklahoma City attorney who challenged the opt-out provision, said: All Oklahomans ought to be upset if anyone tries to influence the outcome of workers compensation cases. Fallin and Doerflinger, Burke said, were out of line if the allegations in Gillilands letter are true. McNutt disagreed, saying Fallin believes it is perfectly appropriate and legal for the governor to request any appointees resignation at any time. Burke and Leader, however, pointed to prior court decisions they say protect the independence of judicial proceedings, even those under the purview of the administrative branch. Legislative Democrats, many of whom opposed the 2013 reform measure, joined in the criticism of Fallin and Doerflinger. I am speechless that the governors office believes it is appropriate to interfere with dealings of a quasi-judicial entity, said Senate Minority Leader John Sparks, D-Norman. The workers compensation commission is not an agency of the governor. Moreover, this letter begs the question as to who asked the governor to intervene in a quasi-judicial matter on their behalf and why in the world would the governor think it was appropriate to do so? House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City, said the alleged illegal attempt to influence the head of the commission should be investigated by Attorney General Scott Pruitt. If they are true and the governor, through her staff, did in fact attempt to alter the judicial proceeding, then the public has every right to know and the appropriate legal action should be taken, Inman said. A well-known Oklahoma City attorney, Gilliland was appointed to the three-member commission by Fallin in 2013. Robert Gilliland brings a wealth of legal experience that will serve him well as he works to help craft a fair and efficient way to deal with injured workers on the job, Fallin said at the time. Im delighted he has agreed to serve on this important commission. The business arm of the Cherokee Nation spent approximately $4.4 million supporting a failed Arkansas state ballot question on casino gambling and was practically the campaigns only donor, tribal officials and the Arkansas Ethics Commission confirmed Wednesday. Cherokee Nation Businesses actually contributed $6 million to Arkansas Winning Initiative in support of Ballot Issue 5, but officials said $1.55 million has been returned with at least $50,000 more expected. Ballot Issue 5 was disallowed by the Arkansas Supreme Court last week. Its passage would have authorized casino gambling in three counties, including Washington County, where Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas are located. Cherokee Nation Businesses Chief Executive Officer Shawn Slaton said the CNBs Entertainment Division, which manages the nations casinos, became involved in the campaign as a defensive measure. One person knowledgeable of the situation said the campaign donations were considered insurance against lost revenue should the ballot measure pass. CNB executives said they feared that a casino in northwest Arkansas would drastically impact Cherokee casino operations in northeast Oklahoma, especially along and near the Arkansas border. Through its involvement, CNB says it would have been granted the franchise for the northwest Arkansas casino. Not to become engaged in the project would have put (CNB) at risk of losing 550 jobs at our West Siloam Springs and Roland casinos, and negatively impact our net income by more than $200 million over the next several years, Slaton said in a written statement. Engaging in the project opened the possibility of not only protecting those Cherokee jobs and revenue from the threat of an outside competitor, but it also opened the possibility to add at least 750 new jobs and nearly $200 million to our net income over that same time period. Arkansas Ethics Commission reports indicate that Cherokee Nation Businesses $6 million in contributions accounted for all but $47,400 taken in by Arkansas Winning Initiative. The Minister of Local Government.. says when the local government legislation comes into effect.. regional corporations can better service their communities. He made the remark.. during the San Juan Laventille Corporation's interfaith service and military parade.. as the corporation turns 30 years. Part 2 of of Sally Faulkners Australian Story profile reveals what went wrong in the 60 Minutes child abduction fiasco. The plan to snatch Sally Faulkners children from the streets of Beirut seemed always destined to fail. And locals say it could have ended tragically for Sally and her children. Dr Sami Nader, director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs in Beirut, has told Australian Story the plan was fundamentally flawed because the area where the children were taken was tightly controlled by Hezbollah. I was very surprised the abductors took the risk to get into this area, he says. This was insane. You are putting the kids in a very dangerous situation. Part 2 of When Plans Change looks at what went wrong on the ground in Beirut and hears from key players including Khaled Barbour, the Lebanese driver of the abduction car, and Yasmine Hamza, the woman who sheltered Sally Faulkner and her children in her apartment (the safe house), as well as Lebanese police. We didnt know what to do, Yasmine Hamza says. I cant throw a woman with her kids out onto the street. Our hands were tied. Sally Faulkner details the harrowing account of trying to retrieve her children and what happened in the 24 hours between the abduction and her arrest, her time in a Lebanese jail and her heartbreaking farewell to her children. I was beside myself, I cant even describe to you how beside myself I was, she says. I felt I couldnt breathe at some points, just at the thought of having to give my children back. The Brisbane mother made headlines earlier this year when she was jailed in Beirut, along with a 60 Minutes crew and a child recovery team. What began as a custody battle had now turned into an international incident. Ten months earlier, Sally Faulkners estranged husband Ali Elamine had asked to take their two children, then five-year-old Lahela and two-year-old Noah, to Lebanon for a holiday. He later called Sally to say the children would not be coming back to Australia. Sally Faulkner, who now lives back in Brisbane, is facing kidnap charges in Beirut which carry a potential penalty of between three and seven years. Monday October 24 at 8pm on ABC. Earlier this week CBS called it quits on American Gothic, which screened in Australia on ELEVEN. The drama, created by Corinne Brinkerhoff, centred around a prominent Boston family discovering one of them was linked to an infamous string of murders. New Zealander Anthony Starr was amongst the cast. But the show struggled to find an audience with its highest-rated episode bringing in just under 3.6 million US viewers. Source: Yahoo UK youth channel BBC Three has acquired Barracuda to screen over its upcoming winter season. Sue Deeks, Head of Programme Acquisition at the BBC, says: Barracuda is a compelling, complex and emotional drama beautifully filmed and performed. Damian Kavanagh, Controller of BBC Three, adds: BBC Three has a rich history in offering drama that covers issues that matter to young people, Barracuda fits that mould. BBC has also picked up more Aussie drama for its daytime schedule. Following the enduring success of A Place To Call Home and The Doctor Blake Mysteries, and a very positive response to new (UK) crime drama Red Rock, we have acquired new series of all three shows as part of BBC Daytimes popular drama line-up, Deeks added. The Doctor Blake Mysteries BBC One 845 The fourth series of the crime drama about the Australian Second World War veteran Doctor Lucien Blake (Craig McLachlan), who solves crimes from his local medical practice. In this series Doctor Blake returns to Ballarat to once again solve a series of strange and baffling murders, only to find that change is afoot, nothing is sacred, and no one is safe December Media for ABC Australia. Executive Producer Tony Wright. Producer George Adams. A Place To Call Home BBC Two 12 x 50 Australian romantic drama set after World War II, following one woman as she returns home to start a new life after spending 20 years abroad. In series four we see the relationships between the characters as affected by two contrasting social issues in 1954; the conservative wave of fear generated by the Reds under the beds scare, and the wave of liberal change that opened up new social and moral choices for Australians at the time. The gap is widening between head to head local dramas Doctor Doctor and The Wrong Girl. Nines drama had its best numbers so far at 854,000 (just shy of Secret Daughters 862,000 this week). By contrast The Wrong Girl had its lowest so far at 519,000 -however both did well in the demos. In the same timeslot Rosehaven and Upper Middle Bogan both dipped on last week but beat Sevens Gordon Ramsay offering. The Block won its slot by a country mile followed by Beach Cops, 7:30, Highway Patrol, the launch of Hard Quiz and The Bachelorette. Nine won Wednesday with 29.2% then Seven 26.5%, TEN 19.0%, ABC 17.3% and SBS 8.0%. The Block (1.03m) led for Nine followed by Nine News (918,000 / 909,000), Doctor Doctor (854,000), A Current Affair (805,000), Hot Seat (503,000) and Amazing Medical Stories (404,000). Seven News was #1 with 1.04m / 966,000 then Home and Away (696,000), Beach Cops (684,000), Highway Patrol (660,000), The Chase (589,000 / 396,000) and Ramsays Hotel Hell (408,000). The Big Bang Theory was 255,000 /250,000. The Bachelorette led for TEN with 592,000. The Project was 583,000 / 415,000, The Wrong Girl was 519,000, TEN Eyewitness News was 412,000, and Madam Secretary drew just 177,000. ABC News (764,000), 7:30 (661,000), Hard Quiz (628,000), Rosehaven (508,000), Upper Middle Bogan (505,000) and Adam Hills: The Last Leg (311,000) comprised ABCs night. SBS shows 24 Hours in Emergency (271,000 / 248,000), Tony Robinsons Hidden Britain by Drone (248,000) and SBS World News (126,000) rounded out the night. Today: 312,000 Sunrise: 304,000 ABC News Breakfast: 113,000 / 40,000 OzTAM Overnights: Wednesday 19 October 2016. Norwegian police have arrested Russian citizen Yan Petrovskiy, who has been living in Tnsberg but fighting for pro-Russian militia in eastern Ukraine. This is reported by Newsinenglish.no with reference to Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). Yan Petrovskiy was recently declared a threat to national security, and his residence permission in Norway has been revoked. That cleared the way for police to arrest the 29-year-old Petrovskiy, who first came to Norway as a teenager, the article reads. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that armed police apprehended Petrovskiy at a residence in Tnsberg on Tuesday evening. He had reportedly been living there with a Norwegian tied to the right-wing group Soldiers of Odin. Photos of Petrovskiy posing with weapons and ammunition have been posted on social media, and he has reported himself that he has traveled back and forth between Norway and Ukraine to take part in battles. He has also posed alongside the burned corpse of a Ukrainian soldier. ol Russian-backed militants launched 30 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas over the past day. This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center. In Mariupol direction, 21 attacks were launched on the ATO troops. The militants shelled Ukrainian positions near Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk), Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol), Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), and Slavne (25km south-west of Donetsk), using heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, and small arms. Ukrainian troops near Krasnohorivka (29 km west of Donetsk) came under 82mm and 120mm mortar fire. The terrorists violated ceasefire four times in Luhansk direction. The enemy used grenade launchers, machine guns, and small arms to fire at Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk) and Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk). Five more attacks were launched in Donetsk direction. The Russian-backed troops used machine guns and grenade launchers to shell Ukrainian positions in Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk) and 82mm and 120mm mortars to fire at Avdiyivka (18km north of Donetsk). ol On Thursday, October 20, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Brussels and the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands will hold meetings with leaders of the European Union and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. President Poroshenko will start his visit from a meeting with European Parliament President Martin Schultz, own Ukrinform correspondent in Brussels reports. Then, the Ukrainian president will leave for the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands, where he will take part in the summit of the European Peoples Party. On the sidelines of the EPP summit, President of Ukraine will meet with Presidents of the European Council Donald Tusk and European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. The leaders of Ukraine and the EU institutions will discuss the situation in Donbas and Crimea, the process of Minsk agreements implementation and sanctions against Russia in response to its aggression against Ukraine, as well as state of reforms being carried in Ukraine. On Thursday evening, President Petro Poroshenko in Brussels will hold a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. iy The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine will help the EU to monitor the use of financial assistance to Ukraine. "October 19, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) signed the cooperation agreement. The document was signed for the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and is intended to coordinate efforts in the fight against fraud and corruption. The document was signed by NABU Director Artem Sytnik and OLAF Director-General Giovanni Kessler," the NABU press service reports. The agreement provides for conduct of joint investigation and exchange of information on fraud and irregularities which affect the EU budget and could harm its financial interests. "Among other things, the agreement also stipulates prevention of fraud regarding the funds which are provided to Ukraine by the European Commission within the framework of the financial support package worth EUR 11 billion," the statement reads. ol President Petro Poroshenko has held a meeting with President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz in Brussels on Thursday, the Ukrainian presidents press service reports. During the meeting, the issue on the introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukrainians was considered. The European Parliament has a stable majority to introduce visa-free regime with Ukraine, Martin Schulz stated. The parties during the meeting also discussed the necessity of keeping sanctions against Russia until full restoration of Ukraines territorial integrity. They also discussed the possibility of increasing restrictive measures against Russia in the context of human rights violations in Crimea. President Poroshenko praised constant support from the European Parliament to Ukraine in countering Russian aggression and continuation of reforms. The Ukrainian president and the president of European Parliament also agreed that the Association Agreement must be immediately ratified. In addition, Petro Poroshenko and Martin Schulz discussed the course of reforms in Ukraine. The President of Ukraine urged the European Parliament to speed up the approval of additional autonomous trade preferences for Ukraine. iy Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has held a meeting with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban in the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands, the president's press service reports. The sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral relations. The agreement was achieved to facilitate a bilateral political dialogue at all levels. The head of state expressed gratitude to the government of Hungary for providing humanitarian assistance worth $3.6 million to Ukraine and treatment to the Ukrainian servicemen wounded in the ATO zone, reads the report. In addition, President Poroshenko praised the support of Hungary on the issue a visa-free regime between Ukraine and the European Union, as well as the ratification of the Association Agreement as soon as possible. When speaking about the settlement of the conflict in Donbas, the sides discussed prospects of extending economic sanctions against the Russian Federation as an efficient tool to ensure the full implementation of Minsk agreements and resume the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. iy President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has held a bilateral meeting with newly appointed Prime Minister of Croatia, former chairman of the EP delegation to Ukraine Andrej Plenkovic on the sidelines of the European People's Party summit in Maastricht. This is reported by the press service of the Head of State. "Petro Poroshenko has congratulated Andrej Plenkovic on his election as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and thanked for the efforts of the Croatian diplomat at the previous post in the European Parliament," the statement reads. The President of Ukraine expressed hope that Plenkovic would remain a true friend of our country and continue to provide Ukraine with diplomatic support. "The parties discussed some issues of bilateral cooperation in economic, energy, and humanitarian fields. President Poroshenko stressed that Ukraine was still interested in joining the Adriatic-Baltic-Black Sea initiative, being actively promoted by Croatia," the press service informs. ol The upper house (Senate) of the Parliament of the Czech Republic has adopted the resolution, calling on Russia to stop supporting militants and urging resumption of Ukraines control over the border. First Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Gerashchenko posted this on her Facebook page. "Good news from the Czech Republic! Today, the upper house of the Parliament (Senate) has adopted the resolution on the situation in Ukraine, having expressed concern about the intensification of attacks in Donbas. The key moment is that the Senate called on Russia to stop support militants and stressed the need for resumption of Ukraines control over the border. The resolution was supported by 45 senators out of 63 present," she wrote. Gerashchenko thanked the Senate of the Czech Republic, saying "it is extremely important that the assessment of Russian activities in Donbas is changing even in the countries which traditionally support Moscow." ol UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi talks with Ethiopian refugees in Cairo. UNHCR/Pedro Costa Gomes CAIRO, Egypt Sayida lives with the memory of fear. Tears run down her face in the office of Caritas, where she has come to find help, as she tells of her decision to flee her country and to seek refuge abroad. It was two years ago in Ethiopia. Her husband had left to buy something for the family. He never returned. Sayida thinks he was arrested, and now she thinks he is dead. She felt she was also in danger. Sayida fled with her three children to Sudan and then found smugglers who, in return for money, agreed to take them onwards to Egypt. The overland trek took a nightmarish 19 days. Her group was attacked. They slept on the cold ground. By the end their water had all but run out. But they made it to Egypt. Sayida and her children are some of the over 70,000 African refugees now registered with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in Egypt. She told her familys story to UN High Commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi. He had come to Caritas, an NGO supported by UNHCR and which offers counsel and help to refugees, on his first day of an official visit to Egypt. Sayida, like others in Caritas, told Grandi she feels she is still in limbo because she entered Egypt without a visa or a border stamp. While she is already registered with UNHCR, the wait for the decision on her refugee status could be long. Egypt: UN chief highlights plight of African refugees With 17,000 cases pending, the waiting period to resolve cases like hers is still more than 18 months. But I am glad we came here, she told Grandi. If I can, I want to put my children in school. I want to give them a better future. That is all I wish for. Grandi spoke with several African women waiting for help in the halls of Caritas. Syrian refugees make up two-thirds of the 190,000 officially registered refugees in Egypt but the numbers arriving from African countries have spiked to almost 12,500 in the first nine months of 2016. The UN High Commissioner said he made this his first stop to draw attention to these overlooked people. The risk here is that this is a forgotten population, he warned. Resources to support them here are scarce and some of them have started to try to cross the Mediterranean to go to Europe. This is one more reason to invest more in their support. And, in addition, to hopefully try and solve the situations where they come from so they can eventually go back. Resources to support them here are scarce and some of them have started to try to cross the Mediterranean to go to Europe." As more African refugees and asylum seekers come to Egypt, resources are stretched. Of the US$20 million budget needed in 2016 to help these people in need, UNHCR has so far only received a quarter. Life for the African refugees in Egypt is not easy. It is hard to find work. Sayida did have a job but had to abandon it because of chronic abdominal pains. And as an Ethiopian she is unable to access public medical care or enroll her three children in a public school. At the moment Sayidas family lives with other Ethiopians in a room built on the roof of an apartment building. Some nights 18 people sleep in the unheated rooftop room. Sayida told Grandi she still lives with fear. I have to pay the smugglers back, she said. And Im afraid because I cannot pay. BORNO STATE, Nigeria, 19 October 2016 Since 2014, the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency has caused insecurity and massive displacement in north-east Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. An estimated 2.6 million people are internally displaced more than half of whom are children. UNICEF and partners are working together to address the many aspects of this humanitarian crisis, including alarming rates of malnutrition, a recent polio outbreak, limited school access, deteriorating health and water services, and the psychosocial impacts of living through violence. The epicentre of the crisis is in Borno State, where more than 1.4 million people have been displaced as a result of Boko Haram violence. Read on to hear the stories of some of the many people who have been affected by the crisis. >> Support UNICEF: Donate to the Nigeria and Lake Chad crisis response Devschool online coding bootcamp instructor and founder Jim O'Kelly has suddenly disappeared. Moreover, he brought with him about $100,000 of the students' tuition money. Inc. reported that students were surprised and concerned when O'Kelly was silent on Slack, the program that the instructor uses to teach students how to code. He was able to post a snippet of code on the group at 10:45 a.m. PT. However, after that, no one could contact him anymore. The students wondered where Jim O'Kelly could be. The Devschool online coding bootcamp instructor is notorious for his quick temper and was described as a quirky fellow. He may have been a bit strange but students knew that he was always accessible online. Some students who were scheduled for a lecture that day were angry to find that they have been stood up by O'Kelly. Others, though, were concerned. "We were thinking maybe there's a family emergency or maybe he's sick," 26-year-old Jane Lundgren of Las Vegas, said. Lundgren enrolled in the online school last April. The next day, O'Kelly still did not show up for his scheduled appointments with the students. They could not contact him since he would not answer their phone calls or emails. Lundgren added that the students did not want to believe that O'Kelly had deserted them. She paid $5,988 in tuition. Another student, Candy Davis, had paid $5,488 to enroll in the Devschool online coding bootcamp. O'Kelly's assistant revealed to the students that the instructor had changed the passwords of the school's bank accounts. Students then began their search for Jim O'Kelly, taking screenshots of their Slack conversations as well as the website and email exchanges. Authorities have been told about the incident. While enrolling in online colleges may seem risky, there are still advantages to it. It is more convenient since students just need to turn on their computers and they're in class already. They may also be able to gain experience and education simultaneously with online education. Protests at South African universities have gotten worse. It is currently far from peaceful and several student protesters have been arrested for misconduct. A university official has reported, via VOA News, that South African protesters who are demanding free university education broke windows, forcibly opened doors and even threw human excrement as part of their efforts to disrupt the resumption of classes. The University of Cape Town resumed their classes on Monday after it closed due to security concerns. Police were stationed around the campus and used a stun grenade to disband protesters outside of a university building. The university also noted that another building was evacuated since it was vandalized by protesters who threw sewage in the corridors. "We face a level of protest this morning which we are not able to contain with private security officers alone," the University of Cape Town said in a statement. "The South African Police Service is on campus in an attempt to manage the situation." Bloomberg noted that weeks of violent protests at South African universities are threatening the current academic year. It is jeopardizing graduation for a lot of students as well as enrollment for the next first-year class for 2017. Protests also affected Johannesburg last week as students from Wits set a bus on fire and bombarded security personnel with rocks. "Several universities, including UCT, have been declared a level-three security situation by the national commissioner of SAPS, which, in effect, means that the Public Order Police are in command of the situation," the school noted. Washington Post added that nine people were arrested for the incident. Two of the protesters were students at the University of the Witwatersrand, also known as Wits while two are from other universities. Five of the arrested protesters were not students. It was previously reported that South African universities have suspended classes due to protests on the cost of tuition for higher education. The protests at several tertiary institutions began after Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced that tuition fee hike decisions will be left to the schools. College applications, especially with the entrance exams, can be daunting. There are a lot of documents that you need to fill up and submit as well as essays to write. It was previously reported that students should skip the long essay prompts and keep their essays short and sweet. Also, college applicants should try to steer clear of writing about someone else, their mission trip, how they were able to make a comeback from a sport injury and their time at camp. Nonetheless, U.S. News has collated a list of the top 10 colleges that have flexible test admissions policies. This should be good news for the class of 2016. Bryn Mawr College, which nabbed the 31st place on the National Liberal Arts Colleges list, ranked 10th on the list of colleges that have flexible test policies. The school does not have any standardized tests as requirement. In ninth place is Bates College, which also does not require standardized tests. Wake Forest University follows it in eighth place. It is ranked as the 27th top National University. Colorado College, which is in seventh place, requires students to submit one of several standardized tests. Wesleyan University in sixth place also does not require an entrance exam. Colby College is in fifth place and, similar to Colorado College, requires students to submit one of several standardized tests as well as Hamilton College in fourth place. The top third college that does not require students to take a standardized test is Smith College. In first place, Middlebury College needs students to submit one of several standardized tests while applicants for Bowdoin College, which is in second place, does not require any standardized test. Meanwhile, these are the colleges and universities that received the most applications. It was found that, for the third consecutive year, the University of California - Los Angeles had the most applicants with 92,728. In second place is the University of California - Berkeley. However, it has a difference of about 20,000 from UCLA with 78,924 applications. University of California - San Diego came in third place with 78,056. In the last couple of years, a number of well-known and highly-successful business people have made investments in education with the noble intention of bringing innovation and knowledge to a greater number of learners with convenience and at a lesser cost. However, a number of business ventures in this area have failed rather miserably. Take the example of LeapFrog Enterprises, it was the best-performing IPO of 2002 and was founded by brothers Michael and Lowell Milken in 1996 and supported by Oracle's CEO LArry Ellison. Aptly named, Knowledge Universe, it was, in the words of Michael Milken, intended to be "the pre-eminent for-profit education and training company," that will cater to learners of all ages. Knowledge Universe aimed to transform education so the business offered programs for preschoolers, K12 learners and MBA programs and IT training for professionals and more. Early this year, LeapFrog Enterprises sold itself for $1 per share. The vision of Knowledge Universe and Milken's dream of transforming education remains unfulfilled. Another notable personality, media mogul Rupert Murdoch invested to have technology integrated in the way children were being taught. He and then New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein established the Amplify division within News Corp. According to Murdoch the K-12 education is "a $500 billion sector in the U.S. alone that is waiting desperately to be transformed." After a few years and $1 billion of investment and having to compete with "multibillion-dollar global leaders in educational hardware, software, and curriculum development", without any signs of profitable returns, the company was sold to Laurene Powell Jobs, last year. These and a slew of other noble education ventures that involved financial institutions like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs as well as billionaire Ronald Perelman and hedge-fund investor John Paulson have put in and lost big money in for-profit education While these losses are indeed monumental, keep in mind however, that not all investment in for-profit education loses. There are a number of reasons that some of them filed and why the others succeeded. Scope and scale can be identified as critical areas of concern when it comes to businesses wanting to change the education industry. When Milken started his Knowledge Universe, he had the grand vision of transforming education - it wasn't a bad move entirely. However, his company's transportation efforts overlooked the actual size of operations against its scale. So while their operations grow on the national level, the company had lesser margin for profit because of rising operating costs. Also the scope of the operations worked against the Milken business. They offered everyone everything - the company's "from cradle to grave" approach to learners caused them to be outdone by more focused competitors. Further, most big investors have preference to customize and associate with prominent institutions that up their expenses. Another one of Milken's projects known as the Knowledge University, offered to pay millions to be associated with top universities like Stanford, Columbia and the University of Chicago. The contract state that Milken's company will develop an online-M.B.A. course material and then share revenues with the said schools. It was a good thing to be associated with such prominent higher education institutions however, it would have been more practical to seek partnership instead of Knowledge University doing all the work. Most ventures that have succeeded in for-profit education are those who worked with specific targets and worked incrementally to grow the business and eventually their profits. Education has a tightly defined market and the most recent business successes are those that focused on innovation one at a time. A clear business model and an incremental plan to build on is something investors in for-profit education should focus on. An all-out assault to overhaul the system will not work without one. TIME recently created a list of the most influential teens for the year 2016. However, there are only a handful that made an impact in the field of education. This year, TIME considers these teenagers out of the 30 on the list as the ones who made a global impact through social media and their overall ability to drive news. Sasha and Malia Obama Their mother, First Lady Michelle Obama, is not the only one championing education for girls around the world. Sasha Obama, 15 and Malia Obama, 18, are also making an impact when it comes to promoting women's education. President Obama's daughters are making a mark in their father's office and follows their mother's footsteps. They travel to Liberia and Morocco to help make sure that girls' futures everywhere include education. Even Malia has put some time off before she starts Harvard to devote their time for the various causes they are passionate about. Jaden Smith Jaden Smith is also a teen that has made a considerable impact in the world today. He is known for being home-schooled but that doesn't mean he is neglecting the issues in schools and campus life. He builds his brand on making an identity. MSFTS is a clothing brand for the girl who wants to be a "tomboy or the boy that wants to wear a skirt, and people try to condemn." He created a controversy regarding his fashion choice. But his decisions are mainly to encourage the personal branding and identity of girls and boys everywhere. He is obviously against bullies and Jaden Smith followers know that "he's got their back." Malala Yousafzai Malala Yousafzai is a 19 year old teenager that uses her voice against the ban on female education. This young Pakistani is now the youngest Nobel laureate ever. She received the Nobel peace prize at only 17 years old. With her program, the Malala Fund, she helps secure girls' futures. The right to education is now set to a minimum of 12 years of quality schooling. Her next step? She is urging world leaders everywhere to set aside $1.4 billion towards educational funding for refugees. Math students at Ankeny are getting the help they need. If you are a student that needs that extra push and help in math, Ankeny's tutoring service called Mathnasium is there to help. According to the owner, Tommy Ericson, "We are a math only supplemental education facility. We focus on just math and we teach for understanding." With Mathnasium, students can get the assistance needed at any skill level. Mathnasium is available for students between grades 1 through 12, cites Des Moines. But they also include a program for prekindergarten and calculus. Students just need to become a member and get a sit-down tutorial for about 2 to 3 times a week. "We also present our material in a way that makes sense, using a mental-verbal-visual-written tactile. We cover the gamut, so we hit all learning styles," says Ericson. Ericson himself is an academic. He has worked with NASA as a subcontractor in the aerospace industry. After 8 years, he moved to Iowa to start a family. Now, he turned his attention into opening a business. He explains that he loves to work with kids and he wants to help them. He states that he was an actuarial scientist before. Now, he wants to teach kids. His business is a one-on-one approach in teaching Math. The instructors back off to give students space to work on a problem. They relieve the classroom pressure. They also assist on homework and helps the students gain confidence in the subject. Currently, his clientele comes from students from Polk City, Bondurant and Altoona. Ericson also established a Mathnasium in West Des Moines, and one branch opening soon in Grimes. If you're interested to join Mathnasium, you can visit Ericson and his staff at 1620 N. Ankeny Boulevard, Suite 104, Ankeny. They are open between 3:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Mondays through Thursdays and 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays. She is not only known for her good looks and cat walking capabilities. She is also a coder and a SpaceX fanatic. Now, Karlie Kloss is teaming up with some experts for a new Netflix show with host Bill Nye. Karlie Kloss is currently studying at New York University. In her spare time, she models, she codes, she bakes cookies and advocates for young women everywhere to get involved in computer science and education. She is even handling a Kode With Klossy summer camp to encourage young women to join the coding fun. Aside from that, she is promoting scholarships for education! And to show everyone that science is fun, she even posed as an all-American, high-fashion astronaut at SpaceX's rocket factory in Los Angeles. To make it official, Karlie Kloss is wearing a bow tie! She is currently taking a break from her coding classes to become Bill Nye's correspondent in "Bill Nye Saves the World." Aside from the Victoria's Secret model, Vanity Fair notes that comedians Joanna Hausmann and Nazeem Hussain, engineer Emily Calandrelli, and scientist Derek Muller are coming on board as well. Clearly, Kloss' devotion to science is obvious. Now, she joins Bill Nye and the rest of the gang. The short trailer for the show states that "You can't save the world without some awesome sidekicks." The show is going to focus on the relationship science has with pop culture, society and even politics. Karlie's insight when it comes to the focus is valuable. She represents pop culture, fashion and women who are interested in academics, science and education. Netflix's decision to include Kloss, Muller, Hussain and Calandrelli is essential to encourage a younger and wider audience to watch the streaming show. With Kloss on board, she holds the young girls demographic. Watch out for some science talk and bow ties when "Bill Nye Saves the World" arrives on Netflix in Spring 2017. Ivy League universities are known for their large endowments. These prestigious colleges generally have more money at their disposal. These funds are used to improve academic programs, school facilities, extracurricular activities and research as well as help students through financial aid. According to U.S. News, Ivy League universities can easily afford to recruit the best professors. Moreover, large college endowments are believed to be an indication of wealthy alumni and generous donors. The publication collated a list of the universities with the highest endowments. Ivy League universities top the list. Harvard University topped the list with a $37,615,545,000 endowment reported for the end of the 2015 fiscal year. It is followed by fellow Ivy League institutions Yale University, with $25,542,983,000, and Princeton University, with $22,291,270,000. Stanford University came in fourth place with $22,222,957,000 of endowment. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) rounded up the top 5 with $13,474,743,000. In sixth place is the University of Pennsylvania, with $10,133,569,000. It is followed by the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor with $9,809,705,000. Texas A&M University, Columbia University and the University of Notre Dame completed the top 10 list with $9,754,202,036, $9,639,065,000 and $8,784,381,000. Wealthy universities have been criticized for their large endowments. It was reported that the top 4 percent of colleges and universities have a third of all endowment wealth in higher education. Majority of those 138 schools, though, expect low-income families to shell out more than 60 percent of their income to cover the cost of attendance. Deemed as the "$500 million club," these colleges benefit so much from their endowments because there is no required spending threshold and the funds are exempted from tax. With this, the Education Trust noted that these wealthy universities should enroll more low-income students and make education more affordable. For their part, these universities argued that their endowments are unlike savings accounts from which funds can easily be drawn down. The institutions also said that they are raising money to cover the financial need of low-income students. College students, what if we told you that there is a country where you can go to university for free? On top of that, what if it also provides you a monthly allowance to pay for your living expenses? Well, such a country exists. The Globe and Mail reported that Denmark has a "pay-it-forward" philosophy for university funding. Danish students have the privilege of attending university for free. Moreover, they receive about $900 a month in order to help pay for housing and the general cost of living. Funds are given when the students turn 18 years old and they are covered for a term of six years. What's interesting, though, is that these students are not required to pay the state back even if a student drops out of college. Federal taxes take charge of the bill. Anne Lorenzen, who just finished her master's degree in political science at the University of Copenhagen, completed her studies without any student debt. She did reveal that the government's stipend does not cover the whole cost of living in the city so she took on a part-time job to cover the rest. She admitted that the allowance is "definitely enough [money] for tuition, which is always nice." According to Forbes, education is not free in Denmark. Tax payers feel the cost of higher education. It was noted that they are charged with 56 percent in income tax and 25 percent in sales tax as well as a 105 to 108 percent tax on cars. The publication also noted that one disadvantage of the Danish model for higher education is that a lot of university students take it for granted. It is also common for students to take an additional year to complete their studies. Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has been vocal about her plans to make college education affordable for American students. Moreover, she also plans to implement a three-month moratorium on loan payments for all federal borrowers. We are delighted to welcome you to the third unique workshop on genito-uretheral reconstruction surgery that brings together the worlds leading experts under one roof.The workshop will provide you with an unparalleled opportunity to learn the latest techniques for the management of urethral stricture and erectile dysfunction from clinical experts who are at the cutting edge of research in the field.Through live demonstrations, lectures and discussions you will be able to update your knowledge with the best and the latest information on these subjects. We assure you a fully satisfying academic agenda and we will also have an exciting social program.November is a lovely time to visit Qatar. The weather is cool and very pleasant and we will take advantage of this and plan fabulous social evenings.We are sure you will have a lot of memories to carry back home.Dr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, MDConference ChairmanSenior Consultant and Head of UrologyHamad Medical Corporation November is National American-Indian Heritage Month and the Air Force Academy will host a variety of events to celebrate its diversity and the service and sacrifice of American-Indian Airmen. Beginning Nov. 1, well spotlight literature from American-Indian authors at the Community Center Library; display American-Indian artifacts and art created by Kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Douglas Valley Elementary; and place cultural displays at the Barry H. Goldwater Visitor Center, Arnold Hall, the 10th Medical Group Clinic, the Community Center Library and Falcon Club. National American Indian Heritage Months roots started growing in 1916, when the governor of New York instituted American Indian Day. Later, President George H. W. Bush officially recognized American-Indian contributions to the U.S. in November 1990. American-Indians comprise the largest number of any ethnic population in the U.S. military. Join us as we honor and celebrate their legacy. Today, as an NCO, I am inspired by the American-Indian's struggle to overcome the bigotry and seclusion that came close to erasing them from everyday life in the U.S. They have persevered against huge odds with small numbers and continue to invigorate our Air Force with their heritage, customs and history. The American-Indian tribes, through their endeavors of greatness in the name of freedom, honor themselves and the U.S. we all serve and love. UTSAs Mission The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world. UTSAs Vision To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment. UTSAs Core Values We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered. UTSAS Destinations UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education. Our Commitment to Inclusivity The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice. Future of the West Topic of UW Panel Discussion R. Andreas Kraemer, senior fellow in the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, and founder and director emeritus of the Ecologic Institute in Berlin, Germany, is among speakers of the next Earth, Wind and Water Series presentation Nov. 2-3 at UW. The Earth, Wind and Water Series continues at the University of Wyoming Nov. 2-3 with a two-part discussion on The Future of the West. The program is part of a new initiative known as the UW Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), which is sponsoring a series of events and programs this semester under the theme Earth, Wind and Water. Wyoming and the West: Looking Back (and South) to Look Forward will be presented Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center auditorium. Patty Limerick, University of Colorado-Boulders Center of the American West faculty director and chair of the board, will discuss Always Neighbors and Sometimes Strangers: Wyoming, Colorado, and the Powers of Comparison When Contemplating the Future. Her talk will be followed by a panel discussion from UWs Gregg Cawley, political science; Rob Godby, economics and finance; Frieda Knobloch, American studies; and Nina McConigley, Honors Program. From the World to the West: Responses and Options in a Changing Resource Landscape is the topic of the second discussion Thursday, Nov. 3, also from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Berry Center auditorium. R. Andreas Kraemer, senior fellow in the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, and founder and director emeritus of the Ecologic Institute in Berlin, Germany, will discuss Hits and Myths of the German Energiewende and Implications for the Resource Landscape. His talk will be followed by a panel discussion from UWs Jean Garrison, global and area studies/political science; Chuck Mason, economics and finance; Mark Northam, School of Energy Resources; and Sarah Strauss, anthropology. Wyoming, the West and the world face globalization trends that transform our economy; social forces that shape our values and identity; and political forces that both divide and unite. These forces of convergence and divergence have led us to a turning point about how we live and what the future may hold, says Garrison about the latest Earth, Wind and Water Series presentation. She says the two linked panel discussions will place Wyoming within the larger regional, national and global context, and address forces of social change and economic development, including discussions of identity and landscape as how people use and develop natural resources. In her talk, Limerick will exercise her powers as the official Colorado state historian to explore the past, present and future of the neighborhood in the Rockies. Kraemer will discuss lessons to be learned, including mistakes that Germany made and that others can now avoid in Germanys energy transition. An interdisciplinary group of UW faculty experts will join the discussion to explore the opportunities and challenges facing Wyoming in changing times. The Nov. 2 panel presentation can be viewed via WyoCast at http://bit.ly/wywestwyo, and the Nov. 3 panel presentation can be viewed at http://bit.ly/worldtowestwyo. The International Education Steering Committee (IESC) sponsors the IAS initiative. The IAS supports and promotes international and interdisciplinary research, knowledge sharing and engagement with the UW community. To learn more about the IAS and IESC, visit www.uwyo.edu/intprograms/ias/partners.html. For more information about the latest presentation, contact Garrison at (307) 766-6119 or garrison@uwyo.edu. Popular UW Saturday U Program in Gillette Oct. 27 The University of Wyoming will host the final, free one-day college education program of the fall in Gillette Thursday, Oct. 27. The Saturday U discussion features three different topics from a trio of professors. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. beginning with a light meal and refreshments at the Campbell County Public Library, followed by opening remarks at 6 p.m. Each Saturday U event -- held in the fall and spring in Jackson, Sheridan and Gillette -- features lectures from three outstanding UW professors or community college representatives. Following the lectures, all three professors will participate in a final roundtable discussion. Participants may attend one, two or all three sessions. No registration is required, and the event is free and open to the public. In its eighth year, Saturday U is a collaborative program connecting popular UW and community college professors with Wyoming residents who have a desire to learn. Saturday U is sponsored by UW, the Wyoming Humanities Council, Wyoming community colleges and Wyoming communities. The program is presented locally by the UW Outreach School, the Wyoming Humanities Council and Gillette College. Listed below are program topic descriptions and UW professors lecturing in the Campbell County Public Library: 6:05 p.m. -- What Could Democracy Be? Scott Henkel, UW Department of English assistant professor. As the presidential election approaches, Henkels lecture will examine how writers and thinkers have understood democracy and have imagined its possibilities. What has democracy been in the United States, in ancient Athens, in cooperative workplaces, even on pirate ships and spaceships? Who should participate in the democratic process, and what should that participation be? What might the future of democracy look like? Henkel asks. 6:50 p.m. -- An Introduction to Islam for the Equality State, Seth Ward, UW Department of Religious Studies senior lecturer. Within more than a billion adherents, Islam is the second-largest religion in the world and the fastest-growing religion in the USA, Ward says. But, there is surprisingly little knowledge of Islam in our media as opposed to alarmist rumor. Ward, an expert in both Islam and Judaism, will dispel the myths and falsehoods, and will provide a simple and accurate description of Islam and its core beliefs and practices. 7:35 p.m. -- Climate, Drought and Water in the West, Jacqueline Shinker, UW Department of Geography associate professor. The Intermountain West contains eight of the 10 driest states in the country, Shinker says. And much of our water resources in the region are dependent upon the natural reservoirs of seasonal mountain snowpack, she says. Costly droughts in the region impact water resources for agriculture, energy, recreation and municipalities. Her presentation will provide context for recent droughts and the impacts of climate on past, present and future water resources in the West. For more information about the Gillette program, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/saturdayu/current%20term/fallterm2016gillette.html. Church News October 20, 2022 LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH Needing Answers We want God to be like FedEx and deliver overnight. Things dont happen that way, but in... Church News October 13, 2022 LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH Natures Therapy The pine tree with its solemn dignity lifts its branches to the sky as if to give... As far as dream matches go AJ Styles versus Shawn Michaels is up there with the most desired but with HBK retired fans have largely given up on the idea. Recently however murmurs have been heard whispering that the veteran is planning to lace up his boots at least one more time to face the World Champion at the Royal Rumble. Styles on facing HBK Shawn Michaels won the Royal Rumble in both 1995 and 1996 (image: insidepulse.com) The Heartbreak Kid has had a huge effect on hundreds if not thousands of professional wrestlers with the 51-year-old hailed as one of the greatest to ever set foot inside a squared circle. Now, AJ Styles is also held up as the greatest around today and with the title around his waist, few could argue; but how does he feel about a potential showdown with Michaels? He said, "I would love the opportunity to wrestle him, I would love to learn from him, but whos to say if that is going to happen." The 39-year-old will be aware that nothing is concrete or even likely to happen at this point but with the Royal Rumble taking place in HBK's home state of Texas in San Antonio, it remains a real possibility. He continued, "Right now, it is all speculation and rumors that Im finding out like everyone else is, but man, what a match that would be." Whether or not Styles ends up facing Michaels who won the 30-man over the top-rope match in both 1995 and 19966 at the Alamodome on January 29 remains to be seen, but with the former TNA man will still be able to put on a classic, regardless of who he faces. On future opponents Styles is staying one step ahead of his opponents with him already predicting who he will end up battling further down the line with the blue brand roster being wiped out one-by-one. Despite being locked in a war with Dean Ambrose on SmackDown Live he is preparing for a showdown with Randy Orton that he feels is bound to happen. He said, "That is a match that everybody is going to look forward to, and when the time is right, the match will happen and we will blow the roof off the place." Attendees at the opening ceremony of the European Union Vietnam Business Network in Ho Chi Minh in November 2013 The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, or EuroCham, is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves as the principle voice of more than 850 European businesses in Vietnam. The Business Climate Index (BCI) demonstrates results of EuroChams quarterly survey on business sentiment among European companies operating in Vietnam through assessments provided by representatives of its member companies. Overall, the index for the third quarter of 2016 is 86, a ten-point increase from the previous quarter. Over 71 percent of survey respondents described their current business situation as excellent or good, while only 5.5 percent classified the present state of the market as not good. No responses described Vietnams business conditions as very poor. A positive self-perception of the business outlook in the upcoming quarter for surveyed enterprises is also indicated in the results, with 16.5 percent of responses being excellent and 64.2 percent good. Less than three percent of responses were negative. In regards to the macroeconomic outlook for Vietnam in the next quarter, EuroCham members are confident that macroeconomic stability is likely to continue, as demonstrated in survey results. Almost 60 percent of respondents expect stabilization and improvement, while only 4.6 percent predict deterioration in the quarter ahead. The number of respondents that expect no change in the countrys macroeconomic outlook increased 3.2 percent from the last quarter and is now close to the 40-percent mark. Most responding businesses intend to maintain their level of investment in the country, with this group representing roughly 41 percent of the total. However, those who intend to increase their investment are not far behind, with 39 percent willing to invest more, and 17 percent planning to invest significantly more, the results showed. Businesses planning to divest were marginal, with less than one percent stating their intention to do so, a marked drop from seven percent in the last quarter. [The results] show positive expectations for the near future and consistent satisfaction with the present situation, EuroCham Chairman Michael Behrens commented. EuroCham members maintain a positive view of the Vietnamese market and their business operations in the country, a result which does not differ from our last survey. This is a good sign for the current implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to strongly enhance European business and investment, the chairman said. Indonesian band Sweet Nightmare will perform at Hard Rock Cafes Halloween party. Photo from Sweet Nightmare Facebook Themed Walking Dead Man, the event on October 28 will feature dance performances by zombie dancers. Entrance is free. The Hell Festival party on October 29 will include live music by Sweet Nightmare band from Indonesia. There will be prizes for the best costumes. Tickets are VN150,000. The venue is at 39 Le Duan Street in District 1. Artists: New York entertainers Ohene Cornelius and Stanford Reid will perform in HCM City on October 22. Photo from New Fame Facebook There will be live performances by New York-based duo Adrienne Mack-David and feleciacruz, and resident DJ Skullz. The show will begin at 10pm at 97 Hai Ba Trung Street in District 1. Rescuers load a rubber boat onto their vehicle as they prepare for Typhoon Haima in Ilagan town, Isabela province. (STR/AFP Photo) Super Typhoon Haima hit the northern province of Cagayan at about 11.00pm on Wednesday, bringing strong winds and heavy rains almost on a par with catastrophic Super Typhoon Haiyan which claimed more than 7,350 lives in 2013. "We only pray we be spared the destruction such as the previous times, which brought agony and suffering," President Rodrigo Duterte said in Beijing, where he is currently on a four-day visit. "But we are ready. Everything has been deployed." Haima has a weather band of 800 kilometres putting more than 10 million people across the northern parts of the Philippines' main island of Luzon within its reach, according to the government's disaster risk management agency. The storm struck the Philippines with sustained winds of 225 kilometres an hour and gusts of 315 kilometres an hour, state weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said. It is expected to move westward on through the mountainous northern end of the main Philippine island of Luzon and will exit the landmass by Thursday, he told AFP. It is then expected to track towards southern China. Civil Defence chief Ricardo Jalad said all areas in the storm's path had undergone pre-emptive evacuation although he could not give an estimate on how many had fled. "We are expecting that there will be damages to light structures," as well as danger from possible floods and landslides, Jalad told radio station DZMM. Authorities warned coastal communities to expect storm surges of five metres or higher. "It's already started. The wind is strong, the waves are big," said Julie Hermano, manager of a small resort in Santa Ana, a coastal town of about 30,000 people that is in the typhoon's direct path. "Some residents have been panic-buying food in markets because we were told it's going to be a super typhoon. We've already tied down our water tank and prepared our (power) generator set." POWERFUL AND DEADLY The Philippine islands are often the first major landmass to be hit by storms that generate over the Pacific Ocean. The Southeast Asian archipelago endures about 20 major storms each year, many of them deadly. The most powerful and deadliest was Haiyan, which destroyed entire towns in heavily-populated areas of the central Philippines. "We are possibly dealing with a typhoon that is even stronger than Typhoon Yolanda (as Haiyan was known in the Philippines) in 2013. We must therefore brace ourselves for the possible effects of a typhoon of this magnitude," government executive secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a statement. "We call on all government agencies to be on highest level of preparedness and to take all necessary precautions." In the northern regions expected to be worst hit, tens of thousands of people sought refuge in schools and other makeshift evacuation centres as authorities raised the highest "signal five" typhoon alert. Flights to the north were also suspended and schools were closed. Power to some areas was cut off late on Wednesday as strong winds heralding Haima's landfall brought down electricity lines. The Philippine capital of Manila is about 350 kilometres south of where Haima struck land. Authorities said the city, with about 12 million people, was not expected to be badly affected although it would experience some rain. Haima is the second typhoon to hit the northern Philippines in a week, after Sarika struck on Sunday claiming at least one life and leaving three people missing. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan told the legislatures members at the opening ceremony that the 26-day session will adopt four bills and one resolution, and a review of 13 bills and one resolution. During the session, the National Assembly will also review, debate, and give opinion on a number of socioeconomic reports from 2016 and decide on a development direction for 2017. Additionally, as an equally daunting task, the legislature is running up to dealing with budgetary issues for 2016 and 2017. Other items on the agenda include the financial plan for the next five years; mid-term public investment in 2016-2020 ; objectives and directions of mobilisation and using of loans and management of public debts in 2016-2020; crime prevention, enforcement of judicial decisions, and combating corruption; as well as preventing and tackling environmental incidents. Notably, the legislature will review a report on the East Sea issue. The second session of the 14th National Assembly will be very important for Vietnam to begin the implementation of the Socioeconomic Development Plan for the 2016-2020 period, Ngan said. The government reported to the National Assembly that the economy is expected to grow 6.3-6.5 per cent this year. The economy continues producing steady quarter-on-quarter growth, from 5.48 per cent in the first quarter to 5.78 per cent in the second quarter, and 6.4 per cent in the third quarter. The economy is recovering and enterprises confidence is rising, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who read the report. Notably, Vietnams total import turnover reached $125 million in this years first nine months, up 1.3 per cent year-on-year, despite a slight 0.5 per cent fall during the first half of the year. Meanwhile, the total nine-month export turnover hit $128 billion, up 6.7 per cent as compared with a 5.7 per cent rise in this years first half. In addition to over 20,500 enterprises resuming operations, this years first nine months also saw nearly 81,500 newly-established enterprises, registered at an aggregate VND629.1 trillion ($28.6 billion), up 19.2 and 49.5 per cent respectively, year-on-year. Codes, bills, and resolutions to be adopted: - Law on Associations - Law on Faith and Religion - Law on Property Auctions - Criminal Code (amended) - Resolution on Elimination and Reduction of Tax on Using of Agricultural Land (amended) Bills and resolution to be reviewed: - Law on Railways (amended) - Law on External Trade Management - Law on Management and Using of Firearms, Explosive Equipment and Supporting Tools - Law on Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - Law on Management and Usage of State Property (amended) - Law on Irrigation - Law on Technology Transfer (amended) - Law on Compensation Responsibility of the State (amended) - Law on Guardianship - Law on Tourism (amended) - Law on Legal Aid (amended) - Law on Planning - Law on Amending and Supplementing Some Laws on Investment and Business - Resolution on Issuance of Electronic Visa for Foreigners Travelling to Vietnam 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. During election season, candidates try to raise money around the country to help them get elected. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are raising less money in the tech sector nationwide than President Barack Obama four years ago. The Silicon Valley that stretches from San Francisco to San Jose, is an area known for its technology and innovation. Residents there explain why both candidates arent doing as well as Obama. VOA Khmer's Soeurn Vathana narrates. The world's longest reigning monarch, Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, has died at the age of 88. During his 70-year reign, the king was a symbol of unity, stability, and tradition. But the monarchy's moral authority was also co-opted by politicians and the military to attack opponents. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports on the life of one of Asia's most influential leaders. VOA Khmer's Phy Sopheada narrates. Prime Minister Hun Sens eldest son, Hun Manet, has suggested that the countrys main opposition party was behind protests against his recent visit to Australia. Speaking on his return on Wednesday, he questioned whether the Cambodia National Rescue Party may have secretly orchestrated a protest held in Adelaide during his visit. Despite the protests, Manet said his visit to Australia and New Zealand, where he met with members of government in both countries, was a success. Manet said that while the demonstrators had a right to freedom of expression, the protests did not have a clear purpose or meaning and were intended to sow further divisions. One questions is what exactly we should do to voice our concerns. Is it talking to each other sitting in parliament, or holding protests? he asked. The CNRP has boycotted parliamentary proceedings for several months in response to what it says is are a series of politically motivated legal cases against its members. However, Eng Chhay Eang, CNRP spokesman, said the party had nothing to do with protests held overseas, preferring peaceful negotiations in Cambodia to agitation abroad. People who joined protests abroad, its their individual decision and does not represent the party position, he said. Meas Ny, a political analyst, said protests such as the one held in Adelaide would add to tensions between the parties. As long as they continue to criticize each other, Cambodia will not be united, he said. Kenya is the worlds third largest tea producer. Nearly all of that tea is grown for export and nearly all of it is black tea. But Kenya has been branching out into a new variety, purple tea, hailed by some for its superior health benefits. Rael Ombuor has the story for VOA from Nairobi. Ministers from all 28 EU member states, including Belgium, this week pledged their support for CETA, the comprehensive economic and trade agreement with Canada. But the regional parliament of Wallonia, the Francophone region of Belgium, rejected the deal. This is jeopardizing ratification of the deal by the entire bloc and will be high on the agenda at an EU leaders summit this Friday. Marthe Van Der Wolf in Brussels spoke with farmers in Wallonia about the deal. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump refused to promise that he will accept the results of the U.S. election in his third and final debate with Democrat Hillary Clinton on Wednesday. The two White House hopefuls also clashed over Russia, immigration and appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court in the debate held in Las Vegas, Nevada. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has a wrap-up of the third debate from Washington. Somali authorities have released al-Jazeera journalist Hamza Mohamed along with a fixer and a cameraman, two days after their arrest. Security forces had detained the men for questioning in Mogadishu after they went to an area controlled by militant group al-Shabab. Somali Information Minister Mohamed Abdi Mareye told VOA the men entered Somalia without the government's knowledge, traveled to a "terrorist-held area" and were planning to leave the country with what he called a one-sided story. Mohamed confirmed his release to VOA's Somali service Thursday but declined to discuss the details of his arrest. Al-Jazeera and the National Union of Somali Journalists had appealed for Mohamed's release. The secretary-general of the journalists' union, Mohamed Ibrahim Moallimu, says journalists in Somalia are often detained without arrest warrants. We are very concerned about the summary detention of journalists without due process," he said. "We urge that journalists' rights are not violated at a time when Somalia is preparing for elections." Moallimu says 17 journalists have been arrested or detained across Somalia this year, and none of them were changed. Somalia has long been known as one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists to work. Moallimu says three journalists have been killed this year. Dozens more have been killed since the country descended into civil war in 1991. On Tuesday, Somali authorities released the editor of a local newspaper. The editor of Xog-Ogaal newspaper, Abdi Aden Guled, was released after negotiations between the government and the National Union of Somali Journalists. Guled said the security agents who arrested him complained about a picture published by the paper last week, showing the killing of civilians by al-Shabab in the town of El-Ali. African political watchers are mercilessly and humorously skewering American politics with a recent Twitter hashtag that describes this years highly unusual presidential election in the same language often applied to troubled African elections. #Nov8AfricanEdition originated with Nigerian tweeters, who painted humorous but scary scenarios: South Africa-based political analyst Ryan Cummings contributed some of the several hundred tweets that blossomed under the hashtag. His postings fantasized about far-fetched consequences for the election, such as Mexico shutting its U.S. border amid post-election violence and citizens of troubled African nations like South Sudan and Burundi being evacuated from American soil. Cummings, who runs the consultancy Signal Risk, says he finds the election bizarre. "Its something you wouldnt expect in an established democracy such as that in the United States or pretty much anywhere else in the developed world," he said. "... The claims that are being that are being made, the whole demeanor of [Republcian Party candidate] Donald Trump in the run-up to the ballot its something one would regularly associate with an African politician." Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama have attracted their own share of jibes, with some seeing a parallel between Clinton and numerous African leaders who hail from elite political dynasties with deep pockets, Cummings said. He noted that Clinton's pedigree as a political insider makes this election even more African in nature. But it is Trump who has sparked the most biting comparisons, particularly over his threat to jail his opponent if he wins: That tactic has been used Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda and other countries after contentious elections. Trump also has been accused of sexual assault, as has South African President Jacob Zuma. And his boasts about his sexual appetites and conquests have been compared to remarks by Yahya Jammeh, longtime authoritarian leader of the tiny West African nation of Gambia. More troubling, many see a similarity to numerous African politicians in Trump statements that could be interpreted as calls to violence, or in his warnings that the November 8 poll will be rigged against him. Tom Maliti, a journalist with the Kenya-based International Justice Monitor, says Kenyans by and large are mystified by the current American campaign. "There is an element of laughing at the U.S." he says. But the fact that Trump is raising doubts about the legitimacy of the election process itself is no laughing matter for Africans. "Candidate Trump may not realize this, but the American system has been imitated, adapted and taken up by a variety of African countries most countries, that is," Maliti says. "And therefore, the U.S. has stood as the model for African countries that either have had democracy for decades or are in the process of instituting a democratic culture in their countries." Tweeters have spanned the spectrum of African political foibles, joking about Trump rejecting the results and forming a parallel government, as happened in Ivory Coast during their 2011 election: Or Obama changing the constitution to allow himself a third term, as has happened in Burundi: Or the U.S. imposing a social media blackout, as Ethiopia has done during its recent spate of political and ethnic protests: But the jokes cover one grim truth: For Africans watching the U.S. election, this is all a little too close to home. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia intend to triple their annual spending on arms and military equipment to $670 million by 2018 from 2014 thanks to fears of Russia after its annexation of Ukraines Crimea region, an HIS Markit report said 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 what it was 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 HIS 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 II, but regained independence when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, and are now members of 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 Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014, Latvia and Lithuania agreed to increase military spending to reach NATOs informal target of 2 percent of GDP by 2018, something that Estonia has 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 Russias 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. In what could be a serious setback for Washington and its pivot to Asia, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has announced his countrys separation from the United States, following high-level talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing. "In this venue, your honors, I announce my separation from the United States, both in military, not maybe social, but economics also, he said, speaking at a business forum late Thursday. His remarks to the crowd of business people and officials triggered a roaring round of applause. "America has lost now. I have realigned myself in your ideological flow, and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world, China, Philippines and Russia. It is the only way." In his speech, Duterte also called Americans discourteous people who are too loud for Asian sensibilities. He said he likes China because it does not go around insulting people. Chuckling as he spoke, Duterte said that now he was separate from the United States, he would also be dependent on China for a long time. In Washington, the White House said it has not received any officials requests from Manila to change cooperation between the two countries. Big Win Duterte has been criticizing the United States for weeks now and hinting that a breakup with Washington was imminent. But his pledge to cut both military and economic ties was the furthest he has gone. It is not clear how the divorce proposal with the United States will play out at home, where a vast majority of Filipinos have positive views of America and economic and military ties are not insignificant. Nicholas Thomas, a professor at the City University of Hong Kong said the announcement is a big win for Beijing that will give it an opening to consolidate its position in the region. China has had a rotten 12 months and you can probably go back even further than that as well, Thomas said. But this (the announcement) does give President Xi a significant international victory, and now the question is whether it can be sustained and what is the follow through. Ties between the Philippines and China hit rock bottom in July when an international court ruled in favor of a case Manila had filed against Beijing and its claims in the South China Sea. In 2012, China seized Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground that has become a key source of contention between the two countries. The two did not mention the issue in public following meetings on Thursday, but they did reach 13 cooperation agreements, including those for tourism, transportation, infrastructure, and financing. China has also pledged support for Dutertes controversial and deadly war against drugs that has left more than 2,300 dead. Manilas Treasury Secretary Ramon Lopez said the two countries will sign $13.5 billion in deals before the visit wraps up on Friday. Duterte came to China with a laundry list of requests, including help with infrastructure and building up of Philippines railways, but one key issue, fishing rights did not get addressed. Milestone Visit Before traveling to Beijing, Duterte said he would ask Beijing to allow Filipino fishermen to operate in the Scarborough Shoal area. A top Chinese diplomat said the two would resume long-stalled diplomatic and defense talks, the lack of any resolve could disappoint some at home. Liu Zhenmin argued that disputes in the South China Sea were not the sum total of relations between the two sides. In addition to lifting restrictions on the import of fruit, Liu said China would also end a travel advisory that discouraged tourists from traveling to the Philippines. Everyone can see that the agreements we have signed this time, including cooperation between the two countries' coast guard departments marks the start of the two countries' maritime cooperation," Liu said. On Thursday, Duterte met with Chinas Premier Li Keqiang and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Referring to the two as brothers, President Xi said he hoped the milestone visit would fully improve ties. "(I) hope (we) can follow the wishes of the people from the standpoint of mutually essential and common interests, and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on friendly footing and improve the relationship in all aspects," Xi said. For China, with its tightly controlled media and online censorship, dictating the narrative regarding the wishes of the people may be easier. But for the Philippines, and Duterte, that is likely to be an issue that is harder to manage. China rolled out the red carpet for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to try and improve years of rocky relations between the two countries. Xi greeted Duterte Thursday with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, Chinas main legislative building in Beijing. The two leaders are set to sign several new agreements following discussions Thursday that Xi said are meant to fully improve relations between China and the Philippines after disputes to Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. Earlier this year, an international court ruled in favor of the Philippines in a major arbitration lawsuit regarding the South China Sea territory, and since then Duterte has been trying not to further damage relations with China while at the same time working to secure his countrys territorial claims. Prior to the initiation of discussions, the often outspoken Duterte said he would not bring up the topic of the disputed territory unless Xi brought it up first, calling it a courtesy to his host. As a matter of courtesy and in the Oriental way, you always wait, Duterte said Wednesday. Because I am a visitor, I can't destroy the goodwill by just blurting out something. Xi didnt specifically mention the South China Sea dispute during the discussions, but he called China and the Philippines brothers and said the two countries could find appropriate resolutions to their disputes. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a meeting on the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat and asks authorities to extend all possible help to those affected by the tragedy, we raise these questions on the show: U.S. and South Korean military officials say they have detected a failed ballistic missile launch in North Korea near the northwestern city of Kusong. In a statement, The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said North Korea likely launched a Musudan intermediate-range missile early Thursday. U.S. and South Korean monitors say the missile appeared to have exploded shortly after take-off and thus posed no threat. "We strongly condemn the North's continued illegal acts of provocation and are fully prepared to counter any further provocations," the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement Thursday. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference Thursday Japan was aware of the missile launch and expects more missiles out of North Korea as the country expands its development program. "The [Japanese] government, through diplomatic routes via the Embassy in Beijing, has officially protested this and condemns this launch," he said. This was the second launch in less than a week of a Musudan missile with a range that could easily reach Japan or South Korea and is also believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam. The previous launch, Saturday, also ended in failure, with the missile exploding shortly after take-off. There have been eight Musudan missiles fired off this year by North Korea. Of the eight, a missile launched on June 22 flew 400 km into the Sea of Japan and reached an altitude of more than 1,400 km. Others exploded shortly after being launched, an indication the North has not yet fully mastered the technology. Thursday's launch comes as U.S. and South Korean officials meet in Washington for their annual security and alliance talks, which are expected to include discussions on measures to counter nuclear and missile threats from Pyongyang. 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. The missile test also comes as the United States and China are trying to find agreement on a new United Nations sanctions resolution after the North's September nuclear test. The U.N. Security Council condemned Saturday's failed missile launch and threatened additional measures to deter North Koreas missile ambitions. In a statement released Monday, the council said it held an emergency closed-door meeting to discuss the failed launch. It said Saturday's launch was in great violation of several past resolutions and North Korea must refrain from further testing of ballistic missiles and nuclear devices. The European Space Agency is uncertain whether its test probe has successfully landed on Mars, as part of a landmark mission aimed to explore signs of life on the Red Planet. The first part of the European Space Agencys ExoMars mission has been a success scientists began cheering Wednesday as their orbiter began circling the Red Planet. But at a news conference Thursday at ESAs Space Operations Center in Darmstadt Germany, solar planetary mission director Andreas Accomazzo said it was unclear whether the Schiaparelli probe had crashed or landed successfully on Mars. There were some conditions under which the lander should have landed, and this we judge as soft," said Accomazzo. "Unfortunately we are not in a position yet - but will be - to determine the dynamic position the lander has touched the ground and then we will know whether it could survive structurally - or not. So far, ESA scientists have been unable to detect signals from the probe since it entered the Martian atmosphere. But they say the most important goals of the mission are intact. They gathered important information on how to land a probe for the second part of the mission - landing a rover on Mars in 2020 that will explore whether life exists below ground. ESAs Director General Jan Woerner said the agencys Trace Gas Orbiter is ready for work - studying trace gases like methane around the planet. TGO is for us a cornerstone of the EXO-Mars 2016 as well as 2020 missions. So the readiness is fully confirmed and we are in full control of the spacecraft, Woerner said. ESA failed in its last attempt to land a rover on Mars, more than a decade ago. Two rovers sent by the the US NASA space agency are currently exploring the planets dunes and craters. Without prompting, 10-year-old Maha rattled off her story as if she had told it several times before: Her father is in jail now, after he was attacked by Islamic State fighters and later accused of joining them. "He was beaten so bad he couldnt walk," she said to anyone who would listen. Across this camp of more than 30,000 displaced people, families had stories of ruined relationships and lives, property destroyed and ghastly trauma. On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said forces were moving faster than expected toward Mosul. Islamic State (IS) militants have been in control of the countrys second-largest city for more than two years. Despite fears that a million more people may soon flee the city, cracking an already strained aid system, displaced families here said, for them, the final battle cannot come soon enough. "We hear from the people we know still in Mosul that they just want Islamic State militants to be gone at any cost," said Umar, a former autoworker who went back into IS territory when the militant group demanded that residents working out of town return or their families would be killed. He gathered his children and fled. "They are ready for the militants to get out, at any cost, he repeated, about ridding Mosul of IS. Layla, a mother of three, has been living at the camp for three months. Her two daughters, ages 15 and 16, were kidnapped and are being held by IS. Her son, accused of being an IS member, is in prison. "When Mosul is free, I will go on camera and tell everything," she said. Unprepared The Debaga camps, about 50 kilometers from the nearest battleground, are filled to capacity, said Rzgar Abed, a senior manager with the Barzani Charity Foundation. The camps are not prepared to handle a large influx of traumatized, desperate people, but they keep coming, Abed said. After they arrive, they can wait up to a week just to get a tent or a mattress, he added. However, delaying the rush of people by leaving IS in place would be worse than the looming crisis, he said. "As long as the operations drag on, there will be more displaced families," Abed said. "Winter is soon coming, and it will be a big problem. We cant provide homes for all of them." His organization and others are scrambling to get funding for emergency camps, he added. "The Mosul campaign, in a worst-case scenario, is expected to be the largest and most complex humanitarian operation in the world in 2016 due to mass forced displacement of people fleeing military operations," the International Organization for Migration said on its website Thursday. Over the next 45 days, the organization is planning on overseeing the building of 7,500 plots to house displaced families. Initially, these structures will only offer the most basic services, such as shelter, water and sanitation, the organization said. But with nowhere left to run, the camp's residents insist the only way out of the disaster is not more aid but the defeat of IS militants. Outside a former schoolhouse now packed with newly arrived women and children, 27-year-old Ibrahim explained that for families like his, there will never be a resolution. His 19-year-old brother joined the IS militants for reasons he didnt understand and later threatened to kill his family. Their father was livid, shouting at his son for even considered joining the group. "If he is killed in the battle, I will cry," Ibrahim said. "But he went willingly." A teenage German-Moroccan girl went on trial in Germany on Thursday accused of stabbing a policeman on the orders of Islamic State (IS) militants, and her lawyer argued that she lacked the capacity to know she was doing wrong. Safia S., a dual citizen, has been in prison awaiting trial for the attack at a train station in Hanover in February. She is charged with attempted murder and with being an IS supporter. She traveled in January to Istanbul where she met members of the so-called Islamic State who planned to help her enter territory it controls in Syria, prosecutors have said. While in Istanbul, they said, she received IS orders to carry out a "martyrdom attack" in Germany. She stabbed and seriously wounded the policeman after she was brought back to Germany by her mother, prosecutors said. She was 16 at the time. Her lawyer, Mutlu Guenal, said after the first trial session that Safia had sent a letter of apology to the policeman and that he hoped psychologists would confirm that she lacked the cognitive ability to recognize her actions were unacceptable. "Based on the circumstances, there are doubts that Safia had the cognitive faculty needed to see that what she was about to do was wrong," he said. If psychologists ruled that her cognitive ability was that of a 13-year-old, he added, she would be deemed under Germany's age of criminal responsibility, which would lead to acquittal. "I do not rule it out. I'm assuming that it will end with an acquittal," Guenal added. After being returned to Germany, Safia S. contacted Islamic State members online and asked them to help her plan an attack, according to prosecutors. Investigators believe the accused was radicalized in Germany by people with ties to the ultra-conservative Salafi strand of Islam. Authorities believe 820 German citizens have left to join Islamist militants fighting in Syria and Iraq. A 20-year-old German Syrian, Mohamad K., is also standing trial in the same case. He is accused of having known of Safia's plan to carry out the attack but not informing the police. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off Wednesday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Nevada for their third and final debate before the November 8 presidential election. The two began the night debating their very different approaches to some of the country's stickiest issues: gun rights, abortion and immigration. It was a striking turnabout from how the previous two debates unfolded. The last time the two met, in St. Louis, the debate moderators began by asking about the increasingly negative tone of the campaign, focusing on a 2005 video of Trump making predatory comments about women. In Las Vegas, the night kicked off with all policy. But how much of what the candidates said was true, fair and accurate? Here is a look at their statements, along with a check of the facts. Immigration The statement: Hillary Clinton wanted the [border] wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally it wasn't built. The facts: Almost, but not quite. As a senator from New York, Clinton did support the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which authorized the construction of hundreds of miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. And it was built. Nearly 700 miles of fencing was put in place during President George W. Bush's second term and the beginning of President Barack Obama's first term. The fencing is placed largely in urban areas along the nearly 2,000-mile frontier. It is not the type of solid wall that Trump has pledged to construct at Mexico's expense. The fence has miles-long gaps and gates built in to allow landowners access to their property on the south side of the fencing. Immigrants have been known to go over and around the fence. The statement: Clinton, on Trump's charge that she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: I was talking about energy. The facts: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said in the speech that my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Trump charged. The statement: Trump has hired undocumented immigrants. The facts: It was Trumps contractor, not Trump himself, who hired 200 undocumented Polish workers to demolish a building to make room for Trump Tower in Manhattan. Trump said he didnt know. The lawsuit sought $1 million in damages, and a judge ruled that Trump had to pay $325,000 plus interest. But the case was appealed and before it was retried, Trump settled the case out of court, so its unclear how much he ended up doling out. Russia The statement: Clinton has no idea whether it's Russia, China or anybody else that is behind recent hacks of Democratic organizations and individuals, Trump said. Our country has no idea. The facts: Actually, the U.S. government says it does have an idea, and has concluded it was Russia that hacked into the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the email accounts of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta and others. Trump's refusal to point the finger at Moscow is at odds with the prevailing position of the U.S. intelligence community. We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities," the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said recently in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security. Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees say they've concluded Russian intelligence agencies were trying to influence the U.S. presidential election. Russia has denied the accusation. The statement: Trump used to sing a different tune about knowing, meeting Vladimir Putin. The facts: Trump has changed what hes said about whether hes had a relationship with Putin. In 2013, he said, "I do have a relationship." In 2014 he said, "I spoke, indirectly and directly, with President Putin" and said the Russian leader had sent him a present. In 2015, he said, "I got to know him very well" because of their joint appearance on 60 Minutes. More recently, though, Trump has said, "I never met Putin I don't know who Putin is" and "I have no relationship with him." Guns The statement: I disagreed with the way the court applied the Second Amendment" in the District of Columbia vs. Heller decision in 2008. I was upset because unfortunately dozens of toddlers injure themselves and even kill people with guns. ... But there's no doubt I respect the Second Amendment, that I believe there's an individual right to bear arms. The facts: While Clinton emphasized the protection of children from gun accidents, the main holding in that case was far broader: that individuals have a right to own guns, at least in their homes and for self-defense. The case marked the first time the court said that individuals have a Second Amendment right to own a gun. The decision struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on handgun ownership as well as a separate requirement that people who have other guns store them either with trigger locks or disassembled. The court said both provisions violate the Second Amendment. Free college The statement: I want to make college debt-free, Clinton said. The facts: Clinton might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room-and-board costs can lead students to borrow. Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Trump was correct when he said that government would shoulder higher costs with Clinton's plan. Her plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. Deportations The statement: President Obama has moved millions of people out ... millions of people have been moved out of this country, according to Trump. The facts: That's true. Obama has overseen the deportation of more than 2.5 million immigrants since taking office in January 2009. During Obama's first term hundreds of thousands of immigrants were deported annually, following a trend of increasing deportations started under President George W. Bush. The administration set a record in 2014 when more than 409,000 people were sent home. During his second term, deportations have steadily declined as he has opted to focus immigration enforcement resources on finding and deporting serious criminals and those who pose a threat to national security or public safety. But Trump also claims that nobody knows about it, nobody talks about it" and that's far from the truth. Obama has been dubbed the deporter in chief" by immigration advocates and opponents of his immigration enforcement policies. Terrorism The statement: Trump says Clinton gave us ISIS. The facts: The roots of ISIS trace back to 2004, before Clinton was President Barack Obamas secretary of state. The intervention in Libya, which she supported, did give ISIS an opening, but Trump is overstating her role by saying she is responsible for ISIS. Donations The statement: The Clinton Foundation has taken millions from the Middle East. The facts: It doesnt violate campaign rules for a nonprofit philanthropy to accept donations from foreign governments. Over the years, the Clinton Foundation has taken millions of dollars from foreign governments. This includes between $1 million and $5 million from the United Arab Emirates and between $10 million and $25 million from Saudi Arabia. At least a portion of those donations came in 2014, after Clinton left the State Department and formally joined the familys foundation that had previously been in her husbands name alone. Tax returns The statement: Save Gerald Ford, Trump is first nominee not to release tax returns. The facts: It is true that the only major-party presidential nominee who didnt release returns was Ford, the Republican nominee in 1976. It's also worth noting that many nominees have released numerous years of returns, but some have released only one or two. Voter fraud The statement: Trump cites a Pew report when talking about a rigged election. The facts: The Trump campaign points to a 2012 Pew Center study that estimated about 24 million, equal to one in every eight, voter registrations in the United States are no longer valid or are inaccurate. However, no evidence of voter fraud was found this is about record-keeping that is badly managed and in disarray. Abortion The statement: Clinton has said she could support restrictions on abortions in the third trimester (about week 28 of a pregnancy) if the mothers life and health are taken into account. The facts: According to PolitiFact, there are many instances of Clinton saying abortion should be "safe, legal and rare." Clinton is open to restrictions on late-term abortions provided there are exceptions for the life and health of the mother. This includes both mental health and medical complications like preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication of high blood pressure that could lead to death. Missing money The statement: Under Hillary Clinton, $6 billion went missing at the State Department, according to Trump. The facts: Not quite. That figure is a distortion about a legitimate record-keeping concern. In 2014, the State Department's inspector general released an alert warning that the documentation for $6 billion in State Department contracts was incomplete. But there's no reason to think that all occurred under Clinton. The inspector general, Steve Linnick, specifically disavowed the conclusion that the money went missing. Economic growth The statement: So I just left some high representatives of India. They're growing at 8 percent. China is growing at 7 percent. And that for them is a catastrophically low number. We are growing, our last report came out, and it's right around the 1 percent level and I think it's going down. Last week, as you know, the end of last week, they came out with an anemic jobs report. A terrible jobs report. The facts: China and India are growing faster in large part because they're playing catch up to the United States, the world's largest economy. Those two Asian countries are starting from a much lower baseline with a much larger population than the United States, meaning that by definition that they should be growing faster. Economists would warn of a dangerous bubble if the United States grew that quickly and financial markets would fear a devastating recession to follow. But China and India aren't any better off than the U.S., said former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in an analysis released Wednesday. On a per-capita basis, China has just 10 percent of the United States' income. India has about 6 percent. Factoring in life expectancy, inequality and leisure, Bernanke notes that the United States comes off even better. And the September jobs report that Trump calls ``terrible'' is actually viewed by most economists as encouraging. Employers added 156,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent because more Americans felt confident enough to start looking for jobs, a positive sign. Taxes The statement: Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes, Trump says of Clinton. The facts: Clinton's plan wouldn't raise taxes at all for 95 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The very wealthiest would take the greatest hit, though a doubling is highly questionable. Two-thirds of her proposed increases would hit the top 0.1 percent of richest Americans, the center estimates. The main components of her tax plan: a minimum 30 percent tax on those earning at least $1 million a year, and a 5 percent tax surcharge for those earning more than $5 million a year. She would also cap the value of tax deductions and exclusions for wealthier taxpayers. Honesty The statement: Shes lied hundreds of times to the people, to Congress, and to the FBI. The facts: Trump's claim about the FBI doesn't square with what FBI Director James Comey has said publicly. At a July congressional hearing, two days after announcing that he was recommending against bringing charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server to handle sensitive information while secretary of state, Comey said, We have no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI. Health insurance The statement: Obamacare premiums going up, according to Trump. The facts: Trump has said, "Peoples premiums are going up 35, 45, 55 percent." Some insurance plans in the federal exchange will see price hikes at the levels that Trump is suggesting. But hes cherry-picking the high end of premium changes to come. Estimates for the national average are far below Trumps figures, ranging from 4.4 percent to 13 percent. Iran has stepped up weapons transfers to the Houthis, the militia fighting the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, U.S., Western and Iranian officials tell Reuters, a development that threatens to prolong and intensify the 19-month-old war. The increased pace of transfers in recent months, which officials said include missiles and small arms, could exacerbate a security headache for the United States. Last week, the U.S. struck Houthi targets with cruise missiles in retaliation for failed missile attacks on a U.S. Navy destroyer. Much of the recent smuggling activity has been through Oman, which neighbors Yemen, including via overland routes that take advantage of porous borders between the two countries, the officials said. That raises a further quandary for Washington, which views the tiny Gulf state as a strategic interlocutor and ally in the conflict-ridden region. A senior U.S. administration official said Washington had informed Oman of its concerns, though the official didnt specify when the notice occurred. "We have been concerned about the recent flow of weapons from Iran into Yemen and have conveyed those concerns to those who maintain relations with the Houthis, including the Omani government," the official told Reuters. Oman denies smuggling Oman denies any weapons smuggling across its border. Yemeni and senior regional officials say the Omanis are not actively involved with the transfers, but rather are failing to aggressively crack down on the flow. In an interview with Saudi newspaper Okaz last week, Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alwi said: "There is no truth to this. No weapons have crossed our border and we are ready to clarify any suspicions if they arise." The Iran-allied Houthis gained a trove of weapons when whole divisions allied with former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh sided with them at the start of the war last year. But SaudiArabia and Yemen's exiled government say they also receive substantial amounts of weapons and ammunition from Iran. Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons. Some Western officials have been more skeptical of the view that the Houthis are receiving large-scale support from Iran. The U.S. and Western officials who spoke to Reuters about the recent trend in arms transfers said it was based on intelligence they had seen but did not elaborate on its nature. They said the frequency of transfers on known overland smuggling routes had increased notably, though the scale of the shipments was unclear. Even U.S. officials warning of Iran's support for the Houthis acknowledge intelligence gaps in Yemen, where the U.S. posture has been sharply reduced since the conflict began in March 2015. The sources all declined to be identified because of the issues sensitivity. "We are aware of a recent increased frequency of weapons shipments supplied by Iran, which are reaching the Houthis via the Omani border," a Western diplomat familiar with the conflict told Reuters. Three U.S. officials confirmed that assertion. One of those officials, who is familiar with Yemen, said weapons smuggling had increased noticeably in the past few months. "What they're bringing in via Oman are anti-ship missiles, explosives..., money and personnel," the official said. Another regional security source said the transfers included surface-to-surface short-range missiles and small arms. A senior Iranian diplomat confirmed a "sharp surge in Iran's help to the Houthis in Yemen" since May, referring to weapons, training and money. "The nuclear deal gave Iran an upper hand in its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, but it needs to be preserved," the diplomat said. Washington's Gulf allies have warned that U.S. President Barack Obama's rapprochement with Tehran through the landmark nuclear deal signed last year would only embolden Iran in conflicts in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere. U.S. looks into missile origin The increase in transfers comes as the civil war threatens to pull the United States deeper into a conflict. It already has killed 10,000 people and pits two regional powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, against each other. A U.N.-brokered 72-hour ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday. Since the wars start, the Houthis have used short-range Scud missiles. The United Nations says they also have fired surface-to-air missiles, improvised to operate as surface-to-surface rockets against Saudi Arabia. But a suspected Houthi missile attack against a United Arab Emirates vessel in a strategic Red Sea shipping lane as well as the attempted strikes against the U.S. warship all occurring in October raise concerns about the rebels capability to launch bolder attacks. The Houthis have denied attacking the USS Mason. Two officials said the United States was looking into whether components of the missiles, including the warhead, might have benefited from Iranian parts or come from Iran. They acknowledged the assessment so far has been inconclusive. General Joseph Votel, who leads the U.S. military's Central Command, said he suspected an Iranian role in arming the Houthis. He noted that Iran was a possible supplier of the kinds of shore-based missile technology seen in Yemen. "I do think Iran is playing a role in some of this. They do have a relationship with the Houthis," he said Wednesday at a forum in Washington. A senior Western diplomat told Reuters that Iran's role in helping the Houthis had increased substantially since March 2015, when the Saudis intervened to restore President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to office. The diplomat said there was concern Oman had not tackled Iranian smuggling as strongly as it should have done. "In my mind, the level of Iranian arms smuggling probably doesn't get the attention it deserves." Washington has generally shied away from being too publicly critical of the government in Muscat, especially as it played a historic role in brokering the nuclear deal. A senior Yemeni official told Reuters of increased weapons smuggling to the Houthis via Oman but could not say definitively whether the weapons were Iranian. Yemen's army chief of staff, Mohammed al-Maqdishi, said in a recent interview on state television that Oman should be "a lot stricter" on smuggling: "We are now in the process of heavily guarding the border points more and more." A senior Yemeni military source told Reuters that one smuggling route is through Shehen, an entry point in Mahra province along the 288-kilometer (179-mile) Yemeni-Omani border. Although formally under government control, the region is a well known haven for smuggling and central authority is weak. In addition to smuggling via secondary ports along Yemen's coastline, the source said the frequency had also increased "because Iran feels the Houthis are in a difficult situation and want to show them they're with them till the end." Iraqi government and Kurdish Peshmerga forces say they are within 25 kilometers of the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, three days into an operation seen as crucial in defeating the terror group. The closer the Iraqi and coalition forces get to the city, the more difficult the fighting is likely to become, and the more dangerous for the millions of civilians trapped in the city. Islamic State released a propaganda video Wednesday purporting to show its fighters defiantly patrolling the streets of Mosul. An unidentified militant addresses the camera, warning that the United States will be defeated in Iraq. Despite the rhetoric, Islamic State fighters are rapidly losing ground. Backed by coalition artillery and airstrikes, Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces say they are ahead of schedule in their mission to retake Mosul. Iraqi Army spokesman Brigadier Yahia Rassoul said there have been more than 20 suicide cars trying to target army vehicles during the advance, but they were all destroyed. More than 100 U.S. troops are embedded with Iraqi and Peshmerga forces behind the front lines. International coalition jets are targeting Islamic State positions in Mosul. Local residents have told of reports of fighters forcing civilians into buildings they believe are likely to be targeted. Visiting fellow Afzal Ashraf of the University of Nottingham Center for Conflict, Security and Terrorism says the population faces grave danger. There is always the very strong possibility that this terror group Daesh (Islamic State) will use them physically as human shields. So there are, I am afraid, some very difficult days ahead for the population, said Ashraf. As the battle approaches the center of Mosul, Ashraf said, the fighting is likely to get much more difficult. We will get into the urban warfare type of environment, which again involves suicide bombers, but here in narrow streets it is very difficult for the coalition forces to avoid them. Right now there will be a great deal of surveillance to detect any possible areas where bombs have been planted, said Ashraf. One-and-a-half million civilians are thought to be living in Mosul. Many are expected to flee, presenting an opportunity for Islamic State fighters to escape, said Ashraf. Daesh will use the human exodus. They will use other means of disguising themselves. And I believe they have already begun to leave the city, said Ashraf. That could allow Islamic State fighters in Mosul to regroup in Syria, neighboring countries or Europe. Iraqs prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, says the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State is going much faster than expected. He spoke in Paris, where foreign ministers from Western and Middle Eastern nations have been meeting to discuss how to restore peace and stability once the terror group is ousted from Iraqs second-largest city. "The forces are pushing toward the town more quickly than we thought and more quickly than we had programmed in our campaign plan," Abadi said. The Pentagon announced that a U.S. service member was killed in a blast northern Iraq but it was unclear if the incident was linked to the Mosul operation. On Wednesday, the U.S. general running the coalition ground campaign in Iraq urged Iraqi forces fighting for Mosul not to "go so fast that they start to give opportunity to the enemy." "Im not telling the Iraqis not to rush to Mosul. Im telling them, 'Youve got the momentum, sustain the momentum, continue to put unrelenting pressure on the enemy and then the enemy is going to break, Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky told reporters via teleconference from Baghdad. The general said he expects IS militants to fight with a "full-fledged conventional defense in Mosul" until they lose the city. After that, he said, IS will turn into more of an insurgent force, using unconventional methods to make harassing attacks on Iraqis forces and civilians. The U.S. has provided intelligence, logistics support, Apache helicopters, artillery fire and thousands of airstrikes to support the fight for Mosul. However, that fight is not the generals sole focus. Volesky said some of his American forces are intentionally in other areas of Iraq to prevent any potential Islamic State efforts to shift the Iraqi governments interest to the countrys south. Refugee crisis Meanwhile, the international charity Save the Children said thousands of people have fled the Mosul area to escape the unfolding offensive by Iraqi and Kurdish forces. The aid group said about 5,000 people have arrived in the past 10 days at a refugee camp over the border in Syria, which risks being overwhelmed as more people flee. On Tuesday, Iraqi and Kurdish leaders told Filippo Grandi, the U.N.s refugee commissioner, that aid groups would do their best to protect civilians. But, he told reporters in the Kurdistan capital of Irbil, "The protection of the civilians in Mosul cannot be just the responsibility of a few humanitarian organizations." The United Nations and the government have support materials for up to 400,000 displaced people in the fight for Mosul. At least 1 million civilians are estimated to be in the city. Unpredictable IS fighters Militants have fanned out in Mosul, and residents contacted by phone say the center is eerily quiet, with most people hunkered down waiting for the full storm to hit. U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi warplanes have avoided launching airstrikes in residential areas in a bid to reduce civilian casualties. Residents, who say they fear venturing out, report IS fighters are behaving more brutally and unpredictably than before. "There have been two public executions in my neighborhood since Sunday," said Salim, a shopkeeper and father of two. He said the militants move around in small groups, mainly on motorbikes. The jihadists also are continuing with preparations to defend the city center, blocking roads with mounds of dirt and erecting other makeshift barriers. IS fighters bombed two buildings inside Mosul, Kurdish officials reported. On Tuesday, the terror groups propagandists posted online two videos: one seeking to depict a city unaffected by war, using old footage showing locals shopping on bustling streets, and another showing armed jihadists patrolling streets and a masked militant threatening America. On the battlefield, though, the taunts would seem to be misplaced. Popular mobilization force The terror group has lost more than two dozen villages on the outskirts of Mosul, the Islamic States last major urban stronghold in Iraq, since Iraqi security forces in the south and Kurdish peshmerga fighters in the east launched their long-awaited offensive Monday. The going has been quicker than Iraqi and U.S. commanders claim they expected, and morale on the ground reportedly remains high. Even so, officials are tamping down expectations of a speedy defeat of the terror group as Iraqi and Kurdish forces contend with its roadside bombs, snipers, suicide bombers and hit-and-run attacks. IS has an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 fighters in Mosul, and U.S. officials describe them as zealous and battle-hardened. U.S. officials have stressed that the more than 100 embedded American forces will remain with their Iraqi and peshmerga counterparts. The U.S. troops are involved in coordinating and decision making, rather than at the front lines of combat. But U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said American troops are still in harms way. The fighting has remained on Mosuls outskirts. The Kurdish peshmerga have been slowing or pausing their advance to allow Iraqi Security Forces units to leap-frog ahead of them. Iraqi officials say only ISF will enter the mainly Sunni Muslim city, but some members of the Shiite popular mobilization force (PMF) insist they will, too. Volesky, the general, stressed Wednesday that the U.S.-led coalition is not supporting the Shiite PMF. VOA National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin and U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Nearly a week after the military operation to recapture Iraq's second city of Mosul from the Islamic State, the anticipated exodus of civilians has unfolded precisely as top United Nations officials warned. A U.N. run camp in Al-Hasakah, Syria is trying its best to provide food, shelter and a safe place for thousands of Iraqis who risked their lives to leave Mosul. Many more are expected to arrive in the coming days. U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Thursday "strongly condemned" the failed ballistic missile launch that occurred in North Korea earlier in the day. The North American Aerospace Defense Command said North Korea had most likely launched a Musudan intermediate-range missile near the northwestern city of Kusong. U.S. and South Korean monitors said the missile exploded shortly after takeoff and thus posed no threat. Speaking with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo at a joint news conference at the Pentagon, Carter said he and Han had discussed options for extended deterrence against the North Korean nuclear threat. The U.S. Strategic Command and South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea's latest launch attempt seemed to replicate a failed test that occurred Saturday, in that it involved the same type of missile and the same location. South Korea and Japan immediately condemned Thursdays test. Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said Tokyo, "through diplomatic routes via the embassy in Beijing, has officially protested this and condemns this launch." He also said Japan expected more missiles out of North Korea as the country expands its development program. Earlier this week, the U.N. Security Council issued a strong condemnation of Saturdays launch attempt by the North, saying it was "a clear violation" of UNSC resolutions and an "illegal act of provocation." The Kim Jong Un government has responded defiantly to tough U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea in March by conducting numerous missile launches and a second nuclear test in one year. North Korea has launched eight Musudan missiles in all this year. One, launched June 22, flew 400 kilometers into the Sea of Japan and reached an altitude of more than 1,400 kilometers. The others exploded shortly after takeoff. Analysts say, however, that each test is helping North Korea advance its capabilities and reach its goal of developing a credible nuclear ballistic missile arsenal that could potentially strike the U.S. mainland. Extended deterrence The U.S., at its bases in South Korea, is considering the permanent deployment of B-1B and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers, F-22 stealth fighter jets and nuclear-powered submarines to try to deter the North Korean nuclear threat, according to defense and diplomatic sources. Wednesdays establishment of a high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group was 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, Carter said ahead of 2+2 security talks with the South Korean defense and foreign ministers. South Koreas 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 Hours later, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, at a news conference standing alongside Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se, 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 tool kit" to defend themselves and make the North Koreans feel the panic under their skins." Han said North Koreas nuclear weapons and missiles were akin to "a dagger against our throats." THAAD deployment While continuing to work for denuclearization, we need to ensure working together that the DPRK pays a price for its dangerous actions, said Kerry. Amid what he termed a pivotal moment on the Korean Peninsula, Kerry added that the United States would 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. Kerry maintained that the military option to stop North Koreas ongoing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs was a last resort. Analysts reactions Wednesdays tougher language from top U.S. officials caught some by surprise, but was most likely welcomed by hawks who argue that diplomacy and economic sanctions have failed to deter Pyongyang. I dont think this stronger rhetoric is going to deter them from taking the next step, whatever their next is, said CSIS-Pacific Forum adjunct fellow Tara O, the author of The Collapse of North Korea: Challenges, Planning and Geopolitics of Unification. Other analysts question the potential basing of U.S. Air Force bombers to American bases 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, he said, would cause China "to be in an uproar" and officials in Pyongyang and Beijing to assert that such forward-deployed assets are really intended to deter the Chinese. Carters stark reference Wednesday to nuclear retaliation will raise questions about are we seriously going to use the nuclear option, said the 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, Pinkston told VOA. The two Koreas have no diplomatic ties and have technically remained at war since a devastating three-year conflict in the early 1950s ended in stalemate. The Korean War drew in Chinese forces supporting the North, while a U.S.-led U.N. coalition countered the North's invasion of the South. By Mausami Singh: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be heading to Mumbai on Friday for a Western Zonal council's meeting where he would be discussing the current threat to Karan Johar's film Ae Dil hai Mushkil with Mahrashtra chief minister. ALSO READ | Pak artists ban: After ADHM and Dear Zindagi, Sridevi's Mom in trouble? ALSO READ | Fresh threat to Ae Dil Hai Mushkil from MNS advertisement On Thursday, there was a rare breed of visitors at North Block on Thursday. Around 12 noon, a bunch of producers reached the home ministry and met Rajnath Singh over the release of Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. In the backdrop of the MNS threatening to target theatres if Karan Johar's film ADHM was released , the producers appealed to the home minister to provide measures for peaceful release of the film next Friday. The film starring Pakistani Actor Fawad Khan ran into 'mushkil' after the Uri terror attack in which 18 soldiers were martyred and tension between India and Pakistan increased. After meeting the home minister, Mukesh Bhatt, the President of Film and Television Producers Guild of India, told India Today, "I went in with many apprehensions and questions but I am thankful for the reassurance given to me by the home minister. We live in a free country and we are free to air protest but resorting to violence cannot be a way out.The home minister has reassured as that he would be talking to various states and ensuring that protection is provided to cinema halls" . The delegation was accompanied by Babul Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, said that he was thankful that the home minster heard them out. "It's a simple law and order case. It is a national release so they had wished to meet the Home Minister and it is very gracious of Rajnath Singh to give us time. I think MNS should not have the right, power and the audacity to say that they are going to break multiplexes and take law in their own hands." Accusing the MNS of thriving on hooliganism, he said, "They have always been a party of goons, they have harassed couples on Valentine's Day, broken card shops and all that, no one is allowed to take law and order in their own hands." In a meeting that lasted for about ten minutes, Rajnath heard the delegation patiently that also included the CEO of Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. Rajnath seemed to have told the delegation that the centre would take measures to ensure that there is no disruption when the film is released. The delegation also had a representative of Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. When asked whether Karan Johar's statement was a case of too little too late, he said, " When Fawad Khan was taken in the film the circumstances were different. The government is granting visas to Pakistani nationals then where is the question of being anti national. Yes! In future we believe that Pakistani actors should not be engaged in the prevailing circumstance." Filmmaker Karan Johar had made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with Pakistani talent in future. However despite several appeals the MNS continued their protests as the party rejected Johar's statement that he will not "engage with talent" from Pakistan in future. The producers had earlier met the Mumbai police commissioner and asked for security for the film. The Maharashtra government has, however, assured protection to cinemas where the film will be screened from Diwali weekend. advertisement --- ENDS --- American officials say they have gotten no formal notice from Manila following Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement of a "separation" from the United States. "We have not received any official requests from Filipino officials to alter any of our many issues where we bilaterally cooperate," White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters . "It is inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship that we have with the Filipino people, as well as the government there on many different levels, not just from a security perspective," said State Department spokesman John Kirby. "We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the U.S." The State Department said Assistant Secretary Daniel Russel would visit Manila from Saturday through Tuesday. Kirby called the trip a a "long-scheduled, long-planned" visit. Following high-level talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing, the Philippine leader earlier in the day at a business forum announced "my separation from the United States, both in military, not maybe social, but economics also." The remark to the crowd of business people and Chinese officials triggered a roaring round of applause. "America has lost now. I have realigned myself in your ideological flow, and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to [President Vladimir] Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia," Duterte added. "It is the only way." The radical foreign policy shift by the leader of a longtime U.S. ally in the Pacific will not throw off course America's pivot to Asia, Kirby insisted, but he noted "many nations in the region are concerned and baffled." China a preferred option Duterte, who took office at the end of June, said he prefers China because it does not go around insulting people, while Americans are "discourteous people." "We Orientals are a very courteous race," the Philippine president also told his Chinese audience Thursday. Chuckling as he spoke, Duterte said that now he would be dependent on China for a long time. After watching a video of the remarks, international law professor Julian Ku at Hofstra University tweeted that "Duterte looks like a supplicant." To another audience Wednesday a group of Filipinos living in China Duterte said it was "time to say goodbye" to the United States, adding, "I will not go to America anymore. I will just be insulted there." "The real losers here, assuming he is serious, would be the Philippine people," Robert "Skipp" Orr Jr., former U.S. ambassador to the Manila-based Asian Development Bank, told VOA. Orr's predecessor as ambassador to the ADB, Curtis Chin, said the United States "can take heart that President Duterte announced a separation and not a divorce." Chin told VOA he remained optimistic about U.S.-Philippine relations in the long term, but he predicted the next president and secretary of state in Washington would "see some stormy times ahead" in their dealings with Manila. Most Filipinos have positive views of America. There are deep economic ties. A 70-year-old treaty ensures the defense of the Philippines, which has a poorly trained and equipped military. China and the Philippines are to sign $13.5 billion in deals before the visit concludes Friday, according to Philippine Treasury Secretary Ramon Lopez. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of dollars of investment money has flowed out of the Philippines since Duterte's election. Foreign investment has been put on hold amid these "rather startling kinds of developments," the outgoing U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, Philip Goldberg, said in an interview in Manila on Thursday with the Rappler social news network. "We've never heard language and that kind of rhetoric from a friend and ally," noted Goldberg, who, along with President Barack Obama, has been the target of personal insults hurled by Duterte. China is willing to actively take part in the building of Philippine railways, city rail transport, highways, ports and other infrastructure, which will benefit the local people, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters Thursday. "The two should strengthen law enforcement and defense cooperation." China's support China has pledged support for Duterte's controversial and deadly war against drugs that has left more than 2,300 dead. The enhanced cooperation with Beijing and Duterte's "separation" with Washington hand Chinese President Xi Jinping "a significant international victory, and now the question is whether it can be sustained and what is the follow-through," said Nicholas Thomas, a professor at the City University of Hong Kong. Xi and Duterte on Thursday agreed to a resumption of direct talks on disputes in the South China Sea, following years of rising tension. China, in 2012, seized Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground that has become a key source of contention between the two countries. "Filipinos want better lives and a safer and more prosperous nation. Duterte seems to be saying that China today, not the nation's longtime U.S. ally, is positioned to deliver on it," said Chin, also an Asia Fellow at the Milken Institute. "The Philippines president, however, is playing with fire if he is seen in any way by Filipinos as ceding sovereignty to China in the South China Sea, known locally as the West Philippines Sea." The Philippines was granted independence by the United States in 1946. The island nation was a colony of Spain from the 16th century to the end of the 19th century, when it was taken by the United States at the end of the Spanish-American War. Japan occupied the Philippines from 1942 until its defeat in World War II three years later. Growing concerns about the contentious U.S. presidential race, fueled by doubts about the candidates' qualifications and even their own rhetoric, have not gone unnoticed by the U.S. intelligence community. But the top U.S. intelligence official wants Americans and people around the world to know there is no need to worry. "A lot of people out there are nervous about what will happen, and understandably so," Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Thursday. "I think it will be OK." "In contrast to any uncertainty surrounding an election and the transition to the next administration, one constant in national security are the people of the intelligence community," Clapper told an audience at the Capitol Visitors Center in Washington, calling the collection of U.S. intelligence agencies "a pillar of stability." Clapper also said the U.S. intelligence community would be "heavily involved in making sure [the next president] is informed about our world and, hopefully, is ready to make decisions." Russian hacking There have been persistent questions about both major party candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, regarding national security. Clinton has been heavily criticized for her handling of sensitive and classified emails while serving as U.S. secretary of state. Intelligence officials and critics said her use of a private email server potentially made those emails more vulnerable to hacking. Trump has been criticized for refusing to accept the findings of the U.S. intelligence community, which concluded this month that Russia was responsible for hacking the email of some U.S. political organizations, as well as high-profile individuals. Some have also criticized him for using language that seemed to encourage Russia to carry out additional cyberattacks on the U.S. On Thursday, Clapper defended the U.S. intelligence assessment, though he admitted the intelligence community statement this month that pointed the finger at Russia was "pretty unusual." "We wouldn't have made it unless we were very confident," he said, noting the U.S. had "sufficient evidence, both forensic and otherwise." Election hacking In the meantime, concerns about attempts to hack into U.S. election systems have prompted more than 30 states to reach out to the Department of Homeland Security for assistance. But while such cyberattacks could cause some problems, intelligence officials say there is no overall threat to the U.S. election process. "This election will happen on November 8," Clapper said. "We assess it would be very difficult for someone, anyone, to alter our actual ballot counts with a cyber intrusion, particularly since voting machines aren't connected to the internet." With relations between the United States and Russia continuing to worsen, a leading Russian independent pollster and sociologist says the atmosphere of militaristic euphoria and anti-Americanism promoted by Russian authorities is inextricably linked with an ongoing crackdown on opponents of President Vladimir Putin. This week, Russia threatened retaliation if the United States imposes fresh sanctions against it. If the United States, contrary to common sense and experience, and harmful to itself, moves toward a further expansion of sanction measures, I assure you that quite painful steps in response will be found in our arsenal, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying. Rybakovs threat followed criticism of Russia by top U.S. and European officials. Pollster sees trend Meanwhile, the Levada Center, Russias only independent national polling agency, released survey results Wednesday showing that Russians continue to have a largely negative view of the United States, the European Union and Ukraine. In an interview with VOAs Russian service, the Levada Centers director, Lev Gudkov, discussed the ongoing wave of anti-Americanism and militarism in Russia and the corresponding crackdown on Kremlin opponents. Q: One gets the impression from recent statements by Russian politicians and diplomats that there has been a fresh surge in anti-Americanism. What does the polling data show? A: The level of anti-American sentiment is really very high, although over the past year-and-a-half it has actually slightly decreased. Anti-Americanism hit a peak in January 2015. At that time, 81 percent (of poll respondents) expressed a negative attitude toward the United States, while it is now 64 percent, and has been approximately at that level for about a year. Thus, the intensity of the propaganda has reduced slightly, but it remains steady at a high level. Thus, one can talk about the systematic imposition of anti-American views (on Russians). Q: But why does the Kremlin need this? What goals is it trying to achieve? A: Two things are behind it: discrediting the values of rule of law, freedom and human rights, which are associated with the West and the United States; and, in applying that, discrediting all those groups and political forces that want change and reform in Russia and have criticized Putins authoritarian regime. So they are indiscriminately designated as foreign agents, fifth columnists, national traitors. The official propaganda is directed not so much against America as against various kinds of critics of the regime. That is why it is so shrill and constant. Third World War Q: Many experts say a militaristic mood is on the rise in Russia and that sentiments for a possible armed conflict are being stoked. Is that true? A: Thats right. The population is living in an atmosphere like on the eve of a big war. It is not just a confrontation or information warfare, but, as our (poll) respondents sometimes say, the beginning of a third world war, although still in the cold phase. Therefore, it is extremely important that the confrontation with the West be presented in propaganda as (the Wests) opposition to a resurgent, growing Russia. In fact, at the heart of all of this lies an inferiority complex associated with the collapse of the Soviet Union, around which this whole militaristic upsurge and bellicose rhetoric are wrapped. It is a kind of game of war. Moreover, it is not associated with any real actions of the West. It is the narcotic effect of propaganda. Q: The Russian leadership has consistently said that it does not want the country to be isolated, but its actions in Ukraine and Syria work strongly in the opposite direction. What explains this? A: This demagogy on the part of the Kremlin is extremely typical. People partly understand (that it is demagogic). But they like a demonstration of brazen power. Two-thirds of the population lives where they were born, without having gone anywhere else. For them, the threat of isolation from the rest of the world is unreal. But for the residents of large cities, for the middle class of Russia, this really is a threat that scares people and gives rise to frustration and irritation. And out of this comes a spirit of opposition, albeit a very weak one. Q: But isnt there also a tendency here (for the Kremlin) to blame its own troubles on others? A: Of course there is. It is no wonder that all the characteristics most peculiar to Russian leaders are attributed to American politicians. And this is internalized by the population. Here is another very important principle: It is not that Americans are better or we are better, but that all around are predators, all are bad. This is carefully embedded in the mass consciousness. President Salva Kiir has threatened to personally lead military operations against armed groups in central South Sudan if gunmen continue to attack civilians along a key road. Kiir said Thursday that he would go to Yei River state to plan military operations if the gunmen do not stop shooting at civilians traveling on the Juba-Yei road. He made the remarks while speaking to members of his party during an event in the capital, Juba. Kiir said he is running out of patience with groups trying to topple his government. If his opponents do not pull gunmen off the road, he said, "I will relocate to go and stay in Yei, and all the operations that will go out will go under my directives and my supervision." Kiir's remarks come on the heels of fresh fighting between government and opposition forces in parts of Yei River state. Last week, government and U.N. officials condemned killings believed to be ethnically motivated along the Juba-Yei road, as well as other attacks on the Juba-Torit and Juba-Nimule roads. Kiir acknowledged that the South Sudan army is dominated by his own ethnic group. "The new slogan which people are now singing is that this army has become a tribal army," he said. "Why is it composed of Dinka? But where will I get people from if the people of Equatoria [region] have refused to join the army and Riek Machar has rebelled with his Nuer people? So where will I get other nationalities from?" Despite the road attacks and the fighting between South Sudanese government and opposition forces in parts of the country, the president says he is still committed to restoring peace in South Sudan. Festus Mogae, the head of the Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission, which oversees implementation of the 2015 peace agreement, condemned the fighting between government and opposition forces while conducting the first meeting of JMEC in Juba since deadly fighting broke out in July. Mogae warned that unless the peace agreement is implemented, violence could escalate. "We have said that the agreement is alive because we are not giving up on the peace, because there is no option anyway," Mogae said Wednesday. Mogae urged the Transitional Government of National Unity to include all political groups as it implements the peace agreement. Government spokesman Michael Makuei said it is wrong for people to think there will be no peace in the country without former First Vice President Machar and his allies Lam Akol and Pagan Amum. No single leader or group, he said, has control over the agreement. "There is no question of us negotiating a new agreement with anybody who has taken up arms, Makuei said. We are here to negotiate to bring everybody into this agreement so that we move together in its implementation." The clash between Republicans and Democrats began even before the start of Wednesday's final presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 built a wall of taco trucks to protest the wall that Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to build along the U.S./Mexico border. We bring a lot of Tacos and we have the wall because Mr. Trump has been insulting the immigrants in this country. He doesnt understand this country has been built by immigrants. He needs to understand the wall is not a wall for separation. Its a wall for unity for us, said the unions Geoconda Arguello Kline. The union has been encouraging Las Vegas residents to vote for Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton. Angry immigrants As an immigrant he called me rapist, he called me drug addict, criminal. Im not happy. Because Im a single mother. I raised my kids in this country. My daughter is in the Navy. My granddaughter is in the Air Force. Were very proud to be in Americas, said union member Carmen Llarull. In the midst of the protest, a small handful of Trump supporters decided to make their voices heard, while being followed by loud Clinton supporters to drown out the supporters of Trump. Im trying to make a comment but I have bird-doggers making all sorts of noise behind me intentionally, said Tian Wang, founder of Chinese Americans for Trump. Immigrants for Trump A Chinese immigrant, Wang said there are six thousand members within his group, and they are voting against Hillary Clinton. Trumps core vales are more in line with Republican values, which are kind of in line with Chinese American values. We treasure education. We care about security. We dont want to get shot by terrorist people. Obama has failed to protect us from ISIS. Hes the only candidate who isnt bought by Wall Street, by corporations by super PACS. He is a candidate by and for the people, said Nestor Moto Jr., another Trump supporter at the anti-Trump rally. A few kilometers away, Clinton and Trump supporters rallied outside on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where the debate was being held. The presidential candidates inside the debate hall make one last effort to sway undecided voters. Rigged election? One topic that kept coming up in the Spin Room after the debate was Trumps comment that he doesnt know if hell concede if Clinton wins the election. Theres been a constant barrage of things that are inappropriate as it relates to some of our electoral process across our state. Dead people being registered, people voting that should not be voting, so I think it calls into question. And this is an American voting process not a party process. If theres something that have the appearance of impropriety I think its a fair question to challenge that, said Bruce Levell, Executive Director of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. Clinton supporters however, were outraged by the suggestion that the election is rigged. That was the worst things Ive ever heard as an American citizen in my life. If youre a presidential candidate and you dont trust the outcome, if you dont believe in American democracy? Why are you running for president, asked Clinton supporter and entrepreneur Mark Cuban. Who won the debate? As to who won the final round of the debate? Answers are complete opposites in the spin room. I thought she crushed him, Cuban said of Clinton. Donald J. Trump, absolutely, hands down, said Levell. Voters will make the final judgment in November. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump further extended his campaign narrative that the election process is rigged against him by refusing at Wednesday's final debate to say that he will accept the results of the November 8 vote. "I will look at it at the time," Trump said. He added that he believes the media has "poisoned" the minds of voters against him and that his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, should never have been allowed to run. Richard Herrera, an associate professor at Arizona State University's School of Politics and Global Studies, said Trump's statement is "unprecedented" for a major party nominee and could be a turnoff for voters who are still undecided. "Thats questioning the legitimacy of our own political system, which I dont think people buy into," Herrera told VOA. "They may not like government so much, and trust in government is low at this point, but they dont really question that when they vote its not going to matter. Current lawmakers, including some Republicans, strongly criticized Trump's comments. After the debate, Clinton called Trump's refusal an effort to "blame someone else for where he is in the campaign." One of the most contentious sections of the debate featured Trump and Clinton sparring over Russia's espionage activities and accusations they are working to help Trump's campaign. "They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions, then they have given the information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting on the internet," Clinton said. "This has come from the highest levels of the Russian government, clearly from [President Vladimir] Putin himself, in an effort, as 17 of our intelligence agencies have confirmed, to influence our election." Trump said he does not know Putin and reiterated his stance that better U.S.-Russian relations would be good. He added that Putin has "no respect" for Clinton or President Barack Obama. Herrera said there is a long history of Americans being wary of Russia and that there remains an uncomfortable feeling about being too friendly with the Russians. He said Trump is not likely to gain support by saying the source of the hacks remains unknown and suggesting such cyber attacks against Clinton would be a good thing. "For voters for whom that matters, our relationship with Russia as well as Russian influences, they would not gravitate toward his views," Herrera said. Shirley Warshaw, a professor of political science at Gettysburg College, said Clinton has been annoyed by the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails and those from her own campaign, and that if Republicans had instead been the victims "they would be beside themselves." The United States government has said very clearly that this was done by a foreign power, particularly the Russians, and Mr. Trump denied it," she told VOA. Warshaw also said there was nothing new in terms of policy in this debate, which meant it did not change anyone's mind. "This is campaign rhetoric that theyve both been out on the campaign trail saying it over and over again, and essentially what both of them had was the same stump speech that theyve been giving day in and day out," she said. "If you took each of them off the debate they could easily have been giving a speech somewhere." Trump called Clinton's tax plan a "disaster" that would potentially double people's taxes, while she said he would add to the national debt by advocating for the largest tax cuts the country has ever seen. On the Supreme Court, Clinton said she would appoint judges who protect marriage equality and a woman's right to an abortion, while Trump said he wants judges who would overturn abortion rights and protect those involving guns. The candidates also sparred about Clinton's record as a senator and secretary of state, something she says gives her the experience to be president while he has criticized her as contributing to failing policies and helping spawn the Islamic State militant group. "On the day when I was in the Situation Room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice," Clinton said. Trump, during his response, said, "I say the one thing you have over me is experience, but it's bad experience because what you've done has turned out badly." The Republican focused part of that critique on the situation in Iraq, where government and Kurdish forces are engaged in an operation to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State. Trump said that effort would not have been necessary if the United States had not withdrawn its forces, which happened when Clinton was a part of the Obama administration. "All she had to do was stay there, now we're going in to get it," Trump said. He added that Iraqi neighbor Iran would be the beneficiary if Mosul is recaptured. Clinton said she is encouraged by the Mosul offensive, which includes some U.S. military advisors, but that she does not support deploying U.S. soldiers to Iraq as an occupying force. The fight against Islamic State extends into Syria, which has also been engulfed in a civil war for more than five years. Clinton said Syria will be a "hotbed of terrorism" as long as there is a civil war aided by Iran and Russia, and reiterated her calls for measures to protect Syrian civilians. "I'm going to continue to push for a no-fly zone and safe havens within Syria, not only to help protect the Syrians and prevent the constant outflow of refugees, but to frankly gain some leverage on the Syrian government and the Russians so that perhaps we can have the kind of serious negotiation necessary to bring the conflict to an end and go forward on a political track," she said. Trump further criticized U.S. support for rebels who oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying the U.S. does not know who they are. "When and if -- and it's not going to happen because you have Russia and you have Iran -- but if they ever did overthrow Assad, you might end up with, as bad as Assad is, and he's a bad guy, but you may very well end up with worse than Assad," he said. On immigration, Clinton said she supports offering a path to citizenship for those who are currently in the country illegally and would prioritize enforcement action against those who commit crimes. Trump called Clinton's policies amnesty and said they are unfair to those who are waiting to gain entry through legal means. "We have millions of people that did it the right way," he said. "They're on line, they're waiting." Trump has also stated a priority of going after criminals for deportation, but Clinton criticized his statements during the campaign that anyone who is in the United States illegally would be subject to deportation. "I think that's an idea that is not in keeping with who we are as a nation," Clinton said. "I think it's an idea that would rip our country apart." Watch the full debate: President Barack Obama says Republican candidate Donald Trump's insistence that the November 8 election is rigged against him is "no laughing matter." Campaigning for Democrat Hillary Clinton in Miami on Thursday, Obama said Trump's shifting stance on whether he will accept American voters' verdict on the presidential race next month was "dangerous" for democracy. Trump's latest position, which he enunciated Thursday, apparently in jest to fervent supporters, was to say he absolutely would accept the outcome of the election, as long as it showed he was the winner. WATCH: Trump on election results at Ohio rally During the final presidential candidates' debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Trump declined to pledge he would accept the election results, instead saying he wanted to keep the country "in suspense." The candidate's statement conflicted with promises made just hours earlier by his vice presidential running mate, senior officials of his campaign, and his daughter and close adviser, Ivanka Trump. WATCH: Obama speaks out on Trump "When you try to sow the seeds of doubt in people's minds about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy," the president said in Florida. "Then you're doing the work of our adversaries for them." Obama tore into Trump for claiming he knew there would be widespread voter fraud and that the election would be rigged, without presenting any evidence essentially hinting he might not concede the defeat that almost all national public opinion polls predict is awaiting him. The president also belittled Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. Rubio was denounced repeatedly by Trump in humiliating terms before he dropped out of the race, yet he later supported Trump and has continued to do so despite the controversy this month over Trump's lewd comments about women and allegations by more than a dozen women that they were victims of Trump's misconduct. Rubio became better known during the campaign as a target for Trump's scorn than for his platform, with Trump calling the younger man "Little Marco." "Come on, man," Obama said in a remark aimed at Rubio, who was not present, chiding the senator for declining to turn away from Trump. WATCH: Trump tells Wallace he'll decide after election whether to accept results The Republican standard-brearer, a first-time candidate who previously was better known as a real estate magnate and television personality, stunned the nation and left moderator Chris Wallace speechless when he refused to say during Wednesday night's debate whether he would accept the November 8 election results. "I will look at it at the time," Trump said. When Wallace pressed the issue, asking whether he would accept a Clinton win, Trump replied, "I will keep you in suspense." Campaigning Thursday in Ohio, Trump said he would "totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election, if I win." Later, he modified his position slightly, saying: "I will accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest and file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." A loser of a presidential election is expected to graciously concede defeat and congratulate his opponent an American political tradition begun more than 200 years ago even when vote results are extremely close. WATCH: Biden on Trump's 'rigged' election comments In 2000, perhaps the closest U.S. presidential vote ever, it took 34 days, many recounted ballots and a legal battle that extended to the nation's highest court before it was decided that Republican George W. Bush had defeated Democrat Al Gore, who was former President Bill Clinton's vice president. Despite weeks of exceptional political tension, Gore conceded defeat to Bush cordially and told his campaign workers and supporters to accept the results of the election. Election fraud has been extremely rare in U.S. politics in modern times. A study by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Justin Levitt of voting between 2000 and 2014, a period when more than a billion ballots were cast by American voters, shows there were just 31 individual cases of voter fraud of someone trying to impersonate an absent voter in order to cast a fraudulent ballot. Turkey claimed Thursday to have killed dozens Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters in airstrikes. The YPG is backed by the United States, but viewed as a terrorist group by Ankara. The news of the attacks comes ahead of a planned visit to Ankara by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter. The Turkish military says its air force launched 26 strikes on 18 targets, killing as many as 200 Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters. If confirmed, it would be the deadliest attack on the YPG by Turkish forces, although the militia claims only 10 of its fighters were killed. The United States sees the YPG as a key ally in the war against Islamic State terrorism. Ankara accuses the Syrian Kurds of being a terrorist organization linked to the Turkish Kurd PKK, which is fighting the Turkish state. Turkish political columnist Semih Idiz of the Al Monitor website says the airstrikes carry a powerful message. I think it is a message, which indicates Turkey will do what it will do regardless of what others feel, and that may include America. They (Washington) will not be too happy about seeing one of their prime allies on the ground being bombed in this way by Turkey. So it will create waves, I personally think, and perhaps that is what is meant to do, Idiz said. Defense Secretary Carter is due in Ankara for talks Friday. He is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss Syria and the ongoing offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State. Erdogan on offensive On Wednesday, Erdogan underlined a new, more robust foreign policy. He said from now on, Turkey will not wait for problems to come knocking, will not wait "until the blade is against our bone and skin, will not wait for terrorist organizations to attack." Erdogan warned Turkish forces that entered Syria in August to target Islamic State will increasingly target the YPG. Turkey accuses the YPG of seeking to create an independent state, which it fears would stir secessionist demands from its own restive Kurdish minority. Thursdays airstrikes are believed to be an attempt to stop YPG advances to capture the Islamic State-held town of al-Bab, which Turkish forces are also targeting. During his Ankara visit, Carter is expected to seek to avoid a full-scale confrontation between Turkish and Syrian Kurdish forces. But columnist Idiz says Erdogans likely priority is to secure U.S. support to overcome Baghdad's objections to Turkish forces participation in the battle to recapture the city of Mosul from IS. Turks will be looking to him to make some kind of statement about Turkish participation in this operation, and how it will be very vital, and how it will be very important. But Pentagon officials are saying no such agreement has been reached yet. Idiz warns while Turkey is a NATO member, relations with Washington are at one of their lowest ebbs. But observers say Carter is aware Turkey, with its large military airbases, remains a key ally in the war on Islamic State. Britain will pardon thousands of men previously convicted for homosexuality under the new so-called Turing Law, named for Alan Turing, a well-known, gay British mathematician who helped crack the German Enigma code during World War II. Under the plan announced Thursday, the government would pardon anyone who was previously convicted of consensual sex acts with a member of the same gender. Those who are still alive can apply to have their records expunged through the disregard process. Those who have already died will receive an automatic posthumous pardon. England and Wales decriminalized homosexual sex between men over the age of 21 in 1967. Scotland changed its law in 1980 and Northern Ireland did the same in 1982. "It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offenses who would be innocent of any crime today," Justice Minister Sam Gyimah said in a statement. "Through pardons and the existing disregard process we will meet our manifesto commitment to put right these wrongs." Turing, who played a major role in the cracking of Nazi Germanys Enigma code during World War II, was convicted of indecency in 1952 for his homosexuality. He was stripped of his security clearance and committed suicide two years later. He was officially pardoned in 2013 by Queen Elizabeth. A new United Nations report argues that investing in the education, health and well-being of 10-year-old girls will pay huge economic and developmental dividends for societies worldwide. Globally, boys tend to be favored over girls. This is particularly true in the developing world where data show discrimination against girls deprives them of an education and makes them vulnerable to harmful practices. The newly released State of World Population 2016 report finds more than half of the worlds 65 million 10-year-old girls live in the 48 countries with the worst gender inequality. It says these girls are less likely than boys to get an education, and many are subject to forced marriage, child labor, and female genital mutilation. The director of the U.N. Population Funds Program Division, Ramiz Alakbarov, says 10 is a pivotal age for girls everywhere, as puberty approaches. He says a girl who goes through puberty is seen as a commodity that may be bought, sold or traded. For millions of girls, the arrival of puberty marks the beginning of a lifetime of poverty, powerlessness, and missed opportunities. Every day, the doors for the future of these girls are closed because their lives are being stopped from developing in the natural way and they are taken into a different direction, he said. Alakbarov told VOA half of the worlds 10-year-old girls live in the populous Asian-Pacific region, followed by sub-Saharan Africa. He said societies in both these regions lose out by pulling girls out of school and expecting them to bear children at an early age. India alone loses $56 billion a year in potential earnings because of adolescent pregnancy, high secondary school dropout rate and joblessness among young women In sub-Saharan Africa, we have 55 percent of the worlds out-of-school children and 52 percent of out-of-school adolescents. I would like to mention another fact that eliminating child marriage in Niger alone could bring a total economic benefit and development benefit estimated at $25 billion from 2014 to 2030, Alakbarov said. The U.N. report says developing countries that allow their girls to complete their secondary education will earn an economic dividend of $21 billion every year. Despite holding key positions in two different political parties, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav have many similarities. Both are products of dynasty politics and both are trying to break free from similar shackles within the party. By Prabhash K Dutta: Samajwadi Party is a divided house today. UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has made his intentions clear that he will take on the old guards just like Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is doing within the grand old party. Incidentally, the two young leaders have come up the order through dynasty politics. By announcing his solo rath yatra just from November 3, two days ahead of the silver jubilee celebrations of the party, Akhilesh seems to have almost declared war on the old guards of the Samajwadi Party. advertisement After Akhilesh decided to launch his separate election campaign, SP MLC Udayveer Singh made it awkward for the old guards by shooting off a letter to party president Mulayam Singh Yadav asking him to pave the way for a generational shift in leadership within the party. READ| SP on verge of split? Akhilesh to start UP campaign with Rath Yatra, likely to miss party's silver jubilee celebration Udayveer Singh demanded that Akhilesh be made national president of the Samajwadi Party. It's a war between Akhilesh and company on one hand and the old guards nurtured by Mulayam Singh on the other. SHIVPAL WANTS TO REMOTE CONTROL AKHILESH? Only a couple of weeks ago, Mulayam Singh laboured hard to broker a peace between his brother Shivpal Yadav and son Akhilesh. The two have sparred over several key issues within the party. Shivpal wanted DP Yadav in party, Akhilesh stood in the way. Shivpal wanted Amar Singh back in the party. Akhilesh opposed it but had to give in. Shivpal wanted a merger of Quami Ekta Dal of UP muscleman Mukhtar Ansari with the SP. Akhilesh opposed it tooth and nail. But, Mulayam Singh seems to be siding with his brother, thus putting himself in the opposition camp. READ| Has Mulayam lost confidence in Akhilesh as UP CM? All this while Shivpal publicly maintained that Akhilesh was the SP leader and face of the government in UP. Clearly, he along with Azam Khan had tried to remote control the chief minister, who is fighting hard to emerge as a leader on his own. Akhilesh's fight within SP has uncanny similarities with that of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi within his party. ALSO WATCH: THE RAHUL SYNDROME What Akhilesh is facing today in SP, Rahul Gandhi has been battling for few years. It was Rahul, who held elections within the NSUI in order to make it transparent. He tried to replicate this at the senior level, when the old guard got apprehensive. Rahul Gandhi wanted a regular meeting the Congress Working Committee, the supreme decision-making body of the party. Rahul got support from senior party leader P Chidambaram, who also suggested that a proper mechanism should be there for the party president. advertisement The old guards then drew the battlelines against Rahul within the party, stalling his reform process by refusing to co-operate. Rahul retaliated, sometimes with aggression. He still seems to be fighting the battle but with Congress out of power, the party vice-president is showing signs of emergence from the cocoon built by the old guards for him. READ| Not so happy families WILL THEY EMERGE VICTORIOUS? Rahul faced non-cooperation when he started to talk of reforming the Congress and challenging the system created by it. He criticised the Congress old guard for ignoring the poor and the farmers. This policy showed him as champion of the poor within the Congress, when he enforced implementation of MNREGA in all the districts when the government wanted to launch it as pilot project. He took on the old guards once again when he tore up the ordinance aimed at negating the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers. READ| India Today-Axis Opinion Poll for Uttar Pradesh: BJP dream run to continue, but a hung Assembly likely Akhilesh, on the other hand, was publicly rapped by Mulayam Singh Yadav after the humiliating performance of SP in the Lok Sabha elections. Mualayam admonished the UP CM for emphasising computer education by distributing laptops, which he blamed for party's poor show in the elections. advertisement But, now Akhilesh seems to have a taken a leaf from Rahul Gandhi's book. He did not withdraw. IN fact, he launched a counter-attack on the old guard. He is understood to have even threatened to leave the party early this week before he was pacified to have his way. There are chances that he would skip the silver jubilee celebrations of the party, where the old guards want to showcase their power. But, the question is, will he? ALSO READ: Samajwadi Party will suffer in UP election if rift continues, says Imam Bukhari SamajWarring Party: A timeline of how Mulayam's clan sunk deep into crisis --- ENDS --- A cease-fire brokered by the United Nations went into effect in war-ravaged Yemen late Wednesday. The U.N. hopes the break will allow humanitarian workers to deliver badly needed aid and pave the way for peace talks. It's set to last "an initial period of 72 hours" but can be renewed. The deal followed days of military escalation in northern Yemen, where Saudi-backed rebel forces accelerated their push into the Houthi stronghold of Saada. The war in Yemen began in 2014 when Shi'ite rebels known as Houthis based in the north seized the capital, Sana'a, and later swept across much of the poor Arabian Peninsula country. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched a campaign of airstrikes against the rebels. This is the sixth attempt to end the bloodshed. The U.N. estimates that 4,000 civilians have been killed since the war escalated in March 2015 the majority of those by Saudi-led airstrikes. "We ask the parties to take all steps necessary to advance the implementation of this cessation, call on them to sustain it, and strongly encourage its unconditional renewal," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said. "We note again that peaceful resolution of this conflict requires compromises and commitments by everyone." A U.S. service member was killed by a bomb blast north of Mosul, a military official tells VOA. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the service member was assisting members of the Kurdish peshmerga as part of the U.S. advise-and-assist mission to retake Mosul from Islamic State fighters. Another U.S. military official told VOA the service member was killed loosely in the vicinity of Mosul, without elaborating. Defense and military officials say he was in a vehicle when an improvised explosive device blew up. The troop was evacuated from the area and died of wounds sustained in the blast. U.S. Central Command, which overseas American operations in the Middle East, announced the death in a statement Thursday. On October 20, 2016, a U.S. service member died from wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device blast in northern Iraq, it read. The announcement of the death comes a day after Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the U.S. ground commander in Iraq, said U.S. advisers accompanying Iraqi Security Forces, Iraqi Counterterrorism commandos and Kurdish peshmerga were operating behind the forward line of troops. A U.S. military official told VOA the service member was back from the forward line of contact when the bomb went off. Floods, drought, frost and hail cut into world wine production this year across Europe and South America, but the quality of the 2016 vintage shouldnt unduly suffer. Italy remains the worlds top producer for the second straight year, with a volume of 48.8 million hectoliters, according to figures released Thursday by the International Organization of Vine and Wine. Next come France, hit hard by spring floods and summer drought, and Spain. Overall global production fell 5 percent from 2015 levels to 259 million hectoliters, one of the weakest levels of the past 20 years. U.S. wine-making grew 2 percent to 22.5 million hectoliters, while Argentina, Chile and South Africa saw big drops. Lower production could push up prices, but the bad weather may not have hurt the quality. Overall, the 2016 harvest is on a par with previous harvests and the quality was good across the board, said Thierry Coste of the wine division of EU farm federation Copa & Cogeca in a statement. Italian, French and Spanish exports surged this year, according to Copa & Cogeca. The group also released figures this week that were in line with the trends by the International Organization for Vine and Wine, a group representing 46 wine-producing countries. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump indicated Thursday he would conditionally accept the result of the November 8 election. "I will accept a clear election result, but I will also reserve my right to contest and file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result," Trump told supporters at a campaign event in Delaware, Ohio. Trump initially said Thursday he would totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election, if I win, but later clarified his position that he would do so by reserving the right to challenge them. WATCH: Trump on election results at Ohio rally Non-committal during debate Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton are ramping up for the final stretch of a contentious U.S. presidential campaign season one day after Trump reinforced his narrative that the election process is rigged by refusing to say he would accept the results of the vote. "I will look at it at the time," Trump said Wednesday night during the last of three presidential debates with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the western U.S. city of Las Vegas, Nevada. He added that he believes the media has "poisoned" the minds of voters against him and that his opponent, Clinton, should never have been allowed to run. WATCH: Trump on whether he'll accept election results After the debate, Clinton called Trump's refusal an effort to "blame someone else for where he is in the campaign." VOA spoke to Donald Trump Jr. after last night's debate in Las Vegas, Nevada where he praised his father's performance, and responded to a question about the candidate's reluctance to commit to accepting the election results, saying "all we want is a fair fight". WATCH: Donald Trump Jr. on his father's election results stance Post-debate campaigning The Clinton campaign has hit the ground running the day after the debate, dispatching a team of influential surrogates to several battleground states. At a campaign rally for Clinton in New Hampshire Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden slammed Donald Trump's allegations that the U.S. election might be "rigged" and fraught with fraud, saying his stance threatens the democratic process. WATCH: Biden on Trump's 'rigged' election comments President Barack Obama will make a campaign appearance Thursday afternoon in Florida, which has 29 electoral votes up for grabs, more than any other battleground state. First Lady Michelle Obama will attend a campaign rally on Clintons behalf in the key state of Arizona, while Vice President Joe Biden hopes to extend Clintons narrow lead in New Hampshire with an appearance in the city of Nashua. Clinton running mate Tim Kaine will spend Thursday attending two campaign events in the battleground state of North Carolina. Criticism of 'rigged' election allegation Richard Herrera, an associate professor at Arizona State University's School of Politics and Global Studies, said Trump's statement about the election results is "unprecedented" for a major party nominee and could be a turnoff for voters who are still undecided. "Thats questioning the legitimacy of our own political system, which I dont think people buy into," Herrera told VOA. "They may not like government so much, and trust in government is low at this point, but they dont really question that when they vote its not going to matter. Despite Trumps allegations of a rigged election process, instances of election fraud in the U.S. are uncommon. For example, in a comprehensive study conducted by former Loyola Law School Professor Justin Levitt, now a Deputy Assistant Attorney General, 31 cases of voter fraud were found between 2000 and 2014, a period during which more than one billion ballots were cast. Russian espionage One of the most contentious sections of the debate featured Trump and Clinton sparring over Russia's espionage activities and accusations they are working to help Trump's campaign. "They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions, then they have given the information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting on the internet," Clinton said. "This has come from the highest levels of the Russian government, clearly from [President Vladimir] Putin himself, in an effort, as 17 of our intelligence agencies have confirmed, to influence our election." WATCH: Clinton on Russian influence Trump said he does not know Putin and reiterated his stance that better U.S.-Russian relations would be beneficial to the U.S. He added that Putin has "no respect" for Clinton or President Barack Obama. Herrera said there is a long history of Americans being wary of Russia and that there remains an uncomfortable feeling about being too friendly with the Russians. He said Trump is not likely to gain support by saying the source of the hacks remains unknown and suggesting such cyber-attacks against Clinton would be a good thing. "For voters for whom that matters, our relationship with Russia as well as Russian influences, they would not gravitate toward his views," Herrera said. Shirley Warshaw, a professor of political science at Gettysburg College, said Clinton has been annoyed by the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails and those from her own campaign, and that if Republicans had instead been the victims "they would be beside themselves." The United States government has said very clearly that this was done by a foreign power, particularly the Russians, and Mr. Trump denied it," she told VOA. Warshaw also said there was nothing new in terms of policy in this debate, which meant it did not change anyone's mind. "This is campaign rhetoric that theyve both been out on the campaign trail saying it over and over again, and essentially what both of them had was the same stump speech that theyve been giving day in and day out," she said. "If you took each of them off the debate they could easily have been giving a speech somewhere." Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa says President Robert Mugabes ruling party and government will severely punish white people who have a regime change agenda. Speaking at Ngoni Stadium in Norton, north-west of Harare, on Thursday where he was campaigning for a party candidate contesting a local parliamentary by-election, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe will never be a colony again and any returning white person who will cause friction in the country will be killed. He thanked members of the Zanu PF Youth League for having the zest that once gripped veteran politicians noting that they are ready to fight opponents to the bitter end. At the same time, Mnangagwa urged people in Norton to vote peacefully in the by-election, pitting former Zanu PF provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West, Themba Mliswa, with Zanu PFs Ronald Chindedza and National Constitutional Assembly candidate, David Choga. Zanu PF political commissar Savior Kasukuwere also mocked the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai of being a party of cowards who are afraid of elections but are supporting independent candidate Mliswa. There have been skirmishes between Zanu PF activists and supporters of independent candidate Mliswa. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. As a stadium-class pop act with roots in musical theater and performance art, Lady Gaga does not deal in subtleties. Gesture to the nosebleeds, and you reach everyone in the room. If the wide-brimmed pink hat she wears on the cover of her new album, and the choice to use her real middle name, Joanne, for its title didnt hint at a stripped-down affair, a Bud Lightsponsored promotional stop in a Nashville dive bar ought to have done so. As Gaga took the stage at Music City watering hole the 5 Spot in a black-and-gold sequined onesie and matching cowboy hat, acoustic guitar in tow, it became clear that Joanne was to be her country album. The question was whether she could nail the pivot without alienating her base or making a mockery of modern country. The war between what Joanne wants to be and what it needs to be is a constant. It wants to be and frequently is a clever post-Shania amalgam of country grit, dance-pop gloss, and folk balladry. Upbeat cuts like A-YO! and John Wayne trade synths for guitars (provided on the latter by Queens of the Stone Ages Josh Homme) without sacrificing the hooks. Elsewhere Joanne and Million Reasons slide even further into the country gambit, scaling back percussion and nudging Gagas vocals to gutting depth over faintly strummed guitars. Gagas comfort with the country material here makes Joannes more deliberately streamlined bits jut out like commercial concessions. Perfect Illusion is a fun sing-along, but it feels like a bone tossed to Gagas faithful Little Monsters next to Million Reasons and Sinners Prayer, the biggest left-field bids for country-radio airplay since Beyonces Daddy Lessons. In addition to a sly nod to Neil Youngs vocals on Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Youngs Ohio, opener Diamond Heart is a rowdy callback to the glow-stick Springsteen thrust of 2011s Born This Way. It sits at cross purposes with the mellower songs that follow, like a superhero movie trailer played ahead of a romantic comedy. Gaga shouldnt have had to reference familiar sounds to just to appease old fans 2016 has seen its share of risky, take-it-or-leave-it releases from major artists, and Joanne might have benefited from some of the same fearlessness. But theres also some wisdom in stashing catchy little insurance policies throughout an album reckless enough to push a string of pop-country jams on the EDM kids. Its tough to imagine a country crowd accepting cliched touches like the Marlboro fixation of A-YO! or the beer-swilling lovers of John Wayne without gripes about outsiders dressing up in their culture. On paper, Joanne is a Nashville subplot come to life: Starlet in need of inspiration finds it on Music Row. In a perfect world, suspicions of Gagas intent in going country would disintegrate on the strength of her voice. Every line of Joanne sounds both carefully planned out and a blast to sing. The high lonesome open of Diamond Heart explodes into crystalline clarity just in time to ring in the albums first chorus. A-YO! is full of breathtaking gymnastics, but Joanne runs wan and wavery to match the questioning aimlessness of the lyric. Even if you find the new music challenging or confusing, Gaga makes sure you feel it. As a case study in incongruities pop-country versus EDM, brash theatricality versus quiet introspection Joanne is fascinating, if occasionally frustrating. Co-producers Mark Ronson and BloodPop buttress each others strengths, Ronsons ear for classic soul, funk, and rock mixes well with BloodPops modernist touch. Both are observant of the mechanics of mainstream country here, but not beholden to them; Gaga resisted the urge to splurge on Nashville producers, which helps keep Joanne limber and free. Grumps wholl listen to this album and cry bro-country are devaluing the confident, fluid sexuality of these songs. (The self-love of Dancin in Circles and the lustful Florence Welch duet Hey Girl alone make dirt-road cruises and truck-cab tailgates seem like middle-school romance.) It also ignores the titanic reach of country-pop singularity moments like Shanias Come on Over and Taylor Swifts Red, and credits the precedent for Joanne to a bunch of dudes. Like both of those albums, Joanne is divisive by dint of its sheer audacity, but so fun when it gels that we should all get over ourselves and let it happen. By PTI: Ansari said that Algeria had faced terrorism in the past Ansari said that Algeria had faced terrorism in the past and it was ended after years of efforts and at a great cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. "There was not a single family who did not lose any of its member due to terror in Algeria," he said. advertisement The Vice Presidents visit to the two countries came after a long gap - the last political visit to Hungary was of the then President Shankar Dayal Sharmas in 1993 while a senior political functionary had visited Algeria in 1985. "Political visits to the two countries were lacking and the trip was undertaken to reconnect the old ties. There were substantive discussions on various issues. It was a very satisfactory visit," he told reporters accompanying him. Ansari said that two agreements, including one on water management, were signed with Hungary while there was a key meeting on the possibility of setting up a joint venture fertilisers plant by Algeria and India in the north African country. The meeting was held between Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Mansukh L Mandaviya, who was accompanying Ansari, and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb. 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. "The fertiliser plant is linked to our efforts for food security," Ansari said. The Vice President said there was substantive discussions on future cooperation in the sectors like phosphate, fertilisers, defence and security, peaceful use of nuclear energy and space. During his discussions with Hungarys President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other top leadership, both the countries favoured elimination of the menace of terrorism and sought a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat. The Hungarian Prime Minister had said his country has set up a working group on technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence production for mutual benefits. During his two-day visit to Algeria, Ansari had wide ranging discussions with Algerias President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister 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. PTI ACB PMS --- ENDS --- advertisement The most recent movie in Foxs X-Men cinematic universe, Mays X-Men: Apocalypse, presented us with a franchise that felt troublingly aimless. It was filled with halfhearted performances from leads who probably regret signing three-picture deals six years ago, near incomprehensible action set pieces, and Oscar Isaac walking around like an anthropomorphic dishwasher auditioning for the Blue Man Group. Luckily, the next X-installment looks decidedly more focused. Next Marchs James Mangolddirected Logan will be a character piece focused on an aged version of Hugh Jackmans Wolverine (Logan being the moniker he went by for decades after a bout of amnesia made him lose his birth name) as he wanders some kind of dystopian hellscape with two unlikely companions. The first trailer for it dropped today, and its as grim as it is promising. Lets examine it fastidiously and see what we can suss out from 108 seconds of Johnny Cashscored promotional footage. Before we go any further, we should talk about the comic-book source material, because it plays a recurring role. The movie is going to take significant cues from a famous Wolverine story line published in the late aughts entitled Old Man Logan, written by Foxs Marvel-movie adviser, Scotsman Mark Millar. The comics envisioned a world where baddie Mysterio trapped Wolvie in an illusion that made him think his fellow X-Men were supervillains, leading him to slash them all to death. Once the facade fell away, he was stunned by his grief and regret and attempted to give up fighting forever. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox We start out with the titular growlers bloodied hand a-twitching next to his casually untucked denim button-down. As well see near the trailers end, hes out in the woods with a young companion here, doing something oh-so-terribly sad, though were not sure what. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox The movie will largely take place in the near future, after some kind of disaster has befallen the world in general and mutants, in particular. Here we see our dude chilling in what looks like a desert of the American West (which is where Old Man Logan began, as well), or perhaps Mexico (stay tuned for a hint about that). Hes next to a long-ago fallen water tower, and that structure plays a big role in the rest of the trailer. Are those bullet holes, perchance? Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Again, we get Logan in the woods (you can tell its him due to the brief little silhouette of his claws). This is a visual cribbed directly from that aforementioned flashback in Old Man Logan, wherein he runs away from the scene of his X-crime. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Nothin beats booze at a funeral, am I right? Not clear who died here, but the scene looks like it aint in the desert, so maybe this is another flashback? Voice-over reveals to us that the mutants are gone, somehow. Well, not totally gone, given that Wolvie, Xavier, and a little baby mutant appear to be around. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Who among us hasnt felt regret in the bathroom? Our grizzled protagonist gazes at himself in the mirror in a truly filthy privy, his hands stained with blood, and the exit wounds of his claws disgustingly visible. Maybe this comes after he gives up on his pacifism and kills some people for the first time in years? Photo: Twentieth Century Fox We seem to be back at the water tower, this time in its interior. Poor old Charles Xavier, erstwhile leader of the X-Men, lies in a stolen hospital bed. The visual of a capacious, circular chamber dotted by little spots of light gives the place the look of a bargain-basement version the high-tech Cerebro technology Professor X used back in the day to detect mutants. Hard luck there, Chuck. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Me before Ive had my coffee in the morning! Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Our first glimpse of Wolverine and Xaviers co-star, a youngun known in the comics as X-23 (played here by newcomer Dafne Keen). In those pages (and in the X-Men: Evolution cartoon in which she debuted), shes a female clone of Wolvie, and Charless voice-over in the trailer suggests some kind of relationship between the kid and the bearded wonder, though we dont know if its a clone thing or a daughter thing or what. Is she in some kind of homestead that Logan has kept up? Who knows! Good to see that the Kelloggs corporation is doing well in the dystopian economy, though. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox We get a good look at X-23, standing in front of what appears to be a telescope. Astronomy seems like a decent way to pass the time when the worlds gone to shit. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox A posse of bad hombres in black SUVs and jeeps heads down the dusty trail. Some of the vehicles look like they belong to the Mexican federales, but as well see later, they belong to a paramilitary group that is either working in coalition with that venerable law-enforcement group from south of the border, or has stolen their trucks. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox This swaddled gent is Caliban, an albino mutant who can track other mutants. We first saw an 80s incarnation of him in Apocalypse, played by Tomas Lemarquis. Here, hes played by Stephen Merchant, which sort of suggests that maybe this is a completely different character with the same name, or something? Then again, this is a franchise where Jennifer Lawrence and Rebecca Romijn are ostensibly playing the same person, somehow, so who the hell knows. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Roaaaaad triiiiiip! In Old Man Logan, Wolverines driving partner was actually Hawkeye, a.k.a. Clint Barton, but the longstanding cold war between Disney and Fox means the latter doesnt have access to Jeremy Renners cocky archer. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox As we saw in the opening montage of 2009s awful first Wolverine solo outing, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the title hunk has served in an array of wars over the past century and a half (his healing factor means he ages very, very slowly). These dog tags are a relic of one of em. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox I am so here for Xaviers retirement-home, suspenders-and-plaid chic. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Heres one of the villains of the film, Donald Pierce, played the ever-so-handsome Boyd Holbrook. Hes the lead enforcer of a brutal security organization known as the Reavers, and he has a bitchin cybernetic arm. In the comics, Donalds a human head and consciousness in a full-on cyborg frame, so we may be denied a view of Holbrooks sweet abs. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox I assume these are Reavers who are going after some bald guy. One might assume its Xavier, but as we see in a few seconds, it seems to be Caliban. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Logan carries his old mentor to his bed, which is very kind, given the latters whole paraplegic thing. Looks like Wolvies been taking care of the chrome-domed Brit all these years, as well as helping him grow what I hope is medical marijuana. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox The Reavers handcuff someone, most likely for torture purposes and not kinky group sex. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox The Reavers sport Mad Max realness. Note that one of them is in a Mexican police uniform, deepening our confusion about how the two groups fit together. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Still got it. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox What would a movie with Wolverine be without a beclawed shot of him lunging at a guy while wearing a stained wife-beater? Photo: Twentieth Century Fox And, hey, X-23s got some moves, too. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Were back at that sunlit Caliban torture scene. Maybe the Reavers are using him to track down Xavier, Wolverine, and the kid? Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Weirdly, Logan appears to be holding some kind of syringe here, though I could be mistaken. An antidote for a weed overdose, maybe? Dont do drugs, guys. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox A child leaps away from a muscleman and a guy in a white coat. It might be X-23, although this youngster doesnt have her long hair, so maybe she used to be kept in a lab where they kept her hair short and this is the scene where she escaped? Photo: Twentieth Century Fox The most mysterious image of the trailer is one we see for a half second: Who has the second pair of claws? Logan is blocking someone with his scratchers, but it sure looks like his opponent has some, too. Maybe this is a grown-up, evil clone from the facility where X-23 was made? Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Were back at the scene from the first shot, and its revealed that Wolverine wasnt alone during it. Hes holding what looks a hell of a lot like a shovel, and Ive got this gut feeling that he and X-23 are burying Xavier. The likelihood that that guy lasts the whole movie is basically zilch, right? The duo are seen here going full Leon: The Professional and I am so here for that, though hopefully theyll eschew that action classics supremely effed-up Lolita thing. Hey, this movie actually looks pretty good! Because Hollywood biopics frequently occur in pairs, after the Sundance hit Southside With You, which tells the tale of Michelle and Barack Obamas first date, we get another biopic of the president in his early years, simply titled Barry. The movie, starring newcomer Devon Terrell, follows a young Barack Obama as he moves to New York City to attend Columbia University. (Roar lion roar!) The movie is a Netflix original that will be available on December 16, when well still be grapping with our despair over the end of the Obama presidency. Dont go, Barry! All the way back in June, Selma Blair was at the center of an utterly bizarre incident. The actress was on a plane with her son returning from Mexico when she experienced an alarming kind of breakdown in which she reportedly started crying and saying, He burns my private parts. He wont let me eat or drink. He beats me. Hes going to kill me. She was taken off the plane on a stretcher, and had reportedly been mixing prescription medication with alcohol. Blair issued an apology the day after the strange scene and now shes gone on The Talk to explain what happened. She begins by calling herself someone who should never drink, but acknowledges she did that day, and then took some kind of medication that didnt belong to her. Someone gave me a pill that I thought was something that I had taken before, which I dont take on a regular basis, she told the hosts. It was something completely different. A very bad choice and I had a total psychotic black out. Blair says she is completely okay now, that she does not drink at all anymore, and seems pretty comfortable being candid about the whole situation. You can see her complete explanation in the video above. By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) Hinduja flagship firm Ashok Leyland today said it has bagged order worth USD 170 million (about Rs 1,140 crore) from Tanzania to supply vehicles, gensets and spares, among others. The order also includes supply of equipment for development of workshops, training modules and allied equipment to be fitted on ambulances, Ashok Leyland said in a BSE filing. "The new order from Tanzania, valued at USD 170 million, fast on the back of the USD 200 million by Cote DIvore also reiterates the market acceptance of Ashok Leylands products in the African region," Ashok Leyland Managing Director Vinod Dasari said. advertisement He further said export to key international markets is an essential part of the companys strategic intent to globalise its product and derisk itself from supplying only into India. The latest order is being financed fully by EXIM Bank of India under National Insurance Account (NEIA) scheme. Recently, the company had concluded the supply of 773 vehicles to Tanzania under Line of Credit from the Indian government. "Further, the company is executing another oder for supply of 777 vehicles to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Tanzania," the company said. PTI RKL VIJ ANU --- ENDS --- The Magnificent Seven may be the name on movie marquees these days, but in Bosque County its another seven artists and not actors that are being celebrated this month for bringing national attention to the countys art scene. The Bosque Seven, an informal nickname that stuck as a handy label, are seven artists whose work have won national attention over the last three decades. The artists Melvin Warren, James Boren, Martin Grelle, Bruce Greene, George Boutwell, Tony Eubanks and George Hallmark played a part in what became the Bosque Art Centers successful annual Bosque Art Classic, in its 31st year, and the state designation of the Clifton Cultural District. With seven nationally known artists, were not exactly a stop in the middle of the road, drily observed George Larson, director emeritus of the Bosque Museum in Clifton. While the Bosque Seven helped put Clifton and the county on the art map, all seven had never shown their work together. Until now, that is. This weekend the Bosque Museum opens The Bosque Seven: A Texas Treasure, the first joint show by the Bosque Seven and one for which the museum will open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the two-week run of the exhibit. Five of the seven continue to live and work in the county. Boren died in 1990 and Warren in 1995. Exhibit and reception chairman Charron Denker said the works on display were chosen by the artists or, in the case of Warren and Boren, their families. More than 40 paintings and a handful of sculptures make up the exhibit contained in three of the museums rooms. The artwork comes from private collections, with pieces largely unseen by the public. The Bosque Seven, in fact, will feature the public debut of a Boren painting, she noted. The Bosque Seven started with Warren, an artist trained in the European style during his studies at Texas Christian University in the late 1960s, said Larson. Warren persuaded Boren to retire to the county and set up a studio, which he did. Boren, in turn, served as mentor to Bosque County native Grelle, with Greene, Hallmark (the 1988 Texas State Artist), Boutwell (a former Texas Highways magazine art director) and Eubanks migrating to the area by the 1980s. In fun, they called themselves the Bosque Seven, said Larson, who sees a longtime dream of a Bosque County artist exhibition coming to fruition with the museum show. Four of the artists worked primarily with western themes and settings. Boren, Warren, Grelle and Greene are official members of the Cowboy Artists of America and their names often appear with a CA following to show that status. The others show a broader range of subjects, with Boutwell focusing on Texana, Hallmark including colonial Mexico and Eubanks ranging from cowboy life, landscapes, animals and Native American studies. Most of the seven work in oils although watercolor was Borens forte and Greene also crafted bronze studies of cowboys and their mounts. A champagne reception at 6 p.m. Friday kicks off the exhibit, which opens to the general public on Saturday. Tickets to the reception are $50 and available by calling 254-675-3845. The Mad Hasher University Parks Drive at Franklin Avenue / 254-299-7971 / madhasherwaco.com / On Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-midnight Thursdays-Saturdays. Price: $ (see guide) Takeout: Yes Alcohol: No On the menu: Breakfast hashes (basics of fried potatoes, meat and cheese, topped with fried eggs) with multiple optional toppings; and sandwiches (Cuban, two with breakfast sausage/ground sirloin patties, two jalapeno waffle sandwiches). Good to know: Vegetarian The Green Thumb hash is locally sourced. Candied bacon featured on some sandwiches. Waffle sandwiches have fillings of fried chicken and maple syrup or brisket with barbecue sauce. Restaurant origin: Owned by Jonya Williams of Rio Brazos Catering Company and opened by Williams and general manager Dean Covic in early September. Moroso Wood Fired Pizzeria 4700 Bosque Blvd. / 254-235-6000 / morosopizzeria.com / On Facebook, Instagram Hours: 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays, 5-10 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays. Price: $-$$ Takeout: Yes Alcohol: Yes On the menu: 13 types of Neapolitan pizza (dough from 00 flour, fresh yeast, sea salt and purified water; San Marzano tomatoes; cooked at very high temperature); appetizers including aranchini (fried ravioli balls), made-from-scratch meatballs, charcuterie board; salads; desserts including cannoli, risotta cheesecake and torta al cioccolato (flourless chocolate cake). Good to know: Tomatoes and flour are imported from Italy with Italian sausage custom-made in Texas. Pizza oven, dough mixer designed for neapolitan pizza. Many recipes are from owner Dan Morosos family. Restaurant origin: Dan Moroso trained in restaurant and hotel service before following a career as a television production and writer. He and his wife Robyn, a Baylor University graduate with family in Waco, moved to Waco after 17 years in Miami to set up their own restaurant with an emphasis on hand-crafted food and premium ingredients. Opened Sept. 1. Silos Baking Co. 601 Webster Ave. / 254-235-6111 / magnoliamarket.com/silos / On Facebook, Instagram Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Price: $ Takeout: No Alcohol: No On the menu: Eight flavors of cupcakes; cookies (chocolate-chip and chocolate-chip/peanut-butter-chip/walnut); cinnamon rolls (with and without pecans); biscuits (bacon/cheddar and orange/cranberry); almond pastry; and blueberry muffins. Drinks include milk, lemonades and water. Good to know: Some of the recipes are favorites of Magnolia Market co-owner/founder Joanna Gaines of HGTVs Fixer Upper. Several cupcakes carry Fixer Upper-inspired names, such as the Shiplap (vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream icing), Nuts & Bolts (vanilla cake with pecans and walnuts, cream cheese icing), Silobration (vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream icing) and Cup O Jo (chocolate cake with espresso buttercream icing). Restaurant origin: Located on the Magnolia Market grounds in the shadow of the twin silos. Opened June 29. The Provender Store 608 B Austin Ave. / 254-265-4327 / TheProvenderStore.com / On Facebook, Instagram Hours: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Price: $-$$ Takeout: Yes. Catering available. Alcohol: No On the menu: Organic delicatessen and bakery with locally sourced foods wherever possible. Hand-cured pastrami, corned beef and chicken; homemade bread, pickles, preserves, mustards and sausage; specialty desserts. Good to know: Menu updated every few months to reflect seasonally available produce and meats. Restaurant origin: Owner Craig Parker came to the Waco area as a wine-making consultant, but success with his homemade jams at the Downtown Waco Farmers Market persuaded him of a need for a downtown deli. The Provender Store opened in 2013. Supriyo says MNS should not have the audacity to create ruckus at theatres, weighing in on the row surrounding filmmaker Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. By India Today Web Desk: Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena can't decide what people must watch. It is a party of goons, BJP MP Babul Supriyo has said weighing in on the row surrounding filmmaker Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. MNS should not have the right or audacity to create ruckus at theatres, said the BJP MP. MNS should not have the right or audacity to create ruckus at theatres, they have always been a party of goons:Babul Supriyo,Union Min #ADHM pic.twitter.com/PJUTslvDt4 advertisement MNS workers are just trying to create fear in others mind, they dont have any right to play with law and order, said Babul Supriyo after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh. MNS workers are just trying to create fear in others mind, they dont have any right to play with law & order:Babul Supriyo after meeting HM pic.twitter.com/Vef8SMyWg0 ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Meanwhile, filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt has said those who do not want to watch the film are free to do so, but they must not stop others. Those who don't want to watch the film are free to not watch it,but they should not stop others: Mukesh Bhatt #ADHM ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Mukesh Bhatt is one of the filmmakers who has come to Delhi to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the wake of the chorus of protests over Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil for featuring Pakistan actor Fawad Khan. I have come here with tremendous hope that GOI will understand us and provide us full security: Mukesh Bhatt before meeting HM #ADHM pic.twitter.com/9YR6rjSKLG ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 While Bollywood is divided over the issue with some actors calling the opposition to Pakistan artists' working in India wrong, aversion to letting artists from across the border work here has by and large grown. Also read: ADHM row: Karan Johar not part of delegation, producers to meet Rajnath Singh --- ENDS --- Banks have asked customers to change their PINs following the security breach. (Photo for representation: Reuters) By India Today Web Desk: If you are trying to take some money out of an ATM and you find that your card has been blocked, you join the list of millions of users across different banks whose cards have been blocked. A suspected breach of data security of a Mumbai-based private sector bank recently has led to major banks blocking cards whose security could have been compromised. According the banks, anyone who has used the said bank's ATM faces the risk of his or her card security being breached. advertisement When asked about the alleged lapses on its ATM network, a Yes Bank spokesperson said, "We have proactively undertaken a comprehensive audit of ATMs, and there is no evidence of a breach or compromise on ATMs". THE BREACH'S IMPACT Following the breach, the country's number one lender the State Bank of India (SBI) said that it has blocked the cards of certain customers. Of the debit cards affected, 2.6 million are on Visa and MasterCard platforms, while 600,000 are on the home-grown RuPay platform, the Economic Times reported. The worst hit banks are the SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank and Axis Bank. Among other steps taken by the banks include asking customers to change the PINs of their ATM-cum-debit cards and in some cases even telling them to change their cards as well. ALSO READ: Beware of criminals who hack into bank accounts by applying adhesive on ATM keypads ALSO WATCH: ALSO READ: Raghuram Rajan pitches for RBI's independence, wants Governor rank to be raised The HDFC Bank reportedly asked the customers to change their PINs and has also been asking them not to use any other banks ATMs as a precautionary measure. According to a data from a central bank, there are 697.2 million debit cards in the country as of end-July. SBI BLOCKS CARDS After asking its customers who may be potentially hit, the SBI has started a process to block the cards of those who did not change the security code at its own cost, its spokesperson said. "Card network companies NPCI, MasterCard and Visa had informed various banks about a potential risk to some cards owing to a data breach. Accordingly, we have taken precautionary measures and have blocked cards of certain customers identified by the networks," SBI said in a statement. "We came to know about security breach and proactively recalled affected cards as we did not want our customers to be at any risk. There was no breach in our system. We are now issuing EMV-based debit cards which cannot be compromised," SBI Deputy Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer Manju Agarwal told PTI. advertisement ALSO READ: It will be idiotic to attack Urjit Patel: Swamy on new RBI Governor's appointment She, however, declined to give the number of debit cards the bank has recalled. SBI has nearly 20 crore debit cards. There were media reports that said SBI had recalled 6.25 lakh debit cards due to malware-related security breach. SBI further emphasised that its systems are absolutely fine and not compromised at and that existing cardholders are not at any risks. "We are in the process of issuing new cards at no cost to those cardholders whose cards have been blocked. This is a cards industry incident and not an SBI only incident," an SBI statement said. NO MONETARY LOSSES However, all the bankers were quick to claim that the breach has not led to any monetary losses to anyone and all the measures being taken are to safeguard the system against any potential threat. "MasterCard's own systems have not been breached. We are working on the investigations with the regulators, issuers, acquirers, global and local law enforcement agencies and third party payment networks to assess the current situation," the spokesperson for MasterCard told India Today. advertisement When contacted, an RBI official said the central bank is looking into the issue. Bankers said the problem was first discovered between May and July and banks have resorted to recall the affected debit cards from September. "Data processes of one private bank was compromised which affected other banks customers well. Customers who used that bank's ATM stand to get potentially affected," said another public sector banker. (with inputs from PTI and Reuters) ALSO READ: Mallya deliberately didn't disclose full assets: Banks to Supreme Court ALSO READ: How much you can save on home loans after RBI repo rate cut --- ENDS --- By Rohini Swamy: The Bengaluru police has got some crucial leads in the murder case of RSS worker Rudresh who was hacked to death on October 16. The police have managed to acquire CCTV footage from a nearby medical shop where Rudresh was killed. Although, the footage is said to be quite hazy, but it has helped the police with vital clues on the identities of the assailants. The footage and the description of eyewitnesses has helped the police with major clues about the attackers. advertisement Rudresh was murdered by two assailants who were wearing masks and were on a motorcycle that did not have a number plate. Also read: Caught on camera: Man attacks woman in Karnataka temple with machete in broad daylight The CCTV grabs that the police have acquired have been sent to the forensic laboratory for 'visual enhancement'. With this, the police are expecting to get a clear image of the accused. CALL RECORDS The call records of Rudresh are also being analysed to find out any clue of the callers involved in his killing. It is believed that Rudresh had received a call, from a person asking him to come to Kamaraj Road, minutes before he was killed. Based on sketches, the police have begun circulating the images amongst the special investigating teams who are part of this case. Also read: Bengaluru bandh over murder of RSS worker, Section 144 imposed The BJP and the RSS took out huge protests after the murder seeking the arrest of the accused. The BJP had even set a deadline of 24 hours for the police to investigate the case. --- ENDS --- A federal court jury sided with the city of Waco in its battle with an environmental consulting firm over soil cleanup at a site near McLane Stadium, but awarded far less than the city was seeking. Jurors in Wacos U.S. District Court deliberated five hours before determining Thursday that Kleinfelder Central Inc. failed to live up to its contract with the city to oversee the remediation of toxic soil from the old Southwest Chemical site at Interstate 35 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The jury of six women and one man awarded the city $160,353 in damages, despite the citys claim for $1.1 million. Three jurors declined to discuss the verdict after the four-day trial, and attorneys on both sides said they would not speculate how the jury determined the amount of damages. There was nothing in the evidence to support that specific dollar amount. This has been a long ordeal, Waco City Attorney Jennifer Richie said. We are really appreciative of the jury and the courts time. We are pleased with the verdict that the city was awarded some of its damages. Mike Goldman, a Dallas attorney who represents Kleinfelder, declined comment after the trial. The city claimed Kleinfelder failed to properly identify toxic soil from the site, adding $1.1 million to the remediation project. The five-acre site housed a pesticide plant from 1950 to 1968 that contaminated the soil and groundwater beneath it. The city acquired the property in a tax foreclosure in 2006 and spent years cleaning it up at a cost of $2.8 million, the Tribune-Herald previously reported. Kleinfelder won contracts in 2010 and 2012 to oversee remediation and ultimately received more than $1 million from the city. In December 2012, the city hauled 28 truckloads of the contaminated soil to the Waco Regional Landfill. Ten days later, sampling of those piles by another firm found high levels of toxaphene, an insecticide popular for cotton fields in the 1960s. The city ultimately was required by state officials to move most of the dirt to other landfills permitted for hazardous or Class I wastes, the Tribune-Herald previously reported. That cost the city an additional $1.1 million, according to trial testimony. Closing statements In closing statements Wednesday, Goldman, who represents Kleinfelder along with David Sibley, a former state senator and former Waco mayor, told jurors the city caused its own problems by failing to follow Kleinfelders advice. He said the city was more interested in saving money. Jerry Campbell, a Waco attorney who represented the city with attorney Neal Pirkle, told jurors Kleinfelder did not properly screen the soil, which resulted in the soil being dumped at the Waco Landfill. This lawsuit involves hiring an expert to do something that the expert did not do, Campbell said. They said they were going to do something. Thats what they were supposed to do. They didnt do it. Goldman told jurors the problems would not have happened if city officials had listened to their expert advice and waited to haul the dirt away until soil analysis tests were conducted. We gave the city of Waco advice, Goldman said in closing statements. We are the experts. They ignored our advice, and it was a recipe for disaster. Goldman told the jury the citys problems started when they decided to get into the real estate business by acquiring the land. The city got a $200,000 federal grant to help clean up the property. City officials feared they would lose their federal grant because the project was taking too long and changed Kleinfelders initial disposal plan to save money, Goldman said. We warned them twice, Goldman said. They ignored our warnings. Goldman said the soil was not properly separated at the landfill, and rain soaked the piles. There was no lining beneath, and costs were increased to clean up the mess, he said. The Waco Animal Shelter had become a national model even before its $3.5 million extreme makeover debuted Thursday, a widely known animal welfare consultant said at a ribbon- cutting ceremony. Sara Pizano, a veterinarian program director for Florida-based Target Zero, traveled to Waco for the grand opening of the renovated shelter, which she has advised for several years. As I speak around the country, the Waco story is the first I tell, Pizano told the crowd before the ribbon-cutting Thursday. She said officials from communities trying to turn around their animal shelters are studying Wacos example, and officials from Beaumont recently came here for a visit. Over the years, we have referred an enormous number of people to Waco, she said in an interview. The dedication Thursday was a milestone in the four-year turnaround of the animal shelter, which now qualifies for no-kill status based on an average live exit rate of more than 90 percent for the last year. The crowd got to see a spacious new adoption center, a cheerful dog playground, a veterinary clinic and climate-controlled kennels with stainless steel cages. The city, which owns the shelter on Circle Road, took over kennel operations in late 2012 from the Humane Society of Central Texas, assigning that nonprofit group to run the adoption center. At Pizanos urging, the city hired a full-time veterinarian, Dr. Ron Epps; created new health and vaccination protocols; and beefed up community spay-and-neuter efforts with the Animal Birth Control Clinic. The city council also has passed ordinances requiring most animals to be microchipped and spayed or neutered. Pizano said thats the holistic approach Target Zero champions, but communities arent always quick to embrace it. It doesnt always work out like this, she said. People say, Thanks, but its not going to happen here. We cant afford it. But were talking about cost savings here. Dont you want to decrease your intake by 50 percent? Pizano said city staff and former Mayor Malcolm Duncan Jr. made the shelter and no-kill status a priority. Deputy City Manager Wiley Stem, who oversaw the shelter turnaround, said the rapid progress would have been impossible without an all-out effort by the Humane Society, Animal Birth Control Clinic and other animal welfare groups. Texas Standard, Texas public radios statewide news program, puts Waco on its map by broadcasting its Thursday program from Waco public radio station KWBU, 103.3-FM. Host David Brown and a crew of three will work from the KWBU studio early Thursday morning, aided by another four staffers at Texas Standards Austin home base. The hourlong program will go on the air locally at 10 a.m., with a repeat at noon, its usual airtime in Waco. Brown will speak at a noon KWBU luncheon at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative and had suggested doing the Waco broadcast while he was in town, something he had done for a San Antonio public radio affiliate. KWBU officials readily agreed. Brown hosted the American Public Media business news program Marketplace from 2003 to 2005 and brought some of that programs personality and audience perception to Texas Standard. We didnt want it to sound parochial but wanted to talk about things that Texans are talking about, he said. Texas Standard looks more at news that affects Texans rather than limiting it to stories that take place in the Lone Star State. News from the Middle East, for example, can impact the oil and gas industry, affecting the business and lives of millions of Texans. At the same time, Texas Standard is pitched to everyday Texans, the kind that shop at H-E-B or pick up their kids after school. Were a complementary voice to the news. . . . We have fun with it, but voices that really dont have a platform, we can amplify, Brown said, speaking from Austin while waiting to pick up his daughter Magnolia from school. The weekday program went on the air in 2015, and the Waco station was one of the first to pick it up outside the public radio stations of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin. Waco was huge for us, Brown said. 90 percent of state Texas Standard now airs on 25 public radio stations, covering about 90 percent of the state. KWBU also serves as a model for serving its market and produces stories that Texas Standard can use for its statewide listeners, he said. They produce terrific content thats well done, he said. Brown said Waco, often a dateline for tragic or controversial news, is on the ascendant in outsiders perception. The national attention to Fixer Upper and the couple at its heart, Chip and Joanna Gaines, plays a part in that, but Brown said Wacos attractions and quality of life are appealing to those in larger cities tired of expensive housing, traffic and other urban problems. Waco has a world-class university, Interstate 35, the comfort of small-city life and a sense of safety and stability, he said. At the same, Waco is also trying to address issues such as poverty that other communities sidestep or downplay. Waco seems to be experiencing a real renaissance, he said. At a time where the media landscape is shifting, Texas Standard has found a niche. Texas Standard represents something novel. Its the first statewide news network to our knowledge, Brown said. We hear from our listeners, and social media helps us, too. Its like a statewide town hall. The Texas Education Agency is requiring Waco Independent School District trustees to participate in a training session before officials are willing to reconsider turnaround plans they declined to approve for three of the districts struggling campuses. In a letter sent to the school district Oct. 10, A.J. Crabill, the TEAs deputy commissioner of governance, wrote he has several concerns that prevent the state from approving the districts proposed turnaround plans for Brook Avenue Elementary School, Alta Vista Elementary School and G.W. Carver Middle School. The campuses have had failing academic performance ratings for multiple years, and district officials were required to develop turnaround plans in 2015 to be implemented during the 2016-17 school year, according to the letter. Though the letter doesnt describe how the districts plans fall short, the TEA is requiring the districts board of trustees and superintendent to attend state-directed governance training and implement changes covered in the training before reconsidering the turnaround plans. Trustees must let the TEA know by Oct. 25 if the district will go through with the training. If trustees decide not to agree to the training, the state could implement alternative management of the campuses, close them or go as far as appointing a board of managers to take over the district, the letter from Crabill states. The letter came as a surprise to Waco ISD Superintendent Bonny Cain, but a positive surprise, she said Wednesday afternoon. The reason I think thats a good thing is, if they were planning on closing those schools down or doing something adverse, and they said, Wait, lets think about this a minute. Maybe theres a step we skipped or something extra we could do to make certain were doing the right thing. . . . That increases the likelihood our schools will get off that list and improve to that level. Trustees could agree to go through with the training at their workshop session Thursday. An item on the agenda states the districts commitment to participating in the training and fully implementing the improvements. Turnaround plans can only be approved if Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath determines the campuses will satisfy all student performance standards no later than the second year after the plan is implemented, the letter states. The ordered training comes three months after Morath said he was committed to cutting the number of failing Texas schools in half by using more and stronger interventions for districts with failing schools, according to The Dallas Morning News. Letters were sent to 10 other school districts, including Brazosport, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Hearne, Houston, Lubbock, Midland, Nacogdoches and Tyler ISDs, TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said. She said the letters are directly connected to Moraths goal. Turnaround proposals State law lays out four requirements for turnaround plans, including: A detailed description of the academic programs to be offered at the campus, including instructional methods, length of school day and school year, academic credit and promotion criteria and programs to serve special student populations. The term of the charter, if a district charter is to be granted for the campus under Texas Education Code 12.0522. Written comments from the campus-level committee established under state law, if applicable, parents, and teachers at the campus. A detailed description of the budget, staffing and financial resources required to implement the plan, including any supplemental resources to be provided by the district or other identified sources. State law dictates school districts with failing financial or academic accountability scores for four straight years can be closed. While the district overall hasnt faced an unacceptable academic rating for four straight years, several of its campuses have. When preliminary state accountability ratings were released in August, seven Waco ISD schools were on the TEAs improvement required list. One Waco school was added to the list this year. Two that were on the list have been removed, according to TEA documents. G.W. Carver Middle School, Indian Spring Middle School, Alta Vista Elementary School, Brook Avenue Elementary School, Crestview Elementary School and J.H. Hines Elementary School remained on the list, and Brazos High School, an alternative school, was added. At the same time, with the help of turnaround plans, transformation committees and community involvement, South Waco Elementary and Waco High School have been removed from TEAs improvement-required list. The three campuses covered in the new TEA letter have made improvements, but not enough, Cain said. Alta Vista was within striking distance of coming off the list last year, and the two other schools have new principals to help drive them toward academic success, she said. The district has also hired professional service providers to help steer the campuses in the right direction, Cain said. She said she isnt sure where the district fell short in its turnaround plans for the campuses. Different TEA officials could be spotting different issues, she said. One of our questions when they say theyre going to close you down is what are yall going to do that were not doing? Cain said. You cant do 20 things at once. We already have a lot of students. The most fragile kids you have are the ones already struggling with the effects of poverty. We have to be careful what all interventions we put in, because you can buy a hundred programs, but its not intentional. Were trying to be very intentional. Im not certain what it was, but that may be what were going to learn at the training. And if theres a magic plan, just send it to us. Waco ISD serves more than 15,000 students, and more than 80 percent are economically disadvantaged. The three campuses listed in the letter directly serve that demographic, Cain said. The date for the training is to be determined, but Cain said its expected to last two days. What exactly the training will cover is still in development, Culbertson said. Voting on new plans Until a date is set, the district will continue with the turnaround plans already in place, but that might not be for too long because trustees are expected to vote on new turnaround plans for the three campuses at the Oct. 27 school board meeting, Cain said. Turnaround plans get revised each year, and the plans serve as living documents with adjustments made as needed, Cain said. Once the plans are approved at the meeting, they will be sent to the TEA for review and adjusted from there, she said. She spoke to Crabill coincidentally the same day the district received the letter and said the deputy commissioner mentioned closing down schools is not the end game. What this says to me is the TEA is really wanting to make certain we have everything we need for our kids and our campuses to be successful, Cain said, adding the goal is to get the campuses to not just meet the standard but go beyond it. They are going out of their way and adding expense and adding their time because if were at training, theyre at training and if theyre willing to do that, I appreciate that. Our board is always very receptive to training and they are committed that the campuses arent going to close. An election to add a quarter-cent sales tax for improving Riesels streets is on the ballot as early voting starts Monday, but public information about the measure is scarce and even council members appear uninformed about it. Riesel is holding an election Nov. 8 for the proposition, along with elections for mayor and two council positions, but the city has not posted information about the election on its website as required by state law. Early voting runs through Nov. 4 in the general elections, which also include a council race in Moody. Riesel City Hall staff Wednesday directed all inquiries about the election to City Secretary Alisha Flanery, who was on vacation. Mayor Roger Fitzpatrick did not return calls Wednesday. Councilwoman Phyllis Koester and Councilman Brandon Blasingame, who is running for Riesel mayor, said they had no information about the street proposition. Im drawing a blank, said Koester, who is running for re-election. State election law requires municipalities to post notice 21 days before the election, and House Bill 2721, passed last year, requires cities to post notice on their websites. No such notice appeared in the public notices section of Riesels website, cityofriesel.org. The McLennan County Elections Office, which is contracting to run the election, posted on its website the proposition language as follows: Vote for or Against the adoption of a local sales and use tax in the city of Riesel at the rate of 1/4 of one percent to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets. County elections administrator Kathy Van Wolfe said her office sent the required public notices for Riesel and other local entities to post online. We gave them all that information, Van Wolfe said. Well send them a reminder. Blasingame, 40, a Waco police officer, is unopposed in his bid to replace Fitzpatrick as mayor. Koester, 60, is facing three challengers: Ray Wornat, 29, Deanna L. Mulsow, 47, and Jeff Tanner, 46. Moody election In Moody, four candidates are seeking two at-large seats on the city council, while Mayor Ken Brown is running unopposed for re-election. The candidates for the at-large seats are Moody Elementary School principal Tina Eaton, 56; retiree T.D. Watkins, 73; and incumbents Charleen Dowell and John Carpenter. Early voting runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 29, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 30, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 through Nov. 4. Early votes can be cast at any of the five following locations: County records building, 214 N. Fourth St. Robinson Community Center, 106 Lyndale St. First Assembly of God Church, 6701 Bosque Blvd. Waco Multipurpose Center, 1020 Elm Ave. Brazos Meadows Baptist Church, 625 S. Hewitt Drive. Strict action will be taken against everyone found guilty, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has assured. By India Today Web Desk: Five people, including the owner of SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar where 22 people were killed after a fire broke out in its ICU ward on Monday, have been arrested, says CM Naveen Patnaik. Earlier today, SUM Hospital owner Manoj Naik surrendered before the police. 5 people including the owner arrested, strict action will be taken against guilty: Naveen Patnaik,Odisha CM on #SumHospitalFireMishap pic.twitter.com/U7AG3aobev ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 advertisement A look out notice was issued against him yesterday. #SumHospitalFireMishap : Hospital Chairman Manoj Nayak surrenders before police in Bhubaneswar ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 40 CRITICALLY INJURED Yesterday, the National Human Rights Commission had issued a notice to the government of Odisha over the fire mishap. A major fire had broken out in the SUM Hospital and Medical College in Bhubaneswar on Monday in which 22 people were reported killed and 40 others critical admitted to different hospitals. Also read: SUM hospital fire: NHRC issues notice to Odisha government, Health Minister Nadda takes stock The NHRC observed that the callous attitude and lapses of the authorities, if any, amounted to violation of right to life of the patients. It had expressed shock over how the state authorities allowed such a large number of hospitals to function without proper fire safety clearance. NADDA VISITS HOSPITAL Union Health Minister JP Nadda had visited the SUM Hospital yesterday to take stock of the situation. The minister said the fire incident could have happened because of safety issues. He added that the faith of people needed to be reposed and that the Odisha government should take punitive action in the case. Also read: Bhubaneswar hospital fire: CM forms probe panel, Centre promises all help It has been learnt that the hospital in question was warned in 2013 for not abiding by the necessary safety measures, but the hospital authorities turned a blind eye to it. --- ENDS --- City of West residents will vote on three city council slots and decide if they want to set aside a portion of city sales taxes to establish an economic development fund. Three city council members, Cheryl Marak, Brian Muska and Steve Vanek, are seeking re-election to two-year terms, while disabled Army veteran Jack Barber is looking to replace one of them. The top three vote-getters win the three open seats. Also, West voters will be asked if they favor a proposition that would set aside an eighth of a cent from sales tax revenues to create a fund to promote city development, beautification and growth. Marak, 58, Muska, 36, and Vanek, 59, were on the council when the West Fertilizer Plant exploded in April 2013 and were instrumental in leading the city back from its bleakest days. Barber, 68, retired from the Army after 22 years and is a disabled Vietnam veteran. He has lived in West since July 1989. Early voting for the Nov. 8 election starts Monday. I have a desire to help with the needs of the city and anything we can do to improve it, said Barber, whose Reagan Street home was destroyed in the explosion. I just have a desire to help and I feel like I have the leadership ability to do that. Barber said he doesnt have an issue or problems with how the city is being operated. He said he just thinks he can be helpful to the small northern McLennan County town. He said he needs more information about how the economic development fund would be set up and what the funds would be used for before deciding if he will support it. Barber drove a truck for Wal-Mart for 10 years after he retired as an Army master sergeant, and he and his wife, Diane, ran a bar and barbecue restaurant, Jack and Dianes, in West for a few years before he retired again in 2006. Barber is active in the VFW and helped serve hundreds of meals a day at the post in the days and weeks after the explosion. He also is active with the Paralyzed Veterans of America and travels the country participating in charitable veterans fishing tournaments. Last year, he was named Angler of the Year on the Paralyzed Veterans of America fishing tour. Brian Muska, a West native, has been on the city council since November 2012 and helps the city update and maintain its website. He also has served as promotions director for Westfest for 12 years. I think I am an asset to the community because I am a level-headed business owner who makes the right decisions for the taxpayers of West, said Muska, who owns the True Value Hardware store in West with his brother, Dean. You need someone in office to make the correct decisions when it comes to taxpayers dollars. It is important that the money is not wasted. Muska said he supports the economic development proposition because it will help the city in a broad manner by funding streets, attracting new businesses to town and developing the west side of Interstate 35. Im glad we are giving the option to let the citizens decide the issue and it is not put on the council, he said. It is a big decision to be made. Vanek has been on the city council since November 2010 and has been mayor pro tem for the past five years. He is a self-employed glass installer and has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for 40 years. He is a fourth-degree knight and retired in May after serving for 23 years on the West Volunteer Fire Department. I have got common sense and the willingness to work and make change in an agreeable, orderly way, Vanek said. It is a lot of give and take. That is what it is all about, and doing what you think is right, even when a lot of people dont like it but it is good for the community in general. Vanek said he also supports the proposition. It will be a good thing for the city, he said. I think it has a good shot at winning approval. It will help build the city and create new jobs, and we will be able to use it for a few more things than the hotel-motel tax. We have been through so much. It is a different time than it was 30 years ago, and you have to be a little more proactive. After the explosion, it is a whole new ball game. Marak, a real estate broker, has been on the council since November 2012. She and her husband, Marty, operate a heating, air conditioning and appliance business in West. She has lived in West more than 50 years. I want to be able to continue to live here, but at the rate we are going, I dont see that happening for middle- to lower-class people because of rising taxes and water bills, Marak said. I think our budget is handled incorrectly. I think it should be zeroed out each year and started fresh. We are all accountable to the citizens for our tax dollars. Marak said she is against the economic development proposition because she thinks it eventually will increase the sales tax. We had to raise property taxes and water bills last year to fund repair on infrastructure and streets on the south end of town, she said. I voted no to raising taxes and water bills last year as well. I think if our spending was given the time and consideration that is needed, we could have avoided raising property taxes and water rates. And these repairs are still not complete. But if we couldnt afford to do these repairs without raising taxes and water bills, I dont see that we can afford to give any of our revenue away to beautify the city right now. We first need to fix the spending problems we have. New committee Mayor Tommy Muska said he thinks West citizens will support the proposition. If they do, the city will create an economic development committee that will oversee the fund. The committees first point of action will be to come up with a direction and a plan, short-term and long-term, toward economic development, he said. They will actually run the fund as a separate entity from the city. They make suggestions to spend the money, be it for beautification, to attract businesses to come to West, but the city council has the ultimate decision on how that money is spent. If approved, the fund is expected to raise about $35,000 a year, Tommy Muska said. This is not going to be a flash-in-the-pan project, he said. This is going to take years. We may not see anything for five or six years down the road. It is going to be a long-term, planned-out economic development project. McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna can continue to direct the prosecution of 154 bikers indicted in the May 2015 Twin Peaks shootout, a judge ruled Thursday. Matt Johnson, judge of 54th State District Court, denied a motion from bikers Matthew Clendennen and Ray Nelson that claimed Reyna should be disqualified from their cases because he has a financial interest in seeing that they are convicted and because he overstepped his authority when advising police about the mass arrests of 177 bikers. Reyna did not return a phone message left at his office Thursday. Attorneys for Reyna and the bikers filed briefs outlining their arguments Wednesday afternoon, and Johnson wasted no time making a ruling. More than 17 months after the shootout at Twin Peaks left nine bikers dead and about 20 others injured, there still are no trial dates set for any of the defendants as prosecutors and defense attorneys wait for analysis of evidence gathered at the chaotic crime scene. Waco attorney Brandon Luce, a former prosecutor who represented the state at the disqualification hearing, said there is a substantial burden to prove an elected district attorney should be removed from a case, and the judge made the proper ruling. Judge Johnson looked at the existing law and the facts of this case and made the appropriate decision, Luce said. He was patient and allowed both sides to elicit testimony that they felt was relevant, and in the end, he agreed with the prosecutions analysis and ruled accordingly. Dallas attorney Clint Broden, who represents Clendennen, a Hewitt resident and a former Scimitar biker group member, said Thursday he is disappointed in the ruling. Based on the hearing that was held, it was clear that Mr. Reyna organized these arrests over the objections of the various assistant police chiefs on the scene and has made himself a necessary witness in the case, Broden said. It is also clear from the testimony that he has potential for a great deal of civil liability in these civil rights cases which gives him a vested interest in pursuing these cases. We think that is consistent with the testimony from the hearing and we are disappointed in the ruling. On Wednesday, Broden said we believe the law and the facts clearly support the disqualification of the McLennan County District Attorneys Office. Broden charged that Reyna substituted his judgment for those of Assistant Chief Robert Lanning, Sgt. J.R. Price and two other assistant chiefs on the scene, who testified that they considered many of the bikers witnesses who could be questioned and released. This morass is not a problem of Matthew Clendennens making, Brodens brief states. This is a problem of Abel Reynas making. In an act of political opportunism, Reyna chose to assert himself and his assistants as potential witnesses by advocating for the arrest of 177 motorcyclists and drafting the arrest warrant affidavits with no input from the affiant. Brodens motion also sought Reynas disqualification because he is a defendant in at least 15 civil rights lawsuits filed in an Austin federal court by bikers alleging they were arrested without probable cause and detained under identical, excessive $1 million bonds. In the end, it is anticipated that Mr. Reyna will ultimately be held jointly and severally liable to Mr. Clendennen for a significant money judgment unless Reyna is somehow able to secure Mr. Clendennens conviction in this case, Broden wrote in his brief. Simply put, Reynas career and financial well-being are in jeopardy because of his flagrant disregard of well-settled constitutional law. Nevertheless, if Reyna is somehow able to obtain a conviction in this case, he reduces his personal financial exposure for the false arrest he wanted, advocated and recommended. Dangerous precedent Tom Brandt, Reynas attorney, argued at two hearings on the motion that if Reyna is disqualified, it would set a dangerous precedent by which every criminal defendant could sue the prosecutor handling his case to get him removed, crippling the nations criminal justice system. Reyna argued at a hearing last week that several of the bikers who are suing him were not indicted by his office and still have not been indicted, even after they sued him. Michael Jarrett, Reynas first assistant, testified last week that it is not unusual for prosecutors to be called to crime scenes to assist police with legal questions and other matters. In a previous column that has provoked some pushback from pro-life forces, I noted the situational aspect of some pro-life positions which actively advocate for the unborn but only passively advocate for those who are incarcerated and under the death penalty. I noted the inconsistency of saying the unborn are sacred but not also saying the convicted person is sacred. In this column, I note another way that pro-life is situational namely, the opposition to abortion except in the case of rape or incest. The unborn involved is no longer deemed sacred by some because it is conceived in misbehavior. If we acknowledge the right of abortion based on the situation of rape or incest, and we take a broad view of rape, then nearly any fetus can be terminated, all while still claiming to be pro-life. Or, perhaps, we also include abortion to protect the mental or physical health of the mother. This broad, pro-life situational view means that nearly any situation, no matter how inconvenient, can be construed as validating the need for abortion. As I noted previously, many people hold intense pro-life views based on religious reasoning: All life is sacred and from God. However, apparently, fetal sacredness ceases to exist if it is compromised by the situation surrounding the pregnancy itself. In short, if either of those involved conception has behaved badly, then we call it rape and declare it is an inherent threat to the health of the mother. Once again, we decide when sacredness no longer applies. Once we remove sacredness from the situation, then we may or may not continue to advocate for Gods approval. If the fetus loses its sacredness, then we are free to destroy it and thus protect the mother. It is no longer a sacred unborn. Some religious groups teach opposition to birth control by saying the egg and sperm are sacred, even prior to conception. This argument uses Aristotles distinction between Potentiality and Actuality. A classic example of this distinction is an acorn. An acorn is potentially an oak tree, but it is not actually an oak tree. By such reasoning, are egg and sperm potentially a sacred creation from God from the moment of conception or are they already actually a sacred creation from God, even prior to conception? If the sperm and egg carry the potential for the image of God even prior to conception, then they are already actually sacred and should not be hindered by birth control. As I noted previously, it is often difficult to be consistent in personal ethics. Is it sacred? Is it sacred yet? If not yet, then when does it become sacred? At conception? Prior to conception? Sometime following conception? At viability? At birth? Are rape and incest valid reasons for saying a fetus is not sacred and can be destroyed? If the fetus is sacred, regardless of the conditions of conception, then is the refusal of abortion under any circumstances a more consistent ethic? Sometimes a pro-life position is situational. We define and parse our words so carefully that nearly any situation can be called sacred or not, and nearly any situation can be advocated for life or for termination of life. Personal ethics do require some deep reflections about what we think of life and how we protect or destroy life, all while seeking God on our side. Hal Ritter is a retired educator and counselor. WAHOO The proposal to consolidate the Saunders County Register of Deeds office with the Saunders County Assessors office has become a polarizing topic. On July 12, the Saunders County Board of Supervisors voted to send the question of consolidation to the vote of the people. The General Election ballot question reads: Shall the Saunders County Register of Deeds office and the Saunders County Assessors office be consolidated into one consolidated office according to the resolution adopted by the county board of Saunders County, Nebraska, on July 12, 2016? A yes vote will allow the county to proceed with consolidation plans. A no vote is a vote against consolidation. The initial reasoning given by the board of supervisors for the proposal was for efficiency and savings of dollars. And board members are standing by that rationale. In a written statement addressed to the citizens of Saunders County and handed out at its Sept. 27 meeting, the board collectively stated It has been and will continue to be the goal of the Saunders County Board of Supervisors to reduce both the size and cost of Saunders County Government without eliminating necessary services. But, personnel in both offices directly affected by the possible consolidation disagree with the boards assertions. My feelings are that its not going to save money, Saunders County Assessor Cathy Gusman said. If merged, theres a lot of work and training and very little potential savings. Deputy Register of Deeds Rhonda Andresen also has concerns. You cant tell how it would impact service, she said. You have two highly efficient offices that run well. You would hope services would not dwindle, but nobody can promise that. Saunders County Register of Deeds Don Clark has stated he will not run for that office again at the end of his current term, two years from now. As proposed by the supervisors and if the voters give the nod to consolidation, one elected official, the Saunders County assessor, would run the consolidated office. How that would happen, however, is still an unknown. Supervisor Doris Karloff said a plan has not been put in place yet for those details. If consolidation were to gain voter approval, planning would then take place over the next two years. Personnel details will not be worked on until after the vote passes, Karloff said. The Register of Deeds office currently has two full-time employees and one temporary call-in employee. The budget for the office, not including health insurance and benefits, is $113,607. According to the boards letter, the proposed salary for the Register of Deeds in 2019 will be approximately $61,579. In addition, the position would cost an additional $8,800 in retirement and social security and between $13,280 and $16,615 in health insurance. The total to retain this position would be between $83,726 and $87,061 a year, equaling $870,000 over a 10-year period. We believe the county will save at least one half of the amount listed annually. Over a 10 year span, the savings should exceed $425,000 without giving up the quality of service or efficiency that we have come to expect, the letter reads. The office would have to find a way to fill the gap of work voided by another, full-time person in the Register of Deeds office. Whether this means hiring another full-time employee at a lower wage or hiring two part-time people, remains unknown, Karloff said. The Saunders County Assessors office currently has six full-time employees, including Gusman. The budget for the office, not including benefits and health insurance, is $253,348. Gusman does not have a deputy in her office and said she has been told she does not need one per state statute. Gusman said she had proposed assigning one person as a deputy, but was denied that request during budget discussions with the board. When looking at savings in relation to the budget, Supervisor Ed Rastovski said he looks at larger positives and negatives. Increasing costs in certain areas, like contract negotiations with the union and additions to the roads budget, need to be offset with savings or revenue in other departments. He said he believes consolidation is an opportunity to save the county money. This savings would include looking at each offices hours. At the Sept. 20 Supervisors meeting, Administrative Assistant to the Board Louis Austin approached the board regarding a potential change in hours for the Register of Deeds office, suggesting the office could close at 4:30 p.m. Supervisor David Lutton said, Were paying for eight hours of work. If they dont need eight hours then thats another reason we should consolidate the office. Cross training employees to perform multiple job functions has also been pointed out as a way to save cost and gain efficiency. But, Andresen said that the boards lack of knowledge in regard to each offices specific function creates an impediment to efficiently actualizing that concept. The supervisors have not visited this office to be able to tell what it does, Andresen said. Technology has not made multiple department tasks simpler, but has added an extra step to process, she added. The Register of Deeds office has nothing in common with other offices in the courthouse, she said. No plans have yet been detailed about how a consolidated office would be set upset up, how computer system compatibility could be handled or what types of costs might be incurred. Gusman said that she supposed these two offices would be most logical to consolidate, since they deal with land. But, she stated that everyone does different things. There would be technology issues to figure out and, lots of training with new hires, Gusman said. She said extra staff might also be needed in her office because of consolidation. Hypothetically, she said that the assessor would have to move from a working position to an administrative position, if in charge of both offices. The boards Sept. 27 letter stated that Saunders County is one of only 15 counties who have a separate Register of Deeds office. Sarpy County, one of those 15, is asking voters a similar consolidation question on the November ballot. There has been mixed reaction from some of the other counties who have already consolidated. At the July 12 public hearing, Douglas County Assessor Diane Battiato spoke against consolidation, after her experience consolidating the same two offices in her county recently. In a written response to Austin, the Lancaster County Assessors office reported their office functions well, after having been consolidated for 13 years. There was no one present at the July 12 public hearing speaking in favor of consolidation. Several county officials and area residents spoke in opposition. Andresen views that as a message. County government is of the people and for the people. When no one was there to speak for it and they put it on the ballot anyway, it was personal, Andresen said. The board voted six to one July 12 to approve placing the question on the ballot, with the lone no vote coming from Rastovski. Following the meeting, Rastovski said his reason for voting no was because he wanted a plan with options to be presented and for any cost savings to be presented in those options. WAHOO The Lower Platte North Natural Resources District will move forward with the reestablishment of a Lake Wanahoo Level Advisory Panel. The Board of Directors voted Oct. 10 to have the Advisory Panel meet and discuss flooding concerns brought to the board by downstream landowners. The recommendation to reestablish the panel the group initial formed in 2011 when similar complaints arose came from the boards operations committee. During the committees recent meeting, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was present and reported that a Section 408 form had to be filed, if the NRD intended to make any changes to the benefits of the lake, including lowering the permanent pool. The committee recommended the panel be assembled to discuss the ongoing complaints and also work with an engineer for the Corps 408 requirements. However, the full NRD board made some modifications to the committees recommendation. The first was to slightly modify the panels makeup. Initially, four Saunders County NRD directors were to be appointed to the panel. Director Don Veskerna, also from Saunders County and whose subdistrict is downstream of Lake Wanahoo, asked if he could also sit on the panel. The board so agreed. Four landowners will also take participate in the panel. A fifth member of the public was added Monday. Director Ron Sabatka said he had been asked if there was going to be representation from the fishing and recreation community. He said he thought group could be considered another stakeholder in the discussion and any decision made about the lakes water level. The board agreed to add a representative from that stakeholder group. As recommended, the panel will also have representation from Saunders County, City of Wahoo, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Environmental Trust all project partners who contributed over $1 million. The directors, however, had some concern about immediately including in their action the corps 408 paperwork. A preliminary fee estimate from engineers Olsson Associates showed a $61,000 cost. With those costs, we should take it to the (panel) committee and talk with them, Director Jim McDermott said. Director Bob Meduna agreed that a recommendation about the 408 permit and maybe even some shopping around for an engineer could come from the panel. Several directors questioned what would happen if the NRD didnt honor the Corps request for the 408 permit. Director Joe Birkel pointed out the district was still waiting for an operations manual that the Corps is producing for Lake Wanahoo. Legal Counsel Jovan Lausterer said the Corps has the regulatory authority, regardless of whether or not they provided funding for the project. The Corps did kick in $15 million for the construction of the lake and wetlands. The engineering component was removed from Monday evenings motion and the board gave the nod to proceeding with reestablishment of the panel. A meeting will be scheduled for later this month. By Sneha Agrawal: This Bigg Boss baba is different: he's the alleged bicycle thief who could soon land up in jail for not appearing in the court. He is controversial godman Swami Omji Maharaj who is a contestant in the reality show Bigg Boss 10. But away from his spiritual avatar, this baba is also allegedly an arms hoarder who has been slapped with cases under the Arms Act, TADA and other laws. advertisement While he is doing his bit to create an impression at the reality show, Maharaj is now facing non-bailable warrants as he did not appear before a Delhi court in a theft case. The warrants were issued two days before the premiere of Bigg Boss 10 where commoners and celebrities are contesting. Maharaj has stepped into the house as a commoner. THEFT CASE Maharaj was issued the fourth bailable warrant in the theft case. The court had fixed October 14 for hearing the arguments on the charge. However, when nobody appeared to represent Maharaj, non-bailable warrants were issued against him. Also read: Is Lopamudra Raut the strongest contestant on Bigg Boss 10 right now? The case dates back to November 2008. Pramodh Jha, the younger brother of Maharaj, had accused him of breaking the lock of his bicycle shop in Lodhi Colony along with three men before stealing 11 bicycles, expensive spare parts, sale deed of the house and important documents. According to Jha, his son had seen Maharaj breaking into the shop and commit the theft. The police then booked Maharaj for trespassing and theft in the shop. ARMS ACT According to the investigation report of Delhi Police, Maharaj has been involved in seven cases under the Arms Act and TADA, besides committing offences of robbery, hurt and burglary. The police report also mentioned that Maharaj was exposed by Defence Colony police officials who found huge cache of arms and ammunition in his possession. Also read: BB10: Swamiji threatens Lopamudra; gets warned by Bigg Boss Besides, obscene photos of women were found in his possession which he allegedly used to extort money. Maharaj has been accused of making false complaints against his neighbours, relatives and government officials. His brother, sister and other relatives have also complained against him in Lodhi Colony police station. In the hearing before October 14, Maharaj had told the court that he would require a counsel from the legal aid as he had no means to engage a lawyer. Vinodanand Jha, also known Swami Omji Maharaj, is the self-proclaimed godman who claims to possess divine skills to solve the problems of the people. He hit the headlines for indulging in a brawl with a female astrologer on a news show. He has six brothers and four sisters and is known to have been involved in several criminal cases. It now remains to be seen what spat he will trigger at the Bigg Boss house with the celebrities. advertisement Also watch: --- ENDS --- Akanksha Sharma is short tempered and tends to get abusive. Will her nature go down well with the housemates? By India Today Web Desk: Akanksha Sharma started her Bigg Boss 10 journey by sharing details of her 'nightmarish marriage' with Yuvraj Singh's brother Zorawar in the launch episode. She also made headlines by saying that her mother-in-law controlled her life and even accompanied her to the honeymoon. Right now, the aam aadmi contestant's growing proximity to TV actor Gaurav Chopra on Bigg Boss is the talk of the town. advertisement While these are the things that the viewers already know, here are 5 facts you probably did not know about Akanksha. Also read: Bigg Boss 10: This is what Yuvraj Singh's mother has to say about Akanksha Sharma's allegations Akanksha Sharma by her own admission is a little short tempered and she feels that this is the trait, the BB10 contestants might not like about her. Akanksha is helpful, kind and spontaneous. Frankly, the lady has been keeping low profile and we are yet to discover this side of her. The daughter of an ex-army officer is adventurous, and loves to travel. Akanksha loves to play pranks on her friends. We would love to see this side of her. By her own admission, she also tends to get a little abusive sometimes. Will this result in fireworks? Watch this video to know more about her: --- ENDS --- Royal Air Force (RAF) Flight Lieutenant John Wilkinson will be honored at the Premiere of The Gentleman Next Door, a short film documenting his WWII experiences this 28 October at the South Dakota Air & Space Museum. The film was produced from narratives and exclusive combat footage obtained during an interview between Wilkinson and aviation artist John Mollison. The film is the 9th in the Old Guys and Their Airplanes series of award-winning documentaries featuring Mollisons work. Wilkinson flew combat during the crucial months of the last phase of WWII and provides exceptional insight into the life of an RAF fighter pilot as well as the horrors of war. Though he is officially credited with 4.5 total aerial victories, substantial evidence exists that Wilkinson achieved the coveted Ace status of five or more aerial victories. Wilkinson took part in dozens of combat missions and also was an eye-witness to the liberation of the infamous Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. Mollison stated, Though its only about 15 minutes long, this Short is a great look into what its like to be with people whove seen incredible history, first-hand. Its rare enough to talk to a WWII veteran but even rarer to learn from someone who was so accomplished. Wilkinson and Mollison are scheduled to be at the Premiere as well as Dalton Coffey, the award-winning cinematographer who filmed the interview. The Short features original music by South Dakota musician, Clyde Teel and Mollisons artwork of Wilkinsons Spitfire Mk.XIV fighter aircraft. The Premiere will begin at 6:00pm with a chance to meet John Wilkinson afterwards. The public is invited to attend and encouraged to arrive early to insure a seat. Copies of Wilkinsons biography, The Lord Is My Shepherd will be available for purchase. The location of the South Dakota Air & Space Museum is located just outside the main gate of Ellsworth Air Force Base, 2890 Davis Dr, Ellsworth AFB, SD 57706. Refreshments will be served before the event. The Gentleman Next Door will also Premiere on South Dakota Public Broadcasting, 3 November, 8pm. Bigg Boss 10 celeb contestant Mona Lisa is fed up of all the fights, and wants to leave the house. By India Today Web Desk: Bhojpuri actress and Bigg Boss 10 'aam aadmi' contestant Mona Lisa is having a difficult time putting up with all the fights and chaos in the house. On the third day of the popular reality show, Mona Lisa broke down in front of the camera and said that she did not want to live in the house any more. advertisement The bindaas actress who loves waking up to the Bigg Boss music dancing is upset, thanks to the heated argument between 'aam aadmi' contestant Manu Punjabi and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actor Rohan Mehra. Also read:Om Swami to Priyanka Jagga; these are Bigg Boss 10's most hated contestants so far The actress wept in front of the cameras, and told 'Bigg Boss' that she would like to leave the house. The heat is rising! It is Day 3 & @MonaLisa wants to leave already! #BB10 pic.twitter.com/2k16kc9gEj Bigg Boss (@BiggBoss) October 19, 2016 Within such a short span of time, Bigg Boss 10 has managed to create a lot of buzz, thanks to all the drama and friction between the celeb sevaks and 'aam aadmi' maliks. There are seven celebrity contestants who will be seen on the show this season--Mona Lisa, Rohan Mehra, Gaurav Chopra, VJ Bani, 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 --- C: Jack Steele (academy), Dom Tyson (3), Jono O'Rourke (2) Caleb Marchbank joins Rhys Palmer and Jarrod Pickett in the Giants march to Carlton. Credit:Quinn Rooney HF: Rhys Palmer (uncontracted), Cam McCarthy (14), Will Hoskin-Elliott (4) F: Josh Bruce (zone), Tom Boyd (1), Jarrod Pickett (4) The adventures of pick 35 Credit:Mark Buggy Foll: Andrew Phillips (rookie), Taylor Adams (13), Adam Treloar (17-year-old signing) Interchange from: Paul Ahern (7), Liam Sumner (10) Kristian Jaksch (12), Anthony Miles (rookie), Pat McKenna (23), Jed Lamb (preseason draft), James Stewart (27), Jacob Townsend (zone), Mark Whiley (zone), Simon Tunbridge (17yo), Shaun Edwards (zone) Carlton did not want to part with Bryce Gibbs and were unimpressed by offers for him. Credit:AFL Media GENERATIONAL CHANGE David Cloke and Craig Stewart played together at Collingwood in 1983. On Thursday their sons were traded to new clubs one pick apart. Travis Cloke got his wish to play for the Western Bulldogs, and was sent there for pick 75 after kicking 441 in 246 games for the Magpies and playing in the 2010 premiership. With pick 77, Essendon secured James Stewart from GWS. He had struggled to break into the Giants' star-studded forward line this year after playing some promising footy in 2015. He chose to join Bombers over ... Guess who? The Blues. THRILLS OF THE CHASE Free agency began on October 7, and the trade period three days later. It ran for almost 10 days. But deadlines are no fun unless you really push them; we journalists know that. After all those days, all those conversations, all those catch-ups, all those explored deals, eight trades were lodged in the final 16 minutes of the trade period, with the futures of Brett Deledio, Jaeger O'Meara, Koby Stevens, Marchbank, Pickett and Palmer sorted as Bryce Gibbs was left hanging. Twenty-seven draft picks changed hands in that time, including 12 first-round selections. FUNNY NUMBERS GAMES For the most part, the players traded in the past two weeks held very little value. Cloke, Stevens, Hrovat, Jarrod Witts, Lynden Dunn and Nathan Vardy were more than handy depth players and some played some good senior footy this year, but they were traded for very little to basically nothing. Then there is the GWS draft class of 2014, with all five picks gone cheaply. Pickett, Ahern and Marchbank were top 10 picks. Pat McKenna was pick 23, the Giants sending him to Melbourne on Thursday for what is essentially a handful of draft points. BARGAIN BASEMENT Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis went cheaper than anyone, in the trade period's biggest story. It seemed unlikely at first that the Hawks would have much use for pick 88, which they got from West Coast for Mitchell, but that will be the first of their three selections in the upcoming draft. All clubs need to make a minimum three picks, but they are able to upgrade rookies to fill one or more of those spots. MANY IN A BIND Something else is going on when it comes to players. It seems that many clubs now have a small to medium group on huge contracts, in some cases re-signing them to big contracts to ward off potential free agency offers. They are also coming under increasing pressure to sign first-round draftees who play a bit of decent footy in their first year to $300,000 or more in their third years. That has left many players in the middle back say, those ranked from 20-30 on their club's list in limbo. Several list managers have said they can't remember such a large number of players still being out of contract at this point in the year. They have a nervous week ahead. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has widened its probe into Clive Palmer from his company Queensland Nickel to include other entities associated with the former parliamentarian. The revelation of the broader investigation in Mr Palmer's business affairs was made by ASIC commissioner John Price during Wednesday's Senate estimates hearing in Canberra. Clive Palmer at Brisbane's Federal Court during the public examinations into the affairs of Queensland Nickel. Credit:Jorge Branco "We do have some additional interests in various other corporate entities associated with Mr Palmer," Mr Price told the hearing. He declined to comment further on what other entities associated with Mr Palmer had come under investigation by the corporate watchdog. Donald Trump struggled mightily to tamp down upon his carnivalesque approach to political campaigning in the third and final US presidential debate. He resisted Hillary Clinton's attempts to needle him well, at least some of them. He responded to moderator Chris Wallace's questions with studied facts and focused arguments on a couple of occasions. He even managed to maintain a calm presence on camera, without weird sniffles, rude interruptions, or furious facial expressions. For the first half-hour. Sometime between fulminating about "bad hombres" crossing the Mexican border and spitting "You're the puppet!" in response to a Clinton accusation that he was too close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump barrelled back into his all-too-familiar train-wreck debate style. Children playing near the Refugee Processing Centre on Nauru. Credit:Amnesty International "It's a blanket exemption for health professionals," she said. "It's a huge win for doctors." But the threat of jail has not silenced former detention centre workers. Doctors and other health professionals have repeatedly flouted the ban on them speaking out, as have Save the Children staff. In August, 103 current and former staff from the Nauru and Manus Island centres signed an open letter calling for an end to offshore detention, and warned that the only way to ensure the safety of asylum seekers and refugees was to bring them to Australia. Doctors for Refugees says it is concerned that the new exemptions do not cover other workers in offshore detention centres, including guards and teachers who, in Australia, would have clear duties to disclose any abuse of children. Dr Phatarfod said the change also "only allows us to speak for our patients it doesn't change the appalling lack of care they often seem to receive". "Currently, Doctors for Refugees is advocating for several children denied special needs care as well as women unable to get a breast lump biopsy and other significant deviations from appropriate medical treatment. We have around 160 active cases of concern." Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's office declined to comment, referring questions to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the department denied the Border Force Act had been designed to "gag" health professionals, and said the changes clarified that health professionals were not subject to its secrecy provisions. "Despite consistent incorrect claims and reporting of the ABF Act, the Act is not and has never been an instrument to 'gag' lawful disclosures in the public interest," she said. However, the threat of legal action against health professionals speaking out had been real, as Mr Pezzullo intimated last year, when he responded to criticism about the changes. "It has never been permissible for contracted service providers to make public operational detail which poses a risk to the safety and security of individuals, or which affects the operation of the Department or the former Australian Customs and Border Protection Service," Mr Pezzullo said. The spokeswoman said the department "still expects that health practitioners will maintain their strict ethical, professional and contractual obligations of confidentiality and privacy". The ABC's Four Corners this week featured several former teachers employed by Save the Children at Nauru, who told of their concerns for children in their charge. Distressing interviews showed children discussing suicidal thoughts and self harm. Rather than responding to their reports Coalition senators attacked the creators of the program and accused the ABC of acting as a mouthpiece for activists. Amnesty International this week also released a major report on the detention of asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru, and said it had evidence the Australian government's treatment of detainees amounted to torture. In August, Guardian Australia published more than 2000 leaked incident reports from the detention camps on Nauru. In June 2014, then-immigration minister Scott Morrison used an anti-whistleblowing law against 10 Save the Children staff on Nauru. The staff were referred to the Australian Federal Police under section 70 of the Crimes Act after they were accused of communicating privileged information to non-Commonwealth workers. All accusations were later dropped. Save the Children's policy and public advocacy director Mat Tinkler welcomed the changes. "But the current ban remains in place for others, such as child protection workers and teachers, leaving them with an invidious choice to risk prosecution and speak publicly when they've witnessed rights violations and have not seen them addressed," he said. "Independent oversight and monitoring of the conditions for refugee and asylum seeker children on Nauru should be an absolute minimum requirement." Greens leader Richard Di Natale, also a doctor, said the changes removed a legislative requirement for doctors to betray their patients by not speaking out on their behalf. Rocky Yadav, son of suspended JDU MLC Manorama Devi had gunned down a teenager Aditya Yadav in May this year in a road rage case in Gaya. Aditya Sachedeva's overtaking his SUV infuriated Rocky to such an extent that he chased Aditya and his friends, stopped them and later gunned down Aditya. Aditya Sachedeva's overtaking his SUV infuriated Rocky to such an extent that he chased Aditya and h By Rohit Kumar Singh: Left embarrassed after the prime accused in the Gaya road rage case, Rocky Yadav was granted bail by the Patna High Court on Wednesday, the government has decided that it will be challenging his bail in the Supreme Court soon. Rocky Yadav, son of suspended JDU MLC Manorama Devi had gunned down a teenager Aditya Yadav in May this year in a road rage case in Gaya. advertisement Also read: Bihar road rage case: JD(U) leader's son Rocky Yadav who had killed teen for overtaking car, granted bail Also read: Did cops tamper with evidence against Rocky Yadav: 10 glaring lapses by Bihar police The gruesome killing took place when Aditya Sachdeva (16) was returning from a birthday party along with his friends and the car in which he was travelling overtook a SUV which Rocky Yadav was driving. Aditya Sachedeva's overtaking his SUV infuriated Rocky to such an extent that he chased Aditya and his friends, stopped them and later gunned down Aditya. Rocky was arrested by the Gaya police after a few days from his father's factory. Also read: All you need to know about Rocky Yadav's dad Bindi, known as Terror Of Gaya "The government is standing with the Sachdeva family at this time. We will ensure that Rocky Yadav is sent back to jail, the manner in which we challenged Shahabuddin's and Raj Ballabh's bail in Supreme Court, we will follow the same track record", said Neeraj Kumar, JDU MLC. BJP demanded that the state government moved the Supreme Court to ensure justice for the Sachdeva family. "It appears that the government is following a pattern where it does not oppose the bail of the accused and then challenges it in the Apex Court. This is all drama. We demand that the state goes to SC for Rocky Yadav's bail cancellation", demanded Mangal Pandey, Bihar BJP President. --- ENDS --- Women currently make up 17 per cent of BHP's staff. So it's got a lot of work to do to reach its ambitious target to have women make up half its workforce by 2025. The policy will be announced at the company's annual shareholder meeting in London on Thursday. [James Wilson/Financial Times] () 3. China has Crowns' details Chinese police have seized computers, laptops and mobile phones of Crown employees and almost certainly have the company's detailed records on the gambling habits of the company's big spenders. [Philip Wen/Fairfax] 4. Abbott's new 'logic' Former PM Tony Abbott appears on the ABC's 7.30 program on Wednesday night. Credit:ABC It's a marvellous world inside Tony Abbott's mind. His latest request for sane folk to suspend their belief in things like logic and facts and written statements is a marvel. Last night he appeared on 7.30 and attempted to deny he had struck his own deal to allow the Adler shotgun into the country after 12-month ban. [Watch] The email confirming the deal was sent by an advisor to Minister Michael Keenan. But Tony Abbott says even though it belonged to his government, because the correspondence was sent by a "staffer in a minister's office," he never personally struck any deal on guns. [Tom McIlroy/Fairfax] "Tricksy," I think Gollum would say. When asked if he'd be interested in running for the leadership, he said: "I'm not expecting a vacancy anytime soon." "I think the last thing we need in this country is a revolving door prime ministership," he added. And when pressed on the speculation he'd like the job back: "Well it's not a question of what I might like, it's a question for what the partyroom wants." I think we can safely say once and for all, we all know what's he's up to! And who can blame him, watching Turnbull make a fist of it seemingly every other day. Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce during Question Time. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Daily Telegraph reports Deputy Prime Minister and federal Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce also supports allowing the Adler in. [Andrew Clennell] This is also referenced in an excellent analysis piece by Gratts. [Michelle Grattan/The Conversation] It's a bizarre world indeed when Abbott is siding against the Nats, as Mark Kenny notes. [Fairfax] 5. In other politics news: You can't make this stuff up. DFAT flew 23 boffins to Paris for a talkfest on...how to save money! [Heath Aston/Fairfax] John Fraser Treasury Secretary before a Senate Committee at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Andrew Meares Australia's triple-A rating could be downgraded as soon as the mid-year economic update is issued (due by the end of the year) and Treasury Secretary John Fraser says this would affect us all. [David Uren/The Australian] Fraser says soaring private and government debt is threatening the rating. [Jacob Greber/Financial Review] In Queensland, former Premier Campbell is saying I-told-you-so after Standard & Poors cited his politically fatal public sector job cuts as a reason to affirm that state's AA+ rating. Newman also says public servants have since thanked him because they've gone on to start new and exciting careers. [Courier Mail] The bungled online census will cost taxpayers $30 million. [Primrose Riordan/Financial Review] And it's been a while since an intervention from Jacqui Lambie. The Tasmanian independent is now demanding Australian soldiers be allowed to conduct war crimes if their opponents belong to Islamic State or the Taliban. What was that about never letting the terrorists win? [Andrew Greene/ABC] Peta Credlin says male chiefs of staff are not accused of having affairs with their bosses and the accusation that she was having an affair with Tony Abbott is sexist. [Sky News] And don't miss Deborah Snow's excellent interview with former spy boss David Irvine. [The Sydney Morning Herald] 6. Saudi royal family executes one of its own Prince Turki bin Saud Al Kabir shot dead a man after a brawl. He was executed on Tuesday - making it one of the first-known executions of a royal family member since 1975. Saudis have reportedly largely approved of the decision. [Bloomberg] And that's it from me today, you can follow me on Facebook for more. The WA Greens have accused the Barnett government of adopting a "cowboy attitude" to public health by not requiring the state's environmental regulator to assess its performance against pollution guidelines and instead focusing on the speed at which it issues environmental approvals. The Greens are accusing WA"s environmental regulator of becoming a 'rubber stamp' for development. Credit:Paul Rovere The state's Auditor-General also identified the speed KPIs as not being relevant to the Department of Environmental Regulation's primary mission. Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said the DER was neglecting its mission of protecting the environment in favour of sharpening its ability to sign things off. Philippine forecasters say a super typhoon has slammed into the country's north-eastern coast amid fears it may bring widespread damage similar to that wrought by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The forecasters say Typhoon Haima, with sustained winds of 225 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 315 kph, smashed inland at Penablanca town in Cagayan province shortly before midnight Wednesday, bringing intense rain. The government's weather agency raised the Category 5 storm warning in six northern provinces meaning there could be heavy to widespread damage and storm surges of up to five metres that could engulf shanties in many rural communities. The strongest storm to threaten the Philippines in years, Haima prompted thousands of people to evacuate their homes and government and aid agencies to prepare for a potential humanitarian disaster. Trading barbs: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Credit:AP "I shoulda gotten it," Trump interjected. The exchange followed closely after Trump rejected the accounts of women who have accused him of groping them or kissing them without their consent, calling those reports "lies" and fiction. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. Credit:AP "I didn't even apologise to my wife, who's sitting right here, because I didn't do anything," Trump said, when asked by Wallace about nine women who have come forward in recent days. "I think they want either fame, or her campaign did it." Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton labelled Donald Trump as a 'puppet' of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit:AP He said Clinton had been running a "sleazy campaign", and sought to turn the debate to other issues: reports that Democratic staffers had sought to organise violent protests outside Trump rallies, and the long-running scandal about Clinton's private email server. Clinton said that Trump's treatment of women reflected a broader flaw in his personality, noting past episodes in which Trump seemed to mock a reporter with a physical disability, and when Trump feuded with the family of fallen US soldier Humayun Khan. "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth," Clinton said. "And I don't think there's a woman anywhere who doesn't know what that feels like." About an hour into the debate, the two candidates also sparred over their respective charitable foundations. Trump attacked the Clinton Foundation, saying that it was wrong to accept large donations from foreign governments, including those in Middle Eastern countries that Trump criticised for their treatment of women, as well as of gay men and lesbians. "It's a criminal enterprise," Trump said, referring to what he said was Clinton's favouritism towards Clinton Foundation donors while she was secretary of state. "I'd like to ask you right now, why don't you give back the money right now?" Clinton responded with criticism of Trump's charity, the Donald J. Trump Foundation. The Washington Post has uncovered examples of Trump using his charity's money to buy things for himself or his businesses, including large portraits of himself. "I'd be happy to compare what we do with the Trump Foundation, which took money from other people and bought a six-foot portrait of Donald," Clinton said. "I mean, who does that?" Trump sought to defend his foundation, saying it was small, and that he took no money for running it. Wallace, the moderator, pressed Trump about episodes in which Trump spent money out of the foundation to settle lawsuits involving his for-profit businesses. In one case in particular, Trump's beachfront Mar-a-Lago Club had agreed to pay $US100,000 to Fisher House, a charity that helps military veterans, as part of a legal settlement with the town of Palm Beach, Florida. The Trump Foundation paid that debt instead, effectively saving Trump's business $US100,000. Tax experts have called that a classic example of "self-dealing", a violation of federal tax law. "The money, the money, went to Fisher House," Trump said, seemingly not understanding the legal implications of using his charity to pay off a business obligation. "They build houses for our veterans." In another testy exchange earlier in the evening, Clinton accused her opponent of being a "puppet" of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. "It's pretty clear, he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States," Clinton said, noting that Russian hackers had been blamed for releasing internal Democratic emails, apparently in an effort to help Trump's cause. "You're the puppet," Trump replied. His logic, apparently, was that Putin had outmanoeuvered Clinton - who was previously secretary of state - and President Barack Obama in nuclear treaties, and in Middle Eastern conflicts such as the one in Syria. "She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way," Trump said. Both Clinton and Wallace pressed Trump about those hacks, which US intelligence agencies have blamed on Russia. Trump said he was not convinced. He seemed to attack the smarts and credibility of those intelligence agencies, saying that the hacks could have been carried out by China or another party. Together, these arguments - praising the smarts of a foreign power, and doubting those of American personnel - made a bleak argument with few parallels in recent presidential debates. "Hillary has no idea," Trump said. "Our country has no idea." Trump also seemed to back off a key piece of his policy platform, giving up on the idea of a mass deportation of illegal immigrants. The promise of mass deportation had been a bedrock part of Trump's campaign during the Republican primaries. But during the debate, Trump offered another plan: he would first round up "the bad ones" among illegal immigrants. "All of the drug lords, all of the bad ones - we have some bad, bad people in this country, who have to go out," Trump said. "Once the border is secured, at a later date," he said, he would make a decision about what to do with other illegal immigrants. Clinton, in her response, sought to pin Trump's past comments on him anyway - recalling his earlier comments in support of a "deportation force". Clinton also mocked Trump for visiting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto but not raising another key issue of his campaign: a plan to build a border wall, and to make Mexico pay for it by imposing controls on money remitted by Mexican immigrants. "Didn't even raise it," Clinton said. "He choked." Trump said his meeting with Pena Nieto had been pleasant, and he thought he would have good relations with Mexico as president. "Under [Clinton's] plan, you have open borders," Trump said, citing an excerpt from an email from WikiLeaks, the source of which has been identified as hackers affiliated with Russia. Clinton defended her statement, saying she had been referring to open movement of energy and the electrical grid. She then sought to turn the debate to the WikiLeaks releases themselves. "Will Donald Trump admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this, and make it clear that he will not have the help of Putin in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage in this election?" she said. "That was a great pivot off the fact that she wants open borders," Trump replied. At the beginning of Wednesday night's debate, Trump said that he would appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn the Roe v Wade decision that legalised abortion nationwide. "That will happen automatically, in my opinion. Because I am putting pro-life justices on the court," Trump said, in response to a question from Wallace. Trump said he wanted to leave the decision about whether to legalise abortions to individual states. Clinton said she did not want to limit abortions further, saying she felt that the government should not be allowed to intrude in such decisions. "You can regulate [abortion], if you are doing so with the life and the health of the mother taken into account," Clinton said. She called abortion "one of the worst possible decisions that any woman or her family has to make". The first 20 minutes of the debate featured little of the insults or accusations of the first two presidential debates. Instead, the two candidates discussed the Supreme Court and gun regulations in quiet - and often quite vague - terms. There were no mention of the sex scandals that have dominated headlines for days before the debate, focused on both Trump and on Bill Clinton, the Democratic nominee's husband. Things heated up, however, when the discussion turned to immigration, WikiLeaks and Russia, and on temperament, with the two presidential hopefuls trading jabs and talking over each other and Wallace. Trump - who has fallen dangerously behind in polls - came into Wednesday night facing a key choice: Would he use the third and final presidential debate to make a last-ditch lunge for the political centre? Loading Or would he use this moment to fulfil a long-held dream of the far right, and prosecute a litany of long-nurtured grievances against both Bill and Hillary Clinton before a national audience? Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020. Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work. Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri. By PTI: Kolkata, Oct 20 (PTI) Around 13 policemen and several BJP workers were injured in a clash, when party activists tried to break police barricades, while they were marching towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees residence in protest against attack on Union minister Babul Supriyo. The protesters alleged that the police resorted to lathicharge. The police, however, denied the claim and said they only tried to disperse the agitators. advertisement The march to the Chief Ministers residence was part of the BJPs agitation to register protest against yesterdays attack on the Union minister at Asansol. Kolkata Police Joint CP (headquarters) Supratim Sarkar said, "BJP workers attempted to break police cordon, pelted stones, assaulted lady police personnel and damaged three police vehicles." Four BJP activists and 13 policemen were injured in the clash. A total of 18 BJP workers, including five female activists of the party, were arrested, he said. The BJP workers began the protest march from Rashbehari crossing towards Hazra crossing, on way to CMs residence. Condemning the police action, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly, who was among the protestors, said that they had organised a peaceful protest-march, but the police resorted to lathicharge causing severe injuries to many. "The police personnel even threw stones targetting the procession," she alleged. Denying that BJP workers hurled stones at policemen, Roopa Ganguly alleged that some police women rather hit them from behind. She asserted, "We have the right to hold protest". Trinamool Congress secretary-general Partha Chatterjee, however, charged BJP with trying to create lawlessness in the state. "We condemn it. They have no organisational strength. They are trying to create lawlessness in the state," he said. "When Mamata Banerjee was in Singur to return land to the farmers, why did they go to her residence? They are trying to block development of the state," Partha said, adding they should have protested in Asansol. BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha also alleged that they were holding a "peaceful agitation" when the police hit them with lathis to break the protest. "There is no democracy in the state," he said. PTI SCH AKB SUN MD SRY --- ENDS --- The first test of the air-launched Brahmos is to be conducted in the Bay of Bengal sometime in December this year. A derelict naval warship is to be hit by a Brahmos launched from a specially modified Su-30MKI. By Sandeep Unnithan : Indian and Russian missile scientists are now tweaking a formidable capability into the air-launched Brahmos supersonic cruise missile: an ability to shatter airaircraft carriers from extended ranges. The first test of the air-launched Brahmos is to be conducted in the Bay of Bengal sometime in December this year. A derelict naval warship is to be hit by a Brahmos launched from a specially modified Su-30MKI. advertisement The December test window follows the successful integration and drop test of a Brahmos missile from a modified Su-30MKI at HAL, Nashik on June 25. Reports from the sidelines of the recently concluded BRICS summit in Goa quoted President Vladimir Putin on plans to increase the range of the 290-km Indo-Russian Brahmos missile. This follows India's entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) club in June 2016. (Non MTCR members cannot access technology for missiles with ranges over 300 km). The army and the navy already operated land and sea-based versions of the Brahmos missile inducted in 1998. The IAF will become the third service to field the missile with the air-launched test of the missile in December. Also read: China warns India against deploying BrahMos cruise missile in Arunachal THE TEST The test will hit the warship target at an angle of 65 degrees and destroy it. But this capability would not enough to stop an aircraft carrier of over 60,000 tonnes. "Carriers have sealable compartments designed to survive multiple hits from anti-ship missiles," one missile scientist says. This is where Phase 2 of the Brahmos missile test comes in next year-fitting a modified radar seeker on the missile that can lock onto a moving aircraft carrier and plunge onto its decks in a near 90-degree death dive. The deck of a large aircraft carrier-nearly 300 metres long and 75 metres wide-presents the largest available target for a homing cruise missile's radar seeker. "The sheer kinetic energy of the missile travelling at nearly three times the speed of sound and the high explosive warhead will destroy the aircraft carrier," a scientist says. This development comes amidst reports of China's aircraft carrier programme. China inducted a refurbished Sovietbuild aircraft carrier, the 67,000-tonne Liaoning, in 2012. It is building two aircraft carriers, the first of which photographs leaked onto online forums revealed as a Type 001A aircraft carrier being built in China's Dalian shipyard. The first carrier, with a displacement estimated at between 60,000 and 70,000 tonnes, is likely to be inducted into the PLA Navy by 2020. China has claimed to have modified its DF-21D medium range ballistic missiles into antiship ballistic missiles (ASBMs). The capability was developed specifically to target US aircraft carriers from ground-based launchers over 1700-km away. advertisement Also read: India unhappy over Russia's military exercise with terror-sponsor Pakistan IS IT TOO EARLY? Naval analysts say it is still early days before India can field a similar carrier-killing capability. "The missile has to tick a number of boxes before it can be called a carrier killer," says former navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retired). "The missile has to be able to acquire the carrier over 300 km away, escape radar jamming from its target and, finally, home in on the target and destroy it." Brahmos scientists say they are confident of meeting all these challenges. Some of these capabilities, they say, were demonstrated in a very significant test of the Brahmos in May 2015. A Brahmos missile launcher was airlifted by an IAF C-17 Globemaster III to the Andaman islands. A surface-to-surface version of the missile was fired and successfully hit a target on an island nearly 300 km away. The missile navigated through a series of waypoints before hitting the target within a 5-metre circular error probable (CEP). --- ENDS --- advertisement At the invitation of newly appointed Chairman of State Revenue Committee of Armenia, Mr. Vardan Harutyunyan, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya visited Yerevan, Armenia on 18 October 2016. Together with Chairman Harutyunyan and Vice-Chair for the WCO Europe Region, Dr. Bettina Vogl-Lang, Director, Customs Duties Directorate, Austria Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mikuriya opened the WCO Regional Conference on "WCO Mercator Programme", funded by the Customs Cooperation Fund China, held in Yerevan with the support of Armenia Customs. He commended the host administration for inviting other border agencies and business representatives as a basis for coordinated border management in a single window environment. Secretary General Mikuriya had a meeting with the Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who was appointed head of the Armenia's new government last month. The Prime Minister explained his plan for Customs reform as a priority for the government and asked for the continuous WCO support in streamlining border procedures. Congratulating the Prime Minister for his new appointment, Dr. Mikuriya praised the progress in Customs modernization, including the use of information technology and the introduction of one-stop border facilities, and suggested further measures like the Time Release Study (TRS) to improve the business climate while further protecting society. President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia received Secretary General Mikuriya, and appreciated the WCO's sustained support for Armenia's Customs reform. They discussed about the upcoming opening of modernized borders with Georgia, and future similar projects with other countries including Iran. As Armenia's trade expands towards Asia, especially China, it would be important to position the region as part of the revived Silk Road. They also touched upon the Eurasian Economic Union, and its incoming Customs Code. Dr. Mikuriya pledged continuous support for Armenia's Customs reform adapting to the new environment. ------------------------------------------ Photos: 1. WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya when received by President Serzh Sargsyan; 2. & 3. WCO Secretary General Mikuriya during his meeting with the Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan; 4. Dr. Mikuriya opening the WCO Regional Conference on "WCO Mercator Programme", funded by the Customs Cooperation Fund China, and, on his right, Vice-Chair for the WCO Europe Region Dr. Bettina Vogl-Lang, Director, Customs Duties Directorate, Austria Federal Ministry of Finance, Chairman of State Revenue Committee of Armenia Mr. Vardan Harutyunyan; 5. Group Photo of the participants to the Workshop, with from left to right, Vice-Chair for the WCO Europe Region Dr. Bettina Vogl-Lang, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya, Chairman of State Revenue Committee of Armenia Mr. Vardan Harutyunyan, and the Customs Attache Mr. Xiangyang Sun, Mission of the People's Republic of China in Brussels. This 19-year-old female chimpanzee smokes a pack in a day and if a lighter isn't available, she uses already lit cigarette to light up another one. By India Today Web Desk: Azalea is the new star at the Pyongyang's newly opened zoo and is better known as the smoking chimp. Photo: Associated Press According to officials at the newly renovated zoo, which has become a popular leisure spot in the North Korean capital since it reopened in July, the 19-year-old female chimpanzee, whose name in Korean is "Dallae", smokes about a pack a day. Dallae is short for Azalea. Photo: Associated Press advertisement However, zoo officials insist she doesn't inhale. If thrown a lighter by a zoo trainer, the chimpanzee lights her own cigarettes. If a lighter isn't available, she can even light up from a lit cigarette if one is tossed her way. Photo: Associated Press There seems to be no outrage over the addicted chimp. In fact, visitors seem to be delighted with the ape and her antics, often roaring with laughter as the chimpanzee sits puffing away. The trainer also prompted her to touch her nose, bow to people and do a simple dance. Photo: Associated Press Renovations for the new zoo began in 2014 as part of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's efforts to create more modern and impressive structures and leisure centres around the capital. Pictures from a visit by an AP photographer garnered global attention and prompted animal activists to rebuke North Korea. Time magazine quoted PETA President Ingrid Newkirk as saying "How cruel to willfully addict a chimpanzee to tobacco for human amusement". "Gradually, zoos are learning that spectacles like chimpanzee tea parties, elephant rides and photo ops with tiger cubs are inappropriate and exploitative, with the big question now being, why are we keeping wild animals behind bars at all," asked Newkirk. --- ENDS --- According to the police, Maoists from the jungles and dacoits from Chambal are increasingly moving to urban centres like Delhi and NCR looking for more money. Here they are targeting big businessmen besides getting access to sophisticated weapons. A still from Hindi movie 'Paan Singh Tomar', a dreaded dacoit in Chambal. Bandits from the ravines are lured by wealthy urban targets of late By Mail Today Bureau: The dacoits of Chambal are coming to Delhi. And with them are the Maoists. The aim of these criminals and red rebels is simple: to make quick buck in the urban base and keep their gangs alive. According to the police, Maoists from the jungles and dacoits from Chambal are increasingly moving to urban centres like Delhi and NCR looking for more money. Here they are targeting big businessmen besides getting access to sophisticated weapons. advertisement Also Read: Noida: UP ATS arrests 6 Maoists from Sector 49, huge cache of weapons seized ATS ARRESTS 9 SUSPECTS MAOISTS FROM NOIDA Last week, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested nine suspected Maoists from sector 47 in Noida. After detailed interrogation the gang confessed that they were planning to loot bank ATM machines, cash vans or carry out abductions for ransom in the National Capital Region. The gang was allegedly trying to create a base in Delhi's neighbourhood Noida where they had plans to expand their network with the help of local goons. The Maoists - who were arrested with sophisticated weapons, explosives and detonators - were allegedly planning to kidnap big businessmen to fund their activities in hinterland of Bihar. "The Maoists usually fight the security forces in the jungles or attack the villagers. But they have now realised that they need more money to continue fighting. So they shifted to places like Noida where they can find their potential targets," a senior officer associated with the case told MAIL TODAY. He said these dacoits and Maoists can make just about `50,000 to a lakh from a bus or train robbery. But they would make several lakhs from the ransom money if they could abduct a rich businessman in the NCR. "They are old-school criminals but they are now interested in modern crimes like extortion, bank robbery and even financial frauds. Some of the members of the gangs are sent to urban centres to make friends with local criminals and learn the new crime techniques," said a senior police officer. Though the police had earlier claimed to have arrested Maoist ideologues from cities such as Delhi and Hyderabad, this was for the first time that they are nabbing these rebels who have plans to carry out criminal activities in major urban areas. In Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand they have to rely on snatching weapons from armed forces. But in cities like Delhi, Noida and Gurugram, a countrymade gun is easily available by the local goons. Also Read: Encounter between Maoists and security forces in Bihar, heavy ammunition recovered GANG OF DACOITS Besides arresting Maoists, Delhi Police recently busted a gang of dacoits from Chambal, who were running extortion racket in the NCR. Police said the dacoits of Chambal have expanded beyond the ravines and are now abducting people from big cities like Delhi and other NCR towns. advertisement A Faridabad doctor and his compounder, who were abducted from Jaitpur last month, were victims of one such gang based out of Kampil. The two key accused in this case, Rishi Khalifa and Pramod Kumar, were arrested from Hathras and Birpur last week. They were part of a gang that was operating in the Capital for the past few years. Khalifa had approached Kumar, who was a conduit for Chambal gangs, to float a new gang. The gangs operate out of estuaries and islands of river Ganga between Kanpur and Gwalior. The gang was in touch with local criminals in the NCR cities who provided information about potential targets and also made arrangements for abduction. Weapons, vehicles and other means were arranged locally. Also Read: Chhattisgarh: Maoist gunned down in face-off with security forces --- ENDS --- Talks for the deal, estimated at more than $5 billion, were announced from Islamabad earlier this year, but Beijing was yet to confirm it. By Ananth Krishnan: China has officially confirmed what is its biggest ever military deal, the sale of eight attack submarines to Pakistan which many experts say may be deployed in the Arabian Sea and challenge India's interests in the Indian Ocean Region. The China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation held a meeting in Beijing "to discuss details of the arrangement", according to a report in a shipping industry newspaper. advertisement Talks for the deal, estimated at more than $5 billion, were announced from Islamabad earlier this year, but Beijing was yet to confirm it. Four of the submarines are to be built at the Karachi shipyard, with the rest in China. READ: China's PLA says submarine deployments in Indian Ocean 'legitimate' The China Shipbuilding Heavy Industry held a meeting on October 12 to confirm details of the deal, attended by its chairman Hu Wenming, China Shipbuilding newspaper reported. The report was later published by the Chinese military's official website. The first four diesel-powered electric submarines will be delivered by 2023, and the rest by 2028. The submarines are thought to be export variants of the PLA's Type 39A - also known as Type 41 - Yuan-Class submarines, with a depth of 300 metres. Its weaponry will be tailor-made for Pakistani requirements. The export of eight attack submarines, Hu said, was aimed at promoting China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, in which Pakistan is the fulcrum. China is building an economic corridor to Pakistan under the plan, through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and is investing in developing the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea which is being billed as the OBOR's centre point. READ: Pakistan to acquire 8 attack submarines from China by 2028 Hu said he hoped exports of submarines to Pakistan would take place in the future "on a regular basis" and that China's "iron brother" played a key strategic role in the neighbourhood. The company is also eyeing exports of submarines to the Latin American market, he said. According to reports from Pakistan, the deal will be financed by a low interest-rate loan from China to cover costs of the project, including the manufacture of four submarines at Karachi. -- --- ENDS --- days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged citizens to abandon the tendency of buying Chinese goods, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch says that the country needs to conserve its identity and of its products against an 'invasion' of merchandise from overseas. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the economic wing of the Sangh Parivar that seeks to promote indigenous industries and culture, says that the country needs to conserve its identity and of its products against an 'invasion' of merchandise from overseas. By Siddhartha Rai: Buy swadeshi this Diwali to get a bang for your buck. That appears to be the message from an RSS affiliate, which has dedicated its annual India-only products fair in the Capital to the boycott of all foreign goods, mostly from China. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the economic wing of the Sangh Parivar that seeks to promote indigenous industries and culture, says that the country needs to conserve its identity and of its products against an 'invasion' of merchandise from overseas. advertisement SWADESHI JAGRAN MANCH PROMOTES INDIAN PRODUCTS The development comes days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged citizens to abandon the tendency of buying goods, including foreign-made statues of Indian gods and goddesses, simply because they are cheaper. Also read: Modi's Make in India impractical, India can only 'bark' about trade deficit: Chinese media "This mela is to encourage the spirit of self-reliance and swadeshi," said Ashwani Mahajan, national convenor of SJM. "Apart from providing an opportunity to craftsmen, these events also bring to consumers things that are not readily available in the market. We are trying to provide an alternative to foreign products that have crept into our lives, especially Chinese ones." SJM activists also burnt the effigies of Madhya Pradesh ministers on Wednesday to protest invitations to Chinese companies for the Global Investors Summit to be held in the BJP-ruled state this week. HERE'S WHY Analysts see this as a reaction to Beijing's overt support to Islamabad amid flaring tensions between India and Pakistan following the Uri attack. "Perhaps for the first time after independence, a certain consensus has arisen among people against Chinese products owing to its anti-India stand on various issues and this is going to add to the zeal against buying Chinese goods despite cheaper prices," Mahajan said The SJM has been extremely categorical in its hostility towards foreign products and the 'ill-effects' of globalisation on Indian manufactures and artisans, so much so that it has come into conflict with the BJP government at the Centre on many occasions. Also read: Chinese goods boycott are hitting Diwali sales of Delhi markets The fair is witnessing participation from 15 states, and more than 100 stalls have been put up. It is also focusing on marketing products centred around the cow. The festival will showcase earthen pots and vessels, articles used for decoration and handmade items apart from the usual hand-woven cloths such as saris and also several edible products. --- ENDS --- If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit VERNON PARISH -- A Simpson man is facing two charges of pornography involving juveniles (distribution) and 40 counts of pornography involving juveniles (possession), according to a news release from the Office of the Louisiana Department of Justice, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. Authorities said 28-year-old Christopher Mitcham was arrested this week as a result of an investigation by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations Cyber Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations and the Vernon Parish Sheriffs Office. Special agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations Cyber Crime Unit began conducting an investigation on Sept. 21 into the possession/distribution of child pornography through the internet. "During this investigation, it was determined that the images of child pornography were distributed from Mitchams address in Simpson. The images distributed and possessed during the investigation were of juveniles being sexually assaulted or posing in a sexual manner with the focus of the camera being the childs genitals," the release states. On Tuesday, agents with the Louisiana Department of Justice Cyber Crime Unit, assisted by the above listed agencies, executed a search warrant at Mitcham's home. "A forensic preview of electronic storage devices located in the execution of the search warrant revealed additional evidence indicating the distribution of child pornography," the release states. Mitcham was booked into the Vernon Parish Jail without incident. Bond has not been set. The release states that according to state law, "whoever distributes or possesses with the intent to distribute pornography involving juveniles shall be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars and shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than five years or more than twenty years, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence." "Whoever commits the crime of pornography involving juveniles when the victim is under the age of thirteen years and the offender is seventeen years of age or older shall be punished by imprisonment at hard labor for not less than one-half the longest term nor more than twice the longest term of imprisonment. The sentence imposed shall be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence," it concludes. Strangely, Dangal and Sultan, two of 2016's biggest Bollywood releases are centered around wrestling. The trailer of Dangal, however, shows that the film is far different and probably, even better than Salman Khan's Sultan. By Devarsi Ghosh: Same themes do not make the same film. Somehow, two of Bollywood's biggest releases of 2016 are based on the world of wrestling or kushti. While Salman Khan's Sultan was the bombastic fictional tale of a fallen Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Sultan Ali Khan, Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal is based on the real story of Dronacharya Award nominee Mahavir Singh Phogat who trained his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari to become champion wrestlers. advertisement On the one hand, where Aamir Khan is known for sensible, cerebral, challenging cinema, Salman Khan is known for his masala blockbusters. As such, it is understandable that both films will be vastly different. By the looks of Dangal's trailer which released today (October 20), Aamir Khan's film seems like it is the better movie. Here are five reasons why Aamir Khan's Dangal looks better than Salman Khan's Sultan... 1. More screen time to women Salman Khan's Sultan was a one-man show where it was Salman, Salman and Salman throughout the film with Anushka Sharma's Aarfa playing second fiddle to her husband Sultan Ali Khan. However, Dangal is predominantly the story of women and more importantly, women empowerment. Mahavir Singh Phogat's (Aamir Khan) daughters Geeta Phogat (Fatima Sana Sheikh) and Babita Kumari (Sanya Malhotra) get equal to, if not more than Aamir's screentime, in Dangal's trailer itself. 2. Dangal, A truly feminist film In Sultan, Aarfa (Anushka Sharma) who has trained all her life to wrestle for India at the Olympics miraculously gives up wrestling forever to take care of his husband Sultan (Salman) and their unborn child. In Dangal, however, no such thing happens. Aamir's Mahavir is a determined person who wants to make sure his daughters Geeta and Babita bring gold home to India. The real-life Mahavir had to ward off societal pressure and stigma as he was constantly criticised for letting his daughters fight in the mud. In a country where gender ratio is so skewed, a film like Dangal is very important. 3. More realistic than Sultan Probably it is only Salman who makes the plot of Sultan believable, but otherwise, its story is ridiculous. Sultan wants to learn wrestling as he believes only a wrestler can win the heart of a wrestler and his crush is on Aarfa, a wrestler. When Aarfa rejects Sultan, Sultan literally learns wrestling like a boss in a month and within a matter of fifteen minutes in the film, he becomes an Olympic gold medalist. On top of that, Aarfa is shown wearing clips in the film while she is wrestling, which is factually incorrect; female wrestlers have closely cropped hair like Geeta's and Babita's in Dangal (see the trailer). The film is expected to focus on the training of the two girls which took place over decades, not a matter of minutes. advertisement 4. Aamir's Haryanvi accent is spot-on while Salman's, is well... Aamir Khan is a perfectionist extraordinaire. Salman, on the other hand, is a mad bull. Granted, Sultan is Salman's best work in years, his Haryanvi accent looked silly and childish in front of Govind , played by Anant Sharma whose Haryanvi accent is pure gold. However, in the Dangal trailer, even though we do not hear much of Aamir's dialogues (it is, after all, a trailer), one thing is for sure: Aamir has nailed both the look of a wrestler and that thick desi accent needed to play Mahavir with conviction. 5. Nitesh Tiwari, Dangal's director has a National Award, while Sultan's director made Gunday Ali Abbas Zafar, the director of Sultan has Gunday and Mere Brother Ki Dultan in his credits. On the other hand, Nitesh Tiwari has made the 2011 children's film Chillar Party which won the National Award for Best Children's Film. He also directed Bhoothnath Returns. Nitesh's wife Ashwini Iyer Tiwari directed the 2016 comedy drama Nil Battey Sannata. So, on one hand, you have apples and on the other, you have oranges. advertisement --- ENDS --- Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 20, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 20, 2016 | 05:13 PM | PADUCAH, KY The McCracken County Sheriff's Department is warning the public about a recent phone scam. Deputies said they got a call from a resident reporting he was contacted by someone who told him he owed money because he didnt show up for federal jury duty. The citizen was asked to get a money voucher for $1900 and take it to Kroger. When the citizen asked to speak with Sheriff Jon Hayden, the individual told him Hayden was the assistant sheriff. The citizen was given two telephone numbers (270-216-2223 & 270-216-2222) when he asked to speak with the sheriff. When detectives called the numbers, someone answered by saying, McCracken County Sheriffs Department. When questioned about who he was, the individual said some obscene words and hung up. Detectives got an audio recording when they called back stating they had called, The McCracken County US Marshals Civil Division. Anyone who suspects they are being scammed is being advised to contact law enforcement. By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 20, 2016 | 05:55 PM | MAYFIELD, KY A lengthy investigation into counterfeit money in Graves County has led to the arrests of two people on multiple charges. According to Mayfield Police Chief Nathan Kent, over the course of the last month, his office has fielded seven complaints of counterfeit money being passed to city businesses. On Wednesday, an officer responded to a call for service at Walmart regarding a stolen check. While at the store, the officer observed Bobby Joe Brown, who, according to police, had an active warrant for his arrest and was also a suspect connected to the stolen check. When officers arrested Brown, he was found to be in possession of a large amount of counterfeit cash. Officers obtained a search warrant for a home on Lampkins Road and during the search, they found uncut printed counterfeit bills, a printer believed to be used in the manufacture of the bills, paper consistent with the printing of money, methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Brown and a woman at the home, Shannon Morrison, were each charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a forgery device, criminal possession of a forged instrument and forgery. Both were booked into the Graves County Jail. By PTI: didnt know Mumbai, Oct 20 (PTI) Former corporator Razzaq Khans son Amjad Khan has claimed he shot dead RTI activist Bhupendra Vira but that his father was unaware of the murder plan, police said today. However, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Saxena told PTI, "We will verify the accuseds claim, will not go by his version. We will investigate the role of the ex-corporator." advertisement A country-made pistol has been recovered from the residence of the accused in Vakola. "We will see whether the weapon was used in committing the crime," Saxena said. The 72-year-old activist, who had exposed encroachers and unauthorised constructions in and around Kalina area in the city, was shot dead at point blank range on the night of October 15 when he was watching TV at his residence in suburban Santacruz. Vakola police had on Monday arrested former corporator of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Razzaq Khan (78), and his son, Amjad Khan (53), in connection with the murder. The duo was arrested after Viras family members named them in the complaint. Razzaq, an ex-corporator of Congress from Santacruz, had got an order from Lokayukta for demolishing four illegal properties in the area on Viras complaint, hours before the activists murder, sources had said. Amjad and Razzaq were spotted in the vicinity of Viras residence by a witness after the killing. During investigation, it was established that only one bullet was fired from close range at the right temple of Vira, officials said. Vira had filed RTI applications seeking information about Razzqs illegal constructions and land grabbing issues. The Lokayukta had issued orders to demolish four structures which were built by Razzaq on last Saturday and both the accused were upset with it, the officials said. PTI DC GK NSD --- ENDS --- Advertisement By Kentucky News Network Oct. 19, 2016 | FORT CAMPBELL, KY; MOSUL, AFGHANISTAN By Kentucky News Network Oct. 19, 2016 | 10:29 PM | FORT CAMPBELL, KY; MOSUL, AFGHANISTAN Apache attack helicopters from Fort Campbell have entered the battle for Mosul. The 101st Airborne Division is supporting Iraqi security forces in their push to retake the city from ISIS fighters. Major General Gary Volesky, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, says the Apaches are being used at night to strike targets from a distance. "The initial operation, as you've seen the movement, has gone pretty well. The Iraqis are ahead of where I thought they would be when this operation started. They continue to move," Volesky said. "No doubt, the Iraqi security forces have the momentum, and they know it. So, they are as motivated to get to Mosul as we are to help them get there." Adding U.S. attack helicopter crews to the unfolding combat is an extra element of risk for American troops. 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. Phillip Marshall, a former airplane pilot and author whose works included the 2003 novel Lakefront Airport , False Flag 911: How Bush, Cheney and the Saudis Created the Post-911 World (08) and The Big Bamboozle: 9/11 and the War on Terror , a 2012 publication in which Marshall theorized it wasn't al-Qaida but rather U.S. and Saudi government officials who orchestrated 9/11, was found dead along with his two children in their Murphrys-area home in California 2013 . Reports indicate all 3 died of gunshot wounds.Friends of Marshall's kids, Alex 17 and Macaila 14, discovered the gruesome scene after showing up to check on them on Saturday after not having heard from them for numerous days.The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office reported that both children as well as the family dog were shot once in the head with a handgun.Marshall's estranged wife and mother of the 2 kids was traveling abroad at the time of the shootings.Security Agency Officer Wayne Madsen says the 9/11 investigative author Philip Marshall and his children were killed in a black ops hit by the CIA, dismissing the suicide hypothesis. Marshall was afraid of being silenced for his revelations about 9/11, Madsen said, noting that a side door the investigator never used was wide open when his dead body was found.Marshall believed the former US President George Bush had pulled off the 9/11 attack to foment a government coup. In his fourth book, he was supposed to disclose blockbuster information.Press TV has conducted an interview with Dr. Kevin Barrett, an American author and political expert in Madison, Wisconsin, to further discuss the issue. Barrett is joined by Lee Kaplan, investigative journalist from Berkley. By PTI: Bhubaneshwar, Oct 20 (PTI) The chairman of the trust that ran the hospital where a devastating fire on Monday killed 21 people today turned himself in to police and was arrested even as the SIT on black money ordered a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the trusts financial transactions. Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the SUM Hospital here, surrendered before the police and 3.30 AM and was taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, barely hours after the Odisha police issued a Lookout Circular against him and another trustee Saswati Das. advertisement Nayaks arrest takes to five the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy, which also left scores injured. "Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation," Commissioner of Police, Y B Khurania told reporters. Even as he was being interrogated, information came that the The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Black Money has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe financial transactions of the trust he headed. Though the reason behind the SIT order was not immediately known, a senior police official said the ED has been directed to examine all financial transactions of the trust that runs several institutions including the SUM Hospital. Sources said Vice Chairman of the Supreme Court- appointed SIT on black money Justice Arijit Pasayat has also asked Odisha police to cooperate with the ED during their investigation. "We have received a letter from the SIT on black money last night asking us to cooperate with the ED which is to probe the money transactions of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust," said Director General of Police K B Singh. The SIT has asked the police to ensure that at no document or evidence pertaining to financial transactions of the trust including the hospital are tampered with or destroyed, the DGP said. He said efforts were on to apprehend Saswati Das. Earlier, four senior officials of Sum Hospital including its Medical Superintendent Pushparaj Samantasinghar had been arrested on Tuesday night on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state governments fire service department. More PTI AAM SKN PR DV RT SK SK --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will travel to Sri Lanka over the weekend to discuss implementation of various decisions taken during the recent visits here by the President and Prime Minister of the island nation. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the aim of Jaishankars visit is to discuss economic cooperation and to pursue various initiatives discussed between the leadership of the two countries. advertisement "Foreign Secretary is going to Colombo over this weekend to discuss economic coperation with Sri Lanka and to pursue various initiatives and ideas discussed during the two high-level visits of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe," he said. The contentious issue of capture of fishermen is also likely to figure during Jaishankars visit to Colombo. After Sirisenas ascent to power, there have been several high-level visits by Indian and Sri Lankan leaders to each others countries starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modis in March 2015, which marked the first visit to the island nation by an Indian leader since 1987. Sirisena has twice visited India since January 2015. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also made his first overseas visit to India after assuming office. He had visited India earlier this month also. Sri Lanka and India enjoy a robust partnership and New Delhi is Colombos largest partner in defence training. PTI MPB SK --- ENDS --- Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Families whove lost relatives to fentanyl made a pilgrimage to the legislature Thursday to muster political muscle and save other addicts from fatal overdoses. Arlene Last-Kolb lost her son, 24-year-old Jessie, to a fentanyl overdose two years ago and along with a dozen others whove lost relatives, shes seeking political support for better health services. This is not a political debate. Its a community debate, Last-Kolb said after attending a legislative debate in which the Opposition NDP introduced a resolution calling for a half dozen measures to prevent fatal overdoses and clean up addicts. Fentanyl pills are shown in an undated police handout photo. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid prescribed to help patients manage chronic pain, but its highly addictive. Dealers use it to lace street drugs and get addicts hooked. Even a taste of it can be fatal. Last-Kolb and other families sat in the gallery listening to the NDP put the issue before the Pallister government. The NDP urged the province to adopt an anti-opioid strategy to stem the rising number of fentanyl-related deaths. The number of overdoses and deaths related to the use of this highly potent opioid are continuing to increase dramatically across Canada and in Manitoba, said the NDPs Matt Wiebe. Last year, 29 deaths occurred in Manitoba as a result of fentanyl use. Thats nearly double the average rate over the five years from 2009 to 2013 and its devastating for the families affected by this epidemic, Wiebe said. The NDP resolution didnt make it to a vote, but the families were relieved their message was heard. I got the sense they all agree on that, but the government wants to wait until there is this meeting in Ottawa about it, Last-Kolb said. Ottawa has announced a commitment for a two-day conference on the opioid crisis Nov. 18-19 to be hosted by Health Minister Jane Philpott. Manitoba will wait for the federal meeting before adopting further measures. Recently, Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen committed the province to expand the availability of the antidote kits for fentanyl overdoses by setting up a provincewide distribution system. Goertzen has said he expects more than 3,500 kits containing the antidote naloxone to be distributed annually within Manitoba. Families whove lost relatives say the need is urgent, and theyre uneasy with any delay. The concern I have is the longer we wait, the more people we lose, Last-Kolb said. The antidote exists, and it needs to be distributed to anyone who wants it. The services exist but they need to be improved, Last Kolb said. And there should be a Good Samaritan law so when people call 911, they dont face prosecution, said Last-Kolb whos been working with the NDPs James Allum on pushing for such measures. Wiebe called on the province Thursday to reduce wait times for assessment and treatment services for fentanyl users and to improve information-sharing protocols between health-care professionals and law enforcement as determined by the fentanyl task force. The NDP also called for the province to install drop boxes for needles and build a safe injection site in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, a Winnipeg pharmacy has signed up to sell kits that can warn people if their drugs are laced with fentanyl. A single kit will sell for $5 at Brothers Pharmacy on Selkirk Avenue Owner Michael Watts said dealers lace drugs with fentanyl to get customers hooked on opiates. Dealers dont make a whole lot of money (on cocaine). The real money now is in opiates, Watts said. The $5 cost is a small price to pay to make sure drugs are clean, Watts said. The kit works much the same way as a pregnancy test. A stick is dipped into a tiny portion of drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, mixed with water. One line means negative, two lines means fentanyl is present. Brothers began to focus on addictions treatment three years ago. Brothers has been approached by a group called the Addicts Mom about purchasing the test strips. The Winnipeg Police Service has announced its officers will be equipped with the antidote. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will travel to Sri Lanka over the weekend to discuss implementation of various decisions taken during the recent visits here by the President and Prime Minister of the island nation. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the aim of Jaishankars visit is to discuss economic cooperation and to pursue various initiatives discussed between the leadership of the two countries. advertisement "Foreign Secretary is going to Colombo over this weekend to discuss economic coperation with Sri Lanka and to pursue various initiatives and ideas discussed during the two high-level visits of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe," he said. The contentious issue of capture of fishermen is also likely to figure during Jaishankars visit to Colombo. After Sirisenas ascent to power, there have been several high-level visits by Indian and Sri Lankan leaders to each others countries starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modis in March 2015, which marked the first visit to the island nation by an Indian leader since 1987. Sirisena has twice visited India since January 2015. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also made his first overseas visit to India after assuming office. He had visited India earlier this month also. Sri Lanka and India enjoy a robust partnership and New Delhi is Colombos largest partner in defence training. PTI MPB SK TRK --- ENDS --- Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba grain farmers have submitted a record number of hail-damage claims this year, with insurance payouts expected to top $40 million, a provincial government official said Wednesday. David Koroscil, acting manager of claim services for the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, said the corporation has processed more than 4,700 claims and paid out more than $39 million to farmers so far. And were still cleaning up from some of the late-season storms, Koroscil added. Were anticipating another $2 or $3 million (dollars) will be paid out with the backlog (of claims) that we have to process and pay yet. Koroscil noted the previous annual record, set this past year, was 3,400 claims and $31.1 million in payouts. The five-year average for claims is 2,100, so this years tally is more than double the average. Manitoba isnt the only province where hail-insurance claims have been higher than normal this year. The Canadian Hail Crop Association said payouts are up more than 50 per cent from last year in Western Canada. It said more than $256 million has been paid on nearly 20,000 claims. Thats up from $167 million in payouts in 2015. Koroscil said a number of factors have contributed to this years large volume of claims in Manitoba. This summer was odd in the fact that it seemed like every two to three days there were two or three parts of the province that were getting some sort of hail damage, he noted. And it started fairly early in the year and has gone right up to early October. Another factor has been the unusually wet weather this fall in some areas of the province, which has delayed the harvest. Koroscil said that in a normal year, most cereal and canola crops are off the fields by late August or early September. But this year, some of those crops have yet to be harvested, he added. This year it was tough to get a week to a week and a half of good weather, back to back, to get the crops off. So your liability is increased because of that, as well. Koroscil and Keystone Agricultural Producers president Dan Mazier said a fair number of farmers also had their crops damaged by hail three or four times over the course of the summer and fall. If you get a hailstorm in June you can probably expect to get another one in July or August, Mazier added. He said hes also heard of areas where some cereal crops still havent been harvested and soil-moisture levels are unusually high for this time of the year. So it could be a pretty wet spring, he added. murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and the federal government are working on a plan to get construction of the reserves all-weather road underway even though the Manitoba government is still reviewing its involvement in the project. Chief Erwin Redsky was in Ottawa Wednesday to meet with officials from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. He said federal officials were receptive to starting work on portions of the road on reserve land. Basically, their one-third is committed, said Redsky, of the federal government. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Prime Minister Trudeau is welcomed to Shoal Lake 40 by Chief Erwin Redsky last April. Redsky met with federal officials Wednesday to hammer out a plan to begin construction on Ottawas share of the road. A source from Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennetts office said Bennett is willing to work with the reserve to do what can be done without Manitoba to start. It makes no sense to wait, he said. Design work by AECOM in Winnipeg is 99 per cent done, Redsky said. An AECOM report on the project last spring shows 8.7 kilometres of the road is on reserve land, which is under federal jurisdiction. That portion of the road doesnt need a Manitoba environmental licence. Work on this section could begin. It involves upgrades and extensions to existing roads to link the provincial portion to the reserves band office. The report says the City of Winnipeg is responsible for the two required bridges, including one over the aqueduct that transports water to the city. The remaining 14.7 kilometres of the new road are on provincial Crown land and would link the reserve to the Trans-Canada Highway. The road will be a two-lane gravel road. Last December, the federal government, provincial government and City of Winnipeg each committed to pay for one-third of the road, known as Freedom Road, which was to reconnect Shoal Lake 40 First Nation to the mainland for the first time in a century. The city and federal governments are on board, but since the new PC government took over in Manitoba in April, the provincial commitment has been under review. Premier Brian Pallister made a commitment to review all financial promises made by the former NDP government, including the Freedom Road. The Pallister government sent its own infrastructure staff to survey the land over the summer, but as of Wednesday, it still hadnt committed to its portion of the new price tag. Pallister told reporters Wednesday it was absolutely false to suggest Manitoba was holding anything up by not releasing the funds, but said consultations have to take place. Well continue to move the project forward with great excitement, he said. I think all Manitobans share a desire to see these folks, who have done so much and sacrificed so much for the people of Manitoba over the years that they get fair treatment. The price tag seems to be a sticking point. Last December, the cost was pegged at around $30 million but as design work started, the cost went up. By late spring, the price tag had jumped closer to $54 million. Pallister would not commit to paying one-third of the higher cost Wednesday. We havent closed the door on that (looking at increased costs), but we have real desire to see the thing get done and get done properly, he said. The province started the environmental assessment process to license the road project on March 22, six days after the start of the election campaign. That process is ongoing. Also in March, the East Side Road Authority signed an agreement with Shoal Lake 40 to build the road and was to oversee the work. However, the Pallister government is dissolving the authority and all its functions will be done within the Infrastructure Department. The provinces review process is not playing well in either Shoal Lake 40 or in Ottawa. The source in Bennetts office said it appears Manitoba is looking for ways to cut its share. Redsky said the province needs to commit to its final share of the cash. Its frustrating, he said. We had the political will and the commitment in December but to implement that is very cumbersome. The reserve, which sits on the west end of Shoal Lake along the Manitoba/Ontario border, about 30 minutes west of Kenora, became an artificial island in 1917 as part of the construction to transport water from Shoal Lake to Winnipeg. The community relies on ferries and small crafts in the summer and ice roads in the winter, which has led to numerous deaths over the years. The lack of an all-weather road has made building a new water treatment plant cost-prohibitive, so residents have had to boil water for 20 years. That Winnipeggers get water from the lake while Shoal Lake 40 residents cant drink their tap water has become an example of the disparity between the quality of life of indigenous and non-indigenous people. mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canadian Mennonite University will join the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative fund in the fall of 2017. It will be the first new annual funding for a faith-based university since Gary Filmon left office. Im aware of that, yes, Education Minister Ian Wishart said in an interview Wednesday, but insisted it is not a precedent for expanding public funding for private schools. The university said Wednesday Wishart will add the Winnipeg school to the pool of seven public colleges and universities that receive government money in 2017-18 through the fund. We considered it as a particular case, Wishart said. We didnt so much give it to the school as make it available to the students. He said no agreement has been signed. The province has a fund pot of $6.75 million and will provide $1 for every $2 raised privately. The money is allocated on a proportional student enrolment basis. The university said Wednesday it was recently invited to a meeting of the province, the seven public schools and major employers and business groups. Education Minister Wishart has communicated to CMU president Cheryl Pauls that CMU will be invited into the MSBI program in 2017-18, an official said. To date, no further conversations between CMU and the province on this program have taken place. The amount of money has not been discussed, other than that the total available will relate to size of student body. Wishart said he wants to have an agreement signed on MSBI before making a formal announcement of CMUs being added to the recipients of funds. We have spoken to Cheryl Pauls, yes, said the minister. Wishart acknowledged private schools are asking the province for increased operating grants and for a lifting of the ban on capital grants, but the scholarship and bursary money for CMU is the only new private school funding on the table. Wishart said the seven public institutions are not concerned about another institution sharing the pot, nor have they expressed the fears raised by the NDP that the smaller schools wont be able to raise enough money to access the provinces matching fund. They see it as an incentive to work harder at fundraising, the minister said. Our post-secondary institutions work well together, he said. They see the great potential in this. We have not heard from anyone about not raising money. Three other faith-based private institutions Providence University College, Booth University College and Steinbach Bible College were not invited to take part in the meeting. The Tory government of Gary Filmon extended public funding to the private school system in the 1990s, but the NDP almost entirely froze that funding during its 17 years in power. CMU has been an exception, receiving increases in operating grants along with the public universities and colleges. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The great-aunt of slain teen Tina Fontaine welcomes news that services for families of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls will expand in Manitoba during the national inquiry. Police pulled the body of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine from the Red River in Winnipeg in August 2014. Since then, Thelma Favel says Manitoba Justices family liaison contact Shannon McCorry and its victim services department have been by her side. She phones me, she talks to me, she lets me ask questions. She counsels me in a lot of ways, Favel told the Free Press. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Thelma Favel, great-aunt of slaying victim Tina Fontaine (in photo), says victim services staff have been a great help to her. They are still in touch with me just to see how we are doing, and that really makes me feel good. They are still really concerned with what happened. The province has an opportunity to expand victims services thanks to Ottawas pledge to devote $11.7 million to provinces and territories to establish family liaison units. The money will be doled out over three years as the national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls gets underway. Last month, the province applied for its share of the money, but Justice Minister Heather Stefanson offered few details about how the funds will be used. A spokeswoman for Manitoba Justice said the funding levels for each province will be based on the proposals submitted and approved by the federal government. It already exists now, and it helps families of murdered and missing indigenous girls so we think it is the appropriate place to have the funding flow through there to continue work that is already being done, Stefanson said. This is very important for Manitoba, being one of the largest indigenous populations. The NDP said it wants assurances from the Pallister government that indigenous community organizations will be involved. Nahanni Fontaine, the provinces former special adviser on indigenous womens issues and now an NDP MLA, urged the province to partner with McCorry and other provincial victim services workers, but not to leave out indigenous groups such as Medicine Bear Counselling. The counselling program is set up for families of murdered and missing indigenous women through Ka Ni Kanichihk, a non-profit organization that supports women and their families with aboriginal-led services. A lot of families dont trust these systems, and that is OK Sometimes when you have trauma and you have issues, you dont trust certain things. In that context, if they dont trust this current government system, then is this government going to support (alternatives)? And in my mind, it would be Ka Ni Kanichihk who would best lead to take with these family liaison units, Fontaine said. I cannot stress this enough, it is going to be an emotionally, physically and spiritually difficult process. The liaison units are meant to complement the inquirys work by supporting families seeking information about their loved ones from government institutions, including police, prosecutors, coroners and child protection services. Justice Canada spokesman Ian McLeod told The Canadian Press the department is encouraging the provinces and territories to explore options for partnering with indigenous community or advocacy organizations. He said provinces and territories will decide the number of units, where they are located and how they will operate, but the department is promoting promising practices as they help directors of victims services prepare their applications. The $53.86-million inquiry launched Sept. 1 and is expected to continue for more than two years, completing its mandate by Dec. 31, 2018. with files from the Canadian Press kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. So many dead, so little awareness. Speaker after speaker on the legislature grounds Thursday morning lamented just how little knowledge so many Canadians still have of the Soviet Unions deliberate starving of millions of Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933. The Holodomor National Awareness Tours mobile classroom aims to rectify that lack of awareness for thousands of Manitoba children over the next two weeks. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Holodomor was a genocide carried out in 1932-33 by the Soviet Union led by Joseph Stalin, which resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians due to forced starvation. It is not well-known with the general Canadian public it was denied and covered up by the USSR, Bob Onyschuk, chair of the Holodomor tour, told the ceremony at the legislature. Survivor Sonia Kushliak said every one who survived was just a child during the Holodomor and remembers what their parents and grandparents sacrificed to keep them alive. Education Minister Ian Wishart said a photograph of a starving girl amid a Ukrainian wheat field on the side of the mobile classroom depicts the reality of the genocide. The wheelchair-accessible classroom features 12 high-resolution screens, with seating for 33 people, and facilitators to explain the exhibits. It will be at the legislature until 6 p.m. Thursday before touring schools for the next two weeks. We need to continue to educate all Manitobans about the Ukrainian famine and genocide, Wishart said. He said it is difficult to imagine Manitoba without its Ukrainian community. Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec have recognized the Holodomor as a genocide. There are provinces today that have refused to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide, Oksana Bondarchuk, president of the Manitoba provincial council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, told the ceremony. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Members of the Ukrainian community including survivors of Holodomor genocide, attend the official Kick-Off of the Manitoba portion of the National Awareness Tour of the new mobile Holodomor classroom (a state-of-the-art RV interactive mobile theatre) in front of the Provincial Legislative Building Thursday. Bondarchuk said survivors stayed silent for many years, so tortured were their memories, so fearful were they of the Soviet Unions long reach. More information is available from https://holodomortour.ca. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. University of Manitoba Faculty Association members will walk off the job Nov. 1 if there is no new deal with the university before then. UMFA president Prof. Mark Hudson said Thursday pickets will go up at 7 a.m. that day. In an open-letter to students issued Thursday, Hudson said the two sides remain far apart on key issues of workload and governance. On salary, he said, We still have the same proposals on the table. JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES University of Manitoba Faculty Association members will strike Nov. 1 if there is no new deal with the university. The union wants a 6.9 per cent increase for one year and the university is offering a base rate of seven per cent over four years, while the rate for one-third of professors still eligible for incremental raises would total 17.5 per cent over four years. Hudson said collegial governance is still a major issue professors want a greater say in how promotions are determined as is the issue of workload. Weve had some really substantial increases, he said. Hudson said arts instructors have seen 30 per cent increases in their workload, and science instructors have gone from teaching six courses a year to seven. The bargaining unit includes professors, librarians and instructors. We have nothing in our collective agreement that prevents a continual ratcheting up of workload, Hudson said. Last week, the university promised students it wont write off the academic year regardless of a strikes duration. The U of M said decisions on whether classes continue during a work stoppage will be made on a case-by-case basis. The U of M did not respond to the specific issues Hudson raised Thursday. Communications manager John Danakas said all have been addressed in the universitys offer. The university continues to believe that there must be a better way to resolve issues with the faculty association than through a labour action that disrupts students more than anyone else, he said. In that spirit, the university this year made numerous efforts to utilize new strategies to resolve this matter. In January, the university suggested interest-based bargaining. UMFA rejected that. In March, the university made an early salary offer (1.5 per cent for one year) to expedite a quick settlement. UMFA rejected that. And over a month ago, Sept. 13, the university made a comprehensive offer of settlement, with competitive salary increases. UMFA rejected that. The university tried to work to a different, more accelerated timetable than usual, and will continue to work hard to try to resolve this in a way that avoids a disruption to students. UMFA went on strike in 1995 and 2001 and has come within hours of strike deadlines on other occasions during the the past two decades. The union will hold an information picket at noon Friday in front of the administration building. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca An+Open+Letter+to+UM+Students_Final+(1) Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Alleged historical physical and sexual abuse suffered over half a century ago by a Metis Catholic school student has prompted legal action against the church and the state. A Winnipeg man is suing the province, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg, Les Oblats de Marie Imaculee du Manitoba and an individual priest and nun for medical costs and damages after he was allegedly abused by a priest and a nun at the Vogar Church Day School more than 70 years ago between 1937 and 1942. He also wants the court to issue a declaration stating those parties breached their duties to, among other responsibilities, ensure students safety. The priest and the nun are now believed dead, but the man claims the Catholic church and, potentially, the province, must bear some responsibility for the sexual assaults and unexplained use of the strap against him. MANITOBA HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Catholic Church in Vogar According to a statement of claim filed in Court of Queens Bench Oct. 14, the man claims the priest sexually assaulted him multiple times over five years, including having anal intercourse with him every few months during that time and touching his genitals during confession. He claims the nun exposed herself to him and would continually assault him with a strap in front of other children. The claims havent been proven and no statement of defence has yet been filed. The man didnt report the abuse to police or to his parents, the statement of claim says, because his grandmother was the head of the family and she said he needed to be a good Catholic. As a result of the abuse, the plaintiff said he couldnt complete his education or earn a reasonable living, and experienced anxiety, depression, nightmares and other psychological consequences. Hes seeking an undisclosed amount of money to cover his medical costs as well as the cost of any past or future care. Vogar Church Day School was located in the R.M. of Siglunes. It was run by the Catholic church under the direction of the government. While residential school students were deemed eligible for compensation under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, day school students were not. The five navy personnel assaulted Atul Dicholkar after they suspected him of abusing colleague's daughter. By Indo-Asian News Service: Five Indian Navy personnel were arrested in Goa for assaulting a man, late on Wednesday, a police spokesperson said today. The navy personnel assaulted a man in South Goa after they suspected him of allegedly abusing the daughter of another naval officer. The personnel involved are posted at INS Hansa. Police said that patrolmen Amit Jaiswal, Jitendra Singh, Shamlal Pakshak, Rajnesh Pachar, led by commandant Anupam Sharma were arrested in connection with the assault on Atul Dicholkar, a resident of port town Vasco, located 35 kms from Panaji. advertisement ALLEGEDLY ABUSED MINOR "The navy personnel suspected that Dicholkar had abused a minor daughter of their colleague on Tuesday. So they accosted and assaulted him together," the police said. Also read: Not 1 bid received at e-auction of liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Goa villa The victim is currently hospitalised at the Goa Medical College, a state-run facility, for grievous injuries. The accused were booked under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 and 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), and 325, 326 and 338 (causing grievous hurt endangering life voluntarily using dangerous weapons) of the Indian Penal Code and are now in custody. Also read: India used Goa BRICS Summit to 'outmanoeuvre' Pakistan: Chinese media --- ENDS --- Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In a previous article, I presented a diagnosis of why public trust and confidence in politicians and governments is probably at an all-time low. Asked to rank occupations in terms of trustworthiness, respondents typically place politicians at or near the bottom of the list. Asked how often they expect governments to do the right thing, more than 60 per cent of respondents say never or only some of the time. It should also be noted significant portions of the public are ill-informed about politics and government, which means the knowledge foundation for their disillusionment is not strong. As trust and confidence in politics and government has slowly declined, the public has insisted on more regulation, transparency, monitoring and accountability for both politicians and public servants. This approach is based on the premise that the best way to ensure greater integrity in politics and more effective performance by governments is to eliminate, or at least reduce, the need for trust. In other words, we will produce more trust in public officials by institutionalizing the principle of mistrust. This approach to restoring trust has led to a relatively small (compared with the rest of government) but influential accountability industry in the public sector. At the same time deregulation of the private sector was taking place, the regulation of the public sector was increasing. Each new instance of blunder or abuse led to the addition of new rules, usually layered on top of existing ones. The result was the emergence of a new branch of government concerned with promoting and policing integrity in politics and effectiveness in government. ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES As trust in politics and government has declined, the public has insisted on more accountability for politicians and public servants. Here are some examples of what I mean by the accountability industry: a strengthened role for auditors general practising value-for-money auditing; extensive policies regulating procurement of goods and services; restrictions on government advertising; lobbyist registration; a ban on corporate and trade-union donations to political parties; conflict-of-interest rules; values and ethics codes; freedom-of-information and whistleblower-protection laws; requirements for performance measurement and reporting; and the adoption of open government practices of proactive disclosure of the actions of politicians and public servants. To enforce these new rules, there is an array of integrity and performance monitors: internal and external auditors; integrity commissioners; information and privacy commissioners; both general and specialized ombudsmen, language commissioners; elections agencies and commissioners; childrens advocates and the list goes on. If rules and policing could guarantee integrity and sound performance, it should follow that public trust and confidence would have increased. Instead, during the period of expansion of the accountability industry, mistakes and abuses continued to occur and public trust and confidence continued to decline. In response, the leaders of the accountability industry, both inside and outside government, argue it will take time for the rules and monitoring mechanisms to deter irresponsible behaviour and/or that those devices are deficient and/or inadequately enforced. There is some truth in these arguments. However, we also need to recognize the accountability industry has ended up strengthening the prevailing negative stereotype of politicians and to lesser extent, public servants that exists in the public mind. This happens because the reports of the accountability industry flow into parliamentary and media forums where the findings, mainly the negative news, are amplified, distorted and sensationalized. Most accountability enforcers have only the power to recommend, not to order corrective action. Based on the belief that only bad publicity will lead to reform, some leaders in the accountability industry play to the grandstand in terms of the content and the wording of their reports. This tendency leads to distrust and defensiveness on the part of politicians and public servants who are the targets of the new internal regulatory regime. When the accountability process becomes all about naming, blaming and shaming, little prevention, learning or improvement will occur. Good people may not enter public life as politicians and public servants when those occupations are held in low esteem and the rules imply they cannot be trusted to serve the public interest. There is another drawback to the prevailing negative approach to accountability with its web of rules: it discourages prudent risk-taking, innovation, disclosure and honest dialogues about what needs to be done and what works, does not work and why. My conclusion is leaders in public offices who embody strong values of public service and integrity in their belief systems and behaviours are more important to restoring public trust and confidence than multiple, ever-expanding accountability mechanisms. In short, character and the capacity for ethical reflection matter. Parties need to pay more attention to the character of the people they nominate to stand for public office. Manitoba is the only Canadian jurisdiction that has a code of conduct for political parties that declares their members will not do anything to bring the democratic process into disrepute. Sadly, none of the parties appears to have done anything to bring the code to life. There needs to be more education and training for politicians about the legal and ethical standards of public life, perhaps as part of the curriculum of a national school of government for entrants into public life. There also need to be safe forums where public officials can hold honest dialogues about the real, often submerged ethical dilemmas that confront public officials at a time of rising ethical expectations, suspicion and a narrow focus on wrongdoing rather than encouraging right-doing. Paul G. Thomas is professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba. This is part two of a two-part series. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA To take Prime Minister Justin Trudeau literally, Canadians only wanted electoral reform because they hated former prime minister Stephen Harper, but now that the Liberals are in office, people are so giddy with delight they dont really want to change things up any more. Yes, you read that correctly. In a one-year anniversary interview with Quebec paper Le Devoir, Trudeau said, in French, under Stephen Harper, there were so many people unhappy with the government and their approach that people were saying, It will take electoral reform to no longer have a government we dont like. But under the current system, they now have a government theyre more satisfied with and the motivation to change the electoral system is less compelling. Head, meet wall. PETER POWER / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on reforming Canadas electoral system, but now seems to be backing off any attempt to do so. A year ago, Trudeau said despite the fact the Liberals proved they could win under our first-past-the-post system, he was forging ahead with his promise to reform the system because he wanted to make our democracy stronger. Am I in this job to defend a particular political party and ensure that, you know, Liberals get to run this country forever? he asked in an interview with The Canadian Press. No. Im in this job to try and make a significant, positive difference in peoples lives. But a year into the gig, with his partys popularity swollen from an extended honeymoon period while both major opposition parties await the result of leadership contests, Trudeau now seems to think desire for electoral reform is low. During an event in Brampton, Ont., Thursday, Trudeau said he was still deeply committed to electoral reform. How committed and to what kind of reform is now in serious question, given Trudeau also told Le Devoir bigger changes would require more support from Canadians, while smaller ones, not so much. It is not out of the question at this point for the Liberals to back away from changing how we vote and instead implement things such as online voting or lowering the voting age. But Trudeau has dangled the issue of reform in front of us for a year now, and if he doesnt see it through to the end, it will have been a colossal waste of time and money.Most Canadians dont go to bed at night worrying about our electoral system. Its not the No. 1 topic at the dinner table or the water cooler.In fact, alarmingly, a Forum Research poll Thursday found only two in five Canadians even can identify the kind of system we actually have now. One in five think we already have proportional representation and one in 10 think we use a ranked ballot. I have to believe those latter Canadians are also the ones who dont actually vote because anyone who has would surely know there was no ranking going on on the ballot. The polls on electoral reform are all over the place. There is no consensus about what is the best system, or even if we should change things at all. The only thing that has been consistently supported by a majority of Canadians in almost any poll that has asked the question, is a demand for a referendum to make the decision. This is the position of the Conservative Party, but it is supported by a majority of voters who back all three major parties. Its also the position I hear most often when discussing the topic with people outside the Parliament Hill bubble, no matter their political leanings. The idea that a government in power can unilaterally choose the voting system we use to elect future governments just does not sit well with many people. One of the main arguments against a referendum is that people will be asked to vote about something they know little about. The Forum Poll this week, and most others before it, do show Canadians are generally not very well informed about our electoral system. So yes, it may be true that a referendum would be calling on people to make choices about something they know little about. That is where leadership comes in. Trudeau is right when he says a big change requires lots of support. A big change also requires time.If its worth doing, its worth doing well. That requires an intense and broad-reaching educational campaign about the existing system and the various options and at least two years for Elections Canada to set up the new system. No matter how hard the government tries to spin that Canadians voted for electoral reform last fall, it needs to hold a referendum to decide what that reform will look like. Thats another six months, and given the government wont be ready to make any decisions until after Christmas, the timelines are getting very squeezed to have everything done and in place by October 2019. There is nothing more important in a democracy than how the government is chosen. Doing this in a rush or with any semblance of favouritism to any particular party, will take legitimacy from any government elected in the future. Mia Rabson is the Free Press parliamentary bureau chief. mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @mrabson Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As the Liberal government heads into its second year of governing, following its historic defeat of the Harper Conservatives, support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remains high. Mr. Trudeau won last October largely because he had a bold and optimistic agenda aimed at revitalizing and rebuilding the economy and he promised a new relationship with Canadas indigenous people. It was all sunny ways, my friend. But those sunny ways are fading into October days and frustration may be growing, particularly as the government grapples with the complexities of aboriginal issues in Canada. According internal government documents released in January, it could cost $1.9 billion to fix the housing crisis on northern Manitoba reserves. Only $50 million is budgeted for reserve housing in Manitoba this year and that budget will drop to $29 million next year. Despite the report, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett couldnt commit additional funds to address the issue. In March, a suicide crisis was declared in Cross Lake after 140 students and young adults stepped forward and admitted to seriously considering suicide in a 90-day period. Poverty and inadequate housing were considered triggers. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRES FILES More recently, a Probe poll suggests that 74 per cent of Canadians say water infrastructure in many First Nations communities is unacceptable and must be fixed immediately. Approximately 90 reserves have a boil water advisory in effect, 11 of them located in Manitoba. One of those communities is Shoal Lake 40 which has been under a boil water advisory for a decade. The reason? The lack of an access road makes the price of building a water treatment plant prohibitive. The reserve has been cut off from the rest of the country for nearly a century. There was optimism in December that the freedom road was going to be built. All three levels of government came to an agreement on its construction after considerable foot dragging. With the new Liberal government in power in Ottawa, there was a breakthrough and construction was planned for 2016 with completion by 2017. The price tag was at $30 million. Today, freedom road remains a dream. The price tag has gone up to $52 million and with a new provincial government on Broadway, the project is under review, as the Tories eye slaying Manitobas growing deficit. But that doesnt mean the federal government should waver on its commitment to get the access road built. It would be easy to blame the province for failing to cough up the additional money to cover the shortfall, but that would be playing politics. In the grand scheme of things the buck should stop at the feet of Indigenous Affairs, which has a fiduciary responsibility for First Nations in Canada and a prime minister who pledged things would be different. Shoal Lake Chief Erwin Redsky is frustrated but given the Probe poll findings, he is not alone. Its time. Substandard housing, boiling water advisories and broken promises can no longer be ignored especially not in 2016. Mike Goggin is running as a Republican for the District 21 Senate seat held by Sen. Matt Schmit, DFL-Red Wing, who was first elected in 2012. The district extends south from Red Wing and Goodhue County and includes a portion of Winona County, including the cities of Goodview, St. Charles, Elba and Altura. Goggin is a first-time candidate who said if elected he would help southeast Minnesota businesses and citizens save costs, and work for higher wages and job growth. He said he would be attempting to fix the past mistakes of the Legislature, specifically MNsure, which he said people have been bringing up to him consistently as a concern. Goggin also said he would be adamant in opposing any rail corridor along Hwy. 52. I fix things I dont just talk, Goggin said. Goggin, who is from from Red Wing, is an engineering project manager at the Prairie Island nuclear plant. He graduated from Red Wing High School, got a bachelors degree in business administration from Gustavus, and worked for the Red Wing Shoe Company before joining Xcel Energy at Prairie Island in 2004 and getting a subsequent bachelors degree in electrical engineering. Schmit, who has taken on broadband funding and expansion, transportation and other initiatives as his key issues, is finishing his first term. He said hes continuing to focus on running a positive campaign and spotlighting the achievements hes been involved in, and how productive even the 2015 legislative session was compared to 2012 and 2013, when the Legislature was suffering through strife and gridlock to a larger degree. Schmit said that since then, lawmakers have turned the budget around completely and provided major investments in the state. Weve really moved past the period of budget showdowns and government shutdowns, Schmit said. Its not perfect ... but weve got a strong track record in the Senate. Regarding healthcare reform, Schmit said the Legislature will be working on it in the coming session and they have some solutions. Merry Enright and Heather Fowlkes always wanted to learn to fly fish. The sisters grew up in a family of anglers and were intrigued in particular by fly fishing, by the way their father and brothers would flick their wrists and send their lines gliding through the air, their flies tumbling almost weightlessly into the water. Our dad and brothers would always get to fly fish, and we would be jealous, said Enright, who recently picked up the hobby with her sister after years of wishing they had done so as children. Were certainly not experts, but were completely hooked, Enright said. We have good days and bad days, but were having the time of our lives. The pair watched YouTube videos to learn the basics, then took fly fishing classes at Whitewater State Park. Theyve gone out a couple times a week almost every week this summer and fall, reeling in sunfish or trout or nothing at all. When youre in the woods, in a quiet stream, its so peaceful, Fowlkes said. Even when youre not getting fish, just the tranquility Its my therapy. Fly fishing differs in many ways from traditional angling. Fly fishermen and women usually stand in the water among their prey. They use long and flexible rods baited with artificial flies that resemble insects. And because fly fishing is not a cast-and-wait kind of fishing, they must have a heightened mindfulness of their surroundings, reading the current and adjusting their lines. Tom Kosidowski, the sisters father and a fishing enthusiast, broke out his old fly fishing gear, giving his daughters their own vests, rods and nets. When he goes out with them, Kosidowski, whos in his 70s, has a hard time keeping up both with the pace of their stride, and the size of their catches. Merry just had a 17-incher, he said. I havent caught a trout that big in years. They get so fired up, I just turn them loose. I cant keep up with these girls anymore, but its nice to watch them. Kosidowski still has an ageless wisdom, his daughters say. He knows exactly where the fish will be and knows how to tie the perfect fly better than store-bought, Enright said. You cant beat his flies. Enright calls her father a macho Polish man, but in the quiet moments when the fish arent biting, she said, Kosidowski has started opening up to his daughters in a way he rarely did before. Its been so nice, Enright said. We talk, he tells us stories. Hes getting such a kick out of this. If they catch and release, people can fly fish year-round in southeastern Minnesota. Enright and Fowlkes have started to wind down their personal fly fishing season, but their new hobby has a powerful hold over them. Talking on the phone the other day, Kosidowski said he was surprised his daughters werent fishing right now. I think he thought it would be a phase, Enright said. Were having so much fun. Wed go every day if we could. The Sauk County Board voted 27-4 Tuesday to award nearly $1 million to local conservation and environmental projects. The final vote came after more than an hour of debate, most of which focused on an attempt by two supervisors to withhold funding from projects they dont support. Disagreements centered on the months-long effort of four committees to prioritize the available funds, and the negative opinion that two supervisors have of several nonprofit conservation groups. Power line payment Sauk County government is slated to receive nearly $1 million in environmental impact fees related to the construction of a high-power transmission line from La Crosse to Madison. In July, county officials asked local organizations and government agencies to submit requests for the funds. And following a process that included four committees, the boards Finance Committee in September recommended funding for nine of the 18 requests the county received. That was the list of projects included in the resolution that went before the board Tuesday night. But as discussion on the resolution began, Supervisor Tim Meister of Lyndon Station offered an amendment to withhold $378,250 from the following organizations: The Aldo Leopold Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology, the International Crane Foundation, the Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance and the Riverland Conservancy. He said the money could be better spent by the countys Conservation, Planning and Zoning Department on unspecified streambank restoration and water quality improvement projects. Quite frankly, I am appalled at this amendment, Supervisor Judy Ashford of Merrimac said, adding that her level of outrage was enough to make her consider resigning from the board. Ashford and other supervisors said the months-long effort of Sauk County Administrative Coordinator Renae Fry and four committees to prioritize the funds was exhaustive and should not be subverted at the last minute. This is probably one of the most thoroughly vetted action items that this board has ever taken up, Fry said. Im a little concerned that this has been ignored and set aside by the discussions that are proceeding here. Story objection Meisters amendment to withhold funding was seconded by Supervisor Brian Peper of Loganville. The two supervisors made a similar proposal during an August meeting of the boards Highway and Parks Committee, which Meister chairs. At the August meeting, Meister and Peper pushed to divert $85,000 of the available funds from several conservation projects into a bike trail between Baraboo to Reedsburg. That recommendation was supported 4-1 by the Highway and Parks Committee, but later rejected by the Finance Committee, which was granted ultimate authority over the transmission line environmental impact funds. Peper said he and Meister were crucified in a Baraboo News Republic article that highlighted their proposal to divert funds and their criticisms of two organizations: The Nature Conservancy and the International Crane Foundation. Tuesday night, Peper repeated an allegation he made during the August meeting, suggesting that the International Crane Foundation had intentionally misled county officials in project application documents. In one application, the nonprofit group disclosed that it had 58 employees, including 47 at its Baraboo headquarters. But in an application related to a separate project, ICF said it had 80 employees, and that 64 of them worked out of Baraboo. How does that happen? Peper said Tuesday night. ICF Vice President of Headquarters-Operations Kim Smith told the newspaper in August that the discrepancy was not evidence of an attempt to mislead. She said the number of people employed by the organization fluctuates throughout the year based on the projects in progress. Staff that completed applications for county funds likely pulled employment data from two different time periods, Smith said. Also Tuesday, Peper criticized ICF based on the number of visitors it attracts, saying the nonprofit group generates less tourism in a year than Sauk Prairies annual State Cow Chip Throw does in one weekend. He apologized to fellow supervisors for not submitting the proposal to withhold funding in a more timely fashion. TNC response During the August meeting and Tuesday night, Meister said he could not support awarding government funds to The Nature Conservancy. He said the groups efforts harm local governments by taking property off the tax rolls. If you can sit here and give money to The Nature Conservancy and take land off the tax roll, and the rest of the taxpayers has to eat the rest of that, boy theres something wrong with the system, Meister said Tuesday. I dont know how we can ever think about giving this money to The Nature Conservancy, and buying up land, and taking it off the tax roll. Although it was not challenged during Tuesday nights meeting, Meisters assertion was not correct. The Nature Conservancy does in fact purchase land that is later removed from the tax roll. However, the group does not plan to use county funds for that purpose. Application documents show the organization plans to use the money for forest improvements, prescribed fires, invasive species removal, supply purchases, and improvements to hiking trails and other areas within the Baraboo Hills. The Nature Conservancys request of $70,000 to help with the Baraboo Hills Native Biodiversity Project will not be utilized for the purchase of any land, Baraboo Hills Project Coordinator Ann Calhoun said Wednesday. Supervisor Peter Vedro of Baraboo defended the conservation groups targeted by Meister and Pepers amendment. Sauk County has an international reputation because of many of the entities that are listed here, he said. The amendment to withhold funding from six groups failed on a 27-4 vote. Solar project Daniel Holzman of Baraboo, the only person to speak during a portion of Tuesdays meeting set aside for public comments, encouraged the board to use the environmental project money to fund a county solar energy initiative that has been in the works for more than a year. One of the 18 projects considered was a county committees push to install solar panels that would power government buildings. The Finance Committee voted to remove the Property and Insurance Committees solar project from consideration and instead use $225,395 to include energy efficient systems in the design of a building at White Mound Park. Although Supervisor Scott Von Asten, who chairs the Property and Insurance Committee, said earlier this week that he planned to offer an amendment to restore funding for the solar energy project, he did not do so. Supervisor Tom Kriegl, who has criticized the Finance Committees decision to divert money from the solar project into the White Mound Park building, offered an amendment to withhold the $225,395 and instead spend it on repairing damage done by the transmission line. That amendment failed on a 25-6 vote. Incumbent Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) is running against challenger Jim Zahn for the state legislatures 39th Assembly District. MARK BORN Mark Born has served the 39th Assembly District as its representative in the Wisconsin State Assembly for the last four years. He said, I promised to take the common sense conservative values of this district to Madison and that is exactly what I have done. Wisconsin is moving in the right direction and with your help we will continue to move our great state forward. Born was born and raised in Beaver Dam where he currently resides with his wife Liberty, and their daughter. As a member of the state legislature, Born has served as the chairman of the Wisconsin Assembly Public Benefit Reform Committee where he hopes to bring more accountability to the public benefit programs. He also serves on the criminal justice, natural resources and sporting heritage, tourism, insurance, financial institutions and State Capitol and Executive Residence committees and the state building commission. When asked what he is most proud of since serving in the legislature, Born said, I think I would say two things: I think that the HOPE (heroin, opioid, prevention and education) legislation that we have done for the last two sessions that is something that we hear about so much in our districts. Even when I travel the state with some of our colleagues, it is a national problem, but obviously it is in Wisconsin too. I think we have done a lot of things to help. Through Born admitted that the heroin and opioid problem is far from being solved, he said, We have all these programs that are being implemented or are starting to be implemented and that is why we havent seen major change yet because there are pilot programs that are being rolled out and these things take time. There is more that we can do and we know we need more for treatment. So it is one of the things that I am most proud of, but also one of the things that I am looking forward to continuing to work on. I want to see where these pilot projects go and where we can make some of those new investments. Born also said that he is very proud of his relationship with his constituents. The other thing I am really proud of is most of the legislation that I have been lead author on are things that come directly from constituents. To me that is one of the really cool parts of the job. Bring me your ideas. That, to me, is representative democracy at work and even if it is just saving a nickel here and there for the businesses it is worth it. Those kinds of things are the best part of the job. When asked what he thinks are the main concerns for constituents in his district, Born said, You always hear about education. I have had two budgets that I have had a chance to vote on and both of them have had more money for education. Sometimes for some people it is never enough no matter what it is and I understand that it is open for debate. I am glad that the two budgets that I have had a chance to work on have invested more in K-12 education and I certainly expect that when I work on the budget next session we will have more investment in K-12 education because it is important to our future as a state. Born said, I think transportation issues will be a major issue this term. I want to continue with reforms and continue to try to find ways to save money, but I am also not unwilling to talk about revenue for the system. I think we need to have a conversation about the best way to fund transportation for our future to make sure we maintain a strong infrastructure. I am willing to have that conversation with our constituents and my colleagues and lets make some hard decisions. Born addressed concerns that he says he often hears from manufacturers in the district that the workforce is shrinking. While Born says that the legislature has worked hard to make investments in the Wisconsin Fast Forward programs and improve worker training, there are still a lot of job vacancies. He said, We dont hear as much about the training anymore but we need people to show up and work and pass a drug test. I am not sure I have a magic answer on what the state legislature can do about that but I think one area that we can work on is to do more to promote Wisconsin, not just for tourism. We do a pretty good job at that and we are a great state for tourism, but I think we are a great state to live, work and raise a family and we need more people to come here and settle here and work in these manufacturing jobs that are good quality jobs. We need to re-brand Wisconsin as not just a great place for your fishing weekend but as a great place to live. JIM ZAHN Running against Born is Jim Zahn, a farmer and a lifelong resident of Dodge County. He also serves as the chair of the Dodge County Democratic Party. Zahn attended parochial grade school, public high school and technical college. He is a graduate of UW-Madison Leadership Wisconsin. His family immigrated to the Lomira/Theresa area in 1868. His grandparents moved to Juneau in 1932, giving him deep roots in his community. This year I picked stones with my grandson in the same field I once picked with my grandfather Zahn said. Zahn was a school bus driver for more than 30 years, an over-the-road semi-truck driver for 10 years, served on the Dodgeland School Board and on the Dodgeland transportation committee. He was employed as a custodian for Dodgeland for three years and is a past member of FFA Alumni. He is a member of both the Juneau and the Beaver Dam chambers of commerce as well as the Dodge County Antique Power Club, serving on the board of directors for nine years. Zahn is a member of the Rock River Coalition. He serves on a Dodge County Land Conservation Committee to create a farmer-led initiative to improve water quality in Fox Lake, Beaver Dam Lake and Lake Sinnissippi. He is currently working for his son part-time at Northwoods Casket Company in Beaver Dam. As a member of the Democratic Party, Zahn said, I am not happy with the direction in which Wisconsin is going. Our legislators seem to be having a contest to see where they can make the biggest funding cuts. One of those cuts has been to public education, which is the one field that always pays off in the long run. One of the many functions of public education is to prepare our youths to become members of the work force. There are jobs available in this assembly district for which there are few qualified applicants. With proper funding our K-12, vocational and UW Systems could remedy this situation. Zahn said he also is concerned with transportation. In addition to public education funding, our local communities are having a difficult time maintaining our roads. These are just two of many problems we are facing as citizens of our district. I dont want to sit back and be a part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution. Zahn is accepting no campaign contributions. He believes that in order to fairly represent his constituents he cant be beholden to his biggest donors. Alexandra Knowles Alexandra Elizabeth Knowles, 25, passed away Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. She was born March 6, 1991, in Leominster, Massachusetts. She had been living in Fox Lake, Wisconsin, but was looking forward to relocating to Massachusetts with her family. Alex successfully completed the dental assistant program at Wisconsin Dental Assistant School, and loved helping people working as an assistant. She was looking forward to advancing her education and continuing in the field of dentistry. Alexandra was a beautiful soul and will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She had an infectious smile that would light up a room. She is survived by her mother and father, Grace and William Knowles; her loving brother, William Knowles III; daughter and gift to us all, Makenna Grace; grandmother, Yoko Decicco; aunts, uncles, other loving relatives and friends. A memorial service will be held in Massachusetts in the spring; all family and friends will be notified. Memorial donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids at http://www.drugfree.org. Cornerstone Funeral & Cremation Services, 135 Keller Blvd., Beaver Dam, is honored to be serving the family. Send private online condolences or sign the familys guest book at cstonefs.com. By PTI: freedom: Union min Hyderabad, Oct 20 (PTI) The government supports religous freedom but will intervene if injustice was meted out in its name, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today said commenting on the issue of triple talaq. Replying to a question on the issue, he said the Congress should stop making "baseless allegations" against the NDA government and offer constructive ideas instead. advertisement "We are in the space age. Congress and other opposition parties are still in the stone age. Women seek justice. Some Muslim women are also agitating. On the issue of gender justice, we also should not say no. We should not differentiate between Hindu women and Muslim women," the Minister for Labour and Employment told reporters here. "The government will support religious freedom. But the government will intervene if some injustice is done in the name of religious freedom. So the government had informed the Supreme Court our intention of protecting the rights of women," said Dattatreya. On October 7, the Centre had opposed before the Supreme Court the practice of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy among Muslims. "A former Union Minister says more Hindus practice polygamy (than Muslims). It is not fair on his part to make such comments. I never expected that Jaipal Reddy will come to that level. I request them to cooperate with the government by giving constructive ideas," he said, referring to Reddys statement here yesterday. PTI GDK KRK KIS --- ENDS --- Tonya was born June 7, 1967, in Janesville, the daughter of Paul Valentine and Brenda Frazier. She graduated from Beaver Dam High School in 1985 and has worked at Richelieu Foods since 1989. Tonya lived her life according to the three Ls live, laugh and love. She loved her two sons dearly and enjoyed spending time with them. She also liked going to Amish bakeries and greenhouses, relaxing at home with her cat and participating in the Relay for Life in honor of her mother. Disorderly conduct Wednesday at 8:33 a.m., someone at Golden Living, 410 Roedl Court, told police that a man was throwing things, hitting staff and locked himself in his room. He later calmed down. Retail theft Wednesday at 12:39 p.m., a 23-year-old man was cited with retail theft while at Shopko, 822 Park Ave. Theft Wednesday at 1:09 p.m., a 63-year-old man reported the theft of a leaf blower and a bag from a storage shed in the 800 block of Scott Street. Fight Wednesday at 1:33 p.m., someone told police that people were physically fighting in the 100 block of Lakecrest Drive. A 20-year-old woman and a 28-year-old woman were warned about the incident. Retail theft Wednesday at 3:49 p.m., someone at Boston Store, 1645 N. Spring St., reported that three women grabbed some items and ran out of the store. Misc. Wednesday at 5:19 p.m., someone in Swan City Park told police that he/she could see a girls underwear and said it was disturbing. Fight Thursday at 2:10 a.m., someone near Caseys General Store, 906 N. University Ave., told police that two men were fighting. One man was cited with disorderly conduct. 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. The second debate, which was touted as the 'nastiest' by some American publications, would seem a little shy compared to what happened today. By Vishakha Saxena: Tomorrow morning, the headline from the third US presidential debate in almost every publication would be Donald Trump's refusal to state whether he will accept the election results on November 8, or not. It's already been the leading story for most American publications, in the hours since the debate aired. The other highlight from this final debate would be the many nasty barbs (literally, in one case) that Trump and Clinton unleashed at each other. Even the second debate, which was touted as the 'nastiest' by some American publications, would seem a little shy compared to what happened today. advertisement We take a look at 11 cheeky comments made by the two American presidential nominees - some that can qualify as pure trash talk and others that can be called classic moves to ruffle the opponent's feathers. #1 Clinton needles Trump on getting out of taxes Hillary Clinton has played the 'Donald gets out of taxes' card multiple times in every debate, but her reminder today came like a sting for Trump. Explaining her tax plan and her plan to handle America's entitlement programs, Clinton said, "my social security payroll contribution will go up, as will Donald's, assuming he can't figure out how to get out of it." Phew. Not one to shy from crosstalk, pat came Trump's response: #2 "Such a nasty woman" Yes, you read that right. Trump, known to get ultra-defensive every time anyone highlights his tax evasions, resorted to making a comment that could cost him a huge chunk of 53% female voter-base. Though Clinton continued her debate without stopping to acknowledge or react to Trump's remarks, on Twitter she pretty much owned Trump: "Nobody respects women more than me." Donald Trump earlier tonight "Such a nasty woman." Donald Trump just now #DebateNight Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2016 Various media organisations, too, highlighted the contrast between Trump's assertions of respecting women, and the repeated callous sexist remarks he has habitually made. And the blowback, since, has only deepened. One Clinton supporter purchased the domain nastywomengetshitdone.com, redirecting it to her website. Others began tweeting with #nastywomen -- to show it as a symbol of empowerment -- making it the top trend of the debate. Well behaved women rarely make history anyways ????? #nastywoman pic.twitter.com/FP8yaXsjYYEmma Meyer (@Emmagoshhh) October 20, 2016 *Deletes entire resume* Simply writes in: "nasty woman."#DebateElizabeth Plank (@feministabulous) October 20, 2016 Facebook wasn't far behind either, where a page 'Nasty Women For Hillary' was up within an hour of the debate. #3 When the audience chuckled at Trump's 'respect women' claims Not all burns were delivered by the contesting candidates. On multiple occasions, like in past debates, the audience cheered and jeered candidates, despite moderator Wallace's requests to behave. But, the standout from the third debate was the clearly audible laughter that came when Trump claimed "Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Nobody." Watch: Chris Wallace had to shush the crowd after they laughed when Trump said "nobody has more respect for women than I do." pic.twitter.com/bkathsU3Lu Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 20, 2016 advertisement His comments came while he was claiming that nine allegations of sexual assaults against him were either attempts for fame or fake stories floated by the Clinton campaign. "... Those stories have been largely debunked," he said addressing the nine women who shared their experiences of sexual misconduct by Trump, after the leak of a tape in which he was heard bragging about using his influence to grope women. #4 'Bad hombres' Donald Trump's racist attitude against Mexicans was highlighted once more when he referred to some as 'bad hombres'. ".. We have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out," he said asserting that America was in need of strong borders. Seemingly the third most controversial statement of the night, #badhombres quickly began trending on Twitter -- outrage and questions like 'what is bad hombres?' were commonplace reactions. advertisement Political commentator Ana Navarro, a Republican who often criticizes Trump, even offered Spanish lessons via Twitter. "Trump said some stupidity re 'Bad hombres': Spanish lesson 101: hombre=man; hambre=hunger; hombro=shoulder; ombre=Kardashian hair color," she tweeted. Navarro had been widely hailed after the leak of Trump's 'groping' tape, when she shut down a Trump supporter for objecting to usage of the word 'pussy' on air. "You know what Scottie? Don't tell me you're offended when I say 'pussy,' but you're not offended when Donald Trump says it. I'm not running for president - he is," she had said. #5 'He choked' Hillary, who was relatively far more subdued in the first two debates, scorched the last one. She interrupted and mocked Trump multiple times, implementing a strategy he has used with an open hand. Responding to the 'bad hombres' jibe, Clinton revealed to viewers, "When it comes to the wall that Donald talks about building, he went to Mexico, he had a meeting with the Mexican president. Didn't even raise it. He choked and then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said we're not paying for that wall." advertisement Trump 'responded' to Hillary's comments, but made no attempt to refute the "choking" claim. #6 When Clinton called Trump Putin's puppet In another example of unseen-before behaviour from Clinton, the Democratic candidate interjected Trump while he boasted about Russian president Vladimir Putin saying 'nice things' about him. "Well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States," she quipped. "No puppet. No puppet," responded Trump, and added "you're the puppet," as she continued. The counter-allegation might not hold much weight for Trump who has in the past called for more Russian cyber attacks against his rival. #7 Celebrity Apprentice references Hillary Clinton has stressed uncountable times that Donald Trump lacks considerable political experience to be President, a stand that she has aggressively propounded in the last week. Her attacks only got sharper in the third debate. "And on the day when I was in the Situation Room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice," she said responding to Trump's 'what did you do in 30 years' barbs. "And, yes, we do need to go after Baghdadi, and -- just like we went after bin Laden, while you were doing "Celebrity Apprentice," and we brought him to justice. We need to go after the leadership," she reiterated minutes later. These comments resonate with a 'tool' the Clinton campaign launched on her website last week that compared the two candidates' personal histories across the past 50-plus years. #8 'I mean who does that' What began with moderator Chris Wallace's questions about the Pay-to-Play allegations against the Clinton foundation, ended with Hillary pointedly mocking the Republican candidate. Responding to Trump's allegations that it was a 'criminal enterprise', Clinton said, "... I'd be happy to compare what we do with the Trump Foundation, which took money from other people and bought a six-foot portrait of Donald. I mean, who does that? It just was astonishing." Her comments earned a slight chuckle from the audience too. #9 'Excuse me, my turn' A little before her Celebrity Apprentice jab, Clinton engaged in a bit of crosstalk during Trump's chance to respond to her. "... excuse me. My turn," came Trump's response who then went on to accuse her for not doing enough. "For 30 years, you've been in a position to help, and if you say that I use steel or I use something else, I -- make it impossible for me to do that. I wouldn't mind," he said. #10 When Trump called Hillary for dodging a question Currently being hailed as the best moderator so far, Chris Wallace reminded both candidates to stick to his and each other's questions, multiple times. At one such instance, looking to get clarity from Clinton about her 'open borders' stance, he asked her if open borders were her 'dream'. In a precursor to his question, Wallace also quoted an email of hers leaked by Wikileaks, that quoted her as saying, "my dream is a hemispheric common market with open trade and open borders." Clinton, in response, gave no clarity as such and went on to question Trump's affinity for Russia. "That was a great pivot off the fact that she wants open borders, OK? How did we get on to Putin?" responded Trump, earning cheers from the audience. #11 'Your husband disagrees with you' Another sizzler from Trump came when Hillary outlined the positive benefits of the Affordable Care Act. "Your husband disagrees with you," interjected Trump, reminding viewers former president Bill Clinton described Obamacare as a 'crazy system' just this month. your husband disagrees with you?? is a nice summary of a million Republican households this monthDENALI (@timothypmurphy) October 20, 2016 'Your husband disagrees with you' Maybe Melania's not allowed to Donald, but it's quite normal for women to disagree with their spousesGav (@miracleofsound) October 20, 2016 "Such a nasty woman." "Your husband disagrees with you." "No one respects women more than me." ...so relieved this is the last #debateMona Nomura (@Mona) October 20, 2016 All you need to know about Trump is he considers "your husband disagrees with you" a powerful insult#1 Rachel ? (@rachel) October 20, 2016 "Your husband disagrees with you." Her husband isn't running for president, you rotten jack-o-lantern of a man. #debatenightSuch A Nasty Woman (@Jenny_Trout) October 20, 2016 The remark backfired, however, as many Twitter users objected to Trump's presumption that a woman cannot hold views different from her husband. --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) Home Minister Rajnath Singh today ordered Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing JNU student even as the agitating students decided to change their mode of protest after keeping the Vice Chancellor and some other top officials under siege for over 20 hours. The agitating students, who have been accusing the JNU administration of not doing enough to trace missing student Najeeb Ahmed, said they have decided to change their mode of protest and will no longer confine VC M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials of the university. advertisement Earlier, they allowed the VC and a section of the officials to go out of the administrative building to attend a scheduled meeting of the Academic Council (AC) after not allowing them to move from the office for over 20 hours. The AC meeting was on till late evening. As the students protest over the missing student entered the sixth day, the Home Minister directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace Najeeb who went missing on Saturday following a brawl with a group of ABVP supporters in a JNU hostel. Singh called up the Commissioner of Delhi Police and gave the instruction to set up the special team. The students did not allow the VC and around 12 other officials to come out of the administrative building since yesterday afternoon as part of their protest though mediapersons were allowed to go inside it. JNU teachers association, which have been supportive of the students on most of the issues, criticised the confinement of the VC and others. The VC had this morning warned the students of strict action over the "illegal confinement". Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC said several rounds of talks were held to convince the students about sincerity of the university authority to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their "illegal" activities". "This is a university run in a democratic manner. We value debate and discussion. Thats why we had several rounds of discussions with the students to convince them that the university is sincerely working to locate Najeeb Ahmed. "We have tried every possible means to convince the students that we are trying our best to locate Najeeb. However, they are not relenting and resorting to this kind of illegal means," Kumar said hours before he was allowed to go. He said, "We cannot be coerced by these illegal means. The university has to be run in a proper manner and the academic activities should not suffer. We again appeal to the students not to resort to this kind of illegal activities which will affect the university." MORE PTI GJS ACB MPB RG --- ENDS --- advertisement The Boeing Company is the worlds largest manufacturer of airplanes and commands more than 50% of the market in some channels and categories. The company and its family of subsidiaries design, develops, manufacture, sell, service, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight, and related services worldwide. The company operates through four segments including Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital providing products and services to end-users in 150 countries. Boeing got its start in 1910 when William E. Boeing developed a love for aircraft. Soon after he takes his first plane ride which leads him to build a hangar and begin construction of his first plane. The onset of WWI helped spur the companys growth but business was cut drastically in its wake. The start of WWII was another milestone for the company and one that led to its current position of dominance. The company was incorporated in 1916 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. Boeing employs over 140,000 people in 65 countries making it one of the most diverse employers on the planet. The Commercial Airplanes segment is built around the iconic 7-series which includes the 737, 747, and 787. The segment provides commercial jet aircraft for passenger and cargo requirements, as well as fleet support services for regional, national, and international air carriers and logistics and freight companies. In terms of global volume, the company estimates about 90% of all air freight is carried aboard one of its jets. This segment also includes the Dreamliner family of planes. The Dreamliner is a game-changing airplane for many carriers as it opens up the potential for new one-stop destinations because of its capacity and range. The Defense, Space & Security segment develops and manufactures a range of systems including manned and unmanned aircraft, missiles, missile defense systems, satellites, communications equipment, and intelligence systems for governments. Among the many iconic brands within this segment are the AH-64 Apache, Air Force One, B-52, C-17 Globemaster, Chinook, F/A-18, and the V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft used by the Marines. The Global Services segment offers a range of products and services that include supply chain and logistics management, engineering, maintenance, upgrades, conversions, spare parts, pilot and maintenance training, technical and maintenance documents, and data analytics to its commercial and defense customers. Boeing is also a leader in innovation, leveraging its many decades and avenues of experience to further aerospace and defense technology. Among the many innovations is the MQ-25 Stingray which will be the worlds first autonomous aircraft. The Stingray is only one of many areas of research that also include drones and undersea vehicles. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in various dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams. It also develops, manufactures, and sells active pharmaceutical ingredients. In addition, it focuses on the central nervous system, pain, respiratory, and oncology areas. Its products in the central nervous system include Copaxone for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine; and AUSTEDO for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington disease. The company's products in the respiratory market comprise ProAir, QVAR, ProAir Digihaler, AirDuo Digihaler, and ArmonAir Digihaler, BRALTUS, CINQAIR/CINQAERO, DuoResp Spiromax, and AirDuo RespiClick/ArmonAir RespiClick for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Its products in the oncology market include Bendeka, Treanda, Granix, Trisenox, Lonquex, and Tevagrastim/Ratiograstim. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has a collaboration MedinCell for the development and commercialization of multiple long-acting injectable products, a risperidone suspension for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The company was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. manufactures, markets, and sells skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products worldwide. It offers a range of skin care products, including moisturizers, serums, cleansers, toners, body care, exfoliators, acne care and oil correctors, facial masks, cleansing devices, and sun care products; and makeup products, such as lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, foundations, eyeshadows, nail polishes, and powders, as well as compacts, brushes, and other makeup tools. The company also provides fragrance products in various forms comprising eau de parfum sprays and colognes, as well as lotions, powders, creams, candles, and soaps; and hair care products that include shampoos, conditioners, styling products, treatment, finishing sprays, and hair color products, as well as sells ancillary products and services. It offers its products under the Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, MAC, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Smashbox, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, GLAMGLOW, Kilian Paris, Too Faced, Dr. Jart+, DECIEM, and The Ordinary brands. The company sells its products through department stores, specialty-multi retailers, upscale perfumeries and pharmacies, and salons and spas; freestanding stores; its own and authorized retailer websites; third-party online malls; stores in airports; and duty-free shops. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, and markets biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, neuroscience, and covid-19 diseases. The company's products include Revlimid, an oral immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma; Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; and Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis. It also provides Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia; Yervoy for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma; Abraxane, a protein-bound chemotherapy product; Reblozyl for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia; and Empliciti for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In addition, the company offers Zeposia to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; Breyanzi, a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma; Inrebic, an oral kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with myelofibrosis; and Onureg for the treatment of adult patients with AML. It sells products to wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, retailers, hospitals, clinics, and government agencies. The company was formerly known as Bristol-Myers Company. The company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Xylem Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and servicing of engineered products and solutions for the water and wastewater applications in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Water Infrastructure, Applied Water, and Measurement & Control Solutions. The Water Infrastructure segment offers various products, including water, storm water, and wastewater pumps; controls and systems; filtration, disinfection, and biological treatment equipment; and mobile dewatering equipment under the Flygt, Godwin, Wedeco, Sanitaire, Leopold, Wedeco, and Xylem Vue brand names for the transportation and treatment of water. The Applied Water segment provides pumps, valves, heat exchangers, controls, and dispensing equipment systems under the Goulds Water Technology, Bell & Gossett, A-C Fire Pump, Standard Xchange, Lowara, Jabsco, Xylem Vue and Flojet brand names for residential and commercial building services, and industrial water applications. The Measurement & Control Solutions segment provides smart meters, networked communication devices, and measurement and control technologies, as well as critical infrastructure technologies. It also offers software and services, including cloud-based analytics, remote monitoring and data management, leak detection, condition assessment, asset management, and pressure monitoring solutions, as well as testing equipment and managed services. This segment sells its products under the Pure, Sensus, Smith Blair, WTW, Xylem Vue, and YSI brand names. The company markets and sells its products through a network of direct sales force, resellers, distributors, and value-added solution providers. Xylem Inc. was formerly known as ITT WCO, Inc. and changed its name to Xylem Inc. in May 2011. The company. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Rye Brook, New York. By PTI: Washington, Oct 19 (PTI) Human facial expressions are not as universal as previously thought, a new study suggests, contradicting the conventional view that the expressions of our face have same meanings regardless of location or culture. Researchers, including those from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain and Boston College in the US, carried out facial recognition studies on native people living in New Guinea and the difference they found in one facial expression from most other people in the world. advertisement For nearly a half-century, scientists have accepted the conventional view that the facial expressions used by humans have the same meanings regardless of location or culture, due to work done by psychologist Paul Ekman in the 1960s. For the new study, researchers lived with a group of people on the island of Trobriand off the coast of Papua New Guinea. This culture has managed to exist without interacting with others for hundreds of years. However, rather than simply testing the people right away, the researchers immersed themselves in the culture, learning both their language and their ways. They asked some of the young people to sit down with them to look at photographs of people with various expressions on their faces, Medical Xpress reported. The Trobrianders viewed all of the expressions the same way as westerners, with one notable exception - photos showing wide-eyed people with mouths slightly agape were viewed as threatening. Westerners generally associate such facial expressions as expressing fear, researchers found. The team said this finding indicates that human facial expressions are not quite as universal as has been assumed. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. PTI SAR SAR --- ENDS --- BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2021, the company marketed approximately 301 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States, Canada, and in 20 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Balaiah was scheduled to go to Tirupati in the tour bus but the passengers refused to travel with him. By Ashish Pandey: A Dalit man was offloaded from a tourist bus as other passengers objected to his presence in Thoguta Mandal, Hyderabad. According to police, a private tour operator had organised a devotional tour to temple town Tirupati, situated in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. On Wednesday, as per the schedule, the tour operator Venu picked up several persons who had booked the tour but when the bus reached Venkatraopet village to pick three passengers, they allegedly objected the presence of Balaiah, a Schedule Caste as a co-traveller. advertisement Also read: Hyderabad: Padma Bhushan awardee Michael Ferreira, 3 others arrested in Qnet scam The three persons scheduled to travel to Tirupati along with their families allegedly threatened and pressurised the tour operator to offload Balaiah from the bus. CASE REGISTERED The local police confirmed the incident and said, "K Narismhulu, V Satyanarayana and Sattaiah along with their families were travelling to Tirupati and they threatened to cancel their tickets and then the tour operator offloaded Balaiah." Based on a complaint, the police registered a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Act against the accused and further investigation is on. Also read: Hyderabad: College student sets herself on fire in hostel The incident has created a wide spread ripple in the state with several Dalit organisations condemning the incident and demanded strong action against those involved. --- ENDS --- Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 900 bank branches and 3,300 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases. It also provides credit cards and payments; real estate secured lending, auto finance, and consumer lending services; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, and advice to retail and institutional clients through direct investing, advice-based, and asset management businesses; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking products and services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to corporations, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,061 branches and 3,381 automated teller machines (ATMs) in Canada, and 1,148 stores and 2,701 ATMs in the United States, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. It has a strategic alliance with Canada Post Corporation. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Maximus, Inc. provides business process services (BPS) to government health and human services programs. It operates through three segments: U.S. Services, U.S. Federal Services, and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers various BPS solutions, such as program administration, appeals and assessments, and related consulting works for U.S. state and local government programs, including the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, child support programs, Preadmission Screening and Resident Reviews, and Independent Developmental Disability assessments. This segment also provides program eligibility support and enrollment; centralized multilingual customer contact centers, multichannel, and digital self-service options for enrollment; application assistance and independent health plan choice counseling; beneficiary outreach, education, eligibility, enrollment, and redeterminations; person-centered independent disability, long-term sick, and other health assessments; and specialized consulting services. The U.S. Federal Services segment offers centralized citizen engagement centers and support services; document and record management; case management, citizen support, and consumer education; independent medical reviews and worker's compensation benefit appeals; Medicare and Medicaid appeals; and federal marketplace eligibility appeals. This segment also provides modernization of systems and information technology infrastructure; infrastructure operations and support services; software development, operations, and management services; and data analytics services. The Outside the U.S. segment offers BPS solutions for governments and commercial clients outside the United States, including health and disability assessments, program administration for employment services, and other job seeker-related services. The company was incorporated in 1975 and is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia. The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The Health and Wellness segment offers cleaning products, such as laundry additives and home care products primarily under the Clorox, Clorox2, Scentiva, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Tilex, and Formula 409 brands; professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals and supplement products under the RenewLife, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Rainbow Light brands in the United States. The Household segment provides cat litter products under the Fresh Step and Scoop Away brands; bags and wraps under the Glad brand; and grilling products under the Kingsford brand in the United States. The Lifestyle segment offers dressings, dips, seasonings, and sauces primarily under the Hidden Valley brand; natural personal care products under the Burt's Bees brand; and water-filtration products under the Brita brand in the United States. The International segment provides laundry additives; home care products; water-filtration systems; digestive health products; grilling products; cat litter products; food products; bags and wraps; natural personal care products; and professional cleaning and disinfecting products internationally primarily under the Clorox, Ayudin, Clorinda, Poett, Pine-Sol, Glad, Brita, RenewLife, Ever Clean and Burt's Bees brands. The Clorox Company sells its products primarily through mass retailers; grocery outlets; warehouse clubs; dollar stores; home hardware centers; drug, pet and military stores; third-party and owned e-commerce channels; and distributors, as well as a direct sales force The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Oakland, California. By Ashish Pandey: A 27-year-old medical student committed suicide after mixing an anaesthetic in a saline bottle and injecting it into her veins. The girl, identified as B Shravani, was allegedly depressed as her parents had refused her love marriage plans. The deceased was a native of Miryalaguda of Nalgonda district, Telangana and was pursuing her post-graduation at Osmania Medical College Hospital. advertisement As per the police, Shravani was living with her classmates in a private accommodation and on Wednesday, when her mother did not get any response from her on the phone, she alerted Shravani's roommate in Hyderabad who was out that time. Also read: Hyderabad: College student sets herself on fire in hostel When the roommate, Ooha reached the flat, she found Shravani lying on a bed with the saline injected into her veins. She was immediately rushed to Osmania General Hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. A case of suspicious death has been registered in Afzalgunj police station and the body has been sent for post-mortem while further investigation is on. Also read: Hyderabad: Padma Bhushan awardee Michael Ferreira, 3 others arrested in Qnet scam --- ENDS --- The on-going tussle between the Yadav clan can impact Muslim vote-bank as the community will be forced to rethink their strategy, says Shahi Imam Bukhari. By Brijesh Pandey: As the acrimony within the Samajwadi Pariwar grows, efforts are being made from all sides to resolve the conflict within the Yadav family. In one such effort, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Maulana Imam Sayed Bukhari made a one day trip to Lucknow yesterday to meet the family and to convince them about sorting their differences. Imam Bukhari met CM Akhilesh Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav separately and then later all four of them met. advertisement Satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, Imam Bukhari said, "I think a lot of issues were resolved and I hope in near future, remaining differences will be sorted out." READ| Shahi Imam meets Modi, says innocent Muslims must not be harassed THE DILEMMA FOR MUSLIM COMMUNITY Refusing to elaborate on what's causing this factionalism to go on, he said that there are some people who want to create differences but this will not go on for a long time. Imam Bukhari also stressed on the fact that the real reason for his visit was to convey to the first family that because of this inter-pariwar fight, Muslims are a confused lot because they don't know what to do. He said, "Muslims had voted for the Samajwadi Party with a lot of hope and they pray that this rift ends. I hope that whatever harm has been done due to this will end and I am confident that CM will participate in the Samjawadi Party foundation day function." READ| Shahi Imam Bukhari exhorts Muslims to vote for Congress "MUSLIMS MIGHT HAVE TO RE-THINK THEIR STRATEGY" He conceded that if Akhilesh Yadav doesn't participate in the November 5 function, then the confusion will persist and Muslims will be forced to rethink their strategy. READ| Targeting Akhilesh: Perfect recipe of disaster for Samajwadi Party? Saying that he will again go to Lucknow to wish them for Diwali, Imam Bukhari said that the party will have to send a message to Muslims conveying that everything is all right. Reacting to the on-going letter-war in the party, he said that all these letters must have been written before the four of them met in Lucknow. On being persistently asked, he conceded that the party will suffer badly in the election if things don't change. It will be a huge setback for those who support of the Samajwadi Party. He said that he hoped that Muslim votes in UP doesn't get divided. READ| Son of Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Shaban Bukhari to marry a Hindu woman --- ENDS --- W&M Spring Break Seminar is new opportunity to 'Study in DC' Spring Break Seminar: Mike Tierney (left) and David Trichler will teach the first seminar in March 2017. Courtesy photo Photo - of - Hide Caption Three-credit course offered in Washington Center in March 2017 Provost Michael R. Halleran recently announced that William & Mary is growing its academic offerings in the W&M Washington Center with the addition of a new W&M Spring Break Seminar opportunity beginning in March 2017. The first course in that seminar, Foreign Policy: International Development, Security, and Commerce, will be taught by Mike Tierney, Hylton Professor of Government and International Relations, and AidData Director of Operations David Trichler. Taking advantage of the abundant range of speakers and site visits available in the Washington, D.C. area, the course will explore topics such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the 2016 election, the allocation and implementation of World Bank aid, the role of journalism in policy debates, the affect of interagency process on complex issues such as climate change and the reasoning behind Americas cooperative nuclear agreement with Iran. Halleran said that this latest Study in DC academic opportunity in the W&M Washington Center will help our students gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of Washingtons dynamic international institutions, and noted that it fulfills the call in the W&M Strategic Plan to expand programs through the D.C. office to reach more students by FY18 and take even more advantage of domestic and international policy opportunities, including those in international aid. He added, I am excited to see the expansion of our D.C. assets and opportunities and expect this course to be very popular and successful. Tierney said that the work he and Trichler have done with the Williamsburg-based think-and-do tank AidData has helped them establish a wide variety of relationships throughout the D.C. international affairs community, and that students in the course will be directly exposed to policy practitioners in D.C. to better understand how these different actors define their goals, analyze complex situations and achieve (or not) their objectives in the policy process. According to Tierney, the course will provide students with analytical tools and the opportunity to apply them through case studies, site visits and simulations. We anticipate a great line-up of guest lecturers who are embedded deep in the policy process, and we hope that the course will provide helpful context to enrich students coursework back on campus by engaging them in current, complex debates in foreign policy. Tierney and Trichler said that guest lectures and site visits will include such organizations as the National Security Council, State Department, Department of Defense, U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization of American States, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Millennium Challenge Corporation. The opportunity is open to undergraduate and graduate students of all majors, and there are no prerequisites. William & Mary Washington Center administrators will manage the seminar, providing the same quality of support to students in D.C. as campus administrators do in Williamsburg and planning activities during the week to help students network with the 17,000-strong D.C. alumni community. Students may choose to live at home, W&M-sponsored furnished apartments in the D.C. area or elsewhere. Interested students can find more information and an application on the W&M Spring Break Seminar site. Applications are open now and close Nov. 7. 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 On October 20, 1962, China launched simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line, marking the beginning of an India-China war. This day, on the fifty fourth anniversary of the war, let us look at five tales of heroism from the war India lost. By India Today Web Desk: India and China fought a month-long war in 1962 which started on October 20, the day China's People's Liberation Army invaded India in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line in the then North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), now called Arunachal Pradesh. Despite India losing the war to China, one of the main reasons being the little preparedness Indian Army had for the war, India-China war had many heroic stories for the coming generations. On the 54th anniversary of this war, famous as Sino-Indian war of 1962, here are the stories of five heroes who fought for our country. advertisement Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat Jaswant Singh Rawat is the Indian solider who single-handedly inflicted severe blow to a huge Chinese army. In what is called as the Battle of Nauranang that began on November 17, 1962 and went on for the next three days, Jaswant Singh, the only man left at his post at an altitude of 10,000 ft, managed to kill over 300 Chinese soldiers by firing from different bunkers. By the time Chinese soldiers could reach the post, Indian Army's reinforcements arrived, thus saving the opponents progress into Arunachal Pradesh. Singh, who was helped by two tribal girls Sela and Nura, is said to have betrayed by the man who supplied ration to him. Jaswant Singh was honoured with a Mahavir Chakra (posthumously). Lt Col Dhan Singh Thapa When the Chinese Army, in overwhelming strength, attacked the Indian Army in Ladakh, Lt Col Dhan Singh Thapa was in command of the forward post. In the operation called as 1962 Leg Horn, the post that was majorly outnumbered fought the Chinese under his brave command, defended the post and inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese Army. The Chinese Army had to attack the post with tanks supporting their infantry to finally overrun Thapa's post. The War Decorated India and Trust website says that despite being outnumbered, Thapa got out of his trench and fought with Chinese soliders, hand-to-hand, killing many of them before being finally overpowered. Lt Col Dhan Singh Thapa was honoured with Param Vir Chakra. Subedar Joginder Singh Sahnan The Sikh Regiment that held a defensive position near Tongpen La in the then North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was under Subedar Joginder Singh. Third day after the Chinese Army began the invasion in 1962, in the wee hours of October 23, the Chinese launched a heavy attack on the Bumla axis to enter Tawang in three waves, each around 200 soliders strong. Joginder and his men mowed down the first wave, making the Chinese men shiver. advertisement The second wave was crushed by the platoon the same way. They had, by then, lost half the force but the platoon, under the leadership of Joginder, held its ground, refusing to withdraw. In the third wave of attack, Chinese succeeded in advancing towards the post but Joginder, with the men left in his platoon, fixed bayonets and caused heavy casualty a third time before being overpowered. Joginder Singh was honoured with Param Vir Chakra (posthumously). Nathu La Cho La incident The Indian Army faced a demoralising defeat at the hands of the Chinese Army in the 1962 war, and the Indian troops were waiting for a chance to avenge it. The India Army defeated the Chinese in the Nathu La Cho La clash of 1967, resulting in Chinese military withdrawal from Sikkim. --- ENDS --- Watts Bar 2 begins commercial operation 20 October 2016 Share The USA's first new nuclear power reactor in 20 years - Watts Bar 2 - entered commercial operation yesterday, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced. TVA president and CEO Bill Johnson announces the start of commercial operation at Watts Bar 2 (Image: TVA) The 1165 MWe (net) pressurized water reactor (PWR) reached first criticality in May and was synchronized to the grid in June. It has since undergone a series of detailed and highly rigorous tests at various power levels to ensure that all systems operate safely as designed. Power ascension testing was completed on 3 October. TVA announced the unit has now entered commercial operation having "completed an extensive series of power ascension tests and reliably operated at full power for more than three weeks". The authority said the unit has already supplied "more than 500 million kWh of carbon-free energy during testing". Watts Bar, near Spring City, Tennessee, is home to two nuclear reactors. Construction of both units first began in 1972, but was suspended in 1985. TVA subsequently decided to resume work on unit 1, which started up in 1996. In 2007, the authority took the decision to complete Watts Bar 2, which had been about 55% complete when construction was suspended. The unit's completion has incorporated upgrades in response to the Fukushima Daiichi accident of 2011 required by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission of all US nuclear power plants. The $4.7 billion capital construction project for Watts Bar 2 was completed on budget, TVA noted. TVA president and CEO Bill Johnson said, "TVA's mission is to make life better in the Valley by providing reliable, low-cost energy, protecting our area's natural resources and working to attract business and growth - all priorities simultaneously supported by the completion of Watts Bar unit 2." He added, "Watts Bar unit 2 is a key part of our commitment to produce cleaner energy without sacrificing the reliability and low cost that draws both industry and residents to our area." TVA is a US corporate agency providing electricity to customers across seven south-eastern states as well as providing flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system. As well as Watts Bar, its generation portfolio includes three boiling water reactors at Browns Ferry in Alabama and two PWRs at Sequoyah in Tennessee. Joe Grimes, TVA executive vice president of generation and chief nuclear operator, said: "Nuclear power remains the only source of carbon-free energy that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. TVA believes that Watts Bar unit 2, and other nuclear units like it across the Valley and the nation, represents a vital investment in our clean energy future." Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics The USD 650-million deal for the 145 howitzers is critical, and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to consider proposals for acquiring 145 M777 ultra light howitzers from the US. The Defence Acquisition Council headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to consider proposals for acquiring 145 M777 ultra light howitzers from the US By Ajit Kumar Dubey: The Defence Acquisition Council headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to consider proposals for acquiring 145 M777 ultra light howitzers from the US. The proposal has been in the pipeline for several years now, despite being cleared more than thrice by the Defence Ministry under Parrikar as well as his UPA predecessor, AK Antony. The USD 650-million deal for the 145 howitzers is critical because the Army plans to deploy these guns along the mountainous lines bordering both Pakistan and China. advertisement "The DAC is expected to discuss the progress in this deal and may also consider certain deviations from the procurement procedure involved in the deal," sources in the Defence Ministry claimed. Also read: India may seal $5 billion Rafale deal next week THE DEAL IS ON HOLD The deal has been put on hold since 2010, when the Indian Army set out to exorcise the ghost of Bofors to induct its first howitzer. However, it has always been stalled for one reason or the other. Army officials claim that the progress in the deal was last cleared in June in the DAC, post which it was to be sent to the CCS for final clearance. The Army has not procured a single howitzer ever since the Bofors guns were acquired from Switzerland in the 1980s. THE OTHER PROPOSAL The other important proposal that the DAC may consider is the acquisition of almost 5,000 combat net radio sets for tactical communication of Army troops. The DAC is to consider if the radio sets should be procured under the Make in India scheme or to be bought from the Israeli firm Elbit, according to the Army proposal. The Indian Air Force is also likely to put up its proposal to upgrade its unmanned aerial vehicles that would be enhanced to combat platforms under the top secret Project Cheetah. IAF officials declined to comment on the top secret project, which is likely to cost Rs10,000 crore. --- ENDS --- Cabinet approves German nuclear phase-out funding bill 20 October 2016 Share The German cabinet yesterday adopted a draft bill on financing the decommissioning of the country's nuclear power plants and management of its radioactive waste. The bill is based on the recommendation of an independent commission reviewing the financing of Germany's nuclear phase-out. Following the Fukushima accident in March 2011, the government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the withdrawal of the operating licences of eight German nuclear power plants and revived plans to phase out nuclear power by 2022. An independent commission - the Kommission zur Uberprufung des Kernenergieausstiegs (KFK) - was set up in October 2015 by the German government. Its mandate is to develop recommendations for action, such as ensuring the financing of the decommissioning of the country's reactors and the disposal of radioactive waste can be secured so that the utilities involved are financially able in the long term to fulfil their obligations in the nuclear area. The commission presented its recommendations to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy on 27 April. The ministry has since examined the KFK's recommendations and consulted with other government departments on actions that should be taken to implement them. The German cabinet has now adopted a draft bill based on the KFK's recommendations. Under the draft bill, the reactor owners involved - EnBW, EOn, RWE and Vattenfall - will pay some 23.6 billion ($25.9 billion) into a state-owned fund for decommissioning of the plants and managing radioactive waste. The amount includes a 35.5% risk premium which exempts them from having to make any additional contributions to the fund. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy said the aim is for the bill to enter into force on 31 December. Energy minister Sigmar Gabriel said the legislation "clarifies responsibility for nuclear waste. It ensures the long-term financing for decommissioning, dismantling and disposal without the transfer of costs to society or jeopardizing the economic situation of operators." Utility responses EOn said it welcomed the cabinet's decision to implement the recommendations of the KFK, adding that it "sees the possibility of finding a social consensus that will put an end to a highly controversial discussion which has been ongoing for decades". "EOn is prepared to make a significant contribution to make this consensus happen. The implementation will coincide with a release from liability for interim and final storage of nuclear waste," the company said. "In the interest of lasting legal certainty for all sides involved, EOn deems it necessary to not only have a rapid legislative process but also to swiftly achieve a direct agreement between the federal government and the operators," it said. "The company will thoroughly examine the bill and continue to work constructively with the relevant public authorities to find a joint and final solution." According to Reuters, RWE and EOn will pay a combined 16.7 billion into the fund. Vattenfall, which also welcomed the German government's approval of the bill, said its share is 1.75 billion. Stefan Dohler, head of business area markets at Vattenfall, said: "We will now carefully analyse the law from a technical, commercial and legal perspective. What we need is a long-term secure solution to this very important issue. Therefore we need to anchor the legal provisions in contractual agreements with the government to avoid subsequent changes. We need to secure that the agreement will be long lasting and stable." Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Portugal is a unitary semi-presidential state located in the southwestern parts of Europe. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The capital of the country is at Lisbon which is also the largest city. Portuguese is the official language while Mirandese is a recognized regional language. The Portuguese are the predominant ethnic group in the country making up 96.3% of the countrys total population. The country has its public cultural facilities. It has fifteen UNESCO word heritage sites making it 17th in the world according to the number of sites. UNESCO world heritage sites in Portugal Alcobac Monastery The Alcobac Monastery a medieval Catholic monastery located in Alcobaca municipality. It was founded in 1153 and later inscribed in 1997as a cultural site. It was a gift from the first Portuguese, Alfonso Henriques, to Bernard of Clairvaux. Afonso Henriques founded the monastery as a strategy to consolidate his authority and colonize the areas recently taken by Reconquista. After the arrival of the Cistercian monks in the Alcoblaca region, they first lived in wooden houses and later move into the stone monastery. The monks were entirely dedicated to religious meditation and creating illuminated manuscripts. They created one of the largest libraries in the country. Alto Douro Wine Region The Alto Douro Wine Region is a Portuguese wine area located in the upper parts of river Douro. It is few miles from Porto city and is sheltered from coastal influence by a range of mountains. Grape seeds found in the area are part of the archeological evidence that winemaking in the region dates back to the 3rd century AD. Members of the Cistercian order played a significant role on wine making in the region. This is through their three main monasteries; Salzedas, Sao Joao De Taroyuca, and Sao Pedro Das Aguias. The 17th century saw a massive growth of the region's vineyards. A treaty, the Methuen Treaty, was signed between England and Portugal in 1703 and led to the establishment of a huge number of British port lodges in Porto. The treaty made port wine the primary product of the region and an important aspect of the economy. It is the first wine region globally to have a formal demarcation. The area was inscribed by UNESCO for its long tradition of viticulture and a landscape of outstanding beauty. Batalha Monastery The name of the monastery is literary translate to mean the monastery of the battle. It was built as a memorial for the 1385 battle of Aljubarrota and later served as burial church Aviz dynasty royals in the 15th century. It is a huge monastery that took over a century and fifteen architects to complete. An earthquake in 1755 did some damage to the monastery while the Napoleonic troops did more damage by burning it in 1811. King Ferdinand II started a restoration program of the complex in 1840. In 1902, it as declared a national monument and later museum in 1980. Evora Historic Centre Evora City is also referred to as the museum city. In the 15th century, it became the residence of the Portuguese kings. This city boasts off a rich history dating back to two millennia. The historical presence of the Roman Empire is evident from the road system and the Dian temple. The town is also home to the first ever Portuguese Gothic monument. Some notable features in the city are; palaces, Mannerist and Baroque convents and Renaissance. The site was inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1986. Tourism Draws Some of the notable attractions in the Alcobac Monastery include; the royal tombs, Royal Pantheon, Chapel of Saint Bernard, Sacristy, Room of the Kings, dormitory, Cloister of Silence, Chapter House, Kitchen and the Refectory. Some attractions to the Batalha Monastery include; the Chapter House, Coyal cloister, Lavabo, Cloister of King Afonso and the unfinished chapels. Man Arrested After Implying He Had a Knife & Making Suggestive Comments to Young Female This article is old - Published: Thursday, Oct 20th, 2016 A man has been arrested after making suggestive comments to a young female and implying he was in possession of a knife. Earlier today North Wales Police announced an investigation was underway after a man made suggestive comments to a female near her home in the Bernard Road area of Wrexham. The man implied that he had a knife, although no weapon was seen and the victim was unharmed. The incident took place at 5:45pm on Wednesday 19 October. This evening DCI Neil Harrison tweeted to say: Male arrested following a Wrexham female being confronted where he implied that he was in possession of a knife. Enquires are continuing. Anybody who may have information or may have seen a male acting suspiciously in the area at the time of the incident, should contact the police on101 quoting RC16159390. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 Picture Google Maps Around 4 to 7 terrorists tried to infiltrate along the International Border at Hiranagar in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. BSF foiled the bid. By India Today Web Desk: The BSF has foiled an infiltration bid along the International Border at Hiranagar in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. Around 4 to 7 terrorists tried to infiltrate. Pak Rangers started firing from small arms on one Border Outpost (BOP) in Samba Sector of the International Border and also fired a 51 mm mortar bomb around midnight, said BSF officials. advertisement BSF RETALIATES BSF retaliated in equal measure and the firing stopped after after a few hours. No casualties have been reported. BSF jawans said the terrorists escaped from the site of the incident within five minutes. Also read: Army foils 3 infiltration bids along LoC, 1 terrorist killed in J-K's Nowgam sector Defence spokesman, lieutenant colonel, Manish Mehta told IANS, "The troops violated bilateral ceasefire in Bhimber Ghali (BG) sector of the LoC. They used mortars to target our positions." Detail checking revealed that it(firing at IB in Kathua) was an attempted forced infiltration bid by a group of 6 terrorists, foiled: BSF ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 SHELLING STOPPED AT 3.30 AM The shelling stopped at 3.30 a.m., however small arms and automatic gunfire exchanges continued, Mehta added. On Wednesday, Pakistani troops had shelled Indian positions Tarkundi area of Rajouri district. (WITH INPUTS FROM IANS) --- ENDS --- Vojtech Ruzicka Twitter: @Vojta_R Age: 30 Hometown: Prague, Czech Republic Occupation: Professional Poker Player Marital Status: Single WSOP Earnings: $138,585 WSOP Cashes: 17 WSOP Final Tables: 1 Best Previous Main Event Finish: N/A *All stats are prior to the 2016 Main Event Vojtech Ruzicka is one of three Europeans at the 2016 Main Event final table. Ruzicka is from Prague, Czech Republic and is the first Czech November Niner since Martin Staszko in 2011. Ruzicka is a professional poker player with more than $1 million in live tournament earnings. Prior to this years Main Event cash, Ruzickas largest career cash came in 2013 when he won the 10,000 EPT Deauville High Roller for 313,000. Ruzicka has 17 WSOP cashes and has cashed at least one time at each WSOP since 2011. His best WSOP cash was in 2015 when he finished 7th in a $1,500 Bounty No-Limit Holdem event for $42,228. Road to the Final Table: Ruzicka got off to a strong start finishing Flight B 12th out of 1,301 survivors and more than tripling his starting stack of 50,000 chips. Ruzicka bagged above average stacks on Days 2 and 3, but then fell below the average when he bagged on Day 4. He bounced back to bag slightly above average on Day 5 and then turned up the pressure on Day 6. On Day 6 Ruzicka built up a huge stack and knocked out several players in the process. After Petermans exit in 28th place, Day 6 was complete and Ruzicka was the chip leader with 26,415,000 chips. Ruzickas stack didnt move much on Day 7 and he bagged 27,300,000 chips and fell to sixth position. Final Table Position: Ruzicka has 27,300,000 chips (54 bbs) and is in sixth place headed to the final table. On his right is Griffin Benger with 26,175,000 chips (52 bbs) and on his left is the short stack, Fernando Pons with 6,150,000 chips (12 bbs). More November Niner Profiles: The Chicago Teachers Unions (CTU) House of Delegates voted 358-150 in support of the contract reached between the CTU and the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) on October 10. The agreement is scheduled to go before the citys more than 25,000 teachers and staff for a vote on October 27 and 28. Both district officials and union leaders have taken the opportunity to promote as a success a contract that will escalate the attack on the living standards and working conditions of teachers, while paving the way for the closure of more public schools. Emily Bittner, communications director for CPS, used the unions own fair contract slogan to urge teachers to back the deal: The CTUs House of Delegates took an important step forward today in recommending that teachers ratify this tentative agreement. After negotiating closely with President Karen Lewis and the CTUs leadership, we believe that this is a fair contract for both parties The deal, worked out behind closed doors as teachers were kept on the job without a new contract for 15 months, would phase out the so-called pension pickup for new hires, shifting costs for pensions onto teachers and creating two tiers of workers. This will give CPS an added incentive to lay off veteran teachers. Some teachers complained on the CTUs Facebook page that every tool at the districts disposal, including the teacher evaluation system, will now be used to get rid of teachers deemed too expensive, with the unions blessing. In the tentative agreement, the CPS and CTU are working together to push the most expensively pensioned teachers off the books through an early retirement incentive for the end of this school year. Eligible teachers and staff are being offered $1,500 for each year of service. The contact also includes meager pay raises, with no raises in the first two years of the contract and a combined 4.5 percent raise in the last two years. This means an effective pay cut. As for the $200 million promised to Chicago schools by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, a former private equity mogul, these funds are in fact entirely uncertain. Rank and file teachers opposing the deal have also expressed outrage that the agreement allows CPS to furlough teachers at will: Nothing in this agreement shall impair or diminish the BOARDs right to implement unpaid furlough or shutdown days for employees, the agreement states. A CPS social worker writing in an education publication yesterday denounced the agreement and the pressure applied from CTU leaders to accept the sellout, including that from International Socialist Organization member and CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey: There are so many things to say about this last disaster otherwise called the tentative agreement. The one brought up hereallowing CPS to set furlough daysis one of them. Let's just say that Springfield does not come up with the money promised. Guess what, folksyou don't come to work! I was on the big bargaining team until the beginning of September and was there when CTU leadership tried to bully us to accept the January offer. Jesse was so rude to me that he had to apologize! I am known to be a very strong advocate for clinicians that I was able to stay on the bargaining team all last school year even though I had retired in June 2015. I was told by Jesse when I was taken off it was because I was retired! Why was it okay all of last year but suddenly it was not[?] Another teacher expressed her thoughts immediately after the approval was announced: Who is in bed with who? How can you accept this crappy contract? There is no concrete full disclosure for us to read... No COLA..... Here we go in this trickbag again... Other major points of contention include the lack of improvements to basic teaching and learning conditions and student services. The ratio of students to social workers is estimated to be a staggering 1,000 to one. No caps on class sizes were agreed beyond second grade classrooms. Since the school closures and consolidations of 2013facilitated by the CTUs shutdown of the 2012 strike on terms agreeable to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuelovercrowded classrooms and inappropriate and unsafe impromptu teaching spaces have become widespread problems. The tentative agreement lengthens the time span for severance pay from five to 10 months in preparation for additional layoffs. A moratorium on school closures ends in 2018, earlier than the duration of the four-year tentative agreement. About the House of Delegates vote and the fate of the contract, Sharkey said on WCPT AM 820 radio October 12, Members could look at it and reject it I suppose. I think thats unlikely we think its about as good as we could have achieved under these circumstances Sharkey went on to explain that the pension phase out allowed them [CPS] to guarantee well-rated tenured teachers can be placed in vacancies. So when these school actions come, they will have a shot at vacancies. Defense of this sellout contract and such casual reference to layoffs and school closures or school actions clearly reveal Sharkeys main concerns have nothing to do with defending teachers working conditions or defending public education, but in winning the CTU ever more intimate involvement with carrying out Emanuels pro-corporate education policies. Since the 2012 strike, the CTU has deepened its political alliance with the Emanuel administration, and CTU President Karen Lewis and Emanuel have worked out a close relationship. This is part of the unions efforts to suppress opposition among teachers and subordinate them to the reelection campaign of the Democratic Party. The WSWS urges teachers to begin now to organize opposition to the contract. Teachers should raise the demand that they have the ability to read and study the full contract for two weeks prior to any vote. Rank-and-file committees should be set up now to organize a struggle against concessions independently of the CTU, which has proven itself once again as an arm of the state, and to appeal to the broadest layers of workers throughout Chicago and beyond to wage a common struggle in defense of jobs, pensions, health care and public education. The third and last of the Clinton-Trump presidential debates was just as false and intellectually degraded as the first two, characterized by lying by both candidates and mutual mudslinging. This latest chapter in the spectacle of reaction of the 2016 elections had a certain aura of political exhaustion. The American political system, in which two right-wing corporate-controlled parties have long enjoyed a monopoly, is staggering toward the finish line under conditions of a global crisis so deep that no one can be certain what the world will look like when the votes are counted on November 8. In the 2016 elections, the US two-party system has achieved a certain negative culmination: in Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, it has presented the American people with a choice between not only the two most unpopular candidates, but also the two most reactionary candidates in modern history. Trump, the billionaire product of the semi-criminal world of New York real estate speculators, promoted and cultivated for decades by the corporate media and the political establishment, appeals to widespread economic distress only in order to direct social anger into the channels of racism, anti-immigrant bigotry, economic nationalism and militarism. Clinton has become the consensus candidate of Wall Street and the military-intelligence apparatus, and, increasingly, of the Republican as well as the Democratic wing of the political establishment. It is significant that Trump never identified himself as a Republican or made any reference to the Republican Party during the debate, while Clinton repeatedly invoked the names of Republican presidents, including Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and contrasted them to Trump. Clintons apparent aim in the third debate was to keep totally concealed what is coming after the election if, as polls now suggest, she wins the vote on November 8 and becomes the next president in January 2017. On every issue of domestic policy raised in the course of the 90-minute debatedemocratic rights, immigration, economic policy, social spendingClinton employed liberal rhetoric, claiming to defend abortion rights, the legalization of most undocumented workers, government-funded job-creation, a rise in the minimum wage, equal pay for women workers, and an increase in Social Security benefits. Neither Trump nor Fox News moderator Chris Wallace pointed out that in the flood of documents released by WikiLeaks over the past week, Clinton aides openly discuss the need to make such bogus promises in order to fool the American people and stave off the primary election threat of the Bernie Sanders campaign, and Clinton herself reassures her Wall Street paymasters that they should take her campaign promises with a very large grain of salt. As she told a landlords association, which coughed up her usual six-figure speaking fee, you need both a public and a private position to be effective in politics. The public position, of course, is pie in the sky for the voters, while the private position, delivered to ones financial backers, is what really counts. It was only on national security issues that she gave a glimpse of the genuine Clinton, the arch militarist who sought to close the deal with the US ruling elite by demonstrating her hard-line defense of imperialist interests around the world. When questioned about the WikiLeaks revelations concerning her remarks to private meetings of bankers, Clinton launched a calculated diversion, declaring that the central issue raised by the WikiLeaks documents was Russian espionage, and citing claims by US intelligence agencies that the Russian government had hacked Democratic Party emails and supplied them to WikiLeaks. She then demanded that Trump admit the Russian rolefor which no actual evidence has been presentedand condemn it, calling the supposed intervention by Putin unprecedented in an American election and declaring that Trump would be a puppet for president who would spout the Putin line. Moderator Wallace joined Clinton in this neo-McCarthyite smear, demanding, Do you condemn this interference by Russia in the US elections? Clinton went on to advocate a wider war in the Middle East while concealing her plans after taking office, claiming she would not support putting American troops back into Iraq as an occupying force. This leaves the door wide open for the dispatch of American troops for some other purposei.e., fighting ISISrather than as an occupying force. For the first time in any of the debates, the question of a US-Russian conflict in Syria was broached when Wallace asked Clinton directly about her support for a no-fly zone over Aleppo and other contested Syrian cities. He pointed out that General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said a no-fly zone meant war with Syria and Russia, then asked, If a Russian plane violates the no-fly zone, does President Clinton shoot it down? Clinton simply ducked the question, claiming that the no-fly zone, an act of war against Syria and its allies, Russia and Iran, would be the subject of negotiation. Trump said nothing about either ground troops or more aggressive intervention in Syria, contenting himself with denunciations of Iran and the deal between the Obama administration and Iran on its nuclear program. Both candidates gave themselves the widest possible latitude for escalating the US military aggression throughout the Middle East in the name of fighting terrorism. Trump touched a number of ultra-right talking points in the course of the debate, calling for the appointment of Supreme Court justices who would reverse Roe v. Wade and outlaw abortion, reiterating his signature demand to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and deport millions of undocumented workers, and pointing out, correctly, that the Obama administration has deported many millions already. He appealed to the economic grievances of working people only to give them a right-wing expression, declaring that expelling immigrant workers, renegotiating trade agreements to bar foreign imports and slashing taxes on the wealthy and the corporations would generate an unprecedented economic boom, with annual GDP growth of six or seven percent. At the same time, he rejected suggestions that cuts were required in Social Security or Medicare, because this runaway economic growth would supposedly resolve all federal budget issues. The political perspective underlying Trumps effort to combine appeals to economic distress and ultra-right, nationalistic policies emerged most clearly in the section of the debate devoted to each candidates fitness to be president, as Wallace put it. Trump and Clinton replied with mutual mudslinging, first about the allegations of sexual harassment by Trump which have been the focus of a week-long media barrage, then the charges of pay to play at the Clinton State Department, with donors to the Clinton Foundation receiving special access. It was at this point that Wallace raised Trumps claim that the election is rigged and Clinton is trying to steal it. Pointing out that Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, and even his daughter Ivanka Trump, had said they would respect the outcome of the vote on November 8, Wallace asked for a similar assurance from Trump himself. The candidate flatly refused, saying he would wait to decide until the results were in. He declared that millions of people are registered to vote that should not be allowed to vote, then added that Clinton herself should never have been allowed to run for president because of what she did with emails and so many other things. While media commentary after the debate declared that Trump had irrevocably lost the election by telling voters he would not respect their decision, there was no discussion of the real significance of this statement. It only underscores that Trumps purposes go beyond the election: he is laying the basis for the development of a fascistic movement. The final election debate only confirmed the fact that, whatever happens on November 8, the next administration will be the most right-wing in American history, and will take office under conditions of unprecedented economic, social and geopolitical crisis. By PTI: From Achinta Borah On Board Air India One, Oct 20 (PTI) Amidst escalating Indo-Pak tension over Pakistans continuing support to cross border terror, Algeria has unequivocally conveyed that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and terrorism in all forms have to be eradicated. Algeria has conveyed this to Vice President Hamid Ansari during his two-day visit to the North African country. advertisement During the bilateral talks, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told the Vice President that his country fully supports Indias position on Jammu and Kashmir, a senior official accompanying Ansari said. However, Pakistans name was directly not taken by either side. New Delhi has always been maintaining that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and blames Pakistan for sponsoring cross border terrorism in the border state. In an on board briefing, the Vice President said that during his five-day two-nation tour, the issue of terrorism was discussed with the top leaderships of both Algeria and Hungary. Asked whether the issue of a third countrys support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was figured in the bilateral talks with the two countries, Ansari said, "Everyone knows which one is the third country. Obvious is obvious. No need to take any countrys name." The Vice President said that in his discussions with Hungary and Algerian leaderships, menace of terrorism was discussed and their view was that it is a disease for the entire world and it has to be eradicated in all forms and manifestations. (MORE) PTI ACB PMS --- ENDS --- Over 117 million Americanshalf of the adult populationare in facial recognition databases used by law enforcement, according to a report released by Georgetown Laws Center on Privacy and Technology. The report, which the authors call the most comprehensive survey to date of law enforcement face recognition, took a year to complete. The report--titled The Perpetual Lineup--opens with a hypothetical situation. There is a knock on your door. Its the police. There was a robbery in your neighborhood. They have a suspect in custody and an eyewitness. But they need your help: Will you come down to the station to stand in the line-up? Most Americans would find such an occurrence bizarre, and would accordingly object. Police lineups generally are composed of individuals with a criminal record. Due to facial recognition software and databases, though, the report contends, half of American adults unwittingly participate in a never-ending virtual lineup. The authors proceed to outline the methods that law enforcement agencies throughout the US use to obtain and store photographic images of wide swaths of citizens, regardless of their criminal history. Facial recognition software exists, along with fingerprinting and DNA evidence, on a continuum of what is known as biometric data. Biometric data uses the physical features of a persons body to identify them. As the report points out, though, facial recognition algorithms and photographic storage differs significantly from fingerprinting or other biometrics. These differences make the gathering and storage of photographic images both uniquely useful for law enforcement and distinctly problematic for the American public. Fingerprints can only be left by a person who has actually deigned to touch an item. Photographs, by contrast, can be obtained by surveillance cameras, smart phones, social media sites, and driver licenses, in situations wherein individuals have no choice, and in most cases, no knowledge that their photographs are even being taken. Face recognition isnt just a different biometric, the report states; those differences allow for a different kind of tracking that can occur from far away, in secret, and on large numbers of people. This is not, as the report makes clear, business as usual. Taking peoples photos without their consent or even knowledge represents a threat to constitutional rights. The practice allows for serious incursions against the First Amendment rights to peaceable assembly and freedom of speech, as well as Fourth Amendment rights against illegal search and seizure. Police have already begun using facial recognition software, geolocation, and other real-time data in ways that violate the spirit of both the First and Fourth Amendments. Earlier in October, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement on the cooperation between Baltimore Police Department (BPD) and a private company called Geofreedia, in which Geofreedia supplied police with information from private citizens Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, during the protests and vigils following the police murder of Freddie Gray in 2015. Information supplied included protesters photographs, locations, and hashtags. While both police and Geofreedia have insisted that these data were used in order to monitor and proactively address growing unrest, the BPD used facial recognition software alongside information Geofreedia supplied in order to search for people with outstanding warrants amongst the protesters. Such practices provide pretexts for the effective curtailment of freedom of assembly. Baltimore is not the only municipal government to use such a service. Denver, Los Angeles, and New York have all admitted to using either Geofreedia or similar searches. Several social media sites, including Twitter, ended their agreements with Geofreedia earlier in the week due to fallout from the ACLU report. In addition to the novel and problematic use of facial recognition software to do real-time surveillance, the secretive way which law enforcement agencies use this technology raises questions. The Government Accountability Office revealed earlier this year that 16 states allow the FBI to use state driver license photos in facial recognition searches. These states handed over their citizens photographs without obtaining their consent or informing them. It should be assumed that state and municipal governments are taking even greater liberties with facial recognition technology behind the publics back. In response to requests for information on its use of facial recognition algorithms, New York Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department simply refused to cooperate with the Center for Privacy and Technologys researchers. Other police departments, notably Baltimore and Denver, acknowledged that they used the technology but would not give specific instances of its use. Law enforcement increasingly seeks, against overwhelming public opposition, to extend its reach well beyond its constitutional limits. The use of deadly force, the use of resisting arrest as reason in and of itself to arrest citizens, and tortuously attenuated interpretations of probable cause all signify a growth of law enforcements power in direct contravention of constitutional principles. The absence of elementary safety standards has led to the death of 22 patients and the injury of 105 after a major fire erupted at the Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital in Odisha state on October 17. The privately-owned health facility is located in the Khandagiri area of Bhubaneswar, the state capital. Most of the victims were in the hospitals Intensive Care Unit. The tragedy is a damning indictment of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) state government, the national government and the entire Indian ruling elite for failing to provide or maintain basic safety standards at hospitals catering for millions of patients throughout India. The fire, which began on the first floor of the four-storey hospital building, is believed to have been caused by electric short circuit in the dialysis ward. Several patients noticed smoke at about 6.30 p.m. and informed hospital authorities. Their warnings were ignored and the fire worsened over the next hour with carbon monoxide fumes and smoke spreading through air conditioning ducts. The blaze eventually engulfed the first floor and began to spread to upper floors, trapping over 500 people inside the hospital. Many patients were rescued through broken windows while attendants were forced to jump from the first floor. Over 100 patients were move out by ambulances and have been admitted to other hospitals in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. In an attempt to cover up their own responsibility, SUM hospital management declared that the fire was an accident and insisted that prompt action [was taken] to douse the fire and evacuate patients. Eye-witness accounts reported in the Times of India directly contradict these claims. Jaspal Singh, who managed to shift his 78-year-old father, Tirath Singh, by wheel-chair from the third floor told the newspaper: Patients and attendants were kept in dark [about the fire] till very late. He praised nursing staff for their exemplary courage, putting their own lives at risk in helping to evacuate as many patients as possible. Anil Patra, whose mother, Rajani Patra, 46, died in the Intensive Care Unit, said: There was commotion among hospital security staff after smoke was noticed on the first floor around 6.30 p.m. The hospital staff and security personnel, who were supposed to ensure a smooth evacuation, had no coordination leading to a chaotic situation. This delayed the process. As a result, people died. Arpit Senapti used a wheel-chair to shift his mother, Sarojini, 86, from the fourth floor to the ground. He said hospital staff kept re-assuring patients and visitors that nothing would happen. Finally they asked us to take her away on a wheel-chair. We exited using the fire exit ramp. After that it was agonising wait of more than an hour outside the hospital before an ambulance shifted her, [even] though my mother was on ventilator. In the face of growing anger over the lack of elementary safety at the facility, four hospital officialsMedical Superintendent Pusparaj Samantsinhar, Electrical Maintenance Engineer Amulya Sahoo, Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and Junior Engineer (Electrical) Malay Sahoowere suspended and arrested. Odisha Director General of Police (Fire Service) Binay Behera told the media that the SUM hospital had failed to implement basic safety standards, including 10 basic requirements made after a 2013 fire audit of the facility. He said: Upon an inspection of the mishap site, it was found that the majority of the suggestions had not been complied with. Hospital authorities did not obtain a valid fire safety certificate. The facility did not have a 25,000-litre water tank, a functional sprinkler system or operating alarms. There was no external fire escape staircase and the fire hydrant system did not operate. While the Odisha state government has feigned concern over the tragedy it is directly complicit. Director of Medical Education and Training Prakash Chandra Mohapatra admitted this week that out of the 568 fully-operational private hospitals and nursing homes in Odisha, only three hospitalsin Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Purihad fire safety certificates. The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) certificate for the SUM facility lapsed last August. The NABH inspection report pointed to serious deficiencies in almost every chapter pertaining to patient safety and overall intent of the [SUM] hospital. The NABH accreditation committee concluded by deciding that the hospital would no longer carry the NABH tag. Despite its blatant violations, state government authorities failed to shut down the hospital thus allowing Mondays disaster to occur. In an attempt to contain public anger and divert attention over his governments role in the disaster, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared that the fire was very tragic. He announced an official investigation and directed all government and private hospitals to treat the SUM hospital patients. Others shedding crocodile tears for the victims, included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who tweeted that he was deeply anguished by the loss of lives in the hospital fire in Odisha SUM hospital management have provided meagre compensation payments of 500,000 rupees ($US7,500) to the next of kin of those killed and said it would pay for all those injured. The disaster in Odisha is the direct political responsibility of successive central and state governmentswhether led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or Congressthat are callously indifferent to fire and other basic safety requirements and have drastically cut funds for the health sector, forcing people into private, profit-making hospitals. Under the Modi-led BJP government, healthcare funds have been slashed almost 20 percent. Health ministry officials told Reuters on Tuesday that more than 60 billion rupees ($US948 million) had been cut from their budget allocation of around $5 billion for the financial year ending on March 31. Indian governments spend only one percent of the GDP on healthcare. This is less that many other countries in South Asia, including Afghanistan and Maldives. Even the tiny, impoverished state of Nepal spends 5.5 percent of the GDP on healthcare. Almost 80 percent of government hospitals in Delhi, the national capital, lack basic fire safety measures. According to A.K. Sharma, former director of Delhi Fire Services, the hospitals have not taken adequate measures to prevent spread of smoke and fire from one section to another and had unreliable fire management systems. The absence of these basic safety measures in government and private health sectors has led to series of fire tragedies in recent years. In late May a fire erupted in the cardiology department at the state-run SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack, Odisha. Over the past five years, there have also been serious fires at the Advanced Medicare & Research Institute (AMRI) hospital and Murshidabad Medical College in Kolkata and at Mumbais Gokul Hospital. The AMRI blaze, which erupted in late December 2011, killed over 90 patients and staff members. The Socialist Equality Party campaign of Jerry White for president and Niles Niemuth for vice president is beginning its final series of meetings on the theme of War and the 2016 US elections. Meeting information is below, and a full and updated list is available at sep2016.com/events . White will be giving meetings in Canada this week, followed by a tour through the US West Coast, culminating in a meeting on October 29 in Berkeley, California. Niemuth will be speaking at a series of meetings in upstate New York, Michigan and Illinois. The SEP will also be holding local meetings in other areas of the country. The election campaign will conclude with the one-day conference in Detroit Michigan on November 5, Socialism vs. Capitalism and War . The contest between Clinton and Trump has brought the degraded state of US politics to new lows. As the two candidates trade insults and scandal-mongering, government and military officials are implementing a vast military escalation that threatens the lives of millions, if not billions of people. Regardless of who is elected in November, the working class and youth in the US and around the world face immense dangers. The greatest danger is the gulf that exists between the advanced state of war plans and the general level of popular consciousness. Everything must be done to alert workers and young people to what is being planned and to build a political leadership to oppose war and the capitalist system that produces it. We urge all our readers to make plans to attend an election meeting in your area. Sign up for our email newsletter to receive the latest updates at sep2016.com . Meeting details: Toronto, Canada Thursday, October 20, 4:00 p.m. York University, Stedman Lecture Hall C 4700 Keele Street Speaker: Jerry White Toronto, Canada Saturday, October 22, 2:00 p.m. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Room 4426 [4th floor] 252 Bloor Street West (Near St. George Subway Station) Speaker: Jerry White Palo Alto, California Saturday, October 22, 2:00 p.m. 381 Oxford Ave. Albuquerque, New Mexico Monday, October 24, 7:00 p.m. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque Student Union Building, Spirit/Trail Room Speaker: Jerry White Ypsilanti, Michigan Monday, October 24, 7:00 p.m. Eastern Michigan University Student Center, Room 300, 900 Oakwood Street Speaker: Niles Niemuth Los Angeles, California Tuesday, October 25, 6:30 p.m. Los Angeles City College Student Union, 3rd Floor Multi-Purpose Room Speaker: Jerry White Detroit, Michigan Wednesday, October 26, 7:00 p.m. Wayne State University Student Center, Room Hilberry D Syracuse, New York Wednesday, October 26, 3:00 p.m. Beauchamp Library 2111 S. Salina St. Speaker: Niles Niemuth San Diego, California Wednesday, October 26, 7:00 p.m. San Diego State University, Templo Mayor 231 Aztec Student Union Speaker: Jerry White Facebook Event Page San Diego, California Thursday, October 27, 5:00 p.m. University of California San Diego Price Center West (Student Center), Earl Warren College Room Speaker: Jerry White Facebook Event Page Geneseo, New York Thursday, October 27, 6:00 p.m. State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo, Newton Hall, Room 203 Speaker: Niles Niemuth Cambridge, Massachusetts Thursday, October 27, 7:00 p.m. Cambridge Public Library, Lewis Room, 45 Pearl Street Speaker: Kate Randall Berkeley, California Saturday, October 29, 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. University of California, Berkeley Hearst Field Annex, Room A1 Speakers: Jerry White, Joseph Kishore, Bill Van Auken Rock Island, Illinois Saturday, October 29, 1:00 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Ida Robinson Banquet Room 630 7th Ave. Speaker: Niles Niemuth Portland, Oregon Tuesday, November 1, 7:00 p.m. Portland State University Student Union, Room 238, 1285 SW Broadway Chicago, Illinois Tuesday, November 1, 7:00 p.m. University of Illinois, Chicago Student Services Center, Conference Room A 1240 W. Harrison Street Speaker: Niles Niemuth Kalamazoo, Michigan Thursday, November 3, 7:00 p.m. Western Michigan University, Bernhard Center Room 157 1903 W. Michigan Ave Speaker: Niles Niemuth Detroit, Michigan Saturday, November 5, 11:00 am 6:00 p.m. Final conference: Socialism vs. Capitalism and War, Wayne State University General Lectures Building, Room 100 For more information and to register, visit socialismvswar.com More than 20,000 Canadian autoworkers at Ford, GM, and Chrysler are currently engaged in a bitter struggle to defend their jobs and working conditions as the Detroit Three, with the full support of the Unifor bureaucracy, seeks to ram through yet another round of concessions in the name of guaranteeing investment and job security. For over three decades, Unifor and its predecessor, the Canadian Auto Workers, like the US-based United Auto Workers, have sabotaged every attempt by workers to fight back against wave after wave of wage and benefit cuts, plant shutdowns, the gutting of work rules and pension benefits, and the institution of a low-wage, multi-tier workforce. Mounting a counteroffensive against the auto bosses and their union lackeys demands that workers draw on the experiences of decades of struggles. These include not only bitter defeats and betrayals, but also heroic class battles driven by the rebellious, and in the 1930s even incipiently revolutionary, impulses of rank-and-file workers. One such struggle, which contains critical lessons for today, was the 1937 strike by GM workers in Oshawa, which marked a turning point in the development of industrial unionism in Canada. The strike which broke out at GMs Oshawa facilities on April 8, 1937 was driven by, and part of, an international upsurge of the working class. The GM Canada workers were inspired by the actions of their brothers and sisters in the United States, who in the months prior to the Oshawa walkout had led the famous 44-day sit-down strike at the center of GMs operations in Flint, Michigan. The Flint victory precipitated an eruption of working class struggles across the US and a rapid growth in the ranks of the recently established UAW. There were 477 sit-down strikes in the US during 1937 alone, involving an estimated 500,000 workers. Canadas first UAW local, Local 195 at Kelsey Wheel in Windsor, was chartered on December 9, 1936, after workers held Canadas first recorded sit-down strike. The sit-down strikes, in turn, emerged out of an unprecedented upsurge of the American working class, beginning with three general strikes in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Toledo in 1934, and a radicalization of workers internationally that found expression in the Spanish revolution of 1936 and the French general strike of the same year. Socialist-minded workers, including members of the Socialist and Communist Parties and the Trotskyist movement, played the leading role in these working class battles. The working class upsurge across the US and Canada could only develop through a rebellion against the conservative, craft-based American Federation of Labor (AFL) and, its Canadian counterpart, the Trades and Labour Congress (TLC), and the foundation of a new organization in 1935, the Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO. From Flint to Oshawa It was in this climate that 200 sheet metal workers downed tools at GMs facilities in Oshawa on February 15, 1937, in response to GMs decision to increase production from 27 to 32 units. GMs speed-up campaign was almost certainly an attempt to offset some of the production losses due to the Flint sit-down strike. Although it was the immediate trigger for the dispute, workers were also outraged by the wage cuts the company had imposed in late 1936 even though it was raking in record profits, not to mention the generally miserable working conditions and constant threat of layoffs. Real wages were 20 percent lower in 1937 than they had been in the 1920s. The strikers made an appeal to the UAW in Detroit for support and in the following days Hugh Thompson, a UAW organizer, was sent to Oshawa to aid in the conduct of the struggle. Workers initially returned to their jobs after being advised to do so by Thompson, who began signing up workers to the UAW. The organizing drive quickly spread to other businesses in the city, with workers from outside the auto industry also joining. The appeal to the UAW in Detroit was no mere tactical decision. It was motivated by the long-standing and widespread conviction that Canadian and US workers had common interests. Ever since the emergence of the Knights of Labor in the 1870s, militant working class movements had quickly crossed the Canada-US border. This was true of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) in the early 20th century and of the industrial unions that emerged in the 1930s. In early April 1937, with GM refusing to recognize the UAW and the provincial Liberal government of Mitch Hepburn fully backing the company, the 4,000 Oshawa GM workers voted for strike action. Their demands included recognition of the UAW as the official bargaining agent, an 8-hour day, a 40-hour work week, seniority rights and a steward and grievance committee. In the face of a militant struggle in a major industrial center only a short distance from Toronto, and the burgeoning threat of a North America-wide working class upsurge, GM and the Ontario Liberals sought to sow divisions by stoking reactionary Canadian nationalism. GM justified its refusal to recognize the UAW by describing their leaders as foreign paid agitators, a description seconded by the Liberal Premier Hepburn who railed against the union as foreign-dominated and un-Canadian. In December 1936, just months before the strike, Hepburn had denounced the CIO for dominating and dictating to Canadian industry, adding, After reviewing the activities of those foreign agitators and the chaos created by them in the United States, I am satisfied that the policy as dictated by them will be one of ever-increasing and impossible demands, culminating in the course of time in the entire loss of the tremendous and ever-increasing export trade now being enjoyed by the automobile industry of Ontario. The provincial Liberal government also took steps to ruthlessly suppress the strike. Hepburn organized a volunteer anti-strike police force of some 300 to 400, comprised of police officers, war veterans and university students for the explicit purpose of violently breaking the strike. The deployment of this force, which the strikers derisively nicknamed Hepburns Hussars, was prevented by the solidarity among the striking workers in Oshawa, the rallying of support from working people in Oshawa and Toronto, and the ruling class fear that a direct clash would provoke a much broader working class rebellion. Mass meetings and rallies were held in Oshawa, including a 5,000-strong demonstration in the city, which had a total population of just 25,000 at the time. Farmers and small business owners provided food and credit to striking workers. The success of the 1937 strike, which saw the GM workers secure their main demands after a two-week struggle, flowed from the revolutionary spirit and militancy of the workers, guided by an instinctive internationalism that sought to link the battles being waged against the capitalist bosses and their state by workers in Canada with similar struggles in the US and beyond. Although GM refused to formally recognize the UAW in the agreement that ended the strike on April 23, in practice the UAW local negotiated on behalf of the workforce. The mass upsurge of workers across the US and Canada in the mid-1930s was ultimately suppressed politically by the industrial union leaderships, aided and abetted by the Stalinist Communist parties. The CIO maintained the subordination of the working class to the political representatives of big business, to Roosevelt and the Democratic Party in the United States and to the Liberals in Canada. With their Popular Front policy, which claimed that in the interests of fighting fascism workers had to support the progressive capitalists, the Stalinist Communist parties assisted the unions in preventing the working class upsurge from becoming a political struggle against capitalism as a whole. In the decades that followed, the unions shifted sharply to the right. Fully wedded to the capitalist profit system, the UAW became a bulwark of the Democratic Party and in Canada maintained the political subordination of the working class to the Liberals and the reformist Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and its New Democratic Party (NDP) successor. In tandem with the union bureaucracy in the US, the Canadian unions mounted a vicious purge of socialists and left-wing militants at the beginning of the Cold War and promoted a virulent, pro-imperialist nationalism and anti-communism. The break-up of the UAW along nationalist lines Under conditions of the post-war boom, the unions were able to secure limited material benefit for workers, while politically policing the working class. But by the late 1970s they were in ever-increasing crisis. They had no progressive response to the globalization of production, which brought to an end any possibility of securing limited improvements for workers within the framework of the nation state, and to the offensive launched by the ruling elite against the working class as personified by the emergence of Reagan and Thatcher. In the years that followed, they systematically repudiated any tradition of working class struggle, embraced a corporatist perspective in which workers interests are wholly identified with and subordinated to those of capitalist investors, and sought to secure their privileges by joining union-management committees and acting as enforcers of concessions and job cuts. The United Auto Workers spearheaded this development. In the US, the bureaucracy promoted reactionary buy American nationalism and were willing accomplices in downsizing and attacks on wages and working conditions. During the Chrysler bankruptcy of 1979, the UAW organized plant shutdowns, the destruction of thousands of union jobs and unprecedented wage cuts, while UAW President Douglas Fraser took a seat on Chryslers Board of Directors. In Canada, when workers rebelled against the concessions policy of the UAW Solidarity House leadership, the Canadian wing of the UAW, under the leadership of Bob White, worked to contain and suppress the opposition by diverting it along nationalist lines. Although US workers lobbied the Canadian UAW leadership to launch an appeal to US workers for a joint struggle against concessions, White was adamant in his opposition. He insisted that the issue was one of nationality, not the common class interests of autoworkers on both sides of the border. Relying on reactionary anti-working class arguments that in their essentials were no different than those put forward by the bosses and capitalist politicians in the 1930s, White advanced the fraudulent claim that Canadian autoworkers needed their own separate organization and that their jobs and wages could only be defended on the basis of a nationalist perspective. In 1985, the Canadian UAW leadership split the international union to form the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), repudiating, just as the UAW was doing, the militant traditions of the unions birth. At the CAWs founding, White claimed it would be more militant than the pro-corporate unionism practiced by the UAW south of the border. Instead, the CAWs nationalist, pro-capitalist perspective paved the way for one round of concessions after another, as the UAW and CAW systematically pitted US and Canadian workers against each other in a race to the bottom that continues to this day. Canadian autoworkers at GM, Ford and Chrysler can take forward their struggle against the assault being waged on their jobs and working conditions by corporate management and their union accomplices only if they repudiate this nationalist outlook. The internationalist traditions of the 1930s, when Canadian and US autoworkers saw their fates bound together, must be revived and further developed. This cannot be carried out by any faction of the trade union bureaucracy, but must be fought for by workers in irreconcilable struggle against the pro-corporate Unifor. Above all, the heroic struggles of the 1930s demonstrate the necessity for workers to build their own party, based on a socialist program, to mobilize workers in the auto industry, unite them with their class brothers and sisters across Canada and internationally, and provide political leadership in their struggle against the auto corporations and capitalist elite as a whole. About 5,000 college educators went out on strike Wednesday at 14 Pennsylvania state university campuses after contract negotiations between the faculty union, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PSSHE) broke down Tuesday night. The strike affects 105,000 students. Professors set up pickets early in the morning at state system campuses in Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester. The strike is an expression of growing social opposition and anger among different sections of workers throughout the country in the run-up to the US election. In every case, the unions involved are seeking to isolate workers and prevent a political struggle against both the Democratic and Republican parties. One of the main issues in the strike is the expanded use of temporary adjunct professors. The administration is seeking to increase the number of classes that can be taught by adjunct professors from 25 to 30 percent, and force adjuncts to teach a fifth course without any additional pay. Universities throughout the country are turning to the use of adjunct professors to cut costs. The state system administration wants the power to hire graduate students who have not yet earned their degree, and to expand the use of online courses at the expense of classroom learning. All these measures are aimed at cutting costs and creating the conditions for laying off professors. The PSSHE is also demanding $22 million in concessions from employee health care plans. Even before the strike, the union proclaimed its willingness to accept increased health care premiums, deductibles and medication co-pays. Making clear their determination to break the strike, the PSSHE has already cut health benefits for the striking employees. The WSWS spokes with faculty and students on the picket lines at Shippensburg University, in south central Pennsylvania. Steve, a professor in the Department of History and Philosophy, said, It has been over a year without a contract and now the deal was especially unfair to part-time adjuncts. Blake, a professor in the Marketing and Management Department, said, We are out here protecting higher education by having faculty stand together to defend it. I didnt get a PhD to go on strike. The very best thing to have is high academic standards and protect the integrity of the schools. I havent heard one faculty say we should strike for money. We didnt enter the profession for money. It is a quality issue. Blake added, We are fighting for an opportunity for working-class and middle-class kids to have access to higher education. Education in the country is going in the wrong direction. The state system has terminated our health insurance, Blake added. One of the professors has kids, and he has to pay like $2,000 a month for health insurance. Joshua, a senior at Shippensburg, expressed his support for the faculty. Im on the side of the faculty and their goals for students. The state system is not in it for education but in the money business. I would say the majority of teachers are underfunded, salaries are low, and they cant even provide resources for students. APSCUF insists that the state negotiating team compelled it to strike. The union has made clear that it is prepared to capitulate, so long as a face-saving offer is made. Union president Kenneth M. Mash said that in last-minute negotiationsconducted in secret not only from the media but from professorsthe union offered millions of dollars in additional salary and health care concessions. We are headed to the picket lines, but even on the picket lines, our phones will be on, should the State System decide it doesnt want to abandon its students, Mash said in a statement. The union coupled declarations of its readiness to agree to major concessions with appeals to the states Democratic governor, Tom Wolf. The union endorsed and financially supported Wolf during his election bid in 2014, claiming that he would support public education. Wolf defeated the Republican incumbent, Tom Corbett, based largely on promises to restore funding to the states beleaguered public schools and university systems. Wolf has boasted of increasing allocations to the cash-starved system by 7.5 percent over two years, but state funding remains today at the level it was in 1999, and $60 million less than it was in 2007-2008, the year before the onset of the Great Recession. In his statement, Mash spoke of Wolf as though he were an ally of the striking professors. Through all of this, the governor has been a strong advocate for the students, the union president said. The attempt to portray Wolf as a friend is a fraud. He sits on the PSSHEs Board of Governors and, as governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is both the titular head of the state system and the individual who wields the most authority over state funding. There is every reason to believe that Wolf has collaborated closely with the PSSHE to help formulate its negotiating position. Wolf has repaid the union bureaucracys subservience by condemning professors in equal measure with the PSSHE, saying that he was extremely disappointed, blaming the strike on the shortsightedness on both sides. Wolf is insisting, in other words, that professors have no right to strike even though they face massive concession demands and have been working without a contract since the summer of 2015. Professors are facing not just state administrators, but a political system that subordinates the needs of teachers and students to the austerity dictates of the states wealthy elite, who dominate both political parties. The state is propagating the lie that defending the rights of professors means increasing tuition for students. These are difficult times for our universities, state spokesman Kenn Marshall said. If APSCUF wont agree to share more of the costs for their own health carelike everyone else hasit will threaten our ability to keep tuition affordable for students. In fact, there are more than sufficient resources to ensure decent pay and benefits for professors and free higher education for students. However, these resources are controlled by the financial aristocracy and used for financing a military engaged in endless war abroad. The entire PSSHE budget of $444.2 million is less than the cost of three Air Force F-22 Raptors, and a small fraction of the combined wealth of the states ten billionaires. Administrators at other colleges and universities, as well as both government and private employers, will be watching the strike closely. If the Pennsylvania state system professors can be forced to pay a substantially higher share for their health care, and if more work can be pushed on to low-pay faculty, similar demands will be made across the US. The US-led offensive against the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, begun this week, is part of the protracted and unfolding US war crimes that have killed, maimed and displaced millions across the Middle East. Once again, a horrific humanitarian catastrophe is being unleashed upon a civilian population that suffered more than its share of death and destruction during the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the subsequent eight years of American occupation. This occupation relied on the age-old oppressors tactic of divide and rule, stoking sectarian conflicts that had a particularly bitter character in Mosul with its broad intermingling of different ethnic and religious groups, including Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Yazidis, Armenians and others. The sectarianism promoted by the US occupiers created fertile ground for the growth of the Islamic State (ISIS), which the present offensive is ostensibly directed at crushing. The Shia-dominated government installed in Baghdad persecuted the Sunni majority of Mosul and Anbar province, jailing and killing prominent Sunni leaders, suppressing the population and treating all opposition to its rule as terrorism. ISIS, an offshoot of Al Qaeda, is itself a direct product of US imperialisms interventions in the region, utilizing Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militias, first in Libya and then in Syria, as proxy forces in Washingtons wars for regime change. When it stormed into northern Iraq from Syria in June of 2014, ISIS exposed the rot within the government and military created by Washington through a war that cost the US nearly 5,000 soldiers and trillions of dollars. In the face of a far smaller force, the Iraqi security forces disintegrated, throwing down their weapons and tearing off their uniforms, while a substantial layer of the population welcomed the Islamist militia as preferable to the rule of the sectarian regime in Baghdad. This history is a closed book as far as the US media is concerned. Once again, its reporters are embedded with the US-led forces, enthusiastically promoting their advances, as if the bloody events that began in 2003 had never happened. The US-led assault on Mosul is being portrayed as a battle to liberate the city from the clutches of ISIS, which is accused of exploiting the population and using civilians as human shields. Such allegations, also leveled against the Iraqi government in 2003, have always served as an advance alibi for the slaughter of civilians in US bombardments. Curiously, 300 miles to the west, where Russian-backed Syrian government forces are attempting to wrest the eastern part of the city of Aleppo from similar Islamist militias, the media speaks in terms of war crimes rather than liberation, and no one suggests that the rebels could be making use of the civilian population, much less employing human shields. The grotesque double standard only underscores the fact that the real objective of Washingtons intervention in both Iraq and Syria is not the eradication of terrorism, much less the promotion of human rights, but rather the assertion of US hegemony over the Middle East at the expense of and in preparation for conflicts with American imperialisms larger rivals, particularly Russia and China. To that end, Washington is prepared to employ both military sieges, as in Mosul, in the name of combating terrorism, and the arming of Al Qaeda-connected militias in Syria in the name of promoting human rights. There are credible reports that the operation in Mosul may involve both, with the US and Saudi Arabia working to funnel ISIS fighters out of the Iraqi city and back into Syria to fight against the government and its principal ally, Russia. No doubt the Pentagon also sees the assault on Mosul as an important exercise in testing out its doctrine for urban military operations in what are seen as coming major wars. These bloodthirsty theories were spelled out in a report titled The Future of the Army issued last month by the influential US think tank the Atlantic Council. Drafted by a retired major general who served as the commander of US forces in Afghanistan and a military adviser to several US administrations, the report projects a coming world of intense social inequality and class conflict in which urban operations will increasingly dominate land warfare, and US armies will operate in densely packed metropolitan areas where civilian populations are a part of the battlefield. The people of Mosul, including an estimated 600,000 children, will be treated as human guinea pigs in this operation, which could drag on for months, entailing not only relentless US air strikes and artillery bombardment, but also the systematic starvation of the population. All of this will unfold under the watchful eyes of the US military command. The bloody operation in Mosul has been launched less than three weeks before the US presidential election. It is a massive escalation of US military intervention in the Middle East, with US Special Forces troops accompanying Iraqi government and Kurdish units into battle, and US warplanes and artillery units providing the bulk of the sieges firepower. Yet, there is no public discussion, nor even a hint of questioning of US policy by the candidates of the two major parties. President Barack Obama, who was elected in 2008 in large measure due to the false perception that he was an opponent of the Iraq war and other crimes of the Bush administration, has not even bothered to make a public statement to the American people explaining this new escalation. Asked about it at a press conference Tuesday, he acknowledged that the offensive would produce heartbreaking circumstances. Concluding with what amounted to a chilling acknowledgement that the city will be reduced to smoking rubble, he declared, Its hard when you leave your home. All of this is supposed to be accepted by the American people as just another episode in a state of unending and continuously escalating global war. From the media and the entire political establishment, there is not a single note of criticism of US war policy. Moreover, 13-1/2 years after millions took to the streets in the US and across the globe to oppose the impending 2003 invasion of Iraq, there is not even verbal opposition from the pseudo-left organizations and tendencies that trace their origins back to the middle-class anti-war protest movement of the 1960s and 1970s. This socio-political layer, including organizations such as the International Socialist Organization in the US, the Left Party in Germany and the New Anti-Capitalist Party in France, reflects the interests of privileged sections of the middle class. They have all moved far to the right, becoming today one of the principal constituencies for human rights imperialist interventions, as in Libya and Syria. The siege of Mosul, a new and bloody US crime in the Middle East, is part of a far broader escalation of military interventions in that region and around the globe that threaten to coalesce into another world war, involving the major nuclear powers. The fight against this mounting threat requires the building of a new mass anti-war movement based upon the working class and the youth and directed against the capitalist system. As a critical step in building a movement against imperialist war, the Socialist Equality Party and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality are holding a November 5 conference in DetroitSocialism vs. Capitalism and War. We urge all of our readers and supporters to register for and attend this vitally important event. WikiLeaks' release of transcripts of speeches by Hillary Clinton to Wall Street firms has thoroughly exposed the servility of the Democratic presidential candidate to the banks and big business, as well as her socially reactionary and militaristic agenda. As for the progressive, let alone socialist, pretensions of Bernie Sanders and his "political revolution," the publication of this material is, if anything, even more shattering. As Sanders continues to hustle votes for the favored candidate of Wall Street, the military/intelligence complex, and much of the Republican Party establishment, while saying nothing about her speeches to Goldman Sachs and other financial malefactors, there is about him a palpable odor of dishonesty and cynicism. Since the release of the Clinton transcripts last Friday, Sanders has given numerous stump speeches in Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. His only acknowledgment of the transcripts was a two-sentence statement that was as pathetic as it was absurd: The job of the progressive movement now is to look forward not backward. No matter what Secretary Clinton may have said years ago behind closed doors, whats important today is that millions of people stand up and demand that the Democratic Party implement the most progressive platform in the history of the country. Leaving aside the bromide about the Democratic platform--a conventional, pro-war document that, as Sanders well knows, will be consigned to the dustbin well before a Clinton administration even takes office--it is instructive to compare this statement with what Sanders was saying during the Democratic primaries, when he was challenging the multi-millionaire ex-senator and secretary of state for the nomination. At the Democratic debate on February 4, he called on Clinton to release the transcripts of three speeches she gave to Goldman Sachs in 2013, shortly after she left the State Department, for which she was paid a total of $675,000. This demand became a major part of his bid to present himself as the spokesman for working people against Wall Street and the billionaire class. There is a reason why these people are putting huge amounts of money into our political system, Sanders said. And in my view, it is undermining American democracy and it is allowing Congress to represent wealthy campaign contributors and not the working families of this country. He then singled out Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs was one of those companies whose illegal activity helped destroy our economy and ruin the lives of millions of Americans. This, he continued, is what a rigged economy is about. Now that he has joined the Clinton campaign, fulfilling the task assigned him by the ruling class of diverting mass anger over social inequality into the dead end of the Democratic Party, Sanders has changed his tune. Now, it seems, Clinton's groveling before what he himself called a criminal enterprise and menace to democracy is of no significance. She remains the supposed standard-bearer of Sanders' "political revolution." Even a cursory look at what is actually in the transcripts of Clinton's speeches makes clear why both she and Sanders, and most of the corporate media, are so eager to bury them. They reveal an utterly corrupt politician who sees herself, and is seen by Wall Street and the corporate elite, as little more than a well-paid employee. Her positions, not only on the banks, but also on social policy, democratic rights and, above all, war, are uniformly right-wing. Clinton on Wall Street In an appearance before the well-connected San Diego corporate law firm Robbins, Gellar, Rudman & Dowd on September 4, 2014, Clinton boasted: When I was a senator from New York, I represented and worked with so many talented and principled people who made their living in finance I represented them and did all I could to make sure they continued to prosper She received $225,000 for that speech, part of the $675,000 she and Bill Clinton have received from the firm since 2009. In a speech to Goldman Sachs on October 29, 2013, she complained of the bias against rich bankers, and said wealthy people who hold political office should not be required to put aside their investments. Part of the problem with the political situation, she told CEO Lloyd Blankfein and the rest of the assembled multi-millionaires, is that there is such a bias against people who have led successful and/or complicated lives. You know, the divestment of assets, the stripping of all kinds of positions, the sale of stocks. It just becomes very onerous and unnecessary. In another speech to Goldman given five days previously, Clinton badmouthed banking regulations and apologized for supporting the 2010 Dodd-Frank banking bill, explaining that she was compelled to do so for political reasons. But, she reassured her audience, the bill was toothless and they had nothing to fear from it. She boosted the idea of the bankers regulating themselves. The people that know the industry better than anybody are the people who work in the industry, she said. There was a lot of complaining among bankers about Dodd-Frank, but there was also a need to do something because for political reasons, if you were an elected member of Congress and people in your constituency were losing jobs and shutting businesses you cant really sit idly by and do nothing, but what you do is really important. And I think the jury is still out on that Lest there be any doubt whose camp she was in, she added, Im not interested in turning the clock back or pointing fingers more thought has to be given to the process and transactions and regulations so that we dont kill or maim what works, but we concentrate on the most effective way of moving forward with the brainpower and the financial power that exists here. Clinton on war In an appearance before Goldman Sachs on June 4, 2013, Clinton outlined an aggressive policy against China, saying, Were going to ring China with missile defense. Were going to put more of our fleet in the area. On Syria, she said of the imposition of a no-fly zone, a policy she now openly advocates: To have a no-fly zone 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 were not putting our pilots at riskyoure going to kill a lot of Syrians. On Iran, she told the assembled bankers: You up the pain that they have to endure by not in any way occupying or invading them, but by bombing their facilities. I mean, that is the option. Clinton on austerity In a number of Wall Street speeches, Clinton enthusiastically endorsed a right-wing agenda of social cuts, including of basic entitlement programs, regressive taxes on working people, and sweeping tax cuts for corporations and the rich. In her speech to Goldman Sachs on October 24, 2013, she said, The list of tough decisions are known to everybody, from entitlement reform to revenues to future growth investments Speaking to Morgan Stanley in April of 2013, Clinton embraced the brutal austerity program put forward in 2010 by the so-called Simpson-Bowles panel, appointed by President Obama in 2010 to present a plan to Congress to cut spending and reduce the budget deficit. The commission, named after former Republican Senator Alan Simpson and former Clinton administration chief of staff Erskine Bowles, called for sweeping cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; the elimination of 200,000 federal jobs; a sharp increase in taxes on gasoline and the imposition of a tax on employees health benefits; and a reduction in the top federal income tax rate from 35 percent to 23 percent, along with a cut in the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 26 percent. Simpson-Bowles, she said, put forth the right framework. Namely, we have to restrain spending, we have to have adequate revenues and we have to incentivize growth. Clinton on domestic spying In her appearance at Goldman Sachs on October 29, 2013, Clinton unambiguously endorsed the police state measures, including the massive domestic spying programs exposed by Edward Snowden, imposed since 9/11. She said: Theres no doubt that much of what weve done since 9/11 has kept us safer. Thats just a fact The sharing of intelligence requires the gathering of intelligence and the analysis of intelligence I really have no evidence and have no reason to believe that weve got people listening to American citizens conversations. But the collection of the metadata is something that has proven to be very useful. These closed-door speeches underscore the right-wing, anti-working class character of the policies not only of the Clintons, but the Democratic Party and the two-party capitalist system as a whole. They document from the horses mouth, so to speak, why US corporations and banks have paid the Clintons over $125 million in speaking fees since Bill Clinton left the White House in 2001. Their publication has provided a shattering exposure not only of Bernie Sanders, but also the array of pseudo-left organizations, including the International Socialist Organization, Socialist Alternative, Solidarity and the Green Party, which promoted Sanders as the genuine leader of a political revolution and now present themselves as its continuators. They are complicit in a political fraud designed to block the development of an independent, socialist movement of the working class and keep working people and youth trapped within the reactionary framework of capitalist politics. The pamphlet The Political Lessons of the Bernie Sanders Campaign: What the World Socialist Web Site said is available on the Mehring Books website. The US-directed attack on Mosul and fallout from the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July, backed by Washington and the European Union (EU), is fueling explosive tensions inside Turkey and in Turkeys relations with the major imperialist powers. Desperate to stabilize his regime, Erdogan is stoking nationalist sentiment and implicitly reserving the right to intervene militarily across the former Ottoman empire. In several incendiary speeches, he has staked territorial claims not only in the Middle East, but in the Caucasus and, perhaps most explosively, in the Balkans. This drew condemnation from officials in Greece, which fought three wars with Turkey in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and nearly went to war with Turkey amid the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Speaking Monday in Istanbul, Erdogan attacked Washington for blocking Turkish participation in the Mosul attackin which it is relying on ethnic Kurdish militias, towards which the Turkish government is deeply hostileand for harboring the US-based cleric Feithullah Gulen, the leader of the Gulen movement that Erdogan accuses of masterminding the July coup. Operations are underway in Mosul, Erdogan declared. What do they say? They say, May Turkey not enter Mosul! How come I dont enter? I have a 350-km border and I am under threat from across that border. Turkey will take part in the Mosul operation and hold a seat at the table. It is out of the question for us to remain outside. Because there is history in Mosul for us. In a previous October 14 speech, Erdogan had bluntly attacked Washington for relying on Kurdish militias in Mosul: Shame on you! Is your partner in NATO the [Kurdish] PYD/YPG [militias] or is it Turkey? If it is Turkey, then you must come to the table with us and take your step with us. In Istanbul, Erdogan also accused Washington of complicity with terrorism due to its alliance with Gulen: How come a judicial system can protect terrorist organizations and terrorist leaders? How come the Green Card is provided to a terrorist? He is living in luxury on a 400-acre farm and managing his operation from there? Whom do you think you are deceiving? Erdogans claims on Mosul were part of a series of territorial claims he has made in recent days, including on Western Thrace, which includes much of southern Bulgaria and northern Greece. At Recep Tayyip Erdogan University in Rize province on October 15, he said, Can we leave Mosul on its own? We are present in the history of Mosul. And what is it they are doing now? They are plotting to grab Mosul from the people of Mosul Turkey cannot turn its back on Aleppo. Turkey cannot disregard its kinsmen in Western Thrace, Cyprus, Crimea, and anywhere else. We cannot leave Libya, Egypt, Bosnia and Afghanistan alone with their own problems. He added, You see something from us in any Middle Eastern and North African country you stop by between Hatay [on Turkeys border with Syria] and Morocco. You definitely come across a trace from our ancestors at every step you take along the geography extending from Thrace to Eastern Europe. Yesterday, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos warned that Erdogans statements called into question the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. That treaty finally ended the Allied powers conflict with Turkey in World War Iwhich sealed the destruction of the Ottoman empire and the colonial carve-up of much of the Middle East between France and Britainand delineated the existing border between Greece and Turkey. Pavlopoulos said, the rhetoric of Turkish President Erdogan, in any perspective, even the most benevolent, unfortunately directly or indirectly undermines the Treaty of Lausanne, not to mention Greek-Turkish relations and relations between the European Union and Turkey. Greek media also initially carried a report that Erdogan was planning a referendum on Western Thrace. The report were later denied, but that was not before the Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement denouncing the report, saying it is provocative and undermines regional stability. This followed Erdogans public attack on the Treaty of Lausanne last month. He insisted that it was not a victory and declared, we gave away the (Greek) islands that you could shout across to from Turkeys Aegean Sea coast. Greek Defense Minister Pannos Kammenos replied, Efforts to cast doubt on international treaties lead to dangerous paths, adding that Turkey should not pursue those paths. The explosive political and military tensions underlying Erdogans statements are the product of a quarter century of relentless wars and interventions by the imperialist powers. Since the US-led Gulf war against Iraq in 1991the year that the Soviet bureaucracy moved to restore capitalism and dissolve the USSR, removing the main military obstacle to US-NATO warsthe NATO powers relentlessly intervened in the Middle East and the Balkans. These wars have cost millions of lives and turned tens of millions of people into refugees. Wars in Iraq and Yugoslavia, followed by the US-backed Georgian attack on Russian forces in the Caucasus in 2008 and finally NATO wars launched in Libya and Syria in 2011 have definitively smashed the regional state structure that emerged from World War I and World War II. As NATOs confrontation with Russia and the Russian-backed regime in Syria now threatens to unleash a third world war, conflicts deeply rooted in the history and geopolitics of European and Middle Eastern capitalism are reasserting themselves. The ominous statements and threats made by Turkish and Greek officials illustrate how the diplomats and military general staffs of all the powers are being caught up by a vast global crisis beyond the ability of any national state to control. Erdogans governmenthaving backed the Libyan and Syrian wars under NATO pressure and abandoned its so-called zero problems with neighbors foreign policyhas been unable to adapt to all the chaotic twists and turns of Washingtons Syria policy. Terrified that the Syrian war could lead to the formation of a Kurdish state appealing to Kurdish separatist sentiment in Turkey itself, Erdogan has opposed US alliances with Syrian Kurdish militias. This led Ankara into escalating conflicts with NATO, and particularly with Washington, over Syria. The tacit support Washington and the EU gave the July coup reflected growing concern over Erdogans statements earlier this year that he might move closer to Moscow and Damascus. While Erdogan superficially appeared to have worked out better relations with Washington after the couplaunching a US-backed invasion of areas of northern Syria held by the Islamic State (IS) militiait is clear that none of the underlying conflicts have been resolved. Rather, each successive military escalation intensifies the international contradictions. Now, Erdogans reckless nationalist appeals are only setting the stage for even broader and more explosive clashes and wars in the Middle East and Europe. As rumours on the health of Tamil Nadu chief minister continue, AIADMK today said its supremo Jayalalithaa will be home soon. By Press Trust of India: In a bid to check the rumours on the health of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK today asserted that its hospitalised supremo is "completely well" and will return home soon. "Amma (Jayalalithaa) has progressed very well under the daily monitoring of Apollo Hospital doctors and specialists and soon she will return home," AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) spokesperson CR Saraswathy told mediapersons. advertisement Saraswathy said Jayalalithaa, who has dedicated her life to public service, was "taking rest" as per the doctor's advice. "Otherwise, she is completely well and will come home soon. God is by her side on her health," she said. ALSO READ: Rajinikanth visits Apollo Hospital to enquire about Jayalalithaa MORE BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE A number of benefits are awaiting the people of Tamil Nadu, she said hinting at launch of more pro-people schemes by the government soon. ALSO WATCH: The 68-year-old AIADMK chief has been in the hospital since September 22. A specialist from London besides a three-member team of doctors from AIIMS, Delhi, also examined Jayalalithaa, who is being treated for an infection with respiratory support. ALSO READ: Prayer for Jayalalithaa: Man sleeps on thorns for 24 hours, offering himself to goddess Pechiyamman AMMA WILL BE HOME IN 10 DAYS Meanwhile, former AIADMK minister and BJP leader HV Hande also expressed confidence that Jayalalithaa will return home soon. Hande visited the hospital today and said he met the doctors and the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, M Thambidurai. "I am confident she will return home within a week or 10 days," said Hande, who had served as a health minister in the MG Ramachandran-led AIADMK government. Meanwhile, party workers and supporters of Jayalalithaa are holding special prayers in temples, churches and mosques across the state, wishing for her speedy recovery. ALSO READ: Karunanidhi's wife visits Apollo Hospital to enquire about Jayalalithaa's health ALSO READ: YouTube channel 'Put Chutney' shows funny side to the mystery over Jayalalithaa's health --- ENDS --- No one knows Najeeb Ahmed's whereabouts and now the JNU campus walls are flooded with posters with a reward of Rs 50,000 to people who can give information of his whereabouts. By Shalini Lobo: The mysterious disappearance of a first year JNU MSc student has been in the news for two days now. It has been over 6 days since twenty-seven-year-old Najeeb Ahmed went missing. No one knows of his whereabouts and now the JNU campus walls are flooded with posters with a reward of Rs 50,000 to people who can give information of his whereabouts. advertisement Najeeb was involved in a brawl with his collegemates. Vikrant Kumar, an ABVP worker who was contesting elections, was campaigning in the hostel and a scuffle broke out between the two boys after which a group of boys is alleged to have beaten up Najeeb. Soon after this, Najeeb left all his belongings in his hostel room and mysteriously disappeared. LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE The issue has been politicised and has turned into a blame game between the Left and the Right groups on campus. The Left-ruled students are blaming the ABVP workers for beating up Najeeb and they hold the stand that no one will know the truth until Najeeb returns. They demand the boys who allegedly assaulted Najeeb to be kept out of the hostel and ask for the campus to be made more safe and secure. They also complain of a lack of CCTV surveillance facilities on the campus and this they say is also a problem as they could have monitored Najeeb's movement from CCTV footage. The ABVP has a letter, which they say, was given to them by the administration. This letter was passed on to India Today by the ABVP. The letter is about an urgent meeting between the warden and students. The letter states that Najeeb slapped Vikrant Kumar without provocation and that he even accepted the slapping incident in front of the senior warden, mess warden, JNUSU President Mohit Pandey, his hostel roommate Quasim and a few others. The letter is also signed by the witnesses including Mohit Pandey the JNUSU president. But no where do we have any statement by Najeeb Ahmed, not in writing nor in kind of video. NAJEEB MENTALLY UNSOUND, SAYS ROOMMATE Another letter which has been doing the rounds is one addressed to the Senior warden of the Mahi-Mandavi hostel by Quasim who was Najeeb's roommate. In this letter, he claims that Najeeb is 'mentally unsound' and is a 'threat' to live with. This letter also raises many questions. These two letters doing the rounds were brought to the media by students. This fact makes us question the authenticity of the letters and the only way the truth can come out is if Najeeb is found and he tells us his side of the story as well. The home ministry has ordered a Special Investigation Team to look into the matter and take appropriate action. advertisement ALSO READ: JNU students release Vice Chancellor, faculty from confinement of 20 hours even as Najeeb Ahmed remains missing --- ENDS --- TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Wednesday night the City Commission in Tallahassee is meeting to discuss funding for law enforcement and affordable housing. The Florida Department of Transportation has asked the city to renew a grant to support DUI enforcement operations, by awarding funds to FDOT and the Tallahassee Police Department. The funding would be used to increase patrols and fund additional checkpoints. The fire department is asking the city to apply for a homeland security grant, that could put $167,000 toward the Tallahassee Fire Department's existing hazmat team, and urban search and rescue training. The City Commission will also discuss a state housing initiative or ship funds-- that would support the growth of affordable housing in the capital city. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Poll results have revealed that Florida State students have voted to keep the statue of founder Frances Eppes. The referendum to remove the statue and rename Eppes Hall failed to get enough votes, with just under 72 percent of the student body voting no. The decision comes after the referendum appeared on the Fall 2016 Student Government Association (SGA) ballot and it asked students to vote on the following: "We, the students of Florida State University, do not believe in honoring slave owners and those that enforced slavery. Therefore, we demand President John Thrasher, and the FSU Board of Trustees, remove the Francis Eppes Monument in front of the Westcott Building and rename Eppes Hall to remove Francis Eppes name. Do you agree?" FSU SGA confirmed that 28.3% students voted yes, and 71.7% voted no. The FSU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) said in a emailed statement that they were disappointed by the results. They said that Eppes was a slave owner who owned 91 slaves on his plantation in Tallahassee. "He built the night watches that worked to enforce racist laws and catch slaves. Francis Eppes was a firm believer in the confederate cause, selling his land to fund the confederate army. "As someone who worked his whole life to enforce and maintain slavery, Francis Eppes does not deserve to be honored at FSU," the group asserted, "SDS is committed to continuing the fight against racism on campus. We want a campus where diversity and inclusion are our reality, not simply rhetoric." TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Owners of the Northwood Centre will be able argue their case against the State of Florida regarding the state's order to cancel the owner's lease for the building. Northwood Associates, the owners of The Northwood Centre in Tallahassee, said that on Monday, a judge dismissed the state's request to throw out their lawsuit against them. This comes after Northwood Associates filed their lawsuit back in April. In response, the state filed a motion to dismiss the complaint in May, but after a hearing on Oct. 6, Circuit Judge Karen Gievers denied the states motion. Stuart Silberberg, a principal with Ajax Advisors (parent company of Northwood Associates), claimed that Florida law was violated when the state ordered a cancellation of the leased office space. Silberberg issued the following statement: The State of Florida relied on an improper procedure and unsupported reasoning to terminate a valid contract, and then tried to keep us from having our day in court. We are pleased the judge rejected this attempt to block Northwood Associates from presenting our case. Like everyone else, the state is going to have to justify its actions in a court of law. We look forward to presenting our case, which we believe will demonstrate that the states action of unilaterally abandoning the leases was invalid and unconstitutional. According to the Northwood Associates, they are asking that the courts stop the state from ending the lease in addition to compensatory damages. The Legislature prohibited state funds from being used to pay for any agency leases at the Northwood Center, beginning on July 1. The building owners say that is invalid because those funds are already set aside in the General Appropriations Act. They also claim in the lawsuit that they have met lease obligations and performed air quality testing and giving out reports of those test results to the tenants. Prior to the lawsuit from the state, Northwood Associates were sued by a group of former and current state workers who said they were made sick by mold, bat feces, and poor air quality in the office building. Another court hearing has not been set yet. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The North Florida Chapter of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association are fundraising for Florida relief efforts following Hurricane Matthew. The proceeds they gather will be going to the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Red Cross. Saturday, the chapter will drive to Jacksonville to assist responders with clean-up from Matthew as well as to shed light on the dangers of a hurricane before, during, and after impact. The president of the chapter says the recent tropical activity across Florida is a wake up call for preparedness. "After Matthew had come through, we thought that this storm could be bad and it was bad in a lot of areas in Florida... that was kind of the motivation afterwards. We're the North Florida chapter and Jacksonville is part of North Florida and we wanted to go out there in to the community and try to help out," said Matthew Reagan, president of the North Florida Chapter of the American Meteorological Society. In November, the chapter will switch their focus to fundraising efforts for Haiti after Matthew made landfall there as a category 4 major hurricane. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - As part of Florida A&M University's star-studded Homecoming, Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Pierre-Pierre came out and spoke to Florida A&M University students about Haiti's struggles before and after Hurricane Matthew. FAMU alumnus Garry Pierre-Pierre, Pulitzer prize winner and founder and publisher of the Haitian Times, told students that the effects of Hurricane Matthew are being felt in Haiti now as much as ever. He was invited by the dean to share his experiences in Haiti with students. Pierre-Pierre also spoke with students Thursday about how the problems in Haiti don't being or end at Hurricane Matthew. "It's a tragedy yes, but I think it's not a natural disaster its a man-made disaster. There's been decades of systemic environmental degradation that hasn't been addressed and hence every time we have a natural disaster it takes into biblical proportions of Haiti and that has to stop," Pierre-Pierre asserted. He added that real change in Haiti has to start not only with the Haitian government, but with governments across the globe. Protests at the JNU campus have been intensifying since last night as Najeeb Ahmed, a student of JNU, remains missing. By Shreya Biswas: Jawaharlal Nehru University is in news again. This time, for a missing student named Najeeb Ahmed. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) is hitting out at the administration to find Najeeb and punish the ABVP members who they believe have "kidnapped" him. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is denying the accusations, and in turn attacking JNUSU members for holding JNU VC hostage in the campus. advertisement Also read: JNU summons 12 students for probe in missing student case Buried under this chaos is a young student who still remains missing, like he has been for the last five days. WHO IS NAJEEB AHMED? Najeeb is a 27-year-old first-year MSc student at the School of Biotechnology in JNU. He hails from Badaiyun, Uttar Pradesh. Reports have it that on Friday night (October 14), Najeeb had gotten into a scuffle with three ABVP members outside his room at the Mahi-Mandvi Hostel. Najeeb is said to have gone missing since the following day (October 15). Najeeb is still untraceable. His family seconds reports that he was kidnapped by ABVP members. WHEN AND WHERE DID HE GO MISSING? The JNUSU has published pamphlets accounting their version of the incident that took place of Friday night. "On 14/10/2016, around 11:30 pm, some three students went to the room of Najeeb Ahmed, MSc Biotechnology (first year), Room No 106, Mahi Hostel to campaign for hostel elections. At this time, there was an alleged scuffle which took place between Najeeb and the others. Hearing noise and commotion, when the residents of Mahi reached Room no 106, they witnessed three students assaulting Najeeb. At this juncture, the residents seeing a group of students howling and coming towards Room No 106, for security concerns, locked Najeeb in his room. The G4S security personnel have upon reaching the hostel opened the door. Despite the presence of security personnel, some 10-15 students brutally attacked Najeeb. After the attack, the residents again locked Najeeb in the washroom and blocked the entrance, waiting for the Hostel warden to reach. As the senior warden, Dr Sushil Kumar reached the place, they started moving to the Warden's office in the ground floor. Despite the presence of the senior warden and G4S security Najeeb was criminally intimidated and communally targeted by the same group of students on the way to the warden's office. The JNUSU President and other hostel residents who had come to stop the attack were also assaulted by the same 10-15 group of students. advertisement In the Warden's office, in front of the Senior Warden Dr Sushil Kumar, and the other wardens Dr Somyajit Ray and Dr Arun Srivastava, these group of lumpens threatened Najeeb Ahmed for his life and limb. They repeatedly told the warden not to initiate any proceedings and leave Najeeb to them and then they would not spare him. They also hurled patriarchal and communal abuses at Najeeb in the presence of the wardens. Despite being present at the site all along the G4S did not collect any video evidence of the assault and the Warden failed to intervene to stop the assaulting students. It is extremely disconcerting that from the morning after the attack, Najeeb Ahmed is missing since 11:00 am, 15/10/2016. A complaint in this regard has been filed in the Vasant Kunj Police station by his family members." WHAT HAS THE POLICE AND ADMINISTRATION DONE UP UNTIL NOW? The Delhi Police has registered a case under Section 365 of IPC (kidnapping with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person) at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station. Police has also promised a reward of Rs 50,000 for any information regarding Najeeb's disappearance. Posters put out by the Delhi Police on Thursday inside JNU campus. advertisement As protests over Najeeb's sudden disappearance rose at the JNU, the Proctor is said to have assured the JNUSU on filing a police complaint as well. However, the JNUSU complains that the administration has not taken any "concrete" steps. The administration has released a press statement claiming to have "promptly acted" after the brawl on Friday. In the press release, Najeeb has been referred to as the "accused". The press release. Source: Umar Khalid/ Facebook WHAT HAS BEEN THE JNUSU'S REACTION? Students have been protesting since last five days at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus. The JNUSU has also submitted their deposition of the case to the Proctorial Committee on Monday. Najeeb's mother and brother were also spotted at the JNU campus participating in the protests. Claiming that proper actions are not being taken against the "culprits" and to find Najeeb, students led a protest march to Vasant Kunj police station from Ganga dhaba. Last night, JNUSU members blocked the doors of the Administration Block, demanding a new FIR to be lodged. The registrar, a diabetic, was been allowed to walk out of the office, but other staff members, including JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, were kept locked in. advertisement Also read: JNU siege ends, but protest to continue over missing student; VC calls students 'relentless, adamant' Confined to his chambers, the VC tweeted about the protest almost all night long. Students are still blocking all the exit points of admin building. Few persons need medication and are feeling week. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Agitating JNU students should realize it is wrong to physically confine their own teachers like this. This will only affect our JNU. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We tried to go out of admin building @ 2.20am. Agitating JNU Students did not let us go out. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 ABVP member and JNU student Saurabh Sharma posted on his Facebook wall screenshots of a report of their version of Friday night. The report is said to be a copy of the discussion that took place with the warden that night following the scuffle. Click here to Enlarge The report. Source: Saurabh Sharma/Facebook Sharma states that Najeeb had admitted to slapping one of the AVBP members at his door, Vikrant Kumar. Following that, he says, Najeeb was asked to leave the hostel by October 21. In the post, Sharma writes that Vikrant had lodged a complaint with the police after JNUSU members threatened him after Friday night's incident. --- ENDS --- JNU remained tense over a missing student for five days after a brawl on the campus as the agitated protesters locked VC M Jagadesh Kumar and other senior officials inside the administrative building. By India Today Web Desk: The Jawaharlal University campus continued to be tense on Thursday after the protests in JNU over a missing student turned volatile on Wednesday. The agitating students locked down the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials in the administrative building. They were locked since Wednesday and the siege continued till Thursday morning, when JNU officials were allowed to go out. advertisement Also read: All you need to know about Najeeb Ahmed, the JNU student who is missing 'STUDENTS RELENTLESS, ADAMANT' Shortly after he was allowed to go out of the admin building, JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said, "We had been confined inside building illegally. Students are adamant not to leave place. We have already constituted a committee to probe incident. Allegation that we have not done anything about incident is a complete lie." "We slept on the floor. This is a complete lie that we had been provided food. Our several colleagues are sick and they spent whole night without facility," Kumar said adding, "Students have become relentless and adamant and think that we are not doing our best." Earlier on Wednesday night, Kumar had said, "We have been locked inside the building since 2.30 pm. There is a female colleague with us who is unwell as she is diabetic," JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said on Wednesday night. The VC and other senior officials were locked since yesterday as the students were lying down outside the administration block saying the officials were free to walk over them. THE MISSING STUDENT A student of School of Biotechnology, Najeeb Ahmed, allegedly went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus the night before. The JNU students union defended its stand claiming there has been no "illegal detention". "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside," Mohit Pandey, President, JNUSU said. Police officials were seen outside the campus awaiting a nod from the administration to enter the premises. Kumar made an appeal to Najeeb Ahmed to return to the campus without any fear. "We are in regular touch with police. I appeal to Najeeb to return to JNU with no fear," Kumar said. Meanwhile, Delhi police have announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for anyone giving clue about Najeeb Ahmed. The Delhi police posters were all the campus on Thursday. Posters put out by the Delhi Police on Thursday inside JNU campus. BRIEF RESPITE A large number of students had gathered at the administrative block in the afternoon to protest. After sloganeering and demonstration the students blocked the gates of the building. advertisement 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," the JNUSU President said. 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. ALSO WATCH: FIR AND INQUIRY "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. An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station on Tuesday after the police received a complaint from the student's guardians. advertisement Meanwhile, at least 12 students were summoned earlier in the day by JNU administration to appear before the proctorial committee in connection with a case involving a missing student amid protests by students who claimed Vice Chancellor acted in an "insensitive" manner on the issue. DEMANDS OF PROTESTERS The protesting students made three specific demands, which if met by the JNU administration, they would withdraw their agitation. JNSU president Mohit said, "Administration should lodge a police complaint. Secondly, action should be taken against students accused of beating up Najeeb and finally, to make an appeal to Najeeb to come back to the campus." Responding to these demands, VC Jagadesh Kumar said that he had already written a letter to police about the incident and that he was in regular touch with the police. With regard to the second demand, the JNU administration said that a proctorial inquiry was underway and on the basis of the probe report, the culprits would be punished. VC Kumar on Thursday made an appeal to Najeeb to return to the campus and resume his studies without any fear about his safety. MoS HOME SLAMS AGITATING STUDENTS MoS Home Kiren Rijiju has lamented the ongoing protest on the JNU campus. He said, "Gheraoing V-C and other officials is sad. It seems that some students come to do politics and not study in JNU." advertisement "The environment of JNU is being spoiled by some. Police will act as per the law. JNU administration has to do what it ought to," Rijiju said. (With inputs from PTI) ALSO READ: JNU student missing case: Student, teacher unions gherao college administrative staff JNU summons 12 students for probe in missing student case --- ENDS --- With winter approaching, there arent enough emergency shelter beds for even half of the roughly 100 people now living in tents in a downtown If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. Najeeb Ahmed went missing from JNU after a brawl with members of the ABVP and the students have been protesting against the administration for being insensitive. By India Today Web Desk: Amid the protests in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) over the missing student Najeeb Ahmed, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today briefed Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue. "It is very wrong to confine the Vice-Chancellor and other officers of the university. It seems that students go to JNU not for studying but for doing politics," Rijiju told reporters after meeting Rajnath Singh. advertisement Criticizing the students for confining Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials inside the building, Rijiju said, "JNU is a big institution. Students should concentrate on studies. They should carry all their activities within the framework of law and order." SPECIAL TEAM TO FIND AHMED After the meeting, the Home Minister asked Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma for a detailed report on the issue. Singh also directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace the student. Also read: JNU siege ends, but protest to continue over missing student; VC calls students 'relentless, adamant' The Delhi Police on Wednesday announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for any information about missing student, five days after he vanished. In an order issued late Wednesday, the police said that any information or clue regarding the missing/abducted JNU student could be given to the Station House Officer (SHO) of Vasant Kunj North police station. UNIVERSITY WORKING TO LOCATE AHMED Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC said that several rounds of talks were held with students to convince them regarding the sincerity of the university to locate Ahmed but they were continuing with their "illegal" activity of holding them hostage. The VC said the students, who gheraoed him and other officials inside his office, did not even let their wives meet them. "This is a university run in a democratic manner. We value debate and discussion. That is why we had several rounds of discussions with the students to convince them that the university is sincerely working to locate Najeeb Ahmed. However, they are not relenting and resorting to this kind of illegal means," he said. He asserted, however, that the university administration will not be "coerced" by "illegal means". STUDENTS DEFEND STAND Meanwhile, protesting students were demanding a conclusive response from the authorities on the whereabouts of Ahmed, who went missing on the night of October 14. A student of School of Biotechnology, Ahmed, allegedly went missing following a brawl on the campus the night before. Fatima, the mother of missing JNU student, today urged the authorities to "help her find her child". "Let me see the face of my child once. Keep him (after that) for a month if you like. I won't say a word. But just let me see him once," Fatima told CNN News18 channel. advertisement "I am from a very small place... I want to see my child safe. I don't know if he has eaten anything or is hungry," the sobbing woman said. Earlier, the JNU students union defended its stand claiming there has been no "illegal detention". "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside," Mohit Pandey, President, JNUSU said. "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," the JNUSU President said. Police officials were seen outside the campus awaiting a nod from the administration to enter the premises. With inputs from PTI and IANS. --- ENDS --- Ultra-Orthodox members of the kohen priestly caste will need to find other ways to fly out of Israel than through Ben Gurion Airport for the first two weeks of November, according to the Chief Lithuanian Religious Courts. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter This is because the flight paths for all airplanes departing from Israel during that time period will pass above the Holon cemetery. The kohen priestly class is not allowed to be exposed to the dead, including travelling through areas where there are graves. Jewish law holds that a grave includes all that is above itincluding airspacethereby rendering the kohen "unclean" even if they fly over the grave in an airplane. Ultra-Orthodox kohen wraps himself in plastic to prevent from becoming "unpure" as he flies over a cemetary (Photo: New York Daily News) The Chief Lithuanian Religious Courts have therefore determined that if one must fly out of Israel during those dates, they should take a flight from Haifa to Cyprus, and fly from Cyprus onwards to their destinations. The flight paths will be changed due to construction work to strengthen one of the runways at Ben Gurion International Airport. A religious decree put out by Rabbi Nissim Karlitz said that "we have received information that starting on 5am on November 1, 2016, until November 17, 2016, all flights leaving from Ben Gurion Airport to all destinations will fly over the Holon cemetery. "Incoming flights will not be on this flight path. Kohanim who wish to travel abroad during these dates may fly out of the airport in Haifa to Cyprus, and on to their next destinations." The Israel Airports Authority said that "the announcement regarding work on the runway was sent to all of the authorities of the various communities around Ben Gurion Airport and the various airlines. The Israel Airports Authority has not received any additional requests for information." KHAZER -- Iraqi special forces joined the Mosul offensive on Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS, encountering heavy fire. Maj. Gen. Maan al-Saadi said the elite Counterterrorism Forces advanced on the town of Bartalla with the aid of US-led coalition airstrikes and heavy artillery on the fourth day of a massive operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where ISIS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. BEIRUT -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has held out the hope of an indefinite halt to his country's airstrikes on Aleppo after meeting with the French and German leaders, who condemned Moscow's actions in the Syrian city. Russia had promised an eight-hour pause on Thursday in attacks on the city by Syrian government forces under the cover of Russian air power in order to allow suffering civilians to leave and to give rebels safe passage. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes. We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo," Putin said after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande in Berlin. It looked like a mirage in the heart of the boiling desert. Hundreds of Palestinian women , most of them wearing traditional clothing, emerging from dozens of buses, excitedly meeting thousands of Israeli women dressed in white. We are all enthusiastic about this meeting. We hug each other and ask each other the most basic of questions: What is your name? Where are you from? Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter From Jenin, from Bethlehem, from Nablus, from Hebron, from nearby Jericho. Older women and younger women, religious and secular, some speaking fluent English and some who introduce themselves only in Arabic, asking: Can we take a picture together? We squeeze into the iPhone screens together in the blazing heat. Israeli and Palestinian women march towards baptism site at Qasr el-Yahud. If there are many of us and if we are determined, we might manage to force the leadership to talk (Photo: Women Wage Peace) They will take the pictures back with them to Jenin and to Bethlehem, to Nablus and to Hebron. Pictures which bring us together on one rare day, in which we managed to believe. Because when I told my acquaintances about the planned event at Qasr el-Yahud with 1,000 Palestinian women, most of them doubted it. They wont come, they said. But they came and enthusiastically wore white hats over their headscarves, and some even wore over their dresses the white shirt with the Hebrew, Arabic and English caption Women Wage Peace. And in the back: We choose life. We demand a peace agreement. Locked arm-in-arm, we march towards the baptism site. The Jordan Rivers water is yellowish and shallow, but the heart soars. The warmth of our closeness exceeds the heat of the desert, as we listen together to the rousing speech of Leymah Gbowee, who together with other women managed to bring about a peace agreement in her country, Liberia, and together it seems to us that it is also possible here. If there are many of us and if we are determined and if we cooperate, we might manage to force the leadership to talk, to try as we have to find out what unites us rather than what separates us, to try to build trust and give hope. The comments of Huda Abu Arqoub of Hebron, director of the Alliance for Middle East Peace, spark enthusiasm too. In the mass protest outside the Prime Ministers Residence on Wednesday evening, she says she came especially from Hebron to let us know that there is a partner. I seem to detect an awakening among Palestinian women, as well as among Israeli women. I detect both between us and them, and within ourselves, a new and different discourse. A discourse which includes compassion and responsibility and concern and a shared fate, without accusations, without victims, an egalitarian discourse directed at emotions. It seems like a mirage, but all of us here today are reclaiming the right to hope. The day after a stabbing attack was thwarted at the Tapuah Junction in Samaria, a video of Border Police shooting the female terrorist has surfaced. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The clip depicts the female terrorist lying on the ground after being shot, instead of the actual stabbing attempt. The soldiers can be heard answering the question "Who's firing, who's firing?" by saying, "All four of us." Clip taken from the video depicting the female terrorist On Wednesday, Israel Police said, "An attempted stabbing attack occurred at 12:50pm at the Tapuah Junction. A suspicious individual approached Border Guards stationed in the area who recognized her behavior and warned other soldiers. She was ordered to stop and warning shots were fired into the air. She did not heed the warnings of the soldiers and suddenly drew a knife and moved in their direction. At this point, soldiers opened fire in her direction. The terrorist was identified as Rahik Yusuf, 19, a resident of Asira ash-Shamaliya." Video depicting terrorist being gunned down X After the event, Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan said, "This is another attempt to harm our daily routine and it did not succeed. I want to thank the soldiers for their vigilance. Tourist events throughout Samaria will continue as planned. Tens of thousands of tourists are in Samaria right now, and I hope we have a pleasant and quiet holiday." The Italian newspaper Il Foglio issued an unprecedented protest on Wednesday in response to UNESCOs adoption of a controversial resolution earlier this week which Israel says denies the deep historic Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In response to the adoption by the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization the newspapers entire centerfold displayed an Israeli flag accompanied by the title: To erase the history of Israel is not education, it is not science or culture. It is simply a cultural holocaust. Moreover, a similar display of rejection was on the front page. 'To erase the history of Israel is not education, it is not science or culture. It is simply a cultural holocaust.' The newspaper, known for its pro-Israel stance, launched another campaign repudiating the recent decision by staging a protest outside UNESCOs offices in Rome. Hundreds of people, including politicians, attended the rally waving the Israeli flag and carrying placards bearing images of the Western Wall. Rally in Rome outside UNESCO offices (Photo: Il Foglio) Fabrizio Cicchitto, president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, participated in the rally and voiced his dismay at the UN organizations decision. The document that was adopted by the organization is unacceptable, Ciccitto said before expressing his surprise in light of the Italian decision to abstain from the vote rather than vote against it. The newspapers editor, Claudio Cerasa, explained the intended purpose of the display of solidarity with Israel. We turned the UNESCO branch in Rome into our Western Wall for one day, he said. By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) 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. advertisement 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. "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 Ahmeds 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. advertisement 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. PTI GJS UZM --- ENDS --- I have always been against the occupation and in favor of leaving the territories, preferably by consent. However, an abyss lies between opposing the occupation and the BTselem representatives participation at a United Nations Security Council session on the settlements. This is neither the time nor the place for such participation. It does not contribute to their humanistic and moral targets. It seriously damages them. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter During my last visit to Washington, I met with one of the most prominent and leading media personalities in the United States, who has not spared his criticism of Israels governments in general and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in particular. I found a contemplative and restrained person. The reality in the Arab arena, he said to me, has slapped many people in the face. It has exposed trends of violence and cruelty at volumes which we have not witnessed for decades. BTselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad addresses the UN Security Council. How does such a hypocritical discussion contribute to an understanding between the people, to justice, to reconciliation? You cant ignore half a million dead in Syria, he added, while focusing on the humiliating behavior of two Border Guard officers at a roadblock in the West Bank. And people cant say that these things are not connected. They are, at least priority-wise: The international occupation with Israels conduct in the West Bank is nothing but an attempt to evade the heavy responsibility for the mass murder taking place in Syria. As for Netanyahu, my interlocutor concluded, his worldview has won. The two-state solution has been buried, and all that is left for Bibi to do is to manage the current complex situation, which he is attempting to treat as a permanent solution. I am not dismissing the possibility that he will succeed, at least in the medium term. These are not unusual comments. They reflect a deep revision among liberal public opinion leaders in the US, especially the Jews among them. Quietly, in closed conversations, many of them are voicing an agreement with the official Israeli approach that there is no one to talk to, or at are at least saying that they understand the despair regarding the Arab leadership, any Arab leadership, as a partner for an agreement. Now we see, these liberals told me, that those who described Israel as a villa in the jungle were right. But the jungle is more dangerous than we thought, and the villa is more exposed than we thought. An expression of this new spirit could be found this week in the usually left-wing Jewish American magazine Tablet, which seriously suggested that Netanyahu should receive a Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to Mideast stability. The occupation is bad for Israel, late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said, and he was right. Its a shame we didnt follow his way years ago. But I am a realist and I see reality. The settlements are not the obstacle to peace; it is the ideology and policy that are derived from them. And here, even a former optimist like myself finds it difficult to see in the horizon any signs of a change for the better, not here and definitely not on the other side. While the Jewish-secular nationalism is collapsing, the Arab nationalism which one could talk to has been erased, and replaced with fanatic and merciless religious violence. There is no way to talk to it. The Jewish liberals in America understand that too, yet its not easy for them to deal with these truths. I am proud of the activity and existence of BTselem. Its activists are brave and worthy of appreciation and gratitude: A nation which loses the voice of its conscience is committing suicide. But why cooperate with an initiative whose only purpose is to make us forget the enlightened worlds failure to deal with the horrible massacre in Syria and direct the spotlight at us? How does such a hypocritical discussion contribute to an understanding between the people, to justice, to reconciliation? It doesnt. All it does is feed radicalism. The Left, which failed to detect the rise of populism on time, is in the process of a global retreat. It is shutting itself off from reality and cursing it from its place of seclusion. BTselem wasnt like this in the past, and I hope it wont be in the future. I hope that its participation in the unnecessary Security Council discussion was just a one-time blunder. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed concern that US President Barack Obama, during the final days of his term in office, might take diplomatic steps that could harm the fate of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Israel is concerned that the United States might not rally to its assistance in the event that an anti-settlement resolution is put to a vote in the United Nations Security Council and that Washington might not use its veto to quash such a move. Obama's strong opposition to Israeli construction on the disputed territories has also raised speculation in Israel that he might try to define parameters for a final peace agreement that has eluded Israel and the Palestinians since interim deals were signed in the early 1990s. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AFP) The last an attempt to reach an agreement between the two parties and determine final borders collapsed in 2014. A statement from Netanyahu's office clarified that he had told residents of the settlements in a closed meeting last week he hoped Obama would not act in the same way that some previous US administrations had done at the end of their term, when they had "promoted initiatives that did not align with Israel's interests". He did not specify any examples. The statement repeated what Netanyahu had already told Israeli reporters in New York following his address to the UN General Assembly last month when he said: "I can only hope that the US's consistent policy will continue to the end of his (Obama's) tenure (on January 20)." It also denied what Israeli Channel 2 had ascribed to Netanyahu earlier on Wednesday when it quoted him as telling the settlers that "in the coming period, between the US elections and the end of the term of Obamathe entire settlement movement is under threat." Obama and Netanyahu's final official meeting in New Yok (Photo: AFP) In keeping with its consistent criticism of Israeli construction, Washington issued a strong rebuke earlier this week at Israeli plans to build what it called a new Jewish settlement which the former said would damage prospects for peace with the Palestinians. Israel however, insists that the settlement is not new but would rather constitute construction in an already existing settlement. Despite Israel maintaining as such, Washington also accused Israel, in unusually harsh words, of going back on its word that no new settlements would be built. Obama raised concerns on the matter when he met Netanyahu in New York. The United States contends that the project constitutes the establishment of a new settlement in the West Bank, contrary to assurances Netanyahu made to Obama that no new settlements would be built. Israel regards the planned homes as part of an existing settlement. The lobby bar in the iconic King David Hotel has recently undergone an upgrade, installing equipment that enables serving dozens of wines by the glass, thus creating the King David Wine Bar. Fortunately, the genteel furnishings remain, as has the cordial and knowledgeable sommelier and bar manager Daniel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The King David Wine Bar stocks some 85 wines, all Israeli and all kosher, with vintages from the countrys largest and most prominent wineries, as well as from respected boutique wineries. At any given time, 14 different wines are available by the glass, most featured on tasting menus that rotate monthly and bi-monthly. Single glasses start at NIS 35, then two for NIS 59, three for NIS 87 and four for NIS 111. Glasses of wine are served with complimentary plump green olives and salted nuts, but there is also a tapas menu boasting 10 dishes ranging in price from NIS 15 to NIS 55. The good news is that the tapas come from the kitchen of the King Davids exclusive La Regence restaurant, helmed by executive chef David (Dudu) Biton. Salmon takes pride of place among the tapas: there is delicious smoked salmon cured on the premises with herbed cream cheese, shallots and grated egg, onions and caper berries, accompanied by a basket of fresh, crusty house bread and butter. Daniels recommendation was the spicy salmon: raw salmon tartare exquisitely seasoned with ginger, spicy aioli and finely chopped cucumber. The one warm dish is perfectly fried fish tempura, served with a creamy, zesty chili aioli, while for dessert there is a selection of three cheeses and two small jars of premium marmalade. Naturally, there are sparkling and sweet wines ideal for washing down dessert. The Wine Bar at the King David Hotel Kosher King David Street 23, Jerusalem Tel. (02) 620-8784 Bar a Vin: Welcome addition to Rothschild culinary scene A spacious square at the foot of Tel Avivs Rothschild Boulevard is the home of Bar a Vin, a relatively new wine bar with welcome emphasis on food, since the dishes are prepared by the talented Einav Azguri, previously behind the menu at Cerveceria, a popular tapas joint. Aside from a few indoor tables and plenty of stools at Bar a Vins handsome bar, dominated by refrigerated shelves of wine behind glass doors, the main seating area is al fresco in a large, roomy plaza. The international wine list comprises 38 wines in eight categories; with the exception of six wines and two champagnes, all are available by the glass, ranging in price from NIS 29 to NIS 57. The tapas dishes start at NIS 28. Like the establishment itself, the dishes here bear French names, with the descriptions in English and Hebrew. The daily specials, however, are explained orally by the bilingual wait staff, who maintain that the specialsrepresenting the chefs inspiration of the day, using the freshest ingredientsare the best things to order. The waitress also let us know what the most popular dishes on the printed menu werestarting with the Gougere de Bourgogne, a savory cheese loaf with Parmesan and Emmenthal cheeses baked into the actual dough, making for a soft, chewy delicacy that was practically addictive. Based on her recommendations, we selected dishes representing three different categories on the permanent menu. The calamari salad was very different from the usual: the deep-fried seafood was reminiscent of pork rinds; mixed in with green herbs, red onion, pineapple and tiny slivers of red chili, the result was a wonderful interplay of flavors. The Camembert gratine au four with piquant jam, meanwhile, was decadently rich. The cherry tomato jam was more like a sweet chutney than a spicy condiment, but it was nevertheless an excellent foil for the baked cheese. In addition, the topping of toasted chopped hazelnuts added welcome crunch and contrasting texture. The beef sirloin was a lovely bit of steak: sirloin slices cooked just righta seared crust sealing in the moisture of the pink centers that melt in your mouth. The succulent meat was accompanied by a generous portion of thinly cut French fries that are as good as can be found anywhere. Our selection from the daily specials was pork prime rib still on the bone. Generously seasoned with salt and pepper, the thick slab of juicy and flavorful white meat was finger-licking good. It was served with another helping of those superb fries. The four desserts at Bar a Vintwo daily specials and two permanent fixturesare in the traditional restaurant vein. The Crepe Suzettes, distinctively filled with creme patissiere and drenched in Grand Marnier, were a worthy rendition of the beloved classic, while the chocolate mousse on creme anglaise was the consistency of a thick ganache, nicely accented by coffee bean shavings. Even on a Monday night, Bar a Vin was quite full, undoubtedly a testament to the quality of its offerings. Bar a Vin Not kosher Rothschild 7, Tel Aviv The Haifa District Attorney filed an indictment on Thursday at the Haifa District Court against Wissam and Sabrin Zbeidat of Sakhnin for having joined ISIS with their three children last year. The family had been living in Syria and in Iraq and recently returned to Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Wissam admitted to the charge, saying "Yes, I was in Mosul, and I joined ISIS. I decided to return to Israel without anyone pressuring me." He allegedly participated in raids against the Iraqi Army, and his leg was injured in the fighting. Wissam and Sabrin Zbeidat According to a statement from the Shin Bet, an investigation into the couple revealed that they were exposed to ISIS films and other content that influenced before they left the country. According to relatives, the couple and their 4- and 6-year-old girls and 8-year-old boy left Israel in 2015 for Romania in order to attend a graduation ceremony for a family member who finished their studies. After arriving in Romania, they decided to enter Turkey and attempted to cross illegally into Syria. After their family learned of their intentions, they flew to Turkey to try and persuade them to return to Israel, but were unsuccessful. In Turkey, they used Facebook to contact a resident of Um al-Fahm who had himself joined ISIS in 2013. He put them in contact with smugglers who aided them in crossing the border into Syria. The Shin Bet's statement also stated that the family was received by ISIS near the border where their Israeli passports were taken from them, and they were brought to Rakka. Wissam was separated from his family and sent to a camp in Iraq where ISIS gave him training and religious and ideological lessons. He was then transferred to a military camp for combat training, which included marksmanship on rifles and RPG-launchers. The Zbeidats in court in Haifa Wissam was then sent to operational activity that included guarding ISIS facilities near combat zones and later raids on Iraqi Army positions. He was hospitalized after his leg was injured in one such raid. His family later joined him in Iraq, allegedly living in extremely poor, crowded conditions, in houses without water or electricity and without access to proper medical care. The Zbeidat children apparently were deprived of an education for an extended period and stayed with other children. Earlier this year, the family went through heavy bombing in their place of residence. Following that, the children developed anxiety. Returning home The Shin Bet investigation also revealed details of life under ISIS, a regime that cuts off body parts as punishment. Its "morality police" enforces a strict dress code on woman and men's beards. Due to the rough conditions in Mosul, the family decided to return to Israel this year. They asked for help from relatives who had to pay large amounts of money to border smugglers and others to facilitate the Zbeidats' return to Israel. They tried to cross the SyrianTurkish border multiple times. In one attempt, they drugged one of their daughters to prevent her from making noise that would give them away. During some of those attempts, Turkish soldiers and ISIS fighters opened fire on them. After having crossed the border into Turkey, the couple were arrested by the local police and placed in a detention facility. A few days later, they were released and then arrested on their return to Israel. The indictment accuses the couple of contacting a foreign agent, illegally exiting the country, belonging to an unlawful organization, providing services to an unlawful association, membership in a terrorist organization and forbidden military training. Relatives of the Zbeidats in court (Photo: Ido Erez) A relative of Sabrin said, "The mother and the girls didn't want to sneak into Syria and join a terrorist organization. She never thought that she'd be in a place like that. Unfortunately, the husband is the one who insisted and took them against their will. I hope that the court will take her into consideration and release her to her home. She doesn't deserve any punishment. Her place needs to be at home together with her daughters who are waiting for her. The hard days and danger to life that she went through are enough." He added, "If we had known that the husband intended to enter Syria, we wouldn't have allowed him to travel with the mother and the girls." Since ISIS's inception, some 40 Israeli citizens have joined the extremist group. Five of those have been killed. BEIRUT -- Turkey's deputy prime minister says his country is "displeased" with the support the United States provides Syrian Kurdish fighters who are linked to Turkey's Kurdish rebels. Numan Kurtulmus also said Thursday that Ankara hopes that the new US president will keep his or her distance from the militia and strive to maintain good ties with NATO ally Turkey. Kurtulmus told reporters: "whoever comes next to the US presidency" understands the importance of maintaining ties with "a key regional country like Turkey and not an armed terrorist organization with a few thousand militants." PRAGUE -- Czech lawmakers have approved a government plan to send medical personnel and additional military instructors to Iraq. In a 134-0 vote on Thursday, the lawmakers in Parliament's lower house agreed to deploy in December a surgical field team of up to 17 people at a US Navy's base located some 70 kilometers south of Mosul where the Iraqi forces with allies launched a campaign to retake the city from the Islamic State group. The Czechs will go to Iraq in December to treat injured Iraqi and coalition soldiers. The deployment has already been approved by Parliament's upper house. Ayman Kurd, the 20 year-old who stabbed a police officer last month critically injuring her , was indicted Thursday in a Jerusalem District Court for attempted murder and possession of a knife. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter On September 19th, Kurd followed two police officers near the Damascus Gate, pulled out a knife and stabbed them. One officer was moderately injured while the other officer was critically wounded. Scene of the attack According to the indictment, following the death of Kurd's cousin in a shooting in Hebron, Kurd decided "to conduct a terror attack and die a martyr's death." Following this decision, Kurd decided to write a will to his family and urged them to celebrate his death. Ayman Kurd at his indictment (: ) X "My mother, my heart, my soul and my life, do not cry and do not be angry and pray for me to die a martyr's death," reads the will. "What I want is not to cry, I want you and my aunt to throw me a party, and I want to hear celebrating. Know that I didn't do this for anyone else, but because I wanted to. I thought about this before the death of Ramsay." The force of the blows to the officer's neck broke the knife the terrorist was using, lodging the blade in the officer's spine. At this point, the second police officer drew his weapon and managed to shoot the attacker and neutralize him. Three months ago, in her first day on the job as the prime minister of Britain, Theresa May decided to go on a dinner scheduled months prior. In the early evening hours, the prime minister and her husband Philip left 10 Downing Street with their motorcade and made their way to a house in north London to dine with Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Only hours earlier, May was kissing hands at Buckingham Palace, becoming the second female prime minister in Britain's history and the talk of the day. But a commitment must be kept, and May, known as a lady of her word, was sending a message that despite her new high-ranked jobshe has no plans of changing. In the presence of a handful of participants, the May couple had a strictly kosher dinner at the home of Rabbi Mirvis, with whom May has warm relations. The dinner was scheduled three months prior, when May was still the Home Secretary. No one could have imagined that one referendum could cause such a storm in Britain, leading to the resignation of the prime minister and the appointment of a woman considered a not particularly distinguished minister to one of the most important jobs in the world. British Prime Minister Theresa May at the UN (Photo: AP) For a few hours, May put aside the arduous and complicated task of forming her government in favor of that dinner. "The fact she made it to dinner at the height of the preparations and before taking the reins of such an important job, reflects her great desire to maintain her commitments to and appreciation of Britain's Jewish community," Rabbi Mirvis said. May's close ties with the Jewish community in Britain are not new. In her six years as the Home Secretarya position that tasks her with the responsibility of Britain's internal securityMay was personally involved in the security of Jewish institutions in the kingdom, particularly in light of the country's rising anti-Semitism. May becoming prime minister is very good news for Israel. In fact, there are already some in Britain who have dubbed her the most pro-Israeli prime minister 10 Downing Street has ever seen. Even if May won't support the expansion of settlements or break away from the international position on Israel's presence in the disputed territories, it is safe to assume that she would continue taking a pro-Israeli stance and defend Israel whenever an occasion for such statements arises. May knows Israel well. Two years ago, shortly before Operation Protective Edge, she visited Israel as Home Secretary. She spoke of her impressions from that visit at an Independence Day event organized by Bnei Akiva UK youth group, where she was the guest of honor. At the party, she took the stage and made an impassioned speech, praising Israel. "It is an honor to be with you this evening to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut," she began, using the Hebrew words for 'Independence Day.' "Israel's Independence Day, which is of course preceded by Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day), when we remember the sacrifice of those who fought to achieve and protect that independence," she said. "Israel is at once an ancient and a young nation. The modern State of Israel is the fulfillment of many generations of struggle." May spoke about Operation Protective Edge and mentioned the "brave soldiers who paid the ultimate price to defend their fellow citizens from indiscriminate terrorist attacks and existential threats." Recounting her visit to Israel, May talked about her meetings with cyber security experts and seeing for herself the progress Israel has made in combating human trafficking. "In those respects, my visit was really very useful," she continued, "but it was also overshadowed by the terrible news which emerged during my stay about the murder of three Israeli teenagers near Halhul." UK PM May and German Chancellor Merkel (Photo: Gettyimages) May also spoke about an issue that she was tasked with as the Interior Ministerthe allocation of GBP 11 million for the defense of British Jewish institutions, while attempting to defeat anti-Semitism in the UK. She said to those present that The safety of the Jewish people can never be taken for granted I know that many Jewish people in this country are feeling vulnerable and fearful, that youre anxious for you families, your children, and yourselves. I never thought I would see the day that members of the Jewish community in the United Kingdom would say that they are fearful of remaining here in our country. That means that we must all redouble our efforts to wipe out anti-Semitism here in Britain. Jewish people have long been an integral part of this country, and we cherish the enormous contribution you make, not just in the past, but today and every day without its Jews, Britain would not be Britain. Foreign Ministry officials have said that Mays support of Israel only grew after she served as the Home Secretary. During her tenure, she began to understand how complicated it is to deal with the sophisticated and growing threat terrorism poses to the world, and the importance of cooperating and coordinating with intelligence agencies. May focused on intelligence cooperation with Israel during her tenure, and turned the connection between MI6 and Israeli intelligence agencies into a strategic asset. After throwing rocks at an IDF patrol vehicle, a Palestinian was killed by IDF fire on Thursday, north of Hebron. The rock throwers continued pummeling the soldiers even after the soldiers stopped and left their vehicle and yelled at the Palestinians to stop. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The event took place south of Gush Etzion Junction at a spot known for such altercations. As a result of the current rock throwing, one soldier was lightly injured, though he did not need to be evacuated for treatment. Israeli security forces and medical personnel surround the body of the Palestinian killed by IDF fire Upon leaving their vehicle, the soldiers commenced with the rules of engagement toward the rock throwers, and after shooting a warning shot in the air, they opened fire on their attackers, killing one of them. The Palestinian killed by IDF fire The IDF issued a statement, saying that the incident is under investigation. The US government on Thursday sanctioned a Hezbollah commander and a number of other operatives and financiers linked to the militant group who it said were working to destabilize the Middle East. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter US Secretary of State (Photo: Reuters) The US State Department, headed by Secretary John Kerry, added Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, which "imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing acts of terrorism." Tabatabai has commanded Hezbollah special forces, operated in Syria and is now believed to be in Yemen, the State Department said. His actions in Syria and Yemen "are part of a larger Hezbollah effort to provide training, material and personnel in support of its destabilizing regional activities." Lebanon-based Hezbollah has operated openly and in significant numbers in neighboring Syria, as well as alongside fellow Shiite fighters in Iraq. Hezbollah has long supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, providing training, advice and extensive logistical support, while also helping his government regain control of rebel-held areas in central Syria. Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah (Photo: AFP) The US Treasury Department, headed by Secretary Jack Lew, also sanctioned Tabatabai and a number of other individuals on Thursday under a standing executive order that prohibits US banks from having any dealings with "persons who commit, threaten to commit or support terrorism" and blocks any property or assets they may have in the United States. US Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew (Photo: AFP) The Treasury said it was a joint action with Saudi Arabia aimed at "disrupting Hezbollah's worldwide commercial and financial infrastructure." In 2012, the Treasury Department further sanctioned Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah for helping the Syrian regime crush anti-government protests. Superstar Rajinikanth's elder daughter Aishwaryaa R Dhanush is likely to star in the former's upcoming film with Kabali director Pa Ranjith, say reports. By India Today Web Desk: Superstar Rajinikanth, who recently wrapped up the shoot of his much-anticipated film Enthiran 2.0, is off to the United States for a follow-up medical check-up, say reports. It's a well known fact that superstar Rajinikanth and director Pa Ranjith are coming together for another project, which is touted to be a sequel to their blockbuster Kabali. advertisement While Thalaivar is off to the US for a follow-up medical check-up, reports about his forthcoming film have cropped up. ALSO READ: My Story- It's Prithviraj vs Roger Narayan in the upcoming film ALSO READ: Is Rajinikanth back in US for medical check-up? According to Indiaglitz, Rajinikanth's elder daughter and filmmaker Aishwarya R Dhanush will be playing a pivotal role in the film and that the talks have been initiated. Interestingly, the film will be bankrolled by the latter's husband and actor Dhanush's home production Wunderbar Films. Kabali 2 will take off next year after Rajinikanth completes his much-anticipated 2.0, which is directed by Shankar. Rajinikanth recently wrapped up the shoot of 2.0, whose first look and teaser will be released on November 20. Meanwhile, Aishwaryaa is currently directing her documentary film on stunt choreographers titled Cinema Veeran. If things materialise, this will be Aishwaryaa's acting debut. --- ENDS --- Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The special forces backed by attack helicopters fought their way into the town of Bartella, where ISIS militants unleashed at least nine suicide truck bombs. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati said the special forces retook Bartella, about 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the edge of Mosul. But Iraqi forces were facing stiff resistance inside the town shortly before he spoke. The US-trained special forces are Iraq's most highly trained and least sectarian fighters, and will lead the charge into Mosul. An Israeli rescue team prepared to fly out to the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal on Thursday, in an effort to find Amit Reichman, an Israeli who has been missing since Sunday. The Israeli Embassy in Nepal and the local Chabad house in the city of Kathmandu have already begun questioning Israelis who might have run into him over the last few days. Reichman is a philosopher and engineer. According to initial reports, he had reached a lookout point on Annapurna on October 16 and left some of his climbing gear there, but at present has yet to return for it. Thousands of people attended a protest in the outpost of Amona on Thursday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resist the High Courts decision to evacuate the settlement in two months time; the protest was attended by MKs from the Likud and Bayit Yehudi. A similar protest will also take place in the outpost of Ofra. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Were going to fight for our home here, and theyre going to have to drag us from our homes, said Avihai boaron, headquarters chairperson of the Fight for Amona. If we find ourselves dealing with an evacuation, it wont go over quietly. Protestors walking to Amona (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) The protest rally took place as politicians from the right attempt to have the High Court postpone the evacuation http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4866096,00.html . The illegal settlements are also seeking protection under the idea of absentee propertywhich would grant the State of Israel ownership over the property of those who fled Israel to enemy countries during the War of Independenceand the Resolution Billwhich aims to prevent the transfer of settlements to new locations. Both points are not considered legally sound. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg We are calling for a vote on the Resolution Bill, said Boaron. Its the only thing that can save Amona and the settlement project at large. We are in a right-wing government, and it is up to ministers Shaked, Bennett, Lieberman and of course Prime Minister Netanyahu to bring about a solution for the settlements in Judea and Samaria. Protesting te impending Amona evacuation (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) MK Bezalel Smotrich (Bayit Yehudi), who also took part in the rally, said, We told the prime minister that if there wont be a solution based on absentee property by the next Knesset session, we will go for the Resolution Bill with full force. The current discussion should be over where to build a new settlement, its been 12 years since we built the last one. Our gift to Obama is new settlements, and thats what we need to prepare for whoever enters the White House. Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan voiced his own opposition to the political motivations he feels are driving the evacuation. Anywhere else in the world, you are compensated after proving ownership. But here, settlers are at the bottom of the food chain. Does it make sense to uproot a blossoming settlement of 20 years? We wont let that happen. So were here to tell all the hypocrites and attorney generals: make no mistake about it. And to you, Mr. Prime Minister, I say: you need to decide whether youre with the nut jobs from the extreme left or with those on the sane side. The days of the pansy settler are over. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi) also spoke at the rally. Referencing the recent UNESCO decision that overlooked the Jewish peoples connection to Temple mount http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4866113,00.html , he said, To whatever nations try to claim there is no connection between Temple Mount: those who were with me during the Priestly Blessing understand that connection. He also spoke to Netanyahu directly, saying, Mr. Prime Minister, you hold the key to Amona in your hand. We ask and demand that you use that key and continue the settlements momentum. Addressing the crowd, Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan (Bayit Yehudi) said, We were here on the eve of Yom Kippur when we told the residents of Amona that we are committed to solve the issue of the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, with Amona included. We wont give up, and if that doesnt happen, we will present the Resolution Bill ourselves at the beginning of the next Knesset session. There wont be a government without a resolution. The Likud issued a statement in response to the rally. Prime Minister Netanyahu is calmly and responsibly leading a concerted effort to find a solution to the problem of Amona and its derivatives together with the minister of defense, minister of justice and attorney general. It is unfortunate that some people cannot handle the pressure, so that instead of joining forces as part of a real effort would rather charge ahead with a baseless and irresponsible political battering ram that only hurts Amona and the settlement project in general. When Col. James Dignan assumed command of the 910th Airlift Wing (AW) on March 2, 2013, he referred to Youngstown Air Reserve Station as the best-guarded cornfield in Northeast Ohio and the best-kept secret in the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). He elaborated that the installation has world-class facilities and people, a history of excellence in service and a Department of Defense (DoD) unique aerial spray mission, yet didnt have a level of exposure to match its value as a defense asset. The installation was not well known as he travelled around the Air Force. Early during his command here, he encountered residents near YARS who were unaware the base existed. His tenure here was most visibly defined by work to transform the installation into the best-known little base in AFRC and a well-loved community staple. After nearly four years serving as the 910th Airlift Wing's commander, Dignan has moved to a new assignment as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, Mobilization Global Force Management and Readiness at U.S. Air Force headquarters in Washington D.C., effective Oct. 18. Hes pleased with the progress made at YARS, but still sees ample room for growth. We have great Airmen, great facilities, a great community; continue to leverage all of those for our success, said Dignan, when prompted to offer some insight to whoever replaces him as commander. The answer is here, the key is here, sometimes we just need a spark or a different perspective or a different look. A couple years ago, Dignan saw a unique opportunity to capitalize those assets in a potential win-win program. YARS became the first AFRC installation to host the Air Force Community Partnership Program (AFCPP). According to Air Force policy, the AFCPP is an Air Force-wide initiative to develop, manage, oversee, and evaluate Air Force installation-community partnerships. It began as an initiative with community leaders, business owners, political representatives, non-profit directors and 910th AW leadership meeting to discuss possible partnership ideas in 2015. Participants identified, explored and in several cases implemented projects that benefitted both YARS and surrounding communities. Members of the 910th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) partnered with the city of Youngstown in a blight remediation agreement. The city, which has more than 4,000 blighted structures slated for demolition, benefitted from the squadrons manpower in demolishing nearly 90 houses while the unit members gained valuable real-world training applicable in deployed locations. Squadron members also installed approximately 800 new street signs. In a separate project, CES members designed and built an outdoor staircase at a veterans park in Newton Falls, Ohio. The city provided the supplies while the 910th provided manpower, again gaining valuable training not typically available to members. Partnerships with local universities including Youngstown State and Kent State have made college-level courses contributing to a Community College of the Air Force degree more accessible to Wing members. Through partnerships with several local non-profit youth organizations, YARS Airmen have provided more than 10 thousand mentorship hours to area students while representing the 910th positively in their communities and increasing recruitment potential. Other partnerships have provided grain bin rescue training to northeast Ohio and 910th firefighters, bolstered emergency response capabilities through the annual Feel the Heat training and capabilities demonstration event with the American Red Cross and provided volleyball team facilities and a graduation venue for Mathews High School after their gymnasium flooded. The increased exposure garnered from these community programs has resulted in greater recognition for the base and its leadership. The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber presented Dignan with their Spirit of the Valley Award at their annual meeting held here, March 23, 2013. While presenting the award, Kevin Helmick, President & CEO of Farmers National Bank, said, He has worked tirelessly as an ambassador of our base on the global stage. Yet, his leadership has also had a profound impact here at home, where he has reopened the regions relationship with the Air Force to a degree not witnessed since prior to the World Trade Center attacks, when security policy essentially closed bases off from communities. Dignan deferred the recognition to the men and women who work at Youngstown Air Reserve Station. Inspiring Minds, a non-profit youth organization based in Warren, Ohio, presented the 910th AW their 2016 Community IMpact award for providing youth mentorship form Service members and opening facilities to provide informative military experiences to teenagers. Early in Dignans tenure with the 910th, sequestration began affecting the Department of Defense. YARS was not immune. The stations fleet of 12 C-130H Hercules aircraft was reduced to eight, eliminating more than 200 positions and reducing economic impact. These reductions took a toll on morale at YARS, which Dignan often referred to as a family. That sense of family, experienced in working directly with Airmen, Sailors and Marines at the operational level, is what Dignan is least eager to leave behind in departing for his new assignment. Being here at the operational end of Air Force activity is what Ive done my entire career, said Dignan. Whether its at the tactical or the operational level, youre out there fighting the fight or preparing people to fight the fight, and thats what our war-fighting ethos is about. Obviously, as a Wing commander Im a little bit more removed from that, but still our main job is to prepare people to go to war and defend our country. Dignan sees the familial feel of YARS, indicative of the familial feel Dignan and his family encountered throughout the Valley, as the installations greatest asset, but also a possible weakness. It became readily apparent to me that YARS was all about family, said Dignan, and over time Ive come to realize that our familial sense here, as well as our understanding of each other, is our singular strength and weakness at the same time. So we need to identify what strengths we have and how we build upon those strengths and how we identify how that familial feel weakens our efforts. In his new role at the Pentagon, Dignan will assess the readiness of our Airmen. The goal is to see what can be done at the policy or strategic level through funding, manning or other means, to enhance readiness and meet requirements as set by the President of the United States. In describing his new assignment, Dignan gives the illustration of a whip. The handle of the whip is held by policy-setters and decision-makers at the highest levels of the DoD while local organizations like the 910th AW are at the end of the whip. Small movements from the handle can have a significant impact at the unit level. He looks forward to taking his experiences from the end of the whip at YARS to the handle at headquarters and doing what he can to make a positive impact for U.S. Airmen. Despite his new assignment in Washington D.C., Dignan and his family dont have immediate plans to move from the Valley, where theyve made strong connections during his command of YARS. Col. Darryl Markowski, vice commander of the 910th Airlift Wing, will serve as interim commander. A permanent replacement has not yet been appointed. According to Dignan, the new commander will inherit a world-class organization and personnel. YARS is the preeminent reserve base in the command, said Dignan. The facilities and personnel can deliver a unique capability that doesnt exist anywhere else in the command, or the world for that matter, and folks should be proud of that. And what we do in a very cost-effective manner for the Air Force is something we should be proud of and YARS is still a well-guarded secret in the AF and command, but hopefully someday it will be the best-known little base in the Air Force. As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured 100% support to a delegation of Bollywood producers and has said that he will make sure Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is released in the country without any violence or issue. By India Today Web Desk: In the wake of the continuous threats to disrupt the screening of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil after it releases on October 28, a group of Bollywood producers decided to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh this afternoon. While initial reports said that Karan Johar would be meeting Rajnath Singh, producer Mukesh Bhatt was joined by Dharma Productions' Apurva Mehta and Fox Star Studios' Vijay Singh. advertisement The producers discussed the furore surrounding Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Fawad Khan and the threats issued against the film and its makers by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). After the meeting was over, Mukesh Bhatt said that Rajnath Singh has assured the producers that he will support them wholeheartedly and that he will speak to chief ministers of each state to ensure that law and order is maintained at every screening of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Mukesh Bhatt also said that it does not matter to them that Pakistan has banned their films. He added that Bollywood content is released everywhere and as such, they don't need Pakistan. ALSO READ: Karan was forced to make statement, says Shyam Benegal backing ADHM ALSO READ: Some are aligned to political parties for personal gain, says Salim Khan on ADHM controversy On Wednesday, the Maharashtra police arrested 12 MNS members for going to Mumbai's Metro Theatre and disrupting law and order in the name of protesting against Ae Dil Hai Mushkil's release. They will be kept in detention until November 4. This comes after Karan Johar issued a taped statement on October 18 where he said that he would not "engage talent from neighbouring country given the circumstances." In the video, Johar also said, "I respect the Indian army. I salute them for everything they do to protect us in our environment. I respect them with all my heart. I condemn any form of terrorism especially the terrorism that will affect my people in my country and me. We respect our country over and above anything else." National Award-winning director Shyam Benegal said in response that Karan Johar was forced into making the statement and the bullying by the MNS and other associated parties exhibits a "sad state of affairs within the society." After the terror attacks at Uri, Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 which led to the death of 19 jawans, the MNS, among others, has been bullying Bollywood producers and actors who have worked with Pakistani actors. The party even threatened to beat up Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt if they dare to make or release films with Pakistani artists. advertisement Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, directed by Karan Johar and starring Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan is scheduled to release in theatres on October 28. --- ENDS --- Living Section San Luis, Arizona - Need help preparing for the Citizenship exam? The San Luis Library offers citizenship classes every Tuesday and Wednesday. Review test subjects, learn interview tips, and more. Tuesday, November 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd @ 5:00 p.m. Citizenship Class (English) Wednesday, November 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd @ 4:00 p.m. Clase de Ciudadania (Espanol) There is no charge to attend; however, space is limited and registration is required. For more information, and to register, call Monica Colorado at (928) 627-8344. The San Luis Library is located at 1075 N 6th Avenue in San Luis, Arizona. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Children of all ages can enjoy storytime, crafts, family movies, and more at the Heritage Library! There is no charge to attend. Please note, the library will be closed Friday, November 11th, for Veterans Day, and Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th, for Thanksgiving. Wednesday, November 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th @ 11:00 a.m. BabyTime Parents and children ages 2 and under can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories, and playtime with other babies! Wednesday, November 2nd @ 4:00 p.m. Family Movie: The Book of Life (2014) Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart, embarks on an adventure that spans three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears. (PG) After the film, check out our books about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Thursday, November 3rd, 10th, 17th @ 10:30 a.m. Storytime Kids ages 2+ can enjoy stories and songs with their favorite adult. Thursday, November 3rd @ 4:00 p.m. Tween Advisory Group (TAG) Share your opinions about what youd like to see and do at the library! Kids ages 8-12 are invited to join the Tween Advisory Group (TAG) at the Heritage Library. Saturday, November 5th @ 11:00 a.m. Play-Doh Play Time Kids of all ages can enjoy playing with Play-Doh! Tuesday, November 8th @ 4:00 p.m. Tween Time Ages 6-12 are invited to the Heritage Library for a special tween activity. Wednesday, November 9th @ 4:00 p.m. Family Movie: Big Hero 6 (2014) A special bond develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax and prodigy Hiro Hamada as they team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes. (PG) After the film, check out our books about robots. Saturday, November 12th @ 2:00 p.m. Kids Coloring Club Show off your artistic talents and join us for coloring fun. Wednesday, November 16th @ 4:00 p.m. Family Game Night Enjoy playing popular board games with your family! All ages welcome. Thursday, November 17th @ 4:00 p.m. Tween Time Ages 6-12 are invited to the Heritage Library for a special tween activity. Saturday, November 19th @ 2:00 p.m. Painting Create your own Thanksgiving turkey using your handprint! Supplies will be provided on a first-come, first served basis. Wednesday, November 23rd @ 2:00 p.m. Super Smash Bros Tournament Your favorite Nintendo characters face-off with special moves and attacks, including the groundbreaking Final Smash. Saturday, November 26th @ 1:00 p.m. LEGO Club Children of all ages can have fun building with Lego and Duplo blocks! Wednesday, November 30th @ 4:00 p.m. Family Movie: The LEGO Movie (2014) An ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied 'Special', is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis. (PG) After the film, check out our books about the LEGO universe! The Heritage Library is located at 350 S Third Avenue. For more information, call (928) 783-5415. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - 50,000 words. One month. Observed every November, National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing! Participants begin writing on November 1st. The goal is to write a 50,000 word (approximately 175 page) novel by 11:59:59, November 30th. This year, aspiring authors are invited to attend NaNoWriMo kickoff events, weekly write-ins, and finale celebrations at the Main and Foothills libraries. National Novel Writing Month Kickoff All writers are invited to attend National Novel Writing Month Kickoff Parties! Local writers Christine Howard and Melissa Stephens, with Librarian Rebecca Brendel, will be on-hand to welcome you to the program and help you register at the official website, www.nanowrimo.org Foothills Library Tuesday, November 1st 5:30-6:30 p.m. Main Library Saturday, October 29th 12:30-2:00 p.m. Write-ins Need a place to write? Bring your preferred writing tools to the Main or Foothills Library and work on your novel surrounded by other local writers. Main Library Saturday, November 5th, 12th, 19th 12:30-2:00 p.m. Foothills Library Thursday, November 3rd, 10th, 17th 5:00-6:00 p.m. Thank God Its Over! You survived! Celebrate a month of hard work with your fellow NaNoWriMo writers! Main Library Saturday, December 3rd 12:30-2:00 p.m. Foothills Library Thursday, December 1st 5:00-7:00 p.m. The Main Library is located at 2951 S 21st Drive. For more information, call (928) 782-1871. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Yesterday, at about 3:30 pm a fire was reported in a mobile home park in the 3600 block of South 4th Avenue. Arriving Yuma Fire Department personnel found smoke coming from the rear of a double wide mobile home at 337 West Teton Drive. A propane grill had caught fire and flames from the tank had spread into the exterior wall and attic space of the dwelling. Firefighters quickly knocked down and extinguished the fire before it extended into the living spaces. Two residents (a male and female) had been home at the time of the fire, one of which was assisted out of the home by firefighters. There were no injuries. The home was not immediately able to be re-occupied until repairs could be made, and the couple found temporary lodging for the night. The grill was in use at the time of the fire, igniting propane leaking from connections, burning thru hoses and jetting flame onto the residence wall. According to the National Fire Protection Association, each year U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,900 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues. In 2014 alone, 16,600 patients went to emergency rooms because of injuries involving grills. Leaks or breaks were determined to be a major cause (23%) of grill fires. Be sure to regularly inspect your propane grill connections and hoses. Our dry conditions can quickly lead to cracked hoses and deteriorating seals. By India Today Web Desk: Every year, Karan Mehra keeps Karwa Chauth fast along with his wife Nisha Rawal. And this year--when he's inside the Bigg Boss house as a celebrity contestant--is no exception. However, he did not divulge the fact to a lot of people in the house. So later in the day, when Bigg Boss called Priyanka Jagga and Karan Mehra in the confession room to ask if they were fasting, the former replied in negative and said that she will only perform the Karwa Chauth Puja. Karan on the other hand said that he had been fasting since the morning and waiting for the moon to show up, post which he would break his fast. advertisement Bigg Boss then handed over an envelope to Karan and Priyanka and said that there was a surprise for them in it. When Karan opened his envelope, he found his wife's picture in it. Unable to control his emotions, Karan broke down and revealed how much he was missing his wife on the day. Also read: BB10 celeb contestant Mona Lisa breaks down; asks Bigg Boss to evict her Bigg Boss also gave them a box of sweets to break their fast with. While Karan looked into the camera to break his fast, his wife broke her fast in the front of her TV screen, while watching Bigg Boss. Isn't that sweet! Bigg Boss airs Mon-Fri at 10:30 pm and Sat-Sun at 9pm on Colors. Bigg Boss 2 hr special will air today from 9:30 pm to 11:30pm Also read: 5 things you probably didn't know about Bigg Boss 10 contestant Akanksha Sharma --- ENDS --- The MLA got into an argument with the executive engineer for not releasing water from Hemavathy dam adding to the plight of farmers. MLA Narayangowda is seen hurling abuses and throwing away papers from the engineer's table in the video. By Revathi Rajeevan: An MLA from Karnataka was caught on camera abusing an engineer for not releasing water to standing crops yesterday. MLA Narayangowda verbally abused and manhandled the executive engineer for not releasing water from Hemavathy dam. FARMER'S PLIGHT TRIGGERS DEBATE Narayangowda, a Janata Dal (S) MLA from K R Pet, was leading a protest by farmers. Farmers have been demanding release of water from Hemavathy dam for the crops in the MLA's town. advertisement READ| Cauvery row: Supreme Court asks Karnataka to continue releasing water to Tamil Nadu READ| Cauvery row: Committee submits report, says farmers suffering in both states MLA Narayangowda is seen hurling abuses and throwing away papers from the engineer's table in the video. The MLA then attempts to drag the engineer out until the police officials intervene to stop him. READ| Cauvery water dispute: Karnataka's U-turn after inflow in reservoirs increased "DID NOT MANHANDLE THE ENGINEER" However, Janata Dal (S) leaders told mediapersons that the MLA had not manhandled the engineer and was only trying to get the engineer to realise the plight of farmers in the paddy fields. Also read: Tamil Nadu's farmers, parties protest for Cauvery board, stop trains Watch Video --- ENDS --- Brasilia: Brazil`s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva leads the list of potential candidates to run in the 2018 presidential race, despite his recent legal troubles, according to a poll . The survey, commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT) and carried out by pollster MDA, on Wednesday confirmed the results of a separate poll published on Tuesday by polling firm Vox Populi, Xinhua news agency reported. The open-ended MDA poll, which let those queried propose their own possible candidates, as opposed to being given a list of names to select from, found Lula led with 11.4 per cent support. The next closest candidates received only around 3 per cent support, including Jair Bolsonaro of the conservative Social Christian Party (3.3 per cent), Aecio Neves of the centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party (3.1 per cent), and current interim President Michel Temer of the centre-right Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (3 per cent). Lula, of the Workers` Party (PT), has been accused of corruption in relation to Operation Carwash, a long-running investigation into sprawling high-level graft. He has denied the accusations, and claimed they were politically motivated to prevent him from returning to the elections. When presented with a list of potential candidates, 24.8 per cent of those queried chose Lula, distantly followed by Neves (15.7 per cent). The MDA survey polled 2,002 people in 137 cities from October 13 to 16. District of Columbia: A former TV reporter on Wednesday accused ex-president Bill Clinton of three sexual assaults in 1980, when Clinton was governor of Arkansas. Her allegations, in a video clip posted on the pro-Donald Trump website Breitbart.com, appear just hours before the Republican presidential candidate debates his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, Bill`s wife. Leslie Millwee, a former reporter for local Arkansas TV station KLMN-TV, said she interviewed Clinton some 20 times in public when he was governor of the southern US state. Millwee -- then known as Leslie Derrick -- told Breitbart that Clinton visited the TV station and assaulted her in the editing room in all three cases. "I was sitting in a chair," she said about what she described as the first assault. "He came up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders and running his hands down toward my breasts. And I was just stunned. I froze. I asked him to stop. He laughed." On another occasion, she said, Clinton rubbed his genitals against her as she protested. After the third assault, Clinton visited her apartment, she added, saying she refused to let him in. Millwee said she had thought of coming forward when the Monica Lewinsky White House sex scandal broke in 1998, but refrained to protect her young children. "I think there`s still no accountability in the media for the behavior of the Clintons, and if it affects the media and affects the election, so be it," she said. "I`m sure I`m not the only woman who went through this kind of things with Bill Clinton." However, the ex-reporter gave a different version of the story in a book published in 2011, mentioning only that Bill Clinton touched her shoulder, according to Breitbart. The Clinton campaign dismissed her accusations. "I wouldn`t be surprised if Donald Trump seeks to invoke this report tonight or in the coming days," Hillary Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said on MSNBC. "We expect that he`ll do anything in the closing days. He said he`s practicing a scorched earth approach to the campaign." The new revelations surfaced as Trump faces a string of accusations of sexual misconduct. The bombastic billionaire has blamed the Clinton campaign and the news media for the stories. Trump recruited Breitbart.com CEO Stephen Bannon to be his campaign manager in August. New York: Turning his final presidential debate appearance into an unprecedented assault on US political convention, Donald Trump refused Wednesday to say that he would respect a Hillary Clinton victory in November. As the last head-to-head encounter of the toxic 2016 campaign descended into mud-slinging, the Republican mogul doubled down on claims that his Democratic rival`s supporters plan to rig the vote. And when asked whether he would commit to recognizing the result of the November 8 vote no matter what, the reality television star said: "I`ll tell you at the time. I`ll keep you in suspense, OK?" Clinton declared herself "appalled" by what she said was an attack on 240 years of US democracy. And, quoting her former rival Bernie Sanders, she called Trump the "most dangerous person to run for president in the modern history of America." Trump had come into the third televised debate of the 2016 campaign in Las Vegas looking to restore hope to his campaign just 20 days before Election Day. Dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct, trailing in the polls and losing ground in key swing states, the 70-year-old was looking to capitalize on his last major chance to woo wavering voters. "The media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile-on is so amazing," Trump said, referring to reports citing women accusing him of sexual assault, which he said were "fiction" and drummed up by Team Clinton. He alleged that millions of fake voters had been registered and that the 68-year-old Clinton should not even have been allowed to run because she mishandled classified State Department emails. Even some Republican lawmakers were outraged. Senator Jeff Flake said Trump was "beyond the pale" and onetime presidential candidate Senator Lindsey Graham said if Trump loses, it will be "because he failed as a candidate." The extraordinary exchange was only one of a series of ferocious clashes, as two stony-faced candidates faced off from behind podiums with little stagecraft on everything from immigration to Syria. At one point, Trump broke into one of Clinton`s responses to call her "such a nasty woman." The candidates took and left the stage without shaking hands.The Democratic former secretary of state scored an early hit against the Republican property mogul, alleging that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing his run for office. Clinton cited reports from US intelligence agencies that Russian cyber attacks had targeted her party and campaign and demanded that Trump condemn the interference. "They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions," she declared. "Then they have given that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting it on the internet." The Manhattan billionaire appeared not to mind giving credence to the charge that he sides with Moscow rather than Washington`s own intelligence agencies, declaring: "Our country has no idea." Trump argued that he might negotiate better relations with Moscow than Clinton would, declaring: "Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person." Clinton`s response was sharp: "Well, that`s because he would rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump blustered back: "No puppet. You`re the puppet." In what has been a bitter campaign, the two White House hopefuls got off to a subdued but oddly substantive start to the debate, compared to previous brawls. They were asked about their vision for the Supreme Court, prompting Clinton to argue the election was about "what kind of country are we going to be." She insisted gay rights and women`s rights must not be rolled back. Trump echoed conservatives who believe "the Supreme Court is what it`s all about," vowing to appoint anti-abortion justices who would also protect gun rights. "If you go with what Hillary is saying, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby," he said. "Using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate," Clinton responded. Pundits have declared the presidential race all but over after the provocative billionaire attacked leaders of his own party and obliterated the normal rules of political decorum. In response to Trump`s attacks on the legitimacy of the vote, President Barack Obama has implored him to "stop whining." Trump`s debate stance did nothing to quell fears that he and his most passionate fans might not recognize the election`s outcome, thereby plunging the country into a political crisis. Trump predicts an electoral surprise -- what he calls a "new Brexit" -- when Americans vote. But it remains an open question whether his stunts will have a positive impact with voters. Clinton leads by more than six points in an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics. Women especially have thrown their support to the former secretary of state, senator and first lady, who is poised to become the first female president in American history. A Quinnipiac University poll showed she is winning with female voters by 52 percent to Trump`s 37 percent Nevada: Donald Trump on Wednesday rejected allegations that he has groped several women, accusing Hillary Clinton of manufacturing the charges by her campaign. "I believe," Trump said, "she got these people to step forward," accusing Hillary of running a "very sleazy campaign" and adding of the claims aired by several women dating back decades: "It was all fiction." Meanwhile, Democrat Hillary Clinton warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is rooting for Trump in the race for the White House because her Republican rival would be his "puppet. In a ferocious debate exchange, Hillary cited reports from US intelligence agencies that Russian cyber attacks had targeted her party and campaign, and demanded that Trump condemn it. "They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions," she declared. "Then they have given that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting it on the Internet," she said. Trump dismissed the intelligence reports, declaring: "Our country has no idea." The property mogul said he might have better relations with Moscow than Hillary would, declaring: "Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person." Hillary`s response was sharp: "Well, that`s because he would rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump blustered back: "No puppet. You`re the puppet." But Hillary was on a roll: "It is pretty clear you won`t admit the Russians have engaged in cyber attacks against the United States of America. "That you encouraged espionage against our people. That you are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do." In the final 2016 US presidential debate on Wednesday, Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump`s plan for forcible deportations of millions of illegal migrants would rip families and the country apart. Hillary said: I don`t want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about...I think it is an idea that would rip our country apart." Trump, however, defended his plans, saying there are some "bad hombres" in the country who should be sent to their home countries. The third and final US presidential debate is underway at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. As highly anticipated, the duo took the stage without shaking hands for a 90-minute televised clash before tens of millions of viewers, with just 20 days to go before Americans vote on November 8. The Democratic and Republican nominees were somber and unsmiling as they tackled the first question pitched at them by moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News, about the US Supreme Court and how they would choose justices to serve on it. Trump sought to reassure the Republican Party`s conservative base, stressing he would appoint judges who are opposed to both abortion rights and imposing additional controls on gun ownership. Hillary slammed the current Republican-controlled Congress for impeding President Barack Obama`s attempts to fill a vacant Supreme Court seat, and said she supports abortion rights. "I will defend women`s rights to make their own health care decisions," she stressed. "We have come too far to have that turned back now." By PTI: Puducherry, Oct 20 (PTI)Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today convened a meeting of various government departments here to take stock of disaster preparedness ahead of the arrival of North East monsoon. She instructed officials of all the departments to be in a state of constant preparedness to deal with contingencies. As many as 179 relief centres have been set up in areas prone to flooding, an official release said. advertisement A detailed action plan has been prepared highlighting the role of Police, Electricity, Revenue, Fire Service, Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs, Social Welfare and Health authorities. The plan has been prepared on the basis of experience during disasters in the past, it said. The Indian Cost Guard and Disaster Relief Force would also join hands with other departments in rescue efforts during emergency situations. Toll free numbers, 1070 and 1077, had been set up at the premises of Revenue and Disaster Management department, to respond to any call for help, it added. PTI COR ROH --- ENDS --- Islamabad: The bodies of two engineers who died four weeks ago after going inside a lead and zinc mine in Balochistan have been retrieved by rescue workers. According to officials, the engineers had gone into the mine in Dudder area of Lasbela district to rescue Pakistani worker Muhammad Anwar who was trapped, Dawn online reported on Thursday. An official of the MMC Huaye Dudder Mining Company (MHD) said late Wednesday: "Chinese engineers and rescue teams restarted their work and reached the place where the two bodies were stuck," adding that the body of the Pakistani worker had not been found so far. The two bodies would be shifted to Karachi`s Aga Khan Hospital for autopsy. The engineers` families had already arrived in Karachi, the official added. Islamabad: A Pakistani tea merchant with velvet eyes saw his life changed this week when his portrait spread around the Internet, sparking ardent debates on class, objectification, and the place of ethnic Pashtuns in society. Arshad Khan had no idea he had set the Internet alight from Pakistan to India and beyond: he has no phone, and cannot read. "It was a real surprise," the young "chai wala", or tea seller, told AFP. "I was aware that I am handsome but you can`t do anything when you are poor," he said, adding that the image has "changed the way I think." In the candid photograph, snapped by a passing photographer and posted on Instagram, Khan prepares Pakistan`s ubiquitous milk tea, his blue green eyes looking frankly into the camera. It set social media users swooning, with the 18-year-old`s image shared tens of thousands of times since October 14. By Tuesday, the Islamabad market where photographer Javeria Ali took the fateful shot was swarmed by dozens eager to gawk at the young worker. But in a country where women have long fought for rights and rarely express their feelings publicly, that fervour soon morphed into an intense debate on what it meant to reduce a poor man to a beautiful object. "We are more used to seeing this happen to women, it is still creepy whan it happens to a boy," feminist columnist Bina Shah told AFP. "Just because people are bored does not mean you can play with someone`s life."Columnist Maria Amir concluded that "reverse sexism is still a form of sexism" on the website of Pakistan`s biggest-selling English language newspaper, Dawn. But she also echoed many in noting that the true "ick factor" was in social class rather than gender. "The elite getting excited over a hot #ChaiWala reeks of class privilege and the objectification of working class men," tweeted @nidkirm, who described herself as a sociologist based in Lahore. And in a column in the Express Tribune Farahnaz Zahidi mocked the "surprise" that someone poor could be good-looking. "(T)he upper tier bourgeois of Pakistan have come to believe that even looks and God-gifted attributes are co-dependent on money and affluence?" she wrote. Indeed, in his first appearance on television, viewers laughed at Khan`s awkward speech and the Western suit in which he appeared uncomfortable. "No girl would agree to marry him," wrote Twitter user @ItsMahah. Even the colour of Khan`s cool gaze provoked discomfort in some like columnist Amir, who wrote "apparently there is no expiry date on our colonial baggage". Light skin and eyes are the attribute of many Pashtuns, tribal inhabitants of northwest Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, romanticised as warriors by the British. Others expressed concern about the risk of exploitation of a young man so little armed for success. A local brand was quick to publish pictures of him, but Khan said he has not signed any modelling contract. The third of 17 children, Khan has never been to school. He said he hoped his newfound fame would allow him to "move forward". Vegetable seller Saeed Ahmed worked in the market alongside Khan. "His eyes were so beautiful that we used to make fun of him and call him `cat eyes`," he told AFP. "But we never even thought that he would one day become famous like this." Indian newspapers were the first to seize on the "Cinderella story", bringing frivolity to recent tensions between the rival neighbours with tweets calling Khan a "nuclear bomb". "I send a message of peace to my Indian fans," Khan said. New Delhi/Muzaffarpur: Days after a video went viral showing two students mercilessly beating their Dalit classmate, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan on Wednesday suspended the principal of its school in Bihar's Muzaffarpur and transferred the Vice Principal along with 14 teachers. The errant students have already been suspended. Taking to Twitter, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said that a stern action has been taken against the accused students and school authorities. "Stern action has been taken against the accused students & school authorities in connection with the unfortunate violent incident. The 'victim' student will be provided admission in another #kv if he so desires & necessary medical help will also be provided to him," he tweeted. The decision to suspend the principal and transfer the 15 staff members was taken by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan after deliberating on the report of a panel that probed the incident. "KVS has taken strong action against the students involved in the incident. The duo have been suspended along with principal Rajiv Ranjan. 13 teachers and one assistant besides the Vice Principal have been transferred," an official statement said. The decision has been taken on basis of recommendations of the probe panel which concluded the school administration had tried to cover up the incident. "Also, the video reflects that this was not a sudden incident but was well planned and was deliberately shot to create fear among students," KVS said. The incident came to light when video of two sons of a murder accused mercilessly beating their Dalit classmate went viral on social media. 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. The maternal grandfather of the victim, a class XII student, lodged an FIR with SC and ST police station in Muzaffarpur on Monday. 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. Though the incident took place on September 25, the school principal has been accused of not acting promptly on the victim's complaint. The victim student, fearing threat to his life, has gone into hiding. It was only after the video of the incident went viral, including on Facebook and Twitter, that the principal filed a written complaint, following which the police lodged an FIR. The two students have been sent to a remand home even as police have assured security to the family of the victim. (With PTI inputs) Patna: A day after Patna High Court granted bail to Rocky Yadav, the son of a suspended JD(U) MLC, in a case of killing Aditya Sachdeva in Gaya over road rage, the victim's father on Thursday said it's a very bad day for Bihar. Expressing dissatisfaction over the judgement, late Aditya's father Shyam Sundar said, despite of having all evidences, we were denied justice, adding that money and power has again silenced the truth. The aggrieved father urged the Nitish Kumar government to save the state from jungle raj. Patna HC Chief Justice Iqbal A Ansari granted bail to Rocky in the case in which Aditya, son of a Gaya businessman, was shot dead in May this year. Rocky is accused of shooting class XI student Aditya Sachdeva on May 7 following an altercation over overtaking. His parents, who were accused of sheltering him, were recently enlarged on bail. Rocky is son of suspended JD-U MLC Manorma Devi and a historysheeter Bindi Yadav. Bindi Yadav is known to have links with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of Lalu Prasad during the 1990s and early 2000s, and later became associated with the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), now led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Both RJD and JD-U form the ruling Grand Alliance in Bihar along with Congress. Following a public outcry over Aditya Sachdeva's murder, the JD-U suspended Manorama Devi's membership of the party. The couple's arms licences have been cancelled. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students on Wednesday staged protests outside the Administrative Block, confining the top brass of the university inside their offices. Demanding a conclusive response on the whereabouts of a missing student Najeeb Ahmed, all student political parties, except Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), participated in the blockade and vented out their anger at the university officials. Apart from Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, Rectors one and two and Registrar of the university were said to be confined inside the building. 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. 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 pm and grew more intense as the day wore off. "By 3:30 pm, 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 pm. When the Proctor came to assuage them they got violent and made him run away," Saurabh Sharma of ABVP told IANS. Here is what the VC tweeted: An appeal to JNU Students from JNU Administration. pic.twitter.com/2rra9DFO3h M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We appealed to JNU students to stop this physical confinement of university officials but with no result. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Since the students did not let us go home inspite our appeal, we have no other option but be confined to the admin building. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We appeal to the students who have physically confined us to stop this and come for discussion. Let us discuss and resolve. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Students are still blocking all the exit points of admin building. Few persons need medication and are feeling week. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 I appeal to the agitating JNU students to please come to the table for discussion. Our first concern should be to locate missing student. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We met JNUSU leaders explained to them our sincere efforts in locating the missing. No relenting. It is 2 am. We are still confined. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Agitating JNU students should realize it is wrong to physically confine their own teachers like this. This will only affect our JNU. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We tried to go out of admin building @ 2.20am. Agitating JNU Students did not let us go out. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 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, the V-C had also met the parents of Ahmed and had apprised them of all that they were doing to find him. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students on Wednesday staged protests outside the Administrative Block, confining the top brass of the university inside their offices. Demanding a conclusive response on the whereabouts of a missing student Najeeb Ahmed, all student political parties, except Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), participated in the blockade and vented out their anger at the university officials. Apart from Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, Rectors one and two and Registrar of the university were said to be confined inside the building. 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. 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 pm and grew more intense as the day wore off. "By 3:30 pm, 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 pm. When the Proctor came to assuage them they got violent and made him run away," Saurabh Sharma of ABVP told IANS. Here is what the VC tweeted: An appeal to JNU Students from JNU Administration. pic.twitter.com/2rra9DFO3h M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We appealed to JNU students to stop this physical confinement of university officials but with no result. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Since the students did not let us go home inspite our appeal, we have no other option but be confined to the admin building. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We appeal to the students who have physically confined us to stop this and come for discussion. Let us discuss and resolve. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 Students are still blocking all the exit points of admin building. Few persons need medication and are feeling week. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 I appeal to the agitating JNU students to please come to the table for discussion. Our first concern should be to locate missing student. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We met JNUSU leaders explained to them our sincere efforts in locating the missing. No relenting. It is 2 am. We are still confined. October 19, 2016 Agitating JNU students should realize it is wrong to physically confine their own teachers like this. This will only affect our JNU. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 We tried to go out of admin building @ 2.20am. Agitating JNU Students did not let us go out. M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 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, the V-C had also met the parents of Ahmed and had apprised them of all that they were doing to find him. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, who was confined at the administrative building since Wednesday afternoon, on Thursday blasted the protesting students for being adamant on their demand, adding that steps were being taken to trace missing student Najeeb Ahmed. Briefing the press, Kumar said, the JNU administration acted swiftly as soon as the matter was reported. The JNU VC said Ahmed's mother had already filed an FIR with the police, so university's letter was used by the police as a supporting document. In a stern message to the protesting students, Kumar said, law will take its own course if the university is not allowed to function. Home Minister Rajnath Singh today spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma and asked him to submit a report on the whole episode. Meanwhile, Delhi Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on any information on the missing JNU student. Reacting to the whole incident, Minister of State Kirren Rijiju said, "It's sad that the Vice Chancellor and other officials were gheraoed," adding, "it seems some students come to the university do politics and not study." Kumar told ANI in a telephonic conversation that it is wrong on the part of the students to gherao him and other officials."We are also concerned that Najeeb Ahmad is missing. We have talked to police also but gheraoing me and other officials is wrong. Students have gheraoed us since 2.30 pm yesterday. We had to sleep on floor and there was no food to eat. Students are not even allowing wives of officials to meet." 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. Except Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), all student political parties are protesting against the administration. Apart from Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, Rectors one and two and Registrar of the university were said to be confined inside the building last night. Commenting on the alleged confinement of the administrators, JNUSU president Mohit Pandey said, "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside." New Delhi: As Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students continue to stage protests over the missing student Najeeb Ahmed, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma and asked him to submit a report on the whole episode. Meanwhile, Delhi Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on any information on the missing JNU student. JNU continues to remain tense with students protesting outside the administrative block forcing the top brass of the university to stay put in their offices. Except Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), all student political parties are protesting against the administration. 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. JNUSU president Mohit Pandey said, "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside." Apart from Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, Rectors one and two and Registrar of the university were said to be confined inside the building. 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. "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," the JNUSU President said. 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," the JNUSU President said. "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," the JNUSU president said. Lucknow: A young MLC considered close to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has asked Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to step down and let his son take his place. Udayveer Singh, a first time MLC, wrote a "private letter" to Mulayam Singh but it has now found its way into the media. Udayveer Singh told IANS on Thursday that he was merely airing his personal feelings but which he insisted echoed the views of most party colleagues. Udayveer Singh has also accused Mulayam Singh`s second wife Sadhna of harbouring ill feeling towards her stepson Akhilesh. He added that Shivpal Singh Yadav, the state party chief and a brother of Mulayam Singh, was jealous of the Chief Minister`s popularity. Accusing Sadhna and Shivpal Yadav of collusion, Udayveer Singh alleged that the Chief Minister was being subject to black magic with a view to harm him. Demanding that the party revoke the expulsion of young party leaders, he said Akhilesh Yadav was the most credible face of the Samajwadi Party. Reacting sharply to the letter, party leader Ashu Malik said people writing such letters were not "even worth 500 votes". He added that the party would not tolerate indiscipline. "Any attempt to humiliate Netaji (Mulayam Singh) will not be tolerated." Bikaner: A trained falcon from Pakistan has been caught by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Anupgadh near the International Border in Rajasthan`s Bikaner District. However, no transmitter or antenna has been found on it. As per the BSF sources, the trained falcon probably belongs to Saudi sheikhs who hunt Houbara bustards in Pakistan. It has been handed over to the Forest Department of Anupgadh. A tag has been found on the falcon`s body. The Houbara bustard is an endangered migratory bird, whose meat is prized by elite Arab sheikhs for its aphrodisiac value. It is listed in the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Bonn Convention, and is declared as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Each year, several thousand Houbara bustards traverse a 2,000-km migratory route from Central Asia to the southern deserts of Pakistan and Iran, and return with the onset of summer. The man who practices black magic admitted that he chopped the girl's head off to appease the gods for luck and prosperity. By India Today Web Desk: A man was arrested by the Kolkata's West Midnapore district police on Tuesday after he admitted to beheading a girl as an offering to the gods for prosperity and good luck. Upon further inquiry, the police learned that Ramapada Manna was a strong believer of such practices. The police found his mobile number, which was then traced, and Ramapada was arrested from a suburb in Kolkata, where he was living with his father, mother, wife and in-laws. "He has admitted to having killed the girl as an offering to the goddess. He also admits of having being a practitioner of black magic," the Gulf News quotes Additional Superintendent of police of West Midnapore district Srihari Panda as saying. advertisement "He used to perform as a magician in village feast from where he had collected books on black magic and other such rituals. As he slowly got induced to it, he started to believe that offering a woman as sacrifice to god will improve his luck and he will become rich," Srihari said. Rampada is yet to reveal the identity of the victim. THE INCIDENT On Tuesday, a few locals discovered the chopped head of a girl floating by the side of an irrigation canal leading to commotion within the area. "During initial investigation we were able to locate the body of the girl, which was found inside a vegetable field. We noticed that somebody has performed some rituals by the body, as an incense stick, vermilion and other materials were found beside it. It led us to believe that the murderer was a believer of black magic," an investigating officer said. Although the girl's identity is yet to be established but the police officials believe that she may have been an acquaintance whom Ramapada met at a local bus stand and was charmed by his words as he convinced her that he could solve her problems by using black magic. --- ENDS --- New Delhi: CBI Director Anil Sinha on Thursday held talks with Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Bob Paulson on pending Letters Rogatory in several cases. The Canadian police officer was in the city to deliver the 17th D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture, held annually in the honour of the founding director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI is hopeful of disposal of the judicial requests to Canada that seek to examine Canadian nationals, including a witness in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and a businessman allegedly involved in a bribery case related to Air India. "The issue of examining Narinder Singh, a witness in the anti-Sikh riots, as well as Nazir Karigar, suspected of involvement in an Air India bribery case, was flagged during the meeting," said a CBI source. "The meeting was fruitful and we are hopeful of disposal of our requests," said the source, adding that extradition of several Canadian residents accused in corruption and drug trafficking cases in India also came up for discussion. Karigar, a businessman in Ottawa, was in May 2014 convicted by a Canadian court for bribing officials in India with a view to bag a $100-million contract from Air India. India and Canada have signed the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters. Delhi: China has officially confirmed the sale of eight attack submarines, estimated at more than $5 billion, to Pakistan, as per a media report. According to India Today, experts say that the submarines may be deployed in the Arabian Sea and challenge India's interests in the Indian Ocean region. It is also said to be one of China's biggest-ever military deal. The weaponry of the submarines will reportedly be tailor-made for Pakistani requirements. The media house quoted a report in a shipping industry newspaper as saying that China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation held a meeting in Beijing "to discuss details of the arrangement". Talks for the deal were announced from Islamabad earlier this year, but Beijing was yet to confirm it. Further, as per the report, four of the submarines are to be built at the Karachi shipyard, with the rest in China. The China Shipbuilding Heavy Industry meeting on October 12 to confirm details of the deal was attended by its chairman Hu Wenming, China Shipbuilding newspaper reported, the media house added. As for the delivery, the first four diesel-powered electric submarines will be delivered by 2023 and the rest by 2028. The submarines are thought to be export variants of the PLA's Type 39A - also known as Type 41 - Yuan-Class submarines. It is said to have a depth of 300 metres. Hu was quoted as saying that the export of eight attack submarines was aimed at promoting China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013. Pakistan is the fulcrum in this. Pak-China 'all weather' ties based on shared interests: Nawaz Sharif Yesterday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said that Pakistan and China's "all-weather" relationship was based upon shared principles and interests that formed the foundation of cooperation in diverse fields. Sharif has stated this when he met Bank of China chairman Tian Guoli who had called on him in Islamabad. "Highlighting China's great support to Pakistan in security, trade and infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan and China have a shared future and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the largest comprehensive project with any foreign country," according to an official statement, as per PTI. "CPEC is a fusion of multiple development projects, aimed at the prosperity and well-being of the citizens of the country and the region at large," it had quoted Sharif as saying. China backs ally Pak over PM Modi's 'mothership' remark on terror Meanwhile, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had termed Pakistan as a "mothership of terrorism", China had on October 17, staunchly defended its all-weather ally saying that was against linking any country or religion with terror and had asked the world to acknowledge Pakistan's "great sacrifices". "We are strongly against terrorism of all forms, maintaining that terrorism should not be linked to certain country, ethnic group and religion," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying had told a media briefing in Beijing while responding to questions on PM Modi's criticism against Pakistan at the BRICS Summit in Goa. China's strong comment was in response to India's criticism that Pakistan is indulging in cross-border terrorism. At the same time, in a balancing act, she had said in the comments posted on the Foreign Ministry website that "regardless of which country, organisation or individual that conducts terrorist activities, the international community should work in concert and deal a heavy blow to them to maintain regional peace and stability and national security and development". China has recently extended the technical hold on India's efforts to impose a UN ban on Masood Azhar, the head of Jaish-e-Muhammad which is responsible for the January 2 Pathankot attack. (With Agency inputs) Beijing: Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), the dreaded Pakistan-based terrorists outfit, has been described as military group by China's state-run Global Times in a commentary. Though the focus of the article was boycotting of Chinese goods by Indians, the description it used for LeT would surely raise eyebrows in India. Acknowledging that both the sides would gain from a stable friendly relation, it said they are currently in talks to settle their differences on some key issues. It said that the Sino-Indian relationship has always been haunted by border disputes and Sino-Pakistani ties. They blame China for India's failure to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and for Beijing blocking India's UN bid on sanctioning a commander in Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based military group. However, they have long realized that setting aside their differences is beneficial for both sides' for overall development. Stressing that China has been India's largest trading partner since 2013, it said that political relations between the two sides have gradually improved, since former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit to the country in 1988. It noted that the increasing trade deficit with China has been irritating New Delhi which it claimed has jumped to $51.45 billion in 2015. India is always vigilant against trade deficits. Chinese products can hence be easily turned into the target of India's anti-dumping sanctions, it warned. It also said that Chinese merchandise, often mentioned by Indian media, is only a small part of China's exports to India. It is also a major exporter of high-tech goods, today's China exports high-tech products to India, including electrical and telecommunications equipment, train locomotives, computers and telephones. These are all necessary for India's economic development and its people's everyday lives. A boycott of Chinese goods will not only result in little political effect but also fail to fundamentally change India's current trade ties with China. In the end, it will be nothing more than a tiny incident, the article said. Gaya: A day after the Patna High Court granted bail to Rocky Yadav, the son of a suspended JD(U) MLC, in a case of killing Aditya Sachdeva in Gaya, the victim`s parents on Thursday said it is a very bad day for Bihar and also questioned the basis for granting bail."It is a very bad day for Bihar that a criminal got bail as this is very shocking news for the entire nation. In this case, everything was clear, yet he got bail and how he got it is a matter of investigation," late Aditya`s father Shyam Sundar Sachdeva said.Expressing dissatisfaction over the judgment, Sachdeva said despite of having all evidences, we were denied justice, adding that "money and power has again silenced the truth." "I hope the government will fight for us," the father added"We need answers, high court gave decision in his (Rocky Yadav) favour without even opening the case," said Aditya`s mother Chand Sachdeva said. "It is all about getting justice and the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar promised us that we would get justice. I hope the government will fight for us," Sachdeva told ANI.In the Gaya road rage case, accused Rocky Yadav, son of former JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi and 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. When Aditya and his friends had overtaken Rocky`s SUV, an angry Rocky chased them and then gunned down Aditya.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.In this high-profile road rage case, Rocky Yadav`s mother Manorama Devi and gangster father Bindi Yadav were also arrested, but were also released on bail earlier. Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has told his Maharashtra counterpart that he would not be able to attend the meeting on the ongoing Mahadayi river diversion row, scheduled for Friday in Mumbai. The Chief Ministers of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka were supposed to meet in Mumbai to try and find an amicable solution to the ongoing tussle among the three states on diversion of Mahadayi river water. "The Chief Minister of Goa has written to Maharashtra counterpart (Devendra Fadanavis) seeking to re-reschedule the meeting of tomorrow to some other date due to pre-scheduled appointments," a senior official attached to Goa CM office told PTI on Thursday. The formal communication sent yesterday has asked the Maharashtra government to give option of dates for the Goa Chief Minister to decide on his participation in the meeting. Maharashtra government had earlier agreed to host the tri-partite meeting in Mumbai. Mahadayi Water Tribunal, which is currently hearing the dispute among the three states, had earlier suggested that the governments explore the possibility of an amicable solution to the vexed issue. Goa government had called an all-party meeting on October 12 following which Parsekar had decided to participate in the meeting with Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The opposition parties had then expressed apprehension over Parsekar attending the chief ministers' meet. Goa is opposing the move of Karnataka and Maharashtra governments to divert part of Mahadayi river water by constructing a dam upstream. Downstream Mahadayi is called as Mandovi river which meets Arabian Sea near Panaji. New Delhi: In a major setback to Congress ahead of UP Assembly Elections, the party's former state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi. Speculations were already rife that she is likely to join BJP ahead of the crucial polls. She was welcomed to the party by BJP national president Amit Shah. "Today, I resigned from the Congress Party and joined the BJP. It was not an easy decision to take, but I took it for the betterment of the nation and the state after a long consideration. My political career has been of 27 years thus far, of which I spent 24 years with the Congress Party and for 10 months with the Samajwadi Party. I worked for the Congress with full dedication and honesty for 24 years," she said while addressing journalists after joining the BJP at its headquarters here. "I am unhappy with incidents that took place in the past few days. Our country is struggling with terrorism and in this direction the Narendra Modi government took a very decisive decision when he gave a freehand to the India Army to cross the Line of Control (LoC), which included the will to accept any results that would have emerged out of the surgical strike, though the result was good," she said. `Khoon ki dalali` barb upset me "This happened for the first time and the success that we got was not only an achievement for the army but also for the government. When the whole world accepted that we carried out surgical strikes, I didn`t like the way the Congress and other parties questioned it. Words like `Khoon ki dalali` were used that saddened me," Joshi added. 'Prashant Kishor is not the poll director' "Prashant Kishor could be a poll manager, but he certainly is not the poll director. But, unfortunately, the entire direction and leadership of the election has been given into his hands. How long we have to walk, when we will stand and sit, all these things were told to us a day before, despite the fact that leaders are grass-roots workers. Nothing could be more unfortunate than handing over the party on contract (to Prashant Kishor)," she said, adding that even senior leaders of the Congress are unable to put across their point in the party. 'People of UP not ready to accept Rahul' "Sonia Gandhi understands the organisation; she used to listen to us irrespective of whatever decision she took; but, in the leadership of Rahulji even this is not possible (to get your point across). The people of Uttar Pradesh are not ready to accept his leadership so as the whole country. Even senior Congress leaders are not happy with him. However, the fact is that Rahul Gandhi was unable to provide the kind of leadership that a national party like the Congress needs. The people have rejected his leadership," she alleged, adding that only the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could bring about development in Uttar Pradesh. What Congress said? Congress has dubbed Rita Bahuguna Joshi as a "betrayer", alleging that she has a family history of switching sides, and insisted that Amit Shah would not be able to gain anything in UP by amassing an "army of traitors". Congress' UP unit chief Raj Babbar also dismissed her criticism of Rahul Gandhi, saying leaders like here who pursued "selfish politics" were afraid that the Congress Vice-President was bringing democracy in the party and asserted that Bahuguna's exit will have no bearing on Congress and its prospects in the poll-bound state. Reacting to Joshi's exit, party general secretary and incharge of party affairs in UP Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "Opportunist leaders do not stick to one place. The real thing was that she is unlikely to win from her seat as the contest was tough." Talking to a news channel, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, "She is a "migratory bird" who left with his money." She came to me seeking funds for her election. I gave her the money. Then she joins the BJP," Sibal alleged. Rita Bahuguna Joshi The daughter of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Joshi served as the U.P. Congress president from 2007-12. She holds an M.A. and a PhD degrees in history and is a professor in the Medieval and Modern History at the University of Allahabad. Singur: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday handed over physical possession of land to a section of the cultivators of this rural belt. She also kickstarted the process of cultivation in a symbolic gesture by sowing mustard seed. Ten years ago, the state`s erstwhile Left Front government acquired land for Tata Motors` Nano project in this pocket of Hooghly district, amid violent peasant protests, as many of them were unwilling to part with their land. However, with the handing back of the land to farmers, the circle is complete, as Banerjee asked the peasants to resume cultivation on their respective plots. Bhubaneswar: Hours after the arrest of its founding President Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, that runs Sum Hospital where 21 people died in a fire mishap, today assured the police of full cooperation in the investigation. "Taking full responsibility for the fire tragedy at the SUM Hospital, Prof Manoj Ranjan Nayak, founder president of Siksha O Anusandhan, has surrendered before Khandagiri police station at 3.30 am on October 20, 2016 as soon as he came to know that a Look Out Circular had been issued in his name," a press statement issued by the SOA University said. The statement said, "Prof Nayak has assured the local police that he would extend full cooperation in the process of investigation." "The SUM hospital authorities will wholeheartedly cooperate in all respects. In deep grief for the loss of lives in accident, the hospital will continue to serve the people with full dedication as before," the statement said. Meanwhile, commissioner of police Y B Khurania said the police had to issue 'Look Out Circular' against Nayak and his wife Saswati Das, both trustee members of the charitable trust, as they were not available for investigation till yesterday. "Since both of them have valid passports, we suspected that they may flee from the country and therefore issued the LOC," Khurania said. Khurania said the police would produce Nayak at the appropriate court before 24 hours of his arrest. "We hope that two other trustee members including Nayak's wife Saswati Das will also come forward to cooperate with the police," Khurania said. Director General of Police K B Singh said that the police may request the court to allow it to take Nayak on remand, if required. Islamabad: Pakistan said on Thursday that it will take legal action if India breaches any of the bilateral agreements. Pakistan was keeping an eye on the Indus Water Treaty, the Dawn quoted Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria as saying. India has hinted at revisiting the water treat in view of Islamabad's continued support to separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. The official condemned what he said were the violations of the 2003 ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir by New Delhi and said Pakistan would reply to them in a befitting manner. He also condemned the "political manoeuvring" of the eight-nation Saarc, saying its summits had been postponed eight times in the past due to India. The November Saarc Summit scheduled in Islamabad had to be called off after India and some other member countries declined to attend it in view of heightened India-Pakistan tensions. New Delhi: Calling it "height of intolerance", the BJP on Thursday said that anything related to Lord Ram is seen as communal, even though it is a matter of faith and not politics. "This is height of intolerance that anything even distantly related with Lord Ram is seen as communal," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told IANS when asked about the role of Mandir politics in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections due early next year. The BJP-led central government recently announced it would build a Ramayana Museum in Ayodhya, and Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma visited Ayodhya on Tuesday to inspect the proposed site, some 15 km away from the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site. Opposition parties and the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh have accused the BJP of announcing the project just ahead of the state assembly polls solely for political gains. However, Sharma said his party is not trying to cash in on the Ram temple issue in Uttar Pradesh elections. "Let me say it once again that Ram Mandir is not a political issue but that of people`s faith. We would be fighting the Uttar Pradesh elections on the issues of law and order, road, water and infrastructure, and not on Ram Mandir," Sharma said. "Mandir to aastha ka mudda hai (Mandir is a matter of faith)," he added. However, he quickly added that his party is "committed to building a Ram temple in Ayodhya", but it would be either through judicial orders or public consensus. On senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joining the BJP on Thursday, Sharma said that people in the Congress are disenchanted with Rahul Gandhi`s leadership. "It is not just Congress leaders, but senior members from other parties in the state -- be it Bahujan Samaj Party or the Samajwadi Party -- are also joining the BJP. They are dissatisfied and looking towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP with hope," Sharma said. Reports say that the parents decided to punish the 9-year-old boy for being hyperactive and for regularly assaulted his siblings. By India Today Web Desk: A 9-year-old Kuwaiti boy died after he was tortured by his parents. The 31-year-old father contacted the police station and told them his son died due to natural causes. However, the Jahra hospital in Kuwait told the police that the boy had been dead hours before he was brought to the hospital. The boy's body even had wounds and bruises, reported Gulf News. advertisement An investigation was launched after the suspicious death. During a confrontation with the parents, it was found that the 9-year-old boy was hyperactive and that he regularly assaulted his siblings. The parents confessed that they used to hit the boy "now and then" to discipline him and even tied and locked him up in one of the rooms for some days. After the boy stopped eating to protest the punishment, the mother untied the son a few hours before his death and then he went to sleep. An Indian domestic helper working for the family confirmed the parent's version. The parents later found out that their son died because of their punishment. --- ENDS --- New Delhi: Reacting to the cornering of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials by the varsity students protesting over a missing student Najeeb Ahmad, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said "It seems that some students go to JNU not for studying, but for doing politics only." "It is very wrong to confine the vice-chancellor and other officials of the university. JNU is a big institution. Students should concentrate on studies. They should carry all their activities within the frameworks of law and order," Rijiju told reporters. "I have spoken to Rajnath Singh about the incident," he added. Vice Chancellor Kumar in the meanwhile has issued an ultimatum to students to let the administration work and said that he is determined to conduct the scheduled academic council, the highest policy making body, meeting at 2.30 p m on Thursday at a different venue. The top brass of JNU, including the VC, rectors and chief proctor have been "illegally confined" in the building for over 22 hours now. Kumar said that if they are stopped from performing their duty (attending the AC meeting) "law will take its own course." "We have been confined illegally in the administration building since 2.30pm yesterday (Wednesday). We had a series of meeting with the students explaining the number of steps that we have taken in search of the missing student. However, the students are very adamant and not letting us go out of this building. They said they have several demands and the administration has to concede those," he said addressing a press conference. "One of the demands is that we should contact the police which we have already done. We have written several letters to the police and our officials are in regular touch with the police in the search for Najeeb Ahmed. The other demand that was made is that the entire incident should be investigated. The chief proctorial office is already investigating and if anyone is found guilty we have assured the agitating students that they will be punished as per the university rules. Students also demanded from the administration to make an appeal to Najeeb to return which we already have done," he added. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma and asked him to submit a report on the whole episode. Meanwhile, Delhi Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on any information on the missing JNU student.Meanwhile, no trace of Najeeb Ahmad was found even on the sixth day after he went missing on October 15. Ahmad was allegedly assaulted by ABVP activists on October 14 during a mess election campaign at Mahi-Mandvi hostel. From the next day, he was nowhere to be found.According to students, he left the hostel without his wallet, mobile and even his footwear. Jammu: At least 19 persons were killed on Thursday when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, a police officer said here. The officer said 34 other passengers were injured when the bus skidded off the road at Guru Nanak Chowk of Reasi, some 80 km from here. Fourteen of the injured are critical, the officer said. They have been shifted to a hospital in Jammu. The bus was allegedly crowded beyond its capacity, and was on the way from Reasi to Bakal village when it rolled down into the deep gorge. Srinagar: Mehbooba Mufti administration has terminated the services of 12 Jammu and Kashmir government officials for "anti-national activities". The erring officials were allegedly involved in fuelling the unrest in the Valley. The sacked officials were associated with education, water, revenue, food and supplies and forest departments of the state government. An assistant registrar of Kashmir University has also been accused of playing a role in fuelling the unrest. New Delhi has accused Pakistan of sponsoring the Kashmir unrest through various channels. For over 100 days, the Valley has been witnessing un-ending violence, which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces. Burhan Wani, has been hailed by Pakistan government as a "martyr". The unrest, which began a day after Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8, has left 84 people, including two cops, dead and several thousand injured. Srinagar: Pakistan's desperate attempts to infiltrate terrorists into the Indian territory continues. Pakistani forces on Thursday resorted to unprovoked firing in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling at 3:30 am today. Speaking to IANS, Defence spokesman, lieutenant colonel, Manish Mehta told IANS, "The troops violated bilateral ceasefire in Bhimber Ghali (BG) sector of the LoC. They used mortars to target our positions." This was the 31st ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the LoC since the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes in PoK to destroy terror launching pads. Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire in Rajouri-Poonch sector of J&K, shelling Indian positions with mortar bombs and using automatic arms. On October 16, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice along LoC in Naushera and Rajouri sectors in which one jawan was martyred. In a first, India carried out surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from PoK, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Uri attack would not go unpunished. Seven terror launch pads across the LoC were targeted by the Army on the intervening night of September 28 and 29 in a nearly five-hour-long operation during which heliborne and ground forces were deployed. Jammu: A day after Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Zakir Rashid Bhat asked Kashmiri Pandits to return to the valley, the migrants today rejected it, asserting that they will go back at the time of their choosing. We outrightly reject his offer as Kashmir historically belongs to Kashmiri Pandits and they would not return on the agenda set by separatists and terrorists or their masters across the border, said Kundan Kashmiri, chief of Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC). He said the community would return on their own terms and conditions as well as at the time chosen by the community. He said the HM commander, on one hand was trying to give an impression to the world that the pro-Pakistan terrorist groups are secular, and on the other hand, to provide an opportunity to radicals, separatists and stone-pelters to attack these helpless people again in case they returned to their native places. Thiruvananthapuram: A red alert has been sounded across three countries for the arrest of this man, a native of Kerala, who is accused of recruiting Indians for the dreaded Islamic State group. According to the Indian Express, Sajeer Mangalachari Abdullah, who hails from Kozhikode city, has fled to Dubai in April this year. Sajeer's father is a truck driver. He passed immigration and security checks without trouble, and settled into an economy-class seat for the four-hour flight to Dubai, the report said. His name had come up during the interrogation of six alleged IS supporters, also from Kerala, by the National Investigation Agency this month. Besides India, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates are also hunting for Abdullah who is now believed to occupy a key position in Islamic State. He is accused of sending new recruits from Indian to Afghanistans Nangarhar province to fight for the Islamic State. Citing intelligence officials, the report said that Islamic State has been telling Indian volunteers keen for military training to make their way to Afghanistan. It has also been pushing them to stage attacks at home, the report said. Nangarhar is about as close as you can get to a black hole. Its the perfect place to go if you want to disappear. Even Afghanistans intelligence services have next to no on-ground reach there, the report quoted an Indian intelligence official as saying. The men alleged to have been recruited by All of Abdullah's recruits were educated professionals. And one of his key associates named Manseed Bin Mohamed, now based in Doha, had moved to West Asia from Panoor in Kerala five years ago, the report said. Abdullah's recruits were asked to target Israeli tourists, BJP leaders and judges who believed to have delivered anti-Muslim verdicts. Abdullah has reportedly facilitated the travel of 21 Kerala residents, including eight minors, to Nangarhar, led by neo-fundamentalist cleric Abdul Rashid, the report added. Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said that those found to be guilty in the SUM hospital fire mishap case won't be spared. Five people including the owner have been arrested, strict action will be taken against those found to be guilty, Naveen Patnaik,Odisha CM told reporters. Patnaik's remarks came shortly after the SUM Hospital owner Manoj Nayak surrendered before the Odisha Police in connection with the case. The Odisha Police had issued a Look Out notice against Nayak and his wife Saswati Das, the founders of SUM Hospital. Manoj Nayak and his wife own the hospital where 21 people died in a fire on Monday evening. Both are the trustees of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, which runs the hospital. The Odisha government has already lodged two FIRs against the hospital management, citing negligence in terms of fire safety and evacuation of patients during the mishap. The Commissionerate Police have already 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. (With IANS inputs) Bhubaneswar: A day after the Odisha Police issued a Look Out notice against Manoj Nayak and his wife Saswati Das, SUM Hospital founder on Thursday surrendered. Manoj Nayak owns the hospital where 21 people died in a fire on Monday evening. Both are the trustees of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, which runs the hospital. The Odisha government has already lodged two FIRs against the hospital management, citing negligence in terms of fire safety and evacuation of patients during the mishap. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had vowed stringent action against the culprits. The Commissionerate Police have already 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. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday appointed Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar as the Punjab election in-charge and Captain Abhimanyu, a minister in Haryana government, as co-incharge. The party's general secretary Saroj Pandey will be in-charge of Chandigarh's local elections. The assembly polls are scheduled in Punjab early next year. BJP is in power in the state as a junior partner of Shiromani Akali Dal and their alliance is locked in a tough battle with the opposition Congress and AAP. Chennai: DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi has named his younger son MK Stalin as his political heir, as per a media report. Hindustan Times reported that he did so in an interview to a Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan. It would be apt that Stalin is my successor because of his hard work, dedication and sense of purpose. Stalin has proved himself that he is the future of the DMK, Karunanidhi, former CM of Tamil Nadu, was quoted as saying. On how he viewed Stalins performance as a political leader, Karunanidhi said he was extremely happy and said that he was carrying on the task well. On May 24 this year, 63-year-old Stalin was unanimously elected as party's Legislature Party leader by the DMK MLAs. Stalin's election as party's floor leader came at a meeting attended by all 89 DMK MLAs, including Karunanidhi, who won from his native Thiruvarur constituency for a second term by a record margin of over 68,000 votes. DMK is the single largest Opposition party with 89 MLAs. A sixth time MLA, Stalin made his Assembly debut in 1989 and rose in the party ranks to lead the youth wing besides later being elevated as Treasurer. (With Agency inputs) They saw a ghost. They screamed and tried to flee in terror, but the door was locked. By India Today Web Desk: They say, ghosts live in abandoned cabins and attics and despise the inventions of Thomas Alva Edison. But do ghosts exist? There are believers and there are cynics. But what do you do when you're confronted by an apparition? You run. But what if you find the door locked? An incident like this can make the blood if many people run cold, even if you don't believe in ghosts. advertisement This is exactly what happened to a gathering of horror lovers at a book launch in London. An elaborate prank, using camera and projectors, gave this group the fright of their lives during a book reading session of a horror novel, as a ghost seemed to appear out of thin air. The holographic projection of man in mountaineering gear and a mask appeared out of nowhere and the panicked group made a panicked beeline for the door amid shouts and screams. We cannot confirm if these frightened people were also actors, but the way they screamed their lungs we doubt they were part of the act. Check out the video yourself. --- ENDS --- Lucknow: Two Naxals active in Noida were today arrested from Bihar by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad, taking the total number of ultras nabbed to 12 after Sunday's crackdown on their gang planning a major pre-Diwali attack in the national capital and NCR area. An ATS official said here that Dharamveer Singh Yadav and Sipahi Ram were arrested from Darigaon area in Bihar's Rohtas district close to the border with Uttar Pradesh. The two ultras were trying to create a base in Noida, the official said. Rohtas, one of the Naxal-hit districts of Bihar, is close to Chandauli district in Uttar Pradesh from where one arrest was made on Sunday. Nine others were picked up from Noida. Today's arrest of two Naxals was made on a tip off from four ultras -- Ranjit Paswan, Krishan Kumar, Pawan Kumar Jha and Ashish Saraswat -- taken on seven-day custody of the UP ATS which got their remand till October 26. Averting a major Naxal attack in the national capital and its neighbourhood, the UP ATS had on October 16 smashed a gang of ultras arresting 10 of them, including a self-styled area commander, and recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition. The left-wing extremists were adept at making bombs and were planning some incidents in the Delhi-NCR region, IG (UP-ATS) Aseem Arun had said. Nine Naxals were arrested from Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi, while one from Chandauli near Varanasi. The arrested Naxals were active in eastern UP and adjoining parts of Bihar and had made Noida their base. New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP of "accumulating an army of opportunists" ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, and added that senior leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi's exit will have no impact on its electoral fortunes. "The Bharatiya Janata Party, after coming to power at the Centre, has done only one thing, and that is accumulating an army of opportunists," Uttar Pradesh Congress party chief Raj Babbar told reporters here, minutes after Joshi joined the BJP. He accused BJP President Amit Shah of toppling elected state governments and influencing opposition leaders to join the BJP. "Their party president is influencing leaders of other parties to join his party and also trying to topple elected government in different states. The BJP has been successful in breaking other parties across the country," the yesteryear's actor said. Hitting out at Joshi, Babbar said, "She said she is a history teacher; today, she has repeated her family history." He said Joshi's exit won't have any affect on the state Congress. "When her brother joined the BJP in Uttarakhand, the Congress remained unaffected. And even her joining the BJP won't have an affect on the Congress." Earlier in the day, Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined the BJP here in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. Joshi, who had been with the Congress for 24 years, said she had also resigned her membership of the state assembly. She represented Lucknow Cantt. Beijing: China and the Philippines have agreed to resume a dialogue on their dispute over the South China Sea, a senior Chinese diplomat said today following talks between the countries' leaders. The move appeared to be a diplomatic victory for Beijing several months after an international arbitration tribunal invalidated China's expansive territorial claims over the resource-rich waters in a case put forward by the Philippines. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing as part of a charm offensive aimed at seeking trade and support from the Asian giant by setting aside the thorny territorial dispute. Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China and said that ties between them go back centuries. "China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed," he told Xi in his opening remarks. "Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship," he added. Xi said the meeting had "milestone significance." In a reference to the South China Sea temsions, Xi said that "although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed." Following the talks, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters that the leaders only touched on the topic briefly during their talks. "Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship," Liu said. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, he said. Philippine diplomats could not be immediately reached for comment. The talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Duterte's predecessor. The Philippines has in the past insisted that the ruling form the basis for any negotiations with China, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. Duterte was greeted by Xi with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing. The two leaders oversaw the signing of agreements between their governments. China has framed Duterte's visit as a step toward ending years of estrangement between the countries. Dutert has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his country's claims in the disputed South China Sea. Islamabad: The United States has reportedly shown the cold shoulder again to Pakistan after it sought its help to convince India to return to talks, saying that the entire world doubts your anti-terror credentials. Emphasizing Islamabad's willingness to start the dialogue process again, an official of Pakistan's foreign ministry reportedly told The Nation, "Pakistan did not want the region to be pushed to war". "Washington has told us the whole West and India doubt Pakistan's credentials on anti-terrorism war. They are convinced regarding our efforts for talks but believe India may be right to doubt us," the Times of India quoted an unnamed official as saying. "Pakistan had complained to the US that India was avoiding talks despite multiple offers from Pakistan", the official added. Citing another official, TOI reported that Washington had asked Pakistan to improve its "anti-terror image" as it tries to bring India to the dialogue table. "Like us they believe talks is the best way out but they still keep on asking us to do more. We have been telling them all these weeks that we had nothing to do with Uri attack or any such incident," the official was quoted a saying. Berlin: The leaders of France and Germany lashed out Thursday at President Vladimir Putin over Moscow`s bombardment of Syria`s Aleppo and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Russia. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its (Russian) backers must end," French President Francois Hollande said after a meeting between the three leaders in Berlin. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the air raids on Syria`s second city as "inhumane and cruel". Both leaders warned that they could not exclude imposing sanctions on Russia, hours ahead of an EU summit where Russia`s role in Syria is set to be discussed. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said at a press conference, while Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option". Turning to a planned ceasefire due to begin in Aleppo later this morning, Hollande said that Putin appeared to be ready to extend the truce, set to last for 11 hours. "We came out of the meeting with the impression that there could be an extension of the truce, but it`s up to the Syrian regime and Russia to show it," he said. A truce of just a few hours would not be enough to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and allow civilians to leave the area, Hollande added. The Syrian Army separately said that the ceasefire would last three days. Aleppo, held by rebels determined to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has come under heavy bombardment since the Russian-backed military announced an offensive in late September to regain control of the east. Air strikes there have flattened numerous residential buildings and civilian facilities, in a campaign the European Union said could amount to war crimes. Aleppo: A "humanitarian pause" announced by Russia went into effect on Thursday in the Syrian army`s devastating Moscow-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo to allow civilians and fighters who want to leave. Russia has said the pause will continue until at least 1600 GMT and could be extended. The Syrian army has said it will last three days. Syrian and Russian warplanes already halted strikes on rebel districts from 0700 GMT on Tuesday. The Syrian army has said it is opening eight corridors to provide safe passage for the more than 250,000 civilians trapped in rebel areas to leave the city. It has said two of them can also be used by rebel fighters but called on them to leave behind their weapons. The United Nations has said the duration of the pause is not long enough to provide any relief supplies to residents of rebel districts who have been under near-continuous siege since mid-July. United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce would be long enough to safely evacuate just 200 wounded from the devastated east of the city. The Syrian regime and its ally Russia launched an offensive on September 22 aimed at recapturing the east, held by rebels since 2012. The accompanying air and artillery bombardments have left some 400 people dead and more than 2,000 wounded, according to the United Nations. Nawaran: Elite Iraqi forces Thursday retook a town on the eastern edge of Mosul while Kurdish peshmerga opened a new front in the offensive to wrest back the jihadists` last bastion in Iraq. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told an international meeting in Paris that the four-day-old offensive was "advancing faster than expected". France and Iraq were co-chairing the meeting on the future of Mosul, which observers have warned could raise even greater humanitarian and interconfessional challenges than the massive military operation to retake it. In some areas, the Iraqi advance was met by a trickle of civilians fleeing both the fighting and the jihadists who ruled them for two years, but the feared mass exodus from Mosul had yet to materialise. The counter-terrorism service (CTS), Iraq`s best-trained and most battle-seasoned force, retook full control of Bartalla, a town that lies less than 15 kilometres (nine miles) east of Mosul. "I announce to the people of Bartalla and Mosul we have complete control over Bartalla," CTS commander Taleb Sheghati al-Kenani told reporters from the town. "Its residents, its churches and all of its infrastructure are now under the control of CTS," he said of the small Christian town that IS seized when it swept across the Nineveh plain in August 2014. Some 120,000 Iraqi Christians were forced to flee their homes at the time.Further north Kurdish peshmerga forces opened a new front with a multiple-pronged assault on the town of Bashiqa. "The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL`s movements," the peshmerga command said, using an alternative acronym for IS. At dawn, bulldozers flattened a path for forces in armoured vehicles to carve their way down towards Bashiqa. As tanks and personnel carriers prepared to advance, a shadow glided above them and one peshmerga shouted "drone!" Fighters opened fire at it with every weapon available, causing an almighty din and lighting up the dim morning sky, until it fell to the ground and the troops resumed their advance. An AFP reporter in the village of Nawaran near Bashiqa saw the downed drone, a Raven RQ-11B model similar to a booby-trapped one that killed two Kurdish fighters and wounded two French soldiers a week ago. Iraqi federal forces and the peshmerga have not divulged casualty figures in this offensive. On Thursday, IS released a short video showing the bodies of what it said were two peshmerga, hung by their feet from a bridge in central Mosul.To the south, Iraqi forces were making steady gains, working their way up the Tigris Valley and meeting small numbers of fleeing civilians heading the other way. Dozens of men, women and children who escaped from the village of Mdaraj, south of Mosul, some on foot and others with vehicles, were waiting as police searched their belongings. "We snuck out," said a man who gave his name as Abu Hussein. He said that the huge plumes of black smoke from fires lit by IS to provide cover from air strikes had helped them slip out unnoticed. The UN fears up to a million people still trapped inside Mosul could be forced to flee by the fighting, sparking a humanitarian emergency. But Iraqi forces are still some distance from the city limits and no major outflows of civilians have been reported yet. The UN`s refugee agency said in a statement Thursday that so far around 1,900 people have been displaced from the Qayyarah and Hammam al-Alil areas and been given assistance. Some Mosul residents who fled before the start of the offensive on Monday have crossed into neighbouring Syria and are now sheltered at a camp in Al-Hawl. A Kurdish official at the camp said 500 people had entered the camp over the past two weeks and 2,000 to 3,000 Iraqis were waiting at the border. Bulldozers were busy expanding the camp, which staff there feared could be submerged by as many as 30,000 displaced Iraqis when the Mosul battle intensifies.The Iraqi prime minister told the Paris meeting on Mosul`s future that the operation to retake it was making progress. "We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned," he said by video link. French President Francois Hollande told the meeting that jihadists were already leaving for Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. "We can`t afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa," Hollande said. "We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate." Mosul, Iraq`s second city, was seized by IS in June 2014. Its capture touched off an offensive that saw the jihadists conquer about a third of the country and declare a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria. IS`s rule has seen some of the worst war crimes in recent history and the task of reconciling all the components of the area`s complex religious and ethnic mosaic is daunting. "Given the sheer size of Mosul -- and its experience of savage rule at the hands of the Islamic State -- revenge killing will likely be an issue in the days and months ahead," according to the Soufan consultancy. "A massive effort will be required to begin to heal what is a truly fractured city and society," it said. Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed concern President Barack Obama may take action Israel opposes at the United Nations before leaving office as US criticism of its settlement building intensifies. Netanyahu`s statement late Wednesday comes after speculation Obama could break with recent US practice and support -- or at least not veto -- a UN Security Council resolution laying out parameters for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There has also been speculation he could give a speech before leaving office in January that would do the same. Israel fears such parameters would include elements it opposes, such as a timeframe for resolving the conflict and demands for action against settlements in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu said that "in the past, presidents at the end of their terms had promoted initiatives which were not in accordance with Israel`s interests." "The prime minister added that he hoped this was not about to be repeated and that he expects the United States not to change what has historically been its policy for decades: to prevent anti-Israel resolutions in the UN Security Council." Netanyahu`s office issued the statement in response to a report by Israel`s Channel 2 television. The report quoted him as saying in a private meeting that "the entire settlement enterprise is in existential danger" during the interim period between the US presidential election and when Obama leaves office. Netanyahu`s statement denied he had said that during the meeting with a group of Israeli settlers. Earlier this month, Netanyahu spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State John Kerry in a bid to calm Washington`s anger over new Israeli settlement plans. Settlements in the West Bank are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace efforts as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. The United States has warned that continued settlement building in the territory occupied by Israel in 1967 is eating away at the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Settlements are a key political issue within Israel, with those in favour advocating that Jews must return to their biblical homeland, including the West Bank. Netanyahu`s government is seen as the most right-wing in the country`s history and key members of his coalition openly oppose a Palestinian state. Jakarta: An Islamic State (IS) militant linked to the deadly January 14 bomb and gun attacks in Indonesia was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years in prison. The judge found Dodi Suridi, 23, guilty of preparing bombs that were detonated near the Sarinah shopping mall in Jakarta, Efe news reported. After the judge read out Suridi's verdict, he turned and smiled at the visitors in the court, raised his right hand and said: "This is the risk of being a terrorist," eliciting shocked gasps from people in the room. On January 14, militants linked to the IS terrorist group detonated two bombs, one that went off near a Starbucks cafe and another at a police post, followed by gunmen opening fire at a crowd. Eight persons died in the attacks, including four assailants, while at least 23 persons were injured. Indonesian police arrested 12 suspects linked to the violence. Nawaran: Kurdish forces launched a fresh push against areas held by the Islamic State group around Mosul on Thursday, pressing an offensive to retake the jihadists` last major stronghold in Iraq. AFP reporters said peshmerga forces from Iraq`s autonomous Kurdish region, backed by US-led coalition air strikes, attacked villages near Bashiqa at dawn. In the village of Nawaran, Iranian Kurdish rebels from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) were also involved in the assault, some of them at the very front of the fighting. The peshmerga command issued a statement saying the "large-scale operation" was launched at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) north and northeast of Mosul. "The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL`s movements," it said, using an alternative acronym for Islamic State. It said the operation had three different fronts and was "designed to tighten the noose" around Islamic State in Mosul following recent gains by peshmerga and Iraqi federal forces east and south of the city. Peshmerga forces brought down two drones Islamic State was attempting to fly above the battlefield, presumably to gather information about the Kurdish deployment. An AFP reporter saw one of them after it was brought down. The Raven RQ-11B drone, a small unmanned aircraft originally developed for the US military, was apparently not rigged with explosives. "These drones belong to Islamic State ... So we shot this drone and brought it down, as you can see the peshmerga destroyed it," said General Aziz Weysi, commander of the peshmerga`s elite "Zaravani" task force."These drones can do observation and can explode. They sent this one but it did not explode," he said. The commander said it was similar to a booby-trapped drone that killed two peshmerga and wounded two French soldiers in the Kurdish region last week. Amid growing concern IS is seeking to increase its use of weaponised drones, United State defence officials said the military was deploying additional anti-drone technologies to the theatre, including systems that provide electronic jamming. Peshmerga commanders said the immediate aim of the operation launched on Thursday morning was to cut Bashiqa off from Mosul and attack the town later in the day or on Friday. Iraqi Kurdish and federal forces launched their much-awaited offensive against Mosul on Monday, seeking to recapture the northern metropolis which has been held by the Islamic State group since June 2014. It was where Islamic State supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria that month. Its loss is widely predicted to deal a death blow to the group`s ambitions as a land-holding force in Iraq but senior commanders have warned the battle could last months. On March 3 2002, Bilkis Banos family was attacked in Randhikpur village post Godhra riots. Eight of Bilkis Banos family persons were killed including her three-year-old daughter. Bano herself was five months pregnant when she was brutally gangraped. Photo: PTI By Vidya : After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asked for capital punishment for three convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, the Maharashtra government asked the Division bench of Justice V K Rahul Ramani and Justice Mridula Bhatkar for the harshest punishment. Public prosecutor Arfan Sait argued for the state of Maharashtra in support of CBI's demand for capital punishment for the accused in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case of 2002 Gujarat riots. advertisement Sait cited the Supreme Court judgement in which court had said that an organised crime or mass murder of innocent people would call for imposition of death sentence as deterrence. He also questioned as to why during riots only women are targeted and sexually exploited raped and brutalised. WHAT HAPPENED "In this case the women were of different ages who were treated with same brutality and they were killed for instilling fear and that is barbaric." CBI counsel Jiten Venegaonkar had argued that Bilkis Bano gangrape and murder of her family was preplanned. Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Ni and Shailesh Bhatt were convicted and given life imprisonment. Even as the convicts appealed, CBI filed petition for enhancement of their sentences. On March 3 2002, Bilkis Banos family was attacked in Randhikpur village post Godhra riots. Eight of Bilkis Banos family persons were killed including her three-year-old daughter. Bano herself was five months pregnant when she was brutally gangraped. LAST ARGUMENTS The Bilkis Bano case was transferred to Maharashtra after Supreme Court order for fair trial in 2004. The special CBI court had convicted 12 out of 20 accused but all the accused later filed appeal in Bombay High Court which is at the fag end of the hearing. On Monday, Bilkis who filed an intervention application will express her say through her lawyer while the convicts too will be putting forward their last arguments in the case. --- ENDS --- Lahore: Former LeT militant Sufayan Zafar, arrested in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case, was not involved in the 26/11 carnage, prosecution has told a Pakistani anti-terrorism court. "Prosecution informed the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court which held the hearing at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi yesterday that no evidence had been found against suspect Sufyan Zafar during investigation," a court official said today. The prosecution said that the suspect had not provided money to terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks. It said Zafar had deposited Rs 14,800 to the bank account of his brother and not to a terror suspect. The court, however, directed the prosecution to file a separate challan of the suspect under section 512 of CrPc. "After submission of the challan under section 512 CrPc the court will decide about his bail or acquittal," the official said. The court adjourned the proceedings till Oct 26. Zafar was hiding after being declared proclaimed offender in the Mumbai case since 2009. He was arrested early last August from his hideout in Khyber-Pakhtaunkhawa province. A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, Zafar is among 21 other (absconding) suspects wanted in the case. He was accused of financing Rs 14,800 for Mumbai attack and providing Rs 3.98 million to co-accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack. The Federal Investigation Agency earlier declared that it had found 'no evidence' against Zafar during investigation. Six other suspects ? Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum ? have been lodged in the Adiala Jail since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks. Prime suspect LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, has been in hiding after getting bail over a year ago. Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine terrorists were killed while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and later executed. Damascus: The Syrian Army said that a planned humanitarian truce beginning in eastern Aleppo on Thursday would extend to three days, the state news agency SANA reported, hours after Russia said it would last a mere 11 hours. The truce in rebel-held eastern districts of Aleppo city will take place on "20, 21 and 22 October, from 8:00 am (0500 GMT) till 16:00 pm (1300 GMT)," the Army announced in a statement late Wednesday, according to SANA. The Army called on "the armed men in the eastern districts of Aleppo to leave their weapons". The statement came hours after Russia said it was extending a planned eight-hour truce in Aleppo to 11 hours, to allow civilians and rebels to leave the area. Moscow announced on Tuesday morning that Russian and Syrian air forces had stopped bombing Aleppo ahead of the pause in fighting, and the halt held into a second day on Wednesday. According to Moscow, once the pause begins, six corridors out of the city will open for civilians with another two designated for rebels. Moscow: Russia`s President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he was ready to prolong a unilateral ceasefire in Aleppo, after tough talks in Berlin where the leaders of Germany and France refused to rule out sanctions against Moscow. Putin said he told the European leaders that Russia was "intending to extend as far as possible" a halt to its air raids in Syria`s second city, in order to allow civilians and rebels to leave the devastated city. The concession came as French President Francois Hollande starkly condemned the bombing as "a war crime" and German Chancellor Angela Merkel described it as "inhumane and cruel". The leaders of Europe`s two biggest economies also dangled the threat of sanctions, hours ahead of an EU summit where Russia`s role in Syria is set to be discussed. A pause in Russian and Syrian strikes on Aleppo held for a second day Wednesday, ahead of the brief unilateral ceasefire due to start at 0500 GMT on Thursday. Ahead of the talks in Berlin, Moscow announced it would prolong the truce from eight to 11 hours, and said Syrian and Russian warplanes were giving Aleppo a wide berth. But its 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. Amnesty International released new satellite images Wednesday showing more than 100 sites were hit in two weeks of bombing raids in the city. The rights group said there was evidence Russian-made cluster munitions, banned under international conventions, had been used in civilian areas of eastern Aleppo in recent weeks, "part of a deliberate military strategy to empty the city of its inhabitants and seize control". Meanwhile, the Syrian army said that a planned humanitarian truce beginning in eastern Aleppo on Thursday would extend to three days, the state news agency SANA reported late Wednesday.Wednesday`s visit was Putin`s first to Berlin since Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and sent relations with the West to a low. Moscow`s backing for 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, has furthered soured ties with Europe and the United States. Describing the late night talks as "very tough", Merkel said they "gave Germany the clear chance to define what constitutes a war crime. Bombardments are inhumane and a cruel experience for the people". Hollande told Putin bluntly that "what is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its (Russian) backers must end". The European leaders also vowed to keep up the pressure, warning of possible sanctions. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said, as Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option". EU leaders meeting at a summit in Brussels on Thursday are expected to up the ante by condemning Moscow over the attacks on civilians in Aleppo, according to a draft statement obtained by AFP. Thursday`s brief truce 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 Russian and Syrian planes were keeping 10 kilometres (six miles) from Aleppo, a city home to an estimated 250,000 people and which has 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 held on Wednesday. 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. 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. 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. Besides the Berlin summit, talks were also held Wednesday in Geneva between Russian, US, Saudi, Qatari and Turkish officials on the efforts to distance Syrian opposition fighters from jihadists. Aden: A ceasefire took effect in war-ravaged Yemen just before midnight Wednesday, under a United Nations plan, as warring parties face mounting pressure to end more than 18 months of fighting. The UN special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, had announced on Monday that the cessation of hostilities would take effect "at 23:59 Yemen time (2059 GMT) on 19 October 2016, for an initial period of 72 hours, subject to renewal". There was heavy fighting in Yemen hours before the truce began. It is the sixth attempt to end the bloodshed since a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after rebels overran much of Yemen. Civilians have paid the highest price in a country that was already the Arabian peninsula`s poorest. Almost 6,900 people have been killed -- more than half of them civilians -- while another three million are displaced and millions more need food aid. A United Nations report said air strikes by the coalition were suspected of causing around half of all civilian deaths, while rebel-affiliated groups were responsible for about a quarter. Clashes killed dozens of fighters across the country on Wednesday, including in combat near the Saudi border and around the rebel-held capital Sanaa, military sources said. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini late Wednesday said the truce should be a first step towards resuming the UN-led peace talks. "The ceasefire must be respected by all sides and its duration extended so as to create the necessary conditions for such negotiations," she said. Mogherini added the ceasefire will allow urgent humanitarian assistance to reach large parts of the population that have suffered drastic shortages. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry encouraged the "unconditional renewal" of the ceasefire. The last ceasefire attempt, which began in April alongside UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait, failed with both the rebels and the coalition accusing each other of breaches. After peace talks collapsed in August, fighting 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. The United States announced an "immediate review" of its intelligence and refuelling assistance to the coalition, whose investigative team then released unusually quick findings from a probe of the incident. It said a coalition aircraft "wrongly targeted" the funeral based on "incorrect information". In another major development, the US Navy for the first time targeted Huthi rebels directly. On October 13 it hit radar sites which, the US said, were involved in missile launches against a US warship and other vessels. Yemen`s Huthi rebels are allied with members of the security forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. They control the capital Sanaa and other territory but coalition-backed forces earlier pushed them back from the southern port of Aden and adjacent areas.Both the rebels and pro-government forces have come under increased international pressure to silence their guns. Hadi`s government said it would agree to the truce if rebels also adhered to it, monitored the ceasefire, and ended their siege of Yemen`s third city, Taez. Shortly before the truce, the rebels` military spokesman, General Sharaf Lokman, said his forces will respect the ceasefire as long as "the enemy" also abides by it on land, sea and air. However, he urged his fighters to be ready to retaliate against "all aggression." In fighting before the truce at least 30 Huthis and five pro-Hadi fighters died during heavy artillery bombardments near the Red Sea, in Hajja province, a loyalist statement said. There were also coalition air strikes on rebel tanks and other reinforcements in the northern Saada province and Omran, a military source said. East of the capital, in Marib province, the coalition intercepted two ballistic missiles, a loyalist officer said. The UN`s humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, on Wednesday told reporters he hopes the truce will provide a chance for aid workers to reach areas isolated by the fighting. In spite of Wednesday`s violence, Mustafa Alani, a senior adviser to the Gulf Research Centre, said the prospects for peace were growing. "I am more optimistic, actually, because the environment is completely different from the previous one," he told AFP. Saudi Arabia and Washington accuse Iran of arming the rebels, charges Tehran denies. Numerous analysts question the extent of Tehran`s influence over the Huthis, a minority group which fought six wars against Yemen`s government from 2004 to 2010. India will be buying the 155 mm M777 guns at a cost of about Rs 4500 crore from US. Manohar Parrikar today cleared the proposals for acquiring 145 M777 155 mm ultra light howitzers from the US. By Manjeet Negi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today cleared the proposals for acquiring 145 M777 155 mm ultra light howitzers from the US. This is the first time that guns are being purchased for the Army since bofors in 1987. These are light howitzers which can be flown to the mountain areas and will be deployed along the mountainous lines bordering both Pakistan and China. advertisement READ: India likely to reconsider acquiring M777 ultra light howitzers with US India will be buying the 155 mm M777 guns at a cost of about Rs 4500 crore. This is first major buy for the Mountain Strike Corps. Earlier gun-maker BAE systems had tied up with India's Mahindra for the deal. The proposal had been in the pipeline for several years, despite being cleared more than thrice by the Defence Ministry under Parrikar as well as his UPA predecessor, AK Antony. The Army has not procured a single howitzer ever since the Bofors guns were acquired from Switzerland in the 1980s. OTHER PROPOSALS The other important proposal that the DAC may consider is the acquisition of almost 5,000 combat net radio sets for tactical communication of Army troops. The DAC is to consider if the radio sets should be procured under the Make in India scheme or to be bought from the Israeli firm Elbit, according to the Army proposal. The Indian Air Force is also likely to put up its proposal to upgrade its unmanned aerial vehicles that would be enhanced to combat platforms under the top secret Project Cheetah. IAF officials declined to comment on the top secret project, which is likely to cost Rs10,000 crore. Also read: India may seal $5 billion Rafale deal next week --- ENDS --- As Michelle Obama readies to bid goodbye to the White House, her stylist talks about what goes into planning the FLOTUS' wardrobe. By India Today Web Desk: For years you have heard that a certain Meredith Koop was helming Michelle Obama's wardrobe choices, but it's only now that the high-powered stylist gave an exclusive interview to Harper's Bazaar, revealing the psyche behind FLOTUS' wardrobe choices. Also read: Five times Michelle Obama made us fall in love with her Here are some excerpts from the interview that will help you get a better insight: advertisement "In the beginning, designers used the phrase 'first ladyish' to describe a certain traditional look. We really had to break that mould." With Michelle Obama's high fashion choices, the whole idea about an outfit being 'first ladyish' has been killed. In fact, you could never predict what Mobama would wear next! "Highlighting designers from diverse backgrounds with varying levels of success and exposure became an important part of my role." From wearing high street brands to her recent outing at the last state dinner that saw Michelle Obama sport a rose gold number designed by Donatella Versace, Koop proved that apparel with appeal would always have a chance at being a part of the FLOTUS' closet. Can you imagine the level of consciousness and hard-work that would entail? The constant effort it probably took Meredith to be on a lookout for names trying to make it. U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Agnese Landini at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 18, 2016. Photo: Reuters Also read: Michelle Obama's rose-gold gown at her last state dinner is winning hearts all over "When (the first lady) wears an up-and-coming designer, it creates this feeling that anything is possible. This is something the first lady talks a lot about with young people, how important it is to follow their dreams and work hard no matter what obstacles come their way. I wanted to translate that very message into her clothing." The story of Prabal Gurung holds testimony to that statement. The fact that the FLOTUS would choose to wear a Nepali American designer who was only a few seasons old in 2010 to the prestigious White House Correspondents' Association Dinner really put Gurung on the scene and paved the way for many others. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks during opening ceremonies for the Invictus Games at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, U.S., May 8, 2016. Photo: Reuters "There is a whole different set of considerations when she goes to visit troops on a base, hosts a music event at the White House, meets with foreign leaders...We always take into account where we are going and that country's cultural norms. The goal is to pay tribute to each place we visit (while) never losing the spirit of the United States." advertisement Remember the time Michelle appeared on Nickelodeon's 25th annual Kids' Choice Awards in 2012 looking super fly? From appearances within the US to the times Mobama accompanied the President on official visits to different countries, the FLOTUS' suitcase was always packed with ensembles pertaining to the cultural standards of a country. With an aim to pay homage to each country she visited, FLOTUS' stylist also made it a point to ensure that during most cases, the designers she would wear would have some connection with her destination. Indian-origin fashion designer Rachel Roy found a place in her wardrobe during a visit to India, Japan saw her flaunt Kenzo, while her trip to Italy had her sporting Missoni, a stylish and subtle diplomatic nod to each. U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama listen to their national anthem alongside at a state dinner hosted by India's President Pratibha Patil (L) and her husband at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi November 8, 2010. Photo: Reuters After all the work Meredith Koop has done throughout the years to change the way the world pictures the First Lady of the United States, she now aspires to be a part of the sustainability movement and create an "in-depth documentary series that explores the intersections of fashion, culture, politics, religion, and economy both domestically and abroad." advertisement Thanks Meredith, for being the fabulous force behind our #StyleGoals. --- ENDS --- By Sourish Bhattacharyya: I met Andrea Fidora, Beverage Innovations Director at Monin, the world's biggest supplier of bar mixes, at a national bartending competition organised by his company in association with Tulleeho.com, the country's oldest online portal dedicated to alcoholic beverages. Fidora, who's based in Dubai, had just been to Iran and he had a lot of interesting things to say, but he got my attention with his elucidation of reigning cocktail trends because it was interspersed with insights into how we consume our social media. advertisement Also read: Sweet, sour and dry--the Indian palate for cocktails has evolved a lot "We live in a visual world," he said, and added that there can't be a better time than now to become a bartender. Cocktails radiate colour, which makes them highly Instagrammable. The Instagram generation, he said, relates with all things good-looking and loves to interacts with them. The medium, moreover, offers millions of dollars of free advertising to people who can use it to their advantage. Cocktails today, Fidora said, "must look good, taste good and be perceived as being good for the body." Globally, therefore, bartenders are experimenting with beer and wine cocktails to bring down the percentage of alcohol. They are cutting down on sugar by using vegetable juices, exotic ingredients such as yuzu and fresh galangal juice, and replacing commercial colas with homemade soda pops. Fidora, for instance, mixes plain soda water with an infusion of caskara, the bitter-sweet skin of coffee beans, white peach syrup and fresh lemon juice. The result is a refreshing summery mocktail. Also read: This man gets paid to taste water. For real! No bartender wishes to be held back from bringing a touch of drama to the bar. Fidora is no exception. He wowed us with two absolutely innovative cocktails. One was the Aquarium Gin and Tonic, which is a sexed-up G&T served with lots of ice and straws in a plastic foil. The other was the Popcorn Espresso Martini, which is served in a plastic bottle resting in a bowl of caramelised popcorn. Its ingredients are rum, popcorn syrup, cream, one shot of espresso, chocolate bitters and a spray of truffle oil. The world of cocktails is getting headier. --- ENDS --- If India resorts to frequent surgical strikes like it carried out last month in PoK, Pakistan will soon get exhausted, said noted political analyst Munir Saami. By Anil Kumar: Noted Pakistani political analyst Munir Saami has confirmed that India carried out surgical strikes in PoK. In an interview to a Canadian news channel, Saami said that denial by Islamabad is meaningless in this context. Saami said, "If they (Pakistani establishment) admit to the surgical strikes carried out by India, it would be difficult for them to explain the situation to the people of Pakistan." advertisement "How will they tell the people that Indian army crossed the LoC? It's like a bone stuck in their throat. They want to take it out, but it's difficult for them to do so and that's why they are saying that the surgical strikes did not take place," Saami told the news channel. He further said, "Whatever happened at the LoC was unprecedented. India had never carried out an incursion into Pakistani areas. If India starts doing it regularly, it would exhaust Pakistan." READ: Inside story of Indian Army's daring surgical strikes against Pakistan 'WE HAVE LOST FOUR WARS' Saami sounded a note caution for the government of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan had already lost four wars with India. "If there is another war, Pakistan will be responsible for this. The two nations should desist from war as it would be detrimental to both," he said in his interview. The noted analyst rejected the suggestion that Pakistan was a big nation. "I don't agree with the suggestion that Pakistan is a big country. It's not. It's a small nation in all aspects." READ: Crossing a red line "This small nation is playing a gamble in Kashmir. It played four such gambles in the form of wars and lost in every war," Saami said before adding, "We lost in 1948, 1965, 1971 and also had to pull back in Kargil." Pakistan does not play gamble with its own money, rather it borrows money for this, Saami lamented. Noted Pakistani analyst Munir Saami during his interview with a Canadian news channel. LOST OPPORTUNITY FOR PAKISTAN According to Saami, Pakistan was in a habit of losing opportunity to normalise relationship with India. "India has initiated peace process several times, be it during Vajpayee's regime or recently when Modi-Nawaz held talks. But, every single Pakistan puts the obstacle of Kashmir. Look at the sequence of events, it is Pakistan, which raised the issue time and again," Saami said. ALSO WATCH VIDEO: 'MODI HAS POPULAR SUPPORT' In his interview, Saaimi said that it was not business as usual with India now. Unlike earlier regimes, India looks aggressive under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said. advertisement "Modi has tremendous support of his people. Earlier, India talked about peace only. (Pakistan supported terror outfits) would enter and bomb places in India. Now, they are saying we not soft anymore," he said. READ: Surgical strikes in PoK: How Indian para commandos killed 50 terrorists, hit 7 camps According to Saami, India's patience has waned out on the account of continued terror attacks launched from across the border. He said, "What happened (the surgical strikes) this time was due to the fact that India suffered in Mumbai, Pathankot and Uri." "We started this story (of cross-border terrorism) and now we want the world to support us. Unfortunately, the world is not supporting Pakistan," Saami candidly said. ALSO READ: Did India conduct surgical strikes in the past? Allegations and denials fly after foreign secy's remarks Post surgical strikes by India, these Pakistanis say make friends, not war --- ENDS --- Nigerian man, Mohammed Bello Abubakar, husband to 97 women, says God asked him to be a superpolygamist and calls it an assignment he will do till the end. Nigerian man, Mohammed Bello Abubakar, husband to 97 women, says he will marry many more women. Photo: Screengrab from YouTube video By India Today Web Desk: Nigerian Muslim cleric Mohammed Bello Abubakar has made headlines for marrying 107 women, 10 of whom he divorced. He is now back in news after reports of his death. The 92-year-old superpolygamist, one of the most controversial persons in Nigeria, says marrying as many women as he could is a divine assignment God has given him. Father to 185 children, he says he will continue marrying as many women. In his words, "What I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep doing it till the end." advertisement Also read: World's oldest man, 145 years old, just wants to die Denying rumours of his death, he told a Nigerian newspaper, "My dear, I am very much alive, hale and hearty." A report in Oddity Central says Bello has no clear source of income, and this has been a reason for local Islamic authorities clash with what they call as Bello's cult-like 'atypical household'. Also read: Pakistani man aims to father 100 to secure heaven, hunts for fourth wife Under the Sharia law, polygamous unions are recognised as equivalent to monogamous marriage, but there is a typical four-wife limitation, and even that in cases where the man is able to equally support financially and emotionally. Bello has outlives most of his 185 children, and is looking forward to marry more women. Also read: This 112-year-old woman attributes her long life to smoking 30 cigarettes every day At a time where mere mortals across the world are finding it tough to be content spending life with just one partner, this man is doing something right that he is 'hale and hearty'. One word. #Respect --- ENDS --- [After flying his drone in a Cuban square, Toronto photographer and entrepreneur Chris Hughes says he was locked up for 13 days. YouTube/A Nerds World] Chris Hughes loves to travel, but a nearly two-week stay in a Cuban detention centre was not what he planned on when he began his most recent vacation. I am a successful businessman from Toronto with two locations, and all of my travels are for the thrill and adventure of visiting new places, Hughes told Yahoo Canada News. Hughes, 38, a Toronto-based photographer and media entrepreneur, was visiting Cuba in September as part of a trip through the Americas, excited to visit and photograph. I love Cuba. I recommend everyone to visit Cuba, Hughes said. Prepare to have a wonderful time, and meet wonderful people. What he does not recommend is that Canadians fly drones in Cuba, because thats what led to his arrest and detention, leaving his family unaware of what had happened and Hughes himself worrying that he would be jailed for espionage. WATCH: Hughes tearful airport reunion with family after a 13-day detention in Cuba Hughes said he had no trouble bringing a drone, which he had used to shoot photo and video in other countries during his trip, through customs into Cuba. But when flying the drone above Plaza de la Revolucion in Havana, Hughes and a Cuban friend were questioned by police before being taken into the station, interrogated for 12 hours, and ultimately brought to a detention centre after a quick trip to his rental apartment to pick up a few personal items. Hughes was held at the detention centre without charges for nearly two weeks, leaving his wife and children unaware of where he was or what had happened to him. When he didnt call home for three days, his wife contacted the embassy triggering Canadian officials to hunt for him. He was held at what he thought was an immigration detention centre and questioned by Cuban authorities in ways that made him believe they suspect him of being a spy, he said. Story continues Global Affairs confirmed to the Toronto Star that they had provided services to a Canadian detained in Cuba, but would not identify the person. And Cuban authorities declined to provide any information to the newspaper. Hughes inability to understand or speak Spanish added to the difficulty of his ordeal. Officials were certain that if they repeated a question three to five times I would somehow then understand what they were trying to say through osmosis, he said. Over his 13 days in detention he was not allowed a phone call to either his family or to the Canadian embassy. Canadian embassy officials told him that if he was found guilty of anything he risked a lengthy jail sentence, he said. But on Oct. 11 Hughes was informed he would be returning to Canada the following morning, and the next day he was back in Toronto Pearson International Airport. The experience has made him even more proud to be Canadian than he already was because he knew his government was working for his release, Hughes said. My government, through Global Affairs in Ottawa, found my detention centre in Havana after the first four or five days. I was able to meet with the secretary of the Canadian Consulate that same day, he said. I cannot explain the sense of relief I felt when I knew that my government and family was aware of my location and what I was being investigated for. Back home in Toronto, Hughes says he actually hopes to return to Cuba again as a visitor but suspects he may not be welcome back. I would love to return, although I am certain all this press attention is putting a big red X on my back with Cuban immigration officials, he said. But while he wishes he and his family had had more information about his detention and of course that it could have been avoided entirely Hughes takes responsibility for not making himself aware of the risks of drone flying in advance. He advises other potential travellers to Cuba, or any other country, to do the same. My 13-day nightmare was caused by my lack of research and I am prepared to take 100-per-cent blame, Hughes said. As my Mom once said, If you live under my roof, you will play by my rules. [The Internet has fallen in love with an handsome 18-year-old tea seller from Pakistan. Photo: iahs Photography/Facebook] A photographer snapped a few simple photos and the life of a tea vendor in Pakistan changed forever. Arshad Khan was simply doing his job, working in a tea stall in the Itwar Bazaar in Islamabad, reports Quartz India. A photographer named Jiah Ali happened to be strolling by and snapped a few pics of the tea vendor before posting them on social media. It wasnt long before the images caught fire, spreading across Pakistan on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Its not hard to see why 18-year-old Khan is getting so much attention. With thick dark hair, perfect skin and piercing blue eyes, its clear the man is gorgeous. The photos went up on October 15th, and by the 17th #ChaiWala (tea seller) was the top trending hashtag on Twitter in Pakistan. Khans fame quickly spread to India, a meaningful event when you consider the current political tension between the two countries. Many in the online community saw Khans popularity as a way of reaching out to individuals on the other side of the border. Facebook user Ratnabali Bhattacharjee wrote: This story has just pasted such a smile on my face since yesterday Im from India, and have got to have such a friendly banter with so many Pakistanis over the beautiful #Chaiwala on twitter.. much love from this side of the border to you :)) With all the attention came questions about the identity of this handsome vendor. Photographer Jiah Ali returned to visit Khan and reported her findings on Facebook: He knows about his overnight fame and hes very happy about it! Arshad is from Mardan, hes 18 years old, his family has been living in Islamabad since 25 years, previously he was a fruit seller at the same sunday market but since 3 months he started working at the tea stall. He would love to accept modelling/acting offers. Those modelling offers came fast. According to The Hindu, Khan has signed with retail site Fitin.pk and the images from his first shoot are already online. Heres hoping this handsome teenager can keep his feet on the ground as his 15 minutes propel him from the marketplace to the runway. By PTI: Islamabad, Oct 20 (PTI) Pakistan today said the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has backed its stance over Kashmir by adopting a resolution upholding Kashmiris right to self-determination. OIC Foreign Ministers met in Tashkent on October 18-19 for the 43rd Session and adopted a very strong resolution on the "grave human rights situation in Kashmir", Pakistan Foreign Office said. advertisement While upholding Kashmiris? right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the grouping reaffirmed its unwavering support to the just cause of Kashmiri people, expressed deep concern and condemned in strongest possible terms the unabated killing of defenceless Kashmiris. The grouping said that demonstrations by unarmed Kashmiris, despite curfew in the wake of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani?s death is a referendum against India, it said. It also rejected Indian attempts to equate the indigenous freedom movement of Kashmiris in Kashmir with terrorism. Stressing that "Jammu and Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India", the grouping said its resolution is indispensable for realisation of the dream for peace in South Asia. Condemning in strongest possible terms the unabated killing and brutality let loose in Kashmir, the grouping expressed shock at the deadly silence of world community. They also condemnned prolonged detentions of Kashmiri leaders by India and violations of freedom of movement and expression. Acknowledging that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are the party principle to the dispute, the resolution said they should be included in Pakistan-India dialogue process. The grouping regretted that India is not allowing OIC fact finding Mission to visit Kashmir or responded favorably to the offers of the Good Offices Mission by the OIC. They called upon India to implement numerous UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir which declare that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people, to join India or Pakistan, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. They reminded "the international community of its obligations to ensure the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and fulfill the promises made by it with the people of Jammu and Kashmir". PTI SH NSA --- ENDS --- Tailsweep (http://www.tailsweep.se/) is the largest and leading media channel in blogs and social media with 4.5 million unique blog visitors a week, 7.4 million followers on Instagram and 2.5 million fans on Facebook. In close collaboration with the rapidly growing research and data science company Nepa (http://nepa.com/), Tailsweep has created Bloggpanelen that will pinpoint readers opinions about blogs. Bloggpanelen allow the participants involved in the study to give their opinion on blogs, brands, advertisers, content providers, and more. According to Olle Raghall, Head of Commercial Services within Media at NEPA, the panel will result in a better experience for both readers and bloggers. At the same time advertisers will gain better insights into what readers really want. "Tailsweep are the true pioneers in the blog market and Bloggpanelen is an important step to further develop the market for influencers. To us it feels quite natural to ask the users themselves what they think. Tailsweep aim to be the best, long-term alternative for both influencers and advertisers. Bloggpanelen is a tool that makes us more relevant to all parties and it will raise the overall quality of the market. It will deliver better data, more insights and a more reality-based monitoring of campaigns for blog media formats, says Ojje Holt, CEO of Tailsweep." About Tailsweep Tailsweep is the largest and leading media channel in blogs and social media. Tailsweep works primarily with strong independent influencers with a high level of activity among their followers. For information, please visit http://www.tailsweep.se/ or contact our CEO Ojje Holt +46 76 801 72 21. Nepa is a company at the crossroads of research, consulting and IT. We use technology and industry expertise to develop innovative and efficient research solutions that go beyond insights and enable action. By combining survey data, behavioral data and business data, we help our clients become truly customer centric by tying what consumers say to what they actually do. Connecting the dots between data sets transforms the voice of the consumer into a concrete tool for decision-making with real financial impact. We call it the ActionHub. Headquartered in Stockholm, we have ongoing assignments in 50+ countries across five continents. We are 200+ employees with local presence in China, Denmark, Finland, India, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, UK and US. LEHI, Utah, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avalaunch Media (www.avalaunchmedia.com), a digital marketing and creative agency, was ranked the 47th fastest growing company in Utah by MountainWest Capital Network (MWCN) (www.mwcn.org) at the 22nd annual Utah 100 Awards Program Tuesday. The annual program recognizes the 100 fastest growing Utah companies. Avalaunch Media submitted for 2015 and 2016 receiving the award both years. "Avalaunch Media is honored to be included in the MountainWest Capital Network Utah 100 Awards this year," said Andrew Melchior, Co-Founder & Vice President, Avalaunch Media. "Being recognized in this event has allowed us to step back as a company and look at what we have accomplished over the past five years of growth. Taking time to celebrate these kinds of victories is important for a company, given all the challenges a business can face while growing. We are very proud to be included with so many other amazing Utah companies." Avalaunch Media specializes in corporate storytelling delivered through the creation and distribution of content. Their creative capabilities include infographics, motion graphics, interactive graphics, pitch decks, slide decks, e-books, white papers, web design and any other collateral needed for marketing. Avalaunch Media utilizes search engine optimization, PPC management and public relations strategies to distribute and promote their clients. It is through their success in these efforts that they have earned their place among the fastest growing companies in Utah. The 100 fastest growing companies in Utah are selected from thousands of eligible applicants throughout the state and represent a cross-section from all industries. Utah's economy continues to impress key business leaders across the country. Named one of the top states to do business, Utah attracts entrepreneurs and business owners who strive to take advantage of the business-friendly environment created by state and local officials. "It is clear Utah is one of the hottest places in the country to start or run a business," said Paul Skeen, chairman of the MWCN Utah 100 committee. "As a strong indicator, we had a record number of Utah companies vying for the 100 fastest growing companies in Utah along with about a 400 percent increase in the number of Emerging Elite nominations. It is a pleasure to recognize this year's Emerging Elite companies along with the Utah 100 fastest growing companies." Additional Resources Avalaunch Media in Forbes: www.forbes.com/avalaunchmedia Avalaunch Media in Inc.: www.inc.com/avalaunchmedia Avalaunch Media Blog: www.avalaunchmedia.com/blog About Avalaunch Media The Avalaunch Media team consists of successful business owners, attorneys, MBAs, and professionals with years of experience in both the public and private sectors. The founding Avalaunchers, Matt Siltala, David Mink, Andrew Melchior and Jason Coulam, are frequent speakers at industry events like SMX, Pubcon and Search Engine Strategies. They are masterminds in content marketing strategy with a proven track record to trump the myths about the online marketing industry. After catching pigeons from Pakistan that flew across the border to India, the Border Security Force caught a trained falcon from Pakistan in Jaisalmer. By India Today Web Desk: The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a trained falcon that landed in Jaisalmer's Anupgadh, a town close to India's border with Pakistan, but no transmitter or antenna was found on it, an ANI tweet said. ANI also reports that the BSF sources say the falcon possibly belongs to Saudi sheikhs who hunt Houbara bustards in Pakistan. advertisement Also Read: Music, pigeons, balloons, hackers: Pakistan's bizarre new propaganda game The falcon has been handed over to the forest department. Jaisalmer:Trained Falcon from Pak caught by BSF after it lands in Anupgadh near International Border,no transmitter or antenna found on it pic.twitter.com/2bhPBgOSWi ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 In the first week of October, a pigeon from Pakistan, that flew across the Punjab border to reach Pathankot with a message for PM Modi, was arrested by the Border Security Force. The message written in Urdu on the piece of paper read: "Modi Ji, do not consider us same people as we were during 1971 (Indo-Pak war). Now each and every child is ready to fight against India." Two weeks later, the wings of this pigeon were clipped to avoid it flying back to Pakistan. --- ENDS --- NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Acceptance Corporation (NYSE:FAC) announces that on October 14, 2016 it received notice from the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (NYSE) that it does not presently satisfy the NYSEs continued listing standard requiring the average closing price of the Companys common stock be at least $1.00 per share over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. As of October 12, 2016, the average closing price of the security over a 30 trading-day period was $0.99. This notice has no immediate impact on the listing of the Companys common stock. Under the NYSE rules, the Company has six months from receipt of the NYSE Notice to regain compliance with the minimum share price rule. In accordance with the NYSE rules, the Company will respond to the notice with ten business days of its receipt. The Company will actively monitor its stock price and evaluate all available options in order to regain compliance within the prescribed six-month time frame. During this period, the Companys common stock will continue to be listed and traded on the NYSE, subject to compliance with other listing standards. This deficiency does not affect the Companys ongoing business operations or its SEC reporting requirements. Next Release of Financial Results FAC now plans to report its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 on November 10, 2016 About First Acceptance Corporation We are principally a retailer, servicer and underwriter of non-standard personal automobile insurance based in Nashville, Tennessee. Our insurance operations generate revenues from selling non-standard personal automobile insurance policies and related products in 17 states. We conduct our servicing and underwriting operations in 14 states and are licensed as an insurer in 12 additional states. Non-standard personal automobile insurance is made available to individuals because of their inability or unwillingness to obtain standard insurance coverage due to various factors, including payment history, payment preference, failure in the past to maintain continuous insurance coverage or driving record and/or vehicle type. At June 30, 2016, we leased and operated 410 retail locations and a call center staffed with employee-agents. Our employee-agents primarily sell non-standard personal automobile insurance products underwritten by us, as well as certain commissionable ancillary products. In most states, our employee-agents also sell a complementary insurance product providing personal property and liability coverage for renters underwritten by us. In addition, retail locations in some markets offer non-standard personal automobile insurance serviced and underwritten by other third-party insurance carriers for which we receive a commission. In addition to our retail locations, we are able to complete the entire sales process over the phone via our call center or through the internet via our consumer-based website or mobile platform. On a limited basis, we also sell our products through selected retail locations operated by independent agents. Additional information about First Acceptance Corporation can be found online at www.acceptance.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about events and anticipated actions. These statements, which have been included in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, involve risks and uncertainties. Investors are hereby cautioned that these statements may be affected by important factors, including, among others, the factors set forth under the caption Risk Factors in Item 1A. of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The California Community Foundation (CCF) has awarded $2,477,500 through 27 grants to Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations working to address the great needs and potential of our region. This quarter's portfolio of grants includes funding for partners in our unprecedented U.S. citizenship campaign, Protegete! Ciudadania Ya! These organizations and news outlets will engage Los Angeles County residents on voter education to help newly naturalized citizens access accurate information and resources about the electoral process and voter rights. CCF is also supporting "Women Vets on Point" a program of the United States Veterans Initiative and the Education Development Center to combat the increased threat of suicides by female veterans in Los Angeles County. The initiative is a model program for mental health awareness, treatment engagement and care delivery that can be adapted by communities nationwide. Additional grants this quarter reflect CCF's diverse priority areas in civic engagement, education, health, housing and economic opportunity, smart growth, immigrant integration and transition-aged youth. "Every day, I am inspired by the countless nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles County that are working to improve quality of life for all residents," said CCF President and CEO Antonia Hernandez. "I am proud that CCF is part of this critical work in the community and thank our donors who have entrusted their funds to us throughout our 101-year history." Please see below for a full list of grants this quarter. The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.5 billion in assets and manages nearly 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit calfund.org. CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTS BY FUNDING AREA October 2016 Civic Engagement & Public Policy - 7- $490,000 Azteca America Estrella TV/Liberman Broadcasting Fuse Corp. KMEX 34 Univision TV and Unvision Radio La Opinion National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Leaders (NALEO) Educational Fund Telemundo 52 Los Angeles KVEA Education Pipeline - 3 - $240,000 Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) El Nido Family Centers Jumpstart for Young Children- Los Angeles Health - 9 - $1,110,000 Bienvenidos Community Health Center (aka Via Care) California Pan-Ethnic Health Network Eisner Pediatric and Family Medical Center Family Healthcare Centers of Greater Los Angeles Northeast Valley Health Corporation South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency Valley Community Healthcare Valley Presbyterian Hospital White Memorial Community Health Center Housing & Economic Opportunity / Smart Growth - 3 - $162,500 Affordable Living for the Aging Los Angeles Business Council Move LA Immigrant Integration - 2 - $250,000 Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Los Angeles (CHIRLA) Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Opportunity Fund - 1 - $100,000 United States Veterans Initiative (U.S.VETS) and the Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) Transition-aged Youth - 2 - $125,000 Mental Health America of Los Angeles National Foster Youth Institute GRAND TOTAL: 27 grants, $2,477,500 NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- French Development Enterprises, LLC (FDE) of North Billerica, MA, Oldcastle Precast of Littleton, CO and GEI Consultants of Woburn, MA, announce the successful construction and assembly of the first prototype French Dam- modular precast impoundment for construction and retrofit of hydroelectric dams, water control systems and power houses. FDEs patented technology for Rapid Dam Construction was funded for $1.7 Million in January 2016 by the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) under funding opportunity Research and Development of Innovative Technologies for Low Impact Hydropower Development" (DE-FOA-0001286.) The French Dam will be a game changer for the Hydro industry, states Bill French Sr. President of FDE. It simply replaces traditional construction methods with off-site manufacturing and on-site installation, making the entire process just-in-time ready and weather independent. The 24 ft. long x 16 ft. high prototype, designed by GEI Consultants in cooperation with Oldcastle Precast, consists of six 27,000 lb. concrete 8 x 8 blocks interconnected with each other forming one monolithic structure. Upon arriving from Oldcastles plant in Avon, CT, the dam was assembled in less than 3.5 hours. This technology for precast dams can significantly decrease time, reduce cost and minimize risk of the civil stage of the construction process, making it more feasible and attractive to investors, developers and dam owners, says Lenny Lozinsky, Executive VP, FDE. The construction of the prototype of the modular hydro dam comes three months after the U.S. DOE released its Hydropower VISION report, which recommended modular approaches to new in-stream hydropower facilities. In this report, the U.S. DOE proposes a suite of modular components for foundation, generation and stream passage may be considered and fit together to meet site-specific parameters as well as environmental and power generation objectives. We believe the French Dam has ultimate flexibility and includes a sophisticated and innovative approach, making it adaptable for almost every type of site conditions for construction of new and retrofit small/medium Hydroelectric, Water Control Systems and Power Houses in the United States, says Varoujan Hagopian, PE, Senior Consultant, GEI Consultants. Precast concrete is one of worlds most functional and versatile building materials, says Bob Kramer, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, Oldcastle Precast. Manufactured in a controlled environment gives you the end result of a cost-effective and reliable solution. It is exciting to see its application as an innovative technology in the construction of Hydro Dams. French Development Enterprises, LLC ("FDE") is a Boston based civil engineering and consulting firm that develops innovative and cost effective technologies for the renewable energy marketplace. Oldcastle Precast is the leading provider of engineered building solutions serving a number of markets including water, transportation, communications, energy and building structures. www.oldcastleprecast.com GEI Consultants is made up of a multi-disciplined team of engineers, scientists, and planners who deliver integrated water resources, environmental, ecological, geotechnical and waterfront engineering solutions to diverse clientele nationwide. www.geiconsultants.com Company announcement No. 27/2016 Nets A/S Lautrupbjerg 10 DK-2750 Ballerup www.nets.eu Company Registration no. 37427497 20 October 2016 Major shareholder announcement With reference to the major shareholder notifications published in company announcement no. 11/2016 dated 23 September 2016 and no. 22 dated 11 October 2016 as well as company announcement no. 25/2016 dated 20 October 2016 regarding the end of the stabilisation period in connection with the initial public offering of shares in Nets A/S (the "IPO"), Nets A/S ("Nets") hereby announces the following notification pursuant to section 29 of the Danish Securities Trading Act regarding AB Toscana (Luxembourg) Investment S.a r.l.'s holding of shares in Nets. In connection with the end of the stabilisation period, Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, as stabilisation agent has informed Nets and the selling shareholders in connection with the IPO, that it will not exercise the overallotment option described in the prospectus published by Nets A/S on 13 September 2016. Accordingly, 14,821,628 shares in Nets A/S previously delivered to Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch pursuant to a stock lending agreement will therefore be returned to AB Toscana (Luxembourg) Investment S.a r.l., which hereafter holds 80,016,184 shares of a nominal value of DKK 1 each, corresponding to 39.9% of the total share capital and voting rights shares in Nets as also set out in company announcement no. 5/2016 dated 23 September 2016 regarding the result and pricing of the IPO and the major shareholder announcements no. 11/2016 dated 23 September 2016 and no. 22 dated 11 October 2016. AB Toscana (Luxembourg) Investment S.a r.l. is a limited liability company (societe a responsabilite limitee) organised under the laws of Luxembourg with registration number B 204169 with its registered office at 2-4 rue Beck, L-1222 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. AB Toscana (Luxembourg) Investment S.a r.l. is wholly owned by AB Toscana (Luxembourg) Holding S.a r.l., which is a limited liability company (societe a responsabilite limitee) organised under the laws of Luxembourg with registration number B 204128 with its registered office at 2-4 rue Beck, L-1222 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. AB Toscana (Luxembourg) Holding S.a r.l. is jointly controlled by the Bain Capital Funds (50%) and AI Toscana (Luxembourg) Holding S.a r.l. (50%), which in turn is controlled by the Advent Funds. The Advent Funds are comprised by Advent International GPE VII L.P., Advent International GPE VII-A L.P., Advent International GPE VII-B L.P., Advent International GPE VII-C L.P., Advent International GPE VII-D L.P., Advent International GPE VII-E L.P., Advent International GPE VII-F L.P., Advent International GPE VII-G L.P., Advent International GPE VII-H L.P., Advent Partners GPE VII-A Cayman L.P., Advent Partners GPE VII-A L.P., Advent Partners GPE VII-B Cayman L.P., Advent Partners GPE VII Cayman L.P. and Advent Partners GPE VII L.P. managed by Advent International Corporation (the "Advent Funds"). The Bain Capital Funds are comprised by Bain Capital Europe Fund III, L.P., BCIP Associates IV, L.P., BCIP Associates IV-B, L.P., BCIP Trust Associates IV, L.P. and BCIP Trust Associates IV-B, L.P., which are funds advised by Bain Capital Private Equity (Europe) L.L.P. and which are ultimately controlled by Bain Capital Investors, L.L.C., and Randolph Street Investment Partners, L.P. (the "Bain Capital Funds"). For additional information, please contact CARMEL, Ind., Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE:KAR) announced today that it will be releasing its third quarter 2016 earnings on Thursday, November 3, 2016. KAR Auction Services, Inc. will also be hosting an earnings conference call and webcast on Friday, November 4, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. CDT). The call will be hosted by KAR Auction Services, Inc.s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Jim Hallett and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Eric Loughmiller. The conference call may be accessed by calling 1-888-471-3831 and entering conference ID # 2670679, while the live web cast will be available at the investor relations section of www.karauctionservices.com. A replay of the call will be available for two weeks via telephone starting approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the call. The replay may be accessed by calling 1-888-203-1112 and entering pass code 2670679. The archive of the web cast will also be available following the call and will be available at the investor relations section of www.karauctionservices.com for a limited time. About KAR Auction Services KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE:KAR), a FORTUNE 1000 company, operates worldwide vehicle auction services and provides related services. Based in Carmel, Indiana, the KAR group of companies is comprised of ADESA, Inc. (ADESA), Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA), Automotive Finance Corporation (AFC), and additional business units, with approximately 17,000 employees and 300 locations. Together, KARs complementary businesses provide support, technology and logistics for the used vehicle industry. For more information, visit karauctionservices.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 The Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan JP Singh was called in by the Director General (SA and SAARC) today. By Maha Siddiqui: Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with India against the unprovoked ceasefire violations on October 19-20, 2016, by the Indian security forces at the Line of Control in Karela sector of Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the death of one civilian. The Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan JP Singh was called in by the Director General (SA and SAARC) today. advertisement Twelve civilians including children and women were injured as a result of the Indian fire. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan, in press release said, "It was conveyed that the Indian side must investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, India must instruct its troops to respect the Ceasefire, in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace and stability on the LoC. Pakistan notes with deep concern that during the last couple of months, there have been a number of ceasefire violations from the Indian side on the LoC and the working boundary." --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) India today termed as unfortunate Pakistans ban on Indian TV and radio programmes and said it reflected the neighbouring countrys lack of self-confidence. "It shows lack of self-confidence on Pakistans part. It is an unfortunate development," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said, replying to a question. Amid Indo-Pak tensions, Pakistans media regulatory authority yesterday announced enforcing a complete ban on Indian TV and radio contents from Friday and warned that the licences of those found guilty of violating the ban will be suspended. advertisement The ban extends to all Indian content on cable and radio being aired in Pakistan. The authority also decided to cancel one-sided rights given to Indian media by the government of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in 2006. Swarup said there was no ban on Pakistani artistes performing in India. "As far as government of India is concerned, there is no blanket ban on Pakistani artistes. In view of the prevailing atmosphere and taking into account security considerations as well and sentiments of local organisers, we will do so in a case to case basis," he said, in an apparent reference to demand for banning artistes from Pakistan in the wake of the Uri attack. Asked whether the government was planning to have a SAARC minus Pakistan, Swarup said India remained committed to the regional bloc and its principles. "Our intention is not to throw out the baby with the bath water," he said, adding the governments priority is to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region. "Our interest in SAARC remains intact but our concern is that connectivity, trade, including MFN and cooperation that SAARC requires and the terror-free atmosphere needed for these initiatives is not there due to the actions of one country in our neighbourhood. "That is why all SAARC countries wrote to the Chair Nepal saying in one voice that in the current atmosphere it is not possible to participate in the proposed SAARC Summit in Islamabad," he said. On Chinas view that no country or religion should be linked to terrorism, in apparent unhappiness over India trying to corner pakistan on terror, the MEA Spokesperson said it is clear which country is the epicentre of terror in the region. "We are all aware that in our region, which country is epicentre of terrorism. There is no doubt about it at all. At the same time, we do have an ongoing dialogue with China on terrorism which is a phenomenon that affects China as well and China has said so also in the past," he said. advertisement Swarup said dialogue with China on the issue of terrorism will continue, adding a series of discussions with China will take place in the next two months. PTI MPB SK --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Netizens woke up on Friday, shocked out of their beds, with Hollywood icon Pierce Brosnan, former James Bond, endorsing 'Pan Bahar.' While Twitterati was still recovering from Brosnan staring out of front pages of national dailies holding a can of the betel nut brand, they were bombed with its TV commercial. While many refused to believe this could be real, others found solace in humour. advertisement Today, in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE , Brosnan explained that he has the "greatest love and affection for India and its people and is deeply shocked and saddened about the events". "As a man who has spent decades championing women's healthcare and environmental protection, I was distressed to learn of Pan Bahar's unauthorised and deceptive use of my image to endorse their range of pan masala products," the statement read. "I would never have entered into an agreement to promote a product in India that is dangerous to one's health." "Having endured, in my own personal life, the loss of my first wife and daughter as well as numerous friends to cancer, I am fully committed to supporting women's healthcare and research programs that improve human health and alleviate suffering," the statement continued. According to the report by PEOPLE, Brosnan has demanded that the company remove his image from all their products. He also said that he agreed to advertise a product which was all natural and contained neither tobacco, nor any other harmful ingredient. Previously Pan Bahar had given this particular statement: "As we support our country's 'Make in India' campaign, we are proud to have Mr. Brosnan on board and would like to thank him for lending his image for the short film of Pan Bahar and taking the brand to next level while making it classier with his elegance and style. There is rave on social media regarding the new (ad) however we believe there is lack of awareness about the product that Mr. Brosnan has done a short film for - a Pan Masala (Indian mouth freshener) which has Betelnut, Lime, Catechu, Cardamom seeds, Sandal wood oil, and Kewara in it and there is NO Tobacco No Nicotine content in this product. Also confirming there is no tobacco product under this brand name? attached (is) the certificate for the declaration of NO Tobacco, No Nicotine from the brand. We need to convey the same to media so that they are aware of the fact before publishing any negative comments." advertisement Bond of the 90s, Irish actor Brosnan, is considered one of the most stylish men to play the iconic character. He once again donned the garb of the 007 agent for this advertisement. In the one minute video, 63-year-old Brosnan is seen using the can of pan masala as a weapon to fend off enemies. In the end he says, 'Class never goes out of style.' Soon after, social media went berserk. Some made fun of the actor for choosing to be part of it while others wondered whether he was even aware of what he was selling. The actor also started trending on Twitter. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Oct 20 (PTI) Nepals dethroned King Gyanendra Shah today warned that the "politics of obstruction" that has thrived in the country can lead to a "rebellion" by the "oppressed masses". Addressing the three-day International Hindu Extensive Conference here, Gyanendra said: "Such kind of politics would only give rise to dissatisfaction." Gyanendra, 69, said, "Obstructionist politics would fuel discontent and it would instigate feeling of rebellion among the oppressed masses." advertisement "We would be able to safeguard national pride, sustainable peace and the feeling of nationalism, if we could preserve the thousands of years old civilisation, culture and religion," he said at the event organised by the World Hindu Federation at Pashupati area in Kathmandu. Gyanendra, the last King of the Hindu Kingdom of Nepal who was dethroned in 2008, also said that the current political situation has generated despair among the people. "The recent hopelessness has made everybody ponder the reason behind the current state of affairs in the country," he said. He said Nepal has always been the source of inspiration for ancient traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism and added that dark clouds are hovering over the ancient traditions and culture. "Peace and goodwill will prevail wherever there are Hindus," the former Hindu monarch said. Shankaracharya of Jyotirmuth Vasudevananda Saraswoti and Adityanath of Gorakhnath Muth of Gorakhpur, also attended the three-day conference that kicked off today. According to the organisers, representatives from Nepal, India, Thailand, USA, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Canada, UK and various other countries have been attending the conference, which is expected to come with a proposal to reconvert Nepal into a Hindu nation. Nepal has seen months of protests over the federal provisions in the countrys new Constitution. PTI SBP SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) Home Minister Rajnath Singh will flag the issue of Pakistan-sponsored cross border terrorism in India with top leadership of Bahrain and discuss with them on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation during his two-day visit to the Gulf kingdom beginning Sunday. Singh will meet Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa and will discuss with them various bilateral issues, official sources said. advertisement Pakistans continuous support to cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be raised by the Home Minister in his meetings with the top leadership of Bahrain. There will be extensive discussions on how to enhance bilateral cooperation with regard to tackling terror and each others fugitives, sources said. Bahrain is a key member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in which Pakistan is also a member. Singh will also address the Indian community in Bahrain during his trip. PTI ACB RCJ --- ENDS --- : 9 2013 . 9 . . Salman Khan has been associated with promoting Thums Up for years now and his contract as endorser for the brand expired in September. By Mail Today Bureau: Soft drink giants Coca-Cola India have decided to discontinue Salman Khan as brand ambassador of its homegrown cola Thums Up. Gen-Now heartthrob Ranveer Singh could replace Sallu, sources revealed on Wednesday. Salman has been associated with promoting the drink for years now and his contract as endorser for the brand expired in September. The company has chosen not to renew their association with the actor. While Coca-Cola has not given any official reason behind the move, the decision comes within weeks that Salman countered demands that Pakistani actors be banned from working in Bollywood, in the wake of the Uri attacks. He had said it was the Indian government that gave Pakistani artists work permits and so they should not be equated with terrorists, who enter the country on the sly with a destructive purpose. advertisement Also read: SEE PICS: Salman Khan wraps up Manali leg of Kabir Khan's Tubelight A few have speculated that the 50-year-old actor lost out because every other cola brand is opting for younger stars. Salman was last among the three Khans to lose out a cola endorsement deal to younger generation stars. A few years back, Ranbir Kapoor briefly took over endorsing Pepsi from Shah Rukh Khan. Siddharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan did a few ad-films for Coca-Cola, or Coke, after Aamir Khan stopped appearing as the brand's ambassador. Subsequently, Deepika Padukone has stepped in as endorser of Coke. This is not the first time Salman is dropped from Thums Up campaign. He has been endorsing the brand since early 2000s but his contract was annulled in 2012 after controversy over his court cases started burgeoning. Akshay Kumar briefly modelled for the brand during this tenure. Salman, however, returned to the Thums Up bandwagon when his NGO 'Being Human' signed a deal with Coca-Cola India to engage in charity work. Neither Coke nor Salman were available for comment. Also Read: Kick 2: Salman Khan-Jacqueline Fernandez to pair up again for sequel? --- ENDS --- By PTI: Mumbai, Oct 19 (PTI) The newly-listed RBL Bank today reported a 34 per cent increase in the September quarter net at Rs 89.9 crore on a healthy rise in core interest income, which was fuelled by loan book expanding at a faster clip. But for a Rs 28.47-crore exceptional hit on account of buying a 9.88 per cent stake in the micro-lender Utkarsh Mirco Finance, the profit growth would have been much higher, the private lender said. advertisement The core net interest income grew 60 per cent during the reporting quarter to Rs 302.94 crore on a 44 per cent rise in advances, while the other income was up 51 per cent to Rs 169.11 crore. Net interest margin expanded to 3.10 per cent for the first half (April-September) from 2.96 per cent a year ago. Overall provisions more than doubled to Rs 49.58 crore during the quarter under review from Rs 22.30 crore in the year ago period. The gross Non-performing Assets (NPAs) ratio increased to 1.10 per cent in the three-month period from 0.93 per cent at the end of second quarter of 2015-16. Managing Director and Chief Executive Vishwavir Ahuja told PTI that the faster increase in the income streams helped the bank bring down its cost to income ratio to 54 per cent from over 60 per cent in the year-ago period. He, however, hinted the lender does not expect such rapid declines going forward and added that it is targeting to get it down to 50 per cent by FY20. "All the investments which we have been doing over the last few years are now bearing fruit and the ratio will keep going down," Ahuja said, adding the bank will be investing in network expansion and technology solutions on payments side. The bank scrip closed with a gain of 1.41 per cent at Rs 312.75 a piece on the BSE, whose benchmark Sensex dropped 0.24 per cent. PTI AA BEN RSY ABI RDS --- ENDS --- India's Silver medallist shuttler in this year's Rio Olympics, PV Sindhu, crashed out in the second round of the Denmark Open after losing to Japan's Sayaka Sato 13-21, 23-21, 18-21. By India Today Web Desk: India's Silver medallist shuttler in this year's Rio Olympics, PV Sindhu, crashed out in the second round of the Denmark Open after losing to Japan's Sayaka Sato 13-21, 23-21, 18-21. Sindhu, who is India's first woman Silver medallist in the Olympics, had yesterday defeated Chinas He Bingjiao in straight games in the womens singles competition of the USD 700,000 Premier Super Series badminton event in Odense. advertisement Sixth seed Sindhu, who is playing her first event after the Rio Olympics, lost the first game comprehensively 13-21. But the 21-year-old Hyderabadi fought back to clinch the second game by 23-12. However, Sindhu couldn't continue the momentum as she went down in the last game 18-21 to make an early exit from the Super Series tournament. --- ENDS --- Rita Bahuguna Joshi is a Brahmin who constitute about 10 per cent of UP's population. One of the important reasons why Congress projected former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial candidate. By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: In a severe blow to Congress, its former Uttar Pradesh president Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined BJP today. Congress' attempts to woo the Brahmins in UP, which goes to polls early 2017, has received a serious jolt. Joshi is a Brahmin who constitute about 10 per cent of UP's population. One of the important reasons why Congress projected former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming UP elections was that she is a Brahmin. advertisement Congress has been subtly conveying other messages to prove its affinity to Brahmins. When party president Sonia Gandhi undertook her road show in Varanasi in August, she had planned to visit the famous Vishwanath Temple. She expressed deep regrets on failing to visit the historic temple as she fell ill midway through her road show. WOOING BRAHMINS Subsequently, her son Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to Hanumangarhi Temple in Ayodhya, just 1 km from the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure, during the course of his Kisan Yatra in September and met Mahant Gyan Das. He was the first Congress leader to visit Ayodhya after the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. Not just the Congress but also BJP and Mayawati's BSP are trying to woo the Brahmins in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state. Joshi quitting Congress will give a boost to BJP's bid to garner Barhmin votes. BLOW TO RAHUL Joshi leaving Congress is also a personal blow to Rahul. While joining BJP in the presence of its president Amit Shah, she expressed deep anguish and pain over the Congress vice-president's "khoon ki dalali" remark made in the context of the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army in Pakistan-ocupied Kashmir. Rahul has already faced immense flak for his controversial remark. While a Chhattisgarh Congress MLA RK Rai made a disparaging remark a couple of days ago comparing Rahul with a donkey, for which he was suspended from the party. Joshi is the second senior party leader to strongly disagree with Rahul over the surgical strikes. With Joshi joining BJP, Congress will suffer a double blow. It will impact elections in neighbouring Uttarakhand, which also goes to polls in 2017. Her brother and former Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna has already revolted against Congress and joined BJP along with eight rebel party MLAs. Watch Video Also Read: Rita Bahuguna Joshi, ex-UP Congress chief, joins BJP; says Rahul Gandhi doesn't listen --- ENDS --- Ecobank takes a step closer to reaching its 100 million customer ambition by partnering with Mastercard to roll-out Masterpass QR across 33 countries Partnership will shift Africa to instant and secure digital payment solution Lagos, Nigeria October 20, 2016 The Ecobank Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mastercard to roll-out Masterpass QR, a mobile payment solution, across 33 African countries. This new agreement will give Ecobank the scale and capacity to achieve its 100 million customer ambition in a profitable and sustainable way by 2020. The MoU signals the largest Masterpass deal of its kind for Mastercard globally, with the QR solution specifically being selected due to Masterpass QRs ease of use and convenience for merchants and consumers in the selected markets. Ecobank customers in Nigeria already enjoy the benefits of Masterpass QR. Soon all remaining 32 countries in across Pan-African will receive the benefits of the partnership by the end of 2016. Masterpass QR is the first mobile-driven, Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payment solution. The solution is an enhancement to the Masterpass global digital payment service that will enable millions of micro, small and medium enterprises across Africa to begin accepting fast and secure digital payments. This service addresses the challenges of expensive infrastructural issues associated with point of sale devices and eliminates the need for cash. Group CEO Ecobank, Ade Ayeyemi said, With partnerships such as the one we have with Mastercard, we are well-positioned to meet the growing demands of consumers and merchants across Africa. We will use Masterpass QR to leverage the power of digital to bring millions of people into the formal financial sector. Our mission at Ecobank is to build a world-class Pan-African bank that contributes to the integration and socio-economic development of the continent. Users of Ecobanks mobile banking platform across the 33 countries will be able to safely pay for online and in-store purchases by scanning a Quick Response (QR) code displayed at checkout on their smartphones, or by entering a merchant identifier into their feature phones. Daniel Monehin, Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard said, Masterpass QR has been fulfilling the needs of micro merchants in Nigeria since it was launched in August this year. Our extended partnership with Ecobank signals one of the largest implementations of a digital payment solution in Africa, resulting in millions of previously excluded people joining the financial ecosystem. Patrick Akinwuntan, Ecobank Group Executive Consumer Banking said, With Ecobank Masterpass QR, our customers across 33 countries will now be able to make fast, simple and safe digital payments via Ecobank mobile banking loaded on their mobile device where Masterpass QR is accepted globally. It will also help provide instant receipts for the numerous small, medium and large merchants across Africa. Micro, small and medium enterprises across Africa contribute significantly to economic growth, creating around 80 percent [1] of the regions employment and fueling demand for goods and services. The introduction of digital payment solutions such as Masterpass QR, will help these businesses become more efficient. With Nigerians soon to enjoy the benefits of the solution first in Africa, the additional 32 markets that will receive Masterpass QR as part of the groups drive to connect with 100 million new customers by 2020 across: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Serbia jailed three French nationals Thursday for kidnapping a toddler from a Belgrade street in a bizarre bid to use her DNA in a family dispute. The trio snatched the two-year-old in 2015 because she bore a resemblance to the young daughter of one of the French women, who was involved in a bitter custody battle with her estranged partner, according to the verdict. A source close to the inquiry said Emeline Oeillet, 27, plotted with her mother and step-father to submit the Serbian girl to paternity tests so that the DNA match would come back negative, allowing her to claim her ex-partner had not fathered their child. Oeillet was handed a seven-year sentence for the kidnap, and her mother Alexia Branchu, 51, was jailed for nine years. Branchu's husband Sebastien, 46, was jailed for ten years. The trio insisted they had the agreement of the Serbian toddler's family to "borrow" her, but this claim "of a pre-existing agreement with the parents of the Serbian girl was not proven", according to the judgement quoted by media. "The telephones and computers of the accused were analysed and no trace of contact with the parents of the Serbian girl were discovered," said judge Dragan Milosevic. The Serbian family's lawyer Natasa Jovicic said claims of an agreement "were not worthy of comment", adding: "From the point of view of the victims, no punishment is sufficient for someone who tries to harm your child." According to the verdict, the French trio followed the toddler and her mother as they entered a Belgrade supermarket on March 13, 2015, and snatched the child as they came back onto the street. "The accused tore the girl from the hands of her mother and violently pushed the mother to the ground," the judge said. "They then put the child in their car where they changed her hairstyle, switched her clothes with others prepared in advance, and fled." The three were intercepted by Serbian police several hours later, on the motorway heading towards Croatia. The two women will appeal their sentences, their lawyer Irina Borovic said. Sebastien Branchu did not exercise his right to defend himself. Swiss commodities giant Glencore on Thursday said it was selling its Hunter Valley coal haulage business to an American firm for Aus$1.14 billion (US$870 million) as it pushes to reduce its daunting debt mountain. Glencore in August posted first-half losses of US$369 million, and has been reining in spending, scrapping dividends and closing operations across the world amid a commodity price slump. The trader and miner had been battling to avoid collapsing under debt that stood at some US$30 billion in 2015. Glencore's head of coal assets Peter Freyberg said his firm welcomed the sale of its Glencore Rail (GRail) coal haulage business, the third-biggest in Australia, in Hunter Valley in New South Wales state to the Australian subsidiary of US rail operator Genesee & Wyoming. The deal, which is subject to approval by Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board, will see Genesee & Wyoming Australia manage most of Glencore's coal haulage requirements in the region for the next two decades. Genesee & Wyoming Australia said it already operates almost 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles) of rail track in South Australia state and the Northern Territory. A former Guantanamo inmate resettled in Uruguay is refusing liquids and risks dying from a hunger strike he launched to demand his transfer to another country, his doctor said Thursday. Jihad Diyab, who began his hunger strike 63 days ago, has worsened since early Tuesday, when he stopped drinking fluids as well, said Julia Galzerano of the Uruguayan Medical Union. She said the 45-year-old Syrian had decided not to receive medical care if he goes into a coma, as he did briefly last month. "The decision was set out in a notarized protocol," she told AFP. Galzerano said human beings can survive around 100 days without food but only seven days without liquids. Rights activist Ana de Bittencourt, part of a group called Vigil for Jihad Diyab, said the former detainee was losing mobility, in pain and wasting away. The hunger strike "has consumed all his fat, and now it's consuming his muscles," she told AFP outside Diyab's apartment in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo. Diyab is one of six former Guantanamo inmates resettled in Uruguay as refugees in 2014, part of a deal with the United States to help close the controversial prison set up in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The men have repeatedly clashed with the Uruguayan authorities over their living allowances and housing, and complain of feeling isolated in the Spanish-speaking country, which has virtually no Muslim population. Diyab is asking to be transferred elsewhere and reunited with his family, saying he does not have the means to support them in Uruguay. He began his hunger strike in August in a Venezuelan prison, where he was detained after leaving Uruguay undetected and showing up at the Uruguayan consulate in Caracas, demanding to be taken to Turkey. Uruguay says it is seeking another country to take him in. But Bittencourt questioned why it has had so little success. "No visa for Jihad has appeared. And in the countries where he doesn't need a visa or has the necessary documents (such as Venezuela), they send him back," she said. "That kind of thing makes us think something's going on, that Jihad isn't a free man." Diyab has requested a copy of Uruguay's agreement with the United States on his resettlement. Uruguay, which has not published the deal, says he has the right to travel like any other resident. As former UP Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined BJP, Twitterati trolled her for her tweets against the party and PM Modi in the past. By India Today Web Desk: Former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today and accused Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for not listening to party leaders. "Sonia Gandhi used to listen to us, Rahul does not," she said. While the 67-year-old leader addressed reporters in New Delhi and slammed Congress for doing politics over the Indian Army's surgical strikes, Twitterati did what it does the best - digging up old tweets and troll. advertisement Also read: Rita Bahuguna Joshi, ex-UP Congress chief, joins BJP; says Rahul Gandhi doesn't listen The former Congress president perhaps forgot that while she was with the opposition party, she rebuked the Bharatiya Janata Party, PM Narendra Modi and even left proof of it on her Twitter timeline. That was enough to get her trolled. Also watch : --- ENDS --- Bryggeriet Skate School Parts 1 & 2 by Phil Evans Bryggeriet skatepark has been the heart of the Malmo skate scene since 1998. In 2005 the board of the skatepark was granted a permit to start a high school on their premises. The idea was to incorporate skateboarding as a subject on the school curriculum. Long time Malmo skater John Dahlquist was hired to build a subject around skateboarding and to incorporate as many aspects of the culture as possible into the courses. The school started fall of 2006 with 50 students and today the students can choose from the profiles of art, photo, film and skateboarding as special courses. The school is run as a non-profit NGO. Bryggeriet #1 from Philip Evans on Vimeo. Ten years later the school has 150 students of which about half are skaters. The skate students come from all of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Students need to at least understand basic Swedish to apply but the Scandinavian languages are similar enough to work. The other profiles are now photo, film and art, all which have obvious connections to skateboarding. The great aim is to study for a high school diploma. All regular classes are included such as English, Social science, Math and Swedish. In that perspective it is a traditional school. What makes Bryggeriets gymnasium special is the inclusion of students interest in other activities such as art and skateboarding. (And the fact that there is a huge skatepark in the middle of the school.) The staff believes that the drive, passion and attitude that skateboarding brings can work as good generators of other good outcome. The teachers want to create a school outside the box and offer an inclusive school based on the students involvement in their education. Bryggeriet #2 from Philip Evans on Vimeo. The school has had a fair share of great skaters such as Oskar Rosenberg-Hallberg, Didrik Galasso, Karl Berglind, Sarah Meurle, Fernando Bramsmark and Herman Stene who have all made careers as skateboarders. That is all great but not the big goal here. The goal for skating as a subject is for everyone to find their own place in skateboarding. Filming, shooting photos, designing skateparks, landing tricks or just using skate to make school more manageable are all equally important reasons to attend. Within the network of Bryggeriet the school has managed to connect students with professionals from different aspects of skateboarding. Every year the school invites different people from the industry to come and share their stories and experience. The students have been lucky enough to listen to Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist, Bryce Kanights and Mike V to name a few. There are no demands on prior knowledge. Students need to have passing grades from middle school and understand Swedish to apply. A passion for skateboarding helps but the level of skating is secondary. But the evolution when 70 skaters are out in the same spot is obvious. These are just words. Teaching, learning and the effects of bringing your passion to school is hard to explain. Phil Evans films about Bryggeriets gymnasium hopefully gives a glimpse of what skateboarding on the curriculum means. Great news for the majority of small business owners and managers: According to the Aflac 2016 Small Business Happiness Survey, 74 percent of employees are extremely or very satisfied working for a small business. However, 96 percent of the employees surveyed also agree there is a lot an employer can do to improve employee happiness. Employees are critical to small business success. Each and every individuals performance and commitment to the organization plays a role in ensuring quality outputs be it exceptional customer service, impressive sales numbers, positive client relations or valuable production capabilities. The current job market increasingly favors employees, making it tougher than ever for small-business owners to attract and retain top talent in their respective industries. While managing a small business involves a limitless number of responsibilities, employee happiness is a factor that shouldnt be ignored. What can you do to maintain or even increase employee happiness? 1. Evaluate employee satisfaction on a regular basis. Almost half of surveyed employees (48 percent) said their company does not assess employee satisfaction. 2. When making changes within your company, pay attention to what employees want. The following items were chosen by employees as first priorities among a list of issues small business leaders should address when making improvements: i. Compensation (23 percent) ii. Communication (22 percent) iii. Employee benefits (16 percent) 3. Offer a variety of benefits offerings to fulfill the needs of your employees and their family members. 65 percent of employees feel that an improvement in benefits offerings would make them a happier employee. For small business owners, voluntary benefits continue to provide value and grow in popularity because of their ability to offer a comprehensive benefits package with little to no additional cost to their bottom line. Having happy employees helps to guarantee a productive, pleasant office culture that contributes to your companys success. Though small businesses across the country are currently succeeding in securing employee happiness, it is important that happiness remains a top priority in years to come to ensure small-business success. The China Import and Export fair is one of the largest trade shows in the world. Each year, hundreds of companies from around the world attend. Also known as the Canton Fair, the China Import and Export Fair is held in Guangzhou, China. For 60 years, the Canton Fair has provided a place for businesses to showcase new and innovative products. The Canton Fair is one of the events business leaders look at to discover the latest products and technologies that are being developed. Canton Fair 2016 Details What Is the Canton Fair? The Canton Fair is an international trade fair held biannually in China. Its the largest trade fair in China. Since 1956 it has served as a way for different brands to come together to show their new products and services. The Canton Fair is one of the most attended trade fairs in the world. The fair is broken down into two sessions per year. Each session has three phases. These phases are: Phase 1: Electronics, household appliances, machinery, vehicles, etc. Phase 2: Consumer products, goods, gifts. Phase 3: Textiles and garments. The Canton Fair is known as a place where businesses can come together and make deals, and is a high-quality platform for foreign trade promotion in China. Upgraded International Pavilion This year, the 120th Canton Fair will feature an upgraded International Pavilion. This pavilion is intended to facilitate greater commerce between buyers and vendors. Because of this, it will be easier for brands to come together. The pavilion is 20,000 square meters and will be divided into six different sections. This year, there will be more than 600 companies from 40 different countries in attendance including Honeywell, Caterpillar, SABAF, Ewbank and many other global top industry leaders. The pavilion has become one of the most important trade platforms for overseas enterprises and domestic companies to expand Chinese markets or purchase foreign goods. A New Array of Products Each fair features a wide array of new and innovative products. These products represent many different industries. The 120th Canton Fair will show 150 thousand Chinese high-quality goods and overseas special products for all walks of life. Solar Energy Innovations This year, the fair will feature three different exhibition zones for alternative sources of energy. These include solar and wind-themed products. Alternative energy has become a topic that many industries are focused on. The products that will be showcased in these exhibition zones will show the many advances being made in alternative energy. These products include: PV Modules, Appliances, Solar water pumping systems, Heaters, and Air conditioners. It will also include products that are powered by wind and thermal energy. While there are several different types of energy that will be featured, solar energy seems to be the biggest focus. Smart Appliances The 120th Canton Fair will also include smart appliances, which is of great interest to those who are interested in the internet of things. Smart appliances can be operated remotely using your WiFi connection. These are novel devices because they can detect when there is a malfunction. This enables the user to deal with an issue before its too late. Also, you can operate the appliance when youre not even home. These devices are becoming more and more popular because of the convenience they provide. Some of the appliances being featured at the Canton Fair include: Refrigerators, Smart sanitary ware, Ventilation equipment, Washers and dryers, and Home service robot. Not only will the fair featured products for residential consumers, but it will also include devices being used in the commercial sector. See Also: Google Data Studio Now Free to All Small Businesses Electronic Products New electronic products will also be featured at the fair. These are innovative products that make it easier for consumers to perform their everyday tasks. Trendsetting products include: Electronic security equipment, Business automation equipment, and Products using renewable energy. Consumer electronic products are becoming more pervasive in the market. This is because of the many advances being made in mobile communication and internet technology. The Canton Fair features products created by companies that are on the forefront of this technology. Conclusion Since the Canton Fair is held twice per year, companies are able to keep up with the latest advances in technology. It will continue be a key part of worldwide innovation in the years to come. (Tech Xplore)Kid coders is an idea everyone likes. The vision is that of a new army of survivors who can carry the ball forward in thinking up tomorrow's hardware and software, to make life interesting for themselves and make lives easier if not better for others. The news on Wednesday is that kid coders around the globe will be able to enjoy the Micro:bit from a project formerly led by the BBC, where about 1 million of the devices previously were given away free to UK-based schoolchildren, said Leo Kelion, technology desk editor, BBC. The Micro:bits were also distributed to schools in the Netherlands and Iceland. (Hot Hardware said that BBC had actually gifted 1 million of the DIY PCs to year 7 (sixth grade) students in the U.K. last year.) This is a minicomputer. Think stripped -down bareboned tiny machine like Raspberry Pi. Kelion noted that "the Micro Bit is designed for users with little or no coding knowledge when they begin." Now the machines are to be given a wider rollout, thanks to the foundation presently running the effort. Kelion quoted chief executive Zach Shelby. "Our goal is to go out and reach 100 million people with Micro Bit," he stated. The BBC made it commercially available for anyone to purchase for around $19, said Hot Hardware, and now this new foundation has stepped in to spearhead the effort. The BBC's Kelion said, "Although the BBC is relinquishing control of the project, it will retain a seat on the foundation's board and the hardware will still be branded with its name." On the foundation agenda: (1) developing Norwegian and Dutch-language versions of its coding web tools and (2) next year looking at China and North America. A new hardware upgrade is also planned for 2017. Shelby said they are looking at more computing power and new types of sensors. The entity is the Micro:bit Educational Foundation. iProgrammer said Shelby was former Director of Technology for Internet of Things at ARM. Paul Lilly, senior editor, Hot Hardware, offered a concise description of its features. He said the Micro:bit is a tiny circuit board with 25 programmable LED lights baked in. It's powered by a 32-bit ARM Cortex M0 processor and has a microUSB connector, Bluetooth support, 3-axis accelerometer, built-in compass, a few other bits. Two AA batteries is all that's required to power the device." Kelion said the LED lights can be programmed to show letters, numbers and other shapes. He also wrote about the coding process: "Rather than enter code directly into the computer, owners instead write their scripts in a choice of four programming languages via web-based tools on a PC, or via an app on a tablet or smartphone." Then the compiled scripts need to be transferred to the Micro:bit. It in turn functions as a standalone device. It can be used to flash messages. It can be used to record movements too, he said, among other tasks. If the owner is especially project minded, so much the better. Micro:bit can be attached to other electronics to form the "brain" of a robot, a musical instrument or other kit, he said. So why is this any different from Raspberry Pi? This was an observation from iProgrammer: "Comparing the micro:bit's community to that of the Raspberry Pi is also interesting. Because up to now it has been effectively a teachers-only closed shop it really isn't anything like an open 'maker' community. If the micro:bit is going to be as successful as the Pi, 10 million sold, this closed world is going to have to open up." 2016 Tech Xplore Mobile Computing MasteryConnect Adds Evidence Capture to Teacher App MasteryConnect has added an evidence capture feature to the teacher app it released in July. Teachers can now take photographs of student work while they use the digital assessment platform as they move around the classroom. The mobile evidence capture feature had been in beta release undergoing testing by 100 instructors around the country. The MasteryConnect platform is designed to help teachers identify a student's level of understanding of core academic concepts, allowing them to then personalize instruction for each student and each classroom. Teachers use iPads to gather in-the-moment formative data and then use the data to match resources to individual student needs. With the new feature, teachers can snap photos of student work, add notes and view a student's complete portfolio of work. The feature is designed to be especially effective in project-based learning environments and can be used on field trips, in performances and other nontraditional teaching environments. MasteryConnect's platform can give immediate feedback, assessments, results and data that can lead to quick revision of teaching strategies. Evidence capture enhances those capabilities by identifying student needs in real time. It is the first step in the company's plan to give teachers more ways to deliver artifacts of student learning to parents, teachers, administrators and students themselves. "Having the ability to take photos of student work supports everything we do, from special education to parent-teacher conferences," said Kelly D'Annolfo, an eighth-grade language arts teacher. "We are finally able to provide visible, tangible evidence of student learning all in one place." STEAM What Makes a Great Makerspace? As schools across the country are demonstrating, makerspaces aren't just about technology. They're about giving outlet to students' creativity. Spaces can be as elaborate as sophisticated machine shops or as simple as libraries converted to support hands-on learning. The maker education movement has sparked a minor revolution in K12 STEAM education. A growing number of schools and entire districts across the country are implementing dedicated, in-school makerspaces sometimes called STEAM labs or fab labs where students are encouraged to experiment, invent and tinker with a range of materials and technologies. But what constitutes an effective in-school makerspace? "A makerspace is more of a mindset than a toolset," said Casey Shea, curriculum coordinator for maker education for the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE). "Many of the most successful makerspaces I've seen started with very little equipment and a lot of creativity. It's a fundamental mistake to think that dropping a 3D printer into a room will turn it into a makerspace." Shea has been involved with the maker education movement almost from its inception. He was teaching math at Analy High School in Sebastapol, CA, north of San Francisco, during the 2011-2012 school year when Dale Dougherty, the publisher of Make Magazine and founder of the Maker Faire, approached him about an experimental maker education project. Shea ended up leading a class of about 30 young makers, who met at the magazine's nearby headquarters twice a week. Students engage in activities ranging from 3D printing to sewing in the makerspace at Analy High School. Analy's Project Make is now taught on campus and includes three sections open to 9th12th graders. The program has emerged as something of a model for hands-on learning. In fact, Shea worked with educators at Sonoma State University to develop a 50-hour, first-of-its-kind Maker Certificate Program, designed for people seeking to lead maker activities in schools, clubs, community centers, libraries and other organizations. In his new role he was appointed in July 2016 Shea helps educators throughout the county establish and expand "making opportunities" in their schools and classrooms. He said he believes that "making and tinkering" and the philosophies behind those activities are an essential part of the formula for a true 21st century education. "Making is definitely not a fad. One of the secrets to providing students with an effective in-school makerspace lies in keeping its fundamental purpose in mind, Shea said. "A successful in-school makerspace provides kids with a variety of tools and materials and the freedom to create," he said. "It's really that simple and that challenging. There's a lot of great technology out there finding its way into these spaces laser cutters, 3D printers, robotics technologies and all kinds of computing components. But honestly, it doesn't have to be equipped with high-tech digital manufacturing tools to be an effective makerspace; it can be stocked with glue guns and cardboard if students are engaged and using their hands and minds to create and solve problems." Analy High's in-school makerspace is a converted shop-class building with a concrete floor. It's equipped with a laser engraver and a vinyl cutter, among other high-tech equipment, as well as tools for wood and metal working. The space, which is also used to host classes for non-student members of the community, is well organized with labeled shelves and areas sectioned off for different types of projects. "The shop classes I took in a space like this were, more often than not, about following a set of plans, and you were assessed on how well you followed those plans," Shea said. "There was a time when that approach made sense. But that's not what this space is about today." A makerspace can be a combination of woodshop, computer lab and art studio, so the space has to be flexible, Shea said. "When things are cooking in a makerspace, you might have 15 to 20 very different projects going at one time," he said. "Students occupying the same space might be building everything from micro-controlled robots to hardwood furniture, drones to squishy circuits made with conductive Play-Doh. A lot depends on what materials and tools are available at the school. There's a random element to all this; a local business might contribute some lumber or some Arduino microcontrollers. And things get repaired and repurposed in this environment. A successful makerspace has the flexibility to accommodate all this." A High-End Makerspace for the Whole Community As an example of an in-school makerspace designed from the ground up, Shea points to Lane Tech College Preparatory High School in Chicago. It's an environment rarely seen in high schools, where space repurposing is the norm. The Lane Tech Innovation and Creation Lab is clean and open, and it's equipped with four Epilog laser cutters, 10 MakerBot and UP! 3D printers, six ShapeOko2 CNC mills, four Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutters, four MakerBot 3D Scanners, 30 MacBook Pro Retina laptops, two 15-foot wall projectors, a mobile Smart Board, multiple custom-designed workspaces with power drops, collaboration spaces with HDTV and laptop HDMI switching, a large variety of production and prototyping materials and "a variety of power and hand tools." Learning Commons: Where Librarians Support Maker Activities Of course, an in-school makerspace doesn't have to be purpose-built to be effective. Nor does it have to be a place where woodchips are flying at one end while circuits are being soldered at the other. Traditional libraries, for example, are being used to implement maker education in a number of K12 districts. The Castle Rock Middle School library, for example, is one of a number of school libraries in Colorado's Douglas County School District redesigned to accommodate a makerspace. Called a Learning Commons, the space exists within the library, surrounded by shelves of books, and the maker classes are actually supported by the librarians. Curved tables encourage collaboration among the young students, who also have access to a 3D printer and lots of laptop computers. An estimated 50 libraries in the district have made, or are making, this change. A section of the expansive makerspace at Analy High School in Sebastapol, CA. "Now [the library] is a place where kids whose talents haven't been tapped into before have a place to call home," said Castle Rock librarian Yvonne Miller in a promotional video. "While still fostering a love of reading and books and something that I, myself, love, it has something more, too. It's joyful, and it's noisy, and it's full of love and laughter and light and kids who are experimenting and playful with their learning." The world has gone digital, and this means anyone who is lagging behind will lose out on the rewards this new era brings. The education sector has not been left behind, neither have todays children. For a long time, children have gone through school carrying heavy loads of books on their backs. But, this is soon coming to an end. Longhorn publishers, a giant in the publishing industry in Kenya, is officially digitized! This was announced at a launch held at the Hilton Hotel Nairobi, on Wednesday 12th October 2016. Speaking during the launch, the company Managing Director, Mr. Simon Ngigi, said the launch of these products is a response to changing trends, with Kenyans increasingly embracing technology in learning. The launch saw the unveiling of the new products, that includes: Kamusi ya Karne ya 21 With the Kamusi app, you need not hassle finding meanings of Swahili words from search engines (image: Google Playstore) With this innovative Android app, you no longer have to hassle looking for a kamusi to help your child with their Swahili homework. The app enables quick and easy access to an advanced Swahili dictionary, which outlines more than 50,000 head words at the touch of a button. Anyone looking to understand and explain difficult Swahili vocabulary during classroom sessions and day-to-day Swahili sanifu communication, can download the app and find all you need. Kamusi Kuu ya Kiswahili Longhorn Publishers has made the digital move and this has seen important publications like the Kamusi being made available to all and sundry (photo: Google playstore) This android app is an advancement on the Kamusi ya Karne ya 21. It is for speakers of the language, students, and linguists who wish to delve deeper into Kiswahili. Thus it is also suitable for university students pursuing Kiswahili, teachers, researchers, editors, journalists and all who want a deeper understanding of the language. Longhorns E-Learning platform Longhorn Publishers has set up an e-learning platform complete with short revision notes, quizzes and progress reports on all subjects (photo: Google playstore) This offers a plethora of revision materials from revision notes (short), interactive quizzes and model KCPE and KCSE exams all in the palm of your hand. Children can access volumes of short notes on any subject and topic, then do the interactive quizzes to gauge their performance, and the platform also gives progress reports which track the childs performance and thus let him/her, and even teachers and parents to identify and assist in the weak areas. Longhorn eBook store The eBook reader lets you access any book under Longhorn Publishers' stable, from academic titles to storybooks and other literature from as little as Ksh 10 (photo: Google playstore) This is a comprehensive digital repository of eBooks for all levels of learning. The portal is ripe for exploring, offering users new learning experiences, new authors and new titles. If you remember reading Where is Hare and other stories, such titles and other books, including those used in school curricula are available on the eBook storeand at the most affordable prices ever! You can access more than 200 eBooks offline from as little as Ksh 10! The embrace of digital is not just a Kenyan story; as a regional company, we have insight into how education is growing in different markets and I can tell you that the digital transformation will take over Africa. Every country, whether Anglophone or Francophone, in Eastern or Western Africa, in Sub-Saharan Africa or in the Sahel region, will embrace digital learning as a cornerstone of their education systems sooner, rather than later, Mr. Ngigi said. The launch comes on the heels of the National Government rolling out its tablet strategy, equipping primary school students across the country with the tools to embrace 21st century learning. Source: TUKO.co.ke Blacklisting by BMC holds little value for RPS Infra as the company reserved a contract worth crores despite involvement in a road scam. By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Despite its tainted involvement in a road scam, RPS Infra has landed with a contract worth Rs 34 crore in Nagpur. MNS Nagpur unit head Manisha Papdkar, who has complained to the civic body, said "When I got to know that our civic body has issued work order to the company RPS infra I was shocked. How can they give contract to a company which was blacklisted by other civic body." advertisement "I had written to civic body chief in July but haven't got any reply," Manisha said. CIVIC BODY FLOUTING NORMS? MNS also alleged that civic body has flouted norms while awarding contracts. Civic body has not even done proper background check of the company, said the MNS leader. READ| Uddhav Thackeray to blow BMC poll bugle at Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally "No action was taken against RPS infra in Mumbai even after the company got blacklisted by BMC. It is because of their connection with BJP. In CM's hometown Nagpur, same black listed company got road contracts worth Rs 34 crores. Why there is no action against this company?" said Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson. BJP CONTRADICTS OWN CLAIMS With this accusation, BJP has contradicted its allegations against Shiv Sena for indulging in road scam and domination of BMC by mafia. Nagpur Corporation has received work order for Dhantoli zone and Nehru Nagar zone in the city. MNS Nagpur unit has asked civic body chief to scrap the current contracts of RPS Infra and issue new notice for contract bid. In another case of corruption under RPS Infra, Pankaja Munde and her partner, husband also had charges levelled against them for corruption. READ| BMC elections: Ugly war of anonymous messages begins between Sena and BJP --- ENDS --- UK & Ireland Online Poker Rankings: Geilich and Tompkins Running Hot October 20 2016 Matthew Pitt Editor Patrick pleno1 Leonard prepared for the European Poker Tour Malta festival in style by signing off his online antics with a victory on the site that he is an ambassador for, Partypoker. Leonard won the $50,000 Gtd 6-Max High Roller for a $15,996 score in perfect preparation for the live grind. This win helped keep a gap between himself and Conor 1_conor_b_1 Beresford in the PocketFives.com rankings. Beresford also looks in good form having reached the final table of seven tournaments during the past seven days. Beresfords two largest scores from these final table appearances weighed in at $4,176 an $3,777, his reward for finishing sixth in the Mini Super Tuesday and second in the $320 NLHE 6-Max. Up to sixth-place in the UK this week is Ludovic ludovi333 Geilich. The Scotsman is in great form of late, winning a WCOOP event for more than $462,000 and then enjoying several big scores and deep runs in October so far, such as: 1st place in the Super Tuesday Late Edition for $14,484 for $14,484 3rd place in the $109 Bounty Builder for $5,085 for $5,085 3rd place in the Big $215 for $5,470 for $5,470 3rd place in the Omania High Roller for $5,233 for $5,233 3rd place in the Fat Thursday for $8,858 for $8,858 6th place in the Super Tuesday for $15,865 for $15,865 1st place in the $320 NLHE 6-Max for $6,380 for $6,380 2nd place in the Omania High Roller for $8,956 UK Online Poker Rankings (October 20, 2016) UK Rank Player Points 1 Patrick pleno1 Leonard 7397.47 2 Conor 1_conor_b_1 Beresford 7172.54 3 Chris moorman1 Moorman 6580.02 4 Phil philroyal888 Mighall 6565.21 5 Jamie EzGame89 OConnor 5860.58 6 Ludovic ludovi333 Geilich 5734.61 7 Rick TheClaimer Trigg 5330.73 8 Sam The Squid Grafton 5056.12 9 Oscar MendaLerenda Serradell 4845.68 10 luckyfish89 4811.85 11 kyleeeOMC 4793.84 12 FouEnculePL 4760.36 13 Oliver 3BunPass Price 4754.75 14 Vicent vicenfish Delgado 4684.37 15 Owain sngwonder Carey 4638.91 16 Joel Crackdel29 Visa Jordana 4605.00 17 Sergio trujustrus Cabrera 4544.12 18 Jonathan Gil3000 Gill 4505.66 19 Phill Grindation McAllister 4478.24 20 Matas bebaimis777 Cimbolas 4413.23 Solid Week For Jason Tompkins It was a relatively quiet week for the top 20 players in Ireland, although there were some impressive results dotted around. Some of those results were enjoyed by Jason blaaaaah666 Tompkins who managed to win three tournaments last week. Tompkins came out on top in the $15,000 Gtd Contender at partypoker ($2,562), The Hot 50 at PokerStars.fr ($1,552), and the $5,000 Thunder 6-Max at 888poker ($1,444) in the space of a couple of days, then followed those scores up with a third-place finish in the $15,000 Gtd Super Knockout at partypoker for $1,038. Another player in the winners circle is also a newcomer to the Irish top 20, Pokerniall. The Dubliner won the Hot $11 and $27 Saturday Eliminator at PokerStars for $5,417 and $8,342 scores; "Pokerniall" debuts at 18th in Ireland. At the top of the Irish leaderboard it is still Dan NukeTheFish! Wilson who leads the way, but Kevin SuitedAcesBaby Killeen closed the gap a little with a fifth-place finish in the $55 Sunday Stack at PokerStars, a result worth $3,337. Irish Online Poker Rankings Top 20 (October 20, 2016) UK Rank Player Points 1 Dan NukeTheFish! Wilson 4916.06 2 Kevin SuitedAcesBaby Killeen 4393.54 3 Toby Jobytoyce Joyce 4265.11 4 FoxyLisa 4263.37 5 James Jaymo Noonan 4032.92 6 Noogaii 3913.05 7 Daniel danielt999 Tighe 3803.63 8 Tomas luckymo32 Geleziunas 3778.16 9 Cathal shinerrr Shine 3483.41 10 myleftfoot 3452.90 11 Kursplunk 3339.50 12 Dara Doke OKearney 3242.45 13 Conor ccoonnoorr O'Driscoll 3211.44 14 Nicholas YerSoLucky Newport 3196.14 15 Frank Denman98 Lillis 3191.32 16 Steve MrTimCaum ODwyer 2992.58 17 Daragh daragh999 Davey 2960.75 18 Pokerniall 2712.81 19 Dan DatWillDoPig Rankin 2710.36 20 Jason blaaaaah666 Tompkins 2692.05 STOCKHOLM The United States wants to send a 300-strong rotational force of U.S. 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 U.S. Marine Corps presence in Norway is a possible option currently being considered. Maj. Gen. Niel E. Nelson, the Commander of U.S. 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. 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 U.S. 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 Moscows intervention in Ukraine 2014. Some NATO allies neighboring Russia, including the Baltic countries, have asked for a permanent presence of U.S. troops. STAMFORD, Conn. Police say a bandit with a taste for espresso and fancy cookies has been nabbed because he asked an officer for directions to a Connecticut pastry shop. Stamford police Lt. Thomas Barcello tells the Stamford Advocate (http://bit.ly/2dykpKN ) that Donald Newman-Smiths face was covered with a bandanna when he robbed a convenience store on Monday, getting away with around $800. Police say an investigator was responding to the convenience store later when Newman-Smith asked him how to get to the pastry shop. They say the investigator later recognized him as he watched surveillance footage of the robbery. Officers went to the shop and found Newman-Smith sitting at an outside table, drinking an espresso with a dozen Pignoli (pin-YOH-lee) cookies. A message left at a phone listing for Newman-Smith hasnt been returned. California should leave more water in the states most vital river delta to save crashing populations of native fish, state regulators said Wednesday in findings that could cut the amounts that cities and farms can take from the Sacramento and San Joaquin waterways. The draft findings from the state Water Resources Control Board also could complicate Gov. Jerry Browns proposal for building $15.7 billion giant water tunnels to carry water from the Delta. The state currently takes about half of the Deltas normal flow for agriculture and cities each year. The new state report says current management of the Delta has caused the decline of almost all native species there. It recommends the state leave more water in the river system and Delta for at least three seasons of the year. The Delta provides water used by two-thirds of Californias people and at least 3 million acres of California farmland. Connecting to the San Francisco Bay, the Delta also is part of the West Coasts largest estuary. Native salmon in the waterway are an anchor species on the West Coast, supporting life forms ranging from Northern California forests to orca whales in the Pacific Ocean. Five years of drought on top of decades of water withdrawals from the Delta have cut the numbers of native salmon and brought other species, such as the Delta smelt, close to extinction. The state water board is now slated to consider altering or adopting recommendations in the report. Wednesdays findings make no recommendation on how much normal flow to leave in the Sacramento River watershed, including the Delta. Instead, board members will analyze the outcomes of the state letting anywhere from 35 percent to 75 percent of the water flow out to the Pacific Ocean. The reports recommendations could threaten the twin-tunnels proposal, which would send water around the delta to be delivered to south, because the tunnels project is based on maintaining the current level of water withdrawals from the waterways. Kate Poole, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, which supports leaving more water in the rivers system, called it a safe bet that the recommendation for restoration of more natural flow would cut deliveries of water for people. California farm groups adamantly oppose any such water cuts to agriculture. They tell you if we put more water in the river itll be better for the fish, said Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation. I dont buy that for a second. WASHINGTON 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 the expectations of some outside analysts, who think 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 automatically be re-enrolled 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. 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. 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 insurance 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. healthcare-1stld-writethru Every eight years, the University of New Mexico Hospital must ask Bernalillo County voters to renew their property-tax mill levy. The tax raises approximately $95 million per year and costs the owner of a $200,000 home between $300 and $400 annually. The median overall property tax burden on a $200,000 home in Albuquerque is $2,698, so UNMH claims a significant proportion of your property-tax bill. And while the hospital claims, rightly, that your tax burden wont increase if the levy is renewed, the fact is that public-policy conditions have changed that should allow the hospital to require less of county residents hard-earned money. A big portion of UNMHs mission is indigent care. That means providing services for the uninsured and others who cant pay for their own health care. But since the last mill levy passed, Obamacare took effect, with a primary mission of insuring indigent care via a massive expansion of Medicaid. Whether you think Medicaid expansion was a good decision or not, UNMH has seen indigent care needs drop dramatically. In 2013, UNMH served approximately 27,000 county residents. UNMH is now serving less than half the uninsured county residents it did in 2013. So why is UNMH requesting the same mill levy for a rapidly declining number of uncompensated-care cases? Perhaps it assumes that voters will blindly go along with yet another feel-good scheme to separate them from their money? Voters should carefully consider not renewing the mill levy and instead, force UNMH to come up with a different, smaller ask in the future. After all, it isnt as if were not paying for Medicaid expansion already. As federal taxpayers, we have been funding and borrowing money to fund Medicaid expansion for years. But over the next five years, New Mexicans will be on the hook for a bigger portion of the overall bill: $778 million, to be exact. We know how bad our economy is. What no one knows is how were going to pay the huge new bill for Medicaid expansion. Perhaps more troubling, as far as UNMH is concerned, is why a government-owned entity with a core mission that includes indigent care advertises its services. The Rio Grande Foundation requested data for the calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016, and found the hospital spent $1.3 million over that time period on advertising. Yes, the U.S. Postal Service, which like UNMH, is government-owned, advertises, but that doesnt make it right or necessary. (And at least the post office charges its customers.) Why spend hundreds of thousands annually to tout that UNMH exists and that it is New Mexicos only Level I Trauma Center? UNMH already has a website set up in support of the mill levy. The deck is always stacked against those who oppose publicly funded entities in campaigns to either raise taxes or keep the tax revenue flowing in. To the extent that any grass-roots opposition to the UNMH mill levy forms, it will be outspent dramatically. Amazingly, the hospitals annual advertising budget far exceeds the annual budget of the Rio Grande Foundation. There is nothing new about the forces of limited and responsible government being outspent, but with the amount and cost of indigent care on the decline, shouldnt Bernalillo County residents have a fully informed debate about the UNMH mill levy before Election Day? The Romanian model and television presenter's cryptic message on Instagram has left everyone guessing. By India Today Web Desk: Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur's rumoured affair has been the talk of the town for a while. The Romanian beauty is frequently spotted with Salman, be it at film screenings or parties or film sets. Just when everyone thought that the country's most eligible bachelor will settle down with Iulia, rumours of their relationship going kaput began doing the rounds. Now, Iulia's latest instagram post has everyone guessing again. advertisement ALSO READ: Salman Khan's girlfriend Iulia Vantur is already Mrs Khan. Not joking! ALSO READ: Iulia Vantur denies being "just friends" with Salman Khan? ALSO READ: Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur want their relationship to work, but as for marriage... ALSO READ: Iulia Vantur and Salman Khan call it quits? Other times Salman has been unlucky in love The Romanian model and television presenter posted a special message to mark the occasion of Karva Chauth. She posted a picture of newlyweds with the caption: "God has given each one of us 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 hands, 2 legs. To be complete we need THE matching heart. Celebrate love, it's the most beautiful gift we have. Happy Karva Choth! #love #celebration #gift #share #together #special" We can't help wondering if the cryptic message was meant for Salman. --- ENDS --- My fathers mother was a diehard Democrat. If Ted Bundy and Charles Manson were running on a ticket touting their record on womens rights, theyd have her vote as long as they werent Republicans. Elsie was the kind of partisan who was incapable of seeing beyond the edges of her voter registration card. Im sure shes still planning to support Hillary Clinton in November, assuming she can find the polling place nearest to her plot at Holy Cross Cemetery. Elsie was not alone in her unique, single-minded devotion. Many people are incapable of deviating from lifelong loyalties and biases and will go to their graves rejecting, out of hand, anything the other side has to say on any topic of significance. There are Republicans who wouldnt wear an Im With Him button even if the Him in question was Jesus Christ, assuming the Son of God was a registered Democrat. We vote our prejudices, our preferences and our comfort zone. I never thought I was that kind of voter. I was a registered Democrat for many years, until last March, when I changed my registration to Republican so I could vote for John Kasich in the Pennsylvania primary. Still, I dont feel any different; Ill continue to vote across party lines if the person on the other side of that line is appealing enough. Sorry, Grandma. But I recently realized that there is one thing that I cannot compromise, and that is my dignity. I will not vote for someone who shows a lack of respect for my principles, my values, my most intimate beliefs. She doesnt need to share them, necessarily. But she cannot show, either through her own actions or by proxy through those who keep her counsel, that she treats them like gum at the bottom of an orthopedic shoe. Im Christine, I am a Catholic, and I vote. Ive often seen bumper stickers that say, Im Pro Gun and I Vote, Im Pro Choice and I Vote, Im Dead and I Still Vote (In Philadelphia). Im embarrassed to say that I regarded them with some elitist disdain, confident that I was a better-educated, more open-minded citizen because I couldnt be a one-issue voter. Ive come close when that issue is abortion, and I can count on two fingers the pro-choice candidates Ive supported in 37 years of voting. But it was only this past week, when I read the emails that were leaked by Julian Assange, or Vlad of the impeccable pectorals, that flurry of exchanges between John Podesta and other Clinton intimates, that I realized I am a one-issue voter. And that issue is my faith. Its a little different from what Ive talked about in the past. Sometimes my columns have focused on the duties of Catholic candidates to be consistent with their spiritual formation, as I did when comparing Tim Kaine with Mike Pence, or when I chastised Joe Biden for being pro-choice. But this time, its more serious than that, and transcends specific issues. Reading those emails was a revelation to me. There was such disdain for Catholics, such pre-packaged vitriol, such high school bathroom mocking that I thought they were parodies of real conversations. It didnt occur to me that people who were that close to a candidate who has always touted the importance of tolerance would, themselves, be avatars of bigotry. I dont have the stomach to reproduce the emails in detail, but here is an excerpt from a three-way discussion among Podesta, John Halpin and Jen Palmieri, all close associates of Clinton: Many of the most powerful elements of the conservative movement are all Catholic (many converts) from the (Supreme Court) and think tanks to the media and social groups. Its an amazing bastardization of the faith. They must be attracted to the systematic thought and severely backwards gender relations and must be totally unaware of Christian democracy. Yes, we all know there are far too many Catholics on the Supreme Court. Theyre going to overturn Roe v. Wade. Just give them another 43 years and you know theyll finally do it, one of these days. Those sneaky papists, they lull you into a sense of security and then, wham! back to the coat hanger. Excuse my digression. The fact is, the emails were indicative of some very vile biases on the left that have been allowed to fester in the darkness, because bringing them into the open would lose the Democrats some key votes. Not the vote of Grandma Elsie, who was a political lemming, but the support of those Catholics on the fence who were blue-collar, simple folk who loved both the social safety net and unborn babies. Now, all bets are off. Unless Clinton disavows the sentiment behind those emails, she is showing very clearly how much value she places on Catholic dignity: none. Christine Flowers is a lawyer and a special contributor to the Philadelphia Daily News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON To hear the many howls of protest from conservatives, youd think that a handful of emails released by WikiLeaks demonstrates that Hillary Clintons campaign is a nest of anti-Catholics. Fortunately for her, the emails, which are 4 to 5 years old, tell a far more interesting tale about the struggles inside the Catholic Church in the period before the ascendancy of Pope Francis. All journalism relying on WikiLeaks should note our government has accused Russia of trying to influence the American election. Voters need to be wary of Vladimir Putins apparent preference for Donald Trump. But given the storm the Catholic emails have provoked, readers might want to make up their own minds by consulting the full texts. In one 2012 exchange between John Podesta, the founding president of the Center for American Progress and now Clintons campaign chairman, and Sandy Newman, president of a group called Voices for Progress, Newman expressed the anger of many liberals at the time that conservative Catholic bishops were making the Affordable Care Acts contraception mandate central to a critique of President Obama. Among other things, Newman (who is not part of the Clinton campaign) called for a Catholic Spring, in which Catholics themselves demand the end of a middle ages dictatorship and the beginning of a little democracy and respect for gender equality in the Catholic Church. Of course many Catholics took offense, especially at that middle ages dictatorship line. Podesta didnt comment on it. He referred instead to progressive Catholic organizations formed after the 2004 election, when conservative bishops seemed to side with George W. Bush. We created Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good to organize for a moment like this, Podesta said, referring to himself and his progressive Catholic allies. But I think it lacks the leadership to do so now. Likewise Catholics United. Like most Spring movements, I think this one will have to be bottom up. Ironically, a Spring movement did arise in the church but from the top, with Pope Francis election in 2013. Also ironically: Many of the conservative Catholics inclined to denounce the Clinton camp have been critical of Francis it gives new meaning to the term more Catholic than the pope while more liberal Catholics like Podesta have championed him. I should say Ive known Podesta for many years and often heard him speak with affection for the church. In response to this controversy, he told me in an email that as a lifelong practicing Catholic, I take very seriously the social and moral teachings of the church. Turning to Trumps assertion that His Holiness, Pope Francis, was disgraceful for standing up for immigrants, he said that Trump may want to apologize for his attacks on Pope Francis before he levels attacks against us. The other exchange, between John Halpin and Jennifer Palmieri both were at the Center for American Progress then, both are Catholic, and Palmieri is now Clintons communications director was spurred by a report that Rupert Murdoch and a top Wall Street Journal editor had decided to raise their young children as Catholics. Noting how many leading conservatives are Catholic, Halpin wrote: Its an amazing bastardization of the faith. They must be attracted to the systematic thought and severely backwards gender relations and must be totally unaware of Christian democracy. Palmieri replied: I imagine they think it is the most socially acceptable politically conservative religion. Their rich friends wouldnt understand if they became evangelicals. Podesta was copied on the exchange, but didnt respond. This doesnt sound anti-Catholic, unless you see calling the church conservative as a slur. Its a commentary on how wealthy people view evangelicals. For his part, Halpin, who, like Palmieri, is Catholic, wrote Thursday that my intention in this private note was not to insult Catholics or people of faith. He added: Im a progressive Catholic who was reacting in a private email to the arguments of leading conservatives who often misuse Catholicism to defend their agenda. Liberals can be just as guilty of this as conservatives. Thats what makes Catholic social teaching powerful. The factual bottom line is that in private correspondence, the two Clinton campaign officials said nothing anti-Catholic, although they did not reproach the critical comments of their friends. As a progressive Catholic myself, here are the lessons I draw. Liberals are free to criticize religion in general or particular religions, but they should resist casual put-downs of Catholics and Christians that theyd condemn if they were directed at other faiths. Conservatives in the Catholic hierarchy need to pay attention to Pope Francis and ponder the high costs of tying a church with a rich tradition of social teaching to the right end of politics. Finally, this episode is part of an ongoing argument among more liberal and more conservative religious people, and it will long outlast this election. LOS ANGELES It rankles Gary Johnson he wasnt able to be onstage Wednesday night with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the final presidential debate. Really, really it just sucks no other way to put it, the Libertarian presidential nominee said prior to an event inside a chic Los Angeles nightclub where he was set to rally supporters. Im the only third-party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states. Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, has been absent from the stage in all three presidential debates because hes unable to meet the national polling threshold of 15 percent in five major national polls. Johnson said if he were allowed to participate, he could, perhaps, force Clinton and Trump to focus solely on issues. Maybe we could actually talk about issues, instead of seeing them talk about how theyre going to kill one another, Johnson said. In recent months, Johnson, who in some polls has done well with millennial voters, has sought to shore up that support by reaching out to young people who backed Bernie Sanders throughout the Democratic primary. This week Johnson released a campaign video attacking Clinton and highlighting issues on which he says he and Sanders share common ground among them, opposition to the Iraq War and marijuana legalization. Sanders has endorsed Clinton and is one of her leading surrogates on the campaign trail. Mary Kelly is a highly effective teacher, according to the New Mexico Public Education Department, but she rejects the label and the system behind it. On Wednesday afternoon, Kelly kicked off a protest in front of Albuquerque Public Schools headquarters by tossing her evaluation into a garbage can and lighting it on fire. About a dozen other educators followed, each giving a short speech about their grievances with the process before throwing their evaluation in the flames. The gathering was organized by AlbuCore, a caucus of rank and file educators within the Albuquerque Teachers Federation. Im here today because I think the PEDs system is punitive and arbitrary, said Kelly, who teaches high school social studies, but asked that her school not be named. I dont think there are structures in place to actually help people become better teachers. Whats happening is this is chasing teachers out. Francesca Blueher retired in 2014 after 17 years teaching fourth- and fifth-graders, and she said the evaluations played a role in her decision to leave. She was rated highly effective, but she felt disgusted by the evaluation process, as well as school grades and increased testing. On Wednesday, Blueher burned a piece of paper represented all the anonymous ineffective teachers. Destroying the evaluation is a symbol of how evaluation is destroying our profession, she said. Since these evaluations, we have had an exodus of teachers. This is profoundly impacting our schools. Blueher described low morale among educators who feel punished by labels like ineffective or minimally effective. She and the other protestors are particularly concerned about PEDs use of the value-added model, which ties teachers evaluations to students standardized test results. Scores from assessments like the controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, make up half the evaluation. The rest comes from a variety of measures, including classroom observations and teacher attendance. PEDs system has five tiers exemplary, highly effective, effective, minimally effective and ineffective with over 90 percent of teachers falling in the three middle levels. Jefferson Middle School Spanish and science teacher Clayton Beverly said PED claims the approach is data-driven, but its actually garbage. He chucked PEDs bar graphs and scatter plots into the flames, along with his minimally effective evaluation. As a science teacher, I teach students to think critically about data, Beverly said. This is bad data. Several teachers agreed, noting that their evaluations had varied from year to year though they hadnt changed their practices. Zia Elementary bilingual intervention teacher David A. Wilson went from minimally effective to effective, and he thinks the change comes down to politics within his school. The evaluation system is arbitrary and capricious, he said. The Albuquerque Teachers Federation and the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico made that claim in a lawsuit against PED and won an injunction in December. Under the terms, AFT cannot use the evaluations to take action against teachers until a trial is complete. In an emailed statement, PED spokesman Robert McEntyre said the unions are trying to preserve the status quo. Every profession is evaluated, and our teachers should be no different because it allows us to recognize those who are highly effective and help those who are struggling, he said. ALTURAS, Calif. A sheriffs deputy in a Northern California county near the Oregon border was shot to death Wednesday while responding to a disturbance call, the Modoc County Sheriffs Office said. Deputies were responding to a call on County Road 115, in a rural area about 10 miles south of Alturas, when deputy Jack Hopkins, 31, was fatally shot. A suspect was detained shortly after, the sheriffs office said. Hopkins joined the force last year, the office said. A video posted late Wednesday to the Modoc County Sheriffs Offices Facebook page showed about two dozen patrol cars with their emergency lights on riding down a towns street. The video was titled Deputy Jack Hopkins Procession. The Shasta, Siskiyou, Lassen and Butte County Sheriffs Offices and the California Highway Patrol are investigating the shooting, the office said. The California Highway Patrol, the Alturas Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service responded to the scene after a call about an officer-involved shooting went out, the office said. The Modoc County Sheriffs Office said earlier in a brief statement the deputy was involved in an active-shooter incident. It didnt release any other details. The deputy is the fourth law enforcement officer in California to die in the line of duty in the last 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. Alex Ruiz, a training and development consultant at the University of New Mexicos Center for Development and Disability, will serve as a statewide ambassador, spearheading the use of new recommended practices for the care and education of young children with disabilities. Ruiz joins a select group of 16 experts chosen by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Ruiz and her fellow ambassadors are based in state and local agencies and universities. They will receive support for their roles from state programs for children with disabilities, birth through age 5, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. We hand-picked the ambassadors for their broad expertise and skills, said Joan Danaher, associate director of the ECTA. They form a national cohort with knowledge of evidence-based practices, professional development and training, and their states early childhood services and practitioner networks. Danaher said the ambassadors will be an extension of the ECTA Center, disseminating information and providing training within their states. Not only will they collaborate with one another to develop and share strategies and resources, but each will develop and implement goals aligned with a state improvement effort. As part of this inaugural group of ambassadors, Alex Ruiz will also participate in designing, documenting, and making recommendations for subsequent groups as we continue to disseminate materials nationally, Danaher said. Ruiz said she was eager to be part of ECTA Centers community of learners and provide feedback for the improvement of products that can be implemented and used in school district programs, with practitioners and with families. She added that as an ambassador she was looking forward to bringing the recommended practices into the development of high-quality inclusion programs. The recommended practices were developed by the Council for Exceptional Childrens Division for Early Childhood. They will provide guidance about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote the development of children age 5 and younger, who have or are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities. Ruiz, a New Mexico Public Education Department Focus consultant, currently provides support to rural schools and regarding high-quality inclusion programs for preschool children. She has also worked as a special education teacher and an early childhood instructional specialist. Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped two of eight charges against the county jail sergeant accused of raping four female inmates ahead of his trial that begins Monday on the remaining counts. Torry Chambers trial before state District Court Judge Stan Whitaker is expected to last up to eight days. Prosecutor Jacqueline James said one of the four alleged victims in the case has chosen not to testify at the trial and the two felony counts that involve her have been dropped. She indicates that she suffered post traumatic stress disorder caused by this case, James said. And the state is unable to bring her to New Mexico to testify at trial. Court documents allege that Chambers used his position of authority at the Metropolitan Detention Center to coerce the inmates into sex and also allowed a male inmate, who was a former prison guard, to rape a female inmate. Chamber remains on staff as a sergeant at MDC. The county paid $925,000 to settle a civil suit filed by three of the alleged victims. Whitaker heard arguments Wednesday on a slew of motions. He ruled on some, and said that others will be handled as they arise at trial. He will allow testimony from the MDC internal affairs investigator who initially looked into the rape allegations. Although Whitaker said that the investigators report, which likely contains hearsay, wont be admissible, the investigator can testify about the conclusions he drew. Attorneys also argued about whether they can use the word rape at trial, which Whitaker ultimately said would not be permitted. The word rape is a common use term, James said. A victim of rape will not come up and say, I have been criminally sexually penetrated. But Chambers attorney William Cooley said that the word isnt used in the criminal statute or jury instructions. It is highly charged. It is highly conclusionary, he said. And I know that it is irrefutably inflammatory and prejudicial against the defendant, and thats the reason why the state wants to use it. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal Under the care of city Animal Welfare animal handler Sarita Silva, an 85-pound German shepherd named Odin sits on command, stays quiet, and, sometimes, gives her his paw. In the custody of owner Betsy Cook, Odin and his German shepherd playmate, Pandora, have attacked a 10-year-old neighbor dog and his owner; knocked down and viciously bitten a film crew scout; nipped the postmans pants; attacked and bit two other dogs; and chased a handyman and his son down the street, city records show. The city of Albuquerque alleges Cook, 70, has a long history of irresponsible dog ownership and cant control either of her dogs. In an unusual move, the city sued Cook in state District Court in 2015 to gain permanent custody of the two dogs for possible euthanization. The legal action came before the city strengthened its own Angels Law earlier this year to better protect the public against dangerous dogs. The city impounded the two German shepherds more than 17 months ago, pending a court decision. On Tuesday, Silva visited them in their protective custody cages at the West Side animal shelter, and they wagged their tails as she threw them treats. Silva says they are obedient and shes never been afraid of them. Cook, who has moved from Downtown Albuquerque to a home on three acres of land in rural San Ysidro, 50 miles northwest of Albuquerque, is fighting to keep Odin and Pandora. She says they are service dogs who are trained to protect her. Cook has partial hearing loss and other health issues, according to records in the case. Metro Court records show that three prior attempts since 2011 to force Cook to obey Albuquerque animal laws all ended in dismissals. The current District Court case languished for a year until May when Cook appeared with an Albuquerque civil rights attorney working pro bono. At a July 28 hearing, state District Judge Beatrice Brickhouse broached the subject of whether, under state law, Odin and Pandora can be released to Cook temporarily pending resolution of the case. You know before we get to the point of a dog being humanely destroyed, you know, all efforts should be made to see if there is a chance that the dog can be, I dont know, rehabilitated or at least put in a situation where it doesnt present a danger to the community, Brickhouse stated. Brickhouse made the remarks in rejecting the citys motion for summary judgment, which would have given the city permanent custody of the dogs without a hearing on their alleged dangerousness. The evidence is overwhelming that indeed both Odin and Pandora are dangerous dogs under city ordinance and state law, argued managing assistant city attorney Eric Locher, according to a transcript of that hearing. But Brickhouse noted the two city administrative judges used a lower standard in deeming the German shepherds dangerous than the clear and convincing standard of evidence required for the court to rule in the citys favor. Separate incidents The city hearing officers considered two separate incidents over a six-month period when Cook lived in Downtown Albuquerque. On Dec. 14, 2014, the dogs attacked a woman and her 10-year-old bichon frise as they walked down the street. The dog was injured but recovered. The owner was knocked down but wasnt seriously hurt, an animal welfare report states. In the case of film scout Mickey Browne in May 2015, Cook was present when Browne asked if he could walk into the yard near her Downtown casita to look for a possible production set. The dogs jumped him, biting him repeatedly. Brown was later treated at a nearby hospital and released. There is no doubt about (Cooks) genuine affection for her dogs, Pandora and Odin, nor about her good intentions to be responsible for their care and proper containment within the confines of her property. Unfortunately, the preponderance of credible evidence in this case indicates that, through her age and infirmities, she is not up to those tasks, city hearing officer Willard H. Davis Jr. wrote, in a March 2015 decision. The several years and incidents involved prove that her dogs, in their present conditions and surroundings, are dangerous to the community. Christopher Romero, then a captain at the Animal Welfare Department, told the judge at the July hearing: Its been a little bit of a challenge, but some of our staff have been able to handle the dogs enough to get them out for walks. So were doing that very carefully. Its taken some time for them (staff) to gain the trust of the animals. Silva, who used to work at the Albuquerque zoo, said she hopes the two dogs can be released to a home where they can thrive. City officials say they know of no staff member who has been bitten by either dog. Brickhouse noted that under the states dangerous dog law, owners can admit their dog is dangerous or potentially dangerous and be allowed to keep the animal if they complete registration and handling requirements, such as ensuring the dogs have a proper enclosure. The owner also must enter the dog in a socialization and behavior class. In the past, city animal welfare records state, Cook has dismissed dog school as a joke. The city also contended in its court filing that Cook has been in repeated denial of her dogs aggressive behaviors. Brickhouse stated in July: It seems as though Ms. Cook does feel pretty strongly about her dogs. Looking at the statute, it does seem to give an owner many opportunities to try to save their animal. Cooks lawyer, Matthew Garcia, told the judge his client would be more than willing and happy to go through the registration process and comply with those procedures. He believes there would be no need for further court proceedings at that point. Locher noted in court records that Cook had a prior dog, Thor, that was deemed dangerous by the city in 2008 and ultimately was euthanized. So there is a significant pattern and history to these dogs attacking citizens, innocent citizens, Locher told the judge. The reality of it, sadly, is that this would very likely happen any time soon, whether theyre in the city limits of Albuquerque or anywhere else. WASHINGTON In their third and final debate before Election Day, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump clashed in an often substantive, issue-oriented forum that showcased the presidential candidates positions on immigration, the Supreme Court, foreign policy, gun control and more. During the debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Trump took aim at Clintons tenure as secretary of state during the administration of President Barack Obama and criticized her comments contained in emails released by WikiLeaks that suggested she favors open borders. At the same time, Clinton zeroed in on Trumps use of Chinese steel to build his hotels, despite his criticism of existing trade deals, and decried his recent suggestions that the U.S. electoral system is rigged. Asked by moderator Chris Wallace of FOX News if he would accept the outcome of the Nov. 8 election if he loses, Trump demurred. I will look at it at the time Im not saying anything right now, Trump said, before charging that the media is corrupt and millions of voters are registered to vote who are ineligible to do so. Clinton called Trumps comments horrifying. Every time Donald thinks things are going against him he concludes whatever it is, is rigged, Clinton said. He is denigrating, he is talking down our democracy. Two prominent New Mexico political pundits Journal pollster Brian Sanderoff and University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson told the Journal Wednesday nights debate had more discussion of traditional presidential issues than the candidates previous matchups. Atkeson said Trump was more focused than in previous debates but missed opportunities to press Clinton on policy weaknesses because he gets so caught up in the personal disagreements with his Democratic rival. Sanderoff described Clinton as focused and forceful and said both candidates put in their best debate performances of the campaign. Although the debate was more substantive than previous contests, it wasnt without personal attacks. Trump called Clinton a nasty woman, while the Democrat panned him as unfit to be commander in chief. On immigration, Trump reiterated his pledge to build a wall along the Mexican border and said Clinton wants to give illegal immigrants amnesty, which he described as a disaster and very, very unfair to many people who have been waiting in line for many years. I want to build the wall, Trump said. We have some bad hombres here and were going to get them out. Clinton recalled sadly meeting a young girl whose parents had been deported, and said rounding up some 11 million illegal immigrants would tear at the nations fabric. I dont want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about in action in our country, she said. I think that is an idea that is not in keeping with our nation and its an idea that would rip our country apart. Trump, a New York businessman and first-time political candidate, vowed to appoint Supreme Court justices who would vote to repeal the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion, and said he would protect Americans right to bear arms. Trump did not dispute Wallaces characterization that he favors relaxing curbs on so-called assault weapons and other firearms. Meanwhile, Clinton vowed to defend Planned Parenthood one of the nations largest abortion providers and said while she supports gun rights, she also backs reasonable regulation, including comprehensive background checks and closing the gun-show loophole. In one of the most heated exchanges, Clinton charged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing Trump because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Trump denied any relationship with Putin saying hed never met him, adding that he would condemn any foreign interference in the election. He also said if he had a better relationship with Putin than Obama or Clinton that would be good. But Trump notably declined to back the intelligence communitys assessment that Russia was involved in the hacking of Democratic organizations. The Clinton campaign has said the FBI also is investigating Russias involvement in the hacking of a top advisers emails. Clashing on trade, Trump said Clinton had misrepresented her position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, noting that she had originally called it the gold standard of trade agreements. Clinton shot back that once the deal was finished, it didnt meet her standards. Im against it now. Ill be against after the election. Ill be against it when Im president, she said. Both were asked if they would consider tax increases or benefit cuts to support Social Security and Medicare programs. Trump said he would cut taxes and repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but he did not detail any plans for Social Security or other entitlement programs. Clinton said she would put more money in the Social Security trust fund through increasing taxes on the wealthy and other methods and promised not to cut benefits. She also argued that the Affordable Care Act has extended the solvency of Medicare and said she would work to bring costs down. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The two biggest moments of Wednesday nights debate also work neatly in tandem to suggest how the ending to this whole ugly campaign might surprise us all. The first was Donald Trumps repeated refusal to say he will accept the legitimacy of the outcome, which is properly being denounced as an outrageous effort to undermine our democracy. The second key moment was Trumps suggestion that Hillary Clinton is such a nasty woman. This seemingly helpless slide into low-grade pettiness, in response to the most cursory of efforts to needle him over his taxes, hints at another way this could all turn out. Trump is trying to go out in a blaze of frightful demagoguery that threatens to take our democracy down with him. Indeed, he appears to be laying the groundwork to question the outcomes legitimacy long after the election is over as a way to keep his followers engaged. But, should things continue as they are, Trump may end up furiously tweeting about the elections rigged outcome at 3:00 a.m. as a sidelined, shriveled, increasingly buffoonish figure, a failed demagogue who is beneath the attention even of late-night TV comics. Trumps effort to cast doubt on the integrity of the election, of course, has specific aims. He hopes to create the impression of a (expletive)show election, to depress enthusiasm and turnout among Clinton supporters. Trumps own advisers have said this is their closing game plan. But the early signs are that this is failing. Demographics expert Michael McDonald made an important point about this to Reuters: The risk he faces by engaging in a scorched-earth policy is that he activates people rather than turning them off. McDonalds calculations have found that, if anything, Trumps antics are spurring more resolve to vote for Clinton, rather than less. McDonald found that after the first debate, there was a surge in absentee voter requests in North Carolina (a state Trump must win) and Georgia (a state that may actually be in play, which would be utterly disastrous for Trump, though this may not prove real). As McDonald concluded, the early evidence suggests that women who are increasingly tuning in to the choice between Trump and Clinton are responding by exercising their right to vote. That was after the first debate before the sex tape emerged, before a parade of women alleged unwanted sexual advances, and before Trump made a total hash of his response to all these revelations at the second debate. And at Wednesday nights debate, Trump essentially confirmed everything many female voters must be concluding about Trumps dim view of them, when he called Clinton such a nasty woman. It seems plausible that all of this may only further engage female voters. For some TV commentators, Trumps such a nasty woman moment captured the depths of his failure Wednesday night he has now squandered his final chance to broaden his appeal and settle doubts about his temperament. If that is right, and it likely is, then he may well be heading for a decisive loss. In that context, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway made an accidental concession Thursday morning that could reverberate later. Asked on Good Morning America whether Trump will accept the outcome, should he lose, Conway said Trump respects the principles of democracy. But she then said: He cant say whats going to happen if the election is very close, adding that we just dont know what will happen. She compared such an outcome to the contested election in 2000. Thats a silly comparison, since what distinguishes Trumps current campaign is that unlike in 2000, he is questioning the legitimacy of the outcome in advance, something historians say may be unprecedented in U.S. history. Beyond that, Conway is essentially admitting that the only conceivable way Trump can continue casting doubt on the outcome is if its very close. But its now looking like it might not be close at all. Consider just how absurd it will really look if Trump actually goes through with his threat to continue claiming the outcome was rigged if he has lost the popular vote by five or more points and has suffered a massive landslide loss in the electoral college. Trump also obviously hopes to parlay doubts about the legitimacy of his defeat into fodder to keep his following engaged, in ways that maintain his potency as a political force that will cause GOP leaders to quake with terror. He has already signaled his intention to direct his mob of supporters to blame GOP leaders for a loss. But what if all this just ends up fizzling? As GOP strategist Rick Wilson puts it: After 2008, there was a little Sarah Palin cult that has lasted, but it hasnt changed the party. I see the same thing with Trump: a group of die-hards building a whole mythology about, He was betrayed.' I dont mean to minimize the danger Trump poses. But heres what might happen in response to it: voters may turn out in record numbers, reaffirming our faith in our democracy. That might actually happen. If so, all of Trumps threats to continue sowing destruction may end up fizzling ignominiously. Or, alternatively, if Trumps loss is humiliating enough, he may not even go through with his threat to continue contesting the outcome at all. trump-democracy-comment By Rahul Noronha: Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, and Congress MLA Satyadev Katare, 61, passed away at a private medical facility after a prolonged illness in Mumbai today. Born on February 15, 1955, Katare (61), a senior Congress leader, is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. He was suffering from lung cancer and undergoing treatment at the Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai since April 18, Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said. advertisement A four term MLA from Ater constituency in Bhind district, Katare had won the assembly elections in 1985, 1993, 2003 and 2013. Katare had remained absent from the House due to his illness. Congress had nominated senior party MLA and former minister Bala Bachchan as the acting Leader of Opposition. Katare started his political career from a remote village called Manepura in Bhind district and was awarded the title of 'Best Youth Coordinator' for his dedication and work in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. In the faction ridden MP Congress unit, in his initial years, he was considered to be close to former CM Motilal Vora, then late Madhav Rao Scindia followed by former Union Minister Suresh Pachauri and now Jyotiraditya Scindia. Katare was first appointed as Deputy Minister in 1989 during his first term as MLA. Later he was appointed Minister of State in the Digvijaya Singh government in 1993. He lost the 1998 assembly elections, won again in 2003 and lost again in 2008. He also contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhind unsuccessfully on two occasions. Katare was regarded as an engaging and aggressive speaker in the Vidhan Sabha- something that helped him get chosen for the post of Leader of Opposition. He also raised the Vyapam issue in a big way in the assembly in the 2014. However, for the last 2 years, owing to his ill health he had not been attending Vidhan Sabha sessions. Congress MLA Bala Bachchan has been functioning as the Acting Leader of Opposition since 2014. Katare's son Hemant is likely to be fielded as the Congress candidate from the Ater Assembly segment whenever by-elections are held. Satyadev Katare's funeral will be held at Manepura, his ancestral village in Bhind district on Friday. His death has been condoled by Congress and BJP leaders across the state. --- ENDS --- BEIRUT Turkey escalated its offensive Thursday against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, pounding them with airstrikes and artillery, and complicating the battle against the Islamic State group by Ankara and Washington, both NATO allies. In the fight for Aleppo, meanwhile, the Syrian military used a lull in violence to urge residents and rebels to evacuate the besieged opposition-held part of the city. Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said as many as 200 members of the Kurdish-led forces were killed in Syrias Aleppo province by the Turkish bombing and shelling. A senior commander with the main Syria Kurdish militia confirmed the Turkish attack on his forces north of Aleppo but disputed the casualty toll, saying that no more than 10 fighters were killed. Like in Iraq, where Kurdish fighters are at the forefront of the offensive to retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State group, Kurdish forces in Syria also have been battling IS militants and made significant territorial gains in Aleppo province. That has dismayed Turkey, which is dealing with a homegrown Kurdish insurgency and trying to prevent an expansion of Kurdish influence in Syria. We will not back down, senior Kurdish commander Mahmoud Barkhadan of the Peoples Protection Units told The Associated Press by telephone from the region. We are fighting Daesh. Why are they striking at us? he asked, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Barkhadan accused Turkey of aiding IS militants by turning the fight into a Turkish-Kurdish battle. Turkish artillery also hit near Afrin, a Kurdish enclave in northwestern Syria, he said, adding that his forces have not retreated but that Turkeys actions allowed IS fighters to wage a counteroffensive. More than 10 fighters were killed and 20 wounded in over 30 aerial attacks that began Wednesday night, he said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 14 Kurdish fighters were killed and four were missing. Anadolu, quoting military officials, reported the raids were carried out late Wednesday night on 18 targets in the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria. Between 160 and 200 militia fighters were killed, it said. The targets struck areas that Syrian Kurdish forces recently took over as they pressed a campaign to drive IS militants from areas north of Aleppo. The Syrian Kurdish forces have been a source of tension between Turkey and the United States. The U.S. considers the militia group the Peoples Protection Units, known as the YPG to be the most effective force against the IS group in Syria. Turkey calls it an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out deadly attacks in Turkey and considers it a terrorist organization. A U.S. defense official in Washington said the Syrian Kurdish fighters targeted by Turkish airstrikes Wednesday are not among the Kurdish groups that U.S. forces are advising and assisting, so there were no U.S. troops with those Kurds when they came under attack. The official said Thursday, however, that since the Kurds who were targeted are affiliated with U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters, the Turkish attacks were problematic and have angered the U.S.-backed Kurds. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. In August, Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria to help opposition forces drive IS away from Turkish-Syrian border areas and to curb the Syrian Kurdish forces territorial expansion. Ilham Ahmed, a senior Syrian Kurdish official, said the Turkish attack was an aggression on her peoples aspiration for self-administration in a contiguous territory in the north as well as a threat to the U.S-led anti-terrorism fight there. The Turkish moves threatens a possible campaign against IS in the groups de-facto capital of Raqqa in eastern Syria, Ahmed said. Kurdish forces are the main partner in such a fight, but Ankara has said it is ready to act without Kurdish participation. Ahmed said Turkey is taking advantage of U.S. attention being focused on its presidential election to push back against the Kurds and advance in northern Syria. Washington is asked to put a stop and take a clear and direct position regarding this Turkish aggression. Otherwise, the project of combatting terrorism may be delayed or totally fail in Syria, she said, speaking from Sulaimaniyah, Iraq. Anadolu said the 18 Syrian Kurdish targets hit included nine buildings used as headquarters, meetings points, shelters or arms depots, along with five vehicles. The pause in the fighting in Aleppo is part of a humanitarian cease-fire announced by Russia in the contested city to allow for the evacuation of civilians and fighters, as well as the wounded. Rebels have rejected the offer to evacuate, saying it wasnt serious. Clashes were heard at one of the safe corridors announced by the Syrian military. Talk of fighters or non-fighters leaving is denied and groundless, said Ammar Sakkar, spokesman for Fastaqim, one of the largest rebel groups operating in Aleppo. The rebels decision has not and will not change. It is to be steadfast. Eastern Aleppo, besieged by government troops, has been subjected to intense and relentless airstrikes by Syrian and Russian aircraft in recent weeks. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly that nearly 500 people have been killed and almost 2,000 injured since the Syrian government launched its offensive in eastern Aleppo on Sept. 23. Ban said the citys besieged district has seen the most sustained and intensive aerial bombardment since the conflict began 5 1/2 years ago. He warned that food rations will run out by the end of the month. The secretary-general said the bombing pause will hopefully allow urgent medical evacuations and delivery of emergency medical and humanitarian supplies, but he stressed that this is the bare minimum. At a checkpoint in the rebel-held east, government loudspeakers blared: Our dear people in Aleppo districts, let the wounded and sick leave. We guarantee you safe passage. Seize the opportunity and protect your families lives. They offered a warm meal and medical help along the way. There is no point in continuing to fight. Your positions and bases and warehouses are known to us precisely. Dont use civilians as human shields, the announcements said. But there were no takers Thursday, with residents saying they did not trust the promise in the absence of international monitors. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura insisted a unilateral cease-fire aims only to allow medical evacuations and is not part of a broader plan that he has laid out for Aleppo, countering an assertion by Syrian President Bashar Assad that most civilians want to leave. But de Mistura told the General Assembly later that in this current lull in bombardment, we hope this is more than just a temporary initiative. If it is temporary, which is what we have been so far told, then we do fear that if the previous level of bombing resumes eastern Aleppo could end up being destroyed before Christmas and the end of this year, he said. Senior U.N. aid official Jan Egeland told the AP that the U.N. received verbal assurances for the extension of the three-day pause by another day until Monday to allow for the U.N.-supervised medical evacuation of wounded from the city. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed an extension but only mentioned the pause was being prolonged by one day. The discrepancy between the statements could not immediately be reconciled. Egeland said talks are continuing with armed opposition groups on the deal. He said he expects medical supplies to be allowed in. Ibrahim al-Haj, a resident of eastern Aleppo and a volunteer with the White Helmets team of first responders in the city, said no one trusts safe passages without U.N. supervision. If there is no corridor with international supervision, it is impossible anyone would leave, al-Haj said, adding that shots were fired over the heads of some who approached the crossing Thursday. He blamed government snipers. ___ Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Robert Burns in Washington, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. BEIJING Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that his country is separating from the U.S. in a speech before a Beijing economic forum on Thursday, after handing China a major diplomatic victory, agreeing to resume dialogue on their South China Sea territorial dispute following months of acrimony. The rapprochement between the two Asia nations could widen a political rift between the United States and the Philippines, whose recently elected leader has made no secret of its antipathy for America and ordered an end to joint maneuvers between their militaries. Your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States both in military and economics also, Duterte said. His remarks were met with applause, but Duterte was not more specific. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Dutertes remarks were inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship we have with the Filipino people as well as the government there on many different levels, not just from a security perspective. Following talks in Beijing between Duterte and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, a senior Chinese diplomat announced the sides had agreed to restore the full range of contacts, although he said the leaders touched only briefly on the South China Sea. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, Liu said. That was followed with an announcement by Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez at a bilateral economic forum that his country and China will sign $13.5 billion of deals this week. He did not elaborate. Separately, the Philippines Presidential Communications Office said Xi committed more than $9 billion in low-interest loans to the country, with about a third of the loan offer coming from private banks. About $15 million in loans will go toward drug rehabilitation programs. In opening remarks to his talks with Xi, Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, he said. Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship. Xi, who greeted Duterte with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing, said the meeting had milestone significance. In a reference to the South China Sea tensions, Xi said that although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed. While not mentioning the South China Sea specifically, Xi said that the two sides could set aside issues on which an agreement is hard to reach in their discussions, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Bilateral talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Dutertes predecessor. The Philippines has insisted the ruling form the basis for any negotiations, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. Duterte has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his countrys claims in the South China Sea. The Philippine leader known for his devil-may-care, profanity-laden speeches had said he would not raise the issue that has angered China unless his Chinese counterpart first brought it up, out of courtesy to his host. Dutertes visit showed his desire for economic benefits, while the Chinese want to manage issues between the two countries through bilateral talks, Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., wrote in an email. This is an interesting courtship between China and the Philippines, Glaser wrote. It remains to be seen whether China will seek Manilas respect for Chinese sovereignty. That would likely be a deal breaker. In Washington, officials seemed puzzled by Dutertes comments. We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from us, Kirby told reporters. Its not clear to us exactly what that means and all its ramifications. Kirby said the top U.S. diplomat for Asia, Daniel Russel, is traveling to Manila this weekend and would hold conversations with Filipino government officials. It isnt just the United States that is baffled by this rhetoric, Kirby said. We have heard from many of our friends and partners in the region who are likewise confused about where this is going. Despite Dutertes increasingly sharp criticism of the United States, Kirby said the two countries 70-year alliance hasnt yet been affected. We remain rock solid in our commitment in the mutual defense treaty we have with the Philippines. That hasnt changed, he said, adding that he hoped the alliance would grow and develop and deepen. ___ Associated Press writers Jim Gomez contributed to this report from Manila, Philippines and Bradley Klapper contributed from Washington. Donald Trumps performance in the final presidential debate will be remembered for a lot of reasons, but probably not for his particular attempts at foreign policy commentary, which were less conspicuous than his grumbling interruptions of his adversary Hillary Clinton and his apparent rejection of the norms of the American democratic process. But consider his response when asked about Mosul, the Iraqi city thats been under control of the Islamic State since the summer of 2014 and that is now the target of a ground offensive launched by the Iraqi government. The thrust of the question posed by debate moderator was whether once the city is recaptured, as it is expected to be U.S. troops should constitute some form of occupation force. Clinton said no and that a large American troop deployment would be a big red flag waving for ISIS to reconstitute itself. She went on to talk about the difficulties of fighting the extremist group and linked the challenge to the civil war in neighboring Syria and the need to gain leverage over the Syrian regime and its international allies. Then came Trump. Here is the entirety of his response, interspersed with analysis: Let me tell you, Mosul is so sad. We had Mosul. But when she (Clinton) left, when she took everybody out, we lost Mosul. Now were fighting again to get Mosul. The problem with Mosul and what they wanted to do is they wanted to get the leaders of ISIS who they felt were in Mosul. About three months ago, I started reading that they want to get the leaders and theyre going to attack Mosul. Whatever happened to the element of surprise, okay? We announce were going after Mosul. I have been reading about going after Mosul now for about how long is it, Hillary, three months? These people have all left. Theyve all left. Despite ignoring the real policy question at hand what to do going forward Trump starts off on relatively solid ground. He bangs the drum that other Republicans and neoconservatives have about the Obama administrations withdrawal from Iraq, which its critics claim paved the way for the chaos that followed. This is a complicated and debatable assertion: the troop pullout was something acceded to by the Bush administration and desired by the Iraqi government in Baghdad itself; the Islamic States origins can also be pinned to the dissolution of Saddam Husseins Baathist regime after the 2003 U.S. invasion. Trump then goes on to point out that the terrorist groups leadership has likely now fled the Iraqi city toward their other redoubts in eastern Syria. Thats probably true, as recent reports indicate. But its totally beside the point. The offensive is about reclaiming one of Iraqs most important cities and the major urban center in the countrys fractious north. Targeting the Islamic States leadership, mostly through airstrikes, is something Washington has been doing separately for quite some time. Then comes the utterly laughable suggestion that the Mosul offensive has only been in discussion for the past three months. That may be a reflection of when the city and the strategic conundrum it represents first entered Trumps consciousness, but anybody following the conflicts in Iraq and Syria would know that Baghdads plan to mobilize a complicated set of factions and reclaim Mosul has been out in the open for well over a year. In March 2015, as my colleagues report, the Iraqi government even dumped thousands of leaflets over Mosul telling everyone about their intent to liberate the city. The idea that the best strategy would be a surprise attack demonstrates both an almost childish understanding of military matters as well a total obliviousness to the complexities on the ground. There is no way to assemble 40,000 troops and suddenly mad-dash into a city of 2 million people, with no advance, and unavoidably visible preparation, notes Slates Fred Kaplan. There is especially no way to do so when for political as well as military reasons these 40,000 troops consist of Iraqi soldiers and police, Kurdish peshmerga, Sunni tribesmen, Shiite militias, and American special forces, air power, and intelligence, all with Turkish assent. At no point in this election campaign has the Republican nominee ever demonstrated an interest or appreciation for this nuance. The element of surprise. Douglas MacArthur, George Patton spinning in their graves when they see the stupidity of our country. And then he doubles down on the idea of a surprise attack with an amazing bit of hyperbole. Sure, it would be interesting to know what these famed American generals of yore would make of the stupidity of the present. For what its worth, though, MacArthur himself is accused of falling victim to surprise attacks, particularly the Japanese bombing and invasion of the Philippines in December 1941 that led to tens of thousands of American and Filipino deaths. He burnished his credentials in 1950 during the Korean War with a dramatic, surprise amphibious landing at Inchon that helped turn the tide against the North Koreans. That conflict, though, ended not in victory but in an intractable stalemate that remains to this day. Whatever the case, the modern battlefield is vastly different from what it was more than half a century ago, and for Trump to assume otherwise reveals a great deal about his own capacity for strategic thinking. So were now fighting for Mosul, that we had. All she had to do was stay there, and now were going in to get it. But you know who the big winner in Mosul is going to be after we eventually get it? And the only reason they did it is because shes running for the office of president and they want to look tough. They want to look good. He violated the red line in the sand, and he made so many mistakes, made all the mistakes. Thats why we have the great migration. But she wanted to look good for the election. So theyre going in. Trump clutches at tiny straws, making the absurd claim that the offensive, which has been in the works for months, was timed to help Clintons election campaign. He then pivots in the next sentence to what seems to be an attack on President Obama, invoking the White Houses inability to punish the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for using chemical weapons against civilians what Obama had deemed a red line. The sentence structure is a bit convoluted did Obama violate the red line or Assad? Moreover, in the same debate, Trump also panned the United States dealings with rebels fighting Assad. So its not quite clear what mistakes hes referring to, unless hes implying that Washington should have backed the Syrian regime from the beginning. He then goes on to suggest that, because of American inaction or indecision in Syria, we have a refugee crisis. Except, he doesnt call it a refugee crisis or humanitarian disaster but a great migration, a curious term for a tragedy that the international community is struggling to manage. I have already written at length on Trump and the GOPs obfuscation and lying about the status of refugees and the threat they would pose in the United States. Its also interesting that Trump invokes the great migration, a phrase more commonly associated with the early 20th century movement of African Americans from the rural south to the industrialized cities of the north. Given the heated politics of Trumps campaign, maybe theres logic in building a combined bogeyman. But whos going to get Mosul, really? Well take Mosul eventually. But the way if you look at whats happening, much tougher than they thought. Much, much tougher. Much more dangerous. Going to be more deaths that they thought. But the leaders that we wanted to get are all gone because theyre smart. They say, what do we need this for? So Mosul is going to be a wonderful thing. And Iran should write us a letter of thank you, just like the really stupid the stupidest deal of all time, a deal thats going to give Iran absolutely nuclear weapons. Iran should write us yet another letter saying thank you very much, because Iran, as I said many years ago, Iran is taking over Iraq, something theyve wanted to do forever, but weve made it so easy for them. So were now going to take Mosul. And do you know whos going to be the beneficiary? Iran. Oh, yeah, theyre making I mean, they are outsmarting look, youre not there, you might be involved in that decision. But you were there when you took everybody out of Mosul and out of Iraq. You shouldnt have been in Iraq, but you did vote for it. You shouldnt have been in Iraq, but once you were in Iraq, you should have never left the way. The day after the debate, the Iraqi government announced that the Mosul offensive was moving far more swiftly than expected. Still, there are obvious reasons for caution, including concerns for the safety of Mosuls civilian population as well as over the Islamic States capacity for hideous terrorist attacks and suicide bombings. Trump returns to the irrelevant point about the jihadist leaders not being in Mosul before he launches into a bewildering attack on the Iran deal, which doesnt have much to do with the Mosul offensive. A consensus of experts believes that the nuclear deal negotiated by world powers with Iran is working and minimizes the risk of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. The Islamic Republic is indeed a real player in Iraq. A host of Shiite militias with links to Tehran have been on the front lines against the Islamic State. But theyve taken a backseat during the Mosul offensive, largely to allay fears of sectarian clashes once the majority-Sunni city returns to government control. Its not clear at all that Iran will be the prime beneficiary of what follows there are a host of other regional actors, including Turkey and the Kurds, who may all want a piece of the prize and have more immediate claims on northern Iraq. And Irans strong position in Iraq is a direct consequence of the U.S. invasion in 2003, which toppled a doggedly anti-Iranian regime and enabled the rise of a Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad. And this is an invasion that, contrary to what Trump says at the very end, the Republican nominee was for before he was against it. trump-iraq-analysis LAS VEGAS A wave of apprehension and anguish swept the Republican Party on Thursday, with many GOP leaders alarmed by Donald Trumps refusal to accept the outcome of the election and concluding that it is probably too late to salvage his flailing presidential campaign. As the Republican nominee reeled from a turbulent performance in the final debate here in Las Vegas, his partys embattled senators and House members scrambled to protect their seats and preserve the GOPs congressional majorities against what Republicans privately acknowledge could be a landslide victory for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. With 19 days until the election, the Republican Party is in a state of historic turmoil, encapsulated by Trumps extraordinary debate declaration that he would leave the nation in suspense about whether he would recognize the results from an election he has claimed will be rigged or even stolen. The immediate responses from GOP officials were divergent and vague, with no clear strategy on how to handle Trumps threat. The candidate was defiant and would not back away from his position, telling a roaring crowd Thursday in Ohio that he would accept the results if I win and reserving his right to legally challenge the results should he fall short. For seasoned Republicans who have watched Trump warily as a general-election candidate, the aftermath of Wednesdays debate brought a feeling of finality. The campaign is over, said Steve Schmidt, a Trump critic and former senior strategist on George W. Bushs and John McCains presidential campaigns. Calling a refusal to accept the election results disqualifying, Schmidt added: The question is, how close will Clinton get to 400 electoral votes? Shell be north of 350, and shes trending towards 400 and the trend line is taking place in very red states like Georgia, Texas and Arizona. Clinton and Trump appeared together and traded jabs in delivering mostly lighthearted roasts Thursday night at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, a white-tie gala benefiting Catholic charities. The candidates used searing humor to taunt each other, reflecting the personal animus on display in the debates. Trumps routine was at times unsettling, drawing some rare boos from the audience. Held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, the dinner is a traditional event on the calendar for presidential nominees. Meanwhile, top Democrats fanned out to battleground states on Thursday to hammer Trump for what they described as an unprecedented attack on the countrys political system and to attempt to yoke Trump to Republican candidates down the ballot. Campaigning in Miami, President Barack Obama said Trumps doubts about the election outcome are not a joking matter. That is dangerous. The president eviscerated Republicans who have stood by Trump, singling out Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who called Trump a dangerous con artist and condemned his more controversial comments during the GOP primaries but now plans to vote for him. Marco just seems to care about hanging on to his job, Obama said, calling the senators positioning the height of cynicism. And in Arizona, where polls show an unexpectedly tight presidential race, first lady Michelle Obama said Trump is threatening the very idea of America itself by suggesting he would not honor the election results. You do not keep American democracy in suspense, Obama said in Phoenix. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Clintons vice-presidential running mate, held a rally at a downtown Charlotte brewery, where he said Trumps claims of a rigged election reminded him of the Third World politicking he had seen as a young missionary in Honduras. The bigger we can win by, the harder it is for him to whine and have anyone believe him, Kaine said, trying to galvanize supporters on the first day of early voting in North Carolina. On the debate stage, Trump amplified what he had been saying for weeks at his rallies: that the election is rigged. Questioned directly as to whether he would accept the results should Clinton prevail, Trump said, Ill keep you in suspense. Clinton called Trumps answer horrifying, both in the debate and to reporters overnight on her flight home to New York. Trumps advisers and surrogates struggled to explain the candidates position. Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said it was too early to determine whether voting irregularities could make the difference between winning and losing. She and other Trump backers drew a parallel to then-Vice President Al Gores concession call to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, which he later withdrew as he awaited a recount in Florida. Im going to keep reminding everybody about the 2000 election when Al Gore said he would accept the results of the election and then did not, Conway said. He retracted his concession. Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, contended that Trump and the party would stand by the results unless the margin is small enough to warrant a recount or legal challenges. Priebus said Trump is merely preserving flexibility in the event of a contested result. All hes saying is, Look, Im not going to forgo my right to a recount in a close election, Priebus said. We accept the results as long as were not talking about a few votes where it actually matters. I know him. I know where his heads at. I promise you, thats all this is. Other Trump surrogates took a different interpretation. Keith Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general, accused the media of splitting hairs and insisted that Trump was not threatening democratic norms, while former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani argued that any Republican would be stupid to accept the integrity of results before they are known. Suppose she wins Pennsylvania by 50 votes, Giuliani said. He speculated, without evidence, that Democrats would steal a lot more than 50 votes in Philadelphia. I guarantee you of that. And Ill tell you how they will do it theyll bus people in who will vote dead peoples names four, five, six times . . . or have people in Philadelphia paid to vote three, four and five times. Democrats expressed dismay that the Republican nominee and his backers were advancing the idea of widespread voter fraud. He is just trying to find an excuse for the fact that hes going to lose, and perhaps the fact that hes going to lose to the first woman president stings a little sharper than it might otherwise, said Jennifer Palmieri, the Clinton campaigns communications director. Prominent Republican senators in tough reelection bids distanced themselves from Trumps posture. Donald Trump needs to accept the outcome, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said in a statement. McCain, Ariz., who lost to Obama eight years ago, said in a statement: I didnt like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede. A concession isnt just an act of graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people. As of Thursday afternoon, neither House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., nor Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had offered any comment, underscoring the partys unease with its own nominee and the political dangers of tangling with him. Benjamin Ginsberg, a lawyer at Jones Day who has been national counsel for several Republican presidential campaigns, said Trumps stance puts the party in quite a difficult position. There will be Republican candidates who are winning by narrow margins and losing by narrow margins, Ginsberg said. The party as a whole has a collective interest in having the results upheld. Republican pollster Whit Ayres said that at the Las Vegas debate, Trump blew his last chance to turn it around. But, he said, I am not convinced that the rest of the party will have as bad a night [on Election Day] as Donald Trump is going to have, because the Trump brand is so distinct from the Republican brand. Escalating the Republican angst was Trumps rally Thursday in Delaware, Ohio, where he advanced conspiracies swirling around far-right websites about Clinton. He referred to reports that Democratic operatives with no direct connection to the Clinton campaign hired people to violently disrupt Trump events. This criminal behavior that violates centuries of tradition of peaceful democratic elections, a campaign like Clintons that will incite violence is truly a campaign that will do anything to win, Trump said, going on to call Clinton a candidate who is truly capable of anything, including voter fraud. Trump also mentioned an email, which surfaced on WikiLeaks through an illegal hack that U.S. authorities blame on the Russian government, in which interim Democratic National Committee chairwoman Donna Brazile seemed to suggest to the Clinton team that she had knowledge of a question that would come up in a primary forum earlier this year. While Brazile has denied that CNN provided any questions in advance, Trump called her actions cheating at the highest level. Even as his party loses faith, Trump proclaimed that he was poised for victory. Bottom line, were going to win, he told the boisterous Ohio crowd. Were going to win. Were going to win so big. Were going to win so big. Jenna Johnson in Delaware, Ohio; David Weigel in Charlotte; Krissah Thompson in Phoenix; and Juliet Eilperin, Jose A. DelReal and Karoun Demirjian in Washington contributed to this report. VIDEO: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said, Ill keep you in suspense, when answering a question about the tradition of accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post) http://wapo.st/2ekewAQ HE SAID, SHE SAID Highlights from the third Trump-Clinton presidential debate of 2016 https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/highlights-trump-clinton-third-debate/ campaign-4thld-writethru The GOPs nightmare scenario right now is Donald Trump refusing that he would concede the presidential election, and 1) having his supporters take to the streets in protest, and/or 2) undermining democracy in some significant and lasting way. John Harwood thinks the concern is overblown. He tweeted, about our democracy: if Hillary wins 270 electoral votes on Nov 8 her ability to take oath of office will not depend on Trumps permission Harwood also tweeted, put differently, a single aggrieved candidate even if a major party WH nominee lacks the capacity to create a constitutional crisis There is certainly plenty of consternation right now about Trumps comments at Wednesdays debate. But if he did go down that road after Election Day, and raised hell about a rigged election being stolen from him, would Republicans even follow him? Its certainly the case that GOP voters believe in the existence of large-scale voter fraud, which would be the basis of Trumps case for a stolen election. As I wrote earlier this year: A Bloomberg News poll showed that 56 percent of Trump backers believe the election will be rigged. A poll from Democratic-leaning automated pollster Public Policy Polling showed that 69 percent of Trump supporters in North Carolina said that if Hillary Clinton won, it would not be because she got more votes, but because the election results are rigged for her. A survey in Wisconsin back in 2014, meanwhile, showed 54 percent of Republicans thought voter fraud affected thousands of votes in that state the largest option offered. And multiple national polls have shown a majority of Republicans believe voter fraud is a major problem. So clearly, there is a willingness to believe in the core premise of Trumps argument that the election was stolen. But thats different from saying there would be an actual uprising. And there is reason to believe that many or most Republican voters wouldnt follow Trump into that rabbit hole. For one, a new Bloomberg poll shows that just 24 percent of Republicans say that Trump should be the face of the GOP if Hillary Clinton is elected president. His VP pick, Mike Pence, actually finished first, at 27 percent. Thats pretty striking for a GOP presidential nominee to not be in first place. The Bloomberg poll also shows just 38 percent of Republicans say that they will stay loyal to [Trump] and what he stands for and follow his future endeavors for the foreseeable future, while 33 percent say they will stay with him and pay attention to what hes doing for a while, but likely lose interest after a bit. Another 24 percent say theyll quickly disregard him. Again, this doesnt suggest anything close to a majority of Republicans would be Trump dead-enders. Secondly, it remains true that many Republicans simply dont love him and dont believe he represents their party. A Washington Post-ABC News poll last week showed 37 percent of Republican say Trump doesnt represent the core values of the party (56 percent said he did). Another Post-ABC poll from late last month, meanwhile, showed just 49 percent of Republicans have a strongly favorable view of Trump, which seems like its a good approximation of his most passionate supporters. So clearly it wouldnt be all, or probably even half, of the GOP rising up. The Bloomberg poll also showed, notably, that just 17 percent of likely voters have a very favorable view of Trump. Amazingly, thats significantly less than his lesser-known running mate, Pence, whom 26 percent view very favorably. More than anything, though, there is the emerging prospect of a Hillary Clinton rout, in which she wins basically every swing state, a scenario which appears quite possible right now. The 2000 election showed us that plenty of people are liable to believe the election was stolen when the election was very, very close; but the 2016 election right now simply isnt. If the election were held today, it would require arguing that millions of votes were shifted through voter fraud in many different states a majority of which have Republicans in charge of elections, by the way, who would likely attest uniformly and vocally to the validity of the election results. Trump would be on an island. The party is clearly wary of the idea that Trump would question the legitimacy of his loss and for good reason. This is the kind of thing that could undermine the work of all government officials, from both parties. And its worth tamping it down early and often to make sure that doesnt happen. But the idea that people would truly rise up against the government if Trump goes down this road is still a very unlikely worst-case scenario. And while the passions of an election season may not die out quickly, its much more likely this posture would help Trump launch a media company than upend American government. But that, in and of itself, is good reason for Republican Party leaders to want him to pipe down. While Trump might not undermine democracy, he could very well continue to undermine GOP unity. trump-voters WASHINGTON The nations second-highest court on Thursday upheld the conviction of a Guantanamo Bay detainee, siding with the government in a case that tested the power of the military tribunal system. In a 6-to-3 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the conspiracy conviction of Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, a former media secretary to Osama bin Laden. Four judges agreed that military commissions in general have the authority to handle domestic crimes such as conspiracy that are not international war crimes. There was, however, no clear majority with judges filing four separate concurring opinions. The D.C. Circuit has been grappling with questions about the reach of military commissions for six years. The case was argued last December before a full panel of 10 judges. The court agreed to rehear the case after an earlier three-judge panel of the same court threw out the remaining charge against Bahlul, a Yemini man and propagandist for al-Qaida, who was convicted in a military tribunal at Guantanamo in 2008. In upholding the conviction, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh said Congress is not limited by international law from allowing military commissions to try domestic offenses typically heard by civilian federal courts. The Constitution does not give foreign nations (acting through the international law of war or otherwise) a de facto veto over Congresss determination of which war crimes may be tried by U.S. military commissions. Kavanaugh was joined by Judges Janice Rogers Brown and Thomas Griffith. The votes of Judges Robert Wilkins and Patricia Millett, both appointed by President Barack Obama, were critical to reaching a majority that also included Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson. But Wilkins and Millett ruled only on the specific facts of al-Bahluls conviction, without taking up the broader question on the role of military commissions. In a 67-page dissent, Judge David Tatel said the prosecution could have charged al-Bahlul with recognized war crimes or charged him in a civilian federal court. Even though al-Bahul has admitted serving as bin Ladens personal secretary and making al Qaida recruitment videos, Tatel said the challenges of the war on terror do not necessitate truncating the judicial power to make room for a new constitutional order. Tatel was joined by Judges Judith Rogers and Cornelia Pillard. Had the full court invalidated the conspiracy charge in its ruling Thursday, it would have made it more difficult for the government to prosecute low-level detainees at Guantanamo. Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas law professor who filed a brief on behalf of Bahlul, said the case is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court. Without a clear majority rationale in the ruling, Vladeck said the opinion does nothing to settle the basic, fundamental questions that have plagued the commissions since their inception. At oral arguments before the full court, Justice Department lawyers urged the judges to be wary of setting outer bounds that curtail military tribunals at Cubas Guantanamo Bay. Bahluls lawyer said that the governments position would allow military tribunals to usurp the traditional role of civilian courts in handling domestic crimes. The political branches have replaced judicial power with a military trial chamber, Bahluls attorney, Michel Paradis, told the court late last year. The courts Chief Judge Merrick Garland participated in oral arguments, but recused himself from the decision because of his pending nomination to the Supreme Court. gitmo The contentious, nearly half-year-long case of an anthropology professor accused of sexually harassing students is nearly over with the University of New Mexicos choosing to terminate his contract. The decision on Cristobal Valencia follows an earlier decision that he only be censured, which would have allowed him back into the classroom. The firing comes after three other anthropology professors quit teaching classes in the fall semester after complaining to UNM about initially keeping Valencia. He was accused of making lewd comments about his students, touching them inappropriately and at one point saying he didnt take orders from white bitches, according to complaints filed with the school. One of the original critics of the universitys decision to keep Valencia on the payroll, professor Gail Houston, told the Journal on Thursday that UNM had finally done the right thing. I am still concerned for the students that were so deeply affected by his behavior and more needs to be done for them, Houston said. Provost Chaouki Abdallah told the Journal on Thursday that he reviewed Valencias case and decided to terminate the tenure-track professor, following the recommendation of Dean Mark Peceny of the College of Arts and Sciences earlier this year. I concluded that termination of Dr. Valencias probationary contract was warranted, Abdallah said in a statement. I have notified Dr. Valencia of my decision and I have directed that Dr. Valencias employment contract with the University will terminate at the end of October. University spokeswoman Dianne Anderson said Valencia can appeal the decision, but its unclear if he will. A person who answered the phone in the anthropology department Thursday told the Journal that Valencia was not in the office. A call and email to Valencia werent returned. His attorney, Michael Mozes, told the Journal that he didnt have a comment on the provosts decision at this time. Valencia has been a tenure-track assistant professor with an annual salary of $71,000. He didnt teach any classes in the fall semester. An Office of Equal Opportunity investigation earlier this year found probable cause that Valencia made lewd comments about students, inappropriately touched students and cultivated relationships with female students that could lead to sex. Brian Moore, the attorney representing the three faculty members who raised concerns about Valencia, said his clients would not comment on the universitys decision to cut his contract short. Valencia was suspended in March while the university decided what action to take. He received the censure notice in late June and has said he would appeal. But he was again suspended when new complaints surfaced in August. About the same time, professors Ronda Brulotte and Lindsay Smith, both in the anthropology department, told UNM they had deep concern about recent events in the department and have decided to focus their contributions to UNM in other areas at this time. Effectively, that meant the two didnt teach classes for the department in the fall. The university also confirmed at the time that another anthropology professor, Erin Debenport, had left the university for a job at UCLA. MOSCOW Russias Foreign Ministry has identified the Russian arrested in the Czech Republic on suspicion of cyberattacks in the United States. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova gave his name at a Thursday briefing as Yevgeny Nikulin. She said the ministry is working to prevent his extradition to the United States and he has been provided a lawyer. The arrest was announced by Czech police on Wednesday. A police spokesman, David Schoen, told The Associated Press the arrest was made on Oct. 5. Details of the case have not been made public. Hours after the arrest, a statement by the networking site LinkedIn suggested the arrest was connected to a breach of its member information in 2012. . PHOENIX Donald Trumps utterance of bad hombres offended some of the millions of people watching the final presidential debate, who called it racially divisive. Within minutes of using the phrase Wednesday evening, the Republican presidential nominee was getting a lashing about his mishmash of English and Spanish. We have some bad hombres here, and were gonna get em out, said Trump, whose rise to the party nomination was fueled in part by his plan to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. He blamed these hombres, (OHM-brays) Spanish for men, for drug epidemics around the U.S. Trump has worked to broaden his appeal to Hispanics, promising a better life if hes president. But to some voters, its a lost cause. Taylor Brandreth watched the debate while visiting in Bradenton, Florida. He backed Trump in the primary in Virginia, where he works as a government consultant, but that was mainly to block Sen. Marco Rubio from clinching the GOP nomination. Now hes a Hillary Clinton supporter, and its largely because of what he considers Trumps racially divisive tactics, including the use of Spanglish. I speak Spanish fluently. I have to honestly say, listening to it, my jaw just instantly dropped because it was like a taunt, said Brandreth, 27. There was nothing good in the context. It was like, Let me say something awful and racist and let me butcher this other language while Im doing it.' Alanna Conti, a 25-year-old graphic designer who watched the debate at home in rural Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, said she wanted to hear about policy and not jabs by the candidates. On the bad hombres comment, she said it shows Trump knows how to be himself. Retired University of Florida professor Gerald Murray, who has done anthropological studies in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and wrote a paper on Spanglish, said Trump borrowed a word from another language but maybe not one many people recognize. Technically, its not Spanglish, Murray said. When you use the word hombre, youre using it to convey some emotional connotation often that of a tough guy. Bad hombres quickly began trending Wednesday on Twitter. Political commentator Ana Navarro, a Republican who often criticizes Trump, offered a Spanish lesson via the social media outlet. To some, it sounded like Trump said bad hambres (AHM-brays). Trump said some stupidity re Bad hombres: Spanish lesson 101: hombre=man; hambre=hunger; hombro=shoulder; ombre=Kardashian hair color, Navarro said. At a Mexico City barbecue restaurant, an assortment of Mexicans and expats guffawed at bad hombres. I think the way that Trump has talked about Mexicans from the start of the campaign is to call them rapists, criminals, he hasnt changed, Santiago Betancourt said at Pinche Gringo BBQ, where about 200 people gathered to watch the debate. Trump maybe echoes or uses arguments that exist among an American class that hes betting can make him president. I dont think its a presidential discourse. For others, bad hombres was plain confusing. Take Hussein Kazwini, a 22-year-old community college student who watched in Toledo, Ohio. Hes a first-generation American whose parents came to the United States from Lebanon 30 years ago. In November, hell vote in his first presidential election. What does that even mean? Kazwini said. I guess hes trying to send them a direct message. ___ Causey reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Teresa DeMiguel in Mexico City, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Michael Rubinkam in Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report. PHOENIX A former student at an Avondale high school whos accused of threatening students and faculty last month has pleaded not guilty in the case. Maricopa County Superior Court officials say 18-year-old Alonzo Vargas entered the plea at his arraignment Thursday. Vargas was arrested by Avondale police on Oct. 6 after an online threat was posted a few days earlier. Police say the screenshot was of a clown and the text indicated that students and faculty at Westview High School would be hurt. They say Vargas told investigators that the post was meant in fun and he didnt believe anyone would take it seriously. He was later indicted by a county grand jury on charges of threatening an educational facility and threatening and intimidating. Even as the Shiv Sena plans to fight the upcoming civic polls solo, the party members confirm that the final decision on any alliance rests with party president Uddhav Thackeray. By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Shiv Sena is planning to go solo in the upcoming civic polls. In a meeting at party supremo Uddhav Thackeray's residence Maatoshri, several party top leaders opined that the Shiv Sena should fight the upcoming civic polls without tying up with the BJP. Shiv Sena ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs, MLCs attended the meeting. Speaking to reporters after the meeting Public Works Minister Eknath Shinde said "The entire decision about any alliance without the BJP will be taken by our party president, Uddhav Thackeray." advertisement But sources have told India Today that the entire agenda of the meeting was focused on the alliance with the BJP. On the condition of anonymity, a senior Shiv Sena leader told India Today, "BJP has always been known as a national party that swallows regional parties. It was discussed in the meeting that it will be suicidal to go with the BJP in the upcoming civic elections including the BMC." READ| Uddhav Thackery on Uri attack: Delhi should decide India's answer to Pakistan "Look at other regional parties like the AIADMK, DMK, BJD who have gone on to grow on their own, without an alliance. Also the BJP these days is inducting goons into their party, why should we become a part of the anger against them?" the Sena leader said. More than 200 nagar panchayats in the state will go to polls in next couple of months followed by the Municipal Elections including important cities like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nasik, and Nagpur. Meanwhile, Congress has dared the Shiv Sena to go solo in the civic polls. Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said, "The Shiv Sena may pretend of having self esteem, but it's being insulted at every point by the BJP. The Shiv Sena has become helpless for power. If they have little dignity left they should stop threatening to only break the alliance, but walk out of the government." READ| UP polls: Shiv Sena to take on PM Modi in Varanasi, Uddhav Thackeray to campaign after Dussehra --- ENDS --- The federal government has never specifically stated whether New Mexico has the right to collect property tax on lands owned by Acoma Pueblo outside of its original reservation border, but that could change with a lawsuit the pueblo has filed in federal court in Las Cruces. The pueblo last week sued three state and county officials, claiming they had inappropriately taxed and threatened to auction 8.7 acres of its land. The officials are state Tax and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla, Cibola County Treasurer Dolores Vallejos and Cibola County Assessor Geraldine Rael. If the valuation, assessments, taxation, and enforcement of such taxes are permitted to proceed, Acoma will suffer extreme hardship and irreparable harm in that it could be deprived of its sovereignty, property, and sovereign immunity interests by state and county actors who have no jurisdictional basis over Acoma or its property, the lawsuit stated. The issue presented herein is so serious, substantial, difficult, and doubtful as to make it fair game for litigation. An attorney for the state said she would not comment on pending litigation. In question are two commercial tracts outside the grant boundary of the pueblos reservation. The tribe purchased the land in 2004, and Cibola County began trying to collect taxes on it in 2005. Last month, the county notified the pueblo it owed more than $30,000 in back taxes and said it would sell the land at auction if the taxes were not paid. In the filing, the pueblo argues that a 1905 federal law, created eight years before New Mexico became a state, exempts it from paying taxes on any land it owns. The pueblo is asking the court to prevent the sale of the land and any similar attempts at taxation. Acoma officials initially requested a temporary restraining order to prevent the state from auctioning the land. The motion for the restraining order was withdrawn after Padilla said the land had been removed from auction. An attorney for the pueblo did not respond to a request for comment. BRUSSELS Furious over Russias bombardment of Aleppo, European leaders warned the Kremlin on Thursday that it could face new sanctions if it maintains its offensive against the besieged rebel-held part of the Syrian city. The sharp new rhetoric was a substantial departure for Europes 28 nations, which have long been focused on when they can dial back existing sanctions on Russia, not ramp them up. Instead, Russian actions in recent weeks have upended the conversation. From the Russian-backed pummeling of Aleppo to the shipment of nuclear-capable missiles to Kaliningrad, the recent steps have galvanized Western anger and plunged relations to fresh depths. The warnings came as leaders gathered in Brussels for a summit in part to discuss relations with Russia. Europes tough stance marks a victory for Washington, D.C., which has struggled to maintain European unity on sanctions and has long taken a harder position on Russia than its partners across the Atlantic. The stand also reflects the toll of Russias actions in Syria, where it has partnered with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a punishing campaign that has made little distinction between combatant and civilian. What is happening in Aleppo with Russian support is completely inhuman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday as she entered the meeting in Brussels. A day earlier, she and French President Francois Hollande met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Berlin to discuss Ukraine and Syria. Both she and Hollande blasted Russian actions in Syria and said they would push for a stiff European response. They have called for a full cease-fire in Syria along with an end to the offensive on Aleppo. Russia said earlier this week that it would temporarily halt airstrikes on Thursday. While the European leaders were meeting Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the pause would be extended by a day. But that did little to assuage the European anger. The ambition of turning Aleppo into a new Grozny, this is absolutely unacceptable, said Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas as he arrived at the summit. Russian forces used scorched-earth tactics against the Chechen capital of Grozny in a bitter domestic offensive early in Putins tenure. Because Europe needs unanimous agreement from all 28 members to impose additional sanctions, EU diplomats were skeptical Thursday that there was sufficient support to launch new measures related to Syria. But they said that could change if outrage increases over Russias conduct. Current sanctions related to Ukraine are set to expire in December, but there is little question now that they will be extended. We could have been looking forward to a different discussion if it werent for what is happening in Syria, a senior EU diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity to assess the closed-door talks. The Russians, rather than de-escalating the situation, are sadly escalating it. Some EU nations, including Italy, Spain and Hungary, have favored ending the sanctions. Last month, Vice President Biden said that at least five countries right now . . . want out of the sanctions tied to Ukraine, without specifying which countries he was referring to. But in the intervening weeks, the situation has changed significantly. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who called for the discussion about Russia, was just feted at a White House state dinner and has dialed back his efforts to find new ways to engage with Russia. Hollande called off a planned visit to Paris by Putin and, after months of appearing eager to scale back sanctions, has recast himself as a hawk on Russia. I come to this council to convince Europeans that we have to put all the pressure necessary for the truce to be extended, Hollande said as he arrived at the summit. That meant that the dinnertime talk on Russia turned into a discussion of what further measures might be possible. Several leaders planned to outline their assessments of how the Kremlin was interfering with their political systems by targeting their media markets with disinformation and fueling far-right, Euroskeptic parties with money and logistical support. The discussion echoed one in the United States, where intelligence agencies blame Russia for hacking the computer systems of Democratic officials in an apparent bid to influence the presidential election. eu-russia PHOENIX An Arizona prison inmate and his wife have been indicted on state terrorism charges, prosecutors announced Thursday. Thomas Orville Bastian and Michelle Marie Bastian are accused of plotting to commit an act of terrorism at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis in Buckeye, according to the Arizona Attorney Generals Office. Michelle Bastian, 49, of Florence, was arrested last week after being accused of mailing bomb-making instructions and promotional materials from terrorist groups to the prison in an alleged plot to kill a warden. Thomas Bastian, 39, is serving a life sentence for a murder conviction in a 2007 shooting death. Hes accused of four felony counts including terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorism involving weapons and conspiracy to promote prison contraband. Prosecutors said Michelle Bastian is facing the same counts as her husband plus one felony count of promoting prison contraband. She allegedly sent articles from al-Qaida and Islamic State magazines that were found in Thomas Bastians cell at the Lewis complex. Authorities said the articles made it past prison security because Michelle Bastian disguised them as legal papers. Her husband converted to Islam after entering prison and later became radicalized, according to investigators who also said Michelle Bastian mentioned in phone calls with her husband that hes a supporter of the Islamic State. A document filed in court by prosecutors said an investigative source told them last month that Michelle Bastian was going to provide the items to carry out the attack. Its unclear whether the materials needed to build explosives were actually found at the prison. Authorities said a search of Thomas Bastians cell turned up handwritten notes on how to build an explosive device and several pages from al-Qaidas Inspire magazine that contained instructions on making bombs out of kitchen items. It wasnt immediately known Thursday afternoon if the couple has attorneys yet. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said the indictment was the result of an investigation by his office along with Phoenix Field Office of the FBI and the Arizona Department of Corrections. There is one corner of Washington where Donald Trumps scorched-earth presidential campaign is treated as a mere distraction and where bipartisanship reigns. In the rarefied world of the Washington foreign policy establishment, President Barack Obamas departure from the White House and the possible return of a more conventional and hawkish Hillary Clinton is being met with quiet relief. The Republicans and Democrats who make up the foreign policy elite are laying the groundwork for a more assertive American foreign policy, via a flurry of reports shaped by officials who are likely to play senior roles in a potential Clinton White House. It is not unusual for Washingtons establishment to launch major studies in the final months of an administration to correct the perceived mistakes of a president or influence his successor. But the bipartisan nature of the recent recommendations, coming at a time when the country has never been more polarized, reflects a remarkable consensus among the foreign policy elite. This consensus is driven by a broad-based backlash against a president who has repeatedly stressed the dangers of overreach and the need for restraint, especially in the Middle East. Theres a widespread perception that not being active enough or recognizing the limits of American power has costs, said Philip Gordon, a senior foreign policy adviser to Obama until 2015. So the normal swing is to be more interventionist. In other instances, the activity reflects alarm over Trumps calls for the United States to pull back from its traditional role as a global guarantor of security. The American-led international order that has been prevalent since World War II is now under threat, said Martin Indyk, who oversees a team of top former officials from the administrations of Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton assembled by the Brookings Institution. The question is how to restore and renovate it. The Brookings report a year in the making is due out in December. Taken together, the studies and reports call for more-aggressive American action to constrain Iran, rein in the chaos in the Middle East and check Russia in Europe. The studies, which reflect Clintons stated views and the direction she is likely to take if she is elected, break most forcefully with Obama on Syria. Virtually all these efforts, including a report released Wednesday by the liberal Center for American Progress, call for stepped-up military action to deter President Bashar Assads regime and Russian forces in Syria. The proposed military measures include calls for safe zones to protect moderate rebels from Syrian and Russian forces. Most of the studies propose limited American airstrikes with cruise missiles to punish Assad if he continues to attack civilians with barrel bombs, as is happening in besieged Aleppo. Obama has staunchly resisted any military action against the Assad regime. The immediate thing is to do something to alleviate the horrors that are being visited on the population, said former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who is leading a bipartisan and international team looking at U.S. strategy in the Middle East for the Atlantic Council. We do think there needs to be more American action not ground forces but some additional help in terms of the military aspect. Stephen Hadley, a former national security adviser to Bush and a partner with Albright on the Atlantic Council report, said that if Assad continues to bomb civilians, the United States should strongly consider using standoff weapons, like cruise missiles, to neutralize his air force so that he cannot fly. Such measures have been repeatedly rejected by Obama and his top advisers, who warn that they would draw the U.S. military deeper into another messy Middle East conflict. Last year, Obama dismissed calls for a no-fly zone in northwestern Syria a position advocated by Clinton as half-baked. In private comments to investment bankers, however, Clinton acknowledged that establishing such a haven would be difficult, requiring the destruction of Syrian air defenses, many of which are in populated areas. Youre going to kill a lot of Syrians, she said, according to transcripts of her 2013 remarks released by WikiLeaks. Even pinprick cruise-missile strikes designed to hobble the Syrian air force or punish Assad would risk a direct confrontation with Russian forces, which are scattered throughout the key Syrian military bases that would be targeted. You cant pretend you can go to war against Assad and not go to war against the Russians, said a senior administration official who is involved in Middle East policy and was granted anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations. The disagreement over Syria policy reflects a broader rift between the Obama White House and the foreign policy establishment over how best to wield American power in a chaotic and dangerous world. The tension has been building for years, but it has spilled over publicly in the past year. Obama has repeatedly blasted a Washington playbook that he complains defaults too quickly to U.S. military force, especially in the Middle East. Where America is directly threatened, the playbook works, Obama said in an interview with the Atlantic earlier this year. But the playbook can also be a trap. . . . You get judged harshly if you dont follow [it], even if there are good reasons why it does not apply. Inside the White House, senior administration officials regularly dismissed calls for military force from the foreign policy establishment as the product of too much college, not enough knowledge, writes Derek Chollet, a former top Obama administration official, in his new book, The Long Game. Other White House officials derisively referred to Washingtons foreign policy experts as the Blob. Virtually no one among the foreign policy elite is calling for a return to the Bush administration policies that led to the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the costly occupation of Iraq. Instead, they are advocating something of a middle ground between Bushs interventionism and Obamas retrenchment. Everyone has kind of given up on the Middle East. We have been at it for 15 years, and a lot of Americans think it is hopeless, Hadley said. We think it is not. A similar sentiment animates the left-leaning Center for American Progresss report, which calls for more military action to counter Iranian aggression, more dialogue with the United States Arab allies and more support for economic and human rights reform in the region. The dynamic is totally different from what I saw a decade ago when Democratic and Republican elites were feuding over the invasion of Iraq, said Brian Katulis, a senior Middle East analyst at the Center for American Progress. Today, the focus among the foreign policy elite is on rebuilding a more muscular and more centrist internationalism, he said. Less clear is whether such a policy has any support among an American public weary of war in the Middle East and largely opposed to foreign aid. Theres a lot of common ground among these studies, Katulis said. My concern is that we may be talking to each other and agreeing with each other but that these discussions are isolated from where the public may be right now. obama-global-1stld-writethru 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. The chips are made of Matsutake, one of the world's most sought-after species of fungi, and a special truffle seaweed. By India Today Web Desk: It's a makeover the humble potato's probably been screaming for, for years. It's just that no one listened. Until Now. A brewery in Sweden, St. Erik's recently unveiled the world's most expensive potato chips, priced at $56 for five pieces (approximately Rs 3,800). According to the brewery's website, "the world's most expensive chips were prepared using carefully selected ingredients. Among the ingredients are Matsutake, one of the world's most sought-after species of fungi, and a special truffle seaweed from the Faroe Islands that can only be found in cold tides." advertisement The recipe is credited to Chef Pi Le, and "all the chips that have been developed have been manufactured by hand. It has taken flair, taste security and time for each chip to have a perfect balance between the various raw materials. The taste is very Scandinavian because we have only been using Nordic ingredients, for example, Swedish mushroom and seaweed from the Faroe Islands," the site says. The 100 limited edition boxes are sold out. Picture courtesy: St Erik's On what prompted them to come up with this culinary delicacy that's taken the food world by storm, a statement by the brand manager Marcus Friari, as reported in Adweek.com, states, "St. Erik's Brewery is one of Sweden's leading microbreweries and we're passionate about the craftsmanship that goes into our beer. At the same time, we felt that we were missing a snack of the same status to serve with it," A limited batch of 100 boxes of five chips each went on sale last week, and are already sold out. Here's what went into the chips, says the brewery: Matsutake With a taste similar to ripe cheese Matsutake is one of the world's most sought-after species of fungi. Matsutake in chips coming from the pine forests around Skelleftea and were picked up by hand with cotton gloves to maintain its quality. Truffles Pliers As the name suggests, Truffles Tongs a flavor reminiscent of truffles. The seaweed grows as small balls of algtypen Knotted wrack, which only can be found in the cold tides. The seaweed used in the world's most expensive chips come from the waters around the Faroe Islands. Dill For the characteristic Dill spouse makers of chips carefully strewn among Swedish dill. Crown Dillen handpicked Bjrehalvn and selected for its fresh yet powerful taste. It's not a chip, it's a piece of culinary art. Picture courtesy: St Erik's Leksandslk For a balanced lksmak have St. Erik Brewer used the coveted Leksand The onion, which is a specific kind of potato onion genus from Ullvi Leksand. One reason for its good taste can be to always put the onions May 18 and harvested on August 10, regardless of the weather. advertisement India Pale Ale-wort During the brewing process of beer barley malt converted to a sweet aromatic liquid called wort. To give the chips a light sweetness has been added freeze-dried wort, which is normally used to bridge the St. Erik's India Pale Ale. Potato Ammarnas The potatoes in chips from potato hill in Ammarns, a steep and rocky hill facing south, where potatoes are grown in very limited extent. The slope is difficult for modern agricultural machinery, which means that all potatoes are added and harvested by hand. --- ENDS --- From once receiving 40 lashes for wearing a miniskirt, this woman went on to become a successful swimwear designer. By India Today Web Desk: Tala Raassi was a 16-year Iranian schoolgirl when she received 40 lashes for wearing a miniskirt. Now at 35, she is a successful businesswoman, a renowned swimwear designer and a voice empowering women across the globe. Also read: Beyonce goes jet skiing in backless swimwear and daisy dukes Growing up in an Islamic country which imposed strict dress-codes for women, she was forbidden from dressing as per her will. Since she belonged to a sophisticated Muslim family, her love for fashion was only confined to her house. In 1998, Raassi was sentenced to 40 lashes for dressing indecently at a friend's house party. She landed in prison and was subjected to five days of torture after the house party was raided by The Basij--a government-backed militant group which claimed itself to be a protector of Islam. advertisement Also Read: Five simple tips to choose a perfect swimwear The 40 lashes for inappropriate clothing not only fuelled her rebellion but also carved a path for her new life. After the brutal incident, her family moved their base to the United States. When you are in #love with your #newnew @talaraassiswim #surf #wear ???? A video posted by Tala Raassi (@talaraassi) on Aug 19, 2016 at 3:50pm PDT In US since then, she has launched her own line of swimwear, Dar Be Dar. The brand also sponsored the 2010 Miss Universe pageant and sells across the USA. Though she has received criticism for designing swimwear for women as she belongs to a faith that restricts provocative clothing, she maintained her stand her on women's right to wear what they chose to. When Tala Raassi wrote an article, 'Crime of the Mini Skirt' for Marie Claire magazine, it garnered attention across the globe. She was hailed as 'One of the Most Fearless in the World' by the Newsweek, alongside Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. She has recently launched her book, Fashion is Freedom, that depicts her journey from the clutches of patriarchal Iran to leading a swimwear business in the US--supporting women to wear anything without judgment or persecution. --- ENDS --- Gurugram civic body commissioner TL Satya Prakash is working two jobs as MCG commissioner as well as the district commissioner. Here's why By Ajay Kumar: These days Gurugram civic body commissioner TL Satya Prakash is writing letters to himself. He's both the MCG commissioner as well as the district commissioner. And he is flagging himself about the fire safety of the district commissioner's office, asking it to apply with the fire department to obtain an NOC. But it's not just one example of fire safety becoming an issue in a government building. In Gurugram, at least 16 government or semi-government buildings have not obtained the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department. These buildings include the six-storey secretariat of the district and two civil hospitals in Gurugram. The district secretariat accommodates at least 25 departments, including the DM court, RTA office, FRRO branch, DCP west, education and police control room that cater to thousands of people every day. advertisement On the other hand, the two civil hospitals have 300 beds, with over 2,000 people visiting these precincts. Other establishments in the fire 'red list' include office of the city police commissioner, new court complex, Huda office at sector 14, CRPF camp at Kadarpur, divisional commissioner's office, district prison at Bhondsi, PWD guest house at Civil Lines, DHBVN office on MG Road, Gurugram railway station, city's main bus stand, old panchayat building, social welfare office, three government colleges, government schools and the MDI University. The city's fire department works under the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram which has written several letters to these offices on fire safety certificate, but did not receive any response from the heads of these departments. Also read Toll booths to be removed on Delhi-Gurgaon expressway to make way for traffic --- ENDS --- Update 10.53am: Fianna Fail's Finance spokesman Michael McGrath added his voice to those claiming that Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan showed "poor judgement" by deciding to attend a conference in the US. Earlier, the head of the AGSI said it has had no contact with Garda HQ over contingency plans to keep order during proposed strikes. "As head of the Force, at a time of such uncertainty, and with the AGSI and the GRA planning industrial action, I think her sole focus really should have been in Ireland, dealing with that scenario, preparing contingencies, and I think she should have been here.," he said. "I think it was a poor judgement call to go." Getting excited for #IACP2016 Chiefs Night! Doors open at 7pm. pic.twitter.com/EUOl5t6BFR The IACP (@TheIACP) October 18, 2016 Update 8.31am: A Government TD has said that the decision by Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan to attend a conference in th US shows "really poor judgement". She is in San Diego for the International Chiefs of Police meeting as the AGSI and GRA plan on going on strike in a matter of days. "I'm just disappointed," said Fine Gael TD Michael D'Arcy. "I'm a very strong supporter of An garda Siochana. To be in San Diego, to me, is just really poor judgement on her behalf." Earlier: The Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan is coming under further pressure after it emerged that she has travelled to the United States for a conference. Commissioner O'Sullivan is in San Diego for the International Chiefs of Police meeting. It comes as the AGSI and GRA both plan strike action on four days next month. Frontline gardai say they feel forced into walking off the job due to a long running lack of resources and low pay. Commissioner O'Sullivan is expected back in Ireland before the end of the week. It was announced today that Irelands largest discount retailer Dealz will be opening their 53rd store on Liffey Street, Dublin. The newly opened 7000sqft store, located beside Dublins famous Hapenny Bridge will create 35 new jobs and will be the 14th store in County Dublin. To celebrate the store opening, Dealz Liffey Street will hold a family fun day on Saturday, 22 October. Dougie the Dog mascot will be in attendance to entertain guests with prizes and giveaways on the day. The first 100 customers to the store on the day will receive a Golden Envelope, two of which contain 100 in Dealz vouchers. Dealz Country Manager, Darren Jones today commented, "We are delighted to be further expanding the Dealz portfolio in Ireland with our 53rd store opening on Liffey Street, the 5th store in Dublin City Centre. At Dealz, we are committed to bringing amazing value every day to customers with our 1.50 price point and are looking forward to bringing an extensive range of products, offering amazing value to new customers around the Liffey Street area." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us BREAKING NEWS: Largest Express Entry Draw of All Time Sees CRS Points Requirement Drop CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Second draw in eight days! Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category also receives another 300 applications The number of Express Entry candidates receiving Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for immigration to Canada has increased yet again, and for the second time in eight days. On October 19, a total of 1,804 candidates were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates with 475 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points received an ITA, down from 484 in the October 12 draw, when a total of 1,518 ITAs were issued to candidates in the pool. Together, the latest Express Entry draws represent the largest upswing in the number of candidates being invited to apply since the system was first introduced in January, 2015. Just two months ago, draw sizes were in the range of 750 ITAs per draw. Now, candidates and invited persons alike are looking forward to a system has recently gone into overdrive, with larger draws, lower CRS requirements, and a range of active Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) categories attracting candidates in the pool. Furthermore, the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is expected to issue more ITAs as the end of 2016 approaches, in order to reach annual target intake levels. An IRCC representative, speaking at an event held in Edmonton in May of this year, revealed that this may be the case, and it is now becoming apparent that those predictions are becoming reality. Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category reopens Canadas PNP immigration options have become more active and dynamic over recent months. This was most recently demonstrated by the reopening of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) International Skilled Worker Express Entry sub-category on October 12, the eighth occasion on which this SINP sub-category had opened since it was first introduced last year. This SINP sub-category operates on a first-come, first-served application basis and typically reaches its quota within hours of reopening. Eligible Express Entry candidates who prepare in advance are best positioned to submit an application under these time-sensitive intake periods. A provincial nomination certificate obtained through the SINP International Skilled Worker Express Entry sub-category (or any other enhanced PNP sub-category) gives a candidate 600 additional points under the CRS, placing him or her at the front of the line for selection at a subsequent Express Entry draw. Saskatchewan wasnt the only province busy on October 12. The very same day, British Columbia conducted one of its regular draws for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). Among the 805 candidates who were invited to apply to the BC PNP on October 12 were 325 candidates in the federal Express Entry pool. These candidates are now well on the way to obtaining 600 additional CRS points. The importance of being alert to ongoing PNP developments should not be underestimated. The government of Canadas own year-end 2015 Express Entry report revealed that most (57 percent) of candidates who received an ITA in 2015 had Core CRS scores below 450. Core CRS indicates a candidates score without the additional 600 points for a job offer or an enhanced provincial nomination certificate. A score of 450 has been the lowest CRS cut-off point of any draw that has taken place until this point. Many of these selected candidates first entered the pool with CRS scores below 450 before subsequently obtaining an enhanced provincial nomination certificate from a province through a PNP. Express Entry: Falling into Place The past few Express Entry draws have been received positively by candidates, and continued large draw sizes may lead to a reduction in CRS point requirements for selection in future draws, says Attorney David Cohen. Draw sizes that may get up to 2,000 ITAs issued or beyond, together with a range of active PNP categories that aim to attract Express Entry candidates to certain provinces, give all stakeholders cause for optimism as we approach the final months of 2016. Moreover, an exciting year ahead in 2017 beckons. The Minister of Immigration, John McCallum, has made it clear that he wants to increase the overall number of new immigrants to Canada over the coming years, and his immigration plan is scheduled to be released next month. Not only that, but the Express Entry system may also be modified. The exact changes, if and when they happen, are not known at this time. Accordingly, and taken together with these ever-larger Express Entry draws, I would encourage eligible individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada to enter the Express Entry pool as soon as possible. It is only once they are in the pool that they can attract the attention of Canadian provinces that are looking to welcome newcomers through their PNPs, as well as employers hiring through Express Entry. To view a complete list of Express Entry draws, including dates, numbers of ITAs issued, and CRS point requirements, click here. You may also read Attorney Cohens recent article on tips for improving your CRS score. To find out if you are eligible for immigration to Canada, including through the federal economic programs that are processed under Express Entry, please fill out a free online assessment today. 2016 CICnews All Rights Reserved Changing public demographics and a greater desire for the impact charities are making in society to be demonstrated means that the traditional charity model is breaking down, according to Joe Jenkins. Speaking in a session at the IFC in the Netherlands, Joe Jenkins, director of fundraising and supporter engagement at the Childrens Society, said that the traditional charity model of beneficiaries and supporters is broken, and that the sector should instead be focusing on creating social movements. Jenkins said that changing demographics in society and the differing ways in which millennials and baby boomers think of charity means that the old model of the individual organisation as the intermediary between donor and beneficiary is no longer effective. I think the old traditional model [of charity] is broken and not working. People now have different expectations about how they interact and engage with charities and see their role in civil society. Younger people expect something different He said that older generations interacted with charity out of a sense of duty, but said newer generations are much more engaged and want to know what the value and benefit is of what a charity does, before giving to it. The traditional charity model sees the charity as the active agent, and the role of the active agent is to help passive beneficiaries the victim of a problem. To help the charity in helping those passive beneficiaries are supporters and so the role of the charity is to engage those supporters to help the beneficiaries. For a number of years that has been the basic model, and that has been how weve looked at impact, but actually that model is fundamentally changing and increasingly what were looking at are social challenges. The old model is breaking down, in which we have short term objectives where a supporter gives us some resources and trusts us to do a good job and then we go and help another group. Actually the whole realm of a charitable intermediary is breaking down and the communication of impact is fundamentally different. Jenkins said that the traditional model of charity was, in his view, simply no longer fit for purpose to help alleviate some of the issues that society is now facing in the UK, and around the world. A lot of the particular issues that we as a society are facing into at the moment, you couldnt say that were winning on most of those measurements, as a sector. Each of the major challenges were facing, were struggling with and I think the old charity model isnt effective, it isnt commensurate with whats required to make a difference. Impact reporting Jenkins said that the future of the voluntary sector was in collective impact reporting from organisations operating in the same charitable ecosystem, and that no one organisation can solve a societal issue on its own. If youre really serious as an organisation about achieving genuine social change then you have to know youre not going to be able to do it on your own. Therefore youre not going to achieve it on your own; and if you only ever measure your own impact then youll never know if youre going to get to the genuine change in the world that were all aiming for. Donald Trump declined to promise that he would "absolutely accept" the results of the election. When asked if he would commit to accepting the result of the race, regardless of outcome, Trump responded, "I will look at it at the time." "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense," Trump said during the final debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Trump's comments on Wednesday night directly contradict what he told NBC News at the first debate, that he "absolutely" would accept the results of the election. The New York billionaire's running mate Mike Pence previously promised that the Trump campaign would "absolutely accept the result of the election." Hillary Clinton called Trump's comments "horrifying" and alleged the Republican nominee says things are "rigged" against him when things don't go his way. "This is a mindset. This is how Donald thinks and it's funny, but it's also really troubling," she said. "That is not the way our democracy works." It "must be expected" that presidential candidates accept the outcome of the election when they "may not like them," Clinton said. "Let's be clear about what he is saying and what that means," she said. "He is denigrating he is talking down our democracy and I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position." Lindsey Graham tweet: My thoughts on a 'rigged' presidential election NBC News' Hallie Jackson contributed to this report. By PTI: Colombo, Oct 20 (PTI) A UN rights expert today exhorted Sri Lanka to step up urgent and concrete reconciliation efforts and reduce the armys presence in the former war zones in the Tamil dominated northern areas. "The government must put in place some urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political will and commitment to better protect Sri Lankas minorities," the visiting UN minority rights expert Rita Izsak-Ndiaye said at the end of her 10-day visit. advertisement She also asked the Lankan government to return military- occupied land and reduce the role of the army in northern areas, a long-pending demand of the ethnic Tamils since the end of the nearly three-decade-long separatist war led by the LTTE in 2009 in which thousands of civilians were killed. The UN rights expert also asked Colombo to free Tamil detainees held in custody for long periods without charge. Asking for stepping up of reconciliation efforts in the war-battered nation, Rita said: "The Sri Lankan identity and the notion of nationhood must be strengthened to foster a stronger sense of belongingness and togetherness of all Sri Lankans. "While the country is undergoing an important reconciliation process... the devastating impact of the war and violence on psychological well-being cannot continue to be ignored." She lamented that past acts of "repression of culture and expression, ethnic intolerance and discrimination" have severely damaged social and cultural norms in the country. "Truth-seeking, reconciliation and healing takes time and cannot be done overnight. "This includes continued return of land to their owners, charging or releasing all security-related detainees, making progress in finding disappeared persons and taking visible steps to gradually transfer military powers to civilian authorities," she added. She said nearly 6,000 acres of private land was still occupied by the military in the northern province and must be returned to their previous owners. The Hungarian human rights expert also met the foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera and other senior officials to assess the situation in the island seven years after the end of fighting. PTI CORR SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- Credit union leaders from around the world are celebrating International Credit Union Day with messages that focus on The Authentic Difference of the not-for-profit, cooperatively structured financial institutions. The Authentic Difference is the theme for this years International Credit Union Daya look at what sets credit unions apart from other financial institutions; a set of core principles and values that focus on making a positive difference in our members lives, said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle in his video below. The Short Answer feature in The Wall Street Journal used industry numbers from CUNA to illustrate credit unions stance in the marketplace and gave a nod to International Credit Union Day. Governors across the United States made proclamations honoring International Credit Union Day. In Guam, acting Gov. Ray Tenorio said credit unions not-for-profit mentality helps enrich the island. The National Credit Union Foundation is offering a free eBook anthology, Keeping Purpose Constant, that focuses on credit union philosophy and values. Incorporating gamification concepts into your credit unions training and evaluation processes improves employees productivity, profitability, and interaction, says Patrick McElhenie, director of CUNA Mutual Groups Lender Development Program. Todays millennial workforce has grown up with online gaming and real-time interaction via mobile devices, he says. Bringing technology into the workplace to improve participation levels translates to better employee recruitment and retention, and ultimately, creating better connections with members. Gamifications profile has risen dramatically in recent years as the job market improves and employee engagement continues to lag. McElhenie offered a remedy to that challenge Tuesday when he teamed with gameFIs Matt Davis to present Credit Union Gamification: Why the Future of Work Is Fun at CUNA Mutual Groups Discovery Conference. According to Gallup, only 34% of the American workforce feels engaged at their job, McElhenie says. The three key elements of gamification technologyfeedback, focus and funare the same elements credit unions need to reshape their culture and improve engagement. BEER-SHEVA, Israel...Oct. 20, 2016 - Researchers from three universities combined their expertise to demonstrate the first complete sabotage attack on a 3D additive manufacturing (AM) system, illustrating how a cyber attack and malicious manipulation of blueprints can fatally damage production of a device or machine. In their paper titled "Dr0wned," researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), the University of South Alabama and Singapore University of Technology and Design detail how to sabotage the quality of a 3D-printed functional part, which leads to the destruction of a device. A proof-of-concept video shows how the researchers destroyed a $1,000 quadcopter UAV drone by hacking into the computer used to control the 3D printing of replacement propellers. Once they penetrated the computer, the researchers identified the propeller blueprint file and inserted defects undetectable by visual inspection. During flight tests, the sabotaged propeller broke apart during ascent, causing the drone to smash into the ground. More than 100 industries, including aerospace, automotive and defense, employ additive printing processes. According to the Wohlers Report, the AM industry accounted for $5.165 billion of revenue in 2015. Furthermore, 32.5 percent of all AM-generated objects are used as functional parts. "Imagine that an adversary can sabotage functional parts employed in an airplane's jet engines. Such an attack could cost lives, cause economic loss, disrupt industry, and threaten a country's national security," says Prof. Yuval Elovici. Elovici is a member of BGU's Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, director of the Deutsche Telekom Innovation Labs @ BGU and the BGU Cyber Security Research Center (CSRC). The CSRC is a collaboration between the University and Israel's National Cyber Bureau, focused on advanced cyber security topics. "With the growth of additive manufacturing worldwide, we believe the ability to conduct malicious sabotage of these systems will attract the attention of many adversaries, ranging from criminal gangs to state actors, who will aim either for profit or for geopolitical power," says Elovici. "'Dr0wned' is not the first article that raises this issue. However, all prior research has focused on a single aspect of a possible attack, assuming that all other attack elements are feasible," the researchers say. "This is the first experimental proof of a complete attack chain initiated by sabotaging the 3D-printed propeller." The collaborative study addresses the dangerous consequences of cyber attacks, and proposes a systematic approach for identifying opportunities and a methodology for assessing the level of difficulty of an attack involving AM. ### About American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. As Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) looks ahead to turning 50 in 2020, AABGU imagines a future that goes beyond the walls of academia. It is a future where BGU invents a new world and inspires a vision for a stronger Israel and its next generation of leaders. Together with supporters, AABGU will help the University foster excellence in teaching, research and outreach to the communities of the Negev for the next 50 years and beyond. Visit vision.aabgu.org to learn more. AABGU, which is headquartered in Manhattan, has nine regional offices throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.aabgu.org BETHESDA, MD - Relationships between the ancestors of modern humans and other archaic populations such as Neanderthals and Denisovans were likely more complex than previously thought, involving interbreeding within and outside Africa, according to a new estimator developed by geneticists. Findings were reported at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2016 Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C. In recent years, genetics has led to the revision of many assumptions about archaic populations, explained Ryan J. Bohlender, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and first author on the research. For example, the 2010 release of the Neanderthal genome led to the discovery that Neanderthals and the ancestors of modern Europeans interbred. A few years later, scientists discovered the existence of Denisovans, a population known of only through genetics, through a fossilized sample of DNA. "My colleagues and I set out to find out what we might share with these ancient populations and how our histories interacted," Dr. Bohlender said. They developed an estimation tool to model these interactions based on parameters such as current estimates of population size and dates when populations separated - how long ago they stopped interbreeding - and look for inconsistencies with information known from genetic studies about the overlap between the modern human genome and those of ancient populations. Compared to previous estimators, this one made increased use of genetic data to cut down on statistical bias. The researchers then allowed estimates of population size and separation dates to vary in a series of simulations, in order to find out if adjusting these parameters better fit the genetic data. "Using this process, we found that the population in Africa was likely about 50 percent larger than previously thought. We also found that an archaic-modern human separation date of 440,000 years ago was the best fit, suggesting that Neanderthals diverged from our lineage 100,000 years more recently than we thought," Dr. Bohlender said. "We got the same separation date using data from multiple modern human populations, which is a good sign." In addition, their results suggest that throughout Eurasia, ancient populations interbred less than previously believed, and that - contrary to previous findings - the level of mixing with Neanderthals did not differ significantly between Europe and East Asia. The findings bring up many new questions, including to what extent the new estimator can be trusted, why it produces results that differ from prevailing estimates, and how to reconcile these differences. "Overall, our findings confirm the human family tree is more complicated than we think it is," Dr. Bohlender said. "For example, other archaic populations are likely to have existed, like the Denisovans, who we didn't know about except through genetics." They plan to try out simulations with multiple other populations, to see if this adds some clarity to the results. Dr. Bohlender also believes that more detailed studies of African populations may shed some light. "Africans have been underrepresented in genetics research - they're not as well studied as European and Asian populations, yet they are more diverse genetically than any other group," he said. ### Presentation: Dr. Bohlender will present his research on Thursday, October 20, 2016, from 10:00-10:15 a.m., in Ballroom B of the Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building. Press Availability: Dr. Bohlender will be available to discuss this research with interested media on Thursday, October 20, 2016, from 10:30-11:15 a.m. in the ASHG 2016 Press Office (Room 111). Reference: Bohlender R et al. (2016 Oct 20). Abstract: A complex history of archaic admixture in modern humans. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2016 Annual Meeting. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. We might not think of our circadian clock until we are jetlagged, but scientists continue to puzzle over what drives our biological timepiece. Now, a study published October 20 in Cell Metabolism has found that variations in surrounding oxygen levels can reset circadian clocks of mice. If confirmed in humans, the research could help inform how airlines moderate cabin air pressure. Presently, light, food, and temperature are the best known cues that can influence circadian rhythms. But lead author Gad Asher, a senior scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and his colleagues, including postdoctoral fellows Yaarit Adamovich and Benjamin Ladeuix, wondered if oxygen might also cue circadian rhythms since oxygen absorption in animals varies alongside meals and changing temperatures. In the paper, the researchers show that changing the concentration of oxygen in cells by just 3%, twice a day, will synchronize mouse cells to a circadian rhythm. They suspected HIF1 was the link between oxygen and the circadian clock because HIF1 plays both a role in oxygen homeostasis in cells. They found that cells with low HIF1 levels won't synchronize in response to oxygen variations. "It was extremely exciting to see that even small changes in oxygen levels were sufficient to efficiently reset the circadian clock," says Asher. "The study actually raises a lot of important questions; although we show that clock reset by oxygen is dependent on HIF1, we did not yet fully identify how HIF1 integrates within the core clock circuitry." The researchers further explored oxygen's effect on circadian rhythms with jetlag experiments. Just like humans, mice are prone to jetlag after a sudden shift in daylight hours. Mice were first left to eat, sleep and run on their wheels in air-controlled environments. Altering oxygen levels alone did not change their circadian rhythms but once mice experienced a 6-hour jump ahead in daylight hours, varying oxygen levels could help them adapt their eating, sleeping and running habits to the new time faster. They also saw that a small drop in oxygen levels 12 hours before the 6-hour daylight shift, or 2 hours afterwards, put the mice back on their circadian schedules faster and this too was dependent on HIF1 levels. Presently, commercial airliners pressurize cabins to the same air density of a city 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level. This low-pressure saves wear and tear on the airplane, but enough passengers suffer from airsickness in response to this drop in oxygen levels that some airlines are considering ways to increase the pressure on flights. In fact, Boeing designed its new 787 Dreamliner so that it can be pressurized to the equivalent of lower altitudes for this reason. But in light of these findings, the researchers noted passengers may feel better with higher pressurized cabins during flights, but may also lose a potential advantage of recovering from jetlag. And in light of the effects of lower oxygen levels, the researchers now want to see what higher oxygen levels may do to the circadian clock. "We are very looking forward to seeing the outcome of these experiments - it will be interesting both from basic science and also from a practical standpoint," said Asher. "I believe passengers might be more enthusiastic to inhale oxygen-enriched air to alleviate jetlag in contrast to low oxygen." Understanding how oxygen influences the circadian clock goes beyond jetlag. Cardiovascular disease, COPD, shift work sleep disorder, and other common health problems can result in tissues with low oxygen levels. "We show that oxygen works in mammals, specifically rodents, but it will be interesting to test whether oxygen can reset the clock of bacteria, plants, flies and additional organisms," says Asher. ### This work was supported by the Israel Science Foundation, the European Research Council, the Yeda Sela Center for Basic Research, the British Heart Foundation and the European Union, Seventh Framework Programme, Marie Curie Actions. Cell Metabolism, Asher et al.: "Rhythmic oxygen levels reset circadian clocks through HIF1." http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(16)30499-5 Cell Metabolism (@Cell_Metabolism), published by Cell Press, is a monthly journal that publishes reports of novel results in metabolic biology, from molecular and cellular biology to translational studies. The journal aims to highlight work addressing the molecular mechanisms underlying physiology and homeostasis in health and disease. Visit: http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. For more than a century and a half of physics, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that entropy always increases, has been as close to inviolable as any law we know. In this universe, chaos reigns supreme. But researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory announced recently that they may have discovered a little loophole in this famous maxim. Their research, published in Scientific Reports, lays out a possible avenue to a situation where the Second Law is violated on the microscopic level. The Second Law is underpinned by what is called the H-theorem, which says that if you open a door between two rooms, one hot and one cold, they will eventually settle into lukewarm equilibrium; the hot room will never end up hotter. But even in the twentieth century, as our knowledge of quantum mechanics advanced, we didn't fully understand the fundamental physical origins of the H-theorem. Recent advancements in a field called quantum information theory offered a mathematical construction in which entropy increases. "What we did was formulate how these beautiful abstract mathematical theories could be connected to our crude reality," said Valerii Vinokur, an Argonne Distinguished Fellow and corresponding author on the study. The scientists took quantum information theory, which is based on abstract mathematical systems, and applied it to condensed matter physics, a well-explored field with many known laws and experiments. "This allowed us to formulate the quantum H-theorem as it related to things that could be physically observed," said Ivan Sadovskyy, a joint appointee with Argonne's Materials Science Division and the Computation Institute and another author on the paper. "It establishes a connection between well-documented quantum physics processes and the theoretical quantum channels that make up quantum information theory." The work predicts certain conditions under which the H-theorem might be violated and entropy -- in the short term -- might actually decrease. As far back as 1867, physicist James Clerk Maxwell described a hypothetical way to violate the Second Law: if a small theoretical being sat at the door between the hot and cold rooms and only let through particles traveling at a certain speed. This theoretical imp is called "Maxwell's demon." "Although the violation is only on the local scale, the implications are far-reaching," Vinokur said. "This provides us a platform for the practical realization of a quantum Maxwell's demon, which could make possible a local quantum perpetual motion machine." For example, he said, the principle could be designed into a "refrigerator" which could be cooled remotely -- that is, the energy expended to cool it could take place anywhere. The authors are planning to work closely with a team of experimentalists to design a proof-of-concept system, they said. ### The study, "H-theorem in quantum physics," was published September 12 in Scientific Reports. Other authors on the study were G.B. Lesovik of Russia's L.D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics and Switzerland's Theoretische Physik; A.V. Lebedev of Theoretische Physik; and M.V. Suslov of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, the Swiss National Foundation, the Pauli Center for Theoretical Studies at ETH Zurich and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit the Office of Science website. A new study published in The Cryosphere, an European Geosciences Union journal, has found that Bolivian glaciers shrunk by 43% between 1986 and 2014, and will continue to diminish if temperatures in the region continue to increase. "On top of that, glacier recession is leaving lakes that could burst and wash away villages or infrastructure downstream," says lead-author Simon Cook, a lecturer at the Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. Receding glaciers also put water supply in the region at risk. Glacial meltwater is important for irrigation, drinking water and hydropower, both for mountain villages and large cities such as La Paz and El Alto. Throughout the year, the 2.3 million inhabitants of these two cities receive about 15% of their water supply from glaciers, with this percentage almost doubling during the dry season. Glacier retreat also means less water is available to supply rivers and lakes, such as southern Bolivia's Lake Poopo, which recently dried up. The new study is one of the first to monitor recent large-scale glacier change in Bolivia, to better understand how receding glaciers could affect communities in the country. "The novelty of our study lies in the bigger picture -- measuring glacier change over all main glaciated ranges in Bolivia -- and in the identification of potentially dangerous lakes for the first time," Cook says. The team measured glacier area change from 1986 to 2014 using satellite images from Landsat, the U.S. Geological Survey's and NASA's Earth observation programme. They found that the area of the Bolivian Andes covered by glaciers decreased from about 530 square kilometres in 1986 to only around 300 square kilometres in 2014, a reduction of 43%. As glaciers recede, they leave behind lakes typically dammed by bedrock or glacial debris. Avalanches, rockfalls or earthquakes can breach these dams, or cause water to overflow them, resulting in catastrophic floods known as glacial lake outburst floods. The team reports that both the number and size of glacier lakes in the study region increased significantly from 1986 to 2014. After studying glacier change, the researchers used their 2014 glacial-lake observations to identify the lakes where outburst floods could occur and present a hazard to populations. "We mapped hundreds of lakes," Cook explains. "Some lakes are very small and pose little risk. Others are very large, but there's little or no possibility that they would drain catastrophically. Others are both large enough to create a big flood, and sit beneath steep slopes or steep glaciers, and could be dangerous." They identified 25 glacial lakes across the Bolivian Andes as potentially dangerous to communities and infrastructure, as they could result in very damaging floods. If the smallest of these 25 lakes was to drain completely, it would yield a flood with a peak discharge of 600 cubic metres per second. The largest could result in a discharge of over 125,000 cubic metres of water, about 50 times the volume of an Olympic swimming pool, in a second. While measuring glacier area change was a relatively simple task, Cook says "identifying which lakes are dangerous is the million dollar question" as there are various factors to take into account. "We considered that a lake was dangerous if there were settlements or infrastructure down-valley from the lake, and if the slopes and glaciers around the lake were very steep, meaning that they could shed ice or snow or rock into the lake, which would cause it to overtop and generate a flood - a bit like jumping into a swimming pool, but on a much bigger scale!" Such catastrophic floods have occurred in the region in the past. Dirk Hoffmann, a researcher at the Bolivian Mountain Institute and co-author in The Cryosphere study, recently documented a glacial lake outburst flood in the Apolobamba region that happened in 2009 and killed farm animals, destroyed cultivated fields and washed away a road that left a village isolated for months. "As those locations are very remote and far away from the cities, authorities at national level and the wider public are often not even aware of the new dangers that mountain dwellers are facing due to the impacts of climate change, and no appropriate measures are being taken," Hoffmann says. Cook says these events could be under-reported, suggesting the risk of such floods in the Bolivian Andes has been overlooked. "We heard of other [glacier lake outburst flood] events from villagers when we visited the Apolobamba region in 2015, but there is no mention of these in publications or papers, possibly because many of these communities are relatively remote." Hoffmann adds: "A nation-wide risk assessment of potentially dangerous glacial lakes would be of great interest to local communities in glacier watersheds." In the study, the team also estimated that glacier area will be severely reduced by the end of the century, to about a tenth of the 1986 values. This would put communities even more at risk from water scarcity, Cook says. "We predicted in our study that most glaciers will be gone or much diminished by the end of the century - so where will the water come from in the dry season? Big cities like La Paz are partially dependent on meltwater from glaciers. But little is known about potential water resource stress in more remote areas. More work needs to be done on this issue." The team hope the study raises awareness about the rapid glacier loss in Bolivia, how it could change in the future, and how it could affect water supply and cause glacial lake outburst floods. "Ultimately, I hope that our results will be useful to people in Bolivia - governments, agencies, people living in rural areas and cities," Cook concludes. ### Please mention the name of the publication (The Cryosphere) if reporting on this story and, if reporting online, include a link to the paper or to the journal website. Lignin is a bulky chain of molecules found in wood and is usually discarded during biofuel production. But in a new method by EPFL chemists, the simple addition of formaldehyde could turn it into the main focus. Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels means turning to plant-derived biofuels and chemicals. But producing them cost-effectively from plants and other organic matter - collectively referred to as biomass - is a major engineering challenge. Most biomass comes in the form of non-edible plants like trees, grass, and algae, which contain sugars that can be fermented to produce fuel. But biomass also contains lignin, a bulky, complex organic polymer that fills wood, bark, and generally gives plants rigidity. Because it is difficult to process, lignin is usually discarded during biofuel processing. EPFL scientists have now turned lignin from a nuisance to an important source of biofuel by simply adding a common chemical, converting up to 80% of it into valuable molecules for biofuel and plastics. The patent-pending method, which can be scaled up to industrial levels, is published in Science. Complex, but energy-dense Lignin is an enormously complex biopolymer, filling the hard wall that surrounds each plant cell. In fact, lignin makes up almost a third of plant biomass, and its molecular structure gives it an energy density 30% greater than that of the sugars that are traditionally processed into biofuel. The problem is that lignin is difficult to extract and transform. Due to its instability, lignin usually rapidly gets destroyed during its extraction and most researchers have failed to efficiently break it apart for upgrade into fuels or chemicals. Now, an international team of researchers led by Jeremy Luterbacher at EPFL, has shown that they can easily break lignin apart simply by adding the chemical formaldehyde to the process. Formaldehyde is one of the most widely used chemicals in industry, and it is simple and cheap to produce. The researchers found that formaldehyde stabilizes lignin and prevents it from degrading, leading to high yields of building blocks that can be used to make substitutes for petrochemicals. These yields were 3-7 times higher than those obtained from lignin without formaldehyde. Scaling up "Depending on the wood used we get between 50 and 80%," says Jeremy Luterbacher, who became known in 2014 for developing a method for extracting sugars from plants safely and cheaply (also published in Science). "The chemistry is relatively straightforward; the real challenge is actually finding investors for a pilot facility to demonstrate this." The market, he says, is difficult for sustainable energy largely because of inconsistent political support and widely varying energy prices. Investors for such innovative platforms are hard to come by in an uncertain market, especially considering the competition of well-established fossil fuels. "The technology looks really good," says Luterbacher. "If the global political establishment sent a consistent message about moving away from fossil fuels, then investors would take notice. But I think Switzerland is a great place to get started. The Swiss have been unwavering supporters of clean energy and could help demonstrate new technologies, and so I'm quite optimistic about the future." ### This work involved a collaboration of EPFL's Institute of Chemical Engineering (ISIC) with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the US Department of Energy, and Purdue University. It was funded by the Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research (Biomass for a Swiss Energy Future), the Swiss National Science Foundation, EPFL, the US Department of Energy (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center; Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels. EPFL has submitted a patent application based on this work. Reference Li Shuai, Masoud Talebi Amiri, Ydna M. Questell-Santiago, Florent Heroguel, Yanding Li, Hoon Kim, Richard Meilan, Clint Chapple, John Ralph, Jeremy S. Luterbacher. Formaldehyde stabilization facilitates lignin monomer production during biomass depolymerization. Science 21 October 2016. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf7810. Mathematical analysis has led researchers in Japan to a formula that can describe the movement of DNA inside living human cells. Using these calculations, researchers may be able to reveal the 3D architecture of the human genome. In the future, these results may allow scientists to understand in detail how DNA is organized and accessed by essential cellular machinery. Previous techniques of studying the genome's architecture have relied on methods that require killing the cells. This research project, involving collaborators at multiple institutes in Japan, used alternative molecular and cell biology techniques to keep the cells alive and collect data about the natural movement of DNA. DNA is often envisaged as a stable and static code, but the genome as a whole is actually an active molecule that moves around and changes shape. Currently, scientists can sequence the entire basic code of DNA, but knowing the larger-scale 3D architecture of the genome would reveal more information about how cells use the code. While the cell is growing, DNA is stored as an unraveled spool of string; certain portions (euchromatin) are more loosely wound, and therefore accessible to the cellular machinery that turns DNA into protein, than other areas that are kept tightly wound (heterochromatin). When the cell prepares to split in half during cell division, it packages all of the chromatin into tightly-wound, X-shaped chromosomes. "Our calculations consider the fractal dimensions of the DNA, which shows how densely the DNA is packed inside the cell. The way the DNA is packed may indicate how the cell uses certain genes," said Soya Shinkai, PhD, Assistant Professor at Hiroshima University and first author of the research paper. Along the "string" of chromatin are regularly-spaced, barrel-shaped "beads" of DNA-protein complexes called nucleosomes. Researchers tracked nucleosomes' movement around the cell to understand where and how chromatin is stored. Researchers labeled the nucleosomes with fluorescent tags and took microscopy images during the growth phase of human cells. They then used theories of polymer physics to quantify the movement of the nucleosomes. "Every second, a 10 nanometer-sized nucleosome can move 100 nanometers. The constant, subtle random forces within the cell make the chromatin move around so much," said Shinkai. Before a cell can use a gene, the DNA must be completely unwound. Areas of chromatin containing frequently used genes are less tightly wrapped than areas of chromatin with infrequently used genes. A model to visualize how chromatin is packed within the cell could allow researchers to understand which genes are accessed most or least often and how the genome is physically organized. "Our calculations are relevant to local chromatin structures, but this method could also be extended to whole chromosomes. These mathematical formulas are a theory for how to interpret the visual data from microscope images of DNA moving within the cell," said Yuichi Togashi, PhD, Associate Professor at Hiroshima University and last author of the research paper. Future research projects will include finding new microscopy and DNA labeling techniques to visually track the movement of individual nucleosomes over longer periods time. The four researchers who published the recent paper are experts in theoretical and computational biophysics, structural biology, cell biology, and molecular biology. The results come from a research project made possible by an interdisciplinary team of scientists associated with the Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics at Hiroshima University. Other collaborators for the project include the National Institute of Genetics (Japan), Keio University, and Sokendai Graduate University for Advanced Studies. ### Find more Hiroshima University news on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/HiroshimaUniversityResearch Information about the RcMcD is available in both English and Japanese at: http://www.mls.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/chrom/en/index.html By PTI: Asansol (WB), Oct 19 (PTI) Union Minister Babul Supriyo was today attacked with bricks allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists here, when he was on his way to a police station to stage a protest against the arrest of some BJP workers. Supriyo said he had informed Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident and the latter will seek a report regarding the same from the state. advertisement "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," the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, alleged. "They also showed me black flags. I do not know why the police allowed the mob to come near my car," he said. Supriyo told PTI, "There was protest regarding illegal slaughter houses operating in Asansol under the patronage of TMC minister Malay Ghatak. These slaughter houses are causing havoc to the environment. I have informed the Home minister about the incident and he will seek a report from the state." Video footage of the incident showed Supriyo standing on the foot board of a vehicle and a stone landing on his chest. BJP sources said the Union minister received injuries in the attack. The BJP state unit has decided to observe a 12-hour bandh all over Asansol and demonstration by burning the effigy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at every district headquarters and a mass agitation. A protest rally has also been planned at at Hazra More. (MORE) PTI COR PNT SUN SUS SRY --- ENDS --- A new report on Swedish men with non-aggressive prostate cancer suggests that a lot more American men could safely choose to monitor their disease instead of seeking immediate radiation treatment or surgery. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Oncology online Oct. 20, the report shows that well over half of 32,518 men in Sweden diagnosed with prostate cancers least likely to spread chose monitoring during a recent, five-year period over immediate treatment. Led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, an international team concluded that men are likely to choose monitoring once presented with the choice. Called active surveillance, the monitoring option relies on regular blood tests, physical exams, and the periodic biopsy, or sampling, of prostate tissue to screen for any signs of a tumor's growth before therapy is considered. The move to active surveillance, say the study authors, averts the risk of sexual dysfunction, as well as bowel and bladder problems that frequently accompany traditional therapies. "The main conclusion here is that if the majority of men in Sweden have adopted this management strategy for very low- to low-risk prostate cancer, then more American men might choose this option if it were presented to them," says lead study investigator and urologist Stacy Loeb, MD, MSc. Among the study's key findings was that from 2009 to 2014 the number of Swedish men with very low-risk cancer choosing active surveillance increased from 57 percent to 91 percent, and men with low-risk cancer choosing this option rose from 40 percent to 74 percent. Meanwhile, the authors report, the number of men in both groups who chose to simply wait, do no further testing, and postpone therapy unless symptoms develop -- a passive practice called watchful waiting -- dropped by more than half. For the study, researchers analyzed data from Sweden's National Prostate Cancer Register, one of the few such national databases in the world (and for which nothing comparable exists in North America). Loeb, an assistant professor in the urology and population health departments at NYU Langone, and a member of Perlmutter, says that while increasing numbers of American men diagnosed with early-stage disease are choosing active surveillance, they still account for less than half of those for whom it is an option. "Our findings should encourage physicians and cancer care professionals in the United States to offer such close supervision and monitoring to their patients with low-risk disease," says Loeb. More American men opting for active surveillance, she adds, "could go a long way toward reducing the harms of screening by minimizing overtreatment of non-aggressive prostate cancer." Loeb says recent studies have suggested that some men with early-stage disease who opted for treatment later regretted it because of lingering problems, such as incontinence and impotence. A large study also recently showed no difference in death rates a decade after diagnosis between those who chose active surveillance and those who chose immediate treatment, Loeb says. Meanwhile, there is a greater risk of side effects among men undergoing therapy. She cautions, however, that this pattern has not been confirmed for the Swedish men in the current study. The U.S. National Cancer Institute estimates that 26,000 American men will die from the disease in 2016, with 181,000 getting diagnosed, most in its earliest stages. ### Funding support for the study, which took two years to complete, was provided by grants from the Swedish Research Council (825-2012-5047) and the Swedish Cancer Society (130428). Additional funding support was provided by the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center and the Louis Feil Charitable Lead Trust. Besides Loeb, another NYU Langone investigator involved in the study was Caitlin Curnyn, MPH. Other study investigators were Yasin Folkvaljon, MSc, at the Regional Cancer Center at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden; David Robinson, MD, PhD, at Ryhov County Hospital in Jonkoping, Sweden, and Umea University in Umea, Sweden; Ola Bratt, MD, PhD, at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, England, and Lund University in Lund, Sweden; and principal investigator Par Stattin, MD, PhD, at both Uppsala University and Umea University. Media Inquiries: David March 212-404-3528 david.march@nyumc.org Rice University computer scientists have created a new system for mobile users to quickly determine their location indoors without communicating with the cloud, networks or other devices. The battery-saving scheme uses image recognition and "hashing," a method that reduces key details in a photo to short strings of numbers called hashes. To determine a location, the system hashes a photo from the user's camera and compares it against a pre-downloaded, highly compressed location database called a hash table. The indoor mobile positioning system called CaPSuLe, short for "Camera-based Positioning System Using Learning," was presented in September at the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers System-On-Chip Conference (IEEE SOCC) in Seattle. In tests on a commercially available smartphone, CaPSuLe calculated locations in less than two seconds with greater than 92 percent accuracy using less than 4 joules of energy, said system co-inventor Anshumali Shrivastava, assistant professor of computer science at Rice. "The core of our system is a hashing-based image-matching algorithm that is more than 500 times cheaper -- both in terms of energy and computational overhead -- than state-of-the-art image-matching techniques." Shrivastava said CaPSuLe is a proof-of-concept application that uses a combination of machine learning and inexact computing to address three of the primary problems facing mobile application designers. "Privacy, computations and energy are the big challenges," he said. "Inexact computing helps with all three. In short, it allows us to determine answers with something less than 100 percent confidence. There are many situations where a miniscule loss of confidence, say 1 percent or less, works just as well as the golden solution. Yet that tiny difference in accuracy can give us exponential gains in computations and energy. Certainty, or confidence, is a resource that can be traded, and as always, the sweet spot is not the extreme." For example, a traditional brute-force image-matching technique that Shrivastava and colleagues used for comparison with CaPSuLe consumed greater than 500 times the energy and took almost 17 minutes to complete a single location query when computations were performed on the mobile. For that extra energy and time, the accuracy improved to 93.4 percent -- less than 2 percentage points better than the accuracy of CaPSuLe. In describing how CaPSuLe might be used, Shrivastava cited the example of a shopping mall. The mall owner would need a gallery of images of the interior of the mall; CaPSuLe would scan those images for key features like store marques, escalators, benches, kiosks, etc. Rather than storing the images, the system stores a table of hashes, which serve as image fingerprints. These fingerprints are lightweight and can be computed very fast, Shrivastava said. To test CaPSuLe, study co-authors from Korea's Seoul National University made a CaPSuLe app that ran on a smartphone. Tests were conducted in a Seoul shopping mall, and the hash table was prepared using 871 reference photos. "Cloud-based machine-learning applications are getting a great deal of attention, but cloud-based solutions have inherent privacy drawbacks, and they are typically computationally and energy- intensive," Shrivastava said. "CaPSuLe shows that a 'cloudless,' probabilistic approach can be a viable and more sustainable alternative." This effort is a part of Rice University's Center for Computing at the Margins (RUCCAM), which is led by study co-author Krishna Palem. Additional co-authors include Rice's Chen Luo and Seoul National University's Yongshik Moon, Soonhyun Noh, Daedong Park and Seongsoo Hong. RUCCAM brings together researchers from Rice and universities around the world to explore solutions to the physical and energy limitations currently restricting the continued expansion of computing capacity needed to solve emerging workload problems. The researchers intend to change the manner in which computational resources are utilized, even at the margins of stability and accuracy, to increase the efficiency at which answers can be calculated. ### This release can be found online at news.rice.edu. Follow Rice News and Media Relations on Twitter @RiceUNews. Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview. HOUSTON - (Oct. 20, 2016) - Scientists at Rice University are smashing metallic micro-cubes to make them ultrastrong and tough by rearranging their nanostructures upon impact. The Rice team reported in Science this week that firing a tiny, nearly perfect cube of silver onto a hard target turns its single-crystal microstructure into a gradient-nano-grained (GNG) structure. The purpose of the experiment was to learn how materials deform under overwhelming stress, as might be experienced by a bulletproof vest or a spacecraft that encounters micrometeorites. The researchers believe creating a gradient nanostructure in materials by way of deformation will make them more ductile and therefore less likely to fail catastrophically when subsequently stressed. Ultimately, they want to develop nano-grained metals that are tougher and stronger than anything available today. Led by materials scientist Edwin Thomas, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Rice's George R. Brown School of Engineering, the team used its advanced laser-induced projectile impact test (LIPIT) rig to shoot microcubes onto a silicon target. The mechanism allowed them to be sure the cube hit the target squarely. The Thomas lab developed the LIPIT technique several years ago to fire microbullets to test the strength of polymer and graphene film materials. This time the researchers were essentially testing the bullet itself. "The high-velocity impact generates very high pressure that far exceeds the material's strength," Thomas said. "This leads to high plasticity at the impact side of the cube while the top region retains its initial structure, ultimately creating a grain-size gradient along its height." The original projectiles needed to be as perfect as possible. That required a custom fabrication method, Thomas said. The cubes for the study were synthesized as single crystals via bottom-up seed growth to about 1.4 microns per side, about 50 times smaller than the width of a human hair. LIPIT transformed laser power into the mechanical energy that propelled the cubes toward a target at supersonic velocity. The cubes were placed on top of a thin polymer film that thermally isolated them and prevented the laser itself from deforming them. When a laser pulse hit an absorbing thin-film gold layer underneath the polymer, the laser energy caused it to vaporize. That expanded the polymer film, which launched the microcubes. The distance covered was small -- about 500 micrometers -- but the effect was large. While the experiments were carried out at room temperature, the cube's temperature rose by about 350 degrees Fahrenheit upon impact at 400 meters per second and allowed dynamic recrystallization. The team fired silver cubes at the target at various orientations and measured the results of the impact from every angle, inside and out and from the nanoscale on up. Controlling the orientation of the crystal's impact gave them enormous ability to control the resulting structure and potentially its mechanical properties, Thomas said. Other industrial processes produce materials with grains that can range from the nanocrystalline up to the coarse-grained, and, Thomas said, neither structure is ideal. While nanocrystalline structures make metals stronger, they also increase their susceptibility to catastrophic brittle failure due to the way those grains localize strain. Studies have demonstrated that creating a gradient-nano-grained structure from the nanometer to the micron scale may provide high strength yet alleviate such brittle failures by better distribution of stress. The one-step Rice process makes such structures with a range of grains from about 10 to 500 nanometers over a distance of 500 nanometers. That produces a gradient at least 10 times higher than the other techniques, the researchers reported. They also discovered the impact stores considerable elastic energy in the material, which leads to slow but continuous recrystallization of the metal at room temperature, even though silver's melting point is more than 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit. Electron microscope analysis of samples eight days after impact showed the crystals were still seeking equilibrium, Thomas said. In addition to promising pathways for creating ultrastrong and tough metals, the researchers believe their work may influence such other modern material processing techniques as cold spray and shot peening. ### Rice postdoctoral researcher Ramathasan Thevamaran is lead author of the paper. Co-authors are Rice graduate student Olawale Lawal and research scientist Sadegh Yazdi and Rice alumni Seog-Jin Jeon, a postdoctoral researcher, and Jae-Hwang Lee, an assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, both at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Read the abstract at http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.aag1768 This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2016/10/20/smashing-metallic-cubes-toughens-them-up/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Videos: https://youtu.be/yD8LEcc4hyA https://youtu.be/arVIs6xQaxE SEM/TEM video images: Thevamaran et al., SCIENCE 352:312 (21 OCT 2016). Reprinted with permission from AAAS Related materials: Thomas Research Group: http://elt.rice.edu George R. Brown School of Engineering: http://engr.rice.edu Images for download: http://news.rice.edu/files/2016/10/1024_CUBE-6-WEB-1onmlke.jpg Rice University researchers (from left) Olawale Lawal, Ramathasan Thevamaran, Edwin Thomas and Sadegh Yazdi hold clay models of deformed cubes that represent the results of their microscale experiments. The researchers smashed silver microcubes at near supersonic speeds to see how deforming their crystalline structures could make them stronger and tougher. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2016/10/1024_CUBE-7-WEB-1u0xyr3.jpg Microscopic silver cubes were the bullets in Rice University experiments to show how deformation upon impact can make materials stronger and tougher. (Credit: Thomas Group/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2016/10/1024_CUBE-8-WEB-191vvnq.jpg A cross-section composite image of a silver microcube impacted on its side shows decreasing grain size closer to where the deformed cube hit the target. Rice University scientists believe their research will lead to better materials for high-impact applications. (Credit: Thomas Group/Rice University) Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview. Editor's note: Links to an animation, a video and high-resolution images for download appear at the end of this release. David Ruth 713-348-6327 david@rice.edu Mike Williams 713-348-6728 mikewilliams@rice.edu In any conflict children are among the worst affected groups, and in the Syrian Civil War the long term health and welfare of children will be greatly impacted due to the lack of access to immunization programs, little or no formal education, and in many cases missing both parents. A study by Elsafti et al, details the problems currently experienced by the children and raises concerns about the long term impact these problems will have not only on children within the Syrian border, but also on surrounding countries. According to the corresponding author, Gerlant van Berlaer, emergency pediatrician of the disaster research group in Brussels, the current critical situation of the Syrian children will leave its traces in the coming decades. One in five children does not have a home anymore, but is forced into temporary shelters, with insufficient access to safe drinking water, to proper sanitation, lacking healthy food needed for their physical and mental growth. There are literally no pediatricians left to watch over the children's immunizations and health. In the last five years, more than 300000 Syrian children have been born as IDP's or refugees, and most of them are not vaccinated at all. Two thirds of the children examined in our study showed signs of infectious diseases. Our findings, in line with UNICEF and WHO reports, raise serious concerns about the protection of Syrian children against malnutrition, preventable infections and epidemics in these austere circumstances. Not only inside Syria, but also in the surrounding and Western countries, where millions are in search for the refugee status today. Syrian children - the nation's last hope for a better future - are among the most vulnerable victims of the war: they have lost loved ones, suffered injuries, missed years of education, and witnessed violence and brutality. With more than half of them having no access to education, two thirds not having access to pediatric health care, the future of Syria will be jeopardized for decades to come. ### About the Journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness is the first comprehensive and authoritative journal emphasizing public health preparedness and disaster response for all health care and public health professionals globally. The journal seeks to translate science into practice and integrate medical and public health perspectives. DMPHP is an official journal of the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, and is produced by Cambridge University Press. About the Society The Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health aims to evolve a discipline around disaster medicine and public health. The society's goal is to improve global health security, with the involvement and development of global health professionals and others who are involved in responding to and or managing significant events. The mission of the SDMPH is to advance and promote excellence in education, training and research in disaster medicine and public health for all potential health system responders based on sound educational principles, scientific evidence and best clinical and public health practices. COLLEGE STATION - For decades, behavioral scientists have been interested in understanding why people don't participate in leisure activities, but there has been no consistent method for measuring these factors, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist whose paper recently earned a top award from the Journal of Leisure Research. "Behavioral scientists have been looking at factors such as health, interest in environmentally responsible behaviors and physical or geographical access to understand why people don't take advantage of leisure opportunities," said Dr. Gerard Kyle, an AgriLife Research professor in the department of recreation, park and tourism sciences at Texas A&M University, College Station. "But over the past 30 years, efforts to measure these factors have varied considerably." In an attempt to provide consistency, Kyle, in collaboration with Dr. Jinhee Jun, an assistant professor in the College of Business at Hallym University, Seoul, South Korea, presented and tested an alternate approach to analyzing the measures used to quantify impediments to engaging in leisure activities. Their resulting paper, titled "An alternate conceptualization of the leisure constraints measurement model: Formative structure?," was recently recognized as Paper of the Year - 2015 at the 2016 National Recreation and Park Association Congress held Oct. 6 in St. Louis, Missouri. The paper by Dr. Kyle examines a new way to analyze impediments to participating in leisure activities. "Current understanding suggests people negotiate barriers to leisure engagement beginning with factors such as physical ability, to those within the physical environment, such as having a place to fish," Kyle said. "In this paper, we developed measures that are both consistent with the measurement theory from which they are derived, plus we helped identify factors that inhibit engagement in an array of desired behaviors." For their research, Kyle and Jun looked at a number of intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural factors. Their next step was to determine how these factors might be interpreted and analyzed using traditional "reflective" and "formative" modeling and to identify the limitations of these models, as well as the traditional metrics being used. Among the intrapersonal factors identified in the study were fear of crime, poor health, lack of ease in social situations, desire to pursue recreation in areas other than parks and dislike of participating in nature or outdoor recreation activities. Interpersonal factors included friends and family preferring to recreate elsewhere, no one to go with to parks and conflicting schedules with a spouse or companion. Structural factors included lack of time, lack of information about existing parks and park programs, work commitments, distance to parks, transportation to parks, cost of park facilities and programs, crowding of parks and facilities, overdevelopment of parks and facilities, too busy with other activities and too busy with family responsibilities. Kyle explained reflective measures are expected to have a degree of connection or correlation that can be said to reflect the "latent" or unobserved variable, while formative measures are not expected to correlate and can be thought of as having formed the latent variable. Latent variables are those not directly observed but are inferred, using a mathematical model, from other variables that can be observed and measured. "A large number of the issues with using previous modeling to determine impediments to leisure activity could be resolved by viewing constraint measures as formative and using analyses that are consistent with this type of measurement," he said. Kyle said devising the correct constraints measurement model could resolve a number of measurement issues, advance understanding and enhance delivery of leisure services. He said the purpose of the paper was to critique leisure researchers' misapplication of the leisure constraint measurement model and to present an alternative analytic approach more consistent with those indicators of constraint. "A great deal of attention has been devoted to developing measures of various leisure phenomena such as motivation, specialization, enduring involvement, place attachment, commitment and the like," Kyle said. "And many factors affecting participation in leisure activities are assumed to be unobserved or latent, particularly those related to individuals' thoughts and feelings about leisure and the context in which it is experienced." Kyle said in his paper, "we have argued that because contemporary measures of leisure constraints follow a formative structure, factor analytic approaches are inappropriate due to incorrect assumptions about the measurement model." Additionally, he noted conventional metrics for assessing validity and reliability, designed for more traditional reflective measurement models, are also inappropriate. He said the paper provides an example illustrating one latent variable modeling technique to analyze formative factors, along with discussion of the theoretical and practical issues to be addressed when using this method. Kyle said while not quite solving the problem, this technique addresses the assumptions made about factors that keep people from participating in leisure activities. "This procedure has the potential to lay to rest many of the lingering concerns underlying the measurement of constraints," he said. "By embracing the potential for using formative measures, researchers also are better positioned to utilize indicators that are specific to the population or context of concern." He said while there are diverse opinions on the validity of formative modeling, the growing acceptance of formative measurement has the potential to greatly change the way factors affecting behavior related to leisure activity are viewed and analyzed. "This will undoubtedly produce stronger findings that are both of theoretical and applied value," he said. ### Imiquimod is a medication successfully used in the treatment of skin diseases. In addition to its known mechanism of action, it also triggers other processes in the body. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in explaining the molecular fundamentals of these additional effects. The results also shine a new light on other known molecular processes which could indicate an approach to the treatment of inflammatory illnesses. The fact that a given medication has been approved for use doesn't automatically mean that all of its mechanisms of action have been completely investigated and understood. New findings and technical possibilities continuously enable more precise insights into the processes that take place within the human body. As a result, we constantly gain a better understanding of how known medicines work and what approaches could be practical for new medications. PD Dr. Olaf Gro, group leader at the TUM Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry , has been working together with his team to investigate Imiquimod. This medication has been successfully used to treat viral skin infections and certain types of skin cancer since 1997. The scientists have now published their results in the journal Immunity. Imiquimod is an immunomodulatory agent, which means it triggers an immune reaction which causes the body's immune system to attack modified cells. For several years, this process was the medication's only known mechanism of action. However, in the meantime it has been shown that imiquimod also triggers other processes in the body. On one hand, imiquimod directly impairs the growth of cancer cells. On the other hand, Imiquimod activates a complex within cells of the immune system termed the inflammasome. While the inflammasome is very important for our body's ability to defend against infection, uncontrolled activation of the inflammasome can lead to inflammatory diseases. "We think that these other mechanisms of action of Imiquimod might contribute to the efficacy or adverse side effects of the medication," says Olaf Gro. Intervention in the mitochondria Imiquimod specifically activates the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is a special type of inflammasome that responds to tissue stress and cellular damage. Olaf Gro and his team were able to show that NLRP3 is activated because Imiquimod impairs the respiratory chain in mitochondria. The respiratory chain is a series of mitochondrial protein complexes that generates the energy, in the form of a molecule called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP for short, that cells need to survive. "Inhibition of the respiratory chain by imiquimod not only impairs ATP production, but also results in the production of toxic oxygen radicals," explains Dr. Ritu Mishra, one of the two primary authors of the study. "Imiquimod causes an especially large amount of radicals to be released. In contrast to other substances that intervene in the respiratory chain but generate a lower amount of radicals, here a threshold value is exceeded that results in the activation of NLRP3." Implications for anti-inflammatory medications "There is a lot of excitement about generating new anti-inflammatory medications by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome," says Dr. Christina J. Gro, also one of the study's primary authors. "We hope that our research will lead to the design of medications that can prevent dangerous hyperactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome that may occur in diseases like gout and multiple sclerosis." Olaf Gro and his team are following-up on this study by investigating whether the effect of imiquimod on the mitochondria is the mechanism behind the unexplained finding that imiquimod directly inhibits growth of cancer cells. After that, they plan to investigate new chemical substances related to Imiquimod in order to find out how the various effects of the medication can be uncoupled. ### Publication: C.J. Gro, R. Mishra, K.S. Schneider, G. Medard, J. Wettmarshausen, D.C. Dittlein, H. Shi, O. Gorka, P.-A. Koenig, S. Fromm, G. Magnani, T. ?ikovi?, L. Hartjes, J. Smollich, A.A.B. Robertson, M.A. Cooper, M. Schmidt-Supprian, M. Schuster, K. Schroder, P. Broz, C. Traidl-Hoffmann, B. Beutler, B. Kuster, J. Ruland, S. Schneider, F. Perocchi, O. Gro. "K+ Efflux-Independent NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation by Small Molecules Targeting Mitochondria". Immunity (2016). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2016.08.010 High-Resolution images: http://go.tum.de/174109 Contact: PD Dr. rer. nat. Olaf Gro Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry Klinikum rechts der Isar Technical University of Munich 49-89-4140-4874 olaf.gross@tum.de The genome sequence of the most common laboratory frog reveals that it originated when different frog species hybridized and the genome doubled, paralleling events that led to the origin of vertebrates. In the Oct. 20 issue of the journal Nature, an international research consortium led by scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Tokyo reports a striking pattern of genome duplication in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. The team showed that the frog's genome arose through interspecific hybridizations of two now-extinct species between 15 and 20 million years ago. The newly reported frog genome provides insights into the behavior of anciently duplicated genomes. Several thousand genes have become disabled since the hybridization, and the team found nearly a thousand non-functional "dead" genes, others dying, and still others that had been completely lost. Similar events are thought to have occurred nearly half a billion years ago in the evolutionary lineage leading to modern vertebrates, and the frog provides a contemporary laboratory for studying the impact of genome doubling. Animals typically have paired sets of chromosomes, with one set inherited from mom and the other from dad. African clawed frogs, however, have twice as much DNA as other frogs, and four sets of chromosomes, a condition known as tetraploidy, Tetraploidy is common in plants and some amphibians, reptiles and fish, but rare in other animals. By sequencing and analyzing the African clawed frog genome, the researchers found that its four sets of chromosomes were organized as two paired sets, one "long" and the other "short." (Each parent contributes one long and one short set to its offspring.) Confirming a longstanding hypothesis, the analysis shows that the long and short sub-genomes of X. laevis were originally derived from two conventional frog species. Through a process of interspecies mating, these two progenitors merged to form a new species that eventually became today's African clawed frog. Once brought together, the two conventional sub-genomes combined to form a "supergenome" with extra copies of every gene. The two sub-genomes needed to collaborate to guide the functions of the new species, and deal with any conflict between them. Remarkably, the researchers found that the two progenitor genomes responded differently to the merger. While one remained more or less intact, the other shrunk by large- and small-scale deletion and disruption of its genetic material. The result is the "long" and "short" sub-genomes we see today. The international collaboration included researchers from the United States, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Australia and Switzerland, and was led by Daniel Rokhsar and Richard Harland of UC Berkeley and Masanori Taira of the University of Tokyo. The lead authors of the study are postdoctoral fellow Adam Session of UC Berkeley and the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Yoshinobu Uno of Nagoya University and Taejoon Kwon of the University of Texas and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in Korea. Two genomes are better than one? African clawed frogs of the genus Xenopus (zen'-uh-pus, literally "strange foot") comprise more than 20 species native to sub-Saharan Africa. In the early 20th century, biologists discovered that female frogs respond to human hormones, and that injecting frogs with a woman's urine could be used for a simple pregnancy test. The frogs became a standard diagnostic tool, and commonplace in hospitals and research laboratories. Scientists soon realized that Xenopus was also a valuable and versatile laboratory model for basic biology, enabling studies that shed light on both fundamental mechanisms of vertebrate embryonic development and mechanisms underlying human diseases. "Because X. laevis is such a well-studied model system for cell and developmental biology, it is ideal for exploring the effect of polyploidy on genome evolution," said Harland, a professor of molecular and cell biology. Since the 1970s it has been known that many Xenopus species have two, four or even six times as much DNA as most other frogs, along with comparable multiplications of the fundamental chromosome set. In fact, only one conventional diploid species of Xenopus is known. Although both of the progenitor species are now extinct, the team identified telltale genomic signals that two species were involved, and inferred that they came together 15-20 million years ago to form the species we now know as Xenopus laevis. "It's as if the genome we see today was written long ago by two different authors, who each had their own favorite words that they used over and over again," said Rokhsar. "We used these idiosyncratic words to differentiate the two sub-genomes, figuring out which chromosomes were written by which 'author.' We could then analyze the response of these two texts to being merged into a single document." The Xenopus laevis genome encodes a frog whose cells and body size are larger than those with smaller genomes. In the millions of years since the merger, there have been subtle, and not-so-subtle, changes in the genome as it adjusted to its new circumstances. In addition to gene loss, the timing of activity during embryonic development has been tweaked for thousands of genes. "We have only scratched the surface in analyzing the Xenopus laevis genome," said Taira, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Tokyo. "It is a treasure trove of information for biologists interested in the evolution of genomes and the control of cell and body size." The more genomes, the merrier Duplicated genomes are common in plants, and in some amphibians, reptiles and fish. Scientists believe that mammals cannot survive with duplicated genomes, due to an imbalance in gene function from having too many X or Y chromosomes. But sex determination in frog is not as straightforward as in mammals, and appears to be more flexible, often modulated by environmental factors. This additional flexibility, also found in some fish, seems to have allowed genome doubling to occur in these species. Genome doublings are more than an amphibian curiosity. Thousands of human genes (and genes of other vertebrates) are found in multiple copies on different chromosomes. These anciently duplicated genes arose nearly half a billion years ago, around the time that early vertebrates began to diverge from other animals. The chromosomal distribution of these duplicate genes in the human and other vertebrate genomes suggests that they are the remnants of ancient genome doublings in an early vertebrate ancestor. But while hundreds of millions of years have elapsed since these formative genome-doubling events in the evolutionary history of vertebrates, the doublings in Xenopus are far more recent -- a mere blink of evolution's eye, Session said. "The Xenopus duplication allows us to study a relatively fresh genome duplication, looking at the relatively short-term evolutionary response to doubling," explained Session. "The ancient vertebrate duplications are far older, and obscured by chromosomal rearrangement and gene loss. In fact, most of the duplicate genes created by the early vertebrate duplications were rapidly lost, because they were redundant. In the frog we can study the ongoing process of loss." While many "housekeeping" genes have been lost, duplicate genes that control cell fates tend to be retained, suggesting that their precise dosage is important. A versatile frog Xenopus has characteristics that make it an ideal laboratory model, such as large, abundant eggs that can be induced by hormone injection and the ability to lay eggs at any time of year, a result of their sub-Saharan origin, where they must be ready to spawn in response to irregular rains. Xenopus research has led to major advances in understanding cell and developmental biology, and several Nobel prizes. They're also easy to study, since their development from fertilized frog egg to swimming tadpole takes place in the water. And amphibian embryos are large and and robust enough to allow fine "cut and paste" experiments to ask what parts of the embryo are centers of signaling, and what parts respond to those signals. In the 1920s, Hilde Mangold and Hans Spemann discovered that a small piece of one embryo, transplanted to another, could induce a second body axis that includes an organized nervous system. In the 1980s, John Gerhart and his colleagues at UC Berkeley found the origins of dorsal-ventral (back to belly) organization of the egg in a rotation of the contents of the egg relative to its surface, a movement that breaks the spherical symmetry. The genes that mediate this play similar roles in human development. Many of these genes were discovered in the 1990s, the first at UC Berkeley by William Smith and Richard Harland. In humans, mutations in these genes can cause birth defects, and Xenopus is an outstanding model for studying these genetic disorders. Remarkably, cytoplasm extracted from Xenopus eggs and placed in a test tube can carry out most of the events that occur within dividing cells. By partitioning these extracts into their component molecules and then mixing and matching them, researchers have studied many fundamental processes in vertebrate cells. UC Berkeley's Rebecca Heald uses these extracts to understand the proteins that control assembly and function of the mitotic spindle, which is involved in preparing the chromosomes before a cell divides. The Xenopus laevis genome is the first amphibian to have its genome sequence reported as complete chromosomes. To achieve this feat, the research team took advantage of new chromatin-related sequencing technologies as well as detailed microscopic examination of chromosomes with fluorescent markers. At least for now, Xenopus laevis holds the record for the sequenced animal genome with the most genes, with nearly 50,000 genes. But this record is not likely to last long. Along with other diverse frog species, the UC Berkeley team is currently sequencing the genome of a dodecaploid Xenopus species with 12 chromosome sets, expected to nearly triple the record. The work on the draft genome sequence and genome-wide analysis of Xenopus laevis, conducted by 74 scientists representing 46 institutions, was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Japanese and Dutch governments. ### The whirring sound of Hyperloop UC's hover engines filled the conference room as an anxious crowd shuffled closer for a better view. Would this student-designed prototype actually levitate? The answer came in a matter of moments as the eight miniature engines gained revolutions per minute -- emitting noises reminiscent of Star Wars sound effects -- and the 14-foot-long Hyperloop UC pod achieved roughly a quarter-inch of magnetic levitation. The unveiling and demo of Hyperloop UC's prototype at the University of Cincinnati's Myers Alumni Center on Oct. 17 was indeed a moment to celebrate for a team of more than 60 UC students who had been working nonstop to refine their entry into an international Hyperloop competition hosted by Tesla founder Elon Musk. As CEO of the aerospace firm SpaceX, Musk has challenged the world to submit ideas -- and now prototypes -- for a tube-based passenger system that would allow for travel between cities at the speed of sound. Testing of prototypes will take place January 27-29 when they will insert their pod for takeoff in a mile-long test track next to SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. UC got involved when UC aerospace engineering graduate student Dhaval Shiyani took Musk's challenge to heart last year and began assembling an interdisciplinary team from across campus. UC's group is one of just 30 that has advanced to the test round of the Hyperloop competition out of more than 1,200 teams worldwide. "We are very proud of the design we have created," said Shiyani, Hyperloop UC's president and an international student from India. "It hits all the marks with respect to performance, safety and scalability. Our education at UC has taught us well, and we are confident that we will be a force to reckon with come January." Fellow graduate student Sid Thatham, also born in India, oversees finance, operations, marketing and fundraising for Hyperloop UC. "Our journey has been pretty amazing," said Thatham. "We've had a chance to work on something that's larger than all of us, something that actually is going to change the way people travel in the near future." If successful, the venture could completely shift the way commuters travel. Cincinnati to Chicago, for example, could be travelled in a half-hour -- all while passengers relax in a capsule that levitates through the tube at more than 700 mph "This has been a tremendous marriage of innovation, academics and research," said UC Interim Provost Peter Landgren. "Hyperloop is a global conversation, and Elon Musk needs to be hearing what's going on in Cincinnati." UC Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Richardson, Eng '02, JD '05, also offered words of encouragement to the team. "When we talk about innovation and what that means, it is not about making money," said Richardson, who received his first degree in electrical engineering. "It is really about that spirit and that passion that anything is possible, and you can rebel against the status quo. "That spirit you have today will be challenged. People will tell you that your idea can't be done or that you are not the one that can do this. The beginning of being an innovator is being comfortable being dismissed. People often assume that because it hasn't been done, it can't be done. But nothing was possible until it was." Richardson has also been the key driver behind Next Lives Here, an innovation summit at UC on Oct. 20 that will also include the Hyperloop UC prototype. UC's hyperloop team was among 120 teams invited to Texas A&M University in January of 2016 to present their ideas, where they were then selected to be among just 30 who are moving on to the final round of competition. UC is also the only group representing Ohio universities. "People always say that seeing is believing and personally, seeing Hyperloop UC's design mature from rendering to prototype only further affirms that we are doing everything right here at the College of Engineering and Applied Science," said Teik C. Lim, UC CEAS dean and Herman Schneider professor of mechanical engineering. "We are always challenging our students to be innovative and cutting edge, and Hyperloop UC is all of that and so much more. "These are engineers, designers and business students all working side by side -- just as they would in the real world. They have taken their vision, formed by a host of different minds, and together have made it a reality. I couldn't be more pleased with what they have accomplished. I wish them much success as they enter the final round." Next, UC's team will ship their pod to California for preliminary track testing in early November ahead of the competition with the 29 other teams in January. ### How did Europe become what it is today and what role did the institution of the Church play? As part of the project 'Regesta Pontificum Romanorum' historians of Friedrich-Alexander Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU) are working together with the Gottingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities to comprehensively examine all papal contacts from their beginnings through to 1198. The official confirmation of the gift of a relic, a pope's authoritative decision in a controversial legal matter or a letter on the occasion of the crowning of an emperor - those are just some examples of the documents that popes in the Early and High Middle Ages, between approximately the 6th and 13th centuries, sent to recipients. The popes' written contact to the Christian world is well documented after 1198, but the messages sent by the Roman popes to rulers, bishops or monasteries throughout Europe via messengers in the centuries prior were only sparsely maintained and not centrally recorded before 1198. This means that these letters, which are spread throughout Europe, having been saved by their recipients, have to be collected. 'To research the rise of the state system in Europe and to investigate the interactions between the Roman centre and the Christian world of the time, an index of papal writings is absolutely necessary,' says project director Prof. Dr. Klaus Herbers from the Chair of Medieval History and Ancillary Sciences at FAU. Documents sent from the papal chambers are not only a source of profound insights, but they also reveal local particularities and the recipients' expectations of the supreme shepherd of the Christian faith. The project is about more than just the history of an enduring institution: 'It also enables us to understand organisational structures which were created in the Middle Ages and which still shape the face of Europe,' explains Herbers. The FAU researchers have taken on a considerable task. They are working on a new edition of the definitive work 'Regesta Pontificum Romanorum' by Philipp Jaffe, who first collected papal correspondence in 'regesta' in 1851, followed by a second edition in 1885/1888. In the regesta the contents of papal correspondence are summarised together with their date and place of issuance and the definitive editions. 'With the new discoveries and research of the last 130 years, we assume that there are at least 32,000 documented papal contacts before 1198,' adds Klaus Herbers. Thanks to the FAU researchers, there will be ongoing updates. They have already processed the documents from the time of Peter's arrival in Rome until 604; the first volume comprises over 3100 regesta on 600 pages. The scholars have revised Jaffe's classic not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively: they are making the results available for systematic searches in the online database http://www.papsturkunden.de. In order to create the chronological index of papal documents, the scholars had to becomes detectives. In addition to their expert analysis of annals, chronicles or collections of church law, they also discovered 'secret sources' which contained hidden references to papal documents, including ones that no longer exist. 'This provides us with scientifically sound, systematic access to one of the most important collections of European source material,' says Herbers, 'and allows us to comparatively and comprehensively view the constitutive role of the papacy in spreading values, procedures, legal concepts and ideas.' ### Further information: Project 'Papal documents of the Early and High Middle Ages' Chair of Medieval History and Ancillary Sciences Phone: +49 9131 8525835 klaus.herbers@fau.de, viktoria.trenkle@fau.de, judith.werner@fau.de http://www.mittelalter.geschichte.fau.de A study into freshwater lake management along the Amazon's most meandering river has demonstrated astounding benefits to local livelihoods in replenishing vitally important fish stocks -- a source of much-needed food and income. Prof Carlos Peres from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Dr Joao Campos-Silva of Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil led the analysis into the population recovery of Arapaima gigas, the world's largest scaled freshwater fish, which had been previously depleted. Eight years of data were used to measure how population sizes varied between managed, protected oxbow lakes and open-access lakes. The study demonstrated a dramatic rebound in arapaima populations that had been previously overfished in lakes under community-based management, concluding that these management programmes are a clear 'win-win' conservation solution, compatible with the socioeconomic reality of Amazonian countries. The study compares protected freshwater lakes along the Jurua River, a 3350-km long tributary of the Amazon, to 'high-interest savings accounts', vital for local food security. But efforts to protect these freshwater ecosystems are often hampered by conflicts with commercial fishing interests. Prof Peres said: "Our analysis showed that community-based management of freshwater lakes can have profound impacts on conservation and local engagement. Local stewardship, in situ surveillance, full-time enforcement of resource access rights, and management of high-value fish stocks were the most important factors in boosting arapaima populations across a wide range of lakes, especially in close proximity to communities. Boosting these fish populations offers not only much-needed animal protein for the local community but also an unprecedented source of income. "Policy makers must focus greater attention on zoning resource use over entire river basins and include local communities in landscape-scale conservation planning, to ensure their continued success." Patterns of community management explained 72% of the variation in arapaima population sizes across the 83 lakes studied along a 600-km section of the Jurua River. Dr Campos-Silva, first author of the study, said: "Conservation initiatives in Amazonian floodplains are often a huge challenge due to lack of governance, investments and human resources. We highlighted a powerful conservation tool that simultaneously brings social security for local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation at large spatial scales. The Brazilian government and others stakeholders should invest in incentives to solve market bottlenecks and consolidate this rare sustainable development opportunity." Prof Peres said: "Even some of the world's most severely underfunded sustainable-use protected areas can be powerful instruments of tropical biodiversity conservation. However, existing protected areas are currently too focused on protecting only forest biodiversity, while equally-important freshwater ecosystems are being neglected. "There is a need to rethink how best to protect these freshwater ecosystems but efforts are hindered by political resistance to creating new or expanding existing protected areas. In fact there are likely to be severe setbacks in the total numbers or area of protected areas in many tropical countries, therefore decentralising conservation policies to communities and local stakeholders can be powerful and effective. "Undoubtedly, arapaima management is a rare window of opportunity to harmonise the often incompatible goals of sustainable resource management and poverty alleviation." 'Community-based management induces rapid recovery of a high-value tropical freshwater fishery' is published in the journal Scientific Reports. ### Moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, the 90-minute long debate saw some sharp verbal attacks and counter-attacks between Clinton and Trump. By Smita Sharma: With only 20 nights before the November 8 election, the third and final presidential debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton concluded on Wednesday in Las Vegas. Moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, the 90-minute long debate saw some sharp verbal attacks and counter-attacks between Clinton and Trump. advertisement While both the Presidential candidates failed to answer some questions, particularly about the national debt, their final face-off was more staunch and sharp than the previous two. Here are the top takeaways from the debate: IMMIGRATION: Speaking on his signature issue- immigration- Republican front-runner Donald Trump suggested that US needs to have strong borders. Hillary, on the other hand, accused Trump of being a hypocrite as he used undocumented labor to build the Trump Tower. She further said that she would continue Barack Obama's unilateral executive actions Normalise immigration status of long-term undocumented residents of US. Trump: We have to have strong borders.We have some bad hombres. Clinton: Trump is a hypocrite.He used undocumented labor to build the Trump Tower. ALSO READ: US presidential debate: In final face-off, Trump, Hillary clash on immigration, Russia | Highlights PUTIN EFFECT: Battling sharply over the influence of Vladimir Putin, while Trump claimed that Putin had repeatedly outsmarted Clinton, Hillary accused Trump to be Putin's puppet. Trump: He said nice things about me. He has no respect for her, he has no respect for our president and I'll tell you what, we're in very serious trouble. Hillary: He'd rather believe Vladimir Putin than the military and civilian intelligence officials that are sworn to protect us. SYRIA,ISIS AND ALEPPO Taling about Syrian refugees and defeating ISIS, while Clinton appeared confident to deal with refugees and defeat ISIS, Trump predicted security crises if Hillary were elected. Trump: Assad (Syrian president) is much smarter than Hilary and Obama. We made Assad powerful. We are giving him lots of money. If Assad falls, you may have something worst. Assad is a bad guy. Hillary (Clinton) has made tens of thousands of refugees who are in our country now. Thanks a lot for this Hilary. Syrian refugees ... these are going to be the great Trojan Horse. Hillary: No fly zone in Aleppo will save many lives. There are millions who have become refugees within Syria. We can strike a deal and make it clear to Russia and Syria. I will not shut the door on women and children. The picture of 4-year-old bleeding is haunting. We will defeat ISIS. advertisement ALSO READ: US presidential elections: Who will win the race to the top? CLINTON AND TRUMP FOUNDATION While Trump accused that donors of Clinton foundation kill women and gays, Clinton claimed that her foundation has done everything in the country's interest. Hillary: "Everything I did is for our country's interest. I am happy to talk about the Clinton foundation. The Foundation made it possible for 11 million people to have AIDS recovery. Trump: It's (Clinton Foundation) a criminal enterprise. You talk about women's guys.. You are funded by Saudi Arabia. Why didn't you give back the money that you have taken from various countries? People hate the Clintons in Haiti. Clinton donors kills women and gays. TRUMP'S EQUATION WITH WOMEN Hillary took a dig at Trump's alleged indecent behavior towards women and said that 'Trump never apologises for anything. However, Trump responded to Clinton stating that all the charges levelled against him are lies and fictitious. Hillary: We heard Donald (Trump) talking about what he did to women, and after that a number of women have come forward saying that's exactly what he did. Donald Trump never apologises or says he's sorry for anything. advertisement Trump: Nobody has more respect for women than I do. I didn't even apologies to my wife...because I didn't do anything. US ECONOMY: Talking about the future of the US economy Trump asserted that the economy is stagnant and the country need to take jobs from Mexico and other places. Clinton on the other was very optimistic about US future economic progress and claimed to have the biggest jobs program since World War II. Trump: Her (Hillary Clinton) plan is going to raise taxes and double the taxes. She can say about tuitions. We are going to do help kids in tuition fees. Countries like Saudi Arabia have a lot of money. We are protecting them, they have to pay up. I am a big fan of NATO, but they have to pay up. Our debt has doubled under (Barack) Obama. We need to renegotiate NAFTA and trade agreements. We are going to make great trade deals. We will get our jobs back from Mexico and other places. I met Indian delegates, they are growing at 8 per cent... Products are pouring in from China, Vietnam... We are growing right around the 1% level. advertisement Hillary: I want us to have the biggest jobs program since World War II. We are going to have the wealthy pay their fair share. I also will not add a penny to the debt. ALSO READ: Stop whining, Obama tells Trump over election rigging claims FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY Both Trump and Hillary want to keep some troops on the ground in Afghanistan and . While Hillary supports sanctions on Russia for aggression in Ukraine, Trump is against it. Debating over nuclear deal Hillary came out in support of the the Iran nuclear deal but Trump called it waste of millions of dollars to funnel terror. NO HANDSHAKE Hillary and Trump walked to their podiums without shaking hands after being introduced at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. CLOSING COMMENTS: Hillary: We need everybody to help make our country what it should be. I have made the cause of children and families really my life's work. Trump: I will do more for African Americans and Latinos than she can do in 10 lifetimes. We are going to make America great again. Electing her will give you 4 more years of Obama. ELECTION RESULTS: Trump refused to answer whether he is going to accept the results of the elections and said he would decide only on the November 8. Clinton to this responded that Trump's answer was horryfying. Trump: I will tell you at the time, I will keep you in suspense. Hillary: Let's be clear about what he is saying and what that means: He is denigrating, he is talking down our democracy and I for one am appalled that someone who is the nominee for one of our two major parties would take that position. ALSO READ: First US presidential debate 2016: All you need to know about the Clinton-Trump face-off US presidential debate 2: Voters disgusted, say won't cast ballot Watch video: --- ENDS --- About 150 million years ago, snakes roamed about on well-developed legs. Now, two University of Florida researchers have discovered how snakes' legs eventually disappeared. Snakes lost their legs due to a trio of mutations in a genetic switch -- known as an enhancer -- that controls the activity of a gene required for limb development, according to research by Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a professor of molecular genetics and microbiology in the UF College of Medicine, and Ph.D. candidate Francisca Leal. The findings appear Oct. 20 in the journal Current Biology. Taken together, the mutations in the enhancer of a gene known as Sonic hedgehog disrupt a genetic circuit that drives limb growth in snakes. Cohn and Leal made their discovery by studying genetic activity in developing python embryos and by comparing DNA sequences of snake and lizard genomes. While some snakes, such as cobras and vipers, are completely limbless, pythons and boa constrictors have retained some vestiges of their leg structures. In embryonic pythons, Leal and Cohn found that the three mutations work cumulatively to abolish a region of the Sonic hedgehog enhancer where proteins bind to DNA, known as transcription factor binding sites. That affects the way genetic information is ultimately transcribed. Essentially, the enhancer functions like a genetic "switch" that turns on the Sonic hedgehog gene during limb formation. With three activators of the switch deleted in pythons, the Sonic hedgehog gene only flickers on before going silent, ending the process of leg growth in the embryo. "It's exciting to know the precise nucleotide changes that are responsible for limb reduction," Cohn said. Surprisingly, the rest of the genetic machinery for developing legs has remained in place for millions of years and still exists in pythons and boa constrictors. Leal and Cohn found that python embryos form leg "buds" and turn on the entire genetic program needed to make legs, but the circuit breaks down after the Sonic hedgehog gene switches off. Although the Sonic hedgehog enhancer is degraded, other enhancers remain intact, including those that facilitate the activity of a gene called Hoxd13, which is needed to build hands and feet. The researchers found the cellular beginnings of the entire leg skeleton, all the way to the toes, in python embryos. But by the time the young pythons hatch, all that remains is a tiny rudiment of the femur. "The results tell us that python limb development progresses much further than we knew before. They make embryonic legs but the cells don't complete the process of skeletal development," Cohn said. So while pythons and boas retain rudimentary legs, more advanced snakes ultimately lost their legs altogether. The work by Leal and Cohn helps to explain exactly how that happened. In the laboratory, they found that completely limbless snakes such as cobras and vipers show more extensive decay of the Sonic hedgehog limb enhancer than pythons and boa constrictors. During the past 20 years, other scientists have described snake fossils with functional hind legs outside their rib cages. The fossils are estimated to be at least 90 million years old, and while at least one of these species likely retains the legs of its limbed ancestors, some scientists believe that legs re-evolved in other snakes. Cohn thinks that their discovery of a transitory leg skeleton in python embryos shows the relics of ancestral snake legs and could have provided the raw material for limbs to re-appear. The mutations that eliminated snake legs likely arose around 100 million years ago during the Upper Cretaceous period, according to Cohn and Leal's genomic studies. In 1999, Cohn published groundbreaking research detailing the molecular basis of limb loss during snake evolution. He credits Leal, who has a background in herpetology, for wanting to revisit the topic now that technology has advanced the understanding of snake genomics. Because some of these transcription factor binding sites had not yet been discovered in mammals, the latest findings also create an opportunity to go back into mouse models and perhaps even humans to look for mutations in the same genomic regions, Cohn said. While there are no immediate plans to do that, he said the findings in snakes demonstrate the power of evolutionary and comparative biology to pave new roads for biomedical science. Leal said it is thrilling to confirm that certain snakes have retained the molecular machinery for making limbs for millions of years. "This surprising conservation and the specific modifications in the snake genome are a clear testament of their ancestry. Snakes clearly evolved from limbed ancestors and their genomes demonstrate this," she said. ### The research was supported by funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a Maryland-based science philanthropy that funds biomedical research and science education. MONTREAL, Oct. 20, 2016 - A Canada-US study led by Luis Barreiro, a professor at the University of Montreal's Department of Pediatrics and researcher at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, has demonstrated that Americans of African descent have a stronger immune response to infection compared to Americans of European descent. The study establishes for the first time this difference in immune responses and shows that it is mostly genetic -- inherited from our ancestors and influenced by a relatively recent natural selection. The study is published today in the scientific journal Cell. The study was conducted among 175 Americans, half of which were of African descent, the other half being of European descent, in collaboration with the University of California, Wayne State University, Cornell University, the University of Minnesota, and Duke University. While the immune system of African Americans responds more strongly, Professor Barreiro is careful to qualify it as better: "The immune system of African Americans responds differently, but we cannot conclude that it is better, since a stronger immune response also has negative effects, including greater susceptibility to autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease. Too much inflammation can damage organs and leave sequelae. In short, a strong immune response can be beneficial in some areas but a disadvantage in others. Susceptibility to inflammatory diseases The immune system reacts to infection by causing inflammation (redness, heat, swelling, etc.) to neutralize and eliminate the infection. It was already known to scientists that African Americans are more susceptible to autoimmune inflammatory diseases and thus more likely to suffer from tuberculosis or scleroderma, for example. The laboratory experiment The 175 participants in Professor Barreiro's study provided blood samples, from which were extracted macrophages -- cells of the immune system whose role is to kill pathogens responsible for infection. The research team then infected the macrophages with two kinds of bacteria (Listeria and Salmonella) to observe various immune responses: after 24 hours of infection, the macrophages from African Americans killed the bacteria three times faster. The research team also uncovered the molecular mechanisms acting on the genes responsible for these differences in immune responses. "This is one of the firsts of our study," said Barreiro. People of African and European descent have intermingled over the past centuries, and we are even able to determine which part of an individual's immune system is associated with African ancestry and which part with European ancestry." Why these differences? "Although we found these differences in immune responses between African and European Americans, we are still unable to demonstrate what evolutionary pressures led to the observed differences. One of our hypotheses is that in the prehistoric period, after human populations had migrated out of Africa, they were exposed to fewer pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites), which reduced the immune response and thus tissue inflammation. This reduction in the immune response (and inflammation) was most likely an advantage because of the adverse consequences of acute or chronic inflammation, which are major contributors to the development of autoimmune inflammatory diseases." Another hypothesis is that the weaker immune response detected in Europeans is the result of a less vigorous natural selection in an environment in which there were fewer, or at least different, pathogens compared to Africa. The role of Neanderthals Neanderthals also played a role in the immune response to infection. Neanderthals, before disappearing, colonized Europe, but not Africa. In the process, they mixed their genes with African Cro-Magnons, who were spread throughout Europe. The analysis of Barreiro's team shows that about 3% of the genes involved in the differences in immune responses between African and European Americans come from Neanderthals! What next? "There is still much to do. For example, we have not yet studied the immune response to viruses and parasites. In addition, genetics explains only about 30% of the observed differences in immune responses. Our future studies should focus on other factors, emphasizing the influence of the environment and our behaviour. The idea is to find immune mechanisms to help understand why some individuals react differently from others in the presence of certain viruses and bacteria," said Barreiro. ### About Luis Barreiro Luis Barreiro specializes in the evolution of immune responses and was named one of the "40 under 40" (most promising researchers) published in 2014 by the prestigious journal Cell. The first time he set foot in a laboratory after completing his graduate studies in biotechnology at the University of Lisbon in his native Portugal, he found his vocation. After graduating, he obtained a six-month internship in mycobacterial genetics at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Within five years he had completed a doctorate in human population genetics. After receiving his Ph.D., Barreiro moved to the United States, where he did a postdoctoral fellowship in functional genomics at the University of Chicago's Department of Human Genetics. Today, the same theme runs through Luis Barreiro's work at the University of Montreal and the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, which he joined in 2011. He is the holder of the Canadian Research Chair in Functional and Evolutionary Genomics of the Immune System. The main project of his laboratory is to discover and define the genetic bases of the variations underlying the differences in immune responses between individuals and human populations. While Barreiro's team is among the two or three groups in the world interested in immune responses and their genetic basis, it is the only one to explore this issue among different species of primates. http://www.luis-barreirolab.org About the study Y. Nedelec, J. Sanz, G. Baharian, Z. A. Szpiech, A. Pacis, A. Dumaine, J.-C. Grenier, A. Freiman, A. J. Sams, S. Hebert, A. Page Sabourin, F. Luca, R. Blekhman, R. D. Hernandez, R. Pique-Regi, J. Tung, V. Yotova et L. B. Barreiro published the article "Genetic ancestry and natural selection drive population differences in immune responses to pathogens in human" in the journal Cell on October 2016. Funding for the study This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grants 301538 and 232519), the Human Frontiers Science Program (CDA-00025/2012), and the Canada Research Chairs Program (950-228993). Y.N. received a grant from the Network of Applied Genetic Medicine Network (RMGA); A.P.S. received a grant from the Fonds de recherche du Quebec-Nature et technologies (FRQNT); and G.B. received a grant from the Fonds de recherche du Quebec-Sante (FRQS). Biologists have been contemplating evolutionary change since Charles Darwin first explained it. Using modern molecular tools and fieldwork, University of Nebraska-Lincoln biologist Jay Storz and colleagues have demonstrated for the first time that different species can take different genetic paths to develop the same trait. The team's findings appear in the Oct. 21 issue of the journal Science. "There's this really long-standing question in evolutionary genetics about the predictability of genetic change," said Storz, Susan J. Rosowski professor of biological sciences. In other words, did species with a common, beneficial trait undergo the same genetic changes to evolve that trait? Or did the trait develop through different, and therefore unpredictable, genetic paths? It turns out that natural selection, a primary evolutionary process, can dependably produce similar, beneficial traits in different species. But at the molecular level, the evolutionary changes tend to be highly idiosyncratic, and are therefore far less predictable. To find that out, Storz turned to birds living in South America's Andes Mountains. Comparing high-altitude bird species with their lowland counterparts, his team determined that the high-altitude birds had evolved red blood cells with hemoglobin proteins that more readily bind oxygen molecules. This trait benefits species living in low-oxygen settings, such as the mountains. Storz and his team tested the hemoglobin proteins from numerous high-altitude bird species and identified which differences, or mutations, in the proteins' makeup were responsible for the high-altitude trait. In most cases, the change in protein function among the different species was caused by different mutations. "What this indicates is that there are many possible mutations that can all produce the same phenotypic effect (trait)," Storz said. "We can't predict which particular mutations are responsible for these changes." One possible reason for this variability is that during evolution, the hemoglobins of different species have each accumulated their own unique set of mutations. Given these distinct genetic backgrounds, a mutation that produces a beneficial effect in one species may produce a detrimental effect in a different species. To test this theory, Storz's team used genetic engineering tools to reconstruct and resurrect the hemoglobin proteins of several ancestral bird species, including the ancestor common to all birds, which existed more than 100 million years ago. Engineering the high-altitude hemoglobin mutations into the ancient bird proteins resulted in vastly different effects than in contemporary birds. As evolution advances through time, different mutations accumulate in distinct species and settings. Natural selection applies similar pressures for species to adapt as they move to higher altitudes, for example, but the adaptation must take different genetic paths to get there. "This is a new phenomenon that our findings have helped reveal," Storz said. His team continues to explore historical influences on genetic adaptation. ### The paper's co-authors were Storz and Chandrasekhar Natarajan, research assistant professor in biological sciences at Nebraska; Federico G. Hoffmann, Mississippi State University; Roy E. Weber and Angela Fago, Aarhus University, Denmark; and Christopher C. Witt, University of New Mexico, who conducted the fieldwork. PHILADELPHIA -- A key strategy missing from the ambitious Alzheimer's disease plan signed into law by President Obama six years ago could send investigational drugs down a precarious pipeline, argue two physicians from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan in JAMA Internal Medicine. The National Alzheimer Project Act (NAPA) calls for new treatments to slow or prevent the disease by 2025, but as it stands now, there's no strategy in place to determine whether the interventions being studied today have a so-called "meaningful" clinical benefit for patients. Without that strategy, private interests could shape how a drug's clinical benefit is established after approval and therefore costs, similar to what's happening in the oncology world. Authors Jason Karlawish, MD, a professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Neurology at Penn and co-director of the Penn Memory Center, and Kenneth M. Langa, MD, PhD, associate director of the Institute of Gerontology at the University of Michigan and Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, argue their case and suggest approaches to improve the NAPA in a viewpoint titled, "Unfinished Business in Preventing Alzheimer's Disease." The first goal of NAPA aims to slow or prevent the disease altogether, with five promising clinical trials underway today. However, only one of those trials, which is investigating the use of CAD106 and CNP520 (an immunotherapy and an amyloid enzyme inhibitor), employs measures to determine whether the intervention is deemed clinically beneficial, or evidence of impact on day-to-day function. The other trials evaluate the disease course using a measure of cognition called an intermediate clinical endpoint, which is a measure of a therapeutic effect that is considered reasonably likely to predict the clinical benefit. It's a legal measurement that falls under the US Food and Drug Administration's accelerated approval program. Developed initially in response to public demand to speed HIV treatments, the program permits this evaluation strategy for serious and life-threatening diseases, such as Alzheimer's, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States that affects 5.4 million Americans today. If approved by the FDA, it can get life-saving drugs to patients faster. However, once that approval occurs, the agency expects the company that owns the drug to collect evidence to demonstrate the drug's clinical benefit. That's an undesirable path that should be improved upon in order for this plan to be more successful, Karlawish said. "NAPA is missing an important strategy," Karlawish said. "We need a strategy for gathering and interpreting information and data to determine if it shows a meaningful clinical benefit to patients - before the FDA approves the drug." "Alzheimer's is a complex, unique disease that needs more a rigorous and expanded set of study endpoints in order to better quantify outcomes," he added. To determine if the interventions being tested in trials have a clinical benefit, three questions should be asked, the authors wrote: Is there a slowing of the trajectory of cognitive decline after the onset of dementia? Does treatment lead to a lengthening of the mild or severe stages of dementia? Does treatment delay death and, if so, is treatment associated with compression or expansion of the time living with dementia? Karlawish and Langa propose that participants in Alzheimer's prevention studies should also participate in long-term observational cohort studies, where functional outcomes can be evaluated and analyzed alongside cognitive test results. "These studies are one way to address the very high cost and difficulties of getting a read on long-term outcomes, and exemplifies collaboration in the area of data sharing, a strategy emphasized in the Alzheimer plan," Langa said. Karlawish explained that issues of competing interests must also be addressed. After approval, a drug will be marketed under a brand name, and the public and private interests and resources will begin to diverge. Such a path could have the same controversial downstream effects seen in the oncology world, where pharmaceutical companies shape the evidence that establishes whether a medication has a meaningful clinical benefit, and therefore it's price, the authors said. "Claims that these treatments have significant clinical benefits will engage both public and private interests, which can be at odds," Karlawish said. "We think the U.S. Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services is the right place for establishing a common set of publicly recognized guidelines for the design and interpretation of studies to establish the benefit of an Alzheimer's prevention therapy." ### Karalwish is supported by the National Institutes on Aging (P30 AG01024) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy Brain Research Network (U48 DP 005006, 005002, 005053, 005000, and 005013). Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania(founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community. Oct. 19, 2016 - WCS is saddened to learn that a park ranger was recently killed in Kahuzi Biega National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo defending critically endangered Grauer's gorillas. The ranger, Munganga Nzonga Jacques, died on 4 October 2016 at the age of 26. He was killed in the Tshivanga region of the park -- an area previously believed to be among the safest areas for gorillas. This killing shows that the region continues to suffer from instability. This is the second killing of a ranger in the Kahuzi Biega in the last six months. Said Andrew Plumptre, WCS Senior Conservation Scientist for Africa, "We are very concerned about these increased threats to the rangers and their families and to the protection of these animals." This week, Plumptre and colleagues published a new paper on the Grauer's gorilla decline in the journal PLoS One: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0162697 (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162697) ### CONTACT: STEPHEN SAUTNER 1-718-220-3682 ssautner@wcs.org JOHN DELANEY 1-718-220-3275 jdelaney@wcs.org Rising European rapeseed oil markets are pushing farmgate oilseed rape prices higher, with UK values propped up further by sterlings weakness. The prospect of a UK oilseed rape deficit this season is also adding to the pressure. UK prices were at a premium to European prices, rather than the usual discount, as a result of the tight UK supply, said AHDB analyst Arthur Marshall. See also: Read more Prices & Trends Spot ex-farm values averaged 339.2/t midweek, a rise of almost 10/t on the week. Around the regions the range was 328-345/t. UK spot values have put on almost 100/t since late June. The entire vegetable oil complex had a strong start to the week, with Malaysian palm oil production expected to remain subdued over the next few months and US soya bean demand high against a background of lower than expected soya bean oil stocks, said Mr Marshall. Stronger vegetable oil prices were benefiting crush margins in Europe, which in turn supported rapeseed demand and prices, with Paris rapeseed futures close to levels at which they last traded in 2014. At the AHDBs Cereals and Oilseeds Outlook conference recently, biofuel and oilseed market analyst Christophe Cogny of analyst Strategie Tallage said globally the market was bearish for oilseed meals and while the vegetable oil situation was tight, crude oil prices would cap the potential for oilseeds price rises. However EU rapeseed prices should be supported, with the market likely to be tight again next year as only a small increase in the EU rapeseed area was expected, said Mr Cogny. Basically, the Bureau of Reclamation became an illicit ATM for favored special interests, stated PEER Senior Counsel Paula Dinerstein. To add injury to insult, these improper subsidies were used to aggravate environmental damage by draining shrinking groundwater supplies to benefit irrigators. Photo of Iron Gate Dam on the Klamath River by Dan Bacher. Federal auditors have found that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) wasted $32.2 million intended for fish and wildlife and drought relief in the Klamath Basin on subsidies for irrigators.This scandal takes place as the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa Valley Tribes, recreational anglers, commercial fishing families and river and coastal communities are suffering from the big cultural and economic loss caused by low numbers of returning salmon on the Klamath River this year, the result of decades of mismanagement by the state and federal governments.The misspending is a revealed in a new audit report that confirms charges leveled last year by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In a news release, PEER described the arrangement between Reclamation and KWAPA as the Klamath Irrigators Illegal Piggy Bank. ( http://www.peer.org/news/news-releases/klamath-irrigators-illegal-piggy-bank-broken-up.html We found that USBR did not have the legal authority to enter into the cooperative agreement, resulting in $32.2 million in wasted funds spent by KWAPA (Klamath Water and Power Agency )under the agreement, wrote Mary L. Kendall, Deputy Inspector General for the Office of Inspector General, in the audit report dated October 11, 2016.The report found that the program had done little to help endangered coho salmon, Lost River suckers and shortnose suckers, as it was intended to do.The IG report details how Reclamation diverted $32.2 million in federal funds intended for drought contingency planning and helping struggling fish populations: In a waste of funds wholly lacking in any legal authority; Paying for KWAPA salaries, fringe benefits, rent, travel and other expenses whose benefits flowed primarily to irrigator contractors rather than fish and wildlife, including $4.2 million for uses that could not be supported with documentation or were outright unallowable; and By modifying the KWAPA contract 19 times to expand the scope of activities and extend the original payment program from 2008 through September 30, 2015.Reclamation disputes the Inspector Generals findings. Reclamation maintains that the reimbursement program has been an important tool in dealing with water issues in an over-allocated basin, the Bureau claimed in a written statement.The Klamath Water and Power Agency was a water and power authority in Klamath Falls, Oregon that received water from federal water projects in northern California and southern Oregon. KWAPA was forced to close its doors on March 31, 2006 due to disorganization and complaints filed by PEER. ( http://ktvl.com/news/local/kwapa-forced-to-close-due-to-disorganization-in-klamath-county The Klamath River watershed and its precious salmon and steelhead populations have been devastated by a series of droughts in recent years. Over the past several years, Reclamation, under pressure from Tribes, fishermen and environmentalists, has released supplemental cold water flows from Trinity Reservoir into the Trinity River to stop a massive fish kill on the lower Klamath like the one that ravaged the river in September 2002. During that fish kill, the largest of its kind in U.S. history, an estimated 35,000 to 68,000 salmon perished.Since the Bureau rejected the audit report's findings, the IG is kicking this intra-agency dispute upstairs in Interior to the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget for resolution. While the payments have ended, Reclamation refuses to change its practices to prevent future abuse or to recoup moneys illegally spent, according to PEER.Basically, the Bureau of Reclamation became an illicit ATM for favored special interests, stated PEER Senior Counsel Paula Dinerstein. To add injury to insult, these improper subsidies were used to aggravate environmental damage by draining shrinking groundwater supplies to benefit irrigators.Dinerstein emphasized that these illegal payments would be continuing if Reclamation employees had not blown the whistle. The whistleblower complaint from two Reclamation biologists filed through PEER prodded the U.S. Office of Special Counsel to order Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell to address the illegal diversion of funds and how her agency would remedy identified these violations.That answer to the Special Counsel was due back in August of 2015 but Reclamation, on the Secretarys behalf, has obtained extensions totaling 15 months, added Dinerstein.Reclamation is circling its wagons to defend the potentially criminal conduct by its own managers,said Dinerstein, pointing to the Anti-Deficiency Act that forbids expenditures not authorized by any appropriation and is enforced by criminal fines and/or imprisonment for up to two years. We will keep pressing for some accountability to taxpayers from Reclamations multi-year, multi-million dollar illegal money-laundering operation.Jim McCarthy, Communications Director & Southern Oregon Program Manager for WaterWatch, pointed out that not only was this program apparently illegal and wasted millions, but the resulting lack of water on the Klamaths wildlife refuges, which the program in question was created to provide, actually killed huge numbers of wildlife in recent years.In fact, seventeen conservation groups sent a letter to Interior Secretary Jewell on October 13 asking for emergency water deliveries for the Klamath refuges to reduce the risk of yet another waterfowl die-off, said McCarthy.The letter states, As you are aware, since 2012, tens of thousands of birds on these refuges have died for lack of water resulting from allocation decisions made within the Department of the Interior. When few wetland acres are available on these refuges due to lack of water, large numbers of waterfowl pack together during migration periods, leading to lethal disease outbreaks. Refuge staff estimated that some 20,000 birds perished this way in 2014. Similar conditions on these refuges sparked massive waterfowl die-offs in 2012 and 2013."Mike Orcutt, Fisheries Director of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, said the water bank created under the agreement between Reclamation and KWAPA was supposed to improve water quality and the fishery in the Klamath Basin, but that didnt happen, according to the IG report.Looking to the future, the Tribe receives their money for fish restoration from the same budget and the budget has been flatlined. We get the aftermath of that flatlined budget, he said.Another potential impact is that this scandal could impact the trust in the Bureau by Congress and make it harder for similar future agreements to be funded.Youre going to be hard-pressed to get the money if you dont use the funds for what you were supposed to, Orcutt told the Eureka Times-Standard. ( http://www.times-standard.com/article/NJ/20161017/NEWS/161019812 On July 29, the Hoopa Valley Tribe filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Marine Fisheries Service in the U.S. District Court in Oakland for violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) over management actions that have imperiled Coho salmon on the Klamath River. The Trinity River, the largest tributary of the Klamath, runs through the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. ( http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/7/29/1554325/-Hoopa-Valley-Tribe-Files-ESA-Lawsuit-to-Protect-Salmon The Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe and a coalition of groups, including the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermens Associations (PCFFA), Institute for Fisheries Resources, Klamath Riverkeeper and Earthjustice, this summer also filed 60-day notices of intent to sue the two federal agencies over their failure to protect coho under the ESA. However, the Yurok and Karuk tribes have decided to hold off on suing the agencies as they discuss potential solutions to the parasite outbreaks that have devastated juvenile salmon populations in recent years. ( http://www.times-standard.com/article/NJ/20160902/NEWS/160909968 Hopefully, the illegal spending of $32.2 million in federal funds to further subsidize already heavily-subsidized agribusiness interests will result in criminal convictions if the allegations by PEER are proven true.This is not the first time that state and government officials have diverted millions of dollars designed to restore fish and wildlife for other purposes. For example, the Department of Interiors Inspector General earlier this year opened an investigation into the possible illegal use of millions of dollars by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in preparing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Governor Jerry Browns controversial Delta Tunnels Plan. ( http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/12/feds-to-probe-misuse-of-state-funds-for-jerry-browns-delta-tunnels/ The investigation resulted from a complaint PEER filed on the behalf of a Bureau of Reclamation employee on February 19, 2016. The complaint, made public in a statement from PEER on April 11, details how a funding agreement with DWR is illegally siphoning off funds that are supposed to benefit fish and wildlife to a project that will principally benefit irrigators under the California Water Fix, the newest name for the Delta Tunnels plan.The Delta Tunnels project is deeply connected to the Klamath River watershed. The two 35-mile long tunnels under the Delta would hasten the extinction of Central Valley steelhead, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Delta and longfin smelt, green sturgeon and other fish species. The project would also imperil the salmon and steelhead populations on the Trinity and Klamath rivers, a fishery that for thousands of years has played an integral part in the culture, religion and food supply of the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa Valley Tribes. Renovations Enhance Space for Health, Counseling Services Office Coordinator David Kistner assists Emani Johnson 18 in the newly renovated check-in area shared by Arnold Health Services and Counseling and Consultation Services. Oct. 20, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill.Recent renovations of the ground level of Magill Hall have resulted in enhanced services in both Counseling and Consultation Services and Arnold Health Services. Several factors contributed to the renovations, according to Assistant Dean and Director of Counseling Services Annorah Moorman. Two former office positions were combined into one office manager position. A reconfiguration of space in Counseling Services now allows all clinicians to be together in one building, Moorman said, and provides more seating in the waiting room for counseling clients. The new configuration provides a better flow for client visits and also maintains client privacy, she said. Student clients seeking services initially check in with Office Coordinator David Kistner. Moorman emphasized that Counseling Services and Health Services are separate offices with separate health records. Counselors do not have access to student health records, nor do providers in Health Services have access to student mental health records. Confidentiality and privacy are upheld as much as they were before, when we had two separate areas for check-in, said Moorman. We remain two separate offices although we share some physical space and a check-in area. (From left) Resident Advisors Giana Biddle 18, Dean Khrisat 19 and Donald Brown 17 show off the additional seating in the new waiting area for Counseling and Consultation Services clients. Counseling and Consultation Services provides a variety of mental health services to promote student personal growth and well being at Illinois Wesleyan. Counseling is provided by licensed psychologists, counselors, and social workers and is free and confidential for all students. Counseling and Consultation Services has a variety of outreach and prevention programs for the campus community, covering topics such as stress management, sexual assault prevention, and alcohol education. Fifteen percent of enrolled Illinois Wesleyan students were seen in individual or group therapy appointments during the 2015-2016 academic year, the most recent statistics available. Crisis appointments and emergency intakes increased by 10 percent during the same time period. The professionalism we provide to our students is finally reflected in our physical space, said Moorman. This is the first year that Health Services is utilizing state-of-the-art electronic records. Health Services provides quality, accessible, comprehensive and cost effective health care for students. A Certified Nurse Practitioner who can diagnose and treat common illnesses and minor injuries is on staff at the Health Center. Health care providers can also prescribe or manage medication therapy and make referrals to specialists. Arnold Health Services had over 2,400 student contacts in the 2015-2016 academic year, and is available to all students at no charge, regardless of insurance. By Vi Kakares 20 In a letter to the PMO, American whistleblower C Edmonds Allen has claimed that the BJP MP has been honey-trapped and compromised by arms dealer Abhishek Verma. By India Today Web Desk: In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office (PMO), American whistleblower C Edmonds Allen has claimed that BJP MP Varun Gandhi has been honey-trapped and compromised by arms dealer Abhishek Verma. The Economic Times has reported that C Edmonds Allen, who is a known whistleblower and has exposed a number of controversial arms deals, has written to the PMO that Gandhi is being blackmailed by Verma. advertisement Gandhi, 36, used to be a member of the high-profile Defence Consultative Committee. The report quotes senior BJP leaders clarifying that classified information on defence are not shared with members of the parliamentary committee. VARUN GANDHI DENIES CHARGES Speaking exclusively to India Today TV, Gandhi denied having any interaction with Verma. "I know Abhishek Verma. His parents were Rajya Sabha MPs from the Congress. I even attended his wedding when I was young. But I have had no interaction with Abhishek Verma ever since I came into public life," he said. The BJP MP said Allens does not have a "shred of evidence" to back his charges. "I have been a member of the Defence Committee of Parliament, but members of the committee do not have access to any sensitive information. I did not introduce Abhishek to any arms dealers and strongly deny the charge being levelled against me," he said in his statement. CD WITH PHOTOS The report says the US national, in his letter to the PMO on September 16, has even given a Compact Disc containing dozens of photographs to back his claim. Copies of the letter have also been sent to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Also read: Court issues notice to BJP MP Varun Gandhi in 2009 hate speech case Allen says the letters have been sent to the top government functionaries to help them to identify if any other members of the defence consultative committee or their staff are compromised by the likes of Abhishek Verma??. The US-based whistleblower is a former agent of Verma. Also read: Is Varun Gandhi, sidelined by BJP ahead of UP election, sulking? --- ENDS --- VANCOUVER, Oct. 20, 2016 - SilverCrest Metals Inc. ("SilverCrest" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the receipt of the underground drilling permit, including the permission to mine a 100,000-tonne bulk sample for testing and processing off-site. With these permits in hand, the Company is preparing to commence an extensive Phase II exploration program at the Las Chispas Project ("Las Chispas"). N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, CEO and President commented, "We are very encouraged with the early success from our initial drilling campaign at Las Chispas, which has confirmed continuity of high grades over potential mineable thicknesses. With the underground drilling permit, we will start drill-defining resources and preparing for a broader Phase II exploration program. Our current focus is to systematically drill the Las Chispas and William Tell veins in a grid pattern for resource estimation, test vein extensions and to further explore the Babicanora area. SilverCrest's schedule is to establish a maiden resource estimation in the first half of 2017. We see further upside in this historic silver-gold mining district with prospective discoveries of multiple unidentified veins, and drill testing Babicanora which is considered the largest target in the district." Summary of Phase I Exploration Program SilverCrest's recently completed Phase I exploration work consisted of approximately 6,400 metres of drilling in 22 core holes. Details of the Phase I drilling results were previously announced on the Company's news releases dated August 2, September 7 and September 14, 2016. In summary, 19 core holes have been drilled in the Las Chispas and William Tell veins. All drill holes intercepted quartz stockwork veinlets, veining and/or breccia. The drilling has defined several discoveries and confirmed high grade continuity with resultant multiple drill intercepts of greater than 2,000 grams per tonne ("gpt") silver equivalent ("AgEq", based on 75:1 Ag:Au and 100% metallurgical recovery). The remaining 3 holes, of the 22 drilled, targeted the La Victoria area which is approximately one kilometre southwest of the historic Babicanora Mine. The Las Chispas discoveries may be influenced by a controlling, cross-cutting, high-grade structural corridor that extends from the Las Chispas Vein through the William Tell Vein and southwest beyond Babicanora. This corridor is potentially 750 metres wide and high grade mineralization appears to extend to a depth of at least 300 metres from the surface. Some of the more significant core drilling results for the Las Chispas Vein include 4.6 metres in true width of 4.56 gpt gold and 621.5 gpt silver, or 963 gpt AgEq, including 0.8 metres grading 18.55 gpt gold and 2,460.0 gpt silver, or 3,851 gpt AgEq in hole LC16-05. Drill hole LC16-08 showed 7.2 metres in true width grading 2.41 gpt gold and 311.5 gpt silver, or 492 gpt AgEq, and a more recently announced drill assay from hole LC16-18 drilled 1.0 metre grading 1.55 gpt gold and 706.0 gpt silver, or 822 gpt AgEq. The William Tell Vein runs parallel to the Las Chispas Vein and is about 120 metres to the west. The Company discovered what appears to be an unmined faulted southern extension of the William Tell Vein. Four of seven drill holes at William Tell intersected high-grade mineralization. The most notable core drilling results are 2.3 metres in true width grading 1.63 gpt gold and 583.6 gpt silver, or 705 gpt AgEq, including 0.8 metre of 3.81 gpt gold and 1,102.0 gpt silver, or 1,388 gpt AgEq in hole LC16-03. Hole LC16-03 has been reinterpreted, and true thickness has been changed from 1.5 metres, as previously announced on September 7, 2016, to 2.3 metres. Drill hole LC16-15 showed 1.3 metres in true width grading 1.94 gpt gold and 352.0 gpt silver, or 494 gpt AgEq. Two new vein discoveries were made with drill holes LC16-13 and LC16-16 near the William Tell vein. Reported grades of these new veins were 4.79 gpt gold and 364.0 gpt silver, or 723 gpt AgEq and 6.57 gpt gold and 395.0 gpt silver, or 888 gpt AgEq over estimated true widths of 0.8 metres and 0.9 metres, respectively. Of the 14 historically identified veins near the Las Chispas and William Tell veins, 12 have been located by the Company. In the Babicanora area, five historically identified veins plus two additional veins have been located by the Company. As of September 15, 2016, approximately 6 kilometres of 11.5 kilometres of underground workings have been rehabilitated by the Company, with rehabilitation work continuing over the remainder of 2016. To date, an estimated 2,055 underground rock chip/channel samples have been collected and assayed, with 301 sample results grading above a cutoff grade of 150 gpt AgEq; averaging 4.35 gpt gold and 331.6 gpt silver or 658 gpt AgEq. In addition to chip/channel sampling, underground backfill sampling is being completed while removing material to gain access to the workings. Average backfill sample results show 2.45 gpt gold and 226.3 gpt silver, or 410 gpt AgEq for the Las Chispas Vein, 1.24 gpt gold and 212.1 gpt silver, or 305 gpt AgEq for the William Tell Vein, and 1.88 gpt gold and 126.1 gpt silver, or 267 gpt AgEq for the Babicanora Vein. Backfill material will be considered in the upcoming resource estimation. Surface dump trenching and sampling is ongoing in easily accessible areas. Results as of September 15, 2016 from 493 samples show potential economic material immediately available for possible processing. Average dump grades are 1.04 gpt gold and 78.1 gpt silver, or 156 gpt AgEq with select grades up to 4,548 gpt AgEq. Dumps will be considered in the upcoming resource estimation. Approximately 1.2 square kilometres of surface area have been geologically mapped with select sampling. Surface rock sampling results range from trace to 15.05 gpt gold and 1340.0 gpt silver or 2,469 gpt AgEq. Further expanding surface mapping and sampling is ongoing. Phase II Exploration Program Outlook The Company is preparing an underground core drilling program of 2,000 metres and a minimum surface core drill program of 6,000 metres. Phase II will commence in November 2016 and will test potential near-surface resource areas, as well as extensional targets along trend and below the historic workings. Underground drilling is planned to start at Babicanora with approximately 5 to 10 core holes to initially test the historic mine area and multiple parallel veins. Drill access to the historic mine is provided by a 4 metre by 4 metre portal and a 230 metre drift which intersects the Babicanora Vein. Subsequent Phase II surface drilling is planned for Babicanora to initially evaluate its estimated 2.5 kilometre strike length with multiple parallel veins, stockwork and breccias (Figure 1). As with the Las Chispas and William Tell veins, Babicanora has not been previously drilled. Additional surface and underground drilling will be conducted at the Las Chispas and William Tell veins where the Company recently completed the successful Phase I program. The focus will be on infill drilling for resource estimation and step out drilling to test the possible southern and northern vein extensions of the Las Chispas and William Tell veins. Phase II drilling will also include initial drilling of other targets on the Company's concessions including the historic Varela Mine, Espiritu Santo Mine, and Granaditas Mine (Figure 1). The Company anticipates that this Phase II campaign will be completed by early Q2 2017, with the results to be incorporated into a maiden resource estimate for the Las Chispas project in late Q2 2017. As previously reported, the underground drill program will also focus on the delineation of a large bulk sample. A bulk sample is a large sample, in many cases hundreds or thousands of tonnes, and is generally a composite of material from development drifts and raises. It is also used to define metallurgical characteristics. With continued success, the Company expects to begin with its bulk sample in late 2017. Arrangements for processing the bulk sample off site are required. Other Developments As previously reported, the first Las Chispas NI 43-101 technical report (non-resource) is currently being completed and will be available before the end of October 2016. The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, CEO and President, who has reviewed and approved its contents. ABOUT THE LAS CHISPAS PROJECT The Las Chispas Project is located in Sonora State, Mexico, and is in a historic silver-gold mining district which presently hosts two nearby precious metal producers. Historic information indicates that of the nineteen historically reported veins in the Las Chispas district, only three veins, the Las Chispas, William Tell and Babicanora, had documented high grade production, which occurred between 1880 and 1930. SilverCrest's initial focus is on these three veins. To the Company's knowledge, none of the historic known veins has been drilled prior to the Company's recently completed Phase I drill campaign. For more information, please refer to our website at www.silvercrestmetals.com. ABOUT SILVERCREST METALS INC. SilverCrest is a Canadian precious metals exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that is focused on new discoveries, value-added acquisitions and targeting production in Mexico's historic precious metal districts. The Company is led by a proven management team in all aspects of the precious metal mining sector, including the pioneering of a responsible "phased approach" business model taking projects through discovery, finance, on time and on budget construction, and production with subsequent increased value to shareholders. Source: Silvercrest Metals VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Oct. 19, 2016) - Leading Edge Materials Corp. ("Leading Edge Materials") or ("the Company") (TSX VENTURE:LEM) (OTCQB:LEMIF) is pleased to announce the discovery of the Company's first lithium project, Bergby, located in in central Sweden, 25km north of the town of Gavle. Mapping and sampling of the Bergby claim has located a large number of angular pegmatitic and aplitic lithium-mineralized boulders within an area of 650 metres by 250 metres. Lithium is hosted within the minerals spodumene and petalite. Analytical results for the first 27 boulder samples have been received, and average 0.85% Li 2 O (lithium oxide) and range from 0.08% Li 2 O to 2.3% Li 2 O. The boulders are anomalous in other elements which characterize lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites that are regularly associated with lithium deposits (table 1). Blair Way, President and CEO, stated "We have been actively searching for lithium projects for some time, and are very pleased to have discovered a prospect with the potential of Bergby very close to our Woxna graphite mine. This project sits well within our strategy of acquiring low holding cost assets while we advance our graphite business model to supply the lithium Ion battery market. The lithium grades of the boulders and the scale of the project areas discovered to date demonstrate the prospectivity of the project. We look forward to following up with ground geophysics and geochemical sampling, with the aim to diamond drill test Bergby this winter." The Bergby project was discovered by Leading Edge Materials' geological team utilizing geological data maintained by the Swedish Geological Survey ("SGU"). The SGU holds a very extensive database of mineralized boulders previously discovered across Sweden, including many that have never had significant follow-up. Leading Edge Materials' geologists identified lithium prospective boulders within this dataset, and subsequent field prospecting discovered the presence of an extensive lithium (Li) and tantalum (Ta) mineralized boulder field at Bergby. Bergby is located close to infrastructure, with major roads, rail and power supply passing immediately adjacent to the claim boundaries. Follow-up work at Bergby includes further prospecting of areas along 700 metre trend from the initial discovery. Specifically, the Company plans to undertake a ground magnetic survey and shallow soil sampling to cover the most prospective area of the claims, with the eventual aim to be able diamond drill test Bergby this winter. Additional geochemical results will be released as they come to hand. Lithium has a strong and expanding market, due to the essential role it plays in lithium-based batteries for the automotive, consumer product and stationary electrify storage industries. The high electrochemical potential of lithium results in the high power to weight ratio that is essential for efficient mobile batteries. Europe is investing heavily in these emerging battery technologies, as part of the transition to a low-carbon economy. Lithium was discovered in Sweden in 1817 by Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson, and named from the Greek word lithos, describing the rock from which it was extracted. Furthermore, the lithium minerals spodumene and petalite which are the ore-minerals in most hard rock lithium mines globally, were both first discovered and named in Sweden. On behalf of the Board, Blair Way, President & CEO Samples submitted by Leading Edge Materials Corp were analyzed by the ME-MS81 and Li-OG63 technique by ALS Chemex Ltd's laboratories in Pitea, Sweden and Vancouver, Canada, where duplicates, repeats, blanks and known standards were inserted according to standard industry practice. The qualified person for the Company's exploration projects, Mark Saxon, Director of Leading Edge Materials, a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy has reviewed and verified the contents of this release. The TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Forward-Looking Information. Certain information in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "Forward-Looking Statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are Forward-Looking Statements. Forward-Looking Statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may," "will," "can," "should," "could," or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-Looking Statements are based upon the opinions and expectations of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-Looking Statements are subject to a number of factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the Forward-Looking Statements including, among other things, timing of the ground magnetic survey and shallow soil sampling program, timing of a diamond drill program at Bergby, the Company has yet to generate a profit from its activities; there can be no guarantee that the estimates of quantities or qualities of minerals disclosed in the Company's public record will be economically recoverable; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; competition with other companies within the mining industry; the success of the Company is largely dependent upon the performance of its directors and officers and the Company's ability to attract and train key personnel; changes in world metal markets and equity markets beyond the Company's control; mineral resources are, in the large part, estimates and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized; production rates and capital and other costs may vary significantly from estimates; changes in corporate goals and strategies, unexpected geological conditions; and delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the Forward-Looking Statements, and the assumptions on which such Forward-Looking Statements are made, are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which the Forward-Looking Statements are based will occur. Forward-Looking Statements herein are made as at the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by law, the Company does not intend, or assume any obligation, to update these Forward-Looking Statements. Table 1: Analytical values for first 27 boulder samples from Bergby project, Sweden. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Oct. 20, 2016) - Darnley Bay Resources Limited ("Darnley Bay" or the "Company"), KSV Kofman Inc. ("KSV"), acting as court-appointed receiver of Tamerlane Ventures Inc. ("Tamerlane") and Pine Point Holding Corp. ("Pine Point"), have signed a binding letter of intent whereby the Company has agreed to purchase Tamerlane's Pine Point assets located 42 kilometers east of Hay River, N.W.T., subject to certain terms and conditions, including the execution of a definitive agreement (the "Transaction"). The former producing Pine Point assets contain 42 known zinc-lead deposits over a strike length of approximately 68 kilometres, 10 of which were subjected to an NI 43-101 technical report in 2014 prepared for Tamerlane (the "2014 Report"). Darnley Bay has agreed to pay an initial fee of $50,000 and issue 1,150,000 common shares to KSV for the option to purchase a 100% interest in the property under the following terms and conditions: An additional payment of $2,950,000 on or before January 22, 2017; and The issuance of an additional 23,850,000 common shares of Darnley Bay on or before January 22, 2017, on the condition KSV will re-distribute the common shares such that following the re-distribution and completion of the Financing (as defined below) no new shareholder in DBL will acquire more than 19.9% of the total amount of outstanding shares of DBL. As a condition to the completion of the Transaction, Darnley Bay intends to complete a financing in the minimum amount of $5,000,000. Part of the proceeds from the Financing will be used to make the Transaction payment as noted above. In the event that the Financing is completed at a price below $0.20 per common share, Darnley Bay will issue an additional 1.25 million shares to KSV for each $0.01 below $0.20, to a maximum additional consideration of 2.5 million common shares. The Transaction is subject to execution of a definitive agreement and certain closing conditions, including approval of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and of the TSX Venture Exchange. "This acquisition is a game-changer for Darnley Bay and puts us on a clear path towards production," said Jamie Levy, President and Chief Executive Officer. "It is rare in the mining business that the opportunity to acquire an entire mining district presents itself." Darnley Bay intends to begin a preliminary economic analysis immediately upon closing. The Pine Point property consists of a semi-contiguous group of 47 mineral claims and mining leases in the Pine Point District, about 10 kilometres south of Great Slave Lake and accessible from Hay River by all-weather year-round highway which parallels the mining lease block. Hay River in turn can be reached by 825 km of paved road north from Edmonton, Alberta. Hay River has all major services including an airport with scheduled jet service from Edmonton and Yellowknife, a rail terminal and a port from which all barge traffic go travels down the Mackenzie River. An airstrip suitable for small aircraft is also present 4 km SSE of the former Pine Point mill site and 2 km east of the former Pine Point town site. The property is subject to a 3% net smelter return royalty. The Pine Point property belongs to the class of carbonate hosted lead-zinc sulphide deposits known as Mississippi Valley Type ("MVT") deposits, and is probably the most famous and best known Canadian example of this type of deposit. Nanisivik, Polaris and the Grey River deposits are other Canadian examples of the same geological class. MVT deposits are among the most important sources of lead and zinc in the world, exhibiting moderate to high grades, non-complex metallurgy, and processing and beneficiation characteristics that yield high quality concentrates. Cominco Ltd. began exploration at Pine Point in 1929, with test-pitting, drilling and shaft sinking. In 1948, Cominco began major exploration work, using the Mississippi-Valley-type model to guide exploration. About 90 deposits were discovered by Cominco. By 1964, several deposits had been identified. Cominco commenced large-scale mine production in 1964 with reported reserves of 21.5 million tonnes averaging 4% lead and 7.2% zinc (a historical figure reported by Giroux and McCartney, 2001). The "Pine Point mine" was actually an assemblage of 46 separate open pits and two underground deposits, lying along a 35-kilometers trend including the concentrator at the Pine Point town site. Some 64 million tonnes of ore at a grade of 7.0% zinc and 3.1% lead was mined between 1964 and 1987. Previous drilling on the property totals approximately 1.3 million metres in 18,422 holes by Pine Point Mines (Cominco), Westmin and Tamerlane. The Pine Point property consists of 42 separate lead-zinc deposits of varying size and grade. The following, as per the 2014 Report, is the estimated historical reserves for 10 of these deposits: Deposit Category Type Tonnes Zinc Grade Lead Grade Combined Grade R-190 Proven U/G 647,000 12.4% 6.1% 18.5% R-190 Probable U/G 357,000 8.2% 5.2% 12.0% W-85 Proven O/P 2,326,514 4.5% 2.8% 7.4% W-85 Probable O/P 1,125,598 3.1% 1.4% 5.1% X-65 Proven O/P 2,510,448 3.6% 1.4% 5.1% J-68 Proven O/P 265,516 5.8% 2.6% 8.4% J-68 Probable O/P 2,780 2.3% 0.6% 2.9% HZ Proven O/P 911,600 3.6% 3.1% 6.7% HZ Probable O/P 773,796 3.6% 2.2% 5.8% M-67 Proven O/P 473,465 4.5% 1.3% 5.8% M-67 Probable O/P 210,419 5.2% 0.8% 6.0% K-68 Proven O/P 262,800 3.2% 1.0% 4.3% K-68 Probable O/P 769,126 2.6% 0.7% 3.3% M-62,63 Proven O/P 803,721 2.2% 1.0% 3.2% O-53 Probable O/P 274,812 2.7% 0.8% 3.5% N-204 Probable O/P 12,830,000 2.6% 0.7% 3.3% (Note the above information is presented solely to provide a historical frame of reference and as a guide to future exploration. The Company has not yet completed the work necessary to verify the past exploration results and no "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101 has done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Accordingly, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Further exploration will be required to assess and verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.) The property holds considerable potential to expand the life of the mine. As provided in the 2014 Report several of the remaining 32 deposits have historical grade and tonnage which make them potential additions to a long term mine plan. Below are five examples: Historical Estimates of Resources Deposit Category Type Tonnes Zinc Grade Lead Grade Combined Grade K-35 Indicated O/P 662,280 3.9 1.1 5.0% K-35 Inferred O/P 1,935,800 2.9% 1.1% 4.0% L-36 Indicated O/P 1,598,840 4.1% 1.5% 5.6% L-36 Inferred O/P 1,222,400 2.4% 0.8% 3.2% X-71 Indicated U/G 303,050 11.2% 7.1% 18.3% N-99 Inferred O/P 814,600 3.9% 1.2% 5.1% X-15 Inferred O/P 2,514,800 2.9% 0.9% 3.8% (Note the above information is presented solely to provide a historical frame of reference and as a guide to future exploration. The Company has not yet completed the work necessary to verify the past exploration results and no "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101 has done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Accordingly, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Further exploration will be required to assess and verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.) Also, despite the large amount of exploration done in the past, large portions of the property on the favorable trends, remain unexplored. A geophysical survey conducted by Tamerlane in 2005 outlined 36 untested anomalies, using EM and magnetic surveys, none of which have been drill tested (Tamerlane news release, September 8, 2005). Darnley Bay has retained the services of John Key, who has been managing the project for KSV, and is a former president and CEO of Tamerlane. A mining engineer, Mr. Key has held several senior management and executive positions, including the top position at the largest open pit zinc mine in the world during his 5 1/2 year tenure as General Manager of Red Dog Operations for Teck Cominco in Alaska. Mr. Key's numerous accomplishments during his time operating in the arctic environment at Red Dog are highlighted by two major mine expansion projects, which in aggregate required the oversight of a budget of some $300 million and increased the annual production rate from 500,000 tonnes of zinc concentrates to over 1 million tonnes of zinc concentrates. Mr. Key was also General Manager of Cominco's Polaris zinc mine in the Northwest Territories from 1993 to 1995. Darnley Bay looks forward to working with the various stakeholders in this project area to ensure that the project is mutually beneficial. The Company anticipates participating in an open public engagement process with the local communities, businesses, and interested citizens. Darnley Bay also wishes to work with local First Nations to address any concerns they may have, and to earn their trust and support. John Key, Mining Engineer and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information presented in this press release. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 19, 2016) - Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:ELO)(FRANKFURT:P2Q) ("Eloro") is pleased to announce that it has completed the Phase I exploration program recommended in the recently filed National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the La Victoria Gold/Silver Property (the "Property") in Huandoval District, Pallasca Province, Ancash Department, Peru authored by Mr. Luc Pigeon, M.Sc., P.Geo. (see press release September 7, 2016). Phase I included geological mapping and sampling, geophysical surveys, data processing, permit applications, and accessibility improvements for the Phase II drill program. The Phase II diamond drilling, which will total up to 3,000m, will focus on targets at the San Markito and Rufina Mineralized Zones. Tom Larsen, President and CEO of Eloro commented: "We expect the Phase II diamond drilling program to start late in Q4 of this year. Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., Chief Technical Advisor for Eloro and I recently completed a site visit to the Property. Preparations are well advanced for the drill program which will commence once final permitting is received. Our newly appointed in-country General Manager, Luc Pigeon, P.Geo., has organized a strong team to support the exploration work based from Huandoval, a small town near the southwest end of the La Victoria claim group. Luc, who has more than ten years experience working in Peru, has worked closely with the local community in establishing this base and building good local support for our program." Dr. Bill Pearson added: "Our initial program of geological mapping, sampling and geophysical (IP) surveys greatly increased our understanding of the potential of the Property and outlined a number of follow-up targets. In advance of the drilling, we are starting the second phase of our geological mapping and sampling program led by Dr. Osvaldo Arce. This work will concentrate on the 3-plus km potential strike length of the San Markito-Victoria silver-gold mineralized breccia zones which have had very limited previous exploration. The new road being constructed by the Peruvian government that opens up the north-eastern portion of the Victoria concession into the San Felipe II concession to the east (see Figure 1) will greatly facilitate this work. In addition, we will be completing a detailed soil geochemical survey of Rufina North to better define a potential heap-leachable gold target near a strong IP anomaly outlined in our survey." Geology and Mineralization The Property, which covers approximately 45 square kilometres (Figure 1) is located within a prolific epithermal gold deposit belt that spans from Cajamarca to Ancash and that includes such deposits as Yanacocha, Lagunas Norte, La Arena and Pierina. The La Arena and the Santa Rosa open pit mines are respectively located 50km and 25km northwest of the Property. Gold-silver mineralization on the La Victoria property is spatially and structurally associated with a series of dioritic to granodioritic Victoria intrusives that intrude sandstone and shale of the Chicama Formation. The style of mineralization is typical of low sulphidation epithermal deposits. Figure 2 is an analytical signal magnetic map developed from reprocessing of 2011 data, which shows the widespread occurrence of interpreted intrusions and principal gold (Ag) + silver (Ag) showings and occurrences. Each potential intrusion is considered prospective, warranting followup work. The areas of the magnetic anomalies tend to be recessively weathered covered by Quaternary colluvium and alluvium suggesting that the intrusives are likely altered. The location of the new road being constructed in the northeastern part of the property which substantially improves access, is also shown. Four principal mineralized zones have been identified on the Property: San Markito, Rufina, Victoria and Victoria South with the first two being the most advanced targets. Limited sampling to date has indicated the presence of high grade mineralization in each of these mineralized areas but more systematic sampling and diamond drilling is required to assess the potential of these targets. At San Markito, the northwest-trending mineralized zone extends for at least 1300m along strike and is up to 400m wide with the bulk of mineralization located within silicified sedimentary rocks near the contact with intrusive rocks. Results from previous sampling returned significant values up to 2.27 g/t Au and 1814 g/t Ag with enriched values of Pb up to 16.82% and arsenic and antimony greater than 1% analytical limit. Initial planned drilling will focus on testing this mineralized zone along strike and vertically. At Rufina five vein sets of 20m to 70m in width have been identified in the western part of the mineralized zone. Vein sets are composed of iron oxide-quartz-arsenopyrite veins, in veinlet swarms, stockworks, and breccia zones. They are well developed in intrusive rocks as well as underlying rocks of the Chicama Fm. Three surface samples from the mineralized zone averaged 8.8 g/t gold and 23.8 g/t silver, while one 50cm chip sample taken from an artisanal adit returned 15.1 g/t gold, 136.5 g/t silver, with 1.61% lead and 3.75% zinc. In the northern part of Rufina at higher elevations, the mineralized rocks are oxidized and have argillic alteration suggesting potential for heap-leachable gold mineralization. The recently completed IP survey shows that the high resistance diorite (the main mineralized lithology present on the Rufina zone) is concentrated near the surface in this area and is underlain by conductive and chargeable sedimentary rocks; this target, known as Rufina North, will be tested in the planned drill program. Victoria and Victoria South are earlier stage targets but which have similar geological settings to San Markito and Rufina. Victoria is on the San Markito structure approximately 500m to the east. Samples there have returned values to 4.3 g/t Au and 927 g/t Ag. Copper concentrations are elevated in most samples with values reaching up to 4.29% Cu. Sampling at one showing at Victoria South returned 8.4 g/t Au over 1.2m. For additional technical information on the La Victoria Project, the reader is referred to the NI 43-101 Technical Report on the La Victoria Au-Ag Property, Ancash, Peru filed under Eloro's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). About Eloro Resources Ltd. Eloro is an exploration and mine development company which recently acquired a 100% undivided interest in the La Victoria property, located in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru. The La Victoria Property covers 45 square kilometres and is within 50 kilometres of several large low-cost producing gold mines, with three producers visible from the Property. Infrastructure in the area is good with access to road, water and electricity and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,100 m to 4,200 m above sea level. Eloro also holds a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in northern and western Quebec. Information in this news release may contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Corporation's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Corporation. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Jim Steel MBA, P.Geo., a Qualified Person in the context of NI 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release. Prashant Bhushan has said that the Prime Minister's office was aware of the leak concerning information on national security but refrained from taking action. By Anusha Soni: BJP MP Varun Gandhi is in the eye of the storm after a US based whistleblower and arms dealer alleged that he has been 'honey-trapped' and compromised by arms dealers in leaking sensitive information concerning national security. BJP AWARE YET TOOK NO ACTION In a scathing attack on the current BJP government, senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan alleged that the Prime Minister's Office was aware of the leak yet took no action. advertisement US whistleblower Edmonds Allen has written to the Prime Minister's office alleging that Varun Gandhi, who has been a member of the defense consultative committee has been 'honeytrapped' by arms dealer Abhishek Verma. READ| Sex, spies and secrets: How officials fall into honey traps ALLEN'S LETTER CONFIRMS GANDHI'S IMMORAL ACTS A copy of the letter has been accessed by India Today in which Edmonds Allen has written to the PMO saying, " ..this gentlemen (Varun Gandhi) participates in immoral activities with prostitutes arranged by Abhishek Verma, he also meets management of defense companies at private parties.. solicits business on Abhishek Verma's behest." The letter written to the PMO on September 16, 2016 also names Air Marshal H Masand, Gili Golan and Wing Commander Sam Surve for conspiracy in leaking sensitive data. Surve is also one of the co-accused in the Navy War Room Leak scandal of 2005. US whisltleblower Edmonds Allen, who was earlier a close aide of Abhishek Verma, has also sent a copy of the letter to Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. READ| ISI laying honeytraps on Facebook and Twitter to snare Indian defence personnel VERMA EMBARKED ON A CRIME SPREE? In another letter written by Allen to the PMO on August 25, 2016, he accuses Abhishek Verma and Wing Commander Sam Surve of 'embarking on a spree on crimes including selling of defense secrets to foriegn entities'. Both Verma and Surve were named as accused in the Navy War Room Leak Scandal of 2005 and were arrested and later granted bail in 2008 by the Delhi High Court. It has been alleged by Allen that Verma had access to defense secrets including the minutes of the meeting of Defense Acquistion Council till 2011, despite being an accused in a key navy war room leak scandal. The letter names Commodore Randeep Brar, Wing Commander Sam Surve and Gili Golan as being accomplices in leaking details which compromise national security. READ| Naval officer Sukhjinder Singh caught in honey trap MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLAINTS AGAINST ABHISHEK VERMA Another letter written by K.V Chowdhary, Member of Central Board of Direct Taxes on May 30, 2014 to then CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, the Income Tax Department revealed to CBI that the department has received various complaints about Abhishek Verma allegedly in possession of funds in foreign bank accounts through a maze of foreign entities. advertisement Verma allegedly also received USD 53,0000 from black listed defense equipment supplier named RAD of Switzerland. The Enforcement Directorate had also reportedly registered complaints against Verma and others for money laundering and payments through Amex Cards to M/s PB International, an escort service provider in Belgium for obtaining services in India. READ| Facebook, WhatsApp honeytraps: Border villages, police cautioned on bogus Pakistan messages "NATIONAL SECURITY COMPROMISED" Addressing a press conference, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, leader of Swaraj Abhiyaan alleged that the government of India despite having the information went ahead and signed Rs 58,000 crore deal for procurement of 36 Rafale Aircrafts with a company called Dassault Aviation. Dassault Aviation has acquired Thales which is the maker of Scorpene. The $6 billion dollar Scorpene deal of 2005 has been under much scrutiny and attack from the current government for involvement of a middleman and receipt of kick backs. advertisement Prashant Bhushan led Swaraj Abhiyaan has accused the erstwhile UPA government and the current BJP government of compromising the national security of the country. READ| Varun Gandhi honey-trapped by arms dealer, claims US whistleblower; BJP MP rejects charges Watch the video: --- ENDS --- Whistleblower C Edmonds Allen said Varun leaked crucial information about defence matters to arms manufacturers after being blackmailed with pictures of him with foreign escorts and prostitutes. By India Today Web Desk: Varun Gandhi has threatened to file a criminal defamation suit against senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan and American whistleblower C Edmonds Allen, who claimed that the BJP MP was honey-trapped and compromised by arms dealer Abhishek Verma. In a letter to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Allen says that Varun Gandhi leaked crucial information about defence matters to arms manufacturers after being blackmailed with pictures of him with foreign escorts and prostitutes. advertisement "I didn't hear a single shred of evidence linking me to any of these wild allegations. I see this as merely as a low attempt to defame me. I will be dealing with this legally forthwith by filing a criminal defamation case against them," Varun said in his second statement today after reports said Verma blackmailed him. ALSO READ | ISI laying honeytraps on Facebook and Twitter to snare Indian defence personnel In a letter to the PMO, Allen has claimed that Varun Gandhi is being blackmailed by Verma after he was honey-trapped while he was a member of the high-profile Defence Consultative Committee, which takes decisions on purchase of major weapons for the army. The US national, in his letter to the PMO on September 16, has even reportedly given a Compact Disc containing dozens of photographs to back his claim. Copies of the letter have also been sent to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. ALSO READ | Sex, spies and secrets: How officials fall into honey traps VARUN REJECTS CHARGES Varun rejected the charges. "I have been a member of the Defence Committee of Parliament, but members of the committee do not have access to any sensitive information. I did not introduce Abhishek to any arms dealers and strongly deny the charge being levelled against me," Varun said in his first statement today. But the 36-year-old BJP leader admitted he knew Verma and attended his wedding when he was young. "I know Abhishek Verma. His parents were Rajya Sabha MPs from the Congress. I even attended his wedding when I was young. But I have had no interaction with Abhishek Verma ever since I came into public life," he said as he denied any professional engagement with him. ALSO READ | Naval officer Sukhjinder Singh caught in honey trap ALLEN A BLACKMAILER: VERMA Verma too, speaking exclusively to India Today TV, denied that he honey-trapped Varun Gandhi and called Allens a blackmailer. "What he is saying is totally false. I did not honey-trap Varun Gandhi. I have not seen the photographs that are being spoken about," he said. However, an eyewitness named Vikki told India Today TV that he has seen the incriminating photographs and claimed some of them featured Gandhi. "But they are from 2008 and 2009," he said. advertisement MODI GOVT KNEW: PRASHANT BHUSHAN Meanwhile, senior Supreme Court lawyer and Swaraj India founder Prashant Bhushan today alleged that the Modi government knew about Allen's letter for two months and took no action. "This goes beyond sleaze. This government has knowingly done nothing. On May 30, 2014, the CBI Director was informed by the current Chief Vigilance Commissioner about huge instances of corruption. Yet no FIR was registered," Bhushan said in a press conference he addressed with his colleague Yogendra Yadav in Delhi. "Allen's details show even Verma's wife boasted about being a middleman for many naval projects," he said. Yadav claimed the PMO had "solid evidence" for two months that till 2011, Verma had all access to army secrets. He said there were two reasons why the BJP did not act. "One was because their MP (Varun Gandhi) who was in defence committee was in cahoots with the dealers. Second, if the BJP acted, they would have had to blacklist Thales which was also there for the French Rafale aircraft deal. So it would have hurt the Rafale deal," he said. advertisement ALSO READ: Varun Gandhi honey-trapped by arms dealer, claims US whistleblower; BJP MP rejects charges --- ENDS --- The recent rally in Jaffna, a Tamil populated capital in the Northern province of Sri Lanka, under the banner Ezhuka Tamil (Rise Up Tamils!) has once again posed the question of Tamil self-determination to the fore since the bloody defeat of Tamil Tigers 7 years ago. This demonstration is an indicator of swelling discontent among the Tamil minorities. Despite Sri Lankan States victory over the armed separatist Tigers the national question has not been solved in Sri Lanka and the misery of the Tamil population in the North and Eastern provinces have only worsened. On September 24, tens of thousands of Tamils flooded the streets of Jaffna with posters and banners with various demands that call for the recognition of Tamils political and national rights. Shops and businesses in Jaffna shut down in solidarity to recognize the biggest Tamil demonstration since the end of the civil war 7 years ago. Thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand an end to the militarisation, an end to state-sponsored Sinhala-Buddhisization of the Tamil population, an international investigation into mass atrocities committed during and after the civil war, unconditional and immediate release of political prisoners, and the resolution of Tamil national question. Banners and posters littered the air calling for the freedom of the Tamil homeland from Sri Lankan military occupation. CV Wigneswaran - Photo: Foreign and Commonwealth Office CC BY SA 2.0The leader of the Ezhuka Tamil rally was Chief Minister CV Vigneswaran of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), an alliance group of moderate Tamil nationalist parties. The TNA has a political foothold in Northern and Eastern provinces. While advocating for a federalism and autonomy solution for the Tamil provinces it have been closely aligned with the Sri Lankan ruling party, paying lip service to the grievances of the Tamil masses and using them as a bargaining chip for their own interest. Vigneswaran himself has recently created a rift in the alliance with his more radical approach to Tamil national question. Upset that TNA has been adopting a moderate line, Vigneswaran broke rank and advocated for Tamils to vote for what he considered genuine and un-buyable Tamil nationalists. Vigneswaran has moved to endorsing the more radical Tamil nationalist party, the Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF). In fact, the concluding remarks from the demonstration was from TNPF leader Gajen Ponnambalam who declared that states unitary solution was unacceptable and the political aspirations of the Tamil minority towards self-determination and separate homeland must be realized. The organization of the Ezhuka Tamil rally itself, which was led by Vigneswaran, was an indication of a developing split amongst the nationalists, between the moderate camp that seeks negotiation with the Sri Lankan state and the more radical camp that realizes the futility of negotiation alone and would like to press harder for a Tamil homeland. The radical Tamil nationalists can feel the brewing discontent of the Tamil working masses, whose living conditions have worsened since the end of the civil war 7 years ago. They are taping, though hesitantly, into this seething anger, which was demonstrated by the size and militancy of the Ezhuka Tamil demonstration. True to their cowardice nature, however, Vigneswaran has attempted to distance himself from the more controversial slogans of Ezhuka Tamil rally, claiming that the rally was misinterpreted by the southern Sinhalese media. But in reality the masses never misinterpret their own militant mood during the rally. Radical nationalists of Vigneswaran-type always doubt not only themselves but also the masses, and hence their readiness to backtrack when under pressure. 7 years after the Sri Lankan Civil War: Where do the Tamils stand today? Seven years after the brutal defeat of the Tamil separatist movement, the Sri Lankan and Tamil ruling class thought they have solved the national question in Sri Lanka by propping up a new government. But the lingering militarization of the northern part of the island and the intensifying poverty throughout this part of the island has made it clear that nothing has been solved fundamentally. The Sri Lankan civil war, known as one of the biggest human tragedies in South Asia, raged throughout the island for 26 years, finally ending in 2009. The defeat of the Tamil separatist movement led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was achieved through an aggressive state military offensive that killed an estimated 70,000 Tamil civilians trapped in the war zone during the final months of the civil war, a fact that the Sri Lankan state still denies up until today. In total, over 100,000 civilians were killed in the conflict that started in 1983. The horrific war crimes committed by the state and the military in the final months of the war soaked the soil of northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka with blood. Four months leading up to the end of the war, the Rajapaksa government rallied together over 40,000 Tamil civilians in a safe no fire zone in efforts to corner the Tigers. After setting up the no fire zone, the military shelled the civilians to death. They also targeted hospitals, food storages and cut off medical supplies. In 2009, the world and Sri Lanka watched thousands of Tamil civilians bombed, raped, tortured and executed at the hands of the military. While the civil war officially ended in 2009, the horrors of state brutality, poverty, unemployment and despair persist today. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) has reported that more than 70,000 people were still internally displaced in the Northern and Eastern provinces as late as July 2015, 6 years after the end of the civil war, with the majority being Tamil and Muslim minorities. Those who have returned back to the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka now face widespread unemployment, miserable housing conditions and military occupation. Military occupation ensures that peoples land is handed over to the state for private investment opportunities, leaving farmers with no land and fishers with no right to fish. The same report pointed out that in 2014 at least 160,000 soldiers, mostly Sinhalese, were stationed in the North. The Tamil population in the North is just over 1 million, which means that we have one army member for every six civilians. Peace and prosperity that was promised after the end of civil war has never materialized. Today Tamil workers and farmers are trapped in hellish conditions. UNs imperialist role in Sri Lankas Civil War One of the demands of the Ezhuka Tamil demonstration is for the UN to hold an international inquiry into war crimes and the current militarization of the state. This follows UN Human Rights resolution in October 2015 that calls for a domestic-led inquiry into the war crimes committed by the military and the state in the final months of the civil war, a resolution that many Tamils rightfully feel is inadequate. As a matter of fact the resolution has been cynically drafted to protect the interests of all different ruling parties involved. The wording of the resolution was made vague and ambiguous enough so that whatever inquiry team put together will not have any real teeth to pursue justice for the victims. It is drafted in such a way as to protect the democratic credibility of the UN and the main sponsor of the resolution, the U.S., and shield senior figures in ex-president Rajapaksas government and military from punishment. The sham of domestic inquiry is already demonstrated by the fact that Sirisena had stated in his election manifesto that he would not allow any political leader to be prosecuted for alleged war crimes. This does not come as surprise, since any genuine inquiry might actually point fingers at Sirisena and his circle, who were part of the Rajapaksas government during the end of the civil war. Although many Tamil workers and peasants are pinning their hopes on UN-led international inquiry we must be clear that the UN is anything but a neutral non-political body. The illusion that an international inquiry could provide peace for the lives of Tamils is just as false as a Sirisenas promised domestic inquiry. The economic relationships between China, Russia and Sri Lanka had shielded Sri Lanka from being targeted for war crimes at the UN Security Council in the final stretch of the civil war in 2009. China has invested in many of the naval ports in Sri Lanka to complete a string of pearls strategy to secure port access in the northern reaches of the Indian Ocean. In an attempt to loosen the grip of China Sirisena has stated that he might scrap large infrastructure projects that were agreed upon with China. However the biggest project to date still resumes. China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), a subsidiary of the state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) has started new construction at the Sri Lankas Hambantota Port, which when completed will be the largest port in South Asia. While China has promised to create one million jobs with a proposal to purchase 15,000 acres of land around the port, these jobs will one of low pay and long hours. Meanwhile CHEC was implicated in bribe scandals with the former President of Sri Lanka Rajapaksa, as it funneled $1.1 million to Rajapaksa re-election campaign in 2015 through various proxies in a bid to keep Rajapaksa in power as his regime had been the friendliest to the Chinese interest. It is this same economic interest that secures the Sri Lankan State a Chinese veto at the UN Security Council that prevented any discussion of temporary ceasefire to help Tamil civilians trapped on the front line during the final offensive in 2008-09. US imperialism also has an interest in Sri Lanka. By the end of 2009 the US had developed closer ties with India while they watched Sri Lanka receive billions of dollars-worth of foreign investment from China. But the removal of Rajapaksa from the government and with it his policy of Sino-Sri Lankan development has now made American interests in Sri Lanka tenable. The US is intent on securing energy resources from the Persian Gulf and maintaining the free flow of trade in the Indian Ocean, and a transit port of Sri Lanka which is located in the southern tip of India is vital for this trade route. In May 2015, the US sent John Kerry to the island for the first official visit by a US Secretary of State in a decade to build new economic and political tie. With different imperialist interests vying for economic and political influence in the island, it becomes clear that the UN which is nothing but a den of imperialist thieves would not be able to guarantee justice for the victims of the civil war, let alone solve the Tamil national question. The Mahinda Rajapaksa government long resisted taking any steps to investigate and prosecute any war crimes by the government forces, and the Chinese State has shielded this regime in order to preserve a peaceful business coalition. The more pro-US Sirisena regime today is following the same footsteps despite their chatter about democratic reforms. Changing Political Landscape The victory of Maithripala Sirisena in January 2015, and the ouster of Rajapaksa, signified a changing political landscape in the island. The ruling party, the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP), was split down in the middle, with two presidential candidates from its rank. One faction of the party supported the incumbent Rajapaksa while the other faction rallied around Sirisena during the presidential election. We had a curious spectacle where the United National Party (UNP), the traditional rival of SLFP, threw its support for Sirisena, a SLFP candidate. Coming into the presidential election, Rajapaksa was certain that he would secure his third term. After all he oversaw the defeat of LTTE and brought peace to the island ravaged by decades of civil war. But years of corruption, authoritarian rules, and incompetence in improving the lots of the poor in Sri Lanka was not lost to the toiling masses. Once the carnival of peace is over, all of the contradictions in the Sri Lankan society came to the fore. During Rajapaksas presidency the violence unleashed on the Tamil minority and the rebel groups was designed to distract the workers and peasants from his nefarious antics of financial corruption. Rajapaksa and his 130 close relatives in positions of political influence were involved in state enterprises and ultimately used the war against the LTTE to consolidate family rule. His family and its close supporters controlled nearly 70% of the country budget through their portfolios. The past government cleared the government coffers and made the working class of Sri Lanka pay for extravagant expenses and corrupt foreign deals. Sri Lanka now drowns in debt and the country teeters off the brink of bankruptcy and signing additional deals with the IMF for more bailouts. The state owes up $64.9 billion to foreign financiers and the countrys debt-to-GDP currently stands around 75%. Around 95 % of all government revenue is going towards debt repayment, thus leaving very little for social programs for the poor. The country is in a deep crisis. Sirisena came to power promising reforms at all levels. It is a classic attempt by the ruling class to bring reforms from the top to prevent revolution from below. Rajapaksa and his close circle had not only discredited the ruling party SLFP in the eyes of the masses but also the whole edifice that is capitalism, and thus a section of the ruling class - represented by Sirisena moved against him to protect the whole system. Sirisenas victory could not have been done without appealing to Tamil minorities and other Christian and Muslim minorities on the island. Rallying the Tamil vote in the northern regions of the island was the Tamil National Alliance, who threw their support to Sirisena on the condition that he recognizes the right to autonomy for the Tamils, moves forward with demilitarization, and repeals the Prevention of Terrorism Act that has been used primarily to politically persecute the Tamils. However after more than one year grovelling under the Sirisena regime, the TNA found that nothing has fundamentally changed and the Tamil masses whose living conditions worse with each passing day are growing impatient. Crack begins to appear in the bourgeois TNA, as indicated by the rebelling Vigneswaran and the Ezhuka Tamil rally. The National Question Unresolved Seven years after the decisive defeat of the Tamil nationalist armed struggle, the national question in Sri Lanka remains unsolved. The continued military presence in Tamil areas makes Sri Lanka in a very literal sense a prison house for the Tamil people. Furthermore, the Tamil toiling masses face not only political persecutions but also economic hardship imposed on them that is becoming increasingly unbearable every day. Tamil youth face high unemployment rate, about 60 percent in main northern towns such as Mullaitivu, Jaffna and Kilinochchi as of 2014. The median household income in the North is about $37 per month, while the national figure is at $53. Land grab has become more extensive since the end of the war, with the army occupying lands from displaced Tamils for lucrative large-scale property development, construction projects and many other business ventures that will fill their pockets. The resolution of Tamils national question is therefore linked to the question of jobs, bread, and land. The Tamil youth, workers, and peasants consider the attainment of the right to self-determination as intrinsically connected to the solution of their economic problems. And the Ezhuka Tamil rally was the first shot for the reawakening of the Tamil masses to fight for their rights to determine their own fate freely and with dignity. Through this mass mobilization the Tamil youth, workers and peasants has struck fear not only to the hearts of the politicians in Colombo but also the Tamil bourgeois and petty-bourgeois nationalist leaders in the TNA who is worried that the participation of the masses whom they consider to be politically uneducated - could ruin their neatly prepared negotiation tactics with Colombo. The Sinhalese ruling classes are quick to order the TNA leaders to take the rein on the Tamil nationalist movement lest it goes out of control, and the latter is only ready to grovel to the former to protect their position at the head of the movement. Ezhuka Tamil rally shows us a glimpse of what can be achieved with the method of mass mobilization, i.e. direct participation of the masses in the political arena. The bourgeois and petty-bourgeois leaders of TNA show nothing but contempt to mass action. Meanwhile they have nothing to show with their so-called moderate and measured tactics of parliamentary negotiation. As a matter a fact it is the abject failure of their moderate and compromising methods to improve the lots of the Tamil toiling masses that sparked the Ezhuka Tamil. This does not mean that the past LTTEs method of so-called armed struggle is the solution. The leadership of LTTE was petty bourgeois nationalists with arms in hand, and they shared with the current TNA leaders the same contempt to direct mass revolutionary actions. They are but two sides of the same coin. What is lacking today in Sri Lanka is a revolutionary organization tempered in the idea of Marxism and Bolshevism, that is capable of: 1) waging the struggle for Tamils right to self-determination through mass revolutionary actions based on the working class in alliance with the peasants; 2) connecting the struggle for the right to self-determination with the struggle for socialism, because under capitalism even a formally independent Tamil Eelam would still be at the mercy of imperialism; 3) drawing a clear class demarcation with Tamil bourgeois and liberal elements that cannot be trusted and will betray the movement; 4) fighting under the banner of proletariat internationalism, which in the first instance means putting the class unity of Tamil and Sinhalese working class above everything else. It is only with such organization that the revolutionary energy of the masses, like the one we witnessed at the Ezhuka Tamil rally and also many other mass demonstrations currently breaking out in Sri Lanka, can be harnessed to break the chain of oppression that bind the Sri Lankan toiling masses. Any organization that does not ground itself on Marxism and Bolshevism will inevitably find itself capitulating to chauvinism and consequently leading the struggle to bloody defeat. The task of the new generation of revolutionary fighters in Sri Lanka, on both side of the divide, is to return to revolutionary Marxism, to the ideas of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky, to learn from past mistakes and build anew a Bolshevik organization free from the burdens of past defeats. We call on revolutionary Sri Lankan youth and workers to join the ranks of International Marxist Tendency as we build revolutionary Marxist organizations all over the world. In a piece today, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News calls upon the Rangers to commit to a path with young slugger Joey Gallo this winter. Its a major question for Texas, with several possible strategies, so it seems worth posing the matter to MLBTRs readers. Though hes still just 22 years of age, and continues to carry jaw-dropping power potential, Gallo wasnt deemed worthy of a significant chance at major league action last year. He ultimately struck out 19 times and recorded just one hit in thirty MLB plate appearances scattered over 17 games. But Gallo continued to thrive at Triple-A, where he banged out 25 home runs and posted a .240/.367/.529 slash over 433 plate appearances. The biggest question mark on Gallo remains the strikeouts. He walks quite a bit 15.7% over his Triple-A season and 13.1% over his 153 MLB plate appearances so its not as if he lacks for zone awareness. But Gallo has also struck out in just under half of his trips to the plate in his brief time in the majors while swinging through 22.5% of the pitches he offered at. (Khris Davis was worst among qualified MLB hitters last year with 16.6%.) And while Gallo trimmed his K rate a bit at the highest level of the minors in 2016, he faded after a promising start in that regard and still ended up going down on strikes 34.6% of the time. While Texas can still option Gallo, the team faces the proposition of filling in two primary power spots in its lineup. Mitch Moreland is set to vacate first base via free agency, with Grant suggesting he wont likely be pursued by the Rangers. And the team is also bidding adieu to DH candidate Carlos Beltran, who was acquired in the aftermath of Prince Fielders injury-induced retirement. With other positions also in need of solutions, Texas probably cant afford to spend big on two bats to step into these openings. Grant suggests that Texas could look to bring in free agent first baseman Mike Napoli for a third go with the organization. The right swinger is capable of playing first and would complement the left-handed-hitting Gallo. Alternatively, the club could look elsewhere, possibly attempting to re-sign Beltran a switch-hitter who has logged all of five career innings at first base. Either way, that kind of addition would leave the team reliant upon Gallo, unless he is paired with another righty bat in some kind of DH platoon. There are several other possible routes to consider, it seems. With a rather robust group of slugging types available this winter, the Rangers could add two lesser-priced bats and try to cash Gallo in to address another need. As Grant writes, though, his difficulties in turning the corner may make it hard for the team to cash Gallo in for a starting pitcher good enough to punt on his upside. He might also be used in some kind of platoon role with players like Ryan Rua and Jurickson Profar representing possible mates. And its certainly possible that Gallo could be sent back to Triple-A, but that would represent his third consecutive year at that level and would add to the payroll and roster pressures. While the Rangers will get to watch Gallo play in Venezuelan winter ball action, and can to some extent delay final decisions until the spring, the organization largely knows the state of play and will need to chart a course for the winter market. Whats the best course of action? Abena Akuaba Appiah 20.10.2016 LISTEN Top model Abena Akuaba Appiah, winner of Miss Queen Universe pageant, is collaborating with the Baldwin University Foundation (New York) to help finance tertiary education of a number of Ghanaian students. Currently, she is a Mass Media Communications student at the State University of New York (USA. Consequently, six Ghanaians are currently pursuing various programmes in a number of tertiary institutions. As part of her social responsibility, the beauty queen with support from a number of institutions will soon set up a needy foundation to support a number of educational institutions as well as health facilities in the country. Her foundation, BEATWAVES gathered, will also embark on various educational projects to promote education, culture and tourism. Currently working on her first album, the beauty queen has participated in international modelling competitions such as Top Model Ghana 2013 and Top Model of the World 2013, where she emerged number 15 out of 60 countries that participated in the event. A former fashion student of Radford University in Accra, the beauty queen is also a musician, actress and entrepreneur with years of experience in the fashion industry. She has modelled for various designers from around the world, including Andreas Aquino (Spain), Sushma Patel (India), Catalan (France) and the late Kofi Ansah (Ghana). She won Miss Universe Ghana 2014 and competed in the Donald Trump international pageant, Miss Universe, in 2014 and later became a brand ambassador for Garner Hair Products in the United States. The runway diva has been involved in fashion shows with Contour Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Vlisco, Woodin, Da Viva and GTP. She has been involved in the grooming of a number of young models who are expected to hit the catwalk soon. Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah, General Overseer of Glorious Word Power Ministry International, says some Ghanaian politicians are conniving to kill the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, before the December 7 general elections. He said the assassins are plotting to carry out the operation during one of Nana Addos campaign tours. The popular preacher did not mention the name of the supposed persons scheming to kill Nana Addo, but said they would shoot him at a rally. Rev Bempah made the alarming allegation during an interaction he had with journalists on Tuesday. He said the supposed politicians have realised unless they kill Nana Addo, there is no way President John Mahama can win the upcoming election. God has revealed to me that some politicians in a certain political party in Ghana are conspiring with some members of the NPP to shoot Nana dead at a campaign tour. The NPP should not take this as a joke but rather provide tight security around the man, he said. Rev Bempah said the pulse of the NPP was tested when a stone was thrown at Nana Addo at a recent campaign in the Klottey Korle Constituency. He advised the NPP to beef up security around Nana Addo when he is on a campaign tour and should not allow strange people to get near him. Rev Bempah also entreated the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to provide adequate security for the NPP presidential candidate. He advised those political leaders who are behind the plot to kill Nana Addo should change their minds or face the wrath of God. Importation of Guns Rev Bempah has also disclosed that a certain political party is importing guns to cause chaos on the voting day, stating, God has revealed to me which party is doing that and where they are importing the guns from. He said, On election day, there will be a lot of gunshots at NPP strongholds and many will sustain injuries while others too will lose their lives. The NPP must be ware. Rev Bampah warned the supposed political party to desist from any act that will bring war in the country, stating God will not spare the perpetrators. By Cephas Larbi [email protected] Actress Bibi Bright has descended heavily on fellow actress Nana Akua Addo, launching a scathing attack on her and other actresses. The actress, who is also a movie producer, in a post on her Instagram page Wednesday accused Nana Akua Addo of badmouthing her colleagues in the movie industry. Describing the popular fashionista Nana Akua Addo as fake, Bibi Bright alleged that the actress has been pulling some movie personalities down. Bibi, according to reports, might have been infuriated by comments persons she believes are close to Nana Akua Addo made about her. Below is a heavily edited post she made on Instagram: This is the Nana Akua Addo that am taking about The only actress whose profile is all about Instagram photo shoot, all she does is call A and talk about B, call B and talk about C.. She is competing with @zynnellzuh and always talking trash about this sweet girl just cos Zynell is an ORIGINAL SLAYER who at the same time is acting movies both Ghana and Nigeria She said to me Bibi am going to keep doing photoshoot still I become a fashionista and take over @sandraankobiah who doesnt even give a f**k about her. She doesnt deserve shit if left to me alone. She is fake, envious and deceiving. "It hurts me that our followers never get to know we actresses and actors really are. This industry is big enough for all of us so Nana Akua Addo do your photo shoots and get your Instagram likes and followers and leave us to be in our lane. You even hate @vicamichaels like who the f**k can hate Victoria ?" Bibi in the post denied allegations that she has an affair with an unnamed bank manager: Which bank manager has slept with me? I swear on Antoa that if any bank manager has slept with me Actress Selly Ghalley, whose name was mentioned in one of the posts, said on Instagram: Hate, 'enviness', backbiting, ungratefulness , jealousy, greed , "pull-her-down", pettiness, pride ... do not live here Y' . Be careful of those who ask you to hate others who have done nothing to you. We are more powerful when we support each other YS Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com The maternal family of the late highlife musician Daasebre Gyamenah has announced his burial arrangements after a meeting on Wednesday. The maternal family met in Anomabo and disclosed that the mortal remains of the late musician will be laid to rest on November 26. The burial date is being announced after a tussle over who has the right to bury Daasebre Gyamenah ended up in court. The late musicians maternal family had gone to court to seek an injunction to stop the paternal family in Koforidua from burying the musician on a proposed October 14 date. Read: Fight over Daasebre Gyamenahs burial, matrilineal family goes to court The paternal family of the artiste, after the initial impasse, agreed to relinquish his remains for burial after a meeting last week Friday. But both families met and agreed that the late Daasebre Gyamenah will be buried at Anomabo Ndasimam in the Central region. Read: Families reach compromise over burial of Daasebre Gyamenah Enoch Gyedu, who speaks for the late musicians maternal family, disclosed to Hitz @ 1 that the three-day final funeral rites of the late musician will kick off on November 25. There will be Wake Keeping on November 25 followed by burial on the November 26. There will be a Thanks Giving Service on Sunday, November 27. Yaw Boateng who speaks for the paternal family, which did not participate the final decision making, explained that they did not attend the meeting because they did not get a formal invitation from the maternal family. Daasebre Gyamenah died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Friday, July 29, 2016. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Ernest Dela Aglanu (Twitter: @delaXdela / email: [email protected]) The Pan African Writers Association, Ghana Association of Writers and the Colombian Embassy will be hosting the award-winning Ghanaian writer and journalist Kofi Akpabli at a monthly literary cafe, today [Thursday] October 20. The reading is scheduled for 6pm at the residence of the Ambassador of Colombia. Under the auspices of Her Excellency Claudia Turbay Quintero, Columbian Ambassador to Ghana, the event will offer patrons the opportunity to enjoy book readings, poetry, current affairs discussions, culture and more. Since July 2016 when Ghana hosted famous Columbian poet, Maria Gomez Lara at a poetry reading event in Accra, the cultural cooperation between the two countries has seen a lift. In August, the first reading soiree was organised which featured Dr. Kojo Arthur an expert in Akan cultural symbols as the guest author. At this upcoming session, Kofi Akpabli will, among other works also delight the audience with excerpts from his new work 'Made in Nima' from the new Commonwealth Anthology Safehouse: Explorations into Creative Non-Fiction, which has just been published in London. About Kofi Akpabli Akpabli is an academic, journalist and travel writer whose repertoire oozes creativity and inspiration. His scholarly interests include researching and communicating key values of African art and culture. Whether he is covering a 9/11 memorial on Ground Zero in New York or discovering traditional taboos in Ghana's Upper West Region, human interest is ever his soft spot. Kofi Akpabli writes 'Going Places', a weekly column in the Mirror newspaper which focuses on culture and tourism issues. As a culture writer he has examined topics which have usually been overlooked by his peers. In June 2011 in South Africa, Kofi was voted CNN Multichoice African Journalist for Arts and Culture for the second time; making it the only time an African has annexed the CNN African Journalist Awards back-to-back. He has also won National and Ghana Journalist Association Awards in Arts and Tourism. Kofi started writing in 1991 when, as a student, an historical play he wrote captured first prize in a Panafest Play Writing Contest. The theatre piece, 'The Prince and the Slave' has subsequently run at the Art Centre in Accra, Kumasi and at the Cape Coast Castle. Books he has authored include: Tickling the Ghanaian-Encounters with Contemporary Culture Harmattan- a Cultural Profile of Northern Ghana- Romancing Ghanaland the Beauty of Ten Region A Sense of Savannah-Tales of a Friendly Walk through Northern Ghana By: citifmonline.com/Ghana 20.10.2016 LISTEN Anyone born in the '80s, whoever marvelled at the cover of a hip-hop magazine or sat staring at their favorite rappers album cover has likely seen most of their musical heroes through Mannions lens. For superstars like Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Lauryn Hill, Rick Ross, Eminem, Snoop Dog and countless others, Jonathan Mannions vision, consistency, and ability to innovate has made him the go-to image-maker for the most important projects of their careers. In the history of hip-hop, no photographer has created more memorable images of the culture than Jonathan Mannion. Since he stepped onto the New York rap scene in 1993, the Cleveland native has produced iconic visuals that indelibly defined a generation of rap, R&B, and reggae artists. Mannions first established himself as a cultural force through his work with the recording industry, documenting over twenty years of hip-hop music. Early in his career, when many in mainstream media were dismissing rap music as a passing fad, Mannion was hustling to create the cover art for Jay-Zs debut LP, Reasonable Doubt. It was the first of many iconic album covers with prominent MCs that quickly crowned Mannion as hip-hops premiere visual biographer. Hennessy is excited to introduce Jonathan Mannion to Nigeria; projecting him as a perfect representation of a genre that has played an important role in the growth of the brand Hip Hop. This October, as part of the celebrations of Hennessy Artistry, the legendary photographer will be in Lagos to showcase some of his most iconic works! We are excited about bringing Jonathan Mannion to Nigeria. Both Hennessy and Jonathan have played a key role in the development and formation of the DNA of the Hip Hop Music & Culture. Art and Hip Hop Enthusiasts will be presented with an invaluable opportunity to explore some of Jonathan Mannions legendary body of work. For us, this is an initiative which remains true to Hennessy Artistry - celebrating Music, and in this case, rather creatively and hopefully, memorably" - Lere Awokoya, Brand Manager for Hennessy Nigeria. The project being the first of its kind in Nigeria, is another initiative of Hennessy Artistry as a continuous means of expressing its love for Music. About Hennessy Artistry Launched in 2006, Hennessy Artistry focuses on celebrating music and discovering unrecognized new talent. In 2009 Hennessy Artistry was introduced to Nigeria and has engaged its Nigerian audience with series of activities that has propelled talented artistes to some of Nigerias stars today like M.I Abaga, D'Banj, Ice Prince, Tu Face, Banky W, Wiz Kid, Nneka, Tiwa Savage, Praiz, Burna Boy. It has been celebrated by the most diverse musical influences, ranging from classical to jazz, funk, soul, Hip-Hop, R&B, pop amongst others in the world. "O, sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth."-Roman Payne Dr Ambrish Mithal India has been a country of sun worshippers since ancient times. For the most part of the year, the sun beats down on us relentlessly. Indeed, India is looking to harness the power of the sun to solve its energy problems and is on its way to becoming a 'solar superpower'. It is ironic, therefore, that Indians are commonly found to be lacking in Vitamin D, popularly called the sunshine vitamin, as it is synthesised in the skin on exposure to sunlight. There are several possible reasons for this phenomenon. advertisement First, the oppressive heat, coupled with a never-ending quest for fair skin that makes Indians heliophobic. With increasing urbanisation, we also spend less time outdoors. Second, our skin colour, commensurate with India's proximity to the Equator, ensures skin protection against the harsh sunlight, but slows down vitamin D synthesis. So Indians need longer sunlight exposure than Caucasians to make the same amount of vitamin D. Third, culturally, when we do go out in the sun, we tend to cover ourselves-or sometimes use heavy sunscreen creams-which inhibit vitamin D production. Fourth, there is little availability of vitamin D fortified food in India. Lastly, atmospheric pollution drastically diminishes our ability to synthesise vitamin D. Disturbingly, recent studies have shown that even with 30 minutes of midday sun exposure, Vitamin D levels remained unchanged among Delhi schoolchildren in winter and went up only marginally in summer. Vitamin D status is estimated by measuring blood level of 25(OH) vitamin D, a metabolite of vitamin D formed in the liver. What constitutes a low level is a matter of debate. Levels as high as 30 ng/ml to as low as 12.5 ng/ml have been proposed as a cut-off. Most global expert bodies currently recommend that levels of 20 ng/ml are reasonable and would suffice to preserve bone health of the general population. More than 80 per cent urban Indians, including pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly have been shown to have levels below 20 ng/ml. Our study showed that doctors, with a lifestyle that forces indoor (hospital) confinement, are the worst affected! Manual labourers and the security forces are perhaps the only groups found to have acceptable vitamin D levels. And, in North India, especially in winter months, 25(OH) vitamin D levels commonly fall below 10 ng/ml. Such abysmally low levels of vitamin D can lead to low calcium levels and soft deformed bones (rickets) in newborns, poor bone growth during childhood and adolescence and increased risk of osteoporosis, falling and fracture in old age. While there's been an increase in awareness of vitamin D deficiency in India over the last decade, it has unleashed two disturbing trends. One is the phenomenon of excessive testing. There is no need to rush to the nearest lab to get tested unless the doctor feels it is necessary. If you are one of those for whom sunlight exposure is a challenge, taking 1,000-2,000 IU/day of vitamin D is safe and effective. If, however, you have clinical vitamin D deficiency, your doctor will prescribe higher doses for 6-8 weeks, followed by maintenance doses, else the levels will fall again. The second issue is the use of astronomical doses of vitamin D. For you can have too much of a good thing. We reported 16 patients last year who had severe vitamin D toxicity and huge levels of calcium, resulting from the indiscriminate use of high dose (600,000 IU) vitamin D injections. This can even prove fatal in some cases. What else could we do? Encouraging sunlight exposure is advisable. Children and their parents must be made aware of the benefits of 'drinking milk and playing in the sun'. It ensures you attain higher peak bone mass, which helps in old age. advertisement Quite clearly, to address this public health issue, one would require additional vitamin D from some source. An established approach is vitamin D fortification of food. Nutritional rickets has been eradicated in most Western countries following introduction of fortification. The time has come to move ahead in India too. advertisement The author is chairman, endocrinology and diabetes division, Medanta-the Medicity, Gurgaon --- ENDS --- Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Abidjan (AFP) - Police in Ivory Coast used tear gas Thursday to break up a demonstration against a proposed new constitution and briefly detained several opposition politicians, according to an AFP journalist. A draft of the new basic law, which President Alassane Ouattara says will put an end to years of crises in Ivory Coast, but which the opposition derides as dangerous and antidemocratic, will be put to a referendum on October 30. A vast deployment of anti-riot police in the economic capital, Abidjan, greeted protesters carrying banners saying "No to the Ouattara monarchy", referring to President Alassane Outtara, the main architect of the proposed constitution. The opposition has complained it was not included in the drafting process. Police fired tear gas at the crowd after warning them that they did not have permission for their protest. Several opposition political leaders were briefly detained, including Aboudramane Sangare, a senior figure in the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), the party created by former president Laurent Gbagbo, who is now on trial at the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. "This is Ouattara's democracy," said former national assembly speaker Mamadou Koulibaly after being loaded into a police vehicle. 'Path of disobedience' "We are showing the path of disobedience against an authority that has no legitimacy to do what it is doing. We don't want this constitution," he said after his release. Ivory Coast's riot police disperse demonstrators next to Mamadou Koulibaly (2L), former president of Ivory Coast's national assembly and chairman of opposition party LIDER as he protests against a referendum on the adoption of a new constitution After she was released by police, another opposition politician, Danielle Boni Claverie, announced that a "mega meeting" against the constitution would take place on Saturday in the city's Yopougon district. The draft constitution, which parliament overwhelmingly approved last week, changes the rules on presidential eligibility and establishes a senate and the post of vice president. Critically, it would lift the current requirement that both parents of a presidential candidate must have been born in Ivory Coast. In the past, this stipulation prevented Ouattara standing for the highest office and is widely seen a trigger of civil conflict in the country. Ivory Coast's main opposition coalition last week called on voters to boycott the referendum. "We are on the path to boycott," said FPI chairman Pascal Affi Nguessan during the protest Thursday. Ouattara told lawmakers earlier this month that under the proposed constitution, the election calendar "will be known in advance by everyone, with fixed dates, so that there can no delays that could disturb our country's stability." Under the draft, presidential terms are set at five years, renewable only once. Ouattara was elected to a second term in October 2015. Quito, Oct. 17, GNA - Ghana is participating in the United Nations (UN) Housing and Sustainable Development (Habitat III) Conference in Quito, Ecuador. The objective of the Habitat Conference, the third conference in line with the bi-decennial cycle (1976, 1996 and 2016), is to invigorate and secure renewed global political commitment to sustainable urbanization. It is also to focus on the implementation of a 'New Urban Agenda', building on the Habitat Agenda of Istanbul in 1996. The conference is also to assess the accomplishments of other forums, address poverty, identify and address new and emerging urban challenges for the establishment of the 'New Urban Agenda'. On the theme: the 'New Urban Agenda', the Habitat III is first major global conference since the 2030 Agenda entered into force in January 2016 and it would offer an opportunity to discuss urbanization and the achievement of the SDGs. The Habitat III Conference has as its mission the adoption of a New Urban Agenda an action-oriented initiative which will set global standards in sustainable urban development. The initiative would seek to develop new ways of building, managing and cooperating with committed partners and relevant stakeholders at all levels of the society. Ghana's Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has mounted an exhibition centre at the forum to showcase a number of projects and programmes initiated by the Ministry to promote urban development in the country. Mr Charles K. Dondieu, Chief Director of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, who led the Ghanaian delegation, said the forum would offer Ghana an opportunity to share with the international community our urban development agenda. It would also offer Ghana a platform to learn from other jurisdictions their success stories, compare notes and develop a common agenda, Mr Dondieu told the GNA. GNA By Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA Special Correspondent, Quito, Ecuador, Courtesy Zoomlion Ghana The youth of La in the Greater Accra Region are angry with President John Dramani Mahama for facilitating the grabbing of Ga lands by people who are very close to him. Sadly enough, our brothers and sisters around and within the corridors of power have lost their voices relative to issues affecting the Ga-Dangme people, which silence we find as condoning the raw deal government is serving our people, Augustine Nii Amoanai, Chairman of the Coalition of La Youth Association, stated yesterday at a press conference. Independent investigations done by this paper show that the so-called family and friends of the Mahama administration, including Cabinet Ministers, are grabbing Ga lands left, right and centre. The latest is the Accra Hearts of Oak Park, next to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. Government has mysteriously, and compulsorily, acquired the land with the obvious aim to sell it for peanuts to a company set up by a person very much in the inner circle. The Minister of Lands and Mineral Resources, Nii Osah Mills, is confronted with a lega battle for ignoring a court injunction to go ahead with a conveyance of huge parcels of land belonging to the Aviation Authority. The beneficiaries are known to be at the very top of the presidency and this has not only angered the staff of Aviation Authority but the Ga Chiefs and people. Another lucrative parcel of land that the "greedy bunch" have set their teeth into is the large chunk from the southern end of the Airport City which they intend to extend to cover all the piece of land covering the DVLA to Max Mart. Then there is that large parcel of land which was owned by GIMPA and has now been claimed by a key player in and around the presidency. Among the most sensitive pieces of land claimed by the Mahama family and friends brigade are the military lands behind the airport and next to Burma Camp. The biggest casualty to this assault on Ga lands has been the Cantonments Area, which has seen about 70% of the state lands left sold off. The Coalition of La Youth Association has accused the Mahama government of failing to sustain and consolidate the gains made by previous governments on Ga-Dangme land issues. According to the group, the president and the NDC government have thrown caution to the wind and decided to roll back the gains made previously in ensuring that the Ga-Dangme people had control over their lands, and with the connivance of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Lands Commission, continue to steal Ga-Dangme lands. At yesterdays press conference to pour out their anger, Augustine Nii Amoanai disclosed that the people of Ga-Dangme had witnessed many unjust treatments in the past concerning undue land grabbing, leading to an action by the late President Mills to redistribute the lands to their allodia owners, but the move failed to see the light of day when President Mahama took over as President. He said even though people have high hopes and confidence in the President who is the Commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to order some level of sanity on the unruly behaviour of the Military, the President is rather supporting their activities, thereby making lives uncomfortable for people living on their legally acquired lands. He stated that the Mahama government is fully aware of the fact that the Ghana Armed Forces has arbitrarily stolen and destroyed farmlands with the full support of one Ibrahim Mahama. According to Nii Amoanai, It has also been alleged that one Ibrahim Mahama is part of the syndicate engaged in this plundering of our lands. He further alleged that the Military had extended its illegal activities into virgin areas which have never been under dispute, against the Attorney-Generals legal advice asking the Military to halt activities on the land until all acquisition processes have been consummated. According to Nii Amoanai, a syndicate which is alleged to be headed by Mr Mahama is operating on the Adenta Aviation lands even though issues about the said land are in court. Our information is that the entrenched position of the current MP for Adenta, Hon. Ashie Moore against the activities of the syndicate led the machination against his re-election to represent the constituency, he added. The group also said the Mahama government is planning to demolish all structures from the Police barracks to the 37 Lorry Park which will be relocated to the Kawukudi Park under what government has termed Airport Extension Project, Phase II. He demanded: We expect details of the project to be disclosed to us with the accompanying compensation arrangements to the allodia owners of the lands affected. Also, the Mahama overnment is contemplating on selling the Ghana International Trade Fair, and the La youth group is demanding that the move be aborted until all issues relating to the compensation are sorted out. Nii Amoanai also revealed several attempts by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Afotey-Agbo, to commission land guards who, on countless occasions, terrorise the people of Amrahia and Ashie, dispossessing the rightful owners of their land. According to him, President Mahama and his NDC government have marginalised the people of Ga-Dangme for too long, as it has exhibited complacency in extracting Ghana Armed Forces, government officials and state agencies illegal and unruly activities on Ga-Dangme lands. The government that does not listen to its people is not worth following. We conclude by saying that the so-called rule of law and democracy is rather an empty rhetoric and not operational under the current circumstances since there is freedom but no justice on Ga-Dangme matters, he said. The group has therefore given government a one-week ultimatum to act on their concerns, warning that gross neglect of the Ga-Dangme people would result in drastic actions from them. By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA Accra, Oct. 18, GNA - Africa's most profitable and Largest Airline Ethiopian Airline, has been adjudged the Airline of the year (International) at the 27th edition of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana National Performance Awards in Accra. Ethiopian Airlines was chosen for being the best in Strategic Marketing amongst all Airlines in Ghana. The theme for the event was: 'Democracy and National Cohesion; Marketing a New Political Paradigm.' The citation accompanying the awards reads: 'With an impressive and proactive approach to marketing and sales activities, where are synonymous with your day to day operations, you have won some admirers in our team of evaluator.' It also said in the face of stiff competition from other airlines, you were deemed the deserving winner with your effective and revealing strategies, which ultimately won you a place above your competitors. The citation said 'in a bid to keep your customers sold, you left no stone unturned by acquiring new state-of - the-art aircrafts and by so doing opening up new destinations within the African continent and beyond with your newly acquired B7B7 and 777 model aircraft'. Ethiopian Airlines, which prides itself as the new Spirit of Africa and has been providing Africa with access to over 94 destinations all over the world including Direct flights to far flung places like Japan, Los Angeles in US and Brazil. Being the first Airline to fly the B787 Dreamliner and the new Airbus A350 in Africa Ethiopian Airlines has served Ghana with World class products. Genet Michael, General Manager of Ethiopian Airlines in Ghana said the award went a long way to support the patronage from the Ghanaian passengers. She said the Airline had received a lot of support from the passengers in the last one year. 'ET started 2015 with a B737 and later improved to a B787 last year and now using a B777 showing a growing patronage and appreciation of the Ethiopian Airline world class services,' she added. She said as a Star Alliance member Ethiopian Airlines connected its customers to more than 1200 destinations globally, where it flew to more than 50 destinations in Africa. Mrs Michael said: "We are happy that people are recognising the effort Ethiopian Airlines puts in to serve Ghana and its wonderful people.' The awards covered seven major areas: personalities, hall of fame, media/MARCOMS organisations, products, not-for-profit organisations, business organisations and special category. GNA By GNA Reporter Accra, Oct. 18, GNA - Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing and the largest Cargo operator in Africa, has won the Rising Star Carrier of the Year Award, for the second year in a row, at the 5th Payload Asia Awards 2016 held in Hong Kong. Payload Asia 2016 honours the very best in the Air Cargo Industry; confronting and overcoming the manifold challenges in the air cargo sector by creating innovative products and services and delivering real value to customers. A statement issued Accra by Mrs Hanna Atnafu, Manager Corporate Communications, Ethiopian Airlines said Ethiopian had pulled off a repeated performance by winning the Industry Choice Awards, where 90 nominees competed with more than 31, 500 online votes cast in 20 award categories. Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, Ethiopian Group CEO remarked: 'We are proud that Payload Asia has once again recognised our Cargo Services.' He said Ethiopian Cargo was one of the seven strategic business units of the Group, established to progress as an independent profit centre as per their 15 years' growth map, Vision 2025. He said to peruse their position of being the largest Cargo service provider in Africa, management have been investing millions of dollars on their Cargo Services; deploying the best freighter fleet in the world, the B777-200 LR freighters; expanding their cargo destinations across the globe. Mr GebreMariam said the Airline was also building one of the largest cargo terminals in the world with 1.2 million annual capacities; and automating their entire cargo business process with one of the best Cargo information technology systems with the aim of providing one of the most efficient air cargo services within, to and from Africa. Ethiopian Cargo currently operates to 35 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe using six B777 and two B757 freighters. The Airline also carries freight in the belly of wide body passenger aircraft, B777/B787, to 94 destinations across the Globe. GNA MOSUL, Iraq, ACCRA, Oct. 19 - (UPI/GNA) - Thousands of civilians have fled Mosul and crossed into Syria as Iraqi and Kurdish forces captured nearly all territory south of Iraq's second-largest city away Islamic State control. Nearly 1,000 people who fled Mosul are now at a refugee camp in Syria, the United Nations said, BBC News reported. The refugee camp will be used temporarily until the United Nations and humanitarian groups can transport the residents back to a safe location within Iraq. The United Nations previously said Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga will be involved in screening Mosul civilians to determine whether any are IS militants. The Iraqi government suggested to Mosul residents it may be safer to stay in Mosul while the offensive against the Islamic State is being executed. The militant Islamist group is known to use civilians as human shields, and may have place snipers and booby-traps in escape routes. One Iraqi refugee living at the al-Hawl camp in Syria, where about 6,100 Iraqi refugees reside and more are expected, said they fled Mosul in fear of their lives over the occupation by the Islamic State, also known as Daesh, ISIL and ISIS. "The situation was miserable there. We all fled due to ISIS," Ahmed Jasim said, Rudaw reported. Iraqi security forces began the offensive to take back Mosul on Monday after months of preparation with the aid of the Kurdish Peshmerga and airstrikes carried out by the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State. Iraqi News reported that Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga have taken control of more than 80 percent of territory south of Mosul, including about 54 villages. Heavy street fighting occurred Wednesday in the village of Abbasiyah, southeast of Mosul. A Kurdish official said the Islamic State has bombed at least two buildings within Mosul. "Daesh has bombed the new building for the Nineveh provincial council in the Faisaliyah neighbourhood in central Mosul, and they also bombed part of the old building for the Nineveh province on Dwasa Street, which is located in Mosul's city center," Kurdish official Saeed Mamuzini told Rudaw. GNA Libreville (AFP) - Wilfried Bony's Ivory Coast will start their defence of the Africa Cup of Nations against Togo in January, according to the draw made Wednesday. Ivory Coast are in Group C against Togo, Morocco and Democratic Republic of Congo. Hosts Gabon will stage the opening match in Libreville on January 14 against Guinea Bissau who are making their first appearance in the 16-nation tournament. The other group favourites, Algeria and Ghana start against Zimbabwe and Uganda respectively. The final is in Libreville on February 5. By Iddi Yire, GNA Accra, Oct 19, GNA - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has urged African countries to promote Science, Technical, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education to speed up the continent's socio-economic development. Mr Tirso Dos Santos, the UNESCO Country Representative in Ghana, said the organisation, being the only specialized UN agency with science as one of its core mandates, realizes that promoting STEM and Innovation would require cooperation at various levels. "We therefore encourage and pursue sub-regional, regional, south-south and north-south collaboration in order to solve pressing developmental challenges," Mr Santos stated in Accra at a Regional Consultative Workshop on Strengthening Cooperation in STEM Education in West Africa. The two-day workshop was organised by UNESCO in collaboration with the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and the Ecowas Parliament. It was attended by 35 participants from seven out of the eight countries covered by the UNESCO Multisectoral Office in Abuja. The participating countries include Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Togo. Mr Santos said most countries in West Africa might struggle to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unless there was substantial investment in science education, promotion of scientific research, cooperation in education and development of human resource capital in the region. "Indeed, in formulating the agenda 2030, science cuts across almost all of the 17 SDGs. "Science has therefore, been recognized as being critical to meeting the challenge of sustainable development," he said. He explained that science was universal and cut across cultural and political borders, stating that "this is in no way to say that humanities or the arts are less important than the sciences". "The point here is that we all need to recognize what science could give to society and to harness that for our own good," he said. He said STEM education and capacity building should be promoted in low and middle income countries, particularly in cases where a widespread appreciation of the benefits and the resources for STEM education were lacking. Mr Santos said: "To reduce the dependence on industrialized nations, we need to be scientifically literate." Mr Mahama Ayariga, Ghana's Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, in a speech read on his behalf by Mr John K. Arthur, a Director at the Ministry, said "although STEM education has become a priority in most parts of the world, sadly we cannot say the same for our sub-region". He said in Ghana's case, a report by the National Council for Tertiary Education showed that only 39 per cent of the 127,502 students who were admitted to the eight public universities in the 2012/2013 academic year were admitted to science-related programmes. He said this percentage was below the target of 60 per cent enrolment in science and technology-related disciplines for all universities in Ghana mentioned in the 2010-2020 Education Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Education. He said Ghana had plans and policies in place to ensure that STEM education was supported, adding: however, the sad trend observed is that more and more students are fleeing from the study of science.' Hajia Khadija Bukar A. Ibrahim, Nigeria's Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson Presidential Inter-Ministerial Committee on the DTCA, in a speech read on her behalf, said STEM education was essential for accelerating the West Africa sub-region's growth and development. Mr Mohammed Kachallah, Acting Director General, DTCA, Nigeria Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave an overview on "The Role of Secondary Education in Regional Integration and Development". He said there was an urgent need for the realignment of the curriculum as well as emphasises on the need to strengthen the teaching of STEM education in Africa. Dr. Nelson Magbagbeola, Secretary General, ECOWAS Parliament, said in order to ensure a vibrant technology platform through STEM education, ECOWAS member-states must enthrone and sustain a culture of innovation and strengthen intellectual property systems. GNA Greater Accra Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr. Kwame Amoah, 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, he adds. Mr. Amoah was speaking at a Capacity Building Seminar on Media Reportage for the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Accra. A persons 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. By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, Oct 20 (PTI) Chinese cellphone maker Xiaomi has sold a record one million smartphones in India in 18 days during the Diwali festive season, despite boycott calls of Chinese goods in the country, state media reported today. The Beijing-based company now aims at becoming largest smartphone vendor in India, the worlds fastest growing handset market, in the next three to five years, said Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi. advertisement Lei, in an internal letter yesterday, announced that the company has sold one million smartphones in the first 18 days of this month in India, state-run China Daily reported. "India is an extremely important market in Xiaomis globalisation strategy. It has become our largest market outside of the Chinese mainland," Lei said. The announcement comes after its arch-rival Huawei Technologies Company Limited said it would start assembling phones in India from October. The move highlights Xiaomis latest efforts to revive declining sales as the Chinese smartphone market, its home turf, is reaching saturation, the report said. It came in the midst of anxieties among Chinese investors over growing calls for boycott of Chinese goods in India following Chinas blocking of Indias move to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UN and blocking Indias bid to become the member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). According to Lei, as of Tuesday, the firm has sold one million smartphones within 18 days in October in the run-up to Diwali, the biggest festival in India. In September, Xiaomi became the third-largest smartphone vendor within Indias top 30 cities with 8.4 per cent market share, the firm quoted data from International Data Corporation (IDC) as saying. "We will continue investing in India-expanding our supply, and further improving our after-sales service," Lei said. Launched in 2010, Xiaomi achieved a rapid rise by seizing the e-commerce boom in China to sell handsets directly to consumers. But as online sales of smartphones peak, it is struggling with declining sales and facing mounting pressure from rivals such as Oppo and Vivo, the report said. PTI KJV CPS AKJ CPS --- ENDS --- The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says President John Mahama denies that the economy is in tatters because he does not feel the pain of Ghanaians. Akufo-Addo says he is at a loss as to why the President will make comments to the effect that all is well with Ghana, in the midst of record levels of unemployment, rising cost of living, high utility tariffs, widespread despondency, and untold levels of hardship and suffering amongst the populace. The President claims all is moving on smoothly in Ghana, the reason why he is seeking a renewal of his mandate in office. President Mahama, clearly, does not feel your pain and suffering. He is impervious to the hardships Ghanaians are going through on a daily basis, in their efforts to make ends meet. I doubt he is living in Ghana with us, because if he was, he wouldnt be making such comments, he said. The made the comments on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, in Kramoase, in the Atwima Kwanwoma constituency, at the beginning of his 4-day tour of the Ashanti Region. The NPP presidential candidate is urging Ghanaians not to lose hope in the ability of the country to offer citizens a decent standard of living, stressing that an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government is coming into office to improve the conditions of living of Ghanaians. We have an opportunity this year to rid our nation of the suffering and hardship the Ghanaian is going through under the leadership of President Mahama. When we vote in a competent government in December, I assure you that Ghana will be put on the path of progress and prosperity once again. That is the task before us in Ghana in this years election, Nana Akufo-Addo said. He said the 1-District-1-Factory policy, 1-Village-1-Dam policy, the diversification of the countrys agriculture, the effective implementation of the Free SHS policy, the setting up of an Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) the restoration of the teacher training and nursing training allowances, the effective implementation of the Free SHS policy, amongst others, he said, are policies that will bring progress and prosperity to Ghanaians. With the cultivation of ginger being one of the major produce in Atwima Kwanwoma, the NPP flagbearer stated that, in line with his 1-District-1-Factory policy, it will not be difficult to establish a ginger processing factory in this constituency. We are going to do that, I assure you. To this end, Nana Akufo-Addo told the hundreds and hundreds gathered at Kramoase to repose your confidence in me, believing that all I have just said to you, I am coming to implement them. What I am telling you is nothing but the truth. I have too much respect for Ghanaians to lie to them and say things I know I cannot do. NPP is the only party that can unseat Mahama With some 49 days to the conduct of the December 7 election, Nana Akufo-Addo stressed that there is no other political party in Ghana that has the support and organization to remove the NDC from office, other than the NPP. Thus, if you are a Ghanaian who is fed up with the hardship under Mahama, please come and ride on the back of the elephant and let us go together to Jubilee House, so we can go and do a good job for Ghanaians. The NPP flagbearer urged residents of Kramoase to vote massively for the NPP in this years elections, and increase the 80.83% margin of victory chalked by the party in the 2012 presidential election. Nana Akufo-Addo also admonished party faithful to vote for the NPPs parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Dr. Kwadwo Appiah Kubi, and ignore any calls by independent parliamentary candidates in the upcoming election to vote skirt and blouse in the parliamentary election. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN The National Treasurer of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) has parried claims that he has absconded with some money belonging to the party. In a statement released Wednesday, Akane Adams said no money has gone missing from the partys kitty. It's very funny the level and length at which some people will want to lie to destroy others in politics even when the truth is so clear. Every political party seeks support and logistics internal and external. Payments of filling fees for our parliamentary candidates and our presidential candidate in the 2016 elections could not have been possible without the efforts made by some key individuals, the statement said. Reports made the round that the PNC functionary has been arrested and he is on detention at the Central Police Station in Accra for allegedly bolting with party funds. He was reported to have admitted before the police that he stole the money because of maltreatment meted to him in the party. But Mr Adams said he has been running errands for the party since morning, adding he has not been arrested and detained by the police for theft. Nobody has been arrested. As we speak, there is no police case against any party executive at any police office or station anywhere in the country regarding any missing money, he said. Tension in the PNC has been simmering after the partys flagbearer, Dr Edward Mahama was disqualified by the Electoral Commission (EC) for not raising enough subscribers to endorse his nomination form. PNCs National Chairman, Bernard Mornah has come under attack by former Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, David Akasara for allegedly conspiring with others to eliminate his name out of the partys parliamentary candidates list. Mr Mornah had mocked at the allegation describing his onetime competitor for the partys National Chairmanship position as a sour loser. He encouraged PNC members to concentrate their effort on how they can push the EC to reinstate the partys flagbearer. Although he did not reference this development, Mr Adams said acts aimed at denigrating officials from the same party do not augur well for unity and common purpose. We are currently working to get our flagbearer back on the ballot and no amount of distraction can sway our efforts. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com The founder of Ghana's first private radio station, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, has rejected claims by the President that a section of the media are blocking government messages abou its achievement. According to him such messages are instead being blocked by arrogance shown by government communicators who waste media spaces given them instead of explaining to Ghanaians their successes. Arrogance blocking gov't messages I have not seen any media not giving space to different opinions but unfortunately some abuse it, those in power think that they can pick and choose who to speak to and when to speak and then they found out that picking and choosing is not the same as reaching the audience, he added. Dr. Wereko-Brobby made the comment on Eyewitness News on the back of an interview Mahama granted the Ovation Magazine where he among other things expressed worry over what he calls the control of Ghana's media by a cabal who are blocking his message of transformation. It is populism, a certain group has taken control of the media in Ghana and it makes it difficult for people to discern the truth. So as much as you are putting out the information, it is either being blocked or distorted, he said. Media censorship is over But Dr. Wereko Brobbey who is also a chief policy analyst at the Ghana Institute for Public Policy Options (GIPPO) noted that the era of media censorship has ended and hence government cannot control what media houses publish. Unfortunately you cannot dictate to the professional ones and also I've noticed that even the so-called cabal, they give opportunities to all political shades of opinions to speak their mind. Unfortunately there is an arrogance of power which is being displayed. When people get the opportunity instead of selling their message and their achievements, they would prefer to insult others and crowd out the space that has been given them to explain exactly what they have done. The media has taken it upon itself to do fact checking so that if you go out and say you have done ABDCD the media is not likely to swallow it hook and sinker. You can do that with your partisan media but you can't do that with professional organisations who are seeking to inform the people of Ghana, he noted. What should government do? Dr. Wereko-Brobby also admonished government to ensure that information it wants disseminated to the public must be credible. I think the thing for government to do is to make sure to disseminate information that is truthful and does not take anguish with media people. By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin President Mahama has promised to ensure that construction works on the Eastern corridor roads are completed on time. He made the promise during a 3-day campaign tour of the region, specifically Hohoe. Some residents in the region had threatened to vote against President John Mahama if the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) fails to construct some roads in the region. The residents in the region indicated that several attempts to get government to fix their roads had proved futile. The President, during his tour of the region howwever assured residents in the area that the roads will soon be completed. One of the major issues that is on the heart of the people of the Volta Region is the Eastern corridor road. Sometimes I go to areas that are not even along the road and they say why isn't the Eastern corridor road progressing fast enough and so it shows that it something that all of us are looking forward to. Indeed I'm more anxious about that road than you and I assure you that that road is going to be completed. There are other roads to Likpe that we are doing so that all the people and the surrounding area can have access to the Eastern corridor. He further promised to provide residents of Hohoe one of the over fifty farmers service centres government intends to build across the country to facilitate their work. We are going to give major support to our farmers and that's why we are setting up farmer service centre. We are starting with 50 of them and I am certain that one of them will be coming to Hohoe, the President said. By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana The Obuasi police have invited the leadership of the Artisanal Miners Association for questioning after members of the group went on a rampage Wednesday. a joint police-military reinforcement fired several warning shots to disperse the illegal miners who attacked the Municipal Assembly, political parties offices and destroyed party paraphernalia and other property. The miners have been marching in protest over supposed attempts to drive them away from AngloGold Ashanti concessions where they have been operating. The Minerals Commission inaugurated a 15-member committee to draw relocation plan for illegal miners in August 2016. However, the miners were angered when the military showed up at the sites where they have been mining with an eviction notice. The miners have petitioned the Municipal Chief Executive about their grievances because they were not informed to prepare adequately for the exercise. But the march to the Assembly to present the petition turned violent as the miners' destroyed property at Municipal Assembly, NPP, and NDC Constituencies among others. The small scale miners, wielding metal bars, clubs and anything they laid their hands on without any provocation destroyed billboards, posters and party offices of both the NPP and the NDC before venting their anger on the offices of the local assembly. Glasses to the reception of the assembly and louver blades were smashed in the process. Deputy Municipal Coordinating Director, Anthony Kenneth Buckner, who returned to his office only to see his office badly hit by the mob action says he had no option than to run to safety when he saw them approaching. I saw them [illegal miners] coming so quickly a friend was coming with a car so I joined him and he took me to the hospital. So I was hiding comfortably with the health director when the issues were going on. It was right now that I called and they said the place has subsided. When I got to my office, it was a disaster. My computer was down. They throw stones through the back destroying my things. The glasses and all things scattered on the floor, he said. The presence of police-military joint team perhaps saved the situation after several warning shots were fired. Spent cartridges were found scattered at the entrance of the assembly building after the miners had succeeded in smashing glasses at the reception. The reinforcement from Kumasi will stay until calm completely returns. They have been patrolling the streets, with some fearing that the curfew may be imposed on the city. An invitation to the leadership of the illegal miners is yet to be heeded. Divisional Police Commander, ACP Afful Boakye Yiadom, tells Nhyira FM no one has been arrested in connection with Wednesday s violence. He has condemned the action of the miners. "I'm inviting the leadership. They are coming to me at 2: p.m [Wednesday].I am sure the leaders led them to the place and they would be taken on so there's no problem. So far as they have leaders, the leaders would be taken on for the illegal demonstration they had today," Mr. Afful said. The Hague, 16 October 2016: Monsanto and the Poison Cartel are guilty of crimes against our planet and humanity. This is the verdict from the Peoples Assembly organized in the Hague alongside the Monsanto Tribunal. The voices of the soil, of the seeds, of farmers, consumers, and of people from all over world converged and reverberated in a new unity across diversity. The poison making industry is destroying life on Earth, our health and our democracies. The Peoples assembly resolved to end a century of ecocide and genocide. Poisons are not feeding us rather, they are killing both ourselves and our planet. The poison cartel, which includes toxic makers such as Monsanto, Bayer, Dow, DuPont, etc are together destroying both our bread and our freedom. They are corrupting governments, violating nations sovereignty and imposing on our planet a model of greed, poison and corruption. To steer our planet away from this destructive path, a Planetary Alliance for Earth Democracy has been formed under the Peoples Assembly. Thousands of people from across the world have already joined us in this Alliance and a further one billion people will join in the next two years to reject patents on seeds, and poisons in our food and soil. Through this initiative, people worldwide are working to reclaim their basic right of seed freedom and to promote poison-free organic farming and agro-ecology. In celebration of World Food Day, on the closing day (October 16th), we baked a special organic bread from native wheat varieties and shared it as a bread of freedom with participants of the Peoples assembly along with a serving of organic olive oil. The Alliance is born to stop the crimes of Monsanto and of the Poison Cartel and block their attempts to hijack our democracy all over the world. The new generation of free trade agreements such as TTIP, TPP and CETA are proving to be means that Agri-business corporations have devised to control our life and dismantle our democratic systems and institutions. They have also invested in propaganda campaigns to confuse the public about science. They are using pseudo-scientific evidence to disguise their crimes. This corporate propaganda is directly attacking independent eminent scientist like Dr Gilles-Eric Seralini, Dr A Putzai whose research exposes the real impacts of industrial agriculture and toxic pesticides. GMO seeds and poisonous products such as Round Up (Glyphosate) & Basta (Glufosinate) led to the destruction of soils, to desertification, to the extermination of bees (75% in industrial agriculture-dominated areas), to the rise in health epidemics such as cancer, birth defects, et al. They are contaminating people by polluting areas and poisoning our food systems. The Peoples Assembly represented the platform through which to share independent studies and real experiences of farmers and consumers across the world. Argentinian photographer Pablo Piovano exhibited glimpses of rural Argentina, which has over time been overwhelmed with Monsanto and other corporations poisonous technologies, challenging Monsanto crimes from an artistic perspective. But Monsanto abuses are not limited to Argentina, they have repeatedly attacked the legal protection systems of countries such as Brazil, Mexico, India and the even threatened the European Parliament with undemocratic free trade agreements that aim to dismantle safety regulatory frameworks that protect the people. Bart Staes, Member EU Parliament from the Green Party speaking to the Peoples Assembly said, We have to democratize the decision-making process, especially in the European Union parliament and we need to examine more carefully how the decisions are being made, especially when is comes to Agriculture; GMO seeds represent a huge problem for democracy; in fact the EU has under a lot of pressure to sign trade treaties that are deemed to have negative consequences on the environment and ecosystems. Ronnie Cummins, Founder of the Organic Consumer Association speaking on the closing day said, We need to globalise hope! We need to break down the walls that divide us and to express solidarity with one another. In order to survive as a species and planet, we need a transnational alliance for the Earth. We need to combine all farmers movements from India to Mexico for the survival of our planet. Dr Vandana Shiva, founder of Navdanya and renowned environmentalist, stated At this Peoples Assembly, and at hundreds of others happening all over the world, people have passed their verdict. The poison cartel is guilty. They have destroyed life, plant and human health alike. They have disregarded all laws of nature and countries national legislation with the result of destroying biodiversity of our fields and our foods systems. As part of the Planetary Alliance for Earth Democracy we shall continue to resist attempt of these poison makers to control our food, our life and democracy. #MonsantosCrimes 1. Crimes against biodiversity, integrity and intrinsic worth of species by defining seeds and plants as their invention. Crimes against species and biodiversity 2. Crimes against biodiversity of pollinators 75 % bees gone in industrial ;bees endeared species 3. Crimes against the Soil Destruction of soil fertility and desertification. 4. Crimes against farmers With over 300,000 farmers from India along have committed suicide because of Monsanto and they have been already spoken. 5. Propaganda and Lies: Monsanto are spread pseudo-scientific propaganda and lies to misguide the public and cover up their crimes. 6. Attack on Scientists They have aggressively attacked independent scientist like Dr Eric Seralini and Dr A Putzai et al who have stood for real science and independent research. 7. Attack on Democracy Monsanto has repeatedly attacked national governments in India Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, etc. 8. Right to Know: They are taking way from us the right to know what goes in our food. 9. Attack on democratic institution In countries around the world they have attacked Anti-trust bodies, judiciary and government welfare institutions. 10. Attack on biosafety and Convention on Biological diversity- Monsanto with its genetic contamination and pollution tactics have blatantly transgressed the CBD and all biosafety regulations. 11. Crimes against the Earth/ Gaia Monsanto and the poisons cartel at the biggest the contributors to Climate change. They are putting us on the path of annihilation. Accra, Wednesday October 19, 2016 Ghanas premier media and research hub dedicated to the countrys diplomatic and international affairs, Diplomatic Call, is set to roll out the Young Diplomats of Ghana (YDG) initiative; a nonprofit networking avenue which would seek to advance the development of a new generation of aspiring leaders and diplomats in Ghana, and to build their advocacy experience. The initiative is a CSR response to several calls by major stakeholders in Ghanas diplomatic and international affairs on Diplomatic Call to extend its scope of operation by engaging and educating young people on the major essence of modern day diplomacy. In line with this, Diplomatic Call is ready to engage young people; 18 years and above and not older than 30 years to be selected as DELEGATES of YDG. Selected delegates would undergo practical training in diplomacy and its tenets, to develop their knowledge in areas of Diplomacy, International Affairs and Policy Advocacy. Delegates would also be involved in expert research through partnership with private and civil society organizations to support the decision making process in Ghana with strategic analysis and policy insights. Further, delegates would work as SDG Ambassadors to lead advocacy programs for interventions and policies which reflects a commitment to the implementation and achievement of the Global Goals in Ghana. Throwing more light on the YDG Initiative, Mr. Seth Owusu - Mante Jnr, Managing Editor of Diplomatic Call said YDG would provide a unique platform for young professionals and students to engage with senior diplomats and key stakeholders in Ghanas International Affairs to exchange ideas and knowledge to become young global diplomatic leaders. He continued that each YDG session would last approximately 18 months following which a new set of delegates would be admitted into the YDG stream. The cycle thus continues unabated. Mr. Owusu- Mante was optimistic that YDG would create a breeding ground for young people to pursue higher heights in education and career in international relations. He continued that YDG would enrich and broaden their horizon on the essence of diplomacy and encourage them to spearhead an agenda of employing diplomacy as a major tool for a sustainable socio-economic development of Ghana and the continent as a whole. He called for support for YDG from all stakeholders and entreated students and young professionals who fall within the age bracket to apply to get the opportunity to undergo the practical training and experience that YDG seeks to offer. YDG is an initiative of Diplomatic Call. The application process, training and activities would be managed and coordinated by Knockout Concepts, the parent arm of Diplomatic Call. More information can be accessed on the YDG website; www.diplomaticcallonline.com/ydg. Last week the headmaster of the St Augustines College in Cape Coast, Joseph Connel was reported to have been interdicted by the Ministry of Education, for charging newly admitted students unapproved fees of GH430.00. According to Adomonline, the Deputy Minister of Education said the ministry took the action after investigating (I wonder how many days of investigation) and confirming reports on social media that the headmaster was charging the unapproved fees. According to him, the Ministry upon hearing and reading the news dispatched the Regional Director of Education to go to the school and investigate the reports. The regional director, the report said, confirmed the act and this caused the Director of Ghana Education Service (GES) to also go to the school for further investigations. The Director after confirming this handed an interdiction to him and has asked someone to take charge of the school. This is all winding, arbitrary, lack of due process and confusing. The long and short of the story is that the Deputy Minister is attempting to look good in the eyes of the public, that he has spotted a wrongdoing in St Augustine's College, and has taken action to punish the person involved, right? Why are we using Mr Joseph Connel to justify our relevance? You see why I get angry at myself all the time? Why did I even read this story in the first place; am just checking my BP. Ghana Education Service, please, just take a sample of twenty schools across the country, and audit how much the schools are charging for both continuous and newly admitted students, and you will realize how much you have failed in your supervisory role. We sit down for a social media to tell us how much schools are charging, and we are proud to say these things on air, and the headmaster get interdicted, but the Minister retains his job? If a person responsible for secondary education does not know that charging unapproved fees has been a rule rather than exception, then what is he occupying his position for? Maybe I should help the Ministry to know how wide spread the situation is. And please don't tell me I am boasting; I'm only giving you an information. I am sponsoring a fresh student in Apam Secondary school. Last Friday I paid GH922.20 for his fees, did you get that? Again, I am sponsoring three continuing students in T. I. Ahmmadyya Secondary school. A few weeks ago I paid GH483 for each one of them in fees. I am sponsoring two continuing Day Students in Winneba Secondary School, and I'm paying GH133 each for their fees. I am sponsoring one student in Zion Girls, and I am paying GH713 for her fees, and I'm sponsoring two girls in Cape Coast Technical Institute, and I am paying GH400 in fees for each one of them. So Mr. Deputy Minister, this is not social media. This is me informing you about some of the fees I have paid to the schools I have mentioned. Do you think any one of them have violated the rules of approved fees? Is it time for some of them to be interdicted as well? In September 2012, while visiting Iowa State, in USA, I met a gentleman who was introduced to me as the consulting campaign strategist for President John Dramani Mahama. Our meeting lasted for a couple of hours, as he tried to glean as much information out of me as possible, to help him plan effective consulting strategy for the President. This consultant, let me call him Jeff, had told me that his research findings, prior to meeting me, showed that what was going to decide the outcome of the elections was the performance of the Ghanaian economy. That if the government was able to fix the economy, the president stood a chance of winning the election. I disagreed with Jeff's research claims, and argued that if the president focused only on the economy, he was bound to lose the election. I believed the election was about the promise of the introduction of free education. So I was not surprised when I later saw the president, on his campaign tours, mentioned gradual introduction of free secondary school education, just to neutralize the effect the catch phrase was having on the general public. In August 2015, the Ghana Education Service issued a statement to the effect that all Day Students across Ghana are exempted from paying any fees in the various secondary schools in the year under review, and for the rest of their secondary schooling. That, according to the government, is the first step in making secondary school education progressively free. And my enquiries also showed that this year, the 2016/2017 academic year was going to see over 45,000 targeted disadvantaged secondary school students who will benefit from government scholarships. Hear this; amongst the secondary school students I am personally sponsoring are two day students of Winneba Secondary School. One of them has two other siblings in other secondary schools. The parents are unemployed and poor, but the boy is brilliant and smart. However, this so called Day student scholarship did not cover him. Again the second boy is one of six children being taken care of by his single unemployed mother. All his siblings have been affected by child trafficking, and I had helped the family to be established in the community. He too did not benefit from this so called free Day School scholarship. Amongst the students I am sponsoring this year is an orphan whose father died when he was barely two years old, and his mother died when he was in primary class two. I took responsibility of the two of them; the youngest just got admitted to Apam Senior High School. Obviously, if anyone should qualify for any government scholarship, all the above are more than qualified to receive those so called scholarships. An orphan who lived in a very poor fishing community, and scored a distinction in the BECE, who else qualifies more than him? But unfortunately, he too has not been covered by this gradual introduction of free secondary school education, and I had to pay over GH900 before he was allowed in the school. I can go on and on, but let me give you one last example: I brought Rita from the Lake Volta when she was barely seven years old. She was the sixth born of four girls, and three surviving boys. I took all the four girls to school while their parents continued to wallow in poverty. In the course of time, all the three other teen sisters became pregnant, some having had four children presently. Soon the mother was strike with massive stroke, and for five years has been confined to the house. To help the family survive, I offered the father a job as a security guard. Rita, despite all these challenges, was determined to go to school. She eventually completed her BECE in 2014, and got admitted to a girls' secondary school. Currently in form three, I have just paid GH713 in fees for Rita, and GH1,150 for her books, totaling GHC1,863. My question: Is this a question of the non existence of the scholarship scheme, or a question of unfair inequitable selection of the beneficiaries, or is it a question of mental ulcer? Are we talking here of ethics, morality, or sheer insensitivity? If Rita, and all those I have referred to in this article do not deserve to be covered by a government scholarship, then who are those who are deserving of our government scholarships? Do you now see why I support a universal application of free secondary school education? My view is that if you make it free for all, then you remove the greed, the corrupt partisan cronyism, and you give fairness a chance to apply. Saint Augustine's College has done what every secondary school head is doing. Some ask for cement, brooms, shovels, paint, and others ask for fish. In the end, they have all asked the poor parents more than they can afford. So please, leave Mr. Joseph Connel alone, and fix the system. What you have done is an unnecessary unsustainable show of power, a show of being a strong man. That is not what we need. We need Obama's strong institutions, strong systems that do not need you to spot the problems on social media. We are doing these to ourselves, to our children. One day we will all be punished, some for crimes they did not commit, but the crimes they saw being committed. One day we will all be punished, for the pain we wore, and the greed we shared. One day, and this day will be to all those who took their riches in government, that day the poor will rise, and the rich will fall James Kofi Annan The outgoing President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Paa-Quecy Adu has issued a statement that the self-imposed President of NUGS, Luqman Abubakari, who is yet to be arraigned before the law court is an imposter who was not validly elected President of NUGS. Luqman is an imposter and we entreat all and sundry to refrain from dealing with him in any capacity whatsoever, he stated. He noted that their attention has been drawn to claims by one Luqman Abubakari carrying himself as President of the National Union of Ghana Students. The said gentleman carrying himself as NUGS President has no legitimate right to that title of our noble union. At NUGS, we elect our national leaders and under no circumstance do we appoint leaders, he stated. During a press briefing in Accra, he said whilst he (Luqman Abubakari) claims to the presidency are ridiculous, lacks the sincerity and truth thereof, I am by all means obliged to set the records straight. Paa-Quecy Adu indicated that at the just ended Annual National Residential Delegates Congress in Hohoe, delegates drawn from various institutions across the country voted and elected Mr. Julian M. Cobbinah as NUGS President for the 2016/17 academic year. He added that the congress organised under EC supervision at the St. Francis College of Education, Hohoe is the only legitimate avenue recognised by their sovereign constitution concerning where and when national executives of the Union are elected. According to him, before NUGS congress could even begin, Luqman encouraged by detractors of the union appointed himself as president because he lacks the courage and temerity to stand for a competitive elections. The outgoing NUGS President emphasized that the last they heard, was he carrying himself as president when the current NUGS President has not left office yet. He posited that the said imposter (Luqman Abubakari) is languishing in the cells of the Regional Police Headquarters after he with the support of tugs " Macho men" tried to abduct the NUGS President-Elect, Julian M. Cobbinah as he was about to speak on News @10 by TV3. Paa-Quecy Adu indicated that as a law abiding organisation, they entreat the police to let the law have its course to serve as deterrent to individuals who would want to perpetuate evil in the Unions name. He intimated that the leadership of NUGS takes strong exceptions to media reports that there are two rival NUGS groups. As it stands now, there is only one National Union of Ghana Students and I remain the president until I dutifully handover to the Julian M. Cobbinah led administration as stipulated by the NUGS constitution, Paa-Quecy Adu stated. According to him, their disappointment knows no bounds at the conduct of some media houses, who failed to verify claims by the imposter Luqman and his entourage of desperate wanna bes. JULIAN MAWUSE COBBINAH IS NUGS PRESIDENT-ELECT Having said this, he declared that the current leadership of NUGS only recognises Julian Mawuse Cobbinah and the other executives elect. Paa-Quecy Adu urged all stakeholders particularly the media to disregard any attention seeking venture of Luqman or any of his surrogates. According to him, the Union will not hesitate to take drastic measures against any entity that deals with any unrecognised individual in the name of NUGS. He concluded by issuing a caveat that we are sending a stern warning to the imposter of a certain self-acclaimed NUGS President, Abubakari Luqman and his shameless self-acclaimed executives to steer clear of the Unions affairs. There is a false campaign message in dissemination throughout Ghana by the NDC that in Ghana every President is given two consecutive four-year term in office. This information meant to deceive the electorates must be treated with the contempt and scorn it deserves. They try to say that former Presidents Rawlings and Kufuor were each given two four-year terms as it is the rule in Ghana so it is the turn of President Mahama to have his second term in office to bring his presidency to eight years same as the two mentioned previous presidents. If the ongoing rule in Ghana is as alleged by the NDC folks, then what at all is the need for spending huge sums of money organising presidential elections every four years instead of asking the sitting presidents to continue automatically until they have spent eight years in power? In the 1992 Republican Constitution, it is nowhere stated that a sitting President must be allowed an automatic second two-year term to enable him or her spend a total of eight years before he or she vacates the presidency. However, the Constitution guarantees the sitting president the chance to contest a re-election for a second four-year term in office. It depends whether the citizens would vote to re-elect him or her depending on how better or worse he or she has performed during his or her first four-year term in office. Therefore, those NDC people going round saying the electorates should vote for President Mahama because every Ghana President is allowed eight years in power is absolute nonsense. If their assertion that every Ghanaian President and, or those going by the name JOHN are always given eight years, why then are they campaigning for President Mahama but simply not confirming him President for a second four-year term? Ghanaians, are you ready to vote to re-elect President Mahama for a second four-year term in office in the face of his obvious cluelessness, perpetuation of corruption, cronyism, nepotism, practice of selective justice and indirect encouragement of lawlessness? He is using the countrys money and resources to do whatever he likes as though they were his personal property. Is he not using States money to purchase cars and houses to give to his cronies like Akua Donkor, some chiefs and other NDC party members including that uncivilized attempted murderer called Salifu Maase alias Mugabe of Montie FM radio? Check this web link for a video recording on how President Mahama is dishing out cars and houses in gifts to his collaborating accomplices as if they were tomatoes purchased cheap on the market. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Akua-Donkor-is-a-liar-NDC-460643 For me personally, from the way President Mahama has mismanaged Ghana, helping Alfred Agbesi Woyome dupe Ghana out of GHC51.2 million; SADA stealing, but claiming to have wasted millions of Cedis planting trees in the three Northern regions during the dry season, GHC33 million spent on rearing guinea fowl that ended up flying to Burkina Faso to return to Ghana no more etc., he is not worth voting for, to govern Ghana for any further four-year term. He is simply a waste of space hence a goner! Ghanaian electorates, please do not accept aprons in exchange for your precious life-changing votes. What is one apron able to do you in the face of the economic hardships the President through his mismanagement of the affairs of Ghana and his apparent perpetration and perpetuation of official corruption has brought to bear upon you? You just think about it. Please, vote for a change for a better Ghana. Madam Akua Donkor is with President Mahama in the Volta region campaigning for his re-election. She had been given two brand new cars and a house in a plush area in Accra. You have been given only an apron or a machete (cutlass) or a few kilos of rice and a can or two of Geisha, but you have one vote same as Akua Donkor. Ask yourself why she has that much, and you, the insignificant gift as has been given to you as listed above? Is it not an insult to your intelligence? If you deceive yourself by the offer to vote for him and NDC, you will end up suffering for the next four years and you will pay a million times dearly for the negligible gift he gives to you which probably has come about through stealing from the State coffers. As I write, a price hike in petrol of about 11% has been announced with car fares going up subsequently. The prices of all goods will go up following that. As long as you buy anything or travel on a bus or in a car, you have started paying dearly for the apron you have accepted as gift from President Mahama and the NDC. Let us all be as wise as the serpent and as vigilant as the hawk. Rockson Adofo Today, Kerala assembly speaker P Sreeramakrishnan said that the Public Works Department Minister G Sudhakaran is beautiful and the assembly burst into laughter and endorsed it. By Revathi Rajeevan: Unruly scenes, Opposition walk outs, placards and protests often define assembly sessions. But the members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly have their fair share of light moments too. Like today when the assembly speaker P Sreeramakrishnan said that the Public Works Department minister is beautiful, the assembly burst into laughter and endorsed it. The scene was this: It was the question-answer session. MLA N Jayarajan put forth some serious questions about the condition of roads in Kerala. Then, he went on to say how the roads are not beautiful. advertisement BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER In response, the minister stood up and said "not just the roads, even I am not beautiful. I am the least beautiful among all MLAs here." However, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan refused to accept it and said "the house will not accept that. You are the most beautiful." The house endorsed the same. G Sudhakaran who was visibly happy listening to this said "it is not sufficient if the face is beautiful. Even your heart should be," before he sat down. ALSO READ: --- ENDS --- Monrovia, Liberia (October, 19, 2016): In furtherance of the ongoing General Auditing Commission (GAC) report compliance review exercise, the Special Presidential Task Force (SPTF) has issued a list of contact persons and their numbers that individuals listed for restitution should contact for further information about the process. The contact persons are; Mathew Wesseh (0777972959/0886837072 and Zoejawa Seimavula (0886564347/0770201627). According to a Press Release issued in Monrovia, the Chairman of the Special Presidential Task Force Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa said those listed should call the two individuals for further information about the procedure in the payment of said money as indicated in its earlier listing. He disclosed that the government will raise the sum of US$3,389,385.31 and LD$299,136 after the exercise and encouraged the public to give their fullest supports to the ongoing exercise. Signed: Boima JV Boima Head of Media Aid/Consultancy, Ministry of State/Task Force It is quite strange that those ungrateful cabals in the NDC Party could go to an extreme length of plotting evil against the very person whose brainchild (NDC Party) has made them somebodys. It should not, therefore, be surprising that President Mahama and his NDC apparatchiks have turned their backs on Ghanaian voters after helping them to get to power. 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 (See: $5m Abacha cash, NDC chasing me-says Rawlings; dailyguideafrica.com, 18/10/2016). In fact, am not least surprised that some elements in the NDC Party could go to an extent of bringing the name of their party founder into disrepute. After all, hasnt the party General Secretary Asiedu Nketsia, called Rawlings a barking dog? Besides, Havent the NDCs boisterous brats who are not privy to their partys history been upbraiding Rawlings all the time for expressing his grievances over the rot in his party? In so far as I am not a fun of Rawlings, I do not think the man deserves all those effusions from the members of the party he worked strenuously to bring to existence. The short history of NDC Party On 15th May 1979, a group of disgruntled junior army officers led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings failed in their insurrection against General Fred Akuffos regime, which culminated in the arrest and trial of Rawlings. However, a group of army officers who happened to be Rawlingss apologists revolted on 4th June 1979 broke jail and released Rawlings and his cohorts. After successfully deposing General Akuffo and his Supreme Military Council (SMC) government, the mutinous officers went ahead and formed their own government, which they called as the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and appointed Flt. Rawlings as their chairman. Rawlings and his conspiratorial plotters vowed to lustrate the country of the rampant sleaze, corruption and social injustices which instigated their coup detat. So in their attempt to purge the country of the perceived injustices, they carried out what they termed house cleaning exercise,--they dealt with perceived offenders arbitrarily. The cabals proceeded with their intentions and callously murdered prominent people including General Fred Akuffo, General Kutu Acheampong, General Akwasi Afrifa and many others. After getting rid of those they saw as threat to their hidden agenda, they decided to conduct general elections for political parties in the same year-1979. Following the successful conduction of general elections, Dr Hilla Limann and his Peoples National Party (PNP) emerged victorious in 1979. Nevertheless, Rawlings and his cohorts did not give Dr Liman the opportunity to carry out his mandated responsibility. For Rawlings and his conspiratorial plotters unfairly kept criticising Dr Limanns administration for what they perceived as economic mismanagement, until he, Rawlings, decided to depose Dr Limann. And to fulfil his lifetime ambition of becoming the head of state, J.J Rawlings and some obstreperous army officers took arms and succeeded in overthrowing the constitutionally elected government of Dr Hilla Limann on 31st December 1981. Rawlings subsequently formed a government which he called the Provisional national Defence Council (PNDC) and appointed himself as the chairman. Although the PNDC government boasted some seasoned politicians, the vast majority of the military personnel who headed the core Ministries were novices in the political terrain. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the PNDC regime back then, adopted a seemingly disastrous Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), which was introduced under the auspices of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In a way, the apparent unfavourable Economic Recovery Programme culminated in a catalogue of hardships. And on top of the harsh policies which threatened the economic fundamentals, the population had to clutch itself for food shortages, a situation which the world press somehow ignored in favour of the concurrent Ethiopian famine that resulted in millions of deaths. But then again, perhaps, the 1983 famine was comparable to that of the Ethiopian famine back then. Nevertheless, Ghanas famine was not hyperbolised by the global media. In a way, both Ghana and Ethiopia were back then ruled by uncompliant military dictatorships that looked on cluelessly and somehow unperturbed whilst the citizens endured widespread hunger. And, as food shortages escalated in Ghana, some traders started creating artificial shortages of goods by hoarding them so as to charge exorbitant prices at a later time. And in his weird attempt to get rid of sleaze and corruption, many Ghanaians were unjustifiably murdered or tortured mercilessly for apparent infinitesimal offences. Regrettably, however, some market women were stripped naked in the public and whipped for either hauling their products or selling on high prices. While their male counterparts were shaved with broken bottles and whipped for offences that would not even warrant a Police caution in a civilized society. As if that was not enough, three eminent high court judges and a prominent army officer were barbarically murdered by PNDC apple-polishers on 30th June 1982 for carrying out their constitutionally mandated duties. The PNDC apologists savagely murdered the three eminent high court judges because their judgement did not go in their favour. Even though Rawlings supplanted power under the pretext of acting as a peripheral Panacea, he spent a little over eleven years before lifting the ban on political parties in 1992. As a matter of fact, Rawlings succumbed to the internal and external political pressures for him to step down and allow multi-party democracy. Subsequently, he lifted the ban on political parties in 1992 and resigned from the military simultaneously and put himself forward for election. Following his retirement from the military, Rawlings went ahead and formed a political party, which he named as the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a progeny of PNDC. Unsurprisingly, his country men and women (Voltarians) gave him a massive support in both the 1992 and 1996 general elections. He subsequently ruled for eight more years and retired in 2001, as directed by Ghanas 1992 Constitution. To state that Voltarians love Rawlings to bits is understatement, so to speak. So, the all-important question then is: why have Voltarians left their darling boy Rawlings to his own fate? I suggest they should protest against all the needless attacks on someone they cherished so much. And, if those gratuitous attacks persist, they should seek to teach the loudmouthed NDC apparatchiks a big lesson by voting against them in the forthcoming general elections. K. Badu, UK. Duut Mahamud 20.10.2016 LISTEN The School Prefect known for Tamale Senior High School (Tamasco), Duut Mahamud has appealed to old students of the school and other schools to extend their helping hands to their alma matter. This according to him said will argument the efforts by government to improve quality education in the country. He said schools in the country still face lots of challenges therefore the need for people in position today to remember schools they passed through before becoming who they are now. Mr. Duut made the call when delivering his speech at the 65th anniversary and 22 prize giving day at the school. He noted lack of adequate computers and other ICT equipment in their IT laboratory among others as challenges hindering academic performance in the school. He also mention inadequate sanitation facilities such as toilets, bathrooms, dust bins that makes live uneasy for them as students. The headmaster of the school, Mr. Shaibu Wilberforce Adam used the opportunity to thank the Old Tamascans Association or OLTA for their immense contribution towards the development of the school but appealed for more. He also thanked the running of the main opposition party or NPP and old boy of the school, Dr. Mahamud Bawumiya who supported the school financially and also donating ambulance to the school. Mr. Wilberforce also seized the opportunity to his appreciation to the head of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama, brother to the President of the Republic of Ghana for his efforts to provide the school with 550 single bedroom capacity dormitory first ever in the country. The event which was under the theme, " Sixty five years of Tamasco: A legacy of education excellence built on the foundation of Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter saw the presents of leadership of government, politicians, academicians, students, chiefs, religious leaders, the clergy, the media among others. SWIFT (www.SWIFT.com) announces the first names in its speaker line-up of industry leaders set to participate in its first ever Business Forum West Africa on 8 November 2016. The event will bring together more than 200 high-level financial representatives from across West Africa for a day of keynote speeches and interactive panel sessions. It will feature several senior speakers and strategic thinkers from both Nigeria and Ghana. Adelabu Adebayo, Deputy Governor, Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Millison Narh, the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, will take part in the panel on Policy in Action: Challenges Facing West Africa, to discuss the impact of the economic downturn, increased expectations around compliance and developments in technology on policy formation in West Africa. The session will focus on FX and liquidity management, financial crime compliance and financial inclusion. SWIFT is a key player in the Nigerian financial community and a trusted partner, said Adelabu Adebayo. I am delighted that the first ever Business Forum West Africa will take place in Nigeria, one of the leading economies in Africa. SWIFT plays an instrumental role in Africas financial markets, said Millison Narh. I am delighted to take part in this exclusive event, which is a great opportunity for the Ghanaian financial community to learn, share, network and find common solutions to the challenges facing the region. Akpan Ekpo, Director General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management will provide delegates with an economic overview of the region. Epko has published over 200 articles in respected national and international journals and is a consultant to many international organizations such as the World Bank, African Economic Research Consortium and the European Commission. The growing roster of experts that will address the Business Forum West Africa includes: Dipo Fatokun, Director of Banking and Payments Systems, Central Bank of Nigeria Joseph Akunyumu Tetteh, Director of Banking, Bank of Ghana Abdoulaye Barry, Director of Financial Integration, West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) Kyari Bukar, CEO, Central Securities and Clearing Systems Segun Sani, CEO, Lakewood Investments and Trust Tayo Asupoto, General Manager of Settlements at GT Bank Ike Williams, CIO at Heritage Bank Sam Okenye, Chief Information Security Officer at the United Bank for Africa Tunji Alabi, Chief Information Officer, Fidelity Bank Ghana Sido Bestani, Head of the Middle East, Turkey & Africa, SWIFT, says: West Africa is a dynamic and varied region that contains some of the largest and highest growth economies in Africa. The Business Forum West Africa provides a unique platform for leading experts from across the continent to discuss the most significant issues facing the region. Global Media Alliance (GMA), organisers of Ghana Beverage Awards, has closed nominations in order to finalize preparations for the major event in November, this year. GBA is Ghana's first industry awards instituted to celebrate the efforts of players in the beverage industry. The awards ceremony seeks to create a platform for industry players to network, market and encourage best practices in the beverage industry. GBA is set to take off in November, this year and all the big names in the industry are expected to be in attendance. Ghanaian beverage companies across the country have submitted their nomination forms for the awards. The awards has been grouped into product specific categories and general categories. The product specific categories include Spirit of the Year, Wine of the Year, Beer of the Year and Bitters of the Year while the general categories include Product of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Innovative Product of the Year, among others. The Director of GMA, Edwin Amankwah said, The entries that we have received prove that beverage companies in Ghana have embraced GBA and we are looking forward to having a successful event. We are particularly excited about the confidence beverage producers have in their brands, as many of them have submitted entry forms for various categories. This is the kind of healthy competition we seek in the industry. Apart from beverage producers, we are looking to engage beverage consumers, distributors and the general public, he added. GMA will soon publish the full list of all nominees and their respective categories. Linda Obuo, 32-year-old chop bar operator at the Abokobi Lorry Station at Madina, Accra, shed tears of joy last Thursday when she was declared winner of the Tigo 'Wu Suro aa Wondi' promotion and took home GH100,000. I never thought I would see such a huge sum of money in my lifetime. My capital has always been GH1,000, but today this is what God has done for me using Tigo to change my status, she remarked. According to Tara Squire, Chief Commercial Officer, the 'Wu Suro a Wondi' promotion is opened to only Tigo subscribers till the first week of November 2016. The customers are expected to obtain images of Ghana's 'Big Six'- Kwame Nkrumah referred to as the 'Oga,' Obetsebi-Lamptey, Ako Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, J.B Danquah and Ofori Atta embossed on Tigo cards. An entrant is declared a winner when he or she obtains all images of the Big Six from separate Tigo cards. The Commercial Officer added that the promotion is unique because there are other consolation prizes for the customers. Mr. Squire said his outfit has kept faith with its customers under the Tigo Bingo promotion, which is expected to end in the first week of November 2016. By Solomon Ofori The Police in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region are investigating circumstances surrounding the death a young girl. The lifeless body of the girl was found on Wednesday morning under the Ashaiman overhead. The yet-to-be identified girl was found lying in a supine position. There are speculations that the deceased might have been killed and dumped in the gutter by some unknown persons. When DAILY GUIDE arrived at the scene, parts of the body were decomposing. Meshach Narh Mensah, a vendor in the area told DAILY GUIDE that many people, especially women in the area, had become the target of ritualists which has caused fear and panic among residents. He said recently another body was discovered in the area. Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Hebert Sosu, the Crime Officer of the Ashaiman District Police Headquarters, explained that the Sanitation Department of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly helped to convey the body to the morgue of the Police Hospital in Accra for autopsy. Meanwhile, the police have appealed to any person who might have information about the death of the girl to assist in investigations. Many of the terrified residents believe the girl was killed for ritual purposes. From Vincent Kubi, Ashaiman Three persons, including a Kenyan businesswoman, are before an Accra Domestic Violence and Gender-Based court for human trafficking. They are George Badu, trader; Fati Mahammud, secretary and Leah Kalimi, the Kenyan. According to the prosecutor, DSP C.K. Abadamlora, during the month of July this year, the three conspired at Nima in Accra to traffic one Theresa Fookuo to Saudi Arabia for job placement. The three have also been slapped with an additional charge of operating a private employment agency without labour incence. George, Fati and Leah are individually facing another offence of trafficking the said Theresa to Saudi Arabia for labour exploitation. However, before trial judge Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, the accused persons variously denied the charges and were each admitted to bail in the sum of GH50,000 with three sureties each. The court has also ordered Leah to submit her passport to the registrar of the court until otherwise varied. Prosecuting, DSP Abadamlora told the court that one Rita Owusu, a trader resident at La Sunshine all suburbs of Accra is the complainant. He said all the accused persons also reside in Accra and that during the month of July, Rita's younger sister (Theresa) who is residing at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region, came to visit her (Rita) when she met George. DSP Abadamlora indicated that in a conversation, George lured Theresa to be recruited and sent to Saudi Arabia; and she consented to it. The prosecutor said in August Theresa called Rita at home and told her that she had been sexually abused and maltreated in Saudi Arabia and that she wanted to be brought back to Ghana; but George failed to arrange for her return. George was then arrested and he mentioned the two others as his accomplices. On October 17, Leah, who has no resident permit, was arrested, and she admitted that she, together with Fati, processed Theresa's documents and paid George an amount of $1,100 as an agent's commission. She said in addition, George took GH1,000 from Theresa. Further investigations reveals that Leah, who has no office to operate, employed Fati as her secretary and George as an agent who recruits Ghanaian ladies and traffic them to the Gulf countries for labour exploitation. By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson [email protected] DAILY GUIDE has learned that the Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Northern Region, Joseph Amuzu, has resigned to contest as an independent parliamentary candidate come December 7, in the Saboba Constituency. Some youth groups in the constituency allegedly mobilized funds to purchase parliamentary nomination forms on behalf of the former chairman to enable him join the parliamentary race as an independent candidate. Information available indicates that Joseph Amuzu, who felt he was not treated fairly in the last primary when he was disqualified by the party, had decided to go independent. The former chairman accused the incumbent Member of Parliament for Saboba, Joseph Ninkpe, of masterminding his disqualification. The Northern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Lawyer Rauf, who confirmed the resignation of the vice chairman to DAILY GUIDE, said under the rules and regulations of the party, the moment someone decides to go independent, that person automatically seizes to be a party member. As I speak now Mr. Amuzu is no longer the Northern Regional Vice Chairman of the NDC party, he said. According to him, the former chairman was disqualified on merit because he was found taking double salary. He cautioned supporters of the party in the constituency to disregard any independent candidate who campaigns in the name of the party and see them as traitors who have made up their minds to divide the votes of the party. FROM Eric Kombat, Saboba The Adabraka police are currently holding two persons for allegedly attempting to steal GH450,000 from a popular bank at the Ring Road Central branch. The suspects, purportedly using a software, were said to have transferred some money from an unknown source into their personal accounts and attempted to cash it when they were apprehended. They are 37-year-old George Asante and Millicent Brown. Their alleged accomplice, who is believed to be the leader of the gang identified only as Dickson, is at large and is being hunted by the police. Confirming the story to DAILY GUIDE, Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori, Adabraka District Police Commander, said the suspects, who claimed to be a businessman and a woman were arrested separately on October 5, 2016. He said the bank (name withheld) for the past two months had a system breakdown and as a result, several attempts had been made by some unscrupulous persons to steal monies from its coffers. On October 5, 2016, officials of the bank detected that an amount of GH500,000 had been transferred into Premium IT Limited account with number 1010104082501 from an unknown source. He said an alert was placed for the arrest of any person who attempted to withdraw the said money. On that same day at about 9:40 am, George Asante reportedly stormed the bank with a cheque of GH450,000 to the ring road branch of the bank to cash it but he was immediately arrested and handed over to the police. Upon interrogation, he mentioned Millicent Brown and Dickson as his accomplices. Brown was also arrested for investigation. Dickson, believed to be hiding around Gbawe in the Ga South District, Kaneshie and Sowutoum, upon hearing the arrest of his accomplices, bolted. The arrested two have provisionally been charged for stealing and are being processed for court. By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey ( [email protected] ) The Electoral Commission (EC) announced that 13 presidential candidates for the 2016 general election have been disqualified. The Commission gave various reasons, including alleged forgery of signatures, double voter registration by subscribers of candidates, endorsement of more than one candidate by the same subscriber, incomplete filling of forms, etc. Of course, considering the financial and other resources that the candidates pumped into their campaigns, they, together with their supporters are naturally, not happy that they were disqualified. It is therefore not surprising that some have even taken legal actions against the Electoral Commission. Since I am not a legal expert, I would not wish to comment on the propriety or otherwise of the Electoral Commissions action as far as the legalities are concerned. Second, being aware of the fact that some political parties have filed suits at the law courts against the Commission, I am careful not to be cited for contempt by going into the merits and demerits of the case. However, as a professional archivist I could not be silent on the need to be extra careful when dealing with documents. Diligence is an important key in managing/handling documents. In the course of my 16- year practice as an archivist I have witnessed how carelessness and negligence in handling documents have caused individuals and companies millions of cedis; with some of them losing their properties. I personally had a bitter experience which nearly landed me into prison and I would not mind sharing that experience with you. In early 2000, I happened to work with a Records management Company, where I was in charge of managing the semi-active records of our clients. As part of our professional duties, every document that was transferred to our outfit was supposed to be properly listed, coded, boxed, shelved and computerized for easy and timely access when requested for by a client. The recommended and the normal practice was that after all the documents were listed, one had to do a final cross-checking to be sure that whatever document was on the list was indeed in the box before the shelving was done. Unfortunately due to a little mistake (or should I say carelessness or negligence?) on the part of my staff, which, of course I took responsibility , that cross-checking was not done in the case of a particular consignment of records we received from one of our clients. Later, our client requested for a document, which they needed urgently to be used in support of a court case. After going through our record index, the particular document which was requested for was found on the list alright but strangely enough, we could not find it in the box in which it was supposed to be. Incidentally, it was the only document that was missing. All other files on the list were in the box. Of course, I had no excuse for not being able to produce the document since a copy of the list of documents in our custody was given to our client, a confirmation that the document was with us. It was only God who knew the kind of pressure, stress and frustration that I went through in search of the document. Apparently, after the listing was done, somebody mischievously removed that particular document from the box and instead of we, also doing a final cross-checking to be sure that all the files were intact before we shelved the boxes, we failed to do so. Although we finally found the document after a thorough search and investigations, the emotional and psychological torture that I suffered as a result of the daily harassment by our client and the threats to take me to court could not be overemphasized. I had another interesting experience some years ago when I was teaching in a private school in Accra. During an examination, a student, who thought he was smart, did not submit his examination scripts but managed to sign to suggest that he had done so. After counting the examination scripts and matching it with the total number of students in the class, I noticed that it was short by one script. Since the students were still around after the examinations, I quickly summoned them to find out who did not submit his/her script but signed. Interestingly the suspected student was the only one, out of a total number of about forty students, who had left the examination centre immediately after writing the examination. I reported the matter to the Headmaster of the school and we threatened him we would report him to the police if he did not tell the truth. He confessed and said he did so because he could not answer the questions and feared he would fail the examination. If I had not taken the trouble to cross-check the scripts, the boy would have outwitted me. In 2006, I had to travel to Cote dIvoire for a family business. When I went to buy my ticket, I gave my first name as Sammy instead of Samuel. In all sincerity, I did not do so with any evil motive. To me, there was no difference between Sammy and Samuel. I however had the shock of my life when the Immigration officers of Cote dIvoire at the Elubo border refused me entry into that country. According to them the name in my passport did not correspond with the name on my ticket. No amount of explanations and plea that there was no difference between Sammy and Samuel would convince them. I was detained at the boarder for almost four hours. It took the intervention of some Ghanaian immigration officers before the Cote dIvoire Officers reluctantly allowed me to enter Abidjan. A seemingly harmless thing as not providing my exact first name on a travel ticket as it appeared in my passport nearly caused me my trip. Why did I take my time to share or narrate all these? I have done so to buttress the point that as individuals, political parties and companies we need to be extra careful when we are filling forms or providing any other form of information about ourselves. How many of us do due diligence when buying a car, a land or any other property? How much do we get to know people before we confide in them and even sometimes transact business with them? There have been several cases where fraudsters take advantage of our inability to do due diligence and be critical to dupe us. Some students pay huge sums of monies to attend tertiary institutions, only to be told that the schools in question were not accredited by the appropriate accreditation board. I am tempted to believe that almost all the political parties which were disqualified by the Electoral Commission, made a common mistake - Not being diligent enough. In fact, if they had taken their time to critically cross-check and double check all the information they provided on their forms I do not think they would be caught up in the web of providing inappropriate information. As the disqualified presidential candidates battle it out with the Electoral Commission to rescind its decision, the lesson we should all learn is summed up in one word- DILIGENCE. Writers e-mail: [email protected] The writer is an archivist Li Jian with staff of the Chinese Embassy handing over the medical disposables to Dr Lawrence Sereboe and medical personnel of the National Cardio Centre The Chinese Embassy in Ghana has presented medical disposables to the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). The donation which was through the benevolence of the Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute was in support of the newly-created cardiac catheterisation laboratory established by the centre, with support from central government. The catheterisation laboratory or cath lab which is yet to be officially opened but is running on trail basis is an examination room in the centre with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualise the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found. Hence, the donation would assist the lab in conducting its tests in the interim, while it gets ready to start full operations in the near future. Li Jian, Counsellor at the Economic and Commercial Office of the People's Republic of China in Ghana, making the presentation, linked the donation to the longstanding relationship between the two countries. He said China has made notable impact in the country's public health through free surgeries, training and refurbishment of some health facilities. Last year, we conducted 20 free heart surgeries in the country and our team is also conducting investigations into heart attacks in the country, he said. Mr Jiang was hopeful the relationship between the two countries in terms of public health delivery would grow stronger. Dr Lawrence Sereboe, welcoming the dignitaries to the centre and accepting the donation, stated that the cardio centre has had a mutual relationship with the Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute over the years through the exchange programmes offered cardiologists at the centre. He said the donation would boost the work of the cath lab which was installed by locals and consists of a strong team of Ghanaian medical experts. We are grateful to the Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute for the support they have shown us and we look forward to partnering them in collaboration and opportunities in cardiovascular care, Dr Sereboe said. By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri On the 17th October 2016 a special Memorial Ceremony was held at the Seychelles Natural History Museum for Obaa Yaa Asantewaa Queen of Ghana. A Buddhist Monk from Sri Lanka, was especially invited to perform the Buddhist Puja of Mataka Wattha and Bodhi which is normally performed by Buddhists Monks in Sri Lanka to remember and transfer Merits to those who have passed away. The aim of having a Buddhist Puja, was to recognise the Saint, Buddha or Bodhisattva status that Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa achieved after she passed which was confirmed to Queen Mother Saa Poognaa by priests in Ghana and also by Priests in Asia - when she travelled to Thailand, Indonesia and Nepal. The second part of the Ceremony will be officiated by Queen Mother Saa Poognaa who is also a Royal traditional priest of the Dagarti peoples of Northern Ghana. Queen Mother Saa Poognaa at the memorial event for Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa with Reverend Ambagasdowe Bharatha from Sri Lanka who conducted traditional pujas in her memory at the Natural History Museum in Victoria, Mahe This is possibly the first time that a ceremony of this kind has taken place in Mahe specifically to mark and honour the courage and valiance of the unsung heroism of the Great Warrior Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa. In Europe and Asia, Saints, Warriors and Heroes are given a lot of national and historical importance: Statues, memorials, museums, buildings and streets are erected and named in their honour. Whilst the Heritage Tourism in Europe is a multi-million dollar industry - we in Africa have yet to catch up with our European counterparts. We believe that the time is overdue, and we in Africa absolutely need to start telling our own Royal Stories and also learning how to project the importance and value of these Histories onto the World Stage. An important part of the work of Queen Mother Saa Poognaa is to meet with Ministers of Tourism and Culture in Seychelles, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia to discuss ways in which the Royal Heritage of Africa and her surrounding Islands can be elevated to place where Africa begins to attract thousands of visitors from all over the world to come and see her Royal Heritage Festivals and Monuments. In the words of the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, Alan St Ange; We need Tourism to promote our Heritage and we need Heritage to Safeguard our Tourism. In 2017 we will be inviting a much larger delegation which will include our own Royal Priests from Ghana, some Tibetan Buddhist Priest from Nepal and India as well as some Ethiopian Orthodox Christian priests to help us to conduct the important ceremonial prayers, blessings and Pujas that confer and acknowledge the honorific title of Saint and Bodhisattva that the Warrior Queen Nana Yaa Asantewaa achieved by virtue of the 'Enormous', and 'Great Suffering' that she endured during the War of the Golden Stool and also during her 21 years in exile - for the sake of her Nation and her People. Source: Seychelles NATION Local cement manufacturers have called on government to immediately stop the importation of bagged Dangote cement from Nigeria. According to them, Dangote Cement was making more dollars in Ghana via what they termed unfair trade practices which is grossly affecting their operations. In a statement released recently, the local manufactures said Dangote cement (in powder form) and currently being imported from Korea has been described as semi-unfinished cement and attracts only 10 percent import duty. They further pointed out that the powdered cement being imported by Dangote was a finished product that could be delivered directly from the ship side to a customer for any construction work, adding that the duty paid on it was inappropriate. Since it is not easy to export to Francophone countries and remit dollars to Nigeria, Dangote is concentrating in Ghana for dollars, they said. Unfair trade practices The local manufacturers also said such imports by Dangote were made under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) which opened the gateway for unfair trade practices that greatly affect the local producers. They said bagged imports from Dangote Cement in Nigeria are covered by 30 percent export subsidy from the government of Nigeria which gives the company an edge over the local cement industry. What measures are in place in Ghana to counteract this unfair trade practice? The manufacturers appealed to the government to expedite action through the recently established Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC) to protect the local cement industry. Nigeria's stance What is worrying is that the Nigerian Government has restricted 41 items, including cement, imported into Nigeria. Why should Ghana not retaliate but allow Nigerian imports such as cement which is restricted into Nigeria. We, the manufacturers of local cement, are calling on the government to immediately halt the importation of cement from Nigeria, they said. Nigeria's oil drop effects The group said the drop in oil prices in Nigeria had affected the inflow of major foreign currencies, especially dollars so export of other products like cement is encouraged by allowing 30 percent on these products to obtain dollars at any cost. Money cannot be transferred from Nigeria for the 41 items, an indirect preventive measure of imports even for ECOWAS countries. Dangotes concentration in Ghana BUSINESS GUIDE has gathered that Dangote is targeting the Ghanaian market because it is not making enough money in Nigeria. Dangote Cement sells cement at N2,300 per bag (GH28.9) in Nigeria but selling in Ghana at GH27. Many people wonder why Dangote cement which is manufactured in Nigeria is selling at higher price in that country than Ghana. According to them, it appears Dangote is not paying the right import duties on its imported cement that is why the product is sold cheap on the Ghanaian market. The situation, they said, is affecting operations of the local manufactures and driving them out of business due to the high cost of producing cement in Ghana. What Ghana Must Do The group said Ghana has to impose countervailing duty since Dangote is availing 30 percent subsidy, prevent anti-dumping since the prices in Nigeria are more than Ghana; charge normal duties instead of concessional duty of 10 percent and prevent unfair trade practices. We also maintain that Dangote importation of bulk (powder) cement from Korea is finished product and not semi-finished as described and can be used directly from the quay for any construction works. Therefore the current concessionary duty rate of 10 percent is unfair and must be reviewed to ensure fairness in the cement competition, they said. Increase FOB Value After various checks and investigations by the cement manufacturers, the declaration from the importers which was about $20 per ton, was raised to $60 per tin FOB. We, the Cement Manufacturers, still believe that the FOB value should be increased to $90 per ton to serve as a prohibitive measure to protect the heavily local invested capabilities. The cement manufacturers said they have adequate installed capacities to meet the growing demand, and therefore importation of cement with its attendant on fair trade practices must be addressed in line with the Legislative Instrument and the Ghana International Trade Commission. By Cephas Larbi [email protected] South Africa was elected as a member of the AU Peace and Security Council during the AU Summit held in Addis Ababa in January 2015. South Africas Ambassador to the African Union, Ambassador Ndumiso Ntshinga, who also serves as South Africas Ambassador to Ethiopia, will brief the media on South Africas role within the AUPSC and other matters in the continental organisation relating to South Africas Foreign Policy. Within the region, South Africa has been elected as the incoming chair of SADC for the year August 2017- August 2018. The election took place in the last SADC Summit held in Swaziland in August 2016. Ambassador Mdu Lembede, South Africas Ambassador to Botswana who also accredited to the SADC, will brief the media on the current developments within the region. Media are invited as follows: Venue: Media Centre, OR Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Date: Thursday, 20 October 2016 Time: 11h00 NB: Due to security measures at DIRCO, members of the media are advised to RSVP to [email protected] , and provide the following information: full names, media house, and designation and ID/passport number. [20th October, 2016] Airtel Money and United Bank for Africa (UBA) have announced an exciting partnership that enables UBA customers to seamlessly link their accounts to their Airtel Money wallets. The partnership allows customers to fully integrate their accounts, to move funds between accounts, check their balances, make purchases including airtime, data bundles and online shopping etc. using Airtel Money. Commenting on the latest partnership, Theresa Adade, Head of Operations, Airtel Money said We are delighted to partner UBA to offer our joint customers the convenience of integrating their accounts and to benefit from the limitless options available from UBA and Airtel Money. This collaboration promises to enrich the experience of our customers as they transact from anywhere in the country and beyond. The partnership also widens the transaction channel for all Airtel Money customers and agents across the country giving them access to E-value at UBA branch networks nationwide. She continued Airtel Money has been in forefront of innovation in the mobile money space through such collaborations and we look forward to the wonderful opportunities this partnership will avail to our joint cherished customers. On his part, Johnson Olakunmi, Head, Digital Banking Sales at UBA said This service has been carefully designed in alignment with UBAs strategy of democratizing the delivery of banking services across all levels. We believe that this new services will create the much needed bridge to excellent banking services offered by UBA while offering unmatched convenience for Airtel Money users. The partnership will also extend UBAs coverage through the over 20,000 Airtel Money agent points nationwide. Mutual customers of UBA and Airtel Money can easily deposit and withdraw cash from their bank accounts at any Airtel Money agent point. Airtel Money is Ghanas most innovative mobile money platform and a sub brand of Airtel Ghanas best Data and Internet Services Provider. UBA Africas global bank. President John Mahama has repeated his challenge to his main contender New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo for a one-on-one debate after witnessing the US presidential debate. The President who was speaking on Volta Star Radio in the Volta region where he is campaigning, said Ghanaians deserve to hear the arguments for change or continuation before the vote. According to the president, there is so much misinformation thrown about by his opponents and a debate presents a good opportunity to straighten things. "Ghanaians will know who is telling the truth," he said, adding "I still stand by my challenge for a one-one-one debate". The President observed that he followed the US Presidential debate Thursday between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. "Debates are very important," the President who has been branded a communication expert, said. While the two candidates have made public utterances signalling their preparedness to debate, the devil has been in the detail. Finding an acceptable organiser of the debate is a vexed issue. The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected IEA invitation to participate in this year's Presidential debate citing bias. The IEA, an established debate-organising platform since 2000 has been accused of being a surrogate of the opposition NPP along with other think-tanks CDD, IDEG. The President's fresh invitation appears to suggest the ruling party would be more comfortable if another body is to organise it. The state institution, the NCCE has since signalled it will be organising its first-ever presidential dialogue series and the governing party has warmed up to that platform. Time is running out with general elections barely 48 days away. It remains to be seen if the mouth-watering prospect of John Mahama and Akufo-Addo debate could ever materialise and where. Listen to audio Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected] America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. Abraham Lincoln CONCERNED CITIZENS, notably those of Ashanti, and predominantly, those of Kumasi, were getting agitated. The problem was with the election of the Presiding member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. As if haunted by some spooks, any attempt to elect a Presiding member failed, because of the entrenched positions adopted by the members. Each nominated member had his supporters who stood ready to sabotage the other(s). This situation had persisted for such a long time; it was ticklish and dicey to predict the outcome of any such election. The Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, spells out in Article 244; (1) The District Assembly shall have a Presiding member who shall be elected by the Assembly from among its members. 2) The Presiding Member shall be elected by at least two thirds of all the members of the Assembly. (3) The Presiding Member shall (a) preside over the meetings of the Assembly (b) perform such other functions as may be presided by law. By Article 248 (1) A candidate seeking election to a District Assembly or any lower local government unit shall present himself to the electorate as an individual and shall not use any symbol associated with any political party. (2) A political party shall not endorse, sponsor, offer a platform to any or in any way campaign for or against a candidate seeking election to a District Assembly or any lower local government unit. Even though the Constitution (1992) frowns upon an 'individual' identifying himself with a political party, the practice on the ground was that these 'individuals' openly or clandestinely showed their biases and one could identify the individual members' political leanings. This was an open-secretspoken about in their closets but none would admit publicly. After winning the election, the next step was for the members to elect a Presiding Member. He or she was expected to win 2/3 majority of all the members of the Assembly. The person who became the Presiding Member was expected to be affable to a great majority of the membership, if not to all the members. The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had been without a Presiding Member for almost a year: the Assembly had sat nine times for this election and in all these settings, the members failed to elect the Presiding Member. Each time members were accusing one another of partisan interference. Matters came to a head on two occasions when the Assembly was turned into an arena for them to yield to their pugnacious instincts or inclinations. It was at this stage no longer an issue for discussion: it was purely a time to show one's pugilistic skills or be counted out. No jaw-jaw, but war-war. No exercise of the brain, but of the brawn. No wonder, the problem escalated to the apogee. There was a deadlock; there was a stalemate, especially when Nana Kofi Senya and Nana Baffour Adjei Kesse, Adumhene, challenged each other for the position. Each of them garnered 60 plus votes, but these were not enough to satisfy the Constitutional requirement. Nana Baffour Adjei Kesse opted out of the race later in an attempt to resolve the impasse. But Nana Kofi Senyah could not get the nod because he could not get the 2/3 majority of the members to vote for him, with 62 'yes' votes and 65'no' votes. My little brother would say: 'se asa' (it was the end: nobody would benefit; it was to nobody else's credit; the benefit did not ensure to anyoneenerved or fortified). When the waters were getting muddier Manhyia tactically withdrew its representation. Those representing the Kumasi Traditional Council, headed by Adumhene had played their roles as was expected of them, but Manhyia was getting worried over the inability of the KMA to elect the Presiding member. Manhyia, therefore, withdrew three of the representatives, Nana Adjei Baffour Kesse Adumhene, Domeabrahene and Bebrehene. In their place, Manhyia selected Nana Adu Mensah Asare, Amakomhene, Otumfuo Kyeame Nana Kwame Bonsu and Asakyirihene Nana Mensah Bonsu, being the new entrants. On Thursday, 13th October, 2016 the KMA met again to elect the Presiding MEMBER. It was only Nana Adu Mensah Asare, Amakomhene who stood unopposed. The subsequent balloting saw him winning 100 'yes' votes and 22'no' votes. He stood elected. The election of the Amakomhene as the Presiding Member should pave way for the smooth running of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. He is indeed a good compromise and Manhyia have demonstrated their maturity. Of course, Otumfuo Asantehene, Nana Osei Tutu deserves special mention for the role he played in resolving this impasse. It is now for the Amakomhene to display his immense leadership style. He should not forget that the 22 people who voted 'no' are still in the Assembly, and he should act in such a way that he can win their confidence. Kumasi residents can now breathe a sigh of relief. The compromise candidate, as Kumasi folk know him; will demonstrate effective leadership that will show his neutrality in the wranglings and the goings on in the Assembly. Honourable Kofi Jumah, one time Chief Executive of the KMA had all along been calling for 'compromise' he stands vindicated. There was no need for arm twisting and an unnecessary show of strength. Baffour Kantankrakyi, Otumfuo's Kyeame should be the happy man now. He was getting worried over the happenings at KMA. Early on, the Kantankrakyi had noted: As Nananom, we can't sit unconcerned about the lack of leadership at KMA. Presiding members and Assembly members will come and go but Kumasi will never pass away. The new Presiding Member, Nana Adu Mensah Asare was spot on when in his acceptance speech, he promised to execute his functions without fear or favour and that he would not encourage factionalism in the Assembly. There are a lot of lessons to be learnt from those who had held the office before. The Amakomhene should learn the reasons for their successes or their failures. The Assemblymen are exhorted to eschew their partisan nature, and work in unity to achieve success. With the clearance of this hurdle, what is left is the appointment of the Metropolitan Chief Executive. Nobody can bully the President, but it would be helpful if a similar 'compromise' candidate would be selected. Manhyia have done their bit, and chiefs are to stay out of national politics, hence let no room be created to force Nananom to interfere in politics for others to read meanings into their actions which may only have been dictated by their resolve to help their citizens. The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly is a big Assembly. The members are, or are expected to be, knowledgeable and it is for them to set the pace for the other Assemblies to follow. One may be guided by the dictum of Abraham Lincoln: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. President John Mahama has said that his government enabling Ghanaians acquire skills that guarantee their employment to create wealth. According to him, government cannot put money in their pocket but can only create the atmosphere for them to make money. Speaking at a political rally in the Hohoe constituency as part of his Volta Regional tour on Wednesday, President Mahama said, citizens must work for their money rather than expect government to do that for them. No president is going to come to Ghana one day and line all our people up and say everybody come and get it, here is free money. It will never happen. The only way you can put money in your pocket is to work for it, he said. Even the Bible says soGod told us, go into the world and work with your hands, go and labour and feed yourself that is what He said. And so the only way money can go into Citizen's pocket is when they work for it and so government's responsibility to make sure that we give our citizens the skills to work and to make money for themselves, he added. According to President Mahama, the focus of his government if given a second term to serve will be to skill acquisition and ensuring that the populace possess the needed skills to gain employment and create wealth for themselves . 'I will put money in your pocket Mahama' The President's recent statement contradicts one he made in February this year when he assured Ghanaians of a better economy that will have a positive impact in their pockets after he is given a second term. Speaking at the Inauguration of a one of the Community Day Senior High Schools at Kwaobaah Nyanoa in the Eastern Region, Mahama argued that his first four years in office was spent on improving the social infrastructure of the country which has been in dire need of a face-lift for some time now. He further explained that the development projects being delivered nationwide by his government will form the foundation for Ghana's economic take off. We have spent these last four years investing in bringing the social infrastructure back to scratch and when I win the second term, then we will start putting money in your pocket. And I wish to pledge that we will continue working in the interest of the people of Ghana, he said. 'Akufo-Addo challenges Mahama' President Mahama is seeking reelection to serve another 4-year term in the upcoming December general elections. He is however facing stiff opposition from the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have accused him of mismanaging the country's economy and leading Ghanaians into untold hardship. By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana Accra, 19th October 2016 Strategic Communications Africa Ltd. (Stratcomm Africa) on Wednesday launched Read It, Write It, Say It! - Stratcomm Africa literacy enhancement programme, in the La Dade Kotopon district in Accra. The CSR program implemented by the Centre for Development and Intercultural Communication (CEDIC), an affiliate NGO of Stratcomm Africa was launched in the La Yahoshua school to equip children with effective reading and writing skills with the aim of facilitating their development and the development of their communities and the community as a whole. Read It, Write It, Say It involves reading and writing clinics whose delivery includes the use of innovative participatory communication approaches to promote reading, writing and critical thinking among children in public schools. Stratcomm Africa initiated the program in 2000 and has been successfully piloted in the Kanda Cluster of Schools in Accra and schools in the Komenda Traditional area in the Central Region as well as the new life orphanage. District Director of Education, LA Dade-Kotopon, Mrs. Bernice Addae said, My team and I are constantly exploring ways of improving teaching and learning in schools under our district. We therefore welcome wholeheartedly this innovative approach to teaching and writing. We are sincerely grateful to Stratcomm Africa for this collaboration and we pledge our support to the realization of the success of the initiative in this district. Ms. Esther A. N. Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa said that, Stratcomm Africa is constantly seeking opportunities for employing communication as a tool for human development. In Read it, Write it, Say It, Stratcomm Africa combines innovative marketing communication approaches to market sustainable reading and writing skills to children whilst promoting the use of these approaches to teachers as well. She added that, effective reading and writing skills are critical for realization of ones full potential because it empowers the individual and facilitates development. In addition to developing interest in reading , children also develop analytical skills and become more creative. What makes this programme unique is how it provides a platform for parents, teachers and other stakeholders in society to work together, to raise literacy levels among young people. Prof. Samuel Kwasi Adjepong, immediate past principal of the Methodist University and Board Chair of Stratcomm Africa who chaired the event said that, children need to cultivate the habit of reading if they want to be successful because reading is required in every area of human existence. Our communitys development depends in part on the literacy levels of our people. We should therefore not take this program lightly. He called on all in the community to support the program. Mr. Bright Appiah 20.10.2016 LISTEN A new report on Civil Society Evaluation of Promises under Education of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2012 Manifesto indicates that government has failed to deliver on all the promises it made in addressing the infrastructural and financial gap in the educational sector. The 2016 report, which was launched by Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) indicates that whereas some promises were partially fulfilled others were achieved in a manner that yielded low positive outcomes in terms of quality which in effect slowed progress and improvement of the educational sector as envisaged by the 2012 manifesto of the ruling NDC. The Chairman of GNECC, Mr. Bright Appiah said the manifesto assessment identifies resource constraints to be a major challenge that affected the implementation of all the education promises, especially within an era where Ghana was going through an IMF programme. He indicated that resource constraints obviously led to the partial or no implementation of some key promises, including the rural allowance for teachers, construction of ten Colleges of Education, increase in the Capitation Grant, the elimination of all schools under trees and the construction of 200 community day Senior High Schools. According to him, among the recommendations made by the Coalition is the need to make manifesto promises more precise, measurable, modest and achievable, bearing in mind the four year time frame for implementation as well as the resource constraints of the Ghanaian economy. Mr. Appiah noted that GNECC and partners undertook the review of the implementation of the NDC 2012 Education Manifesto with the view of ascertaining the extent to which the NDC government has been accountable in the context of its own manifesto based on which it was voted into office in December 2012. He noted that 2016 also marks the beginning of another 4-year period for which the NDC and NPP are making new proposals to the electorates and a scrutiny of these promises or proposals is crucial to ensure that political parties address the most important and urgent issues in relation to education. According to him, the report acknowledges that the NDC 2012 Education Manifesto has witnessed some significant implementation. Notable among the major promises fulfilled in the manifesto are the near elimination of the shift system, the operationalization of the National Inspectorate Board, the introduction of the fee free SHS for day students, the overhauling of the TVET landscape coupled with its rebranding and the supply of teaching and learning aids and the expansion of the Ghana School Feeding Programme., he stated. Mr. Bright Appiah emphasized that the report evaluates the 2016 manifestoes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to ascertain the extent to which the promises being made respond to current challenges and recommendations in key development frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and AU Agenda 2063. According to him, the focus on the NDC manifesto was based on the principle of accountability, since it is only proper for Civil Society to assess the implementation of a manifesto of a government in power. He added that the second part of the report evaluates the promises made by the two major political parties to find out the extent to which the proposals or promises in the documents respond to the current challenges in the education and how they seek to achieve international commitments like the SDGs and AU Agenda 2063 in relation to the development of education. Mr. Bright Appiah intimated that National Democratic Congress (NDC) has a total of 67 promises under education out of which 35 related to pre-tertiary education were assessed. He added that the New Patriotic Party on the other hand makes 25 promises related to education out of which 20 pre-tertiary related were assessed. Mr. Appiah indicated that the report shows that a considerable number of promises align to national and international frameworks on education however very few are time-bound and measurable. He added that not much is said about Education Decentralization which will lead to a transformation education management in Ghana and is expected to help improve learning outcomes. According to him, the manifestoes of both parties are silent on measures aimed towards reducing inequities in access to quality education, for instance, support for programmes which support children who are out of school such as the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) programme. He posited that the analysis also points to possible challenges in implementing the promises taking into consideration the experience with implementing policies and programmes within the sector. Beyond the review, it is expected that issues raised in this report will guide and generate discussions about education promises of political parties in the context of their contextual relevance, practicability, measurability among others. Speaking on the methodology, Ms. Veronica Dzeagu, National Coordinator of GNECC indicated that in undertaking the research for the report, the 2012 and 2016 manifestoes of the NDC and NPP, education policy documents, relevant performance reports of government agencies and Ministries, global and regional frameworks for the development of education (Sustainable Development Goals and AU Agenda 2063) and other relevant secondary data were reviewed. She stated that the criteria used for the assessment include contextual relevance, practicability, measurability and compliance with the SDG, Agenda 2063 and current education strategies. According to her, interviews were also conducted with duty bearers and stakeholders to ascertain the extent of implementation of past promises. Mr. Leroy McNara, an Executive Council Member of GNECC, emphasized that the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) is a network of over 200 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), professional bodies and individuals committed to promoting free quality and enjoyable basic education as a fundamental human right for every Ghanaian child. He added that the Coalition represents the voice of the voiceless through advocating and urging government and its implementing agencies to design appropriate policies, programmes and interventions as well as allocate adequate resources to education development. Mr. Nara noted that as part of its education governance and accountability thematic strategy, GNECC has been involved in reviewing the implementation of educational plans and policies in Ghana. He indicated that one of such exercises is the review of political party manifestoes to reflect the real context of education and thereafter, tracking the successful partys manifesto in government. This is aimed at ensuring promises in education manifestoes of parties in government are not broken, he intimated. Badagry is on the outskirts of Lagos. Precisely, it is located between the cosmopolitan city of Lagos and Nigerias border with the Republic of Benin. This location has perhaps made it a bit difficult for tourists and Lagosians to check out this tourists haven. In addition, Badagry is not situated in Lagoss choice areas like Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikeja, and Ikoyi. Notwithstanding where you reside in Lagos, Badagry is a delightful and wonderful place to visit. We roll out some reasons that will no doubt spur you to pack your luggage and travel to Badagry. Dont forget to book your hotel on Jumia Travel ! Relics of Slave Trade awaits you Slavery is a phase in Nigerias and Africas history we all want to forget. However, this history cannot just be wished away. It happened. And it is important to preserve this heritage. It is, therefore, important to note that Badagrys history is incomplete without giving a mention to slavery. You will find relics of slavery like chains, locks, and shackles as well as see the different slave routes (point of no return) and slave ports. In addition to this, you will learn so much at the Badagry slave museum, the slave families, like Mobee Royal Family, and the Vlekete Slave Market. You will be overwhelmed! Badagry is a virgin Yes, Badagry is a virgin! Unlike other cities and towns in Lagos that have been encroached and taken over by humans, Badagry is yet to be polluted especially, its coastlines and peninsulas remain natural, untouched and untapped! So, it is a wonderful place to have a good time and you are assured of the air you breathe. It is a city of many firsts! Badagry has the enviable record of having many firsts compared to any other city in Nigeria. You will find the first primary school, the first story building in Nigeria, and the first pair of Sato drum. This should pump up your wanderlust adrenalin! The biggest border town in Nigeria The border between Nigeria and Benin Republic is just 10 minutes drive from Badagry. So do you want to see the biggest border town in Nigeria? Pack your bags and leave for Badagry now! Relax and indulge There are hotels and relaxation spots in Badagry . One of such popular hubs for relaxation is Whispering Palms. There are also beautiful beaches where you can have picnics. In addition, you will return with a truckload of coconuts if you want. Coconut is as available as the air you breathe in! President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his desire to meet the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, head on in presidential debate. President Mahama, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, who had earlier accused the Nana Akufo-Addo of running away from a one-on-one debate and now says Ghanaians deserve a face up between the leading presidential contenders. I believe that Ghanaians deserve a debate between myself and Nana Akufo-Addo and I hope that they will respond and rise to the occasion, the President said on Volta Star Radio during his campaign tour of the Volta Region. He maintains that a prospective debate between the two will allow them to adequately settle their contrasting views on a number of issues especially matters pertaining to the economy. If we have a one-on-one debate, we will all have our figures and Ghanaians will be able to see who is telling the truth. President Mahama explained that such a debate would be important because, when I threw the first challenge, I threw it because a lot of misinformation was being thrown all over the place and Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate continue to misinform the Ghanaian public and that is why I said let us have a one-on-one debate. If we have a one-on-one debate, we will all have our statistics and our figures and Ghanaians will be able to see who is telling the truth and who is not telling the truth and who is not telling it. New Patriotic Party Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo They say the economy is in crisis. If we have a debate, you will show why you think the economy is in crisis. The documents are all there. The statistics are there. President Mahama also said a debate between the two would help the people of the country get to know their candidates better and be able to make a sound judgement on who they want to continue to lead them so yes I stand by the challenge I threw. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana Mr. Anthony Kwaku Amoah, a Public Relations Officer of Ghana Education Service (GES), has urged schools to involve parents in choosing senior high, technical and vocational schools for children. Speaking at a special career guidance session titled, Knowing Your Personality for a Good Career for some 100 pupils of Rachel Shiloh Schools Complex, a private basic school in Accra, Mr. Anthony Amoah expressed regret at the way the supposedly interesting exercise of having to place successful candidates of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) into senior high schools has become an event for weeping and mourning by pupils and some parents in recent times. According to him, until schools fully involve parents in helping pupils to choose their preferred schools and programmes of study, the situation where some parents reject schools and programmes of their wards would continue, adding, Parents are the major beneficiaries of successful children and so the need to involve them in every stage of child education and training, including choice of schools and programmes of study. Let me use this time to advise teachers and pupils against the tendency of choosing schools and programmes for pupils without the pupils themselves and parents knowing what exactly happen in such schools. Teachers and parents should assist pupils in all areas of education to prevent the discontent and anxiety that most pupils face, he said. Miss Rosemond Nutifafa Adanuti, a teacher and counsellor with GES, urged schools to continue to help pupils identify and develop their talents, skills and potentialities. Miss Adanuti advised the participants to learn the good qualities of teachers for better life, adding, Observe your teachers well and try to emulate their positive lifestyles. Teachers are role models so listen to them and respect them for your own good in future. Mrs. Rachel Shiloh, the proprietress of the school, said that her school, which is within its 15 years of its establishment, has produced pupils who are now students in what she described as, top senior high schools in the country doing very good courses. She said she would always engage the services of professionals and resource persons to contribute to the delivery of quality education service to pupils. An Accra High Court has ordered PPP Flagbearer Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom to file his statement of case in support of his suit challenging his disqualification by the EC. The same applies to the Electoral Commission. The Court gave a Monday deadline after which the parties are expected to make their oral submision on Tueday. The Court will then give a ruling a week later, Joy News' has reported. The hearing of the suit challenging Nduom's disqualification began on Thursday with EC Lawyer Thaddeus Sory moving a motion for abridgement of time so that the matter could be heard as early as possible. He argued that the EC needs to print ballot papers and other Electoral materials so they want the matter to be heard as early as possible. Ayikoi Otoo who is legal counsel for Dr. Nduom did not oppose this motion but rather said they need the opportunity to respond to some issues the EC had mentioned in their affidavit in opposition to their suit. Justice Eric Kyei-Baffour then directed that Hon Ayikoi Otoo does that before the close of Thursday. Lawyer Otoo pleaded that the Judge gives them more time since Dr Nduom was not in the country. The Judge then directed that they file that via email by the close of Friday. Justice Kyei-Baffour also granted the request for abridgement of time. Speaking to Joy News after proceedings, PPP Policy Advisor Kofi Asamoah Siaw said he was glad the Judge had given directives to ensure that the matter was determined quickly. Expect updates... 20.10.2016 LISTEN The Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello may be in for another set of distraction after the Supreme Court on September 20 2016 upheld his election as the rightful winner of the gubernatorial election in the state held in 2015. It is perceived that some politicians in the state are working round the clock in making sure that the governor suffers a setback in his administration. Recently, they accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of keeping eyes right in their call to investigate Bello for whatever reason Nigerians are yet to know. This was coming after they had written series of petition to the body. But the EFCC seemed to know better that there might be the hand of Jacob but the voice of Esau in their petition making their petition null and void. The other time, there were speculations that he was pelted with pure water sachet while coming out from the Mosque, after a days prayer. If true that he was pelted, political observers know who to hold responsible. And if he was not pelted, the same people know who to hold responsible for circulating the message of defame. Most politicians hire crowd for an event, the same way they hire street urchins to cast aspersion before the public, on the personality of their prey. However, Nigerians of good will cannot sit down and watch Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the young and youthful Governor of Kogi State be brought to disrepute. We are yet to read that he associates with mischief, except as some politicians in that state want us to believe. Unlike some persons who allow some heights they have attained in life to influence and control them, the last time we checked, Bello still respects elders and is ever ready to learn from people. While he is doing his best to bring any person or group that has been politically squabbling to make peace with each other, some of the politicians are throwing tantrums. Sad! No matter what they might be doing to plunge Bello into the murky waters of disgrace, the governor seems not perturbed as he goes about his official duties to uplift Kogi State, putting much effort on rural and urban development. He believes that after developing this area, it will attract a lot of potentials. With his New Direction Blueprint, the governor has vowed to take education to the next level in the state. Any doubting Thomas may ask the governors Chief Press Secretary, Petra Onyegbule. With the states rich mineral and natural resources, although many are yet to be tapped, Bello has said he has the youths at heart in his development priorities. While working to raise these youths, the governor has reiterated the need for technical education while people are pursuing the secular education. Nonetheless, many Nigerians might be crying over the lame-duck governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level, but Bello has shown that he has a New Direction Blueprint: A promise he made when he went to pick Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms of the APC in company of chieftains of the party from the three senatorial zones in the state. Governor Bello pledged to overturn the high level of crimes in the state. The party leaders conversely knew that he would not disappoint in carrying out his official functions when they stopped the thought of any other candidate as the partys typical bearer. The unwavering Bello filled out the form, signed by a Commissioner of Oath, and returned to the APC National Secretariat, in what political pundits said was affixed to a letter of nomination sent to INEC on Friday November 27 2015, by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. The party perhaps knew that Mr. James Abiodun Faleke might not do better than Bello, hence Falake was asked to be Bello's running mate. But Faleke refused that offer and insisted on Abubakar Audu/Faleke ticket, which the party gave the duo before Audu suddenly died on November 22, 2015. It will be pertinent to say that with the aggressive policking against Bello in Kogi, if the state fails, it will concern everybody in the state. But it will not fail with Bello! So, Governor Yahaya Bello should be left without distractions to earnestly fix the state to attain his dream state, where there will no longer be pot holes in front of the Government House, educational system will never be horrible again, Kogi children will not be taught under the trees, teachers will not be discouraged; the potentialities of the agriculture sector will not be undiscovered, and infrastructure will not be in totters. Odimegwu Onwumere can be contacted via: [email protected] The All Peoples Congress (APC) has sued the Electoral Commission (EC) challenging the disqualification of the partys flagbearer, Dr Hassan Ayariga, from participating in the upcoming presidential election. The suit which was filed Thursday at the Accra High Court is the third of such cases brought against the Commission following its rejection of the nominations of some 12 presidential candidates in the December polls. Speaking to Joy News after his lawyers filed the suit, Dr Ayariga said he would challenge the disqualification but he would do that legitimately. Because I believe in the rule of law, I will wait until the court [where the suit has been filed] delivers its verdict, he said. The APC leader was among 11 others who failed to pass the EC's strict test to contest the election with the EC Chair citing various reasons for their disqualifications. Related Article: EC disqualifies Nduom, Konadu, 11 others; accepts 4 [L-R] some disqualified presidential candidates, Dr Nduom, Dr Mahama, Dr Ayariga, Nana Konadu, Akua Donkor EC boss, Charlotte Osei had told journalists last week that she would be unable to accept Dr Ayarigas nomination because of the following reasons; (a). The candidate did not provide evidence on his statutory declaration as to his hometown or residence in the constituency as per the legal requirements. (b). Two subscribers to Dr. Ayarigas nominations also subscribed for another presidential candidate. This is in breach of Regulation 7(4) of CI 94. Related Article: Mahama, Akufo-Addo, Greenstreet, Yeboah survive Charlotte Oseis axe She explained The implication is that the two subscribers are disqualified and therefore, Dr Ayariga does not have the requisite number of subscribers under Regulation 7(2) (b) of CI 94. The details of the duplicate subscribers are as follows: Abaako Issifu (page 103) Voter ID number 2988006876 PS code: J110202; Abudu Ayuba (page 95), Voter ID number 6303005554 PS code: H200201. In addition, the signatures of both voters are different on the two nomination forms. This raises questions as to the legitimacy of those signatures. We will refer the matter of the possible forgeries of these signatures to the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney General for investigation and prosecution in line with the following sections of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29): Section 211: Perjury Section 248: making false declaration etc. for office or voting; Section 251: Deceiving a public officer Section 256: Corruption, Intimidation and impersonation in respect of election. Related Article: APCs Hassan Ayariga beats retreat; apologises to EC Chair But the APC leader was angered by the decision which led to him raining invectives on the EC boss. He described Mrs Osei in unprintable words but was later to apologize for his act. The decision to seek the intervention of the court for his disqualification goes contrary to his earlier position that he would go on to a campaign. He had told party supporters at Ashaiman, a suburb of Accra that he would continue to campaign despite the disqualification, only for him to change his stance later. I will not campaign for myself but for my parliamentary candidates to win their election, he said. We have sent the matter to court today [Thursday] as we speak our lawyers are in court and only justice is what we are waiting for, he said, urging the judges to do due diligence to the electoral cases before them. He said he would not allow the Commission to plunge the country into chaos by divisive decisions in the lead-up to the general election. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will hold its sixty-fifth session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 24 October to 18 November, during which it will review reports presented by Canada, Burundi, Bhutan, Belarus, Argentina, Switzerland, Honduras, Armenia, Bangladesh, Estonia, and the Netherlands on how they implement the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. States parties to the Convention commit themselves to ending all forms of discrimination against women in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or other fields. The Committee, a 23-person expert body, monitors compliance with the Convention. It assesses to what extent each State party is meeting its obligations, and makes recommendations for the implementation of the Convention. At the opening meeting at 10 a.m. on Monday, 24 October, the Committee will hear an address by a representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and will adopt its agenda and programme of work. During the session, the Committee will consider the reports of 11 States parties, and will also hold public informal meetings with non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions to discuss the situation in the countries whose reports will be considered. Canada is presenting its combined eighth and ninth periodic reports CEDAW/C/CAN/8-9 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports, considered in October 2008, can be found in CEDAW/C/CAN/CO/7 . Burundi is presenting its combined fifth and sixth periodic reports CEDAW/C/BDI/5-6 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the combined second, third and fourth periodic reports, considered in January 2008 can be found in CEDAW/C/BDI/CO/4 . Bhutan is presenting its combined eighth and ninth periodic reports CEDAW/C/BTN/8-9 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the seventh periodic reports, considered in July 2009, can be found in CEDAW/C/BTN/CO/7 . Belarus is presenting its eighth periodic report CEDAW/C/BLR/8 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the seventh periodic report, considered in January 2011, can be found in CEDAW/C/BLR/CO/7 . Argentina is presenting its seventh periodic report CEDAW/C/ARG/7 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the sixth periodic report, considered in July 2010, can be found in CEDAW/C/ARG/CO/6 . Switzerland is presenting its combined fourth and fifth periodic reports CEDAW/C/CHE/4-5 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the combined third periodic reports, considered in July 2009, can be found in CEDAW/C/CHE/CO/3 . Honduras is presenting its combined seventh and eighth periodic reports CEDAW/C/HND/7-8 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic reports, considered in July 2007, can be found in CEDAW/C/HON/CO/6 . Armenia is presenting its combined fifth and sixth periodic reports CEDAW/C/ARM/5-6 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the combined third and fourth periodic reports, considered in January 2009, can be found in CEDAW/C/ARM/CO/4/Rev.1 . Bangladesh is presenting its eighth periodic report CEDAW/C/BGD/8 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports, considered in January 2011, can be found in CEDAW/C/BGD/CO/7 . Estonia is presenting its combined fifth and sixth periodic reports CEDAW/C/EST/5-6 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the fourth periodic report, considered in July 2007, can be found in CEDAW/C/EST/CO/4 . The Netherlands is presenting its sixth periodic report CEDAW/C/NLD/6 . The Committees concluding observations and recommendations on the fifth periodic report, considered in January 2010, can be found in CEDAW/C/NLD/CO/5 . The reports that the Committee will review during the session, all related documentation and the programme of work can be found on the sessions webpage . Following the consideration of the country reports, the Committee will adopt concluding observations and recommendations with regard to their implementation of the Convention, which will be published at the end of the session and will be available here . The webcast of the Committees public meetings will be available via the following link: http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/ . Detailed meeting coverage can be found in English and French on the United Nations Information Service Genevas webpage . Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1979, and entered into force on 3 September 1981. Often described as an international bill of rights for women, the Convention both defines discrimination against women and sets an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. Since its entry into force, the Convention has achieved near-universal acceptance, with 189 States parties. The Convention defines discrimination against women as "... any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field". By accepting the Convention, States parties commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms, including: incorporating the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system; abolishing all discriminatory laws and adopting appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women; establishing public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and ensuring the elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises. Optional Protocol to the Convention On 22 December 2000, the Optional Protocol to the Convention entered into force, by which States parties recognize the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications submitted by individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation of their rights under the Convention. To date, 108 of the Convention's 189 States parties have accepted the Optional Protocol. Before the Committee considers a complaint, it first must establish its admissibility under the terms of the Optional Protocol. The Optional Protocol also enables the Committee, upon the fulfilment of certain criteria, to undertake inquiries into possible grave or systematic violations of women's rights. Membership The Committee is made up of 23 experts of high moral standing and recognized competence in the field of women's rights. Members are nominated and elected by the States parties and serve in their personal capacity. The Committee Members are: Ayse Feride Acar (Turkey); Gladys Acosta Vargas (Peru); Nicole Ameline (France); Bakhita Al-Dosari (Qatar); Magalys Arocha Dominguez (Cuba); Barbara Evelyn Bailey (Jamaica); Niklas Bruun (Finland); Louiza Chalal (Algeria); Naela Mohamed Gabr (Egypt); Hilary Gbedemah (Ghana); Nahla Haidar (Lebanon); Ruth Halperin-Kaddari (Israel); Yoko Hayashi (Japan); Lilian Hofmeister (Austria); Ismat Jahan (Bangladesh); Dalia Leinarte (Lithuania); Lia Nadaraia (Georgia); Theodora Oby Nwankwo (Nigeria); Pramila Patten (Mauritius); Silvia Pimentel (Brazil); Biancamaria Pomeranzi (Italy); Patricia Schulz (Switzerland); and Xiaoqiao Zou (China). The Chairperson is Ms. Hayashi. The Vice Chairpersons are Ms. Bailey, Ms. Gabr and Ms. Leinarte. Ms. Schulz is the Rapporteur. The Secretary-General takes note of the conclusion of the national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He commends Edem Kodjo, the African Union Facilitator for the dialogue, as well as participants to the talks for their work and commitment towards a peaceful solution to the crisis in the context of the electoral process. The Secretary-General hopes that the implementation of the agreement will contribute to a more conducive climate for the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms essential to political debate and credible elections. He urges the Government to remain actively engaged with all political stakeholders, including through continued confidence-building measures. These include in particular the further release of political prisoners and respect for the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. He also calls on political groups who were not part of the national dialogue to seek to resolve their differences peacefully. The Secretary-General reiterates the crucial importance of peaceful and credible elections for the stabilization and consolidation of constitutional democracy in the DRC, in keeping with the Constitution and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. President John Mahama hardly delivers great speeches. It is one sad characteristic of our presidents in recent times. Mr. John Mahama is a good writer, but considering the heavy burden he bears, he cannot have time to write all his speeches himself. And one would expect his speechwriters to be up to the task. They ought to write speeches that would befit the Presidents status as an astute communicator. But, hey, his speechwriters will not take cues from those who write speeches for the main opposition leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. When President Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo speak, you find it difficult to choose a sound bite. With Nana Akufo-Addo, you have many compelling sound bites, and your difficulty is that you dont know which one to leave out. When President Mahama delivers a written speech, however, your difficulty is how to find something compelling to use. Sometimes the only reason he is given a sound bite is because of his position, and not the content of his delivery. But once in a while, he gets it right. A number of speeches he has delivered at the United Nations General Assembly have been on point, speeches that you listen and have your face twitching with a sense of pride. Back home, the day he really got it right was at the 59th Independence Anniversary in March this year. The President and his wife showed up at the event in their dazzling smocks. And his speech was the speech of a statesman. But his handlers creatively robbed him of the shine. Pictures of journalists who were packed into a rusty tipper truck to cover the occasion started flooding social media while the programme was still ongoing. And just as we thought we had had enough embarrassment for that day, the error-ridden anniversary brochure hit social media and would later occupy mainstream media discussions for days. Apart from the Golden Jubilee celebration of our independence, this years anniversary was the best in recent times. But the president could not enjoy the spotlight. Whose fault was it? It was those who handled the communications at the Flagstaff House, those who are in charge of the media and programmes at the presidency. The Presidents media handlers have, on a number of occasions, attracted unnecessary bad press, which contradicts the presidents personality and values as a media-friendly gentleman. But the president is yet to wake up to the reality. Just when one of the craziest presidential hopefuls to ever make an attempt at the White House, Donald Trump, was accusing the US media of conniving to rig the elections, news emerged of our President blaming a certain media cabal for not allowing the message of his good works to get to the public. It is populism, a certain group has taken control of the media in Ghana and it makes it difficult for people to discern the truth. So as much as you are putting out the information, it is either being blocked or distorted, President Mahama said during an interview with Ovation Magazine. It is worth noting that the President, like his predecessors, has received considerable media attention and coverage, both home and abroad. His interview with Tim Sebastian dazed him, and his BBC interview with Peter Okwoche, in which he fumbled about whether or not he had taken a bribe before, embarrassed him. Back home, however, almost all the interviews he has had with media houses appeared like image-enhancing public relations work. Like his predecessors, however, he has endured harsh and critical coverage from the Ghanaian media. Generally, however, he has been duly covered and many of them were carried live. If there is any reason for the President to worry, it should be the fact that he and his team have allowed avoidable scandals to drown his good news. A number of avoidable scandals have conspired with the corruption scandals that have hit this administration to drown the good news about the President. Beyond this, the president should blame the handlers of his press corps for the failure to get his stories out there, if only his assertion is true. The President has no media managers, and if there is anyone who goes by that title, then they are yet to learn the rudiments of their job. President Mahama is a communicator. Ironically, he has surrounded himself with people who have no respect for journalists. You dont treat journalists like trash and expect them to go out of their way to project you. And the President himself seems to sanction their behaviour. When city authorities mishandled a Joy FM reporter, the late President John Atta-Mills called the reporter to apologise to him and demanded action against the people. When President Mahamas close staffer attacked and destroyed the voice recorder of a GBC reporter, the Ghana Journalists Association regional executives demanded an apology from the culprit but he did not. The Media Foundation for West Africa presented a petition to the President to reprimand, Stan Dogbe, but nothing came out of it. Stan Dogbe did not apologise. And President Mahama has not said anything about it. A voice recorder of Yahaya Kwamoah of GBC radio was destroyed by Stan Dogbe at the 37 Military Hospital when the reporter went to report on presidential press corpse accident You certainly do expect journalists to go out of their way to project you when you treat them like trash. I covered the Presidency only once in my journalism career, but I had cause to raise concerns about the mistreatment meted out to journalists. On November 9, 2012, I stepped in for the Joy FM Presidential Correspondent because he was not in Accra. A team of rescuers was coming from Israel in the wake of the Melcom disaster and we were to go to the disaster scene with the President. The time for the assignment was communicated to us as 8:00AM so I got to the Cantonments residence of President Mahama at that time. The security at the gate refused us entry into the house. They asked us to go and hang around. When the Media Coordinator at the Presidency, Wisdom Peter Awuku , later arrived, he entered the compound and came out after about three hours to tell us that the time for the assignment had changed and that we either had to wait further or go the newsrooms and return in time for the trip to the disaster site in a convoy. The most appropriate option for most of us was to wait a bit longer. Almost every journalist there was complaining bitterly about the treatment we had received, so I decided to draw his attention to our concerns when he finished speaking. This was what happened between us: MANASSEH: My concern, and that has been the concern of many of us who came here this morning. We were asked to come here at 8 (AM) so I left the newsroom at 7:40 and I got here at 8. We were getting in there when the security said, we introduced ourselves, and he said we should go and hang around. That hanging around there are no chairs, and for three hours now WISDOM: Manasseh, listen, I wont allow you to finish talking. This morning when I spoke to you I told you that as for you it is a baptism of fire. Please, if you ask your colleagues who are Castle Correspondents, this is what we go through everyday. Its not going to be special treatment. When you come, there are no chairs to sit down. It took a while for the bus to come here. And the bus is even warm. Sometimes we dont put on the engine for you to have air condition. So I beg you, these issues, if you say them now, colleagues of you who are members of the Castle Press corps have been going through all this every day. Everyday! It is not rosy at all. MANASSEH: And do you think it is fair? WISDOM: As to whether it is fair, it is not a subject for discussion for now, and Im not going to discuss that with you. You can express it but that is the situation we go through every day. You call Seth, your colleague Seth (Kwame Boateng) to ask him. I dont know if he has told you, but this is the situation we go through everyday. And it may not change. Sometimes they will ask you to come at 6:00AM, and you leave here at midday. MANASSEH: Thats not my problem. My problem is, if you are delaying the person, at least give them a place to sit down OTHER JOURNALISTS: Or something Water to drink WISDOM: Go to the mans house. The people who are there are standing. You dont expect to be treated specially. Manasseh, Im sorry I cant I dont think we have to debate this thing. MANASSEH: Im actually doing a story on it. WISDOM: Manasseh, please, you can go ahead and do your story on it. MANASSEH: Okay. Thank you. Why should it be a baptism of fire when Im covering an assignment at one of the coziest residential areas in Ghana? Am I covering the war in Iraq? If you treat journalists like trash, they will not go out of their way to project the presidency. In 2015, a rented vehicle which conveyed the Presidential Press corps to an assignment in the Volta Region was involved in an accident on its way back. My investigation revealed that the vehicle was not rented from a reputable car rental company as the Presidency and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) wanted us to believe. One journalist was killed and many others were injured. A few months ago, I met one of them at Peace FM with a deformed hand. He said he still had a surgery to perform. Its been more than a year, but the Presidency is yet to come out with the report on what really went wrong. Some members of the press corps who were involved in that accident are aggrieved. They tell me they have not been compensated, or rather some of those who were involved in the accident were sorted out while others were left to their fate. Just yesterday, some journalists in the Volta Region were complaining about the behaviour of Wisdom Peter Awuku, who is currently with the President in his tour of the Volta Region. According to the reporters, he told them the President came with reporters in Accra so the story would still be told anyway, with or without them. A journalist in the Volta Region, Fred Kwadwo Duodu, and his colleagues in the regional are not happy about how they were treated by the presidential staffers on Monday when the when they covered the Presidents visit to the Volta Region If President Mahama really wants to blame any media cabal for blocking his good news, he should not look beyond the Flagstaff House. He should not look beyond his most trusted confidants. I dont believe there is a media cabal blocking the message of the Presidents good deeds. The president has enjoyed and continues to enjoy enormous media coverage. If he is worried about the bad news drowning the good ones, then he should blame the people he pays to manage his communication. Not all journalists are prepared to sell their conscience. Not every journalist can be bought. Not every journalist would want a Toyota Prado before they can go out of their way to tell positive stories about the Presidency. If members of the Presidential Press corps cannot be treated with respect, then you dont have to think far to determine where your downfall with the media is coming from. If you cannot reprimand your media handlers who attack and break journalists equipment, then you have no right to blame any non-existent media cabal for blocking your good news. The president should thank his God for the poor leadership we have in the GJA. Any serious association should have called for a boycott of the presidency unless Stan Dogbe apologised or the president reprimanded him. The Media Foundation for West Africa petitioned the Presidency to call Stan Dogbe to order. About 150 journalists signed that petition but nothing has come out of it. Mr. President, whoever knows you will know that you are a media-friendly gentleman. But if you ever think that the media is hostile to you, then dont look too far to see the cause. Your own press corps members are not happy. The writer, Manasseh Azure Awuni, is a senior broadcast journalist with Joy 99.7 FM. You can write to him through [email protected] . From: Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA Special Correspondent, Quito, Ecuador, Courtesy MLG&RD/Zoomlion Ghana) Quito (Ecuador), Oct. 20, GNA - Participants at the United Nations (UN) Habitat III Quito, Ecuador, has applauded Zoomlion Ghana, the leading waste and sanitation Management Company in Ghana for sanitation management. The waste and management company received the commendation from the participants after a presentation done by Mr Mohammed Mahama Adams, a Communications Officer at the side event of Ghana at the ongoing UN-Habitat Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador. The participants were particularly pleased about Zoomlion's innovative initiative in waste and sanitation management in Ghana and in other African countries. The products and services captured in brochures, banners, and other souvenirs which were displayed at the event were the main attraction as country representatives, individuals, companies and non-governmental organisations troops to. The Zoomlion stand also has become news attraction joint for international journalists covering the Habitat III as they constantly visit the Ghana booth to interact with the company's representatives. The company with more than 10 years experience in waste management in Ghana and scores of African countries had won a number of international awards for its dedication to waste and sanitation management. In an interview with Ghana News Agency, Mr Adams said Zoomlion had shared its innovative programmes such as Afforestation, Street Cleaning, Ecobrigade, Zoil and the provision of free waste bins to communities and households with other participants. He said Zoomlion's most significant contribution at the Habitat III conference was its boldness in drawing the attention of the organisers of the event to the fact that sanitation and waste management was left out in the broader discussions of urbanisation and urban development. He said the missing gap in the Habitat III Conference, which was focused mainly on urban development from a housing equity perspective, was wrong as it failed to take into account the consequences of urban development. The Communication Officer reminded the world that urban development policies should begin with thoughts about how to deal with urban waste and sanitation. He said Zoomlion had been classified as a contemporary international organisation with foresight and vision and with the capability to influence up-to-date thinking and practice in waste and sanitation management in all sectors. Mr Albert Ankrah, an Officer of the Company's Business Development Unit said as an indigenous Ghanaian company, Zoomlion was committed to becoming the champion of a cleaner, greener and healthy environment all across Africa. He expressed Zoomlion's appreciation of the commendations and recognitions received on the global stage, adding that, the organisation was humbled by such international applauses. Mr Ankrah said waste and sanitation management, expounded on the works of Zoomlion as more of a social investment that puts public health, social welfare and the efficient management of the natural environment before profits. The Ghana side event was on the theme: 'Urban Development Management in Ghana and Implications for the New Urban Agenda: 'The Case Study of the Urban Management Pilot Programme and the National Priority Planned City Extension of Ningo-Prampram. The Habitat III Conference serves as a platform to ratify and adopt the 'New Urban Agenda' which would focus on Climate Change, protection and public Safety. The Habitat III, the third conference in line with the bi-decennial cycle (1976, 1996 and 2016) is aimed at invigorating and securing a renewed global political commitment to sustainable urbanisation to focus on the implementation of a 'New Urban Agenda', building on the Habitat Agenda of Istanbul in 1996. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA Special Correspondent, Quito, Ecuador, Courtesy Zoomlion Ghana Quito (Ecuador), Oct. 20, GNA - Ghana has been commended by the International Community for its policies, programmes, projects and strategies on the country's Urban Development initiatives at the United Nations Housing and Sustainable Development Habitat III) Conference in Quito, Ecuador. The commendation was made after a panel presentation by Mr Sylvanus Kofi Adzornu, the Head of the Urban Development Unit, at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development at the country side event organised by the Ministry at the Habitat III Conference. The panel also included Mr Kofi Yeboah, Physical Planner at Ningo-Prampram, Mr Aloycious N. Bongwa, Technical Adviser and Team leader of Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP), and Mr Mahama Mohammed Adams, Zoomlion Ghana and a statement by the Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr Charles K. Dondieu, who led the Ghana's delegation. The side event was on the theme: Urban Development Management in Ghana and Implications for the New Urban Agenda: 'The Case Study of the Urban Management Pilot Programme and the National Priority Planned City Extension of Ningo-Prampram. The panel was moderated by Dr Isaac F. Mensah-Bonsu at the National Development Planning Commission. On the topic Urban Development Management in Ghana and Implications for the New Urban Agenda, Mr Adzornu said linkages to the New Urban Agenda (NUA) for Ghana was to review appropriate policies and framework in accordance with NUA and incorporating it into all levels of planning. It was also from a partnership especially with the private sector and development partners to ensure efficient service delivery, localise and adopt Sustainable Development Goals and other international frameworks and involve the marginalised in planning especially slum dwellers and disabled. Mr Adzornu said the Ministry in working with partners was preparing to review the National Urban Policy and Action Plan and other relevant policy frameworks, Preparation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the National Urban Policy, Preparation of an Investment Plan for the National Urban Policy and Action Plan and GAP Analysis. The Head of the Urban Development Unit said GUMPP was a 44.5million Euros Government - AFD Urban Development programme and targets four selected cities including Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale and Ho as its pilot stage, seeking to promote a comprehensive/city-wide approach to urban issues, within the framework of the draft National Urban Policy (NUP) and its action plan. Mr Adzornu said the objectives of the GUMPP was to implement urban development programme in four secondary cities allowing for a widespread access to essential services at the desired level and quality and to build the financial, management and ownership capacities of the four selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). 'It is also to support economic activities and enhance the revenue collection capacity of local governments for increased local internally generated funds and strengthen MMDA's urban planning capacities, thus limiting the negative impact of urban sprawl on peripheral eco-systems.' Mr Adzornu called on the international community for partnership in knowledge exchange and also identify Housing Development, Local Governance Framework, Fiscal Decentralisation, Urban Services Provision, Transportation, Urban Development Expansion, Energy, Natural Resource Management, Water and Sanitation Management and Policy Formulation as the potential areas of collaboration and partnerships with other countries. GNA Dunkwa (C/R), Oct.20, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on Ghanaians to give President John Mahama another four year -term to continue with his massive infrastructure development in the country. He said the NDC was a party that cared for all Ghanaians and did not discriminate in the sharing of the national cake. Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur was addressing hundreds of NDC supporters at a rally in Ayanfuri in the Upper Denkyira West Constituency of the Central Region. The programme forms part of the Vice President's four-day campaign tour of the Central Region to canvas for votes for the NDC to retain power in the December 7 Elections. Vice President Amissah-Arthur also stated that President Mahama had to continue with the projects that he had started since a change for another Government would abandon what he started. He said the Government had started work on the cocoa roads in the area as well as providing fertiliser and cocoa seedlings to farmers. He called on the electorate in the area to vote massively for Mr Ambrose Amoah-Ashyiah , the NDC's parliamentary candidate for Assin South. He said Amoah-Ashyiah who doubled as the District Chief Executive for the area, brought a lot of developmental projects, including the provision of school infrastructure, extension of electricity to various communities and roads. Mr Amoah-Ashyiah, for his part, urged the electorate this time round give him the nod as the Member of Parliament for the Upper Denkyira West Constituency to complement the efforts of President Mahama in the next NDC Administration to bring more development to the area. Vice President Amissah-Arthur and the members of his entourage, also addressed rallies at Kyerewere and Dunkwa-on-Offin Zongo, both in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency. He reminded the people of the good work President Mahama had done and the need to retain him for another four year-term. He introduced the NDC's Parliamentary Candidate for, Upper Denkyira East Constituency Mrs Emelia Ankomah, to the people. GNA From: Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA Special Correspondent, Quito, Ecuador, Courtesy MLG&RD/Zoomlion Ghana Quito (Ecuador), Oct. 20, GNA - Mr Sylvanus Kofi Adzornu, Head of the Urban Development Unit at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development says rural urban migration is the cause of slums in Ghana. He said the population of Accra and Kumasi alone put pressure on the infrastructure and social amenities, therefore creating slums in the city. Mr Adzornu was contributing to a discussion on Affordable Housing Network organised at the United Nations Habitat III Conference held in Quito, Ecuador on Wednesday. He said the politicisation of important issues in Ghana was one of the major problems that set back the country's development, adding: "Our institutions must be working without any politics.' 'It is an offence for people to build on water ways in Ghana, but people build on water ways with impunity with no respect for our laws." The Head of the Urban Development Unit said there was the need for uniformity and equal disbursement of public funds and state houses in all parts of the country to reduce rural-urban migration, which was the major cause of slums in our cities. He said it took many countries a number of years to develop their cities and Ecuador was no exception. The UN Habitat III Conference is a platform to ratify and adopt the New Urban Agenda which would focus on Sustainable Urban Development, including issues such as housing, slum prevention and upgrading, climate change, protection and public safety. The Habitat III, the third conference in line with the bi-decennial cycle (1976, 1996 and 2016) is aimed at invigorating and securing a renewed global political commitment to sustainable urbanization to focus on the implementation of a 'New Urban Agenda', building on the Habitat Agenda of Istanbul in 1996. GNA By Iddi Yire, GNA Accra, Oct 20, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC), on Thursday, conducted balloting for parliamentary candidates of the 15 participating political parties, with barely 48 days to the December 7 Polls. Seven of the parties were represented at the EC's Head Office in Accra for the balloting. These are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Progressive People's Party (PPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), Independent People's Party (IPP), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and the United People's Party (UPP). The GCPP placed first, followed by the PPP, NDC, UPP and the NPP. The NDP placed sixth followed by the IPP at the close of the balloting for placement on the ballot paper for the election 2016. The rest of the political parties, which were not present at the event, had their positions determined by the manner in which their presidential candidates filed their nomination papers. They are the United Front Party (UFP) which placed eighth followed by the All People's Congress (APC), Reformed Patriotic Democrat (RPD), United Development System Party (UDSP), Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC) and the Democratic People's Party (DPP) placing 15th. Mr Samuel Tettey, the EC Director for Elections, explained that the contest for the positions for the independent candidates would be held throughout the 275 constituencies. On the issue that in the past, presidential and parliamentary candidates usually occupied the same position on the ballot paper, Mr Tettey said, it was a convention that the EC usually used in the past, but it was not backed by any law. Mr Amadu Sulley, the EC Deputy Commissioner in-charge of Elections, said balloting for positions on the presidential ballot paper had been suspended pending the outcome of legal suits filed against the EC by some presidential aspirants who had been disqualified by the Commission. He said due to the limited amount of time left, the EC would go ahead with the printing of the ballot papers and notice of polls for the parliamentary candidates. He announced that the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) would hold its next meeting on Friday, October 28, to deliberate issues pertaining to the December 7 general election. Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Chairperson of the EC, sat through the session. Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the General Secretary of the NDC, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the number 'three' was significant in the divine realm; declaring that it was in line with John 3:16 in the Bible. Mr John Boadu, the NPP's National Organiser, and Acting General Secretary, expressed concern over the different placement of presidential and parliamentary candidates on the ballot paper and its impact on the elections. He, however, said he was hopeful that voters would be able distinguish his party's logo and the pictures attached to the elephant from other political parties. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA Ho, Oct 20, GNA - Government has approved the upward adjustment of student loans administered by the Students' Loan Trust to range from GHa1,000.00 and GHa 2,000.00, President John Dramani Mahama has announced. He said government had also established Students' Loans plus to cater for needy but brilliant tertiary students throughout the county. President Mahama announced this when he addressed students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences at the Trafalgar Hall as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Volta Region. Currently, students who opt for the students loans receive from GHa750.00 and GHa1,000.00. The increment would therefore empower the students to pay their fees and cater for other needs on their campuses. President Mahama said education was crucial for human resource development and that was why his administration was spending more than 30 per cent of the National budget on it and called on the students to take advantage of the upwards review of the loans scheme to complete their courses successfully. On the economy, President Mahama said Ghana had been resolute in spite of the global economic crisis because she was not solely dependent an commodity-based exportations, a situation that stifled trade activity in Nigeria, China, Brazil and Venezuela. He said government had also put in place a number of fiscal discipline, which had stabilised the Cedi even 2016 was an election year. This, he said was accomplished by the fact that government was shying away from taking any funding from the Central Bank making the economy very resilient against major international currencies in the world. "Government is receiving zero financing from the Bank of Ghana as part of our fiscal discipline we are exhibiting to avoid the perennial financial deficits that the country faced after every general election." He explained that during election years, governments in their bid to retain power over award contracts resulting in heavy financial deficits and his administration was determined to break that vicious cycle. President Mahama appealed to the students to be crusaders on climate change as their educational programmes in that direction could change the mindset of Ghanaians especially farmers who were still adhering to antiquated farming methods. On terrorists' attacks on some countries, President Mahama said it was by Divine intervention that spared Ghana and urged Ghanaians to continue to pray for the blessings received from God over the years. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Joyce Danso, GNA Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - Some supporters of Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) on Thursday, besieged an Accra High Court with various placards demonstrating their abhorrence to the disqualification of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the Party's Presidential Nominee from the Election 2016. The Party supporters clad in PPP White and Red T-shirts with the effigy of Dr Nduom imbedded in the middle whilst others have the effigy of the late Mrs Eva Lokko PPP 2012 Vice Presidential Candidates in the middle. Some of the placards read: 'Charlotte, Bring Nduom Back,' 'We need change,' and 'We need Nduom'. The vociferous PPP supporters congregated adjacent the New Court Complex, amidst singing, drumming and dancing, in support of Dr Nduom. Mrs Bridgette Dzorgbenuku, PPP Vice Presidential Nominee and scores of PPP Parliamentary candidates were in court. Dr Nduom and 12 others were disqualified from the contest by the Electoral Commission (EC) based on legal errors committed during the filling of the 2016 Presidential Nomination Forms. The PPP had filed a writ seeking an order of the Court to restrain Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Electoral Commissioner. He is praying the Court to stop the EC from proceeding with the balloting for the position of Presidential Candidates for the December 7, polls. PPP is also seeking an order directed at the Electoral Commissioner to grant Dr Nduom the opportunity to amend and alter one anomaly found on his nomination papers and accept his nomination as amended so he could contest in the polls as Presidential Candidate. Dr Nduom and 12 others were disqualified from the contest by the EC based on legal errors committed during the filling of the 2016 Presidential Nomination Forms. Some of the reasons outlined by the EC that led to the disqualification of the aspirants are filing anomalies including fraudulent signatures, absence of a required number of signatures and improper filling of nomination forms. The PPP had filed a writ seeking an order of the Court to restrain Mrs Osei, the Electoral Commissioner. He is praying the Court to stop the EC from proceeding with the balloting for the position of Presidential Candidates for the December 7, polls. PPP is also seeking an order directed at the Electoral Commissioner to grant Dr Nduom the opportunity to amend and alter one anomaly found on his nomination papers and accept his nomination as amended so he could contest in the Polls as Presidential Candidate. The restraining order was in a Notice of Motion for an Order for Judicial Review. The PPP applicant contended that his disqualification was in breach of the rules of natural justice and an error on the face of the record. PPP is seeking for further orders as the court may deem fit. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA Kumasi, Oct 20, GNA - Chiefs have been asked to give strong backing to the implementation of government's interventions, designed to tackle the devastating impact of climate change. Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, warned that the nation could face possible food insecurity, if it ignored to act. He made the call in a speech read for him at a day's workshop to sensitize the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs on the 'Paris Climate Change Agreement', which has been ratified by Ghana. It was also to seek the views of the traditional rulers on how best to implement the 'Agreement' alongside Ghana's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (GH-INDC) - a coordinated domestic policy actions to safeguard development gains from impacts of climate change and build a climate resilient economy. Dubbed, 'Ashanti Regional Road Show on GH-INDC', the workshop was organized by the Ministry with support from the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP). Mr. Ayariga hinted that 20 mitigation and 11 adaptation programmes in seven priority economic sectors would be implemented between 2020 and 2030. 'These 31 programme of actions will drive the strategic focus of a 10-year post 2020 enhanced climate action plan.' The expectation was that they would lead to low carbon climate resilience through effective adaptation and greenhouse gas emission reduction. He underlined the government's determination to fight climate change and said this would be done through innovative ways. Mr. John Alexander Ackon, the Regional Minister, said climate change had brought with it developmental challenges including poverty, growth of informal settlements, rapid urbanization and land depletion. He said it was important all stakeholders united their effort to help reduce the effects of the phenomenon on the national economy. GNA Members of Parliament are waiting anxiously for a debate on the Finance Minister's proposed budget for the first quarter of 2017. There was a huge expectation that the Finance Minister would today give a presentation of the 2017 first quarter estimates in Parliament. Finance Minister Seth Terkper was likely to propose a 10.9 billion cedis expenditure target which would represent first quarter of 2017 estimates and vote of accounts. The presentation was to enable government spend between January and March 2017 pending a new budget to be read by the new government that would emerge from the 2016 elections. However that presentation has been put on hold, Joy News' Parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey reported. The action was in line with the constitution and the new Public Financial Management law. According to Elton Brobbey, the Minister was called to lay the document before Parliament, which was later referred to the appropriate committee to consider the content of the document and report back to Parliament. Last week the Deputy Majority Leader, Alfred Agbesie in presenting the business statement told the House that the Minister was going to present estimates for revenue and expenditure of the government of Ghana for the 2017 financial year and that he was also going to present expenditure in advance of appropriation for the first quarter of next year. However, the Financial Minister withdrew the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the government of Ghana for 2017 which would have suggested a full budget presentation for next year, despite the uncertainty in who wins this year's election. It is expected that the new that comes into office will present the budget statement for next year. According to Elton John Brobbey members of the Finance Committee of Parliament are perusing the document after which it will be brought back to the floor of Parliament for debate. Majority Leader Alban Bagbin said with the document having been laid in the House, it is the property of Parliament and due process will be followed in debating the issues contained in the document. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance R. David Harden is visiting Ethiopia October 19-23. Harden will meet with high level government officials and will reiterate the long-standing call by the United States government for the Government of Ethiopia to respect its citizens' constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms of expression and association. He will reiterate the importance of peaceful dialogue, democratic reform, political pluralism and respect for fundamental freedoms for the sustainability of Ethiopias economic and development gains. Assistant Administrator Harden will also meet non-governmental organizations, who are important to developing credible democratic governance and civil society. In addition, Harden will meet with officials from the United Nations, including the World Food Program, to discuss refugee issues and efforts to lift rural regions out of poverty and create communities resilient to climate shocks. Dear Fellow Ghanaian; As the elections draw closer and we get ready to vote, work, advance, protect our democracy and choose our next leader, I urge you to vote for the best character. Many accomplished Advisors of world leaders, have mentioned character as a key factor in predicting who could be a great President. Looking at the 2 key candidates likely to win the next Presidential Election, there is little doubt who has the best character. Nana Akufo-Addo has a long history of proven integrity and incorruptibility. Indeed, some even in his own political tradition, are rumoured to be afraid of his abhorrence of corruption. Furthermore, not only does Nana have the personal credibility, he has policies to reduce corruption and hold any corrupt officials to account. For instance, Nana has promised to create and empower an independent special prosecutor, to protect the nation from and reduce the menace of corruption, without undue politicisation. So, almost no objective mind doubts that Nana is going to effectively tackle the corruption menace. He is also a great family man with a fantastic wife and 5 daughters. He is a devoted Christian, is charitable and does not drink alcohol or smoke. He is also known to have a generous heart and has a long trail of kindness. To state just one of a myriad of examples about his kindness, the current Asante King has described how Nana served as his lawyer for years, when the Otumfuor was an ordinary royal, without charging him. Nana is also blessed to be very cross-cultured, being married to a Ga and growing up among tribes not of his Akyem/Akuapem extract. Indeed, he speaks many local and foreign languages. Most importantly, though, Nana speaks the language of bringing our people together. Nana is also experienced and matured, having achieved lifelong excellence in law, business and politics. Many successful political leaders, like Alassane Outtara and Jean Chretien have been known to benefit from such long and rich experience, before assuming the mantle of national leadership. Anyway, nothing perhaps demonstrates Nana's character more than how he let go off the disputed 2012 election and the 2013 Supreme Court election petition verdict that followed. For this seminal move of showing ultimate love for the nation above self, many societal leaders have correctly conferred on him the title Abotarehene. So, the choice is clear. On December 7th, vote for the best character. Prince Ofosu Sefah. NPP Canada Branch Secretary & Communications Team Member Facebook.com/nppcanadaforreal Running mate to Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia has ridiculed the achievements of the Mahama led-administration, saying the NDC has only been successful in increasing the levels of corruption in the country. According to Dr. Bawumia, the NDC's government since 2009 has been largely characterized by massive corruption. Speaking to residents of Kuwane in the Salaga South constituency of the Northern Region, Dr. Bawumia therefore called on the electorates, especially those in the three Northern Regions to vote against the Mahamaled administration for failing to address their concerns. Mahama told us that he was our brother so we should vote for him. He has been in government for eight years. Four years as Vice President and Head of economic management team and four years as President. Corruption is the hallmark of this government. We have SADA, we have GYEEDA, we have Woyome, we have Subah. Everything they touch is corruption and that is costing us a lot of money. John Mahama has not done anything for Northerners. He is spending our money and it is time to let him know that we want a government of integrity. Bawumia has been criticising the Mahama-led adminstration since he began his campaign tour in the three Northern Regions. On Wednesday,he accused the Mahama-led administration of impoverishing Ghanaians. Speaking to residents of Savelugu as part of his campaign tour of the region, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia said the current challenges bedeviling the country are a result of the NDC's mismanagement of the economy. The problems we are having today in Ghana are from three particular related issues. Mismanagement, incompetence and corruption. Those are the three problems in Ghana today. That is why we need a change from the mismanagement, incompetence and corruption. All these three things, lead to unemployment. His comment come days after he asked residents in the Northern parts of the country to vote against President Mahama in the December polls since he [Mahama] and his government do not love the people in those regions but only care about their stomach and pockets. -Citifmonline The Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper, has laid government's advanced budget for the first quarter of 2017 in Parliament. According to Starr News' Parliamentary Correspondent, Kobby Gomez-Mensah, the paper has been referred to the Finance Committee of Parliament and it is expected to submit its report on the estimates to the House after it has finished with its work. The budget presentation has become necessary because of the December 7 polls and the need to prevent overspending in case of a transition in government. There is, however, the possibility from now till next Friday for the Finance Minister to outline the governments projected revenue and expenditure between January and March 2017. The finance minister in July this year sought approval from parliament to spend an additional 1.8 billion Cedis for the remaining of 2016. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A UN panel of experts has found evidence of "well-established networks" of arms suppliers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East that are fueling the war in South Sudan. In a confidential report to the Security Council obtained by AFP on Thursday, the panel described the arms deals that are not recent and involve Israeli and Bulgarian firms. The council has threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan to try to end the fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. While the arms deals date back to 2014 or earlier, "this evidence nevertheless illustrates the well-established networks through which weapons procurement is coordinated from suppliers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and then transferred through middlemen in eastern Africa to South Sudan," said the report. The panel said rebel fighters loyal to Reik Machar recently turned up in the Democratic Republic of Congo armed with Israeli-made automatic rifles that were part of a stock sold to Uganda in 2007. The weapons were likely taken from South Sudanese government stocks either through battlefield capture or defections, said the report sent to the council last week. The panel said the Israeli-made rifles were likely part of a larger group of weapons that was transferred to South Sudan from Uganda. After receiving a tip from Spain, the UN experts are looking into an arms trafficking network based in Europe that received an "extensive list of small arms, munitions and light weapons" from the rebels in 2014. The deal which also involved a middleman from Senegal provided for shipments that were at least partially delivered, they said. Deals through Uganda A Bulgarian firm delivered a shipment of small arms ammunition and 4,000 assault rifles to Uganda in July 2014, which were later transferred to South Sudan. The firm, Bulgarian Industrial Engineering, worked through an intermediary in Uganda identified as Bosasy Logistics, whose chairman Valerii Copeichin is a Moldovan national. The report said recent arms supplies were likely to have been made "through the same modality." UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous has called on the council to move quickly to cut off the arms flow, but Russia opposes the move while African countries have expressed reservations. "I think an arms embargo should happen now and that's even very late," Ladsous told reporters on Tuesday. "The rainy season is coming to a close and that has frequently been the time of the year when people go back to military operations." The council has said it will impose an arms embargo if Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon determines that the government in Juba is blocking the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force. South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup. The nearly three-year war has been marked by appalling numbers of rapes and killings. Founder and President of Mens Health Foundation (MHF)- Ghana & Nigeria, Professor Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, has revealed that twenty six (26) Nigerian men die daily of prostate cancer. According to him, the rate at which men diagnosed with prostate cancer die in Nigeria was very alarming. Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, who is a prostate cancer researcher and a policy maker, made the revelation. He said what was even more worrying about the Nigeria problem was the fact that awareness level of the disease (prostate cancer) was very low. In fact there is little awareness of prostate cancer in Nigeria compared to the kind of publicity my NGO-Mens Health Foundation-has created in Ghana, Prof. Nyarkotey Obu disclosed. The low awareness of prostate cancer in Nigeria, Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, disclosed has compelled his non-governmental organisation (MHF) to spread it wings into Nigeria and help prevent more prostate cancer deaths. In fact the rate at which men diagnosed with prostate cancer die in Nigeria is very alarming, and that is why MHF has formed the Nigerian branch. And through our Nigerian branch we aim to create awareness on the disease in all the States of Nigeria and also help prevent prostate cancer deaths in Nigeria, Prof. Nyarkotey Obu emphasised. The prostate cancer researcher further hinted that his NGO will also lobby the powers-that-be in Nigeria and push for Fathers Day to be recognised as National Prostate Cancer Day in Nigeria like we are hoping to achieve in Ghana. According to Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, the launch of the Mens Health Foundation Nigeria will come off on November 15, 2016 in Lagos. The Coordinator of MHF-Nigeria, Samuel Larbi Ariyo, who was with Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, disclosed that since his branch was making inroads after a months of being in operation. More prominent Nigerians including politicians, government officials have expressed interest in the project and are willing to support the NGO, he noted. He went on to reveal that the Nigerian branch of Mens Health Foundation has an 8-member committee which is headed by Mr. Samuel Babalola. For now what we are basically doing is that we are feverishly preparing towards the official launch of the Nigerian branch of Mens Health Foundation in Lagos which is slated for November 15, 2016, Mr. Ariyo averred. According to Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu who is a research Professor of Prostate cancer & Holistic Medicine at Da Vinci College of Holistic Medicine, Cyprus further revealed that, Prostate cancer is the number one cancer killer of Nigerian men! In Nigeria, prostate cancer has a mortality rate of over eighty percent (80%)! A recent report by World Health Organization (WHO) shows that within a period of four years, deaths from prostate cancer in Nigeria increased by almost 100 per cent. The report showed that Prostate cancer now kills 26 Nigerian men every day (up from 14 men every day). This increase is evident from frequent reports in the media of prominent Nigerians that have died of the disease in recent times out of ignorance. The Nigerian prostate cancer statistics is alarming and outrageous, given the fact that prostate cancer is curable if detected early. He added. Explaining What is responsible for the high mortality rate of prostate cancer in Nigeria and the black community, he explained that the answer is not far -fetched- lack of awareness and inadequate infrastructure and manpower for cancer prevention and treatment in Nigeria. We have relied too much on foreign research which is not beneficial because there is cancer disparity and until black scientist, Physicians, government, policy makers and researchers rise up we are unlikely to see any further headway. To improve prostate cancer survivor ship, it is important for every man to know his risk of prostate cancer as well as the signs and symptoms. We will work with policy makers and other organizations to improve services delivery. We will research into the disease locally, provide support to those diagnosed, and provide training to health professionals and research into evidence based holistic medicine to address the side effect of conventional treatment. There is urgent need to make prostate cancer screening widely available and accessible to all Nigerian men. He says We cannot treat our way out of the prostate cancer problem. We need commitment to prevention and early detection is desperately needed in order to complement improved treatments and address the alarming rise in prostate cancer burden in the black community, the mortality rate is very high in Nigeria, for every six men diagnosed 5 will die leaving only one and it appears prostate cancer is a death sentence in Nigeria. He says. On moving forward Dr. Nyarkotey says, An excellent way of providing easily accessible prostate cancer screenings would be the deployment of Mobile Cancer Centres (MCC) which would take holistic health promotion to the grassroots of Nigeria and we have a plan in Nigeria as we expand our wings and services to other African countries to stop prostate cancer before it strikes as ignoring prostate cancer wont beat it. He concluded. 20.10.2016 LISTEN INTRODUCTION Organizational growth and productivity is solely based on healthy and effectivity risk governance framework of the institution. For organizations to ensure that proper risk governance framework is in place, there is the need for review of all risk management practices, policies and systems. Organizations and corporations fail as a result of ineffective adherence of risk management procedures and policies. Again, the separation of risk managers from the organizational board and management also contribute to the failure of most State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).Observations made on past managements of SOEs revealed that risk and compliance managers have not being considered as part of the core implementation team of organizational strategy. The organizations board and management team is responsible for the success of every State Owned Enterprise. The effectiveness of their oversight responsibility and governance approach will determine the growth and value creation of the SOEs. WHY SOEs FAIL IN AFRICA An introspective view of the continues failure of most SOEs in Africa revealed that there is governance and risk gaps.in addition to this identified problem, is noncompliance and excessive government interference in the operations of the SOEs. A steep analysis and review of the entire operations and performance of SOEs points to several factors. Appointments of Board and Top Executives Several evidence across African counties has shown that SOEs have failed as a result of government appointments to the board and top executive management of state owned enterprises. Especially in Ghana, since independence, about 85% of all SOEs have failed because of government total involvement in the appointment of board members and top executive management. Political loyalty and sponsorship has always being chosen over competence and experience during appointment of board and management of SOEs and this has contributed to the failure of almost all SOEs in Ghana. Performance and sustained growth of SOEs has dwindled since corporate governance and risk procedures are mostly overlooked and selfish decision making to favor political government take the top spot of the scale of preference of the board and management. It is evidence that positions of influence in SOEs are mostly filled by political stalwarts, whose objective and interest is to support government interest at the expense of citizens and shareholder. Stakeholders Involvement In a typical management and SOEs setup for accountability and going concern assurance, it is between the owner, steward and independent oversight responsibility function. The trio forms the basic accountability structure of the SOEs. The Citizen (owner), the Auditor and the executive (oversight steward) form the accountability structure of SOEs. Mostly, the citizen who is the owner is unfamiliar about the management of the SOE or their role in the governance structure. Information denial and sometimes ignorance of the citizenry also contribute to the failure of SOEs in Africa, especially Ghana. This serves the interest of corrupt government individuals and top executives at the expense of the citizenry and the SOEs. Total empowerment and free flow of information on SOEs performance and governance is demanded for accountability assurance and growth sustainance.This will save a lot of SOEs from failing or better still collapsing. The Culture of Corruption State Owned Enterprises over the years have failed due to breakdown of corporate governance procedures, internal control processes and risk and compliance structures. The love for fraud and corruption by appointed board members and top management executive has been the core problem most SOEs in Africa especially Ghana face. Selfish interest and greed on the part of top executive over the main business objective has caused most SOEs to fail. Failed government commitment for payment of Subsides has piled up over the years and has become huge debt on the balance sheet of most state corporations. Conversely, prices are set to protect "inefficient enterprises or provide resources for cross-subsidization (Mwaura, 2007).The 11th International Anti-Corruption Conference (2003) established that A crisis in ethics lies at the heart of recent failures in self-regulation, and underlines the necessity for appropriate government regulation, especially in areas vulnerable to corruption. Poor Performance and Wasteful Expenditure by Top Executive Most State Owned Enterprises have failed due to continue poor performance, mismanagement of resources and lack of ownership of responsibility by top management. There is enough evidence to prove that SOEs have performed poorly due to mismanagement of resources from top management to operation staff. Unlike the private sector and multinational institutions, state owned enterprises rarely have clear corporate targets set or objective understood by employees.in most cases, where targets are set, there are insufficient opportunities and resources available for value creation and sustained performance. Remuneration discrepancies and reward systems have being major problem resulting to poor performance of SOEs. A lot of issues surrounding the wastage of resources by top management and huge monetary rewards that chief executives earn have caused most SOEs to fail. Such discrepancy, coupled with the setting of salaries of top chief executives by the office of the President has contributed to lack of motivation. As said by the great man If you do not know where you are going, any road will lead you there (Lewis,N.D) Recommendations for the way forward There is the need for comprehensive sate policy on the governance of State Owned Enterprise (SOEs) in Ghana/Africa. The success and growth sustenance of SOEs are key to National development. A nation with the main objective of job creation and economic development must ensure that all state owned enterprises are managed well and all corporate governance standards are adhered to. Government must ensure that very qualified and experience individuals are appointed to the boards and top executives positions of all SOEs. Going forward government must ensure that strategy is put in place to refinance all state owned enterprises. Again, there can be partnership between government and the private sector to manage SOEs to ensure there is growth and sustenance of their existence. I recommend that government pay off all debts owed the SOEs in the country and make all the government agencies and ministries take full control of their expenditure and revenue generation. Government should immediately stop appointing unskilled, uneducated, inexperience and party folks to sensitive and key positions of SOEs. Government should sanction all appointees and individuals who cause financial loss and stagnation to the growth of SOEs as a result of selfish and corrupt gains. Conclusion It is governments responsibility to ensure that SOEs in the country are managed well to create jobs. The growth sustainability of SOEs is key to national development and economic freedom. As a nation we all have individual responsibilities to ensure that our country grows and move forward for financial and economic stability and freedom. 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi . THE FORMER Minister of Trade and Industry under the erstwhile NPP administration, Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, says the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo represents the best hope for this country and must be given the chance to lead Ghana. The former minister noted that Ghana risks being plunged into further economic chaos if the NPP, under the leadership of Nana Addo, is not given the chance to lead this country. According to him, the NDC administration, led by President John Dramani Mahama does not have the competence to handle the myriad of challenges facing the country. Addressing supporters of the NPP at Kromoase in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency as part of the NPP flagbearers four day tour to the Ashanti Region, the former trade and industry minister promised that the next NPP will introduce business-friendly policies and programmes that will create an enabling environment for business to flourish. According to him, the two major problems confronting Ghanaians for which the Nana Addo-led government will seriously tackle are jobs and cash, adding that Ghanaians would have jobs and will be able to contribute meaningful to the development of the country. Mr. Kyerematen indicated that the next government of the NPP will waive taxes on imports and businesses to enable investors operate with less economic stress. He said the Value Added Tax, which is currently around 17.9% will be slashed down to 3% when the NPP assumes power. The former Trade and Industry Minister also eulogized the NPP flagbearer, describing him as the best person for the job. 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi. THE FLAGBEARER of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he is at a loss as to whether the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is really living in this country. If the President is in Ghana, then he is living in a different environment than what the rest of us are experiencing, Nana Addo noted. Addressing the supporters in separate mini rallies in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency, Nana Addo said the President displayed a mark of insensitivity when he looked in the eyes of Ghanaians and lambasted those complaining about the harsh economic conditions. According to the NPP flagbearer, President Mahama and his few ministers are the only people experiencing the so-called Better Ghana, which he claims is happening in the country. We will deliver with distinction The NPP Presidential Candidate said the party would be committed to all its promises when given the nod. He said no single pledge will be left untouched, adding that Ghanaians should ignore the pessimistic attitude of the NDC, that the promises are not achievable. Nana Addo urged Ghanaians to rally behind him and the NPP so that he can win the upcoming elections. He said he was very hopeful that he would be third time lucky in the 2016 elections. Meanwhile, about 58 Chiefs in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency have given massive endorsement to the candidature of Nana Akufo Addo. The Chiefs, who make up the Paramountcy of Atwima, said per their tradition, Atwima is a stronghold of the NPP and that there is no way the Chiefs would endorse any other candidate, apart from Nana Addo. Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Otumfuo Mpaboahene, Nana Yaw Owusu, therefore, pleaded with Nana Addo to remember them when he assumes power, especially in addressing the myriad of infrastructural challenges such as poor roads in the area. According to them, they have been left out of development under the NDC administration because of their perceived support for the NPP. Page 3 Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on Ghanaians to give President John Mahama another four year-term to continue with his massive infrastructure development in the country. He said the NDC was a party that cared for all Ghanaians and did not discriminate in the sharing of the national cake. Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur was addressing hundreds of NDC supporters at a rally in Ayanfuri in the Upper Denkyira West Constituency of the Central Region. The programme forms part of the Vice President's four-day campaign tour of the Central Region to canvas for votes for the NDC to retain power in the December 7 elections. Vice President Amissah-Arthur also stated that President Mahama had to continue with the projects that he had started since a change for another Government would mean the projects started would be abandoned. He said the Government had started work on the cocoa roads in the area as well as providing fertiliser and cocoa seedlings to farmers. He called on the electorates in the area to vote massively for Mr Ambrose Amoah-Ashyiah, the NDC's parliamentary candidate for Assin South. He said Amoah-Ashyiah who doubled as the District Chief Executive for the area, brought a lot of developmental projects, including the provision of school infrastructure, extension of electricity to various communities and roads. Mr Amoah-Ashyiah, for his part, urged the electorates to give him the nod as the Member of Parliament for the Upper Denkyira West Constituency to complement the efforts of President Mahama in the next NDC Administration to bring more development to the area. Mr Amissah-Arthur and the members of his entourage, also addressed rallies at Kyerewere and Dunkwa-on-Offin Zongo, both in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency. He reminded the people of the good work President Mahama had done and the need to retain him for another four year-term. He introduced the NDC's Parliamentary Candidate for, Upper Denkyira East Constituency Mrs Emelia Ankomah, to the people. Ghana's Parliament has approved a GHc10.9 billion request by the government to help finance critical government expenditure in the first quarter of 2017. This follows the recommendation for the approval of the budget by the Finance Committee of Parliament. The request for this amount was in line with Article 180 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 23 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). The Committee noted that the government's request was necessitated by the tight election calendar which made it difficult to come out with an Appropriation Act before the end of 2016. During the debate on the floor of parliament, the MP for the New Juaben South constituency, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah questioned what he described as the huge interest payments in the budget. GHc1.8 billion has been earmarked for interest payments whilst grants to other government units will cost GHc 2.3 billion. Also among the notable budgeted allocation is the compensation of employees which will amount to GHc 3.8 billion. Finance Minister, Seth Terkper who laid the request on the floor of Parliament noted that all the expenditure budgeted for the first quarter is for essential and statutory payments whilst all non-core expenses will be deferred to the second quarter of 2017. Projected revenue The Finance Ministry plans to raise revenue amounting to GHc 8.9 billion for the first quarter of 2017, according to the Committee. The bulk of this projection, GHc 7.2 billion, will be from taxes ranging from income and property tax to international trade taxes whilst non tax revenue is expected to be GHc 1.1 billion. Non presentation of budget Contrary to the expectations of many, Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, did not present the details on the floor of the House as the Bill was referred to the Finance Committee for discussion. But a former Majority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor explained to Citi News , the turn of events was acceptable as the Finance Minister was just giving projections which was not accompanied by policies. By: Franklin Badu Jr & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana The spokesperson of the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has shot down possibility of a debate between the NPP leader and President John Mahama. Mustapha Hamid says Mr Akufo-Addo meant business and would not debate a President whom he said has been unable to maintain his position on any issue in the country. No we dont accept such challenges that are thrown in the air merely for propaganda purposes, he told Dzifa Bampoh, host of Joy FMs Top Story Programme, Thursday. He wondered why the President would call for a debate when the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) had turned down an invitation by Accra-based think tank, Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to partake in the 2016 Presidential Debate. President Mahama has sounded his preparedness to take on the three-time leader of NPP on significant issues affecting the country. Speaking in an exclusive interview on Ho-based Volta Star Radio in the Volta Region Thursday, the President said Ghanaians deserve a debate between himself and Mr Akufo-Addo to have the perceived crisis in the economy resolved. "I think debates are very important...because a lot of misinformation was being thrown all over the place and Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate continue to misinform the Ghanaian public," he said. He said the platform would afford them the opportunity to demonstrate to Ghanaians with facts and figures why the position they hold about the economy should be accepted as the truth. "They say the economy is in crisis if we have the debate you will show why the economy is in crisis." But Mr Hamid said the Presidents challenge is laughable considering he has become a flip-flopper swinging his position on relevant national issues. He said he would restore the [teacher and] nursing trainee allowance after he had promised not to reverse the decision, he said, adding We need a decisive leadership. He, however, said the NPP leader would debate the President if he would address a letter to the party. You dont invite people to a boxing bout if you dont write to their promoters, he said. Is that how he runs the country? 20.10.2016 LISTEN Periklis Saragiotis of the World Bank says Ghana must look more seriously into shipment processes and procedures at the Tema Port, if it is to become a hub for the West African sub-region. He said the port could play a more critical role as an entry and exit point for countries in the sub-region, if it focuses more on addressing the issue in processes and procedures for transit and trans-shipment. Mr. Saragiotis, a private sector development specialist in trade and facilitation with the World Bank Group, said this at a public sector workshop on improving transparency and trade facilitation at the Tema Port, in Accra. The workshop was one of two, organised from October 10-13, 2016 by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the World Bank Group, under the European Union-funded 'Improved and Facilitated Trade in West Africa' project. He said there was intense competition in the sub-region, with countries improving their infrastructure and processes, thus it was important for port authorities in Ghana to find ways of being competitive, adding that global best practices, as found in Singapore, showed the benefits of focusing on trans-shipment. There are opportunities for Ghana; it's out there. It's just a matter of understanding the seriousness of the issues, and trying to do something about them, he said, adding that the proposed reforms in this area could be transformational in making the Tema Port a regional hub and recognised global player. The workshop brought together public sector stakeholders, from, or, having a responsibility at the Tema Port, and selected private sector stakeholders to review the port assessment maps, and discuss the reform proposals from the private sector workshop held earlier in the week. The project team, based on diagnostic and analytical assessment of processes and procedures at the Tema Port, developed Business Process Maps (BPMs) to depict activities at the port, and made recommendations for reforms to streamline the processes, in a bid to reduce time and cost. Mr. Saragiotis said, while BPMs were used extensively by the private sector and industry in operational management, this was the first time the World Bank, or any international financial institution, was using this methodology to map the complex processes and procedures at the port. Manuel Henriques, Principal Private Sector development specialist-trade facilitation, explained that while the Tema Port was a major part of one of the key trade corridors Tema-Ouagadougou Corridor it also represented about three quarters of the amount of time and costs it took to move goods from Accra to Ouagadougou. This challenge stemmed from issues in the procedures, thus the focus on them and the development of the BPMs The team recommended the design and implementation of a best practice regulatory and procedural framework for trans-shipment, as there was currently no dedicated procedural framework for it. Other proposed reforms cover areas such as containerisation of transit cargo; VA on transit services; coordination between government agencies; sampling processes and range for automation; streamlining of processes and procedures, and institution of regulation, among others. Mr. Moustapha Gnankambary, ECOWAS-USAID Senior Trade Facilitation Advisor, Customs Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission, said the Tema Port was key in the region, especially, as the economies of land-locked countries continued to expand. Mr. Ignacio Burrull, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Commission in Ghana, said the EU was very interested in the reforms, as it aims to strengthen economic and trade ties between West Africa and Europe, as well as promote and increase the rather low intra and inter regional trade. The EU will continue to be engaged in this sector in our future cooperation with the region, he stated. Obi Ihonor, Project Leader, said the agreement on the implementation roadmap for the proposed reforms, agreed by the workshop, and its implementation will boost trade, increase competitiveness, deepen regional integration, and ultimately create jobs for Ghanaians and West Africans. Source: GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has been commended for making progress in the implementation of a Financial Management Improvement Project a donor initiative from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project is aimed at safeguarding and ensuring the efficient use of government resources and assets. Since 2010, JICA has been supporting the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to enhance its fixed asset management system, being the first ministry to deploy the Ghana Integrated Financial Management and Information System (GIFMIS) on a pilot basis. The progress of the Ministry in implementing the project was announced by a Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) set up by JICA in Accra, a statement, signed by Kojo Williams, Public Relations Advisor of JICA, said. Mr. Norihito Yonebayashi, Senior Representative at JICA, who commended the Ministry for its commitment, asked other government agencies to emulate the practice. The Controller and Accountant General's Department should roll out the practice to be replicated by other government agencies. This would help improve the asset management cycle utilising GIFMIS, and to ensure the accountability and transparency in the efficient use and the safeguarding of government assets, Mr. Yonebayashi said. Mr. Joseph Boamah, Chief Director of the MoFA and Project Director, commended JICA for the project, saying it had helped to regularise some of the financial management practices at the Ministry, and introduced a lot of efficiency. Through the project, the Accounting Guidebook of MoFA was developed to standardise the procedures of accounting and asset management, in line with the Public Financial Management reforms of the Government of Ghana, the statement said. Source: GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Richard Owusu-Akyaw. The streets of Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, have been inundated with security cameras, allegedly mounted by National Security. The cameras, fitted beneath solar panels, are located at almost every intersection in the metropolis, notably, roundabouts. In places like Labour Roundabout, two galvanised poles have been mounted, with four cameras pointing in the various directions of the four routes there. Other places where these cameras have been sighted include Roman Hill, Airport Roundabout, Suame Roundabout, and Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, among other places. In a city where streetlights are not the priority of the authorities, the snag with the installation of such security cameras is that they (security cameras) can only operate effectively during the day, from 06:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Roundabout, which is in darkness at night, the security cameras would be on holiday, as the Boys Company road and Centre for National Culture road remain in darkness, a development the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has failed to address over a long period of time. A security personnel who spoke to Ashanti File on condition of anonymity about this development, confirmed that the security cameras were being installed at the instance of National Security. He explained that the cameras will aid the police in the fight against crime and other acts of violence, adding that they will be using drones and other gadgets in their operations in the coming months to keep miscreants at bay. The security chief stressed that such technological devices will enable the security agents to pick up intelligence and act swiftly upon them. Pix: The security cameras at vantage points From Ernest Best Anane. The Jachie/Pramso Senior High School is in dire need of infrastructural development to help improve both academic and administrative work. Nana Konadu Yiadom I, Headmaster of the school, who is also the Chief of Biaso and the Twafuohene of Kenyasi No1 in the Brong Ahafo Region, has appealed to old students to come to the aid of the school. The Headmaster commended the Old Students Association for its support, which has helped moved the school forward. He expressed worry over the few dormitories for both male and female students, and the uncompleted fencing of the school as a challenge for both administrative and academic work. According to him, because of the small size of the Assembly Hall, and inadequate dormitory facilities, the school cannot admit more boarders, hence, most of the students are day students from nearby communities, who, as a result, report to school late. According to him, the school has chalked more successes with the assistance of the old students, indicating that it won the Vodafone Icon competition and performed well in the literary group, and also became first in the spelling competitions for males and females, won the super zonal, with the boys coming second, and the females 15th, and won the fastest boy in the competition, and in reading. He noted that all these were achieved through the efforts of the teaching staff and students. Mr. Kakraba Ampem, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gold Street Real Estate Consultant, as Guest Speaker and old boy of the school, stated that education is a serious business, because it has to train competent individuals to be capable of managing their own affairs. According to him, meaningful education comes with proper planning, and for that matter, the school authorities must make proper planning to ensure that the products they are producing would become successful individuals and useful to society. He lamented on what he described as misplaced priority by the government in the provision of new Day Senior High Schools, while existing senior schools are under-developed. Mr. Ernest George Asare, President of the old students association, indicated that the target of this year's Homecoming Summit of the Old Students Association is to raise about GH252,000 towards the construction a boys dormitory. He pleaded with all stakeholders, corporate bodies, and old students to come to the aid of the school to expand infrastructural development. 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Michael Boateng, Sunyani His Excellency, former President Jerry John Rawlings, got it wrong by pointing accusing fingers at some top members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), a party he founded, of attempting to hang him. Mr. Prince Diawuo, a member of the Brong-Ahafo Regional NDC communication team, told The Chronicle in reaction to the front page story NDC Wants to 'Hang' Me, published on Tuesday, October 18, 2016, by this paper. According Mr. Diawuo, the $5 million Abacha gift saga is of national interest and the concern of every Ghanaian, which Dr. Henry Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), is of no exception. Why should Mr. Rawlings point accusing fingers at some bigwigs in the NDC for inducing Dr. Lartey? Will he be comfortable, if he (Mr Rawlings) is accused of sponsoring his wife, Nana Konadu, to attack the NDC to lose in the 2016 elections? he asked. Mr. Charles Diawuo, who lost his bid to become the Brong-Ahafo Regional Communication Director, insisted that Dr. Henry Lartey is equally a Ghanaian, as the wife of the former President, Nana Konadu, who has the right to raise concerns on any national issues. He said Mr. Rawlings should come again, as a respectable person, who the majority of the NDC faithful adore and respect. It is amazing for the founder of the NDC to think that members of his own party want to hang him. According to Prince Diawuo, President Rawlings has nothing to fear, because, as a leader who stands for probity and accountability, and an anti-corruption crusader, he (Rawlings) must put himself together and prove himself before the EOCO and CHRAJ at the appropriate time. Mr. Rawlings should bear in mind that every Ghanaian could have taken the matter on, as Dr. Henry Lartey has done, and it is not under the inducement of any political guru from the NDC or wherever, he stressed. He said it is the wish of every Ghanaian to ascertain the truth, as to what the money was meant for; Was it a gift to the state, or a personal gift to the then President Rawlings, and also for what reason was the money given? Meanwhile, a staunch member of the NDC from Berekum, Mr. Oliver Ayi, said he somehow agrees with the assumption of the former President, because, as a respectable statesman, there is no way he would talk anyhow without facts. Mr. Ayi continued that President Rawlings still has some confidants within the top hierarchy of the NDC, and any decision taken on him would be relayed back to him, so he might be speaking from what he had heard. Why didn't Mr Rawlings accuse the major opposition NPP of inducing Dr. Lartey, but members of his own party, which he formed out of his tears and blood? he queried. Mr. Ayi said now that the matter has been sent to the EOCO and CHRAJ, Ghanaians would be observing the outcome, which would surely vindicate Mr. Rawlings for doing nothing wrong on the said $5 million Abacha gift. Mr. Frank Gyabaah, another known NDC member, said President Rawlings accusation could not be swept under the carpet, but demands an urgent probe within the ranks of the NDC for peace and unity to prevail. We know President Rawlings does not hide his frustrations and feelings about the happenings in the NDC and the country, so he might be speaking, based on intelligence reports gathered from the NDC top hierarchy, he noted. 20.10.2016 LISTEN Former President Rawlings is reportedly accusing the leadership of his party (NDC) of sponsoring the presidential candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Dr Henry Lartey, to drag him (Rawlings) to the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the alleged $5 million he received from the former Nigerian dictator, General Sani Abacha. About three days before his (Dr. Lartey) drama, 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 said in a meeting with some queenmothers. 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 Qur'an; I'd like to invite people like him (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? Mr. Rawlings added. It is instructive to note that when this alleged $5 million bribery allegation broke in the late 1990s, then President Rawlings never made any official comment on it. It was rather members of his government who went to his defence, insisting that the President never took the money from Abacha. Despite this staunch defence, the same Rawlings government blocked a move by the opposition, led by the then Member of Parliament for New Juabeng North, Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyemang, to investigate the issue. But, many years down the line, Mr Rawlings has finally owned up, admitting that he took the money, but it was rather $2 million, and not $5million quoted by the Ghanaian media. Since the former president and his surrogates had all along denied his taking the bribe money, how can he now convince Ghanaians that he took the money all right, and that it was not $5 million, but rather $2 million? Certainly, Ghanaians would not believe what he is saying, and the only arbiter now is CHRAJ and EOCO. The Chronicle does not, therefore, see anything wrong with the action taken by Dr. Henry Lartey to get Mr Rawlings to answer for the whereabouts of the remaining $3 million. Whether Dr. Lartey is being sponsored by the leaders of the NDC or not, does not matter what matters is the truth. It was the same Rawlings who championed probity and accountability during his hey days, and yet, he is today trying to run away from it. To us, at The Chronicle, his call on Dr. Lartey to go to a shrine and swear is irrelevant. In fact, the 1992 Constitution, which he promulgated, does not recognise the powers of deities in the adjudication of legal matters. Going to Antoa, Nogokpo, among other deities, to exonerate him, is a personal liberty available to Mr Rawlings. He cannot use that as a ruse to stop investigations into matters that border on legalities. If the former president feels he has nothing to hide, this is the opportune time for him to clear his name. Attacking Dr. Henry Lartey and leaders of the NDC, over his impending appearance at the two constitutional bodies, creates the impression that he has something to hide, and this does not augur well for his own reputation. As the maxim goes, he who comes to equity, must come with clean hands. As we noted earlier, Mr Rawlings had always championed probity and accountability, so why is he now agitated, because a citizen of this country has dragged him to bodies set up by the Constitution? Rome (AFP) - Some 1,400 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean were rescued Thursday off the coast of Libya, according to the Italian coastguard, which coordinated the operations conducted mainly by aid ships. Attempts at the dangerous crossing are continuing despite worsening weather as winter approaches, with more than 2,400 migrants rescued off Libya in total since Sunday. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres tweeted that it had rescued 802 people on six rubber dinghies and one small wooden boat, and MOAS, a Maltese NGO, said it had rescued 432 migrants on three dinghies. Italian coastguards and the crew of an EU counter-trafficking vessel rescued the remaining migrants. Boats carrying migrants are treacherous even if they don't sink: exhaust fumes, hypothermia, dehydration and overcrowding have all proved fatal. On Wednesday, rescuers found five bodies on a dinghy carrying around 200 people, many of them unaccompanied minors. The Italian interior ministry said Tuesday that more than 145,000 migrants had landed in Italy so far this year, a figure similar to that of the previous two years. According to the UN, at least 3,654 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year. Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday that as many as 900 migrants may have died in the 2015 sinking off Libya of an overcrowded fishing trawler, about 100 more than previously thought. The new toll from the worst maritime tragedy in the Mediterranean since World War II came after forensic scientists, who spent three months examining 675 body bags, discovered that many contained the remains of more than one person, Italy's missing person chief Vittorio Piscitelli told a news conference in Rome. Only 28 people survived when the 20-metre (70-foot) trawler capsized in April 2015. Police say they will smoke out and prosecute all political activists who forment trouble or engage in activities that put fear and panic in electorate ahead of the 2016 elections. COP Christian Tetteh Yehunu said his outfit will not be intimidated by the political affiliations of such trouble makers adding, the police will be even handed in its dealings. His comments come at a time when the Northern Region chair of the opposition New Patriotic Party is accused of making threatening comments against opponents. Bugri Naabu is reported to have incited his supporters to maim any person who snatches ballot boxes during the 2016 elections. He said the NPP will not allow the verdict of this year's election to be stolen as it was done in the 2012 election. His comments have triggered widespread criticisms with the governing National Democratic Congress demanding that he be arrested and prosecuted. The NPP Northern Region chair has since been invited by police, COP Yehunu confirmed in an interview with Joy News. According to him, the Inspector General of Police wanted to know what has been done about the threatening comments and was told that processes were underway to interrogate the matter. COP Yehunu said the comments suggested there was no police institution in the country and that citizens could take the law into their own hands. "The police has called him to come and explain his action. When you dare people, you want to take over as if there is no security," he said, adding, "we will not sit down for somebody to make a report about statements that could affect the security of this country." He said those who make inflammatory comments across the country will be dealt with according to law. In the light of this, the police has also invited a popular pastor Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah to come and explain to the police claims that there are plots to kill the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo. The founder and leader of Glorious Word Ministry International, is also alleged to have said there will be gun shots at NPP strongholds on the day of the election and many people will lose their lives. COP Yehunu said the Reverend has some explanation to do. Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the NPP in the Northern Region Sule Salifu confirmed that his chair has received the invitation and will honour it. He however questioned the basis for the invitation, insisting that the ruling of the 2012 election petition is a reminder that the parties must be vigilant at the polling stations and that is exactly what his chairman was telling the supporters. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah Abidjan (AFP) - Ivory Coast police fired tear gas and arrested several political leaders Thursday at a protest in Abidjan against a proposed new constitution, according to an AFP journalist. The controversial constitution which changes contentious rules on presidential eligibility will be put to a referendum on October 30. A vast deployment of anti-riot police greeted protesters carrying banners saying "No to the Ouattara monarchy", referring to President Alassane Outtara who says the amendments will help end years of instability and conflict in the world's top cocoa producing nation. Police fired tear gas at the crowd after warning them that they did not have permission for their protest. Several opposition political leaders were also arrested including Aboudramane Sangare, a senior figure in the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) and Mamadou Koulibaly, former president of the national assembly. "This is Ouattara's democracy," said Koulibaly after being loaded into a police troop carrier. Ivory Coast's riot police disperse demonstrators next to Mamadou Koulibaly (2L), former president of Ivory Coast's national assembly and chairman of opposition party LIDER as he protests against a referendum on the adoption of a new constitution The draft constitution, which parliament overwhelmingly approved last week, changes the rules on presidential eligibility and establishes a senate. Critically, it would lift the current requirement that both parents of a presidential candidate must have been born in Ivory Coast. Ouattara's father was born in neighbouring Burkina Faso and his rival in the 2010 election Laurent Gbagbo, refused to cede power over the issue after losing his re-election bid, triggering widespread violence. Ivory Coast's main opposition coalition last week called on voters to boycott the referendum. "We are on the path to boycott," said Pascal Affi Nguessan, president of the FPI founded by Gbagbo, during the protest Thursday. Ouattara told lawmakers earlier this month that under the proposed constitution, the election calendar "will be known in advance by everyone, with fixed dates, so that there can no delays that could disturb our country's stability." Under the draft, presidential terms are set at five years, renewable only once. Ouattara was elected to a second term in October 2015. Gbagbo is now on trial at the International Criminal Court for war crimes in connection with the deadly unrest that followed his refusal to concede his election to Ouattara in 2010. Some 3,000 people were killed over five months following that poll. 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Michael Boateng, Banda-Ahenkro The Member of Parliament (MP) for Banda in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Ahmed Ibrahim, has given a stern warning to corrupt officials posted to the district. Ahmed Ibrahim, who is also the Majority Chief Whip, declared the Banda District a No Go Area for corrupt officials, stressing that he would expose them to ensure the judicious use of resources for development. The MP gave the warning when he visited the Bandaman Senior High School to pay the fees of students from the Banda Traditional Area, from part of his MP's share of the Common Fund. Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim disclosed that the Banda District was far behind, in terms of development, and that it behoves on political and traditional leaders, and government officials to eschew corrupt practices, to help bridge the development gap in the area. He reiterated his frustration at the rate at which the resources of the new district were being dissipated by some previous government appointees and public officials in the district, which had resulted in him personally launching a campaign to do away with those corrupt officials, including the former DCE. As a member of the Legislature, I have the responsibility to ensure that the executive arm of government makes judicious use of the resources of this country, and will, therefore, not hide any corrupt element anywhere, the MP told the people. Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim said corruption had no political colours, and that no matter who is involved, it must be exposed. He noted that it was not those who shield corruption who are lovers of the party (NDC) and government, but those who come out to expose corrupt activities like what was previously going on in the Banda District Assembly. The MP, however, told his constituents that the anti-corruption crusade is still ongoing, and never would he keep mute whenever it gets to his notice, and that those involved would be exposed and booted out or transferred from the district. According to Ahmed Ibrahim, his political detractors have been telling lies that he had not been using his share of the Common Fund as expected, particularly, when he was claiming that he had been paying the fees of needy students in the district. According to the MP, he decided to bring GH100,000 cash to the school in the presence of their parents to prove the allegation wrong. I will not steal the monies meant for Banda people; I am to serve and serve in fairness and honesty, that is why I have come with the money to pay, for my detractors to acknowledge that I have not been squandering the monies, he said. Before the cash presentation, he inspected the construction of a telecommunication mast at Faaman to help improve telecommunication network service in the district. He appealed to the students to take their studies seriously to improve on the human resource capacity of the Banda District. 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Alfred Adams, Takoradi. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ekumfi Constituency in the Central Region, Mr. Abeiku Crentsil, yesterday caused a stir on a live radio show in Takoradi, when he went bonkers, refusing to debate Ebenezer Spio, Spokesperson for Essilfie Buckman, who has resigned as Constituency Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ekumfi Constituency. Instead of responding to the circumstances leading to his Chairman's resignation and subsequent defection to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which was why the MP was called into the show, Abeiku Crentsil rather decided to employ a smart game, by attacking the intelligence of the Spokesperson. Pushed by the host of the show, Kwame Malcolm, to respond to the allegation surrounding the role the MP himself had allegedly played, leading to the resignation of the Constituency Chairman, MP Crentsil shockingly told the host that he would not debate a 'mad man' (referring to the Spokesperson). This was when the MP was asked by the host of the show to hold the line for the Spokesperson to react to the MP's earlier statement. But, before the Spokesperson could do that, the MP shockingly told the host he would not speak to a 'mad man' on radio. What do you mean Sir? asked the host of the show. Crentsil then proceeded to explain what he meant by referring to the gentleman who called himself the Spokesperson as a mad man. According to the MP, Ebenezer Spio was a known mad man in the constituency. As a result, Can't I speak to a mad man, MP Crentsil was heard saying loudly on radio. For this reason, he requested the host of the show to end the interview since there was no way he could speak and debate a known mad man. Do you have his medical record to suggest that he is a mad man? asked Kwame Malcolm Interestingly, the MP, who responded in the opposite, rather went on the defensive, arguing that it was a known fact in the Ekumfi traditional area that Ebenezer Spio is a mad man, and then dropped the line. Responding, Ebenezer Spio decried the description by the MP. To Spio, he was not perturbed by the MPs description of him, and that he would prefer to be referred to as mad man, than have an MP who could not construct a simple sentence in English. It would be recalled that the Ekumfi Constituency Chairman of the ruling party, Essilfie Buckman, resigned on Monday from the party, accusing the MP and executives of dirty deals. The resignation of the Chairman comes exactly three weeks after the NDC Constituency Organiser in Shama, in the Western Region, also resigned from the party over alleged dirty contract deals. According to Mr. Buckman, his decision was based on a raw deal meted out to him by the NDC during last year's parliamentary primaries. He explained at a press conference on Monday that prior to the November 21 primary, executives of the party schemed to disqualify the two main challengers to the incumbent MP, Abeiku Crentsil. His opposition to the move saw his name mysteriously expunged from the register. He said as a result, he could not vote. Mr Buckman claims that a meeting to resolve the wrangling in the party was convened in Accra, and subsequently ended with an agreement on GH1,000 for reconciliatory refreshment. I regret, however, to state that as I speak to you, this has never happened, and I do not know when it would be done, he told journalists. I want to ask where the money is; Na sika no wo hen? Mr. Buckman, who arrived at the venue for the press conference in a political suit, quickly grabbed a T-shirt of the NPP parliamentary candidate, Ato Cudjoe, and wore it. He said there had also been several decisions taken behind his back. For instance, the Constituency Chairman claims a Toyota Mahindra vehicle meant for him was given to the Constituency Treasurer without his knowledge. 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Maxwell Ofori, Parliament House [email protected] The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Atwima Mponua Constituency, Mr Isaac Asiamah yesterday had a shock when the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD), Alhaji Collins Dauda, stated on the floor of Parliament that he (the MP) had no outstanding common fund payment to receive from the District Assembly. The Atwima Mponua MP had earlier asked the Minister for LGRD what was causing the delay in the payment of his share of the MP's common fund. Alhaji Dauda, answering the question on the floor, said that there was no outstanding payment to be made to the MP, as far as the records of the Ministry were concerned. The answer hit the MP, who said he had not received any money from the District Assembly and efforts made to get the District Chief Executive to heed to his call proved futile, as the DCE did not respond to any of his (MP) requests. Mr Asiamah sought to find out from the minister what had occasioned the delay by the District Chief Executive of Atwima Mponua District in giving effect to the request by the Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua Constituency for his share of the Common Fund to be disbursed for his stated purpose and when it will be disbursed. The minister in a written answer, which he read on the floor of Parliament, said that: Mr. Speaker, there is no outstanding payment to be made to the Hon. Member so far as our records are concerned. In the first quarter of this year, a total amount of GHc73, 938.31 was released to him (MP, Isaac Asiamah) by the District Assembly Common Fund. Out of this amount, the District Assembly Common Fund paid GHc 15,098.31 to Conpa Enterprise and GHc 58, 840 paid to Premium World. In the second quarter an amount of GHc56, 102.07 was released and this amount was also paid to Lexmall by the District Assembly Common Fund, the Minister added. However, the answer from the minister to the question did not satisfy the MP, who stood up to ask a follow up question as to whether the minister was aware he (MP) had sent statements to the DCE for the money, adding so far as I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, I have GHc 45,000 in my account that has not been disbursed by the DCE. Meanwhile, the minister could not say much to that based on the information available to him from the District. Mr. Speaker, this is the information I have from the District Chief Executive and the District Assembly. But because I want us to make progress and also because I know Members of the House have this experience, I want to crave your indulgence to allow me arrange a meeting between the Chief Executive and the Hon. Member to have this matter resolved, the minister urged. The Rt. Hon. Speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho, directed that the minister should provide his information by asking his DCE. You are responsible for the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, I have decided that you should provide the information and after that you make it available to me and then we take it up from there. He also told the MP, who said the DCE had not been responding to his numerous requests since January this year, to make copies of the letters he wrote to the DCE available to the minister, for the minister to add to his information and submit to the Clerk of Parliament by Wednesday, for the issue to be taken from there. 20.10.2016 LISTEN From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Obuasi.. The Obuasi Township was yesterday thrown into a state of disorderliness when illegal miners, otherwise known as Galamsey operators, detected that a concession they have been working on has been taken over by some military personnel. Dissatisfied with the turn of events, the Galamsey operators stormed the principal streets of Obuasi, destroying bill boards and posters belonging to political parties, such as the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Peoples National Convention (PNC). The irate illegal miners did not end there, as they marched to the Obuasi Municipal Assembly to vent their spleen on the authorities, but the military personnel, once again, moved in, drove them away and restored peace and tranquility in the ancient mining community. The action of the military personnel followed a report to the military high command by a 17-member committee, led by Ing Kwaku Frimpong Kumah, who was charged by the Minerals Commission to find a suitable place for the illegal miners and relocate them from the Kobor concession, which originally belonged to Anglogold Ashanti (AGA). The Chronicle gathered that the Kobor concession was given to the illegal miners to work on, but they have completed their work, and are expected to vacate the site, but they have not, hence the decision of the committee to direct the military to take over the concession, because the miners failed to adhere to their last warning. The paper further gathered that there is heavy military presence in the Obuasi Township. Sometime in March, this year, the AGA surrendered 60% of its concession; totaling 273 square kilometers to the Minerals Commission, which was expected to be shared to the illegal miners in groups after their data have been captured. An illegal miner, who gave his name simply as Ibrahim, bemoaned the actions of the military personnel, saying the Kobor enclave is defunct, that is why they are making a living out of the place. He admitted to The Chronicle that the military came to their site and ordered them to leave the site. Meanwhile, the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Richard Boadi Akwasi Agyemang is unhappy about how he was sidelined with regards to the fact that he was not informed about the findings of the committee, which has led to the evacuation of the Galamsey operators. Speaking in an interview with The Chronicle, the Obuasi Divisional Police Commander, ACP Afful Yiadom, confirmed that indeed there was a misunderstanding, which has been resolved. He noted that there has been redeployment of Rio Control Police to keep agitators at bay. The Public Relations Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Isaac Abraham revealed to this paper that the demarcation work is far advance and the committee had partitioned over 100 plots, which will be given to the miners. Mr. Abraham noted that their district officers are taking the data of these miners to facilitate their relocation program. Assin Fosu (C/R), Oct.20, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has announced that the GETFund has released GH50 million for disbursement as feeding grant for teacher trainees in the 38 Colleges of Education across the country. He said the GETFund has also released an additional GH30 million to the Student Loan Trust Fund, an increment of 25 per cent of the previous year's. Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur announced this when he interacted with students and authorities of the Fosu College of Education in the Central Region, as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Region. Mr Amissah-Arthur said the Ministry of Education had also begun disbursing money to the Colleges of Education. He said the Government did not only cancel trainee allowance to increase enrolment but also to save money in order to provide adequate infrastructure and the requisite equipment and materials for the colleges to enhance their quality of training. Mr Amissah-Arthur said job creation and skills training were the utmost focus of President Mahama's next Government, hence its continuous investments in technical and vocational education. Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), explained that the NDC Manifesto had detailed policies and programmes for Education; which include the establishment of two technical and vocational colleges of education in Agona Swedru and New Abirem to train teachers. Mr Ofosu Ampofo, who is also the Director of Elections of the Party, presented a copy of the NDC's manifesto to the Principal of Fosu College of Education. Mr Amissah-Arthur and members of his entourage also addressed rallies at Assin Fosu and Assin Praso, and enumerated to the electorate the good work President Mahama had done and the need to retain him for another term. He introduced the NDC's Parliamentary candidate, Dr Kofi Blankson, to the people. He also interacted with the Assin Fosu Traditional Council and inaugurated a Girl's dormitory for the Obiri Yeboah Senior High School in Assin Fosu. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - The University of Ghana (UG) Cooperative Credit Union (CCU) Limited, has posted a net surplus income of GHa 3.919 million for the 2015/2016 financial year, an increase of GHa 630,894.25 over the 2014/2015 financial year. Out this amount, GHa979,754.07 would be transferred to the statutory reserve fund while GHa 1.76 million - 45 per cent of net surplus-would be paid as dividend to members. The dividend amount represents a 34 per cent increase over last year's figure of GHa1.315 million. Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Union, Dr Jonathan N. Anaglo, Chairman of the Management Board of the Union said the payment of the dividend would result in GHa 0.25 earnings per every GHa 1.00 share held. 'This compares favourably to high yielding investment instruments in the Ghanaian money market,' he stated, adding that management was committed to rewarding its members for their financial interests in the union. The Union's total income grew by GHa2.283 million, a 25 per cent increase over the same period last year. Total assets also grew from GHa46 million to GHa61.7 million as at June 2016, a 33.55 percent increase. 'Return on average assets increased to 7.3 per cent while savings deposits increased from GHa 32.76 million to GHa42.811 million,' he stated. Dr Anaglo announced the Union had secured approval from the University authorities to expand its office infrastructure. Works is expected to be completed in June 2017. Mr Francis Fiayiya, the Manager of the UG CCU, said the union had maintained its position as the largest credit union in the country in terms of asset size and also remained the largest among credit unions in public universities. He noted that the Union was able to grow its income in spite of delays in receiving remittances from the UG, but added that authorities had assured them of receiving the remittances on time in the future. Professor Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu, Vice Chancellor of the UG, announced, to thunderous applause, that the University had begun paying the arrears of the remittances owed to the Union, adding that those from August- September had already been paid. Prof Oduro-Owusu, a member of the Union, urged other members to increase their investments, even with their limited resources, in order to secure their future and that of their children. He also commended management of the Union for the good work in growing the body and called on members to keep Management accountable for the monies entrusted in their care, and to ensure they were appropriately used. Mr John F. Nyarko, Acting Registrar of Co-operatives at the Department of Co-Operatives commended the Union for holding the AGM in line with the requirements of the Departments' bye-laws. He stated however that the Union, which was the most profitable and largest asset holder among University credit unions, must do more to support cooperation among cooperatives. He said since the UG CCU had benefitted from support based on cooperation among cooperatives, it was expected to also support other cooperatives to grow. This could be done by patronising services offered by cooperatives in other sectors such as transport when the needed. He urged the UG Cooperative credit Union to take the lead on cooperation among cooperatives so that others could benefit from its success. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Ken Sackey/ Benjamin Mensah, GNA Accra, Oct 20, GNA - Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has said official records does not indicate that Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, the Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua, is owed under the District Assemblies Common Fund. He explained that per the records submitted to his Office by the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Mponua District, there is no outstanding payment to be made to the MP. The MP is at loggerheads with the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Stephen Yeboah, over delays in releasing GHa45,000.00 being outstanding payment of his share of the Common Fund. The amount is part of second quarter payments released to the Assemblies by the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Administrator for projects to be directed by the legislators. Mr Asiamah had sought refuge in the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho, to summon the Minister responsible for Local Government to appear before the House to clarify the issue. When the Minister arrived, Mr Asiamah at question time, rose to ask the Minister what had occasioned the delay by the DCE for Atwima Mponua in giving effect to his (Mr Asiamah's) share of the Common Fund to be disbursed for the stated purpose and when it would be disbursed. The Minister responded: 'Mr. Speaker, there is no outstanding payment to be made to the Hon. Member so far as our records are concerned. 'In the first quarter of this year, a total amount of GHa73,938.31 was released to him by the District Assembly Common Fund. Out of this amount, the District Assembly Common Fund paid GHa15,098.31 to Conpa Enterprise and GHa58,840.00 paid to Premium World.' 'In the Second Quarter, an amount of GHa56,102.07 was released and this amount was also paid to Lexmall by the District Assembly Common Fund.' Mr Asiamah, however, insisted the DCE still had GH45,000.00 locked up in the Assembly's accounts, which he had refused to disburse for his stated purpose. He also told the House that several letters he wrote to the DCE demanding the outstanding payment had not yielded any result. 'The DCE wrote to me that I have forged his signature and that he was not going to respond to the letters,' he stated. Alhaji Dauda, pleaded with the Speaker to indulge him to have a meeting with the two factions, Mr Asiamah and Mr Yeboah, to enable him to bring the matter to an end. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - The World Bank says increased investment in technology to commercialise agriculture would help to address the challenges in the sector and contribute to ending extreme poverty in Africa. According to the Bank, while agriculture had grown in Africa, most of it was as a result of expansions in land size rather than an increased in productivity, thus the need for an augmented focus on technology for agriculture. The World Bank held in-country discussions and a video event to mark World End Poverty Day, with participants from about 17 Anglophone countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. Mr Hardwick Tchale, Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank's Ghana Office, said although agriculture was a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Products of most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It provided from 40 - 60 per cent of employment and almost all the 20 per cent of the poorest segments, the quality of the employment tended to impoverish people more than in other sectors. He noted that most of the agricultural production in Region was based on subsistence, which was a low input-low output production system. This meant that productivity was very low, resulting in low wages and the use of unsustainable agricultural practices such as slash and burn, which caused deforestation and cultivating in wetlands and other fragile ecosystems. Discussions with participants identified several challenges that hindered agriculture in the Region included land tenure challenged, especially for women, low innovation in the sector, attractiveness of the sector to the youth and the reliance on subsistence. 'When you talk about agriculture and poverty reduction, the focus should be on moving away from subsistence agriculture into some form of commercialised agriculture or agribusiness because that's where you get significant productivity growth that will be able to reduce poverty significantly,' he stated. Mr Tchale noted that there were a number of innovations that could help to address some of the challenges and improve productivity growth in agriculture in the Region and Ghana in particular. The Bank is currently on two main projects in the area of technology in Ghana. The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme, a regional programme of which Ghana is a part has worked to produce high yielding yields like rice; root crops like cassava and sweet potatoes and have begun distribution to farming communities. The Ghana commercial agriculture project, by the bank with support from the US government, is also helping to develop irrigation infrastructure by agribusinesses working with small-holder farmers in the north of Ghana. He said the project was also supporting a group of women with greenhouse to enable them produce all year round an under well managed conditions. 'When it comes to technology like greenhouse, what matters is not the cost per se but the cost-benefit relationship, as they produce very high value commodities that can pay for themselves' he noted. He said the combination with the right investments in linking up with logistics like transport, the benefits would far outweigh the cost. Mr K. Osman Gyasi, Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank, said while agriculture remained a key player in Ghana, its contribution was declining, moving from about 50 per cent in the 90s to about 20 per cent. He expressed the need for ways to be found to make the practice of agriculture sustainable and productive. Ms Sara Hague, Chief of Social Policy and M&E at UNICEF commended Ghana for the achievement of the MDG to halve poverty but observed that the rate of poverty reduction had slowed since, while inequality continued to rise. Haleh Bridi, Director of the Africa External Communications and Partnerships at the World Bank said technology was even more important given the issues of climate change which affected agriculture. She called for more effort in the area of technology and more support from the Bank going forward. GNA By Patience A. Gbeze, GNA Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the Minister of Education, has said the construction of facilities at the new site of the Ghana Institute of Journalism at North Dzorwulu is at an advanced stage. The project, which is being supported by the GETFund, she said, had a four -Storey Unit lecture hall, 350-Seater Auditorium, an Administration Block and other auxiliary structures. It is about 65 per cent complete. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who said this at her Ministry's turn of the Meet-the-Press Series in Accra, gave the assurance that her Ministry would assist to enhance access and the position of the institution to train more world class journalists and media practitioners. She announced that the Government had also taken steps to transform the National Film and Television Training Institute (NAFTI) into a College of Media and Creative Arts under the Ministry of Education. She said Cabinet had approved a Memorandum in this regard and processes were ongoing in liaison with the National Council for Tertiary Education to ensure the transformation of NAFTI. The Minister said the Bill was currently with the Attorney General's Department for onward transmission to Parliament for consideration and passage into law. 'In this regard, a provision has been made in the 2017 budget for the Institute,' she added. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said in line with the Government's vision of providing a public university in every region, a Presidential Taskforce was constituted to develop a roadmap for the establishment of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in the Eastern Region. 'Land has been secured in Somanya and Donkorkrom for the siting of the university. the government is vigorously pursuing funding options to commence the construction of key facilities,' she added. On the Student Loan Scheme, she said the Trust had approved an increment in the loan offered to students from between a GH650.00 - GH1600.00 over two semesters package to GH1000.00 - GH2000.00 payable over two semesters. She said the new levels of Student Loan effect in the 2016/2017 Academic year. The Minister announced the introduction of a Student Loan Plus (SL-Plus) which has been designed to cater for students who gain admission to tertiary institutions but are financially handicapped in raising the initial time-bound registration fees. 'The SL-Plus is an extension of the qualification period for a regular student loan to include the Tertiary Admission Phase,' she added. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Joyce Danso, GNA Accra Oct. 20, GNA - Three persons on Thursday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly trafficking a trader to Saudi Arabia after promising her a job in the Kingdom. The woman on reaching the country was however subjected to sexual abuse and maltreatment by her supposed master. The three are George Boadu, a trader, Fati Mahammud a Secretary and Leah Kalimi a Kenyan businesswoman. They are variously being held on the charges of conspiracy, operating a private employment agency without licence and human trafficking. They have pleaded not guilty and the court admitted them to GH50,000.00 bail each. Kalimi, was ordered to deposit her passport at the Court's Registry until directed otherwise. They are expected to reappear on November 14. Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) C.K. Abadamlora said the complainant was Rita Owusu a resident of Sunshine, a suburb of La. According to DSP Abadamlora the accused person reside in Accra and during the month of July this year, the complainant's junior sister who lived at Nkawkaw came to Accra to visit her at La. George Boadu who had no license to recruit for job placement in abroad met the complainant's sister and during their conversation lured her and trafficked her to Saudi Arabia. He said in and around August this year, the victim (complainant's Sister) rang the complainant that she was being abused sexually and maltreated in Saudi Arabia. DSP Abadamlora said the victim therefore demanded that she should be brought back to Ghana but Boadu failed to do so. Boadu was therefore arrested and during investigation he disclosed that Fati and Kalimi were his accomplices. Fati said she only worked as secretary to Kamili who had no resident permit was picked up. The prosecutor said Kamili disclosed that Fati processed the victim documents and Boadu was paid 1,100 dollars as agent fee and further took GH1,000.00 from the victim. Police investigation revealed that Kamili employed Fati as Secretary and Boadu was an agent who recruited Ghanaian ladies who are then trafficked to the Middle East. GNA Nyankumasi Ahenkro (C/R), Oct. 20, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on Ghanaians to be wary of the change being touted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) describing it as a 'retrogressive change'. He urged Ghanaians to vote massively to retain President John Mahama to continue with his transformational agenda of the country. Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call when he addressed hundreds of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters at a rally in Nyankumasi Ahenkro in the Assin South Constituency of the Central Region. The programme formed part of the Vice President's four-day campaign tour of the Central Region to canvas for votes for the NDC to retain power in the December 7 elections. Vice President Amissah-Arthur also stated the government had started work on the cocoa roads and the extension of electricity to some communities in the area. He called on the electorate in the area to vote massively for Mrs Sabina Appiah-Kubi, the NDC's parliamentary candidate for Assin South. He said Mrs Appiah-Kubi a former District Chief Executive for the area, brought a lot of developmental projects, including the provision of school infrastructure and extension of electricity to communities and roads. Mrs Appiah-Kubi, for her part, urged the electorate to give her the nod as the MP for the Assin South Constituency to complement the efforts of President Mahama in the next NDC administration, to help bring more development to the area. Mr Amissah-Athur also addressed similar rally at Assin Manso and commissioned a market at Assin Ngreasi. Earlier, Mr Amissah-Arthur commiserated with the Chiefs and elders of Nyankumasi Ahenkro over the death of Odeefuo Otibu Asare, the Paramount Chief of the Atensu Traditional area. Vice President Amissah-Arthur, who was accompanied by Mr Kweku Richet Hagan, the Central Regional Minister, Mr Bernard Allotey Jacobs, the Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, as well as other stalwarts of the party, also informed the Chiefs and elders of the Party's campaign. Nana Kwentwi Berima, the Acting President of the Atensu Traditional Council and his elders, received the delegation. He appealed to the GETfund to provide support for the schools in the area especially Nyankumasi Ahenkro Senior High School. Vice President Amissah-Athur assured the chiefs and elders that the Government would join hands with them to give Odeefuo Asare a befitting burial. The delegation donated an undisclosed sum of money and assorted drinks to chiefs and elders of the town. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By D.I. Laary/Elsie Appiah, GNA Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - The Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) has called for the introduction of a legal regime to protect 'indigenous knowledge' on foods and medicinal plants from extinction and use them as the catalyst to drive rural development. The Institute said home-grown knowledge formed the basis for local level decision making in agriculture, human and animal health, food security, education, natural resource management and must be protected. It, therefore, urged policymakers to launch pragmatic steps to prevent local knowledge particularly on food and medicinal plant species from fading away by collecting, processing, digitising and storing the information for posterity. A group of agricultural scientists from the FORIG, with the backing of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) made the call on Wednesday during a sensitization workshop. The meeting was organised to highlight a survey outcome which was carried out in parts of the country on plant species as part of a two-year project on, 'Digitisation of indigenous knowledge in the forestry sector in Ghana.' 'This study opened up significant gaps in the processing of indigenous knowledge in Ghana with special reference to forest food and medicines,' said Mrs Margaret Sraku-Lartey, the Project Leader. 'There is no international consensus about how indigenous peoples' rights on the protection of their cultural knowledge systems can be secured legally, promoted ethically and used resourcefully.' 'So far no legislative instrument has been identified in Ghana's laws concerning the management of indigenous knowledge.' According to the scientists 289 species of plants were identified and recorded out which 43 were recognised as food, 199 medicines and 47 seen to have properties of both food and medicines. 'A policy on local indigenous knowledge must be developed in Ghana to cover agricultural sector - improvement of indigenous agricultural technologies, use of soil improving techniques,' FORIG officials said in a background to the study. Dr Victor Agyemang, the Director-General of CSIR, lauded CSIR-FORIG for its efforts in addressing the indigenous knowledge gap, and urged the researchers to work effectively towards the perpetuation of local knowledge. But such efforts, he said, required a lot of negotiations and agreements between government and stakeholders since local knowledge itself embodied all forms of experiences and way of life of the people. "We need as a country to sit down and discuss policies that protect indigenous knowledge- we must identify, collect, store and have ideas that protects indigenous knowledge." "It is also necessary for government to enact laws that will protect people and indigenous knowledge in the country.' Dr Agyemang urged participants to come out with guidelines and practical solutions that would broadly protect indigenous knowledge and safeguard it through the change of attitudes. Indigenous knowledge is very critical in the foundation of modern science and needs to be accorded the expected attention, Dr Godfred Frempong, the Deputy Director of STEPRI, said. "It is very important that we use modern knowledge to be able to store, retrieve and transfer knowledge for the use of future generations, 'he added. Dr Joel Sam, the Director of INSTI, expressed happiness at the efforts by researchers in an attempt to address issues confronting traditional knowledge. He urged members of the FORIG, research team and participants to collect information on traditional experiences as well as digitise and disseminate such information accurately. The project, which is supported by Elsevier Foundation CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, started in January 2015 and is expected to end in December this year. Indigenous knowledge has been described as a valuable resource used by many developed countries to fuel the multi-billion-dollar genetics supply industry. GNA By Jerry Azanduna, GNA Binduri (U/E) Oct. 20, GNA - Naba Robert Agatwin Akolbilla, the Divisional Chief of the Binduri Traditional Area, has expressed worry over the poor patronage of community durbars. Naba Akolbilla said poor attendance to community durbars was a threat to the development of communities as such forums were platforms that allowed community members to discuss prevailing concerns of the area. He said such gatherings would also empower the community members to actively participate in the decision making process in the community. Naba Akolbilla was speaking at an inter-party dialogue durbar organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the Ghana News Agency and funded by the European Union(EU), to engage the electorate on emerging issues in the coming elections. He said it was during such occasions that issues of national interest such as finding ways to promote national peace, eradicating diseases and creating ways to promote uniform development among others were discussed with views from everyone in attendance. Mr Daniel Baya Laar, the NCCE Director in charge of the Binduri District, said democracy was about ideas and called on politicians and all those campaigning to eschew insults from their deliberations. He urged the people to actively participate in the durbar as it was a platform to scout for ideas that would help in selecting a good leader for the country. Mr Laar also called on all attending such durbars to send the information they had gained to friends and family members who were absent. Assistant Superintendent of Police Joseph Ankrah of the Bawku Municipal Police Command reminded the people of their duties as citizens and urged them to see election security as a shared responsibility among all stakeholders. He urged the electorate to be law abiding as the law would not condone with anyone who would be found guilty of committing electoral offences. He said the security agencies were neutral and would provide adequate security in the electoral process. Mr Daniel Adoliba Akologo, the District Chief Executive (DCE) and Chairman for the District Security Committee (DISEC), said peaceful elections constituted an important ingredient for good governance and democracy but conflict and violence would only destabilize the country and waste resources. Mr Akologo said the decision by Ghanaians to opt for democracy through the 1992 constitution was a clear manifestation that the views of the people would be genuinely expressed through the ballot box. GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN By Godfred Polkuu, GNA Bolgatanga (U/E), Oct. 20, GNA - Customers of Delle Kuudenige Martin (DKM) have expressed unhappiness at government and the consultant liquidator charged to assess and reimburse them. They said some customers who invested about G20,000.00 and more to their dismay and disbelief were offered cheques for between GH20.00 and GH10.00 at the Bolgatanga branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) as reimbursement. Some of the aggrieved customers who expressed their frustrations and disappointment to the Ghana News Agency, called on the official liquidator to explain the action after some of them spent the night in queues at the bank premises. 'The liquidator should come out and tell us clearly what they are doing because ten cedis can't buy even charcoal in the market', an aggrieved customer said. 'We are suffering; I work tirelessly because of my grandchildren. What will I use to cater for them? Ghana government should help us to cater for our children and grandchildren', said another aggrieved middle aged woman. The GNA also gathered that some customers who received payment earlier and had invested less than GH3,500.00 were given their exact investments, while those who invested above that amount, were also paid same GH3,500.00. It observed that those slated for payment on particular dates per the company's list, have not been paid since the process began on October 17. There was heavy police presence at the bank and payments were suspended as at the time the GNA visited the scene. GNA Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - The 2016 Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has tasked countries to move faster to prevent, detect and treat the disease if they are to meet global targets. The report, which was made available to the Ghana News Agency by Gregory Hartl, WHO Communications Officer, in Geneva, says governments have agreed on targets to end the TB epidemic within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. They include a 90 per cent reduction in TB deaths and an 80 per cent reduction in TB cases by 2030 compared with 2015. 'We face an uphill battle to reach the global targets for tuberculosis,' said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director General. 'There must be a massive scale-up of efforts, or countries will continue to run behind this deadly epidemic and these ambitious goals will be missed.' In 2015, there were an estimated 10.4 million new TB cases worldwide. Six countries account for 60 per cent of the total burden, with India bearing the brunt, followed by Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa. The report says an estimated 1.8 million people died from TB in 2015, of whom 0.4 million were co-infected with HIV. Although global TB deaths fell by 22 per cent between 2000 and 2015, the disease was one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide in 2015, responsible for more deaths than HIV and malaria. It notes that gaps in testing for TB and reporting new cases remain major challenges, adding that with the estimated 10.4 million new cases, only 6.1 million were detected and officially notified in 2015, leaving a gap of 4.3 million. It explains that this gap is due to underreporting of TB cases, especially in countries with large unregulated private sectors, and under-diagnosis in countries with major barriers to accessing care. On tackling drug resistance and other challenges, the report says multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis. The WHO estimates that 480 000 people fell ill with MDR-TB in 2015[1]; with three countries carrying the major burden of MDR-TB - India, China, and the Russian Federation - which together account for nearly half of all cases globally. It says detection and treatment gaps continue to plague the MDR-TB response; stating that in 2015, only one in five of the people newly eligible for second-line treatment were able to access it. Cure rates continue to remain low globally at 52 per cent. 'The dismal progress in the TB response is a tragedy for the millions of people suffering from this disease,' Dr Mario Raviglione, Director of the WHO Global TB Programme. 'To save more lives now, we must get newly recommended rapid tests, drugs and regimens to those who need them. Current actions and investments fall far short of what is needed.' The report says last year, 22 per cent of HIV-positive TB patients were not enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART). According to WHO recommendations, ART needs to be made available for all HIV-positive TB patients. The report says nearly a million children under five, and people living with HIV, who are especially vulnerable to TB, and who are eligible for preventive treatment, were able to access it in 2015; adding that this needs to be rapidly expanded. On closing critical gaps in TB financing, the report says for TB care and prevention, investments in low and middle-income countries fall almost two billion dollars short of the $ 8.3 billion needed in 2016. It said this gap would widen to $ 6 billion by 2020 if current levels of funding are not increased. 'The resources deployed against TB, the leading infectious killer in the world, are falling short,' said Dr Ariel Pablos-MAndez, Assistant Administrator for Global Health, of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - the leading bilateral funder of the TB response. Dr Ariel Pablos-Mendez said: 'Everyone has a part to play in closing the gap. As the report shows, we need universal health coverage, social protection mechanisms, and public health financing in high burden countries.' 'The development aid community needs to step up more investments now, or we will simply not end one of the world's oldest and deadliest diseases.' GNA 20.10.2016 LISTEN Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - The United States (U.S) ChargA d'Affaires Melinda Tabler-Stone and other officials and dignitaries participated in the national launch of Rotary Family Health Days in Accra on Monday, October 18, 2016. The programme is initiated and managed by Rotary International in partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations to provide health screening services to vulnerable children, women, and men throughout Ghana. A press release copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the United States Agency for International development (USAID) has supported Rotary Family Health Days in Ghana for the past three years. The release announced that after the launch Rotary Family Health Days will take place from October 20 to 22, 2016. 'Fifty beneficiary communities in Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Central, Ashanti, and Volta Regions will receive HIV counselling and testing; screenings for tuberculosis, diabetes and blood pressure; childhood vaccinations and vitamin A supplementation; deworming; family planning education; condom distribution; and eye health testing'. It further stated that the event had been taking place each year in Ghana since 2014, and that last year's event reached more than 37,000 people. This year, the event aims to reach 50,000 people. 'We could not be happier to support Rotary Family Health Days for the third year in a row,' said Ms. Tabler-Stone at the launch. 'The U.S. government has a proud history of partnering with Rotary International in Ghana. Our partnerships have touched thousands of lives', the release quoted. Rotary International is a key partner of USAID. From 2009 to 2013, USAID and Rotary International cooperated to improve access to water and sanitation for more than 46,000 people. Last August, they signed a second partnership to scale up these results throughout the country. GNA McOttley Capital has been named the "Best Growing New Investment Bank of the Year" at the 2016 edition of the Ghana Investment Awards to honor outstanding institutions in the investment banking industry. It was awarded ahead of its peers for achieving the most sterling compounded average growth over a three year period, as certified by Deloitte, auditors of the awards. The awards which is organized by the Premier Networking Investment Club in collaboration with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Ghana Stock Exchange and the Ghana Securities Industry Association, brought together industry stakeholders and experts to celebrate the strides the industry has achieved in 2015/2016. Commenting on the award, Mrs. Happy Forson, Managing Director of McOttley Capital said We are delighted our efforts and expertise in this competitive industry have been acknowledged. This award supports the confidence our growing client base have in our products and services. She added the award reaffirms McOttley's position as a leading investment bank. In 2015, McOttley was acknowledged as the Best New Investment Bank and the Best Client Service by the International Finance Magazine Awards. McOttley Capital provides investment Banking, asset management, professional retirement and pension fund management to individual, corporate, government and private institutions. McOttley Capital is a subsidiary of McOttley Holdings an international award winning holding company with other subsidiaries namely McOttley Money Lending and McOttley Properties. It has interest in other areas such as Commodity trading, Logistics, international corporate finance advisory and International Real Estate Advisory. McOttley is one of the fastest growing brand names in the country and beyond. Its major focus is on Client satisfaction and solution orientation. ACCRA, October 11, 2016 Delta Air Lines [NYSE:DAL] is turning October pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As part of a series of events to raise funds to support the Breast Cancer Research Fund (BCRF), the airlines iconic Pink Plane is taking to the skies throughout the month. The aircraft, a Boeing 767-400ER, features a special one-off livery of the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon. Customers boarding this, and other Delta flights during October, will be greeted by Deltas flight attendants wearing pink uniforms and selling pink products, including pink headsets. In addition, Deltas sales teams across Africa, the Middle East and India will be wearing pink polo shirts and also serving pink lemonade to customers. We are proud to show our support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and raise vital funds for BCRF, said Nat Pieper, Deltas Senior Vice President-Europe, Middle East and Africa. Delta has an 11-year history of marking Pink October and we hope that 2016 will be our most successful yet. Delta's Pink Plane Deltas international Boeing 767-400ER, which has adorned a pink-themed livery since 2010. The aircraft flies international routes and will raise awareness for BCRF around the world this year. This month the aircraft will fly to cities including: Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam and Sao Paulo. Deltas first pink plane was a Boeing 757 that flew between 2005 and 2010 throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean to generate awareness for the cause. About Breast Cancer Research Foundation Founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) advances the world's most promising research to eradicate breast cancer. BCRF has raised more than $570 million to fuel discoveries in tumor biology, genetics, prevention, treatment, survivorship and metastasis, making it one of the largest non-governmental funders of breast cancer research in the world. In 2015, BCRF will award $48.5 million to support 240 researchers at leading medical institutions worldwide. Since 1993, BCRF funded researchers have been deeply involved in every major breast cancer breakthrough in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. By spending 91 cents of every dollar on research and public awareness programs, BCRF remains one of the nation's most fiscally responsible nonprofits. BCRF is the only breast cancer organization with an "A+" from CharityWatch, together with Charity Navigators highest rating of four stars 13 times since 2002. For more information, please visit: www.bcrfcure.org . About Delta Delta Air Lines serves nearly 180 million customers each year. In 2016, Delta was named to Fortunes top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fifth time in six years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented five consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network , Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 319 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industrys leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic . Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam , Atlanta, Boston , Detroit , Los Angeles , Minneapolis/St. Paul , New York-JFK and LaGuardia , London-Heathrow , Paris-Charles de Gaulle , Salt Lake City , Seattle and Tokyo-Narita . Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub , as well as delta.com , Twitter @DeltaNewsHub , Google.com/+Delta , and Facebook.com/delta . Insurance Back Consumer Protection, top priority for European authorities and driving factor of the insurance industry's reshape - under debate in Vienna next February "Protection of consumers, investors and policyholders is the top priority for each European Supervisory Authority," pointed out Gabriel BERNARDINO, Chairman of EIOPA and of the Joint Committee of the three European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, ESMA, EIOPA- ESAs) on the occasion of the Steering Committee of the EU - U.S. Insurance Project hosted in Frankfurt on 19 October, a Public Forum to address the challenges of increased globalization of the insurance market and to define the areas of work for the coming year. The statement reiterates the European financial authorities' position towards the centric role of the consumer protection issues in their supervising and regulating strategic objectives: To set up a risk-based approach towards identification of consumer protection issues, their depth and scale. To monitor digitalization of financial services and tackle its possible negative impact on consumers. To ensure consistent implementation of consumer protection requirements across the EU. Following discussions which have touched topics as the effects of competitive markets and of the fast-growing digital environment, the demands on insurers to continuously improve their engagement with customers or the extent to which insurers may pursue revised or alternative business models also as a result of the increased focus on "consumer-centricity", the Steering Committee of the EU-U.S. Insurance Project agreed to reframe the current structure of the project by defining the priority topics for the coming year in the light of recent domestic and international regulatory and supervisory developments, including increased focus on consumer protection and emerging risks stemming from digital environment. In 2017, the focus will be on intragroup transactions and guarantees, cyber risk and the impact of consumer protection on the business models of insurance companies. The forthcoming edition of The European Consumer Protection Conference , taking place on February 16, 2017 in Vienna, Austria will touch all the essential topics relating to the future impact of the measures taken to improved consumers protection on the insurers' business, especially in the EU environment. The main lines of discussions proposed by the conference are: Financial services consumers - in the current European regulatory and economic landscape How to balance consumer protection and consumer responsibility in insurance? New emerging products and technologies and their impact on consumers and users Attendance to the conference is FREE OF CHARGE for participants from the following categories, subject to availability: regulators; professional associations of insurance undertakings and distributors; consumer associations and consumer representatives; mass-media representatives. All details about the 2017 edition of The European Consumer Protection Conference are available at www.consumerprotection.ro Author: Daniela GHETU on 20.10.2016 Archive Comment this article 0 comments Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail: Comment: < 10.000 car. Fill in the code from the image: Insurance Back European Commission calls for the public and private pensions providers' opinion on a potential EU personal pension framework The European Commission has launched a public consultation on personal pensions. The consultation will enable the Commission to assess what can be done at EU level to support a wider choice of personal pensions competing across borders. As key players in capital markets, increasing investment in personal pensions is one of the priorities of the Capital Markets Union. They offer the potential to inject more savings into capital markets and channel additional financing to productive investments. The consultation invites individuals to provide information on their experience using personal pension schemes and whether they are interested in using these schemes to save for their retirement. The consultation will also seek the views of professionals working in the pensions industry and their interest in offering simple, affordable and transparent personal pension products which work towards providing better returns. The EU's changing demographics means that the proportion of workers supporting those in retirement will be halved by 2060. As a result, European pension systems will face the dual challenge of remaining financially sustainable and being able to provide an adequate income to pensioners. The European Commission aims at encouraging more savings into personal pensions to secure adequate revenues for retirement. This is essential as people are living longer, public finances are expected to remain under pressure and the ratio of retired people to workers is set to double in the next thirty five years. As part of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) action plan, the Commission will assess the case for a policy framework to establish European personal pensions. More investment into personal pensions contributes to a stronger single market for capital through an increase in the funds available to finance the economy. The objective of the public consultation is to identify potential obstacles to the uptake of personal pension products and to seek views on how to best address them. The consultation will also help the Commission analyse the case for an EU personal pension framework. To that end, individuals (citizens, pensioners, students) and other stakeholders (companies, representative associations, governments) are asked their opinion on possible EU action in order to offer personal pensions to individuals which are simple, affordable, transparent and provide better returns. The public consultation builds on previous work carried out by the Commission and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) on personal pensions. The public consultation will run until 31st October 2016. All details are available here Author: Daniela GHETU on 20.10.2016 Archive Comment this article 0 comments Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail: Comment: < 10.000 car. Fill in the code from the image: At a time when the deadly Boko Haram group was wrecking havoc in the north east, Hilary Clinton as US Secretary State, had refused to designate the group a terror organisation. The Speech that stirred controversy Former President Bill Clinton, in a private fundraiser speech last year made public by Wikileaks earlier this week, told his wifes donors that their family foundation has tried to to save the lives of children in Nigerian territory held by jihadist group Boko Haram. His comments came after Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton reportedly refused to designate the jihadist group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) when she served as President Barack Obamas Secretary of State. Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to the the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). A probe by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) found the Clintons close relationship with Gilbert Chagoury, whose company pledged $1 billion to the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in 2009, played a role in Secretary Clintons delay in deeming the Nigeria-based Boko Haram as a terrorist group. Then President Bill Clinton of the US and his Nigerian Counterpart, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Another look at the Clinton Foundation The CGI is a non-profit organization launched by former President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation in 2005. Transcripts of former President Clintons speech at a campaign fundraiser for his wife were made public after being emailed to current Hillary campaign chairman John Podesta as an attachment. The speech reportedly took place behind closed doors, right outside of Washington, D.C. back in October 2015. Bill Clinton told donors: "In Nigeria, for example, where Boko Haram is located, my foundation is working in the exact same areas trying to save the lives of (inaudible) children who die from diarrhea with a simple oral rehydration (inaudible) package that costs 50 cents to save the life of a child." Although the Clinton Foundation appears to have provided aid for some in Nigeria, it is unclear if any of the boys and girls were from territory controlled by Boko Haram, which lies in the northeastern part of the country. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) met with the then Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential villa in Abuja. Citing the United Nations Childrens Fund, known as UNICEF, Newsweek reported in July that nearly 50,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition in [northeastern Nigerias] Borno state, the birthplace of the militant group Of these, 49,000around one in five childrenwill die if they do not receive treatment soon as the humanitarian response to the crisis wanes. In September, The Associated Press (AP) learned from intelligence agency Stratfor that Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria is largely responsible for a resurgence of polio, which affects children and causes severe paralysis. The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a nonprofit launched by the Clinton Foundation in 2010, joined the governments of Nigeria and Norway as well as non-governmental organizations, business leaders, and civil society to launch the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) effort in 2012. Under this program, the [Nigerian] Ministry [of Health] has set a new goal of saving one million lives of women and children and improving the quality of care in Nigeria in 2013 by focusing on evidence-based interventions expected to have the greatest impact on lives saved, noted the Clinton Foundation in an October 2012 press release announcing SOML. U.S. President Bill Clinton holds up a garden hoe presented to him at the village of Ushafa, Nigeria with daughter Chelsea August 27, 2000. Clinton was given the hoe and a traditional Nigerian robe during the visit to the rural Nigerian town on the second day of his official visit to the country. REUTERS The initiative was primarily aimed at reducing child mortality by rapidly increasing access to the most effective diarrhea treatmentzinc and oral rehydration solutions (ORS). By the beginning of 2015, CHAIs Zinc and ORS Program, which was focused on India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, had reached nearly 250 million people included a network of nearly 150,000 service providers, according to the United Nations. The Clinton Health Access Initiative set a goal in 2012 to increase the percent of children with diarrhea who received ORS and zinc to 80% by 2015 could help prevent 220,000 Nigerian children from dying. The secret politics Hillary Clinton played for Boko Haram Hillarys designation of Boko Haram as a terrorist group would have severely inhibited the business dealings of Lebanese construction magnate and longtime friend of former President Bill Clinton Chagoury in Nigeria. A top-prosecutor in Nigeria named the Clinton Foundation top donor a kingpin of corruption after he made it possible for Nigerian Military Dictator Sani Abacha to steal billions of dollars from the African country. He was subsequently convicted in Switzerland of money-laundering and helping a criminal organization in connection to the stolen money, but later entered a plea-deal and the charges were expunged. Chagoury, who was once on a U.S. no-fly list, also confessed in a British court to assisting the Abacha family in transferring $300 million into foreign bank accounts. Nevertheless, the Clinton Foundation gladly accepted a $1 million to $5 million donation from the nefarious figure. The Clinton Foundation claimed in 2012: CHAI began its work in Nigeria in 2007 with programs including in the Niger Delta to strengthen the conflicted regions HIV/AIDS service infrastructure, which has resulted in a 350% increase in pediatric testing and 70% increase in access to pediatric antiretroviral drugs. CHAI is now taking this vanguard approach to improve access to essential medicines for children, helping to unite businesses, NGOs, and donor organizations around this cause in support of SOML. Source: Legit.ng Thirsty? Youre in luck. In Pastes drinking-and-traveling series, City in a Glass, we mix up a citys signature swills and slide them down the bar to readers. Grab a stool. This round, in Fargo, North Dakota, is on us. Tourists only visit to cross it off of their Hit-All-50-States list. And due to North Dakotas remote location, sparse population and lack of obvious sightseeing attractions, its usually saved for last. But Fargo, located on the states eastern border, is in on the gag. If you visit the citys convention and visitors bureau and tell them North Dakota completes your 50 state list, youll get inducted into the Best for Last Club. You get a certificate, some N.D. schwag like patches, pins and T-shirts, and your photo posted to the citys official Facebook page. The celebration comes as a surprise to most visitors. Some even burst into tears. (Movie fans may also burst into tears at the visitors bureau; it has on display the actual, infamous wood-chipper used in Joel and Ethan Cohens Fargo. The brothers are Northern Plains natives.) Sweet gestures like thatand the fact that if you drive a few minutes in any direction youll hit farmlandsolidify Fargos small town charm and feel. But in reality, the city is the same size as Boston. Home to North Dakota State University (go Bisons!) and a sprawling Microsoft campus, Fargo is beginning to fill up with young people who crave cool coffee shops, restaurants and breweries. And the city is beginning to deliver with downtown hotspots like Twenty Below Coffee Co., Mezzaluna and Wurst Bier Hall. When it comes to locally made booze, Fargo is just now coming into its own. Almost unbelievably, the state of North Dakota was dry from 1889 to 1932. That means people couldnt make, buy or sell alcohol for more than 40 years. That stifled the legal brewing and distilling businesses here, but encouraged the illegal production of alcohol at home. Today home-brewing is still very common around Fargo, but luckily these at-home scientists are beginning to share the wealth. Wineries, breweries and distilleries are popping up around town and incorporating North Dakota agriculture into their quirky beverages. On this city drinks tour, were going to introduce you to three only-in-Fargo drinks. Where to order: Prairie Rose Meadery Photo courtesy of Prairie Rose Meadery Mead is an ancient fermented beverage made from honey, water and yeast. Its colloquially referred to as honey wine and can be flavored with fruits (known as melomel mead) and spices (known as metheglin mead), but in general it tastes like a sweet white wine. Susan Ruud, a plant pathologist at North Dakota State University (NDSU), got interested in mead two decades ago when she tasted it at a friends house. Since my first sip I just fell in love with it, she says. I also fell in love with the process of making it. I have a background in microbiology and decided I wanted to make the best mead possible. It really brought out the nerd in me. She began making it at home, tinkering with variables like the nitrogen sources, vitamin content and alcohol levels. (She settled on 12 percent ABV.) When she was pleased with her results she entered her meads into home-brewing competitions and managed to win multiple medals in national contests. Her success inspired her to open up a mead storefrontthe first of its kind in Fargowith her husband, Bob. At Prairie Rose Meadery, located in south Fargo, you can order Ruuds award-winning mead by the glass or bottle. All of the varieties have a base of North Dakota clover honey and are then flavored with fruits (such as wild plum or apricot) or spices (such as mint or star anise). There are currently 18 varieties behind the bar, including the non-flavored traditional mead. Theyre fun, Susan says. I like being able to rotate different flavors so its not always the same thing all of the time. One of her most popular flavors is ginger, a spicy yet subtle mead brew thats ideal for sipping out of a long-stemmed glass. Want something a little different? Order up the Mead Mule, a concoction made of 50/50 ginger mead and sour mix. Where to order: Proof Artisan Distillers Photo courtesy of Proof Artisan Distillers Like nearby Minneapolis, Fargo is populated by many people of Scandinavian descent. The city has an active chapter of the Sons of Norway, and the Historical and Cultural Center of Clay County has on display a replica of a Vikings ship. (A local man built the ship and then sailed it across the North Atlantic in the 1980s.) Plus the Sons of Norways lodge contains a fascinating bar, which is decorated with wood-carved trolls and plenty of bottles of aquavit, a fennel-flavored spirit native to Scandinavia. You can also find aquavit at Proof Artisan Distillers, the first legal, production distillery that has opened in North Dakota since Prohibition. And it only opened last year. Proof was founded by Joel Kath, a hard-alcohol aficionado and engineering professor at NDSU, plus 50 of his closest friends. He lovingly refers to these friends as his minions. When they got together a few years ago to set up the stills, they realized that the parts they ordered from Germany didnt come with assembly instructions. It was like engineers with Tinkertoys, says Proof vice president John Cook, who also happens to be an engineer. The engineers got it up and running and are now distilling potato vodka, gin, barrel-aged gin, liqueurs, whiskey, single-malt and, of course, aquavit. Minions Van Skap (Swedish for friendship) aquavit has notes of fennel, star anise, citrus, caraway, coriander, juniper and dill. Order a chilled glass of it at Proofs new tasting room, which features a bartop dating back to the 1800s. Craft brewers have paved the way for distillers, Cook says. But distillers come under a much higher level of regulation than breweries or wineries. The city doesnt even know how to deal with us yet. Where to order: 4e Winery Photo courtesy of 4e Winery There is a subset to the visit-every-state club and that is known as the drink-wine-from-every-state club. Armed with their checklists, these thirsty explorers often pop into 4e Wineryone of less than two dozen wineries in the stateand are surprised by what they find. Complex, varied wines? From grapes grown the harsh climate of the northern plains? You betcha. Mapletons 4e Winery, located a few minutes drive west of Fargo, produces 13 wines that range from dry to sweet, include reds and whites and highlight local fruit and grapes. The winery is helmed by Lisa and Greg Cook, who moved to Fargo from the Bay Area of California a few decades ago. We developed a taste for good wine while we were there, but we never would have been able to open a winery in California, Lisa says, referring to the high investment costs of the West Coast. Greg worksyou guessed itin the science department at NDSU, specifically as a chemistry professor. He had been experimented with winemaking at home for a while and in 2012 the husband-and-wife duo bought a small, historic farmstead to scale up production. They opened 4e Winery in 2015 and have released interesting vinos like the Frontenac Grisa medium sweet wine that tastes tropical like pineapplesand the Aronia Berryanother medium sweet wine made from antioxidant-rich berries that grow nearby. Midwestern palates tend to go toward sweet wines, Lisa says. But 4es most unexpected wine is its dry rhubarb, a fruit wine that is somehow still crisp and refreshing like a Sauvignon Blanc. Each bottle contains about one pound of the sour plant, which grows like a weed in the Red River Valley. 4e also make a sweet version, which just means they add sugar back into the wine after the fermentation process is complete. Even with two vineyards on their property, the Cooks still must source a lot of their grapes from Minnesota. We would buy North Dakota grapes if we could get our hands on them, Lisa says. But well never be able to get all the grapes we need. Although the Cooks may soon get their wish. NDSU scientists are developing the first species of North Dakota wine grapes, cold-hardy and entirely unique to the state. It will take a bit longer for the grapes to be commercially planted and then turned into wine, but there are plenty of things to drink until then. City in a Glass columnist Alyson Sheppard writes about travel and bars for Paste and Playboy. She currently resides in the great state of Texas. This GuestKat was entertained yesterday evening at Monckton Chamber's event at the Goldsmith Centre in London entitled "Recent key developments in competition law and regulation in the pharmaceutical sector". The main focus of the seminar was on last month's decision of the General Court in Case T472/13 , Lundbeck v European Commission. This is the first time that the General Court has ruled that so called 'pay-for-delay' agreements breach EU antitrust rules, and the General Court upheld fines of 146 million on Lundbeck and the generic companies involved. The speakers were Ronit Kreisberger, Ben Rayment, and George Peretz QC, and the session was chaired by Sir Robin Jacob. Each of the speakers have been involved in the case, and were not expressing their own views or those of their clients in the debate. object [Merpel wonders whether these were really practical alternatives, given that the generic companies would have relied on Lundbeck's data to obtain marketing authorisation from the regulator]. This essentially involves a 'counter-factual' assessment. Is such an assessment appropriate for an abbreviated 'object' inquiry? Where does this leave pharmaceutical companies in circumstances where some but not all of these factors are present? [There is no right under competition law to launch an infringing product, says Merpel!]. On the other hand, certain evidence pointed in the direction of the agreements having an anti-competitive object. The settlements covered all citalopram - irrespective of the production method, and were therefore inconsistent with the scope of the crystallisation patent. Another oddity is that the generic companies only agreed to delay entry for a period of 2-3 years - this was significantly shorter than the term of the crystallisation patent and would therefore not have guaranteed early entry. It is worth noting that the Commission did not itself assess the validity of the patent - it merely reviewed the parties' documents on this issue. all IPKat: getting her claws out The case concerns the Danish Pharmaceutical company Lundbeck's anti-depressant citalopram drug. Lundbeck's compound patent for citalopram had expired by 2002, but it also held a crystallisation patent that protected citalopram when produced using a crystallisation process. Lundbeck concluded a series of settlement agreements with four generic manufacturers (Alpharma, Arrow, Generics UK and Ranbaxy), and these agreements were the subject of the General Court's analysis. Under these agreements, Lundbeck made substantial payments to each of the generic companies, and the generic companies agreed not to enter the citalopram market for a defined period. The Commission's decision had found that the concluded agreements harmed patients and health care systems, in that they allowed Lundbeck to keep the price of its blockbuster drug citalopram artificially high, in breach of Article 101 of the TFEU.Never one to sit on the fence, Sir Robin kicked off proceedings by labelling the decision a rotten case, and invited Ronit Kreisberger and Ben Rayment to take the floor in the debate.One key issue is that the Commission declined to perform any analysis of economic effects in its decision - it only assessed theof the settlement agreements. The audience was reminded that where an agreement has an anti-competitive object, the Commission is not put to proof on the effects of that agreement. This promotes legal certainty, and has a deterrence effect. So far so good. But did the settlement agreements deserve to be assessed on an object basis only?As a threshold issue, article 101 is not triggered unless the parties to the agreements are actual or potential competitors. The generic companies maintained that they were not potential competitors: they could not launch a generic form of citalopram because they were prohibited from doing so by Lundbeck's crystallisation patent. This was rejected by the General Court on the basis that the patent was not an insurmountable barrier to entry due to the presence of a number of factors, which included the following: the parties' internal documents suggested that the patent might be 'weak', litigation was unlikely even if the generics had launched, and the generics' investments were substantial which provided evidence of their intentions to develop and launch generic citalopram. The General Court stated that the generic manufacturers could have developed citalopram using alternative processesThe General Court appeared according to some participants to proceed on the basis that because some patents will fall when subjected to revocation actions,patent settlement agreements should be treated as presumptively unlawful.Should this be an area that is the subject of ex post competition enforcement or would ex ante regulation be more appropriate? There were a number of thought provoking questions for the panel from the floor:The Commission appears very sceptical of 'potential competitor' entry in the merger context, yet in these 'pay for delay' cases, the Commission is willing to label generic manufacturers as potential competitors even though it is highly uncertain what would have happened in those markets 'but for' the settlement agreements. The speakers were divided in terms of whether those contexts were comparable, and whether a similar approach should be applied in both contexts.It was noted that the settlement agreements in issue were particularly badly drafted. It is key that the scope of any settlement does not extend beyond the scope of the relevant patent(s).Following judgment, Lundbeck issued aexpressing disappointment with the General Court's conclusions, and strongly disagreeing with the judgment. Lundbeck is considering an appeal to the European Court of Justice. The Commission's press release can be found here. A further report on the second case discussed at this seminar, R (Roche Registration Ltd) v Secretary of State for Health, will be posted on this blog in due course. Involved Father makes a positive impact on his family and his community By: Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida Henri Francois with daughters reading in Miami.Photo Credit: Emmanuel Philogene Contact Patrice Samara ***@triumphnewyork.com Photo: https://www.prlog.org/ 12595138/1 Patrice Samara End -- The Most Valuable Father Award Winner, Henri Francois, has been announced by Holly Zwerling, Founder, President and CEO of the Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida. The criteria for the Award are for Fathers to be involved in their child's life; support and nurture them; interact in their education, play, and activities; and to be a role model for positive values by guiding and supporting them socially and emotionally."The Fatherhood Task Force applauds and values Fathers who find uninterrupted time to play, talk and read with their children in addition to making their safety and well-being a priority," stated Zwerling.Most Valuable Father Award Winner Francois, 45, originally from Petion-Ville, Haiti, has lived in the United States since July 2003. "My wife and my oldest daughter joined me in April 2004. My youngest daughter was born in Miami," Francois said.Employed by Home Depot in North Miami Beach as a Sales Associate, Francois is also attending Miami Dade College with a goal of earning a master's degree in human rights law. "I am just three classes away from graduating with an AA in Pre-law," Francois proudly stated.A father who is devoted to his two daughters, Francois, his wife and children live in Opa-Locka, FL. "The values that are most important to me in raising my children are respect, honesty, loyalty, caring, and love. My children are a priority for me," stated Francois.Francois is a member of the Fatherhood Reading Squad, a program developed by the Fatherhood Task Force, encouraging father and male role models to read and talk to students in Pre-K-12 schools. Francois continued, "Going into their school to read to students is an opportunity for me to touch other children's lives, in addition to my own. My being involved brings a male role model into the educational system and provides balance in a child's life. The appreciation and emotional response I am getting back from the students makes me feel happy and encourages me to keep on doing it."Deeply involved locally, he is a figure of respect and a role model encouraging dignity in his community. He is the Board President of the Multi-family Homeowner's Association where he lives and actively participates in city meetings to get his community moving in a positive direction.An advocacy organization with national influence, their mission is to facilitate the involvement of Fathers in children's lives by developing and promoting programs for fathers, grandfathers, uncles and male mentors/role models related to all stages of parenthood. Holly Zwerling, LMFT, LCSW, President & CEO, Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida (Holly@Fatherhoodtfsf.org), 305.812.4000 Former MCC Resident Country Director Dr. Salem-Murdock joins Maroc4Invest as a Senior Advisor Former Resident Country Director of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Morocco and former Senior Development Policy Advisor to the US Executive Director at the World Bank, Dr. Muneera Salem-Murdock joins Maroc4Invest to support and promote the social and economic development of Morocco. Dr. Salem-Murdock will be advising US companies and NGOs interested in investing in Morocco on a number of issues including education, health, gender, and rural development. By: Maroc4Invest Dr. Salem-Murdock WASHINGTON - Oct. 19, 2016 - PRLog -- Dr. Salem-Murdock joined Maroc4Invest, an organization she views as an excellent example of what Morocco has to offer potential US and other investors: young, energetic, strongly adaptive and extremely competent. Having resided in Morocco for almost 7 years, in her capacity of MCC's Compact I Director, she observed, firsthand, the impressive economic progress that Morocco has achieved in the last 10 years. She also witnessed the opportunities that a country like Morocco presents. The appointment of Muneera Salem-Murdock will help Maroc4Invest to better understand how to best connect investment opportunities in Morocco with US market needs for the mutual benefit of both countries. Former US Ambassador to Morocco Edward M. Gabriel has noted: "Having been the US Ambassador to Morocco, I can say that Morocco has a special relationship with the United States. The Millennium Challenge Compact, with a total investment of 700 million dollars during the course of almost 7 years (2007-2014), was a timely and important part of these strong ties. Muneera did an excellent job of collaborating with the Moroccan authorities and a wide range of stakeholders from many sectors to ensure the success of the Compact's implementation. Her work in Morocco is very well regarded and her friendships testify to her success." Morocco, with its strategic geographic position between Europe and Africa, has increasingly become a strategic partner of the United States, including in dealings with Europe, the Middle East and Africa in both commercial and social endeavors. Morocco is a great US partner, particularly in Africa, given Morocco's valuable experience in banking, telecommunications, and mining but also in terms of its infrastructure, renewable energy projects, and health care facilities for its African neighbors. Given her wide range of experience in the MENA region throughout her career at MCC, USAID, and the World Bank, Dr. Salem-Murdock will be a valuable asset for US-Moroccan partnership. More information on Maroc4Invest: Maroc4Invest facilitates foreign enterprises in doing business in Morocco as a gateway to Africa. It is a one-stop shop for foreign companies entering the Moroccan and African market from administrative services to market strategy/ implementation and partnership facilitation. We also support international development agencies and funds in Morocco regarding education, health, agribusiness and business development. Please see M4I's website: Contact Hayat Essakkati ***@maroc4invest.com Photo: https://www.prlog.org/ 12595558/1 Hayat Essakkati End -- Dr. Salem-Murdock joined Maroc4Invest, an organization she views as an excellent example of what Morocco has to offer potential US and other investors: young, energetic, strongly adaptive and extremely competent. Having resided in Morocco for almost 7 years, in her capacity of MCC's Compact I Director, she observed, firsthand, the impressive economic progress that Morocco has achieved in the last 10 years. She also witnessed the opportunities that a country like Morocco presents. The appointment of Muneera Salem-Murdock will help Maroc4Invest to better understand how to best connect investment opportunities in Morocco with US market needs for the mutual benefit of both countries.Former US Ambassador to Morocco Edward M. Gabriel has noted: "Having been the US Ambassador to Morocco, I can say that Morocco has a special relationship with the United States. The Millennium Challenge Compact, with a total investment of 700 million dollars during the course of almost 7 years (2007-2014), was a timely and important part of these strong ties. Muneera did an excellent job of collaborating with the Moroccan authorities and a wide range of stakeholders from many sectors to ensure the success of the Compact's implementation. Her work in Morocco is very well regarded and her friendships testify to her success."Morocco, with its strategic geographic position between Europe and Africa, has increasingly become a strategic partner of the United States, including in dealings with Europe, the Middle East and Africa in both commercial and social endeavors. Morocco is a great US partner, particularly in Africa, given Morocco's valuable experience in banking, telecommunications, and mining but also in terms of its infrastructure, renewable energy projects, and health care facilities for its African neighbors.Given her wide range of experience in the MENA region throughout her career at MCC, USAID, and the World Bank, Dr. Salem-Murdock will be a valuable asset for US-Moroccan partnership.More information on Maroc4Invest:Maroc4Invest facilitates foreign enterprises in doing business in Morocco as a gateway to Africa. It is a one-stop shop for foreign companies entering the Moroccan and African market from administrative services to market strategy/ implementation and partnership facilitation. We also support international development agencies and funds in Morocco regarding education, health, agribusiness and business development. Please see M4I's website: www.maroc4invest.com Email : ***@maroc4invest.com Tags : Consulting , Morocco , USA , Africa , Investments Industry : Business , Investment , Services Location : Washington - District of Columbia - United States Subject : Companies Account Phone Number Disclaimer Report Abuse Account Email AddressAccount Phone Number Page Updated Last on: Oct 19, 2016 Amiya and IIJ Global Solutions Singapore form Business Alliance in Singapore Contact Ms. Asako Yonezawa Email: gb-sales@amiya.co.jp ***@amiya.co.jp Ms. Asako Yonezawa Email: gb-sales@amiya.co.jp End -- Amiya Corporation (Tokyo, Japan; Seiichi Ito, CEO) and IIJ Global Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd. (Singapore;Osamu Ono, Managing Director) announced a formal agreement for IIJ Global Solutions Singapore to sell and support Amiya's ALog ConVerter, a server access log management tool in the Singapore market.Amiya Corporation is the inventor of ALog ConVerter, a server access log management tool that plays a vital role in corporate data security and risk management in Japan and the rest of Asia. This time, Amiya chose IIJ Global Solutions Singapore as the company's partner in Singapore where there is an increasing demand for security in the market, recognizing IIJ Global Solutions Singapore's strong sales channel and technical support capabilities that will contribute to ALog ConVerter growth.ALog ConVerter is the standard among server access log management programs, awarded the Gold Prize in the Info Security Products Global Excellence Awards 2013, Products and Solutions for Asia-Pacific categories. More importantly, ALog ConVerter has been adopted by more than 2,600 corporations around the world, highly regarded for its effectiveness and ease of operation.Says Osamu Ono, Managing Director of IIJ Global Solutions Singapore,"With the launch of AEC, Singapore has become the focal point for Japanese companies in Asia. Therefore, security management is an important aspect for all companies in Singapore. In Japan, AMIYA is the leading provider in the server access log management market. Together with AMIYA, IIJ is now able to provide enhanced security solutions to Japanese companies. With over 8 years of experience in Singapore, IIJ also has thestrength to open up Non-Japanese market in the region."Seiichi Ito, CEO of Amiya Corporation, adds, "We believe this partnership with IIJ Global Solutions Singapore that has strong sales channels and technical strength will open up more sales channels for ALog ConVerter in Singapore where there is an increasing demand for security in the market. We expect Singapore's decision-makers to embrace ALog ConVerter with the same kind of reception this software has received in Japan. We look forward to offering Singapore enterprises and Japanese enterprises which have Singapore branches our solutions that increase their security environment.Released originally in September 2005, ALog ConVerter is an agentless (non-resident program) access log management tool. ALog ConVerter takes a server event log and looks for file access, domain logins, and other activity, providing all-in-one proprietary analysis and file compression for long-term storage. It realizes low cost and efficient log management as ALog ConVerter collects log data from the server side where the vital data is stored. ALog ConVerter has been adopted by more than 2,600 corporationsIIJ Global Solutions Singapore URL: http://www.iijglobal.com/ sg/en/ AMIYA URL http://www.amiya.co.jp/ english/ Company names and products noted herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. By: USOH End -- Hindus have welcomed Netherlands Ministry of Defense's reported move to train their soldiers in yoga to effectively handle stressful situations and process traumatic experiences;and are urging all world military establishments to undertake yoga programs.Reports suggest that yoga teachers will train some Netherlands armed forces personnel to be yoga instructors with the goal that they will ultimately train and provide opportunity to every army-air force-navy soldier to practice yoga.Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, termed it as a step in the positive direction to make yoga available to Netherlands' soldiers.Yoga, referred as "a living fossil", was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a "2016 Yoga in America Study", about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities)now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added. Helping other people and touching lives is certainly not a cost but an investment. Whether small or big time companies, there are a lot of opportunities to create an impact to society and make a difference. End -- Banner Pen, the leading banner pens and scroll pens supplier in Australia supports children in Thailand to have food on their tables, good education and comfortable shelter by donating $25 to Hands Across the Water charity from every banner pen and scroll pen job they completed for their customers.Hands Across the Water was established with the help of a former Australian police forensic specialist Peter Baines. In 2004, countless Thai children were left alone and homeless by the tsunami and Peter Baines was deeply touched by the number of children left homeless and alone by the natural disaster. The charity supports almost 300 children in multiple locations across Thailand providing them with homes, food, education and support.From the start Banner Pens Australia believes that giving has been a keen tenant of the success they have been achieving. The company work hard to support not only the growth and success of the company and their customers' businesses but to also help further the amazing work undertaken by Australian based charity Hands Across the Water.Banner Pen commented that "."Having the business donate based on the level of success achieve on a daily basis, rather than how much money was 'left over' at the end of the month has provided the business and their team with some huge advantages that other businesses might be able to benefit from as well.Banner pen team also includes their customers in touching children's lives by their purchase. The team is sending out thank you letters to their customers with printed material from the charity to let them know of the stories of what the funds are achieving and how their purchase is directly affecting and touching the lives of children in Thailand. Customers have also sent back responses letting the business know that they value dealing with businesses that look for areas to help and touch the lives of other people.In making a difference you don't need to be a big company. Donating in charities does not mean big amount. Whatever amount is your donation, it will still make a difference. If a small promotional products business has found a way to use it to motivate their staff and delight their customers maybe others can too.To know more about Banner Pen, please contact:Russell JohansenPhone: 1300 850 205 OKPAY has introduced the launch of beta website www.okpay.eu as the first step towards transition to a Cyprus regulated financial institution. By: OKPAY CY Ltd. Contact Konstantin Romanovsky ***@okpay.com Konstantin Romanovsky End -- OKPAY Inc. has been providing financial services since 2010. Today, OKPAY is starting to operate in Cyprus under the regulatory supervision of the Central Bank of Cyprus."Our main goal has always been empowering our customers' personal and corporate financial experience,"said George Paphitis, CEO of OKPAY CY. "I truly believe that by connecting countries, currencies, businesses, and professionals we are helping our customers succeed in more ways than ever before."OKPAY aims to expand internet commerce with unique innovations that improve all the ways electronic payments are used every day.With the help of a world-class IT specialists team, OKPAY is constantly gaining new features. Having an OKPAY account guarantees its owner early access to the most recent financial instruments."We love the web, creating and implementing fresh ideas and services is our passion," said Konstantin Romanovsky, head of IT department. "New user area features dramatically improved interface that is advanced and user-friendly like never before."Modern technology and the Internet are creating exciting new business opportunities all over the world. Thousands of entrepreneurs from over 200 countries and territories professionals, start-ups, and digital platforms actively establish global businesses. Everyday challenges they face in getting paid and making payments for cross-border contracts can be easily overcome with the help of a professional financial service like OKPAY."We believe that current financial limitation is not a problem of a financial nature but mostly a service-based limitation,"continues George Paphitis, CEO of OKPAY CY. "We obsessively seek out elegant solutions that allow us to create robust, scalable, and flexible integrations. OKPAY is built for developers and creators of any kind. We avoid needless complexity and extraneous details, that's why you can set up your business with OKPAY in just a couple of minutes."About OKPAYPeople behind OKPAY are businessmen with vast practical experience in the field of electronic commerce, financial software development, banking, product marketing and Internet sales since 2007.OKPAY CY Ltd (reg. #296419) is duly licensed by the Central Bank of Cyprus (E-Money Issuer License #115.1.3.3) to issue electronic money and payment instruments. OKPAY is a registered trademark of OKPAY CY Ltd. Visit http://www.okpay.eu By: Marketing research firm IndexBox End -- According to recently published IndexBox research World: Amine-Function Compounds - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2020, the global trade in amine-function compounds amounted to 8,382 million USD in 2015. The value of trade fluctuated notably throughout the analyzed period, declining pronouncedly from 2014 to 2015.China emerged as the leader in the global supplies of amine-function compounds. In 2015, China's exports of amine-function compounds totaled 1,773 million USD, which accounted for a 21% share of global exports. The USA, Belgium, Germany, and France were the other key global suppliers of amine-function compounds in 2015, with a 45% combined share of global exports.France (+28.5% per year) and China (+8.9% per year) were the fastest growing exporters from 2007 to 2015. China significantly strengthened its position in the global export structure, growing its share from 11% in 2007 to 21% in 2015.On the other hand, Germany (12%, based on value terms), USA (8%), Belgium (8%), China (7%), and Japan (7%) were the leading destinations of amine-function compound imports in 2015. Imports to the USA grew at a rate of +4.5% per year from 2007 to 2015. By contrast, Belgium slightly contracted its imports of amine-function compounds over the same period. All of the major importers maintained relatively stable shares of global imports over the period from 2007 to 2015, sustaining only minor fluctuations of 1 to 2 percentage points.Source and figures: http://www.indexbox.co.uk/ news/global- amine-function- comp... Market report: http://www.indexbox.co.uk/ store/world- amine-function- comp... Contact Devart ***@devart.com Devart End --Prague, Czech Republic, 19 October 2016 - Devart, a recognized vendor of database management software, data connectivity solutions and developer tools, announced the release of Skyvia 4.3, all-in-one web service for cloud data integration, backup and management. The new Skyvia version offers beta support for Google Apps and widely used marketing, e-commerce, and e-support apps including Marketo, HubSpot, Freshdesk, Zendesk and Shopify.For Skyvia users, now there is an ability to use popular integrations, such as Zendesk and Salesforce, Shopify and Mailchimp, Marketo and Salesforce, Hubspot and Salesforce, and many others. The updated Skyvia also provides easy integration of cloud applications and relational databases with Google Apps, including Google Contacts, Google Calendar, and Google Task.Skyvia Data Integration contains a wide range of data related scenarios which can be created from the convenient and unified user interface. Skyvia users can migrate data from one source to another, set up bi-directional data synchronization with flexible scheduling, import or export data to different sources, including CSV, as well as replicate cloud data to relational databases. At this stage all Data Integration functionality is completely free.Even though cloud data sources seem to be reliable and secure, there is still always a chance that data will destroy due to employee mistake, incorrectly working third party application or major disaster where the data center is destroyed. Skyvia Backup can protect all of customer's cloud data, offering automatic daily or anytime manual backup with search, view, export of backed up data and few-clicks data restore.In Skyvia 4.3 users can easily access their Shopify, Zendesk, Freshdesk, HubSpot, Marketo and Google Apps data online, build queries visually, simply by drag and dropping the necessary fields or by using the full power of SQL language, and visualize it in a form of grid or charts to get quick data insights. Only web browser and Internet connections are required.For more information about Skyvia, please visit: https://skyvia.com/ Devart is one of the leading developers of database tools and administration software, ALM solutions, data providers for various database servers and cloud apps, data integration and backup solutions. The company also implements Web and Mobile development projects.Learn more about Devart at: https://www.devart.com Amazing new trip from Llama Travel, providing a chance to round Cape Horn in Patagonia. By: Llama Travel See the stunning scenery in Patagonia Contact Mick Thompson, Travel Dog PR ***@traveldogpr.co.uk Mick Thompson, Travel Dog PR End -- Llama Travel has created a unique opportunity to 'round' Cape Horn and explore one of the remotest places on the planet.The three-night cruise, which forms part of the adapted Best of Chile & Argentina trip, commences in Tierra del Fuego on day 13 of the itinerary, aboard the 100-cabin Stella Australis adventure cruise ship.Departing in the evening, the cruise travels from Ushuaia, in Argentina, to Punta Arenas, in Chile. Travel via Cape Horn, passing wind-swept islands home to squawking penguin colonies and grunting sea lions, and towering glaciers which dwarf not only people, but ships.Sail through the Beagle Channel, along the edge of Tierra del Fuego, and across the Strait of Magellan a once-treacherous journey undertaken by adventurers for centuries. Today it is a comfortable cruise experience, complete with cocktail evenings, but maintains the element of adventure thanks to the striking surrounds.There will be plenty of opportunities to spot whales, dolphins, penguins, condors, seals and more, and to learn about the explorers who have also travelled these iconic waters. Santiago, Chile's modern capital, spectacularly enveloped as it is by the snow-capped Andes. Perito Moreno glacier; 30km in length and with 60-metre high walls of ice, the walkways are close enough that you can hear the ice cracking and see huge pieces breaking off and crashing into the water. Torres del Paine National Park with its soaring peaks, glacial valleys and wild grasslands and wildlife including guanacos (a type of llama), rheas (South American ostriches), condors, foxes and rare pumas An exploration of Buenos Aires and San Telmo, the oldest barrio (neighbourhood), characterised by its colonial buildings, cafes, tango parlours & antique shops.The holiday costs from 5149 per person (two sharing) which includes international and domestic flights, all ground transportation, 16 nights' accommodation (including three nights aboard the Stella Australis cruise ship), some meals and local guides.Full details here: Best of Chile & Argentina ( https://www.llamatravel.com/ holidays/best- of-chile-and- ar... Call 020 7263 3000 or visit www.llamatravel.com Contact Human Resources Epic Consulting Group Inc careers@weareepicconsulting.com 505-795-6215 Human ResourcesEpic Consulting Group Inc505-795-6215 End -- Epic Consulting Group, Inc has announced plans to expand in the third quarter. As a marketing firm, Epic Consulting Group specializes in direct marketing campaigns and promotional brand management for their clients in the telecommunications industry, leading the nation as the number one ranked Safelink Wireless team in the one to three store category from November 2015 to April 2016. When asked about the company's success rate, Market Manager, Clifton Neal credited ECG's success with the account representatives, stating, "In my experience, team is everything. I remind my team that we are trying to build a new brand. When we work hard together, our success increases exponentially, as we've seen already."One of the top reasons Epic Consulting Group, Inc has been so successful is the company's policy of investing in its employees. As a company that only promotes from within, Epic Consulting Group, Inc trains and helps develop career-oriented employees from training into management. Clifton has major plans to help ECG expand into several other regions in New Mexico including Albuquerque, Farmington, and Roswell. When asked about the upcoming growth, Neal asserted, "Over the next couple months, we plan on opening three more markets. We're estimating that our expansion will bring in roughly $75K in revenue monthly per new market." These recent developments have opened up new growth opportunities from within the company.One of the reasons why Market Manager, Neal, acts as an advocate for promotion from within is because of his own personal experience. After struggling to find a job in his field of study in college, Clifton applied with Elite Media Communications in Milwaukee, WI. He understands the business from every angle and wants leaders at Epic Consulting Group ( http://www.weareepicconsulting.com ) to have practical experience with the company. When asked about his background, Clifton stated, "I studied construction science and management at Tuskegee University in Alabama receiving my degree." After college, Clifton was attracted to the company's infrastructure. He explained, "The opportunity to grow into management in a short amount of time based upon my results rather than how long I've been in the company brought me to the business. It was that concept that really motivated me to focus in on the training and to be 100% committed to the task at hand." Now as a manager, Mr. Neal focuses on providing the opportunity to succeed to others.Epic Consulting Group, Inc revolves around the strong team dynamic that employees share. They provide travel opportunities, national networking events, and most importantly, weekly team nights to help build relationships among coworkers. For more information about Epic Consulting Group, Inc and their recent expansion, visit them online at http://www.weareepicconsulting.com. A gorgeous oil on canvas marine rendering by Thomas Buttersworth (Br., 1768-1842) and a watercolor work by Childe Frederick Hassam (Am., 1859-1935), are expected top lots at John McInnis Auctioneers' next auction, November 4th, in Exeter, N.H. By: John McInnis Auctioneers Diminutive watercolor painting by Childe Frederick Hassam (Am., 1859-1935). Contact John McInnis ***@yahoo.com John McInnis End -- A gorgeous oil on canvas marine rendering by Thomas Buttersworth (Br., 1768-1842) and a diminutive watercolor work by Childe Frederick Hassam (Am., 1859-1935), mounted to the flyleaf of his 1899 book, are expected top lots at a fine art estates auction planned for Friday, November 4, at 5 pm Eastern time by John McInnis Auctioneers.The event will be held at the historic Exeter Inn, located in the center of Phillips Academy, at 90 Front Street in Exeter. Around 300 market-fresh, original works of art will come up for bid, to include 19and 20century American and European paintings, watercolors and works on paper. Previews will be held Thursday evening, Nov. 3, from 6-8 pm, and on auction day from 1 pm on."Everyone is invited to join us for a fast-paced and entertaining evening, with some wonderful opportunities to acquire original fine art at attractive price points through auction," said John McInnis of John McInnis Auctioneers, based in Amesbury, Mass. "Come early and enjoy a meal at the Epoch Restaurant, known for its fine dining and relaxing lounge. It'll be a great night out."The Buttersworth oil painting is a signed work titledIt measures 31 inches by 43 inches (framed) and is estimated to bring $20,000-$30,000. The Hassam watercolor, just 6 inches by 6 inches, is titledand was a gift from Hassan to his close friend and artist, Rose Lamb. It should hit $10,000-$15,000.Two paintings could conceivably top the $10,000 mark. The first is an oil on board by Gertrude Fisk (1878-1961), titled, signed twice and titled verso, in very good untouched estate condition (est. $8,000-$12,000). The second is an oil on canvas by George Inness (1825-1894), 24 inches by 29 inches, titled(est. $8,000-$10,000)A pair of works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is in the auction. One is a lithograph, titledsigned in plate by Picasso and measuring 29 inches by 34 inches (framed). It's expected to fetch $1,000-$1,500. The other is a linocut titled, signed in plate and in pencil by Picasso. The 29 inch by 23 inch piece should reach $500-$1,000.An oil on board by Anthony Thieme (1888-1954), titled, that appears to be in its original 11 inch by 9 inch frame and under glass, is expected to sell for $5,000-$7,000;and an oil on canvas by Victor DeGrailly (1804), titled, unsigned and housed in a 29 inch by 37 inch frame, is estimated at $5,000-$8,000.Two harbor-themed paintings carry identical estimates of $2,000-$3,000. The first is an oil on paper board by Samuel L. Gerry (1813-1891), titled9 inches by 12 inches, signed and housed in an oval frame. The second is a 23 inch by 27 inch (framed) oil on canvas by Theodore Valenkamph (1868-1924), signed, titledFans of the American School will be able to choose between an oil on board painting by Frank Anderson (1844-1891), titledsigned and 14 inches by 16 inches (framed), expected to rise to $2,000-$3,000;and a 24 inch by 30 inch (framed) oil on canvas work, signed "Cook" and titledin good condition and with a pre-sale estimate of $500-$700.A pair of artworks by Sonia Delaunay-Terk (1885-1979) will cross the auction block. One is a color lithograph titledsigned and dated 1969 and 20 inches by 17 inches in the frame (est. $800-$1,200). The other is a color etching, signed in 1970 and titled, 29 inches by 25 inches (framed), with just some minor toning. It should command $500-$1,000.An oil on canvas painting by Samuel Halpert (1884-1930), titledsigned and in a 21 inch by 28 inch frame, in good condition, is expected to realize $2,000-$3,000, and so is a gouache and ink painting by Theo Tobiasse (1927-2012), titledsigned and in a 16 inch by 20 inch frame. Both works estimated alike and both are in very good condition.An oil on canvas by Suzanne Eisendieck (1908-1998), titledpresented in a 27 inch by 24 inch frame and in very good condition, should change hands for $2,000-$3,000;while an oil on wood composite by John Terelak (b. 1942), titled, signed and dated 1979 and in a 19 inch by 23 inch frame, in very good condition, should hit $1,000-$2,000.A 19century British School depiction of horses, titledsigned (possibly by "S. Allman"), 30 inches by 38 inches in the frame and exhibiting some scattered inpaint and loss, should still bring $800-$1,200;and an oil on paper board by George W. Whitaker (1841-1916), titledsigned and in a 17 inch by 13 inch frame, should finish at $400-$600.For those people unable to attend the exhibition, sale and auction in person, internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com. The full catalog, showing all the artworks being offered in the auction component, may be viewed online now, at www.mcinnisauctions.com . For those who do plan to attend, Exeter is located in southeastern New Hampshire, not far off of Interstate 95.John McInnis Auctioneers is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single piece, a collection or an estate, you may call them at (978) 388-0400; or, you can e-mail them at mcinnisauctions@yahoo.com ( mailto:mcinnisauctions@ ayahoo.com ). To learn more about John McInnis Auctioneers and the upcoming November 4auction in Exeter, N.H., please visit www.mcinnisauctions.com. Investment conditions in the big three European markets of the UK, Germany and France are set to remain favourable in 2017 despite wider political and economic uncertainty, a survey of industry leaders has revealed. The BNP Paribas Real Estate Confidence Index (RECI), launched today, found the majority of investors (70%) [] JLL has represented PPF Real Estate in the acquisition of Metropolis Center, an office complex in the city center of Bucharest, from Soravia. This is the first PPF Real Estates acquisition on the Romanian real estate market. JLL continues to attract new players on the Romanian market after in the [] Higher food prices would help fight food waste A quarter of Dutch consumers would reduce waste to almost zero if food prices doubled If food prices were twice what they are now, 24% of Dutch consumers would throw away hardly any food. This is the conclusion of research published today that was commissioned by Natuur & Milieu and Rabobank and conducted by Motivaction. It is being presented in conjunction with a joint Natuur & Milieu and Rabobank food waste campaign being launched today at De Verspillingsfabriek (The Waste Factory) in the Netherlands. Based on these figures, we can conclude that higher food prices provide a strong incentive for wasting much less food, says Natuur & Milieu spokesperson Talitha Koek. Food prices are relatively low in the Netherlands compared to our neighbouring countries. This is why were calling for real prices for food that figure in the environmental costs and ensure farmers fetch a fair price for their products. This also has the added advantage of reducing food waste. 2.5 billion worth of food wasted annually Dutch consumers throw away 2.5 billion euros worth of edible food every year. This equals 150 euros per person (source: Milieu Centraal). Dutch consumers throw away a total of 800 million kilos of food annually and as a result waste three megatonnes of CO2. If home food waste were eliminated, CO2 emissions per Dutch consumer would fall by 1.5%. This is equal to the emissions of more than one million automobiles. Food: 11% of income, expectation is higher Figures from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre Foundation (Voedingscentrum) show that Dutch consumers spend an average of around 11% of their net income on food. More than half of the respondents, however, think this percentage is actually at least twice that amount. Many respondents estimate that they spend 20 to 30% of their income on food. There is also scope based on these figures for raising food prices. The Netherlands is among the bottom of the class worldwide when it comes to the percentage of income consumers spend on food, says Koek. Smaller packaging The main reasons given for throwing away food is that it no longer smells/tastes/looks good (54%), is past the best-before date (30%) and too much has been cooked (25%). The most frequently stated solutions for reducing food waste are: smaller packaging (44%), using shopping lists (33%) and better information on the best-before date (24%). Rabobank can as an organisation make a modest contribution towards reducing food waste. As a global food and agri bank, we can have a real impact by financing solutions across the entire F&A chain. We can also make a difference by collaborating with sustainable frontrunners such as De Verspillingsfabriek and social partners, says Bas Ruter, Director of Sustainability at Rabobank . De Verspillingsfabriek makes soup from leftover food. About the research Natuur & Milieu and Rabobank commissioned Motivaction to conduct a representative sample survey of 788 Dutch consumers between the ages of 18 and 70. The survey is representative in terms of education, age, gender, region and value orientation. Motivaction is an independent research agency. It is a member of MOA, Center for Information Based Decision Making & Marketing Research and is part of the Research Keurmerkgroep (Seal Research Group). Contact information: Natuur & Milieu Jolanda van Zwieten, 06 46843537, e-mail: j.vanzwieten@natuurenmilieu.nl Colonial plunder, crime, tribal factions, sectarianism, drug running, piracy, animal poaching, illegal logging and destructive mining practices -- all of which add up to wholesale environmental exploitation. The island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines has seen it all and more. "Mindanao has about 22 totally separate ethnolinguistic groups, who speak maybe 70 languages -- culturally, it's incredibly complex and diverse," said Rafe Brown, curator-in-charge of herpetology at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute. "Colliding cultures have butted heads for 500 years or more. Historically there has been tension between the national Catholic government and Muslim regional government, and the cultural interests of numerous indigenous peoples' groups also underlie conflict over natural resources. Mindanao has extensive mineral resources and forests with valuable timber. Tropical rainforest soils are also very fertile, making the lowlands attractive to agribusiness. There's been conflict over those resources for hundreds of years." If the island seems like a daunting locale to conduct biological research, that's because it is. Brown recently took part in an expedition into the mountains of Mindanao to carry out a biological survey of the area's fauna, bringing KU graduate students along for the challenging fieldwork with scientists from Father Saturnino Urios University, the University of Oklahoma, the National Museum of the Philippines and Silliman University. Brown, an herpetologist who focuses on southeast Asia, said the risks inherent in the work are worthwhile because he values international collaboration so much and because Mindanao is a treasure house of biodiversity. "The Philippine archipelago is recognized as a globally significant conservation priority -- a biodiversity hotspot," he said. "For example, 95 percent of Mindanao's amphibians don't appear anywhere else in the world. The terrestrial biodiversity of the Philippines is amazing, and this part of Mindanao is the center of the center of that diversity. The biodiversity is so high in this one pocket of northeast Mindanao, largely because the ranges of so many species in the archipelago overlap in this one area. We knew it was really diverse, but we didn't have a sense of this one area being the bull's-eye, the epicenter of this diversity." As a result of the expedition in Mindanao, the research team has published a new paper in the online open-access journal ZooKeys detailing their findings: a total of 126 species, including 40 frogs, one caecilian, 49 lizards, 35 snakes, a freshwater turtle and a crocodile. advertisement Their discoveries, making up 36 percent of the total known Philippine reptiles and amphibians, were the result of genetic and morphological analysis, international collaboration and, above all, rigorous fieldwork. Much of the expedition was carried out on mountains, as extensive logging has destroyed the lion's share of old-growth forest on Mindanao's lowlands. "Mindanao is a place where unfortunately the original forest cover was more than 85 percent, but now it's down to 6 percent original forest, and 15 percent is second-growth vegetation," Brown said. "Giant U.S. logging operations made it big under the Marcos administration. They deforested Mindanao in about 40 years. Mindanao formerly supported incredibly diverse forests with trees as big around as your house standing 250 feet tall. I saw a bit of it left in Cotabato in 1991 during my first trip to the Philippines, before it was cut down in the early '90s." To prepare for the expedition, first Brown and collaborators from local universities met with local authorities, tribal leaders, hunters, police and military for advice and to ensure the safety of the research team, a process he calls "ground proofing." Then, Brown's research team hiked up one of the biggest mountains on Mindanao. "On Mount Hilong-hilong, we established camps at 300, 900 and 1,200 meters," he said. "We were there for three-and-a-half weeks, then moved to the next mountain range over, where we surveyed Mount Lumot. Once we get up, we set up tents and put our traps along trails created by animals. Every expedition is a training opportunity for the participants, and we're all anxious to learn new skills from each other. The researchers from the U.S. are trained to go out with shovels and potato rakes and machetes, actively searching habitats of target species. We typically dig around tree trunks looking for animals that live underground. We search rivers and streams, turning over rocks, splitting open decaying logs looking for lizards or frogs. We climb trees, looking for tree-dwelling lizards, or place pitfall traps in the ground to catch lizards and small snakes that live in the leaf litter. We also use sticky traps like people use to catch pests in homes." Brown and his team also rely on indigenous knowledge of each area's biodiversity and techniques for locating elusive animals. advertisement "On these expeditions, we also found that different tribal groups have unique and ingenious means of catching forest animals," he said. "For example, a master hunter taught us how to make a variety of traps and snares from vines and rattan. And with his techniques, we captured species of rodents and lizards that we never caught by any other means." Aside from passive traps, KU researchers and their Filipino collaborators spent a great deal of their time searching for animals in the dark. "The longer distances are traversed at night, when we walk in groups through the forest on trails, actively looking for nocturnal animals on the ground, along rivers and up in trees, using powerful head lamps. This is one of the most important pieces of equipment we have, a really strong head lamp. Without the right light, we'd be in trouble." For Brown, the research work on Mindanao harkens back a century to when KU Professor Edward Harrison Taylor, called the "Father of Philippine herpetology," performed years of fieldwork in the same part of Mindanao, discovering many of the 120 species he described in his career. Indeed, Brown and his Filipino collaborators have spent considerable time and effort, throughout the Philippines, trying to rediscover species first discovered and formally described by Taylor but over the last century pushed toward extinction by the ensuing deforestation. "We like to think back to Taylor, a century ago, who would go out 'herping' by himself with a kerosene lantern, carrying it above his head with one hand, while grabbing lizards with the other. It's difficult to imagine how he collected as many specimens as he did," Brown said. "But his legacy, the published record and the many well-preserved specimens in museums around the world formed the foundation of Philippine herpetology. That legacy has been an inspiration to three or four generations of Filipino and American students who followed in his footsteps, all the while emphasizing partnership and collaboration between our historically linked countries." 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. Yeast. Great if you want to make bread or wine. Not so hot if it turns up as Candida albicans in large quantities in your body and makes you sick. A study recently published by a team of researchers led by Concordia University professor Malcolm Whiteway in Current Biology shows that the type of yeast in bread is less similar to the type that causes fungal infections than previously thought. The researchers hope that by shining new light on what makes the pathogen tick, his research may eventually help create targeted drugs. When yeast goes bad Candida albicans is the strain of yeast that causes relatively benign infections in people with strong immune systems. But it can be a serious threat to people with compromised immune systems, such as patients with AIDS or those undergoing chemotherapy or transplants of organs or bone marrow. "Blood-stream infections related to Candida are frequently fatal," says Whiteway, who conducted the study with key collaborators Walters Tebung -- a PhD candidate at Concordia, and Joachim Morschhauser with Germany's Institut fur Molekulare Infektionsbiologie. advertisement Because the cells of this fungus function very similarly to human cells, the antibiotics that have been so successful in treating bacterial infections are not active against them. And the current anti-fungal drugs can have serious side effects. My research is aimed at helping to develop a new generation of anti-fungal drugs that have limited side effects" Yin yang yeast Whiteway and his colleagues examined how a cellular process in Candida albicans differs from the one in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast used in making bread and wine. Through "genetic rewiring," the protein controlling a particular process in one yeast species controls a different process in the other. The rewiring occurs in a protein named Ppr1. In Candida albicans, this protein controls the degrading of purines -- molecules that make up DNA. But the Ppr1 protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae controls the building of pyrimidines -- molecules that make up the elements of DNA complementary to purines. "Imagine two similar looking houses in Montreal and Toronto. In Montreal, when you flick a switch in the living room the lights come on. But when you flick the equivalent switch in the house in Toronto the stereo goes off. The same switch is doing different jobs," says Whiteway, who also holds a Canada Research Chair in Microbial Genomics in the Faculty of Arts and Science. advertisement "We think the reason for this is because the yeast that makes bread and wine changed its metabolism to allow it to grow without much oxygen. This led to the pressure that generated the rewiring," he says. New treatment options Pinpointing differences between bread-making and disease-causing yeasts gives us a picture of how cells can be remarkably different even when they look similar. That's important from a drug production standpoint. Right now, it's common practice to use Saccharomyces to develop drugs to fight Candida. "This study proves that we have to study the pathogen itself. We can't just study proxies and think drugs that will treat one will work in the other," says Whiteway. "If you want drugs to fight Candida you're better off working with Candida, even though Saccharomyces is easier to come by. The more we understand about how a fungal cell works, the better we can identify weak points in its armour." "We hope it will one day lead to new treatment options for patients suffering from yeast infections, with the goal of faster healing and reduced suffering." Scientists have demonstrated a highly efficient method for wirelessly transferring power to a drone while it is flying. The breakthrough could in theory allow flying drones to stay airborne indefinitely -- simply hovering over a ground support vehicle to recharge -- opening up new potential industrial applications. The technology uses inductive coupling, a concept initially demonstrated by inventor Nikola Tesla over 100 years ago. Two copper coils are tuned into one another, using electronics, which enables the wireless exchange of power at a certain frequency. Scientists have been experimenting with this technology for decades, but have not yet been able to wirelessly power flying technology. Now, scientists from Imperial College London have removed the battery from an off-the-shelf mini-drone and demonstrated that they can wirelessly transfer power to it via inductive coupling. They believe their demonstration is the first to show how this wireless charging method can be efficiently done with a flying object like a drone, potentially paving the way for wider use of the technology. To demonstrate their approach the researchers bought an off-the-shelf quadcopter drone, around 12 centimetres in diameter, and altered its electronics and removed its battery. They made a copper foil ring, which is a receiving antennae that encircles the drone's casing. On the ground, a transmitter device made out of a circuit board is connected to electronics and a power source, creating a magnetic field. The drone's electronics are tuned or calibrated at the frequency of the magnetic field. When it flies into the magnetic field an alternating current (AC) voltage is induced in the receiving antenna and the drone's electronics convert it efficiently into a direct current (DC) voltage to power it. advertisement The technology is still in its experimental stage. The drone can only currently fly ten centimetres above the magnetic field transmission source. The team estimate they are one year away from a commercially available product. When commercialised they believe their breakthrough could have a range of advantages in the development of commercial drone technology and other devices. The use of small drones for commercial purposes, in surveillance, for reconnaissance missions, and search and rescue operations are rapidly growing. However, the distance that a drone can travel and the duration it can stay in the air is limited by the availability of power and re-charging requirements. Wireless power transfer technology may solve this, say the team. Dr Samer Aldhaher, a researcher from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, said: "There are a number of scenarios where wirelessly transferring power could improve drone technology. One option could see a ground support vehicle being used as a mobile charging station, where drones could hover over it and recharge, never having to leave the air." Wirelessly transferring power could have also applications in other areas such as sensors, healthcare devices and further afield, on interplanetary missions. Professor Paul Mitcheson, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, explains: "Imagine using a drone to wirelessly transmit power to sensors on things such as bridges to monitor their structural integrity. This would cut out humans having to reach these difficult to access places to re-charge them. "Another application could include implantable miniature diagnostic medical devices, wirelessly powered from a source external to the body. This could enable new types of medical implants to be safely recharged, and reduce the battery size to make these implants less invasive. "In the future, we may also be able to use drones to re-charge science equipment on Mars, increasing the lifetime of these billion dollar missions. "We have already made valuable progress with this technology and now we are looking to take it to the next level." The next stage will see team exploring collaborations with potential industrial partners. Doctors are more likely to prescribe growth hormones for a child who does not meet federal guidelines for the therapy if the child's family requests it or if the physician believes in its intangible benefits, such as the patient's emotional well-being, new research finds. The study, led by Irina Kozlenkova of Michigan State University and Detelina Marinova of the University of Missouri, raises potential issues about life-enhancing products, including access, overuse and cost. The findings are published in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Our research shows that not all consumers receive access to life-enhancing products; access depends on a complex combination of medical and non-medical factors related to the consumer, product and the physician," said Kozlenkova, MSU assistant professor of marketing. "On the other hand, the effect of doctors approving consumer requests for prescriptions could also lead to overuse." In addition, given that life-enhancing products tend to be very expensive -- growth hormone treatment, for example, costs about $100,000 on average -- this could create financial burdens on patients, insurance companies and taxpayers. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, investigates the trade-offs doctors often have to make between medical and non-medical factors regarding life-enhancing drugs and treatments. The market for such products -- which include growth hormones, breast implants and stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall in the absence of any medical disorder -- is enormous and growing, involving billions of dollars in sales. Growth hormone is the first biotechnological drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a life-enhancing purpose -- in other words, not a medical disease or disorder. When deciding whether to prescribe growth hormones, doctors typically consider the child's rate of growth as the key medical factor. advertisement The study surveyed 656 pediatric endocrinologists in the United States. The doctors were asked to evaluate two hypothetical groups of healthy children -- one group that was growing very slowly and another group that was growing a bit faster, but still slowly. "If looking strictly at the FDA guidelines, only the very slow growing children in our study would get a prescription for growth hormones," said Kozlenkova. "However, legally and practically, doctors have a lot of flexibility and discretion in their decisions." Other findings of this research included: *Even the faster-growing group of children was likely to get a prescription if the family requested it. *Inexperienced physicians were more easily swayed by a family requesting a prescription than experienced doctors, said Marinova, associate professor of marketing at Missouri. advertisement *Doctors were more likely to prescribe growth hormones to even the faster-growing children if they believed the therapy would provide intangible benefits, such as making the patient feel better emotionally. *The more expensive the drug, the less likely the doctors were to prescribe it and the more weight they placed on the objective medical criteria of the patient. The researchers say things like better consumer education, higher co-pays for less appropriate uses and reminders in electronic medical records of FDA-prescribing guidelines could potentially help address the problem. "Still, recognition of an inherent desire to do more -- especially for children -- is the first step toward any rational policy response," the study says. Co-authors of the paper, titled "To prescribe or not to prescribe? Consumer access to life-enhancing products," also included Leona Cuttler and J.B. Silvers of Case Western Reserve University. 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 in Scientific Reports. 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. advertisement 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." JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The civet cat did not like being in a cage. He hissed and clawed at the mesh, searching for a way out. Ecoproject Swiss tourists Erika and Freddy Kappeler were visiting Bukit Lawang, Indonesia, when they noticed the civet on the front porch of a villager's house. The tiny mesh cage sat on top of a junk heap, along with bike parts, a broken basket and old clothing. Sun shone directly onto the cage. Civets - who aren't actually cats, but are a type of viverrid - are also nocturnal, and they spend their days sleeping, so the direct sunlight would have been quite stressful for the animal. Ecoproject "My husband saw the civet cat," Erika Kappeler told The Dodo. "It was so sad to see." The couple snapped a photo and sent it to Bobi Handoko, an Indonesian man who runs a local animal rescue group called Ecoproject. When Handoko saw the photo, he dropped everything and went to see for himself. Dodo Shows Pittie Nation The Sweetest Pittie Was Living Under A Jeep Ecoproject "There was a woman in the house," Handoko told The Dodo. "I told her that Erika and Freddy informed me about the civet captured behind her house, I asked her what's the purpose of keeping the civet and why? Then she said, 'It's my son who took him.'" Ecoproject The woman didn't say why her son had taken the civet cat, but he probably planned to sell the civet in the city markets. Indonesians will keep civets as pets, or eat their meat. Civets are also used in the coffee industry in a bizarre way - they're kept in cages and force-fed coffee berries. When civets expel the partially digested berries, their waste is turned into a specialty coffee called kopi luwak. A civet cat on a kopi luwak farm | PETA Asia Many kopi luwak producers claim that this coffee-making process doesn't harm civet cats, but that couldn't be further from the truth - when force-fed coffee berries, civets easily become malnourished and sick. Captive civets have even been documented chewing off their own legs, which could be due to the stress of captivity, or the near-lethal doses of caffeine they need to consume. A civet cat in captivity at a coffee farm | PETA Asia According to the woman, this civet cat had been in the cage for two days. "After I explained to her what is the mission of Ecoproject, then she agreed to hand over the civet for free," Handoko said. "I also talked to her son to explain that the civet will be better wild and free." Ecoproject Since the civet seemed to be in good physical shape, Handoko decided to release him right away. When night fell, Handoko and the Ecoproject team took the civet into the jungle. Ecoproject The civet cat had been quite feisty throughout the ordeal, and as soon as Handoko opened the cage door ... Ecoproject ... he sprinted away. Ecoproject "He disappeared in a few seconds in the bushes without saying 'thank you' to me," Handoko said. "Even a friend of mine who is a wild bird photographer had not many chances to get the pictures." Ecoproject "One of the 61 rescued pangolins was pregnant before coming to us," Save Vietnam Wildlife, an animal rescue organization, posted on Facebook this week. "We had no idea about that until the day Hung - our head keeper - open[ed] the door to do the daily heath check on quarantine number 19." The 61 pangolins were rescued from traffickers in Vietnam earlier this month. The animals were found packed in boxes full of ice for transport. They were cold, stressed and fighting for their lives. Dodo Shows Odd Couples Dog Is So Gentle And Patient With Her Foster Kittens Upon confiscation, rescuers removed the animals and started the slow, hard work of saving their lives after such an ordeal. Rescuers at Save Vietnam Wildlife are seasoned in rehabilitating pangolins since they're the most trafficked mammal in the whole world. It was a few weeks into this familiar work of building the animals' strength, so they can be wild again, when a caretaker went to check on one of the pangolins in quarantine and couldn't believe what he found. Pangolins are critically endangered not only because they are trafficked and sold for their meat and scales, which are used in traditional medicine, but also because they don't reproduce very often. So, as it is, they're being killed off at a faster rate than they can be born. But this caretaker discovered a tiny miracle: a newborn baby pangolin cuddled by his mother. This browser does not support the video tag. Facebook/Save Vietnam Wildlife "The baby and mother are our treasure, currently in best care available," the group wrote. The baby is doing fine, rescuers say, and nursing milk happily. "We will definitely release them both to the wild after the baby is mature enough," the group wrote. "[A] miracle happens. Right here. Everywhere." Its frequently called the sharing economy. But Santa Monica, CA, Mayor Tony Vazquez, says underground economy would be a more apt description of short-term rental platforms. Hes one of three U.S. politicians flying to Toronto on Wednesday to speak to the citys executive committee about how and why municipalities should regulate short-term rentals. Vazquez is coming with Santa Monica councilwoman Gleam Davis and New York councilwoman Helen Rosenthal. They were invited by the hotel workers union coalition Fairbnb, which has been pushing Toronto to restrict the short-term rental business that is booming here. Santa Monica banned rentals of entire homes for less than 30 days. Residents who want to rent part of their home can still do that as long as they are occupying it and license the space with the city for a $1 fee. They are also expected to pay a 14 per cent transient occupancy tax (TOT) that is supposed to be collected by the web platform. The circumstances that prompted the Pacific coast town to act last May will be familiar to Torontonians. In recent years property owners were increasingly converting residences to bed-and-breakfasts without paying the TOT. Some of them were going above and beyond that and converting their homes into party houses. We had a couple of big ones where residents were coming to the council to complain about all-night parties where people were renting these homes out for a weekend and it turned into like an Animal House, said Vazquez. And we couldnt stop it, he said. Santa Monica now employs three code compliance officers, who monitor the websites and inspect the rentals to be sure they are owner-occupied. What we dont allow is for people trying to make an extra second home or a vacation home they might have and turn it into a business, said Vazquez. We wanted to make sure we werent putting the entire burden on vendors or hosts and that it was really important that we get the actual platform involved in being accountable in terms of what was happening in our community, said councilwoman Gleam Davis. We think weve adopted a policy that hits that sweet spot, she said, adding that information sharing benefits all municipalities. Airbnb is suing Santa Monica. The home-sharing platform takes exception to a regulatory requirement that requires them to share information about the way their platform is being used in the city, she said. They claim we are somehow trying to invade the right of privacy of the host by getting this information from Airbnb, said Davis. Municipalities need to be aware that the rental platform isnt as open to regulation as it claims, she said. Airbnb sounds like they are willing to be regulated when they come in and theyre talking to you and, then what happens is you regulate them and they sue you. SHARE: The Nordstrom store at Yorkdale mall opening Friday has a curated art collection in fact from some angles it looks like a museum and is designed to light up like a paper lantern at night. And what does that have to do with selling apparel and accessories? While design isnt everything when it comes to sales, increasingly, retailers are investing heavily in what stores look like in order to create buzz, drive traffic and boost their bottom lines. Were fond of saying that sales are the truth, said Pete Nordstrom, co-president of the Seattle-based retail empire. Theres a lot of ways of trying to evaluate our success, but ultimately when youre talking about a store, if customers like it, it results in more business. More business is something department stores in Canada need. The sector has declined over the five years to 2016, according to an October report by the market research firm IbisWorld Canada. IbisWorld forecasts that over the next five years the sector will contract by about 1.1 per cent a year, due to external competition from supercentres and e-commerce sites. Meanwhile, the department store market is saturated nationally, and lowering prices and offering loyalty programs to attract shoppers has eaten into profit margins. However, IbisWorld estimates that per capita disposable income will increase at an annualized rate of 0.7 per cent, which will encourage shoppers to splurge on high-end goods, and retailers like Nordstrom, Hudsons Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue are likely to benefit. At nearly 200,000 square feet, the three-storey Nordstrom is the largest tenant in the new 300,000 square foot Yorkdale wing, built from the ground up in a space once occupied by a parking garage. It took us six months to remove all the dirt 45,000 truckloads of dirt, said general manager Claire Santamaria. The Yorkdale expansion is the largest of its kind in the GTA this year, and numerous mall tenants agreed to expand and renovate as part of the project, which has also attracted new retailers, including the first Canada Goose standalone store and the first Sandro and Maje, from France. Both stores sell fashion and accessories, but in different environments. Sandro offers a more androgynous look, whereas Maje is more distinctly feminine. Our number one communication tool is our store, said Paul Griffin, president and CEO, of SMCP North America. Visual presentation is absolutely critical to building brand awareness. In part because of increasingly small urban living spaces, millennials want to be out and theyre looking for a third place not home or work that reflects them personally, said Susan Carter, a Calgary-based principal at Dialog, which works with Canadas largest mall operators, designing and renovating malls. They are very globally focused and part of that is to be out and with other people. We are into an experience economy, said Alain Giguere from CROP research, which conducts annual surveys measuring, among other things, consumerism levels among Canadians, which are on the rise. CROPs latest research found that 58 per cent of Canadians agree that buying is one of the greatest pleasures in life but they are also interested in experiences. That is the challenge or the opportunity for the retail business to be able to create a unique experience while they are shopping, said Giguere. Social media is another force driving retailer interest in design, said Olga Haliuk, interior designer at Dialog in Toronto. Retailers dont want to show up cast in a bad light on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter because their store looks dumpy or dated. Social media is great at spreading good news, but its even better at spreading bad news, said Haliuk, who was part of the team behind the first Shoes.com store in Toronto. If you have bad design you will hear about it in a heartbeat. The Vancouver Nordstrom, built under the direction of architect and designer Dawn Clark, vice-president of store design, has been a huge success for the company, according to Pete Nordstrom. Weve really ushered in a new era of store design over the last two years, he said. We used to really as everyone did, turn the store into a fortress there werent really windows to the outside, we didnt really have natural light, it was a much more controlled environment, but I think most people would agree its really nice to feel connected to the outside world and to have natural light is just a more pleasant experience and frankly, it really helps with the shopping decisions you can get a much more accurate read on the way clothes look in real light. Clark said the store model has been turned inside-out at the new Nordstrom at Yorkdale: many of the services located at the perimeters of a store including the elevators, have been set back to allow the store to be wrapped, as much as possible, in glass. A soaring atrium at the centre, with clerestory windows, allows more natural light into the space on all three floor levels. There is a lot of psychological research about what happens when youre in a space that has high ceilings and openness to it, it allows you to be more creative, it allows you to be more explorative, said Clark. The chain employs an art curator, who selected the works on display in the store. Exquisite store design is no assurance of success: Target spent an estimated $10 million renovating each of the Zellers stores it took over from Hudsons Bay Company, only to retreat in defeat a year after landing in Canada. The final Eatons stores were felled after a lavish renovation of seven big-city locations that included a mystifying ad campaign based on the color aubergine. Uneven earnings figures from Nordstrom in past months have analysts concerned that after steering clear of the woes afflicting competitors like Macys, closing 100 stores in the U.S. this year, Nordstroms success no longer seems as assured as it once did. Although historically JWN (Nordstrom) was viewed as in an enviable position compared to department store peers. . . deteriorating top-line trends of past few quarters started to put its immunity to secular headwinds into question, wrote RBC Capital Markets analyst Brian Tunick, in a note to investors in September. Designing for dollars Store: Hopson Grace Location: 1120 Yonge Street Andrea Hopson and Martha Grace McKimm met when Hopson worked at Tiffanys and McKimm did public relations for the firm. We both gave up big corporate careers, sold both houses, mortgaged our lives to get back to the basics of a business that brought meaningfulness to our lives, said Hopson. They decided on luxurious homewares, to inspire people to enjoy celebrations with family and friends. They carry brands that are hard to find in Canada: Dibbern china from Germany; David Mellor Designs cutlery; Avenida Home, which specializes in whimsical prints; melamine tableware for the cottage crowd, by Mario Luca Giusti; home textiles by Lisa Corti, and wood objets dart by Jim Lorriman. We knew from the get-go we had to take a global point-of-view, because the customer base was well-travelled and well-heeled, a clientele that needed to be awed, said designer Diego Burdi, of Burdifilek. They decided on a gallery feel for the space, with a neutral palette, creating effect with texture and Old World touches, including the honeycomb-tiled floor. They wanted the functionality hidden. Tables slide out of the display cases to provide an area where customers can try out different place settings, mixing and matching china, glassware and utensils. There is no cash register in the store. Inventory is in the basement and the machinery of the operation is in a room at the back, where purchases are wrapped and paid for, to maintain a sense of elegance. Its all these subtleties that people dont understand, but they get it. We want to create a point of memory they love the space but they dont know why, said Burdi. Store: Mackage Location: Toronto Eaton Centre Creating the first outpost in Ontario for Quebec retailer Mackage meant finding a way to make outerwear sexy, said designer Diego Burdi, of Burdifilek. He started by framing the outside of the store at Toronto Eaton Centre (TEC) in black, to create a focal point. Im framing it in a way that your eye is going right into the store, said Burdi. We tried to create a little bit of drama in the store as well. The interior of the store is also black, and the coats for sale are lit in a way that is sculptural. Wood and metal and marble combine to evoke the outdoors, as does the cash desk, shaped to resemble an iceberg. Behind the cash, an enormous screen displays an image of the snow-capped Canadian Rocky mountains. I think that you cant underestimate how design-aware the general public really is, said Burdi. As a designer you have to up the ante because you cant fool the public at all. Correction October 24, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled the surname of Paul Griffin, CEO and president of SMCP North America. Read more about: SHARE: Cups of milky chai, crispy beef-filled samosas, a plate of hummus and a side of spaghetti. To the uninitiated eater like me, this might seem like a bunch of disparate dishes fused together on a menu but I soon learned that this is very much Somali cuisine shaped by centuries of trade and colonialism. Every bite was like getting a history lesson. But first, I need breakfast to get the brain going. Im with Hodan Nalayeh, host of Integration on Omni 2 and my food guide for the day. She tells me Somalis have historically been nomadic people, so they tend to eat their biggest meal in the morning to prepare for a long day of travelling. And so here were at Salaama Hut in Rexdale on a fall morning feasting on plates of suqaar little cubes of tender and juicy caramelized beef, as well as beef liver and kidneys spiced with cumin and served with a stack of spongy, sourdough crepes called anjero. Its a heavy start to this food tour that Nalayeh is filming for her show but its hard to resist tearing off another piece of anjero and using it to pick up another piece of kidney. Its delicious and addictive and I know I already blew my strategy of pacing myself on this mini food tour of her favourite four places to eat in Rexdale. When it comes to the suburbs, the food-obsessed already know Markham, Brampton, Scarborough and Richmond Hill for Chinese, West Indian and South Asian eats, but seldom does Rexdale come up in food media, save a few jabs about Steak Queen, the infamous burger and souvlaki diner where the late mayor Rob Ford was filmed rambling two years ago. Nalayeh is trying to change that with her new talk show, Integration, airing Saturdays at 8 a.m. on Omni 2. The English-language show focuses on what she says are communities that are neglected in the media, in particular Torontos Somali community, which largely resides in Rexdale in the northwest end of the city. Its about sharing the Somali narrative with other narratives, she says. What happens with the Canadian cultural programming is that everyone focuses on their own culture in their own language. Nobody learns from each other, so what I want to do is bring different communities together. The young mother of two grew up in Edmonton after her family came to Canada in 1984 from the city of Las Anod as refugees after the Somali government collapsed in 1981. After studying broadcast journalism in 2013, Nalayeh found it hard to find an outlet that showed quality programming aimed at the citys immigrant population, in particular the English-speaking, second-generation youths. I wanted to see more young Somalis in media empowering their voices and sharing their stories, she says. I was tired of not seeing any role models, so I thought they could be their own. So two years ago she took it upon herself to start her own show, Integration. She created a YouTube channel that currently has 3.2 million subscribers, and sold ads on the show to raise the $40,000 needed to buy six months worth of weekly airtime on City TV. Omni 2 later picked up the show, which debuted last month. Nalayeh converted her basement at her Vaughan home into a studio, discussing current events through a Somali lens. She had Premier Kathleen Wynne talk about changes to the provinces sex-education curriculum and profiled a mom raising awareness of autism in Minnesotas Somali community. There are also lighthearted segments in which guest hosts talk about skin care, fashion and generational clashes on relationships and religion from the perspective of young Somali urbanites. For her latest episode, were exploring the Rexdale as the hub of Somali cuisine in Toronto. After plates of suqaar and cups of milky chai at Salaama (1987 Kipling Ave.), were a five-minute drive away, from the next stop, Xawaash (130 Queens Plate Dr #1), owned by husband-and-wife Abdullahi Kassim and Leila Adde, who ran a cooking blog before opening the restaurant with the same name. This entrepreneurship reminds me of Nalayeh, whose online presence resulted in an actual television show over the years, proving that theres a large but underserved audience within the citys Somali community, which Nalayeh estimates to be around 100,000 in Toronto and 200,000 in Canada. Were just as valuable; consumers that buy cars and homes, were a marketable audience, she says. At Xawaash, we nibble from a takeout container that has a bit of everything: juicy chicken suquaat, spinach stew, rice, as well as velvety hummus. The menu heavily touches on Middle Eastern cooking thanks to Somalias centuries of trading with the region. India is also a major trade partner, which is why chai and samosas (or sambusas, as Somalis call them) are part of the cuisine. Xawaash also has spaghetti with Alfredo sauce, since Somalia was an Italian colony from the 19th century up until the 1940s. While I continue to eat in between takes, Nalayeh juggles her two phones, updating Snapchat and doing quick Facebook livestreams for her followers. Shes bubbly with an infectious smile thats ripe for the morning TV, even if weve already eaten twice before 11 a.m. Shes still eating when we stop at her favourite place, Bilal Restaurant (321 Rexdale Blvd.), for juicy roasted goat shoulder with rice and garnishes of giant onion rings. Its the place she says is the closest to the kind of cooking shes accustomed to when visiting family in Somalia: slow roasted meat, simple spice blends and family-style portions. The last stop is appropriately a dessert place called Al Aruba (383 Albion Rd.), which has been around for 16 years and is named after a famous hotel in Somalia. As we park, a couple of teens on their lunch break recognize Nalayeh from her show and wave hello. Inside, Al Aruba owner Nuradin Ali sets out plates of sambusas, bajiya (Somali falafels, essentially) and halwa, a jellylike treat made from boiled down butter, sugar and spices. Its like warm cardamom Jell-O with a bit of a fruity undertone. In the first year it was mostly Somalis that came here, but now Id say 40 per cent of the people who come here are different nationalities, says Ali. Since were close to the airport, we get a lot of Somali people who stop here to buy halwa for family outside Canada. As we wound down the tour, I asked Nalayeh whats the take-away from her experience running her show. Integration was started when she couldnt find on-camera work at the larger stations (she jokes that youre not going to see a segment on fashionable hijabs on daytime TV anytime soon) but as it gains traction, does she see this as the start of a media empire? If I can just do this Id be happy. Im not trying to be wealthy. I just want to take care of my kids, have a good life and put something good in the world, she says, pulling out of the parking lot in her car. When I did this on my own, I realized I dont need to be on mainstream media. I have a market share and its what media companies want. I have the audience. Rexdale Stops These are the places Nalayeh took me to for the morning of eating in Rexdale. They are all within a short drive and range from breakfast to lunch, to dinner and dessert so a full day of eats here. Salaama Hut 1987 Kipling Ave., 416-744-7413 This takeout breakfast and lunch spot is particularly popular with cab drivers and also serves as a neighbourhood hangout. Suqaar is the highlight here: juicy plates of tender, cumin-spiced beef with a side of chewy anjero, a Somali crepe. Xawaash 130 Queens Plate Dr. #1, 416-747-7222 Somalis Middle Eastern and Italian culinary influences are highlighted here at this counter service restaurant that started out as a Somali cooking blog by a local husband-and-wife team. On the menu are shawarma platters, kebabs, koftas and even a few pasta dishes to reflect Somalias colonial past with Italy. Bilal Restaurant 321 Rexdale Blvd., 416-745-9963 The roasted goat dinner is Nalayehs favourite dish to get at this restaurant thats been around for 10 years. From the outside it doesnt look like much, but inside its a warm, cozy spot for family-style dining. Al Aruba 383 Albion Rd., 416-746-4089 Desserts and snacks are specialty at this 16-year-old takeout spot named after one of Somalias most glamorous hotels (it currently lies in ruins due to civil war). Owner Nuradin Ali makes his specialty, halwa, a sweet and fruity jellylike dessert. SHARE: U.S. politicians are visiting Toronto to share their experiences dealing with the encroachment of Airbnb in their communities. Some say the platform is not as open to regulation as it claims. Its frequently called the sharing economy. But Santa Monica, Calif., Mayor Tony Vazquez, says underground economy would be a more apt description of short-term rental platforms. Hes one of three U.S. politicians flying to Toronto on Wednesday to speak to the citys executive committee about how and why municipalities should regulate short-term rentals. Vazquez is coming with Santa Monica Councilmember Gleam Davis and New York Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal. They were invited by the hotel workers union coalition Fairbnb, which has been pushing Toronto to restrict the short-term rental business that is booming here. Santa Monica banned rentals of entire homes for less than 30 days. Residents who want to rent part of their home can still do that as long as they are occupying it and license the space with the city for a $1 fee. They are also expected to pay a 14-per-cent transient occupancy tax (TOT) that is supposed to be collected by the web platform. The circumstances that prompted the Pacific coast town to act last May will be familiar to Torontonians. In recent years property owners were increasingly converting residences to bed-and-breakfasts without paying the TOT. Some of them were going above and beyond that and converting their homes into party houses. We had a couple of big ones where residents were coming to the council to complain about all-night parties where people were renting these homes out for a weekend and it turned into like an Animal House, said Vazquez. And we couldnt stop it, he said. Santa Monica now employs three code compliance officers, who monitor the websites and inspect the rentals to be sure they are owner-occupied. What we dont allow is for people trying to make an extra second home or a vacation home they might have and turn it into a business, said Vazquez. We wanted to make sure we werent putting the entire burden on vendors or hosts and that it was really important that we get the actual platform involved in being accountable in terms of what was happening in our community, said Councilmember Gleam Davis. We think weve adopted a policy that hits that sweet spot, she said, adding that information sharing benefits all municipalities. Airbnb is suing Santa Monica. The home-sharing platform takes exception to a regulatory requirement to share information about the way their platform is being used in the city, she said. They claim we are somehow trying to invade the right of privacy of the host by getting this information from Airbnb, said Davis. Municipalities need to be aware that the rental platform isnt as open to regulation as it claims, she said. Airbnb sounds like they are willing to be regulated when they come in and theyre talking to you and then what happens is you regulate them and they sue you. SHARE: It doesnt matter where you live: Donald Trump will find you. Not literally, of course. (Even if he is elected president of the United States next month, world domination is not likely in the cards for the Donald.) Rather, he will find you virtually, in your newsfeed and anywhere you browse online. The rabid Republican candidates cyber-presence is so pronounced, in fact, some Trump-wary Internet users have begun downloading special browser extensions (Trump Filters) that have the power to literally erase all mention of the candidate from their Internet experience. For those with a scatological bent, there now exists Firewall Trump, a browser extension that turns all mentions of the candidates name into smiling poop emojis. But there appears to exist another more popular way to blow off steam among those frustrated with the U.S. election, a method that doesnt involve the downloading of name-eradicating browsers or the cursing of candidates, but the excoriation of who else the media. Yes, the big, bad mainstream media, argue American conservative commentators like Dinesh DSouza, is Hillarys secret weapon. This is familiar territory; every election cycle, be it American or Canadian, conservatives cry liberal media bias. But whats astonishing this time around is how many liberals themselves appear to be convinced that media organizations are stirring up conspiracy and peddling scandal in the Trump-Clinton campaign when what they ought to be focused on are the real issues. I have lost count of the number of comments and posts I see daily from otherwise progressive friends on Facebook who seriously question the motives behind the medias reportage of Trumps bad behaviour and, more recently, the motives behind a New York Times article in which multiple women allege Trump sexually assaulted them. This mistrust isnt relegated to my own Facebook feed. Statistically speaking, people, left and right, arent too fond of media; according to a survey by the American Press Institute, 41 per cent of Americans say they have hardly any confidence in the press. Perhaps then, a reminder is in order that when a candidate denies sexually assaulting women it is in the public interest for media to test that claim. Candidates make statements and media scrutinize and report on those statements; the alleged criminal behaviour of a political candidate is in the public interest and it is the medias responsibility to cover it. And for what its worth, as David E. McCraw, lawyer for the New York Times, pointed out recently in a letter to Trumps attorneys, the media didnt introduce the topic of Trumps alleged assaults and indiscretions. Trump introduced those things and chose to talk endlessly about them all on his own. Nothing in our article, McCraw writes, has had the slightest effect on the reputation that Mr. Trump, through his own words and actions, has already created for himself. (Put simply, the guy cant help himself.) I understand that many people are overwhelmed by the volume of Trump-related stories appearing daily across their screens. Trust me, I am overwhelmed, too. But volume is not proof of bias. Its often proof that something is seriously wrong in the world. That said, I also understand personal aversion for media. We are, by and large, an insufferable lot of socially anxious know-it-alls; the kind of people who interject at dinner parties to offer kernels of sobering, fact-based wisdom nobody asked for in the first place. (Well actually, I wrote about the housing crisis last month, and it really isnt as it seems.) And yet, like parking enforcement, elementary school lunch monitors, and tax collection agencies, we are a necessary aggravation, whose absence would be a far worse plight on the earth than our presence. And without us, dangerous blowhards like Donald Trump would continue to crowd your newsfeeds all the same, only their error-ridden invective would go largely unchecked, and the scandals so many of us bemoan having to read about everyday would cease to be scandals. They would be far worse. Theyd be secrets. So despise us all you like, but please, bear with us. Read more about: SHARE: Much celebration for the most part justified is attending the first anniversary of Justin Trudeaus election victory. Twelve months later, polls elicit no buyers remorse. Many voters who did not support Trudeau last year are on balance happy he won. The alignment of the stars continues to favour the prime minister. With the opposition parties leaderless, the biggest risk to the Liberals these days is to let success go to their heads. On that score, it may be time to keep Trudeau away from his press clippings. On three occasions since the House reopened last month including twice in this anniversary week the prime minister has short-circuited negotiations between his ministers, the provinces or the opposition parties: In an interview published in Le Devoir on Wednesday Trudeau signalled he is no longer enamoured with his promise to change the voting system in time for the next election. The prime minister argues that on the heels of the election of a Liberal government, many Canadians no longer feel it is urgent to do away with the first-past-the-post system. The outcome of the last election has indeed alleviated the fear of many progressive voters that, under the current system, the division of the opposition vote would give the Conservatives a virtual lock on federal power. But the Liberal zeal for moving away from a system that has just delivered them a majority has flagged at least as quickly as the electorates sense of urgency. In his early days as prime minister, Jean Chretien celebrated election anniversaries by listing all the platform commitments he had honoured. Trudeau, it seems, believes the occasion lends itself to backtracking on promises. The prime ministers timing is counterintuitive in yet another way. An all-party committee is about to try to craft a consensus on the way forward on electoral reform. Trudeau may have wanted to send the NDP and the Greens a message that if they do want a different system, they will have to put much water in their wine to find common ground with the Liberals. But his comments can only exacerbate the Conservatives sense that his only interest in moving to a different voting system would be to rig future elections against their party. Trudeaus musings also shore up the perception that the Liberals on the electoral reform committee, along with reform minister Maryam Monsef, are on a mission to sabotage the discussion. Standing at his seat in the Commons earlier this week, the prime minister alleged that the provinces have been diverting federal health dollars towards other programs. Provincial health spending has been increasing at about half the pace (3 per cent) of the federal health transfer. But Ottawa funds only a fraction (23 per cent) of the total provincial health bill. Even with the current 6-per-cent escalator clause on that amount, the federal increase does not cover the actual rise in total health spending. The bottom line is that the prime minister is basing his case for cutting the annual increase in half on a mathematical fallacy. The main result of Trudeaus comment was to make a difficult conversation between federal Health Minister Jane Philpott and her provincial counterparts even more antagonistic. Trudeau did not create this weeks stalemate but he is certainly not contributing anything constructive to its resolution. On the day last month when the prime minister declared his intention to set a national floor price on carbon, Canadas environment ministers were meeting to discuss climate change. They were put in front of a fait accompli. Some of them walked out on Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. For the most part Trudeau earned kudos for the substance if not for the method of his announcement on carbon pricing. It was an overdue move on the part of a federal government. Reviews of his health-care approach are more mixed. The federal government does not need provincial approval to determine the level of its health transfer, but it cant get the reforms it hand-picked in its platform off the ground without provincial co-operation. Electoral reform is not a top-of-mind issue for most voters. The political costs of Trudeau ditching the promised introduction a different voting system in time for 2019 would not be prohibitive. But when one connects the dots between the prime ministers interventions on three of this falls time-sensitive files, one finds little evidence of the collegiality Trudeau promised last year. Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. SHARE: QUEBECQuebec Deputy Government House Leader Gerry Sklavounos stepped down from the Liberal caucus on Thursday after a young woman alleged she was sexually assaulted by someone in the party. Premier Philippe Couillard issued a statement confirming Sklavounos will sit as an independent member of the legislature. In light of the information published today in the media regarding an accusation of sexual assault, I am announcing that (Sklavounos) has stepped down from caucus, Couillard said. At a Universite Laval vigil Wednesday evening in support of victims of alleged sex crimes at a student residence, a woman said she was assaulted while working as a hostess at a Quebec City restaurant in the summer of 2014. In a Facebook post that has since been deleted, the woman wrote that the person she alleges assaulted her was a Liberal member of the legislature. Couillard says hes taking the matter seriously and has asked the party whip to launch an immediate internal investigation into the allegation. Quebec City police confirmed a complaint was filed and that an investigation is ongoing. Sklavounos could not immediately be reached for comment. The woman wrote on Facebook that the sitting politician allegedly blackmailed her to not pursue the complaint, but that she ended up filing one with police a year later. She said in the social media post the investigation went nowhere and she said she ultimately lost her job because she alleges the politician was an old friend of the restaurant owner. The woman said she has been marked for life by the event both physically and psychologically. Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee suspected a cover-up and called for two investigations one into the assault allegation and another on any attempt to conceal the affair. Couillard told reporters earlier on Thursday the matter will be treated with the highest priority. This is a very delicate question, he said. Im not the police, Im not a judge, Im not even a lawyer, but I just want to tell Quebecers that to me this is significant, not only significant, but crucially important for our society. Rosalie Genest, a close friend of the complainant, told a local radio station the young woman suffered injuries stemming from the alleged 2014 assault. Lise Theriault, the minister responsible for the status of women, said she was shocked by the womans allegations. No one is above the law, Theriault said, adding her caucus colleague would not have any favourable treatment should the allegations be confirmed. Read more about: SHARE: Soaring electricity rates are sending Liberal support tumbling. Wind and solar are down and out. Carbon pricing is looming. Nuclear power remains radioactive. Is there a silver bullet to rescue the Ontario government from its energy morass? Heres a hint: Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard is in town Friday with his top ministers for a joint meeting with Kathleen Wynnes cabinet. On the agenda: Electricity sharing between the two neighbouring provinces. Quebec comes to the table with a seeming abundance of low-cost, low-carbon hydroelectricity available for export. Ontario has its back to the wall, weighed down by rising prices and an electricity system that seems out of sync with the times. The wind blows hard when we dont need it (at night); and doesnt when we desperately want it. Our gas-fired power plants generate unwanted carbon, and theyre not cheap. Our nuclear reactors cost a bomb going billions over budget time after time, and imposing radioactive half-life problems for all time. Why not string a few more wires across the invisible frontier between Quebec and Ontario? Isnt it time to end decades of de facto electricity separatism here in Ontario that placed a premium on self-sufficiency in case of Quebec independence but left us overly dependent on nuclear? A political rapprochement with Quebec has opened the door to new thinking in Ontario. At a 2014 summit, the two provinces signed an innovative bartering deal to backstop one another during peak periods, allocating a hefty 500-megawatt chunk of capacity as needed (Ontario made it available to Quebec last year for its winter peak, and the roles are reversed for our summer peak). The two premiers promised to find more synergy on energy in future, and we can expect more progress this week. How much further can they go? Critics argue that Ontario could easily pull the plug on nuclear power by shifting to long-term imports from Quebec. It sounds like a perfect fit possibly too perfect to be true. First, a caveat: One of the biggest complaints about electricity in Ontario is the cost of getting it, not generating it. Transmission costs are skyrocketing as Ontario rebuilds a long-neglected network of infrastructure, forcing the government into a high-wire act to defend itself against charges of incompetence by Hydro One privatized or pre-privatized. The question of transmission is key if we are to get more Quebec power to where its most needed, mostly in the GTA. A 2014 study by the Independent Electricity System Operator for the government concluded that there was limited opportunity for reliance on significant quantities of long-term firm import arrangements. Ontario cant just flip a switch. Existing connections between Ontario and Quebec were designed for flexible responses to short-term disruptions, leaving only a portion available for long-term imports. The alternative is to build new transmission infrastructure, but making that cost-effective requires an attractive export price, and enough capacity to displace the 50 to 60 per cent of Ontarios consumption now supplied by nuclear. That led the IESO to caution against paying significantly more for firm imports than could be achieved through addressing supply needs with internal resources. In other words, not so cheap. Another problem: Quebec has a handy surplus of power now, but may not have as much excess capacity as demand rises in future. Forecasts indicate that there will be insufficient low carbon energy sources in both provinces to meet demand beginning in the mid-2020s, argues a recent report by Strategic Policy Economics (funded, it must be said, by the pro-nuclear Power Workers Union). Much of the low-hanging electricity capacity was harvested long ago in Quebec, making the more recent and future hydro projects more expensive than those heritage properties. The report concludes that future imports from Quebec can be expected to be at higher prices. Those caveats explain the long-standing disconnect between environmentalists on the one hand, and engineers on the other: The green camp dreams of problematic nuclear being replaced by perfect hydroelectricity; the engineering camp counters with a wake-up call that securing a cheap long-term supply is a pipe dream. Its a perennial debate, but possibly a sterile one. The Liberal government, like others before it, hews to the Ontario orthodoxy of nuclear as the most reliable and affordable supply of baseload power, despite recurring cost overruns. It has moved ahead with the Darlington refurbishment, and is poised to proceed with Bruce, leaving less room for massive Quebec imports. Can the two provinces still conjure up future deals that are firm and affordable, allowing Ontario to take a last-minute off-ramp from its nuclear refurbishments down the road? The only certainty is that electricity complexity always intrudes on interprovincial energy synergy: Not just unpredictability but affordability, proximity and capacity. Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn Read more about: SHARE: The eldest of two brothers, shot multiple times on Tuesday evening as they drove through Etobicoke, has since died in hospital in what police are calling a deliberate, targeted shooting. Det. Robert Choe of the homicide squad identified the deceased man as Christian Saarah, 28, of Toronto. His younger brother, a 24-year-old man, remains in hospital with serious injuries. Police did not release the younger mans name. We believe the incident to be a targeted shooting, Choe said, citing the time of day and details of the shooting itself. The two brothers were driving along Lexington Ave. shortly before 6 p.m., Choe said, when another car pulled up alongside. Someone inside opened fire, hitting both men several times. The suspect car, described by police as a white four-door sedan, later fled the scene. Police didnt say exactly how many people were inside the car, or how many opened fire. A witness called 911 about the shooting at around 5:50 p.m. Choe said officers rushed to the scene, near Silverstone Dr. and Albion Rd, to find both brothers still in their car. An ambulance rushed both to a trauma centre in critical condition, police said. Christian Saarah later passed away. His younger brother is in serious condition, Choe said, but is co-operating with police. Police also believe that some sort of interaction between the Saarahs and their attackers happened prior to the shooting itself. The nature of the interaction thats something we do not know yet, Choe said. Investigators continue to canvass the shooting site for video footage and witnesses. Choe, however, wouldnt give any details on the reason why the brothers were shot although he did confirm, when asked, that Christian Saarah had no criminal history. Its a little bit too early to discuss motive. Im sure thats something that will probably be uncovered in future, Choe said. With files from Alina Bykova SHARE: The pipeline snakes across the forested plain, east from a place called Aamjiwnaang and on through the land that Myeengun Henry says has never been surrendered. He said his nation, the Chippewas of the Thames, didnt consent to the pipelines construction in the first place, 40 years ago. And when Enbridge, the pipeline owner, wanted to put through more oil and partially reverse its flow, Henry and his compatriots called for direct nation to nation consultation with the Canadian government such is their constitutional right, he argued. But the Chippewas of the Thames argue that right was denied despite direct appeals to federal ministers during community hearings on the proposal for Enbridges Line 9, which was approved in 2015. Now, even as Alberta crude chugs through the pipe under the Thames River upstream from the First Nations reserve, Henry points out the community of 2,800 is taking their push for consultation to the highest level: the Supreme Court of Canada. This week, as their legal bills mount, the Chippewas of the Thames launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $500,000 to help cover the cost of their case. The problem is, if we should lose this court case, were going to be subject to Enbridges costs, too. This is a huge risk for our nation, said Henry, who is serving his third term as band councillor. But weve got to this point, and were not going to stop now. Canadas top court is scheduled to hear the Chippewas challenge Nov. 30, the same day as another case brought forward by the Inuit in Clyde River, a small town in Nunavut. Similar to the Chippewas, the Clyde River Inuit are claiming they werent properly consulted by Ottawa during the process that approved seismic testing for oil off the coast of their small community. Nader Hasan, a Toronto lawyer representing the Inuit in the Clyde River appeal, said the two cases are of the upmost national importance. At a fundamental level, both cases involve legal issues emanating from the constitutional duty to consult, Hasan said. Its also about Canadas soul. What kind of a nation do we want to be? One that takes seriously our constitutional obligations to First Nations, or one that treats indigenous rights as a box to be ticked off in a due diligence check list. Thats whats ultimately at stake here. The lawyer representing the defendants in the case, Sandy Carpenter, declined to comment. Meanwhile, the Chippewas challenge originates in 2012, when Enbridge announced plans to reverse the flow of a long stretch of its Line 9 pipeline, which runs from Sarnia a place the Chippewas call Aamjiwnaang to Montreal. The company also wanted to increase the capacity of the whole pipeline, to carry oil from Alberta to a refinery on the St. Lawrence River. The proposal garnered controversy as First Nations and environmental activists staged protests, arguing the project would increase greenhouse gas emissions from the Alberta oil sands and that the risk of an oil spill across the countrys most populous corridor was untenable. In September 2013, the Chippewas of the Thames sent letters to several federal ministers asking for direct consultation, while participating in the public hearings process of the National Energy Board (NEB), the federal body charged with ruling on Enbridges proposal. They didnt get a response to the letters until three months after the hearings finished, when the government said it relies on the NEB process to address potential impacts to aboriginal and treaty rights stemming from projects under its mandate, according to a federal court decision on the challenge. The NEB gave final approval to the Line 9 changes in February 2015, and the Chippewas challenged the decision on the grounds that they werent properly consulted. The Federal Court of Appeal the challenge last October, prompting the First Nation to appeal that decision to the Supreme Court. Our argument is we need to speak with the Government of Canada, Henry said. Nowhere have we heard that they can regulate a third party to act on their behalf. Lawyers for Enbridge and the NEB did not respond to requests for comment. Hasan, the lawyer in the Clyde River case, said his clients argument is similar to Henrys: the Inuit of that community contend they werent adequately consulted about the NEBs approval of seismic testing, which was given in 2014. Given the stakes of the people for Clyde River, this is a case that triggers that duty to consult at the highest level. Both Henry and Hasan acknowledged there may be momentum for their arguments, in light of the decision by the Federal Court of Appeal to quash Enbridges Northern Gateway pipeline through northern British Columbia because the government did not adequately consult aboriginal peoples. Hasan added, however, that the Supreme Court isnt bound by the decisions of lower courts. At a minimum, the government has to be at the table, he contended. The Supreme Court of Canada has been very forward looking in developing the law on the duty to consult. SHARE: At an international biotechnology conference in Philadelphia last year, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie heard that a Brazilian multinational pharmaceutical company was looking to set up an operation in New Jersey. So I pitched them on the GTA Mississauga, says Crombie, talking about her citys growing confidence as a global player, while an unprecedented number of multibillion-dollar projects get set to launch in Canadas sixth largest city. Crombie went to Brazil and met with officials of the company, Biolab. They rolled out the red carpet. Then they grilled me on Mississauga, she says. After hearing about the LRT project along Mississaugas central commercial corridor, a new institute of management and innovation and a new medical research facility at the University of Torontos Mississauga campus, as well as a number of large, vertical residential projects in the city, Biolab was sold. It is investing $56 million in a new Mississauga research and development facility. The city is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, with an expected $40 to $45 billion of new construction investment over the next 15 years, according to senior city staff, more than double the recent annual rate of construction investment in Mississauga. Some of the projects either underway or being planned for the near future: A 10-tower, $1.5 billion downtown highrise condominium project spearheaded by a real estate company created by the Rogers family, better known for its leadership of Canadas telecommunications giant. A 250-acre waterfront reclamation around the site of the old Lakeview coal-fired power plant, which will feature a mix of residential and commercial development, arts and culture venues and conservation land. About 125 acres of new development, including marina water lots, at the centre of Port Credit. Part of the site, where there was once an Imperial Oil refinery, will be converted into mixed-use development. A 200-acre parcel of land in the citys centre, along the LRT corridor, which will include a planned 166-acre urban farm, including the historic farm buildings, and about 33 acres of midrise residential development featuring street-level cafes, restaurants and boutiques. The $1.3 billion LRT, funded by the province, with major developments along the Hurontario corridor, including public art spaces, cultural venues, major transportation terminals and intensified residential and office construction by current property owners. Its startling departure for Mississauga after decades of urban sprawl, which featured wide single-family housing in vast subdivisions and low-slung commercial buildings in strip-mall-style plazas surrounded by acres space for parking. Its a combination of different factors, says Ed Sajecki, the man in charge of planning and building in Mississauga, explaining the historic changes taking place. He says Mississaugas current success is partly because it is embracing an urbanism that is somewhere in the middle, on more of a human scale not the car-dominated sprawl that has defined post-war North American suburbs, and not the hyper-verticality of many walled off concrete and glass cities rising upward around the world. The public has been very clear, council has been very clear, were looking at more of a midrise form of intensification down in those areas. The plans do provide for a tiny bit of deviation, but its been very clear (in our waterfront) documents, if we do entertain some higher buildings it would have to be something that we would all be very, very proud of. Ray Tomalty, a University of McGill adjunct professor of urban planning, holds Mississauga up as the North American example of dynamic suburban evolution. The U.S. doesnt really have anything like Mississauga, in the sense of a major suburban municipality with major highrises and increasingly diverse transit options, he told the Star. In his book, Americas Urban Future: Lessons from North of the Border, Tomalty, who is also a principal of consulting firm Smart Cities Research Services, describes how Mississauga is reinventing itself, refusing to spiral into the type of dreary, big-box commercial decline of many American suburbs. It is a good example of where suburban municipalities should be heading, in terms of re-centering . . . Mississauga is kind of like an indicator of what needs to happen more. Sajecki says residents are driving the rapid changes. The market is demanding these things. They want rapid transit. We have residents from around the world, millennials who are buying their first place, others whose children are grown up now and dont want to live in a big house anymore. Young people dont want to pay $60,000 just for a spot to park their car. Sajecki says the citys previous model of growth would have been difficult to sustain, with the cost of infrastructure to service sprawl that could not be supported by the property tax base. Crombie says she doesnt plan to stop with the current list of multibillion-dollar projects currently redefining her city. I dont see why we cant compete with Toronto, she says. She talks of Japanese and German companies shes currently trying to recruit and ambitious plans to expand the citys airport corporate centre which already employs about 300,000 people around Pearson airport. Crombie says the city still has a lot of work to do to create arts and cultural experiences, and build other features that increasingly cosmopolitan residents expect. There is a feeling of anticipation that everyone has right now. This is the right time, she says. During an interview, Sajecki apologizes for having to end the conversation. I have to get upstairs, he says, explaining why hes in a rush. Weve invited all of our landowners in the downtown to a meeting. The mayor is upstairs right now with several of our councillors so that all the land owners can get an idea of everything thats going on. Read more about: SHARE: Ontario can learn from other countries how to better serve patients diagnosed with rare or life-threatening diseases who seek experimental treatments or drugs not covered by OHIP, says an MPP hoping for approval for an advisory committee to find ways to improve the system. We deal with this all the time, Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton) said in an interview. Whats frustrating is that its not until somebody comes up to Queens Park and fights it that they get the treatment, either because theyve garnered enough media attention and been able to fundraise the money, or the government reverses itself because it comes politically unpalatable. There are so many advancements, and technology, and innovative drugs that our health-care system has to adapt to the changes and the challenges that it faces. She said the advisory committee shes proposing in her motion, to be introduced Thursday in the legislature, would look at how places like Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom handle extreme, catastrophic care cases typically through a special panel that evaluates requests for unapproved treatments or drugs, or a special fund set aside for health ministries to access quickly so families arent forced to pay out-of-pocket. Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins said the province makes decisions on the provision of care based on best practice and . . . an evidence-based approach. We rely on our clinicians and our experts in the medical field to provide us with that advice, and make recommendations in terms of the services and procedures that should be provided that will have benefits. While most of those are provided in the province, if a recommendation is made by a clinician with sufficient expertise in the area to a service or procedure thats not available in Ontario, we will make that service or procedure available by paying for it in another province or the United States, he added. He said some 96 per cent of out-of-province applications that come before the province are approved; if patients are turned town, I think theres a good reason (for it). I think Ontarians would expect us to take an evidence-based approach to base our decisions and approval in cases where theres a benefit to the procedure. MPP France Gelinas, the NDPs health critic, said she agrees with that, but how do you build a robust body of evidence when you only have a few cases throughout the entire province? How do you build a robust body of evidence when there is no research being funded in a particular area? These people end up here and its wrong they should not have to be coming to Queens Park, begging for their lives. Gelinas, who represents Nickel Belt in northern Ontario, said other jurisdictions handle these dire cases in ways that are a whole lot more compassionate, and that are respectful of the public dime. MacLeod pointed to recent cases, such as Trent Hills Mayor Hector Macmillan who started an online fundraising campaign to pay for surgery in Germany for his pancreatic cancer. MacLeod said the money for such a fund wouldnt take away from front-line care, given the waste in the health-care system under the Liberal government. There are just so many examples, of patients who find themselves scrambling to pay for their treatments, she said. So if there are so many examples, it means something is not going right. Shae Greenfield, a spokesperson for Hoskins, said the minister is always prepared to look at other jurisdictions to see if there are ways Ontario can improve our health care system. Last year, Progressive Conservative MPP Michael Harris (Kitchener-Conestoga) called for an all-party select committee to travel the province, consulting patients and doctors to improve the system for those with rare diseases. It was voted down earlier this year. SHARE: A gaping, infected bedsore that led to an Etobicoke mans death is just one example of systemic failures of care and negligence at a large Ontario nursing home chain, a lawsuit alleges. As part of an attempt to have the suit certified as a class action case against the Revera chain, lawyers have filed a statement of claim that raises 82 examples, including that of the lead plaintiff, the family of Arthur (Ross) Jones, who died in hospital in June 2014 after 11 months at the Main Street Terrace home in east Toronto. Hopefully something will change as a result of this because a lot of people will end up in nursing homes the boomers are all heading in that direction, said Jones daughter, Lori Dekervor. Jones, 68, suffered from sepsis and suspected pneumonia, and died two weeks after being transferred to hospital from the Revera home. Revera operates 53 long-term care homes in Ontario with 6,000 residents. The suit claims $200 million in damages on behalf of Dekervor and any future complainants who come forward to join a possible class action lawsuit. Lawyers for the family are seeking to have it certified in Ontario Superior Court. Dekervor will be at a news conference Thursday at Queens Park to discuss the case. The allegations in the lawsuit have not been tested in court. Revera spokesperson John Beaney said he is aware of the claim and his company will defend it in court. We do not believe there is merit in the lawsuit. We provide care to lots of individuals, often at the end of their lives and families are part of that process, said Beaney, Reveras vice-president of operations in Ontario. When a resident passes away it is often the result of a combination of factors. It is not simple . . . and this can often make it very difficult for their loved ones. Increasingly, residents arrive in nursing homes with a complex medical conditions, Beaney noted. We work to provide care and compassion not just with the residents but with their families as we walk through every stage of their life with them, he said. An ongoing investigation of nursing home care by the Star has previously raised the issue of improperly treated bed sores and other issues at various homes across Ontario. Other instances of alleged negligence at Revera homes listed in the lawsuit include rationing of diapers; filthy, foul-smelling wheelchairs and walkers; and specific allegations including an 83-year-old female resident with dementia who was able to get out of her home and throw herself in a river; and a 100-year old female resident who had an open wound with maggots. In the case of Jones, the claim alleges that while in the nursing home, his health declined rapidly. The suit states he suffered from malnutrition and dehydration, and he fell repeatedly when he couldnt get help for simple tasks, like going to the washroom. He became bed-bound and then developed a serious pressure ulcer (open wound) on his tailbone that was improperly treated, leading to a deep, painful infection. On May 26, 2014, when Jones was found unresponsive, a nursing home physician requested he be sent to hospital, the documents say. In hospital, Mr. Jones ulcer was found to be large, red, infected, smelly, and contained fecal matter, the claim states. It was also at an advanced stage . . . . He experienced excruciating pain from the sacral ulcer. In an interview, Derkervor told the Star the discovery of her fathers 9-inch by 4-inch bedsore at the hospital, and his painful death, left her with nightmares, anxiety and a lot of depression. It took over my life. I really neglected my family trying to find a way to get some justice. This (lawsuit) means that its not a secret anymore, she said. I am hoping people will understand what could happen, what does happen and what to look for to reduce these cases of nursing home neglect and abuse. In Canada, lawsuits alleging nursing home negligence usually result in low financial awards, if any, against the home, said Amani Oakely, the lawyer handling the lawsuit for Dekervor, who is the representative litigant in the case. Based on the number of calls that I get (from other families) I believe that Lori will not be alone, Oakley said. The statement of claim lists 82 separate allegations at various Revera homes in Ontario, culled from multiple media, including stories in the Toronto Star. (Three stories focused on Revera homes in Alberta.) Dekervor told the Star that her father was an artistic man who built movie sets and museum quality furniture that he once showcased in his Leslieville store, Smith and Jones. He wintered in Mexico, to be near his children and their families in San Diego, but at the age of 67, when his struggle with Parkinsons Disease and early dementia proved too much, Dekervor and her two brothers decided he needed extra help. She found him a bed at Main Street Terrace. He moved there in June of 2013. The lawsuit set out the chronology of the allegations, including numerous falls when he attempted to get to the toilet on his own, when staff failed to ensure he was taken to the washroom. Staff also failed to use a mechanical lift to move him, as required, according to the claim. After these falls, and a trip to the hospital to assess him for fractures, no one at the home looked at his skin for breakdown, the claim states, alleging that nobody at the home addressed his risk of falling. From May 15 to 26, 2014, Jones could not get out of bed but received no monitoring or repositioning to lessen pressure on his skin. Joness chart notes a pressure ulcer on his heel (incorrectly stating the wrong foot) but makes no mention of an ulcer on his tailbone, the claim says. On his final day in the home, May 26, the wound care nurse wrote that the ulcer on his tailbone was deteriorating due to incontinence. The claim says there is no notation in the chart indicating that Jones was turned every two hours as required for a resident who cant get out of bed. Had that occurred, his deteriorated condition may have been recognized earlier than 6 a.m. At that point, he was unresponsive verbally, his skin was hot to touch, and his vital signs were abnormal . . . . It wasnt until the doctor was notified 23 minutes later that the ambulance was called, according to the claim. Nursing home staff didnt tell the paramedics or hospital about the bedsore on Jones tailbone, which had reached stage four, the designation given to the severe ulcers, the claim stated. Jones experienced excruciating pain. Dekervor, living in California, said she received a call from nursing home staff saying her father had been transferred to Toronto East General (now the Michael Garron Hospital) with possible pneumonia. She flew to Toronto. Dekervor said she could smell something strange in the hospital room, but didnt know at the time that her father had a rotting ulcer. Every time they rolled him over, he screamed in agony. I thought, I dont know why he would be doing that if it was pneumonia. But that smell, that smell . . . . So I opened up his clothes and I have never done that before, seen my father that way, but I rolled him over and there it was, a nine-inch by four-inch black hole. His anus was completely gone. There was white pus. Feces dripping into it. From that point on, Ive never been the same. SHARE: WASHINGTONHe did it again. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made 37 false claims at the third and final presidential debate, the third consecutive time he has been in the 30s. According to CNN, Trump spoke for 35 minutes 41 seconds. That works out to him uttering a little more than one false claim per minute. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton made four false claims in 41 minutes, 46 seconds of speaking, or less than one false claim every ten minutes. Trump made 34 false claims at the first debate, 33 false claims at the second. Clinton made four at the first, five at the second. The final tally: Trump 104 false claims, Clinton 13 false claims. The list from last night: Hillary Clintons false claims 1. Falsely said, I also will not add a penny to the debt. (Her tax plan will add $200 billion to the debt, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget says.) 2. Falsely said, of the end of ex-president Bill Clintons administration, We were actually on the path to eliminating the national debt. (The New York Times fact-checkers write: The nation was nowhere near eliminating federal debtDebt held by the public totalled $3.4 trillion at the end of 2000, up from $3 trillion in 1992.) 3. Falsely said, Mosul is on the border of Syria. (Mosul, in Iraq, is more than 100 kilometres from the border.) 4. Falsely said, of the D.C. v. Heller legal case about gun rights, What the District of Columbia was trying to do was to protect toddlers from guns and so they wanted people with guns to safely store them. (This contains a grain of truth but is more misleading than accurate. The case was about D.C.s handgun ban. In its petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, the district listed the protection of children as one reason for the ban. But there were four additional reasons, toddlers were not central to the overall argument, and toddlers were not mentioned in the court decision.) Donald Trumps false claims 1. Falsely said, Justice Ginsburg made some very, very inappropriate statements toward me and toward a tremendous number of people, many, many millions of people that I represent. (Ginsburg criticized Trump, but not his supporters.) 2. Falsely said, In Chicago, which has the toughest gun laws in the United States, probably you could say by far, they have more gun violence than any other city. (Chicago no longer has especially strict gun laws, and certainly is not by far the strictest; it is comparable to New York City, which has far less gun violence. Its handgun ban was struck down in 2010; Illinois concealed carry ban was struck down in 2012; its gun registry was abandoned in 2013; its ban on gun shops was struck down in 2014.) 3. Falsely said, of Clintons immigration plan, She wants to have open borders. (Clinton is not proposing open borders for immigrants, though she used the phrase in the context of energy and the economy in a 2013 speech.) 4. Falsely said, ICE last week endorsed me. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a government agency, did not endorse Trump; a union of its employees did. And it was three weeks ago, not last week.) 5. Falsely said, Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. (Trump has made it clear that he means a very specific thing by the wall: a giant concrete barrier, 35 feet or higher, along the entirety of the U.S.-Mexico border other than the places where there are natural barriers. Clinton voted for a different barrier: shorter fencing, of a different kind, across a shorter distance. Trump himself said last year that this 2006 proposal was not the same thing: Such a little wall, it was such a nothing wall.) 6. Falsely said of Syrian refugees, They have no idea where they come from. (The refugees are rigorously vetted by U.S. authorities.) 7. Falsely said Syrian refugees in the U.S. are definitely, in many cases, ISIS-aligned. (Again, there is no evidence of this, given that they are vetted rigorously.) 8. Falsely said of the perpetrator of hacking attacks against Democratic officials, Our country has no idea. (The White House and U.S. intelligence officials, along with independent experts, have concluded that Russia is responsible.) 9. Falsely said, of the New START nuclear arms reduction deal, The Russians have said, according to many, many reports, I cant believe they allowed us to do this. They create warheads, and we cant. The Russians cant believe it. (The Russians have not mocked the deal in such a fashion. Though the deal sets a cap on the number of deployed nuclear warheads, the U.S. is still permitted to develop new ones to replace old ones.) 10. Falsely said, Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes. (Clinton is only raising taxes on the highest earners. The Tax Policy Center says most residents below the top 1 per cent will receive minor tax cuts under her plan, and even most of the highest earners will not see a doubling.) 11. Falsely said, We are going to cut taxes massively. (This claim would only be true if addressed to rich people. 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.) 12. Falsely said, of Chinas 7 per cent economic growth rate, That for them is a catastrophically low number. (China and independent economists do not see 7 per cent as a catastrophe, though it is certainly a slowdown and lower than its much-questioned official growth rate of the past. Wang Baoan, head of Chinas statistics authority, said economic growth last year met the governments target for medium-to-high growth.) 13. Falsely said, Just like when you ran the State Department, $6 billion was missing. How do you miss $6 billion? You ran the State Department, $6 billion was either stolen. They dont know. Its gone, $6 billion. (The inspector-general who probed this matter says it is not true that the actual money went missing simply that contract documentation was missing or incomplete.) 14. Falsely said, She gave us ISIS as sure as you are sitting there. (Trump was slightly more nuanced this time than usual, saying Clinton gave us ISIS with her involvement in the pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq. But it remains true that Daesh was very much around during the George W. Bush administration. And it is unfair to blame the secretary of state for a major military decision, especially one negotiated under Bush.) 15. Falsely said, of violence at his rally in Chicago, Shes the one and Obama that caused the violence. They hired people they paid them $1,500, and theyre on tape saying be violent, cause fights, do bad things. (A hidden-camera video, shot by a conservative activist with a history of misleading editing, appears to show a Democratic operative talking about provoking Trump supporters at rallies. But President Obama and Clinton are not on the tape, and there is no evidence they knew anything about it.) 16. Falsely said of Aleppo, It has fallen. . . from any standpoint. (The Syrian city has not fallen.) 17. Falsely said, of his comments on more countries getting nuclear weapons, Theres no quote. Youre not going to find a quote from me, and I didnt say nuclear. (There is a quote, and Trump said nuclear. In a March town hall on CNN, he said, among other things, Now, wouldnt you rather, in a certain sense, have Japan have nuclear weapons when North Korea has nuclear weapons?) 18. Falsely said I did not say that when Clinton noted he has, at rallies, said he did not sexually assault women because they were not attractive enough for them to be assaulted. (Trump did not say those precise words, but he made such claims repeatedly in the last week and a half saying Look at her of one accuser and She would not be my first choice of another.) 19. Falsely said sexual assault allegations against him have been largely debunked. (None has been debunked. Trumps campaign and allies have offered counter-claims, but no allegation has been definitively disproven.) 20. Falsely said wrong to Clintons statement that he mocked and mimicked a reporter with a disability. (He did precisely that, on video.) 21. Falsely said Saudi Arabia and Qatar are people that push gays off business off buildings. (Homosexual activities are illegal in both countries, but neither throws gay people off of buildings that is the Daesh group.) 22. Falsely said of the Trump Foundation, I contribute. (Trump has not contributed at all to his foundation since 2008.) 23. Falsely said of the Trump Foundation, The money goes 100 per cent 100 per cent goes to different charities. (Reporting by the Washington Posts David Fahrenthold and others shows Trump has used foundation money to settle a legal case and to donate to political groups.) 24. Falsely said No when asked if some Trump Foundation money was used to settle lawsuits. (Trump used $258,000 for that purpose, Fahrenthold has reported. Trump conceded the point, though not explicitly, moments later in the debate.) 25. Falsely attributed the Mosul troop withdrawal to Clinton: But when she left, when she took everybody out, we lost Mosul. (Clinton did not personally take people out of Mosul; the troop withdrawal was agreed to by former president George W. Bush, and Clinton, as secretary of state under Obama, was not the decision-maker on military matters. Further, people involved in the discussions say she advocated keeping a residual force in Iraq.) 26. Falsely said of the current operation to seize Mosul from the Islamic State: And the only reason they did it is because shes running for the office of president and they want to look tough. They want to look good. (This is an international effort involving U.S., Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces. There is no evidence it is being done to help Clinton.) 27. Falsely said, of the Clinton Foundation, Its a criminal enterprise. (There is no evidence of this. The foundation has received good ratings from watchdog groups, and it has not been charged with illegality.) 28. Falsely said wrong to Clintons correct claim that he supported the invasion of Iraq. (His only pre-war public statements were supportive of the invasion.) 29. Falsely said, Were not making things anymore, relatively speaking. (Manufacturing accounted for 12 per cent of the U.S. economy last year. Though there are fewer manufacturing jobs than there were in decades past, the value of the countrys manufacturing output hit an all-time high this year. Even with the relatively speaking qualifier, it is wrong to say the U.S. isnt making things.) 30. Falsely said, John Podesta said you have terrible instincts. (Clintons instincts were questioned in a hacked email not by Podesta but by another of her allies, Neera Tanden, who described them as suboptimal.) 31. Falsely said of Russia, Theyve taken over the Middle East. (This is a massive exaggeration. Russia has intervened in Syria and increased its influence in other countries in the region, but is not the dominant power there.) 32. Falsely said Warren Buffett used a similar manoeuvre to his apparent carry-forward of a $916 million 1995 loss to avoid paying federal taxes for years: I know Buffett took hundreds of millions of dollars. . . Most of her donors have done the same thing as I do. (Buffett says he has paid income taxes since he was 13 and has never used a carry-forward loss on any of his 72 returns. Trump may have been referring to a deduction by Buffetts company, but this would be different than what Trump did on a personal return.) 33. Falsely said, of the Iran nuclear deal, We gave them $150 billion back. (Trump is misstating both the amount and the nature of the money. Writes the Associated Press: The deal allowed Iran to get access to its own money that was frozen in foreign bank accounts, estimated at about $100 billion. The U.S. didnt give Iran $150 billion.) 34. Falsely said of Obamacare, The premiums are going up 60 per cent, 70 per cent, 80 per cent. Next year theyre going to go up over 100 percent. (Obamacare prices are jumping, but Trump greatly overstates the hikes. Writes the Post: State-by-state weighted average increases range from just 1.3 per cent in Rhode Island to as high as 71 per cent in Oklahoma. But the most common plans in the marketplace will see an average increase of 9 per cent, according to the Kaiser Family Foundations July analysis.) 35. Falsely said, We take care of illegal immigrants, people that come into the country illegally, better than we take care of our vets. (Every news outlet that has examined this claim has found it ridiculous.) 36. Falsely said, of inner cities: You get shot walking to the store. They have no education. They have no jobs. (Many of Americas urban cores are thriving. Trump appears to use the phrase inner cities to describe poor black neighbourhoods, though most black Americans in metro areas live in the suburbs, but he is still wrong; there are, of course, educated and employed people even in low-income black communities.) 37. Falsely said of NATO: Since I did this this was a year ago all of a sudden, theyre paying. And Ive been given a lot a lot of credit for it. All of a sudden, theyre starting to pay up. (There have not been new spending commitments by NATO members because of Trump, nor even since Trumps emergence. Nobody credible is giving him credit for such a thing.) Read more about: SHARE: Social media lit up with shock and horror Wednesday night after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump refused to say hed accept the results of the U.S. election. The statement, an unprecedented move that breaks from democratic tradition, came during the third and final presidential candidates debate before Americans head to the polls next month. I will look at it at the time, Trump said. Ill keep you in suspense. Thats horrifying, fired back Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. In recent weeks, Trump has made the idea that the election is rigged a prominent part of his campaign, despite sharing no evidence to prove those allegations. Its continued through his recent slide in the polls following a series of sexual assault allegations that roiled his campaign. Should Trump lose the election an outcome now suggested by the majority of scientific polling data and not concede, it would be a first in the history of American presidential elections. In the moments after the debate, many of Trumps allies, including his staff and Republican Party supporters, rushed to say the businessman-turned-GOP-nominee would, indeed, accept the results. But by then reams of social media users had taken to Twitter, most of them siding with Clinton. Some called Trumps statements dangerous, while others said he was a sore loser. Even a few Republican officials voiced outrage, including senators Lindsey Graham and Jeff Flake. Conservative commentator Laura Ingraham, a Trump supporter, also condemned his statement, saying there is no other option. However, many of Trumps backers stood by his side, saying the GOP candidate would be right to not back down if theres any evidence of voter fraud. But that was far from the only absurd, destined-to-be-viral moment of the night. Trump also described criminals of Latino descent as bad hombres and called Clinton a nasty woman, spawning jokes, outrage and even T-shirt designs online. One T-Shirt, available on Google Ghost, is giving 50 per cent of proceeds to Planned Parenthood. The bad hombres line, while offensive to many, was quickly turned into humour. Some thought it sounded like a band name, while others played with Trumps pronunciation, calling it bad ombre. The nasty woman insult came during the last minutes of the debate, after Clinton threw in a dig at her rival while talking about her proposed tax policy. Trump interjected with one finger raised, shaking his head and calling Clinton such a nasty woman. But as with so many ugly moments during this presidential campaign, the barb had become a meme online before the night was over, with many using the hashtag #NastyWoman. Soon after, Google Ghost started selling a Nasty Woman T-shirt, with half the proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. The website nastywomengetshitdone.com also started redirecting to Hillary Clintons website. Many jokes came from women who turned the insult into a point of pride. Meanwhile, some just couldnt get past the absurdity of the moment. Trump didnt mention the remarks on social media afterwards, but his supporters didnt appear to take issue with them. Clinton, for her part, said afterwards that she just didnt pay any attention to the remark. But her campaign made sure to tweet about it as well. Another tense but funny moment came when Clinton accused Trump o being a puppet of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Trump shouted back, saying, No, youre the puppet, drawing comparisons to arguments more often found on a playground. Wednesdays debate was the third and final between Clinton and Trump. American voters head to the polls Nov. 8. Read more about: SHARE: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to break away from the U.S. and shift toward China and Russia, his strongest comments yet signalling a split with his nations biggest military ally. In this venue, I announce my separation from the U.S., Duterte said in Beijing on Thursday after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping. Duterte also said he might go to Russian President Vladimir Putin and tell him theres three of us against the world. The announcement came in front of a packed room of Filipino and Chinese business leaders. The tough-talking 71-year-old leader has repeatedly questioned his nations alliance with the U.S. while touting the economic benefits of friendlier ties with Beijing. Earlier, China announced a resumption of bilateral talks on disputed territory in the South China Sea, an issue that had previously pushed the Philippines closer to America. Chinas Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin told reporters that the two leaders had agreed to return to a track of dialogue over the South China Sea in what is a new stage of maritime cooperation. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, Duterte said in a speech at the Great Hall of the People after meeting Xi for 30 minutes. Even as we arrived in Beijing close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship, he said. Duterte said he was mulling plans to require U.S. visitors to the Philippines to obtain a visa. Officials from China and the Philippines signed 13 pacts on areas, including trade, investment, tourism, narcotics, and maritime cooperation at the summit meeting. Pacts on transport infrastructure, financing from Export-Import Bank were among those forged as China committed to support infrastructure development in the Philippines. At a certain point, if Duterte wants to reap the economic benefits from his visit to China, he will need to pay the piper, said Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra. Before his meeting with Xi, Duterte told hundreds of Filipinos in Beijing that its time to say goodbye to the U.S. Foreign policy veers now towards China, Duterte said on Wednesday night. No more American interference. No more American exercises, he told a cheering crowd. I will not go to America anymore for assistance, he said. We will just be insulted there. The U.S. has been the Philippiness closest ally since independence in 1946, and the nations are linked by formal defense treaties. Members of Dutertes cabinet have repeatedly tried to tone down his more inflammatory remarks, such as telling President Barack Obama to go to hell, and stress that a more independent foreign policy does not mean severing ties with the U.S. Duterte, himself, told reporters Wednesday that this trip wouldnt lead to a military alliance with China or joint energy exploration in disputed seas. The plight of Filipino fishermen seeking to resume activity in the Scarborough Shoal, which China effectively took control of in 2012, will be mentioned in passing to Xi, Duterte said. The U.S. has expressed concern about Dutertes policies. Philip Goldberg, the U.S. envoy in Manila, said Wednesday that the Philippiness efforts to improve ties with China shouldnt be a zero-sum game. Duterte has lashed out at the U.S., the United Nations and the European Union for criticizing his drug war over alleged human-rights abuses. According to police data, more than 3,000 suspects have been killed after the policy took effect. By contrast, the Philippine leader called China very kind for funding a drug rehabilitation centre. Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for Chinas foreign ministry, said Wednesday that Beijing appreciates President Dutertes efforts to crack down on drug crimes and improve social security with the fundamental interests and well-being of his country and people in mind. Read more about: SHARE: BEIRUTTurkey escalated its offensive Thursday against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, pounding them with airstrikes and artillery, and complicating the battle against Daesh by Ankara, Turkeys capital, and Washington, D.C., both NATO allies. In the fight for Aleppo, meanwhile, the Syrian military used a lull in violence to urge residents and rebels to evacuate the besieged opposition-held part of the city. Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said as many as 200 members of the Kurdish-led forces were killed in Syrias Aleppo province by the Turkish bombing and shelling. A senior commander with the main Syrian Kurdish militia confirmed the Turkish attack on his forces north of Aleppo but disputed the casualty toll, saying that no more than 10 fighters were killed. Like in Iraq, where Kurdish fighters are at the forefront of the offensive to retake the city of Mosul from Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, Kurdish forces in Syria also have been battling Daesh militants and made significant territorial gains in Aleppo province. That has dismayed Turkey, which is dealing with a homegrown Kurdish insurgency and trying to prevent an expansion of Kurdish influence in Syria. We will not back down, senior Kurdish commander Mahmoud Barkhadan of the Peoples Protection Units said by telephone from the region. We are fighting Daesh. Why are they striking at us? he asked. Barkhadan accused Turkey of aiding Daesh militants by turning the fight into a Turkish-Kurdish battle. Turkish artillery also hit near Afrin, a Kurdish enclave in northwestern Syria, he said, adding that his forces have not retreated but that Turkeys actions allowed Daesh fighters to wage a counteroffensive. More than 10 fighters were killed and 20 wounded in over 30 aerial attacks that began Wednesday night, he said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 14 Kurdish fighters were killed and four were missing. Anadolu, quoting military officials, reported the raids were carried out late Wednesday night on 18 targets in the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria. Between 160 and 200 militia fighters were killed, it said. The targets struck areas that Syrian Kurdish forces recently took over as they pressed a campaign to drive Daesh militants from areas north of Aleppo. The Syrian Kurdish forces have been a source of tension between Turkey and the United States. The U.S. considers the militia group the Peoples Protection Units, known as the YPG to be the most effective force against Daesh in Syria. Turkey calls it an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out deadly attacks in Turkey and considers it a terrorist organization. A U.S. defence official in Washington said the Syrian Kurdish fighters targeted by Turkish airstrikes Wednesday are not among the Kurdish groups that U.S. forces are advising and assisting, so there were no U.S. troops with those Kurds when they came under attack. The official said Thursday, however, that since the Kurds who were targeted are affiliated with U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters, the Turkish attacks were problematic and have angered the U.S.-backed Kurds. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. In August, Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria to help opposition forces drive Daesh away from Turkish-Syrian border areas and to curb the Syrian Kurdish forces territorial expansion. Ilham Ahmed, a senior Syrian Kurdish official, said the Turkish attack was an aggression on her peoples aspiration for self-administration in a contiguous territory in the north as well as a threat to the U.S-led anti-terrorism fight there. The Turkish move threatens a possible campaign against Daesh in the groups de-facto capital of Raqqa in eastern Syria, Ahmed said. Kurdish forces are the main partner in such a fight, but Ankara has said it is ready to act without Kurdish participation. Ahmed said Turkey is taking advantage of U.S. attention being focused on its presidential election to push back against the Kurds and advance in northern Syria. Washington is asked to put a stop and take a clear and direct position regarding this Turkish aggression. Otherwise, the project of combatting terrorism may be delayed or totally fail in Syria, she said, speaking from Sulaimaniyah, Iraq. Anadolu said the 18 Syrian Kurdish targets hit included nine buildings used as headquarters, meetings points, shelters or arms depots, along with five vehicles. The pause in the fighting in Aleppo is part of a humanitarian cease-fire announced by Russia in the contested city to allow for the evacuation of civilians and fighters, as well as the wounded. Rebels have rejected the offer to evacuate, saying it wasnt serious. Clashes were heard at one of the safe corridors announced by the Syrian military. Talk of fighters or non-fighters leaving is denied and groundless, said Ammar Sakkar, spokesman for Fastaqim, one of the largest rebel groups operating in Aleppo. The rebels decision has not and will not change. It is to be steadfast. Eastern Aleppo, besieged by government troops, has been subjected to intense and relentless airstrikes by Syrian and Russian aircraft in recent weeks. Hundreds of people have been killed and whole neighbourhoods destroyed. Our dear people in Aleppo districts, let the wounded and sick leave. . . We guarantee you safe passage. Seize the opportunity and protect your families lives, government loudspeakers echoed from a checkpoint. They offered a warm meal and medical help along the way. There is no point in continuing to fight. Your positions and bases and warehouses are known to us precisely. Dont use civilians as human shields, the announcements said. But there were no takers Thursday, with residents saying they did not trust the promise in the absence of international monitors. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura insisted a unilateral cease-fire aims only to allow medical evacuations and is not part of a broader plan that he has laid out for Aleppo, countering an assertion by Syrian President Bashar Assad that most civilians want to leave. Senior UN aid official Jan Egeland told the Associated Press that the U.N. received verbal assurances for the extension of the three-day pause by another day until Monday to allow for the UN-supervised medical evacuation of wounded from the city. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed an extension but only mentioned the pause was being prolonged by one day. The discrepancy between the statements could not immediately be reconciled. Egeland said talks are continuing with armed opposition groups on the deal. He said he expects medical supplies to be allowed in. Ibrahim al-Haj, a resident of eastern Aleppo and a volunteer with the White Helmets team of first responders in the city, said no one trusts safe passages without UN supervision. If there is no corridor with international supervision, it is impossible anyone would leave, al-Haj said, adding that shots were fired over the heads of some who approached the crossing Thursday. He blamed government snipers. Read more about: SHARE: Canadas ongoing negotiations with the European Union on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) are once again making headlines. And, once again, they are not positive. Last Friday, Wallonia, one of three Belgian regional governments voted against proceeding with the ratification of the agreement, citing over concerns protecting its pork and beef market. With the unanimous agreement of all three subnational regions needed for a Belgian yes to CETA, this no vote could be fatal. Unfortunately for Canadian negotiators, the bleeding doesnt stop, or start, in Wallonia. Austria has been back-and-forth on its support for the CETA. Germanys highest court effectively held the fate of the agreement in its hands, and ultimately rejected an injunction on CETA levelled by social justice advocates. Romania and Bulgaria are tying the future of the CETA to visa-free travel between Canada and their countries. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in an hour-long phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart, acquiesced. We can reasonably assume the same will happen with Romania. In 2013, Canada was strong-armed into lifting a similar visa regime on the Czech Republic, who threatened to shut down negotiations altogether. In negotiating with the EU, history tends to repeat itself. Canadas biggest mistake has been in viewing these negotiations as a Canada-EU trade deal and should have instead approached it as a series of 28 bilateral agreements. If trade negotiators have any hope of salvaging this agreement, this approach needs to be adopted now. Negotiating with the EU is no easy feat, though Canada is not the first country to experience this. The U.S. has been negotiating with the EU for years and the prospect of a formalized agreement is a long-shot at this point. The CETA negotiations cannot be seen as boilerplate, copy-and-paste agreements that can be modelled on our recent agreements with South Korea, Honduras, and Panama, to name a few. With Trudeau suggesting the CETA is a test of the EUs usefulness, it is unfortunately clear that Ottawa sees the EU as just another country to add to the roster of free traders. The problem is that the EU is unlike any other trading partner, and Canada never fully digested this truth. The EU is a collection of 28 member states, each of whom have surrendered certain powers and responsibility to EU institutions, mostly based in Brussels. This has been a long process in the postwar period, but it has evolved into the most robust integration project today. Despite the institutions of the EU wielding considerable power, the true balance of power still rests at the member state level. Many areas of legislation can only be passed with unanimity, and most areas require a qualified majority. Veto opportunities abound, and member states are not afraid to remind us of this. One of these areas just happens to be free trade agreements with third party countries. If the CETA has any chance of survival and, for the economic future of Canada, we should hope it does then Canada needs to reconfigure its strategy. Continuing to win the approval of the EU leadership in Brussels is certainly necessary for a smooth(er) ratification process from here. But it is far from sufficient. The EU does not function in a top-down, command dynamic. What EU leaders say is often vehemently opposed and challenged by member states. With 28 hugely diverse economies (though soon to be 27), any EU activity is all but guaranteed to benefit some more than others. Whats good for Germany or France might not be all that great for Slovenia or Hungary. We should not be surprised, then, that not all EU member states are crazy about blindly signing off its most comprehensive trade agreement to date. The troubling reality is this could have been avoided. The negotiations for the CETA have been almost exclusively conducted between trade negotiators from Canada and the EUs institutions. The EU member state governments have been treated as rubber-stamps by both parties. But, given an opportunity to threaten a veto and extract some concession or policy change from Canada, we cant blame them. If Canada began from a bottom-up approach to CETA, starting with the member governments and their own bilateral issues with Canada, we could be enjoying the sizable economic benefits that come from free trade with the worlds largest trading bloc. In many ways, CETA negotiations are a lesson for both Canada and the EU. Lets hope Canada does not become a case-study in the wrong way to negotiate with the EU. Christopher Rastrick, PhD, is a policy analyst with the think tank Canada West Foundation. Read more about: SHARE: Todays disjointed pharmaceutical policy may be described as a Shakespearean tragedy a flawed system that will always end with demise. The relationship between health-care policies, the funding of prescription drugs and public access to medically necessary medication is fragmented. It is in need of political leadership. With the provincial, territorial and federal health ministers meeting in Toronto this week, the time has come to discuss the details of a National Prescription Drug Strategy. How are we going to move this forward? Global Public Affairs recent report National Pharmacare: Lost in Translation outlined the players on the stage and how their competing interests affects Canadians access to prescription medications. The public values its health and improvement to quality of life. Employers seek increased productivity associated with healthy employees. Governments want improved population health, individual satisfaction, and health system sustainability. The pharmaceutical industry wants market access for products that are valued by patients and payers alike to generate returns and to support ongoing and future research. Private insurance providers aim to minimize the number of clients on long-term disability and prevent the emergence or recurrence of health problems. And health professionals want to cure illness and reduce suffering. These goals and desires are not mutually exclusive and yet our current system fails to meet many Canadians expectations. Understandably so it is, after all, everyone for themselves. The current system operates without common goals. But as there are no directors, not all actors are treated fairly and equitably. How is this problematic? The result is a tragedy. There is inequitable, unpredictable access to effective, necessary prescription medicines. Theres a reason why this is happening. Todays prescription medicines are a key tool to restore and maintain health. When prescribed and taken appropriately they reduce other health system costs, help individuals avoid hospitalization and support Canadians to function effectively in their daily lives. Prescription medications help treat and cure patients with acute illnesses and delay progression for those with chronic diseases. Canadians spend more than $29 billion annually on prescription medications. After hospitals, it is the second largest component of health-care spending, exceeding physician services. This spending occurs outside of the principles of the Canada Health Act, and too often at arms-length from the rest of the health system. There is limited and inconsistent integration of medication use data with physician visits, hospitalizations, or care planning. The result is a poor understanding of the impact pharmaceuticals have on patient outcomes or the value they offer to the health care system. Its fair to argue that all Canadians want equitable access to effective medications without incurring financial hardship. Yet, increasingly, access is compromised due to ability to pay, employment status, clinical condition or disease, age, ethnic heritage or even ones postal code. There is an overall lack of accountability. So, how do we focus on a common goal when there are disparate and competing interests operating in a complex, imperfect system? Because of the dominant position public payers have in funding prescription medications in Canada, strong, principled political leadership is required to ensure the system delivers consistent value for all Canadians. Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott, who has responsibility for Health Canada, the agency that approves medicines for sale in Canada, has a role in balancing access to existing and new medicines while ensuring patient safety. The federal government also has the ability to rebalance tax credits and insured health benefits to reposition the $29 billion in annual spending. Through shifts, Ottawa could make more direct dollars available to the provinces for consistent, national access to appropriately prescribed drugs, including both valued existing products and new innovative medicines. Though the creation of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, and their existing drug plans, provincial ministers of health now have additional tools to improve access to medications and create greater value for Canadians. Their focus should include more timely and predictable assessments, access and funding when a products value has been demonstrated. They should also build greater accountability for appropriate use. They must continue to seek ways to increase efficiency, measure value and measure outcomes that result from better integration of medications with other components of the health system. Finally, both levels of government need to work smarter and more co-operatively. Granted this will take time, but industry, physicians, pharmacists, employers and patients cant start doing the heavy lifting without direction from the federal and provincial health ministers. Canadians must work together to address our fatal flaw. Steve Long is a senior associate, health and life sciences, at Global Public Affairs. A pharmacist and former executive director, pharmaceutical funding and guidance at Alberta Health, Long principally focuses on health policy development, including pharmacy regulation, health technology assessment and product reimbursement. SHARE: Re: Foiled plot promised to trigger a bloodbath,' Oct. 16 Foiled plot promised to trigger a bloodbath,' Oct. 16 Disturbing news has come out of Kansas of a thwarted terrorist attack that had been planned by three men who had been radicalized. Their target: a mosque. These men were not Muslim, nor were they Middle Eastern, nor were they refugees. They were three middle aged Caucasian men. What they are is as dangerous as is anyone with any intention of becoming a terrorist. This comes not from political or religious ideologies but from hatred and prejudice, plain and simple. I am a Muslim, does that make me a terrorist? No. As an Ahmadi Muslim I, and many others in my community, are sharply aware of what religious persecution is like. My friend is a Christian, does that make him a terrorist or a white-power inspired racist? No. Like any sane and decent person he knows that violence is not the answer. And so the same goes out to the people of the whole world. Violence is dangerous. Terrorism and extremism in all forms is dangerous. And it is up to you and I and everyone else to combat it with love and understanding. Harith Chaudhary, Maple They call themselves Crusaders. Can we call them terrorists, instead? Mimi Khan, Toronto SHARE: Re: Canadian researchers new fossil theory may foster debate in scientific circles, Oct. 16 Bylines and headlines we see them every day. But while, by their very nature, bylines tell you who wrote the story, headline writers work in relative anonymity. A headline must, in a very few, pithy words, catch your interest and tell you something about the story to follow. So with this in mind, I have to congratulate the headline writer who, as an introduction to a story about the Blue Jays recent lack of hitting, came up with The Silence of the Whams. Brilliant. Ronald Weir, Toronto Canadian researchers new fossil theory may foster debate in scientific circles, Oct. 16 Quintessentially Canadian in its tentativeness, authorship and dateline of Mistaken Point, N.L., this headline to a Canadian Press news report is surely one for the ages. Paul Romney, Baltimore, Md. SHARE: Philip Givens couldnt contain his excitement. Pulling on baggy corduroys and bulky sweater against the October nights chill, the Toronto mayor dashed down to the docks. How is it? he anxiously asked Capt. A.W. Schuyler of the Dutch freighter Prins Philips Willem, which had made the overseas journey with the precious and pricey cargo. Fine, just fine, the captain reassured him but declined to let Givens into the hold to greet the citys newest and biggest resident. Less than 48 hours after that midnight visit to the dockside, The Archer was unveiled in the square in front of City Hall. With 10,000 spectators gathered for the Oct. 27 evening ceremony 50 years ago, Givens was gleeful. Its beautiful. Its marvellous. I dont know what to say, he gushed after a canvas shroud was pulled off the 2.5-tonne bronze hulk of a sculpture known officially as Three-Way Piece No. 2. But the historic event had been far from certain when the controversial work of art was still just a maquette (small model) in Henry Moores country studio north of London, England. Viljo Revell, the Finnish architect who designed Torontos new city hall and a friend of the internationally renowned artist, thought a larger version would be ideal for the public plaza that came to be known as Nathan Phillips Square. The curves of the large abstract form complemented the flowing lines of the building, which opened in 1965. (Revell died in 1964 without seeing its completion or installation of the sculpture.) But the Moore proposal polarized local politicians. The $120,000 price tag (almost $750,000 in todays dollars) was too rich for the citys overburdened taxpayers, some protested. Hogtown didnt need and wouldnt appreciate fine art of this calibre, said others. Arguments over The Archer erupted at decision-making time in March, 1966. I dont swoon with ecstasy when I look at pieces like this, declared controller William Dennison, who doubted Torontonians would want it. Lillian James, a spectator at a board of control meeting, agreed, saying many people couldnt even afford to put an ordinary picture on their wall. At council a week later, Alderman Fred Beavis took direct aim at The Archer. How much more art and culture can we stand? he demanded. How much more can we have shoved down our throats? But Givens, terming opponents neanderthals and knuckleheads, fought back. The sculpture, which was part of the mayors dream of turning Toronto into a showplace for culture and fine art, would be a tourist magnet, he predicted. And he was ready to stake his political career on it. This is what I want for my city exciting, pulsating dynamism, he extolled. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, its going to cost you money. One supporter, Alderman Horace Brown, put Henry Moore on a pedestal as the greatest sculptor since Michelangelo. But it didnt help the cause that Moores work was often controversial with Prince Philip likening one of his creations to a monkeys gallstone. People dont want art they cant understand, said Alderman Alice Summerville who, like many constituents, was incensed at the cost. Im afraid the mayor will have to justify this one at the polls, she told the Toronto Daily Star. Council rejected the purchase in a 13 to 10 vote. They just didnt have the guts to go through with it, Givens fumed. Moore himself told a Star reporter in an overseas phone call that, while he was disappointed, he could easily find a home for the sculpture in a European city. Indeed, a couple of months later The Archer was on display in Arnhem in the Netherlands. But the battle was far from over as Givens began casting a fundraising net to pay for the piece, which measured three metres high and almost four metres wide. My daughter, for one, will not be peddling wares nor shall I contribute in any way, shape or form for the monstrosity, Mrs. E.B. Young complained in a letter to the editor following a suggestion that schoolchildren could help raise money. The feud at City Hall over Torontos role in the arts became so heated that the Star devoted a page pitting Givens against Dennison in print. But cheques from art enthusiasts piled up and with Moore knocking $20,000 off the price and transportation services donated, a fall delivery date was set. When the sculpture was finally revealed to the public on Oct. 27, 1966, Three-Way Piece No. 2 was the citys No. 1 conversation piece. Many observers were enthusiastic about the bronze and big and brooding form as the Star described it mounted on an elliptical concrete base. Others werent so sure. I cant make head or tails of it, puzzled tourist Cal Hollis of Bermuda, pronouncing it horrid. Few were indifferent as they described it as looking like nothing on earth and something doctors usually study. One youngster labelled it a sick mushroom. Eric Arthur, chair of the civic art committee who had fought for the sculpture, opined that posterity will remember tonight. The philistines have retreated in disorder. The unveiling of the most impressive object, said the Stars art critic Robert Fulford, may well be remembered as the moment when art and Toronto learned to live with each other. Less than six weeks later, The Archers biggest proponent found himself turfed from the mayors chair by his nemesis William Dennison in the municipal election. But today the once reviled art installation is one of the citys most beloved and much-photographed landmarks. Seems Phil Givens was right all along. Story idea? Share your story suggestions at OnceUponACity@thestar.ca . To search more about this story or your story go to thestar.com/archives . To purchase or browse more photos go to starstore.ca/collections/once-upon-a-city , or visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/TorontoStarArchives or on Twitter: @StarHistoricPix. SHARE: IBM (IBM) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) on Tuesday unveiled a genomic sequencing service powered by IBM's Watson supercomputer, providing a read through for companies including Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) and Agilent Technologies (A) , according to an Evercore ISI analyst. The service, called IBM Watson Genomics from Quest Diagnostics, combines the cloud computing power of IBM with the genomic sequencing capabilities of Quest. This marks the first time that Watson for Genomics has been made broadly available to patients and physicians nationwide. The collaboration between IBM and Quest "is certainly interesting for the clinical sequencing market," wrote Evercore ISI analyst Ross Muken in a Tuesday note, pointing to the goal of bringing next-generation sequencing (NGS) to community oncologists. "We believe that [Quest]'s large hospital and physician network can help to increase physician awareness of NGS and can potentially accelerate its adoption within community clinics, while the use of IBM Watson Genomics can help address a major NGS bottleneck of data analysis," Muken said. "However, we believe measurable benefits will likely take time to surface and look forward to these developments." In his note, Muken also mentioned how the collaboration would impact companies such as San Diego-based genomic analysis products company Illumina (ILMN) , Waltham, Mass.-based medical device maker Thermo Fisher, Venlo, Netherlands-based sample technologies company Qiagen (QGEN) and Santa Clara, Calif.-based Agilent Technologies, which provides instruments, software and consumables for the laboratory workflow. In addition to IBM and Quest, "we believe the collaboration is incrementally positive for [Illumina] and [Thermo Fisher]'s sequencing business in that it could reduce the time to realizing the clinical oncology TAM (total addressable market)" Muken wrote. "Additionally, the collaboration is positive for NGS consumables providers [Qiagen], [Thermo Fisher], and [Agilent ]." Agilent spokeswoman Rekha Parthasarathy told TheStreet in an email that the news is "testimony to the growing adoption of NGS in clinical research and diagnostics, which is in line with how we see the market evolving." Qiagen spokesman Thomas Theuringer, while not commenting on any specific deal or customer relationship, said that generally speaking, "we benefit from increasing numbers of sequencing runs that are being performed worldwide." He noted that Qiagen has a portfolio of universal consumable solutions that are compatible with all major sequencing machines. A representative for Illumina declined to comment. A representative for Thermo Fisher did not immediately return a request for comment. On Wednesday, Illumina shares were changing hands at $147.05, up 1.3%; Thermo Fisher were trading at $151.83, up 0.1%; Qiagen shares were at $26.01, down 0.7% and Agilent shares were at $45.88, up about 1%. For IBM and Quest the collaboration expands Watson for Genomics' reach beyond the 20-plus academic cancer centers it has relationships with and comes after the companies were in discussions for quite some time, said Quest spokeswoman Wendy Bost. "We're taking cutting-edge technology and data and democratizing it," she said. Steve Harvey, a vice president at IBM Watson Health, said in an interview that a small percentage of advanced-stage cancer patients are undergoing genomic sequencing. He said that while there have been a lot of advances in precision medicine over the past decade, "few patients benefit, largely because most doctors lack access to gene sequencing and analysis services." "We have a very large opportunity to transform cancer care by scaling this nationwide," Harvey said. Watson for Genomics ingests around 10,000 scientific articles and 100 new clinical trials each month. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will supplement Watson's data sources by providing its precision oncology knowledge base. Madison, N.J.-based Quest serves half of the country's physicians and hospitals, providing genomic sequencing and thousands of other test services. The collaboration with Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM extends the genomic sequencing service to thousands of the country's community oncologists, who provide an estimated 70% of cancer care in the U.S., according to the announcement. The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard will provide additional genome sequencing capabilities as part of the collaboration. The treating oncologist or other physician will send a patient's solid tumor biopsy tissue to Quest, whose pathologists will prepare the tissue sample for genomic sequencing. Quest's scientists will sequence the treatment-associated genes utilizing sequencing technologies and feed the genetic file into Watson, which will then use the sequenced genetic data and compare the data against clinical, scientific and pharmacological databases to help identify potential treatment options. The collaboration "gives us the ability to offer this service to any cancer patient that wants access to use Watson for Genomics technology in the U.S. through their treating oncologist," Harvey said. The collaboration comes after IBM on Monday reported quarterly revenue of $19.2 billion and earnings per share from continuing operations of $3.29, surpassing consensus analyst estimates of $19 billion and $3.20. EPS benefited from a low tax rate of 12.5%, down from 18.2% a year ago. IBM's cognitive solutions unit, of which Watson is a part, had revenue of $4.2 billion during the third quarter, up 4.5%. Shares of Quest were trading at $83.22 on Wednesday, down 0.6% and IBM were trading at $151.24, up 0.4%. After a two-year bull run, cruise stocks fell this year as investors expected fewer travelers as a result of this year's global slowdown. Fear of the Zika virus and one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record also contributed to expectations that this year would be especially poor for cruise line companies. But Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) and Carnival (CCL) are the cheapest stocks in the hotel, resorts and cruise line industry paying attractive dividends. Pay for your next vacation with these exceptional income-bearing stocks. Shares of both stocks rose in Wednesday trading. Our stock screen flagged Royal Caribbean as a perfect 10 since it's trading at a 35% discount to its peer group with a dividend yield of 2.2%. Royal Caribbean plans to report earnings on Oct. 28. Royal's earnings per share have beaten analysts' expectations in the last six quarters. With three more ships added to Royal's fleet of 22 in the second quarter, it's clear that the company sees plenty more market opportunity. In its second-quarter earnings call, CEO Richard Fain recalled management's concern regarding whether there would be enough market to justify adding a fourth ship. Royal is focused on penetrating the largely untapped Chinese market to drive future earnings. The company's sales have grown an average of 6% per year over the last six years to $8.3 billion. The stock is currently trading at about $70. That is a more than 30% drop from its all-time high of $103 at the end of last year. The stock is oversold, and investors' fears at the start of the year simply didn't come to fruition. Don't expect the share price to go much lower. Expected third-quarter EPS of $3.10 would be a 9% increase over the same quarter last year. The company has also increased its dividend every year since 2011. This trend should continue for exceptional share price and dividend appreciation in the coming years. Carnival is more of a straight income buy than Royal, but that didn't stop it from delivering its highest earnings per share ever last quarter. The company scored nine out of 10 on our stock screen with a dividend yield of 3%. Carnival's $46.62 share price sells at a 30% discount to its peer group. The company reports its next earnings in November. CFO David Bernstein has said that Carnival's target payout ratio is between 40% and 50%. Currently, its payout ratio is about 40%. Carnival's EPS has either matched or exceeded analysts' estimates in every single quarter since 2004. It's almost guaranteed that this trend will continue. Currently Carnival's share price is down 15% from $55 at the start of the year. --- As we've just explained, these two cruise line companies are both great income and growth buys. If you're looking for other growth opportunities, we've found a genius trader who turned $50,000 into $5 million by using his proprietary trading method. For a limited time, he's guaranteeing you $67,548 per year in profitable trades if you follow his simple step-by-step process. Click here now for details. The author is an independent contributor to the Street.com. At the time of publication, he owned none of the stocks mentioned. NEW YORK (TheStreet) --LoopCapital president Kourtney Gibson appeared on CNBC's "Closing Bell" Wednesday afternoon to explain her bullish stance on Apple. (AAPL) Investment bank, brokerage and advisory firm Loop Capital provides capital solutions to corporations, governments, and institutional entities worldwide. "I definitely love Apple. People are talking about what happened with Samsung (SSNLF), and that Google (GOOGL) is going to pick up those consumers, but that new iPhone 7 just came out," Gibson said. She believes that when the Cupertino, CA-based tech titan releases its third-quarter earnings next week, not only will they look good, but that analyst may be "underestimating" Apple's benefits from the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Not accounting for "folks that are going to switch and have switched form the Samsung device to the iPhone," Gibson noted. Shares of Apple closed lower on Wednesday. (Apple is a core holding of Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of his holding with a free trial here.) 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 rated this stock as a "buy" with a ratings score of B+. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, expanding profit margins, increase in stock price during the past year and notable return on equity. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income. You can view the full analysis from the report here: AAPL NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Alaska Air (ALK) were rising in pre-market trading on Thursday after the company posted better-than-expected earnings for the 2016 third quarter. Before today's opening bell, the Seatac, WA-based airline reported adjusted earnings of $2.20 per share, surpassing analysts' estimates for earnings of $2.08 per share. Revenue for the quarter rose 3% to $1.57 billion from last year. Wall Street had expected revenue of $1.56 billion. Passenger revenue per available seat mile declined 5.8% year-over-year. The company logged $22 million in charges in the third quarter related to its proposed $2.6 billion acquisition of Virgin America (VA). Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden said the company is "fully focused" on closing the deal. Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated Alaska Air 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 rated this stock as a "buy" with a ratings score of A-. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, increase in net income, expanding profit margins and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself. You can view the full analysis from the report here: ALK Walgreens Boots Alliance's (WBA) acquisition of Rite Aid (RAD) is taking longer than expected to pass muster with the Federal Trade Commission, but this could be a signal that the deal will eventually be approved. Walgreens announced Thursday that it has pushed back the closing deadline of its previously announced $9.45 billion acquisition of Rite Aid to early 2017. Company officials noted that they need more time to divest between 500 and 1,000 stores to comply with federal antitrust regulations. "We remain actively engaged with the FTC on its review," said Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens during its Thursday earnings call. "We plan to execute agreements to divest the stores to potential buyers by the end of the year." Some say the delay from the FTC is a good sign - it means the company is working with the agency to form some sort of plan, rather than receiving a denial of the deal outright. "Should Walgreens find potential store buyers for what the FTC may deem to be an insufficient divestiture package, it is believed that the FTC may require Walgreens to divest more Rite Aid stores," Deutsche Bank analyst George Hill wrote in a note. "Alternatively, if Walgreens is unable to attract buyers, the FTC could block the deal through a lawsuit, pushing back the merger agreement's end-date." TheStreet's sister publication, The Deal, previously reported that retail pharmacies like Fred's Inc. and CVS Caremark Corp. could potentially buy up some of the divested stores. Both declined comment on involvement. The New York Daily News reported earlier this week that grocery chain Kroger (KR) will not be participating in the purchase of divested stores, as other publications had previously reported. "While Kroger is on the list of potential suitors, we do not view them as core to the store sales, as their business is largely focused on a different store format than the standalone pharmacy stores that Walgreen/Rite Aid would be selling," according to Hill. Hill has a buy rating on Walgreens and a price target of $88 per share. Walgreens was trading at $80.19 per share Thursday, up nearly 4% from market's open. Ann Hynes of Mizuho Securities is also positive on the stock, with a price target of $90 per share. "We overall believe this is positive and just a delay in timing of the close and divestitures with the FTC," Hynes wrote in a note. Walgreens, which has a market cap of $86.8 billion, reported earnings per share of $1.07 per share, beating consensus estimates of 99 cents per share by 8 cents. "We continue to expect that the acquisition will be accretive to earnings for the first full year on closing," Gourlay said during Thursday's earnings call. In addition to viewing the Rite Aid deal as a positive, Hill noted that Walgreens' involvement with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMS), which negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurers to pharmaceutical companies, could be a positive for the stock, as long as the deal goes through. Walgreens landed a contract with TRICARE, the military's PBM, earlier this month. "Should the Walgreens/Rite Aid deal not go through, we would be less positive on Walgreens, as we believe the promises Walgreens has made to its new PBM partners around the ability to expand its network would be much harder to execute if the deal does not close," Hill wrote. According to TheStreet's founder Jim Cramer, "While that may seem like a negative on the surface, we actually view this as a slight positive in that it indicates that the FTC is taking more time to review the divestiture possibilities and working with the two companies to come up with a solution, rather than flat-out blocking the deal." Cramer is manager of the Action Alerts PLUS portfolio, which owns (WBA) . In three debates U.S. Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump did not have a material discussion about big bank regulation, which suggests that Congress and, in particular, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jeb Hensarling are more likely to drive any policy changes for the industry in the years to come. "The most important takeaway from the three debates is that neither Clinton nor Trump have emphasized any policies for banks or for housing. It is just not at the top of their agendas," said Cowen Washington Research Group analyst Jaret Seiberg in a note. "That means there is not an election mandate to address either issue." For Seiberg and others following the debates the lack of discussion about Wall Street suggests that influential legislators on Capitol Hill will be in the driver's seat when it comes to financial regulation legislation such as efforts to break up the big banks or impose a financial transaction or bank tax. Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and a handful of mostly Democratic lawmakers have launched a legislative effort to reinstate the 1933 Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act in some form. Their measure would effectively break up the largest banks by separating their investment banking units from the commercial bank divisions. Warren and others contend that this would make the economy less vulnerable if a large institution like Bank of America (BAC) , JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) or Citigroup (C) were to collapse. And according to hacked emails released on WikiLeaks, it appeared Clinton might have come close to supporting the reinstatement of Glass-Steagall during an earlier stage of the contest. Mandy Grunwald, a senior communication adviser to Clinton, suggested in an email that her understanding was that Clinton was "kind of leaning towards endorsing Glass-Steagall as well as possible other financial reform proposals." All of this has analysts arguing that Clinton could back legislation, if it were to emerge on Capitol Hill, that would seek to reinstate Glass-Steagall. "We believe the market is under-appreciating the risk that Clinton could support a modern version of the Glass-Steagall Act," Seiberg said. In addition, Dean Baker, co-founder of the left-leaning Center for Economic Policy and Research, suggests that it is a real possibility that, even with a lack of interest from Clinton, Congress could impose a financial transaction tax on large banks that he argues could raise $100 billion a year in revenue even as it reduces trading on Wall Street. Baker said he envisioned a scenario that involved haggling between Democrats and Republicans over the budget appropriations process that included concessions to both parties that ultimately included such a tax provision. He added that he could envision a similar situation emerging that could include the Warren Glass-Steagall measure. "I don't think it is impossible," Baker said. "Assuming Clinton is in the White House and it is included I think it could pass, with Warren pushing for it. Clinton doesn't seem like she really wants it but she's not hugely opposed." In addition, analysts believe a Trump administration would also leave policy on big banks to Congress, deferring to Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, who is likely to maintain his position as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Hensarling's Financial Choice Act would grant banks relief from many costly aspects of the post-financial crisis Dodd-Frank Act, including stress tests seeking to determine whether banks have enough capital to withstand a hypothetical future crisis. However, the package seeks to balance that relief by setting up a big bank 10% leverage ratio, which is a ratio of capital against assets that would be a much greater buffer against collapse than required by international regulators or Dodd-Frank. "We believe Rep. Jeb Hensarling would play a major role in setting the banking agenda for a Trump White House," Seiberg said. Both the Warren and Hensarling bills have no chance of becoming law anytime soon. It is very possible that Congress will still be split after the election next month, making passage of either bill or some combination of both very difficult. However, their existence - and the lack of any interest in bringing up big bank policy by either Clinton or Trump or their surrogates Tim Kaine or Mike Pence in the vice presidential debate -- suggest that the measures are relevant because they define the legislative path forward in either administration. On 5 October, PHIVOLCS reported that since the morning of 30 September a fissure on Bulusan's SE flank had been venting low steam plumes with minor amounts of ash. Also during this time a strong sulfur odor was noticed in barangay Mapaso, Irosin. A 15-minute-long, minor phreatic eruption was recorded by the seismic network on the morning of 6 October. ... A sneak peek of Signature Theatres "Freaky Friday," the Disney movie about a mother and daughter who switch bodies. (Signature Theatre) Several months before Mary Rodgerss death in mid-2014, Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, who were busy turning her 1972 young-adult comic novel, Freaky Friday, into a musical, had the opportunity to play the first few songs for her in her Manhattan apartment. It was cause for no small amount of anxiety for Yorkey and Kitt. Although they had won the Pulitzer Prize for an earlier musical, Next to Normal, in 2010, and had numerous other Broadway credits, they were not counting on receiving accolades from the tough-minded Rodgers. Hers was an intimidating pedigree: The daughter of composer Richard Rodgers half of the revered team of Rodgers and Hammerstein she was a respected Broadway songwriter herself, most notably as composer of the Golden Age musical comedy, Once Upon a Mattress. Both Tom and I were sweating bullets, Yorkey says. Playing songs in Mary Rodgerss parlor on the Upper West Side there are few more terrifying things in the theater. Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt in New York. (Walter McBride) As it turned out, the recital in the lionesss den ended not in growls but purrs. Rodgers, though physically diminished, was intellectually sharp and told the songwriters she liked what she heard. Bolstered by the vote of confidence, they returned to the job of adding pop melodic color to the script that had been created by Bridget Carpenter, a playwright and television writer whom Disneys theater arm, Disney Theatrical Group, recruited to give Freaky Friday a modern lilt for the stage. Now, audiences in Shirlington are the inaugural tasters of the fruit of their labors, as Signature Theatre, with support from Disney, unveils a world-premiere staging of the musical, about a warring suburban mother and teenage daughter who one truly freaky morning wake up in each others bodies. Signature and Disney are hoping a magic formula has been concocted for this new Freaky Friday, which features Heidi Blickenstaff as the mom (here called Katherine) and Emma Hunton as her daughter, originally Annabel, rechristened Ellie. The production has a seasoned director (Christopher Ashley, fresh off Fords Theatres Broadway-bound Come From Away), and a Broadway-tested choreographer in Sergio Trujillo, who last season created the dances for the Gloria and Emilio Estefan musical, On Your Feet! Sherri L. Edelen (Mrs. Luckenbill), Emma Hunton (Ellie Blake), Jason SweetTooth Williams (Dr. Ehrin) and Heidi Blickenstaff (Katherine Blake) in Disneys "Freaky Friday" at Signature Theatre. (Margot Schulman) With the legacy, too, of multiple screen versions Disney motion pictures in 1976 and 2003 and a television movie by the company in 1995 as well as Rodgerss novel, the musical has a natural fan base. What is awaited is a judgment on Freaky Fridays artistic merit. The entertainment giant says that Broadway is not in the musicals future. Post-Signature, Freaky Friday has already been widely licensed for regional productions around the country. The licensing route was also supposed to be the trajectory for Newsies, the only other live-action Disney movie to be turned into a stage musical. But after its positive reception at New Jerseys Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011, that strategy was put off, and Newsies went right to Broadway, where it ran for 29 months and 1,004 performances. Signature and the songwriters say they will be happy regardless of wherever Freaky Friday goes. But it is hard to believe Broadway would not enter the picture if expectations are exceeded in Shirlington. Everyone involved in Freaky Friday has a more than usual interest in a critical and commercial hit. The Northern Virginia company, recipient of the regional theater Tony Award in 2009, has had brushes with Broadway but never forged a path there to success. Yorkey and Kitt are coming off the lackluster results of their quirky musical, If/Then with Idina Menzel, that began at Washingtons National Theatre and never caught fire. Even Disney could stand to have its theatrical trophy case augmented by something truly outstanding, an achievement that has eluded the organization ever since Julie Taymors visually transcendent The Lion King, the 1997 stage musical that gave the company a global megahit. Emma Hunton (Ellie Blake) and Heidi Blickenstaff (Katherine Blake) in Freaky Friday. (Margot Schulman) Whatever the verdict by audiences and reviewers the show officially opens to the press Tuesday night the selection of Signature as the laboratory for a project with such a potentially long and lucrative life is another milestone for a Washington-area theater that seems to be on a constant quest to top itself. Its been awesome to see Disney allowing Signature to be the incubator, says Maggie Boland, Signatures managing director. Ill confess to having a little trepidation at the beginning because Disney is Disney. But if the worry had been that the corporation would want its fingerprints all over the final product, the folks in Shirlington have been pleasantly surprised. Its been a really positive partnership, Boland added. Theyve allowed Signature to shape the process. Disney provided financial support how much no one will say. But the enhancement money, as it is known in the business, gave Signature a cushion for expenses that it does not normally have the luxury for, such as the local accommodations for Yorkey, Kitt and Carpenter for a full seven weeks of development, rehearsals and performances. (For some of that period, Yorkey was in California, shooting a new series for Netflix, Thirteen Reasons Why, of which he is the creator.) The three of us spent an inordinate amount of time, Carpenter says of the making of Freaky Friday, talking about ourselves as children, of having parents, and of being parents. I became a mother of two while writing this. In point of fact, this was not the first time Carpenter who was a writer on NBCs Friday Night Lights and Parenthood and had one of her plays, The Faculty Room, produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre in 2007 took a crack at turning Freaky Friday into a musical. A previous version, with another composer, was shelved. (Mary Rodgers also tried at one time to musicalize her novel.) Heidi Blickenstaff (Katherine Blake) and the cast of Freaky Friday. (Jim Saah) Disney stayed with Carpenter after her initial attempt fell short; Rodgers, it seems, had faith in her, too. I told her the book stands alone, the two movies stand alone, and what I would like to do is throw everything away except for the concept of a mother and a daughter and the switch. I wanted to look at this [story] right now. She gave me her full blessing. From the way she and the songwriters describe it, the musical retains the narratives essential comic element: presenting two people who are propelled, as a result of seeing the world through each others eyes, to a higher plane of understanding and love. As all three writers profess an affection for the novel going back to childhood, there should be no surprise if the core of the musical is deeply emotional. My way in, composer Kitt says one afternoon at Signature, just after hearing the shows 18 actors members rehearse with the full nine-member orchestra for the first time, was as a father, to tell a real story about true love, timeless love. Yorkey, the musicals lyricist and the only one of the three without children, says he feels particularly close to the material because, Ive often said, theres a 16-year-old girl inside of me. On a basic level, its a mother-daughter story, he adds. Its about the things we dont tell each other and the way life forces us to learn lessons we otherwise wouldnt learn. Carpenter explains that one of the goals here was to give more human texture to the spine of a narrative that had always been what she calls a buoyant romp. Now, it sounds as if we are supposed to see Katherine and Ellie as reflections of ourselves. To imagine what would really happen emotionally, Carpenter says, has been a total joy. Kitt and Yorkey feel, too, as if the Freaky world is in their wheelhouse. We are not the most clever songwriting team working today by a long shot, Yorkey says. But I think what we do as well as anybody is be emotionally honest and in a medium that doesnt always prize emotional honesty. Freaky Friday, book by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt, lyrics by Brian Yorkey. Directed by Christopher Ashley. Tickets: $40-$108. Through Nov. 20 at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Visit sigtheatre.org or call 703-820-9771. The first sight Alex Horwitz ever caught of Lin-Manuel Miranda was on a stage at Wesleyan University, playing the title role in aptly enough, given the near-idolatry that would one day follow Jesus Christ Superstar. The two became buddies and then castmates in an extracurricular improv- comedy troupe. He was our fifth Beatle, Horwitz jokes of his fellow member of the Class of 2002. Years later, as Miranda himself climbed toward superstardom, they would forge an even more significant alliance, for a project that would not only propel Horwitzs trajectory as a filmmaker but also set down a definitive account of the means by which his college pal would change musical theater and, perhaps, American culture. Hamiltons America, the fruit of Horwitzs three years of following the development and spectacular success of Mirandas legend-in-its-own-time musical Hamilton, is unveiled for the world Friday night at 9 on PBSs Great Performances. The eagerly anticipated documentary is not, however, just another backstage film about the arduous task of putting together a musical. The film takes a more ambitious tack, in its attempt to weave a portrait of both Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who is the shows title character, and the Singing Composer who had the inspiration to turn history into a hip-hop Broadway musical. The film is three years of what his life was like, from the writing process to the awards and accolades, says Horwitz, a Chevy Chase native who lives in New York with his wife and son, with another boy due any minute. I didnt have an agenda for how I wanted to present him, other than simply to make a record of this moment of his life. Augmented by interviews with a formidable A-list of politicians, academics, Hamilton cast members and American celebrities, Hamiltons America is, as Horwitz advertises, a further elucidation of a pivotal historic figure through a singular artists eyes. Talks with the likes of President Obama, former president George W. Bush, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim round out the discussion of both Hamiltons place in the pantheon and the finer points of making a Revolutionary hero sing. Director Alex Horwitz follows the development and success of Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical Hamilton and gives viewers more than than just a behind-the-scenes look at the play, telling the story of both composer and Founding Father. (PBS/Great Performances) If Hamilton seeks to frame the nations first treasury secretary, the visionary who invented the nations monetary system, as a recognizably flawed human being, Hamiltons America opens yet another window on Miranda, who comes across as appealingly down-to-earth, earnestly engaged with his world and, yes, a bit of a musical theater geek. Lins public persona is very much the same as his private persona hes a gregarious, quick-witted guy, Horwitz says, adding that his subject made the filming fun and, despite the long hours and technical demands, never an exercise in pulling teeth: I could always count on Lin to be a good showman, he explains. Its no surprise that he has a very good sense of story. He knew what was compelling and hes good in front of a camera. Horwitz, whose father, Murray, is a playwright (Aint Misbehavin ) who was founding director of AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, has pursued a film career as an editor and director, albeit one of some eclectic tastes: A few years ago he made a short movie, Alice Jacobs Is Dead, that he describes as a zombie love story. In the aftermath of the initial public excitement about Mirandas Hamilton project, he approached his old friend about a documentary. Modeling his concept on Looking for Richard, a 1996 documentary that followed Al Pacino as he explored contemporary ideas about Shakespeare in researching the title role in Richard III, he pitched it to Miranda: We could do a straight-up behind-the-scenes documentary, but Ive seen that movie, Horwitz told him. The more interesting thing is to make a documentary about Alexander Hamilton. Miranda was on board for that and, soon enough, Horwitz was serving both as director and sound man, alongside cinematographer Bryant Fisher, filming Miranda as he wrote lyrics on his laptop in a bedroom in which Aaron Burr who of course figures notoriously in Hamiltons story once slept. After filming began, RadicalMedia where Horwitz has worked as a freelance editor and which produced a documentary about In the Heights, Mirandas first Broadway musical agreed to produce this one, too. PBS would sign on as well, and the productions size and crew grew. Horwitz envisioned the documentary as a mirror of Hamilton: presenting a story belonging to no single partisan or ideological identity. This is a film about shared history, shared ideals, he says. As a result, he felt it natural to invite commentators on Hamiltons legacy from both sides of the aisle. Once he could get across the fact that this was an opportunity to expound on history, he found that politicians readily agreed to be in it. They were thrilled, he said of people such as Warren and Obama, and George and Laura Bush. They were like, Oh, my God, I get to talk to somebody about what Im excited about I get to nerd out about history? All of them could not have been more welcoming. (Off camera, one of the famous interviewees, who had not yet seen Hamilton, asked him: So is it really that good?) Viewers will probably be able to discern, even from the smattering of musical numbers that show up in Hamiltons America, that indeed it is. Horwitz knows that it was the magnetic pull of the musical that provided him with the kind of access that does not occur every day for a film involving a world so distinct from the concerns of government. Lin-Manuel Miranda, writing in Aaron Burr's bedroom at the Morris-Jumel Mansion in a scene from Hamiltons America. (RadicalMedia) It is certainly a fact that Hamilton got them to return the call, he says. The way I put it is, Lin opened the door. We just walked right through it. Hamiltons America airs Friday at 9 p.m. on PBSs Great Performances. Sonia Braga stars as Clara, a widow on the Brazilian coast who refuses to sell her home, in Aquarius. (Victor Juca/CinemaScopio) For movie fans of a certain age, Sonia Braga will forever be the personification of sultry female desirability, if only thanks to her breakout performance in the 1985 drama Kiss of the Spider Woman. Bragas latest star vehicle, Aquarius, will do nothing to dispel her mythic stature as one of the screens most captivating actresses: Even as she approaches 70, Braga projects a fierce, leonine air of sexual confidence and self-possession. With her famous mane swooped up or swinging behind her, she strides languorously through Aquarius like a queen surveying her domain except in this case, her purview isnt just the setting of the movie but the entire movie screen and, by extension, our collective imagination. Braga plays Clara, a 65-year-old widow living in a sunny, breeze-cooled apartment in Recife, Brazil, when inevitably, given her prime seaside view shes contacted by real estate developers looking to buy her out. Theyve purchased every other unit in the slightly worn-down building, and now theyre trying to break down Claras defenses, first through charm (the developers grandson is particularly gifted at the soft-sell), then through more aggressive tactics. But they have clearly underestimated Clara, who becomes more steely in her resolve to stay even as her own children encourage her to move to a place thats more appropriate. Viewers expecting a conventional David-and-Goliath conflict set to a samba beat will be surprised and delighted by Aquarius, which has been written and directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho at a pace worthy of a heroine who imperiously refuses to be rushed. The movie actually begins 30 years earlier, when Clara and her family assemble in the apartment to celebrate the birthday of a beloved aunt. In a protracted, slowly unfolding opening sequence, the audience bears witness to the associations and deep emotional connections that the place and its furnishings take on over decades of use and intergenerational inheritance. (Aquarius takes its title from the name of the apartment building itself.) Filho takes just as much sweet time to observe Claras daily life and rituals as she does her stretching exercises, chats with her longtime housekeeper, bathes in the ocean, gathers with friends and embarks on a brief liaison with a maybe-interesting man. What for other filmmakers might be a series of trivial digressions becomes the ballast of Aquarius, which turns out to be less about the twists and turns of Claras story and more about the confounding experience of aging, the mind-body conundrum, and how the physical environment becomes such a potent signifier of time, memory and meaning. As a showcase for Braga, Aquarius is nothing less than triumphant, a one-woman show of strength, sensuality and indomitable staying power. Skeptics may take issue with Filhos criticism of millennial-generation materialism and ethic of disposability. (One of the films many side conversations has to do with vinyl vs. MP3s.) But he makes a persuasive argument, nonetheless. Right up to its somewhat perfunctory but sneakily satisfying conclusion, Aquarius makes a compelling case for looking up from our ubiquitous distractions to take in the world around us the one that we live in and, whether were aware of it or not, lives in us. (Craig Cutler for The Washington Post) I cant keep calm. I have a black son! When my daughter, Sherita, posted this Facebook message the day after a white police officer in a Minneapolis suburb fatally shot 32-year-old Philando Castile during a minor traffic stop, she echoed the fear and anger of so many African American parents. I know that anger, have felt that fear. Professionally, I have covered the issues surrounding it for more than 40 years as the nation has continued to wrestle with race and inequality. Ive traced the lives of black men who grew up with me in a Chicago housing project. I saw up close the Los Angeles social unrest after the not-guilty verdicts in the Rodney King case. And I was there when a jury acquitted O.J. Simpson and felt the divisive reactions of blacks and whites. Now here we are again. We are a nation shaken anew by the age-old issue of excessive force by police against communities of color. In its wake lies brutality and death and a level of trauma for the survivors that we have yet to fully understand or even to acknowledge. Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Walter Scott. Freddie Gray. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Alton Sterling. Terence Crutcher. Keith Lamont Scott. These are just a few of the names on a seemingly endless list of the dead. Crutcher and Scott just in September. By the time these words reach you, there may be more. The names of the dead that we know, and the names of others that we do not, cry out for solutions to Americas race problem. African American complaints about bad policing are as old as policing itself. At the heart of this crisis are our nations continuing challenges regarding race. After decades of watching the same story played out over and over in city after city, I wonder if it will ever stop, whether we really can fix what is wrong. I hear the desperation in my daughters voice, the fears of my sisters with 20-something sons in Chicago and Milwaukee, the exasperation of my police officer brother, the anger in my sons and grandsons words. I hear them and more than ever I feel a burning need for the country to act decisively. And I fear were running out of time. *** I felt a sense of urgency 30 years ago as a Newsweek reporter when I returned to the Chicago housing project where I grew up to write about my childhood friends. I wanted to explain through their lives what it was like to grow up black and poor and male in the United States. I wanted to explain why black men were then six times as likely as white men to be murder victims, 2 times as likely to be unemployed and why overall black men finished last in practically every socioeconomic measure, from infant mortality to life expectancy. Today I find myself still reading stories about black males under siege and trying to write about why everyone, not just some of us, needs to pay attention. President Obamas initiative My Brothers Keeper will not be enough. For a large segment of black men in inner cities little has changed, and black men everywhere still bear the burden of too often being dehumanized and categorized as more violent, more dangerous, more deviant and less valued than their white counterparts. My mother gave me the talk as a young boy. In my world I never met the Officer Friendly I read about in schoolbooks. Instead I was taught that police officers were to be avoided. I gave my son, now 39, the talk, too. He still recalls the time as an adolescent when he was profiled by a Los Angeles police officer and given a ticket for what amounted to walking while black in the predominantly white Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. It gets passed down from one generation to the next, this talk, an inheritance that no American should have to have. *** We watched it again and again on the evening news remember the evening news? and waited for the justice to come. What more evidence could any jury ever need in the police beating of Rodney King? It was a story we African Americans always knew; now it was on tape for all to see. All that ended in a 1992 uprising that left more than 50 dead, 2,000 injured and nearly $1 billion in property damage. In its totality, it was the worst civil unrest in U.S. history. The scenes of beatings and chokings and shootings, many of them fatal, show up on YouTube now nearly as frequently as cat videos, bombarding the senses and the spirit. Rakeyia Scott filmed a cellphone video during her husband Keith Lamont Scott's fatal encounter with Charlotte police officers on Sept. 20. (Editor's note: This video contains graphic images and language.) (Family of Keith Lamont Scott) When the Charlotte videos emerged, we had a new kind of narration: the wife, Rakeyia Scott, urging her husband, Keith Lamont Scott, to comply and desperately trying to let the police know that he was no danger to them. (The police say he had a gun; the family has denied that.) Dont shoot him. Dont shoot him. ... Keith, get out the car. But its also as if shes resigned. Finally, when the shots ring out from a black officers gun she shouts: He better not be f------ dead. ... Im going to record you. ... He better live. He better live. Has our basic right to live become negotiable? *** Obama arrived at the White House talking about a national conversation on race. Many African Americans saw a ray of hope in his election, a day many never believed they would see in their lifetime. Many white Americans saw absolution in his election and grasped naively for a post-racial era. Weve been at this a long time now, and even Obama gets tired of talking about talking about race. In his eulogy for the Rev. Clementa Pinckney , after Pinckney and eight other African Americans were slain in South Carolina by Dylann Roof, who sat during Bible study before opening fire, Obama said: Every time something like this happens, somebody says we have to have a conversation about race. We talk a lot about race. Theres no shortcut. And we dont need more talk. President Obama delivered the eulogy at the funeral of South Carolina state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor who was fatally shot in his Emanuel AME Church along with eight others. (WhiteHouse.gov) But in July Obama found himself in an ABC News town hall about race. It was after the Dallas shooting of five police officers who were monitoring Black Lives Matter demonstrations, which had been launched after the back-to-back deaths of Alton Sterling and Castile. Obama is looking for concrete steps to manage police reform. And taking every moment he can to point to what is possible. His remarks, along with those of George W. Bush and others at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in September, spoke about the past, the present and the hope for tomorrow. My daughter isnt thinking much about a national conversation. Every time she sees another report of police brutality her thoughts turn to her 24-year-old son in Atlanta. All I could think about is that could have been my son, and I couldnt breathe, Sherita told me after seeing the video of Castile. Those last spoken words of Eric Garner while being choked to death never meant more to me than when I first heard him say, I cant breathe! Watching Castiles death, over and over, she couldnt breathe herself. And she couldnt eat or sleep for many days. As a mother, I love my son and I value his life, she told me. I just dont know why it is a question for others. I cant keep calm because I have a black son whose life, synonymous with all black men, means very little. Then she got angry. Philando Castile and countless others did not deserve to die, she said. Not when the lunatic who shot and killed church members got a meal and is still alive, or the man associated with the New York bombing was taken alive, only being shot in the shoulder. But the black men, they get to die. All I know is it hurts. Philando Castile, 32, was fatally shot by a police officer at a traffic stop outside St. Paul. His girlfriend, Diamond Lavish Reynolds, and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car with him. Reynolds live streamed the aftermath on Facebook. Here's what you need to know. (Monica Akhtar,Jenny Starrs,Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) Not long after she shared this, my grandson, a recent graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, was handcuffed and detained by a white Atlanta police officer during a routine traffic stop. Keenan says he had done nothing wrong. But he says the officer accused him of not yielding properly as he passed him to exit the freeway. The officer discovered that my grandson, who had forgotten his identification, did not have a Georgia drivers license. Sitting on the front of the police car in handcuffs, in your head, youre thinking, Am I going to be made an example of tonight? It was nerve-racking , but I was calm, and I was really just trying to hold myself from showing any anger. All I could hear was Ma saying, Just be respectful and dont talk back or act arrogant. He ended up with three citations: not having a Georgia drivers license, not carrying identification and failing to yield. The talk worked. His mother had a moment of relief. But this generation of young black men, in the age of Obama, is different than mine or even my sons. They often dont defer when they feel their rights as American citizens are being violated. They are not going to take the humiliation and abuse that past generations endured. Sometimes that can lead to serious consequences. My grandmother issued a kind of addendum to the talk when I complained that the police would often stop us for no reason. I know, she would say. You could be in the right. But you could end up dead right. My brother, a police officer in Gary, Ind., lives in between these worlds. He has had to confront the anger of young black males who see only his blue uniform. And he is a black man who worried that the killing of officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge could mean that police departments across the country would feel under siege and close ranks even more. Following his departments protocol, he said it was inappropriate for him to say more. So many of us live in a vise that squeezes and squeezes. On one side people are squeezed by potential deadly encounters with police; on the other, depending on where they live, there is the risk of intra-community violence. My brother, who risks police violence when he is out of uniform, faces potential trouble when he is in uniform. Here is what is true: We have always been in a conversation about race in America. So much of it is nonverbal, in what we dont say to each other. Its in what we do, in what remains reality. In how we worship separately, accept housing discrimination and tolerate school segregation. And how we live with who ends up facing a police officers gun. *** Columbia University professor of history Eric Foner puts it this way: To understand race in America, you must go beyond race. Racism is deeply embedded in American society. It has been from the beginning. And its still out here in many institutions and encounters. What we are seeing today is the long-term consequences of the successes and failures of the civil rights revolution and the economic changes that have occurred in this country in the last generation or two. Its been said that you cant know where youre going unless you understand where youve been. So I have turned to historians to talk about how we got to this place. Foners analysis is uncomplicated. It wasnt the fault of the civil rights revolution, says Foner. It achieved an enormous amount, but it ran up against resistance also in many areas. Thats where the anger is coming from, especially among young people who are tired of waiting, which you can hardly blame them for. Theres the matter of the growth of a black middle class, and those who have accumulated great wealth, and of course, the first African American president. But progress is never absolute, says Jelani Cobb, a historian who is now a professor of journalism at Columbia. What we have in this society is net progress. Not gross progress. When we have something huge happen, something beneficial, we always have a backlash to it, and we hope the backlash doesnt eliminate all the progress that has been made. Emancipation happens and there is a backlash, he says. The Great Migration happens and there is a backlash. The civil rights movement happens and there is a backlash. And then Obama happens and now we are living through that backlash. A photo of a black woman holding a sign at a demonstration against a recent police shooting summed up the frustration. The sign read: Why am I still protesting this s---? Terri Lee Freeman, president of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, adds, What is particularly angering to black people is that we have to tell our kids to respond in a certain way when approached by the police, because I guarantee you that conversation is not being had in white homes. Theres no consensus on solutions. We are 13 percent of the population in a country that has historically been built on race, founded explicitly on principles of race with very little intention among many people of relinquishing that, says Cobb. Foner thinks that part of the answer is non-race-specific policies aimed at helping the poor: At times of economic distress, peoples attitudes toward others tend to get rather hostile. They see a pie that is shrinking, and if someone else gets more, they get less. We are at an impasse, he believes. The country desperately needs the kind of economic growth we saw in the 1960s that helped provide an atmosphere that made the gains of the civil rights movement possible without white people feeling like they were losing something. Its possible to attack these problems, but today there is no political will to do so, Foner says. Freeman is more hopeful. She says that while education and dialogue alone cannot solve the problems of race, they are a significant step in the right direction. I believe that dialogue is action because before you can actually get to doing something, youve got to talk about what isnt getting done or what isnt happening, Freeman says. She adds that there could be value in such a national dialogue in the same way that South Africas truth and reconciliation talks after apartheid helped offer a starting point for healing. Racism is still a problem in South Africa, but the effort was a start. Just having police officers saying that what other police officers did was wrong would make a difference, Freeman says. But the black community is not seeing good cops calling out bad cops. Cobb doesnt see much value in dialogue. If that could have resolved this, he says, it would have been resolved. *** Anger. James Baldwin said it best. To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time. It is everything and it is this: A sense of being ignored and devalued. I got the talk again as an adult when I moved to Los Angeles in 1988. A female friend warned me about how to be black in L.A. I laughed. She did not. Rule Number 1: Do not mess with LAPD! Rule Number 2: Do not mess with LAPD! A cycle of racial strife we cant seem to break: From left, Rodney King after the recorded police beating in 1991. O.J. Simpson on trial in 1995, and Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, after the news of no indictment in the death of Michael Brown. (From left to right, AP; Vince Bucci/AP; Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) In the almost 15 years that I lived in Los Angeles, I, unlike my son, was never stopped by LAPD. But I eventually understood what my friend meant. And covering the 1992 unrest after the acquittal of the four officers who beat Rodney King was one of the first times that I faced my anger head-on. Sitting in the Time magazine offices, where I was one of a handful of black journalists, I watched the verdicts with my white colleagues, most of them also friends. Every time I heard the court clerk say the words not guilty, I heard Forget black people, only in my head the language was far more graphic. We were all surprised, but my white colleagues had no idea that in that moment I wanted to jump up and scream and smack somebody white. Later on the street, watching as 40-foot flames engulfed a building, I heard a black man yell over and over, Burn, baby, burn! Then, How you like me now, Mr. Policeman! I understood his words. Three years later, it was white people left in shock and disbelief at the O.J. Simpson trial. They were appalled at seeing many black people so happy with the verdict. If they knew the history of black people and the criminal justice system, they would have understood. Today, more people are coming to a new understanding, it seems, as one video after another after another demands it. I also wonder, though, how many people dont look at the videos because for them they are just an example of one more African American refusing to do what hes told. *** There are no easy fixes. And not everyone agrees on whats broken or whether it can be fixed. When the celebrated civil rights leader Vernon Jordan surprisingly stepped down as head of the National Urban League in 1981, he said that the civil rights movement had made great strides toward equality. The next phase of the movement would be dealing with the debris. And that, he said, would be much more difficult than everything that had come before. Thats where we still are today. Michael Moore has given his fans an unexpected gift this week in the form of Michael Moore in TrumpLand, a concert film of a pro-Hillary monologue that he performed, filmed, cut together and released in a scant 11 days. Propelled by Moores familiar combination of righteous fury, irreverent humor and practiced Everyman persona, the film is a fitfully engaging, unevenly entertaining enterprise that reflects the hurry-up nature of its production. Although Moore clearly perceives TrumpLand to be his own version of an October surprise, its less game-changing than reassuring, especially to left-leaning voters, some of whom may still be having trouble casting a vote for a candidate they see as fatally centrist, corporation-friendly and untrustworthy. Delivered in Wilmington, Ohio more pointedly, in Clinton County Moores act is part lecture and part performance art, as the filmmaker and activist welcomes a crowd composed of all political stripes, then launches into a satirical critique of Donald Trumps candidacy. A group of Mexican-looking audience members is sequestered in an upper balcony behind a faux-brick wall; Muslim attendees also sit together, the better for them to be surveilled by a passing drone. Its all staged to make the Trump fans in the crowd feel more comfortable, according to Moore, whose good-natured patter only partly belies the bitterness that lies beneath it. After explaining away Trumps appeal by pretending to bemoan the impending extinction of angry white guys, then mounting an essentialist argument about why women are more enlightened, peaceable leaders, he leaves the rostrum to sit at a desk, where he reads from a far more convincing essay on Trumpism as a Molotov cocktail being thrown into a political structure that has systematically betrayed the working class. Should Trump be elected on Nov. 8, he shouts, it will be the biggest f--- you ever recorded in human history. After a few ill-conceived video skits and more than a few cutaways to the uncomfortable-looking crowd, Moore gets to his real mission, which is to make his audience warm up to Hillary Clinton, a woman who gave up her own ambitions even her own name to help her husbands political career, only to be humiliated and hated when she tried to spearhead health-care reform during his presidency. Cant we start saying something nice about her? Moore pleads from the stage, as audience members a few of them looking suspiciously like plants offer some words of praise, from overqualified and smart to stood by her man. What follows is a spirited defense of a woman Moore insists he has come to adore, even though he voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary. He makes a persuasive case, even if the comparisons to Pope Francis feel like a bit much. In an impressive bout of wishful thinking, (or maybe just projection), Moore suggests that Hillarys compromises and triangulation are part of a lifelong leftist long game. Whats more, as in so many Michael Moore films, TrumpLand has a way of constantly looping back to Moore himself, whether its a self-serving digression about being a guest at the White House (both Bill and Hillary were big fans) or concluding with his own presidential campaign promises, should Hillary not fulfill his own inflated hopes for her. Michael Moore in TrumpLand is a lot like the titular raconteur himself: passionate, shambolic, equal parts inspiring and irritating. Whether the filmmaker will change any minds is open to question. But now that weve received the kind of cinematic pamphlet Moore has built a career perfecting, the election season seems somehow more complete. Michael Moore in TrumpLand, 73 minutes, will begin streaming Friday on iTunes. A view of the Great Falls of the Passaic River, one of the nations most powerful waterfalls, in Paterson, N.J. (Susan Candelario/Alamy Stock Photo) Gazing from New Jersey across the Hudson River toward Manhattan, a city still riding out a Hamilton craze, is one founded by Alexander Hamilton himself: Paterson . Though its not the kind of place that lands on glossy lists of hot vacation destinations, its a city that tells a story of resilience and reinvention, played out along streets designed by Pierre LEnfant and immortalized by William Carlos Williams. More important, the food is fabulous. As a food writer who haunts family-run markets instead of T-shirt shops in search of vacation souvenirs, Paterson was a dream come true: neighborhoods crammed with bakeries, bodegas and butcher shops; the streets filled with the mingling scents of coffee, garlic and toasted pistachios. The city was also devoid of bearded bartenders sporting man-buns, an anti-hipster enclave that puts the focus on communities and businesses built by generations of immigrants, evidenced by the names of local politicians on yard signs in advance of a city council election: Akhtaruzzaman; Guzman; Cleaves; Khalique. Boasting 52 ethnic populations among its 146,000 residents including Bangladeshis, Syrians, Albanians, Peruvians, Dominicans, Jamaicans, Italians, African Americans, Jews and one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States Paterson is rich in traditional foods, including tiny takeouts late at night dishing up the Peruvian fried rice known as arroz chaufa, in the Little Lima neighborhood, Dominican mamey milkshakes at El Sabor and the tiny cups of espresso served each Saturday morning at San Remo, where Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D) holds court with his constituents. Alexander Hamilton recognized the natural landscape of the area, dominated by the Great Falls of the Passaic River, as perfectly situated for a manufacturing city that would help the young United States develop its own industries. (Kristen Hartke) It was the unrelenting nagging of John Lawrence a family friend and native Patersonian who worked on Capitol Hill for 38 years before retiring as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis chief of staff that prompted me to plan a weekend jaunt to northern New Jersey with our respective spouses. In the weeks leading up to what can only be described as The Paterson Pilgrimage, our email inboxes were populated with messages from John : Well, here we are nearly in April, and you know what that means! Can you stand the excitement? Itineraries were created, hotel rooms booked, dogsitters scheduled. We arrived at lunchtime, just as Hamilton did on his first visit in 1778, when he picnicked on cold ham, tongue and, according to an aide-de-camp, some excellent grog with George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette along the banks of the Passaic River overlooking the 77-foot natural waterfalls. Eschewing the tongue, John led us to Libby Lunch, a counter located steps away from Hamiltons picnic spot, home of the Hot Texas Weiner. It is a deep-fried hot dog topped with a cinnamon-and-cayenne-spiked meaty Bolognese known locally as Greek sauce, along with spicy mustard and chopped onions. As far as I know, the Hot Texas Weiner has no relationship to Texas, John told us, but Libbys is the kind of place where youll find a judge and a guy who just got off a street-cleaning detail sitting at the counter together. Its the perfect place to start understanding the city. Just outside Libbys is Patersons pride and joy, the Great Falls of the Passaic River. It is the centerpiece of local officials campaign to establish Paterson as a tourist destination and the impetus for Hamiltons plan to create a manufacturing center that would lessen Americas dependence on European factories. Now a national park nestled amid abandoned redbrick mills, the falls are majestic in their natural beauty, one of the most powerful waterfalls east of the Mississippi. If Thomas Jefferson had lunched here, John quipped, he would have just seen a bucolic landscape. Hamilton saw a natural source of power upon which to build an economy. Paterson lies in the valley under the Passaic Falls/its spent waters forming the outline of his back. He / lies on his right side, head near the thunder / of the waters filling his dreams! Eternally asleep, / his dreams walk about the city where he persists/incognito. So begins the epic Williams poem Paterson, published in five volumes between 1946 and 1958, setting the scene for Hamiltons vision of industrializing the land along the banks of the Passaic River, harnessing the natural power of the Great Falls to welcome a flood of manufacturers, producing cotton, firearms, and locomotives, not to mention so much silk that Paterson came to be called Silk City during the 19th century. (Literary footnote: The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet also wrote the introduction to Howl, the most famous book by a fellow poet-son of Paterson, Allen Ginsberg.) Okay, Hamilton didnt technically found the city, but as treasury secretary in 1791, he chartered the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures, or S.U.M., promoting the establishment of a planned city that he called a national manufactory. Rather than naming his brainchild after himself, Hamilton chose to solidify support for his plan by conferring that honor on William Paterson, who was then governor of New Jersey and signed the 1792 charter that established the Town of Paterson. The original plan for the city, dreamed up by French engineer Pierre Charles LEnfant, envisioned an ambitious system of aqueducts, raceways, and radiating roads; LEnfant was later dismissed in favor of Hamiltons friend Peter Colt, who eschewed grand plans in favor of practical solutions that would get mills quickly up and running. Theres a sense of civic pride here today that I dont remember when I was growing up, John said as we wandered along the rocky banks of the Passaic after lunch. Certainly the interest in Hamilton on Broadway has helped. People are recognizing the historic significance of this city. Fattals Bakery in Patersons Little Ramallah neighborhood is filled with both fresh and imported Middle Eastern foods. (Kristen Hartke) From the falls, we headed to Little Ramallah, a bustling neighborhood with Turkish, Syrian, Palestinian, Lebanese and Jordanian flavor and a Main Street lined with halal butchers and shawarma shops. John came prepared with a large cooler packed with ice, which he filled with fresh sausages, baklava and marinated chicken kebabs from Fattals Syrian Bakery. I loaded up on gallons of Lebanese olive oil, monster-size jars of sumac, fresh green almonds and sour plums, and spreadable halvah mixed with cocoa, a Middle Eastern version of Nutella. We feasted on kibbe, baba ghanouj and fateh a delicious mishmash of chickpeas, yogurt and toasted pine nuts served on a toasted pita at Syraan Restaurant, just down the street from Fattals. I had one request: a visit to Gelotti for dessert. Only a fan of The Real Housewives of New Jersey would want to go there. Now you know my guilty secret. The handmade gelato, especially the Cassata Siciliana a ricotta-based confection spiced with cinnamon and studded with candied fruits did not disappoint. Libbys Lunch, home since the 1930s of the Hot Texas Weiner, which is neither that spicy nor from Texas. (Kristen Hartke) Ricotta took center stage the next morning at Cyndias, a popular local breakfast spot in the nearby borough of Totowa, where ricotta pancakes were topped with fresh apricot jam. Then we made our way up Garrett Mountain to Lambert Castle, the former home of one of Patersons manufacturing barons, where we had a clear view of the Passaic Valley and the Manhattan skyline 15 miles away. Filled with exquisite architectural details and period furnishings, it also boasts the worlds largest spoon collection, totaling more than 5,400 items. This strangely fascinating trove featured nautical and religious motifs, as well as spoons made from shells and animal horns, or boasting mechanical parts, such as miniature windmills with moving blades. Before heading home, we toured east Paterson, which was a largely Jewish neighborhood when John and his father before him was growing up, the landscape retelling the saga of the citys burgeoning immigrant population. Driving past his childhood home, John pointed out the Jewish bakery that is now a Jamaican restaurant and the mom-and-pop grocery store whose shelves are now filled with Hispanic and Middle Eastern products. Theres a lot of symbolism there, John said. Paterson has a permanent cultural mix, but its a changing kaleidoscope of colors. Hartke is a food writer and editor based in Washington, D.C. More from Travel: From his gravesite to where he met his end, fans are flocking to Hamiltons New York Trendy Tel Aviv is a hearty foodie find A Brussels workshop aims to make sure you never eat cheap chocolate again If you go Where to stay Saddle Brook Marriott 138 New Pehle Ave., Saddle Brook 201-843-9500 marriott.com/hotels/travel/ewrsb-saddle-brook-marriott Interesting hotels are not particularly abundant in the Paterson area, so we opted for the Saddle Brook Marriott, five miles from Paterson Great Falls National Park and with a welcoming bar where we could grab a glass of wine at the end of our busy touring day . Rooms from about $130. Where to eat Libbys Lunch 98 McBride Ave., Paterson 973-278-8718 A local institution, stop here to sample the Hot Texas Weiner less than $4 with fries and get a cold glass of birch beer on draft. Syraan Restaurant & Cafe 1090 Main St., Paterson 862-239-1504 syraanrestaurant.com This is one of many Middle Eastern restaurants in Patersons Little Ramallah neighborhood, offering traditional dishes like kibbe, kofta kebabs and stewed lamb. One of its specialties is the Syraan Barbecue for $29.99, which could easily feed four along with a couple of appetizers. Alcohol is not available. Gelotti 2 Union Ave., Paterson 973-595-1647 gelotti.com If youre a fan of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, then youll remember when Kathy Wakile hosted an event at Gelotti during Season 4 and even if youre not a fan, go to Gelotti anyway for an array of homemade gelatos from fragola to ciccolato, at about $4.The Cassata Siciliana flavor is a standout. Cyndias 169 Union Blvd., Totowa 973-925-7778 bit.ly/Cyndias Youll find Cyndias packed with locals at breakfast and lunch, so grab a tiny cup of espresso at San Remo just down the block while you wait for a table. Pesto-infused egg whites with portobello mushrooms ($9) have a savory herbaceous punch and the ricotta pancakes with homemade apricot jam ($7) are lightly browned and not too sweet. What to do Paterson Great Falls National Park 72 McBride Ave., Paterson 973-523-0370 hamiltonpartnership.org The site of the Great Falls of the Passaic River, the 77-foot-high waterfall is the second most powerful east of the Mississippi, offering plenty of natural beauty for visitors. Theres also plenty of history to learn about the former Silk City through free park ranger-led and self-guided tours. Be sure to walk along the Mill Mile, which includes the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, Rosen Mill and the Paterson Museum, and take a peek at the slated-for-renovation Hinchliffe Stadium. Fattals Syrian Bakery 975 Main St., Paterson 973-742-7125 fattals.com Maybe not everybody goes to a grocery store when on vacation, but Fattals is no ordinary supermarket. Now nearing its 50th anniversary, the Middle Eastern bakery boasts dozens of different flavors of halvah, freshly-baked baklava and cookies, halal meats, and several aisles packed with spices, olive oil, canned goods and nuts. Lambert Castle 3 Valley Rd., Paterson 973-247-0085 lambertcastle.org Once the private home of silk baron Catholina Lambert and now operated by the Passaic County Historical Society, this 1893 mansion was built in the Medieval Revival style and houses an impressive art collection and historic artifacts. Located on Garrett Mountain overlooking Paterson, Lambert Castle offers expansive views of Passaic Valley and the Manhattan skyline. Dont miss the worlds largest spoon collection. Open mid-December through mid-October. Admission, $5; tickets for children ages 5 to 17, $3; younger, free. Information patersonnj.gov K.H. Is your airline telling you everything? After a government operation that netted four airlines, the unsurprising answer is: No. Last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) dispatched plainclothes investigators to a dozen American airports under the code name Task Force Lightning. When it comes to the proper treatment of air travelers, regulators wanted to ensure that airlines front-line employees knew the rules. Many didnt. Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines failed the surprise inspections, incurring small, but embarrassing, fines from the DOTs Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings. A closer look at the enforcement actions, which were issued in August, points to a truth about flying that you can pack on your next trip: Even the most reliable airlines often cant be trusted to tell you everything. [Why the travel industrys ethics matter] The investigation covered compliance with a wide range of rules, including denied-boarding statements and liability limits for lost luggage. If your flight is oversold and youre denied boarding, your airline is usually required to compensate you on the spot or within 24 hours, under certain circumstances with cash or a check. The amount varies based on the length of your delay and whether your flight is domestic or international. Currently, that amount could be up to $1,350. When it comes to luggage, federal regulations say an airline may not limit its liability for provable direct or consequential damages resulting from the disappearance of, damage to or delay in delivery of a passengers baggage to an amount less than $3,500 per passenger. The DOT publishes these rules in its helpful online brochure FlyRights which can be found at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm. Consider Alaska Airlines, an air carrier whose customer-service scores are among the industrys highest and which has an enviable reputation. Its agents failed to produce current copies of the airlines written denied-boarding statement. On several occasions, employees showed DOT staff outdated copies of the denied-boarding statement that listed compensation amounts which were, in some cases, as many as five years out of date. Also, signage at certain airport ticket counters and boarding gates claimed that the airlines domestic baggage liability was limited by regulation to amounts of less than $3,500. Alaska Airlines was fined $40,000. [A proposed bill limits third-party hotel booking, but consumers have greater concerns] How about Southwest, another carrier with a clean reputation when it comes to service? During compliance inspections, some of its agents failed to show up-to-date copies of Southwests written denied-boarding statements. One agent in Oakland, Calif., offered only a partial copy of the statement, which contained compensation amounts $25 to $50 below the actual amounts. Like those at Alaska Airlines, Southwest agents in Salt Lake City produced ticket notices or displayed signage at some airport ticket counters that purported to limit the carriers domestic baggage liability to amounts less than $3,500. Some of the information offered by the agents was more than three years out of date, according to the DOT. Southwest was fined $40,000. The presence of American and United will probably come as less of a shock. And Americans rap sheet will look familiar by now. It includes failing to produce a denied-boarding statement and offering outdated statements, some more than five years out of date. Total fine: $45,000. Ditto for United, which is said to have been unable to show copies of its denied boarding statement at either the ticket counter or the boarding gate. It also produced outdated copies of the statement. United was fined $35,000. In the DOT consent orders (directives adopted to avoid litigation) the airlines issued boilerplate rebuttals that say they take their obligations to provide accurate information seriously and are committed to delivering a positive travel experience. Taken together, however, the documents suggest that while airlines are required to offer information about compensation for denied boardings and lost luggage, they may not always do so. Air travelers say Task Force Lightning is a good start, but they want to see more. The government should have the airlines go back and identify every instance where incorrect information has been provided and correct it, says Joe Farrell, a lawyer and frequent traveler from San Antonio Heights, Calif. That would be a meaningful exercise of regulatory power. Fining them chicken feed results in behavior that is no different. [If your flight is canceled, is your airline obligated to get you to your destination?] Others agree that the fines were not enough. Im not sure thats much of a deterrent to airlines, agrees David Brakebill, who works for a nonprofit organization in Key West, Fla. If the DOT were serious, theyd have fined them in the hundreds of millions. But insiders at the DOT, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, say the goal of its task force was educating frontline airline employees, rather than just managers and executives at headquarters, and they tell me Lightning may strike again, with more plainclothes investigators at airports. For the time being, check to see what your rights are when your flight is delayed or your luggage is lost. Your airline may not be a reliable source. Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Email him at chris@elliott.org. At Fragrances, in the Ritz-Carlton, drinks are inspired by the aromas of fine perfumes. (Liza Weisstuch) Welcome to an evening of divine imbibing and decadence, said the emcee from a compact, elevated stage in the back of the narrow, crowded bar in Berlin. He wore red-and-black striped pants and had fringes on his jackets epaulets, and he introduced Roxy Diamond, a Swiss expat who, working down from a flouncy dress to full burlesque regalia (which is to say minimal regalia), strutted, shimmied and gleefully evoked catcalls. It would seem like an exercise in nostalgia, evocative of the things that iconic Weimar-era writers Joseph Roth and Christopher Isherwood made famous about the city. Thats what this bar, Prinzipal Kreuzberg, is like. Sort of. The thing that brought me back to now was the bourbon cocktail infused with grapefruit, dates and cinnamon made by a tall Norwegian expat named Odd Strandbakken, all boyish features and blond hair. It was Saturday night and I had arrived early, as everyone recommended. Strandbakken regaled me with tales of when he lived in the North Pole, such as the time he faced down a polar bear. Then he did some Vegas-caliber card tricks. [In this fascinating German museum on the Kennedys, we can all be Berliners] Berlin is a city where past and present are on a constant collision course. History hangs heavy, but creativity and the creative types that give a city its energy remain among its exhilarating hallmarks. David Bowie, for one, once deemed it the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine. Theres much to-do this year throughout Germany to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Reinheitsgebot, the German beer-purity laws. Abiding by tradition like that is virtuous, to be sure, but personally, I consider disruption way more captivating. Thats precisely what I found in this city, where creative bartenders are establishing new traditions in a way thats uniquely Berlinesque imaginative while nodding to the cultural extravaganza that historically defined it. A drink presentation at Fragrances. (Liza Weisstuch) Thats what hit me when I walked into Fairytale Bar, best described as a fever dream engineered by the Brothers Grimm and Tim Burton. The menus are retrofitted into vintage illustrated storybooks with test tubes of cocktail samples nestled in the pages. The bartenders wear corseted dresses, and the decor has the feel of an aged aunts kitsch-laden living room. My first drink was served in a glass vessel designed as a high-heeled shoe, a sort-of salute to Cinderella. My second intriguingly combined Scotch, plum wine and Guinness beer syrup. But those drinks were tame compared with the sensory bonanza at Fragrances, a glammy lounge in the Ritz-Carlton that boasts the kind of madcap formulas usually found in molecular gastronomy temples or in mixology bars that require X-ray glasses to find the unmarked door. I was sure I was in the wrong place when I walked in the department-store-style entrance, lined with glass display vessels, each containing a designer perfume, scent samples in small boxes and liquor bottles to show the ingredients in the cocktail that the fragrance inspired. This was the menu. After about 15 minutes of inhaling gorgeous, indulgent scents, I settled on a mezcal-based drink with ingredients involving orange, sandalwood, cloves and pink peppercorn inspired by Frederic Malles Vetiver Extraordinaire. It was spicy, earthy and bright in scent and flavor. [Dusseldorf vs. Cologne: My two rounds of a friendly German beer bout] The following night, a local friend instructed me to meet him at Gin & Tonic Bar. It was safe to assume that, with a name like that, thered be no whimsy. The brass-accented space was as minimalist as the starring drink: nearly 100 bottles of gin lining a mirrored wall behind the bar. But my attention was diverted by a glass dome on the bar containing an arrangement of a bottle of English gin, a small bottle of Jagermeister, a lime and a sign that read Pretty Amber. Then and there I knew I had walked into something truly surreal, as my grown-up cocktail-sipping self tried to imagine how Jagermeister, that fierce liqueur I was always instructed to shoot cold, would play in a tranquil cocktail-bar setting. Figured Id try it just for old times sake, right? Actually, it was nothing like the old times I remembered. The small measure of inky bitter liqueur added a sweet, violetlike floral dimension to the bright botanicals of the gin, in this case the zesty, citrusy Sipsmith. What a curious fluke, I thought. Until it happened again. The next night, my friend and I visited Chapel Bar, a lively spot with opulent chandeliers, stark concrete walls and Victorianesque velour couches. The drinks leaned inventive, with unusual twists on classics such as the whiskey sour (fat-washed walnut bourbon, anyone?) and rum infusions, but my eye landed on this option: Ardbeg 10, Jagermeister, fresh lime and maple syrup. Ardbeg, an exceptionally peaty Scotch, was brought to submission and revealed its gentler side with a small helping of the liqueur. [Bamberg, Germany: A city of just 70,000 people but nine breweries] I chatted with the bartender, who explained that he liked to use it as a modifier in lieu of common bitters such as Angostura, as it has a spicy bitter quality, or as a sweet substitute for a syrup. He told me that a recent visit to the facility inspired him to play around with it more. It wasnt far about a two-hour train ride. I try to always leave room for changes of plans when I travel, so I changed them. Gin & Tonic Bar features hundreds of gins as well as cocktails made with bitter liqueurs such as Jagermeister. (Liza Weisstuch) [Germanys Christmas markets take yuletide spirit to another level] The next day, I took the train with a friend to Wolfenbuttel, a charming town thats all narrow zigzagging streets, a narrower canal, timber-framed buildings and even a grand library said to be among the oldest in the world and home to more than 1,000 Medieval-era manuscripts and 1,000,000 old books, many written on vellum. A short walk from the old-world town center, however, is a sleek glass building where people in white lab coats scurry around. Given the space-age polish of the space, the smells that envelop you in the visitors room are disorienting they evoke an old Chinese herb shop. But as I learned, the drink, which dates to 1935 and was created by a longtime wine and vinegar merchant whose family still owns the company, is made with the same 56 herbs, spices and botanicals as it was back then. Those raw smells Jamaican allspice, Indian ginger, Madagascar cloves were transporting, reminding me of the past. Its a past that the bartenders in Berlin are saluting as they create their own history. Weisstuch is a travel, spirits and lifestyle writer based in Boston and New York. Follow her tweets: @livingtheproof. More from Travel: Forget the green beer, and try a Boston cocktail A guide to Sydneys flourishing small-bar scene Victoria is a small city with a big farm-to-table scene If you go Where to drink Prinzipal Kreuzberg Oranienstrasse 178 011-49-30-61627326 www.prinzipal-kreuzberg.com Weekend burlesque shows are just one of the draws of this popular cocktail bar behind an unremarkable locked door on lively Oranienstrasse. (Knocking required.) House infusions, syrups and other homemade ingredients play a starring role in the creative drinks (from $11), like the Potion of Sykei (gin, fig-infused vermouth, blue cheese). Open 6 p.m. until 3 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and until 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Other bars are more open-ended about their closing times. Fairytale Bar Am Friedrichshain 24 011-49-170-2195155 www.fairytale.bar At this dimly lit, hip hangout, the imaginative cocktails (from $11) are as whimsical as the storybook-inspired decor, an exercise in kitschy-chic. The menus are retrofitted into vintage books that have small snacks and test tubes of cocktails nestled in the pages. Open from 8 p.m. to 2.30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations required. Fragrances Ritz-Carlton Hotel Potsdamer Platz 3 011-49-30-337777 www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/germany/berlin/dining/fragrances This glammy lounge in the centrally located Ritz-Carlton serves highly-wrought yet elegant cocktails, each inspired by a designer perfumes (from $17.60) and served in a dramatic vessel. The entrance to the bar features a display of perfumes and scent boxes that serve as an interactive, inhalable menu, of sorts. Each fragrance/drink option is accompanied by an engaging haikulike description, such as The protected feeling of home by the fireplace (inspired by Vaara by British fragrance house Penhaligons) and A festival on the rooftop in Macau with a stunning view on the starry night with fireworks (inspired by Salvatore Ferragamos Viola Essenziale). Open at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Chapel Bar Sonntagstrae 30 011-49-30-65936574 www.chapelberlin.com Victorian charm meets industrial chic at this relaxed neighborhood bar in the lively Friedrichshain district. The cocktail menu drinks from $10 runs the gamut from playful twists on classics to hyper-imaginative formulas employing anything from fat-washed walnut bourbon to Darjeeling-infused gin. Open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Gin & Tonic Bar Grosse Prasidentenstrasse 6-7 011-49-30-21300150 www.amanogroup.de/en/eat-and-drink/gin-and-tonic-bar/ Theres no false advertising here. Located in the boutique Hotel Zoe, this sophisticated, minimalist space with brass accents and Art Deco touches specializes in gin, offering many dozens of selections from around the world and an exorbitant range of tonics. Bartenders also mix drinks that are more elaborate than the classic G&T combo. From $9. Open from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily. L.W. Correction: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect first name for suffragette Amelia Bloomer. This version has been updated. The home of activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in sleepy-but-scrappy Seneca Falls, N.Y, is close to the site of the first womens rights convention, held in 1848. It called for voting rights, property rights and equal rights with men. (Debra Bruno) One hundred sixty-eight years ago, a hastily assembled group of suffragists, abolitionists, Quakers, and Methodists gathered in a sleepy mill town in upstate New York to argue that women should have the right to vote. It took them another 72 years to win the argument. And of course, it would take almost another 100 years for a woman to get as far as the final ballot to become president. Its a good enough reason to visit Seneca Falls. If Concord, Mass., is the home of the shot heard round the world in the American Revolution, and Gettysburg, Pa., was a bloody turning point in the Civil War, then Seneca Falls deserves a more prominent place on the map. Make no mistake: Seneca Falls today is almost as sleepy as it was 168 years ago. The main attraction is the network of long-established vineyards dotting this Finger Lakes spot. Its also a handy pit stop for travelers on their way to Niagara Falls, about two hours west. But it also feels very much like a place to pay homage to the scrappy women who gathered in 1848 to hold the first womens rights convention and to sign their names to a Declaration of Sentiments molded on the Declaration of Independence. It called for voting rights, property rights and equal rights with men in such things as divorce, at a time when men would almost automatically win custody of the children. The heart of it all is the Womens Rights National Historical Park and the reconstructed Wesleyan Chapel, where the convention was held. The chapel is a simple, redbrick building that was built by a faction of the Methodist Church that opposed slavery. The organizers couldnt just go anywhere and speak about womens rights, explains National Park Service guide Emily Hauck. In general, the mood in the country was scornful of anything hinting at womens rights. One poster on display in the Park Services visitors center, printed after women got the right to vote in 1920, reads: Suffragette / You blow because you now can vote / With men at each election/ But should a strong wind come along / Twould blow off your complexion. [From his gravesite to where he met his end, fans are flocking to Hamiltons New York] At the bottom of a gently sloping hill next to the chapel, the text of the Declaration of Sentiments is engraved on a bronze wall, over which a gentle cascade of water flows. Signers included 68 women and 32 men, including Frederick Douglass. The abolitionist former slave encouraged the convention to include voting rights in its declaration, even though several of the conventions organizers felt that asking for voting rights might be too outrageous. The center welcomes visitors with life-size bronze statues of five of the women organizers, as well as Douglass. Also in the center are a statue of Sojourner Truth and an excerpt from her Aint I a Woman? speech; some moving daguerreotypes of Elizabeth Cady Stanton with two of her boys, Henry and Daniel; and a face-in-the-hole stand-up in which schoolchildren could imagine themselves as an astronaut, a doctor or president of the United States, standing at a podium. Bronze statues of organizers are on display in the Womens Rights National Historical Park visitors center. (Debra Bruno) Not far from the park, the modest Elizabeth Cady Stanton house offers a glimpse into the place where she and her husband Henry, a fervent abolitionist, lived for 15 years. Before she got involved in the womens rights movement, Stanton told friends she suffered from a mental hunger living in placid upstate New York. Its easy to see how the snug three-bedroom home would feel constricting. Even so, Stanton gave birth to five boys and two girls and challenged the conventions of the time by allowing both her boys and girls to play freely in the apple orchards behind the wood-frame house. Once Stanton met reformer Susan B. Anthony, the two became a formidable team. The road to the Stanton house showcases a trio of statues depicting the moment when Amelia Bloomer (yes, shes the one who created bloomers) introduced the two women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the speeches that contemporary Susan B. Anthony delivered. I forged the thunderbolts and Susan fired them, Stanton said at the time. (AP) While Stanton was known for refusing to discipline her children, Anthony would visit the home, lay down the law for the Stanton children and send Stanton to her desk to write the speeches Anthony later gave, says guide Hauck. Later, Stanton would remember, I forged the thunderbolts and Susan fired them. Other rabble-rousers at the convention were Thomas and Mary Ann MClintock, Quakers in whose home the Declaration of Sentiments was written. The MClintock home, a few miles away in Waterloo, N.Y., is also part of the Womens Rights National Historical Park and reportedly a station on the Underground Railroad. The National Womens Hall of Fame is also in Seneca Falls. Today, its a crowded room on the towns main drag, packed with 266 photos of illustrious women, but the museum will be moving by late 2017 or early 2018 into the enormous Seneca Knitting Mill just across the Cayuga-Seneca Canal from Wesleyan Chapel, says president Jeanne M. Giovannini. The halls new home will include interactive exhibits, artifacts, a cafe and a library. For a small town, Seneca Falls boasts an impressive number of museums, including the Seneca Museum of Waterways and Industry, which celebrates how the Seneca River and Cayuga-Seneca Canal brought industry, and the world, to the town. Theres also the Seneca Falls Its a Wonderful Life Museum. Many people have said that Seneca Falls was the model for Bedford Falls, the town featured in the 1946 Frank Capra movie. For instance, a steel-trestle bridge with an uncanny resemblance to the one George Bailey almost jumped off is in Seneca Falls. The museum includes photographs and memorabilia from the collection of actress Karolyn Grimes, who played Bailey daughter Zuzu in the movie. The town plays up the connection, offering an Its a Wonderful Run 5K race in December. For many others, though, the words Seneca Falls mean womens rights first and foremost. When Hillary Clinton finally clinched the nomination, she told her supporters in Brooklyn that her achievement belongs to the generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed and made this moment possible. In our country, it started right here in New York, a place called Seneca Falls. Standing on the steps of Stantons home, Park Service guide Hauck says, she often imagines her reaction. What I like to think, she said, is if Elizabeth Cady Stanton was alive today, how ecstatic she would be. Bruno is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. More from Travel: In this fascinating German museum on the Kennedys, we can all be Berliners In New Yorks picture-perfect Hudson Valley, the right balance of art, presidential history and food From bon voyage to bon appetit: When travel is all about food H+I Adventures has a sale on a mountain biking adventure from Christchurch to Queenstown in New Zealand. (Tim Winterburn/H+I Adventures ) This weeks best travel bargains around the globe. Land H+I Adventures is taking $350 off the March 13 departure of its mountain biking adventure in New Zealand. With the discount, the 12-night Storm the South Island of New Zealand trip costs $3,100 per person double. The intermediate-plus-level trip, which travels from Christchurch to Queenstown, includes lodging in family-run guesthouses, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, plus a stay in a remote mountain hut in a rain forest; local guides; baggage transport; breakfasts; activities such as a whale-watching tour and hot-springs soak; and taxes. Book by Nov. 4; use promo code MTBNZ0317. Info: 888-228-5035, www.mountainbike worldwide.com. The Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit, Maine, is offering a free third night for stays through Nov. 30. Rate for three nights starts at $215, including taxes, a savings of about $108. The deal also includes a box of locally made chocolates, valued at $10. Deal applies to Saturday-Tuesday arrivals; some dates are sold out. Info: 800-633-8718, www.meadowmere.com/ogunquit-fall-pr. Exclusive Camps & Lodges is offering seven nights for the price of five at three luxury camps in Uganda. The deal applies to Buhoma Lodge (from $280 a night) in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Ishasha Wilderness Camp (from $310) in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bakers Lodge (from $230) on the Nile River. Seven nights at Bakers Lodge starts at $1,150 per person double, a savings of $460. Rates include three multicourse meals per day, hot beverages and bar snacks, drinking water with meals, in-room massage (Buhoma only) and taxes. Guests can split their stay among the three lodges. Travel Nov. 1-Dec. 31. Info: ugandaexclusivecamps.com. Sea Book a club interior stateroom on a select Azamara Club Cruise and receive a double upgrade to a veranda stateroom. For example, the 10-night Scandinavia, Russia & the Baltics voyage, which sails round trip from Stockholm on Aug. 13, now starts at $3,999 per person double (plus $216 port charges) for a veranda stateroom, a savings of $1,000. The upgrade applies to 45 sailings departing May 2017 through January 2018 aboard the Azamara Quest and the Azamara Journey. Book by Nov. 30. Info: 877-999-9553, www.azamaraclubcruises.com/doubleupgrade. Regent Seven Seas Cruises has a package of perks on its 2016-2017 Winter Collection cruises booked by Dec. 31. The deal includes t wo-for-one fares with savings of up to $10,000 per suite, free WiFi, round-trip air and more. For example, the 11-night Miami-to-Miami cruise aboard the Seven Seas Mariner, which departs Nov. 4, starts at $4,199 per person double, down from $12,998. In addition to the two-for-one promo, the price includes air from Washington Dulles to Miami, shore excursions, WiFi, beverages (including wine and spirits), specialty restaurants, transfers, prepaid gratuities and taxes. Guests in concierge suites or higher receive a pre-cruise night in a luxury hotel. Info: 844-473-4368, www.rssc.com. Air Southwest has launched a sale on nonstop flights to domestic cities and destinations in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. For example, the round-trip fare from BWI Marshall to Providence, R.I., starts at $118; fare on other airlines starts at $208. Restrictions vary by destination. For most domestic flights, sale fares are available daily except for Fridays and Sundays, from Oct. 25 to April 24. Holiday blackouts apply; 14-day advance purchase required. Book by Thursday at www.southwest.com. Package Apple Vacations is offering package deals to Cancun. For example, a seven-night trip departing Jan. 14 or Jan. 21 now starts at $1,499 per person double and includes round-trip nonstop air from BWI Marshall, seven nights at the all-inclusive Sapphire Riviera Cancun, $200 in resort credits, airport transfers and taxes. Priced separately, the trip costs about $1,740. Book by Oct. 31; use promo code POST1016. Info: 800-517-2000, www.applevacations.com. Carol Sottili, Andrea Sachs Prices were verified at press time Thursday, but deals sell out and availability is not guaranteed. Some restrictions may apply. THE DISTRICT Panda will move to China in 2017 Bye-bye, Bao Bao. One of the National Zoos giant pandas, Bao Bao, will go to China in late winter 2017 as part of a breeding agreement the zoo has with a wildlife conservation group there. Under the agreement, giant pandas born at the zoo in the District are sent to China by their fourth birthday. And Bao Bao will turn 4 in 2017. Bao Bao is very special to us at the Smithsonians National Zoo, Brandie Smith, the zoos associate director of animal care sciences, said in a statement. Zoo officials said Bao Bao is the first surviving cub born at the zoo since 2005. Dana Hedgpeth Prosecutors hold off on murder charge The U.S. attorneys office for the District has decided against pursuing one of two first-degree murder charges that D.C. police said they filed against a 27-year-old man on Tuesday. Daryl Thompson, of Suitland, Md., remains charged with first-degree murder in the Aug. 29 fatal shooting of Tyler McEachern, 23, in the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace SE. He has been ordered detained. On Tuesday, police and the mayor announced at a news conference that Thompson had been charged in McEacherns death and in the July 30 fatal shooting of Edward Roberts Jr., 29, who was shot in the 3500 block of 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights. Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office, said prosecutors decided not to pursue the case involving Roberts. Miller said that case remains under investigation. MARYLAND Day-care worker charged with abuse An employee of a day-care center in Upper Marlboro was arrested after allegedly abusing a 3-year-old boy at the center, police said Thursday. About 8 a.m. on Tuesday, DAira Nichel Thompson, 25, of Cheltenham was trying to restrain the boy in a chair when she told him to put his head down and slammed it on a table, Prince Georges County Police said in a statement. The boy suffered a contusion to the right side of his head. Thompson was charged with second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault. Justin Wm. Moyer VIRGINIA Arlington seeks feedback on surplus Arlington officials are for the first time inviting public comment on how to spend $17.8 million left over from the past fiscal year and on guidelines for next years proposed budget. The fiscal year ended June 30 with $191 million unspent from Arlingtons budget of $1.156 billion. More than 90 percent of the surplus must be allocated to reserves, restricted funds and continuing projects. The rest may be used for a variety of initiatives, and that is what the public will be able to comment on at budget.arlingtonva.us/budget/budget-feedback/ or at a Nov. 5 public hearing. Patricia Sullivan Jack Smith, Montgomery County Schools superintendent, lauded a new digital citizenship initiative that comes from a partnership between the school system and Common Sense Education. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) Montgomery Countys middle school students are learning about digital citizenship this year, part of a new initiative to boost understanding of how to use technology responsibly and keep safe online. The program, announced Wednesday, includes four hours of instruction a year covering issues, such as privacy, cyberbullying, reputation, Internet safety, digital drama and information literacy. Though it starts with middle schoolers, it will extend to grades 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10 next year, and include all grades by 2018. We want to ensure that our students understand how to use technology in a responsible and respectful manner and are smart about how they engage online, Schools Superintendent Jack Smith said in a statement. The project comes as part of a school district partnership with Common Sense Education, a nonprofit group focused on how children interact with media and technology. We look forward to working with Common Sense Education to equip our teachers, students, and families with the resources they need to make informed choices when using technology and social media, Smith said. Montgomery school officials said the effort was being funded through a grant from the Delaney Family Fund. April McClain-Delaney, a communications lawyer, is Washington director of Common Sense, and Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), has been in office for two terms and is running for reelection. The effort comes two weeks after four 13-year-olds were charged by police for making threats on social media against students at Rosa Parks Middle School in Olney. The threats were clown-related, at a time of similar incidents at colleges, high schools and grade schools across the country. [Scary clown rumors, threats feed hysteria, leading to school lockdowns, arrests] The new Montgomery effort follows an earlier focus on civility online. [Montgomery task force on cyber civility extends its work into the fall] Then-Superintendent Joshua P. Starr created a cyber civility task force in late 2013 after he received offensive tweets as he and other district officials weighed whether to close schools for snow and icy weather. Some tweets included cursing or racial epithets. Common Sense officials said the organization has partnerships with more than 50 school districts nationally, including in the District, Alexandria, Baltimore City and Baltimore County. An attorney for Rolling Stone magazine argued Wednesday that the University of Virginia administrator who alleges that the publication defamed her and destroyed her career actually advanced professionally and received praise and support from her colleagues including the schools president in the wake of a now-retracted story about rapes on campus. Associate Dean Nicole Eramo alleges that Rolling Stone improperly portrayed her as a callous administrator who suppressed information about sexual assaults at U-Va. and who acted indifferently when learning of an alleged gang rape at a fraternity, despite her years of compassionate work with victims. Rolling Stone countered in court that federal authorities found that Eramo contributed to a hostile environment for sexual-assault victims at U-Va. and said that her supervisors later gave her a raise. Wednesday marked the second day Eramo, who is suing the magazine and the articles author for alleged defamation, took the stand. A day after Eramo tearfully recounted how the article had dismantled her lifes work, Elizabeth McNamara, an attorney for Rolling Stone, attempted to paint a nuanced portrait of the article and the way reporter Sabrina Rubin Erdely portrayed Eramo. The magazine also issued a statement discounting the alleged effects the article had on Eramos life. A multi-year review of sexual violence at UVA by the U.S. Department of Education found Dean Eramo to have specifically contributed to the Universitys hostile environment for sexual-assault victims an assertion much more critical of Eramo than any statement from the Article, Rolling Stone said in a statement. During Eramos cross-examination today, she stated that she remains employed by UVA, at a higher salary. In fact, she was not reassigned to a new position at UVA in the Articles immediate aftermath, but instead was moved to a new role more than a year after the Article ran, but shortly after the critical U.S. Department of Education report. The fact remains that under Dean Eramos tenure as Chair of the Sexual Misconduct Board, no one was expelled for sexual assault, while over 100 students were forced to leave UVA for honor code violations. The statement echoed a major theme of the original story, which published in November 2014 but has since been retracted. The article began with the account of a gang rape at a campus fraternity in which a student named Jackie recounted how she reported the assault to Eramo, who seemed to be unmoved by the brutality of the attack and later told her that the university did not share sexual-assault statistics publicly because no one wants to send their daughter to a rape school. The article alleged that the university created a culture of indifference to sexual-assault victims, and it spurred protests, vandalism and a police investigation. Eramos attorney argued Wednesday that Erdely took on the assignment with a preconceived narrative, hoping to expose institutional indifference to sexual assault at U-Va. before doing any reporting. Libby Locke questioned Erdely about her line of reporting on sexual assault prior to A Rape on Campus, articles that included alleged coverups of sexual abuse and a report about a woman in the military who was assaulted by three of her colleagues. Erdely acknowledged on the stand that she never sought comment from the three men accused of assaulting the woman in that prior story. As she began reporting on A Rape in Campus, she told sources that she was interested in doing an article similar to the one she did on military sexual assault. Erdely testified that she was trying to show sources that she had experience reporting on victims of sexual assault, not that she sought to tell the same story. In no way was this a template, Erdely said, noting that she was open to wherever the reporting was going to lead me. Earlier investigations of the Rolling Stone story revealed that Erdely did not try to contact the purported assailants in Jackies account, in part because Jackie refused to identify them. Erdely also did not contact several friends of Jackies at U-Va. who were described as discouraging her from going to authorities or the hospital after the attack; those friends told The Washington Post that many details of the encounter were reported inaccurately, and they provided evidence that Jackie had created a fictional persona as the ringleader of the attack. But McNamara said in court that Erdely included not only criticism of Eramo but also flattering comments from students and sexual-assault survivors who lauded Eramo as their best advocate and den mother. Erdely described her as beloved on campus. [U-Va. dean testifies that retracted Rolling Stone article devastated her] McNamara noted that Eramo had her own misgivings about the way she and the university had handled Jackies report. As the scope of the article became apparent to Eramo, she said in a text message to two of Jackies friends who worked on sexual-assault issues that she should have conducted an investigation due to the public safety risk despite the wishes of the accuser. Instead, administrators had contacted the fraternitys national headquarters and directed officials there to conduct an investigation. Separately, another dean had asked members about the assault but took no further action. You didnt feel that was adequate, is that right? McNamara asked Eramo. Eramo agreed. After the article published, Jackies story fell apart under scrutiny; a police investigation determined that the allegations against the fraternity were unfounded. McNamara also underscored that long before the article was published, U-Va. and Eramo had been under investigation by the Education Department over the schools handling of sexual-assault cases. In September 2015, the department released its findings, which were highly critical of the school and of Eramo. [Dept. of Education: U-Va. violated rules for responding to sexual violence] One of the factors that led authorities to criticize Eramo was an interview that she did with student journalists, discussing sexual-assault prevention on campus. Jurors on Wednesday watched the video of the interview, during which a student journalist pressed Eramo on why students could be expelled for cheating under the universitys honor-code but none not even those who admitted to assaulting a classmate had been expelled for sexual misconduct. Eramo told the student that when an assailant admits to sexual misconduct, it shows a recognition that what theyve done is wrong and shows they are amenable to rehabilitation. Further, Eramo told the student, many victims do not want to see their accusers punished. The university did not accept the departments findings, and in court Wednesday, Eramo said she, too, disagreed with them. I believe they completely misconstrued what I said in that video, she said of federal authorities. Journalist Sabrina Rubin Erdely fired off an email to Rolling Stone editors in the middle of the night with a sobering subject line: Our worst nightmare. She wrote that she no longer trusted Jackie, the central figure in her article about a gang rape at the University of Virginia and that she believed the magazine should issue a retraction. As an attorney representing a university administrator who is suing Rolling Stone over the piece read the email aloud in court Thursday, Erdely broke down. Are those your words? attorney Libby Locke asked. Yes, Erdely said softly, tears streaming down her face. Jackie had told Erdely of surviving a brutal gang rape at a U-Va. fraternity when she was a freshman, an account that appeared to exemplify the problem with sexual assault on campus and the way the school responds to it. Jackies harrowing tale, and allegations that U-Va. administrators did little in response, was the backbone of Erdelys cover story. ABC News interviewed Nicole Eramo, the former University of Virginia administrator who is suing Rolling Stone magazine over a November 2014 story about a sexual assault. That story was discredited. (ABC News and 20/20) But during months of reporting, Erdely was confronted with conflicting information about how the tale was relayed to Jackies friends. She found that the number of assailants wavered. And she noticed that Jackie had changed aspects of the account. But Erdely never questioned her credibility, and she testified in federal court that she never confronted Jackie about the discrepancies. [Catfishing over love interest might have spurred U-Va. gang-rape debacle] Erdely said she attributed the shifting details of the young womans tale to the trauma she experienced. Erdely had written extensively about victims of sexual assault and said they often change the details of their stories. It takes trauma victims some time to come forward with all the details, Erdely said, explaining why she remained unskeptical after she learned that Jackie had told two versions of the story to her first-year roommate. Its not unusual. Later, she said she regrets trusting Jackie: It was a mistake to rely on someone whose intent it was to deceive me. Locke, who is representing U-Va. administrator Nicole Eramo in a $7.5 million defamation lawsuit against Erdely and Rolling Stone, highlighted Erdelys failure to explain inconsistencies in Jackies tale and her decision to run the story despite having never contacted key figures in it, including one of the young men Jackie identified as an assailant. Instead, Locke said, Erdely relied solely on the students word even as she grew increasingly distressed while the reporter pressed for ways to corroborate her account. [U-Va. dean testifies that retracted Rolling Stone article devastated her] In a statement, Rolling Stone countered that Erdely was not the only one who trusted Jackie. It is clear that she firmly believed in the credibility of Jackie, as did U-Va. and Dean Eramo, when the article was published, the statement said. We made journalistic mistakes with respect to Jackies story and we have learned from them, but these mistakes do not support Dean Eramos lawsuit. The story, which painted U-Va. as indifferent to victims of sexual assault, prompted protests, vandalism and calls for Eramo to resign. Eramo, then a top administrator working on sexual assault prevention, said the article undid her lifes work. She testified earlier this week that the article portrayed her as attempting to suppress Jackies allegations when in fact she pushed Jackie to report her story to police. Within weeks of the articles publication, key details began to unravel, leading the magazine to issue a retraction. Eramos attorneys have argued that Erdely arrived at the Virginia campus with a preconceived narrative and sought to cast characters, with Jackie filling the role of traumatized victim and Eramo personifying an institutional indifference to sexual assault. Locke pointed out that the Rolling Stone article omitted key details that might have painted Eramo, who was not interviewed for the story, in a more favorable light, including quotes from subjects who viewed her positively. Locke also underscored Erdelys failure to contact key characters in the story, including the trio of friends who Jackie said met her following her assault and one of Jackies assailants, who Jackie claimed had brought her to the fraternity that night. In A Rape on Campus, the friends, identified by pseudonyms, react to Jackies tale with disregard. Jackie said one friend, Kathryn Hendley, asked her: Why didnt you just have fun with it? Erdely never reached out to Hendley before the articles publication because, she testified, Jackie refused to give her Hendleys last name. But, as her notes showed, another friend of Jackies provided her with an approximation of Hendleys last name Handley that could have led her to Hendleys identity and contact information. Contacted by The Washington Post shortly after the Rolling Stone story published, Hendley and the other friends disputed Jackies account. You attributed that quote to Ms. Hendley in the article, isnt that correct? Locke asked Erdely. Yes, Erdely said. To my great regret. Jacob Leggette, 9, of Baltimore, looks on as President Barack Obama blows a bubble while visiting his science exhibit during the White House Science Fair in April 2016. Jacob suggested that Obama have a kid science advisor. Now he has 11, including Jacob. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) When 9-year-old Jacob Leggette asked President Obama whether he had a kid science adviser on staff, he mostly was just striking up conversation with the world leader at the White House Science Fair, where he was showing off models of toys he created with a 3-D printer. Jacob never dreamed that the suggestion would get serious consideration. On Friday, Jacob was at the White House again, this time meeting with the countrys top scientists as one of the presidents new Kid Science Advisors. Jacob, of Baltimore, joined 10 other students from around the country who were among the 2,500 students who submitted ideas about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to the White House. The president greeted the students before the group met with Obamas science adviser, John Holdren, as well as astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly, NASA Director Charles Bolden and France Cordova, director of the National Science Foundation. Its an honor having someone so powerful take your suggestion seriously, especially if you are a kid, Jacob said in an interview before the meeting. The Kid Science Advisor program aims to promote the administrations goal of improving STEM instruction in schools, including at the elementary level. The same day Jacob pitched his idea to the president six months ago, the Education Department released guidance to school districts on how to direct federal resources to boost STEM education. Obama also has advocated for computer coding lessons in the classroom. Obama hopes to increase diversity in STEM fields, drawing in more women and underrepresented minorities to jobs that many think are critical to the nations future. Of the child advisers who visited the White House on Friday, more than half were girls. They are interested in chemistry, transportation, physics and medicine. Anahi Gandara-Rodriguez, 15, of Denver is a founding member of HackSchool, a program that gives low-income students an opportunity to solve community problems through technology. She is developing a prototype of a smart cane for the blind that detects the distance between the cane and other objects; the cane sends a vibration to a certain part of the hand depending on how far away the objects are from the user. I am so excited that I can give my opinion and help people, Anahi said of her new role. Sage Foreman, 12, of Goodyear, Ariz., has helped build his schools robotics team. He is suggesting a national science and technology field trip day, when middle and high school students visit local businesses to hear from scientists about their latest innovations. Sage wants to inspire other students his age to get into science and technology fields because he said companies are having a hard time finding qualified workers. He wants to become a professor who wins the Nobel Prize for inventing something that stops air pollution. Jacobs little sister, Alexis, is also one of Obamas new advisers. The 5-year-old, who enjoys exploring chemistry experiments, wants more girls to earn science degrees. Alexis wants to be a doctor or scientist when she grows up. Before the meeting, Alexis said she was going to ask Holdren and the others how it feels to be a great inventor. Jacob, who wants to work with robots to build artificial organs, said he was going to tell the Obama administration that every child should have a computer. Kids should have a computer at home so they can reinforce what they learn at school, Jacob said. Get updates on your area delivered via email The Maryland Health Care Commission voted unanimously to approve plans for a proposed regional medical center in Prince Georges County, the final step in a prolonged regulatory process that began more than three years ago. Commissioner Robert E. Moffit, who was assigned to review the proposal and this spring ordered officials to cut some costs, said the board had never seen a project as large or that involved as much taxpayer money. The commissions role is to restrain excess capacity, Moffit said, and to ensure the project is financially viable. I concluded . . . that there was a clear and compelling need for a replacement hospital in Prince Georges County, Moffit said, and its proposed location in Largo is an excellent choice. [Pr. Georges hospital project clears major hurdle with reviewers approval] The $543 million project is a joint venture of Dimensions Healthcare Systems, which has run hospitals in Prince Georges for more than three decades, and the University of Maryland Medical System. More than $400 million in public funds will go to construction and hospital operations. After the vote at the commission meeting in Baltimore, officials involved with the project broke into applause an unusual gesture, but understandable, officials said. Its a tremendous victory for Prince Georges County and Maryland, said County Council member Mel Franklin (D-Upper Marlboro). Everybody is thrilled. Its been such a long time coming, and we are finally here. The regional medical center is supposed to anchor a revitalization of the countys struggling health-care system so it can better serve residents, who have some of the highest rates of chronic disease in the state. Finding a partner to operate the hospital and securing funding was a major priority for County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D). The push for state support put him at odds at times with Gov. Larry Hogan (R), and the states Democratic-majority legislature eventually mandated annual subsidies. Dimensions first submitted its application for a certificate of need or permission to build the hospital in 2013. But it wasnt until April 2015 that regulators reviewed it. Moffit noted Thursday that the project still faces significant challenges. One central question is whether an improved system can bring back patients who have abandoned county medical facilities in favor of better-ranked hospitals elsewhere. The long-term viability will be ultimately dependent on strong management, Moffit said. [Reviewer: Pr. Georges hospital project too big, expensive] Project backers including state and county elected officials point to the progress made in the cardiac program at Prince Georges Hospital Center in Cheverly, which under the supervision of UMMS doctors achieved one of the highest ratings in the country for performance this year. At the same time, the cost of care at that hospital, the second-busiest trauma center in the state, remains 12 percent higher than at similar hospitals elsewhere in Maryland, the commission said, in part to make up for the hospitals large pool of indigent patients. The state has committed $55 million in operating subsidies to the hospital system over the next few years and another $200 million for capital costs. Moffit said he wanted to ensure the commission acted as a sound steward of public resources while reviewing the project. In May, he asked project planners to modify the size and scope of the hospital, shaving $100 million from the estimated cost and reducing the bed count and square footage. Dimensions and UMMS reconfigured their plans, winning support from some onetime objectors, including Anne Arundel Medical Center. Moffit also asked for clarification on what would happen to the long-troubled Dimensions organization once the hospital project was approved. Officials say UMMS will merge with Dimensions and become the regional medical centers sole operator and owner. Its super for the people of Prince Georges County, said John Ashworth, senior vice president at UMMS. I know the process was arduous and there were a lot of back-and-forths, but Moffit captured the essence of everything that weve been doing. A ceremonial groundbreaking will likely take place next spring or early summer, officials said. The projected opening date for the new hospital is 2020. A Camp Justice sign marks the site of the U.S. military commissions court for war crimes in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Brennan Linsley/AFP/Getty Images) The nations second-highest court on Thursday upheld the conviction of a Guantanamo Bay detainee, siding with the government in a case that tested the power of the military tribunal system. In a 6-to-3 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the conspiracy conviction of Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, a former media secretary to Osama bin Laden. Four judges agreed that military commissions in general have the authority to handle the domestic-law charge of conspiracy that is not an international war crime. There was, however, no clear majority with judges filing four separate concurring opinions. The D.C. Circuit has been grappling with questions about the reach of military commissions for years. The case was argued last December before a full panel of 10 judges. The court agreed to rehear the case after an earlier three-judge panel of the same court threw out the remaining charge against Bahlul, a Yemini man and propagandist for al-Qaeda, who was convicted in a military tribunal at Guantanamo in 2008. In upholding the conspiracy conviction, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh said Congress is not limited by international law in allowing military commissions to try domestic offenses typically heard by civilian courts. The Constitution does not give foreign nations (acting through the international law of war or otherwise) a de facto veto over Congresss determination of which war crimes may be tried by U.S. military commissions, Kavanaugh wrote in an opinion joined by Judges Janice Rogers Brown and Thomas B. Griffith. The votes of Judges Robert L. Wilkins and Patricia A. Millett, both appointed by President Obama, were critical to reaching a majority that also included Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson. But Wilkins and Millett ruled only on the specific facts of Bahluls case, without taking up the broader question on the role of military commissions. In a 67-page dissent, three judges said there are constitutionally prescribed boundaries between military and civilian courts and that the prosecution could have instead charged Bahlul with recognized war crimes or charged him in federal court. Judges David S. Tatel, Judith W. Rogers and Cornelia T.L. Pillard said in their dissent that even though Bahlul has admitted to serving as bin Ladens personal secretary and making al-Qaeda recruitment videos, the challenges of the war on terror do not necessitate truncating the judicial power to make room for a new constitutional order. Had the full court invalidated the conspiracy charge in its ruling Thursday, it would have made it more difficult for the government to prosecute low-level detainees at Cubas Guantanamo Bay. Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas law professor who filed a brief on behalf of Bahlul, said the case is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court. Without a clear majority rationale in its ruling, Vladeck said the opinion does nothing to settle the basic, fundamental questions that have plagued the commissions since their inception. [D.C. Circuit considers means for prosecuting Guantanamo detainees] At oral arguments before the full court, Justice Department lawyers urged the judges to be wary of setting outer bounds that curtail military tribunals. Bahluls lawyer said that the governments position would allow military tribunals to usurp the traditional role of civilian courts in handling domestic crimes. The political branches have replaced judicial power with a military trial chamber, Bahluls attorney, Michel Paradis, told the court late last year. Throughout Kavanaughs opinion, he invoked not just legal precedent but also American history, including the military commissions for those charged with conspiring to kill then-President Abraham Lincoln. The court, he said, must defer to Congress and the president who has determined that employing military commissions to try unlawful enemy combatants for their war crimes is an important part of the overall war effort. The three judges disagreed: Historically, the military has not been in the business of prosecuting individuals for crimes and locking them up for life. Its primary mission has always been to defeat our enemies on the battlefield. The courts chief judge, Merrick Garland, participated in oral arguments but recused himself from the decision because of his pending nomination to the Supreme Court. An employee of a day-care center in Upper Marlboro was arrested after allegedly abusing a 3-year-old boy at the center, police said Thursday. On Oct. 18 at about 8 a.m., 25-year-old DAira Nichel Thompson of Cheltenham was attempting to restrain the boy in a chair when she told him to put his head down and slammed it on a table, Prince Georges County police said in a statement. The boy suffered a contusion to the right side of his head, the statement said. Charging documents identified the day-care center as Antioch Child Care Center in the 5000 block of Brown Station Road, and said the incident was witnessed by the parent of another child at the center and recorded on video. Antioch did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Thompson was arrested and charged with second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault, police said. A Maryland department of education spokesman said that the church-run center is private and appropriately licensed, and that licensing specialists had visited Thursday with child protective services staff to investigate further. DAira Thompson (Prince George's County Police) Police have asked anyone with information about the case to contact them at 301-772-4930 or send a tip to princegeorgescountymd.gov. It was late in the summer when Kaelia Minor and Kyla Jones came to blows. Jones accused Kaelia of throwing candy in a friends face. The teenagers met at a bus stop on Gallatin Street in Northwest Washington. If you want to make it a problem, we can make it a problem, Jones said Kaelia told her. The two fought with fists, according to a court affidavit, and when they were done, they vowed to fight again. Jones told police that she carried a steak knife for protection. They met again Monday by chance passengers on the same No. 62 Metrobus, and this time the fight turned deadly. Kaelia, a 17-year-old high school senior, was stabbed in the chest, and Jones, 18, was charged with second-degree murder. [High school senior fatally stabbed in fight that began on bus] According to the account Jones gave police, this fight started when Kaelia grabbed a cellphone from Jones on the bus and then got off, the court documents state. The fight occurred at Kansas Avenue and Emerson Street, a bus stop in Petworth less than five blocks from the homes of both the victim and suspect. Its a little more than a mile from Coolidge High School, where Kaelia was a senior and captain of her dance team and where Jones went until last year. Witnesses described the fight to police as particularly brutal. After Kaelia was stabbed in the chest and lay motionless in the street, one witness told police, Jones kicked her, turned her over and then circled her, yelling, I dont give a f--- what happens to her. I dont give a f--- if I stabbed her. I want my f------ phone. Police said that Jones retrieved her phone, ran off and then took an Uber to meet a friend in Southwest, apparently not believing that the other teens injuries were serious. Court documents say she later surrendered in the company of her parents after learning that Kaelia had died. According to the affidavit, Jones led detectives to where she disposed of the knife a sewer drain on M Street in Southwest. Police said they recovered the weapon. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) announced the arrest Tuesday night. On Wednesday, she said she didnt know the details of the dispute but added, Anytime you lose a person, its senseless. But a 17-year-old young girl is especially difficult. Joness attorney, Dana Page of the Public Defender Service, argued during a D.C. Superior Court hearing Wednesday that her client acted in self-defense. She did what she could to avoid confrontation, Page said. She noted that her client cooperated with police and described the stabbing as an accident while defending herself. But the prosecutor told the judge that stabbing someone requires intent. She also noted that the suspect brought the knife and that the victim was unarmed. Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond also noted that Kaelia didnt have a weapon, which she said was a factor in her decision to order Jones detained until a preliminary hearing, set for Oct. 28. That elicited cheers from Kaelias family; one of Joness relatives could be heard crying. On Wednesday evening, more than 200 friends and relatives of Kaelias gathered for a vigil at the bus stop where the teen was killed. Mourners spelled out Kaelias nickname Kae in candles. Classmates on the cheerleading and dance squads performed in her honor. Others brought candles and balloons that said Miss you already and Im sorry. Jubil Austin, Kaelias business communications teacher at Coolidge, described her as a focused lady. She had high academic standards and wrote very well. She was likable and friendly. Kaelia had boarded the bus after dance practice at Coolidge. She was on her way home, and she sat toward the back. A few stops later, police said, Jones got on the bus and sat up front. Much of the version of events set out in the affidavit comes from Joness statements to police. According to the document, Jones told police that she noticed Kaelia, took out her knife and placed it on her lap. As the bus neared Kansas Avenue and Emerson Street, police said, Kaelia moved toward the front, bypassed the rear exit and confronted Jones. Jones told police that Kaelia told her to put down the knife and challenged her to fight. She said the victim told her, If you dont fight me, Im going to take your stuff. She said she answered, Dont touch me, and dont touch my stuff. Police said that Kaelia grabbed Joness phone from the seat and ran off the bus. Jones told police that she followed and grabbed Kaelia, who she said turned and punched her on the side of her head. Witnesses told police that the young women brawled. Also in the affidavit, police said that Jones began punching and swinging while still holding the knife. The defendant then realized that she had stabbed the decedent. After turning Kaelia over, police said, she found her phone and left the area. Then-Pocomoke City police officers Lynell Green, left, and Franklin L. Savage, right, with their former police chief, Kelvin Sewell, in July 2015. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) The Justice Department on Wednesday waded into a racially charged legal battle that has torn apart a small town on Marylands Eastern Shore, announcing it seeks to join a lawsuit brought by three former Pocomoke City police officials who allege they were the victims of racial bias and retaliation. Pocomokes first black police chief, Kelvin Sewell, former lieutenant Lynell Green and former detective Franklin Savage filed suit in federal court in January alleging an unchecked pattern and practice of virulent discrimination by city, county and state officials after each was fired for supporting claims first raised by Savage. [Racial turmoil in Md.s Friendliest Town after black police chief is fired] Sewell and Green were indicted in July by a Worcester County grand jury on charges of misconduct by Maryland prosecutors for allegedly interfering with the investigation of a 2014 car accident. The officers denied the charges and contend the indictment was retaliation after their lawsuit. Federal law protects against discrimination and retaliation in the workplace, Vanita Gupta, the head of the Justice Departments civil rights division, said in a statement Wednesday asking to intervene in the trios private lawsuit. In police departments, that protection is vital not only for individual officials, but also for the communities they serve. The federal complaint asks for a court order that would require the defendants Pocomoke City, a county sheriff and the state of Maryland to implement policies and procedures to eliminate discrimination and retaliatory conduct. The federal complaint also seeks monetary compensation to the three officers for damages caused by the alleged discrimination. The Justice Department announced its court action late Wednesday after Pocomoke City offices were closed. [Fired Pocomoke City police chief, lieutenant indicted for alleged misconduct] The citys lead defense attorney, Daniel Karp of the Baltimore law firm Karpinski Colaresi and Karp, and Genevieve Goodrow Marshall of Marylands attorney generals office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. City, county and state officials have previously denied the allegations of racial discrimination. In a statement, Andrew G. McBride of the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and co-lead counsel for the officers, said, We are gratified that the Justice Department has recognized that this is far more than a run of the mill case, rather it demonstrates a pattern of racial discrimination across law enforcement on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The federal decision to step into the dispute elevates a controversy that has split the town of 4,000, whose racial demographics are evenly divided but whose city council is majority white. It continues a campaign by the Obama administration in which the Justice Department has thrown its weight behind private lawsuits to extend civil rights protections. [Justice Dept. scrutinizes firing of black police chief in Pocomoke City] Hundreds of demonstrators protested outside Pocomoke City Hall last year demanding Sewell be reinstated after his June 2015 firing. Instead, the city council hired William Bill Harden Sr., an African American, to run its 14-officer police department. But the fired officers said Hardens hiring did not make up for a history of department discrimination that was joined by law enforcement officials at multiple levels. In a 26-page filing, the Justice Department charged that the Worcester County sheriff and the state of Maryland subjected Savage to a hostile work environment while he was assigned to a joint task force operated by the sheriffs office. The complaint joined the officers lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Maryland, in which McBride said Sewell was fired as chief because he stood up for two black officers who filed a discrimination complaint. The three charged that they were mocked, threatened, demeaned, demoted, punished, falsely accused of misconduct, ostracized and humiliated because of their race. The officers suit also alleged that Savage was pushed out after objecting to the repeated use of the n-word and references to the Ku Klux Klan. [Black officer in Pocomoke City, Md., says n-word complaint led to firing] The three officers complaints were investigated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which made reasonable-cause findings, U.S. officials said. After unsuccessful talks aimed at conciliation, the EEOC referred the charges to the Justice Department, officials said. Melania Trump stands with her husband Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. ( Mark Kauzlarich / Reuters/Reuters) A Maryland blogger sued by Melania Trump for defamation has asked a judge to dismiss the action, which he described as an attempt to curb his ability to speak out about the potential first lady. Webster Tarpley of Gaithersburg, who operates tarpley.net, also asserted the lawsuit was brought in bad faith because it was filed after he had complied with a request from Melania Trump to retract an Aug. 2 post hed written and to apologize for writing it. Tarpleys attorneys filed the motion to dismiss the suit last week, according to Montgomery County Circuit Court records. Trumps attorneys have yet to respond in court, and could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. On Aug. 2, Tarpley wrote that there were rumors that Trump had suffered a breakdown following accusations shed plagiarized portions of her convention speech. Tarpley also wrote that Melania Trump was reportedly obsessed by fear over possible revelations that she allegedly once worked as a high-end escort, according to court records. Earlier: Melania Trump sues Maryland blogger and British tabloid Another publication the Daily Mail also wrote about purported escort work. In a mid-August article, the British tabloid wrote about accounts that Trump worked as an escort at a gentlemans club in Milan before moving to New York. Attorneys for Melania Trump launched a strong counter attack, filing the lawsuit against Tarpley and the Daily Mail in Montgomery County. They had standing to bring the case in that venue because Tarpley lives there and the Daily Mail conducts business in Maryland, according to court records. These defendants made several statements about Mrs. Trump that are 100% false and tremendously damaging to her personal and professional reputation. Defendants broadcast their lies to millions of people throughout the U.S. and the world without any justification, Trumps attorneys said in a statement about the lawsuit. The Daily Mail also published a retraction and apology for publishing the material. The Daily Mail has yet to file any documents in Montgomery County, court dockets show. Tarpleys request to dismiss the lawsuit was reported Tuesday by law.com. Through his attorneys, Tarpley said the actions by Melania Trumps lawyers amounted to a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, often known as a SLAPP suit. The lawsuit has been brought in bad faith ... because it was filed after Mr. Tarpley immediately complied with Mrs. Trumps request to retract the August 2, 2016, article and apologize, wrote one of Tarpleys attorneys, Danielle D. Giroux. The motion by Tarpley also alleges that Trumps lawyers failed to state a claim of defamation. Among those arguments: The allegedly defamatory statements are neither actionable nor defamatory; and Mrs. Trump is a public figure and has not alleged facts sufficient to establish actual malice. Trumps lawsuit asserts the damage she says was done to her: The injurious character of the defamatory statements in the Tarpley Blog Post is self-evident and therefore constitutes defamation per se, they wrote. Further, plaintiff is involved in many business ventures involving the licensing of her name and likeness, and relying upon her valuable reputation, and the defamatory publication foreseeably caused substantial damage to her business, career, reputation and her actual and prospective economic relationships. As a result of Tarpleys conduct, plaintiff has been damaged in an amount to be proven at trial. Tarpleys conduct was despicable, abhorrent, intentional, malicious, and oppressive, and thus justifies an award of punitive damages. Tarpley and his attorney, Giroux, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Fairfax County, Va., firefighter Nicole Mittendorff vanished on April 15, and a major search in Shenandoah National Park was suspended on April 21 after remains were found a mile from her abandoned car. Heres whats known about her disappearance. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Fairfax County, Va., firefighter Nicole Mittendorff vanished on April 15, and a major search in Shenandoah National Park was suspended on April 21 after remains were found a mile from her abandoned car. Heres whats known about her disappearance. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Six months ago, the high-profile mystery of what happened to Fairfax County firefighter Nicole Mittendorff publicly came to an end when her body was discovered in Shenandoah National Park and her death was ruled a suicide. But Mittendorffs mother said this week that she has been unable to truly put her daughter to rest because authorities have not provided a complete account of her death and the days leading up to it. Marde Clardy said that she has been unsuccessfully seeking a copy of the investigative report on Mittendorffs death from the Virginia State Police and that the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has not provided adequate answers about an incident that occurred at work shortly before Mittendorff disappeared, among other information. Both agencies said they have given Clardy information about Mittendorffs death, but state law and agency policy bars them from releasing much of what she is seeking. Clardy said that she has no reason to doubt the official version of what happened but that as a mother she owes it to her daughter to ensure the investigation was conducted thoroughly. I just want to know my daughter has been taken care of, Clardy said. I want full disclosure. I want to make sure they did everything they could for Nicole and they didnt just come back and say suicide. Mittendorff, 31, gained national attention after her disappearance in mid-April. She called in sick to work and then failed to show the next day. Her car was later found in Shenandoah National Park. After intense searches, her body was found in a rugged portion of the park a short distance away about a week after she disappeared. Authorities said she had hung herself, and a note was found in her car. Nicole Mittendorff in an undated family photo. She was reported missing April 15, and her body was found about a week later. (Family photo) The case generated outrage because Mittendorff was the subject of disparaging and sexist remarks on the Web forum Fairfax Underground in the months before her death. The anonymous remarks were posted by people who appeared to have knowledge of the Fairfax County fire department. Other female firefighters came forward in the months after Mittendorffs death to complain of their treatment in the Fairfax department, and some filed lawsuits. [Female firefighters suicide is a fire bell in the night] The Virginia State Police investigated Mittendorffs death, produced a report and closed the investigation. Clardy wants that report. Corinne Geller, a state police spokeswoman, said it is state police policy not to release investigative files, even though state law gives the agency the discretion to do so. Geller said releasing investigative reports could make members of the public reluctant to provide assistance to police. She also said such files usually contain personal information and sensitive reports from other agencies. Geller said the agency would consider meeting with Clardy to discuss its findings. Fairfax Fire Chief Richard R. Bowers Jr. also launched an internal investigation into Mittendorffs case, which is ongoing. He said Wednesday that he is nearing completion of the investigation and that it should be ready by the end of the year. Bowers acknowledged that the department was looking at a report of an incident involving Mittendorff at work before her disappearance. He declined to discuss it, saying it was a personnel issue. Bowers said that he has provided numerous updates to Clardy and that he empathizes with her loss. The internal investigation involves personnel issues, so only a certain amount of information can be shared, Bowers said. Nicole Mittendorffs locker at Fairfax County Fire Station No. 32, in Fairfax Station. (Justin Jouvenal/The Washington Post) He said he had not been able to identify the people who posted the insults on Fairfax Underground or determine whether they were members of his department. He said the department is continuing several reforms started after Mittendorffs death, which include training, a better complaint system and handing out cards with suicide prevention hotline numbers. He said four members of the department have sought help for suicidal thoughts in the wake of Mittendorffs death. Clardy said she did not know whether the posts on Fairfax Underground played a role in her daughters death. Mittendorff had texted her mother in the days before she disappeared, jokingly saying that she was going to crash her mothers Hawaiian vacation plans. She was just a good person who did so much good in the world, Clardy said of her daughter. As the infant boy cried and screamed the morning of Sept. 21, according to police, his father took him to the balcony of the familys apartment and began punching him in the torso to quiet him. When that did not work, the father brought the infant back inside, snatched the still-crying boy by the arms off the floor and continued punching him, police said in arrest records. Blood began to flow from the babys nose and mouth, police said, and the child fell silent. Court charging documents released Thursday reveal details in the death of 3-month-old Antoine Flemons, who Prince Georges County police said was fatally assaulted by his father before being buried in the woods by his parents. The records also indicate that when the baby did not rouse after the assault, his parents left him in their 1998 Lincoln Town Car for 24 hours before driving his body to the back of a high school and burying him in a shallow grave. Antoine Flemons (Prince Georges County police) The remains stayed covered for several weeks before police unearthed the body the morning of Oct. 19 and charged Antoine Petty, 32, and Geneice Petty, 24, in connection with the infants death. [The baby was missing for a month. He was found buried in the woods.] Family members reported the baby missing Monday, but the child had been dead for nearly a month before detectives tracked down the couple and were led to his burial site behind Parkdale High School in the Riverdale area, according to police. After the babys death, the couple would tell relatives that the child was with others or offer other explanations for his whereabouts, said Lt. Dave Coleman, a spokesman for Prince Georges police. Antoine Petty has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and related crimes. Geneice Petty is charged with being an accessory after the fact. Antoine Petty was being held without the possibility of bail, and Geneice Petty was being held on a $120,000 bond, according to the Prince Georges states attorneys office. A bail review hearing is scheduled for the couple Friday. Online court records do not indicate whether the Pettys have attorneys. A woman inside the couples Greenbelt apartment declined to comment to a reporter who knocked on the door Thursday morning. 1 of 17 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad 13 shocking crime stories from 2016 View Photos A beloved mayor in Fairfax faced allegations of a meth-for-sex scheme, and a man (successfully) used a the-stop-smoking-pill-made-me-do-it defense after shooting his wife. Caption A beloved mayor in Fairfax faced allegations of a meth-for-sex scheme, and a man (successfully) used a the-stop-smoking-pill-made-me-do-it defense after shooting his wife. A pastors disturbing message to his wife before killing his daughter and himself Police in Maine said former Air Force chaplain Daniel Randall bought a shotgun after completing treatment for substance abuse and drove to the home of his estranged family, where he killed his adult daughter, Claire Randall, pictured here in a 2008 photo, and then himself. A neighbor discovered their bodies at the house in Hebron, Maine. Read the story Gretchen Ertl/Providence Journal via AP Wait 1 second to continue. A man who answered the phone at an address listed for relatives of Geneice Pettys asked for privacy so that the family could seek closure and peace. Its heartbreaking, and its horrifying, Coleman said of the allegations. Everyone who sees this is so sad for the child and everyone involved. A review of online court records indicates that Antoine Petty has previously been charged with crimes including theft and assault and has a record going back to at least 2002. In 2014, Prince Georges police featured him as a suspect in the departments regular Wanted Wednesday blog, which made national news when the posting included a mug shot that showed his extensive facial tattoos. Detectives in the 2014 alert were searching for Petty on what they said was suspicion of having stolen a gun from an acquaintance in Largo. Prosecutors have decided against pursuing one of two first-degree murder charges that D.C. police said they filed against a 27-year-old man on Tuesday. The suspect, Daryl Thompson, of Suitland, Md., remains charged with first-degree murder in the Aug. 29 fatal shooting of Tyler McEachern, 23, in the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace SE. He has been ordered detained. On Tuesday, police and the mayor announced at a news conference that Thompson had been charged both in McEacherns death and in the July 30 fatal shooting of Edward Roberts Jr., 29, who was shot in the 3500 block of 14th Street NW, in Columbia Heights. The information was also distributed in a news release. But a review of court records on Thursday showed that Thompson only faces one murder charge in the death of McEachern. Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District, said prosecutors elected not to pursue the case involving Roberts at this time. Miller said that case remains under investigation. The parents of a 3-month-old boy were arrested Wednesday after the father assaulted and killed the child and the couple buried him in woods to hide the crime, according to Prince Georges County Police. Antoine Petty, 32, and Geneice Petty, 24, were charged Wednesday evening in the death of the child, Antoine Flemons, who was reported missing by family members on Monday. Detectives believe that the child was killed around Sept. 21, but when relatives asked the parents about the baby, they offered varying explanations for his whereabouts, said Lt. Dave Coleman, a spokesman for Prince Georges County Police. After family members notified police about the missing child Monday, police began to search for the parents, finding them on Tuesday. When detectives interviewed the couple, they learned that Antoine Petty had fatally assaulted his son, police said. The couple then led detectives to a shallow grave in the woods behind Parkdale High School in the Riverdale area, Coleman said. Antoine Petty and Geneice Petty. ( Prince George's County Police Department) Police charged Antoine Petty with first- and second-degree murder and related crimes. Police charged Geneice Petty with being an accessory after the fact. The couple, of Greenbelt, were placed in the custody of the county Department of Corrections on Wednesday afternoon. It's heartbreaking, and its horrifying, Coleman said of the allegations against the couple. Everyone who sees this is so sad for the child and everyone involved. Antoine Petty has been charged with various crimes, including theft and assault, and has a record going back to at least 2002, according to online court records. In 2014, he was wanted by Prince Georges police on suspicion of stealing a gun from an acquaintance in Largo. The 2014 search for Petty made national headlines after police released a mugshot that showed his extensive facial tattoos. REI opens its first store in the District on Friday. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) The vaulted, concrete-domed Uline Arena in Northeast Washington can tell a D.C. story better than most. Its transformation has followed the ups and downs of the citys history experiencing both glorious and unremarkable moments throughout its 75-year life. The structures latest chapter arrives at a time when the District is in the throes of a redevelopment boom that has attracted young, deep-pocketed and health-conscious residents. On Friday, Uline Arena will reopen as the East Coasts largest REI store, a popular outdoor specialty chain that hopes to become a destination in the nations capital. This is transformative. We looked at it as a game-changer for the community, said Norman Jemal, principal at Douglas Development, which owns and redeveloped the property. Youre talking about a lot of history here. A lot of Washington, D.C., here. It touched a lot of people. Ice distributor Miguel Uline opened the eponymous arena in 1941 as a hockey rink and repurposed it into housing for service members during World War II. After the war, it was restored as a hockey and basketball arena, home to the Washington Capitols the first NBA team with an African American man on its roster. President Dwight D. Eisenhower hosted an inaugural festival there, but it was 1964 when the arena by then sold and renamed the Washington Coliseum made its biggest headline: The Beatles performed their first U.S. concert there shortly after their famed Ed Sullivan Show appearance. Bob Dylan, Chuck Brown and others also performed. But as the District hit hard times, the arena lost its grandeur. The NoMa neighborhood near Union Station, which only recently acquired its trendy moniker, was a no mans land filled with warehouses and vacant lots. The dance floor at the Uline Arena with Woody Herman's Orchestra in June 1942. (Library of Congress) Bennie Tweke, owner of Tag-B Parking, walks through the Uline Arena in 2011. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post) Throughout the 1990s, the arena served as a trash-transfer station until Douglas Development purchased the property in 2004. The developer had lofty plans to redevelop the languishing arena but used it as a parking facility during the recession until money was available for improvements. The 51,000-square-foot REI store now joins a changing NoMa landscape filled with luxury condos, office buildings and retail shops. [50th anniversary concert re-enacts Beatles first U.S. show at the Washington Coliseum] This is part of a story thats been building, and its a moment in time where people are really starting to take notice, said Robin-Eve Jasper, president of the NoMa Business Improvement District. The arena was designated a historic landmark in 2006, so tearing it down wasnt an option. In its heyday, the Uline Arena was considered the Verizon Center of its time, said Rebecca Miller, executive director of the DC Preservation League. All of the cultural events that happened in this building, in addition to its architecture, is what made it significant, she said. The building was previously one open floor, but now has four floors. REI will be on the ground level. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Even after its redevelopment, the exterior of the iconic building in the 200 block of M Street NE looks much the same, despite newly installed industrial-style windows throughout. Inside, the previously one-story arena is now four floors, with the ground floor a maze of colorful camping equipment, bicycles and outdoor accessories. As an ode to the arenas history, columns throughout the store are covered with concert posters of the Beatles, go-go bands and artists who performed there. One wall contains rows of seats from the original basketball arena. Renovations to convert the building took more than two years. REI occupies the ground floor, and Douglas Development will relocate its headquarters to the building. The upper floors, which are still under construction, will also host a business that rents out shared office space. Posters show musicians who performed in the building that is now REI. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) The store in the District is REIs 147th in the country. It has seven in the Washington suburbs. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) The adjacent building, where Ulines ice distributing headquarters were located decades ago, will be rented out as retail and office space. The REI store is the chains first entry into the nations capital and its fifth flagship store in the country. The chain has 147 stores nationwide, including seven in the Washington suburbs. REI officials say they hope the store will serve as an attraction to residents and tourists visiting the District. The store is near the NoMa Metro station, less than a mile from Union Station and just off the Metropolitan Branch Trail. They envision tourists coming through Union Station, having lunch at nearby Union Market, then walking over to the new REI. The store has event rooms, a courtyard and a La Colombe Coffee cafe. The National Park Service also has a kiosk inside, where an employee from the federal agency will be on hand to recommend outdoor travel destinations to customers. A three-day block party starts Friday, with traffic restrictions in place for the grand opening and bands performing outside over the weekend. If youre going to come into the nations capital, you have to come in an awesome way, and a flagship store is the way to do it, said Becky Smith, the general manager of the store. I think its going to be a destination. Ed Gitterman, right, was the first speaker to address the proposal that would end late-night rail service. Folllowing him was Mark Lee, second from right, executive director of the D.C. Nightlife Hospitality Association. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) As riders and elected officials demanded Thursday that Metro reconsider a proposal to end late-night service, which would give workers more time for track maintenance, General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld indicated that he might be willing to consider a compromise. Wiedefeld told reporters outside a hearing that he may move to keep weekend service running until 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays by opening later on weekend mornings and closing earlier on weeknights. In a marathon,9 -hour public meeting at Metro headquarters, officials heard from workers who fear the limited service schedule will affect their ability to commute to jobs and politicians who worry that the proposal will threaten the regions economic vitality. During the evening, demonstrators gathered outside the headquarters to protest the proposal. The Metro board chairman, Jack Evans, who also is a D.C. Council member, kicked off the public testimony by expressing his disapproval of the proposal. His Ward 2 district is home to a substantial number of bars, restaurants and hotels that would be affected by the change. Cecilia Miggins chastises the Metro board during the hearing on proposals to end late-night rail service. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) Evans said he understands that Metro workers need the extra track time and that officials have struggled to find a compromise that pleases Metro leaders and the jurisdictions the system serves. Metros board is expected to make a final decision on the service hours in December. I suggested Saturday and Sunday nobody liked that idea, Evans said, referring to plans to preserve late-night service by opening late on weekend mornings. Nobody likes any idea, actually. Metro has received nearly 10,000 responses to an online survey on the proposed changes, along with written testimony from more than 300 riders. While many gravitated toward a later closing on weekends, it was clear that the trade-off shorter weekday hours would present its own challenges to the regions workforce. What were seeing with some of the data is people tend to be gravitating around the third option the 1 a.m. option, Wiedefeld said. Obviously, we could live with that. Lets let it play out. The transit agency imposed a moratorium on late-night closings and early openings in June when it launched SafeTrack, the aggressive maintenance plan aimed at restoring the system to a state of good repair. During SafeTrack, the system closes at midnight daily. Normally, the system is open until 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The system opens at 5 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. weekends. Under one proposal, weekend openings would be pushed to 9 a.m. on Saturdays and noon on Sundays. [D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to Metro: No articulation of a need for late-night service cuts] Metro wants to cut back on late-night service to make more time for repairs. The Post's Martine Powers goes through each of the four proposals and how they could affect your commute. (Claritza Jimenez,Julio Negron/The Washington Post) In July, Wiedefeld proposed permanently ending night-owl service. The proposal drew immediate pushback from District officials and business leaders who said the permanent change would disproportionately affect the city and threaten livelihoods of low-income and late-night workers. There has been no articulation of a need, a plan, or how the plan is designed to solve the problem, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) wrote in a letter to Metro officials this week. Why close the entire system when you can only work on discrete segments at any one time? Why would the service cuts be permanent? In the months since Wiedefeld first raised the idea, the blowback has only intensified. On Thursday, Wiedefeld admitted that he could have done a better job of articulating the need for more work hours. Thats what Ive got to work on, he said. So we will do that. Were going to be coming out with things that further support what were trying to do, why were proposing this. Later, he added: Its complex and Im not good at it its complex to explain what we do. Metro began late-night service in 1999, when representatives from the District pushed for extended service hours to support local businesses, boost ridership and prevent drunken driving. Metro board members who represented the suburbs opposed the idea, arguing that the transit agencys limited funds would be better used to improve daily commuter service. But, just a few months after launching a pilot program to test the idea, Metro officials declared it a success, saying the smaller maintenance window on Friday and Saturday nights had not caused any problems. [In scathing report, FTA blasts Metro track maintenance program] Wiedefeld has argued that one reason for the systems poor condition is years of chipping away at time for track maintenance in exchange for expanded service. He worries that track inspections are being performed haphazardly because they are occurring in the middle of the day, with track walkers constantly focused on staying out of the way of trains. Metro is a two-track system, which means it cannot perform regular maintenance without shutting down one or both tracks. By contrast, the New York City subway can operate 24 hours a day because it has four tracks, allowing crews to take one set of tracks out of service while trains continue to run on nearby tracks. At the hearing, Mark Lee, executive director of the D.C. Nightlife Hospitality Association, criticized the agency for selling the region on the idea that after 10 months of SafeTrack-related pain, things would return to normal. The investment we made without complaint has yielded only surrender by Metro management to a declining ridership and an accelerating death spiral for the transit system that is the lifeblood of the economy of the District and the region, Lee said. We expect, and demand, a better return on our investment. Lessie Henderson, co-chair of the Prince Georges Advocates for Community Based Transit, called the proposed cuts disgraceful. Although we knew the maintenance has to happen, it cannot happen at the expense of the people who need this service the most, she said. District officials have vowed to oppose to any measure that would threaten late-night service, and the D.C. Council last week passed a resolution urging Metro to restore the service at the end of SafeTrack. Such a resolution, however, is not binding on Metro. In addition, some Metro board members, including District Department of Transportation Director Leif Dormsjo, are skeptical that Metro is making adequate use of the 33 weekly hours already allotted for track time. [Metro general manager proposes permanent end to late-night service] At the hearing, speakers argued that Uber, Lyft, taxis and other alternatives to public transit cannot fill the void that would be left by an early closure of Metro. Ive witnessed people losing their jobs because they couldnt make their closing shift because of Metros current hours, said Chauniece Jones, who testified on behalf of Project Retail, which represents food and service workers. When Metros not running and I have to pay for a Lyft or Uber to get to work, thats $30. When youre working for the minimum wage, thats too much . . . The people that run Metro, you all can afford to pay those prices, but the people in the working class cant. Denise Rush, who is blind and serves as vice-chair of Metros Accessibility Advisory Committee, said ending late-night service would be especially harmful to riders with disabilities. If you cut the service and keep cutting, then how are handicapped people going to get around? We are all connected, she said. [Metro unveils options for cutting late-night service. You probably wont like them.] Justino Gomez, 63, who has a part-time job cleaning at the World Bank downtown, testified that he cant afford any proposal that would close Metro earlier than midnight. Through a translator, Gomez, who commutes from Prince Georges Plaza to Farragut West, delivered a passionate plea to keep the system open late. If the Metro closes before midnight, Id have to take a taxi, which costs about $35 to get home, he said. I, as well as other people, will pay more to be able to get home if the Metro isnt running. Im asking you to close the Metro at 12 midnight at the earliest, not before that, so that when us cleaning workers get to the Metro station, we wont be faced with the fact that there is no Metro service. All I have is this part-time job. Voter registration in Virginia will resume immediately and continue until midnight Friday, a federal judge ordered Thursday. Judge Claude M. Hilton of U.S. District Court in Alexandria decided to extend registration after the state elections website crashed on Monday, the last day for Virginians to get on the rolls. A civil rights group sued on behalf of Kathy and Michael Kern, a Charlottesville couple who tried and failed multiple times Sunday and Monday to register. Two nonprofit groups involved in voter-registration drives New Virginia Majority Education Fund and Virginia Civic Engagement Table also were plaintiffs. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people tried and failed to register, their attorney, John A. Freedman, said in court Thursday. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) supported the lawsuit, saying residents should get more time to register. I am pleased that we are able to offer the individuals who were unable to register another opportunity to make their voices heard and we are working hard to ensure that this process, as well as the remainder of this election cycle, is smooth and easy for everyone who participates, McAuliffe said in a written statement issued after the ruling. The plaintiffs and the state government agreed that voting should be allowed until 11:59 p.m. Monday to account for both the two days of outages and any similar problems in the next few days, as well as the time it will take to notify voters of the extension. But Hilton deemed that extension would be too lengthy. I think youre entitled to some relief, Hilton said, but added, I believe that youre asking for too much time. An extension through Friday night, he said, more than makes up for the two days of major technical failures. Assistant Attorney General Anna Birkenheier, representing state elections officials named as defendants, argued that four days would provide a safety net in the event of future crashes. She also said it would be impossible to contact the people who tried to register online and failed, because their information was never recorded by the online system. If the system crashes again, well address that, Hilton said. I dont think we should presume that the systems going to crash. He noted that voters can also register in person or by mail-in paper form through Friday should problems with the website recur. A longer extension would have been great, said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the group that brought the suit. But she called the decision a victory for those who wanted to register and didnt have the opportunity to do so. Trouble with the registration system began Sunday after Facebook and Google alerted Virginians to the states looming registration deadline. On its Facebook page, the Department of Elections said Monday that an unprecedented activity level had left the registration website slow and, in some cases, completely unresponsive. Problems escalated Monday. From 3:40 p.m. on, both parties agreed, the website was completely unresponsive. Registration closed at 11:59 p.m. Monday. Neither the governor nor the attorney general has the power to extend voter registration; only a judge can do so. Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled General Assembly issued a statement that they obviously accept the Courts order to extend the deadline. But they also called on McAuliffe to shake up the leadership at the state elections department, noting that the agency failed to heed warnings from local officials about problems they were encountering with the registration system before Mondays crash. It is clear that local election registrars and the General Assembly have lost confidence in the Department of Elections and its ability to provide the necessary technical and support services, said a statement from House Speaker William J. Howell (Stafford), Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox (Colonial Heights) and the rest of the Republican leadership. Governor McAuliffe should consider a leadership change at the Department after the November elections, they said in the statement, adding that the legislature should review the situation when it convenes in January. McAuliffes spokesman, Brian Coy, said McAuliffe has full confidence in Edgardo and his team and pushed back against GOP criticism. This expression of concern for voters would have a lot more credibility if it didnt follow years of Republicans using disenfranchisement laws and political lawsuits to shut people out of their own democracy, Coy said. In the statement issued Thursday, McAuliffe blamed the troubles on unprecedented web traffic and said election officials had been working overtime since Monday to expand the capacity of the system. I am confident that the steps we have taken will provide an improved experience to people who use it, he said. However, I do want to urge Virginians who are interested in registering to vote to act as quickly as possible and, if they are able, to take advantage of all of the available ways to register to vote during this period, including visiting a local registrars office or a Department of Motor Vehicles office. Since the last presidential election, Virginia has rolled out a system that allows citizens to register to vote and update their registrations online. Four years ago, the state had an entirely paper-based system. The shift to online was hailed as a more modern and efficient approach, but registrars have complained in recent months about recurring glitches and severe slowdowns. Six days before the deadline, election officials brought an additional server online in an unsuccessful attempt to deal with increasing visitors. The state launched its online voter registration system in 2013. Until this year, the largest number of registrations submitted in a single day was about 2,200, state elections commissioner Edgardo Cortes has said. That single-day online registration record has been broken three times this year in response to social-media campaigns urging Virginians to register: 8,000 signed up one day in February, ahead of the deadline to register for the primary; 17,000 on Sept. 23, ahead of National Voter Registration Day; 21,000 managed to do so on Monday despite the days technical issues. Laura Vozzella contributed to this report. It featured undercover FBI agents posing as Arab sheiks and their agents, a con man in the service of the bureau, and a bevy of public officials caught on video in the baldfaced act of influence-peddling. The investigation, conducted in the late 1970s and early 80s, was known as Abscam. It led to the conviction of six members of the U.S. House of Representatives and one U.S. senator in events dramatized in the 2013 film American Hustle. John F. Good, the FBI agent who led the two-year sting, died Sept. 28 at his home in Island Park, N.Y. He as 80. His son-in-law, Paul Farrell, confirmed the death and said the family did not know the cause. Mr. Good had undergone a heart operation two months ago. Mr. Good was a second- generation FBI employee. His father, Henry, was assigned to guard David Greenglass, the spy who testified against his sister and brother-in-law, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, in the atomic espionage case that ended with the couples execution in 1953. By the 1970s, the younger Mr. Good was stationed at a field office on Long Island, where he was investigating public corruption in the construction of a sewer project. Eager to pursue bigger cases, he undertook a collaboration with Mel Weinberg, a convicted swindler who, by Weinbergs account, copped a plea and signed on with the FBI as a paid informant. Mr. Good in 2015. (Steve Pfost/For Newsday) With Weinbergs assistance, FBI agents established a fictitious company, Abdul Enterprises, purportedly owned by an Arab sheik who was looking to make investments licit or otherwise in the United States. Initially, the investigation exposed criminal dealings in stolen artwork and fraudulent financial transactions. Eventually, it drew in local and then national officials trading political favors for cash. The convicted congressmen were Reps. John W. Jenrette Jr. (D-S.C.), Richard Kelly (R-Fla.), John M. Murphy (D-N.Y.), Raymond F. Lederer (D-Pa.), Michael J. Ozzie Myers (D-Pa.) and Frank Thompson Jr. (D-N.J.), as well as Sen. Harrison A. Williams Jr. (D-N.J.). Mr. Good, Weinberg and the rest of the FBI team conducted their business at airports, in hotel rooms and in a rented home in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington. Mr. Good oversaw the work. To maintain the appearance of wealth, they hired private jets and entertained on a yacht. They recorded their interactions with officials in footage that would later dominate the headlines with its unseemliness. Money talks in this business and bulls--- walks, Myers memorably remarked on a tape in which he was seen accepting an envelope containing $50,000 in cash in exchange for a promise to introduce a private immigration bill on behalf of the supposed sheik. The politicians were just unbelievably unethical and ruthless, Mr. Good told the Newark Star-Ledger in 2013. Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.), speaking during hearings on undercover investigations in 1982, suggested that the investigators had become so giddy with their exploits that they began offering bribes too cavalierly. Quoted in the New York Times, Mr. Good replied, If we were real crooks out there looking to bribe congressmen and somebody came to us and said, Look, I got a better fish for you, how can you say, No, I dont need him? Decades later, the investigation is still regarded as one of the largest and most dramatic probes of its kind. Weinberg sold his life-story rights to the makers of American Hustle, in which he was portrayed by Christian Bale and in which Bradley Cooper played an FBI agent based in part on Mr. Good. Mr. Good saw his relationship with Weinberg as central to the investigations success. There is one basic secret to dealing with informants, Mr. Good once told Robert W. Greene, an investigative reporter for Newsday and the author of a book about Abscam, The Sting Man. Youve got to give them respect, Mr. Good said. No matter what they might have done in the past, they are still human beings. These people have pride. To be called a stool pigeon, a canary, a fink is demeaning. . . . They have to know that you are sincere, that you will keep your promises. John Francis Good was born in the Bronx on June 17, 1936. He received a sociology degree from Fordham University in 1958 and served in the Navy before joining the FBI. The bureau posted him to Manhattan, among other field offices, before stationing him in Hauppauge, N.Y., where he retired in 1986. He later founded a firm of private investigators, Lawn Mullen & Good. Mr. Goods marriages to Rosemarie Welscher and Kate Gallagher ended in divorce. Survivors include a companion, Karen Andrade of Scottsdale, Ariz.; two children from his first marriage, Elizabeth Farrell of Lido Beach, N.Y., and John Good of New Canaan, Conn.; two brothers; and three sisters. Speaking to the Star-Ledger after the release of American Hustle, Mr. Good reflected on his experience with Weinberg. Mel was a fabulous con man, Mr. Good said. He was a very, very intelligent guy. A little on the crude side, but with a magnificent ability to con people. . . . Without him, its unlikely we ever would have had a case. Weinberg, for his part, expressed similar admiration for Mr. Good and said that they had stayed in touch over the years, visiting each other and, on at least one occasion, going sailing. If it wasnt for John Good there would have been no Abscam, said Weinberg, 91, reached by telephone at his home in Florida. I would back him up anytime, anywhere. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, along with Major Gen. Bradley A. Becker, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday. (Molly Riley/Associated Press) NEW YORK Retrial for 1979 Etan Patz murder begins A New York City jury began hearing opening arguments Wednesday in the retrial of a man charged with kidnapping and killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979, a notorious case that drew national attention to the plight of missing children. Pedro Hernandez, 55, is on trial in a state court for the second time in the death of the boy, who disappeared in Lower Manhattan 37 years ago. Hernandezs first trial ended last year with the judge declaring a mistrial. Jurors deliberated for 18 days without reaching a unanimous verdict, which is required for conviction. Eleven of them had voted to convict, while one held out for acquittal. A former delicatessen worker, Hernandez confessed to the crimes in 2012, but his defense attorneys say he is mentally ill and falsely confessed under police coercion. He could face life in prison if convicted. Patz vanished as he walked alone for the first time to a school bus stop in the SoHo neighborhood on May 25, 1979. Reuters Seven injured in gas explosion at shop: Three firefighters, three civilians and two police officers were injured Wednesday after a natural-gas leak caused an explosion at a bagel shop in Portland, Ore., Portland Fire & Rescue said. The explosion destroyed the Portland Bagelworks restaurant, and nearby businesses in the trendy shopping area were also damaged. The injuries were not life-threatening, an official said. From news services [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 ] BRAZIL Ex-speaker arrested in corruption probe 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. 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 that bank accounts he holds totaling more than $60 million 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 a Senate vote in August to remove her from office. By that time, corruption allegations had forced Cunha to resign. Last month, he was stripped of his congressional seat. Associated Press PHILIPPINES Police van hits, injures anti-U.S. protesters A Philippine police van rammed into protesters, leaving several bloodied, as an anti-U.S. rally turned violent Wednesday at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. The vans driver, police officer Franklin Kho, said he did not deliberately target the protesters but was trying to drive away from them because they were hitting the vehicle with wooden clubs and he feared they would commandeer it and use it to attack other officers. Associated Press TV footage showed the van repeatedly ramming the protesters as it drove wildly back and forth after activists surrounded it and started hitting it with the batons seized from police. At least three student activists were taken to a hospital after they were run over by the van, protest leader Renato Reyes said. More than two dozen officers were injured, police said. Police lobbed tear gas and arrested at least 29 protesters who broke through a line of riot police and hurled red paint at the officers and a U.S. government seal at the start of the rally. The protesters were demanding an end to the presence of visiting U.S. troops in the Philippines and supporting a call by President Rodrigo Duterte for a foreign policy not dependent on the United States, a longtime ally of the Philippines. Associated Press ICC convicts former Congo vice president: The International Criminal Court convicted a former Congolese vice president and four members of his legal team of interfering with witnesses. The verdicts against Jean-Pierre Bemba and his legal team marked the first time the global court has found defendants guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Bemba was convicted and sentenced this year to 18 years in prison for commanding a militia that went on a deadly rampage in the Central African Republic in 2002-2003. He has appealed. Russian lawmakers back suspension of plutonium deal: The lower house of the Russian parliament unanimously approved President Vladimir Putins move to suspend a deal with the United States on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium. Amid growing strains between Moscow and Washington, Putin accused the United States of failing to meet its end of the deal. Under the agreement, each side was set to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium, enough material for about 17,000 nuclear warheads. Troops kill Palestinian woman in confrontation, Israel says: Police said Israeli troops killed a 19-year-old Palestinian woman who approached them with a knife at a West Bank intersection. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the forces ordered the woman to stop and shot in the air before killing her when she kept walking toward them. The incident is the latest in a year-long wave of violence. Saudi Arabia executes prince: Saudi Arabia said it has executed a prince who fatally shot a man in a melee, a rare death sentence carried out against a member of the royal family. The Interior Ministry said it executed Prince Turki bin Saud bin Turki bin Saud al-Kabeer in Riyadh. It did not say how the sentence was carried out. Saudi Arabia is among the worlds top executioners. From news services Sasha Chanoff is founder and executive director of the nonprofit RefugePoint. The opinions expressed here are his own; he is not speaking on behalf of RefugePoint. There has been a great deal of concern about the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program. Are we letting terrorists into the United States? How much do we know about the Syrians being admitted? Is our vetting process strict enough? For more than two decades, Ive devoted my professional life to refugee resettlement, working and collaborating with nongovernmental organizations, the U.N. Refugee Agency and the U.S. government. Now I lead one of the few global agencies involved both with refugee resettlement for displaced communities and in the policy sphere. Here are the facts: First, we handpick refugees to be considered for resettlement. Our staff gets to know these refugees over a long period before we make a decision that an individual or family should be considered for resettlement. We regularly visit them where they live and often show up unannounced. We get to know them much better than I know most of my neighbors. Second, the most at risk are identified. The U.N. Refugee Agency, which works hand in hand with governments, has resettlement criteria to help distinguish those whose needs are most urgent. The categories include people in danger, those with life-threatening medical conditions, survivors of torture, vulnerable women and unaccompanied children. Third, refugees go through multiple interviews and security checks. Once we are certain that individuals should have a chance to resettle, we conduct in-depth interviews, gathering their history of persecution, the reasons they cant return home, the threats they face and extensive biographical information. Additional staff members with extensive backgrounds in law and immigration consult on each case during this initial identification and referral step. Once a case dossier is complete, it gets submitted to a U.S. embassy. At this point, the U.S. resettlement process begins. A U.S. government-contracted agency then conducts multiple additional interviews of individuals regarding their history of flight and persecution and to gather further biographical details. People trained to detect fraud and inconsistencies do these interviews to consider the veracity of the story from different perspectives. A refugees appearance is cross-referenced with the U.N. Refugee Agency photo taken at the time the person registered as a refugee in the country of asylum (often many years before the resettlement process starts). Then the U.S. government sends an adjudication officer from the Department of Homeland Security who is specially trained on conditions in the refugees home country and in fraud detection. Officers sometimes interview family members separately as one of many tactics for discerning the truth. They bring a hard-line security orientation to the process. Our authorities cross-check what refugees say against extensive data available. If conditionally approved for resettlement, a refugee then goes through background checks with the FBI and all 15 other national security agencies, along with the National Counterterrorism Center and the Defense Department. Refugees also undergo a health screening, and those with communicable diseases are generally held back until they are fully treated. The entire resettlement process takes an average of two to three years, and security checks are rerun continuously throughout this time. The process stops if new information comes to light. No other category of immigrants goes through such an intensive review. You might well call this the strictest vetting. Our government has not been lax about this. The program is not run by incompetent government people, as some appear to believe. The United States has brought in 3.3 million refugees since 1975, including some 800,000 since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. They are not terrorists, and you have a better chance of getting killed by lightning than being harmed by a refugee carrying out such an attack. Rather, refugees have started businesses and helped to revive depressed downtown areas in places such as Lewiston, Maine; St. Louis; and Utica, N.Y. As U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said, Perhaps no issue on the global agenda is more susceptible to grandstanding demagogues than that of refugees . . . Us versus them is a timeless, irresponsible unifier used to obscure our common humanity by those with dangerously self-serving interests. A global refugee crisis is unfolding on a scale that we have never seen before. Some 65 million people have been displaced by violence. We can resettle more than the 12,500 Syrians who have arrived this year. It is not our capacity or our security systems that are being tested; it is us and our deepest beliefs. Do we stand for justice, freedom, inclusiveness and other values that underpin the United States leadership in the world? Are we or are we not a decent people? VIKTOR ORBAN, Hungarys autocratically inclined prime minister, suffered a string of political embarrassments recently. A referendum he heavily promoted on blocking the entry of refugees to the Central European country failed after a majority of voters heeded opposition calls to either stay away from the polls or spoil their ballots. Meanwhile, the countrys most important opposition newspaper was publishing exposes about corruption in his government, including the hiring by the central bank governor of his mistress and the use by the communications minister of a helicopter to attend a wedding. On Oct. 8, publication of the paper, the 60-year-old Nepszabadsag, was abruptly suspended and its website was shut down. Its 50-odd journalists were locked out of their email accounts. Its owner of record, a Vienna-based businessman, blamed financial losses. But the journalists and their defenders in Hungarys beleaguered opposition suspect the paper is the latest victim of Mr. Orbans drive to stifle opposition and consolidate what he has called illiberal democracy. Though the ruling party denied responsibility, its co-chairman declared that it was high time Nepszabadsag shut down unexpectedly. Control of the media has been a key strategic goal of Mr. Orban since his election in 2010. His government passed a media law imposing sweeping restrictions, but following scathing criticism from the European Union, of which Hungary is an increasingly fractious member, it has hesitated to enforce it. Instead Mr. Orban has acted more indirectly. State television channels have been turned into propaganda instruments, as has the state news agency, which now distributes its content gratis. Government advertising is used strategically to prop up pro-Orban publications while starving those that dissent. As in Russia and Venezuela, some outlets have been bought by businessmen close to the government, who then turn them into official mouthpieces. Nepszabadsags journalists suspect that they may the victims of such a manipulation, though they lack proof. They argue that the economic causes cited by their owner of record dont add up: The company was said to be profitable just a year ago, and the staff and website of the newspaper had been expanded in recent months. A downturn could have been countered with layoffs or other cutbacks; instead the paper was shuttered days after embarrassing Mr. Orbans propaganda chief. The bottom line is that one of the last media outlets willing to expose corruption and challenge Mr. Orbans abuses of power is gone. A country that belongs to two of the worlds most exclusive democratic clubs the E.U. and NATO now has only one major newspaper, one radio station, one television network and a handful of websites that offer critical coverage of the government. Mr. Orban is close to establishing his regime as an autocratic political alternative inside the West. He should not be allowed to succeed. Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump on Oct. 19 in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump on Oct. 19 in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) In the middle of the Strip, a few blocks from the hulking Trump International Hotel, the famous Mirage Volcano has been delighting tourists for 27 years with its faux eruptions, spewing fire, smoke and water 100 feet into the air. A small sign at the volcanos base announces, Volcano show eruptions Sunday through Thursday, 8 pm and 9 pm. But there were a series of additional eruptions in Las Vegas on Wednesday night at the third and final presidential debate here. Donald Trump erupted at 6:30 p.m. local time. And 6:34. And 6:48. And 6:52. And 6:54. And then, at 7:06, the crater blew off, leaving a gaping caldera where Trumps presidential campaign once stood. Fox Newss Chris Wallace, the moderator, asked Trump whether he would absolutely accept the result of this election. I will look at it at the time, Trump said, suggesting that what Ive seen is so bad in terms of corruption. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said, "I'll keep you in suspense," when answering a question about the tradition of the loser accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post) But sir, Wallace persisted, admirably reminding Trump that one of the prides of this country is the peaceful transition of power and that no matter how hard-fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign that the loser concedes to the winner. Wallace asked again: Are you saying youre not prepared now to commit to that principle? I will tell you at the time, Trump replied. Ill keep you in suspense, okay? Suspense? The refusal to accept this bedrock principle of democracy was shocking, even for a candidate who had told audiences about a rigged and stolen election. And it should pour hot lava on any notion that Trump is going to revive his candidacy in the final 20 days. [Trumps breathtaking repudiation of American democracy] Ironically, Trump had tried to keep his magma cool and he succeeded for the first half-hour of the debate. Wallace kept the focus firmly on policy, and Trump and Hillary Clinton gave the voters a lot of what theyve asked for during the campaign: talk about the Second Amendment, abortion policy, immigration, nuclear weapons. But gradually, with Clintons baiting, Trump began to rumble. On Clintons accusation that hes Vladimir Putins puppet: No puppet. No puppet. Youre the puppet! 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas View Photos Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate in Las Vegas. Caption Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate before election. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. On Clinton generally: Shes been proven to be a liar in so many different ways, this is just another lie. Gradually, the interruptions increased. Wrong! he said when Clinton justifiably said he had been cavalier about nuclear weapons. Wrong! he said when Clinton correctly noted that he mocked a disabled reporter. When Clinton tried to translate something Trump had said, he blurted out: You cant! When Wallace asked a tough question, Trump interrupted to pronounce the moderator correct. But it was when the topic turned to his treatment of women that Trump truly began to spew molten rock. Give me a break! Trump interjected when Clinton mentioned, correctly, that he had called former Miss Universe Alicia Machado an eating machine. He said the nine women who accused him of sexual misconduct were spouting lies and fiction and trying to get their 10 minutes of fame. He said, without evidence, that the accusers were probably brought out by Clinton and her sleazy campaign. Declared Trump, I didnt even apologize to my wife, whos sitting right here, because I didnt do anything. Trump needed to change the race in a big way Wednesday night. Clinton leads Trump nationally by an average of seven points in polls, and The Posts surveys of 15 battleground states show Clinton with a significant lead in states that together add up to 304 electoral votes, to Trumps 138. Ed Rollins, the head of the pro-Trump Great America super PAC, told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham that it would take a miracle at this point for Trump to win the election. [Unable to control himself, Trump confirms everyones worst fears] If he is to have any hope of winning, Trump needs to expand his appeal to a broader swath of the electorate. But Trump, rather than taking the race in a new direction, decided to do what hes done before when his back is to the wall: lash out with fury. He set the tone for the last debate by inviting President Obamas half brother, a Trump backer, to the debate, along with the mother who accuses Clinton of murdering her son in Benghazi and a woman who just accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault. At first and probably because Wallace chose to begin the debate with substantive issues of policy Trump was uncharacteristically mild, even as Hillary Clinton tried to needle him. Clinton noted that when I was in the Situation Room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice. When Trump mentioned that he was staying at his beautiful hotel in Las Vegas, the Trump International, Clinton shot back: Made with Chinese steel. Clinton mocked Trumps charitable foundation for buying a six-foot portrait of Donald. I mean, who does that? Clinton gradually got under Trumps skin, and he returned to his bombastic form: Shes lied hundreds of times. . . . Her crooked campaign . . . She caused the violence. Such a nasty woman! Trump blurted out in the waning moments of the debate. But Trump did nothing to reduce the likelihood that this nasty woman will beat him on Nov. 8 whether or not he accepts the results. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Yale University students and supporters participate in a march to demonstrate against what they see as racial insensitivity at the school. (Ryan Flynn/Associated Press) A specter is haunting academia, the specter of specters ghosts, goblins and cultural appropriation through insensitive Halloween costumes. Institutions of higher education are engaged in the low comedy of avoiding the agonies of Yale University. Last October, the university was rocked to its 315-year-old foundations by the wife of a residential college master (a title subsequently expunged from Yales vocabulary lest it trigger traumas by reminding people that slavery once existed). In response to a university memorandum urging students to wear culturally sensitive costumes e.g., no sombreros she wrote an email saying it should be permissible for young people to be inappropriate, provocative or even offensive because the ability to tolerate offense is a hallmark of a free and open society. After the dust settled from this, she and her husband left the residential college. And Yale had trampled in the dust the noble legacy of its 1975 Woodward Report. Named for the chairman of the committee that produced it, historian C. Vann Woodward, the report was written after Yales awkward handling of some controversial speakers. Reaffirming freedom of expressions superior importance to other laudable principles and values, the report said: Without sacrificing its central purpose, [a university] cannot make its primary and dominant value the fostering of friendship, solidarity, harmony, civility or mutual respect. . . . It will never let these values, important as they are, override its central purpose. That purpose, as Hanna Holborn Gray, a former president of the University of Chicago, once said, is not to make young adults comfortable, it is to make them think. Since 1975, however, universities have embraced the doctrine that speech that offends people actually harms them, mentally and even physically. The decision to treat young adults as fragile and perpetually vulnerable to victimization coincided with academias turn away from the world: Fifty years ago, student assertiveness concerned momentous issues of war and civil rights. Today, students have macro tantrums about micro-aggressions (e.g., sombreros). Time was, students rebelled against universities acting in loco parentis . Today, they welcome having their sexual and other social interactions minutely subjected to government regulations administered by Pecksniffs with PhDs. Fortunately, the Chronicle of Higher Education reports that some schools are having second thoughts about their bias-response teams, which spring into action when someone says that someone has said something offensive. These schools have noticed the obvious: When such teams elevate campus harmony as the supreme value, they become civility enforcers with a chilling effect on speech. Americas great research universities are the ornaments of Western civilization, so their descent into authoritarianism and infantilization matters. Because conservatives are largely absent from faculties, and conservative students are regarded as a rebarbative presence, many conservatives welcome academias marginalization of itself by behavior that invites ridicule. But universities are squandering the cultural patrimony that conservatism exists to conserve. And what happens on campuses does not stay on campuses. According to the Pew Research Center, American millennials (ages 18 to 34) are far more likely than older generations to say the government should be able to prevent people from saying offensive statements about minority groups. Forty percent of this cohort think government should be empowered to jettison much constitutional law concerning the First Amendment in order to censor speech offensive to minority groups. Gerard Alexander, a University of Virginia political scientist, argues in National Affairs quarterly that a universitys permanent population, the faculty, is secure in the tenure system and maintains its monochrome intellectual culture by hiring from a PhD pipeline that young conservatives are understandably reluctant to enter. He could have added that faculties ideological tendencies are reinforced by peer review of publications. Schools, Alexander notes, have applied millions of hours of work to the priority of improving racial, ethnic and gender diversity. Viewpoint diversity could be elevated to similar prominence and urgency. This would improve scholarship, especially in the humanities and social sciences. Their research concerns economic behavior, the meaning and importance of classic literature, which social problems matter most and the evidence about ways of addressing them, how to evaluate different ethical positions and legal systems, and which aspects of history most merit study. Viewpoint diversity in faculties would, Alexander argues, at least pit one scholars susceptibility to confirmation bias the tendency to seek, and be receptive to, evidence that buttresses ones beliefs against anothers different bias. Academia just now needs a reminder akin to Florence Nightingales terse axiom that whatever else hospitals might do, they should not spread disease. Universities, as the word suggests, have many missions, but becoming safe spaces for faculty and student juvenility is not among them. Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook. It is the nature of extreme partisanship to turn honest disagreements into alternative realities. The representatives of our own ideological team must always be good and beautiful, strong and surging. Admission of facts inconsistent with this premise is taken as disloyalty. The third presidential debate was a perfect test of this tendency. Republicans who contend that Donald Trump was the winner are on their fourth Kool-Aid martini. For the first half-hour, Trump appearing alternately sedate and sedated managed (briefly) to sound like a Republican by asserting basic conservative policies and principles. It was jarring to be reminded that Hillary Clinton strongly supports the legality of late-term abortions, a real streak of extremism. It was useful to be reminded that gun control in Chicago has hardly been a smashing success. But the 30-minute mark was the limit of Trumps strategy, patience, knowledge, responsibility and stability. The remainder was a rout. Clintons debate performance was a reminder that she must have been a formidable lawyer while in practice. She built her anti-Trump case calmly and systematically, using Trumps own words and views as jabs before tough punches of accusation. Vladimir Putin would rather have a puppet as president of the United States. And: Theres only one of us on this stage whos actually shipped jobs to Mexico. And: Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. The most ironic moment of the evening was when Trump said, This has been such an incredible education for me. As far as I can tell, Trump displays no growth in skills or knowledge compared with early GOP primary debates. His responses to attacks No puppet! No puppet! Youre the puppet! are still of schoolyard quality. His judgment of others is still shaped by a bottomless neediness. When the topic of Putin was raised, Trumps initial reaction was not to criticize Russias external aggression or internal oppression. It was: He said nice things about me. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not say such nice things, making her the enemy. At this late stage, it is worth stating bluntly: When it comes to the issues any American president would face, Trump is a shockingly ignorant man. He can state a position on the Second Amendment or Obamacare, but he is unprepared to make actual arguments. He bluffs through questions on campaign finance and foreign policy (Mosul is so sad) as though the dog really did eat his homework. What explains his pervasive shallowness? Laziness? Lack of curiosity? Who knows? But I have honestly met precocious high school students with more civic and policy knowledge than Trump displayed during the final presidential debate. The justification that he is not a career politician does not excuse an inability to learn. Factual or not? Here's a look at the top claims from the third and final Clinton-Trump presidential debate. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) The Las Vegas debate sharpened an important distinction the gap between disagreement and disqualification. I disagree strongly with Clinton on tax policy and Iran policy. But it is disqualifying for a presidential nominee to brag about his techniques of sexual assault, and then have several credible victims describe how he allegedly carried these methods into practice. Trump dismissed these accusations as largely debunked, but saying it doesnt make it so. It is disqualifying to dismiss or play down Russian espionage directed toward influencing a presidential election, especially when you are the one it is designed to help. How in the world did Trumps revival of American nationalism become a common cause with Russian hackers and WikiLeakss Julian Assange? And it is disqualifying for a presidential candidate to encourage distrust of our electoral system as an electoral strategy, while refusing to pledge acceptance of a democratic verdict. Trumps joke on this topic Ill keep you in suspense is symbolic of his superficiality. Belief in the fairness of our electoral system was hard-won, through a long history of strife and courage. But Trump cannot feel the weight of a history he does not seem to know. With the final debate over, two points are particularly evident. First, a serious GOP candidate would probably be winning this election, which was forfeited the moment Trump became the nominee. And second, an authoritarian populist with serious abilities might have a disturbingly large audience in 21st-century America. Imagine a Trump-like figure with the political skills of Bill Clinton or Tony Blair, feeding and riding the backlash against rapid economic and social change. It is the first time in my political lifetime that I have seen fragility at the heart of American democracy. And that glimpse should shock us back to a more civil and responsible politics. Read more from Michael Gersons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook . DONALD TRUMP showed a bit more self-control in the third and final presidential debate Wednesday night than he had in the previous two. His back and forth with Hillary Clinton was more substantive, thanks in part to firm guidance from moderator Chris Wallace. But all of that was overshadowed by Mr. Trumps breathtaking refusal to say that he will accept the results of the election. I will look at it at the time, he said. The media is so dishonest and so corrupt . . . they poison the minds of the voters . . . She should never have been allowed to run for the presidency. Ms. Clinton rightly called his stance a horrifying repudiation of U.S. democracy. Respecting the will of the voters has since the end of the Civil War allowed for a peaceful transition of power that has made this country the envy of the world. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said, "I'll keep you in suspense," when answering a question about the tradition of accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post) Next to that, policy issues seem small. Yet the policy discussion was clarifying also, exposing as it did Mr. Trumps ignorance of or is it distaste for? facts and policy. He again insisted that the North American Free Trade Agreement has sucked jobs from the country, when economists have found otherwise. He indicated the debt would take care of itself under his economic plan because we will have created a tremendous economic machine, which is pure snake oil. Incoherently, he attacked Ms. Clinton for favoring open borders but also favoring a border wall. [Unable to control himself, Trump confirms everyones worst fears] In another striking moment, Mr. Trump denied that the Russian government has been meddling in this election, refusing to accept the judgment of the countrys intelligence community. Ms. Clinton said the most important question was whether Mr. Trump would acknowledge Moscows interference. Mr. Trump at first declined to do so, saying he doubted the reports by U.S. intelligence agencies. He avoided any criticism of Russias Vladimir Putin, repeatedly insisting it would be good to get along with Russia, with no mention of Russias invasion of Ukraine and other actions that have made getting along difficult. As if to prove Ms. Clintons point that Mr. Trump would withdraw U.S. leadership from the world to Mr. Putins delight the Republican nominee doubled down on his insistence that NATO countries and other allies have to pay up, and he absurdly took credit for forcing reforms on the decades-old alliance. Ms. Clinton, by contrast, insisted that the United States benefits from engagement in the world, which used to be a consensus view on presidential debate stages. When Mr. Wallace turned to the scandals that have dominated the past month, Mr. Trump incorrectly insisted that the women who have come forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct have been debunked. [In the third debate, Donald Trump erupts] 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas View Photos Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate in Las Vegas. Caption Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate before election. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Ms. Clinton managed to dodge some questions, including on communications that took place between the Clinton Foundation and the State Department under her leadership. She rightly said that she would not worsen the national debt as Mr. Trump would, but she could not refute Mr. Wallaces point that she has no plan to reduce it. She had no clear answer on how she could impose a no-fly zone over Syrian airspace now controlled by Russia. These are gaps that would have been probed and tested in a normal campaign. They fade to the status of trivia in the face of an opponent who will not accept the basic rules of American democracy. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post It was a two-track debate. At times, it was the setting for a detailed argument over serious issues in which Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump offered voters a relatively straightforward clash of progressive and conservative perspectives. But this is 2016, and eventually the third and final debate on Wednesday reached the fundamental issue of the campaign: whether Trump is fit to be president. Despite her substantial lead in the polls, Clinton did not hang back, as many predicted she would. Instead, she pressed Trump sharply on the entire catalogue of his shortcomings, accusing him of being a puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin and denouncing his treatment of women, his mocking a disabled reporter and his habit of saying that any contest he loses is rigged against him. And she clearly signaled one of the closing themes of her campaign when she declared that Trump had shown a pattern of divisiveness, of a very dark and . . . dangerous vision for our country. The election, she said, was about what kind of country are we going to be. Trump drew from his own arsenal of favored attacks on Clinton, from the work of the Clinton Foundation to her use of a private email server and her role in the Obama administrations foreign policy. Shes been proven to be a liar, Trump said. [Trumps breathtaking repudiation of American democracy] Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Had the exchanges come down to an ideological fight and simple tit-for-tat, fire and counterfire, it might have constituted a kind of victory for Trump, given his polling deficit and his gaffes and lies in his earlier debate performances. But as the debate wore on, Trump once again left behind moments that will only reinforce the doubts many voters already have about him. Repeatedly, he refused to disown Putin, and he once again praised him relative to both Clinton and President Obama. She doesnt like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way, he said. He did himself no good when he accused the nine women who have said he groped and accosted them of being liars, motivated by a desire for fame. And again and again, when Clinton repeated things that Trump had actually said, he simply denied saying them, providing fact-checkers with another rich Trumpian trove. From the start, Chris Wallace, the moderator in Las Vegas, tried to press Clinton and Trump on a series of specific issues what sort of justices they would nominate, how they viewed the Constitution, where they stood on abortion rights and gun control. In each case, they stressed themes congenial to their core constituencies. Clinton strongly endorsed Roe v. Wade, sharply attacked the Citizens United decision that undercut campaign finance restrictions and stressed that she wanted justices who would stand with ordinary citizens against the wealthy and the powerful. Trump began with his commitment to the Second Amendment and gun rights and kept coming back to the issue. Although Wallace pressed him repeatedly, Trump refused to say if he wanted Roe overturned, though he predicted that because his Supreme Court appointees would be pro-life, Roe would fall. Although Trump no doubt pleased opponents of abortion, Clinton showed passion in the exchange, while Trump seemed to be answering by rote. [In the third debate, Donald Trump erupts] Oddly for a campaign in which immigration is a central issue, the third debate was the first in which voters were exposed to an extended look at their sharply different approaches. But since nothing in this campaign is ever destined to look like the Oxford Union or any other stately discussion of public problems, the first track was overwhelmed by the second. Trumps obvious purpose was to shake voters away from Clinton. And if Clinton was trying to drive up turnout her fervor on abortion rights and gun control no doubt helped her with women and liberals Trump may have been attempting to drive it down, figuring that in a smaller electorate, his committed voters would give him a better chance of prevailing. Yet Trump suffered from what he always suffers from: an inability to control his anger or stop himself from interrupting, which only reinforced undecided voters worst perceptions of him. The most important moment of the evening was Trumps refusal to say that if he lost, he would accept the outcome: I will look at it at the time, he said. I will keep you in suspense. Never has a candidate for president challenged the legitimacy of the entire electoral enterprise in which he was engaged. Clintons core claim is that Trump is a dangerous man who lacks respect for American institutions and American democracy. On this central issue, Trump chose to prove Clinton right. Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Armstrong Williams is a media entrepreneur and political commentator. This month marks two historic occasions: the inauguration of the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the Mall and the 25th anniversary of the confirmation of Clarence Thomas as the second black Supreme Court justice. Ideally, the two historic moments should converge in a celebration of the journey of progress of African Americans up from slavery to their rightful place among the pantheon of American life and culture. But its obvious that wont be the case. The museum noticeably snubs Thomas, mentioning him only briefly within the context of a reference to his accuser, Anita Hill, another groundbreaking black lawyer. Hill appeared at Thomass 1991 confirmation hearings and reported lewd behavior directed toward her by the nominee, who was her boss at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission while Thomas chaired the agency. As those who fought in that battle recall, Hills allegations caused quite a media furor over Thomass fitness for the high court a firestorm Thomas famously called a high-tech lynching. The wounds of that bruising confirmation have apparently not completely healed during the intervening quarter-century. In chronicling the impressive strides black people have made since the civil rights movement, the museum covers the achievements of Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, and of course the historic election of Barack Obama. But for some reason, there is no direct reference to Thomas, whose compelling personal journey from humble roots in Pin Point, Ga., to the nations highest court helped to pave the way for many black Americans including President Obama who rose to power after him. No matter your view of Thomass conservative politics, it is simply undeniable that his record of jurisprudence on the Supreme Court over the past 25 years makes him one of the most important black figures of the post-civil rights era. While Thomas has not presented himself as a race leader per se hes much like Obama in that regard the very fact that he wields the quiet power of the court and helps to settle so many of the nations most contentious and complex legal controversies cements his place in African American history. Thomas must be given his due. Like him or not and personally I admire him very much he has been a groundbreaking advocate of the textualist approach to constitutional interpretation, perhaps even exceeding the record of the late justice Antonin Scalia. He has meticulously sought to remove what he regards as barnacles that have attached themselves to American law over the years. One of the most notable examples was his 2005 dissent in Kelo v. City of New London, a case in which the majority stretched to extremes the plain meaning of the Constitution to affirm the power of a local government, in cahoots with private developers, to seize and demolish the homes of citizens indeed an entire thriving neighborhood to make way for a corporate office complex. Thomas has authored many important opinions, but Kelo should stand out for African Americans because it was written in dissent. Moral dissent has been a hallmark of the contribution of African Americans to the American social fabric. The African American Museum serves as a testament and visible reminder of this tradition seen early on in the patriotism of Crispus Attucks (the first person to die in the American Revolution) and that courses through the dissenting voice of David Walkers radical appeal against slavery in 1829, on to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail and beyond. Thomass jurisprudence fits perfectly within the revolutionary African American tradition of speaking truth to power. It is something of an irony, then, that Thomas was left out of the African American Museum because of what can only be his principled dissent from the political orthodoxy of todays African American leadership. By erasing Thomas in this way, however, the curators of the museum have done a grave disservice to the legacy of the African American experience in this country. And by denying Thomas a rightful place among the pantheon of African American achievers and strivers, they also deny themselves the very legitimacy they are seeking by erecting a monument in the heart of the nations capital. The battle for Mosul will soon demonstrate that the key to success against the Islamic State is not that Washington should have surprised itor bombed the hell out of it. About 100,000 coalition forces are involved in helping to liberate the city, backed by formidable U.S. air power. They will face at most 5,000 Islamic State fighters. The struggle might be bloody, but the coalition will win. The problem: A battlefield victory could be irrelevant. When Donald Trump rails against the Obama administration for having signaled its intention to retake Mosul, he is, as usual, ill-informed. Perhaps he has in mind a few vivid examples of surprise attacks, such as the D-Day invasion at Normandy in 1944. But those are unusual cases. Nazi Germany knew that the allies were going to invade at some point, but since it occupied almost all of Europe, it couldnt know where the invasion would take place. Britain and the United States worked hard to make the Nazis think they would land in Calais or even enter from the Balkans. The Islamic State, on the other hand, controls only a handful of towns and one large city in Iraq. From the day it took Mosul,it knew that the Iraqi army would try to take it back. Given the desert topography, there are only a few open paths by which to approach the city. This lack of surprise is the norm in warfare. (Think of Operation Desert Storm, when the United States slowly massed half a million troops over months to fight Iraq.) Most of the truly successful examples of surprise involve an unexpected invasion of a country such as the Nazi blitzkrieg on Poland in 1939. The real challenge for the coalition is to ensure that in retaking Mosul, it does not set off the same sectarian dynamics that led to the citys fall in the first place. Remember, Mosul is majority-Sunni. The reason it fell so easily in 2014 was that its residents had been misruled and abused by Iraqs Shiite government under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. As a result, when confronting a choice between Shiite militias and the Islamic State, they either sided with the jihadists or remained passive. Over the past two years, Iraqi forces often Shiite militias have liberated some Sunni towns, such as Fallujah, and then embarked on a new round of bloodletting. From the perspective of the Shiites, they are engaging in extreme vetting to ensure that Islamic State sympathizers are weeded out. But Sunni residents feel that they are being rounded up, presumed guilty, and denied entry back into their homes and neighborhoods. The complex military battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State has begun. Here is what you need to know about the ancient Iraqi city. (Ishaan Tharoor, Kareem Fahim, Jason Aldag/The Washington Post) The root cause for the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is political the discontent of Sunnis in the region, who see themselves as ruled by two anti-Sunni regimes in Baghdad and Damascus. Some of this is the resentment of a population that believes it should be in power, and some is a response to genuine persecution. In any event, without addressing the discontent, the Islamic State will never stay defeated. When Mosul fell, many experts, including within the Obama administration, wanted Washington to rush to the aid of the Iraq government. But President Obama resisted these calls because he understood that the underlying problem was sectarian. He insisted that the Iraqi government fundamentally change its attitude toward the Sunnis in effect, demanding that Maliki resign. Only when that happened and a new, more conciliatory leader emerged did the United States agree to militarily support the Baghdad government. Every country wants a free ride. Most governments would be happy if the United States would fight their battles for them with no strings attached. In the Arab world in particular, this disease is widespread. Coalitions signed on to fight in Syria but with a few exceptions very quickly became inactive, leaving all the heavy lifting to the United States. Some argue that the answer is to publicly shame and harangue allies. That hasnt worked in the past and is unlikely to in the future. The only strategy that seems effective is for Washington to signal that it will not pick up the slack and mean it. It was only when it became clear that the Obama administration really would not help Iraq unless the government changed course that Maliki resigned. This strategy of forcing others to take action was once described by an Obama official as leading from behind, and, although the phrase is unfortunate, the idea is exactly right. In this case, it is only the Arabs who can address the sectarian dynamic by engaging in genuine reconciliation and power-sharing. The United States can help in this process, but only if these countries and their leaders actually want to help themselves. Read more from Fareed Zakarias archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. [October 20, 2016] Telefonica Group selects Xura as a global messaging partner WAKEFIELD, Mass., Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xura, Inc., a leading provider of digital communications services, today announced an agreement with the Telefonica Group to become a global messaging partner across all countries1 operated by the multinational. As part of the agreement, Xura will deploy its Message Controller (MCO) solution across Telefonicas network, providing an advanced, multifunctional messaging platform that will play a key role in the evolution of the operators messaging infrastructure. Enabling SMS and MMS services for the Telefonica Group, Xura Message Controller can also be used as the launchpad for future IP-based services, and will provide a wide range of intelligent routing functions and scenario analysis for triggering sophisticated message handling and optimizing traffic. Additionally, with Xura Message Controller, Telefonica ill activate Xuras next generation SMS firewall including its SpamShield module, implementing real-time spam and fraud detection techniques, unique self-learning algorithms and providing a deep understanding of the network. Xura Message Controller will flexibly integrate within Telefonicas overall networking ecosystem to reduce complexity and provide optimal efficiency for greater return on investment (ROI) and, because the solution is fully virtualized, it can be deployed in an NFV (Network Function Virtualization) environment, improving efficiency and lowering costs. "Our partnership with the Telefonica Group spans more than ten years, so we are extremely pleased to close this exclusive agreement that reinforces our long-standing relationship. Not only will this messaging framework future-proof Telefonicas messaging infrastructure but the new scope will mean we can secure their networks and protect them against fraudulent activity, as well as support them as they migrate to NFV, said Philippe Tartavull, Chief Executive Officer at Xura, Inc. 1 Exclusivity for Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, Mexico, Uruguay, Peru, Spain and Germany. Telefonica Brazil (Vivo) and UK (O2) are not included in the agreements exclusivity clause. About Xura, Inc. Xura, Inc. offers a portfolio of digital services solutions that enable global communications across a variety of mobile devices and platforms. We help communication service providers and enterprises navigate and monetize the digital ecosystem to create innovative, new experiences through our cloud-based offerings. Our solutions touch more than three billion people through 350+ service providers and enterprises in 140+ countries. You can find us at Xura.com. Media Contact: Maria Hudson Xura [email protected] +44 7967813429 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] During the third presidential debate, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she is happy to compare the record of her Republican opponent Donald Trump with hers. (The Washington Post) During the third presidential debate, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she is happy to compare the record of her Republican opponent Donald Trump with hers. (The Washington Post) Hillary Clinton received a pointed question during the final debate that echoed a criticism she has faced for months: Was her familys global charity a pay-to-play arrangement in which donors got special favors from her State Department? She did not initially respond with a direct yes or no. Well, everything I did as secretary of state was in furtherance of our countrys interests and our values, she said as she went on to list a number of Clinton Foundation achievements such as distributing HIV medication. When moderator Chris Wallace asked her again, Clinton responded that theres no evidence but was cut off as Wallace turned to Republican nominee Donald Trump, who railed against the foundation for taking money from foreign countries hostile to women and gays. Its a criminal enterprise, Trump said, adding later: Why dont you give back the money? Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) The exchange illustrated an often-overlooked aspect of Clintons otherwise strong performance through her three encounters with Trump, in which she showed discomfort in the face of scrutiny about her record and struggled at times to provide crisp, clear answers about the controversies and policy positions that have dogged her for months. Clinton demonstrated more deftness Wednesday night in dealing with touchy issues such as trade that have tripped her up in the previous debates. Nonetheless, Clinton was pushed repeatedly to defend positions she had taken in support of a no-fly zone in Syria and enhancing border security. Taken cumulatively, the debates have revealed real weaknesses on the part of the Democratic nominee that could nag at her in the campaigns final days and, if she wins, hamper her ability to pull the country together and govern effectively following a long and bitter race. Before Wednesday, her performances did little to turn around the publics largely negative impression of her a handicap that would loom larger in the race if not for the many controversies surrounding Trump. Heading into the final debate, just 36 percent of likely voters said they found her to be honest and trustworthy, according to last weeks Washington Post-ABC poll. Clintons often-lawyerly and halting answers during all three debates could foreshadow challenges ahead should she win the election and face the task of reassuring a skeptical American public and courting a potentially hostile Republican-led Congress. Moreover, a failure to put to rest the controversies that have damaged her standing would only fuel the rationale for congressional investigations and outright hostility from Republicans. When the campaign ends, it will not matter that Trump was just as untrustworthy the burden will be on Clinton to overcome her weaknesses. 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas View Photos Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head to head during the final debate in Las Vegas. Caption Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate before election. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Longer term, shes got to do a better job of articulating her views, said Jim Manley, a longtime Democratic operative and former senior aide to Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.). Its something thats going to continue to haunt her if she doesnt. Clintons aides signaled before Wednesdays debate began that they hoped to use the faceoff here as an opportunity to lay out her vision for the country rather than set more traps for Trump. But Clintons ability to accomplish that goal was undercut by charged exchanges about the Clinton Foundation, embarrassing revelations about her campaign brought to light by the hacked emails published by WikiLeaks, her paid speeches to big banks and continuing questions about her use of a personal email server as secretary of state. At one point, Wallace asked Clinton about her apparent statement during a paid speech to a Brazilian bank in which she said she dreamed of open trade and open borders. I want to clear up your position, Wallace said, then read from a transcript that was among the documents posted by WikiLeaks. Is that your dream, open borders? Well, if you went on to read the rest of the sentence, I was talking about energy, Clinton said before quickly moving on to condemn the role Russians might have played in illicitly bringing the transcript to light. She wants open borders, Trump shot back. People are going to pour into our country. Clintons use of a private email server was a topic Wednesday night, as it has been in previous debates. But Clinton who has given meandering defenses of her conduct in the past largely stayed silent on the issue, even as Trump accused her of having destroyed 33,000 emails criminally, criminally, after getting a subpoena from the United States Congress. Clinton immediately pivoted back to talking about Trumps treatment of women and controversial remarks he has made about other groups of people. Clinton boosters point out that she has always been better-liked while in office than while running for one. When Clinton won a seat to the U.S. Senate from New York, she won over colleagues from both parties by showing an unanticipated work ethic and a willingness to compromise to move legislation forward. It is unclear whether she could replicate that kind of dynamic upon entering the White House. In recent days, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has continued to raise questions about why the FBI did not recommend an indictment of Clinton in its probe of her email setup and said he sees a need for hearings. This is a flashing red light of potential criminality, he told Fox News on the day that allegations surfaced of a proposed quid pro quo between the State Department and the FBI related to classification of Clintons emails. Clintons tendency to offer legalistic responses was perhaps most vividly on display during the first debate, when Trump accused her of flip-flopping on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pending trade deal that Clinton had called the gold standard while serving as secretary of state but came out against in the midst of a heated Democratic nominating contest with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. I was against it once it was finally negotiated and the terms were laid out, Clinton said. The facts are I did say I hoped it would be a good deal, but when it was negotiated . . . which I was not responsible for, I concluded it wasnt. I wrote about that in my book, Clinton added, referring to her 2014 memoir, Hard Choices. During the second debate, Clinton undoubtedly left many viewers scratching their heads when she invoked the name of President Abraham Lincoln to explain her contention that presidents sometimes need both a public and a private negotiating position. Her response opened the door for a memorable zinger from Trump, who derided Clinton for using honest Abe to duck a question. David Weigel in Charlotte contributed to this report. Fox News anchor Chris Wallace repeatedly asked the candidates and the audience to behave at the third and final presidential debate on Oct. 19. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) Fox News anchor Chris Wallace repeatedly asked the candidates and the audience to behave at the third and final presidential debate on Oct. 19. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) Focused and insistent, Chris Wallace plays role of Americas hall monitor Chris Wallace used a soft but insistent touch in moderating the third presidential debate, asking a series of substantive questions that produced fewer verbal fireworks from candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and perhaps the most policy-focused discussion of the vitriol-laced race. It helped that Trump and Clinton remained relatively civil toward each other, with fewer interruptions and less cross talk than in their previous two meetings. As a result, Wallace spent less time policing the candidates than admonishing the audience to keep quiet. Among the broad range of questions Wallace asked from Supreme Court nominations to job creation to the federal budget deficit his query to Trump about accepting the results of the election produced the evenings most newsworthy response. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said, "I'll keep you in suspense," when answering a question about the tradition of accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post) You have been warning that this election is rigged and Hillary Clinton is trying to steal it from you, said Wallace, the host of Fox News Sunday on the Fox broadcast network. Do you make the same commitment [as running mate Mike Pence and daughter Ivanka Trump] that you will accept the results of this election? Trump replied, I will look at it at the time. Quickly following up as the audience rustled, Wallace reminded him that there is a tradition in American presidential races in which the loser of the campaign concedes to the winner. Are you saying that you wont uphold that tradition? Wallace asked. I will tell you at the time, Trump replied. Ill keep you in suspense. Wallace said before the debate that he did not intend to serve as a truth squad to correct misstatements and errors by the candidates, as moderators Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz at times did during the last debate in St. Louis. The laissez-faire approach ceded more time to Clinton and Trump, though arguably it relieved them of giving direct answers to his questions. Did Trump want to see the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, the ruling that upheld the right to abortion? Wallace asked. During the third presidential debate on Oct. 19, moderator Chris Wallace challenged Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for his comments about Aleppo and the Syrian war. (The Washington Post) The Republican nominee said that would be the result of his Supreme Court nominations, but he did not definitively state his support for overturning the law. Wallaces technique to engender discussion was often simple. Why are you right, and hes wrong, he asked on several occasions, reversing the question for each candidate. At one point early on, Wallace did prevent Trump from taking over the debate, asserting his own alpha-male authority by saying: Im not a potted plant. I get to ask the questions. But otherwise the moderator tended to assert himself sparingly, and it was usually to scold the audience at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. At times he seemed to be playing Americas hall monitor. Hold on, folks, he said to the restive attendees at one point. This can very easily get out of control. Quiet, everyone! he said at another point. And when applause threatened to break out during one of Trumps answers, Wallace warned, This doesnt do good for anyone. Following up with Democratic nominee Clinton about her jobs plan, he asked, Your plan is like Obamas plan that produced the slowest growth since 1949. Correct, Trump interjected. Thank you, sir, said Wallace, a bit taken aback by Trumps help. The debate marked the first time that Wallace, the son of legendary CBS newsman Mike Wallace, had ever moderated a presidential debate. He was a co-moderator for several Fox-sponsored Republican debates during the primaries. It was also the first time that an anchor from Fox has been selected for the prestigious role a coup for the network, which underwent a tumultuous summer with the ouster of its co-founder and chairman, Roger Ailes, over sexual harassment allegations. Although Trumps feud with Wallaces Fox colleague Megyn Kelly has been far more high profile, Wallace has had his own run-ins with the Republican nominee during the campaign. During the first Republican primary debate in August 2015, for example, Wallace drew Trumps ire by asking about his bankruptcies. Afterward, Trump commented bitterly, The son is only a tiny fraction of Mike, believe me. At a later debate, Wallace challenged Trump on his plan to reduce the federal deficit. Your numbers dont add up, he told Trump, to applause from the audience. For his part, Trump has avoided interviews with Wallace, who has a reputation for being a tough but fair questioner (and has been called, in a memorable New York Times headline this year, the in-house moderate at Fox News). Trump has instead appeared on more hospitable Fox programs, such as the Fox & Friends morning show and those hosted by Sean Hannity and Bill OReilly. Although handing moderator duties to another Fox personality might have generated controversy, at least among Democrats, Wallaces appointment by the independent Commission on Presidential Debates last month raised no major complaints, attesting to his reputation for fairness. Wallace ably demonstrated that evenhanded approach on Wednesday night. Republican presidential nominee said he will accept the results of the election if he wins, at a rally on Oct. 20 in Delaware, Ohio. (The Washington Post) Republican presidential nominee said he will accept the results of the election if he wins, at a rally on Oct. 20 in Delaware, Ohio. (The Washington Post) A wave of apprehension and anguish swept the Republican Party on Thursday, with many GOP leaders alarmed by Donald Trumps refusal to accept the outcome of the election and concluding that it is probably too late to salvage his flailing presidential campaign. As the Republican nominee reeled from a turbulent performance in the final debate here in Las Vegas, his partys embattled senators and House members scrambled to protect their seats and preserve the GOPs congressional majorities against what Republicans privately acknowledge could be a landslide victory for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. With less than three weeks until the election, the Republican Party is in a state of historic turmoil, encapsulated by Trumps extraordinary debate declaration that he would leave the nation in suspense about whether he would recognize the results from an election he has claimed will be rigged or even stolen. The immediate responses from GOP officials were divergent and vague, with no clear strategy on how to handle Trumps threat. The candidate was defiant and would not back away from his position, telling a roaring crowd Thursday in Ohio that he would accept the results if I win and reserving his right to legally challenge the results should he fall short. For seasoned Republicans who have watched Trump warily as a general-election candidate, the aftermath of Wednesdays debate brought a feeling of finality. 1 of 28 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Here are some of the Republicans who cut ties with Trump after lewd remarks View Photos Following a Friday report by The Washington Post on a 2005 video of the GOP presidential nominee, various Republicans have said they no longer plan to vote for him and some call for him to drop out. Caption Following a Friday report by The Washington Post on a 2005 video of the GOP presidential nominee, various Republicans have said they no longer plan to vote for him and some call for him to drop out. Sen. John McCain Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) joined the cavalcade of Republicans withdrawing their support for Trump. There are no excuses for Donald Trumps offensive and demeaning comments in the just released video; no woman should ever be victimized by this kind of inappropriate behavior. He alone bears the burden of his conduct and alone should suffer the consequences, McCain said in a statement. Susan Walsh/AP Wait 1 second to continue. The campaign is over, said Steve Schmidt, a Trump critic and former senior strategist on George W. Bushs and John McCains presidential campaigns. Calling a refusal to accept the election results disqualifying, Schmidt added: The question is, how close will Clinton get to 400 electoral votes? Shell be north of 350, and shes trending towards 400 and the trend line is taking place in very red states like Georgia, Texas and Arizona. [At third debate, Trump won't commit to accepting election results if he loses] Clinton and Trump appeared together and traded jabs in delivering mostly lighthearted roasts Thursday night at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, a white-tie gala benefiting Catholic charities. The candidates used searing humor to taunt each other, reflecting the personal animus on display in the debates. Trumps routine was at times unsettling, drawing some rare boos from the audience. Held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, the dinner is a traditional event on the calendar for presidential nominees. Meanwhile, top Democrats fanned out to battleground states on Thursday to hammer Trump for what they described as an unprecedented attack on the countrys political system and to attempt to yoke Trump to Republican candidates down the ballot. Campaigning in Miami, President Obama said Trumps doubts about the election outcome are not a joking matter. That is dangerous. The president eviscerated Republicans who have stood by Trump, singling out Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who called Trump a dangerous con artist and condemned his more controversial comments during the GOP primaries but now plans to vote for him. On Oct. 20 in Miami Gardens, Fla., President Obama said the fact that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump refused to say during the final debate whether he would accept the result of the election is not a joking matter. (The Washington Post) Marco just seems to care about hanging on to his job, Obama said, calling the senators positioning the height of cynicism. And in Arizona, where polls show an unexpectedly tight presidential race, first lady Michelle Obama said Trump is threatening the very idea of America itself by suggesting he would not honor the election results. You do not keep American democracy in suspense, Obama said in Phoenix. [Rubio, once a shoo-in, fights the anti-Trump tide in Florida] Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Clintons vice-presidential running mate, held a rally at a downtown Charlotte brewery, where he said Trumps claims of a rigged election reminded him of the Third World politicking he had seen as a young missionary in Honduras. The bigger we can win by, the harder it is for him to whine and have anyone believe him, Kaine said, trying to galvanize supporters on the first day of early voting in North Carolina. On the debate stage, Trump amplified what he had been saying for weeks at his rallies: that the election is rigged. Questioned directly as to whether he would accept the results should Clinton prevail, Trump said, Ill keep you in suspense. Clinton called Trumps answer horrifying, both in the debate and to reporters overnight on her flight home to New York. Trumps advisers and surrogates struggled to explain the candidates position. Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said it was too early to determine whether voting irregularities could make the difference between winning and losing. She and other Trump backers drew a parallel to then-Vice President Al Gores concession call to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, which he later withdrew as he awaited a recount in Florida. Im going to keep reminding everybody about the 2000 election when Al Gore said he would accept the results of the election and then did not, Conway said. He retracted his concession. [Inside Donald Trumps echo chamber of conspiracies, grievances and vitriol] Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, contended that Trump and the party would stand by the results unless the margin is small enough to warrant a recount or legal challenges. Priebus said Trump is merely preserving flexibility in the event of a contested result. All hes saying is, Look, Im not going to forgo my right to a recount in a close election, Priebus said. We accept the results as long as were not talking about a few votes where it actually matters. I know him. I know where his heads at. . . . I promise you, thats all this is. Other Trump surrogates took a different interpretation. Keith Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general, accused the media of splitting hairs and insisted that Trump was not threatening democratic norms, while former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani argued that any Republican would be stupid to accept the integrity of results before they are known. Suppose she wins Pennsylvania by 50 votes, Giuliani said. He speculated, without evidence, that Democrats would steal a lot more than 50 votes in Philadelphia. I guarantee you of that. And Ill tell you how they will do it theyll bus people in who will vote dead peoples names four, five, six times . . . or have people in Philadelphia paid to vote three, four and five times. Democrats expressed dismay that the Republican nominee and his backers were advancing the idea of widespread voter fraud. He is just trying to find an excuse for the fact that hes going to lose, and perhaps the fact that hes going to lose to the first woman president stings a little sharper than it might otherwise, said Jennifer Palmieri, the Clinton campaigns communications director. Prominent Republican senators in tough reelection bids distanced themselves from Trumps posture. Donald Trump needs to accept the outcome, Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said in a statement. McCain (Ariz.), who lost to Obama eight years ago, said in a statement: I didnt like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede. A concession isnt just an act of graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people. As of Thursday afternoon, neither House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) nor Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had offered any comment, underscoring the partys unease with its own nominee and the political dangers of tangling with him. [Election officials, Clinton team brace for fallout from Trumps rigged claims] Benjamin L. Ginsberg, a lawyer at Jones Day who has been national counsel for several Republican presidential campaigns, said Trumps stance puts the party in quite a difficult position. There will be Republican candidates who are winning by narrow margins and losing by narrow margins, Ginsberg said. The party as a whole has a collective interest in having the results upheld. Republican pollster Whit Ayres said that at the Las Vegas debate, Trump blew his last chance to turn it around. But, he said, I am not convinced that the rest of the party will have as bad a night [on Election Day] as Donald Trump is going to have, because the Trump brand is so distinct from the Republican brand. Escalating the Republican angst was Trumps rally Thursday in Delaware, Ohio, where he advanced conspiracies swirling around far-right websites about Clinton. He referred to reports that Democratic operatives with no direct connection to the Clinton campaign hired people to violently disrupt Trump events. This criminal behavior that violates centuries of tradition of peaceful democratic elections, a campaign like Clintons that will incite violence is truly a campaign that will do anything to win, Trump said, going on to call Clinton a candidate who is truly capable of anything, including voter fraud. Trump also mentioned an email, which surfaced on WikiLeaks through an illegal hack that U.S. authorities blame on the Russian government, in which interim Democratic National Committee chairwoman Donna Brazile seemed to suggest to the Clinton team that she had knowledge of a question that would come up in a primary forum earlier this year. While Brazile has denied that CNN provided any questions in advance, Trump called her actions cheating at the highest level. Even as his party loses faith, Trump proclaimed that he was poised for victory. Bottom line, were going to win, he told the boisterous Ohio crowd. Were going to win. Were going to win so big. Were going to win so big. Jenna Johnson in Delaware, Ohio; David Weigel in Charlotte; Krissah Thompson in Phoenix; and Juliet Eilperin, Jose A. DelReal and Karoun Demirjian in Washington contributed to this report. Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) At one of the last debates during the Republican primary, rival Ted Cruz turned to Donald Trump and asserted he was too cozy with Hillary Clinton to take her on much less take her down in a presidential debate. Trump shot back that he was the last person that Hillary Clinton wants to face. By May, Trump was getting downright cocky. I sort of wish we had more than three, he boasted on CNBC. But at the end of the third debate Wednesday night, it was clear that Cruz had been correct, if for different reasons: Trump proved to be no match for Clinton. For the first hour or so of a competition here that he desperately needed to turn into a referendum on Clinton, Trump advanced a methodical contrast of their views on guns and the Supreme Court and offered an aggressive, if shaky, critique of Clintons record on immigration, abortion and other matters. But he appeared rattled at times by her jabs and then fell back into a habit that has tripped him up time and again: making the debate about himself and his controversial views. I will look at it at the time, he said in a response to a question from moderator Chris Wallace about whether he would accept the results of the election, echoing his unsubstantiated claims on the campaign trail of a rigged contest. Later, he added: I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense. The Fixs Aaron Blake breaks down the key moments of the third presidential debate on Oct. 19 between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) The real estate businessman and reality TV star long billed himself as the ideal messenger to prosecute a devastating case against Clinton before tens of millions of onlookers a political outsider with a knack for piercing insults who could sow serious doubts about her character. Instead, during nearly 300 minutes spent debating Clinton over the past month, Trump repeatedly missed chances to communicate a clear case against her. Instead, he mostly shone a spotlight on his own weaknesses and stumbled through unforced errors feeding concerns about his treatment of women, his readiness for the presidency and his temperament for the job. [Fact checking and analysis of the final presidential debate] For Trump, the debates have been at the center of the most destructive two-month period of his campaign, when he has faced multiple accusations of unwanted sexual advances against women and blowback over his vulgar comments on a hot microphone about forcing himself on women sexually. He now trails Clinton by a wide margin in nearly all national and battleground state polls, and party leaders fear it is too late for him to recover. For the GOP, the debates have amounted to an enormous missed opportunity to mount its case against Clinton, which has been years in the making and which many Republicans were once confident would be their key to victory. The Republican nominee struggled throughout the debates to keep a consistent focus on Clinton rather than himself, just as he has in the rest of the campaign. At times Wednesday night, Trump showed flashes of the debater many Republican leaders have been eager to see emerge. He landed a blow against her shift on trade and raised a recently revealed video showing a Democratic operative bragging about disrupting Trump rallies. But for the most part, Trump was repeatedly on the defensive on issues that have dogged him throughout the year. 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas View Photos Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate in Las Vegas. Caption Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate before election. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. I dont buy boats, I dont buy planes, he said in response to a question about his charitable foundation, which has come under heavy scrutiny over its questionable practices. [Winners and losers from the final debate] Clinton seemed keen on getting under Trumps skin by needling him with certain words. She said he choked during his meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto by not pressing his proposal to build a wall on the southern border of the United States and make Mexico pay for it. She later said Vladimir Putin preferred a puppet as president of the United States, referring to Trumps repeated praise of the Russian president as a strong leader. Youre the puppet, he shot back. I never met Putin. This is not my best friend, Trump said a few minutes later, while casting doubt on the finding by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia is behind a series of hacks aimed at disrupting the U.S. elections. When Trump emphasized his hard-line views on immigration and border security, he opened himself up to Democratic attacks when he remarked, We have some bad hombres here, and were going to get them out. Hombres? The only bad hombre here is @realDonaldTrump and his racist, xenophobic rhetoric, Catherine Cortez Masto, the Democratic nominee for a closely contested U.S. Senate seat in Nevada, wrote on Twitter. In the hours leading up to Wednesdays debate, Trumps unpredictability flared up. He skipped his morning walk-through, according to a campaign aide. Details surfaced about his motley guest list, which ranged from President Obamas estranged half-brother Malik Obama, to Leslie Millwee, who emerged in recent days to accuse former president Bill Clinton of sexually assaulting her more than three decades ago. [The presidential debate: Can Donald Trump change his trajectory?] Trumps debate problems started at Hofstra University in New York on Sept. 26. For weeks leading up to the eagerly anticipated matchup, polls showed he was chipping away at the lead that Clinton had gained after the Republican and Democratic conventions. But he failed to capitalize, missing chance after chance to scold Clinton for labeling half of his supporters a basket of deplorables or to raise her use of a private email server as secretary of state. He lingered in talk about the birther controversy that many Republicans wish he would have dropped long ago. Trump reignited feuds with comedian and actress Rosie ODonnell and with Alicia Machado, the 1996 Miss Universe winner from Venezuela who has said Trump called her Miss Piggy and Miss Housekeeping. Two days before the second debate, The Washington Post reported on a 2005 tape on which Trump can be heard bragging about forcing himself physically on women sexually. The comments were a focal point at the debate in St. Louis, where he apologized for the remarks but also dismissed them as locker room talk. While Trump won some credit for putting Clinton on defense over her emails and the Clinton Foundation, the second faceoff was still in large part about him and he did little woo skeptical moderate voters. In the week and a half since then, a series of women have come forward accusing Trump of making sexual advances without their consent. He once again denied all the allegations Wednesday night and tried to move past them, declaring that no one has more respect for women than he does. But toward the end of the debate, Trump, who desperately needs to improve his image among female voters, attacked Clinton in a way that could further complicate the task. Such a nasty woman, he said with disdain in his voice. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post The third and final debate Wednesday marked the beginning of the end of a presidential race that most Republican leaders cannot wait to forget. But the partys Donald Trump-driven divisions will not cease on election night. The axis of furious conservative activists and hard-right media that spawned Trumps nationalist and conspiratorial campaign is determined to complete its hostile takeover of the GOP, win or lose. Trumps insistence that the election will be rigged, which he again suggested at the debate, has only stoked the specter of a grievance movement that will haunt Republicans for months and years to come threatening to leave the longtime norms of American politics shattered and Washington paralyzed by his followers agitation and suspicion. What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time, Trump said Wednesday, refusing to say whether he would accept the result of the election as legitimate. Ill keep you in suspense. The first post-election target for the grievance movement is likely to be House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who has drawn Trumps wrath for not supporting him more fully. Trumps backers, both inside and outside the House Republican caucus, are already talking about a takedown. Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity said in an interview after the debate that Ryan was a saboteur and needed to be called out and replaced. Hannity said he would actively urge hard-line conservatives to launch bids against Ryan. That follows Trumps blistering attack last week on Ryan as weak and ineffective and a rush of anger on social media in which Ryan and other elected Republican officials have been cast as enemies. [At third debate, Trump wont commit to accepting election results if he loses] For top Republicans, the challenges could be staggering in the aftermath of a Trump defeat, as polls show is probable. Their numbers are likely to shrink in both chambers of Congress, and they would have to navigate a Hillary Clinton presidency with constant questions about their loyalties and scorn for any attempts at bipartisan governing. The revolt that has been going on in the Republican Party, that brought Trump to where he is, is not going away. If anything, its going to intensify, said Patrick J. Caddell, a veteran Democratic strategist who advises Breitbart, the Trump-aligned website, on polling. Republicans are living in a dream world if they think their voters are going to stop fighting the political class, Caddell said. What has happened will metamorphosize. The American people will not go gently into the good night of obscurity. At the fore of this conglomeration is Stephen K. Bannon, the former head of Breitbart who has become Trumps most influential confidant. Bannon encouraged the candidates claims of voter fraud and references to a deeply corrupt global conspiracy of international banks and corporate-friendly politicians. The Fixs Aaron Blake breaks down the key moments of the third presidential debate on Oct. 19 between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) Bannon has been a prominent backer of political assaults against Ryan and other Republican leaders over the past decade from the partys fringes boosting primary challengers against Ryan and others, and warning against compromise on hot-button issues such as immigration. But with the fringes of the GOP now managing the Republican nominee, a retreat is far from likely. Bannons friends say he has become emboldened during his time with Trump, and that they expect him to work with his network of allies, super PACs and websites to battle Ryan and the Republican establishment throughout 2017 as that wing of the party tries to rebuild the GOP brand. What the media misses is the amount of anger thats out there. Trump didnt create that, Bannon told CNN late Tuesday in a rare interview. When Bannon was pressed about whether Trump would start a television network should he lose, Bannon grinned and said, Trump is an entrepreneur. It is not just Breitbart that stands ready to claim the partys future as its own. The conservative media, once dominated by high-minded journals and Fox News, has been supplanted by a galaxy of websites such as Infowars, which is led by Alex Jones, who calls the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks an inside job. In a sign of his growing influence, the Clinton campaign featured Jones this month in an attack ad against Trump. Articles on those outlets have found their way into Trumps speeches and have been spread widely across platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, often building into a frenzy that leaves traditional GOP messengers unable to shape the consensus within their own party. Forget the press read the Internet, Trump told his supporters Tuesday in Colorado. Study over things, he added. Dont go for the mainstream media. [Inside Donald Trumps echo chamber of conspiracies, grievances and vitriol] Not every conservative, however, expects Trump to maintain the kind of power he has exerted over the past year, especially if Clinton wins in a dominant way. If Mr. Trump does not win, he will retire to projects like other developers do, working on things more to his liking, and Paul Ryan will be one of the undisputed elder statesmen, predicted Hugh Hewitt, the conservative talk-radio host. He cited Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as another GOP leader who would step to the fore to reclaim the GOP. Main Street Republicans, small-business owners, people who believe in free markets, Hewitt said, will revert to the Ryan-McConnell wing gladly. . . . Well revert to the mean, not the Trump banner. Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist who is advising independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin, said that its hard to see a mass Trumpism movement without Trump. After 2008, there was a little Sarah Palin cult that has lasted, but it hasnt changed the party, Wilson said. I see the same thing with Trump: a group of die-hards building a whole mythology about, He was betrayed. Ryan is going to have to crack the whip and instill some discipline to remind these guys that they dont run the party. Within Trumps inner circle, the view of the nominee and his place in political history is far different and could have sweeping consequences for Republicans, in particular with how the party frames its agenda. Trump is described by his close advisers as a figure whose power comes from beyond the party and whose politics may not need one. Trump and Bannon have spoken increasingly about Trump being the American incarnation of Brexit, the successful grass-roots campaign in Britain for the country to withdraw from the European Union. That makes Trump less a candidate along the usual right-left spectrum and more of an outlier who whips up outrage over globalization. Believe me, folks. Were doing great. If we keep our spirit and go out and win, this is another Brexit, Trump said Tuesday in Colorado, where he also described the media as colluding with Democrats and Republicans. At the debate Wednesday, Trump showed flashes of traditional Republicanism with his answers on gun rights and the Supreme Court, and was unusually restrained for the opening hour of the debate. But the combative personality at the heart of his bid was nevertheless at the center of his performance. He mentioned a report by Project Veritas Action, a provocative conservative activist group, as evidence of the Clinton campaign being responsible for violence at his rallies. He called the Clinton familys charitable foundation a criminal enterprise. He said the media is poisoning voters view of him. Everything is rigged, Trump said, from the economy to policymaking to the election itself. It was a reflection of who Trump is and what his Republican Party looks like now and, quite possibly, for some time to come. Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) When the final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump started, it seemed as if it might be the best of the three and certainly Trumps best. By the end, it was the story of Trump in Campaign 2016 in microcosm, a series of angry exchanges, interruptions, insults that served to undercut the good he might have accomplished earlier. In the opening minutes on Wednesday night, Trump seemed a different candidate from the Trump of the first two debates and the unshackled Trump on the campaign trail. He was more subdued, more focused on policy and substance, effective in making the case for himself and against his opponent. He appeared to have disciplined his worst instincts. But that was only for a time. Then he became the campaign trail Trump, irritable when criticized, unwilling to accept the assessment of the intelligence community about Russian interference in the election, denying the accusations of nine women who said he had groped or kissed them against their will, and repeatedly lashing out at his rival. Finally, it was the Trump who in the past few days has railed against a rigged election system. Asked directly by moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News whether, if he lost, he would accept the outcome of the election as legitimate, he hedged. He would decide at the time, he would keep you in suspense. It was, as Wallace suggested, an unprecedented departure in the history of the country. It was also a major mistake. Yet Trump seemed not to care at all. [Trump wont commit to accepting election results if he loses. Clinton says thats horrifying.] 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas View Photos Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate in Las Vegas. Caption Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate before election. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. In that sense, this final debate was what everyone expected, a repetition of what has come before. The likelihood is that it will do little to alter the trajectory of the campaign and that leaves Trump in a perilous position. Clinton came to the last debate leading in the polls and looking to expand the electoral map. Yet the 90-minute forum was no cakewalk for her. She not only took fire from Trump, she took tough questions from Wallace on issues that had been treated lightly in the first two debates. In some ways, when the focus was on the issues, whether abortion or immigration or taxes and spending, the debate might have been judged as the most even of the three. Certainly partisans on each side no doubt saw a decisive performance by their candidate. It was remarkable how the two could carry on serious debate about some issues what to do in the Middle East, the state of the Affordable Care Act and then be so personal in their attacks almost with the next breath, as when Trump, near the end, uttered such a nasty woman as Clinton was talking about Obamacare. Clinton could afford to play mostly to her constituency, given the state of the race. Trump needed to do more than make those in his coalition who most dislike Clinton cheer his attacks. But as he has repeatedly in the campaign, Trump managed to undermine his best moments with his worst, likely leaving him short of his goal if it was his goal to bring new voters to his side. [Clinton, Trump made 24 notable claims at last nights debate, and we fact-checked them] Through the course of the debates, Clinton has expanded her lead over Trump. Her margin in national polls has increased from about three points just before the first debate to an average of about seven points at the time the candidates took the stage Wednesday night on the campus of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. The same has happened to her advantage in the electoral college, to the point that Trump has no easy or obvious path to the 270 votes needed to win the election, short of a dramatic turnaround. The Fixs Aaron Blake breaks down the key moments of the third presidential debate on Oct. 19 between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) Polls and projections on the eve of Wednesdays debate consistently estimated Clinton with enough states in her column to put her well over 270. Equally concerning for Trump is the fact that the remaining competitive states, in addition to predictable swing states that have consistently been battlegrounds in recent elections, include a handful of traditional Republican strongholds. Arizona appears the most attractive target for Clinton among those red states. The Clinton campaign will send first lady Michelle Obama to Arizona on Thursday in an effort to take that state away from Trump. Georgia also appears competitive, though perhaps harder than Arizona for the Democrats. Then there are Texas and Utah. Texas will be exceedingly difficult for Clinton to win, but three recent polls surprisingly put Trumps margin in low single digits there. And then there is Utah, where Trumps bombast has turned off voters and independent Evan McMullins candidacy scrambles the state of play. Jim Messina, Obamas 2012 campaign manager, made a telling observation during a panel discussion here on Tuesday night, pointing out the degree to which this campaign threatens to shatter the GOPs southern block of states and create an almost solid blue line up and down the East Coast. Messina noted that almost the entire Eastern Seaboard, from Maine to Florida, could end up in her column on Nov. 8, particularly if Clinton were able to widen her current lead. South Carolina is the one exception, still presumably for Trump. Other Southern coastal states Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida are either in play or already tilting strongly toward the former secretary of state. Thats not to say all this will come to pass, only that at this point that Trump has managed to squander through self-inflicted wounds whatever assets he seemed to have before his latest descent began. He has run an undisciplined campaign, replete with wild charges, the promotion of conspiracy theories and fights with members of his own party. He did so again Wednesday night. His travel schedule suggests either that there is no electoral map strategy inside his campaign or that Trump has overridden the advice of his advisers. He was in Colorado on Tuesday, rather than Arizona. He was recently in Wisconsin, which looks out of reach at this point. He will be in Ohio and Florida and North Carolina over the next few days, but also plans a stop in Virginia, despite no objective evidence that he has much chance there. The debates have brought to a close an important chapter in the campaign. Trump and Clinton will continue to take aim at one another on the campaign trail, but the window for persuading voters is closing quickly. With voting now underway in a series of states and with more states to begin soon, the focus will increasingly shift to the more granular competition of turning out every vote. Here too, Trumps campaign is at a huge disadvantage, dependent either on the candidates ability to rouse organically a silent army of voters who have stayed on the sidelines in recent elections and will materialize at the polls this year or, more realistically, on relying on efforts by the Republican National Committee to function as his get-out-the-vote operation. All of that may be immaterial to Trump. He will chart whatever course he chooses during the final 19 days, as he has done since he first announced his candidacy, as he did again in the final debate. But this election remains Clintons to lose and Trump hasnt found a way to change that equation. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said, "I'll keep you in suspense," when answering a question about the tradition of accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said, "I'll keep you in suspense," when answering a question about the tradition of accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post) A defiant Donald Trump used the high-profile setting of the final presidential debate here Wednesday night to amplify one of the most explosive charges of his candidacy: that if he loses the election, he might consider the results illegitimate because the process is rigged. Questioned directly as to whether he would accept the outcome should Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton prevail on Nov. 8, Trump demurred. I will keep you in suspense, the Republican nominee said. Clinton called Trumps answer horrifying, saying he was talking down our democracy. After a sober start, the candidates shifted gears into a series of fiery exchanges over their fitness to serve as president and character traits. But over the course of the third and final debate, they delved deeper into their substantive differences than they did in the first two forums and offered a clearer contrast in the directions they would take the country. They drew sharp distinctions on the economy, trade, terrorism, immigration and hot-button social issues including abortion and guns. [Winners and losers from the third presidential debate] Russian President Vladimir Putin loomed as an unseen third presence onstage. Clinton and Trump sparred over which of them would be more effective as commander in chief in dealing with his aggression and Russian cyberattacks. Clinton labeled Trump as Putin's puppet prompting Trump to snap back, Youre the puppet! while Trump charged that Putin had outsmarted and outplayed her when she was secretary of state. Here are key moments from the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) After Clinton cited the findings of 17 U.S. intelligence agencies that the Russian government had committed espionage including by hacking the emails of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta to interfere in the U.S. election, Trump said he did not agree with that conclusion. Hillary, you have no idea, Trump said. Our country has no idea. Clinton and Trump clashed intensely about each others character deficiencies in an urgent bid to persuade undecided voters just 20 days before Election Day and as people in many states already have begun casting ballots. Trump was trying to present himself in a more presidential light than at the other two debates, but at times he could not contain his impulses to jab and insult. [Where Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton stand on the issues] As Clinton was needling Trump for not paying taxes, Trump interjected, Such a nasty woman. The animus between the two had reached such a critical mass that the candidates dispensed with the traditional gesture of shaking hands, before and after the debate. 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas View Photos Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate in Las Vegas. Caption Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go head-to-head during the final debate before election. Oct. 19, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton answer questions during the third and final debate at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Trump responded angrily to a question about the chorus of women who have stepped forward in recent days to accuse him of unwanted kissing and groping, in some cases recalling episodes dating back decades. I didnt know any of these women, Trump insisted, dismissing all of their stories as lies. Clinton sought to claim the moral high ground by recounting Trumps recent mockery of the womens appearances and physiques on the campaign trail. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger, Clinton said. He goes after their dignity, their self worth, and I dont think theres a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like. We now know what Donald thinks, what he says and how he acts toward women. Thats who Donald is. I think its up to all of us to demonstrate who we are. Trumps retort: Nobody has more respect for women than I do. In the debate hall, the audience laughed, prompting moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News Channel, to admonish them. Please, everybody, he said. The 90-minute debate, held on the sprawling campus of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, addressed a variety of issues that have received scant attention on the campaign trail, such as the Supreme Court and abortion rights. The debate opened with a discussion of one of the most consequential decisions awaiting the next president: filling at least one vacancy on the Supreme Court. Clinton cast herself as a champion for progressive values, saying she would appoint justices who would defend womens rights and gay rights and help to overturn the Citizens United ruling that has opened the floodgates to money in politics. I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people, not on the side of the powerful, corporations and the wealthy, Clinton said. Trump said he would appoint conservative justices who would be strict constitutionalists so, so important, the Constitution the way it was meant to be. And he accused Clinton of wanting to appoint justices who would severely restrict gun rights, saying the Second Amendment is under absolute siege. In her retort, Clinton noted that because she lived in Arkansas for 18 years and represented Upstate New York in the Senate, she has an appreciation for gun traditions. But I also believe that there can and must be reasonable regulation, Clinton said. Clintons agenda of gun restrictions is especially popular among suburban women, who are among the key swing demographics in this election. Clinton and Trump sparred intensively over abortion rights, with Trump acknowledging that if he gets two or three appointees to the Supreme Court, the landmark Roe v. Wade decision would be overturned automatically. Trump went on to describe late-term abortion procedures in graphic language, suggesting that many women end their pregnancies in the final one to four days. You can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb, he said. Clinton used the moment to make a gender-based argument, telling Trump: You should meet with some of the women Ive met with, women Ive known over the course of my life. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family could possibly make. . . . The government has no business in the decisions that women make with their families. One of the sharpest differences between the candidates was on immigration and border security. Trump tried to put Clinton on the defensive, saying the country would fall apart if the border with Mexico is not strengthened. We have no country if we have no border, Trump said, vowing to build a wall. Hillary wants to give amnesty. She wants to have open borders. Expounding upon the influx of illegal drugs into the United States, Trump used a Spanish word in declaring, We have some bad hombres here and were going to get them out. Clinton said she opposes mass deportations, as Trump has proposed, because I dont want to rip families apart. And she portrayed Trump as a hypocrite because he has used undocumented workers to grow his real estate empire, including to build Trump Tower, his iconic showpiece in New York. Clinton also accused Trump of getting weak in the knees when he met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City this summer because he did not bring up his vow that he would make the Mexican government pay for the border wall. He choked, Clinton said. And then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said, Im not paying for that wall. Trump seemed to argue for a hands-off policy in Syria, effectively conceding that the rebel-held portions of Aleppo which are under heavy bombardment from Syrian government forces and their Russian allies were already lost. It has fallen, I mean, from any standpoint. What do you need, a signed document? I mean, from any standpoint, Trump said. He criticized Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad as a bad guy, but praised him for outsmarting President Obama and others who had called for Assad to step down. Hes just much tougher, and much smarter, than her and Obama, Trump said. In the end, Trumps argument for U.S. policy in Syria was to leave Assad alone, or seek to partner with him and the Russians to fight the Islamic State. Hes a bad guy. But you may very well end up with worse than Assad if he was ever deposed, Trump said. If she did nothing, wed be in much better shape. Trump again and again tried to cast Clinton as corrupt, saying the global charitable foundation run by her family is actually a criminal enterprise because it has accepted millions of dollars from foreign governments and multinational corporations. Clinton defended the foundations work and argued that Trumps charitable endeavors often work to his own benefit. Id be happy to compare what we do with the Trump Foundation, which took money from other people to buy a 6-foot portrait of Donald, Clinton said, referencing a report in The Washington Post. I mean, who does that? The dynamic of the presidential race has reversed since the two candidates met on Sept. 26 for their first debate. At that point, Trump was cutting into Clintons lead in the polls and surveys indicated that Trumps supporters were more enthusiastic than hers. Though both campaigns have hit bumps since then, Clinton has moved ahead in the national polls and has a lead in nearly every swing state as well. Trumps lead has eroded even in states that previously seemed safe. At least one recent poll has shown Trump behind in three states won by GOP nominee Mitt Romney in 2012: Georgia, Arizona and Utah. The election has taken a strikingly personal and disturbing turn in recent weeks, as Trump has escalated his attacks on Clinton and her family while responding to scrutiny over his own treatment of women. Trump has assailed former president Bill Clintons past marital indiscretions and has accused him of sexually assaulting women. In the hours before the debate, Trump signaled that he would aggressively prosecute long-held grievances against the Clintons in a play to his base. Trump invited several controversial guests to sit in the audience for the debate, including Malik Obama, the presidents half brother and an avowed Trump supporter. Trump also invited Pat Smith, the mother of an American killed in the 2012 attacks on U.S. diplomatic buildings in Benghazi, Libya during Hillary Clintons tenure as secretary of state. Smith delivered one of the more emotional speeches at the Republican National Convention this summer, blaming Clinton for the death of her son. Another Trump guest was Leslie Millwee, who recently accused Bill Clinton of sexually assaulting her in 1980. Millwee went public with her allegations earlier Wednesday via Breitbart, the conservative website that was run until recently by Trump campaign chief executive Stephen K. Bannon. Her accusations were widely circulated within the hard rights online community. David A. Fahrenthold and Jose A. DelReal in Washington contributed to this report. President Obama with Hillary Clinton after his speech at the Democratic National Convention in July. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) There is one corner of Washington where Donald Trumps scorched-earth presidential campaign is treated as a mere distraction and where bipartisanship reigns. In the rarefied world of the Washington foreign policy establishment, President Obamas departure from the White House and the possible return of a more conventional and hawkish Hillary Clinton is being met with quiet relief. The Republicans and Democrats who make up the foreign policy elite are laying the groundwork for a more assertive American foreign policy, via a flurry of reports shaped by officials who are likely to play senior roles in a potential Clinton White House. It is not unusual for Washingtons establishment to launch major studies in the final months of an administration to correct the perceived mistakes of a president or influence his successor. But the bipartisan nature of the recent recommendations, coming at a time when the country has never been more polarized, reflects a remarkable consensus among the foreign policy elite. This consensus is driven by a broad-based backlash against a president who has repeatedly stressed the dangers of overreach and the need for restraint, especially in the Middle East. Theres a widespread perception that not being active enough or recognizing the limits of American power has costs, said Philip Gordon, a senior foreign policy adviser to Obama until 2015. So the normal swing is to be more interventionist. [Obama, failing to understand nature of war, or showing virtues of patience?] In other instances, the activity reflects alarm over Trumps calls for the United States to pull back from its traditional role as a global guarantor of security. The American-led international order that has been prevalent since World War II is now under threat, said Martin Indyk, who oversees a team of top former officials from the administrations of Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton assembled by the Brookings Institution. The question is how to restore and renovate it. The Brookings report a year in the making is due out in December. Taken together, the studies and reports call for more-aggressive American action to constrain Iran, rein in the chaos in the Middle East and check Russia in Europe. The studies, which reflect Clintons stated views, break most forcefully with Obama on Syria. Virtually all these efforts, including a report released Wednesday by the liberal Center for American Progress, call for stepped-up military action to deter President Bashar al-Assads regime and Russian forces in Syria. The proposed military measures include calls for safe zones to protect moderate rebels from Syrian and Russian forces. Most of the studies propose limited American airstrikes with cruise missiles to punish Assad if he continues to attack civilians with barrel bombs, as is happening in besieged Aleppo. Obama has staunchly resisted any military action against the Assad regime. The immediate thing is to do something to alleviate the horrors that are being visited on the population, said former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who is leading a bipartisan and international team looking at U.S. strategy in the Middle East for the Atlantic Council. We do think there needs to be more American action not ground forces but some additional help in terms of the military aspect. Stephen Hadley, a former national security adviser to Bush and a partner with Albright on the Atlantic Council report, said that if Assad continues to bomb civilians, the United States should strongly consider using standoff weapons, like cruise missiles, to neutralize his air force so that he cannot fly. Such measures have been repeatedly rejected by Obama and his top advisers, who warn that they would draw the U.S. military deeper into another messy Middle East conflict. Last year, Obama dismissed calls for a no-fly zone in northwestern Syria a position advocated by Clinton as half-baked. In private comments to investment bankers, however, Clinton acknowledged that establishing such a haven would be difficult, requiring the destruction of Syrian air defenses, many of which are in populated areas. Youre going to kill a lot of Syrians, she said, according to transcripts of her 2013 remarks released by WikiLeaks. Even pinprick cruise-missile strikes designed to hobble the Syrian air force or punish Assad would risk a direct confrontation with Russian forces, which are scattered throughout the key Syrian military bases that would be targeted. You cant pretend you can go to war against Assad and not go to war against the Russians, said a senior administration official who is involved in Middle East policy and was granted anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations. The disagreement over Syria policy reflects a broader rift between the Obama White House and the foreign policy establishment over how best to wield American power in a chaotic and dangerous world. The tension has been building for years, but it has spilled over publicly in the past year. Obama has repeatedly blasted a Washington playbook that he complains defaults too quickly to U.S. military force, especially in the Middle East. Where America is directly threatened, the playbook works, Obama said in an interview with the Atlantic earlier this year. But the playbook can also be a trap. . . . You get judged harshly if you dont follow [it], even if there are good reasons why it does not apply. Inside the White House, senior administration officials regularly dismissed calls for military force from the foreign policy establishment as the product of too much college, not enough knowledge, writes Derek Chollet, a former top Obama administration official, in his new book, The Long Game. [A wartime president struggles with the hard questions] Other White House officials derisively referred to Washingtons foreign policy experts as the Blob. Virtually no one among the foreign policy elite is calling for a return to the Bush administration policies that led to the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the costly occupation of Iraq. Instead, they are advocating something of a middle ground between Bushs interventionism and Obamas retrenchment in the Middle East. Everyone has kind of given up on the Middle East. We have been at it for 15 years, and a lot of Americans think it is hopeless, Hadley said. We think it is not. A similar sentiment animates the left-leaning Center for American Progresss report, which calls for more military action to counter Iranian aggression, more dialogue with the United States Arab allies and more support for economic and human rights reform in the region. The dynamic is totally different from what I saw a decade ago when Democratic and Republican elites were feuding over the invasion of Iraq, said Brian Katulis, a senior Middle East analyst at the Center for American Progress. Today, the focus among the foreign policy elite is on rebuilding a more muscular and more centrist internationalism, he said. Less clear is whether such a policy has any support among an American public weary of war in the Middle East and largely opposed to foreign aid. Theres a lot of common ground among these studies, Katulis said. My concern is that we may be talking to each other and agreeing with each other but that these discussions are isolated from where the public may be right now. [October 20, 2016] Smart Packaging Market Size to Reach $26.7 Billion by 2024: Grand View Research, Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global smart packaging market is expected to reach USD 26.7 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising need for smart packaging products owing to increasing usage in the end use industries such as electronics and automotive on account of its superior protection properties is expected to fuel the growth over the forecast period. Rising industrialization in emerging regions including Asia Pacific and the Middle East is expected to drive the industry over the next eight years. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 ) Increasing application scope in the logistics industry pertaining to the surging use of RFID tags at multiple levels to speed up locating products, and to improve the availability of real-time information coupled with the elimination of record loss is expected to drive the demand over the next eight years. Moreover, rising investment to improve the logistics industry within emerging economies such as China and India are projected to propel the industry growth. Active Packaging accounted for over 70% of the market in terms of revenue on account of superior corrosion and moisture control properties. Growing use of the product in the automotive sector is likely to drive the demand over the forecast period. Browse full research report with TOC on "Smart Packaging Market Analysis By Product (Active Packaging, Intelligent Packaging) By Application (Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Personal Care, Automotive) And Segment Forecasts To 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-packaging-market Further key findings from the report suggest: The global smart packaging industry in terms of revenue was USD 10.8 Billion in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 26.7 Billion by 2024, recording a CAGR of 10.6% from 2016 to 2024. in 2015 and is expected to reach by 2024, recording a CAGR of 10.6% from 2016 to 2024. NFC (near field communication) is projected to be the fastest growing segment within intelligent packaging registering a CAGR of over 12% from 2016 to 2024. Usage of NFC in the telecom industries is rising exponentially. Smartphones equipped with NFC which can be paired with NFC tags or stickers, programmed by NFC apps to automate tasks and hence, is likely to fuel the growth of smart packaging market over the forecast period. Personal care sector is expected to register a CAGR of over 10% from 2016 to 2024 accounting for about 9% of the total market i 2015. Growing demand for personal care products particularly organic products on account of rising awareness about various health benefits over their synthetic counterparts is likely to fuel the industry over the forecast period. Automotive segment held a significant share of over 10% in 2015. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 12% from 2016 to 2024. Growing use of RFID tags in the automotive industry to improve the production efficiency is expected to drive the demand over the forecast period. Also, rising use of RFID tags in the automotive industry for asset tracking and supply chain management is expected to propel the industry growth. Asia Pacific accounted for a significant share of over 11% in 2015. The ready availability of raw materials coupled with cheaper manufacturing costs is expected to drive the growth. The region is also projected to witness growth of over 14% from 2016 to 2024. The industry is moderately fragmented with the presence of a large number of prominent participants across the globe. Some leading companies operating in the global market include 3M, BASF, Du Pont, Avery Dennison Corp., Amcor Limited, Sealed Air Corporation and International Paper. 3M is an American company involved in product development, manufacturing, and marketing for businesses including industrial, safety & graphics, electronics & energy, healthcare, and consumer. The company manufactures a wide range of products which includes abrasives, maintenance, automotive, materials, films, hand hygiene, home improvement, components, patient monitoring, personal safety, signs & displays, filtration, surgical solutions, wire & cable and tapes & adhesives. Grand View Research has segmented the Smart Packaging Market by product, application, and region. Global Smart Packaging Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) Active Packaging Gas Scavenger Corrosion Control Packaging Moisture Control Packaging Intelligent Packaging Time temperature Indicator Gas Indicator Thermochromic Ink RFID & Barcode NFC Global Smart Packaging Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) Food & Beverage Healthcare Personal Care Automotive Others Global Fire Resistant Glass Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) North America U.S Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific China India Latin America Brazil Middle East and Africa Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Malic Acid Downstream Potential Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/malic-acid-downstream-potential-market Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Rebars Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/fiber-reinforced-polymer-frp-rebars-market Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/polyvinylidene-fluoride-pvdf-market Indium Tin Oxide Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/indium-tin-oxide-market About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Read Our Blogs - grandviewresearch.com/blogs/specialty-and-fine-chemicals Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Russia and Syria, facing international allegations of war crimes, have begun a pause in airstrikes against eastern Aleppo that aid groups said would allow evacuation of about 200 severely wounded and sick people and delivery of food and medical supplies. International aid officials said that they have asked for strikes in the rebel-held parts of the Syrian city to stop for at least five days but that Russia has so far agreed only to three. Although airstrikes began to diminish earlier this week, the pause officially began Thursday. U.N. humanitarian coordinator Jan Egeland said in Geneva that ambulances and aid-bearing trucks are expected to enter Aleppo on Friday. The Russian Defense Ministry said President Vladimir Putin had personally ordered the respite. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attributed what he described as a humanitarian gesture to the political will of the Russian side. Russian and Syrian aircraft would refrain from bombing rebel-controlled eastern Aleppo, Peskov told reporters in Moscow, as long as terrorists inside the city did not use the time for delivering strikes, for rearming and for building up their ammunition arsenals. U.N. officials described the pause as unilateral but said that rebel fighters, who have held eastern Aleppo for the past four years, had agreed to the humanitarian operations. Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. special envoy for Syria, said that the temporary halt to bombing was separate from sputtering international efforts to implement a Syria-wide cease-fire in the five-year civil war. He also said it was not part of his proposal to an estimated several hundred al-Qaeda-linked fighters and thousands of anti-government rebel fighters the professed target of the Russian and Syrian airstrikes to peacefully leave the city. [Clinton and Trump on Syria, annotated] A cease-fire negotiated last spring between the United States and Russia, backing opposing sides of the conflict, lasted only a few weeks, after which Syrian troops, backed by Russian air power and artillery, closed off remaining rebel access routes to the city. A second truce effort last month fell apart in just a few days as Russia and Syria began a relentless bombing campaign against the now-surrounded eastern side of the city. The ensuing carnage, while targeting hospitals, schools and other infrastructure and killing hundreds of civilians as escape routes were blocked, led the United States and much of the international community to accuse Russia and Syria of war crimes against the estimated 275,000 people remaining in eastern Aleppo. The United Nations has repeatedly tried to negotiate among the parties on the ground as well as their powerful supporters to pause the fighting long enough to allow aid convoys to enter Aleppo and other besieged areas. While Russia and Syria have charged the rebels with numerous attacks, the opposition has no aircraft, and government forces surround a number of towns and cities. The biggest obstacle and problem remains the government. Lets be clear about this, said one aid official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid endangering chances for success this week. [Gallery: Scenes from devastated Aleppo] Stephen R. OBrien, the U.N. undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, described constant, frustrating efforts to gain approval for a pause in fighting from government and opposition forces split into innumerable factions. If one side offers a pause, then you have to wait for the other side to agree, he said in an interview. As in the current pause in Aleppo, convoy drivers most of them local contractors insist on waiting for at least seven to nine hours to hear the guns fall silent, to give them the confidence to move toward conflict areas, OBrien said. But even with assurances, all involved are aware of the dangers. 1 of 41 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Scenes from Aleppo View Photos The Syrian government has dropped two chlorine bombs in the past month on the besieged, rebel-held city. Caption Images from inside the Syrian city. Dec. 19, 2016 Syrians evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite villages under rebel siege, are welcomed by pro-government forces as they arrive in Jibrin, on the eastern outskirts of Aleppo. George Ourfalian/AFP/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue. Were not naive, OBrien said. However brave they are, theyre not suicidal. Opposition groups lost a lot of confidence in government promises with the Sept. 19 bombing of a humanitarian convoy entering Aleppo during the last, brief truce, the aid official said. The United States, the United Nations and others have said Russian or Syrian aircraft carried out the attack, which killed at least 20 people. Russia has denied involvement and suggested that an armed U.S. drone was in the area, which the United States has denied. The plan for Friday, the aid official said, is for a convoy of ambulances to first enter eastern Aleppo, followed by trucks carrying food and medical aid. Some of the supplies will travel by road about 35 miles from the Turkish border, while others will cross from the government-held western part of the city. We would do it in one day and out, the official said. The trucks are ready to roll. The convoys are to be accompanied by U.N. officials, including about 10 international staffers, and Jordanian Ali Zaatari, the Damascus-based head of U.N. operations in Syria. Russia did not link the promised pause to anything other than assurances that opposition forces not use the time to rearm. The Russian and Syrian governments have urged residents of the city to evacuate and promised them safe passage. In an interview with Swiss television this week, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that the civilians wanted to leave but were being prevented by the rebels. De Mistura, the U.N. special envoy, disagreed, saying that from what I hear . . . the people do not want to leave their places, they do not want to become refugees. They want to stay in their place, but they do request, stop the bombing, which needs to be, by the way, from both sides. Abdulrahman Marea, 30, lives in a neighborhood in eastern Aleppo. We dont trust the regime at all, Marea said via the WhatsApp messenger service. . . . Were even hearing some gunfire in areas where these [protected exit] corridors are supposed to be, so of course we dont trust the regimes promise of helping people leave the city. The Syrian military used loudspeakers Thursday to press a similar message on opposition fighters. The Associated Press reported one repeated message that blared: The battle for returning Aleppo to the nations fold is in its last phases. There is no point in continuing the fight. We dont trust them, said Abu al-Hasan, a commander of the Fastaqim rebel unit in Aleppo, referring to Russia and the Syrian government. They always talk about cease-fires and truces, but what they do is constantly target civilians and violate the laws of war. Opposition fighters and residents in the citys east fear that such a lull in fighting and the offer of safe escape is just part of a long-running policy by Assads government, implemented in other areas, of forcing opposition areas to surrender or starve. North of the city, meanwhile, Turkey carried out air raids overnight against Kurdish forces. The attacks targeted positions of the Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, a force that has allied with the United States to fight Islamic State forces in northeastern Syria. Military officials told Turkeys Anadolu news agency that the air raids struck 18 targets, killing as many as 200 Kurdish fighters. In August, Turkish troops advanced inside northern Syria, supposedly as part of an assault against Islamic State militants, but many say it was actually designed to prevent Kurdish militants in Syria from securing more territory along the border with Turkey. Syrias Kurds are trying to carve out an autonomous region in that area, a move that Turkey fears could embolden its own Kurdish separatists. Hugh Naylor in Beirut, Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world The minister-president of Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region (R) and parliament chairman Andre Antoine. Magnette says he is seeking a trade deal in which high social standards will benefit everyone. (Bruno Fahy/AFP/Getty Images) Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the good people of Wallonia stand with you this week in your opposition to trade deals. The French-speaking region of Belgium is only about the size of Connecticut, but this week Wallonia is threatening to derail a free-trade agreement between the European Union and Canada that encompasses a quarter of the worlds economic muscle. After decades in which the currents of globalization seemed to move in only one direction, voters around the world are becoming increasingly skeptical. They are fueled by a sense that the demise of trade barriers has benefited only the upper echelons of society and that ordinary folks are forced to deal with factory closures and diminished opportunities. . On Friday, a landmark deal that would sweep away nearly all tariffs between Canada and the 28-nation E.U., seemed doomed as the European Union failed to finalize a massive free trade deal with Canada by a self-imposed deadline on Friday because Wallonia said its objections had not been sufficiently addressed. The controversy bodes poorly for Britains efforts to negotiate favorable terms for its departure from the E.U., because it will need to sign a raft of trade agreements to cushion the divorce. Nor is it giving confidence to proponents of a twin deal with the United States, an agreement that has been mired in concerns on both sides of the Atlantic despite President Obamas making it a priority over his two terms in office. There are of course bigger things at stake than only this agreement, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said this week after meeting with Europes trade ministers. Its about the credibility of the European Union to conclude trade agreements in the future. The E.U. says that the Canada deal, known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, would boost its economic output by $13 billion a year. But that has not been enough to convince the government of Wallonia, Belgiums southern region, which rejected the deal Friday. The regions leaders fear the effect on public services and farmers and want to reopen the negotiations, which stretched five years. The deal needs approval from all of Europes parliaments 28 national legislatures and 10 regional ones. We are, of course, not against trade agreements. We must help Walloon companies to export more, Paul Magnette, the minister-president of Wallonia, told Belgiums RTBF broadcaster. But he said he is seeking a deal in which high social standards will benefit everyone. If the agreement falters, it will be a major blow to the E.U. one of its strongest selling points has always been that European nations can negotiate more-favorable trade deals together rather than individually. But the skepticism over tearing down trade barriers has hardly been confined to Wallonia, a landlocked region that was an industrial powerhouse before World War II but has had a tough 70 years since then. In the United States, Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has departed from decades of GOP orthodoxy by hammering at the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and has threatened to use trade tariffs to bludgeon other countries into submitting to better terms with U.S. businesses. Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, pressured by left-wing primary challenger Bernie Sanders of Vermont, declared her opposition to a trade deal with Asian nations, even though she had declared it the gold standard when she was secretary of state. Walloon leaders say they will not fold under pressure from the calendar. E.U. leaders are meeting Thursday and Friday, and the trade pact will be at the top of the agenda but they will be unable to seal the deal unless Wallonia gives in. Read more Across Europe, revulsion at Trump but little idea of what to do about him Europe wants to deport so many that Kabul airport might get a new terminal Europe pressing harder on countries to take back deported migrants Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with leaders of other European nations after a group photo on the first day of their two-day summit in Brussels. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Furious over Russias bombardment of Aleppo, European leaders warned the Kremlin on Thursday that it could face consequences if it maintains its offensive against the besieged rebel-held part of the Syrian city, although they fell short of the unity required to impose new sanctions. The sharp rhetoric was a substantial departure for European leaders, who have long been focused on when they can dial back existing sanctions on Russia, not ramp them up. Instead, Russian actions in recent weeks have upended the conversation. From the Russian-backed pummeling of Aleppo to the shipment of nuclear-capable missiles to Kaliningrad, the recent steps have galvanized Western anger and plunged relations to fresh depths. The warnings came as leaders gathered in Brussels for a summit in part to discuss relations with Russia. Europes toughened stance marks a partial victory for Washington, which has struggled to maintain European unity on sanctions and has long taken a harder position on Russia than its partners across the Atlantic. The stand also reflects the toll of Russias actions in Syria, where it has partnered with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in a punishing campaign that has made little distinction between combatant and civilian. The bombardment of Aleppo is a disregard of principles of humanity, and we cannot accept it, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after leaders discussed Russia over dinner. We will have to envisage any conceivable measure in order to respond. A day earlier, she and French President Francois Hollande met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Berlin to discuss Ukraine and Syria. Both she and Hollande blasted Russian actions in Syria and said they would push for a stiff European response. They have called for a full cease-fire in Syria along with an end to the offensive on Aleppo. A worker arranges cheese at a grocery store in St. Petersburg. European leaders warned the Kremlin that it could face new sanctions if it maintains its offensive against Aleppo. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters) Russia said earlier this week that it would temporarily halt airstrikes on Thursday. While the European leaders were meeting Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the pause would be extended by a day. That did little to assuage the European anger. The ambition of turning Aleppo into a new Grozny, this is absolutely unacceptable, said Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas as he arrived at the summit. Russian forces used scorched-earth tactics against the Chechen capital of Grozny in a bitter domestic offensive early in Putins tenure. But after an hours-long discussion, leaders held back from a formal threat to issue new sanctions against Russia related to Syria, a sign that there is no unanimity among Europes 28 members on the subject. E.U. diplomats said that could change if outrage increases over Russias conduct. Current sanctions related to Ukraine are set to expire in December, but there is little question now that they will be extended. We could have been looking forward to a different discussion if it werent for what is happening in Syria, a senior E.U. diplomat said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to assess the closed-door talks. The Russians, rather than de-escalating the situation, are sadly escalating it. Some E.U. nations, including Italy, Spain and Hungary, have favored ending the sanctions. Last month, Vice President Biden said that at least five countries right now . . . want out of the sanctions tied to Ukraine, without specifying which countries he was referring to. But in the intervening weeks, the situation has changed significantly. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who called for the discussion about Russia, was just feted at a White House state dinner and has dialed back his efforts to find new ways to engage with Russia. He still led opposition to new sanctions, diplomats said. Hollande called off a planned visit to Paris by Putin and, after months of appearing eager to scale back sanctions, has recast himself as a hawk on Russia. We have to put all the pressure necessary for the truce to be extended, Hollande said as he arrived at the summit. That meant that the dinnertime talk on Russia turned into a discussion of what further measures might be possible. Several leaders outlined their assessments of how the Kremlin was interfering with their political systems by targeting their media markets with disinformation and fueling far-right, Euroskeptic parties with money and logistical support. The discussion echoed one in the United States, where intelligence agencies blame Russia for hacking the computer systems of Democratic officials in an apparent bid to influence the presidential election. Read more Please pass the Russian Parmesan: Cheesemakers celebrate sanctions, and hope they continue E.U. agrees to extend Russia sanctions until January Four nations agree on road map to revive Ukraine peace plan Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world [October 20, 2016] Innovative Healthcare Business Models to Democratize Healthcare LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The healthcare industry is entering a phase of rapid transformation, brought about by emergence of new technologies and the need to align with emerging care compensation models. The digitization of products, services and commerce models are democratizing current healthcare systems. This helps unlocking new, previously inaccessible segments which traditionally had high gatekeeper costs. Spurred by these shifts in the market environment, medtech and pharma companies are strategizing on how to move beyond simple product or pill based sales models towards customer-centric 'as a service' solutions (Product as a Service, Platform as a Service and Data as a Service, Insights as a Service). Healthcare 2020Business Model Transformation Guidebook is new analysis from Frost & Sullivan's Visionary Healthcare Growth Partnership Service program. For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit http://frost.ly/y4. "CEOs should pay attention to developing innovative business models to monitize emerging opportunities. Scalability is the most critical success factor," said Frost & Sullivan Transformational Health Industry Analyst Kamaljit Bhera. "Collaboration and open-source innovation are key ingredients for future restructuring. Companies such as Apple, Google, IBM Watson and Intel will continue to compete outside their domain, forcing traditional healthcare companies to change their dominant business models." Actionable health outcome data will be the new battleground in the healthcare industry. Walmart is planning to take bold steps, from introducing disruptive product-service bundling packages to aiming to become a primary care provider. Medtronic's Diabetes Management's shift to an intelligent-based solutions business model, commitment to differentiating its product, and value to end users has positioned it two to three years ahead of market competition. Healthcare consumerism will boost models such as crowdsourcing and mass customization, enable price transparency, and provide companies with more flexibility by lowering inventory carrying cost. These models also promote the culture of open innovation, enabling data collection on customer preferences, which will lead to optimized new product developments. From a regional perspective, the Asia-Pacific market is ready to embrace innovative business models with growth opportunities existing in chronic disease management, acute homecare, telehealth, and telehealth-enabled homecare solutions. Large vendors, which can provide a one-stop solution, are in high demand. The region is emerging as an epicenter for regenerative medicine launches. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion Healthcare 2020Business Model Transformation Guidebook K09C-54 Contact: Jana Schoneborn Corporate Communications Europe P: +49 (0)69 77033 43 E: [email protected] http://ww2.frost.com twitter: @FS_Healthcare LinkedIn: Transform Health Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430823 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovative-healthcare-business-models-to-democratize-healthcare-300348333.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) and French President Francois Hollande attending a press conference in Berlin on Oct. 19, 2016. The two leaders joined Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss the situation in east Ukraine and Syria. (Michael Kappeler/EPA) The leaders of Germany, Russia, France and Ukraine on Wednesday agreed on a road map designed to revive the halting peace plan for Eastern Ukraine at a highly anticipated meeting in Berlin. The agreement included the withdrawal of troops in four additional areas in the conflicted Donbass region and an expansion of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande early Thursday morning. The foreign ministers of the four countries are to discuss the road map in more detail in November, Merkel said. Little progress has been made in the implementation of the truce in Eastern Ukraine since the German chancellor, the French president, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin met a year ago in the same format. According to the OSCE, the cease-fire in Eastern Ukraine is violated almost on a daily basis. In addition, tensions had recently worsened with the assassination of the controversial pro-Russian rebel commander Arsen Pavlov, nicknamed Motorola, who was killed in a bomb blast in Ukraines Donetsk province on Sunday. Pavlovs camp was quick to blame the Ukrainian president for his death, while Kiev officials accused the Russian side. Putin was accompanied to the Berlin summit by his aide Vladislav Surkov, who had been banned from traveling to the European Union as part of the sanctions imposed on Russia for the annexation of Crimea. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told the DPA newswire that an exception had been granted to Surkov for the occasion. Another issue on the agenda was the Russian airstrikes in Syria, where Moscow supports the government forces siege of the city of Aleppo. Merkel said that there had been a very clear and also very tough discussion on the issue, condemning the Russian bombings as inhumane and cruel. Merkel made it clear that in her view, a solution to the conflict was still far from being reached. The meeting took place a day before E.U. leaders are set to convene in Brussels to discuss new sanctions on Russia for its actions in Syria, which observers say are exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in Aleppo. It came amid rising fears of an escalation of tensions between Russia and the United States. In an op-ed published by Bild newspaper earlier this month, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier even warned of a new confrontation between the two world powers, which would be more dangerous than the Cold War. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Federal prosecutors in Baltimore on Thursday said they will charge a former National Security Agency contractor with violating the Espionage Act, alleging that he made off with an astonishing quantity of classified digital and other data over 20 years in what is thought to be the largest theft of classified government material ever. In a 12-page memo, U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein and two other prosecutors laid out a much more far-reaching case against Harold T. Martin III than was previously outlined. They say he took at least 50 terabytes of data and six full bankers boxes worth of documents, with many lying open in his home office or kept on his cars back seat and in the trunk. Other material was stored in a shed on his property. One terabyte is the equivalent of 500 hours worth of movies. Martin, who will appear at a detention hearing in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on Friday, also took personal information about government employees as well as dozens of computers, thumb drives and other digital storage devices, the government memo said. The government has not alleged that Martin passed any material to a foreign government, but contends that if he is released on bail he could do so. A federal contractor suspected in the leak of powerful National Security Agency hacking tools has been arrested and charged with stealing classified information from the U.S. government, according to court records and U.S. officials familiar with the case. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) Though he lacks a valid U.S. passport, the government said Martin could still flee to a foreign government that might wish to help him. Prosecutors said he has communicated with unnamed people in Russian and in June downloaded information on Russian and other languages. The prosecutors also said Martin had an arsenal of weapons in his home and car, including an assault-rifle-style tactical weapon and a pistol-grip shotgun with a flash suppressor. In a complaint unsealed earlier this month, the government charged him with felony theft of government property and the unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials, a misdemeanor. The prosecutors said that when an indictment is filed, they expect charges to include violations of the Espionage Act, offenses that carry a prison term of up to 10 years for each count. [NSA contractor thought to have taken classified material the old-fashioned way] Prosecutors will argue Friday that Martin, 51, of Glen Burnie, Md., presents a high risk of flight, a risk to the nation and to the physical safety of others, and that he should not be released from jail. The case against the defendant thus far is overwhelming, and the investigation is ongoing, said Rosenstein, Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Myers and trial attorney David Aaron. The defendant knows, and, if no longer detained, may have access to a substantial amount of highly classified information, which he has flagrantly mishandled and could easily disseminate to others. Continued detention without bail is necessary, prosecutors said, because of the grave and severe danger that pretrial release of the defendant would pose to the national security of the United States. Martins attorneys argued in a memo filed Thursday that their client is not a flight risk and should be released under court-approved conditions pending trial. The government concocts fantastical scenarios in which Mr. Martin who, by the governments own admission, does not possess a valid passport would attempt to flee the country, wrote public defenders James Wyda and Deborah L. Boardman. [Read Harold Martins arguments to be released from detention] Martins wife and home are in Maryland, they said. He has served in the U.S. Navy. There is no evidence he intended to betray his country, they said. The government simply does not meet its burden of showing that no conditions of release would reasonably assure Mr. Martins future appearance in court. The government also alleged that Martin took a top-secret document detailing specific operational plans against a known enemy of the United States. Prosecutors did not name the enemy. The document, prosecutors said, contained a warning, in capital letters, that said: This conop [concept of operations] contains information concerning extremely sensitive U.S. planning and operations that will be discussed and disseminated only on an absolute need to know basis. Martin was not involved in the operation, the government said, and had no need to have the document or know its specifics. [Read the government argument to keep former NSA contractor Harold Martin in jail ] Another document found in his car contained handwritten notes describing NSAs classified computer systems and detailed descriptions of classified technical operations, the prosecutors said. In an interview before his arrest, Martin denied having taken classified material and only admitted to it when confronted with specific documents, prosecutors said. He had access to classified data beginning in 1996, when he was with the Navy Reserve, and that access continued through his employment with seven private government contractors. The government alleged that Martin was able to defeat myriad, expensive controls placed on classified information. They said the devices seized show he made extensive use of sophisticated encryption. He also used a sophisticated software tool that runs without being installed on a computer and provides anonymous Internet access, leaving no digital footprint on the machine, they said. In August, a cache of highly sensitive NSA hacking tools mysteriously appeared online. Although investigators have not found conclusive evidence that he was responsible for that, he is the prime suspect, said U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. That is the event that set off the search that turned up Martin, the officials said. In July, according to the prosecutors memo, he watched a video about how law enforcement authorities catch computer users who wish to remain anonymous on the Internet. He has a demonstrated ability to conceal his online communications and his access to the Internet, the prosecutors said. To support their argument that Martin poses a danger to the community, they noted that in late July, he went to Connecticut to buy a Detective Special police-package Chevrolet Caprice. While searching his house, the FBI also recovered 10 firearms, only two of which were registered, the government said. Prosecutors said a loaded handgun was found in a case on the floorboard of the Caprice, in violation of Maryland law. Martins wife, Deborah Vinson, was very upset to learn about his arsenal, prosecutors said, and asked the FBI to take custody of the firearms because she was afraid that he would kill himself if he thought it was all over. If Martin had taken the classified material for his own edification, as he has claimed, there would be no reason to keep some of it in his car, and arm himself as though he were trafficking in dangerous contraband, prosecutors said. The complex military battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State has begun. Here is what you need to know about the ancient Iraqi city. (Ishaan Tharoor, Kareem Fahim, Jason Aldag/The Washington Post) The complex military battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State has begun. Here is what you need to know about the ancient Iraqi city. (Ishaan Tharoor, Kareem Fahim, Jason Aldag/The Washington Post) Iraqs elite counterterrorism units advanced to within six miles of Mosul on Thursday as Kurdish forces opened a new front to the north in a significant escalation of the fight for the Islamic State-held city. Plumes of dust and smoke rose over the majority-Christian town of Bartella, east of Mosul, as Islamic State militants sent a barrage of car bombs to repel the advance of the counterterrorism forces. But by nightfall, the militants resistance had crumbled and the Iraqi flag had been raised over the towns main church, commanders said. Kurdish forces said they had launched a large-scale offensive from the north to secure a string of villages. The multipronged attacks raised the tempo of the battle for the city, which began Monday. The entry onto the battlefield of the black-clad elite forces who have trained closely with the U.S. military marks the beginning of what their commanders say will be a sharp push toward Mosul, the militants last major stronghold. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced to Western diplomats in a video call to Paris that forces were moving more quickly than planned toward Mosul, and he lauded the cooperation in the attack by the different forces. [U.S. service member killed in bomb blast in Iraq] Iraqi counterterrorism commanders said they had advanced a total of eight miles in their push toward the city. On the northern front, Kurdish forces moved into the village of Nawaran. Despite the advances, the militants showed that they were not willing to concede ground easily. In the north, a U.S. service member was killed by the explosion of an improvised explosive device, the Pentagon said. There were indications that there were also heavy casualties among Kurdish peshmerga forces, which Kurdish forces linked to a lack of air support from the U.S.-led coalition. Regrettably a number of peshmerga have paid the ultimate sacrifice for us to deliver todays gains, the peshmergas general command said in a statement. Coalition support and air cover were not as decisive as in the past, it added. The Islamic State claimed five suicide attacks on the peshmerga, killing an unspecified number of Kurdish soldiers. In Bartella, to the east, once home to 30,000 people, Iraqi units were backed by attack helicopters as they broke through the earthen berms that once marked the forward line. One helicopter was hit by Islamic State artillery fire, although the pilot managed to land and crew members were evacuated, said Gen. Hamid al-Maliki, head of army aviation. The Islamic State militants had dispatched an onslaught of 15 car bombs, and while most were eliminated by tank fire or rockets, at least one hit its target. 1 of 48 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad The battle for Mosul View Photos Iraqi forces launch their most ambitious fight against the Islamic State. Caption Iraqi forces continue their most ambitious fight against the Islamic State. Iraqi Federal police celebrate in West Mosul. Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue. They are trying to shock us and break our morale, Lt. Gen. Abdulwahab al-Saedi, a counterterrorism commander, said from an observation point atop a deserted strip mall on the edge of the town as another truck bomb exploded in the distance. [Trumps absurd response on Mosul shows how little he knows] The elite units have been at the front of nearly every other battle against the militants in Iraq as territory has slowly been taken back from the Islamic State. The units expect to be the spearhead once more in Mosul and have about 3,000 troops involved in the operation. The battle for Mosul is by far the most complex fight in the grinding conflict to push Islamic State militants out of Iraq, involving not just regular Iraqi army forces but also Sunni tribal units, powerful Shiite militias and the Kurdish troops of the northern semiautonomous region forces that are often at odds with the Baghdad government. Were the only ones with the capability, Saedi said. Mosul has been under Islamic State control for more than two years and is the groups last remaining major urban center in Iraq. Losing it would drive the Islamic State back to being the insurgency it once was, before it began seizing territory in the country in 2014. While it may not be far to the outer limits of the city, Saedi said he expects the work on the outskirts to be the toughest part of the fight. Inside the city, the presence of at least 1 million civilians prevents the Islamic State from heavily booby-trapping areas. [After harrowing ordeal living under Islamic State, family returns home to Israel to face charges] They always focus on their outer lines, said Saedi, who also commanded offensives in Tikrit and Fallujah. Heavy exchanges of gunfire and explosions could be heard for most of the day as the wounded were rushed away from the front in ambulances and armored vehicles. At a field clinic behind the front lines, Sgt. Maj. Haider Salal, who mans the machine gun on the turret of a Humvee, was recovering from a gunshot after sniper fire entered the vehicle. The shooting was very intense when we opened up their defense line, he said. It was the third time he had been injured in his six years with the Iraqi counterterrorism forces. This one was a hard fight, he said. In the bed next to him, Hamza Abdel Kareem, a noncommissioned officer who is also a gunner, was suffering from shock after a rocket-propelled grenade hit the side of his vehicle. He said the militant who fired it appeared from a tunnel. He just came out of the hole. I didnt see him fast enough, Kareem said. The Humvee was hit, but no one was seriously injured, he said. Within hours, he asked to go back to the fight. Those who were more seriously hurt in the fighting were rushed to hospitals in the Kurdish capital of Irbil. Commanders declined to release the number of casualties in the operation but said 80 Islamic State fighters were killed. Intense fighting continued well into the afternoon, and it was unclear how tight a grip Iraqi forces had on the village by the end of the day, although commanders said it was under full control. Bartella is the eastern gate to Mosul, said Maj. Gen. Maan al-Saadi, with the counterterrorism units. Now the road is open. Fahim reported from Irbil. Mustafa Salim in Irbil and Aaso Ameen Shwan in Bartella contributed to this report. Read more Iraqi forces push toward Mosul despite fierce Islamic State resistance On the front lines of the Mosul offensive How almost everyone wants a piece of Mosul Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world jonah peretti Good morning. Here's everything you need to know in the world of advertising today. 1. Publicis Groupe saw a slowdown in revenue growth in its third quarter after losing major client accounts the prior year, Reuters reported. Third quarter sales grew just 0.2% to 2.32 billion ($2.55 billion). 2. BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti said Ivanka Trump used lewd language about men. Trump slammed his story as "a complete and total lie." 3. AOL founder Steve Case says Silicon Valley's dominance is coming to an end. "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. 4. T-Mobile reached a $48 million settlement with the FCC over its misleading "unlimited" data plans. The FCC said the marketing language on the carriers data plans wasn't clear because it was found to have slowed down connection speeds after customers went over a certain data limit. 5. Outspoken Silicon Valley investor Chamath Palihapitiya has a plan to save Twitter. He wants to make it a little more like Reddit. 6. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg sent around an internal memo addressing employee concerns about the fact that board member Peter Thiel is a Donald Trump supporter and has donated $1.25 million to his campaign. "We care deeply about diversity," he wrote. "That's easy to say when it means standing up for ideas you agree with. It's a lot harder when it means standing up for the rights of people with different viewpoints to say what they care about. That's even more important." 7. Google is locking up deals for a new internet TV service. Google has already signed a deal with CBS for the "Unplugged" service and is in talks with Disney and Fox, according to The Wall Street Journal. 8. Twitter fired Gregory Gopman just one day after it had hired him to lead its VR initiatives as a project manager. Twitter declined to comment on the reason for Gopman's departure, but Gopman says it was due to a TechCrunch story that surfaced a 2013 Facebook post where he called homeless people "degenerates." Story continues 9. A brutal "honest trailer" for "Ghostbusters" picked apart all the reboot's flaws. It's a sharp criticism of the movie, but it takes at least as much aim at the critics who exhausted themselves "trolling" the all-female-starring reboot. 10. BuzzFeed's UK profits quadrupled after a period of massive investment. Companies House filings reveal the website's profit grew from 140,772 ($172,000) in 2014 to 558,408 ($677,000) last year. NOW WATCH: Stephen Hawking warned us about contacting aliens, but this astronomer says it's 'too late' More From Business Insider The U.S. could elect the first female president in its history this November. For many advocates, representation in the nations highest office could lead to meaningful progress for womens rights, potentially addressing some of the severe inequalities the nation has yet to overcome. These issues include a gender pay gap, a lack of flexibility in the workplace during pregnancy and early motherhood, and, indeed, a lack of women holding positions of political influence. While some states have made progress, a number of states are far behind in closing the earnings gap, electing women to office, funding pre-K programs, and passing laws that allow women to stay in the workforce when they have children, should they so choose. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed and ranked the 50 states based on their favorability to women. These are the 10 worst states for women. ALSO READ: Cities Where You Don't Want to Get Sick Perhaps the most egregious component of gender inequality in the U.S. is the wage gap. Though the severity of the wage gap varies by state, nationwide, the typical woman working full time earns 80 cents for every dollar a man earns. No state has a larger gap than Wyoming, however, where women earn roughly 64 cents for every dollar. With lower incomes, women are also far more likely to live in poverty than men. In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Julie Anderson, a research associate at the Institute for Women's Policy Research, explained why the wage gap exists. According to Anderson, the largest contributor to the wage gap is occupational segregation. Men are more likely to be hired in higher paying, managerial roles than women. Though the share ranges from state to state, nationwide, fewer than 40% of management positions are held by women. According to Anderson, women are also far more likely than men to work in low wage, part-time jobs. Since the wage gap only measures the incomes of men and women working full time, the problem is even more pronounced than the data indicates. Story continues Maternity, Anderson explained, can lead to lower overall incomes for women, particularly as raising a child can often lead women to exit the workforce for good. If a family has to choose between someone being fully engaged in work and someone being a caregiver, the logical choice is the one who earns less will be the one to back off, and in most cases that will be the woman in the family. While the Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993 mandates that most working mothers must be allowed 12 weeks maternity leave, a number of states have additional policies in place both for public employees and the private sector workforce. Many states extend the minimum number of weeks, allow women to use sick days to cover pre- and post-natal care, and, in some cases, mandate paid leave for both mothers and fathers. Another state policy that has shown to be advantageous to young mothers is a taxpayer-funded pre-Kindergarten program. Besides being instrumental in childhood development, pre-K programs give parents the opportunity to leave their children somewhere safe during the day. Anderson explained that as mothers are more often tasked with the responsibility of watching young children, this means women avoid the expenses of private daycare, and also will have an easier time returning to the workforce. Eight states have no taxpayer-funded pre-K, and partially as a result rank among the worst for women in the country. Female representation in government is also an important aspect of gender equality, and elected government positions are held primarily by men. Nearly half of all states have never had a female governor and women comprise an average of less than 25% of state legislatures. According to Anderson, this is problematic both because it may discourage women from running for elected office and because male politicians are less likely to implement reform related to gender equality. Anderson explained that while women are less likely to run for office, when they do, they tend win at the same rates as men. ALSO READ: States Where Poverty Is Worse Than You Think These are the 10 worst states for women. 10. Kansas > Female earnings as pct. of male: 76.6% (15th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 35.9% (7th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 10.1% (25th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 24.8% (25th lowest) When women hold elected office, they are more likely to introduce legislation that helps marginalized groups. In Kansas, less than a quarter of the state legislature is comprised of women and only one of the six elected officials that represent the state on Capitol Hill is female. With few female lawmakers, Kansas does not offer some protections that are common elsewhere for women in the workforce. There are no major state mandated pregnancy accommodations and no paid family leave for either private or public sector employees. 9. Alabama > Female earnings as pct. of male: 76.1% (13th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.7% (17th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 6% (20th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 14.3% (5th lowest) Alabama has one of the highest poverty rates in the country, and it is an even greater problem for women in the state. One in four women live in poverty, and they account for 56.5% of the states poor population. The states substantial wage gap is a significant contributing factor. The typical female worker in the state earns 76 cents for every dollar earned by her male counterpart. 8. Montana > Female earnings as pct. of male: 72.5% (6th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 37.9% (11th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 31.3% (8th highest) By some measures, Montana has a history of giving women opportunities to influence public affairs. In 1914, several years before the 19th Amendment was passed, Montana became one of the first states in the country to give women the right to vote. Today, women account for more than 30% of the state legislature, a higher share than in most states. ALSO READ: States With the Highest Voter Turnout However, the state is behind by some other important measures of womens equality. For example, it is one of just eight to have no state-funded pre-K programs. 7. Indiana > Female earnings as pct. of male: 75.9% (12th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.8% (17th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 20.7% (16th lowest) State-funded day care programs are important as their presence means families are not forced to make tough decisions in balancing careers and child care. Indiana does not offer taxpayer-funded pre-K, however, and as a result, many parents with young children must either leave the workforce or incur the high cost of private daycare. Women are also less likely to hold elected office in Indiana than in most other states. In the 200 years since Indiana became a state, a woman has never once been elected governor. 6. North Dakota > Female earnings as pct. of male: 71.1% (5th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 31.1% (2nd lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 19.1% (13th lowest) One of the most important measures of womens equality in the workplace is their ability to be promoted to higher-paying roles. In North Dakota, just 31.1% of all management occupations are held by women, a smaller share than in any state except for South Dakota. North Dakota is one of just eight states with no pre-K funding, which can help young families save money on childcare, and makes it easier for mothers to return to work after having children. 5. South Dakota > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.1% (20th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 29.3% (the lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 21.0% (18th lowest) There are eight states that provide no pre-K funding, and South Dakota is one of them. With no state-funded pre-K program, women with young children are less likely to be able to participate in the workforce, ultimately making them more likely to be financially dependent. ALSO READ: The Next 14 States to Legalize Marijuana Those women who are working in the state earn considerably less than their male counterparts. The typical full-time salary among women in the state is only $33,268, well below the $42,605 salary of the typical male worker in South Dakota. 4. Utah > Female earnings as pct. of male: 71.1% (4th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 34.5% (4th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 15.4% (7th lowest) Few states have a wider gender pay gap than Utah. The typical male worker in the state is paid $50,741, while his female counterpart earns $36,060, or nearly $15,000 less. The substantial gap between male and female earnings in Utah is likely due in part to unequal pay for the similar work. It can also potentially be attributed to the kinds of jobs women tend to hold in the state. If educational attainment is any indication, Utah women may be less represented in jobs that require a college degree, and are usually higher-paying. Just 29.3% of state women have a college education, compared to 34.4% of men in the state. 3. Idaho > Female earnings as pct. of male: 73.5% (8th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.8% (19th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 27.6% (17th highest) The earnings gap between men and women in Idaho is one of the worst in the country. The typical male in the state working full time earns $43,264, while the typical working female earns only $31,808, the lowest median salary of any state except Mississippi. In addition to earning less, women are underrepresented in public office. All four of the states congressional delegates are men and a woman has never been elected governor of Idaho. 2. Wyoming > Female earnings as pct. of male: 64.4% (the lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 39.1% (21st lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 13.3% (2nd lowest) In 1869, Wyoming became the first state in the country to grant womens suffrage, roughly five decades before Congress passed the 19th Amendment. Despite being a leader in this important milestone, conditions in Wyoming today are some of the least favorable for women. ALSO READ: 50 Worst Cities to Live In No state, for example, has a wider gender pay gap than Wyoming. The typical female worker earns $36,064, or just 64.4% of the $55,965 male median earnings in the state. 1. Mississippi > Female earnings as pct. of male: 75.7% (11th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.4% (16th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 2.2% (14th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 17.2% (10th lowest) While poor economic conditions affect many Mississippi residents, women are more likely to be negatively affected. The typical salary among women working full time in Mississippi is $31,110, the lowest of any state in the country and equal to roughly $0.76 for each dollar earned by men in the state. The workplace in Mississippi, for both private and public sector jobs, is not especially accommodating for pregnant women or those with families, as Mississippi has not passed any significant legislation expanding on federal protections laid out in 1993s Family & Medical Leave Act. The lack of consideration for working women may be due in part to a lack of female leadership in state government. Only 17% of Mississippis legislature is female, one of the smallest such shares in the country. Methodology: To determine the worst states for women, 24/7 Wall St. developed a methodology based on the Center for American Progress 2013 report, The State of Women in America. In its third year, our report utilized the same methodology as last year, making state rankings, and state improvements or declines relative to the 2015 report, directly comparable. We divided a range of variables into three major categories: economy, leadership, and health. Unless otherwise noted, all data are for 2015. Data in the economy category came from the U.S. Census Bureau and included male and female median earnings for full-time, year-round work as well as high school and bachelors educational attainment rates. The percent of children enrolled in state pre-kindergarten and state spending per child enrolled in pre-kindergarten came from the National Institute for Early Education Research. The leadership category included data on the percent of women in management occupations from the Census. It also included the share of state and federal legislators who are women from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the U.S. House of Representatives Archives, respectively. From the National Governors Association, we also looked at states that currently have female governors. Data on political representation are current as of this writing. ALSO READ: America's Most Segregated Cities The health section incorporated Census data on the percent of women who were uninsured. Female life expectancy came from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent health research center affiliated with the University of Washington. Additionally, we looked at infant mortality rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as maternal mortality rates from the National Womens Law Center. State policies relating to maternity leave, sick days, and time off came from the National Partnership for Women and Families. Data on a states decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act came from the Department of Health and Human Services. State rankings on each of these measures were averaged to determine a score for each category. Possible scores ranged from 1 (best) to 50 (worst). The three category scores were averaged to create an indexed value that furnished our final ranking. Related Articles From Cosmopolitan Patrick Peacock, 53, and Chris Rittenmeyer, 38, were experienced divers and good friends who attempted the famously difficult Hernando County, Florida, Eagles Nest dive earlier this week. After failing to return to their designated meeting spot hours later, a third diver called deputies, who began searching for the pair and ultimately found their bodies the next day close together in the cave, the Sun Sentinel reports. Eight other divers have died within the cave system, which is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, since 1981. Vice chairman of the National Speleological Societys Cave Diving Section Sylvester Muller told the Sun-Sentinel Eagles Nest is so dangerous because Its like a Venus fly trap - you get in there, and there is so much to see you get distracted, and it gets deep quickly. One of the caves passages is 300-feet deep. A sign issued by the Commission rests at the entrance to the system reading "Cave diving in this area is extremely dangerous - even life threatening!" In another part, a sign from the National Speleological Society Cave Diving Section, pictured below, exclaims THERES NOTHING IN THIS CAVE WORTH DYING FOR! DO NOT GO BEYOND THIS POINT. Its unclear where in relation to the latter sign the divers were. The men dove there on Friday with no issue, leaving their families even more astounded by their deaths. "He has been diving since he was 12 years old, and cave diving for a long time," Rittenmeyers father Ron said of his son. Everything was fine [on Friday]. He told me about the next days dive; he felt great." Peacock was not just an adventure seeker. He was a SCUBA instructor, an intellectual who loved reading and writing, his wife Devrim added. A representative from the Hernando County Sheriffs Office told WFLA Peacock and Rittenmeyer were in a very dangerous and complex area of the cave system. Their bodies have been turned over to the Medical Examiners office and funeral plans are pending. Story continues Follow Tess on Twitter. You Might Also Like LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Lundin Law PC (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit against Goldcorp Inc. ("Goldcorp" or the "Company") (GG) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between March 31, 2014 and August 24, 2016 (the "Class Period"). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period, should contact the Firm in advance of the October 24, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline. To participate in this class action lawsuit, click here. You can also call Brian Lundin, Esquire, of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or e-mail him at brian@lundinlawpc.com. No class has been certified in the above action yet. Until a class is certified, you are not considered represented by an attorney. You may also choose to do nothing and be an absent class member. The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Goldcorp made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that Goldcorp's mine in Penasquito was leaking selenium into the groundwater well near the mine as early as October 2013; that the Company informed the Mexican government about the rise of selenium levels in the groundwater in October 2014; that in August 2016 the Company informed the Mexican government of contaminated water found in other properties near the mine; and as a result of the above, Goldcorp's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When this news went public, Goldcorp's stock price fell, causing investors harm. Lundin Law PC was established by Brian Lundin, a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding shareholders' rights. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Contact: Lundin Law PC Brian Lundin, Esq. Telephone: 888-713-1033 Facsimile: 888-713-1125 brian@lundinlawpc.com http://lundinlawpc.com/ SOURCE: Lundin Law PC Research shows that the average price of medications in the U.S. is rising at nearly 10 percent per year. This affects the treatment of epilepsy and other medical conditions. If you or your loved one has epilepsy, then perhaps you will recognize your own medication among these examples. From 2013 to 2016, the list or average wholesale price of brand-name versions of the following drugs rose significantly for zonisamide (185 percent), clobazam (96 percent), lamotrigine (75 percent), oxcarbazepine (65 percent), lacosamide (42 percent), topiramate (39 percent), valproate (32 percent) and levetiracetam (27 percent). [See: Was That a Seizure?] For some of these antiepileptic medications, such as clobazam, lamotrigine and lacosamide, only expensive brand formulations are available. For the other five drugs, generic formulations provide more affordable options. The cost of epilepsy generics has so far remained stable over time, but there are no long-term guarantees. For example, on Feb. 10, 2015, Valeant Pharmaceuticals obtained the rights to two well-established heart medications and raised the prices many-fold that same day. If you have health insurance, then fortunately, the price you pay may be substantially less than the list price. Insurers contract with organizations called pharmacy benefit managers to negotiate price discounts with drug companies, and then cover part of your cost after you have paid the deductible upfront. Some insurance plans require that you also pay part of the cost even after you have met the deductible, and this is called a "copay." As a rule of thumb, plans that cost more per month usually have lower deductibles and copays. But even with a solid insurance plan, if your drug is not on the insurer's "preferred" list, or if it is being prescribed "off label" for a use that is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, then the insurer may not cover it. For patients without low-cost alternatives, the financial burden of drug therapy may be serious. People are starting to take notice. A recent poll reported in Kaiser Health News found that the majority of Americans want restraints on drug prices. Eighty-two percent of respondents said they want Medicare to negotiate prices with the companies, which Congress does not allow. Seventy-eight percent favor limiting the amount companies can charge for high-cost drugs, and more than two-thirds want to let Americans buy drugs imported from Canada. Story continues [See: 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore.] Public pressure may eventually spark change. Meantime, what can you do to manage the costs? As concerned physicians, we offer the following suggestions. 1) Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether there is a generic form of your drug, or an appropriate less expensive brand-name alternative. 2) Enlist support in negotiating coverage for your prescription, if the drug you require is not on your insurer's "preferred" list. 3) Compare prices on websites such as Good Rx or Consumer Reports Best Drugs for Less. Blink Health goes a step further and allows you to pay for your drugs online and then pick them up at your local pharmacy. [See: 11 Things Seniors Should Look for in a Health Provider.] 4) Know the out-of-pocket obligations of your insurance plan and consider whether you should change. Plans that cost less per month may appear tempting at first but then turn out to be more costly in the long run because of higher deductibles and copays. 5) Inquire whether your pharmacy or retail store offers drug discount cards, or whether you might qualify for the drug company's patient assistance program. In today's challenging drug-cost environment, it's important to take charge and manage your family's situation. Maintaining open communication with your health care provider is an important part of the plan. Elaine Wyllie, MD, professor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, is a world-renowned thought leader in neurology and epilepsy at Cleveland Clinic's Neurological Institute. Head of West Coast/film and TV, Glassnote Bhagat got big results when she placed Aurora's "Life on Mars" on Girls and Hamilton Leithauser & Rostam's "In a Black Out" in an iPhone 7 ad. Manager, Chance the Rapper Corcoran, who was still in college when he began repping Chance, has been a critical partner in the hip-hop artist's pioneering ways of reaching fans without a label. President; The Darkroom, Darkroom Records Through his management firm, Interscope Imprint, and marketing company, Lubliner has signed artists such as Billie Eilish and Gryffin, and helped Hardwell, among many others, rise to the top of the EDM genre. Manager; Kygo, Thomas Jack Under Shear's guidance, Kygo hit 1 billion Spotify streams faster than any other artist and sold out Barclays Center. Shear also developed the tropical-house music scene with Jack. Founder, La Industria With Medina Velez's guidance, Nicky Jam made one of the most dramatic comebacks in Latin music after battling drug addiction and a feud with mentor Daddy Yankee. This article first appeared in the Oct. 29 issue of Billboard. IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit against Yirendai Ltd. ("Yirendai" or the "Company") (YRD). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between May 11, 2016 and August 24, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm in advance of the October 25, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased Yirendai shares during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. There has been no class certification in this case. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member. The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Yirendai made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that the Company was experiencing increasing fraud related to customer applications for its loan products; that the implementation of new anti-fraud regulations by the Chinese government could have a negative impact on Yirendai's performance; and that as a result of the above, the Company's statements about its business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On August 24, 2016, Bloomberg reported that the Chinese government imposed limits on peer-to-peer lending and also placed a new regulations cap on individual borrowing at 1 million yuan. When this information went public, the Yirendai stock price fell, causing investors harm. If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions. Story continues Contacts Joon M. Khang, Esq. Telephone: 949-419-3834 Facsimile: 949-225-4474 joon@khanglaw.com SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP Analysts have made their predictions. Now its time for the actual results. On Wednesday, oilfield services behemoth Halliburton Company (HAL) kicked off what is expected to be another tough earnings season for U.S. energy firms. However, if Halliburtons results are anything to go by, this should be a quarter worth watching. The worlds No. 2 provider of technical products and services to drillers of oil and gas wells reported surprise third quarter profit on the back of continued and effective cost management. Does this indicate that the 2-year oil market downturn is finally close to an end, or is it just a blip before the pessimistic trend in energy sector earnings return? Q3: Stagnant Oil Prices Unlike the last quarter, where oil advanced more than 26% sequentially to notch up the best quarterly percentage gain in 7 years, the Jun-Sep 2016 period turned out to be a rather flat one with crude barely advancing. In fact, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures during the third quarter hovered around the $45 per barrel mark, flat from the second quarter and down from $46.50 in the same period last year. Depressed Prices Leads to Low Expectations for Q3 Despite oils massive recovery since February and all the hoopla surrounding the OPEC producers agreement, its still only just above $50 about half the level of two years ago and far below the breakeven price for many energy companies. Therefore, the commodity is not yet out of the woods. Even the industry, which is cutting deeper, seems to think so. Companies around the world continue to slash jobs, defer/cancel projects worth billions of dollars and renegotiate contracts with suppliers to help protect their balance sheets. Consequently, things are looking bleak for the upcoming Q3 earnings season. According to the Zacks Earnings Trends report, the Oil/Energy sectors earnings are expected to crash 71.7% from the third quarter 2015 levels, while the top-line is likely to show a drop of 12%. This compares unfavorably with the overall S&P 500 index, which is expected to see a modest 1% decline over the quarter. How to Identify the Outperformers? Despite the miserable figures, there are a number of companies that are likely to beat our third quarter earnings estimates. Investing in such companies can fetch handsome returns for investors. This is because a stock generally surges upon an earnings beat. But with a wide range of energy firms thronging the investment space, it is by no means an easy task for investors to arrive at stocks that have the potential to deliver better-than-expected earnings. While it is impossible to be sure about such outperformers, our proprietary methodology Earnings ESP makes it relatively simple. Earnings ESP is our proprietary methodology for identifying stocks that have high chances of surprising with their next earnings announcement. It shows the percentage difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Our research shows that for stocks with this combination, the chance of a positive earnings surprise is as high as 70%. 5 Stocks to Invest In With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have zeroed-in on five energy stocks that sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and flaunt a positive Earnings ESP. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Archrock Partners L.P. (APLP): Houston, Texas-based Archrock Partners is a leading provider of natural gas contract compression services to clients spread all over U.S. Zacks Rank #1 Earnings ESP: +8.33% Expected Earnings Release Date: Nov 1 CONE Midstream Partners L.P. (CNNX): Headquartered in Canonsburg, PA, CONE Midstream Partners is a master limited partnership focused on natural gas and condensate gathering in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Zacks Rank #1 Earnings ESP: +2.7% Expected Earnings Release Date: Nov 4 Comstock Resources Inc. (CRK): Frisco, Texas-based Comstock Resources is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties. Zacks Rank #2 Earnings ESP: +11.54% Expected Earnings Release Date: Nov 8 Diamondback Energy Inc. (FANG): Midland, TX-based Diamondback Energy is an independent exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition, finding and development of unconventional onshore oil and gas properties. Zacks Rank #2 Earnings ESP: +5.88% Expected Earnings Release Date: Nov 1 Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI): Houston, TX-based Baker Hughes is one of the major oilfield service companies in the world, providing an array of services to the global oil and gas industry. Zacks Rank #2 Earnings ESP: +4.65% Expected Earnings Release Date: Oct 25 Bottom Line Despite the sharp volatility in oil prices, there are certain energy companies that are primed to outperform the Zacks Consensus Estimate. They certainly hold the potential to make investors standout gains even in these capricious times. Where Do Zacks' Investment Ideas Come From? You are welcome to download the full, up-to-the-minute list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buy" stocks free of charge. There is no better place to start your own stock search. Plus you can access the full list of must-avoid Zacks Rank #5 "Strong Sells" and other private research. See the stocks 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 ARCHROCK PTNRS (APLP): Free Stock Analysis Report CONE MIDSTREAM (CNNX): Free Stock Analysis Report COMSTOCK RESOUR (CRK): Free Stock Analysis Report DIAMONDBACK EGY (FANG): Free Stock Analysis Report BAKER-HUGHES (BHI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research U.S. stocks staged a nice rally in the past couple of sessions on a slew of solid earnings reports and an increase in oil price. Still, the upcoming election and its outcome will keep investors restless over the next few weeks. This is especially true as the battle is likely over for Republican Donald Trump, who has been alleged of several sexual assaults. Moreover, the poll after the final presidential debate shows Hillary Clinton having an edge over Trump. According to the CNN/ORC poll, 52% of voters who watched the debate see Clinton as the winner compared with 39% favoring Trump. Tension on the Rise The stock market is set for extreme volatility despite the fact that chances of Clintons victory are high. Most market participants believe this election will exhibit higher uncertainty than the past election cycles. In fact, strategists at Bank of America Merrill Lynch warned off a near-term correction of 10% or more in stocks. According to them, this year's presidential election could come with a shock and a slowdown in business investments (read: Prepare for a Clinton Presidency with These Stocks & ETFs). Additionally, a survey by the Wall Street Journal showed that election-induced uncertainty would crimp economic activity for the first time this election year. The latest Federal Reserve's Beige Book survey also supported the slowdown of some business sectors in the country. Added to the weak backdrop is consumer confidence that took a hit in early October, as election is due in just three weeks. As per the University of Michigan, the consumer sentiment index slid to the lowest level of 87.9 since September 2015 from 91.2 recorded last month. Further, in the final face-off between Clinton and Trump, the Republican candidate turned hostile by saying that, he might not accept the outcome of the November 8 election if it doesn't go his way. This has created the possibility of an unsettled outcome that could create chaos in the overall economy and lead to a broad market sell-off. Given this, we have highlighted five ETFs that could weather the election volatility and reward investors going into the Election Day. SPDR Gold Trust ETF GLD No matter who gains control of the White House, gold will likely be undisputed winner. The yellow metal is often viewed as a store of value and a hedge against market turmoil. The product like GLD tracking this bullion could be interesting picks to play the election-related volatility. The fund tracks the price of gold bullion measured in U.S. dollars, and kept in London under the custody of HSBC Bank USA. It is the ultra-popular gold ETF with AUM of $39.1 billion and expense ratio of 0.40%. Volume is heavy, exchanging 11.2 million shares in hand per day on average. The fund has a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 or Hold rating with a Medium risk outlook (read: Are Gold ETFs Set to Shine Again?). iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN VXX While volatility products have been terrible performers over the medium and long terms due to a contangoed market and a steep roll cost, they are intriguing picks during periods of turmoil or uncertainty. That being said, VXX could emerge as another winner. The ETN focuses on the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index, which reflects implied volatility in the S&P 500 Index at various points along the volatility forward curve. It provides investors with exposure to a daily rolling long position in the first and second months VIX futures contracts. The note has amassed $1.6 billion in AUM and trades in heavy volume of more than 26.4 million shares a day on average. It charges 89 bps in fees per year. iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA ETF USMV Low volatility products generate impressive returns or often outperform in an uncertain market while providing significant protection as these funds include more stable stocks that have experienced the least price movement in their portfolio. As such, USMV could be a great pick with AUM of $13.4 billion and an expense ratio of 0.15%. It offers exposure to 176 U.S. stocks having lower volatility characteristics than the broader U.S. equity market by tracking the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index. The fund is well spread across a number of securities with none holding more than 1.52% of assets. From a sector look, health care, information technology, consumer staples, and real estate take the top four spots with a double-digit allocation each. The fund trades in solid average daily volume of 3.9 million shares and has a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 or Buy rating with a Medium risk outlook (read: Low Volatility ETFs in Vogue Despite a Bull Market). iShares Global Infrastructure ETF IGF The ramping up of infrastructure spending has been the key initiative for both the Democratic and the Republican presidential nominees. As a result, IGF could move higher ahead of elections irrespective of the outcome. This fund offers exposure to the infrastructure stocks (transportation, communication, water, and electricity services) from around the world by tracking the S&P Global Infrastructure. Holding 75 stocks in its basket, the fund is pretty well spread across components with none holding more than 5.05% of assets. Investors should note that America accounts for just 38.5% of the portfolio while Canada, Spain and many others receive a single-digit exposure each. The ETF has accumulated $1.1 billion in AUM and sees volume of more than 140,000 shares a day. Expense ratio comes in at 0.48%. PowerShares Aerospace & Defense Portfolio PPA Defense is another sector that is protected from election results as both parties seek to strengthen this field. While Trump intends to build a strong U.S. military base worldwide and increase military spending, Clinton focuses on areas like cybersecurity and terrorism. So, PPA should benefit from this trend. This ETF offers exposure to 51 companies that are involved in the development, manufacturing, operations as well as support U.S. defense, homeland security and aerospace operations. It tracks the SPADE Defense Index, charging 64 bps in annual fees from investors. Each security holds less than 7.2% of the portfolio. The fund has so far managed assets of $276.8 million while trades in a lower average daily volume of about 48,000 shares. It has a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 or Buy rating with a Medium risk outlook (read: Should You Buy Aerospace & Defense ETFs Now?). Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, 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 SPDR-GOLD TRUST (GLD): ETF Research Reports ISHARS-GL IN (IGF): ETF Research Reports IPATH-SP5 VX ST (VXX): ETF Research Reports PWRSH-AERO&DEF (PPA): ETF Research Reports ISHARS-MS US MV (USMV): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. 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 From Country Living On HGTV's Fixer Upper, we sometimes get a glimpse of Chip and Joanna Gaines's family life. We'll get a quick shot of them working on their farm, or we'll see their four kids stopping by a house they're renovating. But that's about it. In their new memoir, The Magnolia Story, out this week, the Gaineses get personal, opening up about how they met, fell in love and got married, the rocky start of their home renovation business and how their sudden fame has affected their lives. Here are seven things we learned about the couple from reading their book: 1. Joanna designed her own engagement ring. After dating for about a year, Chip proposed to Joanna outside of a shopping center. Then, he lead her into a jewelry shop owned by a man Chip's dad knew, who told her, "You're here to design your ring." Joanna writes in the book: "The fact that the selection of the ring tied back to Chip's roots and family history made it all the more special for me." 2. Joanna wanted to be a broadcast journalist. This could explain why she's so great on camera. After graduating from Baylor University as a communications major, Joanna moved to New York City to intern with Dan Rather for CBS. When she moved back home to Waco, Texas, she was working at her dad's shop trying to decide whether or not to pursue a broadcast career in the city. But then she met Chip, and the rest is history. 3. They spent their honeymoon in New York. After tying the knot in Waco in 2003, Joanna was eager to show her new hubby her former NYC digs. They spent a couple of nights in the fancy Drake Hotel - and it left such an impression they later named their first son Drake. After that, they took a road trip through upstate New York. 4. The first home Joanna ever designed was the one she and Chip first lived in. Although the design aesthetic we see from Joanna on Fixer Upper today is flawless, she honed the skill working on her own homes with Chip - and yes there were many homes, because of Chip's affinity for buying and flipping houses, even their own. Joanna writes in their book: Story continues Chip gave me free rein to make that home whatever I wanted to make it. To be honest, I didn't know what I wanted to make it, so I started with one basic idea: "I have six favorite colors, so I'm going to paint every room one of those colors." Once I got going, I decided that using different colors in every room wasn't enough for me. I wanted to make every room a different theme. Oh, what we wouldn't give to see photos of those themed rooms. 5. Chip and Joanna don't own a television. Yes, two of the biggest stars on TV can't even watch their own show. When they first got married, friends recommended they wait a few weeks to get a TV so they could start their marriage focused on each other. Thirteen years later, they still don't have one. In Magnolia Story, Chip explains that they'll watch big games or shows at a friend's house or at a restaurant, but Joanna adds, "I don't feel like we've missed a thing." 6. There was that one time Chip went to jail. Early in their marriage, the Gaineses had three dogs they let roam around outside, because there wasn't much room in their small home. But when a neighbor saw the pups outside without a leash, she'd call animal control. One week after having their first child, cops came knocking on the door with a warrant for Joanna's arrest - since the dogs were registered to her. The couple went down to the courthouse to put the dogs in Chip's name, and he was promptly hauled off to the county jail. (If that's not true love, what is?!) After a few hours, Joanna bailed him out. 7. They started their very own housing subdivision in Waco. Right before getting the call from TV producers, Chip and Joanna were knee-deep in debt trying to figure out how to finish a subdivision project in Waco called Magnolia Villas. The interiors of the modest homes were designed by Joanna herself. There's no mention of whether or not they're still involved in the development. But a house designed top-to-bottom by Chip and Joanna sounds pretty much like our dream home. Photo credit: Courtesy of Harper Collins For more never-before-heard stories about the Gaineses, pick up their book at magnoliamarket.com/book. You Might Also Like It may be mid-October, but it's not too late to soak up every last auburn, red and dusty orange-colored leaf this season. Unlike New England, many of the Midwest's most beautiful parks, forests and scenic roads experience radiant fall colors well into November. So, pack all of your coziest scarves, your camera and some cider, and head to these breathtaking spots for some picturesque autumn hues. [See: 11 Can't-Miss Hiking Trails in the USA.] Marquette Michigan Located on the shores of Lake Superior and surrounded by lush parks and small islands, Marquette is about as postcard-perfect as you can get, especially in the fall. Soak up the peak colors with a bike ride along the Iron Horse Heritage Trail, which weaves through downtown Marquette, passes through some of the county's historic mining landmarks and is flanked by beautiful trees. For views of the city, the rolling hills and the crystal blue lake, hike up Sugarloaf Mountain. The hike to the peak takes just 20 minutes and the 360-degree views of Marquette's white steeples against the fall foliage make it one of the best spots in town for photos. Cleveland You wouldn't expect to find some of Ohio's most beautiful foliage in an urban sprawl like Cleveland. But not only do the trees that flank some of the area's newest neighborhoods turn luscious shades of red, yellow and orange, but just 20 minutes south of downtown sits Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a 33,000-acre preserve. The large park features changing leaves, the Erie Canal and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which offers ghost tours in the fall. Bike or run along the 20-mile Towpath Trail or if you'd prefer to stay cozy in your car, drive along the road that weaves through the valley. Lake Geneva Wisconsin Looking for fall color that lasts well into November? Head to Lake Geneva, which has long been regaled for having some of the state's most dramatic foliage displays. What makes the lake so gorgeous isn't just its abundance of trees, but also the striking mansions that sit beside them. Many of Chicago's elite built vast estates on the lake starting in the 1800s, and even hired the nation's best landscapers to create Gatsby-esque yards. To soak in the colors, rent a bike and cycle along the paths around the lake, take a romantic stroll or charter a helicopter to enjoy the foliage from above. For a scenic ride, drive along Rustic Road 12. Story continues Parke County Indiana Thirty-one covered bridges and a charming small town makes Parke County one of the nation's most beautiful places to visit in fall. Situated in the Wabash River Valley, just an hour outside of Indianapolis, Parke County offers more covered bridges than a train set. To visit them all, pick up a brochure or stop by the visitors center in Rockville, Indiana, to chart your course. Though driving is the best way to visit each beautiful bridge, you can also rent bikes to burn calories while you leaf peep. Plan your visit in October to partake in the annual Covered Bridge Festival. [See: 10 Family-Friendly Resorts for Fall Foliage Trips.] North Shore of Lake Superior Minnesota A visit to Minnesota's North Shore is almost like traveling to Iceland with over 154 miles of cascading waterfalls, mountains peppered with changing leaves and Lake Superior's crystal-blue waters, along with quaint towns featuring distinctive personalities. Soak up the crisp air and take a hike up the Superior Hiking Trail. The trail spans more than 300 miles, but the most beautiful views come on the Cascade River Trail, which ends with views of the rushing river, many waterfalls and thousands of ever-changing maple trees. The North Shore Scenic Drive also boasts miles of stunning views and plentiful stops along the way to enjoy more waterfalls and adorable towns. Brown County Indiana Home to the largest state park in the state, Brown County has long been a favorite foliage spot for hikers, backpackers and picnic lovers. The best way to see the collection of brightly hued trees is with a drive through Brown County State Park. The traffic can be backed up, especially during the peak season, so if you want to stretch your legs with a hike along one of the park's picturesque trails. After a hike, enjoy a locally crafted spirit at Bear Wallow Distillery, which doesn't just offer great rye whiskey samples, but also beautiful views of the thick forest to soak in while you sip. Sheyenne River North Dakota North Dakota probably isn't the first state that comes to mind when you think of gorgeous foliage. However, one visit to the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway will quickly change your mind. Boasting over 63 miles of scenic views from Lisbon to Lake Ashtabula, North Dakota, the route showcases breathtaking valleys thick with birch trees decorated in bright yellow leaves. To enjoy the area's rich pioneer history, visit Sheyenne State Forest or Little Yellowstone Park, both of which come with plenty of folklore to enchant (and even haunt) you. And for an offbeat stop, check out the small Standing Rock State Historic Site. [See: 7 Family-Friendly Fall Trips You Can Afford.] Eureka Springs Arkansas Though technically located between the Midwest and the South, Arkansas offers plenty of allures to entice foliage enthusiasts. Home to one of the most haunted hotels in America, the Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs has long been a favorite for ghost hunters and fall lovers, alike. Beyond the hotel, the town is comprised of steep streets, quaint shops, local bistros and the ancient healing waters of Eureka Springs. To take to the waters, visit the Palace Hotel and Bath House, where you can rejuvenate in bubbly mineral springs. For a scenic hike, head to Hobbes State Park - Conservation Area and hit the Historic Van Winkle Trail, which weaves past beautiful trees. From Delish If the title of Ina Garten's latest cookbook seems antiquated, don't let the name-Cooking for Jeffrey-fool you: It's not a how-to-keep-your-man-happy guidebook, it's a 256-page love letter to the Barefoot Contessa's husband of 48 years, Jeffrey. The cookbook's been deemed her most personal yet, with passages and recipe headnotes revealing fresh insights into Garten's life when cameras aren't rolling, and how her relationship with her husband has been both her a source of strength and inspiration (so, basically, #relationshipgoals). Before you check out the book on Tuesday, here are some things to know about the couple-including how we may not have known the Food Network star at all if it weren't for one simple, yet powerful, comment. Photo credit: Sonia Moskowicz/Getty 1. Their First Date Was A Disaster. Jeffrey first spotted Ina when she was visiting her brother at Dartmouth and got her address so he could write her a letter. A few months later, he visited her in her Connecticut hometown, where the then 16-year-old Ina took him to a bar, since "that's where a college guy would expect to go, right?" The bouncer turned them away, but they wound up going to a coffee shop instead. "Decades later, I asked Jeffrey why he wanted to see me again after that mortifying first date and he said, 'I decided you needed taking care of,'" she writes, as the intro to the section on cocktail recipes. 2. Jeffrey Said This-And It Changed Ina's Life Forever. Just a year after getting married, Jeffrey turned to Ina and said, "You need to do something with your life, or you'll never be happy." A blunt phrase, to be sure, which Garten writes "stopped [her] short." It started her on a journey toward following her passion for cooking, inspiring her to manage Barefoot Contessa, a specialty food store in the Hamptons, then become its manager and chef. "I often say he's the first feminist I ever knew; he believed that I could do anything I wanted to," she explains. Story continues 3. Ina's the "Center of His Life." When the Washington Post asked Ina how Jeffrey cares for her, her reply was simple-and striking. "I am absolutely the center of his life," she said. "I walk in the room, and he goes, 'Okay, what are we doing?' He just drops everything. He's also been the brains behind everything I've done. He's invested, literally." 4. She Got Her Pilot's License While Jeffrey Was Deployed. When Jeffrey served in the Vietnam War, Ina wasn't sitting at home baking cookies (well, who knows, maybe sometimes she was). She took flying lessons and got her pilot's license. 5. Jeffrey Was the Dean of the Yale School of Management for 10 Years. He's been teaching there ever since stepping down in 2005, according to his Yale faculty page. Before that, he served as the undersecretary of commerce for international trade, and he spent 13 years working on Wall Street. 6. Ina Actually Cooks from Her Cookbooks. She's not a big fan of winging it, she told Food Network, and prefers using exact measurements and following her recipes, no matter how many times she's done them. 7. Jeffrey Doesn't Cook, But He Makes This Well. "He makes really good coffee, which I desperately need in the morning," Ina told the Tampa Bay Times. 8. Jeffrey and Ina Initially Worried Barefoot Contessa Would Fail. Just after taking over Barefoot Contessa, the specialty foods store, Ina met with the former owner, Diana, who showed her how to cash out the register. It contained $85. Total. Jeffrey quickly did the math, multiplying $85 by the number of days that summer, and told her "I don't think you're going to make it," she wrote in Cooking for Jeffrey. Little did they know that the next day, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, would change everything-it was the start of the summer busy season. They sold out of their entire stock that next day, and Ina and the former owner wound up staying up all night cooking, just to replenish their supplies. "At about three in the morning I remember thinking that buying a store with no experience may have been the stupidest thing I'd ever done," she wrote. 9. Her Biggest Regret in Life Will Give You All the Feels. "Not marrying Jeffrey sooner," she said, when answering the Proust questionnaire for Vanity Fair earlier this year. Follow Delish on Instagram. You Might Also Like [October 20, 2016] Benvenue Medical's Luna 3D Interbody Fusion System to Be Featured in Technology Innovation Session at NASS 2016 Benvenue Medical, Inc., a developer of minimally invasive solutions for spine repair, today announced key presentations and company events featuring the Luna 3D Multi-Expandable Interbody Fusion System and Kiva VCF Treatment System at the North American Spine Society (NASS) 31st Annual Meeting taking place Oct. 26-29 in Boston. Benvenue is one of eight companies selected to present in the Innovative Technology Presentations Session. Dr. Jeffrey Coe of the Silicon Valley Spine Institute (Campbell, California) will provide an overview of the Luna 3D system and discuss early clinical results in the presentation, "Multiexpandable Cage for Minimally Invasive Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion," on Oct. 26 at 8:30 a.m. in room 209. "The Luna 3D System further advances minimally invasive lumbar fusion surgical techniques," said Dr. Coe. "An important advantage of Luna's multi-expandable cage for fusion is that it allows us to restore disc height using a well-established posterior surgical approach while providing stable fixation via a larger construct that is more often achieved using an anterior approach. Early experience with the Luna interbody cage is demonstrating encouraging outcomes, including restoration of disc height, segmental lordosis and foraminal height, along with lack of subsidence and maintenance of sagittal correction. Importantly, these results are being achieved without nerve retraction injuries, which are which are a risk of posterior lumbar fusion." Data Presentations "Incidence of Serious Adverse Events Associated with Readmissions after Vertebral Augmentation Using an Expandable Implant: Follow-Up Analysis of KAST" (presentation #10) will be presented by Dr. Douglas Beall of Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma (Edmond, Oklahoma) on Oct. 26 at 10:47 a.m. in room 205A. The podium presentation will review serious adverse events requiring unplanned re-admission for patients who had vertebral augmentation using the Kva VCF Treatment System as compared to balloon kyphoplasty. "Community Practice Experience with Subsequent Vertebral Compression Fractures During the Year after Vertebral Augmentation Using an Expandable Implant" (presentation #88) will be presented by Dr. Arthur McCain of Vascular and Interventional Radiology Associates of Central Georgia (Macon, Georgia) on Oct. 27 at 3:10 p.m. in The Learning Place, Green Theater Technical Exhibition, booth #1900. The poster reviews the rate of subsequent vertebral compression fractures in the year following vertebral augmentation with the Kiva VCF Treatment System. "Biomechanics of Expandable Lumbar Interbody Fusion Cage Deployed Through Transforaminal Approach" (ePoster #11) will be moderated by Dr. Avinash Patwardhan of Loyola University Medical Center Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Maywood, Illinois). The poster highlights a novel posterior minimally invasive approach to safely access the lumbar disc without intrusion into the spinal canal by use of the Luna 3D interbody cage to restore disc height as a means to achieve indirect canal and foraminal decompression. "Luna 3D, the MULTI-Expandable Interbody Implant" on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. "Luna 3D Expandable Interbody Fusion System Surgeon Training Lab" on Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. About the Luna 3D Interbody Fusion System The Luna 3D Interbody Fusion System is designed to provide one of the largest yet least invasive devices for posterior lumbar interbody spinal fusion. Cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2014, the Luna 3D System is comprised of a PEEK implant designed to expand in multiple dimensions within the disc space, first in footprint and secondarily in height, allowing surgeons to effectively restore height via a posterior approach while providing the stability of a larger construct more often associated with an anterior approach. After a discectomy is performed, the Luna 3D Implant is delivered through a small diameter cannula into the disc space. After expanding its footprint, it is then expanded in height with the insertion of a middle section. When the cannula is removed, bone graft is placed in the middle of the implant and the implant is locked in place with a locking wire. About the Kiva VCF Treatment System The Kiva VCF Treatment System provides a new implant-based approach to vertebral augmentation in the treatment of painful VCFs. Kiva was recently launched in the U.S. and it is commercially available in Europe. Kiva has been shown, in at least three comparative studies with a total of more than 500 patients, to meet or exceed the performance of balloon kyphoplasty, the standard of care. Kiva is indicated for the reduction and treatment of spine fractures in the thoracic and/or lumbar spine from T6-L5. It is intended to be used in combination with the Benvenue Vertebral Augmentation Cement Kit. About Benvenue Medical, Inc. Founded in 2004, Benvenue Medical, Inc. provides next generation minimally invasive systems for spine repair that combine expandable implants with novel delivery instruments to provide enduring functional benefits for patients. The company is privately held and funded by DeNovo Ventures, Domain Associates, Esquilime Partners, InterWest Partners, Technology Partners and Versant Ventures. Its first products are designed for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures and degenerative disc disease, which have combined revenues of $9 billion globally. For more information, visit www.benvenuemedical.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005352/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Jennifer Lawrence (Photo: Dave Allocca/Starpix/REX/Shutterstock) Jennifer Lawrence definitely does not have a type. From dating a rock star, an actor and now a director, this leading lady has had a wide-range of real-life love interests. A source confirmed to PEOPLE on Wednesday that Lawrence, 26, is casually datingdirector Darren Aronofsky, 47, after they worked on an untitled film over the summer. Though J.Law has previously joked about the lack of romance in her life What dating life? she said in April heres a look back at her dating history, including what shes previously said about finding love. J.Law and Darren Aronofsky having brunch together in August. (Photo: goldie91218/Splash News) Darren Aronofsky In August, the Brooklyn native and Lawrence were spotted enjoying brunch together. Theyve been hanging out, a source close to the Oscar-winning actress recently told PEOPLE. Aronofsky was previously with actress Rachel Weisz, 46, for nine years, and they became engaged in 2005. They welcomed son Henry, now 10, in May 2006 before they split in 2010. Chris Martin Lawrences most recent relationship was with the 39-year-old Coldplay frontman, whom she began seeing in August 2014, five months after his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow filed for divorce. Martin and Lawrence dated for four months before they broke up the first time in October. Lawrence and Chris Martin (Getty Images) Then in late December of that year, the pair were presumably back together after they were spotted on a dinner date. In January 2015, they attended Harry Styles 21st birthday party in Los Angeles, then they were seen enjoying a cozy weekend in New York City in April, and again spotted together in May in Los Angeles. However in August 2015, multiple sources told PEOPLE Lawrence and Martin broke up for the final time. Nicholas Hoult Before Martin, before Aronofsky, there was Hoult. While filming X-Men: First Class in 2010, Kentucky-born Lawrence began a romance with her British costar. They briefly split in 2013 before reuniting both off and onscreen in X-Men: Days of Future Past. They ultimately ended their five-year relationship in August 2014. Story continues Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult (Getty Images) In November 2015, Lawrence admitted she felt lost after she ended her romance with Hoult around the same time that filming for the last Hunger Games movie wrapped. I was also in a relationship with somebody for five years and we broke up around the same time I wrapped the movies. Being 24 was this whole year of, Who am I without these movies? Who am I without this man? she told ABC News Diane Sawyer. Before linking up with Aronofsky, Lawrence had over six months of singledom, during which she told Vogue, No one ever asks me out. I am lonely every Saturday night. Guys are so mean to me. In her December 2015 cover spread she also shared, Im just a girl who wants you to be nice to me. I am straight as an arrow. I feel like I need to meet a guy, with all due respect, who has been living in Baghdad for five years who has no idea who I am. Though shes had her romantic ups and downs, Lawrence cant wait to be married. I feel like if I find that one person who I want to spend the rest of my life with, who I want to be the father of my children, that I would absolutely not f*** it up, she said in the same Vogue interview. By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Britain should not go it alone by adopting its own book-keeping rules after it leaves the European Union, though the global regulations in place could be tailored, the UK's accounting watchdog said on Friday. Listed companies in Britain and across the EU apply the accounting standards adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board. Some British lawmakers have said the IASB rules exacerbated the financial crisis and lack rigour. "Brexit could have significant implications for the adoption of international financial reporting standards depending on the exit arrangements negotiated by the government," said Paul George, executive director for corporate governance and reporting at the Financial Reporting Council, said, "The FRC continues to support the application of a single set of high quality global financial reporting standards for listed companies." The watchdog said it will identify potential risks to the accounting framework at the point Britain leaves the EU and afterwards, and consider opportunities for improvements. The comments were included in a check of company reports in Britain, which found that financial statements were generally good but needed to inject more balance in their reporting of performance. "Trust is eroded by excessive or inappropriate use of underlying profit figures, alternative performance measures, and failure to acknowledge when things haven't gone as well as expected," the FRC said. The watchdog, which has powers to fine accountants and their firms for falling below auditing standards, reviewed 192 company reports up to March. "We wrote to 33 companies to alert them that we will review their tax disclosures in their next annual report and accounts in order to encourage more transparency," the FRC said. The companies and their auditors were not named in the FRC report, which said most companies concerned had agreed action to resolve the issues. "Disappointingly, no FTSE 100 company that we reviewed stood out as a role model in this area of reporting," it added. (Reporting by Huw Jones; editing by John Stonestreet) ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss biotechnology group Actelion again raised its full-year guidance after it boosted nine-month sales 17 percent, driven by strong sales of its pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) medicines Opsumit and Uptravi. The company said on Thursday it now expects core operating income growth in the mid-teen percentage range for the year at constant exchange rates and barring unforeseen events. Nine-month revenue stood at 1.791 billion Swiss francs (1.47 billion pounds) compared to 1.525 billion francs in the prior-year period. Analysts polled by Reuters had on average expected third-quarter revenue to rise nearly 15 percent to 591 million Swiss francs and net income to gain nearly 14 percent to 188 million. (Reporting by Michael Shields and Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi) Pretoria (AFP) - South African police on Thursday fired stun grenades to disperse several hundred students who attempted to march to President Jacob Zuma's offices in the capital Pretoria to protest against tuition fees. The students had planned to deliver a list of demands to Zuma's office at the Union Buildings in the latest stage of weeks of often violent demonstrations. But police in riot gear prevented about 500 students from approaching the buildings, with some protesters trying to force their way through high fences. The students held posters saying "Free education for all", "South Africa is radically unequal" and "We want peace and free education". Stun grenades were fired after the students threw objects at the police. The march was part of a wave of unrest at universities around the country, as students protest against fee increases that they say force poor students out of education. Students have torched buildings in several institutions and dozens have been arrested during daily running battles on campuses in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and elsewhere. The violence has forced some universities to close, disrupting the completion of the academic year. Student protests began last year, when many so-called "born frees" -- who grew up after apartheid -- staged huge demonstrations which forced the government to abandon planned fee hikes for 2016. OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / The newly minted Agility PR Solutions will attend the PRSA 2016 International Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana from October 22 to October 25. The firm is excited to introduce itself to public relations professionals from around the globe at this annual event. On July 14, MediaMiser, a leading provider of media monitoring and analysis software and services, announced the acquisition of the Agility platform from PR Newswire. Agility is a global media contact database and media monitoring platform that helps customers target key influencers, amplify content and measure impact. MediaMiser acquired Agility to foster growth in North America and Europe by bolstering its media intelligence solutions and databases, improving its media outreach capabilities, and delivering stronger, more data-powered media intelligence to clients. With the acquisition of Agility, MediaMiser is now one of only a handful of companies to offer a global media contact dataset with integrated workflows for distribution, monitoring and measurement. Moving forward, the combination of MediaMiser and Agility will be known as Agility PR Solutions. Staff from Agility PR Solutions will be on site to familiarise conference-goers with its services, which include a truly global database of social media bloggers, influencers and journalists, which are crucial for amplifying messaging in a world that increasingly knows no boundaries. Guests to its exhibitor booth can schedule a demonstration of the easy-to-use software, to learn more about its capabilities. "The media monitoring industry is experiencing rapid change amid ongoing digital media expansion. We are keen to showcase our offerings to the PRSA audience," said Martin Lyster, CEO of Agility PR Solutions. "Agility is an excellent product with an extensive global media contact database and a strong reputation in the marketplace. The software is user friendly and extremely effective, offering a strong return on investment for PR and communications professionals." Story continues Agility PR Solutions invites PRSA International Conference attendees to visit exhibitor booth #317 to discover more about the platform, book a demonstration, and even enter to win some fantastic prizes. About Agility PR Solutions Agility PR Solutions (https://agilitypr.com) is a leading, full service PR platform featuring integrated workflows for distribution, monitoring, and measurement of media content. One of the only companies in the industry to offer a global contact dataset, Agility PR Solutions provides media monitoring and analysis software and professional services for organizations of all sizes. Agility PR Solutions reduces the time and effort it takes to gather, analyze and distribute valuable business intelligence extracted from traditional and social media sources. For organizations that prefer to outsource, Agility PR Solutions also provides detailed analysis reports and daily media briefings through an expert client services team. For more information, please contact: Michelle Rasmussen Director, Customer Engagement michelle.rasmussen@agilitypr.com 505-301-0892 SOURCE: Agility PR Solutions NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somali security agents have detained a British journalist working for 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 in Somalia frequently detain or threaten journalists whose coverage has offended them. The Islamist militant group al Shabaab also frequently targets reporters. The Doha-based satellite network said Hamza Mohamed and his crew were arrested on Tuesday afternoon in the capital Mogadishu and that they had been in Somalia for a week on a reporting assignment. "Al Jazeera Media Network have been in touch with him since his detention and he is well. He was travelling with a driver, fixer and cameraman, who were also detained," the statement said. Officials could not be immediately reached for comment on the detentions, but the channel said it had been informed by the government that he was being held for questioning and there were no charges levelled against him. On Saturday, intelligence officers stormed the offices of the Xog Ogaal newspaper, confiscating computers and cameras, and detained an editor, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists. He was released three days later. Media outlets also say they may be subject to further intimidation when repeatedly delayed elections to parliament and the presidency are held - they are currently scheduled for Nov. 30. Somalia has been convulsed by instability, violence and lawlessness since the early 1990s following the toppling of military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. The Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 32 journalists were killed in the country from 2010 to 2015. (Reporting by Katharine Houreld; Writing by Aaron Maasho; Editing by Dominic Evans) Alaska Air Group ALK, is the holding company of Alaska Airlines, which, together with its partner regional airlines, serves more than 100 cities through North America. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Zacks Rank: Currently, Alaska Air Group has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), but that could definitely change following the companys earnings report which was just released. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. We have highlighted some of the key stats from this just-revealed announcement below: Earnings: Alaska Air Group reported earnings (on an adjusted basis) of $2.20 per share in the third quarter of 2016 beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.05. Earnings increased 2% compared to the third quarter of 2015. Revenue: Revenues came in at $1.57 billion, edging past the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.55 billion. The top line grew 3% on a year-over-year basis. Key stats: The carrier shelled out a quarterly cash dividend worth 27.5 cents per-share in the third quarter, up 38% year over year. The carrier exited the quarter with $3.2 billion in unrestricted cash and marketable securities. ALASKA AIR GRP Price and EPS Surprise ALASKA AIR GRP Price and EPS Surprise | ALASKA AIR GRP Quote Check back later for our full write up on this Alaska Air Group earnings report later! 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 ALASKA AIR GRP (ALK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Reuters) - Alaska Air Group Inc's chief executive said on Thursday it was hard to predict when its deal to buy Virgin America Inc will receive approval from the U.S. Justice Department, which is considering the impact of the latest airline merger on competition and airfares. Late-stage discussions included the possibility of Alaska jettisoning part of one or more code-sharing agreements it has with larger U.S. carriers as a concession for winning antitrust approval, a source close to the matter has said. The scope of the department's review is manageable, Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden said on an analyst call. The airline is confident the deal will close and proceed in a way that benefits shareholders and customers, he said. In code-sharing agreements, an airline that does not fly a particular route sells tickets on behalf of another carrier that does. Both airlines place their identifying codes on the flight, and travelers can earn frequent flyer miles under either carrier's loyalty program. Alaska has code-share arrangements with larger U.S. rivals American Airlines Group Inc and Delta Air Lines Inc . The merger would open the possibility of the airlines agreeing to share codes on flights currently operated by Virgin America, which might alter competition at a time when the top four carriers control more than 80 percent of the U.S. market. American put its code on nearly 163,000 Alaska Airlines scheduled flights in 2016, and Delta put its code on more than 78,000, according to data from air travel intelligence company OAG. Alaska Airlines places its code on nearly 588,000 of those carriers' scheduled flights as well. JPMorgan analyst Jamie Baker has estimated that those relationships amount to $350 million in revenue for Alaska Air per year. Alaska Air has said its $2.6 billion merger would create the largest airline on the U.S. West Coast and help it rival bigger U.S. airlines. "This is a pro-consumer merger of two smaller airlines that will bring new low-fare competition," Tilden said. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York and Alana Wise in Washington; Editing by Dan Grebler) Alessandra Ambrosio collaborated with Revolve on the coolest clothing line Weve been watching Alessandra Ambrosio strut her stuff with Victorias Secret as one of the worlds most recognizable supermodels for almost a decade now. Shes worked with almost every major designer out there, so it only makes sense that shes dipping her toes in designing clothes, herself! According to People, Ambrosio has collaborated with Revolve on an awesome clothing line that youll be desperate to take with you on vacation! The line is inspired by Ambrosios Brazilian roots and her friends. When asked by People what she liked most about her side gig, Ambrosio said: What I like about designing is the ability to transfer my ideas into these stunning pieces, but what is most amazing is the feeling when you see someone wearing your designs with a big smile on their face. Aww! Nature Girl Bringing the boho vibes #alebyalessandra #foreveronvacation #aleXrevolve A photo posted by Alessandra Ambrosio (@alessandraambrosio) on Oct 18, 2016 at 5:23pm PDT Judging by the pieces, its like she knows exactly what we want to wear out to a nice dinner while on our next holiday to the tropics! Cant you just see yourself wandering down the Riviera in this breezy skirt? skirt For $170, the Molina Skirt can accompany you on your next vacay! It really does feel like the line truly captures Alessandras sexy yet unfussy essence. HOT COLLECTION ALERTIntroducing the new and EXCLUSIVE @alebyalessandra collection made just for you REVOLVE babes. click link in bio to shop #aleXrevolve by @alessandraambrosio A video posted by REVOLVE (@revolve) on Oct 19, 2016 at 6:52am PDT These pieces are just the epitome of boho-chic, dont you think? The swingy and flirty $148 Bia dress is just the cutest! dress Youll definitely feel like a model-off-duty in this guy! Story continues And well, this just screams New Years Eve, doesnt it? sequin Or anytime eve, really. We cant help but love this $240 Lorena dress, even if it means we have to eat ramen for a week. There are seriously sooooo many good choices to pick from, youre just gonna have to head over to Revolves website and check them out for yourself! But were warning you now: Youre gonna like everything you see! The post Alessandra Ambrosio collaborated with Revolve on the coolest clothing line appeared first on HelloGiggles. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ALXN is scheduled to report third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 27, before the opening bell. The companys track record has been mixed. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten estimates on two occasions. Overall, Alexion has posted an average positive earnings surprise of 3.12% for the four trailing quarters. Last quarter, the company recorded a positive earnings surprise of 2.20%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors Likely to Impact Q3 Results Alexions key growth driver, Soliris, should continue to perform well in the core territories including the U.S., the EU and Japan, driven by a consistently increasing new patient population in the paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome indications. At its last quarterly earnings call, Alexion reiterated its 2016 Soliris guidance of $2.835$2.875 billion. Sales are, however, expected to continue being hurt by macroeconomic weakness in Latin America. Strensiq, a new growth catalyst for Alexion, has seen encouraging uptake in the early stages of its launch. Revenues continue to be boosted by a growing hypophosphatasia (HPP) patient population, including both children and adults with pediatric-onset disease, driven by HPP disease awareness and diagnostic initiatives. The strong initial uptake of Strensiq prompted the company to increase its metabolic revenue guidance to $200 million to $220 million from the previous expectations of $180$200 million. Meanwhile, the company is working on the launches of both Strensiq and Kanuma by increasing awareness through diagnostic and disease education programs. In the third quarter of 2016, total revenue is expected in the range of $780$790 million, including foreign exchange headwinds of $17$20 million. Alexion had guided expenses at the high end of its prior projection mainly due to pipeline investments, expansion of the global commercial launches of Strensiq and Kanuma, and unfavorable currency movement. Consequently, the company lowered its 2016 earnings projection to the range of $4.50 to $4.65 (previous guidance: $5.00$5.20) per share. For the third quarter, it anticipates earnings in the range of $1.14$1.18 per share. On the third-quarter call, investor focus will be on the companys performance, and sales ramp-up of Strensiq and Kanuma. Story continues ALEXION PHARMA Price and EPS Surprise ALEXION PHARMA Price and EPS Surprise | ALEXION PHARMA Quote What Our Model Indicates Our proven model does not conclusively show that Alexion is likely to beat earnings this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold) to be able to beat earnings. However, that is not the case here, as you will see below. Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is 0.00%, since both the Most Accurate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at $1.04. Zacks Rank: Although Alexions Zacks Rank #3 increases the predictive power of ESP its 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult. Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or #5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks That Warrant a Look Here are a couple of health care stocks that you may want to consider, as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter. Amgen Inc. AMGN is expected to report results on Oct 26. The company has an Earnings ESP of +1.79% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Earnings ESP for ImmunoGen, Inc. IMGN is +5.41% and it carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company is scheduled to release earnings on Oct 28. Novartis AG NVS has an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company is slated to report quarterly numbers on Oct 25. 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 NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ALEXION PHARMA (ALXN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report IMMUNOGEN INC (IMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ALXN announced that the FDA has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to its pipeline candidate, ALXN1007, for the treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The FDA, through its Office of Orphan Products Development, grants this status to candidates that are being developed to treat, prevent or diagnose rare diseases or disorders affecting less than 200,000 people in the U.S. This status makes ALXN1007 eligible for certain benefits and incentives including a period of marketing exclusivity in the U.S., following an approval for GVHD. We note that ALXN1007 is a novel anti-inflammatory monoclonal antibody that targets complement protein C5a. It is currently being evaluated in a phase II study for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed acute GVHD of the lower gastrointestinal tract (GI-GVHD). Moreover it was granted ODD in the EU for the same indication in Aug 2016. We are encouraged by the FDA granting ODD to ALXN1007. Per Alexions press release, GI-GVHD affects roughly 10% of patients who receive an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant or bone marrow transplant. Patients with severe, acute GI-GVHD have a 3040% mortality rate within the first six months of transplant. Considering that there are limited treatment options for acute GI-GVHD, there exists significant unmet need for treatments targeting this severe and life-threatening rare autoimmune disease. ALEXION PHARMA Price ALEXION PHARMA Price | ALEXION PHARMA Quote Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Alexion carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. INFI, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. BMRN and Exelixis, Inc. EXEL. All the three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Infinitys loss estimates narrowed from $3.84 to $3.79 for 2016 and has remained stable for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company has posted a positive surprise in all the four trailing quarters with an average beat of 67.62%. Story continues BioMarins loss estimates narrowed from 28 cents to 25 cents for 2016 and from $1.16 to $1.11 for 2017 over the last 60 days. Exelixiss loss estimates narrowed from 71 cents to 63 cents for 2016 and from 19 cents to earnings of 3 cents for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company has posted a positive surprise twice in the four trailing quarters with an average beat of 9.1%. Its share price has skyrocketed over 100% year to date. 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 ALEXION PHARMA (ALXN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOMARIN PHARMA (BMRN): Free Stock Analysis Report EXELIXIS INC (EXEL): Free Stock Analysis Report INFINITY PHARMA (INFI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Oct 20 (Reuters) - The Alliance natural gas pipeline returned to service by early Thursday, according to Thomson Reuters data. The pipeline shut on Oct. 12 for what was supposed to be seven days of maintenance to install new pipe sections at two places in western Canada where a highway will cross the mainline. In the 30 days prior to the Oct. 12 outage, Canada exported about 1.7 billion cubic feet per day of gas to the United States on the Alliance pipeline, Reuters data showed. Alliance Pipeline LP is sponsored by affiliates of Enbridge Income Fund and Veresen Inc. It is one of the most important liquids-rich natural gas conduits between Western Canada's Montney region and the Chicago market hub. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Bernadette Baum) The battle for Mosul, however difficult, will end the Islamic State as a significant political and military force in Iraq. The jihadi organization will be reduced to a rump state centered in Raqqa, Syria, with potent terrorist capabilities. But questions about Iraqs future, once it is finally free of this existential threat, loom large. The stakes are huge. The country sits at the center of the Middle East and boasts oil reserves more than half the size of Saudi Arabias. Its constitutional system, which manages to unite if uncomfortably Kurdish, Sunni Arab, and Shiite Arab components, has the potential to serve as a model for a region threatened by dictatorship and sectarian violence. In practice, even under the best of circumstances, its hard to keep the Iraqi state stable, given its history, internal divisions, and over-reliance on oil income. And these are not the best of circumstances. Some of Iraqs allies in its war against the Islamic State dont improve its odds of emerging as a healthy state. The United States remains the essential ally, but other key states such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran largely pursue game plans that are incompatible with each other and not necessarily in line with the national vision shared by most Iraqis, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadis government, and Washington. In supporting this national vision, Washington must thus deal with each states particular goals. Just as Americas World War II partners began maximizing their own postwar interests while the United States concentrated on defeating Germany and Japan, regional players are prioritizing not the war against the Islamic State but what they all see as the bigger issue the conflict of Iran and its allies versus a loose coalition of anti-Iran states. Saudi Arabia leads the regional anti-Iran coalition, but its role in Iraq has been hampered by its disdain for any Shiite-led government, however independent of Iran, and over-reliance on its weak Sunni tribal relationships. Riyadhs immediate goals are to keep the Iranian-backed Shiite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) out of northern Iraq, while maximizing local Sunni Arab control there, and to minimize the authority of the central government, which it views as Shiite, not Arab. But given the Saudis poor hand, they could be persuaded to work through the United States. Story continues Turkeys game plan begins with President Recep Tayyip Erdogans desire for a powerful regional role. These ambitions inevitably place Turkey in competition with Iran an echo of centuries of Turks and Persians fighting over Iraq. Turkeys goal is to deepen its already robust relations with Massoud Barzanis Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which Ankara sees as a barrier to the Iranians, the anti-Turkish Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and the Shiite-dominated Iraqi central government. The KRG offers Ankara lucrative oil and gas deals and provides Turkey two military bases to play in Iraqi security and politics. The Turks also have traditional ties to the Sunni Arab and Turkmen populations near Mosul and sponsor their involvement in the operation to liberate the city and its day after governance. But unless Turkey, which is still reeling from the July coup attempt, wishes to spark a war, its options beyond bolstering the KRG and working with Washington are limited. The Iraqi government remains fiercely opposed to Turkeys military deployment north of Mosul, and the PMUs hostility to Turkish meddling is even fiercer . Iran is the most influential outside actor in Iraq but is constrained by its unpopularity among many Iraqis and opposition from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and sometimes the United States. Irans goals in Iraq seem compatible at first glance with those of Washington: Tehran wants to defeat the Islamic State, eliminate the rise of any threat on the magnitude of Saddam Husseins regime, and keep Iraq unified and governed by Shiites and Kurds friendly to Tehran. This latter point, in particular, meshes with the U.S. goal of building an Iraqi democracy, as Shiite and Kurdish Iraqis constitute a majority of the population. But in Iraq as in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen Tehran is also aiming to advance its regional ambitions. Qassem Suleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, is pursuing a policy that includes the erosion of the state and the regular military in favor of political and militia forces allied with Tehran. In short, he aims to create a new version of Lebanons Hezbollah a paramilitary organization controlled by Iran, with the goal of dominating Iraq and suppressing its Sunni and Kurdish minorities. Irans intentions with such a broad goal are murky. Often Tehran has been cautious in its political dealings with Baghdad, in part because some Iraqi Shiites, including the clerical establishment, are wary of it. Thus, Iran did not protest strongly the removal of its ally in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the re-entry of U.S. forces to fight the Islamic State, or Iraqs overtaking it as OPECs second-largest oil exporter. But at the end of the day, Iran does not support the regional status quo. Although Washingtons partners make difficult allies, they accept the status quo and an American presence in the region. Tehran, by contrast, seeks an end to the U.S. role in favor of an Iranian sphere of influence that promises to undermine state authority in Iraq, Lebanon, and wherever else possible, to the benefit of its local surrogates. Whatever the Iranians motivations, they are using the campaign against the Islamic State to push a maximalist agenda targeting Sunni Arabs and even the KRG. One theory recently put forth by Martin Chulov in the Guardian is that Tehran seeks a land route to Lebanon control over a stretch of land going up the Tigris River and through Syrian Kurdistan to Aleppo, Damascus, and the sea, bypassing western Iraq and eastern Syria, which are dominated by Sunni Arabs. Such a corridor would complement Iranian air routes, which are vulnerable in times of crisis to U.S. air superiority. It might seem daunting to build a viable state amid these international rivalries and competing ambitions. But in the midst of these tensions is opportunity: If Washington recognizes that keeping Iraq stable and containing Iran are as important as defeating the Islamic State, it will find allies inside and outside Iraq. As many have rightly emphasized, the risks in the Mosul operation are significant, as are the challenges of providing humanitarian relief and promoting reconciliation between sectarian groups in its aftermath both in the city and the country at large. But these challenges invite the United States to demonstrate its unique influence. Washington can show that only it can drive the Islamic State out, mediate between the three major Iraqi factions, and effectively support oil sector growth and integration into the global financial sector. An America leading from the front can win over the Turks, Saudis, and the larger international community to buttress Iraqs development and deter Irans subversion. But victory in Mosul is the prerequisite for such an American role. President Barack Obamas light footprint military deployment which consists of advisory and training units, intelligence assets, special forces, and air power is fine. But this is not some proof of concept exercise; the priority is to win, with whatever brute American force necessary, short of tens of thousands of ground troops. Likewise, Washington must coordinate the day after relief operation openly if needed and the governance efforts behind the scenes. It will be the next U.S. administrations central task in Iraq to build on the Mosul success. That means establishing a residual military presence and supporting economic development, as well as opening a channel to the Iranians to clarify each sides intentions. Its true that such an all elements of American power approach was previously unsuccessful in Iraq. But that effort, from 2003 to 2011, was tantamount to a mission impossible in its sweeping goals to transform the Iraqi state and society and heal historical fissures. This post-Mosul approach is more modest. Although it will not be easy, it has worked in countries such as Jordan, Bosnia, and Colombia. And if this and the next administration focus on it, it can also work in Iraq. AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images (Adds revenue and cost forecasts) By Alana Wise and Rachit Vats Oct 20 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc shares dipped on Thursday after the carrier said cheap airfares and higher wages will squeeze profits in the current quarter. American, the world's largest airline, said it expects its adjusted pretax margin to fall in the fourth quarter. Late on Thursday afternoon, the airline's shares were down 0.5 percent at $40.59, after falling as much as 3 percent. The company reported that net income fell by more than half in the third quarter from a year ago to $737 million, or $1.40 per share, partly as the result of $452 million provision for income taxes. The company nonetheless beat analysts' average estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. J.P. Morgan analyst Jamie Baker said the airline's 4 percent to 6 percent margin, excluding items, would put the company at the bottom of the industry. Fort Worth, Texas-based American said a weaker British pound has dampened sales to British travelers in dollar terms. At the same time, budget carriers such as Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA are fighting larger airlines for a fixed number of travelers to Europe - charging less per ticket and hurting American's revenue. American forecast that unit revenue, which compares sales to how many seats the airline flies and how far it flies them, will decline between 1 percent and 3 percent in the fourth quarter from the year prior. New labor contracts are increasing costs as well. Deals with the airline's reservation agents, dispatchers and mechanics will help push unit costs up between 8 percent and 10 percent in the fourth quarter from a year ago, excluding fuel and other charges. Not included are costs associated with flights contracted out to regional airlines. American pointed to some bright spots. Revenue from Latin America had improved and company officials said they expect that to continue. Through 2017, the group said it will be able to eliminate a number of redundant positions resulted from its 2013 merger with US Airways, through attrition by early retirement and buyouts, rather than layoffs. (Reporting by Rachit Vats in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr and Steve Orlofsky) RATINGS CHANGES Assurant was downgraded to neutral from buy at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. $87 price target. The company is seeing a weaker outlook for its Solutions business, analysts said. AMC Networks was downgraded to sector weight from overweight at Pacific Crest. The company is leveraged to secular advertising pressures, Pac Crest said. AmeriServ Financial was downgraded to hold at TheStreet Ratings. You can view the full analysis from the report here: ASRV. American Express was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. $68 price target. The company is seeing better billings and loan growth, in addition to premium card fees, analysts said. Dynegy was downgraded to sector perform at RBC Capital. $15 price target. Consensus expectations appear too high over the next several quarters, RBC said. Expedia was upgraded to overweight at Pacific Crest. $160 price target. HomeAway is driving growth and the company has multiple potential earnings levers, Pac Crest said. Kinder Morgan was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse. $26 price target. The stock has pulled back, but the dividend will likely increase by mid-2018, Credit Suisse said. Vail Resorts was upgraded to outperform at Wells Fargo. The Whistler Blackcomb purchase should add materially to earnings, Wells said. Select Comfort was downgraded to underperform from neutral at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. $16 price target. The company posted another disappointing quarter and continues to face earnings risks, analysts said. Del Taco Restaurants was upgraded to hold at TheStreet Ratings. You can view the full analysis from the report here: TACO. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: See inside Jim Cramers multi-million dollar charitable trust portfolio to see the stocks he thinks could be potentially HUGE winners. Click here to see his holdings for FREE. ANTALYA, Turkey A middle-class Turkish couple struggling to have a child decides to adopt, kicking off an elaborate scheme to sidestep the judgment of family and friends by staging photos of a pregnancy that never took place. Mehmet Can Mertoglus debut feature, Album (Album), is stocked with barbed takes on the world they inhabit, where listless bureaucrats snooze their way toward meager pensions and the films parents-to-be treat the job of picking out their newborn with all the passion and excitement of a couple choosing a carpet for the living room. It is not a film thats likely to gain many admirers at the Turkish tourism board, yet Mertoglu argues its a fair if at times over-the-top depiction of his country today. And he certainly has won his share of fans for a film that arrived at the Antalya Intl. Film Festival this week, trailing a string of awards and critical laurels. Up until now, the response is better than expectations, he says. In its black humor and dry social commentary in the face of bureaucratic ineptitude, critics have seen the Romanian New Waves fingerprints all over Album, recalling the works of Cristi Puiu and Corneliu Porumboiu. Mertoglu says its no coincidence: not only does the helmer count the Romanians among his influences, but he brought in Porumboius acclaimed cinematographer, Marius Panduru, to lens Album. Panduru came on board in the early stages of production, giving the film its particularly austere, deadpan aesthetic. Romanian Golden Bear winner Calin Peter Netzer (Childs Pose) is also listed among the production credits, along with Oscar-winning Bosnian helmer Denis Tanovic (No Mans Land) as part of a Turkey-Romania-France-Germany co-prod. The film arrives in Antalya on the heels of a Cannes Critics Week premiere, where it won the France 4 Visionary Award, before scooping best film honors at the Sarajevo Film Festival. Returning to Turkey it played to local auds in Istanbul and at the Adana film fest, where it won three awards, including best director and best screenplay. Story continues Despite the accolades, Mertoglu says the film has gotten a mixed reception back home, with some viewers feeling that his barbed commentary on contemporary Turkey paints his countrymen in a particularly harsh and unflattering light. But the helmer expected to provoke strong reactions through satire, a form which he acknowledges is really rare in Turkish arthouse cinema. Undoubtedly some local auds will welcome a fresh take that breaks from the countrys more dominant, brooding mold. When one cast member after a recent screening in Antalya said the film mirrored the black comedy of Turkey today, he received sustained applause. Laughter is one way to deal with recent events in Turkey, which has been hit this year by a string of terrorist attacks, a failed coup attempt, and the ongoing fallout of the war in neighboring Syria. Even Mertoglu has been unsettled by the headlines, admitting to jitters when he visits movie theaters. He notes, too, that the uncertainty is taking a toll on the Turkish industry, stalling a number of films currently in production, and raising questions about the next government funding cycle. Still, the helmer hopes such setbacks wont stall the momentum of an industry that has been growing in size and critical acclaim in recent years. The next year will be hard, he says. Butit wont last forever. Related stories 'Chariots of Fire' Director Hugh Hudson on His Antonio Banderas-Starrer 'Finding Altamira' Antalya: Turkish Box Office Likely to Suffer 2016 Drop, But Growth Expected Going Forward Turkish Helmer's Debut Doc 'Kedi' Tapped for U.S. Release [October 20, 2016] 29 FICS Customers Recognized in Annual Survey of Top Commercial/Multifamily Servicers Financial Industry Computer Systems, Inc. (FICS), a provider of loan origination software, residential servicing software and commercial servicing software for the mortgage industry, today announced that 29 of its current servicing clients were ranked in the top 100 companies by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) for its annual 2016 Mid-Year Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Servicing Volumes. MBA's survey of servicers is released twice a year -- mid-year and year-end -- and gathers data focused on the volume of loans serviced and includes breakouts for primary, master and special servicing. The survey also ranks servicing firms by their total servicing volumes, as well as their servicing for specific investor groups, including CMBS, life insurance companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FHA nd other investor groups. Lancaster Pollard Mortgage Company, LLC, an FICS customer based in Columbus, Ohio, has been highlighted on the list for its total primary and master servicing of total loans, commercial bank/savings institution loans, and other loans. An FICS customer since 2001, Lancaster Pollard successfully leverages FICS' Commercial Servicer, Commercial Accountant, and LoanStat for servicing. "We've counted on FICS for 15 years, and they've never disappointed," said Shelly Harvey, senior vice president and director of servicing at Lancaster Pollard. "Since implementing Commercial Servicer in 2001, our portfolio has grown exponentially, from 22 loans totaling $128 million to nearly 1,000 loans totaling over $5.4 billion. Servicing has become more complicated and system demands have altered, but FICS has been more than able to handle the growth and change. Our goal is to continuously use Commercial Servicer to its full potential." FICS customers included in these rankings significantly rely on FICS' Commercial Servicer to manage their commercial loan portfolios. Commercial Servicer provides the most comprehensive and cost-effective system for commercial loan servicing. The solution automates the servicing of commercial loans, such as multi-family and commercial real-estate, income property and construction, as well as accommodates the servicing of lines of credit loans for equipment, inventory and more. "With regulatory and investor reporting requirements continuing to increase pressure on today's mortgage industry, we remain focused on providing our customers with the most robust technology offerings available to simplify on-going operations as best as possible," said Susan Graham, president and COO of FICS. "Seeing 29 of our existing servicing customers recognized in this year's mid-year MBA rankings reinforces the effort we put into supporting the success of the mortgage industry and serves as a positive reflection of the important role Commercial Servicer can play in today's loan servicing environment." About FICS Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Financial Industry Computer Systems, Inc. (FICS), specializes in providing flexible, comprehensive residential and commercial technology solutions to the mortgage industry. FICS' systems are designed to operate on Microsoft Windows platforms with the most recent solutions written using .NET (News - Alert) Framework that include a rich Windows Presentation Foundation user interface and multi-tiered shareable services. FICS also provides innovative document management and web-based capabilities into its full suite of products. Additional information about FICS is available via the company's website at: www.FICS.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005855/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Australasian collecting society APRA AMCOS reported record revenue of a third of a billion Australian dollars for its financial year 2015-2016, thanks in no small part to a gain of more than A$20 million ($15 million) in digital revenue. APRA AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle said the organizations enjoyed "an exceptional year"as overall revenue grew 11% year-on-year to A$333 million ($254 million), and net distributable revenue rose 8.73% to A$285.5 million ($218 million). The group expense ratio inflated to 15.16% as the societies were impacted by heavy investment in new systems, Cottle explained. APRA's financials were published in its "Year In Review" report, which can be found here. For both societies, digital revenue -- from downloads to subscription and ad-funded streaming services, video on demand, Websites and user-generated services -- was the main driver for the gains. In the document, APRA said it registered a 140% boost in streaming revenue to A$27.4 million ($20 million) as digital revenue grew 142% to A$67.8 million ($51 million). "While revenue from digital services is growing rapidly," noted Cottle, "the sheer volume of music being consumed is growing exponentially, which means that the fruits of this growth are being spread over a vastly increased pool of songwriters." As a standalone entity, APRA reported a 12% rise in revenue grew to A$258 million ($197 million) -- a record rate of growth as well as a record figure -- while its sister collecting society AMCOS enjoyed a 7% gain to A$75 million ($57 million), also a new high, amidst a "generally difficult year," Cottle explained. Export revenue surged 12% to A$38.3 million ($29 million) during the timeframe, reflecting "the continuing extraordinary success of Australian and New Zealand music around the world." Export revenue has increased by 75% in the past three years, during which time the likes of Lorde, Gotye, Sia, Flume, Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett and Troye Sivan have emerged as stars on a global stage. Story continues Revenue from broadcasting during the reporting period grew by 4.6% to $$114 million ($87 million) while licence fees from public performance improved by more than 6% to nearly $69 million ($52 million). Cottle sounded out by firing a salvo at the Australian and New Zealand governments for their failure to adequately support the markets' music communities. The situation continues to "aggravate, surprise and disappoint that governments on both sides of the Tasman fail to treat music as a commercial art form worthy of support or investment at a level that is reasonable and proportionate to other creative art forms," he noted. "Even the most modest programs - delivering obvious and major benefits - such as Sounds Australia and the Live Music Office, have come under short-sighted and ill-informed threat. It's long past time that governments and their advisors woke up and listened to the music." APRA boasts more than 89,000 members, while AMCOS counts more than 16,000 members. Riyadh (AFP) - Rebel violations mean there is "no ceasefire" in Yemen, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said on Thursday, the first day of a truce under a UN plan. "There is no ceasefire at all," Major General Ahmed Assiri told AFP. Huthi rebels and their allies had breached the truce since it took effect at midnight Wednesday, including by firing mortars and rockets across the border into southern Saudi Arabia, he said, forcing coalition forces to respond. "This is the same situation as the previous time when we called for a ceasefire," Assiri said. Since the coalition intervened in March 2015 to support Yemen's government, five previous ceasefires attempts failed. This time there were more than 43 violations along the border, "in which snipers and various weapons were used, including missiles and projectiles," the official Saudi Press Agency reported. In one attack, a man and his daughter were wounded in the kingdom's Jazan region, according to Saudi civil defence authorities. Assiri said coalition artillery and aircraft retaliated. "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." The coalition says it remains committed to the truce. "Without observation on the ground, there is no ceasefire. Without pressure from the international community on both sides there is no ceasefire," Assiri added. As one of its conditions for supporting the truce, Yemen's government had insisted that the rebels should join a truce observation committee. "Up to now, no one showed up" from the rebel side, Assiri said. During the previous truce which began in April and ultimately collapsed, joint committees of rebel and loyalist army representatives were in the field to monitor violations. Assiri said that, in keeping with the truce, coalition warplanes conducted only surveillance flights over Yemen on Thursday. Buenos Aires (AFP) - Maximiliano Ruiz was not expecting a call from Argentina's National Commission for the Right to Identity. He already knew his identity -- or so he thought. He was 40, the happy son of middle-class parents. The first person in his family to become a doctor. Then, in May, the call came. His parents, the commission suspected, were not his biological ones. His younger sister Marina was not his blood sister. His father was a Marxist guerrilla, murdered by military dictators. The governmental commission searches for people who were taken from their mothers as babies and adopted by other families under the 1976-1983 regime. "I was surprised by the call. But I was sure it wasn't me they were looking for," Ruiz told AFP. "I had not suspected it. I did not even know that the parents who raised me were not my biological parents." Genetic tests were recommended. The call had sowed doubt in his mind, and he agreed. - Gratitude - Last month the results confirmed that he was one of hundreds of so-called "stolen babies" born to left-wing dissident parents in custody. They call him "Grandson Number 121," the latest to be identified out of around 500 children thought to have been forcibly adopted under the regime. Ruiz learned the results of his DNA test on October 3 from the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a renowned rights group working for victims of the dictatorship. He learned he had an elder brother, Ramiro Menna, who looks just like him, and a long-lost Aunt Alba. "This is a happy experience for me. The strongest feeling I have is one of gratitude," Ruiz said. "I am grateful to have survived, despite being born in difficult circumstances -- to have had the family that raised me, and then to meet this family that was looking for me." - Long-lost brothers - Ramiro is a left-wing activist who worked as a missionary in Ethiopia. He was two when his mother was arrested and an aunt and uncle looked after him. He later spent decades trying to find the baby his mother had been carrying in her womb when she was imprisoned. Story continues "When I met Ramiro there was an immediate charge of affection -- a feeling of happiness, of overwhelming love. It was as if we had known each other all our lives," Ruiz said. "I am not replacing one family with another. I feel I am expanding my family." - Where babies come from - Ruiz has a wife, Maria, a lawyer, with whom he has two children: Mauricio, six, and Carmela, four. He has told his own children they may soon change their surname. "I told them I had not come out of Grandma Monica's tummy as they thought, but my mother had died and the grown-ups did not tell me, because they did not want me to be sad." The first thing little Carmela asked was: "Mommy, did I come out of your tummy?" - Family politics - Argentina's military dictators, backed by the United States in the midst of the Cold War, jailed, killed and "disappeared" tens of thousands of their opponents. Ruiz's biological parents, he learned, were Ana Maria Lanzillotto and Domingo Menna, a medical student and commander of a Marxist guerrilla group. They are just two of some 30,000 people that rights groups estimate were "disappeared" in Argentina, as did many more under right-wing dictatorships in various other Latin American countries. "Here in Argentina it was the worst dictatorship around. It used perverse methods," Ruiz said. "But I think on the left too, in those armed groups, things were also done." Numerous officers of the regime have been jailed for atrocities. Those convictions have been largely driven by the "Grandmothers." The "identity" commission, part of the Argentine justice ministry, formally investigates cases of babies born to women in custody under the regime. The commission stumbled on Ruiz's case while investigating a midwife accused of forging birth certificates during that period. Examining his birth record, it found inconsistencies that led his story to unravel. - Love and understanding - "My (adoptive) mother had been trying for years but had not managed to get pregnant," he said. She was referred to a clinic which proposed that she adopt a newborn baby delivered there. His adoptive parents did not know the truth about Maximiliano's parents. The clinic told them the baby had been born to a 15-year-old girl who did not want a child. "That had a strong effect on my mom and dad. It was a surprise for them too," he said. "Not the fact that I wasn't their biological son -- they knew that already -- but the truth about where I came from," Ruiz added. "I understand what they went through. I love them very much. I have nothing but gratitude for them." United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A UN panel of experts has found evidence of "well-established networks" of arms suppliers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East that are fueling the war in South Sudan. In a confidential report to the Security Council obtained by AFP on Thursday, the panel described the arms deals that are not recent and involve Israeli and Bulgarian firms. The council has threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan to try to end the fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. While the arms deals date back to 2014 or earlier, "this evidence nevertheless illustrates the well-established networks through which weapons procurement is coordinated from suppliers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and then transferred through middlemen in eastern Africa to South Sudan," said the report. The panel said rebel fighters loyal to Reik Machar recently turned up in the Democratic Republic of Congo armed with Israeli-made automatic rifles that were part of a stock sold to Uganda in 2007. The weapons were likely taken from South Sudanese government stocks either through battlefield capture or defections, said the report sent to the council last week. The panel said the Israeli-made rifles were likely part of a larger group of weapons that was transferred to South Sudan from Uganda. After receiving a tip from Spain, the UN experts are looking into an arms trafficking network based in Europe that received an "extensive list of small arms, munitions and light weapons" from the rebels in 2014. The deal which also involved a middleman from Senegal provided for shipments that were at least partially delivered, they said. - Deals through Uganda - A Bulgarian firm delivered a shipment of small arms ammunition and 4,000 assault rifles to Uganda in July 2014, which were later transferred to South Sudan. The firm, Bulgarian Industrial Engineering, worked through an intermediary in Uganda identified as Bosasy Logistics, whose chairman Valerii Copeichin is a Moldovan national. Story continues The report said recent arms supplies were likely to have been made "through the same modality." UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous has called on the council to move quickly to cut off the arms flow, but Russia opposes the move while African countries have expressed reservations. "I think an arms embargo should happen now and that's even very late," Ladsous told reporters on Tuesday. "The rainy season is coming to a close and that has frequently been the time of the year when people go back to military operations." The council has said it will impose an arms embargo if Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon determines that the government in Juba is blocking the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force. South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup. The nearly three-year war has been marked by appalling numbers of rapes and killings. By Martinne Geller and Pamela Barbaglia LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Asian brewers Asahi Group and China Resources and a consortium of KKR and Mid Europa Partners are among several parties preparing bids for a group of beer brands being sold by Anheuser-Busch InBev, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The brands, which include Pilsner Urquell in Czech Republic and Tyskie and Lech in Poland, are worth more than 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion). They were offered for sale earlier this month as part of AB InBev's $100 billion-plus takeover of SABMiller, which recently closed. The portfolio has also drawn interest from private equity firm Advent International, which in March raised a $13 billion fund, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other parties looking at the assets but wanting to participate in a joint bid include U.S. buyout firm Bain Capital, Swiss investment firm Jacobs Holdings and London-based private equity house BC Partners, the sources said, as well as local investors. Polish billionaire Sebastian Kulczyk told Reuters earlier this month that he may look to use some of the proceeds after the sale of his stake in SABMiller to buy the divested assets. Polish juice maker Maspex has also expressed interest in the brands and is seeking other investors to contribute to a bid, the sources said. AB InBev recently invited a host of parties to the auction, led by Lazard, the sources said, adding that the world's largest brewer wants indicative offers in early November, hoping to nail down a buyer by Christmas, the sources said. They described Asahi as the most motivated buyer, since it wants to build on its purchase of Peroni and Grolsch, SABMiller's former brands in western Europe. But state-owned China Resources, which bought out the Chinese joint venture with SABMiller, is also keen to submit a competitive bid, they said, and is holding talks with potential partners including Chinese investment firms. Story continues The portfolio, which also includes beer brands in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, may fit into the new strategy of Hungarian oil and gas group Mol, which said last week that it wanted to diversify into new business areas including consumer goods, three of the sources said. Officials for AB InBev, KKR, Advent, Bain, BC Partners and Mol declined to comment. Asahi, China Resources, Mid Europa and Jacobs could not be reached outside of normal working hours. ($1 = 0.9142 euros) (Additional reporting by Sophie Sassard in London and Agnieszka Barteczko in Warsaw; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Fed up with Euro dominance of the Oscar foreign-language category, Sadyk Sher-Niyaz and Georges Chamchoum decided to do something about it: They created the Asian World Film Festival and launched it in the industrys backyard last year. Now the fest is returning for its second outing in Culver City: It kicks off Oct. 24 with a screening of Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadias Ali and Nino, and concludes Nov. 1 with John H. Lees Korean hit Operation Chromite, starring Liam Neeson as Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The festival, sponsored by Variety, will honor pioneering Bambi illustrator Tyrus Ty Wong with a lifetime achievement award Oct. 24; Pam Toms documentary about him will screen on his 106th birthday the following day. Korean-American actor-director Justin Chon, best known for his work in the Twilight Saga, will receive the fests Rising Star Award. Panels on topics ranging from marketing to women in Hollywood are also on the agenda. But the primary goal remains: To cast a greater spotlight on films from the region. To qualify for competition, films must be submitted for Oscars, or up for similar honors at the Golden Globes. A jury led by Frozen River producer Heather Rae will determine award winners over the course of the eight-day festival. This years lineup includes 3000 Nights (Jordan), The Age of Shadows (South Korea), Interrogation (India), A Fathers Will (Kyrgyzstan), Cold of Kalandar (Turkey), and Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass (Vietnam). The festival is positioned after foreign-language Oscar entries were submitted to help Asian filmmakers gain traction during awards season. Chamchoum, executive director of the festival, considers the regions paltry Oscar showing unjust considering the number of masterpieces made there over the years. Since 1947, Asian movies have received seven foreign-language Oscars, and three honorary Oscars before the designation of the foreign-language category in 1956. All told, Japan and Russia/USSR are both tied for four each; Iran and Taiwan have each nabbed one Oscar each for their films. Story continues Russia extends into the European continent but the bulk of the country is in Asia, and the festival counts past Russian- and Soviet-winners as Asian. The Academy itself says it does not classify non-U.S. films by region. When you think of the wealth of talent it should be higher, Chamchoum says. If there was any justice as least a dozen would have won. By contrast, consider the European bounty: Italy and France have each won more foreign-language Oscars than the whole Asian continent, with 14 and a dozen, respectively. Spain has also picked up four Oscars, with Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands at three each. Sher-Niyaz and Chamchoum both feel the disparity keenly as filmmakers themselves. Fest founder Sher-Niyaz, a native of Kyrgyzstan, directed Kurmanjan Datka (Queen of the Mountains) in 2014 and produced Nomaden des himmels (Heavenly Nomadic) last year. Chamchoum, born in Niger to a Lebanese family, was educated at a boarding school in France before becoming a filmmaker. Now 70, he has been working in America for 25 years. He says his biggest frustration is an Euro Oscar tilt. Once he and Sher-Niyaz hatched the festival plan, Chamchoun quickly worked his contacts to pull it together last year. It wasnt even an idea of a festival when Sadyk approached me, Chamchoum explains, praising him as a man of vision. We have the same frustration about Asian cinema in Hollywood. He says he quickly rallied a team of organizers to the cause. Didnt even take 48 hours to set it up, Chamchoum says. There were frustrations along the way, but both Sher-Niyaz and Chamchoum are pleased with their first showing. Last year, 14 Oscar-submitted movies screened at the festival proof, according to Sher-Niyaz, that the idea of the festival was right and necessary. Last year it went very well, Chamchoum concurs, citing mostly full houses during screenings. For a first year we really pulled a miracle because Hollywood is not easy. He considers Ali and Nino a particularly good fit for this years opening-night slot. The movie is an adaptation of a 1947 novel about a Muslim and Christian who fall in love despite their differences. Kapadia, a British filmmaker of Indian-Muslim heritage who just won an Oscar winner for his Amy Winehouse documentary, directed it. For me it has everything that we want, Chamchoum says, before detailing its cross-cultural appeal. It is the perfect example of what were trying to do with festival. We were approached by the festival and delighted to be asked, producer Kris Thykier says. He believes the movie has contemporary resonance despite its setting in World War I-era Azerbaijan, and wants as many moviegoers as possible to see it. Thykier applauds the festival for showcasing diverse voices at a time when tribalism and xenophobia is on the rise around the globe. Anything that can bring diverse cultures and perspectives to a larger audience should be supported and applauded, particularly in a world riven by xenophobia and fear of difference, he says. Convincing some filmmakers to screen their movies at the festival has been more of a challenge than Chamchoum expected, however. He and his all-volunteer team try to get filmmakers to screen their movies for free in exchange for the exposure. Each Oscar-submitted film will screen twice at the festival and 80% of all the Globes contenders will play twice, the remainder getting a solo screening. The festival draws from 51 countries, spanning from Cyprus to Japan and including movie-loving India. But some consultants and publicists treat festivals as a business proposition, Chamchoum rails, admitting he has an old-school approach to the gatherings. Another obstacle this year: Increased competition with other U.S. film festivals interested in booking Asian films, Sher-Niyaz says. But we are thrilled at the same time that is happening, he says in a translated email exchange. That is what we have aimed for. The main goal, he adds, is that more Americans see important film projects from the region. Chamchoum expects to triple last years attendance, which he pegs above 7,000. I hope we have 25,000, he says. Theres always frustration and anger, putting a festival together, he says, but passion and commitment takes over. As for Sher-Niyaz, he believes the festival he founded can help further highlight the need for diverse views and perspectives everywhere, Hollywood included. The world is different and thus interesting, he says. Politicians create walls and borders; people of culture and art try to create bridges to connect people. The second annual Asian World Film Festival runs Oct. 24 to Nov. 1 at ArcLight Culver City. Visit asianworldfilmfest.org for more information. Related stories Patrick Wilson Boards Liam Neeson's Thriller 'The Commuter' Korea Box Office: 'Princess' Reigns Over Weekend, 'Squad' Opens Third Liam Neeson's 'Operation Chromite' Tops Korean Box Office Norwalk, CT, October 20, 2016 TMC, a global, integrated media company helping clients build communities in print, in person and online, announced today the winners of the 2016 Big Data As-a-Service Excellence Awards, presented by TMCnet and infoTECH Spotlight. Big Data-as-a-Service (BDaas) is the next iteration of the cloud model. Leveraging several of its predecessors (SaaS (News - Alert), PaaS, etc.), it allows smaller businesses to become part of the Big Data revolution and leverage the information available to extract actionable intelligence to drive better products, better brands, and better businesses. The 2016 Big Data As-a-Service Excellence Award recognizes BDaaS solutions that help companies store and analyze data, driving more intelligent business decisions. Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 Big Data As-a-Service Excellence Awards, said Rich Tehrani (News - Alert), CEO, TMC. Data analysis has become such a critical factor in helping business of all sizes drive better results. These award recipients are innovators within this emerging segment of data analysis and we look forward to seeing their continued excellence. 2016 Big Data As-a-Service Excellence Award Winners Company Product Empolis Information Management GmbH Empolis Box (News - Alert) GWAVA Retain Cloud Archiving Kentik Technologies Kentik Detect LiveVox (News - Alert), Inc. LiveVox Business Intelligence Tool Robin Systems Robin Containerization Platform SAP SAP Digital Consumer Insight Securonix SNYPR, Security Analytics for Hadoop Sisense Sisense BI Virtually Everywhere SOASTA (News - Alert) SOASTA Data Science Workbench For more than 20 years, TMC has been honoring technology companies with awards in various categories. These awards are regarded as some of the most prestigious and respected honors in the communications and technology sector worldwide. Winners represent prominent players in the market who consistently demonstrate the advancement of technologies. Each recipient is a verifiable leader in their marketplace. About InfoTech Spotlight InfoTech Spotlight brings extensive daily content focused on information technology. Visitors will find free industry news, communities, channels, blogs, feature articles, videos, whitepapers and other resources. The site keeps readers informed about developments across topics including software, hardware, security and networking. InfoTech Spotlight is powered by TMCnet, the leading communications and technology site in the World attracting two million unique visitors monthly according to Webtrends. Please visit: infoTECH Spotlight for more information. 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Custom Content provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com. TMC Contact Jessica Seabrook Marketing Director 203-852-6800, ext. 170 mailto:[email protected] Edited by Stefania Viscusi Five-year-old Omran Daqneesh, with bloodied face, sits inside an ambulance after he was rescued following an airstrike in the rebel-held al-Qaterji neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria August 17, 2016. REUTERS/Mahmoud Rslan Syrian President Bashar al-Assad claimed in an interview with Swiss media that the photo of Omran Daqneesh was "manipulated." "May I show you a picture?" the Swiss broadcaster asked, producing the photo of Daqneesh, the 5 year old Syrian boy whose photo went viral as a human face to the ongoing tragedy in Aleppo. "Do you know this picture? His name is Omran, 5 years old, covered in blood, scared, traumatized, is there anything you'd like to say to Omran and his family?" "I have something to say to you first of all," said Assad. "Go to the internet to see the same picture with the same child with his sister." Assad goes on to say that both children were rescued by the "White Helmets," Syrian volunteers who work to search for survivors following airstrikes. Currently, the White Helmets are overwhelmed by the widespread suffering caused by Syria and Russia's vicious air campaign on Aleppo. Recently, either Syrian or Russian warplanes bombed a UN humanitarian aid convoy directly. But Assad's direct quote is that these volunteers are "a facelift of al Nusra," which is to say that they're covert al Qaeda agents. Assad claims that the White Helmets rescued the children twice as part of a publicity campaign. "It is manipulated," Assad said of the photo. However, the photo is only a still from a longer video released by the Aleppo Media Center. The video shows rescuers pulling Daqneesh from the rubble of an airstrike and placing him in an ambulance. Later photos show the boy cleaned up and bandaged. "This is a forged picture, not a real one," said Assad. In interviews, Assad consistently sticks to his talking points and the same narrative he's held since the beginning of the war in Syria. In an earlier interview with the Associated Press, Assad claimed he was virtually blameless for six years of death and devastation in Syria that started when he used excessive violent force against his own people to crush largely peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations. Story continues For the world at large the photo of dejected Daqneesh, born after the start of the brutal conflict, was a heartbreaking reminder about the suffering going on in Aleppo. For Assad, during this interview, it was an opportunity to sink to a new low in both denying the legitimacy of the young boy's unimaginable suffering and of slandering the White Helmets. NOW WATCH: EX-PENTAGON CHIEF: These are the 2 main reasons ISIS was born More From Business Insider Quito (AFP) - For Ecuador, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has become the worst kind of guest: he makes messes he doesn't clean up, he spills secrets, he meddles, and there's no telling when he will leave. Four years after Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadoran embassy in London, the tension between host and guest is plain to see. Ecuador said Tuesday it has cut Assange's internet access because of leaks by his anti-secrecy website "impacting on the US election" -- a reference to the release of a damaging trove of hacked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign. The leaks have put Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa's government in an awkward position. Back in June 2012, offering Assange refuge was a waggish way for Correa, a radical economist, to thumb his nose at the United States, the domineering neighbor that the Latin American left has long loved to hate. WikiLeaks had infuriated Washington by leaking hundreds of thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables and secret files on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In granting Assange asylum, Ecuador backed his argument that the criminal investigation he was fleeing -- for accusations of rape and sexual assault in Sweden -- was a smokescreen to extradite him to the United States. But Assange appears to have gone too far by letting WikiLeaks wade into the US election with hacks that have embarrassed Clinton and effectively helped her Republican rival, Donald Trump. Clinton's team blames the Russian government for hacking Democratic Party emails and the Gmail account of campaign chairman John Podesta -- a view shared by the US government. With polls showing Clinton likely to beat the volatile billionaire on November 8, and recession-hit Ecuador needing to make nice with the superpower to the north, Assange may now be wearing out his welcome. "Of course Correa's government is uncomfortable," said Mauricio Gandara, who is in a position to know, as Ecuador's former ambassador in London. Story continues "The government is scared because it understands Clinton is probably going to win and could make them pay," he told AFP. - Ecuador plays nice - Correa has repeatedly voiced his support for Clinton in the election. WikiLeaks on Monday accused Ecuador of severing Assange's communications at the behest of Clinton's successor as secretary of state, John Kerry. "That's just not true," State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Tuesday. Ecuador also implicitly denied the claim, saying it "does not yield to pressure from other states." But Ecuador is keener to pursue good neighborly relations with the United States than it was in 2012. Then, the South American country was in the midst of a commodities-fueled economic boom. Now, it is stuck in a long recession. The fact that Ecuador is currently negotiating loans from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank -- two institutions where Washington wields outsize influence -- may be an "additional factor" in the decision to cut Assange's internet, said Santiago Basabe, an Ecuadoran political scientist. Correa's government "is trapped between the pressure Assange exerts with the relevant information in his possession, and pressure from the United States to stop embarrassing information from being published," he said. - Assange lifeline severed - Losing his internet connection is a particularly low blow for Assange, whose computer had been his link to the outside world. It is unclear how long Assange will remain in the Ecuadoran embassy. He denies the accusations against him, but refuses to travel to Sweden over fears he would be handed over to the United States. Prosecutors dropped their sexual assault case against him last year after the five-year statute of limitations expired. But the limit on the rape allegation will not run out until at least 2020. Sweden and Ecuador have agreed to a deal for him to be interrogated by Ecuadoran prosecutors, with questions posed by their Swedish counterparts. The session was recently postponed until November 14. Cooped up in a small apartment in the embassy -- a redbrick Victorian building in a chic district of London -- the 45-year-old Australian reportedly has a sparse existence. He has a treadmill, a microwave and a sunlamp, and had until now spent the overwhelming majority of his time on the web. "It's not worse than a prison cell," a friend and supporter, Vaughan Smith, told AFP after visiting Assange in August 2012. "The primary reason that it's not worse is that he can use a computer and the internet. He can work, and that is his prime concern." Today in 5 Lines Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will face off in the third, and final, presidential debate, which will begin at 9 p.m. ET at the University of Nevada. The student newspapers of Clintons and Trumps alma maters joined forces to endorse the Democratic nominee for president. Trumps campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said that she doesnt believe there will be widespread voter fraud in the presidential election, but said there is a larger conspiracy working against Trump. NATO said in a statement that a gunman killed two Americans, a soldier and a civilian, near a military base outside of Kabul, Afghanistan. There are more than 200 million people registered to vote in the United States, marking an all-time high in the countrys history. The Final Presidential Debate Were following the final presidential debate live here. For more, read Russell Berman on Donald Trumps plan to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. Check out Adrienne LaFrance on algorithmic analysis of campaign coverage. And join us as we follow Trump and Clinton down the homestretch of the presidential race. Recommended: The Third Presidential Debate: Live Updates Today on The Atlantic Never Say Never : Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has increasingly embraced the rhetoric and logic of the extremist far right in American history. His political success gives the American public reason to doubt the fate of democracy now more than ever. (Larry Diamond) The Tide of Hate : Anti-Semitic death threats against journalists have significantly increased in 2016, according to a new report. The data may foreshadow the type of treatment all journalists will likely face in the digital ageregardless of whether Trump becomes president. (Emma Green) One Step Too Far?: Donald Trump has received pushbackboth from Democrats and his own supportersfor insisting that the presidential election is rigged. But what is it about this particular claim that generates more anger than his prior attacks? (David A. Graham) Story continues Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal. Snapshot A student standing in for Hillary Clinton is captured on the large monitor during a rehearsal for the third presidential debate at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. David Goldman / AP Recommended: It Could Happen Here What Were Reading A Game of Senate Roulette: Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey has broken from party doctrine to support tighter gun regulations. Will this risky bet help him hang on to his Senate seat come November? (Rebecca Nelson, The Trace) Donalds Surrogate-in-Chief: Scottie Nell Hughes has become a familiar face on television. But among Trumps surrogates, she has the distinction of being the OG, writes Olivia Nuzzi. Why is she so loyal to Trump? And how does she avoid becoming calloused? (GQ) Whats Happening in Colorado?: Since 2015, Colorado Springs has seen a number of teen suicidesand it appears to be getting worse. Decades of national research indicate the trend may, in fact, be contagious. (Max Kutner, Newsweek) Drawing the Line: The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to review a long-running fight in North Carolina over gerrymandering. But many local voters feel their concerns will be drowned out by the presidential election. (Max Blau, Guardian US) Back on the Streets: Many civil-rights activists in the United States believe the police arbitration system, which is meant to hold law enforcement accountable for their infractions, is failing. Heres why the issue is so complicated. (Alan Neuhauser, U.S. News and World Report) Visualized Mapping the Vote: The New York Times Upshot analyst Nate Cohn and editor Toni Monk explain what the 2012 presidential election results can tell us about America and the 2016 election. Check out the map here. Recommended: 20 Days to Go to Election Day: The Death of a Star? Question of the Week On Sunday morning, Donald Trump tweeted his distaste for Alec Baldwins portrayal of him on Saturday Night Live, calling the show boring and unfunny. But the show, which has been poking fun at presidential elections since 1976, is experiencing its highest ratings in eight years. Back then, Tina Fey famously guest-starred to play then vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. What are your favorite SNL election skitsand why? Send your answers to hello@theatlantic.com, and our favorites will be featured in Fridays Politics & Policy Daily. -Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) and Candice Norwood (@cjnorwoodwrites) Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. With concerns growing over the sluggish growth of the U.S. economy and job market, the competing economic plans of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were addressed in the final debate of the 2016 presidential race. Former Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee weighed in on the state of the economy and the candidates differing solutions for the economy. Goolsbee first addressed the current state of the economy. Weve been growing, if you dont take one quarter, if you take the broader averages, weve been growing about 2% to 2.25% for some number of years. Thats okay, thats not great, Im not going to say obviously that thats a tremendously high growth rate. It is higher than the rest of the advanced economies in the world, Goolsbee told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo. Goolsbee then explained how Hillary Clintons plan would lead to economic growth. Well, number one, the plan is not just raise taxes on high-income people, its use the money to make critical investments that weve got bipartisan choruses saying the economy needs, like investing in the economic infrastructure of the country, investing in the training and education of the workforce. Those are critical investments that we cant afford to do if we dont have the money. According to Goolsbee, Trumps plan would be an expansion of the unsuccessful economic plan of President Bush. If your idea is that what we need to grow is to cut high-income peoples taxes and deregulate than I think youve really got to explain, and this is how the context of George Bush came up, Donald Trump is proposing to do what George Bush did, only even more of it, and it didnt work when George Bush did it. So why is it that you think that cutting high-income peoples taxes would give us magic bean stalk beans and start us growing back to the way we were? When Bartiromo questioned why American voters should expect a different result from a continuation of President Obamas economic policy under a Clinton presidency, Goolsbee responded A, its not more of the same. B, her plan is not just to raise taxes on high-income people. Its to use that money to make the critical investments and then those investments are whats going to lead to growth. Story continues Goolsbee then compared that to the impact of tax cuts in President George W. Bushs economic plan. If you think that doing the opposite, what George Bush did is what Donald Trump is proposing times three, then why didnt it work when George Bush did it? Related Articles The Australian government has watered down controversial laws that critics say stop whistleblowers from speaking out about alleged abuse at offshore asylum-seeker detention camps. Doctors on Thursday welcomed the move, which comes ahead of a High Court challenge to secrecy provisions introduced last year which made it a jailable offence for immigration department workers to speak out about conditions in the centres. The department last month quietly changed the definition of immigration workers to exclude medical professionals, but only informed lawyers representing Doctors for Refugees this week, the advocacy group said. Others such as teachers and social workers could still face jail time if they disclose information they obtain while working at detention camps on the Pacific island of Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island. Asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are sent to the islands for processing, but are blocked from being resettled in Australia even if found to be refugees. "We treat (the changes) as a win for commonsense," Barri Phatarfod from Doctors for Refugees told reporters in Sydney. "But it needs to be remembered that the amendment to this act does not cover teachers, social workers and the various non-medical people that Doctors for Refugees gets our information from. "Nor does it change the abuse and neglect that we witness in so many of the patients that we hear about in the detention centres." Amnesty International on Monday released a report alleging widespread abuse and an "epidemic of self-harm" at the Nauru centre. Conditions in the camps have been widely criticised by refugee advocates and medical professionals. The immigration department said Thursday the secrecy provisions did not stop workers from raising concerns "through appropriate channels" and "has never been an instrument to 'gag' lawful disclosures in the public interest". Story continues "The department's amendment to the determination makes clear that health practitioners performing services for the department are not subject to the act -- that includes the act's secrecy and disclosure provisions," the department said in a statement. Meghan Fitzgerald of Fitzroy Legal Service, which is bringing the High Court case, said it had to be reassessed as the amendments could remove the grounds for a challenge, "but if anything it strengthens the resolve to fight to remove secrecy veils". The challenge mounted in July had argued the laws breached the protection of freedom of political communication, and were therefore unconstitutional. The government, which has faced a barrage of criticism over its asylum-seeker polices and the secrecy surrounding the Pacific camps, has defended its overall stance as necessary to stop people from dying at sea. By Jonathan Barrett and Jamie Freed SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's biggest electricity grid has been sold to local pension funds for $12.5 billion - a deal sources say consists largely of debt and is much cheaper than bids from China and Hong Kong that were blocked on security concerns. The country's top two pension funds, IFM Investors and AustralianSuper lodged the unsolicited bid for 50.4 percent of Ausgrid in the state of New South Wales (NSW) last month, emphasising their offer as "all-Australian". Domestic buyers will likely help the government tamp down a backlash over foreign asset ownership but the non-competitive nature of the deal and the speed with which it was done drew criticism. The NSW government almost certainly left money on the table and would never know what the asset was actually worth, state opposition leader Luke Foley said in a statement. "We will never know because this government gagged the market and ran a closed bid," he said. The offer for the 99-year lease, which assumes all of the company's debt, was accepted without significant price negotiation, financial sources familiar with the matter said. There was also no need to compete in a new auction that had been planned after the earlier bids were rejected. An adviser on the deal said the bid got through because it was "Australian, unconditional and fast". Sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media on the matter. The NSW government said about A$10 billion in debt would be written off through the A$16.2 billion ($12.5 billion) deal, leaving the rest to spend on infrastructure projects. It declined to compare the deal with previous offers. FOREIGN OWNERSHIP BACKLASH In August final bids from State Grid Corp of China and Hong Kong-listed Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd were blocked by the federal treasurer on unspecified security grounds - leading to a rebuke from China which called the move protectionist. Story continues Although terms of those bids were not disclosed, sources said the offers were higher, with one describing the difference as "substantial". NSW Premier Mike Baird said he had to accept an all-Australian bid because the Foreign Investment Review Board, which advises the federal government on overseas-based bids, had not made up its mind whether any foreigners would be able to invest. Australia's Treasurer Scott Morrison, who must approve major foreign investments, told parliament he was pleased his decision to knock back the foreign bids had "facilitated" the asset remaining in Australian hands. That decision came shortly after Australia rejected a China-led consortium bid to buy major cattle company Kidman & Co. Brett Himbury, the CEO of IFM Investors, which invests on behalf of 29 domestic superannuation funds, told Reuters the deal would be completed before the end of the year. The buyers created a commercial debt facility with around 14 local and overseas banks, according to one adviser close to the deal, representing one of the biggest debt facilities, if not the biggest, used for an Australian-based transaction. In November 2015, an international consortium led by Australia's Hastings Funds Management paid A$10.26 billion for state electricity transmitter, TransGrid. ($1 = 1.3041 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Jamie Freed and Jonathan Barrett; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) GENEVA (Reuters) - Austrian presidential hopeful Norbert Hofer brushed off student protests on Thursday as he publicly debated immigration with former European Commission president Juan-Manuel Barroso. Barroso won applause from a packed auditorium at Geneva's Graduate Institute when he laid out the merits of migration and derided Hofer's call for "safe areas" in North Africa to process migrants, saying this reminded him of World War Two concentration camps. "It's always the same," sighed Hofer, who is preparing to contest a Dec. 4 election as the candidate of the right-wing Freedom party of Austria. "What about you, do you have refugees at home? You're a rich man. Do you have refugees at home? Do you?" Laughter drowned out Barroso's exasperated responses, before a student representative, the daugher of Bosnian refugees, read out a petition against Hofer's appearance and blamed his FPO party for spreading racism, Islamophobia, homophobia and sexism. Dozens of students held up signs every time Hofer spoke, with slogans such as "No Borders" and "Say No to racism". "We shouldn't hate each other," he said, to jeers from the audience. "Yes, I hear you, but it's not tolerant, you know?" He taunted Barroso, a former Portuguese prime minister, for being friends with former U.S. President George W. Bush. "Don't shout," Hofer told him. "You supported the war (in Iraq). It's true. It's true, that's why you are so nervous." (Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Donald Trump Editor's Note: Hillary Clinton pressed Donald Trump on his record on the Iraq War during Wednesday's third and final presidential debate. Here's a story from early September outlining his record on the Iraq War. Donald Trump's record on the Iraq war took a prominent role during a contentious exchange with Hillary Clinton regarding Mosul during the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas. "Once again, Donald is implying he didn't support the invasion of Iraq," Clinton said. "Google it." "You will see dozens of sources verifying that he supported the invasion of Iraq, and you can hear the audio of him saying it," Clinton said. Trump responded by denying Clinton's claims. The Republican nominee has a long history of defending his false assertion that he was against the Iraq War before it started. "I happened to hear Hillary Clinton say that I was not against the war in Iraq," he said during NBC's Commander-in-Chief Forum in September. "I was totally against the war in Iraq. You can look at Esquire magazine from '04. You can look at before that." NBC host Matt Lauer was strongly criticized by his colleagues in the media for not rebuffing Trump, who told shock jock Howard Stern in 2002 "yeah, I guess so" when asked if he was in favor of the Iraq War, adding, "I wish the first time it was done correctly." "I opposed going in," Trump said on Thursday. "And I did oppose it, despite the media saying no, yes, no. I opposed going in." The New York businessman claimed he opposed the war from the beginning, long after his interview with Stern when he halfheartedly said he'd be for the conflict. He cited an interview from January 2003 right before the war's outbreak with Fox News host Neil Cavuto as proof of his opposition before it started. "I said in an interview with Neil Cavuto that perhaps we shouldn't be doing it yet and that the economy, these were quotes, that the economy, this was on live television, the economy is a much bigger problem as far as the president is concerned," he said. "This was before the war started by a very short distance." Story continues Donald Trump Here's what Trump said in that appearance on Cavuto's program, after Cavuto asked whether President George W. Bush should be more focused on the economy or on the potential Iraq War: "Well, he has either got to do something or not do something, perhaps, because perhaps shouldn't be doing it yet and perhaps we should be waiting for the United Nations, you know. He's under a lot of pressure. I think he's doing a very good job. But, of course, if you look at the polls, a lot of people are getting a little tired. I think the Iraqi situation is a problem. And I think the economy is a much bigger problem as far as the president is concerned. "Well, I'm starting to think that people are much more focused now on the economy. They are getting a little bit tired of hearing we're going in, we're not going in, the you know, whatever happened to the days of the Douglas MacArthur? He would go and attack. He wouldn't talk. "We have to you know, it's sort like either do it or don't do it. When I watch Dan Rather explaining how we are going to be attacking, where we're going to attack, what routes we're taking, what kind of planes we're using, how to stop them, how to stop us, it is a little bit disconcerting. I've never seen this, where newscasters are telling you how telling the enemy how we're going about it, we have just found out this and that. It is ridiculous." Although Trump expressed skepticism about the war, he did not outright oppose it in this appearance. Trump then cited an interview from March 2003, when he was quoted by The Washington Post as saying the war was "a mess." "Just after the war had started, just days after the war had started, just a little while after, I was quoted as saying the war is a mess," Trump said in his Thursday speech in Cleveland. "And yet, more evidence that I had opposed the war from the start. I said the war is a mess on television, somewhere." But Trump also expressed in another interview with Cavuto right after the onset of the war that he thought the war looked "like a tremendous success from a military standpoint": "Well, I think Wall Street's waiting to see what happens, but even before the fact, they're obviously taking it a little bit for granted, and it looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint, and I think this is really nothing compared to what you're going to see after the war is over. "I think Wall Street's just going to go up like a rocket, even beyond, and it's going to continue and, you know, we have a strong and powerful country, and let's hope it all works out." In December 2003, also speaking with Cavuto, Trump again expressed skepticism about the war, but not outright opposition. Here's what he said after Cavuto asked about the opposition to the war: "Well, look, you have a lot of questions and a lot of people questioning the whole concept of going in in the first place, Neil. But we are in, we went in, you had to find him. If he was alive, you had to find him. And you know, they fulfilled the pledge of finding Saddam Hussein. "Well, you have two mixed bags. I mean, you have Mr. [Howard] Dean that's going to say we shouldn't have been there regardless. And you have others that are saying, 'Well, we are there, and we have to do the best.' I mean, we are there, regardless of what should have been done. "Some people agree and some people don't agree, but we are there. And if we are there, you have to take down Saddam Hussein. And they have done that, and they did it maybe not as quickly as they thought in terms of finding him, but they found him. And that is a huge day for this country." In his Thursday speech, Trump then referenced the August 2004 Esquire article his strongest and earliest rebuke of the Iraq War more than a year after it began. "Very early in the conflict," Trump said. "Extremely early. Right in the beginning. Right at the beginning." Donald Trump In that Esquire interview, Trump called the war a mess he would "never have handled" in "that way": "Look at the war in Iraq and the mess that we're in. I would never have handled it that way. Does anybody really believe that Iraq is going to be a wonderful democracy where people are going to run down to the voting box and gently put in their ballot and the winner is happily going to step up to lead the country? C'mon. Two minutes after we leave, there's going to be a revolution, and the meanest, toughest, smartest, most vicious guy will take over. And he'll have weapons of mass destruction, which Saddam didn't have. "What was the purpose of this whole thing? Hundreds and hundreds of young people killed. And what about the people coming back with no arms and legs? Not to mention the other side. All those Iraqi kids who've been blown to pieces. And it turns out that all of the reasons for the war were blatantly wrong. All this for nothing!" Trump told CNN's Larry King in November 2004 that he did "not believe that we made the right decision going into Iraq, but, you know, hopefully, we'll be getting out." On Thursday, Trump said he saw "all the lies last night" about his opposition to the Iraq War. "'Donald Trump was always in favor of the war,'" Trump said, as if he were a reporter. "Which is why I had to do this. The media is so dishonest. So terribly dishonest." He later added that he would've caught Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader and plotter of the September 11 attacks, before the attacks. He called the lengthy rant setting "the record straight" because "there is so much lying going on." "The Howard statement was long before, and it was the first time anyone had asked me about Iraq, and I said, 'Ah, I don't know,'" Trump said of his initial support of the war. "That was superseded because before the war, much closer, I gave statements that we shouldn't go into the war." Trump did not provide such statements in his rant. "Had I been in Congress at the time of the invasion, I would've cast a vote in opposition," he said. "Here's the bottom line: I was a private citizen. I had no access to briefings or great intelligence ... like [Clinton] did. I had no access to anything. I was a private citizen." NOW WATCH: Here's how Paul Ryan can become the next president More From Business Insider (Adds details) By Ruma Paul DHAKA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Bangladesh Petroleum Corp (BPC) has issued an international tender to import oil products as part of efforts to buy at cheaper rates by moving away from direct-term deals with suppliers of fuel products. BPC is seeking 965,000 tonnes of 500 ppm sulphur gasoil, 120,000 tonnes of 180-centistoke high sulphur fuel oil and 90,000 tonnes of jet fuel, a tender document showed. The tender closes on Oct. 31 and is valid for 75 days to Jan. 13, 2017. The buy tender is expected to further boost the Asian gasoil margins, which have gained momentum due to recent curbs in supply from several refineries undergoing maintenance in Asia, traders said. The delivery of the cargoes should be carried out in phases in the first half of 2017, a BPC official told Reuters. In February, BPC issued its first tender in 15 years to buy oil products, when it sought more than 11 million barrels of gasoil and jet fuel and managed to buy at lower rates than its term deals. A shortfall in supplies of natural gas has forced the south Asian country to burn oil, a costlier option, to generate electricity. The state-owned firm is also in talks with 11 companies for refined oil product imports through term deals for the first half of next years, another BPC official said. Bangladesh buys oil products through term deals from a number of national oil companies, including Kuwait Petroleum Corp, Malaysia's Petronas and Vietnam's Petrolimex. BPC also buys 600,000 tonnes of Murban crude from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co and another 600,000 tonnes of Arab Light from Saudi Aramco annually for its sole refinery. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; additional reporting by Jessica Jaganathan in Singapore; Editing by Joseph Radford and Amrutha Gayathri) Itongadol.-Why say you love someone when you could send an emoji blowing heart-shaped kisses, or that youre dying for pizza when you could send a pizza emoji? At least, thats what most of the Whatsapp generation seems to think, with emoji increasingly becoming an accepted language. But one drawback many users experience with emojis are their lack of individuality. Sometimes, there is just no emoji that seems to quite capture the subtlety of what youre trying to convey. And creating your own personal set of emojis has for the most part been solely the domain of celebrities, like Kim Kardashians Kimoji, or Justin Biebers Justmoji, to name a few. Seeking to make the entire emoji experiece more personal, Israeli startup Panimood is setting its sights on changing the face of emojis quite literally. Moojis by Panimood, is a new free and fun emoticon keyboard for iPhone and Android that uses your own face to create a cool emoji. The process is simple. Users take pictures of themselves, then the app uses a unique image processing algorithm which takes the users selfie, processes it, and re-creates it as a Moojie. The emoji will appear in the Moojis keypad and will be available to share with your friends when you text or message them on any app, including Whatsapp, Facebook, Messenger, iMessage or MMS, using the Moojis keyboard (which can be easily installed through your phones settings). The whole process, from selfie to emoji, takes only eight seconds. The app has eight built-in Moojis, including happy, sad and angry, with additional Moojis available as paid upgrades. Users create a Mooji for each mood, save them and install the keyboard. Moojis are sent as photos, instead of regular emojis, therefore recipients are not required to have the app installed to view the Moojis. The market is filled with emoji apps that rank high in the paid apps category, Shlomi Ben Atar, the companys CEO told NoCamels. The problem is they are all keyboards that belong to celebrities (based on their faces), big companies or based on the current standard yellow emojis. Moojis gives users the power to create their own. For the first time ever youll be able to express yourself and share your feelings when messaging with your own personal emojis. Besides the celebrity or brand designated apps, there are a few apps, like Bitmoji, that use databases to create your face (pick eyes, nose, mouth, etc.). But Moojis is the only patented application that creates an emoji which truly represents your face, and can also be used as a platform for additional applications, Ben Atar said. Just for fun, the company also creates email signatures (in HTML), based on the Mooji of your choice. Based in Tel Aviv and founded earlier this year, Moojis has raised an undisclosed amount of funding and currently is the top download in the Israeli App Store. Moojis allows you to be creative and make as many of your own personal emojis as you want, using a photo of your real expressions to show your emotions, Ben Atar said. Just smile, shoot, and let us do the rest. By Paola Totaro QUITO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Mapping slum areas is critical if cities are to bridge the gap between the bustling, informal economies of their shantytowns and richer districts, a leading activist told a U.N. meeting to shape urban development over the next 20 years. Rose Molokoane, coordinator for Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) and a veteran South African grassroots activist, said the urban poor are too often denied a say in the economic development of their communities. But a movement of "barefoot surveyors" - slum residents trained to use mobile phones to map and document local demographic data - is helping to flag up the gaps. Molokoane said barefoot surveyors had worked through more than 7,000 informal settlements worldwide to give houses numbers, create addresses and record demographic information on family sizes, employment and gender of communities. "We call ourselves the professional unprofessionals," she told the Quito conference. "We have already decided that data and information are our tools" The surveys have paved the way for new partnerships between local governments and community-based groups that allow residents to identify the services they need and want. "We are sick and tired of people talking about us without us being there. They talk about us but then they don't let us come to their office because they think we are dirty," Molokoane said. "They think where we live is unsafe, unhealthy, there is crime and that the people that live there don't know what they want in life. We have turned the wheel around, organized ourselves ... we say that we know what we want." Molokoane said having a formal address gave people pride and helped with access to banking. The United Nations estimates that more than 900 million people worldwide, or nearly one in every seven people, live in slums or shanty towns. Informal settlements, the U.N., says, have emerged spontaneously as a "dominant and distinct type of settlement" and that urbanization represents one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Molokoane said the U.N's proposed New Urban Agenda, expected to be adopted by the 193 member states in Quito later on Thursday, was a prime opportunity to open the door to direct, working partnerships with the world's slum residents. "The rich and the poor of informal settlements need to join hands," Molokoane said. "We want to bridge the gap between the informal and formal economy." The U.N.'s Habitat conference, held once every 20 years, comes at a time in human history when more people are living in cities than in rural areas. In 2014, 54 percent of the global population lived in cities but by 2050, this is expected to rise to 66 percent. (Reporting by Paola Totaro, Editing by Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) Tim Curry, who became a cult icon as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original Rocky Horror Picture Show, plays the narrator in the Fox remake and doesn't share any scenes with its singing, dancing actors. Still, the 70-year-old star of the 1975 film, sidelined by a stroke in 2012, was often present on set to share his support for his onscreen successor, Laverne Cox, and the rest of the cast, including Adam Lambert, Christina Milian and Annaleigh Ashford. "He would come to rehearsals when he himself wasn't rehearsing and just sit in the middle of the room and tell us industry stories and make us laugh," Ryan McCartan, who plays Brad Majors, tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Having him there as a godfather of the whole thing was such validation for us to advance confidently. His presence made a huge difference. He actually didn't talk much about shooting the original, which I thought was very generous of him, to let this be its own experience." Read more: 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again': TV Review Victoria Justice, who plays the newly engaged Janet Weiss, was surprised to meet Curry at an early rehearsal. "We were all sitting by the piano, warming up and doing scales with Tim Curry!" she recalls. "Laverne sang 'Sweet Transvestite' for him - she was so nervous, and afterward, he told her she did a great job. It was such an unexpected and beautiful moment." Throughout production, the castmembers did their best to be on set whenever Curry was, regardless of whether they were rehearsing or shooting themselves. "It's so incredible to have his support on something that has been such a vehicle for himself and is part of his legacy," says Reeve Carney, who plays Riff Raff. "Just spending time with him - he has such a gentle presence." The actors also hit a midnight showing of the 1975 film as a cast in Toronto - a familiar experience only for Justice, who attended her first one at 15 years old, as a mother-daughter outing with her best friends. "Dressing up was so much fun - I wore red lipstick and black fishnets and heels," she tells THR. "The fans there, because I was a 'virgin,' wrote a big lipstick 'V' on my face and drew a phallic object on my other friend's face! Their spirit was so exciting." Story continues Read more: How Laverne Cox Made Dr. Frank-N-Furter Her Own on Fox's 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Remake Directed by Kenny Ortega, the remake employs the original script, but with tiny tweaks in its delivery. "In the original movie, it's like Brad and Janet made it out of the castle by the skin of their teeth," says McCartan. "But in our version, it's almost like maybe Brad didn't want to leave, maybe he wants to participate a little bit longer." The three actors are most excited for broadcast audiences to discover Ortega's new choreography and William Ivey Long's costumes. Altogether, "the general look is a bit shinier and glossier, like things you'd see in 2016, but still has the edge of the original," says Carney. Echoes McCartan, "The budget is much bigger than what they had in the original, so production took advantage of that and made this thing beautiful." He adds, "Rocky Horror never apologizes for itself - it never has and it never will, and we aren't going to do that either." The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again airs Thursday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. Tim Curry, who became a cult icon as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original Rocky Horror Picture Show, plays the narrator in the Fox remake and doesn't share any scenes with its singing, dancing actors. Still, the 70-year-old actor of the 1975 film, sidelined by a stroke in 2012, was often present on set to share his support for his onscreen successor, Laverne Cox, and the rest of the cast, including Adam Lambert, Christina Milian and Annaleigh Ashford. "He would come to rehearsals when he himself wasn't rehearsing, and just sit in the middle of the room and tell us industry stories and make us laugh," Ryan McCartan, who plays Brad Majors, tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Having him there as a godfather of the whole thing was such validation for us to advance confidently. His presence made a huge difference. He actually didn't talk much about shooting the original, which I thought was very generous of him, to let this be its own experience." Victoria Justice, who plays the newly-engaged Janet Weiss, was surprised to meet Curry at an early rehearsal. "We were all sitting by the piano, warming up and doing scales with Tim Curry!" she recalls. "Laverne sang 'Sweet Transvestite' for him - she was so nervous, and afterward, he told her she did a great job. It was such an unexpected and beautiful moment." Throughout production, the cast did their best to be on set whenever Curry was, regardless of whether they were rehearsing or shooting themselves. "It's so incredible to have his support on something that has been such a vehicle for himself and is part of his legacy," says Reeve Carney, who plays Riff Raff. "Just spending time with him - he has such a gentle presence." The actors also hit a midnight showing of the 1975 film as a cast in Toronto - a familiar experience only for Justice, who attended her first one at 15 years-old, as a mother-daughter outing with her best friends. "Dressing up was so much fun - I wore red lipstick and black fishnets and heels," she tells THR. "The fans there, because I was a 'virgin,' wrote a big lipstick 'V' on my face and drew a phallic object on my other friend's face! Their spirit was so exciting." Story continues Directed by Kenny Ortega, the remake employs the original script, but with tiny tweaks in its delivery. "In the original movie, it's like Brad and Janet made it out of the castle by the skin of their teeth," says McCartan. "But in our version, it's almost like maybe Brad didn't want to leave, maybe he wants to participate a little bit longer." The three actors are most excited for broadcast audiences to discover Ortega's new choreography and William Ivey Long's costumes. Altogether, "the general look is a bit shinier and glossier, like things you'd see in 2016, but still has the edge of the original," said Carney. Echoed McCartan, "The budget is much bigger than what they had in the original, so production took advantage of that and made this thing beautiful." He added, "Rocky Horror never apologizes for itself - it never has and it never will, and we aren't going to do that either." The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again airs Thursday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. This article originally appeared in The Hollywood Reporter. By Ankur Banerjee (Reuters) - Former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings issued a letter on Thursday seeking information from Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc on the "staggering" price increases for the company's leukemia drug. The letter was sent a week after Senator Sanders tweeted that: "Drug corporations' greed is unbelievable. Ariad raised the price of a leukemia drug to almost $199,000 a year." Ariad's drug, Iclusig, was approved in December 2012 and is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer in which marrow makes too many white blood cells. Iclusig generated sales of $65.3 million in the second quarter. The company's pricing strategy came under scrutiny after TheStreet reported this month that the company had raised the price of the drug. (http://bit.ly/2dcBAmg) "In the interest of patients and taxpayers, we are interested in learning more about the impact that the escalating price and restrictions on product availability have had," Sanders and Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, said in the letter. Ariad acknowledged the receipt of a Congressional letter from Representative Cummings and Sanders requesting information and said it planned to respond to their request. "Ariad has invested more than $1.3 billion in R&D and accumulated losses of approximately $1.4 billion since the company was founded, which have not been recovered," Ariad said in a statement. The company's shares, which fell as much as 7 percent on Thursday, recovered most of the losses to close at $10.78. Criticism of Ariad comes at a time when Mylan NV is being lambasted by consumers and lawmakers for raising prices of its lifesaving EpiPen six-fold to over $600 for a package of two in less than a decade. Mylan said earlier this month it would pay $465 million to settle questions over whether it underpaid U.S. government healthcare programs by misclassifying the EpiPen anti-allergy drug delivery device. Aggressive drug pricing has come under intense scrutiny after Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted her intent to tackle high prices last year. Clinton's tweets have hit shares of Mylan and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, whose pricing strategy has been investigated by U.S. regulators and lawmakers. Drug companies are already responding to political pressure. Botox maker Allergan Plc recently committed to keeping price increases below 10 percent. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Don Sebastian) For nearly a decade, veteran Democratic Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont has been waging a lonely battle to empower Medicare officials to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, just as Medicaid, the Veterans Administration and other government health care providers are entitled to do. When Congress enacted the Medicare Part D subsidized prescription drug program for seniors in 2003, the drug industry secured an amendment that barred the federal government from negotiating rebates or lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries a sweetheart deal that subsequently provided drug manufacturers with many billions of dollars in extra profits. Welch, a liberal Democrat, condemned the restrictive policy as the ultimate in crony capitalism and sponsored or co-sponsored at least six bills to allow drug price negotiations. Related: Clinton Calls for Powerful New Panel to Crack Down on Drug Price-Gouging But a well-financed drug industry thwarted Welch and his allies at every turn, and the proposed legislation repeatedly was bottled up in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, or simply ignored. He concluded that big-money lobbying efforts and generous campaign contributions to key Republican and Democratic lawmakers effectively blocked his legislation, even as many consumers and policy advocacy groups clamored for ways to control soaring prescription drug prices. It truly is exhibit A in the intersection between crony capitalism and big money in politics, Welch said in an interview on Thursday. The whole essence of a free market is that willing buyers and willing sellers can negotiate prices and reach a market price How in the world can one explain that the government actually passed a law saying that you cant negotiate prices? According to Welch and political watchdog groups, the answer is fairly simple. The pharmaceutical industry spent unprecedented sums on lobbying and campaign contributions to get the prohibition on price negotiations into the original legislation and to keep it there, despite the best efforts of Welch and others to eliminate the provision. Story continues An analysis jointly published this week by the Center for Responsive Politics and FairWarning, a non-profit news organization, highlights the political clout exerted by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a major industry group, and some of the largest U.S. drug companies. Related: Two Big Reasons Prescription Drug Prices Are So Much Higher in the US Since early 2003, the drug manufacturing industry spent more than $1.9 billion on lobbying members of Congress on Medicare Part D and other issues important to the industry. In just 2015 and the first half of this year, the industrys lobbying bill was equivalent to spending $468,108 on every member of Congress, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Since January 2003, drug manufacturers and wholesalers have given $147.5 million in federal contributions to congressional and presidential candidates and super PACs, according to the analysis. Of that total, 62 percent was earmarked for Republican or conservative causes and the rest went to Democrats. Four current or former members of Congress received totals in excess of $1 million including Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) who picked up $1.3 million, former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), with $1.2 million, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, with $1.1 million, and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)., the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, with $1 million. Drug Industry Cash The legislative ban on government price bargaining, even as prescription drug costs steadily climbed over the years, was justified by the industry and other supporters on free market grounds. They also insisted that the billions of dollars in windfall profits were needed for research and innovation in bringing out new and more effective drugs. Medicare dwarfs all other government agencies and programs in its purchase of prescription drugs. A House Oversight and Government Reform study previously estimated that Medicare officials could have saved taxpayers as much as $156 billion over the past decade had they been able to negotiate the price of drugs they purchased lower, according to Welch. And because of its negotiating power, the Veterans Administration on average can purchase prescription drugs for little more than half the price charged to Medicare. Related: The Feds Finally Make a Move on Soaring Drug Prices Whether or not the Part D legislation was a big gift to Big PhRMA, theres no denying that PhRMA spends far more on federal lobbying than any other industry, and enormous sums on campaign contributions to members of Congress, Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, said in an interview today. The question isnt whether the billions spent on lobbying and campaign donations influenced policy, but how much. Corporations are duty-bound to return profits to shareholders and, in the grand scheme of things, these huge sums are a pittance compared to the rewards they can anticipate, Krumholz added. Officials at PhRMA declined today to discuss their lobbying or campaign funding strategy or to confirm how much the industry has poured into efforts to preserve the prohibition on Medicare drug price negotiating. However, they noted that private health insurers operating through Medicare are still free under the law to seek lower prices for beneficiaries if they choose, and have secured rebates averaging around 35 percent on brand medicines, as was indicated in an IMS Health study released last week. Significant price negotiation already occurs within the Medicare prescription drug program, Allyson Funk, a senior spokesperson for PhRMA, said today in a statement. Large, powerful purchasers negotiate discounts and rebates directly with manufacturers, saving money for both beneficiaries and taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office has repeatedly said that the Secretary of Health and Human Services would not be able to negotiate lower prices than already exist without restricting access to medicines for beneficiaries. Related: Extreme Rise in Some Drug Prices Reaches a Tipping Point However, Welch questioned the industrys arguments and has called for more transparency on the issue including figures on how much of the drug industrys profits resulting from the ban on government negotiating actually is plowed back into research and development. Welch, an attorney and ally of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, was first elected to Congress in 2006 and is a highly regarded House Democratic strategist on energy and health care issues. This prohibition is having a brutal impact on consumers with higher co-payments and deductibles, on taxpayers, and it also spills over into punishing premiums on employers who are buying health care for their employees, Welch said. Even Donald Trump is for price negotiations because he gets it that the market is broken. So how do the drug companies do this? Obviously their influence in Congress was immense, where they got this upside-down law passed, giving them not only an exemption from the normal competitive market forces but a sweetheart deal that essentially means they name a price and taxpayers pay it. Lobbying Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: With MNS threat still looming over the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured producer Mukesh Bhatt and others of the violence-free release of the movie in every state. Mukesh Bhatt addressing the press today asserted, Rajnath Singh said he will speak to chief minister of every state and that Ae Dil Hai Mushkil will release without any violence or issue. Meanwhile, MNS has issued a fresh threat to multiplexes against screening ADHM in spite of Karan Johar claiming to not work with Pak artistes in the future in a video. Recommended Read: WATCH: Karan Johar finally opens up on Pak artist ban and ADHM controversy! And while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai Police have in the past assured of the smooth release of the film, an uncertainty regarding it continues. ADHM that stars Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma will hit the cinemas on October 28. Biogen Inc. BIIB, a well-known name in the multiple sclerosis (MS) market, will be reporting third-quarter 2016 earnings on Oct 26, before market open.Last quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 11.09%. Biogens performance has been pretty impressive, with consistent positive surprises. The average earnings beat over the last four quarters is 11.39%. BIOGEN INC Price and EPS Surprise BIOGEN INC Price and EPS Surprise | BIOGEN INC Quote Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Consider Since the emergence of the first progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)-related death in a patient on oral MS drug, Tecfidera, investor focus has been on its performance. Biogen is working on growing Tecfidera sales. Tecfidera demand is expected to remain relatively stable in the U.S. in the quarter. Outside the U.S., Tecfideras performance in Germany will remain in focus. While Tysabri should remain on a stable trajectory, the number of patients using Avonex and Plegridy combined will continue to decline as patients move toward oral treatments. Zinbryta is expected to contribute modestly to revenues in the U.S. and EU. Zinbryta was launched in collaboration with AbbVie Inc. ABBV in August. Meanwhile, Biogen intends to spin off its hemophilia business in early 2017. The new company will be named Bioverativ and will focus on the discovery, research, development and commercialization of treatments for hemophilia and other blood disorders. Head count reduction and restructuring initiatives announced last year are expected to benefit operating expenses by about $250 million this year. Focus on Call: Investor focus on the third-quarter call will remain on Tecfideras scrip trends, news regarding additional PML cases, pipeline progress and acquisition plans. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Lilly is likely to beat on earnings this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESPand a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here, as you will see below. Story continues Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP is -1.41% as the Most Accurate estimate stands at $4.90 while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged higher at $4.97. Zacks Rank: Lillys Zacks Rank #3 increases the predictive power of ESP. However, we need to have a positive ESP to be confident about an earnings beat. We caution against Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks to Consider Some stocks in the large-cap healthcare sector that have both a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank are: Amgen Inc. AMGN, which is slated to report results on Oct 27. The company has an Earnings ESP of +1.79% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Novartis AG NVS with an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company is scheduled to release results on Oct 25. 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 NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research At least eight workers were killed on Thursday in a huge explosion set off by a blaze at a fireworks factory in southern Indian, police said. Another 15 people were wounded in the blast in Tamil Nadu state, which came days before the Hindu festival of Diwali, which many celebrate by letting off fireworks. "Eight workers were killed and 15 were injured. Some of them have critical burn injuries," local police inspector Vijaya Lakshmi told AFP. Emergency workers evacuated patients from a nearby hospital fearing the fire could spread. The town of Sivakasi where the blast occurred is home to some 700 small factories producing fireworks that are running at peak production ahead of Diwali. More than 35 people were killed in 2012 after one of the factories in the town caught fire leading to a massive explosion. In search of an online nursing graduate degree program with hands-on experience, Adam Switzer, a registered nurse at a medical center in Texas, found the University of Texas--Tyler's hybrid family nurse practitioner program, offered primarily online with a component on campus. Alongside professors, he says, he learns skills such as suturing, a method used to close wounds. "There are certain techniques that you can see on video," the 34-year-old student says. But, he says, having a professor critiquing up close is an added advantage. Students considering an online grad degree in nursing might need to make a choice: whether to attend a program that's fully online or one that's blended, which usually refers to a combination of online and traditional education. However, experts caution prospective online students to research what "blended" or "hybrid" means at specific schools because it varies among universities. [Explore the many definitions of hybrid and online courses.] At the University of Central Florida, the master's and Doctor of Nursing Practice tracks designated as hybrid have regular on-campus class sessions, says Mary Lou Sole, dean and professor at UCF's College of Nursing. Still, some of UCF's graduate nursing programs categorized as fully online might have the occasional on-site component, so students should be clear on those expectations before they apply, she says. At UT--Tyler, at least half of a blended course is taught on ground with the remainder online, says Barbara Haas, executive director for the nursing school. When classes are designated as hybrid, so is the program as a whole, she says. "Individual circumstances matter a lot," Haas says. Sometimes, she says, it also boils down to the specific school a student is interested in and its reputation; for instance, if there are travel requirements for a program of high interest, they might need to sacrifice the total flexibility of completely online learning to enroll. Story continues At UCF and UT--Tyler, school officials say, the definition of "blended" doesn't account for the additional in-person clinical components that many graduate nursing programs have, though prospective students should determine whether that's the case elsewhere. [Discover ways to choose between blended and online classes.] Given that nurses often work hours around the clock, prospective students should consider their schedule's flexibility when choosing between a hybrid grad program and one that's completely online, experts say. Blended programs, for instance, might require students to be in class at a specific time on a predetermined day, experts say. At UT--Tyler, that means they need to come to Texas, and that might be difficult for the online student with a full-time job who's also completing clinical requirements near their home. But for Switzer, the UT--Tyler student in the hybrid nurse practitioner program, the decision to enroll there was easier given that he's based in the same city as the school. "Online is not easier, definitely, but it does save the travel time and keeps students from being obligated at a particular time in any given week," says Haas from UT--Tyler. "It offers a lot more flexibility." Some nursing specialties -- such as family nurse practitioner -- are also better suited to have an on-ground component, experts say. At the University of Hawaii--Manoa, students pursuing the nurse practitioner doctorate track need to learn certain procedures and tasks up close, says Mary Boland, dean of the school of nursing and dental hygiene. That's similar to how Switzer learned about suturing and clinical assessments in person in his master's program at UT--Tyler. "Students really have to demonstrate competency in particular skills," says Boland. "It's very important to be able to do that face to face." [Learn five questions to ask when selecting an online graduate nursing program.] Experts also suggest that prospective students assess their own learning styles and the level of interaction they want with faculty. Switzer enjoys working with his professors in person, for example, to develop hands-on skills. Because they are working outside of a traditional classroom, fully online students usually need to have greater self-motivation, says Sole from UCF, whereas blended learners might receive more guidance. Another advantage of blended learning in nursing, says Norma Conner, associate professor and associate dean for academic excellence at UCF's nursing school, is that it might better prepare students for the positions they will take on after they graduate, which often require interacting with others in person. "We engage in team science," she says, which can be more difficult to practice strictly online. Experts also say it's critical for applicants to consider whether fully online learners have access to the same student services as students in blended programs, especially those traveling to campus. For example, nursing grad students often complete research assignments, experts say, and would need access to library services. Technical support is also critical in both cases, Boland says, and should be available around the clock, given that nurses work shifts at various hours. "These are generally working people doing it evenings, weekends," she says. Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center. Jordan Friedman is an online education editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at jfriedman@usnews.com. The Special One returns to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Will triumph, disaster or a another dull draw ensue? Martin Bly has the numbers Strange how the most compelling fixture this week should concern two clubs whose form over the last year or so has been anything but impressive. Neither Chelsea nor Manchester United are taking part in this years Champions League, and their performances so far this season do not suggest that they are overwhelmingly likely to qualify for it next year either. Yet such is the sulky, saturnine power of Jose Mourinho that Bluffers who wish to entertain their audiences this weekend have little choice but to hold forth on the Special Ones homecoming to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. First of all some words of comfort for Antonio Conte, who so far has made a decent fist of his initial task of restoring order and morale to a Chelsea squad lacking in both after Mourinhos departure. Diego Costa may not be everyones ideal guest for afternoon tea, and indeed in the estimation of most neutrals he is as unpleasant as he is effective, but the Leagues leading pantomime villain is also currently its top scorer, with seven goals in his first eight League matches. His colleagues in Contes line-up have some powerful stats on their side along with Costas skills as a finisher and a thespian. Chelsea have not lost any of their last seven Premier League matches against United but bluffers may consider it a statistical weakness that they have never in their history racked up eight matches against these opponents without defeat. The Red Devils have also lost more Premier League matches against Chelsea (16) than against any other team. But if bluffers wish to play devils advocate they can point out that five of those PL wins were under the guidance of Mourinho. United demonstrated at the start of the week against Liverpool that they know how to shut down creative opponents. They also look well placed when the performances of individual players so far this season are compared. Story continues For example, bluffers can assert that Uniteds David de Gea has the edge over his opposite number in the Chelsea goal, Thibaut Courtois. The bearded Spaniard has taken a while to win the hearts and minds of the Old Trafford faithful, but he has not only conceded fewer goals than his Belgian counterpart this season (eight as opposed to nine) but also made more than twice as many saves (21 to 10). Chelsea fans still mourning Petr Cech, take note. Antonio Valencia and Eric Bailly have also been outperforming their Chelsea counterparts, so the case for another United clean sheet can be made. But the Blues have the upper hand in attack, where not only is Costa more effective than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Eden Hazard who leads the League in completed dribbles is creating many opportunities for himself and others. Also on Sunday, Pep Guardiolas Manchester City, still no doubt shell-shocked by their comprehensive mugging at the hands of Barcelona in midweek, entertain the increasingly impressive Southampton. Little has gone right for Guardiola since the hard-fought draw with Celtic at the end of last month, but he is not the first man to suffer a long hangover from a rough night in Glasgow, and may be comforted to be informed by bluffers that Sergio Aguero is overdue a goal: he has not gone three Premier League matches without scoring since December 2015. Meanwhile the champions play host to Crystal Palace. Leicester City are in the unusual position of having more points in the Champions League (nine) than they do in the Premier League (eight), but bluffers who have listened closely to Claudio Ranieris pronouncements this autumn should not be surprised. The twinkly Italians immediate priority has been to make respectable (and lucrative) progress in Europe, now all but assured. The focus at the King Power Stadium will turn to ensuring Premier League survival and respectability in the New Year. Boston Properties, Inc. BXP is slated to report third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 25, after the market closes. Last quarter, the company delivered a positive surprise of 2.1%. In the trailing four quarters, this real estate investment trust (REIT), which mainly owns and develops Class A office real estates in the U.S., reported an average positive surprise of 2.3%. In fact, the stock beat estimates on all four occasions. The company expects its third quarter funds from operations (FFO) per share in the range of $1.40$1.42. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. BOSTON PPTYS Price and EPS Surprise BOSTON PPTYS Price and EPS Surprise | BOSTON PPTYS Quote Factors to Consider Boston Properties assets are mainly concentrated in select high-rent, high barrier-to-entry geographic markets. Further, its strong tenant and industry base, including several bellwethers, ensures steady rental revenue growth. In fact, over the past five years, the company recorded an annual compound revenue growth rate of 10.05%. This trend is likely to have continued in third-quarter 2016. Per a report by CBRE Group, Inc. CBG, during the quarter the national vacancy rate in the U.S. office sector was the lowest since 2008. Further, the office market was aided by limited new construction and robust demand for space. During the quarter, Boston Properties performance was inadequate to gain analysts confidence. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged at $1.43 over the last seven days. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Boston Properties will beat earnings this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here as you will see below. Zacks ESP: Both the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate currently stand at $1.43, which translate into an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. Zacks Rank: Boston Properties Zacks Rank #3 increases the predictive power of ESP. However, we need to have a positive ESP as well to be confident about an earnings surprise. Note that we caution against stocks with Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks to Consider Here are two other REITs that you may want to consider as our model shows that they also have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter: Post Properties Inc. PPS, slated to release earnings results on Oct 31, has an Earnings ESP of +2.47% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Essex Property Trust Inc. ESS, slated to release earnings results on Oct 27, has an Earnings ESP of +0.36% and a Zacks Rank #3. Note: All EPS numbers presented in this write up represent funds from operations (FFO) per share. FFO, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs, is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income. 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 CBRE GROUP INC (CBG): Free Stock Analysis Report POST PPTYS INC (PPS): Free Stock Analysis Report ESSEX PPTY TR (ESS): Free Stock Analysis Report BOSTON PPTYS (BXP): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Montreal (AFP) - Brazil, Greece and Indonesia are among five countries facing censure from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over flaws in their drug testing programs, the watchdog announced on Wednesday. A statement said the three countries, along with 2015 European Games host Azerbaijan and Guatemala, risked being declared non-compliant with the agency's code when WADA's Foundation Board meets in Glasgow on November 19. WADA said its Compliance Review Committee (CRC) set up in 2015 had reported last month that the National Anti-Doping Organizations of each country were not in compliance with the agency's rules. The five countries have been given until November 10 to prove their compliance with WADA's anti-doping code. If they are unable to do so, the "CRC will submit recommendations of non-compliance to the Agencys Foundation Board," WADA said. Brazil has faced a rocky 12 months after being placed on a WADA watchlist in November 2015. The 2016 Olympic hosts were given the all clear in March after Brazil's then-president Dilma Rousseff signed legislation that brought the country into line with anti-doping regulations. However, WADA hit out at Brazil in August after it emerged the country had failed to test its Olympic team in the build-up to the Rio de Janeiro Games, branding the situation "unacceptable." RIO DE JANEIRO -- Sometimes, when Alexsandra Moreira went to visit her parents in northeastern Brazil, the family noticed she had bruises on her arms and legs. But there was always an explanation -- and never one tied to her husband, Marcos de Macedo. "We thought their marriage was good," Moreira's sister Andreza da Silva remembers. It wasn't. Macedo had beaten Moreira and her four children for many years. Moreira managed to break free, but it would cost her her life. One day when she was on her way to her new job at a supermarket, Macedo jumped on board her bus, pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed her 21 times. Moreira's death in 2014 is far from an isolated incident. There are five women beaten every two minutes in Brazil, and an average of 13 murdered every day, according to the nonprofit Mapa da Violencia. The rate of violence against women, including homicide, is so high that femicide became a specific crime in March 2015. Violence against women is a worldwide problem, with up to 70 percent of women experiencing violence in their lifetime. But the issue is particularly pronounced in Latin America, the region with the most female murders on earth. The phenomenon, which grabs headlines from Argentina to Guatemala, is often seen as a result of continuing gender inequality. In Brazil, the violence has unique roots -- and is inspiring a growing group of tech-savvy female activists determined to squash it. Brazil stands out from its Latin American peers by the division of female murder victims along racial lines. Black women are statistically almost twice as likely to be murdered than white women. There were 2,875 black women murdered in 2013, compared to 1,576 white women. Blacks make up slightly more than half of the population. Brazil received the highest number of slaves in the Americas, and was also the last country in the Western world to abolish slavery, in 1888. Some believe the attitude among men who view women -- particularly black women -- as their property, with which they can do as they please, is a legacy of that history. Story continues "It is like a cultural trace which is very much present in Brazil today, this idea of people as property, an inheritance from the patrimonialist and patriarchal past," says Brazilian journalist Rogerio Pacheco Jordao, who wrote a doctoral thesis on the legacy of slavery in Brazil. "Slavery was abolished 130 years ago -- it's not so distant. That is only three, four generations ago." Fueling the violence, experts say, is a police force that doesn't always take allegations of violence toward women as seriously as it should. Silva, for example, believes her sister could still be alive today if police had reacted appropriately to the family's calls for help. Just weeks before the murder, Macedo went to Moreira's parents' home, where she was staying, and threatened to kill everyone. The family called the police, but they never came. "When a woman walks into a precinct, she never knows if she is going to be treated well or badly -- even if the police officer is going to come on to her," says Hildebrando Saraiva, a civil police inspector in Rio de Janeiro. [ READ: Nordic Nations Among the Best Countries for Women, Survey Finds] Combating violence against women means challenging the kind of entrenched, macho attitudes in the police force and elsewhere in Brazilian society. And it's a tough moment to do so. Conservative lawmakers are pushing against efforts to teach a domestic violence law in schools and contemplating introducing a bill that could make it more burdensome to report cases of physical assault. A recent survey by the Brazilian Forum for Public Safety found that a third of Brazilians believe if a woman is wearing provocative clothes and is raped, she is to blame. But some in Brazil are rising to the occasion. The common Brazilian expression "Em briga de marido e mulher, ninguem mete a colher," means roughly, "You should not interfere in arguments between a husband and wife." In March this year, a group of women from northeastern Brazil took the phrase as the inspiration to build an app, Mete a Colher, which encourages people to do exactly that. The tool links women in abusive or violent relationships with others who can help them -- from lawyers and psychologists to other women who have also been mistreated. The idea is to encourage women to recognize signs of physical or emotional abuse and leave violent or abusive relationships before they escalate. The app has a Snapchat-like security function where conversations are immediately deleted -- a plus for women who fear repercussions from violent partners if their conversations are discovered. The tool has received an initial round of funding and will be available throughout Brazil in 2017. A group of Facebook supporters anticipating the app's release have already started connecting women to the help they need. Determined to raise awareness that violence is not always physical, the women behind the Mete a Colher app ran a hashtag campaign this past June on social media, #elenaotebate (he doesn't hit you), encouraging people to relate instances of emotional abuse. "He doesn't hit you, but he makes you apologise for his mistakes," read one. "He doesn't hit you, but he tells his friends you are crazy and hysterical," said another post. [READ: When Women Wear Blue Helmets.] "People love what we have done so far, but there is still a lot of work to be done," says Aline Silveira, a developer and co-creator of the app. "We must keep fighting for equality, respect and against rape culture, for the next generations to be better than ours." While resistance to change is strong, some are convinced Brazil is experiencing a "Women's Spring" led by online groups. "Increasingly, magazines and newspapers are covering feminist issues or looking at things from a feminist perspective, and lots of great projects are coming up," says Gabriela Loureiro, a journalist who writes for feminist site Think Olga. She points to the recent hashtag #PrimeiroAssedio [first assault], which invited women to tweet about their first experience of sexual harassment or assault. The social media trend raised awareness of the issue and encouraged people to let abused women know they are not alone. "It is a boom which started a few years ago, and keeps getting bigger all the time," she says. Beth McLoughlin is a reporter based in Rio de Janeiro, where she has been writing about crime, politics, human rights and culture since 2010. Follow her on Twitter. Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - The jailing of Eduardo Cunha on corruption charges put one of Brazil's most Machiavellian politicians out of play - so why is the country's elite so nervous about him? Cunha was jailed Thursday to await trial on charges of bribe taking, money laundering and stashing his illicit gains in Swiss accounts. It was a shocking comedown for the former speaker of the lower house who launched the impeachment of former leftist president Dilma Rousseff, leading to his fellow center-right PMDB party member Michel Temer taking over the presidency. But the possibility that the Brazilian wheeler dealer, often compared to Frank Underwood in Netflix's dark political series "House of Cards," could cooperate with prosecutors is causing alarm among other politicians, analysts say. Prosecutors leading the investigation into a huge embezzlement and bribery scheme at state oil company Petrobras have repeatedly used plea bargains to extract new information and expand their probe. Cunha, the ultimate insider, would potentially be a mother lode. "Who in Brasilia would be safe from a plea bargain with Cunha?" asked law professor Ivar Hartmann at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro. "Cunha has a major destructive potential," Alberto Almeida, director of the Analysis Institute, said. - Who's next? - The Petrobras scandal has already put a host of leading politicians in the crosshairs. Ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the mentor of Rousseff, is the subject of three cases and there is speculation that he could be next to face arrest. However Temer's government is also reeling from the probe. Three of his ministers facing investigation had to step down soon after he took over the presidency in August. One of them, Romero Juca, resigned as planning minister after the leak of a recording in which he appeared to discuss wanting to shut down the investigation, dubbed Operation Car Wash. Story continues Although Cunha was a close ally of Temer and others in the new government, they are likely to be fearful of what he might say if prosecutors put him under pressure. "I have no doubt that if Cunha has to choose between saving his party's reputation or his own skin that he'll opt for his own skin," Hartmann said. Even without a plea bargain, Cunha is keeping Brasilia on its toes with his promise to write a book -- something that being incarcerated will give him plenty of time to do. If Cunha spills the beans on his insider knowledge "the crisis could affect the inner core of the government," said analyst Marco Antonio Teixeira at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. So far the Temer government has reacted with notable caution. Brazilian media reports said that ministers had been instructed to avoid comment. Temer, on a trip to Tokyo, would not be drawn on speculation that more cabinet members could be downed by the Car Wash probe. "For now these are just allegations," he said. But Temer may end up having to sacrifice ministers, Hartmann said. The priority is "to shield Temer, protect him, because losing another minister is acceptable as long as Temer doesn't fall." (Adds information from prosecutors, details on suspects) By Marta Nogueira and Jeb Blount RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Brazilian prosecutors charged 21 people with qualified homicide on Thursday for their roles in the collapse of a tailings dam at the Samarco Mineracao SA iron ore mine last November that killed 19 people. The charges follow what is now considered to be the largest environmental disaster in Brazil's history. The dam collapse released millions of tonnes of muddy mine waste, wiping out several small communities. Samarco, its co-owners Vale SA and BHP Billiton Ltd, and Brazilian engineering company VOGBR Recursos Hidricos e Geotecnica Ltd which certified the dam's safety, were charged with environmental crimes. BHP, Vale and Samarco officials said in statements that they rejected the charges and would defend their employees and executives. VOGBR declined to comment. Vale, BHP and Samarco agreed in March to pay an estimated 20 billion reais ($6.37 billion) over 15 years in civil damages, but the accord is being challenged by state prosecutors. Prosecutor Jose Leite Sampaio told reporters at a briefing in Belo Horizonte, broadcast live by GloboNews, that executives at Samarco had clear awareness the dam could fail but ignored the risks and prioritized profit. There were signs that the dam was unsafe for several years before its collapse, but Samarco officials, executives, employees and board members appointed by Vale and BHP failed to take proper action, Sampaio said. Prosecutors also said safety and regulatory procedures were not properly followed, including those in the company's own operating manual. If convicted the accused, who include 16 Brazilians, two Americans, a Briton, a South African, an Australian and a French citizen, could face sentences of up to 54 years, prosecutors said. The former chief executive of Samarco, Ricardo Viscovi, is among the accused. Charges against one of the suspects did not include homicide. Story continues Under Brazil's criminal code, qualified homicide is homicide aggravated by certain factors. Following the collapse, thick reddish-brown sludge flowed into one of Brazil's main rivers, the Rio Doce, killing fish and fouling water supplies for hundreds of km (miles) before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Before the case goes to trial, the charges need to be approved by a judge. Prosecutors filed the charges with a judge in Belo Horizonte, Brazil earlier in the day. "These people were murdered," Eduardo Santos de Oliveira, one of the prosecutors in the case, said of those who died. Vale said in a statement that prosecutors ignored evidence that executives were unaware the dam could fail before the disaster occurred. (Reporting by Jeb Blount and Marta Nogueira; Writing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Jeb Blount; Editing by Frances Kerry and Tom Brown) By Marta Nogueira and Jeb Blount RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian prosecutors charged 21 people with qualified homicide on Thursday for their roles in the collapse of a tailings dam at the Samarco Mineracao SA iron ore mine last November that killed 19 people. The charges follow what is now considered to be the largest environmental disaster in Brazil's history. The dam collapse released millions of tonnes of muddy mine waste, wiping out several small communities. Samarco, its co-owners Vale SA and BHP Billiton Ltd, and Brazilian engineering company VOGBR Recursos Hidricos e Geotecnica Ltd which certified the dam's safety, were charged with environmental crimes. BHP, Vale and Samarco officials said in statements that they rejected the charges and would defend their employees and executives. VOGBR declined to comment. Vale, BHP and Samarco agreed in March to pay an estimated 20 billion reais ($6.37 billion) over 15 years in civil damages, but the accord is being challenged by state prosecutors. Prosecutor Jose Leite Sampaio told reporters at a briefing in Belo Horizonte, broadcast live by GloboNews, that executives at Samarco had clear awareness the dam could fail but ignored the risks and prioritized profit. There were signs that the dam was unsafe for several years before its collapse, but Samarco officials, executives, employees and board members appointed by Vale and BHP failed to take proper action, Sampaio said. Prosecutors also said safety and regulatory procedures were not properly followed, including those in the company's own operating manual. If convicted the accused, who include 16 Brazilians, two Americans, a Briton, a South African, an Australian and a French citizen, could face sentences of up to 54 years, prosecutors said. The former chief executive of Samarco, Ricardo Viscovi, is among the accused. Charges against one of the suspects did not include homicide. Under Brazil's criminal code, qualified homicide is homicide aggravated by certain factors. Following the collapse, thick reddish-brown sludge flowed into one of Brazil's main rivers, the Rio Doce, killing fish and fouling water supplies for hundreds of km (miles) before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Before the case goes to trial, the charges need to be approved by a judge. Prosecutors filed the charges with a judge in Belo Horizonte, Brazil earlier in the day. "These people were murdered," Eduardo Santos de Oliveira, one of the prosecutors in the case, said of those who died. Vale said in a statement that prosecutors ignored evidence that executives were unaware the dam could fail before the disaster occurred. (Reporting by Jeb Blount and Marta Nogueira; Writing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Jeb Blount; Editing by Frances Kerry and Tom Brown) SAO PAULO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem SA said there was no formal agreement to sell its chemical products distributing unit known as quantiQ, according to a securities filing on Thursday, in the wake of media reports saying the unit may be sold. Braskem, Latin America's largest petrochemical producer, said it was constantly assessing its investments but there was no "formal commitment, even in preliminary terms" about selling quantiQ. Newspaper Valor Economico reported on Thursday that Braskem could sell quantiQ for between 500 million reais and 700 million reais ($158 million to $221 million). News website Brazil Journal separately said on Wednesday Braskem should raise at least 1 billion reais from such a sale. The deal could bolster Braskem's coffers as the company negotiates with U.S. and Brazilian authorities over corruption allegations against its two main shareholders, Odebrecht SA and Petroleo Brasileiro SA. Private equity firm Advent International Corp was among the interested parties, Valor reported, without saying how it obtained the information. Brazil Journal said Mexico's Mexichem SAB de CV was also negotiating with Braskem, without citing sources. Valor said Advent declined to comment on the subject. Reuters was not immediately able to reach officials at Advent or Mexichem for comment. ($1 = 3.17 reais) (Reporting by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Bernadette Baum) Brexit campaign leader Nigel Farage, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump , told CNBC on Thursday the GOP presidential nominee is not as far behind as the polls show. Like what turned the tide for the leave camp in Britain, Trump also needs to mine voters who have never showed up at the polls, Farage said. "Polling companies, both in Britain and America, now find it very difficult to measure non-voters who come into the process." Farage appeared on "Squawk Alley" from Las Vegas, where he attended the third and final U.S. presidential debate on Wednesday night. The former and now interim leader of the UK Independence Party also went to the second presidential debate in St. Louis earlier this month, and appeared alongside Trump at an August campaign rally in Mississippi. Many supporters compare Trump's campaign to Britain's vote to depart the European Union in June arguing the billionaire's true support has not been fully reflected in presidential polling, which favored Hillary Clinton before the third debate. Britain's vote to leave the EU defied the polls. "The opinion polls can say what they say. [But] on Brexit day in Britain, the remain side were 10-points in the lead, and yet our side still won." The biggest comparison between Trump and Brexit is that Clinton "campaigns on similar slogans to the stay-in-the-EU campaign," said Farage. "You got the establishment saying, 'Everything is fine. Trust us.'" "[But] actually out there in middle England, and now here in middle America, there's a lot of people saying, 'You know what, the last few years I've seen the rich get richer and our lives have not improved. It's time for change,'" he said. On the debate issues, he said "marginally [Trump] got the better on the night." He also said Trump did a better job keeping his temper in check, while making compelling cases on the economy and foreign policy. Story continues He said Trump should try to make his refusal to commit to accepting the election outcome work for him. "As an anti-establishment campaigner in Britain for two decades, I have seen the establishment in my country cheat," he said. "I understand Trump's frustration, taking on the establishment. But I would suggest this to Donald Trump, he needs to move it on." Trump should say something like win or lose he would "drain the swamp" and work for election reform in America, Farage said. "Then he can turn that comment a little positive." Earlier Thursday , campaign manager Kellyanne Conway defended Trump's rigged election comments, saying a vow to adhere to an outcome of voting that has not been "verified" and "certified" is "insane." More From CNBC London (AFP) - Thousands of British men convicted of homosexuality before its decriminalisation are to be pardoned under the "Turing Law", named after World War II hero Alan Turing, the government said Thursday. Anyone alive who was convicted of consensual same-sex acts before the law was abolished can already apply to have their names cleared through the "disregard process", and will now receive an automatic pardon. Thousands of deceased people will also receive an automatic pardon. "It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today," said Justice Minister Sam Gyimah. "Through pardons and the existing disregard process we will meet our manifesto commitment to put right these wrongs." Private homosexual acts between men aged over 21 were decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967, but the law was not changed in Scotland until 1980 and in Northern Ireland until 1982. Turing was a computer scientist, philosopher and cryptologist who played a crucial role in breaking the Nazi Enigma code at Britain's Bletchley Park, which was recently dramatised on the big screen in "The Imitation Game". He was prosecuted for homosexuality in 1952 and forced to undergo chemical castration. He killed himself in 1954 at the age of 41. Turing was officially pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, triggering calls for blanket pardons. Liberal Democrat lord John Sharkey, who introduced the bill to clear Turing, said the latest government announcement heralded "a momentous day for thousands of families up and down the UK". "It is a wonderful thing that we have been able to build on the pardon granted to Alan Turing," he told the BBC. By Noah Barkin and Elizabeth Piper BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Arriving at her first European Union summit, Prime Minister Theresa May promised that Britain would remain a strong partner to the EU after Brexit and called for unity in pressuring Russia for its "sickening atrocities" in Syria. May, who replaced David Cameron in July after Britons shocked the EU by voting to leave the bloc, was due to spell out her vision for Brexit at a dinner with her 27 counterparts on Thursday evening. Her speech at a conference of her Conservatives in Birmingham in early October suggested she is leaning towards a so-called "hard Brexit" in which Britain would place limits on immigration and lose access to Europe's lucrative single market. In the past weeks however, May and her ministers have sent out different signals, deepening the sense of confusion in other European capitals about her intentions and raising the pressure on May to spell out what she wants. "This is my first European Council and I'm here with a very clear message: The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we have left," she told reporters upon arrival. Above all, she said it was important that the EU stand together in the face of Russian aggression in Syria. In the past weeks, Syrian government and Russian forces have stepped up air strikes on besieged rebel-held parts of the Syrian city of Aleppo, killing hundreds of civilians. "It's vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria," May said. Leaders were due on Thursday to discuss the state of the bloc's deals with African countries to limit EU-bound migration from their territories, before turning to the topic of Russia over dinner and to economic issues, including a pending trade deal between the EU and Canada, on Friday. But the meeting in Brussels may be overshadowed by Brexit. May has said she will trigger Article 50 of the EU treaty, which would start a two-year countdown to Britain's exit, by the end of March. "NEST OF DOVES" She has also made clear she would like to hold preparatory talks with EU governments before taking that step. But the EU has stuck firmly to its line, first spelled out in June in the aftermath of the British referendum, that there will be no early negotiations before Article 50 is invoked. European Parliament President Martin Schulz, speaking to reporters as the leaders arrived, reiterated that stance, saying the EU would be "running into a trap" if it began substantive talks with Britain before London had formally notified its partners in writing that it intends to leave. In London, May's Brexit minister, David Davis, told members of parliament that the government would do "anything necessary" to ensure the stability of the financial sector during the Brexit talks. Banks in the City of London are worried that they could lose their right to sell services across Europe if May insists on curbing migration under a deal with the EU-27. If Britain places limits on free movement, it will lose its access to the single market, governments on the continent have warned. European Council President Donald Tusk dismissed the chances of any real clash between May and other leaders in Brussels. "Some media described her first meeting in the European Council as entering the lion's den," he said. "It is not true. It is more like a nest of doves - just look at me!" German Chancellor Angela Merkel also played down the Brexit issue, saying she did not expect that discussion, which is due to take place at the end of the dinner, to last long. Like May, she urged the summit to send a clear message to Russia about the "inhuman" bombings in Aleppo. Merkel hosted Vladimir Putin in Berlin on the eve of the summit and, together with French President Francois Hollande, pressed the Russian leader to extend a pause in air strikes. Hollande referred to the attacks on the civilian population as "war crimes". "I hope that the European Council can firm up our view that what is happening with Russian support in Aleppo is completely inhuman with regards to the inhabitants of Aleppo," Merkel said. "That is why there has to be work on a truce and not just one of a few hours followed by several hours of bombing but a permanent truce." (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald, Francesco Guarascio, Philip Blenkinsop, Robert-Jan Bartunek and Jan Strupczewski in Brussels; editing by Mark Heinrich) 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. By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) - A British artist is suing U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, saying the campaign illegally used his photograph of a bowl of brightly coloured Skittles candies to illustrate its position against bringing Syrian refugees to the United States. David Kittos, who came to the United Kingdom as a child refugee from Cyprus and is now a British citizen, said he was offended by the use of the image in a campaign message tweeted by Trump's son Donald Trump Jr., which compared Syrian refugees to poisoned candies. "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful?" the message said. "That's our Syrian refugee problem." Above the message, Donald Trump Jr. added: "This image says it all." In his lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in federal court in Chicago, Kittos named both Trumps, as well as the campaign and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence as defendants. Trump faces Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 presidential election. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit. U.S. admission of Syrian refugees has long been a politically sensitive issue, although the country has admitted far fewer than many close allies. Trump has said violent militants could enter the country posing as refugees. In 2015, Democratic President Barack Obama announced plans to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees this year, sparking fierce criticism, mostly from Republicans who said the plan could put Americans at risk. His administration said in August it would meet that goal. The Donald Trump Jr. tweet, posted in September, prompted a response from the William Wrigley Jr. Co, a subsidiary of Mars Inc, and the maker of Skittles, which said the company did not feel the analogy was appropriate. "Skittles are candy," said spokeswoman Michelle Green. "Refugees are people." In the lawsuit, Kittos seeks unspecified financial damages and an order barring the campaign from further use of the image. LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Britain must find a "mechanism" that gives banks based in the UK access to the European Union's single market after the country leaves the bloc, a government minister said on Thursday. Banks who depend on a "passport" to offer their services across the EU from a base in London, worry they will be cut off from continental customers. "We know that the banking industry needs to have something that gives them access to the single market," Mark Garnier, a junior international trade minister told the British Bankers' Association annual conference. One solution touted is so-called equivalence, whereby banks in Britain would have access to the single market if they abide by rules similar to those in force in the bloc. Critics have said that this system is unstable, as the EU could withdraw equivalence recognition at short notice. "We have to find a mechanism that behaves like passporting and has greater security than equivalence," Garnier said, adding that no existing trade model with the EU provides that. He steered clear of saying whether Britain was heading for a hard Brexit - a clean break with the EU - or soft Brexit, meaning maintaining access to the single market in return for conditions such as continued acceptance of EU migrants. The view becoming settled in government was for neither, but for a "right" Brexit, Garnier said. "Talking about soft and hard Brexit is probably a distraction." (Reporting by John Geddie and Huw Jones) London (AFP) - British lawmakers on Thursday approved a motion recommending billionaire tycoon Philip Green be stripped of his knighthood following the collapse of department store chain BHS, which cost 11,000 jobs. MPs in the House of Commons unanimously backed the non-binding motion that Green's knighthood be "cancelled and annulled" after a debate in which they accused Green of stripping BHS assets. When it collapsed in June, BHS had debts totalling more than A1.3 billion (1.6 billion euros, $1.7 billion), including a A571-million deficit in its pension fund. MPs earlier called on Green to "urgently" address the shortfalls in a pension fund of 20,000 former employees. BHS, which sold clothing and homeware, failed to keep pace with traditional rivals such as Marks & Spencer and online giants like Amazon, resulting in a major loss of market share. The 88-year-old company had 163 stores and 74 franchise operations across 18 countries. Green bought BHS in 2000 for A200 million and sold it in 2015 for A1 to Dominic Chappell, a former bankrupt businessman with no retail experience. Labour MP Iain Wright called the saga "one of the biggest corporate scandals of modern times". "(Green) took the rings from BHS's fingers, he beat it black and blue, he starved it of food and water, he put it on life support, and then he wanted credit for keeping it alive," he told lawmakers. Other public figures who have been stripped of their titles include Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in 2008, disgraced banker Fred Goodwin in 2012 and television star and serial paedophile Jimmy Savile in 2013. Green, the billionaire owner of Topshop, appeared before a parliamentary committee in July and its report called him the "unacceptable face of capitalism". He accused committee chairman Frank Field of running a "kangaroo court" and of a "constant press campaign barracking and insulting me and my family". Brussels (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday called for a "robust and united" European approach to Russian "atrocities" in Syria, as she arrived for her first EU summit in Brussels. "We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May told reporters. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." May said she brought a "clear message" to other EU leaders that Britain would continue to play its part in the bloc until it formally withdrew following June's shock Brexit referendum. "The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left," she said. "It's in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together, including at this summit." EU leaders meeting for the two-day talks are set to "strongly condemn" Moscow and call for a permanent end to hostilities in Syria, as Russia and the Syrian army begin a brief "humanitarian pause" in the battleground city of Aleppo. The leaders of France and Germany warned after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the summit that they could not rule out sanctions over the carnage. Brussels (AFP) - Theresa May vowed Thursday that Britain will play a full part in the European Union until it leaves, as the bloc's president promised the prime minister's first EU summit would be a "nest of doves". The Conservative leader will use the meeting in Brussels to update EU counterparts on her plan to start formal exit talks by the end of March, paving the way for Britain to leave the bloc by early 2019. But as she arrived to take the seat formerly occupied by David Cameron, she made clear Brexit was not the only issue on the table, calling for a "robust and united" EU response to Russia's "atrocities" in Syria. "The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left," she told reporters. May was excluded from last month's summit of 27 leaders in Bratislava, but EU president Donald Tusk played down speculation that the two day meeting in Brussels would be a frosty affair. "Some media described her first meeting in the European Council as entering the lion's den. It's not true. It's more like a nest of doves," he told reporters. "She'll be absolutely safe with us. And I hope that she will also realise that the European Union is simply the best company in the world." However, he repeated that there would be no negotiations before Britain triggers Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon treaty, which begins a two-year countdown to leaving. - 'Smooth, constructive process' - May's plan to trigger Article 50 by March, unveiled at her party conference earlier this month, has been welcomed by European leaders who had been pressing for a swift divorce. But she angered many member states by stating her intention to limit EU migration into Britain, while also seeking "maximum freedom" to operate in the EU's single market. European leaders have repeatedly said the two demands are incompatible, and warned London should expect to pay a heavy price for its decision to leave. Story continues The face-off has caused the pound to plunge and raised global economic fears about the impact of a so-called hard Brexit. Over a working dinner on Thursday evening, May will urge EU leaders to help make Brexit work for both sides, a source in her office said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We want our departure to be a smooth, constructive, orderly process, minimising uncertainty," the source said. After the summit ends on Friday, May will hold her first bilateral talks with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, over lunch. His spokeswoman said it would be an "introductory" meeting with no talk of Brexit. The British premier, who took over in July following the resignation of David Cameron, will still likely use the summit to sound out potential allies. She has already visited Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, and had bilateral meetings planned Thursday with the leaders of Estonia and Romania. - Government divided - One major problem May faces is that even her own government cannot agree on its strategy for Brexit, with some ministers pushing for a clean break with the EU and others seeking continued ties to protect the economy. "The British have shown a total lack of preparation politically or administratively. It's only now that they are waking up to the immensity of the task," an EU diplomat said. Her timetable also risks being upset by a legal challenge at the High Court over her refusal to allow parliament a vote before she triggers Article 50. A decision is due by the end of the year. Another domestic headache is Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU and whose nationalist government is threatening a second referendum on independence if it is forced to leave the single market. In a sign of the complexity of the discussions ahead, May indicated Wednesday that she could seek to extend the negotiation process, telling lawmakers it might take "two years or more". (Adds UK minister, Deutsche Bank, Browne) By Huw Jones and John Geddie LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Britain must copy European Union rules if it wants to keep the clearing of euro-denominated financial contracts in London after it leaves the EU, Bundesbank executive board member Andreas Dombret said on Thursday. Britain will have to negotiate new trading terms with the EU, and financial services firms in London currently depend on EU "passports" for accessing the bloc's single market. The European Central Bank has wanted clearing houses for euro-denominated financial contracts to shift to the euro zone, arguing it is the lender of last resort in euros. London based LCH Clearnet dominates this activity at present. Dombret told the British Bankers' Association annual conference that if post-Brexit Britain operates under rules different to those in the bloc, maintaining euro-denominated clearing in London would be challenging. "I would find it hard to believe that governments and taxpayers would stand behind a policy they have no control over," Dombret said. "I would expect changes." Clearing houses across the EU comply with derivatives rules known as EMIR, he later told reporters. "Right now, the precondition is to follow EMIR and that is very clear." Bankers expect the ECB to revive its location policy on euro-denominated clearing after Brexit. "There is no doubt in my mind the ECB will want that under its wing," David Folkerts-Landau, group chief economist at Deutsche Bank, told the conference. EQUIVALENCE Dombret was alluding to an alternative to full passporting, a system known as equivalence. This refers to a clearing house - or bank - in London having access to the EU market if it complies with rules and standards of supervision that are effectively the same as those in the bloc. On day one of Brexit, Britain would almost certainly be equivalent given it would be applying EU rules until then, and those rules will also be transposed into UK law. Story continues But granting "equivalence" is at the discretion of the EU's executive European Commission and the designation can be withdrawn at short notice. This is why equivalence is a "poor shadow" of full passporting as it covers a narrower range of services and comes with higher costs, BBA Chief Executive Anthony Browne said. "I recently heard that the French Treasury told a group of banks it was trying to persuade them to move to Paris, but although the UK might have to be granted equivalence initially, the question was how quickly they can force the UK to lose equivalence," Browne said. Mark Garnier, a government trade minister, told the conference that Britain must find a mechanism that offers passport style access with safeguards to the equivalence regime. "We have to find a mechanism that behaves like passporting and has greater security than equivalence," Garnier said. British Brexit Minister David Davis was quizzed on Thursday in parliament on securing the future of the euro-denominated clearing industry. "It is certainly one of our major aims," he said, adding that he wanted to make sure regulatory equivalence in that field was maintained. On Wednesday, City minister Simon Kirby said that the future of London's financial clearing business would be a significant consideration in Britain's negotiations on leaving the European Union, but probably not a top priority for the government. (Additional reporting by William James and Kylie MacLellan; editing by Mark Heinrich) Business California launches criminal probe into Wells Fargo account scandal The California attorney generals office has launched a criminal investigation into Wells Fargo over allegations that it opened millions of unauthorized customer accounts and credit cards, according to a seizure warrant seen by Reuters. Attorney General Kamala Harris authorized that warrant, against the bank, that seeks customer records and other documents, saying that there is probable cause to believe the bank committed felonies. Harris wants to know whether Wells Fargo violated California laws prohibiting certain types of impersonation and the unauthorized use of personal information, the documents showed. 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 that 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. By Rory Carroll (Reuters) - A California man convicted of attempting to help a friend travel to the Middle East to fight on behalf of Islamic State was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday, federal prosecutors said. Muhanad Badawi, 25, was found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to the militant group in the form of his recruit, Nader Elhuzayel, who was convicted of conspiring and attempting to join a terrorist organization. In September, Elhuzayel was also sentenced to 30 years in prison. "The lengthy sentence imposed today results from the defendants acceptance of ISIL's murderous ideology and his participation in a scheme designed to betray the United States," United States Attorney Eileen Decker said on Wednesday. In arguing for the 30-year sentence plus a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. prosecutors said Badawi was "a radicalizer, recruiter, and facilitator" for Islamic State who aspired to die a martyr fighting for ISIS. Prosecutors argued that Badawi deserved the same sentence as Elhuzayel. "Their crimes are equally serious, their prospects for rehabilitation are equally bleak, and the need to protect the public from their future crimes and crimes by others like them is the same," they wrote in a memorandum to the U.S. district court in Santa Ana, California, earlier this month. Badawi's defense attorney, Kate Corrigan of Corrigan, Welbourn, Stokke, had pushed for a 15-year sentence, arguing that unlike Elhuzayel, her client did not have a ticket in his hand to leave the country and join ISIS. She said she plans to appeal the conviction and the sentence. "The real message from today's 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," Corrigan said. Badawi was apprehended on May 21, 2015, the same day Elhuzayel was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport while attempting to travel to Tel Aviv, Israel, before heading to Istanbul, Turkey. Story continues Badawi, who emigrated to the U.S. from Sudan in 2006, gave Elhuzayel access to a debit card linked to his Pell grant funds to purchase his one-way plane ticket, in violation of federal financial aid rules. The two men made their travel arrangements four days after a May 4 attack by two gunmen on a heavily guarded Texas exhibit of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad. Both of the gunmen were killed by a police officer during the attack. (This story corrects day in 1st paragraph to Wednesday, instead of Monday, and corrects convicted offense to a charge of "conspiring to provide material" support to Islamic State, instead of a charge of "providing material support" in 2nd paragraph) (Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and David Gregorio) Yangon (AFP) - A total of 72 people died when an overloaded ferry sank in central Myanmar, local officials said Thursday, calling for an overhaul of the creaking boats that ply the river as the search effort ended. Scores of teachers, students and workers were packed into the crowded boat when it capsized in the early hours of Saturday as it chugged along the Chindwin River. More than 150 people were rescued alive, but dozens more perished as the vessel swiftly sank about 72 kilometres (45 miles) north of the city of Monywa. Dozens of bloated corpses have been swept downriver, while others were found trapped inside the broken shell of the boat as rescue workers hauled it to the surface. "We lifted the whole sunken boat this morning," Sa Willy Frient, director of social welfare and resettlement in Sagaing region, told AFP. "We got 72 dead bodies in total... 14 men and 53 women were taken from the boat, and another five dead bodies which were carried away by the water. "We have concluded our salvage today." Family and friends have identified 44 of the bodies, local authorities said, but the rest were decayed beyond recognition after days in the water. Four workers on the boat were arrested after it sank, but the boat captain and the owner have fled. Boat accidents are common in Myanmar, where many people living along its flood-prone river systems rely heavily on often overcrowded ferries for transport. Regional lawmaker Tun Tun Win said the central government needed to upgrade the boats that operate on the Chindwin River, which most locals rely on for transport. "This morning, I helped at the funeral of a doctor who died when the boat sank. Her wedding was planned for yesterday," he said. "The union government should improve the transport system. These kind of incidents been happening for a long time along the Chindwin River. "Young people shouldn't have died," he added, confirming the final death toll. MADISON, Wis. Ethan Soderberg, a senior at University of Wisconsin-Madison, only plans to vote for Hillary Clinton if the election is close. The Green Partys Jill Stein is his preferred candidate. I dont think shes as progressive as she portrays herself to be, Soderberg said of Clinton. She tries to go off and say shes always been that way. In contrast, he said Stein is more about change. Soderberg isnt alone. Over a third of Wisconsin voters age 18 to 29 said they would vote for a third-party candidate like Stein or Libertarian Gary Johnson, according to the most recent Marquette University Law School poll of the swing state. This is despite the fact that Republican Donald Trump is deeply unpopular with such voters. Clintons campaign is hoping to win over skeptical millennial voters in part by deploying key surrogates like Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to campuses in order to boost support for the Democratic nominee and down-ballot candidates. Indeed, Sanders has been on a whirlwind tour of universities in the final weeks before Election Day. Secretary Clinton and I reached an agreement on a proposal which says that public colleges and universities will be tuition-free for every family in America earning less than $125,000 a year. Thats 83 percent of our population! Sanders said to cheers here at UW-Madison. I want our young people to be leaving school with excitement, going out getting the jobs they want, not just the jobs they need in order to pay off their student debt, he continued. I want to see young people be able to go out and start the businesses that their hearts are directing them to not have to struggle decade after decade with horrible levels of student debt. Sen. Bernie Sanders greets supporters at the University of Colorado-Boulder on Oct. 17. (Photo: Brennan Linsley/AP) College students and young professionals helped cement victory for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Over 60 percent of young voters supported Obama in his reelection campaign, and a similar number of those are supporting Clinton: In a recent USA Today/Rock the Vote poll, 62 percent of likely millennial voters said they would back Clinton. Story continues But voters aged 18 to 24 are not supporting Clinton with the same kind of zeal they showed in 2012. Almost half of those surveyed in the USA Today poll said they didnt feel as though their vote mattered. Two-thirds of those who said they would not vote cited their dislike of the available candidates on the ballot. Voter enthusiasm in that poll was highest in March, when Sanders, a septuagenarian but a favorite among young voters, was making a push for the Democratic nomination and easily won states like Wisconsin against Clinton. A Gallup poll from May showed that 82 percent of millennial voters had a favorable view of Sanders. Over half preferred him to Clinton or Trump. Colin Seeberger, a campaign adviser with Young Invincibles, told Yahoo News that Sanders won over young people by addressing the issues they felt are the most pressing in their lives. His organization researches and advocates on issues relevant to millennial voters. What is very obvious is Sen. Sanders talked about issues important to our generation, Seeberger said. College affordability, health care, jobs that set people up for financial security. That really resonates with young voters. Young people are looking for candidates that understand the unique challenges they face. One of those young people is Zach Hillary Clinton attends an outdoor watch party with Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez after the debate in Las Vegas. (Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Druckrey, a senior at UW-Madison and one of the founders of Badgers for Bernie, a group dedicated to promoting Sanders candidacy on the campus. The group organized for Sanders en route to his dominating victory in Wisconsins April primary, in which the Vermont senator won all but one county statewide and beat Clinton by 25 points in the Madison-anchored Dane County. Druckrey said his group also traveled to Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota to register voters and generate excitement about Sanders candidacy. It was the first time he had delved into political organizing. Bernie didnt say he had all the answers. He explicitly said it is as much about us as it was for him, Druckrey said. It was great. Its really powerful to hear that. While Druckrey was disappointed that Sanders came up short in the primary, he said he would support Clinton, pointing to the risk of a Trump presidency. The alternative is unthinkable, he said. Its not worth voting [for a third party] because it could lead to a Trump presidency. But there is a clear level of uneasiness with Clinton. In a recent study conducted by the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, almost a quarter of the 1,200 young voters surveyed even said they would prefer a meteor strike to a Trump or Clinton presidency, though some respondents undoubtedly gave that answer tongue-in-cheek. Joshua Dyck, co-director of UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion, said the results show a unique level of dissatisfaction that was not present in 2012. We do not take our respondents at their word that they are earnestly interested in seeing the world end, but we do take their willingness to rank a giant meteor ahead of these two candidates with startling frequency as a sign of displeasure and disaffection with the candidates and the 2016 election, Dyck said in an analysis of the poll results. Jaime Hoggan puts on her She Wins We Win button while waiting to hear Bernie Sanders at a rally for Hillary Clinton at the University of Arizona on Oct. 18. (Photo: Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star via AP) Sanders has been making the rounds on college campuses to assuage those concerns with Clinton and rail against Trump. If you still have any doubts about who the best candidate is, Sanders told students in Madison, compare Clintons and Trumps positions on climate change. Donald Trump believes climate change is a hoax created by the Chinese. Why the Chinese, Im not quite sure. I would have thought [hed blame] the Mexicans or the Muslims, he added to laughter. Some of his most frequent stops have been college towns, including Duluth, Minn., Tucson, Ariz., and Ann Arbor, Mich. Sanders and Warren, another progressive icon, made their first joint appearance Sunday at the University of Colorado-Denver. Were going to beat Trump and were going to beat him badly, and were going to elect Hillary Clinton, Sanders told students in Denver. At a Wednesday stop at the University of Nevada-Reno, Sanders echoed some of the key pieces of his primary campaign: income inequality, universal health care and college affordability. But the undercurrent of his latest speech is now centered on how Clinton and a Democratic Senate could make those progressive goals a reality. We are going to elect the best people we can, and we are going to hold those people accountable, and we are going to implement the most progressive platform in the history of the United States, Sanders told the crowd of over 500 people in Reno, Nev. Druckrey, the Badgers for Bernie founder, said there is a persisting trust among many of his student peers for Sanders, which makes him an effective surrogate. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks in Las Vegas on Oct. 4. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) The idea is that none of the things he said doesnt matter anymore but that now he says we have to vote for Hillary to keep away the unthinkable, he said. Which I totally understand. There arent a lot of people mad at Bernie. Most of us believe him that this is what we need to do. People have grown to trust the guy and whats he done in the last year. And despite some tempered enthusiasm, Seeberger believes that young people have been highly engaged in the 2016 election cycle, either on social media or by organizing for the candidates and issues they support. The ability of this generation to flex its political muscle has never been greater, he said. There is the opportunity for young people to make a mark. TORONTO (Reuters) - Postmedia Network Canada Corp , one of the country's biggest newspaper publishers, reported a wider loss and a 13 percent fall in fourth-quarter revenue on Thursday, as slower print sales outpaced its savings from cost cuts. The publisher, which has slashed its workforce in recent years as print advertising revenue weakened, said it will cut more jobs. It launched a voluntary buyout program available to all employees as part of efforts to cut salary expenses by 20 percent, it said. The company earlier this month completed a recapitalization that saw its creditors get most of the equity in the publisher and sharply reduced its heavy debt burden. Postmedia said it had a net loss of C$99.4 million ($75.3 million) in the three months to the end of August, compared to a loss of C$54.1 million a year earlier. Revenue fell to C$198.7 million, from C$230.2 million. The company owns the National Post, Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen and Sun tabloids in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Winnipeg. The company in January cut 90 journalists, or about 8 percent of its editorial workforce, as it merged tabloid and broadsheet newsrooms in four cities after buying the Sun chain. (Reporting by Alastair Sharp; Editing by Bernard Orr) Cards Against Humanity just made the most amazing Trump billboard, and its probably the best thing to happen this election season This week in election news, a surprising Arabic Trump billboard has gone viral, and for such a good reason. And, in context, it was actually TOTALLY HILARIOUS. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan Trump billboard was funded with money from the Nuisance Committee super PAC. And it gets better than just that name, because that committee was created by the Cards Against Humanity creator. What a time to be alive, folks. Like, come on guys. How freakin funny is this? A+++ troll job. Billboard on I-94 is written completely in Arabic. It reads: "Donald Trump can't read this but he's afraid of it" pic.twitter.com/GMgBBckNnf Rawan (@rawan) October 18, 2016 As some on Twitter explained, the billboard essentially read, Donald Trump cant read this but hes afraid of it. Proving just how deeply Islamophobia runs. And, seriously, this is such an important billboard. Nuisance Committee spokeswoman Melissa Harris explained, We came up with it because we believe that Donald Trumps hateful rhetoric is not based on reality. Its based in fear. And we think that irrational fear is whats driving his anti-immigrant message. Considering that Donald Trump considers all things foreign (ugh) to be a threat to the point that hed rather kick all Muslims out of the country and shut down our borders to Mexicans (who, in case you forgot, Trump called rapists), this is a perfect joke. Oh, and dont forget his running mate, Pence, whose fear of Syrian refugees led him to try to ban them from his home state of Indiana (which, BTW, is totally illegal). Though Pence has said that Trump changed his mind on banning Muslims, the statement has done its damage. Islamophobia continues to do very, very real damage in this country, and its disgusting. Story continues Long story short? Were SO HERE for this billboard. legally blonde giphy awkward welp The post Cards Against Humanity just made the most amazing Trump billboard, and its probably the best thing to happen this election season appeared first on HelloGiggles. * PKN lifts Warsaw stocks on Q3 earnings surge * Croatian parliament elects government, kuna flat By Sandor Peto BUDAPEST, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A rise in oil refiner PKN Orlen's shares lifted Warsaw's stock index on Thursday, while other regional markets were mixed as investors waited to see if the European Central Bank will signal any change in its asset purchase programme. The ECB is expected to keep policy unchanged but any indication about a change in its bond buying programme could affect demand in euro zone markets as well as indirectly in eastern EU members which still use their own currencies. PKN shares rose by 1.7 percent and helped Warsaw's bluechip index firm 0.2 percent by 0846 GMT, after the refiner reported a bigger than expected 92-percent rise in its third quarter net profit. A 3.9 percent retreat of Czech mobile operator O2 helped push down Prague's main index by 0.4 percent Regional assets were mixed and mostly rangebound ahead of the ECB's meeting. The bank's news conference, due at 1230 GMT, could reinforce expectations that it could extend its asset buys beyond the scheduled end next March even though there has been some rumours that it may slow down the pace of buying. Euro zone member Slovenia unveiled a plan on Wednesday to re-profile its debt to take advantage from the ECB's asset buying and buy back old dollar debt that is not eligible for the ECB programme and replace it with euro debt. The yield on Slovenian 10-year government bonds was bid flat at 0.611 percent, near record lows touched last week at 0.547 percent. Ljubljana shares rose by 0.6 percent Poland's 10-year bond yield dropped by 3 basis points to 2.938 percent. Hungary's corresponding yield dropped 4 basis points from Wednesday's fixing to 2.9 percent. Hungary's central bank is expected to keep its rates on hold at its meeting on Tuesday. But it boosts forint liquidity and demand for government debt by limiting the funds commercial banks can place with its 3-month deposits and through swap tenders. Story continues The forint firmed 0.1 percent against the euro, while the leu and the zloty eased 0.1 percent. "A potential driver for the leu... might be the ECB's monetary policy meeting, with a focus on whether it will talk up or down the idea of tapering (the pace of its asset buying)," analysts at ING Bank in Bucharest said in a note. The kuna was steady. Croatia's 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 EU economies. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off in the third and (thankfully) final presidential debate on Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and their showdown ended up being arguably the most substantive and orderly so far -- which isn't saying much. While the tete-a-tete wasn't as vitriolic as the previous Town Hall debate, it still included Trump referring to illegal immigrants as "bad hombres," Trump calling Clinton "such a nasty woman," childish arguments over who is the biggest puppet of the Russian government, and Trump's refusal to agree to accept the results of the upcoming election. Twitter responded to the faceoff with the same level of jaded snark and baffled anger that came with the previous two disasters showdowns. SNL at this point is literally considering just re-airing this debate Josh Gad (@joshgad) October 20, 2016 Clinton: "Here's what I'll do and how I'll do it. To the decimal point." Trump: "We need to do good stuff. It'll happen." #debates Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 20, 2016 I bet Trump talks back to audiobooks. #debate Dane Cook (@DaneCook) October 20, 2016 WATCH: 'Saturday Night Live' Mocks Donald Trump's Performance in 'Second and Worst Ever Presidential Debate' Celebs jumped on the social media platform to take Trump to task for nearly everything, especially the way he would sternly yell "wrong" every time someone directly quoted him or made an objectively factual statement about something he's done in the past. Story continues Who's drunk from taking shots every time the orange one leans into the mic and says "Wrong"?#Wasted#Debate Retta (@unfoRETTAble) October 20, 2016 Trump's new song, "Wrong" just went up on iTunes. #debate Dane Cook (@DaneCook) October 20, 2016 Clinton: Your last name is 'Trump.' Trump: WRONG #debates Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 20, 2016 Many others attacked the Republican candidate for his comments about women -- which included bragging about not apologizing to his wife, Melania, over his multiple alleged sex scandals because he "didn't do anything, and repeating his claim that he "respects women," which actually drew a laugh from the audience. "No one respects women like I do. Hold on while I am rude and disrespectful to the woman beside me." #debate Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) October 20, 2016 Nothing hurts a misogynist more than losing to a girl. #birbigly #debate Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) October 20, 2016 Remember when the audience laughed when Trump said nobody respects women more than him? If only it was actually funny... #Debate Ed Helms (@edhelms) October 20, 2016 "Nobody has more respect for women than I do." (Nation throws up in unison, wipes face, leans in, listens intently.) #debate Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) October 20, 2016 "I didn't apologize to my wife (because I hate women and they don't deserve an apology)." #debate Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) October 20, 2016 For the record, Hillary soberly explaining Obamacare made Trump think she's "such a nasty woman." It's over, Donny. Bye. #debates Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 20, 2016 No one respects women more than I do. Except for Hillary. Such a nasty woman! #debate #debatenight Donald J. Drumpf (@RealDonalDrumpf) October 20, 2016 WATCH: Donald Trump Makes Lewd Joke to Young Girls in 1992: 'I'm Going to be Dating Her in Ten Years' During the debate, Trump even reiterated his annoyance at not winning an Emmy as host of The Apprentice, which was another point of mockery for the 70-year-old businessman. The closest Donald Trump will ever get to an Emmy is when Alec Baldwin wins one for playing him. #debate Greg Berlanti (@GBerlanti) October 20, 2016 She got Bin Laden; you didn't even get an Emmy. #debate Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) October 20, 2016 "Should have gotten it." - A person up for President of the US talking about the 3rd rigged Emmy he didn't win for his reality show. #debate Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) October 20, 2016 WATCH: Celebs Slam Donald Trump's Answers, Sniffling and Demeanor in Second Debate Against Hillary Clinton While most of the comments seemed to be venomously anti-Trump, there were a few espousing the merits of his opponent, including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who praised the Democratic candidate for being "patient, poised and professional." "[She's] giving Trump room to flounder & hitting him with precision rebuts," Booker wrote. Clinton is at her best tonight: patient, poised and professional. Giving Trump room to flounder & hitting him with precision rebuts #debate Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) October 20, 2016 Others celebrated the former Secretary of State for some of her debate tactics and talking points. Hillary uses RELEASE YOUR TAX RETURNS. It's super effective! Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft) October 20, 2016 At tonight's #debate, @HillaryClinton demonstrated the knowledge, leadership & temperament we need in our next President. #ImWithHer Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) October 20, 2016 Well, there you have it. A highly intelligent, experienced woman just debated a giant orange Twitter egg. Your move, America. #debate J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 20, 2016 WATCH: Michelle Obama Speaks Out About Donald Trump Tape: 'It Has Shaken Me To My Core' There was also no shortage of love for moderator Chris Wallace, who asked complex and well-researched questions and had no problem with calling both candidates out when they misrepresented facts or their own past comments. Chris Wallace has done an exceptional job tonight!! #debate #debatenight Perez (@ThePerezHilton) October 20, 2016 Now Trump is debating Chris Wallace who clearly knows a million more facts that Donald Trump. #debate Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) October 20, 2016 "Sir?...sir?" Chris Wallace is talking to Trump the way a bouncer talks to a violent drunk at a bar. #debates Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 20, 2016 One issue Trump addressed with a categorical denial were the numerous accusations of sexual harassment and assault that several women have leveled against him in the wake of the release of the so-called "Trump Tape" two weeks ago. Check out the video below for more on the many controversial allegations now facing the business mogul. Related Articles Celgene Corporation CELG is scheduled to report third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 27, before the opening bell. Celgenes track record has been decent with the company beating earnings estimates on three occasions over the trailing four quarters. Overall, the company has delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 4.10%. In the last reported quarter, Celgene reported a positive earnings surprise of 3.23%. Let's see how things are shaping up at the company ahead of this announcement. Will Core Products Drive Results? During its second-quarter 2016 call, Celgene has raised its 2016 outlook for both earnings and revenues, buoyed by the performance of core products and operating expense discipline. The company now expects earnings in the range of $5.70$5.75 per share (old guidance: $5.60$5.70 per share), while net product sales are anticipated to be approximately $11 billion (old guidance: $10.75$11 billion). Key drug, Revlimid, should continue acting as the main growth driver in the third quarter driven by new patient market share gains and increased duration. Meanwhile, the drugs launch in the newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) indication across geographies is well on track. While the U.S. NDMM launch is resulting in significant share and duration gains, NDMM share continues to grow in the reimbursed markets in Europe with additional reimbursement expected by the end of 2016. Encouraged by the strong uptake, Celgene projects net sales of Revlimid to be approximately $6.8 billion (old guidance: around $6.7 billion) in 2016. Meanwhile, Pomalyst/Imnovid continues to grow globally on the back of strong market share and treatment duration. Additionally, securing reimbursement in additional countries, particularly in Japan, should continue to drive the drugs sales in the international markets. Commercialization of Otezla, on the other hand, continues to be encouraging with physician and consumer campaigns fuelling brand awareness and patient requests for the drug, particularly in the U.S. The company is also working on expanding its footprint in the EU by gaining reimbursement for the drug. Story continues Abraxane continued to enjoy a leadership position in the U.S. for pancreatic cancer in the second quarter, while its share grew in the reimbursed markets outside the U.S. Its market share remained same in the breast and lung cancer markets, despite competition from other agents. Meanwhile, the companys share buyback program should boost the bottom line. On the third-quarter call, investors are expected to focus on the companys performance and label expansion efforts, along with updates on the pipeline front. Note that during the quarter (Jul 2016), Celgene decided that it will not seek marketing approval for an expanded label of Revlimid as a maintenance treatment for a certain type of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Celgene is likely to beat earnings estimates this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold) for this to happen. Unfortunately, that is not the case here, as elaborated below. Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP for Celgene is -0.76% since the Most Accurate Estimate stands at $1.30, lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.31. Zacks Rank: Celgene carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Celgenes Zacks Rank #3, when combined with a negative ESP, makes surprise prediction difficult. Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. CELGENE CORP Price and EPS Surprise CELGENE CORP Price and EPS Surprise | CELGENE CORP Quote Stocks That Warrant a Look Here are some health care stocks that you may want to consider, as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter. Novartis AG NVS has an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company is scheduled to report third-quarter results on Oct 25. United Therapeutics Corporation UTHR has an Earnings ESP of +5.46% and carries a Zacks Rank #3. It is scheduled to announce third-quarter results on Oct 27. Amgen Inc. AMGN has an Earnings ESP of +1.79% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company is slated to release third-quarter results on Oct 27. 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 NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report CELGENE CORP (CELG): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report UTD THERAPEUTIC (UTHR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. As Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005, over 4,000 websites popped up to gather funds for relief efforts. Unfortunately, most of them were scams, intended to either steal well-meaning people's money or their personal information. The problem was so pervasive that it prompted the FBI to create the National Center for Disaster Fraud with the goal of identifying and prosecuting fraudulent charities and disaster relief agencies. However, it doesn't take a natural disaster the magnitude of Katrina to bring scammers out of the woodwork. "It can happen at any time," says Sandra Miniutti, vice president of Charity Navigator. "It becomes more prevalent in times of disaster because so much money is changing hands." [Read: Give and Get Back: Charitable Acts That Are Tax Deductible.] To avoid being a victim -- whether it's to a bogus Hurricane Matthew relief fund or someone trying to prey on your generosity this holiday season -- here are five ways to weed out the scam charities from the real deals. The organization doesn't have a website. An organization without a web presence is a red flag, but people shouldn't assume having a site automatically makes the charity credible. "They're not really looking under the hood to see what the charity is all about," Miniutti says of some donors. That's a mistake people make with legitimate charities as well. You may want to donate money toward a cause like cancer research, but inadvertently give money to an organization focused on advocacy because you neglect to really dig into the details of the charity's work. You're being pressured into a donation over the phone. High-pressure phone solicitations are another red flag. Scammers can spoof phone numbers, making it difficult to determine whether you're actually talking to the charity your caller ID says is calling. To avoid getting taken by a scam, tell the caller you'll send a check later after you've had a chance to review their organization. Legitimate charities won't mind. "They may want to receive your donation today, but they would be happy to have it in two weeks," says Kris Putnam-Walkerly, president of Putnam Consulting Group, an advisory organization for philanthropists. Story continues [Read: How to Avoid Taxes on IRA Withdrawals You Donate to Charity.] They refuse to mail you information or discourage you from stopping by. Along with telling phone solicitors you need time to think, ask that they mail information about their organization. Or, if it's a local charity, ask if you can stop by sometime to see their program in action. Scammers will have all sorts of excuses as to why neither of these options is possible. However, a legitimate charity should welcome your request. "They should be happy to have a conversation about [their work] and tell you about it," Putnam-Walkerly says. You can't get answers to your questions. If you're still tempted to give a donation over the phone, don't open your wallet before getting answers about how the organization is run, who governs it and how it evaluates its results. "Ask specific questions [such as] how much of the donations go to the cause," says Paul Tarins, president of Sovereign Retirement Solutions in Winter Park, Florida. "If they can't answer questions or direct you to documentation, that's a huge red flag." [Read: How to Donate to Charity on Any Budget.] Few dollars actually get spent on the cause. Finally, you can weed out not only scammers but also less-than-stellar charities by reviewing how much money they actually spend on their program. Websites like Charity Navigator and GuideStar make it easy to look up this information. "Charity Navigator is by far the most widely used and highly regarded," Tarins says. "It's extremely transparent." Once you pull up a charity, you can easily see their program expenses. For a larger charity, Miniutti says spending 75 percent of donations on program activities is a good rule of thumb. However, "smaller, newer charities can't be expected to have that level of efficiency," she says. "The vast majority of non-profits are operating on the best of intentions," Putnam-Walkerly says. But getting taken by a charity scam once is enough to have anyone close their checkbook for good. Rather than giving up on donating, use these guidelines to ensure you're sending your money to an organization that is doing good work. More From US News & World Report HONG KONG (Reuters) - Bond volumes for ChemChina's subsidiary jumped this month, underlining the market's divided views over the chemical giant's $43.5 billion (35.41 billion pounds) acquisition of Swiss-based seeds company Syngenta and possible merger with China's Sinochem. Aggregate bond trading volumes in Europe from its unit Bluestar Finance Holdings Limited have exceeded $186 million for the month to Oct. 17, data from bond trading platform MarketAxess showed. Between March and August, volumes were less than $100 million every month. China National Chemical Corp, popularly called ChemChina, has not issued bonds in the offshore market so investors view dollar bonds from its subsidiary as a proxy. Investors are concerned ChemChina is highly leveraged, having aggressively bought assets at home and abroad, but some see its purchase of Syngenta - China's biggest overseas acquisition and strategically important to the government - as giving it more access to funds and positive in the longer run. A U.S. national security panel has cleared ChemChina's takeover of Syngenta; but even before the deal is finalised, chatter of a possible Sinochem and ChemChina merger has added another twist. Sources told Reuters the two Chinese state-owned chemical companies are in talks to create a chemicals, fertiliser and oil giant with almost $100 billion in annual revenue. Both companies have denied the merger plans. "We have seen a lot of trading activity after the Sinochem headlines," said a Hong Kong-based analyst, citing divergent views about the benefits of the merger. "You get a better stronger, business profile but you use up a lot of debt to fund this expensive transaction." Fitch has placed ChemChina's BBB-plus rating on "rating watch positive" saying the acquisition lifts its "overall strategic importance to China's agriculture and food industry". But rival Moody's Investors Service, which rates ChemChina's subsidiary China National Bluestar, has placed it under review for downgrade as the Syngenta acquisition poses "potential deterioration in ChemChina's financial profile". (Reporting by Umesh Desai; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) SPRINGFIELD -- On Tuesday, 80 veterans from central and southern Illinois will travel with their Honor Flight to visit and reflect at their national memorials Washington. Land of Lincoln Honor Flight of Springfield will fly five World War II, 31 Korean War and 44 Vietnam War era vets at no cost to them on their day long trip, each accompanied by a volunteer Guardian escort. This will be Land of Lincolns sixth and final trip of the year, although flights for 2107 are being planned. These flights are made possible for the veterans due to the generous donations, sponsorship, fund raising and efforts of numerous individuals, businesses, organizations and volunteers. No federal, state or other government funding or grants are received. Tuesday's trip will be the 42nd flight for Land of Lincoln, which will have flown a total of 3,218 veterans upon this flights completion. However, Tuesday's trip will be the one and only special Honor Flight for the veterans on board that day. Land of Lincoln will fly 12 U.S. Air Force, 45 Army, 10 Marines and 12 Navy heroes, plus 1 Navy heroine, to Washing on Tuesday. These veterans are from 51 Illinois communities, plus a couple of veterans now residing in Covington, Ind. and New Paris, Ohio. The Illinois communities represented are Altamont, Alton, Alvin, Ashley, Belleville, Chatham, Clinton, Danville, Decatur, Delavan, Dow, Effingham, Elkhart, Emden, Fairbury, Fairview, Girard, Glenarm, Hillsboro, Hoopeston, Hudson, Jacksonville, Johnston City, Kincaid, Lincoln, Macomb, Mattoon, Middletown, Mt Zion, Murrayville, Nashville, Normal, Pawnee, Pinckneyville, Pittsfield, Radom, Riverton, Rochester, Shelbyville, Shipman, Springfield, Staunton, Taylorville, Tovey, Valier, Waverly, West Frankfort, West Salem, Westville, Winchester and Wood River. Departing Springfield before sunrise, the veterans will be met at Ronald Reagan National Airport by three luxury tour buses designated Red, White & Blue for the day. Their itinerary includes stops at the World War II, Korean and Vietnam national memorials, as well as visits to the National Air & Space Museum, Air Force and Marine Corps memorials, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery, where they will witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony. During the day, they will also have an opportunity to see the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, the Washington Monument, the Pentagon, and more in the Washington area. With this being the last flight of 2016, the public is encouraged to join the veterans' friends and family in packing the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport to welcome home the veterans. The flight is scheduled to return around 9:30 p.m. Well-wishers are encouraged to arrived early. Although Land of Lincoln trips will be completed for the year, veteran applications continue to be accepted. Priority is given in the following order: World War II (person enlisted by Dec. 31, 1946), then Korean War era (Jan. 1 1947 to Dec. 31, 1957), followed by the Vietnam War era (Jan. 1, 1958 to May 7, 1975. Any certified terminally ill veteran should contact Land of Lincoln directly. For more information, contact HonorFlightGuy@aol.com. BEIJING (AP) China and the Philippines have agreed to resume a dialogue on their dispute over the South China Sea, a senior Chinese diplomat said Thursday following talks between the countries leaders. The move appeared to be a diplomatic victory for Beijing several months after an international arbitration tribunal invalidated Chinas expansive territorial claims over the resource-rich waters in a case put forward by the Philippines. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing as part of a charm offensive aimed at seeking trade and support from the Asian giant by setting aside the thorny territorial dispute. Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China and said that ties between them go back centuries. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, he told Xi in his opening remarks. Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship, he added. Xi said the meeting had milestone significance. In a reference to the South China Sea temsions, Xi said that although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed. Following the talks, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters that the leaders only touched on the topic briefly during their talks. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Liu said. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, he said. Philippine diplomats could not be immediately reached for comment. The talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Dutertes predecessor. The Philippines has in the past insisted that the ruling form the basis for any negotiations with China, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. Story continues Duterte was greeted by Xi with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing. The two leaders oversaw the signing of agreements between their governments. China has framed Dutertes visit as a step toward ending years of estrangement between the countries. Duterte has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his countrys claims in the disputed South China Sea. In Beijing, the Philippine leader known for his devil-may-care, profanity-laden speeches said Wednesday he would not raise the issue that has angered China unless his Chinese counterpart first brought it up, out of courtesy to his host. As a matter of courtesy and in the Oriental way, you always wait, Duterte said ahead of a meeting with members of the Filipino business community in Beijing on Wednesday. Because I am a visitor, I cant destroy the goodwill by just blurting out something. He also signaled a major shift in reliance on the U.S., the Philippines long-standing defense treaty ally, telling the Filipino community members: So its about time to say goodbye, my friend. Your stay in my country was for you own benefit. The overtures to Beijing have drawn criticism of Duterte at home in the Philippines, where the public is wary of taking a deferential attitude to a country regarded as a bully. His visit is being watched by Washington for signs of just how seriously the new Philippine leader intends to pursue a shift away from Washington and toward Beijing, a move that could have a major impact on regional power dynamics. * Car on sale in China next year, Europe, US from 2018 * Owners can rent out vehicle with shareable digital key * Launch comes as Chinese firms snap up German tech * Made in China products rivalling European designs (Recasts, adds context on Chinese dealmaking, car industry) By Caroline Copley BERLIN, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Chinese automaker Geely, the owner of Volvo cars, will unveil the first model of its new Lynk & Co brand in Germany on Thursday, a compact SUV aimed at taking on the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz across the world. The Lynk, made in China, will go on sale at home in 2017, followed by Europe and the United States in 2018, and marks one of the first attempts by a Chinese carmaker to create a global brand that makes use European design and technology know-how. Chinese companies have been snapping up cutting-edge German technology to push upmarket and gain a global footprint. This year alone, Chinese home appliances maker Midea has agreed to buy German robotics firm Kuka and Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund LP is taking over semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron. . Long seen as a cheap, no frills brand in China and unheard of in Europe, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group purchased struggling Swedish carmaker Volvo from Ford in 2010 to help it leapfrog a decade of research and development. While Volvo will continue to focus on premium vehicles, Lynk is an attempt to grab a slice of the mid market. It will initially take on foreign carmakers' joint ventures in China, but - as shown by the global launch in Berlin - it also aims to challenge the world's biggest automakers in their own markets. The SUV, called '01', will target tech-savvy drivers. It will come with a high level of internet connectivity and owners will be able to rent out their vehicles to others by using the Lynk app and a shareable digital key. The car will be a hybrid powered by a 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol engine combined with a lithium-ion battery and electric motor, and will be the first based on the Complex Modular Architecture platform developed by Geely and Volvo. Story continues Mercedes-owner Daimler and BMW are also investing heavily in hybrid vehicles and will be watching closely to see how the '01' fares with European consumers. Geely said the car would be priced competitively, but gave no details. EUROPEAN KNOW-HOW Geely's design has been refined by British designer Peter Horbury, who headed up design at Volvo in the 1990s and oversaw it for Jaguar, Aston Martin and Ford's other brands from 2002. In doing so, Geely is upping the competitive pressure on established global carmakers, which have long accused Chinese rivals of merely ripping off their designs. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), for example, has sued China's Jiangling Motor after it released the Landwind X7 SUV in 2014, a car that JLR says copies its Land Rover Evoque while costing around the third of a price. Geely said it had teamed up with Sweden's Ericsson for '01's connected features, as well as Microsoft and Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba. "The new '01' car will be the most connected car in the world, designed for a modern, urban audience who are used to collaborative consumption and all the benefits that this brings," said Alain Visser, senior vice president of Lynk & Co. Alarmed by the threat posed by Apple and Google , carmakers are co-operating with telecoms equipment makers and technology firms to develop their own digital services. Geely plans to unveil the '01' at STATION in Berlin, a former railway station that was the final stop for trains connecting West Germany with West Berlin during the Cold War, and now frequently hosts start-up conventions. (Additional reporting by Edward Taylor in Frankfurt; Editing by Adrian Croft and Mark Potter) By Caroline Copley BERLIN (Reuters) - Chinese automaker Geely, the owner of Volvo cars, showed off the first model of its new Lynk & Co brand in Germany on Thursday, a compact SUV aimed at taking on the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, as well as ride-hailing service Uber, across the world. The Lynk, made in China, will go on sale at home in 2017, followed by Europe and the United States in 2018, and marks one of the first attempts by a Chinese carmaker to create a global brand that makes use of European design and technology know-how. Chinese companies have been snapping up cutting-edge German technology to push upmarket and gain a global footprint. This year alone, Chinese home appliances maker Midea has agreed to buy German robotics firm Kuka (KU2G.DE) and Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund LP is taking over semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron (AIXGn.DE).. Long seen as a cheap, no-frills brand in China and unheard of in Europe, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group purchased struggling Swedish carmaker Volvo from Ford in 2010 to help it leapfrog a decade of research and development. While Volvo will continue to focus on premium vehicles, Lynk is an attempt to grab a slice of the mid market. It will initially take on foreign carmakers' joint ventures in China, but - as shown by the global launch in Berlin - it also aims to challenge the world's biggest automakers in their own markets. 'SMARTPHONE ON WHEELS' At the launch of the '01' model at a former railway station in Berlin that now frequently hosts start-up conventions, Alain Visser, senior vice president at Lynk & Co, described the SUV as "our first smartphone on wheels." It is targeting tech-savvy consumers that may have prioritised flexibility over car ownership in the past. "We are looking very much at millennial consumers all over the world who are very much concentrated around bigger cities," he said. Each car will be permanently connected to the Internet and have a "share" button, enabling owners to rent out their car to other motorists via a smartphone app. Story continues "That becomes a source of income, which some of the consumers may use, a bit like an Airbnb vehicle," said Visser, referring to the home rental company. Lynk has more models in its line-up, which the carmaker plans to launch over the next 3-5 years, but Visser declined to give details on body styles or launch dates apart from the name of the next car: '02'. Once the full line-up is launched, Lynk aims to sell more than 500,000 vehicles a year by 2021, he said. EUROPEAN KNOW-HOW Geely's design has been refined by British designer Peter Horbury, who headed up design at Volvo in the 1990s and oversaw it for Jaguar, Aston Martin and Ford's other brands from 2002. In doing so, Geely is upping the competitive pressure on established global carmakers, which have long accused Chinese rivals of merely ripping off their designs. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), for example, has sued China's Jiangling Motor after it released the Landwind X7 SUV in 2014, a car that JLR says copies its Land Rover Evoque while costing around the third of a price. The car will be a hybrid powered by a 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol engine combined with a lithium-ion battery and electric motor, and will be the first based on the Complex Modular Architecture platform developed by Geely and Volvo. Mercedes-owner Daimler (DAIGn.DE) and BMW (BMWG.DE) are also investing heavily in hybrid vehicles and will be watching closely to see how the '01' fares with European consumers. Geely said the car would be priced competitively and said it would be fixed across all markets, but declined to give details. It plans to keep down costs by selling the car online only and limiting the number of configurations available. (Additional reporting by Edward Taylor in Frankfurt; Editing by Adrian Croft and Mark Potter) HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam will receive three Chinese warships from Saturday at its newly-opened Cam Ranh international port, a provincial government official said on Thursday, following a similar visit by U.S. vessels last month. The visit will run from Saturday until October 26, an official of the external relations department of Vietnam's central province of Khanh Hoa, where the port is located, told Reuters. The official, who declined to be identified because of lack of authorization to speak to the media, gave no further details. The visit will be the first by Chinese navy ships to Cam Ranh, state-controlled news website VnExpress said, adding that 750 Chinese military personnel would participate in activities with Vietnam's navy. The new international port is separate from Vietnam's military installations at Cam Ranh, a strategic deep water bay used by the U.S. during the Vietnam war. Vietnam's invitation to China, although the two nations are at odds over the South China Sea, is in line with the Communist Party's stated goal of a balanced foreign policy that favors no country, even as ties with Washington are at their warmest yet. It comes amid uncertainty over the U.S. "pivot" to Asia, and troubles with some of its historic alliances and with a new administration soon to be decided in Washington. "This is actually quite normal, showing that Vietnam is open to all countries and does not take any particular side," said Ha Hoang Hop, a Vietnamese academic who has advised the government. "Vietnam's diplomatic policy is to not engage with any military ally, or engage with any country, to oppose a third country," Hop said. Vietnam, however, welcomes a U.S. role in the region when it intervenes to keep peace, stability and prosperity, a top Vietnamese general said on Monday. The deep water bay at Cam Ranh is now home to Hanoi's fleet of modern submarines, the key plank of its deterrent strategy for the South China Sea. Since opening early this year the international port has hosted ships from several countries including France, Japan, Singapore and the United States. (Reporting by My Pham; Editing by Mai Nguyen and Clarence Fernandez) Fox News moderator Chris Wallace drew widespread praise for his handling of the third and final presidential debate, with many viewers praising his firm handling of the candidates maneuvering and even shushing the crowd on several occasions. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off in the live 90-minute debate from Las Vegas, which happened less than three weeks before Election Day. The pair clashed over issues ranging from Syrian refugees to Trumps comments about women to the activities of the Clinton and Trump foundations. Also Read: Debate: 5 Times Donald Trump Gave Chris Wallace Props Even Donald Trump, who clashed with the moderators at the second debate, demonstrated respect for Wallace. Wallace, like moderators in previous debates, warned the crowd at the top of the debate not to cheer or make noise, and during more than outburst turned around to quiet the attendees. God bless Chris Wallace for being willing to shush the crowd - James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) October 20, 2016 Many observers felt that Wallace the first Fox News host to serve as moderator in a general-election debate did a good job keeping the discussion focused on substantive issue, even throwing in a question about the federal debt, a subject that he noted had not come up during the previous two debates. But some viewers thought there was a subtle difference in how Wallace handled the two candidates. Heres a sampling of the reaction: Quite the difference in how Wallace addresses them. To HRC: some tough policy qs. To DJT: a summer-school teacher with a kid high on glue. - Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) October 20, 2016 Recognition where its due: It took Fox News Chris Wallace to #AskaboutAbortion. Thank you, Chris. #debatenight - ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) October 20, 2016 Please stay tuned for another 75 minutes of Chris Wallace Explains Civics to Donald Trump - Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 20, 2016 YES I LOVE THAT WE ARE GETTING INTO REAL ISSUES EVEN UNCOMFORTABLE ONES??#debates - KATY PERRY (@katyperry) October 20, 2016 Chris Wallace is much worse than I anticipated. https://t.co/mHMzthTdz5 - Josh Barro (@jbarro) October 20, 2016 Can Chris Wallace moderate every debate from now until forever, please? - Mary Kissel (@marykissel) October 20, 2016 Related stories from TheWrap: 5 Things Chris Wallace Needs to Do in the Final Presidential Debate Chris Wallace Has Spent His Entire Life Preparing For Final Presidential Debate Fox News' Chris Wallace: Hillary Clinton Will Be 'Great Unifier' for Divided GOP Chris Wallace successfully scolded the presidential contenders and the audience into silence a few times, kept them from shouting over each other more than his predecessors could and deftly paced the third and final debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The veteran Fox News anchor was prepared when he set foot on the stage Wednesday night in Las Vegas. But he teetered between absentee host of the clash and a full participant himself. The move left him contorted in a way that would make the Cirque du Soleil acrobats proud and allowed him to shine as perhaps the best moderator of the messy 2016 debates. Hold on, folks, Wallace said at one point, sending the brawlers back to their corners. This doesnt do any good for anyone. Wallace interjected himself when he needed to during the 90-minute prize fight. But debates are some of the toughest assignments in journalism, and there are limits to how anyone could have controlled this pair of candidates: Clinton, a skilled politician who uses logic and facts, faced the blustery billionaire reality star who had no qualms about interjecting his one-word commentary (Wrong!) when he found himself boxed into a corner. Wallace merely wanted to avoid the errant jab and land of a few of his own. After all, this may be the last grilling the candidates get before Nov. 8. The evening at the University of Las Vegas-Nevada began with a sleepy Trump determined to curb his outlandish antics from the first two debates. Advisers had told him that shouting over Clinton and the other moderators didnt win him voters. Clinton was happy to parry, and Wallace seemed pleased to keep focused on facts and policy. But as Wallace asked questions designed to break new ground, Trump became bored with being boring. Trump got feisty, and Wallace got out of the way and let the candidates engage each other, even on sometimes-shaky ground. His Fox News bone fides insulated him against allegations he was part of a liberal conspiracy and forced Trump to answerfor the most part. Story continues Although Wallace had interviewed Trump on Japans nuclear weapons and Clinton was citing that exchange, Wallace didnt call out the candidate. Youre not going to find a quote from me, Trump said. Wallace didnt reach for it, but within three minutes, the Clinton campaigns two-page research document proving Trump had said it landed in reporters inboxes. Yet other times, Wallace couldnt help but step in, especially when it seemed that Trump would not respect the results of the election, a cornerstone of democracies. I will look at it at the time. I will keep you in suspense, said Trump, ever the showman. Wallace seemed aghast at the break in protocol. But, sir, there is a tradition in this country, Wallace said. The loser concedes to the winner. The country comes together. Trump didnt care. During another session, Wallace challenged Trump on his use of charity money to settle a zoning dispute at his Mar-a-Largo resort. The money came from your foundation, Wallace said. Trump did not dispute it. When Trump tried to explain his economic plan, Wallace was dubious. Thats not going to help on entitlements, Wallace said. It was the same when Trump tried to filibuster a question about his errors about Syria. If I may just finish here, Wallace continued. And when Trump repeatedly pointed to conservative videos that purported to prove Clintons allies conspired to incite violence, Clinton and Wallace both ignored his claims and tried to steer the conversation to other topics. Litigating hidden-camera footage would do no one in this trio any good, especially when voters were either already convinced they were a bombshell or a fraud. With 20 days until Election Day, the clash was one of the last times the pair will share a stage. (They were due to attend a fundraiser for Catholic charities in New York City on Thursday.) Clinton did her best to score points against Trump, who seems to sliding in state and national polls. Trump, who for the first time took part in traditional debate preparations, delivered his most orthodox performance to date. But it was Wallace who seemed most determined to have a sound showing. Wednesday was the first time a Fox News anchor has hosted a head-to-head general election debate, and Wallace acquitted himself well. He had the advantage of seeing the pair face-off twice before and Fox News research staffers are no slouches. He did nothing to blackball the network from another opportunity in four years. But he knew his limits. With just 90 minutes scheduled for the debate, trying to correct Trump would have used up time and, perhaps, turned the billionaires fans against the anchor of conservatives favorite network. Similarly, Trump couldnt go after a respected Fox News journalist. It wasnt as if Wallace went easy on Clinton for her familys charities or her time as Secretary of State. It was just that he, as Megyn Kelly had before, finally found a place where Trump could not wiggle. Your two minutes are up, Wallace told Trump. And, more than at any other debate, Trump heeded. Perhaps he knew his campaign was nearing its expiration date, too. MATTOON -- Community members are invited to explore Scotland and Ireland during a nine-day excursion with Lake Land Colleges Community and Professional Programs. Participants will travel to Edinburgh, Highlands, Glencoe, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, and more. Highlights include visiting the homes of Alexander Graham Bell and Robert Louis Stevenson, Edinburgh Castle, and St. Patricks Cathedral. Participants also will learn about the Lock Ness monster and other folklore. The dates for the trip are June 5-14. The estimated cost is $3,459 for ages 18-22 and $3,869 for 23 and older. This cost includes round-trip airfare, all transportation, sightseeing tours and site visits, all hotels with private bathrooms, breakfast and dinner daily, a full-time multi-lingual tour director, and on-tour tipping. Payment plans are available. An informational meeting will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Virgil H. Judge Learning Resource Center, room 207. More information is available by contacting Vivian Bales in the Center for Business & Industry at 217-234-5087 or vbales@lakelandcollege.edu. Prospective participants can also contact tour leader Bruce Walker, adjunct history instructor, at bwhistory1@gmail.com or 217-508-9502. To register for the trip, go to www.Explorica.com/Walker-3029. Cinepolis and CJ 4DPlex have reached an agreement to bring CJ's 4D cinema system 4DX to at least 12 additional screens in the U.S., India, Spain and across Latin America by the end of 2017. 4DX uses motion-activated seats along with special effects including wind, fog and rain. Five of the sites will open in the U.S., Mexico, Spain and Chile by the end of 2016, including one in Carlsbad, Calif., and one in Pico Rivera, Los Angeles County. There are currently 49 4DX auditoriums operating in Cinepolis sites in 10 countries. In total, Seoul-headquartered CJ's 4DX systems are offered by theater owners in 41 countries. DOHA (Reuters) - A number of civilians in the southern Saudi Arabian province of Jazan have been injured by missiles fired from Yemen, the Saudi civil defense unit was quoted as saying by the Saudi-owned television news channel Al Arabiya on Thursday. It was not immediately clear when the attack happened, but Yemen's Houthi movement said on Thursday it had launched attacks on military targets in Saudi Arabia over the last two days. "The violations happened along on the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and specifically in the regions of Najran and Jazan," a civil defense official said. "A variety of weapons were fired, including rockets and projectiles." A U.N.-brokered 72-hour truce between Yemen's Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition began just before midnight on Wednesday amid hopes of an end to the 19-month-old conflict, which has drawn in regional powers and killed thousands of civilians. (Reporting by Tom Finn; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Iraqs military offensive to recapture the northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State threatens to trigger a large-scale humanitarian crisis loaded with sectarian danger, with hundreds of thousands of civilians torn between remaining in a booby-trapped warren or running the gauntlet of Iranian-backed Shiite militias potentially blocking their way to safety west of the city. The campaign by Iraqi security forces to push the Islamic State out of Mosul marks a decisive point in the two-year war against the Islamic State, which has been backed by U.S.-led air power and teams of American special operation forces. But as the battle gets underway in earnest, all eyes are on the fate of the mostly Sunni civilian population in Iraqs second-largest city, who have already suffered more than two years of brutal occupation by Islamic State militants. Even before the military operation was announced by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday, thousands of families had braved minefields and dodged Islamic State checkpoints to try to escape to Kurdish territory southeast of the city over the past several months in anticipation of the Iraqi Army offensive. Both the Islamic State and the government in Baghdad are desperately trying to sway civilians. Reports from the city tell of Islamic State extremists rounding up civilians to act as human shields while killing those it suspects of communicating with the outside world or trying to leave. At the same time, American B-52 bombers have been dropping leaflets over Mosul for days, warning residents to stay put and remain indoors when the Iraqi Army enters the city and to stay away from known Islamic State positions. U.N. officials have warned that as many as 1.5 million people in Mosul will be at risk of being targeted, caught in a crossfire, forcibly expelled, or used as human shields during the fighting. The refugees face an impossible choice if they try to escape the city, there are snipers, there are landmines. Its extremely dangerous, said Alun McDonald, a spokesman for Save the Children, an aid group. If they stay, they risk being caught in the crossfire and the bombing. Story continues The military campaign to take back Mosul picked up steam Thursday as Iraqi special forces and Kurdish Peshmerga launched operations on a new front to the north and east of the city, pushing to within several miles of its edges. The joint operation marked the closest coordination between Baghdad and Kurdish forces to date. Even as fighting spread, some civilians in Mosul and surrounding villages are taking to the roads despite the manifold dangers. Since Monday, more than 5,500 people have fled the fighting, according to the International Organization for Migration. At the Dibaga refugee camp near Makhmur, in northern Iraq, more than 27,000 displaced Iraqis have already crowded in, and 600 more arrived Wednesday. Thousands more have fled into war-torn northeastern Syria in the past several days. In Dibaga, seemingly endless rows of tents and prefabricated structures house the civilians, but most of the new arrivals are staying in what was once the camps school. Families sleep on mats in the hallway, surrounded by garbage. A long line of people waiting for food wraps around the courtyard. We are at capacity, Ahmad Abdo, the camp manager, told Foreign Policy. And we are expecting more and more people to come here. More than 150 families have been arriving at the camp each day. Aid groups are constructing a new camp nearby, but that will only hold a few thousand more people. Razla Ali arrived in Dibaga on Wednesday morning after making the overnight trek with her four children. Just after sunset the night before, they sneaked out of their village, Halawah, and followed a group of other escapees for seven hours through the dark hills. When we saw the ISIS cars, we hid, Ali said, referring to the Islamic State. There were landmines on the path. Clad in a simple black dress, Ali sat on the wet floor, rocking her infant daughter. Her two other small children clung to her knees. Her 15-year-old son, she said, had been taken by Kurdish security forces for questioning; all men who arrive in Kurdish-controlled territory are investigated for possible ties to or cooperation with the Islamic State. The few belongings the family was able to bring, mostly childrens clothes, sat next to her in two plastic bags. This was now their home. Ali and her children are among the more than 3.3 million internally displaced people in Iraq, as well as tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. Nearly a million people have sought refuge in the more stable Kurdish areas of northern Iraq, straining the regional Kurdish government which is cash-strapped due to low oil prices and a fiscal fight with Baghdad and overwhelming humanitarian organizations. But refugees looking for another place to flee may face a new danger. Baghdad plans to dispatch its troublesome Iranian-backed Shiite militias to the west of Mosul, both to block the path of fleeing Islamic State fighters seeking refuge in Syria and to take over the Islamic State-held city of Tal Afar. But the deployment would throw another potentially deadly obstacle in the path of Sunni refugees seeking to avoid the fighting south and east of the city and who are terrified of the Shiite militias reputation for abusing Sunni civilians. The militias numbering about 20,000 strong are collectively known as the Popular Mobilization Units, or PMUs. They have a well-documented history of gross human rights violations; during the fight for Fallujah this year, militias abducted and killed dozens of Sunni men fleeing the fighting. The international outcry led the Shiite-led government in Baghdad to promise that the militias would not enter the predominantly Sunni city of Mosul. The PMUs and their Iranian Quds Force advisors have stayed out of the fighting around Mosul thus far. But on Tuesday their leadership pledged on Facebook that theyre planning two operations: The first in #Talafer and the second in support to the the [sic] troops heading towards the centre of Mosul. Speaking to reporters at the Defense Department, Army Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq, said Wednesday that no U.S. advisors on the ground or airstrikes will support militias that are not part of the Iraqi government and that are made up of multiple groups, some of which are recognized terrorist organizations. But those militias are preparing to place themselves directly in the path of thousands of civilians heading for the Hol refugee camp in northeastern Syria. Already about 5,000 people have reached the camp from the Mosul area after trekking through Islamic State-held territory over the past 10 days, with at least another 1,000 waiting at the border to cross, according to Save the Children. The United Nations has warned that as many as 100,000 people may arrive in Syria from around Mosul. Staffers from the aid group who have visited the Hol camp describe a desperate situation, with families being forced to live amid piles of garbage and human waste, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. There are only 16 working latrines to be shared by the 9,000 people at the camp, all fleeing the fighting in Syria and Iraq. The United States has tried to prepare for what it expects will be an avalanche of refugees. Last month, Washington said it would provide more than $181 million in additional humanitarian assistance to aid groups and Iraqi authorities in anticipation of the planned military operation in Mosul. Part of what makes this response so challenging is that its an incredibly isolated community and we have so little knowledge of what conditions are like in the city, said a State Department official who helps oversee humanitarian efforts. It was hard enough for aid agencies to plan for the recapture of Fallujah in June, when they knew 80,000 people would be displaced and where they would go, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told FP. But international aid agencies are not sure how many people still live in Mosul, how many will decide to flee, and in which direction they will move, the official said. At the Dibaga camp, Ali said it wasnt just the threat of airstrikes and the looming battle between Islamic State and Iraqi forces that pushed her to brave beatings, snipers, and landmines to flee her village. I dont have milk to feed her, she said, cradling her underweight 5-month-old daughter. I didnt have enough to eat, so Im not producing milk for her. Another woman nearby held her own infant, an IV in her tiny arm. She didnt eat for four days, the mother said. Rebecca Collard contributed to this article with reporting from the Dibaga camp in Iraq. Photo credit: NOE FALK NIELSEN/NurPhoto via Getty Images From Cosmopolitan While one of Hillary Clintons best moves at the third presidential debate was choosing to wear this incredible white pantsuit, she delivered some serious bangers. Wednesday nights debate was the most comprehensive of all three, and the candidates discussed things like abortion and national debt. Here are the best lines from Clinton in the last debate before the election takes place in just under three weeks. 1. Clinton, on her stance on the second amendment: I understand and respect the tradition of gun ownership. It goes back to the founding of our country. But I also believe that there can be and must be reasonable regulation. Because I support the second amendment doesnt mean that I want people who shouldnt have guns to be able to threaten you, kill you or members of your family... And so when I think about what we need to do, we have 33,000 people a year who die from guns. I think we need comprehensive background checks. We need to close the online loophole, close the gun show loophole... I see no conflict between saving peoples lives and defending the second amendment. 2. On Trumps assertion that he would appoint Supreme Court justices who would essentially vote to overturn Roe v. Wade: I strongly support Roe v. Wade, which guarantees a constitutional right to a woman to make the most intimate, most difficult in many cases decisions about her health care that one can imagine. And in this case its not only about Roe v. Wade. It is about whats happening right now in America so many states are putting very stringent regulations on women that block them from exercising that choice to the extent that they are defunding Planned Parenthood, which, of course, provides all kinds of cancer screenings and other benefits for women in our country. Donald has said hes in favor of defunding Planned Parenthood. He even supported shutting the government down to defund planned parenthood. I will defend Planned Parenthood. I will defend Roe v. Wade and I will defend womens rights to make their own health care decisions. Story continues 3. And then Clinton even went so far as to call Trump out for his assertion that women should be punished for having abortions: And weve come too far to have that turn back now. Indeed he said women should be punished, that there should be some form of punishment for women who obtain abortions. And I could just not be more opposed to that kind of thinking. 4. And THEN when Trump said he doesnt think late-term abortion, or in his words, the ability to "rip a baby from the womb" the day before its due, should be legal, Clinton stood her ground: Trump: I think its terrible, if you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. Clinton: Well, that is not what happens in these cases. And using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate. You should meet with some of the women that Ive met with. Women Ive known over the course of my life. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make. I do not believe the government should be in it. Ive been to countries where governments forced women to have abortions like they did in China, or force women to bear children like they used to do in Romania. I can tell you the government has no business in the decisions that women make with their families in accordance with their faith, with medical advice, and I will stand up for that right. 5. On the topic of immigration, Clinton brought up Trumps controversial immigration remarks: When you look at what Donald has been proposing, he started his campaign bashing immigrants, calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals and drug dealers, that he has a very different view about what we should do to deal with immigrants. Now, what I am also arguing is that bring undocumented immigrants out from the shadows putting them in the formal economy will be good because employers cant exploit them and undercut their wages. Donald knows a lot about this, he used undocumented labor to build Trump Tower. He underpaid undocumented workers and when they complained he said, what a lot of [people] do, you complain Ill get you deported. I want to get the economy working and not let employers like Donald exploit undocumented workers that hurts them and undocumented workers. 6. When challenged by Trump on the validity of her experience, Clinton detailed how shes spent the past 30 years of her career, versus how Trump has spent his: Clinton: Let me just talk briefly about that. You know, back in the 1970s, I worked for Childrens Defense Fund, and I was taking on discrimination against African-American kids in schools. He was getting sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination in his apartment buildings. In the 1980s, I was working to reform the schools in Arkansas. He was bore rogue $14 million from his father to start his businesses. In the 1990s, I went to Beijing and I said womens rights are human rights. He insulted a former miss universe, Alicia Machado, called her an eating machine. Trump: Give me a break. Clinton: And on the day when I was in the situation room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was host "The Celebrity Apprentice." 7. On the topic of fitness to be president, moderator Chris Wallace brought up Trumps leaked audio tape and the accusations of assault leveled against him since: Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth, and I dont think there is a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like. So we now know what Donald thinks and what he says and how he acts towards women. Thats who Donald is. 8. And then, when Trump continued to deny that the accusations of assault are true, Clinton called him on it: Well, every time Donald has pushed on something which is obviously uncomfortable like what these women are saying, he immediately goes to denying responsibility. And its not just about women. He never apologizes or says he is sorry for anything. 9. In response to Trumps line about keeping America "in suspense" over whether or not he would peacefully concede the presidency, should Clinton win in November: Clinton: Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is is rigged against him. The FBI conducted a year-long investigation into my e-mails. They concluded there was no case. He said the FBI was rigged. He lost the Iowa caucus. He lost the Wisconsin primary. He said the Republican primary was rigged against him. Then Trump University gets sued for fraud and racketeering. He claims the court system and the federal judge is rigged against him. There was even a time when he didnt get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row, and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged. Trump: I should have gotten it. Follow Hannah on Twitter. You Might Also Like By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton accused Republican presidential rival Donald Trump on Wednesday of being a "puppet" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country has been accused by U.S. intelligence officials of meddling in the U.S. election. Putin has been repeatedly thrust into the campaign for the Nov. 8 U.S. election. Trump has praised him as a stronger leader than U.S. President Barack Obama, drawing criticism from Clinton and some Republicans that he is too cozy with the Russian president. Trump has also refused to concede that Russia was behind the hacking of Democratic Party emails. During Wednesday's presidential debate, Trump said he did not know Putin but would likely get along better with the Russian leader than Clinton, a former secretary of state. He said nice things about me, Trump said. He has no respect for her, he has no respect for our president and Ill tell you what, were in very serious trouble. Clinton responded: Well that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States. "No, you're the puppet," Trump retorted, adding Clinton disliked Putin because he "has outsmarted her at every step of the way." Earlier this week, Trump suggested that if elected, his first meeting with a foreign leader would be with Putin. U.S.-Russian relations have deteriorated in recent years over Moscow's intervention in the Syrian conflict, its annexation of the Crimean region from Ukraine and concerns about cyber attacks. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who oversees 17 U.S. intelligence agencies, has suggested that recent computer hacks targeting the Democratic Party were perpetrated by Russians, and predicted that cyber attacks would be a pressing challenge for the next president. Putin said on Sunday that Russia did not seek confrontation with the United States and was not trying to influence the U.S. election. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Peter Cooney) Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton got into a tense exchange over Russian President Vladimir Putin at the final presidential debate of this election cycle Wednesday night. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, said the US should get along with Russia and that Putin doesn't respect Clinton, the Democratic nominee, or President Barack Obama. "Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person," Trump said, pointing at Clinton. "Well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as the president of the United States," Clinton retorted. Trump shook his head and said "no puppet, no puppet." "You're the puppet," he said. Clinton continued: "It's pretty clear you won't admit " Trump interjected again. "You're the puppet," he said. "No, you're the puppet." Clinton ignored Trump's interruptions and accused him of encouraging Russian espionage of the US. "You are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do," Clinton said. "[Y]ou continue to get help from him because he has a very clear favorite in this race." Clinton pointed out that several US intelligence agencies have found evidence that Russia was behind recent hacks of Democratic Party organizations that they allege were meant to influence the outcome of the presidential election. Trump has so far refused to place the blame with Russia for the hacks. "She has no idea whether it's Russia, China, or anybody else," Trump said. "She has no idea." Clinton said Trump would "rather believe Vladimir Putin than the military and civilian intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect us." Trump than implied that Clinton doesn't like Putin because he is smarter than her. "She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her every step of the way," Trump said. "Putin has outsmarted her in Syria, he has outsmarted her every step of the way." NOW WATCH: 'You're the puppet': The last debate spiraled out of control over Russia and Putin More From Business Insider Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that U.S.-backed forces in Iraq have only tried to retake the ISIS position in Mosul because Hillary Clinton is running for president. "The only reason they did it is because she's running for the office of president. They want to look tough. They want to look good," he said at the final presidential debate in Las Vegas. Thousands of Iraqi and Kurdish forces are aiming to take back the city after more than two years under the terror group's control. It is considered a crucial operation in reducing ISIS positions in the Middle East. Trump did not offer evidence for his assertion that the offensive was designed to help Clinton. Trump claimed that ISIS only took Mosul because U.S. forces in the region left under President Barack Obama's administration. "I'm just amazed that he seems to think that the Iraqi government and our allies and everybody else launched the attack on Mosul to help me in this election," Clinton said. "But that's how Donald thinks, you know, he's always looking for some conspiracy." Trump also contended that Iran would be the big winner if U.S.-backed forces did take Mosul. LAS VEGAS At Wednesdays presidential debate, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton again sparred over the GOP nominees friendly posture toward Russia, with Trump accusing Clinton of being outsmarted by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Clinton accusing Trump of being a puppet for the Kremlin. The exchange came in the midst of a discussion about immigration reform, when Clinton, while defending a claim that she supports open borders, openly questioned whether Trump would condemn Russia for trying to influence the U.S. election. The U.S. intelligence community has said that major email leaks from Clintons campaign and the Democratic Party were linked to Russian actors. When did we get off to Putin? Trump said, accusing Clinton of dodging the question. The GOP nominee answered the question anyway, insisting, as he often does, that he does not know Putin. However, he defended the idea of a closer relationship with Russia, arguing that the Kremlin could join forces with the United States in defeating the Islamic State terrorist group. Look, Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person, Trump said of his rival. Donald Trump listens as Hillary Clinton speaks during their third and final debate. (Photo: Mark Ralston/Reuters) Clinton, a few feet away, shot back, Well, thats because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Youre the puppet, Trump declared, showing his first flash of anger in the debate. The GOP nominee insisted that Clinton trashes Putin because he has outsmarted her at every step of the way. Pressed on whether he condemns Russias alleged interference in the campaign, Trump he said he did. But the GOP nominee pushed back on the idea of whether Russia truly was responsible for hacking Democratic emails though he has reportedly been briefed by federal intelligence officials who have said that they believe Russia is responsible for the act. She has no idea whether its Russia, China or anybody else, he insisted. She has no idea. Slavery and the Democratic Party share a long and congenial partnership, which continues to this day. After the Civil War when Republicans were busy amending the Constitution to assure former slaves a full standing as US citizens, the Democrats founded the Ku Klux Klan in 1866 as an effort violently to deny former slaves from having such standing as citizens. This is, of course, why former slaves valued the Second Amendment. A series of Democrat presidents aligned with the Klan's goals. President Woodrow Wilson helped popularize the movie "Birth of a Nation" which glorified the Klan, doing so over the objections of Ida B. Welles, a pro-rights activist. President Franklin Roosevelt assured his party he would veto any anti-lynching laws, protecting one of the Klan's favorite actions. President Lyndon Johnson's war on poverty was a cute name for a program which tended to undermine marriage and education among people living in public housing. His voting right's act did not have the support of his fellow Democrats. Without Republican votes in the Congress, voting rights would not have become law. The Klan mentality in the Democratic Party remained. With nearly eight years of our first African-American president, Americans of African ancestry have seen no real improvement of education and marriage in their communities and the escape from poverty supposedly promised by the long war on poverty. War?? Not even a skirmish, an expensive skirmish at that. Democrats continue their legacy of slavery through the use of the welfare system and the income tax. Never seeing a tax they do not like , especially that bloated monster with twisted rules, the income tax delights them. Slavery, not governing, the ongoing dedication of the Democratic Party. Slavery, with "pay to play" gone global as one of its tools. It turns out Ryan Reynolds has hidden talents as a marketer. The Deadpool star can't attend the Clio Key Art Awards In Los Angeles on Oct. 20 - he and his wife, Blake Lively, are in New York tending to their newborn daughter - but he'll be thanked in spirit by 20th Century Fox if the groundbreaking, R-rated superhero film wins top honors for best integrated marketing campaign. Reynolds was intimately involved with the campaign from the outset, an unusual role for an actor, says Fox domestic marketing chief Marc Weinstock. "I've never taken ownership like this before," Reynolds tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I could email Marc or anyone on his team at three in the morning with pitches and ideas, and somehow a response would come back within 10 or 15 minutes." Reynolds, along with writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, spent more than a decade trying to bring Deadpool to the big screen (they got close once, but then Reynolds' superhero movie The Green Lantern bombed). Fox finally said yes after test footage from director Tim Miller was leaked online to positive response. "I plead the fifth," says Reynolds regarding the leak. The Deadpool campaign was saucy and audacious, including a number of viral videos shot on the spot with Reynolds' iPhone (a Halloween video of Deadpool trick or treating with kids was his idea, for example). Read more: Ryan Reynolds on a Bear Rug, Milo Ventimiglia's Butt and Hollywood's 10 Best Marketing Campaigns of 2016 "Deadpool is probably the most unpolished superhero out there, and it gave us this almost unfair advantage. We used this opportunity over and over because we had a character that is a total misfit and f---king rascal," says Reynolds. "I can channel this guy [Deadpool] in a way I just can't seem to channel anything else. When it comes to Deadpool's sensibility, and certainly his sense of humor, I feel like we were born on the same end of the spectrum." Story continues A cautious Fox capped Deadpool's production budget at $60 million, and was likewise conservative when it came to the marketing spend, Reynolds says. For example, the now-infamous Deadpool billboard with a poop emoji only appeared in a few places, yet became a viral sensation. "The ad buys for Deadpool were minimal compared to the reward we reaped because we hijacked the Internet," says Reynolds. The actor, a producer on Deadpool, recalls logging a personal call to Chevrolet to see if the automaker would provide vehicles for the shoot in Vancouver. "I phoned whomever was in charge of product placement for Chevy, but they were concerned with the materials they'd seen online," he says. Ultimately, the production had to buy vehicles - but it was the filmmakers who got the last laugh. Released in February 2016, the Fox film grossed $782.6 million worldwide, a record for an R-rated film. "I swear someone should just make a romantic comedy starring Marc [Weinstock] and I," says Reynolds, who is gearing up for Deadpool 2. "We were all energized from the get-go. The creative model for the film and the marketing model meshed well together. We were always, always trying to make one dollar look like ten." BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's government on Wednesday presented to Congress a tax reform bill that seeks to raise billions of dollars in the coming years to make up for lost oil revenue and preserve its investment grade credit rating. The reform, which must be approved by year-end to kick-in next year, will raise value-added tax to 19 percent from 16 percent, excluding basic products like food and medications. It also seeks to widen the base for income tax contributions to add an additional 440,000 citizens and establishes 4 to 9 year prison terms for tax evasion. The reform will lower income tax on businesses to 32 percent beginning in 2019, down from the 43 percent they would pay in coming years without the reform, Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas said. Companies currently pay 40 percent income tax. The reform, which will bolster revenue by 0.8 percent of gross domestic product - or $2.4 billion - in 2017, is seen as crucial to preserving Colombia's BBB investment grade credit rating and is needed to fund anti-poverty programs. Revenue will reach 3.2 percent of GDP by 2022, Cardenas said. "This reform will allow us to keep investor confidence and acquire more resources to improve Colombians' lives," said Cardenas. "We could raise our rating to triple B+." The reform comes as the government copes with the fallout from the shock rejection early this month of a peace deal with the FARC rebels that shook investor confidence. The proposal faces an uphill battle. The government's coalition usually has a congressional majority, but opposition lawmakers have expressed reservations. Standard & Poor's warned that the failure to approve the peace deal and an economic deceleration meant it could make it harder to pass key fiscal reforms. "The reform is probably very ambitious," said Camilo Perez, chief economist at Banco de Bogota. "The big challenge is passing the original version and preventing it being watered down." Oil revenue has all but disappeared as the global price of crude plunged over the last year. Economic growth has slowed to an estimated 2.5 percent, from 3.1 percent in 2015. Cardenas has widened the national government's fiscal deficit target to 3.9 percent of GDP from 3.6 percent. Congress on Wednesday approved a $77 billion budget for next year, an increase of 5 percent over 2016. (Reporting by Carlos Vargas; Writing by Helen Murphy and Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Bernard Orr & Shri Navaratnam) job fair career unemployment The Department of Labor will release its weekly reading on initial jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists forecast that first-time filings for unemployment insurance rose by 4,000 to 250,000 last week, according to Bloomberg. The four-week moving average of claims, which evens out the week-by-week volatility, fell to 244,000 last week, the lowest level since November 3, 1973. Initial jobless provide an early indicator of a labor-market downturn because layoffs precede filings for unemployment insurance. More to come ... NOW WATCH: FEMA is tracking Hurricane Matthew using the 'Waffle House Index' More From Business Insider By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barbara Comstock is trying to untether herself from Donald Trump in her re-election bid for the U.S. Congress, but the Virginia Republican's struggles show how difficult that can be. Comstock represents a wealthy House of Representatives district in northern Virginia where Trump has become a burden, one that her opponent is wrapping around Comstock's neck. In local campaign ads, Democratic challenger LuAnn Bennett takes every opportunity to tie Comstock to the New York real estate developer and Republican presidential nominee. The strategy may be working. The Cook Political Report, a non-partisan election tipsheet, moved the Comstock-Bennett race from lean Republican to toss up on Wednesday, citing Trumps unpopularity in much of the district. This is despite Comstock's months-long effort to jettison Trump. In April, the former lobbyist and state legislator said Trump was actually a Democrat who knows "nothing" about the economy. She said in December that his plan to ban Muslim immigrants was "un-American" and "a silly idea." In March, she gave campaign donations she got from Trump to charity. Earlier this month, she said Trump's boasts about groping women, revealed in a video tape, were "vile." She said she would not vote for him and urged Trump to drop out of the race against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. But it may be too late to undo the damage, political analysts said, with just 19 days remaining until Election Day. "In a normal year, Comstock would be a clear favorite, but right now her front runner status is in question because of Trump," said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the Virginia Center for Politics. "He (Trump) was a gift" to her campaign, said Bennett, a 63-year-old real estate executive. Bennett said Comstock, 57, waited too late in her re-election campaign to announce she would not vote for Trump, and argued that Comstock's views on immigration, abortion and climate change are "shockingly similar" to Trump's. Asked on Wednesday about voters' view of her repudiation of Trump, Comstock said Bennett, if elected to the House, would be a "rubber stamp" for Clinton. "I'm the only one of the two of us who ... has a record of speaking out against people, whether it's in my own party or not," Comstock, a Georgetown University-educated lawyer, told reporters after a debate with Bennett. "I've made clear that I'm going to be my own woman." Stretching from suburban Washington to the Shenandoah valley and the West Virginia border, Comstock's district is home to thousands of government workers, as well as many well-heeled lobbyists and what Trump might call the Washington "elites." The area has been represented by a Republican in Congress since 1981, but has been a swing district in presidential years. Bennett said Democrats expect about 140,000 more voters to turn out in the district in this presidential election year than when Comstock was elected in a mid-term election two years ago. We have a growing Latino community, we have a growing Asian community, and those communities are very unsettled by the rhetoric theyve heard on the Republican side of the fence, and really worried about where this country is going, she said. Kondik said, "This is one of the most highly educated districts in the country, and its filled with the kinds of Republicans that Trump could very well turn off." A recent poll by the Wason Center for Public Policy in Newport News, Virginia, showed Clinton leading Trump by 55 percent to 21 percent in northern Virginia. That suggests that for Comstock to win, some Clinton backers will need to split their tickets to vote for Comstock, who made a name for herself in the 1990s as a congressional staffer dedicated to investigating members of the Clinton administration. Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said: "With the lewd tape, Trump went from being a drag on the Comstock campaign to an anchor." (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Alistair Bell) 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. 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. We are recruiting for a Shoot / Edit creative producer to join the Bangkok office. Main Responsibilities This producer post is a very flexible and multi-skilled role. It will involve: Scripting Shooting Lighting Editing Producing basic graphics Working with social media colleagues Writing for online, as well as Filming & production of items from original concept through to finished piece We need you to understand the language of digital-first video to highest standard and be able to produce material from initial idea to finished product. Content needs to be highly shareable and engaging, for online and social media output. You will be able to self-shoot and edit on sQEdit & FCPX and have basic graphics skills. Warner Bros. has nabbed the distribution rights to Crazy Rich Asians, the adaptation of Kevin Kwan's book. Color Force and Ivanhoe Pictures are developing the film, which will be directed by Jon M. Chu. Based on a screenplay written by Peter Chiarelli (The Proposal) and Adele Lim (TV series Lethal Weapon), the film will center on the lives of wealthy Chinese families living in Singapore. It follows Rachel Chu, an American-born Chinese economics professor, who travels to her boyfriend's hometown of Singapore for a wedding. There, she is thrust into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives and her boyfriend's strong-willed mother. An entirely Asian cast is planned for the project. Color Force's Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson as well as Ivanhoe president John Penotti are producing. Kevin Kwan will serve as executive producer along with Ivanhoe chairman Robert Friedland. Courtenay Valenti and Jon Gonda will oversee the project for Warner Bros. "I am beyond thrilled that the amazing films my fans around the world have been waiting for is finally happening," said Kwan. "I have such tremendous respect and trust in Nina, Brad, Jon and Warner Bros, and I know they are going to create an incredible, history-making movie." The deal was negotiated by Ziffren Brittenham LLP. Kwan is represented by Alexandra Machinist at ICM and Chu by WME and Principato Young. Read more: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Author Kevin Kwan: "Why Does Hollywood Think We'd Want to See This Movie With White People?" The third and final presidential debate (Thank you, Jesus!) proved that the American people have been worrying needlessly about the upcoming election. Apparently, it doesn't matter who we vote for, or even if we vote at all. At least, according to Donald Trump, who refused to say that he would accept the election results if he lost. "I will look at it at the time," he said ominously, managing to undercut the entire framework of American democracy in a single sentence. Well, that's not entirely fair. Trump went on to add, about whether he would abide by the traditional concept of a peaceful transfer of power, "I will keep you in suspense." Yes, befitting his reality show credentials, Trump has turned the American presidential election into a cliffhanger. No matter what the results, he clearly intends to show up at the White House on Jan. 20, 2017, with moving trucks in tow. He also said about Clinton, "She should not be allowed to run for the presidency." Especially since she's beating him. Although the competition is fierce, this may have been the most alarming moment yet in this never-ending campaign, about which all Americans, no matter what their political beliefs, can surely agree: PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! Read more: Late-Night Hosts Take on the Final Presidential Debate: "So Many Moments of Crazy" The debate came at a pivotal point in the campaign. Clinton is currently so far ahead in the polls that she had to be coaxed out of Witness Protection to participate. After the last event, in which she was essentially stalked around the stage by her opponent, it's a wonder she didn't get a restraining order. Trump's numbers have fallen dramatically, because - who would have thought? - some people just can't cotton to voting for a sexual predator. Not that Trump would agree to the label. He maintained that his nine accusers were all lying, and that their allegations had all been "debunked," although he didn't say by whom. Story continues "I didn't even apologize to my wife," Trump pointed out as evidence of his innocence, unfortunately laying the groundwork for yet more interviews with Melania. Like a rock star trying to please his audience, he played one of his greatest hits. "Nobody has more respect for women than I do," he announced. In response, the audience, which had mostly kept quiet, burst into loud laughter. This is the point we've reached in our political process, with debates now interrupted less often by cheers or boos than hearty guffaws. Trump tried to shift attention to the recent allegations about Democratic operatives inciting violence at his rallies. Pointing to Clinton, he shouted, "She caused the violence at my rallies! It's on tape!" But if anyone shouldn't be encouraging people to pay attention to tapes, it's Trump. Read more: Michael Moore, Chloe Grace Moretz and More Slam Trump's "Nasty Woman" Comment During Final Debate If presidential terms lasted only a half-hour, Trump might actually be qualified to serve. For the debate's first 30 minutes or so, he was in a quiet, Zen-like state, maintaining a neutral facial expression and refraining from interrupting. But when Clinton, referring to his meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, said about Trump, "He choked," steam began billowing from the Donald's ears, and his carefully rehearsed decorum fell by the wayside. "Wrong!" "Give me a break!" "We've heard that before, Hillary!" "You're a puppet, you're a puppet!" Trump bellowed these and many more interjections while Clinton was speaking, although it's his muttering of "What a nasty woman!" that should prove a highlight in clip reels. As usual, Clinton for the most part delivered cogent and carefully nuanced policy proposals and positions, while Trump resorted to wacky hyperbole. During a back-and-forth about Roe v. Wade, he decried babies "being torn from the womb days before being born" as if he had watched too many torture-porn movies. Discussing immigration, Trump said that he had brought to the event the mothers of four people who were murdered by undocumented immigrants, or, as he described them, "bad hombres" (Trump may be the only presidential nominee in history to keep a police scanner in his limousine). And he doubled down on his snuggling up to brutal dictators, actually managing to praise genocidal Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Most shockingly, Trump even argued that he should have won an Emmy for Celebrity Apprentice. Fox News' Chris Wallace was tough and forceful in his questioning, but like all the moderators before him, he was ultimately helpless to stop Trump from turning the evening into a circus. Now that the debates are finally over, it may be time for Anderson Cooper, Martha Raddatz, Lester Holt and Wallace to form a support group. Read more: Donald Trump Uses Final Debate to Double-Down on Claim That Emmys Were "Rigged" PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech interior ministry has set up a unit to counter what it sees as propaganda from Russia and elsewhere that has been affecting public opinion in the European Union and NATO member nation, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said on Thursday. The counterintelligence service said in September that Russia was conducting "an information war" in the Czech Republic, building a network of puppet groups and propaganda agents that could be used to destabilize the country. Chovanec said the ministry's new 20-member team will act to disperse misinformation in the public domain but also train public officials to be prepared to deal with disinformation. "We want to get into every smartphone," Chovanec said at a conference on strategic communications which he attended alongside general Petr Pavel, head of NATO's military committee. The center will need to be able to respond almost in real-time to various misinformation, using Facebook, Twitter and other means of communication, Chovanec said. Kremlin officials were not immediately available for comment. Dozens of websites in the Czech Republic, home to 30,000 Russians as of a 2011 census, promote Moscow's stance toward the West. Chovanec said an opinion poll showed a quarter of people believe what they read on "alternative" news websites. The Czech Republic has stuck to the common European Union stance toward Russia. But a number of politicians - in particular president Milos Zeman - have echoed Russia's views on the situation in eastern Ukraine, including its insistence that no Russian troops are there, and spoken out against economic sanctions on Russia. (Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Dana Brunetti has blasted the Producers Guild of America over its decision to deny him a produced by credit on Universals Fifty Shades Darker. I am going to use this as platform to rally against the Producers Guild with a vengeance, Brunetti wrote to PGA exec director Vance Van Petten. This is the last straw with me of my guild screwing me over. Your purpose is to protect me, yet continually you have done the opposite and caused me grief and stress. I want to dismantle that joke of a guild to the ground. Brunetti also posted the letter on his Facebook page. It is time for a new regime there to bring that outdated place up to the times and have people who actually produce get their deserved credit, not what some board of has-beens in an office determines, he wrote. I doubt those who made this decision could produce their way out of a paper bag. The PGA had decided that its produced by credit for Fifty Shades Darker would only go to Michael De Luca and Fifty Shades author E.L. James. Certified producers appear in the credits with a lower-case p.g.a. mark by their names and are the only producers considered for awards by the PGA, which performs certification used by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Brunetti received a produced by credit from the PGA for the original Fifty Shades of Grey. Brunetti remains credited as a producer on Fifty Shades Darker, which opens Feb. 10 and stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. Hes been part of Kevin Spaceys production company Trigger Street, which was behind The Social Network, Captain Phillips, Fifty Shades of Grey, and the Netflix series House of Cards, in which Spacey stars as the President of the United States. Brunetti posted his letter to Van Petten on his Facebook page, along with the PGAs response to him about the ruling: The Panel determined after careful consideration that while Dana Brunetti made significant contributions to the production of this film, the evidence does not support a finding that he himself performed a major portion of the producing functions on this film in a decision-making capacity, as is required for eligibility pursuant to section B of The Rules. Story continues The PGA was able to get the support of all the major Hollywood studios for its film credits certification process in 2012 after two years of campaigning to protect the integrity of the role of producer. To receive it, a producers work must be vetted and certified through the PGAs arbitration process. The PGAs code of credits spells out the qualifications for those eligible to receive the produced by credit for features and executive producer credit for TV. The code attaches specific weight to producer functions 35% for development, 20% for pre-production, 20% for production, and 25% for post-production and marketing and includes job descriptions, guidelines, and rules intended to help resolve credit disputes. Brunetti became president of Relativity Media earlier this year. The PGA has a policy of not commenting on arbitrations. PGA arbitrations are conducted by three active producers and receiving the certification does not require a PGA membership. Related stories 'High Noon' Remake Set in Present Day in the Works at Relativity 'Fifty Shades Darker' Breaks 'The Force Awakens' Record for Most-Viewed Trailer in 24 Hours Stephen Colbert Parodies 'Fifty Shades Darker' Trailer [VIDEO] The issue of voter security and potential vote fraud have been swirling as the political campaigning approaches the November 8 election day. Charges of potentially large voting fraud have led to calls for more volunteer poll watchers and raised concerns among many Americans that voting tallies will be manipulated in some way that will invalidate election results. In the third and final debate between the two major-party presidential candidates, Republican Donald Trump refused to say that he would accept the election results. Implicit in that denial is his contention that the results might be "rigged." Cybersecurity experts at the DarkReading.com disagree: The actual machines that people will use to vote are not Internet-connected and are therefore protected against a vast number of cyberattacks that people assume the systems are exposed to, the National Association of Secretaries of State said in an open letter to Congress recently. ALSO READ: The 10 States With the Worst Gun Violence The experts note that recent attacks on voter registration systems in Illinois and Arizona were directed at systems that manage elections, not the voting systems actually used for casting ballots. That does not mean that there are not ways to compromise electronic voting systems. Dark Reading identified seven ways that voting systems can be attacked. Even though the risks are small, they do exist. The latest data breach count from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) reports that there have been 783 data breaches recorded this year through October 19, 2016, and that more than 29 million records have been exposed since the beginning of the year. The total number of reported breaches increased by 13 since ITRC's last report on September 27. ALSO READ: Why Ford's Plan to Suspend F-150 Production Will Inflame Pickup Price War The number of breaches in 2015 totaled 781, just two shy of the record 783 breaches that ITRC tracked in 2014. The 783 data breaches reported so far for 2016 are nearly 20% above the number reported (656) for the same period last year. A total of more than 169 million records were exposed in 2015. Story continues Here's a rundown of the latest ITRC report: The medical/health care sector leads them all in the number of records compromised to date in 2016. The sector has posted 36.5% (286) of all data breaches to date this year. The number of records exposed in these breaches totaled exceeds 14 million, or about 48% of the total so far in 2016. The government/military sector has suffered 55 data breaches so far this year, representing about 41.6% of the total number of records exposed and 7% of the incidents. More than 12 million records have been compromised in the government/military sector to date in 2016. The business sector accounts for more than 2.5 million exposed records in 338 incidents. That represents 43.2% of the incidents and 8.6% of the exposed records. The number of banking/credit/financial breaches totals 33 for the year to date and involves more than 26,000 records, some 4.2% of the total number of breaches and about 0.1% of the records exposed. The educational sector has seen 71 data breaches in 2016. The sector accounts for 9.1% of all breaches for the year and nearly 500,000 exposed records, about 1.7% of the total so far this year. Since beginning to track data breaches in 2005, ITRC had counted 6,593 breaches through October 19, 2016, involving more than 880.5 million records. Related Articles Prepare to see a gang of the most depraved bikers do some of the most awful things ever on film, until an ex-Nazi and bigfoot save the day. Dear God No! is a neo-grindhouse independent feature and one of the best north Georgia's film industry has to offer, unfortunately, and I hated it from the missing comma in the title till the end credits. dear-god-no-movie-3 I went digging for biker/horror movies to review before Halloween, and this is one of the ones I came up with. I'm going to warn you right off the bat, I have seen some bad movies, but this is one of the worst, and it can't even rise to the level of so bad it is good because it is knowingly bad. I took one for the team here, and this was 81 minutes I will never get back. The directing and acting in Ed Wood's movies is better, and the writing is on par, but Ed did it all in earnest, which is why they are enjoyable in their awfulness. This was just awful, and you can look forward to the sequel, Frankenstein Created Bikers, in the near future. Avoid this now, before it's too late! Avoid this Godforsaken movie now, before it's too late! The plot of the movie centers on a gang called the Impalers, who are the most horrible bikers ever, as exemplified by them kidnapping a van full of nuns, then raping and murdering them before the movie starts. When the movie fades up they are just waking up, defiling the naked nuns one last time (doing a burnout on one of them), and headed down the road to more murder and mayhem. They kill several more people, get involved in an altercation at a strip club with the owner, a rival gang, and some of the strippers, and head off to lay low until the heat dies down. If any of this sound exciting, or titillating, it isn't, because the acting, directing, and even the lighting conspire to make it all look like something you shot with your friends while on vacation, and drunk. No, nobody knows why the strippers have Nixon masks on No, nobody knows why the strippers have Nixon masks on...nor will they care. Meanwhile, at a cabin in the woods, a bookish young lady and her scientist father are discussing the latest strange occurrences. It seems all the animals have been acting weird, and it may have something to do with the professor's work, and possibly the death of his wife. Naturally, the bikers end up there in their quest for a place to hide, along with a pregnant woman and her husband, the prof, and his daughter, and things do not go well. There is rape, and murder, and incest, and hallucinations, and mutations, and Nazis, and I think someone gets literally torn in half by Sasquatch. Story continues deargodno The filmmakers make a point of boasting that they did it the old school way, on real 16mm film, but everyone knows it is cheaper, and better to just shoot video now. You could have shot this movie on an iPhone (in portrait mode) and it wouldn't have been worse. The lighting works against the mood, with even the strip club and basement dungeon looking as brightly lit as WalMart. The framing of the shots seems to indicate they only had one lens, and it could only focus from 12-feet away.The writing, editing and general pacing is horrible, with all the action in the cabin taking place in the last 15-minutes. The practical gore/blood special effects might as well be ketchup being squeezed out of a bottle, or red paint being thrown around for how realistic they are. dear-god-no-2011-movie-6 As far as I can tell, 75% of the budget went into paying a bunch of women to be naked all day in various capacities (and 10% went into designing cool posters). If you have ever watched one of those old school 1950s stag films, where the thinnest plot is just an excuse for burlesque dancers to take their clothes off and shake it, this will feel familiar. But the lighting, the fact that these are not professional strippers/models, and the music having been replaced in post production,means no one looks at all sexy. Also, for some reason several of the girls are wearing Richard Nixon masks. Criticizing the acting or dialog seems unfair. I'm almost certain most of the lines were improvised. I am certain these guys were cast as the bikers because they were the only people who owned motorcycles that the director knew. dear-god-no-movie-3 Rotten Tomato Rating: No critical rating, and just 33% positive from the audience. IMDB rates it just 4.1 out of 10, and Meta Critic RideApart Worth Watching: No, did you even read the review? I would give it a 1 out of 10, only because my made up rating system doesn't start at 0. Redeeming Quality: Seriously, you'd have to pay to see this movie on Amazon as it doesn't stream free anywhere, and why would you do that? I suppose the fact that you aren't going to accidentally see this anywhere, and it isn't going to pop up on your Netflix recommendations is a redeeming quality. Also, it is only 81 minutes long. Worth Noting: If you have ever wondered if you could get bored looking a naked women, this movie is your answer. poster-12269 Watch Instead: If you want to watch something in the same vein, that pays tribute to old school exploration and grindhouse, watch Rob Zombie's Devil's Rejects instead. There isn't a biker gang in it, but it is a much better movie by any measure. Plus, killer clown! You have been warned, but if you must you can stream Dear God No! via Amazon and you can watch the trailer here, but it's NSFW so I'm not embedding it. Learn more about Bryan and the rest of RideApart's excellent staff here: The RideApart Team Follow RideApart on Facebook and Twitter, along with@RideApart on Instagram. When Donald Trump was losing his second presidential debate, he blamed the refs. He said the debate was one on three, because moderators Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz seemed aligned against him. He told Raddatz at one point, Why dont you interrupt her? referring to Hillary Clinton. In Wednesdays third and final presidential debate, he got along much better with Fox News moderator Chris Wallace. When it ended, a smiling Trump shook Wallaces hand and lingered to talk with him. (Trump and Clinton skipped a handshake.) Also Read: No Handshake Part 2: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Keep Their Distance Even at a tense moment during the debate when Wallace pressed Trump on whether he would accept the results of the election, and Trump went on a tirade against the dishonest media, he didnt include Wallace among the targets of his criticism. Did Trump decide his past fights with the moderators were misguided? Or was Wallace more fair than Cooper and Raddatz? Whatever the case, Trump will have a harder time arguing that Wallace treated him unfairly. Here are four other times during the debate when Trump and Wallace got along just fine. THE OPEN BORDERS QUESTION Wallace asked Clinton: Secretary Clinton, I want to clear up your position on this issue because in a speech you gave to a Brazilian bank, for which you were paid $225,000. Weve learned from the Wikileaks that you said this, and I want to quote, My dream is a hemispheric common market with open trade and open borders, so that is the question. Trump interjected, Thank you. Clinton clarified that she was talking about energy, and blamed Russian hackers for the leaks, which led to one of Trumps stronger lines of the night: That was a great pivot off of the fact that she wants open borders, OK? THE STIMULUS QUESTION Wallace asked Trump, Secretary Clinton, I want to pursue your plan because in many ways, it is similar to the Obama stimulus plan in 2009, which has led to the slowest GDP growth since 1949. Story continues Correct, said Trump. Thank you, sir, said Wallace. THE PUPPET DEBATE You can read all about the candidates puppet debate, in which they accused each other of being puppets, right here. It evolved into a fight about Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Wallace struggled to get a word in edgewise, volunteering, Mr. Trump, Im not a potted plant here. I would like to ask some questions and I would like to ask you this direct question. The puppet debate ended. Trump let him ask the question. THE ALEPPO QUESTION When Wallace accused Trump of inaccuracies, including about the slaughter in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Trump trained his attacks on Clinton, rather than on Wallace. And they are being slaughtered. Because of bad decisions, he said, pointing a finger at Clinton. Related stories from TheWrap: Everybody's Got Feelings About Donald Trump Calling Immigrants 'Bad Hombres' No Handshake Part 2: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Keep Their Distance (Video) Ivanka Trump Slams BuzzFeed's 'Mulatto Ck' Report as a 'Total Lie' By Jane Ross LAS VEGAS - As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump prepared to go head-to-head with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in their third and final debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, hundreds of hospitality workers and protesters gathered outside the hotel Trump co-owns near the Las Vegas Strip. Demonstrators waved signs and banners next to what organizers called a "wall" of taco trucks. That was a reference to Trump's proposal to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico, as well as a riff on comments by Trump supporter Marco Gutierrez who said that without action on immigration reform, "You're going to have taco trucks on every corner." "We have fought for our rights and we don't want Donald Trump to take them away from us," said Las Vegas resident Miguel Faria. "If this man gets the presidency then everything will be ruined." Several protesters wore sashes printed with the phrases "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping," using the names that Clinton has said Trump called a former beauty queen who had gained weight and who was Latina. The protest was organized by the Culinary Union, which represents about 57,000 workers in Nevada, the majority of whom are Latino. Luis Hernandez, a musician with the norteno band "Los Tigres del Norte," encouraged Latino voters to head to the polls on Nov. 8. "We can't just go on hoping someone will vote on our behalf," he told Reuters. "We need to go out and vote because the Hispanic vote is going to make the difference in these elections." Among the speakers at the protest was civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who said he hoped the candidates would stick to policies at Wednesday's debate, instead of attacking each other. "We all as Americans live under one big tent. Hillary represents that higher ground. I hope that tonight they will not wallow in snake politics but will fly like eagles and take us all to higher ground," Jackson told Reuters. According to Bethany Khan, the Culinary Union's communications director, workers at the Trump International Hotel voted to unionize in December 2015 but still do not have a contract. Some protesters blamed that on Trump, who owns 50 percent of the property. "He says he's the greatest negotiator but he's not coming to the table to support the workers that give him money and make a profit for him," said Maria Teresa Liedermann. (Reporting by Jane Ross; Editing by Maria Caspani and Leslie Adler) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f25080%2f67db0f9398b34b279ca53e7797d5f578 On Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump literally said that he may not accept Nov. 8th's election results should he lose out to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. In other words: The debate was extremely rough. You deserve a break. Enjoy this capybara enjoying a small gourd. We'll get through this. Tom Cruise recreates Tom Cruise's entire film career in 9 minutes Trevor Noah delivers epic takedown of Donald Trump after the debate Vicious magpie knows cyclist's weak spots, goes straight for the ear John Cleese delivers the ultimate 'Walking Dead' recap From Popular Mechanics A ship involved with the deep-sea sonar search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is being fitted with a drone that will examine several sonar contacts of interest on the remote seabed west of Australia, officials said Wednesday. None of the sonar contacts exhibit the characteristics of a typical aircraft debris field, said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is heading up the hunt for the Boeing 777 in a desolate stretch of the Indian Ocean. But some of the contacts do exhibit man-made properties and therefore must be investigated before they can be eliminated as having come from the plane, the agency said in a statement. Officials have previously said that more than 20 sonar contacts that crews have picked up in recent months require closer examination by a sonar-equipped underwater drone. They are between 2,700 kilometers (1,700 miles) and 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) from the Australian port of Fremantle where the search ships are based. Poor weather during the southern hemisphere winter has, until now, prevented the ships from deploying the drone. With the weather improving, the Chinese vessel Dong Hai Jiu 101 is being fitted with a video camera-equipped remotely operated vehicle that will scrutinize the sonar contacts. Crews have picked up hundreds of sonar contacts of interest throughout the two-year hunt. The contacts are grouped into three classification levels based on their likelihood of being linked to the plane. Contacts dubbed "classification 1" are considered the most likely to have come from the aircraft. None of the recent sonar contacts that the drone will investigate are classification 1. There have only been two contacts that fit into that category thusfar; one turned out to be an old shipwreck, and the other was a rock field. Search crews have so far come up empty in their attempt to find the main underwater wreckage of the plane, which vanished on March 8, 2014, during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The ships have less than 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 square miles) left to scour of the 120,000-square kilometer (46,000-square mile) search zone. Story continues Officials previously said the search would be finished by December. On Wednesday, the transport bureau said it is now likely to take until January or February to complete, due to the long stretch of poor winter weather that has hampered search efforts. Malaysia, China and Australia agreed in July that the hunt would be suspended after the crews finish scouring the current search zone, unless credible new evidence emerges that identifies the plane's location. You Might Also Like Chamberlain College of Nursing, part of the Medical and Healthcare segment of DeVry Education Group Inc. DV, entered into a clinical education partnership with American Red Cross. Now students in Chamberlains Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program will get the opportunity to experience first-hand caring for communities in need. Through this partnership, BSN students will participate in Red Cross initiatives like assisting with blood service collection, participating in disaster services and teaching others on preparedness, health and safety. This will help students enhance their clinical skills and also practice Chamberlains person-centered approach to care for patients. Notably, DeVry Educations medical schools post strong results, with incredibly low cohort-default rates and high job placement. In particular, the medical and health care segment, Chamberlain and Ross, gained on strong demand for jobs in the field of healthcare across the U.S. In fact, the segment reported revenues of $231.2 million, up 8% year over year in fourth-quarter fiscal 2016, driven by strong enrollment at Chamberlain College of Nursing. For the May 2016 session, total enrollment at Chamberlain surged 18.9% while that in the July 2016 session rose 15.9%. DEVRY EDUCATION Price DEVRY EDUCATION Price | DEVRY EDUCATION Quote Management believes that this partnership will create expanded learning opportunities for their nursing students, provide public health services to local communities and create meaningful opportunities benefitting both the students and the communities they serve. Lately, the company has adopted multiple initiatives at its different universities to boost the top line in the face of tough competition from schools like Lincoln Educational Services Corporation LINC, TAL Education Group XRS and Universal Technical Institute, Inc. UTI. Among the initiatives, DeVry University has chalked out varies strategies, Becker Professional Education has partnered with the Chicago Medical Training Center while Ross University has launched a digitally advanced multimedia learning experience, to name a few. DeVry Education carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 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 DEVRY EDUCATION (DV): Free Stock Analysis Report UNIVL TECH INST (UTI): Free Stock Analysis Report TAL EDUCATN-ADR (XRS): Free Stock Analysis Report LINCOLN EDUCATL (LINC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Donald Trump was almost universally condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike for his refusal during Wednesday night's final presidential debate to say whether he would accept the results of the election in November. "I think that, tonight, Donald Trump chose to ignore one of the basic tenets of our democracy," Ted Newton, the president of Gravity Strategic Communications who was a communications adviser to 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, told Business Insider. "The fact that we have a peaceful transition of power, and we have for over 200 years, it's really what makes us different from so many other countries. "And for him to just toss that aside is disqualifying," he continued. "It's come down to this: After all of the insults and all of the crazy things he's said and all of the allegations, the fact that he cannot accept what you learn in grade-school civics class that everybody accepts to be how things are done in this country is absolutely disqualifying." Trump was pressed by debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News on whether he would honor the election results despite his repeated suggestions recently that the election may be "rigged" against him. "I will look at it at the time," Trump replied. "I'm not looking at anything now. I'll look at it at the time." When pressed again, Trump said he would "keep you in suspense" regarding his decision to honor the November results. That answer was widely lambasted. Speaking on Fox News, conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer called it the "totally wrong answer," adding that it was "not a gaffe" and "you know that he's convinced that this is something he wants to take a stand on." "This is political suicide," he said, suggesting Trump was winning the debate until that point. Laura Ingraham, a conservative radio host and fierce Trump supporter, tweeted that Trump "should have said he would accept the results of the election" and that there's "no other option unless we're in a recount again," making note of the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Story continues Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona, two Republicans who have not endorsed Trump, were swift to criticize him for the answer. Graham wrote that a Trump loss would not be "because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate," while Flake called Trump's suggestion that he may not accept the results of the election "beyond the pale." Billionaire "Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban said on Fox News that Trump "disowned American democracy" with his answer. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Responding to Trump during the debate, Clinton said his remarks were "horrifying." "Every time Donald thinks things are not going his way, he thinks whatever it is is rigged against him," Clinton said. "He lost the Iowa caucus, he lost the Wisconsin primary," she continued. "He said the Republican primary was rigged against him. Then, Trump University gets sued for fraud and racketeering. He claimed the court system and the federal judge was rigged against him. There was even a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row, and he started saying the Emmys were rigged against him." "Should've gotten it," Trump interjected, smiling. "This is a mind-set," Clinton said. This is how Donald thinks. It's funny but also really troubling ... Let's be clear about what he's saying. He's denigrating, he's talking down our democracy." Newton said he found himself cheering on Clinton in that moment "as an American" even though he's not voting for her. Trump, he said, could say "whatever he says about the Supreme Court" and "parrot whatever conservative talking points were put in front of him" but it "doesn't matter" if he might not respect the results of the election. "Because in that moment, he revealed himself," Newton said. "It was shocking. It was really shocking. And I think it was unlike anything we've ever seen and hopefully unlike anything we'll ever see." Donald Trump Trump's top surrogates quickly defended the remarks in the spin room and in interviews afterward. Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate, said Trump would accept only a "legitimate" result, while anything else would betray those who "died" for freedom, as Robert Costa of The Washington Post tweeted. Asked by CNN's Dana Bash about whether Trump would accept the results of the election, Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, insisted he would because "he's going to win this election and they'll be easy to accept." In an interview with Fox News, Trump's senior communications adviser, Jason Miller, brought up Gore in the 2000 election as an example of not accepting the results of the election. He joked that "no one has ever conceded an election before the election actually takes place." Miller said Trump was "putting those who might want to commit voting fraud on notice." Trump has gone off on tangents about the election being "rigged" multiple times while campaigning for both the primary and the general election. In recent weeks, Trump has claimed that millions of dead people are registered to vote and have had ballots cast in their name along with, he said, a large percentage of immigrants who are in the country illegally. Trump received a boost to his claims just this week when conservative activist James O'Keefe released an undercover sting video of a Democratic operative, who was soon fired, making bold claims about a voter-fraud conspiracy. Some of O'Keefe's past sting videos have been discredited, however, over his use of deceptive editing tactics to produce an intended narrative. Matt Mackowiak, the Republican strategist who founded the Potomac Strategy Group, told Business Insider in an email that Trump's refusal to simply say he would accept the result of the election was a "disaster," even though Trump had what the strategist thought was "an excellent debate." "The question is whether voters will truly care," he wrote. "It's not new information; he's been saying the election is rigged for weeks, if not months. The chattering class and the establishment will decry his refusal, but I'm not sure it cuts out in heart of the country." But he called the refusal "irresponsible and destabilizing." "A similar situation occurred in Mexico in the past decade and it led to massive protests in the capital city for months," he said. "There is no question that our elections are legitimate. Any suggestion to the country is not just wrong, it is detestable, undermines our democracy and is fundamentally un-American." NOW WATCH: 'He never said that': New Clinton ad shows Trump contradicting Pence's VP debate denials More From Business Insider By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Even though most dermatologists recommend sunscreen to prevent skin cancer and premature aging of the skin, nearly all of them believe patients arent getting the message, a small U.S. study suggests. There is an understandably long list of reasons most people do not use or apply enough sunscreen: the lotion is uncomfortable, inconvenient to apply, not always readily available, expensive and the list goes on, said lead study author Dr. Aaron Farberg of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. However, we know that solar UV causes skin cancer, so as dermatologists we want to encourage our patients to continually improve their sun protection, Farberg added by email. This includes using sunscreen, seeking shade, and wearing sun protective clothing with sunglasses. In a survey of 156 U.S. dermatologists, every single one of them agreed that sunscreen reduces premature aging of the skin, or photoaging, and 97 percent agreed that it also lowers the risk of cancer. But 99 percent of them also think their patients dont apply enough sunscreen. Most people need at least an ounce of sunscreen, or enough to fill a shot glass, to cover all the exposed parts of their body, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. It should offer broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, the AAD recommends. Sunscreen should be applied at least 15 minutes before going outdoors, and reapplied every two hours or after swimming or sweating even if its labeled as water resistant. Nearly all of the dermatologists surveyed were comfortable recommending sunscreens with an SPF of 50 or higher, and 83 percent of them believed that high-SPF sunscreens provide an additional margin of safety. When advising patients on how to choose sunscreen, 99 percent of dermatologists recommend looking at the SPF level and checking for broad spectrum protection, while 71 percent also counsel patients to consider how it looks or feels. One topic the majority of dermatologists dont broach with patients is whats known as photostability, or UV filters that work in sunlight. Certain sunscreen ingredients, including avobenzone and octinoxate, can be unstable and become ineffective in sunlight, previous research has shown. This is tricky to discuss with patients, though, because theres no meaningful way for consumers to assess photostability when theyre choosing sunscreens, said Dr. David Leffell, a dermatology researcher at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, who wasnt involved in the study. Photostability is always somewhat of an issue but the technology has improved especially for broad spectrum sunscreens, Leffell said by email. I recommend they go with a recognized brand. Beyond its small size, limitations of the study include the possibility that some participants may have provided survey responses they thought were desirable instead of reflecting their actual beliefs, the authors note in JAMA Dermatology. Its possible, too, that the minority of dermatologists who said they didnt believe regular sunscreen use lowers the risk of skin cancer did so not because they think its a bad idea, but because they think patients need to take additional steps to protect themselves, said Dr. Elizabeth Martin, who wasnt involved in the study. The data are clear that daily sunscreen use can cut the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, in half, Martin, a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and president of Pure Dermatology and Aesthetics in Hoover, Alabama, said by email. Perhaps when considering their response, this small number of dermatologists recognized that applying sunscreen is only one part of an overall comprehensive sun protection plan, which also includes seeking shade and wearing protective clothing, she said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2dDamUq JAMA Dermatology, online October 19, 2016. Donald Trump says hes not sure hell accept the election results come Nov. 8, which quickly became the biggest story of the third and final presidential debate. Asked by Fox News moderator Chris Wallace whether he would accept the result of the election, Trump said, I will look at it at the time. What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense, he continued. Also Read: The Great Puppet Debate: Trump, Clinton Fight Over Who Pulls Their Strings (Video) Trumps comments directly contradicted what he said during the first presidential debate, when he told NBCs Lester Holt that he absolutely would accept the results of the election. But Trump has intensified his claims in recent days, suggesting a vast conspiracy between the news media and the Democratic Party to deny him the presidency. Other leaders, including President Obama, have accused him of whining and worse. Trump continued making his claim even after his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press that Trump will absolutely accept the result of the election. Also Read: No Handshake Part 2: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Keep Their Distance Some election officials are worried that Trumps latest claims regarding voting fraud could dampen turnout or, worse, lead his supporters to deny the results should he lose the election. Related stories from TheWrap: 5 Things Chris Wallace Needs to Do in the Final Presidential Debate Jim Norton Thinks Debate Moderators Need to 'Shut These People the F Up' (Exclusive) Chris Wallace Has Spent His Entire Life Preparing For Final Presidential Debate Tonights final presidential debate was pretty tame stuff until talk turned to Donald Trumps Great Wall, during which moderator Chris Wallace cited information from WikiLeaks dump of hacked DNC emails. Hillary Clinton pounced. You are clearly quoting from WikiLeaks and what is important is the Russian government has engaged in espionage against America, she began. Russia gave that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of influencing the presidential election she said, citing the 17 intelligence agencies that have concluded this. She challenged Trump to admit and condemn that Russia is doing this, and make clear to Putin that he rejects Russian espionage after having encouraged it in the past. We have never had anything like this happen in any of our elections, she said. That was a great pivot over the fact she wants open borders, Trump said with a smile. Wallace had to calm down the tittering that resulted in the audience, who had been told to remain silent because they are guests, Wallace warned earlier. I dont know Putin. He has said nice thing about me, Trump said, dodging. If we got along well that would be goodHe has no respect for her, no respect for our president and we are in serious trouble. Thats because hed rather have a puppet for President of the United States, Clinton shot back. No, youre the puppet! Trump snarled back. Moments later Trump insisted our country has no idea if the hacks are Russian, which even Wallace could not let pass without fact-checking. Wallace referred Trump, as had Clinton, to the intelligence agencies who have concluded just that. Trump did finally, when asked directly by Wallace, say he would condemn interference in the election by Russia or anybody else, saying, Of course I condemn. But then, he quickly added, I dont know Putin. I never met Putin.But if the United States got along with Russia it wouldnt be bad. Putin and Russia have outsmarted her every step of the way. Story continues Related stories Final Donald Trump Vs Hillary Clinton Smackdown Most Watched Debate 3 In TV History: 71.6 Million Viewers Stephen Colbert's Live Post-Debate 'Late Show' Tops Household Ratings But Edged By Jimmy Kimmel In Demo Denver Requiring Active-Shooter Training For Its Poll Workers In Post-Aurora World UPDATE with video: I was fascinated watching Donald Trump, Jimmy Kimmel said at the top of his first live post-debate edition of ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live. His eyes were mostly closed the whole time, his voice was at phone-sex whisper. It almost seemed as if he was doing an impression of Alec Baldwin doing an impression of him. He said disaster and he said bigly a couple of time and he said Mexico is sending some bad hombre over here. I guess those Rosetta Stone tapes are paying off, Kimmel snarked. Among those Trump invited to be his guests at the debate, Kimmel noted, were President Barack Obamas half-brother and Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is the HPV of American politics, Kimmel said as his audience tittered. She lays dormant for quite a while but, just when you think shes gone Speaking of Obamas Trump-supporting half brother, Kimmel announced Obama will make a return visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday 15 days ahead of the election. Obama hasnt visited Kimmels show since March 12, 2015, during which he read a special presidential edition of Mean Tweets, which has generated more than 46M views. Obama did a comedy bit for Stephen Colberts late-night show this week which was a thinly veiled plug for his younger viewers to get out and vote. Kimmel was thick with fun videos, some culled from debate moments, including a look at the many ways in which Trump interrupted Hillary Clinton: In another segment, Kimmel staged a faux debate between Trump and his running mate Mike Pence, by way of pointing out the many subjects on which they disagree. After which Kimmel aired a presidential debate edition of his Kimmel Kids Out of Focus segment. Three precocious moppets said they found the debate pretty annoying, thought Trump talked over Hillary Clinton, and were amazed to learn Clinton had attended Trumps wedding. Trump, they said, most resembles a carrot, while Clinton resembles an onion. Her running mate Tim Kaine looks like a mushroom, or George Clooney, or George Washington. Pence looks a lot friendlier than his running mate, but then, Trump looks as if hes losing his mind every day, they explained: Story continues Kimmels guest, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, addressed the debate with Kimmel after the kids, saying he too had issues with both candidates, though not of the vegetable kind. Johnson, who advocates legalizing pot, declined Kimmels offer to roll a joint, out of what Kimmel promised was not marijuana. Kimmel insisted Johnsons poll numbers would skyrocket if they got the footage of Johnson rolling a joint. Johnson insisted he was turning down the offer, not because he hasnt rolled a joint in 25 years, but because pot smokers dont tend to get out and vote, so Kimmels is a flawed premise. Johnson may not know what Aleppo is, but hes not an idiot. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEBWsMctvMU&w=620&h=340] Related stories Donald Trump Booed Over Hillary Roast Remarks At New York Charity Dinner Carol Burnett Returning To TV As Star Of ABC Comedy From Michael Saltzman & Amy Poehler Final Donald Trump Vs Hillary Clinton Smackdown Most Watched Debate 3 In TV History: 71.6 Million Viewers Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f253103%2fscreen_shot_2016-10-19_at_8.33.48_pm A few hours before the final presidential debate, Donald Trump teased a Facebook live to run up to the contest and it might have given a sneak preview for his future media plans. When the countdown timer expired, most expected another impromptu press conference like last debate's surprise visit by three of Bill Clinton's sexual assault accusers. Instead, the feed that followed was a Right Side news-like segment, hosted by the conservative outlet's founder Joe Seales. Right Side is an outlet, best known for its YouTube page, that broadcasts a conservative slant on news. SEE ALSO: Ivanka Trump denies ever saying that obscene thing More than a sudden injection of conservative punditry, the Facebook Live and Trump's decision to host it on his official Facebook page, might signal the candidate's future plans to establish his own media platform. Trump's hiring of Brietbart's Steve Bannon as his campaign's CEO, his routine distain for mainstream media and his son-in-law's recent meetings with boutique media investment firms have hinted that, should the candidate lose, he has plans to bring his own news to his supporters. Soon after the feed began, almost 200,000 viewers watched the Right Side feed. Seales was joined byJan Brewer, former Arizona governor and General Michael Flynn, both talking about the strengths of a Trump debate performance and the promise of his Republican presidency. The video also provided an opportunity to show anti-Hillary Clinton ads and showed a pre-recorded tape of Ivanka Trump thanking all the donors to her father's campaign. This probably won't be the final surprise of the evening. But it will be the final debate of the campaign. In what immediately became the headline moment at the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday night, Republican candidate Donald Trump sparked widespread outrage by saying he would keep the nation in suspense about whether he will accept the results of the election next month. But, sir, there is a tradition in this countryin fact, one of the prides of this country is the peaceful transition of power and that no matter how hard-fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign that the loser concedes to the winner, said moderator Chris Wallace. Not saying that youre necessarily going to be the loser or the winner, but that the loser concedes to the winner and that the country comes together in part for the good of the country. Indeed, the nations ability to regularly and peacefully replace the President was, to the world of the 1700s, one of the most striking elements of the American experiment. As John Adams himself wrote to his wife upon his becoming the second president in 1797, the transfer of power was the sublimest Thing ever exhibited in America. But while Adams was the first to experience that transition, it wasnt until four years later that the principle was put to the test. After all, George Washington didnt want to run again for the 1796 election and Adams kept power within the same party. In 1800, on the other hand, the United States saw its first hotly contested election and its first transfer of power between political parties. The result was close, and it also left Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied, with the House spending a week deciding who would be President. (At the time, the Vice President was whoever came in second.) It was easily conceivable that the entire system would fall apart, but instead Jefferson became President and his rivalsthe incumbent Adams as well as Burraccepted the result. As Jefferson would later write, the revolution of 1800 was a big deal: Story continues [It was] as real a revolution in the principles of our government as that of 1776 was in its form; not effected indeed by the sword, as that, but by the rational and peaceable instrument of reform, the suffrage of the people. The nation declared its will by dismissing functionaries of one principle, and electing those of another, in the two branches, executive and legislative, submitted to their election. This principlethat the nation declares its will by voting, and the functionaries of government peacefully accept the choicehas even been upheld when perhaps the candidate might have wished to do otherwise. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter For example, some believe that the 1960 presidential election was subject to substantial enough voting irregularities that Richard Nixon should have won. (In fact, there is no concrete evidence either way.) But, even though it was an extremely close race and some of his supporters urged him to fight the result, Nixon decided that, in keeping with tradition, it was better to accept the fact that early returns indicated John F Kennedy had won. In a late-night speech to supporters, he explained why: As all of you in this room know, and as all of you millions who are listening on television and radio realize, it is normally the custom for a candidate for the Presidencynot to appear until after the decision is definitely known, and all the votes are counted beyond doubt. However, I have been keeping some pretty late hours recently as some of you haveI know too that many who are listening in the Eastern part of the United States will find that it is now about 3:15 in the morning I want to say that one of the great features of America is that we have political contests, that they are very hard fought, as this one was hard fought, and once the decision is made, we unite behind the man who is elected I want Senator Kennedy to know, and I want all of you to know, that certainly if this trend continues, and if he does become our next President, he will have my whole-hearted support. That tradition even held true in 2000. As TIMEs David Von Drehle has pointed out, that years concession from Al Gore to George W. Bush was a long time in coming not because Gore refused to accept the results of the vote, but because there was no result to accept yet. In fact, when it became clear what the result would be, Gore followed the precedent of hundreds of years worth of elections, as he peacefully accepted the outcome of the vote. As he explained in his concession speech, that was what patriotism required: Almost a century and a half ago, Senator Stephen Douglas told Abraham Lincoln, who had just defeated him for the presidency, Partisan feeling must yield to patriotism. Im with you, Mr. President, and God bless you. Well, in that same spirit, I say to President-elect Bush that what remains of partisan rancor must now be put aside, and may God bless his stewardship of this country. Neither he nor I anticipated this long and difficult road. Certainly neither of us wanted it to happen. Yet it came, and now it has ended, resolved, as it must be resolved, through the honored institutions of our democracy. That doesnt mean the tradition has always been honored by everyone. In 1860, after Abraham Lincoln was elected, Stephen Douglas (the runner-up for the popular vote) had cause to utter those words later quoted by Gore, as he conceded the result. But, even before the election took place, the South had already warned the nation that a victory by Lincoln and the Republican Party would be unacceptable in their eyes. South Carolina seceded from the Union that December, declaring that the North was united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery. Rather than accept the electoral result, the state convention announced that public opinion at the North has invested a great political error and that South Carolina would not go along with the outcome. The rest of the Confederacy would soon follow South Carolinas lead. By April, the Civil War had begun. Calm down, world. Donald Trump will not destroy American democracy. True, Americas most loathsome presidential candidate said some typically loathsome things during Wednesday nights presidential debate. Most notably, when moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he would accept the result of this election, Trump launched into a fuming denunciation of the news media and repeated his claim that the election is rigged. Pressed by Wallace on whether he accepts the principle that American elections should lead to a concession by the loser and a peaceful transition of power, Trump doubled down: I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Trump sure knows how to push peoples buttons. On cue, the global media moved into hysteria mode: Donald Trump placed an unprecedented question mark over the peaceful succession of power in the United States last night, spluttered the Times of London. In Germany, Der Spiegel decried Trumps shocking refusal to recognize the election results. In the United States, every major newspaper denounced Trumps comment: It was a remarkable statement that seemed to cast doubt on American democracy, opined the New York Times, while the Washington Post called it a breathtaking repudiation of American democracy. But the only shocking thing about Trumps statements is that everyone seems to find them so shocking. Its no surprise that Trump is shaping up to be a sore loser. Hes been one all his life. As Hillary Clinton pointed out during the debate, Trump even complained that TVs Emmy Awards were rigged against The Apprentice, the reality show Trump hosted before moving on to the The Presidential Campaign, his latest absurdist television drama. (The Television Academy, which bestows the Emmys, begs to differ). Yes, Trumps ugly comments smack of fascism. Again, no surprise: This is the guy who wants to make all American Muslims register with the government so they can be more effectively monitored. This is the guy who wants to bring back torture and bomb the children of suspected terrorists. This is the guy who threatened, during the second debate, to send Clinton to prison if he wins. Story continues Fortunately for the world, Trump isnt the arbiter of election validity. If Clinton wins on Nov. 8, as now appears overwhelmingly likely, the courts, the police, the military, Congress, every federal agency, and the vast majority of American voters will accept her as the nations president. Trump can reject the election results if he wants, just as he can reject the notion that the Earth is round if he wants. It doesnt matter. He can stand on a soapbox and whine, but the Secret Service wont be letting him move into the White House on Jan. 20, and no one will be handing him the nuclear codes. Thats not the only reason Trumps unhinged debate comments dont present an unprecedented threat to American democracy. Yes, they may incite some of his most disgruntled supporters to violence. But here again, this would hardly be new. Though most Americans dont know it or prefer to forget it American history is replete with examples of voter intimidation and political and electoral violence. In 1834, opponents of abolition rioted in New York. In 1856, riots broke out in Baltimore over the disputed mayoral election of Thomas Swann, the Know Nothing candidate. In 1871, as many as 30 blacks were killed in Meridian, Mississippi, and the mayor was forcibly driven from office by a white mob. In November 1898, a violent coup by local white supremacists overthrew the elected government of Wilmington, North Carolina. In November 1920, local whites became so incensed when a black man tried to vote that they massacred up to 50 black residents of Ocoee, Florida. 1968 saw the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, and violent clashes between Chicago police and protesters during the Democratic National Convention. And, of course, there was the most violent political protest of all, also known as the Civil War. When Abraham Lincoln won the election of 1860, most Southern states seceded from the Union. By the end of the war in 1865, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians were dead. Thats not an exhaustive list of political and electoral violence in America, just a representative one. If angry Trump supporters take to the streets or beat up minorities, or grope some more women it will be despicable. But it wont be unprecedented. America has seen much, much worse, and the republic has not collapsed. So dont panic. Trump wont undermine American democracy, both because we have a strong rule-of-law culture and because weve survived far more serious threats. But dont get too smug, either. Theres another reason Trump cant do much to undermine American democracy, and its a dirty little secret: America isnt really a democracy anyway. What? The worlds oldest, proudest, and loudest democracy isnt really a democracy? No, its not. If democracy implies that each persons vote should count equally, the United States has never had much of a democracy. The Constitution created a greatly diluted form of representative democracy that privileges some voters over others. (And Im not even referring to slavery, or early restriction of the franchise to white male property holders.) Every state gets two senators, for instance, regardless of population size. Since states with smaller populations have, in recent decades, also had less diverse populations, this gives outsized political power to rural white voters and dilutes the political impact of the demographic changes that have been so evident in urban America. Meanwhile, the Electoral College further distorts democracy: A candidate can lose the popular vote but still win the presidency. Most recently, more Americans voted for Democratic candidate Al Gore than for Republican candidate George W. Bush in 2000, but thanks to the Electoral College system (and a little assist from the conservative justices on the Supreme Court), Bush became Americas 43rd president. Toss in racial gerrymandering, interest group politics, campaign finance rules that give disproportionate political clout to the rich, and a bizarre and often discriminatory patchwork of state voter registration rules, and what you end up with is modern America: an oligarchy in which almost half of eligible voters dont even bother to go to the polls. Thats the final reason Trump cant do much to undermine American democracy. Its already been undermined. Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump on Thursday cut an interview short with an Ohio journalist after the correspondent asked him to address criticism that hes racist and sexist. The Republican nominee quietly thanked NBC 4s Colleen Marshall and began to walk away while she was halfway through asking him how he feels about being labeled a racist and called a sexist so close to Election Day. When she proceeded to probe him for his response, he said: I am the least racist person youve ever met. Looks like things got hairy at the end of this Trump local interview. He just walks away: Full interview: https://t.co/APO7Bme7nU pic.twitter.com/bSRXcZV6cY andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 20, 2016 Trump had been discussing an array of topics with Marshall, including his claims that the election is rigged and Republican leaders who have withdrawn their support from him, for about three minutes before she brought up the apparently sensitive issue. [NBC 4] LAS VEGAS Donald Trumps campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, was tired of getting questions about his comments that the election is rigged when she spoke to reporters in the spin room at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Wednesday night. Is this the only question theres going to be? Conway said when Yahoo News asked her about his comments. Trump, who is running behind his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in the polls, has repeatedly suggested that the vote could be rigged in recent appearances on the campaign trail. In spite of these comments, Conway and other Trump allies including his daughter Ivanka have suggested that he would accept the election results. However, on the debate stage Wednesday night, Trump made it clear that he may dispute the outcome. And in the spin room, Trumps sons aggressively questioned the legitimacy of the race. I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now; I will look at it at the time, Trump said, when the debate moderator, Chris Wallace, asked if he would accept the results of the election. When Wallace pressed the question, Trump said, Ill keep you in suspense. Clinton called his comments horrifying. In the spin room, Conway said Trump would definitely accept the outcome, because he is guaranteed to emerge victorious. Mr. Trump will accept the results of the election, because he will win the election. And thats going to be very simple, said Conway. Yahoo News asked Conway if she was willing to acknowledge the possibility that Trump could lose. Oh sure, we always see the possibility, but its all of you who have not seen the possibility of him winning. All we read is the fact that the elections over, Conway said, adding, Yet here we are again, with him turning in a masterful debate performance, taking the case to her over everything that shes done wrong. Donald Trump Jr. and his brother Eric in the audience watch the third presidential debate in Las Vegas. (Photo: Getty Images) Trumps eldest son, Donald Jr., also appeared in the spin room, and told Yahoo News that his father would only accept the results of the election if its done fair. As evidence that the race might not be legitimate, Donald Jr. pointed to videos released by the conservative group Project Veritas Action on Tuesday that showed Democratic operatives boasting about engaging in voter fraud and disrupting Trump events. Story continues The American people should be disgusted at it, and hes pointing it out, Donald Jr. said. If its done fair we will accept it, but its got to be done fair. It cant be based on lies. Another one of Trumps sons, Eric, told Yahoo News he believes this is a rigged election, pointing to what he alleged was media bias against his father. He cited data showing that journalists have made donations to Clinton and to interactions between members of the media and the Clinton campaign revealed in hacked emails from Clintons campaign manager, John Podesta, that were published by WikiLeaks. Listen, I think we do have a rigged election. I think we have a media thats very much in the tank for one person, and I think its very, very sad, Eric said. You see that based on the amount of contributions that the media has made to the Hillary campaign. You see that based on John Podestas emails, where effectively, theyre making fun of so many people in the mainstream media saying that they can use them at any point in time as a total puppet, to put out what stories they want, because they know theyll write favorably, and they know they can totally control the message. Eric went on to say that he believes there is widespread voter fraud. I also think you do have voter fraud out there. A lot of people will deny it, but you have voter fraud, Eric said. You have people who were dead who were on the voter rolls, and thats not fair. Fact checkers have said Trumps claims of large-scale voter fraud are baseless and false. Yahoo News asked Eric if he was concerned that questioning the legitimacy of the election could lead to violence or unrest. He pointed to the Project Veritas Action videos, where a Democratic Party operative bragged about causing conflict at Trump rallies and took credit for violence that canceled a Trump event in Chicago earlier this year. Eric argued that this proved Clintons campaign is responsible for making the race violent. I think theres violence because of Hillary Clintons campaign. You saw the DNC leaks, right? And its very, very sad when you have one of the top Democratic operatives in a secret video, admit to being the one who incited the violence in Chicago and who incited violence at rallies, Eric said. Thats criminal. Thats criminal, and the media does nothing to report it. We deserve better as a nation. We deserve better from our parties, and I can tell you my father wont put up with that kind of stuff. A 3-year-old tweet of Donald Trump's became the most retweeted post of the night after the Republican presidential candidate denied knowing Russia's Vladimir Putin. The tweet, from 2013, shows that Trump was looking forward to meeting Putin at the Miss Universe pageant. In it, Trump asks, "Will he become my new best friend?" 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 The post was recirculated on Twitter on Wednesday evening during the third, and final, presidential debate after Trump denied being friends with Putin. "I don't know Putin," Trump said on stage after being asked whether he would condemn any international influence in the election. "This is not my best friend." Read more: Critic's Notebook: Donald Trump Shocks and Stumbles, Hillary Clinton Stays Steady in Final Presidential Debate According to a Twitter spokesman, the total volume of tweets for the third debate was not as high as the second debate, which became the most tweeted debate of all time, with over 17 million tweets. The top tweeted moment from the debate was Trump and Clinton's discussion about the treatment of women. The second most tweeted was Trump's refusal to say that he would accept the results of the election. Rounding out the top three most tweeted moments was the conversation about Russia in which Clinton called Trump Putin's puppet. Like the previous two debates, Trump had the largest share of Twitter conversation, with 59 percent, compared to Clinton's 41 percent. But Clinton gained the most followers during the 90-minute debate, adding 13,000 followers compared with Trump's 6,000 additions. The top tweeted topic of debate night was foreign affairs followed by the economy, reproductive rights, terrorism and immigration. Read more: Presidential Debate Fact Check: Trump, Clinton Explain Comments From Their Past Hillary Clinton,accompanied by campaign manager Robby Mook, left, and traveling press secretary Nick Merrill, right, speaks with members of the media aboard her campaign plane following the third presidential debate. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) Down Ticket is Yahoo News complete guide to the most fascinating House, Senate and governors races of 2016. Coming to you every Tuesday and Thursday until Nov. 8. What you need to know today. _____ The debates are done and Clinton is sitting pretty. How she and her Democratic allies are trying to turn the tide in the House and Senate as well. When the third and final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton came to a close Wednesday night, hundreds of millions of Americans breathed a collective sigh of relief. At last: The most nauseating reality show in recent memory had reached the end of its all-consuming run. No more sniffling. No more such a nasty woman. No more feeling like terrified children watching Mommy and Daddy yelling at each other in public. The end of debate season, however, marks the beginning of something else: the homestretch. There are less than three weeks to go until Election Day. Early voting is underway. Most of Octobers surprises are likely behind us. Opportunities to upend the race will be scant. And from a down-ballot perspective which is what we specialize in here at Down Ticket the dynamic that will define the rest of the race is becoming clear. Democrats are on offense. It isnt just Trumps unprecedented refusal Wednesday to say whether he will accept the outcome of the election a refusal that will force down-ballot Republicans to waste yet another news cycle struggling to respond to their nominees ever-more-outrageous remarks. Peaceful transfer of power & acceptance of election results is fundamental to our democracy & Constitution, tweeted Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo, who is facing a tough re-election battle in Floridas 26th Congressional District. This cannot be undermined ever. AP_836311118135 The real reason down-ballot Republicans will likely spend the rest of the fall on defense is bigger than last nights debate. With Trump continuing to implode and with Clinton increasingly looking like an Oval Office lock Democrats have realized that they can now afford to focus more attention, and resources, on recapturing the House and the Senate. Story continues Earlier this week, the partys most powerful operations the Clinton crew in Brooklyn, the congressional campaign arms on Capitol Hill, the allied super-PACs quietly unveiled several efforts geared toward keeping the GOP on its heels. Lets start with Hillary herself. On Monday, Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, announced that Brooklyn intends to channel $6 million into direct mail and digital ads to boost turnout in Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Pennsylvania all states with competitive Senate contests and/or must-win House seats. At the same time, the campaign is also set to spend at least $2 million in Arizona a red state that is suddenly trending toward Clinton (and has several key House and Senate races). Donald Trump is becoming more unhinged by the day, and that is increasing prospects for Democrats further down the ballot because of higher-than-expected turnout and enthusiasm, Mook told reporters, citing internal campaign data that suggests more voters will show up at the polls in 2016 than in any previous presidential election. Meanwhile, Clintons super-PAC, Priorities USA Action, will soon drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads attacking embattled Republican senators in New Hampshire (Kelly Ayotte) and Pennsylvania (Pat Toomey), exacerbating a serious GOP spending disadvantage in two critical states. Sen. Kelly Ayotte attends a barn hall in Kingston, N.H. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images) The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is also spending big. According to a new report in Politico, the DCCC has been funneling millions of extra dollars to its House candidates this fall by way of a legal loophole that has helped them bypass the typical limits on coordinated spending between parties and candidates. Apparently, House hopefuls who mention generic Democrats and Republicans in their ads as opposed to just specific candidates get to split the bill with the party, even if that means theyll blow past the Federal Election Commissions usual coordinated-spending cap of $48,100. As a result, more than a dozen Democratic challengers are benefiting from such hybrid advertising, including Californias Doug Applegate, Floridas Stephanie Murphy, and New Yorks Colleen Deacon. In one particularly extreme case, the DCCC is planning to spend more than 30 times the typical FEC limit to help former Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider run TV ads against his better-funded opponent, GOP Rep. Bob Dold of Illinois. And though the DCCCs latest ad buy is hardly surprising it consists of a trio of spots slamming recent GOP Trump dumpers for not denouncing the Donald sooner a simultaneous effort by its sister super-PAC is turning some heads. According to The Hill, the House Majority PAC, which works to help Democrats retake the lower chamber, launched a series of ads this week targeting not only toss-up races, but also second-tier seats thought to be safely Republican just a few months ago, including those held by Reps. David Valadao (Calif.) and Lee Zeldin (N.Y.). Like Clintons Arizona push, this suggests that Democrats see some new pathways to victory opening up at the eleventh hour. Then theres the president to consider. Just this week, Barack Obama appeared in his first down-ballot TV and radio ads of the cycle for Senate candidates Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada and Patrick Murphy in Florida, among others and sent out a rare fundraising email on behalf of Toomeys challenger, Katie McGinty. Given that Obamas approval rating is currently hovering above 50 percent, expect more of the same in the campaigns final sprint. Brad Schneider, a Democratic candidate for Illinois 10th Congressional District, makes a point during a debate. (Photo: Steve Lundy/Daily Herald via AP) The question now is whether any of these offensive maneuvers will make the difference between winning or losing control of Congress. Its certainly possible. The Senate is already leaning Democratic. Assuming Clinton wins the White House, the Dems need a net gain of four seats to take control. Two weeks ago before Trumps Access Hollywood tape came out and roughly a dozen alleged victims of his inappropriate sexual advances came forward the party stood a 50-50 chance of pulling it off, according to the New York Times Upshot forecasting model. Now the same model gives them a 61 percent chance. This is largely a result of polling shifts in the state that hosted Wednesdays debate: Nevada. In the wake of the Access Hollywood flap earlier this month, Nevadas Republican Senate candidate, Rep. Joe Heck, disavowed Trump, whom he had steadfastly supported. Conservatives booed, accusing Heck of cowardice; Democrats pounced, painting him as an opportunist. Heck had led in every survey since the start of September but now the four polls taken since Oct. 8 show Cortez Masto ahead, on average. Its too soon to say for sure, but Wednesdays Ill keep you in suspense moment could create similar problems for other GOP Senate candidates nationwide. At the very least, it will give Clinton & Co. more grist for all those down-ballot attack ads. Even before the debate, Democrats were planning to step up their efforts to yoke down-ballot Republicans to Donald Trump [by] savaging an ever-increasing number of GOP candidates as pawns of their partys embattled presidential nominee. The House is trickier to game out. For one thing, Democrats dont need to flip just four seats to win control; they need to flip 30. Thats a Herculean task for several reasons. According to our expert partners at the Cook Political Report, there are only 37 competitive races total including six for seats currently held by Democrats. Today, even if they won all 6 seats in Lean Democratic and all 18 seats in Toss Up, they would still need to win 11 of 13 races in Lean Republican to win the majority, writes Cook analyst David Wasserman. Political science has also shown that the more of a lock one partys presidential nominee becomes, the more voters tend to gravitate toward the other partys down-ballot candidates in the name of balance. Redistricting gives Republicans a built-in advantage. Tying GOP candidates to Trump doesnt seem to be working particularly well in blue-collar districts. And so far, Democrats arent leading by a big enough margin on the generic congressional ballot question the one that asks voters which party they want to preside over Capitol Hill next year to propel 30 or more of their House pickup candidates to victory. Democratic Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto listens to Rep. Joe Heck during the Nevada senatorial debate Oct. 14. (Photo: Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) So why even bother speculating about it? Because the more Trump falters and the more he hints that he may not honor the electoral will of the American people the more he risks depressing GOP turnout on Nov. 8. And if that happens, all bets are off. In this volatile environment, the current fundraising gap [with Democrats] is unsustainable, and will negatively affect Republican electoral prospects if not addressed, the National Republican Congressional Committee said in a memo that leaked on Wednesday. We could run the risk of facing substantial losses on November 8. The picture on the Senate side looks the same, with Democrats ready to outspend Republicans in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Indiana, Nevada and Missouri in the coming weeks, according to an internal GOP document obtained by Politico. Democrats arent banking on a wave election. But they want to be ready if an anti-Trump swell starts to take shape. On Tuesday, the DCCC revealed that it had raised a record-breaking $21 million in September, nearly double its haul for the previous two months combined. The logic behind this spending spree is simple. At worst, Democrats will expand the map, forcing Republicans to play defense. At best, theyll end up with a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress. _____ Let the check and balance games begin For months now, down-ballot Republicans have been hinting that, if things get really bad for Donald Trump, they might pull a 1996. GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole stands before the Republican National Convention with his wife, Elizabeth, in 1996. (Photo: Scott Andrews, POOL/AP) That year, GOP House and Senate candidates ditched Bob Dole, conceded that President Bill Clinton was going to win re-election, and pitched themselves to voters as a check on Clintons liberal agenda. The strategy wound up working: Republicans retained control of the House and picked up two seats in the Senate that November. Republicans have yet to deploy the check and balance argument in any sort of widespread or coordinated manner. But that could change after Wednesdays disastrous debate. The biggest loser tonight was not Trump, said Robert Blizzard, a GOP pollster who is working on a number of congressional races. The presidential race is over. Instead, down-ticket Republicans lost tonight they needed some help and got absolutely none. As a result, be on the lookout for more check and balance talk from the GOP in the final weeks of the campaign. Democrats certainly are. In fact, they already seem to be ready with a response. So what does checks and balances mean? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters Wednesday. Its a euphemism for obstruction. Voters will see right through this ruse for the obstruction that it is, added DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan on a private caucus call with House Democrats. _____ Ron Johnson does the dirty work Wisconsin polls show incumbent GOP Sen. Ron Johnson trailing the man he unseated six years ago, Democrat Russ Feingold, by an average of 5.3 percentage points. One recent survey puts Feingold ahead by 12. Desperate times, it seems, call for desperate measures hence Johnsons latest ad. Alluringly titled Diapers, the spot features Johnsons very blond family sitting around the kitchen island, as families do, discussing how they didnt want [him] to run for a second term because politics have been pretty disgusting lately. Meanwhile, Johnson is off in the bedroom changing his grandsons diaper. Ive got this covered, Johnson says. Then the baby urinates on him. Enjoy: _____ social_downticket The best of the rest She's opposing Trump, but Ayotte not asking NH voters to do the same. "My decision was my vote on this issue" https://t.co/xsrDpRAjtT Burgess Everett (@burgessev) October 18, 2016 Its a Trump-free zone as Ryan stumps for fellow Republicans https://t.co/0r3uTDeJtb via @bpolitics Billy House (@HouseInSession) October 19, 2016 NEW POLL: Trump backer Sheriff Joe Arpaio trails Dem opponent by 15 points https://t.co/6COeJKF7Q8 pic.twitter.com/zDqiCYgZ4v The Hill (@thehill) October 20, 2016 Marco Rubio warns GOP against discussing WikiLeaks: 'Tomorrow it could be us.' https://t.co/VWHfHg2bR2 ???? Capital Journal (@WSJPolitics) October 19, 2016 GOP senators slam Trump for refusing to say he'll accept election results https://t.co/cNc5ExvO9w #debate pic.twitter.com/Vi6uTm9skZ The Hill (@thehill) October 20, 2016 _____ Countdown _____ More than 1,200 philanthropists, stars and supporters of Children's Hospital Los Angeles came out to the L.A. Live Event Deck on Saturday night to raise money and support pediatric medical care and research. The star of the night however, was 6-year-old Caiden Moran. Born with no cochleas, a vital part of the inner ear that converts sound vibrations into nerve impulses, Caiden is deaf. But that changed in January 2015 when Caiden underwent surgery to receive an Auditory Brainstem Implant. The ABI works by using a microphone and transmitter attached to the head to convert sound to electrical signals. Those signals are then transmitted to a receiver implanted in the brainstem, which stimulates the nerves and bypasses the ear completely. Dr. Mark Krieger, chief of medical staff and head of the Division of Neurosurgery at CHLA, performed Caiden's surgery and was honored at Saturday night's gala. On stage with Caiden and his mother, Danielle, Krieger asked the audience and Caiden to join him in a game. He turned to Caiden and asked him to close his eyes, then turned to the audience. "On three," he said, "Let's all give Caiden a round of applause and see if he can hear us." The applause started on two, and Caiden was smiling, eyes open and yelling by three. The Children's Hospital Los Angeles' "Once Upon a Time" Gala was created to support research such as the ABI, and to honor children like Caiden and the many professionals who lend their medical care and emotional assistance to those in need. Prior to the event, Jamie Lee Curtis spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the event and the hospital's significance. "There is nothing that will change your life more than a child who's ill," said Curtis. "You will do anything to relieve them of their pain and suffering. And Children's Hospital will do it regardless of your ability to pay for it." Curtis has been involved with Children's Hospital Los Angeles for more then 20 years. She was passionate when speaking about the importance of supporting the hospital. "Every person that walks in that building, their vow that day is to help a child in need," she said. "That's a much higher calling than anything show-off business is going to offer you." Story continues Inside the event, guests were treated to dinner by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and Cirque du Soleil-style performances with themes such as Peter Pan and Cinderella. Host Josh Gad entertained guests with his humor and introduced presenters, performers and award recipients. The Courage to Care Award, which is presented to those who display exceptional dedication to humanitarian efforts and child related causes, was awarded to the Los Angeles Kings, the Billy and Audrey L. Wilder Foundation and Drew Barrymore. "Children's Hospital Los Angeles is a very near and dear place to me," Barrymore told reporters on the red carpet. "I'm in the hospital sitting in the beds with the kids and bringing toys in on certain days. This is the kind of work I want to do and I never need a minutes recognition for it." In addition to helping children at CHLA, Barrymore holds an annual Mother's Day pampering event for the mothers of the children and was named an Ambassador Against Hunger in 2007 by the United Nations World Food Program. She is also a supporter of Safe Kids Worldwide. Katy Perry wrapped up the evening with performances of Roar, Teenage Dream, Firework, Dark Horse and an emotional rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. After her performance, Caiden greeted her on stage with a bouquet of roses. In sign language, they exchanged the words, "I love you." Dancing to the tune of viral song PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen), officers in the Indonesian city of Balikpapan urge young people to say no to drugs and alcohol. Instead, they say, young people should get their kicks from snacks like fritters, known as gorengan in Indonesian, and es cendol, an iced dessert. I have es cendol, I have a beer, a policeman sings in the video posted on the Facebook page of the Balikpapan police in East Kalimantan province. He then says ugh to the beer and opts for es cendol. Similarly, he sings I have gorengan, I have drugs ugh. Gorengan. Dont consume drugs and drinks containing alcohol, his colleague adds in the video. Apart from destroying our bodies, theyre expensive! Better drink es cendol and eat gorengan. Es cendol (with ingredients like rice flour, palm sugar and coconut milk) and gorengan (ranging from banana fritters, deep-fried tofu to crispy fried chicken) arent exactly healthy, however, thanks to their high-calorie content. Drinking is generally frowned upon in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country. Conservative Islamic parties are pushing for an alcohol-prohibition bill, but lawmakers are doubtful that it will be passed in parliament by the end of this year. Indonesia also has one of the toughest antidrug regimes. Under the leadership of President Joko Widodo, the country has executed a total of 18 convicted drug traffickers since 2015. Drug users are often jailed or sent to rehabs in prisons, partly contributing to overcrowding of prisons. Beijing (AFP) - Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte declared his "separation" from longstanding ally the United States in Beijing on Thursday, as he rebalances his country's diplomacy towards China. Duterte is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijing's sphere of influence -- and its deep pockets. "I announce my separation from the United States," he said to applause at a meeting in the Chinese capital. "America does not control our lives. Enough bullshit," he added in a rambling speech that flipped between languages. "How can you be the most powerful industrial country when you owe China and you are not paying it?" His comments came after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, with the two men pledging to enhance trust and friendship, while playing down a maritime dispute. Xi called the two countries "neighbours across the sea" with "no reason for hostility or confrontation", the official Xinhua news agency said. Under Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino the two countries were at loggerheads over the South China Sea -- where Beijing has built a series of artificial islands -- but since taking office in June the new head of state has changed course. In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry cited Xi as telling Duterte their emotional foundation of friendly good neighbourliness was unchanged, and difficult topics of discussion "could be shelved temporarily". Duterte called the meeting "historic", it added. His visit to Beijing capped a series of recent declarations blasting the US and President Barack Obama. Addressing the Filipino community in Beijing Wednesday, the firebrand leader said the Philippines had gained little from its long alliance with the US, its former colonial ruler. He also repeated his denunciation of Obama as a "son of a whore". China, he said earlier, was "good". "It has never invaded a piece of my country all these generations." Story continues - 'Candid and friendly' - Duterte has also suspended joint US-Philippine patrols in the strategically vital South China Sea, and has threatened an end to joint military exercises. The South China Sea is of intense interest to Washington and it has repeatedly spoken out on the various territorial disputes between China and its neighbours over the waters. Tensions have risen between the US and China over Washington's so-called "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific, a move that Beijing says is intended to contain it. In 2012, China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. In a case brought by Aquino, the Philippines won a resounding victory at an international tribunal earlier this year over Beijing's extensive territorial maritime claims in the area, infuriating the Asian giant. But Duterte, who took office in June shortly before the tribunal ruling, has made a point of not flaunting the outcome. Asked whether the leaders had discussed the South China Sea, the foreign ministry's spokesperson Hua Chunying said they had a "candid and friendly exchange of views on how to resolve relevant disputes". Their meeting represented a "return to the right track of dialogue and consultation" she said, adding China was willing to make "relevant arrangements" to cooperate on fishery issues. - 'Full recovery' - The meeting between Xi and Duterte marked a "full recovery" of the "traditional friendship" between the two countries, Chinese vice minister Liu Zhenmin said, according to a transcript released by the Philippine president's office. They oversaw the signing of 13 bilateral cooperation documents on business, infrastructure, and agriculture, among other fields, he added. Beijing also has offered the Philippines a $9 billion soft loan for development projects, a statement from the Philippine presidential press office said. About $15 million of the promised loans will be earmarked for drug rehabilitation programmes amid Duterte's anti-drug campaign, which has killed thousands of people and raised concern abroad of human rights violations. China will also lift bans on 27 Philippine tropical fruit export companies. Previous sanctions on fruit were intended to punish Manila for its South China Sea stance. By Rory Carroll (Reuters) - Three firefighters, three civilians and two police officers were injured on Wednesday after a natural gas leak caused a pair of explosions at a bagel shop in Portland, Oregon, Portland Fire & Rescue said. The blasts obliterated the Portland Bagelworks restaurant, triggering a four-alarm fire that sent a large plume of black smoke into the air. Nearby businesses in the trendy shopping area were also damaged. Fire & Rescue Chief Mike Myers told a news conference that in his 28 years as a firefighter he "had not seen devastation like this in my entire career." No fatalities were reported and the injuries were not life threatening, Fire & Rescue Lieutenant Rich Chatman said. Two of the firefighters sustained broken legs, one of whom required surgery, he said. About 100 firefighters were on the scene of the fire putting out hot spots, Chatman said. Structural engineers as well agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives were on the scene investigating, he said. The incident began when a contractor hit a gas line of utility company NW Natural, prompting an evacuation of the building. When crews started to respond the leaking gas ignited, causing the two simultaneous explosions, fire officials said. It is unclear what ignited the blasts. Myers said careful and quick thinking by one fire official, Lieutenant Peter St. John, likely saved the lives of many residents and firefighters "single-handedly," by pulling fire alarms and helping evacuate people before the explosions. Myers said St. John suffered serious injuries and was being treated at an area hospital. Photos published by local media outlets showed piles of debris strewn about the area, as well as windows blown out in nearby structures. Authorities said residents and businesses in the area could be displaced for "a long time." Melissa Moore, a spokeswoman for NW Natural, said gas has been shut off for about 115 customers in the area. Portland General Electric said about 2,300 people in the area were without power. (Reporting by Rory Carroll and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler) A New Jersey K9 officer has received a full fireman's goodbye before he was put down, while surrounded by friends and family. Read: Fallen K9 Gets an Officer's Salute Fit for a Hero: 'He Served Valiantly and Courageously' "I loved him. He was my best friend," Chief Dan VanFossen of the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Company told InsideEdition.com. "I'm devastated right now. The hardest part was making the decision to do what was best for him." The department, along with other fire departments and other law enforcement agencies in the area, bid the former K9 Bandy farewell earlier this week. Although the 10-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd was in failing health, VanFossen said the most emotional part of the ceremony was watching him enjoy the attention and crowd, moments before the veterinarian would put him down. "He was happy," VanFossen said. "He sat there with his tongue hanging out, happy that all the people were there. We're all crying, and he's sitting there with his tongue hanging out. That was the hardest part." K9 Bandy arrived to the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Company six years ago. VanFossen said he and his late stepfather had set up the department's first K9 unit, and VanFossen became his official handler. "Me and him trained every day of the week," VanFossen said. "He stayed with me and he was a big part of my life." Read: Boy With Leukemia Sworn In as K9 Handler, One Day Before He Begins His 3-Year Treatment The German shepherd soon rose among the ranks, and became one of the top tracking dogs in the world. He's also reportedly found numerous missing people in New Jersey, including a suicidal man in 2014. Over time, VanFossen said Bandy's health deteriorated. He retired from the force last year, and has since been plagued by a variety of health problems, including urinary tract infections and problems with his liver. Story continues He also developed hip dysplasia, and was soon unable to move his hind legs. When Bandy didn't have his wheelchair during walks, VanFossen said he would hold his rear up, to displace some of the weight. "In the last week and a half, he would whine," he said. "He was in pain." Eventually, a veterinarian informed VanFossen and his girlfriend, Jen Macri, the secretary of the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Company, it was time for Bandy to be put down. "As much as I didn't want to make that decision, it's not fair for him to have to live like this," he said. So, VanFossen and Macri spent Bandy's final days doing all the things he wanted to do, including indulgent meals of steaks or cheeseburgers. "Anything he wanted," VanFossen said. He even slept in Bandy's kennel at the fire house that was built for him after he started having difficulty walking. Read: NYPD Cops Traveling to Police Dog Funeral Save Wheel-Chair Bound Woman In Crash "It's just a big chunk of my heart missing right now," VanFossen told InsideEdition.com. "He was our best search dog. He was family." While the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Department continues to grieve the loss of their former K9 officer, they have requested that any donations dedicated to training a new K9 officer be sent to their firehouse at P.O. Box 5363, Clinton, NJ 08809. Watch: K9 Gets Stage Fright as He Is Sworn Into Office as Department's First Comfort Dog Related Articles: Elon Musk Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced its new cars will come with hardware that allows them to be fully autonomous Wednesday night but the company won't consider itself legally liable if its driverless cars get in a crash. "No, I think that would be up to the individual's insurance," Musk said. "If it is something endemic to our design, certainly we would take our responsibility for that." Tesla declined to elaborate further on the statement. Musk made the remark when asked by a journalist if Tesla would take a similar approach as Volvo has said it will when it comes to its driverless cars getting in accidents. Volvo has said it will accept full liability for any automobile accident that involves one of its self-driving cars. Musk compared taking responsibility for a self-driving car crash to getting stuck in an elevator. "Point of views on autonomous cars are much like being stuck in an elevator in a building. Does the Otis [Elevator Company] take responsibility for all elevators around the world, no they dont." Tesla's Autopilot is still under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tesla's Autopilot was activated when a driver died in a fatal crash in May. A tractor trailer was making a left turn in front of the Tesla when the accident occurred. The Tesla passed under the trailer before driving off the road, smashing through two fences, and ultimately crashing into a power pole. Tesla wrote in a blog post at the time that the Autopilot system did not notice "the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied." tesla autopilot A Tesla also got into a crash in China when driving in Autopilot mode, the company confirmed, according to Reuters. There were no injuries from the accident. Musk criticized media coverage of Tesla Autopilot crashes. "One thing I should mention that is, frankly, its been quite disturbing to me, is the degree of media coverage of Autopilot crashes," he said. "[It] is basically almost none relative to the paucity of media coverage of the 1.2 million people that die every year in manual crashes." Story continues "It is something that I think does not reflect well upon the media. It really doesn't," he said. NOW WATCH: Tesla made a big software update after a Chinese company remotely hacked the brakes of a Model S More From Business Insider BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The premier of the Belgian region that is the main impediment to a planned EU-Canada free trade agreement called an unscheduled meeting of his government on Thursday ahead of a declaration to the regional parliament on Friday. All 28 EU governments support the planned Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), but Belgium cannot give its assent without backing from five sub-federal administrations and the Wallonia region has steadfastly opposed it. Walloon premier Paul Magnette has held talks with top EU officials as well as Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland in recent days. His spokesman said in a text message that the discussions were now completed, but he gave no indication of the outcome. Magnette had summoned the Walloon government for a meeting late on Thursday, he said, and would address the Walloon parliament on Friday morning. (Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Alastair Macdonald) By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian authorities said on Thursday they had detained 1,645 people since declaring a state of emergency less than two weeks ago in a bid to quell mass protests and violence. Around 1,200 of those were described as ringleaders, the rest coordinators, suspects and "bandits", in the statement by the government body formed to deal with the unrest. Ethiopia announced a security crackdown on Oct. 8 amid a wave of attacks on mostly foreign-owned businesses and demonstrations over land and political rights. The United States and other major donors have raised concerns about the measures, which include dusk-to-dawn curfews in some areas, restrictions on the opposition and curbs on diplomats' movements. Activists and opposition groups have also accused the security services of using excessive violence - charges dismissed by the government which has blamed the violence on armed groups backed by unnamed foreign powers. "A total of 1,120 ringleaders of violence that led to the destruction of infrastructure and property in West Arsi and Shashemene have been apprehended," said the government body known as the Command Post, referring to areas in Oromiya region, south of the capital. The security efforts had now "restored peace nationwide", it added. There was no immediate comment from opposition or protest groups. Violence first broke out last year in Oromiya, a region at the heart of Ethiopia's industrialization efforts, as people took to the streets accusing the state of seizing their land and handing it over to investors with minimal compensation. Unrest spread to other areas, including parts of Amhara region north of the capital, over land rights and wider complaints over political freedoms. The command post said 93 suspects "who had taken to the bush as bandits" had turned themselves in in Amhara since the state of emergency was declared. Another 110 people who had "coordinated attacks" in western Oromiya, and 322 suspects in a region south of the capital have also been arrested. The government says it is trying to end poverty in a country still known in the West for a devastating 1984 famine, where most people rely on subsistence farming. Ethiopia is now one of Africa's fastest growing economies but rights groups say the state-led industrial push has been accompanied by a crushing of political dissent - a charge dismissed by the state. (Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Editing by Andrew Heavens) By Pia Oppel and Foo Yun Chee LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Intel's (INTC.O) fight against a record 1.06 billion euro ($1.16 billion) EU antitrust fine received a boost on Thursday when a top Europe court adviser questioned whether the U.S. chipmaker's actions had really harmed competition. The opinion from Advocate General Nils Wahl at the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) amounted to a rare setback for the European Commission, underlining the tough battle ahead as it takes on Apple (AAPL.O), Qualcomm (QCOM.O), Google (GOOGL.O) and Amazon (AMZN.O) in various competition cases. "Intel's appeal against the imposition of a 1.06 billion euro fine for abuse of its dominant position should be upheld. The case should be referred back to the General Court for a fresh review," Wahl said in a non-binding recommendation. He said the General Court failed to establish that the rebates and payments offered by Intel were anti-competitive and that certain deals between the firm and Lenovo harmed European consumers. These were key elements of the Commission's 2009 decision. The General Court rejected Intel's challenge two years ago, saying that the European Commission had not acted too harshly in handing down the record sanction amounting to 4.15 percent of Intel's 2008 turnover against a possible maximum of 10 percent. The ECJ, which usually follows the adviser's opinion in the majority of cases, is expected to rule in the coming months. The Commission declined to comment. Wahl's opinion is a good sign for companies looking for guidance on what kind of rebates should be considered harmful, said Ian Giles, a partner at London-based Norton Rose Fulbright. "The extent to which the advocate general disagrees with the Commission is significant. The advocate general's opinion says - on the Intel facts - the Commission got it wrong," he said. "Assuming the court follows this opinion, this is a good outcome from the perspective of competition policy, and may lead to the Commission revising its approach in ongoing cases." Story continues U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm is fighting EU charges of using anti-competitive methods, including giving rebates, to squeeze a rival. It will lay out its arguments at a hearing on Nov. 10. Intel's fine remains the largest for a single company for an EU antitrust infringement. The EU antitrust enforcer penalized Intel over what it called tactics aimed at stifling rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), including giving rebates to PC makers Dell [DI.UL], Hewlett-Packard Co (HPE.N), NEC and Lenovo for buying most of their computer chips from Intel.($1 = 0.9115 euros) (Reporting by Pia Oppel, writing by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Philip Blenkinsop/Mark Heinrich) Brussels (AFP) - European Union leaders warned Russia at a summit on Thursday that they will consider sanctions over its role in the Syrian conflict if Moscow does not stop "crimes" in the devastated city of Aleppo. As the bloc's 28 leaders met in Brussels for a crucial discussion on their future strategy to deal with Moscow, EU President Donald Tusk said they should "keep all options open, including sanctions." French President Francois Hollande said that "all options are open for as long as there is not a ceasefire that is respected and for as long as there is an intention to destroy this town, Aleppo, a town of martyrs." The leaders in a draft summit statement said the EU was weighing sanctions against supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities. "The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue," the draft EU summit statement said. "The European Council strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo," it added. British Prime Minister Theresa May, arriving for her first EU summit since the June Brexit vote, called for a united European approach to "sickening atrocities" in Syria, "We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May told reporters. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." - Deep cracks - The EU leaders were to discuss their long-term Russia policy over dinner but deep cracks over how tough to be with Moscow remained evident. Some warned there was no unity on adding sanctions over Syria to those that the EU has already imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. "One option is sanctions. I don't think there's unity but I think it should be on the table, that this should be an option for the future," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told reporters. Story continues Luxembourg premier Xavier Bettel meanwhile said that "certain people were talking about sanctions" but "we have to find solutions around the table." Russia had upstaged the summit by announcing earlier in the week that it would halt hostilities over Aleppo on Thursday just as the 28 leaders were gathering in Brussels. It said Thursday it would extend the truce by 24 hours, without specifying when it would end. The UN had said earlier it had received a pledge from Moscow to extend it until Saturday. - 'Completely inhuman' - But German Chancellor Angela Merkel said only a permanent ceasefire was acceptable. "What is happening in Aleppo with Russian support is completely inhuman," she told reporters. "That is why we have to work as fast as possible to get a ceasefire in place -- and not only one over several hours a day." NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg joined the chorus of outrage, saying that a Russian aircraft carrier battlegroup heading to Syria could join attacks on Aleppo. "We are concerned Russia's carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which increase human and civilian suffering," Stoltenberg said at NATO headquarters in Brussels Moscow is Assad's strongest ally and came to his rescue last year when rebels appeared to be gaining ground. The EU is already embroiled in an angry standoff with Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine, complete with punishing economic sanctions on both sides. Relations with Russia were put on the agenda of the two-day summit in Brussels months ago amid expectations of progress on Ukraine. Since then, the deepening of the Syrian crisis has poisoned the atmosphere while Berlin talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday produced no real progress. After the Berlin meeting, Merkel and Hollande both refused to rule out sanctions, with the chancellor saying "we cannot remove this option." Brussels (AFP) - EU leaders called Thursday for greater efforts to apply the "leverage" of trade and development with Africa in order to curb migrant departures to Europe and speed up the return of those who arrive. The European Union has been turning its sights on the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy since a March aid-for-cooperation deal with Turkey dramatically slowed the number of migrants landing in Greece, the main entry point for Europe last year. Adopting a statement at their Brussels summit, the leaders urged EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to present a report at the next summit in December on how much progress has been made with five African countries toward reducing migrant arrivals and increasing returns. The EU wants so-called "compacts" with those African countries -- Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and Senegal -- ready for the spring, when the weather improves and migrants are likely to head en masse again to Europe on rickety boats. "More efforts are needed to reduce the number of irregular migrants, in particular from Africa, and to improve return rates," the final statement said. The statement says EU countries aim to "apply the necessary leverage, by using all relevant EU policies, instruments and tools, including development and trade" in order to reduce migration flows and return migrants. Under international law, EU countries must admit genuine refugees fleeing war and persecution, as in Syria and Afghanistan, but can block or send back migrants deemed job seekers, who Brussels say account for most of the African migrants. EU officials have for months discussed a proposal to promote private investment in countries where many migrants come from in order to encourage them to stay home. Unlike Turkey, it is difficult for EU countries to work with still lawless Libya to curb the migrant flow and possibly easier to try to ease poverty in Africa. Story continues - 'Fortress Europe' - More than one million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa flooded into Europe last year, sowing divisions across the 28-nation bloc and fuelling the rise of far-right parties. Some 145,000 migrants have arrived in Italy since the start of 2016, almost the same number for the whole of last year. In the run-up to the summit, the activist group Oxfam denounced the EU approach to migrants as building a "Fortress Europe" that forces them to take dangerous routes into the wealthy bloc. "As well as closing borders and outsourcing border control to neighbouring regions, the EU is now refocusing its foreign and development policies around the primary aim of curbing migration, of stopping people on their way to Europe and sending them back to where they come from," it said. Development aid should be "used for reducing poverty and inequality, not for reducing mobility," it added. Brussels (AFP) - European sugar producers will target export markets in addition to looking for new domestic customers when the EU lifts quotas next year and fully embraces free-market farm policies, officials and analysts say. However, some analysts believe exports will face tough competition in attractive Middle East and North African markets while some producers, especially in Italy, fear they may not survive the transition. New markets will have to be found inside and outside the 28-nation European Union as production is expected to increase from the cap of 13.5 million tonnes a year to at least 16 million tonnes and possibly 18 million or 19 million tonnes annually. European agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan has said the bloc has for years carefully prepared for lifting sugar quotas on October 1, 2017. Careful preparations are all the more necessary given the crises gripping European agriculture, particularly with soft dairy prices due to overproduction 18 months after milk quotas were lifted. Sugar will be the last of the EU agriculture quotas set over the decades to protect key sectors. In 2006, the EU launched reforms to boost competition, which forced 83 mills, or 40 percent of the total, to close, according to the European Association of Sugar Producers (EASP). Producers in the long run should now "be able to survive in an environment of lower prices", said a source at the European Commission, the EU executive. A handful of producers have held on in Europe, particularly those in France and Germany but also some in Poland and Britain. Firms in Britain, Portugal and Romania meanwhile refine imported raw sugar. Commission and industry sources predicted that producers, several of whom work short of capacity, will be able to raise output by 20 percent once the quotas are removed. - Exports 'difficult' - "Europe, which is today a net importer, will become a net exporter," predicted Gerard Benedetti, the communications director for French sugar heavyweight Tereos. Story continues He estimated that European sugar production will increase to 18 million tonnes or 19 million tonnes a year, above the 16 million tonnes estimate from Claudiu Covrig, an analyst with Kingsman-Platts S&P Global. Covrig is also skeptical about prospects for EU firms to conquer new markets in North Africa and the Middle East. "It will be very difficult for them to be competitive," Covrig said pointing out that Iraq and Algeria have built their own refineries in the last few years. Hungary is meanwhile interested in meeting possible rising demand inside the bloc once the quotas are lifted on the sweetener isoglucose, known as high fructose corn syrup in north America, according to a commission source. In Italy, however, some producers have expressed fears they will not survive the transition to the free market, the source said. FRANKFURT/BERLIN (Reuters) - Thrusters intended to slow a European lander as it neared Mars on Wednesday fired for less time than expected before contact with the vehicle was lost, leaving scientists uncertain whether it touched down safely or broke apart. The Schiaparelli probe, part of a broader mission to search for evidence of life on the Red Planet, was to test technologies during the descent and on the surface for a rover scientists hope to send to Mars in 2020. Its descent marked only the second European attempt to land a craft on Mars, but it has shown no signs of life since it stopped transmitting around 50 seconds before Wednesday's planned touchdown. "We've had two overflights (by Mars orbiters) and there was no signal," the European Space Agency's (ESA) Spacecraft Operations Manager Andrea Accomazzo told journalists on Thursday. The disc-shaped 577-kg (1,272 lb) Schiaparelli is part of the Russian-European ExoMars programme that is seeking signs of life. The primary part of the mission this year, bringing the Schiaparelli lander's mothership into orbit around Mars, was meanwhile a success. That craft, called Trace Gas Orbiter, will use an atmospheric probe to sniff out methane and other gases around Mars linked to organic life. It will also act as a data relay station for the rover, which is due to follow in 2020. Landing on Mars, Earth's neighbour and at its closest some 35 million miles (56 million km) away, is a notoriously difficult task that has thwarted most Russian efforts and given NASA trouble as well. The U.S. space agency had a setback of its own on Wednesday. Its Juno spacecraft lost its main computer and science instruments shortly before it was due to make an orbital pass near Jupiter, scuttling highly anticipated close-up observations of the largest planet in the solar system. LAST FEW SECONDS Schiaparelli is supposed to test new technologies for a rover that will be the first with the ability to both move across the surface of Mars and drill into the ground to collect and analyse samples. Story continues Scientists said they had received data from the lander covering its entry into the Martian atmosphere and the deployment of its heat shield and parachute, which were designed to slow it from a speed of 21,000 km per hour. But its thrusters appeared to have fired for only a few seconds, much shorter than expected, and scientists are not sure how far off the ground Schiaparelli was when they shut off. "We need to understand what happened in the last few seconds before the planned landing," said David Parker, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Robotic Exploration. Scientists will analyse all the data received so far, and also still hope to re-establish contact with the lander before its batteries run out in a few days. Britain's Beagle 2 never made contact after being sent down by the Mars Express spacecraft in 2003 and failing to deploy its solar panels on landing. Mars's hostile environment has not detracted from its allure, with U.S. President Barack Obama recently highlighting his pledge to send people to the surface by the 2030s. Entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX is developing a massive rocket and capsule to transport large numbers of people and cargo to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonising the planet. ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, who is set to become the first German commander of the International Space Station in 2018, said the ExoMars mission would provide important clues on what conditions the first humans travelling to Mars would face. "Eventually, though, we will need to go there ourselves as scientists to find out what is there," he told Reuters TV late on Wednesday. (Reporting by Maria Sheahan and Victoria Bryan) (ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets) * Shares in engineers GEA, Keller, Senior all slump * But airline stocks rise as Lufthansa hikes guidance * STOXX 600 down around 6 pct since start of 2016 By Sudip Kar-Gupta LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - European shares slipped back on Thursday as a clutch of profit warnings from companies throughout the region took their toll on the market. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down by 0.1 percent, and is down around 6 percent since the start of 2016. "Europe is a really slow-moving stock market at the moment. It does not look that attractive to me. There is too much economic uncertainty in Europe," said Andreas Clenow, chief investment officer at Zurich-based ACIES Asset Management. Shares in German engineering company GEA tumbled by around 20 percent after the firm slashed its profit guidance for this year. Shares in British engineering company Keller and engineering solutions company Senior also dived after both companies issued profit warnings. Shares in Swiss food group Nestle dipped after Nestle cut its sales outlook. However, Lufthansa jumped 8 percent after raising its profit guidance, lifting the shares of other airlines such as Air France KLM. Sharon Bentley-Hamlyn, director at Aubrey Capital Management, said European stocks were currently facing headwinds from a combination of lower earnings and rising bond yields. Euro zone bond yields edged up on Thursday before the European Central Bank's (ECB) latest monthly meeting. The expectation is that ECB President Mario Draghi will reconfirm his commitment to stimulus measures and possibly drop hints on potential changes to the terms of the central bank's asset-purchase programme to alleviate a shortage of bonds it can buy. "We note that in the last 18 months or so, trailing-12-month EPS (earnings per share) have actually been declining in Europe while price earnings ratios have expanded, driven by falling bond yields," said Bentley-Hamlyn. "The problem is, if bond yields go up, this threatens equity valuations, particularly long duration assets and bond proxies like utilities, property, consumer staples and telecoms," she added. (Editing by Hugh Lawson) By Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders condemned Russia on Thursday for its bombing of civilians in Syria's besieged city of Aleppo and Britain, France and Germany backed a push to consider sanctions against Moscow if the atrocities continue. Arriving in Brussels after late-night talks on Wednesday in Berlin with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande said he was seeking maximum diplomatic pressure on Russia to prolong a cessation of bombings in Aleppo that have targeted hospitals and civilians. "All the options are open as long as the truce is not respected and as long as there is a will to crush a city," Hollande said of Aleppo, where some 275,000 people are trapped and hundreds of people have been killed since a ceasefire agreed by Moscow and Washington broke down. Russia has told the United Nations it will stop bombing eastern Aleppo for 11 hours a day for four days, an announcement that EU officials speculated was timed to coincide with the EU summit in Brussels and as momentum was building to impose more crippling sanctions on the Kremlin. EU leaders were initially reluctant to put more Russians under travel bans and asset freezes as part of European efforts to force Moscow to consider a peace settlement for Syria, the main source of migrants fleeing war and heading to Europe. But Britain and France continued to push for the option, and a senior EU lawmaker close to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, David McAllister, told Reuters that while the EU had limited leverage over Russia "we can still impose new sanctions or increase existing sanctions." A draft of the leaders' final statement condemned Russia's role in the conflict and threatened new sanctions. "The European Council strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo," the draft conclusions, seen by Reuters, read. "Those responsible for breaches of international humanitarian law and human rights law must be held accountable. The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue." The wording, which explicitly does not name Russia in the threat of more punitive measures, was designed to secure the backing of Moscow's allies in Europe, including Cyprus, Hungary, Italy and Greece, according to diplomats. "It will be uncomfortable for the countries that are most friendly with the Russians," said a French diplomat. In a sign of the European anger at the Russian-backed campaign, Merkel denounced the air strikes on Aleppo as "completely inhuman." RUSSIAN WARSHIPS As the EU met to discuss their options over dinner, a fleet of Russian warships carrying fighter bombers made its way along Europe's western coast towards Syria. It is a naval operation that NATO believes is likely to intensify the assault on Aleppo, despite the Russian ceasefire pledge. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he was seriously concerned about the fleet, which includes Russia's only aircraft carrier. "This may be used to increase attacks on Aleppo ... to increase human suffering," Stoltenberg told reporters. The four-way meeting in Berlin on Wednesday night, which also included Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, was focused on ending the violence in eastern Ukraine. Later Merkel, Hollande and Putin had a discussion on Syria which lasted a little over an hour. Separately, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters in Brussels that he was not optimistic of reaching a deal over a partnership agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, which was rejected by Dutch voters in a referendum in April. Western efforts to pull the former Soviet nation out of Moscow's grasp with the free-trade deal have been complicated by the Dutch vote. "A solution here would need a majority in the Dutch parliament," he said. (This story corrects paragraph 18 to show Rutte was speaking in Brussels) (Additional reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek, Francesco Guarascio, Noah Barkin, Alastair Macdonald, Philip Bleninsop) Brussels (AFP) - The EU said it still hoped to clinch a high-stakes trade deal with Canada as negotiators worked into Friday morning in a bid to win over reluctant regional Belgian leaders. European Union leaders warned that the 28-nation bloc would be incapable of negotiating new trade deals if Belgium is unable to approve the accord with Canada by Friday and provide the unanimous support needed. "I'm insisting we need this trade arrangement with Canada. It is the best one we have ever concluded," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker told a press conference after an EU summit that he had broken off from in order to consult with the parties. Juncker underscored points made earlier by European Council President Donald Tusk, the summit host, who said it "could be our last free trade agreement, if we are not able to convince people that we negotiate to protect their interests." But Juncker added: "I'm still hopeful we will come to a good result in the course of tonight and tomorrow." The head of the French-speaking Belgian region of Wallonia Paul Magnette had yet to seal the deal on the EU-Canada trade accord known as CETA after asking that its signing next week with Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau be delayed indefinitely. Negotiations were ongoing however with Magnette mulling the latest proposals by the European Commission, the EU's executive, in his offices in Namur, 70 km (40 miles) southeast of Brussels. The parliament of the region of Wallonia last week voted to block CETA, meaning that Belgium legally cannot sign up to the pact, leaving the deal in limbo after seven years of negotiations. Magnette, the outspoken head of government of Wallonia, says differences remain too wide on a contested investor protection system that has become a hot-button issue for the anti-free trade movement. EU leaders fear that if CETA were to fail, it would send a signal to the world that it is difficult if not impossible to reach trade deals with Europe. Story continues - 'So important' - The struggle to close the deal is also a worry for Britain, with many seeing CETA as a potential model for EU ties with the UK after Brexit. The Canada deal is opposed by a wide array of groups, who say it is a test model to push through an even more controversial EU-US trade deal called TTIP, still in negotiation. Activists believe both deals threaten EU environmental and consumer protection standards, and offer unfair benefits to multinationals. Tusk stressed that the problem was far bigger than just the Canada agreement, with the leaders also set to discuss on Friday rising anger against the negative effects of global free trade that has fed the rise of populists, such as Donald Trump in the US. "That is why we need effective tools to protect ourselves against unfair trade practices and why the discussions on trade defence instruments are so important today," he added. The leaders were due to consider a proposal by the European Commission, the bloc's executive, that would ensure EU companies, most notably steelmakers, win stricter levels of protection against Chinese price dumping and illegal subsidies. These extra defences are key as China in December is widely expected to receive the official World Trade Organization designation of Market Economy Status (MES), meaning that its partners will have to treat the communist-ruled country as a free market equal when it comes to settling trade disputes. Within the EU, the proposals are firmly rejected by free-trade purists such as Britain, Sweden and the Netherlands that fear an unstoppable move towards protectionism. But steelmakers are especially keen for the changes after being battered by a collapse in prices due to China-led oversupply and a wave of cheap imports. Even Ringling Bros. tweeted about the political circus known as the third and final presidential debate. Politicians, influencers and political commentators took to social media to chime in on the last presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton . The debate in Las Vegas was moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace. Before the debate even began, the Ringling Bros. tweeted to Fox News to keep the circus out. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted she was hanging out with Obama's half brother Malik Obama before the debate. The founder of Huffington Post Arianna Huffington tweeted about "bad hombres" being mentioned. The Merriam-Webster dictionary tweeted the difference between "hombre" and "ombre." When the 2nd Amendment was mentioned, the National Rifle Association of America tweeted that Clinton is lying. Regarding Russia, the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul tweeted that Trump knows nothing about nuclear policy. When asked about the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), Trump said "It is one of the worst deals ever." Former Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan tweeted charts to debunk Trump's statement. The Libertarian presidental candidate Gary Johnson tweeted that Clinton did not do anything about immigration when she was in government. GoogleTrends tweeted about "Bigly" being the top trending search on Google. Story continues Moderator Chris Wallace received praise from National Diversity Coalition for Trump board member Wayne Dupree. Conservative political commentator Glenn Beck said Trump does not know about partial birth abortion. Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin tweeted that Trump used to support "late-term abortions." Actor Josh Gad tweeted about Saturday Night Live's upcoming show. Comedian Chelsea Handler tweeted a poll after Trump mentioned "bad hombre" and "nasty woman." Host of NPR's On Point Tom Ashbrook tweeted during the debate George H.W. Bush's handoff note to Bill Clinton from 1993. The Republican president wrote "Your success now is our country's success. I am rooting hard for you." When Trump declined to "absolutely accept" the results of the election, Ronald Reagan's son Michael Reagan tweeted that anyone who does not accept the results of the election should not serve. After the debate, Trump tweeted that he made all of his points. Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Kaine tweeted that he was proud to be Clinton's running mate. Republican Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence tweeted they will repeal and replace Obamacare. There are 20 days left in the 2016 presidential elections. More From CNBC Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon's powerful ex-premier Saad Hariri is expected to endorse Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun for president, a post that has been vacant for almost 30 months, a senior politician said Wednesday. Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the mandate of Michel Sleiman expired, amid deep rivalries among Christian and Muslim politicians exacerbated by the conflict in Syria. Since then parliament, which has twice extended its mandate, has met on 45 occasions to elect a president but deep rivalries and disagreements saw most deputies boycott the sessions. The assembly is due to convene next week for the 46th time amid high expectations that a president will be elected and that the job will go to Aoun, a Maronite Christian and former army commander. "Since Hariri has decided to endorse him, and save any last minute change, Michel Aoun will be elected by parliament on October 31," said the senior politician, who declined to be named. Hariri, a Sunni Muslim former prime minister whose party belongs to a Western- and Saudi-backed political bloc, had fiercely opposed Aoun's candidacy. Aoun is allied with the Shiite movement Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and which has dispatched fighters to neighbouring Syria to bolster the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. On Wednesday Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to Hezbollah, said that Hariri had informed his political bloc and his allies of his decision to endorse Aoun. "All that's left is to officially announce it," added Al-Akhbar. Aged 81, the ex-general Aoun is a controversial figure. He served as head of the armed forces and briefly as prime minister during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war and was then a staunch opponent of Syrian military presence in Lebanon. But he shocked many by brokering an alliance with Hezbollah in 2006, a year after his return home from exile in France and after Syria pulled its troops from Lebanon. Story continues According to a source close to Hariri, the ex-prime minister struck a deal with Aoun to endorse him in exchange for his return as premier. Lebanon's president is elected by parliament, and the post is always reserved for a Maronite Christian under a power-sharing agreement. The post of prime minister is reserved for a Sunni Muslim, while the speaker of the parliament is a Shiite Muslim. Tokyo (AFP) - At 83 Miyo Maki had never manicured her nails, thickened and deformed due to leprosy, a disease she was diagnosed with when she was just 10 years old. But on Wednesday, as she marked her birthday, the former leprosy patient proudly displayed her shiny artificial nails, applied by a manicurist, ahead of a catwalk appearance at the ongoing Tokyo Fashion Week. Later that day, she walked down the runway, wearing a white lace dress and basking in the limelight long denied to her and other leprosy patients because of an overwhelming stigma against the disease. "Ah, it was amazing," she said after the show, clutching a bouquet of flowers against her chest. "I turned 83 today. This is the best birthday I've ever had. "I think this show represents a step forward in the history of leprosy," she said. Like thousands of other former patients relegated to leper colonies in Japan, Maki lived a cloistered life, battling stigma despite being cured. Leprosy has long been a curable disease after a medicine called Promin was introduced as a successful treatment in the 1940s. Although leprosy has been almost eradicated globally, the disease still affects 200,000 people a year. Former lepers continue to face discrimination due to the mistaken belief that the disease remains contagious even after patients are cured. The visible aftereffects of the disease, which can leave the face and limbs deformed, have also made it difficult to eradicate the prejudice. - Forced seclusion - At Tokyo Fashion Week, Maki appeared in a show by designer Takafumi Tsuruta under the banner of his "tenbo" brand, that sought to portray the indignities suffered by lepers. Men dressed as officers -- one wearing a jacket printed with the words, "No Leprosy" -- swooped in to take away a model who was playing the role of a leper. Tsuruta's runway presentations regularly feature a diverse line-up, and Wednesday's show was no exception, using models who were blind, in a wheelchair, or transgender, in addition to former patient Maki. Story continues "Fashion is a tool to send messages in a harmless, approachable way," Tsuruta said after the show. "Leprosy has been a universal issue, feared in the world for thousands of years. "Even though it is now a curable disease, people still suffer from stigma and discrimination," he added. In Japan, patients were pushed into seclusion and many were forced into abortions or infanticide because of policies that forbade them from having children. A 2005 official probe found formalin-treated samples of 114 fetuses or babies at six state-run sanatoriums. Japan only ended its policy of forced seclusions in 1996, 89 years after it was put into place. The national parliament issued an apology and offered compensation to patients in 2001. The "tenbo" show featured a tribute to the babies who were terminated at the hands of sanatorium officials. At one point during the presentation, Maki and other models sang a Japanese folk song about remembering home. The experience brought back painful memories of Maki's early years at the Zenshoen sanatorium in western Tokyo, where she still lives. She said she would venture out and climb up a hill to look over in the direction of home, where she was not allowed to return. "On this runway... she is not just modelling but also fighting the stigma by taking each step," Tsuruta said. Following The Void in the United States and Zero Latency in South Australia, a company based in Puchong, Malaysia is about to bring the world a new reality First ever Virtual Reality theme park in Malaysia. EXA Global a wholly owned subsidiary of Havson Group Berhad is working towards bringing immersive virtual reality gaming PUCHONG, MALAYSIA / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Following The Void in the United States and Zero Latency in South Australia, a company based in Puchong, Malaysia is about to bring the world a new reality First ever Virtual Reality theme park in Malaysia. EXA Global a wholly owned subsidiary of Havson Group Berhad is working towards bringing immersive virtual reality gaming experience to Southeast Asia. The company which has a licensing model for retailers, malls, cinemas and theme park operators has recently announced their upcoming plan to open the country's first virtual reality attraction that will commence early next year. The gaming experience in EXA is completely jaw-dropping. Players are put in an essentially empty room, wearing headset and carrying gaming equipment, and before they knew it, they are fighting critters, scurrying through an unknown environment , handling incoming attacks, assist and interact with each other, and completing goals. Best of all, the equipments are untethered, movements are not restricted, hence giving a "free roaming" immersive experience to the players. To be a frontier at VR, pioneering hardware and facility research in-house is unavoidable. EXA's hardware research is provided by their wholly owned subsidiary, Dutajaya Media (DJM), an ASEAN leading VR tech company and the first VR R&D center in Malaysia. Another notable sister company is Mediasoft, responsible for the VR gaming content in EXA Global. Founded in 2012, Mediasoft has grown to be the no.1 game company in Malaysia with more than 50 original titles. Mediasoft along with Tomotech, their Singapore-based arm that develops PS4 games, have developed and published successful games including JumpSmash and Rollspike series which have combined 10 million downloads worldwide. Story continues Recently, Havson Group as a Malaysian representative, won Create@Alibaba Cloud's Start-up Contest (CACSC), rising above 12 selected startups from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia as the Champion. The event is the first ever global entrepreneur contest organized by Alibaba Cloud in partnership with Infocomm Investments, held earlier on 26th of August this year. "To pioneer an industry is not a trivial feat. Havson is composed of very experienced leaderships in gaming, theme park management and hardware research," said Daniel Tan, CEO at Next Unicorn Ventures who has lead the venture firm to invest in the company's seed round, "The beta version I tested at the facility makes me talk about them all the time, I believe we have a winner." The company has thus far raised 3 seed rounds and plans to raise Series A soon. For more information, please visit http://havsongroup.com/ or contact us. by Vivian Foo, Unicorn Media. SOURCE: EXA Global By Yara Bayoumy and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran has stepped up weapons transfers to the Houthis, the militia fighting the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, U.S., Western and Iranian officials tell Reuters, a development that threatens to prolong and intensify the 19-month-old war. The increased pace of transfers in recent months, which officials said include missiles and small arms, could exacerbate a security headache for the United States, which last week struck Houthi targets with cruise missiles in retaliation for failed missile attacks on a U.S. Navy destroyer. Much of the recent smuggling activity has been through Oman, which neighbors Yemen, including via overland routes that take advantage of porous borders between the two countries, the officials said. That raises a further quandary for Washington, which views the tiny Gulf state as a strategic interlocutor and ally in the conflict-ridden region. A senior U.S. administration official said that Washington had informed Oman of its concerns, without specifying when. "We have been concerned about the recent flow of weapons from Iran into Yemen and have conveyed those concerns to those who maintain relations with the Houthis, including the Omani government," the official told Reuters. Oman denies any weapons smuggling across its border, and its officials could not be reached for comment. Yemeni and senior regional officials say the Omanis are not actively involved with the transfers, but rather turning a blind eye and failing to aggressively crack down on the flow. (Graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/2dNo0nL) In an interview with Saudi newspaper Okaz last week, Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alwi said: "There is no truth to this. No weapons have crossed our border and we are ready to clarify any suspicions if they arise." The Iran-allied Houthis gained a trove of weapons when whole divisions allied to former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh sided with them at the start of the war last year. But Saudi Arabia and Yemens exiled government say they also receive substantial amounts of weapons and ammunition from Iran. Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons. Some Western officials have been more skeptical of the view that the Houthis are receiving large-scale support from Iran. The U.S. and Western officials who spoke to Reuters about the recent trend in arms transfers said it was based on intelligence they had seen but did not elaborate on its nature. They said the frequency of transfers on known overland smuggling routes had increased notably, though the scale of the shipments was unclear. Even U.S. officials warning of Iran's support for the Houthis acknowledge intelligence gaps in Yemen, where the U.S. posture has been sharply reduced since the start of the conflict. The sources all declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. "We are aware of a recent increased frequency of weapons shipments supplied by Iran, which are reaching the Houthis via the Omani border," a Western diplomat familiar with the conflict told Reuters. Three U.S. officials confirmed that assertion. One of those officials, who is familiar with Yemen, said that in the past few months there had been a noticeable increase in weapons-smuggling activity. "What they're bringing in via Oman are anti-ship missiles, explosives..., money and personnel," the official said. Another regional security source said the transfers included surface-to-surface short-range missiles and small arms. A senior Iranian diplomat confirmed there had been a "sharp surge in Iran's help to the Houthis in Yemen" since May, referring to weapons, training and money. "The nuclear deal gave Iran an upper hand in its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, but it needs to be preserved," the diplomat said. Washington's Gulf allies have warned that U.S. President Barack Obama's rapprochement with Tehran through the landmark nuclear deal signed last year will only embolden Iran in conflicts in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere. U.S. LOOKING INTO MISSILE ORIGIN The increase in transfers comes as the civil war drags on and threatens to pull the United States deeper into a conflict that has killed 10,000 people and which pits two regional powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, against each other. A U.N.-brokered 72-hour ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday. Since the beginning of the war, the Houthis have used short-range Scud missiles, and the United Nations says they have also used surface-to-air missiles, improvised to operate as surface-to-surface rockets against Saudi Arabia. But a suspected Houthi missile attack against a United Arab Emirates vessel in a strategic Red Sea shipping lane this month, as well as the attempted strikes against the U.S. warship, raise worries about the rebels' capability to launch bolder attacks. The Houthis have denied attacking the USS Mason. Two officials said the United States was looking into whether components of the missiles, including the warhead, might have benefited from Iranian parts or come from Iran but acknowledged the assessment was so far inconclusive. General Joseph Votel, the commander of the U.S. military's Central Command, said he suspected an Iranian role in arming the Houthis and noted that Iran was one of the possible suppliers of the kinds of shore-based missile technology seen in Yemen. "I do think Iran is playing a role in some of this. They do have a relationship with the Houthis," he told a forum in Washington. A senior Western diplomat told Reuters that Iran's role in helping the Houthis had increased substantially since March 2015, when the Saudis intervened to restore President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to office. The diplomat said there was concern Oman had not tackled Iranian smuggling as strongly as it should have done. "In my mind, the level of Iranian arms smuggling probably doesnt get the attention it deserves. Washington has generally shied away from being too publicly critical of Muscat, especially as it played a historic role in brokering the nuclear deal. A senior Yemeni official told Reuters there had been an increase in smuggled weapons reaching the Houthis via Oman but could not say definitively whether the weapons were Iranian. Yemen's army chief of staff, Mohammed al-Maqdishi, said in a recent interview on state television that Oman should be a lot stricter on smuggling. We are now in the process of heavily guarding the border points more and more." A senior Yemeni military source told Reuters that one of the smuggling routes is through Shehen, a sort of no-mans land and entry point in Mahra province along the 288-km (179-mile) long Yemeni-Omani border. Although formally under government control, the region is a well known haven for smuggling and central authority is weak. In addition to smuggling via secondary ports along Yemens coastline, the source said the frequency had also increased because Iran feels the Houthis are in a difficult situation and want to show them theyre with them till the end. (Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball and Warren Strobel in Washington and Fatma al-Arimi in Muscat; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; editing by Stuart Grudgings.) Zach Galifianakis' character gets a taste of the spy life in his new comedy, Keeping Up With the Joneses, and it turns out, that's not the first time the actor has found himself undercover. "I got hired in New York to spy on someone once," Galifianakis told ET while promoting Keeping Up With the Joneses with co-star Jon Hamm. "This private investigator had hired me to go into a gay bar and hit on a guy whose wife thought he was cheating on her with other men." WATCH: Hillary Clinton Makes Hilarious Appearance on 'Between Two Ferns' With Zach Galifianakis The comedian admitted to feeling "guilty about it afterwards," and to top it off, he failed the mission. "The guy was just not interested in me whatsoever," he said with a laugh. "Well, I'd explain why I said no," Hamm joked. "That's how Jon and I met," Galifianakis quipped. WATCH: Zach Galifianakis Says Donald Trump Has 'Mind of an 11-Year-Old,' Doesn't Want Him on 'Between Two Ferns' In the movie, Galifianakis and Isla Fisher play a suburban couple who become embroiled in an international espionage plot when they discover that their seemingly perfect new neighbors (Hamm and Gal Gadot) are spies. The upcoming comedy is filled with laughs and action, but there's one thing you won't see. "Zach and I had a really tasteful lingerie scene that got cut out of the film," Hamm said. "Two thongs don't make a right," Galifianakis kidded. Keeping Up With the Joneses opens Oct. 21. Related Articles Washington (AFP) - The offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State jihadists has so far progressed faster than planners anticipated, but military experts fear the fighting could get tougher as US-backed Iraqi forces enter the city. Here is an overview of some factors determining the size and length of the battle. - Will IS defend Mosul at any cost? - Jihadists in Mosul are expected to put up a fierce fight. The city is the supposed capital of their self-declared "caliphate," and IS has had more than two years to solidify defenses. Additionally, many of the estimated 3,500 to 5,000 jihadists are foreign. They have few options but to fight to the end, and blending into a fleeing population is difficult. Still, their behavior is hard to predict. "I don't know why they'd defend until the end land that is not theirs," one coalition official said. At the end of 2015, an offensive to retake Ramadi from IS lasted months, and the city was largely destroyed by coalition bombing and fighting. But in Fallujah, a Sunni stronghold west of Baghdad that Iraqi forces recaptured earlier this year, IS resistance was lighter than expected. And in other cities, such as Dabiq in Syria last week, IS offered little resistance. - What are the strengths of IS? - Iraqi forces expect snipers, countless mines and booby traps, and sneak attacks from jihadists hiding in a network of tunnels. The jihadists might use "indirect fire" such as mortar rounds, but such weapons leave a tell-tale heat signature so could immediately be struck by coalition air assets. Perhaps the deadliest weapon IS has at its disposal is a ready supply of fighters willing to die for their cause. The group has already sent several suicide car bombers racing towards advancing Kurdish forces. "You can expect every imaginable place will be booby-trapped and mined, and that suicide attackers and counter-attackers with suicide vehicles will be a common part of their plans for defending Mosul," said David Barno, a retired general who once led the US war effort in Afghanistan. Story continues In an attempt to cover their movements around Mosul, the jihadists are igniting pits filled with oil and tires to make clouds of thick smoke. US officials say the smoke has had no adverse tactical effect on operations. One important advantage for IS: The hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the city, who together form a massive human shield making it harder for the US-led coalition to conduct drone and plane strikes. "The US is going to be very discriminate in using air power," said Barno, now based at American University. "It won't look anything like Aleppo and what the Russians and Syrian air force has done there." IS fighters could exploit civilian deaths for propaganda purposes and stoke anti-government sentiment among the Sunni-majority population. Finally, IS has been developing chemical weapons. Western officials however say these are rudimentary, and pose more of a psychological threat than anything. - How strong are the Iraqi and coalition forces? - The Iraqis have overwhelming tactical advantages in terms of troop numbers and equipment. They also have continual air and intelligence support from the US-backed coalition. So far, at least 30,000 Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces are involved in the battle, with tens of thousands more ready to follow into them into Mosul. By contrast, IS has only between 3,500 and 5,000 fighters left in the city, according to the latest estimates. Though the Iraqi army largely collapsed in the face of the IS advance in 2014, the coalition has since trained each soldier going into Mosul, and a string of victories across the country has given the troops new and growing confidence. Their training has incorporated lessons learned from previous victories over IS in Iraq, including in Fallujah and Ramadi. Iraqi special operations forces have also proven themselves in previous battles. The Iraqis' biggest advantage, however, is coalition air support. Troops on the ground have access to live video streams from drones showing what is happening in the city, and are able to work with coalition forces to call in air strikes at a moment's notice. The Pentagon also expects some residents to take up arms against their IS captors as Iraqi troops close in. - Coalition strengths - Besides air strikes, the coalition is helping coordinate troop movements on the ground and logistics. Coalition troops will provide "help synchronizing the multiple units involved in the attack so as to achieve sufficient unity of effort and coherency of action," said Jim Dubik, a former general and professor at Georgetown University. The Americans also have more than 100 military advisers working close to the front lines, helping Iraqis call in air strikes. The coalition is ready to use Apache attack helicopters and precision-rocket launchers. Additionally, Pentagon cyber warriors are working to spy on the jihadists and disrupt their computer networks. Facebook says it accidentally removed a video about breast cancer awareness posted by the Swedish Cancer Society this week. Were very sorry, our team processes millions of advertising images each week, and in some instances we incorrectly prohibit ads. This image does not violate our ad policies. We apologize for the error and have let the advertiser know we are approving their ads, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. Swedens Cancerfonden said earlier Thursday it was disappointed that the social network deemed its video, which featured images of animated women with circle-shaped breasts, offensive. Cancerfonden told TIME it received a message saying their ad violated Facebooks Advertising Policies. Your ad can not market sex products or services nor adults products or services, the message said, according to Cancerfonden. The cancer group said it tried to contact Facebook to appeal the decision to remove its video, but had not heard back from the company. While the organization was waiting to hear back from Facebook, it posted an open letter to Facebook on Thursday that included an image of two pink squares meant to represent breasts. We understand that you have to have rules about the content published on your platform. But you also must understand that one of our main tasks is to disseminate important information about cancer in this case breast cancer, the letter said. The group added that its pink squares can not possibly offend you, or anyone. Now we can continue to spread our important breast school without upsetting you. Once Facebook realized its mistake, it approved the video ads. Facebook came under fire last month when it removed the iconic photo of a young girl running from napalm bombs during the Vietnam War. Although the social network initially defended its decision, it later re-published the photo, saying the history and global importance of the image outweighed other considerations. Source: Reuters To say Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TWTR) have exerted more influence this election than ever before is a truismthe companies are young, and social media appears to be growing indefinitely. Whats more, without the technology advanced by Facebook and Twitter, Donald Trump may have never even stood a chance at winning the presidency. But probably not for the obvious reasons youd think. Sure, record-high user accounts and the fact that one candidate did the majority of his campaigning on Twitter stick out as big changes since the last election. But those changes pale in comparison to the paradigm shift social media companies have spearheaded: a total immersion in video. Mark Zuckerberg made Trump look like he made sense Four years have passed since the last presidential election, and in that time Facebook and Twitter have prioritized video to an astonishing degree, morphing the sites from a YouTube link repository to video hosts in their own right. And all those videos autoplay. For politicians, this has proved indispensable as a convenient vector to get out the message in their own words, straight from the horses mouth to the people, which can make all the difference. In politics, words themselves will only get you so farcharisma, bluster, tone, and various other means of nonverbal communication get you the rest of the way there. But only if you see and hear them. Before the very first debate was aired over the radio in 1948, the people only ever got to read the choice quotes and transcripts, stripping away any artifice that wasnt in the text itself. Technology demoted textual substance once again when Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy faced off in 1960, a debate that was famously called for Kennedy by those who watched the telecast, but for Nixon for those who only heard the radio. Since 1960, access of politicians speaking their own words in video, as they intended them, has increased thanks to the rise of cable news, on-demand video, universal computer and phone adoption, and online video platforms. And now, thanks to Facebook and Twitter, the public receives video-it-didnt-demand, auto-played through feeds and at the top of articles. Story continues For some politicians, increased video exposure hurts, as a less-than-impressive orator with good speechwriters and ideas does not benefit from a model that weights performance. But for someone born for the stage, it can make all the differenceespecially if they want to mask the deficiencies in what theyre saying. An improvising Donald Trump is incoherent in written form The incoherence of Trumps naked words do not make news anymoreunless he coins a new phrase, like whatever the cyber is. After the first debate, The Verge released a transcript of some of Trumps comments regarding what one can only assume to be cybersecurity, ostensibly to illustrate how unintelligible what he said actually was. A sample: You dont know who broke into DNC, but what did we learn? We learn that Bernie Sanders was taken advantage of by your people. By Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Look what happened to her. But Bernie Sanders was taken advantage of. Now, whether that was Russia, whether that was China, whether it was another country, we dont know, because the truth is, under President Obama weve lost control of things that we used to have control over. We came in with an internet, we came up with the internet. And take this example from the last nights final presidential debate, which caused Zack Beauchamp of Vox to write, Read this Trump debate answer and tell me if you can make sense of it. It has been generously broken into paragraphs: Well, Aleppo is a disaster. Its a humanitarian nightmare. But it has fallen from any standpoint. I mean, what do you need, a signed document? Take a look at Aleppo. It is so sad when you see whats happened. And a lot of this is because of Hillary Clinton. Because what has happened is by fighting Assad, who turned out to be a lot tougher than she thought, and now she is going to say, Oh, he loves Assad. Hes just much tougher and much smarter than her and Obama. And everyone thought he was gone two years ago, three years ago. He aligned with Russia. He now also aligned with Iran, who we made very powerful. We gave them $150 billion back. We give them $1.7 billion in cash. I mean cash, bundles of cash as big as this stage. We gave them $1.7 billion. Now they have aligned, he has aligned with Russia and with Iran. They dont want ISIS. But they have other things because were backing, were backing rebels. We dont know who the rebels are. Were giving them lots of money, lots of everything. We dont know who the rebels are. And when and if, and its not going to happen because you have Russia and you have Iran now. But if they ever did overthrow Assad, you might end up as bad as Assad is, and he is a bad guy. At best, this is incredibly scattered in written formeven with the generous paragraph breaks. At worst, its utterly incoherent. As CNBCs Daniel Libit put it, Trump is a transcriptionists worst nightmare: severely unintelligible, noting that the unscripted speaking style, with its spasmodic, self-interrupting sentence structure has increasingly come to overwhelm the human brains and tape recorders attempting to quote him. But thanks to the collective social media reach of CNN, MSNBC, HuffPo, Fox, and countless other media, political, and individual uploaders constantly flooding the zone with Trump, the need to quote him in print form is devalued. And when it is printed, Trumps voice is in our recent memory to play in our head. In its thirst for publishing video, the platforms of Facebook and Twitter have let Trump bypass the media and go directly to the people. Linguist: Trump speaks like Gertrude Stein wrote Alive, out of his mouth, Trumps word-salad does have an effect on people, if the ratings and consistent public fascination have anything to say about it. The same shiny, golden artifice he uses with his buildings combine with the bluster and performance of his reality TV career to mask the grotesque lines he improvises. In a blog post last August, University of Pennsylvania linguist Mark Liberman noted the dichotomy between Trump in transcript and Trump in video, pointing to false starts and long stream-of-consciousness parentheticals that are comprehensible and even eloquent in audio-visual form, but have apparent incoherence when transcribed. Both are effectively signaled in speaking by prosody along with gesture, posture, and gaze and therefore largely factored out by listeners. But in textual form, the cues are gone, and we lose the thread. The proper way to transcribe Trump, Liberman later wrote, was like Gertrude Stein. According to another linguist, Professor George Lakoff of UC Berkeley, Trump uses peoples brains against them not just with tactics like repetition, framing, and skilled deploying of sentence fragmentswhich people automatically finish in their heads. They commonly feel empathy and intimacy, an acceptance of what is being said, and good feeling toward the speaker, he wrote this summer. This is an unconscious, automatic reaction, especially when words are flying by quickly. On the phone, Lakoff elaborated on how Trumps words are tailored to his base. All he needs to do is mentions a topic, Lakoff said. When he mentions a topic, they know what hes going to say. Then he can comment on it and go on. While other politicians have spoken with dog-whistles and whatever the serious versions of inside-jokes are when in front of supporters, most change their manner when addressing a broader public. Not Trump. As Michiko Kakutani implied in a recent review of a Hitler biography, none of these tactics are particularly new. Professor Michael Silverstein, a linguist at the University of Chicago, sees acting in Trumps delivery style, in which almost everything seems like a slogan, uttered with a distincitvely non-public-speaking intonation and other voice dynamics. He frequently seems to be mouthing things in the voice and mirrored person of those he is trying to lead and influence. Think of a Shakespearean soliloquy in which the actor is in character, Silverstein wrote in an email. Rush Limbaugh does this to perfection, intercutting it with appeals directly to the audience, so perhaps there is precedent for Mr. Trumps style. None of this works when reading the same words. On the page, the effects of repetition, slogans, unfinished sentences, and acting dont quite work the same way, taking the shape much like the ramblings of the 1,259th comment on an article. If Trump had to make his case outside of video, in which he can be not only composer but performer of his words, he would have remained a sideshow in politics, alone with his birthers-in-arms. Its hard to say how far back youd have to go to yield different results with the same Republican primary field, with everything but technology held in constant. Perhaps without his rhetorical shortcomings so on display, Jeb Bush would have been the front-runner many had hoped for and expected had he ran in a print-only time. Or perhaps Marco Rubio would have thrived with 2008s ability to make the Little Marco exchanges reach billions in mere hours. Well never know. Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumerism, tech, and personal finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Read more: How does Amazons new Music Unlimited stack up to Spotify and Apple Music? Heres what FEMA told us about the Waffle House Index Googles new Pixel phone has a huge advantage over other Android phones How Elizabeth Warren used a new Congressional power to punish Wells Fargo DAVID CITY Nearly four years after KV Supply was purchased from its hometown founder, the company has been sold again. A public notice sent to The David City Banner-Press announced that TABcom LLC acquired KV Supply LLC from California-based NexGen Pharma, which came to town in January 2013. A letter to customers was posted on the door stating that the KV Supply retail store will be closing Friday. Further details about the operation of the KV complex were not included. TABcom LLC was described as "home of State Line Tack, 1800Petssupplies.com, Horse.com and Dog.com." We are excited about this acquisition as TABcom plans to keep the KV Supply brand alive and well for many years to come. However, were sorry to say that KV Supplys pharmacy operations in Nebraska will be closing, but plans are to reopen in Missouri in 2017," the notice read. The company also sent a legal notice to the newspaper explaining how customers need to ensure their prescriptions are not interrupted. Prescriptions unfilled or non-transferred under KVs control will be considered void after Oct. 31, and pet owners will need to get a new prescription, the notice stated. We ask in advance for your help and patience as we transfer your unfilled prescriptions as smoothly as possible. We appreciate your business and support of KV Supply LLC, the notice stated. The KV brand grew from the garage of Raymond Doc Metzner, who started the company in 1979, to a sprawling complex visited by 12 semitrailers a day as staff filled orders for shipment. In 2013, Nexgen Pharma, a family-owned company with facilities in California and Arizona, purchased the company with the big gold building along Nebraska 92 southeast of David City. The name was shortened from KV Vet Supply to KV Supply. The companys David City management couldn't be reached for comment about the sale and a representative from NexGen Pharma declined to comment. LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May will come under pressure from other European Union leaders on Thursday to say what kind of deal she wants for Britain when it leaves the bloc. May, attending her first EU summit since becoming prime minister in July, has so far given only glimpses of her vision for Britain's future relationship with the EU. Below is a summary of the most important issues in the negotiations which are due to start by March next year. SINGLE MARKET ACCESS British firms are likely to face barriers to the EU's single, tariff-free market of 500 million consumers because May has said she will heed the call from many voters for more controls over migration. Such controls would breach the EU's core principle of freedom of movement for workers in the bloc. Supporters of a "hard" Brexit say Germany and other EU nations are bluffing about putting tariffs on British goods and services because their own exporters have too much to lose. But employers are worried, especially in sectors which would could face the highest tariffs if there is no deal between London and Brussels. The EU's external tariffs on cars stands at 10 percent and Nissan - which exports to the bloc thousands of the vehicles it builds at Britain's biggest car plant - has demanded a guarantee of compensation for costs related to Brexit. MIGRATION About half the immigrants coming to Britain are from the EU. May wants to cut total net migration to below 100,000 a year from more than 300,000 now, something that would require tough controls. Most economists say migration has helped Britain's economy although wages for lower-paid workers have taken a small hit. May has ruled out the introduction of a points-based system modeled on the one used by Australia to select migrants, preferring a system that allows in the workers most needed by British employers. Since then, government ministers have said they want to ensure highly skilled workers can continue to move to Britain. But EU leaders are unlikely to turn a blind eye to any restrictions on free movement of workers from the bloc. They fear that any concession to Britain would lead other states to demand similar deals, ultimately unraveling the Union. FINANCIAL SERVICES Britain's financial services industry fears it could be one of the big losers from Brexit. Banks could lose their ability to offer services across the bloc from London, a system known as passporting. If they shift some of their operations to other EU states, it could hurt British tax revenues at a time when the country's public finances are still likely to be in the red. One battle could be over the ability of London to continue serving as the main center for the clearing of derivatives denominated in euros, something it has fought in the EU courts to protect but may be unable to defend once outside the bloc. BUDGET The pro-Brexit campaign before June's referendum argued that once outside the EU, Britain would no longer have to make contributions to the bloc's budget, which the UK Statistics Authority estimated at about 7 billion pounds a year. But Britain might still have to pay into the EU budget in order to maintain access for its financial services industry or other key sectors. Norway and Switzerland both pay into the EU budget to have preferential access to the EU market. CUSTOMS UNION VS TRADE DEALS Britain could seek to remain part of the EU's customs union once it is no longer a formal member of the bloc. The customs union includes non-EU Turkey, Andorra and San Marino who trade freely with the bloc and share its common external tariffs. But if Britain opted to stay in the customs union, it could complicate attempts to strike free trade deals with other countries around the world, a central argument of the Brexit campaign. British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Wednesday he was sensitive to the potential problems for British exporters, especially those involved in cross-border supply chains, should the country end up outside the customs union. MECHANICS OF NEGOTIATION May has said she will launch the formal, two-year process of negotiating Britain's exit from the EU before the end of March 2017 and London wants to use the interim period to sound out European counterparts and decide its priorities for the talks. So far, EU leaders have rebuffed attempts by Britain to talk informally about the outlines of a final deal, something that would help London settle on its Brexit strategy. After May triggers the exit process, the other 27 EU leaders will meet within a month or two to draft instructions for the European Commission for the negotiations. Those talks will be led on the EU side by Michel Barnier of France, who had tense relationship with London when he was the Commission's financial regulation chief from 2010 to 2014. Diplomats in Brussels say two years will probably be enough to deal with the basic divorce, including dividing up the EU budget, EU assets and tricky stuff like the substantial future liabilities for paying the pensions of British EU staff. But a new relationship, including trade ties, will probably take many more years, requiring some kind of transition agreement so that Britain is not left in limbo. Britain has an incentive to wrap up the deal within the two-year time-frame to appease voters and influential Euroskeptic lawmakers before a national election due in May 2020. The EU has a strong incentive to wrap up the final exit before the next European Parliament elections in 2019, normally in May. (Writing by William Schomberg; additional reporting by Alastair MacDonald in Brussels; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Ju-min Park and Eric Walsh SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea test-fired a missile that failed immediately after launch early on Thursday, the U.S. and South Korean militaries said, hours after the two countries agreed to step up efforts to counter the North's nuclear and missile threats. The missile was believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan and was launched from the western city of Kusong, where the isolated state attempted but failed to launch the same type of missile on Saturday, the U.S. Strategic Command and South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The launch came shortly after the United States and South Korea agreed in Washington to bolster military and diplomatic efforts to counter the North's nuclear and missile programs, which it is pursuing in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. "We strongly condemn the North's continued illegal acts of provocation," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Japan condemned the launch and said it would make a formal protest to the North through its embassy in Beijing. The failed missile launch was the eighth attempt in seven months by the North to launch a weapon with a design range of 3,000 km (1,800 miles) that can be fired from road mobile launchers, the two militaries said. North Korea has been pursuing its nuclear and missile programs at an unprecedented pace this year. In June, North Korea launched a Musudan missile that flew about 400 km (250 miles), more than half the distance to Japan, a flight that was considered a success by officials and experts in South Korea and the United States. North Korea said on Thursday that it would continue to launch satellites despite its rival South's objections, in a statement by its space agency carried by official media. TRUMP VS CLINTON Pyongyang says it has a sovereign right to pursue a space program by launching rockets carrying satellites, most recently in February, although Washington and Seoul worry that such launches are long-range missile tests in disguise. Impoverished North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy the South and its main ally, the United States. News of the North's latest ballistic missile launch broke during the third and last U.S. presidential debate in which Republican candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, exchanged sharply contrasting views on U.S. alliances. Trump said U.S. defense treaties around the world, including with South Korea, had to be renegotiated because "we're being ripped off by everybody in the world". Clinton said Trump wanted to tear up alliances that keep nuclear proliferation in check while she believed alliances make the world and the United States safer. "I will work with our allies in Asia, in Europe, in the Middle East and elsewhere," Clinton said. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking before the failed missile launch, said the United States would do "whatever is necessary" to defend itself, South Korea and other allies against North Korea. Kerry and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter reaffirmed that any attack by North Korea would be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons "met with an effective and overwhelming response," a joint statement said. As part of the military effort, Kerry said the United States would deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system to South Korea "as soon as possible". China strongly opposes deployment of the U.S. system, saying it would impinge on its own strategic deterrence. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, also speaking in Washington before the failed launch, said North Korea was nearing the "final stage of nuclear weaponization" and the allies would mobilize "all tools in the toolkit" to defend themselves. A U.S. aerospace expert, John Schilling, said this week in a report on the 38 North project that despite the failures, the pace of testing could enable the North to put the Musudan missile into operational service sometime next year. (Editing by Jack Kim and Nick Macfie) When Barack Obama took charge of the White House in 2009, one of the first things he did was issue executive orders that made good on his campaign pledge to curb the influence of Washington lobbyists on his administration. Although the number of registered lobbyists has dropped from 15,000 in 2007 to about 9,700 in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, President Obamas efforts to padlock the revolving door between K Street and government were largely unsuccessful. In an exhaustive investigative report in December 2015, Politico concluded with example after example, that at best, Obamas efforts were an incremental step toward cleaner government. Now there are signs that the fat times may be back for lobbyists if Hillary Clinton is elected. Related: FBI Documents Refer to Quid Pro Quo With State Department Over Clinton Emails On Monday, The Washington Post reported a surge in lobbyists bundling donations to the Clinton campaign -- $11 million between July and September vs. $2.7 million in the second quarter of 2016 and $1.8 million in the first, according to new Federal Election Commission filings. As a candidate in 2008, Obama had introduced rules that limited donations from lobbyists and political action committees to the presidential campaigns of Democratic candidates. Early this year, the Democratic National Committee rescinded those restrictions. No lobbyist bundling was reported by the Trump campaign during the same period, the Post said. (Bundlers are individuals who raise more than $17,600 the threshold set by the FEC from relatives, friends and co-workers.) Also on Monday, USA Today reported that about a dozen big corporations that made donations to the Clinton Foundation and may have sought to influence the State Department while Clinton was Secretary of State used lobbyists who have raised millions of dollars for her presidential campaign. USA Today identified at least four of the lobbyists as Hillblazers those who have raised at least $100,000 for the campaign. Story continues Among the corporations using the lobbyists who became major Clinton fundraisers were Microsoft, Pfizer and Exxon, USA Today said, citing data from the Center for Responsive Politics and federal lobbying records. An August 2015 op-ed co-authored by Clinton and Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, said, Inviting outside voices into government is often a good thing. When public servants have experience beyond Washington, they bring new ideas, new perspectives, and new knowledge to the work of governing this huge, complicated country of ours Most of the time, that private-sector experience is an asset, not a liability. But in some cases, it can affect the public trust for example, if a public servants past and future are tied to the financial industry. Thats when people start worrying that the foxes are guarding the hen house. Related: Here's What Could Happen to Stocks if Clinton Wins The op-ed said Clinton was supporting a bill introduced by Baldwin, and also supported by Wall Street gadfly Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, that would place more restrictions on moving from the financial services industry to government and vice versa -- an effort to close loopholes that contribute to potential conflicts of interest. Among other things, the bill would prohibit private employers from offering bonuses to job candidates when they leave government service and would require government employees to recuse themselves from any decision involving former employers for two years up from one. However, as The Boston Globe noted yesterday, Clinton, who has pulled down $60 million in donations from Wall Street and $28 million from lawyers and lobbyists, has been unclear about her plans to clamp down on corporate influence and conflicts of interest. The Globe quoted a Clinton campaign aide as saying that no lobbyists are working on its policy committees and no lobbyists are on her transition team something that Politico Playbook also reported. However, the chair of the Clinton campaign is John Podesta, who with his brother Tony founded the powerful Washington lobbying firm The Podesta Group in 1987. John Podesta, who served as White House Chief of Staff for Bill Clinton was co-chair of the Obama transition team. Although he is no longer is a principal in the firm, Podestas hacked emails have become an issue in the campaign and OpenSecrets.org has charted his revolving-door history. As both Politico and the far-Right website Breitbart have pointed out, the Clinton transition team is headed by former Senator and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a partner in the powerful Washington law firm of WilmerHale, which has been deeply involved in lobbying efforts in support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and on behalf of the Business Roundtable and others. Related: Heres Why Goldman Paid Clinton a Bundle for That Speech The bio for Salazar on the WilmerHale website says Salazar provides legal, strategic and policy advice to national and international clients, particularly on matters at the intersection of law, business and public policy. WilmerHale clients counts big banks such as Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and investment bank Goldman Sachs. Among the batch of hacked Podesta emails on the WikiLeaks site is one that calls into question Obamas commitment to closing the revolving door as far back at October 2008. An email from Michael Froman to Obama entitled Diversity offers lists of candidates for senior level jobs in a potential administration. Froman, a classmate of Obamas at Harvard Law School, had been chief of staff to Bill Clintons Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin before following him to Citigroup, where Froman became CEO of CitiInsurance and head of Emerging Markets Strategy. Froman joined the White House staff in 2009 and was appointed U.S. Trade Representative in 2013 by President Obama. Elizabeth Warren was one of the four senators who opposed his appointment. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B de C.V. FMX, also known as FEMSA, is slated to report third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 28. Last quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 12.1%. However, the leading Latin American beverage company delivered negative earnings surprises in two out of the last four quarters, with an average negative surprise of 7.7%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. FOMENTO ECO-ADR Price and EPS Surprise FOMENTO ECO-ADR Price and EPS Surprise | FOMENTO ECO-ADR Quote Factors Influencing This Quarter FEMSA is on track to drive growth through its strategic initiatives, which include increasing store count, diversifying business portfolio and focusing on core business activities. Additionally, the company's strong cash flow generation capacity enables it to make incremental investments in business expansion. However, the company has been struggling, mainly due to currency headwinds, which has been weighing on Coca-Cola FEMSA for a while now. Further, soft Heineken performance has been a hindrance in the recent past. Additionally, FEMSA has been witnessing strained margins owing to growth of lower-margin businesses. We believe that persistence of these headwinds and regulatory pressure may impact future results. Together, these factors make us slightly cautious of the upcoming results. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that FEMSA is likely to beat estimates this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1, 2 or 3 for this to happen. This is not the case here, as you will see below: Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP for FEMSA is currently +10.35%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate of 96 cents stands above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 87 cents. Zacks Rank: FEMSA currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks That Warrant a Look Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter: Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, scheduled to report earnings on Oct 27, has an Earnings ESP of +6.98% and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. AutoNation Inc. AN, scheduled to report earnings on Oct 28, has an Earnings ESP of +0.88% and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Avis Budget Group Inc. CAR, slated to report earnings on Nov 2, has an Earnings ESP of +0.85% 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 AVIS BUDGET GRP (CAR): Free Stock Analysis Report AUTONATION INC (AN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report FOMENTO ECO-ADR (FMX): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. FCAU is set to report third-quarter 2016 results before the opening bell on Oct 25. Last quarter, the company posted a positive earnings surprise of 24.39%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors Influencing this Quarter In third-quarter 2016, Fiat Chrysler saw higher sales in U.S. as well as Europe. This should positively affect the companys third-quarter results. However, the company is undergoing a challenging phase owing to product recalls. Frequent product recalls increase the companys cost burden and adversely affect results. Moreover, the European Commission has been asked by Germanys Transport Ministry to investigate the exhaust emissions by the companys vehicles. It is being alleged that Fiat Chrysler may have cheated on the emissions tests with motor-management software. Last month, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys air-quality and transportation office, Chris Grundler, said that the company needs to invest an additional $5.1 billion to comply with U.S. fuel economy standards for 2025. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Fiat Chrysler is likely to beat earnings this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. This is not the case here, as you will see below: Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Fiat Chryslers Earnings ESP is 0.00% because the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate both stand at 34 cents. Zacks Rank: Fiat Chrysler carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Story continues FIAT CHRYSLER Price and EPS Surprise FIAT CHRYSLER Price and EPS Surprise | FIAT CHRYSLER Quote Stocks to Consider Here are some auto companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter: Fox Factory Holding Corp FOXF has an Earnings ESP of +2.56% and a Zacks Rank #1. The companys third-quarter 2016 financial results are expected to release on Nov 2. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company GT, expected to report third-quarter 2016 financial results on Nov 3, has an Earnings ESP of +1.75% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Magna International Inc. MGA has an Earnings ESP of +2.850% and a Zacks Rank #2. The companys third-quarter 2016 financial results are expected to release on Nov 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 FIAT CHRYSLER (FCAU): Free Stock Analysis Report MAGNA INTL CL A (MGA): Free Stock Analysis Report GOODYEAR TIRE (GT): Free Stock Analysis Report FOX FACTORY HLD (FOXF): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was the most issue-oriented of all their match-ups, but already one moment is dominating the post-event instant analysis. That was Trumps refusal to commit to concede should he lose on Nov. 8, bucking American tradition. Ill keep you in suspense, Trump said, having been pressed by moderator Chris Wallace, who was asking about the Republican nominees attack on the system as being rigged. Trump did do well in talking about trade and anemic economic growth signature issues. His attacks on rising Obamacare premiums should be disconcerting for the defenders of the Affordable Care Act. Syria and Libya have been foreign policy dark spots of the past eight years. But as in past debates, his attacks on Clinton can devolve into non-sequiturs theyll make sense to insiders but will leave the general public scratching their heads. John Podestas emails? To the average viewer, whos John Podesta? Clinton carefully answered a question about Iraq and the current operation to root ISIS out of Mosul. Wallace forced her to defend her call for a no-fly zone over Syria, and whether it could actually escalate the situation with Russia. But Trumps response to this critical foreign policy question was, to use a cliche, all over the map. He at once said that by announcing the Mosul operation, ISIS fighters were allowed to flee. But he then said that the operation was more difficult than anticipated, ostensibly because of the ISIS resistance. So which is it? Credit is due to Wallace for generally keeping the candidates on the topic at hand, which probably helped this debate focus more on substance than scandal. Yet its likely that this one wont get nearly the audience of the first two, despite this being just the type of informational match-up that the debate commission hoped for. Another problem for Trump: Saturday Night Live. Alec Baldwins parody of Trumps debate interruptions had the effect of making the real Trumps use of the tactic the stuff of caricature. As she made a dig about Trumps use of tax loopholes, he chimed in, Such a nasty woman. Jot that down for this weeks show. Story continues It also was probably just what Clinton could have wanted she was on defense for a portion of the night, but that may not matter. As with much of the fall campaign, the post-debate focus will be on Trump, what he said, and when he said it. Rigged system. Trumps refusal to commit to accepting the outcome of the election elicited Clintons best moment, as she went through the litany of instances in which he has called something rigged after losing. She even cited his response to losing out on an Emmy. I should have gotten it, Trump interjected. That was a funny line, but the idea that he wont accept the results is going to be topic No. 1 for the coming days if not several weeks, as Republicans who continue to support Trump will be pressed on whether they agree that there is a voter fraud conspiracy. Putins puppet? The WikiLeaks releases actually gave Clinton an opening to talk about the prospect that Russia is trying to influence the election, and that Trump is too praiseworthy of the countrys president, Vladimir Putin. I dont know Putin, Trump said, while saying that the Russian leader has no respect for her. Clinton said that Putin would rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Youre the puppet, Trump said, sounding like a variation of, I know you are but what am I? Trump continued to raise doubts about whether Russia was behind the hacking of government and political officials emails, and he argued that Putin has outsmarted Clinton every step of the way. Bad hombres. Trump defended his plan for a border wall with Mexico by noting that Clinton once supported legislation that included one. He defended his call for deportations by citing the millions and millions of people who have been kicked out during the Obama years. One of his turns of phrase, however, stood out: We have some bad hombres here, and were going to get them out. This is where immigration has been tricky for Trump in the general election. Hes tried to show that his plans are not inhumane, while also maintaining his strong and sometimes harsh rhetoric. One of my first acts will be to get all the drug lords we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out, he said. Were going to get them out. Were going to secure the border. Once the border is secured, at a later date well make determination as to the rest. The latter comment has allowed Clinton to continue to claim that hed enlist a deportation force to round up undocumented immigrants. She also needled him on the idea that he would get Mexico to pay for the wall. When he met with the president of Mexico, she said, he didnt even raise the issue. He choked, and then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said were not paying for that wall. I had a very good meeting with the president of Mexico, Trump said. Groping allegations. When asked about women who have accused him of unwanted sexual advances, Trump twice claimed that their stories had been debunked. They have not. They may not have been proven, but just on Tuesday, People magazine published the accounts of six individuals who corroborated the story from one of its reporters, Natasha Stoynoff. The focus on the allegations during the debate was an opening for Clinton not to try to prove the womens stories were true, but to chide Trump for his response. She cited speeches at campaign rallies where he had suggested that they were not attractive enough for him to pursue them. Nobody has more respect for women than I do, Trump said. Foundation situation. Clinton defended her familys foundation, but Trump actually got in one of his more effective moments of the night. He asked Clinton why she didnt return money that the foundation received from countries with poor human rights records. He called the foundation a criminal enterprise. Clinton, however, turned the tables on Trumps own foundation. She referred to a Washington Post story that reported that he used money from the nonprofit to buy a portrait of himself. Who does that? she posited. Even Wallace asked about another Post report that Trump had used funds to settle a lawsuit. No, we put up the American flag, the candidate said. Related stories TV Ratings: Final Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton Debate Sees Viewership Gain Donald Trump's Facebook Live Debate Coverage Previews His TV Ambitions Final Presidential Debate: Donald Trump Says He Should Have Won an Emmy Fox News personalities framed this debate season: Megyn Kelly in the first Republican primary debate in August 2015, and Chris Wallace at the end, on Wednesday night. It was Kellys question to Donald Trump about women that revealed the tone Trump would take for the rest of the election season. And it was Wallaces brisk marshaling of the candidates through a wide variety of topics that gave us the most thorough and engaging of the presidential debates. When the debate ended, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC all agreed that the headline coming out of this debate would be Trumps refusal to say he will accept the result of the Nov. 8 election. I will look at it at the time, said Trump. Ill keep you in suspense. Hillary Clintons response was succinct: That is horrifying. Stephen Colbert, doing a live Late Show, said Trumps answer amounted to Trump wiping his ass with the Constitution. On CNN, Gloria Borger said that was the kind of answer youd hear on a game show, and Jake Tapper said Trumps response was shocking. Fox News agreed: Bret Baier said that Trumps possible denial of the will of the people would define this debate. Trumps response might not have come forth had Wallace not pressed him for an answer. This is no small point, given what a free-for-all the election has become. Cable news has completely accepted the Trump example, of positioning one person against the other to engage in either insult or filibuster: CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC are filled with surrogates for the candidates insulting and yelling over each other, and this night was no exception. One example: On CNN in the hour before the debate, that network arranged a preliminary bout, Rudy Giuliani vs. Mark Cuban, with Erin Burnett acting as a very outmatched referee sitting between them. The yelling was so high-decibel well, it was almost as loud as Trump vs. Clinton. damon-debatevegas-93-superJumbo Youre the puppet! Youre the puppet! bellowed Trump, after Clinton said he was too willing to be a puppet for Vladimir Putin. Such a nasty woman! Trump spat out near the end of the debate, interrupting Clinton. Wallace had his hands full numerous times, also chiding and silencing Clinton, who occasionally lapsed into stump-speech boilerplate. Story continues Wallace asked Trump about the women whove come forward with accusations of sexual assault in the wake of the Access Hollywood tape; he claimed theyd all been debunked. As Brit Hume said on Fox, He doesnt seem to know the issues that will help him and which will hurt him. It continues to baffle me why Clinton never refreshes her complaints against Trump. The guy gives her fresh potential material literally every day, and shes still droning on about Trumps Mexican-American judge insult, and his attack on a Gold Star family. This night, she made two Celebrity Apprentice digs too many. As Trump said at a different moment, Weve heard this before, Hillary. On television, to be compelling, you have to present something new each time you take command of the camera, something Clinton fails at, and at which Trump excels. But then, Clinton excels at answering the question asked of her, whereas Trump prefers to talk about what is occurring to him at that moment. That Trump can get away with wedging Clintons email troubles into the topic of immigration well, thats what the moderator is there for, to keep both on-point. Wallace did as well with this pair as seems humanly possible. Its a small victory, perhaps, but a victory nonetheless. Now the debates are over, and what small light they shed on the candidates will continue to emit a feeble glow from now until Nov. 8. At which time, win or lose, Trump has guaranteed in advance: He will keep us in suspense. Last month nearly two weeks before the first presidential debate, so, a lifetime ago the New Yorkers Amy Davidson observed that the types of questions that swirled around Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton were just not comparable to those Republican nominee Donald Trump was facing. Clintons flaws arent just smaller than Trumps, they are not on the same scale. Its as if the American Presidency might suffer the same fate as the NASA orbiter that was lost because someone mixed up metric and non-metric measurements. Of course, Davidson concludes, Clintons shortcomings should be explored rigorously. But theres something to be said for a high standard all around. I was reminded of that column last night, during the final presidential debate in Las Vegas, where Fox News anchor Chris Wallace guided discussion between Clinton and Trump for their last formal joint appearance before the election. In most respects, Wallace was a very strong moderator. He was able to elicit the most close, clear answers from Trump, and found chinks in Clintons armor of rhetoric. And thanks to Wallaces dogged questioning on a line of questioning that is, as he put it, one of the prides of this country the peaceful transition of power, the lead story for every news organization covering the campaign is that the GOP candidate will not commit to accepting the results of the election. Clintons response was to observe that this mindset was horrifying. Trump took the opportunity of her critique that he always blames a rigged system to once again state that The Apprentice deserved the outstanding reality-competition program Emmy in 2004 and 2005. The audience laughed, and even Clinton cracked a smile. But then she observed what is possibly the most succinct takedown of Trump in this election: Its funny, but its also really troubling. Wallace, who along with colleagues Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly moderated three Republican primary debates, told colleague Howard Kurtz before last nights debate that he intended to not fact-check the debate in real time. This was in direct opposition to not only the last few presidential moderators Lester Holt, Martha Raddatz, and Anderson Cooper, who all chose to rebut the candidates with reported material but also Wallaces own methods at the Republican debates, where, in March, he presented Trump with graphs depicting the flaws in the candidates economic policy. That being said, Wallace is well-liked by politicians on both sides the aisle for being tough but fair, and the anchor demonstrated last night a deep faith in the voters ability to interpret presented information themselves. The problem is, this approach is one that Trump has exploited, to great effect, throughout his entire candidacy. To use an obvious example, Dean Baquet, executive editor of the New York Times, has said several times that the Trump candidacy forced the paper to learn how to call out untruths. I think he made us forced us, because he does it so often, to get comfortable with saying something is false, he told NiemanLab earlier this month. And up until right before the debates when Davidson wrote her column Trump had the strongest showing in poll numbers since the Republican National Convention. The diffuse talking points and rapid news cycle of modern media, coupled with Trumps devastating skill at making obsessively watchable television, made a climate in which his narrative was particularly successful. Last nights debate exhibited both the strengths and weaknesses of Wallaces restrained approach. On one hand, both candidates were forced to talk on topics they didnt really want to talk about. Wallaces phrasing of the question about past sexual assault allegations against Trump gave him absolutely no room to maneuver, which was the point, and in asking about her paid speeches to Wall Street banks, Wallace pinned Clinton to one of her most uncomfortable legacies and wouldnt budge. For Trump, a compulsive tweeter, many of these remarks on uncomfortable subjects were recognizable. From Clinton, however a far more reserved public figure, whose image constantly reads as managed and studied her statements, messy as they sometimes where, provided some of the most heartfelt responses from her, such as her articulate, emotional statement of purpose on abortion. On the other hand, Wallaces questions had the effect of equalizing the two candidates, a journalistic tic that is admirable but unhelpful in 2016. Trumps mendacious statements going unchallenged did not help anyone except Trump himself, and Clinton, who had the unenviable task of trying to defend herself while also fact-checking a demagogue, was frequently too busy juggling her own complicated spin to address his. Wallace, who as a Fox News anchor is familiar with the long tradition of demonizing the Clintons, also came down harder on Clinton understandable for the most conservative moderator, but frustrating for anyone with a passing relationship with the truth. While Trumps assertion that he was pro-life went by without a hitch, Wallace asked Clinton to justify her position on partial-birth abortion a buzzy topic from two decades ago if there ever was one. Later, Clinton was asked to address a paragraph from hacked emails, which forced her to both address that the hack originated in Russia and that the quote was taken out of context. Trump, who insisted he did not know Russian president Vladimir Putin, wasnt even directly asked about his relationship to Russia, instead getting the softball question, which he could barely answer, of whether or not he would condemn the hacks. Indeed, Wallaces approach towards moderating pointed back to a bygone, halcyon era the 90s where hand-wringing over the national debt and pillorying the Clintons were de rigueur. The moderator asked about American intervention abroad, entitlements, and GDP growth, engaging with a very classic set of conservative viewpoints with deep roots in the political consciousness. (It was expected that Clinton would find it harder to navigate these concerns, but it was comical how much Trump struggled to get through the talking points of his own party.) Meanwhile, pressing and (more) emergent issues such as climate change, police brutality, LGBTQ rights, and mass incarceration never made it onto the table. With Clintons current lead in the polls, perhaps the reason this debate skewed conservative is because conservative voters are the ones currently most likely to be on the fence between Trump, a very different kind of Republican, and Clinton, a very moderate Democrat. Either way, its a strangely retro capper to this highly unorthodox and very of-our-time election. With lopsided standards and conservative leanings, Trump performed as well as he ever has, while Clinton was put on the defensive against the moderator for the first time in these three debates. Wallace, switching between the two, seemed wistful for a GOP that would not have allowed either of these candidates to their podiums. But although it is difficult to fault Wallace for his decorum and grace under pressure, his methods and concerns did not seem wholly appropriate for this day and age of upside-down politicking, where the GOP nominee routinely responds to the Democrats critiques with a variation of the playground taunt I know you are, but what am I? Related stories Another Woman Accuses Donald Trump of Groping Her How Donald Trump Became the Clear Choice for Cheap Entertainment (Guest Column) Ratings for Third Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton Debate Up From Round 2 Presidential candidate Donald Trump has been vocal in his charges that the upcoming election has been rigged. Now hes accusing the Television Academy of being rigged as well. In the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday, the subject of his reality series The Apprentice never having won an Emmy Award was raised when moderator Chris Wallace pressed him on whether hed accept the results of the Nov. 8 election. When Trump refused to commit saying Ill keep you in suspense his opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, brought up his pattern of refusing to accept other losses, like the Emmy Awards. There was even a time when he didnt get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting the Emmys were rigged against him, she said. Trump interrupted her, saying, Shouldve gotten it. This is a mindset. This is how Donald thinks, said Clinton. And its funny, but its also really troubling. The Television Academy quickly responded on Twitter: Rest assured, the #Emmys are not rigged. Users on social media were quick to dig up several of Trumps tweets from the past complaining about The Apprentices losses at the Emmy Awards. Here's Trump complaining about the Emmys being rigged after he didn't win for 'The Apprentice' #debatenight pic.twitter.com/Rw7spgDQLR Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) October 20, 2016 Related stories Story continues TV Ratings: Final Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton Debate Sees Viewership Gain Final Clinton-Trump Debate: 5 Most Memorable Moments Donald Trump's Facebook Live Debate Coverage Previews His TV Ambitions Two Nebraska law enforcement agencies should suspend the use of facial recognition technology in their investigations until lawmakers and the public can weigh in on them, the ACLU of Nebraska says. The Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol were among a host of agencies nationwide singled out in a Georgetown University report for their use of the technology that civil liberties advocates say can violate privacy rights. The two agencies don't have their own facial recognition technology. They access the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles' system, which uses it to check against people getting fraudulent IDs in multiple names. According to Georgetown's "The Perpetual Lineup," the state's DMV system searches 8 million driver's license and ID photos. ACLU of Nebraska officials expressed concern that LPD and the patrol aren't meeting best practices and that more public vetting of the technology's use is necessary to prevent against misuse and abuse. "We still dont like the use of this technology because drivers dont know their picture is going to be used, Legal Director Amy Miller said. "We dont allow the government to search us or keep us under surveillance willy-nilly." Officials at the patrol are reviewing the report. The agreement they have with the DMV restricts the technology's use, allowing the patrol to access the database only for identity theft investigations. Lincoln police can access the database for those cases and for "investigation of criminal activity" generally, according to the report. Among Miller's concerns is the low legal bar for Lincoln police. In Lincoln, investigators don't need to have reasonable suspicion, the standard an officer needs to briefly detain someone or run a search, according to the Georgetown report. Searches may be run for criminal cases being investigated and/or prosecuted, according to the agreement adopted by the Lincoln City Council in 2013. But the agreement does not allow Lincoln police to use the search's findings as the sole basis for an arrest. And the technology is an efficient tool for identity theft investigations, city Public Safety Director Tom Casady said. Plus, there are restrictions in place that allow use of the technology by only a few investigators from each agency. At the Lincoln Police Department, a formal request to have a photo processed for comparison must be initiated internally before it's analyzed by the state database and can be reviewed by the police department's forensic identification unit, Casady said. Use of the program is rare, he said. Last year, Lincoln police submitted 17 photos to be analyzed and had four actual identifications, Casady said. When asked if the patrol tracks its usage of the DMV database or an interstate photo system run by the FBI, Deb Collins, Public Information Officer for the state agency, said the Journal Star would have to file a public records request for such data. Casady said he's aware of privacy concerns about the technology, but is more worried about the "non-governmental side of this than the governmental side." Citizens have ways to push for change if they don't like how a government agency is using a technology, he said. "Not so much over the private world. A U.S. service member was killed in northern Iraq on Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated as American troops accompanied local forces as they pushed toward Mosul, U.S. Central Command announced. It was the second combat death suffered by American forces battling the Islamic State this month. On Oct. 6, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Adam Thomas was killed after another improvised bomb went off while his unit was on a foot patrol in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, where U.S. Special Operations forces are fighting ISIS alongside Afghan troops. Thursdays fatality was also the fourth American combat death in Iraq since U.S. troops deployed last year, and the second for Centcom in two days. On Wednesday, a service member was killed and two others wounded at a military base in Kabul when an Afghan soldier opened fire on them. That incident is still under investigation. A defense official told Foreign Policy that Thursdays attack took place northeast of Mosul, an area where both Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Counterterrorism Forces began their push toward the city on Thursday morning. It was not clear with which group the U.S. service member was embedded. Earlier this week, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said that U.S. advisers with Iraqi and Kurdish troops advancing on Mosul are behind the forward line of troops, but its safe to say there are Americans on the outskirts of the city. There are over 100 U.S. military advisors on the ground near Mosul with Kurdish and Iraqi forces, spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said earlier this week. Officials at the Pentagon who asked for anonymity to speak with reporters said that the U.S. advisors on the ground near Mosul are being given some leeway as to how and where they position themselves on the battlefield in order to help direct American artillery and air strikes. Photo Credit: Emrah Yorulmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images By Caroline Copley BERLIN (Reuters) - Despite a slick campaign to lure companies from London to Berlin after Britain voted to leave the European Union, some of those which have moved say it is not as easy as it first appeared. Following the unexpected referendum decision in June, Germany's liberal Free Democrats hired a truck to drive around London with a billboard declaring, 'Dear start-ups, Keep calm and move to Berlin'. An ironic reference to a popular poster entreating Britons to Keep Calm and Carry On at the outbreak of World War Two against then Nazi-ruled Germany, it was soon followed by the opening of an official Berlin marketing office in London. Two London based companies are among those who have already taken the plunge. Their experience highlights the attractions of the German capital but also the bureaucracy that lurks behind the marketing, a factor in the global tussle for business unleashed by the Brexit vote. Web-design company MBJ London and real-estate investment platform Brickvest, both co-run by Germans, had already planned to open offices in Berlin but were jolted into speeding up their investments by Britons' June 23 decision. The motivation: to limit their London exposure in case of a "hard Brexit" - where Britain loses access to the single market. The two firms cite access to talent and the low cost of living among Berlin's benefits, as well as a hotline to help start-ups get employee visas. But they urged the city to lower language and regulatory hurdles and offer more flexible office space. "If it wants to become the leader in fintech then these are the steps it needs to take, otherwise it will get a few companies but it will not become the hub," said Brickvest co-founder Thomas Schneider. Brickvest is building a back office in Berlin and plans to grow its staff from five to 15 people over the next six months. A "hard Brexit" would make London just a small regional office. But Schneider said the German financial regulator BaFin was too conservative and the fact that all documents must be translated into German to apply for a banking licence was off-putting for companies like his, which employs 10 nationalities. Story continues As a result, Brickvest is more likely to apply for a licence in Ireland's capital Dublin - and open a front office there - if Britain loses its passporting rights - the ability under EU rules for any financial firm to serve the whole region from a single base. BaFin acknowledged documents must be submitted in German for banking licences but said this was not always necessary in other areas, such as insurance. "BaFin is, however, continually addressing developments around Brexit, both from a legal and regulatory perspective. The same applies to applications from Fintech companies," it said in a statement. LONG-TERM RENTS MBJ plans to build up its operational team in Berlin and more than double its headcount to around 40 or 50 by the end of 2017. Management will also move from London. But it took the company around two months to set up here compared with some three days in London, said MBJ's Chief Operating Officer Toni Horn. The start-up needed to get documents approved by a notary and had to go to court to get the company registered. Setting up a bank account was tricky, as was finding office space, with most landlords offering rental contracts for three to five years - an impractical time-frame for a start-up that may outgrow the space within a year, or fold. Instead, MBJ has rented an office at co-working space WeWork at Potsdamer Platz, a desolate No-Man's land during the Cold War that has become one of the capital's busiest commercial centres. Such co-working buildings are filling up fast. Since the Brexit vote, the city government's marketing agency Berlin Partner has helped five companies move from London and received some 40 specific inquiries, mainly from start-ups founded three to five years ago in the fintech and IT sectors. More established healthcare and technology firms are also scoping out the German capital, though this is mainly just scenario planning at present, said Stefan Franzke, CEO of the public-private partnership supporting investment in the city. But it is not just foreign start-ups who find things hard. A German Startup Monitor survey published on Tuesday found local startups wanted fewer regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles, lower taxes and greater support in raising capital. Only 5.5 percent of founders surveyed gave the government a "good" or "very good" score when it came to understanding start-ups, with just over half saying the government's grasp of what start-ups need was "unsatisfactory" or "deficient". The government has taken steps to help fledgling firms, approving a draft law last month to allow start-ups to claim tax breaks on losses even after a change in ownership. Schneider urged Germany to consider giving every company already licensed by the UK's financial watchdog an automatic BaFin licence after Brexit, a step the regulator says depends on future negotiations with London. He was scornful of what he called "cute PR action" but Horn said the difficulties it masked had failed to put people off. "A lot of our friends are relocating now to Berlin," he said, "because if you're starting to grow a company and you want to hire a lot of talent, doing it in an area where there's complete uncertainty about what is going to happen over the next 3-5 years, is just not a good decision." (Additional reporting by Jonathan Gould in Frankfurt; editing by Philippa Fletcher) Baghdad (AFP) - A wide array of Iraqi and international forces are involved in the fight to retake Mosul from the Islamic State jihadist group, which overran the country's second city in 2014. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of the much-awaited operation on Monday and anti-IS forces have already retaken several villages and significant swathes of land from the jihadists. These are the main forces that are operating in the wider Mosul theatre or may do so. Not all will play a role in the fighting inside the city: - Islamic State group - Heavily armed jihadists who have had years to prepare their defences in Mosul, which IS seized before sweeping through cities and towns to the south in 2014. Iraqi forces have since regained significant ground, and Mosul is the last city the jihadists hold in the country. - Counter-terrorism service - Iraq's elite force which have spearheaded most key battles against IS. But constant reliance on these troops over the past two years has taken a toll. - Army - The Iraqi army has begun playing a more successful role in operations against the jihadists since it was revitalised by US-led training after several of its divisions collapsed during the IS offensive two years ago. - Police - Includes special forces units, paramilitary federal police and provincial police. Many Iraqi police forces have played roles more akin to those of soldiers in the war against IS. - US-led coalition - A US-led international alliance is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq and Syria, and providing training, arms and equipment to forces opposing the jihadists. There are more than 7,500 coalition military personnel deployed in Iraq, over half of them from the United States. Most are in advisory or training roles, but special forces soldiers who have fought the jihadists on the ground have been deployed and coalition forces near Mosul have also targeted IS with artillery. - Kurdish forces - The peshmerga are the armed forces of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. They nominally answer to the federal government but in practice operate independently, battling IS along a long front in the country's north. Story continues Forces from Iran's Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) are embedded in some peshmerga operations. It is separate from other Iranian Kurdish rebels groups that have also been active on the Iraqi side of the border such as the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK). - Hashed al-Shaabi - An umbrella organisation created in 2014, which includes a dizzying array of paramilitary forces who vary widely in skill and in the degree to which they are actually under government control. The main groups are Iranian-backed Shiite militias, including Ketaeb Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Badr. The Hashed has played a major role in the anti-IS fight in Iraq but forces within it have also carried out abuses. It includes recently trained Sunni tribal forces sometimes referred to as "tribal mobilisation" or "national mobilisation". - Iranian advisers - Iranian forces have provided advice and other assistance, including funding for various militias fighting IS in Iraq. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards foreign operations wing, has been repeatedly pictured in Iraq during the war. - Turkish troops - Deployed at a base near Mosul from which they have carried out artillery strikes against IS. Turkish troops are also present inside Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. The federal government has demanded their withdrawal, with the prime minister vowing that they will not take part in the operation to recapture Mosul, but Turkey has declined to do so. CNNs Van Jones was furious following Wednesdays presidential debate, and dropped one of the best lines of the night if you still chuckle at potty humor. This is a very sad night for the country. You cant polish this turd, Jones said to describe Donald Trumps performance against Hillary Clinton. Anderson Cooper chimed in with more comedic gold by saying, Technically, you cannot polish any turd. Also Read: Even Chris Wallace Thinks the Final Debate Was Humorous (Video) Jones was fired up that Trump said he would consider not accepting the results of the election. The appalling lack of patriotism from this man to stand there and say that, Jones said. Also Read: Donald Trump's 'Nasty' Jab at Hillary Clinton Gets Janet Jackson Mashup (Video) Voters seem to agree with Jones. Clinton won the third and final presidential debate, according to a CNN instant poll on Wednesday. Fifty-two percent of debate watchers felt the Democratic White House candidate won the match-up, versus 39 percent for her Republican challenger, Donald J. Trump. That meant Clinton swept all three televised debates, according to CNNs snapshot polls conducted immediately after the events. Also Read: Final Presidential Debate Grows From No. 2, But Is Nowhere Near Trump-Clinton 1 But viewers strongly felt that Trump was the more aggressive debater on Wednesday, according to the poll. Sixty percent said that Trump was on the attack more than his opponent, with just 23 percent saying that about Clinton. The network cautioned that it measures a sample of potential voters who watched the debate, as opposed to surveying all voters. That sample skews slightly Democratic, because Democrats are a bit more likely than Republicans to watch the debates. Story continues Related stories from TheWrap: Final Presidential Debate: Yes, Bigly Is a Word, According to the Dictionary Even Chris Wallace Thinks the Final Debate Was Humorous (Video) The Great Puppet Debate: Trump, Clinton Fight Over Who Pulls Their Strings (Video) Tokyo (AFP) - Tokyo may be the style capital of Asia, but with South Korea and China snapping at its heels and Japan's most iconic brands rooted in Europe, the city is being urged to haul its fashion week into the big leagues. Tokyo Fashion Week kicked off its spring/summer 2017 season showcase on Monday with six days of events intended to promote 50 brands, a mixture of the established and the new. Yet Japanese labels that are household names in the West -- led by Kenzo, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons -- eschew home shores for the bright lights, prestige and visibility of Paris. Tokyo Fashion Week attracts only 50,000 visitors -- just a quarter of the total number that attend New York's two annual fashion weeks, and also lagging behind London, Paris and Milan. Held after the fashion merry ground exhausts the "big four," few make the extra trip to Tokyo, and not many in Japan believe they are missing out. According to a poll from local website Fashionsnap.com, only 20 percent of the Japanese fashion industry, including designers, stylists and editors, consider Tokyo's events to be of interest. The calendar, the no-show by the biggest brands, reluctance to open their doors to the wider public and sluggishness to embrace see-now, buy-now were all listed as shortcomings by the 221 people surveyed. - 'Focus on your own' - The award-winning, Milan-based Turkish designer Umit Benan, wants to change all that. "Everyone needs to get together to make the Japanese fashion week much better," the menswear designer told reporters after making his Tokyo debut, having announced he would ditch Paris fashion week He called Japan's menswear the "most sophisticated you'll see in the streets" and said Tokyo was packed with the world's most creative buyers and designers, along with some of the most sophisticated consumers around. "I think you really need to focus on your own fashion week, trying to create new waves in Japan fashion," he said, joking that he loves Japan so much, he visited 40 times in the last five years. Story continues He called Japanese fabric second only to Italy's. But unlike in Italy, where high fashion is governed by precision, he said the Japanese were willing to take risks, such as mix nylon with cashmere. "The Italians don't have the balls to mix nylon into a 200 euro fabric," he said. "In Japan they're very flexible and very creative, spontaneous... when you touch it you're like my God what is this?" While Tokyo has long been a springboard for up-and-coming designers, neighbouring Seoul, with its vibrant street style, and Shanghai, as the commercial capital of China, are attracting increased interest. "To me, Tokyo is the Asian fashion centre with long fashion-forward history," said Hong Kong designer Vickie Au who brought her "Urban Chill" collection to Tokyo after showing in New York. The street look, minimal style and clean lines of her House of V label, this season inspired by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry is well suited to Japanese taste. - 'Beauty of the craft' - While she has boutiques in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, and online, she is looking to break into the Japanese and US markets. Au cited Yamamoto, the famed Japanese designer based in Paris, as an inspiration, praising him as a master of "modern and avant-garde tailoring". Christelle Kocher, creative director of up-and-coming French label Koche, also said she had learnt from Yamamoto and that it had been special to be the only French brand participating in Tokyo this season. "Japanese culture is really refined and I think may be more than other places, they understand the beauty of the craft and the beauty of the time to make beautiful things," she said. US retailing giant Amazon is sponsoring Tokyo Fashion Week for the first time, and among the fashion set in Japan there are hopes that it can help rebrand the event into something brighter and larger. The company is already the largest clothing retailer in the United States and fashion vice president for Amazon Japan, James Peters, signalled that he is determined to replicate that success in Japan. While Tokyo still follows a six-month delay between catwalk and store, he said Amazon would be happy to help Japanese designers facilitate see-now, buy-now collections increasingly at the fore in New York. "I think if that's what the designers want to do, we're ready to do it," he told AFP at the week's launch party. A former pastor was arrested after allegedly choking an infant in a Kansas Walmart, authorities said. The 4-month-old girl was with her mother in the checkout line of the store in Overland Park at 7:23 a.m. Wednesday when Oleh Zhownirovych, 54, allegedly walked up behind her and put his hands on the babys throat, police said. The babys mother, Quisha Hill, said the man tried to pull her daughter out of her carrier, according to WDAF-TV. "I come in to grab 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. Call 911. Call 911," Hill said. Read: See The Terrifying Moment a Stranger Tried To Grab a Baby at The Supermarket Fellow shoppers and security guards rushed to help the screaming mother, and managed to hold Zhownirovych down until cops arrived on the scene, police said. "It's a wonderful thing that the bystanders were standing right there and security was there and able to subdue the suspect until the police arrived, Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy told KCTV. The infant was treated at the scene and is expected to be fine, officials said. Read: Watch This Brave Mom Fight Off A Man Trying To Kidnap Her Daughter Hill said she did not know Zhownirovych, who has been identified by news reports as a former pastor who left his position at the Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Ascension Cathedral in Clifton, New Jersey, about 10 months ago. Police are investigating whether alcohol or drugs may have factored into the incident. Zhownirovych was charged with aggravated battery, according to online records. He is being held on $100,000 and is due in court on November 27. Watch: 4-Year-Old Girl Reunites with Parents After Being Kidnapped By Family Friend Story continues Related Articles: Conor and Barnaby from Fortunes first met at high school in New Zealand, but it wasn't until they moved to Melbourne, Australia that they connected on a musical level. After a house party at which Conor ended up singing D'Angelo's "Devil's Pie" a capella, Barnaby invited him to go and record, and that was the beginning of Fortunes. The duo's chemistry is clear on "501's," with the funky production and slick vocals perfectly in sync to create a warm and inviting piece of music. It's about when the weather is hot and you see a hot guy and he looks real good in his jeans, explains Conor McCabe about "501s," which is a reference to Levi's 501 jeans. It may not be warm where you are right now, but this song will make you feel like you're walking down the street in midsummer, looking fresh as hell. Check out Fortunes' two independently released projects2015s Hoodie EP and early 2016s Jacket EPon their SoundCloud here. Listen to "501's" below. Continue Reading On PigeonsandPlanes More from PigeonsandPlanes Two Illinois men who got caught with 128 pounds of marijuana in a stop on Interstate 80 near Lincoln have been found guilty of possession with intent to deliver. Ali Khalil, 31, and Issa Abu-Serieh, 30, both of the Chicago area, ended up facing charges after Lancaster County Sheriff's deputies stopped them Jan. 25, 2015, in separate rental cars for following too closely. Khalil was behind a semi, Serieh was behind Khalil. They appeared to be traveling together. One of the men admitted it. The other said he was alone. A deputy smelled air fresheners and raw marijuana from Khalil's car. Khalil declined a request to search, but a police dog alerted to the smell of drugs. Deputies searched the Nissan Altima's trunk and found it loaded with vacuum sealed bags of marijuana. A set of keys to the Altima and its spare tire were in the SUV Serieh had been driving. At a bench trial, attorneys for the two argued the evidence should be suppressed, calling the stop pretext to search, the search unwarranted and their arrests illegal. Lancaster County District Judge Andrew Jacobsen issued a verdict Tuesday, finding them guilty and setting sentencing in January. By Andreas Rinke, Denis Pinchuk and Natalia Zinets BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany and France pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria and halt the "criminal" bombardment of civilians, but said four-way talks aimed at ending violence in eastern Ukraine made some progress. "We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after what she described as a difficult discussion with Putin about the crisis in Syria. French President Francois Hollande used the phrase "war crimes," and both leaders criticized Russia for attacking the civilian population under the pretense of fighting terrorism. "We agree that terrorism must be combatted, but not at the price that 300,000 people there must lose their lives and suffer without all necessary supplies," Merkel said, reflecting growing concern in Europe and the United States about Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Merkel and Hollande will discuss the talks at an EU summit meeting on Thursday evening, with the bloc due to consider whether to impose new sanctions on Russians over the bombing in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. While there is no immediate consensus for more sanctions, Britain and France, with support from eastern and Nordic countries, said they could push for them in the coming weeks if Russia continues to bomb the rebel-held east of the city. Merkel said she could not rule out sanctions, but said Thursday's EU meeting would be focused on helping civilians. "We made it very, very clear tonight that Russia has a great responsibility that extends far beyond the bombardment," she said. "It will decide whether humanitarian supplies can be delivered (and) whether a political process can be begun." Putin told a separate news conference that Moscow had proposed to speed up adoption of a new constitution in Syria to facilitate future elections, and said Russia was ready to extend an eight-hour pause in air strikes in Syria. He underscored the importance of "eradicating terrorism" and called on the United States to separate Al Nusra Front militants from what he called "the healthy opposition" in Syria. Hollande acknowledged Putin's offer of extending the ceasefire, but said a longer pause in bombing was needed to bring in much-needed humanitarian supplies. "A respite of a few hours makes no sense," he told a joint news conference with Merkel after the talks. "The main point is that the population of Aleppo ... cannot continue to live in conditions that are unbearable." Merkel had insisted that Putin agree to discuss Syria on the sidelines of the so-called "Normandy Format" meeting on Ukraine. It was the Russian leader's first trip to Germany since 2013. The meeting took place hours after news emerged that Russian warships off the coast of Norway were preparing to reinforce a brutal assault on Aleppo. PROGRESS ON UKRAINE, HARD WORK AHEAD Merkel said a separate meeting with Hollande, Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko - their first in over a year - had resulted in agreement on a preliminary road map for implementing the Minsk peace deal reached in February 2015. Foreign ministers will work out details of the plan in November, but hard work remained ahead, Merkel said. Poroshenko said the sides agreed during the five-hour meeting to withdraw Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists from four new areas at the frontline of the fighting in the Donbass region. That follows the withdrawal of forces from three other key areas that began last month. They also agreed that monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) could be armed and that their activities in monitoring the so-called Minsk peace process would not be impeded. Local elections remained a matter of debate, with Ukraine insisting it would only hold elections in the Donbass region after foreign forces withdrew, Poroshenko told reporters. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far. Both Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of perpetuating the violence and violating the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. At Thursday's EU dinner, eastern and Baltic countries are also set to call for stronger EU defenses against what they say is Russian disinformation campaigns to destabilize their governments or a possible cyber attack. "The mood is hardening," said a senior EU diplomat. "Russia used to be seen as a strategic partner. Now it is a strategic problem." (Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Denis Pinchuk, Andreas Rinke, Andrea Shalal and Paul Carrel in Berlin, and Robin Emmott in Brussels; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Lisa Shumaker) By Andreas Rinke, Denis Pinchuk and Natalia Zinets BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany and France pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria and halt the "criminal" bombardment of civilians, but said four-way talks aimed at ending violence in eastern Ukraine made some progress. "We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after what she described as a difficult discussion with Putin about the crisis in Syria. French President Francois Hollande used the phrase "war crimes," and both leaders criticised Russia for attacking the civilian population under the pretense of fighting terrorism. "We agree that terrorism must be combatted, but not at the price that 300,000 people there must lose their lives and suffer without all necessary supplies," Merkel said, reflecting growing concern in Europe and the United States about Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Merkel and Hollande will discuss the talks at an EU summit meeting on Thursday evening, with the bloc due to consider whether to impose new sanctions on Russians over the bombing in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. While there is no immediate consensus for more sanctions, Britain and France, with support from eastern and Nordic countries, said they could push for them in the coming weeks if Russia continues to bomb the rebel-held east of the city. Merkel said she could not rule out sanctions, but said Thursday's EU meeting would be focused on helping civilians. "We made it very, very clear tonight that Russia has a great responsibility that extends far beyond the bombardment," she said. "It will decide whether humanitarian supplies can be delivered (and) whether a political process can be begun." Putin told a separate news conference that Moscow had proposed to speed up adoption of a new constitution in Syria to facilitate future elections, and said Russia was ready to extend an eight-hour pause in air strikes in Syria. He underscored the importance of "eradicating terrorism" and called on the United States to separate Al Nusra Front militants from what he called "the healthy opposition" in Syria. Hollande acknowledged Putin's offer of extending the ceasefire, but said a longer pause in bombing was needed to bring in much-needed humanitarian supplies. "A respite of a few hours makes no sense," he told a joint news conference with Merkel after the talks. "The main point is that the population of Aleppo ... cannot continue to live in conditions that are unbearable." Merkel had insisted that Putin agree to discuss Syria on the sidelines of the so-called "Normandy Format" meeting on Ukraine. It was the Russian leader's first trip to Germany since 2013. The meeting took place hours after news emerged that Russian warships off the coast of Norway were preparing to reinforce a brutal assault on Aleppo. PROGRESS ON UKRAINE, HARD WORK AHEAD Merkel said a separate meeting with Hollande, Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko - their first in over a year - had resulted in agreement on a preliminary road map for implementing the Minsk peace deal reached in February 2015. Foreign ministers will work out details of the plan in November, but hard work remained ahead, Merkel said. Poroshenko said the sides agreed during the five-hour meeting to withdraw Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists from four new areas at the frontline of the fighting in the Donbass region. That follows the withdrawal of forces from three other key areas that began last month. They also agreed that monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) could be armed and that their activities in monitoring the so-called Minsk peace process would not be impeded. Local elections remained a matter of debate, with Ukraine insisting it would only hold elections in the Donbass region after foreign forces withdrew, Poroshenko told reporters. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far. Both Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of perpetuating the violence and violating the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. At Thursday's EU dinner, eastern and Baltic countries are also set to call for stronger EU defences against what they say is Russian disinformation campaigns to destabilise their governments or a possible cyber attack. "The mood is hardening," said a senior EU diplomat. "Russia used to be seen as a strategic partner. Now it is a strategic problem." (Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Denis Pinchuk, Andreas Rinke, Andrea Shalal and Paul Carrel in Berlin, and Robin Emmott in Brussels; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Lisa Shumaker) Fox News' Chris Wallace worked hard to keep the final presidential debate substantive with tough questions to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but it was the simplest of queries that extracted the biggest headline. Noting Trump's claims Wednesday night that the election was being rigged against him, Wallace asked the Republican whether he would accept the results win or lose, pointing out GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence had said that he would. When Trump answered that "we will look at it at the time," Wallace seemed incredulous. The veteran newsman stressed that a peaceful transition of power is one of the nation's longest traditions, no matter how tough the campaign. "Are you saying you're not prepared to commit to that principle?" Wallace asked. Answered Trump: "I will keep you in suspense." Wallace walked the finest of lines during a campaign where debate moderators received an intense focus. As the first-ever general election moderator of Fox News, he had the hopes of an organization in the midst of a tough year riding on him along with additional baggage. Fox critics worried that he'd go easy on Trump because of the GOP bent of Fox's primetime lineup. Read more: Final Trump-Clinton Face-Off Draws 71.6 Million Viewers, Topping Second Debate He kept things straight and issue-oriented and rode herd on the audience and candidates to keep control. Wallace promised he would not take on the role of fact checker and largely adhered to that. Wallace tended to open a subject area with a general question before boring in on specifics to each candidate. For instance, he asked the candidates about their philosophies in naming Supreme Court justices, then moved in to ask Clinton about partial-birth abortions and Trump about whether he sought to overturn Roe vs. Wade. "It was a fair and balanced debate," said Megyn Kelly, Wallace's Fox News colleague. "He pressed both sides." Story continues Wallace asked Trump about the Republican's denials that he had groped or made unwelcome advances toward women. Several women have come forward with stories following the release of a lewd Access Hollywood tape in which Trump bragged about touching women against their will, after Trump denied that he had engaged in the conduct. "Why would so many different women from so many different circumstances over so many different years - why would they all in the last couple of weeks ... make up these stories?" Wallace asked him. When Trump claimed that "nobody has more respect for women than I do," some audience members in Las Vegas laughed - and Wallace was quick to scold them. "Please, everybody," he said. TiVo users paused and rewound the broadcast to watch that moment again more than any other in the debate, the technology company said Thursday. While Trump twice made it a point to thank Wallace for questions posed to Clinton - including the former secretary of state's claims in a leaked email about free trade - the Republican seemed visibly angry when the newsman tried to correct him on points made about Syria in a previous debate. "If I may finish the question," Wallace said. Read more: Critic's Notebook: Donald Trump Shocks and Stumbles, Hillary Clinton Stays Steady in Final Presidential Debate His toughest exchange with Clinton came when he asked the Democrat about "pay-to-play" charges surrounding people who made contributions to the Clinton foundation. When Clinton answered by praising the work the Clinton foundation had done, Wallace interrupted her with a reminder to answer the question posed. She didn't get the chance because Trump interrupted at about the same time, and Wallace turned to him for a rebuttal. While occasionally wordy, Wallace's questions seemed designed to get the candidates talking, and he mostly let them go at it. The candidates - typical for most debates - bulldozed past his questions at times, but there seemed fewer interruptions than in the previous two debates. The first debate, moderated by NBC's Lester Holt, reached a record-setting audience of 84 million people. Last week's second debate, with CNN's Anderson Cooper and ABC's Martha Raddatz sharing the journalists' duties, reached 66.5 million. Early numbers for the final presidential debate Tuesday night show an atypical gain from the previous face-off, with a 39.7 overnight rating, according to Nielsen. PARIS (Reuters) - The French government is set to drop plans to introduce a carbon tax, French financial daily Les Echos said on Thursday. The newspaper, quoting several sources, said the socialist government will not include the carbon tax in a draft 2016 budget update currently being discussed. Environment Minister Segolene Royal had said in May that France would unilaterally introduce a carbon price floor of about 30 euros ($33) a tonne with a view to kickstart broader European action to cut emissions and drive forward the December 2015 United Nations-led international climate accord. The plan had pushed power prices higher in the spring. Les Echos quoted a source as saying that the measure is too complicated to put in place and might be unconstitutional. The paper said that state-owned electric utility EDF, which produces mostly carbon-free nuclear power, was in favor of the measure, but that gas utility Engie SA had lobbied against the tax because it would make its gas-fired power plants less competitive than similar plants in neighboring countries. A source close to the French government told Reuters that nothing had been decided yet on the carbon tax but confirmed there were doubts about it. "In the current context, it is difficult, due to concerns about employment, legal difficulties and security of supply," the source said. French power prices have spiked higher in recent weeks as a series of unplanned nuclear reactor closures have led to worries about security of supply. The government is due to received a report about the carbon tax in coming days and will decide on it mid-November, the source said. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq and Emmanuel Jarry; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Brussels (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande warned British Prime Minister Theresa May during her first European Union summit on Thursday that she would face tough negotiations if she insists on a "hard Brexit". May called on EU leaders to work together for a "smooth" withdrawal following Britain's shock June vote to leave the bloc, but Hollande said her apparent preference for a decisive break means she will not get an easy ride. "I have said it very clearly: Madame Theresa May wants a hard Brexit? Then talks will be hard too," he told reporters as he arrived for the two-day talks in Brussels. May's announcement earlier this month that she would start formal exit negotiations by the end of March was welcomed by EU leaders, who are pressing for a swift divorce to limit the uncertainty. But she sparked anger with promises to her Conservative party to limit EU migration while also seeking "maximum freedom" to operate in the bloc's single market -- two things that Brussels says are incompatible. The French leader's outburst was in stark contrast to EU president Donald Tusk, who had earlier taken pains to welcome May after she was excluded from last month's summit of 27 leaders in Bratislava. "Some media described her first meeting in the European Council as entering the lion's den. It's not true. It's more like a nest of doves," Tusk told reporters. But he repeated that there would be no negotiations before Britain triggers Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon treaty, which begins a two-year countdown to leaving. May will hold her first bilateral talks with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker over lunch on Friday, but no substantive debate on Brexit is expected. - Meetings of the 27 - Arriving in Brussels for her first EU summit since taking office in July, May emphasised that Britain was leaving the bloc but said it would play a full part until then. Story continues This included calling for a "robust and united" approach to Russia's air strikes in Syria, although EU leaders were unable to agree on a threat of sanctions. "The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left," May told reporters. During the summit talks, the prime minister questioned the validity of decisions made without her in Bratislava last month. But Tusk warned that once Article 50 is triggered, "we have our right and also our legal obligation to meet as 27 to discuss our strategy". He told a press conference: "It's not our choice. If you ask me I would prefer 28 member states, not only for the next month but also for the next years, and decades." - 'Immensity of the task' - Over a working dinner on Thursday evening, May gave a brief update of her plans, urging EU leaders to help make Brexit work for both sides. "We want our departure to be a smooth, constructive, orderly process, minimising uncertainty," a source in her office said, on condition of anonymity. The source later shrugged off France's tough talk, saying: "It's a negotiation. There's lots being said." May has refused to give details on her plan for Brexit, amid sharp divisions in her government between ministers who back a clean break and others seeking continued ties to protect the economy. But her stated intention to prioritise cutting immigration, if necessary at the expense of access to the single market, has alarmed investors and sent the pound plunging. "The British have shown a total lack of preparation politically or administratively. It's only now that they are waking up to the immensity of the task," an EU diplomat said. May's path to formal exit talks also risks being derailed by a legal challenge at the High Court over her refusal to allow parliament a vote before she triggers Article 50. Meanwhile the nationalist government in Scotland, where a majority voted to stay in the EU, is threatening a second referendum on independence if it is forced to leave. Props to Alexandra Technoparks and 357 Collins Street's contributions. Singapore mainboard-listed REIT Frasers Commercial Trust (FCOT) ended its FY16 with a bang even with the weaker global economy and challenging office leasing market as it recorded a 13.5% uptick in net property income to $115.6m from last year's $101.9m. According to the trust, this improvement is primarily driven by the contributions from 357 Collins Street and Alexandra Technopark. "This is as a result of higher rentals achieved, lower utilities expenses and upfront rental income received," FCOT said. However, the improvement was slightly offset by the still ongoing construction works for the development of a 16-storey hotel at China Square Central. "The overall occupancy rate for the Singapore properties was affected by the lower occupancy rate at China Square Central as a result of the on-going construction works for the Hotel and Commercial Project, although the occupancy rates for the remaining Singapore properties remained relatively stable," the trust explained. The group's full-year distribution per unit were slightly up 1.1% to 9.82 cents, marking the seventh consecutive year of growth since the completion of the recapitalisation exercise in 2009. CEO of the trust's manager Low Chee Wah said the group will continue to adopt proactive asset management and leasing initiatives given the global economic slowdown. "In view of the weaker environment, we will also review opportunities for asset enhancements to reposition the properties to stay competitive, Low noted. More From Singapore Business Review PARIS (Reuters) - Two French banks and a group of retailers are teaming up to launch a smartphone app next year that will help customers pay for purchases in stores and online, gather loyalty benefits or transfer money using a single "mobile payment solution". France's biggest bank BNP Paribas and cooperative lender Credit Mutuel plan to merge their "digital wallets" WA! and Fivory into a single platform, they said on Thursday. Financial services companies and internet giants such as Google and PayPal are looking to capitalize on the growing use of smartphones by providing apps that house credit and debit cards, coupons and store loyalty program details virtually. BNP Paribas and Credit Mutuel will each own 40 percent in the venture, which involves other partners, including retailers Auchan and Carrefour and credit-card company Mastercard. Over time, they hope it will attract more. "This structure leaves room for one or two big retailers or large industrials that could enter the capital of the company," Thierry Laborde, BNP Paribas' Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Head of Domestic Markets, told Reuters over the phone. Initially, customers will be able to use the digital wallet at more than 20,000 retailers in France. A brand name for the app is due to be announced by the end of the year. It is expected to be available in early 2017. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva and Julien Ponthus; Editing by Mark Potter) PARIS (Reuters) - The French government said on Wednesday it would come down hard on anti-police violence after officers staged a second night of protests over recent attacks on police and what they see as insufficient resources. Unions say a surge in criminal gang activity and militant attacks has put extra strains on police. Thousands of police and soldiers have been deployed to guard airports, train stations and other sites in response to Islamist attacks that have killed more than 230 people in France in the past two years. On Tuesday night, dozens of police cars, roof lights flashing, drove in convoy down Paris's Champs Elysees to vent their fear over their own safety. "The government is totally determined that justice is done each time that a police officer is attacked," Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters after meeting with police unions. Right-wing politicians have seized on the show of discontent to attack President Francois Hollande's Socialist government six months from an election. Hollande's opponents say the number of lawless no-go zones in France have proliferated during his mandate. Hundreds of officers jeered and hurled insults at national police chief Jean-Marc Falcone on Tuesday when he arrived for talks on security in Evry, a town near where a gang petrol-bombed four police officers in a patrol car on Oct. 8. The car was stationed at a crossroads notorious for smash-and-grab robberies on motorists. Police say the gang tried to prevent the officers getting out of the burning vehicle. Two of the four were seriously hurt and one suffered life-threatening burns. Falcone, who ordered an inquiry on Tuesday into what he called unacceptable behavior by police officers, urged calm. "I understand their exasperation, anguish and fear," he told RTL radio. Conservative politicians including former head of state Nicolas Sarkozy, who is seeking a return to the Elysee palace, have criticized Hollande's security record after a spate of militant attacks this summer. Cazeneuve said Hollande had created 6,300 new police jobs and 2,700 more officers would be recruited by next year to replace the thousands axed during Sarkozy's 2007-2012 presidency. (Reporting by Brian Love, Leigh Thomas and Marine Pennetier in Paris and Jean-Francois Rosnoblet in Marseille; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Tesla autonomy Billionaire Elon Musk doubled down on Tesla Motors autonomous driving features today, saying that every vehicle produced from now on will offer the option of full self-driving capability. But that capability wont be turned on immediately. The foundation is on board to bring full autonomy, the Tesla CEO told reporters during a teleconference. Tesla expanded on the autonomous features in a blog posting: We are excited to announce that, as of today, all Tesla vehicles produced in our factory including Model 3 will have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver. Eight surround cameras provide 360-degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range. Twelve updated ultrasonic sensors complement this vision, allowing for detection of both hard and soft objects at nearly twice the distance of the prior system. A forward-facing radar with enhanced processing provides additional data about the world on a redundant wavelength, capable of seeing through heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead. To make sense of all of this data, a new onboard computer with more than 40 times the computing power of the previous generation runs the new Tesla-developed neural net for vision, sonar and radar processing software. Together, this system provides a view of the world that a driver alone cannot access, seeing in every direction simultaneously and on wavelengths that go far beyond the human senses. Model S and Model X vehicles with this new hardware are already in production, and customers can purchase one today. The hardware wont be activated for drivers yet. Tesla said that the autonomous-driving system would first be calibrated using millions of miles of real-world driving to make sure its safe. During the calibration process, the newly produced cars will lack some of the features currently available on Tesla vehicles with Autopilot such as automatic emergency breaking, collision warning, lane holding and active cruise control. Story continues As these features are robustly validated, we will enable them over-the-air, together with a rapidly expanding set of entirely new features, Tesla said. The Autopilot system became the subject of controversy in May, when a Tesla Model S driver was killed in a collision with a truck on a Florida highway. Tesla acknowledged that the cars vision system misinterpreted the trucks visual profile as its driver was making a left turn. Musk and other Tesla executives insist that Autopilot increases automotive safety if its used properly. Today, Musk leveled harsh criticism at journalists who have raised questions about self-driving cars. If, in writing some article thats negative, you effectively dissuade people from using an autonomous vehicle, youre killing people, he said. Nevertheless, Tesla has emphasized that drivers shouldnt take their hands off the wheel or stop paying attention while the Autopilot system is engaged, and the company recently tweaked its vehicles software to address that issue. Experts on automation generally rate Teslas cars as providing SAE Level 2 autonomy that is, partial automation with the expectation that the driver will retain full control. In August, Ford Motor Co. said it would offer Level 4 autonomy on a high-volume production vehicle by 2021. Level 4 means the car can handle all aspects of driving as long as it sticks to well-defined conditions. Today, Musk said Teslas cars would have the hardware for Level 5 autonomy, which means they would theoretically be capable of driving themselves all the time. And he promised that Tesla would demonstrate a fully autonomous trip from Los Angeles to New York by the end of 2017. Musk said enabling full autonomy would add $8,000 to the price of each car. Current base price for Teslas vehicles are $66,000 for the Model S, $74,000 for the Model X, and $35,000 for the yet-to-be-built Model 3. Teslas website actually offers two options for autonomous driving: Enhanced Autopilot, which is expected to be rolled out over-the-air in December, subject to regulatory approval; and full self-driving capability, which has an indeterminate timetable. Musk is known for minimizing the challenges and the timetables associated with his projects, ranging from SpaceXs launch schedule to Teslas production schedule. Time will tell whether thats the case for fully autonomous vehicles as well. More from GeekWire: NEHAWKA A family of six was killed in an early morning house fire northeast of Weeping Water, but the cause remained under investigation late Thursday. Nebraska State Fire Marshal investigators couldn't confirm the number of deaths in the rural Cass County home at 10014 McKelvie Road, according to a news release. But a family member said on Facebook that Mike and Michelle Speer and their four daughters, Elli, Adilynn, Emma and Anniston, were killed. Autopsies will be performed following recovery efforts, the release said. Late Thursday afternoon, investigators patrolled the property as fire crews sprayed water on the charred remains of the white two-story farmhouse, located in a grove of trees surrounded by soybeans along a gravel road. Part of the green-shingled roof lay on the pile of ashes with the chimney the only part of the house intact. Its basically a two-story house, and its completely on the ground, Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Matzner told Flood Communications. We dont have any walls standing. A neighbor called 911 reporting people were inside the burning home just after midnight Thursday, the release said. Fire and rescue crews from Weeping Water, Manley and Avoca along with sheriff's deputies arrived to find the two-story home engulfed in flames, the release said. But they couldn't get inside the blazing home, Matzner said. The State Fire Marshals Office is being assisted in the investigation by the Cass County Sheriff's Office and the Cass County Attorneys Office. Investigators didnt release additional details Thursday and authorities said the investigation could likely continue into Friday. The Speers bought the house six miles northeast of Weeping Water in July, according to the Cass County Assessors Office. Family members couldn't be reached for comment Thursday evening. By David Beasley ATLANTA (Reuters) - The state of Georgia on Wednesday executed a man who opened fire on Atlanta police with an AR-15 rifle in 1997, killing one officer and critically wounding another after they had given his intoxicated girlfriend a ride home. Gregory Paul Lawler, 63, died by lethal injection at 11:49 p.m. at a state prison in Jackson, Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens said in a statement. The execution was the seventh this year in Georgia, matching Texas for the most death sentences carried out in a U.S. state in 2016, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. There have been 17 executions in the United States in 2016, compared with 28 for all of last year, the center's data showed. Lawler was sentenced to death in 2000 after being found guilty in the murder of officer John Sowa, 28. A second officer, Patricia Cocciolone, survived the shooting with a shattered pelvis, damaged intestines and permanent brain injury. She testified at Lawler's trial, according to a Georgia Supreme Court summary of the case. The synopsis said Lawler and his girlfriend had been drinking at a bar near their Atlanta apartment the night of the October 1997 shooting. Police were summoned by a witness who thought he saw Lawler hit the woman with a bag as they walked home. Lawler fled when officers arrived. The officers decided to help the girlfriend get home. At the apartment, they were met by Lawler, who fired at the officers 15 times, the case summary said. Sowa and Cocciolone still had their pistols strapped into their holsters when backup arrived. Lawler surrendered after a six-hour standoff, according to court records. At his trial, a co-worker testified Lawler had talked about having an extreme dislike of police and that if they ever tried to enter his home, he would be "ready for them," court records said. Georgia's State Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Lawler's request for clemency on Tuesday. In their petition to the board, his attorneys said Lawler had recently been diagnosed with autism, a disorder that had prevented him from explaining the murder to jurors. The U.S. Supreme Court also denied a last-minute request for a stay of execution. (Reporting by David Beasley; Writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Peter Cooney) Berlin (AFP) - A German police officer died on Thursday of gunshot injuries sustained in a raid against a member of the shadowy far-right group "Citizens of the Reich", authorities said. Police in the southern state of Bavaria said "the critically injured officer died in the early morning hours in hospital" after the standoff on Wednesday. The 49-year-old gunman belonging to the so-called Reichsbuerger movement, identified only as Wolfgang P., was also slightly injured in the struggle with officers in the town of Georgensmuend and taken into custody. Local authorities had ordered the seizure of the man's arsenal of about 30 firearms after his permits were rescinded due to a determination that he was psychologically "unsound". The 32-year-old dead officer was part of a special forces unit dispatched to the scene to enforce the order. Three other officers were injured in the confrontation, one of them seriously. The suspect, who previously ran a martial arts school, immediately opened fire when the officers entered his home. He now faces a murder charge. The officer had been wearing a bulletproof vest but the shot entered his body through his shoulder, police said. It was the second serious incident in three months involving the Reichsbuerger group, which does not recognise the legitimacy of the German republic and believes in the continued existence of the German empire or "Reich". As a result, many refuse to pay taxes and fines owed to the state. In August, a member of the group -- a former Mister Germany pageant winner -- opened fire on police carrying out an eviction order at his house in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The 41-year-old gunman was seriously wounded and three police officers suffered light injuries. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany's domestic security watchdog, which keeps tabs on extremist groups, said it had no current figures on the number of Reichsbuerger members. But an interior ministry spokesman said Wednesday that the movement was seen as "fragmented", with a few hundred members spread throughout the country. BERLIN (Reuters) - A police officer died overnight after he was shot by a right-wing extremist in the southern German state of Bavaria on Wednesday, police said. The gunman opened fire at police on Wednesday, injuring four policemen before he was arrested. Police said he was a member of the Reichsbuerger (Reich citizens) movement, which maintains that the World War Two German Reich continues to exist. "The seriously injured member of the North Bavaria special forces died in a clinic in the early morning hours (20.10.2016) due to his heavy gunshot wounds," police said in a statement on Thursday. (Writing by Paul Carrel, editing by Larry King) By Gina Cherelus (Reuters) - Bao Bao the female giant panda will leave the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. early next year and move to China under a breeding agreement, officials at the zoo said on Thursday. Three-year-old Bao Bao, who was the first surviving cub born at Smithsonian's National Zoo since 2005, has enchanted zoo visitors and others who watched her via live "panda cam" footage. "She's captured the hearts of people all over the world who watched her grow up ... and she has been an ambassador for conservation," Brandie Smith, associate director of animal care at the zoo, said in a statement. Bao Bao will enter the breeding program for giant pandas under an arrangement between the zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association that says all cubs born at the U.S. national zoo must move to China by the time they turn 4 years old. Upon arrival in Chengdu, China she will travel to a facility run by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, accompanied by one keeper and one veterinarian from the National Zoo, officials in Washington said. The zoo's panda team will continuously monitor Bao Bao during the trip and will travel with a supply of her favorite treats, "including bamboo, apples, pears, cooked sweet potatoes and water." Bao Bao must reach sexual maturity, between the ages of 5 and six years old, before entering the breeding program, the zoo said, and by then she will have acclimated to her new home. "We are sad to see her go, but excited for the contributions she is going to continue to make to the global giant panda population," Smith said. There are an estimated 1,800 giant pandas in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which classes them as "vulnerable." The national zoo said it will soon announce special opportunities for the public to say goodbye and celebrate Bao Bao before she departs for China. Her brother, Tai Shan, was sent to China in 2010. (Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Andrew Hay) (Adds recommendation for Potash Corp shareholders, background) Oct 20 (Reuters) - Investor advisory company Glass Lewis said on Thursday it recommended that Agrium Inc and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc shareholders support a proposed merger, saying it would create a bigger, more diversified company. The recommendation follows Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) recommending support for the merger from investors in each company last week. The all-stock deal was announced on Sept. 12. It would combine Potash's crop nutrient production capacity, the world's largest, with Agrium's farm retail network, North America's biggest. Agrium shareholders will meet to vote in Calgary, Alberta, on Nov. 3, while Potash investors meet the same day in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Potash shareholders would own 52 percent of the new company. The deal, which requires two-thirds approval by shareholders of each company, is expected to be completed by mid-2017, pending regulator review. U.S.-listed shares of both companies were down slightly on Thursday afternoon. (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Matthew Lewis) A Department of Correctional Services staff member was assaulted at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York Wednesday. An inmate attempted to hit the staff member with a homemade weapon, which the staff member was able to deflect, a news release said. The inmate grabbed the staff member by the hair and hit the person's face before chemical agents were deployed and staff regained control of the inmate, the release said. The staff member was treated and released for injuries that were not life-threatening. The incident will be investigated with the findings submitted to the county attorney. Another woman came forward Thursday accusing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of inappropriate sexual conduct in a press conference called by womens rights attorney Gloria Allred. Allred introduced Karena Virginia, a yoga teacher and inspirational speaker, at the London Hotel in Manhattan within walking distance of the famed Trump Tower. After Donald Trump was caught on tape bragging about groping women, a number of women came forward to share their experiences, Virginia said. I am here today to add my voice to that of the other Trump accusers. I am here to stand up to Mr. Trump for myself, my family, particularly my daughter, and for all the women who deserve to be respected and not subjected by sexual abuse or groped by powerful men who believe that women can be groped, grabbed or kissed at their pleasure. Virginia said she came forward to support the other women who were courageous enough to share their stories. She also said that no one had asked her to come forward and that many people actually advised her to keep quiet, warning her that Trump would likely deny the claims and brand her a liar, as he has done with others who made claims against him. She said she encountered Trump by chance while waiting for a car to pick her up in Flushing, Queens, outside the U.S. Open in 1998. She was 27 at the time. Trump had just turned 52. Gloria Alfred comforts Karena Virginia during the press conference. (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images) He then walked up to me and reached his right arm and grabbed my right arm. Then his hand touched the right inside of my breast. I was in shock. I flinched. Dont you know who I am. Dont you know who I am, Thats what he said to me. I felt intimidated and I felt powerless, she said. Then my car pulled up and I got in. After I closed the door, my shock turned to shame. I felt ashamed that I was wearing a short dress and high heels. That feeling of shame stayed with me for a while, and it made me disinclined to wear short dresses or high heels, she said. For a number of years afterwards, I struggled with what to wear so as to not attract unwanted attention. Story continues Virginias announcement comes a day after the third and final presidential debate between Trump and his Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Todays victim is also noteworthy in that her allegation demonstrates how Mr. Trump selects his victims at random, Allred said. Some of the women, including the woman who is here today, had an encounter with Mr. Trump that appeared to be strictly by chance. Allred said Trump can no longer claim that he respects women. Attorney Gloria Allred hugs Summer Zervos, who in a news conference last week accused Trump of victimizing her. (Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP) At least 11 women have come forward with allegations of inappropriate touching against Trump. Allred said Virginia is not considering a lawsuit against the real estate magnate at this time. Jessica Ditto, the deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, released a statement Thursday afternoon responding to Virginias allegation. Discredited political operative Gloria Allred, in another coordinated, publicity seeking attack with the Clinton campaign, will stop at nothing to smear Mr. Trump. Give me a break, she wrote. Voters are tired of these circus-like antics and reject these fictional stories and the clear efforts to benefit Hillary Clinton. Last Friday, Allred held a similar press conference in which she represented former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos, who accused the real estate magnate of groping and forcibly kissing her at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2007. Allred also represents dozens of women who have accused comedian Bill Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting them. (Cover tile photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images) These gorgeous anime-styled Disney Princesses are everything you didnt know you wanted It seems like everyday theres new beautiful Disney fan art that comes our way. Whether theyre inspired by typical teenagers or arriving in the form of a fabulous makeup tutorial, we truly just cant get enough Disney and more specifically Disney princesses in our lives. We particularly loved past homages like these brilliant, original photos a photographer took to transform her daughter into beloved Disney characters and also these super glam princess makeovers. And now, we have this super cool mashup of Disney princesses in the style of Japanese animation by talented illustrator Larienne Chan. Like Merida from Brave. A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on May 26, 2016 at 8:28am PDT Rapunzel from Tangled. A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on Apr 27, 2016 at 10:10am PDT And even Disneys latest hero, Moana! A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on Jun 22, 2016 at 9:12am PDT But were also loving this double image of Mulan. A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on Aug 12, 2016 at 8:24am PDT And this magical split screen Ariel. A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on Aug 10, 2016 at 7:55am PDT This Beauty and the Beast collage of scenes is just stunning. A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on Sep 9, 2015 at 11:52am PDT Oh, and BONUS! Heres a gorgeous Hermione piece too, because WHY NOT!? A photo posted by Larienne (@lariennechan) on Sep 6, 2016 at 8:16am PDT We are seriously loving all these amazing leading ladies (real and animated) done in a super fun and gorgeous Japanese animation style! Its pure magic. The post These gorgeous anime-styled Disney Princesses are everything you didnt know you wanted appeared first on HelloGiggles. By Alister Doyle COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Governments gave the green light on Thursday for a U.N. scientific study on how to meet an ambitious global warming target, despite growing worries by some scientists that the goal may be unrealistic. The report, due for completion in 2018, is meant to guide almost 200 nations including China and the United States on how to stop world temperatures rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). its' open ended - no date set But some scientists say the 1.5C ceiling, favored most strongly by tropical island states which fear rising sea levels, will likely be breached soon because of a steady buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. And world leaders have only signed up for a less ambitious plan - their promise in Paris last December to limit global warming to "well below" 2C above pre-industrial times, while "pursuing efforts" for 1.5 degrees. The study, approved by government officials and scientists at the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Bangkok on Thursday, will look at ways to meet the tougher target. The paper, due for completion in 2018, will also look at the likely impacts of a 1.5C rise on the planet, from tropical coral reefs to Greenland's ice, and try to ensure that policies to limit warming also reduce poverty. Average world surface temperatures are on track to set a new record high in 2016, more than 1C (1.8F) above pre-industrial times, and threaten to cause ever more downpours, heat waves and to accelerate a rise in ocean levels. Oliver Geden, of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told Reuters that scientists and governments were irresponsible to suggest it was still feasible to limit warming to 1.5C. The IPCC report "should not be mis-interpreted as a sign that the industrialized countries are now willing to mitigate at the level that would be needed" to limit temperature rises to 1.5C or even 2C, he said. And last week, two scientists wrote in the journal Science that a 1.5C limit would have to rely too heavily on so-called "negative emissions" to extract carbon dioxide from the air with technologies that do not yet exist. "Negative-emission technologies are not an insurance policy, but rather an unjust and high-stakes gamble," wrote Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Center and Glen Peters of the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in Oslo. Thelma Krug, a senior IPCC scientist from Brazil, told an online news conference that the report would study 1.5C without pre-judging whether it was possible. And some technologies for reducing carbon dioxide sound promising. Last week, scientists at the U.S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, for instance, reported that they had found a method to convert carbon dioxide into ethanol. (Reporting By Alister Doyle; Editing by Andrew Heavens) A 63-year-old grandmother was arrested earlier this month after authorities say she carried more than $500,000 worth of drugs aboard a flight from Las Vegas to Detroit. Cheryl Cheatham was arrested at the Detroit Airport October 14 after DEA agents reportedly observed her acting suspiciously near the baggage carousel. Read: The Ridiculous Ways People Have Tried to Smuggle Stuff Past the TSA Agents followed Cheatham as she took two suitcases and hailed a taxi, which drove her to a hotel. According to a DEA report obtained by KPHO, she did not check into the hotel. Instead, officials say Cheatham later got inside a waiting hired car with the two suitcases in tow. Michigan State troopers were told to stop the vehicle, at which point a search was conducted. The DEA said drugs were found in each bag. In one bundle, the agency says there were eight individually-wrapped kilos of suspected cocaine. The other bundle allegedly contained 9 wrapped kilos. Cheatham was arrested on a charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Cheatham's attorney, Todd Shanker, argued at a hearing Monday that his client has serious mental health issues and needs to be in a mental health facility. "At best, this looks like a mule situation, Shanker said. "When all is said and done... I think she needs help." Read: Man Who Had Just Been Convicted of Raping a 13-Year-Old Slits His Throat in Courtroom Magistrate Judge David R. Grand chose to deny Cheatham bond and scolded her for poor decision-making. "People make bad choices when theyre younger," he told the grandmother. "Here we are in 2016, and youre caught with this substantial amount of narcotics." Watch: Man Caught Smuggling 14 Bottles of Alcohol in His Underwear Related Articles: Past the table piled high with books, beyond the racks of clothes and a large selection of bedding, near the temporary cafe in Pinnacle Bank Arena Thursday morning, Jerry Renick perused the woolen winter caps on display. He had a backpack full of supplies and a navigator named Amanda Owen-Doerr whod led him to the Veterans Affairs services area -- one of more than 50 organizations on hand to help those who came to the seventh annual Project Homeless Connect. Renick was one of more than 400 people who attended -- a record number -- to take advantage of a wide variety of services. There were booths offering haircuts and family portraits, medical, vision and dental checks, information on employment and benefits, help with tax preparation, information on education opportunities, car repair and pet care services. Renick visited an area set aside for veterans, a "stand down" event hosted by Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Such events bring together various veterans services in one place to help homeless veterans with medical care, housing, benefits and offer backpacks full of toiletries and other necessities. The woolen hats, jeans, shirts and other clothes came from the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, which collects the donations year-round and distributes them at events like the one Thursday. Renick, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, isnt homeless now, thanks to housing assistance through Veterans Affairs, but he was for many years, along with his brother. Originally from Oklahoma, Renick said he hitchhiked through Nebraska once -- and eventually found his way back. The event is helpful, he said, even though hes no longer on the streets, and he made use of the veterans medical services as well as getting a haircut from one of the other booths and stopping by the pet care station. Owen-Doerr -- one of nearly 300 community members and college students who volunteered to be "navigators" -- helped him find what he needed. Each person who comes through the doors is assigned a navigator armed with a clipboard and checklist who makes sure people find what they are looking for. I have a huge passion for people who become homeless and struggle, and this is a great way to connect them with services in one place, she said. It is a cool event, not just for them, but for us. Nearby, the Lancaster County Public Defenders Office and Legal Aid were ready to offer people advice and help. Last year, they drove eight to 10 people to court so they could take care of minor warrants or set up payment plans for fines. This year, attorneys were on hand to do the same for people who owed child support. The public defender's office tried to use Facetime to connect people at the arena with a judge, but they had technical problems so they drove them to the courthouse. They hope to try again next year. I saw it as an easy way to serve more people, said Public Defender Joe Nigro. Renick didnt need those services, but he found the walk to the arena this morning worth the effort. Its a good thing, he said. The final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump got heated when a conversation about Trumps ties to Russia resulted in the candidates calling each other puppets. Clinton said that Russian President Vladimir Putin supports Trump because, Hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States. Trump shot back, No puppet, no puppet. Youre the puppet. Also Read: No Handshake Part 2: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Keep Their Distance The Clinton campaign has tied recent WikiLeaks to Russia. You are clearly quoting from Wikileaks and what is important is the Russian government has engaged in espionage against America, Clinton said to moderator Chris Wallace, when he cited one leaked document. Democrats say that Putin wants Trump to win the election because it would give Russia an upper hand. I dont know Putin. He has said nice things about me, Trump said. He has no respect for her, no respect for our president and we are in serious trouble. Thats when the puppet accusations began. Its 2016, so Twitter went crazy, of course. Also Read: 5 Things Chris Wallace Needs to Do in the Final Presidential Debate Check out some of the reaction: Guys they are both puppets pic.twitter.com/UtIe36glm8 Kenneth Cohen (@kennethacohen) October 20, 2016 This debate is offensive to puppets, but that's none of my business #debatenight pic.twitter.com/poASmHt20F Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) October 20, 2016 What's wrong with puppets? #debate Potter Puppet Pals (@PotterPuppets) October 20, 2016 Let's not kid ourselves. You are all my puppets. #debatenight Francis J. Underwood (@RepUnderwoodSC) October 20, 2016 We just threw away all of our feelings puppets. #debatenight Los Feliz Daycare (@LosFelizDaycare) October 20, 2016 Trump puppets. Coming to a store near you. #DebateNight Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) October 20, 2016 Donald Trump puppets are going to sell like hot cakes after tonight #debatenight Brandon Calvillo (@BJCalvillo) October 20, 2016 Related stories from TheWrap: 5 Things Chris Wallace Needs to Do in the Final Presidential Debate 5 Ways Trump May Attack Hillary Clinton During Final Presidential Debate, Based on His Twitter Feed Donald Trump v Hillary Clinton III: How to Watch Final Presidential Debate Near the end of their interview at KROQ's Red Bull Sound Space on Wednesday afternoon, KROQ's Ted Stryker asked Green Day if in 30 years they'd want to play Desert Trip with the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Billie Joe Armstrong said, "Sure," adding first they'd be back to play a stadium in Los Angeles next year. To warm up for their 2017 tour and possible 2040 Desert Trip appearance, Green Day took over L.A. this week, going small with an epic Hollywood Palladium appearance Monday. In the interview, Armstrong said it was important to him because the last time the band played that venue was Halloween 1994, and to even fewer than the 300 lucky fans at the Red Bull Sound Space on Wednesday afternoon. Taking the tiny stage just after their scheduled 4 p.m. start time, the band kicked off the 45-minute set with "Welcome to Paradise." Predictably, a slew of cell phones came out, seemingly one for every three or four people, before Armstrong politely encouraged fans to put them down midway through the song. Nearly everyone obliged his request, leaving fans to be present in the moment as they got to witness a stadium-size band with the No. 1 album in the country play for a club-size audience. Green Day had played for more than two hours just two nights earlier, and Revolution Radio already secured the No. 1 status on the Billboard 200. It could have done the requisite six or seven songs for radio and everyone would have left satisfied. But after a four-year gap between albums, the band was clearly hungry to play. Covering much of their career in the set, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers went from "Longview" -- during which Armstrong invited a fan from the audience to sing the last verse -- "She" and "Basket Case" to multiple songs from the new album, including a superb "Still Breathing" and the album's title track. Songs from in between included a thrashing "St. Jimmy," "Holiday," "Waiting" and "Minority," before a blistering closer of "American Idiot." All that was left was the interview, which found the band members declaring their admiration for rock and punk bands, both old (the Rolling Stones and the Ramones) and new. And Armstrong showed that their love for music is as strong as ever, pointing out there are more bands out there now than ever and "strongly recommending supporting new bands -- they are the future of rock and punk." Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who starred in 2014's Beyond the Lights, is joining the high-profile cast of Disney's adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time in a key role. Ava DuVernay is directing the project, which has a script by Frozen writer and co-director Jennifer Lee. Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling are the A-listers surrounding rising actress Storm Reid, who is leading the cast of the studio's take on Madeleine L'Engle's children's book. The Newbery Medal-winning book centers on Meg Murry (Reid), a young girl traumatized by the disappearance of her scientist father years before. She finds herself on an interplanetary journey with a schoolmate and her younger brother to find her father. They are aided by a trio of supernatural beings, Mrs. Whatsit (Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Winfrey). In a nod to modern America, the studio has made the family mixed-race. Mbatha-Raw will play the mother, made anxious over losing her husband. (The search for the actor to play the father, who will be white, is still underway.) A late fall shoot beginning in Atlanta is being prepped. Mbatha-Raw is finding herself in demand this year. She worked with Disney earlier in 2016 on its live-action reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, which will bow in March, and recently wrapped the J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi thriller God Particle. The actress, who co-starred opposite Will Smith in Concussion, will next be seen with Jessica Chastain in EuropaCorp's gun drama Miss Sloane. Mbatha-Raw is repped by CAA. A guy almost died from eating a ghost pepper, so can that challenge FINALLY be over? One of the more ridiculous things that humans do is the ~dangerous food challenge~. Like, WHY, you guys. Why do we do this to ourselves?! From the cinnamon challenge (dont go do the cinnamon challenge now, please) to the more recent ghost pepper challenge, people are literally risking their mouths. For social media. This is us at our worst, yall. One guy tried the ghost pepper challenge, and almost DIED, so if we could stop now that would be awesome. So heres what happened. A 47-year-old Californian ate a ghost pepper, and then he just couldnt cool down his mouth. Like, it was really, seriously burning. According to Clinical Communications, a journal by University of CaliforniaSan Francisco emergency department personnel, he ate the pepper at a local restaurant featuring a hamburger topped with ghost pepper puree as part of an eating contest. These food contests, you guys! Were telling you, they arent worth it. When he couldnt chill TF out (as in he was in agony and also was throwing up a lot), he went to the hospital. What he found was absolutely freaky, because no one even knew this could happen. But the ghost pepper was so horribly hot that it burned a hole in his esophagus. giphy Oh, and it totally would have killed him if he hadnt gone to the hospital. Were so scared, and so sad for this guy, but were also hoping this will finally put an end to people risking their lives for literally no reason. The post A guy almost died from eating a ghost pepper, so can that challenge FINALLY be over? appeared first on HelloGiggles. As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump head toward the presidential finish line on November 8, its time to revisit one of the most popular topics discussed on our blog: What happens if the Electoral College ties? Back in 2012, we did several blog posts on this topic and they were the most-viewed topics of the presidential race season. So four years later, were taking another look at the tie scenarios and what could happen after November 8, 2016. If you think a tie scenario is out of the question, there are two reasons why a tie or a contingent election is always a possibility. First, thanks to the 23rd Amendment, we currently have an even number of votes in the Electoral College; that makes a tie mathematically possible. And under the 12th Amendment, a tie election (or one without a candidate with a majority of Electoral votes) sends the presidential election to Congress to decide in a contingent election. A faithless elector or a third-party candidate can alter the math, in theory, to send an election to Congress. This has happened twice in our history. In 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in the Electoral College under the old system that gave each elector two votes for President. The 12th Amendment altered that system to allow for separate votes for President and Vice President. Since then, the only election not decided by the Electoral College was the 1824 contest, when Andrew Jackson led the college but didnt have a majority of votes. In the contingent election, the House chose John Quincy Adams over Jackson. What about 2016? Could there be a tie election between Clinton and Trump? To be sure, there are many combinations of states that could give each candidate 269 electoral votes. In all likelihood, the battleground or swing states would need balance out. But two states, Maine and Nebraska, allocate their electoral votes by congressional district, which complicates some of the scenarios. For the sake of this discussion, the swing states in question are Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. (Other states, such as Iowa, Arizona, Virginia and Indiana, could also be a factor.) Story continues Here is a look at a few tie-vote scenarios. We used the popular website www.270towin.com to generate the maps: 1. Clinton loses New Hampshire, Trump takes Nevada In this scenario, Trump wins Florida, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Nevada (states where Clinton has led in polls) and retains Ohio. Clinton would win Pennsylvania, Maine outright, Colorado and Midwestern states such as Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. That puts the election in a 269-269 tie. 2. Remember the Maine scenario. electoral-tie-maine The states law says that of Maines four electoral votes, two go to the popular vote winner, and an electoral vote goes to winner of its two congressional districts. So the popular vote winner would get at least three of the four electoral votes in Maine. In this scenario, Trump just needs to get one electoral vote in Maine from its 2nd Congressional District. In addition to that one vote, Trump needs Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Colorado to force the 269-269 tie. Clinton would retain Pennsylvania, Nevada and New Hampshire, along with Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. 3. Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Maine CD2 go to Trump. Another scenario shows what happens if the GOP takes the keystone state of Pennsylvania, and gets five electoral votes out of Maine and New Hampshire, while keeping Florida and Ohio. The Democrats could still take Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and wind up in a tie election. In many other current scenarios, Pennsylvania plays out as a key state for the Republicans, and it may be needed along with Florida for a Trump victory, unless 4. Minnesota and Wisconsin go to the Republicans. In this scenario, the Democrats lose Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire, while the Republicans hold onto Ohio, North Carolina, and one vote from Maine. That would put the Democrats in the odd scenario of winning Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado and Nevada and coming up one vote short. Another version of this scenario would have Pennsylvania (with 20 electoral votes) flipping places with Minnesota (10 electoral votes) and Wisconsin (10 electoral votes). If the election does wind up in a tie, then it will be settled as a contingent election in Congress. The new House would decide the presidential contest, with each state delegation getting one vote. The new Senate settles the vice presidential race, with each Senator getting a vote. Before that would happen, there could be efforts to contest the outcome in close states or the legitimacy of the electoral slates submitted from each state. In 1876, a conflict among electoral slates submitted by southern states led to a special committee composed on congressional members and Supreme Court Justices to decide the electors and the election for Rutherford B. Hayes. And in 2000, the Supreme Court had to step in to determine how the electoral slate outcome from Florida would be tallied in its Bush v. Gore decision. Related Stories on Constitution Daily Explaining how the Electoral College works Five little-known men who almost became president Early voting looms as key election factor This Immigrant Doctor Is Reimagining Health in the American City An Ivy League school with a 10-figure endowment and alumni who include presidents and billionaires, Harvard University has long been considered the epitome of wealth and privilege. Like its less-esteemed peers, however, Harvards daily operations depend on an invisible army of clerks, administrative assistants, maintenance crews, and groundskeepers. So when food-service workers went on strike against the university earlier this month, it cast a spotlight on the dark underside of higher education: institutions that often charge students more for tuition than they pay employees critical to their function. RELATED: Why Public College Costs More Than an Ivy for Some Middle Class Kids Picket lines around Harvard in downtown Cambridge, Massachusetts, began when the food-service employees walked off the job on Oct. 5, after the school balked at their request for a minimum salary of $35,000. Harvard can afford it, they argue, because the universitys endowment is more than $35 billionthe largest of any private university. Its the richest university in the world and just put an additional $7 billion into its coffers, yet Harvard is failing to provide a livable existence for its lowest-paid and hardest-working employees, faculty member Tim McCarthy said during a rally last week. Harvard isnt alone: A survey of full-time administrative workers within the University of California system found that 45 percent of them sometimes go hungry. That includes library assistants and collections representatives who choose between paying rent and buying groceries, and many hold degrees from the same university system that pays them so poorly. There are graduates of the University of California, working for the University of California, and theyre still not making enough money after three, five, 10, or even 15 years [on the job] to put food on the table, said Peter Dreier, an author and politics professor at Occidental College, who conducted the study. Story continues Thats pretty amazing, pretty tragic, pretty troublesome, he said. The system, Drier told TakePart, is becoming the Walmart of public education. RELATED: Nobody Wins When Colleges Hire Too Many Part-Time Professors The Harvard strike, and Dreiers survey, illustrate a confluence of trends that have yet to be tackled: the spiraling cost of higher education, spurred in part by a lack of investment at the state and federal level; the Great Recession, a financial tsunami that wiped out working- and middle-class gains; and the widening economic gap between the haves and have-nots. Last year, in the Million Student March, college students nationwide walked out of classrooms to demonstrate against the high cost of a college degree and the low starting wages paid to schools blue- and white-collar employees. The demands of the Million Student March included debt-free college, student-loan forgiveness, and a $15-an-hour minimum salary for campus workers most schools should realize are indispensable. At Harvard, along with a boost in starting salaries, the dispute between the school and the workers centers on steep hikes in the health care premiums and copays that employees would have to pay out-of-pocket under a new contract. An analysis found that the workers would have to pay $40 to $100 for emergency-room visits, and inpatient and outpatient copays would spike from $0 to $100. Thats despite the fact that Harvard University Dining Services workers dont earn a living wage by Massachusetts high standards, another sticking point in the dispute. Most make around $21.89 an hour, or $33,839 a year, according to the school, but housing near the university is so expensive it can easily eat up half that salary. RELATED: Passing Up Harvard: Qualified Black and Latino Kids Aren't Applying to Top Colleges While the university has refused to budge so far, the striking workers have powerful allies, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who taught law at the school before being elected to represent the state in Washington, D.C. Harvards students are also on their side: Student leaders have organized walkouts, and roughly 3,000 undergraduates have signed a petition supporting the strike, even though some have complained about undercooked meals and dirty dishes in the campus dining halls. The universitys faculty has circulated its own petition in support of the strike, noting the schools $35 billion endowment, its ongoing capital campaign, and its refusal to support the workers. As members of the campus community, we appreciate that HUDS workers not only serve food, but create and nourish community in ways that are absolutely invaluable to this institution, the faculty petition states. We call on the Harvard Administration to do the right thing to end this strike. Until then, we stand in solidarity with the HUDS workers. RELATED: 15 Crucial American Jobs That Still Don't Pay a Living Wage Though he cant say for sure how widespread such disparities are between colleges and their full-time employees, Dreier said his study and the Harvard strike underscore that top higher-education administratorssome of whom make 10 times as much as the person who serves them lunchmust do more to increase the pay of the worker bees they depend on, whether they realize it or not. He noted that, after finding out students were going hungry, some campuses offered classes in budgeting and making the most of cheap food. The employees dont need charity. They dont need to know how to shop or budget, Drier said. They need more money in their pockets. They need justice. Sign the Petition: Make College Affordable: Support College Cost Reforms Related stories on TakePart: Nearly Half of College Kids Go HungryEven With Jobs and Financial Aid Say Good-bye to the Four-Year College Degree Nobody Wins When Colleges Hire Too Many Part-Time Professors Original article from TakePart The Cinematic Orchestra strip back on the stark, vulnerable "To Believe," a collaboration with vocalist Moses Sumney. The ghostly acoustic ballad, built on delicate fingerpicking and simmering orchestrations, previews their as-yet-untitled fourth studio album, the group's first since 2007. Sumney showcases his dynamic vocal range on the slow-building track building from near-whisper to dramatic falsetto, drawing out tension from dissonant harmonies. The track is available today via all digital outlets. The Cinematic Orchestra, the long-running jazz-electronic project of innovative British beatmaker Jason Swinscoe, now features co-production from longtime collaborator Dom Smith. More details about the next LP will be announced soon. Employing a unique blend of live instrumental improvisation and electronic manipulation, the band recorded three studio albums: 1999's Motion, 2000's Every Day and 2007's Ma Fleur, along with 2003's Man With a Movie Camera, the soundtrack to a re-released version of Dziga Vertov's famed 1929 documentary. The group will kick off a European tour Sunday, October 30th in Luxembourg, with dates running until November 14th. Related Content: Many millennials are OK with socialism, even communism, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Forty-five percent of those polled between the ages of 16 and 20 years old said they would vote for a socialist, while 20 percent said they could vote for a communist. Maybe that explains the Che Guevara T-shirts so many of them like to wear. Responding to the poll, Marion Smith, the executive director of the organization, said, "An emerging generation of Americans has little understanding of the collectivist system and its dark history." Partial credit for this should go to former presidential candidate and avowed socialist Bernie Sanders. Even more shocking is the poll's discovery that a third of millennials believe more people were killed under George W. Bush than Joseph Stalin, whose regime murdered 20 million people between 1924 and 1953. The total killed under all communist regimes (so far) is estimated at 100 million. The poll also found that capitalism, which offers millennials more opportunities than the socialism and communism so many of them admire, is viewed favorably by 42 percent of young people, compared to 64 percent of Americans older than 65. That so few older adults appreciate capitalism is also disturbing, though it is a triumph of liberal propaganda, which tends to base its ideology on intentions and feelings, not evidence and outcomes. In part, these results are a product of a public education system that increasingly treats all ideas and organizing principles -- save democracy and capitalism -- as equal. Moral judgments are not to be made, thanks in part to an emerging philosophy divorced from right and wrong. The late Catholic Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen brilliantly summed up the problem with modern society more than a half-century ago; before it evolved into the morally chaotic nation we are today. He wrote, "America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance -- it is not. It is suffering from tolerance. Tolerance of right and wrong, truth and error, virtue and evil, Christ and chaos. Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." When one has lost a standard for judging right from wrong, good from evil, when anything goes (Cole Porter wrote a satirical song with that title), then socialism and communism become one more organizing principle among many of equal value. That liberal Democrats are succeeding in shaping young people's minds is revealed by this finding in the YouGov poll: More than half of millennials say the capitalism system works against them, while four in 10 call for a "complete change" so that the highest earners pay their "fair share" in taxes. No one ever defines what "fair share" means, much less holds government accountable for the money it wastes, including the failure of costly programs Congress lacks the will to terminate. This way of thinking is a triumph of the envy-greed-entitlement worldview, which believes that if someone is making more money than you, they owe you the difference, except those higher taxes won't find their way into your pocket. We used to learn from the successful, because they served as role models and examples of how hard work and risk-taking could improve any life. Now, we penalize success and, as a result, get less of it. But we feel better and feelings are all that matter, right? At least that's how we have been conditioned to think. These poll results ought to spur more parents to rescue their children from an education system that is failing them on many levels. Maybe a field trip to a communist country would cure millennials of their moral equivalence. They might start by visiting the prisons in Cuba. As we move into the final stages of the US presidential election, in which both Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton have questioned the merits of free-trade agreements, it's worth taking a look at whom the US trades with. The US Census Bureau releases annual statistics on international trade in goods (not services) at the state level. The agency's most recent release, covering data from 2015, includes a breakdown of the top countries each state exports to and imports from, as measured by total dollar trade value. Business Insider took a look at each state's biggest import and export trading partner. For imports, China and Canada loom large. Twenty-three states import more goods from China than any other country, and 15 import the most from our northern neighbor: import countries map Exports tend to be more focused on North America. Thirty-six states export more goods to Canada than any other nation, while the four states that share a land border with Mexico send the lion's share of their exports there: export countries map 2016 NOW WATCH: LIZ ANN SONDERS: The most unsettling outcome for the markets would be a surprise Trump win More From Business Insider putin rosneft oil With fewer than 20 days left until the US presidential election, it's worth taking a look at what the outcome could mean for energy and geopolitics. More concretely, here's what both candidates' positions on Russia and Iran could mean for those countries' oil sectors. First up, Russia Throughout the election season, Republican nominee Donald Trump has advocated improving relations with Russia, while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has positioned herself as someone who would take a tougher stand in dealing with the country. As such, "a Trump victory could result in the lifting of the US Treasury sanctions that prohibit investment in and technology transfers meant to assist in the development of Russian arctic shale and deep-water projects," Helima Croft, the head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a note. "However, more sanctions on Russia could be looming in the event of a Clinton win, especially in light of Russia's alleged involvement in hacking DNC emails and bombing campaign in Aleppo," she added. And next, Iran Clinton supports the Iran nuclear deal, which suggests that, should she win the presidency, the congressional sanctions on oil sector investment will remain waived assuming there's no major breach of the deal. On the flip side, Trump has called the Iran deal "one of the worst deals ever negotiated." As such, the RBC Capital Markets team says "there is a real risk that he refuses to certify Iranian compliance, likely resulting in extraterritorial congressional sanctions snapping back, which could curb the enthusiasm of foreign companies looking to invest in Iran's energy sector." Finally, oil and energy overall As an end note, here's a useful guide for how both candidates stand on various issues that will likely affect the energy industry over the next several years, via the RBC Capital Markets team: Screen Shot 2016 10 20 at 12.21.54 PM Story continues NOW WATCH: FEMA is tracking Hurricane Matthew using the 'Waffle House Index' More From Business Insider Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f253883%2ftrumpbook LONDON Another debate, another Twitterstorm. And this one has spawned possibly THE best hashtag of the election season #TrumpBookReport SEE ALSO: Trump unleashes tweetstorm on former Miss Universe Alicia Machado #TrumpBookReport began trending after local politician and Twitter citizen Antonio French tweeted this: Trump's foreign policy answers sound like a book report from a teenager who hasn't read the book. "Oh, the grapes! They had so much wrath!" Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) October 20, 2016 From Dickens to Rowling, people began to tweet their own ideas of how Donald Trump might interpret classic works of literature: A tale of two cities. And you know? Chicago is a really dangerous city. Probably the most dangerous city. DISASTER. #TrumpBookReport Prima Materia (@TheHelenOfTrill) October 20, 2016 There were flies and I was their lord. You've never seen such a lord, I was the best. Also fat kid died, sad. #TrumpBookReport Grant Haun (@keyskong) October 20, 2016 It was the best of times. Absolutely phenomenal. It was the worst of times. Total disaster. #TrumpBookReport Ben (@noblerzen) October 20, 2016 Uncle Tom's Cabin, worst cabin in the inner city. Terrible schools. Nasty women & bad hombres everywhere. @AntonioFrench #trumpbookreport Melanated Soul (@RealMotha4Ya) October 20, 2016 Let me tell you about Les Miserables. He was a good man. Great man. Les. Such a man. He became miserable thx to Hillary. #TrumpBookReport Sunset Flip (@monkeysilog) October 20, 2016 "By the way the Rye. The Rye is a tremendous problem. But how stupid is the Catcher? He's not catching anything believe me" #TrumpBookReport Jesus Ali (@THEJesusAli) October 20, 2016 Those poor heights. They were wuthering. Wuthering so bad. Bigly wuthering. I'll make them great again. #TrumpBookReport @AntonioFrench Callie (@calliembush) October 20, 2016 Oh, Gatsby? He was a great guy. A great guy. Just tremendous. #TrumpBookReport Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 20, 2016 Don Quixote was a loser, ok? He couldn't even win against a windmill. Listen, I'll beat all the windmills, believe me. #TrumpBookReport Shannon Hale (@haleshannon) October 20, 2016 The first four slaughterhouses were losers. The 5th was tremendous. Huge. The best slaughterhouse. #TrumpBookReport Brian Fitzpatrick (@therealfitz) October 20, 2016 Everybody's saying the letter was scarlet. Maybe, nobody knows, but by the way it was huge. Really big. Coulda been orange. #TrumpBookReport https://t.co/ywXQe3OgKM Anne Scheer (@AnneScheer) October 20, 2016 Where's Wally? I know where Wally is. I'm the best at finding Wally. People claim I don't know where Wally is. Sad. #TrumpBookReport Dave Turner (@mrdaveturner) October 20, 2016 Look, I don't know Voldemort. He said nice things about me. If we got along with the Death Eaters, wouldn't be so bad. #TrumpBookReport big nose betty (@mayapraff) October 20, 2016 I think little red riding hood was asking for it. Why else would she be walking through the woods alone. I'm with wolf. #TrumpBookReport Tray Cleveland (@trayc361) October 20, 2016 Her house was so puny. If I had a house on the prairie, it would be the biggest house. Believe me, it would be huuuge. #TrumpBookReport Samira Ahmed (@sam_aye_ahm) October 20, 2016 "I'm not saying if you give a mouse a cookie, it will join ISIS. I don't know. Couldn't tell ya. But probably 100% yeah." #TrumpBookReport Rob Sherrell (@RobJustJokin) October 20, 2016 This code and Da Vinci made the code. I know Da Vinci and he's a terrible guy and his code, let me tell you its a disaster. #TrumpBookReport Rami Bensasi (@HolaRamito) October 20, 2016 The bridges, nobody builds a bridge like me. I'll build one and make Madison County pay for it #TrumpBookReport The Real B Ham (@TheRealBHam) October 20, 2016 Whether or not Trump "passed" is up to your discretion, but these tweets are an A+ in our book. Hillary Clinton Donald Trump's strongest moment suddenly turned into one of his weakest. Hillary Clinton was on the defensive at the third and final presidential debate. The candidates were talking about immigration. One of her paid speeches to a Brazilian bank, a transcript of which WikiLeaks released as part of hacked Clinton campaign emails, was under the spotlight. Then she changed the subject. She veered off the discussion of "open borders," which the transcripts showed her praising in her speech, and instead started talking about Russian President Vladimir Putin. She accused Putin and the Russian government of meddling in the US election, and she called on Trump to disavow "Russian espionage against Americans." Trump responded with a zinger, marveling at how Clinton had shifted gears. And then, for some reason, he took the bait. "Now we can talk about Putin," he started. It was a seminal, if unheralded, moment as part of Clinton's master class in debate sparring with an unworthy partner. In romping through the nominees' three debates victorious in each and opening up a more and more sizable poll lead she was the class president versus the class clown, the well-prepared interviewee versus the guy winging it on the biggest stage of his life. Clinton did what 16 Republican candidates couldn't in the GOP primary: beat Trump at his own game. She trolled him. On Wednesday, that came when she relentlessly needled him over his meeting with the Mexican president, which led to a dispute over whether he had actually discussed building a Southern border wall and who would pay for it. "He choked and then got into a Twitter war," she said. She mocked him. There was the exchange Wednesday during which she grinned and interjected as he was talking about sitting in an apartment in his "very beautiful hotel" in Las Vegas. "Made with Chinese steel," she quipped. She outplayed and outprepared him. In the first debate, it was invoking Alicia Machado, the former Miss Universe winner with whom Trump engaged in a weeklong feud. This time, Trump was so obsessed with defending himself against allegations of sexual misconduct from several women that he allowed her to avoid a question about former President Bill Clinton's own questionable history with women. Story continues In slicing through his opponents in the GOP primary one by one, Trump often made other candidates the foil on the debate stage. His most frequent target was Jeb Bush, whom he routinely made a punch line. On Wednesday night, at the end of three general-election debates, Trump was his own punch line. "Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Nobody," he declared. And the audience laughed. NOW WATCH: 'You're the puppet': The last debate spiraled out of control over Russia and Putin More From Business Insider Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f25047%2f2e0faf88580943329da5ce1fea5ccbf5 As the two presidential candidates faced off in the final debate like some boss-level kung fu fight, many on Twitter took the hint from her choice of pantsuit. Hillary Clinton, as she sparred off against Donald Trump, wore a clean white suit that many thought looked very familiar to The Matrix's Architect. You know, the creepy beard guy who outlined the whole program for human farming to Neo. Many also thought she looked like the twins in Matrix Reloaded. There was a lot of white clothing in those movies. SEE ALSO: Ivanka Trump denies ever saying that obscene thing Of course, most saw Clinton's getup as more of a battle suit than an evil arch-villain and expected her to fight with all the instantly-learned kung fu of The One. Hillary wearing that all white "Let me tell you about The Matrix" outfit. #debatenight WatchMeAwkwardlyPlay (@AwkwardlyPlay) October 20, 2016 Imma need to know what fabric that epic Matrix-style suit is made of so I can get my sew on. *low whistle* #debate #ImWithHer stephanywilkes (@stephanywilkes) October 20, 2016 "people that believe in the 2nd Amendment" vs. people who feel that we're all living in The Matrix, so it's all an illusion, I guess? Michael C.Bazarewsky (@mikebaz) October 20, 2016 Clinton campaign digs deep with pearl version of Neo's famous suit from hit film, The Matrix. pic.twitter.com/h60xOoTGcy Joe Hopkins (@joehopkins777) October 20, 2016 christiane amanpour anderson cooper journal CNN host Christiane Amanpour didn't approve of the cable news network and colleague Anderson Cooper's reporting from a journal belonging to a murdered ambassador. That's according to an email from Amanpour's husband, James P. Rubin, to Hillary Clinton. Rubin, a journalist, was the US assistant secretary of state for public affairs in the Bill Clinton administration from 1997 to 2000. In an email from the State Department's release of information from Hillary Clinton's private server in March, Rubin pitches a meeting between Clinton and notable writers and journalists in New York City in order to clarify the "difficulties and complexities" of Clinton's service as secretary of state as a primer for when they decide to describe her service in the position. While that is the main purpose of the email, a sidenote apparently disclosed Amanpour's feelings and includes a backhanded compliment for CNN. Rubin wrote: "p.s. my wife was appalled at the Anderson Cooper diary fiasco; unfortunately, cnn is still the best of a declining industry..." HIllary Clinton Anderson Cooper CNN James P. Rubin Christiane Amanpour Christopher stevens journal Rubin was referring to the 2012 controversy that CNN found itself in after using the contents of a journal it found belonging to a slain US ambassador and failing to disclose that the journal was its source for subsequent reporting. The ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, was killed at the US consulate after an attack by Libyan rebels. A CNN reporter found his journal among the ruins. It was revealed later that CNN made notes about items from the journal before handing it over to Libyan officials and contacting Stevens' family. Later, Cooper would use the information from the journal in a report on his CNN show, "Anderson Cooper 360," but he didn't reveal that the information originated from Stevens' journal. When CNN's use of the journal came to light two days after Cooper's report, the State Department said CNN's actions were "disgusting" and a breach of the news outlet's promise to Stevens' family that it wouldn't use the journal in its reporting. Story continues CNN countered that reporting the important information from the journal was its responsibility as a news organization. That became the subject of heated debate in the days that followed. As a result of Rubin's email, we now know at least one major CNN reporter, Amanpour, was strongly against CNN and Cooper's use of the journal. CNN and Amanpour have not responded to Business Insider's request for comment. Attempts to contact Rubin went unanswered. Read the full email exchange between Rubin and Clinton below: Hillary Clinton Email Archive anderson cooper cnn NOW WATCH: Hillary Clinton's campaign chair John Podesta is obsessed with UFOs and aliens More From Business Insider Hillary Clintons aides wanted their candidate to make an affirmative pitch about her own merits at Wednesday nights debate and let Republican nominee Donald Trump sink into a morass of controversial remarks. But her performance will be better remembered for her quick-witted attacks and impassioned retorts. During a policy-heavy debate that landed on abortion and Russian foreign policy, the Democratic nominee repeatedly jabbed at Trump with caustic attack lines, many apparently unplanned, until she goaded and slowly wore her frustrated opponent down. When Trump bragged about one of his hotels in Las Vegas, Clinton attacked him for his habit of importing foreign materials for his businesses. I sat in my apartment today on a very beautiful hotel down the street known as Trump he began. Made with Chinese steel, Clinton cut in. When Trump said Russian president Vladimir Putin has no respect for Clinton, she retorted with the flash of a knife. Thats because hed rather have a puppet as president, she said. Youre a puppet, Trump replied weakly. When asked about entitlement reform, Clinton said she would raise taxes on high-income earners like Trump, who has admitted to not paying income taxes. As long he cant figure out how to get out of it, she said slyly. By then, Trump was fed up. Such a nasty woman, he said. For Clinton, it was not exactly the night her aides may have hoped for. With 20 days until Election Day, a majority of voters continue to distrust Clinton and view her unfavorably. Polls suggest many Americans support Clinton simply as an alternative to Trump, whom many Republicans and moderates view as unacceptable. If Clinton on Wednesday night sought to project empathy and connect with viewers at home, it is unlikely to be the impression most come away with. Trump stole the nights headlines by saying he may not accept the results of the election in November. Story continues But Clintons heated remarks on Wednesday night about abortion and the integrity of American elections reflected the kind of authenticity that her supporters have been hoping to hear about. She waited patiently on Trumps left on the debate stage in Las Vegas, listening and watching before she pounced with cutting remarks or delivered impassioned statements that lined up with the sense of outrage many Americans have felt watching the election. Canned lines or not, Clinton struck them with gravitas. When Trump astonished the audience by saying he may not accept the results of the Nov. 8 election if he loses, Clinton called his comments horrifying and undermining democracy. Weve been around for 240 years. Weve had free and fair elections. Weve accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them, Clinton said. And I for one am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position. In remarks that Trump rarely makes on the campaign trail, he spoke in graphic detail about abortions, saying that Clinton favors a policy that allows doctors to take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, only the final day. And thats not acceptable, he said. Clinton responded to Trump with pathos. Using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate. You should meet with some of the women that Ive met with. Women Ive known over the course of my life, Clinton said emotionally. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make. I do not believe the government should be making it. Mindful of her image, Clinton has sought in rapidly morphing iterations to soften her image and make a positive case for her candidacy. In the last 18 months, she has discussed her grandchildren, her work with children over the years, speaking about her mother and her fathers business. While Trumps message reduces to the unmistakable and punchy Make America Great Again, Clinton has adopted and shed new slogans and speech themes repeatedly throughout her campaign. And in recent weeks, Clinton has redoubled her efforts. Her aides have wanted her to lay out the core themes of her campaign and connect with voters as Trump sinks under the weight of allegations about assaulting women. With Trump standing next to her on the debate stage and being accused of sexual assault by a new woman almost daily, her aides believe Clinton may have her best chance yet to make a favorable impression on jaded voters. Were trying to position ourselves and our campaign to earn the support of those who ordinarily might be fore the Republican candidate, said a Clinton senior official. We dont feel the need to convince people why they might be outraged but we do think we need to position ourselves as an acceptable alternative for Republican- minded voters that are cant see themselves supporting Trump. Clinton has taken the message to heart. When they go low, we go high, Clinton has been saying at rallies, borrowing a line from first lady Michelle Obama. Her campaign has published a series of testimonials in recent weeks based on interviews with people Clinton has known throughout her life. One features a young woman, named Aleatha, whose middle school and high school graduation Clinton attended, and another features a friend Clinton had since grade school. New Clinton advertisements have featured children, and one has showed a disabled girl Clinton befriended who spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. But if Clinton tried to show her softer edges on Wednesday night, that was not what broke through amid her fusillade of attacks against Trump. When Trump attacked Clinton over the terrorism, the Democratic nominee delivered a lengthy response about handling American policy in Iraq and boasted about her own role in the killing of Osama bin Laden. And she could not miss a zinger at Trump. We do need to go after Baghdadi, just like we went after Bin Laden while you were doing Celebrity Apprentice, Clinton said. Trump, Clinton suggested time and again, was a buffoon in politicians clothing. You know, every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is, is rigged against him, Clinton said. The Iowa caucus, the FBI, the Republican primary and the court system, all rigged, she said. There was even a time when he didnt get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged against him, Clinton said, baiting her opponent. And to this, Trump could not resist a response. Should have gotten it, he said. COLORADO SPRINGS -- We are three weeks from the election, and very close to the edge. Retiree Gerald Miller, a volunteer at Donald Trump's rally here, is confident his man will win on Nov. 8 -- unless there's foul play. Miller, wearing an NRA pin and a tea party cap over his long hair, shares Trump's 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 doesn't win," figured Miller, who is white and says he has PTSD from "racial violence" he suffered in the military. "I think we're on the verge of a civil war, a racial war. This could be the spark that sets it off." I fear Miller may be right. Objectively, Trump is in big trouble. Master handicapper Stuart Rothenberg wrote for The Washington Post online on Tuesday that Trump's 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 didn't 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. 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. "It's happening. It's sad," Macomber said. "If we lose this election, we can't trust anything in America anymore. We're not sovereign." Some observers dismiss Trump's talk of a "stolen" and "rigged" election as just more rantings of a narcissist who can't 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 there's 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." 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," he 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: "It's 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 don't believe the polls anymore") and in his opponent ("many times worse than Watergate"). The candidate's 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. Joseph Salmons, wearing a "Les Deplorables" T-shirt and pin, told me the election won't end anything. "The movement's starting. Even if he doesn't win, it's gonna tip," he said. But tip into what? "I sincerely hope people don't lose their minds," Salmons said. If they manage to keep their cool, it will be despite the best efforts of Trump. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton face off for the third and final time on the debate stage Wednesday. The event, moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace, will be held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Ahead of the night's showdown, Patton Oswalt, George Takei and more Hollywood stars took to Twitter to mock Trump's decision to bring president Barack Obama's half-brother and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to the debate forum as guests. During the second face-off, the Republican presidential candidate invited several women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault as town hall audience members. Read more: Donald Trump Adds Sarah Palin, Bill Clinton Accuser as His Guests for Final Debate See some of the online reactions below. Apparently Donald Trump is so excited about #ThrowbackThursday that he's doing it a day early w/ Malik Obama & Sarah Palin at #debatenight. - W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) October 19, 2016 Trump invited Bill Clinton's preschool crush to the debate, hoping to rankle Hillary. "I hear she has a lot of dirt on Bill," Trump warned. - George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 19, 2016 Just heard that Trump has invited Sarah Palin to the debate. You know, so that he won't feel like the stupidest person in attendance. - George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 19, 2016 Trump warms up for debate by eating live baby owls and trying to summon the dragon's breath. #debatenight - Adam McKay (@GhostPanther) October 19, 2016 Listening to an abundance of Harry Bellafonte records to counter the Trump bad vibes starting in a few hours. #debate - Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) October 19, 2016 Obama' 1/2 brother, Sarah Palin, James O'Keefe -- Trump's assembling his Douche-a-cide Squad for the debate. Where's Woolery? - Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 19, 2016 T-minus 1 hour. #debatenight pic.twitter.com/45B9vlJRFt - Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 20, 2016 Amazing debate on @CNN with @rudygiulianiGOP and @mcuban on #debatenight Story continues - Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) October 19, 2016 Ready for the debate tonight!! The big decision tonight... glass or bottle?#ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/dJBvcuJujn - Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) October 19, 2016 #freemelania #nevertrump #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/5fEhTyeeTk - Emily VanCamp (@EmilyVanCamp) October 19, 2016 OPEN LETTER @ChrisWallace: Let's keep the REAL circus out of the #debate tonight. Please, and thank you! #TakeBackTheCircus - Ringling Bros. (@RinglingBros) October 20, 2016 I'll try and keep my mouth closed during the debate....but my fingers still work pic.twitter.com/agGVr20omw - Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 20, 2016 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off for the third and final time on the debate stage Wednesday. The event, moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace, was held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Ahead of the night's showdown, Patton Oswalt, George Takei and more Hollywood stars took to Twitter to mock Trump's decision to bring president Barack Obama's half-brother and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to the debate forum as guests. During the second face-off, the Republican presidential candidate invited several women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault as town hall audience members. Read online reactions below. Read more: Donald Trump Adds Sarah Palin, Bill Clinton Accuser as His Guests for Final Debate On Trump's past claims that the Emmys were rigged: Rest assured, the #Emmys are not rigged. https://t.co/vKK5xjqBuy pic.twitter.com/B7dBpGY1uQ - Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) October 20, 2016 Trump on losing the Emmy tonight: "I should've won." #DebateNight Trump on losing the Emmy in 2012, 2013, and 2014: pic.twitter.com/EQsmBStnC0- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2016 The Emmys are NOT rigged. @VeepHBO @HillaryClinton @realDonaldTrump #debatenight - Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) October 20, 2016 "This election is rigged.. unless I win" "FBI is rigged""The court system is rigged" "the Emmys are rigged" .. women are rigged.Sniff sniff. - Ruby Rose (@RubyRose) October 20, 2016 When Trump whines that the election is rigged and there's a conspiracy, remind yourself he said the same thing about the Emmys when he lost. - George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 19, 2016 Hollywood shows mixed reactions to moderator Chris Wallace: #ChrisWallace is Bae! He is keeping a firm hold on the candidates AND the room of guests. #DebateNight- yvette nicole brown (@YNB) October 20, 2016 When the debate moderator is from Fox News and he cannot hide his disdain for the Republican Presidential candidate. Story continues - Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) October 20, 2016 Yo. Chris Wallace. STOP LETTING HIM STEAMROLL YOU. #debatenight - Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) October 20, 2016 Chris Wallace's voice sounds like Dave Chapelle's white guy voice. Wait, is Chappelle moderating this thing??? #iwish #debate - Ed Helms (@edhelms) October 20, 2016 I suspect Chris Wallace might be rigged pretty soon. #DebateNight - Craig Ferguson (@CraigyFerg) October 20, 2016 YESSSSSSSSS CHRIS WALLACE for SHUTTING DOWN @realDonaldTrump - Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) October 20, 2016 Wallace's voice is trembling. Take an Inderal or ask Trump for a little of what he's got in his pocket - Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) October 20, 2016 No point in a moderator if they have no ability to get answers to their questions or control the filibuster games. #MicControl #DebateNight - jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) October 20, 2016 Celebs slam Trump's comments: Bad hombres! First dog whistle. #debatenight - Larry Wilmore (@larrywilmore) October 20, 2016 Hold up! "Bad hombres"?! Come on! How could we make this man our next President?!! #PresidentialDebate Debat - Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) October 20, 2016 Okay who had "hombres" in their debate bingo card? #debatenight - Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) October 20, 2016 He just said Bad "hombres". That is all - Chloe Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) October 20, 2016 The wall is back! He never explains how to build that wall!! And did he just say "hombres"??? #debatenight - Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) October 20, 2016 Wait. Rewind. Did that racist just say "bad hombres"? - shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) October 20, 2016 DId I just hear "bad hombres" in a #debatenight ?!?! To quote Poltergeist "what is happeniiiiing????" - Lisa Edelstein (@LisaEdelstein) October 20, 2016 Dang...was wondering how long it would take before he made something all about him. Was that two seconds in? #Ginsberg #DebateNight - yvette nicole brown (@YNB) October 20, 2016 Donald Trump definitely learned how to answer questions from beauty pageants. #debatenight - Funny Or Die (@funnyordie) October 20, 2016 yo donald any of the pussy u grabbed end up having an abortion ??? - Rosie (@Rosie) October 20, 2016 Donald Trump just got his pussy grabbed. #debate - Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) October 20, 2016 "On the day I was in the Situation Room helping to bring Bin Laden to justice, you were hosting the Celebrity Apprentice." #debatenight pic.twitter.com/HmSmyq2MhR - Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) October 20, 2016 Nuclear codes? We clearly can't even trust this man with self tanner #debatenight - Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) October 20, 2016 I'm not a rapist, let's quickly change the subject. #debatenight - julieplec (@julieplec) October 20, 2016 SNL at this point is literally considering just re-airing this debate - Josh Gad (@joshgad) October 20, 2016 'I've developed so many friends.' Humans 'make' friends, Donald. They 'make' them.#debate- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 20, 2016 note how he described that horrific act as "pushing gays". he can't fake empathy. #debatenight - Nikki Glaser (@NikkiGlaser) October 20, 2016 Really impressed with Alec Baldwin during this whole debate. #debatenight - Chris D'Elia (@chrisdelia) October 20, 2016 On Clinton's all-white pantsuit: Hillary's wearing my costume from Defending Your Life. - Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) October 20, 2016 Not the one I thought would be wearing a white power suit. #debate - Taran Killam (@TaranKillam) October 20, 2016 Did Hillary just graduate from Le Cordon Bleu? #debate - Dane Cook (@DaneCook) October 20, 2016 Celebs mock Trump pre-debate: Apparently Donald Trump is so excited about #ThrowbackThursday that he's doing it a day early w/ Malik Obama & Sarah Palin at #debatenight. - W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) October 19, 2016 Trump invited Bill Clinton's preschool crush to the debate, hoping to rankle Hillary. "I hear she has a lot of dirt on Bill," Trump warned. - George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 19, 2016 Just heard that Trump has invited Sarah Palin to the debate. You know, so that he won't feel like the stupidest person in attendance. - George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 19, 2016 Trump warms up for debate by eating live baby owls and trying to summon the dragon's breath. #debatenight - Adam McKay (@GhostPanther) October 19, 2016 Listening to an abundance of Harry Bellafonte records to counter the Trump bad vibes starting in a few hours. #debate - Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) October 19, 2016 Obama' 1/2 brother, Sarah Palin, James O'Keefe -- Trump's assembling his Douche-a-cide Squad for the debate. Where's Woolery? - Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 19, 2016 T-minus 1 hour. #debatenight pic.twitter.com/45B9vlJRFt - Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 20, 2016 Amazing debate on @CNN with @rudygiulianiGOP and @mcuban on #debatenight - Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) October 19, 2016 Ready for the debate tonight!! The big decision tonight... glass or bottle?#ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/dJBvcuJujn - Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) October 19, 2016 #freemelania #nevertrump #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/5fEhTyeeTk - Emily VanCamp (@EmilyVanCamp) October 19, 2016 OPEN LETTER @ChrisWallace: Let's keep the REAL circus out of the #debate tonight. Please, and thank you! #TakeBackTheCircus - Ringling Bros. (@RinglingBros) October 20, 2016 I'll try and keep my mouth closed during the debate....but my fingers still work pic.twitter.com/agGVr20omw - Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 20, 2016 * Cuts Q4 gross margin forecast * Revenue slightly misses estimate * Shares fall as much as 6 pct (Adds details from conference call, shares) By Arunima Banerjee Oct 20 (Reuters) - PulteGroup Inc, the No.3 U.S. homebuilder, cut its gross margin forecast for the current quarter due to rising land and labor costs, sending its shares down as much as 6 percent on Thursday. Pulte's weak margin forecast comes after bigger rival Lennar Corp cut its fourth-quarter gross margin estimate last month. U.S. homebuilders are struggling to keep up with rising demand as land and labor costs increase, squeezing their margins. Pulte, which mainly sells single-family homes, said its margins may also take a hit from its focus on first-time home buyers. The company bought some assets of John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods in December to cater to such buyers. "We are seeing strength from the first-time buyers," Chief Executive Ryan Marshall said on a conference call. Pulte said it expected gross margins of 20.5-21 percent for the fourth quarter ending Dec. 31 and through 2017. The company had previously estimated 21.2-21.7 percent for the December quarter. However, the company sold more homes at higher prices in the latest quarter as the housing market continues to recover. New U.S. single-family home sales posted their biggest decline in nearly a year in August after soaring to nine-year highs the month before, with analysts saying the trend in sales remains positive. Pulte's average price rose to $374,000 in the quarter ended Sept. 30 from $336,000 a year earlier, while the number of homes sold increased to 5,037 from 4,356. Orders, a key metric of future revenue for homebuilders, rose 16.7 percent to 4,775 homes. Pulte, which also sells townhouses, condominiums and duplexes, named Marshall CEO in September after Richard Dugas stepped down bowing to pressure from founder William Pulte. William Pulte said in a letter to shareholders in July that the company had a lot of ground to cover, mainly on cost controls and home sales. Story continues Net income rose to $128.5 million, or 37 cents per share, for the third quarter from $107.8 million, or 30 cents per share, a year earlier. This included a charge of 6 cents per share related to restructuring and shareholder activities. Revenue rose 28.9 percent to $1.94 billion. Analysts had expected earnings of 43 cents per share and revenue of $1.95 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Pulte shares were down 3.6 percent at $19.16 on the New York Stock Exchange. Up to Wednesday's close, the company's shares had risen 11.6 percent this year. D.R. Horton Inc's, Lennar, KB Home and Toll Brothers Inc were also down between 1-3 percent. (Reporting by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A Hungarian man has been arrested in western Hungary on suspicion of carrying out a bomb attack in central Budapest last month in which two police officers were injured, chief prosecutor Tibor Keresztes told a news conference on Thursday. Keresztes said the man, a Hungarian citizen who was detained in the town of Keszthely, had been detained on suspicion of the attempted murder of several people and abuse of explosives. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Grab a hot drink Fika (to have coffee - usually with cake) is another Danish word that doesnt have a direct translation, but its definitely something we want to get on board with. Theres no easier way to feel warm and cosy then by clutching a warm cup of coffee, or hot chocolate if you prefer - Hygge is all about small indulgences, after all. [Photo: Pinterest/HotSimpleSweet] Winter in the UK might spell drizzly, pitch black mornings and a general dampening of our spirits. But thanks to our Danish counterparts, the hibernating season is looking up. Surely youve heard of Hygge the buzzword sweeping the lifestyle world and promising to transform our winter for the better? While the phrase is tricky to translate into English, it can loosely defined as a sense of cosiness. Its all about contentment achieved from small, fulfilling pleasures and quality time with friends and family. And the Danes strive to achieve it all year round. Its pronounced hoo-guh - a lot like the sound you might make when clearing your throat. Confusingly its an adjective, verb and noun all in one. But put aside your reservations, because considering the Danish are the happiest people in the world, theres obviously something in it. Especially as a staggering nine new books dedicated to the topic have been released this year (from The Little Book of Hygge to Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness). The rest of the world seems to be slowly waking up to what Danes have been wise to for generations that having a relaxed, cosy time with friends and family, often with coffee, cake or beer, can be good for the soul, Helen Russell, author of The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the Worlds Happiest Country told the BBC. Hygge seems to me to be about being kind to yourself indulging, having a nice time, not punishing or denying yourself anything. So how can we achieve this elusive sense of Hygge? Here are 8 simple tips to live more Danishly this winter. By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - As Iraqi families begin streaming out of villages in the path of an army offensive to retake Mosul from Islamic State, some fear that the onslaught may stoke future sectarian strife in the volatile region, a senior Red Cross official said on Thursday. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is prepared to provide aid to 800,000 people who could flee the looming battle for Mosul, including against any use of chemical weapons, said Patrick Hamilton, the ICRC's deputy director for the Near and Middle East. Islamic State militants have used banned chemical agents previously against Iraqi Kurdish forces. Hamilton toured northern Iraq this month, overseeing ICRC operations before the offensive launched on Monday by government troops, allied regional Kurdish fighters and Shi'ite Muslim militia to oust Islamic State from Iraq's second biggest city. "What struck me was obviously the sense of angst, of fear, of what was to come," he told Reuters in an interview. "Both for the immediate future in terms of this offensive and what that might entail. But also for the longer-term future, what Iraq itself might look like post-Mosul, and what will be the fate of these various communities that make up Iraq and how they will find or try to find a way forward together." Mosul, from which the ultra-hardline Islamic State proclaimed a "caliphate" two years ago, is majority Sunni Muslim, whereas Iraqi government forces are Shi'ite-dominated. The area around Mosul is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse parts of Iraq, and Western countries backing the offensive are concerned that communities feel safe as the government forces advance, to avoid revenge attacks or ethnic and sectarian bloodletting as fighters are driven out. Fears of sectarian retribution have risen among Iraqi officials and aid workers after word emerged that Shi'ite irregulars will help storm the smaller city of Hawija in northern Iraq as part of the offensive. "Whilst obviously we remain very concerned about what's going on in and around Mosul, we shouldn't forget as well that there are offensives being launched to try to retake Hawija," Hamilton said. "There is going to be or there is already a significant battle taking place over the area of Hawija where there are some 200,000 to 300,000 civilians also faced with being trapped between front lines." The offensive to seize back Mosul is going faster than planned, Iraq's prime minister said on Thursday. Asked about the ICRC's dialogue with Shi'ite militia on the rules of war, Hamilton said: "As with the Iraqi state forces, Kurdish forces as well, we have been obviously trying to promote a sense for and an understanding of their responsibilities with regards to respecting international humanitarian law." This meant sparing civilians and only using force against military targets that is proportional and discriminate, he said. Hamilton said the ICRC was poised to deliver emergency assistance over the weeks and months ahead, "be it food, non-food relief, water relief as well as obviously medical care". The Geneva-based agency also has warehouses full of "war-wounded kits" containing emergency medical equipment, each sufficient for 50 patients. The ICRC deploys 900 staff in Iraq, its third largest operation worldwide, with an annual budget of 120 million Swiss francs ($121.07 million) ($1 = 0.9912 Swiss francs) (This story removes reference to Islamic State in paragraph 2 and makes clear in paragraph 3 that the group has used chemical weapons in the past) (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Mark Heinrich) Illinois Tool Works Inc. ITW is a worldwide manufacturer of highly engineered products and specialty systems. The companys diversified range of industrial products and equipment are sold in 57 countries. It currently has a $41.1 billion market capitalization. Despite a long-term growth potential, this industrial tool maker faces risks from global uncertainties, industry rivalry, adverse foreign currency movements and depressed industrial activities. Investors are eagerly waiting for the companys latest earnings report. Illinois Tool Works recorded better-than-expected results in the four trailing quarters, with an average positive earnings surprise of 2.63%. The earnings estimate for the third-quarter 2016 remained stable over the last 60 days. ILL TOOL WORKS Price and EPS Surprise ILL TOOL WORKS Price and EPS Surprise | ILL TOOL WORKS Quote Currently, Illinois Tool Works has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), but that could definitely change after the release of third-quarter 2016 earnings report. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. We have highlighted some of the key stats from this just-revealed announcement below: Earnings: Illinois Tool Works earnings came in at $1.50 per share in third-quarter of 2016. The bottom line result surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 per share. Revenue: Revenues marginally surpassed. Illinois Tool Works generated revenues of $3.50 billion, slightly above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.49 billion. Key Stats to Note: Illinois Tool Works operating margin in the third quarter grew 40 basis points (bps) year over year to 23.1%. Enterprise initiatives added 120 bps to operating margin growth. The company increased its 2016 earnings guidance to $5.56$5.66 per share from $5.50$5.70 expected earlier. Organic revenue growth is expected to be within 12% range. Stock Price: Illinois Tool Works shares were up 0.56% ahead of the report. Check back our full write up on this ITW earnings report later! 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 ILL TOOL WORKS (ITW): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Vladimir Putin is a metastasizing menace in international affairs. The Western World needs to develop a better strategy and perhaps grow a backbone to curtail the harm he is causing. Consider two current examples. Russian hackers are trying to interfere with the U.S. election, according to American intelligence officials. And in a move to gain influence in the Mideast, Russia has spent weeks bombing Aleppo to help dictator Bashar al-Assad. Hackers were successful in breaching voter databases in Arizona and Illinois, and similar attempts were made in other states. Russian hackers also stole emails from the Democratic National Committee and other political organizations, according to an official denunciation from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security. Digitally stolen material continues to be released on WikiLeaks. Responsibility for posting some of the material was claimed by someone who calls themself Guccifer 2.0. That online persona and the hack jobs were consistent with the methods and motivations of Russian-directed efforts, the joint statement from the agencies said. Sen. Ben Sasse, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, has the right idea. Russia must face serious consequences," he said. "Moscow orchestrated these hacks because [Russian President Vladimir] Putin believes Soviet-style aggression is worth it. The United States must upend Putins calculus with a strong diplomatic, political, cyber and economic response. Satellite images show that much of Aleppo is in rubble. Nonetheless, it is still home to perhaps half of the 2.3 million people who lived there before war broke out more than five years ago. The damage is so pervasive that some authorities say the latest attacks are basically rubble being pushed around, according to a United Nations official. Typifying Putins disdain for international opinion, Russian warplanes even attacked a United Nations humanitarian convoy heading for Aleppo. In his early years, Putin masqueraded as a believer in democracy and human rights. President George W. Bush pronounced him trustworthy after looking into his eyes and getting a sense of his soul. Bush changed his mind about Putin, but when President Barack Obama took office, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Russian officials with a red reset button. In a prophetic mistranslation the button bore the Russian word for overload rather than reset. Its disturbing that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has spoken of Putin in flattering terms and joked about Russian hackers. Putins true intentions are now bare for the world to see. His military and cyber aggression is becoming increasingly brazen. To rein in the Russian strongman will take collaboration and resolve. Hes done enough damage already. An Indian court on Thursday upheld appeals by 14 Hindus convicted over the massacre of 33 Muslims burnt alive during some of the worst religious unrest the country has seen since independence. The victims had crowded into a small house seeking shelter during a wave of anti-Muslim violence in the western state of Gujarat in 2002, triggered by a train fire in which Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive. The rioters set the house alight, killing 28 people on the spot. Another five later died of their injuries. The court in Gujarat upheld the convictions of another 17 people sentenced to life in prison in the original 2011 trial for their role in the killings in the village of Sardarpura. "Out of the 14 acquitted, the bench granted benefit of doubt to 11, while it said it did not find evidence against three others," said defence lawyer N L Jain after the hearing. All 31 men were originally handed life sentences for murder, arson and other charges in the Sardarpura case. The attackers first surrounded the village, blocking off any escape, and then moved in. Gujarat's Hindu nationalist government was accused of tacitly supporting the attacks, and survivors of the Sardarpura massacre said it could have been avoided if the police had arrived on time. "We were shouting, pleading and begging. But no one came to our help, not even the police," Bifu Mia told AFP at the time. More than 100 people have been convicted over the riots, which left more than 1,000 people dead in some of India's worst inter-faith violence since independence in 1947. Muslims were blamed for the train fire and Hindu mobs hungry for revenge rampaged through Muslim neighbourhoods in towns and villages across Gujarat during a week of bloodshed. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the state's chief minister at the time, was accused of turning a blind eye to the violence. He was cleared of any wrongdoing in 2012 by a Supreme Court-ordered investigation but has been dogged by the accusations. Story continues Witnesses said mobs surrounded and raped Muslim women, poured kerosene down their throats and on their children and threw lit matches at them. Earlier this year a court jailed 11 Hindus for life over the massacre of dozens of Muslims hacked and burnt to death in a residential complex in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The massacre at the Gulbarg Society housing complex was one of the single worst losses of life in the week-long violence. Indian police have arrested the wanted owner of a hospital after he turned himself in over a blaze earlier this week that killed 21 patients, a top officer said on Thursday. Manoj Nayak, chairman of the private SUM hospital, presented himself at a police station late on Wednesday night following a two-day hunt for him in eastern Odisha state. "He is the main trustee of the hospital. He is the man behind the show, he was running the hospital," said Odisha director general of police Kunwar Brajesh Singh. "He came to the police station. After his surrender, he was interrogated and he has been arrested," he told the Times Now TV network. Four other staff from the Bhubaneswar city hospital were arrested on Tuesday and face charges of criminal negligence and homicide over the fire that broke out in the intensive care unit on Monday night. The fire took hold in the dialysis ward of the hospital before quickly spreading to other sections, killing 19 seriously ill patients who were unable to flee the blaze. Two more patients died of injuries suffered in the fire. The state government has ordered an inquiry into the tragedy, promising tough action against those found responsible for the accident. The Indian Express and other local media reported that the hospital had not complied with required safety standards and staff had not received proper fire training. Fire 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. (Adds details) Oct 20 (Reuters) - Property and casualty insurer Travelers Cos Inc reported a 22.8 percent fall in quarterly net profit on Thursday as gains from underwriting declined. Gains from underwriting fell 46.2 percent from a year earlier to $408 million before tax. Underwriting gains reflected a $39 million benefit from an adjustment in reserves for claim-related expenses, compared with a gain of $199 million. The underlying combined ratio, the percentage of premium revenue an insurer has to pay out in claims, deteriorated to 92.1 percent from 88.8 percent. A ratio below 100 percent means an insurer earns more in premiums than it pays out in claims. Travelers, a Dow-30 component that competes with American International Group Inc for the title of the biggest U.S. P&C insurer, said pretax catastrophe losses, net of reinsurance, rose to $89 million from $85 million. The company's net income fell to $716 million, or $2.45 per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $928 million, or $2.97 per share, a year earlier. On an operating basis, the company earned $2.40 per share, beating analysts' average estimate of $2.38, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. (Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Shounak Dasgupta) As the insurance industry seeks approval for mega-mergers and double-digit rate hikes, it is contributing millions of dollars to sway a dozen state races this year that determine who regulates the nations insurance companies. Obscured by the bombastic presidential campaign, the low-profile bid by insurers has far-reaching implications for consumers and businesses alike. At stake are five elections for insurance commissioner the little-known but powerful state officials who review insurance rates, investigate complaints and scrutinize company finances. But insurance industry cash is also flowing to campaigns for governor. In seven states holding gubernatorial elections on Nov. 8, governors have the power to appoint their states insurance regulator. All told, the insurance industry has pumped more than $6 million into political efforts aimed at those dozen races, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of IRS records and data collected by the National Institute on Money in State Politics. And the insurers arent shy about their involvement. Legislatures are considering legislation every day that affects our industry and our policyholders, said Paul Blume, senior vice president of state government relations for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. We need to be engaged not only on the legislative side but on the executive side, in governor races and commissioner races. His group has already given at least $200,000 to organizations seeking to elect governors this year. The industrys robust political giving is a critical part of a larger influence operation aimed at affecting the sleepy world of insurance regulation. A Center for Public Integrity investigation this month found a pattern of coziness between state insurance commissioners and the insurers they regulate, involving lavish dinners, corporate-backed trips to luxury resorts and the implicit promise of industry jobs once commissioners leave office. Story continues Related story: Tracking TV ads in the 2016 state races This story is part of Whos Calling the Shots in State Politics?. The Center exposes the powerful special interests that drive elections and policy in the states. Click here to read more stories in this series. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Yet it starts with campaign contributions. Over the past decade, insurance companies and their employees were among the top political donors to commissioner candidates in at least six of the 11 states that elect regulators. And they are consistently among the top contributors to the two major political groups active in gubernatorial races. Consumer advocates such as Bob Hunter say the campaign contributions give insurers an outsize voice in decisions that impact nearly every American. The former Texas insurance commissioner who runs the insurance program at the Consumer Federation of America said the campaign donations are geared toward winning access and ensuring business-friendly regulators. The first thing they want is a commissioner whos not going to cause them any heartache, Hunter said. Where the money goes This year, the two largest beneficiaries of insurers money are the Republican Governors Association and its Democratic counterpart, which seek to elect members of their parties to the top state office. Insurers have given a combined $5.2 million to the organizations so far this year. Those groups in turn spend heavily on TV ads and other activities. Insurance companies and their employees have donated another $550,000 this election cycle directly to the candidates for governor who can appoint insurance commissioners in Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia. In the five states where voters will elect insurance regulators next month, the industry has donated at least $272,000 to commissioner hopefuls this cycle. Most of that went to North Carolina, where insurance interests have contributed about 30 percent of the incumbents campaign funds, according to an analysis of National Institute on Money in State Politics data. In North Dakota, the frontrunner, Jon Godfread, a Republican lobbyist for the Greater North Dakota Chamber, also has industry support: 10 percent of his $74,000 in contributions hail from the political action committees of insurance companies, employees and agents, state records show. Godfread said insurers make up a small share of his donors. "While I appreciate their support, I have focused on a much broader base," he said. Democratic nominee Ruth Buffalo has raised $44,000, mostly from family and Native American tribal sources. Montana, Delaware and Washington ban contributions from the insurance industry, and the prohibitions have largely stemmed the flow of insurance money in those commissioner races. Related story: Drinks, dinners, junkets and jobs: how the insurance industry courts state commissioners Industry involvement is a top campaign issue in North Carolina, where Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is running for a third term. Insurance company PACs and employees are among the largest sources of contributions for the Democratic incumbent, a fact that his Republican opponent, Mike Causey, says represents a conflict of interest. Insurance companies have lots of lawyers working for them. The people do not need another lawyer funded by the insurance industry sitting in the chair of the insurance commissioner, Causey says in an ad on his campaign website. We need a consumer advocate. In an interview, Goodwin said it was rather curious, if not ironic that Causey, a retired insurance agent and lobbyist, would criticize him for industry ties. The commissioner also said insurance-related donations represented just a portion of his overall campaign haul. He said he vets such contributions, rejecting or refunding checks from firms or individuals with pending business before his office. And he said although Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolinas PAC has given to his campaign, he later fined the company a record $3.6 million this year after thousands of consumers and medical providers complained of billing and enrollment problems. Goodwin said he opted in to North Carolinas public financing system in 2008 to avoid just these types of questions. But after the Republican-led Legislature defunded and ultimately repealed the program, he returned to the fundraising circuit. Im a strong proponent of public financing and campaign finance transparency, he said. But as long as the rules are what they are, I cant unilaterally disarm. Related: NC Opportunity Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Meanwhile, the industry has mobilized on his behalf. A group named the North Carolina Opportunity Committee has spent an estimated $3,200 airing television ads to support Goodwins candidacy, according to media tracker Kantar Media/CMAG. The committees treasurer is an insurance executive. He did not return calls for comment, and the newly formed group has not yet publicly disclosed its donors. Former and current commissioners from states that elect regulators say the low-profile nature of the office often means campaigns rely on a shallow donor pool of corporate interests. One of the weaknesses of an elected commissioner is you have to get elected, said George Dale, a former Mississippi insurance commissioner who won the post eight times in three decades. The only people who care who the commissioner of insurance is are people who have dealings with the insurance department. To avoid potential conflicts, four of the 11 states that elect their commissioners ban contributions from the insurance industry. Even then, there are loopholes. In Georgia, for example, insurers are prohibited from donating to commissioner candidates but individuals can still write checks. Donations from insurance executives, agents and employees made up roughly 18 percent of all contributions to commissioner candidates in that state during the past decade. Influencing appointments States with gubernatorial appointments also often have a vested interest at the table. In 2005, for example, when the Missouri insurance directors seat became vacant, then-Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, convened a panel of campaign donors and insurance insiders to screen candidates. They recommended a former insurance agent, who had given to Blunt's campaign. Blunt did not return a call for comment. Consumer advocates point to Connecticut, as well. Last year, Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy appointed Katharine Wade, a former Cigna Corp. lobbyist whose husband still works there, while the health insurance company was negotiating a merger agreement with Anthem a deal that the states insurance commissioner could play a central role in approving. The appointment came in a year that Anthem ramped up donations to the Democratic Governors Association, which Malloy had been elected to chair. Additional money from Anthem and Cigna flowed this year at least $560,000 as Malloy resisted pressure from consumer groups and lawmakers to remove Wade from the case. (She recused herself last month.) Commissioner Wade is a person of integrity, one who is well regarded for her deep experience and knowledge of the industry, and also for her collaborative approach with stakeholders including insurers and consumers alike, Malloy spokeswoman Kelly Donnelly told the Center for Public Integrity. Democratic Governors Association spokesman Jared Leopold dismissed the timing of the insurers donations, saying the elevated giving was part of a larger trend among donors. Supporters of all kinds have increasingly donated to the DGA, he said, also noting that Anthem and Cigna contributed more this year, $570,000, to the rival Republican group. Cigna did not return a request for comment. Anthem Inc. declined to comment on the timing of its donations but said it routinely contributes to political groups because state laws and regulations have a direct impact on its business. In our attempts to improve the nations health care delivery system, it is more important than ever for us to be involved in the dialogue taking place at both the state and federal levels, said Anthem spokeswoman Jill Becher. Data reporter Ben Wieder contributed to this story. This story was co-published with TIME. This story is part of Whos Calling the Shots in State Politics?. The Center exposes the powerful special interests that drive elections and policy in the states. Click here to read more stories in this series. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. As the insurance industry seeks approval for mega-mergers and double-digit rate hikes, it is contributing millions of dollars to sway a dozen state races this year that will determine who regulates the nations insurance companies. Obscured by the bombastic presidential campaign, the low-profile bid by insurers has far-reaching implications for consumers and businesses alike. At stake are five elections for insurance commissioner the little-known but powerful state officials who review insurance rates, investigate complaints and scrutinize company finances. But insurance industry cash is also flowing to campaigns for governor. In seven states holding gubernatorial elections on Nov. 8, governors have the power to appoint their states insurance regulator. All told, the insurance industry has pumped more than $6 million into political efforts aimed at those dozen races, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of IRS records and data collected by the National Institute on Money in State Politics. And the insurers arent shy about their involvement. Legislatures are considering legislation every day that affects our industry and our policyholders, said Paul Blume, senior vice president of state government relations for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. We need to be engaged not only on the legislative side but on the executive side, in governor races and commissioner races. His group has already given at least $200,000 to organizations seeking to elect governors this year. The industrys robust political giving is a critical part of a larger influence operation aimed at affecting the sleepy world of insurance regulation. A Center for Public Integrity investigation this month found a pattern of coziness between state insurance commissioners and the insurers they regulate, involving lavish dinners, corporate-backed trips to luxury resorts and the implicit promise of industry jobs once commissioners leave office. Story continues Yet it starts with campaign contributions. Over the past decade, insurance companies and their employees were among the top political donors to commissioner candidates in at least six of the 11 states that elect regulators. And they are consistently among the top contributors to the two major political groups active in gubernatorial races. Consumer advocates such as Bob Hunter say the campaign contributions give insurers an outsize voice in decisions that impact nearly every American. The former Texas insurance commissioner who runs the insurance program at the Consumer Federation of America said the campaign donations are geared toward winning access and ensuring business-friendly regulators. The first thing they want is a commissioner whos not going to cause them any heartache, Hunter said. Where the money goes This year, the two largest beneficiaries of insurers money are the Republican Governors Association and its Democratic counterpart, which seek to elect members of their parties to the top state office. Insurers have given a combined $5.2 million to the organizations so far this year. Those groups in turn spend heavily on TV ads and other activities. Insurance companies and their employees have donated another $550,000 this election cycle directly to the candidates for governor who can appoint insurance commissioners in Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia. In the five states where voters will elect insurance regulators next month, the industry has donated at least $272,000 to commissioner hopefuls this cycle. Most of that went to North Carolina, where insurance interests have contributed about 30 percent of the incumbents campaign funds, according to an analysis of National Institute on Money in State Politics data. In North Dakota, the frontrunner, Jon Godfread, a Republican lobbyist for the Greater North Dakota Chamber, also has industry support: 10 percent of his $74,000 in contributions hail from the political action committees of insurance companies, employees and agents, state records show. Godfread said insurers make up a small share of his donors. While I appreciate their support, I have focused on a much broader base, he said. Democratic nominee Ruth Buffalo has raised $44,000, mostly from family and Native American tribal sources. Montana, Delaware and Washington ban contributions from the insurance industry, and the prohibitions have largely stemmed the flow of insurance money in those commissioner races. Industry involvement is a top campaign issue in North Carolina, where Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is running for a third term. Insurance company PACs and employees are among the largest sources of contributions for the Democratic incumbent, a fact that his Republican opponent, Mike Causey, says represents a conflict of interest. Insurance companies have lots of lawyers working for them. The people do not need another lawyer funded by the insurance industry sitting in the chair of the insurance commissioner, Causey says in an ad on his campaign website. We need a consumer advocate. In an interview, Goodwin said it was rather curious, if not ironic that Causey, a retired insurance agent and lobbyist, would criticize him for industry ties. The commissioner also said insurance-related donations represented just a portion of his overall campaign haul. He said he vets such contributions, rejecting or refunding checks from firms or individuals with pending business before his office. And he said although Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolinas PAC has given to his campaign, he later fined the company a record $3.6 million this year after thousands of consumers and medical providers complained of billing and enrollment problems. Goodwin said he opted in to North Carolinas public financing system in 2008 to avoid just these types of questions. But after the Republican-led Legislature defunded and ultimately repealed the program, he returned to the fundraising circuit. Im a strong proponent of public financing and campaign finance transparency, he said. But as long as the rules are what they are, I cant unilaterally disarm. Meanwhile, the industry has mobilized on his behalf. A group named the North Carolina Opportunity Committee has spent an estimated $3,200 airing television ads to support Goodwins candidacy, according to media tracker Kantar Media/CMAG. The committees treasurer is an insurance executive. He did not return calls for comment, and the newly formed group has not yet publicly disclosed its donors. Former and current commissioners from states that elect regulators say the low-profile nature of the office often means campaigns rely on a shallow donor pool of corporate interests. One of the weaknesses of an elected commissioner is you have to get elected, said George Dale, a former Mississippi insurance commissioner who won the post eight times in three decades. The only people who care who the commissioner of insurance is are people who have dealings with the insurance department. To avoid potential conflicts, four of the 11 states that elect their commissioners ban contributions from the insurance industry. Even then, there are loopholes. In Georgia, for example, insurers are prohibited from donating to commissioner candidates but individuals can still write checks. Donations from insurance executives, agents and employees made up roughly 18 percent of all contributions to commissioner candidates in that state during the past decade. Influencing appointments States with gubernatorial appointments also often have a vested interest at the table. In 2005, for example, when the Missouri insurance directors seat became vacant, then-Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, convened a panel of campaign donors and insurance insiders to screen candidates. They recommended a former insurance agent, who had given to Blunts campaign. Blunt did not return a call for comment. Consumer advocates point to Connecticut, as well. Last year, Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy appointed Katharine Wade, a former Cigna Corp. lobbyist whose husband still works there, while the health insurance company was negotiating a merger agreement with Anthem a deal that the states insurance commissioner could play a central role in approving. The appointment came in a year that Anthem ramped up donations to the Democratic Governors Association, which Malloy had been elected to chair. Additional money from Anthem and Cigna flowed this year at least $560,000 as Malloy resisted pressure from consumer groups and lawmakers to remove Wade from the case. (She recused herself last month.) Commissioner Wade is a person of integrity, one who is well regarded for her deep experience and knowledge of the industry, and also for her collaborative approach with stakeholders including insurers and consumers alike, Malloy spokeswoman Kelly Donnelly told the Center for Public Integrity. Democratic Governors Association spokesman Jared Leopold dismissed the timing of the insurers donations, saying the elevated giving was part of a larger trend among donors. Supporters of all kinds have increasingly donated to the DGA, he said, also noting that Anthem and Cigna contributed more this year, $570,000, to the rival Republican group. Cigna did not return a request for comment. Anthem Inc. declined to comment on the timing of its donations but said it routinely contributes to political groups because state laws and regulations have a direct impact on its business. In our attempts to improve the nations health care delivery system, it is more important than ever for us to be involved in the dialogue taking place at both the state and federal levels, said Anthem spokeswoman Jill Becher. Data reporter Ben Wieder contributed to this story. This story is from the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. Read more of its investigations on the influence of money in politics or follow it on Twitter. We all know that something strange has been happening recently with clowns. Creepy ones are showing up in all kinds of strange places, terrorizing communities across the United States to the point that local police have had to issue warnings about clowns coming into schools and up to peoples windows at night. Then the phenomena spread outside the U.S., with creepy clowns showing up in Britain and Australia. Most recently, a group of teenagers dressed as clowns in Mexico reportedly scared civilians with bats last week. Thats when this whole business crossed the line for clowns south of the border. In Mexico City, well-intentioned clowns gathered Thursday to chant in protest of those they see as insulting their profession. We are clowns, not killers, they yelled at the 21st annual International Clown Convention. There is more good than evil, a Mexican clown named Hoi Hoi told Reuters. Clowns show we are good people and we do our work in the best possible way. This isnt the first time the Mexican clown business has been rattled by crime. In 2013, clowns had to defend a colleague who was accused of murdering a drug cartel leader. Mexican clowns also say their costumes are often stolen and used by criminals as disguises. And criminals have a lot of clowns to choose from: According to the Latin-American Clown Association, there are 10,000 registered in Mexico alone. Photo credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images On the International Day of the Nacho this Friday, those who are celebrating the annual Oct. 21 celebration of the tortilla-chip-and-cheese dish will likely be busy eating the crunchy treat thats loved all over the world. But, in between bites, its worth examining the history of the dish. Nachos, it turns out, though they may seem like something that anyone could have invented, are actually new enough that its possible to trace their history to one particular man. A thorough version of the story comes courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary, via Adriana P. Orr, who shared her research into nacho etymology with the OED newsletter in 1999. According to her work, nachos first appeared in 1943 in Piedras Negras, a small Mexican city which is very near to the U.S. military base Fort Duncan, in Texas. A group of about a dozen U.S. military wives, whose husbands were stationed at the base, had spent a day shopping in Eagle Pass when they decided to stop for some dinner only to find that all the nearby restaurants were closed. Ignacio Anaya, a maitre d (or chef, according to some accounts) at the old Victory Club in Piedras Negras took pity on them and decided to cook something out of what was left in the kitchen. He sliced and fried some tortilla chips, covered them with shredded cheddar and sliced jalapenos, and put the concoction in the oven for a couple of minutes. He then served the inventive snack to the ladies, naming it after himselfIgnacio, or rather the nickname Nacho. Hence, Nachos Especiales. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter The recipe was later recorded in an Eagle Pass church cookbook, which Orr wrote confirms the existence of Ignacio Nacho Anaya, gives the Victory Club as the place in which he invented his nacho specials, and provides his own original recipe. Since then, nachos have become a Mexicanand internationalstaple. Story continues Anaya died in 1975 but his son, Ignacio Anaya Jr. of Eagle Pass, kept the family legacy alive. He spoke to a reporter from the San Antonio Express-News in 2002. He said that he looked into helping his father claim ownership of the nacho in 1960, but it was too difficult. I talked to a lawyer in San Antonio. He said theres not much you can do after 17 years. Its in the public domain, Anaya Jr., who owned a Nachos Restaurant in Piedras Negras, told the paper. Anaya Jr. also served as a judge for an annual nacho competition held in Piedras Niegras on the second weekend of October. So today, when crunching on a cheesy tortilla crisp, spare a moment to remember Ignacio Anaya, whom we have to thank for bringing the delectable treat into our lives. Since our Legislature repealed the death penalty on a bipartisan vote, twice, Gov. Pete Ricketts has said repeatedly that he wants Nebraska voters to decide. I respect his wanting to honor the democratic process. Why then has he poured hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money into efforts to restore the death penalty ("Ricketts further funds death penalty effort," Oct. 15)? It feels heavy-handed, like he doesn't trust us. Evidence regarding the viability of the death penalty was studied carefully by 16 Republicans, and 14 non-Republicans who then voted their consciences in favor of the bill and overrode the governors veto. Decades of research shows that the death penalty isnt a deterrent, that it is unjustly applied, that it is more costly to us than life in prison, that it prolongs the suffering of victims' families and that it sometimes results in innocent people being put to death. Murder rates are actually lower in states without the death penalty. How can we argue for it? The only thing I can come up with is pride the governor seems to be motivated by after being turned back twice by our elected representatives. Are we too proud to learn we can do better? Our nation is watching. Will we be the first state in the history of the U.S. to repeal and then restore the death penalty? I have faith Nebraskans are secure enough to look the facts in the eye as 30 of our senators did over many months and humbly vote retain. Christine Starr Davis, Lincoln Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f254808%2fap_9301200110 In the midst of the chaotic lead-up to November's election, a 1993 letter from outgoing President George H.W. Bush to incoming President Bill Clinton has the internet nostalgic for political seasons past. Bush penned the letter on Jan. 20, 1993, the day of Clinton's first inauguration. The previous November, he'd failed to secure a second term in office. SEE ALSO: So that's 3 presidential debates, 0 climate change questions Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton posted the letter to Instagram in June: After wishing Bill "great happiness" in the White House, Bush writes: "Your success is now our country's success. And I am rooting hard for you." Those sharing the 1993 letter invoke Bush's words as an example of losing with dignity. In contrast, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made headlines during Wednesday's debate when he declared that he may not accept the results of November's election should Clinton win. In a speech on Thursday, he followed up on that statement: He will accept the results of the election if he's the winner. Story continues For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS. The internet's response: A perfect night to re-read this letter from President George H. W. Bush to President Bill Clinton. pic.twitter.com/9LYI20KX7A Chris Sacca (@sacca) October 20, 2016 George Bush to Bill Clinton, having lost the election. Compare and contrast to the toxic orange warthog who leads the Republicans today. pic.twitter.com/FkGFLuKP9O Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) October 20, 2016 George Herbert Walker Bush defined presidential. In light of #Trump's aversion to democracy, this letter Bush left for Clinton is #mustread https://t.co/ZALCnUu2yA Charles Adler (@charlesadler) October 20, 2016 Forget politics. This letter from Bush #1 to Clinton is filled with a grace and elegance Trump is incapable of understanding. https://t.co/cv3A9BqRQB Richard Marx (@richardmarx) October 20, 2016 Throughout a night of unsavory interruptions, ugly insults, and mostly unabated hostility, many watchers of the third and final presidential debate cast their vote for an unlikely person. Neither Republican candidate Donald Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton was the winner of the 90-minute showdown, in their view. Instead, moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News stole the show. (Sorry, not Ken Bone this time.) Wallace kept the candidates on task during the debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. He asked weighty questions, pressed for clear answers when the contestants dodged or wavered, and supplied real-time fact checks--despite earlier saying that he did not plan to play truth squad. Even Trump, who has repeatedly accused the media of bias, has called the man fair. A number of people from both sides of the political aisle took to Twitter to praise Wallaces performance. Chris Wallace emerges the strongest moderator, wrote Soledad OBrien, a journalist and founder of the production company Starfish Media. Best, most interesting debate. Most heft. Issues. Chris Wallace emerges the strongest moderator. Best, most interesting debate. Most heft. Issues. Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) October 20, 2016 Chris Wallace is the real winner of this debate, said Meghan McCain, daughter of John McCain, the Republican Senator and onetime presidential contender. America is the loser. At least this one was substantive and stayed on topic. Chris Wallace is the real winner of this debate. America is the loser. At least this one was substantive and stayed on topic. #debatenight Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) October 20, 2016 Chris Wallace was the only unbiased moderator of all four, wrote Joshua Thifault, founder of Turning Point USA, a national student group right-wing activism. Wow. About time. Story continues Chris Wallace was the only unbiased moderator of all four. Wow. About time. #debatenight Joshua Thifault (@JoshuaThifault) October 20, 2016 He works for Fox but Chris Wallace deserves exceptional praise, commented Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont and onetime Democratic contender for the presidency. He was tough and he was right down the middle fair. His Dad would be proud. He works for Fox but Chris Wallace deserves exceptional praise. He was tough and he was right down the middle fair. His Dad would be proud. Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) October 20, 2016 Congrats to Chris Wallace who didnt make it about him, said Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor and onetime presidential hopeful. Tough questions to both; let them actually debate. Good for him! Congrats to Chris Wallace who didn't make it about him. Tough questions to both; let them actually debate. Good for him! Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) October 20, 2016 Bret Stephens, a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at the Wall Street Journal, added: Can we just elect Chris Wallace instead? Can we just elect Chris Wallace instead? Bret Stephens (@StephensWSJ) October 20, 2016 The debate led to a surge of interest in Wallace. He became the most searched-for debate moderator on . Political partisans tend not to agree on much, but they do seem to agree on this point: Wallace was a class act. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com (Adds details on assets being pulled, industry performance) By Svea Herbst-Bayliss BOSTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Investors frustrated by poor returns and high fees at hedge funds pulled out roughly 1 percent of industry capital in the third quarter, with outflows totaling $28 billion. This puts the hedge fund sector on track for its first annual outflow since the financial crisis. Third-quarter redemptions nearly tripled from the $8.2 billion investors redeemed during the second quarter, raising the amount of money pulled out this year to $51.5 billion, according to a report released on Thursday by Hedge Fund Research. Investors have not been this unhappy with hedge funds since the financial crisis when they pulled out $154 billion in assets in 2008 and $131.2 billion in assets in 2009, HFR, which tracks performance and flows at global hedge funds said. Their discontent with hedge funds has grown over the last year as outflows have steadily increased, HFR said. The increase in the third quarter came even as performance improved at many funds. Total assets in hedge funds now stand at $2.9 trillion. Pension funds in New Jersey and Rhode Island voted a few weeks ago to cut their hedge fund allocations by half. One state regulator in New York this week called the whole industry a "rip-off." Hedge funds are not required to detail redemptions publicly and many managers closely guard those numbers to avoid any whiff of loss of confidence. The average hedge fund returned a little more than 4 percent over the first nine months of the year, HFR data show. That is about half of what the S&P 500 Index has returned over the same period, including dividends, and compares to a 7 percent increase for the Barclays Capital U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index, a common measure of the credit markets. The industry's biggest firms were hit hardest with HFR reporting that investors pulled $22 billion out of firms that managed $5 billion or more. Some of these large firms have also suffered poor performance. Story continues For example, losses have mounted at John Paulson's Advantage and Paulson Partners funds in the last weeks, performance data show. In the second quarter, the last for which data is available, Anthony Scaramucci's SkyBridge Capital investment firm pulled its last remaining money out of the billionaire's firm, regulatory filings show. Only the smallest managers pulled money in during the quarter with HFR data showing that firms with less than $1 billion in assets saw inflows. (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Dan Grebler and David Gregorio) Tehran (AFP) - Iran denied reports from Washington that it played a part in failed missile attacks on US naval vessels off Yemen, saying on Thursday that the claims were "false and paranoid". "The vague and contradictory remarks by American officials these past days are false, paranoid and inappropriate," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told the official IRNA news agency. Washington has accused Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen of firing surface-to-surface missiles at the destroyer USS Mason on at least two occasions in recent weeks. A top US general, Joseph Votel, told a Washington think tank on Wednesday that "some of the technology that we've seen there are things that are associated with" Iran, though he acknowledged "it's not totally exclusive to them." Ghasemi responded by saying that it "would be preferable for the American army -- which has an undeniable role in the atrocities committed against the Yemeni people by its direct or indirect support for the coalition forces -- to prevent further atrocities." Washington provides intelligence and logistics support to a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the Yemeni rebels since March last year. The United Nations says that since the intervention started, the conflict has killed almost 6,900 people, more than half of them civilians. Washington responded to the missile fire targeting the Mason with cruise missile strikes that destroyed three radar sites controlled by the rebels on October 13. By Rania El Gamal, Ron Bousso and Parisa Hafezi TEHRAN/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Two years after Iran pledged to open up its oil industry in anticipation of the lifting of sanctions, foreign companies say they still have little information about Iranian oil fields and contract terms, hindering investment decisions. Bosses from oil majors including BP, Total, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell and LUKOIL have all travelled to Tehran this year, since the EU sanctions ended in January. Their teams spent weeks meeting local officials ahead of investment tenders due to start next month. But several senior executives and members of their negotiating teams told Reuters they still had not been given sufficient information about the geology of Iranian fields or contract terms. The people, who were not speaking from Iran, said they were also unclear about how quickly they would be able to recoup their investment and who they could partner with locally. While foreign companies are eager to enter Iran, which sits on a tenth of the world's oil reserves, they are also wary of any contract terms that may lead to them falling foul of remaining U.S. sanctions. BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley, whose company is seeking deals to develop several fields, said he did not know the details of any potential contracts yet. "Iran is a large oil and gas province ... but we don't have any specific contracts right now," Dudley said last week. "We're going to have to be very careful. We don't want to violate any sanction," he added. If this lack of clarity leads to companies withholding investment in the tenders or investing elsewhere, it could undermine the plans of Iran's reformist President Hassan Rouhani to attract up to $185 billion from oil majors into 50 projects and increase Iranian output to 5-6 million barrels per day (bpd) from less than 4 million now. This could deprive the country of much-needed income as it seeks to recover from years of sanctions which hammered its economy. Story continues The competition for foreign investment between oil-producing nations has intensified over the past five years due to abundant discoveries of new energy reserves in countries such as Brazil and the United States. Political infighting in Tehran has clouded the outlook for Iran's energy sector. Hardline rivals of Rouhani have strongly opposed giving overseas firms control of oil fields, saying this contradicts the constitution which states that natural resource reserves cannot be owned by foreigners. The government says its opponents are impeding an economic recovery. Some oil executives looking to invest in Iran said they were also unclear about whether deals would require parliamentary approval, a concern in a country with a complex and opaque system of clerical and republican rule where power is wielded by both elected and unelected officials. With presidential elections due in May, there has been growing opposition to Rouhani and his allies this year from hardliners close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's politically powerful elite military force. Tensions between the two camps have sporadically spilled into the open, including a speech from Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri denouncing the government's critics at a major oil industry conference in Tehran this week. "You see how some neighbours have developed in recent years. For example Iraq managed to bring its production above 4 million bpd. We should not let the country lag behind because of irresponsible people," he told senior Iranian oil officials and representatives of oil majors. RESHUFFLES There have been several management reshuffles this year at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which is based in one of the oldest buildings in the capital. "You go to Tehran and discover that the team that you have been talking to has completely changed," said a Western consultant working with a foreign major in talks with the state oil company. The reshuffles delayed by many months the approval of the new model of contracts with foreign companies, called Iranian Petroleum Contracts (IPC). Iranian officials have said IPCs will be more profitable for investors than the buy-back contracts of the 1990s - the last time foreign firms were allowed to invest in Iranian fields - where companies recouped money via exports of oil and petroleum products. Companies such as Total and Eni have said they lost money on Iranian buy-back deals in the past and have called on Tehran to adopt IPCs for the past two years. In August, Rouhani's government finally approved the new contract model, saying it would usher a new era of investments into its oil fields, containing 157 billion barrels of reserves. However two months later, oil companies negotiating with Iran are still in the dark about the exact terms of new contracts, as well as if any deals need parliamentary clearance. "I don't think anybody will go and sign a contract without parliament's approval. How do you guarantee that the contract is real if there is no parliamentary approval in a country that works on the basis of a parliament," said an executive from an oil major that is negotiating a deal with Iran. PARTNERS When asked about the lack of clarity around contracts, the head of NIOC Ali Kardor said this week that IPCs did exist and that companies would receive them when participating in tenders. He declined to comment further on the subject. He said his ministry would hold the country's first tender, for the South Azadegan oil field, on Nov. 19 and then would tender one field every month for the next 11 months. Potential Western investors say they have yet to see documentation for South Azadegan or any other field detailing its reserves or work they be required to do. An executive from an oil major said: "What we have seen so far is only a framework of the IPC. Fees, terms are not clear. Iranian officials say that these issues will be negotiated between foreign companies and NIOC." An executive from another major said brief details had emerged in recent weeks, with Iranian officials telling potential investors they would be repaid over the course of many years - an unwelcome contrast with Iraq where repayments are being made almost as soon as investments are done. The requirements to team up with local partners are also still to be clarified. "IOCs (international oil companies) will be steering the projects and Iranian companies will cooperate with them. In some fields, Iranian companies will steer the project," Kardor said at the industry conference. His deputy Gholamreza Manouchehri later told a news conference at the NIOC headquarters that Iran had cleared 11 local firms to take part in tenders. Huge projects would likely be led by Western oil companies, while smaller one would likely be led by local firms, he said, speaking in English, aiming to specifically address the international media. Last week, NIOC signed its first IPC with Persia Oil & Gas, an Iranian firm identified by Washington as part of Setad - a conglomerate controlled by Ayatollah Khamenei. "The establishment wanted to calm down hardliners but also it made clear who is in charge of Iran's oil and gas industry - the hardliners and the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards)," said Tehran-based political analyst Hamid Farahvashian. "They don't want to lose their control over Iran's energy sector and any foreign company that wants to get involved in this sector has to deal with them." (Additional reporting and writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Pravin Char) Tehran (AFP) - 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 Iranians -- Farhad Abd-Saleh, Kamran Ghaderi and Alireza Omidvar -- were also sentenced to 10 years on the same charges. The National Iranian American Council, in a statement, described them as dual citizens but did not specify their other nationalities. They were sentenced 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. Arbil (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service (CTS) on Thursday retook full control of Bartalla, a small Christian town to the east of Mosul which the Islamic State group seized two years ago. CTS commander Taleb Sheghati al-Kenani announced the jihadists' defeat in Bartalla on television from the town, which lies less than 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the eastern edge of Mosul. "I announce to the people of Bartalla and Mosul we have complete control over Bartalla. Its residents, its churches and all of its infrastructure are now under the control of CTS," he said. He stressed that control of Bartalla, which is now one of the spots where Iraqi forces are closest to Mosul, was key to the major offensive launched four days earlier. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who visited the front line on Wednesday, announced the launch of a broad offensive on Mosul early Monday. The operation is Iraq's biggest in years and aims to wrest back Mosul, the country's second city and the last major IS stronghold in Iraq. "We tell the people of Mosul that we are coming to retake Mosul," Kenani said. Bartalla is a predominantly Christian town that had a population of just under 10,000 people before IS swept across the Nineveh plain in August 2014, forcing everyone to flee. Iraqi forces moving along several fronts have already retaken many villages -- mostly east and south of Mosul -- and hundreds of square kilometres of territory. A million people or more are thought to be trapped in IS-held Mosul and surrounding areas. Most are unable to leave, prompting fears the jihadists seek to use civilians as human shields, as they have done during previous assaults on their bastions. By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - 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 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 the Iraqi city 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 due to host a gala dinner later on Wednesday in recognition of their courage. "After we rescued one and two girls ... the families heard we helped [kidnapped] girls so they came to us and gave us the locations of their daughters," said Hasan, 36, a former member Iraq's of parliament who once represented Sinjar district, where the couple used to live. SLEEPLESS NIGHTS Islamic State killed, captured or enslaved thousands of Yazidis when it overran the town of Sinjar 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 others 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 Islamic State-occupied territory, Aldakhi estimates. Since their first rescue, they have received thousands of calls from enslaved women and desperate families, they said. 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 cell phone. 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 the Iraqi town of Dohuk. Despite the dangers, Aldakhi said he could not give up the work. "I won't stop this work until this work stops," he said. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) Iraqi military forces continued their drive towards Mosul on October 19, clearing landmines and other explosives in the Khazir area east of the city, according to an RFE/RL reporter traveling with the troops. Iraqi military, Shia militias and Kurdish peshmerga forces launched an offensive on the Islamic State-held city on October 17, with air support from US-led coalition forces. Mosul is ISs last stronghold in Iraq. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Paris (AFP) - Iraqi forces are "advancing faster than expected" in a major offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State jihadists, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Thursday. "We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned," Abadi said, speaking on a videoconference link to an international meeting co-hosted by France and Iraq on the future of Mosul following the start of the offensive this week. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had warned Tuesday that the battle to retake Iraq's second-biggest city could take "months". French President Francois Hollande told Thursday's meeting that the jihadists were already fleeing to Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. "We can't afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa," Hollande said, adding: "We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate." The French president added: "Everything must be done to protect civilians who are exposed in combat zones and used as human shields" by IS fighters. The long-awaited offensive on Mosul was launched on Monday, with some 30,000 troops involved in Iraq's largest military operation since the pullout of US troops in 2011. Abadi told the meeting: "Our war in Mosul is an Iraqi war for the Iraqis, for the defence of Iraqi territory." Representatives from around 20 countries including the United States, Turkey, Iran, Gulf states and EU member states are attending the Paris meeting co-chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Thursday's talks come ahead of a meeting in Paris next Tuesday of the coalition's defence ministers to assess progress in the Mosul offensive. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter will be among 13 ministers at the talks, an aide to Le Drian said. Mosul, held by the jihadists since June 2014, was where IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria that month. "The battle for Mosul is decisive because it is hitting Daesh in the heart of its sanctuary where it wanted to build its caliphate," said Hollande, using an alternative name for IS. The city's loss is widely predicted to deal a death blow to the group's ambitions as a land-holding force in Iraq. 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. Sheikh Ali (Iraq) (AFP) - Omran Lass is willing to die to liberate his Iraqi Kurdish town from the Islamic State group, but he and hundreds of fellow peshmerga fighters are having trouble finding anyone to fight. "Around four kilometres (two and a half miles) from here, at the end of the road, there's my house and even my car," Lass says as he gazes towards the columns of acrid black smoke rising from Bashiqa. He is one of thousands of Kurdish peshmerga fighters joining Iraqi federal forces in a major US-coalition-backed offensive on Mosul, the country's second largest city and the last significant urban area held by IS. Lass was forced to flee Bashiqa, 25 kilometres (16 miles) northeast of Mosul, when the jihadists unleashed a lightning assault capturing swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory before declaring a "caliphate" straddling the two countries in 2014. Now he says he and his comrades can't wait to push IS back. "We would die for this region. We have resisted all occupations, by (now-executed president) Saddam Hussein, by others, and now this one by IS," says the 33-year-old. "The Kurds will retake every centimetre (inch) of their land." Iraqi and international forces have slowly regained major cities from IS using US-led air strikes and elite counter-terrorism commandos to battle the jihadists street by street, most recently in Fallujah, west of Baghdad. Extremist holdouts offer fierce resistance in the form of snipers, booby-trapped buildings and vehicle-borne bombs. But, as Lass acknowledges with a chuckle, the peshmerga fighting to secure Bashiqa in recent days have encountered an altogether different problem: an almost total lack of resistance from IS. "We can't find anyone to fight us," he says. "IS never fight man to man, they fire their mortars from further and further away and that's it." Along the road snaking through the scorched plain, explosions from mortar rounds fired by IS fighters in Bashiqa towards the peshmerga puncture the quiet. Story continues The Kurds relocate to a hill overlooking the road and carefully load four rockets into a truck-mounted launcher. Equations scrawled on a notepad provide the trajectory, and fighters film on their mobile phones as the projectiles scream into the distance. - Volunteers - Lass, his face creased by the sun and fringed by a thick, black beard, says he had to flee his home with his four children in the middle of the night when IS came. He took refuge in Arbil, the Kurdish regional capital, before joining the peshmerga like many displaced Kurds. Fellow volunteer Chafiq Bradosti says he quit his job as a notary to help recover "every inch of Kurdish soil from the terrorists". "It's an important day for me, I am proud to be with the peshmerga liberating this land from IS," says Bradosti, binoculars slung round his neck. The line of pick-ups and cars carrying peshmerga lengthens beneath the hill, with some fighters wearing the traditional Kurdish billowy trousers and headscarves and others decked in military fatigues. Some heads are topped by turbans, others with berets. While the outfits may vary, nearly every fighter has a mobile phone in his hand ready to take selfies and film any combat that breaks out. Each also brandishes an automatic rifle, either the ubiquitous Kalashnikov or a more modern, US-made M-16. - 'High morale' - Iraqi lawmaker Salim al-Shabake circulates among the troops in full military uniform. A beaming smile behind his moustache, the MP notes "the very high morale of the peshmerga" and insists their advance on Mosul will be "extremely quick". In spite of Shabake's upbeat prognosis, progress is meticulously slow, as the peshmerga must remove mines and roadside bombs planted by IS before any advance. Senior Iraqi officials have warned that the operation for Mosul could take months. Near Bashiqa, the peshmerga wait for coalition air raids to strike IS targets before advancing on three fronts towards the town. Provincial council member Hussein Zaiar Ali says that fighters and officials will also need to ensure fleeing civilians are cared for. "We have taken steps to accommodate the displaced and 13 camps are ready," he says, adding that the council plans to "provide services to inhabitants after the liberation" of Bashiqa. But Lass and his colleagues insist they won't stop there. "We will defend Kurdistan, and all of Iraq," he says, as a pillar of smoke from an air strike drifts slowly above the town. (BARTELLA, Iraq) Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The addition of the elite troops, also known as counterterrorism forces, marked a significant intensification of the fight for Iraqs second-largest city. As they advanced, attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. ISIS militants unleashed nine suicide car and truck bombs against the advancing troops, eight of which were destroyed before reaching their targets, while the ninth struck an armored Humvee, Lt. Col Muntadhar al-Shimmari told The Associated Press. He did not give a casualty figure, but another officer said five soldiers were wounded. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information. The special forces entered the town of Bartella, a traditionally Christian village that fell to ISIS in 2014, around midday. The fighting thus far has been concentrated in a cluster of towns and villages outside Mosul that are mostly uninhabited and littered with roadside bombs planted by the militants, which has slowed the Iraqi advance. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati said the special forces retook Bartella, about 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the edge of Mosul. But Iraqi forces were facing stiff resistance inside the town shortly before he spoke. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where ISIS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and is expected to take weeks, if not months. The Kurdish forces known as peshmerga, who are also taking part in the offensive, announced a large-scale operation to the north and northeast of Mosul on Thursday. Story continues The operation will be in three fronts, the peshmerga said in a statement, and follows recent gains by the Kurds to the east of Mosul and Iraqi security forces to the south. Peshmerga forces stationed on mountains northeast of Mosul descended from their positions and charged toward the front line. They used bulldozers and other heavy equipment to fill trenches and moved armored vehicles into the breach after about an hour of mortar and gunfire at ISIS positions below in the village of Barima. Military operations also appeared to be underway in the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from the town early Thursday. A day earlier, Bashiqa was pounded by airstrikes and mortar fire from peshmerga positions high above. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, speaking by video link to diplomats meeting in Paris, said the Mosul offensive was moving more quickly than we thought. He also vowed to protect civilians fleeing the fighting and said the government will not allow any violations of human rights. He said most residents of the region have welcomed the advancing forces. ISIS captured Mosul and the surrounding area during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremists and their last major urban bastion in Iraq. Amer al-Jabbar, a 30-year-old soldier with the Iraqi special forces, said he was happy to be taking part in the assault on Bartella and hoped to avenge two brothers killed while fighting for the security forces. I had one brother who became a martyr in 2007 and another who became a martyr in 2014, he said. I want to avenge them and Im ready to die. Iraqs U.S.-trained special forces are seen as far more capable than the mainstream security forces that crumbled as ISIS advanced in 2014. The special forces, including the vaunted Golden Division, have played a central role in liberating several cities and towns over the past year, including Ramadi and Fallujah, in the western Anbar province. More than 25,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began Monday after months of preparation. They will be advancing on the city from several directions. The special forces advanced in some 150 Humvees decked with Iraqi flags and Shiite religious banners. Ali Saad, a 26-year-old soldier, said the Kurdish forces had asked them to take down the religious banners, but they refused. They asked if we were militias. We said were not militias, we are Iraqi forces, and these are our beliefs, he said. Mosul is a Sunni majority town, and many fear the involvement of the Shiite militias in the operation could stoke sectarian tensions. The Shiite militias have said they will not enter the city itself, but will focus on retaking the town of Tel Afar to the west, which had a Shiite majority before it was captured by ISIS. The U.S. military is carrying out airstrikes and artillery shelling in support of the operation. More than 100 U.S. forces are embedded with the Iraqis, and hundreds more are playing a supporting role in staging bases. Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the top commander of U.S. land forces in Iraq, said Wednesday that U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters are striking ISIS targets in support of the operation. The deployment of U.S. attack helicopter crews brings added risk for American troops. The first U.S. casualty in the offensive against ISIS in Mosul occurred on Thursday, as a coalition of Iraqi forces engaged in fierce fighting with ISIS militants defending the caliphates largest redoubt in Iraq. The intensity of the fighting indicates that the jihadists are mounting a serious attempt to resist the offensive, rather than opting for a tactical retreat that would preserve some of their fighters for future battles. At the front lines in the towns ringing Mosul, forces loyal to the Iraqi government, Kurdish troops and others are facing a lethal defense centered around suicide bombers, snipers, and improvised bombs. The coalition forces are still advancing in spite of the jihadists attempt to block the most serious threat to their caliphate since they seized huge swathes of Iraq in 2014. Read More: Eerie Desolation on the Front Lines of the Mosul Campaign Against ISIS We saw the ISIS snipers and theyre not fleeing. Theyre fighting. Theyre resisting strongly, says Col. Falah Fadel Jasem, an Iraqi special forces commander leading troops who pushed toward Mosul on Thursday on the main road leading from the city of Erbil, the Kurdish regional capital and the main springboard for the offensive. The colonel said ISIS had deployed 15 suicide car or truck bombs against his forces on Thursday alone. Two of the vehicles had been destroyed by airstrikes, the other 13 by the elite troops on the ground. They also encountered more than 50 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) likely laid by ISIS troops, while a single sniper wounded four of his men who lay in a medical station positioned far behind the front lines. None had been killed as of late on Thursday afternoon. They succeeded in entering the town of Bartella, about eight miles east of Mosul. Theyve been planning for this war, Jasem says of his ISIS opponents. Iraqs Prime Minister Haider Abadi said on Thursday that the offensive was proceeding faster than planned, citing early military advances, but the reality of the fighting on the ground has been bloody and sometimes chaotic. The U.S. soldier killed on Thursday died his wounds sustained in an improvised explosive attack, according to the Pentagon. The soldier is the fourth U.S. service member to have been killed since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014, which is focused on fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Story continues Read More: The Fight for Mosul: Kamikaze 2.0 On Thursday morning Kurdish fighters opened a multi-pronged attack on Mosuls eastern flank, marking an escalation of the offensive. Kurdish militias swept down a mountainside toward Mosul in the early morning, aiming to seize a series of villages outside the city. At one point on the front, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters rolled toward the village of Tizkharab in a column of armored pickups, Humvees and tanks. In the morning, they secured their position on the outskirts of village. More vehicles and soldiers on foot soon joined them, taking up positions on a dirt embankment. The ISIS fighters fought back, unleashing mortars, sniper fire, and suicide car bombers, which exploded in the open ground, neutralized by heavy machine gun fire by the Kurdish forces. The Kurds also responded with tank rounds, each launched with deafening explosions. At one point, dozens of Kurdish fighters piled back in their trucks and pulled back from the front, leaving a smaller, more committed force to fight. By sundown, the fight was still raging, the village not yet secured. In the opening days of the Mosul operation, the regular Iraqi militarywhich was routed by ISIS in the summer of 2014also faced significant resistance from the jihadists toward the south of the city. The army was hit with multiple car bombs in the town of Gwer. In the newly reclaimed village of Abbasi, ISIS managed to push the army back, before government troops retook it again. Read More: The Big Question in the Battle for Mosul Is What Comes After The intense fighting in the initial moments of the campaign suggests that the battle for the city of Mosul itself, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped under ISIS control, could be even more difficult. The dense urban space of the city will likely provide the entrenched militants with a defensive advantage over advancing government troops. It wont be easy, says Lt. Tania Hassan, a platoon commander leading Kurdish forces in the Bashiqa area. Every day is a trap. Everywhere there are IEDs. JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli troops on Thursday shot dead a Palestinian whom they suspected had thrown rocks at them as they patrolled a main West Bank road, the military said. The Palestinian health ministry named him as 15-year-old Khaled Bahar from Beit Umar, near the city of Hebron in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. "Rocks were hurled at the soldiers, wounding one of them lightly. The force responded to the assault, calling on a suspect to halt, firing warning shots into the air and then towards the suspect, resulting in his death," an army statement said. "The incident is under review," it added. Over the past year, Palestinians, many acting alone and often using rudimentary weapons, have killed at least 35 Israelis and two visiting Americans in mainly street attacks. At least 223 Palestinians have died in violent incidents in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Of those, 151 were identified by Israeli authorities as assailants, while others were killed during clashes and protests. Palestinians have accused Israel of using excessive force and say that some of those killed posed no threat or had no intention of attacking anyone. In some cases, Israel has opened investigations into whether excessive force was used. Palestinian leaders say the assailants are acting out of desperation over the collapse in 2014 of peace talks and the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied land that Palestinians seek for an independent state. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Richard Balmforth) ROME (Reuters) - Italian police stopped and arrested a 39-year-old Italian man who was driving a refrigerated minivan packed with 17 migrants after a high-speed chase at the French border, the police said on Thursday. The incident took place earlier this week. Video filmed by police shows a white minivan speeding toward the border crossing, where it is blocked at the toll gate before entering into France. Plain clothes police officers carrying pistols run toward the van to arrest the driver. The driver faces charges of aiding and abetting illegal immigration and inhumane and degrading treatment of people. The 17 men of African origin were so tightly packed in the back of the minivan that one said he thought he was going to die of asphyxiation, the police statement said. Another passenger said he had paid 50 euros ($54.87) to a non-Italian man at the train station to be smuggled into France. More than 145,000 migrants have arrived in Italy from North Africa so far this year, and European Union law says they must apply for asylum in the country where they first enter the bloc. But many migrants do not want to stay in Italy and seek to continue their journey onto other member states. The frontier between Italy's Ventimiglia and Menton in southern France is often called "Mini Calais" after the camp set up near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel linking France and Britain. Hundreds of migrants try to cross the border by foot or by hiding in vehicles every week. Each night people set out from Red Cross and Caritas camps on the Italian side in the hope that they can negotiate the 5-6 km (3.1 to 3.7 miles) of mountain passes and tunnels and enter France unnoticed. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Catherine Evans) New York (AFP) - Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump said Wednesday that the Republican presidential candidate would accept the results of the November 8 election. Trump, 70, has been warning ominously that the vote is "rigged," particularly since his support has slid for the past 10 days after a series of charges that he sexually assaulted women. That has fueled fears that his supporters might rise up in some fashion should they feel the election was not won fairly. "He'll either win or he won't win and I believe he'll accept the outcome either way," Ivanka told MSNBC in an interview. Ultimately, "my father is in this to win it," she said in the interview in California. But "I'm not interested in talking about alternative outcomes and of course I think my father will always do the right thing. That's the type of person he is." Ivanka, 34, vice president of the Trump Organization, also said she tries to keep her distance from the campaign. "When things have happened over the course of this campaign that are uncomfortable for us as a family, oftentimes, things have been said that are mischaracterizations or interpretations that are false... you know, a statement he will make, we'll talk about it," Trump's eldest daughter said. "We have a very open dialogue," she stressed. He "is always ready to listen." Despite her brothers' high-profile roles in the campaign, Ivanka said, "I don't express my views on policy, with one exception as it relates to child care and advocating for women because... it was core to my personal and professional mission over the last decade." She also shot down claims that she is a behind-the-scenes campaign heavyweight. "I am not the campaign mastermind, as people love to portray and speculate," she said, "and I have been honest on that front." ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast will organise debt relief for the state oil refinery using public and private funds, a government spokesman said on Wednesday. The Societe Ivoirienne de Rafinage (SIR) is the biggest refinery in French-speaking West Africa and has accumulated debts worth hundreds of billions of CFA francs (hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars) since 2008. "The amount will correspond to the financial need," government spokesman Bruno Nabagne Kone told reporters after a cabinet meeting. The government was talking to private institutions to help finance the debt, he said. The refinery provides Ivory Coast with nearly all its petroleum products and also supplies neighbouring countries. Nigeria is its primary supplier of crude oil and its main purchaser of refined exports. SIR's annual output is currently 3.4 millions tonnes, up from 3.142 millions tonnes in 2012, and operating profit totalled at 36 billion CFA francs ($60 million) last year, compared to 19 billion CFA francs in 2012, Kone said. Ivory Coast's economy has expanded rapidly since a decade of political turmoil ended in 2011. The government says putting the energy sector on a firm footing is key to future growth. ($1 = 597.0000 CFA francs) (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Susan Fenton) From Esquire For a movie star on the red carpet, it's hard to go wrong with a classic Gucci suit. Well, almost. Though luxury Italian craftsmanship is about as close to suit nirvana as you can get, it's still important to pay attention to the details. Miss any one of several key tailoring points, and it won't make a difference whether your suit is from Gucci or Rocco's Discount Clothing Shed. This past week, both Jake Gyllenhaal and Ben Affleck attended events wearing a navy Marseille suit from Gucci. And while one of them looked about as crisp and polished as you can get, the other looked more like he was attending his first job interview. Let's break it down. Issue 1: The Cuffs With the perfect tailoring on his Gucci Made to Order version of the suit, Jake Gyllenhaal could give '60s Frank Sinatra a run for his money. Nothing is off or out of place. For starters, the sleeves are a perfect length, revealing, with almost mathematical precision, about a quarter inch of his shirt cuff. Affleck, on the other hand, didn't go made-to-order. He also, it seems, skipped the trip to the tailor. As a result, he's showing way too much shirt cuff. The reason is simple: The shirt sleeve is too long. His cuff goes all the way down to the first knuckle of his thumb. Look back to master Gyllenhaal and you can see that it should just hit where your hand meets your wrist. Issue 2: The Trousers Now we move southward and see that JG's trousers are tailored without a break, so the hems just barely kiss the tops of his cap-toe oxfords. Over on team Affleck, however, we see that the bottom of his trousers are stacked up like traffic on an L.A. freeway. That look is fine for jeans and a pair of high tops, but for a suit it feels sloppy. Issue 3: The Jacket Finally let's take a look at the fit of the jacket. With Gyllenhaal, nearly every point hangs perfectly. There are no superfluous folds from too much fabric, and nothing bulging from too little. (One possible knock: there's a bit of a dimple in the sleeve right below the shoulder, which may or may not be because of his posture.) Story continues Affleck's suit appears to be a little too tight in the middle-hence the shirt reveal below his top button. (Again, though, that could be because of the way he's standing.) It's also a little too loose everywhere else, most notably the sleeves, which are an easy fix for most tailors. Jake's jacket is tailored into one perfect fluid line, while Ben's looks like the EKG reading on a heart arrhythmia. The Devil Is in the Details These are two good looking actors who were genetically engineered to wear suits. And yet, with just a few subtle tweaks, one looks like Don Draper redux while the other looks like he borrowed something from his dad's closet. The small things matter, and they can drastically alter the look of your clothing. Especially when it comes to suits. Never forget that. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="15%20Style%20Lessons%20from%20the%20Week's%20Best%20Dressed%20Men" customimages="" content="gallery.3034"] You Might Also Like TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's top government spokesman said on Thursday Tokyo condemns North Korea's failed missile launch and is lodging a stern protest against Pyongyang for the action. His comment comes after U.S. Strategic Command said a failed attempt by North Korea to launch a missile was detected at 2200 GMT on Wednesday from the northwestern city of Kusong, adding it was presumed to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile. "The Japanese government is protesting to North Korea through our embassy in Beijing, while condemning it strongly," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference. North Korea, which conducted its fifth nuclear blast on Sept. 9, is already under heavy international sanctions over its missile and nuclear tests. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim) Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2014, and has been almost entirely hands off when it comes to news coverage. "I do not introduce myself in any way to the daily activities of the newsroom," he told the audience at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Thursday. "It'd be a little bit like one of your children needed to have an operation on their brain, would you go into the operating room and tell the neurosurgeon what to do?" But he's obviously very happy with the paper's performance, particularly its coverage of politics in this crazy election year. The Post has had numerous scoops on Donald Trump, including how the Trump Foundation is mostly funded by people other than Trump, and publishing a video tape captured when Trump was not aware he was being audio recorded, where the presidential candidate bragged about kissing, groping, and trying to have sex with women. So how does the Post do it? Bezos credits its culture of "professional swashbuckling." "What makes the Post great is the traditional of investigative journalism," he said. "The culture at the Post is very unusual because they're kind of swashbuckling, but they're professional swashbucklers. Without professionalism, swashbuckling just gets you killed. They have a swagger that's very very useful." The question is how to turn that tradition into a sustainable business model. Bezos believes the trick is chasing a much larger audience, while expecting to make less money from each reader than newspapers traditionally have. "What we need to do is we need to move from making a relatively large amount of money per reader on a relatively small number of readers... to a model where we make a very small amount of money per reader on a much, much larger number of readers." He's not necessarily talking about micropayments per article or day, however, which he thinks consumers are not yet ready to adopt. Rather, the business model will still remain a combination of advertising and subscriptions, but with a much larger audience. Story continues NOW WATCH: A popular 'Westworld' fan theory tries to explain the identity of the 'Man in Black' More From Business Insider Amazon (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos thinks it would be wrong to oust someone from a company board for donating to Donald Trump. At the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco on Thursday, a question was raised about whether or not Bezos thought venture capitalist Peter Thiel should be removed from Facebooks (FB) and other boards for reportedly giving $1.25 million to Trumps campaign. Bezos said that he thought it would be wrong to remove someone from a company board for differing political viewpoints. We dont want to live in a country where you cant associate with people who have wildly different opinions, he said. I want to work in a country where you can work side by side. He added: Its way too divisive to say, If you have this political opinion you cant sit on my board. The question about Thiel was also raised during a panel on Wednesday with three tech luminaries offering differing views. One of those panelists, venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, said that he would kick off the board member. For what its worth, Bezos isnt convinced Trump has a strong chance of winning the election. [Peter Thiel] is a contrarian, Bezos prefaced. You just have to remember contrarians are usually wrong. Conventional wisdom is usually right. Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Read more: Kyle Bass warns the clock is ticking for Chinas banking system Jim Chanos uses this 7-point checklist for companies hes going to short Why Jim Chanos is thoroughly unimpressed by Tesla Jeff Bezos Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has made a lot of money for people who bet on his company over the years. But Bezos told an amazing story in San Francisco on Thursday about the first brave souls who invested in Amazon two decades ago. According to Bezos, the first 20 or so outside investors in Amazon put in around $50,000 apiece for a stake of a little less than 1% of the company at the time. If those early investors had held on to their entire stakes, and those stakes had never been diluted by later investors, they would be $3.5 billion today a return of 70,000x. Bezos also said that previous to that, his parents both chipped in a significant portion of their life savings, which worked out very well for them. "It couldn't happen to two nicer people," he said on stage at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit. He explained that the venture capital scene was very different in 1994 when he first started raising money for Amazon.com, which at the time was positioned as a mere online bookstore. About 20 to 22 investors put in small checks of about $50,000 apiece, he said, for a total seed stage investment of around $1 million. In exchange, those combined investors got about 20% of the company. Most of those investments happened through 1995 and 1996. Richard Brandt's book about Amazon, "One Click," offers a few more details: "A Seattle-based stock broker named Eric Dillon was interested in investing, but thought the valuation Bezos had put on the company $6 million was pulled out of thin air, until Bezos sat down with him to show how much other Internet companies were trying to raise. Dillon talked Bezos down to a $5 million valuation and put in some money. A Seattle businessman named Tom Alberg was impressed with Bezos's projection that Amazon could turn over the equivalent of an average bookstore's inventory 20 times a year, compared with 2.7 times for most bookstores with details to back up the claim. Story continues "In the end [Nick] Hanauer managed to get some commitments by making the first investment himself. Others followed, and by the end of the year another twenty investors kicked in money, most of them around $30,000 apiece. Bezos raised $981,000." Later, in June 1996, Amazon raised an $8 million Series A from Kleiner Perkins, and that was its only VC investment before going public. When Amazon went public in May 1997, the only one of those three early investors whose name was on the S1 was Tom Alberg, who is still director of the company, as well as managing director of VC firm Madrona Ventures. He owned 195,000 shares at the time. Amazon has split its shares three times, all in 1999, so those shares today would be worth about $1.9 billion. NOW WATCH: Countries around the world are pouring billions of dollars into France's revolutionary nuclear fusion reactor More From Business Insider Jennifer Lawrence attended a La La Land screening to support Emma Stone, and she wore a very supportive top to do so. In New York City on Tuesday night, the Hunger Games actress wore wide-leg black pants from Ralph Laurens Fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection. She paired the statement bottoms featuring a Western-influenced pattern on one leg with a piece from La Perla. In other words, she wore lingerie as a shirt. The 26-year-olds accessorised the Fabulous Mood Underwired Bodice one-piece that retails for approximately 1,569 with a long chain dreamcatcher necklace layered with a simple gold choker. She styled her honey blonde hair, which was recently platinum for her role in Passengers, wavy with a side part and shiny nude lipgloss. The actress wore a sheer top to the Dior PFW show last month [Photo: Getty] Lawrence, whos a Dior ambassador, typically only wears the French brand so it was definitely refreshing to see her try something as different as a risque bodysuit with cowboy-inspired pants. Jennifer Lawrence tries the underwear-as-outerwear look This might be Jennifer Lawrences best dress ever OSLO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - U.S. airline JetBlue Airways Corp. urged the U.S. government to resolve a dispute over Norwegian Air Shuttle's bid to increase flights to the United States, raising concerns that its own potential European expansion might be curbed as a result. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provisionally approved budget carrier Norwegian's application to start flights through its Irish subsidiary in April, but has not given final approval. The typically routine request was filed more than two years ago. In an Oct. 19 letter to the DOT seen by Reuters, JetBlue says it takes no position on the merits of Norwegian's application, but was concerned by what the delay means for carriers that wish to gain access to new markets, highlighting plans by the European Union to seek arbitration. "As an airline which may one day seek authorisation from the aviation authorities of European Union member states for new transatlantic services, I am concerned that JetBlue might face similar treatment and delays in the future," James Hnat, JetBlue's general counsel, wrote. In addition to its U.S. flights, New York-based JetBlue flies to Latin America and the Caribbean. The budget airline has also expressed interest in new, long-range jets with a single aisle so it could fly profitably to cities in Western Europe that either have too much flight supply or can't draw enough customers to fill wide-body planes. Norwegian's application has provoked criticism from U.S. competitors and trade unions, which argue that giving a licence to Norwegian's Irish subsidiary could undermine jobs, wages and working standards. Norwegian CEO Bjoern Kjos earlier on Thursday said the process had largely been put on hold because of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The carrier currently flies to the United States on its Norwegian operating licence but wants the flexibility offered by the U.S.-EU Open Skies deal. Already, the escalating fare war over the Atlantic is forcing big airlines to consider chopping prices and other measures to win back budget-conscious travellers drawn to low-fare rivals, such as Norwegian. The U.S. DOT declined to comment on Thursday. (Reporting by Joachim Dageborg; Additional reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in Washington; Writing by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Adrian Croft) TOKYO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Japanese government bond prices gained on Thursday, with the market supported by firm auction results. The finance ministry sold 500 billion yen ($4.83 billion) of JGBs at the liquidity-enhancing sale, under which it regularly supplies the market with off-the-run bonds. Movements were limited as a wait-and-see mood prevailed ahead of the European Central Bank's policy meeting later in the day, with investors awaiting possible clues on the central bank's 1-trillion-plus euro bond buying programme. The benchmark 10-year JGB yield inched down half a basis point to minus 0.065 percent. The 10-year bond went untraded the previous day, with traders saying the market was slightly less conducive for active trading as price ranges had narrowed under the Bank of Japan's yield curve control scheme. The 30-year yield fell one basis point to 0.490 percent. ($1 = 103.5800 yen) (Reporting by the Tokyo markets team; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Influential short-seller Jim Chanos, who runs hedge fund Kynikos Associates, has been betting against two companies founded by billionaire serial entrepreneur Elon Musk Tesla Motors (TSLA) and SolarCity (SCTY). Chanos, famous for nailing the collapse of Enron, said that shareholders view Musk as a messianic leader. In other words, he can do no wrong. While Chanos has no doubt about Musks intelligence, he does see serious problems with his companies, which he described as a melange of publicly-traded and privately-traded science projects sort of gone awry. The fact of the matter is this is a company in Teslas case thats now really going to need to step up the production. Its going to be competing against Mercedes, Audi, VW, finally, who are bringing product lines as an OEM [original equipment manufacturer], Chanos said at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco on Wednesday. Elon Musk According to Chanos, Tesla has been leapfrogged by most the other OEMs, making Teslas massive gigafactory its currently building in the Nevada desert somewhat of a giant white elephant. This is a car company, Chanos said. This is not a high-technology company in that people forget that battery technology has been around a long time, he continued. Its not subject to Moores Law. Its basic chemical reactions. Furthermore, he added that the battery technology Tesla uses is not proprietary, but rather belongs to Panasonic (PCRFY). A lot of people are continually stunned to find that out. Chanos has also been critical of SolarCity, which he called basically a roofing company with a consumer financing arm attached to it. Its not a high-tech company and its not a very economic business in and of itself selling you power at 17 cents a kilowatt hour. Chanos has previously called Teslas $2.2 billion bid to buy SolarCity a shameful deal. Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Read more: Kyle Bass warns the clock is ticking for Chinas banking system Jim Chanos uses this 7-point checklist for companies hes going to short Jimmy Kimmel sent Ken Bone and his red sweater to the final presidential debate in Las Vegas last night but the Internet sensation is still an undecided voter. I have not decided, Bone told Kimmel from Las Vegas where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off for a third time. After I have decided, I promise Im not going to tell anyone, even you. His reasoning was simple: Once I tell anyone who I am voting for, I lose my opportunity to say, get out and vote I want everybody to get to the polls and make their voice heard. See Video: Bill Maher Definitely Not in the Ken Bone Zone Earlier this month, Bone said he would not endorse either candidate. Im happy to do as much media as people need to me to talk about the process and talk about getting people out to vote, he told MSNBC. I will state that I will not endorse either candidate and you will not hear me saying who I will be voting for before the election is over. If you hear that, its not me. Bone, a 34-year-old coal-plant operator from Illinois, according to the New York Times, became a viral sensation after he asked the candidates a question about energy policy at the town hall debate earlier this month. His red sweater also became instantly famous, so Kimmel had to ask him whether he has washed the sweater since he shot to fame. Also Read: Ken Bone Called Pregnant Women 'Beautiful Human Submarines' on Porn Thread I must have, because its shrinking! Bone joked. And California fans will be happy to hear that Bone is in Los Angeles on Thursday for the premiere of Marvels Doctor Strange. Bone was under a bit of scrutiny last week when he held a Reddit Q&A, where fans resurfaced old posts in which he discussed his sex life and said the shooting of Trayvon Martin was justified. Watch the video above. Related stories from TheWrap: The Ken Bone Backlash: 5 Reasons America Fell Out of Love (Photos) Watch Ken Bone and Hillary Clinton's Epic Debate Dance Battle (Video) Ken Bone 'Will Not Endorse' Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump No Matter Who He Decides to Vote for (Video) Jon Hamm dissected the lingering pain felt from the loss of his parents in a rare candid interview with Elle. "[My dad] was twice widowed," Hamm told the magazine for its November 2016 issue. "He was divorced from my mom when she died, but even so, there's a deep sense of tragedy in that. I never had the opportunity to, as an adult, sit down and talk to him about that. It's a real loss." READ: Jon Hamm Opens Up About Rehab and If He'll Ever Have Kids Hamm lost his mother to colon cancer when he was just 10 years old. By the time he was 20, his father died, leaving young Hamm to be "quasi-adopted by [his] friends' families." "Even today I get e-mails or cards from these women who, for lack of a better word, were my mom," Hamm shared. "We talk about what it means to be a family. Mostly it's about showing up. And being aware enough to check in and say, 'How are you doing?' I've been incredibly lucky to have these people in my life." The 45-year-old Keeping Up With the Joneses star, who grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, moved to Los Angeles after college with $150 to his name and a dream of making it in Hollywood. While he had to wait until his mid-30s for his big break in Mad Men, Hamm doesn't regret those early lean years of paying his dues. EXCLUSIVE: Jon Hamm Breaks Silence Post-Rehab, Talks Mad Men Movie Possibility "The best thing you could say is 'Appreciate it. Struggle is part of the journey,'" he said when asked what advice he would give his 20-year-old self. "That's what I've learned in my 40s: This too shall pass." The Golden Globe winner certainly isn't afraid to face his flaws, and in February 2015, he admitted himself into a 30-day treatment facility for alcohol addiction. "It has all these connotations, but it's just an extended period of talking about yourself," Hamm recently explained to Mr. Porter's The Journal. "People go for all sorts of reasons, not all of which are chemically related. But there's something to be said for pulling yourself out of the grind for a period of time and concentrating on re-calibrating the system. And it works. It's great." Story continues Related Articles By Sumeet Chatterjee and Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co is in talks to sell out of a Chinese securities joint venture with First Capital Securities Co Ltd in what would be the first departure by a top-tier global investment bank from China's securities segment. Wall Street banks like JPMorgan hold only minority stakes in such ventures. The resulting lack of control and limited contribution to total revenue have brought banks frustration at a time when domestic competition has become acute. Almost all leading investment banks, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, UBS Group AG, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank AG and Credit Suisse Group AG have securities ventures with local firms. Shenzhen-listed broker First Capital, in an exchange filing on Thursday, said it is in talks to buy JPMorgan's 33 percent of JP Morgan First Capital Securities Co. It said no transaction has been finalised and that any purchase remains uncertain. JPMorgan confirmed the content of the filing. "China is a key market for the firm globally and for many of our clients outside China. J.P. Morgan believes in the long term prospects of China and remains fully committed to our China franchise," the U.S. bank said in an emailed statement. Neither JPMorgan nor First Capital gave reasons for the move. Some analysts said the U.S. bank could return to China's securities market with a new partner as the outlook for onshore deals remains attractive. Rival Morgan Stanley launched a securities joint venture with Huaxin Securities in 2011, a year after it sold its 34.3 percent of China International Capital Corp Ltd (CICC), the country's top investment bank at the time. "It has been a difficult ride (for foreign banks), but we really feel that it's at tipping point in terms of opportunities and the banks have just a lot left on the table," said Benjamin Quinlan, CEO of financial services consultancy Quinlan & Associates. "There is no alternative avenue for foreign players to go in and China is sending a clear signal that it is liberalizing and I do think they (foreign banks) will be able to get to a stage where they have effective management control of the entity." Story continues China's securities regulator approved the establishment of JPMorgan First Capital Securities Co at the end of 2010. The venture, headquartered in Beijing, offers services such as stock and bond underwriting and merger advisory. It posted net profit of 52 million yuan ($7.72 million) for January-June, versus a loss of 23 million yuan in the same period a year earlier, showed information First Capital filed at the exchange. A stake sale would come as rival HSBC Holdings PLC awaits regulatory approval to launch a majority-owned joint venture, taking advantage of rules favoring Hong Kong-established banks. HSBC would own up to 51 percent of the venture, while the cap for other foreign banks in such ventures is 49 percent. China has been gradually opening up its financial sector, though some foreign banks have called for the pace to increase. Despite the challenges, no other top-tier foreign bank has exited securities joint ventures in China, betting on long-term opportunities in the world's second-largest economy. Foreign banks that have exited since 2007 include BNP Paribas SA, CLSA, Daiwa Securities Group Inc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, showed a Quinlan & Associates report. (Reporting by Julie Zhu and Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Lisa Jucca and Christopher Cushing) By Sumeet Chatterjee and Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co is in talks to sell out of a Chinese securities joint venture with First Capital Securities Co Ltd in what would be the first departure by a top-tier global investment bank from China's securities segment. Wall Street banks like JPMorgan hold only minority stakes in such ventures. The resulting lack of control and limited contribution to total revenue have brought banks frustration at a time when domestic competition has become acute. Almost all leading investment banks, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, UBS Group AG, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank AG and Credit Suisse Group AG have securities ventures with local firms. Shenzhen-listed broker First Capital, in an exchange filing on Thursday, said it is in talks to buy JPMorgan's 33 percent of JP Morgan First Capital Securities Co. It said no transaction has been finalised and that any purchase remains uncertain. JPMorgan confirmed the content of the filing. "China is a key market for the firm globally and for many of our clients outside China. J.P. Morgan believes in the long term prospects of China and remains fully committed to our China franchise," the U.S. bank said in an emailed statement. Neither JPMorgan nor First Capital gave reasons for the move. Some analysts said the U.S. bank could return to China's securities market with a new partner as the outlook for onshore deals remains attractive. Rival Morgan Stanley launched a securities joint venture with Huaxin Securities in 2011, a year after it sold its 34.3 percent of China International Capital Corp Ltd (CICC), the country's top investment bank at the time. "It has been a difficult ride (for foreign banks), but we really feel that it's at tipping point in terms of opportunities and the banks have just a lot left on the table," said Benjamin Quinlan, CEO of financial services consultancy Quinlan & Associates. "There is no alternative avenue for foreign players to go in and China is sending a clear signal that it is liberalising and I do think they (foreign banks) will be able to get to a stage where they have effective management control of the entity." Story continues China's securities regulator approved the establishment of JPMorgan First Capital Securities Co at the end of 2010. The venture, headquartered in Beijing, offers services such as stock and bond underwriting and merger advisory. It posted net profit of 52 million yuan (6.28 million pounds) for January-June, versus a loss of 23 million yuan in the same period a year earlier, showed information First Capital filed at the exchange. A stake sale would come as rival HSBC Holdings PLC awaits regulatory approval to launch a majority-owned joint venture, taking advantage of rules favouring Hong Kong-established banks. HSBC would own up to 51 percent of the venture, while the cap for other foreign banks in such ventures is 49 percent. China has been gradually opening up its financial sector, though some foreign banks have called for the pace to increase. Despite the challenges, no other top-tier foreign bank has exited securities joint ventures in China, betting on long-term opportunities in the world's second-largest economy. Foreign banks that have exited since 2007 include BNP Paribas SA, CLSA, Daiwa Securities Group Inc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, showed a Quinlan & Associates report. (Reporting by Julie Zhu and Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Lisa Jucca and Christopher Cushing) By Sumeet Chatterjee and Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co is in talks to sell out of a Chinese securities joint venture with First Capital Securities Co Ltd in what would be the first departure by a top-tier global investment bank from China's securities segment. Wall Street banks like JPMorgan hold only minority stakes in such ventures. The resulting lack of control and limited contribution to total revenue have brought banks frustration at a time when domestic competition has become acute. Almost all leading investment banks, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, UBS Group AG, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank AG and Credit Suisse Group AG have securities ventures with local firms. Shenzhen-listed broker First Capital, in an exchange filing on Thursday, said it is in talks to buy JPMorgan's 33 percent of JP Morgan First Capital Securities Co. It said no transaction has been finalised and that any purchase remains uncertain. JPMorgan confirmed the content of the filing. "China is a key market for the firm globally and for many of our clients outside China. J.P. Morgan believes in the long term prospects of China and remains fully committed to our China franchise," the U.S. bank said in an emailed statement. Neither JPMorgan nor First Capital gave reasons for the move. Some analysts said the U.S. bank could return to China's securities market with a new partner as the outlook for onshore deals remains attractive. Rival Morgan Stanley launched a securities joint venture with Huaxin Securities in 2011, a year after it sold its 34.3 percent of China International Capital Corp Ltd (CICC), the country's top investment bank at the time. "It has been a difficult ride (for foreign banks), but we really feel that it's at tipping point in terms of opportunities and the banks have just a lot left on the table," said Benjamin Quinlan, CEO of financial services consultancy Quinlan & Associates. Story continues "There is no alternative avenue for foreign players to go in and China is sending a clear signal that it is liberalizing and I do think they (foreign banks) will be able to get to a stage where they have effective management control of the entity." China's securities regulator approved the establishment of JPMorgan First Capital Securities Co at the end of 2010. The venture, headquartered in Beijing, offers services such as stock and bond underwriting and merger advisory. It posted net profit of 52 million yuan ($7.72 million) for January-June, versus a loss of 23 million yuan in the same period a year earlier, showed information First Capital filed at the exchange. A stake sale would come as rival HSBC Holdings PLC awaits regulatory approval to launch a majority-owned joint venture, taking advantage of rules favoring Hong Kong-established banks. HSBC would own up to 51 percent of the venture, while the cap for other foreign banks in such ventures is 49 percent. China has been gradually opening up its financial sector, though some foreign banks have called for the pace to increase. Despite the challenges, no other top-tier foreign bank has exited securities joint ventures in China, betting on long-term opportunities in the world's second-largest economy. Foreign banks that have exited since 2007 include BNP Paribas SA, CLSA, Daiwa Securities Group Inc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, showed a Quinlan & Associates report. (Reporting by Julie Zhu and Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Lisa Jucca and Christopher Cushing) From Road & Track It's been more than a year since news broke that Volkswagen had installed software on its TDI models to help them cheat emissions. Since then, VW struggled to find an acceptable solution, and while a fix may not be on the table, the automaker is now a step closer to compensating customers affected As expected, U.S. Judge approves @vwgroup_en plan to buy back 475,000 diesel vehicles at a cost of approx. $10 Billion, - Phil LeBeau (@Lebeaucarnews) October 25, 2016 CNBC's Phil LeBeau reports that U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer has approved VW's $10 billion settlement to buy back around 475,000 cars. The Associated Press reports that buybacks will begin in mid-November. BREAKING: Judge approves Volkswagen's $15B emissions settlement; VW to start buying back cars in Nov. . - The Associated Press (@AP) October 25, 2016 "Given the risks of prolonged litigation, the immediate settlement if this matter is far preferable," said Breyer, per the Financial Times. "As the Court stated at the outset, the priority was to get the polluting cars off the road as soon as possible." Breyer hinted last week that he would approve the buyback, but he also said he needed time to consider issues some owners have raised. More than 450 objections to the deal have been filed so far. Some argue that VW should pay the the full purchase price of the vehicles it buys back instead of the used value. Others are concerned the settlement doesn't cover additional costs like finance charges and registration fees. At an earlier hearing, Breyer also gave his initial approval of a $1.2 billion settlement to compensate dealers. This settlement takes care of VW's cheating 2.0-liter diesels, but the company has yet to reach a settlement over its 3.0-liter diesels. Story continues This story was originally published on 10/19/16 and was updated 10/25/16 at 11:30 a.m. ET to reflect Judge Breyer's approval of the buyback. You Might Also Like justin timberlake Justin Timberlake is about to give a huge boost to Bai Brands, one of the fastest-growing flavored-water companies in the US. Timberlake is joining the Bai team as an investor and its first chief flavor officer, the company announced Thursday. He will also star as the face of the brand in a $100 million marketing campaign that Bai is launching next year, the company's founder and CEO, Ben Weiss, told Business Insider. It will be Bai's biggest marketing campaign since its founding in 2009. Sales have grown 150% since launching its first national marketing campaign last year. The company totaled $120 million in sales in 2015, and this year it's on track to reach $300 million, the company says. As chief flavor officer, Timberlake will work with the executive team at Bai's headquarters near Trenton, New Jersey, Weiss said. "He'll be involved in everything from flavor innovation and product launches to marketing and digital content," Weiss said. "We will see a lot of him. His fingerprints are going to be on this brand." Bai Bai Brands makes drinks called Bai, Bai Bubbles, and Antiwater. The first two drinks offer fruit flavors and antioxidants with no artificial sweeteners, five calories, and one gram of sugar per serving. Antiwater has "antioxidants in the form of a super-purified bottled water," the company says. Flavored-water brands like Bai have become a major threat to companies like Coke and Pepsi, which have seen soda sales plunge over the last decade as people opt for healthier drinks. Bai's relationship with Timberlake was forged about five months ago, when a mutual friend put Weiss in contact with the the actor and musician. Weiss said he traveled to Los Angeles to meet with Timberlake, and they talked about the possibility of a partnership. Timberlake was a huge fan of Bai and stockpiled the drink in a place where his wife, actress Jessica Biel, wouldn't find it, according to Weiss. Story continues "He said he found himself drinking it and storing it away from his wife in a secret little refrigerator," Weiss said. "He was very passionate about it." About two months ago, Timberlake visited Bai's headquarters, where he met with the company's executive team and recorded a series of videos that were shared internally with Bai's employees. "I've been a fan of Bai for a long time, and when I met Ben and his team, it became clear that I should be involved with this brand," Timberlake said in a statement. "As a father and someone who is cautious about what my family and I consume, I love what Bai stands for. This partnership was created from a shared desire to help people put better ingredients in their bodies without sacrificing taste." NOW WATCH: We tried breakfast sandwiches from major fast-food chains and the winner surprised us More From Business Insider Kanye West has been pretty vocal about his disdain for the streaming war between Apple Music and TIDAL and last night during a Saint Pablo tour stop in Seattle, he explained how this war is the reason why he will never record a sequel to Watch The Throne with Jay-Z. Check out these videos of Ye speaking on the situation below. As you watch the videos above you can also hear Kanye state that Hov and the politics of the beef are the reason why he and Jay-Z are left off of the album version of Drake's "Pop Style" record: This shit get me tight every time I perform this motherfucker. Yall didnt get what yall was supposed to get with me and Drake on this song because of some Tidal/Apple bullshit. This shit got me tight. Every time I perform this song I think about the shit. I think about the politics and the bullshit. I think about how hard I go for music, for art, for yall, for the fanshow hard we go. Ye also touched on how he's a little upset with how Jay-Z called him rather than visited him after his wife Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris. In the videos above you can hear him say "our kids ain't never even played together" and in a clip below you can hear him tell Jay-Z to act "like we brothers" and come by the house with Blue Ivy so they can talk. "Don't call me, after the robbery, and say 'how you feelin?' You wanna know how I'm feelin? Come by the house," - Kanye #SaintPabloTour pic.twitter.com/G6wkIzbY0n McKenna Moe (@MoeMunyMoeProbs) October 20, 2016 Continue Reading On PigeonsandPlanes More from PigeonsandPlanes Donald Trump's campaign manager said Wednesday that she does not believe the presidential election will see widespread voter fraud, breaking with the GOP nominee on one of his most common recent talking points. "No, I do not believe that," Kellyanne Conway told MSNBC. "So absent overwhelming evidence that there is, it would not be for me to say that there is." On the stump, Trump has in recent weeks told his supporters that a conspiracy of media, the Clintons and the political establishment were colluding to steal the election from him -- and polls show his supporters believe him. Experts and election officials, many of whom are Republicans in critical swing states, say swaying the outcome of the election through fraudulent means is essentially impossible. READ: [Kremlin Says Putin Open to Working With Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump] "So many cities are corrupt that voter fraud is very, very common," Trump said Monday in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "More than 1.8 million deceased individuals right now are listed as voters." Although Conway agreed there's no evidence to support Trump's claims of massive fraud, she agreed that votes were being illegally cast. "We know that people who are dead are still on the voter rolls. We know that people are voting a couple of different times in places," Conway said. "So you do hear reports here and there, but I think Donald Trump's point is a larger one. You don't want him to talk about the other stuff, but he does -- you know, there is a larger conspiracy, larger collusion." Trump and Conway seemed to be referring to a Pew report from 2012 that found some 12.7 million records out of date, including 1.8 million people who had died whose relatives had not filed the proper paperwork to get them taken off the voter rolls. But there's no evidence ballots are ever cast in their names: One study found just 31 credible incidents of voter fraud out of more than 1 billion votes cast between 2000 and 2014. Story continues Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said the real conspiracy was in the "obvious bias in the national media." "We will absolutely accept the results of the election," he said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "The American people will speak, but [they] are tired of the obvious bias in the national media. That's where the sense of a rigged election goes here." Conway made a similar point Wednesday, accusing the press of ignoring damaging stories about leaked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign and a video shot by conservative provocateur James O'Keefe that purports to show Democratic operatives trying to provoke Trump supporters into lashing out. The Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee has denied those plans were approved by the campaign or the party, nor were they ever carried out. Still, the two people who appeared in the video have stepped aside from their positions. "Hillary Clinton must own all of those problems," Conway said. Gabrielle Levy covers politics for U.S. News & World Report. Follow her on Twitter (@gabbilevy) or email her at GLevy@usnews.com. By Steve Bittenbender LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - Kentucky's Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a Louisville law mandating that the city's local businesses pay their workers at a higher level than the state's minimum wage. In a 6-1 ruling, the court said Louisville officials exceeded their authority when the city's Metro Council passed a minimum wage ordinance in December 2014 calling for a gradual raise to $9 an hour by 2017. The measure, passed on a party-line vote, came as other cities and states passed increases as part of a national push by labor advocates to bring the minimum wage closer to cost of living standards. The only way Louisville and other Kentucky cities can pass a higher minimum wage is if the state's General Assembly grants them that ability as the sovereignty of the state still rules supreme, Justice Bill Cunningham wrote. Jefferson County Attorney Mike OConnell, who represented the city in the suit, said in a statement he was disappointed with the ruling. The question now, he added, becomes if state lawmakers want to grant such powers to local governments. A Louisville business and two statewide business organizations filed suit in February 2015 seeking to stop the hike from taking effect. However, a Louisville judge turned down that request in June just before the first raise took place. Brent Baughman, a lawyer representing the Kentucky Retail Federation, the Kentucky Restaurant Association and Packaging Unlimited LLC, said his clients' argument was never about the amount of the raise, but whether the city had the right to make the change. Before Thursday's ruling, the minimum wage in Louisville was $8.25, which is $1 higher than the current state and federal minimum. Last November, officials in Lexington voted to gradually increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2018. However, Thursday's ruling now invalidates that law, said Susan Straub, a spokeswoman for Lexington Mayor Jim Gray. Story continues According to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, the wage hikes helped about 76,000 workers in the state's two largest cities. Baughman said many companies in Louisville and Lexington already pay employees above the minimum wage, but companies that have paid the higher minimum wage will have the option to roll back their workers to the lesser hourly figure. Whether they will do that is a decision that they will have to make, he said. (Reporting by Steve Bittenbender; Editing by Alistair Bell) From ELLE The Kardashian family has stamped their name on a lot of products, from lip kits to emojis; baby clothes to games. But Khloe Kardashian has waited to take her turn-until now. The budding business woman and Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is getting into the denim game with a new line, Good American, which she co-founded with business partner Emma Grede. Launched just a day ago at Nordstrom, the line represents a vast array of sizes, from 0 to 24, and comes in a stretchy fabric that allows for the natural curvature of the body. To celebrate the launch of Good American, the duo hosted a show at The Grove in Los Angeles, where they debuted several styles on collection of women they call the "Good Squad." We spoke with Kardashian and Gerde before the show about forming Good American, why it's important to love your own body, and how J. Lo gave us more confidence in our butts. How did this denim line come to fruition? EG: So, actually, I know Kris Jenner because in my previous life I worked in marketing for quite a long time. I've done a lot of work for Kris. When I decided to try and do this range I felt it was important to have a business partner and I decided that should be Khloe. I literally said, 'Kris, I've got this great idea and maybe Khloe would be interested.' In typical Kris fashion she was like, 'Well you need to talk to Khloe.' It turned out it was good enough of an idea that she did actually want to be involved. KK: The older I've gotten the more I've gotten picky and choosy about what I do and who I partner up with. Doing a project on my ownthis is the first time I've ever done something like thisI wanted to be really choosy about that. Meeting Emma and liking her as a person was a huge thing for me. She was someone who not only wanted to create a designer denim label, but [the collection] was also making a change and empowering women. Doing something I feel we really need. There's a gap in the market for that. That's something I'm truly passionate about. For me, the biggest thing was the range in sizes. That's something to really fight for and it's something we were both really adamant about. It came true and we're about to provide this really fabulous denim line that's really trendy and cool for a great, diverse range of women. Story continues EG: There's been a shift in pop culture in what we find beautiful. Khloe, for me, was somebody who really epitomized that. She's somebody who, regardless of size, you feel this confidence in her. Khloeand the rest of her familyare very responsible for the reason we all find curvy bodies really, really beautiful. Photo credit: Courtesy Did you have someone you looked to as a body-positive role model when you were growing up or someone who made you feel okay about having a butt? KK: It's so interesting because when I was growing up heroin chic was the really cool thing. And there was Kate Moss. And she was gorgeous, but I was like, 'I don't identify with that body.' I always, weirdly enough, was attracted to the Victoria's Secret models of the world because they were more voluptuous. It wasn't even because they were in bras and panties. It was like, 'Okay, I finally see bodies that are a little more like mine.' And they're not even bigger girls. They just have bigger breasts and a little curve. When Jennifer Lopez did Selena I was like, 'Oh my God.' It was so relatable for me and my sisters. But at the time it was really only her. I don't remember a lot of other really strong women at the head of pop culture at that time. And now looking back at J. Lo there were so many girls with way bigger butts, but that was what we had. It's important to me, no matter what size I am or weight I am, to feel beautiful. Even at my biggest I was rocking body con dresses and you couldn't tell me twice. That's what I think Good American is. It's about women of individuality and diversity, but also about being comfortable in yourself. That's what we're trying to promote. It's not about fitting into a size two and that's what makes you beautiful. I just want people to be healthy and love who they are and be in control of your life. But that doesn't mean you have to be a size six. There's been a shift in pop culture in what we find beautiful. Khloe, for me, was somebody who really epitomized that. What does the name Good American represent for you? EG: First of all, we thought the name Good American was a great name. But it was more about a play on the words and the connotations of what being "good" means. Can you not be a really sexy girl who shows off your body and be good and do good in the world? We wanted our company to also behave like a good American. It's about paying a fair living wage to people, about operating in a way people would find acceptable and manufacturing in America. So all those values of what it conjures up to be a good American is what our company should be and how it should behave. KK: And with that we created our Good Squad, which is the wonderful girls we have representing our line. That's also who we find to be good Americans. They're bad ass girls who all have a lot going on in their lives. Women who are strong and so versatile. We have girls of all different colors, ethnicities, heights, sizes. They have tattoos, shaved heads everything. Because that's really now what our world is. It's not about cookie cutter 'I'm a blonde with long flowing hair.' Although there's nothing wrong with that. EG: And you are one! KK: I am, even though half this hair I paid for. But that's the point! To have all different types. It's a melting pot. In my family we all look so different. My nieces and nephews are so mixed and I don't want them to see one thing and think that's what beauty is. There should be no definition. It should be all colors and shapes and sizes. Do you have any good tips for how to try on denim? EG: It's 'Buy them online and try them at home.' We don't want that dressing room mirror situation. We stock them at Nordstrom and we're very, very happy to be in stores, but the online experience has brought a whole new dimension to what is a really tricky purchase. If you can, buy a few pairs and try them on in the comfort of your own home with your own clothes. That's a major plus. We have a lot of stretch and if you're more straight up and down you can probably go a size down in our denim. If you're a curvy girl you're going to go into your size and feel brilliant. KK: I used to be a sales employee. And sales employees, that's their job. I have been convinced that I look so good in something and I've gotten home and been like, 'What the fuck did I just buy?' I'm a big online shopper. I think nowadays it's so accessible and easy. You can do it on your phone. You buy things, try them on at home with your own clothes and shoes and if you don't like it you send it back. I just feel like I'm making the decision for myself when I shop online. EG: And the nice thing about our website is we've shot everything on three different sized women. So you can see who you're closest in size to and see how she looks. Which I think is a nice touch on the website. Can you not be a really sexy girl who shows off your body and be good and do good in the world? It's unusual to have a shopping website that showcases the clothes in various sizes. EG: Why isn't everybody doing that? We're like, 'This is such a good feeling! Why is everyone not doing it!' But the reality of the fashion industry is that it's really stuck. It's stuck in this idea of only providing sample sizes. It's stuck in this idea of when you're in a department store you can't actually go onto the designer denim floor and find anything above a 10. And 10 is relatively small. It's ridiculous. So this feels revolutionary because it kind of is. We actually hope other brands follow suit and it becomes the norm. That's why we keep talking about a "denim revolution." Having [sizes] 0 to 24 is not a weird thing. The average size woman in America is a size 16. She should be able to go in her local store and find a beautiful pair of designer jeans. KK: That are on trend! EG: You shouldn't have to stick with really dull styles that are dependent on your size. That's a very un-modern way to shop. Khloe, does it feel like lending your name to this will actually help change the fashion industry? KK: You know, I feel like I'm given a platform and I should use it for something positive. That's why I'm so vocal about working out and trying to eat right and things like that. And also when I make a mistake I'm like, 'Okay, I'm hungover and I had a wild night of partying.' That's life and reality. Something like I'm so passionate about. I was one of those girls where I would go to a clothing store and they wouldn't have my size in jeans. I would feel horrible. I was like, 'I'm not that big.' And I still don't think I was. So we need to fight to not just carry those sizes but to have them all in one department. Nordstrom was great enough and brave enough to keep the 0 to 24 all in one division and not separate the two. That's embarrassing for your girlfriends if one is a little smaller and you aren't, and you have to go to the plus-sized department while your girlfriend goes over here. So yeah, if I could bring that much more attention and speak up for that many more women and it catches on to other designers, I would love to take that role because then I helped that much more. What's your latest favorite way to style denim? EG: I know what Khloe's going to say! Jeans and a body suit! KK: That's my uniform. It's like how some girls wear jeans and a tee-shirt. I went Catholic schools my whole life with uniforms. I miss it in real life. I used to hate wearing a uniform now I'm like, 'What the fuck do I wear every day?' So I made my own uniform. What is yours? You don't have a uniform. EG: I don't have a uniform. KK: I think you're always in a beautiful silky blouse and jeans. EG: So a good top is the best way to style them. KK: This [bodysuit] is literally, I think, just underwear. It's underwear. But that's okay. Maybe it's my naughty uniform. The reality of the fashion industry is that it's really stuck. And, to end, what is your idea of true happiness? KK: Emma, go first. EG: Mine is so boring. Not having a schedule is my idea of happiness. Like when you wake up on a Sunday and you have nothing to do except look at the paper, play with my kid. That is so nice to have no schedule. That's my heaven. KK: Sundays are my favorite day for that. No one's calling you. It's so corny, but for me it's family days. I love chilling by my sister's pool. Our phones are all insideI hate when we're all on our phones. So I would say Sundays are my idea of complete happiness. And every Sunday I bake something I've never made. I made homemade jam one Sunday. I've made homemade pretzels. It's just to see if I could do something. That's what I do every Sunday. I try to never work on Sunday. It's my day to do nothing. What are you going to bake this Sunday? KK: I don't know! I'm out of town this Sunday and when I'm out of town I normally don't do it. But if I'm in town that's what I do. I Google for something hard to make. Like you Google 'difficult recipe'? Yeah, I Google 'Hard recipe' because I want to say I could do something. And then I can do it. Shop Good American denim, priced between $149 and $215, online and in-store now. You Might Also Like What you need to know about the life of an average 10-year-old girl around the world Think back to your childhood. What did your day look like when you were a 10-year old girl? Maybe youre imagining yourself sitting in a classroom, learning fractions, sticking your homework in a Lisa Frank Binder, and heading home to watch a Disney Channel Original Movie. You probably noticed you were treated differently than your brothers. You might have experienced abuse. Maybe you grew up in a middle class household, so you never had to wonder if you were eating dinner that night. Maybe your family experienced bouts of homelessness, and things werent as easy. The experiences of all little girls around the world are unique and important and in order to help young girls flourish and survive in an often hostile world, we need to know how they are commonly struggling. Thanks to the United Nations Population Fund annual report released earlier today, we now have insight into the average struggles and lived experiences of 10-year-old girls. While the report studies the entirety of our planets population, it especially talks about what the average 10-year-old girl goes through. As the UN explains, the success of our world depends on how these girls are treated and supported. Glamour broke down a few of the most significant statistics revealed by the UN report. 10-year-old girls enthusiastically welcoming @UNFPA's #SWOP which highlights #10CHANGES that will ensure their potential is fulfilled pic.twitter.com/yLWlem49ZW UNFPA WCARO (@UNFPA_WCARO) October 20, 2016 She is surviving poverty and experiences inequality. Story continues 35 million 10-year-old girls reside in countries where women are legally unequal to men, and 90 percent of them are growing up in underdeveloped countries. She cannot easily access education. This is an infuriating but not surprising statistic. The report tells us that more than 50 MILLION 10-year-old girls are not currently enrolled in school, and 16 MILLION girls will never receive an education. Of course, the report notes that this number is double what it is for boys. She grows up around violence. This is an absolutely devastating statistic. According to the UN report, a third of 10-year-old girls have already survived some type of violence. Thats likely responsible for another utterly heartbreaking finding about the average young girl the second-leading cause of death in the demographic is suicide. She does more housework than the men in her family. This is likely not a surprise to folks reading, as many of us grew up watching our mothers perform the second shift of chores after they came home from work, or we were forced to take on those gender roles ourselves. The UN report said that 10 percent of girls, ages ranging from 5-14 years old, perform housework for more than 28 hours per week (and 75 percent of them are not paid for it). Girls are so strong. We must support them and lift up their voices as our world continues to strive for their safety and equality. The post What you need to know about the life of an average 10-year-old girl around the world appeared first on HelloGiggles. Lloyd Blankfein Welcome to Finance Insider, Business Insider's summary of the top stories of the past 24 hours. To sign up, scroll to the bottom of this page and click "Get updates in your inbox," or click here. Why are US consumers defaulting? It's a big question right now, as the consumer lending market shows signs of over-heating. UBS analysts set about trying to answer it, and their findings have some worrying implications. In finance news, Goldman Sachs is now using Spotify to recruit millennials. Wells Fargo is under criminal investigation in California. JPMorgan is in talks to sell out of a Chinese securities joint venture. HSBC is pushing hard to become the top European-based investment bank. And private-equity giants want to play the long game. There was a ton of Tesla-related news late Wednesday. Here are the headlines: Elsewhere in company news: And this is what it looks like when short sellers have a company totally surrounded. As we move into the final stages of the US presidential election, it's worth taking a look at whom the US trades with. Here's every state's biggest international trading partner. Story continues In other news, the NBA sent players to Google, Facebook, and more to help answer one of the biggest questions of their careers. And Clippers guard J.J. Redick says a Goldman Sachs senior executive gave him "simple, but profound" advice that changed his outlook on his career. The team behind the "best bar in the world" just opened another cocktail joint, and it's inspired by Cuba. And here are the best airlines in the world, according to Conde Nast Traveler. Here are the top Wall Street headlines at midday A 34-year-old trader at Goldman Sachs made a $100 million profit and he is part of a dying breed You might have heard that traders at the biggest US investment banks have been curtailed. ROSENSTEIN ON TRUMP: "Never interfere with an enemy while hes in the process of destroying himself" Activist investor Barry Rosenstein, the head of multi-billion dollar fund Jana Partners, expects Hillary Clinton to win the US presidential election. The CEO of one of the largest US homebuilders perfectly summed up the housing market US real estate is so large and complex that it can sometimes be hard to get a good view of the health of the market. Saudi Arabia is borrowing money internationally for the first time Saudi Arabia says it has offered its first global bonds as part of an economic push to diversify its economy. GOLDMAN SACHS CEO ON TRUMP: "If there's some international cabal, I've been left out of the party" Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein said he is not part of a secret group attacking America as Donald Trump claimed. MORGAN STANLEY: It is "under appreciated" how devastating the world's aging population could be for the global economy The global productivity slowdown is going to intensify in the coming years as the working age population across the world declines, and the number of people past retirement age continues to grow, according to research from economists at Morgan Stanley. Europe is now a big problem for America's major airlines Trans-Atlantic flying is one of the most lucrative and competitive segments of the airline market in the world. Restaurants are facing a challenge they havent seen since the recession Grocery prices are getting lower and it's causing major problems in the restaurant industry. More From Business Insider Swedish boutique supercar maker Koenigsegg's ingenious cam-free internal combustion engine has beaten off stiff competition from some of the world's biggest car companies to be crowed this year's Popular Science Grand Award Winner. Christian von Koenigsegg was considered crazy for wanting to start his own supercar company, completely from scratch. But when his first car was finished in 2002, people quickly started changing their opinion. And 14 years later, the Swedish entrepreneur and inventor has proven himself an automotive genius, delivering innovations with his tiny committed team that some of the world's most storied and established brands are struggling to keep up with. Therefore it should seem obvious that the Koenigsegg FreeValve engine, which made its debut this year in a Chinese Qoros concept car, should be hailed as one of the biggest innovations of 2016. It ditches the camshaft, the spinning belt-driven rod at the top of the engine that opens and closes valves as it turns and which has been a mainstay of the internal combustion engine for over a century. In doing so, von Koenigsegg has created a gasoline engine that sets new levels of efficiency and of performance without increasing cubic capacity or adding turbochargers. That's because each valve on the engine can be opened or closed independently, at a unique moment and for a unique amount of time via hydraulic actuators. In other words, eradicating every single inefficiency related to a camshaft. In second place is the McLaren 570s which Popular Science has singled out because it is, in the publication's opinion, the first truly usable supercar. Despite sitting low to the ground, having 562hp on tap and a 200mph+ top speed, it can be driven comfortably in real-world situations. The top three is rounded out by the Chevrolet Bolt EV which makes the list for being the first true electric car for the people thanks to its ability to cover 238 miles on a single charge and costing just $37,495 before grants or subsidies. Elsewhere in the list there are awards for the new Mercedes E-Class (eighth place) for its cutting-edge car-to-car communication system that relays live road and weather conditions in seconds to other Mercedes cars; and for the Audi SQ7 TDi. Ranked in fifth place, the premium SUV makes this year's cut for its innovative lag-free turbo system that uses two traditional turbos plus a third, electrically powered compressor that spools up instantaneously regardless of engine revolutions or exhaust gases. It makes a diesel feel as responsive as a gasoline engine. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f253402%2f1476927688479 Kourtney Kardashian had an awkward on-air moment Thursday morning when hosts of an Australian morning program asked how her sister Kim Kardashian is holding up after her robbery ordeal. The questions was met with bizarre silence, while the reality TV star sat staring off camera, presumably listening to the panicked advice of her publicists. SEE ALSO: Khloe Kardashian DGAF about Donald Trump calling her a 'piglet' Making matters worse, the connection was dropped. When producers got Kardashian back on the line post-ad break, she explained "we had a bad connection." "I think she's totally blanking me on that question," said David Campbell, co-host of Today Extra, adding, "She could just say her sister is fine! I mean I think we just said that you know we're very concerned and we were onside and we hoped that everyone's fine, which I still do." For more celebrity videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS. According to The Herald Sun, Kourtney insisted that she be re-connected to the shows host in order to address the question. Once connected, she discussed how the Kardashian klan was feeling after her sister was held at gunpoint during the Paris robbery. "I think we're all really still shaken up and I just you know, I think she has a big supportive family and I know that, like, all of the traumatic things that we've been through, you know, we get through them together as a family and that's what family is all about," she said. While it might not be the most informative response ever uttered, it may have been worth it as an act of "saving face." What's a potential little white lie about a technical glitch between friends, anyway? Many of us would love to use the old "we just had a bad connection" excuse to get out of conversations IRL, sometimes. Kim Kardashian West was robbed at gunpoint in Paris Though Kim Kardashian is not ready to return to the spotlight, her famous family is back at it! On Wednesday night, Kourtney Kardashian promoted the Manuka Doctor at a cocktail party at the Gracias Madre in West Hollywood where she was accompanied by mom, Kris Jenner, Kim's personal assistant, Steph Shep, Brittny Gastineau, Jen Atkin, Scotty Cunha, and Andrew Fitzsimons. WATCH: Khloe Kardashian Calls Kim's Robbery a 'Wake-Up Call,' Kris Jenner Admits She's 'Looking at the World a Little Differently' Kourt looked stunning in a black mini-dress with a cutout middle as she posed for pictures and chatted with pals. Throughout the event, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians cameras were rolling. Getty Images A source close to the family's reality series tells ET that the show is filming again after recently wrapping Season 12. The source adds that all of the famous family have all been filming except for Kim, who has not recorded anything since her traumatic Paris robbery earlier this month. The cameras were not rolling when Kim was held at gunpoint in Paris, and the show has not confirmed whether or not it will address the incident. Getty Images Kourtney was spotted filming a scene for KUWTK in which she and Kris were having "a happy, intimate conversation," an eyewitness tells ET. The celebrity spokesperson also chatted with ET's Brendon Geoffrion at the event, explaining what inspired her to work with the Manuka Doctor. Crazy girls A photo posted by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on Oct 19, 2016 at 9:30pm PDT "For me I feel like I'm super busy, my kids are my priority, so I was really was only looking to do something that I truly was passionate about," the mother of three tells ET. "And I really love that it's natural ingredients in skin care that I'm always looking for something like that." Honey kiss. A photo posted by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on Oct 19, 2016 at 8:34pm PDT WATCH: Scott Disick Fears He'll Return to Old Ways While Kourtney Kardashian and Kids Are Out of Town But when asked about Kim's 36th birthday on Friday, Kourt remained vague, saying, "I don't know yet. I don't know yet. We haven't really gotten there." Story continues For more from Kim's life post-robbery, watch the video below. Related Articles Dayum, Kylie Jenner! The 19-year-old reality star, who is no stranger to flaunting her curves in public, took to Instagram on Tuesday to model a pair of sexy high-waisted jeans from sister Khloe Kardashian's new denim-focused fashion brand, Good American. WATCH: Khloe Kardashian Brings Increased Security in First Public Appearance Since Kim's Paris Robbery In the pic, Kylie dons the Good Cuts Released Raw Hem style, which retails for $205. She styled her denim with a see-through white cropped-top, strappy nude heels and camouflage bomber jacket. "@khloekardashian denim line available now," she captioned the snap. "GoodAmerican.com @goodamerican My new favorite jeans #goodsquad." @khloekardashian denim line available now GoodAmerican.com @goodamerican My new favorite jeans #goodsquad A photo posted by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Oct 18, 2016 at 9:11am PDT The lip kit maven also shared a close-up pic, which highlighted her toned tummy and fresh rose gold locks. A photo posted by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Oct 18, 2016 at 10:02am PDT #FashionGoals! Later on Tuesday, Khloe launched Good American at Nordstrom in West Hollywood, California, chic in skintight jeans, a lacy camisole leotard and black heels. Getty Images While speaking with the Associated Press, the 32-year-old reality star gave an update on how her older sister, Kim Kardashian West, is doing following her traumatic robbery, in which she was tied up at gunpoint, in Paris, France. WATCH: Khloe Kardashian Calls Kim's Robbery a 'Wake-Up Call' "I mean, definitely it's been an incredibly traumatic experience for Kim and she's definitely taking some well needed and much deserved time off," Khloe explained. "I think it's just a wake-up call for everybody. ... But we definitely are just being more aware, and I think just making changes to our lives that I think at the end of the day, are positive changes." Hear more in the video below. Story continues Related Articles Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f253006%2fpatrickcarneyladygagamarkronson Sometimes, you need to have a clear understanding of Hulk Hogan's musical prowess to decode trash talk. Such is the case with the recent Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson and Patrick Carney micro feud. Last night, notorious sourpuss Carney of the Black Keys joined the club of critics, in great company with The Chainsmokers, who aren't really feeling "Perfect Illusion" in his new Vice News Tonight segment. SEE ALSO: Listen to Lady Gaga's ludicrously catchy new song, 'A-YO' On Patrick Carney's High Standards Music Corner, he brought Hulk Hogan into the ring, who, by his judgement is, "Fucking cool!" However, not a great musician. "First of all, I hate guitars that sound like that. Im lost because the guitar at the top of it sounds so shitty. Its like Eye of the Tiger, but not even nearly as good as that," said Carney. "It sounds like Hulk Hogan is playing the fucking guitar." We will assume that Gaga and Ronson looked something like this while learning of the remarks: Mastering the album w @iammarkronson Sterling Studios! A photo posted by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on Sep 18, 2016 at 3:27pm PDT The pair, who worked on the song together, seem pretty okay with Carney's critique. His pal Ronson brought up Uptown Funk's brand sparkling new diamond certification as evidence that taking Carney's advice isn't always advisable. Re: @pitchfork: I also remember my good friend @patrickcarney sitting in my living room, hearing uptown funk and telling me it wouldn't work https://t.co/EMwpgzSeLE Mark Ronson (@MarkRonson) October 19, 2016 Gaga decided to fight fire with fire. @MarkRonson @pitchfork he's not as snarky as I would be watching him in a guitar death-match w Kevin Parker and Josh Fcking Homme JOANNE (@ladygaga) October 19, 2016 Carney did concede that the song is growing on him, and Gaga and Ronson don't seem too bothered. The takeaway message from all this really is that Hulk Hogan was in a prog rock band in the 70s. Two years ago, Dr. Ken Hoppmann, director of music at Southeast Community College-Beatrice and a board member at Lincolns Hildegard Center for the Arts (HCFA), sent a note to an old colleague. HCFA had been doing an informal study of the mysticism and spirituality of Native American populations, and he thought that Emmy Award-winning Chickasaw classical composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate might have some ideas on the direction they might take. The resulting conversations between Hoppmann and Tate would eventually lead to HCFAs commission of Standing Bear: A Ponca Indian Cantata, which will have its world premiere Nov. 4 at the Lied Centers Carson Theater. The 25-minute cantata tells the story of Standing Bears life through a series of tableaus in both English and the Ponca language, and incorporates many of Standing Bears own words. Its written for solo baritone, piano and string sextet, and will be conducted by Tate, with Hoppmann serving as both artistic director and pianist. Native American operatic baritone Grant Youngblood will serve as the voice of Standing Bear, accompanied by the Rangbrook Ensemble, a professional string sextet. For HCFA co-founders Kim Einspahr and Anne Woita, the project has been a labor of love and a learning experience. First and foremost, they wanted to be sure that they had the blessing of the Ponca community. Fortunately, they say Ponca Tribe of Nebraska was open to the project and its collaborators, even giving it an endorsement via an official declaration. Woita says she was welcomed as a sister at a Pow Wow in Norfolk over the summer, where she presented a Pendleton blanket to the Ponca on behalf of HCFA. She read the following proclamation: We present this blanket to you with respect as we celebrate our differences and embrace what we have in common our love of family and community. We learn from the past as we move forward into the future hand in hand in friendship. That notion of celebrating differences and embracing commonalities is a major theme that has run throughout the creation of Standing Bear: A Ponca Indian Cantata. Einspahr hopes the piece will Encourage compassion and understanding. His timeless message resonates now maybe more than ever. We have much more in common than different, and we need to work together. Woita hopes its a message that will especially resonate with young people. As part of the project, she had the opportunity to bring the stories of Standing Bear, his work to establish the personhood of Native Americans, and the Trail of Tears to local students, and she says many were unfamiliar with this part of their states history. These lessons were learning from Standing Bear are so relevant to today, Woita says. Its a powerful way to bridge the past to the present. Although only one performance of the cantata is currently scheduled (which sold out within days of being announced), a full schedule of outreach and education surrounds it. Both composer Jerod Tate and soloist Grant Youngblood will arrive in Lincoln a week prior to the performance to work with LPS students and Native American youth from both Lincoln and Winnebago. There will be a First Friday meet-and-greet reception with Tate at the Great Plains Art Museum from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 as part of events related to the exhibition Contemporary Indigeneity: Spiritual Borderlands. A ticket to the performance is not required to attend the meet-and-greet event. As for the future of Standing Bear: A Ponca Indian Cantata, Einspahr, Woita and Hoppmann say they feel a deep responsibility to the piece and all it represents. HCFA holds exclusive performance rights for three years, and theyre exploring both intimate and larger performance opportunities. Hoppmann says that while the specific future of the piece is still uncertain, the goal is clear. I want people to know the Standing Bear story and be inspired by who he was and by his commitment to his family and his tribe. He never shirked his duty. He answered the call. Standing Bear: A Ponca Indian Cantata is supported in part by the Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment with help from the following sponsors: Southeast Community College Division of Humanities, the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, the Ethel S. Abbott Charitable Foundation, the Great Plains Art Museum, and the Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lam Research Corporation LRCX reported first quarter fiscal 2017 non-GAAP earnings of $1.81 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.77. Earnings were up 0.8% sequentially but down 0.3% year over year. Shares gained 2.27% in the after-hour trade following better-than-expected results. Revenues Revenues of $1.63 billion increased 5.6% sequentially and 2.0% year over year. However, revenues were slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.64 billion. Revenues by Geography Region-wise, Taiwan contributed 26%, Korea accounted for 21%, Japan brought in 15%, China contributed 14% and Southeast Asia generated 12%. The U.S. and Europe accounted for 7% and 3% of revenues, respectively. Shipments Total system shipments were $1.71 billion during the reported quarter, up 7.4% from $1.59 billion reported last quarter. Margins Non-GAAP gross profit was $737.4 million or 45.2% of revenues, reflecting a decrease of 140 basis points (bps) sequentially and 132 bps year over year. Total operating expenses were $371.6 million, 2.8% higher sequentially. Operating margin was 22.4%, reflecting a decrease of 79 bps from the prior quarter and 136 bps from the year-ago quarter. Net Income GAAP net income was $263.8 million ($1.47 per share) compared with $258.9 million ($1.46 per share) last quarter and $288.7 million ($1.66 per share) in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP net income was $322.1 million (19.7% of sales) compared with $314.8 million (20.4%) last quarter and $313.0 million (19.6%) in the year-ago quarter. Balance Sheet Exiting fiscal first-quarter 2017, cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, and restricted cash and investment balances were $7.2 billion compared with $7.0 billion at the end of fiscal fourth-quarter 2016. Capital expenditures amounted to $42.0 million. The company paid $48.1 million in cash dividends to stockholders during the Sep 2016 quarter. Guidance Lam Research provided guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2016. On a non-GAAP basis, the company expects revenues of approximately $1.84 billion (+/- $75 million). Shipments are projected to be roughly $1.85 billion (+/- $75 million). Gross margin is predicted to be around 46.0% (+/-1%), while operating margin is likely to be about 25.0% (+/-1%). Earnings per share are projected at $2.18 (+/- 10 cents) on a share count of nearly 179 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $1.80 per share, which makes guidance weaker than expected. Our Take Lam Research delivered decent fiscal first-quarter 2017 results with earnings outperforming our estimates while revenues slightly missing it. Calander year 2016 has been pretty good for the company as it continues to see strong success in the areas of device architecture, process flow and advanced packaging technology inflections. The company has been improving on WFE market share significantly since 2013 and expects to continue making gains. Lam Research continues to see increased adoption rates of 3D NAND technology, FinFETs and multi-patterning. The company has initiated cost reduction and density scaling for 3D NAND and new memory technologies. The company is likely to remain the market leader in dielectric etches as VECTOR Strata and ALTUS deposition and its Flex and Kiyo etch products are extremely successful thus far. It anticipates strong demand for leading-edge silicon in the enterprise market to continue, driven by the long-term move to the cloud, storage and networking applications. Moreover, Lam Research is making good progress with its customer support business and anti-trust agency reviews. During the quarter, Lam Research terminated its proposed acquisition of California-based KLA-Tencor KLAC, following antitrust objections from the Justice Department. The Justice Departments antitrust division cited serious concerns over the deal as the combined company might restrict competition. Nonetheless, the fact that the company will not have to shell out a merger termination fee is a positive. However, concerns persist in the form of volatility and lower growth expectations globally, with a slow-but-steady improvement in some developed markets balancing the weakness in certain emerging economies. Story continues LAM RESEARCH Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise LAM RESEARCH Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | LAM RESEARCH Quote Currently, Lam Research carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks worth considering in the industry include Intel Corp. INTC and Applied Materials, Inc. AMAT. Intel delivered a positive earnings surprise of 11.86%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. It carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Applied Materials carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and witnessed a 1.07% gain in its last days stock price. On average, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise 5.05% in the trailing four quarters. 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 INTEL CORP (INTC): Free Stock Analysis Report KLA-TENCOR CORP (KLAC): Free Stock Analysis Report LAM RESEARCH (LRCX): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLD MATLS INC (AMAT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Donald Trump hinted Wednesday he will not accept the results of the November 8 election if he loses, an apparent rejection of the American political system he claims is "rigged." Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton called his statement horrifying and accused the GOP candidate of talking down our democracy. Read: Debate Audience Member Kenneth Bone: I Wore the Red Sweater Because I Ripped My Suit Seat Trump's stated refusal to accept the vote of Americans if/when he loses the election should disqualify him from standing for the presidency. John Dean (@JohnWDean) October 20, 2016 Despite the efforts of moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, the last presidential debate between Trump and Clinton descended into heated and bitter arguments over Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and Trumps alleged sexual assaults. In one of the nights most memorable lines after Trump said Vladimir Putin has no respect for [Clinton] she shot back, well, thats because hed rather have a puppet for president of the United States. Trumps response: No puppet. No puppet. Youre the puppet. "Wrong." "Loser." "My turn." This sounds exactly like our daycare when we're at our worst. #debatenight Los Feliz Daycare (@LosFelizDaycare) October 20, 2016 And much of the night went like that, with Trump denouncing Clintons remarks as lies or wrong, and with both candidates talking over Wallace, a Fox News personality trying to keep Wednesdays debate on the rails. Story continues Please, everybody, an exasperated Wallace cajoled after the Las Vegas debate audience erupted in laughter when Trump said, nobody has more respect for women than I do. He was answering a question about his fitness to be president, given the number of women who have come forward to claim Trump had groped or kissed them against their will. He denied all their allegations and said they were either out for fame or coerced into making false statements by the Clinton campaign. "I didnt even apologize to my wife who is sitting right here, because I didnt do anything," Trump said, referring to Melania Trump. That contradicts what she said in public after the now-infamous Access Hollywood tape emerged earlier this month. Read: Trump, Clinton Trade Compliments After 'Ugly' Second Debate: 'She's A Fighter' "This does not represent the man that I know, she said in a television interview. He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world." Asked if he would accept the November 8 election results no matter what, Trump replied, I will look at it at the time, and repeated his assertions that the election system is rigged and there is widespread voter fraud with millions of people wrongly registered to cast ballots. Clinton also called those remarks horrifying, and repeated a litany of times he has claimed a system was rigged from the FBI investigation of her emails, to his losses in the Wisconsin primary and the Iowa caucuses, to Trump University being sued for fraud and racketeering. There was even a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged, she said. Trumped jumped in, Should have gotten it. Other highlights of the bumpy night: About the sexual abuse allegations against Trump, Clinton said, Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. I dont think theres a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like. Asked about abortion, the nominees argued over the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Roe v. Wade case. Trump said he would appoint justices that would overturn the landmark ruling. Clinton said she wholeheartedly endorsed a womans right to choose, even in the last months of pregnancy. That prompted Trump to declare, If you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother. Wallace suggested that both candidates economic plans would increase the national debt. Trump rejected that, saying he would create tremendous jobs. When Clinton chided Trump for his boasts about not paying taxes, he interrupted: Such a nasty woman. I can't watch the debate but I heard Trump just mentioned these guys? pic.twitter.com/4twlwptCN3 billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 20, 2016 Trump bashed the Clinton Foundation, and dared her to return donations from countries such as Saudi Arabia, which has a record of human rights abuses and harsh treatment of women. She in turn accused his Trump Foundation of using money to commission a six-foot portrait of Trump himself. Who does that? she asked. Trump again advocated building a massive wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, saying illegal drugs and immigrants were destroying America. "We have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out," Trump said. That ignited a Twitter outcry with the hashtag #BadHombre. Watch: President Obama's Half-Brother Will Be Supporting Donald Trump at Debate Related Articles: (Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you havent watched Wednesdays episode of American Horror Story: Roanoke) Say goodbye to My Roanoke Nightmare and hello to Return to Roanoke: 3 Days In Hell. American Horror Story has changed its framing device, as we get to meet the actors involved in the re-enactment scenes in all their pretentious glory. Angela Bassett now plays Monet, who has fallen into alcoholism since playing Lee on the show. Cuba Gooding, Jr. is a prima donna actor who slept with the real Shelby after she and Matt separated. Sarah Paulson plays Audrey, a British actress who won a Saturn Award for the award and was attacked by Agnes, the woman who played The Butcher and who has become so obsessed with the role that she got arrested for assaulting people while pretending to be her. Audrey has married Evan Peters character, Rory, whos a loud, joking ginger far removed from Edward Motts craziness. Also Read: 'American Horror Story' Unleashes Its Big Twist (Recap) Now theyre all back in Roanoke and reunited with the people they played for a reality show sequel in which they all spend three days in the house. Sidney, the scumbag producer played by Cheyenne Jackson, is doing this to get Lee to confess to killing her husband. Instead, as we find out through placards, Sidney has condemned everyone in production to death at the hands of the real Butcher except one. And the first person to get killed was Rory, who was stabbed to death by the spirits of the killer nurses looking for the final letter in their MURDER spray paint masterpiece. Thats right. Evan Peters made his debut in Episode 5, was killed off, brought back in Episode 6, and then killed off again. For AHS fans who spent the first four episode of this season dying to know when Peters was going to show up, this was not taken well. Also Read: 'American Horror Story': Fans Rejoice Over Evan Peters' Return So you give us Evan Peters, kill him. Then you bring him back AND KILL HIM AGAIN. I AM TRIGGERED. #ahs6 T A J (@TaylorDTTT) October 20, 2016 So you just gone check dark closets in a haunted house ?? #AHSRoanoke #AHS6 pic.twitter.com/DImAd3hVM8 l8r (@y7cho) October 20, 2016 Yall trash for having Evan Peters die first and this was like his second episode this season. Smh #AmericanHorrorStory P Saint Laurent (@lovepetraXIX) October 20, 2016 Related stories from TheWrap: 'American Horror Story' Unleashes Its Big Twist (Recap) Most Chilling 'American Horror Story: Roanoke' Shout-Outs to Scary Classics, Past Seasons (Photos) Taissa Farmiga, Finn Wittrock to Return to 'American Horror Story: Roanoke' 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. To say Laverne Cox is a trailblazer in the transgender community would be a massive understatement. The actress rose to prominence for her portrayal of Sophia Burset on Netflix's Orange is the New Black, becoming the first trans actress to garner a primetime Emmy nomination for acting. Thursday, she will tackle the iconic role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter on Fox's reimagining of Rocky Horror Picture Show. And for Cox, the chance to play the part of the gender-bending mad scientist has a personal connection. "Rocky means so much to me because it presented the idea of possibilities of around not just dreaming it but being it, purely in terms of my gender expression," Cox tells The Hollywood Reporter. "After I saw Rocky Horror for the first time, it became a turning point in my life. It's part of what gave me the courage to truly transition." Although the cultural significance of Cox being cast in the role made famous by Tim Curry is certainly not lost on her - "A black transgender woman has never starred in a TV movie; it was time," she says - the chance to just be seen is important. "As a trans actress I just want to work. I just want a shot to do what I do and show people what I have. I'd like to think I've been able to work because I have some talent." Cox continues: "For me, I just want people to know that I'm talented, that I can do a lot of different things. That I'm not just a one-trick pony." Read more: 'Doubt' Star Laverne Cox "Grateful" for Landmark Role; Katherine Heigl Admits TV Return Is "Terrifying" Early next year, Cox will continue to show her ability to play a wide range of roles with CBS' upcoming legal drama Doubt, where she'll portray trans lawyer Cameron Wirth. It's another pioneering move for Cox, who will be the first transgender actor to play a transgender series regular character on a broadcast series. Story continues "She's gone to Yale, she's an attorney. She's very different from Frank-N-Furter and Sophia [from Orange is the New Black]," she says. "I was able to play a lot of different characters." But there is still no role like Dr. Frank-N-Furter, says Cox. After all, when else do you get the chance to play an alien from Transylvania that creates life while singing and dancing? "It was different than anything I'd ever done before," she says. "What was strange was that I knew the movie so well; I've seen the movie probably over 100 times. I knew all the dialogue, knew all the songs. It was about finding my way into it." If that wasn't enough pressure, she also had to do it with Curry, who returns to Rocky Horror, this time as the Criminologist who serves as the narrator, starring alongside her. "I sang all the songs from the show in front of Tim," she says, but notes that Curry mostly pushed her to do her own thing with the role. "I think he really wanted me to find it on my own." She explained that they mostly talked about the character itself and her motivations. Read more: Tim Curry Blesses Fox's 'Rocky Horror' Remake "My voice is really different than Tim's and the [other] people who've done Rocky Horror before me," she explains. "It's basically a baritone role; I can sing baritone but I can also sing soprano. A lot of it was starting with the music and finding my way into the music and finding how it would feel with my voice." Another notable difference - outside of it being played by a black trans woman instead of a white male - is that Cox added more choreography (she has a BFA in Dance). "We decided that we wanted this Frank-N-Furter to move more [than past incarnations]." When Rocky Horror first premiered in the mid-1970s, it was known more being a cult classic, the kind of movie experience (emphasis on the experience) that at the time was thought as something on the fringes of society. Back then, most who would see it would go at midnight, dress up as their favorite characters and interact with the show. Most shows would feature shadowcasters, people who mime the film while it plays in the background. Cox said bringing that vibe to a primetime broadcast production was paramount. "Very specifically, when Lou [Adler, who produced the original version and is a co-producer on the Fox remake] was talking with [director] Kenny [Ortega], he said we have to bring the audience participation into our film, and that's what we've done," she says. "We have an audience who does some of the more iconic callbacks. We incorporated that because Rocky Horror is so much about the fans, and we wanted them to be a part of the experience." There were also shadowcast actors on hand during the red carpet premiere. Read more: Comic-Con: Foxs Rocky Horror Scares Up a New Take on the Cult Classic With the original Rocky Horror having celebrated its 31th anniversary in August, Cox is well aware the Fox version will be for many the only incarnation they've witnessed. "I've met a lot of people who've never seen Rocky Horror, so our version will be the first version they've ever seen. The hope is that a new generation will discover this film." But just how will the audience that typically watches primetime broadcast television take to seeing Rocky Horror on their screens? "I don't know if [that audience] is ready or not, but ready or not here we come!" she exclaims. "I think a lot of Fox's motivation was about bringing this musical to a new generation and having sort of a different spin on things," she says. After all, Rocky Horror was originally a parody of the science fiction and horror "B movies" that was meant as a callback to classic Hollywood. "I think that's what made this musical so charming." Even though the Fox remake features considerably higher production values, Cox contends it still does it in a way that harkens back to films of the 1930s and 1940s. "There's an opulence in old Hollywood," she says. "To be able to have the massive set and these grand production values, therein keeping with this spirit of old Hollywood that this film really is celebrating." Fox's Rocky Horror also comes a particularly advantageous time, as broadcast networks have been finding success adapting musicals such as The Wiz and Grease for a TV audience. "I don't know why all of this is happening, but I love that I get to be alive now and that I get to do this." Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on Fox. Watch the trailer below: BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon has detained eight Syrians accused of plotting suicide bomb attacks at popular tourist spots and on Lebanon's United Nations peacekeeping force, Lebanon's intelligence agency said on Thursday. A series of bomb attacks have struck Lebanon since the beginning of neighboring Syria's civil war in 2011, some of them linked by security forces to militant groups based in Syria. The eight men were arrested on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization and communicating with extremist groups, Lebanon's General Security directorate said in a statement carried by state news agency NNA. The group was planning attacks on restaurants and cafes in tourist areas and on UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon which patrols the southern border with Israel. By carrying out attacks in Lebanon, jihadist groups might seek to spark a new civil war that would allow them to expand while undermining the country's Shi'ite Hezbollah movement, which they are fighting in Syria. General Security said it is investigating others connected with the case. Lebanese security forces regularly say they thwart attacks. In June, eight suicide bombers attacked a Lebanese Christian village near the Syrian border, killing five people and wounding dozens more. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Lisa Barrington and Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's former prime minister Saad al-Hariri said on Thursday he would back Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, to be president, a move that faces significant opposition but could help resolve a political crisis if it wins support from all the main factions. Backing Aoun, a foe of his own Future Movement, is a gamble for Hariri, Lebanon's leading Sunni politician, but one that could ease the deadlock in Beirut and make him prime minister, restoring a political position shaken by financial woe. "This decision comes from the need to protect Lebanon and the state and the people ... but it is a decision that depends on agreement," he said in a speech, describing Aoun as "the only option left". Hariri and Aoun must now attempt to rally enough support to gather a quorum of parliament members, two thirds of the total, for a vote at the next scheduled sitting on October 31. Aoun's candidacy is opposed by the parliament speaker Nabih Berri, leader of the Shi'ite Amal movement, which is also an ally of Hezbollah, by some of Hariri's own supporters, and by others. Four prominent members of Hariri's Future Movement bloc in parliament, including former prime minister Fouad Siniora, told reporters they would not vote for Aoun. Telecom Minister Boutros Harb, an ally of Hariri's from a different party, said the same. Still, the endorsement by Hariri, who has long opposed Aoun's Shi'ite ally Hezbollah, but has been politically weakened in recent years, represents an important attempt to break the prolonged standoff between Lebanon's political leaders. Lebanon has endured a protracted political crisis since parliament failed to elect a new president more than two years ago, paralysing government, causing a breakdown in many basic services and raising fears of future unrest. Aoun said at a televised news conference that the agreement represented an attempt to heal national divisions and "restore political unity". Hezbollah, Lebanon's most powerful political player, released a statement welcoming moves to fill the presidency but without committing to any wider power sharing agreement. POWER SHARING Parliament will convene on Oct. 31 for a session to elect the president, the 46th such sitting since the term of the last president, Michel Suleiman, expired in 2014, each of which failed to gain the two-thirds quorum needed for a vote. Under Lebanon's power-sharing arrangement among its main sects, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the premiership for a Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament for a Shi'ite. The last parliamentary election took place in 2009 and later scheduled ones were postponed because of a failure by the sitting parliament to agree on a new electoral law. Aoun, a former army commander in his 80s, led one of two rival governments during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war before the Syrian army forced him into exile. His main Christian rival for the presidency, Samir Geagea, endorsed him earlier this year. Hariri, 46, son of the former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri who was assassinated in 2005, leads the "March 14" alliance against Hezbollah and its allies, which toppled his earlier administration from 2009-11 by resigning from it en masse. Lebanon's political fractures have been deepened by the war in neighbouring Syria, in which Hezbollah has militarily supported President Bashar al-Assad. Hariri has accused Assad of being behind his father's death, and gave evidence to an international court trying Hezbollah members charged with involvement in the killing. But he has also said he is prepared to share power alongside his rivals. The former prime minister's position as Lebanon's leading Sunni politician has been shaken, however, by a financial crisis at his Saudi-based construction business, raising concerns he may have lost the support of the wealthiest Sunni Arab state. (Additional reporting by John Davison and Ellen Francis; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Dominic Evans) VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / LED Medical Diagnostics Inc. ("LED Medical" or the "Company") (LEDIF) (LMD.V) is pleased to announce today that preliminary gross revenue numbers for the quarter ending September 30, 2016 are $2.5 million, as measured in US$, representing an approximate 39% increase over the prior year period of $1.8 million. The Company's revenue for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016 was $8.3 million, a year-over-year increase of 11% as compared to the $7.5 million result from the same period of 2015. These revenue results are preliminary only and subject to finalization by the Company. "We move into this year's period of high sales seasonality with two exciting new products to complement our imaging product portfolio," stated Lamar Roberts, President of LED Dental. "The TUXEDO intraoral sensor and the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus extra oral imaging system are expected to make positive contributions to company growth going forward." For more information, please visit www.leddental.com. About LED Medical Diagnostics Inc. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, LED Medical Diagnostics Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiaries LED Dental Inc. and LED Dental Ltd, provide dentists and oral health specialists with advanced diagnostic imaging products and software, in addition to the award-winning VELscope Vx tissue fluorescence visualization technology. Backed by an experienced leadership team and dedicated to a higher level of service and support, LED Dental is committed to providing dental practitioners with the best technology available by identifying and adding leading products to its growing portfolio. The Company is currently listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under the symbol "LMD", the OTCQX under the symbol "LEDIF", as well as the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "LME". For more information, call 844.952.7327 or visit www.leddental.com/investor-relations. Story continues LED Medical Diagnostics Investor Relations: Bristol Capital Glen Akselrod Phone: 905.326.1888, ext. 10 Email: glen@bristolir.com Media Contact: LED Dental Chris Koch Phone: 678.293.9413 Email: chris.koch@leddental.com Corporate Contact: LED Medical David Gane, CEO Phone: 604-434-4614 x227 Email: david.gane@leddental.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements which, to the extent that they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements or information include statements regarding, but not limited to the Company's future growth strategy, its distribution strategy and product offerings, potential expansion of the Company's technology to other medical applications or markets, or the potential introduction of new technologies by the Company. Persons reading this press release are cautioned that such statements or information are only predictions, and that the Corporation's actual future results or performance may be materially different. Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to competition risks, distributor risks, product development risks such as regulatory, design, intellectual property and other factors described in the Corporation's reports filed on SEDAR including its Annual Information Form and financial report for the year ended December 31, 2015. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by this cautionary statement and there can be no assurance that actual results or developments anticipated by the Company will be realized. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE: LED Medical Diagnostics Inc. SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan pro-government forces have freed five foreign nationals held by Islamic State in Sirte after heavy fighting in their battle to capture the final district of the city, a local official said on Thursday. Islamic State took over Sirte more than a year ago, profiting from chaos caused by infighting among rival brigades of Libyan forces who once battled together to oust Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, but steadily turned against each other. Two of the freed foreigners were from Turkey, two from India and one from Bangladesh, said Rida Issa, a spokesman for the Bonyan Marsous forces which have been battling for six months against militants in Sirte. "There was a desperate resistance by Daesh, but it was confronted by heavy weapons," Issa said, using one of the Arabic names for Islamic State. Forces from the western city of Misrata, allied with the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, have been leading the battle to oust Islamic State from Sirte, helped since August by U.S. air strikes and small teams of Western special forces. But they have been facing fierce resistance from snipers, car bombs and booby-traps as Islamic State fighters dig in for house-to-house fighting in the last residential districts held by the militant group. On Thursday, pro-government forces killed at least 20 Islamic State fighters as they pushed into the 600 District of Sirte, one of the last held by militants who control an area now less than one square kilometer, local officials said. After facing heavy casualties at the start of the campaign, Misrata forces have increasingly turned to the use of tanks and armed vehicles to clear a path for ground troops. No details were given about how or where the five foreigners where captured, but Islamic State has attacked oilfields and kidnapped foreign workers over the last two years. In May 2015, the group kidnapped a Czech, an Austrian and a Bangladeshi among other foreigners when they overran an oilfield in the south of Sirte. In February last year, they beheaded a group of Egyptian Christians captured in Libya. Losing Sirte would deprive Islamic State of its major base outside its Iraq and Syria territory just as a U.S.-backed alliance helps Iraqi forces recapture the city of Mosul, the largest city the militants control there. But the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli is struggling to expand its influence and faces opposition from hardliners on all sides of Libya's political divide. A victory in Sirte for Misrata forces is already pressuring military rivals in the east who oppose the Tripoli government. (Reporting by Ismail Zitouni in Sirte,; Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli; Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Louise Ireland and Andew Hay) PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Lithium Exploration Group Inc. (OTC PINK: LEXG) announced today that it has received and is analyzing the results of the carbon chain analysis. The results from the ten samples from various stages in the testing process show a marked change in the molecular structure of the treated oil. The results are being analyzed by Dr. Glotov to direct future testing activities. The company also intends, in connection with their partners at SonCav, to hire a third-party chemical engineer to assist in the analysis and to provide input on future laboratory related tests to run on the treated oil. "These results are good for us, but we are just scratching the surface on what this unit can do to crude oil and how we need to run the unit to get the ideal results. Our intent from here is to continue to test the throughput of the unit in treating crude oil that has 10-20% BSW (basic solids and water) content," commented CEO Alex Walsh. "Once we can have that performance data certified by an independent engineering firm, we can move to the fabrication and design of field-ready units. I estimate that our biggest hurdle from here to commercialization will be making the units operator proof." About Lithium Exploration Group Lithium Exploration Group is a US-based exploration and development company focused on the acquisition and development potential of lithium brines and other precious metals that demonstrate high probability for near-term production. Currently the company is focused on testing the SonCav Oil Unit and the acquisition of oil and gas related assets. Lithium Exploration Group is a fully reporting company traded on the OTC Markets under the symbol LEXG. Website: www.lithiumexplorationgroup.com. Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future testing of the ultrasonic technology. Story continues Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of lithium prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our most recent annual report for our last fiscal year, our quarterly reports, and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact Info: Shanon Chilson 480-641-4790 info@lithiumexplorationgroup.com SOURCE: Lithium Exploration Group Inc. From ELLE Normally, the world frowns on cheating, but Brian Wong, the co-founder and CEO of Kiip thinks you should cheat-for your own benefit. Anyone can shortcut their way to success, promises the blurb of his new book The Cheat Code, "simply by going slightly off script." Hmmm. I'm usually a stickler for the rules, and I have to admit I was offended by the idea of rulebreakers skating right past me as I plod fairly through tricky, quicksandy life. But at 24 years of age, after having graduated from college at just 18, Brian has his own company and is also one of the youngest people ever to receive venture capital funding. (He's also impressed our EIC, Robbie Myers, who struck up a conversation with him after she told him she loved his loafers.) So I put aside my skepticism and tried to live by The Cheat Code for a week, to see what happened. Not everything in the book necessarily applied to this guinea pig; included are a lot of suggestions (there are 71 "cheats" in total) geared towards entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs-though Brian says the book can work for anyone who's creative. But it was harder for this leopard to change her regimented, rule-bound spots than you'd think. So for the more challenging ones, I turned to Brian himself for aid. Here are some of Brian's "cheats," and how I fared when following them. Cheat 49: Get a Trademark Haircut This cheat was a surprise-Brian told me he wasn't much of a "style" guy. But the meaning behind the madness is that a signature hairstyle will get you noticed-always a good thing in the business world. With this cheat, at least, I felt like I was on steady ground. I asked Julie Schott, ELLE.com's Senior Beauty Editor, for some help, and she pointed me in the direction of hair guru Justine Marjan. Marjan has worked with Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Olivia Culpo, and more; she kindly agreed to cut my hair and chat about what makes a trademark haircut. A signature haircut should not only be unique to you-you should also make sure that it "suits your personality and lifestyle," she says. Story continues When discussing what could be my trademark haircut, Marjan asked if I'd consider bangs-but I told her I was bone-lazy and that a fringe would require too much effort. So she switched up her plans and gave me a long bob that would work with my natural wave. I asked her what people in the market for a trademark haircut should think about, and Marjan suggested: "Take into account your hair type, texture, face shape, lifestyle, and personal style." She also recommended doing some research on the stylist themselves, to ensure that their style will suit your hair type. Okay, done! This cheating thing is easy. Cheat 1: Appreciate What You've Got-and Kill Your Fear As much as I wanted to scoff at the New Ageliteness of this one, it went straight for my scary place. At my best, I'm still an anxious snarl of nerves who worries about everything. I'm lucky enough not to be struggling with any serious problems right now-but that doesn't mean I'm any good at remembering that and appreciating what I have. Ask yourself what's the worst that can happen Brian's advice is to put everything in context, especially professionally. His father, for example, left China, grew up penniless in Hong Kong, and worked hard so that his children could have a stable childhood in Canada. "I reckon they didn't do that so that my brother and I could then go off and do boring things in our lives," he says, "but rather take this platform that they've created for us to do exciting things and almost take risks intentionally." Obviously, his personal experience won't apply to everyone, but it did make sense to take a broader view. "Ask yourself what's the worst that can happen," he says (which, by the way, is Cheat 13). Cheat 13: Ask Yourself: What's the Worst That Can Happen? [contentlinks align="left" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Stories" customtitles="8%20Things%20Your%20Finger%20Length%20Could%20Say%20About%20You%7CThe%20Power%20of%20Collective%20Women's%20Wisdom%20" customimages="|" content="article.40125|article.39921"] As mentioned, this little dictum also gets a shout-out in The Cheat Code. And, as also mentioned, it's not that easy to do when you're a ball of nerves. But when I was invited to a party by a new acquaintance, instead of taking the easier "Netflix and No" option, I went. Apart from the woman who invited me, I didn't know anyone. Should I leave? Should I stand in a corner and stir my drink purposefully? "What would Brian do?" I thought to myself. He would probably just go up to someone and introduce himself, even if he wasn't sure of a warm welcome. What's the worst that could happen? So that's what I did. Spoiler: Everyone was incredibly nice. Not as scary as I thought! Success. Cheat 41: Don't Get Drunk at Work Speaking of parties, I really struggled with this one. Before you get het up and start penning screeds against media dipsomaniacs, I'll have you know that Brian includes non-office work events-like parties and networking mixers-in this cheat. I'm by no means reliant on alcohol in my daily life, but...parties? Come on. Photo credit: Giphy When I complain to Brian about his no-drinking suggestion, he laughs. "I get it," he says. His friends don't like Cheat 41 either. He allows that having a drink in your hand can actually be useful-"It makes you seem warmer and more relaxed," he writes in The Cheat Code, and when your glass is half-empty you can easily use it to bounce out of a crappy conversation. But, he says, if you always drink a lot at work functions, he says, "the damage that can be done is not worth it." Despite his sensible caution, I'm still on the fence about this cheat. But let's move on. Cheat 16: Know Your Superpower In The Cheat Code, Brian writes, "No matter who you are or what you do in life, you have a superpower." Photo credit: Giphy But try as I might, I couldn't land on one thing about myself that seemed extraordinary. I'm not just being self-deprecating-I just think I'm standard issue, which isn't necessarily bad. Seeing as he was so adamant about the point, though, I threw this one back to Brian. He says his own superpower is "getting people excited about stuff." (It's true. His patent enthusiasm had me grinning, even over the phone.) So what's mine? It doesn't have to be all that difficult to narrow down, Brian says. Trying to figure out what your superpower is involves analyzing what you do well. "What are the things that you did when you were growing up that just seemed super effortless? What do you do that doesn't feel like a chore?" he asks. Um, online shopping? He laughs. "Without even knowing you that well, I would say that one of your superpowers is probably being able to summarize or explain something and be able to tell great stories no matter what the situation is," he guesses. "It's fine not to be good at everything" I'm not sure that I would have called that a superpower, per se. A professional skill, maybe, but a superpower? Still, in the context of Brian's explanation-that identifying your key abilities allows you to focus on using them, rather than waste time trying to fix weaknesses that will never compete-it definitely makes sense. "It's fine not to be good at everything," he says. The way to get around that, Brian advises, is to find someone with a "complimentary superpower" to work with. So, what's the verdict? Some of Brian's cheats resonated with me more than others, but the ones that did fell into two camps: ideas that made immediate sense and were straightforward to implement (Cheat 69: Go to Museums-a cinch, and super stimulating), and ideas that were scary at first, but with a little effort (and many deep breaths) did actually make a difference. What can I say? I guess I love cheating. You Might Also Like RACINE A Mount Pleasant man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly discharged a firearm outside a Racine residence during a dispute. Raymond A. Smith, 59, of the 2900 block of Fleetwood Avenue, was called by his son on Tuesday afternoon because a man was banging on his son's door and threatening Smith's son, according to a criminal complaint. Smith arrived at the son's residence in the 3300 block or Republic Avenue in a pickup truck and reportedly confronted the man allegedly threatening his son. The man then, in turn, confronted Smith and allegedly punched Smith's vehicle. In response, Smith pulled out a gun and fired a shot into the grass, the complaint said. Police met with Smith, who reportedly confirmed the story. A 9mm casing was found in Smith's vehicle and a 9mm Smith & Weston semi-automatic handgun was found with ammunition in his home, according to the complaint. Smith is charged with a felony charge for second-degree recklessly endangering safety and a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 27 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. Smith remained in custody as of Wednesday night at the Racine County Jail, online records showed. From Country Living When the Westminster Arcade opened in 1828, it was the architectural pride of Providence, Rhode Island-a stunning specimen of Greek Revival style, modeled after the arcades of New York and London, with a gabled sky-lit roof, and walkways of shops with interior facing windows displaying their wares. In 1976, it received National Historic Landmark status. (Currently it is the nation's oldest operating indoor shopping mall.) But by 2008, the Arcade was completely vacant and had become one of the city's most endangered buildings. That's when developers stepped in to both preserve the structure's integrity and give it new purpose. Real-estate developer Evan Granoff worked with J. Michael Abbott of Northeast Collaborative Architects to complete the $8 million facelift, returning the mall's interior to its former glory and establishing it as a mixed-use complex of independent retailers and micro-loft residences. Photo credit: Getty Images/Archive Photo credit: Library of Congress/Laurence E. Tilley Arcade Providence opened its doors in October 2013 with 48 residential units, the majority of which are studio or one-bedroom "micro lofts" between 225 and 450 square feet. Each unit comes with a built-in bed, wardrobe cabinet, bathroom with shower (no tub), a kitchen area with a mini-fridge, and a banquette that serves as a sofa. Some of the roomier residences have an additional twin-sized Murphy bed. Rents start at $850 per month, an attractive price for the rapidly growing number of young professionals moving to Providence, where the average one-bedroom apartment rents for $1,569. (By comparison, nearby Boston commands an average of $2,656 per month for a one-bedroom.) Photo credit: Library of Congress/Laurence E. Tilley Photo credit: Thad Russell Jonathan Joseph Peters, 36, was one of the first tenants to move into the Arcade. As co-owner of Nude boutique on the building's retail level, the apparel designer (and former Project Runway contestant) was given the chance to bypass the long wait list of hopeful tenants. Being a new business owner, Peters found the appeal in not only minimizing his commute, but his living expenses too. "While we were looking at storefronts and selecting one, bells went off in my head. I'm thinking, wait, I can live here too? I was like a kid in a candy store," he recalls. Photo credit: Thad Russell Peters looks at the experience as a fun personal challenge. His floor plan is roughly 375 square feet, so he questions every single item he brings into his home: Where is this going to go, what is its function, and is it absolutely necessary? "It's called being an adult, but my apartment actually forces me to do it," he says. The upside is that he can clean his home in and hour and a half. The downside is how quickly it becomes cluttered when things aren't put away. "Two pairs of shoes and a jacket and your apartment's covered," he says. Another downside to living in a mall? It was never meant for residential use, meaning it's centrally located among commercial buildings. "There's some noise when you have your windows open, especially at night, from people gathering to smoke cigarettes outside of nearby restaurant," says Peters. Julie Chisholm, 45, an office manager for a corporate consulting firm in Boston, feels less cluttered and more productive since moving into her 300-square-foot unit. "I was skeptical at first, wondering if I could live in a space this small, but you adjust," she says. Photo credit: Thad Russell She allows herself one junk drawer. She doesn't keep things she doesn't use (a face cream she was never fond of, or a perfume bottle with a few drops left) just because she might need them one day, which used to be her mindset. She keeps her book collection, Christmas dishes, and extra sets of sheets in a storage unit in the building's basement. She donated lots of stuff, especially clothes, when she first moved in. "At the time I'm thinking I can't live without these things and now I can't even remember what I got rid of," says Chisholm. Photo credit: Thad Rusell Photo credit: Thad Russell She loves how bright and sunny the space is. Each micro loft has two windows that open to the outdoors, as well as larger windows overlooking the sky-lit atrium, a throwback to the days of when the mall was first built and gas lamps lit the streets at night. Skylights kept the arcade illuminated during the day. When friends and family (like Chisholm's 14-year-old nephew, who jokingly refers to her place as "Narnia's Closet") come to visit, she has a round dining table and a twin Murphy bed, for overnight guests. The design is so smartly done, says Chisholm, she was in her new home for a week before she even realized the extra bed was there. Without an oven, though, she prefers to meet friends at restaurants over entertaining at home. Photo credit: Thad Russell None of the Arcade's units have stoves or ovens. Apartments under a certain size aren't allowed in Providence, so developers built the micro lofts under rooming house code, which prohibits units from containing cooking devices. Luckily, microwaves and toaster ovens aren't on the list of banned appliances, so residents like Peters have mastered the art of meal making via NuWave Oven, Crock-Pot, and George Foreman Grill. "My friends gifted me every cooking device under the sun when I moved in," he says. "They were apparently worried that I was going to waste away to nothing." Because his unit was retrofitted around one of the mall's elevators, it has a walk-in-closet sized space not found in the other lofts-he uses it as a sewing room, housing his cutting table and stacks of folded fabric there. "If I didn't have that extra space, I wouldn't be able to cut and sew at home," says Peters. "It also keeps me slim because I have to fit between the cutting table and the wall." Photo credit: Thad Russell Photo credit: Thad Russell Julie enjoys being able to go downstairs to a restaurant and grab a cup of coffee. The Arcade's proximity to the train station, a five-minute walk away, was a big selling point too. The access the mall offers, to retail, restaurants, public transportation, and the downtown neighborhood at large, is why micro-loft living works. Such arrangements would be much more difficult in a rural setting where residents couldn't pop out for a quick bite, or to meet friends for a drink. Common spaces like the laundry room, for example, create a sense of built-in community, as Peters describes it. "Everybody in the building is lovely," says Chisholm. Peters agrees: It's nice to see the same people around; you become friends. Living at the Arcade comes with a certain cache, too. "It's a building that a lot of people are enamored with," says Peters. "Having a business here and living here, I've come to realize that this is a really highly regarded place. It has a special place in a lot of people's memories." Follow Country Living on Pinterest. You Might Also Like Pentagons largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin Corporation LMT will release third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 25, before the opening bell. In the prior quarter, the company reported a positive earnings surprise of 13.70%. It is worth noting that Lockheed Martin has outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, the average positive surprise being 5.45%. Lets see how things are shaping up at the company prior to this announcement. LOCKHEED MARTIN Price and EPS Surprise LOCKHEED MARTIN Price and EPS Surprise | LOCKHEED MARTIN Quote Factors at Play Lockheed Martin continues to enjoy its leading position in the U.S. aerospace and defense sector, courtesy of its varied product offerings. Also, multiple contract wins by the company from the Pentagon as well as foreign allies raise optimism. The important contracts received during the third quarter include the colossal $10 billion win from the U.S. Air Force in Aug 2016. Per the terms of the deal, the company will cover all future delivery orders of C-130J Super Hercules model under its Hercules family of military transport aircraft. In the next month, the U.S. signed a landmark agreement with Israel under which the later will receive military aid worth $38 billion over a period of 10 years. Apart from The Boeing Company (BA), Lockheed will gain the maximum from this deal. Meanwhile, Israel will receive 33 F-35 jets and several C-130 heavy-lift cargo planes. Also, recently, the companys Aeronautics business division won a modification contract worth $743.2 million from the U.S. Navy for the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Among the notable targets for the third quarter is the completion of divesture of the companys Information Systems & Global Solutions business segment. Consequent to the divestment, Lockheed Martin will receive a special cash payment of $1.8 billion. The company also expects to increase its ownership and obtain control of a joint venture within the Space Systems business division this quarter; to manage the atomic weapons establishment in the U.K. Story continues For the third quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings stand at $2.86 a share, down 2.1% year over year, while the consensus for revenues is pegged at $11.44 billion, implying a 0.22% year-over-year decline. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Lockheed Martin is likely to beat earnings this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESPand a Zacks Rank #1, 2 or 3 for this to happen. That is not the case here as you will see below. Zacks ESP: Lockheed Martin has an earnings ESP of +0.35%.That is because the Most Accurate estimate is pegged at $2.87, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged lower at $2.86. Zacks Rank: Lockheed Martin has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) which complicates surprise prediction, despite the companys positive ESP. Also, we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks to Consider Here are a few stocks in the Aerospace and Defense space worth considering on the basis of our model which shows that they have the right combination to pull off a beat: L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. LLL has an earnings ESP of +2.75% and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The company is scheduled to report quarterly results on Oct 27. General Dynamics Corporation GD, slated to report on Oct 26, has an earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Raytheon Company RTN has an earnings ESP of +1.84% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company is likely to release results on Oct 27. 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 GENL DYNAMICS (GD): Free Stock Analysis Report LOCKHEED MARTIN (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report RAYTHEON CO (RTN): Free Stock Analysis Report L-3 COMM HLDGS (LLL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By going into the future, it looks like Logan is finally giving Wolverine the big screen adaptation the character deserves. The new trailer, which debuted Thursday after weeks of teasing, sells the movie as a simple, western tale. Logan rides into town, reconnects with his old mentor and reluctantly must save a child whose powers make her a target, just like he was years earlier at the hands of Weapon X. There's no cities being destroyed or Easter Eggs setting up an extended universe. If Logan film delivers on the promise of this trailer, it will be a true rarity in modern superhero movie making. With his final film as Wolverine, Hugh Jackman will leave behind perhaps the greatest legacy of any superhero actor ever. Christopher Reeve launched it all with Superman, Heath Ledger gave the best comic book movie performance of all time as the Joker, and Robert Downey Jr. turned Iron Man into the centerpiece of an unprecedented cinematic universe. But Jackman may top them all. After starring in four X-Men films (and cameos in two more) and three Wolverine spinoffs, he will have spent an 17 years with the character - carefully building an emotional bond with the audience through the good and the bad. My absolute favorite shots of the trailer shows Logan, Charles (Patrick Stewart) and their young charge smiling around a dinner table. The X-Men films have been at their best when they are about family, and even in these bleak times, it these lost heroes have found it again. The expression on Charles' face says so much - and the trailer is a reminder of how much Stewart has given to the sci-fi and comic book movie genres. It's not only those years of playing Charles - but also the years of playing Jean Luc-Picard - that he's bringing to that dinner table. There's also a true sense of sadness hinted at in this tale. Mutantkind is basically extinct and our heroes are weakened. Logan's healing factor isn't what it used to be and Xavier - once the most powerful being on the planet - is bedridden, living inside an abandoned smelting tower. Story continues There is no saving the world here. No matter how bad things get in the Marvel or DC film universes... well, there's always the next movie to fix things, isn't there? Not here. It really seems like there's nothing our heroes can do to fix the screwed up world, other than to do right by a young girl (Sienna Novikov), who is modeled off the comic fan favorite X-23, billed as the "female Wolverine." She's got claws and healing powers that put her in the cross hairs of Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook), an anti-mutant fanatic who either wants to kill her or experiment on her. Saving her will be the last deed of two men who have saved the world multiple times throughout their careers. For the X-Men franchise (which still has plenty of projects in the pipeline without Jackman), it hasn't always been smooth sailing. (As Jackman noted at San Diego Comic-Con in 2015, the fans have always let them know when things haven't gone well.) Trailers can be deceiving, but so far it looks like Jackman's Wolverine is in very good hands for his final big screen adventure. Logan hits theaters March 3, 2017. Follow Heat Vision on Facebook and Twitter for more from the X-Men movieverse. Read more: 'Wolverine 3': 5 Questions the Villain Reveal Raises for 'Logan' By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - Embattled Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio, whose get-tough policies to fight illegal immigration and praise of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump brought him nationwide attention, trails his opponent in this year's election by nearly 15 percentage points, according to a Thursday poll. The poll, conducted by The Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News, shows Democratic challenger Paul Penzone has the support of nearly 45.9 percent of those surveyed as he attempts to unseat the six-term Maricopa County sheriff. Arpaio garnered 31.1 percent. Roughly one-fifth of those surveyed said they were still undecided on the Nov. 8 race for the top law enforcement job in the states most populous county. The polls margin of error was plus or minus 5.6 percent. The poll was taken as federal prosecutors announced that the U.S. Justice Department would seek a criminal contempt charge against Arpaio for violating a court order in a 2007 racial profiling case. The charges center on unlawful traffic stops and detentions by deputies of Latino drivers for 18 months after the judge ordered them to cease. Arpaio, who has denied any intentional wrongdoing, has already been cited for civil contempt stemming from his actions in the case. Political observers have said prospects of a criminal prosecution for the 84-year-old hardline sheriff seem to have raised the ante in recent days in what already promised to be Arpaios sternest election test. Arpaio campaign manager Chad Willems disputed the poll results, saying that the campaign's own survey has the sheriff leading Penzone by 7.5 points. The recent poll by the Arizona Republic is a complete joke, said Willems in a statement to Reuters, adding that Democrats were disproportionately included in the surveys sample size. The numbers in NO way accurately depict the electorate of Maricopa County, Arizona," he said. "Why they chose to conduct their survey this way is beyond any comprehension. Story continues A Penzone campaign official could not immediately be reached for comment. Arpaio has continued to play on a national stage during his tenure as sheriff despite his legal battles. His calls for a crackdown on undocumented immigrants, opening a tent city to house inmates and making them wear pink underwear all have proved popular. He also has appeared for Trump, praising the Republican nominee's border policies, including building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. (Reporting by David Schwartz; Editing by David Gregorio) * New Look to open 500 stores in China in three years * Many Western fashion labels founder in China * New Look puts focus on sourcing in China * Local sourcing helped Denmark's Bestseller dominate * Finding real estate, selling online pose challenges By Emma Thomasson and Donny Kwok BERLIN/HONG KONG, Oct 21 (Reuters) - As Europe's fashion giants brace for what could be the toughest leg of their expansion in China, a South African retail tycoon has launched a bold assault on the world's most populous nation. Christo Wiese is promising to open 500 of his New Look stores in just three years, catapulting the British brand into the same league in China as the world's top fashion chains - Spain's Inditex and Sweden's H&M. His plan is to make most of the clothes in China to ensure they cater to local tastes and can get to stores quickly - a strategy similar to the one successfully pursued in Europe by Zara-owner Inditex. The arrival of New Look - and its local sourcing strategy - poses a new risk for the likes of H&M and Inditex, already suffering from slower growth in China, fierce competition for real estate and the cost of investing in ecommerce. H&M is opening more stores in China this year than anywhere else in the world and the country is already the second biggest market for Inditex outside Spain. China is a big draw for retailers who hope to tap the aspirations of a fast-growing middle class, with mid-range names benefiting as consumers trade down from luxury brands since Beijing's clampdown on corruption and conspicuous spending. But recent history offers plenty of examples of failure. Western brands that have struggled in China include Gap Inc , Abercrombie & Fitch and Marks and Spencer , which decided last year to close five stores in smaller cities to focus on flagship stores in large cities and online. "Most of the Western fashion labels that are mid-range fail in China. A large part of it is that the styles and the fit are so completely different," said Shaun Rein, founder of market intelligence firm China Market Research. Story continues LOCAL TASTES, LOCAL SOURCING New Look, a chain founded in 1969 and bought last year by Wiese's investment vehicle Brait SE, does not want to make the same mistake. It now runs 94 stores in China, out of a global total of 852, and hopes to have up to 150 by next March. "I will definitely give it a try if it is a foreign brand and as long as I like it," said Chen Jie, a 32-year-old businessman from Shenzhen who was carrying an H&M bag in a shopping district in Hong Kong. "Price is not an issue but the design and quality must be good." While New Look is cashing in on the popularity in China of British style - it is adding the "London" tag to its logo for its Chinese stores and website - it is also catering for local tastes. Sven Gaede, managing director of New Look's international business, says the firm has an advantage over many European rivals as 85 percent of what it sells in China is sourced locally and more than a third is designed exclusively for China. That has allowed New Look to tap into the current popularity in Asia of culottes - flared, three-quarter length trousers. Gaede said they account for 12 percent of the firm's sales in China, though they are not popular in its European markets. "South Korea and Japan drive a lot of the trends that the Chinese customer seeks, so our ability to be able to identify those trends, source them locally and get them into our stores quickly is key," said Gaede. That helps explain the success of the Uniqlo chain of Japan's Fast Retailing in China, which already has almost 500 stores in the country and is aiming for 1,000 stores in about five years - more than in Japan. "It's pretty hard for the foreign fast brands to do the localisation that Uniqlo does in China as it was born with the Asian gene," said Violet Shen, a marketing executive in Shanghai. The "fast fashion" model was pioneered by Inditex, which can bring new styles from the catwalk to stores in Europe within days from factories mostly in Spain and North Africa. However, Inditex does not have the same advantage in China. Inditex plans to add 60 stores in the next few years to the 582 it already runs in China, but it serves them from its logistics centres in Spain. "As their proportion of sales increases in the East, it challenges this model. You can't hub out of Spain," said Dominic Jephcott, chief executive of supply chain experts Vendigital. New Look is not the first Western retailer to try to bring the Inditex model to China. Denmark's Bestseller, which runs brands like Vero Moda and Jack & Jones, says over 90 percent of its products sold in China are also produced in China and most of the designs for the Chinese market are adjusted to local tastes. That has helped the family-owned firm to become the clear leader in China, with more than 6,800 stores in over 300 cities, to give it a 2 percent share of the fragmented market, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Anders Kristiansen ran the China business of Bestseller before taking over as New Look chief executive in 2013. Gaede said Kristiansen's experience in Asia is one of the reasons behind the group's aggressive expansion strategy. H&M also buys many of its garments in China - the country accounts for about a quarter of its global sourcing. But the Swedish firm does not make a big point of adjusting its ranges for China, where it has opened 47 stores in the last nine months, taking its total to 400. "We see that fashion becomes more and more global and that China doesn't differ much from the rest of the world regarding trends and fashion," said investor relations head Nils Vinge. "There are of course local differences but that is true for every market. H&M has a business model that can adapt to this," Vinge said, declining to elaborate. Rein of China Market Research says Western brands must strike a delicate balance. "You have to keep your global brand image and you can't be that creatively different in China than other markets. The Chinese travel around the world," he said. "It is good to localise. But it hard to localise an aspiration." STORES VS ECOMMERCE A bigger challenge for New Look may be to secure the right locations, especially as rivals also seek to add hundreds of stores in the coming years. "To find 500 stores of real estate and roll that out in the right way ... I think it is virtually impossible," said Franklin Yao, managing partner at strategy consultants Smith Street. But the more established New Look's brand becomes in China, Gaede said, the better the locations and terms it will be offered, adding that the firm was now pushing into smaller cities. "We are less wedded to the number each year and we are more wedded to getting quality locations," he said. Meeting soaring Chinese demand for buying clothes online is also tough. Most international brands initially launch on Chinese ecommerce sites like JD.com and Alibaba's Tmall and Taobao, but are keen to build up their own online operations to protect margins and integrate ecommerce and store services. New Look is currently available on Tmall and JD.com, but plans its own transactional site in the next 12 to 18 months. Partnering with Chinese sites and local payment and delivery service providers is essential to reach consumers across such a vast country, said Vendigital's Jephcott. "It is a hard physical push and a very hard digital push, all premised on a strong relationship with the logistics partner like Taobao," Jephcott said, noting that Taobao has established a delivery network of micro-stores even in small towns. (Additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Emma Thomasson and Donny Kwok BERLIN/HONG KONG (Reuters) - As Europe's fashion giants brace for what could be the toughest leg of their expansion in China, a South African retail tycoon has launched a bold assault on the worlds most populous nation. Christo Wiese is promising to open 500 of his New Look stores in just three years, catapulting the British brand into the same league in China as the world's top fashion chains - Spain's Inditex (ITX.MC) and Sweden's H&M (HMb.ST). His plan is to make most of the clothes in China to ensure they cater to local tastes and can get to stores quickly - a strategy similar to the one successfully pursued in Europe by Zara-owner Inditex. The arrival of New Look - and its local sourcing strategy - poses a new risk for the likes of H&M and Inditex, already suffering from slower growth in China, fierce competition for real estate and the cost of investing in ecommerce. H&M is opening more stores in China this year than anywhere else in the world and the country is already the second biggest market for Inditex outside Spain. China is a big draw for retailers who hope to tap the aspirations of a fast-growing middle class, with mid-range names benefiting as consumers trade down from luxury brands since Beijing's clampdown on corruption and conspicuous spending. But recent history offers plenty of examples of failure. Western brands that have struggled in China include Gap Inc (GPS.N), Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF.N) and Marks and Spencer (MKS.L), which decided last year to close five stores in smaller cities to focus on flagship stores in large cities and online. "Most of the Western fashion labels that are mid-range fail in China. A large part of it is that the styles and the fit are so completely different," said Shaun Rein, founder of market intelligence firm China Market Research. LOCAL TASTES, LOCAL SOURCING New Look, a chain founded in 1969 and bought last year by Wiese's investment vehicle Brait SE (BATJ.J), does not want to make the same mistake. It now runs 94 stores in China, out of a global total of 852, and hopes to have up to 150 by next March. Story continues "I will definitely give it a try if it is a foreign brand and as long as I like it," said Chen Jie, a 32-year-old businessman from Shenzhen who was carrying an H&M bag in a shopping district in Hong Kong. "Price is not an issue but the design and quality must be good." While New Look is cashing in on the popularity in China of British style - it is adding the "London" tag to its logo for its Chinese stores and website - it is also catering for local tastes. Sven Gaede, managing director of New Look's international business, says the firm has an advantage over many European rivals as 85 percent of what it sells in China is sourced locally and more than a third is designed exclusively for China. That has allowed New Look to tap into the current popularity in Asia of culottes - flared, three-quarter length trousers. Gaede said they account for 12 percent of the firm's sales in China, though they are not popular in its European markets. "South Korea and Japan drive a lot of the trends that the Chinese customer seeks, so our ability to be able to identify those trends, source them locally and get them into our stores quickly is key," said Gaede. That helps explain the success of the Uniqlo chain of Japan's Fast Retailing (9983.T) in China, which already has almost 500 stores in the country and is aiming for 1,000 stores in about five years - more than in Japan. "It's pretty hard for the foreign fast brands to do the localization that Uniqlo does in China as it was born with the Asian gene," said Violet Shen, a marketing executive in Shanghai. The "fast fashion" model was pioneered by Inditex, which can bring new styles from the catwalk to stores in Europe within days from factories mostly in Spain and North Africa. However, Inditex does not have the same advantage in China. Inditex plans to add 60 stores in the next few years to the 582 it already runs in China, but it serves them from its logistics centers in Spain. "As their proportion of sales increases in the East, it challenges this model. You can't hub out of Spain," said Dominic Jephcott, chief executive of supply chain experts Vendigital. New Look is not the first Western retailer to try to bring the Inditex model to China. Denmark's Bestseller, which runs brands like Vero Moda and Jack & Jones, says over 90 percent of its products sold in China are also produced in China and most of the designs for the Chinese market are adjusted to local tastes. That has helped the family-owned firm to become the clear leader in China, with more than 6,800 stores in over 300 cities, to give it a 2 percent share of the fragmented market, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Anders Kristiansen ran the China business of Bestseller before taking over as New Look chief executive in 2013. Gaede said Kristiansen's experience in Asia is one of the reasons behind the group's aggressive expansion strategy. H&M also buys many of its garments in China - the country accounts for about a quarter of its global sourcing. But the Swedish firm does not make a big point of adjusting its ranges for China, where it has opened 47 stores in the last nine months, taking its total to 400. "We see that fashion becomes more and more global and that China doesn't differ much from the rest of the world regarding trends and fashion," said investor relations head Nils Vinge. "There are of course local differences but that is true for every market. H&M has a business model that can adapt to this," Vinge said, declining to elaborate. Rein of China Market Research says Western brands must strike a delicate balance. "You have to keep your global brand image and you can't be that creatively different in China than other markets. The Chinese travel around the world," he said. "It is good to localize. But it hard to localize an aspiration." STORES VS ECOMMERCE A bigger challenge for New Look may be to secure the right locations, especially as rivals also seek to add hundreds of stores in the coming years. "To find 500 stores of real estate and roll that out in the right way ... I think it is virtually impossible," said Franklin Yao, managing partner at strategy consultants Smith Street. But the more established New Look's brand becomes in China, Gaede said, the better the locations and terms it will be offered, adding that the firm was now pushing into smaller cities. "We are less wedded to the number each year and we are more wedded to getting quality locations," he said. Meeting soaring Chinese demand for buying clothes online is also tough. Most international brands initially launch on Chinese ecommerce sites like JD.com (JD.O) and Alibaba's (BABA.N) Tmall and Taobao, but are keen to build up their own online operations to protect margins and integrate ecommerce and store services. New Look is currently available on Tmall and JD.com, but plans its own transactional site in the next 12 to 18 months. Partnering with Chinese sites and local payment and delivery service providers is essential to reach consumers across such a vast country, said Vendigital's Jephcott. "It is a hard physical push and a very hard digital push, all premised on a strong relationship with the logistics partner like Taobao," Jephcott said, noting that Taobao has established a delivery network of micro-stores even in small towns. (Additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Emma Thomasson and Donny Kwok BERLIN/HONG KONG (Reuters) - As Europe's fashion giants brace for what could be the toughest leg of their expansion in China, a South African retail tycoon has launched a bold assault on the worlds most populous nation. Christo Wiese is promising to open 500 of his New Look stores in just three years, catapulting the British brand into the same league in China as the world's top fashion chains - Spain's Inditex and Sweden's H&M . His plan is to make most of the clothes in China to ensure they cater to local tastes and can get to stores quickly - a strategy similar to the one successfully pursued in Europe by Zara-owner Inditex. The arrival of New Look - and its local sourcing strategy - poses a new risk for the likes of H&M and Inditex, already suffering from slower growth in China, fierce competition for real estate and the cost of investing in ecommerce. H&M is opening more stores in China this year than anywhere else in the world and the country is already the second biggest market for Inditex outside Spain. China is a big draw for retailers who hope to tap the aspirations of a fast-growing middle class, with mid-range names benefiting as consumers trade down from luxury brands since Beijing's clampdown on corruption and conspicuous spending. But recent history offers plenty of examples of failure. Western brands that have struggled in China include Gap Inc , Abercrombie & Fitch and Marks and Spencer , which decided last year to close five stores in smaller cities to focus on flagship stores in large cities and online. "Most of the Western fashion labels that are mid-range fail in China. A large part of it is that the styles and the fit are so completely different," said Shaun Rein, founder of market intelligence firm China Market Research. LOCAL TASTES, LOCAL SOURCING New Look, a chain founded in 1969 and bought last year by Wiese's investment vehicle Brait SE , does not want to make the same mistake. It now runs 94 stores in China, out of a global total of 852, and hopes to have up to 150 by next March. "I will definitely give it a try if it is a foreign brand and as long as I like it," said Chen Jie, a 32-year-old businessman from Shenzhen who was carrying an H&M bag in a shopping district in Hong Kong. "Price is not an issue but the design and quality must be good." While New Look is cashing in on the popularity in China of British style - it is adding the "London" tag to its logo for its Chinese stores and website - it is also catering for local tastes. Sven Gaede, managing director of New Look's international business, says the firm has an advantage over many European rivals as 85 percent of what it sells in China is sourced locally and more than a third is designed exclusively for China. That has allowed New Look to tap into the current popularity in Asia of culottes - flared, three-quarter length trousers. Gaede said they account for 12 percent of the firm's sales in China, though they are not popular in its European markets. "South Korea and Japan drive a lot of the trends that the Chinese customer seeks, so our ability to be able to identify those trends, source them locally and get them into our stores quickly is key," said Gaede. That helps explain the success of the Uniqlo chain of Japan's Fast Retailing <9983.T> in China, which already has almost 500 stores in the country and is aiming for 1,000 stores in about five years - more than in Japan. "It's pretty hard for the foreign fast brands to do the localization that Uniqlo does in China as it was born with the Asian gene," said Violet Shen, a marketing executive in Shanghai. The "fast fashion" model was pioneered by Inditex, which can bring new styles from the catwalk to stores in Europe within days from factories mostly in Spain and North Africa. However, Inditex does not have the same advantage in China. Inditex plans to add 60 stores in the next few years to the 582 it already runs in China, but it serves them from its logistics centers in Spain. "As their proportion of sales increases in the East, it challenges this model. You can't hub out of Spain," said Dominic Jephcott, chief executive of supply chain experts Vendigital. New Look is not the first Western retailer to try to bring the Inditex model to China. Denmark's Bestseller, which runs brands like Vero Moda and Jack & Jones, says over 90 percent of its products sold in China are also produced in China and most of the designs for the Chinese market are adjusted to local tastes. That has helped the family-owned firm to become the clear leader in China, with more than 6,800 stores in over 300 cities, to give it a 2 percent share of the fragmented market, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Anders Kristiansen ran the China business of Bestseller before taking over as New Look chief executive in 2013. Gaede said Kristiansen's experience in Asia is one of the reasons behind the group's aggressive expansion strategy. H&M also buys many of its garments in China - the country accounts for about a quarter of its global sourcing. But the Swedish firm does not make a big point of adjusting its ranges for China, where it has opened 47 stores in the last nine months, taking its total to 400. "We see that fashion becomes more and more global and that China doesn't differ much from the rest of the world regarding trends and fashion," said investor relations head Nils Vinge. "There are of course local differences but that is true for every market. H&M has a business model that can adapt to this," Vinge said, declining to elaborate. Rein of China Market Research says Western brands must strike a delicate balance. "You have to keep your global brand image and you can't be that creatively different in China than other markets. The Chinese travel around the world," he said. "It is good to localize. But it hard to localize an aspiration." STORES VS ECOMMERCE A bigger challenge for New Look may be to secure the right locations, especially as rivals also seek to add hundreds of stores in the coming years. "To find 500 stores of real estate and roll that out in the right way ... I think it is virtually impossible," said Franklin Yao, managing partner at strategy consultants Smith Street. But the more established New Look's brand becomes in China, Gaede said, the better the locations and terms it will be offered, adding that the firm was now pushing into smaller cities. "We are less wedded to the number each year and we are more wedded to getting quality locations," he said. Meeting soaring Chinese demand for buying clothes online is also tough. Most international brands initially launch on Chinese ecommerce sites like JD.com and Alibaba's Tmall and Taobao, but are keen to build up their own online operations to protect margins and integrate ecommerce and store services. New Look is currently available on Tmall and JD.com, but plans its own transactional site in the next 12 to 18 months. Partnering with Chinese sites and local payment and delivery service providers is essential to reach consumers across such a vast country, said Vendigital's Jephcott. "It is a hard physical push and a very hard digital push, all premised on a strong relationship with the logistics partner like Taobao," Jephcott said, noting that Taobao has established a delivery network of micro-stores even in small towns. (Additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; Editing by Gareth Jones) On October 20, 1803, the Senate ratified a treaty with France, promoted by President Thomas Jefferson, that doubled the size of the United States. But was Jefferson empowered to make that $15 million deal under the Constitution? Map from 1912 showing the purchase The Louisiana Purchase was a seminal moment for a new nation. The land involved in the 830,000 square mile treaty would eventually encompass 15 states. In 1800, the vast region came under French control after Napoleon reached a treaty agreement with Spain. Jefferson was very familiar with the French, due to his time in Europe as an American envoy. He also understood the potential military danger a French regime posed as a neighbor that controlled the Mississippi River. Jefferson sent James Monroe in 1803 to France to join Robert R. Livingston in an attempt to buy some part of the territory from the Napoleon regime, in order to head off a potential armed conflict. Jefferson told his friend Monroe that all eyes, all hopes, are now fixed on you, . for on the event of this mission depends the future destinies of this republic. Monroe had the authority to spend up to $10 million to acquire New Orleans and all or parts of Florida. But when Monroe arrived in Europe, Napoleon had already made a decision to sell the territory to the United States, in order to protect other French territories in the Caribbean and to finance his military efforts in Europe. Monroe and Livingston found out Napoleon wanted $22 million for the entire territory. After several weeks of negotiations, the Americans made a deal for the $15 million purchase, which also exceeded what they had the authority to spend. It took several months for the official news to reach Jefferson in Washington, D.C., and it was announced on July 4, 1803. While the deal was instantly popular, there were problems. Negotiations would need to start with Great Britain and Spain about shared boundaries. And there was a debate about how such a large purchase was allowed under the Constitution. Story continues Jefferson took a strict, literal view of constitutional powers, meaning that specific powers reserved for the President and Executive Branch needed to be spelled out in the Constitution. The ability to buy property from foreign governments was not among these powers listed in Article IV of the Constitution a fact that his political opponents, the Federalists, were eager to point out to the President. Instead, Jefferson considered a constitutional amendment as the only way to conclude the deal with France. The General Government has no powers but such as the Constitution gives it, he wrote to John Dickinson in 1803. It has not given it power of holding foreign territory, and still less of incorporating it into the Union. An amendment of the Constitution seems necessary for this. However, Jefferson had no intention of losing the deal with France. In the meantime we must ratify and pay our money, as we have treated, for a thing beyond the Constitution, and rely on the nation to sanction an act done for its great good, without its previous authority, he told Dickinson. Jeffersons cabinet, including James Madison, disagreed about the need for a constitutional amendment. The President also had been assured earlier in the year by Albert Gallatin, his Treasury Secretary, that any potential deal with France would be permissible and implied under the Constitutions treaty-making provisions. Jefferson rationalized his decision for the treaty to be sent to Congress without an amendment to John Breckinridge. It is the case of a guardian, investing the money of his ward in purchasing an important adjacent territory; and saying to him when of age, I did this for your good, he said in August 1803. By that time, Jefferson and his supporters faced an October 31, 1803 deadline to ratify the treaty or lose the purchase. Ironically, the deal to expand federal powers would need to be sold to the Federalists, who had advocated such a position before the treaty was signed, and supported by the Republicans, Jeffersons party, which had opposed such a broad extension of presidential powers. The debate in the Senate only lasted for two days. On October 20, 1803, the Senate voted for ratification 24-7, and the treaty was signed on October 31, 1803. In the treatys aftermath, although some Federalists continued to view the Louisiana Purchase as unconstitutional, the purchase was never questioned in court. If it had been, Jefferson may have come in conflict with his own cousin and political rival, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. But years later, Marshall made his thoughts clear about the treaty clause in an 1823 decision called American Insurance Co. v. Canter. The Constitution confers absolutely on the government of the Union, the powers of making war, and of making treaties; consequently, that government possesses the power of acquiring territory, either by conquest or by treaty, Marshall said. Scott Bomboy is the editor in chief of the National Constitution Center. Historical Stories on Constitution Daily A birthday look at Chester Alan Arthur A birthday look at Rutherford B. Hayes 50 interesting facts about Abraham Lincolns life 10 little-known facts about President Theodore Roosevelt By Giulia Segreti and Claudia Cristoferi MILAN (Reuters) - The personal luxury goods market won't grow this year because tourist spending is slowing down and wealthy consumers prefer to spend on design, travel and gourmet food rather than clothes and accessories, Bain & Company said on Thursday. Shoppers will spend about 250 billion euros ($275 billion) on fashion, accessories, jewellery, watches and beauty products, level with last year at constant exchange rates, Bain calculated. But the wider luxury sector, encompassing top-end cars, yachts and jets as well as treats such as high-end holidays and fine dining, are set to grow 4 percent to 832 billion euros. "There is a progressive shift from physical products to experiences, especially in the last year," Federica Levato, partner at Bain & Company and co-author of the report, told Reuters, predicting that trend would continue. The study, produced with Italian luxury trade body Altagamma, used brands' individual retail values, industry-specific data and turnover breakdown. After growing steadily since 2009, the traditional luxury sector will post slower growth of 1-2 percent next year, hitting about 280-285 billion euros in value by 2020, says Levato. Many high end brands have had to make shops more attractive, especially to younger consumers, and adapt to online sales, the fastest growing channel with 26 percent growth since 2013. "Attention will now be on organic growth, improving productivity of shops and concentrating on profitability," said Levato. After five years when sales to Chinese consumers fuelled growth, Asian tourism and consumption - mainly Chinese - slowed down in Europe in 2016 because of security threats. The United States and Japan lost out because their strong local currencies reduced the scope for bargains. Uncertainty about presidential elections in the United States in November and Britain's vote to leave the European Union has made luxury shoppers worldwide more cautious. Story continues But sales in mainland China rose 4 percent after three years of stagnation, as brands brought down prices there. Overall Chinese consumption is expected to grow in the next five years, pushed by a growing population, rising middle-class and continued GDP growth. ($1 = 0.9124 euros) (Editing by Isla Binnie; Editing by Ruth Pitchford) CALEDONIA A Caledonia man is facing his seventh operating while intoxicated charge after reportedly causing a three-car crash Oct. 7. David L. Dahle, 63, of the 3200 block of Great Oak Drive, reportedly hit a vehicle at the intersection of Six Mile Road and Highway 31 at about 3:30 p.m., according to the criminal complaint. One of the victims of the crash was reportedly traveling east on Six Mile Road and Dahle was traveling north on Highway 31 when Dahle hit the victims car, causing that car to crash into another vehicle. Neither of the hit drivers were injured in the crash, but Caledonia police reportedly found Dahle with a small amount of blood on his head and two lacerations on his right leg. Initially, Dahle refused treatment. But when police asked Dahle to complete field sobriety tests, he allegedly walked to the front of the squad car and then started to scream in pain and laid on the ground and paramedics were called. Dahle later reportedly blew a 0.16 on a Breathalyzer test and two brandy bottles were found in the front seat, police said. Dahle is scheduled for a pretrial conference at 8:15 a.m. Dec. 12 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. He remained in custody as of Wednesday night at the Racine County Jail, online records showed. KENOSHA Ten victims of human trafficking four of them juveniles were rescued last week through the help of the Greater Racine Human Trafficking Task Force, the Racine Police Department and FBI announced Wednesday. The trafficking task force aided the FBI and numerous other local law enforcement agencies in an operation that led to an arrest of a Kenosha woman who was allegedly pimping out her underage daughters. According to a Racine Police Department release, the task force helped the FBI with Operation Cross Country X on Oct. 13-14. According to FBI spokesperson Special Agent Jennifer Walkowski, Paula Whittaker of Kenosha was arrested and charged with trafficking a child and keeping a house of prostitution for allegedly trafficking her own children, ages 16 and 17. Court records do not yet show charges for Whittaker stemming from the incident. Walkowski also wrote that 23 people were arrested in Wisconsin during the operation. She added that the 11 juveniles recovered in Wisconsin were the most of any participating location. This operation was successful due to the outstanding partnerships we have with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, said Investigator Neal Lofy, who specializes in human trafficking cases for the Racine Police Department. Aggressive pursuit The task force, along with the Racine Coalition Against Human Trafficking, has made combating human trafficking locally a priority. That emphasis has included providing victims with resources to get them on a path to rehabilitation instead of arresting them, according to the release. As a task force, we continue to focus on recovering sex-trafficking victims and providing them with advocacy and services that they may need as well as bringing those that exploit them to justice, Lofy said. Karri Hemmig, who runs the Racine Coalition Against Human Trafficking, was on scene during the operation as a member of the task force. She said she aided the victims and helped provide immediate assistance as well as long term resources. Its great that the FBI does this every single year, Hemmig said. Its not just Racine, its not just Kenosha, its everywhere. Our most vulnerable population is our teens. About 20 law enforcement agencies from around the state participated in the operation, including five in Racine County. In addition to Racine police, the Racine County Sheriffs Office and the Mount Pleasant, Caledonia and Sturtevant police departments aided the FBI. Armed forest guards on Thursday shot dead a man-eating tiger in northern India, an official said, with villagers breaking into celebrations and parading with the dead animal's carcass. The three-year-old animal was blamed for killing three villagers and injuring three others since September, promoting authorities to launch a massive search operation in the dense forests of Himalayan Uttarakhand state. "There was resentment among the villagers, who were gripped with fear and panic after several attacks," Uttarakhand chief warden of forest and wildlife D V S Khati told AFP. "Although she was a man eater, our priority was to tranquillise her but we had to fire bullets to kill her after many failed attempts to capture her," he added. Hunters and locals villagers jointly conducted the 44-day long operation to locate the tiger after a woman was killed outside Jim Corbett park in early September. Authorities used drones and helicopters along with elephants and hunting dogs to assist the scores of ground staff to track the evasive animal. Jubilant villagers paraded the carcass of the tiger for nearly three hours, celebrating the death of the predator that inspired fear from villagers and tourists. Media reports say 100 tigers have died in India so far in 2016, of which 36 were killed by poachers. India is home to more than half of the world's tiger population with some 2,226 of the animals roaming its reserves, according to the last count in 2014. (Photo: Getty Images) A 41-year-old man was sentenced to six months in jail on Thursday (20 October) for inciting violence against the police officers who arrested Benjamin Lim as well as National Environment Agency (NEA) officers. According to The Straits Times, Internet marketeer Chia Choon Kiat pleaded guilty to three of eight charges. Between 2 and 5 February this year, Chia posted a link on his Facebook account to a Yahoo Singapore article on the death of Benjamin Lim, 14. The teenager had been questioned for allegedly molesting a girl and committed suicide shortly after being released from police custody. Chias post, under the handle Rambo Power, included a comment stating, When people buay lun (Hokkien for cannot endure) already (we) will need to take matters into our own hands. Please reveal the identify of the 5 plain clothes officers and we go handle them ourselves. Kill them. A separate post on 24 January this year, titled CigButtWarriors, included incitements of violence against NEA officers and their family members. Chia was also charged for posting a graphic video depicting the killing of a pig along with the comment, Lets do this to NEA Cigarette Butt Officers. Raging netizen The police were alerted to an article on the All Singapore Stuff website on 5 February that highlighted a post by a Raging netizen who encouraged violence against the police. Investigations showed that Chia had made the post. Deputy Public Prosecutor Sanjiv Vaswani told the court that even before the post, Chia had been conducting an online hate campaign against NEA officers since Dec 13, 2015. Chia harboured grievances against NEA officers because he had been fined a decade ago for throwing a cigarette butt in a drain. He also admitted to setting up the Facebook page Cigarette Butt Warriors, which featured incendiary posts against NEA enforcement officers. Chias lawyer Alfred Dodwell said his client was remorseful and very unlikely to re-offend. He added that Chia had withdrawn from social media and reformed. An Institute of Mental Health psychiatrist had testified that Chia did not suffer from any mental illness. Private psychiatrist Y.C. Lim said Chia had a condition of over-valued ideas, which could evolve into delusions. Appirio Chris Barbin On Thursday, Wipro confirmed rumors that it was buying Indianapolis-based Appirio. It paid $500 million. Appirio was co-founded by CEO Chris Barbin in 2006 and backed by Fidelity, General Atlantic and Sequoia (Sequoia's A-list VC Jim Goetz was on its board.) While half a billion is undoubtedly a nice exit for Barbin, Wipro didn't exactly overpay. Appirio had raised over $110 million in venture funding, including a $35 million round in April, 2015 that valued the company at $535 million, according to Pitchbook. It was valued at $500 million prior to that last round. Investors owned just over half the company. Appirio is a consultant that helps businesses move to cloud computing services like Salesforce, Workday, Google Apps, Cornerstone and others. It also helps companies write custom apps on top of those services. It has about 1,250 employees but it also owns Topcoder, a startup it bought in 2013. Topcoder is a marketplace for hiring programmers, which became really popular with about 500,000 coders using it when Appirio bought it. Appirio is particularly well known as a Salesforce consultant, so much so that Marc Benioff himself commented on the sale in the press release, saying: "Chris and his team have spend the last decade building Appirio into a global leader delivering amazing customer experiences with Salesforce. I couldn't be more proud of Appirio as it joins Wipro, where together they will continue to drive customer success on a much larger scale." It's a bit curious that Benioff didn't buy Appirio for Salesforce, but given how he's giving this deal his public blessing, it doesn't look like his heart was broken over it. Wipro wanted Appirio for its close partnerships with Salesforce and Workday and a customer list that includes Coca-Cola, eBay, Facebook, Home Depot, and Sony PlayStation. And Workday's CEO Aneel Bhusri has given a similar thumbs up to the deal, saying in the press release, "Appirio has played a key role in the Workday Community, and were thrilled to see such a great opportunity for the teams continued growth." Story continues Before founding Appirio, Barbin was an exec at Borland International, a one-time big software developer tools maker headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, just outside the Bay Area. Micro Focus bought Borland in 2009 for $75 million. NOW WATCH: Watch millennials try a McDonald's Big Mac for the first time More From Business Insider A Pennsylvania man who passed away last month on the day of the first presidential debate had previously said he'd rather die than watch it. Knowing this, the writer of George Davis' obituary subsequently put a positive spin on the grandfather's September 26 passing. "Apparently he meant it when he said he would rather die than have to watch the presidential debate," the obit reads. Read: The Last Debate: Trump Suggests He Won't Accept the Election Results of a 'Rigged System' Lucky for Davis, he got to miss all three historically cantankerous debates. "At least he is no longer obligated to vote, firmly believing regardless of the outcome, the nation is going someplace in a handbasket and he would rather travel in the opposite direction," the obit continued. The jokes continued beyond Davis' dislike for today's politics. According to the obituary, Davis joined the Army as a young man after a childhood in rural Pennsylvania. "He spent the rest of his life exaggerating the hardships of both," the obit joked. Davis liked country music, NASCAR, hunting, fishing and "making up wild stories about the latter two." He left behind, siblings Wallace, Ralph, Marie, and Betty; daughters Wendy, Shelley, and Laurie; and granddaughters Sarah, Kaitlyn, and Lang. "He was one of a kind, a truly great man, and will be missed dearly." While memorable, Davis' isn't this year's first politically tinged obituary. Read: Debate Audience Member Kenneth Bone: I Wore the Red Sweater Because I Ripped My Suit Seat Mary Anne Alfriend Noland passed away in May at age 68 after a battle with lung cancer. Her obituary read, in part: "Faced with the prospect of voting for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Mary Anne Noland of Richmond chose, instead, to pass into the eternal love of God." In Massachusetts that same month, a dying man's wish was for people not to vote for Clinton. And back in January, a Pittsburgh chiropractor's obit made the same request, only about Donald Trump. Story continues Watch: President Obama's Half-Brother Will Be Supporting Donald Trump at Debate Related Articles: grade_D- Oh, Matt LeBlanc. We were Friends once, right? Millions of us watched you as the endearingly dim-witted Joey Tribbiani on that 90s NBC hit. But now, more than a decade after Friends ended, youre asking us to watch you in Man With a Plan, CBS dated, laughless new sitcom. In the words of Joey himself: Why, God, why? Man With a Plan (premiering Monday, Oct. 24 at 8:30/7:30c) is depressingly formulaic from its first frames. LeBlanc plays contractor Adam Burns though, really, we could just call him Joey to save time whose wife Andi (Liza Snyder) is going back to work, putting him in charge of their three kids for the first time. And guess what, guys? Hes terrible at it! When the kids demand after-school snacks, Adam hands them a Listerine strip. His contractor job supposedly gives him a flexible schedule, but he acts like hes never met his own children before. Its all straight out of the CBS hapless-dad sitcom playbook. RELATEDKevin Nealon Joins Man With a Plan as Matt LeBlancs Older Brother But theres a more insidious undercurrent to the show, and that is: Caring about your children is not manly. That point is driven home by the character of Lowell (Clippeds Matt Cook), a wussified stay-at-home dad who is in awe of Adams easy-going masculinity: Im very drawn to your alpha-male energy. Basically, there are two types of dads in this world: wimps like Lowell who actually spend time with their kids, and real men like Adam who never speak to their kids. Its a backward point of view that shouldve fallen out of favor forty years ago, but CBS is still playing it for (weak) laughs. Man With a Plan Review CBS Matt LeBlanc I will say this for the Man With a Plan pilot: Its marginally improved from the original pilot, which was a total mess and had a woefully miscast Jenna Fischer as Adams wife. They wisely scratched that and found LeBlanc a more compatible TV wife in Liza Snyder, whos familiar with the rhythms of CBS sitcoms from six seasons of Yes, Dear. LeBlanc and Snyder both know how to hit a three-camera punchline, but Adam and Andis relationship still has a distasteful strain of bitterness to it. (Note to TV producers: It is possible for a married couple to like each other and still be funny.) Story continues PHOTOSBest & Worst New Shows: The TVLine Staff Share Its Picks and Passes And the whole enterprise just feels very phoned-in. LeBlanc appears mostly disinterested during his scenes, and the script doesnt bother to give Adam any character traits beyond a slightly less dumb version of Joey. He doesnt have any friends, and his kids personalities shift from ungrateful brats to daddy-loving angels, depending on what the current scene calls for. Even the studio audience can barely work up the energy to laugh. Matt LeBlanc is a talented comedic actor. He deserves better, and so do we. In fact, he does have another, more successful post-Friends comedy: Showtimes Episodes, where LeBlanc plays a tongue-in-cheek version of himself. In it, TV executives have taken a highbrow British comedy and turned it into a dumbed-down American sitcom called Pucks! for LeBlanc to star in a sitcom, actually, that sounds a lot like Man With a Plan. THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: Dont waste your time on this one; Man With a Plan is depressingly formulaic and severely lacking in laughs. Related stories NCIS: LA Sneak Peek: For Callen and Anna Kolcheck, a Happy Reunion? Chris Pratt to Romance Wife Anna Faris on CBS' Mom -- Get Details NCIS: Mary Stuart Masterson to Recur, Bond With [Spoiler] -- See Photos Last night brought out our favorite runway stars and the best of the art world for two very important causes. Sara Sampaio, Martha Hunt, Taylor Hill, Joan Smalls and more celebrated the 10th annual God's Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awardsa foundation Michael Kors has been a huge supporter of and their efforts to provide nutritious meals to those suffering from HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, Zoe Buckman, Trudie Styler, and Helena Christensen showed their support for Topaz Page Green's Lunchbox Fund foundation at the newly opened Andrew Carmellini restaurant Leuca inside the William Vale hotel. The annual benefit, supported by Prada, raises money to help feed children in South Africa. Click through to see the most stylish supporters of the evening. Getty Last night brought out our favorite runway stars and the best of the art world for two very important causes. Sara Sampaio, Martha Hunt, Taylor Hill, Joan Smalls and more celebrated the 10th annual God's Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awardsa foundation Michael Kors has been a huge supporter of and their efforts to provide nutritious meals to those suffering from HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, Zoe Buckman, Trudie Styler, and Helena Christensen showed their support for Topaz Page Green's Lunchbox Fund foundation at the newly opened Andrew Carmellini restaurant Leuca inside the William Vale hotel. The annual benefit, supported by Prada, raises money to help feed children in South Africa. Tuesday evening, Google received a warm welcome to the SoHo neighborhood as they opened their doors to their first retail pop-up space. Taylor Hill, Martha Hunt, Hari Neff and more stopped by to toast the tech company's newest innovations for sale. Thursday night Taylor Hill hosted an intimate dinner at Spring Space for Topshop whose ads she fronted this season. Meanwhile, uptown Kate Bosworth, Toni Garrn, Dylan Penn and more celebrated the annual Hugo Boss Prize. Click through to see the best party looks of the week. From Harper's BAZAAR Dakota Fanning may be a movie star now, but in 2004, she was just a guest actor on Friends! Twelve years later, the 22-year-old actress has nothing but fond memories of her experience on the hit sitcom, gushing all about it on Thursday's Live! with Kelly. RELATED: Dakota Fanning Gets Mistaken for an Olsen Twin All the Time "Matt LeBlanc was here, and you worked with him," Ripa asked Fanning during her interview. "I did, yeah. I was on the last season of Friends for an episode, and all my scenes were with Matt," the American Pastoral star answered. "I think I was nine or 10, something like that." NBC "Did you see him backstage?" Ripa inquired, setting up for the surprise reunion. "I didn't, but I would love to. I remember meeting him" Fanning said, before spotting LeBlanc emerging from backstage. "Long time, no see! You're so big. You were like this when I saw you last!" LeBlanc adorably yelled while greeting his former co-star. "Congrats on everything. So nice to see you!" "I was so starstruck meeting everyone in the cast," Fanning explained. "I still remember it, and I remember talking to Matt in the breakfast area on the stage, like, on a rehearsal day. And he was asking me something -- I don't remember what you were asking -- but I was not answering, or saying like, not the right response. And I remember my mom was standing next to me, and I looked up at her, and she was like, 'What has happened to you? Like, what is wrong?'" See the rest of their sweet reunion in the video below: RELATED: Dakota Fanning Breaks Up With Boyfriend Jamie Strachan, Calls First Dates 'Horrific' The former co-stars also posed together for a photo to commemorate the occasion. A #Friends reunion with #MattLeblanc and @DakotaFanning!! #LiveKelly @JohnLeguizamo @mleblanc A photo posted by LIVE with Kelly (@livekelly) on Oct 20, 2016 at 6:50am PDT Fanning isn't the only Friends co-star LeBlanc has reunited with lately. ET caught up with the actor in August, where he dished all about filming his new show, Man With a Plan, just steps away from Matthew Perry's The Odd Couple on the CBS Radford lot in Studio City, California. Story continues "That's great to see him there and it's funny to see him on a lot and not run lines with him," he shared. "It's just strange for me." "It's like, 'What scene are you -- why are you out here? Oh no, no, no, you're on a different show now!' That was 20 years ago, nevermind!" he added. WATCH: Emilia Clarke Adorably Fangirls Over Matt LeBlanc, Asks Him to Say 'How You Doin'?' See more in the video below. Related Articles Sitting down with Pusha T for the latest issue of Interview, Desiigner was asked to name his biggest musical influence. Instead of obvious choices like Kanye West or Future, Desiigner dipped into his own family history and revealed a background in blues that helps explain the soulful sound he showed flashes of on "Timmy Turner." "If anything, I would consider my grandfather," Desiigner explained after Pusha T pressed for the name of a specific artist he looked up to. "He's a blues player. I like the old soulyou know how it is, Pusha, that old soul. My grandfather, he went by the name Sidney "Guitar Crusher" Selby; he formed that old soul, that old blues, that old rock that I put on my songs. He bluesed it out. And my pops, he was old-school, too; he played that old funk. I fell in love with that old style. You feel me?" Long before his grandson became the first New York City rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 since Jay Z, Selby carved out a name for himself as "The Big Voice From New York" thanks to powerful baritone vocals that earned him a spot playing alongside acts like The Isley Brothers, Ben E. King, and The Drifters. Born in North Carolina in 1931, Selby grew up working in cotton fields, but developed his voice singing in the Mt.Pilgrim Baptist Church choir on weekends. Moving to New York in the '50s, he played in a successful band called the Midnight Rockers, where he built enough of a following to eventually be signed by Columbia Records. As for his attention-grabbing nickname, bandmate Hans McMiniman explains: Someone got nasty with a lady, and Sidney crushed a guitar over his head. When tastes in America shifted away from blues after its heyday in the '60s, Selby ended up heading to Europe, where he forged a comeback. Catching new ears with his signature voice, he was booked for a series of major festivals and continued to record original music. Now, in his mid-80s, Selby doesn't seem to be slowing down: his website reveals a calendar full of 2016 shows. While a battle with rheumatism and an intensive heart operation has limited his mobility to the point that he says, "I cant really use my right hand," a quick search through YouTube reveals spirited live performances from as recently as September of this year. Story continues Known for energetic performances throughout his career, Selby's influence alread seems to have rubbed off on his notoriously wild grandsonand Desiigner's growling ad-libs don't seem to fall too far from the branch either. As Desiigner prepares to release his debut album, The Life of Desiigner, don't be surprised to hear Guitar Crusher's bluesy influence creep in. In the meantime, revisit a couple of Sidney Selby's finest moments below. Continue Reading On PigeonsandPlanes More from PigeonsandPlanes Both Ivanka Trump and Melania Trump chose black outfits for the third presidential debate. (Photo: Getty Images) Was the third presidential debate on Wednesday, Oct. 19 more like a cocktail party or a funeral? Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump wore a dark suit and a red tie for his final showdown against his Democratic challenger, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who herself wore a white mandarin-collar suit. Melania Trump wore a black sleeveless top with a long tie, along with a patent leather belt and black pants. (Photo: Getty Images) But, according to social media, Trumps family didnt look like they were dressing for victory. Daughter Ivanka, wife Melania, and daughter-in-law Vanessa Trump all showed up to watch the third debate at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in black. Indeed, some on Twitter thought that it seemed like the Trump family seemedto be in deep mourning. Ivanka and Melania are wearing black, I think they've already started mourning #DumpTrump #Debate (@derya555) October 20, 2016 LOL , Melania is wearing a black dress to this debate. How appropriate . YOUR MAN IS DIED IN THIS DEBATE Beth S. (@Laurabeffy) October 20, 2016 My mom: "why is she (melania) in black?" Me: because her husband is gonna get killed tonight#debatenight Natalie Hayes (@natmhayes) October 20, 2016 Melania Trump, interestingly, appeared to be wearing a pussybow-style, a jumpsuit from Ralph Lauren, for the second debate in a row and for 100 percent of the debates held after the release of the 2005 Access Hollywood tape in which her husband is heard bragging to Billy Bush about groping women down there. Ivanka Trump, perhaps her fathers best surrogate on the campaign trail, wore a one-shoulder black cocktail dress, perhaps a subtle signal of having one foot in and one foot out as she tries to position her brand and business for continued success, regardless of what happens to her fathers campaign. Story continues While we would never argue against black being a classic and chic way of dress for any occasion, there was something a little bit startling about seeing the Trump family dressed in such a funereal manner. Maybe theyve seen the latest polls? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. From Seventeen In every installment of Crush Diaries, one girl gets real about flirting, dating, and hooking up. This week: Josie, a 19-year-old from California, was on vacation in Michigan seven months ago when she met the guy of her dreams, Alex. They survived four months of long-distance dating until she happened to move to Michigan for college. This week, Josie is planning a romantic surprise for Alex's birthday. 7:00 a.m. Saturdays are usually the days I wake up early to go see my boyfriend Alex. We're both super busy during the week with work and school, and sometimes we even work on the weekends. When we do have free time together, it is PRECIOUS. Since we are both meat- and dairy-free, our Saturday mornings usually start off with new recipes from Whole Foods we've never tried before, like meatless bacon (it was gross) and fake-cheese grilled cheese (not bad, actually). After breakfast, I lie on his lap while he plays video games. In my head, I can't help but imagine if this is what our mornings would be like if we lived together and weren't just at his parents' house. Later today, we'll go to a craft store for Halloween decorations and Target. I love shopping with him because I make a habit of running, hiding by the hula hoops or books, and making him find me. When he catches me, he always grabs my hand tight to make sure I don't run away again. Photo credit: Josie D'Anna Alex is like the boys you see in the movies. The boy that sings along to the radio in the car and drives you to cool new places you've never seen before. His laugh is the single best sound I've ever heard (besides Harry's notes in "Drag Me Down"). Once he even carved our names into a tree trunk. Our relationship feels like fate. What are the odds that we would've met on vacation? And what are the odds that this is working out? 1:30 p.m. I pick up Alex at his house, and we stop at Starbucks because he's obsessed with their soy milk Frappuccinos. Then we drive to downtown Detroit to see a play. Alex wants to be a writer and is taking a journalism class. His class assignment is to see the play, take pictures at the theater and interview the director. The play is great ... until we get kicked out for taking pictures, which apparently is not allowed during the performance. Story continues We aren't too bummed, though, because that means we now have an afternoon to spend together in this fascinating city. We take pictures using the super high-quality camera Alex got from school - Detroit has really cool walls that make perfect backdrops for Instagrams. They'll end up all over social media later. Photo credit: Josie D'Anna It's days like these when he grabs my hand as we walk down the sidewalk and his hair is all messy from the wind and he's dressed in a beanie and ripped jeans because it is starting to get cold that make me fall even more in love with him. 5:30 a.m. During the school week, I have to wake up really early to get to my job at an elementary school. I'm studying to be a teacher, although recently I've started wondering if that's actually what I want to do with my life. I work until 9 a.m., leave work to go to class from 10 to 2:30, and then I'm back at work again until 6 p.m. In case you're wondering, no, I don't get enough sleep. Alex and I usually text all day and we talk on the phone a few times, as well. You would think that talking constantly throughout the day would be a little too much sometimes, but not for us. I guess when you find the right person the silences become comforting and there is usually never a time when we don't know what to say to one another. 6:45 p.m. I have too much homework to hang out at Alex's house. Instead, I call him when I get home. We talk on the phone every night we're apart until we fall asleep. Usually the call lasts all night until one of us wakes up the next morning. I used to think this was weird, but now I can't sleep without it. It's just so comforting having him there, even through the phone. 11:00 p.m. I've been hanging out at Alex's house all night, watching Netflix and eating Thai food. I say goodbye to him and his parents, head outside to my car and wait for a half hour. His parents think I'm gone. They go to sleep. 11:30 p.m. I sneak into Alex's house through the back door and run up to his room. I've done this before, but it's absolutely terrifying every single time. I can only imagine what would happen if his parents happened to walk out of their room while I was running up the stairs. I know this is bad. Really bad. But it's so worth it. Sneaking in and sleeping over isn't even a sexual thing - I just genuinely enjoy sleeping next to the person I love. He's so warm. Plus, goodnight kisses are the best. Thing. Ever. 12:00 a.m. Alex is asleep next to me. His arms are wrapped around my waist and I'm wearing one of his really big sweaters that smell exactly like him. His dog is snoring on the other side of the bed. LOUD. 3:00 a.m. Sometimes, I wake up to him kissing my neck and whispering that he loves me before he rolls over back to sleep. Tonight, I wake up to Alex snuggling closer to me. Before I met him, I never in my life thought I'd ever be comfortable sleeping next to someone else. When I was a freshman or sophomore in high school, I remember worrying what I'd do when I have a sleepover with a boy and wake up all groggy with messy hair. Why would I want a boy to see me like that? But back then, I had no clue that one day, I'd meet a boy that treats me the way I want to be treated. A boy that really loves me for who I am. He doesn't care whether my hair is parted all the way on the left side of my head next to my ear or that he can probably smell my breath from 10 feet away. Alex loves my messy hair and sleepy voice. Who would've thought? 6:00 p.m. TODAY IS THE DAY! Alex's birthday is two days from now, but I'm planning a surprise for tonight. He knows that I have something up my sleeve, but he has no idea what. My original plan was to ask a coworker to cover the last hour of my shift so I could set up a beautiful picnic at a nature preserve. But at the last minute she cancels, so I have to come up with Plan B really fast. I speed over to the pizza shop and grocery store to pick up food for tonight. At this point I'm hoping set up the picnic on the top of a parking garage overlooking the city, with blankets and my presents for Alex. I'm mad that the nature preserve plans were ruined, but this could be even better - we'll have the glittering city lights to look at. 7:30 p.m. Alex arrives at the parking garage, and everything is perfect. My car is parked nearby, and I leave the doors open so we can play music on the radio. We sit outside all cozied up in blankets. He likes all the food and presents. At the end of the night, we make out in the back seat of my car as we listen to The 1975 and The Neighbourhood. It is a good time. Very fun. 10/10 would do it again. 6:30 p.m. Today after work and class, I go home. Alex is playing drums in his school's concert tonight, so this is a good time for me to get some homework done ... or doodle in my notebooks while I scroll through Twitter. Sometimes, I illustrate how I want our apartment to look when we move in together a few years from now. I know I want a big bookshelf where he can keep all his books, and two desks for our school and work materials. Alex has his future writing career all planned out, with a list of internships and jobs he wants to have. I don't think I actually want to teach anymore, which is kind of stressful in the moment, but I'll figure it out. Alex's parents always say he won't go anywhere with writing, and my parents are annoyed at me for changing my mind about teaching. Our families don't exactly agree with our game plans, so it's relaxing being around Alex. We're each other's breath of fresh air. 9:15 a.m. More assistant-teaching at a kindergarten classroom. Ho hum. Today is Alex's actual birthday. I get way too excited about birthday celebrations, so the day drags on forever. Photo credit: Josie D'Anna 6:00 p.m. His parents offered to take him out to dinner, but he just wants his mom to make lasagna, his favorite meal. I hang out with his family at home, mostly just sitting back and watching them all interact, grinning like a dork because this is what I want my future to look like. At the end of the night, Alex and I fall asleep on the couch together in front of a movie. I hope life stays this way forever. This is the boy of my dreams - I can't imagine it any other way. Crush Diaries is a recurring Seventeen.com column where we give you a glimpse into the love lives of real girls - sometimes romantic, sometimes heartbreaking, always honest. Want to share a week in your life? Email yourstories@seventeen.com. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="I%20Never%20Expected%20to%20Find%20a%20Relationship%20HERE" customimages="" content="article.43063"] You Might Also Like Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico's government moved closer on Thursday to its goal of extraditing notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States by February, after a judge rejected an appeal. The attorney general's office said in a statement that a tribunal in Mexico City ruled against Guzman. But his lawyer immediately told AFP he would appeal the ruling to a higher court. The Foreign Ministry had approved the Sinaloa drug cartel chief's extradition in May, but his lawyers fought the decision in district court. The tribunal in the capital, which had been reviewing the case since September 26, "decided to reject the protection" sought by Guzman, the attorney general's office said. One of Guzman's lawyers, Andres Granados, said he would pick up court documents on Tuesday and from then he would have 10 business days to appeal to a "college" of judges. He also vowed to seek a Supreme Court hearing. "We are not defeated," Granados told AFP, adding that he could still take the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The lawyer said he suspects the government is seeking to violate Guzman's due process by speeding up his extradition. Guzman was recaptured in January, six months after his brazen escape from a maximum-security prison through a 1.5-kilometer (one-mile) tunnel that opened into his cell's shower. The national security chief, Renato Sales, said last week that the government hopes to extradite Guzman by January or February. - Extradite by year-end? - A US government official has told AFP that the extradition process could finish earlier, by the end of this year. Guzman is facing two extradition bids, one in California for drug distribution and another in Texas on charges that include murder and money laundering. Guzman's extradition would set up a major trial in the United States for the head of a cartel accused of providing tons of drugs to addicts in the United States while fueling violence in Mexico. Story continues Guzman was captured in February 2014 after 13 years on the lam, but he escaped a year later from a maximum-security prison near Mexico City, humiliating President Enrique Pena Nieto. After the slippery drug kingpin was recaptured in January in his northwestern home state of Sinaloa, Pena Nieto demanded his speedy extradition. The president had balked at extraditing Guzman before his July 2015 escape, preferring to put him on trial in Mexico. Guzman was returned to the same prison he had escaped from near Mexico City, but in May he was abruptly transferred to a penitentiary in Ciudad Juarez, a city bordering the US state of Texas. His name was again in the news earlier this week after a federal judge who had analyzed one of his appeals was shot in the head in broad daylight as he jogged in Metepec, near Mexico City. Another Guzman lawyer, Carlos Castillo, rejected any links between his client and the murder Monday. While the judge, Vicente Antonio Bermudez, had analyzed Guzman's case, he did not issue a ruling, Castillo said. Bermudez's court, based in the State of Mexico, also reviewed other cases related to drug traffickers. Mexico City (AFP) - Every time Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump said "Mexico" during their final presidential debate, pints of beer were raised at a restaurant south of the border called Pinche Gringo BBQ. Some 200 people watched the debate late Wednesday at the Mexican-American-owned barbecue joint in Mexico City whose name refers to an insult against Americans ("damn gringo"). The crowd was a mix of American expats and Mexicans, highlighting the deep interest and concerns that the US election has generated in Mexico -- especially after Trump caused so much anger with his anti-immigrant rhetoric. "I abhor him. This man has no respect," said Juana-Ines Abreu, a 77-year-old retired Mexican museum director, who sat with friends on one of the restaurant's long table benches. "What worries me is that he has awakened the 'ugly American,'" she said. "He's a xenophobe. He's a vulgar man. He's a dangerous man." During the "final pinche presidential debate" -- as a restaurant sign put it -- people were encouraged to raise their glass and cheer when Mexico was mentioned, which they obliged a handful of times. Clinton, the Democratic candidate and former secretary of state, clearly had more fans at "Pinche Gringo" than the New York Republican billionaire. - 'Bad hombres' - Some in the crowd laughed during the discussion on immigration when Trump used the Spanish word for man: "We have some bad 'hombres' here, and we're going to get them out" of the United States. But Aline Salazar, a 31-year-old Mexican communications and social media strategist, saw little humor there. "It goes back to the same point of intolerance and little openness to minorities," she said. The patrons booed when Trump called Clinton a liar but they raised their glasses and cheered when he triggered the key word by complaining that US jobs were fleeing to "Mexico." Story continues Clinton was applauded when she said that illegal immigrants were paying more federal income taxes than Trump, who has admitted to not paying them in around two decades. Dan Defossey, an American who co-owns Pinche Gringo with a Mexican partner, estimated that the crowd was about half Mexican, half American, at the restaurant, which serves dishes like barbecue ribs, brisket and macaroni and cheese, and has a brick wall decorated with wooden planks painted as the US flag. "This election is not important just to the US, it's vital to Mexico as well," Defossey said, noting that the peso has dropped or gone up according to how Trump has fared in opinion polls. "Mexicans are interested, just as much as we are." - Wall: 'Stupid idea' - Jorge Mondragon, a 32-year-old graphic designer, had beer during the debate, which inspired him at the end to draw an unhappy face and the phrase, in English, "Don't let that bastard be president." Trump is despised by many in this country for calling Mexican migrants rapists and drug dealers and demanding that their government pay for a giant wall across the border. But many Mexicans are also unhappy with their own president, Enrique Pena Nieto, for meeting with Trump in Mexico City in August and not forcefully condemning him during a joint press conference. Jose Manuel Ruiz, a 25-year-old lawyer who wore a "Hillary for president" T-shirt, said it was important for Mexicans like him to see the debate because "we have many links to the United States" thanks to immigration and economic ties. Ruiz was interested in the discussion about Supreme Court nomination -- a fairly domestic US issue -- but he had a dim view of Trump's wall idea. "It's a stupid idea. It's impossible to go through with it," he said, because the border is so massive and the project would be too expensive. But Clinton was not his first choice. Ruiz would have preferred her primary rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, to have won, but compared to Trump, "the least worst is Hillary Clinton." MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico has ordered the arrest of an outgoing state governor in the ruling party suspected of corruption, as well as one of his opposition contemporaries, the government said on Wednesday, as it seeks to quell public discontent about its record on graft. Attorney General Arely Gomez said an arrest warrant was issued for outgoing Veracruz governor Javier Duarte on suspicion of involvement in organized crime and money laundering, just a few days after he took a leave of absence from the job. The government also said it was seeking the arrest of Guillermo Padres, a member of the opposition center-right National Action Party battling allegations of corruption who governed the northwestern state of Sonora until last year. President Enrique Pena Nieto's credibility has been damaged by accusations he has been soft on corruption and he himself became embroiled in an embarrassing conflict-of-interest scandal in 2014 that included his wife and then-finance minister. Duarte, a member of Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), has become the most public face of the government's inability to silence its critics over graft, and party insiders have for weeks said that his arrest was imminent. Duarte's whereabouts are currently unknown, and Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong stressed he would be caught. "It's down to us to capture (him) now," he told local radio. "We've done it with others, and we'll do it with the two they're looking for now, the one from Sonora and the one from Veracruz." Attorney General Gomez was speaking at a news conference in the city of Acapulco when she announced the arrest order for Duarte, adding that warrants were also issued for nine of his associates. Two of them were arrested on Tuesday, she said. Duarte, who presided over a spike in gang violence and kidnappings in Veracruz, as well a doubling of state debt, has denied any wrongdoing. He could not be reached for comment. Duarte has not appeared in public since giving an interview on Mexican television last week. On Wednesday evening, the PRI said it would proceed with the process of expelling Duarte, calling him to testify before its justice committee next week. Two government officials said the attorney general's office was seeking Padres' arrest, but could not specify the charges. This month, the PAN provisionally stripped Padres of his party rights, citing outstanding investigations into suspected corruption. Padres could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Anahi Rama and Natalie Schachar; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Dave Graham and Richard Chang) This week is a big one for CBS Radio senior vice president of programming, Michael Martin. The San Francisco-based executive, who programs the company's national concerts, has arguably his biggest show of the year, We Can Survive, with Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Pitbull, G-Eazy and more set to perform at the Hollywood Bowl this Saturday. Oh, and CBS announced today that Martin has signed a multi-year contract extension with the company. Martin, who also serves as program director at San Francisco's Top 40 station KMVQ-FM, Hot AC station KLLC-FM and i CBS RADIO's Top 40 format captain, said it was an easy decision for him to renew at CBS. "The cool thing about CBS is my experience and what they let me do is we can do a couple of things all at once, like maybe all of our local stations can keep the integrity of their local brand and who they are, the audience that they talk to. While, at the same time, we get to build these cool national events that touch multi-markets, so we tap into both at the same time," he tells Billboard. The local aspect is a key ingredient for Martin, who argues that what makes and keeps terrestrial radio so relevant to listeners while media attention focuses on the streaming services. "[At] CBS we let our programmers program. I can oversee New York, but nobody knows New York better than the people that are there twenty-four-seven," he says. "As far as radio in general, we can get music a thousand different ways. But radio adds personality to it, we add a personal bond with the markets that we program to. And you can't get that with other services. Even with my phone I can create a 25-song playlist and play that, that's fine. But as I just land in L.A. and it's ninety degrees and I turn on the radio I know that my radio station is experiencing the same thing that I am, be it hot, be it cold, be it Wednesday, the week's not over yet. It can mirror what I'm experiencing and that, to me, is what radio does really well that other services can't do." For Martin there is a balance between the national and the local as he programs concerts such as We Can Survive, which is part of the national CBS docket, but based in L.A. and the annual The Night Before gig, which this year featured Metallica and Cage The Elephant, the evening before the Super Bowl. He feels the key is to make the show feel like a hometown gig. "It's a national show because every artist is an A-level artist," he says. "But, we know walking into the Hollywood Bowl, that audience is filled with Amp [97.1] listeners. So just thinking about the lineup and who goes with who and what kind of a flow should we have that night and just the general artists we look for, I'm sensitive to the fact I know Amp people are going to be in that crowd." From Esquire Yesterday afternoon, news broke that exactly three weeks before Election Day, Michael Moore was releasing a surprise film, Michael Moore in Trumpland. In an election season without Jon Stewart, where the late-night hosts who manage to secure interviews with Donald Trump coddle him, the collective excitement seemed to say: This is it. This is our Trump reckoning. Yet, Michael Moore in Trumpland was not about Donald Trump. Michael Moore in Trumpland turned out to be edited footage of solo shows Moore hosted on October 6 and 7 in Wilmington, Ohio, at the Murphy Theatre, a nearly 800-seat venue financially backed by conservative political commenter Glenn Beck (who endorsed Hillary Clinton for president a few days after filming). Moore said in a post-screening Q&A that in his estimation, half the crowd members were supporting Clinton, while the other half constituted Trump voters, undecided voters, former Bernie Sanders supporters, and those inclined to vote third party. "What the country doesn't need is to be told that Trump is a crazy and dangerous psychopath, sociopath, all of that," Moore said while introducing the film. "I think he has written and produced that movie, and it appears daily." In the election's final days, Moore is here to talk about Clinton, to get you excited about voting for Clinton, someone he has never voted for (he supported Sanders in his home state of Michigan's primary, and Barack Obama in 2008), despite a line in his 1996 book Downsize This! that reads, "Hillary Rodham is one hot shitkickin' feminist babe." [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="Michael%20Moore%20Just%20Announced%20a%20Surprise%20Trump%20Film" customimages="" content="article.49723"] Instead of bombast and vitriol, Moore addresses his Ohio audience with softness and gentility, vowing to make them feel comfortable despite the partisan backdrop. He achieves this through disarming humor, forcing the theater's Hispanic ushers to sit behind a faux brick wall and dispatching a drone to spy on the section where he has seated the Muslim attendees. He offers simple, hilarious solutions to some of the right's strongest criticisms, like, "If you don't support gay marriage, don't get gay married." Anticipating the question that concluded the second presidential debate, Moore calls on members of the audience to say nice things about Clinton, but only after he gives three compliments to George W. Bush (he did a good job raising his daughters, he allocated millions in AIDS relief to Africa, and he really loves his dogs). To counter older white male fears of electing a female president after a black president, he jokes that the country is on track for eight years of a gay president, then a transgender president, then a PETA-supporting president, then a hamster president. Story continues Before getting specific about reasons to support Clinton, Moore advocates for female leadership in general. "Not a single one of these school shootings are girls, are they?" he asks, enumerating how men vastly outnumber women as criminals. He airs an imagined news clip from January 2017, illustrating the destruction that would result if "the human Molotov cocktail" were elected president. Still, Moore is sympathetic to Trump voters, who feel like they've been on the receiving end of non-stop disappointments from the economy and the healthcare system. "What the country doesn't need is to be told that Trump is a crazy and dangerous psychopath. He has written and produced that movie, and it appears daily." Although Moore has qualms with Clinton, ranging from her vote on the Iraq War to her chumminess with Wall Street, Moore dismantles criticisms against her-likability, trustworthiness, etc.-one by one. People in the Ohio theater cry and stand up to applaud when Moore explains that in the last two decades, 1 million Americans died due to poor health insurance, a loss Moore defines as terrorism. Moore wants voters to be hopeful, like they were when voting for Obama in 2008, even going out on a limb to say that Clinton might be like Pope Francis-she may get into office and immediately begin signing progressive executive orders for the common good. But if Clinton doesn't prove herself within her first two years as commander-in-chief, Moore says-in a declaration that semi-cheapens his overall message-he will enter the presidential race for 2020, campaigning with Kanye West on a platform of free HBO for everyone and two joints delivered to your door every Friday, in a nation where only women can own guns. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="Laura%20Benanti%20Returns%20to%20Colbert%20as%20Melania%20Trump" customimages="" content="article.49757"] During the Q&A, Moore implored Clinton voters (probably those who write forSaturday Night Live in particular) to proceed with caution through November 8: "If you support Hillary Clinton and you've been doing this end zone dance and celebrating her early victory, you've been helping to defeat her... I've lived long enough to see Richard Nixon elected in this country, an actor whose co-star was a chimpanzee, W. after he got us into the war. There's a long tradition of Americans electing people who you don't think they're going to elect." Polling guarantees nothing, he stresses. Better to draw no early conclusions and get out the vote (Moore is working with theaters who want to screen the film outside of New York and Los Angeles, and he plans to make it available for viewers to stream from home). To Moore, November 8 is not about choosing the lesser of two evils. Americans have the opportunity to make history for the second time in eight years. On the final electoral map of 2016, Moore hopes to see 50 blue states. You Might Also Like You once said that you dont invest in any founder under the age of 27. Is the age cut-off real? Andrew Ross Sorkin pressed Sequoia Capital chairman Michael Moritz at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Wednesday. I deny ever saying that I only want to invest in people under 27 years old, retorted Moritz. But the best thing is to be educated by young people about something that you know nothing about, especially for a market that isnt apparent and isnt obvious. Moritz said he connects with millennials and now Gen Zers because they have an underdog sensibility that gets increasingly harder to possess as you grow older. Younger people can take risks and be entrepreneurial. There is so much value to being naive, he said. Sequoia Capital, known for its investments in PayPal (PYPL), YouTube (GOOG), Instagram (FB), and WhatsApp, is also invested in 5-year-old Zipline, which came out of stealth mode earlier this year. CEO Keller Rinaudo co-founded the company two years out of Harvard. Michael Moritz At the age of 18, 19 or 21, which is often when we intersect with people who start the most interesting companies, they have no idea how difficult it will be to run a company. When youre 35 there is a lot more at stake, said Moritz. Zipline delivers health care by drones and has begun dropping medical supplies in Rwanda. Moritz emphasized that hes bullish on startups like Zipline because its an industry he knew nothing about but was excited to learn about. If you can be educated about something thats improbable and seems highly unlikely, then youre better off and its worth your time thinking about it, said Moritz. He likens Zipline to Airbnb, which Sequoia backed in 2009, when it seemed like a service that no mainstream person would be interested in, according to Moritz. To us, its both the idea and the person. If a really distinctive individual is paired with the novel, interesting idea that lights up a market that doesnt seem to exist, then customers will follow, he added. Story continues Melody Hahm is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm. Read more: Top WaPo editor reveals how Jeff Bezos changed the paper 3 tech luminaries reveal what theyd do if they had a Trump donor on their board Why this female entrepreneur is endorsing Trump for president Jack Ma: I hope to create 100 million jobs Bonos daughter has developed a way to get into activism with one click Freelancers work more hours than the average American does How this 34-year-old became Americas newest billionaire By Anya George Tharakan and Jeffrey Dastin (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said sales of its flagship cloud product doubled in its first quarter, propelling earnings above analysts' estimates and sending its shares to an all-time high, breaking past a level hit in 1999 at the peak of the tech stock bubble. The company's shares have doubled since August 2013 with Chief Executive Satya Nadella restoring investor confidence by focusing on mobile and cloud computing rather than PCs. Long known for its Windows software, Microsoft has shifted focus to the cloud where it is dueling with larger rival Amazon.com Inc to control the still fledgling market. Its jump in revenue underscores how businesses around the world are turning to new applications in the cloud and leaving once critical software programs and other hardware in the dust. Shares of Microsoft rose as much as 6.2 percent to $60.79 in after-hours trading. They later pared gains to $60.43, still adding nearly $25 billion to its market value. The Redmond, Washington-based company said sales from its flagship cloud product Azure, which businesses can use to host their websites, apps or data, rose 116 percent. Revenue for its broader "Intelligent Cloud" business rose 8.3 percent to $6.38 billion, beating analysts' average estimate of $6.27 billion, according to research firm FactSet StreetAccount. "We are not just building or moving (clients') IT," Nadella said on an analyst call. Customers "are building new digital services for hyper scale. And that's what is probably unique in terms of what has changed year over year for us. "It's not just the Silicon Valley startups anymore; it is the core enterprise that is also becoming a digital company. And we are well-positioned to serve them," he said. The company forecast that sales for its Intelligent Cloud business will be between $6.55 billion and $6.75 billion in the current quarter, compared with $6.34 billion in the same period a year earlier. Story continues "Theres a huge runway for them to show growth," said Trip Chowdhry, managing director of Global Equities Research. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS Early investment in the cloud, coupled with machine learning and applications that can scale at different levels, have set Microsoft and Amazon Web Services apart from smaller rivals - and precipitated the decline of older software companies, Chowdhry said. Microsoft had an effective monopoly on computing software in the 1990s and was for some time the worlds most valuable publicly traded company. But its power waned in the 2000s after a bruising battle with the U.S. Department of Justice over how it used its monopoly power to squeeze competitors. Co-founder Bill Gates stepped down as CEO early in 2000 and Microsoft spent the next decade and a half in a strategic dilemma as it clung to its PC-centric view of the computing world while it was outflanked by Google in the internet and Apple Inc in smartphones. Earlier this year, Nadella made headlines when he orchestrated Microsoft's biggest-ever deal, agreeing in June to buy the social network for professionals LinkedIn Corp for $26.2 billion. But the focus on mobile applications and the cloud's blockbuster growth masked dips in sales for other units of the company in the quarter. Worldwide PC shipments fell 3.9 percent in the quarter ended Sept. 30, according to research firm IDC, although that was much less than the 7.1 percent it had previously estimated. Revenue in the unit that includes Windows software and the company's struggling mobile business fell 1.8 percent to $9.29 billion. Microsoft forecast the division will have sales of up to $11.6 billion in the current quarter - well below the $12.7 billion it posted for the unit a year earlier. The decline in Lumia smartphone sales was a "blemish," said Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy, albeit an expected one. "At some point that Windows number needs to start to rise, but given market declines, its hard to expect that," he said. Including deferred revenue from Windows 10, Microsoft earned 76 cents per share in the just-ended first fiscal quarter of 2017, beating analysts' average estimate of 68 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. On an adjusted basis, Microsoft reported revenue of $22.33 billion, above the average estimate of $21.71 billion. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Additional reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Bernard Orr) Mila Kunis showed off her blossoming baby bump in the cutest way with Ashton Kutcher Celebrity couple of our teenage dreams Jackie Burkhart and Michael Kelso oops! make that Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are already married, parents to daughter Wyatt Isabelle, and are expecting their second baby sometime very soon. You probably knew all of that if youre Ashton and Mila #shippers, but you might not know that the too-cute-to-be-true pair took in a Los Angeles Dodgers game last night where they announced the teams starting lineup wearing tons of Dodgers gear, of course and Mila let the world see her growing baby bump. While the pair was fairly private about their first pregnancy, and even about the start of their relationship, theyre sharing their second pregnancy with fans and we couldnt be happier! Just look at how happy Mila was last night: MLB: OCT 19 NLCS Game 4 - Cubs at Dodgers Shes glowing! And the lovebirds were having so. much. fun. on the field together. NLCS - Chicago Cubs v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Four Go Dodgers! (They won, btw.) Plus, there was this excessively cute moment. NLCS - Chicago Cubs v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Four And this pinnacle of in-love adorableness. NLCS - Chicago Cubs v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Four Cue the heart-eye emojis! So all in all, wed say it was a pretty good night. Kunis recently said that shes already considering baby number three. She told Ryan Seacrest, I always say after the second one, well know if we need to have another one. I really do believe you know when your family is complete. We certainly wouldnt be mad at another 70s Show spawn! Congrats to this sweet pair and we wish you all the best. The post Mila Kunis showed off her blossoming baby bump in the cutest way with Ashton Kutcher appeared first on HelloGiggles. Sydney (AFP) - A new super-detailed hydrogen map of the Milky Way could help explain the mystery of how galaxies form, Australian and German scientists behind the project said Thursday. The decade-long HI4PI project, which used the world's largest steerable radio telescopes, provides an in-depth view of all the hydrogen gas in and around the galaxy that contains our solar system. "We've basically put together a very complex map of hydrogen gases associated with our own Milky Way," Australian team leader Naomi McClure-Griffiths, a professor from the Australian National University, told AFP. "Hydrogen is the most basic element, it's what everything is made from, and what we have achieved will help us understand better how galaxies form." The study used telescopes in Parkes, Australia and Effelsberg, Germany to map neutral hydrogen, the most abundant element in space and the main component of stars and galaxies. It 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," McClure-Griffiths said, adding that her research group was now using the data map to answer bigger 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. University of Bonn astronomer Juergen Kerp said the project required more than a million individual observations and about 10 billion individual data points, significantly improving on previous work on the issue. Although neutral hydrogen is fairly easy to detect with modern radio telescopes, mapping the whole sky was a significant achievement, he added. "Radio 'noise' caused by mobile phones and broadcast stations pollute the faint emissions coming from stars and galaxies in the universe," said Kerp. Story continues "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." Staveley-Smith said the new map would help with future work to be undertaken by the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) super radio telescope, which is expected to be partially operational from 2020. Australia and South Africa were picked in 2012 to jointly host the SKA project, billed as being 50 times more powerful than present radio telescopes. It will be used to explore exploding stars, black holes, dark energy and traces of the universe's origins some 14 billion years ago. The international TV business used to be so simple. A U.S. network would make a show, bankrolling it against the world's largest television market, and when it was done, bring it to the international television market MIPCOM in Cannes to sell around the world. The best series would make millions in profits from sales to Germany, France and the U.K., among others. Even the stinkers would usually come out with a nice top-off to their domestic business. But as TV producers and broadcasters return home from this year from MIPCOM, which wraps up Thursday, it's clear things have changed. Read more: MIPCOM: Shonda Rhimes Celebrated as Personality of the Year An unprecedented boom in demand for television drama worldwide - driven both by traditional networks and online services including Netflix and Amazon - has led to an explosion in production, with upwards of 400 scripted shows set to come out this year from the U.S. alone. For the biggest, and best, shows, the money is better than ever. A upcoming study by analysts IHS Markit, whose findings were released in summary form this week, showed that broadcasters and online streaming platforms worldwide shelled out a record $83 billion for programming last year. Netflix and Amazon alone have more than doubled their annual programming budgets over the last three years, with Netflix spending $4.9 billion on original and acquired shows last year and Amazon $2.67 billion. "The levels of investment we are seeing from Netflix and Amazon are only topped by Disney (at $11.84 billion) and NBC ($10.27 billion)," said Tim Westcott, senior principal analyst at IHS Technology. But increased demand has meant increased cost as the best talent, fielding multiple offers, up their quotes. "Right now as we go into development season, we're seeing writers being offered incredibly lucrative deals," said Stuart Baxter, president of eOne Television International, whose MIPCOM slate this year includes freshman series Designated Survivor and Conviction from ABC and returning global mega hit The Walking Dead. "What this means is that the big U.S. shows are getting more and more expensive to produce. If you get $2 million an episode from international sales these days - which used to be considered a big deal - it won't even cover the deficit on most shows. The risks are growing." Story continues "There's a lot of drama being produced but not all of it is being monetized equally," noted Armando Nunez, president and CEO at CBS Global Distribution Group, whose shows, particularly long-running procedurals such as NCIS or new entrants including MacGyver and Bull, are among the most successful on the global marketplace. "There are quite a few series that will end up with big deficits." Read more: 'Bull': TV Review At the moment, Nunez says the increase in demand - especially from new digital and online platforms - is keeping the boom going. "I don't see [a crash] coming yet," he said. "You can see from the market at MIPCOM this year that there's a vibrancy, a demand for all types of genres." But as production costs continue to rise, producers are having to become more creative to get their shows made. Increasingly, international television is beginning to resemble the indie film business. Producers are coming to MIPCOM with scripts and talent "packages" looking for partners to pre-buy their as-yet-unmade series. "If you always stick to the traditional production model, it is difficult [to deficit finance]," said Ira Levy, president and executive producer at Breakthrough Films & Television, which was selling Anne of Green Gables, its PBS miniseries starring Martin Sheen, at MIPCOM. The financing models for the new shows on offer at MIPCOM are as varied and complex as the some of the series' plotlines. Entertinament One's Ransom, for example, a crime procedural about a hostage negotiation team, was co-commissioned by networks in Germany (RTL), France (TF1) and Canada (Corus) before getting a U.S. network on board in the form of CBS, which will likely air the show in an off-season slot in the summer. RTL and TF1 are developing more procedurals, using the same business model, with NBCUniversal. HBO has partnered with European pay players Sky and France's Canal Plus on The Young Pope, a Vatican-set drama from Oscar winner Paolo Sorrentino starring Jude Law, which has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its European bow later this year. Amazon and Netflix are increasingly partnering on international shows, taking global rights on locally made series, as Netflix did with German spy drama The Same Sky (which premiered at MIPCOM), and El Chema, the Mexican crime drama from Telemundo inspired by real-life drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Amazon recently came on board to greenlight a second season of critically acclaimed German series Deutschland 83, taking first-window online rights for the Cold War-set drama in Germany with production costs offset with an array of international deals, including with SundanceTV in the U.S. and Canal Plus in France. Read more: MIPCOM: Amazon Germany Orders Second Season for 'Deutschland 83' "Creativity in finance structuring is becoming as important as creativity itself," said Charlotte Walls of Catalyst Global Media, a Brit-based production and financing group. Producers and networks from around the world continue to warn of "Peak TV," the fear that the supply of great TV series has already outstripped demand and that the drama bubble is about to burst. That crash may still be coming, but as another MIPCOM wraps up, the global TV market is looking bigger, and more lucrative, than ever before. Etan Vlessing and Rhonda Richford contributed to this report. Read more: MIPCOM: Diversity Sells, Sony and Viacom Executives Say Rolling off the critically acclaimed dystopian drama series Trepalium, Paris-based Kelija is reteaming with Franco-German network Arte on Ad Vitam, a second science fiction series which will be directed by Love at First Fight helmer Thomas Cailley. Ad Vitam will mark the second episode of the anthology which kicked off with Trepalium, which is one of the rare high-concept science fiction series made in France. Trepalium takes place in a future where 80% of people are unemployed and form a widespread uprising against the remaining 20%, who live luxurious, secluded lives. Dealing with aging and artificial youth rather than unemployment, Ad Vitam is set in a futuristic, imaginary seaside city, where almost everyone looks young in spite of the fact that the average age is 83. A regenerating science has been found, allowing people to gradually achieve immortality but causing the real youth to feel alienated, explained Katia Rais, who is producing at Kelija, which is owned by Lagardere. A six-part miniseries budgeted at 6 million Euros, Ad Vitam will center on the suicide of seven young people and the subsequent investigation led by a cop and a young woman. Ad Vitam depicts a society where diseases have disappeared, where people can stay young and healthy forever, and where happiness is a cult, which is why the mass suicide that occurs creates a trauma and reveals the cracks in this picture-perfect world, said Rais, who added that the series will have a strange atmosphere and a retro-futuristic look. Cailley, whose last film Love at First Fight won prizes at Canness Directors Fortnight and multiple Cesar awards, penned the script with Sebastien Mounier, who co-wrote Trepalium. Rais attended Mipcom to present the project to potential partners, and said Netflix has expressed interest in the anthology. While Trepalium was repped internationally by Lagardere Studios Distribution, Kelija is keeping its options open with Ad Vitam. Story continues The series will shoot in French with well-known actors, pointed out Rais, who is currently casting. Kalija is also developing a third series which will be part of the anthology. Related stories Mipcom: Fox's Marion Edwards Receives Variety Vanguard Award (PHOTO GALLERY) Mipcom: Shonda Rhimes on Being a 'Witch' and Same-Sex Love Scenes on TV Lagardere's New Imagissime Banner Develops Internationally Driven Documentaries Voters who mail in their absentee ballots have an earlier deadline to do so this year under a new state law that took effect last month. Under the law the absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8, in order to count. Previously, mail-in absentee ballots had to be postmarked by Election Day and received by a clerks office by 4 p.m. on the next Friday. The new law is one of a handful of changes to voting rules that could trip up some of the half-million to a million people in the state who only turn out to vote once every four years for presidential elections. The most substantial change for them will be the new voter ID requirement, which critics fear will cause long lines on Election Day and result in some eligible voters being turned away at the polls. Supporters say the requirement will prevent voter fraud, though incidents of illegal voter impersonation are exceptionally rare. The new deadline for absentee ballots could catch the most stalwart voters by surprise because it wasnt in effect during the August primary. The law was enacted in March, but it wasnt set to take effect until September. Elections officials are advising people to mail their ballots at least six days ahead of time, said Andrea Kaminski, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. Reid Magney, spokesman for the state Elections Commission, urged mail-in absentee voters to send in their ballots as soon as possible, and definitely no later than Nov. 1. The post office can take up to one week to deliver mail now, and their vote is too valuable to risk to a late mailing because it has to be at the clerks office on Election Day, Magney said. Anyone can request an absentee ballot by email or fax after a federal judge struck down a law limiting such requests to overseas and military voters. Clerks must respond to a request within one business day, which is a change from previous law that required a response within one day forcing clerks to work on weekends. A new law requires a witness to sign and include an address on absentee ballots. The Elections Commission on Tuesday advised clerks to complete the address if it can be determined or otherwise do whatever is necessary to ensure the ballot counts, said Chris Astrella, president of the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association. The photo ID requirement, though adopted prior to the 2012 election, had been set aside until last year, when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review an appellate courts decision to allow the law. The law was in place for the February primary, April election and August primary. Voters must present a valid photo ID at the polls. Examples include a valid drivers license, an identification card issued by the Department of Transportation, a passport, a military ID, a tribal ID, an unexpired veterans ID, a certification of naturalization issued within two years of the election or a qualifying student ID. The ID doesnt have to include a current address, and expired student IDs are also acceptable, under a recent court ruling. Those without a photo ID can apply for a free voting ID at a Division of Motor Vehicles location. For those lacking certain documentation, such as a birth certificate, the DMV must issue a receipt within six days that can also be used for voting while a request for ID is being processed. Other election law changes since 2012 include bringing closer the buffer zones where election observers are allowed to stand in polling places. Observers must be allowed as close as 3 feet and no farther than 8 feet from where voters sign in and in some cases register to vote. Previously observers could be kept a few feet farther away from those tables. The buffer zone law was adopted in 2014. Recently, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has claimed the election could be rigged, raising the potential that his supporters will be more actively involved in observing polling locations. Cindy Cepress, president of the Wisconsin County Clerks Association, said the processes used to protect the integrity of the Nov. 8 election are the same as those used in previous elections. The same processes, the same guidance, the same procedures are used in every election to ensure the integrity, Cepress said. To question the integrity of this election versus a February primary is ludicrous. Also new this year, write-in candidates will only be counted if they are pre-registered with the state Elections Board. Evan McMullin, a third-party candidate polling neck-and-neck with Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in Utah, will not be on the Wisconsin ballot, but he is one of four candidates registered as a valid write-in. Early voting options are also expanded this year after a federal judge struck down the states limitations on when and where clerks can conduct in-person absentee voting. Hours and availability vary by municipality. As of Thursday, 202,720 absentee ballots had been cast, according to the Elections Commission. An additional 67,118 ballots had been requested but not returned. Of those returned, almost 31,000 are from Dane County. By Naomi Tajitsu and Maki Shiraki TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co Ltd said on Thursday it had completed a deal to take a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp, and would be retaining the embattled automaker's chief executive in a bid to help it recover from a mileage cheating scandal. Japan's No. 2 automaker has agreed to make a 237 billion yen ($2.29 billion) investment to acquire 34 percent of Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T), making it the single largest shareholder in its smaller peer and giving it enough of a stake to wield control under Japanese shareholding rules. The deal offers Mitsubishi a lifeline after the automaker earlier this year admitted to overstating the mileage on some of its cars, while Nissan is hoping to capitalize on Mitsubishi's strong presence in developing Asian countries to lift its lagging market share there. Mitsubishi Motors becomes a member of the alliance between Nissan and French automaker Renault (RENA.PA), resulting in combined annual vehicle sales of 10 million, making it among the top three automotive groups by sales volumes and enabling the three companies to leverage their scale to reduce costs. Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors said their partnership would generate synergies in areas including purchasing and plant utilization, adding they would jointly develop automated driving technologies and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Pending shareholder approval, Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of both Nissan and Renault, will lead the board of Mitsubishi Motors, while Osamu Masuko will remain the company's president and CEO despite calls earlier this year by some shareholders for him to resign to take responsibility for falsifying the mileage on its vehicles. Ghosn said keeping Masuko on was an "important condition" in proceeding with the partnership, adding all management decisions would be made by Masuko. "One of the reasons that I so much wanted Mr. Masuko to stay as CEO was because I wanted the people at Mitsubishi to know that Mitsubishi will remain Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi will not become a subsidiary of Nissan," he told a joint briefing. Story continues "This sends a strong message that it's not Nissan that's going to transform Mitsubishi, it's Mitsubishi that's going to transform Mitsubishi." FROM SCANDAL TO RECOVERY Nissan is dispatching some of its executives to Mitsubishi to improve its management system, nearly two decades after Ghosn executed a turnaround plan for Nissan which included plant closures and thousands of layoffs when Renault took a controlling stake in the then ailing automaker in 1999. Masuko will share the top leadership position with current Nissan Chief Competitive Officer Hiroto Saikawa, while Mitsubishi Motors' chief operating officer will also come from Nissan. Pooling resources and eliminating duplicate operations would result in estimated annual cost savings of 24 billion yen in 2017 for Nissan, the company said, rising to 60 billion yen in 2018. Mitsubishi said it expected annual savings of 25 billion yen. The companies also plan to share technology and production platforms, while also streamlining parts procurement to keep costs down. Ghosn warned this may be "bad news" for Mitsubishi's "not so competitive suppliers". Nissan stands to capitalize on Mitsubishi's strength in developing Asian countries, where Nissan has been struggling to increase its market share. Around one-third of Mitsubishi's global sales come from the rest of Asia - excluding Japan - with a focus on countries including Thailand and the Philippines. "We're not happy with our performance in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries," Ghosn said. "I think the collaboration with Mitsubishi will help us in many areas to shore up our own level of competitiveness there." Nissan first announced in May its intention to take a controlling stake in Mitsubishi after Mitsubishi admitted to falsifying the mileage of four minivehicle models, including two made for Nissan. Mitsubishi Motors blamed poor communication, lax governance and internal pressure for its lack of compliance after it was found in August to have overstated the mileage of eight additional models. As Nissan becomes the dominant stake holder in Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi's group companies - trading house Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd [MTFGTU.UL] - will see their combined stake diluted to around 17 percent, from about 34 percent before the deal was announced. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu and Maki Shiraki; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Mark Potter) Paris (AFP) - The creation of primitive stone tools has long been hailed as a landmark in the human odyssey -- but should our species' much-trumpeted smartness take all the credit? Scientists observing wild-bearded capuchin monkeys in Brazil discovered that when the animals hammered away at stones, they unintentionally created rough flakes similar to those first used as tools by human forerunners. Unlike hominins -- early humans and their close primate relatives -- the monkeys do not use the shards for tools. But the discovery, published on Wednesday in the science journal Nature, raises questions about how humans realised stone flakes could be useful. "These findings challenge previous ideas about the minimum level of cognitive and morphological complexity" needed to produce stone shards, lead author Tomos Proffitt of Oxford University said. "It raises the possibility that stone flaking may have been invented separately by different species," Proffitt told AFP in an email exchange. It calls into question whether stone tools emerged as an "intentional step" or simply as the by-product of bashing rocks together, he said. Co-author Michael Haslam, also of Oxford University, said the findings could have an impact on the story of human evolution. "The emergence of sharp-edged stone tools that were fashioned and hammered to create a cutting tool was a big part of that story," he said. - Spanner in works - "The fact that we have discovered monkeys can produce the same result does throw a bit of a spanner in the works in our thinking on evolutionary behaviour and how we attribute such artefacts." Haslam emphasised, though: "While humans are not unique in making this technology, the manner in which they used them is still very different to what the monkeys seem capable of." An explanatory video showing the capuchin behaviour can be seen . Proffitt also stressed the findings do not cast doubt upon the uniqueness of stone tools. Story continues "The levels of complexity that we see, even with the earliest hominin stone tool technology, is much more than what is observed with the capuchin material," he said. In fact researchers have been observing the capuchins and their stone-bashing for years, with a first study published in 2007. But "nobody was particularly interested in the material remains" of that behaviour, Proffitt told AFP. His team used archaeological techniques to investigate the primates' activity, which led them to see a nascent similarity with tool flakes. "It's not surprising that this material has not been looked at before, because people weren't really looking for it," he said. Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande warned Thursday that Islamic State jihadists under attack in the Iraqi city of Mosul are already fleeing to Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. "We can't afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa," Hollande told an international conference in Paris. MAPUTO (Reuters) - Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has appointed businesswoman Leticia Klemens as his new energy minister, just weeks after Maputo and Italy's Eni signed a 20-year deal to sell BP liquefied natural gas (LNG). Mozambique's official news agency AIM said Klemens was chairwoman of Mozambique's largest commercial bank, the International Bank of Mozambique, and also headed the Association of Mozambican Businesswomen. Her predecessor Pedro Couto was removed in late September and appointed as president of Mozambique's Cahora Bassa hydroelectric power company. The southern African state discovered offshore gas reserves six years ago amounting to some 85 trillion cubic feet, one of the largest finds in a decade and enough to supply Germany, Britain, France and Italy for nearly two decades. Eni and Mozambique should by the end of this year reach a final investment decision on a project to build a floating offshore platform with a capacity to produce 3.3 million tonnes a year of LNG from gas in the Coral South field. The Coral field is part of the huge reserves discovered six years ago in the Area 4 concession off the Mozambican coast. (Writing by Ed Stoddard, editing by David Evans) By Tiisetso Motsoeneng and Camillus Eboh JOHANNESBURG/ABUJA (Reuters) - The amount of money which South Africa's MTN Group (MTNJ.J) is alleged to have illegally moved out of Nigeria is "mind boggling", a Nigerian lawmaker said on Thursday at the start of a parliamentary investigation into the telecoms company. He did not specify what the alleged amount might be. Nigeria's upper house of parliament agreed last month to investigate whether the company unlawfully repatriated $13.92 billion between 2006 and 2016. MTN shares fell 3.2 percent to more than six-year lows after Bloomberg quoted a senator as saying the amount could be "outrageously higher". The shares later pared some losses. The accusations of illegal money transfers were denied by MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Ferdi Moolman, who appeared at the hearing. "MTN categorically denies all suggestions that its bankers in strict violation of the FEMM Act (Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Act) and Foreign Exchange Manual, repatriated $13.92 billion illegally out of Nigeria," said Moolman. The allegation is the latest setback for Africa's biggest telecoms firm in its most lucrative but increasingly most problematic market, coming months after it agreed to pay a greatly reduced fine of 330 billion naira ($1.08 billion) to end a long running dispute over unregistered SIM cards. MTN officials, Nigeria's trade minister and four lenders were due to appear at the parliamentary hearing, which started on Thursday. "It is not what we can sweep under the carpet. We intend to get to the bottom of the fact, all of the fact, nothing but the fact," said Olusola Adeyeye, a senator, reading out a statement from Senate leader Bukola Saraki, said at the start of hearing. Dino Melaye, the senator who first made the allegations in a motion passed by lawmakers last month, said he raised the issue "as a patriotic Nigerian, a whistleblower and an anti-corruption crusader", adding that he stood by the allegations. Story continues MTN is the largest mobile network operator in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and has the continent's biggest economy. The country accounts for a third of MTN's revenue. It follows a row between South African hotel and gaming group Sun International (SUIJ.J) and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over its investment in a hotel operator in Lagos. The disagreement caused Sun International to pull out of Nigeria in August. Rafiu Ibrahim, chairman of Nigeria's senate investigative panel on alleged illegal repatriation of funds, said on Wednesday that a team of international and local accountancy experts and lawyers had been assembled to look into the matter. "Investors are nervous with what's happening with Nigeria purely because the past history has shown us that typically the government tends to move the goal posts," Independent Securities trader Ryan Woods said. ($1 = 304.5000 naira) (Additional reporting by Ulf Laessing in Lagos; editing by Jason Neely and David Evans) We expect Murphy Oil Corporation MUR to beat expectations when it reports third-quarter 2016 results before the market opens on Oct 27. Last quarter, this oil and gas company reported a positive surprise of 12.20%. On an average, the company has recorded a positive earnings surprise of 23.62% over the four trailing quarters. Why a Likely Positive Surprise? Our proven model shows that Murphy Oil is likely to beat estimates because it has the right combination of two key ingredients. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold) to be able to beat estimates and Murphy Oil has the right mix. Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate of a loss of 19 cents and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 22 cents, is pegged at +13.64%. This is a meaningful and leading indicator of a likely positive surprise. Zacks Rank: Murphy Oil currently carries a Zacks Rank #3, which when combined with a positive ESP, makes us reasonably confident of a positive surprise this quarter. Conversely, we caution against Sell-rated stocks (#4 or #5) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. MURPHY OIL Price and EPS Surprise MURPHY OIL Price and EPS Surprise | MURPHY OIL Quote Factors to Consider Murphy Oil expects third-quarter production levels in the range of 167,500 to 169,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/d). This figure takes into account Murphy Oils joint ventures with Athabasca Oil Corporation, which provide the company access to Kaybob Duvernay and liquid-rich Placid Montney, as well as the divestiture of its interest in Syncrude. The company is expected to benefit from its cost-saving initiatives in the third quarter. Moreover, Murphy Oil is streamlining its operations through a systematic non-core asset divestment strategy, which we believe, will boost its performance. Other Stocks to Consider Murphy Oil is not the only oil and gas company looking up this earnings season. We see likely earnings beats coming from these companies as well: Comstock Resources Inc. CRK is expected to release third-quarter 2016 results on Nov 8, before the market opens. The company has an Earnings ESP of +11.54% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here Concho Resources Inc. CXO has an Earnings ESP of +10.53% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to release third-quarter 2016 results after the market closes on Nov 8. Diamondback Energy, Inc. FANG has an Earnings ESP of +5.88% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to release third-quarter 2016 results on Nov 1. 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 COMSTOCK RESOUR (CRK): Free Stock Analysis Report CONCHO RESOURCS (CXO): Free Stock Analysis Report MURPHY OIL (MUR): Free Stock Analysis Report DIAMONDBACK EGY (FANG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Narcos is beefing up its roster for season three. The Netflix drug cartel drama has added Michael Stahl-David (Show Me a Hero) and New Zealand actor Matt Whelan as series regulars, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Stahl-David will play Chris Feistl, a young American DEA agent who sought out assignment to Colombia as the drug trade shifts to the Cali Cartel's takeover in the wake of Pablo Escobar's death. Whelan will play his partner, Daniel Van Ness. Feistl is described as being the more straight-edge and serious agent of the two. Stahl-David and Whelan join Pedro Pascal, who will reprise his role as DEA agent Javier Pena, half of the show's previously leading buddy-cop duo. The second season signaled a shift in the series when it delivered the death of Medellin cartel kingpin Escobar, bringing about the exit of series star Wagner Moura. The finale set up a likely return for Pena as it shifted its aim to hunting the new cartel in charge, Cali, but it left the return of his partner, Steve Murphy (played by Boyd Holbrook) up in the air. With the filming of the third season underway in Colombia, Netflix confirmed Pascal's return Oct. 12 with a season-three photo of the actor in character (below). "The blow must go on. Pablo might be dead but the war is not over," the series tweeted from its official account. Narcos has yet to confirm the return of Holbrook, who will next appear as a big-screen villain in the third Wolverine movie, Logan. Courtesy of Netflix "There's many conversations going on about all of this stuff so we're letting it play out," Holbrook told THR last month about his return. The actor remained vague when asked if he thought the show could continue on without the Murphy-Pena duo at the heart of the first two seasons. "Well, there's so many anchors in this show," he said. "It's just really interesting how every character works off each other and I think that's really where you're going to see the show evolve, is creating these new relationships." Story continues Real DEA agents Javier Pena and Steve Murphy served as series consultants on the first two seasons. While showrunner Eric Newman described the plot as 50-50 when it comes to fiction and nonfiction, he told THR that they do stick to the true chronology of events. In reality, both Pena and Murphy left Colombia shortly after they brought down Escobar in December 1992. In a conversation with THR about the series, Murphy indicated that he had little involvement in the real hunt for Cali and teased the arrival of the new agents: "The agent who was there when the Cali Cartel was taken down, I think you'll see him in season three." Read more: 'Narcos' Boss Breaks Down Pablo Escobar's Death and Looks Ahead to Seasons 3 and 4 As confirmed by Newman ahead of the second-season premiere, the death of Escobar brings about a new villain for the third and potentially fourth season (the show received a two-season renewal shortly after its second-season release). Instead of one mastermind, however, Cali is run by a network of villains. Additional casting is expected to be announced for the rebooted drama. "Unlike Escobar, who had positioned himself as an outlaw, Cali was very much a part of the system," Newman told THR about the different kind of enemy. There are four Cali godfathers in charge: Rodriguez brothers Gilberto (Damian Alcazar) and Miguel (Francisco Denis), Pacho Herrera (Alberto Ammann) and a fourth named "Chepe" who has yet to enter the Narcos universe. "While Escobar was a single-cell organism, they were a complex, multicelled organism," said Newman. Stahl-David was most recently seen as Jim Surdoval in HBO's miniseries Show Me a Hero. He also played one of the Donelly brothers on NBC's short-lived drama The Black Donnellys. The actor is repped by ICM Partners as well as Greenlight Management and Production. Whelan is best known for the New Zealand dramedy Go Girls. He is repped by Paradigm in the U.S. Read more: 7 Burning Questions for 'Narcos' Season 3 By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA's Juno spacecraft lost its main computer and science instruments shortly before it was due to make an orbital pass near Jupiter on Wednesday, scuttling highly anticipated close-up observations of the largest planet in the solar system. The U.S. space agency said the glitch followed an unrelated problem last week that prompted it to skip firing Junos braking engine, to steer the probe into a tighter regular orbit around Jupiter. Juno's computer restarted after Wednesday's shutdown and the spacecraft was "healthy," NASA said in a statement. Juno reached Jupiter in July for a 20-month study to learn how and where the giant, gas planet formed, setting the stage for the evolution and development of Earth and the rest of the planets in the solar system. During Wednesday's flyby, scientists had planned to begin using Juno's instruments to peer beneath Jupiters thick clouds and map its gargantuan magnetic fields. But the loss of the ship's main computer, 13 hours before the close encounter, put the observation plans on hold until at least Dec. 11, when the spacecraft makes its next close pass by Jupiter, NASA said. The cause of the computer outage is under investigation. NASA also is analyzing the unrelated propulsion system issue. NASA had hoped to shift Juno into a tighter orbit around Jupiter so it could fly close more often. Those plans are now on hold. Lead scientist Scott Bolton, with the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, said the mission goals are not impacted by Juno's orbit, since critical measurements are taken whenever the spacecraft flies close to Jupiter. "The worst-case scenario is I have to be patient and get the science slowly, he told reporters during a webcast news conference at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, California. (Reporting by Irene Klotz at Cape Canaveral; Editing by Tom Brown) By Dan Burns and Daniel Bases (Reuters) - The top elected official in one of the wealthiest U.S. counties, his wife and another local official were indicted on Thursday, charged with corruption, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, his wife Linda and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto were arrested in connection with a 13-count federal indictment on charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services fraud, extortion and making statements. Prosecutors allege that Mangano and Venditto, "together with others, engaged in a scheme to solicit and receive bribes and kickbacks from Co-conspirator #1" in exchange for performing official actions, including guaranteeing of loans and awarding of contracts. "Yet again, we announce a breach of trust by two of our public officials," said Robert Capers, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Co-conspirator No. 1, who was not identified, owned 30 businesses, including restaurants in nearby Queens, New York, and operates food concessions for Nassau County agencies, authorities said. Linda Mangano was paid $450,000 between 2010 and 2014 for doing little to no work for co-conspirator #1, the prosecutors alleged. Mangano's attorney could not be immediately reached. Video from WABC television in New York showed the Manganos leaving their home in the Long Island town of Bethpage Thursday morning and entering awaiting vehicles. "I plan on giving my own press conference. Let's see what they are saying, and I will be happy to respond. That's all I can say right now," Mangano told WABC before he and his wife got into the vehicles. Mangano, a Republican, is the top elected official in Nassau County, one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, situated just east of New York City on Long Island. It is among the top 50 wealthiest counties in the United States. Story continues The county's finances have been in disarray for years and are subject to a state-operated oversight board. Prosecutors and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation unsealed the 20-page indictment on Thursday. Federal agents used two search-and-seizure warrants for Mangano's residence and office. Mangano's arrest marks the latest in a string of corruption cases brought by federal prosecutors against local officials on Long Island. Prosecutors recently won convictions against the former chief of police for neighboring Suffolk County and the head of the Suffolk Conservative Party. "Public corruption wastes countless tax dollars every year, threatens the credibility of governmental institutions, and opens the door for further criminal activity," said William Sweeney, FBI assistant director in charge. The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) will form a task force to address the social ills of gambling, in the wake of the governments decision to allow online gambling. It will also work with the Roman Catholic Church and other faith communities in this arena, while monitoring the online gambling situation closely. The NCCS made the announcement on Wednesday (19 October) in a letter to its members, which was signed by its president Bishop Rennis Ponniah and general secretary Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian. NCCS represents more than 120 churches and Christian organisations of different denominations in Singapore. Earlier this month, the Council had issued a statement saying that the governments decision to allow Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club to provide online betting services was sending conflicting and confusing signals. Following the statement, NCCS representatives had a candid and important face-to-face discussion with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family, said the Council in its latest letter. While acknowledging that the governments decision on online gambling was a judgement call based on its studies on the social impact of gambling, NCCS expressed its reservations on the matter. This is because research on this area is still nascent, and statistics often do not tell the whole story. The personal and social impacts of gambling, however, are often much deeper and more profound, said the Council. NCCS said that authorities had expressed willingness to proactively strengthen the family and our social fabric to mitigate the harmful effects of gambling. The government has proposed meeting with NCCS leaders within the next six months, NCCS added. Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin told Parliament on 10 October that while the government tries to track gambling rates in Singapore through surveys, it is not able to ascertain the exact number of people who place bets online. Apart from setting up the Task Force, NCCS said it plans to publish a tract on gambling for teaching and discussion, which will be given to every church member. Last week, the Catholic Church in Singapore also expressed concerns about a gambling culture deepening in the country. Brussels (AFP) - British warships on Thursday shadowed a Russian aircraft carrier battle group through the North Sea as NATO voiced fears the powerful force could soon join in attacks on Syria's besieged city of Aleppo. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would monitor the eight-ship force in "a responsible and measured" way as it headed to the Mediterranean, the latest cat-and-mouse encounter in two years of Cold-War style tensions. "We are concerned Russia's carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which increase human and civilian suffering," Stoltenberg said at North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters in Brussels. "This group may be used to... increase attacks on Aleppo," the former Norwegian premier told a press conference after talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Stoltenberg said NATO was also concerned about Russia's "continuing destabilisation" of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow-backed rebels are battling Ukrainian government forces two years after what he reiterated as Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. European Union leaders also meeting in the Belgian capital meanwhile warned Russia that they will consider sanctions over its role in the Syrian conflict if Moscow does not stop "crimes" in the devastated city of Aleppo. NATO-Russia ties have sunk to lows not seen since the Cold War as President Vladimir Putin reasserts Russian power through intervention in both Ukraine and Syria. A Royal Navy spokesman told AFP that the battle group spearheaded by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was the biggest deployment of Russian naval assets seen off British shores in recent years. Britain's HMS Richmond frigate and the HMS Duncan air defence destroyer were monitoring the task force, which also included the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer. - 'Test the alliance' - Story continues Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the Russian naval deployment was aimed at "testing" British and broader NATO capabilities "The Russian fleet that is now sailing from the North ... is clearly designed to test the alliance. It's being marked every step of the way by the Royal Navy and ships and planes of other NATO members as well. "It's clearly designed ... to test our response, and any weaknesses in the alliance, and we must make sure we respond in due measure," Fallon said. The deployment comes after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of its Northern Fleet, would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to boost its naval forces in the area. Russia has been staging a bombing campaign in Syria for the past year in support of long-time ally President Bashar al-Assad and deployed a naval contingent to back up its operation. A Royal Navy spokesman said the Russian ships were "behaving very well", including booking areas for flying and calling up coastguard stations. A NATO official said separately the deployment "does not inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syria crisis even as it implemented a temporary "humanitarian pause" to operations on Thursday. Since tensions erupted over Ukraine two years ago, Russian air and naval forces have had a number of close shaves with their NATO counterparts. In November, NATO member Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on the Turkish-Syrian border, sending relations into a tailspin before both sides recently mended fences. Neil Patrick Harris Tweeted the cutest vacation pics with his family, and we seriously wish wed been there Its no secret that Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka have THE cutest Instagram family pics. In fact, Harriss family Halloween costumes are probably the best thing on social media ever. Harris, Burtka, and their twins, Gideon and Harper, were recently on our dream vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and shared the sweetest pictures of their adorbs family vacation. The Harris/Burtka twins are ALREADY six years old and celebrated their birthday with the best dads around before jetting down to Punta Cana. The How I Met Your Mother star shared this adorable picture of himself and his poolside family: #TBT to last week - no work, meetings, smartphones, or responsibilities. Just family. And pruney hands. Thanks again @clubmed #worthit #clubmedpuntacana A photo posted by Neil Patrick Harris (@nph) on Oct 20, 2016 at 6:57am PDT Harris and Burtka have been very open about raising their twins in the public eye. The duo, who have been together since 2004, welcomed Gideon and Harper via surrogate in 2010. This past June, the Harris/Burtka twins celebrated an important milestone in graduating from preschool and recently began the exciting kindergarten journey! Spent the last four days at @clubmedpuntacana. Sun, surf and circus training - for joy we jumped! @clubmed #clubmedpuntacana A photo posted by Neil Patrick Harris (@nph) on Oct 13, 2016 at 10:54am PDT Last year, Harris opened up to Entertainment Tonight, about his kids saying, Theyre pretty quintessential boy and girl. Harper is a girl, girl, girl. Girl. She wears mermaid outfits and has falls in her hair and you have to announce her when she comes down the staircase. And then when you do, she slowly comes down the stairs acting all, like, Oh, me?' As for Gideon, Harris told ET , He loves trucks and construction and he likes superheroes. At @clubmedpuntacana we dug their partnership with @cirquedusoleil and took to the skies! #trapeze #CREACTIVE #clubmedpuntacana @clubmed A photo posted by Neil Patrick Harris (@nph) on Oct 15, 2016 at 6:30pm PDT Harris also spoke to ET about his relationship with Burtka and the importance of communication. Story continues Good friends of ours said, You need to talk it out, and if that means raising your voice, you need to raise your voice. Know what youre talking about. Know where youre standing as opposed to letting stuff build up, I guess. Pre-school Valentine's Day prep with @dbelicious and the Wonder Twins. #ABCs #penmanshipstruggles A photo posted by Neil Patrick Harris (@nph) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:36pm PST We love how supportive and close the Burtka/Harris family seems. And now, more vacay pics please! The post Neil Patrick Harris Tweeted the cutest vacation pics with his family, and we seriously wish wed been there appeared first on HelloGiggles. By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Nepal will allow its nationals to go to war-torn Afghanistan for work, a labor ministry official said on Thursday, ending an almost four-month ban imposed after 13 Nepali security guards were killed by a Taliban suicide bomber in the Afghan capital. Labor Ministry Spokesman Govinda Mani Bhurtel said employers would have to make adequate security arrangements for their stay, travel and work before Nepali nationals were given a work permit by the government to leave Nepal. "We'll allow our people to go to Afghanistan to work only with foreign missions and international companies located inside the Green Zone which is considered safe," Bhurtel told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Their security and safety must be ensured by the employers," he said, adding the organizations included U.N. agencies and embassies of the United States, Britain and Canada. Nepalis are still banned from working in other conflict hotspots such as Iraq, Libya and Syria, Bhurtel said. The impoverished Himalayan nation, which relies heavily on remittances from its migrant workers, imposed the ban after 13 Nepalis and two Indians who were security guards at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul were killed while on a bus on June 23. Nepal, one of the world's 10 poorest countries, is still reeling from two devastating earthquakes in 2015 that killed nearly 9,000 people. Political instability since a decade-long civil conflict ended in 2006 has discouraged investment, stunted growth and curtailed job creation -- forcing hundreds of thousands of Nepalis to migrate overseas in search of work. More than four million of the country's 28 million population are working mainly in the Middle East, South Korea and Malaysia as guards, drivers, construction workers or domestic staff -- sending home remittances which make up nearly 30 percent of the country's annual gross domestic product. But many also face abuses such as a lack of freedom of movement, long working hours, unsafe working conditions and withholding of their salaries, activists say, adding that many are trafficked through India and then onward to these countries. Bhurtel said it was imperative that employers take full responsibility for their overseas workers and ensure all provisions are made to ensure their safety. "If there is an accident or attack on workers the employing company must pay compensation and make arrangements for their evacuation to Nepal during emergencies," said Bhurtel. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma. Editing by Nita Bhalla. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) By John Revill VEVEY, Switzerland (Reuters) - Nestle (NESN.S) became the latest company to be hit by the global slowdown affecting food manufacturers after posting its weakest underlying sales growth in more than a decade. The Swiss maker of Kitkat bars and Nescafe coffee cut its sales target for the year, saying European markets would continue to be deflationary, while certain developing markets stay weak. It forecast no near-term blanket price increases in Western Europe, charting a different course to rival Unilever (ULVR.L), whose push to raise prices in Britain in response to a falling pound landed it in a public spat with retailer Tesco (TSCO.L) last week dubbed "Marmitegate". "The pound is going south and that is going to have some effect on certain imports and you cannot defy gravity," Nestle Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said on Thursday. "But I dont say ... our costs go up 1 percent - bang, we pass that straight on to the consumer they would punish you." The company cut its forecast for the year, saying it now expected organic sales to rise by 3.5 percent after posting a 3.3 percent increase for the first nine months. Analysts had on average expected organic growth -- which strips out foreign exchange and acquisitions -- of 3.7 percent, according to a Reuters poll. It would mark the fourth year in a row that Nestle has fallen below its long-term target of 5 to 6 percent growth, raising pressure on incoming chief executive Ulf Mark Schneider, who will take over in January. "Investors can hold out hope that the worse it gets, the more likely Schneider will take aggressive actions," Liberum analysts said in a note. "However it may get worse before it gets better." Nestle joins Unilever (ULVR.L), Danone (DANO.PA) and Reckitt Benckiser (RB.L) in posting disappointing third-quarter results. Bulcke defended Nestle's performance as being at "the higher end of the industry, especially on volume," which measures the amount of goods sold. Story continues "That's what matters," Bulcke said. "It's a relative game of winning in the marketplace." Unilever and Danone both relied entirely on price gains for third-quarter growth, but "Marmitegate" shows the difficulty of maintaining that strategy. Nestle said its UK team was looking at all options to deal with the steep decline in the British currency since Britons voted in June to leave the European Union, including stepping up efficiency efforts in the country, which is its fifth-biggest market globally, representing about 3 percent of sales. It said price increases in Western Europe could come later in 2017 if commodity prices continue to rise. "In an environment marked by deflation and low raw material prices, we continued to privilege volume growth," Bulcke said. Still, the company's volume growth slowed to 2.5 percent in the nine-month period, from 2.8 percent at the half-year point and 3 percent in the first quarter. Overall, Nestle's nine-month sales rose one percent from a year earlier to 65.51 billion Swiss francs (53.95 billion). The figure lagged the average analyst estimate of 66 billion francs in a Reuters poll. Its shares were down 0.7 percent at 1125 GMT. (Writing by Martinne Geller; Editing by Michael Shields and Adrian Croft) By John Revill VEVEY, Switzerland (Reuters) - Nestle became the latest company to be hit by the global slowdown affecting food manufacturers after posting its weakest underlying sales growth in more than a decade. The Swiss maker of Kitkat bars and Nescafe coffee cut its sales target for the year, saying European markets would continue to be deflationary, while certain developing markets stay weak. It forecast no near-term blanket price increases in Western Europe, charting a different course to rival Unilever, whose push to raise prices in Britain in response to a falling pound landed it in a public spat with retailer Tesco last week dubbed "Marmitegate". "The pound is going south and that is going to have some effect on certain imports and you cannot defy gravity," Nestle Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said on Thursday. "But I dont say ... our costs go up 1 percent - bang, we pass that straight on to the consumer they would punish you." The company cut its forecast for the year, saying it now expected organic sales to rise by 3.5 percent after posting a 3.3 percent increase for the first nine months. Analysts had on average expected organic growth -- which strips out foreign exchange and acquisitions -- of 3.7 percent, according to a Reuters poll. It would mark the fourth year in a row that Nestle has fallen below its long-term target of 5 to 6 percent growth, raising pressure on incoming chief executive Ulf Mark Schneider, who will take over in January. "Investors can hold out hope that the worse it gets, the more likely Schneider will take aggressive actions," Liberum analysts said in a note. "However it may get worse before it gets better." Nestle joins Unilever, Danone and Reckitt Benckiser in posting disappointing third-quarter results. Bulcke defended Nestle's performance as being at "the higher end of the industry, especially on volume," which measures the amount of goods sold. "That's what matters," Bulcke said. "It's a relative game of winning in the marketplace." Story continues Unilever and Danone both relied entirely on price gains for third-quarter growth, but "Marmitegate" shows the difficulty of maintaining that strategy. Nestle said its UK team was looking at all options to deal with the steep decline in the British currency since Britons voted in June to leave the European Union, including stepping up efficiency efforts in the country, which is its fifth-biggest market globally, representing about 3 percent of sales. It said price increases in Western Europe could come later in 2017 if commodity prices continue to rise. "In an environment marked by deflation and low raw material prices, we continued to privilege volume growth," Bulcke said. Still, the company's volume growth slowed to 2.5 percent in the nine-month period, from 2.8 percent at the half-year point and 3 percent in the first quarter. Overall, Nestle's nine-month sales rose one percent from a year earlier to 65.51 billion Swiss francs ($66.19 billion). The figure lagged the average analyst estimate of 66 billion francs in a Reuters poll. Its shares were down 0.7 percent at 1125 GMT. ($1 = 0.9897 Swiss francs) (Writing by Martinne Geller; Editing by Michael Shields and Adrian Croft) Netflix has released the first teaser trailer for their upcoming Barack Obama film, "Barry." The film tells the story of a young Barack Obama, known to his friends as "Barry," who arrives in New York City in the fall of 1981 to begin his junior year at Columbia University. But the young Obama finds himself torn between various social circles and struggling to maintain a series of increasingly strained relationships with his Kansas-born mother, his estranged Kenyan father, and his classmates. "Barry" will be released on Netflix December 16. The teaser trailer can be viewed now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tobXqP5NXo The Online Bakery will Feature Vanilla Wafer Cakes, which was a Favorite Dessert of the Founder and His Late Brother LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Courtenay Harris is pleased and honored to announce the launch of his new online bakery, Christopher's Bakery. The new business and the sweet specialty treat it offers customers will both honor Courtenay's late brother Christopher. To learn more about Christopher's Bakery and watch a short video about the brothers and their love of delicious cake, please visit https://goo.gl/XvPp2p. For as long as he could remember, Courtenay had memories of his dad pounding vanilla wafers into a fine powder while he and his younger brother, Christopher, giggled in giddy anticipation and their mother lamented the kitchen mayhem. This delightful dessert was so good that the boys would dive into the batter before the bowls and mixers could be cleaned. It was a rich and sweet Vanilla Wafer Cake that used wafers instead of flour, mixed in with dried cranberries, raisins, shredded coconut, and pecans. Courtenay's younger brother, Christopher, was born with hydrocephalus, which eventually lead to epilepsy. In 2003, days before Christopher's 11th birthday, one of those seizures tragically took his life. Devastated by the loss of this sweet soul, Courtenay dedicated his adult years to finding a way to honor his brother, who remained joyful and smiling despite all he went through. Recently, Courtenay was hit with an inspiring thought: that delightful cake that he and Christopher enjoyed so much could be turned into a spectacular venture and a way to help find a cure. Courtenay is now in the process of launching Christopher's Bakery, an online bakery which offers the enticing Vanilla Wafer Cakes and donates a portion of all proceeds to epilepsy and neuroscience research at the Miami Children's Health Foundation. In order to help get the new online bakery off the virtual ground and pay for the production and marketing costs, Courtenay recently launched a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo. There, he hopes to raise $5,000 through crowdfunding. Story continues Backing Courtenay's Indiegogo campaign will help get his new business operating, and allow people to enjoy a delicious cake that will honor a young man who left the world far too early, as well as give to a cause that makes a difference. About Christopher's Bakery: Christopher's Bakery is a new online bakery that honors the memory of Christopher Harris, a boy who passed away in 2003 from an epileptic seizure. Christopher's brother Courtenay has launched the new bakery, which features the boys' favorite Vanilla Wafer Cake. For more information, please visit https://goo.gl/XvPp2p. Contact: Cory Phillips admin@rocketfactor.com (949) 555-2861 SOURCE: Christopher's Bakery Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f209793%2fcf4607493af0409aa1ab73ee57f42bf7 Inside a spacious greenhouse in Fort Collins, Colorado, a kaleidoscope of red and blue lights beam down on rows of hop plants. Hops are a key ingredient in beer, and they typically flower just once a year in this mountainous state. But Bill Bauerle, who runs the greenhouse, recently picked his fourth crop since January thanks to the manipulative powers of his energy-efficient, color-changing LED lights. SEE ALSO: Bud Light backs gender inclusivity in new faux-campaign ad Bauerle is a professor of horticulture at Colorado State University and an expert in hoponics the science and technology of growing hydroponic hops. After each harvest, he trucks the fragrant, pine cone-shaped-flowers over to nearby craft breweries, which transform the fresh hops into small batches of India pale, extra pale or golden ales. Bill Bauerle's hop plants grow under artificial light. Image: CSU Photography A new greenhouse at Colorado State University is equipped with LED lighting. Image: CSU photography With his 3,200-square-foot research operation, Bauerle said he hopes to create a new business model to satisfy Colorados insatiable thirst for locally-made craft beers. These breweries would like a local, quality hop. They havent been able to get that up until now, Bauerle told Mashable from Fort Collins. The greenhouse boom Bauerles project is one in an expanding field of agricultural experiments that are using LED (light-emitting diode) lamps and other innovative greenhouse technologies. Researchers are producing new varieties of plants and growing fruits and vegetables in regions where chilly weather, harsh rains or lack of sunlight previously precluded such harvests. In the Netherlands, researchers at Wageningen University are using specially-calibrated LED lights in greenhouses to grow juicy tomatoes with 50 percent more Vitamin C than ordinary versions. In Japan, plant scientists are producing 10,000 heads of lettuce a day at a massive indoor farm built in a former semiconductor factory. As a general rule of thumb, if its green and it grows, LEDs probably have a fit in terms of affecting how [plants] grow in a controlled environment, Ron Dekok, director of horticulture LED solutions at Philips Lighting, said in a phone interview. Story continues An employee picks tomatoes at an experimental greenhouse in Guipavas, western France. Image: FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images Philips Lighting provided the LED systems in Bauerles greenhouse as part of a long-term partnership with Colorado State University. The Amsterdam-based manufacturer is also working on greenhouse projects to grow lettuce in London, tomatoes in Englands Isle of Wight and fruits and herbs in the Dutch town of Eindhoven. If we can complement what the sun is doing, and extend day lengths or increase light available to the plant, the world is wide open to this research development, Dekok said. Lighting up LEDs have two main benefits for greenhouse growers compared to other types of lighting, such as high-pressure sodium lamps. First, digital controls can easily adjust the LEDs to shine particular parts of the color spectrum. Red light is the most efficient color for encouraging photosynthesis. Blue lights trigger the plants pores called stomata to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen and water, which can boost plants health. via GIPHY Second, LEDs are much more energy-efficient than traditional light sources, a crucial feature considering that greenhouses consume hefty amounts of electricity to mimic the sun's light. LEDs can reduce a greenhouses energy consumption by up to 70 percent compared to other lighting, according to a 2012 study by Pennsylvania State University. This also benefits energy-hungry buildings such as warehouses and hospitals. An LED system, for instance, can produce the same amount of light as a similarly sized fluorescent light but with 60 percent less energy, Jay Black, a vice president at Revolution Lighting Technologies Inc., a Connecticut-based LED manufacturer, told Mashable. LEDs can also last longer in some cases, beaming light for around 100,000 hours before burning out, compared to 25,000 hours with fluorescents, Black said. Hacking hops In Bauerles case, the Fort Collins greenhouse allows him to tinker with methods for growing far more hops than beer-obsessed Colorado could produce outdoors. Hops, a key ingredient in beer. Image: UIG via Getty Images The professor can grow hops year-round, even during the months when the states blustery winds and hailstorms would destroy most crops. Since the hops are grown hydroponically meaning the roots are in an aquatic system, not soil the plants receive water and fertilizer multiple times a day, compared to just a few times per harvest outside. The hops wont become just any type of beer. Theyre earmarked for wet hop brews, which are made with freshly-picked hops and boast a more intense flavor. Fresh hops must be brewed within one to two days after being mechanically picked from the vine; otherwise their chemical components degrade too quickly. Most brewers use dried hops that, while delivering less flavor, can be brewed on a more relaxed timescale. A Colorado brewer holds a glass of craft beer. Image: Denver Post via Getty Images Its like using fresh herbs instead of dry herbs the optimal way to use them is when theyre fresh, Bauerle said. Up until now, Colorado brewers could only get fresh hops once a year, around the harvest in late August to early September. Bauerle said he expects to get five harvests before the end of this year, a number that may rise if Colorado entrepreneurs build their own hops-friendly greenhouses. His fourth harvest this year wrapped up in mid-August, and his fifth will likely take place in late December. Bauerle now plans to keep hacking his hydroponic hops to find the most bountiful, commercially viable way to grow the plants. I plan to focus my career path on this from this point forward, he said. Editor's Note: The Miller Center at the University of Virginia has undertaken a "First Year Project" examining the history of presidential first years and the policy options available to Barack Obama's successor in theirs. Excerpted below is an article by Jeff Shesol on the bully pulpit. The Miller Center will publish the full version of the piece on its website on Oct. 24. If a president gave an Oval Office address and the networks refused to air it, would it make a sound? This is not, most likely, a question that occupies philosophers, but it does cause White House communications staffers to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. It did, at least, during my time as a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton. READ: [What the WikiLeaks Podesta Emails Could've Been] In May 2000, as Congress prepared to settle a consequential question -- whether to normalize trade relations with China on a permanent basis -- I helped prepare an Oval Office address urging a "yes" vote. The national security adviser, national economic adviser and White House chief of staff all signed off on the draft after much discussion. And then, with just 24 hours to go before the Sunday night address, two of the major television networks begged off. The issue, they said, wasn't newsworthy enough to justify pre-empting prime-time programming. (At 8:00 p.m. on May 21, the time scheduled for the speech, The Wonderful World of Disney appeared on ABC; CBS ran Touched by an Angel; and NBC aired a 1997 movie, Beverly Hills Ninja.) Briefly, the White House considered going forward with the speech, but this was too humiliating a prospect; we knew that the networks' indifference to a presidential address would trump the speech itself as the news of the day. The diminishing draw of the bully pulpit is a reality of the modern presidency. President Barack Obama has given fewer Oval Office addresses than any president since Gerald Ford -- in part, his aides say, because he views the format as stilted and anachronistic, but also because the networks are less and less interested in offering air time to presidents. "You can only play this card every once in a while," Dan Pfeiffer, a former Obama adviser, told Politico in 2015. Story continues At the same time, new platforms present new opportunities. Obama took that tired and outmoded institution, the weekly presidential radio address, and turned it into a weekly video address, which he posts on YouTube and the White House website. It might not draw an audience on par with "Carpool Karaoke" or the man who climbed inside a giant water balloon, but online video services create, in effect, a permanent library of presidential speeches, instantly accessible and uninterrupted by cable news commentators. The reach of this distribution system is one that pre-digital presidents might have envied; one can imagine Franklin Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan putting it to effective use. But the onus is on presidents to build and hold an audience -- by giving speeches worth streaming. The fundamentals of effective communication are not really much different today than they were in Roosevelt's time. (Or Aristotle's, for that matter.) At the most basic level, leaders should speak in a clear, honest and compelling way about the challenges they see and the actions they advocate. In a democracy -- no matter who might or might not be tuning in -- that is a president's obligation. But rhetorical leadership is not a science, it is (at its best) an art, and understandings must evolve to keep pace with new realities. In the first year of the next administration, the new president and his or her team can put a little more bully back in the pulpit by applying three basic principles to presidential communications. Talk like a real person. This is harder than it seems. The presidential podium -- the bullet-proofed "Blue Goose" -- is, by design, an imposing structure, less a lectern than a national monument. It is useful for making pronouncements, as it gives a kind of grandeur to even mundane moments. But at other times, it can be like addressing a family dinner with a bullhorn: It does not tend to promote an easy rapport. SEE: [Editorial Cartoons on the 2016 Presidential Election] The toxicity of the political climate make this difficult because such language has heightened Americans' distaste not only for politicians but for the language that they use. All those careful, guileful phrases -- crafted by committees of consultants -- sound, in the worst epithet of our age, "inauthentic." We have seen, in 2016, the powerful appeal of candidates who speak sloppily, circuitously, even incoherently, in the way that real people sometimes do. In Enough Said, a book about the state of our public language, Mark Thompson, president and CEO of The New York Times Company, worries about the resort to racist and dishonest statements, but he does see one "lesson to learn from the anti-politicians . . . They look and sound like human beings . . . they're not automata." The angry populists make weak and dishonest arguments -- what the Greeks called logos -- but make effective use of ethos, an expression of personal character, as well as pathos, the ability to match the mood of the audience. For presidents to succeed, they have to be strong in all three areas. It is possible to ground a policy argument in actual evidence while also reflecting something of actual human experience. It is also possible to express authenticity in a scripted speech, so long as the script says something resonant and true. This is the daily work of rhetorical leadership. It should also be leavened, where possible, by genuinely unscripted, unmediated moments -- direct engagement with the public. There is, of course, political risk in every such encounter. But again, as the people have made clear this past year, their trust, like their votes, will have to be earned. Break foolish traditions. On July 2, 1932, Franklin Roosevelt boarded a Ford trimotor airplane in Albany and flew to his party's national convention in Chicago, where he accepted its nomination in person, rather than maintain the practice of awaiting the news on one's front porch in feigned ignorance. "Let it be from now on the task of our party to break foolish traditions," Roosevelt told the delegates. Woodrow Wilson, in 1913, became the first president in more than a century to present his report on the State of the Union as an oral address rather than a written statement; he hoped to convey, as he told members of Congress, that "the president of the United States is a person, not a mere department of the government hailing Congress from some isolated island of jealous power, sending messages, not speaking naturally and with his own voice . . . he is a human being trying to cooperate with other human beings in a common service." We have, today, more traditions worth breaking. And the State of the Union address would be a good place to start. Within the White House, it is widely acknowledged that the State of the Union is a joyless, and largely pointless, exercise. It is a ritual in search of a rationale -- beyond the inconvenient fact that Article II, Section 3, of the Constitution requires the president to report to Congress "from time to time" on the state of the union. But the framers, in their wisdom, left the precise form of that report up to the president. Almost every year, recent presidents have promised that this time, the speech won't be a laundry list and might actually have a theme, but none seems to have had the courage of his convictions. In 2016, President Obama gave the last State of the Union address of his presidency that proposed few new policies and made an extended, if somewhat unfocused, argument for greater civility in our national life. The next president has an opportunity to improve further on the form, giving a shorter and crisper and more purposeful speech. While the audience may be smaller than it once had been, it is still likely to be tens of millions strong, and many of those Americans would relish a reason to applaud with enthusiasm. Richard Goodwin, who wrote speeches for Lyndon Johnson and both John and Robert Kennedy, has said that the purpose of political speech is to "move men to action and alliance." That is a fine goal, going forward, for this policy address. PHOTOS: [The Big Picture -- October 2016] Treat speech writing as policy making. When the great Ted Sorensen, who worked with President John Kennedy on his inaugural address and nearly all of his major speeches, published a memoir in 2008, he gave it the title "Counselor" -- not "Speechwriter." Sorensen, and, indeed, Kennedy, understood his role as one that transcended writing, for the shaping of presidential speeches is the shaping of presidential policy. That status was not unique to Sorensen: Sam Rosenman was Franklin Roosevelt's chief speechwriter and one of his closest advisers, and Harry McPherson, as special counsel to Johnson, wrote and edited many of his most memorable addresses while advising LBJ on strategies to deescalate the war in Vietnam and repair race relations in a time of violent unrest. But the Johnson-McPherson partnership, half a century ago, was the last of its kind. Since then, nearly every White House function has been specialized and subspecialized, and the pace and volume of work in the modern White House might well make it impossible for anyone to inhabit the dual role that McPherson, Sorensen, or Rosenman did. Still, the start of a new presidency is the right time to reaffirm that speech writing is policy making, and to ensure that the president's writers are empowered with all the information and access they need in order to advance, and help shape, the president's agenda. Jeff Shesol is a founding partner of West Wing Writers, a strategic communications firm. He was deputy chief speechwriter to President Bill Clinton, serving on the White House senior staff during the president's second term. Shesol is the author of "Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. The Supreme Court," a New York Times Notable Book of the Year as well as a favorite book of the year in the New Yorker, and of "Mutual Contempt: Lyndon Johnson, Robert Kennedy, and the Feud That Defined a Decade," also a New York Times Notable Book. His writing appears regularly in the New Yorker's News Desk, the Washington Post and other publications. The third and final presidential debate was held Wednesday night, and late-night hosts could not wait to respond. After Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off at the event held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, The Daily Show's Trevor Noah, The Late Show's Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired their thoughts. The debate, moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace, focused on Clinton and Trump's "fitness to be president," with Trump calling Clinton a "puppet" and claiming that the election results (and the Emmys) are rigged, and Clinton calling out Trump's treatment of women and temperament. Read more: Critic's Notebook: Donald Trump Shocks and Stumbles, Hillary Clinton Stays Steady in Final Presidential Debate Trevor Noah went live and took on Trump's "bad hombres" immigration statement, his inviting President Barack Obama's half-brother to the event and Trump's comment that he may not accept the results of the election. "Clinton also brought the women who accused Trump," he said, showing a picture of crowds of women. "And those were just the ones who lined up early!" Noah even commented on Trump's inviting Obama's half-brother to the debate, embarrassed that someone also brought his half-brother to the Daily Show audience. "I would hate him if he weren't so handsome." On Trump's comment that Clinton is a "puppet," Noah added, "to be fair, Trump thinks all women are puppets, that's why he's trying to always stick his hand up them." On Trump's claim that he might not accept the election results: "Did Donald Trump just dismiss democracy like it was dressing on a salad?" "This debate had so many moments of crazy," Noah said, but "that's it. That's the final time we'll see Donald Trump on the debate stage ... before we refer to him as Supreme Leader." Story continues Read more: Donald Trump's Tweet About "Best Friend" Putin Is Most-Retweeted From Final Debate "I am tonight's moderator, Stephen Colbert," The Late Show host began his live episode. As he commented on Trump's "rigged" claims, he did notice that the words behind Clinton did spell out "rig." "You can't make that up!" On Trump's claim that he'll wait and "keep you in suspense" to see if he would accept the results of the election, he stalled a bit. "That's - what's the word?" he asked, cutting to video of Clinton's "That's horrifying." Trump was right! The evidence is right behind her! #lateshowlive pic.twitter.com/POV5EMTrUm - The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) October 20, 2016 "I want to make sure I heard that correctly," he said. "Suspense! Democracy's going to end with a cliffhanger! I guess we're all going to have to wait until Nov. 9 to find out if we still have a country. If Donald Trump is in the mood for a peaceful transfer of power, or if he's just gonna wipe his fat ass with the Constitution!" "But I don't want to give away how I feel about the rest of the debate," said Colbert. "I'm going to keep you in suspense." Surprised that Trump agreed to debate in Las Vegas, because he "doesn't have a lot of luck with casinos or Vegas," Colbert offered his take on the night's fashion as well, calling Clinton "Star Trek: Deep Space Pope." On Trump's claim that he "should've gotten" an Emmy for The Apprentice, Colbert simply told him: "You really should get one, they're fantastic," as he began lifting his own Emmys as hand weights. "He lost to the Amazing Race. This year, it could go to the Amazing Racist." An incredibly accurate re-enactment of tonight's #debate. #lateshowlive pic.twitter.com/UmuUAMxeib - The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) October 20, 2016 Read more: Donald Trump Uses Final Debate to Double-Down on Claim That Emmys Were "Rigged" "The final presidential debate ever. After tonight, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump never have to be in the same room again." Kimmel said as his introduction. "It's like the last time we saw mom and dad fight after the divorce." "His eyes were closed most of the time - his voice was like a phone sex operator," said Kimmel of Trump's performance. "He did the worst Alec Baldwin impression of himself." On Trump's choice to invite President Obama's half-brother to the event, Kimmel said he thinks he "always has the most interesting plus ones. If I was Hillary Clinton - I would have invited Billy Bush to the debate." Welcoming special debate correspondent Ken Bone, Kimmel asked if he has decided who to vote for now. "You should listen to the internet," said Bone. "I am not trustworthy and even after I've decided I won't tell anybody." Kimmel also turned to kids to find out what they thought about the debate, which they weren't too excited about because "they were arguing a lot." Read more: Presidential Debate Fact Check: Trump, Clinton Explain Comments From Their Past Washington (AFP) - They couldn't quite bring themselves to shake hands. Can Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at least laugh a little together? The world will find out Thursday night, when the White House rivals attend the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, one of the more lighthearted events on the presidential campaign calendar. The white-tie soiree in Manhattan's swank Waldorf-Astoria hotel traditionally affords Democrats and Republicans much needed levity, after a contentious presidential campaign. The dinner -- likely the last joint appearance by Clinton and Trump before the November 8 election -- historically is seen as a first step on the long road bringing the parties together after months of campaign rancor. The problem this year is that the presidential race has been far more acrimonious than normal, making it harder than usual to bridge the abyss. Every word and gesture from both candidates will be carefully scrutinized for signs of lingering resentment, one day after their third and final scathing debate. The 2016 presidential race has been unprecedented for the nasty, personal tone of the candidates' invective. Trump calls her "Crooked Hillary." Clinton's response is that her Republican rival is "unfit" for the presidency. At Wednesday night's debate, the real estate tycoon denigrated his rival as a "nasty woman" -- an insult that ricocheted around the internet becoming its own online meme. Clinton, in turn, accused Trump of being a "puppet" of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And on, and on. In a sign of the depth of their mutual contempt, the two candidates weren't even able to shake hands at start of their last two debates, so breaking bread together seems a bit of stretch. - One seat apart - They'll be expected to not just shake hands, but engage in good-natured ribbing at the $3000 a plate dinner, where light banter and clever repartee are as essential dinner fare as the fancy hors d'oeuvres. Story continues Happily, the two combatants will be separated at the table by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, host of the event. The New York's archdiocese put out an optimistic statement Wednesday expressing hope that "partisan politics will be put aside," during the dinner, which takes on a higher profile than usual during presidential campaign years. The archdiocese urged the candidates to focus on the "worthy cause" of the political roast which also serves as a fundraiser for needy children. The guest list Thursday includes the two presidential candidates, and two former New York mayors -- Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani -- both of whom have been prominent during the current campaign. Bloomberg has rallied behind Clinton while Giuliani is one of Trump's most prominent campaign surrogates. The dinner is held in the memory of late Democratic governor Al Smith from New York, home state to both presidential candidates, where Trump was a real estate mogul and daily tabloid fodder, and where Clinton was twice-elected US senator. Smith in 1928 became the first Catholic presidential candidate from one of the two major parties. He is affectionately remembered as the "Happy Warrior" for his ability to set aside political grievances for the good of his constituents. The dinner also focuses attention on Catholics, a key bloc of swing voters in the United States. White Catholics tend to lean Republican, and often staunchly oppose gay marriage and abortion. But this year, many are reluctant to vote for the thrice-married former playboy, even if they are not entirely thrilled about Clinton. A recently-released videotape in which Trump is heard boasting about how his celebrity allows him to take sexual liberties with women has done little to endear him to socially conservative voters. A poll by Public Religion Research Institute found that he had the support of just 42 percent of white Catholics, compared to 46 percent who favor Clinton. From Esquire In Wednesday's New York Times, Thomas Friedman makes a yeoman's effort at sinking Hillary Rodham Clinton's political prospects as President of the United States before she ever wins the election. You see, just as everyone is poring over the transcripts of what HRC said to various gatherings of the nation's plutocrats and wondering just what in the hell she might do when she gets sworn in, Friedman sees the glory road opening up before the loquacious cab driver who never is far from his mind. Seriously, those speeches are great! They show someone with a vision, a pragmatic approach to getting things done and a healthy instinct for balancing the need to strengthen our social safety nets with unleashing America's business class to create the growth required to sustain social programs. Economic inequality? Wage stagnation? What are those? Unleash the business class! Take the shackles off poor Lloyd Blankfein so he can steal more of the nation's wealterturn loose the spirit of American entrepreneurship! It's 1997 again! She also said, "My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." That's music to my ears. A hemisphere where nations are trading with one another, and where more people can collaborate and interact for work, study, tourism and commerce, is a region that is likely to be growing more prosperous with fewer conflicts, especially if more of that growth is based on clean energy. And ponies. Which the child laborers of Central and South America can watch gamboling in the fields during the one five-minute break they're allowed every week. Do we need to make adjustments so the minority of the U.S. population that is hurt by freer trade and movements of labor is compensated and better protected? You bet we do. That's called fixing a problem - not throwing out a whole system that we know from a long historical record contributes on balance to economic growth, competitiveness and more open societies. Story continues Well, that's mighty oligarchical of you, son. In the long runetc. In a speech to a Morgan Stanley group on April 18, 2013, WikiHillary praised the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan, which included reforming the tax code to increase investment and entrepreneurship and raising certain taxes and trimming some spending and entitlements to make them more sustainable. Holy Christ, he's hanging out with the Undead. Anyone who mentions Simpson-Bowles in any context beyond that of abject ridicule in the wake of what happened in 2008 should be dismissed as the crank on the streetcorner. And "trimmingsome entitlements to make them more sustainable"? That's the old DLC-speak for "Make Pete Peterson's grandchildren wealthier than he is." The ultimate shape of that grand bargain could take many forms, she said, but Hillary stressed behind closed doors: "Simpson-Bowles put forth the right framework. Namely, we have to restrain spending, we have to have adequate revenues and we have to incentivize growth. It's a three-part formula." The people to whom HRC is speaking, and in whom Friedman invests such child-like faith, aren't interested in the least in making a Grand Bargain that's actually a bargain in the conventional sense of the word. They want what they want and they want it now. Period. The essential patriotism of the American corporate class can be measured in a thimble, and you'd still have room left over. When I read WikiHillary, I hear a smart, pragmatic, center-left politician who will be inclined to work with both the business community and Republicans to keep America tilted toward trade expansion, entrepreneurship and global integration, while redoubling efforts to cushion workers from the downsides of these policies. I'm just sorry that campaign Hillary felt she could not speak like WikiHillary to build a proper mandate for President Hillary. She would have gained respect for daring to speak the truth to her own constituency - and demonstrating leadership - not lost votes. Let's see. The "business community" remains mad with greed. (What evidence is there that the "business community" is in any way interested in cushioning its workers from anything?) The Republicans remain simply mad. This is Friedman arguing the Clintonism of the 1990s in 2016, including the strategy, completely discredited by subsequent events, that kicking your base in the nuts is the way to "demonstrate leadership" and gain the votes of, I dunno, Tom Friedman and the people with whom he eats lunch. There is now an empowered progressive element to Democratic politics that is not going to go away any time soon. The theocratic devotion to international trade and to centrism without progressive purpose is now beset by heretics who have the wind at their backs. You get with this new dynamic, and you accommodate yourself to the notion that it must be treated as a legitimate political force with legitimate political demands, or you risk looking like a throwback to a more timid and gullible political time. Photo credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty If HRC doesn't understand this and act accordingly-especially as regards the staffing of her cabinet and the rest of her administration-she's in for a rough transition, and the balm of Tom Friedman's words won't be enough. The world being flat is going to sound like an argument for a flat earth. (Which brings us to this little tidbit from the indefatigable David Sirota about a Clinton adviser with some retro ideas about how retirement plans should work. Given what happened to various retirement and pension plans during the thievery of the Aughts, anyone recommending a return to that financial model should lose their place in Democratic politics. This Tony James cat can take a seat for a while.) [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="In%20the%20End,%20I%20Guess%20I'm%20With%20Her" customimages="" content="article.49684"] On Tuesday night, because I could not sleep and do not have a life, I checked in on a replay of a recent debate between the candidates for the U.S. Senate seat from Indiana. The Democratic candidate is Evan Bayh, a classic Simpson-Bowlesite who left the Senate once before because the political climate had gotten too hot and the Senate too wild for his delicate constitution. He then became a lobbyist. Now he wants to get back to the Senate becauseoh, hell, who cares. I tuned in just in time to hear Bayh brag that he was opposed to the estate tax and that he would vote for its repeal. Except he didn't call it that. He called it "the death tax." The death tax. I'm amazed that he isn't telling people he's running for the Senate as the candidate of the Democrat party. Evan Bayh is half an anachronism and I suspect he doesn't know it. The country has changed. So has the Democratic party. I remain cautiously optimistic that its presidential candidate realizes that as well. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. You Might Also Like London (AFP) - Jose Mourinho has insisted the likes of high-profile Manchester United signings Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are far from "untouchable" players. Both midfielder Pogba, a world record 89 million ($115 million, 102 million euros) arrival from Juventus, and striker Ibrahimovic have had their recent performances called into question. When he was Chelsea manager in 2006, Mourinho suggested several key players were "untouchable", indicating they had no chance of being dropped regardless of their form. Asked ahead of United's Europa League clash at home to Fenerbahce on Thursday if the same situation applied at Old Trafford, Mourinho replied: "No. That was a different Premier League and situation -- it was the best team by far. It was a different story. "Not untouchable. Untouchable in our team has to be the spirit, the pride, the commitment to the club, the respect to the fans - that has to be untouchable, not players," the United manager added. United captain Wayne Rooney has lost his place in the starting line-up, with the last four games seeing the veteran forward used as a substitute only. Portuguese boss Mourinho refused to say if Rooney would start against Fenerbahce. "I don't want to give you the team, honestly," he said. "Wayne is working well -- he's one of the big responsible people for the atmosphere that the players can breathe because he's positive and a good example. "We count on him, to start or be on the bench." Meanwhile former Liverpool centre back Mark Lawrenson said Rooney was now paying the price for launching his career as a teenager. Lawrenson cited the example of former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen who burst on the scene at an early age but had lost a lot of his youthful pace by the time he retired aged 33. "Basically, when your legs go, your legs go," Lawrenson told Britain's Press Association. Story continues "He'll play lots of games for Manchester United, they're not suddenly going to go, 'Your legs have gone, you're going to sign for someone else'. "But he's had an unbelievable career. Michael Owen burst on to the scene when he was really young, as did Wayne Rooney, he was 16 when he scored that wonder goal against Arsenal. Maybe that's just your career. "For him, I think the reason why he's coming to the end early is because he was a beast of a man when he was 16, as he is now. That's just the way it is. It's a bit like tennis players, some go from 18 until their 25, some get to their thirties. It's just your career." Lawrenson, a former Republic of Ireland international, himself retired not long after turning 30. "People say that's really, really early, but when I was 18 and I made my debut for Preston I was still at school, it was the best moment ever." Monday's goalless draw away to bitter northwest rivals Liverpool extended United's unbeaten run to five matches. They are third in their Europa League group, with three points from two pool games -- a point less than leaders Fenerbahce. kim j y'all WASHINGTON, D.C. Less than a week after North Korea's unsuccessful missile test, the Hermit Kingdom conducted another ballistic missile test. musa On Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. CDT near the northwestern city of Kusong, US Strategic Command detected a failed launch of a presumed Musadan intermediate-range ballistic missile. The Musadan missile is speculated to have a range of approximately 1,500 to 2,400 miles, capable of targeting military installations in Guam and Japan, based on estimates from the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. So far this year, North Korea has conducted eight Musudan missiles tests. All launches except the sixth one on June 22 were considered to be failures. "This year, Pyongyang successfully conducted two nuclear tests, an intercontinental ballistic missile test, breakthrough successes with its road-mobile intermediate-range missile and submarine-launched ballistic missile, a new solid-fuel rocket engine, and an improved liquid-fuel ICBM engine," Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow of Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation, told Business Insider in a previous interview. "Based on these successes, as well as North Korean-released information, experts reassessed several missile programs as being more capable and closer to deployment," Klingner added. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter will host South Korea's Minister of National Defense at the Pentagon for a joint press conference on Thursday. NOW WATCH: Meet THAAD: Americas answer to North Korean threats More From Business Insider Seoul (AFP) - North Korea on Thursday conducted what appeared to be a failed test -- its second in a week -- of a powerful medium-range missile that experts warn could be deployed as early as next year. South Korean and US military monitors said the missile -- believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan -- exploded shortly after take-off at around 6:30 am Pyongyang time (2200 GMT Wednesday). The attempted launch came just hours before the start of the third US presidential debate -- a timely reminder of the challenge North Korea's fast-moving nuclear weapons programme will pose to the next occupant of the White House. It also followed a meeting in Washington between the US and South Korean defence and foreign ministers, at which US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by the North would be "met with an effective and overwhelming response". It was the second failed launch in less than a week of the Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,500 and 2,500 miles). The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. - US anger - The US and its two key Asian allies all condemned the latest launch as a clear violation of UN resolutions banning the North from using ballistic missile technology. "Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad," said Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said the North was "blatantly threatening" the entire region, while her foreign ministry denounced Pyongyang's "manic obsession" with nuclear bombs and missile. The last Musudan test on Saturday was denounced by the UN Security Council, which is currently debating a fresh sanctions resolution against Pyongyang over its fifth nuclear test carried out last month Story continues The missile has now been tested eight times this year -- but only once successfully. A Musudan launched in June flew 400 kilometres into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and was hailed by leader Kim Jong-Un as proof of the North's ability to strike US bases across "the Pacific operation theatre". Despite the string of failures, some experts believe the missile is moving swiftly towards operational deployment. - Fast-track testing - According to John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specialising in rocket propulsion, the aggressive launch schedule, while multiplying the risk of failure, also increases the information gleaned from each test. "If they continue at this rate, the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile could enter operational service sometime next year -- much sooner than had previously been expected," Schilling wrote recently on the 38North website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. After Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, the Security Council adopted the toughest sanctions resolution to date, targeting North Korea's trade in minerals and tightening banking restrictions. The ongoing negotiations on the new sanctions measure are focused on closing loopholes and zeroing in on North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile technology industry, according to Security Council diplomats. (Repeats to add link to story on European airlines) * Q3 is best quarterly result ever * Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) jump more than 5 pct * Sees (Shanghai: 600481.SS - news) 30 pct 2017 capacity growth, up from 18 pct in 2016 * No impact on bookings from Brexit vote By Joachim Dagenborg OSLO, Oct (Shenzhen: 000069.SZ - news) 20 (Reuters) - Budget airline Norwegian Air Shuttle (Taiwan: 2405.TW - news) said its capacity growth will speed up in 2017 as it rapidly expands low-cost flights to the United States and other long-haul destinations. Europe's third-largest low-cost carrier by revenue after Ryanair and easyJet reported record third-quarter earnings, beating market expectations with a 20 percent rise in net profit. The airline said its capacity growth, measured by available seat kilometres (ASK), would be 30 percent next year, up from 18 percent in 2016. ASK measures an airline's passenger-carrying capacity. Norwegian will have 32 new aircraft, including nine fuel-efficient Dreamliners, from Boeing Co (NYSE: BA - news) entering operation next year, bringing its total fleet to 144 by end-2017. "The overall development is good in all markets, and the biggest growth is in Spain, particularly on domestic routes. The routes between London and Paris and the U.S. are in high demand," Chief Executive Bjoern Kjos said in a statement. Norwegian has launched flights to the Middle East, southeast Asia and the United States, as well as expanding routes in its core European market, taking its low-cost offer into the long-haul market. It has even offered an eye-catching promise of $69 fares to cross the Atlantic (Shanghai: 600558.SS - news) . Unlike many of its European peers, Norwegian has been spared a negative impact from Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union. "We are monitoring the post-Brexit situation in the UK and don't see any effects in bookings so far," Chief Financial Officer Frode Foss told a news conference. Germany's Lufthansa lifted its 2016 profit target late on Wednesday, after business bookings proved stronger than expected in September, sending the share up by some 7.7 percent by 0750 GMT. Story continues Earlier this week Ryanair cut its annual profit forecast however due to a weaker pound. EasyJet (Other OTC: EJTTF - news) , which depends on Britain for around half of sales, has already cut its profit forecast by a quarter for the year following the Brexit vote. Competition remains fierce and Ryanair said it expected to boost its market share in the coming months by selling more tickets at cheaper prices. Shares in Norwegian jumped more than 5 percent on Thursday but are still down around eight percent so far this year, outperforming Ryanair and easyJet, which are down 16 and 46 percent respectively. "The report was clearly above expectations, booking remains good and cost performance solid," SEB (LSE: 0MGS.L - news) analyst Kenneth Sivertsen said in a note to clients, adding that 2017 earnings estimates could rise by 5-10 percent. SEB has a "buy" rating on the stock. Norwegian's third-quarter net profit was its best quarterly result ever, and came in at 992 million Norwegian crowns ($121.83 million), 19 percent above last year, beating expectations for 943 million crowns in a Reuters poll. Its unit cost (CASK) is still seen at 0.38 crowns this year, while unit costs next year were targeted at 0.38-0.39 crowns. (Reporting by Joachim Dagenborg and Stine Jacobsen, writing by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Terje Solsvik and Adrian Croft) kellyanne conway Donald Trump's campaign manager spent the morning after the final presidential debate on the defensive following the Republican presidential nominee's refusal to say whether he would accept the results of the election regardless of the outcome. Conway who on Wednesday said she saw no evidence of potential voter fraud nevertheless told ABC on Thursday morning that the Trump campaign would remain vigilant for instances of such fraud. "Donald Trump is also putting people on notice that if there are irregularities, if there's voter fraud, if there's large-scale malfeasance that's committed, that he's not just going not to want to investigate that but we have to see what happens," Conway said. She added: "If you look at his first statement and this one taken together, you see somebody who's willing to accept the election absent widespread fraud." Conway's argument hardly went unchallenged. In an interview with Chris Cuomo on CNN, the campaign manager attempted to argue that Trump's speculation about the integrity of the election system was akin to Al Gore's initial refusal to concede the 2000 presidential race to George W. Bush. "Everybody, including Al Gore in 2000, waits to see what those election results are, if they're verified, if they're certified," she said. "Al Gore himself called to concede that race in 2000, and then called back to retract that concession." But Cuomo quickly countered, pointing out that Bush's slim margin of victory in Florida automatically triggered a recount in the state, which was governed at the time by Bush's brother Jeb. Further, Cuomo added, Gore had already won the popular vote nationwide, and it was Bush who brought the case to the Supreme Court. "This is different," Cuomo said. "Donald Trump is saying right now, with weeks to go, I think it will be rigged against me, so I'm not going to respect it. That's not what happened in 2000, as we both know very well." Story continues He added: "This is not an analogy to that. You can disagree. But you said something different. Pence said something different. His daughter said something different than what he said last night. And it sounds not just like whining but disavowing the Democratic process if it doesn't suit Donald Trump's personal preference." Conway said the Trump campaign was making a larger point about "rigged" systems, arguing that media outlets were biased against the real-estate magnate. "The system was rigged against him you know that," Conway said. But the discussion became heated when Cuomo countered that Trump was "made by the media." "This time it undermined the fundamental process of our democracy, and why can't you expose that to the light of reason?" Cuomo said. "Why can't you say it was too far?" "Chris, please, can I speak today? Thank-you," Conway replied. Watch Conway on 'New Day' below: Trump campaign manager: He's said he'll respect the election results, but everybody waits to see what they are. https://t.co/5Bmo7CAcRI New Day (@NewDay) October 20, 2016 NOW WATCH: Watch the moment when Trump refused to confirm that hed accept election results More From Business Insider LONDON (Reuters) - It will not be in Britain's national interest to restrict the free movement of highly talented people when it leaves the European Union, Brexit minister David Davis said on Thursday. The government has said the June 23 vote to leave the bloc was a message that British people did not want free movement of EU citizens to continue as it has in the past. "Clearly it is not going to be in the national interest to restrict the movement of talent, the free movement of brain power. You can be very, very confident that we will not be limiting highly intelligent, highly capable people's access," Davis told parliament. Davis also said he believed the formal process of leaving the EU, as set out in Article 50 of the EU's guiding treaty, allowed for negotiations on both exiting the bloc and Britain's future relationship with the EU to run in parallel. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James; editing by William Schomberg) We now know what is Netflixs most expensive show, and we are SHOCKED In our mind, the most expensive show on Netflix is something like Stranger Things or Jessica Jones because when it comes to these beauties MOENY IS NO OBJECT. Give them all the money to bring these stories to life, because they are . Last month we actually learned that they arent the most expensive Netflix show, and that honor actually goes to (the now canceled) Bloodline. And like, yeah, it makes sense that Bloodline costs a lot of $$$ because living on the beach in the Florida Keys is hella expensive. But it turns out, Bloodline isnt even the most expensive Netflix show either. Its estimated that Bloodline costs somewhere upwards of $70 million a season, and that is so much money. But its actually not the MOST money Netflix is spending: According to Deadline, Baz Luhrmanns The Get Down is costing roughly $16 million an episode. With 12 episodes for its first season, that puts the total overall cost at $190 million, and what the what! As Deadline writes, this money is going towards the production team (including the directors, writers, and hip-hop historians) along with visual effects, music rights and production design. Of the $16 million, around $11 million was the final production expenses per episode, $3 million-$4 million over the initial budget following a string of filming shutdowns, staffing changes and script rewrites. OMG. This is also only the first season of The Get Down, and since everything goes up in price over time, that means The Get Down will most likely, too. Its hard to believe that Netflix is willing to just hand over $200 million for one season of television, but hey, this is Netflix were talking about. For them, price is no object when it comes to great television. The Get Down But also just think about how many seasons of Stranger Things $200 million could buy. SO MANY SEASONS. The post We now know what is Netflixs most expensive show, and we are SHOCKED appeared first on HelloGiggles. At the earliest stages of development, kids learn language by interacting with parents, through being read to and listening to conversations in which they aren't involved. These language skills will prove critical to forming relationships with family and peers as they grow. And recent research suggests stimulating this type of early language development in the home environment may help reduce a child's risk for developing depression later on -- where, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 2 percent of children ages 3 to 17 have a current diagnosis of depression. "The connection was logical to me that language was really the foundation for academic success and social success," says Keith Herman, a professor of counseling and school psychology at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Kids who struggle socially often struggle in school as well, and academic incompetence has been linked to increased depression risk. So Herman recently led research published in the journal Prevention Science in July evaluating the role of early learning stimulation in the home, like exposure to language through conversation and books, and language delays on child depressive symptoms. The study, done in Hawaii, looked at the effect of the home environment on kids acquiring these integral language skills, evaluating kids in mostly low-income families. The in-home assessment included counting books and printed materials that were accessible to the child in his or her home, Herman says. Researchers also took into account how much language was spoken to the child and around the child to determine whether home environments were adequate for learning. Even accounting for variables such as poverty, child temperament and maternal depression, the research found that children in homes with low levels of language and academic stimulation at age 3 more frequently experienced language delays and, Herman says, were three times more likely to develop depressive symptoms by age 8. [See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids' Health.] Talking Through Depression Risk Many factors affect depression risk for kids and adolescents, from a family history of depression to temperament to childhood abuse. "The biological genetic risk as well as the environment play a significant role in how a child will grow and develop," says Dr. Manpreet Singh, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California. At the heart of the calm or the storm is often the family -- and parents have a literal say in their kids' mental health. "This study really underscores ... the impact that early nurturing can have in even preventing the development of serious mood problems in kids down the line," she says. Herman suggests taking a narrative approach to interacting and playing with young children. Rather than asking lots of questions, this involves parents narrating aloud what they're doing with children, and letting children direct the activity. "We find when we train parents to interact with kids in that way, it's both developing their vocabulary and also developing their relationship skills," he says. As kids get older, being able to clearly communicate with peers and adults about what's bothering them can also improve mental and emotional wellness. "Parents can help by paying attention to their children's feelings and asking open-ended questions about things happening at home, at school or with peers that may be bothering them," says Meredith Gunlicks-Stoessel, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. "Responding to children's emotions calmly and non-judgmentally, seeking to understand rather than to correct and expressing support can help children to manage their emotions." Children are more likely to talk about difficulties with their parents if they feel a close connection with them, she adds. Finding time daily to engage in an activity the child chooses, expressing curiosity about a child's interests and praising the child's strengths and efforts can help build a positive relationship. [See: The 5 Latest Poison Control Threats Kids Face.] Getting Right at Home In about 30 to 50 percent of cases where a child develops depression, research finds a parent has been diagnosed with depression as well. Along with the genetic component responsible for this strong link, when parents are depressed it disrupts their ability to properly nurture kids, and that can also undermine the mental health of children. As Singh has found in her own research, a chaotic family environment contributes to disconnectivity in important cognitive networks in the brain that are responsible for regulating emotions. Other research has found that brain changes in children whose parents have depressive symptoms can increase impulsivity and risk-taking, only further contributing to disruption in the family and children's lives. In such cases, experts say, it's critical parents seek treatment. "If they can get themselves treated, they [will] be in a much better position to effectively parent," Singh says, and to promote resilience in their kids. The upshot for parents who have been previously diagnosed with depression is that they may be more attuned to the issue, Singh says, if their child should experience it. "So I try to inspire parents to believe that they are their children's best experts -- they know their children better than anybody else -- and that they ought to work towards promoting wellness in themselves, if they want to see wellness in their children." [See: How to Find the Best Mental Health Professional for You.] Dinner Table Conversation As with a parent seeking treatment for depression, addressing subtler issues -- like parents who are serially distracted by technology at the dinner table -- can improve interactions that can enhance language development in kids. Simple changes, including taking time to talk with kids over a meal or reading more frequently to them, may not only set children up for academic success later, experts reiterate, but help foster mental well-being. "An important message of the study really was these are aspects of the [home] environment that can be changed -- and can be improved," Herman says. "It is important for parents to know that depression [in children] can be both prevented and treated." Michael Schroeder is a health editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at mschroeder@usnews.com. By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday will head to the election battleground state Florida to give his prescription for fixing the Affordable Care Act, his signature healthcare law, but any remedies will be left up to his successor and the next Congress. Battling a barrage of negative headlines about rising health insurance premiums and shrinking doctor networks for people participating in the program, Obama is urging more young, uninsured people to sign up for the subsidized insurance plans offered under the law. He also wants to encourage lawmakers to create a government-run health insurance option to help U.S. states where there is little or no competition among private insurers. "That added competition in all 50 states would, we believe, have the effect of further challenging private health insurance companies to improve their offerings and reduce their prices," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday. Obama will speak about Obamacare in Miami before heading to a rally for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 8 presidential election, who has said she would add a public option and expand tax incentives for healthcare costs. Republican Donald Trump has pledged to repeal and replace the law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by Obama in March 2010. It created online exchanges, which opened in 2014, where consumers can shop for individual health insurance and receive income-based subsidies. Republicans who control Congress have bitterly fought the program, saying it creates unwarranted government intervention in personal healthcare and private industry. The government forecasts 13.8 million people will sign up for Obamacare plans in 2017, up 1.1 million from 2016. There are 10.7 million uninsured people who are eligible for the exchanges but have not enrolled, and about 40 percent of those are young, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said on Wednesday. Story continues Nationwide, not enough young and healthy people have signed up to provide a revenue stream that offsets the costs of covering members with serious illnesses. As a result, several big insurers, including UnitedHealth Group Inc, Aetna Inc and Humana Inc, are pulling out of the online marketplaces selling the subsidized plans, citing bigger than expected financial losses. Monthly premium prices have climbed, which further discourages some people from signing up. "Next year will tell whether those are growing pains, or they are more serious issues," Drew Altman, chief executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an interview. Analysis conducted by the nonpartisan foundation suggests at least 16 million people need to enroll before the online Obamacare insurance marketplaces stabilize. Obama credits the Affordable Care Act, one of his main legislative achievements, with reducing the number of uninsured Americans from 49 million in 2010 to 29 million in 2015, according to an August article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Much of the decline is due to the law's provision allowing states to expand Medicaid health coverage for the poor. The law also prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage to Americans if they already had medical problems, and allowed parents to keep children insured on their health plans until age 26. Some health policy experts on both the political left and right say Congress may be more receptive to bipartisan efforts to fix the Affordable Care Act after its creator leaves office. Some Republican governors who refused to expand Medicaid may also be more willing to do so after the election. "I think the piece of Obamacare that people don't like is Obama," Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's former Health and Human Services secretary who oversaw the program's launch, said in an interview. "This has become a very personal battle about this president, which is I think really unfortunate." (Additional reporting by Caroline Humer in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis) By Roberta Rampton MIAMI (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday that his departure from office in January might be what it takes to begin to heal the political scars over Obamacare and allow for needed fixes to his signature healthcare law. The 2010 Affordable Care Act tipped off a long and bitter political and legal battle between the White House and Republicans in the U.S. Congress who said the 2010 law creates unwarranted government intervention in personal healthcare and private industry. Republicans have been quick to highlight a recent barrage of negative headlines about rising health insurance premiums and shrinking doctor networks for people participating in subsidized insurance plans offered under the law. Obama acknowledged the law is not working perfectly, but said the problems could be fixed by legislation, encouraging lawmakers to create a government-run health insurance option to help U.S. states where there is little or no competition among private insurers. "Maybe now that I'm leaving office, maybe Republicans can stop with the 60-something repeal votes they've taken and stop pretending that they have a serious alternative ... and just work with the next president to smooth out the kinks," he said in a speech at Miami Dade College. "They can even change the name of the law to Reagancare, or Paul Ryan care," Obama said, evoking the name of the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives. "I don't care. I just want it to work." But Ryan, in a written response, said he would continue to seek to repeal and replace the law. "At this point, one thing is clear: this law can't be fixed," Ryan said. Obama was later slated to headline a rally in Florida, a battleground election state, for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 8 presidential election. Clinton has said she would add a public option and expand tax incentives for healthcare costs. Republican nominee Donald Trump has pledged to repeal and replace the law. The government forecasts 13.8 million people will sign up for Obamacare plans in 2017, up 1.1 million from 2016. There are 10.7 million uninsured people who are eligible for the exchanges but have not enrolled, and about 40 percent of those are young, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said on Wednesday. Obama said that nationwide, not enough young and healthy people have signed up to provide a revenue stream that offsets the costs of covering members with serious illnesses. As a result, several big insurers, including UnitedHealth Group Inc , Aetna Inc and Humana Inc , are pulling out of the online marketplaces selling the subsidized plans, citing bigger-than-expected financial losses. Monthly premium prices have climbed, which further discourages some people from signing up. "Next year will tell whether those are growing pains, or they are more serious issues," Drew Altman, chief executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an interview. Analysis conducted by the nonpartisan foundation suggests at least 16 million people need to enroll before the online Obamacare insurance marketplaces stabilize. Obama said expanding insurance coverage for millions of people and reforming the healthcare system was a key reason he ran for office. He said he gets letters from Americans every day thanking him for the difference it has made in their lives. The law cut the number of uninsured Americans from 49 million in 2010 to 29 million in 2015. Much of the decline is due to the law's provision allowing states to expand Medicaid health coverage for the poor. The law also prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage to Americans for existing medical problems, and allowed parents to keep children insured on their health plans until age 26. Some health policy experts on both the political left and right say Congress may be more receptive to bipartisan efforts to fix the Affordable Care Act after Obama leaves office. Some Republican governors who refused to expand Medicaid may also be more willing to do so after the election - a change that would expand coverage for about 4 million people. "I think the piece of Obamacare that people don't like is Obama," Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's former Health and Human Services secretary, who oversaw the program's launch, said in an interview. "This has become a very personal battle about this president, which is I think really unfortunate." (Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner and Ayesha Rascoe in Washington and Caroline Humer in New York; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Leslie Adler) Mike Bartletts play Love, Love, Love, now playing at the Roundabout Theater Company, takes an amused (and slightly horrified) look at the boomer generation as it arrogantly positions itself at the center of the universe from the 1960s to the present day. A cross between Joe Orton and Kenneth Lonergan, this snappy satire follows the adventures of a young British couple (Amy Ryan and Richard Armitage) as they meet in swinging London and follow their bliss to 2011, birthing and discarding emotionally stunted offspring along the way. As Bartlett (King Charles III) tells it, with searing insight and mocking wit in a flawless production directed by Michael Mayer, this was the generation that grabbed everything with both hands and then ate their young. The adventures of Kenneth (The Hobbit actor Armitage, born to play comedy) and Sandra (Ryan, sublimely witty) begin in 1967, when young people could taste the changes in the air. The laws are constantly being overthrown, Kenneth announces, the musics exploding, the walls collapsing. Sandra couldnt agree more. The worlds going to be a different place in ten years, she predicts. And off they go into that brave new world. By 1990, when theyre both 43, Kenneth and Sandra have married and produced two teenage children, smart and sensitive Rose (Zoe Kazan) and weird Jamie (Ben Rosenfield). Youre supposed to be rejecting your parents, its an important part of growing up, Sandra lectures her passive children. She and Kenneth have yet to outgrow the sense of entitlement conferred by the permissive society they grew up in. Sandra has a power job and is so self-absorbed that she keeps forgetting she has children. Kenneth seems a bit more responsible, but theyre both having affairs. We both feel trapped is how Sandra expresses their discontent. Despite a divorce, Kenneth and Sandra are still friendly in 2011, when they meet at the funeral of Kenneths brother. Theyre both in other relationships, but even at 64, the sparks are still there. They scarcely pay attention when Rose finally stands up for herself. Story continues Im nearly 40 and Ive got nothing, she says. And its all her parents fault for bringing her up according to their own selfish values, instead of giving her realistic guidance. While shes at it, Rose trashes their entire generation, which voted in Thatcher, destroyed the unions, reduced taxes, and is now hell-bent on poisoning the environment while living off their cushy pensions. Locked in their own aura, Kenneth and Sandra still see themselves as 60s rebels. They dont even hear poor Rose when she says: You didnt change the world. You bought it. Related stories Broadway Review: 'The Cherry Orchard' Starring Diane Lane Stars, Studio Execs Turn Out for Broadway Debut of 'Holiday Inn' Broadway Review: 'Holiday Inn' A Texas police officer was recognized by his city on Tuesday night after reviving a 3-year-old boy suffering from a seizure, a heroic act that was captured on a dramatic dashcam video. Read: After Cop Saves 2-Month-Old Baby from Choking, Her Parents Ask Him to Be Her Godfather Last week, Officer Chase Miller of the Granbury Police Department responded to a 911 call about a boy who had fallen unconscious after a seizure. His mom, Bethany Hoover, 21, works as a general manager of a Kentucky Fried Chicken. She had asked her husband John Geis, 21, to help out around the store that day. The couple had brought their 3-year-old son, Brayden to the KFC as they waited for Hoover's mom to pick him up when suddenly, Brayden started crying. Moments later, Miller said Brayden became hot, and went limp. "The mother described to me he had a 106 degree fever," Miller told InsideEdition.com. "His fever rose too quickly and it became a seizure. He wasn't breathing, so his mouth went cold." Frantic, Hoover brought the boy outside to cool down as Geis called 911. Miller, who was only about 100 feet away from the scene at the time, promptly responded. "His mom was definitely freaking out. His dad was just in shock, kind of in disbelief of what was going on," Miller said. "[Bethany] is CPR certified, but when it was her own kid, she just froze and locked up." Pulling up to the scene, Miller can be seen in his dashcam immediately jumping out of his car, and administering CPR on the boy, who Miller said had an elevated pulse at the time. He then asked Geis to continue chest compressions as he returned to his car to retrieve a CPR mask. Despite the hectic scene, the officer said his instincts kicked in, and he was able to remain calm and handle the scenario according to his training. Eventually, Miller said the boy began coughing, throwing up, and crying: "When he's crying, the airway is free so he's actually breathing. I knew at that point he was in the clear." Story continues Read: Murdered Baton Rouge Cop Wrote Emotional Facebook Post Before Death: 'Don't Let Hate Infect Your Heart' While Miller told InsideEdition.com, "We'd rather do our job and not get recognition for it, and go home," the officer was honored for his act of heroism at a City Council meeting Tuesday night. Among the thankful eyes of Brayden and his parents, Miller was presented the Life Saving Award. As for 3-year-old Brayden, Miller said: "From my understanding, he's perfectly fine. He's running around, laughing, playing. He seemed to be quite the fireball." Watch: Hero Girl, 5, Saves Mom From Drowning After She Has a Seizure While in a Swimming Pool Related Articles: DailyFX.com - Whats inside: The S&P 500 searching for direction, bobbling between support and resistance U.S. markets the global laggard, continues to impact how they will trade on the up and downside Patience required in this market until further clarity presents itself So far, the support area we were talking about on Tuesday continues to hold up for the S&P 500. The problem right now is that price action is uninspiring, in either direction. Over the past week the S&P has bounced around between major intermediate-term support (Feb 11 t-line; 6/8 peak, 9/12 low) and minor short-term resistance (mid-2140s). The lack of clarity from the bobbling between levels is leaving traders with little to lean on for strong directional indications. One day it looks like the market might want to roll over, the next it looks like it wants to hold key support and begin trying to clear through resistance. We will need to continue to be patient and wait for better price behavior and clear indications before becoming overly aggressive in our operations. U.S. markets have found themselves in an unfamiliar spot since Brexit as the global laggard. The Nikkei is at highs not seen since the spring, Europe is looking to make new multi-week highs (DAX & CAC 40), and in the case of the FTSE, new record highs could be around the bend. Looking to South America, the Brazilian Bovespa is up huge for the year, with over 10% in just the past month. Whatever you pin it on, whether it be the prospect of higher rates and the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming election, the bottom line is the U.S. is lagging. S&P 500 vs. Europe/Japan/Brazil S&P 500: Searching for Direction, Global Laggard Status Continues Created with Tradingview What does this mean? It means we can expect that if global risk appetite is going to hold a bid, dont look for the S&P 500 or any of the other U.S. indices to lead the way. If general risk appetite were to sour, it is likely the U.S. will be the first to dip. This information doesnt do a lot for helping to determine the direction of the market, but it does help us understand how the market might react in either scenario. Upward movement is likely to be sluggish, while downward will come more swiftly. Story continues Getting back to the daily chart, the mid-2140s remains fairly formidable in the near-term, and must be overcome before things begin to perk up a bit. But even then, the market needs to clear through several weeks of range-bound activity and above the upper parallel running down off the 8/23 peak before we can strengthen expectations of seeing new record highs. If the recent malaise in trading turns out to be a pause before a decline, we need to keep an eye on the recent low at 2115. An undercut of this level on a daily closing basis would also constitute a lower low from 9/12. Lower parallel support would arrive around 2100, with another lower parallel coming in closer to 2080. S&P 500: Daily S&P 500: Searching for Direction, Global Laggard Status Continues Created with Tradingview Start improving your technical analysis skills today and check out one of our several free trading guides designed for traders of all experience levels. ---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. YouTube The past several months for WWE Superstar Paige have been nothing less than a roller coaster. While being off television due to an injury, she was suspended by WWE twice for back-to-back Wellness Policy violations. In between her suspensions, her significant other, Alberto Del Rio, parted ways with WWE. Her family was outspoken about their disagreement with Paiges second suspension, as was Paige herself. Also, there was a knife attack. Most recently, Paige proposed to Del Rio in Puerto Rico, something else that her family was unhappy about. One bit of good news, though: she was finally able to have that neck surgery she talked about needing back during her first suspension. Paige underwent surgery on Wednesday for a herniation in her neck similar to the one that Nikki Bella has recently returned from. Similar to Nikki, Paige now has screws in her neck as well. And they both went to the same doctor: Dr. Uribe. Total Divas neck twinsies! Also surgery went well. The hernia was bigger than expected and my neck was straightened now this girl has 3 screws in her neck. Pics soon PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) October 19, 2016 Thank you dr Uribe. Best surgeon out there and everyone here at the hospital for the great hospitality. PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) October 19, 2016 Thanks to @NatbyNature for taking the time to come visit me. What an angel her day off and she just got home and saw me. #RealFriend PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) October 19, 2016 My love. There for when I woke up. Flowers couldn't be in the room but he got everything black coz I like it. True love right there. pic.twitter.com/77tJc8IvMe PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) October 19, 2016 We here at With Spandex are extremely glad that the surgery went well and that she has her significant other and support system with her while she begins the long road to recovery. Were also glad that both Paige and Del Rio will be featured on the sixth season of Total Divas, because that shit is going to be unbelievably fascinating. Pakistan can ill-afford any complacency against a dangerous West Indies side when the two teams meet in the second Test starting in Abu Dhabi from Friday. Normal service will be resumed with a traditional red ball and daylight play after both teams fought out a tension-packed pink ball day-night Test in Dubai, won by Pakistan by a narrow 56-run margin. Pakistan dominated the first three days after scoring 579-3 declared, courtesy of opener Azhar Ali's epic career best 302 not out, and then dismissing West Indies for 357. But leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo turned the match upside down with career best figures of 8-49 to wreck Pakistan for a paltry 123 in their second innings, giving West Indies a target of 346 to win. Darren Bravo batted out of his skin and when the last session started West Indies needed 114 runs in a possible of 38 overs with Bravo unbeaten on 102 and ready to launch an assault in the final hour. It needed a leaping catch by leg-spinner Yasir Shah to dismiss Bravo for 116 and 26 runs later Pakistan wrapped up the match to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. "It will be tough. With the kind of confidence the West Indian batsmen have got, it will be difficult to get them out in the second Test," said Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq. "I think both teams are used to the red ball and have more idea of it -- batsmen and bowlers know how the red ball behaves -- spinners and fast bowlers will get more help and there will be reverse swing." The pink ball -- used for the first time in the first-ever day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand at Adelaide last year -- did not help the bowlers in Dubai where excessive evening dew left it wet and soft. Misbah admitted his team missed experienced left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babab who was left out of the first Test. "We did miss him," said Misbah. "The pink ball used to be unplayable when we used it in domestic matches in Pakistan but here it didn't work like that." Story continues That hints Babar will replace one of the three seamers, likely Sohail Khan, while Babar Azam will make way for experienced batsman Younis Khan who missed the first Test due to his recovery from dengue fever. West Indies are likely to remain unchanged as captain Jason Holder takes positives from his team's fight in Dubai. "There were a lot of positives from the first Test, so we need to keep that momentum and approach," said Holder. "We gave two chances to Ali and paid the price for that so we have to take our chances," said Holder of the two dropped catches of Ali on 17 and 190. The third and final Test will be played in Sharjah from October 30-November 3. Teams (from): Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Azhar Ali, Sami Aslam, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan West Indies: Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Leon Johnson, Alzarri Joseph, Marlon Samuels, Jomel Warrican Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG) and Richard Illingworth (ENG) Tv umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS) Match referee: Jeff Corwe (NZL) Pakistan on Thursday welcomed an offer by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to ease tensions with nuclear-armed rival India over ongoing unrest in Kashmir, which both claim as their own. In an interview with Indian newspaper Hindustan Times last week, Trump said he would be pleased to be a mediator between Pakistan and India. "Well, I would love to see Pakistan and India get along, because that's a very, very hot tinderbox.... That would be a very great thing. I hope they can do it," Trump said. Islamabad said it did not comment on media reports usually but in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria told a weekly briefing. "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," Zakaria said. The comment was a change of tack after Pakistan's interior minister launched a blistering attack on Trump's "ignorance" in May after the billionaire vowed that if he won office he would free a doctor jailed in 2011 after helping track down Osama bin Laden. Trump was being criticised in the US Thursday after he turned his final presidential debate appearance into an unprecedented assault on US political convention by refusing to say that he would respect a Hillary Clinton victory in November. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. India rejects any third party mediation and the rivals have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir. Tensions have soared in recent weeks as India blamed Pakistan for a raid on an army base in Indian Kashmir on September 18, which saw New Delhi respond with what it called "surgical strikes" across the border, infuriating Islamabad. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged BRICS leaders Sunday to take a strong united stand against the "mothership of terrorism" in the South Asian region, in a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan. LAS VEGAS, Nev. Sarah Palin defended Donald Trumps Wednesday night refusal to say whether he would accept the results of the presidential election, telling reporters the GOP nominee would accept them if they are legit. In her first campaign appearance in months, the former Alaska governor, who attended the debate as a guest of the GOP nominee, made a brief appearance in the spin room. There, she was asked about Trumps noncommittal answer on whether he would accept the election results if he loses. Hey, if they are legit results, then of course they will be accepted, Palin said. But, like Donald said, I think he was suggesting that wed better take a look at everything at the end of the day and make sure everything is legit. The 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate suggested that Trump was merely pushing to keep the process honest. At the end of the day, when everyone has been allowed to been allowed to take that honest vote and then yeah, weve accepted the results of the election if they are fair, Palin said. Asked if she agreed with celebrity businessmans frequent claim that the election is rigged, Palin did not answer and left the spin room with Kellyanne Conway, Trumps campaign manager. It was Palins first appearance on the campaign trail since early summer. The former Alaska governor, who was one of the first politicians to endorse Trump in the primary, had been a ubiquitous presence on the campaign trail but cut her schedule after her husband, Todd, was injured in a snowmobile accident ahead of the Florida primary. Palin again dropped out of the political eye in June and skipped the Republican National Convention in July. She did not respond when asked if she would be campaigning for Trump in the final weeks before Election Day. LAS VEGAS Sarah Palin defended Donald Trumps refusal Wednesday night to say whether he would accept the results of the presidential election, telling reporters that the GOP nominee would accept them if they are legit. In her first campaign appearance in months, the former Alaska governor, who attended the third and final debate as a guest of the GOP nominee, made a brief appearance in the spin room. There, she was asked about Trumps noncommittal answer on whether he would accept the election results if he loses. Hey, if they are legit results, then of course they will be accepted, Palin said. But, like Donald said, I think he was suggesting that wed better take a look at everything at the end of the day and make sure everything is legit. The 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate suggested that Trump was merely pushing to keep the process honest. At the end of the day, when everyone has been allowed to take that honest vote and then yeah, weve accepted the results of the election if they are fair, Palin said. Asked if she agreed with the celebrity businessmans frequent claim that the election is rigged, Palin did not answer and left the spin room with Kellyanne Conway, Trumps campaign manager. It was Palins first appearance on the campaign trail since early summer. The former Alaska governor, who was one of the first politicians to endorse Trump in the primary, had been a ubiquitous presence on the campaign trail but cut her schedule after her husband, Todd, was injured in a snowmobile accident ahead of the Florida primary. Palin again dropped out of the public eye in June and skipped the Republican National Convention in July. She did not respond when asked if she would be campaigning for Trump in the final weeks before Election Day. Clintons campaign responded to Trumps provocative comment about accepting the election results as chilling and suggested that he might be trying to explain away what may turn out to be a loss to Clinton. The former secretary of state has a healthy lead over Trump in the polls. Story continues I think hes just trying to find an excuse for the fact that hes going to lose, Clintons communications director, Jen Palmieri, told reporters after the debate. And perhaps the fact that hes going to lose to the first woman president is making it a little harder. The expedition will take place from mid-December, 2016 to mid-April, 2017, and the majority of proceeds will be donated to the environmental organization, "Conservacion Patagonica" LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Garrett Martin and his crew of 3 adventurers are thrilled to announce that they will be attempting to complete the Greater Patagonian Trail from December, 2016, through April, 2017. During their trek, they will make a documentary of their experience which will be called UNBOUNDED, and donate the majority of their profits from the film to "Conservacion Patagonica;" a non-profit that aims to assist with the conservation of Patagonia by building National Parks. To learn more about UNBOUNDED the film, please visit: https://goo.gl/ebfjoZ Patagonia is a stretch of largely untouched wilderness that is shared by Argentina and Chile. It is a frequent destination of through-hikers and adventurers due to its majestic beauty and unbridled wilderness. Being called "The Yellowstone of South America," Patagonia is considered one of the last great wilderness areas in the world. The Greater Patagonian Trail follows a combination of old roads, horse and game trails, footpaths, and rivers through some of the most beautiful country in the world. The team will attempt to trek its entirety until their journey ends in Patagonia National Park, relying on nothing more than boats and their own two legs while they negotiate the rugged 1,500 km journey. The 4 person crew includes: Garrett Martin- Creator/Director/Producer/Cinematographer Robyn McLellan- British Traveler/Spanish Translator Aljoscha Adam- German Traveler/Co-Producer Robert Caruana Dingli- Wilderness Survivalist/Canadian Traveler/Trail Guide In order to raise the funds necessary to make a documentary of this magnitude, the team at UNBOUNDED has taken the project to the crowdfunding site, Kickstarter. There, they hope to raise the financial backing required to make a high quality film that will gain notice by a worldwide audience. The majority of profit from the film will go straight to "Conservacion Patagonica," who will use it to create more National Parks throughout the region. Story continues About UNBOUNDED: UNBOUNDED is a documentary about a 4 person trek through Patagonia. Relying on nothing more than their skills and perseverance, the team intends to complete a 1500 km journey which will take them through some of the most breathtaking wilderness in the world. Profits from the film will be donated to "Conservacion Patagonica," a conservation organization with the purpose of protecting one of the worlds last great wilderness areas. To learn more about UNBOUNDED, please visit: https://goo.gl/ebfjoZ Contact: Charles Hudson admin@rocketfactor.com (949) 555-2861 SOURCE: UNBOUNDED Washington (AFP) - Pentagon chief Ashton Carter on Thursday again threatened an "overwhelming" response if North Korea uses a nuclear weapon, reflecting heightened tensions after Pyongyang conducted another missile test. Earlier in the day, North Korea had conducted a failed test -- its second in a week -- of a powerful medium-range missile that experts warn could be deployed as early as next year. South Korean and US military monitors said the missile -- believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan -- exploded shortly after take-off at around 6:30 am Pyongyang time (2200 GMT Wednesday). The attempted launch came just hours before the start of the third US presidential debate -- a timely reminder of the challenge North Korea's fast-moving nuclear weapons program will pose to the next occupant of the White House. "We strongly condemn last night's attempt, which even in failing, violated several UN Security Council resolutions," Carter said at a joint press conference with his South Korean counterpart, Han Min-Koo. Carter went on to repeat a pledge he made alongside Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday, ahead of the most recent missile test. "Make no mistake: Any attack on America or our allies will not only be defeated, but any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response." The launches highlight the shortcomings of the Musudan, Han suggested, noting there was a "high possibility" North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was at the site of the most recent launch. "For political purposes, they're conducting these Musudan launches and through these failed tests, they've shown their limits," Han said according to translated remarks. It was the second failed launch in less than a week of the Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometers (1,500 and 2,500 miles). The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. Story continues - New sanctions - The US and its two key Asian allies all condemned the latest launch as a clear violation of UN resolutions banning the North from using ballistic missile technology. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye earlier said the North was "blatantly threatening" the entire region, while her foreign ministry denounced Pyongyang's "manic obsession" with nuclear bombs and missiles. The last Musudan test on Saturday was denounced by the UN Security Council, which is currently debating a fresh sanctions resolution against Pyongyang over its fifth nuclear test, carried out last month. The missile has now been tested eight times this year -- but only once successfully. A Musudan launched in June flew 250 miles (400 kilometers) into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and was hailed by Kim as proof of the North's ability to strike US bases across "the Pacific operation theater." Despite the string of failures, some experts believe the missile is moving swiftly towards operational deployment. - Fast-track testing - According to John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specializing in rocket propulsion, the aggressive launch schedule, while multiplying the risk of failure, also increases the information gleaned from each test. "If they continue at this rate, the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile could enter operational service sometime next year -- much sooner than had previously been expected," Schilling wrote recently on the 38North website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. After Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, the Security Council adopted the toughest sanctions resolution to date, targeting North Korea's trade in minerals and tightening banking restrictions. The ongoing negotiations on the new sanctions measure are focused on closing loopholes and zeroing in on North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile technology industry, according to Security Council diplomats. The United States is set to deploy a missile-defense system to South Korea as soon as possible, despite opposition from China. Washington sees the US-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system as protection against North Korea's pursuit of missile and nuclear technology. "Our missile defenses are necessary to protect our people. That's the purpose of THAAD and any other missile defenses that we develop or deploy together," Carter said. ash WASHINGTON, DC Hours after North Korea launched its second missile test in the past week, US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met with South Korea's minister of defense, Han Min Koo, at the Pentagon on Thursday. "As with previous tests we strongly condemn last night's attempt, which, even when failed, violated several UN Security Council resolutions, and affirm that this latest provocation only strengthens our resolve to work together with our Republic of Korea allies to maintain stability on the peninsula," Carter said in opening remarks. musa The Hermit Kingdom's latest test occurred on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CDT near the northwestern city of Kusong, according to a US Strategic Command statement. The presumed Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile failed upon launch. The Musudan missile is speculated to have a range of 1,500 to 2,400 miles, capable of targeting military installations in Guam and Japan, based on estimates from the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. North Korea has tested Musudan missiles eight times this year. All launches except the sixth one, on June 22, were considered to be failures. Carter and Han described new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, specifically, bolstering maritime security to counter North Korea's submarine-based ballistic-missile launches. "A submarine launch poses an especially grave threat since it could catch the United States and allies by surprise," Rebeccah Heinrichs, a fellow at the Hudson Institute specializing in nuclear deterrence and missile defense, told Business Insider in a previous interview. North Korea successfully launched a missile from a submarine in August with a range capable of striking parts of Japan and South Korea. Story continues Pyongyang first attempted a submarine-based missile launch last year, doing so again at the end of April of this year. North Korea submarine photo Regarding the rogue regime's defiant nuclear tests, Han said the US commitment to ensure that an attack from the North would be met with failure had greatly strengthened the "Korean people's trust towards the United States." "Make no mistake: Any attack on America or our allies will not only be defeated, but any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response," Carter said during the press conference, echoing his South Korean counterpart. "The United States remains committed to defending our allies against any threat with the full spectrum of American military might. That's why we are adapting our force structure on the peninsula, most recently by agreeing as allies to deploy THAAD to defend against North Korean missile threats," Carter said. To counter North Korean threats, the US agreed to equip South Korea with America's most advanced and highly mobile missile-defense system, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, battery. A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency/Handout via Reuters/File Photo And while negotiations to deploy THAAD to the region have been ongoing since South Korean President Park Geun-hye's October 2015 visit to the White House, North Korea's fourth nuclear bomb test, on January 6, and long-range rocket launch, on February 7, proved to be catalysts for the deployment. China has argued that the North's missile tests had expanded and are poised to increase since Washington agreed to equip Seoul with the unique missile-defense system. "China complains bitterly about the prospects of a THAAD radar in the neighborhood, but for such bitterness they have no one to blame but themselves for aiding and abetting Kim Jong Un's missile development," Thomas Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider. And while THAAD's deployment has China peeved, the Hudson Institute's Heinrichs said a layered ballistic-missile defense system among the US, South Korea, and Japan would "provide a deterrent verse North Korea and will be help absorb an initial missile attack, should deterrence fail." "Patriot is already deployed to South Korea and it handles the smaller, short-range missiles," Heinrichs said. "THAAD, once deployed, would complement Patriot by providing an upper tier defense." Commenting on the future deployment of THAAD, Carter said the missile-defense system was "necessary to protect our people." kju "Everyone can see that North Korea is determined to try to expand its missile threat to the peninsula, to the region, and to the United States ... This is a threat we need to stay a step ahead of and that's why we are making the deployments we are doing as an alliance, and that's why the alliance has taking the decision to deploy THAAD," Carter said. As of now, a THAAD battery is scheduled to be operational in South Korea by the end of 2017; however, Daniel Russel, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said the system would be deployed "as soon as possible," Reuters reports. NOW WATCH: Meet THAAD: Americas answer to North Korean threats More From Business Insider PARIS (Reuters) - French spirits group Pernod Ricard posted a stronger-than-expected 4 percent rise in first-quarter underlying sales on Thursday, helped by a strong performance in its top U.S. market and improving demand in China. The world's second-biggest spirits group behind Britain's Diageo however cautioned business in the Africa-Middle East region was getting tougher. The owner of Mumm champagne, Absolut vodka and Martell cognac kept its forecast of a rise of between 2 percent and 4 percent in full-year profit from recurring operations after last year's 2 percent growth. For the first quarter ended Sept. 30, Pernod Ricard reported sales of 2.248 billion euros ($2.46 billion), a like-for-like rise of 4 percent. This was above analysts'estimates of 2.9 percent for like-for-like growth in a Thomson Reuters poll. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Matthias Blamont) The Philippines' national police chief on Thursday suspended dozens of officers involved in violent clashes with anti-US protesters, as he voiced anger at one of his men ramming activists with a van. At the rally outside the US embassy in Manila on Wednesday, the van reversed quickly into dozens of people then forward again, running over at least two protesters. The driver said shortly afterwards he panicked as he feared being mobbed. Thirty demonstrators and 32 police were injured in the clashes, which also saw the authorities fire tear gas and the protesters strike out with batons. "I am saddened and angered," national police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said in a statement. "Police forces are under strict instructions as a matter of policy, to exercise maximum tolerance in such public assemblies." Nine senior officers and 40 lower-ranking policemen were suspended pending an investigation into the incident, chief superintendent Oscar Albayalde, head of police in the national capital region, told AFP. The policemen will still receive their salaries as the probe is under way, he said. Four protesters remained in hospital Thursday, according to rights group Karapatan, but none of them had life-threatening injuries. Hundreds of protesters had gathered outside the embassy to express support for President Rodrigo Duterte's foreign policy shift away from the United States, the Philippines' longstanding ally and mutual defence partner. Police insisted the protesters had instigated the violence, saying the group did not have a permit, breached security lines, and threw paint and debris at the embassy gates. But the protesters accused the police of being at fault. "What the police did was unjustifiable and totally unnecessary. Are these the same people who should be in uniform? They should be ashamed," Edre Olalia, lawyer for the protesters, told AFP. Duterte, who was in Beijing for a four-day visit, said he was waiting for official reports into the incident and did not want to engage in a "blame game". The Philippines has for decades been one of the United States' most important and loyal allies in Asia. But Duterte, who describes himself as a socialist and has close links to communists, has threatened to cut ties as he shifts closer to China. First came the flattery, now the priceless gift. Since arriving in Beijing for his first official visit late Tuesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has showered his hosts with praise, stressing the deep historical links between their two nations, while brazenly soliciting financial assistance. On Thursday, the bombastic 71-year-old made good on his toadying agreeing that bilateral talks rather than legal wrangling would solve festering disputes in the South China Sea, where these neighbors tussle over islets claimed by both. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, Duterte told Chinese President Xi Jinping to open their meeting. It marks a stunning about-face for the Philippines, which, under former President Benigno Aquino, was resolute in the face of Beijings sweeping territorial claims in the vital trade corridor, even winning an emphatic victory on the dispute at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. To effectively ignore that ruling also impedes wider calls for a regional code of conduct over maritime disputes a prospect championed by the U.S, as well as Singapore and a variety of other Southeast Asian nations. It also seemed to have come as a surprise to some within his own government. Speaking to TIME by phone from Manila, Foreign Affairs spokesman Ass. Sec. Charles Jose said he had no direct knowledge that any agreement over the South China Sea was on the cards. There was no discussion on the part of our Foreign Ministry [before the trip], he said. This shift will be a concern for Washington, which recently ramped up naval freedom of navigation exercises in the 3 million sq km waterway, through which over 5 trillion of cargo passes annually, and where China has been militarizing rocks and reefs. Thursdays decision also crystalizes the cooling of relations between Manila and historic ally the U.S., which has criticized Dutertes human rights record owing to a bloody war on drugs that has seen more than 3,800 suspected pushers and addicts killed by police and vigilantes. In response, Duterte has vowed to expel U.S. Special Forces from his countrys restive south and roll back security cooperation with the U.S. military, which Aquino allowed to more frequently visit Philippine military bases. We are not the vassal of everybody, we have long been independent, Duterte told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV earlier in his trip. Story continues The resumption of bilateral talks plus the signing of 13 documents on shared cooperation on trade, defense and more marks a rare foreign policy victory for Xi before next years pivotal 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a sensitive time of transition when more than half of the Politburo Standing Committee, the nations top executive body, are expected to be replaced. I definitely see the CCP clapping with glee with Dutertes bilateral talk, says Joseph Franco, a Philippines expert at Singapores Nanyang University. It is classic discursive infiltration you get the enemy camp to use your phrases and buzzwords. You have got to admire the Chinese for that. Still, Beijing will be wary of Dutertes notoriously mercurial nature. Even regarding his China visit, the former Davao mayor has gone from saying that the South China Sea would not be discussed, to that it would be brought up in passing, to Thursdays landmark agreement. Saying one thing and doing another is his style, but he just took power for several months, we need to watch what he will do next, says Zhang Lili, director of the International Studies Department at the China Foreign Affairs University. We cant judge him just by what he has done. For Duterte, the move is certainly risky. He will face strong resistance within his own government and military, where senior figures have consistently contradicted their Presidents fitful threats about severing ties with the U.S. But it is the Filipino people who may be even harder to assuage. The Philippines remains the worlds most pro-American nation and staunchly anti-Chinese, blaming the Asian superpower for aggressively targeting Philippine fishing stocks. Unless Duterte can show distinct benefits for the softening of his stance over the South China Sea, he may well see popular support drain, just like former President Gloria Arroyo, who similarly attempted to build bridges with Beijing. If in one year Duterte doesnt get anything from the Chinese, then expect domestic pressure to increase, says Richard Javad Heydarian, assistant professor of political science at Manilas De La Salle University. Probably by that time he wont be that popular any more, and so he has to rally around the flag. So this flirtation with China may not be sustainable in the long run. With reporting by Yang Siqi/Beijing Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f252924%2fby_jove A new image, processed by a citizen scientist using data from a NASA spacecraft near Jupiter, shows the huge planet in a friendly new light. While Jupiter the largest planet in our solar system is usually known for its immense gravity and extreme belts of hazardous radiation, the world looks distinctly happy, with a large smile in this new image created from data collected by NASA's Juno mission. Randy Ahn created the smiley photo by copying and flipping an image of a "half-lit" Jupiter, mirroring it on itself, according to NASA. SEE ALSO: NASA's Juno spacecraft reveals Jupiter's clouds, auroras like never before The new image was released as part of the agency's JunoCam initiative, which asks people to process raw images beamed back from Jupiter by Juno. "The amateurs are giving us a different perspective on how to process images," Candy Hansen, JunoCam imaging scientist, said in a statement. "They are experimenting with different color enhancements, different highlights or annotations than we would normally expect. They are identifying storms tracked from Earth to connect our images to the historical record. This is citizen science at its best." Juno is also beaming back plenty of science in its own right, but the spacecraft which reached Jupiter in July recently ran into some snags. Another citizen scientist-processed image of Jupiter. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Alex Mai Unexpected issues onboard The spacecraft went into "safe mode" unexpectedly on Tuesday, when a monitor forced a reboot of Juno's computer after detecting something wasn't right. Because of that safe mode, the science instruments were turned off, and the spacecraft wasn't able to gather scientific data during a close flyby of Jupiter. Mission controllers still aren't sure exactly why the spacecraft went into safe mode, but radiation doesn't seem to be the culprit. At the time safe mode was entered, the spacecraft was more than 13 hours from its closest approach to Jupiter, Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager, said in the statement. Story continues We were still quite a ways from the planets more intense radiation belts and magnetic fields. The spacecraft is healthy and we are working our standard recovery procedure. NASA is also looking into another problem with Juno involving valves important to its propulsion system. Last week, mission controllers put off an engine burn that would have brought Juno's orbit down to 14 days, instead of 53, but due to the issue, they decided to postpone. It's not yet clear when or if engineers will decide to change Juno's orbit, but even if it does stay in the longer orbit for the rest of its mission, it will still be scientifically productive, according to Juno principal investigator Scott Bolton. "The worst-case-scenario is I have to be patient and get the science slowly," Bolton said. If they have to stick to the 53-day orbit, "the science opportunities are all there," he added. In spite of those setbacks, scientists are still working through analyzing data sent home from Juno gathered during its close flyby of Jupiter on Aug. 27. Scientists are starting to peer beneath Jupiter's cloud tops for the first time, checking out the layers below. "We are seeing that those beautiful belts and bands of orange and white we see at Jupiters cloud tops extend in some version as far down as our instruments can see, but seem to change with each layer," Bolton said. Juno also gathered data about the planet's strong magnetic field and its extreme auroras, but those discoveries are expected to be announced later this year. Pierce Brosnan apologized for his appearance in an Indian advertising campaign for a controversial breath freshner that many people see as a health risk. The actor said, via People, that he was "deeply shocked and saddened" to learn the Pan Bahar product he was advertising may include ingredients that can cause cancer. The product, called pan masala in Hindi, is usually taken after meals and is also blamed for red-colored spit stains across India. It is made up of nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and studies show it could have harmful health effects. Brosnan said he has the "greatest love and affection for India and its people" and said Pan Bahar's use of his image was "unauthorized and deceptive" and a violation of his contract. Brosnan said he agreed to advertise a single product presented as "all-natural containing neither tobacco, supari, nor any other harmful ingredient." "Having endured, in my own personal life, the loss of my first wife and daughter as well as numerous friends to cancer, I am fully committed to supporting women's health care and research programs that improve human health and alleviate suffering," said Brosnan in his statement. He said that the company "grossly manipulated" media outlets to make it seem as if he was a brand ambassador for an entire line of products. "As a man who has spent decades championing women's health care and environmental protection, I was distressed to learn of Pan Bahar's unauthorized and deceptive use of my image to endorse their range of pan masala products. I would never have entered into an agreement to promote a product in India that is dangerous to one's health." Brosnan said he will try to rectify the situation and that he was sorry: "Please accept my sincerest and heartfelt apologies to all whom I have offended." Read more: Pierce Brosnan Criticized for Indian Breath-Freshener Commercial A fine mess Grandiose rhetoric notwithstanding, there seems to be no seriousness of purpose among our top leaders From Esquire LAS VEGAS, NEVADA-There's a longtime belief here at the shebeen that pipelines leak, and that pipelines always leak because the people who construct and manage them care more about the money they can make off the poison within than they do about the consequences that occur whenever pipelines leak, and pipelines always leak. And sometimes, as The Omaha World-Herald tells us, they might kill people, too. Phillip W. Hennig, 59, lived about a quarter-mile from where the leak occurred in the interstate pipeline, said his brother, Alan Hennig, who also lives nearby. "He went to investigate the smell and was overcome by the vapors," said Alan Hennig, 55 The leak occurred in an above-ground portion of the 8-inch-diameter underground line sometime before 9:20 p.m. Monday. By the time authorities realized that there was a leak and went toward its source, Hennig's body was in an area too dangerous to reach. Information on precisely where and when he died was not immediately available. The leak led to the closure of a stretch of U.S. Highway 75 north of Tekamah in both directions. Because anhydrous ammonia continued to leak Tuesday, the highway was to remain closed into today, said Bruce Heine of Magellan Midstream Partners, the pipeline company. About 40 people in 23 homes within a 2-mile radius of the leak were evacuated Monday night, and it was uncertain when they would be allowed to return, Heine said. Magellan was working with the affected residents to cover their expenses associated with the evacuation, he said. Air quality was improving, Heine said Tuesday afternoon, "but not enough to allow residents to return home." It hasn't been the greatest year for Magellan Midstream Partners. But it's been a worse one for Philip Hennig and the people who knew him, and his neighbors, and another small place in the country where the little timebombs are stored. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. You Might Also Like Sep 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; A U.S. flag is shown during the national anthem prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports After spending a few weeks on the west coast, the Atlanta Falcons finally return to the Georgia Dome to face off against the San Diego Chargers. Luckily, theyll get another home game right afterwards against the Green Bay Packers. Both teams have exhibited struggles early on and the Falcons can take a huge step in this seasons success with a couple victories. The trickiest thing is that both of these teams will be coming off of Thursday night games before facing Atlanta, meaning each will have ten days of rest prior to the matchup. This gives them more time to prepare and watch film on the Falcons in the meantime. Atlanta does have home field advantage and will need to seize this moment for a commanding lead in the NFC south. AROUND COVER32 QB Rankings: Brees, Stafford on the rise Weekly Report Cards: The Seahawks, Chargers receive high marks Fantasy Football: Top waiver wire adds for Week 7 Falcons News: NFC South Flyover Week 6 Falcons News: Back in Black Falcons to Wear 1966 Throwback Uniforms Falcons News: Quinn and Jones Respond to Pass Interference No Call For the rest of the NFC south, schedules appear to be getting more difficult down the stretch. Carolina has a bye this week, meaning they cant win a game, but they face the Arizona Cardinals in Week Eight. Tampa Bay battles San Francisco and Oakland in consecutive weeks, while New Orleans has games with both the Chiefs and Seahawks. All of this being said, Atlanta has an opportunity to take a big lead in the division. They already maintain a 1.5 game lead following a difficult road stretch and now that their schedule mellows out, it will be pivotal for the division rankings. If the Falcons continue to play well and can win at least three of four before their bye week, this team will be on the right track for a playoff berth. The post Pivotal Homestand Upcoming for Atlanta appeared first on Cover32. A gun show in Houston, TX * Producers Note: We need your help! Share your feedback on the podcasttopics, guests, potential new projects, and moreby taking this brief survey: bit.ly/wethepeoplepodcast. Thanks! This week, We the People continues its series on The Candidates and the Constitution, in which the statements and proposals of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are compared to the text and history of the Constitution. (Listen to previous episodes on Article II, Article III, Article V, and the First Amendment.) We turn now to the Second Amendment, which states, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Clinton and Trump have taken positions on several proposals relating to gun rights and regulation, including a no-buy list for terrorism suspects, background checks for buyers, and assault weapon bans. There is also a great deal of interest in how the fundamental right of gun ownership will be protected or threatened with the appointment of new Justices to the Supreme Court. Joining We the People to discuss the Second Amendment and the 2016 presidential campaign with guest host Tom Donnelly are two leading scholars and advocates. Joseph Blocher is Professor of Law at the Duke University School of Law, where he specializes in constitutional law. Alan Gura is a private attorney specializing in appellate litigation. Alan argued two key Second Amendment cases, District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago, at the Supreme Court. This show was engineered by Jason Gregory and produced by Nicandro Iannacci. Research was provided by Lana Ulrich. The host of We the People is Jeffrey Rosen. Special thanks to Tom Donnelly for hosting this week. Get the latest constitutional news, and continue the conversation, on Facebook and Twitter. We want to know what you think of the podcast! Email us at editor@constitutioncenter.org. Story continues Please subscribe to We the People and Live at Americas Town Hall on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. We the People is a member of Slates Panoply network. Check out the full roster at Panoply.fm. Despite our congressional charter, the National Constitution Center is a private nonprofit; we receive little government support, and we rely on the generosity of people around the country who are inspired by our nonpartisan mission of constitutional debate and education. Please consider becoming a member to support our work, including this podcast. Visit constitutioncenter.org to learn more. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Presidential candidates talk Supreme Court, Constitution at final debate What happens when there is a tie in the Electoral College? The Candidates and the Constitution: Podcast series compares Clinton and Trump to documents text and history Krakow (Poland) (AFP) - Heart-felt messages from Solidarity icon Lech Walesa and Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski were read out over the urn of Andrzej Wajda, as the legend of Polish cinema was laid to rest on Wednesday in Krakow. "Three generations were raised on the films of Andrzej Wajda and so for millions of Poles, including myself, you will forever remain in your indelible images," Walesa said in a letter read out to hundreds of mourners gathered at a church in the heart of Krakow's mediaeval old town. A large black-and-white photograph portrait of Wajda was perched on an easel in front of the altar where his steel urn stood. "Your love of truth, of authenticity, your attention to every detail, made a huge impression on me," Polanski said in his message evoking their friendship that spanned over 60 years. As a film and acting student in Poland in the 1950s Polanski was Wajda's protege, beginning a career that later took him to Hollywood. Polanski, who lives in France, also apologised to Wajda's family for not attending the funeral in person. Polish authorities are currently reconsidering whether to honour a US extradition request for Polanski where he faces sentencing over a 1977 case of statutory rape. Polish President Andrzej Duda, a native of Krakow, attended the ceremonies that drew hundreds of mourners including top artists and intellectuals but also average Poles who bowed their heads as they filed past his urn. Wajda was close to Poland's liberal opposition, currently locked in a bitter row with the rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) government over a string of legislative moves that critics allege undermine democracy. "He resisted the poison of bitterness that he felt recently over politics and public life which contradicted his hopes and vision for Poland," said Henryk Wozniakowski, the head of Poland's Znak publishing house. Wajda's urn, covered in a bouquet of red roses, was laid to rest in a family plot in the Salwator cemetery, perched on a hillside in a leafy Krakow neighbourhood by the same name. The Oscar-awarded director died on October 9 in a Warsaw hospital of lung failure after being in a medically-induced coma for days. CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South African police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of student protesters demanding free education at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town. Protests have taken place for weeks at universities across the country, prompting President Jacob Zuma last week to form a ministerial team to tackle the issue. The university said in a statement it was suspending classroom lectures for the rest of the academic year, which ends in December, and would give students the choice of writing final examinations in November or January. "Today the situation on campus escalated and it has become clear that simply continuing with face-to-face academic engagement would not be possible without seriously compromising the safety of students and staff," the university said. A private security guard was badly beaten by demonstrators in the latest clash and a campus building was set on fire, a Reuters witness said. The protests over the cost of university education, prohibitive particularly for black students and set to rise by up to 8 percent next year, have highlighted frustration at the inequalities that still endure, more than two decades after the end of apartheid. Police in the capital Pretoria warned the public of an expected march by students on Thursday to the Union Buildings, where the government has its seat. (Reporting by Mike Hutchings; Writing by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Angus MacSwan) CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South African police used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of student protesters demanding free education at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, a Reuters witness said. Protests have been flaring for weeks at universities across the country, prompting President Jacob Zuma last week to form a ministerial team to tackle the issue. A private security guard was badly beaten by demonstrators in the latest clash and a campus building was set on fire, the witness said. The protests over the cost of university education, prohibitive particularly for black students and set to rise by up to 8 percent next year, have highlighted frustration at the inequalities that still endure, more than two decades after the end of apartheid. Police in the capital Pretoria warned the public of an expected march by students on Thursday to the Union Buildings, where the government has its seat. (Reporting by Mike Hutchings; Writing by Ed Stoddard; Editing by) Paris (AFP) - With protests spreading across the country, the French government sought to contain growing anger among police officers Thursday as the issue entered the presidential race. Following a string of attacks on officers, the police are calling for reinforcements and more resources, as well as stiffer penalties for offenders. Several hundred, all dressed in civilian clothes, demonstrated for a second night on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris on Wednesday, eventually gathering at the Arc de Triomphe to sing the Marseillaise national anthem. "Police officers need recognition," Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Thursday. "They are loved by the French people, and not only since Charlie," he added, referring to an outpouring of sympathy for police following the attack last year on the Charlie Hebdo magazine. The execution-style killing of a police officer during the raid by two extremists became one of the emblematic images of the tragedy, the first in a string of Islamist-inspired attacks that have shocked France. "I call for calm and peace and I say to the police officers of France that they can count on my support, my solidarity, my understanding and my commitment," Valls continued. With security at its highest possible level, officers have been up in arms over attacks on officers during patrols in tough suburbs and during street demonstrations. On October 8, a 28-year-old officer suffered serious burns when he was attacked with a petrol bomb on the outskirts of the capital. He remains in a coma. Police unions, which have already met Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, are demanding a meeting with President Francois Hollande and calling for fixed minimum sentences for attacks on the police. Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas met union representatives on Wednesday and pledged his "entire support to the police... who are exposed to significant and constant risks". Police were also set to protest Thursday in the central city of Lyon after officers came under attack in the gritty Venissieux suburb where around 40 youths pelted them with petrol bombs. Story continues Under French law, police may protest only when off duty, out of uniform and provided they leave their service weapons and vehicles behind. The Socialist government has accused former president Nicolas Sarkozy of cutting 10,00 police jobs during his 2007-2012 presidency. Sarkozy, who is bidding to clinch the right-wing nomination as he attempts to regain the presidency, described the accusations on Thursday as "lies". Nicosia (AFP) - Activists at Europe's biggest annual gay rights conference warned Friday that populist political movements across the continent are stoking violence against minorities. ILGA-Europe, an umbrella group for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex) rights campaigners, said hate speech is fuelling discrimination and physical attacks. Its executive director, Evelyne Paradis, said "growing populism, extremism and xenophobia" are affecting sexual, ethnic and other minority groups. "In many countries LGBTI groups find themselves among the most vulnerable," she told AFP. Campaigners at the conference in Cyprus said the LGBTI movement had made enormous gains in some countries, successfully campaigning for laws allowing same-sex marriage and banning discrimination. But they said populist politicians were fuelling a backlash. "Whereas in the last few years we had seen a decrease in direct targeting of offices of LGBTI organisations' offices, that's starting to reappear," Paradis said. Brian Sheehan, who co-chairs the group's executive board, said inequalities created by austerity policies were damaging social cohesion and threatening "the diversity that is at the heart of the European project". "Post-Brexit we've seen a rise in attacks on foreigners and we also seen a rise in attacks on LGBTI people," he said of the vote in Britain to leave the EU. "The notion of being different or other has been politically manipulated." ILGA-Europe, which represents 490 organisations from 45 countries, is holding its conference in Nicosia two years after the city held its first Greek Cypriot gay pride parade. The conference opened with a drinks gala at Nicosia's presidential palace -- something Sheehan said would be unthinkable in many European countries. "It's an extremely important event for Cyprus, which has come a long way in recognising rights of LGBTI community in last few years," said Stella Kyriakides, a member of the Cypriot parliament. Story continues But she said elsewhere in Europe, an influx of refugees was stirring up xenophobia. That prompted many to vote for far-right parties in local elections in Germany and France, she said. "I am extremely concerned that we are seeing extremist movements on the rise in Europe and especially in recent years," she said. "Xenophobia can instigate a lot of other phobias in societies." TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's powerful UGTT labor union threatened on Thursday to hold a general strike and called protests against the government's plans to freeze public wage increases as part of measures to control the budget deficit. Under pressure from international lenders for reforms to cut spending, spur growth and create jobs, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has proposed a broad package of initiatives to control the fiscal deficit and increase government revenues. But proposed new taxes and the halt to public wage increases included in the government's 2017 budget has worried many Tunisians already wary about the lack of economic progress since their 2011 revolution ousted autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. "We call for regional protests, a large national protest in Kasbah Square (near the Prime Minister office) and another in front of the parliament," the UGTT union said in statement, without giving a date. The parliament is expected to debate the 2017 budget in the next few days after it was approved by the cabinet. The UGTT, the country's main labor union with 900,000 members, also called for a general strike to protest against plans to freeze the increase in public wages, which it warned could trigger protests. The UTICA industry and business employers' association, one of the country's major economic lobbying groups, said on Wednesday it rejected a proposed exceptional tax contribution on business as a way for the government to generate finances. Thousands of lawyers are expected to go on strike on Friday to protest against new tax measures against their industry and other sectors such as healthcare. Tunisia expects to seek $2.78 billion in foreign loans next year - nearly double its 2016 external financing needs - to help cover a 2017 fiscal deficit seen at 5.4 percent of GDP. Tunisia has been hailed as a model for democratic progress since its 2011 uprising against Ben Ali led to free elections and political stability. But many Tunisians are demanding jobs and economic progress to match. (Reporting By Tarek Amara; editing by Patrick Markey and Andrew Heavens) PPG Industries Inc. PPG has a diversified business and a leading position in several paints and coatings end markets. However, PPG Industries faces a number of headwinds, stemming from a sluggish global economy. The companys earnings are also heavily exposed to unfavorable currency fluctuations. Lets have a quick look at this Pittsburgh-based coating giants third-quarter 2016 release. Estimate Trend & Surprise History Investors should note that the earnings estimate for PPG Industries for the third quarter has seen a downtrend over the last month. PPG Industries has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in 2 out of the 4 trailing quarters with an average beat of 0.33%. PPG INDS INC Price and EPS Surprise PPG INDS INC Price and EPS Surprise | PPG INDS INC Quote Earnings PPG Industries logged adjusted earnings of $1.56 per share for the quarter, up 1.3% year over year. It was in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Adjusted earnings exclude a previously disclosed pension settlement charge. Revenues PPG Industries posted third-quarter revenues of $3,789 million, up 1.7% year over year. It trailed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,797 million. Unfavorable currency swings impacted net sales by 2%. Acquisitions contributed over 2% to sales. Key Stats/Developments to Note PPG Industries saw its sales volume grow year over year in the quarter in both coatings segments, led by the Industrial Coatings business. Volumes in the Performance Coatings segment also grew with architectural coatings volumes increasing, led by a rise in U.S., Canada and Mexico which was partly offset by lower volumes in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Overall, the quarter was impacted by slower than expected growth in Europe and higher than expected currency headwinds. Zacks Rank PPG Industries currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Market Reaction PPG Industries shares were inactive in pre-market trading. It would be interesting to see how the market reacts to the results during the trading session today. Story continues Check back later for our full write up on PPG Industries earnings report! 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 PPG INDS INC (PPG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Bangladesh to build over 1,600 MW hydro projects In a first major hydro investment deal between Nepal and Bangladesh, the two countries have signed an agreement to build two hydroelectric plants capable of generating over 1,600 megawatts of electricity in Nepal. President Obama lambasted Marco Rubio on his home turf on Thursday, slamming the Senator who ran against Donald Trump in the primary, yet later endorsed his controversial candidacy. Donald Trump wants to reverse progress, Obama told the crowd at Florida Memorial University. Marco Rubio wants to help him. Obama refused to give Republicans a great deal of credit for denouncing some of Trumps nastier controversies, including a leaked tape on which he can be heard bragging about groping women. He instead said their reactions were too little, too late, going so far as to call Rubios actions the height of cynicism and proof that he would say or do anything to get elected. How can you call him a con artist and dangerous and object to all the controversial things he says, and then say, Im still going to vote for him? Obama said. Come on, man! Obama repeatedly called Rubio a bad choice for the Floridians in the audience, urging them instead to vote for his opponent, Representative Patrick Murphy, whom he praised as a good leader. Rubios team slammed Murphy in a statement: Patrick Murphy has accomplished nothing during his four years in Congress even the President couldnt think of anything nice to say about him, Olivia Perez-Cubas, Rubios press secretary, said. Obama also offered a public response to Trumps statements that he would only accept the results of the election if he were to win on Nov. 8. Suggestions that the vote would be somehow rigged, he said, are not only whining but also dangerous for the country. That is not a joking matter. That is dangerous. When you try to sow the seeds of doubt in peoples minds about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy, Obama said. Obama was in Florida to deliver a speech on the Affordable Care Act, and afterward he stopped by Florida Memorial University for the rowdy speech. The President had been scheduled to attend a rally for Clinton in Florida earlier this month, but it was rescheduled due to Hurricane Matthew. The President, who already voted early in Illinois, urged early voting in the Sunshine State where a 2013 report found long lines discouraged some 200,000 people from casting ballots. When you vote early, there are no lines, he said. You can take your time. Starting Monday you can reject somebody who proves himself unfit to be President every single day in every single way, Obama said, urging the crowd to vote early in the battleground state. You dont need to wait until Nov. 8 to send Hillary to the White House. President Barack Obama blamed partisanship for the lingering discontent around his signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act, during his latest pitch on the benefits of the law to millennials at Miami Dade College in Florida. But Obama also admitted that there are problems with the law that need to be addressed, including costly premiums and persistent gaps in coverage. Part of the problem is a Democratic President named Barack Obama passed the law, the president said to cheers. But just because a lot of the Republican criticism has proven to be false doesnt mean that there arent legitimate concerns. Obama compared the Affordable Care Act as it exists today to a starter home, saying it was a good first step to reducing the U.S. uninsured rate. Under the law, the Department of Health and Human Services says 20 million people have gained insurance. But millions of people still do not have insurance, and among those who do, many face high out-of-pocket costs when they seek care. During his speech at the Miami college on Thursday, the President listed a number of steps he believes need to be taken. He called on every state to expand Medicaid and said more tax credits could encourage families and young people to buy insurance in the marketplace. The President also said the federal government should provide a public plan fallback that he says would create more competition in the marketplace. I dont want to see anybody left out without health insurance, Obama said. The question we should be asking is, what do we do about these growing pains? The Presidents remarks come at a pivotal moment for his health care law. The fourth open enrollment season is set to begin in the coming weeks, and proponents are again hoping that young, healthy citizens will purchase insurance in order support the sicker Americans who have access to coverage. Both supporters and critics of the law have complained about high insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles, and limited doctor choice. Minnesotas Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, whose state expanded Medicaid, said recently that Obamacare is no longer affordable for increasing numbers of people. Also recently, insurance company Aetna announced it would join UnitedHealth Group and Humana in pulling out of the insurance marketplace in some states. Like Obama, some Democrats are now pushing for a public insurance option sponsored by the government in an effort to create more competition in the health insurance marketplace where few plans are available. Story continues The future of the health care law will largely be decided by the upcoming presidential election, and the candidates have offered different solutions. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said she wants to defend and fix the existing law and institute the so-called public option that Obama and other Democrats support. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, on the other hand, has said he wants to repeal and replace the law. On Thursday, President said the focus should be on making the Affordable Care Act better, not nixing it. Repealing it would make the majority of Americans worse off when it comes to health care, he said. It would be bad for everybody. The White House said Thursday the President made his pitch at Miami Dade College because the school has shown excitement at the start of open enrollment periods, hosting enrollment days where those seeking care can get assistance. The White House also published letters sent to the President from people whose lives have been positively impacted by care on a new online hub. This is it, folks: the final debate between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump before Election Day arrives in less than three weeks. VIDEOSLate Show: Melania Reacts to Trumps Billybush-Grabbing Controversy Clinton and Trump are set to take the stage shortly after 9/8c on Wednesday at the University of Nevada in Paradise, Nev., for a 90-minute debate moderated by Fox News Chris Wallace. Its anyones guess what the candidates have in store for this final showdown even Full Frontals Samantha Bee declared that literally fing anything is possible but if Wednesdays debate bears even a remote resemblance to the first two, itll give Saturday Night Live Americans plenty to talk about until the polls open on Nov. 8. VIDEOSSaturday Night Live Parodies Presidential Debate No. 2 As always, TVLine will have a full rundown of the evenings winners and losers after the debate. In the meantime, hit PLAY on the live stream above to watch the candidates final clash in real time. Launch Gallery: Second Presidential Debate: Winners and Losers Related stories Final Presidential Debate: Winners, Losers (and Thank Goodness It's Over) Third Presidential Debate: How Did Fox News' Chris Wallace Do as Moderator? Billy Bush Officially Out at Today Oct 20 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. The Times - The chancellor has sought to end talk of a rift between the government and the Bank of England by quashing speculation about plans to tamper with the central bank's independence. http://bit.ly/2doBUi3 - Travis Perkins Plc has issued a profit warning and announced plans to close branches and cut 600 jobs because of slow sales and falling demand. http://bit.ly/2doErZq The Guardian - Barratt Developments, one of Britain's biggest housebuilders, is engulfed in a corruption scandal after one of its top executives was arrested on suspicion of bribery following an investigation into the awarding of contracts to suppliers. http://bit.ly/2doH0Lk - The European commission will redouble its crackdown on multinational tax avoidance with the relaunch of proposals to create an overarching corporation tax regime across all member states. http://bit.ly/2doGGMk The Telegraph - Malaysia Airlines is in talks with Airbus Group SE about converting its fleet of A380s to each carry 700 passengers on dedicated flights to service demand for the Islamic pilgrimage to the Saudi Arabian holy city. http://bit.ly/2doHzVh - Handelsbanken, the Swedish lender that is growing quickly in the UK, has boosted profits, lending and deposits in Britain, shrugging off the uncertainty caused by the Brexit vote. http://bit.ly/2dBeXXn Sky News - Travis Perkins Plc is cutting 600 jobs and closing more than 30 branches as it warns of "uncertain" trading in the year ahead. http://bit.ly/2doGBby - Housebuilder Barratt Developments Plc says police have arrested its London boss following an internal probe into the awarding of contracts. http://bit.ly/2doG0a4 The Independent - The head of financial development for Luxembourg said a string of overseas banks and fund managers had explored moving London staff to the tiny country since the Brexit vote. http://ind.pn/2doGP2o - Chancellor Philip Hammond has sought to quash the suggestion the Government is seeking to encroach on the independence of the Bank of England. http://ind.pn/2doJ31X (Compiled by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Cooney) Oct 20 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - About 150 Iraqis were among the first to escape across the front line south of the city amid the campaign to oust Islamic State militants from their stronghold in Iraq. http://on.wsj.com/2eliKX0 - Donald Trump refused Wednesday to commit to respecting the results of the presidential election if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton wins, hinting at a challenge to one of the longtime traditions of American democracy. http://on.wsj.com/2emAUIf - Banks and investors flocked to buy Saudi Arabia's first global bonds, a milestone in the giant oil producer's efforts to diversify its economy and embrace global financial markets. http://on.wsj.com/2e7fd3p - Among Jim Umpleby's first tasks as Caterpillar Inc's chief executive will be cleaning up the fallout from his predecessor's expansion plans. http://on.wsj.com/2ejhfKA - After spending nearly $50 billion in the summer of 2015 to acquire DirecTV, AT&T Inc is preparing to roll out an internet video service that could upend its satellite-television business along with the rest of the pay-TV industry. http://on.wsj.com/2emzihh - Google Inc. reached an agreement with CBS Corp to carry the broadcast network on its soon-to-be-launched web TV service. http://on.wsj.com/2emAD8b - Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co is about to add a third big car industry job to his current duties in a move that could put his pay above rivals at the Detroit Three car makers. http://on.wsj.com/2emxvsH - The flagship fund of Platinum Partners filed late Tuesday for chapter 15 protection, the section of the U.S. code that deals with international insolvency. http://on.wsj.com/2emyFog - UK Prime Minister Theresa May heads to her first Brussels summit of European Union leaders on Thursday as she wrestles to balance demands at home on how to extract the U.K. from the bloc. http://on.wsj.com/2emANwi (Compiled by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru) DailyFX.com - Talking Points: - Talk of tapering is cheap - cheap analysis that is. - Several ECB policy officials have made clear *more* easing is possible, and that even discussing *less* easing is nonsense. - See the DailyFX Economic Calendar for Wednesday, October 19, 2016. Join me at 7:30 EDT/11:30 GMT for live coverage of the ECB rate decision in the DailyFX Live Trading Room. Ahead of the October ECB rate decision today, several market observers have suggested that the ECB is getting ready to taper its QE program. Seemingly, the basis of this analysis is that the ECB has yet to extend its QE program; so that in turn, this must mean it's getting ready to taper. We think this is a cheap explanation for what the ECB may be thinking of doing, particularly with several pieces of evidence that suggest otherwise. In August, at the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium, ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said that if other actors do not take the necessary measures in their policy domains, we may need to dive deeper into our operational framework and strategy to do so. Translated from his economic jargon: if politicians dont stop fooling around, then the ECB will have to ease again. Does anyone really think political developments in Europe are allowing fiscal policymakers to do more?- or at least have done enough to warrant the ECB from withdrawing its easing efforts? In September, at the press conference after the ECB's rate decision, ECB President Draghi made an important comment. We tasked the relevant committees to work on the smooth implementation and the changes that are needed to ensure the smooth implementation, he said. In other words, the ECB is not focused on the size of the QE program right now, but rather, whether or not its functioning properly. More recently, as pointed out in a Bloomberg Brief last Friday, over the course of the prior week, two separate ECB officials spoke about the ECB's QE program and the timetable of tapering. ECB Vice President Vitor Constancio said the Governing Council has not discussed anything about the timetable of QE. Similarly, the ECBs Vitas Vasiliauskas (a more hawkish policymaker) said it is very important not to speak about exit, exit being the end of the QE program. If there is an adjustment announced at some point, it will be to adjust the QE program to ensure that it can run for longer (in other words, to make sure it is sustainable and won't need to be tapered abruptly). Story continues What will likely happen: at either an upcoming meeting (perhaps today, even) the ECB will indicate that it needs to adjust the way its bond buying program is conducted. The ECB allots its bond buying based on the capital key. What is the capital key? The capital of the ECB comes from the national central banks (NCBs) of all EU member states. According to the ECB, the NCBs shares in this capital are calculated using a key which reflects the respective countrys share in the total population and gross domestic product of the EU. As such, it's no surprise that Germany - as the country with the largest capital key contribution - has seen the belly of its yield curve (3Y-7Y) drift lower into negative territory, below the ECB's -0.40% deposit level - the threshold at which the ECB no longer purchases bonds in its QE program. Likewise, the ECB needs to either: remove the limiting parameter of -0.40% on its bond buying; or discard the capital key variable. In the first case, German yields would like move lower the fastest; in the second, peripheral yields like in Italy and in Spain. In either case, the potential for a signficant Euro move absent a notable driver - like a rate cut - seems limited (15% chance per OIS). Read more: Watch Oils Next Move (Implications for USD/CAD) --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, Currency Strategist To contact Christopher Vecchio, e-mail cvecchio@dailyfx.com Follow him on Twitter at @CVecchioFX To be added to Christophers e-mail distribution list, please fill out this form 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. Need to pivot your trip plans but don't want to deal with the extra time, money and hassle of rebooking your flights and hotel rooms on your own? That's where a knowledgeable agent can help you get your plans back on track, explains Erika Richter, director of communications for the American Society of Travel Agents. "In the world in which we live, unfortunately with viruses and terrorism, you need to be as safe as possible when you travel," she says. And while most travel agents do impose a service fee, varying from $25 to $100 depending on factors such as your desired itinerary and budget, ultimately, they can help maximize savings with exclusive promotions, perks and inventory that isn't available to the public, Richter says. "I think there's a bit of a resurgence of brick-and-mortar agents," says Clayton Reid, president and CEO of MMGY Global, a travel and hospitality marketing and research firm. Younger travelers who are tech-savvy and aren't seasoned travelers want to connect with experienced agents, he explains. And the demand for agents doesn't seem to be just a passing fad. According to a 2015 study by Lodestar Advisory Partners, 92 percent of U.S. leisure travelers who used an agent plan to turn to an agent again, Richter says. With that in mind, U.S. News enlisted guidance from top industry experts to identify the draws and downsides of relying on a travel agent, so you can determine if hiring one is right for you. [See: 10 Frequent Flier Secrets Every Traveler Should Know.] The Benefits You'll Gain Added Value and Perks One of the top incentives of turning to a travel agent is getting access to their expertise and industry connections, explains Christopher Elliott, a consumer advocate and journalist. "Time is money," he says. Instead of conducting mind-numbing hours of research, agents who are members of larger consortia like Virtuoso have established industry connections and can help you negotiate with a big supplier for a discount, he adds. Richter echoes similar sentiments. "They work in large networks and have relationships with suppliers that you don't have. Think, direct access. Speed dial access," she says. "Some travel agents can enhance trips with perks and surprises," she adds, highlighting that top agents have relationships with award-winning chefs, hotel managers and tour operators that booking sites do not. And in terms of scoring the best deals, "believe it or not, travel agents often beat those internet prices," Richter says. Since many agents have access to their own booking and distribution systems, which offer access to cruise packages, airline tickets and hotel rooms, they can typically access the same web promotions, she adds. While agents are still earning off commissions, there is consistent value back for clients, says Jay Johnson, president of Coastline Travel Advisors. "Say the service fee is $100," he says. "You'll get more money back in amenities such as breakfast and spa and beverage credits," he says. You Won't Have to Sweat the Details As Richter puts it, "there's the time factor." Rather than researching on your own, a reputable agent can anticipate expenses and amenities to "help you avoid surprises," she explains, pointing to meal costs, resort fees and tourism fees as added costs that can drain your budget. And if you're planning a complicated trip or an international getaway to a far-flung locale, an agent can offer helpful guidance and point you to tour companies that best match your needs, Richter adds. Johnson offers a similar perspective. "Working with an agent can give you piece of mind," he says, noting that they have relationships with companies in just about every country in the world and vetted suppliers in isolated places like Mongolia. For a far-off and expensive vacation, you're never going to get that time back, he says, highlighting that it's a wise idea to speak with an expert on when to visit and where to go or what to skip, so you don't have to worry about logistics and other details. [See: 7 Secret Tricks to Scoring a Cheap Business-Class Seat.] You'll Have Help Troubleshooting Common Travel Hiccups "Because they've been around for so long, agents really know what to look for," Elliott says. They have access to technology to spot weather delays, he adds, pointing out that an airline will notify an agent first and there are automated systems in place, making it easy to rebook itineraries right away in the event of a natural disaster. Even better, an agent will put in the legwork of sifting through travel insurance policies and point you to the plan that best suits your individual needs and itinerary, he adds. "If a flight gets canceled, you'd much rather talk to someone like me," Johnson says, highlighting that an agent is an advocate who's there for you 24/7 to help you rebook your flights quickly, eliminating extra time, effort and hassle. The Downsides If Price is Your Top Priority, You May Score a Better Deal on Your Own If you don't want to pay for someone's connections, time and travel advice, using an agent may not be worthwhile to you. "There's really no set fee structure," Richter explains. And while in many instances a travel advisor can help you clinch the greatest values, you will need to pay for their consultation hours, efforts and knowledge. "If they handle the arrangements for you, that money will most likely come back to you in one form or another," she adds. That said, there are instances when you're better off booking yourself, Elliott says, as some agents will take a commission and a reservation fee. "If you're planning the trip of a lifetime or a destination honeymoon, that's when you call the experts," he says. Alternatively, if you're planning a quick flight from New York City to Los Angeles, it's easy enough to book it yourself online directly or through a discount booking site, he adds. [Read: 10 Dreamy Cruise Vacations to Cross Off Your Bucket List.] You Must Do Your Homework to Find a Reliable Agent A reputable agent should devote ample time to understand their clients' needs, Johnson says. One major con of turning to an agent is "speaking to an agent who doesn't know what they're doing," he says. If you're working with an agent who provides you with limited options to choose from, that's a red flag, he says. Another tell-tale sign of a lackluster agent: the response time, Johnson says, pointing out that if communication is delayed, that's a sign that they're too busy or they're working as travel agents as a part-time gig. If you work with someone who is inexperienced or has an incentive to book you with a certain supplier, they may not be prioritizing your best interests, he explains. And you likely won't get a great deal, so choose your travel specialist wisely, he says. Liz Weiss is the Travel editor for Consumer Advice at U.S. News & World Report. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, circle her on Google+ or email her at eweiss@usnews.com. When the FBI announced earlier this month it had arrested NSA contractor Harold Martin, it was clear the American signals intelligence agency had suffered a huge breach of internal security. But no one imagined the staggering amount of information Martin allegedly amassed in his suburban Maryland home: a digital archive that may reach 500 million pages, much of it secret. In a 12-page filing on Thursday, federal prosecutors presented their most detailed accounting so far of the classified material Martin allegedly accumulated over a two-decade career in government. It includes specific operational plans against a known enemy of the United States distributed on a need to know basis and notes describing the NSAs classified computer infrastructure and operations. If convicted for his actions, Martins home archive may constitute the largest archive of mishandled classified information in U.S. history. Prosecutors revealed on Thursday that they plan to charge him under the Espionage Act. Prosecutors are likely to seek a stiff prison sentence, but it remains unclear which specific charges Martin will face. The sheer volume of the programs he could compromise is staggering, said Dave Aitel, a former NSA research scientist and the CEO of Immunity, Inc., a computer security company. Prosecutors are still wondering why Martin allegedly did it. They have offered no evidence that he had shared, or planned to share, the material with others, such as a foreign intelligence agency. Yet he allegedly had a stash of guns and advanced encryption tools, and communicated online in different languages, including Russian. Investigators found hand-written notes explaining the basics of cyber tradecraft on the back of top-secret printouts just lying around Martins car. At this point, Im sure the people at Ft. Meade are hoping he offers his full cooperation so they can do proper damage control. The sooner the better, said Aitel. Story continues During his time at the NSA, Martin reportedly worked with the agencys most elite hackers, a unit known as Tailored Access Operations and charged with penetrating the most difficult targets. Following the disclosure of a huge quantity of classified material by Edward Snowden 2013, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars to clamp down on what it calls insider threats. If true, Martins theft of classified information would represent a black eye on the intelligence communitys efforts to prevent such leaks. According to prosecutors, the classified materials found at Martins home date from 1996 to 2016. Several documents marked Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information which designates some of the governments most closely held information were found lying openly in Martins home and the backseat and trunk of his car. The raid on his home netted six bankers boxes worth of physical material, and a number of computers, thumb drives, and external hard drives. Investigators are still going over that material, and it remains unclear what portion of Martins digital storage devices contain government secrets. Prosecutors say their investigation has so far revealed an astonishing quantity of classified material in Martins possession and that they expect to discover additional secrets. Thursdays filing makes clear that prosecutors are still puzzling over Martins motive. The former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor has been described as a loner and a hoarder who brought classified material home for his own edification. Enrolled in a PhD program in computer security, Martin may have been using NSA materials for research purposes. But Thursdays filing indicates that prosecutors are looking hard at whether Martin attempted to disseminate any of the information he brought home, though they have so far presented no evidence that he did. Most intriguingly, the search of Martins car turned up a printed email chain marked top secret with the former contractors notes on the back. The handwritten notes also include descriptions of the most basic concepts associated with classified operations, as if the notes were intended for an audience outside of the Intelligence Community unfamiliar with the details of its operations, prosecutors said in their filing. The notes, Aitel said, may indicate that Martin intended to release that information to someone not familiar with cyber operations, such as, perhaps, another countrys intelligence service. According to the New York Times, the material found at Martins home includes NSA hacking tools that turned up for sale online two months ago. An unidentified hacking group calling itself the Shadow Brokers released the NSA code online this summer to establish the credibility of another file allegedly containing additional NSA cyberweapons. The Shadow Brokers demanded several million dollars in exchange for the file, but have not found a buyer so far. Investigators have reportedly not found any evidence so far to indicate that Martin served as the source of the Shadow Brokers dump. The search of Martins home also turned up ten firearms, including an AR-15 rifle and a shotgun with a flash suppressor. FBI agents seized the weapons at the request of Martins wife, who was unaware of the number of weapons at their shared home. Prosecutors said she feared her husband might kill himself with the one of the weapons. Investigators also found advanced encryption and anonymization tools, which someone with Martins skill could use to shield his internet activities and communication. Thursdays filing came in support of a government request to keep Martin in jail ahead of his trial. They argue that Martin constitutes a serious flight risk, and that foreign intelligence agencies could reap huge benefit from Martins knowledge. Prosecutors alleged in their filing that Martin has communicated online with others in languages other than English, including in Russian. Defense lawyers for Martin argued in a separate filing Thursday that prosecutors had concocted fantastical scenarios to keep their client behind bars. Martin does not posses a valid passport, served in the United States Navy, and has a wife and home in Maryland, his lawyers James Wyda and Deborah Boardman noted. There is no evidence he intended to betray his country, they wrote. On Friday, Martin will appear in a Baltimore federal court for a detention hearing. SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Constitution amendment: Draft proposal in final stage, PM tells House Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Wednesday that the draft of the constitution amendment proposal was almost ready and that the government was working to forge consensus among major parties and the agitating forces before tabling it in Parliament. (Corrects quarterly period for Omnicom in last bullet point to Q3, not Q2) PARIS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Shares in France's Publicis Groupe SA fell on Thursday after underlying third-quarter sales growth stalled, undershooting forecasts, and as the company's boss expressed caution over the prospects for next year. Quarterly revenue rose by a mere 0.2 percent on an organic basis to 2.32 billion euros ($2.55 billion), held back by the previously-flagged loss of large media accounts in the United States in 2015, but also missing the forecast by a Reuters poll of analysts that predicted growth of 0.97 percent. Publicis Chief Executive Officer Maurice Levy said full-year organic growth in 2017 will be higher than in 2016, but pointed to the economic uncertainties following the British vote to leave the European Union, and surrounding the U.S. presidential election next month. Shares were falling by 5.95 percent at 0808 GMT, on track for their worst day in four-and-a-half months, making Publicis the worst-performer of the French CAC 40 stock index. Publicis shares are up 2.7 percent since January. * Nine-month revenue rose 1.9 percent on an organic basis to 7.07 billion euros * Publicis confirmed full-year guidance for 2016 * The advertising group, the world's third-largest, gained clients such as Wal-Mart, P&G's home care products, Coty and USAA. * Management board will propose to bring forward the 2018 target of a 42 percent payout to 2016. * Levy said total acquisitions in 2017 should be lower than 500 million euros. * Levy, who is slated to leave his position as CEO in 2017, confirmed that the board would make a decision on his successor in February 2017. * Levy said he was ready to take another position in the company's corporate governance to assure a smooth transition, if the board asked him to do so. * American Rival Omnicom said this week that its third-quarter organic sales growth was 3.2 percent. UK-based WPP, the top advertising company in the world, will report third-quarter sales on Oct. 31, while Havas will do the same after market close on Oct. 25. ($1 = 0.9116 euros) (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain and Gwenaelle Barzic; editing by Diane Craft and Andrew Callus) DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Puration, Inc. (PURA) and Colorado based Spanish Peaks ScumpDelicacies today announced the Spanish Peaks Cannabis Infused Beverage Naming Contest Winners will be announced. Puration and Spanish Peaks recently entered into a $1 million collaboration agreement to produce and co-market THC and CBD infused beverages. In conjunction with the collaboration agreement, Spanish Peaks launched a contest online inviting the public to propose and promote names for the first cannabis infused beverages. Results have now been tabulated. Winners will be contacted today and announced tomorrow. Puration utilizes a highly refined cannabis extraction process to deliver consistent and high-quality cannabis extracts. Puration recently announced an independent lab test certifying Puration CBD extract at 98% purity. The Company's business strategy is to develop collaboration agreements with food and beverage companies to co-market food and beverage products infused with Puration's cannabis extracts. Puration has published a business plan with a $3 million revenue forecast on the Company's website. Spanish Peaks ScrumpDelicacies is a venture backed startup dedicated to building cannabis consumer product production capacity in the Southern Front Range Region of Colorado. After the Southern Colorado Town of Walsenburg was featured in a USA TODAY report last year as a potentially ideal region for the evolving cannabis industry yet underserved by the investment community, the Spanish Peaks ScrumpDelicacies initiative was born. Together the two companies plan to develop a line of THC and CBD infused beverage products for the consumer market to be sold where law currently permits. The cornerstone of the collaboration agreement and the first year budgeted $1 million sales objective is founded on an affiliated distribution partnership. To learn more about Puration: www.purationinc.com Follow Puration on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Puration710 Visit Puration on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puration/ Story continues Safe Harbor Act: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involves risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. Puration Contact: Brian Shibley, CEO info@puraitoninc.com +1-214-937-9097 SOURCE: Puration Moscow (AFP) - President Vladimir Putin backs an armed OSCE mission to war-torn eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin said Thursday, in spite of objections by pro-Moscow rebels. "Putin agreed to the deployment of such a mission during the talks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, referring to Wednesday's four-way talks on the conflict with the leaders of Germany, France and Ukraine. "There is an understanding on the positive nature of the deployment of such a mission, but it needs to be worked out in the framework of the OSCE." The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) has 580 unarmed staff based in the conflict zone and has had its mandate extended to the end of March 2017. Despite Putin's endorsement of armed OSCE observers, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the process of ensuring local elections in the rebel-controlled areas needs to advance before an armed OSCE mission could be put in place. The idea of arming that mission does not sit well with the separatists' self-proclaimed "people's republics" in the industrial regions of Lugansk and Donetsk. One of the Donetsk separatist leaders, Denis Pushilin, told AFP that his self-proclaimed republic was against the measure and that it had not been agreed upon in 2015 peace agreements known as the Minsk accords. "The fact that we are against an armed OSCE mission is not only the personal position of the leadership of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic," Pushilin said. "It has been confirmed at rallies with several thousand people that took place on our territories." In June, more than 5,000 people took to the streets of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk to protest against the presence of OSCE monitors in the war-torn region, one of many rallies against the monitoring group. Merkel said Thursday that "no miracles" were achieved on the Ukraine crisis during the talks but said they had led to some progress on ending a deadlock in the peace process. Story continues Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said all sides had agreed to draw up a roadmap by the end of November for applying the frayed 2015 Minsk peace accords following months of impasse. Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, is backing the pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine in a conflict 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. Berlin (AFP) - Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he was ready to prolong a unilateral ceasefire in Aleppo, after tough talks in Berlin where the leaders of Germany and France refused to rule out sanctions against Moscow. Putin said he told the European leaders that Russia was "intending to extend as far as possible" a halt to its air raids in Syria's second city, in order to allow civilians and rebels to leave the devastated city. The concession came as French President Francois Hollande starkly condemned the bombing as "a war crime" and German Chancellor Angela Merkel described it as "inhumane and cruel". The leaders of Europe's two biggest economies also dangled the threat of sanctions, hours ahead of an EU summit where Russia's role in Syria is set to be discussed. A pause in Russian and Syrian strikes on Aleppo held for a second day Wednesday, ahead of the brief unilateral ceasefire due to start at 0500 GMT on Thursday. Ahead of the talks in Berlin, Moscow announced it would prolong the truce from eight to 11 hours, and said Syrian and Russian warplanes were giving Aleppo a wide berth. But its 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. Amnesty International released new satellite images Wednesday showing more than 100 sites were hit in two weeks of bombing raids in the city. The rights group said there was evidence Russian-made cluster munitions, banned under international conventions, had been used in civilian areas of eastern Aleppo in recent weeks, "part of a deliberate military strategy to empty the city of its inhabitants and seize control". Meanwhile, the Syrian army said that a planned humanitarian truce beginning in eastern Aleppo on Thursday would extend to three days, the state news agency SANA reported late Wednesday. - Bombing a 'war crime' - Story continues Wednesday's visit was Putin's first to Berlin since Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and sent relations with the West to a low. Moscow's backing for 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, has furthered soured ties with Europe and the United States. Describing the late night talks as "very tough", Merkel said they "gave Germany the clear chance to define what constitutes a war crime. Bombardments are inhumane and a cruel experience for the people". Hollande told Putin bluntly that "what is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its (Russian) backers must end". The European leaders also vowed to keep up the pressure, warning of possible sanctions. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said, as Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option". EU leaders meeting at a summit in Brussels on Thursday are expected to up the ante by condemning Moscow over the attacks on civilians in Aleppo, according to a draft statement obtained by AFP. - Thursday truce - Thursday's brief truce 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 Russian and Syrian planes were keeping 10 kilometres (six miles) from Aleppo, a city home to an estimated 250,000 people and which has 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 held on Wednesday. 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. - 'Managing international pressure' - 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. 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. Besides the Berlin summit, talks were also held Wednesday in Geneva between Russian, US, Saudi, Qatari and Turkish officials on the efforts to distance Syrian opposition fighters from jihadists. Invesco High Yield Muni C (ACTFX) a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) seek investors with as high a level of interest income exempt from federal income tax as is consistent with the investment policies of the fund. ACTFX invests primarily in medium and lower-grade municipal securities. The Invesco High Yield Muni C fund, managed by Invesco, carries an expense ratio of 1.59%. Moreover, ACTFX requires a minimal initial investment of $1,000. ACTFX has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. Specifically, the funds returns over the 1, 3, 5 year benchmarks; 1 year 9.05%, 3 year 8.92% and 5 year 6.88%. To see how this fund performed compared in its category and other #1 and #2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here. ACTFXs performance, as of the last filing, when compared to funds in its category was in the top 9% in 1 year, top 4% over the past 3 years, and in the 8% over the past 5 years. 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 >> View All Zacks #1 Ranked Mutual Funds 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 (ACTFX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research He might be playing Doctor Strange, but it's Benedict Cumberbatch's most devoted fans whom he finds odd. The British Marvel actor's co-star, Rachel McAdams, appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday where she opened up about Cumberbatch. When DeGeneres asked McAdams about the actor's "Cumberb**ches," she said that she also had asked Cumberbatch about the unique moniker. WATCH: Go Inside the World of 'Doctor Strange' With Benedict Cumberbatch in Mind-Bending Marvel Featurette "He said, 'Oh, it's very flattering, but I just wish they called themselves something more respectable, like Cumberhumans or Cumberpeople,'" she quipped, using an English accent. McAdams is excited to be the next female lead in the Marvel universe, and revealed that Doctor Strange is unlike any other superhero blockbuster out thus far. "It's kind of one of the more psychedelic comics. It was written in the '70s, I think when the writers were experimenting with psychedelics," she said. "So it's pretty trippy and kind of cool. It deals with magic and the occult and parallel universes and all this wild stuff." WATCH: Benedict Cumberbatch Debuts Mind-Bending 'Doctor Strange' Teaser Trailer The story follows a neurosurgeon, Dr. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch), as he dips into the world of magic. Doctor Strange hits theaters on Nov. 4. To see footage from the film, watch ET's exclusive featurette below! Related Articles Range Resources Corporation RRC is set to report third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 25, after the closing bell. Last quarter, Range Resources delivered a positive earnings surprise of 27.59%. However, the company posted an average negative earnings surprise of 2,410.69% in the last four quarters. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Consider this Quarter Range Resources diversified asset portfolio is spread between low-risk/long reserve-life Appalachian assets and large-volume/rapid-payout Gulf Coast properties. The company has an impressive inventory in the Marcellus Shale, one of the prominent emerging shale plays in the U.S. lower 48. The company's strong portfolio of productive resources should help it post better-than-average results. It is to be noted that natural gas prices has recovered from the levels recorded in the previous two quarters. Also, oil price has improved from the mid-February lows. This has enabled exploration and production companies to engage in more upstream operations as is evidenced by the substantial increase in the U.S. rig count in recent times. In details, Baker Hughes Inc. BHI the companys data issued since 1944 is as an important yardstick for energy service providers in gauging the overall business environment of the oil and gas industry recently declared the rig count for Sep 2016. In the U.S., the total number of rigs increased from the Aug 2016 count owing to a rise in the number of land rigs. This represents the fourth consecutive increase in the U.S. monthly rig count. The higher in the number of rigs should translate to more exploration and production activities, which in turn, should result in increased production. The larger output could be sold at higher prices, which is a positive for upstream players like Range Resources. In fact, the company has already projected third-quarter 2016 production to be 1,430 million cubic feet equivalent per day (MMcfe/d), higher than 1,421 MMcfe/d in the prior quarter. Story continues However, the company expects direct operating expenses during the third quarter to lie between 1819 cents per thousand cubic feet equivalent (Mcfe), higher than 15 cents per Mcfe in second-quarter 2016. The increase in sequential expenses might dent the companys profits. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Range Resources will beat estimates this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to be able to beat estimates. That is not the case here as you will see below. Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is 0.00%. This is because both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate stand at a loss of 23 cents. Zacks Rank. Range Resources carries a Zacks Rank #3. Though a favorable Zacks Rank increases the predictive power of ESP, the companys ESP of 0.00% makes surprise prediction difficult. We caution against stocks with Zacks Rank #4 and 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions momentum. RANGE RESOURCES Price and EPS Surprise RANGE RESOURCES Price and EPS Surprise | RANGE RESOURCES Quote Stocks to Consider Here are some firms that have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter: CONE Midstream Partners LP CNNX has an Earnings ESP of +2.7% and a Zacks Rank #1. The partnership is likely to release earnings on Nov 4. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Antero Midstream Partners LP AM has an Earnings ESP of +8.82% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is likely to release earnings on Oct 26. 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 ANTERO MIDSTRM (AM): Free Stock Analysis Report CONE MIDSTREAM (CNNX): Free Stock Analysis Report BAKER-HUGHES (BHI): Free Stock Analysis Report RANGE RESOURCES (RRC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research For many Americans, the election of Donald Trump represents a step back for the feminist movement. Whether or not the president-elect's policies will result in meaningful progress for womens rights, there remain severe inequalities the nation has yet to overcome. These issues include a gender pay gap, a lack of flexibility in the workplace during pregnancy and early motherhood, and, indeed, a lack of women holding positions of political influence. While no state has achieved gender pay equality, a number have made substantial progress in closing the earnings gap and in other areas, like electing women to office, funding pre-K programs, and passing laws that allow women to stay in the workforce when they have children, should they so choose. ALSO READ: Cities Where You Don't Want to Get Sick On the other hand, a number of states remain extremely unfavorable to women in every major category. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed and ranked the 50 states based on their favorability to women. Perhaps the most egregious component of gender inequality in the U.S. is the wage gap. Though the severity of the wage gap varies by state, nationwide, the typical woman working full time earns 80 cents for every dollar a man earns. No state has a larger gap than Wyoming, however, where women earn roughly 64 cents for every dollar. With lower incomes, women are also far more likely to live in poverty than men. In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Julie Anderson, a research associate at the Institute for Women's Policy Research, explained why the wage gap exists. According to Anderson, the largest contributor to the wage gap is occupational segregation. Men are more likely to be hired in higher paying, managerial roles than women. Though the share ranges from state to state, nationwide, fewer than 40% of management positions are held by women. According to Anderson, women are also far more likely than men to work in low wage, part-time jobs. Since the wage gap only measures the incomes of men and women working full time, the problem is even more pronounced than the data indicates. Story continues Maternity, Anderson explained, can lead to lower overall incomes for women, particularly as raising a child can often lead women to exit the workforce for good. If a family has to choose between someone being fully engaged in work and someone being a caregiver, the logical choice is the one who earns less will be the one to back off, and in most cases that will be the woman in the family. While the Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993 mandates that most working mothers must be allowed 12 weeks maternity leave, a number of states have additional policies in place both for public employees and the private sector workforce. Many states extend the minimum number of weeks, allow women to use sick days to cover pre- and post-natal care, and, in some cases, mandate paid leave for both mothers and fathers. Another state policy that has shown to be advantageous to young mothers is a taxpayer-funded pre-Kindergarten program. Besides being instrumental in childhood development, pre-K programs give parents the opportunity to leave their children somewhere safe during the day. Anderson explained that as mothers are more often tasked with the responsibility of watching young children, this means women avoid the expenses of private daycare, and also will have an easier time returning to the workforce. Eight states have no taxpayer-funded pre-K, and partially as a result rank among the worst for women in the country. Female representation in government is also an important aspect of gender equality, and elected government positions are held primarily by men. Nearly half of all states have never had a female governor and women comprise an average of less than 25% of state legislatures. According to Anderson, this is problematic both because it may discourage women from running for elected office and because male politicians are less likely to implement reform related to gender equality. Anderson explained that while women are less likely to run for office, when they do, they tend win at the same rates as men. See how your state ranks in gender equality. 1. Rhode Island > Female earnings as pct. of male: 85.8% (5th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 43.6% (5th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 1.4% (11th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 27.4% (18th highest) Across a range of measures related to health, leadership, and financial security, Rhode Island is the best state in the country for women. With mandated special accommodations for pregnant workers and expansions to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 for both private and public sector jobs, Rhode Island has taken considerable steps to address gender inequality. Female representation in leadership roles is also an important component of gender equality. In November 2014, Rhode Island voters elected Gina Raimondo as governor. Raimondo is one of six sitting female governors in the country and the first in Rhode Island history. 2. New York > Female earnings as pct. of male: 88.7% (the highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 41.6% (12th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 23.9% (11th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 24.4% (24th lowest) Nationwide, women earn only 80% of what their male counterparts earn. While the pay gap exists in every state, it is smallest in New York, where women earn 88.7% of the median male salary. Providing state-funded pre-K programs for three- and four-year-olds is important for gender equality as it allows for both parents to participate in the workforce. New York spends an above average amount on pre-K programs per student. In addition, 23.9% of three- and four-year-olds in the Empire State are enrolled in a public pre-K program, far more than most states. 3. California > Female earnings as pct. of male: 85.7% (6th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.7% (19th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 12.9% (23rd highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 25.8% (20th highest) Women hold a relatively high share of government leadership positions in California. Of all 55 of the state's congressional representatives, 38.2% are female. Included among them are some of the most influential leaders in Washington. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who represents the states 12 District, was the first female Speaker of the House in U.S. history. Additionally, both California senators are female, including Senior Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is vice chairperson of the Intelligence Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. 4. Oregon > Female earnings as pct. of male: 80.8% (20th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.8% (17th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 8.2% (22nd lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 31.1% (9th highest) A strong pre-K program can be extremely beneficial for women who might otherwise have to take additional time off or pay out of pocket for childcare. And Oregon has one of the best-funded pre-K systems in the country, with $8,648 in state money apportioned per child. Oregon has a number of other mother-friendly policies. It is one of just a handful of states to mandate that private sector companies with at least 10 employees allow workers to use paid sick days for prenatal or postnatal care. 5. Connecticut > Female earnings as pct. of male: 82.4% (14th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.4% (22nd highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 16.2% (18th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 28.3% (15th highest) By a number of measures related to health, financial security, and legislation, Connecticut is the fifth best state for women in the country and the second best in New England. The pay gap between men and women is slightly smaller than it is nationwide, and Connecticut voters have elected more women to fill state legislature and congressional delegate seats than is typical. Of the 37 female state governors in U.S. history, two served in the Nutmeg State. Elected in 1974 to the highest office in state politics, Ella Grasso was the first female governor in Connecticut and the first in the country not to be married to a former governor. 6. Hawaii > Female earnings as pct. of male: 84.1% (8th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 42.5% (9th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 1% (10th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 28.9% (14th highest) In every state in the country, a larger share of women than men live in poverty. In Hawaii, however, just 52.3% of women in the state live in poverty, compared to a national share of 55.4%. ALSO READ: The Next 14 States to Legalize Marijuana This relatively small gap can likely be explained in part by the states relatively small gender pay gap. Women in the state earn 84 cents for every dollar earned by the typical male. Nationwide, the typical female worker earns only 80% of the median earnings for men. 7. Vermont > Female earnings as pct. of male: 83.8% (9th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 43.6% (5th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 54.6% (the highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 40.6% (2nd highest) Pre-K can be invaluable to mothers -- in addition to aiding in their childs development at a crucial age, it affords them the opportunity to work, and also helps them avoid otherwise costly daycare services. This July, roughly two years after the pre-K mandate law was initially passed, Vermont became the first state in the country to officially implement universal, publicly-funded, pre kindergarten programs for three- and four-year-old children. As of the 2014-2015 school year, the state already had the highest enrollment, at 54.6%, and this figure will likely rise in the coming years. 8. New Jersey > Female earnings as pct. of male: 82.0% (16th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 37.6% (8th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 23.6% (12th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 30.0% (11th highest) New Jersey spends more on pre-K education than any other state. The state allocates the equivalent of $12,149 per child on pre-K education, well more than double the national average. In addition to the states higher spending per student, New Jersey has relatively high pre-K enrollment -- 23.6% of three- and four-year-olds in New Jersey are enrolled in state pre-K programs. Early childhood education is important for cognitive development and allows both parents to participate in the workforce. 9. Washington > Female earnings as pct. of male: 79.0% (24th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.9% (15th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 5.6% (19th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 33.3% (4th highest) Female representation in positions of political power can be instrumental in creating policy favorable to gender equality. In Washington, 41.7% of the states congressional delegation is female. While that seems low, it is actually the fourth highest percentage among states. Less than 20% of Congress is female. The state is also one of just seven to have had more than one female governor in its history. 10. Massachusetts > Female earnings as pct. of male: 83.1% (13th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 43.9% (3rd highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 7% (21st lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 25.5% (21st highest) In Massachusetts, the typical woman working full time earns $51,343 a year, more than in any other state in the country. Despite the relatively high earnings, women in the Bay State earn an average of 83 cents for every dollar men make. Legislation in Massachusetts protecting working women is also lagging behind some other states. Under the Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993, workers across the country are allowed to take 12 weeks of unpaid time off of work for a number of reasons, including childbirth and caring for an ill child. Massachusetts has expanded on that law for public sector workers but has not taken significant action to increase protections for private sector workers. 11. New Mexico > Female earnings as pct. of male: 84.6% (7th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 43.0% (7th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 15.1% (22nd highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 26.8% (19th highest) Women are more likely to have influential leadership positions in New Mexico than in most other states. Statewide, women hold 43% of jobs in management, slightly more than is typical across the country. Furthermore, the state is one of only six in the country with a female governor, and Congresswoman Michelle Grisham has represented the New Mexicos 1st district in Washington since 2013. The state could improve conditions for women by expanding pre-K programs to admit three-year-olds. Currently, New Mexico is one of nearly two dozen states to have no taxpayer funded pre-K programs for three-year-olds. 12. Minnesota > Female earnings as pct. of male: 81.1% (17th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 37.9% (11th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0.9% (9th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 33.3% (4th highest) One third of Minnesotas state legislature and a fifth of its congressional delegation are female, including the states senior senator, Amy Klobuchar. While women have a larger than typical role in Minnesota politics, they are notably underrepresented in management jobs. Only 37.9% of management roles in the state are held by women, one of the smaller percentages in the country. As is true nationwide, women earn less than men in Minnesota, despite higher high school diploma and bachelors degree attainment rates. 13. Maryland > Female earnings as pct. of male: 83.6% (11th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 43.7% (4th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 20.2% (15th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 31.4% (7th highest) Nationwide, women are more likely than men to live in poverty. The discrepancy is especially stark in Maryland. Women represent 58% of all people living below the poverty line in the state, the largest share in the country. Women do hold a relatively large share of powerful jobs in Maryland, however. Nearly 44% of management jobs in the state are held by women, and 20% of the states congressional delegation is female, including senior Senator Barbara Mikulski, who has been serving since 1987. After serving in the U.S. Senate longer than any woman in history, Mikulski is not running for reelection in 2016. 14. Maine > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.5% (22nd lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 45.3% (the highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 18.3% (16th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 29.0% (12th highest) Gender inequality is not an issue in terms of representation in Maines congressional delegation. The gender split among the states representation on Capitol Hill is 50/50 and includes Susan Collins, who has served as a senator for nearly two decades. Maine is also notable for the large share of women working in management positions. Women hold more than 45% of all management jobs in Maine, the largest percentage of any state in the country. 15. Illinois > Female earnings as pct. of male: 79.2% (23rd highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 39.3% (22nd lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 23.4% (13th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 31.1% (9th highest) Women working in public sector jobs in Illinois enjoy more family benefits than their private sector counterparts. While women in both the private and public sector in the state benefit from employer pregnancy accommodations and right-to-pump laws that expand on federal regulations, only public sector workers have the option of more time off than is granted under the federal Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993, which allows 12 weeks of unpaid time off from work for a number of reasons, including childbirth and caring for an ill child. ALSO READ: 50 Worst Cities to Live In 16. Delaware > Female earnings as pct. of male: 88.5% (2nd highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 43.0% (7th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 3.7% (17th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 24.2% (23rd lowest) Nationwide, working women earn an average of 80% of their male counterparts wages. In Delaware, while income inequality still exists, it is considerably less pronounced. The typical salary among a woman working full time is 88.5% of the typical mans salary. Women hold relatively few elected political positions in Delaware. Though women comprise 24% of the state legislature, roughly in line with the corresponding national average, none of the states three congressional delegates are female. 17. Wisconsin > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.3% (21st lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.4% (16th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 32.5% (6th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 25.0% (22nd highest) State funded pre-K programs, while important for childrens cognitive development, also allow both parents to participate in the work force. More specifically, they can allow mothers to work and maintain financial independence without having to pay for private daycare or pre-K programs. In Wisconsin, a state that invests $3,802 per child on day care services, 63.7% of four-year-olds are enrolled in a taxpayer-funded daycare program, a larger share than in all but four other states. 18. New Hampshire > Female earnings as pct. of male: 76.4% (14th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.2% (23rd highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 29.0% (12th highest) Women hold considerable political power in New Hampshire. The state is one of only six to have a sitting female governor, and three out of four of the states congressional delegates are women, including both senators. Despite considerable female representation in elected office, however, there are few legal provisions in place for pregnant women in the workplace. Neither public nor private sector employers in New Hampshire are required to make in-office accommodations for pregnant employees. 19. Colorado > Female earnings as pct. of male: 80.8% (21st highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.4% (16th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 15.7% (21st highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 42.0% (the highest) Women have considerable influence over laws in Colorado. Off the 100 state legislators, 42 are women, the largest share of any state in the country. Women are less likely to have powerful roles in non-elected positions, however. Only 38% of management positions in Colorado are held by women, compared to 40% nationwide. 20. North Carolina > Female earnings as pct. of male: 85.9% (4th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 41.0% (13th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 10.9% (24th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 22.4% (20th lowest) Nationwide, the typical salary for a woman working full-time is only about 80% of a comparable male salary. In North Carolina, the wage gap is slightly smaller. Women in the state earn about 86% of what men make. State laws in North Carolina do not go especially far to protect women in the workplace, however. The state has not passed major legislation to expand federally mandated provisions concerning family leave for private sector jobs and pregnancy accommodations for both private, and public sector workers. 21. Florida > Female earnings as pct. of male: 86.6% (3rd highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 39.9% (23rd lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 38.2% (3rd highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 25.0% (22nd highest) State sponsored pre-K programs make it easier for women with young children to work and remain financially secure. Floridas pre-K program is one of the most successful in the country as more than three-quarters of four-year-olds in the state are enrolled. There is room for improvement, however, as the state does not offer taxpayer-funded pre-K for three-year-olds. The state could also do more to expand working womens rights in the private sector. While public sector employees can take more than the 12 weeks unpaid time off for family issues mandated by the federal government, private sector workers have no such guarantee. 22. Arizona > Female earnings as pct. of male: 83.5% (12th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 42.0% (11th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 4.2% (18th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 35.6% (3rd highest) Women have greater influence on Arizona law than in nearly any other state. Roughly 36% of Arizonas state legislature is comprised of women, a higher share than all but three other states. Additionally, four of Arizonas governors have been women, including Janet Napolitano, who went on to serve as the Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama. Despite the share of women elected to state government, Arizona has some of the weakest family-related workplace protections in the country. Accommodations for pregnant workers are not mandated, and there are no paid or extended unpaid leave guarantees for workers in either private or public sector jobs. 23. Alaska > Female earnings as pct. of male: 77.9% (19th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.2% (23rd highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 1.5% (12th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 28.3% (15th highest) More than 15% of women in Alaska do not have health insurance, which is the second highest percentage in the country. A lack of insurance may mean some women are unable to get the care they need, and this can affect outcomes related to health issues specific to women, such as pregnancy. However, the states rate of maternal death during childbirth and its infant mortality rate are each among the lowest in the country. 24. West Virginia > Female earnings as pct. of male: 70.6% (3rd lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.7% (19th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 39.5% (2nd highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 14.9% (6th lowest) While women typically earn less than men nationwide, the gender pay gap is an even bigger issue in West Virginia. Women working full-time typically earn less than 71% of what men earn. Nationwide, women earn 80% of the typical male salary. Still, women in West Virginia with young children are more likely to work, and remain financially secure, than in many other states due to the taxpayer-funded pre-K program. In West Virginia, 39.5% of three- and four-year-olds are enrolled in a state-funded pre-K program, the second largest share in the country. 25. Arkansas > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.9% (24th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.0% (25th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 29.9% (7th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 20.0% (15th lowest) Women are clearly underrepresented in elected office in Arkansas. None of the states six congressional representatives are female and the state has never had a female governor. ALSO READ: States With the Highest Voter Turnout Despite the lack of female representation in Arkansas politics, the state has a taxpayer-funded pre-K system that makes it easier for both parents to participate in the workforce. Slightly more than 21% of three-year-olds in the state are enrolled in public pre-K. 26. South Carolina > Female earnings as pct. of male: 80.9% (19th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 42.3% (10th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 25.8% (10th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 13.5% (4th lowest) Having a high share of women in positions they have historically been excluded from is a good sign that progress has been made toward gender equality in a state. In South Carolina, 42.3% of those employed in management positions are women, one of the higher shares in the country. While South Carolina women are more likely to hold positions of power in the workplace, they are grossly underrepresented in politics, outside of current Governor Nikki Haley. The state is one of 13 with no women in Congress.. In addition, just 13.5% of the state legislators are women, the fourth-lowest share of any state. 27. Louisiana > Female earnings as pct. of male: 68.0% (2nd lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 44.6% (2nd highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 16% (20th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 11.8% (the lowest) Policies that allow flexibility for time off after childbirth for both women and men can be instrumental in ensuring workplace equality. Louisiana has a number of policies conducive to gender equality in the workplace. State employers are legally required to allow a minimum of six weeks leave during pregnancy, and as much as four months, if there are complications. Unfortunately, complications after pregnancy are more common in Louisiana than most states. The states infant mortality and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the country. 28. Nevada > Female earnings as pct. of male: 83.7% (10th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 41.0% (13th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 1.9% (13th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 33.3% (4th highest) Nevada has not expanded on any federally mandated protections for private or public sector workers related to family leave or pregnancy accommodations. In addition, at 7.2%, Nevada has the highest female unemployment rate of any state in the country. Women face more challenges in Nevada than in many other states despite the relatively large share of female state legislators. Of the 63 legislative seats in Nevada state government, one third are held by women, one of the largest percentages in the country. 29. Tennessee > Female earnings as pct. of male: 81.0% (18th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 39.1% (21st lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 10.1% (25th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 17.4% (11th lowest) A woman has never been elected governor in Tennessee, and a smaller than average share of both the state legislature and the states congressional delegation are women. In addition, women in Tennessee are less likely to hold management positions than women nationwide. Despite the states many shortcomings in terms of gender equality, Tennessee lawmakers have expanded on the federal Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993, allowing both private and public sector workers to take more than 12 weeks of unpaid time off from work. Reasons for taking leave include childbirth and caring for an ill child. 30. Iowa > Female earnings as pct. of male: 76.7% (16th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 33.8% (3rd lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 32.8% (5th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 22.7% (21st lowest) Jobs in management tend be higher paying, and in Iowa, men are are far more likely to have management roles than women. Only one in three management positions in the state are held by women, a smaller share than in all but two other states. The state does have its place in the historic fight for womens rights in the U.S., however. Carrie Chapman Catt, a leading figure in the womens suffrage movement and founder of the League of Women Voters, spent much of her childhood in Iowa and was educated at what is now Iowa State University. 31. Nebraska > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.8% (23rd lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 34.7% (5th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 22.1% (14th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 22.4% (20th lowest) That women are less likely to be hired for upper-level and management positions, also known as the glass ceiling, appears to be a serious problem in Nebraska. Just 34.7% of all management positions in the state are held by women, the fifth lowest percentage in the country. Despite this problem, Nebraskas gender pay gap is not as severe as in some states. The typical female worker earns $36,834, or 78.8% of the median earnings for males in the state. 32. Pennsylvania > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.9% (25th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.0% (25th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 8.9% (24th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 18.2% (12th lowest) Women hold very few elected positions in Pennsylvanias government. The state has never had a female governor and none of its 20 congressional delegates are women. Furthermore, only 18% of the state legislature is female, one of the smaller shares of any state. With relatively few female politicians, Pennsylvania is not typically the site of major progressive legislation related to maternity. There are no mandated pregnancy accommodations or paid sick time or family leave for public or private sector employees in the Keystone State. 33. Michigan > Female earnings as pct. of male: 74.3% (9th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.8% (19th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 16.1% (19th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 20.9% (17th lowest) Women are more likely to stay employed when states mandate more flexible time off policies during and after pregnancy, and when they provide accommodations for parents with newborn children. Of the 14 major policies we reviewed related to maternity, Michigan is one of just nine states that does not impose requirements on public or private employers in any of these categories. 34. Kentucky > Female earnings as pct. of male: 82.0% (15th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.0% (12th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 17% (17th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 16.7% (8th lowest) Womens interests are likely not fully represented by elected officials in Kentucky as less than 17% of the state legislature and none of the eight congressional delegates are female. Perhaps, not surprisingly, the state has some of the least progressive worker protections regarding pregnancy and family leave in the country. Kentucky women are also far more likely than those in other parts of the country to be financially insecure. More than one in four women in Kentucky live in poverty, one of the largest shares in the country. 35. Georgia > Female earnings as pct. of male: 80.7% (22nd highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.2% (23rd highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 29.7% (8th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 23.7% (22nd lowest) Georgia offers a state-funded pre-K program that makes it easier for women with young children to participate in the labor force. The program is a relative success as well over half of all four-year-olds are enrolled. There is room for improvement, however, as three-year-olds are not eligible for the program. ALSO READ: The Most Dangerous Cars in America Due to the size of its population, Georgia has one of the largest congressional delegations of any state. Despite its size, and the increased opportunity for gender diversity, none of the 16 congressmen that represent the Peach State on Capitol Hill are women. 36. Texas > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.9% (25th highest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 37.9% (11th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 27.6% (9th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 19.9% (14th lowest) Female representation in political office can be instrumental in advancing issues of gender equality. In Texas, however, only 7.9% of the states congressional representation is female, and less than one in four members of the state legislature are women. On the other hand, Texas is one of just seven states to have had more than one female governor in its history. Miriam Ma Ferguson, elected in November 1924, was the first in the state, and one of the first female governors in the nation. 37. Missouri > Female earnings as pct. of male: 77.9% (18th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.9% (15th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 2.8% (15th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 24.9% (25th highest) Over the nearly two centuries Missouri has been a state, it has never once elected a female governor. While many state governments have been headed exclusively by men, Missouri lags behind a majority of them in a number of measures related to gender equality. In addition to having some of the weakest worker protections regarding pregnancy and family leave in the country, both the gender wage gap and the share of women in poverty in Missouri are higher than the national figures. 38. Oklahoma > Female earnings as pct. of male: 73.2% (7th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 35.3% (6th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 37.4% (4th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 13.4% (3rd lowest) In 2011, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin became the first woman to hold the states highest office. Fallin is one of just six sitting female governors. On the whole, however, female representation in government in Oklahoma is lacking. Only 13.4% of state legislators are women, the third-lowest share in the country. Oklahoma is one of just 13 states with no female representatives in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. 39. Ohio > Female earnings as pct. of male: 74.7% (10th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.3% (13th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 3.5% (16th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 25.0% (22nd highest) With a relatively large population, there is greater opportunity in Ohio for gender diversity among congressional delegates. Still only three of the states 18 congressional representatives are women. The gender pay gap in Ohio is worse than it is nationwide, and public sector workers are not immune. According to a 2014 investigation published by the Associated Press, women in Governor (and former Republican presidential candidate) John Kasichs administration earn nearly $10 an hour less than their male counterparts. 40. Virginia > Female earnings as pct. of male: 77.8% (17th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.5% (21st highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 8.9% (24th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 17.1% (9th lowest) In Virginia, 36.9% of women have a bachelors degree, more than in all but six other states. But despite their higher educational attainment, women in the Old Dominion State experience some of the worst gender inequality in the country. Women comprise only 7.7% of the states congressional delegation and 17.1% of the state legislature, each among the lowest shares of any state. Women also comprise 56.5% of all state residents living below the poverty line, slightly more than is typical. 41. Kansas > Female earnings as pct. of male: 76.6% (15th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 35.9% (7th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 10.1% (25th highest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 24.8% (25th lowest) When women hold elected office, they are more likely to introduce legislation that helps marginalized groups. In Kansas, less than a quarter of the state legislature is comprised of women and only one of the six elected officials that represent the state on Capitol Hill is female. With few female lawmakers, Kansas does not offer some protections that are common elsewhere for women in the workforce. There are no major state mandated pregnancy accommodations and no paid family leave for either private or public sector employees. 42. Alabama > Female earnings as pct. of male: 76.1% (13th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.7% (17th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 6% (20th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 14.3% (5th lowest) Alabama has one of the highest poverty rates in the country, and it is an even greater problem for women in the state. One in four women live in poverty, and they account for 56.5% of the states poor population. The states substantial wage gap is a significant contributing factor. The typical female worker in the state earns 76 cents for every dollar earned by her male counterpart. 43. Montana > Female earnings as pct. of male: 72.5% (6th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 37.9% (11th lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 31.3% (8th highest) By some measures, Montana has a history of giving women opportunities to influence public affairs. In 1914, several years before the 19th Amendment was passed, Montana became one of the first states in the country to give women the right to vote. Today, women account for more than 30% of the state legislature, a higher share than in most states. However, the state is behind by some other important measures of womens equality. For example, it is one of just eight to have no state-funded pre-K programs. 44. Indiana > Female earnings as pct. of male: 75.9% (12th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 40.8% (17th highest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 20.7% (16th lowest) State-funded day care programs are important as their presence means families are not forced to make tough decisions in balancing careers and child care. Indiana does not offer taxpayer-funded pre-K, however, and as a result, many parents with young children must either leave the workforce or incur the high cost of private daycare. Women are also less likely to hold elected office in Indiana than in most other states. In the 200 years since Indiana became a state, a woman has never once been elected governor. 45. North Dakota > Female earnings as pct. of male: 71.1% (5th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 31.1% (2nd lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 19.1% (13th lowest) One of the most important measures of womens equality in the workplace is their ability to be promoted to higher-paying roles. In North Dakota, just 31.1% of all management occupations are held by women, a smaller share than in any state except for South Dakota. North Dakota is one of just eight states with no pre-K funding, which can help young families save money on childcare, and makes it easier for mothers to return to work after having children. ALSO READ: The Worst Cities for Black Americans 46. South Dakota > Female earnings as pct. of male: 78.1% (20th lowest) > Pct. mgmt. jobs held by women: 29.3% (the lowest) > Pct. 3-4 yr. olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 21.0% (18th lowest) There are eight states that provide no pre-K funding, and South Dakota is one of them. With no state-funded pre-K program, women with young children are less likely to be able to participate in the workforce, ultimately making them more likely to be financially dependent. Those women who are working in the state earn considerably less than their male counterparts. The typical full-time salary among women in the state is only $33,268, well below the $42,605 salary of the typical male worker in South Dakota. 47. Utah > Female earnings as pct. of male: 71.1% (4th lowest) > Pct. of mgmt. jobs held by women: 34.5% (4th lowest) > Pct. of children enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 15.4% (7th lowest) Few states have a wider gender pay gap than Utah. The typical male worker in the state is paid $50,741, while his female counterpart earns $36,060, or nearly $15,000 less. The substantial gap between male and female earnings in Utah is likely due in part to unequal pay for the similar work. It can also potentially be attributed to the kinds of jobs women tend to hold in the state. If educational attainment is any indication, Utah women may be less represented in jobs that require a college degree, and are usually higher-paying. Just 29.3% of state women have a college education, compared to 34.4% of men in the state. 48. Idaho > Female earnings as pct. of male: 73.5% (8th lowest) > Pct. of mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.8% (19th lowest) > Pct. of children enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 27.6% (17th highest) The earnings gap between men and women in Idaho is one of the worst in the country. The typical male in the state working full time earns $43,264, while the typical working female earns only $31,808, the lowest median salary of any state except Mississippi. In addition to earning less, women are underrepresented in public office. All four of the states congressional delegates are men and a woman has never been elected governor of Idaho. 49. Wyoming > Female earnings as pct. of male: 64.4% (the lowest) > Pct. of mgmt. jobs held by women: 39.1% (21st lowest) > Pct. of children enrolled in state pre-K: 0% (the lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 13.3% (2nd lowest) In 1869, Wyoming became the first state in the country to grant womens suffrage, roughly five decades before Congress passed the 19th Amendment. Despite being a leader in this important milestone, conditions in Wyoming today are some of the least favorable for women. No state, for example, has a wider gender pay gap than Wyoming. The typical female worker earns $36,064, or just 64.4% of the $55,965 male median earnings in the state. 50. Mississippi > Female earnings as pct. of male: 75.7% (11th lowest) > Pct. of mgmt. jobs held by women: 38.4% (16th lowest) > Pct. of children enrolled in state pre-K: 2.2% (14th lowest) > Pct. legislative seats held by women: 17.2% (10th lowest) While poor economic conditions affect many Mississippi residents, women are more likely to be negatively affected. The typical salary among women working full time in Mississippi is $31,110, the lowest of any state in the country and equal to roughly $0.76 for each dollar earned by men in the state. The workplace in Mississippi, for both private and public sector jobs, is not especially accommodating for pregnant women or those with families, as Mississippi has not passed any significant legislation expanding on federal protections laid out in 1993s Family & Medical Leave Act. The lack of consideration for working women may be due in part to a lack of female leadership in state government. Only 17% of Mississippis legislature is female, one of the smallest such shares in the country. Methodology To determine the worst states for women, 24/7 Wall St. developed a methodology based on the Center for American Progress 2013 report, The State of Women in America. In its third year, our report utilized the same methodology as last year, making state rankings, and state improvements or declines relative to the 2015 report, directly comparable. We divided a range of variables into three major categories: economy, leadership, and health. Unless otherwise noted, all data are for 2015. Data in the economy category came from the U.S. Census Bureau and included male and female median earnings for full-time, year-round work as well as high school and bachelors educational attainment rates. The percent of children enrolled in state pre-kindergarten and state spending per child enrolled in pre-kindergarten came from the National Institute for Early Education Research. The leadership category included data on the percent of women in management occupations from the Census. It also included the share of state and federal legislators who are women from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the U.S. House of Representatives Archives, respectively. From the National Governors Association, we also looked at states that currently have female governors. Data on political representation are current as of this writing. The health section incorporated Census data on the percent of women who were uninsured. Female life expectancy came from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent health research center affiliated with the University of Washington. Additionally, we looked at infant mortality rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as maternal mortality rates from the National Womens Law Center. State policies relating to maternity leave, sick days, and time off came from the National Partnership for Women and Families. Data on a states decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act came from the Department of Health and Human Services. State rankings on each of these measures were averaged to determine a score for each category. Possible scores ranged from 1 (best) to 50 (worst). The three category scores were averaged to create an indexed value that furnished our final ranking. Related Articles Court clears deck for FNCCI special meeting The Patan High Court has paved the way for the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the countrys largest umbrella body of the private sector, to conduct its special general meeting (SGM) scheduled for Thursday. Harvard's Widener Library (credit: Wikimedia Commons) Harvards Widener Library (credit: Wikimedia Commons) * Editors Note: On November 17, the National Constitution Center hosts PEN America for a Town Hall program about campus free speech. Learn more and get tickets. On Monday, PEN America, a non-profit organization that works to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship, released a report on the state of free speech on university campuses. The report focuses on a wide variety of issues, including campus speakers, safe spaces and calls to punish speech. PEN America conducted this report by talking to students and faculty from UCLA, Yale and Northwesternall have had recent incidents related to speech on campusas well as outside experts. Campus speech is a First Amendment issue, but the courts are very hazy on how they classify what can and cannot be spoken. In the 1937 case of Palko v. Connecticut, Justice Benjamin Cardozo wrote that free expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition of nearly every other form of freedom. Indeed, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and the Westboro Baptist Church. The Court said in the latter decision, Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, andas it did hereinflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a Nation we have chosen a different courseto protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure than we do not stifle public debate. The report notes that the American Bar Association did their own research and came to the conclusion that [i]ndividuals have a First Amendment right to harass anyone they want, in the lay sense of the word harassment as irritating or tormenting someone, though the rights of school and college employees to do so in their professional capacities are narrower than the free speech rights of students. Yet, when a person is called a fag or any other derogatory term or epithet, or demeaned based on an immutable characteristic so often and so publicly that it impacts his or her peaceful enjoyment of the school or campus, then the right to peaceful enjoyment is the highest priority, and there is no First Amendment right to engage in discriminatory harassment. Story continues With all this in mind, lets dive into the report. There are three main takeaways. The first is that colleges have greatly diversified in the last 50 years. In 1976, the college population was 84 percent white. Today, it is down to 59 percent. The Hispanic population bumped up to 16 percent from 4 percent; the black population is now 15 percent, while it was previously only 10 percent; the Asian/Pacific Islander population is up 4 points from 2 percent to 6 percent; and the American Indian/Alaska Natives population went from .7% to .8%. But while colleges love to list these statistics and talk about how diverse they are, the students may not feel the same way. As UCLA student Liat Menna said You enter campus, and you enter your pre-determined communities. You come from your house, and go exactly to that community thats similar to your home. You dont really learn about other communities yet, and you dont learn their issues, and their sensitivities, and their challenges. I think thats really been a reason for a lot of hostility on campus, is that people just dont understand what are triggers for other communities, and whats offensive. The report suggests that colleges have welcomed students of all races and encourage diversity, but do not do enough to effectively blend this melting pot, leading to incidents across the country. At UCLA, for example, Palestinian students objected to any person affiliated with Jewish groups serving in student government. The report notes that this sort of tension is common when social change is happening, and that this change will ultimately be beneficial to the next generation. The second takeaway looks at the issue of campus speakers, whether they are speaking at commencement, receiving an honorary degree or giving a lecture. Many high-profile speakers have faced protests, including Hillary Clinton at St. Catherine University, Ben Carson at John Hopkins, Mitt Romney at Liberty University and Michael Bloomberg at Harvard. For a variety of reasons, students and faculty have protested these speakers to the point that they were disinvited or made the decision themselves to decline the invitation. PEN America disagrees with the universities who have disinvited speakers. Except in the most extreme cases, the report reads, concerns over threats of violence or the potential outbreak of violence should not be grounds for canceling a controversial or event. They argue that, if the universities give in to the protesters, then the protesters are given all the power, and university officials lose a lot of credibility. It is better to have the speaker and spark serious and productive debates than to cancel the speaker and worsen their reputation among future guests. (Interestingly, schools are showing some pushback when it comes to protests over the names of buildings, including the John C. Calhoun Residence Hall at Yale and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton.) Finally, the third takeaway is about tensions between professors and students. There are certainly instances of professors oppressing speech, including a Georgetown professor writing an article condemning Justice Antonin Scalia, making many of his students wary of writing any papers about the late Justice. But in todays world, professors are increasingly scared of their students, as even tenured professors have been fired because they insulted their students with provocative language or course materials. Professors have heard complaints from students that they were offended by authors such as Mark Twain, and students want the professors to put trigger warnings into their syllabi. One professor even wrote an article for Vox called Im a Liberal Professor and My Liberal Students Terrify Me. While students are feeling like they are the ones being silenced, professors are also feeling silenced on the other end. In conclusion, the reports finds that, although the current controversies merit attention, and although there have been some troubling incidences of speech curtailed, there is not, as some accounts have suggested, a pervasive crisis for free speech on campus. Chris Calabrese is an intern at the National Constitution Center. He is also a recent graduate of St. Josephs University. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Washington Redskins trademark case put on hold Constitution Check: Could the Supreme Court handle a long-term vacancy? The Candidates and the Constitution: Podcast series compares Clinton and Trump to documents text and history Resident Evil: The Final Chapter opens in January, putting an end to 15 years of Milla Jovovich fighting zombies. The new trailer promises a wild ride for Jovovichs heroine Alice, who must return to Racoon City the place where it all began for one last stand against the Umbrella Corporation. Watch it above. The Final Chapter is the sixth installment of the film franchise, the video game-inspired horror/sci-fi/action hybrid that began with 2002s Resident Evil. The film picks up immediately after the events of 2012s Resident Evil: Retribution, which concluded with Alice being charged with saving humanity in an under-siege White House. But the new film wont be dwelling on politics; instead, it brings back an old villain (Dr. Isaacs, played by Game of Thrones Iain Glen) and introduces some new fighters (including Orange is the New Blacks Ruby Rose) in the battle to slay the undead. The movie will arrive in theaters on Jan. 27. Related: Milla Jovovich on Resident Evil: The Final Chapter: The Story Line Comes Full Circle By James Regan SYDNEY (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) on Thursday cut its 2016 guidance for iron ore shipments by as much as 5 million tonnes after releasing lower third-quarter production data, citing shipping interruptions. The downward revision - equivalent to as much as $290 million at current ore prices - comes as the steelmaking commodity stages a recovery on the back of a surprise lift in demand from China. Rio Tinto, the world's second-biggest producer of iron ore, said third-quarter shipments from Australia fell 2 percent from the previous quarter to 80.9 million tonnes and 5 percent from the same period a year ago. "Shipments were reduced by port and rail maintenance during the quarter and annual shipment guidance is revised to between 325 and 330 million tonnes for 2016," the company said. Prior full-year guidance was for 330 million tonnes, according to Rio Tinto. Calendar 2017 production guidance was left unchanged at 330 million to 340 million tonnes Rio's cutback came as smaller rival Fortescue Metals Group (FMG.AX) boosted iron ore shipments by 5 percent in the September quarter to 43.8 million tonnes, adding that its costs had dropped for an eleventh straight quarter. Iron ore accounts for the majority of Rio Tinto's worldwide revenue and all of Fortescue's revenue. It is mostly mined in Australia and sold to Chinese steel mills. RBC analyst Paul Hissey said in a note said he favoured Rio Tinto over other major diversified producers due to its large exposure to iron ore, which had the potential to sustain current price levels. Iron ore was selling for $58 a tonne on Thursday , the highest in more than a month, driven by an unexpected surge in demand from China. China's iron ore imports reached 93 million tonnes in September, the second highest on record, as healthy profits pushed steel mills to ramp up output. "Steel consumption in China remains stable," Fortescue Managing Director Nev Power said in a statement. Story continues Fortescue said it sold its ore, which has a lower iron content than its bigger rivals, at 82.5 percent of the benchmark price, or $48.36. a tonne, over the July 1-Sept 30 period. Mining costs had declined by 5 percent to $13.55 per tonne, although the figure excluded shipping and insurance, according to Fortescue. BHP Billiton (BHP.AX) on Wednesday held its fiscal 2017 production guidance for iron ore of 265 million to 275 million tonnes after posting a modest 1 percent decline in output in the September quarter.[nL4N1CO53F] (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Richard Pullin) Paris (AFP) - Two men made off with half a million euros' worth of luxury watches after threatening staff at the central Paris offices of Swiss watchmaker Girard-Perregaux with tear gas, police said. "Two men pretended to be couriers to get the door opened," a police source said. After threatening staff there with tear gas canisters, they escaped "with about 10 watches with an estimated value of 500,000 euros ($546,000)", said the source. A spokesman for Girard-Perregaux's parent company Kering confirmed the value of the stolen watches. In March, a Chopard jewellery store in the nearby Place Vendome was robbed of an undisclosed amount of merchandise by two men armed with a pistol and a grenade. Security was stepped up in the chic square after a series of violent robberies there in 2014. Both raids were in the same area that reality TV star Kim Kardashian was robbed in a luxury apartment by armed men who got away with jewellery worth around nine million euros ($10 million). ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche on Thursday confirmed its full-year 2016 outlook on the strength of robust sales of cancer drugs including Tecentriq, the new immunotherapy that the Swiss company is banking on to counter patent expirations of its older medicines. Third-quarter sales at the world's biggest maker of cancer drugs rose to 12.48 billion Swiss francs (10.27 billion pounds) from 11.9 billion francs in the same period in 2015, it said. Analysts polled by Reuters had on average expected sales of 12.68 billion francs. Roche said all of its recently launched medicines had performed well, with Tecentriq bringing in 77 million francs since its approval in May for bladder cancer. That revenue is now due to accelerate after U.S. regulators this week gave the drug a green light to be used against lung cancer. "Tecentriq has been performing strongly since May," Chief Executive Severin Schwan said in the statement. "Based on our performance so far, I am confident that we will meet our full-year targets for 2016." Schwan, who aims for Tecentriq to muscle in on territory now dominated by immunotherapy drugs from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck & Co, expects Roche's 2016 sales to grow by a low- to mid-single digit percentage rate at constant exchange rates, with core earnings growing faster than sales. The company plans to boost its dividend in Swiss francs. Nine-month sales rose 4 percent at constant exchange rates to 37.5 billion francs, shy of the average analyst estimate of 37.7 billion francs in a Reuters poll. (Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Michael Shields) By John Miller ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche said on Thursday strong sales of new medicines like cancer immunotherapy drug Tecentriq would help to sustain the company's growth as patents on older drugs start to expire. Chief Executive Severin Schwan is betting he can stay ahead of the sales erosion with new medicines that include five launched in 2016 alone. "That is an unprecedented number of launches of new medicines in a short period of time," Schwan said on a conference call after Roche reported third-quarter sales figures. "Our product pipeline is developing very well." The Swiss drugmaker's three established cancer blockbusters Rituxan, Herceptin and Avastin, which account for annual sales of nearly 20 billion Swiss francs ($21 billion), all face biosimilar competition by the end of the decade. But so far this year, Tecentriq has won approval for bladder and lung cancer, Alecensa for lung cancer, Cotellic for skin cancer and Venclaxta for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Roche's multiple sclerosis drug Ocrevus is slated for U.S. approval before the year is over. Tecentriq has brought in 77 million Swiss francs ($78 million) since its U.S. approval in May for bladder cancer. That revenue is due to accelerate after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week gave the a green light for the drug to be used against lung cancer. Analysts are counting on it, too, as revenue growth from broad-based cancer drug Avastin, Rituxan for blood cancer, and breast cancer therapy Herceptin begins to slow. All three missed analyst expectations in the third quarter, and Avastin in particular, which fell 3 percent in the third quarter, led by a decline in the United States. Overall, quarterly sales at the world's biggest maker of cancer drugs rose 3 percent to 12.48 billion francs, missing the average estimate of 12.68 billion in a Reuters poll of analysts. "The momentum seems weakening in the haematology and breast cancer franchises in the U.S. and Japanese territories," Bruno Bulic, an analyst at Baader Helvea, said. "We see the entry of Tecentriq coming timely." He has a "buy" recommendation on Roche's shares. They fell 0.2 percent by 0930 GMT, in line with the decline of the European health care sector index. Schwan still expected Roche's 2016 sales to grow by a low- to mid-single digit percentage rate at constant exchange rates, with core earnings rising faster than sales. The company also confirmed its full-year outlook. He declined to comment on Novartis's efforts to sell its $14 billion stake in Roche, saying any disposal was a matter for his cross-town rival to resolve. Novartis Chief Executive Joe Jimenez has said he may sell the stake without demanding a premium. ($1 = 0.9889 Swiss francs) (Editing by Michael Shields and Jane Merriman) Meryl Streep held court at the Rome Film Festival on Thursday to present the Italian premiere of her new film, Florence Foster Jenkins, in which she plays a socialite with a terrible voice who dreams of being an opera star. The prominent Hillary Clinton supporter, who spoke passionately at the Democratic National Convention in July, no longer feels that discussing Donald Trump is worth her time. She believes the Republican presidential nominee has already lost. "I don't feel that I have to make any further pronouncements on the sexism of the Trump campaign," she said in Rome. "I think they're doing a very good job on their own. Or he's doing a good job on his own. I'm not sure his campaign knows quite what to make of it," she joked. "But I feel in 20 days we'll have a President Hillary Rodham Clinton, president of the United States, and all this will be moot," she said. "So that's good news!" Speaking later in the day during the fest's "Close Encounter" series about her Oscar-winning role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, Streep said, "Every woman has experienced a special kind of disdain when you're in a place that is not meant for you, where you're not supposed to be there." "All the people that say to Hillary Clinton, 'Don't talk so loud! Be more attractive!' You just want to say, 'please, listen to what it is I'm saying, rather than how I'm saying it,'" continued Streep noting that any female politician undergoes similar scrutiny. "I had an understanding of the world that Margaret Thatcher entered, and it was not a world friendly to women, and certainly to women who wanted to be leaders." Read more: Rome Film Fest: Trump, Hillary and American Politics to Take Center Stage At a Public Theater benefit in June, Streep famously dressed up as Trump. She recently appeared in a Humanity for Hillary video saying, "It's not OK," in response to Donald Trump's comments promoting sexual assault against women. Story continues At the DNC, Streep hooted for Clinton, saying, "What does it take to be the first female anything? It takes grit. And it takes grace." Streep has set her own records, being the first person to be nominated for 19 Academy Awards for acting. The star spoke of paving the way for young actresses in creating different types of roles for women of all ages. "I think I've broken some ground for some young women that they can look ahead and imagine that they'll have a career past 40, which used to be the cutoff date. It definitely was when I was beginning," she said. "You could pretty much know that you would be 'disappeared' at that age. Until you became 60, 70 and you could play horrible people." Despite the trend of actors stepping into the director's chair, Streep said she has no desire to take on a second career. "Some of my directors would say I have already tried to do that," she joked. "I haven't felt the need to be a director. I'm in awe of the people who do both, who act and do both. I've always wanted to act. I love not having to have the meta-view." WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A deal by a state-owned Russian oil company Rosneft and others to buy India's Essar Oil for $12.9 billion does not run afoul of U.S. sanctions on Russia, the State Department said. "I don't think we see any violation of any U.S.-EU sanctions stemming from this deal," Mark Toner, a spokesman for the State Department told reporters in a daily briefing on Tuesday. The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia as a penatly for its agression in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea. Under the deal, Rosneft is teaming with a consortium of United Capital Partners (UCP), a Russian private investment group, and global oil trader Trafigura to buy Essar Oil. The oil company assets include a massive 400,000 barrels per day refinery, a port and fuel stations. The deal was carefully put together to reduce the risk of sanctions. Rosneft will control only 49 percent of Essar with Trafigura and UCP jointly holding another 49 percent. But UCP has said it may sell its stake of the deal in five years, which has raised questions about whether Igor Sechin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, would have control over the aquisition. The deal is expected to be completed in a few months. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Bill Trott) Royal Navy Russia kuznetsov hms richmond The British Royal Navy has sent warships to "man-mark," or closely watch, Russia's northern fleet, including the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's only aircraft carrier, as it prepares to pass though the English Channel. "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe," a Ministry of Defence spokesman told the Telegraph. The Admiral Kuznetsov task group, which includes the carrier, battlecruisers, and smaller destroyers, set out for Syria's coast in the Mediterranean to continue the brutal siege of Aleppo, a strategically important city in northeastern Syria that government forces have tried to retake control of for years. Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May, called Russia's actions in support of Syria's Assad "sickening atrocities." The Royal Navy is no stranger to run-ins with Russia's fleet, as tensions between Russia and the West mount and as Russian submarine activity spikes to its highest level since the Cold War. Norwegian navy ships photographed the aircraft aboard the Kuznetsov taking off, in apparent practice for their upcoming carrier-based strikes against Aleppo. kuznetsov russia navy aircraft carrier The pictures do not indicate conclusively whether or not the customary tugboat sails alongside the Kuznetsov, which has been plagued by mechanical troubles in the past. The Royal Navy's The Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan will monitor the group, the Associated Press reports. NOW WATCH: The US struck radar sites in Yemen after rebels tried to attack a Navy ship with missiles More From Business Insider Rudy Giuliani and Mark Cuban are going head to head on debate night. Ahead of the third and final presidential debate Wednesday night, the former New York City mayor and Donald Trump surrogate appeared on CNN with the Dallas Mavericks owner and Hillary Clinton supporter. The pre-debate between the two "outspoken men" was introduced by CNN's Erin Burnett as "perhaps the best debate you will see the entire campaign." Giuliani quickly went after Clinton's emails. "Everything you've just said about Hillary Clinton is 100 percent incorrect," said Cuban minutes into the televised sit-down, kicking off the hyped "debate before the debate." When pressed about Trump's temperament, Giuliani fired back about Clinton: "She's been there forever and she's gotten nothing done." Read more: Ivanka Trump Calls BuzzFeed CEO's "Mulatto Cock" Claim a "Total Lie" Breaking down the candidates, Giuliani said: "What he's going to have to do is prove that he is fit to be president, and that because of the FBI finding her extremely careless in the use of national security information, not only isn't she fit to be president, I couldn't hire her as assistant U.S. district attorney." When asked about the sexual assault allegations lodged against Trump, Giuliani said the accusers are using a script, "groping, groping, groping," and spoke for Trump, saying "he believes it is untrue." Calling the GOP nominee a "gentlemen" with women, he said Trump "is justifiably upset about the allegations against him." "I know men who are touchy-feely," he said. "Donald Trump is not one of them." In addition to the nine women who have come forward against Trump since the leaked Access Hollywood tape, Cuban said he knows two additional women who won't come forward. In one instance, Cuban said Trump allegedly walked into a massage room and hit on a woman, and in another, Trump allegedly made a rude comment in an elevator. One story came second-hand to Cuban, and another came direct from the accuser. Story continues Read more: For Fox News and Moderator Chris Wallace, a Pivotal Debate Night When Trump makes mistakes, "he never owns it," said Cuban. When Giuliani said Trump owned up to the tape, Cuban fought back: "How could you disavow a tape?" Giuliani then took a page out of Trump's playbook by bringing up Bill Clinton's past indiscretions: "Clinton should have been thrown out of office." "He is not running," shot back Cuban. "So now we're going to question Melania, Mrs. Trump, and how she dealt with it? We shouldn't judge her for dealing with a difficult situation any more than we should judge Hillary Clinton for how she handled it." Giuliani even brought up Bill Clinton's "illegitimate children," which Cuban pointed out was discredited. He then criticized Giuliani for saying he refuses to operate under hypotheticals only when it comes to Trump. The pair will return to continue their debate at 9 p.m. ET on CNN. Rudy Giuliani on Clinton: "If she was anybody else, she'd be under indictment right now" https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L https://t.co/l9bKUxVGhF - CNN (@CNN) October 19, 2016 Rudy Giuliani: "I know men who are touchy-feelyDonald Trump is not one of them." https://t.co/osagxKBjAx https://t.co/P0GVakaHJH - CNN (@CNN) October 19, 2016 Rudy Giuliani on Clinton: "If she was anybody else, she'd be under indictment right now" https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L https://t.co/l9bKUxVGhF - CNN (@CNN) October 19, 2016 CPN (Maoist Centre) to ask NC's support regarding impeachment motion CPN (Maoist Centre) has decided to ask support with Nepali Congress regarding the impeachment motion against Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Lokman Singh Karki as it was registered on Wednesday. Rudy Giuliani and Mark Cuban are going head to head on debate night. Ahead of the third and final presidential debate, the former New York mayor and Donald Trump supporter appeared on CNN with the Dallas Mavericks owner and Hillary Clinton surrogate Wednesday night. The pre-debate between the two "outspoken men" was introduced by CNN's Erin Burnett as "perhaps the best debate you will see of the entire campaign." Giuliani quickly went after Clinton's emails. "Everything you've just said about Hillary Clinton is 100 percent incorrect," said Cuban minutes into the televised sitdown, kicking off the hyped "debate before the debate." When pressed about Trump's temperament, Giuliani fired back about Clinton: "She's been there forever and she's gotten nothing done." Read more: Ivanka Trump Calls BuzzFeed CEO's "Mulatto Cock" Claim a "Total Lie" Breaking down the candidates, Giuliani said: "What he's going to have to do is prove that he is fit to be president and that because of the FBI finding her extremely careless in the use of national security information, not only isn't she fit to be president, I couldn't hire her as assistant U.S. district attorney." When asked about the sexual assault allegations lodged against Trump, Giuliani said the accusers are using a script, "groping, groping, groping," and spoke for Trump, saying "he believes it is untrue." Calling the GOP nominee a "gentlemen" with women, he said Trump "is justifiably upset about the allegations against him." "I know men who are touchy-feely," he said. "Donald Trump is not one of them." In addition to the nine women who have come forward against Trump since the leaked Access Hollywood tape, Cuban said he knows two additional women who won't come forward. In one instance, Cuban said Trump allegedly walked into a massage room and hit on a woman, and in another, Trump allegedly made a rude comment in an elevator. One story came second-hand to Cuban, and another came direct from the accuser. Story continues Read more: For Fox News and Moderator Chris Wallace, a Pivotal Debate Night When Trump makes mistakes, "he never owns it," said Cuban. When Giuliani said Trump owned up to the tape, Cuban fought back: "How could you disavow a tape?" Giuliani then took a page out of Trump's playbook by bringing up Bill Clinton's past discretions: "Clinton should have been thrown out of office." "He is not running," shot back Cuban. "So now we're going to question Melania, Mrs. Trump, and how she dealt with it? We shouldn't judge her for dealing with a difficult situation any more than we should judge Hillary Clinton for how she handled it." Giuliani even brought up Bill Clinton's "illegitimate children," which Cuban pointed out was discredited. He then criticized Giuliani for saying he refuses to operate under hypotheticals only when it comes to Trump. The pair will return to continue their debate at 9 p.m. ET on CNN. Rudy Giuliani on Clinton: "If she was anybody else, she'd be under indictment right now" https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L https://t.co/l9bKUxVGhF - CNN (@CNN) October 19, 2016 Rudy Giuliani: "I know men who are touchy-feelyDonald Trump is not one of them." https://t.co/osagxKBjAx https://t.co/P0GVakaHJH - CNN (@CNN) October 19, 2016 Rudy Giuliani on Clinton: "If she was anybody else, she'd be under indictment right now" https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L https://t.co/l9bKUxVGhF - CNN (@CNN) October 19, 2016 By Maria Tsvetkova MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's election chiefs said an investigation into irregularities uncovered by Reuters reporters during voting in last month's parliamentary election had found no proof of fraud. In the Sept. 18 election, the pro-Kremlin United Russia party won three-quarters of the seats in the lower house, more than it had ever held before. The result paved the way for an expected bid by President Vladimir Putin for a fourth term. Reuters reporters who monitored voting at 11 polling stations observed, among other irregularities, an election official bringing ballot papers into a polling station hidden under a coat, and people voting more than once. In one location in the Bashkortostan region, Reuters reporters counted 799 people who came and cast a vote, while the official tally was 1,689 votes cast. In that polling station, and in another two where Reuters observed discrepancies in voter numbers, United Russia was the overwhelming winner. In an 11-page letter mailed to Reuters and signed by the Central Election Commission Secretary Maya Grishina, the election chiefs said that on each of the points raised by Reuters, they had been unable to find confirmation. The commission did say, though, that it had referred Reuters findings to the police who would establish if there was any evidence of a crime, and that it was conducting further inquiries of its own in Bashkortostan, which is in the Ural mountains region. Last month, Election Commission Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova ordered that Reuters findings be checked against webcams that, in an innovation designed to counter fraud, had been installed in some polling stations. "We'll take the camera, what was recorded, from the beginning to the end, and we'll have a full picture of how many people went through the polling station," Pamfilova told regional election chiefs at a meeting last month during a discussion of the Reuters findings. However, the commission's letter did not cite any video evidence, and was largely based on interviews with the officials who supervised the vote. BALLOTS UNDER COAT At polling station No. 424 in the Mordovia region, in central Russia, a Reuters reporter saw local election chief Svetlana Baulina bringing ballot papers into the building concealed under a red raincoat. The commission's letter concluded: "There are no concrete grounds to accuse her of breaking the law. Baulina ... is the headteacher of a school of long experience. She categorically denies the accusations. "No one who was present in the given polling station on the day of voting, apart from the correspondent of international news agency Reuters, confirms this fact." A spokesman for the Commission did not reply to a question as to why the investigation did not use video recordings from polling stations to independently verify what happened. At polling station 284, in Bashkortostan where Reuters found the biggest discrepancy in voter numbers, the commission said the Reuters count "could not be acknowledged as fair and reliable". It said election officials at the polling station, and party representatives who were present as observers, had confirmed the official count was correct. At polling station 591 in Saransk, the capital of Mordovia, a Reuters reporter obtained a temporary registration and cast a vote for a party other than United Russia. However, the official count showed zero votes for that party. The commission's letter said that two ballots were declared invalid at the polling station. The reporter's vote may have been one of those, but it was impossible to establish for sure because of voter confidentiality. (Editing by Christian Lowe/Mark Heinrich) Republican nominee Donald Trump issued plenty of surprising statements Wednesday night during the third and final presidential debate of 2016, from describing the New START nuclear reduction treaty as a start-up to dismissing U.S. intelligence indicating Russia is trying to influence the American election. But perhaps the biggest bombshell was Trumps declaration that he will wait to accept the Nov. 8 vote results, defying a fundamental part of Americas electoral process. Trumps rival, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, was already ahead in most national polls by the time the debate began. It ended after 95 minutes that included Trump citing bad hombres to discuss immigration, both candidates accusing the other of being puppets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Clinton almost certainly solidifying her lead in the nasty race. Following a week of accusing Clinton, the media, and even fellow Republicans of rigging the election, Trump said he will look at the vote results before he decides to accept them. I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now, Trump said, when Fox News moderator Chris Wallace quoted both running mate Mike Pence and his daughter, Ivanka, saying they believed he would accept the results. He added, Ill keep you in suspense. OK? As Trumps campaign has threatened to implode following multiple women accusing him of sexual assault, Clinton mostly has maintained a low profile. Yet she too faced controversy upon entering the debate as WikiLeaks released what appeared to be a fresh crop of her private emails while serving as secretary of state. She purposely shielded her emails through a homebrew server. The U.S. intelligence community has concluded the leaks may be an attempt by senior Russian officials to influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. And prompting another explosive exchange Wednesday, Clinton challenged Trump to disavow the site as a tool of state-sponsored espionage. Story continues Trump demurred, saying hed disavow any countrys cyberwarfare but dodging on pointing at Putin. He instead accused Clinton of disrespecting the Russian president. Well, thats because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States, Clinton interjected. No puppet. No puppet, Trump shot back, talking over Clinton. Youre the puppet! While the Republican nominee has repeatedly expressed admiration for Putin, at one point calling him a stronger leader than President Barack Obama, he also hit Clinton during the debate for the start-up the U.S. signed as evidence the Russian president has outsmarted her and Obama at every single step of the way. Trump was referring to the New START nuclear stockpile reduction treaty, considered a victory for the reset early on in the Obama administration. Moscow recently announced it was pulling out of the 2011 landmark nuclear security agreement as U.S.-Russia relations devolved over Syria and other issues. The debate opened with the two contenders seemingly trying to appear presidential and calmly discussing their differences on Supreme Court nominees. But it quickly devolved over the issue of immigration a sticky issue in battleground Nevada, where Trumps rejection of migrants and refugees from Latin America and the Middle East could very well swing the state to Democrats. Well have no country if we have no border, Trump said, accusing Clinton of amnesty and wanting to let in 550 percent more people than Obama, implying they would all be Syrian refugees. We have some bad hombres here, he pledged, and were going to get them out. The GOP nominee has capitalized on American voters anxiety over the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria, and what he described as dozens of other countries worldwide. He continued in that vein Wednesday, pinning a spate of international crises since 2009 on the former secretary of state and undermining her years of working on foreign policy and security as bad experience. When you look at her real record, take a look at Syria, Trump said. Take a look at the migration. Take a look at Libya. Take a look at Iraq. She gave us ISIS. Clinton repeated her boilerplate plan for taking on ISIS, including an ill-defined intelligence surge and combatting the terrorist groups online propaganda. She also ducked her long-stated support for a no-fly zone in Syria when asked if shed be willing to shoot down a Russian plane, saying it would provide leverage for tough negotiations. But Trump also stumbled when Wallace asked him about his declarations that the Syrian city of Aleppo where Russia earlier Wednesday agreed to extend a cease-fire had fallen. Parts of Aleppo are alternately controlled by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Sunni-dominated rebel groups. Have you seen Aleppo? Trump demanded of a nonplussed Wallace. It was reminiscent of independent candidate Gary Johnsons widely panned What is Aleppo? gaffe. Trump had few details on how he would curb Iran and Russias role in Syrias civil war but took aim at Clinton: If she did nothing, wed be in much better shape. Trump also slammed the ongoing military offensive on Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, which has been under Islamic State control since 2014. Iraqi and Peshmerga fighters are leading the fight, supported by U.S. forces. Trump criticized the Obama administration for broadcasting its moves to the enemy but he also suggested the long-planned operation was finally launched in time to benefit Clinton. It was not the first conspiracy theory Trump has peddled, but it may be one of the last. One of these two people will be the next president of the United States, Wallace began the debate. Its very important for them to make their case and listeners to hear them. Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla / Staff By Emma Batha LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Islamic State militants must be brought to justice for the sexual enslavement of Yazidis in Iraq, a prominent American lawyer said ahead of the release of a film about the world's first conviction of rape as a war crime. "The Uncondemned" tells the story behind the first genocide trial in history and the three rural Rwandan women who overcame their fear and shame to testify about the atrocities perpetrated against them. "This film is particularly important given the scale of sexual violence in so many conflicts today," said Pierre Prosper, who led the landmark prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). "It's a reminder of our responsibility to act. We made legal history back in the 1990s - Rwanda showed us that this is a crime that can and should be prosecuted, but it feels as if the lesson has stopped there." Prosper, who later became U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes from 2001 to 2005, said a special tribunal like the ICTR should be set up to try militants involved in the mass enslavement of Yazidi girls and women. U.N. war crimes investigators said this year that Islamic State (IS) was committing genocide against the Yazidis, a religious community of 400,000 people in northern Iraq. "If there was ever a case for an international tribunal, it's this one. I'm puzzled by the slow action of the international community," Prosper told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Los Angeles. "If you are going to call it genocide, you have a responsibility to do something about it. That's the lesson we learned in Rwanda." Yazidi survivors of IS atrocities were among guests invited to the film's premiere in New York at the United Nations on Wednesday night. Tens of thousands of women were raped during Rwanda's 1994 genocide when extremist Hutu militiamen slaughtered 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the central African country. Although rape had been declared a war crime in 1919, it had never been prosecuted until the 1997 trial of a small-town Rwandan mayor Jean-Paul Akayesu. Prosper broke new ground when he also convinced the U.N. tribunal to recognise rape as an act of genocide. "When you are raping and abusing women, the fabric of society is destroyed the women are clearly destroyed, but you are also destroying the men and boys," said Prosper, a partner in a U.S. law firm. "Rwanda is rebounding remarkably, but in the depths of people's eyes you can still see the impact it has had." TOOL OF TERROR Akayesu, who was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity, is serving a life sentence in a Mali prison. "The Uncondemned", which is scheduled for release in the United States on Friday, highlights the role of three key witnesses in securing his conviction. Prosper said the women, known only as JJ, NN and OO during the trial, showed the power of individuals to change the world when they had the courage to speak up. The film's director Michele Mitchell said making the documentary taught her the "incredible healing value of justice" for both individuals and communities. "One of the things witness JJ says in the film is 'keeping quiet kills you softly'." Mitchell said she was shocked that so little was being done to bring to justice perpetrators of sexual violence in conflicts in Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan and elsewhere. She hopes the film, which receives its British premiere next month, will spur the public to press politicians to take action. "Rape is still not taken as seriously as other crimes of war, and that needs to change," Mitchell said, adding that the term "sexual violence" underplayed the true nature and impact of the crime. "It's an act of torture, an act of power, an act of humiliation, and we have to start tackling it like it's an act of torture." Mitchell said rape cannot be dismissed as "just something that happens in war". "Rape is an act of deadly intent and in conflict it is used to destroy communities and people," she added. "We probably won't be able to stop it happening because it's just such an effective tactic, but we can make it a lot harder for people to get away with it." (Reporting by Emma Batha, editing by Alisa Tang. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.) NEW RICHMOND, WI / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / Ryan Allaire of Advance Marketing Group in New Richmond, Wisconsin, has announced that he and his company will be helping needy families during the upcoming holiday season. Ryan states that he is helping in the effort to feed 50 families this Thanksgiving season. Allaire is partnering up with the local food shelf and the New Richmond, Wisconsin local school system to provide families in need with meals during the Thanksgiving season. He points out that Advance Marketing Group loves to support worldwide and local charities and says that this is his focus with the growth of the company this year. Allaire says, "I can remember back when I was a kid, we had churches drop off gifts and food during the holiday season when my family was in a time of need, so now it feels great to give back and do the same." Allaire and his business is one of the fastest growing companies in his marketplace, and with their seven figure track record it appears that they won't be slowing down anytime soon. He explains, "We've just gotten started. And we can't wait to see what the next year brings." More about Allaire and the services that Advance Marketing Group provides can be seen on their official website at http://advancemarketinggroup.net. The company owner says that he hopes others will join him in helping to support local families in need. He says that one simply has to search for families who need help to see how many throughout the nation may go without a Thanksgiving feast. He declares that this is unacceptable, particularly when there are those in local communities that want to do something about it. Meanwhile, Allaire is encouraging people to leverage the marketing system of his company to obtain some serious income. More information about this can be found at http://4MProfitMethod.com. Advance Marketing Group provides a wide range of services for local and national businesses, and has been doing so for a number of years. Those interested in seeing more of what the business does, or in contacting them regarding their mission to feed 50 families can do so at the company website. Allaire says that he hopes other businesses will follow suit and provide Thanksgiving to families in need. Story continues Another product that Allaire is offering is a business kit that people can use to establish their own home based business. The kit can be obtained at http://getyourbusinesskit.com. Contact Advance Marketing Group: Ryan Allaire 7152226776 ryanaallaire@gmail.com 150 West 1st Street, Suite 200 New Richmond, WI 54017 SOURCE: Advance Marketing Group Sallie Mae SLM delivered a positive earnings surprise of 9% in third-quarter 2016. The Delaware-based company reported core earnings of 12 cents per share, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Also, the bottom line improved 20% year over year. Results were driven by increased net interest income as well as non interest income. Continued rise in private education loan originations was among the tailwinds. However, these positives were partially offset by higher expenses and a significant rise in provisions. Sallie Mae (formally SLM Corporation) reported core earnings (primarily adjusting for derivatives), attributable to the company's common stock, of $51 million, up 21% from the prior-year quarter. FindTheCompany | Graphiq The companys GAAP net income came in at $57 million, increasing 24% year over year. Revenue Growth Outweighs Cost Pressure, Provisions Up Net interest income amounted to $223.3 million, up 27% year over year. The rise was mainly driven by an increase in the portfolio size of private education loans. Net interest margin expanded 22 basis points (bps) year over year to 5.58%. Non-interest income came in at $23 million, reflecting a whopping increase from $9.9 million in the prior-year quarter, primarily supported by significant rise in other income. The reported quarter also recorded gains on derivatives and hedging activities, compared with a loss in the year-ago quarter. The companys total expenses increased 6% year over year to $100 million. The rise in expenses was mainly due to increased compensation and benefits expenses and higher FDIC assessment fees. Efficiency ratio, on a non-GAAP basis, decreased to 40.6% in the quarter, from 50.3 % in the year-ago quarter. Generally, a lower ratio indicates improved efficiency. Provision for loan losses was $41.8 million, up 52% year over year. As of Sep 30, 2016, the private education loan portfolio was $13.7 billion, up 27% year over year. Notably, loan origination increased 7% year over year to $1.8 billion in the reported quarter. Average yield on the loan portfolio was 8%, up 13 bps year over year. Delinquencies as a percentage of private education loans in repayment were 2.04%, up from 1.91%. Deposits Rise As of Sep 30, 2016, deposits of Sallie Mae Bank were $12.9 billion, up from $10.6 billion as of Jun 30, 2015. Increases in brokered deposits, along with retail and other deposits, contributed to the rise in deposits. Strong Capital Position As of Sep 30, 2016, Sallie Mae Banks Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets and common equity Tier 1 capital were both at 12.4%. Capital ratios exceeded the well capitalized industry benchmark in regulatory requirements. Revised 2016 Outlook Sallie Mae provided updated guidance for 2016. The company estimates core earnings per share of 52 cents for the year, revising from the prior outlook range of 5152 cents. Operating efficiency ratio is expected to improve by more than 10%. Private education loan originations are projected to be $4.6 billion for the year, unchanged from the previous guidance. Our Viewpoint Results of Sallie Mae, which started operating independently following the separation of SLM Corporation in Apr 2014, reflects the companys continued focus on increasing private education loan assets and revenues, while maintaining a strong capital position and improving efficiency. We believe that Sallie Maes leading position in the student lending market and its focus on solidifying its presence in the consumer banking business space would help it to perform well in the upcoming quarters. The economic recovery and declining unemployment rate should enhance the prospects of consumer banking. Nevertheless, we remain cautious owing to several issues that the entity is facing. These include a competitive environment in the saturated banking space and the prevailing regulatory headwinds. Story continues SLM CORP Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise SLM CORP Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | SLM CORP Quote Sallie Mae currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Among other firms in the finance space, Capital One Financial Corporation COF, Ally Financial Inc. ALLY and Regional Management Corp. RM are expected to release results on Oct 25, Oct 26, and Oct 27, respectively. 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 SLM CORP (SLM): Free Stock Analysis Report CAPITAL ONE FIN (COF): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLY FINANCIAL (ALLY): Free Stock Analysis Report REGIONAL MANAGE (RM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Dr KC welcomes impeachment motion against CIAA chief Karki Senior Orthopedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) Dr Govinda KC has welcomed the registration of impeachment motion against Lokman Singh Karki, chief of Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). He added that other controversial CIAA commissioners of CIAA should be investigated. Are you the one who related Thumbs Up to Salman Khan? Then this news might not please you! Wondering what has happened? Well, Coca-Cola dropped Salman Khan as brand ambassador for its soft drink Thums Up after four years of association. The contract was to be renewed as it expired last month but the company chose not to renew it. The joint statement released by the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor and Coca-Cola says, In light of this, both parties have mutually decided not to renew the current contract. The reason for not renewing the contract is Salmans association with the reality show, Bigg Boss. This is not it! Recommended Read: Troubles dont end for Salman! Rajasthan govt approaches SC for blackbuck-chinkara poaching case Twitterati started blaming Khan for it, stating that its because of the controversies he is a part of. Especially the actors take on Pakistani artists saying they were not terrorists when asked whether they should be allowed to work in Indian films after the Uri attack. Reportedly, Coca-Cola India is in talks with actor Ranveer Singh to replace 50-year-old Khan. However, the company didnt open up on any sort of details. Samantha Bee took to Facebook on Thursday to poke fun at the email scandal involving WikiLeads founder Julian Assange at the same time as offering up some one-liners to Hillary Clinton's campaign. Just a day after the third and final presidential debate, the Full Frontal star took advantage of the conversation around the two candidates by drafting what is presumably Clinton's sheet of jokes for Thursday night's fundraising event, the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, held in New York City. Bee's Facebook post shows a document on "Hillary for America" letterhead with "Jokes for Al Smith Dinner," and a typed-up collection of bits, many aimed at Donald Trump, with notes and feedback from "H." Bee notes in her post that she received the document from "our private fax line with Julian Assange." Read more: Alfred E. Smith Dinner Gag Writer on Clinton-Trump Roast: "The Rules Don't Apply" Notes on the page (from "H") include reminders to "smile the right amount" and for one joke, to "test on millennials in the office, preferably black." Both Trump and Clinton will be attending the dinner, as is customary for presidential candidates. Historically, candidates have enjoyed playfully giving each other a hard time, but this year's event could prove more heated than usual. That is, not if Clinton takes the suggested opening line from Bee's draft as an icebreaker: "I'm so excited to be in a room full of Catholics tonight. I'm very religious. In fact, every time I hear Donald talk I shout, 'Jesus Christ!'" Courtesy of TBS Read more: Samantha Bee Takes on Trump-Clinton Debate, Mocks Sexist Media Coverage (Corrects device's name in second paragraph to "Note 7" from "Galaxy 7") Oct 20 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is in talks with LG Chem Ltd to supply batteries for its new smartphones, the Nikkei newspaper reported, citing sources. Samsung, the world's biggest smartphone maker, scrapped production of the fire-prone Note 7 and said it would take a hit to its operating profit of about $3 billion over the next two quarters as a result. The company had blamed faulty batteries for the original problem in its flagship device, but has given no indication about the cause of the overheating seen in the replacements. The companies are discussing ways to supply batteries to Samsung's new smartphones starting next year, the report said. (http://s.nikkei.com/2ew8B9f) Samsung's subsidiary, Samsung SDI Co Ltd, is the dominant battery supplier for the Note 7, supplying around 70 percent of the batteries globally, according to analyst estimates. Samsung and LG Chem were not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is in talks with LG Chem Ltd to supply batteries for its new smartphones, the Nikkei newspaper reported, citing sources. Samsung, the world's biggest smartphone maker, scrapped production of the fire-prone Note 7 and said it would take a hit to its operating profit of about $3 billion over the next two quarters as a result. The company had blamed faulty batteries for the original problem in its flagship device, but has given no indication about the cause of the overheating seen in the replacements. The companies are discussing ways to supply batteries to Samsung's new smartphones starting next year, the report said. (http://s.nikkei.com/2ew8B9f) Samsung's subsidiary, Samsung SDI Co Ltd , is the dominant battery supplier for the Note 7, supplying around 70 percent of the batteries globally, according to analyst estimates. Samsung and LG Chem were not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours. (This version of the story corrects device's name in second paragraph to "Note 7" from "Galaxy 7") (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) SANAA/ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - A 72-hour truce in Yemen came under pressure on Thursday when missiles fired from Yemen killed two civilians in Saudi Arabia, the United States said, while a Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes that Iran-allied Houthi fighters said killed three people. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies have been embroiled in a conflict in Yemen since March 2015, fighting on behalf of an exiled Yemeni government against the Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa. A U.N.-brokered ceasefire took effect late on Wednesday, raising hopes of an end to a war that has devastated the Arab world's poorest country and left it on the verge of famine. That brought Sanaa its first night without air strikes in nearly three months, and the truce was generally holding across the Arabian Peninsula state, residents and officials said. However, rockets were fired by the Houthi group at Jazan and Najran in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led military coalition said in a statement. It said that "43 violations were committed along the border ... in which snipers and various weapons were used, including missiles." In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a plea for the Houthis to respect the ceasefire after he met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. Kerry said a rocket attack from Houthi territory killed two Saudi civilians, though it was not immediately clear where the deaths occurred. "It is essential that the Houthis, who have said they will support this ceasefire, live by it," Kerry told reporters. "So any such breaches of this put at risk the entire possibility of getting back to talks," Kerry added, saying the ceasefire needed to be given time to take hold. Kerry said Saudi Arabia "has a right to be free from missiles being launched from Yemen" and he called on the Houthis to draw back their troops and missiles. The Houthis said they had launched attacks on Saudi military camps across the border over the past two days and that a coalition air strike on Thursday killed three civilians in northern Saada province. In the southern city of Zinjibar, al-Qaeda militants ambushed a checkpoint and killed five soldiers and injured several others, a local official told Reuters - a sign of how the war has spiraled out of control. Coalition aircraft had bombed Sanaa every night since Aug. 7, residents said, starting after peace talks with the Houthis and forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh broke down. Several previous ceasefires have failed to pave the way for an end to the conflict, although they have significantly slowed fighting in a war that has killed at least 10,000 people. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in SANAA and Mohammed Mukashaf in ADEN; Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in WASHINGTON; Writing by Tom Finn and Katie Paul; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Will Dunham) Washington (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of stepping up their attacks Thursday and of putting in danger a day-old UN-mandated ceasefire. Jubeir told reporters in Washington that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to defend itself from further Huthi attacks, but stopped short of declaring the truce a failure. "As of this morning Washington time there had been more than 150 violations by the Huthi-Saleh side," Jubeir said, referring to the rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Sitting with US Secretary of State John Kerry after talks at the State Department, Jubeir called the alleged Huthi attacks an "escalation in the violence, rather than a reduction." And he accused the Huthis of launching a missile across the border into Saudi territory and killing a man and his daughter. Kerry condemned the cross-border attack, but was keen to insist that his guest confirm that the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen still intends to respect the ceasefire. "If I can just interrupt," Kerry interjected as Jubeir finished his remarks. "It is clear that Saudi Arabia is still committed to the ceasefire and as far as you're concerned the ceasefire is still in effect. Is that correct?" Jubeir responded that the kingdom has indicated that it supports Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's call for a truce. "The coalition countries are abiding by this," he said. "But I want to emphasize that we have a right to defend ourselves, we have a right to protect our borders, we have a right to protect our citizens and we have to ensure that the other side maintains its commitment to the cessation of hostilities." United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The Saudi-led coalition carried out a deadly "double-tap" air strike on a funeral ceremony in Yemen this month in violation of international humanitarian law, a UN panel of experts concluded. More than 140 people were killed and 525 injured in the air strike on October 8 on a community hall packed with 750 mourners attending the funeral of the rebel Huthi interior minister's father. The experts told the UN Security Council in a report obtained by AFP on Thursday that it continues to investigate whether the second air strike directly harmed medical personnel in what could amount to war crimes. "The panel has not seen any demonstrable evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition took effective and adequate precautionary measures to minimize civilian casualties in respect of the two air strikes so far confirmed," said the report sent to the council on Monday. "In contrast, there is evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition violated its obligations relating to the protection of the wounded and persons hors de combat in its second air strike." Those killed in the bombing included the head of the Huthi Republican Guard, the mayor of Sanaa, a prominent member of the Huthi military council, two commanders and a former governor. Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son attended the funeral, but left before the attack, the report said. The experts found that the timing between the two strikes indicated the "deliberate use of the 'double tap' tactic, the consequences of which are that individuals responding to the first explosion are caught by the second." The attack resulted in "disproportionately higher numbers of civilian casualties, when compared to military casualties," said the report, adding that this could have been anticipated prior to the attack. The report said the second air strike came three to eight minutes after the first bombing and "almost certainly resulted in more casualties" to the already wounded and first responders. Story continues International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on the wounded, medical personnel and non-combatants. The panel said it was waiting for a response from the coalition's head of investigation concerning its findings. The Saudi-led Arab coalition announced a ceasefire after the attack on the funeral ceremony triggered global outrage and prompted the United States to review its support of the military campaign in Yemen. The coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels overran much of the impoverished country. Nearly 6,900 people have been killed -- more than half of them civilians -- in the conflict, while another three million are displaced and some 70 percent of the population needs food aid. By Katie Paul and Tom Finn RIYADH/DOHA (Reuters) - Saudi social media users interpret the rare execution of an Al Saud prince as a sign of equality under Islamic law, approval likely to reassure Riyadh's absolute rulers as large spending cuts test the kingdom's welfare-based social contract. Prince Turki bin Saud al-Kabir was found guilty of shooting dead another Saudi national during a brawl and was executed after a royal order by King Salman, the interior ministry said on Tuesday. Members of the ruling family, estimated to number several thousand, have only rarely been executed. A prince who assassinated his uncle, King Faisal, was beheaded in 1975 and a princess was shot dead for adultery two years later. In 2004, a young prince who had gunned down an acquaintance was pardoned by the victims father at the last minute, after arriving at Riyadhs execution square. News of the execution, which comes as the government is asking Saudis to accept unprecedented austerity, was welcomed by Saudis online, including royal family members who said King Salman had been "decisive" and "fair".Khalid al-Saud, an academic and royal family member, wrote on a Twitter account: "This is the law of God Almighty, and this is the approach of our blessed nation." "A just ruler of the Islamic nation rules by the legitimacy of Islam," tweeted Saudi journalist Nasser bin Fareon. Social media users shared a clip of a previous speech by King Salman to Saudi officials telling citizens they should not fear suing royal family members if they had suffered injustice. Mohammed al-Masloukhi, the imam of the Safa mosque in Riyadh, said the family of the victim had declined to accept hundreds of millions of riyals in "blood money". "God does not differentiate between a merchant and a poor man, nor between a prince and a citizen," he tweeted. But a Saudi university student from Jeddah, who spoke on condition he be identified only as Bahah, said the ruling was a reaction to people's frustration with apparent impunity enjoyed by royals. "It had to happen. It's impossible to continue forgiving members of the royal family who commit crimes," he said by telephone. "There are political consequences for not prosecuting members of the family, (because) the victims can be members of big tribes. There has to be answers." Saudi officials say the judicial system is impartial. Prominent commentator Jamal Khashoggi told Reuters Saudis were receptive to the decision. "Its a sign of respect to the sharia (Islamic law). People like that," he said. While a culture of public respect for government endures in Saudi Arabia, it is one of the most active Arab societies online, and digital platforms are seen as a useful forum where official accountability can be assessed. Al Saud members receive monthly stipends, and top princes command great wealth and political power - although only a few in the family hold nationally important government posts - at a time when ordinary Saudis face financial cutbacks. In a country where citizens have no vote, the government is planning educational and social reforms, apparently aiming to shore up public support and political stability. Saudi Arabia executed at least 151 people in 2015, the most since 1995, according to Amnesty, making it the third most prolific executioner after China and Iran. (Editing by William Maclean and Dominic Evans) Groundwork starts for merger of NTL, NOC The government has started laying the groundwork for the merger of National Trading Limited (NTL) and Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) in a bid to strengthen the capital base of the state-owned oil monopoly, according to Supplies Minister Deepak Bohara. Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) (AFP) - "Pregnancy is neither a crime nor a mental illness," insists Imelda Bosuala, a 15-year-old who was turned away by her school in Equatorial Guinea after falling pregnant. When the school term began last month, the government had put in place a new rule -- in order to enrol, all teenage girls must take a pregnancy test. And a positive test means no more education. Speaking on state television, deputy education minister Maria-Jesus Nkara said the tough new measure sought to encourage schoolgirls to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies. A month into the new term, it is still too early to tell how many girls have been affected by the ban in a country where teenage girls come under heavy pressure to start a family. World Bank figures show that in 2014, the birth rate among Equatorial Guinean adolescents aged 15-19 was 110 in 1,000. The figure is substantially higher than the global average of 44 per 1,000, but lower than in other African nations such as Niger (204), Mali (175) and Angola (167). Rights organisations have criticised the authorities for violating the right to education, slamming the measure as another example of repression in this tiny oil-rich nation whose president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has ruled with an iron fist since seizing power in a 1979 coup. - Illegal abortion fears - But opinions within the country are divided. "This is a good decision," said 13-year-old Sabina in the playground of Bioko Norte high school in the capital, Malabo. "Coming to class while you're pregnant shows a lack of respect." Even Bosuala herself is in two minds. "Pregnancy is also not a good example to set in the school environment," she admits. But French teacher Gerardo Ndong believes the decision was "foolish". And Trifonia Melibea, a sociologist and teacher at the National University of Equatorial Guinea, was also dismayed by the decision. "These adolescents are being deprived of the fundamental right to education. That's an insult," she said. Story continues She also warned that the measure could push teenagers into seeking abortions in "inhuman conditions". In the former Spanish colony of 800,000 people, pregnancies can be legally terminated only if there is a threat to the health of the mother and with the authorisation of the spouse or parents. - Daughters as 'trade items' - Efua, whose 14-year-old daughter is expecting a baby, believes the government should open a dedicated school "especially for young pregnant girls" so they can keep up their studies. Early pregnancies are most common in poor families, where adults might even consider sending a daughter out as a sexual offering. "Some parents use their daughters as items of trade, asking them to go out with rich men to help the family survive," said 19-year-old Ana Rita. Sociologist Martin Ela pointed to increasing pressures from consumerism since oil production began in the 1990s. "These little girls go out with someone who is able to give them a smartphone because they want to be on Facebook or WhatsApp," Ela said. Melibea said teenage girls were particularly vulnerable to pressure. "In Equatorial Guinea, if a girl reaches the age of 18 without having a child, everybody starts saying she's barren," she said. The high number of teen pregnancies can also be linked to the absence of legislative protection for minors against sexual harassment, meaning abusive men can operate with impunity. - 'Devastating consequences' - Sierra Leone introduced a similar ban on pregnant teens last year, prompting a sharp reaction from Amnesty International. "Excluding pregnant girls from mainstream schools and banning them from sitting crucial exams is discriminatory and will have devastating consequences," the London-based rights group said in a study released in November 2015. "Education is a right and not something for governments to arbitrarily take away as a punishment." The report said the prohibition, which was sometimes enforced through "humiliating physical checks", was likely to affect an estimated 10,000 young girls and risked destroying their future life opportunities. The ban has yet to be lifted. COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Scientists have found 500 seabed vents bubbling methane into the Pacific Ocean off the United States, roughly doubling the number of known U.S. seeps of the powerful greenhouse gas, a study showed on Wednesday. Methane naturally escapes from the sea floor in many places around the world and can stoke global warming if it reaches the atmosphere. Worldwide, scientists are trying to see if rising ocean temperatures cause more leaks. "It appears that the entire coast off Washington, Oregon and California is a giant methane seep," Robert Ballard, who is famed for finding the wreck of the Titanic and has now discovered the 500 new seeps, said in a statement. "The discoveries double to about 1,000 the number of such vents now known to exist along the continental margins of the USA," the statement said. Nicole Raineault, Director of Science Operations with Ballard's Ocean Exploration Trust, said it was unknown how long the seeps had been active, what triggered them and how much, if any, of the gas reached the atmosphere. Gunnar Myhre, an expert at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in Oslo, said research in Arctic waters off Norway's Svalbard archipelago indicated that most seabed methane there dispersed in the water. And when seeps are found "it's most likely that they've been occurring for a long time," he told Reuters. No one has had technology to map seeps until recent decades. About 100 experts will meet on Oct. 20 and 21 for a U.S. National Ocean Exploration Forum in New York, hosted by The Rockefeller University in partnership with Monmouth University. The scientists hope to promote more research into marine science after recent finds of creatures including a purple sea cucumber and a tiny "Mud Monster" in the deep Pacific by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "One million marine species and one million shipwrecks may remain to be discovered," Jesse Ausubel, of the Rockefeller University, said in a statement. (Reporting by Alister Doyle; Editing by Tom Heneghan) From Popular Mechanics The Chicxulub crater, a 102-mile diameter crater in the Yucatan Peninsula of southeastern Mexico, is the result of a six-to-nine-mile-wide asteroid slamming into the Earth. This same asteroid triggered the CretaceousPaleogene (KPg) extinction event that caused the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of all plant and animal life on the planet, to go extinct. The Chicxulub crater is actually underneath the Yucatan Peninsula, and roughly half of it is submerged beneath the Gulf of Mexico. Buried under a kilometer of rock, dirt, sand and water, the Chicxulub crater is rather difficult to study directly. Fortunately for planetary geologists, the Schrodinger crater on the moon, though twice as big, is remarkably similar to the Chicxulub crater on Earth. Both have an inner circle of mountains called a peak ring that formed at the time of impact within the crater rim. (The Schrodinger crater rim has a diameter of about 200 miles, while the inner peak ring's diameter is about 90 miles.) Photo credit: Daniel Durda/IAAA The Schrodinger lunar crater is clearly visible, pristine on the surface of the moon for researchers to study with remote sensing techniques. Data from two spacecraft, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and India's Chandrayaan-1, were used to create an accurate computer model of the impact at Schrodinger on the moon. A research paper detailing the findings was published this morning in Nature Communications. "If one wants to imagine how the Chicxulub crater looked soon after impact, one only needs to peer at the Schrodinger basin on the moon," said head of the research team, David Kring of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). The researchers found that the impact that created the Schrodinger crater pulled rock up from an incredible 18.5 miles below the surface and hurled it up to about 12.5 miles in altitude, or more than twice the height of Mount Everest. The rock hovered there momentarily before collapsing into the peak ring we see today. This entire process occurred in about an hour. Story continues "Imagine a mountain range, rising 2.5 kilometers (8,000 feet) high, with a circumference of about 470 kilometers (290 miles)," says Kring. "That is an immense amount of rock to lift from depths of 10 to 25 kilometers within an hour. In contrast, tectonically-driven mountains may take millions of years to rise." On Earth, 66 million years ago, a similar impact formed the Chicxulub crater and wiped out the dinosaurs. However, the same rapid uplifting process that took an hour on the moon happened in just minutes on Earth, thanks to our planet's higher gravity pulling the material back down once it had been tossed up by the asteroid impact. "This is an excellent example of how studies of the moon can help us better understand our own planet Earth," said Kring, who adds that further observations of the Schrodinger crater would be highly useful for models that represent how planets form during the constant bombardment of their early lives. "Studies identify the Schrodinger basin as one of the highest priority destinations for future explorers." It is likely that we soon send a rover to the peak ring inside Schrodinger basin, which is made of rock from deep within the moon, shoved to the surface by a massive asteroid impact some 4 billion years ago. You Might Also Like ProFab Development of Scottsdale to Help Australian Company Hypoxi Expand Across the USA SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / October, 20, 2016 / ProFab Development, a Scottsdale, Arizona based design/build company has been selected by Hypoxi USA to partner on new projects in the United States. Hypoxi is an Australian company with locations in 50 countries. It has chosen to work with ProFab due to the latter's range of services which include not only tenant improvements and construction, but up-front design services, as well. Also, ProFab is unique in that it can support construction projects throughout the country. Hypoxi is more than a fitness company. The HYPOXI-Method combines low impact exercise with advanced vacuum and compression technology and healthy nutrition to help your body work smarter, not harder. HYPOXI supercharges your body's natural fat burning system. This exclusive system was developed by Australian physician Norbert Egger. ProFab Development CEO Joe Trednic says, "We are extremely proud of our association with Hypoxi. Imagine having a proven, world-class company enter the USA market for the first time. We anticipate a strong relationship as we help this exciting company expand across the country." Hypoxi is just launching and has franchises available. ProFab Development is an unusual company, due in part to its diversity. Not only can it perform local design-build services, it is positioned to provided Construction Management and Project Management services across the country. ProFab has the ability to obtain architectural document approvals in 46 states. According to Joe Trednic, "one of our specialties is working with franchise brands. We have a unique Master Concept-Design Manual that is especially helpful for repeat projects. This manual specifies design, material and other specifications, so that a consistent, reliable build is accomplished." This approach has been successful with Flat Bread Pizza and Craftworks. Story continues The manual becomes the construction bible for new construction. Not only does this methodology provide consistency, it ultimately saves time and money. The guess work is removed from those franchisees who don't have the know-how or time to deal with the construction aspects of their new franchise structure or space. For Hypoxi, ProFab will provide finish goods, too. ProFab Development is versatile in its range of construction types. It focuses mainly on tenant improvements, franchise brands, and hotel remodel/new build. The company also has the ability to provide services for commercial retail and healthcare facilities. ProFab can deliver services from space planning and interior design to tenant improvements and new construction. For more information on ProFab Development, please visit their website at www.Profabdevelopment.com. Media Contact: Troy Bohlke 480.584.2909 Company Contact: Joe Trednic, President/CEO ProFab Development, Inc. 602.410.9979 SOURCE: ProFab Development Inc. "The Young Pope" director Paolo Sorrentino is already working on a second series of the show, reports Variety, before the first season has even arrived on screens. The highly-anticipated series stars British actor Jude Law as cigarette-smoking American pontiff Pius XIII, and will make its on-air debut on Rupert Murdoch's Sky pay-TV on Friday, after launching at the Venice Film Festival. "Young Pope" producer Lorenzo Mieli told Variety that Sorrentino is working on the screenplay, although nothing has been signed yet. The plan is to start shooting in the summer of 2018. News that work on a second series had already begun surfaced several days ago during a Rome presentation of the series. The 10-episode series will be released on Sky in Italy on October 21. It will air at the end of October on Sky in the UK, Germany, Ireland and Austria, and on Canal Plus in France. * Debit cards compromised by security breach involving 90 ATMs * Some 2.65 mln Mastercard, Visa debit cards possibly compromised * Banks asking customers to change security codes, replacing cards (Adds details from NPCI statement) By Devidutta Tripathy MUMBAI, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A slew of banks in India are replacing or asking their customers to change security codes of as many as 3.25 million debit cards due to fears that the card data may have been stolen in one of the country's largest-ever cyber security incidents. Card network providers Visa, MasterCard, and home-grown RuPay run by the National Payments Corp of India (NPCI) swung into action in September after receiving complaints from some banks that their clients' cards had been fraudulently used mainly in China and the United States even though they were in India, said the chief of NPCI, which also runs the biggest network of shared ATMs. There was a possible compromise of one of the payment switch provider's systems, NPCI Chief Executive A.P. Hota said in a statement. A switch is part of the back-end network aiding ATM operations. Hota said the card network providers had alerted all affected banks and the advice to banks to replace cards was a "preventive exercise", adding: "Necessary corrective actions already have been taken and hence there is no reason for bank customers to panic." Of the debit cards affected, about 2.65 million are on Visa and MasterCard platforms, while 600,000 are on RuPay, Hota earlier told CNBC TV18, adding the breach involved some 90 ATMs. Visa and Mastercard said in separate statements their own networks had not been compromised, but they were aware of the issue and were working with banks, regulators and others to support investigations. While the potential breach impacts a large number of debit card holders, the number of cards affected accounts for just 0.5 percent of the nearly 700 million debit cards issued by banks in India. While the NPCI did not name the payment switch provider whose systems it found had been compromised, banking industry sources with direct knowledge said the issue stemmed from a breach in systems of Hitachi Ltd subsidiary Hitachi Payment Services, which manages ATM network processing for Yes Bank Ltd. Story continues The sources were not authorised to speak with media on the matter and so declined to be identified. Yes Bank said in a statement on Thursday it had proactively undertaken a review of its ATMs and found no evidence of any breach. The bank said it continued to work with other banks and the NPCI to ensure safety and security of its ATM network and payment services. A Hitachi spokeswoman said it was investigating the matter, including whether there was a malware problem, adding it had no further comment at this time. State Bank of India, the nation's top lender, said it had blocked cards of certain customers after being informed by card network providers about a breach outside its network and it was replacing those cards as a proactive measure. The bank has found about 620,000 of its more than 200 million cards "vulnerable", Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, a deputy managing director at SBI, told Reuters, but added he did not expect any significant financial loss. Complaints of fraudulent cash withdrawals affected a total 641 customers of 19 banks, and the money involved was 13 million rupees ($194,612), according to NPCI. ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank - the top three private sector lenders - confirmed in separate statements some of their customers' card accounts had been possibly breached after use at outside ATMs. The banks said they had advised the clients to change their PINs. Standard Chartered's Indian unit has also begun to re-issue debit cards for some customers, according to messages sent to clients. The bank said it replaced possibly affected cards as a "precautionary measure" to ensure that customers' financial security is not compromised, adding there was no breach across its own network. ($1 = 66.7995 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Additional reporting by Suvashree Dey Choudhury and Katsuro Kitamatsu; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Elaine Hardcastle) NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 20, 2016 / SeeThruEquity, a leading independent equity research and corporate access firm focused on small-cap and micro-cap public companies, today announced it has issued an update on CytoDyn Inc. (CYDY) and raised its 12 month target price to $3.75. The report is available here: CYDY October 2016 Update Note. SeeThruEquity is an approved equity research contributor on Thomson First Call, Capital IQ, FactSet, and Zack's. The report will be available on all of these platforms. The firm also contributes its estimates to Thomson Estimates, the leading estimates platform on Wall Street. Based in Vancouver, WA, CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY, "CytoDyn") is engaged in the development of humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and other diseases. CytoDyn's lead drug candidate is PRO-140, a viral entry inhibitor which seeks to block HIV from entering a cell by binding to a molecule called CCR5. CytoDyn has a Phase 3 clinical trial underway with PRO-140 for HIV in combination with Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART). The company is also initiating an advanced stage trial of PRO-140 for long-term monotherapy as a replacement for HAART for patients who have completed initial antiretroviral therapy (ART). If approved, PRO-140 would be the first, self-administered, injectable antibody therapy for HIV. Indeed, whether approved as a combination therapy or first line therapy, PRO-140 promises to be a significant advancement in the treatment of HIV, which could dramatically improve the quality of life for HIV patients while sharply lowering toxicity, offering fewer side-effects, and lowering costs versus existing treatments. Additional highlights from the note are as follows: PRO-140 combination therapy pathway appears on track CytoDyn CEO Nader Z. Pourhassan, PhD, held a call with investors on October 11, 2016, in he provided an upbeat outlook for the company's advanced clinical program for PRO-140 for HIV. Following discussions with the FDA, CYDY was able to reduce the number of patients required for its Phase 3 trial of PRO 140 for HIV in combination with ART to 30 patients from 150. Clearly this development should reduce the cost and shorten the timeline for BLA submission for this trial, which we had previously thought was the most likely approval pathway for CYDY. Story continues Updated Primary Endpoint for combination therapy trial Additionally CytoDyn management stated that it was updating the primary endpoint for the Phase 3 combination therapy trial following conversations with the FDA. The new primary endpoint appears to have lower risk than before, with CytoDyn now needing to show a viral load reduction of 0.5log (threefold) from PRO 140 in combination with ART in week one, versus the originally planned endpoint of a 0.7log (fivefold) reduction. Management stated that prior studies have shown a tenfold reduction in week one, versus minimal change in the placebo group, which suggests that the endpoint would be achievable if the new trial has similar results. CytoDyn reports FY1Q17; raises $9mn in offering CYDY raised net proceeds of $9mn in a private offering in September 2016, which included the issuance of 13.3mn shares and 7.7mn warrants (6.7mn of which are exercisable at $1.00) in order to advance its clinical program. We continue to expect the company will need to raise capital to advance ongoing trials. At the end of FY1Q17 CytoDyn had cash on hand of approximately $4.4mn and no debt, so the raise would make for pro forma cash available of $13.4mn. The company used $6.3mn of cash in operating activities during the quarter, so we estimate this amount would take the company into calendar 1Q17. Raising target to $3.75 following update We are increasing our target to $3.75 for CYDY following this clinical update. The overall takeaway, in our view, is that the hurdles to clearance of PRO 140 for combination therapy for HIV have been reduced, and we have therefor adjusted our probability discount factor, resulting in the new target of $3.75. CytoDyn remains an attractive, speculative biotechnology company with a bold goal of transforming the quality of life for HIV patients in the United States. Please review important disclosures on our website at www.seethruequity.com. About CytoDyn Inc. CytoDyn is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection. The Company has one of the leading monoclonal antibodies under development for HIV infection, PRO 140, which has completed Phase 2 clinical trials with demonstrated antiviral activity in man and is currently in Phase 3. PRO 140 blocks the HIV co-receptor CCR5 on T cells, which prevents viral entry. Clinical trial results thus far indicate that PRO 140 does not negatively affect the normal immune functions that are mediated by CCR5. Results from seven Phase 1 and Phase 2 human clinical trials have shown that PRO 140 can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV. A recent Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that PRO 140 can prevent viral escape in patients during several weeks of interruption from conventional drug therapy. CytoDyn intends to continue to develop PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in persons infected with HIV and to pursue non-HIV indications where CCR5 and its ligand CCL5 may be involved. www.cytodyn.com. About SeeThruEquity Since its founding in 2011, SeeThruEquity has been committed to its core mission: providing impactful, high quality research on underfollowed smallcap and microcap equities. SeeThruEquity has pioneered an innovative business model for equity research that is not paid for and is unbiased. SeeThruEquity is the host of acclaimed investor conferences that are the ultimate event for publicly traded companies with market capitalizations less than $1 billion. SeeThruEquity is approved to contribute its research reports and estimates to Thomson One Analytics (First Call), the leading estimates platform on Wall Street, as well as Capital IQ and FactSet. SeeThruEquity maintains one of the industry's most extensive databases of opt-in institutional and high net worth investors. The firm is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. For more information visit www.seethruequity.com. Contact: Ajay Tandon SeeThruEquity info@seethruequity.com SOURCE: SeeThruEquity House meet postponed till Sunday The Legislature-Parliament meeting that was scheduled for 1 pm on Thursday has been put off until Sunday. The parliament was scheduled to discuss over the impeachment motion against Chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Lokman Singh Karki. Shailene Woodley has opened up about her arrest last week in North Dakota. In an essay published on Time, Woodley criticized Americas continual use of cultural appropriation regarding Native Americans. Woodley had been protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline at the time of her arrest, where she was charged with criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot. We wear their heritage, their sacred totems, as decoration and in fashion trends, failing to honor their culture, wrote Woodley. Walking around the flea market this weekend, I cant even tell you how many native references I saw being used in a way that feeds our western narrative. Her arrest, which occurred on Oct. 10, coincided with Indigenous Peoples Day, a counter-celebration of Columbus Day to pay tribute to those who inhabited the land before colonization. She has been a vocal supporter of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which claims the $3.8 billion pipeline would destroy their land and negatively affect their water supply. We are still throwing them in jail, Woodley wrote. We are still silencing their dedication to protect us from the planetary consequences that will catastrophically bleed from our ignorance. Woodley pled not guilty for her charges on Wednesday. She is set to appear in court later this month, where she faces $3,000 in fines and up to 60 days in jail. However, Woodley remains hopeful for the cause. Simply feeding off the hype of a celebritys arrest aint going to save the world, Woodley ended. But, standing together will. Related stories Shailene Woodley Arrested While Protesting Dakota Access Pipeline Environmental Media Association Awards to Honor Shailene Woodley Toronto Film Review: Oliver Stone's 'Snowden' Shailene Woodley is pleading not guilty, and we totally support her While Shailene Woodley was released from jail shortly after she entered, it doesnt mean that her legal battle is over. The actress, who was arrested along with 27 other participants during a peaceful protest against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, received a lot of press and recognition after footage of her run-in with law enforcement officers went viral. Woodley at the time was recording video of the protest through Facebook Live, and fans saw everything go down. All in all, the video got five million views. I dont know if you guys just heard me, but I was walking back to my RV, which is right there so that we can go back to camp peacefully and they grabbed me by my jacket and said that I was not allowed to continue, Woodley said to her audience. It was just reported that Woodley has officially plead not guilty to charges of criminal trespass, as well as engaging in a riot. While she wasnt physically in North Dakotas Morton County District Court at the time she declared her innocence, Alexander Reichert, her lawyer, entered her plea for her. For those unfamiliar with the Dakota Access Pipeline, its controversial because it in the process of transferring crude oil, it also has the potential of harming both drinking water and land for many especially the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This tribe is also against construction, since its primarily over their land, and they were not consulted prior to the project starting. We think its fantastic that Woodley is sticking by her guns. While individuals might get arrested if they pose a threat to others at a protest, it was painfully obvious that Woodley was following all the rules, and trying her hardest to stick up for something she believes in. The post Shailene Woodley is pleading not guilty, and we totally support her appeared first on HelloGiggles. It will open its doors next year. Minister for Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim today announced the launch of a new Smart Work Centre (SWC) set to be opened at the revamped Tampines Regional Library in 2017. Minister Yaacob was speaking as the Guest of Honour at the New Ways of Work Conference 2016. Jointly set up by the Infocomm Media evelopment Authority (IMDA) and National Library Board (NLB), and operated by flexible workspace providers, the new SWC will be the fourth centre to be launched after SWCs located in Toa Payoh Public Library, Jurong Regional Library and Geylang East Public Library. Since May 2014, the existing SWCs has been serving more than 1,500 individuals, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers to full-time employees. The Tampines Regional Library SWC will occupy about 160 square metres. It will include amenities such as secure Wi-Fi, printing, copying and video-conferencing services. NLB will be calling a tender later this year to secure an operator for the new SWC. Read more from here. More From Singapore Business Review New front. Iraqi special forces and Kurdish Peshmerga opened a new front north and east of Mosul on Thursday, hitting Islamic State forces in several assaults that pushed to within a few miles of the city while skirting the Turkish armys controversial training base at Bashiqa, which sits just north of the city. The assaults were backed by U.S. airpower, including a powerful U.S. AC-130 gunship circling overhead. The fighting was heavy throughout the morning, and the Kurds shot down a small ISIS surveillance drone while running into roadside bombs and mortar attacks that slowed their advance, but United States or allied warplanes, however, responded quickly to the threats, and their strikes produced large columns of white smoke in the distance. Alliance. Important to note that the elite, U.S.-trained Iraqi Counter Terrorism Force, which led much of the fighting in Fallujah and Ramadi, joined the fight from positions along a Kurdish-controlled front, marking the closest coordination between Baghdad and the Kurds to date. Meanwhile, the U.S. general in charge of U.S. ground forces in Iraq, Gen. Gary Volesky, told reporters at the Pentagon Wednesday that ISIS leaders are scrambling: weve seen movement out of Mosul; weve got indications that leaders have left, he said, without going into detail. Knows more than the generals. During the presidential debate Wednesday night, Republican nominee for president Donald Trump charged that the U.S. military pushed for the Iraqi offensive to help Democratic rival Hillary Clinton win the election. The only reason they did it is because she is running for the office of president, he said. And they want to look tough. They want to look good. Clinton parried, Im just amazed that he seems to think that the Iraqi government and our allies and everybody else launched the attack on Mosul to help me in this election. Trump also complained, again, that the tens of thousands of Iraqi and Kurdish forces didnt launch a sneak attack on Mosul. Story continues Other debate notes. FPs Molly OToole wraps up the debate, which included, oddly, both candidates accusing the other of being a puppet of Russian Vladimir Putin. Not a single word was uttered about Afghanistan however, where a U.S. soldier and a civilian were killed earlier in the day by an Afghan soldier, as FPs Paul McLeary writes. OToole notes that Trump slipped up in describing the New START nuclear reduction treaty as a start-up and dismissed U.S. intelligence indicating Russia is trying to influence the American election by hacking DNC emails and handing them over to Wikileaks. For her part, Clinton repeated her boilerplate plan for taking on ISIS, including an ill-defined intelligence surge and combatting the terrorist groups online propaganda. She also ducked her long-stated support for a no-fly zone in Syria when asked if shed be willing to shoot down a Russian plane, saying it would provide leverage for tough negotiations. Hey Vlad! Speaking of Russia, theres a new diplomatic tussle brewing between Moscow and Washington over the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty or INF Treaty which the two signed in 1987 to scuttle all land-based nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges between 500 to 5,500 km. Both sides accuse the other of violating the pact, but as the Wall Street Journal reports, U.S. is convening the treatys so-called Special Verification Commission to press its case against Russia, triggering the compliance bodys first meeting in 16 years. The meeting should happen in the next several weeks. Congress is also making noise about the issue. Syria, darkly. Turkey says it has carried out about two dozen airstrikes in northern Syria against U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters, a dangerous expansion of the fight that threatens the already tense relationship between Ankara, Washington, and the militias in northern Syria. Reuters reports that the jets hit the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in three villages northeast of the city of Aleppo which the SDF had captured from Islamic State and that the Turks claim to have killed between 160 and 200 fighters. Defense Secretary Ash Carter will visit Turkey next week, and its a good bet the strikes will be on his list of topics. FPs Paul McLeary and Dan De Luce have lots more on Turkeys campaign against the Kurds in Syria. Meanwhile, some Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army fighters are itching to stop fighting ISIS and start fighting the Assad regime in and around Aleppo. Theyre coming. Russia is preparing to ramp up its bombardment of civilian targets in the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo, and is dispatching the largest naval armada it has put to sea since the Cold War to help out. The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is on its way along with a bevy of warships, worrying NATO. One diplomat said Wednesday that Moscow is deploying all of the Northern fleet and much of the Baltic fleetthis is not a friendly port call. In two weeks, we will see a crescendo of air attacks on Aleppo as part of Russias strategy to declare victory there. Good morning and as always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley North Korea North Korea spent debate night launching yet another ballistic missile in what U.S. Strategic Command says was a failed test. Strategic Command said the missile appeared to be the road-mobile Musudan. Pyongyang has been putting a lot of effort into the Musudan lately with a total of seven tests. The missile appeared to be on its way to success in June when it flew further than expected, but Wednesdays test ended in failure according to international observers. Syria The U.S. is beginning to piece together the diplomatic puzzle to create a force which can take on the Islamic States capital of Raqqa. The U.S. has started canvassing Turkey, Kurdish fighters, and the U.K. to create a mutually acceptable plan to liberate the city, according to the Wall Street Journal. With Syrian Kurdish groups and the Turkish government vacillating between deep suspicion and open warfare, thats no easy task. The U.S. has leaned heavily on predominantly Kurdish forces to take of the Islamic State in northern Syria, but drawing on that playbook could prove difficult, as liberating the mostly Arab city of Raqqa with a Kurdish force may stoke ethnic tensions and rankle Turkey, which is pushing for an Arab-led assault. Secretary of State John Kerry is playing down the significance of recent meetings between the U.S. and Russia to try and reach a new agreement over a Syria ceasefire deal. Im not approaching this with a high sense of expectation and nothing is based on trust, Kerry said Wednesday. I urge Russia to sit at this table in Geneva and be serious about finding a simple way, which we are offering, to make sure that those who are genuinely terrorists are in fact separated out, isolated, Kerry said. Yemen Did Houthi militants fire on an American ship for a third time? Its harder to say than you might think. Military Times reports that the Navy believes a false alarm on the sensors aboard the USS Mason led the ships commander to fire SM-2 interceptor missiles. Prior to the apparent false alarm onboard the Mason, Houthi militants twice fired on U.S. Navy ships with the missiles either missing or being intercepted by onboard defenses. Another thorny question surrounding the missile attacks off the Yemeni coast is whether Iran, which supports Houthi militants, provided assistance to the attacks. Defense officials have previously said they believe Chinese C-802 anti-ship cruise missile were used in the two confirmed attacks on American ships and Iran makes a version of the C-802 called Noor. But theres no hard evidence to indicate an Iranian role. Nonetheless, suspicions linger. In a panel discussion at the Center for American Progress, U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Joseph Votel said I do think Iran is playing a role in some of this. 2016 Retired Brig. Gen. Mike Flynn has left his former colleagues scratching their heads about his vocal and controversial post-military career as a surrogate and adviser to Donald Trump. The New York Times spent some time talking to Flynn, whos become a pariah within the national security world for his full-throated support of religious tests for entering the United States and his Russian-paid trip to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin. But despite his embrace of Trump, Flynn says he wouldve been open to signing up with the Hillary Clinton campaign if asked and referred to the infamous tape of Trump claiming to sexually assault women as disgusting. Propaganda wars As tensions heat up between Russia and its neighbors, Finnish officials are getting antsy about what they say is Russian propaganda aimed at both Russian and Finnish viewing publics. Reuters spoke to Finnish communications official Markku Mantila, who said Russia is engaged in a systematic lying campaign aimed at delegitimizing the Finnish government, the European Union, and NATO. Finland, a non-member of NATO, has been growing closer to Atlantic alliance in the face of an increasingly aggressive Russia, much to Moscows displeasure. Islamic State Court documents filed by prosecutors reveal that an American college student died in Syria in November 2015. Prosecutors have charged Ahmed Mohammed el Gammal with acting as a recruiter for the jihadist group. They allege that el Gammal helped a 24 year old Samy El-Goarany, whom he met online, travel to Syria. El-Goarany lied to family members, saying he was headed to college in New York and later recording a farewell video in Syria. Photo Credit: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images Support for legal marijuana has reached record levels, with 60 percent of American adults supporting legalizing the drug, according to a new Gallup poll. The survey found that support for legalizing pot has nearly doubled in the last ten years and has reached its highest level in 47 years. In 2013, supporters of the drug reached a majority of the first time. In 2012, Colorado and Washington legalized recreation marijuana usesince then Alaska, Oregon, and the District of Columbia have all followed suit. The legal marijuana business is expected to hit over $6.7 billion in sales this year, and in November, four more states including California, Arizona, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada will vote on marijuana legislation, possibly tilting the percentage of states where pot is legal to as much as 25 percent. If recreational marijuana use becomes legal in California this year, many other states will likely follow, because the Golden State often sets political trends for the rest of the U.S., states the Gallup report. By Alex Whiting ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Like many small-scale farmers, Elizabeth Mpofu from drought-hit Zimbabwe has had to adapt her homestead to cope with a changing climate, which the United Nations says threatens to push millions globally into poverty and hunger. She has found ways of adapting such as collecting and storing rainfall underground, and using mulch to lock moisture in the soil, which have kept her family comfortable despite living in southern Zimbabwe's Masvingo province, one of the country's driest regions. Techniques like hers can feed the world, she said on the sidelines of an annual meeting of the Committee on World Food Security, a U.N. body which brings together governments, business leaders, farmers and food experts to review the global response to food security issues. "We can feed our people, we can feed even the whole world through agroecology," said Mpofu, who is general coordinator of La Via Campesina, a movement representing more than 200 million smallholder farmers. Small farmers produce most of the food eaten in developing countries. Many are using agroecology techniques that include using natural methods to improve the soil and protect against pests. La Via Campesina has more than 40 agroecology schools around the world, where farmers gather to share ideas and experiences in adapting to the changing climate. "We know this is the best solution to climate change," Mpofu told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The committee gathered in Rome this week is looking at high-yielding crop and cattle breeds and the intensification of farming as one way to help reduce poverty in rural areas and to feed a growing population. Some of the farmers present fear this will sideline their methods of farming and centuries of know-how, and may worsen their lives. "What is going to be the life of a peasant without his or her own indigenous species?" Mpofu said. "I don't know how to keep those new (cattle) species they want to bring. They are very expensive to take care of, they have to have food, medicine to cure these animals," she said. Drought forced Mpofu to limit her cattle numbers, but her goats, sheep, guinea fowl and other livestock continue to grow. She said farmers using traditional techniques managed to grow enough to feed their families through the drought. "We are growing a diversity of small grains which are doing very well in this climate change," Mpofu said. "But for those farmers who are really focused more on hybrid seeds ... not really considering the weather conditions, then all (their) crops were gone," she said. (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) Illegal chicken import on rise in Biratnagar Poultry farmers in Biratnagar are struggling for their survivality in the market due to illegally imported chicken from the bordering Indian towns. In one of the most notable moments of the third and final presidential debate of 2016, Donald Trump refused to agree to accept the results of the November election whether hes the winner or not. I will look at it at the time, the Republican presidential nominee replied when asked whether he would commit to conceding the election if he loses, as his family and campaign surrogates have said he would. Instead, Trump chose to double down on his claim that hes the victim of a pile on by the corrupt and dishonest media who, he said, have poisoned the minds of the voters. Returning to the original question, moderator Chris Wallace pressed Trump on whether he is prepared to commit to the peaceful transition of power, a tradition which the Fox News anchor noted is one of the prides of this country. But Trump did not waver. What Im saying is I will tell you at the time, he said. I will keep you in suspense. From the other side of the debate stage, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton called Trumps response horrifying. Outrage over Trumps comments was hardly contained to the Democratic ticket, however. On MSNBC following the debate late Wednesday night, Republican strategist Steve Schmidt called Trumps refusal to accept even potential defeat a moment of clear and present danger to our Constitutional order, to the Republic. Conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer called Trumps position political suicide. Throughout the night and into Thursday morning, a number of Republican and conservative voices, some of whom have long criticized Trump, took to Twitter with similar expressions of disapproval and dismay. His answer inflicts serious damage to his campaign because in the end the American people want to know if you can be a good loser. https://t.co/Jd0sxtItCv Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) October 20, 2016 He should have said he would accept the results of the election. There is no other option unless we're in a recount again. Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) October 20, 2016 Peaceful transfer of power & acceptance of election results is fundamental to our democracy & Constitution. This cannot be undermined ever. Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) October 20, 2016 My thoughts on a 'rigged' presidential election. pic.twitter.com/075n83NXMH Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 20, 2016 .@realDonaldTrump saying that he might not accept election results is beyond the pale Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) October 20, 2016 That was disgusting and horrifying from Trump on "rigged." That's not American. Hillary rightfully crushed him there. Robert Blizzard (@robertblizzard) October 20, 2016 It is imperative that Donald Trump clearly state that he will accept the results of the election when complete. Bob Corker (@BobCorker) October 20, 2016 Other Republicans previously rejected Trumps conspiratorial claim that the election would be rigged against him. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., directly said at his own debate this week that Trump should stop making that claim. At another debate, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said the election outcome should be respected. Story continues Trump did, of course, have some defenders. Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. tweeted that it was a wise move for Trump to reserve his options to challenge a rigged election. Wise for @realDonaldTrump to reserve his options to challenge a rigged election if Dem fraud is as rampant as many expect it will be. J L Falwell (@JerryFalwellJr) October 20, 2016 Evangelical radio host and Trump supporter Eric Metaxas agreed. W/the unprecedented & now documented corruption at the dark heart of HRC campaign, why would ANYONE accept the results till they're proven? Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) October 20, 2016 Former Ku Klux Klan leader and current Senate candidate David Duke praised Trump for not pledging to concede to a flawed or rigged election. God bless Mr. Trump for not pledging to concede to a flawed or rigged election. These subversive criminals must be brought down!#LockHerUp pic.twitter.com/C8OkCHBzzz David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) October 20, 2016 Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway put a slightly different spin on the candidates comments, telling CNN after the debate, Donald Trump will accept the results of the election because hes going to win the election, so theyll be easy to accept. Pressed, Conway said that, in the event that Trump is not declared the winner, she would urge him to concede only if there is no evidence of widespread abuse and irregularities. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus offered a similar response, telling NBC News after the debate that Trump is going to accept the results of the election. That is, Priebus added, barring some sort of massive fraud situation. Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions also stood behind the GOP nominee, arguing that Trump was simply protecting his right to challenge the election results like Democratic nominee Al Gore did in 2000. He doesnt intend to be cheated or taken advantage of, said Sessions. Hell defend his rights. By Ed Stoddard PRETORIA (Reuters) - Police in Pretoria used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of students gathered outside South African President Jacob Zuma's offices on Thursday as yet another protest over the high cost of university education turned violent. Weeks of demonstrations calling for the scrapping of university fees, prohibitive for many black students, have highlighted frustration at enduring inequalities in South Africa more than two decades after the end of white minority rule. Around 300 protesters had gathered in a park outside the building where the government has its seat in Pretoria, chanting and singing. "We are here to submit our memorandum demanding free education and the release of the arrested students," said University of Technology in Pretoria student who gave his name as MJ Wa Azania, 26. He said police had been waiting for them, armed and ready. Some students hurled sticks and bottles at police, who used water cannon and later tear gas in attempts to disperse the crowd. Each time the crowd returned to the park, until they fled before armored police vehicles. The police spokeswoman designated to comment on student protests in Pretoria was not available when contacted by Reuters about Thursday's clashes. Students of Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) also clashed with police at a demonstration on Thursday, a day after similar skirmishes at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town. Students took the streets when the government in September recommended that 2017 university tuition fee increases be capped at 8 percent, higher than the current inflation rate of 6.1 percent. In a bid to end the protests, the government then said it would pay the 8 percent fee increase through a 2.5 billion rand ($180 million) subsidy for more than 70 percent of all undergraduates. But this was not enough to appease the students who carried on protesting. Their anger has been compounded by what they say is their unfair treatment by police and the courts. The police has not disclosed the total number of arrests made since the demonstrations started. Protesters in Pretoria on Thursday cited the case of Mcebo Dlamini, a leader of the #FeesMustFall protests and former president of Wits' student council, who was denied bail by the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. Charges against Dlamini include inciting violence and assaulting a woman at one of the protests. Zuma last week formed a ministerial team to resolve the fees crisis, but the government has said it could not allocate extra funds to education at the expense of health or housing. Asked about what the government was doing to resolve the crisis, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe reiterated on Thursday the planned subsidy for poor students (Additional reporting by Tanisha Heiberg in Johannesburg and Wendell Roelf in Cape Town; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) KINSHASA (Reuters) - The number of South Sudanese refugees registered in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo nearly doubled last month to reach about 54,000, the U.N. refugee agency said on Thursday, as heavy fighting continues to ravage the world's youngest nation. Hundreds have been killed in South Sudan in battles that broke out in July between troops loyal to long-time rivals President Salva Kiir and former vice-president Riek Machar. Dozens more died in fighting last weekend. South Sudan has now leapfrogged Burundi to become the third-largest source of refugees in Congo, after Rwanda and Central African Republic. The vast central African nation hosts a total of nearly 430,000 refugees registered by the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR). The number of registered refugees from South Sudan increased from 27,250 at the end of August to 53,974 at the end of September, UNHCR said in a report. A UNHCR spokesman said it was unclear how much of the increase was accounted for by new arrivals as opposed to registration of existing refugees, but that the influx of South Sudanese fleeing the conflict was continuing. The arrival of so many South Sudanese has stirred opposition from some local activists in eastern Congo, where the influx of rebel fighters from volatile neighbors is a sensitive topic. The flow of Hutu militiamen to eastern Congo after neighboring Rwanda's 1994 genocide helped trigger years of regional conflict that killed millions. Many Congolese activists object to the presence on Congolese soil of hundreds of Machar's fighters, distinct from the civilian refugee population, who they say pose a potential security threat. The fighters, who fled fierce fighting in South Sudan's capital Juba, were picked up in northeastern Congo by the country's U.N. mission in August and September and taken to receive medical care at U.N. bases. The mission says it is looking to relocate them to another country. (Reporting By Aaron Ross; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Catherine Evans) KINSHASA (Reuters) - The number of South Sudanese refugees registered in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo nearly doubled last month to reach about 54,000, the U.N. refugee agency said on Thursday, as heavy fighting continues to ravage the world's youngest nation. Hundreds have been killed in South Sudan in battles that broke out in July between troops loyal to long-time rivals President Salva Kiir and former vice-president Riek Machar. Dozens more died in fighting last weekend. South Sudan has now leapfrogged Burundi to become the third-largest source of refugees in Congo, after Rwanda and Central African Republic. The vast central African nation hosts a total of nearly 430,000 refugees registered by the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR). The number of registered refugees from South Sudan increased from 27,250 at the end of August to 53,974 at the end of September, UNHCR said in a report. A UNHCR spokesman said it was unclear how much of the increase was accounted for by new arrivals as opposed to registration of existing refugees, but that the influx of South Sudanese fleeing the conflict was continuing. The arrival of so many South Sudanese has stirred opposition from some local activists in eastern Congo, where the influx of rebel fighters from volatile neighbors is a sensitive topic. The flow of Hutu militiamen to eastern Congo after neighboring Rwanda's 1994 genocide helped trigger years of regional conflict that killed millions. Many Congolese activists object to the presence on Congolese soil of hundreds of Machar's fighters, distinct from the civilian refugee population, who they say pose a potential security threat. The fighters, who fled fierce fighting in South Sudan's capital Juba, were picked up in northeastern Congo by the country's U.N. mission in August and September and taken to receive medical care at U.N. bases. The mission says it is looking to relocate them to another country. (Reporting By Aaron Ross; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Catherine Evans) Madrid (AFP) - Spain's Constitutional Court on Thursday cancelled a bullfighting ban in Catalonia in what is likely to exacerbate tensions between Madrid and the separatist region, and drew an outcry from animal activists. The decision represents a significant victory for supporters of the centuries-old tradition who have long sparred with animal rights organisations that believe bullfighting is a cruel, anachronistic event. In a statement, the court argued bullfighting was classified as part of Spain's heritage, and therefore a decision on banning it was a matter for the central government and not for semi-autonomous regions. The ban has been declared "unconstitutional and void," it said. Catalonia's regional parliament voted to abolish bullfighting from January 1, 2012 after animal rights groups managed to garner 180,000 signatures for a petition. It was the first region in mainland Spain to ban the tradition, although the Canary Islands abolished bullfighting in 1991. - Politically sensitive - Critics at the time argued that more than an animal rights issue, Catalonia's ban was also politically-motivated in a region with its own language, a fierce sense of identity and a desire to seek independence from Spain. As such, the court decision is likely to increase already-high tensions between Madrid and Catalonia, where the regional government is making moves to separate from Spain and has announced a referendum on the issue next year. It drew immediate reactions from politicians on both sides of the divide. "In the Spanish state, it's unconstitutional to ban the public torture and murder of an animal. Enough said," tweeted Gabriel Rufian, a Catalan separatist lawmaker in national parliament. Meanwhile Alicia Sanchez-Camacho, president of the Catalan branch of the ruling conservative Popular Party that took the ban to court, said she "welcomed" the decision. She tweeted that the party would "continue to defend" freedom and bullfighting. Story continues Even animal rights party PACMA criticised the decision as politically-motivated. "Once more they have been found to use animals in a political war," said party member Ana Bayle. "They don't know anything about animals, nor do they care." - Art form or cruelty? - The debate does not only touch on Spain's fraught issue of regionality. Bullfighting has drawn increasing controversy and protests around Spain in recent years. While no other region has banned bullfighting since Catalonia made the move, Castile and Leon in Spain's northwest abolished the killing of bulls at town festivals in June. The move targeted the region's controversial Toro de la Vega festival where horsemen chase a bull and spear it in front of onlookers. Several cities have also put a stop to corridas or annual festivals with bull running over the years. But supporters of bullfighting, known as "aficionados", are not giving up without a struggle. They see bullfighting as an art that is an integral part of Spanish culture, like flamenco. Spain's first pro-bullfight lobbying group, the Bull Foundation, made up of breeders, matadors and "aficionados", also argues that it is beneficial for the economy, maintaining around 200,000 jobs directly or indirectly. Simon Casas, a former matador whose company now manages bullfighting rings in Madrid and other Spanish and French cities, welcomed the court decision. "Bullfighting is a form of culture under supervision of Spain's culture ministry, it's an art form that is part of the identity of some people and it was totally absurd that a political institution -- the Catalan government -- was able to ban it," the Frenchman said. "The debate wasn't about liking or not liking bullfighting, being for or against it, it was a constitutional issue and the court sorted it out." Other controversial traditions involving animals, such as throwing a live goat off a tall church steeple to a crowd below, have also been banned over the years. But others continue to take place, such as placing flammable balls on the horns of bulls, setting them on fire and letting the animals loose in the street. The Constitutional Court of Spain overturned Catalonias 2010 ban on bullfighting in a ruling on Thursday. The court ruled that the ban Catalonias parliament enacted six years ago violated a national ruling that bullfighting is an integral part of Spains heritage and identity. The decision angered Catalonian separatists and animal activists, as both groups supported the regions ban on the practice, the AP reports. The ruling stated that Catalonia could regulate bullfighting, but would not be able to ban it outright due to the regions responsibility to preserve common cultural heritage. The constitutional court can decide what they want, but we have already decided that there will be no bullfights in Catalonia, Catalan Minister for Public Works Josep Rull said in a statement. We want a country where it is not possible to make a public spectacle of death and suffering to an animal. Within the region, some see this as a way for Spain to undermine Catalonias authority. Catalonia was the second region in Spain to ban bullfighting, following the Canary Islands in 1991, but Rull pointed out that Spains constitutional court did not move to overturn that ruling. [AP] For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS. MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and conservative commentator Bill Kristol got into a heated exchange on Thursday over whether the hosts of "Morning Joe" were complicit in Donald Trump's rise within the GOP. The confrontation escalated when "Morning Joe" cohost Mika Brzezinski disputed Kristol's argument that Trump's nomination was a "fluke," saying Republicans "need to come clean on themselves" about their role in accepting Trump as the de facto leader of the party. Kristol shot back by sarcastically suggesting that the "Morning Joe" hosts hadn't adequately held the real-estate magnate accountable for tough questions in the months after Trump launched his presidential bid. "This show was really tough on Trump in late 2015, early 2016. Are you going to pretend that? If that's you're way of rewriting history, that's on you guys," Kristol said. He added: "A lot of people accommodated Donald Trump at different times. But I'm not going to get into it." Scarborough and Brzezinski immediately snapped at Kristol, citing an instance in which Scarborough cut to a commercial break when Trump refused to answer one of his questions. "Please don't come on my air and lie," Scarborough said. "I can't even believe you're doing this. I don't know why you're so bitter. You're practically crying. You're practically crying." joe scarborough mika brzenzski bill kristol Kristol reiterated that he was "upset" about Trump's nomination and accused the hosts of thinking "it's amusing that Donald Trump's the nominee." "You treated him that way when he called in? Is that right? You treated him tough, you asked him those tough questions," Kristol said sarcastically. Scarborough then went off on Kristol, saying he never supported Trump and that he compared the Republican presidential candidate to Adolf Hitler on multiple occasions. "You're bitter. You come on here practically crying. We've got it on tape. You're screaming at Mika you don't even know what she's going to say," Scarborough said. Story continues "While you're attacking me personally, I said from the beginning I would never vote for him," Scarborough said. "I said I was voting for Jeb Bush, and I said I was voting for John Kasich. Then we said after the Muslim ban that this is what Germany looked like in 1933. ... I'm sorry we were easy on him. If comparing him to Hitler in 1933 is going easy on him that was three months before anyone voted then we were easy on him then." Kristol is hardly the first to suggest that the "Morning Joe" hosts were too accommodating of Trump. Many critics early in the campaign charged the MSNBC hosts of being soft on Trump, who Scarborough and Brzezinski predicted before many other pundits could be successful in the Republican primary. Scarborough admitted in 2015 that he'd offered Trump debate preparation advice. And during an interview before the New Hampshire primary in February, Trump himself characterized Scarborough and Brzezinski on air as "supporters," though both hosts quickly attempted to distance themselves from Trump's assertion. Still, the hosts' criticism of Trump over issues such as his plan to bar Muslims from entering the US appeared to get under the nominee's skin. In a series of tweets earlier this year, the Republican presidential nominee slammed the MSNBC hosts over their criticism of his brash campaign style, and suggested that he would share information about a potential romantic relationship between the two hosts, though Trump never provided any evidence to support his claim. NOW WATCH: 'Such a nasty woman': Trump lashes out at Clinton during the last presidential debate More From Business Insider Impeachment axe falls on Lokman Singh Karki As many as 157 lawmakers from the governing CPN (Maoist Centre) and the main opposition CPN-UML on Wednesday evening registered an impeachment motion against Lokman Singh Karki, chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), at the Parliament Secretariat. By Lisa Baertlein (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp Chief Executive Howard Schultz on Thursday unveiled new growth plans for the chain's upscale Reserve brand as it fights off competition from super-premium coffee rivals like Blue Bottle and Intelligentsia. Starbucks, which was instrumental in shifting U.S. consumers to higher-quality coffee and espresso-based drinks, will have Reserve coffee "bars" in up to 1,000 Starbucks cafes by the end of 2017 in a bid to one day dominate the so-called "third wave" coffee movement. Most of those Starbucks Reserve bars will be in the United States, and a handful already have opened in New York City, Schultz said in an interview with Reuters. Over time, Starbucks also expects to open as many as 1,000 cafes that exclusively sell Reserve coffees, Schultz said. Starbucks opened its first Reserve coffee roastery and tasting room in Seattle in late 2014. That 15,000-square-foot facility, which Schultz has described as a "magical coffee ride," roasts limited-supply Reserve coffees that sell for up to $50 per 8-ounce package. Roastery baristas prepare coffee using a variety of uncommon methods, such as siphon brewing, which was popularized by Blue Bottle and other super-premium cafe operators. Starbucks plans to open its second roastery in Shanghai in 2017. New York City and Tokyo will follow in 2018, Schultz said. Blue Bottle, known for its exotic, micro-lot coffees, has shops in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo. Its backers include Fidelity Management and Research Company, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom and Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto. Peet's Coffee & Tea, which influenced and was briefly owned by Starbucks, in 2015 bought a majority stake in Intelligentsia. Peet's is now majority owned by JAB Holdings Co [JABECC.UL], a holding company controlled by Germany's billionaire Reimann family, which has been snapping up coffee companies. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Bernard Orr) There is no brotherly love lost between Stephen Baldwin and his sibling Alec when it comes to the elder Baldwin's impression of Donald Trump, which The Usual Suspects star does not find humorous. Read: The Last Debate: Trump Suggests He Won't Accept the Election Results of a 'Rigged System' It is really not funny because this election isnt funny, it is serious. It is really serious, he told Inside Edition in the spin room following Wednesday night's final debate in Las Vegas. Alec Baldwin once again reprised made the Trump impression on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, and is expected to do so again this Saturday. The Bio-Dome star is an outspoken Republican, unlike his former 30 Rock actor brother, who is a Democrat. As usual, the debate was of course fodder among the late night comics. Trevor Noah broadcasted The Daily Show live following the debate and said it made sense to have the final debate before the elections in Sin City. This was Americas night to let loose before she settles down and makes a commitment to one person, he joked. Jimmy Kimmel quipped on his show: Think about this, they never have to be in the same room again. It's like the last time we saw mom and dad fight before the divorce. However, the funnyman was wrong. Trump and Clinton will both be at NYC's Waldorf Astoria Hotel Thursday night for the annual Alfred E. Smith Dinner, hosted by the Archdiocese of New York. They will be sitting just one seat apart from each other; Cardinal Timothy Dolan will have the honor of sitting between them. On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert mocked Trumps refusal to say whether he would accept the results of the November 8 election. Read: Trump Calls Clinton 'Nasty Woman' After Touting His 'Respect for Women' at Final Debate "Democracy's gonna end with a cliffhanger," Colbert joked. "I guess we're all gonna have to wait until November 9 to find out if we still have a country if Donald Trump is in the mood for a peaceful transfer of power, or if he's just gonna wipe his fat ass with the Constitution." Story continues Colbert then took out his Emmys and mocked Trump for his odd debate moment where the GOP presidential pick believed he should have won them for The Apprentice. You really should get one, Donald, Colbert said as he kissed his trophy. They are fantastic. Watch: Donald Trump Says 'SNL' Should Be Canceled After Mocking Him: 'Boring and Unfunny' Related Articles: By Svetlana Reiter and Jack Stubbs MOSCOW (Reuters) - On a Friday evening in June, German businessman Yuri Zyudheimer and Russian regional governor Nikita Belykh sat down in a private booth in Megu, an upscale Japanese restaurant in central Moscow. Zyudheimer placed a dark red plastic bag on the table between the two men, according to the businessman. Inside was a bottle of red wine a gift for Belykh's recent 41st birthday and 150,000 euros ($165,000) in cash. Zyudheimer said he had second thoughts about what he was about to do. "I wanted to say to him: 'Don't do it, don't take it,'" he told Reuters in his first public comments on the case. But he pushed the bag toward Belykh anyway. The governor, who was supported by the ruling United Russia party but not a member of it, checked the contents of the bag. When he got up to leave, plain clothes officers from the Federal Security Service in the restaurant pretending to be diners swooped. The security service and Zyudheimer had planned the trap, painting the banknotes with a red dye which was now on Belykh's hands. By that evening, the governor was in jail. State prosecutors charged him with receiving bribes totaling 400,000 euros in return for favorable treatment of a company owned by Zyudheimer. Under Russian law it is illegal for a government official to "use their official powers for election campaigning." But the practice still goes on, with money channeled through slush funds, said Stanislav Andreichyk, head of the regional office of Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog. Faced with a sharp economic slowdown, Russian voters' enthusiasm for the ruling elite is softening. But the Kremlin and United Russia still have to maintain a powerful appeal or lose their legitimacy. Setting up election slush funds is one of the ways it does this, according to four people who spoke with Reuters. The funds funnel money from businessmen to local United Russia officials. The party spends it on campaigning and on public works and infrastructure in the run-up to an election, said multiple people with knowledge of the process, including one former state official. "It's common practice," said Andrei Kolyadin, who until 2011 was head of the regional politics department in the presidential administration and who has worked on election projects linked to the Kremlin since then. Belykh has denied the charges against him. Under questioning by state investigators after his detention, he said the money from Zyudheimer was not a bribe but to pay for "beautification projects," according to a transcript of the interview seen by Reuters. Belykh would not comment for this story. According to three people who know him, the governor left himself vulnerable to the bribery charges because he was involved in accumulating money for a slush fund designed to help improve the chances of United Russia, which was founded by President Vladimr Putin. The sting came just three months before a parliamentary election. The three sources said senior ruling party officials had pushed Belykh to raise the money. Four other sources said Belykh had tapped entrepreneurs for money that was used to finance local infrastructure projects designed to woo voters. Those same sources said that Belykh's mistake was to accept the money directly himself, rather than have it deposited into the slush fund. Reuters has found two other cases in which allegations of United Russia election slush funds have surfaced, one in Ulyanovsk and the other in Chelyabinsk. A Kremlin spokesman said Belykh was arrested for receiving a bribe, but did not comment on the broader issue of election slush funds. United Russia headquarters and regional party officials did not respond to Reuters questions. Nor did the Federal Security Service, the FSB. Putin critics who know Belykh say the governor was vulnerable to prosecution because he was an outsider to the Kremlin system: a former opposition figure with liberal economic views at odds with many of the security hawks in Putin's entourage. While in opposition, he had also criticized Moscow's 2008 military invasion of Georgia. "The reason for the conflict with Belykh was political," said Ilya Yashin, a former opposition colleague. After Belykh's party dissolved itself, the Kremlin nominated him for the post of governor of the Kirov region, a provincial backwater in the foothills of the Ural mountains about 1,000 km (620 miles) east of Moscow. The idea, said several people who know Belykh or were close to the Kremlin, was to silence the politician by bringing him into the ruling fold. UNPAID DEBTS One of the largest employers in the Kirov region is a timber company called Novovyatsky Ski Combine, known as NLK. Russian state lender Sberbank had made a series of loans to NLK's former owner Albert Laritsky. The loans turned bad and the company ended up in the hands of Zyudheimer, Belykh's dining companion in the Japanese restaurant. Zyudheimer told Reuters that governor Belykh pressured his company to repay one of the loans to Sberbank, for which the Kirov region had put up its own assets as collateral. Zyudheimer argued he was not liable for the loan because it had been taken out by the previous owner. There is no suggestion that either Belykh or Zyudheimer did anything illegal in connection to the loan. Zyudheimer said Belykh also demanded money for his re-election as governor in 2014. In return, Zyudheimer said, Belykh promised to provide financial help for the timber firm. Zyudheimer alleges that he personally gave Belykh a 200,000 euro bribe in 2014, and another 50,000 euros via an unidentified intermediary in Moscow in May 2016. Zyudeheimer says help for the timber producer never materialized, but that Belykh asked him for another 150,000 euros at the end of May this year "for elections." At the time, the closest vote was the parliamentary election in September. That was when he decided to turn Belykh into Russia's FSB security service in Moscow, Zyudheimer said. "I had no choice," Zyudheimer said. "I understood that this rampage will never end, so I went to the FSB." Zyudheimer said he gave a written statement to an FSB duty officer. "To begin with, he (the duty officer) didn't believe his eyes. Then he rang upstairs to someone, and an excited crowd of generals... arrived at the duty officer's post," Zyudheimer said. A few weeks later, he said, security service officers set up the restaurant sting. BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS At a preliminary hearing on Sept. 7, Belykh told a judge that it was "important for me that my reputation as an honest person is vindicated." According to transcripts of interviews with investigators, Belykh said the projects that needed funding included construction work in the Kirov region. The three sources in Belykh's entourage told Reuters that the projects were aimed at boosting support for United Russia. Commenting on Belykh's case, Nikolai Petrov, a specialist in regional politics at Moscow's Higher Economic School, said the scheme was simple: local officials many of them members of United Russia get credit for projects come election time. "For them (party bosses) it's important to create some kind of positive atmosphere before the vote," he said. The three sources in Belykh's inner circle said the governor owed United Russia for its help in winning Belykh re-election as governor in 2014. "One of the criteria for judging a governor in his region is the level of support for the ruling party," said Dmitry Russkikh, who was an opposition member of the Kirov region legislative assembly until the end of 2015. "If the governor does not get the required result for United Russia, that will be remembered." Oleg Valenchuk, head of United Russia in Kirov, did not respond to requests for comment. SLUSH FUNDS Kolyadin, the former Kremlin official, said the use of such election slush funds is widespread in Russia. In some cases, he said, cash collected in a fund was spent directly on financing a United Russia election campaign. Other times, it was spent on local infrastructure projects in the run up to elections. "It's a clear objective ...that the governor is set, and local party officials demand the accumulation of financial resources," he said. Reuters found two other such cases that have led to charges. In May this year, Alsu Balakisheva, a United Russia member and deputy speaker of the regional legislature in the Ulyanovsk region, on the Volga, was arrested on charges of accepting a 500,000 rouble ($8,000) bribe from a local construction firm. She denied the charges. In court, she said the money was intended for the Ulyanovsk Fund to Support Regional Cooperation and Development, which she headed. Although the fund was created to support social projects, it contributed 1.971 million rubles ($32,000) to candidates running on a United Russia ticket in local elections in 2015, according to election commission records. Balakisheva's lawyer said his client was under house arrest but declined to comment on the case. United Russia officials in Ulyanovsk region did not respond to questions. In the other case, former first deputy governor of the industrial Chelyabinsk region, Nikolai Sandakov, awaits trial on charges of accepting a 1.9 million rouble ($30,000) bribe. "Nikolai said repeatedly in court that this money was a United Russia slush fund," Sandakov's lawyer, Kirill Akulich, told Reuters. He denies the charges. The money was spent on campaign literature for United Russia candidates, on opinion polling, and on campaign events, the lawyer said. United Russia officials in Chelyabinsk region did not respond to requests for comment. FUND-RAISING DRIVE Belykh launched his fund-raising drive on April 21 this year at the "Vyatka" banqueting hall. In a speech, the governor urged more than 100 local entrepreneurs to help pay for projects including a youth holiday camp in Crimea, a monument to war-time workers, street repairs and renovations to Kirov's Spassky cathedral. Belykh said contributions should go to a non-governmental fund called "Vyatka," according to seven people present. He also said the fund needed 100 million rubles ($1.54 million). "The governor ... called on us to give money to improve the image of our native region," said one of those present. By June, though, the fund had raised just 3 million rubles. "To repair the street fronts alone we needed 20 million, plus 10 million for some park fountains, and it wasn't clear where we were going to get the money," Andrei Usenko, the fund's director, said. According to Usenko, Belykh was unflustered: "'Don't worry,'" Usenko recalled him saying. "'By the end of June the money will be in the account.'" Three days later, the governor sat down for dinner in the Japanese restaurant. (Edited by Christian Lowe, Richard Woods and Simon Robinson) Stocks whipsawed as oil drops, and Mario Draghi waffles on whats next for the ECB. Catch The Final Round at 4p ET with Jen Rogers and markets correspondent Nicole Sinclair. Winners and losers Stocks dropping today include rail operator Union Pacific as profit slipped on weakening demand, Ebay as the online auction site gave a current quarter forecast that missed estimates, and Verizon shares dropping after the company reported a revenue miss and subscriber growth that disappointed investors. As a disclosure, Verizon has agreed to buy the core business of Yahoo, Yahoo Finances corporate parent. Stocks pulling higher today include American Express as the company raised its profit outlook for the year on better credit quality and increased focus on its platinum card, digital health care solutions firm iRhythm surging on the day of its public offering (UP xx%), and Mattel shares of the toymaker jumping after an earnings and revenue beat, with the company seeing a strong rebound in Barbie merchandise sales as well as its American Girl unit. Clinton advisor Laura Tyson Economist Laura Tyson served as The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors under President Bill Clinton. Shes now an advisor to Hillary Clintons campaign and a professor at the Haas School of Business out at the University of California at Berkeley. She joins us now. Looking ahead A University of the Witwatersrand student leader named Vuyani Pambo gave a speech outside the Johannesburg Magistrate Courts on October 20. The speech was in response to fellow Fees Must Fall student leader Mcebo Dlamini being denied bail. Police said they had footage of Dlamini inciting violence and urging students to prevent others from attending class. The police also said that Dlamini assaulted a female officer during the protests. Dlamini was arrested on Sunday at his residence in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The state previously said Dlamini might might flee to his country of birth, Swaziland, if he was granted bail, according to News 24. University students have been demonstrating on campuses across South Africa for weeks over the governments proposal to raise tuition fees. Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced on September 19 that fees should go up in universities by 8 percent in 2017. Credit: Instagram/Slindelo Masikane The burden of student loan debt has made it harder for many younger Americans to purchase homes and even to get married. Now its jeopardizing a comfortable retirement, too. More than half of workers paying off student loan debt are contributing no more than 5 percent of their pay to their 401(k) plans, compared to just 40 percent of workers without loan obligations, according to a new survey from Aon Hewitt. Those with loans are also less likely to participate in the plans than those without loans, although the difference is relatively small (71 percent vs. 77 percent). It is heartening to see that participation in employer retirement plans is as high as it is for workers with loans," explained Rob Austin, director of Retirement Research at Aon Hewitt. "These workers see the value in saving for retirement, but their loans are creating a speedbump. Related: Pay Off Student Loans or Save for Retirement? Heres What to Do The difference between saving 5 percent of your pay versus 6 percent is meaningful over 35 years. A person saving 5 percent will accumulate $440,202 in the plan at age 65, while someone socking away 6 percent will have a balance of $528,242. Thats a difference of $88,040. (The calculation using Bankrate.coms retirement calculator assumes the individual is 30 years old and makes $30,000 a year, with an annual salary increase of 2 percent, a dollar-for-dollar savings match, and investment returns of 6 percent a year.) StartClass | Graphiq The study also found that student debt affects how workers view their financial well-being. Half of workers with loans say debt is ruining their quality of life, compared with 28 percent of those without loans. Almost a third of workers with loans worry about paying bills versus a fifth without loans. Only a quarter reported feeling financially comfortable, while 43 percent of loan-free workers said they were. Student loan debt is a problem that spans generations, but unsurprisingly affects younger workers most. More than two in five Millennial workers have student loans, according to the Aon Hewitt survey. A quarter of Gen Xers and 13 percent of Baby Boomers do, too. About half pay at least $3,000 a year toward the debt. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Chelsea Handler Fronts Stella McCartney's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign [InStyle] In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Chelsea Handler posed wearing Stella McCartney's new pink lace Stella Lace bra. A portions of the profits from sales of the bralette ($70) and matching briefs ($35) will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in the U.S. and the Linda McCartney Center in the U.K. McCartney also designed a post-double mastectomy compression bra that benefits the Hello Beautiful Foundation. Handler, a vocal advocate of the #FreetheNipple movement, made sure to strategically cover herself for the portraits that were posted to the brand's Instagram. A photo posted by Stella McCartney (@stellamccartney) on Oct 19, 2016 at 9:32am PDT InStyle UK Shutters Print Edition, Will Relaunch as Digital-Only Publication [Business of Fashion] InStyle U.K.'s final print issue (the December issue) will hit newsstands in November. The Time Inc.-owned publication will relaunch in early 2017 as a digital-only venture. Current editor Charlotte Moore will lead the digital team, which will work with the U.S. InStyle team to create 24-hour content. The glossy hopes to grow by 200 percent in 2017 across its various digital platforms. Said Moore, "The fashion world is changing dramatically, the way our audience interacts with it is changing and we have to change to meet that challenge." Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Is the New Face of No7 Boots [Vogue U.K.] Nigerian novelist and feminist writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the new face of drugstore makeup brand No7 Boots. Though the gig may feel like an unconventional one for an outspoken feminist, Adicihie told Vogue U.K., "I think much of beauty advertising relies on apremise - that women need to be treated in an infantile way, given a 'fantasy' to aspire to. Real women are already inspired by other real women, so perhaps beauty advertising needs to get on board." The New Mars Rover Named After Designer Elsa Schiaparelli's Uncle [Euro News] If you heard the name of the new Mars rover launched by the European Space Agency, Schiaparelli, and immediately thought, "like the Italian couture house?" - then you'd be right. However, the rover was not named for Elsa Schiaparelli, the designer who founded her namesake label in 1927, but for her uncle, Giovanni Schiaparelli, a noted 19th century astronomer who first mapped Mars. The more you know. Indian advance team arriving today An Indian advance team comprising security, protocol, foreign ministry officials is arriving in Kathmandu on Thursday to assess security and other logistics ahead of Indian President Pranab Mukherjees visit to Nepal beginning November 2. A new survey says women are mostly concerned about their jobs when deciding to start a family, and heres why thats a problem It is no secret that our culture is rather unkind to put it mildly to women who aspire to excel in their careers while also experiencing the joys of motherhood. Why do you think we seem to never hear the end of that persistent question, Can women have it all? Perhaps we need to keep asking the question because we know that our workplace environments often look down upon women. We know that management doubts their worth as employees if they express a desire to have children (or if they already have children). A new study by Modern Family Index affirms the pressure working women feel when they decide to start a family. According to the research from their third annual report, 70 percent MORE THAN HALF of new parents said that their greatest concern when planning to have a child was their employer. Not whether or not they had the right partner or whether theyll be a good parent but whether their job will be secure once they have children. As Glamour reminds us, that shouldnt be too surprising considering Americas pathetic attempt at paid parental leave and paid maternity leave, as well as the discrimination faced by pregnant employees. leslietrips Those werent the only frustrating statistics revealed by the survey. Even though 92 percent of women reported being equally committed to their careers post-baby, and 96 percent reported being excited to get back to work after giving birth, one in five women were not considered for promotions or new opportunities, one in five felt they had less job security once managers were informed of their pregnancy, and one in four felt judged by supervisors or fellow employees. Pregnancy discrimination is a thing , it's real . Woman who are expecting do get treated differently after their employers find out. Andrea Vanessa (@Andreaaaa_xo) October 17, 2016 And what happens after an employee actually gives birth and gets back to work? Story continues Over one-third of the respondents experienced discrimination, and 43 percent said it felt as though their supervisor now perceived them as less committed. 39 percent of surveyed new parents said they felt as though their bosses wanted them to work elsewhere and approximately half of new moms and dads transitioned to lesser paying jobs that were more welcoming to employees who are also parents. This important survey proves the hostile, often dehumanizing work environments experienced by parents especially by working mothers or pregnant employees. If discrimination is not manifesting itself through firings, missed promotions, or little to no maternity leave, it is through interactions with coworkers. Modern Family Index suggests sensitivity training for human resources staff to better accommodate working parents, as well as enforcing punishments for employers who discriminate. Moreover, they recommend at-work childcare and more flexible work hours. We couldnt agree more. Support the mamas! H/T/ Glamour The post A new survey says women are mostly concerned about their jobs when deciding to start a family, and heres why thats a problem appeared first on HelloGiggles. By Joshua Franklin and Oliver Hirt BERN, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Switzerland urged U.S. officials to consider the global importance of UBS and Credit Suisse in a recent meeting ahead of potential fines for Switzerland's two big banks over claims they mis-sold mortgage-backed securities, a top Swiss diplomat said. Like with German rival Deutsche Bank, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into whether UBS and Credit Suisse mis-sold residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) in the run-up to the 2007-09 financial crisis. News broke last month the DOJ had demanded a $14 billion fine from Deutsche, far more than analysts had expected and raising fears UBS and Credit Suisse could also face stiffer penalties. Deutsche has said it will fight the size of the DOJ fine. In a meeting with representatives from U.S. regulators, the Federal Reserve and the banking sector, Joerg Gasser pointed out the significance of UBS and Credit Suisse to the banking system. "I emphasised to the officials the importance of the Swiss financial centre for the global financial architecture and the systemic relevance of both big Swiss banks and their international importance for financial stability," Gasser, head of the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, a branch of the finance ministry, told Reuters on Thursday. (Editing by Alexandra Hudson) By Joshua Franklin and Oliver Hirt BERN (Reuters) - Switzerland urged U.S. officials to consider the global importance of UBS and Credit Suisse in a recent meeting ahead of potential fines for Switzerland's two big banks over claims they mis-sold mortgage-backed securities, a top Swiss diplomat said. Like with German rival Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into whether UBS (UBSG.S) and Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) mis-sold residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) in the run-up to the 2007-09 financial crisis. News broke last month the DOJ had demanded a $14 billion fine from Deutsche, far more than analysts had expected and raising fears UBS and Credit Suisse could also face stiffer penalties. Deutsche has said it will fight the size of the DOJ fine. In a meeting this month with representatives from U.S. regulators, the Federal Reserve and the banking sector, Joerg Gasser pointed out the significance of UBS and Credit Suisse to the banking system. "I emphasised to the officials the importance of the Swiss financial centre for the global financial architecture and the systemic relevance of both big Swiss banks and their international importance for financial stability," Gasser, head of the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, a branch of the finance ministry, told Reuters on Thursday. Moves by the Swiss government on behalf of its banks in the RMBS case follow steps by the German government to help Deutsche secure a swift settlement, according to sources in Berlin. Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer said it was looking increasingly unlikely there would be a resolution in the Swiss banks' RMBS cases, as well other legal issues facing Swiss institutions, before the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election. "We had once hoped that these things would be dealt with before the election," Maurer told Reuters. "But now we do not have the impression there is a lot of eagerness for this." Story continues Just prior to news of the possible $14 billion Deutsche fine in September, JP Morgan analysts estimated UBS and Credit Suisse faced fines of around $2 billion each. Credit Suisse's litigation provisions at the end of 2015 totalled 1.605 billion Swiss francs ($1.6 billion). As of the end of June, UBS had set aside $988 million in litigation provisions for the RMBS case. Earlier this month a French parliamentary report said Europe should challenge the United States over its increasingly aggressive use of extraterritorial laws that have cost European companies - especially banks - billions in fines and other settlements. France's biggest bank BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA) had to pay a $9 billion fine to U.S. authorities over violations of American sanctions against other countries. The French government has criticised in recent years what it considers the over-reach of the U.S. legal system. ($1 = 0.9927 Swiss francs) (Editing by Alexandra Hudson) London (AFP) - A Russian naval task group including the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was being shadowed through the North Sea by British warships on Thursday as it headed for the Syrian coast. The eight-strong group was the biggest deployment of Russian naval assets seen off British shores in recent years, a Royal Navy spokesman told AFP. Britain's HMS Richmond frigate and the HMS Duncan air defence destroyer were monitoring the task group, which included the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer. The deployment comes weeks after Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of its Northern Fleet, would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to boost its naval forces in the area. Russia has been staging a bombing campaign in Syria for the past year in support of President Bashar al-Assad and has deployed a naval contingent to back up its operation. A Royal Navy spokesman said the size of the Russian naval force was "unusual" but that the Russian ships were "behaving very well", including booking areas for flying and calling up coastguard stations. "The special part of this is definitely the aircraft carrier. "If you just wanted to keep it safe, you put a destroyer and a frigate with it. If you wanted to show a bit of muscle, you do what they're doing now," he said. But he added: "I wouldn't say this is the full might of their fleet". A NATO official said the deployment "does not inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syria crisis. "There are plans in place for NATO navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean," the official told AFP. The Russian fleet was monitored by Norwegian ships and planes as it sailed through international waters off Norway earlier this week before nearing Britain. Another British defence ministry spokesman said the Russian ships were expected in the North Sea later on Thursday. Story continues Meanwhile European Union leaders meeting in Brussels were weighing sanctions against supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities, according to a draft summit statement that appeared to target Russia. Though Moscow is not mentioned explicitly regarding sanctions, the draft statement sharpens the tone against Russia and its role in the five-year Syrian civil war. A "humanitarian pause" took effect Thursday in the Syrian army's Russian-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo but it was quickly tested by fighting on a corridor opened for civilians to flee. BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian military said on Thursday that it would bring down any Turkish war planes entering Syrian air space, a response to air strikes carried out by Turkey overnight in northern Syria. "Any attempt to once again breach Syrian airspace by Turkish war planes will be dealt with and they will be brought down by all means available," the Syrian army general command said in a statement. Turkish air strikes hit a group of Kurdish fighters allied to U.S.-backed militia late on Wednesday, which the Syrian statement called an act of "blatant aggression". Northern Syria is an increasingly complex battlefield and Wednesday's air strikes highlighted the conflicting agendas of NATO members Turkey and the United States. Turkey supports rebels opposed to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and is also trying to push Islamic State away from Syria's Turkish border. At the same time, the United States has backed Kurdish-led forces in their own fight against Islamic State, infuriating Ankara, which sees the YPG as an extension of Kurdish PKK militants who have waged a three-decade insurgency in southeastern Turkey. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Louise Ireland) Moscow (AFP) - Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday accused Syrian rebels of preventing civilians from leaving areas of battle-scarred east Aleppo despite a humanitarian truce in Syria's second city. In a phone call to his US counterpart John Kerry, Lavrov said the halt in fighting should give both civilians and rebels the opportunity to leave. However he told Kerry that "the rebels are violating the ceasefire and preventing the evacuation of the population", the Russian foreign ministry quoted him as saying in a statement. Kerry confirmed that he had spoken with Lavrov without mentioning any discussion on Syria. The phone call, initiated by Washington, is the seventh this month and came at the end of a day when the "humanitarian pause" in rebel-held east Aleppo took effect following weeks of heavy bombardment by Russia. So far hardly anyone in the rebel-held areas has used the corridors established for civilians and rebels to, separately, leave the city. The duration of the truce remained unclear. The Russian side had said it would last 11 hours on Thursday but Moscow later announced a 24-hour prolongation. The United nations said Moscow would hold the ceasefire until Saturday evening. (Reuters) - Senior executives of telecommunications company AT&T Inc and media conglomerate Time Warner Inc have discussed various business strategies including a possible merger in recent weeks, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing people it said were familiar with the matter. Time Warner shares jumped 4.7 percent in regular trading and slightly extended gains after hours. AT&T shares slipped 1.8 percent. Neither side has yet hired a financial adviser, Bloomberg said. (http://bloom.bg/2enqBF9) AT&T and Time Warner declined to comment. Time Warner is attractive because of its premium cable channel HBO, the CNN news network, film studio Warner Bros and other media assets. Telecom companies have embarked on a media land grab in recent years in order to get hold of valuable content. Cable company Comcast Corp , for example, has acquired NBCUniversal and DreamWorks Animation, turning itself into a massive force that controls not just how television shows and movies are made but how they are delivered to viewers. Owning more content gives cable and telecom companies more leverage as customers demand smaller, hand-picked cable offerings or are cutting the cord altogether and watching online. AT&T, which sells wireless phone and broadband services, is aggressively expanding and looking to turn itself into a media powerhouse. It bought satellite TV provider DIRECTV last year for $48.5 billion. Barclays analysts said earlier this month that AT&T likely has its plate full with the integration of that purchase, along with other projects, which would make another large deal tricky to pull off. Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes has not been willing to sell in the past. The company rejected an $80 billion offer from Twenty-First Century Fox Inc in 2014. While Bewkes, 64, was not open to a deal two years ago, the pace of consolidation in the media sector may urge him to reconsider, especially as two competitors, Viacom Inc and CBS Corp have been exploring a potential merger at the request of controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone. Talk of a deal comes as another potential bidder, Verizon Communications Inc , is busy with its purchase of internet company Yahoo Inc , which has been set back by news of a massive hacking breach into Yahoo customers' email accounts. Time Warner has a market value of about $65 billion. AT&T has a market value of about $238 billion. (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru and Jessica Toonkel and Malathi Nayak in New York; Editing by Bill Rigby) T-Mobile US Inc.TMUS has been fined by the Federal Communications Commission for providing inadequate information to customers related to its unlimited data plans. The FCC stated that the carrier used to throttle Internet speeds of customers after they exceeded a monthly data limit. This data capping policy wasnt disclosed to subscribers. Notably, similar charges have been leveled against AT&T Inc. T by the FCC last year. Settlement While AT&T is still voicing protest against the FCC fine, T-Mobile is said to have reached a settlement worth $48 million. This includes $7.5 million of a fine and $35.5 million worth of discounted data or other services to customers. Transparency Issues The 2010 Open Internet transparency rules require Internet providers to issue accurate and sufficient information to customers or prospective customers relating to their services. However, lack of transparency in the wireless industry is not new. Notably, Verizon Communications Inc. VZ was fined in May for unethically tracking data of customers using supercookies. Similarly, in 2015, Sprint Corp. S faced FCC charges for its fraudulent billing practices. The Bottom Line T-MobileUS is currently the third largest wireless carrier in the U.S. which has been gaining a large number of customers of late, courtesy of reasonably priced data and other promotional plans. However, manipulating customer policies can result in reputation loss which will eventually affect T-Mobile US position in the market. T-MobileUScurrently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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 AT&T INC (T): Free Stock Analysis Report SPRINT CORP (S): Free Stock Analysis Report VERIZON COMM (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report T-MOBILE US INC (TMUS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research U.S. telecom giant AT&T Inc. T is scheduled to report third-quarter 2016 financial numbers on Oct 25, after markets close. Last quarter, AT&T posted an earnings surprise of 0.00%. However, the companys earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the previous four quarters, with an average beat of 2.90%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors at Play Acquisitions and strategic collaborations have played a major role in shaping AT&Ts growth story. The company has fortified in the content and online streaming space with the DirecTV acquisition in 2015. Toward this end, the company recently signed a multi-year deal with Taylor Swift for its DirecTV's Super Saturday Night event and a carriage deal with Viacom Inc. VIAB for DirecTV Now. The company is also planning to phase out its U-verse brand and upgrade plans. AT&T also intends to launch its over the top (OTT) online streaming service DIRECTV Now by the end of 2016. In sync with this, the company has strengthened its DIRECTV Now Portfolio, courtesy of its deal with HBO which will allow it to deliver Time Warner Inc. -owned HBO content across multiple platforms through satellite, online streaming and cable-based U-verse. AT&T has also signed a carriage deal with Discovery Communications Inc. DISCA which will provide its customers with access to the latters linear channels, including on-demand and TV Everywhere rights on AT&T U-verse and the DirecTV platform. Recently, AT&T teamed up with Qualcomm to evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones on commercial 4G LTE networks. The company launched the 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) service in the greater Sacramento area, in parts of St. Louis, St. Charles and University City and in Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln and surrounding localities. The company is also expanding its 4G LTE wireless networks in Mexico. AT&Ts partnership plans with International Business Machines Corporation IBM and Amazon Web Services Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN, should boost its cloud suite and IT services. Meanwhile, AT&T and Intel Corporation have tied up to develop software-centric network technologies. Story continues The company is also moving ahead with plans to introduce its Enhanced Control, Orchestration, Management and Policy (ECOMP) virtualization platform in the open source industry in the first quarter of 2017. AT&T entered into an agreement with Cubas state-run telecommunications company Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba (ETECSA) to introduce direct roaming mobile interconnection services between the two countries. AT&T has been redesigning its data plans in order to entice customers who have high data requirements. Yet, a saturated wireless market, spectrum crunch, persistent losses in access lines, stringent regulatory measures by the FCC, threat of strike from Internet workforce and tough competition are major dampeners. However, the company has reached a new agreement with Communication Workers of America (CWA) covering the formers DIRECTV employees in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest regions. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that AT&Tis likely to beat earnings this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here, as you will see below. Zacks ESP : AT&T has an Earnings ESP of -1.35%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate stands at 73 cents while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged higher at 74 cents. Zacks Rank : AT&T has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, the companys negative ESP makes surprise prediction difficult. Meanwhile, we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 and 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions momentum. AT&T INC Price and EPS Surprise AT&T INC Price and EPS Surprise | AT&T INC Quote Stock to Consider Heres a company that has the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter. Apple Inc. AAPL, with an earnings ESP of +1.21% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The companys earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the previous four quarters. 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 INTL BUS MACH (IBM): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report AT&T INC (T): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report DISCOVERY COM-A (DISCA): Free Stock Analysis Report VIACOM INC-B (VIAB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Jet Airways to operate 5 daily flights to Nepal Jet Airways, an India-based private airline company, will start operating five daily flights to Nepal beginning October 30. Japanese actor and director Takeshi Kitano is to be awarded with the French Legion of Honor it has been reported on NHK. The Legion of Honor is the country's highest award and was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It is given to individuals for their exceptional contributions to culture, science and other fields. A spokesperson quoting French government officials said that Kitano is receiving the award for transforming the rules of arts, television, film, and literature and making an impact on contemporary art. Kitano's spokesperson said he will be named an Officier, the fourth-ranked honor out of five categories of the Legion d'honneur, with Kitano himself reportedly saying he was surprised but is overjoyed at the news. Kitano is known for his work directing and starring in films such as "Hana-bi" and "Sonatine." He will soon be seen starring alongside Scarlett Johansson in the live action movie adaptation of "Ghost in the Shell." He has won France's Order of Arts and Letters twice before. Victoria Beckham is the latest high-end designer to collaborate with Target (Photo: Getty Images) Target has landed a number of prestigious designer collaborations in recent years, most of which have been incredibly successful for the retailer. The latest? An upcoming collaboration with high-end designer Victoria Beckham, which was revealed on Thursday to the delight of fashionistas worldwide. So excited to announce my new limited edition collaboration with @Target! Inspired by my VVB collection, coming April 2017 x vb #VBxTarget Thank you @bof A photo posted by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Oct 19, 2016 at 9:50pm PDT The highly anticipated collection is slated to launch on April 9, 2017. It will feature more than 200 pieces for women, girls, and toddlers in a wide range of sizes, priced from $6 to $70. The move shows the designer is interested in connecting with a broader range of customers, as Target is known for its affordability and accessibility. At present Beckhams current line is mostly stocked in high-end department stores like Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, and Web retailer Net-a-Porter. I can reach so many more women through working with Target. Its not just because of the price point but because of how many stores that they have, located all around America, Beckham told Business of Fashion. These are women that I havent been able to reach out to in the past, and I always say that I want to empower women and make women look like the best versions of themselves. That shouldnt be only people who can afford to spend a certain amount of money. Photo: Victoria Beckham Victoria Beckham for Target is inspired by the designers eponymous Victoria, Victoria Beckham line and marks the British designers first childrens apparel venture. Working with Target has been a really exciting process, and this partnership allows us to share the essence of Victoria, Victoria Beckham with more people than ever before, said Victoria Beckham in a press release. I was inspired to create the Victoria, Victoria Beckham line when I was pregnant with Harper, and since its launch, the category has evolved into an established lifestyle collection. With both the line and my daughter turning five, I felt it was the perfect time to extend into a more accessible price point and to celebrate both milestones by opening the range up to include childrenswear for the first time. Story continues Victoria Beckham joins the ranks of top-tier designers like Prabal Gurung, Zac Posen, Phillip Lim, Missoni, and Alexander McQueen, who have all launched collaborations with the retailer. Beckham is well known for being extremely particular when choosing retailers to collaborate with, so this is a huge win for Target. Customers were thrilled by the announcement and took to Twitter to note their excitement. Victoria Beckham x Target. That news just made my day. KSC (@kiaraproblems) October 20, 2016 Woke up to the news that Victoria Beckham is doing a collection with Target. God bless ???? Freddie Brooks (@MissMayaaaa) October 20, 2016 Victoria Beckham for Target. Huge! Let me save my coins for this one! raisa (@MakeupWhoreder) October 20, 2016 Big things are in store for the British designer, as Victoria Beckham also launched its worldwide makeup collaboration with Estee Lauder earlier this month. The collection was met with rave reviews and sold out in many stores almost immediately within the first days of its launch. Target is likely hoping this collection will be met with great success, especially since its designer collaboration with Finnish designer Marimekko earlier this year was not as popular as some of its designer partnerships in past years. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Alexandria Sage SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc is planning to roll out a ride services program and will announce details next year, the luxury electric vehicle maker said on its website, a service first outlined by Chief Executive Elon Musk in his master plan in July. News of the Tesla Network was in a disclaimer about the self-driving functionality on new Model S vehicles. Musk said on Wednesday Tesla is building new vehicles with the necessary hardware to eventually enable full autonomy, although the software is not yet ready. "Please note that using a self-driving Tesla for car sharing and ride hailing for friends and family is fine, but doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network, details of which will be released next year," read the disclaimer. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for more detail. Car makers have rushed to invest in so-called mobility services, hoping to capture the potential trillions of dollars in revenue from selling both vehicles and such on-demand services, while carving out a stake in the industry dominated by Uber. Barclays analyst Brian Johnson wrote in a note to investors on Thursday that although a Tesla Network could "excite the market" over its potential earnings stream, it was a costly proposition. "While we think ride-sharing/hailing is the future of mass-market mobility, we have some financial concerns with the idea of an OEM-owned fleet," Johnson wrote. Venture capitalists and corporate investors had poured nearly $28 billion into the ride services sector in the past decade as of June, according to a Reuters analysis. General Motors has made the biggest bet, investing $500 million in Lyft in January. GM's upcoming electric Chevrolet Bolt was designed expressly with car sharing in mind, executives have told Reuters. Money-losing Tesla lacks the deep pockets of GM, and ride services companies like Uber and Lyft burn billions of dollars in price wars to secure regional dominance, as occurred with Uber in China before it ceded to local rival Didi Chuxing. Story continues In his "Master Plan, Part Deux" in July, Musk outlined a system in which a Tesla owner could add a car to a shared Tesla fleet using a phone app, allowing it to "generate income for you" and lower the cost of ownership. Musk said that in cities where car ownership is lower, Tesla would operate its own fleet. (Reporting By Alexandria Sage; Editing by Bill Trott) Tesla (TSLA) said Wednesday that all vehicles being produced in its factory including the Model 3 will have hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a "safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver." "It will take us some time to complete the validation of the software and get regulatory approval but the important thing is that the foundation is laid" for fully autonomous driving, said Tesla CEO Elon Musk on a call with reporters. Tesla spent a year testing the new hardware, and Musk said the company's goal is to do "a demonstration drive of full autonomy from LA to New York by the end of next year." Musk declined to answer a reporter's question about how the company will finance the cost of the upgrades. Tesla said the vehicles now being produced will have eight surround cameras that provide 360-degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range. In contrast, cars produced before Wednesday only had one camera. The eight cameras will work with 12 updated ultrasonic sensors to allow for detection of both hard and soft objects at nearly twice the distance of the prior system, the company said. To aid in seeing in heavy rain, fog, and dust, a forward-facing radar with enhanced processing was added to provide additional data about the world on a redundant wavelength. The computing power will also increase by a factor of 40, making the hardware capable of performing 12 trillion operations per second. "It's basically a supercomputer in a car," Musk said. "This hardware, combined with Tesla's existing over-the-air update capabilities, will allow the automaker to continue improving its self-driving capabilities with minimal inconvenience for owners," said Karl Brauer, executive publisher for Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, said in comments sent to CNBC. "It's a big up-front commitment to self-driving technology that other automakers may not be willing to make at this point." Story continues However, Michael Harley, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, said it is "actually not a challenge to offer a full range of Level 4 autonomous hardware to any new vehicle this is essentially a collection of cameras, sensors, radars and processors. The most critical piece of the puzzle, which is missing from Tesla's announcement, is the car-to-car communication that ensures full Level 4 autonomous riding is safe for passengers and pedestrians alike." Tesla cars made prior to the introduction of the new hardware will still see improvements based on such things as fleet learning and software updates, but their capability will ultimately be "limited by the fundamental hardware." This development follows a recent update to Tesla's Autopilot system where the technology was tweaked to make greater use of the car's on-board radar, and, among other things, included a warning system that will disable the feature if drivers ignore multiple warnings to keep their hands on the wheel. The Autopilot system has drawn both praise and criticism, especially since its alleged involvement in some high-profile crashes. Tesla has defended the technology, saying it is safe when used as directed. Musk defended the use of the Autopilot name for the semi-autonomous system, pointing out "It does not represent self-driving anymore than autopilot in an aircraft makes it self-flying." He also was critical of media coverage of a Autopilot accidents, contrasting the extensive coverage of the few Autopilot crashes that have been reported with the "paucity of media coverage of the 1.2 million people that die every year in manual crashes." Continuing, Musk said it "does not reflect well upon the media. It really doesn't." He added, that "if in writing some article that's negative, you effectively dissuade people from using an autonomous vehicle, you are killing people." The news comes ahead of Tesla's earnings on Oct. 26, and an expected Tesla/SolarCity product announcement on Oct. 28. Tesla and SolarCity also are expected to release additional financing information on the merger on Nov. 1, and shareholders will vote on the deal on Nov. 17. Director Keith Maitland uses rotoscope animation to recreate the events of Aug. 1, 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin in the new documentary Tower, but the technique doesnt make the telling of Americas first mass school shooting any easier to digest. You can get a sense for the films distinctive style in the exclusive clip above. The sequence follows the first-hand accounts of several witnesses, including a police officer, journalist, and student, who recall the initial moments of what would become a 96-minute standoff. Architectural engineering student Charles Joseph Whitman murdered his wife and mother before he climbed the campuss famous Main Building (also known as The Tower) and went on a shooting spree. All told, the gunman shot 49 people and left 18 dead, including an unborn child and man who died in 2001 from complications from the wound. Tower premiered at the 2016 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, where it won both the Audience and Grand Jury award for Best Documentary Feature. Executive produced by talk-show host Meredith Vieira and actor Luke Wilson, Tower is now playing in New York and Los Angeles and will expand to more cities in the weeks to come. By Surapan Boonthanom YALA, Thailand (Reuters) - Hayim Mohammed Tolema was 12 years old when Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej came to visit his southern province and a bomb planted by Muslim separatists went off nearby, wounding dozens. People all over Thailand are mourning King Bhumibol, who died at the age of 88 on Thursday last week after 70 years on the throne. In the predominantly Muslim south, which has for decades been plagued by violence by Muslim separatists opposed to the Thai state, people are also grieving, and some remembered the day, 39 years ago, that the king visited. "When I saw him I was speechless, I was so close," said Tolema, now 51 and an imam at the Balor village mosque in Muslim-majority Yala province. Tolema said he could not sleep the night before, after his father told him the king was coming. He went with his father to a park to catch a glimpse of the monarch and Queen Sirikit along with thousands of others. Forty-seven people were wounded in the Sept. 22, 1977, blast, according to newspapers at the time. Tolema says he remembers everything - the blast, the panic and the calm king reassuring his people. "I still can't believe he's gone," he said. King Bhumibol spent decades working to improve the lives of the poor in parts of Thailand plagued by communist insurgents and Muslim separatists. The communists were defeated long ago but violence in the Muslim-majority south has increased since 2004, with more than 6,500 people killed since then, according to a monitoring group. Flags at government buildings in Yala, like the rest of the country, are flying at half mast. But while portraits of the king have been put up across the country, there are few on display in Yala, in accordance with Muslim tradition of not depicting people. "Just because we do not put up pictures of him or wear black all the time does not mean we do not hurt inside," Tolema said. Yala, along with Narathiwat and Pattani are the only Muslim-majority provinces in predominantly Buddhist Thailand. "Muslims are also very sad but they are expressing it in their own way in accordance with their religion," said Yuthanam Petchmuang, an army deputy spokesman. Tolema says he teaches his congregation about the work the king initiated in healthcare and agriculture, and about how he tried to heal community rifts. "My father said to me years after that visit, the king was like no other government official because he is the only one who tried to make our lives better." (Reporting by Surapan Boonthanom; Additional Reporting by Kaweewit Kaewjinda; Writing by Cod Satrusayang; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Thanarith Satrusayang BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand said on Thursday it would inform the world about the royal succession following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej after "false" foreign media coverage created misunderstanding and hurt the feelings of its people. The death of the revered king a week ago after seven decades on the throne plunged the country into mourning and heightened sensitivity about the monarchy. The government has said Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will succeed his father soon, after an unspecified period of mourning. The prince's formal coronation will take place after the king's cremation, following a year-long official mourning period. The 96-year-old president of the royal Privy Council, Prem Tinsulanonda, has been made regent during the interregnum. The delay in the prince becoming king has raised speculation among Thailand scholars and analysts that the succession may not be as smooth as the government has said it will be. The prince has made no public statement since the death of his father but he has paid homage every day at Bangkok's gilded Grand Palace where the late king is lying in state. The Foreign Ministry did not refer to specific news reports or outlets, but said coverage had created misunderstanding and it wanted to "prevent further false coverage". "We have instructed our ambassadors, consulates and representatives around the world to inform relevant state agencies and governments regarding the succession and that it is proceeding according to the constitution and royal laws and traditions," it said. Insulting the monarch, the regent or the heir, known by the French-language term "lese-majeste", is a crime in Thailand that carries a jail sentence of up to 15 years for each offense. King Bhumibol, who was the world's longest-reigning monarch, was revered as a father figure and symbol of unity in a country riven by political crises over the years, most recently by a struggle between the military-led establishment and populist political forces. Many Thais worry about a future without him. People are dressing in black around the country, and huge numbers have streamed to the Grand Palace to pay their respects. ANGER Government spokesman Weerachon Sukondhapatipak called for an end to foreign media speculation "because everything is already quite clear". "Please don't use your imagination to report stories without thinking," he told Reuters. Prince Vajiralongkorn does not enjoy the same adoration his father earned over a lifetime on the throne. He has married and divorced three times, and has spent much of his life outside Thailand, often in Germany. Though the king designated his only son crown prince in 1972, shortly afterwards he also raised the possibility of the eligibility of a princess becoming the monarch. The junta has stepped up prosecution of lese-majeste cases since the king died, with police investigating 12 cases. Some angry mourners have attacked people they deemed disrespectful but Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha urged people not to take matters into their own hands. "The prime minister has a good understanding of the feelings of people who are completely loyal to the monarchy. Everyone should be reminded not to drag the institution down into various conflicts and disagreements," government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told reporters. Though the country is in mourning, shopping malls, markets, cinemas and even some bars have been open. The government said overseas tourism would not be affected and industry targets were unchanged. "We are confident that we will still hit the mark we set of 32 million overseas tourists," a deputy prime minister, Tanasak Patimapragorn, told reporters. Department of Tourism data showed foreign arrivals at Thailand's five main airports fell by 2.59 percent in the week after the king died compared with the previous week. (Reporting by Cod Satrusayang, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Pracha Hariraksapitak and Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Robert Birsel and John Chalmers) Louis Theroux has swiftly become Britains most popular and most incisive documentarian, managing to disarm his subjects with his dry with and gawky British charm. Therouxs new movie sees him venture into the dark heart of Scientology, but hes trodden on dangerous ground before. These are the maddest moments from his craziest interviews to date Louis Wrestle mania (as seen in: Louis Therouxs Weird Weekends) Credit: BBC Skinny, bespectacled and polite to the end, Theroux looks like he wouldnt bust a grape in a fruit fight so the decision to get up close and personal on the amateur US wrestling scene was a brilliant one. Theroux trained with a group of burly wrestlers under the name Waldo named after the similarly lanky Wheres Wally? character and found himself subjected to a brutal training regime in which he was pushed to the ground and yanked through a series of gruelling push-ups and squat-thrusts. Worse, Waldo was fed lines to say during his training/torture, like Sir, Im a dying cockroach, sir!, every utterance of which had the group of around 8-9 wrestlers in the vicinity hooting and hollering. Taking on the Scientologists at their own game (as seen in My Scientology Movie) Credit: BBC Upon announcing he was making a documentary about Scientology, Therouxs fans urged him not to turn over that particular rock: Prepare for the loonies to target you, one warned. He was not wrong: if theres one thing the Church of Scientology dont like, its being filmed. Theroux and his cameraman set up camp on the outskirts of Scientologys Gold Base in California with a permit but still find themselves being hounded by security officers and aggressive Church members. Theroux, as is his wont, defuses the aggression by turning the disagreement into a playground-esque confrontation; responding to the request of Tell [your cameraman] to stop, Louis remarks: Youre filming us! You tell him to stop, then Ill tell him to stop! The farce is strong with this one. Story continues Savile uncut (as seen in: Louis Theroux: Savile) Therouxs remit used to be getting under the skin of Britains eccentrics, and before his death and the subsequent discovery of his grotesque history of sexual abuse Jimmy Savile was right in Louis wheelhouse. This follow-up documentary, 16 years on, sees Louis asking himself how he allowed himself to be hoodwinked by Saviles entertainer persona. Tellingly, the only piece of unseen footage where Savile didnt appear to know he was being filmed was the most revealing. Sat on his sofa late at night talking to Therouxs producer, Savile revealed that as a nightclub owner in his youth, he used to lock misbehaving boys in the basement and beat them up, then later reasoned with the police that in doing so he was protecting their daughters from these slags. Picketing with the Westboro Baptist Church (as seen in: The Most Hated Family In America) Credit: BBC Theroux excels when he gives a voice to those whom others deny even if, by all reasonable accounts, they dont deserve it. And so it was that Louis went behind the scenes of the Phelps family, founders of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, picketers of anyone they deem to be party to homosexual behaviour. The mundanity of their actions is truly chilling we see signs being made en masse, reading No Tears For Queers and Thank God for 9/11 but as usual Theroux is able to cut to the heart of the matter i.e. the Churchs thudding stupidity. Church member Steve Drain gets started on a rant on how the Jews killed Christ before Louis stops him in his tracks: Newsflash, braniac: Christ was Jewish! Flirting with the Hamiltons (as seen in: When Louis Met The Hamiltons) Of course I like to flirt, whats wrong with that? purred Christine Hamilton, Merlot on her breath, arm draped round Therouxs shoulder as hes slumped on the gaudy pink sofa in the Hamiltons Cheshire home. In retrospect, I may have over-relaxed, admits Therouxs voiceover. Neil and Christine Hamilton were possibly the most disliked couple in politics at the turn of the century, but Theroux was determined to get to know the real couple even in the midst of alleged sex scandal. What he found was that Christine Hamilton is a real close-talker. I get the sense that you and Neil are getting on, she tells her interviewer. Why do you say that? answers Louis. Because he tells me things, replies Christine, whispering Its called pillowtalk. Despite spending his career interviewing murderers, racists and bigots, Theroux never looked more scared. Out-manoeuvring the PR guru (as seen in: When Louis Met Max Clifford) Louis must have known that interviewing famous PR pitbull Max Clifford would have been like playing a game of chess what he couldnt have guessed was just how bad a loser Clifford was when he was facing checkmate. Clifford deemed Louis methods to be not to his liking, so decided to set-up a sting with a Guardian journalist from whom Theroux had previously turned down an interview at his local Sainsburys, under the pretence of a weekly shop. Thing is, Clifford left his radio mic on, so Theroux heard him and the journo discussing the whole set-up. When confronted on the gotcha gone wrong, Clifford exploded: If youre going to be silly buggers about it, you can just f*** off! he yelled, ripping off his radio mic and vanishing down the toiletries aisle forever more. Learning about prison etiquette (as seen in: Louis Theroux: Behind Bars) Credit: BBC Therouxs documentary in San Quentin prison is among his finest work, allowing him to get close to the most hardened criminals in the country. One shocking exchange saw Louis eating breakfast with two members of the Barbarian Brotherhood gang, who admitted that black and white prisoners were self-segregated in the lunch hall, and if a white man accepted food from a black man, his own friends would beat him up and pummel him until the cops stopped him. Chillingly, the inmates gave up this information casually over chomping on potatoes and gravy, admitting: Thats just how it is in here. Jimmy Savile and The Duchess (as seen in: When Louis Met Jimmy) Back in 2000, Jimmy Savile was still a household name: a friend of royalty, a beloved entertainer and a patron saint of charity, with 40 million raised in his name. Saviles reputation would eventually change in due course, but Therouxs weird weekend with Jimmy showcased the oddballs stranger quirks even if it didnt set any of the right alarm bells ringing. Most curious was Saviles relationship with his mother, whom he nicknamed The Duchess. She had died some years previously, but Jimmy kept her house exactly like it was the day she passed. Savile admitted that he would frequently wash and iron his mothers clothes anew, vacuum packing them to keep them pristine, as it was better than a photo. Louis, unusually, was lost for words. White nationalist barbeque (as seen in: Louis And The Nazis) Credit: BBC Good documentary makers are always willing to go out of their own comfort zone, but Theroux ventured further than most when he ingratiated himself with a group of white power skinheads in California. Therouxs arch manner and ribald wit served him well, until he was questioned at a barbeque by a drunken skinhead named Skip, who was convinced that Louis was Jewish. Surrounded by increasingly angry skinheads, Theroux did not deny being Jewish (hes not) but held his own and defused the tension, even when the thugs asked for the camera to be turned off, presumably because they didnt want what they were about to do to him to be captured on film. Read more: Louis Theroux: Scientology is WORSE than Westboro Baptist Church Jerusalem (AFP) - Supporters of Israel from across the globe marched in Jerusalem on Thursday, two days after UNESCO backed a resolution which Israel said denied Judaism's connection to the city. Thousands marched through the largely closed centre of Jerusalem as part of the annual Jerusalem March, an important part of the Sukkot Jewish holiday. Groups carried flags from dozens of countries, including the United States, Brazil and Thailand, with many visiting as part of Christian delegations. A large group of Chinese marchers waved their flag alongside signs saying "We stand with Israel" while a British group sang "We love you Israel, we do". Israelis from across the country also took part. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said thousands of people attended, without giving a specific number, while 3,500 police officers were deployed across Jerusalem to protect the march and other key sites during the Sukkot festival, which lasts a week. Shlomo Milevsky, an Orthodox Jew watching the march, said it was good to see support for Israel. "This is great but it is only for an hour," he said. "We have to face problems all year." Maurie, an American Jew who did not want to give his last name, said the march was a "celebration to show solidarity with Israel". He said the march had taken on particular resonance in the wake of the UNESCO vote, which Israel said denied the Jewish people's historic relationship with Jerusalem. UNESCO's executive board backed a resolution on "occupied Palestine" on Tuesday, after being approved at the committee stage last week. Referring throughout to "the occupying power," it condemns Israel for restricting Muslims' access to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound -- Islam's third holiest site -- and criticises damage by security forces to the site and nearby excavations. Israel is furious that the resolution refers to the Jerusalem Old City site only by its Muslim name, Al-Aqsa or Al-Haram al-Sharif. It is considered holy by Muslims, Christians and Jews. Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount and it is considered the holiest site in Judaism. Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in a move never recognised by the international community. Mosul battle: Kurds launch 'large-scale' offensive Kurdish fighters say they have launched a large-scale operation east and north of Mosul, as an offensive to oust so-called Islamic State (IS) militants from the Iraqi city continues. Only 186 of 502 firms submitted their sustainability reports. Even if it is required for firms to submit sustainability reports as part of the Singapore Exchange listing, 60% of the them have not bothered to do so according to the latest study by National University of National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School's Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations (CGIO) and Asean CSR Network (ACN). The latest findings revealed that only 186 of the 502 mainboard listed companies communicate their sustainability practices. Although this is an improvement from 160 companies in 2013 and 79 in 2011, majority of the firms are still not complying with the said requirement. CGIO Director Lawrence Loh said Singapore is still trailing behind its regional peers in terms of this aspect. He said, At our current rate of progress, less than half of companies will be reporting sustainability by 2018. While the new SGX sustainability reporting requirement of comply or explain is timely, it wont be enough. Companies have to recognise the long-term benefits of consistently reporting sustainability and take action," Loh furthered. The study also revealed that among the four indicators of quality of disclosures studied governance, economic, environmental and social governance was best disclosed and environmental was the least disclosed indicator. The study has also put into limelight Singapore real estate investment trusts (REITs). It has found out that of 33 REITs, 28 communicated their sustainability practices. "While the increase in the number of REITs communicating their sustainability is encouraging, they could be further motivated to publish standalone sustainability report that would show more of their commitments to sustainability practices," the report expounded. More From Singapore Business Review Warsaw (AFP) - A tiny carved wooden clog that once belonged to a woman the Nazis deported to the Auschwitz death camp has been rediscovered after more than 70 years, a local foundation told AFP on Thursday. Smaller than a matchstick, the charm "is a real piece of art from Auschwitz," said Agnieszka Molenda, who runs the Foundation of Memory Sites near Auschwitz-Birkenau (FPMP). "The tiny carved clog is just seven millimetres (0.28 inches) long and hangs on a small chain, indicating that a prisoner wore it as jewellery," she said, adding that its origin and owner remain a mystery. Auschwitz prisoners were banned from making or wearing any such items and according to Molenda the charm could have been a tiny symbol of resistance. It was found this month during maintenance work in the attic of a building of the Budy-Bor Auschwitz subcamp, near the main death camp set up by Nazi Germany during World War II in occupied Poland. The building was the site of a bloody massacre on October 5, 1942, when camp guards bludgeoned to death 90 French-Jewish female prisoners. "The clog was most likely hidden between the bricks of wall of the attic where prisoners slept and could have belonged to one of the victims of the massacre," Molenda told AFP. Set up in 2013 by private collectors with a passion for local history, the FPMP gathers items related to the death camp and its nearby subcamps that covered some 40 square kilometres (15 square miles). Working with the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum on the site of the former Nazi death camp in Osciecim, southern Poland, the foundation has collected thousands of items kept in private homes since the war. In September, it unveiled a porcelain Mickey Mouse figurine that once belonged to a child the Nazis deported to Auschwitz. One million European Jews died at the camp set up by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland in 1940-1945. More than 100,000 others including non-Jewish Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and anti-Nazi resistance fighters also died there, according to the museum. An estimated 232,000 of Auschwitz victims were children. LONDON (Reuters) - Crowds of screaming fans braced the cold and packed into London's Leicester Square on Thursday to catch a glimpse of Tom Cruise as he premiered his film "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back", which he described as a "classic action" film filled with suspense. The film sees Cruise reprise his role in the sequel to the 2012 film "Jack Reacher" playing a former U.S. military officer turned fugitive, on a mission to uncover a conspiracy that has accused his colleague, Major Susan Turner, of espionage. Turner is played by Cobie Smulders - the "How I Met Your Mother" actress - who was also at the European premiere. "He's just got such a unique wit," Cruise said about Reacher, a character based on books written by British author Lee Child, who also makes a cameo appearance in the film. Cruise said he was busy working on his sixth Mission Impossible film and also hinted that he was in talks about taking up his popular role as daring pilot "Maverick" in a Top Gun sequel, although he stopped short of making promises to fans. "We've been talking about it, it's just the right script ... it's got to be right," he told Reuters. "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back", was directed by Edward Zwick who worked with Cruise on the 2003 film "The Last Samurai" and said that the two had developed a trust and simply "took up where we left off." (Writing by Adela Suliman; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Bernie Sanders John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, called Bernie Sanders a "doofus" in an email uncovered by Wikileaks on Wednesday. "Can you believe that doofus Bernie attacked it?," the message goes, in an exchange that was part of an email chain from December 2015. In the email, Podesta and others were responding to a message about the climate change deal reached during a summit in Paris attended by negotiators from more than 190 countries that month. At the time, Bernie Sanders criticized the deal, saying it did not go far enough. The planet is in crisis. We need bold action in the very near future and this does not provide that, Sanders, said at the time, during what turned out to be a brutal Democratic primary between the Vermont senator and his then-rival, Hillary Clinton. Sanders has since endorsed Clinton's bid for the White House and has attended several campaign events on her behalf. It's the latest wrinkle in what has been a long-playing scourge on Clinton's presidential campaign. The hacked emails, many of which were published by Wikileaks, ostensibly targeted organizations and individuals associated with the Democratic Party many of which have generated unsavory headlines and turmoil within the party. The US government quietly urged Ecuador to cut off internet access for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in light of steady stream of hacked emails, according to intelligence officials who spoke with NBC News. Ecuadoracknowledged on Tuesday it had cut off Assange's internet access due to Wikileaks attempts to interfere with the US election. It said the decision was made without any outside pressure. NOW WATCH: Hillary Clinton's campaign chair John Podesta is obsessed with UFOs and aliens More From Business Insider Donald Trump was forced Thursday to admit he would accept clear results of the Nov. 8 presidential election, after coming under intense criticism when he refused to endorse the legitimacy of American elections in his third and final debate with Hillary Clinton. Of course, I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result, right? Trump told supporters at a rally in Delaware, Ohio. Trump claimed he was asked an unprecedented question Wednesday night by moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. He also tried to reframe the actual question Wallace asked, claiming hed been pressed to waive his right to a legal challenge or a recount like the one mounted by Democrat Al Gore in 2000. In effect, Im being asked to waive centuries of legal precedent designed to protect the voters, Trump said. But Wallace did not ask Trump to waive any right to a challenge in the event the election turned out to be close. Wallace simply asked whether Trump would accept the election results, precisely because Trump has been talking for days about his belief that the election will be marred by widespread voter fraud. He has offered no evidence besides exaggerated speculation for this claim, which has been widely rejected by fact-checkers. Wallace asked Trump, as well, if he was committed to upholding the peaceful transition of power, one of the bedrock principles at the heart of American democracy. Ill keep you in suspense, Trump said Wednesday night. And on Thursday he joked that he would only accept the result if he won, before finally acknowledging that he would have to respect a clear result. But he continued to allege that Democrats might try to steal the election from him. Trump charged that a Democratic operative for a group called Americans United for Change who bragged on video shot by a hidden camera that he had paid homeless people to incite Trump supporters to violence and who has since been fired amounted to the Clinton campaign inciting violence. Story continues He called Clinton a candidate who is truly capable of anything, including voter fraud. Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Delaware, Ohio. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP) Trump, who was already flirting with the likelihood of a loss of historic proportions on Nov. 8, has now concentrated the nations focus on the possibility that he is undermining faith in American presidential election elections in order to save his ego and prop up whatever business ventures he might pursue in the future. Up until the final debate on Wednesday night in Las Vegas, American politics was consumed for two weeks with stories about Trumps treatment of women, following the release of a video in which Trump was heard bragging about forcibly kissing and groping women. He denied ever having acted on such boasts, but nine different women have come forward to state that he victimized them in various ways, including sexual assault. Yet another women revealed new allegations Thursday. Trump has denied the allegations, insisting that they are part of a vast media conspiracy to elect Clinton. During all this, however, there was a small group of figures lamenting the lack of discussion concerning Trumps affronts to the American constitutional and electoral system. Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer wrote a Washington Post column a week ago noting that the most disturbing moment of the second debate on Oct. 9 had been Trumps threat to imprison Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton if he were elected president. Vladimir Putin, Hugo Chavez and a cavalcade of two-bit caudillos lock up their opponents. American leaders dont. One doesnt even talk like this, Krauthammer wrote. It takes decades, centuries, to develop ingrained norms of political restraint and self-control. But they can be undone in short order by a demagogue feeding a vengeful populism. Donald Trump speaks as Hillary Clinton listens during their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at UNLV in Las Vegas. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Pool/Reuters) Trumps growing reliance on talk of a rigged election at campaign rallies over the past week as a way of explaining his increasingly bad poll numbers has set off alarm bells. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was forced to issue another statement disagreeing with Trump. Secretaries of state from both parties the officials who will administer each states election process denounced Trump. Former President Jimmy Carter, who has spent a good portion of his 36-year post-presidency monitoring foreign elections through his Carter Center, issued a statement before the debate on Wednesday repudiating Trump. The Carter Center has observed more than 100 elections around the world, some of them quite problematic, Carter said. However, allegations of potential rigging of U.S. elections, as well as of widespread voter fraud, are baseless, serving only to undermine confidence in our democratic processes and inflame tensions. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., told Yahoo News that Trumps habit of talking about rigged elections with zero evidence is dangerous because it erodes trust without justification and kindles cynicism that undermines self-government. And Mike Murphy, a veteran Republican operative who ran the super-PAC supporting Jeb Bushs presidential campaign, said on his podcast Tuesday that Trumps rhetoric was damn close to treason. Its the most disgusting thing Trump has done. Its classic demagogic behavior and its why he deserves the contempt of every American, every voter, and particularly every Republican elected official, Murphy said. Trump addresses the crowd at a campaign rally in Delaware, Ohio. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP) But until Trumps refusal to accept the American electoral system as legitimate on the debate stage Wednesday night, the issue was not front and center in the political discussion. As of Thursday morning, however, it was. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., called Trumps comments beyond the pale. Bret Stephens, the deputy editorial page editor at the Wall Street Journal said Trumps remarks were the most disgraceful statement by a presidential candidate in 160 years. Michael Strain, the director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, tweeted, Based on that answer alone, I hope Mr Trump loses all 50 states. He deserves to. He is attacking democracy itself. Trumps penchant for falling back on conspiracy any time things dont go his way probably should have been a focus going all the way back to the spring, when he began to lash out at the Republican Party primary as rigged when it looked as if Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, might be able to mount a challenge to him at the convention. Trump even called for a do-over vote after Cruz bested him in the Iowa caucuses. Clinton, prepared as usual with a full repertoire of opposition research on Trump, didnt fail to remind viewers Wednesday night that this has been a yearslong pattern for Trump: He tends to explain his losses to himself and others as the product of an unfair process. There was even a time when he didnt get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged against him, Clinton said. This is how Donald thinks. And its funny, but its also really troubling. Hillary Clinton speaks with reporters and again calls Trumps refusal to pledge to honor the results of the presidential election horrifying. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) And then there is the prospect that the reason for Trumps refusal to embrace the American tradition of victor and foe uniting after an election is that he may want to continue to play the role of rabble-rouser in chief and champion of the Washington opposition, all without any actual responsibility to govern the country and with the extra benefit of a highly profitable income stream. Its been speculated for some time that Trump, if he lost, might seek to parlay his magnified fame and political following into creating a media venture, perhaps some sort of transmogrified mixture of Fox News and Breitbart.com. And then this week the Financial Times reported that Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had met with an investment banker, Aryeh Bourkoff, who has been in the middle of several mass media sales and consolidations. After the debate Wednesday, some downplayed the significance of Trumps remarks, pointing to former Vice President Al Gores decision to contest the 2000 presidential election, which was decided in favor of President George W. Bush by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision after a monthlong recount battle in the state of Florida. Ben Domenech, publisher of the Federalist, on Thursday called the Florida recount the starting point for a decade and a half rife with claims about Diebold and rigged elections and open conspiracy-theorizing about electoral outcomes. He connected this to the delegitimizing efforts of sit-ins and protests in the legislatures of Wisconsin and Texas by Democrats against Republican governors. What is rare is for a candidate for any federal office to give voice to this view prior to an election taking place, and for that candidate to be a Republican. So now its a problem, Domenech wrote in his morning newsletter, the Transom. Except one reason why Trump supporters are open to the idea is because theyve heard it about American elections for a decade and a half. Breakdown of trust in institutions is not easily confined. Donald Trump answers a question during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas on Oct. 19, 2016. (Photo: John Locher/AP) MSNBCs Morning Joe compiled a list of all the Democratic politicians and media figures Howard Dean, Jesse Jackson, Michael Moore, Jonathan Chait, Ezra Klein, Josh Marshall and others who accused Republicans of stealing the 2000 and 2004 elections. Everybodys shocked and horrified that Donald Trump would suggest that he was going to wait and that hes even used the words rigged, Joe Scarborough, a former GOP congressman, scoffed Thursday morning. I heard people last night saying that he was the first person to ever do this, that this actually cuts at the very heart of Americas credibility. But neither Al Gore nor Bushs 2004 opponent, then-Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., ever did what Trump is now doing: egging on supporters during an election to discount the results ahead of the outcome. Gore also conceded gracefully in 2000. The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken. Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the courts decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College, Gore said in his concession speech. And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession. I also accept my responsibility, which I will discharge unconditionally, to honor the new president-elect and do everything possible to help him bring Americans together, he said. Jonathan V. Last wrote in the conservative Weekly Standard that comparisons of Trump to Gore are false equivalency. While Democratic (and Republican) functionaries and low-level officeholders have dabbled in electoral illegitimacy in the past, no presidential candidate has raised the possibility himself, Last wrote. This is a big deal. And to make it even bigger, Trump didnt just question the legitimacy of the outcome but also the peaceful transition of power, which he specifically refused to endorse. It is of course still possible that Trump could react to what is likely to be a loss to Clinton with the equanimity shown by Gore in 2000. But he has shown little evidence so far that he is capable of accepting defeat with grace or humility. On Election Day in 2012, when Trump incorrectly thought Mitt Romney would lose the Electoral College tally but win the popular vote, Trump launched into a Twitter tirade calling for scrapping the current U.S. democratic system and for a revolution However, Josh Blackman, a law professor at the University of Houston who signed his name to a letter from a group of conservative legal scholars against Trump this week, said Trumps undermining of the presidency and the election process, while destructive, is a surmountable challenge. How many people thought Obama wasnt a natural-born citizen, Blackman said, referring to Trumps infamous conspiracy theory that President Obama was not born in the U.S. Theres always going to be a certain segment of the electorate that rejects the election for some reason or another, but Im not sure if [Trumps potential rejection of the result] makes it any bigger, he said. What seems more likely is that, as another signatory of the conservative lawyers against Trump renowned legal scholar Richard Epstein of New York University Law School wrote earlier this week, Trump could ultimately be condemned as one of the most destructive forces in American history. donald trump Donald Trump earned scorn on Wednesday night for declining to say during the final presidential debate whether he would accept the result of the November election if he were to lose. The Republican nominee's Democratic counterpart, Hillary Clinton, called his refusal to do so "horrifying." Political commentators and analysts characterized his stance as "disqualifying," "totally wrong," and "political suicide." Laura Ingraham, a conservative radio host and fierce Trump supporter, tweeted that Trump "should have said he would accept the results of the election" and that there's "no other option unless we're in a recount again," making note of the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Indeed, in response to the widespread criticism of Trump's deflection, his campaign has invoked the 2000 election as justification for potentially refusing to accept the results of a presidential election. "Do you remember 2000 when Al Gore contested the election?" Kellyanne Conway, Trump's campaign manager, said in a postdebate interview with CNN. "I mean when he actually retracted his concession to George W. Bush." As many journalists and analysts have pointed out, however, Al Gore's fight in 2000 which began only after an automatic vote recount was triggered in Florida was very different from the way Trump is preemptively undermining the results of this year's election. The recount On election night in 2000, most major TV networks, citing preliminary vote counts, said Al Gore had won the swing state of Florida, albeit by a very small number of votes. But after polls closed, the networks reversed the call, giving Florida to Bush instead. With Florida in his pocket, Bush had enough Electoral College votes to win the election, so Gore called Bush to concede. But the networks later retracted that call as well, declaring the state "too close to call." The small margin of votes that gave Florida to Bush roughly 1,800 triggered an automatic recount under Florida state law, and Gore retracted his concession to Bush once it became clear that the results were contested. Story continues The automatic recount, which concluded that Bush won by about 300 votes, was so close that Florida state law allowed Gore the option of "manual vote recounts" in the counties of his choosing. The counties were unable to complete the manual recount in the alotted seven days, however, and the Secretary of State, Katherine Harris, announced that the results would be finalized anyway. Gore and Palm Beach County filed for an injunction against Harris to prevent her from finalizing the election results until the three counties could finish their recounts. PBS reports: The Florida Supreme Court issued the injunction and ruled that the counties must have until November 26 to finish their recounts. But Miami Dade stopped counting, leading Gore to appeal to the Supreme Court which ruled on December 8 that all Florida ballots cast but not counted by voting machines must be manually recounted if they had not been already. The court noted that in many counties, machines did not register votes because of defects in punch-card ballots. Governor Bush appealed this decision to the Court, which reviewed the case on December 9. In the appeal brought by Bush, the Supreme Court tossed out the previous ruling calling for manual recounts across Florida. The court argued that the recount violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause because there was no consistent method across all Florida counties of recounting the votes and no time to establish one. The court let stand the preliminary vote count, which gave Florida to Bush. Gore said he was "disappointed" with the court's decision. But he accepted it. "Other disputes have dragged on for weeks before reaching resolution," Gore said in his concession speech. "And each time, both the victor and the vanquished have accepted the result peacefully and in the spirit of reconciliation. So let it be with us. I know that many of my supporters are disappointed. I am, too. But our disappointment must be overcome by our love of country." 'No comparison' There is "no comparison" between the 2000 election and Trump's refusal now to commit to accepting the election result, veteran Associated Press politics reporter Jim Kuhnhenn said Wednesday night. He continued: "In 2000, neither Gore nor Bush mobilized supporters with fear of a rigged election. The dispute in Florida was about whether votes had been properly counted. Not about fraud. Yes, divided SCOTUS decision prompted Dem partisans to argue that the result was rigged. But Gore conceded graciously & power was transferred peacefully." al gore hillary clinton climate change At a town-hall event in Nigeria in 2009, Clinton, then the secretary of state, subtly questioned the legitimacy of the 2000 results based on the fact that Bush's brother Jeb was Florida's governor at the time of the dispute. "We had all kinds of problems in some of our past elections, as you might remember," she said. "In 2000, our presidential election came down to one state where the brother of the man running for president was the governor of the state, so I mean, we have our problems too. But we have been moving to try to remedy those problems as we see them." But partisan questions over the election's legitimacy were raised only after Florida's results were contested in an automatic recount. "Gore's fight was a fight over counting ballots, not over an allegation that the election itself was unfair," The Washington Post's Philip Bump wrote on Thursday. "There were disputes about the intent of voters and some insincere rhetoric on both sides, but there was no question that the system, however flawed, was working the way it was supposed to." Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Trump, however, has been doubling down on unfounded claims that the election system itself is "rigged" because of media bias and will be undermined by "large-scale voter fraud." "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!" Trump tweeted on Monday. There were only 31 credible incidents of voter fraud out of more than 1 billion votes cast from 2000 to 2014, according to a study by Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School who is an expert on voter fraud. During a news conference earlier this week, President Barack Obama advised Trump to "stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes." "I've 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. NOW WATCH: This animated map shows how religion spread across the world More From Business Insider By Patricia Zengerle and Emily Stephenson WASHINGTON/DELAWARE, Ohio (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Thursday he would accept the result of the Nov. 8 election - "if I win" - fueling Republican concerns his stance would make it harder for his party to maintain control of Congress. His refusal to commit to accepting the election outcome was the standout remark of the third and final 2016 presidential debate between Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday night. It ratcheted up Trump's allegations the election was being rigged against him, and became the latest flashpoint in an unusually acrimonious race three weeks before voters go to the polls. Clinton called the comment "horrifying." President Barack Obama blasted Trump on Thursday at a rally in Miami Gardens, Florida, for Clinton and U.S. Representative Patrick Murphy, who is trying to unseat Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a Trump supporter. "That is dangerous. Because when you try to sow the seeds of doubt in people's minds about the legitimacy of the elections, that undermines our democracy. Then you're doing the work of our adversaries for them," Obama said. Trump modified his comment at a rally in Ohio on Thursday, but did not back off. "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election - if I win." He added he would accept "a clear election result, but "reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. With Trump trailing in opinion polls, the focus ahead of the Nov. 8 vote is shifting to whether Republicans can keep their narrow majority in the Senate or even their larger advantage in the House of Representatives. Senator John McCain of Arizona, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Obama, said accepting the election result was "the American way." "I didnt like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance," McCain, who has opened a poll lead in his Senate re-election race, said in a statement. "A concession isn't just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leader's first responsibility." McCain has withdrawn his support for Trump. Asked on Wednesday night if he would commit to a peaceful transition of power, Trump, a businessman-turned-politician, replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. OK?" DROWNING OUT POLICY Trump's statement, the most provocative in a debate that repeatedly descended into rancor, made headlines across the country and raised questions about his commitment to a peaceful transition of power, a cornerstone of American democracy. Clinton accused Trump of being Russian President Vladimir Putin's puppet. Trump called Clinton a "nasty woman" and a criminal who should be barred from running. They did not exchange the customary handshake when the debate ended. Democrats jumped to ask Republican candidates whether they agreed with Trump, who is making his first run for public office against Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state. "Do you agree with Donald Trump to question the results of the election?" the Nevada Democratic Party asked in a release targeting Republican Joe Heck. Heck is in a tight race with Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto for retiring Democratic leader Harry Reid's Senate seat. Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak said down-ballot candidates would distance themselves from Trump's comment, but it was a problem that the issue had drowned out everything else that came up on Wednesday. "The real cost is that the post-debate discussion has been consumed by this, and not by his overall very good debate performance and the problems Hillary created for herself on a range of issues," Mackowiak said. Trump's comments did not worry his supporters. Marion Fields, 48, a registered Democrat who backs Trump, said he did not think concession would be an issue because Trump would win. Were he to lose, "After it's announced, you'd have to be a professional and concede." A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent of Americans thought Clinton won the debate, to 39 percent for Trump. Trump donor and energy investor Dan Eberhart said Trump won. He disagreed with his rhetoric, but still backs the candidate. "I think Hillarys policies and track record are not what the country needs leading us forward for the next four years. And that backs me into supporting Trump," Eberhart said. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway sought on Thursday to defend Trump, saying in television interviews he was "putting people on notice" about voting irregularities. Trump has stepped up allegations that the election is being rigged against a backdrop of accusations that he had made improper sexual advances to women since a video emerged two weeks ago in which Trump boasted of such behaviour. A 10th woman came forward on Thursday at a news conference in Manhattan with attorney Gloria Allred, a Clinton supporter who specializes in representing women in cases of alleged assault. Trump campaign spokeswoman Jessica Ditto called the news conference a "coordinated, publicity-seeking attack" by Allred. Trump has not offered specific evidence to back up his vote-rigging claims, and numerous studies have shown that the U.S. election system, which is run by the states, is sound. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland in Las Vegas, Michelle Conlin, Luciana Lopez and David Ingram in New York, Roberta Rampton in Miami and Richard Cowan, Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) NC Prez Deuba drops hint at possible support to Lokman's impeachment Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has dropped a hit that his party would possibly support the impeachment motion against CIAA Chief Commissioner Lokman Singh Karki. Deuba said that Karki was running the anti-graft body in a "more wicked manner" than the Shahi Commission under direct rule of deposed King. It was disturbing enough that Donald Trump has thrown loose talk around on the campaign trail that he feels the election is going to be rigged against him. But Wednesday night, in front of a national primetime audience, Trump plunged himself and the Republican Party headfirst into a mess even larger than the one hes created for the GOP over the past several months, when he refused to say that he believes the results of the Nov. 8 presidential election will be legitimate. Ill look at it at the time, was all that Trump would say, after being asked multiple times by Fox News Chris Wallace, the moderator of the third and final presidential debate. Trump alleged that there are millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldnt be registered to vote and claimed that this was information coming from Pew Report and other places. He was referring to a report by the Pew Center on the states that have found that more than 1.8 million deceased individuals are listed as voters. But as FactCheck.org has noted, the report did not allege the 1.8 million deceased people actually voted. Rather, Pew said that it is evidence of the need to upgrade voter registration systems. And there have been no examples of widespread, orchestrated voter fraud. Wallace pressed Trump, noting that there is a tradition in this country in fact, one of the prides of this country is the peaceful transition of power and that no matter how hard-fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign that the loser concedes to the winner. Are you saying youre not prepared now to commit to that principle? Wallace asked Trump. Donald Trump speaks as Hillary Clinton listens during their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at UNLV in Las Vegas on Oct. 19, 2016. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Pool/Reuters) Trump responded: What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. OK? Even Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, and Trumps own daughter, Ivanka, had said just hours earlier Wednesday that they would accept the election results. Trump could not bring himself to do so. Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer, who wondered in a column last week why Trumps complaints about the election being rigged had not drawn more attention, called the move political suicide. Weekly Standard founder Bill Kristol called on House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to disavow Trump over these comments. Story continues What should happen: Tomorrow morning @SpeakerRyan & @SenateMajLdr repudiate Trump, make case for GOP Congress to check & balance Clinton, Kristol tweeted. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., did not wait for long Wednesday night to do just that. Like most Americans, I have confidence in our democracy and election system, Graham said in a statement. Mr. Trump is doing the party and country a great disservice by continuing to suggest the outcome of this election is out of his hands and rigged against him. If he loses, it will not be because the system is rigged, but because he failed as a candidate. There will now be renewed pressure on Ryan to distance himself further from Trump than he did earlier this month, when he told House members he would not campaign with the GOP nominee after the release of a 2005 tape showing Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women. Its unlikely that this debate could have changed the trajectory of the race. But it was possible that Trump could have had a solid performance and failed to fuel new fires. And Clinton, for her part, might have chosen to play a fairly passive role in the debate coming into the night, with Trump plummeting in the polls and already written off for dead by many. Instead, Clinton showed more poise, command and energy than she had in either of the first two debates. While some of her most effective moments came from lines of attack that were obviously rehearsed, she delivered her critiques of Trump with a style and confidence that had been lacking before. Hillary Clinton answers a question during the third presidential debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Oct. 19, 2016. (Photo:Joe Raedle/Pool via AP) Trump looked deflated and tired. He had a few moments where he pressed the case against Clinton over her use of a private email server and the shoddy work of contractors hired by her familys foundation to do reconstruction work in Haiti, and he spoke clearly and forcefully on the issue of abortion. But throughout most of the 90-minute debate the most substantive and policy-oriented of the three, thanks to the moderator, Fox News Chris Wallace it was Clinton who was on the offensive. Clinton jumped on Trump early, knocking him for having choked in his meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, when Trump failed to bring up his frequent promise that Mexico will pay to have a wall built along the U.S. border. She hit Trump on his mysterious lack of outrage over the hacking of American government and political figures by what U.S. intelligence believes to be Russian hackers. You encouraged espionage against our people, she told Trump, referring to his comment in July that he hoped the Russian government would find the 30,000 emails that Clinton deleted from a private server she had installed at her home while she was secretary of state. Clinton, who often struggles to connect with audiences, also showed genuine emotion at several points: when she compared her 30 years in public life to Trumps, when she ran through his comments about women who have accused him of unwanted sexual advances and assault and when she responded to his refusal to accept the legitimacy of the U.S. election system. Clinton noted that in the 1970s, she had been working at the Childrens Defense Fund, taking on discrimination against African-American kids in schools. He was getting sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination in his apartment buildings. She ran through other examples and concluded by noting that On the day when I was in the situation room monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, [Trump] was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice. Trump replied simply: I think I did a much better job. I built a massive company worth many, many billions of dollars. When Wallace asked Trump why nine separate women would have made up stories about Trump touching them inappropriately, Trump simply said the stories were debunked and switched to talking about videos released this week by the conservative activist James OKeefe, in which a Democratic operative named Scott Foval brags about having paid homeless people to disrupt Trump rallies. Trump blamed violence at one particular rally in Chicago earlier this year on Clinton herself, despite the fact that there is no evidence that Foval ever interacted with the Clinton campaign, or that he even had any involvement with the Chicago rally unrest. Shes the one, and Obama, that caused the violence, Trump said. Clinton did not address the OKeefe tapes, which have resulted in Foval being fired from the group Americans United for Change, and instead focused on Trumps response over the past week or so to the women who have accused him of assaulting them. Donald Trump listens to Hillary Clinton during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas on Oct. 19, 2016. (Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP) He held a number of big rallies where he said that he could not possibly have done those things to those women because they were not attractive enough for them to be assaulted, Clinton said. Trump interjected: I did not say that. I did not say that. Clinton continued: He went on to say, Look at her. I dont think so. About another woman, he said, That wouldnt be my first choice, she said. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth, and I dont think there is a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like. Thats who Donald is. I think its really up to all of us to demonstrate who we are and who our country is, and to stand up and be very clear about what we expect from our next president, she said. Trumps response? Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Nobody, he said. Wallace had to hush the audiences laughter. Near the end of the debate, Trump, who is running behind by huge numbers with women of all ages and incomes, raised eyebrows when he interjected, after Clinton took a quick jab at him while she was talking about Social Security, that she was such a nasty woman. And when Trump said he would not promise to accept the outcome of the election, he again attacked Clintons use of a private e-mail server, which he said was a very, very serious crime. Clinton noted that the Justice Department had found no reason to prosecute her a decision some think was not well-founded and focused on Trumps remarks. Clinton called Trumps refusal to accept the American electoral system horrifying. Weve been around for 240 years. Weve had free and fair elections. Weve accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election, Clinton said. Her voice rose a level as she said to Trump, It just shows youre not up to doing the job. He is denigrating, hes talking down our democracy. And I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position, Clinton said. Barring some unforeseen chain of events, Clinton is on track to win the presidency, possibly in overwhelming fashion. On Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Trump surprised no one and made it painfully obvious that he is happy to take the party down with him. Clinton did something unexpected, demonstrating that she would not at least for this one night just bide her time and hope Trump cant catch her. Donald Trump Donald Trump said during the final presidential debate on Wednesday that Syrian President Bashar Assad is "much tougher and much smarter" than President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The international community widely considers Assad to be a brutal dictator who barrel bombs and starves civilians in his country. "Take a look at Aleppo," the Republican presidential nominee said in response to a question about the besieged city in Syria. "It is so sad when you see what's happened. And a lot of this is because of Hillary Clinton. Because what's happened is by fighting Assad, who turned out to be a lot tougher than she thought, and now she's gonna say, 'Oh, he loves Assad.'" Trump continued: "He's just much tougher and much smarter than her and Obama. And everyone thought he was gone two years ago, three years ago. He aligned with Russia, he now also aligned with Iran, who we made very powerful." Trump did later concede that Assad is a "bad guy." "If they ever did overthrow Assad, you might end up with as bad as Assad is, and he's a bad guy," he said. "But you may very well end up with worse than Assad." Trump then pivoted to the refugee crisis, which the Syrian civil war has contributed greatly to. "She's taking in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who probably, in many cases, not probably, who are definitely, in many cases, ISIS-aligned, and we now have them in our country, and wait 'til you see, this is going to be the great Trojan horse, and wait 'til you see what happens in the coming years," he said. "Lots of luck, Hillary, thanks a lot for doing a great job." Later on, Trump said the US is "so outplayed" by Russian President Putin and Assad and that "nobody can believe how stupid our leadership is." NOW WATCH: When the Prime Minister of Israel asked O.J. Simpson's former lawyer if he did it, his response was perfect More From Business Insider Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Thursday that he would accept the results of the election November 8 if he wins. "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters, and to all of the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win," Trump said at a rally in Delaware, Ohio. Trump explained that he didn't want to commit to accepting the results of the election now because he's worried fraudulent votes could affect the outcome. "America is a constitutional republic with a system of laws," he said. "These laws are triggered in the case of fraud or in the event of a recount where it's needed. Of course, I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." But Trump seemed certain that a recount wouldn't be needed because he would win the election. "And always, I will follow and abide by all the rules and traditions of the many candidates who have come before me," Trump said. "Bottom line, we're gonna win. We're gonna win. We're gonna win so big." Trump refused to say at Wednesday's final presidential debate whether he would accept the results of the election if he loses. Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the Republican presidential nominee whether he would honor the election results despite Trump's unfounded declaration that the election is "rigged" against him. "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now. I'll look at it at the time," Trump replied. Pressed again by Wallace moments later, Trump said he would "keep you in suspense" about his decision. Maxwell Tani contributed to this report. NOW WATCH: INSTANT POLLS: Clinton won the final debate, and it wasn't even close More From Business Insider New York (AFP) - Straying from his normal vitriolic skewering of the status quo, Michael Moore's latest documentary "Michael Moore in TrumpLand" is less of an attack on Donald Trump than an ode to Democrat Hillary Clinton. The award-winning provocateur unveiled the surprise film just three weeks before the US election, and he told journalists he made it in just 12 days. "I wanted to do something subversive here, something that wouldn't be expected," Moore said. "That I, of all people, would be making the case for Hillary." The 62-year-old known for lambasting capitalism, large corporations and assault weapons refrained from roasting Donald Trump, as many expected he would. "Nobody needs a film saying that Donald Trump is full of shit, and an awful human being. Who would come to see that movie?" Moore -- famous for hits including "Fahrenheit 911" and "Bowling for Columbine" -- said Wednesday that Trump had not compelled him to act, but that he was moved by fear that Clinton lacked the necessary momentum to win the November 8 election. "The more I saw Hillary supporters doing that end-zone dance like it was all over, the more I kept thinking: you are electing Donald Trump." The leftist documentarian's latest film is a one-man show intent on humanizing Clinton and swaying Trump supporters, Clinton doubters and those not planning to vote. "Half the country isn't going to vote," he said. "This is intended to reach them." Moore's documentary is set in a theater in the small city of Wilmington, Ohio -- a place the filmmaker calls "serious Republican territory" -- to make his appeal for Clinton. - 'An unlikely messenger' - Moore grew up and still lives in Michigan, a Midwestern state run by a Republican governor that is widely known as the center of the economically hard-hit US automobile industry. The filmmaker estimated at least 150-200 of the 700 people who attended his show in Wilmington were "Trump people." Story continues "We didn't go for the rabid racists," he said. "We were looking for people like me, who grew up in an autoworker family." "I live outside the bubble." In his plea for Clinton, Moore said he tried to reach Trump supporters by using humor and a dose of empathy. "These are human beings," he said. "I know who these people are. When it says TrumpLand, people were expecting to see people in white robes." "That's not what this is about." Moore elicited tears when he reminds them of the long struggle for women's emancipation, and the need to keep working toward a more egalitarian society. As the nation's first black president, Barack Obama, winds up two terms in office, Moore says the election of the first US female president is apt. Moore admits he has never voted for Clinton -- his Democratic primary preference was Bernie Sanders this year and Obama in 2008. "I think I'm an unlikely messenger," he said. After a free-prescreening the prior night at a New York theater, on Wednesday the film began regularly running there and in a Los Angeles suburb. It is slated to open in some 30 other US cities and be available online. Moore emphasized that even though he is stumping for the Democratic candidate he is far from signing her a blank check -- if she is elected and fails to stick to her program, he will consider running in 2020. "She needs to not go back on her word," he said. "I'm not kidding around." Wall Street is taking the final presidential debate in stride. Stocks (^GPSC, ^DJI, ^IXIC) were slightly higher after the European Central Bank left rates unchanged and ECB President Mario Draghi didnt offer any new clues about tapering or extending its bond-buying program. Suspense about Trump Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton talked about immigration, abortion and gun control in their third and final presidential debate. But thats being overshadowed by Trumps refusal to say hell accept the results of the election. Trump said he will look at it at the time and keep us in suspense. Will that answer hurt his chances of winning? Teslas self-driving hardware Tesla (TSLA) says it will install hardware in all new cars so that they can drive themselves. But theres a catch: The software necessary for the system to work wont be ready for some time. Tesla expects to roll out the software starting in December if regulators approve it. CEO Elon Musks goal is to demonstrate a vehicle traveling in full autonomous mode from Los Angeles to New York by the end of next year. Is this a retreat from Teslas aggressive strategy of pushing self-driving cars? Zuckerberg defends Thiel Facebook (FB) CEO Mark Zuckeberg is defending one of his financial backers who backs Donald Trump. Zuckerberg wrote a letter to his staff in support of Peter Thiel, an early Facebook backer and board member who this week pledged $1.25 million to Trump. Zuckerberg said Facebook must welcome diversity. And he said, There are many reasons a person might support Trump that do not involve racism, sexism, xenophobia or accepting sexual assault. Why was this necessary? Stocks to watch Mattel (MAT) stock was higher this morning after the toymaker delivered third-quarter revenue that was slightly better-than-expected. Even though sales were little changed from a year ago, girls toys such as Barbie and American Girl dolls saw strong sales growth. Barbie sales jumped about 16% from a year ago, while sales of American Girl products increased 14%. Story continues Microsoft (MSFT) is set to report quarterly results after the close today. Analysts want to see if the tech giants bet on the cloud will continue to pay off. Wall Street is looking for a profit of $0.68 a share. Thats up a penny from a year ago. Revenue is estimated to come in flat from a year ago at $21.7 billion. Walgreens (WBA) posted earnings that beat forecasts, but revenue fell short of estimates for its fiscal fourth quarter. The company also said it now expects its deal with Rite Aid to close in early 2017, instead of this year, as it looks to divest more stores to gain regulatory approval. American Express (AXP) shares were up sharply in early trading. The credit card issuer raised its earnings outlook for the year after it reported earning and revenue that topped analysts estimates in the quarter ending September 30. Amex benefited from card fees and spending by card holders in the third quarter. However, both earnings and revenue fell from a year ago as the companys 16-year deal with Costco (COST) ended. Nepal dragging its feet on opening new air routes Nepals proposal to review the airspace agreement with India to provide more cross-border entry and exit points for airlines, which was gathering dust for years, had seen chances of take-off after it was endorsed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Nepal in August 2014. Donald Trumps chances of winning the presidential election are growing slimmer by the moment, and last nights debate likely didnt improve them. For House and Senate Republicans trying to retain their seats, the hope was that the partys nominee would at least avoid creating another wave of damaging headlines that their Democratic opponents can use to tie them to his failing candidacy. He did not do them that courtesy. Related: Trump Will Lose This Election, but Guess Who Destroyed the GOP? Trumps declaration last night that he will not commit to accepting the result of the presidential election in November piles yet another burden on down-ballot Republicans, and the accumulated weight is taking its toll. Even before his appearance in Wednesday nights third and final presidential debate, Trump was causing problems for Republicans on the ballot in House and Senate races. [I]n well-educated suburban districts, Donald Trump's atrocious numbers - especially with women - means GOP candidates are fighting his toxicity as much as they are fighting their Democratic opponents, wrote David Wasserman of The Cook Political Report. This is still true for several strong, well-funded incumbents who have disavowed the nominee. Wasserman mentioned Rep. Barbara Comstock of Virginia, who is in danger of losing her seat in the Democratic-leaning suburbs of Washington. But she is far from the only elected Republican who has found it necessary to push back against the partys own presidential nominee. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, a Florida Republican locked in a tight reelection contest, felt the need to respond to Trump on Twitter last night, writing, Peaceful transfer of power & acceptance of election results is fundamental to our democracy & Constitution. This cannot be undermined ever. Related: From Obama on Down, Democrats Are Just Trolling Trump Now The Cook Political Report and other forecasters still dont think its likely that Trump will cost the GOP control of the House of Representatives, which would require a swing of 30 seats. But thats in spite of Trump, not because of him. Story continues In blue-collar seats like MI-07 and WI-08, Democrats messaging tying GOP candidates to Trump has either fallen flat or Democrats have been forced to attack Republicans on other issues like trade, Wasserman explains. This unevenness helps explain why Democrats upside is limited. Our outlook remains a Democratic gain in the 5 to 20 seat range, short of the 30 they need for a majority. In the Senate, though, its a different story. According to Geoffrey Skelley, of the University of Virginias Center on Politics, the Democrats went into last night with multiple paths to control of the upper house, where a four-seat swing, combined with a Democratic vice president to break ties, would give them a functional majority. In a statement, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is not himself up for reelection this year, said that Trump is doing damage to the broader party. Mr. Trump is doing the party and country a great disservice by continuing to suggest the outcome of this election is out of hands and rigged against him, Graham said. If he loses, it will not be because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate. Candidates in tight races, like New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who is trying to fend off a challenge from a popular sitting governor, are faced with fighting off association with Trump as well. In an interview with a local news reporter this morning, Ayotte said, The voters are going to decide this election and Donald Trump needs to accept the outcome. If there are reports that need to be investigated, they will be, as I used to do as Attorney General. Related: Clinton and Trump Agree: Lets Ignore the $19 Trillion National Debt Late Thursday morning, things showed no sign of getting easier for down-ballot Republicans. Even as another woman was coming forward in a press conference to accuse Trump of inappropriately touching her body without consent, the candidate was raging on Twitter -- while offering no proof at all -- that Clinton was supplied with the debate questions in advance last night. Its another baseless claim that will probably work its way into questions that embattled Republican senators and members of Congress will face in the closing weeks of the election. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey detained 40 soldiers from an air base in the central Anatolian city of Konya as part of investigations into July's failed military coup, Turkish media outlets said on Thursday. Detention warrants had been issued for a total of 47 soldiers from Konya, the private Dogan news agency said, in what was the third wave of action against suspected followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government blames for masterminding the coup attempt. More than 32,000 people are in jail and 100,000, including top military figures, have been dismissed from jobs in the security and civil services for their alleged links to Gulen's network. The cleric denies involvement in the putsch. (This story corrects total number of warrants issued to 47.) (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Nick Tattersall and David Dolan) Ankara (AFP) - Turkish warplanes carried out deadly strikes on US-backed militias in northern Syria, including Syrian Kurdish fighters, a monitor said Thursday, action that is likely to raise tensions between the NATO allies. The army, quoted by the official news agency Anadolu, said the raids hit 18 targets north of the battered Syrian city of Aleppo, areas recently recaptured by the People's Protection Units (YPG) from the Islamic State group. It said the raids killed between 160 and 200 YPG militants. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Beirut, however, put the toll much lower at at least 11 fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-- a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters -- killed and 24 wounded. Tensions between the US and its NATO ally Turkey have heightened over Ankara's actions against the YPG, which Washington views as an effective force against IS in Syria. Ankara has repeatedly said it will not allow a "terror corridor" on its southern border and wants to prevent the joining of the Kurdish "cantons" of Afrin and Kobane. The strikes come on the eve of a visit to Turkey by US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter to discuss developments in the region including the Syrian conflict and the offensive to recapture Iraq's second city of Mosul which began this week. Ankara considers the YPG and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) as terror groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, has waged a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. In a statement, the Kurdish Rojava region in Syria condemned Ankara's actions as "blatant aggression", calling for the United Nations, Moscow and Washington to "put direct pressure on Turkey to stop its attacks". - Send a message - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkey and Washington had been discussing a joint operation to take territory back from IS but has warned the US not to launch any offensive with the YPG. Story continues Michael Stephens, senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute said Turkey's actions were "a message and a warning to the YPG 'understand something, you won't join these two cantons up. There are going to be consequences'". "If there is a signal that that is what is happening, the Turks will fight it and they will use the premise of national security to do that," he told AFP. The strikes were part of Turkey's military operation in northern Syria launched on August 24. Ankara has sent in tanks and has been striking jihadist targets while supporting Syrian opposition fighters in their battle to retake IS-controlled territory. The goal of the operation was to remove IS from the Turkish border -- which last month Ankara said it achieved -- while also aiming to halt the westward advance of the YPG. Turkish media quoted the army saying shells fired on Thursday from YPG-controlled Afrin region hit uninhabited land in Hatay, southern Turkey, which the military responded to with howitzer fire. Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey would not "wait for terrorist organisations to come and attack us". "Instead of dealing with the flies, we will drain the swamp," he said in a speech in Ankara. Erdogan has previously said he wants to create a 5,000-square-kilometre (1,900 square-mile) safe zone in Syria by pushing further south in the operation dubbed "Euphrates Shield". ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish jets carried out 26 airstrikes on 18 Syrian Kurdish YPG militant targets in northern Syria and killed 160 to 200 militants, the Turkish army said in a statement on Thursday. The army said its jets late on Wednesday pounded areas recently captured by the YPG forces, and destroyed nine buildings, one armored vehicle and four other vehicles that belonged to the Kurdish YPG militia. Turkey, a main backer of the insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad, entered the Syrian conflict in August, using its armor and air power to help Free Syrian Army rebel groups take territory near the border held by Islamic State. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) From Popular Mechanics The looming threat of earthquakes is nothing new for Californians. But a new discovery in the heart of the San Francisco bay has upped the risk of a historically disastrous quake. A team of geologists led by Janet Watt at the United States Geological Survey just made the unfortunate discovery underneath the murky waters of the San Francisco Bay: a hidden connection between two earthquake fault zones. The scientists outline their discovery today in the journal Science Advances. "The longer a fault stretches, the bigger the earthquake it can produce. And here we've just doubled the length of this fault." "That's a big deal," says David Ponce, a geologist with the research group. "Because the longer a fault stretches, the bigger the magnitude of an earthquake it can produce. And here we've just doubled the length of this fault." Ponce explains that seismologists consider these combined fault zones "to constitute one of the most dangerous earthquake risks in the nation." [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Stories" customtitles="The%20Southwest%20Will%20Suffer%20a%20%22Megadrought%22%20by%202100%7CNew%20Study%20Links%20Texas%20Quakes%20to%20Fracking%20Wells" customimages="|" content="article.23225|article.23005"] The two now-connected fault zones-the Rodgers Creek and Hayward faults-stretch more than 115 miles together. They reach from the wine country northwest of the bay, continue under the bay waters directly into Oakland in the east bay, and terminate just north of San Jose. Watt and her team estimate that when this connected fault next slips, it could produce untold disaster: Up to a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, which would be California's 5th largest earthquake and very likely its most deadly. And it could happen soon; Ponce says there's a 32 percent chance such a quake could occur in the next 30 years. Story continues "You have to understand that there are over 2.4 million people living right along this fault, and the population of this whole area is around 7.5 million. It also turns out that major transportation, gas, water and electrical lines cross this fault. So when it goes, it's going to be absolutely disastrous," Ponce says. How could this new chunk of fault line remain hidden for so long under such a highly populous region? "You have to understand that there are over 2.4 million people living right along this fault." One big reason is that the traditional tools and methods used to discover fault-zones underwater have been stymied by the San Francisco Bay's mud. Geologists typically use sound-waves to ping and probe underwater, collecting data about what lies under the sea floor. But San Pablo Bay-the northern section of the greater San Francisco Bay that conceals this fault line-is heavily layered with mud containing tiny pockets of gas. That gassy mud deflects sound-waves and makes it exceedingly hard to probe deep into the rock where the fault zone would lie. To bypass this issue, Watt and her colleagues used a fairly ingenious trick of deduction. They just looked for clues in the mud itself. Using a boat-towed soundwave tool called a chirp subbottom profiler, the geologists put together a map of the various mud layers in the bay. The scientists found that the layers of mud themselves were offset, suggesting a fissure in the rock below. The scientists also compared their mud data to a map of the magnetic properties of the bay floor. According to Ponce, because rocks at different layers in the Earth have different magnetic properties, a shift in the layers of rock below the earth's surface should be detectable. Just as expected, a weird magnetic anomaly clued the scientists in to the fact that the rocks below were-just like the mud-also offset. The fault-zone was found. For residents of the San Francisco Bay Area, Ponce says the takeaway from this new discovery is clear. "Everyone in this region should be prepared for an earthquake along this fault," he says. A potential 7.4 magnitude quake with such a high risk of occurring soon is no laughing matter. "It will impact communities on both sides of the bay and there's going to be significant damage. So folks should do the standard things, like make sure you have food, supplies, and water for a couple of days, make sure you have a contact person to call, make sure your house is bolted to the foundation, and that your water heater is properly secured," he says. You Might Also Like By Fransiska Nangoy and Fergus Jensen JAKARTA (Reuters) - A suspected supporter of Islamic State stabbed and wounded three Indonesian police on Thursday in what appeared to be the latest violence inspired by the militant group in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation. The man also threw a pipe bomb which failed to explode during the rush hour attack in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, police said. He was shot and died of his wounds, a police spokesman said, while the three victims were being treated in hospital. A second pipe bomb and a large IS sticker were found at the scene, police said. Indonesian authorities are increasingly worried about a resurgence in radicalism in Southeast Asia's largest economy, driven in part by a new generation of militants inspired by Islamic State. "Two of (the police) were stabbed in the arm and chest. Then the attacker walked around showing off his weapon, walking to the police post and shouting 'Allahu akbar' (God is greatest)," Mohammad Isa Ansori, deputy police chief of Tangerang district, told Reuters. The attacker, who was born in 1994 and unemployed, was believed to be a member of Indonesian militant group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which supports Islamic State. The umbrella organization, formed last year through an alliance of splinter groups backing Islamic State, is led by jailed Islamist cleric Aman Abdurrahman, who is serving a nine-year prison sentence for aiding a militant training camp. Thursday's assault comes after a series of Islamic State-linked attacks beginning in January when four militants mounted a gun and bomb attack in Jakarta. Eight people were killed, including the militants. In July, a militant blew himself up at a police station in the town of Solo, injuring one officer. Police in August arrested Islamic State supporters plotting to launch a rocket at Singapore's Marina Bay casino resort area using a boat from the nearby Indonesian island of Batam. The vast majority of Indonesia's 250 million people practice a moderate form of Islam. Small militant groups that have periodically mounted attacks against the state and foreigners have been largely disbanded or driven underground. In Indonesia's most serious attack, militants set off explosives at a nightclub on Bali island in 2002 killing 202 people. Authorities believe Islamic State has more than 1,200 followers in Indonesia and nearly 400 Indonesians have left to join the group in Syria. Police are on the alert in case more Indonesians return home after Iraqi forces this week launched an offensive to take back the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul. Authorities are monitoring about 40 returnees, concerned they could be linking up with existing networks, police chief Tito Karnavian told Reuters on Monday. (Additional reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor, Wilda Asmarini, and Eveline Danubrata; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Nick Macfie) * Startups MoBike and ofo in demand with bike-sharing apps * Tencent, Xiaomi, Didi among investors pumping in funds * Founded in 2015, firms raised $230 mln last month alone * Firms claim hundreds of thousands use 'smart bikes' daily * Cheap, easy to rent; but theft, vandalism among risks By Sijia Jiang HONG KONG, Oct 21 (Reuters) - China's tech industry giants are ploughing hundreds of millions of dollars into what they're betting will be the country's next big internet craze - 'Uber for bikes'. A symbol of China's cities long before a boom in cars, snarling traffic and smog, the humble bicycle is making a comeback. Start-ups equipped with smartphone apps, GPS and scannable codes are selling cheap bike-sharing to city-dwellers as the way to beat jams on China's most clogged streets. The rush to invest in car ride-hailing apps in China peaked with Didi Chuxing's acquisition of Uber's China arm in August, creating a $35 billion giant. Now Shanghai's MoBike and Beijing-based ofo - both use customised Anglicised branding - have raised big money in the past month alone from bullish investors on the hunt for China's next tech 'unicorn'. MoBike, backed by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings among others, closed a $100 million funding round this month, two sources told Reuters. Ofo raised $130 million this month from investors including Didi, smartphone maker Xiaomi and U.S. hedge fund Coatue, which has backed Facebook and Google. "We did not expect there to be so many investors and we did not expect this field to get so hot," ofo co-founder Zhang Siding, 26, told Reuters in an interview. Zhang was one of five Beijing students who launched the firm in 2015, now charging 1 yuan ($0.15) per hour to rent. MoBike, also founded in 2015, and ofo say several hundred thousand residents of Chinese cities use the services every day, though tech sector watchers estimate neither yet makes a profit. Neither discloses earnings details. Each claims to be the first of its kind in the world, raising the question for the firms and their investors of whether the model could be replicated in other countries. Story continues In the meantime, the custom-made 'smart bikes' stand out in a country estimated to have close to 400 million bicycles: MoBikes have orange-red inner wheels with fewer spokes and airless tyres to reduce maintenance; ofo's yellow bikes have a lower-tech, retro look. MOBIKE: BRINGING 'SEXY' BACK? Riders use smartphone apps to unlock and pay the cost of hire, and they are free to leave the bikes wherever their journey ends, a feature ofo and MoBike say is a major plus over traditional rental services, which require bikes to be returned to a parking station. MoBike's app also allows users to see nearby vacant bikes using a GPS tracking system. "I find it very convenient, because road traffic is so bad, especially during rush hour," said Yu Xiaoxia, 29, a teacher in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou who pays 1 yuan per half-hour to use MoBike. The ride is worth it for Yu but isn't all smooth. "The bikes are heavy to pedal, and it is also harder to find a vacant bike now that it (MoBike) is gaining more users," she said. The two firms are growing fast - as is their rivalry. Ofo, which says it has more than 300 employees, claims some 85,000 of its bikes are providing 500,000 rides daily. At MoBike, which declined to disclose how many people it employs, Chief Executive Wang Xiaofeng said his firm has more than 100,000 daily active users. "We want to make bicycles sexy again by making a fashionable, high-tech bike," Wang, 43, told Reuters in an interview. Wang is a MoBike co-founder who was previously the Shanghai head of Uber. Zhang said if each of his firm's bikes were used four times a day, the company would recoup the bike's cost in two to three months. CHALLENGES IN STORE It remains to be seen whether the new bike-sharing businesses will follow the path of bruising competition, heavy investment and ultimate consolidation seen in the taxi-hailing sector. Didi now reigns supreme after absorbing a local rival before cutting a deal to take over Uber China. In the meantime, the business model faces challenges, both operational and strategic. Risks of theft, vandalism and irresponsible users who park bikes off-limits are the biggest everyday headaches for both firms. The services are also prone to the caprices of regulators, an issue that has dogged China's taxi-hailing market, where firms still face tight restrictions on drivers. Another issue could be the very design of Chinese cities, adapted to meet booming private car ownership over the last two decades. "Bike-sharing is a good direction from a planning point of view. But many Chinese cities have been built with scales prioritising vehicles," said Sylvia He, assistant professor at the Institute of Future Cities at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "There are just not enough facilities for bikes," said He. ($1 = 6.7394 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Sijia Jiang; Additional reporting by Julie Zhu; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Kenneth Maxwell) By Sijia Jiang HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's tech industry giants are ploughing hundreds of millions of dollars into what they're betting will be the country's next big internet craze - 'Uber for bikes'. A symbol of China's cities long before a boom in cars, snarling traffic and smog, the humble bicycle is making a comeback. Start-ups equipped with smartphone apps, GPS and scannable codes are selling cheap bike-sharing to city-dwellers as the way to beat jams on China's most clogged streets. The rush to invest in car ride-hailing apps in China peaked with Didi Chuxing's acquisition of Uber's China arm in August, creating a $35 billion giant (28.56 billion pounds). Now Shanghai's MoBike and Beijing-based ofo - both use customised Anglicised branding - have raised big money in the past month alone from bullish investors on the hunt for China's next tech 'unicorn'. MoBike, backed by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings among others, closed a $100 million funding round this month, two sources told Reuters. Ofo raised $130 million this month from investors including Didi, smartphone maker Xiaomi and U.S. hedge fund Coatue, which has backed Facebook and Google. "We did not expect there to be so many investors and we did not expect this field to get so hot," ofo co-founder Zhang Siding, 26, told Reuters in an interview. Zhang was one of five Beijing students who launched the firm in 2015, now charging 1 yuan ($0.15) per hour to rent. MoBike, also founded in 2015, and ofo say several hundred thousand residents of Chinese cities use the services every day, though tech sector watchers estimate neither yet makes a profit. Neither discloses earnings details. Each claims to be the first of its kind in the world, raising the question for the firms and their investors of whether the model could be replicated in other countries. In the meantime, the custom-made 'smart bikes' stand out in a country estimated to have close to 400 million bicycles: MoBikes have orange-red inner wheels with fewer spokes and airless tyres to reduce maintenance; ofo's yellow bikes have a lower-tech, retro look. Story continues MOBIKE: BRINGING 'SEXY' BACK? Riders use smartphone apps to unlock and pay the cost of hire, and they are free to leave the bikes wherever their journey ends, a feature ofo and MoBike say is a major plus over traditional rental services, which require bikes to be returned to a parking station. MoBike's app also allows users to see nearby vacant bikes using a GPS tracking system. "I find it very convenient, because road traffic is so bad, especially during rush hour," said Yu Xiaoxia, 29, a teacher in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou who pays 1 yuan per half-hour to use MoBike. The ride is worth it for Yu but isn't all smooth. "The bikes are heavy to pedal, and it is also harder to find a vacant bike now that it (MoBike) is gaining more users," she said. The two firms are growing fast - as is their rivalry. Ofo, which says it has more than 300 employees, claims some 85,000 of its bikes are providing 500,000 rides daily. At MoBike, which declined to disclose how many people it employs, Chief Executive Wang Xiaofeng said his firm has more than 100,000 daily active users. "We want to make bicycles sexy again by making a fashionable, high-tech bike," Wang, 43, told Reuters in an interview. Wang is a MoBike co-founder who was previously the Shanghai head of Uber. Zhang said if each of his firm's bikes were used four times a day, the company would recoup the bike's cost in two to three months. CHALLENGES IN STORE It remains to be seen whether the new bike-sharing businesses will follow the path of bruising competition, heavy investment and ultimate consolidation seen in the taxi-hailing sector. Didi now reigns supreme after absorbing a local rival before cutting a deal to take over Uber China. In the meantime, the business model faces challenges, both operational and strategic. Risks of theft, vandalism and irresponsible users who park bikes off-limits are the biggest everyday headaches for both firms. The services are also prone to the caprices of regulators, an issue that has dogged China's taxi-hailing market, where firms still face tight restrictions on drivers. Another issue could be the very design of Chinese cities, adapted to meet booming private car ownership over the last two decades. "Bike-sharing is a good direction from a planning point of view. But many Chinese cities have been built with scales prioritising vehicles," said Sylvia He, assistant professor at the Institute of Future Cities at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "There are just not enough facilities for bikes," said He. ($1 = 6.7394 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Sijia Jiang; Additional reporting by Julie Zhu; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Kenneth Maxwell) Recalled SPs told to rejoin duty The chiefs of Parsa and Siraha police who were recalled by the Nepal Police Headquarters, one over an arrest of a businessmans family members and the other for investigating Maoist cadres in an abduction case, have been told to rejoin duty. DOHA (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco said on Thursday that two workers died of injuries sustained in a fire that broke out at its Wasea crude oil plant in central Saudi Arabia. The state oil firm said late on Wednesday that the blaze was put out and did not affect operations. "We sadly announce the tragic loss of two workers and 16 injured from a fire" at the plant, it said on Thursday on its official twitter page. It gave no further details about the victims. In September, a fire ripped through Aramcos Gulf coast Ras Tanura oil terminal, injuring eight workers. (Reporting by Reem Shamseddine; Writing by Tom Finn; editing by John Stonestreet) Why should Americans care about Yemen? Average Americans probably couldnt find this remote southwestern corner of Arabia on a map. But its time for them to learn. Yemens civil war concerns Americans because their close but often awkward ally, Saudi Arabia, has persuaded them to take part in it and, alongside that brutal war, theres another that the United States initiated and has no intention of ending anytime soon. How can the United States ensure the former, Saudi Arabias war of choice, doesnt interfere with the latter? The answer could be to follow the 1953 deathbed advice of King Abdul Aziz, known as Ibn Saud, who supposedly said, Never let Yemen be united. Yemen is a problem that probably wont be solved until it is dissolved. Paranoia has long been the basis of Saudi policymaking on Yemen. It used to be paranoia about the Yemenis themselves; now its about Iranians. Yemens Houthi rebels are variously Iranian-supported, Iranian-backed, or Iranian-influenced. The last is my preferred description since it clarifies that, while they model themselves after Lebanons Hezbollah and have adopted the slogan God is great, death to America, death to Israel, damn the Jews, power to Islam, they ultimately want to be masters of their own fates more than Iranian surrogates. (And as members of the Zaidi sect they are only Shiite-like rather than actual Shiites.) Its clear the Houthis are a direct threat to the internationally recognized (and Saudi-allied) Yemeni government of President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi, whom they forced to flee the country after joining forces with former Yemeni President and longtime Saudi nemesis Ali Abdullah Saleh (who used to oppose the Houthis until he was forced from power in 2012). But there is good reason to doubt these rebels pose a direct threat to Riyadh, outside the confines of Saudi paranoia. Nonetheless, as an apparent quid pro quo for tolerating Washingtons nuclear rapprochement with Tehran, Riyadh has demanded U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting to re-establish in Sanaa the rule of Hadi. (Hadi, for the present moment, prefers the greater security of a Riyadh hotel suite.) Theres an additional factor, which makes the favors run 2-to-1 in Riyadhs direction: Washington wants Saudi involvement and a stamp of approval for the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Story continues Fear, if not quite paranoia, could also describe official Washingtons attitude toward Yemen. Its rocky hillsides have been the training areas for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which helped prepare the 2009 Northwest Airlines underwear bomber and the 2015 Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris. A terrorist incident in the United States with a Yemeni address on it is a realistic possibility, and the American officials who know it are prepared to go very far to prevent it from being realized. A successful attack on a U.S. Navy ship similar to the suicide speedboat that crippled the USS Cole in Aden harbor in 2000, they feel, would be almost as bad. Until war broke out with the Houthis last year, U.S. Special Forces operated out of the Anad Air Base just north of Aden, playing whack-a-mole against jihadis, with occasionally more significant successes, such as the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, the fiery preacher (and U.S. citizen), by a Hellfire missile in 2011. Now U.S. operations are conducted from Djibouti, on the other side of the Red Sea, in Africa. As before, drones are a major part of the effort. There are also, semi-clandestinely, several dozen U.S. special operations forces on the ground. Theres a crucial difference in Saudi and U.S. interests that quickly becomes apparent. Whereas Riyadhs thinking is dominated by Irans support for the Houthi rebels who control the capital and much of what was once North Yemen (or, more formally, the Yemen Arab Republic), Washingtons anxieties focus on the south, the territory once known as the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen. (The modern state we call Yemen was only formed when those two countries unified in 1992.) The southern expanse of Yemen from the Bab el-Mandeb strait to the border with Oman has technically been liberated by the Saudi-led Arab coalition. In reality, forces of the United Arab Emirates did most of the heavy lifting and now, with residual government forces, have control over the port city (and old capital) of Aden as well as Mukalla farther east. But AQAP continues to find sanctuary in the large stretches of the south where the Yemeni government, and its Arab allies, struggles to maintain control. Fighters claiming allegiance to the Islamic State are also active there. Washingtons and Riyadhs separate wars are bound together in a manner not necessarily obvious to outsiders. The Royal Saudi Air Force and the U.S. Air Force are sharing Yemens airspace and adjoining, even overlapping, battle space. The two countries have to cooperate and therefore largely tolerate the behavior of the other party. But that tolerance is under strain. Even before the horrendous Oct. 8 bombing of a funeral gathering in Sanaa in which more than 140 were killed and several hundred injured, U.S. concern for Saudi tactics had meant reduced levels of cooperation. Inflight refueling was curtailed, meaning that Saudi F-15s could not loiter in Yemeni airspace, waiting for targets to present themselves. And cooperation was reduced on targeting the curious technical word meaning what size of bomb to drop, from what height, from what direction, and even at what time of day, the latter so as to reduce collateral damage or, more accurately, civilian casualties. The Saudis had already been targeting clinics and schools and the justification that the Houthis were placing military stores and headquarters in or close to them was wearing thin. The bombing of a funeral two weeks ago was both a humanitarian catastrophe and a major tactical disaster for the overall strategy of the anti-Houthi war. Even though the target was a Yemeni politician allied to the Houthis, bombing such a gathering was contrary to the ethics of the U.S. military. The Saudis only admitted to coalition aircraft being involved, a phrasing that suggests the unfortunate reality that they were American-supplied F-15s, carrying American-made munitions. Washingtons power centers the White House, Congress, and the media screamed in horror. The blame was spun onto overexcited anti-Houthi agents in Sanaa and the fact that the target was approved at only a low level in the military hierarchy. The awfulness of the wake-cum-mass-explosive-cremation was overtaken in the news cycle only when the Houthis responded by launching two, perhaps three, unsuccessful missile attacks on the destroyer USS Mason in the Red Sea north of the Bab-el-Mandeb. The United States retaliated by launching Harpoon missile strikes, which pulverized Houthi coastal radar facilities but caused zero collateral damage. A three-day cease-fire is supposed to come into effect to give a chance for diplomacy by United Nations envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed of Mauritania. Largely dependent on food imports, Yemen is on the cusp of a humanitarian crisis. It is probably too much to expect the Houthis and their supporters to lay down their arms. Previous cease-fires have collapsed after Saudi Arabia detected alleged infringements and re-launched airstrikes. This cease-fire can theoretically be renewed; it is an open question whether it will be. The U.S. strategy should be to maintain a cease-fire that could be brokered into a power-sharing arrangement in the north. Hadi, Washingtons and Saudi Arabias man, technically controls from his Riyadh hotel suite the majority of Yemen territory. Unfortunately that land is the empty part of Yemen, with perhaps a population of only 3 million. The Houthi-Saleh alliance controls much less of the ground, but the mountainous part is militarily defensible. Additionally, this territory is home to more than 20 million people, the bulk of the countrys population. The partition of Yemen, a return to Ibn Sauds deathbed wish, should have a clear logic for all sides. The south wants it. Hadi himself may prefer it. The crucial local foreign power in the south, the UAE, is also said to think it is the best option. Distracted by its involvements elsewhere, Iran may not oppose it. It may depend on whether Saudi Arabia and, more particularly, its defense minister and deputy crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, can be convinced of the wisdom of his grandfathers deathbed words. Barring another outrage in Yemen with civilian casualties or a terrorist attack in the United States, Washingtons efforts over the next few months of political transition at home are likely to be limited. But the problem of Yemen, or of the two Yemens, will be waiting for the next U.S. president. Photo credit: MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images When Tycho released Epoch, an album of genial, panoramic, wordless rock, at the end of September, it sped to No. 1 on the Billboard Electronic/Dance Albums chart. This may have surprised no one more than Tycho founder/brainchild Scott Hansen. "I make instrumental music," he tells Billboard over the phone from San Francisco. "I never expected any of this." Although Epoch has little in common with the big-tent electronic music near it on the chart - The Chainsmokers' Bouquet or DJ Snake's Encore - Hansen suggests the success of those artists and their predecessors in part cleared the way for Epoch's No. 1 debut. "EDM has trained a new generation of listeners' ears to accept a much broader range of what equals a song," he explains. "EDM has become top 40 stuff: those sounds, those styles, those ways of thinking about song structure - even thinking that vocals aren't necessarily the central element - those ideas have made their way into popular culture. That helps bands like us find their way in." Tycho started years ago as a solo drum and bass project. A DJ friend in college introduced Hansen to the dance music sub-genre, where music hovers near 170 beats per minute. "I've always been good about interfacing with machines," Hansen says. "But that never seemed like a gateway to being able to make music. I never made the connection that music could be made with machines - that was what drum and bass was for me." He gravitated to the more delicate edge of drum and bass: artists like Roni Size, whose 1997 album New Forms was awarded the Mercury Prize, and Photek. But Hansen struggled to create the music on his own. "When I was trying to make drum and bass, it always felt like a struggle for me," he says. "I was just trying to get anywhere near what these guys sounded like. I kept making this other stuff I couldn't put my finger on that just flowed really well. Then somebody gave me Boc Maxima, the tape by Boards of Canada." "This is it," he realized. "This is my thing." The first Tycho record, Past Is Prologue, arrived in 2006, seemingly by accident. "That first record, I was like, 'that was cool, but I don't know how I would do that again,'" Hansen recalls. He worked on the follow-up, Dive, on and off for several years while focusing on his career in interface design for software. In 2010, Tycho went to Burning Man for the first time, and had an experience that seems destined for a Burning Man promotional pamphlet, if such a thing existed. "I was drifting away from electronic music," Hansen remembers. "I wasn't even sure if I was going to do this anymore." In the Nevada desert, he went to a sunrise set and rediscovered his love for the form. Soon after, he quit his job at Adobe, to focus full time on his side projects - a T-shirt and poster job and a design blog. He also decided to finish Dive. (This year, he DJ'd his fourth sunrise set in a row at the festival.) When Dive came out in 2011, it set the trajectory for Tycho. "That was when the sound crystallized," Hansen says. He was tapped by Little Dragon to open for them on tour shortly after the album's release. "I put together a band, and we've never stopped going since then," he continues. The tour experience informed 2014's Awake - "I wanted to make something more visceral, translating the live show into an album - but Epoch reaches back to Dive once again. "This album was about taking the detailed work and textures of Dive and taking the energy of some parts of Awake and trying to combine those," Hansen says. The songs on Epoch undulate smoothly, full of the serene shine beloved by crossover indie rock bands like Phoenix. There's little distortion, lots of space and polish in the mix, and all the ebbs, flows, and pacing of pop music - just no vocals. As the record was progressing, Hansen noticed that more acts he admired were embracing the surprise album release. "It became clear somewhere along the line that this is the future of how to put out music," he remembers. Tycho's Epoch subsequently appeared in September without a pre-announcement - though "Division" and "Epoch" were released ahead of time, so a vigilant fan might have expected that something was in the works. "With Radiohead, when A Moon Shaped Pool came out, it helped me see the album as a singular body of work," Hansen explains. "I think that's something we gained by putting [Epoch] out that way." He's also excited about the possibility of continuous self-editing in the streaming age, citing the example of Kanye West's The Life Of Pablo. "Artists have taken back a little bit more control," Hansen says. "I felt pretty comfortable putting out the single version of 'Division' even though I felt like it wasn't really where I wanted it to be. We can always update it later. I wasn't as afraid to let go." In the end, he didn't change "Division." "What you need is the proverbial feather," he explains. "It helps you let go, it helps you have confidence, and then you realize you didn't need it at all." By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - T-shirts inspired by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's "such a nasty woman" comment on Democrat Hillary Clinton in Wednesday night's debate were flying off internet retailers' shelves, offering a possible hint on the Nov. 8 election result. Sellers said on Thursday that demand came swiftly and was unrivaled minutes after the final debate ended. "I have had nonstop orders since last night," Pennsylvania part-time graphic designer Naheed Snyder said of her T-shirt, designed simply with the words "Nasty women vote," selling on Etsy. "It's unbelievable how well this one has done... there's no comparison." Merchandise retailers typically see a profit boost during election season as voters on both sides seek to wear support for their candidates, particularly around conventions, voting and this year, debates. Traffic to Teespring.com, a website that allows users to create, sell and buy personalized T-shirts, spiked 40 percent during the second presidential debate and 120 percent in the third debate, the company said. Merchandise promoting the Republican candidate was steadily higher earlier in the race, said Maheesh Jain, co-founder of online customizable merchandise retailer CafePress. Some of the most popular items included the slogans "I am a deplorable" and "Hillary for prison." At a fundraiser in September, Clinton said Trump had given voice to hateful rhetoric through his behavior as a candidate, and that "you can put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the 'basket of deplorables.'" The following day she said she regretted saying "half" and that she had been "grossly generalistic." In the last two weeks, after the release of Trump's 2005 lewd remarks toward women and an onslaught of women accusing him of sexual harassment or assault, the items have declined in popularity, Jain said. Trump has apologized for the remarks and denied the accusations. "Right now, we're definitely seeing a lot more Hillary merchandise selling than Trump merchandise," said Jain. Sales of pro-Clinton merchandise last week were 53.5 percent higher than for Trump, Jain said. After the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday, Trump's "nasty woman" comment gave life to a new merchandise line aimed at assailing him. "If Hillary Clinton is a nasty woman for being most likely our next president, maybe that's not such a bad thing," said Amanda Brinkman, who runs the online feminist-centered accessory shop Google Ghost. "Maybe that's something you should wear as a badge of honor." Brinkman's "Nasty Woman" T-shirt, featuring the phrase with a heart around it, sold more than 6,000 times since she designed and posted it during Wednesday's debate. The second most-popular item in her store's history, a pen, at its peak garnered 25 sales in a single day. Brinkman, from New Orleans, said she is donating half of the proceeds to reproductive healthcare provider Planned Parenthood, which Trump opposes because it offers abortions. "I thought it only made sense to use his own words to sell a product that would then benefit Planned Parenthood," Brinkman said. In past elections, Jain said, her company had seen a direct link between the most merchandise sold and the candidate that won the election. "Typically, whoever is winning in the sales column will win the election," Jain said. "Right now, we're seeing Clinton winning the election." (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Scott Malone (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday ordered Virginia to reopen its voter registration window and allow residents to continue to sign up through midnight Friday, after its online registration portal was unavailable to many users earlier this week. U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton's order came in response to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by the activist New Virginia Education Fund, which complained that the state's online voter registration portal had worked erratically in the days leading up to the state's initial Monday deadline to register. The lawsuit argued that the problems risked illegally denying thousands of people the right to vote in the Nov. 8 election. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe this year restored the right to vote to thousands of ex-felons, a move seen as potentially tipping what had been a traditional Republican stronghold in Democrats' favor. "I am pleased that the court has agreed with the request to extend Virginia's voter registration period after unprecedented web traffic prevented many people from completing their registrations online before the original deadline," McAuliffe, a Democrat, said in a statement on Thursday. "The Commonwealth will fully comply with the court's order and extend our registration process online, in person and through the mail." State law gives the power to extend voting registration to the legislature, so McAuliffe had been unable to act until the judge's ruling, noted Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond School of Law. The Republican-controlled legislature had declined to take any action following the flurry of complaints on Monday. "The real question is if this leaves enough time to get the word out to people who had been blocked from registering and may not know that the issue has been resolved," Tobias added. Shortly after the judge's decision was handed down in an Alexandria courtroom, the state's Department of Elections updated its Web site to show the new deadline. Representatives of the New Virginia fund did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Recent polls show Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton leading Republican New York real estate developer Donald Trump in the state. The decision comes the week after a judge in North Carolina gave residents in counties hard hit by Hurricane Matthew additional time to register to vote. Similar steps were also taken in parts of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida following the storm. The U.K. is set to pardon thousands of men convicted in the past for engaging in consensual same-sex acts, in a move that will see the name of many who were convicted for conduct no longer deemed criminal posthumously cleared. The BBC reports that the so-called Turing law comes three years after computer scientist Alan Turing, who broke Nazi German codes during World War II, received a royal pardon for his 1952 gross indecency conviction. Living people who have been found guilty of these offenses can also apply to the British Home Office to have their relevant criminal records cleared subject to a vetting process and receive a legal pardon if their application is successful. British Justice Minister Sam Gyimah said that it was hugely important to pardon people convicted of historical sexual offense who would be innocent of any crime today, according to the BBC. However, he stressed that investigations prior to any living people receiving their pardon would be necessary, as a blanket pardon as proposed by an MP in a Parliament bill might see those convicted for still illegal acts be forgiven alongside those convicted for now-legal acts. Consensual sexual acts between men over the age of 21 were decriminalized in England and Wales in 1967. The changes were applied to Scotland in 1980, and Northern Ireland in 1982. [BBC] By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pushed on Thursday for the 193-member General Assembly to hold a rare emergency special session on Syria since a deadlocked Security Council has failed to take action to end the nearly six-year war. Under a 1950 resolution, an emergency special session can be called for the General Assembly to consider a matter "with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures" if the Security Council fails to act. "I call on all of you to cooperate and fulfill your collective responsibility to protect," Ban said. "I regret that the Security Council has failed to discharge its responsibilities to uphold peace and security for Syria." Russia, a Syrian ally that has been providing military backing to the Syrian government for the past year, has vetoed five Security Council resolutions on Syria since 2011. China joined Moscow in vetoing the first four resolutions. Ban and U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura informally briefed the General Assembly on Thursday at the request of Canada and more than a third of U.N. states. In its request letter, Canada said one aim of the meeting was to see if there was enough support for an emergency special session. Such a session can be called by an assembly majority or nine members of the 15-member Security Council. Only 10 such sessions have been convened, and the last time the General Assembly met in such a session was in 2009 on Israeli actions in occupied Palestinian territories. An emergency special session of the General Assembly could adopt a resolution on Syria recommending action. "The General Assembly doesn't want to be mute; it's clear now. The General Assembly wants to express its frustration and to have a strong call for action," Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion told Reuters ahead of the meeting on Thursday. Human Rights Watch executive director Ken Roth said that at a mininum a General Assembly resolution should condemn the targeting of civilians and insist on the lifting of sieges. "We would like to see one step further which is that it create a prosecutor," he told Reuters. "If you had a prosecutor they could begin to collect the evidence and make ready to go cases." International outrage has grown since Syrian government forces, supported by Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes, announced a major offensive to capture the rebel-held part of Aleppo city in late September that has killed hundreds. Russia told the United Nations on Thursday it would stop bombing Aleppo for 11 hours a day for four days. "It is not, and must never become, praiseworthy to refrain from committing atrocities. One cannot get credit for an eight- or 11-hour break in months of merciless bombing," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said on Thursday. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin was critical of U.N. officials and states for failing to focus on the fight against terrorism in Syria, where Islamic State militants have taken advantage of the chaos to seize territory. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's government must "clearly demonstrate" its political will and commitment to better protect the Indian Ocean island's minorities by taking urgent steps to resolve post-war issues, a United Nations rights expert said on Thursday. Since the end of a 26-year war in May 2009, successive Sri Lankan governments have yet to take strong action to ensure minority rights. Several religious places were attacked during the tenure of former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, defeated in a January 2015 election by President Maithripala Sirisena. Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party, once Rajapaksa's power base, now governs in coalition with the United National Party (UNP), led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. A visit by Rita Izsak-Ndiaye, the UN special rapporteur on minority issues, comes amid complaints of rights violations by ethnic minority Tamils and Muslims. They say the situation in former war zones in Sri Lanka's north and east has hardly changed, despite the new government's promises to take action immediately to remedy the problems. "The government must put in place some urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political will and commitment to better protect the dignity, identity, equality," of minorities, Izsak-Ndiaye told reporters. She called for government efforts to return to its owners land occupied by the military, either charge or release those detained over security matters, and "visible steps" to transfer military powers to civilian authorities, among other measures. "In all my discussions, demilitarization, release of prisoners, and issues of land returns frequently and prominently featured," she said in the capital, Colombo, after wrapping up a 10-day official visit. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in September urged Sri Lanka to do more to redress wrongs committed during the war with Tamil rebels, including restoring the accountability of the judiciary and security services. Although Sri Lanka, under Rajapaksa, crushed the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, the United Nations accuses the military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, during the final weeks of the war. Through a U.N. resolution, Sri Lanka agreed last year to tackle war crimes and make efforts toward reconciliation. The Tamil Tigers were also accused of violating human rights during the conflict. Sri Lanka's population of 21 million is predominantly Buddhist, but ethnic Tamils, who are mostly Hindu, make up 18 percent, and Muslims account for 7 percent. (Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Additional reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) SAsian women leaders meet with focus on empowerment Women entrepreneurs have called for policies that create a conducive environment for women to thrive both in politics and economy, as a regional conference aimed at enhancing leadership and economic empowerment of South Asian women kicked off on Wednesday. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will seek an explanation from the Philippines for President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement of a "separation" from Washington, the State Department said on Thursday, calling the remarks baffling and at odds with the two countries' close relationship. Duterte said during a visit to China on Thursday that "America has lost" in military and economic ties with the Philippines and "I announce my separation from the United States." "We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the U.S.," said State Department spokesman John Kirby. "It's not clear to us exactly what that means in all its ramifications." (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and David Alexander; Editing by Doina Chiacu) For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS. By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S.-based financial innovation start-up R3, along with 12 global banks, have completed the test of a cross-border payment system powered by blockchain technology and developed by financial technology company Ripple. Ripple, a U.S.-based provider of blockchain-based banking payments technology, said in a statement on Thursday that R3 and 12 of its member banks used Ripple's XRP currency in a cross-border transaction to enhance liquidity in real time, creating savings as much as 60 percent of the liquidity cost in cross-border payments. R3 is leading a consortium of more than 60 of the world's largest financial institutions created to develop commercial applications of blockchain technology for the financial services industry. Banks involved in the trial include Barclays, BMO Financial Group, CIBC, Intesa Sanpaolo, Macquarie Group, National Australia Bank, Natixis, Nordea, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Santander, Scotiabank, and Westpac Banking Corp. In cross-border transactions, banks typically provide liquidity for payments by holding various currencies in local or correspondent bank accounts around the world, known as "nostro accounts." Holding various currencies across many accounts is costly, Ripple said, because banks have to fund those accounts. "The exercise we did with R3 is to show to a group of banks in a controlled environment how XRP can be used by financial institutions to rebalance their liquidity positions all over the world," said Nilesh Dusane, vice president for client relations at Ripple in an interview with Reuters. In the cross-border test, banks used the XRP currency to form part of the liquidity needed in nostro accounts, instead of the actual currencies needed for the payment. Ripple's XRP can be converted into traditional currencies. The trial demonstrated that Ripple's technology could enable banks to make markets for fiat currencies such as dollars and euros using XRP and then complete authenticated payments in real time without multiple "nostro" accounts. Story continues "Because of the real-time nature of the transaction, a bank making cross-border payments can do this instantly instead of figuring out where the collateral would come from or blocking up collateral that they may not need," Dusane said. Ripple's XRP currency is currently being traded in digital asset exchanges around the world. One XRP was equivalent to $0.0087 mid-morning on Thursday, according to coinmarketcap.com. Volume over the last 24 hours was about $6 million. Blockchain technology powers the digital currency bitcoin, enabling data sharing across a network of individual computers. It has gained immense popularity because it can record and track assets across practically all industries. (Editing by Steve Orlofsky) When you go to China, you have to rethink how you do everything. You have to start from scratch. In many ways you have to become Chinese, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick remarked at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco on Wednesday. On August 1, Uber sold its China operations to native competitor Didi Chuxing Technology Co. Though it was packaged as a failure for Uber, Kalanick tried to argue otherwise. You can make the argument that its very clear that our investment is worth $7 billion now. Thats a good return in two years time. We feel pretty good about our efforts there. We feel very good about our partnership that we have now, he said. Kalanick first started testing the ride-hailing app in Beijing in early 2013. He gathered his best people a team of six or seven people and camped out in an apartment for a couple weeks and launched seven months later. During those few months, Uber invested over $2 billion into the country. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Then, in August, Uber sold its China business to Didi in exchange for a 20% stake in the company. We thought it would be super interesting and maybe impossible for us to go and do a transportation thing in China. China is just so different than the rest of the world, he noted. He warned the audience: When you go into China thinking you know how to do something, youre going to get your ass handed to you. You have to think of everything as different until proven otherwise. [You] have to break everything down and then build the thing back up. He said he doesnt see the partnership as defeat or success; it was, rather, a learning experience, and as a Didi board member, hes looking forward to exploring the country even further. It is what it is. [Getting into China] was a wild, amazing, entrepreneurial journey for us, for me. Though Silicon Valley is seen as the north star for innovation now, Kalanick said it would be foolish for fellow entrepreneurs to neglect the other global hubs for creativity and disruption. Story continues I call it the three bays: The Bay Area, Beijing and Bangalore. Youd better start spending time in China. Melody Hahm is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm. Read more: The No. 1 quality for an entrepreneur to have, according to VC legend Michael Moritz Top WaPo editor reveals how Jeff Bezos changed the paper 3 tech luminaries reveal what theyd do if they had a Trump donor on their board Why this female entrepreneur is endorsing Trump for president LONDON (Reuters) - The surcharge tax on profits of Britain's banks should be scrapped and the reduced scope of the existing levy on bank balance sheets introduced sooner than planned, a top banking industry official said on Thursday. Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association, said taxes on banks should be "normalised". The date for reducing the scope of the levy on banks' balance sheets, introduced after the financial crisis, should be brought forward to the current parliament, he told the BBA's annual conference in London. A separate surcharge on banks' profits should be a temporary measure, he said. "The banking corporate tax surcharge should be phased out as soon as possible," Browne said. (Reporting by Huw Jones, editing by John Geddie) By William James and Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - The British government will do whatever is needed to ensure the stability of the financial services sector and markets during the process of negotiating Britain's exit from the European Union, Brexit minister David Davis said on Thursday. Britain's vote to leave the EU has rattled financial institutions based in London, raising the issue of whether they will have to relocate some or all of their operations to maintain access to the bloc's single market. That has raised concerns that financial stability could be undermined, with regulators in Britain and Europe liaising over how to minimize this risk. Addressing those concerns, Davis told lawmakers the financial sector, often referred to as the City of London, would be of "great importance" in the Brexit negotiations. "We have to treat as absolutely central to what we do maintaining the stability of both the City, but also the European financial markets ... we will therefore do anything necessary," he said in parliament. Banks have warned about a "cliff edge" effect, meaning disruptions to links between banks in London and their corporate customers on the continent and legal uncertainty over existing and new financial contracts. When asked about a possible transitional arrangement designed to cover such a gap between Britain completing its exit talks and agreeing a new trade deal with the bloc -- something the financial sector is lobbying for -- he said all options were being examined. "In the financial sector, as in other sectors, at the point of exit from the European Union, the standards, all the conventions, all of the regulations will be identical, so the transition should be capable of being managed very cleanly," Davis said. Andreas Dombret, an executive board member of Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, said he did not expect financial stability in Europe to be undermined in the medium to long term due to Brexit. There could be some short-term disruptions, however. "In a transition period, there could well be a time when things become more costly and when not all products are available all the time with the same sort of competition," Dombret told reporters in London. BRAINPOWER With immigration controls high on the government's list of priorities, banks in London are also worried about not being able to continue hiring foreign workers after Brexit. But Davis said it would not be in Britain's national interest to restrict the free movement of highly talented people. "Clearly it is not going to be in the national interest to restrict the movement of talent, the free movement of brainpower. You can be very, very confident that we will not be limiting highly intelligent, highly capable people's access," Davis told parliament. Separately, the City of London, which administers the "Square Mile", Europe's biggest financial center, published a report it commissioned from consultants PwC which proposed a system of "regional visas" to allow sectors like finance, healthcare and agriculture to selectively hire foreign workers. "This is not a London solution to a national problem, but actually something that can support growth outside of the capital across a wide variety of sectors," City of London policy chief Mark Boleat said. Just over 30 percent of the Square Mile's staff come from abroad, with 12 percent from Europe, the City of London said. The PwC report outlined two possible models for discussion -- regional visas that would be governed jointly by local authorities and business, and another that would be governed by a UK government agency. "We'll certainly take into account representations from London and from other devolved areas, but clearly we need to come up with a policy that works for the whole of the UK," said Robin Walker, a junior minister in the Brexit department, when asked about the regional visa proposal. (Additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan and John Geddie; Editing by Stephen Addison and Catherine Evans) By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is to pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men who were convicted of crimes under sexual offense laws which have now been abolished, following on from the 2013 exoneration of celebrated World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing. Homosexual acts were not decriminalized in England until 1967 and it was not until 2001 that the age of consent for homosexuals was reduced to 16, bringing it into line with the law governing heterosexuals. Lord John Sharkey, who has been pushing the government to issue pardons, said some 65,000 men had been convicted under the now-repealed laws, of which 15,000 were still alive. The government said anyone who had been found guilty of consensual homosexual sex would have their names cleared, and for those still living, the offences would be removed from any criminal record checks via a "disregard process". "It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today," said Justice Minister Sam Gyimah. The pardon plan has been dubbed "Turing's Law" in reference to the brilliant wartime mathematician who cracked Nazi Germany's "unbreakable" Enigma code. He was stripped of his job and chemically castrated after being convicted of gross indecency in 1952 for having sex with a man, and killed himself two years later, aged 41. After years of campaigning by supporters including physicist Stephen Hawking, Turing was granted a rare royal pardon from Queen Elizabeth in 2013. WHAT ABOUT OSCAR WILDE? "Alan Turing just so, so deserves this," his niece Rachel Barnes told BBC radio. "To think that this is the man who cracked the enigma code and saved countless of millions of lives during World War Two and to think of the treatments that he went through at the hands of the government in 1952 is still unbelievable to us." Another of those prosecuted under the legislation used against Turing was Irish playwright Oscar Wilde in 1895 during a Victorian clampdown on homosexuality. He was sentenced to two years labor. However, the Guardian newspaper said it was not clear whether Wilde would be included in those pardoned as the Ministry of Justice has said that no new individuals would be named or singled out. No comment from the ministry was immediately available. One man who was convicted of gross indecency in 1974, said he would not accept a pardon and wanted an apology. "To accept a pardon means you accept that you were guilty. I was not guilty of anything. I was only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, George Montague told BBC TV. Lord Sharkey said a pardon was "probably the best way of acknowledging the real harm done by the unjust and cruel homophobic laws". "I hope that a lot of people will feel exactly the same way," he told BBC radio. (Editing by Stephen Addison) SC show cause to CIAA over Social Science Baha issue The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice to the Commission for Investigation and Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Lalitpur District Administration Office (DAO) in relation to a corruption charge against the Social Science Baha, a non-profit organisation involved in research in the social sciences in Nepal. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Colombia's government and FARC rebels must reach a new political deal quickly to prevent the peace process from unraveling, the UN envoy warned Wednesday. The historic peace accord that ended the decades-old conflict suffered a setback when it was rejected in a referendum earlier this month, sending both sides back to the drawing board for fresh negotiations. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said he will extend a ceasefire with the FARC until December 31 and hopes to have a new agreement before that date. "We need an agreement fairly quickly because while we are absolutely convinced that the two sides at the highest level have made a decision to end the war, things can start to unravel," Jean Arnault, the UN envoy for Colombia, told a news conference. "We all know we need to move towards a political agreement as soon as possible," he said, urging a "serious effort" to reach out to those who voted 'no' in the referendum. Arnault stressed that while there was strong agreement by all sides that there should be no return to war, the referendum outcome had injected uncertainty in the process. The envoy, who also heads a new UN mission to monitor the ceasefire, said the deployment of monitors would continue to reinforce peace efforts. "There is a sense of uncertainty so further deployment of the UN mission to observe the ceasefire will be an important factor," he said. The Security Council on Tuesday agreed that the UN mission could continue to monitor the ceasefire after both sides made that a request and asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to come up with recommendations on that mechanism. Arnault said Ban will recommend that the mission continue its verification work, but it will not begin work on disarmament of the FARC rebels until a new agreement is in place. About 400 UN monitors will be deployed in some 50-60 sites throughout the country. Under the peace accord that was rejected in the referendum, the FARC's estimated 7,500 fighters are to disarm under UN supervision. Santos launched talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after taking office in 2010, with the two sides sealing a historic deal on August 24 to end the conflict, which has claimed 260,000 lives. Geneva (AFP) - Medical evacuations from Aleppo could begin Friday, the UN said, confirming that a humanitarian truce in the devastated Syrian city had been extended. The pause in fighting in the besieged rebel-held east of the city began at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) on Thursday, but the United Nations said it was not able to dispatch aid convoys or begin evacuations on day one of the truce because warring parties had not provided security guarantees. Speaking in Geneva, the head of the UN's humanitarian taskforce for Syria, Jan Egeland, said he hoped those in most urgent need of care could be taken out on Friday by the World Health Organization and Red Cross. "We believe we now have all of the green lights that we need both from the Russians and the government and from the armed opposition groups," Egeland told reporters. He cautioned, however, that "this is Syria, so everything can go wrong at every possible opportunity." The tentative evacuation plan was announced after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and their key backer Russia agreed to extend the truce through Saturday. They intially promises just a one day pause. Syria, which announced the extension on state media Wednesday, has offered an eight-hour daily truce. Russia has promised to halt its bombardment for 11 hours each day, said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN's humanitarian office (OCHA) in Geneva. Egeland said Russia was weighing a UN request to push the truce through to the end of Sunday. Those evacuated from eastern Aleppo will have the choice of being taken to the city's government-controlled west, or to Idlib, which is in opposition hands, Egeland told reporters. If the truce holds, hundreds of people could be evacuated from eastern Aleppo with their families, the UN official added. Egeland also said that aid trucks stuck near the Turkish border for weeks could also reach eastern Aleppo, delivering medical and food supplies to civilians in grave need of relief. Story continues Eastern Aleppo has effectively been cut off from humanitarian aid since July 7 when regime forces seized the last supply route. Since then, civilians have faced severe water, food and medicine shortages while enduring bombardments from regime and Russian forces that have affected nearly every medical facility in the city's east, according to the UN. - Broader Aleppo plan - The UN's Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, stressed that the temporary pause initiated by Russia was welcome but still inadequate and restated his plan to ease the crisis in eastern Aleppo. That includes a total halt in Russian and Syrian bombing and the withdrawal of fighters from the former Al-Qaeda affiliate, the Fateh al-Sham Front -- formerly known as Al-Nusra. Russia and Syria have used the jihadists' presence in eastern Aleppo as justification for their continued assault. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f252344%2f4160a0a588db4db78889dcbb5fca620f The sprawling Sundarbans, home of the Bengal tiger and pristine mangroves, could become a toxic dumping ground if a massive coal plant is built near its borders, a United Nations agency warned this week. The 1,320-megawatt Rampal plant under construction in Bangladesh would "irreversibly damage" the World Heritage Site if built as planned, UNESCO's World Heritage Center said Tuesday in a joint report with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The two organizations formally recommended that Rampal's developers cancel the project and move it to a safer location. They also recommended that Bangladesh halt development of the Orion Khulna coal plant, a 660-megawatt facility in the vicinity of the Sundarbans. SEE ALSO: The Great Barrier Reef isn't dead, despite its viral obituary The U.N.-backed report is the result of a months-long research mission to determine how the coal projects and other developments would affect the World Heritage site. It also comes as major environmental groups such as Sierra Club and 350.org are lobbying to scrap the plants. "There is a very substantial threat of air pollution and water pollution," Fanny Douvere, who coordinates the World Heritage Center's marine program, told Mashable. "A lot of the things that are being proposed for Rampal would not be permitted elsewhere where there are higher [environmental] standards," she said by phone from Paris. The Sundarbans lie on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. Image: IUCN/Mizuki Murai Rampal is being built just 14 kilometers, or 8.7 miles, from the boundary of the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. Spanning 140,000 hectares in Bangladesh and India on the Bay of Bengal, the Sundarbans are home to critically endangered species such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Ganges and Irrawaddy river dolphins, and estuarine crocodiles. The Sundarbans were deemed a World Heritage site in 1987 for their 'outstanding universal value,' meaning the forest is one of the most remarkable places in nature. Story continues The coal plant's developer, Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Co. Ltd., is a joint venture between major power companies in both nations. The governments of India and Bangladesh, which are heavily subsidizing the $1.82 billion coal plant, insist the project is safe. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdury, a top energy adviser in Bangladesh, said Rampal would have no adverse impact on the Sundarbans, Bangladeshi media reported in July. Map of Sundarbans National Park in Bangladesh. Image: Wikicommons Douvere said she and her partners at IUCN met with the plant's developers and government officials during a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh in March. The team ultimately found the coal plant would pose at least four substantial threats to the area. The first and second threats include air and water pollution from dirty smokestacks, windblown coal ash and power plant wastewater and waste ash that could blow or leak into the nearby Sundarbans. Third, building and operating the plant will require significant dredging and shipping that could destroy dolphin habitats and biodiversity. It may also strain the forest's freshwater flow, which is drastically declining as rising sea levels, port developments and increased shipping activities cause saltwater intrusion. The fourth threat is the cumulative impact of all the industrial and related development infrastructure, such as barges to move the coal and facilities to store it, plus transmission lines to carry the plant's electricity to cities. The World Heritage site is not permanently inhabited, but an estimated 6.5 million people depend directly or indirectly on the wider Sundarbans ecosystem. Image: IUCN/Mizuki Murai On top of this, the government's Environmental Impact Assessment of Rampal fails to identify the measures or procedures needed to avoid these impacts, said Remco Van Merm, the conservation officer at IUCN's World Heritage program. The assessment "further reinforces IUCN's conclusion that this development is likely to have a negative impact on the environment," he told Mashable by email. Destroying parts of the Sundarbans could eventually cause the local extinction of several endangered species, Van Merm added. It may also make local communities more vulnerable to storms, floods and cyclones as the protective forest buffer disappears. "Only intact healthy ecosystems can continue to efficiently provide these services," he said. The Rampal coal plant isn't just a threat to the environment: It also poses a large financial risk, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a Cleveland-based research group, said in a June report. The institute said electricity rates in Bangladesh are expected to rise to help offset the costs of the plant. At the same time, energy demand isn't likely to be high enough to keep the plant running at full capacity, meaning the plant could earn less money than expected. Rampal coal power plant site; Wikimapia image accessed May 2016. Image: Sourcewatch "The proposed Rampal power plant is fraught with unacceptable risk, out of step with the times, and would set Bangladesh back," the institute said in its report. Rampal's sole debt backer is the Export-Import Bank of India, which has committed a $1.6 billion loan to build the plant, according to BankTrack, a global network of non-governmental organizations that tracks the private financial sector. Other financial backers are indirectly involved in the coal plant as shareholders, bondholders or underwriters through NTPC, India's largest power utility, or the import-export bank , Yann Louvel, BankTrack's climate and energy campaign coordinator, told Mashable. Douvere of the World Heritage Center noted that Tuesday's report is not a blanket recommendation against all coal plants in Bangladesh. "We're not saying the country shouldn't have any coal power plants," she said. "But it's very much a problem when it is going to jeopardize the 'outstanding universal value' of a place." (Reuters) - The union for faculty at 14 of Pennsylvania's state colleges said on Wednesday their strike would continue until they reach a deal in negotiations on pay and benefits, after professors walked off the job and left 100,000 students in the lurch. Some 5,500 professors and other workers began the strike at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 GMT) on Wednesday. Contract talks between the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) and Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education have been going on for two years. The strike has affected about 100,000 students at schools from West Chester University near Philadelphia to California University outside Pittsburgh. The APSCUF in a message on Twitter on Wednesday evening said the strike would continue on Thursday and last until "negotiators reach a contract." "Speaking of a contract, we will let you know when negotiations resume," the union said in a follow-up tweet. "We are ready to return to the table!" The union said it proposed a wage package smaller than those given to other state employees and offered healthcare concessions in excess of $50 million, which the school system rejected. School system officials said they had offered a new proposal that included raises for permanent and temporary faculty and a healthcare package identical to what other state employees receive in order to avert a strike. The walkout, which involves full-time and part-time faculty, comes amid a protracted struggle by graduate student workers across the United States to unionize and receive better pay. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has urged both sides to return to the bargaining table. The governor said he had increased funding to the state system by more than $30 million in the past two years to offset cuts made under the previous administration. "Everyone's top priority should be the students and their families who are counting on an agreement to ensure Pennsylvania continues to deliver on its promise to provide a world-class college education," he said in a statement. Story continues In a video posted on Twitter by West Chester University of Pennsylvania Professor Casey Bohrman, a couple dozen people could been seen picketing in front of a school building. Students and alumni chimed in on social media, some showing support and others making light of the work stoppage. "Bring back chips and pickles or we strike!!@BUCampusDining," Cecilia Nguyen, who identified herself as a Bloomsburg student, wrote. (Reporting by Laila Kearney and Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Scott Malone, Tom Brown and Michael Perry) When Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) released its third-quarter earnings report before the markets opened on Thursday, it said that it had $1.36 in earnings per share (EPS) and $5.2 billion in revenue. The consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters had called for $1.39 in EPS and revenue of $5.18 billion. In the third quarter of the previous year, it reported EPS of $1.50 and $5.56 billion in revenue. In terms of the outlook for the year, the company believes that the macroeconomic environment still has some challenges in the form of an unstable global economy, the relatively strong U.S. dollar and continued soft demand for consumer goods. However, certain segments of the economy, such as grain and energy, are showing signs of life. ALSO READ: The 10 States With the Worst Gun Violence Closing out 2016 and heading into next year, Union Pacific is optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead. In the coming months it will continue to do what Union Pacific does best: operate a safe, efficient and productive network while providing an excellent customer experience and delivering solid shareholder returns. In terms of the freight revenues for the third quarter, the company reported: Agricultural Products up 6% to $937 million Chemicals down 1% to $875 million Automotive down 8% to $485 million Intermodal down 9% to $855 million Industrial Products down 13% to $855 million Coal down 19% to $728 million Lance Fritz, Union Pacific's board chair, president and chief executive, commented: ALSO READ: Why Ford's Plan to Suspend F-150 Production Will Inflame Pickup Price War Continued momentum from our productivity initiatives, as well as positive core pricing, helped partially offset the decline in total carload volumes. While many of the same volume challenges have continued throughout the year, we are keeping a laser focus on our six value tracks. This strategy ensures we provide our customers with an excellent value proposition and service experience, while efficiently and safely managing our resources. Story continues Shares of Union Pacific were trading down 5.5% at $92.74 on Thursday, with a consensus analyst price target of $100.68 and a 52-week trading range of $67.06 to $98.84. Related Articles Early voting in Ohio A US district court ruled Wednesday that Ohio must allow most unlawfully purged voters to vote in November. The decision came after a September ruling in which a Cincinnati-based appeals court declared the removal of some 2 million qualified but inactive voters from the voter registration rolls illegal. "If those who were unlawfully removed from the voter rolls are not allowed to vote, then the Secretary of State is continuing to to disenfranchise voters in violation of federal law," wrote Judge George Smith, who serves at the Southern District of Ohio. Over the last several years, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted cancelled the registration of voters who did not update their registration or vote over six years, as well as removing deceased voters and duplicate registrations from the rolls. Voters removed are sent a confirmation form when they are removed. The appeals court said in September that the forms provided do "nothing to correct the fact that Ohio has, for years, been removing voters from the rolls because they failed to respond to forms that are blatantly non-compliant." Ohio Voting rights groups has pushed to restore the voting rights of illegal purged voters, and even sued Ohio's elections chief. The state proposed to the district court to only allow a small amount of purged voters to vote. The district court turned down the state's plan. The final decision lets anyone purged since 2011 and anyone who has moved within their county to vote. Husted told The Cincinatti Enquirer that the state will abide by the decision. Our main concern was to protect the integrity of the election by not having to reinstate deceased voters, those who moved out of state, or are otherwise ineligible. We will fully comply with the judges order to count votes of people who remain eligible in their original county and continue to focus on the important work of administering a smooth election, he said in a statement. Story continues As early voting is underway in the crucial swing state, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are polling tightly, with Clinton slightly trailing Trump with 44% to 48%, according to new CNN/ORC polls. NOW WATCH: Clinton opens up a massive lead against Trump, with lopsided support from a key voting demographic More From Business Insider Rome (AFP) - US Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Thursday dismissed Donald Trump's claim the upcoming presidential election could be rigged in favour of Hillary Clinton. Speaking in Rome just before Trump's latest controversial comments on the subject, the top US justice official said there was no reason to think that there was a realistic risk of false ballots being cast in significant numbers, voters being impeded or counts being falsified. Trump has repeatedly claimed the American establishment is so desperate for Clinton to win the election that the result could somehow be doctored in her favour. In his latest comments, in Delaware, the Republican White House hopeful said Thursday he would accept a "clear election result" next month, but reserved the right to legally challenge the outcome if he felt it was "questionable," sticking to an unprecedented defiance of US democratic norms that has drawn broad-based criticism. Lynch, asked about similar comments Trump made in Wednesday's head-to-head debate with Clinton, said the Department of Justice would consider any allegations brought to it. But she added: "At this point I don't think it is helpful to speculate about whether or not we would look into something we do not see as an actual threat." Lynch said the Justice Department was working closely with all US states to ensure their systems were secure against the risk of "hacks, attacks and the like." "We feel it is very difficult for any outside actor to affect the result. We have great confidence in our electoral system." Lynch also said that her department had been briefed by intelligence experts on Russia's apparent attempts to influence the election through its involvement in leaks seen as damaging to Clinton's cause. But she said that attempts to "impact on the hearts and minds" of voters should be distinguished from claims that the actual vote tally could be influenced by foul play. Washington (AFP) - A member of the US military was killed Thursday in a bomb blast north of Mosul, a senior US defense official said, as Iraqi forces in the region continued their push on the city. The official told AFP that the service member had died in what were likely "Mosul-related" operations, but did not provide additional details. More than 100 US troops are advising Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga as they advance toward Mosul, the Islamic State group's last stronghold in Iraq, on multiple fronts. Officials did not immediately identify the service member and the US-led coalition fighting IS said further information would be released "as appropriate" -- additional details often depend on when family members are notified of the death. An unnamed US official cited by CNN said the service member was medevaced off the battlefield but later died from the wounds. No other US troops were wounded, CNN said. The death is the fourth time a US military member has been killed in combat in Iraq since operations against IS began there in 2014. In May, Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Charles Keating was fatally shot during a pitched battle with IS near the village of Tal Asquf, north of Mosul. In April, Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin was killed by an IS rocket attack that also wounded eight Marines at an artillery position in the Makhmur area of northern Iraq. And in October last year, Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, an American special operations soldier, was killed during a joint raid with Kurdish forces against IS in Hawijah, a northern Iraqi town. In the biggest Iraqi military operation in years, forces have retaken dozens of villages, mostly south and east of Mosul, and are planning multiple fresh assaults. Sub-committee to prepare working guideline of impeachment committee A sub-committee has been formed to prepare working guideline of the parliamentary impeachment committee formed on Wednesday. Washington (AFP) - The United States and Saudi Arabia Thursday imposed sanctions on alleged Hezbollah members and financial backers, accusing them of funneling money to the Lebanese militant group or engaging in terrorism. The US Treasury Department said it targeted four individuals and one company, effectively freezing their US assets and blocking any transactions with them, while also announcing related action by Saudi Arabia. In a related action, the US State Department also blacklisted alleged Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, alias Abu Ali al-Tabatabai, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The State Department declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 1997 and long-standing US efforts have sought to disrupt the organization's funding. Founded in the 1980s in Lebanon, the Shiite militant organization and political party has provided military support to President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian conflict, and American officials blame it for attacks stretching back to the 1980s. "Hezbollah continues to plan, coordinate and execute terrorist attacks around the world, and Treasury will continue to aggressively target Hezbollah and those supporting its terrorist activities," Adam Szubin, acting Treasury under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. The US designations were imposed under an executive order issued by former president George W. Bush in the immediate aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. The men blacklisted by the Treasury included Muhammad al-Mukhtar Kallas and Hasan Jamal-al-Din, purported accountants for Hezbollah financier Adham Husayn Tabaja, as well as Yosef Ayad and Muhammad Ghaleb Hamdar, described as members of Hezbollah's External Security Organization who were accused of plotting attacks in Thailand and Peru. Kallas and al-Din worked with Tabaja to move bulk cash shipments between Lebanon and Iraq and had assisted other Hezbollah members who were already blacklisted, according to the Treasury. The Treasury also blacklisted the Tabaja-controlled company Global Cleaners, which it said had won sanitation services contracts in Baghdad. Saudi Arabia designated Kallas, al-Din and Global Cleaners under a local counterterrorism law, freezing their assets and prohibiting any commercial licenses for the men in the kingdom. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange makes a speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, in central London, Britain February 5, 2016. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo The US government quietly urged Ecuador to cut off internet access for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, according to intelligence officials who spoke with NBC News. "It was a bit of an eviction notice," one senior intelligence official said. On Tuesday, amid a trove of new Clinton leaks and hacked emails from campaign manager John Podesta, the anti-secrecy organization alleged that Secretary of State John Kerry asked for Assange's internet to be cut off as he visited Colombia last month. Citing intelligence officials, NBC News reported that the US asked Ecuador to stop "allowing Assange to carry water for Russian intelligence agencies, and that Ecuador, though run by a leftist, anti-American government, was receptive." The State Department has denied that charge. While our concerns about Wikileaks are longstanding, any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down Wikileaks is false, a spokesman told the Daily Dot. Reports that Secretary Kerry had conversations with Ecuadorian officials about this are simply untrue. Period. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Ecuador acknowledged on Tuesday it had cut off Assange's internet access due to Wikileaks attempts to interfere with the US election. It said the decision was made without any outside pressure. NOW WATCH: Why your iPhone alarm snooze is automatically set to 9 minutes More From Business Insider LAS VEGAS While assessing Donald Trumps refusal to say he would accept the election results during Wednesdays presidential debate here, CNNs Van Jones said there was no way to sugarcoat it. This is a very sad night for this country, Jones, a Democratic strategist, said. You cant polish this turd. Im sorry. Technically, you cannot polish any turd, CNN host Anderson Cooper dutifully noted. The panel including Trump campaign surrogates Kayleigh McEnany and Jeffrey Lord broke into laughter. But the discussion got heated from there. What you just got now was the nominee of a major party for the first time in our history signaling to the American people that he has so little faith in our institutions, Jones said of Trump. He has so little faith in our people, he has so little faith in our courts, he has so little faith in the Republican governors, the Republican secretaries of state, that he will not stand in front of his own country, in front of his own nation and say that he respects the process and the outcome. That is an outrage. That is an appalling lack of patriotism from this man. In the spin room, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway walked away during an interview with CNNs Dana Bash after she was asked if she was disappointed in Trumps refusal to pledge he would accept the election results. Donald Trump will accept the results of the election because hes going to win the election, so theyll be easy to, Conway said. He won the debate tonight. Amazing performance. Story continues When pressed if she would advise Trump to accept the results if he loses, Conway issued a caveat: Absent of widespread abuse and irregularities, I would say yes, but I think Ill be saying, Congratulations, Mr. President. A tribal chief and his co-defendants in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu were reportedly jailed for contempt after appearing at court while dressed in the countrys traditional attire. Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua was among the group standing trial on unspecified charges Tuesday at the countrys Supreme Court in the capital city Port Vila, reports the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper. They appeared in indigenous clothing. The judge, David Chetwynd, declared the attire contemptuous of the court (without referring to any written dress code, the paper quotes an indigenous community spokesperson as saying). He then reportedly demanded they change. Ironically, their attire bore very close resemblance to that of the Melanesian warrior featured prominently on the Vanuatuan national coat of arms. Boborenvanua, who has reportedly appeared in various places including the U.N. in his traditional attire, replied that dressing in full custom attire is more respectful to honor special occasions, according to the Daily Post. The group, first arrested last December over charges not specified by the Daily Post, are scheduled to reappear Thursday before the same judge. So far, there is no update on how they have decided to dress for this appearance. CARACAS (Reuters) - Manuel Rosales, a former opposition governor and presidential candidate in Venezuela, was granted house arrest after a year in jail, the Supreme Court said late on Wednesday without offering an explanation. Rosales was arrested in October 2015 upon his return to Venezuela from exile in Peru, six years after the government of the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez accused him of illicit enrichment. Under current president Nicolas Maduro, opposition figures including protest leader Leopoldo Lopez have been jailed on the grounds of stoking violence to overthrow his leftist administration. Opposition activist Francisco Marquez, who was jailed in June on money-laundering charges, was released this week. (Reporting by Diego Ore; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Bernadette Baum) Caracas (AFP) - Courts ruled against the Venezuelan opposition's efforts to remove the crisis-stricken country's president Nicolas Maduro, officials said, in a move that could block the recall drive for good. It was the latest blow for the center right-dominated opposition, whose aim of forcing a referendum this year through a series of preliminary petitions now looks practically impossible. Socialist President Nicolas Maduro has vowed to hold on to power in the South American oil exporter, where an economic crisis has prompted food shortages and looting. The pro-Maduro governors of the states of Apure, Aragua, Bolivar, Carabobo and Monagas announced on Thursday that local judges had annulled the results of the last petition, held in June, in their states because of alleged fraud in the counting of signatures. Maduro's number two Diosdado Cabello said later in a speech: "Let us hope that those responsible will now be sought out and detained and go to prison for the deception they have committed." The opposition MUD coalition says Maduro and his allies control the courts and electoral authorities and are using them to cling to power. Maduro's opponents were hoping to mount a fresh petition next week, the last stage necessary for calling a referendum. Electoral authorities had warned that if the first-round petition was annulled in any state, that key stage in the referendum process would be void. But the chances of Maduro being removed by referendum this year already looked impossibly slim. The electoral authorities have said a referendum could not take place before mid-January. Under constitutional rules, if voters do not remove Maduro from office by January 10, his hand-picked vice president will finish his term, which ends in 2019. Super Typhoon Haima batters Philippines The Philippines has been hit by Super Typhoon Haima, bringing sustained winds of up to 225km/h (140mph). Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said the company has not reached any final conclusions about how to proceed with its planned $4.8 billion takeover of Yahoo, after the internet company disclosed the biggest theft of user data in history last month. We are still evaluating what it means for this transaction, he said, speaking on Verizons third-quarter 2016 earnings call Thursday. This was an extremely large breach that has received a lot of attention. Yahoo said last month that information on at least 500 million email accounts which may have included user names, telephone numbers, dates of birth and hashed passwords was stolen by state-sponsored hackers in 2014. Verizon said that it had only been informed of the scope of the breach two days prior to Yahoos Sept. 22 announcement. On the call, Shammo reiterated comments last week by Verizon general counsel Craig Silliman, who told reporters that the Yahoo breach represented a material event. That could open to door to the telco renegotiating the terms of the deal; Verizon has reportedly been seeking to lop some $1 billion off the price tag. According to Shammo, Verizons lawyers had their first call with Yahoo on Wednesday about the security breach. From what I understand, thats gong to be a long process, he said. Shammo, who helped engineer the Yahoo deal and the $4.4 billion AOL acquisition, wont be at the table if or when the Yahoo deal closes: Hes set to step down Nov. 1, with finance exec Matt Ellis to take over the CFO spot. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, in prepared remarks accompanying its Q3 2016 earnings release, didnt provide any new information on the security breach. She said the company is busy preparing for integration with Verizon and that Yahoo remains very confident, not only in the value of our business, but also in the value Yahoo products bring to our users lives. Also on the call Thursday, Shammo also touted the progress of Verizons Go90, launched a year ago, but didnt provide details on active user base. According to Verizon, average daily usage of Go90 in Q3 was more than 30 minutes, with just 20% of that traffic delivered over the Verizon network. Story continues Overall, Verizon posted Q3 revenue of $30.9 billion, down 6.7% year-over-year, and falling short of analysts forecasts of $31.1 billion. The company said that excluding Q3 2015 revenue from landline businesses it divested to Frontier Communications, total operating revenue declined 2.9% year over year. The companys adjusted third-quarter 2016 earnings per share of $1.01 narrowly topped Wall Street expectations of 99 cents. In its wireless business, Verizon reported 442,000 retail postpaid net additions for the quarter missing analyst expectations of 875,000. Total wireless revenue was $22.1 billion, a 3.9% decline versus the third quarter of 2015, which Verizon said was because more customers are choosing unsubsidized-device payment plans. Verizons wireline revenue decreased 2.3%, to $7.8 billion, while revenue for Fios services was up 4.4%, to $2.8 billion. The telco added a net 90,000 Fios Internet connections and 36,000 Fios Video connections in the quarter, after net connection declines in Q2 because of a seven-week strike by unionized workers. Related stories Verizon Go90 Sets Reality Series About 6-Year-Old YouTube Dance Star Heaven King and Her Mom Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer Offers No New Information on Massive Hack as Questions Persist About Verizon Deal Verizon Lawyer Says Yahoo Massive Security Breach Is 'Material,' Hack May Spike Telco's $4.8 Billion Deal By Aishwarya Venugopal and Malathi Nayak (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc added fewer than expected wireless subscribers in the third quarter due to intense competition, and indicated it may renegotiate a deal to buy Yahoo Inc after a breach of Yahoo user email accounts. As its bread-and-butter wireless operations struggle in a saturated phone market, Verizon had said in July it would buy Yahoo's core business for $4.83 billion to drive growth in advertising and media. The company said on Thursday total operating revenue in the quarter fell 6.7 percent to $30.94 billion, from $33.16 billion. Analysts had expected revenue of $31.14 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Shares of Verizon, the No.1 U.S. wireless company, slipped 2.7 percent to $49.04 in afternoon trading. The stock has gained more than 6 percent this year so far. Verizon added a net 442,000 retail postpaid subscribers, who pay their bills on a monthly basis. This was significantly below analysts' estimated 766,300, according to market research firm FactSet StreetAccount. Subscriber growth in the third quarter was partly hurt by a recent recall of the Samsung Note 7 smartphone due to the risk of overheating and catching fire, and a backlog in orders for Apple's new iPhone 7, Verizon executives said. Smaller rivals, such as T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp, have rolled out aggressive promotions to win over Verizon's subscriber base. YAHOO DEAL To fend off rivals in a maturing wireless market, it acquired AOL in 2015. Verizon's planned purchase of Yahoo will give it digital web properties and ad technology tools, allowing it to compete with internet giants like Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google. "It will take years to find out if their advertising strategy pans out," MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett said in a note. Verizon's general counsel has said that a Yahoo data breach reported in September, which involved 500 million email accounts, was a material event that could allow Verizon to back out of the deal. Story continues Verizon was still evaluating what the data breach may mean for the Yahoo transaction, Verizon's Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said in an interview. "We're going to have to wait to see and get the facts...before any final decision is made," Shammo said. Net income attributable to Verizon fell to $3.62 billion, or 89 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $4.04 billion, or 99 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company earned $1.01 per share, beating the average analyst estimate of 99 cents per share. (Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru and Malathi Nayak in New York; Editing by Bernadette Baum) On Thursday, the New York Post reported that shareholders of Viacom Inc. VIA believe that a re-merger agreement between the media giant and CBS Corp. CBS will come to fruition by Thanksgiving, just a mere five weeks away. The controlling shareholder of both CBS and Viacom, National Amusements Inc., reportedly said back on September 29 that the merger deal will be an at-market price, all-stock transaction. But according to the Post, some Viacom shareholders are waiting for something better than this fairly typical merger; theres a continuing possibility that Chinas Wanda Group might still be waiting in the wings with a big check for Paramount, or at least give the studio some financing on the upcoming slate. The Post adds that LionTree, one of three banks hired to advise Viacom on the deal, is reportedly helping the company trim its total debt through potentially selling its stake in Epix, a premium content provider. In addition to pending merger rumors, Viacom is on the hunt for a new chief executive, as acting CEO Tom Dooley is set to leave the company in November. A leading candidate is Bob Bakish, the president of Viacom International. Viacom and CBS have a long history together. Viacom, originally known as CBS Films Inc., was created back in 1971 as the television syndication segment of CBS, and promptly was spun off. Fast forward to 1999, and Viacom acquired its former parent; the merger was approved in 2000. But just five years later, Viacom and CBS split into two separately traded companies, effectively reversing the 1999 merger. Both companies will be reporting their most recent financial results soon. CBS reports its fiscal 2016 third-quarter results Nov. 3 after the bell, while Viacom will post its fiscal 2016 fourth-quarter reuslts on Nov. 9 before the bell. Stocks that Aren't in the NewsYet You are invited to download the full, up-to-the-minute list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" free of charge. Many of these companies are almost unheard of by the general public and just starting to get noticed by Wall Street. They have been pinpointed by the Zacks system that nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015, with a stellar average gain of +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks 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 CBS CORP (CBS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Visa Inc. V recently announced that consumers in Hong Kong would now be able to complete online transactions with their Visa cards on Android Pay. Customers using Android devices with the version KitKat 4.4 or higher and having NFC connectivity can easily use the application. Android Pay is available as an open platform to merchants looking to gain from the rapid expansion of mobile payment options. In-store merchants can also access the Android Pay Merchant Help Centre or reach out to acquirer partners like DBS, First Data and Hang Seng to learn more about accepting contactless payments. The partnership with Google, which is an unit of Alphabet Inc. GOOGL, should help Visa to broaden electronic payments in the highly potential Hong Kong market. Apart from Visa, MasterCard Inc. MA has joined forces with Google for a similar initiative. Android users in Hong Kong can easily start using the service by downloading the latest version of Android Pay from Google Play Store and then adding Visa card in the payment options. Much like Apple Pay the payment initiative from Apple Inc. AAPL Android Pay is joining forces with several banks across the world. Android Pay not only facilitates payment but also ensures security of the transactions. The payments will be made using Visa Token Service (VTS) standard a security technology designed to replace the credentials of cardholders ( such as account numbers and expiration dates) with a unique digital identifier or token". Visa safeguards payments by its tokenization technology which keeps cardholders information confidential. The tremendous growth potential offered by Hong Kong is clearly evident from its mobile subscriber penetration rate reaching roughly 228% and mobile subscriber base of nearly 17 million. Approximately 79% of the citys population use smartphones. The people in Hong Kong are known for their interest in new products and technology. In view of all these factors, it comes as no surprise that Hong Kong is one of the first few markets in the Asia Pacific there this mobile payment option has been launched. Story continues VISA INC-A Price VISA INC-A Price | VISA INC-A Quote Visa presently carries Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here . 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 APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTERCARD INC (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report ALPHABET INC-A (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research LISBON (Reuters) - Vodafone expects the European Commission to force Portuguese authorities to open access to Altice's fiber optic network to rivals, which should boost competition in the telecoms sector, the head of Vodafone's Portuguese unit said. Altice now owns MEO, the country's largest pay-TV and broadband Internet provider which used to belong to the country's former monopoly Portugal Telecom. The European Commission in July opened a probe into a preliminary decision by the Portuguese telecommunications market regulator ANACOM not to force MEO to allow other operators such as NOS and Vodafone Portugal to use its fiber optic network. The Commission has until Nov. 29 to make a ruling. Vodafone Portugal CEO Mario Vaz told Reuters that recent criticism of the current access scheme by the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) was similar to doubts expressed by the Commission and Vodafone's own arguments, which gave grounds for hope that the final decision will open up access. "We expect a positive result for Portugal," he said. "We are looking forward to the result of the investigation opened by the European Commission ... which would create incentives for co-investment and more competition in non-competitive areas of the country." "Vodafone has always defended a co-investment model for the new-generation fixed networks and led the process to develop agreements to that effect," Vaz said, adding that the current scheme left clients in many areas with a worse service, limited offer and higher bills than in other, more saturated parts. The Commission is cooperating closely with the Portuguese authorities and BEREC to find "the most appropriate and effective measure for the Portuguese broadband market", Nathalie Vandystadt, a spokeswoman for the Commission, said. (Reporting by Daniel Alvarenga; additional reporting by Julia Fioretti in Brussels; writing by Andrei Khalip; editing by Adrian Croft and Jason Neely) (Reuters) - A federal judge in Ohio laid out a plan on Wednesday for the state to restore voting privileges for people who were illegally removed from the state's voter rolls over the past five years. The ruling stems from a case in which the ACLU and other plaintiffs sued, saying Ohio's process for removing people who had died or moved away from voter rolls was illegal because it purged people simply for not voting and not responding to a letter from the state. Voting rights cases have become pivotal battlegrounds ahead of the Nov. 8 election between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. The American Civil Liberties Union and others have challenged laws in Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina over voting rights issues. In the Ohio case, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said Ohio's process for removing inactive voters was illegal, reversing an earlier ruling by U.S. District Judge George C. Smith. In response, Smith on Wednesday ordered the state to allow people who had been removed from the rolls to cast provisional ballots on election day. Those ballots will be checked against voter rolls, and if people were purged in the years 2011, 2013 or 2015, their votes will be counted and their registration restored. "Theyll have to put a provisional ballot which will take a little more time but if they do that, that vote will count," said Stuart Naifeh, an attorney with Demos, a voter rights and income inequality advocacy group that was among those suing over the policy. Joshua Eck, a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, said the solution was a workable one because it did not require the wholesale restoration of voting privileges to people who had moved away, died or otherwise become ineligible to vote. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Peter Cooney) By Daniel Trotta WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sergeant Jessica Hawkins was a male cop for 20 years but it was not until her transition to a woman in 2014 that she understood the trepidation that transgender women feel across the United States. "Transitioning has made me understand the fears of other communities that I did not have as white male," said Hawkins, 43, noting a difference in the way she is treated when off duty and away from her relatively tolerant city of Washington. "I don't feel as safe as I used to. It was never an issue before." Hawkins became head of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) liaison unit a year after her transition, at a time when transgender women, especially blacks and Latinas, are being assaulted and murdered at an alarming rate in America. At least 22 transgender people have been killed so far this year, matching the previous recorded high in all of 2015, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP). Eighteen of those killed this year have been black or Latina, up from 13 in all of last year. Of the 22 killings in 2015, the NCAVP classified 18 as hate crimes. Transgender people have a name for the uneasiness they feel when they are in public, facing dirty looks, hateful insults from strangers, and a perceived presumption of guilt from police. It's called "walking while trans," and it is particularly dangerous for minority transgender women. "We are in a state of emergency because of the continuous attacks and murder of our community," said Bamby Salcedo, president of the TransLatin@ Coalition, an organization that advocates for transgender immigrants. Transgender rights have burst into U.S. awareness the past two years, extending the conflict between conservative and liberal values in America. Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. government has issued regulations aimed at providing equal protection under the law, while state Republican officials, notably in Texas and North Carolina, have resisted in the courts, citing traditional values and accusing the federal government of overreach. In the meantime, the death toll for black and Latina transgender women has climbed. On Oct. 8 in Cleveland, a black transgender woman named Brandi Bledsoe, 32, was found dead behind a home with plastic bags over her head and hands and a gunshot wound to the chest. Last month, a black trans woman named T.T. Saffore, 28, was found dead with multiple stab wounds to the neck, chest, back and hands in Chicago's Garfield Park. A few days later, a black trans woman named Crystal Edmonds, 32, was shot dead in the back of the head on a street in northwest Baltimore. Police have reported no arrests in those three cases. TRANS WOMAN AND COP Washington has taken a distinct approach by appointing Hawkins as what may be the only transgender cop to head an LGBT unit in the country. Hawkins knows of a handful of transgender officers elsewhere in the country through private, online networks, but believes she is the only LGBT liaison. She has set out to meet every transgender person at risk of hate violence in the capital but says the dangers are greater for transgender people in the southern towns where she used to work as a cop. "I'm head of the LGBT unit and I'm scared of law enforcement in other parts of the country," said Hawkins, who nonetheless enjoys violating North Carolina law by using public restrooms for women when she visits relatives there. Activists such as those at the NCAVP coalition, which tracks homicide cases in the media, say that for black or Latina transgender women, walking while trans is even more likely to get them killed. Gaby Milena Rivera, 28, a Guatemalan immigrant living in the New York borough of Queens, was one of those to survive. In August she was hit in the head with a hammer by a man who yelled, "This is what happens for being gay" before striking. She says she woke up in the hospital. She is resentful that she cannot walk the streets alone without looking over her shoulder. "Even when we're just going to the store, a lot people stare at us," Milena Rivera said. "We have the right to go to the store. I don't know why they look at us that way. We're all human beings. We deserve respect, too." There are no official figures to track murders and assaults on transgender people, likely resulting in an undercount of cases. Advocates say police often misrepresent the gender of victims in reports and often presume the transgender victims or witnesses are the perpetrators when they arrive at the scene, creating a climate of mistrust. The anti-violence coalition found less than half of LGBT victims of hate violence report their cases to police, and of the those who did 80 percent said police were indifferent or hostile. Police need to incorporate transgender relations into their academies and on-the-job training, said Lieutenant Nicholas Augustine of Maryland's Montgomery County Police Department. Augustine said transgender Latinas in Montgomery County told him police kept profiling them as prostitutes, but none had filed a formal complaint. "We need transgender people to be part of our training, so officers are not meeting a transgender person for the first time on the job and stuttering over their words, not knowing whether to call the person sir or ma'am," he said. HATE CRIMES UNDERREPORTED The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported zero hate crime homicides against transgender people in 2014, the latest year of available data, when the anti-violence coalition reported at least 11 black or Latina transgender women were killed. An FBI spokesman said the bureau has increased the number of hate crimes investigations to include such cases, but without quantifying them. "Cases related to gender identity bias are difficult to identify. It is not always apparent a crime was motivated by the victim's gender and these crimes tend to be underreported," FBI spokesman Christopher Allen said in a statement. The walls and shelves of Hawkins' office just off Washington's Dupont Circle are covered with awards for the unit's work, but one hallway also bears reminders of unsolved murders. Fliers advertise $25,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of six cold cases, all involving black transgender women, from 2000 to 2011. Washington has added transgender relations to the curriculum at its police academy, providing four hours of instruction. Before Hawkins could approach transgender women as a peer, though, she had to come out to her fellow cops, showing up as a woman one day before 400 officers at her station. Now, as both trans woman and cop, she says those two worlds often collide. "I do see a lot of hate crimes and it does weigh on my personal life when I see bad things happen to transgender people." (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Dina Kyriakidou and Stuart Grudgings) Brussels (AFP) - A decade ago Paul Magnette, the head of Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, was a ruggedly good-looking university professor best known for being versed in EU arcana. Now the 45-year-old is an unexpected torch-bearer for the anti-free trade movement after using Belgium's complex political system to hold up a huge EU-Canada deal, threatening the bloc's global reputation in the process. "There's a real political pride in finally saying 'stop'," said Magnette, basking in the international limelight of a stance that is bringing attention to his cherished but downtrodden Wallonia. Magnette was born in the Flemish-speaking town of Leuven, but grew up in Wallonia's rustbelt city of Charleroi, once an industrial powerhouse but now a forgotten landscape of shuttered plants and factories. Magnette was first and foremost an academic, a doctor of political science who taught Europe's elite at the Sciences Po university in Paris and Cambridge in Britain. For a while he was also a go-to analyst for journalists on the hunt for a quick quote on the euro or the future of Europe. Everything changed in 2007, when Belgium's socialist kingmaker, Elio Di Rupo, plucked Magnette from obscurity and sent him on mission to Charleroi, where party veterans of the old school were mired in embarrassing corruption scandals. In just weeks, the cerebral intellectual became a hardball player of politics, whose handsome looks and three-day stubble also won him easy access to the nightly news. Under the pressure, the socialist party apparatchiks stepped down and Magnette moved quickly into official office, first as health minister for Wallonia then as energy minister for the federal government in Brussels. - 'Trendy' bread maker - There he brazenly picked a fight with Electrabel, the highly profitable and powerful French-owned utility, winning a massive payout to beef up Belgium's strained public finances. Story continues In 2010 he became senator and two years later, the mayor of Charleroi, a job and a city he is very closely associated with, though he has given up day-to-day responsibilities as head of Wallonia. With a noticeable gift for speech-making, the bow-tie wearing Di Rupo, who was then prime minister, made Magnette party leader to lead the charge for the socialists in the 2014 general elections. Using his solid Dutch, he made many francophones proud, fighting bravely in a debate against Antwerp mayor and Flemish-nationalist Bart De Wever, Belgium's most powerful and feared politician. But the socialists fared poorly in 2014 and Di Rupo took back the reins of the socialist party. As consolation Magnette landed his current job, head of government of Wallonia. Quickly, polls showed a rising leftist threat to his political hold on the region. For the past year the fight against the Canada deal known as CETA and the similar EU-US deal, known as TTIP, has helped shore up his leftwing credentials. Magnette, despite the hard-won firebrand persona, still enjoys leisures more closely associated with his past in academia. To find his focus, the twice-married father-of-four often wakes up at dawn a few to bake loaves of sourbread -- organic, of course. "Making bread is my way to relax," he told L'Echo newspaper last year. "I know it's trendy, but I can live with that." Washington (AFP) - The government of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has made no formal request to modify its cooperation with Washington, despite his declared "separation" from the United States, a US official said Thursday. The official, who asked to remain unnamed, told AFP "we still have not received any requests through official channels to alter our assistance to or cooperation with the Philippines." Duterte met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, where he said Thursday, "I announce my separation from the United States." The Philippines leader is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijing's sphere of influence. The ground operation to liberate the city of Mosul from ISIS control kicked off on Sunday, with Iraqi army forces, Peshmerga fighters, and Shiite militias converging on the city and its surroundings. In support of that operation, a US-led coalition of more than 60 countries has been carrying out airstrikes on ISIS personnel, fighters, infrastructure, and weapons for months. In an October 17 strike by a British air force Typhoon fighter, a Paveway guided bomb destroys an ISIS vehicle-borne improvised explosive device about 12 miles south of the city. You can see a clip of the strike video below. ISIS has relied heavily on improvised explosive devices, both static and vehicle borne, during fighting in Iraq. Accordingly, the terrorist group's IEDs and IED factories have been a focus for strikes by the US-led coalition. Prior to the RAF strike on the vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) south of the city, a coalition strike eliminated an IED factory near Mosul, which is Iraq's second-largest city and the largest Iraqi city still under ISIS control. Fighting on the ground around Mosul has continued since the operation was launched on October 16, with Iraqi forces and their allies at times encountering heavy resistance. Iraqi and Peshmerga troops faced numerous VBIEDs, IEDs, and mortars near Bartella, a town east of Mosul. An Iraqi soldier told American journalist Danny Gold there were 10 VBIED attacks in that area. In September, the US deployed 615 more personnel to assist Iraqi efforts to retake the city, bringing the total number of US troops to more than 5,000. You can see the full video of the RAF strike near Mosul below. NOW WATCH: The US Army is sending Apache attack helicopters to fight ISIS in Iraq More From Business Insider Three arrested for fraud, trafficking The Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Crime Division has arrested a conman who was on the run after swindling two Baglung men of Rs 800,000 each by promising them jobs in Spain. Frank Ocean likes to let his music speak for itself. But on Tuesday night (Oct. 18) at a White House State Dinner he gave his first interview in more than three years. More specifically, he said a handful of words to C-SPAN when they caught him on his way in, but still. Ocean, who along with Chance the Rapper was among President Obama's guests, brought his his mother, Katonya Breaux, as his date. What drew almost as much notice as Frank's checkered slip-on Vans, though, was his decision to give an "interview" to the government news channel. When C-SPAN reporters working the arrivals beat marveled at Frank's choice of casual footwear for a State Dinner, he said, "first time doing it, probably because my first time here... you can't think, you just have to do things." "Interview" might be pushing it, but when asked what he was looking forward to the most, the enigmatic Blonde rapper said, "Asking Obama if he had fun these last eight years. Just congratulating him also." But wait, there's (very little) more. Ocean wouldn't commit to playing a concert in support of democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton ("concerts? probably not"), but he did say, "Maybe. I don't know. We're running out of time, I think. Might have to catch her in four years." Check out the footage: Frank Ocean's interview at the White House. First interview in almost 3 years pic.twitter.com/MZqdsdAyM4 - Frank Ocean Daily (@TeamFrankDaily) October 19, 2016 Kurdish forces ypg mosul Rudaw.net, a Kurdish news site, has a live stream set up near the frontlines of the battle to retake Mosul from ISIS. The Kurds, an ethnic group centered around the borders of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Iran, and a with diaspora of members around the world, have proven to be one of the most potent ground forces in fighting and defeating ISIS. Throughout the campaign against ISIS, the US has trained and equipped Kurdish forces. Now, in the push to take back Mosul, the Kurds are descending on the besieged town where Iraqi officials estimate more than 5,000 ISIS militants have entrenched themselves with IEDs and tunnels. In addition to the Kurds, Iraqi Security Forces and Shiite militias are also taking part in the battle against ISIS. Be warned that this livestream contains potentially graphic images, as it is live footage from an active war zone: The footage can be monotonous, but Rudaw's twitter feed has broken out a few key moments. Here Kurdish forces destroy an ISIS suicide bomber with a rocket attack: Here are scenes of a firefight: #BREAKING: Intense fighting between Peshmerga forces and Islamic State group in Bashiqa. #MosulOffensive pic.twitter.com/84pi3eMEtX Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) October 20, 2016 NOW WATCH: Kurds uncovered an overwhelming network of ISIS tunnels in Iraq More From Business Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak presents the government's 2017 budget on Oct. 21. Below are some items that could feature in the coming year's budget, according to analysts' research notes and Malaysian media reports. For a PREVIEW of the budget, please see CASH AID Bank RHB foresees a 100 ringgit ($24.07) hike in cash handouts for low-income households, bumping up the allocation to about 6.6 billion ringgit next year in a bid to stimulate consumer spending. For 2016, it was increased by 50 ringgit to 1,000 ringgit per household. GST The government will likely maintain the goods and services tax introduced in April 2015, at 6 percent to avoid any disruption to household expenses and cost of doing business, says asset management firm Affin Hwang. CORPORATE TAX Affin Hwang thinks a 1 percentage point cut to corporate tax effective, effective in 2018, will be announced. The rate was cut by 1 percentage point this year to 24 percent. PERSONAL INCOME TAX There will likely be no cut to personal income tax rates, though there may be more provisions for tax relief next year, according to Maybank Investment Bank. BIMB Securities said the government may increase tax income relief for "lower middle income" individuals. It says the size of the tax deductions they can claim for themselves and for children below aged 18 may be increased to 2,500 ringgit from 2,000 ringgit. Relief for a taxpayer whose spouse has no income may be increased to 4,500 ringgit from 4,000 ringgit, BIMB said. INDUSTRIES Prime Minister Najib Razak has said the 2017 budget will also focus on industries reeling from the sluggish global economy. INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS Budget 2017 will likely firm up details of major infrastructure projects that have yet to take off to maintain momentum in the sector to support growth, says Maybank IB. These would include highway and public transport projects in the peninsula and Sabah, and a timeline for the implementation of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail project. Story continues SUBSIDY CUTS Further cuts may be made to subsidies for daily necessities such as flour, cooking oil and cooking gas, according to RHB, though these will likely be at a gradual and moderate pace. FIRST-TIME HOUSEBUYERS First-time housebuyers may have more funds to use for downpayments on properties through the Employees Providence Fund (EPF), says Affin Hwang. Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said the government is studying a proposal to increase the allocation for funds available for low-cost housing purchases under the EPF to 40 percent from 30 percent of a savings account. RHB expects the First House Deposit Financing scheme to be extended to more buyers. It was introduced this year with an allocation of 200 million ringgit, aimed at helping up to 30,000 first-time house buyers with downpayments. BIMB Securities expects the government to relax loan assessment methods to boost home ownership. SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS A cabinet minister has said there might be more incentives for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He said SMEs contributed 35.9 percent to GDP in 2015, and account for over 98 percent of all businesses nationwide. CAR EXCISE DUTY CUTS Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily said the government is mulling an exemption for first-time car buyers from excise duties for local and imported small car models assembled in Malaysia, with projected savings of up to 2,000 ringgit. ($1 = 4.1550 ringgit) (Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Richard Borsuk) London (AFP) - Arsene Wenger warned his Arsenal stars not to get carried away after they gave another demonstration of their sky-high confidence with a 6-0 demolition of Ludogorets in the Champions League. Wenger's side are in peak form at present and Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets were powerless to prevent their hot streak extending to seven successive victories in all competitions. Alexis Sanchez scored a sublime opener and Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were also on the scoresheet at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday before Mesut Ozil hit a second half hat-trick. With Arsenal top of their Champions League group after three matches and sitting pretty in the Premier League, where they are behind leaders Manchester City on goal difference, Wenger and company are finally feeling good about themselves after a troubled time last term. But the Gunners boss knows over-confidence could be fatal to Arsenal's chances of winning major silverware and he urged his players to stay humble. "Let's not be too quick on the verdict. We have a strong squad and a strong spirit, but you have to take care of it and keep your feet on the ground," Wenger said. "Maybe the confidence is high, we have a good balance at the moment in the team. "In this game a lot is linked with confidence. I feel that at the moment because we win game after game, maybe we get through dodgy periods with less psychological damage. "The only way to win something big is to focus on the next one and work on humility." Despite leading 3-0 by the 46th minute, Wenger's team kept their foot on the gas and the Frenchman had no qualms about running up the score because he believes fine-tuning his attack will pay dividends in the long run. - Risky game - "We are taking more of our chances. Is that because our final ball is better or the finishing is better? It's difficult to analyse," he said. "In the first half it looked a different game because Ludogorets were dangerous going forward, but in the second half they suffered a lot physically. Story continues "We took control completely and could have scored more. We have a risky game so it's important to take our chances. "As long as we score three the opponent has to score four to beat you. Lets keep scoring and get any lapses out of our game." Key to Arsenal's hopes of winning the Premier League and thriving in Europe will be maintaining the current purple patches of Sanchez and Ozil. Both Chile forward Sanchez and German midfielder Ozil are seeking improved contracts and made persuasive cases of bumper deals with their latest dominant displays. Wenger was especially encouraged with the way Ozil go forward in the hunt for goals after spending much of his time at Arsenal content to supply assists from midfield. "It looks like he gets a taste to score. In the past he would come deep for the ball to be a provider, but now he gets forward more. That's what we want to encourage," Wenger said. Wenger also insisted Sanchez would be fit to face Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Saturday after the former Barcelona star came off in the 73rd minute. "I just wanted to give him a breather but physically he is fine," Wenger said. Donald Trump speaks during the final presidential debate. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) When I was 20 weeks pregnant, my ob-gyn called me at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday evening. Nothing good comes from your doctor calling you after close of business during the workweek, and I nervously answered the phone. Nothing good comes from your doctor starting his sentence with, Im sure everything is fine and I dont want you to worry, but The but was when I stopped breathing. The but was the word that proceeded the news that after overcoming infertility and being a carrier for a rare genetic disorder and becoming pregnant through IVF with PGD, the results of my maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening (MSAFP) test from the previous week had come back abnormally high. Abnormally low results, my doctor explained, often indicated Down syndrome. Abnormally high results, like mine, could indicate a neural tube defect like spina bifida or possibly even a potentially fatal kidney or bowel fetal abnormality. I was in the car with my parents at the time, on my way to dinner with relatives in from out of town. I dont remember what I even managed to tell them. All I remember is feeling impossibly afraid and unable to touch my food or sustain conversation during the meal that followed. While there was a chance that the results werent necessarily indicative of any serious problem in the fetus I was carrying that I had so badly wanted and hoped for, there was still a real and possible chance that the worst-case scenarios you never dream of when first conceiving were about to become my reality. The next day I spoke to a genetic counselor in advance of the quickly scheduled appointment with the maternal-fetal medicine specialist who would be evaluating my pregnancy through an advance form of ultrasound to help further evaluate the health of my fetus and the decisions that could potentially lie before me. More: What Kind of Mother Is 8 Months Pregnant and Wants an Abortion? It was clear that the genetic counselor was trying to phrase things in as delicate a way as possible, but the information she was giving me was startlingly clear. Depending on what we learned in the ultrasound with the specialist, I would potentially be facing the decision of carrying a fetus that might not be able to survive outside the womb or having a late-term abortion. Story continues I cried myself to sleep each night between the evening my ob-gyn had called and the morning of my diagnostic ultrasound. And it is this situation, this excruciating heartache, that Donald Trump clearly fails to understand based on his comments about late-term abortion in the third and final presidential debate Wednesday evening in Las Vegas. I think its terrible if you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. Now you can say thats OK and Hillary can say thats OK, but its not OK with me. Because based on what shes saying and based on where shes going and where shes been, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb on the ninth month on the final day. And thats not acceptable. Honestly, nobody has business doing what I just said, doing that as late as one or two or three or four days prior to birth. Nobody has that, Trump said. What Trump described during the debate not only does not reflect the reality of what late-term abortion actually is, but it also fails to recognize the unimaginably difficult and painful emotional realities of the families who find themselves making the choice to have this procedure based on what they and their physicians decide is best for them and their families. I was remarkably lucky my fetus checked out as normal during the subsequent screening and testing we had done, and at 37 weeks, I gave birth (after a scary delivery complication) to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. But I will never forget the 48 hours during which I had to mentally prepare myself for being faced with a decision that no one ever imagines herself having to make. As a reporter who covers issues pertaining to reproductive and sexual health, I have had the opportunity to interview a number of women whove had late-term abortions. The one striking commonality their stories all share is their reflection that the circumstances surrounding their decision to terminate were all ones that they could never have imagined. Late-term abortions or those performed after 20 weeks gestational age are incredibly rare. Eighty-nine percent of all abortion occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. And only 1.2 percent of all abortions in the United States occur after 21 weeks. Furthermore, 43 states an overwhelming majority presently ban abortion after a certain point in the pregnancy that is often tied to fetal viability outside the womb, sometime in the third trimester. In other words, what Donald Trump described on the stage at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was something wholly inaccurate, no matter how you look at it. As Clinton put it during the debate in reply to Trumps statement, That is not what happens in these cases, and using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make. And I do not believe the government should be making it. I can tell you the government has no business in the decisions that women make with their families in accordance with their faith and with medical advice, and I will stand up for that right. The continued actions by Congress to pass a 20-week abortion ban often referred to by anti-choice legislators and activists as a partial-birth abortion ban and the clear articulation by Trump on his support for such action shows a stunning disregard for science, fact, and the nuance of the emotions and validity of lived experiences that women and their families who reckon with late-term abortion face. As an obstetrician-gynecologist who performs abortions told Yahoo last year, much of the misperception around late-term abortion is tied to the movement that might be seen in a fetus after termination. As this physician explained, Thats just how nerves work. At the gestational ages at which abortions are done, the nervous system is not developed enough to have there be any cognitive sensation. The much-touted anti-choice argument of fetal pain, then, is rendered completely irrelevant by its lack of factual basis. Yes, the nervous system is starting to develop, but its not at a point where it can be perceived and responded to. The body of literature around this is pretty consistent, scientifically, the physician noted. The way in which late-term abortions were described by the Republican nominee during the final presidential debate was disturbing not only for its blatant disregard for fact and medical science but also for its utter lack of empathy with the individuals who find themselves needing to choose this procedure, whether for their own health and safety or out of love for a child they will never have the opportunity to one day know. Mentally trying to prepare myself for making that decision was gut-wrenching and I do not even begin to try to imagine what it feels like when that decision is not just a hypothetical, but a reality. I can imagine, though, the devastation that would be wrought on a woman and her family if such a choice werent even her own, if one man decided he had the right to make that decision for all families while being blind to their circumstances and stories. I can imagine the agony of having to seek out such treatment in the absence of safe and legal, yet alone compassionate, care. Which is why Trumps factually inaccurate remarks about late-term abortion felt particularly searing: They revealed a stunning disregard for science and an aggressive lack of desire to understand that each persons experiences that lead them to make decisions about their own futures and that of their families are both unique and universal, each exquisite and mundane and heartbreaking and affirming in their own ways. Because all abortion care is good, necessary reproductive health care a fact that seven out of 10 Americans soundly agree on. Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. The final debate: highlights -As the candidates battled it out on the debate stage one final time, they dove into quite a few substantive issues including the economy, entitlements and the national debt. But what really shocked America was Donald Trumps refusal to say whether he would accept the election results since he feels the election has been rigged against him. For complete debate reaction and more on why Trump wont publicly concede to accepting Election Day results, tune in to Varney & Co. at 9:00 a.m. ET. Post-debate detente? -Both presidential candidates will attend the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in NYC this evening, where each will deliver a light-hearted speech. But amid an election cycle marked by personal lines of attack, will the candidates be able to leave the vicious jabs at home? Lou Dobbs will be bringing you the latest from the event with a special three-hour edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight. Dont miss out on the action, starting Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. ET. The president to defend Obamacare -As President Obamas most highly-touted achievement comes under fire amid new reports that premiums will increase more than what the insurance companies requested in 2017 (in an apparent effort to incent them to stay on the exchanges) the president will address Americans concerns Thursday. During the 1:00 p.m. ET hour, President Obama will defend the success of the Affordable Care Act. A must-watch Cavuto: Coast to Coast will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET, where a high-powered panel of experts will react to, and analyze, the presidents speech. Its everything you need to know about the future of your health care. Related Articles Trishuli bus plunge: one dies another goes missing A passenger bus plunged into the Trishuli river at Dahakhani-6 along Narayangadh-Muglin road section on Tuesday night, killing a man and injuring eight others. BOSTON Regardless of a divisive party nominee who is struggling in the latest national polls, some college Republicans in this liberal city thought Donald Trump delivered a winning performance in the third presidential debate. Trump and Hillary Clinton spent Wednesday night on the stage together in Las Vegas at their final official presidential debate of the campaign, with Election Day looming in less than three weeks. The evening marked one of the final large-scale media events of the cycle for both campaigns, and local college Republicans from Northeastern University said they thought Trump got off to a good start. Joe Frissora, president of the Northeastern University College Republicans, said he thought the debate "went fairly well" for Trump. Noting earlier that Trump "came out calm" before "getting bolder as the night goes on," Frissora said he thought the GOP nominee did well in calling out foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation and laughing off a comment about his previously criticizing the Emmy selection process. While Wednesday's debate started off largely civil and focused on policy before getting more heated, it was still relatively calm compared to the second debate on Oct. 9, which was a tense affair and grew bitterly personal at times. Of the small number of college Republicans who came to the Northeastern debate watch party, most were quick to laud the start of Trump's performance. With many students in the room laughing at some of Trump's remarks, the Republicans were clearly the minority in the room. Nafisa Kabir, a Republican club member wearing a Trump T-shirt, said she liked that Trump was taking an offensive tack and "bringing up things that people don't talk about with Hillary. However, she did note she was "not 100 percent about his terminology" shortly after Trump said "we have some bad hombres here" while discussing immigration. Overall, Kabir said Trump won and that he kept his poise during a debate that grew contentious toward the end. She also said Trump's statement from the debate stage in which he did not commit to accepting the results of the election was fair. Story continues Complimenting parts of Trump's closing statement in which he called for a stronger military and improved care for veterans, Aubrey Kenderdine, the Republican club's student government association representative, also said she thought Trump wonand earlier in the debate said he was acting "very presidential." There were some young Republicans who thought the debate did not fully go Trump's way. Olivia Lanagan, vice president of the Boston College Republicans, wrote in an email that neither candidate "outperformed the other." "Secretary Clinton made it clear that if she is elected, the next four years will be a continuation of the last eight under Obama. She did not offer any new plans or ideas," Lanaganwho said she does not plan to vote for either major party presidential candidatewrote. "As for Trump, this was certainly his strongest debate performance. He had several strong attacks on Secretary Clinton, and advocated for several new policy proposals... However, he hit a low point when he would not commit to accepting the results of the election." Though the students praised Trump's performance, they were skeptical of whether it would sway any voters. "At this point everybody's set where they are," Frissora said. The praises of Northeastern's College Republicans stands in contrast to some broader trends. Over the course of his campaign, Trump has upended traditional political coalitions and divided elements of the Republican Party. Particularly for younger voters, his candidacy has proved particularly unattractive. A poll conducted between Sept. 21-Oct. 3 by Circle, an organization housed at Tufts University that conducts research on political engagement among young Americans, found Clinton leading Trump among likely voters ages 18-34 by 21 points 49 percent to 28 percent. Another poll from The Economist/YouGov conducted between Oct. 15-18 found that 54 percent of registered voters under 30 who may vote plan to cast their ballot for Clinton, compared with just 16 percent for Trump. While Republicans traditionally struggle to attract younger voters, Trump has exacerbated that problem by seemingly turning away younger voters. In 2012, GOP nominee Mitt Romney garnered 36 percent of voters ages 18-29, according to exit polling data. 2008's presidential race saw Republican nominee and Arizona Sen. John McCain receive 32 percent of that subset according to exit polls. Massachusetts is among the bluest states in the country, consistently casting its electoral votes for the Democratic presidential nominee in recent cycles. However, the state does have a Republican governor in Charlie Baker, and previously elected Romney chief executive in 2002. UPDATED: This story was updated to include reporting from the end of debate. More From CNBC Speculation that Donald Trump will parlay all the attention his presidential run has received into a television network has been rampant ever since he began dominating the Republican primary race last year. Last night, after Trump basically ran his own broadcast of the third presidential debate via Facebook live, the speculation got breathless. If youre tired of biased, mainstream media reporting (otherwise known as Crooked Hillarys super PAC), tune into my Facebook Live broadcast, Trump told his audience. And tune in they did. The nearly four hours of coverage had racked up 8.9 million views by Thursday afternoon. Related: A Trump Television Network? It Sure Would Explain a Lot While Trump hasnt even lost the election yet (and may not concede even if he does), many saw the announcement as the former reality television star telegraphing his next move. Donald Trump basically launched his media company on debate night, was the headline of an article written by the Independent Journal Reviews Hunter Schwarz early Thursday morning. Trump TV is definitely coming, wrote Matthew Sheffield at Salon. While Trump has denied that he is interested in setting up a media company, the Financial Times last week reported that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was already shopping the idea of a Trump-branded network to potential financial backers. Now, a new finding from the YouGov Brand Index suggests that if the plan was to steal market share from the conservative-friendly Fox News Channel, the timing couldnt be much better. The go-to source of news and information for Republicans, and a dominant presence on cable television, Fox News has been taking a beating recently in the way its core constituency, Republican voters, view it. Related: How Bad Does It Look for Trump Now? This Bad The YouGov Brand Index, which tracks public perception of brands on a daily basis, also puts out what it calls its Red/Blue Brand Rankings every year, which monitors the top-rated brands among people who self-identify as Republicans, Democrats and Independents. Story continues Two years ago, Fox News was a favorite among GOP voters, coming in at No. 10 on the list of best-perceived brands. That ranking dropped to 15th in 2015, and this year plummeted all the way to number 50. Its unclear what has caused the precipitous drop in Fox News Channels status among Republicans, but it could well be tied to an increasing dissatisfaction driven in large part by Trump himself with the Republican Party establishment among rank-and-file GOP voters. Fox has for years been viewed as almost an appendage of the Republican Party, and it may be suffering related reputational damage. Related: From Obama on Down, Democrats Are Just Trolling Trump Now If Trump were to launch himself into the media world, the likeliest vehicle would be a network heavy on relatively inexpensive public affairs programming political talk shows and the like that could piggyback on the name recognition of the most recent Republican presidential nominee. It would naturally put Trumps venture in direct competition with Fox News, currently the biggest player in cable news by audience size. That would normally be a daunting prospect, but if the YouGov numbers really indicate growing dissatisfaction with Fox among Republicans, the timing for a challenge from Trump TV might be perfect. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: As the potential for a Viacom-CBS Corp. combination heats up again, theres speculation that Leslie Moonves might not want to run a combined entity because he doesnt want the Viacom albatross around his neck. A look at the separate and combined financials of a theoretical CBS/Viacom tie-up confirms that hes right to be wary. While both brands contain similar-sized TV businesses, the companies overall composition is quite different: CBS rounds out its revenue with publishing and radio, while Viacom owns a sizable movie studio. Within TV, CBS has the broadcast network, as well as local stations, in addition to its cable networks. Viacom has just cable networks. Viacom is the more profitable company; the broadcast network and publishing businesses drag down CBS overall profitability. However, in recent quarters, operating margins have been growing closer than in the past, as margins at CBS have stayed fairly consistent, while Viacoms have fallen. sources: Company Reporting, jackdaw research Analysis The best argument for a merger is the fact that the combined business would suddenly begin to rival the size of the largest players in the TV business. 21st Century Fox would remain the biggest player by revenue on the domestic TV scene, but a combined CBS-Viacom would be on par with Disney. Thats a significant increase in scale, which could bring it new negotiating power with pay-TV companies and lead to new bundling strategies. The biggest downside to the merger is the divergence in the growth of the two TV businesses. Moonves achievement over the past few years has been to return the CBS TV business to growth by pairing winning content with better monetization of that content. Viacoms growth, meanwhile, has trended steadily downward over the same period. sources: Company Reporting, jackdaw research Analysis In each of the last three quarters, revenue has declined by 3% year on year, which doesnt bode well for the future. This is likely the single biggest factor against a combination: Putting the two companies together would offset CBS healthy growth with Viacoms declines and create a flat overall TV business. If Viacoms revenue doesnt turn around, consolidated revenue could end up declining, too. With Viacoms margins also declining, this could prove a drag on the overall business. Story continues The well-run CBS would seem to be a perfect solution to Viacoms leadership problems. But that ignores the underlying challenges that have caused the divergence in the two companies fortunes: Viacoms big networks have suffered enormously as talent has fled and younger audiences have gone elsewhere. None of that will be solved in the near term by simply bringing CBS and Viacom back under the same roof. Jan Dawson is the founder and chief analyst at Jackdaw Research, an advisory firm for the consumer technology market. Related stories CBS Orders Suspense Thriller 'Salvation' for Summer Premiere How Disney Companies Like Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm Maintain Their Creative Cultures TV Review: 'Pure Genius' From Esquire From a good-citizenship standpoint, you should watch tonight's third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. From a practical, "I could be spending time relating to my kids" standpoint, no debate in history has been less necessary. You could be forgiven if you already wanted to bail on all modern debates. Candidates memorize timed blurbs, and unabashedly distorted rebuttals makes the spontaneous dubious. We've so internalized debates' vapidity that even image consultants are redundant. Clinton shimmied-GIF that! You can take your pandering and fear-mongering original or extra crispy, but either way, you're going to feel gross after inhaling a bucket of it for two hours. But perhaps you have not lost hope in our political process. Allegedly, this debate should be policy heavy! Moderator Chris Wallace will bring some heat in one of his fits of, "Yes, I work for Fox News, but I could still get a job at an organization that practices journalism if I wanted." And yet, Donald Trump will be there. Trump has made the election a referendum on whether he's "so crazy it just might work" or "so crazy he might kill us all," making any engagement with him on policy a gesture of futility on par with Wile E. Coyote holding an umbrella over his head under the shadow of an approaching boulder. You can take your pandering and fear-mongering original or extra crispy, but either way, you're going to feel gross. The debate will be divided into six 15-minute segments on immigration, the economy, entitlements and debt, foreign policy, the Supreme Court, and "each candidate's fitness to serve as president." It will be exhausting, and all anyone wants to talk about is Trump's flameout anyway, so let's break down his policies in each category. IMMIGRATION Build a wall. The wall would have to go over private property and mountains. It would be insanely expensive. It also would not work. It will not be built, obviating the need to compel Mexico to pay for it, which wouldn't happen anyways. Trump is also for a deportation force-or not, depending on the week. Story continues THE ECONOMY The economy is very bad, and we don't win anymore. Donald Trump will reverse this trend. How will he do it? By passing the savings onto you. ENTITLEMENTS AND DEBT Trump is for repealing Obamacare and replacing it with the plan Republicans drafted in 2009-whoops, sorry, no, we're still waiting for that seven years later. He will protect Social Security. He also hates how irresponsibly spendthrift Clinton is, which is why his tax plan will increase the debt by $5.3 trillion, concomitant with increased military spending and, one supposes, wall contractors. FOREIGN POLICY Donald Trump will not start dumb wars, but we should bomb "them" and "take" "their oil," something else that will not happen, even if we figure out the proper nouns first. We will kill ISIS members' families, which is not only a war crime but an axe-based Whack-a-Mole cartoon of a war crime. Carl Icahn-the corporate raider who destroyed TWA and immiserated thousands of employees-will stop China by making good deals. If Trump's friend Vladimir Putin is hacking me, I ask that he only leak the tasteful nudes, and leak them with the beneficence of all great, blameless statesmen who definitely do not have journalists killed. THE SUPREME COURT Donald Trump will appoint anyone on a list handed to him by the Republican National Committee, but also cross out one and write in democracy-deploring Gawker-slayer Peter Thiel. Peter, if you are reading this, please do not sue me. EACH CANDIDATE'S FITNESS TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT Donald Trump is not fit to serve as president. Donald Trump isn't even fit to serve as president of the Official Brutus the Barber Beefcake Fan Club. Trump would collect $15 each for autographed glossies of the Barber, declare bankruptcy, then send out a mass email to all the Beefcake Boosters announcing his intention to sue the United States Postal Service for losing all their pictures, then append a follow-up email calling Ed Leslie (the Barber's real name) "a loser with a girl's name" and his fans "pathetic." He would then sell the fan club's address list to the same reverse-mortgage company that is keeping Fred Thompson's body alive in cryo-stasis inside Nevada's Yucca Mountain. Trump has made the election a referendum on whether he's "so crazy it just might work" or "so crazy he might kill us all." Notice that, in the above list, you saw nothing about climate change, an existential threat that will create millions of refugees, destabilize economies and foreign policies, and affect entitlements, debt, and the court system. It will also eventually swallow Florida, where my family and I live, but we all knew this gig was temporary. Notice, too, that I said nothing above about Hillary Clinton's policies. That's because they are unnecessary. Hillary Clinton is not Donald Trump. Really, that's enough. That's the trouble with apocalyptic narcissism: You expand the list of alternatives to include virtually anything else. Clinton's policies are often opaque, in the tactically noncommittal way of all candidates, but they are not hidden. Nor are they like Trump's, in that they fit within a normative definition of "existing" as "policies." You can dig through papers on her website, or you can listen to any of her debates with Bernie Sanders, which feel like Lincoln-Douglas compared to whatever this will become. That information is there, mostly, if you want to find it. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="Imagine%20If%20Trump%20Didn't%20Go%20Insane%20Every%20Night" customimages="" content="article.49725"] It's a bitter irony for the party that tried so desperately to depict Barack Obama as "unvetted" by the media that they wound up with Trump. This election should have been a petri dish for a thousand near-fatal Clinton conspiracies. Instead, the GOP nominated a blowhard so compromised by scandal and so relentlessly erratically vile to Hispanics, blacks, Muslims, and women-to literally an overwhelming majority of humans on this planet-that his opponent could probably emcee a dogfighting ring backstage without drawing attention to herself. You will not hear any of Donald Trump's policies tonight, because he does not have them. You will hear Hillary Clinton's policies, but she doesn't need them. This election is over. You Might Also Like Modern home-furnishing chain West Elm, owned by Williams-Sonoma Inc. WSM, announced the opening of a store in Bellevue, Washington, creating approximately 30 jobs. The 14,215 square-foot retail store will open on Oct 20. This marks the fifth initiative by West Elm this quarter after the launch of the third store in Nevada earlier this month, expansion into the boutique hotel business, launching of Whole Foods product line and partnership with Sonos Home Audio System. Such initiatives are in line with Williams-Sonomas strategy to counter competition from peers like At Home Group Inc. HOME, Haverty Furniture Companies Inc. HVT and Restoration Hardware Holdings, Inc. RH. WILLIAMS-SONOMA Price WILLIAMS-SONOMA Price | WILLIAMS-SONOMA Quote Also, the company will continue with its strategy of regionalization of products by working with local artisans. Products from seven Washington-based makers and designers will be available in the store. It will also offer custom-designed cash wrap made from reclaimed pine and fir that summons Bellevues history as an agricultural hub. A complimentary design lab offering West Elms Style+Services will be there to support customers as well. Meanwhile, Pottery Barn Williams-Sonomas largest brand and specialty retailer for casual, comfortable and stylish home furnishings entered into a product collaboration with renowned Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Sabyasachi for Pottery Barn collection will include vintage textiles and products that reflect the rich artistic traditions of India. Also, West Elm has taken up various promotional initiatives as part of the opening day celebrations, like offering limited edition tote bags to the first 300 shoppers, gift cards to local customers and an invitation to a private pre-opening celebration. Part of the proceeds from the pre-opening festivities will be given to a local non-profit organization. Williams-Sonoma carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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 AT HOME GRP INC (HOME): Free Stock Analysis Report HAVERTY FURNIT (HVT): Free Stock Analysis Report WILLIAMS-SONOMA (WSM): Free Stock Analysis Report RESTORATION HDW (RH): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research US presidential debate: Trump ducks election result pledge Republican Donald Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election result if he loses, in the final TV debate against Hillary Clinton. By Ami Miyazaki and J.R. Wu TOKYO/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Women in the Asia-Pacific region expressed dismay on Thursday about the U.S. presidential campaign's focus on the emotional topic of sexual harassment, saying it shows both democracy and the rights of women in America have some way to go. In a fiery final debate on Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Republican nominee Donald Trump accused Democrat rival Hillary Clinton's campaign of orchestrating a series of accusations by women who said the businessman had made unwanted sexual advances. Clinton, who would be America's first female president, said the women came forward after Trump said he had never made unwanted advances on women. His denial came after a 2005 video surfaced earlier this month in which he was recorded bragging about groping women against their will. Hsiao Bi-khim, a lawmaker from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said she found it "rather incredible" Trump had survived politically in the face of the allegations. If a candidate in Taiwan was caught on tape making similar remarks, "I don't think such a person would survive a presidential campaign," she said. Taiwan in January elected its first woman president, Tsai Ing-wen, and on gender equality at least, appears more advanced politically than the United States, she said. "Not only have we elected a woman president, but we have a higher percentage of women who are independently involved in politics and in leadership positions," Hsiao said. BREAKING GLASS CEILING Japan's former minister for gender equality, Kuniko Inoguchi, said the rest of the world has been dismayed to see the U.S. campaign devolve into "a downgraded debate on womens issues" and it wouldn't be happening if Clinton were a man running for president. "So when the glass ceiling breaks, there are a lot of injuries that a woman must bear, Inoguchi said. Mari Miura, a Sophia University political science professor specializing in womens issues, said Japanese politicians have also sparked outrage for comments demeaning women in the past. "We hear such comments constantly from Japanese conservative men," she said. "There are so many incidents that people get used to it and its easier to let it go. A study commissioned by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, published in March, found 28.7 percent of women had experienced some form of sexual harassment, and 40 percent of those said they had experienced unwanted touching. 'TRAGEDY FOR WOMEN EVERYWHERE' South Korea, which in 2012 elected its first woman president, Park Geun-hye, has slowly become more accepting of women politicians, said Park Young-sun, a female senior member of the Democratic Party of Korea, which has a majority in parliament. Park Young-sun said that when she first entered parliament, in 2004, female lawmakers were considered "decorative items on display". "They were given positions within the parties like flowers being placed decoratively here and there. Now it's better." Nurul Izzah, a Malaysian member of parliament and daughter of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, said the U.S. campaign debate was "a tragedy for women everywhere. Nurul said "there is a lot of condescension, prejudice" in Malaysian politics, but "political attacks are not really focused on gender-specific issues". A senior female member of Indonesian President Joko Widodo's government said what Trump has been accused of doing with women "would make him definitely unelectable in Indonesia". "What shocks me is that many Americans still accept him and make excuses for him." She said sexual assault is not part of Indonesia's political culture, "and even if there are instances, it is not tolerated, and it doesnt sit well with either men or women". 'EVE-TEASING' India, where sexual harassment and groping on public transport is known as "Eve-teasing", went through its own soul-searching over the issue after the death of a young woman who was gang-raped on a moving bus in New Delhi in 2012. "In our climate, a Donald Trump-like figure would have to apologize publicly," said Maya Mirchandani, foreign affairs editor at NDTV, a leading news channel. When she started in TV news in the 1990s, young female reporters were called soundbite soldiers, she said. "Print journalists alleged that we used our bodies to stop politicians and get them to talk to us." Today, Indian law sets clear guidelines for companies to ensure harassment in the workplace is dealt with, she said. Even Australia, known for its colorful language and no-holds barred political culture, has been shocked by the U.S. presidential campaign, said Ged Kearney, female president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The closest Australia has come to anything similar recently was a 'ditch the witch' campaign adopted by supporters of the conservative opposition against former prime minister Julia Gillard, Australia's first prime minister, when she argued for a carbon tax during her time in power from 2010 to 2013. Personally, I think Donald Trump would definitely be unelectable in Australia," Kearney said. "I don't think there is any place in Australia for that level of misogyny and cheapening of politics." (Additional reporting by Christine Kim in Seoul, Linda Sieg in Tokyo, Swati Pandey and Jane Wardel in Sydney, Kanupriya Kapoor in Jakarta, Joseph Sipalan in Kuala Lumpur and Douglas Busvine In New Delhi; Writing by Bill Tarrant; Editing by Will Waterman) We know Iceland is at the top of your bucket listand if it isnt, it should be. Where else can you go snorkeling between two tectonic plates or hiking through never before seen ice caves? Today, WOW Aira Rekjavk-based low-cost airlineannounced additional flights from the Icelandic capital to London, Paris, and Amsterdam beginning in the spring. Theyre even upping their service to Iceland from West Coast hubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco. To celebrate, the offering steeply discounted flights to a handful of destinations, including $99 fares to Iceland from Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. This one-way fare is available on travel between January 15 and April 9, as well as April 23 and May 7 for flights originating on the East Coast, and from late January or early February to early April, and late April until the end of May for flights originating in California. Travelers can also take advantage of $149 tickets to Paris, Amsterdam, and London from Boston, Washington, D.C., Miami, and New York City from Newark Liberty International Airport. All flights will make a one-hour stopover in Iceland before continuing onto their final European cities. Tickets are on sale now, and will sell out quickly. Book your 2017 trip to Europe now to take advantage of the sale. Related Articles Xilinx Inc. XLNX reported better-than-expected results in the second-quarter of fiscal 2017. The top and the bottom line also witnessed impressive year-over-year improvement. The companys adjusted earnings (including stock-based compensation but excluding all other one-time items) of 61 cents per share came ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 54 cents. The figure also increased approximately 27% from the year-ago quarter on the back of strong top-line growth and effective cost management. FindTheCompany | Graphiq Revenues Xilinx reported fiscal second-quarter revenues of approximately $579.3 million, up 9.8% year over year and above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $575 million. On a sequential basis, the companys revenues grew roughly 1%. Sales at the Communications & Data Center division increased 9% from the prior-year quarter. However, the same decreased 6% sequentially. Revenues at Broadcast, Consumer & Automotive increased 8% on a year over year and 5% sequentially. Sales at the Industrial, Aerospace & Defense division increased 11% on a year-over-year basis and 7% sequentially. Product-wise, revenues from Advanced products increased a whopping 61% year over year and 10% sequentially, driven mainly by record sales of 28-nm and 20-nm products. In addition, the revamp of 16-nm products started contributing to the top line during the quarter. On the other hand, as expected, revenues from core products declined 14% from the year-ago quarter and 6% sequentially. Geographically, on a year-over-year basis, revenues from North America and Asia-Pacific increased 20% and 6%, respectively, while that from Europe jumped 11%. On the other hand, revenues from Japan declined 7% on a year-over-year basis. Margins Xilinx reported a 50 basis points (bps) contraction in adjusted gross margin on a year-over-year basis to 69.6%. Also, reported gross margin was below the companys guidance of 70% mainly due to the impact of a licensing agreement with Rambus. Story continues Adjusted operating expenses increased 4.8% to $225.3 million. Moreover, as a percentage of revenues, operating expenses amounted to 38.9%, reflecting a 180 bps year-over-year decline. Xilinxs adjusted operating margin expanded 130 bps year over year to 30.7%. In terms of dollars, adjusted operating income increased 14.9% year over year to $178.1 million. Adjusted net income for the quarter came in at $165.4 million compared with $129.1 million. Balance Sheet, Cash Flow & Shareholders Return Xilinx exited the quarter with cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments of approximately $3.49 billion, compared with $3.52 billion in the previous quarter. The company has total long-term debt (long-term debt plus current portion) of about $994.4 million. During the quarter, Xilinx generated cash of $183.6 million from operations and incurred $11 million as capital expenditure. Moreover, the company paid $83.9 million as cash dividends and repurchased shares worth $99.9 million during the quarter. Concurrent with fiscal second-quarter results, Xilinx announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 33 cents per share. The raised dividend will be paid on Nov 23, 2016 to shareholders of record as on Nov 8, 2016. Guidance The company provided encouraging top-line guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2017. Management expects revenues to be sequentially flat. Gross margin is anticipated to be approximately 69%. Operating expenses are likely to be around $245 million, which includes approximately $1 million of amortization of acquisition-related intangibles. Effective tax rate stands at approximately 14%. Conclusion The California-based chipmaker reported better-than-expected second-quarter fiscal 2017 results. Also, earnings and revenues improved year over year. Revenues by end markets (Communications & Data Center, Broadcast, Consumer & Automotive and Industrial, Aerospace & Defense) registered year-over-year growth. Increasing demand for 28-nm, 20-nm and 16-nm nodes, driven by higher wireless deployments and strength in the wired communication segment, are expected to remain growth drivers. The companys new product launches should further aid revenues. Nonetheless, a slowdown in the Chinese economy, along with economic weakness in Europe and the Asia-Pacific could impact the companys near-term results. Also, stiff competition from Lattice Semiconductor Corporation LSCC remains a material headwind. XILINX INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise XILINX INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | XILINX INC Quote Stocks to Consider Currently, Xilinx has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). A couple of better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) and Synopsys Inc. (SNPS), both carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here Amazon and Synopsys have a long-term expected growth rate of 35% and 9%, respectively. 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 AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report SYNOPSYS INC (SNPS): Free Stock Analysis Report LATTICE SEMICON (LSCC): Free Stock Analysis Report XILINX INC (XLNX): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. SAN FRANCISCO Women from Nigeria, London, Oakland, Calif., and beyond gathered for in the back room of a new San Francisco hot spot Wednesday night to toast a new arrival. The venue was Leos Oyster House, and the occasion gave San Franciscos style set an opportunity to meet emerging womens wear designer Maki Osakwe, who had flown in from Nigeria only days earlier to visit Oaklands McMullen boutique. Purveyor Sherry McMullen is the only U.S. retailer to carry Maki Oh, whose contemporary constructions incorporate traditional African technique and this wasnt by chance. Before dinner, McMullen shared the details of an Instagram private message campaign to woo the designer. McMullen then linked with Farfetch to add Maki Oh to the site. The dinner was organized by Farfetch and McMullen. Since founding Maki Oh in 2010, Osakwe has shown in Paris and New York and has outfitted women including Michelle Obama, Lupita Nyongo, Solange Knowles, Leelee Sobieski, Alek Wek, Thandie Newton, Azealia Banks and more. Two years ago, she became the first and only Africa-based designer to be invited to the White House. Bay Area stylist Mary Gonsalves Kinney, who cohosted the event with McMullen client Sarah Somberg, social media director at B&N Industries, said that Maki Oh represented all women. We live in a world where women are literally changing the dynamic of how we think, how we act and, now thankfully, our political landscape, she said. Her mother taught her to create her own destiny, and she is now the it designer of the year a woman we can all look to for inspiration and a lesson in sheer grit and true talent. Osakwe said she considers herself a mixed media artist and was encouraged to do everything while growing up as the youngest of three. She is a painter and photographer, and this serves her well. For her most-recent collection, she made a short video based on variations of Nigerians use of ehn, which Oh said mirrored the complexity of being an African woman. The film is an extension of the personal connection she has with each collection. Story continues Looking around the room, which was decorated in tropical palm fronds and protea bouquets, she remarked on seeing her designs on many in attendance and the challenge and beauty of translating her Nigerian influences into a modern, international aesthetic. Its an important part of what I do. Launch Gallery: Maki Oh in San Francisco Related stories First Lady Michelle Obama Wears Versace for Italian State Dinner Featuring Plenty of American Talent First Ladies Michelle Obama and Agnese Landini Meet at White House Fashion Game Covet Fashion Partners With Glam4Good Watching the watchdog CIAA chief would do well to appear before the Supreme Court within required time Google's new showroom opened as a pop-up shop in New York's Soho neighborhood, where the tech company will deomonstrate, but not sell, new products (AFP Photo/Jewel Samad) New York (AFP) - It's not exactly a store, but the Google "showroom" that opened Thursday in New York is the internet giant's first real-world shop and a step onto terrain where rival Apple has excelled. The success of the temporary storefront Google opened in the trendy Soho neighborhood could help the California-based company decide whether to follow Apple's lead and operate its own brick-and-mortar retail operation. The New York pop-up shop will be open through the end of this year, and let people get their hands on new Google devices such as Pixel smartphones which began shipping Thursday in a direct challenge to Apple's latest iPhones. "This is not even a testing ground, just an extension of the launch," Google spokeswoman Chrissy Persico said at the showroom opening event. "We want people to come in and experience the products." Google early this month took on rivals Apple, Samsung and Amazon in a new push into hardware, launching the in-house designed Pixel smartphone and a slew of other devices showcasing artificial intelligence prowess. By producing both the phone hardware and its Android software, Google is making a more direct assault on Apple and its tightly controlled ecosystem. The pop-up shop also displayed Google's freshly unveiled Daydream View virtual reality headset, a modular wi-fi system, and a Home virtual assistant that will challenge the Amazon Echo device. Nothing is sold at the Google shop, but the staff directs potential customers to the company's online store or telephone operators who can take orders for products. - 'Big battle' - A wall in the shop is decorated with an artful arrangement of blue, red, yellow and green blocks, arranged to display the internet company's trademark colors. Only 30 or so visitors ventured into the pop-up store for its opening morning, a lean showing in comparison to mobs typically drawn to new Apple stores. Story continues Apple has a shop in Soho, too, and many more across the country and around the world. As differences on the hardware side of premium smartphones have faded, competitors have increasingly stressed "experiences" such as smoothly accessing content or services. "I am interested in technology, so I just hang out in stores," Columbia University student Ravi Lakshmanan told AFP in the Google shop. "There is going to be a big battle of platforms and it's going to be interesting to watch." Another visitor, Ike McLaughlin, said he has flip-flopped between the rivals but is on Google's side for now because he felt Apple was "playing it safe, when Google is taking risks and making a push in artificial intelligence." McLaughlin's verdict echoes the concerns of analysts that Apple has not delivered a market-shaking new product since the death of visionary co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011. But even if its market capitalization has fallen below peaks hit in 2015, Apple remains the world's most valuable company based on its share price. For the financial year ending September 2015, Apple posted a net profit of $53 billion, double the figure posted in the last year of the reign of Steve Jobs. Google's new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones were released on Thursday and diehard Android fans were excited. In fact, unlike Nexus phones from Google, the new Pixel phones even managed to generate some interest outside the enthusiast crowd thanks to the recent cancellation of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7. Android users are in search of a new star now that Samsung's most recent flagship phone is more than seven months old, and Google's first self-designed handsets could be just what the doctor ordered. Early reviews were mostly positive, though bloggers who didn't like the phones really didn't like them. Google Assistant is a bright spot and the Pixel's rear camera really shined as well, even managing to capture more impressive photos than Apple's iPhone 7 Plus in many cases. But a new test reveals that there's another key area where Google's new Pixel XL is no match for Apple's flagship phablet. DON'T MISS: These are the 2 best iPhone email apps in the world, and I cant decide which to use There are a few features that always seem to be at the top of every list when consumers are surveyed about the things they consider most when buying a smartphone. Camera quality is absolutely near the top of the list each time, and the Pixel XL and iPhone 7 Plus both have you covered in this important area. The #1 answer is almost always battery life though, and Apple's phablet beat the newest Google phone by a wide margin in one recent test. Mobile blog Phone Arena put both phablets through its standard battery test, which is intended to measure how long a smartphone battery lasts during continuous "typical" use. According to the site's tests, the new Google Pixel XL lasted for an admirable 7 hours and 19 minutes, one minute longer than Samsung's Galaxy S7 edge. But the iPhone 7 Plus ran for 9 hours and 5 minutes, crushing the Pixel phablet by nearly 2 hours. screen-shot-2016-10-20-at-3-03-27-pm Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - Japanese electrical equipment producer Yaskawa Electric [6506.T] will build a robot factory in Slovenia, Prime Minister Miro Cerar told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. State news agency STA reported that the investment was likely to be around 25 million euros ($27.3 million) and that Yaskawa chose Slovenia over Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland, which were also being considered as possible locations for its new factory. Yaskawa specializes in robotics and motion control technologies. It already owns a small factory in Slovenia which produces robotic cells. Cerar was attending a European Union summit of heads of government in Brussels. His government is trying to increase foreign direct investment to give a boost to the economy which narrowly avoided an international bailout for its banks in 2013. Last year foreign direct investment rose to 1.36 billion euros versus 1.3 billion in 2014, while total accumulated FDI rose by 13.4 percent to 11.6 billion euros. Consumer electronics producer Panasonic [6752.T] is another Japanese company which might increase its investment in Slovenia. Last month it completed due diligence on Slovenian household appliances maker Gorenje and is next month expected to reveal whether it will raise its stake in Gorenje from 10.74 percent at present and possibly take over the firm. ($1 = 0.9152 euros) (Reporting By Marja Novak; Editing by Keith Weir) By Sebastian J. Bae Best Defense Council of the Former Enlisted Modern Day Marine, an annual military exposition, was marketed as a glimpse into the future of the Marine Corps. Hosted by Marine Corps Systems Command, the services procurement division, the expo was a dazzling display of the business of war rows of matte black rifles, tables teeming with tactical gear, and an array of unmanned vehicles of every shape and size (popularly known as drones). The entire affair felt like a science fair combined with a marketing event; each company peddling a solution to the numerous challenges of an increasingly complex battlefield. The abundance of vendors and high-speed gadgets gave the sense that the Marine Corps, and the military as a whole, was on the cusp of embracing a technological revolution. The Bell V-247, a foldable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) resembling the tiltrotor Osprey, promised unparalleled operational flexibility whether providing missiles or persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martins Squad Mission Support System promised to lighten the load of the infantryman, counter mines, provide indirect fires, and deliver medical evacuation. And in the information age, Huckworthy, a technology consulting firm, promised the ability to create a secure, mobile communications network in any environment. The promises were endless often hyperbolic and overly optimistic. The militarys propensity towards techno-centric solutions and its willingness to purchase high-ticket items are no way novel. In a way, it perfectly characterizes the American philosophy of warfare reflected in the militarys reliance on sophisticated weapons platforms and precision munitions. Yet, throughout Modern Day Marine, I found myself asking: Is the military prepared to couple high-end technology with equally skilled warfighters? The short answer is a resounding no. With the Global War on Terror, the warfighter ideal has widened from the narrow Captain America prototype towards a more techno-centric breed, which includes cyber specialists and UAV pilots. Although the time-tested utility of the infantry will never truly disappear, the rising prominence of techno-warfighters like UAV operators is indisputable as demonstrated daily in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria. Similarly, the importance of cyber warfare, a term both controversial and popular, has jumped to the forefront of policy and strategic priorities. Many experts expect computer viruses to replace tanks as geopolitical weapons, as cyber specialists become the instrument of choice. None of this is surprising in a political environment where boots on the ground equates to political suicide or the threat of World War III. Think Syria or Crimea. Story continues However, the evolving character of modern warfare has not been coupled with a corresponding transformation in personnel policy, training, or recruitment. For instance, the Air Force continually struggles to meet the ever-increasing demand for UAV pilots, especially as the aerial campaign in Syria and Iraq intensify. The grueling hours and lack of prestige associated with UAV assignments has made recruiting UAV pilots difficult. Consequently, on September 5, 2016, the New York Times reported the controversial employment of private contractors as UAV pilots which reflects a wider trend of contracting out high-skill jobs to the private sector. The fact is that the military is struggling to keep up with the rapid advances in technology and its consequences on the battlefield. Military education, particularly in emerging technologies, remains stagnant and less than rigorous. Furthermore, the reservoir of technical skills in fields like computer science and engineering remains low within the uniformed services. Yet, as technology assumes more intricate roles and grows more lethal, the warfighters decision-making abilities and technical skills will become invaluable. Unfortunately, the military is still recruiting and training for a war where flesh will challenge metal, narrowly focusing on physicality and acquiring new systems while neglecting to build the necessary skill sets and personnel required for a more cerebral type of warfare. Therefore, it is unsurprising that poor talent recruitment and retention is endemic throughout the military, particularly within U.S. Cyber Command and the other service cyber branches. For years, countless pundits and military experts have disparaged the militarys talent management repeatedly stressing its inability to coordinate, nurture, or retain talent. In response to this growing choir of complaints, Secretary of Defense Ash Carters Force of the Future is aimed at improving the Pentagons ability to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented men and women America has to offer. Naturally, Force of the Future has become the latest buzzword within the halls of the Pentagon. Overall, the initiatives of the Force of the Future are both ambitious in their scope as they are lacking in their depth and detail. Yet, despite its flaws, the Force of the Future is a step in the right direction. The rigid military personnel system urgently needs reform such as private sector fellowships and flexible career paths. Likewise, the military needs to reinvigorate military education, particularly in emerging technology, and attract more recruits from the STEM fields. DIUX, the Department of Defenses innovation unit, displays fledging promise in bridging the gap between Silicon Valley and the Potomac Puzzle Palace. Admittedly, there is no simple answer to the militarys struggles in embracing the technological revolution and building the military of tomorrow. Alex McCoy, another Best Defense columnist and former Marine, has argued for a separate and distinct Cyber Corps, imitating the birth of the Air Force. Yet, the impulse to establish a new service or command with every new problem is an ineffective strategy as reflected in the persistence of air wings in almost every service or the lackluster success of U.S. AFRICOM. In all likelihood, the technological revolution will come in piecemeal fashion as an entrenched mentality and bureaucracy is beaten into submission. Even with all its good intentions, Force of the Future faces numerous critics and distractors in Congress and within the Puzzle Palace. The path forward is undoubtedly filled with perils and unknowns, but the only certainty is that change is coming. And however the military gets there, the warfighter of the future will increasingly resemble a techno-warfighter and shed their resemblance to their beach breaching brothers of yore. Prepare for the revenge of the nerds. Sebastian Bae, who once was a Marine, is a frequent contributor to The Best Defense. He is a key member of the blogs Council of the Former Enlisted. Photo credit: U.S. Department of Defense Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Microsoft (MSF) will announce its Q1 2017 earnings after the closing bell Thursday, and the biggest news will be how well the companys cloud services are performing. The cloud has been a key tenet of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadellas mission for the tech giant. He has said the company needs to be mobile first, cloud first. When Nadella talks about mobile, though, he isnt talking about Microsofts own smartphone brand. Hes talking about ensuring that Microsofts services are available across mobile platforms, especially Apples (AAPL) iOS and Googles (GOOG) Android. The biggest indicators of Microsofts continued cloud strategy success will be how well its Azure cloud computing and Office 365 productivity services have performed over the past quarter. The consensus is that the company will report revenue of $0.68 per share on $21.7 billion, a $0.01 improvement year-over-year. RBC Capital Markets analysts Ross MacMillan and Matthew Hedberg expect the companys server product growth to see a 1% increase versus year-over-year, with Azure and Office 365 numbers increasing by 80% and 48% (seat growth), respectively year-over-year. In a recent note, analysts said that Microsofts cloud services will be an asset with continued long-term growth going forward, as more businesses move to the companys offerings. The cloud is seen by many in the tech industry as the future for computing, with businesses able to move away from having to purchase and run their own massive servers by handing off the burden to companies like Microsoft. Its also important to note, however, that Microsoft has an enormous competitor in Amazons (AMZN) Amazon Web Services, and a growing threat in Googles own enterprise services. Outside of Microsofts cloud offerings, it will be important to note how well the companys Windows 10 adoption is moving along. Of equal importance is if Microsoft will continue to see revenue growth in the commercial Windows market. Surprisingly, the consumer Windows market was up 27% in Q4 2016. Microsoft could see solid performance in this area thanks to back-to-school shoppers. Story continues While the Windows maker reported an increase in revenue on its Surface Pro and Surface Book line of first-party hardware devices, RBC says the products could prove risky for Microsoft. We are not averse to having a hardware business if the economics make sense, the analysts said. Unless Microsoft can get to hardware breakeven within two years, or demonstrate sufficient offsetting value elsewhere in the portfolio, we think the company should exit the hardware business. Interestingly, Microsoft is expected to announce an entirely new Surface product category at an event in New York on Oct. 26. The device, it has been widely reported, could be a Surface-branded all-in-one desktop PC with a heavy emphasis on performance for consumers in need of high-end machines including designers and gamers. The Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book received a good deal of critical praise when they were released last year, including from yours truly, so Microsoft might not feel as though an update is needed at this point. Apple, however, is expected to announce major improvements to its MacBook line of laptops during an event conveniently scheduled for the day after Microsofts. Part of the reason the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book have been so well regarded is that they outclass Apples own products in terms of hardware performance. But with Apple rolling out new notebooks, that may no longer be the case, and Microsoft could end up kicking itself for deciding not to update its devices. More from Dan: Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. Nintendo abandoned its consoles-only policy and entered the smartphone game market last year with the release of Super Mario Run (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi) (AFP/File) Japanese videogame giant Nintendo on Thursday gave gamers a sneak peek at a long-awaited new console, a portable device dubbed Nintendo Switch, which could be key to boosting its bottom line. In a three-minute video on its YouTube channel, Nintendo unveiled a hybrid machine that can be played at home and on the go, thanks to a removable screen like a tablet with the controllers attached. "The mobility of a handheld is now added to the power of a home gaming system to enable unprecedented new video game play styles," Nintendo said on the website. The Kyoto-based firm, which successfully forayed into the smartphone game market with the release of Pokemon Go earlier this year, said Nintendo Switch will be rolled out in March 2017. The new console follows Nintendo Wii U, which never succeeded in gaining fans and was outdistanced by Sony's Playstation 4 in terms of sales. Nintendo shares soared 4.40 percent to 27,230 yen in Tokyo on the news. The video presentation showed clips of several of the company's brand games on the new console, including "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Fire" as well as images from its famous series "Super Mario," "Mario Kart" and "Splatoon". The Japanese firm also revealed several key software partners, including major video game developers such as US firms Activision and Electronic Arts along with Japan's Capcom, Konami, Sega and Square Enix, as well as France's Ubisoft. Nintendo did not reveal the technical specifications of the new console, nor the expected pricetag. Nintendo Switch, which uses cartridges rather than discs, could be vital for the company which is looking for a hit product to offset the disappointing demand for its Wii U console. After years of pressure, Nintendo abandoned its consoles-only policy and entered into the smartphone game market this summer with the Pokemon Go app. Pokemon has been popular in Japan since first being launched as software in 1996 for Nintendo's iconic Game Boy console. In March, the company released "Miitomo" -- a free-to-play and interactive game that allows users to create "Mii" avatars -- as it tries to compete in an industry that has increasingly gone online. Samsung's recall and subsequent discontinuation of its Galaxy Note 7 will likely have far-reaching implications for the company's vaunted mobile division. From a financial perspective, the Note 7 mess will likely cost the company as much as $5 billion. Even more worrisome is that the harm done to Samsung's reputation may be hard to erase for the foreseeable future. DON'T MISS: There might actually be an Android phone faster than Apples iPhone 7 With Samsung still reeling from the PR disaster that was the Galaxy Note 7, we're starting to see rumblings that Samsung may abandon the Note brand altogether. Without question, the way people view the Note brand has changed drastically over the past few weeks, with many people now associating the brand with spontaneous fires and explosions. According to a recent report from The Korea Herald, Samsung is now contemplating a fundamental shift to a smartphone strategy that has served the company well for years. Specifically, Samsung, going forward, may focus on releasing just one premium smartphone model per year as part of a concerted effort to focus on quality. The end result would be Samsung releasing a Galaxy S8 this year and forgoing the release of the company's next-gen Galaxy Note 8. As for Samsung doubling down on quality, it's worth noting that Samsung rushed the Note 7 to market in a foolhardy effort to trounce what was believed to be a boring iPhone 7 upgrade. In their haste, however, Samsung released a faulty and dangerous device to the market. All the more worrisome is that Samsung still isn't quite sure why its initially well-reviewed phablet is prone to exploding. Samsung hasn't yet commented publicly on what it plans to do with its Galaxy Note line but you can bet that it's thinking long and hard about investing engineering resources towards a product line that may never again resonate with consumers. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND (Reuters) - Paintings by Yves Klein go on display at Tate Liverpool gallery this week, the first solo exhibition in Britain of the influential French artist's works in more than 20 years. Around 30 pieces, some of them never before seen in Britain, will be on show until March at the gallery, including works painted in the late artist's signature pure-pigment International Klein Blue. Also opening at the gallery on Friday is an installation of two humanoid robots and a robot dog, part of "Sprung a Leak", a work by London-based artist Cecile B. Evans. (Writing by Adela Suliman; Editing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Catherine Evans) The telecom industry experienced a good run on the bourses last week as most of the key stocks traded in the green. The U.S. telecom regulator, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has reduced the clearing target price of the ongoing 600 MHz low-band wireless spectrum auction, popularly known as the Incentive Auction. At present, the regulatory body is going through the stage 2 of the second part of the auction. In stage 2, the FCC reduced the event clearing spectrum size to 114 MHz instead of 126 MHz fixed earlier. Consequently, the auction clearing target price has also been lowered substantially to $54.6 billion from the initial target price of $86.4 billion. The FCC has received as many as 62 applications for the second part of the Incentive Auction. All the bidders have made upfront payments. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, to review the previous ruling regarding a data throttling charge issued by the FTC against the U.S. telecom behemoth AT&T Inc. T. Data throttling basically means data traffic blocking and slowing any data traffic once customers hit certain usage thresholds in a month. In a separate development, AT&T initiated direct roaming mobile interconnection services in Cubastarting Oct 18.AT&Ts customers will now be able to connect through talk, text and data while in Cuba at price rates of $3 per minute on the phone, 50 cents per SMS text, $1.30 per MMS text and $2.05 per MB of data. U.S. telecom giant Verizon Communications Inc. VZ plans to close seven call centers across five states that may lead to job loss of 3200 employees. The company deems the decision as a difficult but necessary one. Verizon intends to realign its real estate assets and customer service operations to make the optimum use of its call centers in other locations. Verizon currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues At the cable TV front, Charter Communications Inc. CHTR selected ARRIS International plc. ARRS as its vendor partner for its next-generation WorldBox 2.0 set-top box. Initiated in early 2015, WorldBox 2.0 is Charter Communications innovative hybrid IP/QAM video platform which is built to offer traditional and cloud-based user interfaces, content, and new video features to its subscribers. Leading wireless chipset manufacturer Qualcomm Inc. QCOM is leaving no stone unturned to make good use of the upcoming 5G network opportunity. Recently, Qualcomms subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., made an announcement regarding the launch of the worlds first 5G modem Snapdragon X50 and gigabit modem Snapdragon X16 LTE. Outside the U.S., Liberty Global plc. LBTYA, a leading cable MSO (multi service operator) in Europe and Latin & Central America, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the cable business of Multimedia Polska S.A. for a consideration of approximately $760 million. For video service, Multimedia Polska competes with UPC Poland and Vivendi SA and for Internet service, the companys main competitor is Orange SA ORAN. Read the last Telecom Stock Roundup for Oct 13, 2016. Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories 1. The FCC was initially hopeful of completing the Incentive Auction by the end of the third quarter of 2016. However, industry watchers are now anticipating it to be more prolonged and it is likely to continue till early 2017. Some industry watchers have also predicted that telecom operators might need around 70 MHz to 80 MHz of spectrums in the 600 MHz bands instead of the total freed up 126 MHz airwaves. In such a scenario, the FCC might have to conduct another round of reverse auction for a reduced volume of spectrum at lower prices. (read more: FCC Reduces the Clearing Target Price for Incentive Auction.) 2. For the FTC case, AT&T hasnt denied that it had throttled data for some users. However, the company defended itself citing that an exception is in place for common carriers. In Oct 2014, AT&T was a common carrier for landline phone and mobile voice service, but not for mobile Internet access. The FCC reclassified mobile Internet as a common carrier service only after adopting the Net Neutrality Rules. Notably, the FCC also slapped a fine of $100 million on AT&T for a similar reason in Jun 2015. The company has filed a response, which is still under review by the telecom regulator. (read more: FTC Appeals Court Ruling on AT&T's Data Throttling Case.) 3. President Barack Obamas decision to normalize U.S. diplomatic and economic relations with Cuba, which has been considerably tensed since 1961, is starting to show results. Under Obamas administration, new Cuban policy regulations, which have been approved by the Treasury and Commerce departments, aided the U.S. telecommunications industry to gain initial exemptions from the existing embargo to invest in Cuba. We believe, in the long-term, Cuba may be a boon for the U.S. telecom operators. (read more: AT&T Launches Direct Roaming Wireless Services in Cuba.) 4. Notably, Charter Communications has entered into a share warrant agreement with ARRIS. Per the deal, Charter Communications has the right to purchase up to 6 million shares of ARRIS stock before the end of 2018. ARRIS will make certain number of shares available to Charter Communications only after the cable MSO purchases a specific volume of ARRIS products and services, specifically that under Network & Cloud segment products. (read more: Charter Communications Nominates ARRIS for WorldBox 2.0) 5. Liberty Global already has a strong presence in Poland which operates under the UPC Poland brand. For video service, Multimedia Polska competes with UPC Poland and Vivendi SA and for Internet service, the companys main competitor is Orange. Liberty Global will not be acquiring Multimedia Polskas other businesses like insurance, gas and energy operations. (read more: Liberty Global Eyes Polska to Expand Footprint in Poland.) Price Performance The following table shows the price movement of the major telecom players over the past week and the last six months. Company Last Week Last 6 Months VZ 1.05% -2.65% T 0.94% 1.70% S 3.60% 81.05% TMUS 2.98% 17.86% VOD 0.79% -17.53% CHL -0.48% 4.69% AMX 1.82% -23.10% CMCSA 0.14% 5.61% DISH 4.20% 21.13% Over the last five trading sessions, share price movement of major telecom stocks was positive barring China Mobile. DISH (4.20%) and Sprint (3.60%) gained significant value in the last five trading sessions. Likewise, over the last six months, the price performance of most telecom stocks was predominantly positive. Among the stocks that gained considerably were Sprint (81.05%), DISH (21.13%) and T-Mobile US (17.86%). On the other hand, America Movil and Vodafone lost 23.10% and 17.53%, respectively, over the same time frame. Whats Next in the Telecom Sector? We expect a lot of activity in the telecom sector over the next week as big names like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile US and Comcast are slated to release their quarterly results. In addition, leading wireless towers operators like Crown Castle International and American Tower will also release their results. Non-US telecom bigwigs such as Orange, America Movil, Telefonica, Chunghwa Telecom, Grupo Televisa and Telefonica Brasil will come up with their quarterly results as well. The market will closely evaluate these quarterly results in a bid to assess industry dynamics and growth prospects. Where Do Zacks' Investment Ideas Come From? You are welcome to download the full, up-to-the-minute list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buy" stocks free of charge. There is no better place to start your own stock search. Plus you can access the full list of must-avoid Zacks Rank #5 "Strong Sells" and other private research. See the stocks 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 ARRIS INTL PLC (ARRS): Free Stock Analysis Report QUALCOMM INC (QCOM): Free Stock Analysis Report AT&T INC (T): Free Stock Analysis Report VERIZON COMM (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report LIBERTY GLBL-A (LBTYA): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARTER COMM-A (CHTR): Free Stock Analysis Report ORANGE-ADR (ORAN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Ghanaian politicians have shown over the years that they are willing to do whatever it takes to win power, especially if they are contesting in tight elections. Even those who build a reputation over many decades as tough and powerful individuals have no problem falling to the level of ordinary Ghanaians, if that is what it will take to win elections. Here are some photos that detail the extent to which our politicians will go to win power. 1. The then-"mayor" of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, was seen cooking soup at the Ablekuma South Constituency in Accra, where he was contesting as the National Democratic Congress (NDC)'s parliamentary candidate. READ ALSO: 5 rappers Deborah Vanessa has dated in Ghana. Numbers 2 and 3 are friends! 2. He was seen stirring banku in the same constituency. 3. He also displayed his skills at plaiting hair. 4. President John Mahama rode a power bike as part of a dangerous publicity stunt. A fall from the bike, needless to say, could have got him killed him instantly. 5. Mahama did the Usain Bolt victory salute 6. Nana Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), played cards with some youth in the Greater Accra constituency. 7. Yeah, yeah... he loves cards 8. Akufo-Addo drank a sachet of water and chewed groundnut in public 9. The NPP leader ate Kenkey in pubic with other top leaders of the party 10. The NPP leader took a potentially dangerous walk across a lagoon in Accra. 11. The vice-presidential candidate of the NDC, Mahamudu Bawumia, pounded fufu in the Northern Region during campaigning ahead of the 2012 elections. 12. Bawumia also offered his services to a flour mill 13. The former director of the National Service Secretariat, Michael Kpessa-Whytte, stirred banku ahead of the NDC parliamentary primary in the Shia Osudoku Constituency. He lost that election. 14. A female NPP parlimamentary aspirant cooked banku for some members of her constituency. 15. Another parliamentary aspirants bathed a baby in public READ ALSO: 6 Ghanaian presidents and the hilarious nicknames given to them. Is there anything our politicians won't do for power? Share your views with us in the comments section below. You can also reach us with your stories on Facebook. Source: YEN.com.gh The Bank of Uganda has with effect from today, 20th October 2016, taken over management of Crane Bank Limited This is in exercise of its powers under section 87 (3) of the Financial Institutions Act 2004. According to a notice issued by the governor Tumusiime Mutebile, the action has been taken on grounds that the bank is significantly undercapitalized as defined by law. The notice also indicates that Crane Banks financial health poses systemic risk to the stability of the entire financial system. It adds that the continuation of the activities of Crane Bank in its current form is detrimental to the interests of its depositors Accordingly, the Central Bank has appointed a statutory manager to the affairs of Crane Bank limited and suspended its board of directors. The governor also says they are to conduct audit on Crane Bank to determine whether the high NPLs & Bad Debts contributed to the capital erosion. Bank of Uganda however assures the public that Crane Bank will remain open and its operations will continue. Story By Moses Ndhaye A South Sudan national who was shot twice when Gateway bus was ambushed yesterday, is fighting for his life at Gulu Independent Hospitals Intensive Care Unit. The Kampala-bound bus registration number UAU 262L was ambushed at Moli in South Sudan yesterday morning leaving two people dead and injuring one. The victim, identified as 48 year- old Buol Aguto, a businessman in operating in Nimule. Col John Rugadya Akiiki, the Assistant Division Commander, 4th Division, has confirmed the incident, advising Ugandans to be more security conscious while they conduct business in South Sudan. He has faulted the South Sudan Army for failure to cooperate when it comes to security matters adding that there is no way UPDF can deploy there. Early this month, three Kampala bound buses were attacked along the Juba- Nimule road and passengers robbed of all their belongings. Story By Cissy Makumbi The chairman of the private sector Foundation Uganda Patrick Bitature has urged more private enterprises to sign up for the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Certification. This follows the signing of 13 Ugandan private companies from both the manufacturing and services sectors last evening which made Uganda the first African country to have its private sector take on the program. Bitature says signing up offers numerous benefits and opportunities to the companies noting though, that those signed up will be monitored to ensure they are implementing the commitment. Kampala City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has called on the minister for Kampala City Authority Beti Kamya to halt a directive she issued yesterday to evict vendors from the streets. At a press conference yesterday Kamya said the eviction should be done today to create order among traders in the city and give shop owners who pay licence fees a good environment within which to operate. However, addressing the media at city hall this morning, after a meeting with division mayors and councilors, Lukwago said the minister should respect KCCA leaders because they have the mandate to run the city on behalf of the government. He notes that as directly elected leaders, they should be allowed to make decisions that favour all traders in the city rather than take directives from the government. He argues that yesterdays directive came in when the authority leaders were still conducting consultative meetings to cater for vendors before evicting them. According to Lukwago, KCCA will hold another meeting on Monday to decide on the areas that should be gazetted for the vendors as they look for a permanent solution, asking the minister to suspend her orders pending their decision. The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission has warned that the continuous violation of the South Sudan ceasefire has the potential to trigger an uncontrolled escalation of violence motivated by retribution. The Commission Chairperson Festus Mogae says these hostilities are committed by two parties to the agreement and other armed groups. The former Botswana President has condemned such acts and these incidents must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. He calls upon both sides to regain full control of their forces and observe the ceasefire with immediate effect. This follows reports of 10 people who were hacked by suspected rebels in Mongala near the White Nile. Nakawa Member of Parliament Michael Kabaziguruka is now a free man. Kabaziguruka who is battling charges relating to treachery before the General Court Martial has been granted a cash bail by the High Court in Kampala. Justice Yasin Nyanzi has ordered Kabaziguruka to pay Sh5 million on top of executing a non-cash bond of Sh10 million before regaining his freedom. The Judge then ordered Kabazigurukas 4 sureties including the Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago, FDC party president Gen Mugisha Muntu, FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibante to also sign a non-cash bond of Sh100 million each to ensure that Kabaziguruka returns to court for trial. Kabaziguruka has also been barred from travelling out of the country without the High Courts permission where he is required to report twice in every fortnight starting from 5th/November 2016. Meanwhile the judge has called on the Law Reform Commission, Parliament and individual members to make amendments to the law so that in the future the DPP does not simply refuse to respond to matters before court. Jjustice Nyanzi heard Kabazigurukas bail application ex-parte as after the DPP refused to respond to it saying the law does not allow him to prosecute matters that are before the General Court Martial. The judge ruled that since this is not the first time the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is refusing to prosecute matters arising out of the Army Court, he had to borrow a leaf from his learned colleague Justice Masalu Musene who went ahead to release General David Sejusa on bail in the absence of the DPP in February this year. Just like justice Masalu, Justice Nyanzi said he could not just sit and look on while a litigant was before him seeking justice. Story By Ruth Anderah No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results A La Crosse woman on bond for serious drug distribution charges was arrested again Oct. 13 after being stopped for driving erratically with $15,000 worth of crystal meth in her car. According to the West Salem Police Department, a caller complained of a maroon Chevy Impala on Interstate 90 swerving all over the roadway about 12:45 p.m. The car exited the freeway in West Salem and nearly clipped a guardrail coming into town, according to police reports. An officer stopped the car and noticed the driver, 25-year-old Douazhong Vu, was chewing as he approached. Asked about her driving, Vu gestured to a takeout food container on the passenger seat and explained she was eating egg rolls. The officer discovered Vu was wanted for absconding from electronic monitoring in a pending drug case and put her under arrest. According to the reports, Vu told police she had some meth in her right pocket, but the officer found only a phone and $450 in cash, which Vu said she was planning to use to purchase the car. She told officers she must have left the meth behind. Police searched the car and found three plastic bags containing about six ounces of meth in a purse and another $650 in cash, according to the reports. Vu was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday where she faces possible charges of possession with intent to deliver meth and felony bail jumping. Vu was charged in April with possession with intent to deliver meth and maintaining a drug trafficking place after police raided her Oakland Street apartment and found more than half a pound of meth along with scales, a drug ledger, fake urine and more than $21,000 in cash. She posted a $5,000 bond but had been wanted since absconding from electronic monitoring in July. Also charged in April was her sister, 26-year-old Kojoua Vu, who police say is one of 17 people connected to a sophisticated drug trafficking enterprise that involved the distribution of high-grade methamphetamine manufactured by Mexican drug cartels into La Crosse and surrounding counties. Projected growth and changes in demographics in the Holmen Area Fire District has the fire departments officers and board taking a look at what future needs will be. Holmen Area Fire Department Chief Paul Menches presented a needs assessment draft to the Holmen Area Fire District Association Board its Sept. 28 meeting. The board currently serves a population of about 18,000 district residents. According to the preliminary needs assessment, the U.S. Department of Labor has set the guideline of one full-time firefighter for every 1,000 residents. That guideline would indicate the department should have 18 full-time firefighters, not including administrative personnel. However, Menches believes the department needs to set out a course of action in developing a combination department that is effective and efficient for improved services, as well as fiscally responsible. The chief stated this standard could be met by employing a 45 percent full-time/55 percent part-time model utilizing one full-time employee per 1,000 in population and a ratio of two well-trained and certified part-time firefighter for every one full-time responder. This would place the number of full-time firefighters at nine and part-time firefighters at 18 for a population of 19,000, Menches said. The departments current four full-time staff is made up of the chief, assistant chief, captain and lieutenant, who also take on administration responsibilities. The rest of the emergency responders are part-time and are part of the call back system. When a department responds to more than 1,000 calls per year and the population approaches 20,000, significant pressure is placed on a volunteer system. These pressures often result in paid firefighting forces being added to improve the level of service caused by the response workload, Menches said. The insurance services organization ranks areas within a fire district according to the ability of fire departments to respond to and suppress fires. The organization recommends a single fire resource should protect people within a 1.5-mile driving distance with a four- or five-minute travel time. The ISO insurance rating, based on a scale of 1 for the best score, up to 10 for the worst rating, varies throughout the fire district. Property owners in areas with the lower scores generally pay less in insurance premiums than those with property in areas with high scores. The more densely populated areas in the fire district have a Class 4 rating. The rural areas are ranked higher because of less availability of water and longer response time. Eighty percent of the Holmen Area Fire District is rural. Along with the ISO rating, Menches reported the fire department will need to migrate toward standards set by the National Fire Protection Association. NFPA sets the optimal response time and other services emergency response departments should meet. Menches reported the NFPA standards set the response time of six minutes from the moment the department receives the alarm until the first four firefighters arrives on the scene. The standard also requires a response of 15-17 firefighters within the first eight minutes for 90 percent of the incidents. The needs assessment also indicated a need for a substation located in the northern part of the fire district with the possibility of relocating the main station in the southern part. The future will likely see an increase in the senior population, which would mean greater demand on the emergency medical services. The construction of multi-story apartment complexes in the village will prompt the fire department to upgrade its equipment so it can adequately respond to an incident occurring in taller buildings. The fire department board took the needs assessment under advisement and will use the information to guide it in its decisions in the future. Tanker discussion Menches informed the board that he and the department officers were discussing the possible sale of one of the departments tanker trucks. The tanker is one of two the department owns, but is used much less than the other tanker. Its an older truck, Menches said. We could get $8,000 to $10,000 for it, but it would leave us with only one tanker. We have a lot of buildings that are in places that we have to go to where we need to haul water. There are a lot of areas that are no-water areas. With 80 percent of the fire district considered rural, the fire department officers hesitated to endorse selling the tanker. In the event the first tanker is sent out to a scene, the second tanker would be in reserve in the event another call would come in. The sale was suggested as a way to acquire funds for equipping the command vehicle and to buy special fire hose nozzles and tips to handle large volumes of water. The chief recommended the board allow the officers to take a closer look at the suggestion. They would want to determine whether an additional tanker would be available through mutual aid. However, the board questioned whether departments with one tanker would be willing to let their tanker out to respond to fire because they wouldnt want to be without a tanker in the event of a fire in their district. If other departments have only one tanker, they might not be willing to let it go out, said board member Chuck Olson. The issue of the sale of the second tanker was also sent back to fire department personnel for more research. Tucked in the conference room of the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center in Spring Grove on Oct. 6 sat five round tables filled with active residents of Houston County. All had committed their morning to the discussion of the countys tourism growth project. With only one other meeting in July under their belt, Courtney Bergey, community and business development specialist for Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA), began the meeting with a game plan. I am a doer; I want to get things done. Our goal today is to get things on my list and not meet just for meetings sake, Bergey said. Her plan resonated well in the room. She had residents and community leaders discuss planned topics in small groups. Those ranged from what Houston Countys tourism strengths were, what the next steps to move forward with a targeted tourism campaign would be, and if the residents had any ideas to add to her list. The room was loud and swift in compliance about common goals. When it came to what was missing in Houston Countys advertisement of scenery, culture and history, residents believed there should be an online map that will have technology similar to geocaching. How do we get people to know about Houston County? We need an element, that voyeur element that gets people saying, Thats an interesting place, Id like to go there, said Bill Fried, a board member at the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center. Another idea that was passed around was the renovation of Spring Groves website, as well as the Houston County website. The website we have used for years is terrible. I live here and I cant find anything on there, said Dawn Johnson of the Spring Grove Public Library. The mayor of Spring Grove, Sarah Schroeder, suggested that communities like Spring Grove add their calendar events and list of businesses to Explore La Crosses website. Or, possibly use a similar design on its own website. We could go off of Explore La Crosses email and website and can put a county-wide coordinative effort on there. They get a lot of traffic on that site, Schroeder said. Ideas, anywhere from Airbnb possibilities to training waiters and store workers to continually ask customers, What are you doing next? lead to the discussion of how the county can accomplish these tasks. This boiled down to funding. We have to have the money to hire the people who can assist and help us; volunteers arent enough, said Mike Schmidt, another Giants of the Earth board member. Schmidts point was reiterated by Johnson, who agreed that a financial strategy had to be met. We have to stop saying what if, what if, what if; we just need to make a decision and stick to it, Johnson said. A meeting like this could be set up that covers only the financial. The idea of a funding strategy opened the conversation to whether it should be between the cities or a county-wide coordination. The idea of focusing on separate cities rather than the whole county was set aside, as it was mentioned by La Crescent Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Eileen Krenz that it would put the cities of Houston County at odds. Our goal, this is all about collaborating, if we focus on city, city, city then that builds competition, Krenz said. Ryan Yetzer, of CEDA, suggested bringing the tourism initiative to the state level. I work with Southeastern Minnesotas Day at the Capitol, and I can work on putting Houston Countys needs in there, he said. The meeting ended with the groups decision that quarterly meetings were too far apart. They agreed to try to meet every month to two months. The next meeting is scheduled for 9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Houston County Historical Society in Caledonia. I think we have a lot to work with, Bergey said. LA CROSSE/GROVE CITY, Pa. Dr. Karen Christine Arndt, 56, of La Crosse, formerly Grove City went to be with the Lord Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. She was born Jan. 11, 1960, in New Castle, Pa., to Walter and Frances (Gorski) Pretko. Karen was blessed to work with the Gundersen Health System for 22 years, and most recently was clinical manager of General Internal Medicine for the La Crosse campus. Karens love for life was not limited to only her children and grandchildren, she was just as committed to nursing and patient centered care. She was a loving mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, teacher, mentor and patient, always striving to make life better for all. Karen was extremely proud to be a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, being commissioned in May 1982. Besides family, Karen served in capacities to assist and mentor youth through the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Grand Central Station, School District of La Crosse and YMCA volunteer for childrens pre-school education. Karen was honored to have served the Oglala Lakota Sioux nation as an RN through Gundersen Health System, Global Partners-Pine Ridge Reservation, S.D. Karen is survived by her family, partner in life and best friend, Stephen Arndt; children, Stephanie Arndt (Joe Gordon), Shakopee, Minn., SSgt Sean Arndt, Camp Lejeune, N.C., Cameron Arndt, La Crosse; four grandchildren, Javon, Jaxon, Bryson and Brennan; mother, Frances E. Pretko of Grove City; and brother, Walter A. Pretko of Columbus, Ohio;, other relatives, cohorts and friends. Karen was preceded in passing by her father, Walter Pretko. As relatives and friends, we are deeply moved and grateful to God for the privilege of knowing Karen. Through her life not only as a mother and nurse, we also experienced the love of God and the joy of salvation that Jesus Christ has prepared for us. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 22, at Mary Mother of the Church Parish, 2006 Weston St., La Crosse, with the Rev. Brian D. Konopa presiding. Visitation will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Ave. S., La Crosse, where a rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m. and again from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church. Karen will be interred at Woodland Cemetery, Grove City. In lieu of flowers, donations in remembrance of Karen can be made to the Karen C. Arndt Nursing Scholarship Fund or Global Partners, Gundersen Medical Foundation, 1836 South Avenue, La Crosse WI 54601. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com. In Gods hands may you rest, in our hearts, you will live forever. Anybody who knows me, even casually, is aware that I look for two things when I enter a store: where the mens restroom is and the coordinates of the deepest-discounted clearance rack. Clearance racks and shelves often are chock-full of stuff I didnt even know I needed or wanted and frequently, some things I didnt even know existed. The other day, I ran across something that we not only needed and wanted but also I didnt know it existed. It was for Jazzy, our periodically horribly dog-breathed cockapoo, whose halitosis sometimes rivals the stench of a Dumpster. Those so-called breath-fresheners and dental chews for dogs have proved to be as effective as a screen-bottomed towboat on the Mississippi River. The coup de grace: Pooch Smooch, the as-seen-on-TV Bad Breath Eliminator for All Size Dogs was 75 percent off, including two pouches of flavored paste, so I snagged it for a mere $4.99, plus tax. Kate rained on my victory parade when I marched into the house and announced my discovery on the clearance shelf. That just means nobody else was buying it, she said. I showed her the fresh-breathed tiny doggy on the carton, licking the face of a smiling veterinarian who is proclaiming, Pooch Smooch is a great, convenient way to eliminate the odor-causing bacteria found on your dogs tongue. A montage on the box shows the sources of the bacteria, stuff such as garbage, dirty socks and water from a toilet bowl. My dogs wont like it, Kate insisted. Ive tried everything. Well, theyll like this, I parried confidently. One is peanut-butter flavored and one is chicken. Heres the deal: The eliminator is an orange, brush-like thingy that looks like half a ball on the end of a plastic handle. The devices secret lies in its 1,500 bacteria-cleansing bristles, as well as four scrapers to wipe away bacteria. You just squeeze the paste onto the ball, and the dogs licking the bristles does the rest, according to the promo on the box. The highly touted 360-degree cleaning action comes with the aid of grapefruit seed extract with enzymes that break down bacteria and spearmint for lovable fresh breath, packed with vitamins and antioxidants. The company even sets up monthly deliveries so you never run out of pastes, which come in other flavors and are touted as having 75 uses. Not wanting to rub Kates nose in it (but relishing the thought) I grabbed the peanut butter paste. I was sure Jazzy and Dewey would knock each other over to get to it because they mob me for late-night snacks of graham crackers slathered in peanut butter. I squeezed a 2-inch strip of the peanut butter paste onto the bristle ball. Jazzy was drawn to it immediately her normal reaction to any hint of food sniffed it a few times before she started backpedaling so fast she nearly knocked Dewey on his keister as he tried to crowd his way in for a sniff. Kate laughed uproariously as they raced for an escape route. I chased Jazzy, and she finally assumed the submissive position she does when she wants a belly rub. Dewey, who is not as dog-breathed as Jazzy despite the places Ive seen him lick, took advantage of the opportunity to sniff her nether parts, as he is wont to do. I shoved the peanut buttered bacteria-cleansing bristles toward her, but she clamped her jaws shut tighter than a pit bull chomp in a street fight and turned her mouth away no doubt as she has seen Kate do when I try to force her to eat broccoli. Jazzy writhed on the floor like dogs do when they try to absorb the scent of, maybe, a skunk or a raccoon or a squirrel outside or, perhaps, scratch their backs on the carpet. Jazzy squirmed so forcefully that even the word writhing falls far short of describing the frantic motion. She looked like an eel, with its rapid anguilliform, sidewinding motion, trying to absquatulate to escape my grasp. She darted behind a chair and hid before peeking out as Kates peals of laughter rattled the windows. Seeing me, Jazzy ducked back behind the chair and tried to crawl under it. I turned my attention to Dewey, who has been hobbled of late with pulled ligaments and, I assumed, more catchable. He turned up his nose and limped away faster than a lion chasing a wildebeest. I informed the pups in no uncertain terms that my ego was on the line, in an effort to rebut their mama, as I switched to the chicken-flavored paste. They knocked each other over in their haste to flee. The kerfuffle was occurring around the time of the evening when Jazzy normally turns bossy, barking orders that she wants a snack, or a car ride or to go for a walk. Its also the time when Dewey transforms from a mild-mannered angel into a territorial devil who threatens everybody. In short, its the time of the day when sibling rivalry rules the roost. But this night, Jazzy and Dewey became joined at the hip, sitting butt-to-butt, like soldiers posted to thwart attacks from either side. They remained quiet and alert for the rest of the evening, with nary a peep from Jazzy nor a growl from Dewey. Only then did I Google to check reviews, expecting to find testimonies blasting the eliminator. Finding few but seeing plenty of success videos, I wondered what kind of drugs they forced on the dogs to sic them on the bristles. My rudest awakening came when I found that the Pooch Smooch can be bought for as little as $4.75 on several sites. DOH! What happened to the $19.99, minus 75 percent? To be sure, the manufacturer acknowledges that Pooch Smooch doesnt replace brushing your dogs teeth, so I cant allege false advertising. All I have to do is figure out how long I have to starve the dogs so theyll yield to hunger and lick the eliminators 1,500 bristles so I can muzzle Kate. Dairyland Power Cooperative has won a $73.5 million settlement from the U.S. government, which has failed to take spent fuel from Dairylands long-shuttered nuclear power plant in Genoa. The La Crosse-based utility had sought $85.2 million in damages for the cost of handling and storing the waste for six years. It is the second such award Dairyland has received totaling more than $111 million for having to store the uranium, which remains in dry casks at the plant site. According to a contract with the Department of Energy, the fuel rods were to be sent to the Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada, which was supposed to begin receiving waste by January 1998 but has yet to open. Robert Shapiro, Dairylands attorney in the case, said while every nuclear utility in the nation has filed similar suits, this settlement is unusual in that Dairyland will receive payment promptly and was able to negotiate more than $13 million savings on its future liabilities. The Department of Energy did not immediately respond to questions about how many such cases it has settled or the damages paid, but Shapiro said every nuclear utility has had at least one case. There are 100 operating nuclear power reactors in the United States and another 17 in the decommissioning process. The government could easily have avoided this liability by opening Yucca Mountatin, or someplace, to take the spent fuel, he said. And rather than have spent fuel sitting all around the country at sites like Dairylands they could have found one secure, central place to put it. Surely it would have a lot lower cost for the government to pay one place to store it as opposed to effectively paying a hundred places to store it. It will be up to the cooperatives board to determine how the money is used. Dairyland returned half of the last such award to its members through a direct payment and used the remainder for rate relief. At the end of the day, based on what we did last time, well give it back to the membership, said Rob Palmberg, vice president of generation. The fuel is a remnant of the La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor (LACBWR), which ceased operation in 1987. Built for the federal government as a demonstrator project, the 50-megawatt plant was turned over to Dairyland for $1 and began operation in 1967. The plant was shut down when it became too expensive to operate the tiny but heavily-regulated plant. Believing the federal government would honor its obligation to take the fuel by 1998, Dairyland chose to keep the 333 uranium rods under water inside the plant at a cost of about $6 million a year. Dairyland sued the government in 2004 for breach of contract, receiving $37.6 million in damages for the cost of storing the fuel from 1999 through 2006. The fuel was moved to dry casks in 2012, after six years of planning and preparation. According to Dairyland, it costs about $2.5 million a year to maintain that dry storage site. The second legal case covers 2007 through 2012 and includes the $47 million cost of transferring the fuel to dry storage. Given the current stalemate over Yucca Mountain, Palmberg expects Dairyland will file a third case in the next couple of years to cover the ongoing costs. Earlier this year, Dairyland transferred the license for the LACBWR site to a private company under contract to remove the buildings and all contaminated material from the site, which is adjacent to Dairylands Genoa coal-fired plant. The decommissioning is expected to take about two years and cost roughly $85 million. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe will host a Sacred Relics Exposition at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the priest the Vatican has entrusted to teach about sacred relics issuing a special invitation to people with illnesses to attend for the potential to be healed. The sick are especially the people I want to come, the Rev. Carlos Martins said in a phone interview Wednesday from one of his headquarters in Houston, Texas. Martins, a member of the order of the Companions of the Cross, plans to bring more than 150 relics, including holy items of St. Maria Goretti, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Faustina Kowalska, among others to the shrine on La Crosses far south end. The Catholic Church uses an elaborate process to declare items with a direct association to Jesus Christ or the saints as relics, which generally are divided into three classes: First class The body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh. Second class Something that a saint owned, such as a shirt or book (or fragments of those items). Third class Items that a saint touched or that have been touched to a first, second or another third class relic of a saint. In the Catholic Churchs history, many miracles and healings have been attributed to the presence of such objects. The most significant relic Martins will bring is part of the cross called the True Cross upon which Jesus was crucified, said Martins, entrusted as one of the custodians of the relics at www.guadalupeshrine.org/sacred-relics-of-the-saints-treasures-of-the-church-exposition, which also has a Canadian headquarters in Toronto. St. Helen, the mother of Constantine the Great, uncovered the cross with painstaking research in her sons quest to convert the world to Christianity, as he had been, Martins said. Constantine dispatched her to Jerusalem to gather relics for the endeavor, with the True Cross being the Holy Grail no pun intended, Martins said. Helen found the cross through the providential power of God, the priest said. When she determined the general area where the cross was said to be buried in Jerusalem, excavators found dozens and dozens of crosses and other timbers buried there, he said. In an effort to pinpoint the crucifixion cross, Helen requested that someone so ill as to be near death be brought to the site, Martins said. She had the woman lie down on each cross, he said. Cross after cross she reclined upon until she reached one that, as soon as she hit that wood, she was healed instantly. Helen said, Thats our cross. A paralyzed man who attended one of Martins expositions in Houston and touched the cross was healed immediately and was able to walk home, said Martins, who said he has witnessed hundreds, maybe thousands, of healings during his presentations. Those who attend the shrine event will have the opportunity to examine and venerate each relic, which include what the church says is one of the Blessed Virgin Marys veils. A year ago, Martins brought the body of St. Maria Goretti, declared a saint after a man stabbed her to death when she resisted his attempt to rape her when she was 11, to the U.S. for veneration. Martins plans to bring the heart of St. John Berchmans, a Jesuit priest from Belgium who died in 1621 and was canonized a saint in 1888, toward the end of this year. After his death, his heart was returned to Belgium, where it is kept in a silver reliquary on a side altar in the church at Louvain. I am one of the Vaticans go-to people for relics, Martins said. Upon graduation from law school, Carmaine Sturino began her legal career in Caledonia, Minn., as a law clerk for the Honorable James A. Fabian. Her practice of law was exclusive to the 3rd Judicial District. In Houston County, Judge Fabian was required, like all other judges, to retire at age 70, which was about one and a half years before the next general election. Judge Sturino was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton in September 2015, and, therefore, she must file as a candidate for the upcoming election. Because she has been appointed, she will appear on the ballot as the incumbent. Houston County is only one of 11 counties within the 3rd Judicial District. The other counties include: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona. This means that all voters of the 3rd District will be voting to determine who is seated in Houston County. Judge Sturino took the Minnesota state bar in 2001 and lived in La Crescent, Minn., and Winona, Minn. She has only practiced law in Minnesota. You must be a resident of the state for at least 30 days prior to applying for a judicial vacancy. Sturino's opponent has lived and practiced mostly in Wisconsin. This is why we believe you should cast your vote Nov. 8 for Judge Sturino. Be sure to turn your ballot over to vote for the judges. Wisconsin Republicans either reiterated their support for Donald Trump or said nothing last week, even after House Speaker Paul Ryan told nervous members of his caucus that he will not defend the GOP presidential nominee or campaign with him before the election. U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, whose northern Wisconsin district was the only one Trump carried in the April primary, stood by Trump, while Gov. Scott Walker, GOP legislative leaders and others were silent. I never endorsed Donald Trump because of his stance on women or his family values, Duffy said in a statement. I endorsed him for his policies ... four years of Hillary Clinton would be unacceptable. Duffys district includes the towns of LaGrange, Lincoln, Scott and Byron and villages of Wyeville and Warrens in Monroe County and the towns of Knapp, Bear Bluff and City Point in Jackson County. He's being challenged in the Nov. 8 election by Democrat Mary Hoeft of Rice Lake. Hoeft criticized Duffy's continued support for Trump during a Tuesday appearance in Hudson. Why do you continue to stand in support of a man who abuses women? Hoeft was quoted in the Hudson Star-Observer. In La Crosse, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson called Trumps remarks about groping women indefensible but did not rescind his support for the nominee. The first-term Republican, who is in a tight race against former Sen. Russ Feingold, deflected questions about Trumps fitness to hold the office, talking instead about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. In a country of 320 million people, when you take a look at the two candidates, certainly I wish we had better role models, Johnson said. Im certainly concerned about Hillary Clinton. Trumps campaign was thrown into crisis Oct. 7 with the release of audio from 2005 featuring Trump making lewd remarks and bragging about how his fame allowed him to do anything to women. During the second presidential debate Sunday, the businessman dismissed his comments as locker room talk and insisted he had great respect for women. Several women have accused Trump of unwanted sexual advances since the audio became public. During the second presidential debate Oct. 9, Trump turned up his attacks on Hillary Clinton, labeling her the devil and threatening to throw her in jail for her email practices at the State Department. He also accused her husband, former President Bill Clinton, of having been abusive to women. Local law enforcement received a thank-you Saturday morning. The Tomah Council of the Knights of Columbus and the Tomah Lions Clubs sponsored a free breakfast for law enforcement officers at the Knights of Columbus hall. The breakfast began with a brief presentation from the Knights and a proclamation read by Tomah mayor Nellie Pater. Its nice when we see not just individuals but entire organizations supporting the work we do, Tomah police chief Mark Nicholson said. Jim Siber, Grand Knight of the Tomah Knights of Columbus Council, said the countys quality of life depends on effective law enforcement. Its crucial theyre out in force, Siber said. You can rely on them anytime, and its not just calling 911. You can walk up to them and strike up a conversation, and theyll listen. Pater said police make the community a safer place. We really appreciate them always being there to protect us when we need them, she said. This is a city you protect. The proclamation focused on local law enforcement and didnt address national controversies over fatal police shootings. The national issue wasnt mentioned during the presentation. Siber said his frames of reference for policing are from his native Chicago and Tomah. I moved from Chicago, and I love it here, Siber said. I walk a lot in Tomah, and feel I can walk around the community and feel safe. Dear reader, we're asking for your help to keep local reporting available for all today during our fall fundraiser. Your financial support keeps stories like this one free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe Just as Metro CEO Phil Washington promised yesterday in a reddit AMA, more trains are coming to the Expo Line. On Wednesday, Metro announced on their blog The Source that Expo Line trains will now be arriving every six minutesfor most of the daybeginning on Monday. Up until now wait times were 12 minutes. Here's how it'll break down: Monday through Friday: From the start of service (as early as 3:26 a.m., depending on the station and direction) until 6 a.m., trains will arrive every 12 minutes. Between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., trains will arrive every 6 minutes. Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., trains will arrive every 12 minutes. After 9 p.m., trains will arrive every 20 minutes. On weekends, trains will run every 12 minutes until 9 p.m., after which they will run every 20 minutes. Metro says that, for now, trains will be two cars, but more three-car trains will arrive as Kinkisharyo provides them with more. Metro also said in the announcement that more three-car trains will be coming to the Gold Line, as well. The new timetable comes as an early surprise, after Metro said that it should be implemented by December. Ridership on the Expo Line has expanded since Phase II opened in May, and already people are complaining about the overcrowding. While this new timetable feels like some much-needed relief, some experts warn that it'll only be a temporary fix, especially as more people see public transit as an option (and therefore further crowd the Expo Line). But frankly, that doesn't sound like a bad thing. 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17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) 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(2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 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(7) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (5) Jun 11 (4) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (4) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (3) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (3) May 25 (4) May 24 (2) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (2) May 20 (3) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (2) May 14 (6) May 13 (4) May 12 (2) May 11 (3) May 10 (2) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (4) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (2) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (2) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (2) Apr 14 (4) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (4) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (6) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (4) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 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(1) An aid group says 5,000 people have fled fighting near Iraqs northern city of Mosul and arrived at a refugee camp in Syria. Save the Children said Wednesday the refugees have fled to the al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria during the past 10 days. The group said about 1,000 more were waiting to cross the border. Earlier this week, Iraqi and Kurdish forces launched an offensive to retake Mosul from Islamic State militants. Tarik Kadir is head of Save the Childrens Mosul response team. He said families are arriving at the Syrian camp with nothing but the clothes on their backs. He added that the al-Hol camp is not well-equipped to receive new refugees. Save the Children aid workers report conditions are getting worse around Mosul and thousands more people are expected to flee the area soon. About 18,000 Iraqi troops and 10,000 Kurdish forces are battling IS fighters around Mosul. More than 100 U.S. forces are taking part in the offensive. U.S. military officials say the U.S. forces are involved in planning and decision-making, instead of direct combat. The Islamic State group captured Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, in 2014. There are an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 IS fighters around the city. A U.S.-led coalition is supporting the offensive. A coalition spokesman said Tuesday the operation is so far on or ahead of schedule. In Turkey, the head of the Turkish Red Crescent organization said up to 400,000 people may flee the fighting in Mosul. Kerem Kinik told the Associated Press that coalition forces had not planned well for the humanitarian part of the Mosul offensive. He warned that officials will not be ready for the large flow of new refugees. He pointed out that Iraq already shelters more than three million displaced people. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said the organization has five camps open in the region to provide shelter to refugees. Currently, these camps can only take in about 45,000 people. But Grandi said a total of 11 camps will be ready in the coming weeks that could shelter 120,000 people. In Washington Tuesday, President Barack Obama told reporters that recapturing Mosul would be a difficult fight. But he expressed hope that IS will be driven from the city in time. Perhaps a million civilians are still living there, so in addition to rooting out ISIL, our focus jointly is on the safety and humanitarian aid for civilians who are escaping the fight. Thats going to be a top priority. Im Dorothy Gundy. VOA correspondents Jamie Dettmer, Carla Babb and Zlatica Hoke reported this story VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English, with additional material coming from the Associated Press and Reuters. was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story response n. something that is said or written as an answer or reaction to something combat n. active fight, especially in war schedule n. a plan of things that will be done and the times when they will be done humanitarian adj. concerned with seeking to improve peoples lives and reduce suffering region n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way priority n. something important placed ahead of other things We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. The ruling and main opposition parties in South Korea are in a dispute over claims made by a former South Korea foreign minister. They are arguing about a vote on North Koreas human rights record at the United Nations 10 years ago. The dispute involves a possible presidential candidate and might help shape the countrys 2017 election. Voters may base their choice on one major issue: how to deal with North Korea. The ruling party proposes tough measures against that government. The opposition favors new efforts to negotiate with the country. A new book is at the heart of the dispute. Former Foreign Minister Song Min-soon is the author. Songs book suggests that South Korea sought North Koreas opinion before a 2007 vote at the United Nations. The measure called for condemning North Koreas human rights record. In the end, South Korea abstained from the vote. The book says South Korean politician Moon Jae-in was involved in the decision to avoid the vote. A former leader of the opposition Minjoo Party, Moon is a possible 2017 presidential candidate. Dispute could influence next years presidential election The dispute has gone to the National Assembly in Seoul. The opposition denies it had any communication with North Korea before the 2007 U.N. vote. A Minjoo Party spokesman accused the ruling party of trying to smear Moon Jae-in. They are using all intimidating words such as collusion, approval and pro-North, the spokesman said. Moon has said former President Roh Moo-hyuns administration made the decision to abstain. He said the South Korean government was increasing economic aid and exchanges to develop inter-Korean cooperation at the top. The ruling Saenuri Party is calling for a task force to investigate if there was a plot to consult with North Korea before the 2007 vote. April vote showed concern about North-South tensions This is not the first time the Saenuri party has accused the opposition of working too closely with North Korea. Saenuri officials accused the opposition of surrendering control of a sea border in 2007 negotiations with North Korea. The ruling party made the accusation before the elections in 2012. Later, official documents were released that showed the sides agreed on a jointly-enforced fishing area and a peace zone. But, the accusation against the Minjoo Party helped the Saenuri Party look strong on North Korea. The Saenuri Party won the presidential election. In legislative elections this year, however, voters showed concern over hardline policies on North Korea. Opposition parties became the majority in the National Assembly in mid-April. Critics of South Korean President Park Geun-hye say sanctions and U.N. resolutions have not made the country safer. They say the measures also have not stopped North Korean nuclear and missile tests. However, more than 20 missile launches and nuclear tests in January and September make it unlikely that measures against North Korean will ease too much. Top South Korean and American diplomats and defense officials met Wednesday in Washington. They discussed the security commitment that the two countries share. They also talked about the threat of North Koreas nuclear weapons program. Afterwards, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se spoke to reporters. Kerry said any use of nuclear weapons would be met with an overwhelming and effective response. He added that, North Korea will never attain its goals through threats and intimidation. Hours later, North Korea carried out ballistic missile test from the northwestern city of Kusong. South Korean and U.S. officials said this test failed, as did an earlier launch Saturday. Moon Chung-in is a North Korea expert and was an advisor to the late President Roh. He says whoever becomes the opposition party presidential candidate will likely offer something different from current tensions. But he says that would combine some tough policies with engagement efforts. Im Mario Ritter. Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tough adj. strong, hard, difficult abstain v. to not take part, to withhold author n. the person who writes a book, story, or article smear v. to try to make others think badly of a person, to unfairly try to harm someones reputation intimidate v. to make someone afraid collusion n. secret cooperation for dishonest purposes consult v. to discuss something to make a decision hardline adj. severe, tough zone n. an area that is different from others for certain reasons sanctions n. measures taken to punish a country to force it to obey international laws, usually by limiting trade engagement n. being involved with Rami Adham was deeply troubled by television reports he saw about children in his former home of Aleppo, Syria. The reports said Syrian government attacks were terrorizing the children. He wanted to help them. Adham now lives in Finland with his six children. He told VOA that he used money he had saved to buy toys to bring to Syria. He also gathered some of his own childrens toys. He began smuggling toys into the city in 2012. The trips were very dangerous. The 43-year-old has traveled more than 28 times to the city he left 27 years ago. He estimates he has brought about 20,000 toys to the city. He spent about two weeks in Aleppo in September. He brought toys donated by people throughout the world. He also brought some food and medicine. He and other volunteers carry the goods in cloth bags on their backs. On most trips, he can bring about 80 kilograms of goods into Aleppo. The trips to Aleppo begin with a flight from Helsinki to Turkey. Adham then walks across the border into Syria. These crossings are illegal. Only aid workers are permitted to cross from Turkey into Syria. He says he has faced serious threats to his life. But, people in Syria help him. He says early this year he was trapped in a place during a bombing raid. Adham was badly wounded. Health care workers treated him at a small hospital in Aleppo. He had a broken arm and had shrapnel in his back and neck. He was later sent to Turkey for treatment. Adham leads a non-profit group that receives toys from throughout Europe. The group also helps 400 children in Syria whose parents have died. And it operates three schools in refugee camps near Aleppo that are controlled by rebels. He says the group helps educate more than 2,000 Syrian children. He says his group began with his friends and neighbors in Finland. It has now expanded to other cities in Finland and to other countries. He says the Syrian civil war has killed, wounded or displaced hundreds of thousands of children. Justin Forsyth is an official of UNICEF, the United Nations Childrens Fund. He recently described the children of Aleppo as trapped in a living nightmare. There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing, he said. Recently, the top UN official trying to end the civil war warned that rebel-held eastern Aleppo could be destroyed by the end of the year. Staffan de Mistura said if Syrian and Russian airstrikes on the city continue, thousands of Syrian civilians, not terrorists, will be killed and many of them wounded. Experts estimate there are as many as 100,000 children among the 250,000 people trapped in rebel-held areas of Aleppo. Im John Russell. Hasib Danish Alikozai reported this story from New York. Sirwan Kajjo contributed to the report. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their stories for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story shrapnel n. small metal pieces that scatter outwards from an exploding bomb, shell or mine nightmare n. a very bad or frightening experience or situation toy - n. a plaything for children bag - n. something used to carrying objects such as personal belongings You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. Jason Bram and Joelle Scally The 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center left a deep scar on New York City and the nation, most particularly in terms of the human toll. In addition to the lives lost and widespread health problems suffered by many othersin particular by first responders and recovery workersthe destruction of billions of dollars worth of property and infrastructure led to severe disruptions to the local economy. Nowhere were these disruptions more severe and long-lasting than in the neighborhoods closest to Ground Zero. Looking back fifteen years, it seems abundantly clear that although the citys economy was indeed thrown off its growth track for a while, it eventually rebounded strongly, as has been noted in many studies. In 2002, we assessed both the short-term economic effect and the likely longer-term effect of the attack. Our follow-up studies in 2003 and 2006 reassessed the economic effect, based on more complete data. Outside studies have examined in more detail the ramifications for Lower Manhattan and Chinatown. In this post, we review a few metrics pertaining to Lower Manhattan, which was most severely affected in the immediate aftermath of the attack. For at least a year following 9/11, New York City employment was depressed, particularly in areas close to Ground Zero. Various studies show there was a disproportionate impact upon areas of Manhattan south of 14th Streetespecially south of Canal Street, which includes most of Chinatown. And many of those areas were slow to recover. But recover they didin terms of not only population but also employment, real estate values, and other metrics. To illustrate just how resilient disaster-stricken economies can be, we will focus on population and employment. Lets first briefly review the performance of New York City as a whole. The Citys Rebound New York Citys economy was slow to get going in 2002 and 2003. The economy had been buffeted by not only the terror attack but also the bursting of the dotcom bubble and a national recession that started well before 9/11. In fact, it took roughly five years for employment in the Big Apple to get back to the peak seen in 2000. Yet, by 2006, the city was growing at a fairly good clip. In every year since, job growth has been stronger in New York City than in the rest of the nationan unprecedented development for a city whose job growth had historically lagged the nations consistently by 2 to 3 percentage points over the years. Even during the Great Recession, when the citys key securities industry shed tens of thousands of jobs, job losses were milder in New York City than nationwide. But what about Lower Manhattanthe area around the site of the attack? Lower Manhattans Rebound Clearly two basic indicators of a neighborhoods vitality are residents and jobs. Insofar as population goes, strong trends had already been underway as lower Manhattan transitioned from a mostly commercial area to more of a residential-commercial blend. This trend was epitomized by the widespread conversion of office buildings into apartment buildings and the expansion of Battery Park City. In the weeks after 9/11, there were several news stories about area residents deciding to move out of Lower Manhattan, for fear of future terror attacks. At that time, many parts of downtown were not very livable: subway service was reduced, street access was limited, and noise and air pollution were a key concern. So what ended up happening? To find out, we examined the adult populations in our Consumer Credit Panel, which is based on Equifax credit report data. We grouped individuals by their zip codes into three zones: 1) Lower Manhattan immediately surrounding the World Trade Center, 2) Manhattan below 14th Street, and 3) Manhattan above 14th Street. As it turns out, the population residing in Lower Manhattan fell by about 11 percent in 2001, with almost all zip codes seeing declines. In 2002 and 2003, however, the population of Lower Manhattan rebounded, almost fully returning to pre-attack levels. By 2005, downtowns population reached a new high, and it has expanded briskly in almost every year since. By 2014, Lower Manhattans population was roughly 40 percent higher than where it stood before the attack. Further, the Consumer Credit Panel indicates that the population of Lower Manhattan has not only burgeoned but, on average, it has also gotten considerably younger. In contrast, the population in Manhattan above 14th Street, as well as in the outer boroughs, has gotten a bit older. The rebound in jobs came more slowly and has not been quite as dramatic. Even within New York City, many thousands of jobs moved from downtown to Midtown. According to the Census Bureau, between 2000 and 2003, the number of employees at businesses in the zip codes south of Canal Street tumbled by 17 percent. By 2014, employment had rebounded quite a bit, but still not to pre-attack levels. But keep in mind that in 2000, more than 10 percent of Lower Manhattan employees worked in the World Trade Center, which had its own zip code. Excluding that one zip code, Lower Manhattan employment rose nearly 10 percent from 2000 to 2014, the latest year for which employment data are available by zip code. But whats happened since 2014? Well, anecdotally, the opening of One World Trade Center in late 2014 brought thousands of jobs to Lower Manhattan by 2015 and still more in 2016. With roughly 2.6 million square feet of office space and 55,000 square feet of retail space, the mostly leased building can be expected to house well over 10,000 jobs. Also opened at the same time, the Fulton Center transit hub has not just facilitated transit links, but also includes a number of retail establishments with hundreds of jobs. How was this neighborhood able to not only rebound but thrive? Clearly, state- and city-financed tax incentivescombined with a temporary swoon in rentsmade the neighborhood increasingly affordable. Federal aid helped the city rebuild and modernize much of its destroyed and damaged infrastructure, and also invest in new infrastructure. And the areas central locationwhich offers access to numerous subway lines, as well as PATH train and ferry service to New Jerseyremained a major asset after the attack, even though many of the transportation links remained disrupted for many months. What has also helped is what hasnt happened. Although more Wall Street investment firms are now located in Midtown Manhattan than on Wall Streetor in Lower Manhattan for that mattermany still remain downtown. And, of course, our own institution, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as well as the New York Stock Exchange, have not gone anywhere. Disclaimer The views expressed in this post are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors. Joelle Scally is the administrator of the Center for Microeconomic Data in the Banks Research and Statistics Group. How to cite this blog post: Jason Bram and Joelle Scally, Lower Manhattan since 9/11: A Study in Resilience Federal Reserve Bank of New York Liberty Street Economics (blog), October 19, 2016, http://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2016/10/lower-manhattan-since-911-a-study-in-resilience.html. The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African-American Museum, a staple in St. Petersburg's Jordan Park community for a decade, is looking to make a move and it's hoping the city will help. Dr. Carter G. Woodson African-American Museum wants larger home Established in 2006, currently located on 9th Avenue S City council to discuss the matter Thursday The City of St. Petersburg is considering options for the Manhattan Casino, built in 1925 and located in the center of what was once the city's thriving black community. Both Councilman Steve Kornell and officials with the museum say moving it to the casino would be a perfect fit for the museum. Currently, the museum is housed in a small building at 2240 9th Ave. South. The museum was established in 2006 at what was the Jordan Park Community Center. Museum Chairman Terri Lipsey Scott said the museum has grown, expanding its offerings and needs a more suitable space. Scott also said the casino, at 642 22nd St. South, could fit the bill. The buildings are less than a quarter of a mile apart. The casino's doors reopened after an August 2013 renovation and is now a multi-purpose event facility used for banquets, parties and meetings. "When we look at the cultural richness of a community, it must be inclusive," Scott said. "We currently are not showing African-American history as we do the other cultures we celebrate." Kornell is requesting funds from the tourist development council be used to assist the museum with expansion plans. Also, a petition with more than 1,000 signatures supporting the museum expansion will be presented at the city council meeting Thursday. Bay News 9 hosted a group of voters Wednesday night during the debate. Panel of voters watch debate at Bay News 9 studios Group included new, undecided and experienced voters RELATED: Clinton, Trump have most heated debate yet A group of first-time, experienced and undecided voters gathered in the Bay News 9 studio to watch Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's third debate. The event prompted a variety of responses from the group, including gasps, nods and even some laughs. First-time voter Rasheeda Slaughter, a millennial who was once undecided, said she was closer to making up her mind after watching the final debate. "I was waiting to hear some sort of change on Donald Trumps attitude," Slaughter said, "especially with everything that has come up during these weeks, and I think I made a decision. He reassured my decision today and hes still doing that." Slaughter's parents are on the other end of the spectrum. "She (Hillary) said what she was going to do and everything that she said she was going to do here," Sofia Slaughter said. "He (Donald) has not said. I do not understand what he is willing to do. Hes saying what the problems are, but I dont understand his explanation of what hes going to do." Other panelists weighed in with their thoughts on the debate: Democrat Velma Thompson: "Where I look at is the fact that she has the experience to run the country. She seems to have the passion for our youth, which means an awful lot to me as well as our elderly and our middle class. So if I had to look at the both of them, Mrs. Clinton is who I would choose." Undecided voter Chalres Baxter: "I havent 100 percent decided yet, but (the debate) put her in a more favorable position for me. However, its tough for me to lean at all toward Hillary so Im still holding out hope for Donald." While Donald Trump has been relentlessly attacking both Bill and Hillary Clinton as he campaigns for president including going after Bill Clinton's alleged infidelity he was filled with praise for both of them in an exclusive interview with NY1 in 2008. Donald Trump praised Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton in 2008 interview The interview aired on NY1 News after the 2008 presidential election Trump on Hillary Clinton: "Hillary is a very smart woman, very tough woman" "I think Bill Clinton was a great president," Trump said in the interview that was conducted shortly after the 2008 presidential election. "You know, you look at the country then. The economy was doing great. Look at what happened during the Clinton years. I mean we had no war, the economy was doing great, everybody was happy. A lot of people hated him because they were jealous as hell," Trump said. Asked about Hillary Clinton, Trump said: "Hillary is a very smart woman, very tough woman. That's fine. She's also a very nice person, and I know Hillary, and I know her husband very well. They're fine people." NY1 looked deeper into its archives Wednesday morning after a CNN reporter begain inquiring about the interview. Source: ny1.com Any lessening of government support for the motor industry could have drastic consequences by causing multinational companies to question the need to remain in SA, Volkswagen SA (VWSA) MD Thomas Schafer has warned. Despite the success of the 2013-2020 Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) in attracting billions of rand in foreign investment, discussions with the government had revealed some senior officials were arguing that resources set aside for APDP incentives could be better used for other economic priorities, he said at a briefing on Tuesday. Vehicle and components manufacturers can claim back up to 30% of production-related investments, among other benefits. It is estimated the programme has so far attracted nearly R50bn in investments either spent or committed. "SA accounts for only 0.6% of global vehicle production and we are not really cost-competitive," Schafer said. "But a lot of the disadvantages are overcome by the APDP. If it went away, it would be the immediate end of the motor industry in SA." He added that the amounts invested in SA were small in the context of global automotive spending and that companies could afford to walk away "without a moment's hesitation". Black supplier development Such a response could also be triggered by growing pressure on the industry to pursue broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE), Schafer said. Multinational motor companies had made clear long ago that there was no question of relinquishing shares in wholly-owned South African subsidiaries, so the main focus would be development of black suppliers. But the government had been no help in this regard. "We asked for a supplier database as a starting point but government didn't have one," Schafer said. "We had to start from scratch. We looked for any kind of black company that might be able to supply the motor industry. We even looked at bicycle tyre companies in case one day they could produce car tyres. "To meet government targets, VWSA alone needs 500 black suppliers. We could find only 41 - with no guarantee that they will be able to grow into what we need. We understand the need for B-BBEE but, as things stand today, the targets are unachievable," he said. Kenyan production VWSA recently signed a deal with the Kenyan government to export Polo Vivo cars built at the company's Uitenhage assembly plant in the Eastern Cape. The cars will be shipped partially disassembled to Kenya, then put back together at a factory near Nairobi. Production there will begin on 21 December - then stop almost immediately for the Christmas break. "We promised to start this year and we will honour that," Schafer said. "Full production will get under way in January." VWSA will initially send up to 5,000 Vivo kits annually and the plan is for the Kenyan factory to eventually shift to full manufacture, including locally sourced components. Schafer said other multinational motor companies were also eyeing Kenya and he predicted its scale could start to rival that of SA's within a decade. With Nigeria already attracting heavy foreign investment to become a vehicle manufacturing gateway to West and Central Africa, Schaefer predicted Kenya could perform a similar role for East Africa. "The region has economic momentum," he said. Like most of Africa, Kenya's car market was dominated by used imports, but the government was starting to tighten the screws on the maximum age of such vehicles. VWSA was also encouraging banks to make finance more readily available. "Only 5% of vehicle sales in Kenya are financed," he said. "We will talk to local and international banks to make finance more readily available. Standard Bank is among those interested." Established just five years ago, Botswana's Competition Authority has helped reinject millions of dollars into local businesses and save thousands of jobs in an economy where unemployment persists at around 20%. In sectors such as health, retail, tourism, and agriculture, it has investigated alleged cartels and bid rigging, and assessed hundreds of mergers and acquisitions. In doing so, it has helped the country to prepare for a post-diamond economy and to remain one of Africa's least corrupt and most prosperous. For such a young competition authority, these are very big achievements, says Elizabeth Gachuiri, who, as an UNCTAD economist working on competition and consumer protection, helped establish the authority. Most competition authorities in developing countries have not investigated cartels or done dawn raids like they have in Botswana, she adds, ahead of a meeting in Geneva on competition policy. Cartels and abuses of market power can push prices higher and quality lower, seriously affecting development goals in countries such as Botwsana, where one in five inhabitants still lives in poverty. Recent research by a member of UNCTAD's Research Partnership Platform found that cartels decrease production by an average 15% and overcharge by 20%. Concerns about competition in Botswana's economy surfaced about two decades ago when high levels of market concentration threatened to undermine the country's wider economic reforms. UNCTAD has worked with Botswana from the beginning, from the economic mapping to the drafting of lay laws, right up to the recruitment of the authoritys first CEO, Gachuiri says. Since then, Botswana has become more competitive and less reliant on diamonds. Mining's contribution to GDP is now less than half what it was just a decade ago. And the country's ranking in the World Economic Forum's annual index of competitiveness is now 65, up from 80 in 2011-2012. The next step, she says, would be a volunteer peer review so the country can benchmark its competition laws and policies against international best practices. "This is something the Botswanan authorities have expressed interest in doing, and we look forward to discussing this further with them," she says. IGE competition experts meet this year in Geneva from 19 to 21 October. Ahead of the release of Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the producers of the film, and Mukesh Bhatt (president of The Film & Television Producers Guild of India) met the joint commissioner of Police to ensure maximum police protection against agents of political outfit MNS, who have threatened to create havoc if the film is screened. And now, after Johar released a grief-stricken video asking people to sympathise with his situation, the Mumbai Police has captured 12 MNS party workers in relation to the case. Mumbai Police commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar told Firstpost that strict action is being taken. "We have increased custody to 14 days because of it being the festival season, with Diwali coming up. We don't want any issues that will disrupt the peace and calm in the city." Times of India reports that MNS members entered Mumbai's Metro cinemas and shouted slogans, while also handing out letters warning against the screening of the film. They have been arrested, and were remanded in jusicial custody for 15 days, but were then granted bail. Police officials have said, "They didn't have permission to gather there." Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis promised that the state would deal with this issue with adequate security. He told The Indian Express, "The police have taken strict action against MNS." He also said while everyone had a right to protest against something they find objectionable, any action which disrupts law and order would not be allowed. Karan Johar isn't stopping here. ANI has reported that the filmmaker/producer will meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, to ensure there is no trouble with the release of his film. MNS leader Amey Khopkar stands firm on MNS workers' collective decision to protest the screening of the film. So much so that two more exhibitors associations the Central Cine Circuit Association (CCC) and the Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal have written to COEAI president Nitin Datar stating their promise of not screening Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, The Indian Express further reports. It seems this Diwali may be a political one. Ahead of the release of Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Mukesh Bhatt (president of Film and TV Producers Guild), Dharma Productions' Apurva Mehta and Fox Star India's Vijay Singh have gone to meet the Home ministry to ensure full support of the release of the film. Karan Johar himself was supposed to meet Rajnath Singh, but has not gone to Delhi on Thursday, 20 October. Instead, he may meet Singh in Mumbai on 21 October. Before the meeting, Mukesh Bhatt had said, "I know my government will protect me. The government should have zero tolerance against violence." I have come here with tremendous hope that GOI will understand us and provide us full security: Mukesh Bhatt before meeting HM #ADHM pic.twitter.com/9YR6rjSKLG ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Meanwhile, Babul Supriyo, Asansol MP, who was also a part of the meeting said, "MNS is a party of goons." After the meeting, Bhatt revealed what Rajnath Singh said regarding the film's release, "He (Rajnath Singh) will request everyone to to keep law and order intact with no violence at theatres. This assurance comforts me that I dont have to be scared. He has given me 100 percent assurance. MNS is our brothers who have gone astray. They have different thoughts. We dont wanna fight with our brothers. Let bygones be bygones and lets celebrate Diwali." #MukeshBhatt: #MNS is our brothers who have gone astray. We may not agree with their thoughts but do not wish to fight them. Firstpost (@firstpost) October 20, 2016 #MukeshBhatt: HM @rajnathsingh has assured me that there will be no law and order situation during the release of #AeDilHaiMushkil. Firstpost (@firstpost) October 20, 2016 Ahead of Karan Johar's film's release on Diwali, Mukesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt (president of Film and TV Producers Guild), Dharma Productions' Apurva Mehta and Fox Star India's Vijay Singh went to meet the Home ministry to ensure maximum security. However, back in Mumbai, the police have already arrested 12 MNS workers for shouting slogans and demanding a ban of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. "Nobody in the city can break the law and order situation. We have already provided security to multiplexs in Mumbai. Also, we are talking with associations like the IMPPA, and we have assured all types of security," said Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar to Firstpost. He further added, "Nobody can stop them from watching a film. We take this issue very seriously and CM Devendra Fadnavis had already instructed us to take strict action. I am personally monitoring the issue. If anyone wants to help or wants security regarding this issue, they can get in touch with Mumbai police. The arrested 12 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena office bearers have been booked under CRPC act, said Azad Maidan police station Senior Inspector Vijay Kadam. "They have been booked under section 135, 156 (3). Now they are in judicial custody and the surety of bail of Rs 5000 each will be paid after 14 days, which ends on 4th November," added Kadam. Among the MNS leaders arrested are Arwind Gawde, Shekhar Gavhane, Nilesh Jadhav and nine other office bearers from Colaba, South Mumbai. Repeatedly attempts have been made to contact MNS leader Amey Khopkar, who is not answering any phone calls at the moment. About 30 lakh bank debit cards issued in India by various banks, including the largest State Bank of India, have come under threat of potential financial fraud after reportedly the systems of Hitachi Payments Services were infested of a malware. According to media reports, the malware infestation is likely to have started with YES Bank ATMs, which are managed by Hitachi. However, the bank has issued a statement saying it has proactively undertaken a comprehensive review of its ATMs. "There is no evidence of a breach or compromise on YES BANK ATMs," the bank has said. Hitachi too is reportedly conducting an audit of its systems. However, the reported ATM security breach has sent shock waves across the country as it reveals the risks the consumers face in a world where digitisation is gathering momentum. In this backdrop, a pertinent question to ask here is whether the banks concerned have dealt with the evolving scary situation with utmost care, sense of responsibility and urgency. Prima facie, the answer seems to be a 'no'. For sure, the number of debit cards suspected to be compromised now is not proportionately large - just half a percent of the total debit cards issued. But that doesn't make it a smaller issue. Reports say the security breach could have taken place sometime during May-July period. Banks have been issuing emails and text messages to consumers urging them to change their ATM PIN. But why did it take three months for the suspected security breach to become a major issue? According to this ToI report, there are no RBI rules as of now that stipulate banks should announce to the public any security breach that happens in its network. So, technically, one cannot accuse the banks of any mis-management. But isn't it the responsibility of the banks to be open about such events for the larger public good? "Going by reports of security being compromised of 30 lakh accounts, this large number of accounts would not be infected in one swift action at the same time. It would have started off sporadically and this is where both the banks and customers could have helped stem the large scale damage that it has turned out to be now," said a cyber security analyst with one of the reputed foreign consultancy and audit firms. He was also also of the opinion had that been done, the issue would not have snowballed to such a large scale as it is now. He further feels banks should put in place a detection capability and not be solely dependent on prevention. It is also to be noted that banks' public comments or clarification have come in with a delay. State Bank of India, the country's largest lender which is reportedly looking to block and replace about 6.25 lakh cards, released a statement today - more than a day after the potential threat was reported in the ToI. "Card network companies NPCI, Mastercard and Visa had informed various banks in India about a potential risk to some cards in India owing to a data breach. Accordingly, State Bank of India (SBI) has taken precautionary measures and have blocked cards of certain customers identified by the networks. This has been a proactive measure to protect our customers from any potential fraud, once we came to know of some data breach outside our Bank. Wed like to inform that SBI robust systems are absolutely secure and no security breach has happened. Customers can continue to use their Debit Cards securely. This is a cards industry incident (not only SBI)," it has said. "SBI is in the process of issuing new cards at no cost to the customers whose cards have been blocked. The Cardholders can generate the PIN through SMS/IVRS/internet banking without visiting the branch. Alternatively, the cardholders can collect the physical PIN mailer from their home branch," it has added. Interestingly, some of the customers were in the dark about the bank's move to block their cards. The ToI report quotes customers who were caught off guard when they tried to pay for a transaction. This only underscores the suspicion that the banks were not forthcoming about informing customers regarding the situation. Vijay Mukhi, one of the pioneers of the Internet revolution in India, is furious about the banks attitude. I have lost faith in the banking system in the country where lakhs of debit cards have been compromised. If, for instance, opium is found in my office, the police would hold me responsible. By that same logic, if as an account holder of a bank, my account has been compromised, the concerned bank should be held responsible. You cannot palm it off with excuses such as third party ATM or other security-related issues, he says. Every ATM machine is connected to the other, irrespective of which bank uses it for its transactions. That is why customers are able to use ATMs of other banks. When an ATM of one bank gets infected, does another banks ATM have to suffer? asks Mukhi. If the banks are complaining about virus infecting their computers, Mukhi says, then that it is a serious lapse of security as the banks need to answer how the virus entered their computer system. No one is answering these questions and that is making this issue murkier. I feel there is more than what meets the eye, he says. A debit card is not secured by a chip and hence it is easy to clone it. Banks are aware of this technology, says Mukhi, and yet many have not updated debit cards with the chip. As he views it, banks are unwilling to spend money on upgrading technology or hiring hackers to be updated on technology. Banks dont have a cyber security branch or system. Hacking into credit and debit cards is not a new phenomenon and has been happening in the country and globally, though not on the scale as reported by a few banks in the country at present. What were they waiting for to compromise with customer accounts before they are forced to take pro-active steps? True, the problem is not restricted to India. "Malware can surface from any location in the world and can target any device or platform that customers may use either an ATM, a full-fledged online banking platform or cloud-based services such as email providers where passwords and card details may be stored. In such a situation, fraud risk tends to get amplified," says KV Karthik, partner, financial advisory services, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP. And that makes this all the more dangerous. As the cyber analyst quoted earlier says, the issue cannot be resolved completely as this is a global phenomenon, but it does ring alarm bells. To resolve the issue, banks and RBI have to come together. "If the Reserve Bank of India makes it mandatory for banks to make security lapses public, banks will have to take a stand on security issues so that widespread damage does not take place," he says. About 30 lakh bank debit cards have come under threat after a security breach at a private bank's ATM raised fears of potential fraud, according to media reports. Though this is just about half a percent of total cards issued in the country, this could be the biggest security breach in the Indian banking industry, say reports. However, banks have advised customers to not panic as they are taking steps to prevent any major trouble. Here are all the important facts about the event: The problem About 30-32 lakh debit cards are learnt to have come under threat of potential fraud after a ATM security breach through malware infestation. According to media reports, the payment systems of Hitachi Payment Services were infested with malware that helped miscreants to steal personal information and do fraudulent transactions. Banks, cards affected A report in The Economic Times says citing sources that cards issued by State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, YES Bank and Axis Bank as "worst affected". The cards, as per the report, include 2.6 million of Visa and MasterCard and 6 lakh of RuPay cards. How the breach happened The breach might have happened at YES Bank as Hitachi manages the bank's ATMs, says a report in The Times of India. The reason why other banks became vulnerable is because YES Bank ATMs see many third party transactions, says the report. What is worrisome is that the breach was effected in such a way that anyone using the bank's ATMs in the region would risk having data compromised, a PTI report said citing bankers. "Data processes of one private bank was compromised which affected other banks' customers well. Customers who used that bank's ATM stand to get potentially affected," the PTI report quoted a banker as saying without naming the bank. Though the bankers claim the breach has not led to any monetary losses to anyone, the ET report says some customers have complained of unauthorized usage from China. YES Bank on its part has "proactively undertaken a comprehensive audit of ATMs". "There is no evidence of a breach or compromise on ATMs. We continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including other public sector and private banks, and NPCI, to ensure utmost safety and security of ATM network and payment services which are completely safe to use," a bank spokesperson told the PTI. Hitachi too has denied that its systems have been compromised. "I do not think it is necessary for any bank to reissue cards," Loney Antony, MD, Hitachi Payment Services, has been quoted as saying in the ToI report. Steps taken by banks The breach happened sometime between May and July. Banks have been alerting customers to change the security PIN or even replacing the cards. Bankers have told PTI that all measures being taken are to safeguard the system against any potential threat. RBI steps The PTI quotes an RBI official as saying that the central bank is seized of the matter and is looking into the issue. According to the Times of India, the infested systems have been quarantined and inspected, the affected cards have been spotted. The RBI has also asked banks to inform it about any suspected fraud immediately, the report said. New Delhi: Hinduja flagship firm Ashok Leyland Thursday said it has bagged order worth $170 million (about Rs 1,140 crore) from Tanzania to supply vehicles, gensets and spares, among others. The order also includes supply of equipment for development of workshops, training modules and allied equipment to be fitted on ambulances, Ashok Leyland said in a BSE filing. "The new order from Tanzania, valued at $170 million, fast on the back of the $200 million by Cote D'Ivore also reiterates the market acceptance of Ashok Leyland's products in the African region," Ashok Leyland Managing Director Vinod Dasari said. He further said export to key international markets is an essential part of the company's strategic intent to globalise its product and derisk itself from supplying only into India. The latest order is being financed fully by EXIM Bank of India under National Insurance Account (NEIA) scheme. Recently, the company had concluded the supply of 773 vehicles to Tanzania under Line of Credit from the Indian government. "Further, the company is executing another order for supply of 777 vehicles to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Tanzania," the company said. (Editor's note: After the scare of ATM security breach started to spread on Thursday, the government said only about 0.5 percent of total debit card details were compromised and the remaining 99.5 percent cards are completely safe. The government also advised not to panic. This article was first published on Thursday. This is an updated version.) Cyber security is an issue that is affecting India as it is being attacked by the cyber army led by Pakistan and China and internally we are vulnerable in sectors of finance, oil, energy, power among other vital areas. In February 2016, cyber thieves have been bold enough to hack into the central bank of Bangladesh and sent fake payment orders to the US Fed. The Fed was tricked into paying out $101 million. This only enthuses and emboldens hackers to go all out and commit such frauds. There are a lot many bank frauds that are happening in India but the banks dont want to lodge a police complaint as that would mean their reputation would be at risk and also their customers may lose trust in them. Since they have insurance, they prefer to claim damages rather than come out in the open about the crime. The future crimes will be largely cyber crimes and people should be careful before using their keyboard and typing out details. More people are taking to cyber capability like fish to water and there are criminals waiting on the banks to eat them up. The governments flagship financial inclusion program, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has resulted in 25.05 crore accounts (as of 12 October, 2016) being opened across the country but most of the beneficiaries are not cyber literate. When money flows into their accounts from the government, it will be fraught with high risks. It is very easy to clone a card. All it takes is for someone to read the card as the details are being punched and money can be siphoned away from ones account. People must be aware and cautious of how they manage their accounts, debit/credit cards, password and personal information. Awareness must be created continuously so that customers are alert about the risks involved. Banks need to sweep their computers periodically and look out for Trojans. In this case of 30 lakh account details being compromised, customers must know that it does not mean money has been siphoned off their accounts. If it was, under RBI rules, the concerned banks would have to pay back their customers. Accounts being compromised means that the details of the customers, bank card numbers, etc could be hacked into which can be used to take away customer's money. That is why the banks have had to reissue new cards. It is akin to Samsung withdrawing Note 7. (As told to Sulekha Nair) Mumbai: A suspected breach of data security of a city-based private sector lender a few months back has led to pre-emptive steps being taken by other banks to thwart any potential troubles, bankers said on Wednesday. The steps taken by the bankers include asking customers to change the PINs of their ATM-cum-debit cards, which has now gone up one level to changing cards as well, if the customers do not comply. According to bankers, the breach effected in such a way that anyone using the said bank's ATMs in the region might stand to get affected. When asked about alleged lapses on its ATM network, an Yes Bank spokesperson said, "Proactively undertaken a comprehensive audit of ATMs, and there is no evidence of a breach or compromise on ATMs. We continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including other public sector and private banks, and NPCI, to ensure utmost safety and security of ATM network and payment services which are completely safe to use." HDFC Bank reportedly asked the customers to change their PINs and has also been asking them not to use any other banks' ATMs as a precautionary measure. After asking its customers who may be potentially hit, the largest lender State Bank of India has also started a process to block the cards of those who did not change the security code at its own cost, its spokesperson said today. "Card network companies NPCI, MasterCard and Visa had informed various banks about a potential risk to some cards owing to a data breach. Accordingly, we have taken precautionary measures and have blocked cards of certain customers identified by the networks," SBI said in a statement. "We came to know about security breach and proactively recalled affected cards as we did not want our customers to be at any risk. There was no breach in our system. We are now issuing EMV-based debit cards which cannot be compromised," SBI deputy managing director and chief operating officer Manju Agarwal told PTI. She, however, declined to give the number of debit cards the bank has recalled. SBI has nearly 20 crore debit cards. T here were media reports that said SBI had recalled 6.25 lakh debit cards due to malware-related security breach. SBI further emphasised that its systems are absolutely fine and not compromised at and that existing cardholders are not at any risks. "We are in the process of issuing new cards at no cost to those cardholders whose cards have been blocked. This is a cards industry incident and not an SBI only incident," an SBI statement said. However, all the bankers were quick to claim that the breach has not led to any monetary losses to anyone and all the measures being taken are to safeguard the system against any potential threat. When contacted, an RBI official said the central bank is seized of the matter and is looking into the issue. Bankers said the problem was first discovered between May and July, and banks have resorted to recall the affected debit cards from September. "Data processes of one private bank was compromised which affected other banks' customers well. Customers who used that bank's ATM stand to get potentially affected," said another public sector banker. Mumbai: Reliance Industries (RIL) on Thursday reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 7,206 crore for the quarter ended September 30, which was higher by 43.1 percent over the corresponding quarter year ago. The company reported a net profit of Rs 5,035 crore in second quarter of previous year after excluding exceptional item of Rs 4,310 crore. On standalone basis, the company's quarterly net profit stood at Rs 7,704 crore, up 17.9 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year. The main surprise was in the gross refining margin -- the difference between the crude oil price and the value of petroleum products coming out of a refinery -- of $10.1 per barrel, which was below $11.5 per barrel for the previous quarter, but well above market expectations. Commenting on the results, Mukesh D Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited said in a statement: The Company has achieved outstanding second quarter results with strong refining business performance and record petrochemicals segment earnings. Refining business sustained high profitability in a tough environment highlighting our exceptional refining assets, dynamic response to market trends and robust operations." "Petrochemicals segment gained significantly from higher volumes, integration and supportive product margins, Our projects in the hydrocarbon chain are at advanced stages of mechanical completion and precommissioning activities. These projects will further strengthen our position as a leading operator in the energy and materials businesses. We are delighted and humbled by the enthusiastic adoption of Jio by India. Jio is built to empower every Indian with the power of data, Ambani said in a press release. On a consolidated basis, Reliance Industries achieved a turnover of Rs 81,651 crore, an increase of 9.6 percent over the corresponding period of the previous year. "Increase in revenue is primarily on account of increase in volumes in refining, petrochemical and retail businesses." The results were announced after the close of equity markets. The company's shares, though, ended the day at Rs 1,088.50, up Rs 1.60, or 0.15 percent. The company also spoke about its latest venture -- Jio 4G services -- in the results statement. It took exception to incumbent players not providing enough interconnect points for Jio calls to go through, and said its customers, as a result, continued to face severe quality of service issues. "Call failure rates continue to be severe with over 75 calls failing out of every 100 call attempts on the networks of some of the operators. This is in breach of quality of service regulation that not more than 5 calls out of every 1,000 call attempts can fail." Nonetheless, Ambani said: "We are delighted and humbled by the enthusiastic adoption of Jio by India. Jio is built to empower every Indian with the power of data." With IANS inputs (Disclosure: Firstpost is part of Network18, owned by Reliance Industries Limited.) New Delhi: In the wake of a major fire mishap at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, Aiims, which has witnessed two small fire incidents this year, on Wednesday reviewed its fire safety measures and preparedness. Following a review meeting with all the officials of Delhi Fire Service, Aiims Engineering Wing, Fire Supervisors and Security Personnel, the Deputy Director Administration of the Aiims V Srinivas said, "Aiims fire preparedness is in accordance with the provisions of the Delhi Fire Services Act." The premier institute has witnessed two small electrical fires this year, both of which were due to UPS cables catching fire. The fires were extinguished and no major loss to property was reported, the Aiims said in a statement. "The recommendations made by the CISF in their Fire Preparedness Study of Aiims have been fully implemented. There are 30 trained fire officers and supervisors deployed at the Main Hospital and various centres. Fire systems are well maintained and on auto-mode." "All fire exists are fully operational. The fire supervisors have trained over 4,000 faculty, non-faculty and nursing personnel in 2016," the statement said. The Centre for Medical Education and Training Aiims has conducted training programmes for 700 newly-recruited nurses on fire preparedness, it added. "Monthly fire preparedness exercises are being held in the main hospital and centres. The main hospital and centres would also be undertaking evacuation drills in October to further enhance their preparedness," it said. To address the electrical fires at the institute and centres, Srinivas said, "thermal scanning and thermal imaging audits have been conducted." "Cables where temperatures increase are immediately detected in the process. All panels having loose wires have been checked. Fire safety circulars have been issued to all faculty and laboratory in-charges," he said. Delhi Fire Service has advised some improvements in fire safety operations for the Jaiprkaash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre and Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Studies with regard to installation of smoke management systems and sprinkler automisation, he said. "These shortcomings would be rectified in the next 10 days. The institute also said that over 2,000 fire extinguishers installed in all patient care areas, teaching blocks, residential areas are well maintained, fully functional and available on auto-mode," it said. A day after Patna high court granted bail to Rocky Yadav, the main accused in the murder of a Class XI student, Aditya Sachdeva, over road rage in Gaya, Bihar, the parents of the victim have hit out on the verdict. "This is a very bad day for Bihar, I appeal to the government to take some measures to save Bihar from the jungle raj," Shyam Sundar, father of Aditya Sachdeva, told ANI. Both the parents hit out against the verdict. "We have all the proofs with us but still justice is denied, money & power has again silenced the truth," ANI quoted Sundar on Twitter. Rocky Yadav, son of suspended Janata Dal-United MLC Manorma Devi and Bindi Yadav, a politician with a criminal past, is accused of shooting Aditya Sachdeva on 7 May following an altercation over overtaking his vehcile. Manorma and Bindi were accused of sheltering him, and recently enlarged on bail as well. Rocky had absconded after the murder, allegedly with the help of his parents. According to IANS, Rocky had confessed killing Sachdeva to the police, and was lodged in the Gaya Central Jail along with his father Bindi Yadav, Bindi Yadav's bodyguard Rajesh Kumar and a cousin, Teni Yadav. All of them are accused in the murder case. Following the public outcry over Aditya Sachdeva's murder, the ruling JD-U had suspended Manorama's membership. We have all the proofs with us but still justice is denied, money & power has again silenced the truth: Shyam Sundar pic.twitter.com/Z7eAYNpX3V ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had assured the parents of the victim that justice will be done in the case, when he had visited their house in Gaya town in June. "We need answers, high court gave decision in his (Rocky Yadav) favour without even opening the case. Bohot ghalat hua hai, humare bachhe ke saath insaaf hona chahiye. Hume sarkar se ummeed thi (This is very bad thing happened to our child. Our child should get justice. We had hopes from the government)," Sachdeva's mother told ANI. We've lost our child & he wont come back but still we are looking for justice, he (Rocky Yadav) should realise his mistake: Mother of Aditya pic.twitter.com/cZkTNDC2I2 ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Bohot ghalat hua hai, humare bachhe ke saath insaaf hona chahiye.Hume sarkar se ummeed thi: Mother of Aditya Sachdeva on bail to Rocky Yadav pic.twitter.com/9NR2wXF2ih ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 During the hearing, Rocky's lawyer YV Giri argued that there is no direct evidence of his client's involvement in the incident, PTI reported on Wednesday. Opposing the bail plea, government advocate Dilip Kumar Sinha told the court that Rocky Yadav was the main accused in the case. After hearing arguments the court had granted bail to Rocky Yadav. With inputs from agencies Myanmar needs both Asian giants India and Chinas help for its development and wants to keep an equal distance from both. Aung San Suu Kyi, who calls the shots in the government, is keen to follow the non-aligned path laid out by her freedom fighter father Aung San and Jawaharlal Nehru. The two were fast friends and worked together for the independence of their respective countries. The new democratic regime in Myanmar will not play favourites: It needs Indias institution-building capacity as well as Chinas infrastructure projects. So the new regime will strive to have good relations with both Asian powers. Myanmar, which is taking baby steps towards democracy, naturally wants to learn from India how to reconcile the different elements of a fragmented society. "We as a nation are struggling to make democratic culture take root in our country We believe that India with its experience so similar to us will help us in our endeavour We are building a very young democracy and India is helping us, especially with capacity building of our legislators to make sure rule of law is established in our country," State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi said, after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Terrorism naturally came up during the discussions. Aung Suu Kyi condemned the Uri attack, while PM Modi expressed his sympathy for the policemen killed in attacks in Myanmars restive Rakhine state. In the joint statement, released after the talks, there were significant paragraphs on terror. Pakistan was not named, but the statement was obvious. "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. Both sides also agreed that 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. Both countries called for the expeditious finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism presently being negotiated in the United Nations." New Delhi will be happy with this. In a statement to the media, Prime Minister Modi, welcomed Suu Kyi to Delhi, "her second home". She had spent much of her girlhood here when her mother was the ambassador to this country in the early 60s. She is a product of Jesus and Mary School and Lady Shri Ram College and has a lot of friends and admirers in the Indian capital. Though Suu Kyi was miffed when India began engaging with the military junta since 1992 on fears of Chinas large footprints in that country, much of it is now in the past. Though for strategic reasons, Delhi opened a channel to the military dictatorship, the pro-democracy refugees were also welcomed and hosted by successive governments. For India, Myanmar is of strategic importance as it borders its sensitive North Eastern states. The two countries share a 1,600 km-long border. "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 as the two sides decided to ramp up border vigilance. Myanmar is also Indias bridge to the larger Asean market and an integral part of Prime Minister Modis "act east policy". The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which will open the waterways for transport of goods in the region, forms an important part of Delhis connectivity aims. The project had faced long delays but is likely to be completed by the year end. The trilateral Asian highway is also nearing completion. Aung Suu Kyi condemned the Uri attack, while PM Modi expressed his sympathy for the policemen killed in attacks in Myanmars restive Rakhine state Prime Minister Modi said that, "We [India] are sharing our resources and expertise with Myanmar. Indias nearly $1.75 billion of development assistance is centered on people. And is in line with the priorites of Myanmar government and its people." As in Afghanistan, India wants its projects to touch the lives of ordinary citizens of the country. So agriculture now plays a major role in Indias development plans. The PM said that India will help to develop a Seed Production Centre in Myanmar, which will improve the quality of seeds. Power supply from Moreh to Tamu in Myanmar will be ramped up, the PM said. Renewable energy and power are two other important items on the developmental agenda. Three MOUs were signed during the visit: Cooperation on power, help in framing professional and academic programs for insurance, and banking supervision between RBI and Central Bank of Myanmar. In short, India will help in both the banking and insurance sectors. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars state counsellor, made China her first destination after taking over as foreign minister. The idea was to repair ties with Beijing and placate Chinese sentiments over the cancellation of a $3.6 Myitsone Dam project in 2011. China was furious over the scrapping. Beijing had been a staunch supporter of the military junta during the period it was under sanctions from the rest of the world. But the Burmese generals were unhappy with the project and there had been many skirmishes between people living in the border areas of the two countries. The scrapping happened at a time when Myanmar was taking tentative steps towards democracy and had freed Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest. The generals, feeling the pinch of tough economic sanctions was opening up to the West. A host of Western dignitaries, including US President Barak Obama visited Myanmar. But the Chinese remained irritated. So ahead of her visit, Aung San Suu Kyi announced a panel of experts to look into the Myitsome dam issue. Clearly the state ends Bhubaneshwar: The chairman of the trust that ran the hospital where a devastating fire on Monday killed 21 people on Thursday turned himself in to police and was arrested even as the SIT on black money ordered a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the trust's financial transactions. Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the SUM Hospital, surrendered before the police and 3.30 am and was taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, barely hours after the Odisha police issued a Lookout Circular against him and another trustee Saswati Das. Nayak's arrest takes to five the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy, which also left scores injured. "Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation," Commissioner of Police, YB Khurania told reporters. Even as he was being interrogated, information came that the The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Black Money has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe financial transactions of the trust he headed. Though the reason behind the SIT order was not immediately known, a senior police official said the ED has been directed to examine all financial transactions of the trust that runs several institutions including the SUM Hospital. Sources said Vice Chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT on black money Justice Arijit Pasayat has also asked Odisha police to cooperate with the ED during their investigation. "We have received a letter from the SIT on black money last night asking us to cooperate with the ED which is to probe the money transactions of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust," said Director General of Police KB Singh. The SIT has asked the police to ensure that at no document or evidence pertaining to financial transactions of the trust including the hospital are tampered with or destroyed, the DGP said. He said efforts were on to apprehend Saswati Das. Earlier, four senior officials of Sum Hospital including its Medical Superintendent Pushparaj Samantasinghar had been arrested on Tuesday night on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state government's fire service department. There was something that happened at the Brics summit in Goa last weekend that escaped the attention it deserved. Asked by a small group of Russian journalists covering the summit about the threat of more sanctions on Russia by western countries, President Vladimir Putin said that they could screw themselves. Whether Putin meant the western nations can screw themselves or the sanctions can screw themselves is not clear. What is clear is that he did use the s- word, and apparently the faces of a couple of Putins aides present at his interaction, turned red with embarrassment. Not surprisingly, Kremlin pulled down this remark from the Russian governments website. And this should confirm to us why US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken a shine to Putin. Like birds of the same feather, men of the same tongue hit it off famously. But lets talk about Putin first. ... Putin saw his usual statesman-like demeanour crack..(in Goa), said The Moscow Times. But many Russians, familiar with Putins singular lack of linguistic finesse, are aware that he doesnt find it easy to keep up his statesman-like demeanour. In fact, the dialect of Russian that Putin speaks is called Fenya. Russians would tell you that Fenya is the kind of language that thieves use. Some Russians not only frown at Putins choice of words but even his grammar. And Putins work as an undercover KGB agent in East Germany before he entered politics obviously did nothing to hone his language skills. Putins 1999 promise that he would destroy terrorists wherever they are found including toilets is still remembered in Russia and the West with a grimace. So is his comparison of the US to a hungry wolf which eats and listens to no one. Why Deve Gowda used the screw word This reminds me of the day in 1996 when Deve Gowda, then Indias Prime Minister, caused a flutter by mouthing the screw word. Later, he himself was surprised that he had said something like it. Dont screw us, he thundered to a stunned audience at the World Economic Forum at Davos, taking exception to the protectionist policies of developed nations. If Gowdas outburst was dismissed as an innocuous slip of the tongue, it was because, unlike Putin and Trump, he had had no history of using the s- and f- words even in private conversations. Besides, it was an open secret in those days that Gowda was still taking English lessons to perfect his language. But why is Putin angry? The very mention of America gets Putins adrenaline pumping. If he is furious with the US more than ever before now, its because of the sanctions against Russia that followed his countrys intervention in Ukraine and later in Syria. The sanctions are hurting Russia. Putins bravado in Goa only hides his fear of sanctions, says Kyiv Post, a popular Ukrainian paper. It said: President Putin is indeed screwing someone over, but its not the West; he is screwing over his own people, over and over again, millions of whom are paying the price for their leaders personal ambitions and interests. Donald Trump loves Vladimir Putin Yes, he does. He has been saying so himselfwell, almost. Trump suffers no qualms about degrading women with his lewd, loud and crass comments and thinks nothing of using the f- or even p- words. Grab them by the p***y, he once said. You can do anything. Trump perhaps finds that Putin is the only world leader who appreciates the language. Trump said on Monday that America was too tough on Putin and that, if elected, he would meet the Russian leader even before he stepped into White House. Donald Trump says he might meet with Putin before inauguration https://t.co/zwt38VyFJX The New York Times (@nytimes) October 18, 2016 Earlier, there was an important tweet. It was one from Russia with love. In the final US presidential debate on Thursday, Hillary Clinton dubbed Trump as Putins puppet. But Hillary Clinton fails to see what binds Trump and Putin: The two men speak the same language. Trump and Putin are two sides of the same dollaror ruble. Is Putin Russias Trump? There has been some silly talk about whether Trump is the American version of Modior whether Modi is Indias Trump. There is no comparison between the two. Modi is more like Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both are ambitious and fanatically loyal to their countries. And their avid reading has tempered their language, if not politics. Xi can tell Putin things about Tolstoys War and Peace and leave the former KGB spy gaping in surprise. Forget Modi and Xi. Whats more relevant to ask is whether Putin is Russias Trump. Or, if you like, whether Trump is the American edition of Putin. Trumps and Putins stump media When I reported Deve Gowdas use of the screw word in the Davos speech, the Mumbai edition of The Times of India deleted it. But other editions kept it. The New York Times is famously allergic to such vocabulary. The best example is from a 2004 story. Dick Cheney, then the US vice-president, told Senator Patrick Leahy on the floor of the Senate: F**k yourself. The Washington Post reported it verbatim, but the NYT had it this way: Cheney used an obscene phrase to describe what he thought Mr Leahy should do. No wonder, the New York Times hates Trump. Its recent editorial The Sleaziness of Donald Trump tells you why. And no wonder Trump and Putin have become members of a mutual admiration society. Let the media screw itself. Author tweets @sprasadindia Leh: Indian and Chinese armies on Wednesday conducted a day-long exercise focused on humanitarian aid and relief, where a fictitious situation of an earthquake was emulated, an official statement said. The statement called it a part of "ongoing initiative to enhance interaction and cooperation between India and China", and added that it increased "trust and cooperation between the two border guarding forces along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh". The second such exercise to be held by the two countries, the joint exercise named "Sino India Cooperation 2016" was held under the provisions of Border Defense Cooperation Agreement, 2013. The first exercise of the series was held in February this year in eastern Ladakh in Chushul-Moldo area. The Indian team was led by Brigadier RS Raman and the Chinese side 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 statement said. It also said the exercise complements 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. Exercise Hand in Hand series, which started in 2007, was held at Kunming Military Academy in Yunnan province of China in 2015. The 12-day-long exercise was focused on counter-terrorism and anti-insurgency operations, along with humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations. Amidst escalating Indo-Pak tension over Pakistan's continuing support to cross border terror, Algeria has unequivocally conveyed that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and terrorism in all forms have to be eradicated. Algeria has conveyed this to Vice President Hamid Ansari during his two-day visit to the North African country. During the bilateral talks, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told the Vice President that his country fully supports India's position on Jammu and Kashmir, a senior official accompanying Ansari said. However, Pakistan's name was directly not taken by either side. New Delhi has always been maintaining that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and blames Pakistan for sponsoring cross border terrorism in the border state. In an on board briefing, the Vice President said that during his five-day two-nation tour, the issue of terrorism was discussed with the top leaderships of both Algeria and Hungary. Asked whether the issue of a third country's support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was figured in the bilateral talks with the two countries, Ansari said, "Everyone knows which one is the third country. Obvious is obvious. No need to take any country's name." The Vice President said that in his discussions with Hungary and Algerian leaderships, menace of terrorism was discussed and their view was that it is a disease for the entire world and it has to be eradicated in all forms and manifestations. Ansari said that Algeria had faced terrorism in the past and it was ended after years of efforts and at a great cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. "There was not a single family who did not lose any of its member due to terror in Algeria," he said. The Vice President's visit to the two countries came after a long gap the last political visit to Hungary was of the then President Shankar Dayal Sharma's in 1993 while a senior political functionary had visited Algeria in 1985. "Political visits to the two countries were lacking and the trip was undertaken to reconnect the old ties. There were substantive discussions on various issues. It was a very satisfactory visit," he told reporters accompanying him. Ansari said that two agreements, including one on water management, were signed with Hungary while there was a key meeting on the possibility of setting up a joint venture fertilisers plant by Algeria and India in the north African country. The meeting was held between Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Mansukh L Mandaviya, who was accompanying Ansari, and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb. 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. "The fertiliser plant is linked to our efforts for food security," Ansari said. The Vice President said there was substantive discussions on future cooperation in the sectors like phosphate, fertilisers, defence and security, peaceful use of nuclear energy and space. During his discussions with Hungary's President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other top leadership, both the countries favoured elimination of the menace of terrorism and sought a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat. The Hungarian Prime Minister had said his country has set up a working group on technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence production for mutual benefits. During his two-day visit to Algeria, Ansari had wide ranging discussions with Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister 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. The air is tense in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). A student has been missing for six days now, following an alleged fight between two groups on the night of 14 October. The protesting students, demanding proper action by JNU authorities, have lodged themselves at administrative block in the campus. On Wednesday night, Vice Chancellor M Jagdeesh Kumar and other top university officials were confined to their offices all through the night. Najeeb Ahmed, a student of MSc, has been missing since 11 am on 15 October after an alleged altercation with students belonging to the ABVP at the Mahi-Mandavi Hostel. The ideological battle between Left and Right had taken an ugly turn, with allegations of physical intimidation and kidnapping of the missing student being made by the protesting students. JNU Vice Chancellor in a press conference on Thursday morning said that he was illegally confined and called the ways of the protesting students as unreasonable and unfortunate. Responding to the question that JNU administration is not taking the matter seriously, he said he had met the family members of Najeeb twice and heard them very patiently though they were agitated as their son is missing. We understand their pain and assured them that we are taking all necessary action but told them that they cannot decide who should be punished. There is a procedure to be followed," said the Vice Chancellor Jagdeesh Kumar. He also added that JNUSU president Mohit Pandey went out to the press immediately after this meeting between the V-C and family of the missing student and told the media persons that V-C has told the mother of the missing student that we will see you in a court, which is a blatant lie." While stressing on the fact that an inquiry panel has been formed and JNU administration is in regular touch with police, he added that just on the basis of allegations and without conducting a proper inquiry, no action can be taken against any students. Our primary concern is to find Najeeb, secondly to make a proper inquiry into the incident and run the university effectively," said the Vice Chancellor. On Wednesday night, JNU administration made a written appeal to the students while they were confined which read, to all the students agitating over the issue of an event that took place at Mahi-Mondavi Hostel in the night of 14-15 October 2016 to immediately end their gherao of University officials in the Administration building where the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials have been unlawfully confined. Some of these officials are blood pressure and diabetic patients and are not able to take their medicines. It is already more than five hours of confinement. Their continued confinement may lead to deterioration of their health." Talking about the action taken by the administration in the appeal, JNU authorities said, The Administration has taken all necessary steps to trace Najeeb Ahmed. First, we have reported the case to the police and regularly monitoring the developments. Secondly, we have made an appeal to Najeeb Ahmed through the media and the universitys website to return and resume his academic activities without any fear. Thirdly, a fair inquiry has been initiated in the Chief Proctors office on the alleged violence during the election campaign for membership in the Mess Committee in the Hostel. The inquiry process will follow the due process and efforts will be made to expedite it and recommendations of the inquiry committee will be submitted to a provost committee for a final recommendation. Those found guilty will face disciplinary action as per the university rules. Press release will be issued on wardens committee reports/complaints received related to this incident. We yet again appeal to the student community to end the gherao and return to their respective hostels." The JNU Vice Chancellor condemned the protest and illegal confinement of the Administrative block after the protests in JNU over a missing student turned volatile on Wednesday. The agitating students locked down the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials in the administrative building, following which the police has arrived outside JNU campus, awaiting official nod to enter the campus in case the situation goes out of hand. Clarifying the university's stance on the issue, the JNU VC M Jagdeesh Kumar said that the university will not bend to such coercion tactics and the law will take its own course. He also said that he was saddened by the ongoing protests and called it unfortunate. "Students have become relentless and adamant and think that we are not doing our best," the VC said. The JNU administration also appealed to the JNU teachers' association JNUTA to negotiate and convince the students instead of signing petitions. Seeking to calm the protesting students, the administration also said that an enquiry panel has already been formed that will look into the allegations of campus violence and an alleged brawl between students which could have been the reason behind student Najeeb Ahmed's disappearance. The university, however, made it clear that the law will take its own course and refused to comply to JNUSU's demand to take action against certain ABVP students who were allegedly involved in the brawl. The VC said that it is unfair and against the due process to act against a student based on mere allegations. The VC office also said that the accusation that the varsity did nothing in the issue is misfounded and incorrect. They said that Najeeb's mother already registered an FIR and that the letters written by the university administration have been used as supporting documents. The VC office also said that following the news of Najeeb's disappearnce due process was followed as all hostel wardens were alerted and chief security officer was ordered to look for him. They said the varsity is also constantly in touch with the police. On the JNUSU's demand that the VC file an FIR separately, the varsity said that the JNU administration is not a complainant but an established mechanism. They said that they are functioning according to the procedure. The campus administration also denied JNUSU president's allegations that they used a threatening tone with the family of Najeeb and called it a "blatant lie." They said that the university officials told the student's family with "folded hands" that they cannot tell the university who to punish and how to punish them; there are set procedures for the same. The VC and other senior officials were locked for more than eight hours as the students were lying down outside the administration block, saying the officials were free to walk over them. "We have been locked inside the building since 2.30 pm. There is a female colleague with us who is unwell as she is diabetic," JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said on Wednesday night. The JNU students union defended its stand, claiming there has been no "illegal detention". "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside," Mohit Pandey, President, JNUSU, said. Police officials were seen outside the campus, awaiting a nod from the administration to enter the premises. A large number of students had gathered 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 he 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," the JNUSU President said. 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. Meanwhile, at least 12 students were summoned earlier in the day by JNU administration to appear before the proctorial committee in connection with a case involving a missing student amid protests by students who claimed 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. The vice chancellor and other top JNU officials briefed the media for the first time since the disappearance on 15 October 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. With inputs from PTI Jammu: BSF troops foiled a major infiltration bid by a group of six militants after a heavy fire-fight using rocket propelled grenades along the International Border in Kathua district, a senior officer said on Thursday. A group of four-six militants made an infiltration bid into this side along the International Border and attacked a vehicle carrying troops on patrolling with RPGs followed by heavy and indiscriminate firing at forward area Bobiya in Kathua around 2345 hours, the officer said. The vehicle was patrolling the borderline at the time of the infiltration bid, he said. BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated resulting in exchanges for over 20 minutes, he said adding perhaps there was support fire from the Border Out Posts (BoPs) of Pakistan. "As BoPs is close by there is tactic support of rangers as well", he said. When the BSF fired para bombs for illumination of the area, the militants escaped and were seen carrying an injured, the officer said. "Everything is fine on our side", he said. Getting a visa to UAE is set to become hassle-free for Indians as a new dedicated visa centre opened in New Delhi along with a Consulate General in Kerala this week. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday inaugurated a UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram which will cater to the visa demand from south India. People from south India, who wish to visit the United Arab Emirates, will now get their necessary documents processed at the new mission, to be headed by Consular General Jamal Hussein Al Zabi. The UAE government decided to set up the office here as a significant majority of Indian expats in the UAE hails from Kerala. Currently, all those proceeding to the UAE from south India have to get their educational certificates and other documents certified by the UAE embassy in New Delhi or the consulate in Mumbai. Earlier in the week, UAE Ambassador to India, Ahmed Al Banna inaugurated the dedicated consular and a visa service centre in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi at a programme chaired by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung. The centres, which were housed in the UAE embassy earlier, will provide visa services, attestation works and all consular services for Indian nationals and citizens of the UAE who are in India. Banna batted for enhanced strategic ties with India during the event and termed the prevailing bilateral relations as "historical". "Relationship between India and UAE is historical and quite great. Now our relationship is going to a further strategic level. "After the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi (to UAE) last August and the visit of his Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi (to New Delhi) in February this year, there has been an understanding to look into strengthening that relationship," he said. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade next year. UAE is home to around 2.6 million Indians who constitute nearly 30 percent of its population. It receives around 10,000 visa applications on a monthly basis. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday asserted the recently-signed Euro 7.878 billion-deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets was the best ever offered to any country, rejecting Swaraj Abhiyan's Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav's allegation that India paid double the price. Parrikar, however, refused to comment on the duo's allegation that BJP parliamentarian Varun Gandhi was "honey trapped" into leaking defence secrets, a charge stoutly denied by the leader. "How much does it cost to level allegation?" an angry Parrikar retorted when asked about the charge levelled by Swaraj Abhiyan. "Rafale is the best deal that we have managed. It was because Prime Minister of India and President of France agreed that we have this deal which has not been offered to any other country," Parrikar said. Earlier in the day, Bhushan told a press conference, "...contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircraft, the government bought 36 aircraft, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy." He said despite having knowledge of all these things, the BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it. Dassault Aviation has 25.3 per cent stake in Thales. Parrikar said nothing has been proved in the alleged Scorpene leak and hence the case for banning any firm does not arise. India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft. Varun has already denied the charge, saying he has not met middleman Abhishek Verma, to whom he has been accused of having leaked defence secrets, since 2004. He has threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. Bhubaneswar: Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the SUM Hospital where 21 people were killed in a fire mishap, was arrested on Thursday after he surrendered before police in Bhubaneswar. With the arrest of Nayak, the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy now stands at five. "Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation," Commissioner of Police, YB Khurania told reporters. Sources said Nayak surrendered at the Khandagiri Police Station at about 3:30 am. He was taken to an undisclosed destination where the police officers were interrogating him. Last evening the commissinorate of Police had issued a Look Out Circular in the name of Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the charitable trust. The police had informed all the airports and railway stations to ensure that Nayak and his wife Saswati do not escape from the state capital. The Ministry of Home affairs was also apprised about the police action in this regard, Khurania said. "We may go for arrest of more people during course of investigation," he said. The police issued LOC after Union Health Minister JP Nadda made it clear to the state government that persons responsible for the fire tragedy should not not go scot free. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also assured the state that all the guilty persons would be taken to task. Two days ago, the police had arrested four senior officials including the medical superintendent of SUM Hospital Pushparaj Samantasinghar. They were booked under section 304, 308, 285 and 34 of IPC. The four officials were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state government's fire service department. A case was registered against the authorities of SUM Hospital which has been accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of state government to improve its firefighting mechanism. The hospital does not possess a fire safety certificate. Seema Chishti, a senior journalist with The Indian Express, has noted in her recent article entitled, The Urdu Press: Strikes and slogans: Despite expression of dissatisfaction and even criticism of the affidavit filed by the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board in the Supreme Court on the issue of triple talaq in a section of the Urdu press, there is a sense of unanimity in support of the Board and for not allowing any interference in personal law by the government." But I find a note of introspection completely missing from the Urdu journalism in India. Todays Urdu press mostly controlled by the clerics has a very restricted space for the dissenting views on current affairs. A review of the countrys Urdu dailies on the ongoing divorce debate makes it pretty self-explanatory. Be it the Uniform Civil Code or the controversial issue of Triple Talaq, it is not difficult to see the brazen breach of the journalistic ethics in the Urdu press. Some of the Urdu newspapers do not give even a minor space for a different or divergent opinion when it comes to the Muslim Personal Laws. They do not publish anything critical of the misplaced patriarchy, mullahs male chauvinism or violation of Muslim women's rights. The editorial policies in most of the Urdu media outlets appear to be Shariah-controlled. A recent article in the Firstpost titled, Urdu media agog with conspiracy theories to force changes in Shariah has also candidly depicted this picture. It explored how the Muslim organisations like Darul Uloom Deoband, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind are furthering their ends through the Urdu newspapers published from various cities in the country. Consequently, they are the instruments in bolstering the nationwide agitation against the Law Commission of Indias questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code. In her article, Seema Chishti has recounted how the leading Urdu daily Roznma Rashtriya Saharas reports earned huge support for AIMPLB. In a hagiographical report on the AIMPLB being endorsed by the prominent Indian Ulema and Islamic clergymen, the daily went to the extent of reporting that All-India Muslim Personal Law Board alone is the representative organisation of Indian Muslims. Since the emergence of the divorce debate, Rashtriya Sahara Urdu has been quoting an increasing number of the Islamic clerics and ulema extending an unconditional support to the AIMPLB. For instance, a report in the Urdu daily dated 18 October has quoted Maulana Jalaluddin Umri, the chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Indian version of Jamaat-e-Islami which has its sister organizations in Bangladesh and Pakistan): It is the belief of Muslims that no change is possible in the principles of the Quran, Hadees (traditions and sayings of the prophet) and the Shariat till the end of the world (qayamat). The Jamaat whole-heartedly supports the stand of the Personal Law Board on these issues." Tone and tenor There is no denying that divorce is an essential right of every man and woman, enshrined in the Indian Constitution as well as in Islam, especially in this day and age when marriage is not something irrevocable. Gone are the days when an Indian woman was taken for granted once she tied the knot with a man. Talaq, which is considered the worst permissible thing in Islam, turns out to be an ease for both men and women in many unavoidable circumstances. But the tone and tenor the maulvis are using in the Urdu media order to justify their position on the triple talaq in one setting is distressing. Challenging the Supreme Courts decision to examine the issue of triple talaq, AIMPLB stated that Triple talaq is better than murdering wife. This was headlined not only in most of the Urdu newspapers but also in a number of the English media outlets like the Outlook. One wonders at the naivety of the AIMPLB in issuing such reactionary statements which are not reasoned by any stretch of imagination. AIMPLB further told the Supreme Court, Marriage is a contract in which both parties are not physically equal. Male is stronger and female is a weaker sex. Securing separation through court takes a long time deters prospects of remarriage. Without any critical look at such misogynistic and male-chauvinistic positions, an overwhelming majority of the Urdu newspapers echoed the viewpoint of the AIMPLB that the apex court cannot rewrite personal laws in the name of social reform. A leading Urdu newspaper in Delhi Roznama Jadid Khabar ran a front-page five-column story on the consensus (ijma) of the ulama and muftis (experts of Islamic jurisprudence) in favour of the AIMPLB. It quoted many clerics and rectors of the madrasas such as Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, rector of the Darul Uloom Deoband, who stated: "Triple talaq and polygamy are an essential part of the Muslim Personal Law. Any type of change is impossible." Progressive Press in Urdu The baffling problem with the Urdu press is, as shown above, its limited space for the dissenting views, particularly on religious polemics. Clergymen, rather than intellectuals of the Muslim community occupy pages in it. Editors show no consciousness of the sectarian ideologies being promoted through the clerical statements. Consequently, they dont produce even the slightest sign of introspection in the readers, and of course, no self-criticism ever. This remains the same case with the ongoing debate on triple talaq, as the Urdu daily Roznama Khabrein hints in a signed front-page editorial on 9 October, critiquing the widespread phenomenon: This is not the time for ishteaal angezi (emotional offensive). Rather, it is a time to convert the legal battle into victory by a patient approach. Among other weaknesses, in an effort to justify triple talaq, the traditions of four sects of Muslims have been mentioned in the affidavit, but there is no mention of the Shia sect (which has reservations about triple talaq).. It could be argued that everyone has the liberty to follow the traditions of their own sect. Hence, views of all sects should have been included." However, a sort of progression can also be seen in the Urdu journalism, though very rarely. The Mumbai-based Urdu newspaper Inqilab is the first Urdu daily which has opened up a divergent debate on divorce and Uniform Civil Code, incorporating dissenting views. An editorial in the Inquilab (dated 18 October) entitled A Slap on the Polemics of Talaq has slammed the issue as an unnecessary polemic. The newspaper argues that Muslims condition is worse than that of the Dalits and other backward sections of the Indian society, as the Sachchar Committee has also revealed. Therefore, it recommends the government to ameliorate the social, educational, economic and political condition of Muslims rather than indulge in the unnecessary issues. On 19 October, Inquilab published a detailed discussion on the issue. Talking to the Inquilab, Maulana Syed Ashraf Kichchawchchvi wondered as to how the Uniform Civil Code or the abolishment of the triple talaq would help in the country's development. He asked: If the government intends to provide equal rights to Muslims, it should not refrain from removing the religious stipulation from the Section 341 in the Constitution. The religious terms in Section 341 hampers the Muslim community from availing the opportunities of progression open to other backward communities and classes like the Dalits," he said. The author is a scholar of Comparative Religion, Classical Arabic and Islamic sciences, cultural analyst and researcher in Media and Communication Studies. Views are personal. He tweets at @GRDehlvi. Email: grdehlavi@gmail.com Hyderabad: Women members of All Indian Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday said that Muslim women are safe and secure in Islamic sharia and will not tolerate any interference in it. Stating that no force on earth can change Muslim Personal Law, they said any attempt to impose Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will create conflict in the society. Asma Zehra, one of the members of the apex body of Indian Muslims, said Sharia is oxygen for Muslim men and women and under no circumstances, they will agree to any changes in it. She along with four other women members of AIMPLB were addressing a massive all-party public meeting here on Wednesday night for the protection of Sharia. Hundreds of women attended the public meeting organised by AIMPLB at Darussalam, the headquarters of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). She said the boycott of Law Commission's questionnaire by AIMPLB and the huge response to the signature campaign against UCC were a clear message to the government that there can't be any compromise on Muslim Personal Law. She said the almighty 'Allah' made a law for the betterment and welfare of men and women. "This law is by the creator and thus it is in tune with the human nature. It's well balanced and has given the status of respect and dignity to women. They are protected, safe, secure and satisfied," she said while condemning attempts by what she called the handful of people and a section of media to malign Sharia by using few self-styled Muslim women. She said divorce is not a problem but a solution to the problem. "If a man and wife can't adjust, they can't be forced to live together for whole life. Talaq (divorce) provides a way out," Asma said. She alleged that in the name of showing sympathy to women, attempts are being made to snatch the right to divorce. Another woman member of AIMPLB, Sabiha Siddiqi said the government was wasting its time and machinery in creating conflict in the society. She said Muslim women would be in the forefront in the efforts to protect Sharia. The speakers said the best response to the attempts to interfere in Muslim Personal Law is that Muslims strictly follow Sharia. A wheelchair-bound man who couldn't rise up during the national anthem was reportedly attacked at a multiplex in Goa. According to Times of India, writer and disability activist, Salil Chaturvedi, who is wheelchair-bound due to a spinal injury, was assaulted while the national anthem was being played before the screening of a film in a multiplex in Panaji. The report informs that a couple, who were singing the national anthem on the aisle above his, took offense that Chaurvedi "could not rise to his feet". "So the man hit, and the woman shouted, 'why cant he get up?!'," the article said. Chaturvedi who has been wheelchair-bound since 1984, and paralysed from waist below, was extremely shaken and hurt by the incident, but despite that he kept his cool and told his attackers to back off. Speaking to the NDTV, Chaturvedi said that he was whacked from behind while the anthem was in progress. He waited for the anthem to get over and then told his attackers to "relax". Chaturvedi also raised the question of the need to play national anthem every time a movie is screened, asking if people with disability needs to wear badges and declare it publicly to escape incidents like this. "My brother is a gallantry award winner, my dad was in the Air Force, we know what patriotism is," he told NDTV. Lucknow: With the spectre of bitter infighting looming large over it, the ruling Samajwadi Party has lined up back-to-back crucial meetings to gauge the mood of party workers at a time when Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are just a few months away. A meeting of all district presidents has been convened at the SP headquarters in Lucknow on Friday by state party chief Shivpal Yadav, while the party' state executive will meet on Saturday. Besides Shivpal, party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and national general secretary Ramgopal Yadav are expected to be present. Mulayam, who has been seen standing with brother Shivpal, has also convened a meeting of party legislators and ministers on 24 October to "gauge the mood" of partymen and people of their area. "After the meeting, Mulayam might take some tough decisions in the run up to assembly polls. The objective behind the exercise is to show unity within the party but in the present circumstances, it did appear to be happening with Akhilesh and Shivpal supporters stiff on their stands," a senior SP leader said on Thursday. After the chief minister announced his decision to take out his solo 'Rath Yatra' on 3 November, SP MLC Udayveer Singh wrote a letter to Mulayam demanding that Akhilesh Yadav be made the national president. Another party MLC Ashu Malik sent a missive in favour of Mulayam, saying he was peeved over fingers being pointed at the "great leader". "SP state president Shivpal Yadav and other members of his family have misled you (Mulayam) and hatched a conspiracy against CM Akhilesh who should be made party national president and given all the powers," Udayveer said in a four page letter to Mulayam. Defending expelled youth leaders, including MLCs, he said, "They were expelled on false grounds and it is against social justice." The MLC also attacked Shivpal for supporting gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal (QED) and making allegations that party leaders of Mainpuri were involved in land grabbing and illegal liquor business. He alleged that Mulayam was "motivating" Shivpal to make such allegations and not acting when an MLA and Mainpuri district unit chief issued a press notes making objectionable comments against SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav. "A conspiracy was hatched against Akhilesh in 2012 within the family and Shivpal contacted various leaders to stop Mulayam from making him the chief minister," he alleged. Udayveer also dubbed SP's RS member Amar Singh as "chatur and chaalbaaz" (cunning). Interestingly, during the feud between Shivpal and Akhilesh, Amar was seen as the one who had engineered it. "While leaders like Gayatri Prasad Prajapati are favoured, dedicated ones like SRS Yadav and Naresh Uttam are sidelined in a deliberate insult to Akhilesh," Udayveer alleged. His barb came in the wake of Shivpal nominating the controversial minister as the coordinator of the party's Silver Jubilee celebrations on November 5. Akhilesh will embark on his 'Vikas Rath Yatra' alone from 3 November which might make him skip the party's silver jubilee celebrations. Apart from reaching out to people and galvanising party workers, his yatra is being seen as a move to truncate the influence of Shivpal, who had been appointed the new state party president in his place. Advising Mulayam to declare Akhilesh as his "political heir and not an alternative", Udayveer said Akhilesh should be given power to distribute tickets. However, soon after this letter, another MLC Ashu Malik came out in favour of Mulayam, stating that he was "peeved over people pointing accusing finger at the great leader". "...people insulting netaji (Mulayam) today will certainly do the same with Akhilesh tomorrow," he said in his Facebook post. "Those writing letters advising and insulting 'netaji' (Mulayam) in sycophancy did not have the capacity of getting even 500 votes," he said, adding he has seen love between father and son - Mulayam and Akhilesh. "Akhilesh is an ideal son and Mulayam has always performed his duties as a father. Both of them have clarified that there is no dispute in the party and those sycophants, who are writing letters are insulting both," Malik said. Meanwhile, as the letter-war heated up, the chief minister took exception to the missives and said workers need not write about him to his father and stop writing such letters altogether. As infighting continued unabated with Mulayam siding with Shivpal and his cousin Ram Gopal throwing his weight behind the chief minister, the distribution of tickets is likely to create more bad blood in the Mulayam clan. A day after Union Minister Babul Supriyo was attacked with bricks allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists, BJP workers took to streets to protest against the attack, reported ANI. Kolkata: BJP workers protest against attack on Babul Supriyo pic.twitter.com/puoSIg4Jxg ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 In Kolkata, the workers came out in support of Supriyo and clashed with the police. Supriyo thanked everyone who stood up from him during Thursdays agitation. From the bottom of heart and with utmost sincerity&gratitude, I wud like 2 thank everyone who stood up for me in today's agitations in WB Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) October 20, 2016 He was attacked on Wednesday while on his way to a police station to stage a protest against the arrest of some BJP workers. 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, according to a PTI report. The BJP had reportedly planned a bandh in Asansol on Thursday and Supriyo tweeted that he has requested the BJP president of West Bengal to withdraw the protest. Nevertheless, the protest did happen and BJP activists clashed with the police. However, just hours after this tweet, he complained about the police detaining BJP supporters rather than TMC goons. A clash had ensued between the supporters of the BJP and the TMC when the saffron party workers were proceeding for the protest on Wednesday. Instead of arresting these TMC goons, Police detain&book BJP supporters who were not evn close 2 where MalayGhatak's men were causing mayhem https://t.co/xkV5HaxHCX Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) October 19, 2016 Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday condemned the attack and asked the state government to take immediate action against the guilty. With inputs from PTI Was black magic, tantra-mantra and jaadu-tona used by the Yadav clan members to strain the relations between Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav? If the party MLC, Uday Pratap Singh, is to be believed, this is the real cause behind the soured relations between the father-son duo. In a strong worded, four-page letter to Mulayam, Uday Pratap made allegations of all sorts against the entire family of the SP chief. The letter, released late Wednesday evening, has given clear indications that team Akhilesh is in no mood to relent now and is ready to take the battle to any extent. This could also be indicative of the fact that there is no room for any further talks and that team Akhilesh has made up its mind in favour of a vertical split within the party. The letter goes on to say that many a times Mulayam had made fun of Akhilesh, when the latter was present on a public platform in the capacity of chief minister of the state. Though this went against the protocol of the chief minister, Akhilesh, like an obedient son, just smiled and let it go. Lashing out at Mulayam's brother Shivpal Yadav, who is also the state unit president of the party, the letter says that he was also not far behind in trying to humiliate Akhilesh. The letter goes on to say that Shivpal had many a times said that, Akhilesh to ladka hai, Uttar Pradesh ko videsh banana chahta hai, ye expressway kya banayega? Kanoon vyavastha iske bas ki baat nahin (Akhilesh is just a boy, he wants to convert Uttar Pradesh into a developed foreign state. He is not capable of getting the expressway constructed and maintaining law and order is not his cup of tea)." Uday Pratap adds in the letter that Shivpal's jealousy towards Akhilesh was the main motive behind all these statements. In another scathing attack on the Yadav family, the letter further reads that under the influence of his wife Sadhna, son Prateek and brother Shivpal, Mulayam had forged connections with opportunist leaders and contractors. It adds that this team was constantly conspiring against Akhilesh. The MLC has also alleged that Mulayam had faltered first when talks of a merger with mafia don Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal (QED) had started. He further alleges that Mulayam was more inclined towards 'defamed' minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati. The letter ends with a prayer from the MLC to Mulayam to bury the hatchet with his son and reconcile as Akhilesh is the "real face of development" of the state and without him, it would be difficult for the party to face the upcoming UP Assembly elections. Uday Pratap is a close confidant of Akhilesh and was his senior in the Rashtriya Military School in Dholpur. Party sources reveal that this letter has more than ruffled the feathers of the leadership and that Uday Pratap's ouster from the party could be a matter of a few hours from now. Pages by Firstpost on Scribd Claims from the final presidential debate and how they stack up against the facts. Hillary Clinton: "I disagreed with the way the court applied the Second Amendment" in the District of Columbia vs. Heller decision in 2008. "I was upset because unfortunately dozens of toddlers injure themselves and even kill people with guns... But there's no doubt I respect the Second Amendment, that I believe there's an individual right to bear arms." The facts: While Clinton emphasized the protection of children from gun accidents, the main holding in that case was far broader: that individuals have a right to own guns, at least in their homes and for self-defense. The case marked the first time the court said that individuals have a Second Amendment right to own a gun. The decision struck down Washington's ban on handgun ownership as well as a separate requirement that people who have other guns store them either with trigger locks or disassembled. The court said both provisions violate the Second Amendment. Hillary Clinton, on Donald Trump's charge that she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: "I was talking about energy." The facts: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said in the speech that "my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Trump charged. Hillary Clinton: "I want to make college debt free." The facts: Clinton might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room and board can lead students to borrow. Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Trump is correct that government would shoulder higher costs with Clinton's plan. Her plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. Hillary Clinton on her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: "It didn't meet my test." The facts: It met her test when she was secretary of state and she promoted it worldwide. Hacked emails from Clinton's campaign, released Wednesday by WikiLeaks, showed that Jake Sullivan, her top foreign policy adviser, called her a "big champion" of the deal and worried about how to handle the issue in the face of Sen. Bernie Sanders' opposition. She later flip-flopped into opposition during the Democratic primaries against Sanders. Clinton says she no longer backs the proposed trade deal as written because it does not provide enough protections for US workers on wages, jobs and the country's national security. Yet the final deal also includes some of the strongest labor protections of any U.S. trade agreement. Hillary Clinton "has no idea whether it's Russia, China or anybody else" that is behind recent hacks of Democratic organizations and individuals. "Our country has no idea." The facts: Actually, the U.S. government says it does have an idea, and has concluded it was Russia who hacked into the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the email accounts of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta and others. Trump's refusal to point the finger at Moscow is at odds with the prevailing position of the U.S. intelligence community. "We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities," the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said recently in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security. Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees say they've concluded Russian intelligence agencies were trying to influence the US presidential election. Russia has denied the accusation. This is the end, toxic friend. The end of your elaborate plans, no safety or surprises, the end. I will not look into your eyes again, the end. Bruce Springsteen may well have been inspired by The Doors when he predicted on Wednesday night that the end of "flagrant, toxic narcissist" Donald Trump is near. No smell of early morning Napalm, no choppers whirring in the background. Apocalypse Now. It is the end, ta-ta Trump. All across the US, it is getting clearer by the day that Trump's late night appearance in the final presidential debate may well have been his swan song. Nobody played The End in the background, but Jim Morrison's ghost seemed to be singing in everybody's ears. The question, as polls show Hillary Clinton surging ahead by 5-10 points, now is whether Trump will go down. The suspense now is this: How much and who he will take down with him? Will he, for instance, take democracy as the US knows it with him his takeaway threat during the debate when he said he may not accept the verdict? Will his rabid, virulent followers create anarchy at polling booths, mayhem at counting centres once the inevitable verdict is out? That's the question the US appears to be debating, not Trump's poll prospects. As Springsteen said: "He has a lot of peoples ears, and I dont think hes going to go quietly, gently into the good night. He's going to make as a big a mess as he can. And I don't know what that's going to mean but we'll find out shortly." Trump's decline began soon after his locker room talk established him as a p***sygrabbing, opportunistic predator ready to feast on his celebrity status. When the charges were repeated by at least half a dozen women, the US expected Trump to be contrite, penitent and apologetic. But, instead of reaching out to angry voters, Trump did what he does best: Unleashed the vengeful, egoistic bully inside him, seeking a patina of justification by dragging Bill Clinton in the malevolent sexpool with him. That day marked Trump's end. By the time the final debate began, Trump had already pushed himself out of the race, going back to where he had begun in January, trailing Clinton by a humungous 10 points. Nobody in the post-Ronal Reagan era has hobbled so far behind in the US presidential race. It won't surprise anyone if Trump gets the biggest-ever drubbing in recent US election history. The final debate then turned into a mere formality. A sort of inquest into Trump's post-poll plans that the US has now begun to fear. And, typically, Trump did not disappoint his critics and followers by remaining faithful to his toxic, divisive agenda that has been the hallmark of his politics and campaign. Many critics have called the election "Normal vs Abnormal". Trump gave several reasons to vindicate them. During the debate, like always, he was full of himself, making the election look like a caricature of Jim Carrey's 'I, Me, Myself.' He stuck to his paranoia that the results may be rigged and grandiloquently announced to keep the suspense alive on his acceptance of the final outcome. Many suspect Trump used the opportunity to test his post-defeat plan of launching Trump TV, a jingoistic, loud, brash enterprise rooted in xenophobia and hatred, a tool that may be used for rabblerousing and catering to his supporters. As soon as the debate began, his Facebook page went Live with the message: If youre tired of biased, mainstream media reporting (otherwise known as Crooked Hillarys super PAC), tune into my Facebook Live broadcast. Starts at 8:30 EST/5:30 PST -- you won't want to miss it. Enjoy!" So, as Springsteen argued, even Trump knows he is going down. But, in spite of the predicted defeat, the threat of Trumpism looms on the US. In defeat, Trump may turn out to be a bigger adversary for Clinton than he was as a rival. Maybe, it is still not the end, toxic friend. New Delhi: In a jolt to Congress in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, senior party leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined BJP and attacked Rahul Gandhi over the way he was running the party and his reaction to the army's surgical strikes. 67-year-old Joshi, daughter of the late Congress veteran Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, over whom there has been speculation of deserting Congress, joined BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah at the party headquaters in New Delhi. A former UPCC president who resigned as a Congress MLA on Thursday, said there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP. Joshi, who was said to be unhappy with the Congress leadership over projection of Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh, rued the present state of affairs in the party, alleging that it is in such a bad shape that it has contracted out its working to strategist Prashant Kishore. Slamming Rahul for his 'dalali' barb at Modi over the surgical strikes, Joshi said she has been disheartened by the events which happened in the last few days. "India is fighting terrorism and the Modi government has given the army a free hand. Besides valour of the army, the government's strong leadership was also behind the surgical strikes. "Along with the nation, I too was happy. The whole world accepted India's arguments behind the strikes. Congress, however, behaved like a small party and went on to question it. The whole nation was upset with a phrase like 'khoon ki dalali'," she said attacking Gandhi. His remarks gave Pakistan an opportunity to question surgical strikes, she said, adding that political differences over national interest were not good. Noting that she had spent 24 years out of 27 years of her political career in Congress and only 10 months in Samajwadi Party, she said, "The decision to quit Congress was not easy. However, I took it in the interest of the nation and the state (UP)." Her joining BJP is expected to give a boost to the party's efforts to consolidate Brahmin voters as it looks to capture power in the state following a gap of over 15 years. The assembly polls in UP are due early next year. Ruling Samajwadi Party and BSP have been in the power by turn all this while. The extravagant wedding invitation to the wedding of former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy's daughter will make all the 'big fat wedding' invites look lame. The invitation consists of a box, which when opened exposes an LCD screen with a text saying 'Bramhani Weds Rajeev Reddy' and a video starts to play. The longer-than-a-minute video features Reddy, his son, and wife singing Atithi Devo Bhava (the guest is like God). It introduces the to-be-wed couple and the bride swirls in front of the camera in various outfits. There is also a printed invite inside the box. As is plainly visible on the video put up by NDTV, the couple gazes at each other coyly before quickly cutting to the bride swirling around in her lehenga. Apparently, the engagement ceremony was also very lavish. Unsurprisingly. India TV reports that the wedding is due in November. Janardhan Reddy, touted to be one of the most powerful men in Karnataka, was sent to jail for three years and released on bail last year in connection with an illegal mining scam. Rita Bahuguna Joshi may turn out to be a real asset for the BJP. Under her leadership, the Congress slumped to a historic low in the previous Assembly elections. The feisty leader, daughter of the illustrious Hemwanti Nandan Bahuguna, who was beaten by Amitabh Bachchan in 1984, has herself lost two Lok Sabha elections. And, in 2009, after insulting Mayawati, Bahuguna was sent to jail. She had famously argued at Moradabad that "one should throw this money (compensation to a victim) in Maya's face and tell her 'if you get raped, I'll give you one crore'." She would obviously give former BJP vice-president Dayashankar Singh good company. It is possible that Bahuguna learnt from her mistakes and successive electoral defeats. And, in an election, every party needs politicians who are quick learners. So, BJP may find her experience handy. Also, she is a Brahmin leader, if not by reputation at least by birth and matrimony. The BJP, it is apparent, is keen to make the most of the Army's electoral strikes on terror launch pads along the Line of Control. Not a day goes by when somebody or the other doesn't remind me of the Army's achievement under the NDA's leadership. But, this must be the first time in Indian history that a surgical strike launched across the LoC has made a politician reconsider her political affiliation and ideology. Bahuguna, in a bout of rousing patriotism, has dedicated her defection to the surgical strike, claiming she was unhappy that the Congress was questioning it. It is besides the point that even if the Army had not fired a shot, Bahuguna would have re-launched her career. Ever since she was supplanted by Sheila Dixit as the Congress CM candidate in the poll-bound state, Bahuguna was waiting to strike. That she has crossed the line of party control sighting the surgical strikes would make BJP happy: It gives the party another opportunity to keep the subject in popular discussion. It can be hoped that Bahuguna pledging fealty to surgical strikes would also wipe out memories of some of the verbal grenades she had lobbed at the BJP and its top leadership while in the Congress. In the past, she had blamed Modi's silence for the Gujarat "massacre", argued that RSS ideology was making campus after campus burn, accused Smriti Irani of lying on the JNU episode, sought a fair trial for Ishrat Jahan, and, hear, hear, advised caution in India-Pakistan relations, not the whimsical attitude of the Prime Minister. Mr Modis silence last time resulted in Gujrat massacre.His silence as PM may engulf all of lndia in hate &violence@SinghRPN @INCIndia @BDUTT Rita Bahuguna Joshi (@RitaBJoshi) October 20, 2015 #Modi jis silence once resulted in# Gujrat massacre.His silence this time may engulf all of India in hate & violence @ Rita Bahuguna Joshi (@RitaBJoshi) October 20, 2015 Is#Sangh Parivar determined to divide Nation on communal lines.Why impute motives to resigning#writers?Definitve action needed @ANI@INCIndia Rita Bahuguna Joshi (@RitaBJoshi) October 18, 2015 #Munnawar Ranas 'Ma' in Urdu&Oudhi is a household poem moving emotions across caste&community#RSS Q's him too.Stop please!@ANI@ABP @INCIndia Rita Bahuguna Joshi (@RitaBJoshi) October 18, 2015 Mr#Jaitleys remark on writers may have won PMs favour but he has lost respect among those who respected his intellectualism. Rita Bahuguna Joshi (@RitaBJoshi) October 15, 2015 Now that Bahuguna, like a true Allahabadi, has taken a dip in the cleansing Ganga of 'surgical strikes', all her past sins may have obviously been washed away. Like her brother, she may have emerged as clean as the outcome of the Clean Ganga project. Apart from her born-again nationalistic credentials, Bahuguna's move has also underlined the supreme incompetence of Rahul Gandhi in keeping his flock together. Till a few days ago, Gandhi was travelling from village to village with a khaat in hand, seeking votes for his party? How does he expect people to vote for the Congress when his own erstwhile deputy runs away in search of saffron pastures? And, this isn't the first time Gandhi has been shown up as a novice whose writ, like Bahadur Shah Zafar's empire that ended at Lal Quila, doesn't extend beyond his Tughlaq lane residence. In the run up to Assam polls, one fine morning Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma skipped his appointment with Gandhi and instead appeared at Amit Shah's house for breakfast, leaving the Congress VP with enough freetime to play with his poodles. A few months ago, after promising loyalty to the Congress VP, chief minister Prema Khandu and his MLAs quit Congress overnight, making Gandhi look like a charlatan. And before that Vijay Bahuguna had toppled the Uttarakhand government after being handpicked by Gandhi. Once is tragedy, twice coincidence, thrice enemy action and every time after that just a joke cracked on a gullible, so-called leader. Gandhi is walking around with so many daggers stabbed in his back that it no longer incites sympathy for him; the sight only evokes prayers that his pain end as soon as possible. "If you are not confused, youre not paying attention" Tom Peters wrote in Thriving on Chaos: Handbook For A Management Revolution. Indeed, you would be baffled if you try to read the jumble of signals in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh: Father Mulayam Singh Yadav would light the lamps at an ostentatious function to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of his Samajwadi Party in Lucknow on 5 November. But son Akhilesh Yadav, chief minister, would make sure that he remains miles away from the SPs foundation day function. The CM shall be launching 'his' party's election campaign separately two days earlier on 3 November. He would go his own way, independent of the parent party, on what is being described as Vikas Rath Yatra. And remember, the father and the son havent split up officially despite the nasty tug of war that has been going on within the family for over a month. On their part, the two 'chachas' Shivpal Singh Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav are seen to be singing diametrically opposite tunes. While Shivpal continues to hold on to the apron-strings of brother Mulayam, Ramgopal is seen as supporting Akhilesh aggressively in the show of strength. Gripped by uncertainty, party workers and sympathisers look bewildered. Even crest-fallen. Here is a recap to what all made news headlines this month. And it's for you to see if it makes sense: "Akhilesh to start UP poll campaign on his own, wont wait for Mulayams SP jubilee function News 18, 19 October "Akhilesh Yadav's shift to new political office signals widening rift between Samajwadi leadership" Firstpost, 17 October "Mulayam Singh indicates Akhilesh may not be nominated as CM candidate in UP polls" India TV, 14 October "It's official: Akhilesh Yadav to be Samajwadi Party CM face in UP polls" Firstpost, 17 October "Nitish Kumar asks Akhilesh to come out of family shadow; you take the risk, Ill back you" Zeenws.India.com, 17 October "Uttar Pradesh: In faceless battle, BJP plans series of PM Modis rally" dnaindia.com, 18 October "UP elections: Ayodhya hogs limelight as polls approach but who will build the Ram temple?" Firstpost, 18 October "UP polls: In Ram museum, BJP has found a convenient alibi to reap political dividend" Firstpost, 18 October "UP polls: How Modis Ram chant on Dussera served as a work-around to politics of polarisation" Firstpost, 17 October "Uniform civil code another BJPs trump-card like Ayodhya, says CPIs Sudhakar Reddy," Firstpost, 18 October Can you now come to a conclusion? Dont you find the situation to be too damn fluid? Too many questions but no concrete answers. Not yet. It's not that only the Samajwadi people are confused in UP. The BJP, which is bound to be affected by the earthquake within the SP, is equally hesitant. It doesnt know if Mulayams Muslim vote bank would remain intact. If there is a three-way split, they gain. But if the bulk of the Muslims goes towards the BSP, the BJP would be hit hard. Believe it or not, the saffron outfit wants the SP along with its vote bank to remain intact! Remember, the SP and the BJP are seen as two poles of the communal divide in UP. There is yet another big 'if' staring at the BJP's face: If Akhilesh Yadav breaks away from his parent party, chances are that young voters would gravitate towards the chief minister cutting across caste and communal lines. No doubt, Akhilesh has made himself synonymous with 'development' public perception wise. Moreover, the young chief minister is basking in the glamour of a rebel. You may have noticed by now that despite Prime Minister Narendra Modis asserting it time and again that his party would make development its election plank, the BJP has already fallen back upon 'Ram' as an electoral issue. And contrary to his earlier promise, Modi has himself taken to chanting the 'Jai Shri Ram' mantra. Recall what you saw at the Aishbagh Ramleela function in Lucknow on Dussera day this year. If the BJP is confused, the BSP is no less rattled by developments in the Samajwadi pariwar. Mayawati knows that she would sound credible if she attacks Mulayam's traditional politics. But what would she do if Akhilesh breaks away and carves out a new pro-development and anti-crime vote bank? Also, she is uncertain about the young, apolitical floating voters, who dont fall into any caste/communal bracket. In 2014, they had voted for Modi. You never know, they might vote for Akhilesh in the ensuing elections this time. The Congress too looks apprehensive. It doesn't know for certain if Akhilesh would, should he finally take to rebellion, join hands with Rahul. The two young leaders have been using complimentary adjectives about each other of late. But saying things is different from doing things, more so in politics. The overall political narrative in UP now fits into Miltons phrase in Paradise Lost: Confusion worse confounded. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has his task cut out ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2017. Before going out to the battlefield, the Congress second-in-command has an unenviable task of holding his army together as crumbling faith in his leadership is glaring all across with the former state party chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. Indications to the move were already seen on 29 September the day of Indian Army's surgical strike on the launch pads across the Line of Control to prevent Pakistan from pushing in militants into India when the former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief ended her Twitter hiatus and praised the government for the strikes. Although Joshi chose to blame the Congress and a section of the media for her decision to quit Congress, a party she was a member for over 24 years out of her 27-year-old political career citing that she was appalled by the demand of proof of the surgical strikes. It appears the military mission was just the right platform to eject from the party and land into the BJP. "I resigned from Congress today and joined BJP. It wasn't easy for me. Whatever the result of the surgical strikes may have been, the Modi government decided to take full responsibility. Congress leaders and the media started questioning the surgical strikes. I was deeply hurt. I even expressed my displeasure on Twitter. It was not called for. It inspired me to take this decision. This fight and struggle is very important. Our Army needs the support of the government and the nation," Joshi said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi with BJP president Amit Shah on her side. https://twitter.com/RitaBJoshi/status/781413358708764672 https://twitter.com/RitaBJoshi/status/783560443864358912 https://twitter.com/RitaBJoshi/status/783563754000658432 Comments like khoon ki dalali by Rahul Gandhi recently blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the surgical strikes only added ammunition to Joshi to prepare a base to exit the party. "Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, can consider herself to be lucky. Her disillusionment and anguish with the Congress party and its leadership made national headlines. She should perhaps consider sending a thank you note to her current party's de-facto chief, Rahul Gandhi, for making it all possible," Firstpost author Sanjay Singh wrote in a recent piece. Joshi also followed the same path when other party big shots gave the parting shot to the Congress lashing out at Rahul Gandhi. "Prashant Kishor can be a poll manager but not the poll director. Unfortunately, everything was given in his hands. I felt that Congress has lost the support of the people. People of Uttar Pradersh do not accept the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Even strong leaders of the Pradesh cannot speak their views under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,"she said. Daughter of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna and sister of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahugana Joshi, who had also recently joined the BJP, Rita headed the Congress in the state from 2007-12. She represented Lucknow Cantt constituency in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly before she tended her resignation from the post. Reacting to the development, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Raj Babbar said, "The party won't be affected by this. No one understood our solidarity with the soldiers when the government was playing with the blood of the troops. There was not a flutter in the ground when news of this sort was already coming out." Despite the shaky position his party is into, the former cinestar however displayed a brave face in front of the cameras. "It's a fourth or fifth change in Rita Bahuguna's family. I don't want to talk about Rita Bahuguna because she is a woman and not a part of our party. It was told to us that Rita Bahuguna is sick. She should be prudent enough to understand that there will be no change from her shift," Babbar said. When pointed out that many Congress leaders had actually quit the party raising questions on the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, he said, "Rahul is against godfather politics. There are people who do not believe in his ideology." That Sheila Dikshit was paratrooped from New Delhi as a chief ministerial candidate of Congress might have given Rita major heartburns but for that perenially aggressive stunt she had against the 'communal politics' of the BJP won't be easy for her to shed. "It is important to free Uttar Pradesh from communalism. I will do everything in my power to get BJP a majority in the Uttar Pradesh elections," Joshi said. Indeed a shocker for Rahul Gandhi and a massive U-turn for Rita Bahuguna Joshi. A new, unflattering stance in Chinese media has predictably triggered an angry response from India in the backdrop of an increasingly fractious relationship between two south Asian neighbours. As India grapples with a yawning trade imbalance and struggles to maintain equilibrium with an assertive China's geopolitical ambitions, the 'media war' has added a new dimension to the rivalry. What has perhaps added to India's discomfiture is the realisation that there is some truth beneath the obvious provocation. Couple of recent columns in China's state-controlled Global Times and an op-ed written by a Chinese commentator in The Times of India have sought to dismiss India's aspiration of being seen as China's "equal", pointing out that unless New Delhi moves beyond sloganeering and pops the bitter pill of tough reforms, it shall forever remain a laggard in trade and continue to punch way below its weight. It is an undeniable truth that a country's hard power, the regional influence that it wields and the say it has in the greater world order is derived almost exclusively from its economic ballast. A three-decadal 10-percent plus GDP growth, as Shivshankar Menon pointed out in a recent piece for Brookings Institution, has resulted in China becoming the world's manufacturing hub with a trillion-dollar foreign exchange surplus, the ability to manipulate global commodity prices and a commensurate politico-military clout. In contrast, India has been scraping the barrel. The data from China's General Administration of Customs, according to Global Times, showed that "India in September exported goods worth $922 million to China, while importing goods worth $5.4 billion. The major imports from China include electronic components, telecom instruments, chemicals and pharmaceutical products, while India's major exports to China include ore, plastics and cotton. According to figures mentioned by commerce and industries minister N Sitharaman in Lok Sabha, the deficit with China stood around $52.68 billion in 2015-16, up from $48.48 billion in the previous fiscal. What it means is that as China's clout has grown, some of it has come at India's cost. This puts Narendra Modi's ambition of making India a world power with a bigger say in the world economy in direct confrontation with Chinese interest. And unlike in movies, when two unequal players joust on an international arena, the one with the greater clout comes out as the winner. Therefore, India has noted with dismay how China has continued to stonewall its membership in NSG club, put a spanner in UN declaring Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, prevented the mention of India-specific terror outfits Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Goa Declaration and has even influenced Russia against joining hands with India on cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. China's diplomatic manoeuvres have met with weak Indian response beyond an ill-conceived notion of boycotting Chinese goods that have predictably failed. The reason isn't hard to understand. Carnegie India director C Raja Mohan writes in The Indian Express: "China's GDP today is nearly five times larger than that of India ($11.4 trillion versus $2.2 trillion). China's annual defence budget is more than three times that of India ($150 billion to $48 billion). Although India now has a higher annual rate of economic growth than China (7.6 percent versus 6.9 percent), it will be a long while before India can close the gap." So what may be the step forward? Harsh as it may sound, Global Times is spot on. India must "upgrade its industrial structure". It is nice and patriotic and equally impossible to stop Indian youth from buying Chinese smartphones or preventing Indian drug-makers from importing APIs from China or "persuading Chinese people to consume more Indian goods". If, as the newspaper suggests, asking Chinese manufacturers to set up units in India is to succeed to address the imbalance, that must be preceded with simplification of tax regime and initiating crucial labour and land reforms. The NITI Ayog, for instance, has indicated it wants to replicate Chinese growth model and implement land and labour reforms in the proposed coastal economic zones to give manufacturing a boost. But given India's political climate and a perpetual election season, these things are easier said than done. Much of the problem for Modi government lies in the fact that his central schemes cannot take off unless the groundwork is ready. And since land and labour reforms are among the most politically sensitive, even a government that enjoys such a brute majority has failed repeatedly to usher those in. Everyone knows what the problem is, but the solution has proved elusive. To quote Hero MotoCorp chairman Pawan Munjal during a recent India Economic Summit: "Land and labour reforms are very, very important for the industry, for manufacturing. Right now, both are inconsistent. For expansion, it is so difficult to get land. For expanding manufacturing, the capacity in labour is extremely important. There are lots of issues... these two are very important." Despite a stated growth of over seven percent (numbers that have been hotly disputed due to incompatibility with other indices) and a recent 16-point rise in Global Competitiveness index, some indicators still paint a dismal picture of an economy struggling with jobless growth. In a The Times of India column, CPR Fellow Rajiv Kumar points out that gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) that indicates plant and machinery outlay has declined for the second successive quarter, by (-) 3.1 percent in the April-June 2016 period. This unprecedented negative growth, says Kumar, implies a shrinking of the economy's productive capacities. He also red flags the nosediving of commercial bank credit to the non-food sector which fell to 8.3 percent in August 2016 as compared to its earlier peak of 38.4 percent in 2005-06. This, says the writer, implies that commercial banks have effectively stopped lending to the industrial sector. Add to this a World Bank research which indicates that increasing automation threatens 69 percent of the jobs in India where, according to labour ministry data, around 1 million youth enter the workforce every month and you won't have to be an economist to figure out the scale of the problem facing Modi. Moving to a digital economy has been suggested by some experts such as Samir Saran of Observer Research Foundation but that requires, as he says, government moving out of running businesses itself and ending policy inertia. At the end of the day, India must accept Chinese hegemony in medium to short term, assiduously invest in policies and show iron will in implementing tough reforms. If the economy nears a double-digit growth, much of Chinese manipulation will be automatically blunted. Till then, there is no point whining. If you were laying bets on whether the ugliest Presidential election cycle in the recent history of American politics could get a cosmetic facelift at the third and final debate, a historically nasty exchange has probably left you much poorer on many levels. The main takeaway is clear: Republican nominee Donald J Trump will turn the last 20 days of the campaign into a spectacle of coarseness and soreness. He laid the groundwork for that on the stage in Las Vegas. He described his opponent, Democrat and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as crooked and a liar. She returned the favour by implying that he is a Russian stooge. That they never even bothered to exchange basic pleasantries or courtesies shows that in this divisive race, civility is a casualty. When asked whether he would support Clinton if she were to become the next President, Trump refused to provide a direct answer to that question, saying instead, I will keep you in suspense. Such suspense is killing whatever likelihood there was for altering the disordered dash into the final stretch to 8 November. That query, interestingly enough, was not posed to Clinton; her reply would have been interesting to consider. In the essence of the remainder of the debate, issues discussed at previous outings were regurgitated and recapped. In fact, quite often, lines that had been used earlier were recycled. There was a stunning lack of originality of expression that underscores the reality that the outcome of these elections will be decided on rhetoric rather than reason. Thats often the case with retail politics, but this is the year that phenomenon has become all-consuming, partly of course, thanks to the presence of Trump, who has little to articulate beyond anger and apprehension. I may have misheard but at one point, I thought Trump said the country is stanging. That may well have been a Trumpism born of conflating stagnation and standing still. But if that was what he said, it was again indicative of how his thought process has stalled, idling in the territory of conspiracy theories, some of which, given the nature of the Clinton machine, may even be valid but are cancelled out by his inability to address them sensibly or coherently. Given the venue, the city of Las Vegas, known to host prizefights, there may have been the expectation that this debate would deliver a knockout blow or even a technical KO. But it didnt come and that could be because Trump may already be on the ropes in terms of his prospects going ahead. In fact, this was his last opportunity to salvage his cratering campaign by landing some telling blows. Questions relating to the Clinton Foundation, immigration, trade, and security offered him several openings, but instead of well-directed blows, he resorted, as he often does, to flailing about. In that sense, Clinton can claim to have come off victorious in this final round. For those in India, this was also the debate in which the country was finally mentioned. Trump did so, referring to its growth targets as he spoke of having just left some high representatives of the country. Obviously, such contact is unremarkable, if it did occur, since every nation has to do its due diligence and Indian officials have done so in past elections as well, with presences at both party conventions. But, if theres a matter on which the two Presidential candidates may act alike, it is with regard to India; whether in cultivating stronger trade ties or in perpetuating Pakistans bad behaviour. That was a passing reference. There were more significant matters to reflect upon and they hardly received the rational reactions they deserved. At the beginning of the debate, its moderator sought silence please, blessed silence. That may very well a sentiment shared by the millions that watched this altercation after the debate had concluded. It was just before the second debate that a tidal wave of allegations against Donald Trump surfaced: He became the subject of sexual misconduct, alleged by several women. And shortly before the same second debate, it was reported that the Republican presidential candidate was in lock-down mode, holed up in Trump Tower with a few of his advisors and plotting his vengeance against the tapes. The New York Review of Books called that weekend "the most disturbing and extraordinary" in all of presidential campaign history. Maybe they had a point. In the third debate, Trump started out relatively composed only to launch into his predictable 'loose cannon' mode: he called out on Mexican immigrants as "bad hombres" (CNN's Van Jones said Trump's only use of Spanish in the election was to further nasty stereotypes against Latino immigrants), his excessive use of the word puppets, his frequent mispronunciation of words (big league/bigly, swatches/swathes) and his not-so-smooth deflection and immediate acceptance of the Putin bait that Hillary Clinton so masterfully laid out for him. Moderator Chris Wallace pointed out the WikiLeaks dump to Clinton and asked her to respond on the $225,000 speaking fee for a Brazilian bank. Clinton, who didn't really seem equipped to explain herself on that matter, started by talking about the "open trade and open borders" allegation (that Trump had laid thick on her) before deftly attacking WikiLeaks and Russia and finally settling on Trump's relationship with Putin. At first, Trump called Clinton's answer a pivot which gave him the mileage to come with a different rebuttal but he appeared to take the bait anyway by defending (or what looked like) Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was not his "best friend", but that the Russian had "outsmarted" Clinton repeatedly. The former went on to talk about Putin, denying that he ever knew the Russian leader and remarking that Putin says "good things about him and not Clinton". Clinton, for her part, said that was because Putin wanted a puppet. Which made Trump retort like a sullen two-year-old: "No puppet. No puppet. Youre the puppet. No, youre the puppet." It would appear that Trump lost the debate at that moment. And Trump owes that defeat largely to his unpredictability and indiscipline amazingly, his ability to make disastrous remarks has not lessened as the election date nears. Sample this. In this debate, when Wallace asked Trump if he'd "absolutely accept the result of this election", as his daughter Ivanka and running mate Mike Pence had pledged earlier, the Republican candidate's reply was a puzzling, "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now. I will look at it at the time". And when Wallace pushed him further, advising him about the peaceful transfer of power that the US has followed for years, Trump's response was "horrifying", as Clinton put it: "What I'm saying is I'll tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense, okay?" It's not just restricted to this debate. Trump's toxic sexist and misogynistic rhetoric has been a key focal point of his campaign, unfortunately for him. It's like he's on a death march all by himself but it's not that Trump has finally lost it, but that he never had it to begin with. Did Hillary Clinton make inroads into the Trump campaign, demolishing the real estate tycoon's fumbling attempts at being a presidential candidate? Or do we stick to the oft-discussed theory that Clinton is a weak candidate, but weaker still is her opponent, and that his political demise was his own? If we go by the second theory, it would mean that we don't realise Clinton as a candidate in her own right. The second debate was consequential in that it was the first debate post the audio of Trump making vulgar comments about women, which then effected a number of Republicans to withdraw their support for the candidate. In the debate, moderator Anderson Cooper schooled Donald Trump on the difference between "locker room talk" and legitimate sexual assault. We received a lot of questions online Mr. Trump about the tape that was released on Friday, as you can imagine. You called what you said locker room banter. You described kissing women without consent grabbing the genitals. That is sexual assault. You brag that you have sexually assaulted women. Do you understand that? Trump, of course, didn't understand that going by his terrible and unconvincing reply, "No I didn't say that at all." He then went on to say that he apologised to his family (a claim which he took back in the third debate saying he didn't apologise to his wife Melania after assault of sexual allegations, which he claimed proved that he didn't do anything) and tried comparing the issue with IS and driving Cooper to get onto more important things. But Cooper wouldn't let go. Just for the record though are you saying that what you said on that bus eleven years ago that you did not actually kiss women without consent or grope women without consent? Donald Trump stressed that he had the greatest respect for women, a point he reiterated even in the third debate. And moments later proceeded to call his opponent "a nasty woman". But the nights of the second and third debates undoubtedly belonged to Clinton she projected a cool steely reserve and slowly proceeded to trounce Trump (a phenomenon the Internet describes as burned). Not only did she crush Donald Trump "in the most effective series of debate performances in modern political history", as Ezra Klein writes, she also held her own: She made a passionate argument on abortion defending her views. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make. I do not believe the government should be making these decisions. Trump, too, was not far behind. When it came to allegations on the Clinton Foundation, it looked like Trump made her squirm for moments, but perhaps that's all he had. For he lost it all and went into a meltdown after being needled by his opponent. But as always, numbers come in handy when one decides if Trump recovered from his last debate debacle and if Clinton's calculated attacks on Trump's weakness paid in rich dividends. Here's Nate Silver's take on the debate. Popular vote tracker: Before 1 debate: Clinton +1.5 Before 2 debate: Clinton +5.6 Before 3 debate: Clinton +7.1https://t.co/WLXtJovjYd Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) October 19, 2016 And the CNN/ORC poll puts Clinton as the winner with a 13-point margin and giving a her a hattrick across all thee debates. It looks like Hillary Clinton has decimated Donald Trump, and her victory is assured, at least till we know what happens on 9 November. With inputs from AP In an interesting way of hitting back at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton's campaign has come up with a 'shuffle tool' The making of Hillary Clinton & Donald Trump. If we shuffle through the years, the tool tells us what each candidate has been up to since they began their careers. For instance, in 2013, as the tools displays, Hillary finished her tenure as Secretary of State, after logging nearly 1 million miles and helping to restore Americas reputation around the world. While Trump had tweeted that the militarys sexual assault problem is a natural result of gender integration, stating What did these geniuses expect? He recently called this a correct tweet. Interestingly, the 'way-back-when' tool also tells you about the days when Hillary Clinton used to work at the Childrens Defense Fund travelling door-to-door collecting stories about why so many disabled children are not attending school. Meanwhile, Trump was being sued by the Justice Department for housing discrimination after he refused to rent apartment units "because of race and color". "I'm happy to compare my 30 years of experience with your 30 years." Hillary to Trump #DebateNight pic.twitter.com/TwOpwfFUZ5 Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2016 In 1995, Hillary declared that "women's rights are human rights." Trump lost nearly a billion dollars. https://t.co/LDSEg0ezDV #DebateNight pic.twitter.com/cRoM5xJsCt Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2016 In 2011, Hillary advised @POTUS on the mission to take out bin Laden. Trump was on the Apprentice. https://t.co/4GkCy4cU9q #DebateNight pic.twitter.com/UqU8ULQZgo Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2016 On Clinton's Celebrity Apprentice comment in the third and final US presidential debate which began on Wednesday, Trump said, "Well, I think I did a much better job. I built a massive company, a great company, some of the greatest assets anywhere in the world worth many, many billions of dollars. I started with a $1 million loan. I agree with that. It's a $1 million loan. But I built a phenomenal company. And if we could run our country the way I've run my company, we would have a country that you would be so proud of, you would even be proud of it." In another 1980 shuffle, the tool mentions that while Hillary was writing her own maternity policy after giving birth to her daughter, Chelsea, Trump was probably contemplating that he wont ever run for office because public service is a "very mean life." Washington: A former TV reporter on Wednesday accused ex-president Bill Clinton of three sexual assaults in 1980, when Clinton was governor of Arkansas. Her allegations, in a video clip posted on the pro-Donald Trump website Breitbart.com, appeared just hours before the Republican presidential candidate debates his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, Bill's wife. Leslie Millwee, a former reporter for local Arkansas TV station KLMN-TV, said she interviewed Clinton some 20 times in public when he was governor of the southern US state. Millwee then known as Leslie Derrick told Brietbart that Clinton visited the TV station and assaulted her in the editing room in all three cases. "I was sitting in a chair," she said about what she described as the first assault. "He came up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders and running his hands down toward my breasts. And I was just stunned. I froze. I asked him to stop. He laughed." On another occasion, she said, Clinton rubbed his genitals against her as she protested. After the third assault, Clinton visited her apartment, she added, saying she refused to let him in. Millwee said she had thought of coming forward when the Monica Lewinsky White House sex scandal broke in 1998, but refrained to protect her young children. "I think there's still no accountability in the media for the behavior of the Clintons, and if it affects the media and affects the election, so be it," she said. "I'm sure I'm not the only woman who went through this kind of things with Bill Clinton." However, the ex-reporter gave a different version of the story in a book published in 2011, mentioning only that Bill Clinton touched her shoulder, according to Breitbart. The Clinton campaign dismissed her accusations. "I wouldn't be surprised if Donald Trump seeks to invoke this report tonight or in the coming days," Hillary Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said on MSNBC. "We expect that he'll do anything in the closing days. He said he's practicing a scorched earth approach to the campaign." The new revelations surfaced as Trump faces a string of accusations of sexual misconduct. The bombastic billionaire has blamed the Clinton campaign and the news media for the stories. Trump recruited Breitbart.com CEO Steven Bannon to be his campaign manager in August. Washington: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump "choked" while meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto as he failed to press on his promise of making Mexico build a wall along the US' southern border, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton alleged on Thursday. "When it comes to the wall that Donald talks about building, he went to Mexico, had a meeting with the Mexican president but did not even raise it, he choked and then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said we are not paying for that wall," Clinton, 68, said during the third and final presidential debate in Washington. Trump's plan to build a wall and a strong deportation policy would rip the country apart and is not in tune with the values of the nation, the former secretary of state said. "We are both a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws and that we can act accordingly. And that is why I am introducing comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days with the path to citizenship," Clinton said. Trump, 70, refuted Clinton's allegations, saying "I had a very good meeting with the President of Mexico. Very nice man. We will be doing very much better with Mexico on trade deals. The NAFTA deal signed by her husband is one of the worst deals ever made of any kind, signed by anybody. It is a disaster". "Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally the wall was not built. But Hillary Clinton wanted the wall," Trump claimed. He alleged that Clinton wants to give amnesty. "This is a disaster and very unfair to all of the people that are waiting on line for many, many years. We need strong borders. Illegal immigrants are coming to the country and many of them are engaged in criminal activities. They are coming in illegally. Drugs are pouring in through the border. We have no country if we have no border," the business tycoon said. "Hillary wants to give amnesty. She wants to have open borders. I want to build the wall. We need the wall. And the Border Patrol, ICE, they all want the wall. We stop the drugs. We shore up the border. "One of my first acts will be to get all of the drug lords, all of the bad ones - we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out. We are going to get them out, we are going to secure the border. And once the border is secured, at a later date, we will make a determination as to the rest. But we have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out," Trump said. Clinton said she does not want to be sending parents away from children. "I do not want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about in action in our country. We have 11 million undocumented people. They have four million American citizen children, 15 million people. "He said as recently as a few weeks ago in Phoenix that every undocumented person would be subject to deportation. Now, here is what that means. It means you would have to have a massive law enforcement presence where law enforcement officers would be going school to school, home to home, business to business, rounding up people who are undocumented. We would then have to put them on trains, on buses to get them out of our country," Clinton said. "I think that is an idea that is not in keeping with who we are as a nation. I think it is an idea that would rip our country apart," she said. Clinton said her comprehensive immigration reform plan of course includes border security. "But I want to put our resources where I think they are most needed: Getting rid of any violent person. Anybody who should be deported, we should deport them," she added. Qayyarah: Jihadist leaders are fleeing Mosul, a top US general in the coalition battling the Islamic State group said on Wednesday as Iraqi forces closed in on the northern city. Mosul was where Islamic State supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his "caliphate" two years ago but is now the group's last major stronghold in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who announced the launch of a broad offensive to retake the city on Monday, visited the front line on Wednesday. In the biggest Iraqi military operation in years, forces have retaken dozens of villages, mostly south and east of Mosul, and are planning multiple assaults for Thursday. "We are telling Daesh (Islami State) that their leaders are abandoning them. We've seen a movement out of Mosul," said Major General Gary Volesky, who heads the anti-Islamic State coalition's land component. He told reporters in a video briefing that the many foreigners among the 3,000 to 4,500 Islamic State fighters would likely end up forming the core of the holdout jihadist force. Volesky noted that the Iraqis would screen anyone leaving Mosul, and attempts by foreign fighters to blend in to an expected exodus of displaced people would be thwarted. "It's difficult for them to blend into the local population based on the number of different types of foreign fighters that there are," he said. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were still trapped in the city with dwindling supplies, many sheltering in basements as air strikes intensified on Islamic State targets. "We couldn't sleep last night because of the air strikes. The explosions were huge," said Abu Saif, a 47-year-old resident contacted by AFP. "Many families are starting to run out of some basic food goods, there is no commercial activity in Mosul the city is cut off from the world," he said. East of Mosul, forces were poised for an assault on Qaraqosh, which lies about 15 kilometres away and was once Iraq's largest Christian town. News of the move to recapture Qaraqosh sparked jubilation among Christians who had fled the town, with many dancing and singing in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil on Tuesday night. Units from Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service, which has done the heavy lifting in most recent operations against Islamic State, 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. 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. Beijing: In a major diplomatic victory for China, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday announced "separation" from longstanding ally the US, as the two neighbours agreed to "temporarily put aside" their differences over the South China Sea (SCS) and signed 13 agreements. "I announce my separation from the United States," he said to applause at a business meeting in the presence of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli at Great Hall of the People. The comments by the Philippines mercurial leader may end Manila's strategic ties with Washington against China over its maritime dispute with Beijing. Duterte's comments came hours after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping who told him "We're neighbours and blood brothers". Welcoming Duterte, who decided to visit China after his bitter spat with the US over war on drug smugglers, Xi asked him to put aside the SCS dispute temporarily to improve bilateral relations. "This truly has milestone significance for China-Philippines relations," Xi said, praising Duterte's landmark visit to China to reset ties which have been damaged by the SCS dispute. Beijing claims almost all of the SCS despite partial counter-claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. An international tribunal struck down China's claims in July, saying Beijing has no "historic rights" in the SCS. China had rejected the ruling as "null and void" and said it "neither accepts nor recognises" the verdict of the tribunal established at the request of the Philippines. During Thursday's meeting, Xi suggested that the two sides "temporarily put aside" the disputes, and learn from the "political wisdom" of history when the two nations had successfully kept their differences in check through talks, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. "As long as we stick to friendly dialogue and consultation, we can frankly exchange views on any problem, manage differences, discuss cooperation, and temporarily put aside what is hard to reach by consensus," Xi said. "We have no reason to take a hostile attitude or confront each other. I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things," Xi told Duterte at the Great Hall of People. Duterte said improved and developed relationships would benefit both peoples. "Even as we arrive in Beijing close to winter, this is the springtime of our relationship," he said. The two sides signed 13 agreements including cooperation between coast guards of the two countries which had confronted each other over the years to ascertain their maritime rights over Scarborough Shoal which was seized by China in 2012. Later, China denied access to Filipino fishermen. The agreements signed on Thursday included cooperation in fisheries. Ahead of his meeting with Xi, Duterte was quoted as saying on Wednesday that SCS arbitration case would "take the back seat" during talks and he would not bring it up rather wait for Chinese side to flag it. "I will not ask but if they (the Chinese) offer and if theyll ask me, do you need this aid? [I will say] Of course, we are very poor," he said in Beijing last night. "I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there," he said. Briefing the media after Xi-Duterte meeting, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told media that both sides have agreed that the SCS is not the sum total of their relations and that the two countries would restore consultations on diplomatic and defence matters. Duterte earlier said he wanted to buy Chinese military equipment to reduce dependence on US. "It means that a new page has now opened between the two countries in addressing the SCS issue through bilateral dialogue and consultation," Liu said. He also said China would restore Philippine agricultural exports to China which means that Beijing would permit import of Bananas from Manila after blocking them in recent years. China would provide financial support for Philippines' infrastructure projects and Duterte sought assistance from the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), he said. Ahead of his China visit, Duterte gave an impression of complete break with the US over criticism of his war on drug smugglers. His contempt for the US went to such an extent that he publicly abused US President Barack Obama. On the eve of his meeting with Xi, Duterte had said "It's time to say goodbye" to the US as he veered towards China. His stance threw US proactive policy in the SCS to corner China totally out of gear. The US now has to depend on other claimants to the SCS dispute-Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. It was the US and Japan which tried to build a stranglehold on China with SCS dispute specially after the tribunal's ruling in response to the Philippines petition. Duterte's stance brought major relief for China. Xi also met Dinh The Huynh, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and its executive secretary, during which he said China and Vietnam should value positive momentum in bilateral relations, properly handle disputes and expand cooperation. Commenting on Xi-Duterte talks, Xu Liping, a senior fellow at the China Academy of Social Sciences, said the Philippines President's statement did not necessarily mean that the Manila would lean to China. "It's a pendulum effect. Duterte is just adjusting and revising his predecessor's excessive one-sided policy towards the US. I would not call him 'inclining to China'," he said. As ties warmed up, China might be able to resume some of the Philippines halted infrastructure projects like a railway in the northern Philippines, and open other, Xu said. The Philippines form an important part of Xi's 'One Belt One Road' development plan. Geopolitically, Duterte's distancing from the US would reduce the stake Washington built up in the region and lower the pressure on China from the US 'Asia rebalance' strategy and improve Beijings strategic environment, said Zhang Mingliang, a Southeast Asia expert at Jinan University in Guangzhou. Next year the Philippines will be the rotating chair of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), where the South China Sea dispute has been on the agenda. "Without an improved relationship, the Philippines would use the ASEAN platform to embarrass China on the South China Sea issue," Zhang said. BERLIN Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia have agreed to draw up a roadmap in November on how to implement a Minsk ceasefire agreement for eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday after four-way leader talks."This roadmap should have the sequence of the implementation of the Minsk agreements and guarantee their implementation," Poroshenko told reporters in Berlin. He also said the sides agreed to withdrawals of Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists in four new areas at the frontline of the fighting in the Donbass region. They also agreed that monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) could be armed and that their activities in monitoring the so-called Minsk peace process would not be impeded. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far. It continues despite a ceasefire made in the Belarusian capital Minsk last year. (Reporting by Natalia Zinets; writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Allepo: A "humanitarian pause" announced by Russia went into effect on Thursday in the Syrian Army's devastating Moscow-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo to allow civilians and fighters who want to to leave. Russia has said the pause will continue until at least 1600 GMT and could be extended. The Syrian Army has said it will last three days. Syrian and Russian warplanes already halted strikes on rebel districts from 0700 GMT on Tuesday. The Syrian Army has said it is opening eight corridors to provide safe passage for the more than 250,000 civilians trapped in rebel areas to leave the city. It has said two of them can also be used by rebel fighters but called on them to leave behind their weapons. The United Nations has said the duration of the pause is not long enough to provide any relief supplies to residents of rebel districts who have been under near-continuous siege since mid-July. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce would be long enough to safely evacuate just 200 wounded from the devastated east of the city. The Syrian regime and its ally Russia launched an offensive on 22 September aimed at recapturing the east, held by rebels since 2012. The accompanying air and artillery bombardments have left some 400 people dead and more than 2,000 wounded, according to the UN. Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq. It is the main industrial city in northern Iraq and an important city as far as trade between Turkey and Syria goes. On 10 June, 2014, Mosul fell to the forces of the terrorist group Islamic State. Within 24 hours on that day, thousands of Iraqi troops and policemen stationed in Mosul had discarded their uniforms, thrown down their weapons and fled the city. The moment marked a humiliating defeat for the country's military, with catastrophic consequences. Islamic State militants went on to overrun the city of Tikrit just north of Baghdad and began to advance on the Iraqi capital, plunging the country into one the deepest security and political crisis since the US-led invasion in 2003. It was also after the fall of Mosul that Islamic State supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was declared the terrorist group's "caliphate". On 17 October, after over two years, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi announced the start of the massive operation to retake Mosul, an offensive involving some 30,000 troops a force that includes not only Iraq's conventional army but an array of other armed groups, including Shiite militias, Iraqi Kurdish fighters and Sunni tribal fighters like Atiya. Naturally, this offensive is one of the most important events in the world today. This operation is the largest deployment of Iraqi forces since the 2003 US invasion. Who are the players involved in the offensive? The following are the main forces that are operating in the wider Mosul theatre or may do so. Not all will play a role in the fighting inside the city. Iraq's elite counter-terrorism force, which spearheaded most key battles against Islamic State, have been involved for a long time. But constant reliance on these troops over the past two years has taken a toll. The Iraqi army has begun playing a more successful role in operations against the jihadists since it was revitalised by US-led training after several of its divisions collapsed during the Islamic State offensive two years ago. The Iraqi police, which includes special forces units, paramilitary federal police and provincial police, is also involved. A US-led international alliance is carrying out air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and providing training, arms and equipment to forces opposing the terrorists. There are more than 7,500 coalition military personnel deployed in Iraq, over half of them from the United States. Most are in advisory or training roles, but special forces soldiers who have fought the jihadists on the ground have been deployed and coalition forces near Mosul have also targeted Islamic State with artillery. The Kurdish peshmerga are the armed forces of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. They nominally answer to the federal government but in practice operate independently, battling Islamic State along a long front in the country's north. Hashed al-Shaabi, an umbrella organisation created in 2014, which includes a dizzying array of paramilitary forces who vary widely in skill and in the degree to which they are actually under government control, are also involved, reported AFP. Iranian forces have also provided advice and other assistance, including funding for various militias fighting Islamic State in Iraq. Turkish troops are also deployed at a base near Mosul from which they have carried out artillery strikes against Islamic State. Here's a brief timeline to make it simpler: Details of the offensive The battle for Mosul won't end anytime soon. Iraqi Brigadier General Haider Fadhil told The Associated Press in an interview that more than 25,000 troops, including paramilitary forces made up of Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias, will take part in the offensive that will be launched from five directions around the city. In the morning hours on Monday, convoys of Iraqi, Kurdish and US forces moved east of Mosul along the front line as US-led coalition airstrikes sent plumes of smokes into the air and heavy artillery rounds could be heard. South of Mosul, Iraqi military units are based at the sprawling Qayyarah air base, but to the city's east, men are camped out in abandoned homes as the tens of thousands of troops massed around the city have overwhelmed the few military bases in the area. Kurdish forces are stationed to the north and east of Mosul. According to The Sun, the logistical base for the operation must be established at the Qayyarah airbase, which was retaken in early July. Humanitarian crisis Mosul is still home to more than a million civilians, according to UN estimates. Military operations are also predicted to displace 200,000 to a million people, according to the United Nations. Just a few kilometers from the eastern front line, rows of empty camps for displaced civilians line the road, but aid groups say they only have enough space for some 100,000 people. In Geneva, a senior UN official said he's "extremely concerned" for the safety of civilians in Mosul. Stephen O'Brien, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said that as many as "1 million people may be forced to flee their homes in a worst-case scenario." He warned that families are at "extreme risk" of being caught in crossfire, and that tens of thousands may end up besieged or held as human shields and thousands could be forcibly expelled. In the midst of a deep financial crisis, the Iraqi government says it lacks the funds to adequately prepare for the humanitarian fallout of the Mosul fight. In some cases commanders say they are encouraging civilians to stay in their homes rather than flee. "While we may be celebrating a military victory (after the Mosul operation is complete)," said Falah Mustafa, the foreign minister for Iraq's Kurdish region, "we don't want to have also created a humanitarian catastrophe." This tweet by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Iraq perfectly summarises the crisis in Mosul: Aftermath of the offensive One of the major concerns is that the combined anti-Islamic State force is actually an uneasy alliance. Reuters reported that Iraq and the United States launched a crucial battle to liberate Mosul without determining how its volatile region will be governed once Islamic State militants are defeated. The aftermath of a messy battle could be a political nightmare as Sunnis, Kurds and Shiites each try to hold parts of the city they have helped liberate. While bigger issues will be left for later, plans have been laid for governing and stabilizing Mosul in the near-term after the fighting subsides. The plan calls for the governor of Mosul's Nineveh province, Nawfal al-Agoub, to be restored and the city divided into sub-districts with local mayors for each. Agoub will govern along with a senior representative from Baghdad and from Erbil, capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. Screening procedures for civilians fleeing Mosul have been enhanced, in an effort to learn from the battle for Fallujah, in Anbar province. There, Sunni men and boys were held, tortured and in some cases killed by Shi'ite militia members, who had erected makeshift checkpoints. US and Iraqi officials are working to ensure displaced civilians take safe routes out of the city, and that checkpoints are overseen by provincial authorities and monitored by international non-government groups. With inputs from agencies By Stephanie Nebehay and Lesley Wroughton | GENEVA/WASHINGTON GENEVA/WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry played down expectations of a new Syrian ceasefire deal with Russia after talks in Geneva aimed at agreeing on how to separate al Qaeda-linked militants from opposition fighters in the besieged city of Aleppo.After two failed ceasefire agreements between the United States and Russia to end the fighting in Aleppo, a new round of talks includes Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which support Syrian opposition groups. Syria's ally Iran was not invited, a Western diplomat said."I'm not approaching this with a high sense of expectation and nothing is based on trust," Kerry told a news conference in Washington following meetings with South Korean ministers."I urge Russia to sit at this table in Geneva and be serious about finding a simple way, which we are offering, to make sure that those who are genuinely terrorists are in fact separated out, isolated," Kerry said.Kerry spoke as a senior NATO diplomat, citing Western intelligence, said that Russian warships off the coast of Norway were carrying fighter aircraft that are likely to reinforce a final assault on Aleppo in two weeks.The Geneva talks follow a meeting between the United States and Arab and European allies on Tuesday that sought to coordinate efforts toward a new ceasefire after Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's more powerful ally, unexpectedly announced it had halted air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo. Michael Ratney, the U.S. special envoy for Syria, led Washington's delegation in the talks in Geneva, while Moscow sent military experts whose names were not released. It was not clear if the talks would continue on Thursday.Russia favours a U.N. proposal to evacuate jihadists belonging to the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham militant group, formerly known as al-Nusra, from the besieged zone of eastern Aleppo in return for a ceasefire."Important countries, like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, which have influence over the mainstream rebel groups, are in a position to suggest to those groups to tell the al-Nusra fighters that it is time to go to Idlib and therefore take away any alleged justification, or alibi, for the heavy bombing of urban areas of eastern Aleppo," the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, told Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet.Idlib is a largely rebel-held area of northwestern Syria. Russia has said a planned eight-hour ceasefire on Thursday will be extended if other rebels clearly distance themselves from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, but it will not prolong the pause unilaterally."The Russians have no interest in getting to a point where they have to participate in the destruction of a city in order to fight a small group of fighters listed as terrorists by the U.N. and be remembered in history for that," de Mistura said.The last ceasefire fell apart in September, since when Russian and Syrian forces have undertaken a massive bombing campaign against eastern Aleppo in which hospitals have been destroyed and hundreds of civilians killed. Assad argues that his forces have a constitutional duty to protect the civilian population and rid the city of "terrorists".The task of separating "moderate" rebels from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, designated as a terrorist group by the U.N., is complicated because they have long fought side-by-side and there is little agreement on the number of their combatants in Aleppo.The United Nations says there are up to 900 Jabhat Fateh al-Sham fighters out of a total of 8,000 rebels in eastern Aleppo, but diplomatic sources have told Reuters there are far fewer, probably a maximum of 200."They are calling the shots in Aleppo," one aid official told Reuters. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, Editing by Mark Heinrich and Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The financial crisis that struck in 2008 touched off the worst recession since the 1930s Great Depression, wiping out $11 trillion in US household wealth and leaving about 8 million Americans jobless. More than 5 million families lost their homes to foreclosure. Reckless trading and aggressive practices on Wall Street in the prior boom years were pinned with much of the blame. In the aftermath, Congress enacted an overhaul of financial rules aimed at preventing another meltdown and multi billion-dollar taxpayer bailout of banks. The 2010 Dodd-Frank law gave regulators new oversight powers and tools to shut banks without resorting to bailouts. Risky lending was restricted and a new federal agency was charged with protecting consumers from deceptive marketing of financial products. Republicans and many in the business community complain that the restrictions have raised costs for banks, especially smaller ones, and other businesses, stifling economic growth. They want the overhaul law repealed. Where they stand Hillary Clinton says the Dodd-Frank law should be strengthened. She'd slap a new "risk fee" on the biggest banks and financial institutions, and give regulators more power to force high-risk banks to shrink or break apart. That doesn't go as far as Bernie Sanders' "Break them up" mantra during his Democratic primary campaign against her. Donald Trump wants the financial overhaul law to be repealed, or at least mostly dismantled. He embraces the view held by Republicans and business interests that the regulations have increased costs and smothered growth. He calls the law a "disaster" and a "disgrace." Why it matters Eight years on, the economy's recovery from the havoc brought by the financial crisis has been halting and slow. And popular resentment still smolders over the multi billion-dollar bailout by US taxpayers of Wall Street mega-banks and financial firms in the crisis. It gave a big lift to Sanders' upstart campaign. It also created some heartburn for Clinton because of her financial connections. She and husband Bill have collected tens of millions of dollars in speaking fees from Wall Street banks, insurance companies and other financial firms. Over her 15-year political career, she's received tens of millions in campaign donations from people in the finance, insurance and real estate industries. Beyond their stake as taxpayers, American consumers have an interest in the financial regulations that came in after the meltdown. The Dodd-Frank law set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which expanded regulators' oversight of mortgage firms, credit card issuers, payday lenders, student loan providers and others. Debate rages over whether Wall Street banks still are "too big to fail" with government bailouts inevitable. Critics of Wall Street say bigger banks can mean reduced competition and higher fees for consumers. Several of the banks did get bigger as they absorbed failing institutions during the crisis. On the other side, defenders say big banks such as Citigroup, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs are getting smaller and simpler on their own, mainly by selling off big-chunk assets and businesses. Generally, though, the shrinking that's occurred isn't enough to overcome the bulking-up during the crisis. Reaching further for a solution, liberal Democratic critics of Wall Street like Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren have pushed for Congress to restore the Depression-era firewall between the more staid commercial side of banking and its risk-taking investment side. Clinton has not. Bringing back the so-called Glass-Steagall law probably would lead to the breakup of major banks. In a surprise, the Republican Party advocated reviving that law in its platform. For a party that traditionally favors deregulation and hands-off governance, folding the provision into a sharply conservative platform brought double-takes among the political crowd. The move may have been designed to appeal to Sanders supporters who don't want to vote for Clinton. At any rate, party platforms carry only symbolic weight; they're not binding on their party's elected officials. Auto refresh feeds "Nobody has more respect for women that I do," said Trump. "I'm going to make our country safe. I'm going to make the borders safe again. And I'm going to make America wealthy again." "This was locker room talk. I'm not proud of it...I apologised to the American people. We have a world in which you have ISIS chopping off heads...we have a world where you have so many bad things happen," said Donald Trump. "It's one of those things...I'm going to knock the hell out of ISIS. I will take care of ISIS," he said, trying to move the focus away from his remarks. "I want to send a message to the entire world: that America is already great. But it is great because we are good. We will respect one another and we will respect diversity," she said. "I've spent a lot of time thinking about what we heard and saw," Hillary Clinton said. "I never question someone's fitness to serve. Donald Trump is different. I said earlier that he was not fit to be President. Many Republicans have said the same thing. What we saw and heard on Friday was what Donald thinks about women. I think it represents exactly what Donald is. We have seen Donald berate women, rate them on their looks. So, yes, this is who Donald Trump is. But it is not only women and not just this video which raises a question about his fitness. Because he has also targeted African Americans, Latinos, people with disabilities." Hillary said Trump tapes show who Donald Trump really is "That was locker room talk. I am not proud of it. I am person who has great respect for his family. If you look at Bill Clinton, there has never been anyone in the history of politics that has been so abusive to women. Hillary Clinton attacked the same women. One of the women was raped at 12. And she (Hillary) has been seen laughing at the rape victim,"Donald Trump said. If you look at Bill Clinton, there has never been anyone in the history of politics that has been so abusive to women: Trump "When we want to send the illegal immigrants back, many times the original country do not want them back because they are criminals. I am going to send them back. We are also letting drugs pour through our Southern border at a record rate," Trump said in response. "I thought what he said was extremely unwise. What Donald Trump said about Muslims is used to recruit fighters (terrorists)," Hillary said, adding that Donald Trump had supported the Iraq war. "I will not anyone into our country who I think poses a risk to us. But there are children suffering in this catastrophic war, largely I believe because of Russian aggression," Hillary Clinton said. "It is important for us that as a policy, we don't say, as Donald has said, that we ban people on the basis of religion. How do we do what he has said without causing great distress?" she said. "I don't want to have hundreds of thousands of people from Syria coming into our country when we already have so many problems," he said. "The Muslim ban is something that has morphed into extreme vetting," Trump said. "We're going into area like Syria, from where they are coming in by the thousands...We have no idea who they are, where they are from or what they want for our country," he added. Trump on his call for ban on Muslims The moderator then repeated the question to Trump and asked what he would do. "Right now, Syria is fighting ISIS. I believe we have to get ISIS. We have to worry about ISIS," he said. Trump also called the Iran deal the "dumbest deal" he had seen till now. "She wants to fight for rebels...you don't even know who the rebels are. I don't like Assad at all. But Assad is killing ISIS. Russia is killing ISIS," he added. "I don't think Obama would be listening to you anymore. She talks tough against Russia. But our nuclear programme is going nowhere. And Russia is going ahead with their nuclear programme. She talks about the rebels...she doesn't even know who the rebels are," Trump said. "We end up arming the rebels," Trump said, adding that soon, the rebels turn against them. "The situation in Syria is catastrophic...There is a determined effort by the Russian airforce to destroy Aleppo. Russia hasn't paid any attention to ISIS. They're interested in keeping Assad in power. We need some leverage with the Russians. Because they're not going to come to the negotiating table unless there is some leverage...Russia has decided that it is all in in Russia. I've stood up to Russia and I've taken on Putin," Hillary Clinton said. "I do support the effort to investigate the war crimes by Syrians and Russians," she added. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's running mate Mike Pence has not tweeted anything about the debate since it began. No tweet from Mike Pence so far "I consider her statement about my children a great compliment. I will say this about Hillary: She doesn't quit. She doesn't give up. She's a fighter. And I consider that to be very good trait," said Donald Trump. "I think that's a very fair question," Hillary Clinton said. "I respect his (Trump's) children...they are devoted. I think that says a lot about Donald. I believe that this election has become in part so conflict-oriented because there is a lot at stake." Question: Can you name one positive thing that you respect in one another? It is extremely significant to note that while Hillary Clinton's running mate Tim Kaine was constantly tweeting throughout the debate, Donald Trump's running mate Mike Pence has not put out a single tweet. Remember that Pence had also spoke against Trump on the issue of the tape in which Trump talked proudly about sexual assault. "Republicans are leaving you," Clinton told him on the debate stage, saying his campaign was "exploding." - AFP Clinton's campaign has dismissed Trump's sensational targeting of Bill Clinton as an "act of desperation." The debate came at perhaps the most pivotal moment of the 2016 presidential race, with Trump needing a dramatic boost if he is to claw back ground against Clinton, who has surged in the polls since their first debate on 26 September. Introduced by Trump as "very courageous women," his invited speakers included Paula Jones, a former government employee in Arkansas who sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment, and Juanita Broaddrick, also of Arkansas, who claims that Clinton raped her in 1978. In an extraordinary step, Trump convened a press event just moments before the debate that included several women who accuse him of sexual harassment and rape. With his campaign in chaos, Trump has stepped up his attacks on former president Clinton, asserting that he has a history of abusing women. "Donald used undocumented labour to build his tower," Hillary said. "I had voted for border security..." Hillary said. "Wall," Donald said, interrupting Hillary. "I had a very good meeting with the president of Mexico," Donald Trump said. "Hillary Clinton wanted the wall...Hillary Clinton voted for the wall in 2006." "I think we are both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws," Hillary said. "I don't want to rip families apart...I don't want to see the deportation port in action in our country," Hillary said. "You would have to have a massive law enforcement forces where they would be going from schools to businesses rounding up people," she said. "It is an idea that would rip our country apart...I voted for border security in our nation. But I wanted to put our resources where they are needed: getting rid of any violent person." "I want to build a wall...we need the wall," Trump said. "The biggest complaint they have in New Hamshire is heroine...it's poisoning the blood of their youth...We have to keep the drugs out of our country. We cannot give amnesty," he said. "She wants to give amnesty, which is a disaster...We need to secure our borders," Donald Trump said. "Drugs are pouring in through the border. We have no country if we have no border," he added. "Our country is stagnant...we've lost out jobs...we're not making anything," Trump said. "I pass factories that were thriving 25 years ago...and because of the bill her husband signed, it's horrible what has happened to these people," he said. " I just met some high representatives of India...they are growing at 8 percent ," Donald Trump said. "When you inherit the level of economic catastrophe which President Obama inherited...President Obama doesn't get the credit he deserves," Hillary said. "I propose that we invest from the ground up...not the top down," she added. "Nobody has more respect for women than I do," Trump said in response. "What isn't fictionalised are the 33,000 leaked emails," he said, raising the same issue he has raised over the last two debates. "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger," Hillary said. "America is great because America is good," she said. "I. Did. Not. Say. That," said Trump. "Donald held a number of rallies where he said he could not have done those things to women because they were not attractive enough," Hillary said. "I think they either wanted fame or their campaign did it," Trump said, adding that Obama and Hillary incited violence on many occasions. "It was all fiction and lies." "Those stories have been largely debunked...I have a feeling it was her campaign that did it," he said, referring to the sexual assault allegations against him. "I didn't even apologise to my wife because I didn't do anything." "We've had free and fair elections and we must accept the results," she said. "It just shows that you're not up to doing the job." "There was a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his show and he concluded that the Emmy was rigged," she said. "This is horrifying," Hillary said in response. "When the FBI concluded there was nothing wrong with the emails, he claimed the FBI was rigged," he added. "I will keep you in suspense," Trump said. "Millions of people are registered to vote who shouldn't vote," Trump said. "She shouldn't be allowed to run for the Presidency based on what she did with emails," he said. "I will look at it (the election result) at the time," Trump said. "First of all, the media is so dishonest and corrupt...The New York Times wrote an aritcle...I think the people can see through all the lies," he said. On Trump's allegation of this election being rigged "When I talk about how we are going to pay for education, we are going where the money is," she said. "There is no evidence that will diminish our growth...we have to go back to making the middle class stronger," she added. "It's important to recognise that he has been criticising our governments for decades," Hillary said, adding that Trump had used the exact words against Ronald Reagan. "I pay for everything I am proposing," Hillary said. "We have the greatest businesspeople in the world. We need those to make negotiations...We have to use our great people. We will create an economic machine the likes of which people have not seen in many years," Trump added. "I'm going to create tremendous jobs," Trump said. "We have a tremendous machine...to do that, we're taking back jobs. We're not going to let our jobs be taken by other countries," he added. "We have people who are political hacks making trade deals with other countries," he said. I WILL DEFEAT ISIS. THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND TOO LONG! What has our leadership been doing? #DrainTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/tU0iW3Gi9v "My social security payroll contribution will go up," Hillary said. "We have to repeal Obamacare," Trump said. "It's probably going to die of its own weight," he added. "She wants to keep Obamacare and she wants to make it worse," he said. Trump's tax plan would add significantly to the national debt...$5.3 trillion to be exact. #debatenight https://t.co/bE0UrwohUL Trump: We're going to make America great again. We don't take care of our veterans...we take care of illegal immigrants. Our inner cities are a disaster. I will do more for African Americans and Latinos. We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama. Hillary: I am reaching out to all Americans. We need everybody to make our country stronger. We need your talents and your energy. I know the huge responsibility of protecting out country. I will stand up for families against powerful interests. I will do everything to make sure you have jobs. As the debate ends, it is important to note that while Hillary Clinton interrupted Donald Trump once or twice during the debate, Trump interrupted her almost everytime she spoke and almost on every issue. It is clear that he was a lot more careless when it came to following the rules of the debate. The era of division is coming to an end. We will create a new future of #AmericanUnity . First, we need to #DrainTheSwamp ! #Debates pic.twitter.com/DHPBb7IR91 We are about to elect a presidentand only one candidate tonight showed she has what it takes. Chip in now: https://t.co/dFFICBH9K5 #SheWon Donald Trump will aim to dump his losing political hand on Thursday in his third and final presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, as polls show the Democrat has widened her lead over the provocative billionaire. With just 20 days before Americans cast ballots 8 November, the two candidates will face off at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in what is sure to be a 90-minute slugfest watched by millions. The Republican nominee, 70, is looking to bounce back from allegations made by several women of unwanted sexual advances, which came on the heels of the release of a 2005 video in which he made crass remarks about women. "This is our final shot, folks," Trump, who has in recent days made multiple unsubstantiated allegations that the election will be "rigged," told supporters Tuesday in Colorado. In recent weeks, polls have shown Clinton, 68, pulling ahead of Trump both on the national level and in key battleground states. She leads by more than six points in an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics. Women especially have thrown their support to Clinton the difference now stands at 52 to 38 percent, according to a survey by Quinnipiac University. Team Trump set the tone ahead of the political battle, with campaign CEO Steve Bannon promising that their debate invitation to President Barack Obama's Trump-supporting half-brother Malik was "just an appetizer." The Manhattan real estate mogul has invited other guests who "expose Bill and Hillary's sordid past," Bannon told CNN, referring to Clinton and her husband, the former president. The pro-Trump Breitbart website also published allegations by a former television reporter that Bill Clinton sexually assaulted her three times while serving as governor of Arkansas. Clinton's spokesman Brian Fallon said he "wouldn't be surprised" if Trump raised those claims during the debate, adding that Trump's scorched earth strategy could backfire. "If he brings this approach to the debate stage tonight, it will be his loss," he told MSNBC. Sinking ship? Moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, the event is expected to draw a television audience of more than 50 million, as well as many viewers online. The candidates will be asked about the economy, immigration, the Supreme Court, foreign flashpoints and their fitness to be president. But if the past two debates were any guide, the duel could quickly descend into highly personal attacks, pushing substantive policy issues to the side. Clinton, a former secretary of state and senator, has kept a low profile in recent days, shutting herself in with aides to prepare for the onslaught. She "should do what she did in the two first debates which was largely remain calm, deflect criticism and attacks and let Donald Trump continue to self-destruct," said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "If your opponent's ship is sinking, you don't throw them a life preserver," he said. Rattle Clinton? Trump undoubtedly will draw on the lessons of the past two head-to-head battles, and sharpen his attacks on Clinton over Syria and Libya. The 2012 jihadist attack on the US mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi remains a burning issue among Republicans, who hold her partially responsible for the deaths of four Americans, including the ambassador. Trump has invited Patricia Smith, the mother of an American killed in the attack, to attend the debate, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said. But Conway advised Trump to "focus" on the issues, and come out strong against Clinton herself. She is "a known liar," Conway told MSNBC. "She's lied to Congress. She's lied to the FBI. She lied to the Benghazi families. She lies and it's always for political gain." Trump also is likely to hammer Clinton over recent revelations from emails hacked from her campaign staff and released by WikiLeaks that exposed her closed-door speeches to Wall Street and showed her flip-flops on trade deals. 'Stop whining' Trump predicts an electoral surprise, or "new Brexit," when Americans vote next month. The White House is increasingly concerned that Trump and his supporters will not recognise the election's outcome, plunging the country into a political crisis. In a scorching rebuke, Obama told Trump on Tuesday to "stop whining" and go make his case to voters. "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. It's unprecedented," the president said. Radical Islamic militancy that has sustained itself for decades overseas has inspired a series of attacks on US soil in the last year and a half. The culprits typically have no ties to foreign terrorist organizations, no explicit directions from overseas and no formal training unlike the operatives of 9/11. Instead, they've blended into American society and skated beneath the radar of federal investigators grappling with a frenetic threat landscape and hundreds of investigations across the country. The bombing in Manhattan in September that injured more than two-dozen people crystallized the concerns: A handwritten journal found with Ahmad Khan Rahami, the Afghan-born US citizen accused in the explosion, praised terrorists like Osama bin Laden and warned the sounds of bombs would be heard in the streets, prosecutors allege. Before that was the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, with 49 killed. In December 2015, a husband-wife duo killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California. A July 2015 shooting at military sites in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killed four Marines and one Navy sailor. Death counts mount. While more people die in traffic accidents, the fear of seemingly random attacks has shaken the American psyche. Some Americans have turned inward. They think twice about attending large events. They view others suspiciously on public transit. How can the US defend itself from these jihadi-inspired homegrown attacks? Where they stand Hillary Clinton says Muslim-Americans may be the best defense against extremism in their communities. She says they can prevent young people from joining jihadis and notify law enforcement when they hear of planned attacks or suspected radicalization. Clinton would prohibit people on terrorist watch lists from being able to purchase weapons. She also wants wider use of programs to identify signs of radicalization and counter jihadi ideology, though the success of such initiatives isn't established. Donald Trump had proposed a freeze on foreign Muslims entering the US, though that would have done little to stop radicalized American citizens. Now, instead, he's proposed a hold on immigration from areas of the world with a history of extremist violence against the US and allies. Why it matters The threat is real. The FBI has said counter-terrorism agents have open investigations across the country. Director James Comey said in May there are "north of 1,000" cases in which agents are trying to evaluate a subject's level of radicalization and potential for violence. Since late 2013, more than 110 people in about 35 judicial districts have been charged with trying to join foreign militants overseas, plotting violence domestically or otherwise supporting the Islamic State group, according to John Carlin, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division. The number of Americans seeking to travel to Syria to fight alongside IS has slowed to a near trickle, through that's not necessarily comforting. The Islamic State has been using social media to exhort supporters already in the US to commit violence locally with guns, bombs or any easily accessible arms. Tracking would-be jihadis is especially challenging. Even as investigators express confidence in their ability to detect and thwart a spectacular 9/11-style plot, there's simply no way to identify the untold number of Americans inspired by IS. Its supporters need not receive training or vetting to be adopted by IS. A simple public pledge of support, as attackers in San Bernardino and Orlando did, is often sufficient. Law enforcement has a difficult job tracking would-be militants and stopping them before they attack. But it also is tasked with taking down the network of people promoting radical Islam who quietly inspire others to violence. The debate over how to respond is framed by those calling for more investigative powers for law enforcement and the intelligence community, on the one hand, and those trying to protect citizens' right to privacy. More Americans are getting buried by student debt causing delays in home ownership, limiting how much people can save and leaving taxpayers at risk as many loans go unpaid. The statistics look daunting. Student debt now totals around $1.26 trillion. This amounts to a stunning 350 percent increase since 2005, according to the New York Federal Reserve. Not everyone sees that surge as troubling. President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers issued a report this year saying that the debt is beneficial because college graduates earn more money than people with only high school degrees. But college drop-outs who borrow are increasingly less likely to repay their loans, as are former students at for-profit colleges that in some cases never provided the stable careers promised in their brochures. Nor are college graduates necessarily repaying their loans, a reflection of the stagnating incomes for many. More than 60 percent of the class of 2014 graduated with debt that averaged nearly $27,000, according to the College Board. Not all that taxpayer-backed debt is getting repaid. Out of the 43 million Americans with student debt, roughly 16 percent are in long-term default a potential hit in excess of $100 billion that taxpayers would absorb. Studies have shown that student debt payments have led to a delay in home ownership, as well as a decline in college savings for the borrowers' children creating a multigenerational debt cycle. Where the candidates stand? Democrat Hillary Clinton hopes to curtail debt dramatically for undergraduates. She has modified her initial plan after talks with the presidential campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who ran on the promise of taxpayer-funded college. Clinton now proposes no tuition for students from families making less than $85,000 when they go to an in-state, public college. That threshold would rise to $125,000 by 2021. All community colleges would be tuition-free, in addition to making it easier for existing borrowers to refinance at lower rates, limit repayments to 10 percent of income and forgive any remaining college debt after 20 years. The plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, which the Clinton campaign says would be paid for by ending tax preferences for wealthier Americans. Republican Donald Trump has promised a "great" student debt plan, details to come. Trump appears to view student debt as inflating college costs to levels that are only worsening the problem. "The colleges are viewing the students as just a conduit" for government aid, he has said. "We are going to help the students. Maybe that doesn't fit beautifully within the Republican framework." Why is it important? Education debt has become a drag on the kinds of spending and saving that historically helped US economic growth. The average college-educated head of household under 40 owes $404 a month in student debt payments, according to an AP analysis of Federal Reserve data. That's slightly more than what the government says the average college-educated family spends at the supermarket. An analysis of renters this year by the company Apartment List found that education loans make it more difficult to buy a home, a critical rite of passage. College-educated millennials with student debt must typically save for a full 10 years to afford a 20 percent down payment, compared with five years for those without debt. The high debt loads and need for many workers to return to school also mean that older Americans make up a growing share of education loans. Americans over 40 account for 35 percent of education debt, up from 25 percent in 2004, according to the New York Federal Reserve. Contributing to this surge: longer repayment schedules, more midcareer job changes and additional borrowing for children's education. Generation X adults those from 35 to 50 years old owe about as much as people fresh out of college do. It was barely three weeks ago that Donald Trump opened the first presidential debate by asking, with faux deference, if it was OK to refer to his opponent as "Secretary Clinton." By Round 2 he was back to calling Hillary Clinton "the devil." Since then, the Republican candidate's scorched-earth campaign tactics have left all sides wondering just how low things will go in the third and final presidential debate, coming up Wednesday night. For her part, Clinton steps up as a flood of hacked emails provides an unprecedented real-time look into the machinations of a presidential campaign hers. In the disclosed material, Clinton is shown taking positions in paid, private speeches at odds with some of her public pronouncements. And she is revealed as resistant to advice by aides to apologize for her email practices and clear the air. That's all fodder for the debate. Trump, never known for self-censorship, has pronounced himself "unshackled" at last in the final weeks of the campaign. That has people wondering what Trump possibly has left to unleash. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News will have new information about both candidates to delve into during this debate. For Trump, there is the drip-drip drama of women who have come forward to allege that he went after them with unwanted sexual advances. For Clinton, there is the drip-drip of WikiLeaks. Some things to watch for in Wednesday's 90-minute faceoff at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas: RIGGED Trump in recent days has tried to deflect attention from the allegations about sexual advances by complaining that the election process is rigged against him. Without providing any evidence, he wraps together the potential for voter fraud with assertions that his female accusers are part of a plot to smear him. With millions of viewers tuning in, will Trump dwell on conspiracy theories or give voters a more positive reason to vote for him? HACKED Largely overshadowed by the allegations against Trump has been WikiLeaks' day-after-day release of thousands of hacked emails from the Clinton campaign. The emails include excerpts of Clinton's closed-door speeches to Wall Street interests and lots of campaign strategizing over how to contain the political damage related to her handling of classified emails and her use of a private email server. Trump has responded with a scattershot series of criticisms about "Clinton corruption," but he has yet to hone a disciplined line of attack. Wednesday night gives him a fresh opportunity to try to synthesize his message and find a way to make the email controversy stick. BREATHE The campaign took a dramatic detour last week when a series of women came forward with allegations that Trump made sexual advances toward them. Trump's combative response, calling the women "sick" and "liars" and alleging that there's a global conspiracy against him, overtook all other aspects of the campaign for a time. How much oxygen will it suck up in the final debate? CIVIL WAR With a number of Republican officials in open revolt against Trump and worried that he will be a drag on the rest of the ticket, watch to see whether Trump gins up more discord with his party and whether Clinton steps in to make the case for Democratic control of the House and Senate. FINGERS CROSSED Immigration was hardly mentioned in the first two debates. Social Security never came up. The national debt has gotten only passing notice. Policy wonks have their fingers crossed that neglected issues will finally get an airing in the final debate. Wallace's list of potential topics includes debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court and foreign hot spots. IT'S BAAACK A subject that both candidates love to dwell on also is teed up for Round 3: "fitness to be president." Trump and Clinton already have made plain their disdain for each other's qualifications to occupy the Oval Office, but they can be counted on to look for new ways to inveigh against each other's fitness for office. CLOSING ARGUMENTS The first debate attracted a record 84 million viewers and the second 66.5 million. Whatever the viewership for Round 3, it is sure to be the candidates' last chance to speak to such a large audience before Election Day on Nov. 8. Watch what messages the candidates pick to drive home as their closing arguments. MIND GAMES Both candidates have used the debates to try to rattle their opponents: Clinton baited Trump by questioning his wealth and his business acumen. Trump tried to throw off Clinton by seating three women who have accused her husband of sexual impropriety in the front row of the audience at the second debate. Odds are both candidates have saved some fresh theatrics for the final debate. MODERATION Wallace has served notice he won't try to "truth squad" the debate. Given Trump's habit of skirting the truth, that may put the onus on Clinton for more real-time fact checking. So far, she's largely punted, pointing viewers toward her website. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT As the debate gets underway, some 2.2 million Americans already will have voted. For those viewers, the debate could serve to validate their choices or give them buyer's remorse. WANNA PLAY COMEDY WRITER? Keep an eye open for the most mimic-worthy moments: They're likely to show up on the next "Saturday Night Live" parody of the Trump-Clinton contest, featuring Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon as the candidates. "SNL" got an unintended boost when Trump tweeted that Baldwin's Trump impersonation stinks. Las Vegas: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump doubled down on controversial claims that the US election is rigged during a presidential debate Wednesday, refusing to say he will respect the result. "I'll look at it at the time," Trump said. "What I've seen is so bad." An angry Clinton responded with incredulity to the highly controversial charge that questions the very health of US democracy. "Let's be clear about what he's saying and what that means. He's denigrating and talking down our democracy," she said. "I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position." Asked by the debate moderator whether he would concede if the results showed he lost to Clinton, Trump again demurred. "I'll keep you in suspense, okay?" "This is horrifying," Clinton said. Trump's comments contradicts pledges by his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, as well as his daughter, Ivanka Ivanka Trump has said that the Republican presidential candidate would accept the results of the 8 November election. Trump, 70, has been warning ominously that the vote is "rigged," particularly since his support has slid for the past 10 days after a series of charges that he sexually assaulted women. That has fuelled fears that his supporters might rise up in some fashion should they feel the election was not won fairly. "He'll either win or he won't win and I believe he'll accept the outcome either way," Ivanka told MSNBC in an interview yesterday. Ultimately, "my father is in this to win it," she said in the interview in California. But "I'm not interested in talking about alternative outcomes and of course I think my father will always do the right thing. That's the type of person he is." With inputs from agencies GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. The Chief Executive (CE) has said that a comprehensive judicial system is indispensable to law-based governance. Chui Sai On made the remarks this afternoon during a ceremony held at the Macao Cultural Centre to mark the start of the 2016/2017 Judicial Year. Safeguarding judicial independence and fairness is one of the core values of Macaus community, added Chui in his speech. The CE also revealed that the government is pushing ahead with development plans in Zone B a land reclamation area for buildings to house administrative and legal bodies. The president of the Court of Final Appeal, Sam Hou Fai, the Public Prosecutor General, Ip Son Sang, and the president of the Macau Lawyers Association, Jorge Neto Valente, each gave a speech during yesterdays ceremony. Sam Hou Fai highlighted that crimes related to gambling should receive special attention. He recalled that gaming-related criminality has gone up by around 38 percent, resulting from an increase of 193 cases. Several of those cases resulted in the deaths of the abducted. That indicates that the conflicts and crimes related to gambling debts are having repercussions outside the casinos. If those crimes are not timely repressed, they will bring negative trends to gaming, he said. He also mentioned with concern the increasing number of illegal immigration cases. In yesterdays ceremony for the commencement of the new judicial year, Neto Valente addressed long-term issues that affect the system, namely the lack of proper facilities (for example, the First Instance Court continues to operate from a commercial building) and the decreasing usage of the Portuguese language in courts. On the sidelines, Nelo Valente criticized in particular the slowness of legal services, citing the case of former Prosecutor General Ho Chio Meng, who has been waiting many months for his indictment after he was arrested in February. There are two sides to this case. On the one side we see that the system works in the sense that even the rich and powerful can get arrested. However, on the other side, when you detain someone with a high-ranking position and someone appointed by the central government precisely because of how high they are in the hierarchy, then you see that the system is not working, as it allowed that person to get so far, Neto Valente said, cited by TDM. A pair of Chinese astronauts entered the countrys orbiting space station for a month-long stay early yesterday, as Chinas sixth and longest crewed mission gets underway in earnest. The Shenzhou 11 spacecraft that blasted off Monday morning docked with the Tiangong 2 station using an automated maneuver worked out during missions to an earlier experimental station. Having changed from his space suit into blue overalls, veteran mission commander Jing Haipeng opened the hatch and entered the station shortly after 6 a.m. Beijing time (2200 GMT), followed by astronaut Chen Dong, who is making his first journey into space, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The two astronauts extended greetings to all the people of the nation in the space lab, and checked the status of the space complex, Xinhua said. The space station launched Sept. 15 is orbiting about 393 kilometers above the earth. The mission displays the growing sophistication of the countrys manned program that first launched a human into space 13 years ago. During their 30-day stay, the astronauts will conduct experiments in medicine and space-related technologies, and test systems and processes in preparation for the launching of the stations core module in 2018. A fully functioning space station is on course to begin full operations six years from now and slated to run for at least a decade. Chinas manned space program has also conducted a spacewalk, while the lunar program recently decommissioned its Yutu rover and is considering sending a crew to the moon. The Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, space stations are considered stepping stones to a mission to send a rover to Mars by the end of the decade. Communications with the disused Tiangong 1 station have been cut and it is expected to burn up on entering the atmosphere next year. China was excluded from the International Space Station mainly due to U.S. legislation barring such cooperation and concerns over the Chinese space programs strongly military character. Chinese officials are now looking to internationalize their own program by offering to help finance other countries missions to Tiangong 2, which, at 60 tons when completed, would still be considerably smaller than the 420-ton ISS. AP Two Australian executives of the countrys largest casino operator are in good health after being detained in China last week over suspected gambling crimes, but they still do not know if they will face any charges, an Australian official said yesterday. The head of Crown Resorts VIP International team, Jason OConnor, was among three Australian and 15 Chinese Crown employees detained on Thursday or Friday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said. They have been caught up in an apparent crackdown on overseas tours for high rollers. Australian consular officials visited OConnor and another Australian, whose name was not made public, in the Shanghai detention center for the first time on Tuesday, Bishop said. The third Australian was a dual Chinese citizen who might have been traveling on his Chinese passport, she said. In that case, China would treat him as a Chinese national and he would not be entitled to Australian consular support. They are in good health. Their well-being is looked after, Bishop told reporters. Its a detention center, somewhat like a prison, so the conditions are adequate but not comfortable at all. They have no complaints about the way they are being treated and weve passed on this information to their families, she added. Australia did not have specific details of the allegations under investigation, she said. The Chinese can keep the employees in detention for up to 30 days before charging them. That period could be extended for another week to allow further investigation, Bishop said. It might be some time before we know what charges, if any, they are facing, she said. Jonathan Galaviz, chief strategist at Las Vegas-based Global Market Advisors consultants in the casino, hospitality and airline industries said China would likely move quickly with the investigation given its high profile. The company was more likely to face sanctions than the employees, he said. The investigation was part of a crackdown on Crowns operations to lure high-worth Chinese gamblers to its Australian casinos, Galaviz said. This is the strongest telegraphing of a message to the industry that we really dont welcome you trying to incentivize our citizens to get involved in casino gaming, Galaviz said. Crown as a company has certainly been one of the more aggressive foreign casino companies that have been marketing in China, he said. China would not approve of Crowns business plan to lure Chinese gamblers to pay for its USD1.5 billion six-star Crown Sydney Hotel Resort, which opens in 2019, he said. Planning of the raids was evident in that police swooped while the three Australian executives were in China, Galaviz said. Crowns largest shareholder and founder, James Packer, an Australian gaming mogul with a personal fortune estimated by Forbes business magazine at $3.6 billion, said on Tuesday that he was deeply concerned for the welfare of the detained employees. Bishop said she had personally briefed Packer. The Chinese foreign ministry said the Australians have been detained for suspected involvement in gambling crimes, but did not provide further details. Casino gambling is illegal on the mainland and Chinese law prohibits agents from organizing groups of more than 10 Chinese citizens to gamble abroad. The crime is punishable by up to three years imprisonment. The industry has been known to skirt the ban by touting destination packages. Casino operators have sought to lure Chinese high-rollers who have avoided Macausince President Xi Jinpings ongoing corruption crackdown deters visits to the offshore enclave that is the only place in China where casinos are legal. In 2015, police arrested 13 South Korean casino managers and 34 Chinese agents for selling packages with free tours, free hotels and sexual services. Crown declined to say why OConnor was in China. Crown has said in recent financial disclosures its International VIP business segment has surged in recent years thanks to ramped up overseas marketing. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP Earlier this month, the Collective Wisdom Policy Centre (CWPC) delivered a report to the Commission Against Corruption of Macau (CCAC) regarding six land debts owned by the government, according to a notice posted by lawmaker Ho Ion Sang, the president of CWPC. The six lots occupy a total of 88,806 square meters, which had been retaken by the government previously. Ho Ion Sang said that the government has not released any information related to these lots. He expects the authority to do so in order to increase the transparency of land management. Fong accused of interfering in operation of Flower City Complex Lawmaker Fong Chin Keong, who is also the general manager and the administrator of Sociedade de Investimento Taipa, Limitada, has been accused of sending representatives of his company to the Flower City Complex for them to stand in the lobby of the building and rearrange office facilities at the place in order to de facto take over the running of operations there, according to a notice published earlier this week by the management committee of the complex. The notice reads that the committee is the only authorized management body of the complex. It condemns the group as well as Fong Chi Keong for interfering in the community. Previously, Fongs representatives disturbed the mall at the complex several times. Fong even appealed to the courts, claiming that the committee was occupying property that was actually his, but the lawsuit failed. Casino cage supervisor turns himself in to police On Monday, a 31-year-old Macau local turned himself in to police after stealing chips worth HKD13 million from a casino cage he was working at. The suspect, surnamed Cheung, was a supervisor working in a VIP room. According to the Judiciary Police, Cheung has had a gambling addiction for seven to eight years. In recent years, Cheung has lost a total of HKD7 million. From last Friday until Sunday, Cheung obtained the chips gradually, taking them in four batches before losing all of them gambling afterwards. Most restaurants still report revenue decrease Around 60 percent of interviewed restaurants and similar establishments reported a year-on-year decrease in receipts in the year to August 2016, down by 14 percentage points from July. According to results from a business climate survey of restaurants, conducted by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), 47 percent of interviewed restaurants and similar establishments anticipated a year-on-year decrease in receipts in September. Local orchestra to perform at China Arts Festival The Macao Chinese Orchestra is set to perform at the 11th China Arts Festival next Monday, October 24 in Xian, capital city of Shanxi province. This marks the second time the local orchestra will perform at the Chinese Festival. Their last performance was in 2010, when the festival was organized in Guangzhou, Guangdong. The orchestra will perform three pieces related to Macau and produced by Portuguese-speaking composers, including Pixinguinha from Brazil and Frederico de Brito e Ferrer Trindade from Portugal. The festival will hold more than 70 performances from professional art groups and over 80 performances by amateur players. Chinas economic growth held steady in latest quarter, shored up by a bank lending boom and consumer spending while trade weakened. The worlds second-largest economy grew by 6.7 percent in the three months ending in September compared with a year earlier, data showed yesterday. That was in line with the two previous quarters and better than some forecasters expected. Economic activity seems to be holding up reasonably well, with few signs that a renewed slowdown is just around the corner, said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a report. Still, analysts cautioned growth is likely to slow next year because the latest strength is based in part on a surge in bank lending and real estate prices both of which regulators see as a risk and are trying to restrain. Chinas economy has cooled steadily over the past six years as communist leaders try to steer it to more self-sustaining growth based on consumer spending instead of trade and investment. An unexpectedly sharp slowdown over the past two years prompted fears of politically dangerous job losses. Beijing launched mini-stimulus measures with higher spending on construction of highways and other public works. Exports have contracted this year due to weak global demand but retail sales, especially e-commerce, are growing faster than the overall economy. Retail sales rose 10.4 percent in the first three quarters, up 0.1 percentage point from the first half, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Growth in service industries overall, boosted by a surge in real estate sales, accelerated to 7.5 percent from the previous quarters 7.8 percent. By contrast, exports shrank by 5.6 percent in September from a year earlier. Third-quarter data signaled that economic growth has stabilized at a healthy pace, and that Chinas transition from a high-speed, heavy industry-based economy to a moderately-fast consumer and services-based economy is well underway, said Andy Rothman of Matthews Asia in a report. The challenges of completing this transition will result in gradually slower growth rates and increased volatility, but the risks of a hard landing are very low. State media have warned Chinas economic outlook will be L-shaped, meaning the downturn should bottom out but growth will not rebound to the double-digit rates of the past decade. Repeated infusions of credit to prop up growth since the 2008 global crisis has led to a rapid run-up in Chinas debt to the equivalent of 250 percent of gross domestic product. That has prompted warnings the country could face a financial crisis if debt growth isnt controlled. The central banks measure of total credit showed growth in September edged up to 11.3 percent compared with a year earlier, up from Augusts 11.2 percent rate. The recent recovery is ultimately on borrowed time given that it has been driven in large part by faster credit growth and a property market boom, said Evans-Pritchard. As the boost from policy stimulus begins to wear off, probably at some point early next year, continued structural drags mean the economy is set to begin slowing again. Joe McDonald, Beijing, AP The second edition of the China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries Young Entrepreneurs Forum kicked off yesterday at The Venetian, where eight associations from the region and Portuguese-speaking countries signed cooperation agreements. The move is a step forward for the territory in meeting one of the measures highlighted by Premier Li Keqiang; transforming Macau into a center for Small and Medium Enterprises in both China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The Forum is aimed at boosting attending associations efforts to promote and exchange business between participating countries and regions, particularly focusing on facilitating the entry of SMEs into the Chinese market. During the discussion on the role of Macau in the creation of one platform, three centers for the cooperation of China and Portuguese-speaking countries, chairman of the Macau Youth Entrepreneur Association, Kevin Ho, said that Macau has not done enough to become a significant platform for trade and business. Although he believed that the region had been effective in its efforts to be a World Center of Tourism and Leisure, the businessman noted that as a platform for businesses in this sector, Macau should think that now is the time to promote local SMEs to China and to Portuguese-speaking countries. Several Chinese enterprises have already been going to such countries for additional trade and business, yet according to Ho, most of these investments were infrastructure projects embarked on by big corporations from China. Ho, also a director of Tai Fung Bank, affirmed that Premier Lis visit to the region was a push to encourage the region to dynamically act as a platform for entrepreneurs abroad. We havent really tapped into the youth entrepreneurs and SMEs. I think now weve got another push, so hopefully, with this forum, well build a closer cooperation between these people, he told reporters. Businessmen can be assured that the territory has strong links with China, thus they will attempt to bring more products and trade services into China from the Portuguese-speaking countries. Were trying to utilize Macau and try to bring them through us, he said. The entrepreneur added that Macau would be of help to other countries who aimed to extend their companies reach to Asian countries. He also hoped that local entrepreneurs would be enlightened of the benefits of bringing their projects to Portuguese-speaking countries since it is a vast market, with some 250 million residents. The Forum is also aimed at bringing different cultures together to function within the core capability of each business. Meanwhile, Alberto Neto, president of Young Entrepreneurs Portugal-China, which is based in Portugal, recalled that the association was established to overcome trade barriers between China and Portugal. During the panel, he predicted that as the 21st Macao International Trade and Investment Fair kicks off today, entrepreneurs associations would create closer ties with other markets in a bid to provide further opportunities for cooperation, even with Spanish-speaking countries. Furthermore, Jackson Chang, president of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, reflected in his speech on the importance of young entrepreneurs in the regions economic development. The youngsters are the basis of the economic development and the most dynamic group with skills and potential for innovation in society, he noted, adding that the forum would bring opportunities in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship. The MSAR this week signed three agreements with the government of Fujian Province during the first Fujian-Macau cooperation meeting held in Macau. The treaties include an agreement on strengthening economic and trade cooperation between Fujian and Macau, and a memorandum of cooperation on medical and health exchanges between the two regions. The memorandum on strengthening tourism cooperation between the Pingtan General Experimentation Area Tourism Board of Fujian Province and the Macao Government Tourism Office was also signed at the meeting. Secretary for Economy and Finance Leong Vai Tac, representing MSAR at the meeting, said the gathering marked an opportunity to further optimize the mechanism for Fujian-Macau cooperation. The meeting was attended by the vice governor of Fujian Province, Liang Jianyong, and Fujian officials responsible for supervising the economy, business, tourism, health, finance, education and culture. Leong said the Fujian government has the opportunity to make use of Macaus role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. As such, it could boost Fujians economic exchanges, trade and investment with Portuguese-speaking countries. The secretary added that the local government would intensify the existing Fujian-Macau cooperation model for the MICE industry in particular, enhancing environmentally-friendly practices and policies in the sector. According to him, two areas in particular would strengthen and diversify efforts to promote tourism and push forward a multi-destination travel model. As cited in the Government Information Bureaus statement, Fujian and the MSAR will explore further opportunities in maritime tourism, focusing on cultural activities related to the goddess A-Ma. Leong concluded that the two regions would strengthen exchanges in cultural affairs, education and youth affairs to expand their cooperation into fields related to each of their livelihoods. Chaotic scenes erupted at Hong Kongs legislature yesterday 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 semiautonomous 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. Kelvin Chan, Hong Kong, AP Talks this week between Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be closely scrutinized for signs of how seriously the new Philippine leader intends to pursue a shift away from Washington and toward Beijing, a move that could have a major impact on regional power dynamics. Dutertes elevation to the presidency 3 1/2 months ago has already turned relations between Washington and Manila on their head. His courtship of Beijing could create further disruptions given the prospect of a long-standing U.S. treaty ally lining up with Washingtons key rival for influence in Asia. Duterte was greeted by Foreign Minister Wang Yi on arrival at Beijings main airport on Tuesday evening. He was set to meet today with Xi, Premier Li Keqiang and third-ranking official Zhang Dejiang, the head of the legislature. This is a historic visit and presents an opportunity for relations between China and the Philippines to restart on a fresh, more positive footing, Wang told reporters earlier. Duterte was due to return home tomorrow. Under Dutertes predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, the decades-old U.S.-Philippine alliance had flourished. A quarter-century after a wave of anti-U.S. nationalism forced the closure of American military bases in the Philippines, Manila was poised to allow more access for U.S. forces to counter an assertive China an important boost for President Barack Obamas pivot placing more emphasis on the Asia-Pacific. Those gains now hang in the balance, although the Obama administration says it would welcome a reduction in the China-Philippine tensions that had spiraled over the disputed South China Sea, increasing the risk of a military conflict that could embroil the U.S., which has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines. The prospect of the Philippines pulling out of a long stretch of very tense relations with Beijing is a desirable one, Daniel Russel, top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, told reporters in Washington last week. Although the U.S. and China are often portrayed as great powers vying for the loyalty of small nations in Asia, neither side wants a confrontation. But theres uncertainty in Washington about where the talks between Duterte and Xi will lead. In an interview last week with Chinas state broadcaster, Duterte said he wasnt looking to sever the historical connection with the U.S. No, I am not breaking away. I just want to be friendly with everybody, the president said in the interview, which was broadcast by CCTV yesterday. The U.S. says it supports dialogue on territorial issues, so long as the Philippines sticks by a July ruling from an international tribunal in a case brought by Aquinos administration that found that Chinas sweeping claims in the South China Sea were invalid under a U.N. treaty. I do not believe that public opinion in the Philippines or the national interest of the Philippines would support the relinquishing of Philippine rights, territory or sovereignty, and I cant imagine that is President Dutertes intention, Russel said. If Manila were to sideline that ruling in reaching an accommodation with Beijing perhaps with the prospect of increased access to fisheries or some other economic benefit it would undermine what has been a sustained U.S. diplomatic effort to get the world to respect the tribunal ruling and for China to adhere to international law in seas crucial for trade. The U.S. advocacy for freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes has been a pillar of Obamas outreach into Southeast Asia, where nations have looked to Washington to bolster its presence to counter Chinas assertive behavior. The planned rotation of U.S. forces at five Philippine military bases, agreed by Aquino, was viewed as essential to that effort. But Dutertes outbursts against the U.S. have put in doubt future military cooperation. He has said that the Philippines is stopping joint military exercises and that he opposes joint patrols with the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea. He has also said he wants U.S. counterterrorism troops out of his countrys south and has criticized Obama and the U.S. ambassador in Manila in crude terms for condemning his bloody extrajudicial crackdown on drug dealers and users. Administration officials say that the U.S. commitment to the alliance remains ironclad and that they have gotten no official notification about the removal of U.S. military assets and personnel. Chinese officials have refrained from commenting on Dutertes domestic program and say they expect Dutertes visit to help build trust and place the territorial dispute back on their preferred bilateral track. Duterte has said he merely wants to obtain renewed access for Filipino fishermen to Scarborough Shoal, which China seized in 2012. Both sides have played up the economic benefits of improved relations, with scores of Philippine business leaders accompanying Duterte and China considering financing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects. Beijing would be happy to shelve the issue altogether, focusing instead on economic exchanges, say Chinese government-backed scholars. In general, the talks between Duterte and the Chinese leaders will focus on economic aid to the Philippines and the Chinese leaders will continue to stick to the dual-track thought in handling the South China Sea issue, said Li Jinming, professor at the Institute for South China Sea Studies, Xiamen University. Matthew Pennington & Christopher Bodeen, Beijing, AP A Philippine police van rammed into protesters, leaving several bloodied, as an anti-U.S. rally turned violent yesterday 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, 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. troops out now and other slogans at the embassys tall fence with red paint. The protesters, consisting of students, workers and tribespeople, were demanding an end to the presence of visiting U.S. troops in the Philippines and to support a call by President Rodrigo Duterte for a foreign policy not dependent on the U.S., the countrys longtime treaty ally. The activists came from the largest left-wing umbrella group called Bayan (Nation), which has organized regular anti-U.S. 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 U.S., Duterte has tried to reach out to China and Russia, bringing uncertainty to his countrys long alliance with America. But the protesters also opposed the presidents effort to lean toward China. The Philippines will not be dictated on, whether by the U.S. or China, they said in a statement. The Philippine National Police did not comment. 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 presidents war on illegal drugs. AP It is no secret that the labor market in the region is tough for businesses. This has meant that retaining and reshuffling staff resources has remained an important matter for both SMEs and gaming operators as new and upcoming resorts open in the region. Just last year, Sands China reportedly spent over a million hours promoting and developing local talent, demonstrating its desire to boost their non-gaming offering. According to the senior vice president of human resources at Sands China, Antonio Ramirez, the gaming operator does not feel pressured by the government to promote its local employees within the company. Despite the severe labor shortage in the regions labor market, caused by restrictions on bringing in foreign workers, Ramirez noted that the pressure is encouraging companies to utilize the right tools and programs in retaining employees. Speaking this week at a breakfast meeting of the British Business Association of Macau, the HR expert highlighted the fact that millennials play a vital role in todays resorts and gaming industry, revealing that Sands China has been successful in attracting and retaining the youngest generation. Ramirez highlighted that in a labor market like Macaus, there is a need for business operators to actively engage their employees, especially millennials, in its projects. Millennials have good knowledge. They are very savvy in terms of the use of internet, they have a lot of ideas but they are also very independent, he explained. So if we dont engage them, they will not feel that they want to be there, and thats where companies will feel disappointed. Business operators are advised to shape their companies and platforms to match the aspirations of millennials, as their needs are a driving force in the future of the workplace. According to Ramirez, millennials contributed significantly to the successful opening of the latest Sands China property, The Parisian Macao. We have a team that is more engaged and is far more productive so our productivity actually increased a lot and thats what allowed us to open the Parisian in a very smooth way, he said in his presentation. Because they were focused, they knew what was important and because they all participate in the design and in the creation of every project, they were far more engaged, he added. Ramirez advised the event attendants that this generation wants to participate in a platform that allows them to take part in developing strategy and building the business, so operators should take steps to involve them. They want to be engaged. They dont want just a job; they want to have a purpose, he said. Ramirez also stated his belief that there is a growing number of locals with new sets of capabilities, ideas and methods of conceptualization. Meanwhile, in terms of the long-standing issue of labor shortages, MGM found it challenging to hire local workers in a market where the unemployment rate is low. Yet, as previously reported, the company is confident that it will attract an adequate quality and number of people in order to open their property in Cotai. In July, the Labor Affairs Bureau said it would not approve applications from gaming operators who sought to renew work permits or to obtain new ones for foreign workers at management levels if there are local residents qualified for the same positions, in a bid to improve prospects of upward career mobility for locals. When Western governments began pouring money into the Mekong River Commission, they hoped it would help four Southeast Asian countries cooperate in responsibly managing one of the worlds great rivers. Two decades later, they have a surfeit of disregarded reports to show for the USD320 million they spent, and a cascade of hydro power developments that benefit the narrow interests of dam builders but are ravaging the river basin, a crucial source of rice, fish and livelihoods for 60 million people. Critics say the commission, formed when Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand signed the Mekong River Agreement in 1995, has been sidelined by those governments. The four countries are more at odds than ever over use of the 4,800-kilometer-long river that begins in Tibet and snakes through their territories. Consultations for the contentious Xayaburi and Don Sahong dams by Laos on the Mekongs mainstream severely damaged the commissions credibility. The other countries opposed the Lao plans, fearing damage to fisheries and the Mekongs rice bowl delta, and the commission failed to broker an agreement. On each occasion Laos was already working on the dams while it went through the motions of consultation. Before that, the commissions reputation was already hanging by a thread; it paid several million dollars for a scientific study that recommended a 10-year moratorium on dam building but it was not adopted as an official document because of disagreement among the member countries. Donor funding has shriveled and the commissions staff has been slashed from about 160 to 66. The largest donor, Denmark, provided $86 million of Danish taxpayer money to the commission since 1995 before ending its funding last year, said Kurt Morck Jensen, chief technical adviser to Denmarks development agency during that period. The funding slump coincides with cuts by Western governments of foreign aid programs they view as the least deserving. The commission needs $65 million for 2016-2020 and has secured $43 million so far. It received more than $100 million in the previous five-year period. There is a risk that a Mekong River Commission without donor support could further lose influence, said Jensen. On the other hand, donors cannot and should not be babysitting the MRC forever. Denmark used a critical review of the commission it conducted in 2013 to press for a faster withdrawal by foreign donors. Originally, the organization was supposed to be totally funded by its Southeast Asian member countries by 2030. Denmark recommended that be brought forward to 2020. The Danish report: Criticized gaps in the commissions knowledge that meant Vietnam and Thailand, which also fund the commission, had to conduct their own research to collect fundamental data about the river; Cast doubts the commission could accurately predict the effects of mainstream dams on fisheries and agriculture or know the threshold at which the rivers development would reach a damaging point of no return; Questioned whether it had sufficient knowhow to advise member states how to mitigate the impact of dams; Queried an unusual amount of time and money spent on travel, meetings and workshops. Consultants hired by Denmark concluded there is generally little evidence of value for money. They found instances of drivers and secretaries being listed as professional participants in meetings to make up numbers, unjustified study tours of the Danube River in Europe and to the United States and Canada, and other wasteful spending. The commissions CEO from that time, Hans Guttman, did not respond to emailed questions. Philip Hirsch, a professor of human geography at Sydney University and a Mekong expert, said donor money also paid for valuable scientific research. But the commission, he said, couldnt use that knowledge to advocate on behalf of the river and the millions of people who rely on it because anything of significance had to be approved by senior officials in each country. It cannot be said that this has been money well spent, Hirsch said. It now has much reduced relevance. Earlier this year, a study funded by Vietnam predicted Mekong Delta rice production would drop steeply because up to nine mainstream dams planned by Laos would trap sediments, reducing nutrients flowing downstream, and reduce fish stocks by disrupting migratory breeding. It estimates annual fishery and farming losses of more than $760 million in Vietnam and $450 million in Cambodia, the two worst affected countries. More than 100 smaller dams have been built on Mekong tributaries that were excluded from the requirement for consultations. Their cumulative social and environmental impact is much more severe than mainstream dams for the time-being, Jensen said. One of the commissions few defenders is its new CEO, Pham Tuan Phan, who was appointed earlier this year. As a forum for water diplomacy, the commission is the only game in town, Pham said. He pointed to an estimated $400 million spent by Laos and the Thai developer of the Xayaburi dam on design changes to improve release of sediment and aid the passage of fish as an example of its relevance. The commission is also belatedly developing a tool to assess the environmental impact of dams across borders and hopes to complete its long-delayed comprehensive study into development of the river. Laos will not be deterred from building more dams, Pham said, because it sees them as a way to develop its impoverished economy by exporting electricity. I think the public expects more than the commission has a mandate to do, he said. But researchers at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank, said Laos may have to scale back some of its plans because of uncertain power demand. The project-by-project approach in Laos has created a situation that is likely to fall far short of revenue goals while at the same time lays ruin to downstream agricultural outputs and fish catches in Vietnam and Cambodia, the center said. Aside from Denmark, other major donors included Finland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Australia, World Bank, Netherlands, Japan, European Union, France and United States. Several donors said a Mekong flood warning system was an example of money well spent. However it represents only a small proportion of the commissions budget. The dissatisfaction of donors was apparent as far back as 2006 when Denmark commissioned a study into how the organization could become more effective. It recommended it be given teeth, something that would require member governments to sacrifice some sovereignty. That never happened. But Jensen defends the foreign funding as successful to some extent. The knowledge generated by the commission turned the Mekong into a political battlefield, he said. At least now there is considerable transparency. Stephen Wright, Bangkok, AP The local Democratic candidates for state Senate said Tuesday evening that they favor changing a law that shields parents who believe in faith healing and whose children get seriously sick or die from prosecution under child injury laws. The Republican incumbents were cool to the idea of changing the law, saying they worried about infringing on religious freedom. One of those incumbents, state Sen. Lee Heider, a Republican from Twin Falls, was at the center of debate on the issue earlier this year. As chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, he said at the beginning of the 2016 session that while he was personally against changing the law, he would allow a hearing on a bill. Rep. John Gannon, a Boise Democrat, dropped off a bill in February, but it never got an introductory hearing. Heider said at the beginning of March that there wasnt enough time left in the session to take it up. Gannon brought a similar bill in 2014 that also never got a hearing. The issue got some attention beyond Idaho this spring after an American-based reporter for The Guardian wrote an article on the states law. Gov. C.L. Butch Otter in February called on lawmakers to study the issue over the interim; the work group held its last hearing a week-and-a-half ago and ended without any recommendation on what to do. Most states give some legal latitude to parents who have religious objections to medical treatment, but Idaho is one of a handful that allows it as a defense in cases where a child dies. It has become an issue in Idaho mainly due to media attention on the Followers of Christ, a religious group that rejects conventional medicine in favor of prayer and treatments such as anointing with oil and who have a higher-than-normal number of child deaths among their members. Speaking at a candidate forum in Twin Falls organized by the Times-News, Heider told the crowd Tuesday that there hadnt been a bill to change the law and he doubts one will come in 2017. Heider repeated his concern that amending it would infringe on peoples First Amendment rights, saying that people who believe in faith healing love their children too and that they have the right to live according to their religious beliefs whether you agree with them or not. Its hard to say you would prosecute one religion over another, Heider said. Or its the fault of a parent if a child dies. Deborah Silver, the Democrat who is running against Heider, said she supports changing the law, as did Scott McClure, the Democrat who is running against Sen. Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls. McClure said he is a lifelong Methodist and respects religion, but that the state should step in if a child dies. Silver pointed out that there has been a bill to change the law, apparently referring to Gannons, and said Heider is working with different information than her. Patrick said he has wrestled with the issue and would have to see any bill, but he also emphasized that he worried about restricting religious freedom. Volunteers Horizon Home Health and Hospice is looking for volunteers to join our team to provide quality compassionate care to our patients through the following activities: companionship, socialization, respite, and support for patients and families and much more. Information: Cynthia Nixon, 208-800-8085 or cnixon@horizonhh.com. Volunteers Interlink Volunteer Caregivers (IVC) provides volunteers to help elderly, disabled and chronically ill people to live safely and independently at home. Volunteers are needed in the Mini Cassia area and Magic Valley to help build wheelchair ramps and install grab bars. Volunteers are also needed to help with light housekeeping. Volunteers are reimbursed for mileage and covered with excess auto liability insurance. Commitment is flexible with no minimum hours required. Information: Edie, 208-733-6333 or ivcofmv@gmail.com. Volunteers Idaho Home Health and Hospice needs volunteers who will bring compassion, support and dignity to those facing a serious, life-limiting illness and their families. Volunteers can choose between offering respite to family caregivers or provide support with administrative tasks. Information: Heidi Walker, 208-734-4064 or Heidi.Walker@LHCgroup.com. Volunteers Encompass Hospice is looking for volunteers in Burley, Rupert, Eden, Twin Falls, Kimberly and Jerome. Encompass needs your kind heart and willingness to help members of our communities. Information: Cindy Keithley, 208-733-8600 or ckeithley@ehhi.com Volunteers Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for volunteers to visit with patients and their families, do minor home modifications such as grab bars, and also volunteer Light Touch Massage therapists, hair dressers, meal assist volunteers, and to play music and games with hospice patients. Volunteers are needed with licensed certified therapy animals to love our hospice patients in their own homes or assisted living centers. Hospice Visions is looking for volunteers interested in doing art projects with patients or filming and creating a Life Legacy Video, or to take someone to the store, run an errand or out for a drive. Veterans can become a Vet-to-Vet Volunteer and visit with other veterans. Volunteers are also needed to assist with fundraising events and provide office assistance. Information: Nora at 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org. Volunteers The Senior Companion Program at the CSI Office on Aging needs volunteers, age 55 and older, to assist homebound seniors by providing friendly visits, transportation or other assistance as needed. Senior Companions make positive impacts by helping to improve the mental and emotional status of their clients. Senior Companions receive a stipend per hour of service (to income eligible seniors) and can work between 15 to 40 hours a week. They receive reimbursement for mileage, and training on age-related problems. Information: Dandre, 208-736-2122, or toll free, 800-574-8656. Volunteers The Twin Falls County Historical Society is seeking volunteers for various programs and general support. Volunteers are needed to paint, weed, clean or work on docent projects and fundraising. No minimum amount of hours, commitment is flexible. Fill out an application at the Twin Falls County Historical Museum (Union School at Curry), open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Information: 208-736-4675. Volunteers St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center is in need of volunteers for a variety of positions from shuttle drivers to care volunteers to gift shop volunteers and more. The medical center is looking for friendly individuals with a sincere interest in voluntary services offered to patients, visitors, employees and guests. Meet new people and learn new experiences and challenges. Information: Kim Patterson at 814-0861 or kimpa@slhs.org, or visit the Volunteer Services Office, lower level at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center; 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls. Applications are available at the Front Information Desk. JEROME Prosecutors have dismissed an attempted murder charge against a Jerome teen accused of shooting at a farmer on Easter Sunday night. Juan Santos Suarez-Gomez, 18, faced up to 30 years in prison if convicted on the second-degree attempted murder charge, but his defense attorneys argued last month the farmers identification testimony should be barred from trial because the identification procedure used by Jerome County Sheriffs deputies was tainted and coercive. Earlier this month, 5th District Judge Richard Bevan agreed with the defense attorneys, ruling the identification process violated Suarez-Gomezs Constitutional due-process rights, and that without being carried out correctly, could likely have resulted in misidentification. Extensive research demonstrates the fallibility of eyewitness identification testimony, Bevan wrote in his decision granting public defenders Brad Calbo and Stacey DePew their motion to suppress the identification testimony. That was the same argument Calbo and DePew had made extensively both in court and in interviews with the Times-News. Without the identification testimony of the farmer, Kiel Thibault, prosecutors had no way of proving Suarez-Gomez was the shooter, and last week they motioned to dismiss the case. Bevan then signed an order dismissing the charge without prejudice, meaning they could refile the charge if new evidence emerged to prove Suarez-Gomezs guilt. But its highly unlikely new evidence could emerge, as the prosecutors case rested largely on Thibaults testimony that of three Hispanic teens who were on his property March 27, Suarez-Gomez was the one who shot at him. Later that night at the sheriffs office, Thibault went back and forth on whether or not he could identify the shooter. Then, rather than show Thibault proper six-pack photo lineups, sheriffs investigators showed Thibault three photos and asked him to identify the shooter. It is clear from the facts that the police violated the standard guidelines for preparing a photo lineup, Bevan wrote in his decision. The detectives failed to abide by the sheriffs departments standard guidelines for preparing a photo lineup Therefore, this court finds that the procedures the law enforcement employed to elicit Thibaults identification were overly suggestive. Bevan expounded on why it was overly suggestive but ended part of his argument by saying the purpose of strict rules barring overly suggestive identification is to deter the police from using a less reliable procedure where a more reliable one may be available. In court, prosecutors had argued that the identification process, which sheriffs detectives themselves described as unorthodox, was necessary because of the circumstances and the dangerous, violent nature of the shooting. But DePew argued its not good enough to shoot from the hip and say, we think we got the right guy, its one of these three. Thats not justice, thats a violation of due process, DePew told the Times-News on Oct. 5. Thats just as much a violation of the Constitution as what happened to Kiel Thibault. WENDELL Third-grader Paige Pember swirled an M&M around in a cup of water Tuesday, watching as the colorful coating started to dissolve. It was part of a science experience during the Wendell School Districts new after-school program, which kicked off Monday. Paraprofessional Karren Charles asked a group of three students to drop an M&M into a cup of liquid. Were seeing which one loses its color first, she told students. Once the experiment was over, Charles asked: So what did we learn? Students discovered sparkling water dissolved an M&M, but oil didnt. Regular water had mixed results. Oil can barely do anything to candy, said eight-year-old Paige. The Wendell and Cassia County school districts are among nine Idaho recipients this year to receive a total of $1.38 million in federal funding through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. Theyre using it to start new after-school programs. In Wendell, nearly 80 percent of the approximately 1,200 students are considered economically disadvantaged. Students now have access to academic help and hands-on activities once schools out. My personal goal for the program is that these children will be exposed to opportunities they wouldnt normally have, program director Jennifer Clark said. The program which will serve up to 90 students in kindergarten through eighth-grades is free for families. It includes a physical activity, snack and social time, homework and tutoring, and enrichment activities such as puppetry, computer coding and snap circuits. Through the federal grant, the Wendell School District will receive $179,550 this year to run the after-school offerings. In Cassia County, the school district will get $121,413 to launch new after-school programs at Dworshak Elementary School in Burley and Burley Junior High School. After the first day of the program Monday in Wendell, the kids said they were having fun and didnt want to go home, Clark said. Theres a lot of excitement with the kids. Another perk: Children get homework help and are done with assignments by the time they go home, Clark said. When she was a classroom teacher, she often heard from parents who were stressed trying to help their children with homework. A lot of times, the parents are struggling to help their child with the new math, she said. On Tuesday afternoon, children filtered into Wendell Elementary Schools cafeteria. Each student received a brown paper bag full of snacks, including apple slices and a cup of Chobani yogurt. After snack time, students headed to classrooms to get homework help. In a room with second and third-graders, students plugged away at math worksheets, reading and coloring. Paraprofessional Victoria Cerda worked with a few girls on math homework. She asked one student to multiply 5 and 9. She showed her how to use her fingers to help solve multiplication problems involving 9s. Cerda moved on to help a boy with a worksheet about punctuation. Add a period or question mark to the end of each sentence, Cerda said, reading the instructions. You only use a question mark when youre asking a question, she explained. You use a period when its the end of a statement. As students finished their homework, they moved on to the M&M activity. With one group of students, Charles said: It looks like that water is eating that M&M, doesnt it? The oil protects the coating of the candy, she told them. Isnt that cool? The after-school program runs for an hour before school and two hours after school Mondays through Thursdays. Wendell schools are on a four-day school week, but the new program offers four hours of activities each Friday morning. So far, 59 children are signed up for the program. But some families havent turned in registration forms yet. Were still in the enrollment process, Clark said, and she doesnt expect any problems filling all 90 program slots. In past years, the Wendell School District offered an extended day program using federal Title I money for schools with high poverty rates. But now, the new after-school program goes beyond academics to include enrichment activities. Next week, for example, children will get a lesson in flag etiquette. Clark also plans to have children write letters to pen pals in Buhl and Cassia County, and then visit their new friends this spring. As for field trips, shes looking into taking students to Bruneau Dunes State Park in Mountain Home. To help launch the program, businesses have provided donations such as yogurt from Chobani, food from Simerlys Market and Dairy Queen in Jerome, and items from Walmart. Whenever Ive asked somebody, theyve said, absolutely, Clark said. It has helped us get started and get on our feet. Until Goose Creek was dammed southwest of town, most crops in the Oakley Valley were dry farmed dampened only with what moisture clouds could squeeze from the sky. During a particularly dry spell in 1934, Charlie Brown, editor of the Oakley Herald, wrote about a puzzling phenomenon in his column called Spying on the Village. Thursday afternoon little drops of water fell from clouds to dusty streets and dry fields, Brown wrote. Other drops of water followed the first drops until at last streets were no longer dusty and fields were no longer dry. People wondered what to call the phenomenon. Older citizens, and some of the younger ones who had visited the Northwest coast, said it looked familiar but they didnt remember its name. Finally a crossword puzzle addict solved the riddle by calling the word rain. It is now generally agreed that this is the correct word for what happened. Nearly an inch of the phenomenon fell that June day. Congress finally appointed a committee to adjudicate the matter. When Hayes supporters said the nation should abide by the outcome, whatever it was, the pro-Tilden Cincinnati Enquirer replied angrily that this argument betrayed ignorance of the law and the Constitution. In the end, the committee awarded all the disputed states to Hayes, giving him the presidency by a single electoral vote, and allowing him to go down in history as the man who ended Reconstruction and left the freed slaves to the untender mercies of their former owners. The Democrats cried foul, and there is ample reason to think they were right. In fact, the battle produced a dismaying symmetry: first Tilden won by intimidation and then Hayes won by fraud. These instances are hardly the only disputed elections in the nations history. Whenever the rhetoric is heated and the margin is small, the losing side will emerge unsatisfied. And we have been speaking here only of contests for the presidency. Charges of fraud further down the ballot are more common still. The partisan will insist that all of the cases I have mentioned are different from the current political moment. Black voters were intimidated in the South 1876. The Supreme Court did put an end to the Florida recount in 2000. But such nuances miss the point. The principal charge against Trump is that merely suggesting the possibility of unfairness in the election outcome constitutes an offense against our democracy. If thats so, then lots of us are guilty. There are plenty of excellent reasons to oppose the election of Donald Trump. Lets not sit around inventing new ones. If Donald Trump loses the presidential race, I hope he will concede and move on. Thats what democracy demands. The current histrionics over his insistence that the process is rigged against him are overblown. Weve been here before, and the republic has survived. In fact, we have been there recently. I have friends who to this day insist that Al Gore actually won the 2000 presidential election. In truth, for as long as there have been elections, there have been fears that somebody would steal them. Some scholars even believe that Solons edict of the 6th century B.C. requiring Athenians to vote was motivated in part by a determination to ensure that potential tyrants could not steal elections. On these shores, the same logic was followed in the Virginia Colony, which made voting compulsory largely as a device for preventing fraud. Accusations of rigged and stolen elections have been a commonplace of U.S. history. In the hotly contested race of 1800, supporters of Aaron Burr insisted that Thomas Jefferson had cheated him out of the presidency. (More likely, Jefferson took delicate political advantage of the cumbersome and clunky constitutional machinery.) Allegations of fraud similarly plagued the 1824 contest between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. That years race was the only one ever thrown into the House, where Adams prevailed. The conviction of the Jackson forces that the election had been stolen provided momentum that helped propel him to victory in the 1828 rematch probably the nastiest race in U.S. history (no, the current campaign doesnt come close). In 1864, some Republicans suggested that the election should be postponed because of the Civil War, and Democrats began to worry that President Abraham Lincoln might use the army to remain in power. Wrote a Copperhead newspaper in New Jersey: We must be prepared to enforce a Constitutional ballot, if need be, by Constitutional bullets. Throughout the 19th century, everyone seemed to think that election fraud was widespread. Democrats insisted that Rutherford B. Hayes stole the 1876 presidential race. Republicans said the same about Grover Cleveland in 1884. The frequency of the charges led the Reverend Joseph Cook, a popular speaker and essayist, to lament that democracy was at risk: If the great parties continue to accuse each other of stealing the presidency, such facts will go far to prove that the domination of political tricksters has begun and that the rights of the people are vanishing. But the accusations continued. In 1916, the presidential contest between Charles Evans Hughes and incumbent Woodrow Wilson went unresolved for several days. California, the last state to report, was counting and counting, and Hughess Republican supporters fretted publicly about the possibility that the election would be stolen. Hughes, to his credit, did his best to silence them. Even as he steadfastly refused to concede, he insisted that in the absence of absolute proof of fraud no such cry should be raised to becloud the title of the next president of the United States. (An attitude from which all partisans can learn.) Sometimes the accusers were right. Once the votes were counted in that disputed 1876 election, it appeared that Democrat Samuel J. Tilden had won a majority in both the popular vote and the Electoral College. Hayes would not admit defeat, and his backers argued that the vote had been unfair because of massive vote fraud. Black voters had been beaten and intimidated throughout the South. In particular, the Republicans challenged the balloting in Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana. Recounts were ordered. In South Carolina, the board of canvassers was threatened, and troops dispatched to protect them. The Tilden forces were furious. One Democratic newspaper lamented: The character of the state government of South Carolina is so notorious that the integrity of this board will be considered absurd. Congress finally appointed a committee to adjudicate the matter. When Hayes supporters said the nation should abide by the outcome, whatever it was, the pro-Tilden Cincinnati Enquirer replied angrily that this argument betrayed ignorance of the law and the Constitution. In the end, the committee awarded all the disputed states to Hayes, giving him the presidency by a single electoral vote, and allowing him to go down in history as the man who ended Reconstruction and left the freed slaves to the untender mercies of their former owners. The Democrats cried foul, and there is ample reason to think they were right. In fact, the battle produced a dismaying symmetry: first Tilden won by intimidation and then Hayes won by fraud. These instances are hardly the only disputed elections in the nations history. Whenever the rhetoric is heated and the margin is small, the losing side will emerge unsatisfied. And we have been speaking here only of contests for the presidency. Charges of fraud further down the ballot are more common still. The partisan will insist that all of the cases I have mentioned are different from the current political moment. Black voters were intimidated in the South 1876. The Supreme Court did put an end to the Florida recount in 2000. But such nuances miss the point. The principal charge against Trump is that merely suggesting the possibility of unfairness in the election outcome constitutes an offense against our democracy. If thats so, then lots of us are guilty. There are plenty of excellent reasons to oppose the election of Donald Trump. Lets not sit around inventing new ones. I would like to remind everyone that every person convicted in Idaho, of any felony except treason, regains the civil right to vote once they are discharged from prison, probation and parole. This is in Idaho Code 18-310. Also your right to vote is restored in Idaho if you were convicted in another state, and that state has restored your right to vote. It is a common misconception that once you have been convicted of a felony you are barred from voting for life. I encourage any person who has always or has regained their rights, to vote. Lastly if you see anyone trying to intimidate, confuse, or otherwise discourage anyone from exercising their right to vote you should report it to the police. Idaho codes 18-2305 and 18-2313 make it a misdemeanor to do any of these things, which would interfere with anyone's right to vote. "Schools Struggle to Fill Jobs" screamed the front page headline of the Times-News on Aug. 29, as the new school year began. Surprise, surprise! The predictions made by experienced educators as legislators blithely slashed school funding have now come true. The exodus of qualified teachers has become a stark reality, and schools are now forced to scrounge for unlicensed substitutes; not an easy task, and perhaps an unsatisfactory solution. We warned the legislators that cutting funds for education would have dire consequences, but of course, the legislators knew better. Consequently, they neglected our children and demeaned our teachers, while they inflated their own egos by bragging that they had reduced taxes. The legislators also tried tactics that Attorney General Wasden warned were unconstitutional. Of course, the legislators knew better, so they passed faulty laws and awarded illegal contracts, and then spent millions in an attempt to defend these mistakes in court, only to have them ruled unconstitutional. Tax dollars wasted on those bungles could have supported schools. The legislators even considered hiring a different attorney to tell them what they wanted to hear. Fees for this superfluous hire would pay the salary of many qualified teachers. Fortunately, we have a forthright candidate who is eager to serve in the Idaho legislature. Catherine Talkington has the heart and soul of an educator, so she understands what is required for a solid education. Catherine Talkington has the heart and soul of a parent, so she will insist on a proper education for all Idaho students. Catherine Talkington has the heart and soul of a grandparent, so she will fiercely defend the rights of all Idaho students to receive the well-funded education they deserve. We must send Catherine Talkington to Boise to honorably represent us in House District 24-B. She really does know better! Eleanore Burkhart Twin Falls BURLEY Watco Companies LLC, which purchased the old Keystone RV manufacturing facility west of Burley, announced it will establish a short line rail service that will take agricultural and other products to market across the country. The new facility will reduce turnaround time for shipping and loading rail cars. Watco Companies is based in Kansas. Think of it as Idahos agricultural gateway to U.S. markets, Winston Inouye, strategy and customer development manager for Watco Companies said in a phone interview on Oct. 19. Inouye said the project has three components the trans-loading facility, the warehouse facility that will be available for other businesses to use and the development potential of the property that can house other businesses related to rail. Inouye said the short line rail will help local businesses ship product more efficiently and facilitate the growth of other companies in the area, adding jobs. We have already had inquiries from companies asking how we can increase their efficiency, Inouye said. The facility has 156,400 square feet of manufacturing and office space and sits on 121 acres. There are three climate controlled potato storage buildings that were constructed by Max Herbold Company prior to the former owners occupancy. Owen Zidar, senior vice president of strategy and customer development for Watco Companies, said Wednesday the facility was nearly ready-made for this business, and the company will start testing in early November and ramp up operations quarterly in 2017. I think this is going to turn into a key piece of infrastructure in the community, said Doug Manning, Burley economic development director. It will open the doors to other industries. Manning said the short line rail will open doors to the eastern U.S. commodity markets through more efficient and cost effective shipping. Were certainly excited about it for sure, Manning said. Short line shipping of commodities could increase by five times in the region through the use of the climate-controlled facilities and faster rail loading facilities, according to company estimates issued in a press release from Idahos US Sen. Mike Crapos office. Crapo toured the facility on Tuesday along with city, state and company officials. The shipping and storage facilities will include operations in Pocatello and the company expects to expand into the Idaho Falls area in the coming months. Short line railroads are proven to be extremely efficient at moving Idaho goods to customers worldwide and the vision Watco demonstrates with this endeavor will make it an example for many other rail operations, Crapo said in the release. Watco and its rail partners employ more than 150 Idahoans. We know that number will increase with the added shipments and storage sure to be realized under Project Perishable. Watco chose southern Idaho as the starting point for Project Perishable in part because of the thriving potato market and the states reputation for quality potatoes. Crapo introduced and helped pass federal tax incentive legislation that is credited in part for the rail project. Crapo is working with Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, and others to make the tax code change permanent. This post is a part of the Student Blogger series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student, and provides first-hand perspectives and experiences about being an MBA student at UCLA Anderson. Student Blogger: Lucerna Huayanay '17 Pre-MBA: Head of Sales & Marketing - Prima Eximport SAC Summer Internship: Summer Associate - Beckman Coulter (Danaher Corp.) Hi everyone! My name is Lucerna Huayanay and I am originally from Peru. I am now in my second year of MBA at Anderson, and I am happy to share my experience with you. UCLA Anderson has provided me with resources to navigate academics, social and recruiting, which has made my entire MBA experience very enjoyable. For this post, I wanted to focus on the social and recruiting aspects and dive deeper into how I, and my fellow classmate Guilherme Aboud, leveraged those resources to make the most out of our first year at Anderson and land the internships we were looking for. Socially, Anderson has over 40 clubs which have given me the opportunity to make new friends, explore LA, and have a great time. One of these clubs is the Latin American Business Association, which gathers people from all over Latin America and people interested in Latin America, and promotes cultural exchange via educational events (the Latin American Business Conference), and social events for all (LABA BBQs). My first year at Anderson, I was one of the directors for the LABA Conference. This gave me access to the extensive Anderson alumni network to get speakers, and once selected, it gave me great networking opportunities with them. Among some of the speakers that we had last year are Joseph Barragan, former Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase, Karla Berman, Lead Ad Sales at Google Inc Mexico, and Bryan Stockton, Former Chairman and CEO of Mattel. For more information on this annual conference, click here and take a look at the conference photos here! This year, the LABA Board is expanding its functions and wants to provide even more support to Latin American students in terms of recruiting. LABA is working to promote opportunities for 2nd year Latin American students to discuss recruiting strategies in both the U.S. and Latin America with the 1rst year class, and share best practices for landing the internship they are looking for. In my experience, a combination of the Parker Career Management Center training, and talking to 2nd years helped me get in great shape for the interview season. UCLA Anderson Latin American Business Association Conference Student Blogger: Guilherme Aboud '17 Pre-MBA: Investment Banking - Barclays Summer Internship: Advisors Summer Associate - MasterCard (Sao Paulo) Hi everyone! My name is Guilherme Aboud and I am from Brazil. I had a priceless experience during 13-weeks at MasterCard Advisors as an MBA Summer Associate Intern. MasterCard is a global payment technology company with large operations in Latin America and a culture where they strive to make payments safer and easier every day. I spent my first week in Miami, where 7 MBA interns went through an on-boarding process into MasterCard Advisors and the payment technology industry. During the following 12 weeks, I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil, working with a team of experienced consultants from whom I learned valuable best practices in consulting and I was assigned to a strategic planning project, where the client was a FinTech. To make my experience even more amazing, MasterCard took me for a breakfast by the statue of Christ the Redeemer to appreciate the sunrise in Rio de Janeiro! End of summer internship trip to Christ the Redeemer --- Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA: Twitter and Instagram Questions? Contact us at mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu The historic visit King Mohammed VI started Tuesday to Rwanda has been crowned by the signing of 19 cooperation accords aimed at boosting bilateral ties in almost all strategic sectors. The signing ceremony was chaired by the Moroccan Sovereign and President Paul Kagame during the 2nd day of the three-day state royal visit to the African country. The cooperation areas covered by the agreements include foreign relations, security, finance, investments and private sector development. The two countries agreed to hold regular political consultations, weave visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders, cooperate in counter-terrorism, exchange intelligence, avoid double taxation, combat tax evasion and launch an investment fund for Africa. Dubbed The Africa Mutual Growth Investment Fund, this financial entity to be established in Rwanda, will have a $300 million capital dedicated to East Africa. In its first phase, the Fund will have $50 million allotted to Rwanda. The two countries also agreed to set up a micro-finance program providing credit to project holders and microenterprise operators. Other agreements deal with promotion and protection of investments, partnership in the field of tourism and pharmaceutical industry. In this regard, Cooper Pharma, a leading Moroccan pharmaceutical company, unveiled a project to build a plant in Rwanda to manufacture antibiotics. The drugs that will be locally produced include beta-lactam antibiotics, which are among the most commonly prescribed drugs, including Penicillins, grouped together upon a shared structural feature, the beta-lactam ring. The plant, to be operational in 2019, will be built on a plot of 10,000 square meters in the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Gasabo District. For its part, Moroccan Attijjariwafa Bank signed an agreement to buy 75 pc of the stake of Rwandan bank Compagnie Generale de Banque Limited (Cogebanque) for about $ 41 million. Cogebanque is Rwandas third largest bank by assets, which totalled $226 million at the end of the third quarter of 2015, while Attijariwafa Bank has been expanding in Africa. It has subsidiaries in Tunisia, Cote dIvoire, Senegal, and Mali, among other countries. Another Moroccan leading bank, BMCE Bank, which is chaired by Othman Benjelloun and which is active in some 20 African countries, will participate in a low-cost housing project in capital Kigali. Moroccos Palmeraie Developpement and the Development Bank of Rwanda will participate in the project providing for the construction of 5,000 low-cost lodgings. After Rwanda , King Mohammed VI will visit Ethiopia and Tanzania in his first tour in this part of Africa. Irans President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday urged authorities to be hospitable to foreign businessmen and investors to remove Iranophobia and promote the countrys economy and trade. in his speech to promote Iranian trade relations with the rest of the world, President Rouhani said, All the efforts of the government in the last three years including in the (nuclear deal) have been designed to remove obstacles in the way of businessmen, entrepreneurs, exporters of goods and services, entry of capital and banking relations, reports Middle East on Line. Our aim was to remove Iranophobia Iran is shouting with a loud voice that I am kinder than how I have been portrayed in the world, I want peaceful coexistence with the region and the world, Rouhani was quoted by the media outlet as saying. But seemingly, his standpoint is not shared by the hardline judiciary system which, just two days earlier, sentenced an Iranian-American businessman and his 80-year old father to 10 years in jail for espionage and collaboration with the American government, says Middle East on Line, which discloses the names of the defendants as Siamak Namazi and his father Baquer Namazi. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. Democratic Republic of Congos opposition veteran leader, Etienne Tshisekedi of the UDPS, on Tuesday chastised an agreement between the government and an opposition faction to postpone the presidential election in the central African nation to April 2018. The deal led by former Togolese Prime Minister Edem Kodjo was validated during a plenary meeting in Kinshasa and was signed by the ruling party and some opposition parties at the end of talks as part of the national dialogue. Parties to the dialogue compromised on the April 2018 election date proposed by the countrys electoral commission and the filing of candidacy is scheduled for October 2017. Inclusive national dialogue: the plenary adopted by acclamation an agreement for peaceful, credible and transparent elections in DR Congo, Edem Kodjo tweeted. The main opposition coalition led by Etienne Tshisekedi was absent during the dialogue but rejected the compromise. Jean-Marc Kabund, an official of Tshisekedis party, told AFP that they did not recognize the agreement they described as a working document. As far as we are concerned, this deal is just a working document. Under the said agreement Kabila gets to stay in power but with a Prime Minister from the opposition side. The mineral-rich nation is facing a lot of criticisms and sanctions after the electoral commission postponed the countrys election date. French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has said on Tuesday that the decision to postpone the election is not a solution to the crisis facing the country. A faction of the terror group Boko Haram has reportedly expressed its willingness to negotiate the release of 83 more Chibok girls after freeing 21 of the more than 200 abductees last week, the government said in a statement. The part of Boko Haram under the control of Shekau said the rest of the kidnapped Chibok girls estimated to be around 115 were with the Islamic State-allied splinter group, according to Garba Shehu, spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari. The Nigerian government was willing to broker a deal with the group, Shehu said. The ISIS-allied splinter group of Boko Haram said it is ready to negotiate if the government is willing to sit down with them, Shehu was quoted as saying. Around 220 girls were taken from their school in 2014 in Chibok in northern-east 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. The sect had called in its latest video on the federal government to release Boko Haram terrorists in exchange for the Chibok girls and it seems this demand still stands. A group of youth opposed to Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz have launched a nationwide initiative to stand in the way of the regimes plan to change the constitution to allow the former army general run for a third term. The initiative, named Impossible to change my constitution, was launched Wednesday. It calls on all political leaders in the opposition and public figures to sign up to an official commitment that they will never touch the second paragraph of article 99 of the constitution tackling the number of terms and pledge to take part in all activities aiming at protecting the nature of the constitutional provisions. Mauritania is buzzing with political enchantment about President Ould Abdel Azizs regime mulling plans to change the constitution to allow a third term in power for the countrys president. National dialogue organized by the regime to discuss proposals related to the creation of a Vice-Presidency position and replacement of the senate by regional councils had been boycotted by main opposition parties which foresaw the move as a ploy to attain the covert plan. The young activists argued that the initiative aiming at preserving the political stability of the country should be expanded to all political leaders, civil society movements. President Ould Abdel Aziz who has been in power since 1998 has maintained that he has no intentions to overstay in power at the end of his current and final tenure coming to an end in 2019. His entourage and ministers have called for constitutional reforms to allow him run again in 2019 in order to carry on with his development policies. Rwanda and Morocco Tuesday made giant steps to strengthen their ties with the signing of 19 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI who is currently on a visit to Kigali and Rwandas President Paul Kagame. The cooperation accords touched several domains including Agriculture, Housing, professional training, finance, tourism, new technologies, aviation, and renewable energy. At a high level, Rabat and Kigali decided to abolish visa requirements for officials of both countries holding diplomatic passports. Moroccos Salaheddine Mezouar and his counterpart Louise Mushikiwabo agreed to establish political consultations between the two countries. They also signed a MoU on cooperation in the realm of aviation. Also, Morocco envisages sharing its experience in security and counter-terrorism with Kigali authorities. Interior ministers of the two countries established a framework for such collaboration. Both countries also decided to fight tax evasion. Moroccos minister of economy Mohamed Boussaid and his Rwandan peer, Claver Gatete, signed an agreement to fight double taxation. The Moroccan official also signed an agreement with Francis Gatare, CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to protect both countries investments. In the area of finance, the new close partners rolled out carpet for deep cooperation. Morocco will initiate a microfinance program in Rwanda according to an overall agreement signed by Rwandas ministry of finance and Moroccos Central Popular Bank Group. Rwandas tourism industry will also benefit from Moroccos know-how. An agreement to materialize the exchange and cooperation was also signed between Abderrafie Zouiten, Head of Moroccos tourism authority and CEO of RDB Francis Gatare. In the area of health, Moroccos company of pharmaceutical cooperation, Cooper Pharma, and Rwandas Bank of Africa-Rwanda signed a MoU. Morocco will also build 5,000 low-cost housing in capital Kigali. The decision was confirmed by an agreement between Moroccos Palmeraie Developpement Hicham Berrada Sounni, Othman Benjelloun, who sits at the helm of BMCE Bank, active in some 20 African countries, and Rwandas Development Bank of Rwanda. Under another major agreement, Moroccos Attijariwafa Bank took over the control of Rwandas commercial bank, Cogebanque created in 1999. Attijariwafa Banks chief executive Mohammed Kettani said under the deal his bank buys 75 percent stake in Cogebanque and a statement from Rwandas presidential office said the deal was worth around $41 million. Like other large Moroccan companies, Attijariwafa Bank has been expanding in Africa and has branches in Tunisia, Cote dIvoire, Senegal, and Mali, among other countries. All these agreements are meant to offer a legal framework to bilateral cooperation in line with the Royal vision for Africa that is underpinned by solidarity, co-development and South-South cooperation. The Moroccan Kings visit to Kigali is the first leg of a tour started Tuesday that will also lead the Sovereign to Ethiopia and Tanzania. This tour is the first of its kind by King Mohammed VI in this part of Africa and takes place as the North African country is about to regain its natural place in Africas institutional family. A ground-breaking new study has been launched understand how to support families affected by autism as soon as they receive their diagnosis. The trial funded by autism research charity Autistica, will test whether offering the Incredible Years parent supporting programme to families very soon after their child is diagnosed can result in long-term benefits. Incredible Years programmes are already widely adopted by schools, playgroups and by parents both across Wales and internationally. By developing young children's social and emotional understanding, the Incredible Years programmes ensure that the children are ready to gain maximum benefit from their playgroup, school or home environment. A new adaptation specifically to support parents of young children with autism or language delay has been developed. Following a small trial in Gwynedd, the first to be run outside the United States, this new, larger trial is to be run across Wales, to test how effective the programme is in a Welsh setting and review its cost-effectiveness over time. If trials are successful, a new programme to support parents of young children with autism could be available in Wales and across the UK. As Prof Judy Hutchings, from Bangor University, who will be leading the research explains: "Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have associated difficulties including hyperactivity, anxiety, hypersensitivity to sounds and materials, sleeping difficulties, and difficulty in understanding and managing their emotions. Parenting children with autism presents its own challenges however the behavioural challenges indirectly rising from autism can cause the caregiver more distress and mental health problems than the core direct challenges of ASD. As well as contributing to smoother parenting and therefore less stress for both parent and child, improved parenting skills for parents of young children with ASD is vital because of the importance of the early years for child development." Prof Hutchings of the University's Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention (CEBEI), at the School of Psychology has been instrumental in both introducing and testing the effectiveness of Incredible Year and her own parenting programmes in Wales, including publication of her "Little Parent Handbook." The research will begin working with parents in the next few months, 72 families will be involved. One group will receive the programme first and their outcomes will be compared to a control group who will receive the support at a later date. Credit: Bangor University The parents involved in the earlier pilot found the experience very valuable, not only because they felt less isolated and could share experiences with parents in a similar situation, but also because they learned more about autism and new ways of interacting with, and engaging the attention of, their children. Claire Golding, a parent from Cricieth who attended the pilot course, said: "The course helped me adapt my parenting skills to meet my child's individual needs, this had a positive impact on us as a whole family." "I would recommend the course to every parent who has a child on the autistic spectrum." Jon Spiers, Autistica's CEO, said: "Communication and early intervention are one of the autism community's greatest priorities for research, so we're delighted to be funding a cutting-edge project that helps families at one of the toughest times in their autism journey. This project is incredibly valuable on two fronts: as a research project, it will inform future therapies, but it also has the added benefit of helping a number of families right now. We look forward to seeing the results, and if it is successful, campaigning for this service to be rolled out nationally so everyone in need can benefit." Professor Richard Hastings, Centre for Educational Development Appraisal & Research (CEDAR), at the University of Warwick, who is also involved in the research said: "The focus of our research is to improve outcomes in various dimensions of quality of life for children and adults with autism and their families and carers and so we're very interested to see whether this programme will provide a cost effective solution to help these young families." Dr Sue Evans, Consultant Child Psychologist, at Powys Teaching Health Board, said: "We are delighted to be involved in this research. We have a strong multi-agency Incredible Years (IY) strategy in Powys and the new IY Autism programme for parents integrates well with this, adding a post diagnostic support pathway for parents of young children with autism. So far we have run two successful pilot groups. We look forward to partnering in the research; running further groups for parents to contribute to evidence about the effectiveness of the programme." Explore further Helping children with autism transfer new communication skills from home to school A new report on Swedish men with non-aggressive prostate cancer suggests that a lot more American men could safely choose to monitor their disease instead of seeking immediate radiation treatment or surgery. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Oncology online Oct. 20, the report shows that well over half of 32,518 men in Sweden diagnosed with prostate cancers least likely to spread chose monitoring during a recent, five-year period over immediate treatment. Led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, an international team concluded that men are likely to choose monitoring once presented with the choice. Called active surveillance, the monitoring option relies on regular blood tests, physical exams, and the periodic biopsy, or sampling, of prostate tissue to screen for any signs of a tumor's growth before therapy is considered. The move to active surveillance, say the study authors, averts the risk of sexual dysfunction, as well as bowel and bladder problems that frequently accompany traditional therapies. "The main conclusion here is that if the majority of men in Sweden have adopted this management strategy for very low- to low-risk prostate cancer, then more American men might choose this option if it were presented to them," says lead study investigator and urologist Stacy Loeb, MD, MSc. Among the study's key findings was that from 2009 to 2014 the number of Swedish men with very low-risk cancer choosing active surveillance increased from 57 percent to 91 percent, and men with low-risk cancer choosing this option rose from 40 percent to 74 percent. Meanwhile, the authors report, the number of men in both groups who chose to simply wait, do no further testing, and postpone therapy unless symptoms developa passive practice called watchful waitingdropped by more than half. For the study, researchers analyzed data from Sweden's National Prostate Cancer Register, one of the few such national databases in the world (and for which nothing comparable exists in North America). Loeb, an assistant professor in the urology and population health departments at NYU Langone, and a member of Perlmutter, says that while increasing numbers of American men diagnosed with early-stage disease are choosing active surveillance, they still account for less than half of those for whom it is an option. "Our findings should encourage physicians and cancer care professionals in the United States to offer such close supervision and monitoring to their patients with low-risk disease," says Loeb. More American men opting for active surveillance, she adds, "could go a long way toward reducing the harms of screening by minimizing overtreatment of non-aggressive prostate cancer." Loeb says recent studies have suggested that some men with early-stage disease who opted for treatment later regretted it because of lingering problems, such as incontinence and impotence. A large study also recently showed no difference in death rates a decade after diagnosis between those who chose active surveillance and those who chose immediate treatment, Loeb says. Meanwhile, there is a greater risk of side effects among men undergoing therapy. She cautions, however, that this pattern has not been confirmed for the Swedish men in the current study. The U.S. National Cancer Institute estimates that 26,000 American men will die from the disease in 2016, with 181,000 getting diagnosed, most in its earliest stages. Explore further Men who forgo aggressive treatment for prostate cancer don't receive appropriate monitoring Nurses and midwives promoting anti-vaccination messages in Australia could face punishment, the industry regulator warned Thursday, as the country tackles recent outbreaks of preventable diseases. In response to increasing concern about anti-vaccination movements, Canberra last year introduced a "no jab, no pay" law blocking parents who refuse to vaccinate their children from accessing some government benefits. The move followed outbreaks of measles in Europe and parts of the United States, and local whooping cough and measles cases in Australia. Some of those who reject vaccination fear that a triple vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella could cause autism, even though the theory has been widely discredited by various studies. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) said it issued the warning after reports of a "small number" of practitioners who "promoted anti-vaccination statements to patients and the public via social media which contradict the best available scientific evidence". "The NMBA and AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) take their responsibility of public protection very seriously, and will take regulatory action on nurses or midwives who promote anti-vaccination statements to patients and the public," the regulator said. Australian midwife Belinda Henkel told Sydney's Daily Telegraph she would not remove anti-vaccination messages she had already posted on Facebook despite the regulator's warning, but would now support industry practice. "I'm not removing anything that I've got on the site but I've agreed to acquiesce to AHPRA's request and I have said that I will give unequivocal support to the vaccination regime that we have," she said. NMBA did not name individual cases, but said sanctions against nurses and midwives include being slapped with a caution and having their ability to practise medicine restricted. Serious cases could be referred to an industry tribunal, where practitioners face harsher penalties such as having their registration suspended or cancelled. The board also called on patients and the public to report nurses and midwives they had concerns about. "As trusted health professionals, nurses and midwives play a key role in helping people make decisions about their healthcare," NMBA chair Lynette Cusack said. "The board's statement makes clear its expectations of nurses and midwives when providing advice about vaccinations." Australia's Social Services Minister Christian Porter said in July immunisation rates had lifted since the introduction of "no jab, no pay". More than 5,700 children whose parents were receiving childcare payments and had previously registered as vaccination objectors had their children immunised, he said, adding that vaccination rates for one to five-year-olds had reached 93 percent for the first time. Explore further Australia to block government benefits for unvaccinated children 2016 AFP Credit: University of Leeds Bowel cancer patients are more likely to survive if treated in hospitals where lots of clinical research is taking place - even if they themselves are not involved in trials, a study has found. More people survived operations in these types of hospitals and patients were also more likely to still be alive when followed up five years afterwards, the University of Leeds researchers discovered. In fact, there was a nearly four per cent increase in the five-year survival rate for those treated in highly research-active hospitals. "It's important to note that these improved outcomes were seen across all bowel cancer patients within these hospitals and not just those in the clinical trials," said Dr Amy Downing, a senior research fellow at the University of Leeds, and lead author of the study. "We think that being more involved in research leads to better protocols, improved knowledge and better-trained staff, and this benefits the whole patient population." Co-author Matt Seymour, Professor of Gastrointestinal Cancer Medicine at the University of Leeds, added: "The effects may seem small - just a few per cent - but for a cancer that affects over 40,000 people in the UK every year a few per cent means a lot of lives. "We have long known that clinical research is crucial for discovering better treatments to help future generations of patients, but this study tells us something new. "It shows that, by getting involved in research trials, hospitals may 'up their game' and provide better care for all the patients they treat even in the short term, long before the results of those trials are known." For the study, which is published today in the journal Gut, the researchers looked at data from 209,968 patients diagnosed with bowel cancer in England between 2001 and 2008. The hospitals treating these patients were then split according to the percentage of patients taking part in clinical trials; those with more than 16 per cent of bowel cancer patients involved in trials over the course of a year were classed as having high research levels that year. The researchers found that death rates in the first 30 days after surgery were 6.5 per cent, and 41 per cent of bowel cancer patients were still alive five years after their initial diagnosis, in hospitals with zero years of high-research participation. But death rates after surgery dropped to five per cent, and 44.8 per cent of patients survived for more than five years, in hospitals with four or more years of high-research participation (i.e. 16 per cent or more patients involved in clinical trials a year, for four of the years between 2001 and 2008). Most of the hospitals conducting high levels of research were district general hospitals and the effects were not limited to cancer 'centres of excellence', said Peter Selby, Professor of Cancer Medicine at the University of Leeds and co-author of the study. "Our results allow investigators to show patients, healthcare commissioners and policymakers that being treated in a hospital active in clinical research is strongly associated with better outcomes for bowel cancer patients," Professor Selby concluded. "The data provide an additional incentive to integrate research into standard medical care." Professor Peter Johnson, chief clinician for Cancer Research UK, said: "It's crucial that NHS Trusts are involved in research and offer patients all possible opportunities to participate. "To achieve this, clear leadership is needed. This is why NHS England needs to publish a plan for how it will deliver on its duty to promote and support research in the NHS." Charles Rowett, chief executive of Yorkshire Cancer Research, which helped fund the research, said: "This paper provides concrete evidence of the importance of our extensive investment in bowel cancer research in Leeds. "Despite having higher cancer incidence and mortality rates than many other areas of England, Yorkshire has historically not received sufficient funding to address the specific problems that exist in our region. "We would urge all national and regional cancer research charities, the government and the NHS to work together so that everybody can benefit from the proven advantage of living close to research active hospitals." Health minister Lord Prior, whose policy areas include academic health research and the Cancer Drugs Fund, also welcomed the finding: "I am proud of the world-leading clinical research taking place in our hospitals which appears to also be having a positive impact on the lives of people suffering from bowel cancer," he said. "The fact that even patients at research-active hospitals who aren't on clinical trials have better outcomes demonstrates the hugely powerful benefit of research in all aspects of healthcare." The trial data that the study used was from the National Institute for Health Research's Clinical Research Network. Explore further New pre-surgery technique may make colostomy bags redundant for emergency bowel cancer patients Figure shows the proportion of problems and unmet needs encountered among Syrian children (percentage). Credit: SDMPH In any conflict children are among the worst affected groups, and in the Syrian Civil War the long term health and welfare of children will be greatly impacted due to the lack of access to immunization programs, little or no formal education, and in many cases missing both parents. A study by Elsafti et al, details the problems currently experienced by the children and raises concerns about the long term impact these problems will have not only on children within the Syrian border, but also on surrounding countries. According to the corresponding author, Gerlant van Berlaer, emergency pediatrician of the disaster research group in Brussels, the current critical situation of the Syrian children will leave its traces in the coming decades. One in five children does not have a home anymore, but is forced into temporary shelters, with insufficient access to safe drinking water, to proper sanitation, lacking healthy food needed for their physical and mental growth. There are literally no pediatricians left to watch over the children's immunizations and health. In the last five years, more than 300000 Syrian children have been born as IDP's or refugees, and most of them are not vaccinated at all. Two thirds of the children examined in our study showed signs of infectious diseases. Our findings, in line with UNICEF and WHO reports, raise serious concerns about the protection of Syrian children against malnutrition, preventable infections and epidemics in these austere circumstances. Not only inside Syria, but also in the surrounding and Western countries, where millions are in search for the refugee status today. Syrian children - the nation's last hope for a better future - are among the most vulnerable victims of the war: they have lost loved ones, suffered injuries, missed years of education, and witnessed violence and brutality. With more than half of them having no access to education, two thirds not having access to pediatric health care, the future of Syria will be jeopardized for decades to come. Explore further Urgent attention needed to improve education for Syrian refugee children, report finds More information: Abdallah Mohamed Elsafti et al, Children in the Syrian Civil War: the Familial, Educational, and Public Health Impact of Ongoing Violence, Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness (2016). Journal information: Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness Abdallah Mohamed Elsafti et al, Children in the Syrian Civil War: the Familial, Educational, and Public Health Impact of Ongoing Violence,(2016). DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2016.165 Provided by Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health A new compound, discovered jointly by international pharmaceutical company Servier, headquartered in France, and Vernalis (R&D), a company based in the UK, has been shown by researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Servier to block a protein that is essential for the sustained growth of up to a quarter of all cancers. The research presents a new way to efficiently kill these cancerous cells and holds promise for the treatment of blood cancers such as acute myeloid leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, as well as solid cancers such as melanoma and cancers of the lung and breast. It is published online today in the journal Nature. The Servier compound - S63845 - targets a protein of the BCL2 family, called MCL1, which is essential for the sustained survival of these cancer cells. Institute scientist Associate Professor Guillaume Lessene, who led the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute's research team in Melbourne, Australia, said the work provided the first clear preclinical evidence that inhibiting MCL1 was effective in targeting several cancer types. "MCL1 is important for many cancers because it is a pro-survival protein that allows the cancerous cells to evade the process of programmed cell death that normally removes cancer cells from the body," Associate Professor Lessene said. "Extensive studies performed in a variety of cancer models have shown that S63845 potently targets cancer cells dependent on MCL1 for their survival." Credit: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute The institute team of Associate Professor Lessene worked with haematologist Associate Professor Andrew Wei and Dr Donia Moujalled from The Alfred Hospital and Servier scientists, to demonstrate that not only was S63845 effective against several cancer types, but that it could also be delivered at doses that were well tolerated by normal cells. Dr Olivier Geneste, Director of Oncology Research at Servier, said this preclinical research represented major findings regarding the druggability of MCL1, a valuable and highly challenging target. "S63845 was discovered through collaboration with the fragment and structure based discovery expertise at Vernalis," he said. "As part of the ongoing Servier / Novartis collaboration on this target class, clinical development of a MCL1 inhibitor should be launched in the near future." Associate Professor Lessene said the research provided further evidence of the usefulness of a new class of anti-cancer drugs called BH3 mimetics. "BH3 mimetics inhibit a group of proteins known as the 'pro-survival BCL-2 proteins'," he said. "MCL1 is a member of this protein family, and inhibiting it activates the process of programmed cell death. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers revealed the role of BCL-2 in cancer more than 28 years ago and the essential role of MCL1 for the survival of malignant cells four years ago." More information: Andras Kotschy et al. The MCL1 inhibitor S63845 is tolerable and effective in diverse cancer models, Nature (2016). Journal information: Nature Andras Kotschy et al. The MCL1 inhibitor S63845 is tolerable and effective in diverse cancer models,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/nature19830 The News in Brief Nino Burjanadzes party enters Supreme Council of Adjara The 5% barrier has been crossed by four political subjects, and the Adjara Legislative Agency will be a multi-party body as a result. According to the preliminary data of the Supreme Election Commission, Georgian Dream has received 45% of the votes, the United National Movement 29.68%, Nino Burjanadze Democratic Georgia 5.9% and the Alliance of Patriots 5.27%. As for the majoritarian elections, all six constituencies in Adjara will see a second round of elections. According to the preliminary data, Georgian Dream will present 45 members in the Adjara government, the United National Movement 5, with Nino Burjanadze and the Alliance of Patriots both with one. (IPN) U.S. 6th Fleet Flagship Makes Port Visit to Batumi The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Batumi on Georgias Black Sea coast for a scheduled port visit on October 12. The flagship of the 6th Fleet, which is homeported in Gaeta, Italy, entered the Black Sea on October 10 to enhance maritime security, stability, readiness, and strengthen partnerships with our allies and partners, according to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa It is a great opportunity to come into the Black Sea to continue our partnerships with the Black Sea nations, Georgia being one of our best, and we look forward to this port call, Rear Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, Deputy Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, said. This is the fourth port visit to Georgia by the USS Mount Whitney. It delivered humanitarian aid to the port of Poti in early September 2008, less than a month after Georgia-Russia war; at the time Russian military forces were still maintaining two outposts in the outskirts of Poti. Mount Whitney also made port visits to Georgia in November, 2013 and again in October, 2014. (civil.ge) Russian guards illegally detain Georgian man near Tskhinvali ABL A Georgian man has been illegally detained by Russian-controlled border guards stationed at the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region from the rest of Georgia. The man has been identified as 28-year-old Giorgi Tsitsagi. Tsitsagi is a resident of the village of Plavismani in the Gori municipality. The man was detained near the Artsevi village on Saturday October 8 - the same day Parliamentary elections took place in Georgia. Titsagis family said the man was on Georgia-controlled territory when Russian guards kidnapped him. Authorities understood Titsagi had been taken to a detention centre in Tskhinvali and charged with illegally crossing the so-called border. This was the second time Titsagi has been detained by Russian guards near the ABL. The 28-year-old was detained several months ago, after which he spent two months at a Tskhinvali detention centre. The mans family fears it will now be more difficult for him to be released as it is his second time in detention. The illegal detention of Georgian citizens by Russian guards is a common practice near Tskhinvali ABL. The detainees are usually released once their family pays a fine. Titsagis family has not yet been contacted and asked for a fine from the occupied side. (agenda.ge) Government Refrains from Unveiling Details about POTI FIZ Deal The Government of Georgia has not unveiled details of the agreement with the RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority, under which a 85% stake in the Poti free industrial zone has been transmitted to Georgian authorities. The Ministry does not know whether the state-owned stake in FIZ will be sold. The Ministry of Economy of Georgia has answered questions put to it by the GBC news agency: Why has the LLC RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority Georgia withdrawn from FIZ? Answer: We would like to specify the information that the FIZ was managed by RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority and LLC RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority Georgia is its subsidiary. It should be also noted that RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority has not withdrawn from the FIZ completely. The company maintains a 15% ratio in the RAKIA Georgia Free Industrial Zone. As for the transmission of the 85% stake to the Government, the investor has taken the decision by itself in exchange for pardoning the fine that had been imposed on LLC RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority Georgia. Which obligations has the investor failed and why was the investor fined? What amount has been written off from the company in exchange? Answer: LLC RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority Georgia has not fulfilled obligations assumed under the agreement that was signed on May 25 2010 by Poti City Hall (assignee LEPL National Agency of State Property of Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development) and LLC RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority Georgia and the agreement signed on September 16, 2011 by LLC RAS Al Khaimah Investment Authority Georgia and LLC RAKIA Georgia Free Industrial Zone and Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. As for the fine amount and other details, this information is confidential, as required by the agreement, and this information may be divulged only by the company consent. What are the Governments plans in relation to the 85% stake in the FIZ? How does the government plan to develop it? Does the government intent to find a new investor? Answer: It is very important that we have maintained the status of a free industrial zone and the FIZ is being developed. We repeat that the investor has not withdrawn from FIZ and it still maintains a 15% stake. According to certain information, RAKIA plans to sell other assets in Georgia too. Do you have such information and why investors find Georgia less attractive? Answer: We do not agree with the notion that Georgia has become an unattractive country for investors. Georgias international positions in ratings, the governments economic policy, the existing liberal environment and official statistics prove that Georgia is a special country in terms of investment attractiveness. As for the question about plans to alienate the assets of a private company, this issue is beyond the competency of the Ministry. What are the government plans concerning the construction of Poti's airport? Answer: JSC Poti Airport was recently returned to the Government. Consequently, the governments position will be unveiled at a later date. (cbw.ge) Georgian developers plan Sheraton and Radisson hotels in Gudauri Georgias winter resort of Gudauri had 127% growth in visitors since last year. Now developers plan to build Radisson and Sheraton hotels there.Malkhaz Kunelauri from the real estate company RED-CO told journalists that the first phase of the planned new hotels involves the development of 10 hectares in the mountain resort.RED-CO plans to start construction work in November and finish in five years.The plans are prepared by the Canadian company Ecosign and in addition to Radisson and Sheraton they involve the construction of 26 buildings in Gudauri, including cottages and guesthouses.So in total there will be 1500 more rooms available in Gudauri, Kunelauri said.The investment amount will be USD 70 million.Vice Prime Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili yesterday visited Gudauri to familiarize himself with the plans. During the visit he said that the government has invested 170-180 million laris in the development of Gudauris tourism potential. The number of visitors to the resort increased 127 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to Kumsishvili.Ten rope-ways are under construction in Georgia; three of them in Gudauri. In total, 23 million laris will be invested to develop Georgias tourism potential, the vice PM said.He visited another construction site of the new hotel, which is carried out by the company Magi Style. It will be finished in 2018 and have 140 rooms. The price tag is USD 10 million. Russia - main actor in South European conflicts By Messenger Staff Georgias Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, sees Russia as the main actor in conflicts facing 'Southern European' countries.The Minister made the statement in response to the claim of the Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev who first visited Georgia last week and stated only one side is rarely to be blamed in unleashing the war.The President stated this when speaking about Russia-Georgia war in 2008. In the wake of the war, Russia has occupied two Georgian regions - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali - which constitute 20% of Georgia's territory.Atambayev said conflicts can be settled in a peaceful manner, without phoning Russia or Washington.Commenting on the topic, the Kyrgyz leader also said he supported Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity.There are unresolved conflicts in five out six Eastern Partnership countries - Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan - and the main actor in all cases is Russia, Tsikhelashvili said."We know very well what is going on in the neighborhood. What had been going on all these years and who contributed to the unresolved conflicts of the EU's Eastern Partnership countries, Tsikhelashvili added.The Minister continued it was wrong to argue about who is interested in these conflicts.We can consider whether we could avoid such open provocations. Our government has been doing everything over the last 4 years to avoid any kind of provocation. We maintained peace and stability, as this is a prerequisite for the development of our country, the Minister said.When in the 21st century a country becomes involved in the internal issues of so many other countries, it can easily be accused of triggering confrontations and interfering in other countries issues.Russia has always acted in its own interests. The entirety of the international community is aware of this but refrains from open confrontation; Moscow remains unpredictable, and the West has no desire to spark World War Three for the sake of countries like Georgia.Russia occupies 20 % of Georgia's territory and at the same time, on a daily basis, it erects new barbed wire barriers and so-called border signs, undertaking a creeping occupation operation despite the fact that the current Georgian Government does its best to somehow settle relations with Russia.In this way, Georgia cannot be accused of contributing to the unresolved conflicts of Abkhazia and Ossetia. The News in Brief Public Defender demands the allocation of a place for worship for the Muslim community The Public Defender of Georgia has echoed Muslims right to pray in the village of Mokhe. According to the Public Defenders Office, Ucha Nanuashvili has responded to media reports, according to which, in the village of Mokhe law enforcement officers blocked the entrance to a building where representatives of the Muslim community started to pray a few days ago. "The Muslim community believes that the building is a mosque, however, no decision has yet been made on the ownership of the building by a commission that has been studying the issues of the disputed building for 2 years. The Public Defender notes that access to a place of worship is one of the expressions of the freedom of religion, although the Muslim community is being deprived of the right, which may be regarded as discrimination. Clashes took place between the locals of the village in 2014 with regards to the above-mentioned disputed building. However, since then the state could not have taken active measures to eliminate the cause for a conflict that may any moment escalate the situation, says the statement of the Public Defender. (IPN) Six alleged election day troublemakers placed in pre-trial detention Six people who were arrested for participating in an attack on an election precinct October 8 were placed in pre-trial detention by Rustavi City Court on Friday. A crowd threw stones at and smashed windows at the 48th election precinct in the village of Kizilajo. There were reports that they wanted to steal the ballot box, but law enforcement bodies were mobilized before the box could be removed. A lawyer representing one of the accused said the six will appeal the courts decision after they have studied the argumentation by the city court. The court hearing will be held on December 6. The six were detained on October 13. Meanwhile, the Regional Court of Zugdidi, a town in the northwest of Georgia, placed one of the accused for attacking an election precinct in Zugdidi on 10,000 lari bail. The Prosecutors Office asked the court to place the accused in detention and plans to appeal this decision. The attack happened at the 108th precinct in the village Jikhashkari. (df watch) Steinmeier: Our relations with Georgia are constructive on visa waiver Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says his country's relations with Georgia regarding visa-free travel to the European Union (EU) are "constructive. Steinmeier made his remarks to the lawmakers of the Council of Europe (CoE) yesterday. Our relations with Georgia are constructive and I think this is recognised and acknowledged in Georgia, Steinmeier said when answering a question on whether Germany was ready to support visa liberalisation for Georgia, Ukraine and Kosovo. The German high official said Germany supported democratic reforms in Georgia and he and other German officials were in Georgia to promote Georgias visa liberalisation in the EUs passport-free Schengen Zone. This mont,h the CoE agreed it was time to begin negotiating with the European Parliament about the right to grant Georgian citizens a visa waiver and allow Georgian citizens to travel to the EU without a visa. Discussing and voting on Georgias visa liberalisation in the European Parliament is the final step before the country can be granted the right to visa-free travel. Several months ago in summer Germany blocked Georgias bid for a visa waiver. At the time Berlin officials said the German public was worried about a recent spate of home burglaries by Georgian criminal groups in Germany, diplomatic sources said. However, since then a range of meetings have been held between German and Georgian officials andGermany said it supported Georgias visa waiver. (Agenda.ge) Russia considers expansion of the Upper Larsi checkpoint Russia is considering expanding the Upper Larsi checkpoint, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said at the Russian-Armenian interregional forum. "Measures have been taken to simplify transportation of goods for the businesses of the Eurasian economic union at the only checkpoint which connects Russia and Armenia through Georgian territory. The issue of expanding the checkpoint is now being considered," said Sokolov. A total of 5 checkpoints currently operate in Upper Larsi according to the Russian Transport Ministry. (IPN) Its been six months since the Buzz last handicapped the most vulnerable congressional seats in Florida. Since then, the list of House-seat battlegrounds in the state -- and the intensity of several key races -- has only grown. Florida was already on track for a volatile season of congressional races, thanks to newly redrawn district lines, a contested U.S. Senate race that attracted U.S. House members, and a smattering of retirements. Recently, though, the vulnerability of several Florida Republican incumbents has continued to rise, due to the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump, which is expected to energize Latino voters and dampen support among moderate Republicans. In fact, earlier this month, when the Capitol Hill-based newspaper Roll Call named its list of most vulnerable House incumbents, three of the top 10 spots went to Florida Republicans. This is the fourth consecutive election cycle that the Buzz has published periodic rankings of the most vulnerable seats in Florida's U.S. House delegation, which includes 17 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Here are the seats we're keeping an eye on, in descending order by how vulnerable the incumbent party is to losing the seat on Election Day. Keep reading from Louis Jacobson of PolitiFact and the Tampa Bay Times here: @doug_hanks The day before he faces off against challenger Raquel Regalado in a debate focused on black voters, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez trumpeted a string of endorsements from local black leaders. Gimenez on Wednesday announced endorsements from North Miami Mayor Smith Joseph, former congressman Kendrick Meek, State Rep. Barbara Watson, community activist Tangela Sears and a string of other black leaders. The list released from his campaign included County Commissioners Barbara Jordan and Jean Monestime, who had endorsed the mayor before the Aug. 30 primary that left Gimenez and Regalado to face each other in the Nov. 8 runoff. The endorsements come the day before Gimenez and Regalado are slated to participate in the final debate in the mayoral race -- a 30 minute program on the gospel station WMBM 1490 AM. The live event starts at 10 a.m., and will be moderated by Miami Times editor Carolyn Gunnis and Jessica Garrett Modkins, a political consultant and owner of the Hip Rock Star public-relations agency (which has done work for Jordan, who endorsed Gimenez). The debate was organized by the Black Owned Media Alliance, a group that includes executives representing the Miami Times and WMBM. The group endorsed Gimenez over Regalado in the mayoral primary. @PatriciaMazzei Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo on Thursday became the latest vulnerable Republican to take on his political party's presidential nominee in a TV ad. "Forget these politicians," Curbelo says in his new, 30-second commercial. "This election is about you." Though Curbelo never mentions Donald Trump -- or anyone else -- by name, the images on the screen show Trump and Hillary Clinton expounding on cable news. The Clinton screen then switches to show Curbelo's opponent, Democratic former Rep. Joe Garcia. "Is this what we're teaching our kids now -- politicians from both parties bragging about offensive, crass behavior?" Curbelo says. The Trump side shows an "Access Hollywood" video of Trump bragging about forcing himself on women. The other side shows Garcia -- an allusion to how Garcia was caught on tape questioning Clinton's sex appeal (though Garcia never boasted about his remarks). "Degrading women," Curbelo says. Next, the Trump footage turns to Clinton, now appearing in a screen next to Garcia. "Lies and corruption," Curbelo says, this time alluding to the state and federal criminal investigations that engulfed Garcia's campaigns from 2013-15. Garcia was never charged with any wrongdoing, though his former chief of staff went to jail. "This election doesn't need to be about them," Curbelo concludes, promising to "fight for you." Curbelo doesn't support Trump or Clinton but has declined to say which candidate he'll vote for instead. The freshman congressman is embroiled in a difficult contest for Florida's 26th congressional district, which leans Democratic. The seat is so important to the GOP that House Speaker Paul Ryan campaigned for Curbelo on Wednesday -- refusing to take questions that would inevitably be about Trump. @jamesmartinrose A key LBGT organization in South Florida on Thursday endorsed Joe Garcia in his bid to win back from Rep. Carlos Curbelo the House seat that the Miami Republican wrested from him two years ago. The Miami-based SAVE group, formed in 1993, said it was supporting the Miami Democrat because of his work advocating equality. "During his term as congressman, Joe served South Florida's LGBTQ community admirably, garnering SAVE's Champion of Equality Award in 2013 for his sponsorship of the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act and his efforts to protect LBGT immigration rights," SAVE said in a statement. Long before joining the House in January 2013, the group noted that Garcia had led the Cuban American National Foundation, which he then headed, in opposing the repeal of Miami-Dade's human-rights ordinance. Once in Congress, Garcia served as vice chairman of the LGBT Equality Caucus. He helped pass bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, which extended protects against rape and domestic violence to members of the LBGT community. "One of my guiding principles is that every person should be treated equally," Garcia said Thursday. "That's why I'm honored that SAVE would recognize my work in support of the LGBTQ community." SAVE's endorsement of Garcia came six days after Log Cabin Republicans, an influential GOP gay-rights group, endorsed Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Carlos Curbelo of South Florida in their re-election races, along with five other incumbent lawmakers from across the country. via @learyreports Donald Trump has a new ad running in Florida that features a woman whose son was killed by an "illegal alien" in 2010. The woman, Laura Wilkerson, asserts that Hillary Clinton's border policy would allow other killers into the country. --ALEX LEARY, Tampa Bay Times via @learyreports In a continuing effort to reach black voters, Hillary Clinton's super PAC has a new ad contrasting Donald Trump's claim of being the "least racist" person with his words and violence at his rallies. Priorities USA Action said the ad is running in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina until Election Day. Clinton and her allies have made a push to energize African-American voters, who haven't been as enthusiastic as the 2008 and 2012 election. At a time when humans are exposed to more images and text than any period in history, the concept for "Present Tense" is felicitous. "The world, instead of getting less complicated, I think is getting more complicated," said Jordan D. Schnitzer, a Portland-based art collector. "Therefore, in an age when you're being bombarded with messages, with information, all the time, art and culture in my opinion are the last refuge." Schnitzer and his Family Foundation have amassed a collection of more than 9,000 prints by contemporary artists, which he offers for museum exhibitions at no cost. The Montana Museum of Art and Culture's showing, "Present Tense," narrowed the collection to the theme of text. It comprises almost 70 pieces spanning from 1965 to 2015, produced by 25 internationally recognized artists, only two of whom are no longer alive, Andy Warhol and Louise Bourgeois. To Jeremy Canwell, the MMAC curator of art who assembled the exhibition, the pieces employ text to set forth questions about language and meaning. "Each one is a kind of strategy," he said, "Or a different proposal." The messages are as varied as the mediums: Bruce Nauman's 2-inch think granite tile bearing the Roman-like text, "partial truth." Mark Bennett's meticulous lithographic blueprints of TV characters' homes. John Baldessari's lithographs of fish in jars that are labeled as "soups," but actually walk viewers through complementary colors. The works stretch from early conceptual pieces to present-day works that address racism and colonialism, power, information and knowledge. The oldest two pieces are "S&H Green Stamps," a 1965 lithograph by Warhol, and "Numbers," a 1967 lithograph by Jasper Johns. After World War II, Canwell said, abstract expressionism had placed New York as the center of the art world, displacing Europe with a homegrown American innovation. The accompanying prosperity after the war led to changes in American family and society, leading into the Cold War, consumerism and mass consumption, civil rights and other issues. Abstract expressionism, with its lionization of the individual, was found wanting by many artists. "Abstract painting didn't really provide a lot of ways to engage critically with those issues," Canwell said. The Johns lithograph, with its repeated rows of the numerals "0" through "9," bridges abstract expressionism and pop art, Canwell said. It's an example of artists at the time searching for the same bearings that accompanied physical sciences, what Canwell called "the desire to get away from arbitrariness and to make works of art that were absolute and necessary the same way we know the atomic weight of a molecule of gold. What can we really know? What can art, what can painting give us? What can this representation tell us that is an absolute truth about language or the human condition or some of these facts of life?" "In art, that is a massive area of human experience and human creative output: We don't know what the basic guidelines and principles of it are," he said. That's its beauty, but that led to a crisis of sorts in the mid-20th century, he said. *** Schnitzer grew up around contemporary art his mother opened a gallery in Portland when he was young and he began collecting at early age. He's enthusiastic about bringing contemporary work to audiences like Missoula, where chances to see work by major artists are few and far between, despite having a university. Only two years ago, the Missoula Art Museum curated a show from his collection, which is large enough that the works don't overlap. Schnitzer encouraged students, or everyone really, to visit and interpret the works as they will without worrying about arriving at the "correct" interpretation. "Each of us is a unique human being, and we're all the sum of everything we've ever experienced, learned, seen and done," he said. That "pre-loaded" experience results in our own view, the result of critical thinking that's an important skill to thrive in the modern world, whether students pursue the arts or the sciences. He thinks artists have a dual role: to create beautiful objects, and to challenge people. This particular show is dominated by artists in the latter category, he said. The collection is tightly focused on contemporary art, and he's familiar with objections to abstract art over representational works. "Every one of your readers, when they walk out of their house and they see those fabulous mountains around this community, they wake up to the river I woke up to this morning bubbling along, there's no greater abstract art than the shapes and forms on the streams," he said. He said viewers should apply the same expectations they have with music: They don't expect a concrete meaning from a symphony, only an experience. The unorthodox materials of many of the prints will expand many viewers' notions of the medium: Nauman's granite block; an LED display by Jenny Holzer that trails slogans in text; or a painting-like monoprint by Mel Bochner that literally asks, "do I have to paint you a picture? "Artists will be at the forefront of using different techniques to engage audiences," he said. *** The Paxson Gallery contains many of the earlier works, while the Meloy contains a selection of younger artists addressing racism and other issues. Lalla Essaydi's chromogenic print is impossible to miss when you walk into the Meloy. The Moroccan artist photographed a woman reclining on a couch, surrounded by draperies. Seemingly every square inch of the surface - the linens, her clothes, her skin, is covered with calligraphy. Canwell said she's re-creating and commenting on the tradition of 19th century Orientalist paintings, in which white European men indulged in exoticism. She's "subverting this tradition where white men determined the meaning of Arabic women's bodies." A 2012 piece by Glenn Ligon, an African-American conceptual artist, act as a visual and thematic bookend to the Johns piece. In an untitled etching and aquatint diptych, Ligon repeats the phrase "negro sunshine" in a similar fashion to Johns' numbers. He found the term in "Melanctha," a 1909 novella by Gertrude Stein in which the writer multiple times uses the phrase, "broad glow of negro sunshine." Ligon starts the phrase in the upper-left corner with a stencil and a grease pencil. As he proceeds line by line, the first letters become more smudged and less legible. Ligon then photographs the piece, creating an "obliterating light," as Canwell called it, at the near-center that further decreases the letters' legibility. "It becomes a metaphor for black experience in American history," Canwell said. The show ends with works by Holzer, many of which are "truisms" in authoritative, sans-serif, all-capital letters, such as "use what is dominant in a culture to change it quickly." He said that one question the works in "Present Tense" collectively seem to ask is how to define freedom in the age of mass marketing. One answer is the ability to critically engage with language, he said. Actress Lily Gladstone says she and everyone who worked on "Certain Women" knew that director Kelly Reichardt's film was special. Whether its quiet, contemporary stories about four women in the Livingston area reached audiences or would be a sleeper hit was the open question. A recent string of recognition indicates that the film, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival, is reaching viewers. "When anyone is nominated, it's a validation that the project is as spectacular as you thought," she said in a phone interview from Oregon, adding that "it's exciting that Kelly's work is being picked up by a more mainstream audience all the time." Last weekend, "Certain Women" won best film at the 60th London Film Festival, put on by the British Film Institute. On Thursday morning, the nominations for the Independent Film Project's Gotham Awards were announced. The film is in competition for Best Feature, going up against against Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some!!," Kenneth Lonergan's "Manchester by the Sea," Barry Jenkin's "Moonlight" and Jim Jarmusch's "Paterson." Meanwhile, Gladstone, a 30-year-old Native Montanan, was nominated for Breakthrough Actor. Gladstone's competitors for the award are Lucas Hedges ("Manchester by the Sea"), Royalty Hightower ("The Fits"), Sasha Lane ("American Honey") and Anya Taylor-Joy ("The Witch"). A win would put Gladstone in the company of esteemed actors, all of whom were acknowledged not long before they did indeed break through to the mainstream. Previous winners include Melissa Leo ("Frozen River"), Ellen Page ("Juno"), Amy Adams ("Junebug"), Maggie Gyllenhaal ("Secretary") and Michelle Rodriguez ("Girlfight"). The winners will be announced on Monday, Nov. 28, at a ceremony in New York, which Gladstone will attend with Reichardt. Gladstone said the award and nominations demonstrate that audiences are hungry for complex films. She said "Certain Women" has an underlying theme of entitlement: what various characters feel they're owed and how they try to achieve it, but added that Reichardt doesn't manipulate the audience or underline that theme too overtly. "It's nice that audiences are drawn to works that haunt them and don't hand everything to you," she said. "This one does touch a deep nerve for a lot of people on a lot of different levels." Gladstone learned of the award when she checked her phone Thursday morning and found a stream of text messages and Facebook notifications from friends and family. She also has a following with fans of co-star Kristen Stewart who keep her up-to-date on new articles. She said she was stunned, made a call to mother, and then had to head to work: "I'm in the middle of a work week. I'm excited and honored and overwhelmed and elated and moving on" to her next projects. Gladstone is in Ashland, Oregon, working on an Oregon Shakespeare Festival production for next summer, "Off the Rails," an adaptation of the Bard's "Measure for Measure." She and her agent are discussing other movies that are in the earliest stages, ones that she can't discuss publicly. *** Reichardt wrote the screenplay based on short stories from Helena native Maile Meloy's collection "Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It." The film is structured in three parts, each focused on a separate character. Laura Dern plays an attorney dealing with a difficult client; Michelle Williams stars a woman seeking a pile of sandstone from an elderly man's yard to build her Montana dream house. In the final and longest section, Kristen Stewart portrays a recent law school graduate teaching a night class in a rural community. Gladstone, a solitary ranch worker, happens upon the course and develops a connection with Stewart, who seems to interrupt the stillness of her routine. Rolling Stone listed Gladstone among 12 "breakout stars," and Variety called her performance "revelatory." Gladstone was cast based on a video audition for her character, who has a significant amount of screen time but not an overabundance of dialogue. She said Reichardt wondered aloud if Gladstone's and Kalispell-born Williams' comfort with silence is a "Montana thing." Gladstone grew up in Browning on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, with tribal affiliations including Kainai, Amskapi Piikani and Nimi'ipuu First Nations. Her family moved to Seattle when she was 11. She returned to Montana to study theater at the University of Montana and has toured nationally with the Montana Repertory Theatre, a professional company in residence at UM. In addition to theater-based social justice work, she's had roles in a number of Montana-made films: "Winter in the Blood," Alex and Andrew Smith's adaptation of James Welch's novel; director Arnaud Desplechin's "Jimmy P.: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian," which starred Benicio del Toro; and "Buster's Mal Heart," a film by Sarah Adina Smith that features "Mr. Robot" star Rami Malek that's now in limited release. "Certain Women," shot in the Livingston area with ultra-realist Montana winter gray, premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It had its home-state premiere in early October at the Montana Film Festival and will return for an open run at the Roxy Theater starting Nov. 4. HELENA In the race to be Montanas next state auditor, Republican Matt Rosendale, a state senator from Glendive, is leading Democrat Jesse Laslovich, chief legal counsel in the office hes running for, by 10 percentage points. But nearly a quarter of voters have yet to make up their mind in the race, a statewide poll commissioned by Lee Newspapers found. Rosendale is supported by 43 percent of those polled; Laslovich by 33 percent. The poll found that 24 percent of people surveyed were still unsure how they will cast their ballots. Mason-Dixon Polling and Research contacted 1,003 registered and likely voters early last week by landline and cellphone. The poll has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. The state auditor is a deceptively titled office. It does not audit anything, but the office regulates insurance companies and securities and prosecutes fraud cases. There have been two efforts to change the name in the state Constitution to the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, but voters shot that down in 2006 and 2014. Officeholder Monica Lindeen, a Democrat, is term-limited from running again and is a candidate for Secretary of State. Rosendale said he hasnt paid much attention to polling. I try to block it out of my mind and continue to do my work, he said Wednesday. Laslovich said he wasnt surprised by the results. The poll went out as his campaign was ramping up, he said. Our TV ads started running, we did our mail then." The high number of undecideds could reflect the lack of understanding about the auditor's role, as well as unfamiliarity with the candidates, said Lee Banville, a political researcher and journalism professor at the University of Montana. A lot of these races oftentimes come down to, Do I recognize that name, do I know what party theyre with? he said. Rosendale has been in the state Senate since 2012, became majority leader in the 2015 legislative session and ran for Congress, so voters could be more aware of who he is. Laslovich was a state representative from 2000-2004 and a state senator from 2004-2010, representing Anaconda. He ran for the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2012 and was defeated by Pam Bucy. Like many other statewide races, this one could all come down to how Independents 27 percent havent settled on an auditor candidate vote. Even more than people that identify with one party or another, they seem up for grabs, Banville said. Independents are leaning toward Rosendale, with 44 percent supporting him over 29 percent for Laslovich, a 15-point difference. About a quarter of Republicans are undecided, which may speak to hesitation among party members to unite behind a candidate, said UM political scientist Christopher Muste. Rosendale said he and other statewide Republican candidates who could end up serving on the Land Board are campaigning together in an effort to build party cohesion. The board is made up of the five statewide elected officials (governor, secretary of state, attorney general, auditor and superintendent of public instruction) who manage state trust lands to benefit schools. I dont know that anybody has done that in the recent past to show the Land Board, all five of the candidates, going out and saying we are united, he said. When youre going to different offices around the state and the volunteers are there, and they see that theres unity, that helps them and they see our enthusiasm. It basically creates that synergy. Laslovich said Independents are concerned about the Land Board preserving access to the outdoors. He plans to push that issue hard in the weeks before Election Day. Thats why we feel very strongly once people learn about my position on public access that those Independents will turn out for us, he said. Muste said while Rosendale has a commanding lead, Laslovich can still come from behind if he makes a really strong campaign push. Banville said Laslovich can do that by making a strong argument that Rosendale doesnt have the experience to be the state auditor. Moreover, Laslovich should highlight his endorsements, including from the Chamber of Commerce, which typically does not endorse Democrats. Laslovich should talk more about his record of prosecution in fraud cases and point to work hes done to help people who are fighting insurance companies, Banville said. But a lot of those past successes are insider-ish and wonky, such as participating in an expansion of Medicaid that rolled out better here than in some states. Thats not the stuff that fits well on a bumper sticker. Both pundits said Rosendale has done well by railing against the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare. That resonates with a lot of Montanans, both Independents and obviously Republicans, but also small businesses, folks forced to go out on the small market and purchase health care. He can hit that message hard, Banville said. Up until Election Day, Rosendale said he will continue to travel around the state talking to voters. Its critical to make sure youre out in front of folks. I really am pleased with the positive message weve been able to bring forward, he said. Laslovichs approach is the same. Well be on TV with the rest of the candidates. I hope that resonates with people. Its on the ground, too, he said, adding he and other Democrats will hold get-out-the-vote events around eastern Montana soon. The consumer protection element, the broad support weve gotten from organizations throughout the state, that will resonate with people, he said. The only poll that matters is Nov. 8. To pull off a win, Laslovich needs to make sure Democrats vote in his contest, Banville said. I think this is one of those races where a lot of it rides on, for Laslovich, Democrats understanding whats at stake with this office. It could be switching out of their partys control. If theyre a Democratic voter and casting their ballot they have to make sure theyre filling out that circle. What sort of energy mix for Montana is best, especially as we talk about the partial shutdown of Colstrip? Colstrip Units 1 and 2, which are wholly owned by utilities outside of Montana, will be decommissioned soon because Washington and Oregon legislatures have decided that their utilities will no longer be powered by coal. That will free up some 600 megawatts of transmission, which can then be used to transmit other Montana-grown energy. The best energy mix provides the safest, most reliable, least expensive, and cleanest power. For western Montanans served by Northwestern Energy, that mix includes cost-effective renewables. NWE's current energy portfolio contains far more wind and hydro (about two-thirds, combined) than coal. How do you balance the needs of a utility, for example NorthWestern Energy, and still act as a consumer watchdog? The PSC is charged with regulating privately held, investor-owned utilities that form natural monopolies, to ensure that customers receive safe and reliable service at a fair and just cost. In exchange for honoring those provisions, utilities have the opportunity to make a fair return on their investments, which benefit customers and investors, alike. Recently NWE asked to recoup $8.2 million in rates due to a poor business decision that resulted in an extended outage at Colstrip Unit 4. In this case, since NWE was clearly at fault, the PSC (minus two dissenting votes, including my opponent's) said No to the utility. What steps, if any, should be taken to encourage conservation, and at what cost to consumers? When I served on the PSC before , I worked hard to advance the amount of energy conservation at NWE. The cheapest energy by far, is the power we never use. At $20-25 megawatt hour, energy efficiency is about half as costly as its next rival, which is wind. Promoting programs that conserve energy benefits the utility, its customer, and the environment. When the incentive to sell more electricity in order to increase profits is removed from the equation, and coupled with policies that create incentives for energy conservation, the utility is kept whole, and customers benefit. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester wants to help Montana Millennials "Montennials" work on serious problems, such as climate change and the cost of higher education. Wednesday, though, University of Montana junior Tristen Hollist requested permission to ask the Democrat visiting the Missoula campus a question about a "non-serious" matter. "When are you going on tour with Pearl Jam again?" said Hollist, who posed the only question at the event. In fact, Tester considered the question legitimate, and he may very well consider time backstage with bassist and Montana native Jeff Ament more fun than time in Washington, D.C. "Hopefully sooner rather than later," said Tester, a Big Sandy farmer. Congress is "pretty damn dysfunctional," he told some 20 people outside the University Center, and he's ready for college students to take the helm. This week, the senator launched his #Montennial Tour to connect with youth on the cool wet morning. "Hanging out with Montana millennials is certainly better than Washington, D.C., any day of the week," Tester said. Although lawmakers are constantly campaigning, Tester isn't on the ballot in November. His angst about dysfunction among political leadership and desire to pass the baton to the next generation mirrors similar calls from other high- profile politicians and activists during a presidential campaign that's often been reprehensible. In a letter to young people this week projecting a loss for Republican candidate Donald Trump, actor and activist George Takei said he's seen worse in his "eight decades," but he's pleased that "in 20 years, you will all be in charge." "You give me much cherished hope, through your heart and your passion and your commitment to the future, to this nation, to this planet," said his letter published in The Daily Beast. On campus Wednesday, Tester said he planned to travel across Montana to hear from "Montennials" about everything from campaign finance reform to climate change. He holds an online town hall meeting from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 30, at tester.senate.gov/montennial. At the Wednesday event, Sam Forstag, president of the Associated Students of the University of Montana, lauded Tester for his support of making college more affordable and making sure students who are parents with young children can get an education, too. The cost of education is increasing, and federal and state support is low, he said. "At a time like this, it's more important than ever," Forstag said. Tester has supported the extension of Perkins loans for low-income college students and he also co-sponsored a resolution that urged Congress "to recognize the importance of Perkins in reducing the cost of higher education," according to his office. Hollist, the lone student asking a question, said he believes higher education is still key to the American dream and to tackling something "bigger than yourself." As for Pearl Jam, he once bought fan apparel at a concert. "I still have the shirt. I, kinda like, wish I was wearing it." Two large redevelopment projects got the green light to move forward Wednesday from the Missoula Redevelopment Agency's board. The MRAs board of commissioners first unanimously approved forwarding a recommendation to the City Council to authorize Mayor John Engen to execute a $2 million purchase agreement. The money would go to buy a 12-acre property near Southgate Mall to construct a new bike path and build a new public park. The land currently is owned by Montana Rail Link. The board then unanimously approved up to $291,341 in Tax Increment Financing to help a mapping technology company, onXmaps, build a new three-story, $2.3-million building on Stephens Avenue to accommodate its rapid expansion. The TIF money would apply only to improvements in the public right-of-way and infrastructure upgrades, since it is within an urban renewal district. The board agreed with MRA staff that the project will help create high-wage jobs in Missoula that have a low environmental impact. OnXmaps estimates it eventually will hire 64 new employees over the next two years. *** The project to purchase the 12-acre property between Johnson Street on the west, South Avenue on the south, North Avenue on the north and the Bitterroot Branch railroad tracks on the west will allow the city to complete the bike/pedestrian path all the way from East Missoula to Hamilton uninterrupted. A new bicycle/pedestrian overpass bridge over South Reserve is almost complete. Montana Rail Link has agreed to sell the triangle-shaped property for $2 million, which equates to about $3.80 per square foot. That is well below the market rate for land in the Missoula urban core. For example, some lots closer to downtown are listed on Zillow right now for as much as $49 per square foot. Other lots farther out toward Reserve are listed for $15 per square foot. The difference between the market rate and the purchase price is coming in the form of a donation from Montana Rail Link, which is owned by the Washington Corp., founded by Missoula billionaire Dennis Washington. MRL will establish the fair market value of the property through a qualified licensed appraiser. When the city paves that four-block portion of the bike path, and another one-block portion between South and Livingston, it will remove the only obstacle for pedestrians and cyclists on the entire Missoula to Hamilton trail. No designs for a public park on the property have been finalized, but the city is hoping to take input from residents of the neighborhood. Montana Rail Link prides itself on being a good neighbor and strong community partner across our network from Huntley, Montana, to Sandpoint, Idaho, explained MRL president Tom Walsh. Over the years, we have partnered with the city of Missoula on many projects, including granting easements to extend and improve the trail system throughout the valley. "When the city of Missoula identified the need for a park on the citys southwest side and approached us about donating the Johnson Street property for this purpose, we jumped at the opportunity to provide the land for a substantial park and also the final link in the trail system from the Clark Fork River to the Bitterroot Valley." He said MRL has 450 employees in the Missoula area. They and their families, along with the community, "will enjoy and cherish this trail for generations to come, he added. MRL will have naming rights for the new park. If the City Council approves the project, the city will issue Urban Renewal District III tax increment financing bonds for about $2.2 million or $2.3 million to purchase the property and design and build the trail segment. The amount is over $2 million because investors who purchase the bonds will expect a return on their investment. The redevelopment agency staff also proposes to use the $389,000 remaining in the 1995 Open Space Bond Fund to help with the purchase of the property. The Open Space Advisory Committee will have to authorize the purchase beforehand. Engen was at Wednesdays meeting to express his support for the project. Montana Rail Link and the Washington Companies have been great partners over the years in helping the City of Missoula enhance trails and recreational facilities, he said. This partnership turns a blighted lot into a beautiful park in a neighborhood that really needs it and, at the same time, completes the Bitterroot Trail. This is a great piece of business that builds community. A spokesperson for Montana Rail Link said the company intends to keep the tracks that run through town toward the Bitterroot Valley in good shape in case a client in the Bitterroot ever needs rail service. Costco is looking to build a new 154,000-square-foot wholesale superstore on West Broadway, west of Reserve Street, and wants the city to annex the land into city limits. The project is expected to generate 10,482 weekday trips from customers, as the site will also have a gas service station with 24 pumps. The property, which is on the south side of West Broadway about 4,500 feet west of North Reserve, is vacant. The new design, which would include a store about 30,000 square feet larger than the present Costco, would include a massive parking lot. Under the terms of a development agreement with the city, Costco would be required to construct a portion of Mary Jane Boulevard from West Broadway to Camden Street to accommodate additional traffic, including bike lanes and five-foot sidewalks. A new traffic signal at Mary Jane Boulevard and West Broadway also would have to be built. Drew Larson with the citys Development Services staff said the new roadway would provide additional egress and ingress for the additional traffic, some of which would be routed through the Pleasant View Homes subdivision. There are several different options on the table for how the streets around the new development would be constructed to accommodate traffic. Several City Council members expressed concerns for the way traffic would increase in the area. I dont want that neighborhood to be inundated with traffic," said council member Julie Armstrong. "I would request that we have multiple meetings with neighborhood councils to see what they want, because there are so many kids in this neighborhood and bringing more traffic into that would be a nightmare for those families." David Rogers, a representative with Costco Wholesale, traveled from Washington state to make the request for annexation to the City Councils Land Use and Planning Committee on Wednesday. He said Costco has been looking for a number of years to relocate its existing warehouse on Reserve to a site that would allow the company to build a Costco with all the bells and whistles that Missoula deserves. Rogers did address the fact that there have been rumors that Costco had been looking at other sites in Missoula. Though I wont go into where that site is, we had been looking at another site in the city and it was a parcel assemblage and we were not able to come to terms with one of the property owners, which caused us to come back to the site were looking at today, he said. Rogers brought a traffic engineer with him who provided the committee with background on the traffic impact work that has been done to date and how it plays into the annexation element thats related to the construction of Mary Jane boulevard. He said the company has developed a transportation impact study, which has been submitted to the Montana Department of Transportation, which then accepted it as long as the new traffic signal is constructed. Committee member Michelle Cares wanted to know if a roundabout was a possibility rather than a signal, and the traffic engineer responded that an evaluation showed that the signal was the recommended option because there are already two other signals to the east and another one to the west. Also, the size of the roundabout would have to be large in that area, and there would have been right-of-way issues. Officials from Costco did not say what would happen to the old Costco or whether it would remain open, but they termed the project a relocation. Gloria Bush Andrew cried the hardest. She's been going to Modern Beauty School since she was 3 years old, way back when it was housed in The Wilma. On Wednesday, the school graduated its final student, 22-year-old Cambria Grieser. Soon she'll start working at Burton's Classic Hair Co. By the end of the month, Modern Beauty will close and some of the remaining students will head to the Bitterroot School of Cosmetology in Hamilton to finish their education. "It breaks my heart that the school is closing after so many years," Andrew said. She's a regular, heading to the school for its slashed prices she gets a shampoo and set for $8 and giggly conversations with the students. On Wednesday, she showed up minutes before Grieser wrapped up her final manicure, placing a set of rollers on the table as a gift. "My friends always got me to do their hair and makeup and I had fun with it," Grieser said of why she wanted to go to cosmetology school. She started last fall. At 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, she applied a top coat, finishing her 2,000th hour. Owner Lynn Startin handed her a graduation cap that her peers had signed, Grieser clocked out, rang the cowbell and everyone cheered a tradition every time someone graduates. Andrew hugged nearly every person in the room, wiping away tears as she posed for a photo with Grieser. *** The school is at least 80 years old, Startin said, and it's the only cosmetology school in Missoula. It has clients who've been coming for years, some of whom went to the school when it was in The Wilma. Startin moved the school to the Paxson Plaza 24 years ago, and three years ago moved it to its current location, on Mullan Road. "I'm only the fourth owner in all that time," Startin said. Startin said she's closing the school because of staff departures and increasing federal regulations. In a typical year, she had 40 to 65 students, "kids" as she calls them. This fall, she's down to 10; she stopped taking new students this spring. An instructor left and Startin wasn't able to fill the position. "Normally I can take a class until I find somebody else, but there's no one else," she said. "I can't staff it." After years of working 16-hour days, Startin said she wasn't able to take on the extra work "without there being an end in sight." That setback was further complicated by "government regulations burying for-profit schools," Startin said. She's referring to controversial federal regulations put in place this summer after years of complaints against for-profit colleges such as ITT Technical Institute, which shuttered its more than 140 locations this fall and filed for bankruptcy. "For-profit schools struggle with federal regulatory demands," Startin said. "I have constant calls right now from salon managers looking for graduates. I can't imagine what it will be like a year from now trying to staff a salon here." *** On average, Modern Beauty graduated 40 students a year. Cosmetology schools in western Montana have nearly 100 percent placement rates. After Missoula's closes, the next closest are in Hamilton, Kalispell and Butte. "The students I have, I feel bad that they're going to have to travel," Startin said. "But I feel better that I didn't start more students (knowing it would close)." Startin also has two staff members who will now be "back in the job pool" once the school closes. The school's last day for clients is Oct. 27. On that Friday, Oct. 28, students will pack up their things and head out. From 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, the school will hold a sale. And the next day, they officially move out. "Missoula's been so good to us," Startin said. The most popular promotion at the school has been $5 haircut Mondays, when the school is so packed with clients it's sometimes hard to move. They have a lot of regulars, clients who like the lower prices and same quality even though it sometimes takes a little longer. "I think it's weird there won't be a school in Missoula," Grieser said. "It seems too big a place to not have a school. But in a way, it's good for her (Startin), because she's been doing this for so long." Grieser's final client was Megan Rodriguez, a May graduate of the school. Now, Rodriguez works at Tres Chic Hair and Nail Salon. She's sad to see the school close, and worries about the remaining students who now have to make the daily trek to Hamilton. "I have three kids," she said. "I wouldn't want to be gone that extra hour every morning and night." Student Jessica Clark is one of the remaining students. She'll head to Hamilton for school until she finishes in January. But it's a huge adjustment to her schedule, since she also has a job as a caregiver. Clark will have to leave by 6:45 in the morning to get to school, meaning she can no longer work her caregiver job then, which usually started at 6:30. Now, she'll have to work at night after school is out which in and of itself is like a full-time job, Startin said. Superintendents and teachers from across western Montana are cautiously optimistic about the Every Student Succeeds Act, a new law that tosses out the controversial No Child Left Behind and is supposed to return more control to states and local school districts. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., hosted a roundtable discussion Tuesday afternoon at Missoula County Public Schools' business building. Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau and senior adviser to the U.S. Education Secretary Ruthanne Buck joined him, as did superintendents from Montana school districts. The goal, Buck said, is to hear comments and concerns of educators nationwide as the U.S. Department of Education continues to write regulations and guidance surrounding Every Student Succeed's implementation. ESSA went into effect in December, replacing No Child Left Behind, which was enacted in 2002. Tester and Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke voted for ESSA. Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines voted no, saying the law "fails to provide states with needed flexibility and control over federal education funds to best address the needs of local students." In March, Juneau appointed two work groups of 33 teachers, parents and school board members to help develop the state's plan. Montana will move from No Child Left Behind to ESSA next school year. "Local control is critical," Tester said. *** That all sounds nice, superintendents said, but will it be reality? The argument against No Child Left Behind was that the federal government had too much control over education, holding funding hostage if states didn't meet certain benchmarks tied to annual standardized testing. ESSA is reported to relax that control, and let states and local districts decide accountability for themselves. "Is there really going to be local control or is that just words on a page?" said Great Falls Public Schools superintendent Tammy Lacey. Lacey said she has "more questions than answers" about ESSA and agreed with Juneau that she doesn't want ESSA to turn into "No Child Left Behind 2.0." "For the record, neither do we," Buck said. "Will we learn that accountability drives what's taught in our classrooms?" Lacey said. "We know and saw that happen when we tested math and reading, what happened in schools, where the focus went." She's referring to a common criticism that NCLB encouraged "teaching to the test," specifically to the requirement for annual standardized tests on math and reading for grades 3-8 and once in high school. Because the results of those tests fed directly into federal accountability measures, schools were forced to put emphasis on those subjects while programs such as art, music and career-technical education were "decimated," Lacey said. "What we are hopefully going to get to in the accountability regulation is a more holistic, well-rounded approach ... where states have the flexibility to determine what factors they're going to use in their accountability system," Buck said. As state planning gets underway, Office of Public Instruction deputy superintendent Candy Lubansky said the accountability piece has been the first area of focus. Starting on that foot "makes us kind of nervous," Lacey said, because it's deja vu of No Child Left Behind. "We need to make sure we've learned a lesson about blame and shame, that it doesn't work, and tying student achievement to teacher evaluations," Lacey said. *** Evergreen School District superintendent Laurie Barron said she's still worried about federal overreach when it comes to ESSA's rules and regulations. "I would ask the department to please not add language that's not part of the law," she said. Barron's also concerned that ESSA implementation is happening too quickly. While it goes into effect next school year, she said schools should not be identified as in need of support or improvement at the start of next school year "based on (20)16-17 NCLB data." "This rushed timeline may lead states to maintaining the status quo or making only minor changes to plans," she said. "At that point we end up in accountability plans that mirror NCLB. We should not be rushed to create a weak product just to get it done." Educators also stood firm on allowing states to determine how they measure success, pointing to formative assessments over summative assessments the former, assessments along the way that inform what's happening in the classroom; the latter, a final assessment at the end of the year, the results of which may not be available until after the class has moved up a grade. "Statute does not require each school to be rated by a single indicator," Barron said. "Please do not reduce schools to a single number or letter." The Department of Education has not yet produced a final ruling on its four regulation areas, one of which is accountability. Buck said the department has received 20,000 comments on accountability and while she couldn't discuss specifics of the process, "a lot of what you're saying is being reflected in those comments." "Yours and Tammy's concerns ... we're hearing echoed across the country," Buck said to Barron. School Administrators of Montana executive director Kirk Miller, however, said the Department of Education should be "technical assistance" only, and "move as far away from regulation and even the guidance as possible." "That naturally moves us away from the sanction and shame feeling of NCLB to support and encouragement coming all the way from the feds as a result of the Department of Education working in that manner," he said. Data collection has become a "burden," Miller said, noting that educators seem "destined to paperwork to fill out forms for things they don't see value in." While Buck recognized it can be burdensome, she said the information is valuable in learning about the disparities between states and school districts. The state should take on some of that responsibility, Juneau said, to not duplicate data collection the state is already doing and to relieve Montana districts most of which are rural and have limited resources. "There is, I think, a realistic callousing among professionals in education as to what's coming next," said Corvallis School District superintendent Tim Johnson. Johnson said "from a cynic's perspective," ESSA does seem somewhat like NCLB 2.0 because "I'm seeing some of the same language being used." The University of Montana has been awarded a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop an interdisciplinary program involving food, energy and water, University Relations announced Wednesday. "Montana is an ideal laboratory to examine connections and trade-offs related to food, energy and water," said Andrew Wilcox, associate professor in the Department of Geosciences. According to UM, graduate students may work on a variety of topics of regional and international importance, including "trade-offs between food and energy production in river and rangeland systems ... climate variability, drought, and agricultural systems; and tribal and indigenous issues." A student may investigate how hydroelectric dams affect downstream river systems, and how to work with dam owners and operators in ways that allow the production of renewable energy but also maintain fish habitat, for instance, Wilcox said. His team and students already have worked on dam management and removal issues. "I'm hoping that research within this broader food-energy-water nexus training program can both build on what my group has done already but also to more directly contribute to conversations about management in Montana, the region, internationally," Wilcox said. Wilcox, also assistant program director, said the grant builds on UM's existing strengths in the subject matter, and it also will offer graduate students a shift in their education. "We are part of an important kind of wave, both in terms of thinking about new approaches to graduate education, but also in terms of an area of high national and international priority," Wilcox said. In the past, graduate education often focused on preparing students for the academic field, he said. The National Science Foundation grant places an emphasis on preparing graduate students to go into other disciplines as they more often do, Wilcox said and work with professionals outside academia. "If you are a geomorphologist, (you will learn) how to make sense of economics information when you're out in the workplace," for example, Wilcox said. The program is called "UM Bridges: Bridging Divides across the Food, Energy and Water Nexus," and the money for it will be dispersed over the course of five years, he said. UM Bridges, which will exist after the grant is complete, will include interdisciplinary classes, workshops, internships, international experiences, and "cutting-edge research." This school year is the first year of the program, and program planning is underway, Wilcox said; UM will bring on its first cohort in fall 2017. He said the grant is directed at graduate students in the STEM disciplines -- science, technology, engineering, and math -- including physical, biological, and social sciences, as well as economics, sociology and geography. UM is already focused on the subject areas, but the grant will allow faculty to work across disciplines more than they have in the past, he said. Collaborators will come from the College of Forestry and Conservation, College of Humanities and Sciences, School of Journalism, Missoula College, and Salish Kootenai College. Money may go toward stipends, tuition, travel and research. OK, Montana. We have gone back and forth and around and around about medical marijuana in this state for more than a decade. Its time for us to settle on the best course of action and work toward making it as compassionate, realistic, effective and enforceable as possible. Initiative 182 takes Montana in the right direction. It would allow thousands of seriously ill Montanans to access a relatively affordable medicine that is proven to relieve a range of symptoms, from the anxiety and insomnia that often accompanies post-traumatic stress disorder to the nausea and loss of appetite that comes with many cancer treatments. At the same time, I-182 provides reasonable restrictions on medical marijuana businesses, with thoughtful limits and requirements on both providers and their products, to prevent the sort of problems Montana saw when the industry was almost completely unregulated. This is the sane, sensible solution thats eluded this state since the first medical marijuana initiative was approved by voters back in 2004 by a margin of 62 percent in favor to 38 percent opposed. Many voters who supported the measure were shocked just a few years later when the number of registered cardholders approached 30,000 and the number of providers neared 5,000. More concerning than the numbers, however, were the tales of shady businesses offering to connect those wanting a green card with physicians willing recommend one after seeing a new patient for only a few minutes, and of equally shady pot shops proliferating in communities across Montana. So it was little wonder the Montana Legislature sought to crack down on rampant abuse of the states medical marijuana law. It was disappointing, however, that instead of improving the law, legislators sought to override the will of the voters and just repeal it. In fact, a repeal bill was passed in 2011, only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Unfortunately, a bill considered the next-closest thing to repeal was allowed to become law without the governors signature. Senate Bill 423 was challenged in court almost immediately, and has spent the last several years being picked apart by lawyers. Meanwhile, some of the most contentious portions of the bill were delayed from taking effect. This year, the parts of SB 423 that had been held up in court were finally allowed to take effect. The ensuing fallout has marked a shameful chapter in Montanas history. Thousands of our seriously ill family members, friends and neighbors are suffering needlessly, unable to legally access relief for their worst symptoms. Many are turning in desperation to powerful, addicting narcotics that may offer pain relief but do not help with other symptoms, such as nausea, and have scary side effects of their own. Take improperly, these drugs can cause serious damage and even death something that is not true for cannabis. Of the numerous problems with SB 423, the most egregious is its limitation on providers to only three patients each effectively cutting off access to medical marijuana for the vast majority of registered cardholders. I-182 would rectify this while also creating a licensing system to ensure providers are meeting important standards. Dispensaries would be subject to unannounced yearly inspections from state inspectors, rather than law enforcement, and the fees collected from providers would go to fund this inspection system. Police would still be free, of course, to investigate anyone suspected of breaking the law. I-182 would also allow much-needed testing to occur, so patients and providers alike could study different products, measure exact dosages and be informed of the various strains and their effectiveness on various symptoms. It is worth noting that, as Montana has wrestled with whether and how to regulate medical marijuana, 25 other states have enacted laws to allow the legal possession and use of medical marijuana. Four states and the District of Columbia have also legalized marijuana for recreational use; however, Montana is not currently considering whether to legalize marijuana for this purpose. Voters are being asked to decide only whether an oncologist, for example, can recommend that cancer patients suffering from pain, nausea and loss of appetite apply for a card allowing them to purchase medical marijuana, and be assured of its safety. I-182 is the solid footing on which we should base ongoing discussions about compassionate laws and effective regulations. Voters should show our fellow Montanans fighting for their lives and their health that we havent abandoned them, and help pass I-182. By voting yes on Initiative 177, you are supporting public lands your hiking, fishing and hunting lands being open to the public without fear of harm to yourself and your four legged friends who recreate on state and federal lands. I-177 qualified for the November 2016 ballot by submitting qualified signatures in 50 Montana House districts, with over 34,000 signatures statewide. We believe the time is now for removing indiscriminate, baited and unattended traps from our public landscape. Trapping is the opposite of ethical, fair chase hunting, where the hunter goes for a clean kill. Hundreds of non-target wildlife as well as domestic pets are trapped each year, and the state of Montana has only a recommended a 48-hour trap checking policy. Be a safe and alert user of your public lands. Take a course in releasing pets from traps. When hiking with your dog, bring a strong strap and wire cutters. Vote yes on I-177 to end indiscriminate trapping on our public land. Tamzin Brown, Bozeman Endorse. According to Merriam-Webster.com the definition of endorse is: "to publicly or officially say that you support or approve of (someone or something)." Ryan Zinke and Greg Gianforte endorse Donald Trump for president; therefore, they publicly support and approve a man who: Brags about being able to sexually assault a woman. Brags about attempting to commit adultery. Brags that he could kill someone and get away with it. Brags about not financially supporting the country he wants to lead. Publicly ridicules a disabled person. Publicly ridicules the father and mother of a soldier killed in combat. If this is the character of a person Zinke and Gianforte endorses, what does that say about these two men? Do they reflect and approve of these traits and actions? Were they not able to recognize the kind of man they were endorsing? Are they afraid to stand up to the Republican Party and refuse to approve and support the character and actions of Donald Trump? Or are they simply not capable of dealing with a bad decision. Whatever caused Zinke and Gianforte to support and approve of Donald Trump, Montana deserves better. We deserve a representative and a governor who can stand up, be strong and not embarrass us. We deserve a representative and a governor who can discern when a bad decision is made and deal with it. We deserve a representative and a governor who does not support someone who advocated sexual assault. We deserve a representative and a governor who believes it is unpatriotic to be rich and pay no taxes. We dont deserve Rep. Ryan Zinke and we do not deserve Greg Gianforte. Loren Pinski, Missoula Strolling through the woods or along a creek on a beautiful fall day with our hunting dogs bounding happily nearby is, to many of us, the perfect Montana day. Unfortunately, what seems like the perfect outing for us can be deadly for our dogs. Over the past 15 years, our German Wirehaired Pointers have been caught in five different traps hidden in the woods baited with meat. Luckily, they survived. The noose traps up the Ninemile nearly strangled them. The leg-hold traps in the Garnet Range smashed their paws. The dogs survived because they wore electronic collars and were found quickly. If they had been caught in a larger trap, such as a Conibear, survival would have been unlikely, no matter when we found them. Under current law, trappers have more rights to use public land than bird hunters, or anyone else with a dog. Trappers dont even have to put up warning signs. If your dog is captured in a trap and you remove or damage the trap, you can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to six months (MCA 87-6-601). The incidental take of dogs and other non-target species (eagles, lynx, bears, wolverines) is one of the many reasons why hunters like us support Initiative 177, which limits trapping on public land: Trapping has no resemblance to fair chase. Wildlife is for all Montanans, not for the personal profit of a few. Trapping is no more a time-honored tradition than commercial harvest of deer and elk was prior to 1895. Limiting trapping to private land will not begin the slippery slope to outlaw hunting. The right to hunt is guaranteed in the Montana Constitution. Nancy Winslow and Doug Webber, Missoula Greg Gianforte is the only choice for governor. He took a risk to start his own business and spent years creating high-paying jobs. He understands what create jobs and how taxes impact that process. Steve Bullock does not. Gianforte is using his own money in this race while Bullock, a lifelong politician, is taking money from out-of-state donors and unions. Gianforte believes in school choice while Bullock, controlled by the school unions, tells parents he knows best what kind of education should be available to their children. Steve Bullock has had three lieutenant governors, including a woman who left under questionable circumstances and he never directly explained why she left. This has not happened since 1933. He also inherited a $500 million surplus, now down to $100 million and accepts no responsibility for it. His lack of leadership is apparent. Bullock claims that Gianforte, from out of state, prevented stream access and is not qualified. Not true; read the details. Same old Democrat smokescreen. Bullock, educated in California and New York, worked in Washington, D.C., has done little but spent taxpayers money. It is time to throw all the bums out and elect a businessman. Vote for Gianforte. Scott Erickson, Clancy Most voters are unaware that in 2015, Congressman Ryan Zinke voted to rescind country of origin labeling of retail beef. This action resulted in a surge of beef imports, contributing to a crash in the cattle market. Prices for feeder calves this fall are 42 percent lower than last year. This amounts to an average of $600 less per calf for the 1.2 million feeder calves Montana ranchers sell annually. In terms of Montanas economy, about three-quarters of a billion dollars is not available to ranch families to purchase Christmas presents for their kids, a newer car, upgrades on worn-out machinery or a night out on the town with the spouse. This is money that is not flowing through Montanas economy and affects everyone. To put this in perspective, this fall there are a lot of political attack ads accusing Democratic candidates of somehow causing the closure of coal mines even though it is not plausible that these candidates had any influence or effect on low international coal prices, the actual reason why coal companies have declared bankruptcy. And we should understand that coal mining contributes less to Montanas economy than does ranching. I dont know how any other single congressional vote could have had a greater negative consequence to Montana as did Zinkes rescinding of country of origin labeling. Gilles Stockton, Grass Range HAMILTON Bigfoot is coming to Hamilton. While it may not be the actual creature of lore, many of the men and women who have spent years hoping to unlock the secrets of Bigfoot will share what theyve learned at the second annual Big Sky Bigfoot Conference. The event gets underway Friday, Oct. 21, at a town hall meeting featuring a presentation by Misty Allabaugh of Columbia Falls. She had her own sighting when she was a teenager and has been researching Bigfoot for over 20 years, said the events organizer, Sarah Lederle of Missoula. She is going to have some really interesting information to share. The town hall meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Bitterroot River Inn. The big day for Bigfoot starts early Saturday with a presentation at 10 a.m. by Montanas contingent of Bigfoot field researchers, Caitlin and Thomas Ertz and Tom Brodhead. The three will present evidence and reports theyve gathered here under the Big Sky. Before the day is over, convention goers will hear from the legendary Bob Gimlin who 49 years ago witnessed history as the Bigfoot that he and his partner, Roger Patterson, named Patty was caught on a grainy few moments of film that captured the imagination of millions. This is our second Bigfoot convention, Lederle said. The first one was held at Hot Springs, but frankly we didnt have enough room. People came out the woodwork to be a part of it. Thats not a surprise for Lederle. There are Bigfoot conventions all over the United States that attract large crowds, she said. They are being held all over the place, she said. There is a big one in Ohio. I recently attended one at Kennewick, Washington, where there was over 500 people. Its a real thing thats a little bit under the radar. As of Thursday, more than 100 people had preregistered for the Hamilton convention. Its hard to tell just how many well have, she said. We have people coming from all over the country and Canada. There are a bunch of people coming from California. The furthest person registered at this point is from Vermont. Lederle is certain the lineup of speakers are part of whats driving the interest. We have Dr. Jeff Meldrum coming, she said. Hes a professor from Idaho State University who has been in several TV documentaries. An export in foot morphology, Lederle said Meldrum has a huge collection of footprint casts that hell share. Its where Sasquatch legend meets science, she said. Kathy Strain is an anthropologist who has been collecting Native American stories about Bigfoot for decades. Writer Russell Acord is a Corvallis native who has spent years researching and writing about the subject. John Mionczynski is a wildlife biologist and naturalist who had his own experience with Bigfoot back in the 1970s. Hes super interesting, Lederle said of Mionczynski. He knows a lot of about ecology and how a creature of that size could survive. The 85-year-old Gimlin is the conventions guest of honor who will certainly share about his experience in the forest alongside Californias Bluff Creek. People can come and find out what the best researchers have to say, Lederle said. Ive found that people are interested in Bigfoot because they love a good mystery. They just love the thought that there is something thats not explained still on this planet. We like to think we know everything about everything, but there are still new species being discovered all the time, she said. Honestly, I think thats what humanity needs, something to reach out for, to discover, to understand. Thats why I love this subject. There is a suggested donation of $5 to attend the town hall meeting Friday night. The cost of the Saturday conference is $30 at the door. After covering the costs of the event, Lederle said the remaining money raised will be donated to the Bitter Root Humane Association. For more information, go to mtbigskybigfootconference.blogspot.com/. BILLINGS - Jared Addison Terhune was sentenced Thursday to 100 years on each of the 12 child sex abuse charges against him. Terhune, 40, was sentenced to 100 years to the Montana State Prison with a 25 -year parole restriction. Terhune was charged in February with five counts of sexual assault, three counts of sexual intercourse without consent and four counts of sexual abuse of children. Each charge carried a sentence of 100 years, although the sentences will run at the same time. He will be designated a level-two sex offender. Five children between ages 2 to 13 reported being abused by Terhune while at Sunshine Daycare or after meeting him there. Though Terhune's attorney requested Yellowstone County District Court Judge Michael Moses suspend 75 years of Terhune's sentence, Moses said it was not his place to do that. "Can he be reintegrated into society, I cant answer that," Moses said. "Im not smart enough to deal with that. Im just a judge." One of the children's mother spoke during the sentencing. Her daughter cringes around men she does not know, the woman said. She will not wear a bathing suit. Her daughter's innocence is gone. "Why let him out? Hes a predator," The victim's mother said." He preyed on innocent children through his mothers daycare." Sunshine Daycare at 432 Declaration Ave., was licensed as a family child care center since 2010 with an enrollment of six children. It closed in August 2014, a month after the first report of abuse was made to police. Terhune's mother, Sunshine West, is the listed care provider for the center, according to the State of Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. According to court documents, Terhune was in charge of the children when West was not present. Another mother submitted a statement to the court regarding how the abuse has changed her daughter's life. The woman described how her daughter came forward to protect her younger sister. The girl blames herself for Terhune's imprisonment, the woman said. The girl's mother also shoulders blame for not protecting her daughter, she said in her statement. Terhune no longer denies any of the charges. In open court, Terhune said everything the children had reported was true. He also admitted to possessing pornography of children under the age of 12. Child pornography makes children into repeat victims every time someone views these images, Senior Deputy County Attorney Mary Barry said at the sentencing. There are no mitigating factors in this case, Barry said. Terhune took the stand at his hearing. He told the court he was molested from the age of eight until he was 10 years old. The guilt these victims will feel for the rest of their lives is something no child should have to live with, Terhune said. "I should have just killed myself a long time ago, I know that now," Terhune said. He wished he had gotten treatment sooner, Terhune said. "Ill do everything I can to make things as right as I can," Terhune said. "Im so very sorry. There is nothing I can say that will make anything I did right." Terhune's past history of victimization did not excuse his actions, Moses said. "Of all the people who can understand the pain and suffering of these victims, why he would do that to someone else boggles the mind," Moses said. "Harm that has been caused here is just simply incalculable and horrendous." Terhune's mother was called to testify in court, but ended up declining to take the stand in Terhune's defense. West operated a day care from 1998-2007, closed for three years, and then reopened in 2010. Prior to 2010, West was licensed for group home child care as well as family care. In a group home, West looked after up to 12 children at a time and would have needed a second adult to look after the children. A second staff member's name is not listed. An 8-year-old alleged Terhune had abused her since she was five or six years old. Terhune abused her during the few months before he was arrested. West told the 8 year-old victim's mother that police had arrested Terhune for molesting children.The mother asked her 8-year-old later if Terhune had ever touched her, and the girl began to cry. The girl reported Terhune had told her it was "a secret between them." West denied Terhune's actions to the parent of one of the victims, and said another mother's daughter had "tried that sh--, saying Jared touched her, but they were just playing and wrestling," according to an application for a search warrant in the case. According to court documents, a child, who was 7, reported the abuse to officers in July 2014. The girl formerly lived in an apartment in the basement of the day care. The child said Terhune touched her vagina while he was wrestling with her. He also touched her during a camping trip with the day care, court documents state. A 2-year-old reported Terhune had used his finger to hurt her "pee pee and her butt." Another 7-year-old reported Terhune had assaulted her while she was asleep and tried to bribe her with pie to show him her underwear. She said she refused, but that later while she was sleeping Terhune took photos of her underwear, which she later saw on his camera. She said the abuse escalated to him allegedly touching her under her underwear and rubbing her, saying he was checking her for ticks. A 13-year-old came forward in May and reported Terhune touched her in July 2013, when she awoke during a backyard camping trip to find her pants undone. She went inside the home day care and went to sleep in the basement. She said she woke up again and allegedly found Terhune with his hand down her pants. A search of Terhunes electronic devices revealed an extensive collection of child pornography. There was also a printed image of child pornography found in Terhune's possession. Since 1998, 40 children have been enrolled in some type of day care through West, according to DPHHS records. KALISPELL (AP) A defendant who prosecutors called a drug enforcer was found guilty Thursday of deliberate homicide in the stabbing death of a man whose body was left in a creek near Creston. Jurors deliberated for about four hours before finding Robert Wittal guilty in the May 26 death of Wade Rautio. He could face 10 to 100 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 17. "We still have three more co-defendants," Deputy County Attorney Andrew Clegg said after the verdict was read. "We're not done yet." Earlier this year, co-defendant David Toman led Flathead County authorities to a spot where he said Rautio was killed and told officers he had witnessed the death. Prosecutors told jurors that Wittal killed Rautio in his role as an enforcer for a drug dealer, Melisa Crone, the Daily Inter Lake reported. Defense attorney Steven Scott argued that there was no physical evidence linking Wittal to the crime and that Crone, Toman and another man, Christopher Hansen, were part of an elaborate plot to frame Wittal. Wittal, 29, testified that Crone wanted Rautio dead because of thefts and to prove her power over others. Wittal said he warned Rautio, 35, to leave town because he was in danger. "He didn't deserve what they did to him," Wittal testified through tears. Christine O'Lexey, Wittal's girlfriend at the time of the killing, testified that Wittal had threatened to slice Rautio's throat the day before he was killed, the Flathead Beacon reported. Crone, 29, testified that Wittal told her that he had stabbed Rautio 100 times. A forensic scientist said Rautio had been stabbed 25 times, including a fatal cut to his jugular vein. Crone, Hansen and Toman have pleaded not guilty to accountability to deliberate homicide in Rautio's death. BILLINGS The man arrested after being pulled over with more than 50 pounds of marijuana asked to be released without bond Wednesday so he could make it to his cancer surgery next week. Travis Sean Tubert Jackson, 39, was denied release without bond after Justice of the Peace David Carter said the charges against him were too concerning to warrant the request. Carter held Jackson in place of a $10,000 bond. Jackson was charged with two felony counts of criminal possession with intent to distribute and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Jackson's attorney, Timothy Baldwin, asked the court to release Jackson so he could travel to Seattle for cancer surgery. Jackson had no felony history and has lived at the same address in Washington for 13 years. Jackson has no ties to the Billings community, however, Carter said. The amount of drugs allegedly being carried by Jackson also concerned Carter. Jackson was arrested Tuesday while traveling east on Interstate 90, near the exit for King Avenue West. A Montana Highway Patrol Trooper pulled over Jackson for driving 11 miles over the posted speed limit, court documents state. Jackson told the trooper he was driving from Washington to Wisconsin and Minnesota. The trooper asked Jackson to answer more questions, at which point Jackson "gave some vague answers" about having a medical marijuana card, according to court documents. The trooper asked if he could search Jackson's rental car, and Jackson said no. Another trooper had his K-9 check Jackson's car and the dog picked up the odor of drugs, according to court documents. Jackson was held while troopers obtained a search warrant from Yellowstone County Judge Mary Jane Knisely. The troopers found nearly 50 pounds of marijuana in three sealed bags, 28 syringes containing butane hash oil, 36 packages of hashish and another 28 grams of marijuana. A compressed puck-shaped material that smelled like marijuana was also found, according to charging documents. Troopers confiscated the drugs and $2,087 in cash. MHP has taken the cash as evidence and requested it be forfeited if it is proven the money was connected to drug distribution. HELENA - Joseph Smietanka, 33, of Clancy, has been identified as the man who died Wednesday when a car crashed into a lake south of Helena. The driver of the car apparently failed to negotiate a turn on a dirt road before the vehicle ended up in Cox Lake, which is located near the intersection of Dry Gulch Drive and Arastra Gulch Road about three miles south of Helena. Smietanka died at the scene, said Lewis and Clark County Coroner Bryan Backeberg. His lifeless body was found in the 1999 Subaru Outback Legacy, which was resting in 10 to 15 feet of water. The crash was reported just before 7 p.m. Wednesday by a 32-year-old Helena woman, who was with Smietanka in the car. The woman was taken to St. Peter's Hospital, where she was treated for signs of hypothermia, according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Mike Zufelt. Officials are working to determine who was driving the car at the time of the crash. Crews were working Thursday afternoon to recover the car from the lake. Further details on the crash remain under investigation, Zufelt said. BILLINGS If in fact an army marches on its stomach, the veterans attending Thursdays Homeless Veteran Stand Down event were in perfect lockstep, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the women in Passages Culinary Arts Program. Seven female inmates honing their culinary skills under the direction of Chef Instructor Megan Jessee prepared and served 300 lunches to veterans, their families and service providers during the Stand Down, hosted by Volunteers of America at the Shrine Auditorium. Roasted turkey, loaded mashed potatoes, vegetables and a pumpkin cheesecake dessert were on the menu. We have high expectations, and they usually exceed them, Jessee said while her charges were plating meals for the Stand Down, now in its seventh year. This is really good experience, and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of this today, said Adrienne Upshaw, whos set to graduate next month from the 18-monthlong culinary program. Its great to get to meet people and show them our skills. Bill Holder, Volunteers of America director, said that about 45 providers including hair stylists, nurses, massage therapists, veterans service groups, shelter operators, job service providers and educators gathered under one roof to serve the up to 150 veterans expected to attend the Stand Down. "Stand down" is a Vietnam-era term referring to a safe retreat for units returning from combat operations. In past years, the event also provided clothing to veterans in need, but Holder said a New Jersey warehouse full of surplus clothing burned, and event organizers instead relied on local donors for clothing, books and other essentials. Holder said he enjoys hearing veterans stories each year during the event. One fellow today applied for (housing) at Independence Hall. I heard the story of what got him in a homeless situation, and Im able to assess his willingness to do the things that are necessary to prevent him from being homeless again, Holder said at about mid-morning Thursday. As we speak his application is being processed through the Veterans Administration. As a veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq, Salvador Hernandez was inquiring about tribal benefits from Vincent Goes Ahead, director of Apsaalooke Veterans Affairs, which serves 438 of the Crow Tribes veterans. As long as youre doing what you need to be doing, you should get what you deserve, said Hernandez, 31, whos working on a degree at Montana State University Billings. Its extremely great to have all this information so that veterans know where to get the help they need. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock dropped by to talk about a veterans assistance program that provides free confidential counseling for veterans in crisis. Bullock said the program, initially rolled out during the stand down event in Great Falls, is an extension of a counseling program offered to state employees. Over the past year, five former Montana soldiers died by suicide, Bullock said. We ask so much of them, the governor said. We need to make sure they get the services they need. BERLIN A policeman has died of injuries suffered when a 49-year-old supporter of a fringe group that rejects modern Germany opened fire on officers sent to his home to confiscate his weapons, the authorities said on Thursday. The gunman, who was not identified, was arrested and slightly wounded in the confrontation on Wednesday, said the police in the northern Bavarian region of Middle Franconia. On Wednesday evening, the police said the badly wounded officer had died, but it retracted that statement a few minutes later. Several hours later, they reversed themselves again, issuing a statement that the officer had died early Thursday of serious gunshot wounds. The officers identity was not released. Copyright 2022 HT Digital Streams Ltd All Right Reserved Butte lived up to its reputation as one of the most Irish cities in America with a visit Thursday from the Irish ambassador to the United States, Anne Anderson. Anderson is in Montana this week for the American Conference for Irish Studies in Missoula. During her Thursday itinerary, she took a bus tour of Anaconda and later Butte, where she attended a reception at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives. She also visited the memorial for the 1917 Granite Mountain-Speculator Mine disaster, where nearly 200 men died, and read letters written by people whose lives were touched by the fire. That memorial, it would move you to tears, really, said Anderson in a talk she gave during the reception. Both the story of what happened, but particularly those letters, with such courage and fortitude and the heroism that was in evidence there. Anderson also spoke on the experiences of Irish immigrants, who uprooted themselves from their homeland and tried to carve out a life in an unfamiliar place. It is genuinely really moving to come to Butte, listening to the national anthem being sung here in this room, said Anderson. A tremendous sense of continuity and pride and thinking back to those who originally came here from Ireland. The adjustment to the life here must have been so challenging for them in so many ways. A different climate, the different culture, the different landscape, the rigors of the mines, she continued. What it must have been like and the courage and grit it took to settle in and make a home of it. After the reception, Anderson spoke with The Montana Standard. She said that, although this is her first visit to Montana, shes heard people in Ireland speak of the Mining City before, especially in the Beara Peninsula, where many of Buttes Irish originated. She said what keeps ties between Butte and Ireland strong is the people's pride in a common ancestry. She pointed out that cultural activities in Butte, such as the An Ri Ra Irish festival, help to connect young people to their roots. Butte Irish turned out to see the ambassador, including Lee Whitney, who was a contributor to the book Butte's Irish Heart. Whitney said Butte was once an Irish stronghold in the United States, boasting a per-capita population of Irish immigrants that rivaled cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. Whitney grew up in Dublin Gulch, which she said was just one of several Irish neighborhoods that also included Corktown, Muckerville, and Anaconda Road. Many of Buttes Irish came for the copper mines. As Whitney noted, mucker comes from a term that refers to someone who shovels ore or waste into mine cars. We had a great childhood, all of us, said Whitney of her life in Dublin Gulch. We are pretty proud of the fact that we came from such an Irish neighborhood and that sprit, that same spirit that brought those people here, exists today in Butte. Cindy Powers, founder of the Tiernan Irish Dancers in Butte, also came to the Archives on Quartz Street to see the ambassador. Her husband Tom Powers is in an Irish band called Dublin Gulch, and he sang the Irish National Anthem during the event. The Montana Standard asked Powers how Butte residents manage to keep Irish heritage alive. I think the two are just so deeply linked. And its a heritage that everyone is proud to carry forward, she said. These sentiments were echoed by several speakers during the reception. Chief Executive Matt Vincent presented the ambassador with a bottle of Headframe Spirits Orphan Girl Bourbon Liquor Buttes version of Irish cream whiskey. Vincent said headframe refers to the mining gallows that dot the landscape in Butte, and he pointed out that each mine had a name, including the Orphan Girl. (Given) the fact that Butte has a higher number of Irish per capita than any place in America, at 27 percent, the chances are that the Orphan Girl, although shes not named, is probably Irish. Indeed there were many orphaned girls in Butte whose fathers met their demise below ground. St. Marys Church, a largely Irish Catholic congregation, was known as the parish of widows. According to church records from 1929, 22 percent of female parishioners were widows. However, one of the most horrific mining accidents in Butte was the 1917 Granite Mountain-Speculator Mine Fire. On that tragic day in 1917, a lamp ignited an electrical cable more than 2,400 feet below the earths surface. As the fire spread, it consumed the oxygen in the well-ventilated mines, leaving the men trapped inside gasping for air. When all was said and done, 168 men lost their lives, many of them Irish. Following Thursdays visit, Anderson boarded the chartered bus to return to Missoula for the rest of the conference. What remains clear, however, is that Anderson feels at home in Butte. She told attendees that shes happy to see Irish culture is alive and well in the Mining City. This is our town, and it feels like our town, she said. Great Falls attorney Kristen Juras sought to undercut the reputation of Cascade County Judge Dirk Sandefur in a new campaign attack Thursday that alleges her opponent violated ethics rules with a television ad that used a backdrop common to judicial campaigns: a courtroom. Sandefur immediately countered that previous Supreme Court candidates have used courtroom settings in their campaign ads and that, furthermore, he sought and received an opinion from the state commissioner of political practices as to the legitimacy of the tactic. Juras and Sandefur are competing for an open seat on the Montana Supreme Court in a race that has drawn more than $1 million in political fundraising, including by outside groups and at a pace that could surpass a record set in 2014. Much of that campaign cash has been spent on television ads and mailers. Juras said that Sandefur's use of video footage of himself inside a courtroom is an "obvious violation" of the judicial code that reads, "a judge or a judicial candidate shall not: use court staff, facilities, or other court resources in a campaign for judicial office." "As a sitting judge, Sandefur is fully aware of these ethical rules. Yet he has deliberately disregarded them in his campaign for the state's highest judicial office," she said in a statement. "The message he is sending out is that he is above the law. He ought to pull those ads down to minimize the damage done." Sandefur argues that the most critical part of the ethics code, in this instance, is the first few words of that rule, which Juras omitted in her press release: "except as permitted by law." He said he is not, in fact, violating judicial code because he is permitted by law to use images from the courtroom in his campaign, citing an advance opinion he received from the Commissioner of Political Practices. He also noted that a 2005 attorney general opinion written by Mike McGrath, who now serves as Chief Justice on the Supreme Court broadly found that public officials do not give up their rights to free speech so long as that speech is not done on public time or the public's dime. Sandefur said the television ads in question were "filmed in 2015 during non-court hours" and are are no different than numerous other judges who have used images of public buildings in campaign ads. A cursory web search pulls up numerous such ads, including those used in judicial campaigns by 2014 Supreme Court candidate Lawrence VanDyke, current Supreme Court Justices McGrath and Mike Wheat, Justice Beth Baker of Helena, and Judge Nels Swandal of Livingston. "Juras' malicious allegations are demonstrably false and defamatory," Sandefur said in a statement. "Whether deliberately or only negligently misleading, Juras' amateurish legal analysis clearly shows not only her lack of legal expertise but also a disturbing lack of personal and professional integrity in attempting such a political smear for political advantage." Juras disagreed, calling the judicial code an additional layer of rules for judicial candidates that sometimes go above and beyond those set for other candidates in state campaign laws. "I don't believe (the commissioner of political practices) intended his letter to be an exception to the judicial code of ethics," she said. Juras Spokesman Chuck Denowh further argued that just because other judicial candidates had used courtroom footage doesn't mean they should have. "Just because no one has filed a complaint about this before doesn't excuse the practice," Denowh said. "An opinion of the commissioner of political practices does not carry the weight of law, and he's citing an Attorney General opinion that has been supplanted by these rules adopted in 2008. Unless it is expressly authorized, it is prohibited." Denowh declined to say whether Juras has filed a state bar complaint against Sandefur, saying generally the process is confidential unless the bar decides on disciplinary action. Members of the state bar and Judicial Standards Commission could not be reached for comment Thursday evening. In March 2015, about a month after Sandefur announced he was running, he sought an advisory opinion from the commissioner of political practices on using photos from his courtroom in campaign ads. The opinion, written by Jonathan Motl, said Sandefur could use photos taken in his Cascade County courtroom on his campaign website and other campaign materials. Motl's advisory opinion focused on two issues: public time and public equipment. The opinion assumes Sandefur wouldn't use public equipment to take the photos and points out prohibiting Sandefur from using the photos could create a situation where someone who is not currently a judge could use a courtroom for the backdrop of campaign photos but a judge could not. Sandefur, in asking for the opinion, pointed out court proceedings are generally open to the public and press to observe and photograph and that when court is not in session, rooms are used for tours, weddings, and political appearances such as appearances by the governor and gatherings including debates. He also pointed out courtrooms have been used for "occasional judicial campaign photography." Motl cited a former deputy commissioner of political practice's decision from 2012 saying a photograph of a public employee or officer taken in a building where they work does not equate to using the facility to support the person's election to office. In that decision, Ken Toole, who was running for the Public Service Commission, used the PSC conference room to take photos for his re-election campaign. One of the photos appeared in a brochure. In that case, Deputy Commissioner Thomas Honzel found nothing wrong with Toole's use of the photograph. HELENA In the race to be Montanas next state auditor, Republican Matt Rosendale, a state senator from Glendive, is leading Democrat Jesse Laslovich, chief legal counsel in the office hes running for, by 10 percentage points with a lot of voters undecided. Rosendale holds 43 percent of the vote to Laslovichs 33, with 24 percent unsure how they will cast their ballots. The poll, commissioned by Lee Newspapers, included 1,003 registered and likely voters contacted from Oct. 10 through 12 by landline and cellphone. The state auditor is a deceptively titled office. It does not audit anything, but regulates insurance companies and securities and prosecutes fraud cases. There have been two failed efforts to change the name in the state Constitution to the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance. Officeholder Monica Lindeen, a Democrat, is term-limited from running again and is a candidate for secretary of state. Rosendale said he hasnt paid much attention to polling. I try to block it out of my mind and continue to do my work, he said Wednesday. Laslovich said he wasnt surprised by the results. The poll went out as his campaign was ramping up, he said. Our TV ads started running, we did our mail then." The high percentage of undecideds could come from a lack of understanding what the auditor does and unfamiliarity with the candidates, said Lee Banville, a political researcher and journalism professor at the University of Montana. A lot of these races oftentimes come down to, Do I recognize that name, do I know what party theyre with? he said. Rosendale has been in the state Senate since 2012, became majority leader in the 2015 legislative session and ran for Congress, so voters could be more aware of who he is. Laslovich was a state representative from 2000-2004 and a state senator from 2004-2010 representing Anaconda. He ran for the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2012 and was defeated by Pam Bucy. Like many other statewide races, this one could all come down to how Independents 27 percent havent settled on an auditor candidate vote. Even more than people that identify with one party or another, they seem up for grabs, Banville said. Independents are leaning toward Rosendale, with 44 percent supporting him over 29 percent for Laslovich, a 15-point difference. About a quarter of Republicans are undecided, which may speak to hesitation among party members to unite behind a candidate, said University of Montana political scientist Christopher Muste. Rosendale said he and other statewide Republican candidates who could end up serving on the Land Board are campaigning together in an effort to build party cohesion. The board is made up of the five statewide elected officials (governor, secretary of state, attorney general, auditor and superintendent of public instruction) who manage state trust lands to benefit schools. I dont know that anybody has done that in the recent past to show the Land Board, all five of the candidates, going out and saying we are united, he said. When youre going to different offices around the state and the volunteers are there, and they see that theres unity, that helps them and they see our enthusiasm. It basically creates that synergy. Laslovich said Independents are concerned about the Land Board preserving access to the outdoors and plans to push that issue hard in the weeks before Election Day. Thats why we feel very strongly once people learn about my position on public access that those Independents will turn out for us, he said. Muste said while Rosendale has a commanding lead, Laslovich can still come from behind if he makes a really strong campaign push. Banville said Laslovich can do that buy making a strong argument Rosendale doesnt have the experience to be the state auditor and highlight his endorsements, including from the Chamber of Commerce, which typically endorses Republicans. Laslovich should talk more about his record of prosecution in fraud cases and point to work hes done to help people who are fighting insurance companies, Banville said. But a lot of those past successes are insider-ish and wonky, such as participating in an expansion of Medicaid that rolled out better here than in some states. Thats not the stuff that fits well on a bumper sticker. Both pundits said Rosendale has done well by railing against the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare. That resonates with a lot of Montanans, both Independents and obviously Republicans, but also small businesses, folks forced to go out on the small market and purchase health care. He can hit that message hard, Banville said. Up until Election Day, Rosendale said he will continue to travel around the state talking to voters. Its critical to make sure youre out in front of folks. I really am pleased with the positive message weve been able to bring forward, he said. Laslovichs approach is the same. Well be on TV with the rest of the candidates. I hope that resonates with people. Its on the ground too, he said, adding he and other Democrats will hold get-out-the-vote events around Eastern Montana soon. The consumer protection element, the broad support weve gotten from organizations throughout the state, that will resonate with people, he said. The only poll that matters is Nov. 8. To pull off a comeback, Laslovich needs to make sure Democrats vote in his contest, Banville said. I think this is one of those races where a lot of it rides on, for Laslovich, Democrats understanding whats at stake with this office, it could be switching out of their partys control. If theyre a Democratic voter and casting their ballot they have to make sure theyre filling out that circle. You are hereby notified that, pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 578A, University Storage claims a possessory lien upon all personal property located in unit 4 occupied by Mindy Goddard, unit 9 occupied by Joe Axtell, unit 14 occupied by Roberta Swaim, unit 34 occupied by Lorena Alvarez, unit 36 occupied by Robert Steinbeck, unit 40 occupied by Shane Odegard, unit 63 occupied by Janeen S., unit 65 occupied by Felica Sharp, unit 78 occupied Phoenice Mason, unit 79 occupied by Curtis Hampton, unit 80 occupied by Matt Moody, unit 87 occupied by Teah Kamara, unit 95 occupied by Aaron Quor, unit 96 occupied by Cindy B i erm an, unit 114 occupied by William Baumgardner, unit 119 occupied by Cari Banuelos, unit 131 occupied by Cyrus Swen, unit 13.2 occupied by Andrew Adams, unit 133 occupied by Trista Mariani unit 139 occupied by Jessica Carrington, unit 143 occupied by Carleigh Norwood, unit 144 occupied by Larry Rates, unit 145 occupied by Autum Johnson, unit 148 occupied by Michelle Jackson, at University Storage, 2701 University Drive, Muscatine, Iowa. All personal property stored in the in the above listed units are subject to a lien. All of the personalproperty in the Unit will be sold or disposed of at public auction commencing at 9 a.m. on November 5th 2016 at University Storage, 2701 University Dr. Muscatine, IA. 52761 Please direct any response to this notice to 563-260-8006. MUSCATINE, Iowa The Muscatine Police Department is searching for a person suspected of passing counterfeit bills around the city of Muscatine. The person allegedly passed counterfeit $100 bills at different locations, including GameStop in Muscatine, and may be in the Quad Cities area, according to a Facebook post from the Muscatine Police Department. Police have not yet identified the person responsible for passing the counterfeit bills, according to the post. The department is asking anyone who has information to contact the Muscatine Police Department at 563-263-9922. Emily Wenger of the Muscatine Journal MUSCATINE, Iowa Sixth grade students from Central Middle School have been learning about life after school, from a wide variety of careers to how to write a check. On Tuesday, half of the sixth grade students were able to attend JA BizTown, a Junior Achievement program in Davenport, and were able to apply for jobs. One student wanted to be mayor, so an election was held. On Wednesday, the students Visited HON Company, Muscatine Center for Social Action, CBI Bank, City Hall, Musser Public Library and took a ride on a MuscaBus, while the other group was visiting JA BizTown. "So the kids get to see how those businesses function in our community, and kind of the different responsibilities they have at their local businesses," said Megan Kinsey, a sixth grade teacher at Central. Kinsey said she hopes students will gain a more broad view of the jobs they could work in, and that will be available to them as they grow up. "I want them to be able to see all the different businesses and job opportunities within our community and see if they can see themselves in the future doing something like that," she said. The students have been learning about financial literacy, businesses, workplace readiness, and other skills that Kinsey said she hopes they will apply as they move through school as well. "We want to show them how to be responsible with money and within your own job, and right now we taught them that school is their job so you have to be responsible there, have all your materials, and work together to be successful," she said. Sydni Quiroz, 11, said she enjoyed learning how to write a check, and while touring Muscatine businesses, she learned the importance of multi-tasking and working together. "What I've learned about businesses is that it takes a lot more than one person to run a business, and when you run a business, it's not a simple task, you have a lot of things you have to do," she said. BizTown was 11-year-old Gabriel Salazar's favorite part of the week. "Yesterday we went to BizTown, which is like a simulation for what you'd be doing if you had a job, and it was really fun, and we got to write checks, use a debit card, and we got to buy things too," Salazar said. Landon Castle, 12, said his favorite part of visiting businesses in Muscatine was to see some of the jobs people do at HON. Castle was also the CEO of a radio station in BizTown on Tuesday, and said he monitored the advertising and function of the business. "We got a really good experience of what it would be like in the real world, doing banking and taxes, and loans...It was really fun, it was a really good experience," he said. WEST LIBERTY, Iowa - The second phase of West Liberty's Water Treatment Plant Improvements project is barely underway, but the cost has jumped up several thousand dollars. The city council Tuesday night approved Pay Estimate No. 1 of $89,176.50 to Ricklefs Excavating of Anamosa for the second phase, originally contracted to cost $1,640,000. Then the council approved Change Order No. 1, raising the cost by an estimated $38,984. City Engineer Leo Foley explained the change order was necessary because excavation revealed unsuitable soils for concrete footings to be placed in. He said the contractor wanted a $50,000 change order, but the city has material in storage that will make suitable fill, and he recommended the lower change order on a time and materials basis. "We still think it is pretty darned high," Foley told the council. "You still have to do this change order." Council members expressed concern about the impact on the State Revolving Fund loan that's funding the project, but Foley assured them the hefty change order is within the contingency built into the project cost. The council also approved Pay Estimate No. 10 of $268,841 to Ricklefs for the first phase of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Project. Foley reported the first phase is around 82 percent complete. "This is a very large project, over $3 million," he said. "They're doing very well on this project." Final payments for two other projects were also authorized. The council approved payment of $29,853 to L.L. Pelling of North Liberty for the Fourth Street improvements Project for a total cost of $245,464 and payment of $6,719 to Triple B Construction of Wilton for the Short Street Sewer and Water Extensions Project for a total cost of $134,385. IN OTHER BUSINESS n The council approved payment of claims totaling $416,357. The council approved entering into an agreement totaling $1.6 million to refinance certain bond debt at a savings of around $20,000 and to help fund the Spencer Street, Short Street, and Maxson Avenue projects. The council approved a combination of overhead and underground placement of electric lines in the Maxson Avenue project at an estimated cost of $360,000. The council approved the first reading of an ordinance changing the zoning of 1105 North Columbus Street from C-1 Highway Commercial to R-3 Mixed Residential to facilitate the remodeling of motel structure into apartments. WEST BRANCH, Iowa Muscatine High School senior Kyle Hoffman received an additional scholarship award during Presentation Day at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum on Oct. 15. The program was for 14 high school seniors in the Uncommon Student Awards program sponsored by the Hoover Presidential Foundation. The students applied for the program as high school juniors back in March. The Foundation selected 14 finalists from across Iowa to participate in the program. Each student developed a philanthropic program of their own design and worked on it over the summer. They returned last Saturday to present their results. Each student was awarded $1,000 for their efforts. Three were selected by a panel of judges for an additional $5,000 scholarship award. Hoffman, who was featured earlier this week in the Muscatine Journal, was one of the three selected for the additional award. His project was titled, Catapults for Kids and Classrooms. I raised $11,000 to fund my development of STEM curriculum and kits for Muscatines 12 elementary/middle-schools, Hoffman said. The kits included high-quality hands-on reusable activities to promote deep understanding of key concepts during traditional classes and after school programs. Ive already trained teachers on using the kits and arranged for ongoing STEM Fridays with after school programs, he added. The Uncommon Student Awards program annually identifies and honors up to 15 Iowa high school juniors who propose and then accomplish a project of their own choosing and design. Grades, test scores, essays and financial need are not evaluated. Application is open to all Iowa high school juniors and are due by March 15. The Hoover Presidential Foundation is a private nonprofit organization for the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum and Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa. The Foundation fosters the collection, interpretation and preservation of historical resources relating to the life, ideas, values and times of Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States. MUSCATINE, Iowa From playing in corn to a hay rack ride, area preschool students had the opportunity for a fun fall field trip at Red Barn Pumpkin Farm. After retiring from teaching and school administration in the Muscatine school district 11 years ago, Carolyn Leach and her husband, Richard, began hosting preschool classes at the pumpkin farm where they developed a fun yet educational field trip option for the young students. "This was our intent," she said. "To provide a place where preschoolers could have a field trip and be safe was my sole intent." The program has grown, she said, and now includes students from Muscatine, Aledo, New Boston, Wilton, Durant, and Columbus Junction. "The first year I think we had maybe six classes come out, and now we are up to 34 or 35 classes," Carolyn Leach said. The pumpkin farm hosts preschool students for six weeks in September and October. Leach said she and her husband do not charge the preschools to attend their farm, and any profits from open days or pumpkin and gourd sales go to their grandchildren's college funds. A class from Zion Lutheran Preschool in Wilton attended the programming on Wednesday. The program began with Carolyn Leach talking to the students about farming, asking questions, and telling a story about a little boy and his experience growing a pumpkin. Students then played with a pumpkin parachute, shaking it up and down as Carolyn Leach directed them. She asked what color the pumpkin was. "Orange!" they exclaimed. They then went through a hay maze, walked through a corn path, shot corn cobs with large slingshots at wooden cows, went on a hay rack ride, and then had open play time. "I'm trying to connect a little bit of education and a little bit of Iowa agriculture into their visit," Carolyn Leach said. Angela Dann, a teacher for the preschool class that visited the pumpkin farm on Wednesday, said that the children seem to really enjoy their visits. "I think it's great that they do this, the kids love to experience things like this, and some kids don't get to ... and the owners here do a great job with the kids," Dann said. Parents also attended, helping monitor their children and participating in some of the activities with them. They also watched as they played in the corn box, the farm's version of a sandbox, and held tricycle tractor races through bales of hay. Diana Dugan was watching her daughter shovel corn into a pail in the corn box, and said she appreciated the child-friendly environment at the farm. "It's great that they let them play but they're teaching them at the same time," she said. MUSCATINE, Iowa A soup and sandwich supper will be held from 4:30-8:00 p.m. (or until the food runs out) on Friday, Nov. 4, at the V.F.W., 1415 Grandview, in support of Toys For Kids. Cost is $5.00 or a new unwrapped toy. There will also be door prizes and raffles. All proceeds will be going to the Salvation Army Toy Drive. Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] Upgrading a cellular site from 3G to 4G technology is not expensive, Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub told attendees of the 2016 MyBroadband Conference. Joosub said it costs roughly R140,000 to upgrade a 3G celllphone tower to 4G technology. While there are financial considerations when rolling out the technology, Joosub said the major factor holding them back is unavailability of spectrum. Joosub said that after 10 years of back-and-forth, South Africa is still no nearer to freeing up spectrum in the 700-800MHz bands that broadcasters are sitting on. He is referring to the migration from analogue to digital television broadcasting in South Africa, which remains stalled. Joosub also warned that the governments current spectrum plan giving all unassigned spectrum to a single wholesale open access provider has not been successfully implemented anywhere in the world. In a desert region of southern Australia is a farm that without the use of soil, fresh water, or fossil fuels grows and supplies 15 percent of the entire countrys tomatoes through state-of-the-art technology. Earlier this month Sundrop Farms marked the launch of what it called the first commercial-scale facility of this calibre in the world, which uses solar power to de-salinate seawater and operate greenhouses in order to grow more than 15,000 tonnes of the red fruit. Their tomatoes are being sold in hundreds of markets across the country. In a statement released on Ocober 6, the company said in comparison to conventional greenhouse farms, its cutting-edge, sustainable technology will save significant amounts of natural resources and avoid a substantial level of pollution. Approximately 26,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year would be avoided, which is equivalent to removing 500 cars from our roads, it said. The statement also said it could save fresh water the equivalent of 180 Olympic size swimming pools and more than two million litres of diesel per year. In an email to Al Jazeera, Sundrop Farms explained its sustainable growing methods. Tomatoes are grown hydroponically in coconut coir, eliminating the need for soil. Our concentrated solar tower produces both heat and electricity to maintain the perfect conditions inside the greenhouses to help the plants grow. This heat is also used to de-salinate one million litres of seawater a day; the fresh water produced is used to water the plants and cool the greenhouses. The company said the $200m venture may have been costly to build, but it has substantially less operating costs than conventional greenhouses because of its sustainable nature. In the long run this means that we can cut down on expensive, harmful inputs like fossil-fuels, meaning that our operating costs are significantly lower than traditional greenhouse operations. Mike Dixon, director of the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF) a department at the University of Guelph in the Canadian province of Ontario told Al Jazeera as food security becomes a pressing issue with growing populations energy is usually a limiting variable. He said although Sundrop Farms system may work well in desert regions in the Middle East, it would not be practical economically in places with an abundance of fresh water such as Canada. But Dixon noted while the world has seen a boom in vegetables and fruits using controlled environments, fundamental staple foods such as rice, soy, and wheat cannot be grown at the same level using greenhouses. You can not compete with conventional farming it [greenhouse production] will never achieve the same on those staple products. You need hundreds of thousands of acres for staples like rice to produce it in a highly competitive way. Asked whether Sundrop Farms techniques could be applied globally, he said it depends on each case. It all comes down to money. This business plan will last only as long as its profit margin is in the black if the company can economically use seawater. It is not a business case that can be made everywhere [It] depends on how costly the water treatment is in each area. Each business case has to be looked at as its own business model. Al Jazeera The annual MyBroadband Conference is taking place at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand today. The MyBroadband Conference is the premier IT and telecoms event in South Africa, and well over 3,000 IT industry delegates from around the country are expected to attend. South Africas top telecommunications and IT companies have partnered with MyBroadband as exhibitors for the event, including Telkom and Neotel as lead and co-lead sponsors respectively. Vodacom, DFA, and Huawei are the Title, Executive, and Diamond sponsors respectively. SEACOM is the official connectivity partner at the MyBroadband Conference, and will provide 10Gbps of Internet bandwidth. This is the first time ever that a single one-day event in South Africa will see this amount of capacity offered to attendees. The photos below provide a taste of what delegates can expect. Livestream Oops... This is embarrassing... We're Sorry, the page you're looking for may have been moved. Let's help you find the page you were looking for... First, try using the search form below. Type what you're looking for and search; If the search forms above won't help you find exactly what you're looking for, perhaps one of the links from our sitemap below will help you; If you prefer to visit a particular school's information page on this website, please select the school from the form presented on the Myschool Homepage by clicking here. 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The move could widen a political rift between the Philippines treaty ally the United States and the new administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has made no secret of his antipathy for America and ordered an end to joint maneuvers between their militaries. Following talks in Beijing between Duterte and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, a senior Chinese diplomat announced the sides had agreed to restore the full range of contacts, although he said the leaders touched only briefly on the South China Sea. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, Liu said. That was followed with an announcement by Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez at a bilateral economic forum that his country and China will sign $13.5 billion of deals this week. He did not elaborate. Separately, the Philippines Presidential Communications Office said Xi committed more than $9 billion in low-interest loans to the country, with about a third of the loan offer coming from private banks. About $15 million in loans will go toward drug rehabilitation programs. In opening remarks to his talks with Xi, Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, he said. Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship. Xi, who greeted Duterte with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing, said the meeting had milestone significance. In a reference to the South China Sea tensions, Xi said that although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed. While not mentioning the South China Sea specifically, Xi said that the two sides could set aside issues on which an agreement is hard to reach in their discussions, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Bilateral talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Dutertes predecessor. The Philippines has insisted the ruling form the basis for any negotiations, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. The Hague-based tribunal found the Philippines and China both retained traditional fishing rights in the area. The leaders did not discuss whether China would allow Filipino fishermen to return to Scarborough Shoal, Liu said, likely disappointing Manila. But China would lift restrictions on imports of tropical fruit from the Philippines and also cancel a travel advisory that had discouraged Chinese tourists from going to the Philippines, Liu said. Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli told a business forum that China is willing to help the Philippines build and provide preferential loans to finance infrastructure such as railways, roads, ports and airports. China is already taking steps to pursue such projects. Among 13 agreements signed following Xis talks with Duterte was a memorandum of understanding on a list of transportation infrastructure cooperation projects under consideration, along with on financing cooperation between Chinas Export-Import Bank and the Philippine Treasury Department. Duterte has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his countrys claims in the South China Sea. The Philippine leader known for his devil-may-care, profanity-laden speeches had said he would not raise the issue that has angered China unless his Chinese counterpart first brought it up, out of courtesy to his host. Dutertes visit showed his desire for economic benefits, while the Chinese want to manage issues between the two countries through bilateral talks, Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., wrote in an email. This is an interesting courtship between China and the Philippines, Glaser wrote. It remains to be seen whether China will seek Manilas respect for Chinese sovereignty. That would likely be a deal breaker. Thursdays breakthrough will also be closely scrutinized in Washington for its impact on U.S. relations, given Dutertes strident anti-American rhetoric. Dutertes public comments in Beijing centered almost exclusively on criticizing the United States, including his address to Thursdays economic forum. Your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States ... both in military and economics also, he said. His remarks were met with applause, but Duterte was not more specific. He has previously said the Philippines would stop joint military exercises with the U.S., and he opposes joint patrols with the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea. But U.S. officials say its commitment to the treaty alliance with the Philippines remains ironclad. When asked recently about the presidents apparent plans to disengage with the U.S. militarily, the Philippine defense secretary told senators that Duterte sometimes makes remarks on Philippine-U.S.-military relations without consulting Cabinet officials. WASHINGTON Fellow Republicans on Thursday condemned Donald Trumps refusal to agree to accept the outcome of the election. Even supporters distanced themselves, warning that Trumps stance could undermine the nations democratic system. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the partys 2008 nominee for president, said that he didnt like losing to Barack Obama, but he accepted the results. I dont know whos going to win the presidential election. I do know that in every previous election, the loser congratulates the winner and calls them, my president, McCain said in a statement. Thats not just the Republican way or the Democratic way. Its the American way. This election must not be any different. Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who is in a tough re-election contest, called Trumps stance worse than unfortunateits irresponsible. When the people speak, the candidates need to accept the resultswhatever they are, Toomey said, adding that he would be happy to accept the results of his own hard-fought race. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin said that Trump has to accept the results, and no matter what he does all of the other elements of government will go forward. The bottom line is whether he does or doesnt, theres going to be a new president, Walker told WLUK-TV following an event in Green Bay. During Wednesday nights debate against Hillary Clinton, Trump refused under direct questioning to agree to abide by the outcome of the election Nov. 8. I will tell you at the time, he said, and I will keep you in suspense. Trump doubled down on the provocative and highly unusual stance Thursday, seeming to mock his detractors by declaring at a rally in Ohio that he will totally accept the results of the presidential election if I win. His comments shocked and alarmed Democrats and Republicans alike, and denunciations rained down from all sides as officials in both parties warned that Trumps comments risked undermining the nations electoral system, depressing voter turnout on Election Day and even provoking dangerous unrest if Clinton is elected. For down-ballot Republicans running for House and Senate, it was just the latest occasion to distance themselves from their presidential nominee, whose endlessly provocative campaign risks costing his party control of Congress. Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, who is behind in his own re-election race in a blue state, called the comments another vivid example of why Donald Trump is unprepared and unfit to be commander in chief. Since the end of George Washingtons presidency in 1797, our nation has peacefully and smoothly transitioned power from one president to the next. It is one of the hallmarks of our democracy, Kirk said. Only someone as delusional as Donald Trump would believe he is the exception to this rule. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, a member of the Senate leadership who has gone back and forth on supporting Trump, said that The American electoral process is the cornerstone of our democracy. Suggesting otherwise undermines an electoral system that is a model for nations around the world, Thune said. Defenders were hard to find. Republican Wendy Long, who is an extreme longshot running against Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, said by email Thursday that she agrees with Trumps contention that vote fraud could compromise the election. Long said she would defer judgment on whether she would accept the results of the election. I will accept it if and when Im satisfied that fraud did not determine the outcome, she wrote. Notably silent Thursday were the two top Republicans in congress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Both have endorsed Trump, although Ryan announced earlier this month that he would no longer defend or campaign for him after the release of the Access Hollywood tape of Trump bragging about getting away with groping women because hes a celebrity. Despite requests to their offices, neither McConnell nor Ryan would comment Thursday on what Trump had to say about the election results. That provoked criticism from Democrats who insisted the GOP leadership was obligated to denounce Trumps stance. Never before in our history has a major party candidate refused to accept the results of an election, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The deafening silence of Speaker Ryan and Sen. McConnell only worsens the lasting damage that will be caused by this unprecedented assault on our values as a nation. After three years in jail and a two-week jury trial, the verdict is in for the Napa man accused of murdering his wife and the mother of his now teenage daughter back in 2013. The jury found Carlos Everto Vega Hernandez guilty of first-degree murder before Judge Mark Boessenecker in Napa County Superior Court on Friday. The jury also found that Hernandez used a deadly weapon a knife in the commission of the crime. Hernandez, then 42, was arrested Sept. 12, 2013 after his then-12-year-old daughter called 911 on him for allegedly killing her mother and his wife, 40-year-old Esperanza Vega. It was about 3 a.m. when the girl woke up to her mother screaming and yelling Dont do it, Carlos!, according to testimony from the preliminary hearing in 2014. The girl reportedly rushed to the bathroom, pushed the door open and saw her mother slumped over. She called 911 after she was unable to reach her aunt. Hernandez reportedly told his daughter that her mother was already dead and that he was defending himself. When officers arrived to the scene on the 2800 block of Soscol Avenue, Hernandez was standing outside the home holding a knife, police reported. He dropped the knife and was taken into custody. Vega was found dead with multiple stab wounds in the bathroom of the one-bedroom apartment. The forensic doctor who performed Vegas autopsy said that it looked like Vega had tried to defend herself with her hands, according to Register reports. She had 10 stab wounds on her neck, shoulder and torso as well as wounds on the palms of her hands. Testimony revealed that the relationship between Vega and Hernandez was volatile, and that Vega would lock her husband out of their apartment when he drank. On the day of the stabbing, Hernandez suspected that his family was going to separate from him, Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tong said on Wednesday. And he (Hernandez) wouldnt stand for it. Hernandez pleaded not guilty to the charge of felony murder his attorney, Chief Deputy Public Defender Kristen Keeley, argued that Hernandez had been provoked, Tong said. Had the jury agreed with the defense, the charge would have been reduced from murder to manslaughter. Im grateful for the jurys verdict, Tong said. Im hoping its going to give some closure to the family, he said. Obviously her death left a hole in their lives. Keeley was unavailable for a comment on Wednesday. Vegas family members, including her daughter, were in the courtroom when the verdict came back, Tong said. Vega had more than a dozen siblings in Mexico and the United States. She worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years, according to her obituary. She was buried in Michoacan, Mexico. Hernandez faces 26 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2017. Wow, Rosaura Segura ran against JoAnn Busenbark for college trustee four years ago and now has her support upon JoAnns retirement from 12 years on the NVC Board of Trustees. I like living in a place where there is at least these former opponents who respect each other, and can look at what is best for the community and college as JoAnn did in her endorsement letter to the editor. Rosauras community activities and contributions were well described. She is a wonderful addition to those who want opportunities to meet the needs of students and the community. Dan Digardi deserves support for a second term for his efforts on behalf of apprentice programs to provided work skills we need in Napa and job opportunities for those who deserve them. Dan earned the distinction of being the only trustee elected to be board president in his first term, for serving on the college accreditation committee that achieved the proper seven-year approval (with the 18-month period to respond to the report in the ongoing college changes to meet updated standards) and for Dans lifelong connection to the community. With JoAnns retirement, Dan is needed as then only trustee Michael Baldini will have over four years on the board. Those at the college and in Napa deserve board memory and oversight that Dans time and efforts provide. Bruce Ketron Napa 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 you've 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, you'll enjoy some time with Robert O. Simonson's latest book, "A Proper Drink: The Untold Story of How a Band of Bartenders Saved the Civilized Drinking World." I'm not one for envying other writers; we're all being ground up by the same publishing mill unless we're Stephen King, which, last time I checked, only one of us is. But I'll admit: Sometimes I'm 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. Don't get me wrong: There's plenty for a cocktail geek here in the District; we have our own core of heavy hitters. But Washington doesn't offer the density of the East Village, where you can't swing a subway rat without hitting a cocktail den. Simonson's book ranges the globe in its reporting, but New York is the perfect vantage point from which to cover the scene. It's 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 he'd 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 city's 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 you're 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 hasn't 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 Peychaud's 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 another's output. Your patience for the book's 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 book's 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. It's 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 they'll 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 you've 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 they're rarely in them anymore, may be the worst thing that has ever happened to bartending. "This may sound ungenerous, because for so long bartenders didn't 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, I'm not sure how good a thing that is. . . . It's supposed to be about hospitality, and where's the hospitality if you're 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 I'd 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 book's smarts, attention to detail and appreciation for people, I'd probably be there a lot, too. Maybe even if he opens it in Brooklyn. President Poroshenko, Dear Petro, its good to have you back at NATO headquarters. Its great to see you again. We just met in New York in connection with the UN General Assembly in September. And then we met in Warsaw Summit in July. And I think that the high frequency of our meetings reflects the very close cooperation and partnership between NATO and Ukraine. So its great to see you again and I really appreciate this opportunity to once again to address the very important issues of the situation in Ukraine and how NATO can continue to provide support to Ukraine. And the Ukraine crisis continues to be a black mark on the map of Europe. We know that thousands of people have been killed and many, many injured. NATOs support for Ukraine is unwavering. We will continue to support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. And we do not and we will not recognise Russias illegal annexation of Crimea. And we are very much concerned about Russias continued destabilisation of eastern Ukraine. For months the full implementation of the peace deal has stalled. That is why I welcome that you had a meeting yesterday in the Normandy Format in Berlin. And I thank you for updating me on the outcome of that meeting and the discussions you just had. Including the plan to create a new road map for implementing the Minsk Agreement. And it is essential to implement the Minsk Agreement, because the Minsk Agreement is the only viable way to a lasting, peaceful solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine. All parties must fully implement the Minsk Agreement. Ukraine has responsibilities to implement its commitments, but Russia has a significant responsibility in this regard, because it continues to support the separatists. And we know that the OSCE monitors must have safe access to the whole territory to be able to implement the agreement and we have seen that they have been hindered in doing that several times. We have also seen that threats against the monitors and the jamming of the UAVs are undermining the implementation of the Minsk Agreement. And these actions are unacceptable because they are in total violation of the Minsk Agreement. Ceasefire violations must end and we cannot allow these ceasefire violations to become the new normal in Ukraine. NATO and NATO Allies will continue to support Ukraine. We will provide practical support and we will provide political support. We will provide support through our different trust funds. Helping you build security institutions. And we will work on areas for instance such as cyber-defence and the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. And in other areas to help and support Ukraine in different practical ways. Ukraine, for its part, has to continue to implement reforms, fight corruption and I welcome your personal engagement in pursuing the path of reforms in Ukraine. So once again it has been a great pleasure to meet with you. But let me also add that in addition to the situation in Ukraine, we also discussed the very serious situation in Syria. Because also in Syria we see a Russian presence and we have seen a substantial military build-up of Russia in Syria. I welcome the temporary ceasefire in Aleppo but this does not go nearly far enough. Following weeks of Syrian and Russian strikes against civilian infrastructure including hospitals the humanitarian situation in Aleppo is appalling. We need a real solution on the ground in Aleppo. Not a short-lived ceasefire. But one that addresses the desperate humanitarian crisis. And which will lead to a credible cessation of hostilities. And therefore I join the international community in its calls on Russia to help end the bloodshed in Aleppo. And to play a constructive role in finding a negotiated solution to the crisis. So once again Petro, its always a great pleasure to have you here and good to have you back at NATO headquarters, so welcome. MODERATOR: We'll start with UNIAN. IRYNA SOMER (UNIAN): News agency UNIAN, Ukraine. Iryna Somer. Question for Secretary General. Secretary General, in the light of yesterday negotiations in the Normandy Format do you see a possibility or use to hold next NATO-Russia Council to discuss this issue also with Russian side? And question for Ukrainian president in the Ukrainian language if I may. [Interpreted:] Dear President, what are your main conclusions from your visit to the Netherlands, I mean Maastricht and to Brussels? JENS STOLTENBERG (Secretary General of NATO): After the illegal annexation of Crimea in the spring of 2014, NATO decided to suspend all practical cooperation with Russia, and that decision stills stands. We have also implemented the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the illegal annexation of Crimea as a direct response to the aggressive actions of Russia against Ukraine. But we also decided to maintain channels for political dialogue open because we do not believe that we should try to isolate Russia, we believe that we should combine military strength, defence and deterrence, with a political dialogue. And therefore we have maintained the NATO-Russia Council as a platform, as a channel for political engagement with Russia. We have also made it very clear that we will raise the question of Ukraine, and therefore we have had Ukraine on the agenda on all the meetings of the NATO-Russia Council since the spring of 2014. We had a meeting in July where we discussed Russia, sorry, where we discussed Ukraine in the NATO-Russia Council, and NATO allies strongly expressed their full support for Ukraine, their full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we also made it very clear that we do not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea. We are ready to have a new meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in the near future. There's no date that has been fixed or decided, but we are ready to convene a new meeting and we are in dialogue with Russia on the agenda and on the modalities. But what is clear is that in the next meeting of the NATO-Russia Council we will also raise the question of Ukraine and once again underline both our support for Ukraine but also underline the importance of the full implementation of the Minsk agreements and also now support the initiative to try to establish a roadmap to implement the Minsk agreements. So we believe in political dialogue because we think it's important to convey clear messages on many issues, and also on Ukraine of course. PETRO POROSHENKO (President of Ukraine): [Interpreted:] Thank you very much for this issue, for this question. I think our delegation had a very intense program today in spite of the fact that we came at around 3:00 in the morning, flying after the Normandy Format meeting, and already at 8:00 a.m. I had met the President of the European Parliament where we discussed the necessity to speed up the decision-making by the parliament about visa-free regime and also about the support to the trade preferences in the DSFTA, which was offered to Ukraine by the European Commission. You have seen the reaction of the President of the European Parliament, we are very strong in our position that, we're very sure that we have the strong support from the majority of the European Parliament, and as for today, after the suspension mechanism will be solved, we dont have any doubts that this decision will be implemented. And I had the possibility to be assured in that during the summit meeting of the European People's Party where the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and the heads of the governments, Angela Merkel and many other heads of government, and they have reiterated again and again that the visa-free regime should be speeded up, Ukraine should be supported in the continuation of the ratification mechanism, and trade preferences should be given to Ukraine. And what we have seen in Maastricht today, and this is a symbolic city, 25 years ago in this city the financial union began, this is the place which is the kind of symbol of European integration. I was for the first time in that hall where the historic documents have been signed, and I have really felt very firm and reliable support from the Europeans to our aspirations and many other questions about cooperation. And I had more than ten meetings today with the heads of state and government, and all of them have accentuated that when Russia is demonstrating its irresponsible behaviour in Syria, in Aleppo, in the background of that, today's discussion in the European Council, the question of Russia, the European Council has a very firm position on supporting Ukraine and supporting its territorial integrity and sovereignty. MODERATOR: Thank you. We'll go next to Reuters, please. ROBIN EMMOTT (Reuters): Thanks. Robin Emmott from Reuters. Secretary General, a question on Syria. We see that diplomatically Russia is making efforts to talk, but at the same time it's sending warships through the English Channel to the Eastern Mediterranean and some have suggested that this is for a final assault on Aleppo. What do you make of this? JENS STOLTENBERG: What we have seen is that there has been many attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Aleppo, and I welcome that we now have a temporary ceasefire, but that's in no way enough. We need a lasting ceasefire, and which is fully respected. When it comes to the Russian carrier group which is on its way to the Mediterranean, it is important to underline that Russia of course has the right to operate in international waters, and this is not the first time we have seen this carrier group being deployed to the Mediterranean, that has happened several times before. But what creates concern now is that this carrier group may be used to contribute to military operations over Syria and be used to increase attacks on Aleppo, and that's something very different than to deploy a carrier group to the Mediterranean as part of a normal deployment, which we have seen before. So we are concerned that the Russian carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which will increase humanitarian and human suffering, and that's why we are concerned about this deployment. NATO navies will in a normal way monitor the Russian ships as they approach the Mediterranean. They will do so in a responsible and measured way, as they always do, because this is part of the way we are following Russian military activities. So it's not un-normal that we see deployment of Russian carrier groups in the Mediterranean, but what is un-normal is that this carrier group can be part of a combat operation, air strikes against Aleppo, and that is the reason why we are concerned. MODERATOR: Thank you. We have time for just one more. Rudaw, please. Q: Rudaw Media Network. A question for President Poroshenko. Mr. President Poroshenko, do you believe that the new roadmap that you decided in Berlin on the level of foreign minister can help you to implement the Minsk agreement? And how could be that new roadmap until November? Do you believe that there's enough time for it? And a question for Secretary General Stoltenberg. You mentioned the war in Syria, in Ukraine, you know that now is the operation of Mosul, how do you see the participation of the member states of NATO in this operation? And know that the Peshmerga, the Kurdish forces fought, and today there are many killed, and there is not enough air strikes of the member states of NATO. Thank you. PETRO POROSHENKO: Thank you very much indeed. I think that without a roadmap it's impossible to implement that because the roadmap should demonstrate the sequence and responsibility of those who do not implement the Minsk agreement. And if we agreed that it's necessary to provide the comprehensive ceasefire, that would be a responsible person, if we dont do that it would be fixed by the OSCE. If we agreed to provide uninterrupted access for the OSCE inspectors and they would look, that would be the responsibility and the whole world will see who is responsible for that and it would be done immediately. Now, if we talk about providing for example the armed OSCE mission, police mission, which was agreed, and this is another result of the Normandy Format, this is very important. And by the way I want to stress that it would be a meeting on the level of ministers. That would be just a preparation work because this roadmap should be approved in the summit of the Normandy Format. And you see now that we dont have this meeting from October last year, from the last meeting in Paris, and Ukraine paid a huge price during this year for not implementing Minsk agreement by Russia. This is the, hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and Ukrainian civilians were killed by Russian occupational troops. With that situation we think that if we demonstrate the readiness to the public documents as a roadmap with a practical date on each step that will certainly help us to go further, to demonstrate a progress for the return of Ukrainian sovereignty on the occupied territory by Russia. And I think that the unique solidarity and unity the world, the European Union, our American, Canadian partners throughout the world, demonstrates this is also another very important reason for optimism for the implementation of Minsk. JENS STOLTENBERG: All NATO allies and NATO support the international coalition to counter ISIL, and we do so because we see that ISIL is responsible for atrocities, they are responsible for terrorist attacks, and they are responsible for killing thousands of civilians in Iraq, in Syria, but also they have been responsible for terrorist attacks in our own streets here in Europe, and NATO provides direct support to the coalition fighting ISIL. Last week, we had a meeting here at NATO with Brett McGurk, the Presidential Envoy to the Counter ISIL Coalition, and I also recently met with Prime Minister al-Abadi and with the Iraqi foreign minister, so we are in close dialogue with Iraq and with the international coalition countering ISIL, and they have briefed us on the preparations for the military operation to liberate Mosul. I welcome that operation. We know it's a difficult operation because there are many civilians in Mosul, and the international community has to do whatever it can to try to reduce the sufferings of civilians as much as possible. I know that the international coalition have provided many air strikes and a lot of air support for the forces which are now on the ground, conducting the military operation to liberate Mosul, but I will not comment on specific operational issues because this is not a NATO operation; it's an Iraq-led operation supported by the coalition. NATO supports the coalition, NATO allies are supporting the efforts of the Iraqi forces, and NATO is also training Iraqi forces, but these are operational issues which I think we should leave to those who are directly responsible for the operation in Mosul. MODERATOR: That's all we have time for. Thank you very much. PETRO POROSHENKO: Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: Thank you. YEREVAN. The Government of Armenia will be allocating 208 million drams (approx. 400 thousand euros) to obtain new equipment to be used during elections in the country. The respective decision was made at Thursdays Cabinet meeting. This amount will be transferred from the government reserve fund to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The donor organizations are funding the purchase of equipment for the elections, stated Government Chief of Staff-Minister Davit Harutyunyan. The Government of Armenia agreed to participate in the co-funding, and which we are providing. Pursuant to the amendments that are made in the Electoral Code of the country, live video streaming shall be conducted on election day, at the polling stations and their entrances. The parliamentary election in Armenia will be conducted in April 2017. YEREVAN. As of today, the key question is where the Islamic State militants will go, if Mosulin northern Iraqis liberated. Political scientist and former deputy foreign minister of Armenia, Ambassador Arman Navasardyan, told the abovementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am. He stated that even though Turkey wanted very much to have the most active participation in the military operations there, Iraq was against it. And why did Turkey want so much to enter there? asked Navasardyan, and responded: Because a Turk remains a Turk. Its very difficult to remove him from where he sets foot on. Nonetheless, the key question is where the Islamic State militants will go, if they are driven out of Mosul; they can go to anywhere. The Armenian diplomat added that the Americans are conducting a risky policy, but expressed the hope that the situation will be resolved after the elections. IMF forecasts $1 trillion unforeseen profit for oil exporter Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss recent developments in Caucasus Seoul and Warsaw sign key agreements on nuclear energy development in Poland Statement by leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on results of meeting in Sochi Saudi Arabia and UAE defend OPEC decision Putin: Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan agree on joint statement U.S. wants EU to impose export restrictions against China Thunberg calls UN conference place for lies and fraud Putin, Pashinyan and Aliyev hold trilateral talks Russian businessman Artem Aslanyan commits suicide in Moscow Head of the Ministry of Finance: Sweden's economic outlook is gloomy and we're heading for a tough winter Norway to raise level of army combat readiness in response to Ukraine war Putin and Aliyev talks in Sochi are over Moldova expels Russian embassy employee after incident with falling rocket parts Estonia to expand by 30 times protected zone on border with Russia Serzh Sargsyan receives Garo Paylan Inflation hits new record in 19 eurozone countries Shoigu and Akar discuss Russia's decision to suspend participation in grain deal Head of Armenian Armed Forces General Staff: Azerbaijan refuses to allow evacuation of Armenian soldiers' bodies Inflation in Poland breaks the record of 25 years ago Head of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces explains why Azerbaijanis 'trapped' were not captured Chief of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces confirms loss of positions as result of Azerbaijani aggression Central Bank: Inflation in Armenia reaches 9.9% Edvard Asryan: The operational situation in the eastern and southeastern directions is relatively stable Iran arrests 6 suspects in attack on Shiraz mausoleum Aliyev: Baku put forward five main principles to normalize relations with Yerevan Putin: The goal of the trilateral talks is the implementation of all agreements of 2020 and 2021 Talks between presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan start in Sochi Six people detained in Belarus for hanging Ukrainian flag NBC News: Biden lost his temper on the phone with Zelenskyy European Parliament lawmakers arriving in Armenia on fact-finding mission Cavusoglu: Europe weakening runs counter to Ankara's economic interests Non-resident organizations providing online services in Armenia declare 1bn drams of VAT in 3 quarters October oil production in Russia falls Storm warning issued in Sochi due to tornadoes Putin and Pashinyan hold 1-hour talks in Sochi Pashinyan to visit Tehran on November 1 Over AMD 76 billion will be assigned to Armenian police in 2023 Provincial governor of Armenias Tavush, France envoy discuss future cooperation (PHOTOS) South Korea and the U.S. begin large-scale air force exercise Dollar, euro continue falling in Armenia Pashinyan says issue of Armenian captives is unresolved, despite discussions with Putin Iranian parliament chair to visit Azerbaijan Pashinyan: Communications passing through Armenia should be under Yerevan's full control Pashinyan: Russia's clear position on moving Azerbaijani soldiers to their initial positions is important World wheat prices up Putin urges to ensure peace in Karabakh and unblock transport infrastructure Pashinyan calls Russia's approaches to establishing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations acceptable State budget spending on Armenia emergency ministry needs to increase considerably in 2023 Pashinyan says he wants to discuss regional security issues with Putin Putin hopes for progress in Karabakh settlement during summit Putin: We have to end the Karabakh conflict 80% of Kyiv remains without water supply after morning strikes, mayor claims China accuses US of violating trade rules Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan meets Russian President Vladimir Putin Peskov: We will inform if documents are agreed as result of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders meeting Kremlin says Russia continues contacts with Turkey and UN on 'grain deal' Masis Abrahamyan, head of ANC - Netherlands office, files lawsuit against Armenian National Security Service Bloomberg names world's richest families Central Bank: About 86% of banks' profits in Armenia come from currency sale/purchase, exchange fees Head of Central Bank of Armenia: Economic growth in 2023 will be lower than 7% forecasted by government Armenia civil servants salaries to increase but bonuses to reduce Armenia finance minister: Salaries to increase almost twice as much more than bonuses have become salaries Finance ministry: Armenia inflation would have been higher if national currency had not increased in value Alen Simonyan to Erin Elizabeth McKee: Armenia is interested in deeper engagement by US Central Bank of Armenia: U.S. financial authorities complicate U.S. dollar turnover worldwide Kyiv: 12 vessels with grain leave Ukrainian ports France is working on a land route for grain export from Ukraine Amount of Armenia financial assistance to Karabakh to not change in 2023 International Rescue Committee: Blockade of Ukrainian grain may lead to disaster Erdogan: Turkey will continue to solve the food issue despite Russia's hesitation Armenia's budget deficit in 2023 will be 3.1% of GDP PACE MPs initiate resolution on political prisoners cases increase in Azerbaijan EU studying issue of recognizing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organization Finance minister: Armenia tax revenues projected to be about 3.7% of GDP in 2023 Armenia opposition MP: No final document will be signed in Russias Sochi Opposition MP: When Armenia PM says he is in Russian proposals favor, has no value unless he says he rejects US option Employee of Karabakh permanent representation in Armenia is charged with high treason Kyiv mayor claims damage to energy facility that supplies power to 350,000 apartments Blinken has phone talks with China's FM Artsakh strategic issues discussed at We Are Our Mountains agency first meeting Death toll in Indian bridge collapse rises to 141 Armenia 2023 state budget draft: Capital expenditure to increase significantly Armenia national debt against GDP is planned to be reduced Iranian Foreign Ministry: Presence of foreign forces doesn't contribute to peace in Caucasus Alen Simonyan, Garo Paylan discuss prospects for reopening of Armenia-Turkey border Aliyev arrives in Sochi Iran detains second suicide bomber in Shiraz mausoleum Iranian and Azerbaijani FMs discuss situation in region 2023 expenses of Armenian defense sector will make AMD 506bln, a growth of 35% Armenias Pashinyan arrives in Russias Sochi (PHOTOS) UN agrees with Turkey and Ukraine on transportation of Ukrainian grain Armenia parliament standing committees kick off joint session, debating on 2023 state budget draft Lula da Silva wins Brazil presidential election Oil prices go down Gold prices show weak growth Armenia renowned stage director, ex-MP Vahe Shahverdyan dead at 77 Turkey plans to open 100 oil, natural gas wells on land in 2023 Copper falls in price USAID delegation arriving in Armenia STEPANAKERT. The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces more than 30 times, from late Wednesday night to early Thursday morning. During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired around 350 shots toward the Armenian position-holders, and by way of various caliber weapons, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) Defense Army informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. In addition, the adversary fired 45 shots from large-caliber machine guns, and 103 shots from long-range sniper rifles, in a northerly direction of the line of contact. But the NKR Defense Army vanguard units are in command of the operational and tactical situation, and they continue confidently carrying out the military task set before them. The statement, which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made speaking to Rossiya Segodnyaa news agency owned and operated by the Russian governmentruns contrary to the rhetoric of the defense minister of Azerbaijan. Thomas de Waal, a senior associate at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment, and who specializes primarily in the South Caucasus region expressed such a view, reported Vesti.Az news agency. He said the concept of raising the status of the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (province) to that of an autonomous republic was already discussed in 1988, but it was rejected, and it is hard to imagine that this is more acceptable now. The British analyst added that the moderate tone of the Azerbaijani presidents speech is more impressive than its content. De Waal concluded that, even though it is good that Aliyev recognizes the rights of Karabakh Armenians, this is contrary to the rhetoric of the defense minister of Azerbaijan. Ilham Aliyev had stated about his willingness to give an autonomy status to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh); the latter, however, characterized this statement as ridiculous and pitiful. Thousands of people in Argentina have walked out of work for an hour in protest over the horrific rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl, BBC reporte Lucia Perez was drugged and raped before being killed in the city of Mar del Plata. Two men who left her at a hospital said she overdosed on drugs. But doctors found evidence she had been subjected to extreme sexual violence. Two suspects were detained on October 16 , they were charged with rape and murder. Lucia Perez's death led to protests in Argentina. Activists urged women to wear black and join street marches. Thousands of protesters marched in Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities on Wednesday afternoon. Marches in support took place in Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. According to human rights activists, a woman dies from domestic violence every 30 hours on average in Argentina. YEREVAN. The Government of Armenia will provide preferential natural gas and electricity tariffs for the socially needy stratum of the population, and certain types of businesses. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Thursday noted the aforesaid in the National Assembly, as he introduced the new government program. Work will be carried out () toward the creation of a favorable legal and investment climate, said the PM. Certain types of businesses will be encouraged by way of () preferential tariffs for energy resources functioning with a limited period. We will assist enterprises, which create corresponding number of new jobs, by way of tax benefits and preferential tariffs for energy resources. We will boost the growth of production. STEPANAKERT. In accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The monitoring was held on Thursday, in the direction of the Hadrut region, near the settlement of Ashaghi Abdurahmanli. From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic), Field Assistant of the Personal Representative to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO); Peter Svedberg (Sweden), staff member of the Office of the Personal Representative to the OSCE CiO; and Major Christian Hirsch (Austria), representative of the OSCE High-Level Planning Group. From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was held by Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria), Field Assistant of the Personal Representative to the OSCE CiO; Simon Tiller (Great Britain), Personal Assistant of the Personal Representative to the CiO; and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Nepokritikh (Russia), representative of the OSCE High-Level Planning Group. The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No ceasefire violation was recorded. From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense. YEREVAN. - The Armenian Government program is comprehensible and clear for everyone. MP of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) faction, Khosrov Harutyunyan, said the aforementioned Thursday, speaking at the parliamentary debate on the Armenian Government program. In his words, the entire value of this six-month program is that an attempt is made to strengthen the institutional preconditions, which give an opportunity to ensure the dynamic and sustainable development of economy for all times. And most importantly, the Government is first of all starting with itself, that is the program mentions that raising the efficiency of governance is the task No. 1, Harutyunyan stressed. YEREVAN. - It is apparent that Azerbaijan has become entangled in its positions and needs help to get out of that situation. Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian said the aforementioned at the meeting with the representatives of 27 countries during the 8th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists. The Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan also attended the meeting. Welcoming the Diaspora journalists, FM Nalbandian underscored the importance of holding meetings in such a format, since that allows to directly inform the compatriots residing abroad on the foreign policy of Armenia. Nalbandian presented the priorities of Armenias diplomacy, specifically Armenias guiding role in the Genocide condemnation and prevention of new crimes against humanity. He also referred in great detail to the process of the Karabakh conflict settlement, the developments in the Middle East, Syrian crisis and, in that context, the support provided to Syrian Armenians. Referring to the resolution of the Karabakh issue, the FM noted: I have said about this before, but after getting familiarized with the recent statements made by Baku, I have to reiterate that Azerbaijan has lost its sense of reality. It has lost it to such an extent that they are [now] trying to present the myths made up for domestic use not only to their own society, but also to the international community. Baku insists that it is ready for mutual concessions. Which are the concessions according to the Azerbaijani side? The ensurance of the Nagorno-Karabakh security and the peaceful co-existence between the two people, as they propose? This already sounds like a threat rather than a concession: there will be no peace if you dont do what we say. [Or] provision of autonomy? Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has exerted no control over Nagorno-Karabakh, especially today. And now it is proposing autonomy under its control, presenting this as a concession? That is, it is proposing as a concession something that Artsakh currently has in a much greater amount. In their recent statements, the Azerbaijani leadership insists that the proposals of the three Co-Chairs are in line with their positions. But only a few days before these statements, the Azerbaijani President confessed that the international community is forcing him to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh independence, but he is opposing. If the positions are so much in line with each other, it is necessary to recognize the independence of Artsakh and not oppose it. Apparently, Azerbaijan has become entangled in its positions and needs help to get out of that situation. To solve the conflict, Azerbaijani should accept the international mediation assistance, which the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship Russia, United States and France is offering. The heads of the co-chairing states have expressed their positions on the Karabakh conflict in the well-known five statements. If they are in line with Azerbaijans stance why has Baku so far been doing its best to not only avoid considering as a basis of the negotiations the principles and elements enshrined in those statements as a single whole, but also despises to make any reference to them, as during the Riga Summit of the Western Partnership, which the Azerbaijani delegation merely escaped. Six months after Azerbaijans April aggression, Baku suddenly makes up a new myth on who unleashed the military actions, grossly violated the international humanitarian law and committed barbarities, trying to accuse the Armenian side of everything which they continuously boasted about through media outlets, social networks and by bestowing high awards upon the authors of those crimes. One gets an impression that a competition of telling lies and confusing their own society has been announced among the Azerbaijani top officials. But we all know who always comes out as a winner in such competitions in Azerbaijan. But currently the Azerbaijani leadership is disseminating its mythology not only in regard to the Karabakh conflict. According to Baku, Azerbaijan respects all the democratic norms without exception. For instance, the civil society is prospering. But the UN Special Rapporteur turns out not to be of the same opinion: in late September he announced that the Azerbaijani civil society is paralyzed and has appeared in the worst situation since the [countrys] independence. Of course, many other references can be made from the [statements of] international organizations regarding the shameful reality of Azerbaijan in human rights issues. [For instance,] Baku thinks the press in their country enjoys complete freedom. However, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Azerbaijan is included in the top ten most criticized countries of the world. Moreover, it occupies the honorablefifth place. According to the world press freedom index, Azerbaijan comes 163rd among 179 countries. The Azerbaijani leaders are fond of reiterating that they are building a multi-cultural, multi-religion society based on tolerance. How comparable is this with the subsequent 2016 report of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), which expressed deep concern both about state-level anti-Armenian hate propaganda and the discrimination against Azerbaijans ethnic and religious minorities? The Azerbaijani leaderships favorite balloon on economy also popped up last year when its economy was seriously affected as a result of the drop in oil and gas prices, while the national currency, manat, recorded the greatest drop according to Bloomberg agency. That is, Azerbaijan was sitting on the gas and oil needle, the needle poked that balloon and the air slowly went out. That is the whole success glorified by them. After this I think there is no need to ask who can believe these falsifications. The OSCE Minsk Group members can only be welcomed to indeed play a constructive role in the Karabakh conflict resolution. Spokeswoman for the Russian MFA Maria Zakahrova said the aforementioned Thursday, responding to the question on the possible activation of Turkey in the OSCE Minsk Group, which deals with the Karabakh conflict resolution. As to the changes in and activation of Turkeys role as an OSCE Minsk Group member, the members of that group are only welcomed to indeed play a constructive role in the [Karabakh conflict] settlement. I think it is their direct task to play a constructive role and do that actively when the issue concerns exactly the constructive contribution to the conflict settlement process, Zakharova noted. Asked whether Turkey may become one of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the Spokeswoman noted that she possessed no information on that. I have no information on the changes in the OSCE Minsk Group work format. Frankly speaking, I havent even heard about holding such discussions. I dont mean the media outlets, but the experts dealing with that issue. Looking through our school yearbooks evoke for many of us cherished memories of youth. They may almost present laughable (for me personally, cringe-worthy) moments when we see awkward photos of ourselves. However, for genealogical research, yearbooks are an important resource for several reasons. Consider that when we research our ancestors, most of the records begin in their adult life, when they are legally able to marry, vote, and own property. The formative childhood years are often lost to time, but researching in yearbooks and other types of school records are an important avenue for genealogists. This post focuses on the importance of yearbooks because in many cases, other types of school records such as transcripts and student files are lost or difficult to access. There may exist a variety of records pertaining to schools and students. However, a discussion about those will be for another post. Yearbooks are the best place to start for tracking ancestors as students or teachers, because they are the most available and complete source to date of those who attended or worked in the school. Theres not a whole lot of history on why and when yearbooks were created, but beginning in the 1600s, students compiled their own yearbooks with newspaper clippings, dried flowers, and personal musings. The first published yearbooks were created in the 19th century, which were traditionally called annuals or class books. Soon after the daguerreotype was invented, a few schools had photographers come into take pictures of graduating students, but the yearbook photograph did not become mainstream until the invention of the Kodak Camera in 1888. Around this time is when yearbook publication in schools begins to greatly increase in popularity and most collections date back to at least the early 20th century. With that in mind, yearbooks may only be useful for genealogy in the more recent generations of our family trees. Photographs of Graduates, Lebanon Valley College Bizarre (1914). Image source: Internet Archive. First and foremost, yearbooks are able to put our ancestors in a time and place. Beyond that, they offer a variety of detail we couldnt glean from traditional genealogical sources. In yearbook listings, particularly from colleges, they offer a detailed record of a students experience at the school. They include any student clubs or organizations they belonged to and sometimes provide insight into what they might have been like in terms of personality, academic performance, and other personal qualities. I have seen some which include date and place of birth, but this is less common. The military and its academies have published annuals for a long time, which could facilitate in a genealogists search for military records of their ancestor. If an ancestor were absent altogether from a particular schools yearbooks even when they had been known to attend, it would provide a strong clue they either dropped out or transferred to another institution. Amherst College Classbook (1903). Image Source: Digital Commonwealth. When you are using yearbooks for genealogical research, examine the entirety of its contents. They are never indexed, so take your time with them to find useful pieces of information. I would suggest surveying the entire listing for each class because these are people your ancestor interacted with directly, thus belonging to the FAN club and could prove significant in further research. There are often pages that include personal musings, class histories, photographs of student life and all the student-run organizations. They do provide faculty information and perhaps even photographs of the faculty, so its important to think of yearbooks as more useful than just for researching students. Many yearbooks also included advertisements from businesses that sponsored the publication of the yearbook or were closely affiliated with the school, so in some cases, yearbooks have information on ancestors who didnt attend school at all. Almeida' Bus Service Advertisement in New Bedford Textile School's Yearbook The Fabricator (1961). Image Source: Internet Archive. Finding yearbooks is relatively easy because they dont contain sensitive information like other school records and survive in much greater numbers. They could exist in physical, digital, or both forms of publication. Its best to start by contacting the school directly or library for the town in which your ancestor attended school for the whereabouts of physical copies. In many cases, other local repositories such as historical and genealogical societies have copies of yearbooks as well. If you cant make an in-person visit, they should be able to do a lookup if you know the school and years of attendance/graduation. Thousands of volumes of old yearbooks are available online too. Many yearbook sites were created to help facilitate class reunions, but they help genealogists too. Relatively Curious has a great post on yearbook research, listing important sites and databases. Here are a few sites to start with: Internet Archive Ancestry.com Cyndis List Classmates.com Yearbooks provide us with a fascinating perspective on our ancestors' lives and serve as an important document of social history. What have you learned about your ancestors through yearbooks? --- Jake Fletcher is a professional genealogist, educator and blogger. Jake has been researching and writing about his ancestors since 2008 on his research blog. He currently volunteers as a research assistant at the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts and is Vice President of the New England Association of Professional Genealogists (NEAPG). The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] BENGALURU: Booking a flight is one of the most hectic tasks when planning a trip and that too getting a reasonable air fare is merely impossible during holiday seasons. According to the Google blog, more than 69 percent of US leisure travelers worry that they are not getting the best prices for a trip. For the frequent travelers and budget crunched folks, Google will make travel planning less stressful by the newly updated Google Flight service. Google flight updates users when flights are likely to increase in price, and helps find good deals, making travel planning easier on mobile. Even though the service has been around for few years, it can now provide more specific buying advice. The service not only assists users in finding the best air fare, but also updates users about hotel fairs and chances of sudden air increments. The previous version of Google Flights allowed users only to see the fluctuating air fares and a fare calendar with fare drop alert. With the new update, the app will now notify users about the fare expiry, fare fluctuations, alerts, and probable fare increments based on the date and fare history. The application allows choosing to track a flight or route and receive notifications via email letting the user know when prices are expected to change. Read Also: SAP To Make 'SuccessFactors' Service Available On Microsoft's Azure NASA Probe Finds Hint Of Cloud On Pluto Tichenor named interim director of Simon institute by Tom Woolf CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Jak Tichenor, whose journalism career with WSIU Public Broadcasting spanned nearly 34 years, will become interim director of Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute on Nov. 1. He will replace David Yepsen, who is retiring at the end of this month after leading the institute for the past seven years. The university will conduct a national search for a permanent director. Jak has devoted his career to educating residents of our region and throughout the state about important public policy matters, and that experience and expertise make him an excellent fit for the institute, Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell said. In addition, Jak was a dedicated mentor to many students and he will continue to be a valuable resource for them in his new role. Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor Susan Ford also noted Tichenors highly distinguished career as a journalist, describing him as a highly qualified individual who is well-acquainted with the university and with the institutes mission. Tichenor was a senior producer with WSIU-TV for 24 years, retiring in May 2015. He was executive producer and host of the Illinois Lawmakers statewide public television series on the Illinois General Assembly for the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council. Since 1995, he served as producer/writer for the Lincoln Academy of Illinois statewide public television series. Prior to joining WSIU-TV, Tichenor served as the news and public affairs director for WSIU Radio for nine years. Since his retirement, Tichenor has been a media services consultant for Illinois Public Television and the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. He is suspending his retirement status while serving as interim director of the Simon institute. Tichenor said he is humbled by the appointment as interim director of the institute. Paul Simon was a hero of mine, a mentor and a friend, he said. I covered his political career from his time in the House and Senate, his presidential bid, and the founding of the institute that bears his name in 1997. I've never seen anyone work as hard as he did on the issues he cared about. Simons dedication to such issues as education, access to quality health care, literacy programs, protecting the environment, breaking the cycle of poverty, improving international relations, attracting young people to careers in public service, and so many others are an important living legacy for generations to come, Tichenor said. The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute embodies that legacy as a driving force for doing this important work well into the future, he added. For me personally, its a tremendous opportunity for me to be of service to the institute, to SIU, and to honor his legacy. Tichenor also cited a personal example of the impact of Simons work on his family. Our granddaughter was born with spina bifida, making it very difficult for her to walk, Tichenor said. One of the bills that Paul passed while in the Illinois General Assembly required children with disabilities to be able to attend public schools like every other child in the state. He did it here in Illinois and he did it later in Congress. Paul once told me that bill never generated a single headline or editorial, but it was one of the things he was most proud of getting accomplished. Thanks to his good work, she and countless other children living with disabilities are able to go to school and get a good start in life. His immediate plans for the institute are to continue working on projects that David Yepsen and his staff have been working on that need to be successfully implemented and carried out well into the spring semester and beyond. In addition, the institute will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year and we want to organize a series of events and speakers that recognize Sen. Simons legacy in an appropriate way, but more importantly, continue to grow that legacy by developing projects and activities that reflect his priorities and engage the citizens of today and tomorrow in meaningful, measurable ways. A Metropolis native, Tichenor is a two-degree graduate of SIU, earning a bachelors degree in radio-television in 1979 and a masters degree in public visual communications in 1989. He is a 2006 recipient of the Lindell W. Sturgis Award for Professional Achievement. According to officials, the engineers had gone into the mine in Dudder area of Lasbela district to rescue Pakistani worker Muhammad Anwar who was trapped, Dawn online reported on Thursday. An official of the MMC Huaye Dudder Mining Company (MHD) said late Wednesday: "Chinese engineers and rescue teams restarted their work and reached the place where the two bodies were stuck," adding that the body of the Pakistani worker had not been found so far. The two bodies would be shifted to Karachi's Aga Khan Hospital for autopsy. The engineers' families had already arrived in Karachi, the official added. --IANS ksk/vm ( 139 Words) 2016-10-20-13:04:40 (IANS) New Delhi [India], Oct.20 (ANI-Newsvoir): MakeMyWishes.com, a one of its kind gift registry platform has tied up with FreeCharge, India's fastest growing digital payments platform to make sure that your wishes are fulfilled smoothly. The loggers of MakeMyWishes.com can use the platform in five effortless steps Sign up - Create an Event - Add a Wish - share it - get your wish gifted or fulfilled it through group contribution. Through FreeCharge wallet, friends and family can contribute to the wishes. MakeMyWishes.com has associated with several brands like Shoppers Stop, Craftsvilla, fabindia, Fernsnpetals, Chumbak, VOYLLA.com etc. that help 'the wishers" make a wish and choose a gift for themselves and also contribute to the wishes of others. Anu Gupta, Co-Founder MakeMyWishes.com says "We are delighted to have such partnership, as we will be able to lend our support in making precious wishes come true. This tie-up with FreeCharge will not only let people view and share wishes but also add a little currency to their wallet enabling them to make their friends and family's wishes come true"."This is an earnest effort towards the fulfillment of the little desires people have for themselves and their loved ones", added Ms. Gupta. Commenting on the partnership, Sudeep Tandon, Chief Business Officer, Freecharge said "We are pleased to partner with MakeMyWishes.com, India's online wishing platform. Through this association, we aim to help MakeMyWishes.com streamline its payment processes and expand our online footprint. With a 99% transaction success rate, we are confident to enhance the payments experience of customers. At Freecharge, we make payments experience rewarding for our customers and are looking at offering new avenues to help them realise the need to go cashless for their daily payments. Our aim is to make Freecharge wallet all pervasive in customer's lives.." This partnership will enable FreeCharge users of MakeMyWishes.com platform, go cashless to fulfill wishes and witness an inevitable smile on the face of their beloveds", he added further. With this engagement users will be benefitted. With FreeCharge's focus on creating an enriching experience for customers, MakeMyWishes.com can also leverage the best-in-class payment gateway from the former, and offer a swift and secure way of gifting to its users. (ANI-Newsvoir) A British infrastructure delegation will visit Chandigarh on 20-21 October. It comprises representatives of eleven UK companies along with officials from the UK Department for International Trade and the British High Commission. The delegation will have roundtable meetings with the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana, as well as the Chandigarh Administration, to discuss plans for upcoming infrastructure projects in the region. The British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh will also host an interactive session on "Infrastructure & Urban Development" on 21 October to provide an opportunity for representatives of state governments, municipalities and the private sector to learn more about the expertise and capabilities of the UK companies and to explore how best they might participate in projects in the region. The participating UK companies have expertise in infrastructure & urban planning, architectural design & heritage conservation, transport design, water & waste management, renewable energy and services including project & programme management and construction delivery. British Deputy High Commissioner Chandigarh David Lelliott said, "We are aware how important infrastructure and urban development projects are for the people of this region, and have been engaging closely with governments at state and city level. The UK has much to offer, so I'm delighted that this delegation representing UK expertise across a wide range of relevant fields is visiting Chandigarh. The visit underlines the interest that UK companies have in doing more in this region." The visit has been organised by the British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh and the UK Department for International Trade. The delegation consists of representatives of the following UK companies: Mace Group, ECO WMT, Global Greens, Parking Control Management, BDP, Purcell UK, Bolina Booms, NVH Technologies, Northgate, CDE Asia and Watershipdown Technologies. They will be accompanied by David Lelliott, British Deputy High Commissioner Chandigarh; Dipankar Chakraborty, Agri-Tech & Chemicals Sector Lead for India and Head of Trade for Northwest India; Javaid Malla, Energy and Low Carbon Adviser, Rishikesh Chanda, Senior Sector Manager Kolkata and Mukul Verma, Senior Trade Adviser Delhi. (ANI) New Delhi [India], Oct.20 (ANI-Newsvoir): MeetCareer.com, India's first edu-job portal is all set to organize All India MeetCareer Quiz Contest in association with Kelvin Foundation. The Quiz is expected to cover 2 million students across the nation. The Contest will begin through a preliminary test which is scheduled to be conducted on 6th Nov-16 in Chandigarh, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore; on 7th Nov-2016 for other cities (other than Bihar and Jharkhand) and on 10th Nov-16 in Bihar and Jharkhand . According to the company, the quiz will be beneficial for the students as well as the schools. The idea of this quiz is to bridge the gap between the schools and colleges and encourage the bright minds of the nation. All India Quiz will also increase gross enrollment ratio in the colleges. The preliminary test will be conducted in respective schools, and the students will be tested on General aptitude and awareness. Meetcareer.com as an edu-job portal covers entire career cycle of the students right from the time of his / her admission in the school till the time of his / her retirement. The Company not just supports parents to choose best schools for their kids but also helps students for best career advice and job opportunities to job seekers. Mr. Vishesh Goyal, CEO - MeetCareer.Com says "Our vision behind starting MeetCareer.com was to enable high school students to pursue their higher education in a way which suits them best. This contest in association with Kelvin Foundation will surely benefit students at all levels with best possible exposure, confidence and scholarships." He further added, "The Gross Enrollment Ratio of India is only 26% at the moment, and we need the necessary steps to uplift it. We are enabling our platform in a way that students can build their profiles throughout their careers with us." The winners and the runners of every cluster will fight each other in the zonal stage, and the selected ones will go to the Semifinals, in which there will be zonal champions. The winning teams from the semi finals will go to the Grand Finale, and the winner will get a prize worth of Rs. 30,00,000/- . 400 eligible participants will get a scholarship of 5 lakh each, and the participants will get certificates as well for participating. The winner will be announced on National Television, and there will be a best school coordinator and state topper award as well, which will give recognition to the schools. The schools will also get a premium listing on the MeetCareer's website. MeetCareer.com is currently headquartered in Delhi whereas operationally active in Dehradun, Jaipur, Punjab Meerut, Bhopal and Orissa. (ANI-Newsvoir) Forbes India, the most influential business magazine, will release the India Rich list in its latest issue that hits the stands on October 21, 2016. Recognised as the most awaited and highest revenue grossing issue, the magazine this time is resorting to innovative packaging and marketing to celebrate its legacy. Joy Chakraborthy, CEO, Forbes India and President-Revenue, Network 18 News said, "We are delighted to present yet another edition of The Forbes India Rich List - one of the most recognized and awaited lists in India. The Rich List celebrates and chronicles the spirit of entrepreneurial leadership and wealth creation in the Indian economy. Over years this List has become one of the strongest reference brands on India for media across the world. This is also the highest revenue grossing issue for us and we are looking forward to double the numbers on news stand as well." The list, which was released last month, is also available on www.forbesindia.com, the digital destination of the magazine. This is a collector's issue priced at Rs 250 with specially designed 5 covers. This edition will cover details of the profiles and analysis of the wealth of some of the biggest wealth creators of the country. It will also contain some never-heard-before trivia and nuggets and glimpses of their lives. Speaking on the eve of the release of the collector's edition of the India Rich List, Sourav Majumdar, Editor, Forbes India said, "The 2016 Forbes India Rich List is evidence that Indian enterprise is alive and well. The cut-off for entry into this exclusive club has hit a record high of $1.25 billion this year and while we have seen some notable exclusions, new and younger entrepreneurs have also announced their arrival into the list. As fresh ideas and ventures emerge, we hope to see more new names in the future." The top gainers on the Rich List in percentage terms were KP Singh and Ajay Piramal who added a whopping 84.6 percent and 82.6 percent to their wealth, respectively. Young entrepreneurs like Flipkart's Sachin and Binny Bansal dropped off the list, while newcomers like tech entrepreneurs the Turakhia brothers and Acharya Balkrishna make their debut. Some of the highlights of the 2016 Forbes India Rich List include: Serial entrepreneurs and brothers Bhavin and Divyank Turakhia (No. 95, $1.3 billion), make the ranks after selling their ad tech firm Media.net for $900 million to a consortium of Chinese investors in August. They are also the youngest members in the list Managing director and primary stakeholder of Patanjali Ayurved, Acharya Balkrishna (Rank 48) leaps directly into the Top 50 Mukesh Ambani (net worth of $22.7 billion) has been ranked India's richest person for the 9th consecutive time Minimum cut-off to figure in the 100 Richest Indians list hits record high of $1.25 billion. Last year it was $1.1 billion The oldest members in the list is Alkem Laboratories founder Samprada Singh (90 years) The biggest wealth gainer on the list in percentage terms is property baron Kushal Pal Singh (ranked 22), whose net worth grew from $2.6 billion in 2015 to $4.8 billion this year, a rise of 84.6 percent The biggest wealth losers on the list in percentage terms are brothers Malvinder & Shivinder Singh (Ranked 92), whose net worth dropped from $1.77 billion in 2015 to $1.38 billion this year, a drop of 22 percent There are four women in the list: #79. Leena Tiwari $1.63 bn; #65. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw $1.83 bn; # 46. Vinod Gupta $2.52 bn and #19. Savitri Jindal $5.3 bn (ANI) Alok Sharma, Foreign Commonwealth Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific, will join representatives of 28 UK businesses at the summit organised by the government of Madhya Pradesh in Indore on October 22-23. Speaking ahead of the summit, Sharma said, "Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in India and a great example of how the UK and India are working together for both of our benefit." "The UK has been a long-term supporter of the state, through aid and other partnerships, and it now has a vibrant economy," he added. The UK now has a partnership with Madhya Pradesh, providing technical assistance on issues including Smart Cities and urban development, the statement added. British Prime Minister Theresa May will lead a trade mission to India next month during her first major bilateral visit since taking office. During her visit, she will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the first India-UK TECH Summit, a showcase for partnership in technological industries. The two-day event will showcase the industrial strengths of the state and provide a global platform for interaction with Indian industry leaders, policy makers, investors and other stakeholders. --IANS rs/sm/vt ( 236 Words) 2016-10-20-17:56:09 (IANS) Choosing the right subject is one of the crucial factors that gives documentaries a better mileage, suggests Chris McDonald, President of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. "You see, there are thousand stories around us. If you want to make a docu-film, ask yourself why would you like to make the film and if it has the potential to touch the heart of a wider audience. The subject also should have relevance... Then put yourself on the audiences' shoes, would you like to watch it? Then go for it!" he told IANS. After running a documentary theatre and curate Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, McDonald realised how the pulse of the audience is different. He explained, "In a documentary film festival, people from any parts of the world are open to watch dark, heavier subjects, war, genocide or anything gory. Whereas, in a theatre ... people want to watch colours, music, culture and want to get emotionally attached with a story. That is why it is important to identify the subject based on the group of audience would you like to reach out to" McDonald, who was present here in Mumbai on Wednesday at The Filmmakers Bootcamp, as part of Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival, appreciated the initiative, and said, "MAMI is a great platform not only for audience who are getting a chance to watch well curated international films and documentaries, the local filmmakers are getting chance to collaborate with international filmmakers." --IANS aru/lok ( 258 Words) 2016-10-20-06:36:52 (IANS) There is indeed some magic in numbers! Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has carried out a study that now mathematically explains how tumours induce the growth of blood vessels. The study maintains that the tips of the blood vessels expand like a soliton, a solitary wave similar to a tsunami. "If we know how blood vessels move towards a tumor and know they take the form of a soliton, we can slow down their growth or prevent them from reaching and feeding the tumor by controlling the movement of this wave," said researcher Luis L. Bonilla. In the study, the UC3M scientists have made a mathematical description of the density of blood vessels associated with the growth of tumours through differential equations. Moreover, they confirmed this model through numerical simulations. "We saw that in the first stages, the density of the tips of the capillaries that move toward the tumor take the form of a soliton, similar to the waves of a tsunami or those that form in an irrigation canal when you stop the water with a brick and suddenly remove it," explained Bonilla. This line of research began at UC3M in 2014. "It was then that we identified some problems about angiogenesis and we were able to deduce the equation for the density of the capillary tips, something that eluded researchers for years," Bonilla continued. "A soliton is a wave that can spread for a long time without changing much," explained co-researcher Bjorn Birnir. And what that means within the context of this study is that "the tips of the veins take on a shape that does not change, lasting from the time the soliton forms until it reaches the tumour," he said. The study has been published in Scientific Reports. (ANI) It has already been seen that alcohol consumption, either by the victim or the perpetrator, is a key factor in more than half of sexual assaults on college campuses. A study by the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions have now found out that 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 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 said. "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." The study did not find that nonmedical use of opioid analgesics or stimulants was associated with negative sexual events. Parks continued saying, "NMUPD is an increasing public health concern, particularly among emerging and young adults." "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 researcher added. The study is available online and will appear in a special issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors in December. (ANI) The 39-year-old actress shared a throwback photograph of herself along with former US president Bill Clinton and mentioned that she was "honoured" to meet the "charismatic" president. The old photograph also featured musician Stevie Wonder and actor Samuel L. Jackson too. "Had the honour of meeting the charismatic President Clinton, praying for Hillary Clinton victory...Stevie Wonder, Samuel Jackson. Throwback Thursday," Mallika captioned the image. The actress is known for her bold performances in films such as "Khwahish" and "Murder", and was last seen on screen in the 2015 film "Dirty Politics". Hillary won Wednesday night's final presidential debate, while Republican rival Donald Trump refused to say that he would accept the result of the November 8 election if he lost. --IANS dc/rb/bg ( 151 Words) 2016-10-20-16:36:11 (IANS) Myanamar State Counsellor Aung Saan Suu Kyi today condemned the Uri terrorist attack and called for holding to account states that support terrorism in any form. A joint statement issued after talks between Ms Suu Kyi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as well as all acts, methods and practices of terrorism . The two leaders ''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. Both sides also agreed that terrorism was first and foremost a violation of human rights and that there could be no justification for extending support, financing, provision of material resources or training to terrorists who destroy innocent lives. They called for the expeditious finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism presently being negotiated in the United Nations. The two leaders shared the view that maintaining security along the border is essential for the socio-economic development of the border area. ''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,'' the joint statement said. In this context, it was agreed that the border guarding forces on both sides would further coordinate and exchange information towards securing the common borders. Both sides also agreed to expedite discussions regarding the relevant border segments. Mr Modi and Ms Suu Kyi held wide-ranging discussions on various issues of mutual interest. India expressed support for the efforts of the State Counsellor for the economic and social development of the country, especially in the creation of livelihood, capacity building, reconstruction of roads, provision of power, education facilities and health infrastructure that would contribute to progress and prosperity of the people of Myanmar. It was agreed that areas for cooperation identified during the visit to India of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw in August 2016 would be fast-tracked for implementation. India expressed the hope that, as a diverse and pluralistic society, Myanmar will be able to find equitable solutions peacefully through consultations among all stakeholders. Besides, it reaffirmed its commitment to assist Myanmar's efforts for strengthening democratic institutions and to support the 21st Century Panglong peace process now underway in Myanmar and expressed hope that this would lead to enduring peace.UNI NAZ RSA 2311 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-985776.Xml More than ten state government employees have been terminated from service for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities during the protests which erupted since July 9, after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants in an encounter in Anantnag. Subsequent violence left 86 people, mostly youths, dead and several thousand injured in security force and police action in the valley, where about 10,000 alleged stone-pelters and separatists were arrested. However, about half them have been released while about 500 were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA). Official sources said after receiving information that some employees, including from education department, were actively participating in the protests and inciting others in the valley, government asked intelligence agencies to prepare a list of such employees. They said the intelligence agencies, including from state police, have prepared a list of about 40 employees who are either directly involved in the violence or inciting others. About half-a-dozen employees have also been arrested and booked under PSA. Sources said government has now terminated the services of about a dozen employees, including from education department, which was affected most as all educational institutions remained closed since the eruption of unrest in the valley. Action against other employees will follow, sources said. In the 90s also, services of some government employees besides police personnel were terminated for helping militants or participating in anti-national activities.UNI BAS SB 1000 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-985919.Xml The Rajasthan High Court on July 25 had acquitted Salman of all charges in the two cases related to poaching of Chinkaras in Jodhpur in 1998 while holding that the pellets recovered from the Chinkaras were not fired from Khan's licensed gun. The High Court's decision were countering two trial court's verdict convicting the Bollywood actor and handing him one and five years of imprisonment, following which the superstar had to spend 13 days in jail. Salman was convicted by a lower court in 2006 in the two chinkara cases, but this was overturned by the High Court in its judgment Monday. One of the animals was killed at Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, and the other at Ghoda Farms on September 28, 1998. At that time, they were shooting for film 'Hum Sath Sath Hain'. Chinkara is an endangered animal accorded the highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act. (ANI) Two software engineers were killed and equal number seriously injured when a car in which they were travelling collided with a lorry near transport office on the outskirts of the city today. Police said that four software engineers were coming to the city from Bangalore in the ill-fated car to attend a marriage. The deceased were identified as Prathik (25) and Amrutha Rao (25). Prathik belonged to Maharashtra while Amrutha rao belonged to Rajahmundry in AP. Two injured software engineers were being treated in the RIMS hospital where their condition is said to be serious.UNI DP CS 1220 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-986031.Xml Laxminarayan Khati was heading to his company on his bicycle when the mishap occurred near Khokri yesterday. He died on the spot. Following the mishap, angry villagers smashed the car's windowpanes, placed Laxminarayan's body on road and staged a blockade. Traffic movement was affected for about an hour with hundreds of vehicles lined up on both sides. Later, police reached the spot and pacified villagers following which blockade was lifted. UNI XC-PS SB 1135 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-985977.Xml After the Jawaharlal Nehru University students staged protests outside the administrative block and confined its top authorities, demanding a conclusive response on the whereabouts of missing student Najeeb Ahmed, varsity Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar today assured students of fair inquiry into the matter and urged them to suspend the agitation. Ahmed, a student of School of Biotechnology, had been missing since October 15 after an altercation with some Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) students at the Mahi-Mandavi hostel. "Agitating JNU students should realise it is wrong to physically confine their own teachers like this. This will only affect our JNU," the VC tweeted. Mr Kumar said he had spoken to the students and explained them the efforts made by the JNU to locate the missing student. He also appealed to the missing student to return and resume his academic activities without fear stating that a fair inquiry was initiated. "Some students are doing politics in the varsity which is spoiling the name of the JNU," the VC said. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters, "The university administration has been doing, what it has to do. It is very sad that they gheraoed the VC and other officials." He added that some students in the varsity come here only to do politics, rather than engaging in all these matter they should concentrate on their studies. Meanwhile, the Delhi police have also put up posters in the campus announcing a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for anyone giving clue about the missing student. UNI DS SW 1417 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-986225.Xml The expansion plans in India included improvements to existing facilities in Chennai and construction of a new facility in Pune involving a total investment of Rs 85 crore (11.3 million euro). The current plants in Chennai, located at the SIDCO Industrial area at Thirumudivakkam, covers an area of 1,80,000 sqft and the Mannur plant located close to Sriperumbudur, covers an area of 100,000 sqft. These plants were highly integrated facilities that manufacture gearboxes and gearmotors for mobile machinery, wind turbines and industrial processes. The facilities also house an R and D Centre, which develops products tailor-made for the Indian market. A new 1.40 lakh sqft facility would be built, adjacent to the current plant at Thirumudivakkam to house modern assembly lines, R and D Centre and test labs, Sonia Bonfiglioli, Chairman of Bonfiglioli Group, told reporters here. The expected capacity was 75,000 units per year and would enable Bonfiglioli to serve existing and new markets and customers in off-highway, construction, mining, agriculture and material handling application, he said.MORE UNI GV CS 1354 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-986202.Xml Celtic need sustained investment in their squad to compete against top teams in the Champions League, manager Brendan Rodgers has said after his side lost to Germany's Borussia Monchengladbach.The defeat left the Scottish champions bottom of their Champions League group, with only one point from three matches.They have an upcoming fixture at Monchengladbach on November 1 before hosting Barcelona and end their group campaign at Manchester City."There are certain attributes you need and of course that does cost you money," Rodgers told British media. "That will be up to the club and our recruitment to look and try to find these players."We know that availability and affordability figures, but it is something that will happen over a period of time... No matter how good we might be there are still elements we need to compete consistently at this level."We are in the process of building something; it was brilliant to qualify and we are giving everything, but sometimes there are teams which are better than us. That's no disrespect to my players." REUTERS SHS VP1302 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-986119.Xml Police said that the arrested were identified as Asif Rehamat andHasmukh Pakrej Surana, both residents of Malvani Colony, Mumbai. The duo were flying from Mumbai to the city and after committingthe crime they return by flight. The arrested were involved in six chain snatching cases in thecity, police added.UNI MSP RS CS 1359 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-986208.Xml Even though a good number of private vehicles were plying in the summer capital, Srinagar and some other major towns in Kashmir valley, where there was no curfew or restrictions, business and other activities remained paralysed for the 104th consecutive day. Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the present agitation since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen(HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag, in a latest protest calendar have extended the strike call till October 27.Besides strike, the separatist had asked people to organise "Azadi Convention" in support of right to self determination demand in their respective areas in the valley, where 86 people, mostly youths, were killed in security force and state police action in the current unrest.Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the summer capital, Srinagar and elsewhere in Kashmir valley, where large number of security forces and state police personnel remained deployed. However, people alleged that restrictions had been imposed in Budgam, Ganderbal and Pulwama towns, where security forces were not allowing people to assemble.A UNI correspondent, who visited a number of areas in the city, including civil lines, saw good number of private vehicles, including two wheelers, plying on Moulana Azad and Residency roads, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital and Budshah chowk. Large number of roadside vendors, including those selling eatables, fruits and warm cloths could be seen in the civil lines. At Dalgate some cabs were also seen plying to different routes, particularly to Pampore, Batmaloo and airport road. In the down town, besides private vehicles, some three wheelers could also been plying, including in Khanyar, Safa Kadal, Nowhatta and Rainawari. However, the situation in and around the historic Jamia masjid, stronghold of moderate HC chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, remained unchanged. Main gates of the Masjid remained closed and security forces remained deployed in the Jamia market to prevent people from entering the worship place.MORE UNI ABS SHS 1324 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-986060.Xml Karnataka High Court today stayed executionof the death sentence awarded to serial killer and rapist UmeshReddy. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee andJustice Budihal, directed the Union and the State Governments tofile their objections, if any on the petition filed by Mr Umesh Reddy,within 10 days. Umesh Reddy's Advocate Prof Ravikumar in his application hadsought a stay on the death sentence stating that the delay to act onhis mercy petition by the President for more than two years hadcreated mental agony to his client who was expecting decision in his favour. A former Jawan of the CRPF and later the State Armed ReservePolice, Umesh had been accused of killing 18 women and raping 20women across Karnataka, Maharasthra and Gujarat. He was, however,convicted in only nine cases, one of them being the rape and murderof Jayashree Subbaiah, a housewife in Peenya in 1998. He was,however, acquitted in 11 cases due to lack of evidence. On October 26, 2006, Judge K Sukanya of the Bangalore city FastTrack Court ordered multiple sentences, including a death sentence,a seven-year sentence, Rs 25,000 fine and a 10-year sentence plus Rs 25,000 fine. In November 1996, Umesh had attempted to rape a high school girlin Chitradurga. The girl managed to escape by hitting him with astone. A month later he raped and murdered 16-year-old Roopa inChitradurga. In January, 1997, the girl he attempted to rapeidentified him at a Republic Day police parade and he was thenarrested and dismissed from service. A court ordered that he be shifted to Ballari jail fromChitradurga. Umesh managed to escape from police custody while hewas being handed over to Ballari jail. After his escape, he killedan income tax officer's wife in Bengaluru, a girl in Ahmedabad, twogirls in Vadodara, and a widow in Kunigal, Tumakuru district. Umeshmanaged to escape from police custody six times. After the trial, he was awarded the death sentence by a fasttrack court in Bengaluru in 2006. His appeals were dismissed by theHigh Court as well as Supreme Court.UNI MSP CNR CS 1501 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-986324.Xml The Meghalaya government have started the process of negotiations with the Defence authorities to part with portion of their land for the construction of the four-lane Shillong-Dawki road. The 71.5 km road from Shillong, the state capital of Meghalaya to Dawki, the border town on the Indo-Bangla border is funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency. The ambitious project worth Rs 1,251 crore is aimed at constructing a four-lane road from Umshyrpi to Mylliem and from there a two-lane road to Dawki-Tamabil. An additional bridge will be constructed over the Umshyrpi as part of the project. "We have started our negotiations with the authorities and also with private landowners for acquisition of land for widening of the road after receiving feasibility report and Detailed Project Report," Public Works Department Minister, Martin M Danggo told UNI here today. He said the project is part of the Indo-Japan agreement signed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during the latter's visit to India last year. The government-owned National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) will take up construction of crucial roads all over the North East in consultation with JICA. Mr Danggo said the project assumes significance due to the traffic flow on the route at a time when the Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road is almost complete. Moreover, the Baghmara-Ranikor road project will also merge with the proposed road.NHIDC, Deputy General Manager, SK Deb said the Army and Indian Air Force have asked the Corporation to submit the proposal for the widening of the road. The state required 3.21 hectares of land from the Army for the construction of 1.42 km road, 1.5 hectares of land will be required from the India Air Force for the construction of 1.1 km road in Upper Shillong. UNI RRK RN CJ RJ 1504 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0311-986223.Xml HLL Lifecare Ltd (HLL) was choosen for Regional Export Award under the category of the Top exporter in Kerala (Gold) by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Southern Region. The award was received by HLL Vice-President (Marketing) Rajasekhar from Union Minister for Commerce Ms Nirmala Sitaraman during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of FIEO held in Chennai recently. HLL, a Public Sector Enterprise under the Union Ministry of Family and Health Welfare, headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, manufactures and markets a range of health care products including contraceptives such as condoms, intra-uterine devices, oral and emergency pills and blood collection bags, auto disable syringes, vitro-diagnostic test kits, shunts and sanitary napkins. "We are delighted for being recognised for our export contribution. This honour will encourage us to enhance our global reach," Mr Rajasekhar said. Earlier this year, HLL had bagged its first bulk orders for supply of more than 1.3 million pieces of its signature female condoms to three countries Gambia and Burkina Faso in Africa and the Dominican Republic in Caribbean Islands. Major export markets for the company are Africa and Latin America. HLL has reported exports turnover of Rs 130 crore for the year 2015-16. The company exports Moods condoms to 68 countries and its blood bags to 50 countries.UNI DS CS 1600 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-986436.Xml The team visited Gospara, Ghiumari, Tistapara, Singaldah, besides various other border areas, in Dhubri in western part of the state today and reviewed the progress of the ongoing construction works for sealing the border. The same delegation had visited stretches along the unfenced Indo-Bangla border at Agomoni in Golakganj yesterday. The team comprised of five MLAs of the ruling BJP, Additional Chief Secretary VS Bhaskar and ADGP R Chandranathan, an official source said here today.UNI SG RN CJ RJ 1622 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0311-986467.Xml The Opposition Congress today started its candidate selection procedure for the next month's by-elections to Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency and Baithalangso Legislative Assembly constituency in Assam. A meeting of top Congress leaders, including President Ripun Bora, former CM Tarun Gogoi and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, was held at the Congress Legislative Party room at the state Legislative Assembly premises. The meeting, attended by MLAs of the party and other top functionaries, discussed the names of suitable candidates for the by-elections. Party sources said a panel of names has been finalised and these will be forwarded to the Central leadership for the final decision. Mr Gogoi, talking to the media after the meeting, said, ''We have discussed the probable candidates' names. The final decision will be taken by the party high command. The state leaders will also be consulted before making a final call.'' The Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat has fallen vacant after its incumbent MP Sarbananda Sonowal became the Chief Minister of the state, while Baithalangso LAC was vacated following the resignation of Congress MLA Dr Mansingh Rongpi. The bypolls are slated to be held on November 19.UNI SG RN JW RJ 1700 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0311-986541.Xml The CPI-M has denounced the "brazen and calculated" onslaught by the Centre on Delhi's AAP government, calling it "a dangerous attack on the democratic and federal structure". "What has been happening in Delhi is truly scandalous," said an editorial in "People's Democracy", the Communist Party of India-Marxist mouthpiece. "Ever since the AAP government was formed after the February 2015 election, there has been brazen and calculated attack by the central government to hamper the elected state government," it said. "The naked use of central power through the Lt. Governor and Delhi Police (which is under Central jurisdiction) has more or less sidelined the state government and the elected legislature," it added. Until recently, it was known that only three subjects - public order, police and land - were reserved for the Centre in the division of powers in Delhi. "But in the 20 months of the AAP government, what has been witnessed is the encroachment and taking over of all subjects within the purview of the state government," the editorial said. The CPI-M accused Lt Governor Najeeb Jung of acting "as an agent of the (Narendra) Modi government. "The manner in which he intervened to remove the chief of the Anti-Corruption Bureau in May 2015 and replaced him with an officer, chosen by him, indicated the clear design of the Modi government to neutralise the AAP government's executive authority. "The Lt Governor further cancelled the AAP government's order directing the power distribution companies to pay compensation to consumers for unscheduled power cuts. "More recently, he has turned down the government's order to increase the minimum wages for workers," it said. It said the "retrograde and flawed" Delhi High Court judgment of August 4, giving primacy to Jung in Delhi's administration, had virtually reduced the Delhi government to a non-entity. That judgment has emboldened Jung to ensure that officers in Delhi are not bound to obey Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his government. The CPI-M pointed out that 14 of the Aam Aadmi Party's 67 MLAs in the 70-member Delhi assembly had been arrested and jailed on a variety of charges which include rioting, extortion, sexual molestation, domestic violence, land grabbing and cheating. "So far 21 percent of the AAP MLAs have thus faced criminal charges and prosecution. In no other state legislature has such a large proportion of MLAs been arrested and jailed. "Whatever the merits of the individual case, it strains credulity that such a large number of elected representatives are facing criminal charges." The CPI-M also blasted the Congress for not opposing these "anti-democratic interventions" of the Centre and instead squarely blaming the AAP government for the plight it finds itself in. It said Kejriwal had sought to portray the Central intervention more in personalised terms as Modi's vendetta politics "whereas it is important to highlight this as a dangerous attack on the democratic and federal structure of the polity by a union government and the ruling party which is displaying authoritarian trends. "There are many of acts of omission and commission of the AAP government which can be criticised and opposed. But the authoritarian attack on democracy and federal structure needs to be opposed by all." --IANS mr/am ( 542 Words) 2016-10-20-17:44:11 (IANS) Comparing the clean and hygienic environs of Tirumala on par with that of Vatican City and Disney, J Barrett Travis, Chief of American Citizen Services(ACS), US Consulate General Hyderabad, poured in compliments today on TTD Executive officer Dr D Sambasiva Rao and his team for the sublime maintenance of the hill town. As a part of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free service mulled by ACS towards the safety and security of the US citizens travelling abroad, the Chief of ACS Hyderabad wing, Mr Tavis along with his deputy Ms B Sridevi called on TTD Executive Officer in his chambers here. The US delegate complimented the efforts of TTD in pilgrim crowd management, cleanliness, free food distribution system, parking areas, transportation facilities, shopping complex and the systematic administrative set up in hill town. "The environs and cleanliness are on par with Vatican City and Disney Land in spite of limited area, which is astounding", he expressed. Mr Travis is all praise for the voluntary service system adopted by the temple management. "The services by Srivari Seva volunteers, Scouts and Guides are disciplined and excellent. Their hospitality is exceptional", he lauded. Later he learnt from the TTD administrative chief Dr D Sambasiva Rao about the facilities that are being given to the American citizens including darshan, accommodation and other mode of privileges during their visit to Tirumala. The EO also explained to him about the online services including the Rs.300 online booking which was so far utilised by 100 odd countries across the world. "We also have special entry called Supatham for NRIs. On the submission of their relevant passport they will be allowed for Rs.300 special entry darshan every day between 12 noon to 5pm", he added. The TTD EO also briefed the ACS chief of Hyderabad over the orientation programme being imparted by Satya Sai Seva Organisation to train Srivari Seva volunteers to offer better services to the multitude of visiting pilgrims. The EO said that on an average not less than sixty thousand pilgirms will be served Annaprasadam while the figures double during peak season. The TTD top brass officer also explained about the IT services, laddu distribution, queue line management, darshan system etc to Mr Travis. Earlier, during the day, Mr Travis and his team had darshan of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala.UNI KNR JW RJ 1902 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-987030.Xml JICA today announced scholarships for the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H) students to study in internationally renowned universities of Japan, during the 6th Edition of the Academic Fair, organised under the aegis of JICA-FRIENDSHIP project. These Scholarships will be offered to 30 graduating students of IIT-H to pursue masters or PHD and will cover tuition fees and logistics, IIT said in an official statement here.. JICA-FRIENDSHIP project has been initiated by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to facilitate development of research networks between institutions of higher learning and industrial clusters in Japan with IIT-H that would lead to excellence in education and applied research in science and engineering. FRIENDSHIP connotes Future Researchers at IIT-H to enhance Network Development with Scholarship of Japan. Under the project, scholarships are offered to students of IITH to pursue degrees such as PhD at internationally renowned universities in Japan, such as Tohoku University, University of Tokyo, Keio University, Waseda University, Nagoya University, Kyoto University, Ritsumeikan University, Osaka University and Kyushu University. In the 6th Edition of the Academic Fair, The University of Tokyo, The University of Usaka, The University of Keio and The University of Ritsumeikan along with 23 Japanese Companies participated and shared insights on the various opportunities offered by JICA. A tremendous progress under the JICA-FRIENDSHIP project was observed where 37 IIT-H graduates including six students of Masters and 31 PHD students were sent to japan in 9 Different universities. Among these students, one graduate joined Suzuki, one graduate joined Nisaan and the other joined DRI, which are all very famous and esteemed. Forty-four Japanese faculties also visited India for academic interaction in December 2015.UNI KNR JW RJ 1900 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-987054.Xml Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central Division) A B Ota has directed all the District Collectors to submit a report about the safety measures of hospitals in their respective areas. Mr Ota, who was probing into the October 17 SUM hospital fire tragedy, which claimed 21 lives and left 106 injured, said here today that the Collectors were asked to submit the report within a month. The RDC said the District Collectors were asked to submit report about the status of the government hospitals, private hospitals and nursing homes operating in their districts and the safety measures adopted by them. Mr Ota said he has been asked to submit the report within two months but he would like to submit the it before the schedule date. Besides the RDC, the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET)was also inquiring into the fire incident.The government, he said , would take action against the guilty after the probe report was received. Meanwhile, SOA University Founder President Manoj Nayak who surrendered before the Khandagiri Police in the wee hours today said he took full responsibility for the fire tragedy and surrendered before the Khandagiri police station after he came to know that a Look Out Circular(LOC) had been issued in his name.The police have also issued the LOC in his wife's name who is also a trustee of the Sikhya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust. Prof Nayak has assured the local police that he would extend full cooperation in the process of investigation. A statement issued by SOA University here today said SUM Hospital authorities who are in deep grief for the loss of lives in the fire tragedy will wholeheartedly cooperate in all respects and would continue to serve people with full dedication as before. Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissioner of Police Y B Khurania told media here that all the trustees of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, which runs the SUM Hospital and senior officials of the hospital will be interrogated. He said the investigation is in progress and monitored by senior officers.The police, Mr Khurania said the police had seized some Important documents and recorded the statements of the witnesses to the Hospital fire tragedy The police, he further said, would be able to ascertain the sequence of events, leading to the unfortunate incident in the coming days.UNI BD DP RN RJ 1732 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0311-986634.Xml Jammu and Kashmir Police today arrested two people, allegedly involved in ransacking a J&K bank office in the uptown Srinagar yesterday. A police spokesperson here today said that miscreants entered into J&K Bank Branch Badshah Nagar in Natipora and damaged CCTV screen, LED, glass panes and other articles in the bank yesterday. Police registered a case and initiated investigation into the incident, he said. During investigation, two miscreants allegedly involved in this incident were identified as Imran Mir and Shafat Ashiq Najar. He said both the accused were arrested and a manhunt has been launched to nab other people involved in the incident.UNI ABS CJ RJ 1726 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-986624.Xml After series of cancellations of the rallies and yatra for the poll campaigns in last one month, the ruling Samajwadi Party has called three meetings and state executives beginning from tomorrow. Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is unlikely to attend all the three meetings. Samajwadi party ahead of the crucial state assembly elections is desperate to send signals to the masses and the rank and file of the party that all is well and the first family and the party is united for taking the plunge in the elections. The SP will hold the first meeting of the district president and general secretaries here tomorrow after the trouble erupted in the party on September 12. On this day chief minister had sacked two cabinet ministers and he was himself replaced as state president by Shivpal Yadav. The meeting takes place nearly after 40 days after the power struggle engulfed the ruling family of the Samajwadi Party. This will be the first meeting after Shivpal Yadav took over as the state president of the party replacing Akhilesh Yadav in mid September. Party sources here today said that this meeting will be followed by another important meeting of the state executive of the party here on October 22. The SP has convened yet another meeting here on October 24, where all the MLAs, MLCs, MPs and all former MLAs, MLCs MPs and the candidates for the 2017 state assembly elections have been summoned by the party. The district in-charge for the November 5 party's foundation day function has also been invited in the meeting on October 24. Officially the agenda of the three meetings is the preparations for the silver jubilee celebrations. But there is more to it then what meets the eye. Samajwadi party sources said "the party expects from each district president `to stand up and be counted' to ascertain as to where they stand after the divide in the first family of the party." Sources said ' many heads will roll ' in coming days and many district presidents are likely to be shown the door and in several districts the party unit will be reconstituted, organised by the party here on November 5. The meeting of the state executive of the party here on October 22 is likely to be an event of embarrassment for the ruling as the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has already announced to stay away from this meeting. Being the chief minister, he is the member of the national executive of the party so he is the special invitee in state executive of the party. Soon after his elevation as state president Shivpal Yadav had recently reconstituted the state executive where all those leaders perceived to be close to Akhilesh Yadav were purged from the state executive committee. To add salt to the injury of the supporters of Akhilesh Yadav, the state president had said that all 81 members of the state executive have been chosen after the approval of the national president Mulayam Singh Yadav. Soon after this decision, 17 candidates for the 2017 elections, considered to be close to Akhilesh Yadav were replaced by the supporters of Shivpal Yadav. Above all the biggest issue before all the meetings will be the absence of the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav from the silver jubilee celebration of the party here on November 5. CM has already announced to kick off the poll campaign from November 3 by launching his rath yatra. The Samajwadi party is at its wit ends to explain the absence of its star campaigner from all the three meetings and November 5 celebrations.UNI MB JW RJ 1933 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-987140.Xml Armed criminals today looted Rs four lakh from an employee of a private financial institution under Bhagwan Bazar in Saran district. Police said here that Rajesh Kumar, an employee of a private financial institution, was on way to his office after collecting cash from customers, when four motorcycle- borne criminals intercepted his bike near Mirchaiya Tola. "They looted Rs four lakh from Rajesh and managed to escape from the spot," police said, adding that raids were being carried out to nab the criminals. An FIR in this connection had been registered at the concerned police station, police stated.UNI XC KKS BM CJ RJ 1959 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-987219.Xml BJP workers and representatives of some other outfits today protested against Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda and later burnt his effigy at Pehowa chowk here for allegedly using un-parliamentary words against Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Three protesters, including councilor Vinod Soni, suffered burn injuries on their hands while burning the effigy of the Congress MP. The protesters raised slogans against Deepender Hooda. Addressing the protesters, Rao Surendra Singh alleged that power stung Congress leaders could not digest their defeat during last assembly elections and they have lost mental balance. He said Mr Hooda failed to maintain decorum and decency which is expected from an MP and added that it was really shameful that he used abusive language against the Chief Minister who was widely respected for his honesty and simplicity and held in high esteem by all. Mr Hooda crossed all limits and this proves that he believed in casteism and following a politics of hatred, he alleged, adding that even his father Bhupinder Singh Hooda had crossed limits of decency, which was not a good sign for democracy. UNI XC DB RSA RJ 1944 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-987185.Xml Functioning of the state government offices and schools across the hilly state of Arunachal Pradesh was today affected as the state government employees started a two-day pens and tools down strike in protest against government's failure to fulfill their charter of demands. The strike, launched by Confederation of Service Associations of Arunachal Pradesh (CoSAAP), a conglomeration of several state government employees' associations, to press for implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations, disrupted the functioning of almost all government establishments, including state civil secretariat, educational institutions and the offices of resident and deputy resident commissioners located in different parts of the country. Though the government employees turned up for their work places - offices and schools - but all abstained from doing their duties, except for registering their attendance, according to CoSAAP general secretary G Riba. The strike was almost total in the State, Riba claimed, adding that works in about 90 per cent of government establishments were affected today whereas only a few employees had reported for work. At some government schools, where examinations were held today, teachers performed their duties by wearing black badges. The CoSAAP has been demanding the state government to implement the 7th central pay commission recommendations with effect from January 1, 2016, raise the employees' retirement age up to 60 years. Its other demands included grant of transport & children's education allowances, withdrawal of NOC system in matters of promotion and retirement, payment of adhoc bonus to non-gazetted employees due from 2005-06. The employees' apex body said that instead of responding to the demands, the government was trying to buy time by constituting one more Committee forcing CoSAAP to launch the two-day agitation. UNI XC-PB AKM CJ RJ 2016 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-987103.Xml Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh today appealed to Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang to think for the welfare of his own state and not to interfere with the affairs of Manipur. Mr Ibobi strongly objected to Mr Zeliang's remarks about the history and boundary of Manipur and said Manipur was an independent kingdom and was merged to the Indian union, only in 1949. He said TR Zeliang should learn the history of the entire country, the entire north east and particularly the history of Manipur. Mr Ibobi said continued that all the communities in Manipur have been living harmoniously and peacefully from time immemorial. The chief minister said Manipur wants not an inch of land from the neighbouring states or from Myanmar and at the other hand others should not want from Manipur. He was reacting to the remarks of TR Zeliang who came to Manipur yesterday to attend a function in Senapati District of Manipur. While attending a function at the inauguration of the newly built State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) Complex at Porompat, Imphal East , Mr Ibobi Singh said the remarks of TR Zeliang is a dream which will never come true. Organisations like United Committee Manipur, All Manipur United Clubs Organisation and political leaders had also objected to Nagaland CM giving speeches in Manipur with a clear tone of disturbing the communal harmony in Manipur. Unlike other states, Manipur is inhabited by a large number of communities and people belonging to different religions in a cordial manner.UNI NS BM CJ RJ 2015 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-987197.Xml Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered closure of all government and private schools for Pooja holidays of Diwali from October 28 to November 1. ''All the educational institutions, including recognized private schools upto Higher Secondary School level of Jammu Division, will remain closed in connection with Pooja Holidays from October 28 to November 1,'' an order issued by Directorate of School Education Jammu here said.UNI VBH VS RSA 2242 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0440-987461.Xml West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today formally re-commenced farming on the plots of land in Singur which were given away to Tata Motors' Nano project by theLeft Front government, by sowing seeds of mustard on those plots. The process of giving physical possession of the land in Singur to around 4,000 farmers wasalso started today, with the chief minister handing over plots to some of the farmers. Ms Banerjee also inaugurated the first of the 66 deep tube-well pumps that the StateGovernment would install for proper irrigation of the 997 acres of farm land. During her last visit to Singur on September 14, a few days after the Supreme Court verdictin favour of the farmers, she had distributed the deeds of right to the plots of land to theirrespective owners. The task of converting the land into cultivable form had begun within a dayof the Supreme Court's passing of the order. The Supreme Court, in a judgement on August 31 last, held the state acquisition (by then LeftFront government in 2006) of agricultural land under emergency clause for industrial projects(Nano cars of Tata Motors) of private company as illegal. In her speech after the ceremony, the chief minister said the State Government has handedover 103 acres of land to the farmers for cultivation today, and that it will complete the handingover of "all the land to their respective owners by November 10, adding that the work of makingthe land cultivable was left to done on only 65 of the 997 acres. Besides, the Government also handed over "seeds and agricultural equipment to farmerstoday", she said. Ms Banerjee stressed on the fact that her Government has strictly followed the SupremeCourt order and has spared no efforts in making the land cultivable again. She was very happy today, saying, "We have to save the greenery; Singur is smiling again". Underlining the pivotal place of the Singur Movement in the history of agitation for landrights, she said, "The Singur movement will become an international model for land rights". The chief minister said, "The Singur Movement teaches us that we should never run awayfrom a fight". She thanked all the people who had helped her in bringing the land back to its original state,"I thank every officer and the local people for their help in getting the land ready for farming". Ms Banerjee also thanked "all the intellectuals, artistes and others who supported themovement". The chief minister promised, "We will make a monument to commemorate the sacrificeand the hard work of the people of Singur". Ms Banerjee reminded everyone, "Good governance depends on team work, transparencyand fulfilling promises". Thousands of people from different parts of the State, including those involved with themovement, had turned up in Singur today to witness the historic moment when the chiefminister completed the process of giving physical possession of the plots to the farmers.UNI BM RSA 2333 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0104-987491.Xml The Special Investigation team (SIT) led by Kannur town Circle inspector Venugopal today arrested two CPI(M) activists in connection with the murder of RSS worker Ramith who was hacked to death by alleged CPI(M) workers of October 12.According to police, they arrested C K Ahad and Nijoy, both from Pinarayi. Nijoy, is DYFI Pinarayi village joint secretary. A total of six persons are involved in Ramith murder and investigation is on to nab the remaining accused. Police are tracing the phone call records with the help of cyber department and also monitoring the CCTV records collected from a nearby petrol pump, where the gang attacked Ramith. The arrested youths would be produced before the court tomorrow, police said.Yesterday, District Police Chief K Sanjay Kumar Gurudin visit Dharmadom Police station and directed for an impartial inquiry into the matter.Meanwhile, Police also arrested three RSS workers Rahul (24),Roopesh (25) and MOP Navajith (24) in connection with the murder of CPI(M) local leader K Mohanan (52) of Pathiriyad on October 14. All the three arrested hail from Pathiriyad and were in judicial remand in Kannur district jail . Police also arrested four CPI(M) activists, including V Aneesh (35) Koyilode west CPI(M) branch secretary for damaging two houses of BJP workers at Pathiriyad as a retaliation for the murder of CPI(M) Valankichal branch secretary K Mohanan. As many as 16 houses of BJP/RSS sympathisers at Pathiiryad and Padivialyi were damaged by alleged CPI(M) workers.UNI AK VS RSA 2315 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0440-987313.Xml Thalassery police today seized 200 packets of brown sugar, weighing totally about 30 grams, and arrested two youths in this connection, this evening.According to Police, they arrested Sajeer (33) of Chalil near Thalassery and Safeer (23) of Koothuparamba from Thalassery town around 1830 hrs. Police said both are acting as carriers of Brown Sugar from Mumbai to sell in Thalassery and nearby areas. The brown sugar weighing 30 grams valued about 10,000 in open market , brought from Mumbai, at an prize of Rupees 80 per packet and sold at Kannur between the range of 300 to 500 rupees per packet.They would be produced before the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Special Court at Vadakara tomorrow.UNI AK VS RSA 2304 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0440-987459.Xml Police Superintendent of Vigilance Bureau S K Jha said that raids were conducted at the official residence of Mr Kumar who was earlier arrested for accepting Rs 50,000 as brbe. "During the raid, documents relating to plots purchased in Patna, Lucknow and Noida were recovered", Mr Jha said adding that the cost of plots was crores of rupees as per the assessment of the bureau. Mr Jha said that Rs 3.5 lakhs in cash was also recovered from the residence of Mr Kumar while passbooks indicating deposits of huge amount were also seized during the operation. As it is, Mr Kumar was arrested by sleuths of State Vigilance Bureau when he was accepting Rs 50,000 as bribe from owner of rice mill for clearing the bill against installation of fire safety equipment.UNI XC KKS RD RSA 2330 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0274-987369.Xml Bittu was appointed Khadoor Sahib Block Congress Committee chief in 1998. He remained Sarpanch of Gram Sabha Khawaspur from year 2002 to 2007 and Block Samiti member from year 2008 to 2013. He was elected Khadoor Sahib Market Committee Chairman from year 2003 to 2007. Gulshan Sharma's father Pandit Balmukand Sharma has been elected MLA for five times from Ferozepur city and served as Cabinet Minister in Punjab government. Gulshan served Punjab government as Deputy Advocate General at Punjab and Haryana High Court from 1990 to 1992. Welcoming Bittu and Gulshan in party fold, Mr Waraich said that people are fed with the traditional political parties and joining AAP to weed out corruption, unemployment, drug menace and otherproblems from Punjab. Criticising Congress leadership, Bittu said that the party has completely failed to raise the voice of people and leaders are busy in infighting rather than performing duty of a strong opposition party. He said that Congress has shattered the dreams of people who wanted to do good for the society. Advocate Gulshan Sharma said that AAP is the last hope to save Punjab and he will work hard under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal to work for the betterment of society.UNI DB RSA 2326 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-987277.Xml The survey, commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT) and carried out by pollster MDA, on Wednesday confirmed the results of a separate poll published on Tuesday by polling firm Vox Populi, Xinhua news agency reported. The open-ended MDA poll, which let those queried propose their own possible candidates, as opposed to being given a list of names to select from, found Lula led with 11.4 per cent support. The next closest candidates received only around 3 per cent support, including Jair Bolsonaro of the conservative Social Christian Party (3.3 per cent), Aecio Neves of the centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party (3.1 per cent), and current interim President Michel Temer of the centre-right Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (3 per cent). Lula, of the Workers' Party (PT), has been accused of corruption in relation to Operation Carwash, a long-running investigation into sprawling high-level graft. He has denied the accusations, and claimed they were politically motivated to prevent him from returning to the elections. When presented with a list of potential candidates, 24.8 per cent of those queried chose Lula, distantly followed by Neves (15.7 per cent). The MDA survey polled 2,002 people in 137 cities from October 13 to 16. --IANS ksk ( 243 Words) 2016-10-20-09:06:08 (IANS) United State's Presidential candidate Donald Trump has hinted that he may refuse to accept the election results. During the third and the final presidential debate, the Republican nominee said, "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now, I'll look at it at the time". He accused the media of poisoning the minds of the voters as he said, "What I have seen is so bad, first of all the media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile on is so amazing that the New York Times actually wrote an article about it. They don't even care. They poison the minds of the voters but unfortunately for them I think the voters are seeing through it, and we will find out on November 18." To this, Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she was "appalled" by Trump's stance. "Let's be clear about what he is saying and what that means: He is denigrating, he is talking down our democracy and I for one am appalled that someone who is the nominee for one of our two major parties would take that position," she said. During the debate, Clinton also accused Trump of being a "puppet" of Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the Democratic nominee refused to accept Moscow's interference in the US presidential elections. Clinton said Putin endorses Trump as, "It's pretty clear, he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United State." She noted that Russian hackers had been blamed for releasing internal Democratic emails, apparently in an effort to help Trump's cause, reports the Washington Post. "You're the puppet," Trump replied. In a fierce backlash, Trump said that the real reason Clinton disliked Putin is because he had outmaneuvered Clinton - who was previously secretary of state - and President Obama in nuclear treaties and in Middle Eastern conflicts like the one in Syria. "She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way," he said. When Trump was pressed about the hacks, which the U.S. intelligence agencies have blamed on Russia, he said he was not convinced. He seemed to attack the smarts and credibility of those intelligence agencies, saying that the hacks could have been carried out by China or another party. "Hillary has no idea. Our country has no idea," said Trump. During the debate, Trump also seemed to backtrack on his idea of a mass deportation of illegal immigrants, which has been a bedrock part of his campaign. But during the debate, Trump offered another plan: He would first round up "the bad ones" among illegal immigrants. The 90-minute contest in Las Vegas came just under three weeks before Election Day and with early voting underway in more than 30 states. The candidates outlined starkly different visions for the Supreme Court under their potential presidencies, with the Republican declaring the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion would be overturned by his judicial nominees. Clinton vowed to appoint justices who would uphold the ruling legalizing abortion, saying, "We have come too far to have that turned back now." Trump pressed Clinton on immigration, accusing her of wanting an "open borders" policy, a characterization she vigorously disputes. (ANI) Iran has stepped up weapons transfers to the Houthis, the militia fighting the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, US, Western and Iranian officials tell Reuters, a development that threatens to prolong and intensify the 19-month-old war.The increased pace of transfers in recent months, which officials said include missiles and small arms, could exacerbate a security headache for the United States, which last week struck Houthi targets with cruise missiles in retaliation for failed missile attacks on a US Navy destroyer.Much of the recent smuggling activity has been through Oman, which neighbours Yemen, including via overland routes that take advantage of porous borders between the two countries, the officials said.That raises a further quandary for Washington, which views the tiny Gulf state as a strategic interlocutor and ally in the conflict-ridden region. A senior US administration official said that Washington had informed Oman of its concerns, without specifying when."We have been concerned about the recent flow of weapons from Iran into Yemen and have conveyed those concerns to those who maintain relations with the Houthis, including the Omani government," the official told Reuters.Oman denies any weapons smuggling across its border, and its officials could not be reached for comment. Yemeni and senior regional officials say the Omanis are not actively involved with the transfers, but rather turning a blind eye and failing to aggressively crack down on the flow.In an interview with Saudi newspaper Okaz last week, Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alwi said:"There is no truth to this. No weapons have crossed our border and we are ready to clarify any suspicions if they arise."The Iran-allied Houthis gained a trove of weapons when whole divisions allied to former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh sided with them at the start of the war last year. But Saudi Arabia and Yemen's exiled government say they also receive substantial amounts of weapons and ammunition from Iran. Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons.Some Western officials have been more skeptical of the view that the Houthis are receiving large-scale support from Iran.The US and Western officials who spoke to Reuters about the recent trend in arms transfers said it was based on intelligence they had seen but did not elaborate on its nature. They said the frequency of transfers on known overland smuggling routes had increased notably, though the scale of the shipments was unclear.Even US officials warning of Iran's support for the Houthis acknowledge intelligence gaps in Yemen, where the US posture has been sharply reduced since the start of the conflict. The sources all declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue."We are aware of a recent increased frequency of weapons shipments supplied by Iran, which are reaching the Houthis via the Omani border," a Western diplomat familiar with the conflict told Reuters.Three US officials confirmed that assertion.One of those officials, who is familiar with Yemen, said that in the past few months there had been a noticeable increase in weapons-smuggling activity."What they're bringing in via Oman are anti-ship missiles, explosives..., money and personnel," the official said.Another regional security source said the transfers included surface-to-surface short-range missiles and small arms.A senior Iranian diplomat confirmed there had been a "sharp surge in Iran's help to the Houthis in Yemen" since May, referring to weapons, training and money."The nuclear deal gave Iran an upper hand in its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, but it needs to be preserved," the diplomat said.Washington's Gulf allies have warned that US President Barack Obama's rapprochement with Tehran through the landmark nuclear deal signed last year will only embolden Iran in conflicts in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere.US LOOKING INTO MISSILE ORIGINThe increase in transfers comes as the civil war drags on and threatens to pull the United States deeper into a conflict that has killed 10,000 people and which pits two regional powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, against each other. A UN-brokered 72-hour ceasefire went into effect yesterday.Since the beginning of the war, the Houthis have used short-range Scud missiles, and the United Nations says they have also used surface-to-air missiles, improvised to operate as surface-to-surface rockets against Saudi Arabia.But a suspected Houthi missile attack against a United Arab Emirates vessel in a strategic Red Sea shipping lane this month, as well as the attempted strikes against the U.S. warship, raise worries about the rebels' capability to launch bolder attacks.The Houthis have denied attacking the USS Mason.Two officials said the United States was looking into whether components of the missiles, including the warhead, might have benefited from Iranian parts or come from Iran but acknowledged the assessment was so far inconclusive.General Joseph Votel, the commander of the US military's Central Command, said he suspected an Iranian role in arming the Houthis and noted that Iran was one of the possible suppliers of the kinds of shore-based missile technology seen in Yemen."I do think Iran is playing a role in some of this. They do have a relationship with the Houthis," he told a forum in Washington.A senior Western diplomat told Reuters that Iran's role in helping the Houthis had increased substantially since March 2015, when the Saudis intervened to restore President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to office.The diplomat said there was concern Oman had not tackled Iranian smuggling as strongly as it should have done."In my mind, the level of Iranian arms smuggling probably doesn't get the attention it deserves."Washington has generally shied away from being too publicly critical of Muscat, especially as it played a historic role in brokering the nuclear deal.A senior Yemeni official told Reuters there had been an increase in smuggled weapons reaching the Houthis via Oman but could not say definitively whether the weapons were Iranian.Yemen's army chief of staff, Mohammed al-Maqdishi, said in a recent interview on state television that Oman should be "a lot stricter" on smuggling. "We are now in the process of heavily guarding the border points more and more."A senior Yemeni military source told Reuters that one of the smuggling routes is through Shehen, a sort of no-man's land and entry point in Mahra province along the 288-km long Yemeni-Omani border. Although formally under government control, the region is a well known haven for smuggling and central authority is weak.In addition to smuggling via secondary ports along Yemen's coastline, the source said the frequency had also increased "because Iran feels the Houthis are in a difficult situation and want to show them they're with them till the end."REUTERS SHS RK1040 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-985942.Xml A British artist is suing US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, saying the campaign illegally used his photograph of a bowl of brightly colored Skittles candies to illustrate its position against bringing Syrian refugees to the United States.David Kittos, who came to the United Kingdom as a child refugee from Cyprus and is now a British citizen, said he was offended by the use of the image in a campaign message tweeted by Trump's son Donald Trump Jr., which compared Syrian refugees to poisoned candies."If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful?" the message said. "That's our Syrian refugee problem."Above the message, Donald Trump Jr. added: "This image says it all."In his lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in federal court in Chicago, Kittos named both Trumps, as well as the campaign and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence as defendants. Trump faces Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November 8 presidential election.The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.US admission of Syrian refugees has long been a politically sensitive issue, although the country has admitted far fewer than many close allies. Trump has said violent militants could enter the country posing as refugees.In 2015, Democratic President Barack Obama announced plans to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees this year, sparking fierce criticism, mostly from Republicans who said the plan could put Americans at risk. His administration said in August it would meet that goal.The Donald Trump Jr. tweet, posted in September, prompted a response from the William Wrigley Jr. Co, a subsidiary of Mars Inc, and the maker of Skittles, which said the company did not feel the analogy was appropriate."Skittles are candy," said spokeswoman Michelle Green. "Refugees are people."In the lawsuit, Kittos seeks unspecified financial damages and an order barring the campaign from further use of the image.REUTERS PS 0604 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-985830.Xml Republican candidate Donald Trump would not commit to accepting the outcome of the November 8 US presidential election if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy and sending shockwaves across the political spectrum.Trump's refusal, which his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called "horrifying," was the standout remark of the their third and final debate esyterday and ratcheted up claims he has made for weeks that the election was rigged against him.Asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether Trump would not commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. Ok?"Trump's statement may appeal to his anti-establishment followers, but it was unlikely to reverse opinion polls that show him losing, including in key states that will decide the election."That is not the way our democracy works," Clinton said during the debate. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election."Later she told reporters: "What he said tonight is part of his whole effort to blame somebody else for where he is in his campaign."A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought Clinton, the former US secretary of state, won the debate while 39 per cent said Trump, making his first run at public office, was the victor.Mexico's peso currency, seen as a measure of Trump's prospects, rose to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the debate, suggesting growing investor confidence of a Clinton victory. Trump has vowed to build a wall on the border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and has said he would make Mexico pay for it.REPUBLICANS VOICE CONCERNMainstream Republicans were quick to denounce the comment. US Senator Lindsey Graham, a former Republican presidential candidate who has never warmed to Trump, said: "If he loses, it will not be because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate."Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who also ran for the Republican presidential nomination and now supports Trump, defended him.He said Trump's message was that "if there's some kind of obvious fraud going on, he's going to say something about it.""He didn't say he wouldn't accept it," Carson told Reuters. "He said he would evaluate it at the time."Trump's running mate, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, said Trump "will accept the outcome" because he is going to win.But Republican strategist Ryan Williams found Trump's statement "deeply concerning.""You have to accept the results of the election unless there are grounds for a recount and at this point it does not appear that we're heading for a close election," he said.'A NASTY WOMAN'In a debate that for the first time focused more on policy than character, the two candidates nonetheless lashed out at each other.Trump, 70, called Clinton "such a nasty woman," accused her campaign of orchestrating a series of accusations by women who said the businessman made unwanted sexual advances and said that both she and President Barack Obama were behind disturbances at his rallies.He said the Clinton Foundation was a criminal enterprise and as a result she should not have been allowed to seek the presidency.Clinton, 68, said Trump himself had incited violence, belittled women and posed a danger to the United States. She said Trump, a former reality TV star, had in the past also complained that his show was unjustly denied a US television Emmy award."I should have gotten it," Trump retorted.Trump said all of the stories of sexual misdeeds were "totally false" and suggested Clinton was behind the charges. He called her campaign "sleazy" and said, "Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody."Clinton said the women came forward after Trump said in the last debate he had never made unwanted advances on women. In a 2005 video, Trump was recorded bragging about groping women against their will."Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth and I don't think there is a woman anywhere who doesn't know what that feels like," said Clinton, the first woman to win the nomination of a major US political party.The two candidates also had a spirited exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration during the showdown.Clinton said she would raise taxes on the wealthy to help fund the US government's Social Security retirement program. She said Trump, who Forbes says is worth 3.7 billion dollar, would be paying higher taxes too unless he can get out of it."Such a nasty woman," Trump said.Trump and Clinton battled sharply over the influence of Vladimir Putin, with Clinton calling Trump the Russian president's puppet and Trump charging Putin had repeatedly outsmarted Clinton.Clinton and Trump walked straight to their podiums when they were introduced at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, once again forgoing the traditional handshake as they did at the second debate last week in St Louis, Missouri. This time they did not shake hands at the end of the debate either.REUTERS SHS RK1147 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-985998.Xml Five shells fired from the Kurdish militia-controlled Afrin region of Syria hit empty land in Turkey's Hatay province today, triggering retaliatory fire against YPG militia targets in Afrin, the Turkish armed forces said.It said the shells, which were fired around 5:50 am (0700 IST), did not cause any casualties or damage and the Turkish military fired back with howitzers, in line with its rules of engagement.REUTERS SDR NS1445 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986305.Xml A Hungarian man has been arrested in western Hungary on suspicion of carrying out a bomb attack in central Budapest last month in which two police officers were injured, chief prosecutor Tibor Keresztes told a news conference today.Keresztes said the man, a Hungarian citizen who was detained in the town of Keszthely, had been detained on suspicion of the attempted murder of several people and abuse of explosives.REUTERS SDR NS1500 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986331.Xml Vietnam will receive three Chinese warships from Saturday at its newly-opened Cam Ranh international port, a provincial government official said today, following a similar visit by US vessels last month.The visit will run from Saturday until October 26, an official of the external relations department of Vietnam's central province of Khanh Hoa, where the port is located, told Reuters.The official, who declined to be identified because of lack of authorisation to speak to the media, gave no further details.The visit will be the first by Chinese navy ships to Cam Ranh, state-controlled news website VnExpress said, adding that 750 Chinese military personnel would participate in activities with Vietnam's navy.The new international port is separate from Vietnam's military installations at Cam Ranh, a strategic deep water bay used by the US during the Vietnam war.Vietnam's invitation to China, although the two nations are at odds over the South China Sea, is in line with the Communist Party's stated goal of a balanced foreign policy that favors no country, even as ties with Washington are at their warmest yet.It comes amid uncertainty over the US "pivot" to Asia, and troubles with some of its historic alliances and with a new administration soon to be decided in Washington."This is actually quite normal, showing that Vietnam is open to all countries and does not take any particular side," said Ha Hoang Hop, a Vietnamese academic who has advised the government."Vietnam's diplomatic policy is to not engage with any military ally, or engage with any country, to oppose a third country," Hop said.Vietnam, however, welcomes a US role in the region when it intervenes to keep peace, stability and prosperity, a top Vietnamese general said on Monday.The deep water bay at Cam Ranh is now home to Hanoi's fleet of modern submarines, the key plank of its deterrent strategy for the South China Sea.Since opening early this year the international port has hosted ships from several countries including France, Japan, Singapore and the United States. REUTERS SDR NS1540 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986418.Xml A teenage German-Moroccan girl went on trial in Germany today accused of stabbing a policeman at a train station in Hanover on the orders of the Islamic State militant group.Safia, a dual citizen who has been in prison awaiting trial, is charged with attempted murder and with being a supporter of the jihadist group.She travelled to Istanbul in January, where she met members of the group who planned to help her enter Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria, prosecutors have said.While in Istanbul, she received orders from Islamic State members to carry out a "martyrdom attack" in Germany.She stabbed and seriously wounded the policeman in February after she was brought back to Germany by her mother, the prosecution has said. She was 16 at the time.After being returned to Germany, Safia S contacted Islamic State members online and asked them to help her plan an attack, prosecutors have said.The accused is believed to have been radicalized in Germany by people with ties to the ultra-conservative Salafi strand of Islam. Authorities believe 820 Germans have left for war zones in Syria and Iraq.A 20-year-old German Syrian is also standing trial in the same case. Prosecutors believe Mohamad K. knew of Safia's plan to carry out the attack and did not inform the police.REUTERS SDR NS1614 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986487.Xml Like many fellow Republicans running for re-election to US Congress this November, Representative Barbara Comstock has struggled to untether herself from Donald Trump.In April, Comstock said the Republican presidential candidate was actually a Democrat who knows "nothing" about the economy. She said last December that Trump's plan to ban Muslim immigrants was "un-American" and "a silly idea."In March, Comstock gave campaign donations she received from Trump to charity. Earlier this month, she said Trump's boasts about groping women were "vile" and announced she would not vote for the him, urging Trump to drop out of the race.But despite her efforts, Comstock cannot escape the shadow of Trump in the fight to retain her seat in the US House of Representatives. Her election opponent, Democrat LuAnn Bennett, takes every opportunity to tie Comstock to the New York businessman and his struggling White House bid."He (Trump) was a gift" to her campaign, Bennett said with a laugh. She says Comstock, 57, waited too late in her re-election campaign to announce she would not vote for Trump, and argues that Comstock's views on immigration, abortion and climate change are "shockingly similar" to Trump's."In a normal year, Comstock would be a clear favorite, but right now her front runner status is in question because of Trump," said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the Virginia Center for Politics.The race in northern Virginia demonstrates how difficult it may be for Republicans, even those who have criticized Trump for months, to escape the impact of his controversial campaign for the White House against Democrat Hillary Clinton.A recent poll by the Wason Center for Public Policy in Newport News, Virginia showed Clinton leading Trump by a whopping 55 to 21 per cent in northern Virginia.That suggests that for Comstock to win the race for Virginia's 10th district, some supporters of Clinton will need to "split" their tickets to vote for her."MY OWN WOMAN"Stretching from suburban Washington to the Shenandoah valley and the West Virginia border, the wealthy district is home to thousands of government workers, as well as many well-heeled lobbyists and what Trump might call the Washington "elites."The area has been represented by a Republican in Congress since 1981, although it has been more of a swing district in presidential years."This is one of the most highly educated districts in the country, and it's filled with the kinds of Republicans that Trump could very well turn off. Additionally, the whole of northern Virginia has been trending blue" as more Democrats have been moving in, said Kondik.Asked yesterday what voters thought of her repudiation of Trump, Comstock asserted that Bennett, a 63-year-old real estate executive, would be a "rubber stamp" for Clinton."I'm the only one of the two of us who has spoken out and has a record of speaking out against people, whether it's in my own party of not," Comstock, a Georgetown University-educated lawyer, told reporters. "I've made clear that I'm going to be my own woman."Comstock supported US Senator Marco Rubio during the Republican primaries. He defeated Trump in northern Virginia but Trump won the Virginia primary statewide.Comstock announced that she would not vote for Trump after a 2005 video emerged on Oct. 7 of Trump making lewd comments about women. But the damage may already have been done."With the lewd tape, Trump went from being a drag on the Comstock campaign to an anchor," said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. REUTERS SDR VP1638 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986563.Xml Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States today, declaring that it had "lost" and he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.Duterte made his comments in China, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally the United States deteriorate.His trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said 13.5 billion dollar in deals would be signedDuterte's efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal ruling in the Hague over South China Sea disputes in favour of the Philippines, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30."America has lost now," Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people at a forum in the Great Hall of the People, attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli."I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way," he added."With that, in this venue, your honours, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte said to applause. "I have separated from them. So I will be dependent on you for all time. But do not worry. We will also help as you help us."China has pulled out all the stops to welcome Duterte, including a marching band complete with batton-twirling band master at his official welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People, which most leaders do not get.RED CARPET WELCOMEPresident Xi Jinping, meeting Duterte earlier in the day, called the visit a "milestone" in ties.Xi told Duterte that China and the Philippines were brothers and they could "appropriately handle disputes", though he did not mention the South China Sea in remarks made in front of reporters."I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things," Xi said.Following their meeting, during which Duterte said relations with China had entered a new "springtime", Chinese vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin said the South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations."The two sides agreed that they will do what they agreed five years ago, that is to pursue bilateral dialogue and consultation in seeking a proper settlement of the South China Sea issue," Liu said.China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.In 2012, China seized the disputed Scarborough Shoal and denied Philippine fishermen access to its fishing grounds.Liu said the shoal was not mentioned and he did not answer a question about whether Philippine fishermen would be allowed there. He said both countries had agreed on coastguard and fisheries cooperation, but did not give details.SEA ROW TAKES "BACK SEAT"Duterte's tone toward Beijing is in contrast to the language he has used against the United States, after being infuriated by US criticism of his bloody war on drugs.He has called US President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch" and told his to "go to hell" while alluding to severing ties with the old colonial power.Yesterday, to the cheers of hundreds of Filipinos in Beijing, Duterte said Philippine foreign policy was veering towards China."I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there," Duterte said. "So time to say goodbye my friend."The same day, about 1,000 anti-US protesters gathered outside the US embassy in Manila calling for the removal of US troops from the southern island of Mindanao.Duterte yesterday said the South China Sea arbitration case would "take the back seat" during talks, and that he would wait for the Chinese to bring up the issue rather than doing so himself.Xi said issues that could not be immediately be resolved should be set aside, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.China has welcomed the Philippines approaches, even as Duterte has vowed not to surrender any sovereignty to Beijing, which views the South China Sea Hague ruling as null and void.China has also expressed support for his drug war, which has raised concern in Western capitals about extrajudicial killing.Duterte's overtures to China have been accompanied by signs of improving business ties with the world's second largest economy.China's Liu said Beijing will restore Philippine agricultural exports to China and provide financing for Philippine infrastructure. REUTERS SDR NS1700 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986650.Xml Earlier in the day, five petitions were taken by the apex court involving the Prime Minister and several others. The three-member bench had issued notices to the Prime Minister, his family members and others made party in the petition seeking his disqualification on account of the Panama Papers leaks. The Dawn quoted Sharif as saying, "I welcome the judicial proceedings in connection with Panama Papers." After consulting with his legal team, the Prime Minister in a statement said, "The court of public opinion has been making decisions, it would be better to wait for the judiciary's decision." He held the opposition responsible for the prolonged delay into investigation of the matter by a judicial commission. Sharif claimed that he had made his stance on the matter clear in the National Assembly and before the people and had also announced a commission to probe Panama gate. (ANI) India shares a commonality of views on terrorism with Algeria and Hungary and both these countries concurred that it was a disease for the entire world and had to be eradicated in all forms and manifestations. This was stated by Vice-President M Hamid Ansari today, while addressing the media onboard Air India One Special Aircraft on his way back to New Delhi after a five-day visit to Hungary and Algeria. Referring to the substantive discussions he had with the Hungarian leadership on various issues, Dr Ansari said the country agreed with India on elimination of the menace of terrorism and supported a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat. Besides two MoUs signed with Hungary -- one on water management and the other by Indian Council of World Affairs -- the two countries agreed to set up a working group on science and technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence technologies for mutual benefits. His visit to Hungary came after a long gap of nearly two decades, the Vice-President said.More UNI SD SW RJ 1802 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-986793.Xml Police fired stun grenades to disperse hundreds of students gathered outside South African President Jacob Zuma's offices today, a Reuters witness said, after weeks of violent protests across the country demanding free university education.Demonstrations over the cost of university education, prohibitive for many black students, have highlighted frustration at enduring inequalities in Africa's most industrialised country more than two decades after the end of white minority rule.REUTERS SDR NS1734 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-986748.Xml Pakistan today warned of appropriate action if India violates the Indus Water Treaty. Pak Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told media persons at his weekly briefing here that Islamabad was closely monitoring the situation. He said appropriate action would be taken in line with the treaty in case of any violation by India. Quoting Zakaria, Radio Pakistan reported that Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation. India had earlier expressed its desire to review the Indus Water Treaty. Zakaria alleged that India was making desperate attempts to divert attention from the "atrocities and human right violations" being committed in Kashmir.He said Pakistan is highlighting Indian "brutalities" in Kashmir at world fora and there has been "very substantive outcome" of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that there had been more than 100 ceasefire violations by India in 2016 alone. On New Delhi's efforts to isolate Pakistan, Zakaria said India's "negative attitude" had been the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also described the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as very disappointing and highly regrettable. UNI XC SHK 2215 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0430-987429.Xml The Czech interior ministry has set up a unit to counter what it sees as propaganda from Russia and elsewhere that has been affecting public opinion in the European Union and NATO member nation, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said today.The counterintelligence service said in September that Russia was conducting "an information war" in the Czech Republic, building a network of puppet groups and propaganda agents that could be used to destabilise the country.Chovanec said the ministry's new 20-member team will act to disperse misinformation in the public domain but also train public officials to be prepared to deal with disinformation."We want to get into every smartphone," Chovanec said at a conference on strategic communications which he attended alongside general Petr Pavel, head of NATO's military committee.The centre will need to be able to respond almost in real-time to various misinformation, using Facebook, Twitter and other means of communication, Chovanec said.Kremlin officials were not immediately available for comment.Dozens of websites in the Czech Republic, home to 30,000 Russians as of a 2011 census, promote Moscow's stance toward the West.Chovanec said an opinion poll showed a quarter of people believe what they read on "alternative" news websites.The Czech Republic has stuck to the common European Union stance toward Russia.But a number of politicians - in particular president Milos Zeman - have echoed Russia's views on the situation in eastern Ukraine, including its insistence that no Russian troops are there, and spoken out against economic sanctions on Russia.REUTERS VS PR2157 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-987414.Xml The United States will seek an explanation from the Philippines for President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement of a "separation" from Washington, the State Department said today, calling the remarks baffling and at odds with the two countries' close relationship. Duterte said during a visit to China today that "America has lost" in military and economic ties with the Philippines and "I announce my separation from the United States." "We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the US," said State Department spokesman John Kirby. "It's not clear to us exactly what that means in all its ramifications."REUTERS VSBD2342 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-987496.Xml BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,144 people were killed and 827 others injured in various fires from January to September this year, resulting in direct economic losses of 2.74 billion yuan (406.8 million U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement released Wednesday. The ministry said that 7,271 of the disasters occurred in residential areas and 4,894 caused by electric glitches, it said. Fire casualties in cities were lower than those in rural areas, it noted. The ministry said it will take more preventative measures and work with other departments on a three-year campaign to address the production of shoddy electrical products and illegal renovations of old buildings. ABUJA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured adequate care, support and quick community reintegration for the 21 Chibok school girls released last week by terrorist group Boko Haram. Buhari, while receiving the girls at the Presidential Palace in Abuja, said the government would focus on how to help them achieve their goals in life after a horrifying experience in Boko Haram's den. "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 society is done as quickly as possible," Buhari said. A total of 276 girls were seized by armed men who stormed their dormitories on the night of April 14, 2014, at the Girls Secondary School in Chibok town of Borno State. Fifty-seven girls were brave enough to escape then, while 219 others did not. In May, one of the girls escaped from their captors with her baby. With 21 girls released by their captors 913 days after the abduction last Thursday, 197 others are still being held. "These dear daughters of ours have seen the worst that the world has to offer. It is now the time for them to experience the best that the world can do for them," Buhari said, while encouraging the girls to pursue their desired ambitions in life. Upon arrival in Abuja, the released Chibok girls were attended to by a team of medical doctors, psychologists, social workers and trauma experts, among others, assembled to properly examine the girls, especially because they have been in captivity for so long. Last Sunday, the Nigerian government announced it would see to the girls' education and future careers. The Nigerian government is still negotiating on the release of the other girls still held by Boko Haram. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Four male suspects were still at large, after four students were shot outside two San Francisco high schools on Tuesday, local police said on Wednesday. In a message posted on Twitter two hour after the shooting, San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said it was a targeted incident. A female student was in critical condition with injuries to her upper torso, and a fourth victim walked into SFPD's Bayview Station with non-life-threatening injuries. The June Jordan School for Equity and City Arts and Technology High School share a campus. The incident took place at the shared parking lot of the two schools in the Excelsior District, one of the city's most ethnically diverse districts. Noting that four male suspects were seen running away from the scene, officials acknowledged that the female teenager appeared to be the target and the three others were bystanders. SFPD said the June Jordan School will resume Wednesday and counseling will be available for students. HELSINKI, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland in 2016 will be about 7,000, much less than in 2015, said the head of the Finnish Immigration Service on Wednesday. The previous estimate made by the authority was about 10,000 asylum seekers arriving in 2016. Jaana Vuorio, director general of the Finnish Immigration Service, told Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat that the latest estimate was a significant decrease from the number in 2015, when more than 32,500 asylum seekers arrived. Vuorio attributed the main reasons behind the drastic reduction to the border controls put in place and the sharp drop in the number of migrants attempting sea crossing from Turkey to Greece. Another reason was that Finland tightened its policy on asylum applicants coming from Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq, she added. Vuorio said the Finnish Immigration Service would keep a close eye on the situation in Mosul, northern Iraq. Recently, Iraqi government forces with allied militias and international forces launched a joint offensive to recapture the city of Mosul, which was seized by the militant group Islamic State in 2014. Mosul is a major Iraqi city with a population of 1.5 million people. The United Nations warned that up to one million local residents could be forced from their homes by the warfare, with 700,000 of them in need of shelter. "For Iraqis, we also have to consider whether the person could return safely to some other part of the country," Vuorio was cited by Helsingin Sanomat as saying. Currently, there are still some 22,000 asylum seekers living in reception centers in Finland. The number was 38,000 at the beginning of this year, said Vuorio. Enditem THE HAGUE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) politician Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo and four of his aides were found guilty of various offences against the administration of justice, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Wednesday. Bemba and his men were convicted of having jointly committed the offences of corruptly influencing 14 defense witnesses, and presenting their false evidence to the court, said the verdict. All five pleaded not guilty. According to the Rome Statute, the judges may impose a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years and/or a fine. The penalties will be pronounced later. On June 21, Bemba had been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by the ICC for crimes committed during the Second Congo War. Bemba is appealing this sentence. Those crimes were committed in Congo's neighboring country Central African Republic between Oct. 26, 2002 and March 15, 2003 by a contingent of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo troops. According to the ICC, Bemba was a military commander with effective authority and control over the forces that committed the crimes. The rebel group Bemba led turned into a political party. Bemba was one of the four vice-presidents in the transitional government of the DRC from July 2003 to December 2006. Bemba was arrested by the Belgian authorities on May 24, 2008, pursuant to an ICC arrest warrant, and surrendered to the ICC on June 3, 2008. NICOSIA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Left-wing Cypriot party AKEL hopes that an eventual reunification of the eastern Mediterranean island will give the party more political influence, party spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said on Wednesday. Stefanou told Xinhua in an interview that AKEL has connections with the eastern Mediterranean island's Turkish Cypriot community. That factor, he explained, will help the communist AKEL party play a crucial role in the government under the federal solution currently being pursued by Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. AKEL's ties with the Turkish Cypriots go back to the 1940s, when Greek and Turkish Cypriot workers toiled in underground copper mines and jointly fought tough labor battles under the guidance of trade unions set up by AKEL -- the only organized political power in Cyprus at the time. Stefanou said that after the crisis that affected the island's economy since 2011, AKEL lost is traditional electoral power of around 30 percent, falling to just 26 percent in this year's parliamentary election. But AKEL was still the second largest party of Cyprus. "We look forward to regaining our political strength of close to one third of the electorate under a solution that will turn Cyprus into a federal state because of our close ties with the Turkish Cypriot community," Stefanou said. "A solution will change everything in Cyprus in social and economic terms. AKEL's role in the new state will be instrumental," he added. The solution is being currently negotiated between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, acting in his capacity as leader of the Greek Cypriot community and moderate Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci. The two leaders said that they expect to move to the next stage of their negotiations early in November after having made progress in four of the chapters discussed. They are expected to tackle the thorny issue of territorial adjustments before coming to grips with the even tougher issue of security arrangements, which involve moves by Turkey. "The continuation of partition and the presence of Turkish troops on Cyprus is a constant source of danger for the island," Stefanou said. "Turkey has been declaring its support for a solution. But now the time has come to give specific answers on the security issues at the negotiating table," said Stefanou. He added that in a few weeks there will be a clearer picture as to whether a solution will become possible. "AKEL has its own specifications for a solution. If we judge that the solution is in line with our blueprint, we'll support it no matter which other parties will come out for it," said Stefanou. ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for the ratification and full implementation of the African Union (AU) framework, dubbed the Kampala Convention, for the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons (IDPs) on the African continent. During a meeting on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Peter Maurer, ICRC President, briefed the AU Peace and Security Council about his recent visits to Niger and Nigeria, and also dwelt upon other issues of common concern between the AU and the ICRC. "One of the reasons of my coming to Addis is not only briefing the Peace and Security Council of the AU, but also to present the report that ICRC has worked upon with the AU over the last couple of months on the Kampala convention and its implementation," Maurer told the press after the meeting held in closed session Stating that more than 10 million people are internally displaced in Africa, Maurer underlined the need for African states to ratify and fully implement the Convention to protect and assist IDPs. Maurer noted that the ICRC report presented provides 25 concrete recommendations to support the process and implementation of the Convention. He noted that the report has also detail examples of good practices as far as IDPs in Africa is concerned. "IDPs in armed conflict are desperately vulnerable. They have little access to basic goods and services; they are often discriminated against and exposed to sexual violence or forced recruitment," he said. Stating that the Convention is an African solution of comprehensive framework that can help states assist and protect IDPs, the ICRC President said: "This convention should now be ratified by all states in Africa, and those states who ratified it should fully implement it. The African Union has a vital role to play in this." KIEV, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's pig farming industry is on the brink of collapse due to the epidemic of the African swine fever in the country, Agriculture Minister Taras Kutovyi said here on Wednesday. "We should take emergency measures to address this issue. Otherwise, we will loose our pig farming sector," Kutovyi said during an emergency meeting with farmers and veterinary officials. Among the key measures to halt the spread of the disease, Kutovyi listed the establishment of the veterinary brigades to monitor and control pig farms and the setting-up of special mobile complexes for the disposal of animals from infected premises. Besides, the minister pledged to provide financial compensation for farmers to encourage them to slaughter infected pigs. Since the start of the year, a total of 64 cases of African swine fever were reported in 15 regions across the country. In the wake of the epidemic, a string of foreign countries, including Belarus, Moldova, Armenia and Romania, have suspended their pork imports from Ukraine. From January through August of 2016, Ukraine's pork exports have plunged 92.2 percent year-on-year to 1,523 tons. The African swine fever, a viral illness harmless to people but lethal to pigs, was first discovered in Ukraine in 2012. Enditem WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The world's first baby who was born six months ago using a new and controversial technique that incorporates DNA with three parents is now "lovely" and doing "quite well," his doctor told Xinhua. The baby's birth in Mexico, where the three-parent method is not strictly regulated, was first reported by the New Scientist magazine two weeks ago, but John Zhang of the New Hope Fertility Center in New York, formally presented his findings Wednesday at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine's meeting in Salt Lake City. "The boy is currently six months old. He is very healthy and doing quite well," Zhang said by phone from the meeting. When asked if the boy eats, cries and sleeps just like other normal babies, Zhang said: "Yes, he is very lovely." At issue is an IVF (in-vitro fertilization) technique called spindle nuclear transfer, which Zhang described as "revolutionary" and was designed to prevent women with devastating mitochondrial disease from passing them on to their children. With this method, Zhang's team first removes the nucleus of the donor egg and replaces it with the nucleus from the mother's egg, thus creating an entirely new egg that is now comprised of DNA from two mothers. This hybrid egg is then fertilized by the father's sperm to create an embryo, and if deemed normal the resulting embryo will be implanted into the mother. Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of cells and can only be passed on from the mother. Mutations in mitochondrial genes can lead to rare, serious diseases that are often fatal in childhood. So far, Britain is the only country in the world to have authorized a three-parent technique called pronuclear transfer, which is performed after the egg is fertilized. "A fertilized egg is considered a human life in many countries, and pronuclear transfer destroys two embryos, which frequently is at odds with the parents' religious beliefs," Zhang said, noting that his method solves the problem because it's performed before fertilization. Zhang said that the six-month-old boy's parents from the Middle East sought their help in 2011 and since then they have been doing preparation work for this procedure, including making it safer and studying how to diagnose mitochondrial mutations. "So we didn't do it in a hurry," he said. "We are very grateful to this patient, she is very brave, she trusts us, she is aware there are risks involved." The mother of the boy carries genes for Leigh syndrome, a genetic disorder carried by the mitochondria of the cells that can lead to difficulty in swallowing, breathing, and ultimately, early death. She had four pregnancy losses and two deceased children at age eight months and six years from the disease. Zhang's team created a total of five embryos for the couple, only one of which developed normally, which happened to be male. This embryo was implanted into the mother and the child was born nine months later. A U.S. panel from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has advised in February that the U.S. government should approve the three-parent IVF technique but one of the conditions is that the baby can only be a boy because males can't pass on their mitochondria to their children. "We intentionally used the embryo, which happened to be male," Zhang said. "If the embryo was female, we would freeze and store it." Zhang also responded to criticism that they should have submitted a paper for full peer review instead of announcing their results via media, saying they submitted a manuscript six months ago, but the problem they had was not technical, but rather ethical. He predicted that the three-parent method could be widely accepted in 10 or 20 years, just as what the IVF technique, or commonly known as a test tube baby, has experienced in the past nearly 40 years. "When the world's first test tube baby was born in the U.K. in 1978, about 80 percent of the time there was criticism, only 20 percent of the time was in favor," said Zhang. "But today we no longer think it's immoral. For any new technology, there is a process of acceptance." While some experts hailed the study as heralding "a new era" in human reproduction, Professor Francoise Baylis, Canada Research Chair in Bioethics and Philosophy at Dalhousie University, said a key problem with the study is that this was done in Mexico without appropriate oversight. "In fact, it would appear that the birth is the work of a maverick acting in defiance of efforts on the part of jurisdictions like the U.K. and the U.S. to move the science forward in a careful measured way that would be publically accountable," Baylis said in an email. SKOPJE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The government of Macedonia has followed good economic policies and has made important efforts to improve the business climate in the country, World Bank executive director Frank Heemskerk told interim Macedonian Prime Minister Emil Dimitriev on Wednesday. During the meeting in Skopje, Dimitriev stated the World Bank, as well as other international financial institutions and organizations, had acknowledged and positively assessed such measures taken by the Macedonian government in providing better and more favorable conditions to the investors. Further on, they talked about the relations between Macedonia and the World Bank, the implementation of projects and reforms towards Macedonia's economic development and ways to meet Macedonians' needs and interests, the prime minister's press office said in its press release. The Macedonian Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for the World Bank's support to Macedonia in the implementation of reforms and projects. According to the Prime Minister's office, Dimitriev and Heemskerk agreed mutual cooperation in the implementation of current and future projects related to several areas such as road infrastructure, education, local economic development and energy would contribute to Macedonia's economic growth and the creation of new jobs. Enditem TEHRAN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian official said Wednesday that only Iraqi forces have the right to participate in the ongoing operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul, Press TV reported. "No other country has the right to interfere in (the internal affairs of) Iraq," Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, was quoted as saying. "There are some countries which have deployed forces to the country without obtaining the approval of the Iraqi government. The move is in contravention of international law," Velayati said. He dismissed the claims about Iran's direct intervention in the neighboring country, saying that Tehran only provides Baghdad with military consultation at the request of the Arab country's government. Velayati described the interference of both regional and non-regional countries in Mosul operation as "unconstructive." On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey has joined airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition during the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group. Yildirim warned that Ankara would respond if developments in Mosul lead to negative consequences against Turkey. Ankara has been locked in a row with Baghdad about the presence of its troops at the Bashiqa camp in northern Iraq and over who should take part in the U.S.-backed assault on Mosul. GENEVA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani, on Wednesday warned that in a worst-case scenario, one million people could be displaced as Iraqi forces launch a military campaign to retake Mosul from the so called Islamic State (IS). He also said that as many as 700,000 people in Mosul could be in need of emergency shelter following intensification of fighting and its potential humanitarian consequences. According to the UN figures released earlier this week, as many as 1.5 million women, men, girls and boys may be impacted by the military campaign, and 200,000 people are expected to be displaced in the first weeks. "While humanitarian agencies have put in place preparedness measures ahead of the offensive to ensure that protection needs are met and humanitarian assistance is ready to be distributed, arrangements for safe exit in dignity have not been given enough attention," Beyani stressed. In a written statement released Wednesday, the expert, who visited Iraq on an official visit in May of 2015, called on all actors to respect their obligations under international law relating to the protection of civilians. "Appropriate systems must be put in place for emergency evacuations of civilians at risk from areas where the conflict is taking place or from areas that remain insecure, and their access to emergency lifesaving assistance such as provision of food, water and medical care must be guaranteed," he added. Iraqi security forces on Monday launched a major offensive aimed at liberating the city of Mosul, the last major stronghold of IS militants in Iraq. Mosul, which is located some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under the group's control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. MADRID, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- It has been almost two years since the opening of the world's longest railway line connecting Yiwu in southern China and Spain's Madrid. At a round table event here on Wednesday, a number of experts have put forward suggestions to facilitate the service of the 13,052 km long railway, which opened in November 2014 and spans eight countries between the two cities. Among those participating were Chen Yuming, an economic official at the Chinese Embassy in Madrid, Charles Powell, the director of the Elcano Institute, Mao Wenjin, the president of the Foundation for Exchange between Yiwu and Spain, as well as representatives of other government and commercial organizations. Wenjin, whose non-profit organization has its offices in Madrid, explained the event was to give the latest information about the train. He announced that the journey time between Madrid and Yiwu had been reduced to 17 to 19 days, when it had originally needed over three weeks. "Yiwu is the new starting off point on the Silk Road between China and Spain," he continued, insisting the train was for two-way traffic and offered a "door to door" service for goods. Chen explained that so far not enough people in the business community knew of the opportunities offered by the link. "People still don't know much about the route, they do not know the price and the services it offers. It needs to be publicized," he said, adding the journey time could be further reduced in the future. Sea transport between Spain and China is cheap, but takes 40 days and while air freight is fast it is expensive, explained Chen; "If I can, I will use the cheapest option and the train offers that advantage," he commented. However, he also highlighted some problems which still needed to be overcome, explaining the train had to change rail width three times on its journey and he said the line should be standardized, as it would be both "cheaper and faster." The train has developed over the short time it has been operating, offering stops in Germany and Poland allowing for more flexibility than sea or air transport, while Yiwu has established a "green" customs line for products transported on the rail link to give priority treatment for these goods. The Chinese representatives at the event proposed the creation of a "Green Channel" along the route to end the problems caused by the different customs requirements of the countries the train passes through. These requirements mean that it is still not possible to transport some Spanish agricultural products, such as fruit, milk and meat, although others such as powered milk, dried fruit, wine and olive oil can be transported with no customs problems. Products such as film for solar cells, washing machine parts, kitchen equipment and other industrial goods have also made the journey from west to east along with high-quality leatherwear, agricultural machinery and even spare parts for automobiles. Chen commented that time and temperature (especially the cold in Russia) could affect the transport of some agricultural products, so "we have to look for more industrial products and look at high-value products." This change has already been reflected in the goods brought from Yiwu to Madrid with a shift from cheaper goods for daily use towards telecommunications equipment, motors and electrical tools, so now it is up to Spain to take up the gauntlet. "There is a need for connectivity and infrastructure in the world, China has experience in this and we want to work together with countries on both sides of the Silk Road and to give benefits for all," concluded Chen. DAMASCUS, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 1,800 people, including 700 rebels, evacuated a town west of the capital Damascus on Wednesday, a security source told Xinhua The rebels and their families left the town of Muadamiyeh in the countryside of Damascus toward the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib, as part of a deal with the Syrian government, the source said on condition of anonymity. The evacuation of the rebels and their families has become a growing trend recently, as last week more than 1,000 rebels and their families left the neighborhood of Qudsaya, west of Damascus. The town of Daraya, near Muadamiyeh, also witnessed a similar evacuation a couple of months ago. All those towns have been besieged by the government for years, and finally the rebels agreed to leave in order for the government to lift the siege. The aim of the government tactic is to secure the vicinity of the capital with what it calls "deals" with the rebels who want to leave and "reconciliation" with others, who agree to abandon the rebellion and surrender to the Syrian army. Most of the civilians who leave to Idlib are the families of the rebels, who refuse to lay down their weapons and reconcile with the government. Opposition activists, such as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, accused the Syrian government of carrying out "demographic purging" in the aforementioned areas, something the government totally denied. DAMASCUS, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army said Wednesday that a three-day "humanitarian truce" will enter into force in the northern city of Aleppo as of Thursday, according to the state news agency SANA. The general-command of the Syrian army said in a statement the truce will go into effect from 8 a.m. local time to 7 p.m. for three days. The statement urged the rebels to lay down their weapons and get advantage of the pardon issued by President Bashar al-Assad to all rebels who surrender themselves to the Syrian army. The general-command said it had detailed information on the whereabouts and positions of the rebels in the eastern part of Aleppo city, stressing that "any armed man who doesn't take the chance of the declared truce, will meet his doomed fate." The statement charged that the rebels in eastern Aleppo are holding hundreds of families hostages. Meanwhile, SANA said that rebels started evacuating the eastern part of Aleppo on Wednesday evening. A number of armed rebels as well as wounded, sick and aged people exited eastern Aleppo through the passages identified by the Syrian army and the Russian side, said the report. Evacuating the ultra-radical groups from Aleppo, mainly the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the Nusra Front, is a main demand of Russia and the Syrian government in order to loosen the military offensive against eastern Aleppo. Earlier in the day, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that units of the Syrian army have pulled back to allow the rebels to leave the eastern part of Aleppo. In a statement, the ministry said the military forces withdrew from certain areas, giving the rebels two roads to leave Aleppo toward the northwestern city of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo, as part of a truce recently declared by Russia. The truce will come to effect on Thursday and last for 11 hours, as declared by Russia. Meanwhile, the ministry stressed that arrangements for evacuating rebels and civilians from eastern Aleppo were finalized, stressing that rebels who surrender themselves will be covered under an amnesty from President Bashar al-Assad. The ministry also noted that it is exerting all possible efforts to secure the evacuation of civilians and rebels from eastern Aleppo, and deliver aid to the people who will stay inside that part of the city. The Syrian government and Russia have recently urged the rebels in Aleppo to leave, offering them safe passages. Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy to Syria, recently proposed the evacuation of the ultra-radical groups from eastern Aleppo, so that the Russian and the Syrian air forces could halt their airstrikes against that part of the city. WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Despite high concern and strong opposition in East Asia, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday said the United States would deploy the highly controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea "as soon as possible." "We will deploy as soon as possible a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to our Korean ally", Kerry said at the start of two-day foreign and defense ministerial talks between the two countries in Washington, vowing the United States would "do whatever is necessary" to defend its allies in the region, "The recent dramatic increase in North Korean nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches remind us of the grave threat it poses to our collective security," said U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter at the start of the talks, reiterating the U.S. commitment to provide "extended deterrence, guaranteed by the full spectrum of U.S. defense capabilities". The term "extended deterrence" refers to the use of U.S. nuclear force to deter attacks on its allies. During the Wednesday talks between Kerry, Carter and their South Korean counterparts, the two sides reached an agreement to set up the "Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group." However, the saying that the U.S.-built THAAD can counter the nuke and missile threat from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is merely a ruse, many analysts in the region argue, fearing its deployment will only worsen the already extremely volatile situation on the Korean Peninsula. China and Russia have expressed strong opposition to the THAAD deployment as the system far exceeds South Korea's actual defense needs and would directly threaten the strategic security of the two countries. On Monday, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the DPRK's most recent failed ballistic missile launch, the latest in a series of provocations by the DPRK following its fifth nuclear test last month. Seoul and Washington announced in July an agreement to install one THAAD battery in South Korea by the end of next year. BUCHAREST, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Wednesday that Romania's cooperation with China in the field of nuclear power would not be affected by the country's general elections or other political factors. Main political parties in Romania welcome foreign investment, there is no objection to the nuclear power plant project, the president explained when answering Xinhua's question at a briefing for foreign media. He said he believed that Romania's cooperation with China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) would not be adversely affected by the general elections at year-end, no matter which party or ruling coalition would come to power. Earlier on the day, Romania's Nuclearelectrica, the state-owned company administrating nuclear energy, announced that negotiations with China's CGN over the construction of units 3 and 4 at the Cernavoda nuclear-power plant have reached the finish line. "We are on the finish line, but there are still some aspects to be clarified, primordially, the role of the Romanian Government in the project. There is still one round of talks with various state bodies and we need some little extra time," Danilea Lulache, Director General of Nuclearelectrica, was quoted as saying by official Agerpres news agency. The nuclear project is a large-scale cooperation projects between China and Romania. In November last year, Nuclearelectrica and CGN signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the development, construction and decommissioning of units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda nuclear plant. A support letter in relation to the Cernavoda project was signed at the beginning of this year by the Romanian government, which outlines major areas of support and commitment associated with the project. Cernavoda is home to two operating Candu reactors, units 1 and 2, and produces around 18 percent of the country's electricity. The doubling of the production capacity of the plant through the construction of two new units represents a major competitive advantage in the medium and long term, according to local analysts. WELLINGTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Numbers of the world's smallest and rarest marine dolphin are edging up, the New Zealand government said Thursday. A new estimate of the population of Maui dolphin, found only off the west coast of New Zealand's North Island, was encouraging for the future of the species, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said in a statement. The preliminary results of a comprehensive scientific survey carried out over the last two summers estimated the population of the critically endangered dolphin at approximately 63 adults, with 95-percent confidence there were between 57 and 75. This represented an increase from a 2010-2011 survey that estimated the number of adults at 55, with 95-percent confidence there were between 48 and 69. "These results are encouraging, but there is no dispute the Maui population remains at a very low level and the government remains committed to ensuring their long-term survival," Barry said. "What it does show is that Maui numbers over the past five years have stabilized, which can only be good news." The survey, carried out by government and university researchers from New Zealand and the United States, used a boat-based "mark-recapture" technique taking genetic samples from encountered dolphins over two summers, then comparing results to count how many unique dolphins were spotted. Another recent survey showed the population of Hector's dolphin, a close relative of the Maui dolphin and also endemic to New Zealand, was about 15,000, more than double the previous estimate of 7,000. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said the new figures were an encouraging sign that restrictions on fishing are having an effect on the Maui dolphins. "More than 1,700 square kilometres off the west coast of the North Island have been closed to trawl net fishing since 2003, and over 6,200 square kilometres closed to set netting," Guy said in the statement. Environment campaigners welcomed the news, but called on the government to do more to protect the Maui dolphin. "Maui dolphins are still on the edge of extinction and need to be protected across their range to ensure their survival," Alex Smith, senior campaigner for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said in a statement. "The New Zealand government needs to take urgent action to protect Maui dolphins and support affected fishers to move to dolphin-friendly methods of fishing." Less than half of their habitat was protected, and set netting and trawling were the biggest threats to their survival, he said. SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has test-fired a ballistic missile, believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday. ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire brokered by the United Nations went into effect on Wednesday midnight, but many Yemeni residents reported airstrikes in some war-torn areas. Yemeni residents told Xinhua that there was no sign that the cease-fire was holding as many breaches were reported minutes after truce took effect in Taiz province, Marib province and other provinces. In the besieged city of Taiz, residents said armed clashes and heavy shelling were heard across the city. The United Nations special envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said earlier in a statement that he "has received assurances from all Yemeni parties" that they will abide by the cessation of hostilities he negotiated in April. Many previous cease-fires collapsed just minutes after going into effect and failed to allow humanitarian workers to deliver badly needed aid and pave the way for peace talks. The situation in Yemen has deteriorated economically and politically since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition. Houthis and Saleh's forces hold most of Yemen's northern regions while government forces backed by Saudi-led military coalition control the rest of the country, including seven southern provinces. The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have already killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, injured more than 35,000 others and displaced over 2 millions, according to humanitarian agencies. Officials and guests attend the inaugural foundation laying ceremony of Melacca Gateway Port in Melacca, Malaysia, Oct. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung) MALACCA, Malaysia, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese companies joined hands on Wednesday to help a Malaysian company build a new deep sea port in the Strait of Malacca. The deep sea port, part of a grander 30 billion-ringgit (7.2 billion U.S. dollars) Melaka Gateway Project, is estimated to cost around eight billion ringgit and will be built with the help of PowerChina International, Shenzhen Yantian Port Group and Rizhao Port Group. It is expected to be completed by 2019. KAJ Development, the Malaysian company, said in a press release that the port is designed as a liquid cargo terminal, which will have storage facilities for liquid cargo, including petroleum, chemical products and vegetable oil. Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2016 shows the Melacca Gateway Port in Melacca, Malaysia. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung) With a deep waterway of 25 to 30 meters, the port will be "an ideal choice for a deep sea port facility," said KAJ Development. A foundation laying ceremony was also held on the day, with both Malaysia's minister of transport Liow Tiong Lai and China's ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang in attendance. "On an annual basis, over nearly 100,000 vessels ply the Strait of Malacca as its strategic location as part of east-west maritime gateway. Clearly, there is significant opportunity and potential for growth," said Liow, adding the project was in accordance with the Belt and Road initiative put forward by China. Wang Bin, a senior manager of PowerChina International, said that considering the several visits of Admiral Zheng He to Malacca in the Ming Dynasty, building a sea port here is not only for economic returns, but also an inheritance of historic legacy. SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has test-fired a projectile, believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile, but it appeared to have failed, local media reported on Thursday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) was quoted as saying that the DPRK launched what is believed to be a Musudan missile at about 7 a.m. local time (2200 GMT on Wednesday) near an airport in the country's northwestern North Pyongan province. The launch appeared to have failed, the JCS said without elaborating further. The failed launch came less than a week after the DPRK test-launched a Musudan missile from the same place last Saturday. The Oct. 16 launch ended in failure as the missile exploded soon after its liftoff. Pyongyang has test-fired Musudan missiles eight times since April 15. Except for the June 22 success at which the missile flew as high as 1,413.6 km and traveled about 400 km, all of other launches failed. The DPRK is widely expected to attempt another launch of a Musudan missile as the last two tests failed. The JCS was quoted as saying Thursday's launch of the Musudan missile is believed to have been conducted to offset the failed launch on Oct. 15. Seoul's military strongly condemned the DPRK's continued provocations, saying it is thoroughly preparing for further provocations from the country. BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing on Thursday morning. Following the ceremony, the two leaders will hold official talks and witness the signing of a series of cooperation documents. Duterte is on a state visit to China from Tuesday to Friday. China trip is his first official visit to a foreign country outside ASEAN. Related: China Focus: Philippine president arrives in Beijing for "historic" visit BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Beijing Tuesday evening, beginning his four-day visit to China. QUITO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Although some countries in the world are frustrated about the influx of refugees and migrants, a United Nations' conference held here Wednesday pointed out that these people make great contributions to the cities they live in like anyone else. From Germany to Nicaragua, governments are grappling with the issue of how to deal with refugees and migrants escaping warfare, political strife or economic turmoil. Whatever their migrant status may be, these people contribute to the cities they move in through jobs, taxes, businesses and education, according to the participants of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, or Habitat III, in Quito. In a special panel on the role refugees and migrants play in urban development, Ecuador's Deputy Minister of Human Mobility Esther Cuesta said coordinated responses were needed to offer worthy solutions to these people. "Refugees, internally displaced and stateless people feel attracted by opportunities that cities offer. These people have abilities, talents and aspirations," added Steven Corliss, director of the Division of Programme Support & Management of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These people arrive in cities "in search of the things that most of us take for granted - to move freely and without fear, have a dignified home, find a dignified job to take care of their families, educate their children, see a doctor when they are sick and dare to dream of a better future," said Corliss. The UNHCR official then spoke of the New Urban Agenda, the protocol that will be approved at Habitat III, which he said would favor joint, integrated responses adapted to specific contexts concerning refugees. "We are seeing a real and significant convergence between the strategic orientation of UNHCR, the New York Declaration (on Refugees and Migrants, September 2016) and the New Urban Agenda," Corliss said. Kate Gilmore, UN's deputy high commissioner for Human Rights, highlighted the need to combat discrimination and "humanize" their responses. "There is no habitat without people. In diversity lies strength, not fear," she said. Habitat III will conclude on Oct. 20 with the adoption of the New Urban Agenda, a document negotiated over the last three years to provide guidelines for promoting urban policies for the next two decades. KINGSTON, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- International coffee dealers may need to pay more for Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, one of the most expensive coffees in the world, as leading processors have increased payments to the local farmers. According to a release by Jamaica's Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday, the payment to farmers will be increased to 9,000 Jamaican dollars (69.81 U.S. dollars) per box from the previous 8,000 Jamaican dollars (62.05 U.S. dollars). Under the new payment scheme which took effect on Tuesday, farmers will receive a first payment of 8,000 Jamaican dollars per box followed by a final payment of 1,000 Jamaican dollars a box.h The new payment was proposed by the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory and the Wallenford Coffee Company, which together purchase most of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee crop, said the release. Managing Director of the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory Norman Grant explained that the payment increase was mainly due to improvement of the quality of the coffee. But he said price negotiations on this year's coffee crop between his company and international importers are still going on. Jamaican Agriculture Minister Karl Samuda said he was pleased to see the payment hike for farmers, who have been dedicated to crop improvement. The minister also commended local producers for their decision to raise payments to farmers before the conclusion of the price negotiations. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee cherries are sold by "box" to large processors. Each box is 60 pounds (27.22 kg), which can be processed into about 12 pounds (5.44 kg) of green beans, and further into only 9.6 pounds (4.35 kg) of coffee. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a type of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Over the past few decades, this coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the most sought-after coffees in the world. ISLAMABAD, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army said Thursday that a school teacher has been killed while three children and two women injured in "unprovoked firing" by Indian forces. The casualties occurred during the overnight cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region, a military statement said. Escalation has been seen at the LoC since the suspected militants attacked a military base in the Indian-controlled Kashmir last month. "1 x Civilian, Abdul Rehman, age 28 years, resident of village Palani embraced Shahadat (Martyrdom) due to Indian unprovoked firing," a military statement said early Thursday. Five people including a one-and-half year old girl, a teenager boy, a 11 year boy and two ladies of age 40 & 50 years in village Palani in Karela sector," the statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said. "Pakistani troops befittingly responded to the Indian firing," the statement further said. The recent tension along the LoC area is the outcome of an attack on a base camp of Indian army in Uri sector of the Indian-controlled Kashmir on Sept. 18, which left 19 Indian soldiers dead. New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based militant group "Jaish-e-Mohammad" and suspected Islamabad's role in the attack, but Islamabad rejected the accusation. Pakistan and India declared ceasefire along the LoC in 2003. However, border troops occasionally trade fire for which both sides accuse each other. HANOI, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- German automobile manufacturer Audi AG will, on Nov. 1, start recalling 215 Audi Q7 cars in Vietnam to fix their third row benches, local media reported on Thursday. According to Audi Vietnam, indentations on the cross piece of the third row seating were not designed and subsequently manufactured to correct specifications, so the third-row seat structure could deform in the event of a collision, increasing the risk of injury to passengers, online newspaper Dan Tri (People's Intellectual Standards) reported. The affected Audi Q7 models in the Vietnamese market are cars produced between Jan. 2015 and July 2016. They will be repaired free of charge. In the first nine months of this year, 214,398 automobiles of various kinds, including cars, were sold in the Vietnamese market, up 31 percent on-year, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association. JAKARTA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man attacked police in city of Tangerang, Indonesia's Banten province on Thursday, injuring 5 police including a senior officer. The solo attacker was identified as Sultan Azianzah, 22 years old. The attack occurred after police found him sticking an IS logo sticker in a Tangerang police station in the morning when police were monitoring a labor demonstration held near the scene. Sultan attacked the police who were about to ask why he put the sticker in the police station, TV reports said. The attack was conducted brutally against numerous police trying to arrest him, including Tangerang Police Chief Effendy. Zultan stabbed Effendy and four police before being paralyzed with shots aimed at his feet. "The perpetrator was shot in his feet, now is treated in hospital," Jakarta Police spokesperson Awi Setiyono said. He added that police sustained severe injures as they were stabbed with knives by the perpetrator. They were now treated in hospital as well. Police found two pipes containing explosives in the attack scene. SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) test-fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Thursday morning, which Seoul's military presumed to have failed. The launch came shortly after top diplomats and defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States started their two-day meeting in Washington to discuss countermeasures toward Pyongyang's recent nuclear test and missile launches. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the DPRK launched what is believed to be a road-mobile Musudan missile at about 7 a.m. local time (2200GMT on Wednesday) from Banghyeon airfield in the country's northwestern North Pyongyan province. The launch appeared to have failed, the JSC said without elaborating further, according to local media reports. The airfield is located some 100 km north of the DPRK's capital city of Pyongyang. The unsuccessful launch followed the start of the two-day meeting in Washington between defense and foreign ministers of South Korea and the United States. During the two-plus-two dialogue, the two sides are expected to discuss how to address the DPRK's recent provocations, including the Sept. 9 nuclear device test and a series of missile launches. The Sept. 9 test was an explosion of a nuclear warhead that can be mounted on ballistic missiles, according to the DPRK's announcement. Four days earlier, the country test-fired three Rodong missiles from its east coast. Thursday's launch also came less than a week after the DPRK failed in its launch attempt on Sunday of a Musudan missile, which has a range of 3,000-4,000 km that can put the entire Japan and the U.S. military base in Guam in its target range. The Saturday launch ended in failure as the missile exploded soon after its liftoff, according to Seoul's military assessment. Pyongyang has test-fired eight Musudan missiles since April 15. Except for the June 22 success at which the missile flew as high as 1,413.6 km and traveled about 400 km, all of other launches had failed. South Korea's military has closely monitored the moves of DPRK forces, with all possibilities left open for another nuclear test and the launch of a long-range ballistic missile. Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 was followed by the launch on Feb. 7 of a long-range rocket. Seoul has been worrying about another long-range rocket launch by the end of this year following the fifth atomic device test in early September. JAKARTA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man attacked police in city of Tangerang, Banten province on Thursday, injured 5 police including a senior officer. The solo attacker was identified as Sultan Azianzah, 22 years old. The attack occurred after police found him sticking an Islamic-State (IS) logo sticker in a Tangerang police station in the morning when police were monitoring a labor demonstration held near the scene. Sultan attacked the police who were about to ask why he put the sticker in the police station, TV reports said. The attack was conducted brutally against numerous police trying to arrest him, including Tangerang Police Chief Effendy. Zultan stabbed Effendy and four police before being paralyzed with shots aimed at his feet. "The perpetrator was shot in his feet, now is treated in police hospital," Jakarta Police spokesperson Awi Setiyono said. He added that police sustained severe injures as they were stabbed with knives by the perpetrator. They were now treated in hospital as well. Police found two pipes containing explosives in the attack scene. The attacker was seen of taking out pipes from under his cloth and threw them to the police when the attack took place, according to TV reports cited to witness' testimonies. Head of Information Division at Indonesia Police headquarters Boy Rafly Amar said that the attacker was suspected a member of terror organization. Further investigation against the attacker would be conducted. Police were now conducted search in the attacker's house to find evidences and things related to his linkage with terror organization. Attacks against police and their facilities occurred several times in the country, had injured or even took lives of the police. Those attacks were conducted by operatives of radical groups as they regarded police as their opponent. SYDNEY, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Woodside Petroleum Limited, Australia's largest oil and gas production producer, has reported a sharp increase in September quarter sales revenue and production, thanks to record volumes at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. Woodside's quarterly production released on Thursday for the three months to September 30 surged 13.5 percent to 25.3 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mboe), increasing revenue by 19.8 percent to 987.5 million U.S. dollars compared with Q2. "We set a number of production records this quarter driven by excellent LNG capacity and reliability, which contributed to a 20 percent quarter-on-quarter revenue increase," Woodside chief executive Peter Coleman said in a statement. The better than expected production saw Woodside revise its lower end of the full-year production target up to 92-95 Mboe, its second upwards revision in as many quarters from the original 86-93 Mboe outlook. Investors cheered the news with shares rising 1.26 percent to 29.67 Australian dollars by 15:05 local time (AEDT), despite production and revenue being lower when compared with the corresponding period last year. But, Woodside has been on an aggressive merger and acquisition program after withdrawing from an takeover of Oil Search in December 2015, picking up ConocoPhillips' 35 percent stake in a new deep water discovery off Senegal, and half of BHP Billiton's interests in the Timor Sea. "The agreements to acquire ConocoPhillips' interests in Senegal and half of BHP Billiton's interests in the Scarborough area assets demonstrate Woodside's focus on growth and leverage our deep water capabilities," Coleman said. JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- In South Africa, Punkah Mdaka is one of the government's many employees who started to learn Mandarin Chinese. Along with 12 other staff with the Department of Science and Technology, she has a two-hour class every Thursday given by a Chinese teacher who comes to teach at the office building. Difficult but interesting, so does she call the Chinese language. What drives the 59-year-old to learn Mandarin is not only a personal interest in foreign languages, but also a need felt in her career. "Learning Mandarin will assist me in engaging in basic conversations with the Chinese at both formal and informal levels," said Mdaka, who is the director of Overseas Bilateral Cooperation at the science ministry. Her ministry is among the government departments encouraging their staff to take Mandarin classes at the Chinese Culture and International Education Center. The confucius classroom there opened in April 2015, and now gives Mandarin courses for half a dozen government departments. The tourism department is the latest to join the ranks. With the direct flight from Beijing to Johannesburg newly in service and visa facilitations, Chinese tourists to South Africa totaled 58,000 in the first half of 2016, more than doubling that a year earlier. Mandarin courses have been introduced this year in more than 40 schools in the country, and planned to be extended to 500 schools in the next five years. Learning Mandarin has become popular in South Africa, due to the country's increasing trade and economic links with China, its largest trading partner. At the southernmost tip of the African continent, the country is expected to be among the major beneficiaries within a decade as an important stop on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a part of China's Belt and Road Initiative aiming to seek common development and growth across the world. "The relations have begun and they are getting stronger. Last week we had the South Africa-China Hi-Tech Exhibition in Johannesburg," said Mdaka. "We expect Chinese companies to do business in the country and hope South Africa will do the same in China. The relationship is here to stay, " she added. Mdaka thought South Africa could benefit in particular from China's experiences in energy preservation and technological development. Traditional Chinese medicine is another sector. Along with Chinese food and music, it is also a cultural attraction to Mdaka, who has visited China about 80 times. She is happy that her knowledge of Mandarin can contribute to trade ties or people-to-people exchanges between South Africa and China. "When Chinese speak during meetings, I am able to pick up a few words that I know and note the ones I do not know and that expand my vocabulary," she added. Mdaka has also a plan for the rest of her life with her knowledge of Mandarin. After retirement, she intends to use her knowledge of Mandarin to work as an interpreter. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participates in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, Oct.19, 2016.(Xinhua/Yin Bogu) LAS VEGAS, the United States, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump refused on Wednesday to pledge to accept the results of the upcoming election if he loses the race. "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now," Trump said during the third and final nationally televised presidential debate held at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Pressed by the moderator, Chris Wallace of the Fox News, Trump reaffirmed that he would keep Americans in suspense whether he will accept the results of the Nov. 8 election. The brash billionaire continued to claim that the U.S. election is rigged against him, citing that the dishonest and corrupt media have poisoned the minds of American voters. His claims have been widely dismissed by political leaders from both parties. In response, Clinton criticized her opponent for refusing to honor the election results, citing that accepting the results of an election is fundamental to American democracy. "This is how Donald thinks, it's funny, but it's really troubling. That is not the way our democracy works," she said. During the debate, the two candidates continued their head-on clashes over a range of domestic and foreign issues from abortion, immigration, alleged Russia's hacking, to scandals involving Clinton's private emails and Clinton Foundation operations, as well as the sexual assault accusations against Trump. Trump maintained his combative style by attacking Clinton over and over again over various issues and her scandals, in a desperate bid to turn things around after losing two previous debates and many polls are showing him trailing Clinton by double digits. Clinton currently has a 12-point national lead (50 percent to 38 percent) over Trump among likely voters, according to a new poll released by the Monmouth University Monday. With the Election Day less than three weeks away, early voting has already started in some battleground states. Regardless who won the debate, polls have shown that more than half of American voters said the debate would not change their minds. Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2016 shows the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showing the two Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng (L) and Chen Dong waving hands in the space lab Tiangong-2. The two astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft entered the space lab Tiangong-2 Wednesday morning. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The two astronauts aboard space lab Tiangong-2 appear to be in good health, according to a remote medical test on Thursday. With a domestically developed remote medical consultation system linking the space lab and space center on earth, Earth-based medical staff carried out regular medical checkups and cardiac function examinations on the astronauts, who appear to be in perfect health, said Wu Bin, director of the medical clinic of the Astronaut Center of China. The astronauts also mastered medical care for themselves and each other before their launch, said Wu. Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, the Chinese astronauts participating in the manned space expedition, left the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft and entered the space lab Tiangong-2 on Wednesday morning. They will live in the space lab for 30 days before returning to Earth. Related: In pics: Shenzhou-11 astronauts enter Tiangong-2 space lab Spotlight: Astronaut reveals life in space BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong entered the space lab Tiangong-2 Wednesday morning aboard the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft. It's story that has garnered plenty of international media attention. Full story Shenzhou-11 astronauts enter Tiangong-2 space lab BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The two astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft entered the space lab Tiangong-2 at 6:32 Wednesday morning Beijing Time, according to Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC). Full story China launches longest-ever manned space mission JIUQUAN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday successfully launched the manned spacecraft Shenzhou-11, carrying two astronauts who will remain in space for 33 days, the longest manned mission in the country's space program to date. Full story China Focus: The sky-high dreams of Shenzhou-11 astronaut Chen Dong by Abdul Haleem, Jawed Omid KABUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Desperately waiting at a cash center in Pul-e-Charkhi to receive her repatriation and reintegration grant of 400 U.S. dollars provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a 70-year-old women question how her family was supposed to live on such a paltry amount. Bibi Hawa, who had escaped the war-torn region to live as a refugee in Pakistan 30 years ago, said that little had changed since she was away and the country remained plagued by terrorism and militancy. A resident of northern Baghlan province who went to live in Punjab in Pakistan said she sees "no difference in the security situation in Baghlan even after 30 years when I left my homeland in hope of peace returning to Afghanistan one day." The relatively volatile Baghlan province with Pul-e-Khumri as its capital, located 160 km north of Kabul, was the center of resistance against the invading forces of the former Soviet Union in the 1980s and nowadays is the center of tussle between the hardliner Taliban group and government forces. More than 100 people, including civilians, militants and security forces personnel, have been killed, injured or maimed due to the bloody fighting between government forces and the Taliban in the restive province over the past couple of months. Countless others have been left homeless, according to local officials. Although the elderly Hawa feels sorrow over her return to her home country after three decades of living in exile, she also believes that she has no choice but to adjust her life back in Pul-e-Khumri. "Even though I have no house and no income to resettle in my home province of Baghlan, I have no option but to live here," Hawa, a widow and head of a six-member family, told Xinhua. Pakistan is currently home to more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees and until recently they didn't need a passport or travel documents to cross the border between the two neighbors. However, the Pakistani government in the wake of brief exchanges of fire at the Torkham border crossing in June, has toughened its ground security measures and asked Afghan refugees to leave the country or stay with legal documents including a valid visa. Islamabad has extended Afghan refugees' stay until the end of March 2017, the repatriation process has gained momentum and according to UNHCR spokesman Nadir Farhad, some 5,000 Afghan refugees return home daily. According to Farhad, more than 240,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from Pakistan since January this year. Amanullah, another returnee who is worried about the future of his family, said he returned to his home province of Parwan after 26 years living as a refugee in Pakistan. "The new restrictions forced me to return to my country where I have no job, no security and no shelter to live in," said 67-year-old Amanullah, the head of a family of six. Afghanistan's Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, Sayed Hossein Alimi Balkhi, said the government would provide land for the returnees to build homes and reintegrate back into their communities. Nevertheless, the returnees are doubtful about the government's ability to efficiently provide shelter and new job opportunities for the former refugees returning home. "My family escaped the war in Afghanistan 36 years ago and I was born in Punjab in Pakistan and had a shop until I returned two weeks ago," Habibullah, 18, told Xinhua, adding that he was distrustful of the government's promise to provide a home and land and life would probably be miserable due to the ongoing conflict. More than 1.1 million people have been displaced by the conflict over the past 15 years in Afghanistan and 277,331 people in 2016, according to visiting UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani. More than 4 million Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan since the collapse of the Taliban regime in late 2001, Beyani said. RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Michel Temer decided on Wednesday to return from a trip to Japan, after a political ally, former Head of House Eduardo Cunha, was arrested. Though the presidential office did not clarify why Temer decided to do so, the announcement was made minutes after Cunha was arrested. Cunha is accused of taking massive bribes, trying to obstruct corruption investigations and laundering the bribe money in several accounts in Switzerland. The former congressman is a high-profile member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), which Temer also belongs to. Cunha is also regarded as the main political articulator of the impeachment of former president Dilma Rousseff. The former representative, expelled from congress in September, was regarded as one of the top influential people in Brazil's political arena. HOUSTON, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Five teenagers were arrested on Wednesday for involvement in making bomb threats earlier this week that forced the evacuation of two schools in Hot Springs, a city in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Hot Springs police said in a statement that they arrested two 16-year-old boys and three 13-year-old girls on Wednesday morning. They are each facing charges of communicating a false alarm, a class D felony. Currently, the two boys are being held without bail, while the three girls are each jailed with a bail of 2,500 U.S. dollars at the juvenile detention center of Garland County in which Hot Springs is located. The teens made five separate bomb threats to Hot Springs Middle School and Hot Springs High School on Monday, forcing the schools to be evacuated. The schools resumed normal operations later in the day. BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's Mendoza province, home to the highest peak outside Asia, issued Wednesday a message to require mountain climbers to pay for helicopter rides in rescue. "No one is going to be allowed to die up there because they can't pay," Mabel Chambouleyron, of the province's Environment Secretariat, told state news service Telam, but "the idea is to prevent the (local) community from having to bear the cost of a private activity." The local government said climbers in need of a rescue mission will have to foot the bill that amounts to some 40,000 pesos, or just over 2,600 U.S. dollars, per hour. The new rule takes effect in the upcoming climbing season, which runs from Nov. 15 to March 15, with mountain climbers leaving a credit card voucher in case of an emergency. Each year, some 3,000 climbers scale the 6,961-meter-high Aconcagua, the world's second-highest mountain after Chomolungma (Mount Everest) of 8,848 meters above sea level, and local rescuers carry out about 100 operations annually, according to Telam. LUXEMBOURG CITY, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- China and Luxembourg have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation regarding their respective financial sectors. The pledge was made during Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai's separate meetings with Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. During the meetings, Ma said China cherishes its friendship with Luxembourg, and sees the country as a trustworthy partner in the European Union (EU). Hailing bilateral ties in the fields of finance, steel and aviation, Ma said China is willing to further strengthen high-level interactions with Luxembourg, build political mutual trust and promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges in a bid to elevate bilateral ties to a new high. "The financial sector is a priority of cooperation between China and Luxembourg," Ma said. Henri lauded the smooth development of China-Luxembourg ties, saying that it is an example of cross-cultural cooperation. China' s economy is vibrant and Luxembourg is ready to engage with the country in innovative logistics as well as in other areas, Henri said. Luxembourg hosts the European headquarters or branches of major Chinese banks, which has enhanced the country's leading position in the global financial market, Henri noted, reaffirming his commitment to work for closer China-Luxembourg ties. As the year 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of Luxembourg-China ties, it will be a great opportunity for the two nations to intensify cooperation in trade and tourism, Bettel said. Luxembourg would like to be a gateway for China's cooperation with Europe, he added. As to solving the problem of global steel overcapacity, Bettel suggested that China and the EU are seeking a win-win solution through cooperation. MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The crew from the mobile short-range ballistic missile system Iskander-M have conducted tactical exercises at the firing field of Luga in Russia's Western Military District, authorities said Thursday. "The group ran many kilometers, practiced deploying the Iskander-M and loaded missiles with the help of transport-loading vehicles," said the press office of the Western Military District. According to the District, over 100 servicemen and over 20 pieces of equipment were involved in the training. During the drills, the abilities of the commanders to make independent decisions in different situations was also checked. In December 2013, Russia said it has deployed Iskander-M missiles along the borders with NATO countries. The missiles deployed are said to have a range of 400 kilometers, which do not fall under a category of the middle-range missiles banned by the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between Moscow and Washington. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday agreed that the two countries will properly handle differences and achieve full improvement and greater progress in bilateral ties. Calling the countries "neighbors across the sea," Xi said that though their relations have gone through twists and turns, the foundation of the China-Philippines friendship and the willingness to cooperate remain unchanged. China highly values its relations with the Philippines, and is ready to work with the country to cement political trust and win-win cooperation, properly handle differences and become good partners, Xi said during talks with Duterte in Beijing. He said managing differences in the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation is an important foundation for the healthy and stable growth of China-Philippines relations. China supports the efforts of the new Philippine government in fighting against drug, terrorism and crime, and would like to conduct cooperation with the Philippines in these areas, Xi said. China is ready to enhance cooperation with the Philippines under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, he added. Duterte is on a state visit to China from Tuesday to Friday. His China trip is his first official visit to a foreign country outside ASEAN since he took office in June. Beijing-Manila ties had deteriorated due to the South China Sea arbitration case brought by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, against China. MOSUL, Iraq, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Commanders of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group are fleeing the Iraqi city of Mosul amid the all-out offensive of Iraqi forces, local media said Wednesday. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, was where top IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his "caliphate" two years ago but is now the group's last major stronghold in Iraq. The launch of a major offensive to retake the country's second largest city from the extremist IS group was announced on Monday by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces. "Today I declare the launch of the operation of liberating Nineveh province. The time of victory has come, and the moment of the great victory is approaching," Abadi said in a brief address aired on national TV channel Al Iraqiya. The Iraqi army has retaken dozens of villages in Mosul, and are planning multiple attacks for Thursday. "We are telling Daesh (IS) that their leaders are abandoning them. We've seen a movement out of Mosul," said Major General Gary Volesky, who heads the anti-IS coalition's land component. While Iraqi security forces on Wednesday fought against the IS militants, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an IS attack on the northern town of Sinjar and killed 47 militants. In the third day of the offensive, the troops fought sporadic clashes with IS militants in several areas in northeast and east of Mosul, while the Peshmerga forces shelled IS positions with artillery and mortar rounds near the towns of Bashiqa and Butilla in northeast of Mosul, a security source from the Operations Command of Nineveh Liberation told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Iraqi army continued their clashes with IS militants at the edge of the town of Hamdaniyah, some 40 km southeast of Mosul, after repeated attempts to enter the town following the militants showed stiff resistance, the source said. South of Mosul, Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Sunni and Shiite Hashd Shaabi units recaptured the villages of al-Bakr, Siewah, Najma, Osmaniyah Rafla and Zawiya while moving north to the IS-held town of Shoura, some 30km south of Mosul, the source added. Separately, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an attack by dozens of IS militants with three suicide car bombs on the military positions outside the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of the IS-held city of Mosul, Brigadier General Luqman al-Khansouri, commander of the town's security forces, told Xinhua. The troops destroyed the three suicide car bombs and killed up to 47 extremist militants after several hours of fierce clashes, Khansouri said, adding that three Peshmerga members sustained serious wounds and were evacuated to the town hospital. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani, on Wednesday warned that, in a worst-case scenario, 1 million people could be displaced as Iraqi forces launch a military campaign to retake Mosul from the IS. He also said that as many as 700,000 people in Mosul could be in need of emergency shelters. DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ultra-radical rebels fired mortar shells and sniper shots at a crossing designed to allow civilians to leave rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday, a military source told Xinhua. The Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, are preventing residents from leaving eastern Aleppo, threatening to burn down the homes of those who want to cross into government-controlled areas in western Aleppo. The Syrian government and Russia has demanded that rebels who want to leave for other rebel-controlled areas in the countryside of Aleppo, as well as civilians who want to move to government-controlled territories in Aleppo, do so from Thursday, the start of a three-day "humanitarian truce." State news agency SANA reported that a number of rebels left on Wednesday evening, but on Thursday the ultra-radicals of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham were said to have stalled the evacuation. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that Syrian officers are calling via loudspeakers on the rebels to allow the residents to leave at the Bustan al-Qaser crossing between rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo and the government-controlled ones in the west. The general-command of the Syrian army said in a statement that the humanitarian truce will go into effect from 8 a.m. local time to 7 p.m. for three days. The statement urged the rebels to lay down their weapons and take advantage of the pardon issued by President Bashar al-Assad to all rebels who surrender themselves to the Syrian army. The general-command said it had detailed information on the whereabouts and positions of the rebels in the eastern part of Aleppo city, warning that "any armed man who doesn't take the chance of the declared truce, will meet his doomed fate." The statement accused rebels in eastern Aleppo of holding hundreds of families hostage. SANA said that in addition to a number of armed rebels, some wounded, sick and aged people also exited eastern Aleppo Wednesday evening through the passages designated by the Syrian army and the Russian side. The evacuation of ultra-radical groups, mainly the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, from Aleppo, is a key condition set by Russia and the Syrian government for easing a military offensive against eastern Aleppo. Earlier in the day, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that units of the Syrian army have pulled back to allow the rebels to leave the eastern part of Aleppo. In the statement, the ministry said the military forces withdrew from certain areas, giving rebels two roads to leave Aleppo for the northwestern city of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo, as part of a truce recently declared by Russia. The 11-hour truce also comes into effect on Thursday. The Foreign Ministry statement also noted the pardon ordered by Assad for rebels who surrender themselves. The statement spoke of "all possible efforts" taken to secure the evacuation of civilians and rebels from eastern Aleppo, and to deliver aid to the people who will stay inside that part of the city. by Xinhua writer Liu Chang BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is now in Beijing to warm up his country's ice-cold ties with China. The move has nothing to do with Manila's traditional alliance with Washington. As Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out red carpet to welcome his Philippine counterpart on Thursday morning, many around the world were predicting that the Southeast Asian nation was getting ready to pivot away from the United States, its traditional ally. Some even said that Beijing would receive handsome gains if the Philippine-U.S. alliance truly gets weakened.h These observers are wrong although they think they have proofs as the new leader in Manila has been an open and fierce U.S. critic and threatened to cancel his country's joint military drills with U.S. armed forces. The Chinese government never attempts to build up its ties with other countries on condition that these nations have to sacrifice their partnership with any third party. To be more specific, the most important thing Beijing seeks to get from a sound bilateral relationship with the Philippines is that the two sides can work together to strengthen their economic and trade cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit as well as respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It's totally up to the Philippine authorities to decide how they are going to handle their relations with other parties, including the United States. If America's partnership with the Philippines has indeed started to unravel, perhaps the very first thing politicians in Washington need to look into is their own way of doing business with the country they consider as a key ally in the Asia-Pacific region. And it is unfair and meaningless to scapegoat either China or Mr. Duterte. They should also know that to sustain a partnership, they need to at least learn how to be respectful and stop being bossy. Now that the Philippine leader is in China to fix the impaired ties, he will almost surely return home with his hands full as the two nations are expected to reach a series of agreements and step up their cooperation in areas such as fruits trade and anti-narcotics. True friends need to be candid and honest. The visit is also a fine opportunity for the two governments to start their talks on the South China Sea dispute. A proper handling of their maritime dispute, especially after the law-abusing arbitration episode that led bilateral ties to fall to a historical low, would build a solid foundation for the two countries to further their future cooperation without worrying that the island spats could relapse as time rolls on. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Dinh The Huynh, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and executive secretary of the Secretariat of the CPV Central Committee, in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping said China and Vietnam should value the positive developments in their bilateral relationship, properly handle disputes and expand cooperation. Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks on Thursday while meeting Dinh The Huynh, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and executive secretary of the Secretariat of the CPV Central Committee. Xi said that with efforts from both sides, China-Vietnam relations could maintain positive momentum with good progress and cooperation across the board. The two countries should continue their friendship, maintain their current ties, properly handle disputes and expand cooperation, he added. Calling the two countries "a community of a shared future," Xi said closer communication between the CPC and the CPV would help them reach a strategic consensus. He also urged the two ruling parties to continue to share their experience in governance to enhance the abilities of both sides. Huynh said it was a consistent strategy and policy choice for Vietnam and the CPV to strengthen friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. He said the Vietnamese side was willing to strengthen political trust, make better use of cooperation systems and enhance bilateral cooperation to promote the sound and stable development of relations between the two countries. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, held talks with Huynh on Thursday afternoon, pledging to enhance party-to-party relations and share experiences in Party building and national governance. Liu said both countries should safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea region, properly manage differences and push forward maritime cooperation. Huynh said Vietnam and China should appropriately handle the South China Sea issue, maintain maritime security and increase the friendly feelings of the people to achieve the long-term healthy, stable development of bilateral relationship. By Xinhua writer Guan Jianwu BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Although the world has been mired in sluggish economic growth, countries along the Belt and Road Initiative are bucking the trend. According to a report Wednesday by China's National Bureau of Statistics, despite a slight decline of trade volume overall, China's imports and exports with the Belt and Road countries have impressively increased over the last three quarters of 2016. China's exports to Pakistan, Russia, Poland, Bangladesh and India have increased by 14.9-percent, 14-percent, 11.7-percent, 9.6-percent and 7.8 percent respectively, compared to last year's numbers. China also continues to import more bulk commodities including iron ore, crude oil, coals and coppers from Belt and Road countries. Charles Onuaiju, director of Nigeria's Center for China Studies in the capital Abuja, said that the Belt and Road is a model of global development that stresses inclusiveness and participation. Countries including Cambodia and Bangladesh have also connected their domestic development plans to the Belt and Road in a bid to bolster growth and explore further opportunities. Former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Jiri Paroubek said the Belt and Road can accelerate the economic growth of many Eurasian countries and will also become a driving force for the overall development of the global economy. The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. The initiative brings together countries in Asia, Europe and Africa via overland and maritime networks. Trade between China and the Belt and Road countries exceeded 600 billion U.S. dollars, 26 percent of China's total foreign trade volume, during the first eight months of 2016, said Fang Aiqin, deputy head of China's Ministry of Commerce. Investment and financing is another cornerstone of the Belt and Road plans. From January to August, China invested nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars in countries along the Belt and Road through financial institutions including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund, according to the ministry. Preliminary estimates showed that loans provided by the AIIB were to the tune of 1.2 billion US dollars in 2016 and are expected to rise to 2.5 billion US dollars in 2017 and 3.5 billion US dollars in 2018. The New Development Bank (NDB) is anther key institution for multilateral financial cooperation. The bank, jointly founded by China, Russia, Brazil, India and South Africa, officially opened in July, 2015 in Shanghai with an initial authorized capital of 100 billion U.S. dollars. The bank has approved five investment projects in the area of clean energy, one in each member country, for a total of over 900 million U.S. dollars, a fact sheet provided by the bank has shown. Also according to preliminary estimates, totals loan provided by the NDB are 1.5 billion to 2 billion US dollars, 2 billion to 2.5 billion US dollars and 4 billion to 5 billion US dollars for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively. Under these measures, Pakistan has witnessed a boom in infrastructure construction. The China-Pakistan economic corridor is regarded as the first chapter of the Belt and Road symphony. With the economic corridor at the center and the Gwadar Port, transport infrastructure, energy and industrial cooperation being another four key areas, a "1+4" cooperation structure is gradually taking shape. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the China-Pakistan economic corridor is a boon to the whole region and it will bring tangible benefits to the 3 billion people of China, Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. Many Belt and Road countries have also witnessed an increase in employment and decrease in poverty. Bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and Bangladesh is a good example. An increasing number of Chinese investors have opened factories in the populous South Asian country, raising employment along with the training of personnel. The Belt and Road Initiative has only begun, and experts believe it will be further integrated into the global economy in the future. The initiative acknowledges people's hopes for a better life and champions the diversity of values in the world, said Onuaiju, director at the China center in Abuja. Without any doubt, it will also promote world peace, stability and prosperity. BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The British military drills in the disputed Malvinas Islands, known to the United Kingdom as the Falklands, have complicated bilateral relations but won't lead to risk of military conflict, said a senior Argentine political analyst. The 9-day military drills which begun on Wednesday was denounced by the Argentine government as "illegal." Argentina claims sovereignty over the disputed Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic while the islands are controlled politically by Britain. "I recognize that this probably could have complicated the memorandum of understanding (signed between both sides about the islands)," said international affairs analyst Rosendo Fraga, referring to the bilateral MoU inked in 1998 by Argentina and Britain to solve their disputes on the islands in the principles of cooperation and reciprocity. Vice-chancellor Carlos Foradori presented a note to British Ambassador to Argentina Mark Kent on Friday "with a formal and energetic objection to the aforementioned military drills, demanding that they (Britain) refrain from holding them, at the same time informing Secretary-General of the United Nations of the situation." Meanwhile, Fraga said on Wednesday in an interview with Xinhua that the drills are routine and should not worry Argentina too much. "Britain performs these exercises annually, always around this time of the year. Possibly the Malvinas are today the most important field in the world for British forces to carry out maneuvers. Since the war in 1982, Britain has established an important military base, and in this context it performs this exercise annually," said the analyst. Buenos Aires and London, whose relations have been marred in the past years by the differences surrounding the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands, decided to relaunch bilateral relations with a focus on "things that unite" both administrations. An international business and investment forum was convened by Argentina last month in an attempt to renew links between the two nations. During the forum, Alan Duncan, British Minister of State for Europe and the Americas said that, "the United Kingdom wants to develop a relation with Argentina in a very, very positive and prosperous way," with political and economic agendas that would unite both sides. "Neither Argentina nor the UK today intend to use arms to settle a conflict. In the diplomatic arena, Argentina has obtained favorable resolutions by the United Nations," said Fraga, adding, "I really believe that there is no risk of military conflict in the South Atlantic at this time." File photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 24, 2016 shows a scene of an underwater test-fire of submarine ballistic missile in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). (Xinhua/KCNA) SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Korea strongly denounced the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over its test-launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Thursday, which Seoul's military presumed to have failed. Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement that regardless of whether the launch was a success or not, South Korea strongly condemns the DPRK as the launch is in a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and poses a grave threat to peace and security in the international society and on the Korean peninsula. The DPRK launched a Musudan missile, which can strike as far as the U.S. military base in Guam, earlier in the morning from the country's northwestern airfield, some 100 km north of the capital Pyongyang. South Korean military said Thursday's launch appeared to have failed as seen in the previous test of the Musudan missile on Saturday when it exploded shortly after its liftoff. The South Korean foreign ministry said the provocation was conducted despite the UN Security Council's warning on Monday against Pyongyang over the Oct. 15 Musudan test-launch. Repeated provocations by Pyongyang, the ministry said, would only deepen the DPRK's international isolation and economic difficulties. An Indonesian police stands guard at the scene of attack in Tangerang, Banten province, Indonesia, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain) JAKARTA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man attacked police in city of Tangerang, Banten province on Thursday, injured 5 police including a senior officer. The solo attacker was identified as Sultan Azianzah, 22 years old. The attack occurred after police found him sticking an Islamic-State (IS) logo sticker in a Tangerang police station in the morning when police were monitoring a labor demonstration held near the scene. Sultan attacked the police who were about to ask why he put the sticker in the police station, TV reports said. The attack was conducted brutally against numerous police trying to arrest him, including Tangerang Police Chief Effendy. A member of the Indonesian bomb squad wearing a protective suit inspects the scene of attack in Tangerang, Banten province, Indonesia, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain) Zultan stabbed Effendy and four police before being paralyzed with shots aimed at his feet. "The perpetrator was shot in his feet, now is treated in police hospital," Jakarta Police spokesperson Awi Setiyono said. He added that police sustained severe injures as they were stabbed with knives by the perpetrator. They were now treated in hospital as well. Police found two pipes containing explosives in the attack scene. The attacker was seen of taking out pipes from under his cloth and threw them to the police when the attack took place, according to TV reports cited to witness' testimonies. Head of Information Division at Indonesia Police headquarters Boy Rafly Amar said that the attacker was suspected a member of terror organization. Further investigation against the attacker would be conducted. A member of the Indonesian bomb squad wearing a protective suit inspects the scene of attack in Tangerang, Banten province, Indonesia, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain) Police were now conducted search in the attacker's house to find evidences and things related to his linkage with terror organization. Attacks against police and their facilities occurred several times in the country, had injured or even took lives of the police. Those attacks were conducted by operatives of radical groups as they regarded police as their opponent. WELLINGTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Fossilized leaves recovered from an ancient crater lake in New Zealand's South Island have provided new insights into how climate changed affected the Antarctic ice sheet 23 million years ago. The leaf fossils found at Foulden Maar, in the Otago region, held evidence of a sharp increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels associated with a major collapse of the ice sheet, Waikato University paleoclimatologist Beth Fox said Thursday. Her study with U.S. scientists found that changes in the stomatal cells and carbon isotope ratios in the leaves indicated a major increase in the levels of CO2, rising from about 500 parts per million (ppm) to between 750 and 1,550 ppm over a span of less than 10,000 years. "What surprised us was how such large CO2 fluctuations happened over geologically, relatively short time scales," Fox said. "We found that atmospheric CO2 levels began to rapidly increase around the same time as the ice-sheet began to decline, and more importantly, even when the CO2 levels dropped back to previous levels, the ice kept on melting. Once the process of destabilization of the ice-sheet was kick-started, it could keep going by itself." The information was important as scientists studied today's CO2 concentrations and the melting ice in Antarctica. Some models had shown that at the current rate, the Antarctic Ice Sheet might reach a critical tipping point and start destabilizing very quickly, and the study now provided evidence this had happened before. "We don't yet know at which point between 500 and 1,550 ppm that destabilization of the ice took place and we'd also like to look at different plant species to confirm what we've found so far," said Fox. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang (R) shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Yury Trutnev, also presidential envoy to Russia's Far Eastern Federal District, during the second council meeting of regional cooperation between China's northeastern provinces and Russia's Far East in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and his Russian counterpart Yury Trutnev on Thursday pledged to boost cooperation between China's northeast and Russia's Far East. They made the pledge during the second council meeting of regional cooperation between China's northeastern provinces and Russia's Far East. As the China-Russia relationship is in its best period ever, the two regions enjoy rare opportunities for further cooperation, Wang said at the meeting. Wang said China stands ready to work with the Russian side to link their policies, expand cooperation, promote connectivity, make use of existing financing platforms and improve business environments to achieve substantial results. Trutnev, also presidential envoy to Russia's Far Eastern Federal District, said China is an important partner for Russia to develop the Far East, and Russia will make joint efforts with the Chinese side to elevate cooperation there. Earlier on Thursday, Wang and Trutnev delivered speeches at the opening ceremony of the 1st International Industrial Capacity Cooperation Forum and the 8th China Overseas Investment Fair. MOSUL, Iraq, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Thursday clashed with Islamic State (IS) militants in a town near Mosul, in continue efforts to seize more ground around the city, a security source said. Early Thursday, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi anti-terrorism commandos advanced from the north and east of Mosul, a Kurdish security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. In the east of Mosul, the troops, with air cover by a U.S.-led coalition, attacked the town of Bartillah from the eastern edge, the source said. The assault on Bartillah was preceded by heavy artillery mortar shelling, the source said. Other Peshmerga fighters recaptured the villages of Nawran and Barmia to the northeast of Mosul, while other troops advanced from the north toward the towns of Tal Asquf and Batnaya. Heavy battles are underway in what is known as Nineveh Plain, which lies to the east and northeast of Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh. The villages and towns of the vast plain are inhabited by various religious and ethnic minority groups, mostly Assyrian Christians. Many members of the minorities in the plain have fled during the chaos and ensuing insecurity that followed the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Another wave of exodus, of mostly non-Sunni Muslim minorities, came after June 2014, when the extremist IS group took control of Nineveh province and seized large parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Early on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled. by Chen Yanbei, Guo Shuang LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Space stations not only allow humanity to learn how to function beyond earth, but are also important stepping stones for further exploration, said Edward Stone, a renowned American space scientist, professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology, and former director of the U.S. space agency NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. At 3:31 Wednesday morning Beijing Time, the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft, carrying two Chinese astronauts, successfully docked with Tiangong-2, bringing China one step further toward a permanent presence in space. "Advanced nations are eager to establish their presence in the new frontier of space," emphasized Stone in an interview with Xinhua. Stone is best known as the leader of NASA's Voyager program, whose twin spacecraft were launched in the summer of 1977, and has studied Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune between 1979 and 1989. According to NASA, the Voyager 1 spacecraft has become the first human-made object to reach interstellar space, the distance between stars. Stone has since led nine other space missions, and was director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1991 to 2001. The renowned scientist is also Executive Director of the Thirty-Meter-Telescope International Observatory. Stone told Xinhua that space is the "newest realm of human activity," and a new frontier for humankind. First of all, space is a "physical frontier" that humans or spacecraft must physically reach. It then becomes a "knowledge frontier" that contains a lot of exciting unknowns awaiting exploration, he noted. New tools at a "technology frontier" then must be developed to explore space. These tools will then give rise to an "application frontier" containing new technology that benefits lives on earth by enabling new ways of telecommunication, navigation, and weather forecast for example, and producing new materials and new substances under the microgravity environment of space. Finally, although much of the space frontier can be explored with machines and robots, as Stone has done throughout his distinguished career, human spaceflight has the unique role of developing and exercising our own abilities to survive and operate in this new "human frontier." "Humans did not evolve to live in space," said Stone, and "human space flight is about exploring space, but more importantly about understanding how humans can function in space." Not only should new tools and new modes of operations be invented to sustain humans in space, it is also important to study how the human body and mind respond to the space environment, like weightlessness and lower pressure. Space stations, being a few hundred kilometers above ground, are the closest available space environment, and provide important training ground for further explorations, Stone told Xinhua. With the current U.S.-led International Space Station expected to retire in 2024, China could be the only nation with a long-term presence in space. Stone cited the International Space Station, a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada, as an example of international cooperation in human space flight. Unfortunately, at this moment, there is no China-U.S. collaboration in space flight, although scientists from the two nations are collaborating broadly in astronomy and astrophysics -- exploring the "knowledge frontier" together, but from the ground. For example, academic institutions from the U.S., Canada, China, India and Japan are collaborating to build the next-generation giant ground-based telescope, the Thirty Meter Telescope. But the TMT project has been delayed, yielding nerve-racking uncertainties. Despite this, Stone told Xinhua that he continues to look forward to future space-related U.S.-China collaborations. JAKARTA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A militant linked to the terror attack in Indonesia's capital in January this year received a suspension of 10 years imprisonment in a trial held on Thursday. The sentence was issued by judge panel in West Jakarta Court. The 23 year-old militant Dodi Suridi was indicted of violating Indonesia's anti-terror law. He was proved guilty for crafting the explosives used in the attacks that killed eight people including four from the attackers. The sentence fits the jail term demand against Dodi Suridi launched by prosecutor in the previous trial. Dodi Suridi accepted the sentence, saying it was a consequence of being a terrorist. He was arrested on Jan. 15, a day after the attacks in a coffee shop located at the heart of Jakarta in broad day time conducted by militants who stated their allegiance to Islamic State (IS) group. Indonesian authorities have arrested around 40 militants related to the attacks, reports said. Earlier in the day, a 22 year-old man attacked police after sticking an IS symbol sticker in a police station in city of Tangerang, near the capital city. He stabbed police who tried to arrest him and hurled explosives which failed to explode. Five police sustained injuries after being stabbed by the attacker. The attacker, whom police identified a member of terror organization, was now treated in a police hospital after being shot by police in his feet during the attack. SYDNEY, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Great Barrier Reef is extremely sick, a government report has found. The latest Great Barrier Reef 2015 Report Card by the federal governments had painted a bleak picture on its overall health by scoring it a "D" for the fifth year in a row. The findings from the report which was published on Thursday revealed that the overall condition of the reef remained poor, although its coral quality had improved marginally. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia spokesman Sean Hobbin told Xinhua that it was high time the government had adopted the recommendations that had been put forward by independent bodies on what should be done to save the reef from further damage. "We feel that the government should invest more to help save the reef, the current 1 billion Australian dollar (770 million U.S. dollar) set aside for this is not enough," Hobbin said. He said instead the government should up the ante and allocate an 8 billion Australian dollars (6.13 billion U.S. dollars) budget that would ensure the reef remains safe and healthy as per recommendation by independent bodies. The 2015 results were based on data collected before this year's climate change bleaching event that killed about a fifth of the reef's corals, suggesting that next year's reef report card would not be any better. At present the health report card measures the progress towards water pollution targets, as well as the overall health of the Great Barrier Reef's ecosystems, including coral and seagrass. The report added that the findings would be presented to UNESCO's World Heritage Commission in December for further review. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participates in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, Oct.19, 2016.(Xinhua/Yin Bogu) by Matthew Rusling LAS VEGAS, the United States, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial statement that he may not concede the election results if he loses will not help him gain ground as the clock ticks toward the November election, experts said. "I'll tell you at the time," Trump said in response to a question whether he would concede the election if he loses. "I'll keep you in suspense, ok?" The statement came at the third and final debate between Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton Wednesday night, in which Trump repeated his complaints that the election is rigged against him. While the statement may gain applause from Trump's core supporters, it will do nothing to help him appeal to moderates at a time when he needs to create a broader base of support. Trump has been trailing Clinton by big margins in some recent national polls. Trump "made a big mistake in not saying he would accept the election outcome," said Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution. "Even his daughter Ivanka has said he should do this. Many people will condemn him for this basic disrespect of democratic elections," West told Xinhua. Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, echoed that thought. "The manner in which Trump doubted the legitimacy of the election...will continue to alienate educated, moderate voters," he told Xinhua. Trump's general performance in the debate has also been questioned by some. Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, said that the third debate gives each candidate a final chance to restate their case against their opponent. "But I don't think Trump did much to help himself or hurt Clinton in this debate," he said. On the whole, Trump did nothing to change the campaign narrative and Clinton made no major mistakes in the debate, West said. During the debate, Trump became somewhat combative, claiming that "this country is going to be in some mess" if Clinton becomes president. He also said that in 30 years of politics, Clinton has done nothing but talk. "But you don't get anything done, Hillary," he said. Wednesday night was also a test of whether Trump could appear presidential, as many moderates remain unsure about whether they could see him in the White House. West said Clinton showed in the debate that she has much greater substantive expertise than Trump, who does not know much about the issues. Trump "sometimes would get distracted by his own defense and ignore chances to attack her," he noted. Some experts pointed out that Trump failed to dominate Clinton in the same way he had done in the previous debate, and his efforts to essentially play Clinton's game by discussing policy fell flat. "It's really hard for me to look at Trump's performance tonight and see much that would move an undecided voter or a hesitant Republican in Ohio or North Carolina or any other swing state," Galdieri said, speaking of key battleground states in the election. However, Mahaffee sees it as a close night, with Hillary having a small advantage based on temperament. "Trump certainly hit all the points his base wanted to hear tonight, and his bluster was less than a lot of folks expected given his recent approach to the shift in the course of the campaign," Mahaffee said. Going into the ballot booth, voters will be thinking about the responsibilities inherent in the office of the president. Neither candidate has expanded their appeal over the past six weeks, but in an unpredictable world, there will be concerns about the nature of the person chosen for that office. While there are many concerns about Clinton and her trustworthiness, there are fundamental concerns about the mindset that Trump would bring to this office. While many are unsatisfied and angry, and the election will likely be close, Mahaffee said. TEHRAN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman on Thursday denied any possible role in the recent rocket attacks on U.S. warships in the Red Sea near Yemen waters, official IRNA news agency reported. The spokesman Bahram Qasemi was responding to allegations by a U.S. army official who said Iran may have played a role in recent missile attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea. On Wednesday, Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said that Iran may be behind recent missile attacks by Shiite Yemeni Houthi militants on U.S. Navy ships. "I do think that Iran is playing a role in some of this," said Votel. "They have a relationship with the Houthis, so I do suspect there is a role in that." Qasemi described Votel's remarks as an "unreal, suspicious and baseless piece of fiction that manifests their confusion." He said the U.S. government should be much more careful about the "measures taken by those who have sunk themselves in the cruel war against the Yemenis and try to increase the tension and expand the war in order to rescue themselves." On Oct. 12, the Pentagon announced that the U.S. military struck three radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast. A Pentagon statement described the air raid as "limited self-defense strikes," saying the radar sites targetted were "involved in the recent missile launches threatening USS Mason and other vessels operating in international waters in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb." Yemen's Houthi rebels have repeatedly denied targeting U.S. warships from territories they control. "These allegations were baseless and the army as well popular forces have nothing to do with targeting the U.S. ship," the Houthis said in an Oct. 13 statement carried by Saba, a news agency under Houthi control. Syrian kids play at a yard in a displacement center in the town of Hirjalleh, countryside of Damascus, capital of Syria, on Oct.15, 2016. The Hirjalleh displacement shelter is one of the largest in the countryside of Damascus, as it contains 600 housing units, with over 3,000 displaced Syrians living there. (Xinhua/Ammar) DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Syrian military helicopters dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets over rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday, detailing exit routes for civilians and rebels to leave, a military source told Xinhua. The maps highlight six routes for civilians who want to leave the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo into government-controlled ones, and two routes for rebels who want to evacuate to other rebel-held areas in the countryside of Aleppo, the source said on condition of anonymity. The leaflets also include a call on the rebels to "not waste the chance" and to leave or lay down their weapons, offering help for those who do want to leave. A three-day humanitarian truce declared by the general-command of the Syrian army started Thursday, effective from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. The general-command urged the rebels to lay down their weapons and take advantage of a pardon issued by President Bashar al-Assad for all rebels who surrender themselves to the Syrian army. In a statement, the general-command said it had detailed information on the whereabouts and positions of the rebels in the eastern part of Aleppo city, warning that "any armed man who doesn't take the chance of the declared truce will meet his doomed fate." The evacuation of ultra-radical groups, mainly the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, from Aleppo, is a key condition set by Russia and the Syrian government for easing a military offensive against eastern Aleppo. The evacuation process started on Wednesday evening, with some armed men along with their families leaving eastern Aleppo. Another batch of armed men also left via the Castello road in northern Aleppo, but other rebels seem to want to thwart the process, with the Syrian national TV and military sources reporting several shelling and sniper shots by rebels on routes the government identified for the evacuation of civilians. JAKARTA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The man who attacked police officers in Indonesia's city of Tangerang, Banten province on Thursday has died from bleeding while being transferred to hospital, a senior police officer said. "The attacker was ran out of blood due to shot wounds, two in his feet and one in his stomach," Jakarta Police Spokesperson Awi Setiyono said. The solo attacker, identified as 22 year-old Sultan Azianzah, was shot by police after he attacked police officers who were monitoring a labor demonstration in the Jakarta's satellite city. Sultan used knife to stab the policemen after they found him sticking an Islamic State (IS) logo sticker in a police watch post on the scene. During the attack, Sultan also threw two pipes that he took from his cloth, which were later identified as explosives. The attack was conducted brutally against numerous police trying to arrest him, including Tangerang Police Chief Effendy. Zultan stabbed Effendy and four police before being paralyzed with shots aimed at his feet. Awi said Sultan was unemployed, a member of hardliner group Daulah Islam headquartered in Ciamis, West Java. Five policemen were injured in the attacks, while three of them sustained severe stabbing wounds. Attacks against police and their facilities occurred several times in the country. CAIRO, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egypt said Thursday that it is coordinating between United Nations bodies and Syrian authorities to help evacuate the injured and the elderly from Aleppo and bring in humanitarian aid into the embattled northern Syrian city. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said the Egyptian embassy in Damascus is leading the mediation efforts as part of Cairo's commitment to "rectifying the humanitarian situation in Aleppo." He said Egypt's Charge D'Affaires in Damascus, Counselor Mohamed Tharwat, is planning to visit Aleppo to oversee the evacuation process. A three-day humanitarian truce in Aleppo declared by the general-command of the Syrian army started on Thursday, effective from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Also on Thursday, Syrian military helicopters dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets over rebel-held areas in Aleppo, detailing routes for civilians and rebels to leave, a military source told Xinhua. The maps highlight six routes for civilians who want to leave the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo into government-controlled ones, and two routes for rebels who want to evacuate to other rebel-held areas in the countryside of Aleppo, the source said on condition of anonymity. JERUSALEM, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities on Thursday indicted a couple on a charge of joining the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, along with their three children, in 2015. The defendants, Wisam Zabeida, 41, and his wife, Sabrin Zabeidat, 30, are are Arab Israelis. According to Haifa's District Attorney's Office, they were arrested upon their arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sept. 22. A police statement said the investigation revealed that Sabrin initiated the contact with an IS operative, who informed her how to join the militant group, after which she convinced her spouse to join IS as well. A year ago, the couple traveled to Turkey and crossed into Syria, where they swore allegiance to the IS, according to the police. They then moved to Mosul, Iraq, where Wisam received a Kalashnikov rifle and joined fighting in the area, said the police. "In the wake of heavy shelling by U.S. fighter jets in Mosul and pressures by their families to return to Israel, the suspects and their children began an eight-month journey to the Turkish-Syrian border," a separate statement by the Shin Bet security service said. "They tried to infiltrate into Turkey 10 times, without success. When they finally managed to infiltrate into Turkey, they were arrested by local police and transferred to Israel," the statement read. They were charged with membership in an outlawed organization, contacting a foreign agent, and illegally exiting the country. The children were removed from their parent's care and placed with their parents' family, the police said. In recent years, dozens of Arab Israelis were arrested and underwent legal proceedings over suspicions of crossing into Syria, or planning to, in order to join the IS. Israel outlawed any affiliation with IS in 2015. LONDON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The British government announced Thursday that thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted of now abolished sexual offences are to be posthumously pardoned. Justice Minister Sam Gyimah said the measure will see those convicted for consensual same-sex relationships before the change in the law formally pardoned. Gyimah announced the government is to implement the change through an amendment to a Policing and Crime Bill. Anyone still living who has been convicted of now abolished homosexual offences can already apply through the British Home Office to have their names cleared through the disregard process. This removes any mention of an offence from criminal record checks. The Ministry of Justice in London said: "In an important step, the government also announced today (Oct. 20, 2016) it will introduce a new statutory pardon for the living in cases where offences have been successfully deleted through the disregard process." Gyimah said: "It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today. Through pardons and the existing disregard process we will meet our manifesto commitment to put right these wrongs." The announcement will meet a government commitment to build on the case of Alan Turing, the famous British Enigma codebreaker. Turing committed suicide following his conviction for gross indecency. A petition to offer a pardon to clear Turing won widespread support and he was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth in 2013. Wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill said Turing's breaking of the German code in World War II had shortened the duration of the war. The government also said Thursday it will not support a separate move, to be discussed in the House of Commons Friday brought forward by the MP John Nicolson. Nicolson's Bill proposes a blanket pardon for the living without the need to go through the disregard process. A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "This could lead, in some cases, to people claiming to be cleared of offences that are still crimes, including sex with a minor and non-consensual sexual activity." Gyimah said: "I understand and support the intentions behind Mr Nicolson's Bill, however I worry that he has not fully thought through the consequences. A blanket pardon, without the detailed investigations carried out by the Home Office under the disregard process, could see people guilty of an offence which is still a crime today claiming to be pardoned." Not all men convicted of crimes under the now abolished law are happy to receive a pardon. Instead they want an official apology for being convicted in the first place. by Basten Gokkon JAKARTA, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Four world-class Indonesian universities have signed an agreement with China's Zhejiang Bestwa EnviTech group to seek waste-based solutions for water scarcity and renewable source of energy. Representatives from University of Indonesia, University of Gadjah Mada, University of Dipenogoro, and Bandung Institute of Technology took part an in-depth discussion with executives from the Chinese environmental protection company in Jakarta about efforts to develop infrastructures that provide clean water supply and energy from the use of water and liquid wastes. Daniel Porzel-Fang, assistant CEO of Shenzhen Fountain Corporation, told Xinhua that partnering with Indonesian universities meant understanding better the core needs of local communities across the archipelago. "We take a very long-term view to see what does it mean to develop infrastructure and operate infrastructure in Indonesia and it's very clear to us that it'd be difficult for us to do it without the universities," he said in an interview on Thursday, noting that Bestwa has a long history of partnering with academias in China. According to Porzel-Fang, his company's goal in Indonesia, which is Bestwa's first foray into international business, is to bring in realized infrastructural development on water and liquid waste management that they have done in China to Indonesia with improvements based on the latter's needs and conditions. "We're working with universities because these infrastructure development projects will have to be built by the majority of Indonesian nationals and managed by them because Indonesian people know best of Indonesia," he said. Bestwa, through Fountain, is currently doing feasibility studies for a project in Denpasar, Bali Province to help provide local communities clean water supply through low-cost, advanced technology. The project is awaiting the government's approval. The initiative was well-received by the four universities as they noted that knowledge-based cooperation between Indonesia and China had plenty opportunities for escalation, especially in regards with waste-based solutions for water shortage and renewable energy source. PENTA-HELIX PARTNERSHIP Dwikorita Karnawati, dean of Gadjah Mada University, suggested a so-called "penta-helix partnership" concept in which academias, businesses, communities, governments, and philanthropists are putting efforts to resolve the issues of waste management. "Developing a sustainable solution must then put local society or community in the center of this partnership," she said in her keynote speech. Fountain's Porzel-Fang echoed her views saying that his company aimed to engage in an inclusive concept in which they could also address some of the most pressing issues currently faced in Indonesia, aside from building and engineering infrastructure. "To have an inclusive solution for these issues is to have the penta-helix concept to include the people and have their voices heard to help them get out of the vicious cycle of poverty," said Porzel-Fang. Agus Jatnika Effendi, an expert of solid waste management and air quality control from the Bandung Institute of Technology, suggested that the partnership be extended beyond technology transfer between the institutions, but also to establishing joint research. Porzel-Fang said he could definitely see joint research and research exchange happening within the next few months or years as he guaranteed that his company would be doing many projects in Indonesia. "We can't import our human resources, so we have to rely on Indonesian resources and it's important for the country as well that Indonesian workers and scientists and experts are helping to construct these projects and operate these projects and to make them better," said Porzel-Fang. Wisnu Pradoto, deputy dean for research and technology from the University of Dipenogoro, hoped Bestwa would expand its partnership with other universities across Indonesia as they also have adequate resources to contribute in water management. "Hopefully there would be follow-up discussions on the application of these ideas, and even creating a clear and measurable roadmap," said Wisnu. BERLIN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of the so-called Normandy format group comprising Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France have agreed on a new roadmap for peace in eastern Ukraine, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after several hours of discussions on Thursday morning. The leaders of the Normandy format group met on Wednesday evening for talks over implementation of the Minsk agreement for eastern Ukraine in Berlin, including how to work on its security and political aspects. At the joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande, Merkel noted that Germany and France would continue to support the Minsk process to bring a more stable condition to eastern Ukraine. "That is one of the difficult tasks we still have to tackle," said Merkel, adding it was worth the effort. Following the discussions, the two leaders also discussed the situation in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and called on Russia to ensure a lasting ceasefire in Aleppo. According to Merkel, it was a "very clear and harsh debate." The bombardment in Aleppo is inhuman and a "cruel experience" for the population, she said. The current armistice must be a starting point to enable humanitarian supplies to Aleppo and its surrounding areas, Merkel added. Meanwhile, Putin announced his readiness to prolong a ceasefire in Syria under the condition that armed groups in Aleppo also agree to the ceasefire. Putin demanded more efforts from the United States to separate moderate government opponents in Syria from terrorist organizations. In negotiations with Merkel and Hollande, he also proposed to push ahead work on a new Syrian constitution and possible new elections. Hollande said a political process on the future of Syria can be initiated only when a lasting ceasefire and supplies to the civilian population have been achieved. The leaders of the Normandy format group have undertaken repeated high-level phone contacts over the Ukraine conflict in recent days. The format of negotiations got the Normandy name after French and German leaders succeeded to convince Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to join negotiations during the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the landing of the Allied forces that contributed to the liberation of Europe from fascism. The Minsk peace agreement, aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine, was reached by the leaders of the Normandy group in February 2015 in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. However, the peace treaty has not been fully implemented. Nepalese Former King Gyanendra Shah speaks during the International Grand Hindu Conference KATHMANDU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 Hindus from across the globe have gathered in Nepal on Thursday to participate in the International Grand Hindu Conference. The three-day event, being held in Pashupatinath temple, the holiest shrine of Hindu Lord Shiva, was inaugurated by Nepalese Former King Gyanendra Shah. The event organized by the World Hindu Federation also gathered saints, high priests, Vedic scholars, Hindu campaigners and religious intellectuals from various countries. Addressing the gathering of Hindus, former King Shah said Hindus are synonyms to peace and harmony, mentioning that Hindu is not only an identity but tool that binds society with nation and enhance unity, national integrity and sovereignty. "Himalaya is a holy land as we are enriched by religion, culture and diversity. Nepal is renowned across the globe for same but we need to protect ourselves from hovering clouds upon Hindu religion and culture. We already have a direction and we just need a new idea to walk ahead," the last Nepali Shah ruler said. An injured man receives medical treatment at a local hospital after a blast in Batikot district of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Rahman Safi) JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people, all civilians, sustained injuries as a blast hit a passenger vehicle in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar Province on Thursday, a local official said. "A blast that hit a vehicle in Batikot district today morning injuring 11 persons, all civilians," the official told Xinhua, on condition of anonymity. Meantime, spokesman for Nangarhar provincial government Attaullah Khogiani in talks with Xinhua confirmed the incident, saying a gas cylinder accidentally exploded inside a car in the bazaar of Batikot district. Some of the wounded are in critical condition. He said an investigation has been initiated into the case. Nangarhar Province with Jalalabad as its capital, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of increasing militancy over the past couple of years. Giant panda Zhang Meng is released into the wild at Liziping Nature Reserve in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 20, 2016. China released another two captive-bred giant pandas into the wild on Thursday in southwest China's Sichuan Province, in an attempt to diversify the species' genetic pool. Both of them are female. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin) CHENGDU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China released another two captive-bred giant pandas into the wild on Thursday in southwest China's Sichuan Province, in an attempt to diversify the species' genetic pool. Hua Yan and Zhang Meng, both females, were born at the semi-wild training center in Wolong Nature Reserve in August 2013 and July 2014, respectively. They were released into Liziping Nature Reserve Thursday morning. They are the sixth and seventh giant pandas to have been released to the wild. Both of them were declared in good shape and ready for release after a thorough physical examination at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) on Tuesday. "The two pandas have learned the basic skills needed to survive in the wild, including foraging for food, distinguishing and hiding from predators, and adapting to harsh weather conditions," said Huang Yan, a panda reintroduction specialist Both have been fitted with ID chips to monitor their physical conditions and GPS collars. The best time to release pandas is late autumn or early winter, the time when wild young pandas usually leave their mothers. "Releasing them to the wild is just the beginning. We'll continue to monitor them and see whether they can survive in the wild," said Huang. "We hope they can mate and breed." China first released a captive-bred panda into the wild in 2006. Xiang Xiang, who was a five-year-old at the time, was released into Wolong National Nature Reserve. However, he died roughly a year later after fighting with other pandas over food and territory. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Tao Tao (male), Zhang Xiang (female) and Xue Xue (female) were released into Liziping reserve. Xue Xue died a month after her release in November 2014. The last panda to be released was Hua Jiao, a two-year-old female, in November 2015. "The good news is that Zhang Xiang and Tao Tao are doing well. Zhang Xiang has even established her own territory, and is expected to mate naturally with other wild pandas," said Zhang Hemin, director of CCRCGP. "The success rate of giant panda's reintroduction is about 60 percent, while the rate for other animals in the world is only around 10 percent," said Huang. According to Zhang, 17 pandas have participated in wilderness training since they started the reintroduction program in 2003. Five were deemed unfit for reintroduction and put back to captivity, while the rest continue with their training. One or two pandas will be released every year. Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. Fewer than 2,000 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the provinces of Sichuan and Shaanxi. There were 375 giant pandas in captivity at the end of 2013, about 200 of them at CCRCGP. CHENGDU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Nothing makes panda fans more cheerful than hearing that China is breeding healthier pandas through its captive breeding program. The number of captive pandas increased to more than 400 in 2016. This number is way above the goal of 300 set in 1997, which experts believe is the minimum number to sustain a breeding program for the next 100 years, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP). Raising the number of pandas in captivity is one thing, but ensuring the species' survival in nature is quite another. Chinese scientists have put much effort into rewilding them since 2001. But people often ask why this is such a priority given that they thrive in captivity? This Q&A will tell you more. Q: If putting pandas back to the wild is the ultimate goal, then why breed them in captivity first? A: The human exploitation of wild land and the reduction of bamboo shoots have spoiled pandas' natural habitat, thus putting them at the brink of extinction since 1990. If conditions get much worse, this adorable species would not survive to roam free in the wild any longer. Captive-breeding programs play a great role in raising the number of pandas, at least in zoos and conservation bases. But it means little to the Giant Panda if it is just a relic behind bars. The goal of captive-breeding programs is to eventually reintroduce the animals back into China's bamboo forests. "Pandas are not pets. Now we have succeeded in keeping them alive. We should be ready to put them back in the wild," said Zhang Hemin, a renowned panda expert who helped pioneer artificial insemination in Giant Pandas. Q: Is rewilding pandas actually helping the Giant Panda? A: Yes, of course. In September, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said that the panda was now classified as "vulnerable" instead of "endangered," reflecting growing numbers in the wild in southern China. Yet it is too early to downgrade the panda's conservation status. The wild panda population is broken up into 33 isolated groups, some with fewer than 10 pandas, severely limiting the gene pool. Of the 18 sub-populations consisting of fewer than 10 pandas, all face a high risk of collapse, according to Zhang Hemin. With the assistance from experts abroad, China has made the species one of the most genetically diverse animals in the world. "Wild training" of captive-bred pandas is bound to enrich the genetic diversity of the panda population to maintain a healthy and sustainable population, Zhang said. Q: How to train pandas for the wild? A: CCRCGP has drawn up a pre-release training program for both mothers and cubs that lasts for more than two years. Two or three captive-bred cubs join the program each year. Hua Yan, a three-year-old female has almost gone through the full training program from learning to walk, climbing trees and foraging for food, to escaping the dangers of mud flows and rock falls and surviving harsh weather conditions. In stage two of her training in 2016, Hua Yan was taken from her mother to live alone in a mountainside enclosure, where staff played recordings of the roars of tigers and bears. "She showed high vigilance and immediately tried to hide," said Wu Daifu, an expert on panda behavior. Human contact was also minimized. During their inevitable encounters, such as routine physical checks, keepers wore panda costumes soaked with panda odor and dung. They also kept quiet in close contact. "It's sad but true that the biggest enemy of pandas is us. We don't want them to get too familiarized with humans," Wu said. "On the contrary, we want her to fear humans and run away from them." Q: Are there other conservation methods, besides rewilding the species? A: In 2006, five-year-old male Xiangxiang became China's first captive-bred panda released into the wild, but was found dead a year later after fighting with wild pandas over food and territory. It was sad news, but it was a known risk of rewilding. China has increased the number of its panda reserves to 67 over the last four decades, yet adequate habitat for releasing the bears is still a key concern as much of its habitat is fragmented. Without a secure and intact habitat, there is no way to reintroduce these animals back into the wild, thus making the captive breeding portion of conservation efforts pointless. China is planning on building a national park across three provinces this year, removing restraints set by roads, farms, and other human construction, so that wild pandas can roam freely in their natural habitat and let their numbers increase naturally. Rome was not built in a day, and building a national park takes time, resources and agreement from different parties. But it is worth trying so that pandas can reproduce in the wild. NEW DELHI, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and more than 10 others injured in a major fire at a huge cracker manufacturing hub in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu Thursday, a senior police official said. "The fire broke out at Sivakasi, known as the country's fireworks capital and is some 500 km from state capital Chennai, during the offloading of a big consignment of crackers from a vehicle to a shop," he said, on condition of anonymity. Soon the flames spread from the vehicle to a nearby health centre and victims included patients waiting there in a queue for check-up as well as passers-by. Some vehicles parked in the vicinity also got damaged in the fire. While eight people died on the spot, those injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, the official said, adding that most of the deaths were due to suffocation from flames and not due to blast that was triggered by the fire. Local TV channels reported that four to five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames and showed footage of some of the ravaged vehicles. A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official said. India is the second biggest producer of fireworks after China and Sivakasi contributes more than 90 per cent to this country's overall fireworks production. But fire accidents are common in Sivakasi, where 20 to 25 reportedly die every year. More than 700,000 workers of Sivakasi have no other option but depend on one of the most hazardous industries for their livelihood. Moreover, the fireworks industry in Sivakasi is often criticized for observing poor safety standards, employing child labor and paying lower wages to workers. But the industry rejects the charges, saying it also contributes by running schools for the workers' children. BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China and Germany will discuss foreign exchange, mutual investment and other issues on China-European Union (EU) economic exchanges at the seventh Hamburg Summit, according to the Hamburg Liaison Office China. The summit is scheduled for Nov. 23 and 24 this year in the northern German city of Hamburg. Senior officials, entrepreneurs and leading scholars from China and the EU will attend the summit, said Lars Anke, chief representative of the Hamburg Liaison Office China, at a news briefing on Thursday. Discussions, keynote speeches and panel meetings will focus on various topics, including the fallout from Brexit, China's economic transition, the Belt and Road Initiative and boosting efficiency in industrial manufacturing, Anke said. Initiated by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce in 2004, the biennial summit will be titled "China meets Europe" this year and serve as an important platform for discussing China-EU economic cooperation. LONDON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Scottish government published a draft bill Thursday to pave the way for a second independence referendum to potentially cut formal ties with Britain. It follows an announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last weekend at the Scottish National Party (SNP) annual conference in Glasgow that a re-run of the independence vote would be considered as part of Britain's Brexit negotiations. Sturgeon said a referendum will only be held if it is felt necessary to protect Scotland's interests. A draft referendum bill was formally unveiled by Constitution Secretary Derek Mackay. But permission for a second vote would be needed from the Westminster government in London. In a foreword to a consultation document, published as part of the new moves, Sturgeon has outlined why she wants the option for a new referendum that could see Scotland leaving Britain. Although Britain voted by a margin of 52 to 40 in the June 23 referendum to leave the European Union (EU), there was overwhelming support in Scotland to remain a member of the EU. Despite the vote in Scotland, the Brexit result across Britain means Scotland's ties with the EU would also be severed. Sturgeon said: "This government remains willing to work with the UK government to negotiate a future relationship with Europe that is in line with the views of the overwhelming majority of the Scottish people and which works for the United Kingdom as a whole." "But if it becomes clear that it is only through independence that Scotland's interests can be protected, then the people of Scotland must have the ability to reconsider that question, and to do so before the UK leaves the EU," she added. The proposals announced Thursday state that any future referendum would be held on a similar basis to the 2014 referendum. That vote saw people in Scotland reject independence by 55 percent to 45 percent. The new measure would see Scottish voters being asked the same straight "yes-no" question, "Should Scotland be an independent country?" The Scottish government has reserved the right to submit a proposal for different wording on any ballot paper. The draft bill also makes it clear that the Scottish government in Edinburgh would need permission from Westminster to hold a new referendum. The new proposals will now undergo a public consultation. BRUSSELS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A two-day European Union (EU) summit kicked off on Thursday, mainly to address the migration crisis, seek solutions to trade-related issues, and ties with Russia. On the eastern Mediterranean route, the bloc saw a 98 percent drop in irregular migrants between September last year and this year while on the central Mediterranean route, arrivals were at the same level as in 2014 and 2015. The EU has increased efforts in helping third countries take their citizens back. By June this year, twice as many irregular migrants as in the whole of 2015 had been returned. Additionally, the EU recently concluded an agreement with Afghanistan, allowing for more efficient cooperation on migration. "European leaders should focus more particularly on the work done with countries of origin and transit in Africa," European Council President Donald Tusk said in his invitation letter to member states. Concern trade issues, the summit is expected to further push forward approvals from member states on an agreement with Canada, after EU governments two days ago failed to clinch such a deal at a meeting in Luxembourg as Belgium, Bulgaria and Romania still had reservations. The summit will discuss modernization of its trade defense instruments. European leaders will also hold a policy debate on Russia, including its role in Syria. "The objective is to address our overall, long-term relations with this important neighbor," said Tusk in his letter. PYONGYANG, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday said it will continue to send more satellites into space under its national blueprint for space development. A spokesman for the DPRK National Aerospace Development stressed in a statement that a satellite launch by the DPRK and its right to use space for peaceful purposes was "legitimate." The spokesman refuted claims by South Korea that the true intention behind Pyongyang's satellite program is not for peaceful purposes. In the statement carried by the official news agency KCNA, the spokesman said the DPRK will launch more Juche satellites. The statement came amid South Korea's strong denunciation of the DPRK over its test-launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Thursday, which Seoul's military presumed to have failed. Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement that the missile launch violates the United Nations Security Council resolutions and poses a grave threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. The resolutions ban the DPRK from launching a rocket by use of any ballistic missile technologies because a long-range rocket and a ballistic missile have overlapping technologies. The DPRK delegate attending the 71st session of UN General Assembly in New York denounced the resolutions as "a wanton violation of the legitimate right of a sovereign state" and "a product of a hostile U.S. policy toward the DPRK." On Sept. 9, Pyongyang said it had successfully tested a nuclear warhead, which marked its fifth nuclear test, eight months after it conducted a purported hydrogen bomb test in January. It also launched a long-range rocket on Feb. 7. In March, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tougher sanctions against the DPRK to curb the country's nuclear and missile programs. Security Council members also called for an early resumption of the six-party talks. MACHAKOS, Kenya, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta led the nation in marking Heroes' Day on Thursday amid calls for peace and unity. The celebrations which were marked across the country saw Kenyatta urge political leaders at all levels to avoid utterances that may undermine peace and cohesiveness especially as the country heads to next year's general elections. The president who addressed national celebrations in Machakos County in eastern Kenya, urged Kenyans and leaders in particular to move away from politics based on ethnicity and division. He said history will judge the current generation of Kenyan leaders by how well they play their role in embracing unity and entrenching the new system of government that was ushered in by the new constitution. He said unity can be achieved by building strong institutions including national political parties that are not based on tribes. Kenyatta urged leaders in politics, media, business and other sectors of society to know that they have a responsibility to balance their own individual goals and the collective needs of the country to remain united. During the celebrations, he also announced the release of 7,000 inmates serving jail terms on petty offenses, freeing space in Kenyan prisons. Meanwhile, Kenyatta urged Chief Justice David Maraga to speed up cases on corruption to enable culprits fill the new spaces. Kenyatta reiterated that his government is committed to the war against the vice. "Now the new chief justice can go for the big guys (who are corrupt). The space is there and there is enough beans for them to eat in there," Kenyatta said. The president also noted the impact of drought to many Kenyans. He said in the coming few weeks the national government will work with various county governments to provide a solution to famine. LUSAKA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Zambia have canceled all maize export permits as the southern African nation tries to rein in illegal export of the commodity, a senior official said Thursday. Zambia, among the few countries in drought-hit Southern Africa with surplus maize, has previously limited the export of maize to companies with export permits in order to safeguard national food security. Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa said all maize export permits that were previously issued are now null and void. "All players who are involved in maize trade, that is private sector, millers and the Food Reserve Agency, should focus on meeting the domestic demand for maize and mealie-meal," he said in a statement. He said only maize meant for humanitarian purposes will be allowed out of the country, adding that law enforcement agencies were on alert and closely monitoring various border points to prevent illegal maize exports. Zambia has been battling the problem of maize smuggling to neighboring countries following a high demand for the commodity. Zambia is among the few countries with surplus maize following poor rains experienced in the 2015/2016 season in southern Africa. JUBA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people have been killed and five others shot dead in separate attacks this week in a village about 75 Km from South Sudan's capital of Juba, authorities said on Thursday. A Police spokesman, Daniel Justine Bolo told Xinhua that police recovered bodies of 10 charcoal traders from Mangalla County, northeast of Juba, adding that the dead included eight men and two women, among them a Sudanese national. Meanwhile, Managalla County Commissioner, Elario Fataki said four cattle traders and a government soldier were also gunned down early this week in the same area along a major trading route. He said calm has since returned after deployment of security operatives to the area. Insecurity in South Sudan has raged to other peaceful parts of the war-torn country following renewed fighting in July. The government said last week that at least 95 people have died in targeted killings along major roads across South Sudan since September. South Sudan's president Salva Kiir on Wednesday threatened to take direct command of the fight against ethnic violence if the country's security agencies fail to stop the widespread killings in the Equatoria region which enjoyed relative peace during the country's civil conflict that began late 2013. LUSAKA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) Board of Directors has approved a 50-million-U.S.-dollars line of credit to support small and medium businesses in Zambia, the country's Ministry of Finance said Thursday. The funds will be channeled through a local bank, the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ), for onward lending to the enterprises, according to a statement released after a meeting between Minister of Finance Felix Mutati and AfDB representative in Zambia Damoni Kitabire. The Zambian minister thanked the African bank for the concessional facility, saying it has come at an opportune time. "This concessional facility comes at an opportune time as it exemplifies your rising confidence in our economic governance, and will assist us in strengthening growth areas and reducing unemployment among our people," Mutati said. The government, he said, was open to more options for securing more financing for small and medium enterprises from the African bank. This picture is an artist's impression depicting the separation of the ExoMars 2016 entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, named Schiaparelli, from the Trace Gas Orbiter, and heading for Mars. (Photo courtesy of ESA/ATG medialab) PARIS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), the spacecraft on which the Schiaparelli lander travelled to Mars, "has successfully performed" to reach the red planet orbit, however, Schiaparelli lander signal failed, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Wednesday. "The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) of ESA's ExoMars 2016 has successfully performed the long 139-minute burn required to be captured by Mars and entered an elliptical orbit around the Red Planet, while contact has not yet been confirmed with the mission's test lander from the surface," the agency said. "The signal was lost some time prior to landing," it added. In a statement, the ESA said engineers were working to confirm contact with the Entry, Descent & Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM), Schiaparelli, which entered the Martian atmosphere some 107 minutes after the TGO started its own orbit insertion manoeuvre. The disc-shaped 577-kg Schiaparelli lander was programmed to autonomously perform an automated landing sequence, with parachute use and front heat shield release between 11 and 7 km, followed by a retrorocket braking starting at 1100 m from the ground, and a final fall from a height of 2 m protected by a crushable structure, according to the ESA. "If Schiaparelli reached the surface safely, its batteries should be able to support operations for three to ten days, offering multiple opportunities to re-establish a communication link," it added. Schiaparelli is part of the European-Russian ExoMars program, which aims to search for signs of past and present life on Mars and evidence of methane and other trace atmospheric gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological processes. A second ExoMars mission, planned in 2020, will include a Russian lander and a European rover, which will drill down to 2 m underground to look for pristine organic material. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton participate in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, Oct.19, 2016.(Xinhua/Yin Bogu) LAS VEGAS, the United States, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Under the glittering golden facade of the Trump International Las Vegas hotel, another protest was held on Wednesday just hours before the third and final presidential debate of the 2016 election cycle. It looked all too familiar. Protesters trying to mimic Donald Trump in any possible way, painting their faces orange, wearing blonde wigs or a grotesquely huge rubber head of the Republican Party nominee. "Dump Trump!" "Boycott Trump!" They yelled their slogans. And as always, Trump supporters also had their presence around the protesting crowd. The arguments of both sides were nothing new. Trump was "racist, Xenophobic, Islamophobic and Misogynistic," while Hillary was a "liar and an untrustworthy politician who was in the pocket of Wall Street bankers." The recently surfaced lewd comments about women by Trump in 2005 and the subsequent sexual assault allegations reaffirmed the view by Clinton supporters that the New York billionaire isn't right for the job. But die-hard Trump fans were mostly unfazed. "I don't believe any of the stories, and even if it was something he had done in the past, people change," said Mary Ann Mendoza, whose police sergeant son was killed in a traffic accident by an illegal immigrant. "They are afraid that Mr. Trump is going to get rid of all those corrupt politicians in Washington, and they're doing anything and everything to stop him," Mendoza added. Voters who had already made their decision said their choices were not swayed by the previous debates, and certainly would not be influenced by the performances of both candidates in the last one. At the same time for voters that liked neither, the scandalous developments in recent weeks pushed them further away. This election season is the one with the least popular candidates in recent history, many polls showed. A recent ABC News and the Washington Post poll revealed 59 percent of registered voters view Hillary unfavorably, while Trump's unpopularity among registered voters was at 60 percent. The previous low in this poll was set by George H.W. Bush, who had a 53 percent unfavorable rating in July 1992, months before he lost the presidential race to Bill Clinton. On the campus of the University of Nevada where the final debate was held, many disillusioned voters called for a move outside the two party system. A large group of students and many others wearing shirts with "Johnson/Weld 2016" were making a scene. The Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson had successfully put his name on the ballot of all fifty states -- the only third party nominee to do so -- but was not able to participate in any of the three presidential debates. A third party candidate has to have a 15 percent showing in the polls to be able to get in the debates, which is an almost impossible rule set by the Commission on Presidential Debates, a "non-partisan" organization in name but in fact controlled by the Republican and Democratic parties. "We need to not let the two party system take control of our lives any more, we need to stand up as people and understand that there's a corruption in our political process," said Taylor Wolak, a first-year graduate student at the University. Wolak said that the Libertarian Party and other third-parties had made great strides in this election cycle in term of raising awareness and getting young people involved, but the current system had made it impossible for them to break though. "The dissent amongst the majority of people is a way of saying we don't want just two parties, we want more legitimate representation," Wolak said. The discontent of the system even went as far as for calling an actually revolution. In the University campus, Pete Ha held a sign with words like "Trump vs. Clinton: criminal choices of a criminal system," and calling for an overthrow of the system. Ha believed that the current U.S. political system is one of capitalism-imperialism and cannot be reformed, which is leading to police brutality, wars and destruction of environment, and only an actual revolution can bring about the fundamental change that is needed. On the night's debate stage, with moderator Chris Wallace's painstaking effort for a discussion on the issues, both candidates went on the attack. Each accused the other of being Russia-installed puppet. The sexual assault allegations against Trump were once again raised. Trump called Clinton "such a nasty woman." "Trump was surprisingly more prepared than his previous debates, but I don't know if he would swing people in his favor," said Tiffany Howard, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada. The latest CNN/ORC post-debate poll among debate watchers showed Clinton secured a 52 percent to 39 percent win, but with CNN being called by Trump supporters as the "Clinton News Network," a perceived win may hardly change any minds. Chinese ambassador to Somalia, Wei Hongtian (1st R), Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig, State Minister of Interior and Federal Affairs of Somalia (C) and WFP Somalia Country Director Laurent Bukera (1st, L) attend the donation ceremony held in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, Oct. 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Baishun) MOGADISHU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has donated two million U.S. dollars to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its humanitarian work in Somalia, where a drought has deteriorated food security situation. A ceremony was held in the Somali capital Mogadishu by the WFP Somalia on Tuesday to thank the Chinese government for the donation. WFP Somalia Country Director Laurent Bukera said Somalia is facing "unpredictable weather shocks" that have caused a drought and affected harvests in many parts of the country. He said the donation by China would be used to provide access to nutritious and curative food for malnourished children and mothers. "We are honored to be in the company of China, which has an even longer history of partnership with Somalia and this contribution is evidence of these excellent ties," said Bukera. Chinese ambassador to Somalia, Wei Hongtian, said at the ceremony: "China has been and will continue to be a firm partner and supporter to the Somali government and UN agencies including the WFP." WFP Somalia Country Director Laurent Bukera speaks at the donation ceremony in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, Oct. 18, 2016. The Chinese government has donated two million U.S. dollars to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its humanitarian work in Somalia, where a drought has deteriorated food security situation. (Xinhua/Li Baishun) He said he hoped the donation would help those needy mothers and children. On behalf of the Somali government, Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig, State Minister of Interior and Federal Affairs of Somalia, expressed appreciation to the Chinese government, adding that the government and people of China had long supported Somalia's development. A UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report issued in September says five million people in Somalia are not getting enough food, which is more than 40 percent of the country's population. Among them, over 300,000 children under five are acutely malnourished. BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A free trade area should be set up to facilitate regional economic cooperation between members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a senior Chinese official said Thursday. Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming made the proposal at an SCO economic forum. He also called for the establishment of an SCO development bank, which would provide funding for regional projects together with other multilateral funds and development banks, to be expedited. Most SCO members are also members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and should actively implement the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement to cut trade costs by 10-15 percent and remove restrictions in service trade, Qian told the forum. He called for better coordination and more policy transparency in cross-border investment, noting that protectionism must be avoided. Investment in infrastructure, industrial cooperation, agriculture and high-tech areas should be expanded between SCO members, Qian said. The SCO, an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai in 2001, groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, covering over 30 million square km and accounting for a quarter of the world's population. It has Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers, and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey as dialogue partners. by Peter Mertz RIFLE, the United States, Oct. 19, (Xinhua) -- Donald Trump's two last stops before the final 2016 American presidential debate were to small cities with adoring fans, in Colorado, a key western swing state. On Tuesday, thousands of Coloradans in conservative strongholds Colorado Springs and Grand Junction cheered for their leader, before Trump flew to Las Vegas, where Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton was waiting. "I wouldn't vote for Hillary in one thousand years," said Les Branson, 64, an oil and gas engineer, a lifetime resident of Rifle, and a lifelong Republican. Branson and a handful of rural, western Colorado workers gathered at the Texas Bar and Grill in Rifle Wednesday night, watching the last presidential debate, with the General Election just three weeks away. Rifle is located in the heart of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, a four-hour drive due west from the more liberal metropolis of Denver. Of Colorado's five million residents, only 20 percent live in the sparsely-populated western half of the state. After Trump was heard bragging about sexually assaulting women two weeks ago, Clinton surged ahead in the polls, with conservative Fox News giving her a 45-39 lead on Monday. But the small crowd at The Texas in Rifle ignored "the lying media" as Trump said during the debate, and listened to their leader. "We're all about Trump," Larry Powell, 55, who runs a flooring company, told Xinhua. "Western Colorado loves him because we need to take our country back from the liberals and their policies." The Texas, a small, family-run restaurant and bar, opened in Rifle 42 years ago. Today, it seats 150 patrons, and still serves traditional, mainstream American burgers, steaks, potatoes and fries, attracting a mostly white working class crowd. But in the main dining room on debate night were two American men of Mexican descent. "Trump's immigration policies are ridiculous, they will hurt the entire country, and not just honest, hard working Latinos," said Raphael Gonzales, 36, a drywall contractor who was eating a burger and fries. "Clinton is a much better candidate." The oil and gas boom in western Colorado since 2000 has drawn not just Americans, but many Latino workers to the region. Today, more than 20 percent of area residents are Latino, although fewer than one-percent are African-American, a 2010 census survey stated. Rural western Colorado is conservative, voting for Republican Mitt Romney 70-30 in the 2012 U.S presidential election. "She (Clinton) wants to raise taxes, cut the military budget, and put environmental restrictions on the oil and gas industry," said Delores Smith, 45, who worked at the downtown Rifle main bank for 15 years. "I think Mr. Trump won this debate hands down." With Clinton again stating she would never raise taxes for Americans who make less than 250,000 U.S. Dollars a year, the noise inside the Texas Bar vanished outside into a chilly, almost zero degree Celsius, mountain air night, and a quiet downtown scene with businesses closed and streets emptied by 9 p.m. Rifle was founded in 1880 after early settlers drove the Ute Indians off their homeland and hundreds of kilometers into Utah. Today, Rifle, like much of western Colorado, is economically dependent on cattle, ranching, farming, coal mining, and especially the oil and natural gas wells that have sprung up across many western states. "Like many of these small blue-collar towns, the people here are hard working, but also poorly educated, and that makes them easy targets for Trump's empty words," said William Glasener, whose fencing company does work in Rifle. Glasener, president of Great Divide Fencing since 1991, said the beer at the Texas Bar was good, but the crowd die-hard conservative. "The whole western-half of Colorado is 'Trumpland', to be sure, except for the Roaring Fork Valley and the towns of Aspen, Basalt and Carbondale -- where I live," Glasener said. Even the name Rifle suggests a pro-gun slant, and true to form, the area is a bastion of National Rifle Association (NRA) supporters, the powerful group that opposes any form of gun control. In 2014, a popular local restaurant, Shooter's Grill, made national news after the owner had his female servers wearing handguns while working. However, Shooters, like most restaurants and bars in western Colorado, were not showing the third presidential debate on Wednesday night. Despite the hoopla surrounding Trump's Tuesday stops in Colorado, his supporters seemed to fade back into their living rooms, and few were seen at local bars or restaurants. "We are only showing sports, no politics," a Shooters employee told Xinhua. A survey of 20 large, popular theme bars, stretching 241 km across Colorado's western half, from Aspen to Grand Junction, revealed none was airing the Wednesday night debate. Rifle's Texas Bar was an exception. "We all know Hillary and the Democrats want to take away our guns," said George Barnes, a local rancher. "Did you see Trump say he was proud of the NRA tonight? That's my boy." Snow-caped peak of Kilimanjaro is seen on the border between Kenya and Tanzania on August 3, 2012. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) NAIROBI, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Reforesting Africa's highest mountain could help protect vital water supplies that are under threat across large parts of East Africa, according to a newly released United Nations Environment report. The report also says protecting East Africa's mountain ecosystems will help safeguard the region's vital tourism industry, which is worth 7 billion U.S. dollars to East Africa. "Across the continent, the damage done to these vital ecosystems is depriving people of the basic building blocks of life," said Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. He said Mount Kilimanjaro is one example of how climate change is severely damaging Africa's majestic mountains and the people who depend on them. Solheim observed that as climate change intensifies, it is essential that governments act swiftly to prevent further harm. The mountains of East Africa are not only highly productive agricultural areas, they also have unexploited hydro-power potential for a region crippled by a lack of electricity. Rivers in the Nile Basin, for example, could generate 20 gigawatts of electricity while the Mau Forest could generate a further 508 megawatts -- enough to meet half of Kenya's capacity. Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest in Africa, contributes to over one third of Tanzania's total revenue from tourism but is facing problems ranging from shrinking glacier to rampant wild fires. The report urges the Tanzanian government to protect the mountain's water catchment area by reforesting the mountain, investing in early warning systems and making climate adaptation a top priority. LESS ICE, MORE FIRE Mount Kilimanjaro forests are a vital source of water for the surrounding towns and the wider region. Water from the mountain feeds one of Tanzania's largest rivers, the Pangani. The report titled "Sustainable Mountain Development in East Africa in a Changing Climate" warned that the glaciers are likely to vanish completely within a few decades as a result of climate change if urgent action is not taken. Meanwhile, higher temperatures have increased the number of wildfires, which have destroyed 13,000 hectares of the mountain's forest since 1976. The town of Moshi, which is located in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, is already experiencing severe water shortages as rivers begin to dry up, starving farmland of water in an area already struggling to cope with a dramatic drop in rainfall. The report was produced by UN Environment, GRID-Arendal, East African Community, the Albertine Rift Conservation Society and Nature-RIDD. It is produced as part of the Mountain Adaptation Outlook Series, which was launched by UN Environment at the climate talks in Paris in 2015. MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia announced on Thursday to extend the humanitarian truce in Syria's Aleppo by 24 hours. The move came as an order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and it was supported by the leadership of Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. Russia and Syria on Monday announced a humanitarian truce from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time (0600 GMT to 1400 GMT) on Thursday in rebel-held areas of Aleppo, but decided on Wednesday to extend it for another three hours. The truce aims to ensure the safe exit of civilians via humanitarian corridors and the evacuation of the wounded and sick. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes delivers a speech at a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 20, 2016. United Nation officials on Thursday called on young people around the world to stand against violent extremism as terror groups like the Islamic State are increasingly targeting the youth. (Xinhua/He Canling) ISTANBUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- United Nation officials on Thursday called on young people around the world to stand against violent extremism as terror groups like the Islamic State are increasingly targeting the youth. As part of the changing world, "the youth must be actively engaged in shaping lasting peace, contributing to mediation and reconciliation," said the high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser. Addressing a meeting in Istanbul on the role of youth in preventing and countering violent extremism, Al-Nasser stressed that "peaceful and inclusive" societies can only be sustainably built with strong participation and commitment of the youth. "Meaningful participation of youth is needed in achieving peace more than ever before," he said, particularly at a time when conflicts and chaos are spreading across the Middle East and North Africa. Participants from 35 countries discussed the means to empower the youth to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist organizations. Some young people, in their pursuit of an identity and a role in society, have been attracted by the Islamic State and other extremist groups, noted Al-Nasser. Disengagement, exclusion and marginalization are leaving young people vulnerable to the recruitment of terror groups, he said. UN Assistant Secretary-General Cihan Sultanoglu listed access to decision-making process, education and a decent job as crucial factors that would empower the youth against violent extremism. In the opinion of Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes, a political and administrative approach should be adopted to enable the youth to raise their voices in each and every platform. He emphasized the importance of improving intercultural relations and promoting a culture of peace among the youth for an effective struggle against extremism. In addition, UN officials have urged local communities and non-governmental actors to develop strategies to help address conflicts in a non-violent way while promoting tolerance and peace. Youth Solidarity Fund and Young Peacebuilders in West Africa were cited as examples of youth-led programs developed under the UNAOC umbrella to raise awareness about the danger of sectarianism, extremism and radicalization. Established in 2008, the Youth Solidarity Fund provides direct funding to outstanding projects that promote the youth's participation in and contribution to intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Young Peacebuilders in West Africa, guided by the principle that youth are key actors to achieve peace, is an educational program that enhances the ability of young people to foster mutual respect, understanding and long-term positive relationships between peoples of different cultures and religions. UNAOC officials said that the programs were developed in a way that could be replicated in other regions around the world. JUBA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Political reforms in South Sudan will only come after peace is restored, a South Sudan official said Thursday, responding to claims that the government is against reforms. President Salva Kiir's spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny dismissed claims by the armed opposition led by ousted former First Vice President Riek Machar that the current transitional unity government is anti-reforms. "The political reforms will come after implementation of peace, silence of the guns. It cannot be an event but a process," Ateny told Xinhua in Juba. Renewed fighting erupted in July between troops loyal to Kiir and Sudan People's Liberation Army-in opposition (SPLA-IO) loyal to Machar, displacing thousands of people and forcing Machar to flee the country. Machar's spokesman James Gatdet Dak said the alliance between Kiir and Taban Deng, who replaced Machar as first vice president, was geared at selectively implementing the peace agreement brokered by the regional body Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Among the political reforms include drafting of new constitution for the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and security sector reforms. "These are the very people (Kiir and Deng) who can do reforms in peace," Ateny said. The peace agreement is behind schedule in terms of implementation due to cash constrains that have delayed cantonment of troops from the SPLA-IO breakaway wing led by Deng. South Sudan conflict broke out in December 2013 after President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has resulted in the death of tens of thousands of people and displacement of more than 2 million others. Enditem JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The South African cabinet has approved that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change be submitted to Parliament for ratification, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Jeff Radebe said on Thursday. The Paris Agreement is a legal instrument that will further guide the process for universal action on climate change, Radebe said while briefing the media in Pretoria on a just concluded cabinet meeting. The agreement brings all nations into a common cause of acting collectively to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, the minister said. The agreement, adopted at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) last December in Paris, marked a historic turning point in the world's response to climate change. It sets the goal of holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius. South Africa's signing of the agreement sends a positive signal of our continued commitment to contribute to the global effort to address the challenge of climate change, Radebe said. Enditem MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that it would make public the flight route details of Belgian warplanes that allegedly killed six civilians in Syria earlier this week. The Russian military said Tuesday that two F-16 fighter jets of the Belgian air force were detected in an airstrike against the village of Hassajek near Aleppo, which left six Syrian civilians dead and at least four wounded. Russia said there were no Russian and Syrian air force planes in thats region. On Wednesday, Moscow demanded an explanation from the U.S.-led counter-terror coalition over the incident. There are still no reports indicating that Russia has received any response. The Belgian Defense Ministry has formally denied the accusation, saying that the country's F-16 fighter jets were not in the area and that the planes have been inactive for the past three days. "I can, with my hand on my heart, confirm that on that day we did not fly over the region in question," Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput was quoted as saying by the country's VRT News. However, the Russian Defense Ministry indicated on Thursday that Vandeput might not be telling the truth. Brussels has yet to make any comments on the allegation. SOFIA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian law enforcement authorities seized on Thursday morning nearly 11 kg of heroin at Kapitan Petko Voyvoda checkpoint near the country's southeastern border with Greece, officials said. The heroin, split into 20 packets, was hidden in a secret compartment in a Bulgaria-registered car entering from Greece, the country's Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. The police arrested on the spot the driver, a 26-year-old Bulgarian national, as well as his suspected accomplice, also 26-year-old Bulgarian, who followed him in another car. Bulgaria, a key transit route for drugs smuggled from Asia to Europe, seized at its borders 256 kg of heroin in 2015. This file photo taken on April 08, 2016 shows a US Navy handout photo displaying the Arleigh Burke Class guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) operating in the Mediterranean Sea. (AFP photo) TEHRAN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman on Thursday denied any possible role in the recent rocket attacks on U.S. warships in the Red Sea near Yemen waters, official IRNA news agency reported. The spokesman Bahram Qasemi was responding to allegations by a U.S. army official who said Iran may have played a role in recent missile attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea. On Wednesday, Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said that Iran may be behind recent missile attacks by Shiite Yemeni Houthi militants on U.S. Navy ships. "I do think that Iran is playing a role in some of this," said Votel. "They have a relationship with the Houthis, so I do suspect there is a role in that." Qasemi described Votel's remarks as an "unreal, suspicious and baseless piece of fiction that manifests their confusion." He said the U.S. government should be much more careful about the "measures taken by those who have sunk themselves in the cruel war against the Yemenis and try to increase the tension and expand the war in order to rescue themselves." On Oct. 12, the Pentagon announced that the U.S. military struck three radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast. A Pentagon statement described the air raid as "limited self-defense strikes," saying the radar sites targetted were "involved in the recent missile launches threatening USS Mason and other vessels operating in international waters in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb." Yemen's Houthi rebels have repeatedly denied targeting U.S. warships from territories they control. "These allegations were baseless and the army as well popular forces have nothing to do with targeting the U.S. ship," the Houthis said in an Oct. 13 statement carried by Saba, a news agency under Houthi control. Iraqi forces sit in the back of a vehicle as troops advance through the desert on the banks of the Tigris river, northeast of the main staging base of Qayyarah, on October 20, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua) MOSUL, Iraq, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Thursday clashed with Islamic State (IS) militants in a town near Mosul, in continue efforts to seize more ground around the city, a security source said. Early Thursday, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi anti-terrorism commandos advanced from the north and east of Mosul, a Kurdish security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. In the east of Mosul, the troops, with air cover by a U.S.-led coalition, attacked the town of Bartillah from the eastern edge, the source said. The assault on Bartillah was preceded by heavy artillery mortar shelling, the source said. Other Peshmerga fighters recaptured the villages of Nawran and Barmia to the northeast of Mosul, while other troops advanced from the north toward the towns of Tal Asquf and Batnaya. Heavy battles are underway in what is known as Nineveh Plain, which lies to the east and northeast of Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh. The villages and towns of the vast plain are inhabited by various religious and ethnic minority groups, mostly Assyrian Christians. Many members of the minorities in the plain have fled during the chaos and ensuing insecurity that followed the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Another wave of exodus, of mostly non-Sunni Muslim minorities, came after June 2014, when the extremist IS group took control of Nineveh province and seized large parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Early on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled. CAIRO, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian Health Ministry denied on Thursday the illness of 25 schoolchildren as a result of wrong vaccination, official MENA news agency reported. The Egyptian state TV reported earlier on Thursday that the 25 kids of a school in Fayoum province southern the capital Cairo fell sick after improper vaccination against meningitis, while some local websites further reported deaths, which all has been rejected by the Health Ministry. "Today's vaccinations were all safe and recognized by the World Health Organization," MENA quoted the ministry's spokesman Khaled Megahed as saying, describing the circulated news as "completely untrue." Megahed noted that there are no injuries among the children and none of them has been taken to hospital due to the Thursday's vaccination. RIYADH, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia on Thursday added two individuals and one organization on its terrorism list for their alleged links with Iranian-backed Hezbollah organization, Saudi Press Agency reported. Lebanese nationals Mohammed Al-Mohtar Falah Kallas and Hasan Hatem Jmaml Al-Din and Baghdad-based Global Cleaners company were blacklisted, the report said. The Gulf country said Hezbollah's militants and extremist activities should not be tolerated by any nation or organization. It said any assets of these names under Saudi jurisdiction are frozen, and Saudi citizens or residents are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them. BRUSSELS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- European countries can learn from China's innovation-driven economy represented by leading e-commerce companies like Alibaba, experts attending a symposium said on Thursday in Brussels. Duncan Clark, an expert on the internet and entrepreneurship in China and author of "Alibaba: the House That Jack Ma Built," told Xinhua that the firm represents an innovation-driven economy which can enlighten European countries lagging behind in this field. China is setting out a step-by-step approach for building it into an innovative nation by 2020, an international leader in innovation by 2030 and a world power house of scientific and technological innovation by 2050, he said on the sidelines of a policy insight debate. Propelling such an ambitious target forward are the country's high-profile tech companies like Alibaba, Clark noted. Alibaba was founded by Ma in a small apartment in 1999, the year Clark first met him. It has since become one of the world's largest companies on which millions of Chinese consumers depend. Ma, for his success, has long been an icon among the youth in China and around the world. Referring to Alibaba's innovative business mode of bringing choices to people, Clark said, "There's no Alibaba-style company in Europe, the market is dominated by U.S. companies like Amazon and Ebay. The situation should be and can be changed." "The key to Alibaba's success is the scale of consumers. Europe also has such a scale, so it can learn from Alibaba," said Clark, who is also chairman of BDA China, an advisory firm serving investors in China's technology and consumer sectors. The policy insight debate focusing on innovation-driven economy is organized jointly by ChinaEU, a business-led international association, and the China Internet Development Foundation in association with Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe. Echoing Clark's views on innovation, Chen Laiji, associate professor of Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication, Shantou University of China, said, "Ma and Alibaba made the most of opportunity through innovation and new technology revolution." "But their successes also reflect Confucian thought which stresses hard work," Chen said. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (R) meets with First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli met with First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov on Thursday, calling for more cooperation in infrastructure and energy. Zhang recalled President Xi Jinping's state visit to Uzbekistan in June and cooperation agreements under the Belt and Road Initiative. Zhang called on both countries to implement the consensus reached between the heads of state, synergize development strategies and promote cooperation in industry, infrastructure, energy and resources. "Both sides should improve the trade and investment climate and make new progress in practical cooperation," Zhang said. Thanking China's unselfish assistance to the national development of Uzbekistan, Azimov said Uzbekistan regarded China as a diplomatic priority and supported the Belt and Road Initiative. Azimov said Uzbekistan was willing to work with China to develop the bilateral relationship. Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also met with Azimov on Thursday, pledging to enhance cooperation in trade, security and culture. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China and the Philippines on Thursday pledged to improve economic ties through cooperation. During a meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the Great Hall of the People, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China and the Philippines had a sound foundation and great potential to coordinate strategies related to improving the economy and people's living standards. China is ready to increase cooperation with the Philippines in areas such as connectivity, infrastructure construction, production capacity, agriculture and finance, and further promote trade and investment, Li said. Speaking highly of China's achievements in social and economic development, Duterte said the Philippines would like to deepen cooperation with China in various fields and learn from China's experience of poverty alleviation and economic development. In a China-Philippines Trade and Investment Forum at the Great Hall of the People, together with Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, Duterte said both countries share similar culture and thinking patterns. The Philippines appreciates China's sincere assistance and respect of the Philippines and other countries, said Duterte, adding his country has put developing relations with China as one of its foreign policy priorities. He said he welcomes China to further expand investment in the Philippines and would implement the consensus reached with Chinese leaders during this visit. Zhang said the economic and trade cooperation, infrastructure construction and production capacity are priorities for the next stage of bilateral cooperation. China is willing to work closely with the Philippines to implement the consensus, plans and major projects reached between the leaders, Zhang said. The forum, jointly held by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, was attended by some 700 businessmen from both countries. During his meeting with Duterte, Li mentioned that the South China Sea issue should not define the Sino-Philippine relationship. The common interests of the two countries far outweigh their differences, he added. Li expressed China's willingness to develop relations with the Philippines to put ties back on a healthy track. China has always stood for resolving bilateral issues through dialogue and consultation of those directly concerned, said Li. Li hoped that the two sides would jointly promote good-neighborly friendship and remain committed to managing their differences through dialogue and consultation, which serves the common interests of the two sides and also contributes to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN and it is also the China-ASEAN year of tourism cooperation, with the Philippines holding the ASEAN's rotating presidency. Li said China was willing to take this opportunity to enhance communication, coordination and cooperation with the Philippines within the framework of China-ASEAN cooperation. Later Thursday, top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met with Duterte at the Great Hall of the People. Duterte arrived in Beijing Tuesday night for a four-day state visit to China, the first country he has visited outside ASEAN since taking office in June. The visit came amid a backdrop of deteriorating China-Philippines ties, due to the unilateral filing of the South China Sea arbitration case initiated by his predecessor Benigno Aquino III against China. NICOSIA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Residents of a village within the boundaries of a British military Base trapped scores of British soldiers and restricted their movements for several hours on Thursday, stopping them from cutting down acacia trees inside a target range. Between 250 and 300 soldiers were sent to the area in several tracks on Wednesday night with the aim of cutting down acacia and eucalyptus trees saying they would thin the forest in clear the view and to facilitate military drills. Several months back, the bases' authorities had tried to cut down the trees with the aim of preventing the laying of lime sticks and nets to trap songbirds, known as ambelopoulia, a practice which is illegal under European Union rules. Residents of Xylopagou village, which is within the boundaries of the Dekelia British Sovereign Base rang the church bell to alert the whole of the village to the arrival of the British soldiers. About 800 of them gathered in the target range on the top of a cliff hundreds of meters above the sea, early morning on Thursday, forcing the soldiers to retreat to their trucks and isolating them in an inaccessible area. The villagers used cars to block access roads to the area. The soldiers, using chainsaws, had already cut about 60 eucalyptus trees which are used to support or conceal mist nets on which birds are caught. Base spokesman Kristian Gray said that the operation was a military exercise to clear vegetation that was obstructing the view during drills. However, he admitted that another aim was to clear the area of trees that attract the birds. "We began clearing the Pyla firing ranges for safety reasons. It's our main range for training and the view of the arc of fire was obstructed, and this creates dangers when the soldiers use live ammunition," he said. He also said that the soldiers were neither trapped nor restricted and could leave if they wanted to but they chose to stay within their trucks. He described the action of the villagers as unacceptable. Xylophaghou community leader Anastasios Anglogallos dismissed the claim that the forest was used for trapping birds and offered to work with the administration of the base for fighting what he described as the illegal action of bird trapping. Anglogallos said that he negotiated with the chief officer of the political administration of the British bases, agreeing that the issue of clearing the range be discussed after a new village authority will have been elected in about three months' time. He said the residents were resisting the destruction of the forest which they use for outings and picnics. He said the Forestry Department will be at hand during the new consultations to advice on the kind of trees to be planted to replace the acacia forest in the target range. The standoff lasted about nine hours, during which local residents provided water and food for the weary soldiers. CAIRO, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egypt welcomed a 72-hour renewable humanitarian cease-fire brokered by the United Nations in Yemen, said Egypt's Foreign ministry on Thursday. "We hope that all sides will commit to the truce to pave the way for the resumption of political negotiations in order to bring security and stabilities to all Yemenis," Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a press release. Abu Zeid also stressed Egypt's full support of Yemen's legal authorities, adding that a political solution based on the relevant UN Security Council and Gulf Initiative resolutions is the best means of reaching a permanent solution in Yemen. The UN special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said on Tuesday that he received assertions from all Yemeni parties that they will abide by the cessation of hostilities as of midnight Wednesday. Several previous cease-fires fell through minutes after going into effect, and failed to permit access of humanitarian workers to deliver desperately needed aid or pave the way for peace talks. The situation in Yemen has deteriorated economically and politically since March 2015, when a war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition. Houthis and Saleh's forces control most of Yemen's northern regions while government forces supported by the Saudi-led military coalition control the rest of the country. The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have thus far killed over 10,000 people, half civilians, injured over 35,000 others and displaced over 2 million, according to humanitarian agencies. Enditem Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, interacts with representatives of young entrepreneurs at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Mangmang) BRUSSELS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- European countries can learn from China's innovation-driven economy represented by leading e-commerce companies like Alibaba, experts attending a symposium said on Thursday in Brussels. Duncan Clark, an expert on the internet and entrepreneurship in China and author of "Alibaba: the House That Jack Ma Built," told Xinhua that the firm represents an innovation-driven economy which can enlighten European countries lagging behind in this field. China is setting out a step-by-step approach for building it into an innovative nation by 2020, an international leader in innovation by 2030 and a world power house of scientific and technological innovation by 2050, he said on the sidelines of a policy insight debate. Propelling such an ambitious target forward are the country's high-profile tech companies like Alibaba, Clark noted. Alibaba was founded by Ma in a small apartment in 1999, the year Clark first met him. It has since become one of the world's largest companies on which millions of Chinese consumers depend. Ma, for his success, has long been an icon among the youth in China and around the world. Referring to Alibaba's innovative business mode of bringing choices to people, Clark said, "There's no Alibaba-style company in Europe, the market is dominated by U.S. companies like Amazon and Ebay. The situation should be and can be changed." "The key to Alibaba's success is the scale of consumers. Europe also has such a scale, so it can learn from Alibaba," said Clark, who is also chairman of BDA China, an advisory firm serving investors in China's technology and consumer sectors. The policy insight debate focusing on innovation-driven economy is organized jointly by ChinaEU, a business-led international association, and the China Internet Development Foundation in association with Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe. Echoing Clark's views on innovation, Chen Laiji, associate professor of Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication, Shantou University of China, said, "Ma and Alibaba made the most of opportunity through innovation and new technology revolution." "But their successes also reflect Confucian thought which stresses hard work," Chen said. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- LeEco, a Chinese company, carpet bombed an event on Wednesday in San Francisco, a city in northern California on the U.S. west coast, with smart consumer electronics and its visions for devices connected with Internet. The event in the Innovation Hanger at Palace of Fine Arts was for LeEco to launch its ecosystem model in the United States, where the company opened its North American headquarters last April and announced a deal worth 2 billion U.S. dollars to acquire Vizio Inc., a manufacturer of TV and other electronic devices in July. According to Mr. YT Jia, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, and a parade of U.S.-based LeEco officials, the 12-year-old company will break boundaries between screens to deliver content and services on a wide array of smart devices connected with Internet, including smartphones, TVs, smart bikes, virtual reality and electric self-driving vehicles. "We have created a new business model that will lead the next era of technology," Jia told an audience of about 1,500 media representatives, analysts, industry partners and consumers. "We are disrupting several categories and changing the paradigm by breaking down barriers and boundaries between industries and screens to create a better experience and more value for both individuals and industries." While content has been at the heart of LeEco's vision since its inception in 2004, as it has amassed more than 5,000 movies and 100,000 TV episodes, and attracted more than 50 million daily active users and over 730 million monthly active users in China, it has partnered with top content providers, such as Lionsgate, MGM, Showtime, Vice Media, Awesomeness TV and A+E, to bring its content platform to TV viewers and smart phone users in the United States. At the 2-hour event, it introduced a new Le phone series and a new line of smart TVs, the largest with a 85-inch screen. In addition, LeEco said it plans to bring a smart bike, called LeEco Super Bike, that has an Android operating system to provide security, connectivity and smart riding experience, and a virtual reality (VR) headset, called ExploreVR, to the U.S. market. The company also announced that it would offer U.S. consumers on its LeMail.com shopping site a membership program called EcoPass, which combines customer service with special pricing, sales events, unlimited movie viewing and limited cloud storage for photos and videos. Although still in its prototype stage, an electric car with self-driving features, called LeSEE Pro, was brought to the venue for display together with smart phones, TVs, bike and VR headset. "Our global vision for a connected ecosystem where great content can be enjoyed on a range of devices that are disruptively priced is what fuels our global expansion," said Richard Ren, president of LeEco North America. "Following our success in China, we expanded to India last year and Russia in September. Today, we are pleased to officially launch in the U.S." GAZA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli soldiers opened fire and killed on Thursday a Palestinian young man in the northern part of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, medical sources said. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) health ministry told Xinhua that the killing was in the village of Beit Ommar, in northern Hebron. Local sources in the village said that the young man fell on the floor and was bleeding for a long time after the shot, while the soldiers prevented Palestinian ambulances from reaching his body. There has been no immediate Israeli response to the incident. Since last October, a wave of tension has been flaring between Israel and the Palestinians, mainly in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Official figures said that 226 Palestinians and 40 Israelis were killed. MOGADISHU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Thursday wrapped up a two-day training aimed at improving relationship between the military, civilians and humanitarian actors to help improve delivery of aid in the country. The training, which brought together civilians, Somali police force and AMISOM's security officers, civil affairs and gender unit also discussed how humanitarian challenges can be tackled in Somalia. "The workshop was mainly focused on facilitation of humanitarian assistance, and how we can address access challenges in Somalia, that is, the military and civilians. How we can coordinate and what guidelines are in place to effectively facilitate humanitarian access to people in need," said AMISOM Major Fasil Yigzaw in a statement issued after the meeting. AMISOM Humanitarian Liaison Unit Officer Jackson Robert Basoronga said the objective of the workshop was to create awareness and understanding among military and police on the basic concepts and principles of humanitarian civil-military coordination as well as understanding the roles and responsibilities of federal states, humanitarian organization and the military. The participants also discussed AMISOM's civil-military guidelines and the mission's involvement in provision of armed escorts to humanitarian convoys. Mohamed Ibrahim Abdi, a member of the Somali National Army, said the country's military had a crucial role in facilitating humanitarian access. "We attended a training on how we can facilitate humanitarian access to people in need, and the role of the Somali National Army in facilitating access in order to provide assistance when there are natural disasters or complex emergencies," Abdi added. Humanitarian actors work in difficult conditions in Somalia since they have to access and deliver assistance to communities in government-controlled areas as well as those under armed groups. Experts say humanitarian challenges in Somalia call for increased coordination and dialogue between AMISOM and humanitarian actors operating in the country. Enditem PARIS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande on Thursday said the military operation to retake Mosul in Iraq was a "major" step in the battle against the Islamic State (IS) and "decisive" in stabilizing the city once the group is defeated. "The battle of Mosul is decisive to hunt Daesh (the Islamic State) but we must do that effectively on the militarily field, and to be exemplary in humanitarian and political terms," Hollande said. "It will be long but it will be successful if there is a political stability. We must, therefore, create the conditions for a return to stability in Mosul and all liberated areas from Daesh," he added. At a meeting after the Mosul operation in Paris, the French president pointed to the need to plan a separate operation against IS insurgents in Syria, where they are fleeing from the neighboring Iraqi region. "We must be exemplary in chasing down the terrorists who are leaving Mosul for Raqqa," he said. "We cannot accept success as allowing those who were in Mosul to disappear to other locations where they can then launch attacks," he told the gathering. Speaking on a video conference call from Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi who co-chaired Paris meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, hailed "a full Iraqi unity," adding that it was for the first time in more than two decades Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fought together to eradicate Daesh. "The forces are pushing towards the town more quickly than we thought and more quickly than we had planned," he said on a video posted on the Quai d'Orsay website. Abadi added all efforts were being made to create humanitarian corridors for civilians fleeing Mosul which the group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdad in 2014 declared the capital of caliphate spanning regions of Iraq and Syria. In a final statement, participating countries agreed on "the absolute need to do everything possible to ensure, with respect for human rights and in accordance with international humanitarian law, protection of civilian populations." They also vowed to continue supporting Iraqi authorities in its efforts to reconstruct Iraqi second-largest city mainly by providing expertise, know-how and appropriate financial support. "In order to defeat Daesh in the long term, the participants called for a comprehensive political agreement between Iraqi national authorities and local players, so as to guarantee strengthened governance of Mosul and the surrounding area that is inclusive, respects the diversity of the population, and guarantees peaceful coexistence," they stressed in a communique released by the French Foreign Ministry. Twenty countries including the United States, China, Turkey, Gulf states and European allies participated in Paris meeting. The coalition's defense ministers will meet in Paris next Tuesday to assess progress of the military operation. RIYADH, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia said on Thursday that a Saudi citizen and his daughter were injured by a projectile attack from Yemen's Houthis in the border city of Jazan, Saudi Press Agency reported. The report said the two injured were sent to local hospital for treatment, but didn't clarify the severity of their injury. A 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire brokered by the United Nations went into effect on Wednesday midnight. Saudi authorities said this incident was one of the 24 Houthi violations of the truce. The truce was aimed to allow the entry of humanitarian and medical aid for Yemenis, while the air and maritime inspections will continue as usual. Enditem MOSUL, Iraq, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Thursday recaptured a town from Islamic State (IS) militants near the city of Mosul, as major offensive continued to seize more ground around the city, a security source said. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi anti-terrorism commandos entered in the afternoon the town of Bartillah, some 20 km east of Mosul, after fierce clashes with IS militants, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The troops raised the Iraqi flag over the town's buildings, while sporadic clashes and sniper shots continued against IS militants in small pockets in the town, the source said. The troops killed dozens of IS militants and seized large amounts of weapons, ammunition and explosives, he said. Earlier in the day, a security source told Xinhua that the troops, with air cover by a U.S.-led coalition, attacked the town of Bartillah from the eastern edge after heavy artillery and mortar shelling, the source said. The liberation of Bartillah came as part of coordinated attacks by the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi anti-terrorism commandos who advanced before dawn from several directions in areas located in north and east of the city of Mosul. Other Peshmerga fighters recaptured several other villages, including Nawran, Barmia, Kani Shrin and Sumaqiyah to the northeast of Mosul, while other troops advanced from the north toward the towns of Tal Asquf and Batnaya. Thursday's battles also came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi, spoke by video link to diplomats meeting in Paris, said the Mosul offensive was moving "more quickly than we thought." Abadi also vowed to protect civilians fleeing the battleground and said the government "will not allow any violations of human rights." Heavy battles are underway in what is known as Nineveh Plain, which lies to the east and northeast of Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh. Various religious and ethnic minority groups, mostly Assyrian Christians, inhabit the villages and towns of the vast plain. Many members of the minorities in the plain have fled during the chaos and ensuing insecurity that followed the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Another wave of exodus, mostly non-Sunni Muslim minorities, came after June 2014, when the extremist IS group took control of Nineveh province and seized large parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. On Oct. 17, Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled. LAGOS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday arrested over 3,000 suspected illegal foreign immigrants in Lagos, the nation's economic hub, in several raids, an NIS source said. The early morning raids saw about 40 heavily armed officers combing motor parks, kiosks, hotels and some relaxation centers known to be frequented by the foreigners. During the raids, the NIS officers shot intermittently into the air as some immigrants took to their heels in the midst of the pandemonium. Many of the arrested aliens were from countries such as Ghana, Benin Republic, Niger, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo. An immigration source told Xinhua that the arrests of the suspected illegal aliens must have been sparked off by growing speculations that majority of the illegal aliens might actually be members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect. The source said the arrested aliens would be thoroughly and methodically screened and those who have valid papers would be released while others would be deported. Enditem BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development has sent supervision teams to review local government poverty relief work. The supervision will expand over 22 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China's middle and west regions, as decreed by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The supervision campaign will include random inspections, field research, secret inquiries and information from the public will be sought. The campaign will be concluded by the end of October. China has intensified poverty alleviation efforts to achieve its goal of eliminating poverty by 2020. On Monday, the government released details of officials' poverty alleviation responsibilities, stating that governments of all levels should have different emphases according to their respective responsibilities. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council will be mainly responsible for policy-making; provincial governments will formulate local plans; while city and county governments will perform the main functions. Heads of impoverished counties in China will not be promoted or transferred to other posts unless they can prove concrete achievements. China has entered a crucial stage in its poverty reduction drive, according to the white paper "China's Progress in Poverty Reduction and Human Rights," which was published by the State Council Information Office Monday. By the end of 2015, China had 55.75 million people living in poverty, more than the population of the continent of Oceania. China has pledged to lift 10 million people out of poverty every year from 2016 to eradicate poverty by 2020. South Africa's Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, addresses the media after a cabinet meeting in Pretoria, on Oct. 20, 2016. The South Africa cabinet warned on Thursday that if the academic year is lost due to student protests over fee increases, serious consequences would take place in the country. (Xinhua/DOC/Siya Duda) PRETORIA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The South Africa cabinet warned on Thursday that if the academic year is lost due to student protests over fee increases, serious consequences would take place in the country. "If the academic year is lost, the universities and colleges do not reach a finality this year, almost a million matriculants will not be admitted into higher education in 2017," Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, said after a cabinet meeting. The ripple effect is such that all students from first year to final year would be affected and ultimately the country's economy as no new skilled graduates will enter the job market, he said while briefing reporters in Pretoria on the cabinet meeting. A number of universities have suspended academic activities due to the protests, which have continued since late September when Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande gave the green light to universities to increase fees. Some universities say they will suspend the current academic year if the protests continue. "Cabinet wishes to reiterate its call for the country to support all efforts to save the 2016 academic program," Radebe said. These efforts led by the government through the Ministerial Task Team working with students, parents, universities and stakeholders are a demonstration of the collective commitment to find solutions to normalize the higher education sector, said the minister. The government has received several proposals that have been put forward by various constituencies and stakeholders, according to Radebe. A technical process is underway to evaluate them and once the work is completed, options will be provided to address the current challenges, he added. BRUSSELS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese calligraphy exhibition was held here on Wednesday, kicking start a series of events that will be part of the second China Arts Festival in the European Union(EU). Themed "The Charm of Chinese Characters-Meditation of Ancient Philosophers and Performance of Contemporary Calligraphers", the exhibition has a collection of 30 works from contemporary calligraphers as well as 30 seal-cutting works and 30 rubbings from Chinese artists. The collection, which is based on works from the most influential ancient Chinese philosophers, aims to help audience explore the core concept of China's universal values, according to a representative from the China Calligraphers Association, one of the event sponsors. "The key to sound relations between states lies in peoples' affinity, which can be boosted by mutual understanding," said Minister Zhang Lirong of the Chinese Mission to the EU at the inauguration ceremony of the exhibition. The official believes such an event "helps to establish a strong platform for China-EU cultural exchanges, deepen mutual understanding between the two cultures, promote people-to-people dialogue between China and EU, build up friendship and enhance interactions between Chinese and European civilizations." Ellis Mathews, Head of China Division from European External Action Service(EEAS), highlighted the increasing collaborative opportunities lay in the protection and promotion of cultural heritage between EU and China. Mathews said cultural heritage was also an important part of the EU culture diplomacy. The Chinese calligraphy is a unique art form of writing developed more than 5,000 years ago, and has long been recognized as a representative symbol for Chinese culture. In September 2009, Chinese calligraphy and the art of the seal ingredients were all enlisted as the intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. The calligraphy exhibition will open to the public at the EEAS headquarters until November 7. RIYADH, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition hinted on Thursday the end of the ceased-fire in Yemen by announcing steps against Houthi violations, local news Al Arabiya reported. The announcement was made hours after the beginning of the UN-brokered 72-hour cease-fire that started at 11:59 p.m. local time (2059 GMT) on Wednesday. It came as a response to military activities by Houthi militants at Saudi-Yemeni borders, including an attack that injured a Saudi man and his daughter in Jazan region. At least 24 violations were reported at the borders on Wednesday, according to Al Arabiya. The coalition spokesperson Major-General Ahmed Al Asiri told local TV that the attacks didn't stop since the beginning of the truce. PARIS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Wine production worldwide is estimated at 259 million hectoliters(Mhl) in 2016, down five percent compared to that of 2015, the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) announced here on Thursday. According to OIV, global wine consumption is estimated to reach between 239.7 and 246.6 Mhl. Italy will be the world's leading wine producer, with a production volume of 48.8 Mhl. It is followed by France and Spain, respectively at 41.9 Mhl and 37.8 Mhl, OIV estimated. As the fourth largest wine producer this year, production in the United States is estimated to reach a new record level in 2016, or 22.5 Mhl, while Australia's production is estimated at 12.5 Mhl, up five percent compared to 2015 and is relatively stable over the period from 2012 to 2015, according to OIV. China, a major new world wine market, maintained its production level of 11.5 Mhl in 2016, securing its place as the world's sixth largest wine producer, OIV said. In South America, the output of three main producers, Argentina, Chile and Brazil, is in net decline, said the organization, adding Argentina registered in 2016 a sharp decline with a production of 8.8 Mhl, 35 percent less than that of 2015. At the same time, wine production in Chile this year is expected to fall down to 10.1 million hectoliters, a level very close to that of 2014 (10.5 million hl), registering a significant decline relative to the 12.9 Mhl wine it produced in 2015. Brazil's production has fell down to 1.4 Mhl in 2016, a decrease of 50 percent compared to 2015, OIV said, explaining that the production of the three countries was affected by climatic events. South Africa, with a production of 9.1 Mhl, saw its production level in 2016 decline by 19 percent from 2015, according to OIV. UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that since the beginning of Mosul operations in Iraq, 5,640 people have been displaced, with more than 3,700 displaced on Wednesday alone, a UN spokesman told reporters here Thursday. The vast majority of displaced families so far have been received in Qayyarah district, some 60km south of Mosul, and some have also been received in Debaga, on the outskirts of Erbil, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "They are receiving assistance from humanitarian partners, through pre-positioned facilities and supplies." "Humanitarian workers continue to focus on identification, assessment and establishment of potential displacement sites," Dujarric said. Shelter is currently available for 60,000 people in camps and emergency sites, and construction of additional sites, with capacity for 250,000 people, is underway. "Emergency supplies of food, health items, medicines, shelter kits and water and sanitation assistance continue to be moved into storage sites and distribution points," he said. Serious concerns remain for the protection of civilians in areas under the control of Da'esh, also known as the Islamic State (IS), inside Mosul, and for their safety as hostilities intensify closer to and in densely populated and urban areas, he added. Iraqi security forces on Tuesday recaptured more villages from the IS militants, as part of a major offensive aimed at liberating the city of Mosul, the last major IS stronghold in Iraq, a security source said. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Photo taken on Sept. 7, 2016 shows the landscape of the Alto Douro River in the Alto DouroWine Region, Portugal. The Alto Douro Wine Region in Northern Portugal, one of the major wine production areas in the country, is famous for producing unique Port wine in the world. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) PARIS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Wine production worldwide is estimated at 259 million hectoliters(Mhl) in 2016, down five percent compared to that of 2015, the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) announced here on Thursday. According to OIV, global wine consumption is estimated to reach between 239.7 and 246.6 Mhl. Italy will be the world's leading wine producer, with a production volume of 48.8 Mhl. It is followed by France and Spain, respectively at 41.9 Mhl and 37.8 Mhl, OIV estimated. As the fourth largest wine producer this year, production in the United States is estimated to reach a new record level in 2016, or 22.5 Mhl, while Australia's production is estimated at 12.5 Mhl, up five percent compared to 2015 and is relatively stable over the period from 2012 to 2015, according to OIV. Image taken on June 22, 2015 shows Gaston Re, sommelier of the wine company Bodegas Trapiche, looking at a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon 1991 in the cellar of Bodegas Trapiche, in the city of Maipu, Mendoza province, Argentina. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala) China, a major new world wine market, maintained its production level of 11.5 Mhl in 2016, securing its place as the world's sixth largest wine producer, OIV said. In South America, the output of three main producers, Argentina, Chile and Brazil, is in net decline, said the organization, adding Argentina registered in 2016 a sharp decline with a production of 8.8 Mhl, 35 percent less than that of 2015. At the same time, wine production in Chile this year is expected to fall down to 10.1 million hectoliters, a level very close to that of 2014 (10.5 million hl), registering a significant decline relative to the 12.9 Mhl wine it produced in 2015. Brazil's production has fell down to 1.4 Mhl in 2016, a decrease of 50 percent compared to 2015, OIV said, explaining that the production of the three countries was affected by climatic events. South Africa, with a production of 9.1 Mhl, saw its production level in 2016 decline by 19 percent from 2015, according to OIV. KIEV, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian officials and experts on Thursday spoke positively of the results achieved at the recent meeting in the Normandy format, during which leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France have agreed on new steps for peace solution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Leonid Kuchma, Kiev's representative in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine's crisis, said that the meeting has proved that the Normandy and Minsk formats designed to peacefully end the conflict are still alive. "I believe, that the meeting has confirmed that there is no alternative to the Normandy format and to the Minsk agreements," Kuchma said. As one of the main achievements of the meeting, he named an agreement to develop by the end of November a new roadmap on solving the crisis on the base of the Minsk pact. "The preparation of the roadmap for Minsk deal implementation is a positive step. And it is very properly that the document will be developed by the foreign ministers (of the Normandy states), who have the right to do it, unlike the Trilateral Contact Group, which can only make suggestions and recommendations," Kuchma said. Meanwhile, a military analyst Yury Butusov said that the key result of the Normandy talks was an agreement to send an armed police mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to the restive area. "In fact, sending the armed monitors to the frontline is a step towards a temporal freeze of the conflict. It is another clear evidence that there will be no a major war," Butusov said. He explained that the introduction of the police mission will enable to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire after dark, when the truce violations are particularly frequent. "Currently, the OSCE mission comprises exclusively of civilians, meaning that they can monitor the situation only during daylight hours. Sending the armed mission, consisting of soldiers or police, will allow monitoring the ceasefire also after dark," Butusov said. Separately, a political analyst Kyryl Sazonov pointed that the main success of the Normandy meeting was that its participants have shown the willingness to compromise on key issues. "The talks have resulted in real steps towards the compromise, although very cautious steps, which could be subject to backtrack. Anyway, the parties have made a number of concessions," Sazonov said. As the major breakthroughs of the negotiations, he listed the agreement on the demilitarization of the town of Debaltseve, which is controlled by pro-independence insurgents, the deal on holding elections in Donbas and the pact on sending the armed mission to Ukraine. In the same time, Sazonov pointed that all of the reached accords are flimsy and unspecific. "For example, Ukraine has agreed to adopt a law on elections in Donbas, but the question is -- what kind of legislation it will be. We have a free hand on this issue," Sazonov said. The prospects for sending the police mission to eastern Ukraine are also uncertain because insurgents have already said that this move breaches the Minsk agreement, the expert added. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande met on Wednesday evening for talks over the implementation of the Minsk Agreement for eastern Ukraine in Berlin. The Minsk peace deal aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine was reached by the leaders of the Normandy group in February 2015 in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. However, the peace treaty has not been fully implemented. Displaced people who fled Islamic State militants from Mosul receive aid at Deepaka camp in the northwest of Erbil, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, October 20, 2016. (REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani) UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that since the beginning of Mosul operations in Iraq, 5,640 people have been displaced, with more than 3,700 displaced on Wednesday alone, a UN spokesman told reporters here Thursday. The vast majority of displaced families so far have been received in Qayyarah district, some 60km south of Mosul, and some have also been received in Debaga, on the outskirts of Erbil, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "They are receiving assistance from humanitarian partners, through pre-positioned facilities and supplies." "Humanitarian workers continue to focus on identification, assessment and establishment of potential displacement sites," Dujarric said. Shelter is currently available for 60,000 people in camps and emergency sites, and construction of additional sites, with capacity for 250,000 people, is underway. "Emergency supplies of food, health items, medicines, shelter kits and water and sanitation assistance continue to be moved into storage sites and distribution points," he said. Serious concerns remain for the protection of civilians in areas under the control of Da'esh, also known as the Islamic State (IS), inside Mosul, and for their safety as hostilities intensify closer to and in densely populated and urban areas, he added. Iraqi security forces on Tuesday recaptured more villages from the IS militants, as part of a major offensive aimed at liberating the city of Mosul, the last major IS stronghold in Iraq, a security source said. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Daniel Knighton/WireImageLupe Fiasco's Tuesday night appears to have ended in a disaster. Billboard reports that the rapper was pulled over and searched by police following a performance at the B.B. King Blues Club in New York City. Fiasco tweeted about the incident, writing in the now-deleted tweet captured by Respect magazine, "When the NYPD follows you from the show then pulls you over 10 deep to the search the car cuz we from Chicago! Hahaha...I ain't even mad." Just Blaze responded to the performer's tweet, writing "what neighborhood?" Lupe fans were given shock only a few days ago when he tweeted that his forthcoming albums Drogas, Drogas Light and Skulls would not be released this year as planned due to "clearances and mixing issues." "It's a strong chance you wont get any new Lupe albums this year. Sorry y'all. I tried 2 make it happen but best laid plans make a mess made," he tweeted. Lupe Fiasco is currently on tour, with his next stop planned for October 21 in New Haven, Connecticut. Tickets are on sale now. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Thursday accused Turkish airstrikes of killing 150 people in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo a day earlier, state news agency SANA reported. The general command of the Syrian army said the Turkish airstrikes on towns and villages in the northern countryside of Aleppo had targeted "innocent people" and constituted a "dangerous development that will further complicate the situation." Meanwhile, the army threatened to down any Turkish plane that would violate the Syrian airspace. "Any further violation to the Syrian airspace by the Turkish warplanes will be dealt with by downing them with all possible means," the statement said. The Turkish air forces and tanks have been backing several rebel groups in an operation dubbed the Euphrates Shield, which aims primarily at thwarting the advance of the Kurdish forces near the Turkish borders, and dislodge the Islamic State (IS) group from the areas they hold in northern Syria. HAVANA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's government on Thursday refuted rumors that Havana's privately-owned restaurants, or "paladares," were to be shut down. The rumors began circulating following a government push to regulate the more than 500 paladares that operate in the capital. "It is not the government's intention to close these businesses. On the contrary, we want them to succeed, but we can't allow disorderliness," Isabel Hamze Ruiz, vice president of Havana's Provincial Administrative Council (CAP), told state-run daily Granma. In September, the CAP temporarily suspended granting new licenses for private restaurant operators, with an eye to regulating the growing sector, the daily said. At the same time, officials met with 129 of some 135 paladar owners to discuss "problems affecting the service," Hamze said, citing money laundering and the violation of labor laws, the sale and use of drugs, prostitution, the sale of contraband, unregulated operating hours and noise pollution. The "investment of capital of questionable origin -- money laundering -- hiring workers without a license or contracts, using the restaurants as nightclubs or discos, and tax evasion" were all concerns, she said. The owners were notified that site inspections would follow, and these have led to fines for several establishments, said Hamze. However, of the 32 businesses inspected so far, only one is being closed "for violating the scope of the license it was granted," she added. The restaurants offer an important source of employment in Cuba, said Hamze, and "we appreciate the services our self-employed workers (business owners) provide. Today they are irreplaceable and we want to preserve them, to have them be successful, but all in an orderly way." Paladares and cafes have mushroomed since the government began in 2011 to encourage the opening up of small privately-owned businesses, to compensate for the loss of about one million jobs as the state began to trim the bloated public sector. CHICAGO, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures fell on Thursday, retreating from early advances as gains in the U.S. dollar and profit-taking by traders. The most active corn contract for December delivery fell 6.5 cents, or 1.82 percent, to 3.51 dollars per bushel. December wheat delivery dropped 3.25 cents, or 0.77 percent, to 4.17 dollars per bushel. November soybeans fell 6 cents, or 0.61 percent, to 9.755 dollars per bushel. The euro fell and the greenback rose to its highest in seven months against a basket of major currencies after the European Central Bank president left the door open to more monetary stimulus at its policy meeting. A stronger dollar tends to make U.S. goods less attractive to those holding other currencies. Corn prices led the declines, marching lower despite evidence of solid foreign demand for the grain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday said net corn sales for the week ended Oct. 13 totaled 1.02 million metric tons, which surpassed analysts' expectations for 650,000 to one million tons. Still, largely favorable weather this week is enabling farmers to make steady progress in fields, weighing on prices as traders anticipate a flood of corn from what is projected to be a record harvest this year. The coming weekend and next week will also likely see a brisk harvest pace in the Midwest, analysts said. Soybean prices also eased after hitting a one-month high, brushing off better-than-expected export sales of the crop. The USDA said net soybean sales last week surpassed two million metric tons. Analysts had expected just 750,000 to 1.4 million tons. But the prospect of a record U.S. crop soon available to fill the nation's pipelines overwhelmed the brisk pace of foreign demand. Lower prices for soybean-based products like soybean meal and soybean oil also weighed on the market. Wheat fell, following the trend. Toward the closing bell, Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, said its main state grain buyer bought 120,000 tonnes of Russian wheat in a tender. Enditem by Mahmoud Fouly, Wang Xue BENI SWEIF, Egypt, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At a large hut near a canal bank at a field in Upper Egypt's Beni Sweif province, some 25 youth farmers gathered to learn about newer, healthier and more productive agricultural ways from their trainers provided by the Egyptian government and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as part of a joint project for rural development. Initiated over a year ago and implemented in impoverished rural areas, the project of "Improving Household Food and Nutrition Security in Egypt by Targeting Women and Youth" includes three main programs: A youth farmer field school, a women's nutrition kitchen school and a roof-plantation training course. The FAO project is implemented in the provinces of Beni Sweif, Fayoum, Sohag, Assiut and Aswan, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and carried out in cooperation with Egypt's Agriculture Ministry, with the purpose of helping Egyptian youth and women in rural areas double agricultural crops, learn about healthier, simpler and cheaper nutrition and use neglected roofs for fruit and vegetable plantation. "The Junior Farmer Field School does not only teach a new agricultural method but a new lifestyle. It's a successful experience that led to about 50 percent extra production with better quality," Beni Sweif Governor Sherif Habib told Xinhua at the feddan of land in Western Quftan village grown by the youth farmers under supervision of the FAO and the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. During his field visit to the village accompanied by FAO representatives, agriculture ministry officials and project managers, the governor said he discussed with the FAO representative in Egypt how to expand the experience as the young farmers aspire to gradually enlarge the project to reach 300 feddans of lands. "This will provide a lot of job opportunities and bring more production and life development for all people involved," Habib said, hailing the project as "a realistic experience on the ground carried out by the youth of the village themselves." In the midst of a field, Mohamed Ragab, a 28-year-old field school trainee, hailed the new agricultural methods introduced by his trainers that doubled the production of pepper plant during the project. "They also taught us many things about agriculture, like how to make use of the wastes, how to maintain safety during plantation, how to protect the environment, how to avoid burning wastes and straws or throwing them in the canal and rather use them for making organic fertilizers, etc," the young farmer told Xinhua, urging the ministry to provide them with a sufficient share of organic fertilizers due to their shortage. The field visit is part of the FAO celebration of the 2016 World Food Day (WFD) which is held this year under the theme "Climate is Changing, Food and Agriculture Must Too," focusing on the critical relation between climate change and food security and future sustainable development. "The youth is the pillar of society and women play a great role in nutrition. So, the FAO focused on helping junior farmers and raising women's awareness of healthy nutrition at home. The project attempts to help the youth find job opportunities and junior farmers will soon get small loans to grow healthy crops," FAO Representative in Egypt Hussein Gadain told Xinhua at the field school in the village. The FAO official continued that the project supports about 150 village families who will soon be provided by loans from 3,000 to 10,000 Egyptian pounds (1 U.S. dollar equals 8.88 pounds) to buy the necessary tools for small enterprises, praising the role of the Italian agency in the rural development initiative. Leaving the Western Quftan village to Beni Sweif agriculture department, the second floor of one of its buildings hosts the women's Community Nutrition Kitchen where they learn to cook simple, healthy meals while its roof is used for drying vegetables such as tomatoes to be used for cooking off season. The female trainees prepared a variety of dishes on a large table including loaves of bread, green soup "molokhia" with beans, cooked egg with smashed wheat, green salad containing onions, arugulas, lemons, peppers and other ingredients as well as sweet jammed potatoes as dessert. "We learned here how to cook simpler and healthier food containing all necessary elements such as proteins, carbohydrates and fats. We hope to convey the ideals we learned here back to our villages," said Huwaida Rooby, a trainee at the kitchen school. The young woman hopes that the government can open a small enterprise for them in her village to benefit and educate the people there what they have learned at the kitchen class, "especially that rural women are unaware of these valuable nutrition ways." On the roof of the opposite building inside the agriculture department, a variety of vegetables and fruits, including peppers, eggplants, lettuces, pomegranates and others, have been newly planted by means of simple and new methods introduced by both the FAO and the ministry as part of their joint development project. "It is useful cooperation and we hope for its future expansion of this project. The trainees at the farmer field school and the nutrition kitchen will become future trainers for other villages, and the development goes on," Abdel-Azim Abdel-Hamid, Agriculture Ministry's Undersecretary in Beni Sweif, told Xinhua. A picture shows desruction as Syrian pro-government forces advance in Aleppo's Bustan al-Basha neighbourhood on October 6, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua) DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Thursday accused Turkish airstrikes of killing 150 people in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo a day earlier, state news agency SANA reported. The general command of the Syrian army said the Turkish airstrikes on towns and villages in the northern countryside of Aleppo had targeted "innocent people" and constituted a "dangerous development that will further complicate the situation." Meanwhile, the army threatened to down any Turkish plane that would violate the Syrian airspace. "Any further violation to the Syrian airspace by the Turkish warplanes will be dealt with by downing them with all possible means," the statement said. The Turkish air forces and tanks have been backing several rebel groups in an operation dubbed the Euphrates Shield, which aims primarily at thwarting the advance of the Kurdish forces near the Turkish borders, and dislodge the Islamic State (IS) group from the areas they hold in northern Syria. UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis, while welcoming a unilateral ceasefire announced by Russia in Syria's northern city of Aleppo. Ban told the UN General Assembly that the humanitarian pause will pave the way for the implementation of the UN's medical evacuation plan in Aleppo where "the conflict continues to reach new and awful depths." "But this is the bare minimum. It is far from enough. We need full humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo," said Ban. According to Ban, nearly 500 people have been killed and 2,000 injured in eastern Aleppo since Sept. 23 when the most sustained and intensive aerial bombardment began. He also noted that the eastern Aleppo has been besieged and no UN convoy has entered since July. "Food rations will run out by the end of the month." Once Syria's economic hub, Aleppo has been the scene of fierce fighting between government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and opposition forces seeking to oust him. The UN estimates that 275,000 civilians are trapped in the eastern parts of the city. Among them, 100,000 are children. Ban said he regrets that the Security Council has failed to discharge its responsibilities to uphold peace and security for Syria and that he is appalled that regional rivalries have taken primacy over the needs of the Syrian people. "The central issue is and must remain a credible political transition," said Ban. "I call on all of you to cooperate and fulfil your collective responsibility to protect." MEXICO CITY, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Mexican court has denied drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's appeals against extradition to the United States, the Mexican Prosecutor-General's office said on Thursday. A district court in Mexico City had rejected five stays of proceedings filed by Guzman's defense team and refused to block the extradition of the head of the Sinaloa cartel, the office said in a statement. After the decision was made to extradite Guzman earlier this year, the five stays were filed in May and originally approved by a judge. One of the judges overseeing the case, Vicente Antonio Bermudez Zacarias, was murdered near Mexico City on Tuesday. However, the decision by this court does not mean Guzman's extradition is certain as his defense team has announced it will appeal. Following the announcement on Thursday, Guzman's lawyer, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, said that "the final word, as we have always said...will be" with the Supreme Court. The drug lord is currently being held in a federal prison in Ciudad Juarez, in the northern state of Chihuahua, while two district courts in California and Texas are demanding to try him for drug-related crime. Last week, the Mexican government said it hoped to extradite Guzman in early 2017. Mexican army and naval operatives arrested the drug trafficker on Jan. 8 in the city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, six months after he made a dramatic escape from the Altiplano maximum security prison in the central State of Mexico. LISBON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's association of shopping malls on Thursday contested a municipal tax on real estate which the country has presented in its state budget for 2017. The association warned in a statement published on its official website that the municipal tax would lead to divestment in the short term in this sector as well as in other real estate markets. The association added that it expected the government would modify the proposal in the state budget during the next parliamentary debate. "We hope there will be a real analysis of the consequences, avoiding, on the pretext of frantically generating revenue, profound imbalances and serious problems in a sector responsible for the modernization and development of retail in Portugal," the statement said. Last Friday the Portuguese government presented its state budget for 2017, which focuses on rolling back austerity while raising indirect taxes. As well as raising taxes for high-value real estate, the government is also increasing taxes on alcohol and tobacco, and introducing a "fat tax" for sugary drinks, in an attempt to reach a 1.5 percent growth target next year. The government said on Thursday it will create more factorable fiscal framework in order for public services to open up in rural areas, which had to be closed several years ago when Portugal was on the verge of bankruptcy. The government also said it plans to reactivate 20 closed courts and build 34 health centers. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has been optimistic regarding the country's recovery since he took office in November, ensuring he will maintain fiscal discipline while rolling back austerity. However, rating agencies like Fitch have called the government's plans "unrealistic." Portugal is nearing a crucial credit review by DBRS on Friday, the only agency to grant the country investment grade. LONDON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Government buildings across Britain will observe a one minute of silence on Friday to pay respects to those affected by the Aberfan Disaster. The tragedy happened in South Wales in the morning of October 21, 1966, when a coal mine spoil tip collapsed and slid down a mountainside into the village of Aberfan. It engulfed the Pantglas Junior School and around 20 houses in the village of Aberfan. In a total of 144 people killed, 116 of them were children aged 7 to 11 in the village school. Almost half of the school's young students perished in the tragedy, along with five teachers. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said Thursday that the silence will be marked at all government buildings in Britain, with other organizations also expected to observe the rememberance. British Prime Minister Theresa May backed the call from Welsh MP's for the 50th anniversary of the disaster to be marked with a minute's silence across the whole Britain on Friday. Carwyn Jones, first minister of Wales, has called on the people of Wales to pause and remember those killed when a waste tip from Merthyr Vale colliery slid down the mountain onto the village below. "The disaster in Aberfan, 50 years ago, was one of the darkest days in modern Welsh history and we remember the adults and school children who lost their lives." "We also think about the survivors, those who lost loved-ones and the people who answered the call to search and care for survivors, and recover those who had perished," said the official. "Individuals, families and the community have been profoundly affected by the disaster." "Half a century after, it is fitting that the country as a whole comes together, with respect and compassion, to remember," Jones said. Debris covered the village in minutes, with classrooms at Pantglas Junior School inundated, leading to the deaths of young children and their teachers who died from impact or suffocation. The children were in their classrooms, just a few hours before they were due to leave for a school holiday. The minute's silence coincides with the exact moment 50 years ago when 150,000 cubic meters of water-saturated debris broke away and flowed downhill at high speed, engulfing the village school. DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Only seven rebels and a handful of civilians managed to evacuate the eastern part of Aleppo city in northern Syria on Thursday, as the ultra-radical groups largely thwarted a planned evacuation of rebels and civilians from that part of the city, a well-informed source in Aleppo told Xinhua. The seven rebels, from the Ahrar al-Sham group, managed to reach the Syrian military posts at the Bustan al-Qaser area in Aleppo, handing themselves to the Syrian soldiers, who provided them with medical help they needed after sustaining injuries from the firing of the ultra-radical rebels in eastern Aleppo, the source added. The fleeing rebels sustained injuries from the mortar shells that slammed near the Bustan al-Qaser crossing. According to the source, those rebels asked the government soldiers to grant them a safe route to the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib. An evacuation of rebels and civilians from the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo was planned on Thursday, upon the demand of Russia and the Syrian government, which prepared buses and shelters for the civilians who want to leave. It was planned that the rebels who don't want to surrender to the government will be granted two routes out of eastern Aleppo, toward rebel-held areas in the countryside of Aleppo. As for the rebels who want to surrender to the government in exchange of a presidential pardon, and civilians who want to leave rebel-held areas, the government promised to take care of them and prepared seven routes for the civilians outside eastern Aleppo. Buses were prepared early on Thursday, in anticipation to those leaving eastern Aleppo, in tandem with the commencement of a three-day truce declared by Russia and the Syrian government to facilitate the evacuation process. However, the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, has fired mortar shells and sniper shots on the crossings the government identified for the evacuees, disrupting thus the evacuation process. The Castello road in the northern countryside of Aleppo was designated a route for the rebels to leave, but non have left, according to the source. "Despite the fact that the Syrian soldiers pulled back on Wednesday to allow the rebels to leave, no rebel has left through that road on Thursday," the source added. They went on a spree of shelling and shooting to prevent the people from leaving. The intensified attack also wounded three Russian soldiers who suffered injuries from the shrapnels of the mortar shells on the crossings between eastern and western Aleppo. Syria's permanent representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari also confirmed that "terrorist organizations" had prevented civilians and gunmen from leaving the eastern Aleppo. Evacuating the ultra-radical groups from Aleppo, mainly the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, is a main demand of Russia and the Syrian government in order to loosen the military offensive against eastern Aleppo. The truce and the rebels' evacuation are believed to be the outcome of a recent meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, where Moscow and Washington sought to broker a humanitarian pause and eventual political solution to the crisis. The Russian air forces and Syrian army recently halted their airstrikes in Aleppo in tandem with declaring a three-day truce, which started on Thursday, in a bid to give a chance for those who will leave. Even though the Thursday evacuation was largely disrupted, efforts are ongoing to revive the process, the source added. Aleppo, located near the borders with Turkey, is Syria's largest city and once an economic hub. It has been a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels. Officials work at the site where a bus fell off a 20-meter ditch near the town of Cinchona in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica, on Oct. 20, 2016. At least 12 people were killed and 18 others injured in Costa Rica on Thursday when a bus carrying 30 tourists fell off a 20-meter ditch. Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis declared three days of national mourning on Oct. 20-22, during which the national flag would be flown at half mast. (Xinhua/Kent Gilbert) SAN JOSE, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people were killed and 15 others injured in Costa Rica on Thursday when a bus carrying 30 tourists fell off a 20-meter ditch. Hector Chaves, director of Costa Rica's firefighters, told local media that the accident took place near the town of Cinchona in the province of Alajuela at around 9:00 a.m. local time. Five men and seven women were killed, including the driver, according to daily newspaper Nacion. A number of the passengers were retired staff from the National University, the University of Costa Rica and the National Technological University on a day trip, the report added. Survivors told rescuers that a mechanical failure on the bus destabilized it. The driver allegedly drove into the opposing lane as he tried to regain control, but hit the barricade on the side of the road, sending the bus into the ditch. On Twitter, President Luis Guillermo Solis wrote that "I express my most profound pain for the tragic accident which happened in Cinchona." He declared three days of national mourning on Oct. 20-22, during which the national flag would be flown at half mast. Clockwise from upper left: Scientists fix their gaze on monitors at Beijing Aerospace Control Center as Shenzhou XI prepares to dock with the Tiangong II space lab on Wednesday. The two spacecraft dock, in this artist's rendering. Chen Dong floats in the space lab. Jing Haipeng, left, and Chen greet viewers shortly after entering the space lab. [Photo/Xinhua] As two Chinese astronauts peered into the heavens from the Tiangong II space lab they docked with early Wednesday, Chinese rocket scientists on the ground said they are looking into ways to shape the future of the nation's space market. When the astronauts left their "divine vessel", Shen-zhou XI, and entered the newest high-tech "heavenly palace" floating above Earth early on Wednesday, it was one for the history books. The docking with the Tiangong II space lab wasn't the first such maneuver in the Chinese space program. But it was highly significant, with more experiments planned, a space stay twice as long as earlier missions and a space lab that's a significant step toward the nation's goal of having a permanent space station orbiting in just a few years. Once the two vehicles docked, mission commander Jing Haipeng, 49, and Chen Dong, 37, extended greetings to all of the Chinese people and checked the status of the Shenzhou XI-Tiangong II combination to ensure equal pressurization. The two took off their spacesuits to change into blue jumpsuits. They will remain within the space lab for 30 days, making the longest space stay by Chinese astronauts. They will verify the life-support capability of the spacecraft-space lab combination and conduct scientific research and engineering experiments. Jing and Chen will sprout seeds and study their growth in space. They also will take part in an experiment in which a futuristic device will try to translate their brain impulses into words to communicate with the ground control and to operate instruments in the spacecraft. Shenzhou XI blasted off atop a Long March 2F rocket on Monday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, about one month after the launch of Tiangong II in mid-September. This is China's sixth manned spaceflight and is expected to pave the way for the permanent space station, construction of which is scheduled to start in 2018, with a launch planned around 2022. However, in the eyes of rocket scientists at the China Academy Launch Vehicle Technology, the country's largest developer of ballistic missiles and carrier rockets, more is needed than State programs alone for the future growth of China's space sector. CALT is a subordinate of the larger China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the State-owned main contractor for the Chinese space program. Hao Zhaoping, vice-president of CALT, said the academy will strive to tap the commercial launch market because commercial space activities have begun to represent the development trend of the industry. "We will continue to push forward with the internationalization and commercialization of the academy's space sector through more participation in the international space market and introduction of private capital," Hao said. "The government also encourages industry players to develop commercial satellites and their applications, commercial launch services and space tourism." Hao spoke Wednesday at a ceremony marking the establishment of ChinaRocket Co Ltd, a company founded by the academy to provide launch services to domestic and overseas clients. "The new company will start business by designing and using some light-lift rockets to fulfill commercial contracts and then open the development of suborbital, reusable spacecraft for space tourism," Hao said, adding the firm will also go public. Han Qingping, president of ChinaRocket, announced that his company aims at carrying out at least 50 launches per year and maintaining a cost 30 percent lower than its competitors in the market. He did not elaborate on the agenda to achieve these goals. In the past, the idea of commercializing the space industry was deemed by some experts in China as being unrealistic or even unreasonable. Opinions started to change over the past two years along with the rise of private space enterprises in the United States such as SpaceX and Orbital Sciences. In February, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, a State-owned defense technology giant, set up the Expace Technology Co Ltd to put its Kuaizhou-series solid-fueled rockets on the market. Expace Technology will have an annual production capacity of 50 carrier rockets and 140 commercial satellites by 2020, company executives said. China has launched 54 carrier rockets to lift satellites for foreign clients. Hu Shengyun, a senior rocket engineer at China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, estimates that by 2020, the market value of commercial space activities in China will reach 30 billion yuan ($4.6 billion) annually. (Source: China Daily) AmCham calls for hold on online tax The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AmCham) expressed disappointment yesterday that the first stakeholders meeting, held by the Controller of Customs with the courier and air freight companies took place on the eve of the OPTs implementation. At this meeting, it was obvious that there is no clear way forward, yet the OPT is targeted to be implemented within 24 hours. AmCham also lamented that the OPT has reportedly not yet been proclaimed in law, in addition to which, it places the onus on the air freight and courier companies, and any company bringing in items via air, to correctly identify which goods are for commercial use as opposed to personal use. AmCham argued that making such a determination is not the purview of an air freight or courier company. Further, it said this leaves courier companies open to possible penalties as a companys interpretation of whether an item attracts the OPT may differ to the interpretation of the Customs official. It is also unclear if medical supplies or lifesaving medicines would be considered an online purchase and would therefore be subjected to the OPT, the business group stated. AmCham warned that the lack of clear rules/guidelines can further impede the countrys competitiveness, adding that it is important that as laws/guidelines change, the environment remains predictable. Reminding that through its membership, it represents more than 80 percent of the items brought in via air, AmCham yesterday asked Government to engage in meaningful dialogue with stakeholders. The business group added that it remains ready to meet and work with Government on this and other initiatives Atlantic, UTT help agri-entrepreneurs Camille Salandy, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications explained that the thirty-six entrepreneurs were contributing to the national push towards food security and economic diversification. Atlantic has invested in this initiative because it is an integral part of our focus on Sustainability, building opportunities for the future, Salandy said. To help ensure the future, Atlantic has partnered with the University of Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate the development of a growing cadre of business men and business women who are serious about agriculture, food production and related businesses, and the vital contribution that these all make to our country. This years participant complement is made up of both seasoned and first-time agricultural entrepreneurs across a wide range of enterprises including livestock, tree crops, aquaculture, food crops and root crops. The annual threemonth programme will be run at the UTTs Chaguanas campus and focuses on the development of agricultural entrepreneurs in the South West Peninsula and the wider Trinidad and Tobago community. The programme includes modules on business plan development; computer technology for agricultural businesses; marketing and market planning; and the legal framework for local business. Since its establishment in 2010, the Agricultural Enterprise Business Training Programme has trained one hundred and eighty three (183) agricultural entrepreneurs. The Programme aims to upgrade business acumen in local agriculture and create opportunities for economic diversification. Judge signs release forms for Venezuela 5 Newsday was yesterday told the Venezuelan judge, who presided over the trial, in which the men were charged for terrorism-related crimes, has issued a transfer order for the five to be released from the Servicio Bolivariano de Intelligencia National (SE BIN) prison and into the care of the Trinidad Embassy in Venezuela. After they have been transferred from the prison, travel arrangements will be made for the men to return to Trinidad. Umar Abdullah of the Islamic Front, which has been lobbying in Trinidad for the release of the five, told Newsday the men would receive a medical check-up as soon as they arrive back in Trinidad courtesy of the Ministry of Health. Woman convicted Police sources told Newsday that the woman who was found in possession of a quantity of cocaine in 2007, yesterday appeared before Magistrate Indrani Cedeno at the First Court, who found her guilty and imposed the fine. If the woman is unable to pay the fine, she will have to serve five years in prison with hard labour. In 2007, a party of officers of Northern Division conducted a random search at the womans home and discovered a quantity of cocaine Pt Fortin Mayor in court Paul, 72, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Alicia Chankar. He was arrested at about 8 pm during a roadblock exercise in the La Brea district. The mayor chaired the last statutory meeting of the Point Fortin Borough Council on Tuesday, in a sitting with councillors and aldermen at the coporation offices. The statutory life of the council ends at 10 oclock tonight. Pauls arrest occurred at Grants Trace Junction, during the police roadblock exercise. The mayor, who at the time was driving a Nissan SUV - PDE 199 - was stopped and a breathalyser test administered. Paul, who was sworn in as Mayor three years ago, was escorted to La Brea Police Station where he a second breathalyser test was administered. Sgt Gosine later charged the Mayor who was granted station bail in the sum of $5,000. He left the station and went to his home at Bonasse Village, Cedros. Yesterday, Paul was escorted to the Point Fortin Magistrates court in a vehicle which entered through the back entrance of the nearby police station. Magistrate Chankar read the charge to Mayor Paul that on October 18, he drove motor vehicle PDE 199, while the alcohol level in his breath exceeded the prescribed limit. Paul, who was represented by attorney James Philbert instructed by Derek Dindial was asked how he would plead and he said, Not guilty. Philbert asked the magistrate for full disclosure of details of the charge and a summary of the evidence against Paul. The magistrate allowed the mayor to leave on continuing bail as she adjourned the case to November 2. Police await ballistics report On October 7, off-duty Police Inspector Kenneth Morgan and Hassan Ali, 23, were seated in Specs Barber Shop in La Puerta Avenue awaiting to be groomed when two bandits walked in and announced a hold-up. Insp Morgan drew his licensed, personal firearm and engaged the bandits. A shootout ensued, during which one of the bandits was shot dead at the scene, Ali was shot and Insp Morgan was shot. Both Morgan and Ali were rushed to hospital where the latter died days later. Insp Morgan remains on sick leave recovering from his wounds. Bullets retrieved from the bodies of the bandit, Ali and Morgan as well as bullet casings found at the scene, were sent to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for ballistics tests to determine who shot who. Police sources said that these tests are routine and are part of normal investigations into such incidents and not meant to be used to case blame on any one person for the death of the two men. ASP Prescott is continuing investigations PNM PREVAILS The judges finding mirrored that which was given in August by Justice Mira Dean-Armorer, who ruled that by doing so the EBC acted illegally. Archie also said it would be improper for the court to do as the EBC had asked and read into its powers the ability to extend the polls. We decline to do so, Archie said, also dismissing a similar urging by the PNMs lawyers to amend the law to give the EBC the power to adjust the time-tabling of the polls if faced with a situation similar to what occurred last year. Archie said elections are to be conducted as prescribed by Parliament, as set out in the ROPA and the Election Rules and it would be undesirable and improper for the court to intervene, especially where there may be inconsistencies or shortfalls between the Act and the Rules. He said the Parliament would be the proper province to legislate any changes in the conduct of the polls. The Chief Justice said the question the court had to answer was not whether the EBC exceeded its powers, but whether the process which did take place was free and fair and met the standards for it to be considered valid elections under the Constitution. The three judges assured the electorate that last years polls were democratically held and had not been undermined by a few errors. According to Archie, the court could not invalidate the electoral process because of a few errors and there was nothing egregious to render it so outside the law as to be a non-election. However, the three appellate judges disagreed with the EBCs contention that it had the power to extend the polling hours. We do find that the EBC exceeded its powers, Archie said of the decision to allow for one additional hour of voting, beyond the 6 pm close of polls. He said while the one-hour voting extension was outside of the EBCs powers, Archie said there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the commission nor could it be said that its election officers committed corrupt acts. It was yet another crushing defeat for the UNC, which, in presenting the petitions on September 22 of last year, alleged that it was an illegal decision by the EBC to grant an additional hour for voting in Trinidad at last September 7 general elections because of bad weather conditions. The UNC cannot appeal the courts decision as there is no right of appeal to the Privy Council on election matters but there are two constitutional and judicial review claims which surround the issue of the one-hour extension. The appellate court has made no order for costs as both the UNCs appeal and the EBCs counter-appeal was dismissed. Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Stuart Young said the PNM will be seeking their cost of having to respond to the election petition in the High Court as well as the appeal. In her ruling in August, Justice Dean-Armorer rejected the UNCs claim that the election should be invalidated because the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) was not allowed to extend the poll by one hour due to heavy rainfall in Trinidad. While Dean-Armorer agreed with the UNC that the EBC acted illegally, she ruled its error did not materially affect the result of the election, in which the PNM beat the UNC by a 23-18 margin. The party claimed that the judge erred in speculating over its decision to file petitions for only six marginal constituencies-San Fernando West, Tunapuna, St Joseph, Toco/Sangre Grande and Moruga/ Tableland. Lawyers for the EBC argued that the commission had no choice but to extend last years general election by one hour to ensure that citizens were able to exercise their democratic right to vote. Govt, Opposition both declare victory every time she is defeated, as she has been defeated (in the courts) as she has been in the last five outings at the polls. Speaking at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain after the ruling, Young declared, As we in the PNM (Peoples National Movement) expected, the final court of appeal handed down a unanimous ruling where they found TT in September 2015 did participate in free and fair elections that met all constitutional standards of the democracy of TT. He said while Persad-Bissessar is claiming victory and that the elections were not free and fair, the court has found on the contrary. He explained, In their ruling, they found that in occasions where there may be blemishes... however before and after six...nothing to compromise the fairness of the elections last year. Young said the d?b?cle which the UNC has put the country through is over and the ruling demonstrates that the PNM won last Septembers general elections convincingly. Asked whether this ruling is likely to stymie collaboration between the Government and the Opposition in the Parliament, Young said, I hope not. Lets get on with the governing of the country. We in the Government stand will to collaborate in the best interests of all of TT. Persad-Bissessar, who was not at the Hall of Justice nor at the Standing Finance Committee meeting at the House of Representatives, maintained in a statement that the ruling vindicated the Opposition. She noted the Court of Appeal confirmed the Elections and Boundaries Commissions (EBC) decision to extend the time for voting in last Septembers general election was illegal and unconstitutional. With Local Government Elections imminent, Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition is, imminent in the knowledge that, come rain or sunshine, there can be no recurrence of the unlawful meddling and intervention by the EBC. Persad-Bissessar reiterated the UNC was justified in filing the election petition, saying, justice has been served, according to law. Senate begins Budget debate today Finance Minister Colm Imbert opened the debate when he presented the Budget in the House on September 30. The House debate ended on October 12. Imbert will open the Senate debate today. He is expected to be followed by Opposition Senator Wade Mark. Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir may be the first member of the Independent bench to contribute to the debate which is expected to conclude by October 25, with the Senate passing the Budget. In keeping with convention, the Senate will deal with no other matters until it concludes its Budget debate. Government has no Bills or motions listed for debate on todays Senate Order Paper. In terms of private motions, Mahabir is first up with a motion that proposes an amendment to the Legislative Retirement Allowances Act to include senators within the definition of legislators. Mark has two private motions, relating to jobs and the accounts of the Tobago House of Assembly, respectively. Finance Committee passes Budget Moonilal claimed a sum of $25 million allocated for the Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited (PSAEL) for communities in South and South-West Trinidad was instead used to pay for for the outfitting of OAP. He alleged, Thats a breach. However Imbert replied, The former government used the PSAEL to do that project in Port-of-Spain. Rural Development and Local Government Minister Franklin Khan said PSAEL has been reassigned from his ministry to the Community Development Ministry. Prior to the committee approving an allocation of $2,497,445,800 for his ministry, Khan identified the Moruga Fishing Port as one of his ministrys top priorities in the next fiscal year. He explained the port will have offshore and onshore components, with the former being able to accomodate approximately 100 pirogues. He said the Rural Development Company is currently in negotiations with the owner of lands designated for the construction of the port. Khan reiterated that Local Government elections will be held shortly and Local Government reform legislation will come to Parliament soon. The committee also approved the allocation of $2,488, 852,850 for his ministry. Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hind spoke about a sum of $29.2 million being used for infrastructural projects in the country. Responding to comments from Tabaquite MP Dr Suruj Rambachan, Hinds said contractors in the country have a duty to ensure their construction sites are safe and expressed condolences to the family of a person who died at such a site. Hinds said he was not aware of any discrimination taking place against anyone who falls under his ministrys jurisdiction. Turkey blocks major filesharing websites in attempt to control email leaks Hillary Clintons campaign manager may want to try stealing a page from the Turkish governments playbook. Censorship monitoring group Turkey Blocks has reported that cloud storage websites and applications, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, have been blocked in the country. The reason, Turkey Blocks surmises, is due to a recent email leak performed by the hacktivist group Redhack. The emails reportedly belong to Berat Albayrak, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In total, there were over 57,623 emails contained in the 17 gigabyte hack. The emails reveal how Erdogan used his power to suppress and shape the media, particularly what is published in pro-government newspapers. If this sounds familiar, a similar tactic was used by top members of the Democratic National Convention to sabotage the Bernie Sanders campaign. An email leak earlier this year brought this to light and resulted in the resignations of four officials, including chairperson Debbie Wassermen Schultz. Redhack, a Marxist hacker collective, threatened to release the information contained in the emails if political prisoner allies were not released from pre-trial detention. In response, the Turkish government chose instead to ban all news coverage of the hack and asked Twitter to intervene on their behalf. Twitter almost immediately agreed and soon after users attempting to access the Redhack account were greeted with a message stating that the account had been suspended. It wasnt long after the Redhack deadline had passed that the information within in the emails began to drop. This has been a rather eventful year for Turkey. Earlier this year, a failed military coup resulted in the imprisonment or suspension of roughly 50,000 soldiers, police, judges and teachers. A week later, 294,548 emails from the Justice and Development Party that had been obtained by WikiLeaks prior to the coup were made public due to the governments reaction to the attempted coup. Going further back, Thomas White, an activist from the United Kingdom, obtained and distributed a large amount of personal information belonging to Turkish police officers. As has become the standard in situations such as this, White, who also goes by the handle The Cthulhu, had his site blocked by the Turkish government. In that incident Twitter did not comply with a request for content to be removed from Whites account, although as recent events have shown it doesnt take long for a government with too much power to bend any organization to their will. Sources: TheNextWeb.com TurkeyBlocks.org Submit a correction >> Vin Diesel thinks 'Fast 8' could win Oscar United States,Cinema/Showbiz,Hollywood, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Los Angeles, Oct 20 (IANS) Actor Vin Diesel believes with F. Gary Gray as the director, the eighth part of "Fast and Furious" movie will have a chance to win at an Oscar next year. Gray's "Straight Outta Compton" failed to win at this year's 88th Academy Awards in the Best Original Screenplay category. However, Diesel feels the director will definitely win an Oscar in 2017. "I think he went into making this movie with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, going 'Oh, really? Okay. Now, I'm going to take the biggest saga in the world, and I'm about to throw Oscars at you. Wait till you see what he does'," Diesel told etonline.com. "('Fast 8') is different. It's very dark," said Diesel, who plays the role of Dominic Toretto in the franchise. "My character is conflicted in a way that is really going to shock you. He's coming off of a lot of emotion from 'Furious 7' and the loss that 'Furious 7' represents," he added. "Fast 8" is set to release on April 14, 2017 in the US. --IANS sas/nn/ Clinton, Trump talk gun control, Russia, immigration in final debate Honduras,Politics, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Las Vegas, Oct 20 (IANS) Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump went head-to-head in the final presidential debate on Wednesday sparring over various issues including gun control, immigration and Russia. Without a hand shake or a smile, the two candidates took the stage at here at University of Nevada's Thomas and Mack Centre, CNN reported. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News started the 90-minute debate with the topic Supreme Court and the first was "Where do you want to see the court take the country and secondly what's your view on how the Constitution should be interpreted?" The first reply came from Clinton where she said: "When we talk about the Supreme Court, it really raises the central issue in this election, namely what kind of country are we going to be?" "I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people, not on the side of the powerful corporations and wealthy... We need a Supreme Court that stands up on behalf of women's rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community," the former Secretary of State added. She also talked about abortion, gay marriage and money in politics. Trump, in response said, "The Supreme Court is what it's all about". "The justices that I am going to appoint will interpret the constitution the way the founders wanted it and I believe that's very, very important." The real-estate magnate raised the Second Amendment (protects the rights of people to keep and bear arms), hitting Clinton for being anti-gun. Clinton insisted that she did not want to take away everyone's guns, but said she wass in favour of sensible gun control. "I support the second amendment...But I also believe that there can be and must be reasonable regulation," she added. Regarding immigration, Trump reiterated his stance to build the wall along the Mexican border. "We all want the wall...We have to have strong borders. We have to keep drugs out of the country." "She wants to have open borders," he accused Clinton. "We have some bad 'hombres' here, and we're going to get them out," he adds, dropping a little Spanish. Clinton condemned Trump's "deportation force", which she described as impractical and "an idea that is not in keeping with who we are as a nation". The former First Lady said Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted Trump be elected because he wants a "puppet" as US president. 'You're the puppet!' Trump snapped back. He said Putin had "outsmarted" and "outplayed" Clinton at every turn. Clinton also said that she was "encouraged" by the special forces helping Iraqi troops but will not support putting troops on the ground, adding that it's not in US interests. "We need to keep our eye on IS (Islamic State)," said Clinton, also calling for an "intelligence surge" to prevent homegrown terrorism. The candidates are debating on six topics: national debt and health and social benefits, immigration, economy, the Supreme Court, foreign flashpoints and their fitness to be president. This debate comes 20 days before the November 8 election. --IANS ksk Oyelowo criticises 'Game of Thrones' United Kingdom,Cinema/Showbiz,Hollywood, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS London, Oct 20 (IANS) Actor David Oyelowo, who has been vocal in his plight to include more diversity in film and television, says there is absolutely no excuse for a fantasy series like "Game of Thrones" to only use ethnic minorities in minor and secondary roles. The Golden Globe nominee criticised the fantasy series while speaking to Radio Times, reports dailymail.co.uk. Oyelowo said: "The fact that they put any ethnic minorities in that means that there should be space for bigger characters because you are not just saying 'Okay, this is purely a white world, and here are very story-driven reasons why that is the case.'" He added: "So for me, there is absolutely no excuse in a show like that why there aren't more prominent characters of colour." Whilst the HBO series has featured several people of colour in its history, the British Nigerian actor chastised the show for not bringing them to the forefront in its five-year history. He said that the lack of diversity was an issue across all types of TV and film as asserted that "we can all, I think, hope that our future is going be more colourful than what our past has been, certainly in terms of cinematic depictions". "Game of Thrones" has featured some ethnic minorities in its ever-changing cast, including English actress of Indian descent Indira Varma. The seventh season of the show will air in India on Star World Premiere HD in the summer of 2017. --IANS sug/nn/ Pakistan resorts to unprovoked shelling on LoC Jammu And Kashmir,National,Defence/Security, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Jammu, Oct 20 (IANS) Pakistani troops on Thursday resorted to unprovoked shelling and at Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region's Poonch district. Defence spokesman, lieutenant colonel, Manish Mehta told IANS, "The troops violated bilateral ceasefire in Bhimber Ghali (BG) sector of the LoC. They used mortars to target our positions." The shelling stopped at 3.30 a.m., however small arms and automatic gunfire exchanges continued, Mehta added. On Wednesday, Pakistani troops shelled Indian positions Tarkundi area of Rajouri district. --IANS sq/ksk US registered voters hit record-breaking 200 mln United States,Politics, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Washington, Oct 20 (IANS) More than 200 million Americans are registered to vote in this year's presidential election, a record high in US history, TargetSmart, a Democratic political data firm, said. National registration now stands at 200,081,377 voters, Tom Bonier, CEO of TargetSmart, told on Wednesday. The figure meant more than 50 million new people have registered to vote in the past eight years, Xinhua news agency reported. Only 146.3 million were registered as recently as 2008, when President Barack Obama first won the White House. Overall, TargetSmart found that 42.6 per cent of the new voters registered this year lean toward Democratic, with 29 per cent leaning toward Republican and 28.4 percent favouring independent. "As we cross the threshold of 200 million registered voters for the first time, there are signs of an ever diversifying electorate, and one that is more favorable to Democratic candidates," Bonier said. A Pew Research Centre study said earlier this year that the 2016 electorate would be the "most racially and ethnically diverse ever", forecasting 31 per cent of the vote would come from ethnic minorities, up from 29 per cent in 2012. However, it is difficult to tell if there will be record-setting turnout on November 8 due to widespread frustration caused by steady spray of venom as a sharply negative campaign enters its final weeks. The USA Today/Rock the Vote poll issued on Tuesday showed that the impact of continuous venomous attacks in this cycle is apparent among the country's largest and rising generation, making their voting enthusiasm dipping. Previously, the biggest turnout in US presidential election history came in 2008, when 131.4 million people voted, according to a report from the Politico news widespread frustration website. US voters' turnout dipped slightly to 129.2 million in 2012. The electorate has been growing by leaps in recent years, with Hispanic population growth behind much of the surge. Two decades ago, in 1996, there were not even 200 million people of voting-age population in the US, let alone registered voters. --IANS ksk Brazil's Lula leads polls for 2018 presidential race Brazil,Politics, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Brasilia, Oct 20 (IANS) Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva leads the list of potential candidates to run in the 2018 presidential race, despite his recent legal troubles, according to a poll . The survey, commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT) and carried out by pollster MDA, on Wednesday confirmed the results of a separate poll published on Tuesday by polling firm Vox Populi, Xinhua news agency reported. The open-ended MDA poll, which let those queried propose their own possible candidates, as opposed to being given a list of names to select from, found Lula led with 11.4 per cent support. The next closest candidates received only around 3 per cent support, including Jair Bolsonaro of the conservative Social Christian Party (3.3 per cent), Aecio Neves of the centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party (3.1 per cent), and current interim President Michel Temer of the centre-right Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (3 per cent). Lula, of the Workers' Party (PT), has been accused of corruption in relation to Operation Carwash, a long-running investigation into sprawling high-level graft. He has denied the accusations, and claimed they were politically motivated to prevent him from returning to the elections. When presented with a list of potential candidates, 24.8 per cent of those queried chose Lula, distantly followed by Neves (15.7 per cent). The MDA survey polled 2,002 people in 137 cities from October 13 to 16. --IANS ksk Will not commit to accept election results: Trump Honduras,Politics, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Las Vegas, Oct 20 (IANS) Republican nominee Donald Trump during the the last and final presidential debate refused to commit to accepting the November 8 election result if he lost. "I will look at it at the time," Trump said when challenged during the debate on his claims that the election was "rigged" against him, CNN reported. "I will keep you in suspense," he added. However, Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told CNN after the debate that the real-estate mogul will "accept the results of the election because he's going to win the election". The debate took place at University of Nevada's Thomas and Mack Centre and was moderated by Chris Wallace of Fox News. --IANS ksk Odisha hospital owner surrenders 56 hours after hospital fire Orissa,National,Crime/Disaster/Accident,Health/Medicine, Wed, 19 Oct 2016 IANS Bhubaneswar, Oct 20 (IANS) Odisha police on Thursday arrested SUM Hospital's owner Manoj Nayak in connection to the fire tragedy earlier this week that killed 21 persons. Nayak surrendered before the Khandagiri police early Thursday morning and was later arrested, said Director General of Police (DGP) K.B. Singh. "He surrendered at about 3.30 a.m. He is being interrogated," said Police Commissioner Y.B. Khurania. A lookout circular was issued against Nayak and his wife, Saswati Das on Wednesday. Both are trustees of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, which runs the hospital. Das is yet to be arrested. "There was no information about Das. We will interrogate all the hospital trustees," said Khurania. The Odisha government has already lodged two FIRs against hospital management citing negligence in terms of fire safety and evacuation of patients during the incident. The state fire service directorate found gross negligence with the SUM Hospitals leading to the tragedy. The hospital did not comply to the guidelines of health department, said DGP Singh. The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate had on Tuesday arrested four persons including the Medical Superintendent, former engineers and the Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das. The blaze broke out on Monday in the ICU of the dialysis ward at 7.30 p.m. on Monday. A total of 106 persons were injured in the incident. --IANS cd/in Goa CM wants Karnataka, Maharashtra to postpone meeting on Mhadei Goa,National,Politics,Business/Economy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Panaji, Oct 20 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Thursday urged his counterparts in Maharashtra and Karnataka to postpone a Friday meeting to find an amicable resolution to the vexed Mhadei inter-state water dispute. In his letter to Devendra Fadnavis and Siddaramaiah, Parsekar said he would not be able to attend the Friday meeting in Mumbai due to "prior engagements". He urged the Maharashtra Chief Minister to reschedule the meet for next week. Goa and Karnataka are currently battling over the controversial Kalsa-Bhandura Dam project across Mhadei river before a central tribunal. Mhadei, also known as the Mandovi river, is known as a lifeline in the northern parts of Goa. The river originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa. While the river traverses 28.8 km in Karnataka and for a small distance in Maharashtra, it is 81.2-km long in Goa. The tribunal earlier this year asked the three Chief Ministers to meet and find an amicable solution to the dispute. Karnataka plans to construct seven dams on the river, aimed at diverting the waters into water-starved Malaprabha basin in north Karnataka. The tribunal has already ordered an interim stay on the construction by Karnataka in the Mhadei basin. Both the Goa government and civil society groups in Goa have said that diverting the river waters will sound the death knell for the northern areas of the coastal state, which depends on the river for fishing, irrigation and potable water supply. --IANS maya/tsb/bg Gear up to face challenges from China, Indian manufacturers told Delhi,National,Business/Economy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Indian manufacturers -- both public and private -- must provide quality products at affordable costs to face the challenges from China, Union Minister Anant Geete said here on Thursday. The Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises also underlined the need for enhanced use of latest automation and robotics technologies to produce quality yet affordable products. "The era of globalisation has led to a cut-throat competition across the world, thereby making it a challenge for our manufacturing sector to survive. We need to face up to these global challenges, else we might get isolated," said Geete inaugurating an Assocham international conference "Industry 4.0: Smart Manufacturing". He said although the government feels that pushing the industrial sector will lead to create more job opportunities, the upcoming robotics technology may lead to significant job losses. India's manufacturing sector has been under stress over the recent past due to various reasons, the minister said. Geete also spoke on how the government came to the rescue of the domestic steel industry by fixing the minimum import price for steel, as China was supplying finished products at a cost at which the domestic industry gets raw material. He pointed out that this is how China has been destabilising the domestic steel sector, and more or less a similar situation prevails in the entire manufacturing sector. "We need to compete with China, which has spread across the world...we need to accept this challenge," said Geete. The Union Minister further said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under the aegis of the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, has invited global investors and industrialists to come and set up their manufacturing units in India. "But our first priority should be to save our domestic industry, including both private and public sector enterprises, as they will play the most significant role in the development of programmes like Make in India." --IANS ag/nir/bg Rita Bahuguna Joshi joins BJP Delhi,National,Politics, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Months ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the BJP here in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. Joshi, who had been with the Congress for 24 years, said it was not an easy decision for her but she had taken it in the interest of the country and Uttar Pradesh. The former President of the Congress state unit told the media she had resigned her membership of the state assembly. She represented Lucknow Cantt. Hailing the Indian Army's September 29 surgical strikes in Pakistani territory, she said it was a "big accomplishment of the government along with that of the army". Bahuguna's brother and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna joined the BJP some time back. --IANS bns-ps/tsb/mr 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' experience recreated for fans Delhi,Cinema/Showbiz, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" selected fans can revisit the movie's characters' journeys in London or Paris, including local recommendations from the stars such as Ranbir Kapoors favourite restaurant and the film's director Karan Johar's preferred cafes and insider shopping spots. Airbnb, a community driven hospitality company, on Thursday announced the launch of a social media contest The Ae Dil Lets Airbnb to celebrate the forthcoming release of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", which also stars Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Fawad Khan. Karan said in a statement: "London's grandeur and the romance of Paris have always enticed Bollywood buffs from every generation. The contest is a great way for travellers and Bollywood aficionados to relive the romance of film." To participate, people have to create a dream 'Wishlist' of five of the company's properties in London or Paris on its website or app. Participants can make as many Wishlists as desired and title them under a cinematic name to increase their chances of winning. Two lucky winners will be selected based on the most creative name for their Wishlist and will get the chance to travel to either London or Paris with a guest. The contest opens on Thursday and closes on October 30. The film will release on October 28. --IANS nn/rb/bg Deadline for stakeholders' suggestions on FRDI Bill extended Delhi,National,Business/Economy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) The government on Thursday extended till October 31 the deadline for stakeholders to file suggestions on the draft Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill, an official said. "A number of requests have been received from stakeholders and institutions of repute for extending the time-line for providing comments on the draft Bill. The time line for receiving comments on the Draft Bill is accordingly extended till October 31, 2016," the Finance Ministry said in a statement here. The earlier deadline for stakeholders and public comments on the draft FRDI Bill, 2016 was October 14. A committee was set up pursuant to the budget announcement of 2016-17 on framing a draft code on resolution of financial firms. A copy each of the report of the committee, the draft Bill and an explanatory note explaining the key legal provisions of the Bill is hosted on the home page of the Ministry of Finance. "All stakeholders and the public are requested to forward comments on the draft Bill by October 31, 2016 by e-mail to parveen.k63@gov.in or in hard copy to Parveen Kumar, Under Secretary (Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Room No. 48, North Block, New Delhi-110001," it said. The decision with respect to the report and the draft Bill will be taken later after receipt of stakeholders comments, it added. --IANS mm/ask/dg Unfair to target film involving mostly Indians, says Dia Maharashtra,Cinema/Showbiz,Bollywood, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Mumbai, Oct 20 (IANS) Actress-producer Dia Mirza says that it is unfair to a target a film like "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" that involves 99 per cent Indian crew members. "The day central government announces a financial isolation of Pakistan where they say all trades and communications will be seized, as a part of the film industry... I am pretty certain that we will maintain that 100 per cent," said Dia, who attended Good Homes For Art event organised by Good Homes Magazine, here. "But to target a film, where 99 per cent Indian crew members are involved and their livelihood depends on the project, it's unfair," she said when asked about the release troubles faced by the makers of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". It is under threat from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for featuring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. Speaking about the art event, the actress said: "Art is a form of expression of one's imagination and without imagination life would be dull. Art compels society to respond." "I've been brought up in an environment where my dad and my mom were artistes. So for me it comes naturally, be it as a form of painting, music, dance or writing. As a filmmaker or film producer, I get to spend some quality time with lots of artistes. However, in my own time I love to do painting," said Dia. --IANS iv/nn/bg Sahara to deposit Rs 200 cr as SC advances hearing Delhi,National,Immigration/Law/Rights,Business/Economy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Sahara Group on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it would deposit Rs 200 crore on Friday as the apex court is likely to hear the matter involving the return of money to three crore investors. The hearing has been advanced on the request of the Sahara Group after its senior counsel Kapil Sibal made a mention on Thursday before the bench of Justice Anil R. Dave and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar. The hearing was originally scheduled for October 24. Seeking that the hearing be advanced from October 24 to October 21, Sibal told the court that Rs 200 crore that the Sahara Group was to deposit by October 23 would be deposited on Friday. The group's two companies -- SIRECL and SHICL -- had collected the money from investors through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCDs) in 2008 and 2009. "We will be happy to hear it," the bench observed as Sibal, appearing for Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy told the bench, "Rs 200 crore that was to come on Monday, it will come on Friday." The apex court bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice Anil R. Dave and Justice A.K. Sikri had on September 28 asked the Sahara Group to deposit an amount of Rs 200 crore by October 24, as it extended its interim order releasing Subrata Roy and two other directors on parole. The court had in the last hearing said that any failure to pay Rs 200 crore before October 24 would result in Roy and two other directors of the Sahara Group going back to jail. Telling the court that the bench of Chief Justice Thakur, Justice Dave and Justice Sikri may not be sitting on October 24, Sibal requested if the hearing could be advanced to Friday between 1500 to 1600 hours. Justice Dave said he would convey the request to the Chief Justice. A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Thakur is hearing a batch of petitions to examine the question whether appeals in the name of religion and caste for garnering votes during election amounted to "corrupt practice" under the Representation of the People Act and could it be the ground for unseating a lawmaker. The hearing that had commenced on Tuesday (October 18) is likely to continue from October 24 onward, thus the bench of Chief Justice Thakur, Justice Dave and Justice Sikri, which is hearing the Sahara matter, may not be available. Roy was granted parole on May 6 this year to attend the last rites of his mother who had passed away on May 5. Besides Roy, his son-in-law Ashok Roy Choudhary too was released on parole. Sahara Director Ravi Shankar Dubey was released on parole on July 11. Subrata Roy, Ashok Roy Choudhary and Ravi Shankar Dubey were sent to judicial custody to Tihar Jail on March 4, 2014, for the failure of the Sahara Group's two companies -- Sahara India real estate corporation (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Ltd. (SHICL) -- to comply with court's August 31, 2012, order on repayment of depositors' money. The apex court by its August 31, 2012, order had directed the SIRECL and SHICL to return investors' Rs 17,600 crore with 15 per cent interest that the two Sahara entities had collected through OFCDs. The amount, according to Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) counsel, now stands at Rs 36,000 crore. The court has asked the market regulator SEBI to sell Sahara properties to mobilise the money. At the last hearing, the court sought Sahara's explanation onthe market regulator's application that most of the properties given by Sahara for auctioning were attached by the Income Tax authorities and there was no point in going ahead with the second round of their auction. --IANS pk/rn/vt Wipro buys US-based cloud services firm for $500 mn Karnataka,National,Technology,Business/Economy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Bengaluru, Oct 20 (IANS) Software major Wipro Ltd on Thursday announced that it had acquired Appirio, a US-based cloud services firm, for $500 million (Rs 3,340 crore). "Appirio's acquisition will create one of the world's largest cloud transformation practices, a game changer in as-a-service and digital economy," said the IT firm in a statement here ahead of its second quarter (July-September) results on Friday. With 1,250 employees and offices at Dublin in Ireland, London in Britain, Jaipur in India and Tokyo in Japan, the Indianpolis headquartered Appirio is a partner to leading global brands, including Stryker, Robert Half, Johnson Controls, Cardinal Health, Coca-Cola, eBay, Facebook, Home Depot, and Sony PlayStation. Appirio also brings to Wipro, Topcoder, a leading crowd-sourcing marketplace connecting over a million designers, developers and data scientists the world over with customers. "In a digital world, as consumer behaviour and expectations are reshaped by experiences, companies are recognising the need to transform how they engage with customers and employees by leveraging the power of cloud," said Wipro Chief Executive Abidali Z. Neemuchwala on the occasion. The merger will also unlock transformation synergies in the applications space and help enterprises create new business models. The buyout will also enable Wipro to consolidate its cloud applications practices of Salesforce and Workday under the Appirio brand and structure. Appirio's Chief Executive Chris Barbin will lead the expanded business. "When you combine Wipro's global scale and digital focus with our transformative worker and customer experience expertise, you create a formidable force in the industry," said asserted Barbin in the statement. Subject to regulatory approvals, the acquisition is expected to be closed in the current (third) quarter ending December 31. William Blair & Company acted as financial advisor to Appirio for the deal. --IANS fb/pgh/dg Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joins BJP, slams Rahul (Roundup) Delhi,National,Politics, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) In a major setback to the Congress, senior Uttar Pradesh leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday quit the party after 24 years to join the BJP, with the all-important state assembly polls a few months away. Joshi, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of party chief Amit Shah, also gave up her membership of the Uttar Pradesh assembly. Announcing her decision to quit the Congress -- as was being being widely speculated for the past few days over her apparent unhappiness at being sidelined in Uttar Pradesh -- Joshi did not spare Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in her parting shot. Joshi was among those at the forefront in championing Rahul Gandhi as leader not too long ago. "Soniaji used to understand us. She might take any decision but used to listen to us. But even that is not possible under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi," Joshi told reporters after joining the BJP. In a fierce attack on the Congress Vice President, Joshi said: "His leadership is not acceptable not just to Uttar Pradesh but the entire nation. Even senior leaders of the state are angry." "The way he should have given leadership to a national party, he failed to do it seriously. His leadership is not acceptable to the people." Joshi said it was not an easy decision for her to quit the Congress but she took it in the interest of the country. Joshi also criticised Rahul Gandhi's "khoon ki dalali" remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the Congress demand for proof of the army's surgical strikes acoss the Line of Control made her angry. The Congress reacted with disdain to Joshi's desertion. The party dubbed her an "opportunist" and said she left the party as she knew she couldn't have won in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. "This is absolute opportunism. She just made an excuse to leave. The reality is she couldn't have won the election. The contest is very tough," said Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad. Joshi was apparently miffed at the party naming Sheila Dikshit the chief ministerial face for Uttar Pradesh and Raj Babbar as the state party chief. On Joshi's comments on Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Azad said: "These are all excuses. Those who leave, they leave by blaming the party. The real reason was she knew she couldn't have won." Raj Babbar said her defection would make no difference to the party in Uttar Pradesh just as her brother's (former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna) leaving the Congress in Uttarakhand had no impact. In a sharp attack, Babbar said, "She said she is a history teacher; today, she has repeated her family history." Joshi, a former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, also took on Congress poll manager in Uttar Pradesh Prashant Kishor, saying "a poll manager can never be a poll director". "After the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, the way Congress should have proceeded, it didn't." Joshi till not long ago was known as an ardent supporter of Rahul Gandhi. But on Thursday, she accused the Congress of handing over the whole election management to Prashant Kishor. "Not only the direction of the election but the whole leadership was handed over to him. The party has lost its credibility... What can be more unfortunate than a party being given out on contact? Even powerful leaders were not allowed to speak freely," she said. Joshi also took on Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party and the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party. "Both the SP and BSP have looted the state. There is mafia raj in Uttar Pradesh. UP needs to be freed from both these parties." Joshi is daughter of the late Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna,a Congress stalwart, and sister of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who joined the BJP some time back. Joshi is likely to be the BJP candidate from Lucknow Cantt against Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav. Several leaders of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress flayed Joshi for joining the BJP and accused her of compromising on her secular credentials for personal gains. Senior Congress leader Satyadev Tripathi accused her of hobnobbing with the communal forces for quite some time and passing information on party affairs to the rival camp. Several other Congress leaders too slammed Joshi for her scathing remarks against party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, dubbing them "baseless and mischievous". --IANS bns/rn/vt Saarc nations raised concern over atmosphere for summit: MEA Delhi,National,Indo-Pak/Pakistan,Terrorism,Diplomacy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday said all Saarc countries had raised concerns that it was not possible to join the Saarc Summit in Islamabad in the current atmosphere. "It is government's priority to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region. Our interest in Saarc remains intact but our concern is that the connectivity, trade -- including MFN and cooperation that Saarc requires -- and terror-free atmosphere needed for these initiatives is not there due to the actions of one country in our neighbourhood," said Swarup while briefing media persons here. "That is why all Saarc countries wrote to the Chair, i.e. Nepal, saying in one voice that in the current atmosphere it is not possible to participate in the proposed Saarc Summit in Islamabad. We remain committed to Saarc and its principles," he added. --IANS sid/nir/vt New Zealand PM's India visit to boost business ties: MEA Delhi,National,Politics,Business/Economy,Diplomacy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will be on a state visit to India from October 24 to 27 and his visit will boost business ties with India, said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday. "He will lead a high-level business and education delegation. He will arrive in Mumbai on 24th evening. In Mumbai, he will deliver a keynote address in event organised by the Bombay Stock Exchange in association with Chambers of Commerce," said Swarup. "He will also meet with the Governor and Chief minister of Maharashtra. He will also attend Innovation showcase event to celebrate 'Innovation in New Zealand-India business partnership'," he added. In New Delhi, Key will hold one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by official delegation-level meet to discuss the growing bilateral relations. He will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee. "He will be attending a business summit as well," Swarup said. The New Zealand Prime Minister will depart from New Delhi on October 27 via Kochi. "In Kochi, the Prime Minister and his delegation will undertake a short tour of the new Kochi international terminal and the work undertaken by the New Zealand company Glidepath," said Swarup. Key will also be accompanied by members of New Zealand Parliament Mark Mitchell, who is chair of foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee, and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi. --IANS sid/pgh/vt Varun refutes being 'honey trapped' by arms dealer Delhi,National,Politics,Defence/Security, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Thursday denied allegations of being "honey trapped and compromised" by defence middleman Abhishek Verma and said he didn't pass on any "secret data". Gandhi also said he would file a criminal defamation suit against Swaraj Abhiyan leaders who held a press conference on the allegations against him. "I am going to file a criminal defamation suit against Swaraj Abhiyan leaders," Gandhi told IANS. Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan on Thursday released a letter written by US based lawyer C. Edmonds Allen to the Prime Minister's Office in which he has alleged that Gandhi was "honey trapped and compromised" by defence middleman Abhishek Verma. "They made allegations on behalf of the mails sent by an American lawyer to the Prime Minister," Gandhi said, adding "But that didn't have any evidence against me". "In their entire press conference, I did not get a single iota of substantial evidence in substance of allegations made against me," Gandhi said. Asked if he knew Verma, Gandhi said, "I met him in 2002, when I was doing my post-graduation in politics. It's 14 years now that I haven't met him." "I didn't know him personally but knew him through family as he was the son of a Member of Parliament," Gandhi added. Allen's letter, written on September 16, said that "a member of parliament of defence consultative committee named Varun Gandhi has been honey trapped and compromised by the notorious arms dealer Abhishek Verma." Varun Gandhi is no longer a member of the consultative committee of defence ministry. Allen has also sent the letter to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. "I am deeply hurt by the sleazy allegations made against me," Gandhi said. --IANS aks-bns/rn/vt Proceedings of Parliamentary panel is confidential: MEA Delhi,National,Politics,Defence/Security, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday declined to comment on the Foreign Secretary's briefing to the parliamentary committee on last month's surgical strikes across the Line of Control. Answering multiple questions on the Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar's briefing to the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs on the surgical strikes conducted by Indian army on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "Proceedings of the parliamentary standing committee are confidential. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on it." Adding he said, "Indian position on the surgical strikes was made very clearly and very categorically by the Director General of Military Operations from this very podium on September 29." Jaishanker briefed the Parliamentary committee on October 18 on the surgical strikes conducted by Indian army across the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on terrorist launch pads. Media reports said that Jaishankar told the parliamentary committee that India had in the past too conducted similar strikes across the LoC. Replying to a query on the issue of terrorism in the BRICS declaration, Swarup said that the world terror features some 37 times in the declaration and there was unprecedented condemnation of terrorism. He said that for the first time BRICS has called all states to prevent terror action from their territory. BRICS also agreed that religion is no justification for terrorism. BRICS also realised the growing nexus between weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. This was the strongest ever declaration of BRICS on terrorism, he said. Asked about the reported disagreement between India and China on describing Pakistan as the mother ship of terrorism, Swarup said, "We are all aware that in our region which country is the epicentre of terrorism." India and China have ongoing dialogue on countering terrorism which is a phenomenon that affects China as well and China has said so in the past. So India's dialogue with China on the issue of terrorism will continue. In the coming two months number of dialogue mechanisms are scheduled to happen with China on this issue, he added. Swarup also informed that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad was summoned by the Pakistan Foreign Office on Thursday and Pakistan conveyed its concerns about alleged ceasefire violations. But the Indian understanding is that there was an exchange of fire connected with attempt of infiltration on the Pakistani side, he added. Vikas Swarup informed that India has not banned content from Pakistan on Indian media. He termed the Pakistani ban as unfortunate and said it shows lack of confidence on part of Pakistan. --IANS rs/rn 'Five Houthi commanders killed in Yemen' Yemen,Politics,Defence/Security, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Sanaa, Oct 21 (IANS/AKI) Five senior commanders from Yemens Shia Houthi rebel movement have been killed in clashes in its northern heartland of Saada province and in western Marib province, the Al-Arabyia TV channel reported on Thursday. Aqil al Dulaimi, Hisham al Dulaimi and Kamal al Dulaimi were killed in Serwah in Marib, Al-Arabiya said, citing unnamed sources. A special forces commander for former authoritarian President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Abdul Latif Hatim, was killed in northeast Saada with Abu Ali Abdullah Mohammed al-Houthi, a field commander said to be close to the Houthi leadership, Al-Arabiya quoted the sources as saying. A truce brokered by the United Nations began late on Wednesday between pro-Houthi forces and those loyal to exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The fragile UN-backed truce is intended to last at least three days, although there have been reports of sporadic clashes. A coalition has been fighting the Iran-backed Houthis and their allies since March 2015, when a Saudi-led air campaign began in support of Hadi -- Yemen's internationally recognised President. --IANS/AKI lok/ Syria accuses Turkish air strikes of killing 150 in Aleppo countryside Syrian Arab Republic,Defence/Security,Diplomacy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Damascus, Oct 21 (IANS) The Syrian Army on Thursday accused Turkish air strikes of killing 150 people in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo a day earlier, state news agency SANA reported. Xinhua news agency quoted the General Command of the Syrian Army as saying that the Turkish air strikes on towns and villages in the northern countryside of Aleppo had targeted "innocent people" and constituted a "dangerous development that will further complicate the situation". Meanwhile, the army threatened to down any Turkish plane that would violate the Syrian airspace. "Any further violation to the Syrian airspace by the Turkish warplanes will be dealt with by downing them with all possible means," the statement said. The Turkish air forces and tanks have been backing several rebel groups in an operation dubbed the Euphrates Shield, which aims primarily at thwarting the advance of the Kurdish forces near the Turkish borders, and dislodge the Islamic State (IS) group from the areas they hold in northern Syria. --IANS lok/ North Korean medium-range missile launch again fails United States,Defence/Security, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Washington/Seoul, Oct 20 (IANS) North Korea has made another failed attempt to launch a medium-range missile, the US military authorities announced, only five days after an unsuccessful test for a similar projectile was carried out. The launch of the Musudan a medium-range missile with an estimated 2,500 to 4,000 km range, took place at 6.30 a.m., on Wednesday from near Kusong town, according to a Strategic Command (STRATCOM) provided to Efe news on Thursday by the US Forces South Korea. The new missile test by North Korea has been the eighth Musudan test since last April, with six successes and two failures. In the previous launch last week, the missile exploded shortly after takeoff, according to research by the US authorities. The US Army strongly condemned the missile test, reiterating that it violated UN Security Council resolutions "to limit the development of nuclear weapons in North Korea". The US has also urged the Kim Jong-un regime to "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme" and reaffirmed its willingness to go to the UN to impose even greater punishments for such "provocations". A new draft resolution to punish North Korea for its latest nuclear test on September 9 was still pending in the UN Security Council. --IANS ksk/vm Bodies of two Chinese engineers found in Pakistan Pakistan,Indo-Pak/Pakistan,Defence/Security, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Islamabad, Oct 20 (IANS) The bodies of two engineers who died four weeks ago after going inside a lead and zinc mine in Balochistan have been retrieved by rescue workers. According to officials, the engineers had gone into the mine in Dudder area of Lasbela district to rescue Pakistani worker Muhammad Anwar who was trapped, Dawn online reported on Thursday. An official of the MMC Huaye Dudder Mining Company (MHD) said late Wednesday: "Chinese engineers and rescue teams restarted their work and reached the place where the two bodies were stuck," adding that the body of the Pakistani worker had not been found so far. The two bodies would be shifted to Karachi's Aga Khan Hospital for autopsy. The engineers' families had already arrived in Karachi, the official added. --IANS ksk/vm JNU Vice Chancellor remains under siege over missing student Delhi,National,Politics,Crime/Disaster/Accident,Education, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) JNU students angry over a student who went missing six days ago on Thursday continued their siege of Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, who has refrained from calling the police. Hundreds of students belonging to almost all student groups barring the ABVP laid siege to the administrative block at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), accusing Kumar of taking a negative attitude. Kumar, the Proctor, the Registrar and some other officials were forced to spend the night inside the building, student activists told IANS. "We are continuing the protest but have allowed other junior employees to move freely and carry on with their work," Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) President Bhupali Magare told IANS. The JNU has been in ferment ever since an undergraduate science student, Najeeb Ahmed, went missing on the night of October 14-15, reportedly after a brawl with a few members of the ABVP. Police have been told that Ahmed may have been kidnapped or may be in illegal confinement. The students deny they have gheraoed the Vice Chancellor but he insists that he and other officials have been confined to the building. Reporters, however, have access to Kumar. Magare said the Vice Chancellor was not responding to their demands and had displayed a negative attitude. She said a few students from the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) went to meet Kumar around midnight on Wednesday but he immediately asked the security to video the discussion. "We walked out after that. He is dealing with the issue in a very negative manner," she said. The Vice Chancellor appealed to the students on Wednesday night to end the siege and discuss their concerns. On Thursday, Kumar again appealed to the students to end the siege and let him and other officials function freely. He said the university had already met with their demands. "They asked for a police complaint, which has been filed. Moreover, a proctorial inquiry has been initiated by the varsity," he said. He rubbished claims that the students had offered him and the other officials food during confinement. "We were not sent any food. We slept on the floor." --IANS vn/in/mr/ruwa US teenagers arrested for bomb threats United States,Crime/Disaster/Accident,Education, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Washington, Oct 20 (IANS) Five teenagers have been arrested for their involvement in making bomb threats this week that forced the evacuation of two schools in Arkansas in the US. Police said they arrested two 16-year-old boys and three 13-year-old girls on Wednesday. They face charges of communicating a false alarm, Xinhua news agency reported. The two boys are being held without bail while the girls are each jailed with a bail of $2,500 at the juvenile detention centre. The teenagers made five separate bomb threats to Hot Springs Middle School and Hot Springs High School on Monday, forcing them to be evacuated. --IANS ksk/mr Aamir Khan travels to Bhutan to advocate against malnutrition Bhutan,Cinema/Showbiz,Health/Medicine, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Thimphu, Oct 20 (IANS) Actor Aamir Khan, who is a Unicef Regional Goodwill Ambassador, took time out from his schedule to meet children affected by malnutrition here and to witness how the organisation is working to address stunting across the country. "While Bhutan has made amazing progress in areas of health and nutrition, there's still work to be done and every child is yet to be reached," Aamir said in a statement. Stunting, caused by chronic malnutrition, is endemic in South Asia with an estimated 38 per cent - 64 million - of children under five years of age affected by stunted growth, inhibiting children's cognitive and physical development and damaging growth in the region. In Bhutan, despite recent progress, one in five children remains stunted, according to Unicef. The Royal Government of Bhutan, Unicef and partners are working together to improve under-nutrition and micro-nutrient deficiency among children by working with families to improve sanitation practices in households and communities, and improve nutrition of young children and women before and during pregnancy. Aamir, during his visit to Bhutan on Monday and Tuesday, met Namgay Zam, 26, in the Drukgyel Basic Health Unit in Paro, who had given birth to her baby just 20 days ago. He also interacted with other women and their children at the health unit. "It is incredible to meet young mothers in Bhutan and to understand how they have made simple, effective changes to their lives to help keep their children healthy," said the "PK" star. Rudolf Schwenk, Unicef Bhutan Representative, also said: "We are delighted that Aamir Khan is here in Bhutan to help us shine a light on the impact of under-nutrition and to show how by working together we can reduce stunting in children across the country." --IANS sug/rb/vm Government trying to convert India into Hindu rashtra: Owaisi Andhra Pradesh,National,Politics,Religion, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Hyderabad, Oct 20 (IANS) AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that the Modi government is trying to convert India into "Hindu rashtra" with its attempt to impose a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The MP from Hyderabad said that by interfering in the Muslim Personal Law, the government was trying to show that Muslims were second class citizens. Stating that pluralism and diversity were the strengths and beauty of India, he said any attempt to destroy secularism would weaken the country. Owaisi was addressing a public meeting organized by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to oppose UCC. The meeting began at 8 p.m. on Wednesday and continued well past midnight. Leaders of all sects of Muslims and various schools of Islamic thought addressed the meeting attended by thousands of people including women. The speakers made it clear that Muslims would never tolerate any attempt to interfere in Muslim Personal Law. Owaisi ridiculed the affidavit filed by the central government in the Supreme Court and said that by comparing Indian Muslims with the Muslims of Pakistan and other countries, the government had insulted not just Indian Muslims but the entire country. He pointed out that Pakistan was not a functional democracy while other countries mentioned in the affidavit have either monarchies or were no comparison to India. The MP dared the government to scrap the special status enjoyed by states like Mizoram and Nagaland and abolish the marriage laws of Goa. He wanted to know if the government, by bringing the UCC, would extend tax rebate enjoyed by Hindu undivided families to Muslims. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising religious slogans during the Dussehra programme, the MP said no Indian Prime Minister in the past had raised such a slogan. Stating that there were 16 Directive Principles of the Constitution, he wondered why the government was bothered only about the UCC and cow slaughter. --IANS ms/mr Man shot after attacking police in Indonesia Indonesia,Defence/Security,Terrorism, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Jakarta, Oct 20 (IANS) A man was shot on Thursday after he attacked police in Indonesia with knives and pipe bombs, injuring five, officials said. The incident took place in Banten province's Tangerang city, Xinhua news agency reported. The attack occurred when the assailant Sultan Azianzah, 22, was found sticking an Islamic State (IS) terror group sticker in a police station. According to TV reports, Sultan attacked the police when they attempted to stop and arrest him. "The perpetrator was shot in his feet and is now being treated at a police hospital," an official said. Police found two pipes containing explosives in the attack scene. Head of Information Division at Indonesia Police headquarters Boy Rafly Amar said that the attacker was suspected to be a member of the terrorist group. --IANS ask/ksk/vm We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Morocco and Rwanda added a concrete aspect to their bilateral relations by signing 19 agreements setting the stage for cooperation in fields ranging from economy, finance and science to air transport and renewable energy. The agreements were signed in a ceremony attended by King Mohammed VI who is paying an official visit to Kigali and Rwandas president Paul Kagame. These agreements aim at fostering cooperation in different vital sectors such as agriculture, housing, vocational training, finances, taxes, banking, new technologies, air transport, tourism and renewable energy. They are also meant to offer a legal framework governing bilateral cooperation in line with the Royal vision for Africa that is underpinned by solidarity, co-development and South-South cooperation. During the same agreement signing ceremony, Attijariwafa Bank, one of Moroccos and Africas largest banks, sealed an agreement to buy Rwandas third largest bank, the Rwandan bank Compagnie Generale de Banque Limited (Cogebanque). We have signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 75 percent stake in Cogebanque, Attijariwafas chief executive Mohammed Kettani said after signing the deal. A statement from Rwandas presidents office said the deal was worth around $41 million. Like other large Moroccan companies, Attijariwafa Bank has been expanding in Africa. It has subsidiaries in Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mali, among other countries, as well as branches in Europe. King Mohammed VIs visit to Rwanda, is the first leg in a Royal tour in Eastern Africa that also includes Ethiopia and Tanzania. This tour is part of an endeavour to bolster Moroccos presence in English speaking Africa in tandem with the Kingdoms endeavour to regain its natural place in Africas institutional family. The US-based strategic intelligence firm, Stratfor, highlighted the efficiency of Moroccos security services in aborting terrorist attacks and maintaining extremists in check. One of the main factors helping to keep Moroccos jihadists in check is the competence of its security forces. The countrys powerful intelligence agency, national police force, paramilitary police and Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (Moroccos version of the FBI) work closely with their American and European counterparts, receive extensive training and are highly proficient, said Stratfor in an article on its website dubbed, Moroccos Jihadist Paradox, Unravelled. On Moroccos multilateral anti-terrorism cooperation, the global intelligence firm notes that the Kingdoms intelligence services have even helped to avert attacks elsewhere with the information it collects and shares. Stratfor shed light on the terrorist threat posed by Moroccan foreign fighters who joined Daesh in Iraq and Syria, saying that the vigilance of the Kingdoms security and intelligence services enabled pre-empting attacks and rounding up suspects before they move into action. Terrorism, said Stratfor is a low-level threat in Morocco, as it will in European countries such as France and Belgium. The article also points out to the legal framework governing counter terrorism action. The legislation known as the Law to Combat Terror was strengthened in 2011, and in 2015, Morocco made it illegal for its citizens to attempt to travel to Syria or Iraq to join the Islamic State. Because of Moroccos robust security environment, it is difficult for jihadist groups to establish operations in the country, despite the large number of militants who hail from within its borders, argued Stratfor. Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has asked his Burkina Faso counterpart Marc-Christian Kabore for explanations for letting Mauritanian anti-slavery activist Birame ould Dah ould Abeid speak on the West African countrys public channel, reports say. Tension has risen between the two presidents after Birame ould Dah ould Abeid, leader of the anti-slavery movement IRA (Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement) was given air time on Burkina Fasos public channel. The slavery phenomenon has been officially abolished in the North African country since 1981 but activists, including Birame, claim unhuman trade continues in Mauritania. Birame is also opposed to the regime of President Ould Abdel Aziz, in power since 1998. Speaking from Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, last month, the anti-slavery leader vowed to bring down the regime which he said has privatized the country and turned it into a cash cow for the Presidents family and friends. The Mauritanian President, in a telephone conversation, scolded Kabore for letting a gangster and a criminal criticize him on the Burkina Fasos state channel, reports say. Kabore, according to media reports, indicated that he himself came to power through a revolution and the constitution neither allows him to supress freedom of speech nor freedom of movement. The Burkina leader reportedly added that the constitution warrants freedom for public and private channels and as for entry into the country, migration services at borders decide who enters or not. According to media, these explanations did not convince the Mauritanian President who could not fathom how his critic was allowed on a state TV channel. Kabore has reportedly told his counterpart that Birame was hosted by US State Department and has received many official accolades from the UN Secretary General. Heads of foreign missions in Mauritania regularly visit him but never in time Nouakchott ever summoned them as far as we know, Kabore noted. The stage is set for the third presidential debate. Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images Thanks for joining the third and final debate liveblog. Yes, its nearly over. If you want to send me your thoughts as the events proceed, email me at sully@nymag.com (if youre a recovering dishhead, you can also always use the old email address). Please refresh to update. 10:43 p.m. Im going to end with a Republican president who was worthy of the office, a man who understood our democracy and whose decency now compels him to vote for Hillary Clinton. Here is George H. W. Bushs letter to Bill Clinton, who denied him a second term. This is America: Read this. Think about this. George H.W. Bush's gracious handoff to Bill Clinton. It's beautiful. pic.twitter.com/XHjPvbzGu8 Tom Ashbrook (@TomAshbrook) October 19, 2016 10:36 p.m. In my view, this was easily the most decisive debate. She devastated him. He melted down. His refusal to accept the results of this election disqualifies him automatically from any office in the United States. There were several areas where he was utterly incoherent, grasping at facts, without any understanding of policy. His personal foulness emerged. It seems to me he also has internalized that he has lost this election. May God save this democracy from him. 10:32 p.m. Trumps penultimate interruption: Such a nasty woman. She was just making a fair point, Donald. 10:30 p.m. I have a feeling that when historians observe these debates in the future, the thing they will most note is that nothing was said about climate change. 10:28 p.m. Her point about Trump complaining about Ronald Reagan was a stunner. She has been superb tonight and got better as she continued. 10:27 p.m. In 2012, Trump thought it was rigged as well: Reminder as Trump won't commit to accepting election results, this was Trump on election night 2012: pic.twitter.com/TeKhA6OnUK andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 20, 2016 10:23 p.m. Yes, it happened: Trump admires Assad more than Obama Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 20, 2016 10:2o p.m. Hes now free associating and falling apart. He just doesnt have a clue what hes talking about. And surely viewers will see that. That was a completely unhinged rant. And good luck with that, Hillary, implies that he already thinks she will be president. Hes now in full collapse. 10:19 p.m. I dont think he knows what fallen means. 10:18 p.m. Another fact-check: Al-Baghdadi still believed to be in Mosul, per Fox News: https://t.co/Zu8XBO1pco Jeremy Herb (@jeremyherb) October 20, 2016 10:17 p.m. Mosul is near Syria? 10:14 p.m. Voters want the candidates to support the election results. No excuses. Hillary did. Trump did not. #Debate pic.twitter.com/LH7J4JPMC2 Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 20, 2016 10:12 p.m. This is one of most remarkable moments in history of presidential campaigns Peter Beinart (@PeterBeinart) October 20, 2016 It is utterly disqualifying for any office in the United States, let alone the presidency. Trump is an utter disgrace and so is the party that nominated him. The GOP must now disavow him, if it is to remain a viable party in a constitutional democracy. 10:11 p.m. "I'll keep you in suspense" works well for season finales but not elections Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) October 20, 2016 10:08 p.m. Horrifying is the right word. Clinton is devastating him on his appalling refusal to obey the rules that this democracy lives by. 10:04 p.m. Trump will not say in advance that he will respect the results of the election. This is the first time ever that a candidate for the presidency has refused to abide by the result. He is a threat to our entire democratic system. 10:01 p.m. Its a criminal enterprise to save 11 million living with HIV. 9:58 p.m. She is masterful tonight on his core character. Her answer to the last question destroyed him. I suspect he knows hes finished. Surely the country sees who this monster is by now. 9:57 p.m. If we could run our country the way I run my company may be the most terrifying words Trump has ever spoken. Jordan Weissmann (@JHWeissmann) October 20, 2016 9:55 p.m. Clintons response on sexual assault the way she exposed how he belittles and demeans women was calm, composed and powerful. 9:53 p.m. I didnt even apologize to my wife. Hes a disgrace. 9:50 p.m. I know Chris Wallace is using right-wing frames for his q's. But he's ALSO questioning Trump. And she's re-framing everything calmly. Emily Nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) October 20, 2016 9:49 p.m. Clintons defense of her experience against Trumps was devastatingly good. 9:47 p.m. Clinton is right, btw -- the "open borders" remark was about energy trading. pic.twitter.com/kC2GgFIhRw Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) October 20, 2016 9:46 p.m. Does Trump understand the difference between a developing country and a mature economy? Dont answer that. 9:45 p.m. Finally, shes communicating her economic policy in a way that can persuade. And her critique of his massive tax cuts must surely hit home. 9:41 p.m. Again, hes talking about NATO and the Pacific alliance as if its a protection racket. Now hes saying he wants to terminate NAFTA. Does he know what would happen to the economy if he suddenly rescinded free trade with Canada and Mexico? Does he understand what trade wars do to economies? 9:40 p.m. A throwback to an earlier moment in this debate on Putin: 9:38 p.m. God shes turning off people now. I know shes offering substance. But shes droning on and on. She had a chance to offer a fresh, clear message on the economy. And she wonked it. 9:37 p.m. On the off chance Trump becomes president, advisers should keep meetings 20 minutes or shorter before he turns into a raving mess. Matthew Continetti (@continetti) October 20, 2016 9:36 p.m. Trump has now declared the U.S. will not defend Japan or Germany. He wants to rip up the post-WWII international order one of the most peaceful periods in world history. 9:33 p.m. Its so strange that Trump cannot agree with the U.S. intelligence services that Russia is behind this intervention in American politics. Clinton wins this exchange decisively. 9:31 p.m. Clinton is going on the offensive on the Putin question. Shes absolutely right to. And he cannot answer her. 9:29 p.m. She has no good answer on her private remarks about her dream of open borders in the Western hemisphere. And so she tries to shift the question to Putins role in Wikileaks. Trump is right: that was a nifty pivot, and he exposed her. 9:27 p.m. Its amazing to me that Trump has been the one to point out how Obama has deported a record number of illegal aliens and how Clinton supports a wall. Hes making them more credible to conservatives and independents. 9:23 p.m. Why doesnt Clinton really emphasize border enforcement? Her answer on the un-American notion of rounding up millions of people was very strong. But she needs to own the border security issue more forthrightly. Then she reminded people that Donald Trump has exploited illegal immigrants. 9:22 p.m. Trump saying he will appoint SCOTUS justices to overturn Roe v. Wade caused his numbers with independents to tank. pic.twitter.com/HIwoPjpDHE Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 20, 2016 9:21 p.m. Trump is waking up a bit. 9:18 p.m. Clinton gives a strong answer on late-term abortions. Its a losing argument for Clinton but her answer defending women against government intervention was as effective as such an answer can be. Advantage Trump. 9:17 p.m. So far, this is a generic Republican vs Democratic debate. Which helps Trump. 9:12 p.m. Wallaces first question to Trump on guns was a total softball. Then it got tougher. But Trump seems calmer and more normal than in previous debates. But hes now on the record as opposing Roe v. Wade. 9:10 p.m. i dare HRC to ask trump to talk about any one person on his list Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 20, 2016 9:08 p.m. Trumps answer begins with an attack on Ruth Bader Ginsburg, segues into the Second Amendment and then gives a pretty boilerplate Republican answer. He seems subdued, his voice raspy. 9:07 p.m. Clintons answer on the court is more left-liberal than Obamas not an answer that will win over Republicans. 9:00 p.m. Is tonight a glimpse of the future shape of Fox News? Is it the moment that Donald Trump starts acting as if he wants to persuade an actual majority of voters? Is it when Bill Clintons history of sexual assault tips this debate into melodrama? Will Trump reiterate his foul attempt to delegitimize American democracy? Can Clinton actually manage to convey what she wants to do as president in a way that can actually connect with voters? And can we recover from the damage already done to our entire political system? I dont know the answers, but those are the questions I have right now. And yes, the dread youre probably feeling is mine too. In South Korea, the police are usually so good at crowd control that the countrys protest rallies often look like choreographed events. Tens of thousands of people march down roads chanting protest slogans and even picking up trash behind themselves. Police officers clad in bright yellow-green jackets walk alongside, guiding the protesters and carefully diverting traffic. [O]fficials in Seoul said they were caught off guard by the unorganized and spontaneous crowds on Saturday night. Unlike political and labor rallies, which by law must be reported to the authorities in advance, the young people who descend on Itaewon every Halloween gather freely in large numbers, without the restrictions or permits required when hosting large, organized events. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images Forget the press read the internet, Donald Trump advised supporters in Colorado on Tuesday. Dont go for the mainstream media. But most Americans including the Republican nominee would rather watch their news than read it. And so, as Trumps campaign staggers toward the finish line, like a bloated, asthmatic teenager who cant remember why he joined the cross-country team and even the once fair-and-balanced Fox News refuses to unskew the lamestream medias crooked polls many of the moguls supporters have found themselves bereft of a reliable news source (save for the 60 minutes Sean Hannity is on the air). And so, on Wednesday night, Trump created a channel just for them. Roughly 30 minutes before Chris Wallace asked the first question in Las Vegas, the GOP nominee posted to Facebook, If youre tired of biased, mainstream media reporting (otherwise known as Crooked Hillarys super PAC), tune into my Facebook Live broadcast. So Trumps Facebook live broadcast is being run by the Right Side Broadcasting guys https://t.co/uDMrnCbfdK pic.twitter.com/sDeInLlNlz Jon Passantino (@passantino) October 20, 2016 Hosted by commentators from the Right Side Broadcasting network, a conservative online channel based in Alabama, the program featured political analysis from Trump campaign surrogates General Michael Flynn and former Arizona governor Jan Brewer. This extended infomercial was interspersed with more polished and concise advertisements for the Trump campaign, including a special message from Ivanka. Watching the broadcast, one might think that Trumps chief complaint with mainstream cable news was the quality of its sound production. The program looked and sounded like something from a poorly managed, propagandistic public-access channel or the 4 a.m. show on the state television network of a dying regime. Still, the appeal of the project became more apparent once the debate was over. As Trump surrogates ran for the spin room to rationalize the candidates decision to keep America in suspense about whether he plans to accept the results on November 8 and CNNs insta-poll declared Hillary Clinton the debates winner all was sunny and placid on Trumps Facebook page. As Politicos Kelsey Sutton writes: By far his best debate. A clear and decisive victory. Jeff Dewitt, one of the hosts, declared it the greatest Republican debate performance since Abraham Lincoln. During their post-debate show, they repeated the oft-debunked claim that Trump said he was against the Iraq War, thanked Trump repeatedly for being inspirational, and expressed their excitement for the inevitable Trump presidency. They also, at one point, suggested that Clinton Foundation money was used for Clintons white teeth, though Trumps looked whiter, actually. Over the past few months, there has been a smattering of reports that Trump is contemplating the launch of some kind of right-wing media project after November. That narrative gained steam when Trump filled the inner circle of his campaign with reactionary infotainers like Steve Bannon and Roger Ailes. And the project makes intuitive sense. Trumps business is his brand. The last 16 months have done much to erode the value of his name as a signifier of (apolitical) luxury while drastically increasing its value as a signifier of right-wing outrage. At this point, its hard to see a better way for Trump to monetize his self-image than through some kind of conservative media enterprise. Still, there are a lot of reasons to doubt that Trump TV will be in your cable package by this time next year. It costs a lot to start a cable network, possibly as much as $800 million according to the Street. Theres little reason to think Trump would be willing to invest that money himself, considering that he has blanched at the cost of funding internal polling for his campaign, as Ryan Lizza notes. And hell likely have a hard time finding that much outside funding, considering how perilous it would be for mainstream brands, from a public-relations perspective, to take out ads on Trumps network. Thus, if Trump TV rises from the ashes of his campaign, it will probably look less like Fox News, and more like Wednesday nights Facebook broadcast. As The Atlantics Derek Thompson writes: If the year were 1996, Trumps inability to secure investment for a cable news network would mean the end of his television dreams. But today there are tens of millions of U.S. households subscribing to Netflix, Amazon Video, and other over the top (OTT) online video options that go around the cable bundle. Trump could build a digital television network Even one million Trump TV subscribers paying $150 a year (or about $12 a month) for a television, radio, and website product would mean $150 million in the first year. That would probably be enough to lure Hannity at a discount and other conservative fixtures like Laura Ingraham to Trumps stable. On Tuesday, Trump campaign manager and Breitbart mastermind Steve Bannon was asked whether Trump planned to start a television network, should he lose in November. Trump is an entrepreneur, Bannon said, grinning. Even his surrogates are conspiring against him. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images After forcing Republicans to spend the last two weeks discussing whether theyd vote for a sexual predator, Donald Trump found a way to make the next 19 days even more nightmarish for his party. Immediately after the debate, Republicans were already being asked whether they intend to uphold our democratic process or potentially foment insurrection along with their nominee. As the candidate spouted conspiracy theories about election rigging ahead of the third debate, his staffers remained in favor of respecting our democratic traditions. Campaign spokesperson Jason Miller said that Short of rampant, widespread voter fraud, of course, if the other candidate wins, well uphold that. Ivanka Trump assured voters that my father will always do the right thing, adding, Hell either win or he wont win, and I believe hell accept the outcome either way. Minutes before the debate began, Trumps running mate Mike Pence said, Well certainly accept the outcome of this election. Then, when asked during the debate if hell accept the results of the election, Trump declared: What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Okay? Suddenly, Pence wasnt so certain after all. Speaking to MSNBCs Hallie Jackson in the spin room, he added some qualifications. He said I will look it at the time, Pence said. I think he has made a point that hes resonating with millions of Americans that quite frankly with all due respect, the media coverage in this presidential campaign is so one-sided. Pence suggested hes sticking with his running mates wait and see approach, adding: I have no doubt in my mind in the 20 days that remain in this campaign, well continue to call for more balanced coverage of this effort, and we are going to continue to call people all across the country to respectfully participate in the electoral process to ensure that we can be confident in the vote. If the vote is fair, I am confident that he will accept it. In an interview with CBS News, Pence reiterated that Trump has every right, he has the prerogative, to wait and see how the election turns out. Sometimes extraordinary circumstances develop. CNNs Dana Bash had a hard time getting a clear answer out of Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway after the debate. Initially she said Trump will accept the results of the election because hes going to win the election. But when pressed on whether she will encourage Trump to concede if hes waffling on Election Night, Conway said, Absent evidence of widespread abuse and irregularities, yes. Trump campaign manager @KellyannePolls walks off on @DanaBashCNN mid-interview just moments after the debate https://t.co/JN34ecnjvo Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) October 20, 2016 Conway referenced Al Gore challenging the Florida election results in 2000, and other Trump supporters suggested the candidate was merely referring to raising a legal challenge if the results are unclear (though, hes repeatedly suggested, with no evidence, that there will be widespread voter fraud, and that the Clinton campaign is colluding with the media and shady international elites). I think its unlikely that well have the kind of serious fraud in this election that would result in an Al Gore challenge to the election like we had in 2000, said Senator Jeff Sessions. If theres no real basis to file a serious challenge, then I would not support that, and I dont think he would either. Dr. Ben Carson was similarly confident that if there is nothing that looks particularly obvious, he is going to accept it. If Trump does refuse to concede for unfounded reasons, the Republican Party will not stand by him. Or at least, thats what Republican National Committee communications director Sean Spicer suggested after the debate. If he wins the election, which we think he will, then this wont be an issue, but regardless, ya know, were going to accept the results and the will of the people, Spicer said, adding that Trump will accept the results of the election 100 percent. Plenty of Republican commentators found themselves agreeing with Hillary Clintons response to Trumps comment: Thats horrifying. Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt said Trump essentially knocked himself out. It is outside the norm of American political rhetoric to express a contingent acceptance of the result, he added. On Fox News, Brit Hume agreed that Trump had his strongest debate performance yet, but ruined it by refusing to say he would honor the election results. That doesnt happen in America, Hume said. Its newsworthy, its controversial, it is a big deal, and so the question is that something that will help him? I doubt it. During another Fox panel, Charles Krauthammer said This is political suicide. Republican strategist and NBC News political analyst Nicolle Wallace called Trumps remark a disqualifying statement. He may as well have laid down in his own coffin with a hammer & nail & pounded it in himself @NicolleDWallace on Trump elex result answer pic.twitter.com/drDBjxU7Is Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) October 20, 2016 As staffers tried to soften Trump remarks and fellow Republicans rejected them completely, there was one person in the spin room who enthusiastically embraced his dangerous rhetoric. I am so glad that Donald Trump is sayin of course were gonna accept a legitimate election, Sarah Palin told the Daily Beast. If were not gonna be able to trust that the election is fair and, um, that peoples most sacred right to vote is respected, then that will tear at the fabric of our nation, she added. So I am so thankful that Trump understands that. He doesnt, like, belittle the idea or dismiss the idea of anything perhaps being skewed. Its unfortunate that Hillary is so naive as to think that absolutely nothing could go wrong in an election. She needs to wake up and smell the roses and understand whats going on. Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Two Democratic operatives lost their jobs this week after a series of videos from James OKeefes Project Veritas Action seemed to show them talking about stealing votes and inciting violence. On the hidden-camera video, Scott Foval, former national field director for progressive advocacy group Americans United for Change, speaks about planting agitators at Donald Trump rallies to elicit violent responses from his supporters. He also claims in the video to be aligned with Bob Creamer, an employee of political consulting firm Democracy Partners, who announced on Tuesday that he would be stepping back from a role at the Democratic National Committee. I am unwilling to become a distraction to the important task of electing Hillary Clinton, and defeating Donald Trump in the upcoming election, Creamer told CNN in a statement. Foval, who has been fired from his job at Americans United for Change, seems to say in the video that he worked with Creamer to make a scene at Trump rallies. I mean, honestly, its not hard to get some of these assholes to pop off, he says in the video. Its a matter of showing up, to want to get into their rally, in a Planned Parenthood T-shirt. Or Trump is a Nazi, you know. You can message to draw them out, and draw them out to punch you. Creamer said what Foval was describing was hypothetical and that it never happened. While none of the schemes described in the conversations ever took place, these conversations do not at all reflect the values of Democracy Partners, Creamer told CNN. A second video released on Tuesday appears to show Foval concocting a voter-fraud scheme with an undercover agent from Project Veritas Action. Or maybe theyre just bullshitting in a bar. Its not entirely clear how serious the conversation is. Fovals claims, which paint him as a nefarious master of the political dark arts, have been questioned by some reporters. As the Washington Post notes, one of the protests Foval takes credit for arranging was actually organized by another group. The paper also takes issue with OKeefes presentation of bird-dogging the act of pestering candidates with specific, difficult questions as anything other than a common activist tactic. One of the people implicated in the fraud scheme alleged in the second video has called out the editing. Caesar Vargas, an activist who appears in the second video, wrote on Facebook that he expressly told the undercover operative that voting twice was illegal, even though the video suggests otherwise. Given OKeefes history of selective editing, Vargass claim should probably be taken seriously. The Trump campaign hasnt let questions about the videos stop it from trumpeting them as proof that voter fraud is nigh. As campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told Sean Hannity on Tuesday, Once again, Donald Trump was ahead of his time. We see that it goes right to the top. Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano. Photo: Steven A Henry/Getty Images The latest case of alleged corruption in New York State is out on Long Island, where Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and his wife, Linda, and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto have reportedly been arrested in a bribery scheme. Mangano, whos been in office since 2009, and his wife surrendered to FBI officials early this morning. They will appear in federal court Thursday on corruption charges allegedly relating to their ties with restaurateur Harendra Singh, who has long been under federal investigation on Long Island and in Queens. Singh was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly fraudulently claiming $1 million in Hurricane Sandy funds, for underreporting millions in income to the IRS, and for giving kickbacks to another Town of Oyster Bay official in exchange for contracts for food-concession stands. John Venditto. Photo: Steven Henry/Getty Images Federal investigators allege that Singh showered the Manganos and Venditto with lavish perks including a $450,00 no-show job for Linda Mangano at one of Singhs restaurants; free meals and travel for Ed Mangano; and a free private room and chauffeur service for Venditto. Newsday reports that, in exchange: The help Singh got was in obtaining millions of dollars of indirect town guarantees on bonds that he used for his businesses, as well as two contracts from Nassau County, according to the sources. One contract involved the supply of $200,000 worth of bread and rolls to the Nassau County jail in June 2012; the second for providing $237,000 worth of food to county workers in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, sources said. Federal prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York are bringing the charges, one in a string of recent corruption cases on Long Island. Singh is reportedly cooperating with authorities in the cases against Mangano and Venditto, in exchange for some leniency in the slew of charges he is already facing, sources told Newsday. Harendra Singh. Singh is also a character in the federal investigation into Mayor Bill de Blasios campaign fundraising activities and he is reportedly cooperating with investigators on that case, as the New York Times reported Wednesday. (The de Blasio investigation is being led by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in the Southern District of New York.) Singh owned the (now-closed) Waters Edge restaurant, in Long Island City, Queens, which operated on property owned by the city. According to the Times, federal officials are investigating whether Singh used straw donors to give up to $50,000 to de Blasios campaign. Records show that the de Blasio campaign also hosted two fundraising events at the Waters Edge. Fast forward to 2015, when an audit revealed that Singhs Waters Edge restaurant owed almost $2 million in back rent. The city went to court to try to evict Singh before the end of his lease in 2017. Singh fought back and was reportedly close to a deal with the city to avoid getting the boot until he was arrested in September on those other corruption charges. What the feds are digging into now is whether Singh sought help from City Hall to try to make a deal about his restaurant lease and, if so, who helped him out and how. Singh also had spots on a few committees relating to the mayors initiatives, as reported by amNY in October, including his 2014 inauguration committee, and he served on the advisory board of the Mayors Fund to Advance New York City, a nonprofit thats chaired by First Lady Chirlane McCray. (He was reportedly removed from that post after his indictment in 2015.) After the arrests of Mangano and Venditto, Eric Phillips, a spokesman for the mayors office, told Newsday the administration is absolutely confident that weve acted appropriately at all times. We dont do pay to play. Out of an interest in protecting the integrity of an ongoing review, we cant comment further at this stage. Photo: George Ourfalian/AFP/Getty Images In an election cycle that has pushed American politics to new heights of partisan acrimony, the Washington foreign-policy elite has represented a singular bastion of bipartisan comity. A large segment of the GOPs neoconservative wing broke with Donald Trump in the early days of his general-election campaign. A significant number took shelter in Hillary Clintons coalition, where theyve gotten along amiably with liberal interventionists who share their belief that Obama has betrayed Americas obligation to lead. That point of agreement has now been ratified in a flurry of new reports from an array of think tanks that span partisan divide all calling for an escalation in U.S. military involvement in the Syrian civil war. Per the Washington Post: The studies, which reflect Clintons stated views and the direction she is likely to take if she is elected, break most forcefully with Obama on Syria. Virtually all these efforts, including a report that will be released Wednesday by the liberal Center for American Progress, call for stepped up military action to deter President Bashar al-Assads regime and Russian forces in Syria. The proposed military measures include calls for safe zones to protect moderate rebels from Syrian and Russian forces. Most of the studies propose limited American airstrikes with cruise missiles to punish Assad if he continues to attack civilians with barrel bombs, as is currently happening in besieged Aleppo. So far, Obama has staunchly resisted any military action against the Assad regime. The foreign-policy elites frustration with President Obamas reluctance to engage in a large-scale military intervention in Syria is nothing new. And the desire to do something to ameliorate the suffering of the Syrian people is, of course, understandable. But there are a few problems with the narrative advanced by the papers and foreign-policy thinkers quoted in the Post which is to say, the notion that the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria illustrates the perils of America withdrawing from the world. Or as Philip Gordon, a senior foreign-policy adviser to Obama until 2015, put it in an interview with the paper, Theres a widespread perception that not being active enough or recognizing the limits of American power has costs So the normal swing is to be more interventionist. For one thing, this summation suggests that America has not been active in Syria under Obamas tenure. Which is false. Among other things, the United States has provided weapons and training to Syrian rebel groups and conducted air strikes against ISIS in eastern Syria. Of course, Obamas critics are suggesting a radically different approach to the conflict, one that would target Assads regime more directly. Still, it isnt the case that America tried withdrawing entirely from the conflict only to see it blossom into a humanitarian nightmare. And, in fact, some analysts maintain that by arming the Syrian rebels, the United States helped extend the duration of the civil war, and, thus, its death toll. That analysis may be wrong, but its one that supporters of greater intervention should at least contend with. Another issue that the bipartisan consensus on Syria seems to elide was actually articulated by none other than Hillary Clinton, in a leaked speech to Goldman Sachs in 2013. To have a no fly zone you have to take out all of the air defense, many of which are located in populated areas, Clinton said. So our missiles, even if they are standoff missiles so were not putting our pilots at risk youre 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. Clinton has campaigned in support of a no-fly zone throughout the 2016 campaign, despite the fact that this policy is likely more risky today than it was three years ago. As one Obama administration official told the Post, You cant pretend you can go to war against Assad and not go to war against the Russians. Maybe American military escalation will force Assad to agree to step down and allow a more humane, western-friendly regime to take power and secure political legitimacy. But its hard to have enough faith in that prospect to be confident that a direct confrontation with a nuclear superpower is an acceptable risk for pursuing it. Finally, theres the fact that, if the United States wishes to use its power to deter war crimes in the Middle East, pressuring the Saudis to abandon their heinous intervention in Yemen seems like a far easier task. And yet theres decidedly less appetite among foreign-policy elites for that project than there is for confronting Russia in Syria. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reacts as his son Barron looks on at the end of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images One of the more bizarre and unsettling aspects of Donald Trumps bizarre and unsettling campaign has been the repeated insistence from some of his supporters that the person he represents on the campaign trail is not who he actually is. Hes absolutely not a sexist, his daughter Ivanka said early on. Hes not a racist guy, Trumps old pal Larry King insisted; he just plays to that crowd. Family friend Wendi Murdoch has explained it this way: When people are running for office, sometimes they say things. This is indisputably true not just that they say things but that they sometimes say different things in public and in private, as weve seen from the Clinton campaigns leaked emails. But theres a difference between, say, what Clinton does talking tough on the concept of Wall Street to crowds and being mildly empathetic to rooms full of actual financial-services workers and what Trumps supporters seem to maintain he is doing, which is acting like a totally different person. As Trump surrogate Ben Carson put it: Theres two different Donald Trumps. Theres the one you see on the stage and theres the one whos very cerebral, sits there and considers things very carefully. The idea that there is a Secret Trump, hidden like a matryoshka doll inside the Donalds hulking carapace, is an idea that his small base of elite and educated supporters have whispered about, among themselves, throughout the many crises of his campaign. Most people kind of feel like they dont really know what the truth is, one New York power broker told me this past summer, after Trump said something offensive, I dont even remember which thing. For people who are repelled by the idea of Hillary Clinton and there are many, among the libertarian-leaning one percent or whose main concern is their tax rate, its far less frightening to believe that the other candidate is a skilled strategist with a plan than to believe that he is an incorrigibly impulsive, sexist, racist charlatan whose famous hair conceals a belfry full of bats. Secret Trump Theory was brought into the open earlier this month, during a debate between Anthony Scaramucci, a hedge fund manager and member of Trumps economic council, and Marc Lasry, the billionaire founder of Avenue Capital, a longtime Clinton supporter. The event, which was hosted by Harvard Business Schools alumni association and held in the offices of a Park Avenue law firm, had been billed as a discussion of the candidates economic policies, which it was, until about halfway through, when the discussion turned, inevitably, to temperament. Its a strategy, Scaramucci said, when the subject of Trumps position on China, which he has accused of beating, raping, and stealing from the United States, and his assertion that he might pull out of the World Trade Organization came up. Heres the problem with Mr. Trump hes a New Yorker, said Scaramucci, who himself speaks with a Long Island folksiness that belies his background at Harvard and Goldman Sachs. And so like a lot of us he is prone to these rhetorical flourishes. When he gets into these meeting rooms he goes a googootz, he goes a little crazy. He says things that are little bit off. Hes also running for president, though, interjected Lasry. He is running for president as a nonpolitician, countered Scaramucci. Lasry rolled his eyes. Come on, he said. Everyone is constantly saying with Donald, No, you dont understand, he didnt mean that, he wouldnt do that. But he is the guy who may be president of the United States. Scaramucci continued. This isnt just intuitive reactionary stuff, he said. The strategy is, he is trying to galvanize a movement of disaffected people that enjoy the flamethrowing because they are so upset with the political class in Washington. They want to send a Molotov cocktail into Washington with a rhetorical flamethrower. Now you may not like that about him, and to be honest, I dont like that about him. But he is looking at the math. Lets talk about Pennsylvania. There are about two million white voters registered in Pennsylvania that did not vote in the 2012 election. The president won that state by about 350,000 votes. If Mr. Trump gets half of those people to the polls, his path to the American presidency becomes way easier and much clearer. And in order to get those people out, many of those people, the reasons why they are not voting is that they are disaffected from the system. They dont like what is happening in Washington. And by the way, I say candidly, I dont agree with all of the bellicosity of the rhetoric. But it is a defined strategy to bring out the vote to make him become the American president. The idea of a wealthy white man purposely inciting fear and anger in disaffected people merely to fulfill his own agenda of amassing personal power wouldnt play well in every room. Graduates of Harvard Business School, however, are apparently more used to this kind of thing, and Scaramuccis response was greeted with murmurs of understanding from both sides of the aisle. I get that its the strategy, Lasry said, kind of lamely. But if the strategy is one where what you are going to do is insult or try to throw cocktails and get people emotionally disturbed and upset that, to me, is not the person you want to end up having as your president. Not everyone was so sure. During the question and answer period, a female investment banker stood up with a question. I understand what you said, that there is a strategy behind some of the bellicosity, she said to Scaramucci. Nonetheless, some of the things he says really give the impression of a person who is not in control. How do you get comfortable with that part of him? Heres what I can tell you, Scaramucci said. When he is in front of people, he is an entertainer. Thats why The Apprentice had the ratings it did. But when he is sitting with a group of advisers getting a security briefing, or an economic briefing, he is well studied, asking good questions, and you would not question his temperament. The room pondered this. But what about at three in the morning, tweeting about Alicia Machado? the woman asked. Scaramucci conceded that, yes, that was bad. He didnt like that episode much either. But he insisted it, too, was strategy. The guys outward media personality, which hes had for 40 years is, you hit me, Im gonna hit you ten times, he explained. He thinks that persona is whats driving people. And hes not wrong, he pointed out. Look at the primaries. Lyin Ted. Lil Marco. The guy is a master at decimating his competition. The conversation went on a bit longer. All I can tell you, Scaramucci finally said, is that behind closed doors, he is a thoughtful, studious person. That nobodys ever seen, interjected Lasry. Ive seen him, insisted Scaramucci, who, perhaps afraid of sounding like a person who claims to have seen Bigfoot, added that his friends have seen him as well. I have taken many of my Establishment Republican friends on the plane and said, See what you think, he said. And it does change things. Afterward, the female investment banker told me that while she was disturbed by Trumps personality, she was predisposed to vote for him because she had grown up in the Soviet Union and favored a more free-market approach, and she also strongly disliked Hillary Clinton. They dont use the term redistribution of income, she said, referring to the Democrats. But thats what they mean. After hearing from Scaramucci, she said, she felt almost certain of her vote. It makes sense, she said. He is not totally crazy. He does it out of a strategy. Okay, she told Scaramucci, You got me. Twenty-four hours later, the tape broke of Trump explaining to Billy Bush, literally behind closed doors, that as a famous guy you could grab a woman by the pussy. In his video apology, Trump offered up his own version Secret Trump theory Anyone who knows me knows these words do not reflect who I am, he said but in the following weeks, as he ratcheted up his rhetoric in the face of mounting allegations, the notion that there was ever a Secret Trump, pulling the levers like Oz behind the curtain, began to crumble. Reached on the phone, the female investment banker told me she had been unbothered by the initial comments (Its something men do with each other to prove they are tough, she said.) But in the wake of Trumps doubling down by attacking his accusers, she changed her mind. I cant vote for him; hes too out of control, she emailed. I dont care what Scaramucci says. Cant stand her, though. I guess Ill be abstaining. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump had Hillary Clinton right where he wanted her giving an unconvincing explanation of why she praised an unpopular immigration policy during a closed-door meeting with Brazilian bankers. And yet, moments later, he found himself engaged in a debate over which presidential candidate is a more plausible puppet for Putin. Which cant possibly be the argument his campaign wanted to have at the third presidential debate. The exchange started with Chris Wallace quoting from a 2013 speech Clinton gave to Banco Itau which was excerpted in an email published by WikiLeaks, possibly after it was obtained by Russian intelligence operatives in which the Democratic nominee said, My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere. Trump has relentlessly promoted the fiction that Clintons immigration plan amounts to open borders. Its hard to imagine a more convenient quote for the Republican nominees campaign than this one. And so, when Wallace asked Clinton to explain her remarks, Trump actually interrupted the moderator to thank him. For Clinton, the honest explanation would probably be something like, I was describing a far-off fantasy, that I will have no opportunity to realize in office. But that would not be a politically wise thing to say. So, instead, Clinton pretended that she was merely talking about open trade and open borders in energy. Well, if you went on to read the rest of the sentence, I was talking about energy, Clinton said. You know, we trade more energy with our neighbors than we trade with the rest of the world combined. And I do want us to have an electric grid, energy system that crosses borders. Then, Clinton played the Putin card. But you are very clearly quoting from WikiLeaks and whats really important about WikiLeaks is that the Russian government has engaged in espionage against Americans, Clinton said. So I actually think the most important question of this evening, Chris, is finally will Donald Trump admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this and make it clear that he will not have the help of Putin in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage against Americans, which he actually encouraged in the past? Trump called her bluff, at first. That was a great pivot off the fact that she wants open borders, okay? Trump said. How did we get off to Putin? But then, after decrying Clintons support for resettling Syrian refugees, Trump started arguing that Putin has more respect for the Republican nominee than he does for Clinton. Look, Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person, Trump said, gesturing to Clinton. Well, thats because hed rather have a puppet as president of the United States, Clinton said. Youre the puppet! Trump replied. Then, the mogul proceeded to argue that Clinton was way more of a puppet for Putin than he was while also defending the brilliance of Putins foreign policy and Putins right to the benefit-of-the-doubt with regard to the hacking of Clintons campaign. Clinton cited 17 intelligence agencies, civilian and military who all suspect that Russia was behind the hacking of her campaigns emails. She has no idea whether its Russia, China, or anybody else, Trump replied. She has no idea And our country has no idea. Well, hed rather believe Vladimir Putin than the military and civilian intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect us, Clinton said. Trump did not feel compelled to defend himself against this characterization. Instead, he defended Putins wisdom. She doesnt like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way. To review: During a segment on immigration policy, Trump had Clinton claiming the term open borders refers to free trade in solar panels and ended the segment defending the president of Russia against American intelligence agencies. Photo: SuperStock/Getty Images/SuperStock RM Why let creepy clowns get all the attention? From now until Halloween, Science of Us is investigating the psychology behind some of the most common fears. In 2014, police in San Clemente, California, found themselves dealing with a very unusual kind of threat: Dolls were mysteriously appearing on the stoops of several different families, each one bearing a resemblance to a young girl who lived inside the house. The dolls were eventually traced back to a local woman who intended it as a kind gesture rather than any sign of malice, according to a police statement. Which is sweet, maybe, in a weird way. But to think that these dolls were a kind gesture is also to fundamentally miss an important point about dolls: It doesnt take much to make them spooky. There arent any hard and fast statistics about the prevalence of pediophobia, or the fear of dolls, but just a quick glance around the internet will show that plenty of people wouldnt want to be left alone with one. Photo: Lambert/Archive Photos/Getty Images Part of it is circular logic: People find dolls creepy because theres plenty in pop culture about creepy dolls. Chucky from Childs Play. Annabelle from Annabelle. That episode of The Twilight Zone. This list of monstrosities, if you were in the market for something to haunt your dreams tonight. Theres even a creepy Mexican tourist attraction called Isla de las Munecas, or the Island of the Dolls, where travelers flock to see dilapidated old dolls strung up on trees to appease the spirit of a local girl who drowned; the man who originally spearheaded this strange decorating project, incidentally, has come to believe that the dolls are possessed. And the narrative of the haunted doll certainly plays a role. But theres a reason dolls came to be a horror trope in the first place: They reside smack dab in the middle of the uncanny valley, the space occupied by humanlike things that provoke a sense of unease in actual humans. The term, coined in 1970 by the Japanese robotics engineer Masahiro Mori, describes that uncomfortable middle ground between lifelike and clearly inanimate: not quite fully human, but not quite something else, either. Pediophobia, is one branch on the larger tree of automatonophobia, or a fear of things that look like humans, like robots, wax figurines, statues. (For the record, pediophobia translates to fear of little children, and is linguistically just a hop and a skip away from the word for fear of actual children: pedophobia.) And dolls, like rest of the automatonophobia gang, become more fearsome the more lifelike they appear; rag dolls dont evoke the same spookiness as a baby-size thing with real hair. As Linda Rodriguez McRobbie wrote in a history of creepy dolls for Smithsonian last year, fear of dolls wasnt really a thing until the 19th century, when innovations in toy-making like eyes that could open and close meant more realistic-looking products. Photo: Irving Browning/The New York Historical Society/Getty Images And those products began messing with peoples minds in all kinds of ways. Our brains are designed to read faces for important information about intentions, emotions and potential threats; indeed, were so primed to see faces and respond to them that we see them everywhere, in streaked windows and smears of Marmite, toast and banana peels, McRobbie wrote. (More neurotic people are also more likely to see faces in inanimate objects, which, some researchers argue, is because their brains are more attuned to potential threats.) However much we know that a doll is (likely) not a threat, seeing a face that looks human but isnt unsettles our most basic human instincts. The fear of dolls, in other words, shares a lot with the fear of clowns: Both are reactions to ambiguous, slightly off versions of a normal face. And if that doesnt sound eerie enough, you can always buy your own haunted doll on eBay. If you head to donaldjtrump.com, the website of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, youll be greeted at the very top with a ticker of donors. Irma from California donated $25, Frank from Alabama ponied up $35. The thing about tickers is that we assume that they operate in real time stock tickers, cable-news scrolls, and the like. This is not the case with Donald Trump. The "live" https://t.co/P2MiseF70Z widget showing incoming donations is just a 10-day-old sample XML file played in a loop. pic.twitter.com/QirdIr06bA Jack Danger (@jackdanger) October 20, 2016 As first pointed out by Jack Danger, the scroll at the top of Trumps page is running off a static XML file. It is not showing, in any approximate way, donations as they trickle in. Of course, different sites use different systems in order to lessen server load. It is possible the site is dynamically generating a new XML file of recent donors at a regular interval except that the Trump file was last modified nine days ago, making this possibility unlikely. So if you thought, Wow, everyone else is donating now, too, and were convinced to donate to Trump after you saw the ticker, 1) you got played, and 2) cmon, dude. Welcome to the 2016 election. We are a little less than three weeks away from the election and by now there is very little that hasnt been said or blogged or tweeted or sky-written about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. At this point, the election cycle is better summed up with a GIF. A very particular GIF, which youve probably seen at least once in the past few months online: the dumpster fire. Mother Jones hailed the dumpster fire as the meme of 2016. New York Magazines Jonathan Chait has published several columns detailing the most recent dumpster-fire-isms of the Trump campaign. Slate went so far as to say that comparing Trump to a dumpster fire was an insult to the latter, since fires get the job done. Google Trends charts a significant increase in searches for the term over the last six months. (Oddly, the searches are almost entirely in the United States. Cant imagine why.) And now, Entrepreneurs Jason Feifer has tracked down the origin story of the flaming blue dumpster that has become the glowing symbol of our democratic system. The dumpster itself actually has a fairly famous home, Feifer reports. Its located behind the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. (The Oscars are hosted annually at the Dolby.) The fire took place back in 2012, a blissful year when bad hombres and grab her by the pussy werent yet a part of the national lexicon. Based on Google Maps, it appears the big blue trash container is still there today. Dolby did not respond to Feifers request for comment and the local fire department was too busy, you know, putting out actual fires to comment on the four-year-old video. Social media, it is important to this fire department, but I dont see us dedicating time and resources to a video thats popular online, a representative said. This is good ombre. Not to be confused with bad ombre. Photo: Georgie Hunter/Getty Images Tonight marks the third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. About a third of the way through the 90-minute joyride, host Chris Wallace asked the candidates a question about immigration. Which Trump took as an opportunity to bring up his concerns about the bad hombres currently running amok in the United States. From Trump: Were going to secure the border, and once the border is secured at a later date, well make a determination as to the rest. But we have some bad hombres here and were going to get them out. Leaving the questionable verbiage aside, the comment inspired everyone who has ever read a blog post about hair trends to log on to Twitter, screencap a picture of the back of a womans head (for many people, the same womans head), and tweet a bad ombre joke. (In case you arent up on your hairstyles, ombre hair is dyed darker at the roots and gradually lightens as it trickles down.) The only bad ombre Trumps ever dealt with is when Melania got a terrible hairdo. Steve McPherson (@steventurous) October 20, 2016 "We have some bad ombres here and we're gonna get them out" - Trump pic.twitter.com/81Q4pVVw5J Bailey Kircher (@baileymkircher) October 20, 2016 donald is right just today I saw a bad ombre #debatenight pic.twitter.com/EbBSNaTu8o Dang Laser (@youranalogbuddy) October 20, 2016 he's got a point i've seen a lot of bad ombre in brooklyn lately annabelle (@annabelle_nyst) October 20, 2016 Maybe he meant bad ombres? Because those really are unfortunate... #debatenight pic.twitter.com/JEpvNmcg6t Carrie Howland (@ECarrieHowland) October 20, 2016 Here @realDonaldTrump, I found an instructional YouTube video for you. #debatenight pic.twitter.com/uKIbDZo8Nr Madison Malone Kircher (@4evrmalone) October 20, 2016 And it wasnt just Twitter. Merriam Webster noted a spike in searches on its website for both hombre and ombre. Which is, I guess, still better than the last debate, when searches for lepo spiked on the site. (As in Whats a lepo? Translation: Aleppo, Syria.) Photo: Kuzma/Getty Images/iStockphoto Earlier this month, a 12-year-old girl sat in a Montana courtroom and watched a judge give her father a man who admitted he raped her 60 days in jail. Though prosecutors had recommended 25 years, the judge called the sentence and its conditions quite restrictive and quite rigorous. The 40-year-old father, who isnt named to protect the girls identity, allegedly abused her more than once, but was convicted on one count of felony incest after a plea agreement. Judge John McKeon gave him credit for 17 days hed already spent in jail, meaning hed serve only 43 days of the 60-day sentence. He would be required to serve an additional 30-year suspended prison sentence only if he failed to meet conditions of probation, which included registering as a sex offender and joining a sex-offender treatment program, never accessing pornography, and limited internet access. The decision sparked outrage after the October 4 hearing: Over 45,000 people have now signed a Change.org petition seeking to impeach Judge McKeon, who served as a state judge for 22 years. Hes reportedly retiring next month. The petition surpassed 25,000 signatures yesterday, meaning it can now be delivered to the chief clerk of the Montana House of Representatives. In an interview with the Associated Press, the county attorney pointed out that no one spoke on behalf of the girl at the hearing. In his own statement released to the AP last Friday, Judge McKeon defended his decision and cited letters the victims mother and grandmother had written to the court asking him to not send the man to prison. The girls mother and grandmother both called the abuse horrible and wrote of the mans sons: He has two sons that still love him and need their father in their lives, the mother said. She hoped her children could have an opportunity to heal the relationship with their father. The grandmother said the children, especially his sons, will be devastated if their Dad is no longer part of their lives. Judge McKeon said the mans family, friends, church, and employer had all voiced their support for him in court. He said news reports failed to mention an exception to the states mandatory 25-year sentencing law, which allows for psychiatric treatment instead of jail time a better opportunity for rehabilitation that would be for the ultimate protection of the victim. A longtime sex-offender treatment specialist recommended community-based treatment for the father and called the possibility of repeated abuse a low risk. Judge McKeon ignored what the prosecution recommended, and did what he thought was best for the rapist instead of the victim, the petition reads. The victim only had the justice system on her side, and it failed her. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images Families Families Something About Them Please Like Me Give Me a Fist-Bump, Fellow Young People Own the Future, or at Least Rent It Because of Your Student Loans Just Do It Yaaaaasssss? Ba Da Ba Ba Bah, Im Lovin Her [Vape Cloud in Lieu of Words] Hillary Clinton: Americas IUD Fear Me, Mortals Turn Around, Bright Eyes Hillary Can Totally Hang, You Guys #ISmokeWeed Chillary Clinton [Sunglasses Emoji] Ive Served My Country for the Past Several Decades and Goddamn It If Im Going to Let Some Blustering Dipshit With a Lifetime Membership to Beach Bum Spray Tan Take Away My One Chance to Be in Charge These 85 other options: They look great. That suit works. Her shoes are a mistake, though. Reply Thread Link He looks pretty decent for once. Reply Thread Link Not that decent. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link iconic Reply Parent Thread Link RIP this look forever his beauty peak, truly Reply Parent Thread Link it's not a sebastian stan post without this gif tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link He looks like a baby Gale Harold here. Yes, please. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The arms, though... Reply Parent Thread Link Very pretty. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't wear sunscreen on my body, which is bad I know. I try and put it on my face when I can, especially around my eyes, but I need to invest in a good quality one that works under makeup properly. Reply Thread Link there are some primers with sunscreen (I know tarte makes one) and there's also setting spray with sunscreen Reply Parent Thread Link oh I should have mentioned I'm on the hunt for one without silicones lol. it's SO hard to find any good ones. I've been eyeing one that I have to order online from some UK retailer lol Reply Parent Thread Link try lushs powder bb its a god send to me who is allergic to everything Reply Parent Thread Link I use Elta MD under my makeup with no problems, but I have never looked into the ingredient list carefully. It is great sun protection, though. The BEST product I have found for my face though is colorscience's spf50 mineral powder. It lets me reapply all day, on top of my makeup. It's translucent, so you can't tell at all, and if anything, it gives my makeup a bit of a pick-me-up. Reapplication is so crucial in sun protection throughout the day, but previously way too difficult once makeup was already on. This product is a gamechanger. Fast, easy, invisible. Can't rave about it enough. Reply Parent Thread Link Queen and King of sex appeal. Also I want that suit Reply Thread Link is famke really tall? her feet look huge but it might be the shoes I am getting better about wearing face sunscreen but I don't wear sunscreen daily on my shoulders/arms oop Reply Thread Link i think she's either 6 feet tall or really close to it. i was pretty good about wearing sunscreen in the summer but i have been lazy about it lately Reply Parent Thread Link She wears size 11 shoes or something. Reply Parent Thread Link according to imdb: 5' 11" Reply Parent Thread Link sebastian should just wear blue all the time Reply Thread Link But the black on black suit from TWS premiere is so hot tho. Reply Parent Thread Link that he did! Reply Parent Thread Link Famke is so gorgeous. I wish she would be on HTGAWM permanently. Reply Thread Link same! i love when she pops up randomly Reply Parent Thread Link I remember seeing pics of her with her boyfriend last year, but none recently, so maybe they broke up idk. Reply Parent Thread Link sameeeeee. i love eve, she's a really great character. Reply Parent Thread Link I live in the UK and wear sunscreen on my face all the time, lol. Pretty pointless but I wanna protect my skin Reply Thread Link love your icon Reply Parent Thread Link I love yours too! so cute <33 Reply Parent Thread Link UVB penetrates clouds! So you are fighting the good fight. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Saaame. In London I'm also more concerned about pollution because I'm sure I read somewhere that pollution is almost as bad for your skin/ageing as the sun is :'( Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Sebastian looks really good. Reply Thread Link He really does. The suit, hair and stubble. All working for him in a big way. Reply Parent Thread Link For real! I like that he doesn't always wear a black suit either, he does take some chances and it's nice to see. Reply Parent Thread Link try things with arbutin and/or glutathione, they lighten skin like no other source: me buying a sheet mask with glutathione as the main ingredient and used the remainder liquid on my face for a few days after and my face looked like a ghost compared to the rest of my body (though my hyperpigmentation was still very visible sadly). but maybe as a spot treatment it would work better. for what it's worth i'm white with light-olive skin that also hyperpigments at the drop of a hat, haha Reply Parent Thread Link i only wear sunscreen on my face because someone on this website told me to lol i still only sometimes put it on my bod, like if i'm gonna be outdoors for a while. idk. if i get skin cancer, y'all know why. Reply Thread Link Don't forget to apply it to your decolletage! Reply Parent Thread Link sure sure, i hit the deco too brah Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I basically use sunscreen as a moisturizer. Famke looks great, hard to believe there's a 17 year age difference between her and Sebastian. Reply Thread Link same, and it was the best change of my (skincare) life since my skin is oily and sunscreen+moisturizer always felt so heavy on my face Reply Parent Thread Link I just use a coppertone sport spray and it works so well and sets my makeup Reply Parent Thread Link http://www.ulta.com/daily-protection-moisturizing-face-lotion-spf-30?productId=xlsImpprod1790051 Edited at 2016-10-20 12:17 am (UTC) I was just looking for a new daily facial moisturizer w/ a higher SPF than 10 or 15 like most, that is also reasonably priced & found this.....it has good reviews for going underneath foundation & not causing it to separate or pill up. Reply Parent Thread Link i use paula's choice daily moisturizer personally clinique city block is supposedly very good. comes in high spf ranges Reply Parent Thread Link I use that. Unfortunately it has a very faint sunscreen smell, but it's thin and not goopy like traditional sunscreens. And available in Target, Walmart, and other common stores. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i use this one as well and have used it for years (it was a recommendation from my dermatologist at the time) and i agree it is quite good for using under makeup Reply Parent Thread Expand Link His 6head is growing Reply Thread Link named Lohan in Athens, Greece.Page Six has learned that. According to an insider, Lohan has partnered with a German energy drink, Mintanine. Lohan has spent the past several weeks in Europe meeting with Syrian refugees in the region. Theres hardly food, water or anything, at the camp, explained a source close to LiLo, so at this point sending anything is helpful. We guess so? This is all part of Lindsays mission to help refugees, the source explained. Mintanine is described on its website as a blue caffeine lemonade and lifestyle drink with the tag line Blue tastes woo-hoo. It recently sponsored a Playboy club tour in Frankfurt, Germany. As for any health benefits for the thirsty refugees, We do not use synthetic flavours or caffeine, no taurin, no aspartam, no inosit, but natural guarana, says the site. Lohan and her Greek club partner Dennis Papageorgiou whom the source close to Lohan says the star isnt dating despite pictures of them kissing at another nightclub are planning to expand their venture. Were told there are investors interested in another Lohan club location in London, and LiLo and her squad are looking for partners in Hong Kong. Lindsay discussing her new nightclub in Athens and refugees: I just...... all I can think of is that line from Idiocracy - "It's what plants crave!". source Zane Lowe sat down with Gaga a couple weeks ago and posted the full interview today. Here are some highlights:- Gaga agrees that Joanne as an album is "searching for a good time with some unavoidable truths that need to be dealt with"- Goes into detail about erasing all of her fame to create the album: "You can't create records resting on your previous success or caring about that. At the end of the day that's not really what I'm here for.- Talks about what it was like after going through her peak in 2011: "It's a blessing. It's pure adrenaline of the world adoring you. And then you realize it will never be the way it was before." She dealt with paranoia, fear, alcohol, drugs, anxiety, body pain, "a lot of it has to do with feeling unsafe in my own body because I leave the house and there's people touching me, grabbing me, and yelling"- On Angel Down:- On being drawn into the #BLM conversation: "I cannot write anything that does not have a voice or a purpose in the universe. Why have this voice? Why have this platform?" - On her previous mindless dance pop music: "That was great! I loved it. It was amazing, and I will sing those songs for you and everyone for the rest of my life. [but] I'm a woman now and I care about the world and I care about young people and that's what I want to make."- On the internet: "It's like the earth in a way, we're gonna destroy it. It's a big toilet, it's a garbage can. I can't sort through what's real and what's not. I'm watching all these young kids die and then you go on the internet and it's a bunch of garbage in the way of the truth."- On not making the music her fans may have wanted: "I don't think it's a healthy way to make music. When you're think of people's perspectives too much and what they want musically, that's toxic... I have a need to make music. I don't have a need to be famous. It's totally different."- When Gaga brings up her dad being overprotective, Zane brings up how the story is similar to Madonna's, "Madonna and I are very different. I wouldn't make that comparison at all. And I don't mean to disrespect Madonna, she's a nice lady. She's had a fantastic huge career, she's the biggest popstar of all time. But I play a lot of instruments, I write all my own music. I spend hours in the studio, I'm a producer. What I do is different. I'm not just rehearsing over and over again to put on a show. I allow myself to fail, I allow myself to break - I'm not afraid of my flaws.- Elton John, Stevie Wonder & Tony Bennett encouraged her to stop smoking. More @ the source Always looking for the next fake feud to capitalize on. He will die abandoned and alone, just like Madonna. Reply Thread Link This iirrelevence.. wtf does madonna have to do with any of this? Surprised u didn't bring up britney actually so I guess U might finally be making progress and moving on to being bitter bout someone else ohp. Reply Parent Thread Link he always brings up Madonna, his obsession is not even funny anymore Reply Parent Thread Link Britney isn't even intelligent enough to fake a feud. Isn't she fed through a tube? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link you should know by now that they pick the pop girl of the day to pick on. Once Gaga becomes a non-factor it'll just be some other pop girl they wanna attack. Remember those tragic Adele posts Reply Parent Thread Link Kanye would take this as a compliment, sadly. Reply Parent Thread Link You should be banned for trolling and being off tooic all the tine Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Kanye is upset that Jay only called him after Kim was robbed in Paris; would have preferred it if Jay had stopped by the house instead Bitch, people got shit to do, goddamn... Reply Thread Link Unless he was already in Paris this is ridiculous. Reply Parent Thread Link She flew back to New York hours later Reply Parent Thread Expand Link seriously he read WAY too much into this Reply Parent Thread Link Not going to lie, I wouldn't be surprised if this is all because of Kim. Reply Thread Link Jay is washed and Kanye is a Kardashian. I'm not crying about it. LMAO @ his kids never playing with Blue Ivy and the fact that he's pressed about it. Come on, Beyonce spent the longest time trying not to be photographed with your wife! Reply Thread Link When those photographs came of them during that double date, I fucking died. Beyonce was so embarrassed and ashamed lol Reply Parent Thread Link Beyonce's disdain for Kim is one of my favourite things about her. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Lol how do you know she was embarrassed? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol so washed and big brother Kanye would never Reply Parent Thread Link Where in the videos did he say that tho I didn't hear it ? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I thought the Made in America pics were embarrassing too. Bey was enjoying the show and getting her life. Kim was busy making sure everybody got a clear pic of her next to Bey. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link He's so messy Reply Thread Link A phone call is plenty, Kanye needs to quit airing out his dirty laundry. The Carter's don't owe him shit and take the hintthey don't fuck with your Kardashian lifestyle Also wasn't Bey still workin? Edited at 2016-10-20 11:30 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Everything has to stop for Kimye OK??? Reply Parent Thread Link shame on the carters tbh Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Jay z does owe him he would be irrelevant if Kanye didn't do the beats for blue print black print ect Reply Parent Thread Link So hard. This is 100 Reply Parent Thread Link Jay Z is a better rapper but Kanye will always be a better musician Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yep Reply Parent Thread Link Well, someone needs to force feed that memo to Kanye since he's clearly not clued in. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ia Reply Parent Thread Link MTE. No one will contest that Jay has better rhymes, better flow, etc. but ultimately Kanye has had a bigger impact musically. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i think it's more of a "senpai notice me" situation Reply Parent Thread Expand Link In a really weird way I find it funny how he uses his fans/concert goers as friends and always takes time to gossip with them. Reply Thread Link because who the hell else is gonna listen to him? Reply Parent Thread Link True lol, hope he can make some real friends in the future. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think a lot of ppl listen to him and that's the biggest problem Reply Parent Thread Link LOL aw only people that pay to see him, bless Reply Parent Thread Link This is lightweight like watching BFF's get into a sub-post fight on Facebook. Glorious! Reply Thread Link "there will never be a Watch the Throne 2" Good. Reply Thread Link It was not a masterpiece, but had SOME BOPS Reply Parent Thread Link Bye Reply Parent Thread Link Come on, now. At least 60% of that album was fire. Reply Parent Thread Link WTT the album was not a perfect masterpiece (though In Paris and No Church In The Wild are classics) but the tour was AMAZING and completely justified the whole endeavor IMO Reply Parent Thread Link ia the show was super duper fun Reply Parent Thread Link i wish he'd stop these rants. I've never thought the Carters fucked with him or viewed him as anything other than a work friend. Shame he's just realizing that lol. One Connect Four game does not bestie make! Reply Thread Link Actually, they seemed incredibly close pre-Kim. I think the problem is that each couple has different values. Kimye is about notoriety, Bey & Jay are about prestige. The circus show that is Kimye's life clashes so hard with the ultra private, esteemed life of the Bey & Jay. Kanyes idea of his kids playing with Blue Ivy prob includes having it filmed on KUWTK or being instagrammed/snapchat to death. Those 2 families just have wildly different lifestyles Reply Parent Thread Link Very true Reply Parent Thread Link Not sure why you'd think that since Kanye is rarely on KUWTK Reply Parent Thread Link Dude Before she was officially Mrs Carter, Beyonce was Kanye's bff as much as that misogynist narcisist pos can have a bff. He was demoted the minute he stopped being useful and became unpredictable and embarrassing (taylor swift rant / becoming a Kardashian). Reply Parent Thread Link No, they were legitimately very close before Kim. Edited at 2016-10-23 12:39 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, I always felt Kayne thought they were closer then Jay really felt.. But I guess that neither hear nor there when your saying in public like this. OK. so Jay did call him. lol IDK what to say then. Edited at 2016-10-20 11:32 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link He doesn't need to be airing this out publicly, but I could understand him feeling some type of way when it seems kind of apparent that they don't want to be associated with Kim. Like I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T LIKE THE KARDASHIANS blah blah blah but that's his wife and his family. Reply Thread Link lol and if I'm Bey and Jay I'd say yeah, that's his family. He made that choice, not us. It's cold, but I'm gonna guess he knew how they felt awhile back. Reply Parent Thread Link IA u can tell Kanye goes hard for his fam. Jay and Bey not showing up to the wedding, as hilarious as it was to us, is kinda fucked up. I get if they didn't Wanna be on the show but they could've told Kanye "we going but don't want no affiliation with the show". Something to that extent. Don't sign the release form. Even if they don't think of him as a personal friend, they've worked together for over a decade. U could've atleast gone to the rehearsal dinner. Like damn. Edited at 2016-10-20 11:48 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yeah that's really disrespectful honestly Reply Parent Thread Link Right, and if they do have a relationship outside of that I just can't imagine Kim being SO horrible that they couldn't have private play dates or something. Reply Parent Thread Link for real that was pretty messed up Reply Parent Thread Link lmfao if yall dont get the fuck Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeaaaah it's really odd not to even do a polite appearance at the wedding. You don't need to do anything ridiculous, and it's not like they don't have the money to do so. Reply Parent Thread Link But it's clearly way beyond that -- he is straight up obsessed with them and has been since before K was in the pic. It was so uncomfortable to watch play out even when he was with Amber. Then when K was in the picture, it got all the more "Single White Female". Of course they'd start to avoid him, and of course it's to his oblivious/delusional chagrin. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link tbh at this point i don't think it's all about kim. beyonce clearly doesn't want to be associated with her but i think it's also that kanye sees his relationship with jay-z as a big brother/little brother while jay-z sees him a great work friend. they could also just not be feeling him in the past few years, same as everyone else. i was the biggest kanye fan (& i still love his work) but he gets on my nerves and i don't even have to talk to him. Reply Parent Thread Link Cackling Reply Thread Link Libya has been teetering on the edge of economic collapse for a couple of years now, and may have just made a narrow escape, right when the World Bank issued a dire warning about its future fortunes. The danger is not over yet, however, as so much depends on the continued political stability of the North African country. Two years ago, civil war-torn Libya suffered a blow when the Petroleum Facilities Guard, a local militia, took control over its four export terminals in the so-called Oil Crescent. From that moment up until this September, Ras Lanuf, El Sider, Zueitina, and Brega were under the control of the militia, which used them as a means of extorting money from the available authorities, effectively suspending oil exports from the country. Things changed this September, when the Libyan National Army took over the four ports and handed control over to the National Oil Company. Operations at some fields that were previously shut down by the PFG also restarted and, as of this week, Libya boasts daily production of 580,000 barrels. That figure is almost equal to the World Banks 600,000-bpd forecast for Libyas oil output at end-2017, under a scenario where the Government of National Accord wins the trust of the House of Representatives the alternative authority based in Tobruk, in eastern Libya. What the World Bank did not factor in, apparently, was the possibility that NOC, the GNA, and the Tobruk-loyal LNA under General Khalifa Haftar would join forces to restore the countrys oil industry. Related: Oil Prices Close To One Year Highs On Bullish Inventory Report Some Libya analysts see Haftar as a key figure in the process of unification. The general has had a long and colorful career in politics, from a Gaddafi loyalist to one of the frontmen of the 2011 uprising. He has won the appreciation of Libyans by stifling the threat posed by the Islamic State. And, according to both experts and Libyan citizens, his ultimate goal is to take control of the country. It is with this goal in mind, according to Libya expert Jason Pack, that Haftar handed over control of the oil terminals to NOC and channeled the money to the central bank in Tripoli, the HQ of the GNA. As a result, GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj pledged, in late September, to grant Haftar representation in the new ministerial lineup that will follow a vote of no confidence from the House of Representatives. We have no other choice but dialogue and reconciliation, Al-Sarraj was quoted as saying in an interview for AFP. Indeed, dialogue is the only way for the rival forces in Libyan politics to get the country back on its feet, and this seems to have taken priority over their fight for control, at least temporarily. How long this priority lineup will survive is an open question. Related: Why Permian Prices Will Keep Breaking Records Already there is reason for increased tensions between Haftar and the GNA, after Al-Sarraj decided to give the defense ministry to another military man, Ibrahim al-Barghathi. The significance of this move becomes clearer in light of earlier reports that Haftar was the person who made sure that the House of Representatives voted down Al-Sarrajs initial ministerial lineup. It seems that the UN-backed Government of National Accord may need to make more concessions to the LNA and the House of Representatives if it is to get their support, and General Haftars. This support, as the World Banks report suggests, is urgently needed as Libyas economy is a shambles, desperate for oil cash, as Libya has virtually no other source of income besides its crude oil reserves. The problem with oil cash is that its a double-edged sword. The moment it starts flowing, political tensions are likely to heighten, as rival factions seek greater access to the public coffers. The likelihood of this happening will be much lower if the GNA and HoR manage to forge a solid mutually beneficial agreement, ensuring that all the major stakeholders are happier with it than any alternative. How achievable this is, however, remains uncertain. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As yesterday's exceedingly mixed weekly EIA report is digested, oil prices are unwinding a good deal of yesterday's knee-jerk rally. As dollar strength further encourages crude lower, hark, here are five things to consider in oil markets today: 1) Yesterday's EIA inventory report yielded a large counter-seasonal draw to crude stocks, even though refinery maintenance is likely at its peak. Imports not only dropped off from Canada, but also to all three coastal PADDs (1,3 & 5). West coast crude oil inputs reached their lowest level since April 2012 (hark, below), depressing the need for crude imports. (Click to enlarge) 2) With lower refinery utilization, less crude is being needed by refineries. Yesterday's EIA report showed PADD5 imports of 751,000 bpd last week. This is the lowest level since April 2013. Our ClipperData show the leading suppliers to the West Coast this year. While Ecuador is the second-largest supplier, sending medium sour Oriente and heavy sour Napo grades, Saudi Arabia is leading the way in terms of volume. But as our ClipperData illustrate, imports from Saudi Arabia have dropped right off this month, with just one delivery: 1,065,000 bbls of Arab Extra Light to Chevron's El Segundo refinery. Monthly deliveries of Arab Light and Arab Medium have made their way to the West coast for fifteen consecutive months, but here we are, two thirds of the way through October, and neither grade has been discharged yet. (Click to enlarge) 3) While concerns swirl about Chinese output, the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that producers have managed to stop the rot in September. As the chart below illustrates, Chinese production volumes managed to stabilize last month at 3.9mn bpd, ticking slightly higher than August's level. That said, output is still 9.8 percent lower on year-ago levels, down ~400,000 bpd. Refining activity also rose last month, up 2.4 percent to 10.7mn bpd. (Click to enlarge) 4) The boys are back in town! Troubled Nigerian grades, which have spent much of this year in and out of force majeure, are finally seeing a turnaround in our ClipperData thus far this month. After being completely absent in September, Qua Iboe loadings are seeing a return to form, while Brass River, Escravos and Forcados are all up on last month's loading volumes. Bonny Light, however, has shrunk to a new low for the year. (Click to enlarge) Related: Exxon CEO Contradicts Other Oil Executives: Doesnt Expect Supply Crunch The worst supply losses could be in the rear-view mirror for Nigeria. Now that flows are returning, however, the country's national oil company, NNPC, is slashing the price of its oil to boost sales and regain market share. Qua Iboe has been reduced by the most since 2014, while the majority of grades have had their OSP (official selling price) lowered by at least $1/bbl. 5) While much has been made of how low oil prices have dented Saudi's revenues, the charts below from EIA show the detrimental impact on Russia - and how weakness in the ruble has helped to offset this. But while lower oil prices have crimped Russian revenues, Russian oil and gas companies have been less affected, given that lower tax rates have been paid due to lower crude prices. This has meant that the likes of Rosneft and Lukoil - Russia's two largest producers - have not had to slash their budgets like other large global producers have. In fact, Rosneft in 2015 boosted its capex on exploration and production by 30 percent versus the previous year, while capex in the first half of 2016 was 33% higher than in the first half of 2015. Lukoils declined by 11 percent in 2015 compared to 2014, but is just 2 percent lower 1H 2016 compared to 1H 2015. As strong investment continues, Russian oil production has reached post-Soviet era highs, and is expected to continue growing in the coming years as new projects come online. (Click to enlarge) By Matt Smith More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Shakira performed for Pope Francis at the UN today (Friday), Shakira - Imagine (Live at the UN's General Assembly 2015) : The text a... For the 10th straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee, presented by the restaurants of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, dining guides, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as voting for your "Best of Dining 2016." Half off everything at Riverwest Pizza on Mondays? Free lunch at Old German Beer Hall when you buy a beer? Or how about free golfing at Fore? Those are the sorts of deals you can expect from the MealSteals app, a snazzy new tool which helps users discover new places to eat and drink while saving money at the same time. MealSteals currently offers users free access to deals from over 100 area businesses, including food trucks, bars and restaurants. Deals can be anything from happy hour offerings, events, daily or weekly specials, or even "flash deals" which are only available for a limited time. The app also features exclusive deals only available through MealSteals. Milwaukeeans Ben Bourgeois and Brian Kopp are the masterminds behind the free app, which they say was built for "spur of the moment decisions." "In the end, we built this for us," notes Bourgeois. "Both of us have inconsistent schedules, and were indecisive. I cant tell you how many times when Ive been sitting with my friends, and nobody knows what we should do. But the app actually shows us all the places we could go and the things we could do." The app is free for both participating businesses and users, but its effectiveness lies in the overall accuracy of its information, which is left in complete control of the participating businesses. "Most happy hour apps pull specials off of the web," notes Bourgeois. "But we hand the keys over to businesses and let them control their own accounts. That gives us a higher level of accuracy as well as offering the restaurant more flexibility to create special deals." Once they have an account, businesses also dont need to wait for their deals to become active. "The app also functions in real time, so once a restaurant puts a deal in, it goes live immediately," Bourgeois explains. "So theres no waiting. Theres nothing stopping a savvy business owner from posting new things every day or multiple times a week. They can experiment." The user experience Logging into the MealSteals app at 2 p.m. on a Monday offered up food deals from nearly 20 restaurants and bars. There were drink specials, happy hour offerings and even lunch deals. And many were at venues I that wouldnt necessarily be on my regular radar. Even better, the app gave me a variety of ways to look for deals. Using "map view," I was able to access all the deals within 15-20 miles of my current location. I could also see those same deals as a simple list or filter down to access all food or beverage specials. And for each deal, I could see how much longer it was available. Take for instance, this deal from Transfer Pizzeria. A few days later, I logged on closer to 4 p.m. and found offers from over 60 different venues, including Burnhearts, Camino, The Irish Pub, Sake Tumi, Hi-Hat and McBobs. Clicking through to various bars and restaurants, I was also able to see all of their listed specials, even those for other days of the week. Even better, I was able to mark certain restaurants as "favorites" so I could access their deals more quickly and easily. The app defaults to "real time," which means you can view specials that are happening in the moment. However, I also discovered you can change the time setting so that it views deals up to eight hours in the future, making it easy to plan an outing with friends later in the day. And redemption? Well, typically Ive found its just a matter of showing them the page on the app. Whats coming? Bourgeois says theyre constantly looking at improvements for the app, particularly those which create a better experience for users. He says one of the next updates which could launch within the next month will be push notifications for deals from places users have identified as favorites. "Because you can favorite particular spots, it keeps the app from being overly intrusive, since you wont get notified about spots unless you have favorited them," he notes. He says the goal is to keep the app fresh and fun. So they also hope to be able to add spiffs for users who regularly redeem offers found on MealSteals. "From the beginning, weve wanted to gamify the app to make it more fun for users. So were looking at ways to award points to users for checking in at various spots," he explains. "And then, the idea would be that theyd be able to redeem those points on our web site or app for swag or gift cards from area establishments." Interested? Download the app through Google Play or the Apple App Store. You can also follow MealSteals on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Today, Netflix announced what's coming and going from the streaming site in the month of November. And I could focus on the bad news, like the fact that delightful children's films like "E.T." and "The Boxtrolls" will be removed next month or that "Major League" is leaving or that they've got a nice supply of horror movies like "Cujo," "Ravenous" and the recent Purge-themed spoof "Meet the Blacks" arriving just in time for Not Halloween. But really, that would just be me being a jerk, because this is one of the best Netflix overall release lists they've come up with in a few months. There's a really excellent crop of new films, like the low-key sweetness of "Paddington" to the special effects spectacle of the new "Jungle Book." But there's also some older gems mixed in like "The African Queen" and a collection of WWII Capra-produced propaganda news films that should be a treat for film buffs and history buffs alike. The Netflix originals sound intriguing namely "The Crown," which may be the "Downton Abbey" replacement you've been looking for. Plus, Milwaukee Film Festival fans who missed out on the Super Secret Members Screening should be pumped as well that this year's special selection, "Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You," will be available for streaming next month, too. And prepare yourself for Thanksgiving, which offers both "Boyhood" and the new "Gilmore Girls" episodes to help distract you from having to interact with your family post-election. Basically, there's something for almost literally everybody next month which is pretty great considering some months, there's seemingly nothing for anybody being added. But perhaps Christmas has come a little early. Here's the rest of what to look forward to next month and what to stream before it's gone. Coming to Netflix Nov. 1 "The African Queen" (1951) "Alfie" (2004) "Bob the Builder: White Christmas" (2008) "Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh" (1995) "The Confessions of Thomas Quick" (2016) "Cujo" (1983) "The Doors" (1991) "The Heartbreak Kid" (2007) "Jetsons: The Movie" (1990) "King's Faith" (2013) "Love, Now" (2012) "Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You" (2016) "Pervert Park" (2014) "Ravenous" (1999) "Stephen King's Thinner" (1996) "Tales From the Darkside: The Movie" (1990) "Thomas & Friends: A Very Thomas Christmas" (2012) "Thomas & Friends: Holiday Express" (2012) "Thomas & Friends: Merry Winter Wish" (2010) "Thomas & Friends: The Christmas Engines" (2014) "Thomas & Friends: Ultimate Christmas" (2009) Nov. 2 "Dough" (2015) "Food Choices" (2016) "Meet the Blacks" (2016) Nov. 4 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "The Crown" season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Dana Carvey: Straight White Male, 60" NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "The Ivory Game" (2016) "Just Friends" (2005) NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "World of Winx" season 1 Nov. 9 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Danger Mouse" season 2 Nov. 11 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "All Hail King Julien" season 4 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Case" season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Estocolmo" season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Roman Empire: Reign of Blood" season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Tales By Light" season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "True Memoirs of an International Assassin" (2016) "Under the Sun" (2015) Nov. 12 "Take Me to the River" (2015) Nov. 13 "Chalk It Up" (2016) Nov. 14 "Carter High" (2015) Nov. 15 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Dieter Nuhr: Nuhr in Berlin" "K-POP Extreme Survival" season 1 "Men Go to Battle" (2015) "The Missing Ingredient: What is the Recipe for Success?" (2016) Nov. 16 "The 100" season 3 "Burn After Reading" (2008) "Jackass 3.5: The Unrated Movie" (2011) "Paddington" (2014) Nov. 17 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Lovesick" season 2 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Paranoid" season 1 Nov. 18 "The Battle of Midway" (1942) NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Beat Bugs" season 2 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Colin Quinn: The New York Story" NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Divines" (2016) "Prelude to War" (1942) "San Pietro" (1945) "Sour Grapes" (2016) "Thunderbolt" (1947) "Tunisian Victory" (1944) "Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines" (1943) "Why We Fight: The Battle of Russia" (1943) "WWII: Report from the Aleutians" (1943) Nov. 22 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Mercy" (2016) Nov. 23 "Penguins: Spy in the Huddle" Nov. 25 NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "3%" season 1 "Boyhood" (2014) NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Michael Che Matters" Nov. 29 "Silver Skies" (2016) Nov. 30 "Ghost Team" (2016) "I Dream Too Much" (2016) "The Jungle Book" (2016) "Level Up" (2016) "Traded" (2016) Leaving Netflix Nov. 1 "The Addams Family" (1991) "Almost Famous" (2000) "Angel Heart" (1987) "Barnyard" (2006) "Bratz: The Movie" (2007) "The 'Burbs" (1989) "Can't Hardly Wait" (1998) "Chuck" seasons 1-5 "The Core" (2003) "Deliverance" (1972) "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial" (1982) "Echelon Conspiracy" (2009) "Eight Crazy Nights" (2002) "Empire State" (2012) "Equilibrium" (2002) "Escape to Witch Mountain" (1975) "The Family Man" (2000) "Fatal Attraction" (1987) "Fresh" (1994) "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (2005) "The Holiday" (2006) "Into the Wild" (2007) "Kangaroo Jack" (2003) "Legally Blonde" (2001) "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" (2003) "Major League" (1989) "Mansfield Park" (1999) "Meet Joe Black" (1998) "Mel Brooks: Make a Noise" (2013) "Open Season" (2006) "Open Season 2" (2008) "Open Season 3" (2010) "Patton Oswalt: My Weakness Is Strong" (2009) "Powerpuff Girls" seasons 1-6 "Rounders" (1998) "Scream 2" (1997) "Sex: My British Job" (2013) "Shameless" series 1-10 "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (2004) "Something's Gotta Give" (2003) "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" (2004) "Spy Game" (2001) "The Sum of All Fears" (2002) "Total Drama World Tour" (2014) "Underground: The Julian Assange Story" (2012) "Urban Cowboy" (1980) "Varsity Blues" (1999) "What Women Want" (2000) Nov. 2 "The English Teacher" (2013) Nov. 4 "Gigli" (2003) Nov. 5 "The Homesman" (2014) Nov. 11 "Quartet" (2012) Nov. 14 "Seal Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines" (2014) Nov. 15 "Naked Among Wolves" (2015) Nov. 16 "The American" (2010) "Let's Go to Prison" (2006) Nov. 22 "Tracers" (2014) Nov. 23 "The Boxtrolls" (2014) "Scenic Route" (2013) "Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors" (2015) Nov. 24 "The Boondocks" seasons 1-4 "Chowder" seasons 1-3 "Courage the Cowardly Dog" seasons 1-4 "Uncle Grandpa" season 1 Nov. 25 "Robin Hood" (1973) Nov. 30 "Stuck in Love" (2012) "xXx" (2002) Since my sister's brain injury eleven years ago I have spent more time in hospitals and emergency rooms than I care to remember. During that time I have noticed a frightening decline in the level of care my sister and other patients who are unable to speak for themselves receive. Perhaps a knee-jerk reaction to what I've observed would be to say that it's all due to "Obamacare"--but that doesn't jibe with my own experience. I began noticing the decline in hospital care long before the Obama administration passed its healthcare legislation. That is not to say that there aren't forces out there so hell-bent on seeing Obamacare fail that they'd have no problem seeing to it that care is withheld from those who need it most. It also would be easy to blame the problem on too few doctors to handle the patient load, or on staffing shortages for nurses or nurse assistants. While doctors with too many patients and nurse staffing shortages both contribute to the decline in patient care, the problem I am seeing goes well beyond those factors. It seems to reflect both a lack of training in how to care for and treat patients with disabilities and conditions like dementia, and also an outright lack of common sense. For example, you cannot expect someone who is not able to speak or to use their hands to push the call button to let you know they need to be changed or are in need of some other assistance. Only today, my sister found herself in just such jeopardy. Her mattress/bed malfunctioned, and she was pulled down into it. Her upper body was trapped down at the head of the mattress and her nasal tube pulled taut across her neck, while her legs were up at normal height. To say the least, this was a dangerous position for someone with a feeding tube or a high risk of aspiration. Other things are commonly neglected that are, or should be, common-sense patient care--from turning on the television or turning up the volume, to opening the blinds or turning on the room lights during the day, or even to equipping patients with their eye glasses. I have come into my sister's hospital room on an overcast day or just before sunset, and found her in a dark room without her glasses. No one had thought to open the blinds that morning or to turn on the room lights as the skies turned overcast. No one had bothered, either, to turn on her television, so she had had to sit in a dark room all day staring at the wall. Whenever I walk into my sister's hospital room and see the look on her face that says "They forgot me," it first breaks my heart and then makes me angry. When it comes to changing the dress of patients like my sister--those who are unable to move their limbs or who have contractures--I constantly see a lack of attention and common sense. In turning or moving a patient who is unable to actively assist you, it is imperative always to pay attention to the placement of their hands, arms, feet and face. As I've witnessed nursing technicians change and turn my sister, I've more than once had to call out to them to "Watch her foot!" "Watch her foot!" when her foot was caught between the bed and rail. Other times I've had to shout, "She can't breathe!" when her face was buried in the pillow. After every one of those episodes, I've been told, "Oh, its okay." No, it's not okay! A patient is crying out in pain, and no attendant bothers to check why she is crying out and why it was difficult to turn her!? And don't get me started on oral care--or should I say the lack thereof! I do understand that most hospitals are dealing with staffing shortages. However, most are using travel nurses to cover the shortfall, so there is no excuse. I in fact know of one northern Virginia hospital where about ninety-percent of the nursing staff consists of travel nurses. There are, however, problems with travel nurses. In my experience, they do not seem to have the same loyalty or buy-in to the hospitals they are contracted to as do permanent members of a hospital nursing staff. Perhaps that is because travel nurse contracts at a given hospital are usually for no longer than a year. Moreover, very few travel nurses demonstrate the same level of experience or training as the staff nurses at hospitals. That may be because, in many fields, workers contracted from the outside either do not have or get the ongoing mandatory training required of permanent employees at most institutions today. With all that said, it is urgent that doctors and nurses of all stripes up their game in patient care. Most people are not able, and should not have, to sit all day in the hospital with their loved ones in order to ensure that the room lights or the television are turned on for them. Yet, in my experience, it seems that more and more hospitals now almost expect them to do exactly that. Things have got to the point where technicians are leaving their duties without giving certain treatments if I am not there to assist them, or my sister is never moved out of her bed and into a chair unless I'm there to do it myself. The sad and most disturbing aspect of this decline in the level of care for the disabled is that it is just the tip of the iceberg. I have provided only a snapshot of the many ways in which hospitals and the healthcare industry are failing disabled patients, especially those on Medicare or Medicaid. Based on my experience, an increasing number of doctors and hospitals seem to no longer care about patients with disabilities, and have simply written them off. As two doctors at one hospital told me, "I don't understand why we are doing all these tests. Even if we find something we won't do anything [by way of treatment], because it won't cure her underlying brain injury." Here's a tip for those doctors and others who think like them. Patients with disabilities are people too and deserve to be treated as such. Disabled lives matter. God forbid that one of your own loved ones suffers a debilitating injury or illness and is then subject to the same kind of care I've described. It would behoove healthcare and medical professionals to (1) treat all patients as they would want their closest loved ones to be treated, and (2) remember karma is a b*****. The third presidential debate had the elements of a classic Hollywood western. A robber-baron, Donald Trump, tries to takeover the town; the inhabitants turn, incongruously, to the local "schoolmarm", Hillary Clinton. They meet in an epic "battle" and the good woman forces the bad guy into mistake after mistake. At the end, Hillary walked into the audience, smiling, while Trump remained on stage, petrified. As she'd done in the first debate, Clinton's strategy was to needle Trump and force him to make errors. During the discussion on immigration, Clinton said: "[Donald] used undocumented labor to build the Trump Tower. He underpaid undocumented workers, and when they complained, he basically said what a lot of employers do: 'You complain, I'll get you deported.'" Trump failed to respond. Clinton rattled Trump during an exchange of Russian hacking: "Will Donald Trump admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this and make it clear that he will not have the help of Putin in in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage against Americans, which he actually encouraged in the past?" Trump equivocated, mumbling Putin "has no respect" for Hillary. She replied, "That's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States." With the puppet comment, Hillary got under Trump's skin and he got angry. And sloppy. Trump's defense of his economic plan was incoherent. Clinton responded, "Let me translate that..." She noted Trump's praise of the Chinese economy, adding, "One of the biggest problems we have with China is the illegal dumping of steel and aluminum into our markets... In fact, the Trump Hotel right here in Las Vegas was made with Chinese steel. So [Donald] goes around with crocodile tears about how terrible it is, but he has given jobs to Chinese steelworkers, not American steelworkers." Instead of responding, Trump asked a question: What had Clinton accomplished in her thirty years as a public service? Clinton pounced: "You know, back in the 1970s, I worked for the Children's Defense Fund. And I was taking on discrimination against African-American kids in schools. [Donald] was getting sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination in his apartment buildings. In the 1980s, I was working to reform the schools in Arkansas. He was borrowing $14 million from his father to start his businesses. In the 1990s, I went to Beijing and I said women's rights are human rights. He insulted a former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado... And on the day when I was in the Situation Room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, [Donald] was hosting the 'Celebrity Apprentice.'" By this point, Trump was visibly angry. When asked about allegations of groping women, Trump stammered, "Those stores have been largely debunked... I believe it was her campaign that did it." Clinton replied: "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth, and I don't think there is a woman anywhere who doesn't know what that feels like. So we now know what Donald thinks and what he says and how he acts toward women." Trump shouted, "Nobody has more respect for women than I do." The audience laughed at him. Trump said, "[Hillary] should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with e-mails and so many other things." The moderator asked Trump, "There is a tradition in this country -- in fact, one of the prides of this country -- is the peaceful transition of power and that no matter how hard-fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign that the loser concedes to the winner... Are you saying you're not prepared now to commit to that principle?" Trump responded, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. OK?" Clinton responded: "That's horrifying. You know, every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is, is rigged against him.The FBI conducted a year-long investigation into my e-mails. They concluded there was no case; he said the FBI was rigged... He lost the Wisconsin primary. He said the Republican primary was rigged against him. Then Trump University gets sued for fraud and racketeering; he claims the court system and the federal judge is rigged against him. There was even a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged against him." By this point in the debate, Trump was visibly angry. His explanation of his plan for Iraq, after Mosul falls, was incoherent. He began to interrupt Clinton with, "Wrong." The concluding debate segment concerned the national debt. Trump was asked to respond to experts who say his economic plan will increase the debt "to 105 percent of GDP over the next 10 years." Trump avoided the entire question. The moderator asked Trump what he would do to save Medicare and Social Security. Again, Trump did not answer the question but instead attacked Obamacare. Clinton responded: "I am on record as saying that we need to put more money into the Social Security Trust Fund. That's part of my commitment to raise taxes on the wealthy. My Social Security payroll contribution will go up, as will Donald's, assuming he can't figure out how to get out of it." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). David Swanson (Image by David Swanson) Details DMCA My guest today is blogger, peace activist activist, author, David Swanson. Joan Brunwasser: Welcome back to OpEdNews, David. We last spoke back in January Bernie and the Media: No Love Lost.Wikileaks later revealed proof of media collusion with the DNC and Clinton campaign, so you were right on target with that one, but that ship has now sailed. This time I'd like to talk with you about your latest piece What Hillary Clinton Privately Told Goldman Sachs [10.15.16]. How do we finally know what happened behind closed doors? David Swanson: Well, we have what WikiLeaks credibly presents as the transcripts of three of Hillary Clinton's speeches to Goldman Sachs personnel, as I've blogged about at that link. JB: So, what exactly do those transcripts reveal? And was Hillary smart to resist releasing them? DS: Maybe clever is a better term for being deceptive and anti-democratic than smart, but certainly the transcripts are not something she wanted public and not something all of her supporters in the corporate media are paying much attention to now that they are public. And of course it took WikiLeaks to make them public whereas the New York Times was able to get a story on Trump's tax forms. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Paul Craig Roberts Website Russia's very able Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said that the US presidential campaign is "simply some sort of a global shame" unworthy of the American people. She certainly hit the nail on the head. Hitlery's criminal record had to be suppressed by the Obama regime in order to move the oligarchs' candidate in the direction of the White House. So here we are on the verge of nuclear war with Russia and China, and the important issue before the American people is Trump's lewd comments with Billy Bush about sexually attractive women. I mean really. Men's talk about women is like their fish and hunting stories. It has to be taken with a grain of salt. But this aside, why is lewd talk about women more important than military conflict with Russia, which could mean nuclear war and the end of life on earth? Trump has declared that he sees no point in conflict with Russia and that he sees no point in NATO a quarter century after the demise of the Soviet Union. Is Trump's lewd talk about women worse than Hitlery's provocative talk about Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Hitlery calls "the new Hitler"? What kind of utter fool would throw gratuitous insults at the President of a country that can wipe the US and all of Western Europe off of the face of the earth in a few minutes? Would you rather face a situation in which a few women were groped, or be vaporized in nuclear war? If you don't know the correct answer, you are too stupid to be alive. Are the American women really going to elect Hillary as a rebuff to Trump's lewd talk? If so, they will confirm that it was a mistake to give women the vote, although there will be no one left alive to record the mistake in the history books. Hitlery, with the aid of the presstitutes -- the whores who lie for a living and who constitute the American print and TV media -- have succeeded in focusing America's election of a president on issues irrelevant to the dangerous situation with which Hitlery and her neoconservative colleagues confront the world. For Killary-Hillary the Russian issue is the unsupported and false allegation that the Russian government, in league with Donald Trump, hacked her emails and released them to WikiLeaks content of the emails. The real issue is that the idiots in Washington have convinced the Russian government that Russia is going to be the target of a pre-emptive nuclear strike. Once a nation is convinced of this, it is unlikely that they will just sit there waiting, especially a powerful nuclear power like Russia, A vote for the crazed killer b*tch Hitlery is a vote for the end of life on earth. As for Trump's womanizing, no male believes it who has seen Trump's wife, clearly the most beautiful and elegant woman on earth who is highly intelligent and speaks five languages. A man with a woman like this does not need any other woman. It is strictly impossible for Trump to improve on his wife. He has The One. From Consortium News My first book, Fooling America, examined Washington's excited "conventional wisdom" around the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91 when nearly the entire political-punditry elite was thrilled about bombing the heck out of Iraq, inflicting heavy civilian casualties in Baghdad and slaughtering tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers as they fled from Kuwait. Ironically, one of the few dissenters from this war-lust was right-wing commentator Robert Novak, who actually did some quality reporting on how President George H.W. Bush rejected repeated peace overtures because he wanted a successful ground war as a way to instill a new joy of war among the American people. Bush recognized that a brief, victorious ground war would -- in his words -- "kick the Vietnam Syndrome once and for all," i.e., get Americans to forget their revulsion about foreign wars, a hangover from the bloody defeat in Vietnam. So Novak, the anti-communist hardliner who often had baited other pundits for their "softness" toward "commies," became on this occasion a naysayer who wanted to give peace a chance. But that meant Novak was baited on "The Capital Gang" chat show for his war doubts. To my surprise, one of the most aggressive enforcers of the pro-war "group think" was Wall Street Journal Washington bureau chief Al Hunt, who had often been one of the more thoughtful, less warmongering voices on the program. Hunt dubbed Novak "Neville Novak," suggesting that Novak's interest in avoiding war in the Middle East was on par with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of Adolf Hitler before World War II. Months later when I interviewed Hunt about his mocking of Novak's anti-war softness, Hunt justified his "Neville Novak" line as a fitting rejoinder for all the times Novak had baited opponents for their softness against communism. "After years of battling Novak from the left, to have gotten to his right, I enjoyed that," Hunt said. At the time, I found this tit-for-tat, hah-hah gotcha behavior among Washington's armchair warriors troubling because it ignored the terrible suffering of people in various countries at the receiving end of American military might, such as the Iraqi civilians including women and children who were burned alive when a U.S. bomb penetrated a Baghdad bomb shelter, as well as the young Iraqi soldiers incinerated in their vehicles as they fled the battlefield. In the 100-hour ground war, U.S. casualties were relatively light, 147 killed in combat and another 236 killed in accidents or from other causes. "Small losses as military statistics go," Gen. Colin Powell wrote later, "but a tragedy for each family." In Official Washington, however, the dead were a small price to pay for a "feel-good" war that let President Bush vanquish the psychological ghosts of the Vietnam War. I also had the sickening sense that this "popular" war -- celebrated with victory parades and lavish firework displays -- was setting the stage for more horrors in the future. Already, neoconservative pundits, such as The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer, were demanding that U.S. forces must go all the way to Baghdad and "finish the job" by getting rid of Saddam Hussein. A dangerous hubris was taking hold in Washington. As we have seen in the decades since, the euphoria over the Persian Gulf victory did feed into the imperial arrogance that contributed to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. At that moment, when the neocons in George W. Bush's administration were concocting excuses for finally marching to Baghdad, there were almost no voices among the big-shot commentators who dared repeat Robert Novak's "mistake" of 1991. Playing Joe McCarthy I mention all this now because we are seeing something similar with the Democrats as they lead the charge into a dangerous New Cold War with Russia. The Democrats, who bore the brunt of the Red-baiting during the earlier Cold War, are now playing the roles of Senators Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon in smearing anyone who won't join in the Russia-bashing as "stooges," "traitors" and "useful idiots." Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (Image by dreamstime.com) Details DMCA When Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has one of his few lucid moments and suggests that the U.S. should cooperate with Russia rather than provoke more confrontations, he is denounced from many political quarters. But the attacks are most feverish from Democrats looking to give Hillary Clinton a boost politically and a diversionary excuse for her Wall Street speeches that she tried so hard to keep hidden until they were released by WikiLeaks from hacked emails of her longtime adviser John Podesta. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). An eager young yeshiva student in Jerusalem (Image by goisrael.com) Details DMCA The McGill Daily reported a serious problem. "White tears" have increased sharply on campus "by 40% just in September this year". It's not tears from tear gas or shootings, as happens every day in the occupied territories, the result of routine Israeli acts of terrorism. No, heaven forbid. It is the tears of anti-BDS students who complain about BDS activists, who see red when they see kippah-wearing students with pro-Israel, anti-BDS buttons and posters. It's a satire. An effective one. Good on you, Phlar Daboub. It hit home. The anti-BDS activists are in a tizzy. Political-science student Jordan Devon, the former president of Israel on Campus, said the satire mocks students who opposed BDS. "Our concerns about anti-Semitism are real," he said. "This says that Jewish concerns are a joke. Yet Jews are the No. 1 victims of hate crimes in North America." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 5 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 View All (4 comments) SHARE Dennis Kucinich Video of 2018 Announcement for Governor Here's Dennis Kucinich's January 16, 2018 speech announcing his candidacy for governor of Ohio. it's classic Kucinich Tuesday, January 23, 2018Here's Dennis Kucinich's January 16, 2018 speech announcing his candidacy for governor of Ohio. it's classic Kucinich (49 comments) SHARE Kucinich: Reclaiming the money power When banks engaged in speculative lending, turning the financial system into a casino, they were bailed out while millions of Americans lost their homes. No surprise that today we are told there is not enough money for creating jobs, rebuilding America, health care, education and retirement security. But there is always money to bail out the banks. Sunday, September 10, 2017When banks engaged in speculative lending, turning the financial system into a casino, they were bailed out while millions of Americans lost their homes. No surprise that today we are told there is not enough money for creating jobs, rebuilding America, health care, education and retirement security. But there is always money to bail out the banks. (32 comments) SHARE Saving Obamacare Is Not Enough -- We Need Medicare for All Medicare for All is an idea whose time has come. Let's make all Americans healthy and wealthy. Let's lift up all of our families, save our homes, and help our businesses and industries. Let's join every other industrialized nation in the world and offer health care to all of our people. Wednesday, March 22, 2017Medicare for All is an idea whose time has come. Let's make all Americans healthy and wealthy. Let's lift up all of our families, save our homes, and help our businesses and industries. Let's join every other industrialized nation in the world and offer health care to all of our people. (56 comments) SHARE Our Political Economy Is Designed to Create Poverty and Inequality By reclaiming our constitutional heritage, we can lower taxes and have a full-employment economy, universal pre-kindergarten, school breakfast and lunch programs, full funding for public education K-12, free college and university, guaranteed retirement security, Medicare for All, and a guaranteed annual income, eliminating poverty. Monday, March 6, 2017By reclaiming our constitutional heritage, we can lower taxes and have a full-employment economy, universal pre-kindergarten, school breakfast and lunch programs, full funding for public education K-12, free college and university, guaranteed retirement security, Medicare for All, and a guaranteed annual income, eliminating poverty. (3 comments) SHARE Ten reasons to vote against the use of military force ISIS desperately needs to draw the U.S. in, to provide a rallying cry "against the foreign invader." Why should America put our troops in harm's way to provide this terrorist organization with new life, especially since armies in the region are stepping up to take the fight to ISIS? ISIS wants to draw the U.S. into a religious war, to secure its role as the self-proclaimed defender of Islam against crusading foreign invaders. Thursday, March 12, 2015ISIS desperately needs to draw the U.S. in, to provide a rallying cry "against the foreign invader." Why should America put our troops in harm's way to provide this terrorist organization with new life, especially since armies in the region are stepping up to take the fight to ISIS? ISIS wants to draw the U.S. into a religious war, to secure its role as the self-proclaimed defender of Islam against crusading foreign invaders. (3 comments) SHARE New Years Resolution for America When anyone of us resolves toward self-improvement, it can impact the lives of those we love. How much more impact can we have, if in the new year we work to recreate the future of this country we love, by resolving to take bold steps in a new direction in a new year? Wednesday, December 31, 2014When anyone of us resolves toward self-improvement, it can impact the lives of those we love. How much more impact can we have, if in the new year we work to recreate the future of this country we love, by resolving to take bold steps in a new direction in a new year? (3 comments) SHARE Three Members of Congress Just Reignited the Cold War While No One Was Looking That the recent Russia sanctions bill was advanced, "unanimously," without debate in the House, portends that our nation is sleepwalking through the graveyards of history, toward an abyss where controlling factors reside in the realm of chance, what Thomas Hardy termed "crass casualty." Such are the perils of unanimity. Tuesday, December 16, 2014That the recent Russia sanctions bill was advanced, "unanimously," without debate in the House, portends that our nation is sleepwalking through the graveyards of history, toward an abyss where controlling factors reside in the realm of chance, what Thomas Hardy termed "crass casualty." Such are the perils of unanimity. (22 comments) SHARE "Green Light" to War on Russia, Legislation in Congress: Say No To War with Russia -- H. Res. 758 "Russian Aggression" Tensions between Russia and the US are being fueled every day by players who would benefit financially from a resumption of the Cold War which, from 1948 to 1991 cost US taxpayers $20 TRILLION dollars (in 2014 dollars), an amount exceeding our $18 trillion National Debt. Tuesday, December 2, 2014Tensions between Russia and the US are being fueled every day by players who would benefit financially from a resumption of the Cold War which, from 1948 to 1991 cost US taxpayers $20 TRILLION dollars (in 2014 dollars), an amount exceeding our $18 trillion National Debt. (45 comments) SHARE The Real Reason We Are Bombing Syria There were alternatives. The U.S. and the international community could have contained and shrunk ISIS by cutting off its funds and its revenue from sale of oil on the black market. We could have looked to strike a deal with Syria and Iran. In foreign policy, the administration has failed. Wednesday, September 24, 2014There were alternatives. The U.S. and the international community could have contained and shrunk ISIS by cutting off its funds and its revenue from sale of oil on the black market. We could have looked to strike a deal with Syria and Iran. In foreign policy, the administration has failed. (6 comments) SHARE Crimes against humanity in Gaza: is it really a 'buffer zone' -- or a bigger plan? Dennis Kucinich: It's time to step back and ask if we want to support Israel if it wants to eject all Palestinians from their land. Wednesday, August 6, 2014Dennis Kucinich: It's time to step back and ask if we want to support Israel if it wants to eject all Palestinians from their land. (2 comments) SHARE What Is Israel's End Game in Gaza? Israel with its overwhelming military strength is attacking and invading Gaza in violation of international and U.S. law. Its construction of settlements violates the Oslo agreement. Its Central Bank dries up the Gaza economy and blocks payments to Gaza civil servants. Its total control brings the Palestinians to utter subjection and total despair. Friday, July 18, 2014Israel with its overwhelming military strength is attacking and invading Gaza in violation of international and U.S. law. Its construction of settlements violates the Oslo agreement. Its Central Bank dries up the Gaza economy and blocks payments to Gaza civil servants. Its total control brings the Palestinians to utter subjection and total despair. (131 comments) SHARE Stop Calling the Iraq War a "Mistake" The "mistake" rhetoric is the language of denial, not contrition: it minimizes the Iraq War's disastrous consequences, removes blame, and deprives Americans of any chance to learn from our generation's foreign policy disaster. The Iraq War was not a "mistake" -- it resulted from calculated deception. The painful, unvarnished fact is that we were lied to. Tuesday, June 17, 2014The "mistake" rhetoric is the language of denial, not contrition: it minimizes the Iraq War's disastrous consequences, removes blame, and deprives Americans of any chance to learn from our generation's foreign policy disaster. The Iraq War was not a "mistake" -- it resulted from calculated deception. The painful, unvarnished fact is that we were lied to. (5 comments) SHARE How the White House and the CIA Are Marketing a War in the YouTube Era Why are these videos suddenly news when they have been publicly circulating the web for weeks? Here's why: The videos are meant to market the war, not to "prove" who committed the atrocities. (CBS News and others have reported that the White House case for war has been described as "largely circumstantial.") Monday, September 9, 2013Why are these videos suddenly news when they have been publicly circulating the web for weeks? Here's why: The videos are meant to market the war, not to "prove" who committed the atrocities. (CBS News and others have reported that the White House case for war has been described as "largely circumstantial.") (4 comments) SHARE Top 10 Unproven Claims for War Against Syria The American people have a right to a full release and vetting of all facts before their elected representatives are asked to make a decision of great consequence for America, Syria and the world. Congress must be provided answers prior to the vote, in open hearings, not in closed sessions where information can be manipulated in the service of war. We've been there before. It's called Iraq. Thursday, September 5, 2013The American people have a right to a full release and vetting of all facts before their elected representatives are asked to make a decision of great consequence for America, Syria and the world. Congress must be provided answers prior to the vote, in open hearings, not in closed sessions where information can be manipulated in the service of war. We've been there before. It's called Iraq. (13 comments) SHARE Congressman Dennis Kucinich Calls for Shutting Down NSA & Praise for Whistleblower Edward Snowden We have the CIA, we have the FBI, a dozen other intlleigence structures... I think it's time to punch the NSA stick in here. They've ruined the brand. They've destroyed the idea of privacy. Tuesday, August 20, 2013We have the CIA, we have the FBI, a dozen other intlleigence structures... I think it's time to punch the NSA stick in here. They've ruined the brand. They've destroyed the idea of privacy. (12 comments) SHARE Kucinich's Last Speech on House Floor; A new America is waiting to emerge Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today called for a new politics in his final speech on the House floor of the 112th Congress. Thursday, January 3, 2013Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today called for a new politics in his final speech on the House floor of the 112th Congress. (1 comments) SHARE Kucinich: NO to #CatFoodChristmas WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 20, 2012) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today strongly objected to a proposal to cut Social Security benefits. The White House suggested a reduction in Social Security to cut costs as part of the so-called "fiscal cliff" negotiations. The proposal called the "Chained Consumer Price Index" would result in a reduction of benefits for Social Security recipients even though Social Security does Thursday, December 20, 2012WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 20, 2012) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today strongly objected to a proposal to cut Social Security benefits. The White House suggested a reduction in Social Security to cut costs as part of the so-called "fiscal cliff" negotiations. The proposal called the "Chained Consumer Price Index" would result in a reduction of benefits for Social Security recipients even though Social Security does (1 comments) SHARE Congressional Committee Debates Drone Policy Washington D.C. (December 13, 2012) -- The House Judiciary Committee today conducted an overdue discussion about the United States policy of using drones to target and kill American citizens and others overseas. Thursday, December 13, 2012Washington D.C. (December 13, 2012) -- The House Judiciary Committee today conducted an overdue discussion about the United States policy of using drones to target and kill American citizens and others overseas. SHARE American Academy of Pediatricians Endorses Cell Phone Safety Legislation Children, Women are More Vulnerable to Cell Phone Radiation. Washington D.C. (December 13, 2012) -- The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) which represents "60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults" has endorsed H.R. 6358, the Cell Phone Right to Know Act. Thursday, December 13, 2012Children, Women are More Vulnerable to Cell Phone Radiation. Washington D.C. (December 13, 2012) -- The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) which represents "60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults" has endorsed H.R. 6358, the Cell Phone Right to Know Act. Page 1 of 5 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 View All by Sen. Doug Whitsett Oregons Democrat leadership has demonstrated resolute determination to implement policies under the guise of protecting our environment that are tantamount to social engineering. Examples are numerous. During the 2015 legislative session, the controversial Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) was enacted. Again in 2016, the so-called Coal to Clean bill was passed and signed into law by Governor Kate Brown. These kind of policies are not new to Oregon. Citizens in other nations whose leaders have decided to take them down a similar path are finding the costs prohibitive while the benefits are not measurable. We can expect similar policies will have little, if any, environmental benefits for Oregonians, while causing significant negative economic consequences. It was promised the LCFS would bring jobs and prosperity to Oregon. Opponents claimed it would drive up motor fuel costs for the benefit of out-of-state suppliers while doing nothing to improve our state highways and little to improve our environment. It is now reported the LCFS is resulting in ethanol being imported into Oregon from other states, primarily in the Midwest. Similar policies lead to the expansion of the Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) program that will cost Oregon taxpayers more than $1 billion. A recent independent audit of the BETC program raised serious questions regarding how it was handled by multiple state agencies and what benefits Oregonians may actually expect to receive. Democrat leaders appear to make every effort to ensure that Oregon is the first to implement many of these kinds of energy policies. However, several have been attempted elsewhere and officials from those areas are now realizing the folly of rushing headfirst into such agendas without due diligence. Their harmful effects on the public interest are becoming apparent. This recent article details the tremendous costs of the green energy transition in Germany. It has already cost the nation around 150 billion euros and is projected to cost a total of 520 billion euros by the year 2025, or around 25,000 euros for a family of four. During the following decade, their transition effort is projected to cost an additional 370 billion euros, adding another 6,300 euros per capita. The structure of the programs driving the untenable cost to Germans is eerily similar to what Democrat leaders are imposing on Oregonians. German leadership imposed a surcharge to subsidize green energy production. That surcharge had cost 125 billion euros by the end of last year. That figure is expected to escalate to 408 billion, making about 80 percent of the total 520 billion euro cost due to the surcharge. The same article also states that the nations CO2 emissions are the same as they were in 2009. It quotes an official as saying that Germany saved zero tons of CO2for a lot of money. In July 2014, the Australian Senate voted to repeal that nations carbon tax. Australia has the worlds 12th largest economy and was determined to be one of the largest per capita emitters of greenhouse gases due to its many coal burning stations. Starting in 2007, political leaders in Australia began proposing a carbon tax and the kind of coal-to-clean legislation passed in Oregon earlier this year. Then-Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd referred to climate change as the greatest moral challenge of our time and pledged that signing the Kyoto Treaty would be one of his first acts in office. Australias Labor Party promised, when introducing their proposals, they would slash emissions 160 million metric tons by the year 2020. Tax breaks and welfare payments were offered to the public as part of a promise to offset the increased cost of energy, products and services. These appear to be features of the carbon cap and trade bill to be introduced next year in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. However, the global financial crisis hit in 2008. Australias decade-long mining boom ended around 2012. Voters began blaming their new climate change laws for their rising costs of living. Three Australian leaders fell from power due to their support of these programs. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott made campaign pledges to prioritize economic growth over climate policies. He has been quoted as referring to the carbon tax as being useless and destructive, and saying that it didnt actually help the environment. The tax was described as a $9 billion handbrake on the Australian economy. The Australian government has since done another about-face on this issue after the conservative government suffered a backlash in national elections earlier this year. Its current Prime Minister, Malcom Turnbull, announced his decision to have Australias main science body re-focus its efforts on climate research. Hopefully, they will employ due diligence before advocating for the renewal of previous energy concepts. Increased doubts about renewable energy policies and their costs arent just limited to foreign countries. My office recently received a letter from California Sen. Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) cautioning Oregon officials regarding the potential negative effects of a proposal to consolidate the electrical grid of the western United States. In his letter, Vidak states the need for such a plan is caused, at least in part, by climate policies adopted by the State of California. He wrote that Californias interest in consolidating electrical grids would appear to be to get someone to buy our excess renewable power. Neighboring states like Oregon, he wrote, seem like the easiest people to sell it to. Vidak validates his suspicion by describing a confirmation hearing that took place in the California Senate for one of Governor Jerry Browns key energy advisors. That advisor apparently stated, on the record, that part of the strategy to regionalize the grid is to enable California to force the retirement of coal and leverage its policies on other states. Essentially this regional grid could allow California to dictate decisions that could decimate energy independence and jobs in your state, Vidak warned. California is not just going to give this electricity away for free; someone is going to have to pay a premium for it. To bolster his point, Vidak cited data from the U.S. Department of Energy stating that due to environmental mandates, Californians pay around 15.5 cents per kilowatt hour. Ratepayers in the other ten western states, including Oregon, currently pay between 7.4 and 10.4 cents. In the last several years, Californians have seen our energy costs skyrocket out of control, he wrote. Oregon has already moved forward with policies similar to those of California and Australia. All indications are the Democrat majority plans to continue doubling down on them. As previously mentioned, a cap and trade bill that was proposed during the 2016 session will likely be introduced again in 2017. A clean diesel bill that is likely to decimate the agricultural and heavy construction industries is also virtually certain to be introduced next year. Overall, Vidak wrote that he was hoping to inform me, and other Oregon legislators, of the unintended consequences of pie-in-the-sky promises made by proponents of these policies. My hope is that my legislative colleagues will heed his advice. Senator Doug Whitsett is the Republican state senator representing Senate District 28 Klamath Falls On October 11, a man in Turkey committed suicide by shooting himself while streaming it live on Facebook through his smartphone. Even after the phone fell down, disturbing noises could be heard. ALSO READ: GST may make oil, chicken dearer; TV, air conditioner cheaper What's worse, Facebook failed to censor or take down this video for almost two days while it was continuously being shared and went viral. In April, an 18-year-old student from US posted a video on Instagram, before taking his life, saying 'Hey, so, I'm killing myself. Goodbye'. This 12-second clip was seen by over 15,000 people before it was taken down two days later. ALSO READ: Maggi makes a comeback, wins 57% market share on sustained recovery Social media companies are struggling to handle these cases and are looking at ways to prevent such horror from playing out on their platform. Facebook introduced suicide prevention tools earlier this year, and formed a team to look into worrisome posts of users. Now, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, has also introduced similar tools to prevent users from self-harm. HOW IT WORKS If any user sees a post on the photo-sharing app that instigates self-harm or possibility of an attempt to suicide, they can contact the local emergency service to report the content. Users can also anonymously flag a post they feel is negative, subsequently the person who needs help will be sent a support message that reads: "Someone saw one of your posts and thinks you might be going through a difficult time. If you need support, we'd like to help." For those who may be going through these phases of depression or cyber bullying and are in need of support Instagram provides three main support resources: A suggestion to message or call a friend, access general tips and support or contact a help line by accessing your location. If any user searches for a negative hashtag, Instagram immediately offers support options before the user can view the content. ALSO READ: Banking data breach: Your debit card may have been used in China This move comes after Instagram took steps to limit the abusive content on its app. In September, the photo and video sharing app made it possible for anyone to filter their comments using customizable block lists. Users could bar anyone from posting explicit words or any form of bullying content in their comments sections. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! Lignin extraction with (left) and without formaldehyde (right). Credit: Alain Herzog/EPFL Lignin is a bulky chain of molecules found in wood and is usually discarded during biofuel production. But in a new method by EPFL chemists, the simple addition of formaldehyde could turn it into the main focus. Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels means turning to plant-derived biofuels and chemicals. But producing them cost-effectively from plants and other organic matter - collectively referred to as biomass - is a major engineering challenge. Most biomass comes in the form of non-edible plants like trees, grass, and algae, which contain sugars that can be fermented to produce fuel. But biomass also contains lignin, a bulky, complex organic polymer that fills wood, bark, and generally gives plants rigidity. Because it is difficult to process, lignin is usually discarded during biofuel processing. EPFL scientists have now turned lignin from a nuisance to an important source of biofuel by simply adding a common chemical, converting up to 80% of it into valuable molecules for biofuel and plastics. The patent-pending method, which can be scaled up to industrial levels, is published in Science. Complex, but energy-dense Lignin is an enormously complex biopolymer, filling the hard wall that surrounds each plant cell. In fact, lignin makes up almost a third of plant biomass, and its molecular structure gives it an energy density 30% greater than that of the sugars that are traditionally processed into biofuel. The problem is that lignin is difficult to extract and transform. Due to its instability, lignin usually rapidly gets destroyed during its extraction and most researchers have failed to efficiently break it apart for upgrade into fuels or chemicals. Now, an international team of researchers led by Jeremy Luterbacher at EPFL, has shown that they can easily break lignin apart simply by adding the chemical formaldehyde to the process. Formaldehyde is one of the most widely used chemicals in industry, and it is simple and cheap to produce. The researchers found that formaldehyde stabilizes lignin and prevents it from degrading, leading to high yields of building blocks that can be used to make substitutes for petrochemicals. These yields were 3-7 times higher than those obtained from lignin without formaldehyde. Scaling up "Depending on the wood used we get between 50 and 80%," says Jeremy Luterbacher, who became known in 2014 for developing a method for extracting sugars from plants safely and cheaply (also published in Science). "The chemistry is relatively straightforward; the real challenge is actually finding investors for a pilot facility to demonstrate this." The market, he says, is difficult for sustainable energy largely because of inconsistent political support and widely varying energy prices. Investors for such innovative platforms are hard to come by in an uncertain market, especially considering the competition of well-established fossil fuels. "The technology looks really good," says Luterbacher. "If the global political establishment sent a consistent message about moving away from fossil fuels, then investors would take notice. But I think Switzerland is a great place to get started. The Swiss have been unwavering supporters of clean energy and could help demonstrate new technologies, and so I'm quite optimistic about the future." More information: "Formaldehyde stabilization facilitates lignin monomer production during biomass depolymerization" science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aaf7810 Journal information: Science A fallen tree, a lightning strikeit 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 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 isn't yet reality, but scientists at Northeastern University in Shenyang, China, have proposed a way to 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, including fuel, 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 best to 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 precise calculation by each generator based on 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." More information: Distributed Optimal Co-multi-microgrids Energy Management for Energy Internet: ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stam jsp?arnumber=7589482 Provided by Chinese Association of Automation This image shows spidery channels eroded into Martian ground. It is a Sept. 12, 2016, example from HiRISE camera high-resolution observations of more than 20 places that were chosen in 2016 on the basis of about 10,000 volunteers' examination of Context Camera lower-resolution views of larger areas. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona (Phys.org)Ten thousand volunteers viewing images of Martian south polar regions have helped identify targets for closer inspection, yielding new insights about seasonal slabs of frozen carbon dioxide and erosional features known as "spiders." From the comfort of home, the volunteers have been exploring the surface of Mars by reviewing images from the Context Camera (CTX) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and identifying certain types of seasonal terrains near Mars' south pole. These efforts by volunteers using the "Planet Four: Terrains" website have aided scientists who plan observations with the same orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera. HiRISE photographs much less ground but in much greater detail than CTX. Volunteers have helped identify more than 20 regions in mid-resolution images to investigate with higher resolution. "It's heartwarming to see so many citizens of planet Earth donate their time to help study Mars," said HiRISE Deputy Principal Investigator Candice Hansen, of the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona. "Thanks to the discovery power of so many people, we're using HiRISE to take images of places we might not have studied without this assistance." Planetary scientist Meg Schwamb, of the Gemini Observatory, Hilo, Hawaii, presented results from the first year of this citizen science project Thursday at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences and the European Planetary Science Congress, in Pasadena, California. The type of terrain called spiders, or "araneiform" (from the Latin word for spiders), is characterized by multiple channels converging at a point, resembling a spider's long legs. Previous studies concluded that this ground texture results from extensive sheets of ice thawing bottom-side first as the ice is warmed by the ground below it. Thawed carbon dioxide gas builds up pressure, and the gas escapes through vents in the overlying sheet of remaining ice, pulling dust with it. This process carves the channels that resemble legs of a spider. "The trapped carbon dioxide gas that carves the spiders in the ground also breaks through the thawing ice sheet," Schwamb said. "It lofts dust and dirt that local winds then sculpt into hundreds of thousands of dark fans that are observed from orbit. For the past decade, HiRISE has been monitoring this process on other parts of the south pole. The 20 new regions have been added to this seasonal monitoring campaign. Without the efforts of the public, we wouldn't be able to see how these regions evolve over the spring and summer compared with other regions." Some of the HiRISE observations guided by the volunteers' input confirmed "spider" terrain in areas not previously associated with carbon dioxide slab ice. "From what we've learned about spider terrain elsewhere, slab ice must be involved at the locations of these new observations, even though we had no previous indication of it there," Hansen said. "Maybe it's related to the erodability of the terrain." Some of the new observations targeted with information from the volunteers confirm spiders in areas where the ground surface is made of material ejected from impact craters, blanketing an older surface. "Crater ejecta blankets are erodible. Perhaps on surfaces that are more erodable, relative to other surfaces, slab ice would not need to be present as long, or as thick, for spiders to form," Hansen said. "We have new findings, and new questions to answer, thanks to all the help from volunteers." The productive volunteer participation continues, and new CTX images have been added for examining additional areas in Mars' south polar region. Planet Four: Terrains is on a platform released by the Zooniverse, which hosts 48 projects that enlist people worldwide to contribute to discoveries in fields ranging from astronomy to zoology. For information about how to participate, visit: terrains.planetfour.org With CTX, HiRISE and four other instruments, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been investigating Mars since 2006. Hector Zamora, a monitoring team member and doctoral candidate in the UA department of geosciences, at a site that was cleared in advance of the pulse flow. The willows pictured here germinated after the pulse flow. Credit: Karl W. Flessa, University of Arizona Two growing seasons after the engineered spring flood of the Colorado River Delta in 2014, the delta's birds, plants and groundwater continue to benefit, according to the latest monitoring report prepared for the International Boundary and Water Commission by a binational University of Arizona-led team. "This short-term event has had lasting consequences. This really demonstrates that a little bit of water does a lot of environmental good," said Karl W. Flessa, UA professor of geosciences and co-chief scientist of the Minute 319 monitoring team. "Some of the cottonwoods that germinated during the initial pulse flow are now more than 10 feet tall," Flessa said. The interim report, released by the International Boundary and Water Commission on October 19, 2016, documents the effects of the environmental flows in the delta from the initial release of a pulse of water from March 23 through May 18, 2014, plus subsequent supplemental deliveries of water through December 2015. The report: http://www.ibwc.gov/Files/Minutes%20319/2016_EFM_InterimReport_Min319.pdf Minute 319 is the 2012 addition to the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty that authorized environmental flows of water into the Colorado River Delta from 2013 to 2017. Birdlife responded to the post-flood burgeoning of vegetation, and bird diversity is still higher than before, the monitoring team reports. Migratory waterbirds, nesting waterbirds and nesting riparian birds all increased in abundance. Upstream dams and water diversions for farms and cities in both countries have dried up most of the river south of the border. With the exception of a few wet years, the river has not reached the Gulf of California since 1960. Eloise Kendy said, "This is the first time environmental water has ever been delivered across an international boundary." Kendy is a senior freshwater scientist with The Nature Conservancy's North America Water Program. "The level of collaboration was really unprecedented - from two national governments to the individual farmers whose irrigation canals were used for some of the water deliveries," she said. Flessa, Kendy and Karen Schlatter of Sonoran Institute compiled and edited the "Minute 319 Colorado River Limitrophe and Delta Environmental Flows Monitoring Interim Report," on behalf of the binational partnership of many people and federal agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations that monitored the Colorado River Delta under Minute 319. Some of the water from the pulse flow and subsequent smaller environmental flows recharged the groundwater, which had both ecological and social benefits, Kendy said. The vegetation greened up in areas that received surface water and also in some areas that did not. "The farmers were happy because it recharged the aquifer they use for groundwater irrigation," she said. "And plants that were outside the inundation zone got a big drink of water." Before 1960, spring floods regularly roared down the Colorado River, scouring the river bottom and overtopping the bank, thereby creating the conditions necessary for cottonwood and willow trees to germinate and establish. Martha Gomez-Sapiens, a monitoring team member and postdoctoral research associate in the UA department of geosciences, stands on a riverbank next to willows and cottonwoods that germinated as result of the pulse flow. Credit: Karl W. Flessa, University of Arizona An invasive plant species known as salt cedar or tamarisk is now the dominant plant along the river. Cottonwoods and willows need bare ground and sunlight to germinate, so they cannot establish themselves on tamarisk-covered riverbanks, Schlatter, a restoration ecologist of the Sonoran Institute's Colorado River Delta Program, said. The March 2014 pulse flow delivered a fraction of the water the pre-1960 spring floods delivered. People from Sonoran Institute and Pronatura Noroeste cleared some areas of non-native vegetation beforehand. The researchers hoped that reducing competition would allow native plants such as willows and cottonwoods to germinate and grow after the pulse flow. "We mechanically cleared the tamarisk vegetation from the riverbank and old oxbows," Schlatter said. "We reconnected the meanders to the main river channels so when the pulse flow came there were these nice backwater areas where the conditions were good for the establishment of native trees." Now in those restoration areas, cottonwood and willow seeds that germinated after the pulse flow have become trees 3 to 4 meters tall (10 to 13 feet), and bird diversity and abundance has increased, she said. "Now we have diverse habitat types, including lagoons, cottonwoods-willow forest, mesquite bosque and marshes," she said. "We are seeing a much higher diversity of riparian bird species in the restoration sites compared to other areas along the river." The abundance of 19 bird species of conservation concern, including vermillion flycatchers, hooded orioles and yellow-breasted chats, was 43 percent higher at the restoration sites than at other sites in the floodplain, the monitoring team found. In addition, the pulse flow reduced soil salinity in some areas that had been targeted for restoration, Schlatter said. "We didn't expect that - it is a huge bonus." Reducing the soil salinity makes conditions more favorable for native plant species. If there's another pulse flow, she suggests mechanically clearing tamarisk and other non-native vegetation from the river's bank. "We're not going to get a huge flood on the Colorado River anymore," Schlatter said. "If the flood isn't going to provide the same ecological processes floods did in the past, we will have to have active management." Other UA members of the monitoring team are Ed Glenn of the UA department of soil, water and environmental science and Martha Gomez-Sapiens and Hector Zamora of the UA department of geosciences. The International Boundary and Water Commission in El Paso, Texas, funded the UA portion of the Minute 319 monitoring program. Carlos de la Parra of the Colegio de la Frontera Norte is co-chief scientist of the Minute 319 monitoring team. Key contributors to the report include Osvel Hinojosa of Pronatura Noroeste, Jorge Ramirez and Jesus Eliana Rodriguez Burgueno of the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Francisco Zamora of Sonoran Institute, Jeffrey Kennedy of the U.S. Geological Survey and Dale Turner of The Nature Conservancy. The Minute 319 monitoring team includes more than 21 scientists from universities, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations from both Mexico and the U.S., including El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, the Ensenada-based Pronatura Noroeste, The Nature Conservancy, the Tucson-based Sonoran Institute, the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, the University of Arizona, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Studies find that female meerkats can produce up to twice as much testosterone as their male counterparts. Their unusual hormone levels fuel their bullying behavior, but at a cost. Credit: Charli Davies, Duke University. Testosterone. It's often lauded as the hormone that makes males bigger, bolder, stronger. Now a pair of Duke University studies has identified one group of animals, the meerkats of the southern tip of Africa, in which females can produce even more testosterone than males. Female meerkats with naturally high levels of testosterone-related hormones are more likely to be leaders, but they also pay a price for being macho, the studies show. Squirrel-sized members of the mongoose family, meerkats live in groups ruled by a single dominant female with as many as 50 lower-ranking male and female helpers. In meerkats, it's the ladies who do most of the growling, biting and chasing. The top-ranking meerkat queens are the biggest bullies, shoving, charging and swiping food from the females beneath them. The boss lady meerkat even banishes other females who manage to get pregnant or she kills their pups. This keeps the other females devoted to feeding and watching over her babies instead of their own. For "mean girl" meerkats, this bullying behavior seems to pay off. Dominant females tend to live longer than subordinate meerkats, and they give birth to 80 percent of the surviving litters. One meerkat clan charges another in South Africa's Kalahari Desert. Credit: Kendra Smyth, Duke University In a study published Oct. 18 in the journal Scientific Reports, Duke professor Christine Drea and research associate Charli Davies and colleagues found that female meerkats can produce up to twice as much testosterone as males. There are other species in which females rule, but meerkats are the only known animals in which traditional sex hormone patterns are reversed. To see whether this chemical boost comes at a cost, in a second study Duke graduate student Kendra Smyth spent over a year from 2013 to 2014 collecting fecal samples from 37 wild females living in the Kuruman River Reserve in South Africa's Kalahari Desert. As part of her Ph.D. research on the effects of hormones and social status on meerkat health, Smyth measured sex hormones in the droppings she collected. She also counted parasite eggs under the microscope to determine whether the animals were infected, and how badly. Published Oct. 18 in the journal Biology Letters, the results of the second study showed that, regardless of social status, females with higher concentrations of testosterone and related hormones tend to carry more gut parasites than other femalesa sign of a potentially weakened immune system. Next, the team plans to investigate whether the hormones are linked to other measures of immune function, such as antibodies in the blood. "It could be that the hormones dampen the immune system, making it harder to keep parasites in check," Smyth said. The findings are consistent with an idea biologists first proposed in 1992, which posits that testosterone makes males showier and more aggressive, but also more prone to infection. The new results for meerkats suggests similar testosterone trade-offs may apply to females, too, the researchers say. Sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) prefer relatively open landscapes with individual trees and shrubs. Credit: Annegret Grimm-Seyfarth / UFZ Intensive farming, sprawling towns, a dense road network the modern world leaves less and less space for animals and plants. They are forced back into shrinking refuges, which are ever further apart. But not all react equally sensitively. That is even true for members of the same species, as demonstrated by a new study of the UFZ and the University of Leipzig in the scientific journal Landscape Ecology. According to the study, animals living on the edge of their range suffer more from the fragmentation of their habitat than their fellows in the centre. The transition of climate and land use has resulted in more and more animals and plants being forced back into ever smaller habitats, which are ever further apart. In the centre of their range, they can populate a wide range of habitats, but on the edge they need special biotopes with particularly favourable characteristics. Species with particular needs find it especially difficult to overcome the distances between these refuges. So they are often only to be found in small, isolated populations, with little contact between them. The genetic variability of their members is therefore correspondingly low. "For that reason, such populations adjust badly to new climatic conditions, parasites or other challenges," explains Prof. Klaus Henle from the UFZ. The risk of extinction increases. Populations at the edge of a range are therefore more specialised and more sensitive. In this context, do they also react more sensitively to fragmentation than members of the same species in the centre? Previously, such comparisons had only been drawn between different species. Nobody knew whether these differences also existed within the same species. Klaus Henle and his colleagues have now investigated using the example of the sand lizard. The small reptiles, found from central France to Lake Baikal, and from southern Sweden to the Balkans, have a preference for relatively open landscapes with individual trees and shrubs. That could be, for example, dry grassland, moorland or embankments. So that it does not get too hot for them, they need more shady vegetation in their more southerly areas of distribution than in central Europe. In Scandinavia, on the other hand, they restrict themselves to particularly warm and sunny locations. The range of the sand lizard reaches from central France to Lake Baikal and from southern Sweden to the Balkans. The researchers investigated populations on the edge (Sofia region) and in the middle (Leipzig region) of their range to find out how they are coping with the fragmentation of their habitats. Credit: Map: Google 2016, ORION-ME, Editing: UFZ The sand lizard example In order to test their hypothesis that animals of one species living in the centre of their range handle fragmentation of their habitats better than those on the periphery the researchers investigated five sand lizard populations in Sofia, at the most southern edge of the range of this species, and eleven populations in Leipzig, which is more or less in the middle of the lizards' range. "In both cities, the animals are confronted with fragmentation," says Klaus Henle. Since the end of the 20th century, Sofia has seen a veritable boom in construction. This has meant that in the last ten to fifteen years, not only have many green spaces in the Bulgarian capital given way to residential and industrial areas, but in addition, the large parks have been divided up by new buildings, meaning that individual areas, along with their scaly residents, are now isolated from one another. Although in Leipzig about half the area of the city still consists of green spaces, not nearly all of them offer suitable lizard habitats. In the Saxon city, too, there are therefore populations that live more than four kilometres apart. But based on previous experience, the small reptiles can hardly manage larger distances. "So we wanted to find out what traces this fragmentation leaves in the animals' genetic makeup," says Prof. Martin Schlegel from the University of Leipzig. To do that, he and his colleagues went looking for lizards in both cities. They took a small tissue sample from each animal and then released it again. With the help of so-called microsatellites, they then used the tissue collected in this way to gain a glimpse into the lizards' genetic makeup. What was interesting here was the genetic diversity of the individual populations, which was compared using various criteria. There was a clear trend: Although the populations were almost completely isolated in both cities, the Bulgarian lizards, had lost considerably more of their genetic variability in similarly-sized areas than their Saxon cousins of the same species. "Clearly the animals at the edge of their range really do react more sensitively to fragmentation," concludes Martin Schlegel. The team of researchers now want to investigate the concrete consequences that this has for the reptiles. "We think that the animals in Bulgaria are less fit," says the ecologist Henle. This could mean, for example, that they are in a worse physical condition, or that they are more susceptible to parasites. And such factors can certainly have played a role in the reduction of the reptile populations that conservationists have observed in Sofia for several years. In the 1990s, the sand lizard was still a common species there, living in parks, graveyards, and, particularly at the edge of the city, also in the green spaces between residential blocks. But in particular the populations in small refuges have shrunk massively; in a number of areas of the city the species is no longer to be found. "We assume that there are similar effects with many other species," says Klaus Henle. This is important information for conservation. It could mean that a large number of animals have more difficulty with the fragmentation of their habitats than previously thought. After all, it could be that studies carried out previously only concentrated on the centre of the respective range. Even if those studies then give the all-clear, it does not necessarily mean that populations on the periphery are also safe. If these are to survive, it may be that they need considerably more support than animals of the same species in the centre for example in the form of particularly attractive migration routes to encourage them to cover the distances between individual habitats. For Klaus Henle there is no question that the fringe-dwellers of the animal world deserve more attention: "If you want to preserve endangered species, it is not enough to just look at their strongholds." More information: Klaus Henle et al. Are species genetically more sensitive to habitat fragmentation on the periphery of their range compared to the core? A case study on the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), Landscape Ecology (2016). DOI: 10.1007/s10980-016-0418-2 U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, has often remarked that her Green Party opponent Matt Funiciello bakes great bread. But when it comes to political candidates, it's Stefanik who is the choice of at least some wholesale bakers. American Bakers Association, a trade group of the wholesale baking industry established in 1897, contributed $1,000 to Stefanik's campaign in the third quarter, according to a report the campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission. Stefanik is running for re-election in the 21st Congressional District against Democrat Mike Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, and Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls. Democratic congressional candidate Mike Derrick will do more than just talk about opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, said U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam. We need someone who is a steady voice, a constant voice, a passionate voice, that works the house doesnt just take a stand but deliberately goes out there and works the membership to tell them of the consequences, Tonko said Wednesday at a press conference with Derrick and labor leaders at the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 773 training center in Queensbury. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed trade agreement between the United States and 12 nations. Supporters of the trade agreement have said it will help United States manufacturers compete more effectively with China, but opponents have said the proposed agreement does not contain adequate labor and environmental standards. I think it is very important since that document, that negotiated settlement, is with 12 nations that comprise about 40 percent of the worlds GDP, Tonko said. Taking exception to some of the parameters of the agreement is one thing. And we do take exception, he said. But its also the implementation of that agreement after the fact. And the implementation process (of previous trade agreements) has been very weak. Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, is running in the 21st Congressional District against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Arizona has a long history of voting Republican in presidential elections - often overwhelmingly so. But this year has been a little different. Arizona is now being considered a battleground state in the presidential race and Sen. John McCain is facing a difficult reelection campaign. So when The Arizona Republic, located in Phoenix, recently endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, it sent shockwaves through the community. Most importantly, that liberal media tag wont stick here. The Republic had not endorsed a Democrat for president in 125 years and it made clear that the reason for its endorsement was that Donald Trumps principles werent conservative. They announced they had chosen patriotism over party. The response should be chilling to all Americans. Youre dead. Watch your back. We will burn you down. You should be put in front of a firing squad as a traitor. The threats poured in against the Republics business and the people who worked there. One of the callers invoked the name of Don Bolles and said that more Republic reporters would be blown up. Don Bolles was an investigative reporter for the Republic who was murdered while looking into illegal activities of the mob. They put a bomb in his car and blew him up. He died slowly over 12 days. Young people going door-to-door selling subscriptions to the newspaper were spit on, threatened with violence, screamed at and bullied. Many of those young people were working their way through school. In response, Editor Nicole Carroll put on her press badge and walked with her reporters and photographers into a Donald Trump rally in Prescott Valley, Ariz. She stood at the rally as Trump encouraged his followers to heckle and boo and bully journalists. Newspapers have taken a beating this election season. It seems to get worse every four years. We are not in the pockets of anyone. We have no agenda but to report stories, inform our communities and serve its best interests. If all workers were as dedicated and hard-working as the ones that work in my newspaper, we would all be better off. One final thing about the Arizona Republic: It was one of their investigative reporters who first revealed the most recent abuses at the VA. Seems to me, the citizens of Arizona should be cheering their newspaper instead of spitting on it. Green Party congressional candidate Matt Funiciello has chimed in with Democratic criticism of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefaniks voting record. Meanwhile, a national political action committee has stepped in to defend her. I dont see anything that Elise has done in her two years that leads me to believe she takes climate change seriously at all, said Funiciello, in a meeting Wednesday with The Post-Star editorial board. On Tuesday, ClearPath Action Fund, a political action committee that supports a free market approach to climate change, announced it will distribute a direct mail piece in response to a press conference Democratic candidate Mike Derrick and the Sierra Club held Monday to discuss Stefaniks score of 9 out of 100 points on the League of Conservation Voters National Environmental scorecard. ClearPath Action Fund said the scorecard penalized Stefanik for supporting alternative energy options such as nuclear and hydropower. The mailer praises nine of Stefaniks votes in the House to address climate change, and touts her co-sponsorship with Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook, of a resolution acknowledging the importance of addressing climate change. Its not good enough to just say, Hey Chris Gibson and I believe in it, Funiciello said. Well, good for you. What are you doing about it? Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls, criticized Stefanik for co-sponsoring the Farm Regulatory Certainty Act, legislation to clarify that livestock emissions should not be regulated as solid waste. The legislation had 25 co-sponsors as of Thursday 16 Republicans and nine Democrats. Funiciello said methane from dairy and livestock farms is a major contributor to climate change. I think we have to address the root causes, just like every other issue we have, he said. The proposed legislation is in response to a federal court ruling in Washington state that determined the amount of manure disposed of at certain farms in that state exceeded limits under solid waste law, according to the National Milk Producers Federation. That act basically allows for farmers to do all kinds of environmentally damaging things and not have to face any legal penalty, Funiciello said. She would say that is a way of protecting farmers. I say it is a way of protecting corporate agriculture. Contacted to respond, Stefaniks campaign said she is proud to sponsor the legislation, which is a top priority for New York Farm Bureau. Environmental policy should focus on helping farmers reduce emissions and improve water quality, not on lawsuits, her campaign said. Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, said at a press conference in Queensbury on Wednesday he is not familiar with the specific legislation Funiciello cited, but he recognizes the importance of technology to convert agricultural methane to energy. Whether its North County innovation or formal research and development, we need to find ways to innovate, he said. Stefanik has co-sponsored legislation to make methane conversion systems eligible for a federal alternative energy tax credit. Funiciello discounted the significance of the League of Conservation scorecard that Derrick has been discussing. I dont really care what an environmental group is going to give her as a report card, nor do I care that it endorses or doesnt endorse Mike Derrick, he said. In both cases, I would ask instead, Whats the result of either of your parties having been in power? Whats the legislation that you have brought through that is actually making a change? QUEENSBURY William J. McGloin, 78, of Queensbury, passed away on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016 at his home after a brief courageous battle with colon cancer and also of a broken heart, with his loving daughters by his side. William was born March 10, 1938 in Astoria, Queens, the son of the late William and Rose (Traeger) McGloin. He graduated from Jamaica High in Queens, class of 1956 and after moving to Queensbury, became a member of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church. Upon graduating, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served his country for six years. Upon his return after serving overseas, went to work at Sperry Gyroscope in Great Neck, Long Island for a while and then went on to work for Con Edison in New York. William then moved to Queensbury in 1969 and an opportunity arose in 1971 in which he started his career at Great Meadow Correctional Facility as a correctional officer where most of the guys at the joint knew Bill as 'Ace.' After 30 years of service, he happily retired in 2002. Bill met the love of his lifeMaria back in the fall of 1968. On a daily-basis, Maria drove miles out of her way to fill up her gas tank at this handsome young man's gas station at which he worked. After several visits, she introduced herself and the rest is history. On Nov. 8, 1969, William married Maria, and both decided to move to the North Country in which Bill had frequented in his early years, during the 1940s and 1950s on the weekends with his family and relatives, traveling the long journey north on Route 9 for hours on end to reach their destination in the country. Bill and Maria complemented one another and were always together. They enjoyed daily journeys, explored various places, as well as frequented all the local restaurants. His most favorite place was BJ's Wholesale Club where he loved purchasing items in bulk because he never wanted to run out of anything! And ultimately, he enjoyed visiting with friends and family eating and drinking during the unique' get-togethers of Beefuary, Blarch and Lobstoberfest, of which he will be greatly missed. 'Raise your glass To Our Absent Members.' 'Base Command of the Northern Tactical Bunker has lost radio-communication Over and out General.' In addition to his parents; he was predeceased by his wife, Maria Georgianna McGloin, who only passed away a few months ago in August 2016; his sister, Dolores Rogozinski of Latham; his niece-in-law, Sandy Rogozinski, of River Vale, New Jersey; a close-first-cousin, Bobby Matheny of Ridgefield, New Jersey; along with several other relatives. Survivors include his beloved daughters, Deborah McGloin of Queensbury; Kathleen (Fernando) Serra, of Lunenburg, Massachusetts; and his only grand-daughter, Daniella Serra, of Lunenburg, Massachusetts; nephews, Steven Rogozinski, of River Vale, New Jersey and Richard (Susan) Rogozinski, of Cromwell, Connecticut; grand nephews, Michael Rogozinski of River Vale, New Jersey and David (Kelleigh) Rogozinski of Bristol, Connecticut; and grand-niece Sara Rogozinski of Cromwell, Connecticut. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Our Lady of Annunciation Church, 448 Aviation Road, Queensbury. Burial will be at St. Cecilia's Cemetery in Warrensburg where Maria and Bill will forever be together again. Friends and family may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at the Singleton Sullivan Potter Funeral Home, 407 Bay Road, Queensbury. Bill's daughters, Kathy & Debbie,would like to express their gratitude to Fort Hudson Home Palliative Care and a special thank you' to their outstanding RN, Kristie and to his attentive PCA, Penny, for all their care and compassion given to Bill and his family during this difficult time. Online condolences may be made by visiting our website: www.sbfuneralhome.com. HUDSON FALLS A man who works as a substitute teaching assistant at the BOCES complex in Kingsbury was arrested Wednesday for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl who he met through one of his classes, police said. Daniel G. Stoy, 38, of Main Street, Hudson Falls, was charged with third-degree rape, a felony, and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child after an investigation by Hudson Falls Police and State Police, authorities said. Hudson Falls Police Detective Scott Gillis said police were contacted by school officials after they learned of allegations that Stoy had a sexual relationship with a student from a criminal justice class where Stoy worked. The girl had told a friend about the relationship, and one of the friends disclosed details of it to a school employee, Gillis said. When questioned by police, Stoy admitted having sex with the girl at his home, police said. Police believe the relationship included multiple sexual encounters. There are no allegations Stoy forced the girl to have sex, but under state law, those under 17 can not legally consent to sexual relations. Police are looking into whether there are additional victims, but said no one else had come forward as of Thursday. He (Gillis) is still conducting interviews but there there are no indications of others at this point, Hudson Falls Police Chief Randy Diamond said. Stoy was arraigned in Kingsbury Town Court and released on his own recognizance. He was a longtime U.S. Marine who had no criminal record, Gillis said. The school did a full background check on him. The school did everything they should have, Gillis said. James Dexter, district superintendent of BOCES, said Stoy was a substitute teaching assistant at Southern Adirondack Education Center, and will no longer be used by the district. He has worked for the district since April, filling in as needed. The district contacted police as soon as it learned of the allegations, he added. He called the allegations absolutely devastating and said the district had taken all the precautions such as fingerprinting and a full background check when bringing Stoy on. Military media reports and prior Post-Star reports show Stoy received three Purple Hearts for injuries he suffered serving as a gunner in Iraq. He saw extensive combat in Fallujah. He also received a community involvement award while stationed in Jacksonville, Florida in 2011, before he retired after a 17-year career in the military. State Police Investigator Chris Lapham assisted Gillis with the case. Anyone with information in the case was asked to call Hudson Falls Police at 747-4011. SOUTH GLENS FALLS Residents are afraid to sit in their backyards or even walk to their cars at the Water Tower Village Apartments complex, following last weeks rabid fox attack. The fox attacked a 4-year-old boy at noon last Thursday as he was walking to his fathers car in the complexs parking lot. An adult was also bitten on Thursday, about half a mile away from the complex. Those who saw the attack on the boy described a chilling scene in which the fox attacked again and again, refusing to leave even when kicked by the father, who was wearing steel-toed boots. When the family later tried to leave their apartment to get medical help, the fox leaped out from under a car and attacked again. It was relentless. It would not back off, said Victoria Burgess, who dragged her son to safety after the first attack. We dont feel safe here anymore. My children cant go in their backyard to play. Even walking to the car its not like he was walking in the woods and aggravated the animal. Two residents came to the South Glens Falls Village Board meeting Wednesday, asking for the foxes in the woods near them to be relocated. Mayoral candidate Brigid Martin also pushed for that, saying that it would help not only the residents but also village tourism. The foxes and the residents live near the Betar Byway, and Martin said a fear of rabid animals could keep some tourists away from the trail. We need our waterfront for tourism and quality of life we cant have people scared to go down there, Martin said. Another resident, Darlene Cardinal, said she was shaken by the attack. A rabid cat was also caught in the same area in February, and there are many feral cats there, which has her worried that rabies will spread further. The cats are fearless and are fed by many neighbors, she said. We are afraid to walk out to our car, she said. They were going out their front door. Now she tries to survey the parking lot before getting out of her car. You drive in the parking lot and you try to look under cars, she said. We cant even sit in our backyards. The woods are right there. Some residents also spoke at the meeting in defense of the animals, noting that the woods are the foxes natural habitat. Animal Control Officer Ed Robbins said people should simply use caution around wildlife. But Cardinal and Burgess said that anyone who saw the attack wouldnt be satisfied by that advice. This was a vicious attack, Cardinal said. It started when Austin Bordeau, 4, walked into the parking lot. His father was next to him. The fox came from the middle of the parking lot, Burgess said. There was no time to evaluate the animal or use caution, she added. He charged at my son, knocked him down and sank his teeth into his thigh, Burgess said. Bordeaus father kicked the fox repeatedly, but the fox would not let go. The fight ranged through the parking lot. At one point Bordeaus father stepped in the familys pumpkin, crushing it as he fought off the fox. The fox, meanwhile, tried to hang on to Bordeau. He was dragging him away, Burgess said. When the fox finally let go, Burgess grabbed her son and carried him inside. The fox went away. Since it was obviously rabid, Burgess immediately packed up the family and headed out to the emergency room. The fox was under my Jeep. It charged us again, Burgess said. She tried to avoid its jaws and ended up tripping. She fell to the ground, dropping her son on the sidewalk and trying to shield him from the animal. Bordeaus father rushed over and kicked the fox again and again. They all retreated inside again. It still didnt leave. It was walking up and down the sidewalk, Burgess said. So they called 911. Police arrived and the fox fled into the woods. An officer took a shot at it but missed, Burgess said. Her son is now being treated with the rabies vaccine. The fox that bit him was never found, but is almost definitely dead, according to Robbins. Rabies kills animals within three days once they are ill enough to bite others, he said. Still, Burgess is worried that the fox transmitted the virus to other animals before its death. The fox had blood on its mouth and smelled of skunk, she said. Her son is still scared, ready for the next rabid animal to attack. Before they walk out of their apartment, he looks out the windows and studies the area. He says he wants to make sure the coast is clear, Burgess said. When they get out of their car, which is parked directly in front of their door, he asks her to check for animals first. He makes me look all around, she said. I want something to be done. Right now we dont feel safe here. EASTON A 45-year-old Argyle man died Tuesday morning during an industrial accident at Fort Miller Fab3 Corp.s facility in Easton. The Washington County Sheriffs Office and U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration were investigating the death at the Wilbur Avenue plant, which is a subsidiary of Fort Miller Group and fabricates metal products for industrial uses. Easton-Greenwich EMS was sent to the plant at 8:54 a.m. Washington County Sheriffs Office identified the man as Daniel J. Ingram. An autopsy found the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen. The investigation is continuing. Sheriff's Senior Investigator Tony LeClaire said the man was hit by a large, several-thousand-pound piece of metal equipment similar to a large cabinet that fell on top of him as it was being worked on. Something happened and it shifted and fell on top of him, LeClaire said. Seven employees there were able to lift it off him. The man was taken to Saratoga Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later Tuesday. The Sheriffs Office was notified of the fatality by the Saratoga County Coroners Office Tuesday afternoon and an investigation was ongoing, LeClaire said. Sheriffs officers were conducting additional interviews Wednesday to try to determine how the accident happened, he said. Sheriff Jeff Murphy said more details will be released as they become available. A call to the group was not returned Wednesday, a woman who fielded a phone call saying that she did not anticipate there would be any comment by the corporation. A call to OSHAs office in Albany was referred to agency spokesman James Lally, who confirmed that an investigation was ongoing but said OSHA had no comment on the matter as of Wednesday. Fort Miller Group opened the Fab3 Corp plant in Greenwich in 2013 to move operations from a plant in Saratoga Springs. The plant makes dump truck bodies, salt-and-sand spreaders and leaf loaders, according to its website. 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Budget readings are heavily covered in the media with lots of analysis and scrutiny devoted to how the government intends to spend the countries resources. At the time of publication, the committee was in a meeting to discuss the budget presentation. Background The Deputy majority leader Alfred Agbesi had earlier announced: The Minister of Finance is expected to present to the house on Thursday 20th October, 2016, the expenditure in advance of appropriation in January to March 2017 as well as the revenue and expenditure of the government of Ghana for the 2017 financial year. The move to present the budget for the first quarter of 2017 is in line with conventions established during election years due to the likelihood of a change of government. The request for this amount was in line with Article 180 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 23 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). READ ALSO: Terkper presents Q1 budget The paper was earlier referred to the Finance Committee of Parliament and the report on the estimates was subsequently presented to the house after it had finished its work. According to the Committee, the governments request was necessitated by the tight election calendar which made it difficult to come out with an Appropriation Act before the end of 2016. The Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben North, Kwasi Boateng Adjei, who represented the Ranking Member for the Finance Committee, said he was saddened by how government should spend GHS1.8 billion on interest payments alone. The Committee explained that GHc1.8 billion has been earmarked for interest payments whilst grants to other government units will cost GHc 2.3 billion. Compensation of employees will also amount to GHc 3.8 billion. The Committee added that the Finance Ministry plans to raise revenue amounting to GHc 8.9 billion for the first quarter of 2017, saying the bulk of this projection, GHc 7.2 billion, will be from taxes ranging from income and property tax to international trade taxes. Building on that momentum Fancy Gadam has performed alongside some of Ghana's biggest acts like Stonebwoy, VVIP and more. Fancy recently gave a spectacular performance at the just ended Stonebwoy Peace Concert held in Ashaiman. Since then, he has been steadily building on his success as he recently sealed a deal with Rush Energy Drink at an undisclosed amount as the brands Ambassador in the three Northern regions. Artistes billed for the night includes Ataaka, Nandos, Iwan and Saani among others. Gadam Nation concert is a show put together by 5PM and Gadam Nation, which is expected to be another night of thrilling music display. The show happening at the National Theatre promises to be another exciting Fancy Gadam show. The manager of the young and talented actor, Mawuko Kuadzi, who took the award on behalf of Attah at the Accra International Conference Center, expressed gratitude to organizers and read Attahs speech on his behalf. We thank God for another award that have been given to Abraham Attah, is such a great honor to be honored by the Pan Africa Eminence Awards. We really appreciate it and Abraham wants to dedicate this to every great talent that has not been discovered yet. Read More: Below is Abraham Attahs read by Mawuko Kuadzi on his behalf; I wish I was here in person to receive this award but it couldnt happen but big thanks to God for another opportunity to be honored. Thank you to my parent and everyone who believed in me and supported me to come this far. Thank you to event organizers for thinking about me and honoring me. Tomorrow will be exactly a year, Beasts of No Nation was released. And I am very happy to be part of such a wonderful film. The first time I saw the film on the big screen I cried and I asked so if war should hit our country is this how it is going to be?. I was told, even worse than that. In this time of our election, my message to all Ghanaians is We have only one Ghana and we must not experiment with it. I experienced war in the movie and I dont want to experience it in real life.It is children like us that suffer. That is why even though I will not be in Ghana during the election, my foundation is embarking on the Ghana Peace Drive-Let Ghana Win. Ghana is my home, no matter where I find myself. This award is dedicated to any talent out there, that has not been discovered yet. Thank you. Read More: The "Handkerchief" and Ego Be hitmaker disclosed that she calls the collection of the new singles "Free Vibes (The good feeling)". According to her Free Vibes is a collection of songs strictly for her fans. Free Vibes because when I released Handkerchief, my fans kept on asking me for more songs hence my team (Oneplay Media) and I decided to surprise them with these set of songs. Trust me these are good songs that gives you good feeling and helps you to get through your daily life activities, she noted. Talking about each song, Nana Yaa explained "ObaaYaa" is a rendition of the popular "Serwaa Akoto" song in an Afro beats, Finally Free talks about her journey in Liberia and Handkerchief is the original version. In a smiling mood, she said: "Indeed these are good Vibes". She wants her fans to enjoy the new songs, Share it among friends and make it part of their playlist. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM he said even though the demands of the state attorneys are legitimate, it will take some time to get them done hence his call for patience. He said the problems of the State Attorneys are in two folds. READ ALSO: State Attorneys threaten strike he explained. He mentioned that government will meet the aggrieved state attorneys today to explain the current situation. At the meeting, they will also discuss the possibility of having their pensions deducted by the Accountant General's Department pending the passage of the Act. READ ALSO: JUSSAG threatens another strike The Association of State Attorneys has declared an indefinite nationwide strike following failure on the part of the government to meet their conditions of service demand. They blamed the Finance Ministry, Attorney Generals Department and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) for not implementing the directive of the National Labour Commission (NLC) for improved conditions of service. Some artisanal miners operating within the Kobor enclave, an abandoned pit belonging to AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) in the Obuasi municipality, yesterday morning went on a rampage, vandalizing properties belonging to political parties in protest against their removal from the area to another place. DKM CUSTOMERS ANGRY WITH GH10 PAYMENTS The hopes of many people who invested in DKM Financial Services to get back part of their investments from the office of the liquidator have been dashed. PNC TREASURER BUSTED OVER GH800,000 The National Treasurer of the PNC, Adams Akane, has been arrested for allegedly embezzling funds belonging to the party. EIU PREDICTS ANANS VICTORY IN DEC POLLS We expect Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP to be victorious in the December presidential and legislative elections, given popular frustration with Ghanas poor economic performance under the recent NDC administration, London-based Economist Intelligence Unit of the Economist Magazine has predicted in its October edition released yesterday. MAHAMA MAKES PROMISES TO HOHOE VICTIMS BANKS TO RAISE COST OF LENDING AS INFLATION SOARS The cost of borrowing is expected to go up in the coming months as some commercial banks are planning to adjust their lending rates upwards by about three percent, Business Finder reports. ECONOMY IN CRISIS, GOVT CONFESSES Contrary to governments denial of a weakening economy, Business Finder can confirm that the same government has admitted difficult economic times to the IMF. Major shakeup in olive service Farmer sentenced to death The plight of Bormase-Siblinor pupils 'Galamsey' gang attacks, This is according to Security Analyst Dr Kwesi Anning who was speaking to Accra-based Citi FM. He blamed the increasing rate of galamsey on the unwillingness of authorities in charge to deal with the issue. He also said politicians must also be blamed for showing little concern in such an issue. READ ALSO: NPP blames Mahama for surge in galamsey He said the Police has lost the power to deal with the issue and suggested that the military is used for such an activity. Dr Aning's comments comes after some irate illegal miners in Obuasi on Wednesday morning protested against governments move to stop them from mining in their various mining centres. The Minerals Commission has handed them a quit order for them to stop gold mining in the main operating area within the concession of Anglogold Ashanti (AGA). But the demonstrators say they are not ready to move out of that area to a new place. Many of them in their anger vandalised the offices of some political parties including that of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) amidst chants of no galamsey, no votes. According to him, their threats cannot have any bearing on the polls as most of the illegal miners are strangers who do not vote in the area. READ ALSO: The Minerals Commission has handed them a quit order for them to stop gold mining in the main operating area within the concession of Anglogold Ashanti (AGA). But the demonstrators say they are not ready to move out of that area to a new place. Many of them in their anger vandalised the offices of some political parties including that of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) amidst chants of no galamsey, no votes. But Mr Ennin, who is also the Member of Parliament for Obuasi East, said their threats do not hold. They [illegal miners] have seen that in Ghana some governments are very weak. Most of these galamseyers are strangers, they dont even vote in Obuasi. Even if all of them are to vote they are not more than 0.01 per cent of the voting population and so if you are a government, you weigh both sides you are losing income, which is going against you seriously, and these galamseyers. Which one do you go for? Which one will you choose? ...When you come to Obuasi, those who vote in Obuasi West alone are about 55, 000, East is close to 44,000, the galamseyers are not up to 0.01 per cent. So it means you have more people there who will vote and who will decide and those more people there you see are the ones who are for the mine, they want the mine to come so that they will get jobs to do so that there will be more money in their pockets. And so compare the two and choose for us to know if you are a good or bad leader, he told Accra FM. AGA has over the years had issues with the galamsey operators who are said to have been encroaching on the concession of the company. The miners, per the order, were to vacate the concession immediately or be forced out. Plans have been made in collaboration with the Movement Committee to relocate them. Speaking at a campaign event in Hohoe in the Volta Region, the president said it was impossible for him or any other leader to put money in the pockets of Ghanaians. No president is going to come to Ghana one day and line all our people up and say, everybody come and get it; here is free money. It will never happen. The only way you can put money in your pocket is to work for it. ...And, so, the only way money can go into citizens pockets is when they work for it. And, so, governments responsibility is to make sure that we give our citizens the skills to work and to make money for themselves, the president said. In February 2016, the president said when voted into power for a second term, he will put money in the pockets of Ghanaians after the complaints from the opposition circles said roads and hospitals wont put money in pockets. I can understand when people say things are tight...We have spent these last four years investing in bringing the social infrastructure back to scratch and when I win the second term, then we will start putting money in your pocket. And I wish to pledge that we will continue working in the interest of the people of Ghana." This is not the first time the president has gone back on his own words. When he was campaigning for the 2012 elections, he dismissed the oppositions promise to institute free education for senior high school students. Instead, he proposed an upgrade of existing schools and the building of more schools. The Chief of Staff told supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Region that adults who drink Kalyppo risked being plagued by a disease called Kalyppolitis. The adults here, I am pleading with you to avoid taking Kalyppo because the sugar content is harmful to your health, he told the supporters in the Twi language. His comment comes after a picture of the NPPs Presidential nominee sipping Kalyppo fruit juice was made public. This was meant to possibly mock Nana Akuffo Addo but it interestingly started a social media challenge. Many have criticised Mr Debrah for his comment, saying patronage of the Kalyppo might be affected as a result. But the deputy Communications minister insists that the comments were based on doctors advice that adults should reduce sugar intake. Even doctors have recommended that adults should quit sugar intake and so that was the point the Chief of Staff was making. He only advised that as adults, we should take our doctors advice by reducing sugar intake, he said on Asempa FM. According to the chiefs, they have been denied developments under President John Mahama's administration because they have consistently remained loyal to the NPP and that nothing would stop them from doing same. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Nana Owusu asked those 58 chiefs to clap if they really agreed with what he said and would vote for the NPP. "If you will vote for the NPP again in this years election, clap your hands for the party," he told the gathered chiefs in Twi and they responded with a thunderous applause. Nana Owusu added that though the constitution bars chiefs from engaging in partisan politics, they were not barred from casting their votes. Nana Akufo-Addo expressed gratitude to the chiefs for their support and assured them of massive development if given the nod this December. The open declaration of support for the NPP leader by the chiefs comes in spite of calls by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Seidu Daanaa for traditional rulers to refrain from endorsing presidential candidates ahead of elections. Other matters relating to the December polls will also be discussed at the said meeting, the EC has said. The EC had scheduled to do the balloting for the Presidential candidates President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress, Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party, Ivor Greenstreet of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and an independent candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah who met all the criteria set by the EC. But it has been forced to suspend the process because of the legal suits brought against the Commission by the disqualified aspirants. The EC, last week Monday, announced the disqualification of 12 aspirants for failing to meet the criteria for filing as president. The presidential nominees disqualified included flag bearer of the All Peoples Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga; Dr Edward Mahama of the Peoples National Convention (PNC); Dr Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party (UFP); and Kofi Akpaloo of the Independent Peoples Party (IPP); Kwabena Adjei of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD). The others were: Dr Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP); Mr Richard Nixon Tetteh (United Development Systems Party); Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Thomas Ward-Brew of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP); Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate, and Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP). Mr Akwasi Addae Odike of the United Progressive Partys nomination is on hold pending a court case. The EC issue of breached its own rules which had imposed a duty on them to give candidates an opportunity to make amendments and alterations. The issue of breach of the rules of natural justice is so fundamental that everyone should be given a hearing before being condemned. Even under common law, you can always go to court and say that I have been dismissed from work and they never gave me an opportunity to be heard, Ayikoi Otoo who is the lawyer for Dr. Ndoum told journalists in Accra. On reasons why the PPPs Papa Kwesi Nduom was disqualified, the EC Chair said: the Commission is unable to accept Dr Nduoms nomination because again the number of subscribers in his forms did not make the requirements of regulation 7(2) of CI 94. The details are as follows, one subscriber, Mr Richard Aseda, with voter ID number 7812003957 endorsed Dr Nduoms forms in the Central region and again endorsed the same forms with the same ID number in the Volta region. She said: the same subscriber, Mr Richard Aseda endorsed the form with different signatures in both portions of the nomination forms. This again raises questions as to the legitimacy of one or both signatures. In a statement signed by Adams, he said there is no missing money since the party used the said amount to pay for the filing fees of the presidential and parliamentary candidates. READ ALSO: PNC Communication Director blames General Secretary over disqualification But Akane described such news as lies. He purported that there were people masterminding this just to destroy his political career. The PNCs 2016 Presidential nominee Dr Edward Mahama was one of the 13 disqualified aspirants over anomalies in their nomination forms. The party has given the Electoral Commission an ultimatum to reverse this decision or they follow their next line of action. Below is the full statement from Akane Adams: THERE IS NO MISSING MONEY.. PNC Treasurer Its very funny the level and length at which some people will want to lie to destroy others in politics even when the truth is so clear. Every political party seeks support and logistics internal and external. Payments of filing fees for our parliamentary candidates and our presidential candidate in the 2016 elections could not have been possible without the efforts made by some key individuals. Indeed, the party mobilised some resources and logistics and I can confirm to you there is no missing money anywhere in the party kitty. Rumours of missing monies are all allegations. The alleged money was used to pay for the filing fees of our presidential candidate and parliamentary candidates in the 2016 elections. Nobody has been arrested. As we speak, there is no any police case against any party executive at any police office or station anywhere in the country regarding any missing money. All remain rumours and all the allegations must be treated with the contempt it deserves. We are currently working to get our flagbearer back on the ballot and no amount of distraction can sway our efforts. Signed: According to her, not much attention has been given to the creative industry, saying it is the hope of the NPP to reverse the situation if it comes to power. She said apart from the Greater Accra Region, which already boasts of the National Theatre, the nine other regions will benefit from the art theatres. Ms Botchway added that the NPP if given the nod, will also set up a Creative Arts Council to coordinate and harmonize the various interests and fragmented associations in the arts industry. Her comments follow up on the party's manifesto promises for the creative industry if voted into power. Read below the highlights of what the party will do under tourism, culture and creative arts We will: a. Aggressively develop our tourist sites to bring them to world-class standards, complete with the requisite amenities and facilities b. Pursue a deliberate marketing programme to promote our unique historical sites, flora and fauna, waterfalls and other cultural artefacts c. Take the staffing of these tourist sites and our hospitality industry as a whole seriously. To improve professionalism in the sector, we will partner with the private sector to set up a state-of-the-art hospitality teaching facility, with an operational hotel, classrooms, kitchens, library, and dormitories d. Encourage local communities to take ownership and be invested in the sustainability of tourist attractions in their localities, The NPP will champion a revenue- sharing programme to inject 5% of tourism revenues from fees of well-developed tourist attractions into local community projects e. Promote domestic tourism, by making it an aggressive plank of our tourism strategy with a marketing drive centred on entrenching a tourism culture among Ghanaians f. Review and actively implement the Culture Policy developed under the Kufuor-led NPP government to give our culture pride of place in our national development. g. Build a detailed inventory of all our cultural assets, so the nation has a database of these assets. h. The Copyright Act 2005 (Act 690), among other provisions, provides for the protection of Adinkra symbols and the older Kente designs as expression of folklore. The NPP will ensure that the provisions regarding the protection of Kente and Adinkra designs are strictly enforced against illicit exploitation by foreign interests, to enable the country maximize revenue through the proper marketing of these heirlooms. i. Establish a Creative Arts Fund to make available funds to modernize and develop the sector j. Create a Division of the High Court, focusing on the Creative Arts to deal with all matters relating to intellectual property rights, complete with a dedicated enforcement unit k. Establish a Creative Arts Council to coordinate and harmonize the various interests and fragmented associations into a well-functioning body to protect the interests of members. l. Collaborate with private sector interests to acquire the technology and equipment needed to log creative works, in order to determine true and deserved royalties. m. Promote regional and district literature, music, dance and drama competitions, particularly in schools and colleges, and NDC ATTACKS LOCAL INDUSTRYThe Truth Forum, condemns the reckless and irresponsible pronouncements made by the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, urging Ghanaians to stay away from Kalyppo, a locally-made fruit juice.It is rather unfortunate that, after 8years of making a complete mess of the Ghanaian economy, the John Mahama-led NDC government has decided to not only negatively tag our local industry, but take us back to the dark days in our history.It will be recalled that a few weeks ago, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, was spotted in photograph drinking Kalyppo fruit juice. The photograph went viral on social media, with Ghanaians from all walks of life identifying with him by posting selfies mimicking him drinking the locally made juice. It is obvious that sales of Kalyppo has increased tremendously in recent times.Speaking to supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Regional town of Wenchi, Mr. Debrah said adults who take very sweet fruit juices would go down with a sickness called Kalyppolities. The Chief of Staff has suddenly acquired medical qualification to determine what our population should or should not consume.After presiding over several years of unending power crisis, high taxes, petroleum price hikes, high utility tariffs, mismanagement of the economy, unstable currency which has resulted in collapse of many businesses and rendering hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians jobless, it is regrettable that such comments would come from the Chief of staff. Instead of outlining what has been done to curtail the energy crisis in the long-term, as well as measures put in place to make the business environment conducive for business to thrive, this is how low government has decided to sink.This brings back memories of terror on private entrepreneurship; and as a people, we must condemn such utterances in our political discourse.We are therefore calling on Mr. Julius Debrah to apologise for the irresponsible statement, and also to the manufacturers of Kalyppo and the general public.Signed. Anthony Abayifaa KarboMember Truth Forum 20TH October 2016 According to an announcement on the website of the magazine, Davies who was its Oyo/Osun Bureau chief, died on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, at her hometown in Ondo State. Though details of the ailment that claimed Davies's life has not been made public, close friends says she did not show signs of any sickness prior to her death. The lady who was described by colleagues as very dedicated and resourceful, joined City People magazine over 10 years ago and rose through the ranks. She was a Deputy Editor before her sad demise. On Google Africa's YouTube page, you can watch the tech giant's Nigerian ads that mention Burna Boy, Deola Sagoe, popular night club Escape and the viral sensation Emmanuella. This is more like it. As Nigerians, we love when big brands create adverts specifically for us. This is what Google has done. With this new set of ads, they are properly integrating their search engine into Nigeria's mainstream culture. We would rather search for Burna Boy's latest video than the last episode of ''. ALSO READ: Google announces new self-built phone Speaking of Google and its adverts, it seems the tech giant is taking its agenda of world domination seriously. Apart from billboard and mini-billboards ads, Google is now paying for advert slots on radio and television. This week, Google's adverts have hit both radio and TV. Isn't Google already famous enough? Apparently not. The tech giant wants to integrate itself to every sphere of life making it indispensable. According to the BBC, Grette had met the scammer on a dating site where he posed as a 58-year-old Danish man and they fell in love, not knowing she was being propped for a love scam. Grette, who works as an art teacher, painter and art therapist, told the BBC that after three months of Internet romance with the man who called himself Johnny, he agreed to come over and visit her in Sweden. But before traveling to be with her, he had allegedly told her that he and his son needed to make a quick trip to Nigeria for a job interview with an oil company. Typical of a well thought out scheme, the next phone call he made to her was to tell her that he and his son were robbed, shot and in a hospital in Lagos, and needed money to pay for an emergency operation. She first sent him 1000 for the treatment and after the first time, he kept squeezing her for money till she had sent him several thousands of Euro, but when she realized she was being defrauded, she stopped responding to his messages. After some weeks of silence, the man allegedly called her and confessed and to be very sure of his change of heart, she decided to travel to Nigeria and that move changed the fake romance to a true friendship that also changed his life and her perception of Nigeria and Africa. Grette described her two weeks in Nigeria as blissful as she met the young man and his friends, most of whom were scammers. Speaking about the experience, Grette said: "Johnny has given me more than he took. Without him, I wouldn't have met Africa. He promised her that he would give up scamming and he did. We still communicate and last year, he bought one of my paintings. He is very dear to me. He has asked me so many times to forgive him and I told him that the most important thing is to forgive himself," Grette said. Seeing an opportunity to make a difference, an idea came to Grette who began arranging a number of African artists to visit Europe for art exhibitions, workshops, conferences, and competitions. She has assisted them to source international grants and other funding to advance their work. Ms Grette arranged for African artists to visit Europe Photo Credit: BBC ALSO READ: Police Corporal shot dead by unknown gunmen The deceased, Mr Idowu Oyewole, who was a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) was reportedly shot dead in his home located along Akure/Owo road by three armed men suspected to be armed robbers. Daily Post reports that the residents of the area along with police authority and family members have been thrown into mourning. The late Mr Oyewole's son, Dare, narrated the incident to reporters at their home, revealing that a neighbour came to their house at about 7:30 pm to inform them that armed robbers had invaded his home. The deceased reportedly took his service pistol and returned with the neighbour hoping to dispatch the robbers, who on noticing his approached, engaged him in a shootout. The neighbour who pleaded anonymity, returned to the home of the deceased, warning them to lock up their home as the robbers had taken to the streets. The deceased was reportedly discovered on the ground the next morning. It was speculated that the deceased had been on his way to a nearby hospital but was unable to make it there. The priest identified as Joao Da Silva, 54, has been arrested following allegations of sexual assault on the victim, who was a student in his class, UK Mirror reports. The parents of the young girl discovered the drawings after she suddenly refused to attend Da Silva's English classes. The young girl had been so devastated following the attacks that her parents had been forced to take her to a psychologist who advised that they search her room for any signs of what might be causing her behaviour. Six pages of the heartbreaking drawings were found among her books, showing an aroused man looming over a scared child. ALSO READ: Catholic priest remanded in prison for allegedly raping 10yr-old girl in Abuja The father of the victim reportedly confronted the Priest before reporting the case to the police. Daily Post reports that the convict sneaked into the station and was in the process of making away with the motorcycle before he was arrested. The police prosecutor, Mereti Wilson, had told the court presided by Magistrate A. Bashiru. that the suspect had stolen the motorcycle belonging to one Wodi Michael from the police headquarters on August 23, 2016, at about 11am. Wilson added that the offense contravened Section 303 and was punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, volume II, Law of Osun State, Nigeria. When the charge was read to him, Waisu who had no counsel, pleaded guilty to the offense and begged for clemency. The Federal Ministry of Health had on Wednesday reinstated Uwakwem, saying her appointment was a presidential issue that can only be reversed through the same channel. Uwakwem had a running battle with the labour union at the centre that accused her of financial mismanagement and high-handedness, which led to her suspension. The Ministry, however, said since no evidence of misconduct was raised against her by a Ministerial fact-finding commission, the medical director has the right to finish her four-year tenure which will end in 2017. Upon learning of her reinstatement, the workers reportedly locked up all offices, medical units and wards in protest, accusing the Minister of State for Health, Dr Ehanire Osagie, and the Director of FMCs, Dr Ngozi Onwudiwe, of facilitating the return of Uwakwem. The aggrieved workers said the director has a case to answer at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stressing that she should go and clear herself of the charges against her first. "We wont allow someone who has a case with the EFCC to be the CMD of this centre. She should go and clear her name of the financial allegations levelled against first before she could come to struggle to be CMD," the workers said in a statement. Responding to the drama, Uwakwem said she has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Ministry of Health, on which basis she was reinstated. She said as long as the Federal Government is not in doubt of her integrity and competence, the workers' allegations is nothing to worry about. "I am not even in Owerri now. They are just lying against me as usual. The truth is that I have been cleared of any wrongdoing and I have been asked to resume work immediately. I am the chief exectutive; I can resume work from anywhere," she told Punch on the telephone. "For now, I have resumed work, but Im not yet in the office; the order was with immediate effect. They should let the court decide; you dont say somebody is guilty until the court says so." The Police Commissioner, Imo State Command, Taiwo Lakenu, said since the government has directed that the CMD resumes immediately, the workers have to obey that authority. Sulaiman made the commendation at the de-briefing of the concluded polio immunisation exercise on Wednesday in Birniwa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the October round immunisation started on Saturday and rounded off on Tuesday in the 27 local government areas of the state. Sulaiman said that more than 38,000 children were being inoculated against polio virus and other child killer diseases in the area. He explained that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDCA) had supplied 45,000 doses of vaccines, which facilitated smooth conduct of the exercise. The manager said that the agency provided cold room facilities for effective storage of vaccines and logistics support to immunisation personnel. Sulaiman noted that the gesture would facilitate total eradication of the disease in the country. He also commended the local council and community leaders over their support as well as mobilising participation in the exercise. Meanwhile, more than 51,000 children were immunised against polio virus in Kirikasamma local government council of the state. The Immunisation Officer, Malam Ibrahim Bura, said that the primary healthcare agency had supplied 60,900 doses of vaccines for the exercise in the area. The terrorists are said to have set fire to Goptari, which is 10 kilometres from Chibok, late on Tuesday, October 18, according to AFP. They attacked the village around 8:00 pm (1900GMT), firing heavy guns which made people flee into the bush, Samson Bulus, a resident of 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 added. The Boko Haram fighters overpowered the soldiers and seized a van with a machine gun mounted on the deck from the soldiers, another resident, Luka Damina said. The attack comes one week after Boko Haram released 21 Chibok girls from captivity following negotiations with the Nigerian government which were brokered by the Swiss government. ALSO READ: Osinbajo to receive 21 girls released by Boko Haram The Nigerians government has also said that talks are on to secure the release of 83 more girls. Obanikoro who arrived Nigeria last week from the United States, has told operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he sent N2.3bn over to Fayose in the run-up to the 2014 Governorship election in the South West State. The cash was airlifted to Ekiti in two chartered aircrafts. Biodun Agbele, an associate of Fayoses, took delivery of the money in Ekiti. Obanikoro said he sent the money to Fayose following express orders from Sambo Dasuki, erstwhile National Security Adviser (NSA) to then President Goodluck Jonathan. In typical fashion, Fayose is pulling no punches on this one. 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, Fayose told Pulse through a statement made available by his Special Adviser on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka. 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. Fayose also said Obanikoro has been compromised by law enforcement agencies. 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. 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 added. Fayose also said accepting donations to fund elections isnt a crime. He said if it is, the governing APC is just as guilty. 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. There was no word from Fayose on whether elections should be bankrolled with funds meant to equip the army. Pulse put calls across to Fayoses media aide, Olayinka, for a more detailed response for this story, but he kept cutting the calls off. He also threatened to shut down the bank. It all began when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) instructed the bank to detain Precious Fani-Kayode, wife of former Nigerian Minister, Femi Fani Kayode. Ms. Fani-Kayode was in Ekiti as guest of Fayose and had gone to the bank around 3pm to carry out a transaction. Matters got to a head when Fayose got wind of the development and stormed the bank in a fit of rage to secure Ms. Fani-Kayodes release. Ms. Fani-Kayode was carrying an eight-month old baby with her at the time of her arrest. She told Punch that she had been dehumanised by officials of the bank and the anti-graft agency. Im not a politician and that bank account had been dormant for about five years. I only activated it last month in Port Harcourt. I decided to go to Access Bank to make some withdrawals when I was detained on the instructions of the EFCC. They told me the account had been frozen and they were asked by the EFCC to arrest me on the spot. I have been operating the account since 2005 when I was a student in the university. They had earlier frozen my two bank accounts which they have not opened till today and I have been waiting for them to invite me, but up till today, they have not. The balance in the account is just N200,000; so, I dont know what their interest is. Im a private person. I have not received any political fund; so, why are they trying to starve my family? That account has nothing to do with politics. This is dehumanising. I had to call the Governor to inform him of the development. As youd expect, Governor Fayose was less than amused. He warned the EFCC against persecuting any of his friends in the future. Fayose also added that he wont allow lawlessness by a federal government agency take place in a State where he calls the shots. They cant try that nonsense in my state, Fayose said, literally belching fire. If they try it, there will be a showdown. They are over-stepping their boundary. This is a country that operates a constitution. What kind of molestation is this, taking away the rights of Nigerians because you are investigating? Must they terrorise people because they are in opposition? I have demanded an apology from the bank. If it fails to do that, Im done with them. This is lawlessness, the Governor said. Fani-Kayode who ran the Jonathan re-election publicity campaign, also used the opportunity to aim more darts at President Muhammadu Buhari. Fani-Kayode is under investigation by the EFCC for corruption. He was only just granted bail by the courts. The former Minister said if the EFCC wants to see his wife, it should have invited her over, not go after her in a bank. This government is sick and cowardly and so is the EFCC, said Fani-Kayode. If you have a problem with me, face me and leave my family alone. My wife travelled to Ado Ekiti to see my friend and brother, Governor Fayose, and his family. They were on their way out of town when they went to Access Bank in Ado Ekiti to get some money. They were illegally detained, brutalised and put under arrest on the orders of the EFCC at a bank in Ado Ekiti today. She has never had any business with me; she has never been formally invited by the EFCC or asked any questions about her transactions and neither has it written to her on any issue even though it is always sending letters to my house and sending people there. If Buhari wants to deal with me, why doesnt he face me like a man instead of trying to harm and hurt my eight-month-old son and wife? Had it not been for the intervention of Governor Ayo Fayose, they would have taken them away and subjected them to all manner of harm and indignity simply because she is married to me. This is Buharis Nigeria and we will resist his wickedness and tyranny. Fani-Kayode also described the actions of the EFCC as primitive and barbaric. His words: They have no right to do this. If they want to see my wife, all they need to do is to invite her. We have nothing to fear. They do not need to be so primitive and barbaric to people. In an attempt to starve and harass me and my family, all my accounts and wifes accounts have been frozen. Now, they are resorting to arresting peoples wives and children for no just cause. The EFCC has however given a different account of what transpired. While Fani-Kayodes wife said only N200,000 was in the account, the EFCC said the account had N2,307,712.82 in it. Thats plenty of zeros in between. Someone isnt telling the truth here. Contrary to the spin about the purported arrest of mother and child, a certain Chikwendu Soniatoday attempted to withdraw money from an Access Bank account that had been placed on Post No Debit Category, following the discovery of illicit cash flows into the account. She was intercepted by the bank while the commission was notified, but because it was late, the EFCC advised that the suspect be taken to the police station for processing and release on bail. They were arranging to take the suspect to the police station when Governor Ayo Fayose stormed the bank with thugs and his personal security and forcefully secured the release of the suspect, with claims that the EFCC had no power to detain anybody in his state. He also vowed to close down the branch of the bank. The said account, which had a balance of N2,307,712.82, was flagged following investigation into the PDP Joint Trust Fund when the commission traced N1.1bn to the Zenith Bank account of Fani-Kayode. It was discovered that the account had two biometric identification numbers, one for Fani-Kayode and the other (with BVN 2205597283) for Sonia Chikwendu. The same BVN is linked to two other accounts in Diamond Bank and 15 accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank. In 2014, Fayose slapped and supervised the beating of a Judge, Justice John Adeyeye. According to the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), the 55 Nigerians reportedly looted a total of N1.3trillion from the country's treasury. In a recent report by PACAC on the country's spendings and activities between August 2015 and July 2016, the committee's Executive Secretary, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye disclosed that corruption was at its best under ex-President Jonathan's reign. The report reads: His (Jonathans) tolerance of corruption was reflected in the sunset of activities of anti-corruption agencies under his watch and exponential increase of other vices no doubt fuel by corruption. For example, it is widely believed that insecurity escalated because of the massive embezzlement of $2billion through the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. , who allegedly diverted the money appropriated to fight insurgency. The problems in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry reached zenith with multi-billion dollars subsidy scams while President Jonathan looked the other way," Owasanoye revealed. Reading further, Owasanoye said: At the same time, other vices spread like cancer kidnapping, import duty waivers, financial recklessness, a profligate legislature, corrupt judiciary, etc. There was no single high profile conviction under his watch yet there were allegations of high profile corruption within his cabinet. Jonathans legendary comment that stealing is not corruption underscored his perspective on corruption and remains a watershed in the history of anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria. Under his watch, corruption brought Nigeria to its knees, the reports reveals. The accused, Olaniran Adeola, Togun Philip and Oyebanji Akeem and five others were arraigned in June 2015 for conspiracy, forgery, and stealing but were denied opportunity for bail on Thursday, October 20, 2016. Olalekan Ojo, the defence counsel, had applied for the bail of the accused persons in liberal terms but Adebisi Adeniyi, the counsel to the EFCC, opposed the applications, citing the nature of the offence as a reason for the gravity of the punishment to be meted out on the accused. In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek, said I have considered the severity of the punishment which is 21 years in prison, if convicted in this ruling. Consequently, the application for bail by the three accused persons is hereby denied, refused and dismissed, the judge said. Malam Mustapha Yinusa, Director, Child Development in the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Social Development, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Minna. Yinusa said that out of the 17 child violation cases reported, majority were rape cases and physical abuse by parents. He said that vulnerable children suffered all forms of abused inflicted by either their parents, guardians or the society which has resulted to societal stigmatisation and physiological trauma. We received a case of a father who battered his own son to the extend of inflicting serious injuries on his son; he was reported to have used fire to burn his sons hands for stealing. And the man threatened his wife not to report the case to any Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) for more than a month. It was when the boys hand started decaying with odour that the mother picked courage to report the case. For a parent to discipline a child in such way is an act of cruelty which is punishable. There are other decent ways that parents can use to discipline and correct their wards rather than using abusive and violent ways to discipline their children, he said. He said that the ministry usually treat such cases directly or indirectly using the police or NGOs to prosecute parents and guardians reported to have abused or violated minors. In the process of prosecuting, we do look at the both sides and we do it with caution, because if the accused is the bread winner of the family we cannot prosecute the accused because that will bring more problems to the family. In such case, what we do is to force the accused person to pay for all expenses and treatment of the victim, the director said. He disclosed that the ministry is collaborating with gender based NGOs, such as Women Right Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Federation of Female Lawyers, Child Protection Network and Section Assault Reference (SARC), to protect child rights in the state. Yinusa added that the department use Psyco-Social Services approach to counsel children and parents who have been abused and suffered other related violence on how to manage the trauma. He decried the increasing rate of rape and child violation cases on the judiciary for unnecessarily prolonging court cases and for not convicting suspects. The police and judiciary should help us so as to make our work easier, if a case is reported to either the police for prosecution or the judiciary for conviction they will prolong the case as such you will find the suspect walking freely on the street. We received a report from parents whose child was a victim of rape, that the suspect was freed from court without serving any punishment and that the suspect was walking the street as a free man. The parents also said that the suspect came to them and threatened them that he was freed and there was nothing the parent could do to him. Only when the judiciary step up to start prosecuting suspects and stop adjourning and prolonging court cases that we will have a society free from crimes, he said. The leaders, under the umbrella of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) further condemned the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the country. They made the comments via a communique released after a meeting in Umuahia, Abia State. The communique reads in part: President Muhammadu Buhari should respect the rule of law, pronouncements and ruling of courts of competent jurisdiction by ensuring the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu and all other prisoners of conscience, which various courts have granted bail and who have subsequently met their bail conditions. Prominent members of the group include Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Chief Edwin K. Clark and Senator Femi Okurounmu. ALSO READ: IPOB says its mandate is from God For today, October 20, 2016: THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER Drama as nominee for NCC job wants Senate scrapped It was drama yesterday as a presidential nominee for the membership of the governing board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aliyu Saidu Abubakar, declared that the Senate should be scrapped because it consumes too much money from the treasury. Lawmakers probe judges arrest, alleged repatration of $13.9b The Senate has ordered an investigation into the arrest of some judges by the Department of State Services (DSS), adopting a motion to that effect by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, David Umaur, the upper legislative chamber directed the panel to do whatever it could within its constitutional oversight powers to carry out the assignment. FEC approves N30b for mining sector development The Federal Executive Council, yesterday, approved the release of a N30 billion intervention fund for mining sector development. THE VANGUARD NEWSPAPER N4.7bn scam: Obanikoro gave N1.7bn to Omisore EFCCDetained former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday, stunned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, with a fresh revelation that he gave former Osun State Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore, the sum of N1.7 billion out of the N4.7 billion he got from embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd.FG okays trial of Justices Okoro, Ademola, othersThe Federal Government, yesterday, shunned the National Judiciary Council, NJC, and pressed ahead with its decision to bring the seven suspected corrupt judges to justice.Crackdown on judges: Reactions trail Justice Okoros bombshell The polity was awash with mixed views, yesterday, over Justice John Inyang Okoros allegation that his travails in the hands of the Department of State Services, DSS, was in connection with the alleged desire of the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to win the Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states election appeals. THE NATION NEWSPAPER ExxonMobil sells 60% stake in Mobil Oil Nigeria to Nipco ExxonMobil Oil Corporation has executed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Nipco Plc to sell its majority equity stake of 60 per cent in Mobil Oil Nigeria (MON) Plc to Nipco Plc, an indigenous oil and gas company. Amaechi, Umana: we never met Justice Okoro Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said he never discussed any election petitions dispute with Supreme Court Justice Inyang Okoro in his house or anywhere else. Benin Kingdom gets new Oba today An historic event will happened in the land of the Igodomigodo today. The ancient Benin Kingdom, which used to be called Igodomigodo, will have a new Oba, the Crown Prince of the kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, will be crowned the 39th Oba of Benin in a colourful ceremony. THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER CBN to guarantee Letters of Credit for importers In fulfilment of its pledge to fund forward sales under the new flexible foreign exchange regime, the Central Bank of Nigeria has said it will in the next few months fund the 60-day forward sales and request from the agricultural, aviation, machinery and raw materials sectors, thus guaranteeing letters of credit for importers to ship in required goods. FG assigns Malabu, Halliburton $1.280bn scam cases to special prosecutors The Federal Government has asked some lawyers in its teams of special prosecutors to review the multi-billion naira Halliburton and Malabu scams. Ambode fires three commissioners, more may follow Both sides have confirmed talks on GE being granted a railway concession in the OPEC member worth around $2 billion.. Nigeria's economic growth has been hampered for decades by the lack of roads or functioning railways. The government, suffering from a slump in revenue from crude exports, wants to boost exports of food and other non-oil products. "GE is proposing a two-year rehabilitation of the rail tracks to be carried out by them and to have a concession period of 25 years within which to recover their investment," Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi told reporters on Wednesday. "The government has not agreed and that is what our advisers will sit with GE to agree," he said. The West African country has already signed two deals worth around $5 billion with China Civil Engineering Construction Corp (CCECC), part of China's state-owned railway construction firm, to modernise and build railways in the north and south, the transport ministry said last month. Africa Finance Corporation and Greenwich Financial Advisors will assist the government in the talks on the railway concession. Nigeria's passenger and freight railway system was mainly built by British colonial rulers before independence in 1960. A GE spokeswoman, Patricia Obozuwa, said the government had formally notified GE that it was "initiating a competitive procurement process" following the expression of interest. She said the process was "to award a concession for the rehabilitation, financing and operation of the narrow gauge railway system" on lines connecting southwestern megacity Lagos with Kano, in the north, and another linking southern oil hub Port Harcourt with Maiduguri, in the northeast. The suspected kidnappers were paraded by the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship in Delta, Commodore Joseph Dzunve on Wednesday, October 19. He revealed that the abductors of Dicksons sister, Nancy were caught with explosives, ammunition and a gun-making machine. Based on the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff to rid the maritime environment of criminals, we are not relenting in our efforts to tackle the situation. It is in this light that we have clamped down on criminals, Dzunve said according to Punch. We have three groups here. One of the groups consists of impersonators. They go about deceiving civilians by claiming to be either naval officers or NUPENG officials in order to extort. They also use violence, he added. Nancy, 26, was abducted in December 2015 in her shop located on Okaka Road, Yenagoa. ALSO READ: ClassiQ apologizes to actress for expulsion from Kannywood The Sheik said this in an open letter he addressed to the actress who was banned from Kannywood for featuring in a romantic music video by ClassiQ. In the open letter Daurawa shared via Facebook, he described the trials the actress has been facing as a test of her faith in God. Daurawa added that Islam supports people being asked to mend their ways when mistakes are made, suggesting that Sadau also considers getting married. Following Sadau's expulsion from Kannywood, US based celebrities Akon, Jeta Amataextended an invitation for her to visit their film set in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA. ALSO READ: Rahama Sadau speaks on ban from Kannywood Sadaus expulsion was made public in a statement signed by the Secretary of the Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Salisu Mohammed. The Rivers APC also warned Justice Okoro to withdraw the allegations within one week or be prepared to face the consequences. The part made its comments via a statement issued by State Chairman, Dr Davies Ikanya. The statement reads in part: One does not need a soothsayer to see that Justice Okoro is very confused and thinks that by mentioning the name of Amaechi in his letter, he would deceive Nigerians and play down the gravity of his sins and crimes against Rivers State people and Nigeria as a whole. If we may ask Justice Okoro, why should Amaechi or anybody attempt to bribe him for an election upturned by both the Tribunal and the Appeal Court? An election widely condemned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the international community and both local and foreign observers who monitored the shambolic exercise in the course of which over 200 of our members were slaughtered like chicken just to install Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in power at all cost? For failing to report the fictional bribery attempt by Amaechi, Justice Okoro has committed an offence that attracts up to two years imprisonment. We are hereby giving him one week to retract his worthless and satanic letter and apologize to Amaechi or we may be forced to set in motion a machinery to invoke the Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offence Act 2000. Justice Okoro, who was recently arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), on charges of corruption, blamed the ordeal on his refusal to accept Amaechis bribe. ALSO READ: Is Rotimi Amaechi fantastically corrupt - UK Mail He said the Supreme Court judge is acting like a child and trying to shamelessly trivialise the allegations of corruption against him and his colleagues. Amaechi said this in Abuja on Wednesday, October 19, in a statement signed by him. Justice Okoro, who was one of the judges recently arrested by the Department of State Service (DSS) over alleged corruption, had in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, alleged that Amaechi attempted to bribe him to influence the outcome of the governorship election cases in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states. He said the Minister and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom State, Mr Umana Umana, visited him and pleaded that the cases, which were pending before the Supreme court be ruled in favour of the APC. Justice Okoro also alleged that the Minister told him President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC were interested in the cases. According to him, his refusal to dance to Amaechi and the APC's tune was why he was arrested by the DSS. In his statement, Amaechi denied ever having such discussion with Justice Okoro or any judge for that matter. He stated: "My attention has been drawn to a letter purportedly written by Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro, Justice of the Supreme Court, one of the judges recently arrested by the DSS as part of its investigation into the allegations of massive corruption involving some officers of the judiciary. "Given the level of mischief in the social media, I would ordinarily have ignored the letter because the allegations contained in the said letter are wild, baseless and unrelated to the issues in contention between the Justice of the Supreme Court and the Department of State Services. To that extent, I had grave reservation that this letter emanated from his lordship. "However, for the avoidance of doubt, let me say clearly that I have never discussed any matter pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria with my lord, Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro, in his house or anywhere else. "I make bold to also state that the only time I have ever spoken with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, was at the inauguration of the Abuja-Kaduna Railway project on the 26th of July, 2016 at Idu in Abuja." He described the allegation of attempted bribery levelled against him by the judge as shameful and a serious national tragedy. Amaechi further said: "I believe that the issue of corruption at the highest level of our judiciary should be addressed objectively. It is to say the least demeaning and childish of a Justice of the Supreme Court to imply that the security operatives of our nation will arrest a Justice of our Supreme Court for no reason other than the instructions of a minister. "Those faced with serious allegations should treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves and stop trying to court public sympathy and trivialise what is clearly a national tragedy." He has directed legal representative "to contact Justice Okoro and take whatever legal steps necessary to clear my (Amaechi) name of this baseless allegation." ALSO READ: Nigerians react to allegations of bribery against Amaechi Amaechi asked the Justice Okoro to be "objective in dealing with the issue at hand and not whip up unnecessary sentiments against innocent public officers." He made the claim via a statement released on Thursday, October 20. The statement reads in part: I have been reliably informed by my sources within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that they are planning to re-arrest and detain me for as long as possible once again even though I have been granted bail by the Federal High Court in Lagos. Fresh charges were filed against me by the EFCC at the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 7th. The allegations border on a baseless allegation and false claim that I received twenty six million naira from the NSA's office in 2014. These are politically-motivated charges and there is no truth in or substance to them whatsoever. Because of that the matter is now seized of the court yet the EFCC are still planning to arrest me probably at the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos after I appear there on Friday 21st October to attend my trial on the trumped up and, again, politically-motivated charges concerning the presidential campaign funds. If they do not arrest me then they will arrest me and seek to detain me for as long as possible soon after that. Whichever way they will come and I am ready for them. I am not running. The truth is that the EFCC are a ready, willing and able tool in the hands of the hawks and hardliners in the Buhari administration and they are apparently acting on orders. They are desperate to keep me out of circulation and off the streets and I have been reliably informed that they were ordered to ensure that that is the case by the Presidency. They are also eager to arrest and detain my wife and my 8 month old son just to hurt and spite me even though they have done absolutely NOTHING wrong. The more evil they do to me, the more the coals of fire will pour on their heads. Also the more the President will continue to fail woefully and have all manner of strange and inexplicable problems. Wickedness and wicked men never last. No matter what they do to me that is my consolation. They are bullies and cowards and they have no shame. My only crime is that I have spoken the bitter truth to power and I am very proud of that. That is what God created me to do. It is my calling and I stand by every word that I have ever said about this President and this evil, corrupt and inept government. This government is vicious, vengeful, inept and toxic and so is their willing tool the EFCC. As I am in their cells and subjected to their barbaric torture and wicked and inhuman treatment for another period of time I shall continue to pray for Nigeria. Fani-Kayode was initially arrested in May after being accused of money laundering by the EFCC. Speaking at a three-day conference on enhancing religious peace, themed: Faith Works Africa: Partnership for Peace and prosperity, he said dialogue between different faiths is important. He encouraged religious leaders to encourage this type of dialogue, as it would go a long way towards reducing violence and encouraging peace. Cardinal Onaiyekan also highlighted the importance of the conference, which he said would give people a different perspective on the country. Nigeria has a long history of peaceful coexistence and hospitality," he added. The conference in Abuja, organised by the African Council of Religious Leaders, was also attended by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III. Just like the Cardinal, the Sultan also stressed the importance of the conference. According to him, the conference would increase tolerance and understanding between different religions, which eventually lead to peace in the country. The new Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran, disclosed this on Wednesday in Ota during a press conference to mark the 8th Convocation Ceremony of the institution. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total of 334 students are graduating. They comprised 28 with first class degree, 122 with second class upper degree, 108 with second class lower, 76 with third class and 30 post graduates. Ojediran said the institution had set in motion a conversion programme to avail HND holders who were affected by the B.SC/HND dichotomy to upgrade their certificates to B.Sc degrees status. "The university is committed to reaching out to the heavy population of HND holders in numerous industries in country, he said. Ojediran also said the management was working toward making the university a world-class one which would be recognised globally as a pace setter. The don said that the world class status would reflect in the institutions academic programme, administration, staff and students welfare with value adding linkages and partnerships. Ojediran said that the institution had provided a platform for staff to further their education and develop their potential to the fullest capacity. He said that graduates were being trained by qualified personnel to be relevant in Nigeria and internationally. The vice chancellor commended the past administrations of the institution for solid foundation of excellence laid for the university. He said the past administration laid significant footprints in term of physical development and beautiful environment. The least developed region is quite clearly the Northeast, no thanks to the pain in the Nigeria backside, Boko Haram. Years of fighting has led to the devastation of lives, with up to 20,000 people dead, and thousands kidnapped. Infrastructure is all but non-existent with the damage that will cost billions of dollars to rebuild. There's one damage more devastating, and arguably more monumental; the devastation of the minds. By the end of the war, there will be two type of victims, especially children. The first are the those who will find purpose in seeking vengeance. Bukky Shonibare has been doing humanitarian work in the Northeast since 2014, and she has this to say about one of her visits to Bama: "I just came back from Bama, and those children don't want to be doctors or lawyers, or bankers or all those things. They want to be soldiers because they are ready for another war. Because of vendetta. Because they can't just let go of the person that killed their fathers in front of them or that took their sisters away" The second are those who will be too vulnerable to be of any use to the society, mostly due to post-traumatic stress that can last a lifetime if not taken care of. These two types of vulnerable people can easily have their anger or insecurities harnessed for dangerous interests. Is there a solution? Bukky Shonibare says: "I believe that one of the ways to win the war against Boko Haram is not by guns, we can win it with books, pens, and empowered minds. It about empowering a Joseph, a Muhammad, a Rebecca, a Deborah, or any of these children who are susceptible to being initiated. Not only will education stop them from joining these groups, it will also empower them to develop their societies such that insurgency will not have roots in it. You can't expect for example for an insurgency to spring up in Lagos or Abuja because we live in a developed environment. Education is a tool for winning wars. It is not the immediate wars, but the long term wars, the monumental war that will prevent other wars from happening." And Bukky herself is on the front lines of this battlefield. While she belongs to the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy group, she also understands that the Chibok Girls are a small piece of the IDP puzzle. So she conceptualised a project called Adopt-A-Camp. The idea for this is to provide everything a child needs, from food and clothing to education. Adopt-A-Camp's focus is mostly on the Northeast, but they executed a project in Abuja earlier in 2016. Their main focus is on communities like Bama, Chibok, and other places in the region. On what motivates her, she says: "I know what it means to be homeless, or hungry, and to struggle with life because I can honestly relate it to my time struggling as a girl." Speaking about their projects, she said: "We focus primarily on education, so we started the school-in-a-bag project, where we give school kits to children. We did it in Chibok. Learning hub project is where we setup collapsible solar-powered classrooms in IDP communities where there are no schools. We've done two in Biu, and we are about doing another in Bama. Then there's the Educreation fund because we believe in creating a future through education. So we basically use this project for scholarships to children. Right now, we have 11 IDP children we currently send to school who are from Gwoza and Chibok and are currently living in host communities where there are schools." On people who aren't actively involved in humanitarian work in the Northeast, she says: "All these people are our responsibility. It is irresponsible of us to keep pushing it back to government. Just find a thing you can do that you think will benefit the children, even if it is to teach them. If one person takes up an IDP, the problem will go. If it's clothes, do." Alhaji Musa Muhammad, the acting Education Secretary of Faskari Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Faskari. Muhammad listed the schools as Unguwar Alhaji Mani, Unguwar Kosau, Kayi, Babban Dawa and Majan Ramayya. The education scribe commended Gov. Aminu Masari on his efforts geared toward enhancing education in the state. Muhammad explained that the present administration in the state have also rehabilitated Sheme and `Yankara Primary schools, noting that Tafoki primary school project was ongoing. He added that the projects have decongested population and provide shelter for pupils that facilitated increased enrolments in the area. He described the projects as part of fulfilment of Masaris electioneering campaign promise on uplifting educational standard in the state. Muhammad said that he had forwarded two additional schools; Bilbis and Daudawa primary schools, which were all inspected by the State Chairman of SUBEB, Alhaji Lawal Buhari, for rehabilitation in recognition of their dilapidated conditions. He advised parents to monitor their children performance through routine observation of their daily activities, stressing that he embarked on routine inspection of teachers activities in partnership with the zonal quality assurance directorate. The education secretary further assured Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of Sheme Primary School on government attention on their demands for fencing the school against all forms of encroachments. NAN recalls that Alhaji Shehu Sani-Sheme, a PTA member, had appealed to Masari to fence the school as he commended the governor for rehabilitating schools. Sani explained that, the school constructed in 1966, was the only public primary school in the town and had not been rehabilitated despite several appeals from groups and individuals from the area. He expressed optimism that the fence would increase sanity and improve learning condition, adding that because of the decay of the institution, PTA and other community members usually assist in routine school repairs. According to him, Masaris administration rehabilitated the school with construction of more classes this year and commended the contractor, Alhaji Abdulkadir Aliyu, for a standard job. Shehu further called on government to provide more furniture and instructional materials to the school in recognition of the pupils population. In separate interviews, Alhaji Abdu Zagami and Malam Muhammad Dayyabu, the Village Head and Chief Imam of Sheme village, assured increased community partnership with PTA in safeguarding the rehabilitated school. The community leaders commended Masari over the project, noting that will surely enhance learning activities in the village and underscored the importance of fencing the school as it neighboured Sheme market. The school Headmaster, Malam Sanusi Yusuf, said the school had 2,259 pupils with 17 teachers at present, adding that the school attracts pupils from Kware, Unguwar-Sarki, Nadegi and Unguwar Haji settlements beside Sheme town. Abdullahi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that funding the education sector should not be left in the hands of government alone. He said that providing furniture, books and physical structures would greatly assist in providing qualitative and sound education for future generations in the state. Abdullahi also called for the re-training of teachers to enable them to acquire more knowledge to ensure academic excellence. Blood and plasma will be flown by autonomous drones to clinics in the rural part of Rwanda, where terrible road conditions have made it difficult for time-sensitive delivery of medical supplies to be done. With the new drone delivery program, those deliveries are now possible. California-based drone startup Zipline is piloting the program in partnership with the UPS Foundation, the shipping giant's charity wing, and Gavi, a Bill Gates-backed vaccine fund. The service, which is paid for by the Rwandan government, costs about the same as the motorcycle deliveries the country currently relies on presently. However, Zipline itself is a private company with its top investors being Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Yahoo founder Jerry Yang. When the program gets to full capacity, the Rwandan government hopes fly between 50 and 150 drones a day. Those drones will be delivering blood and plasma to 21 different clinics. To request for blood, health workers just have to send a text message and a drone will arrive in 30 minutes. The drone don't land at their drop-off points, though. Rather, they drop packages via disposable parachutes at a receiving area in the clinic. UPS helped get the Zipline drones and supplies to Rwanda, and its foundation donated $1.1 million to the project, but it doesn't seem like UPS is involved in much more outside of that. Zipline is already talking to US policymakers about getting a deal that could let it fly a drone out of line of sight for time-sensitive medical deliveries in rural parts of the US as well as Native American reservations. "We recorded our millionth trip in Lagos in July," Ebi Atawodi, Uber's general manager for West Africa, told Reuters on the sidelines of a Nordic-African business conference in Oslo. After launching operations in Ghana's capital Accra in June, Uber was now eyeing to expand in a French-speaking West African country, said Atawodi, declining to say which one. "We are always looking at cities," she said. In Lagos, users include professionals braving the city's notoriously traffic-jammed roads, students sharing a car to go to one of the city's three shopping malls, partygoers wanting to avoid drinking and driving - but also to go to a hospital. "In the central business district of Lagos, there is one ambulance. So in an emergency, how do you get to the hospital, especially if you can't drive?" she asked. "People know they can get a car in less than five minutes." Uber wants to attract more economic activity around its platform than just offering rides, including attracting car insurers, car washers and car mechanics, as well as offering credit ratings to individuals who would not get a bank loan otherwise. "In the West, the Uber partners (drivers) tend to drive their own vehicle. In sub-Saharan Africa, they are employed by someone who owns one or more cars and then they employ the drivers," said Atawodi. The perpetrators were Boko Haram, a terrorist group that has carried out everything from mass executions to bombings in Nigeria since their resurgence in 2011. In the days that followed, a movement that started as a hashtag began with the sole aim of making sure the girls were rescued, the #BringBackOurGirls Campaign. What began as a bunch of tweets quickly went viral globally, with people all over lending their voices. From Michelle Obama in the White House to Actors at the Cannes, to school children everywhere, and even in Nigeria, placards were raised. A few weeks later, save for the BringBackOurGirls Movement who convened daily and still convene till this day, making their demands known to the government, every placard had dropped, either from hopelessness, or just fatigue. One woman never dropped hers, and since she lifted her placard in solidarity on the 12th of November, 2014, she has never dropped it till this day, reminding us that somewhere in the North East, over 200 girls were being held against their will. Her name is Bukky Shonibare. Every morning, in the midst of all the daily banter on the Internet, she is somewhere, writing very boldly on a large piece of cardboard paper. She writes how many days the Chibok Girls have been gone for. She lifts it to her chest, and stands for a picture, no matter what place she is in the world at the time or her state of mind. As the months and years have flown by, we've seen her in different forms, standing in front of different walls. We've seen the cardboards rumpled and be replaced by new ones. But the one thing she does every day is to show up. We spoke to her about her struggle, the girls' struggle, and the Bring Back Our Girls Movement of which she belongs. We spoke to her after the 21 Chibok girls were freed, asking what she thinks about how the government is handling the case. For her, it's a little dicey. First, she thinks the kids must be protected due to possible stigmatisation in the future, because let's face it, these kids are minors. She said: "We're all in a joyous mood, and I must admit that I have also shared some of the photos. I see some of these pictures and the joy on their faces. It still doesn't take away what should be the standard. These are people that should be protected from the public eye." But it's not that simple. She went on: "When you look at the whole narrative around the Chibok Girls, our peculiarity requires that we don't hide their faces. People are still doubting the truth of the whole Chibok Girls story, despite the fact that they're bringing them back." Something worthy of mention is the process involved. "We need to create a proper process of verification of identities of returnees. I'm careful about using the word returnees because I don't want to limit it to just the Chibok girls, knowing that there are other abductees too who also need to be accorded the same attention. Some have even stayed longer than the Chibok girls." We asked her about the moment she decided to carry the placard. The Bring Back Our Girls advocacy began on the 30th of April, but it was the October 17 ceasefire with some representatives of the terrorists that really did it for her. That day, they were at the Unity Fountain with international journalists in attendance, waiting to cover the ceasefire. Then they heard the deflating news; Shekau had just released a video saying he was never involved in any ceasefire process. This was the point where many people said, "this government is not worth it". "I felt people had stopped talking about Bring Back Our Girls. So I carried the placard with the sole aim of making sure people never forget. I later found out Charles Alasholuyi was carrying a placard at the time." The goal is to make sure that while we enjoy the comfort of our homes, we must remember that there are people being raped, being used as war shields, or strapped with bombs. All against their will. She didn't plan to carry it for this long. According to her, she first carried it on the 12th of November, exactly 50 days till the end of the year. But she didn't. "It would have felt like a betrayal," she said. But she also believes the Chibok Girls are an entry point to something bigger, like how they also helped keep the other abductees in our minds and appreciate the efforts of the soldiers. ALSO READ:We answer the question on why the Chibok Girls are quite special Keeping up a routine is hard. We asked her how she's managed to pull it off for over 700 days. "It's not just about the placard," she said; "Every time I hold it, there are emotions coming with it. Every day I remember all over again, that I am free, that someone else is being held and I'm free. The sobriety comes every day. There were times I just felt like dropping it. Someone on Twitter said, "is it a placard that will bring back our girls?" There are times it gets to me because you know, I'm human. There were times it felt senseless, but then I remembered why I started. I started because I wanted people to never forget, and it helped me keep going. Everywhere I am, I travel with my placard. I must tell you, it hasn't been easy." When we asked her to tell us her most memorable moment, it was powerful. She's in a hospital, and there's a syringe in her vein helping to fight the typhoid fever trying to bring her down. It's that type of day you don't want people seeing your face. So she manages to get on her feet, lifts her placard and hides her hands behind it. No one needs to know about her typhoid, but everyone needs to remember the girls still. That day, someone on Twitter asks, "why can't you get a better phone to take good pictures?" "A lot of the time, people see stuff and criticise," she said, "but they don't know the backstories". One thing we observed is that, when she drops the placard every day, she fills her hands with many other things she seems to be juggling pretty well. We talked about her work with IDPs; the Adopt-A-Camp project. Because the devastation is larger than the Chibok girls, this project aims to provide everything a child needs, from food and clothing to education. She believes the war against Boko Haram will eventually be won with books, pens and empowered minds, and she's at the frontlines of this war. There's also the Girl Child Africa. With this, she wants to help girls in marginalised societies all over Africa. On what the future looks like, Bukky doesn't know everything it holds for her, but she's taking today to get ready. It's why she got her first degree in Business Administration in 2015, started her Masters immediately in Peace and Security. That's not all. She's currently on another degree in Law with a special passion for Humanitarian Law. Posting a picture of himself and his wife, Idara Bishop, the actor says the three years since his wedding has literally flown by because every moment has been good. ALSO READ:Van Vicker and wife celebrate 13th wedding anniversary He writes, "Just like a joke it's 3 years gone. I met her and decided to make her a part of my life forever. "Looking back at the journey so far, I clearly see that I am bigger and better now than when I met her and I have the good Lord to thank. " She is my wife, my mother, my sister, my night nurse, my number one fan, my pillar of support just in case I slip, my good luck charm, my sweet trouble maker, the Empress of my heart, the Vice President of . "I won't forget to tell you that she is wonderful in my kitchen, an invaluable companion in my living room and the sole owner and possessor-in-chief of my "mumu button" in the other room. "Strong woman God gave me. who always gat my back. Happy anniversary to the Bishops. " Bishop and Idara married in an Akwa-Ibom ceremony in the year 2013, and are blessed with one daughter so far. Pulse weddings wishes the couple many more years of blissful togetherness. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said he will extend a ceasefire with the FARC until December 31 and hopes to have a new agreement before that date. "We need an agreement fairly quickly because while we are absolutely convinced that the two sides at the highest level have made a decision to end the war, things can start to unravel," Jean Arnault, the UN envoy for Colombia, told a news conference. "We all know we need to move towards a political agreement as soon as possible," he said, urging a "serious effort" to reach out to those who voted 'no' in the referendum. Arnault stressed that while there was strong agreement by all sides that there should be no return to war, the referendum outcome had injected uncertainty in the process. The envoy, who also heads a new UN mission to monitor the ceasefire, said the deployment of monitors would continue to reinforce peace efforts. "There is a sense of uncertainty so further deployment of the UN mission to observe the ceasefire will be an important factor," he said. The Security Council on Tuesday agreed that the UN mission could continue to monitor the ceasefire after both sides made that a request and asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to come up with recommendations on that mechanism. Arnault said Ban will recommend that the mission continue its verification work, but it will not begin work on disarmament of the FARC rebels until a new agreement is in place. About 400 UN monitors will be deployed in some 50-60 sites throughout the country. Under the peace accord that was rejected in the referendum, the FARC's estimated 7,500 fighters are to disarm under UN supervision. Tadamichi Yamamoto, UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in a statement in Kabul that no fewer than 2,562 civilians died and another 5,835 were wounded in the conflict in Afghanistan in the first nine months of this year. The officials said a similar number of civilian casualties occurred in the same period in 2015, indicating rates may be levelling off at near-record levels after steadily increasing since the UN began monitoring them in 2009. Ground fighting between pro-government forces and Islamic militants caused nearly 40 per cent of all the casualties. Children have been particularly hard hit by the fighting, with 639 young people killed and 1,822 wounded, for an increase of 15 per cent over last year, he said. Yamamoto said the Taliban and a handful of smaller groups have been fighting to topple the Western-backed government, 15 years after the Taliban lost power in a U.S.-led military operation. He said the increased fighting in densely populated areas made it imperative for parties to take immediate steps to ensure all feasible precautions are being taken to spare civilians from harm. Yamamoto said the UN investigators reported that casualties caused by pro-government forces rose to 42 per cent compared to last year, with 623 deaths and 1,274 injured. That includes a spike of 72 per cent in casualties from air strikes by the Afghan air force and its international allies. At least 133 people were killed and 159 were injured in air strikes, with two-thirds of those casualties attributed to the Afghan air force, he said. The representative said the report showed that Taliban and other militant groups still accounted for more than 60 per cent of the overall casualties, with 1,569 civilian deaths and 3,574 injured. Yamamoto said UN condemned anti-government attacks that have directly targeted civilians, including a bombing in Kabul, in July that killed at least 85 people and injured 413. Duterte is in China for a four-day trip that is expected to confirm his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijing's sphere of influence. The two leaders were to hold official talks and sign a "series of cooperation documents", the official Xinhua news service reported. His recent rhetoric blasting the US and President Barack Obama and promising to sideline a territorial dispute over the strategically vital South China Sea has been welcomed in Beijing. During a speech addressing the Filipino community in Beijing on Wednesday, the firebrand president said the Philippines had gained little from its long alliance with the US, its former colonial ruler. "Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend," he said, as if addressing the US. He also repeated his denunciation of Obama as a "son of a whore". China, he said earlier, was "good". "It has never invaded a piece of my country all these generations." Foreign policy under Duterte has dramatically shifted from that pursued under predecessor Benigno Aquino, who took Beijing to an international tribunal over its extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea -- where it has built artificial islands capable of hosting military facilities -- and won a resounding victory. The move infuriated Beijing. But Duterte, who took office in June shortly before the tribunal ruling, has made a point of not flaunting the outcome. He has also suspended joint US-Philippine patrols in the South China Sea, and has threatened an end to joint military exercises. The South China Sea is of intense interest to Washington and it has repeatedly spoken out on the various territorial disputes between China and its neighbours over the strategically vital waters. In 2012, China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Tensions have risen between the US and China over Washington's so-called "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific, a move that Beijing says is intended to contain it. When the school term began last month, the government had put in place a new rule -- in order to enrol, all teenage girls must take a pregnancy test. And a positive test means no more education. Speaking on state television, deputy education minister Maria-Jesus Nkara said the tough new measure sought to encourage schoolgirls to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies. A month into the new term, it is still too early to tell how many girls have been affected by the ban in a country where teenage girls come under heavy pressure to start a family. World Bank figures show that in 2014, the birth rate among Equatorial Guinean adolescents aged 15-19 was 110 in 1,000. The figure is substantially higher than the global average of 44 per 1,000, but lower than in other African nations such as Niger (204), Mali (175) and Angola (167). Rights organisations have criticised the authorities for violating the right to education, slamming the measure as another example of repression in this tiny oil-rich nation whose president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has ruled with an iron fist since seizing power in a 1979 coup. Illegal abortion fears But opinions within the country are divided. "This is a good decision," said 13-year-old Sabina in the playground of Bioko Norte high school in the capital, Malabo. "Coming to class while you're pregnant shows a lack of respect." Even Bosuala herself is in two minds. "Pregnancy is also not a good example to set in the school environment," she admits. But French teacher Gerardo Ndong believes the decision was "foolish". And Trifonia Melibea, a sociologist and teacher at the National University of Equatorial Guinea, was also dismayed by the decision. "These adolescents are being deprived of the fundamental right to education. That's an insult," she said. She also warned that the measure could push teenagers into seeking abortions in "inhuman conditions". In the former Spanish colony of 800,000 people, pregnancies can be legally terminated only if there is a threat to the health of the mother and with the authorisation of the spouse or parents. Daughters as 'trade items' Efua, whose 14-year-old daughter is expecting a baby, believes the government should open a dedicated school "especially for young pregnant girls" so they can keep up their studies. Early pregnancies are most common in poor families, where adults might even consider sending a daughter out as a sexual offering. "Some parents use their daughters as items of trade, asking them to go out with rich men to help the family survive," said 19-year-old Ana Rita. Sociologist Martin Ela pointed to increasing pressures from consumerism since oil production began in the 1990s. "These little girls go out with someone who is able to give them a smartphone because they want to be on Facebook or WhatsApp," Ela said. Melibea said teenage girls were particularly vulnerable to pressure. "In Equatorial Guinea, if a girl reaches the age of 18 without having a child, everybody starts saying she's barren," she said. The high number of teen pregnancies can also be linked to the absence of legislative protection for minors against sexual harassment, meaning abusive men can operate with impunity. 'Devastating consequences' Sierra Leone introduced a similar ban on pregnant teens last year, prompting a sharp reaction from Amnesty International. "Excluding pregnant girls from mainstream schools and banning them from sitting crucial exams is discriminatory and will have devastating consequences," the London-based rights group said in a study released in November 2015. "Education is a right and not something for governments to arbitrarily take away as a punishment." The report said the prohibition, which was sometimes enforced through "humiliating physical checks", was likely to affect an estimated 10,000 young girls and risked destroying their future life opportunities. 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 Iranians -- Farhad Abd-Saleh, Kamran Ghaderi and Alireza Omidvar -- were also sentenced to 10 years on the same charges. The National Iranian American Council, in a statement, described them as dual citizens but did not specify their other nationalities. They were sentenced 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. Officials fear a war of words between Turkey and Iraq's central government could jeopardize a fragile pact that would keep rival sectarian and ethnic militias out of the northern Iraqi city's center. "There is a lot of tension and the public rhetoric has gotten a bit out of hand," a senior administration official told AFP. "It's an extremely troubling scenario." Defense Secretary Ash Carter will visit Turkey on Friday to make sure the plan stays on track. "We are trying to make sure that those tensions are not going to create such a chaotic situation that the military success would simply be overshadowed," the official said. A dizzying array of ethnic and sectarian groups are already jockeying for influence "the day after" the Islamic State (IS) group is ousted. The United States has brokered a deal to keep powerful Shiite and Kurdish militias on the outskirts of the majority Sunni Arab city, hoping to avoid more of the sectarian bloodletting that has plagued Iraq since a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein. Amnesty International has accused Shiite paramilitaries of carrying out war crimes during the recapture of Tikrit from the IS group, including the torture and execution of thousands of civilians. The Iraqi military will take the lead in Mosul. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to have jettisoned the tacit agreement, saying it was unthinkable for Ankara or its allies to stay on the sidelines. "We will be in the operation and we will be at the table," he said in a televised speech. "Our brothers are there and our relatives are there. It is out of the question that we are not involved." Turkey is concerned about the influence of anti-Ankara Kurdish militia and Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Around 700 Turkish troops are already deployed in Bashiqa, in northern Iraq, and Ankara backs a number of Sunni and Turkomen militias active inside the country. Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi responded angrily, calling for Turkey to withdraw troops and stop violating Iraqi sovereignty. A senior US administration official warned that, in the worst case, the war of words could provoke clashes between Turkish and Iraqi government forces as well as a factional free-for-all that would see Shiite militias pile into the city. "This is part of what we are telling the Turkish government," the official said. "The more their rhetoric escalates, the more their actions -- if they were to take actions -- the more it's going to give both pretext and justification for the PMF to demand a more active role." "Unilateral actions, in the worst circumstance, could lead to direct clashes between Iraqis and Turks and between the Shia militia and Turks." But keeping the Iraqi military at the tip of the spear will be essential if President Barack Obama's administration is to avoid repeating past failures in Iraq. "Yes, it's a campaign to defeat ISIL militarily, but the president's goal by the end of the administration is to put ISIL on the path to lasting defeat," the senior administration official said, using an alternate acronym for the Islamic State group. "That meant taking steps to ensure that in the aftermath of whatever military liberation of territory or defeat of ISIL that we wouldn't be in a position where the level of destruction, marginalization, alienation, either from a humanitarian point of view or from a governance point of view, that you would just be planting the seeds of the next generation of extremist or terrorist group." More than a decade of war in Iraq has seen one Sunni insurgent group defeated, only to be replaced by another. There are also fears in Washington that the spat with Erdogan could weaken Abadi, who is already in a difficult position at home. The moderate US-backed Shiite leader faces a stiff challenge from hardliners, including former president Nuri al-Maliki, whom the White House has blamed for many of Iraq's sectarian woes. "The more you see this spiral between Turkey and Baghdad, the harder it is going to be for Abadi to resist calls by his Shia base," the US official said. Some 200 people watched the debate late Wednesday at the Mexican-American-owned barbecue joint in Mexico City whose name refers to an insult against Americans ("damn gringo"). The crowd was a mix of American expats and Mexicans, highlighting the deep interest and concerns that the US election has generated in Mexico -- especially after Trump caused so much anger with his anti-immigrant rhetoric. "I abhor him. This man has no respect," said Juana-Ines Abreu, a 77-year-old retired Mexican museum director, who sat with friends on one of the restaurant's long table benches. "What worries me is that he has awakened the 'ugly American,'" she said. "He's a xenophobe. He's a vulgar man. He's a dangerous man." During the "final pinche presidential debate" -- as a restaurant sign put it -- people were encouraged to raise their glass and cheer when Mexico was mentioned, which they obliged a handful of times. Clinton, the Democratic candidate and former secretary of state, clearly had more fans at "Pinche Gringo" than the New York Republican billionaire. 'Bad hombres' Some in the crowd laughed during the discussion on immigration when Trump used the Spanish word for man: "We have some bad 'hombres' here, and we're going to get them out" of the United States. But Aline Salazar, a 31-year-old Mexican communications and social media strategist, saw little humor there. "It goes back to the same point of intolerance and little openness to minorities," she said. The patrons booed when Trump called Clinton a liar but they raised their glasses and cheered when he triggered the key word by complaining that US jobs were fleeing to "Mexico." Clinton was applauded when she said that illegal immigrants were paying more federal income taxes than Trump, who has admitted to not paying them in around two decades. Dan Defossey, an American who co-owns Pinche Gringo with a Mexican partner, estimated that the crowd was about half Mexican, half American, at the restaurant, which serves dishes like barbecue ribs, brisket and macaroni and cheese, and has a brick wall decorated with wooden planks painted as the US flag. "This election is not important just to the US, it's vital to Mexico as well," Defossey said, noting that the peso has dropped or gone up according to how Trump has fared in opinion polls. "Mexicans are interested, just as much as we are." Wall: 'Stupid idea' Jorge Mondragon, a 32-year-old graphic designer, had beer during the debate, which inspired him at the end to draw an unhappy face and the phrase, in English, "Don't let that bastard be president." Trump is despised by many in this country for calling Mexican migrants rapists and drug dealers and demanding that their government pay for a giant wall across the border. But many Mexicans are also unhappy with their own president, Enrique Pena Nieto, for meeting with Trump in Mexico City in August and not forcefully condemning him during a joint press conference. Jose Manuel Ruiz, a 25-year-old lawyer who wore a "Hillary for president" T-shirt, said it was important for Mexicans like him to see the debate because "we have many links to the United States" thanks to immigration and economic ties. Ruiz was interested in the discussion about Supreme Court nomination -- a fairly domestic US issue -- but he had a dim view of Trump's wall idea. "It's a stupid idea. It's impossible to go through with it," he said, because the border is so massive and the project would be too expensive. 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. His father was a Marxist guerrilla, murdered by military dictators. The governmental commission searches for people who were taken from their mothers as babies and adopted by other families under the 1976-1983 regime. "I was surprised by the call. But I was sure it wasn't me they were looking for," Ruiz told AFP. "I had not suspected it. I did not even know that the parents who raised me were not my biological parents." Genetic tests were recommended. The call had sowed doubt in his mind, and he agreed. Gratitude Last month the results confirmed that he was one of hundreds of so-called "stolen babies" born to left-wing dissident parents in custody. They call him "Grandson Number 121," the latest to be identified out of around 500 children thought to have been forcibly adopted under the regime. Ruiz learned the results of his DNA test on October 3 from the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a renowned rights group working for victims of the dictatorship. He learned he had an elder brother, Ramiro Menna, who looks just like him, and a long-lost Aunt Alba. "This is a happy experience for me. The strongest feeling I have is one of gratitude," Ruiz said. "I am grateful to have survived, despite being born in difficult circumstances -- to have had the family that raised me, and then to meet this family that was looking for me." Long-lost brothers Ramiro is a left-wing activist who worked as a missionary in Ethiopia. He was two when his mother was arrested and an aunt and uncle looked after him. He later spent decades trying to find the baby his mother had been carrying in her womb when she was imprisoned. "When I met Ramiro there was an immediate charge of affection -- a feeling of happiness, of overwhelming love. It was as if we had known each other all our lives," Ruiz said. "I am not replacing one family with another. I feel I am expanding my family." Where babies come from Ruiz has a wife, Maria, a lawyer, with whom he has two children: Mauricio, six, and Carmela, four. He has told his own children they may soon change their surname. "I told them I had not come out of Grandma Monica's tummy as they thought, but my mother had died and the grown-ups did not tell me, because they did not want me to be sad." The first thing little Carmela asked was: "Mommy, did I come out of your tummy?" Family politics Argentina's military dictators, backed by the United States in the midst of the Cold War, jailed, killed and "disappeared" tens of thousands of their opponents. Ruiz's biological parents, he learned, were Ana Maria Lanzillotto and Domingo Menna, a medical student and commander of a Marxist guerrilla group. They are just two of some 30,000 people that rights groups estimate were "disappeared" in Argentina, as did many more under right-wing dictatorships in various other Latin American countries. "Here in Argentina it was the worst dictatorship around. It used perverse methods," Ruiz said. "But I think on the left too, in those armed groups, things were also done." Numerous officers of the regime have been jailed for atrocities. Those convictions have been largely driven by the "Grandmothers." The "identity" commission, part of the Argentine justice ministry, formally investigates cases of babies born to women in custody under the regime. The commission stumbled on Ruiz's case while investigating a midwife accused of forging birth certificates during that period. Examining his birth record, it found inconsistencies that led his story to unravel. Love and understanding "My (adoptive) mother had been trying for years but had not managed to get pregnant," he said. She was referred to a clinic which proposed that she adopt a newborn baby delivered there. His adoptive parents did not know the truth about Maximiliano's parents. The clinic told them the baby had been born to a 15-year-old girl who did not want a child. "That had a strong effect on my mom and dad. It was a surprise for them too," he said. "Not the fact that I wasn't their biological son -- they knew that already -- but the truth about where I came from," Ruiz added. Battling a barrage of negative headlines about rising health insurance premiums and shrinking doctor networks for people participating in the program, Obama is urging more young, uninsured people to sign up for the subsidized insurance plans offered under the law. He also wants to encourage lawmakers to create a government-run health insurance option to help U.S. states where there is little or no competition among private insurers. "That added competition in all 50 states would, we believe, have the effect of further challenging private health insurance companies to improve their offerings and reduce their prices," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday. Obama will speak about Obamacare in Miami before heading to a rally for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 8 presidential election, who has said she would add a public option and expand tax incentives for healthcare costs. Republican Donald Trump has pledged to repeal and replace the law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by Obama in March 2010. It created online exchanges, which opened in 2014, where consumers can shop for individual health insurance and receive income-based subsidies. Republicans who control Congress have bitterly fought the program, saying it creates unwarranted government intervention in personal healthcare and private industry. The government forecasts 13.8 million people will sign up for Obamacare plans in 2017, up 1.1 million from 2016. There are 10.7 million uninsured people who are eligible for the exchanges but have not enrolled, and about 40 percent of those are young, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said on Wednesday. Nationwide, not enough young and healthy people have signed up to provide a revenue stream that offsets the costs of covering members with serious illnesses. As a result, several big insurers, including UnitedHealth Group Inc, Aetna Inc and Humana Inc, are pulling out of the online marketplaces selling the subsidized plans, citing bigger than expected financial losses. Monthly premium prices have climbed, which further discourages some people from signing up. "Next year will tell whether those are growing pains, or they are more serious issues," Drew Altman, chief executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an interview. Analysis conducted by the nonpartisan foundation suggests at least 16 million people need to enroll before the online Obamacare insurance marketplaces stabilize. Obama credits the Affordable Care Act, one of his main legislative achievements, with reducing the number of uninsured Americans from 49 million in 2010 to 29 million in 2015, according to an August article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Much of the decline is due to the law's provision allowing states to expand Medicaid health coverage for the poor. The law also prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage to Americans if they already had medical problems, and allowed parents to keep children insured on their health plans until age 26. Some health policy experts on both the political left and right say Congress may be more receptive to bipartisan efforts to fix the Affordable Care Act after its creator leaves office. Some Republican governors who refused to expand Medicaid may also be more willing to do so after the election. Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg Saturday, December 3, 2016 Cadillac Palace Theater, Chicago, IL First National Banks 1st Priority Club is taking a day trip to Chicago to see Broadways biggest new hit! Finding Neverland tells the incredible story behind one of the worlds most beloved characters: Peter Pan. This is open to members and non-members. Limited tickets available, so sign up early! CALL FOR PRICING &TO RSVP: 563-263-4221 The Iowa Tourism Office plans to experiment with a number of marketing mediums and tools to attract visitors to the state, but the message will be the same: "This Is Iowa." The "This is Iowa" brand and other strategies for the coming year were unveiled Wednesday as the Iowa Tourism Office and the Travel Federation of Iowa kicked off the state's annual tourism conference in Bettendorf. In a keynote speech at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center, state officials shared the office's priorities for 2017, including the digital and social media tools that will be used to learn more about travelers and their interests. Iowa Tourism Office manager Shawna Lode said ''Our brand is everything we do to project what we want people to know about Iowa." "We appreciate everything you can do to share our brand," she told the audience of about 275 tourism professionals and business partners. Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, told the group she expects "a status quo" budget from the state legislature this year after a $400,000 decrease last year. "Everybody wants to cut marketing because they don't know what marketing is," she said, assuring the crowd that marketing is a priority. Durham told the tourism officials they not only can share the message about Iowa, but can help on the workforce front. "We are a slow growing state, we are an aging state,'' she said. "When people are coming to Iowa to go to our festivals, family weddings or our downtowns, we have to make the connection to them 'you could live here.'" During the day of workshops, the cover image of the new Iowa Travel Guide also was unveiled. The Snake Alley Criterium in Burlington will grace the 2017 guide. It was selected after receiving 5,223 of the 12,000 votes cast in a Facebook promotion. "No other state can claim a bike event on the world's crookedest street," Lode said. "We are sure the cover will pique interest in what else Iowa offers." Although its serviceable, The Accountant really doesnt add up. As contrivances pile on to coincidences, this thriller takes itself far too seriously for some of the ridiculous situations its screenplay includes. Ben Affleck stars as the titular hero, Christian Wolff. In flashbacks, we see how Christian, who is autistic, coped with challenges and surprises in his early life. Christians dad sees to it that his son doesnt need to worry about being bullied. And its apparent early on that Christian has a penchant for numbers and for sticking to a task as long as it takes to complete it. As an adult, Christian still feels ill at ease in social situations. His routines are a comfort to him. And, though a woman who calls him with assignments, he makes a living by auditing the books of the likes of cartel bosses, sometimes using his physical abilities to take people out. A federal agent, Raymond King (J.K. Simmons) and his assistant Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) are closing on the mysterious accountant. They realize that, somehow, this ordinary-appearing man is consorting with the likes of dangerous assassins, criminals and the founder (John Lithgow) of a robotics corporation. Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick) is a CPA for the robotics corporation, where she meets Christian. She takes a liking to him, and he likes her, although he isnt sure about how to form a friendship or return her affection. When he realizes that Anna is in danger, however, Christian will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Its the performers who bring this movie up to average. You can see the confliction on Afflecks face when he has to make some tough choices and when he is alone with Anna. Simmons is always verve to any character he plays, and Kendrick is enjoyable, too. Theres a dab of Batman here, a dash of Bond there in a script thats derivative on many levels. Still, Gavin OConnors solid direction makes the film watchable (he also helmed Warrior). The idea of The Accountant being a kind of superhero is fun. I kept thinking of a sequel starring Affleck and Jason Statham in The Accountant Versus The Transporter, or something like that, where the two at first are respectful rivals then are forced to team up against a common foe. Theres a love triangle involved, of course. Hollywood, are you listening? Thatll be $750,000 for the outline of a summer blockbuster. And I might need an accountant somewhere along the line, too. LeClaire has a calendar-full of activities planned for October: Fundraisers for the family of the late Sgt. Leevon Ritter: Saturday, Oct. 22: Trivia night (location to be determined): Ritter, local soldier and Pleasant Valley High school graduate who died May 22, 2012, will be one of only 60 organ donors honored on the Donate Life Parade float in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade. Ritters family will travel to Pasadena Dec. 28 to Jan. 3, 2017, to meet with other donor families, recipients and living donors. Funds raised will help with airfare, hotel and general event expenses. Any additional money raised will help other donor families selected to honor their loved ones. Oct. 30: Pancake breakfast: LeClaire Fire Station, 201 N. 15th St. -For more information about the float and parade, visit http://www.donatelifefloat.org/wp/ -For more information about Ritters story or to donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/2smaf64. -For more information, contact Barb Ritter at amltmom5@gmail.com or 309-781-5671. Sunday, Oct. 23: The Faithful Pilot Cafe & Spirits Wine Tasting: 3-5 p.m., with 15 wines and snacks. Cost is $15 per person. Call 563-289-4156 to reserve a spot. For more information, visit www.faithfulpilot.com Monday, Oct. 24: Brainstorming session at LeClaire Civic Center: 5:15-7:15 p.m. Residents, business owners and volunteers are invited to a brainstorming session designed to help the Tourism Board and LeClaire Marketing Alliance keep LeClaires momentum moving forward. Snacks will be served. Contact Cindy at info@visitleclaire.com to register. Tuesday, Oct. 25: The Faithful Pilot Cafe & Spirits join 129 for Tuesday Tasting: 5-7 p.m. Cost is $15 for 10 wines. Call 563-729-1035 to reserve a spot. For more information, visit www.faithfulpilot.com Saturday, Oct. 29: Witches Walk, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the levee. Registration for the Witches Walk and costume parade begins at 11:30 a.m. The parade begins at 1 p.m. Kids' activities will be held before the parade, with candy and "Trunk or Treat" during the parade. Rain date is Nov. 5. For more information, visit www.visitleclaire.com. To help or donate, call or email April, 920-287-8851 or aprillivingwell@gmail.com). Trunk or Treat will be in the parking lot behind Riverside Foursquare Church, 302 N. Cody Road. Businesses along the two-block area of the parade route (from Wisconsin to Ewing Streets) are encouraged to hand out candy. Online registration is available at http://www.visitleclaire.com/witches-walk-online-registration/ Q. Several readers have asked about recent letters they have received from the city of Bettendorf regarding service line warranties. I have received two letters from Decker Ploehn, Bettendorf city administrator, for insurance for my outside sewer line. Is the city requiring me to buy this insurance? I keep getting similar letters. Why is the city of Bettendorf selling this insurance? Is this a new line of business for the city? I have already purchased this insurance from Iowa American Water. Am I required to drop that insurance and enroll in the city of Bettendorfs plan? Steve, Bettendorf A. We contacted the city of Bettendorf to find out. Decker Ploehn, Bettendorf city administrator, responded: "The city council has approved an agreement with service line warranties a company that is affiliated through the National League of Cities. A number of cities throughout the country are offering this program sponsored by the city as an alternative to the service line warranty program that is offered by Iowa American Water Company. Both programs are voluntary; both programs are done through private insurance. The city is not in the business and does not require any resident to take the service." Q. Who is responsible for mowing the abandoned railroad tracks north of Rockingham Road between Lincoln Avenue and Elmwood Avenue? It only got mowed once last year. It hasn't been mowed at all this year. It looks pretty tacky. Calvin A. We contacted the city of Davenport to find out. Nicole Gleason, assistant public works director, said that, according to the city's engineering department, the railroad tracks are the property of Canadian Pacific. We contacted Canadian Pacific for more information. Andy Cummings, media relations manager for Canadian Pacific, responded: "CP owns the rail corridor that the questioner is writing in about. As we have formally abandoned rail service on the corridor, we no longer perform regular maintenance practices on this route as we would on an active route, which would include weed control." A Davenport man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges stemming from his involvement in a crash that left a Valley Construction worker dead in September. Sebon Cordell Reese, 19, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and filed his plea in writing through his attorney, David Treimer. He is charged with homicide by vehicle, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison; eluding or attempting to elude while participating in a felony, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison; and child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison. Reese has a pretrial conference Nov. 4. About 10:10 a.m. Sept. 1, the Scott Emergency Communications Center received a report of a reckless driver traveling at a high rate of speed on northbound/eastbound U.S. 61, according to a Scott County Sheriff's Office news release. Deputy Gina Lieferman was in the area and saw the vehicle, a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, driving east at a high rate of speed. She tried to turn around and pull over the vehicle, according to the Sheriff's Office. The vehicle then entered the construction zone just east of Blue Grass and tried to turn off U.S. 61 at Coonhunters Road, striking Willie Nathaniel Holley, 62, of Rock Island, before coming to a stop off the pavement. Further investigation revealed that prior to the crash, Reese came upon vehicles also traveling east and attempted to pass them on the left in the median and lost control of the vehicle. Blue Grass Fire Department and Medic ambulance were called to the scene of the crash. Holley was pronounced dead at Genesis Medical Center-East Rusholme Street, Davenport. Reese and his 1-year-old sister also were taken to the hospital for treatment. Sitting at the Figge Art Museum waiting for the third and final debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to begin, Patricia Martin, 22, of Bettendorf, hoped that the presidential candidates would stick to the issues instead of attacking one another. Its like theyre in preschool, said Martin, who was among 12 Scott Community College students from Mary Bakeris English composition class to watch the debate. Their assignment is to write 350-word papers. Many of the 40 people who attended the debate watch party, hosted by the Quad-City Times, sipped wine or beer as they watched the candidates spar at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. During the past debates and in many of the news accounts of the presidential race, Martin said it appeared Clinton and Trump consider the United States a toy, and theyre fighting over that toy like 3- and 4-year-olds. It was a theme that several of Martins fellow students echoed. Aimee Benson, 19, of Bettendorf, said that in the debates so far, Trump is a bully and Hillary looks like a robot. Trump refuses to say if he'll accept election results WASHINGTON Threatening to upend a fundamental pillar of American democracy, Donald Trump r The past debates have been more circus than an exchange of ideas, Benson said. Theyre both crooks, she added. Notebook in hand, Nick Wold, 20, of Princeton, Illinois, said the candidates have not been saying what theyre going to do for the American people, but instead have been going around the questions. They attack each other trying to prove whos done more wrong, Wold said. Theyre obviously not getting a lot accomplished. In the final debate, Wold said he hoped the candidates would stick to the issues and be more professional and provide honest answers to questions from moderator Chris Wallace. Clinton and Trump were civil during early questions that touched on the Supreme Court, Second Amendment rights and abortion. Before the debate began, Calvin Kruse, 23, of Moline, said he believes the American political system would work better if people had the confidence to vote for a third-party candidate. Nobodys confident enough to try it, Kruse said. He said he would have liked to have seen a third-party candidate in the debates, somebody who would stand up, answer the question honestly and in simple terms and then sit down. In many ways, Kruse said, this election is a farce." "We have two people attacking each other and not answering the questions. Analysis: Trump needed debate reset, instead riles GOP WASHINGTON Donald Trump needed a game changer. Instead, he landed a jaw dropper. If people would have the confidence to vote for a third-party candidate, we wouldnt have to up with all this crap, he said. Everybodys choosing the lesser of two evils. MARION, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he hasnt decided whether he will run for re-election in 2018, but the longest-serving governor in the nation wishes he was running this year. I wish I were on the ballot this year, Branstad told a Republican pep rally in Marion Thursday. "Im doing it vicariously." It was one of about 50 stops Branstad and other GOP elected officials and candidates are making ahead of the Nov. 8 election to fire up campaign activists and encourage early voting, which is under way. Chief among the governors goals is a GOP takeover of the Iowa Senate where there are 25 Democrats, 23 Republicans, one no party and one vacancy. Republicans need to pick up three seats to take control, and Branstad told his Marion audience that they are in one of the districts both parties are targeting. In Senate District 34, Rene Gadelha is challenging Sen. Liz Mathis, D-Cedar Rapids. Rene is the pathway to the majority, said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who thinks momentum, energy and issues are on Republicans side. If Gadelha wins and there is a Senate Republican majority, You aint seen nothing yet, Branstad said. Issues, such as a water quality improvement plan that had bipartisan support in the GOP-controlled House, will get debated in the Senate, he said. Republicans have a slight edge in voter registration. They hope that Ashley Hinsons campaign for an open-seat race in House 67, now held by Rep. Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, and Cedar Rapids Republican Rep. Ken Rizers re-election campaign in the other half of the Senate district House 68 will help Gadelha win a Senate seat. Secretary of State Paul Pate of Cedar Rapids told the 100-plus Republicans gathered at the Aurora Coffee Co. that Republicans are increasing their voter registration numbers more than Democrats and closing the gap on absentee ballot requests. U.S. Rep. Rod Blum of Dubuque, faces an uphill re-election race in Iowas 1st District where Democrats have a voter registration over Republicans of nearly 27,000, according to the Iowa Secretary of State Office. However, hes banking on the hard work and enthusiasm of GOP activists. You all are turning Iowa from a purple state to a red state, he said, noting that both U.S. senators, three of four House members, the governors office and Iowa House all are in GOP control. Chicago-area Republicans really want a Quad-City area Statehouse seat that Springfield Democrats really dont want to give up after decades of control. The final sprint to the Nov. 8 election has both sides pouring money into the 72nd Illinois House District race between Democrat Mike Halpin and Republican Brandi McGuire. Liberty Principals PAC, a super PAC led by conservative radio talk show host Dan Proft, has made independent expenditures in support of McGuire of about $352,000. This is a first run for public office for McGuire, a 42-year-old driving school director from Milan. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Illinois and Democratic Majority, both accounts belonging to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, infused Halpins war chest with $145,000. The 37-year-old Rock Island attorney also has not previously held political office, although he worked as an aide to the late U.S. Rep. Lane Evans of Rock Island. Pat Verschoores decision not to seek re-election has created a race in a district that has been in Democratic hands for decades. The district encompasses lower Rock Island County, including Rock Island, Milan and parts of East Moline, Moline and Silvis. McGuire tops a list of 45 candidates for statewide office that Liberty Principals PAC has supported this year, according to Illinois Sunshine, which compiles Illinois State Board of Elections campaign disclosure records in an online database. Her own committee, McGuire for Illinois, has raised about $9,700. The committee Friends of Mike Halpin has raised about $500,000, with the most coming in the past 30 days. His support seems to be coming largely from labor unions, legislators and candidates in other races. A partner in the Rock Island law firm of McCarthy, Callas & Feeney, Halpin draws inspiration for his run from his work representing labor unions, saying he wants to protect the ability of workers to organize and bargain collectively. Thats one of the things the governor wants to eliminate. He said he has the voice of voters who support increasing the minimum wage. With 60 percent of the folks in the county and two-thirds statewide, in a year Gov. Rauner won election, thats a huge bipartisan coalition, Halpin said. Yet two years later, nothings been done about it. The minimum wage in Illinois is $8.25 an hour, which equals $17,160 annually. McGuire does not support raising the minimum wage. She also draws inspiration from personal experience. McGuire filed a complaint in 2014 against the Sherrard school district when her daughter, who has epilepsy, was not allowed to bring her service dog with her to school. I want to make sure what happened to my family never happens again in the state of Illinois, and that would be my daughter being denied a right to an education in an Illinois public school, she said. I dont feel like I was being heard by my government. And the people heard me. It wasnt a political thing. It was about us doing the right thing. McGuire said she opposes all sales or income tax increases, including taxing senior pensions. We dont have beaches and beautiful mountains in Illinois to offer our seniors, she said. The least we can do in Illinois is not tax their pensions. Halpin has announced that he also is opposed to a state income tax on retirement earnings, such as Social Security and pension payments. Both candidates insist the state budget needs immediate fixing but differ on who is to blame for the stalemate in Springfield. A lot of it is our governor who wants to inject non-budgetary items into the budget debate, Halpin said. Im not in favor of doing that. But a lot of people depend on the budget being passed and money being appropriated for those line items. And its not right to hold them hostage to non-budget demands. McGuire said the state has not had a balanced budget since long before Rauner took office and blamed Madigan for the lack of cooperation. I think you need more cooperation in Springfield people willing to reach across those party lines without getting hammered if they do, she said. SPRINGFIELD Acknowledging that in the past, inmates have too often been housed in segregation, the Illinois Department of Corrections is proposing new restrictions on the practice. This is going to be a culture change, frankly, for the Illinois Department of Corrections, department attorney Nancy Vincent said Wednesday in Springfield during a public hearing on the proposal. And we also want the public to understand that this is just the first step, both in that culture change and in how we administer discipline and segregation. Among other changes, the proposal would require that mental health professionals play a greater role in determining whether segregation is an appropriate disciplinary measure for inmates who have committed offenses while in prison. For example, if an inmate is determined to be seriously mentally ill, the recommendations of a mental health professional would have to be considered if an inmate has committed an offense for which segregation is a possible punishment. The department also proposes allowing inmates in segregation to shower and shave at least three times per week rather than just once and requiring that segregated cells provide visual access to natural light. The rules also would require that a mental health professional make rounds in each segregation unit at least once a week and that a chaplain make weekly visits as well. Additionally, the departments director or deputy director would be required to review all cases in which an inmate is segregated for an indeterminate length of time or for longer than a year. Mike Atchison, the departments chief of operations, said that even before the new rules take effect, officials have been taking steps to reduce the use of segregation. The number of prisoners in disciplinary segregation has dropped from 2,157 on Jan. 1, 2015, to 1,336 on Sept. 30, a reduction of nearly 40 percent, Atchison said. Were making significant progress in this regard, he said, noting that the department must balance the safety of inmates with that prison staff and the general public. Critics of segregated detention, who tend to favor the term solitary confinement, credit the department for taking steps to reduce its use but argue that those steps and the current proposal dont go far enough. Alan Mills is executive director of the Chicago-based Uptown Peoples Law Center, which has had several legal battles with the department over its use of segregation. Mills said at Wednesdays hearing that the United Nations has called on countries to ban solitary confinement in most cases and to strictly prohibit its use for more than 15 days because it can cause lasting mental damage. While he once hesitated to call it torture, Mills said he now thinks thats the proper term. If you accept the truth that solitary is torture, theres just no moral alternative but to end it, he said. Mills said, however, the current proposal is a great start. Thats a view shared by Jennifer Vollen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association, a Chicago-based prison watchdog. These changes definitely begin to codify and address needed reforms, Vollen-Katz said. Additional steps should be taken, she said, including allowing inmates in segregation more time out of their cells. Meanwhile, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31, which represents prison workers, has raised concerns, including whether changes will be accompanied by the increased staffing that would be required to carry them out. Atchison said that although the department wants to improve its use of segregation, we categorically deny that it is torture. If we dont have that tool and the discretion to use it, then therell be no control within our facilities, he said. The proposed rules will require approval from the General Assemblys bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Good afternoon, Quad-Cities. Here is your National Weather Service forecast. This afternoon will be mostly cloudy with a high near 55 degrees. North winds will be 10-15 mph. Tonight there will be a chance of patchy frost after 5 a.m. Otherwise skies will be mostly clear with a low around 35 degrees. Friday there will be patchy frost before 8 a.m. Otherwise skies will be sunny with a high near 56 degrees. Friday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 39 degrees. RIP? Not if you're a Chicago Cubs fan in a playoff year If you want to know just how important the Cubs are to Chicago, a good place to start is at the end. In a city where fans have been known to scatter ashes of the dearly departed at Wrigley Field, families of those who could no longer wait 'till next season are planting Cubs pennants and flags at the graves of loved ones or sending them off to the great beyond with Cubs hats and jerseys in their caskets. Read more. Lock & Dam 15 construction It's Retro Thursday and look what we have for you. Take a trip back through time to the 1930s and see how Lock & Dam 15 was built, compliments of photos from the Army Corps of Engineers. Ickes: Zoo director considers charging $3 for parking, raise money Niabi Zoo director Lee Jackson wants to charge $3 for zoo parking, something Quad-Citians aren't accustomed to paying. Read more. In my 66 years, nearly everyone I have known has been dead by age 85. None of them held demanding jobs into their 80s. Sen. Charles Grassley, age 83, is running for another six-year term. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley refused to hold hearings for a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. He says President Obama should forget about his nominee and leave the decision on the next justice to the people. Grassley is either acting as a political pawn or the old gentleman is failing, because the people never decide who sits on the Supreme Court. We elect the president who nominates Supreme Court candidates and we elect senators who are charged with approving or disapproving the presidents nominee, not with saying who may be nominated, or when. If Sen. Grassley is so terribly concerned that we all get a chance to vote on the people who govern us, maybe he should consider this: In Iowa, if a member of Congress is unable to complete a term, the governor appoints a replacement. In this situation, the people really would be robbed of an opportunity to vote. The odds that any person, well into his or her 80s, would have the physical stamina and mental acuity to effectively complete a six-year term cannot be high. Grassley is not putting the people of Iowa first. Running for re-election at his age is all about ego. Richard Williams Iowa City Recently, some well-intended, but misguided individuals have urged voters to vote against the one-cent sales tax for Rock Island County School facilities. Those voting against the one-cent sales tax do not know where their interest truly lies. Illinois school facility funding is a major cost. Superintendents and school boards are often forced to sell bonds to complete facility projects. Bonds issued must be paid back with interest. A million dollars worth of bonds can cost a school districts taxpayers anywhere from $47,000 - $67,000 in interest. Facility taxes may save taxpayers money by lessening the need for bonds, which are actually high-interest loans. There is no evidence that people would drive to Scott County when the drive will cost at least $2 to avoid paying a tax when Scott County already has that same tax. It is popular and simple to chant no new taxes. With the proposed one-cent Rock Island County facility tax, taxpayers may end up paying less because bond interest payments are less each year. Can anyone honestly drive past Scott County educational sites and extracurricular facilities and not realize they are modern compared to most Rock Island County school facilities? From reading centers, science labs, art and band rooms, and sport facilities, research proves clean, modern, well-maintained facilities enhance student learning. Substandard school facilities are not in the best interest of the future of this county, state or nation. Vote yes for the one-cent tax for Rock Island County, for the quality education Rock Island County students deserve. Wes and Becki Wells Port Byron Like many, I am dismayed by the content of a 2005 Access Hollywood video made public recently by the Washington Post. Although very revealing about Donald Trump, it is troubling for another reason. Repeatedly, male cable personalities emphasize the fact that the Donald groped not just a woman, but a married woman. These commentators seem to suggest that there are two-tiers of women in America: Non-married women who are available for groping and married women who are off-limits. Why is that? Perhaps they see groping a married woman as a more brazen act. A man who messes with another mans spouse is more likely to get the snot beat out of him or worse. But, in this day and age, must a woman marry to be less vulnerable to unwanted advances? Really? All women have the right to be free of unsolicited touching, fondling, kissing and other unwanted contact - at all times. Do Iowas elected leaders see it as their responsibility to stand up for this right and to disavow the likes of Donald Trump? Hopefully so, but we will see what they say. Patricia Malinee Bettendorf A longtime concern about invasive species at the Belle Fourche Reservoir at Orman Dam was apparently narrowly averted as state officials inspecting dredging equipment discovered Zebra Mussels on the equipment. According to a South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks news release, "Last month, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) staff were on site at the Belle Fourche Reservoir to inspect equipment brought into South Dakota to dredge parts of the water body. "Zebra mussels were discovered on the dredging equipment of the private contractor hired by the Belle Fourche Irrigation District to perform maintenance dredging of sediments." The news release continued that during the initial inspection, GFP law enforcement and fisheries staff found adult zebra mussels attached to the barge sections and associated equipment. The tender boat for the operation also had the drain plug in place and there was water in the bilge of the boat. A citation was issued for violation of state aquatic invasive species (AIS) regulations. After the initial inspection, the contractor made every effort to have the equipment properly decontaminated. The equipment and boat passed a post decontamination inspection prior to being launched into the reservoir to complete the dredging operation. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation requested to have GFP on site to inspect the equipment for AIS prior to deployment into the reservoir. The dredging equipment had been used in Lake Superior, a water body known to be infested with zebra mussels. Anglers, boaters and contractors are reminded that no person may launch or attempt to launch a boat or equipment into South Dakota waters with AIS attached or onboard. All plugs, bailers, valves or other devices must be opened or removed except when the boat is in the boat ramp parking area and when being launched or loaded. For more information on AIS and to help prevent the spread, please visit sdleastwanted.com. Concerns about invasive species has been increasing across the state as well as at Orman. In the spring of 2015, Belle Fourche-based state Conservation Officer Bill Eastman told the Butte County Post that the problem had become so severe with invasive foreign species that the state was going to enforce a new set of regulations to protect against foreign plants and animals. Since most hitchhike into lakes and river systems on boats and with anglers, the regulations are directed toward them. Eastman said most area anglers and boaters he has spoken with are supportive of the regulations. Most, he said, recognize what zebra mussels can do to a boar and motor as well as anything in the lake. He grinned when he said that even bait taken from a reservoir should be taken to a "non-lake." For example, a pail of bait that might carry microscopic invaders, then is dumped into a septic or sewer system, could be a major rural home or city sewer system disaster. "That's what we're trying to avoid," Eastman said. Zebra mussels may be among the best known invaders, but Eastman said that's just part of it. Plant species may be carried as microscopic seeds. And then there are fish like the European Rudd that might be taken as baitfish - but if they get established in a body of water, could eat up all the fish humans love to eat. "These regulations coming down the path might come slight inconvenience for boaters, but nothing they can't get used to," Eastman said."If these regulations keep our local lakes free of these species, we all continue to keep a healthy and safe recreational area." Along with signs at boat ramps, Eastman said people can find all the rules in the state's fishing handbook. Eastman said the state and everyone else concerned about our water resources can play a part by being the first line of defense against AIS. Any time a boater or others enjoying water recreation clears their live well, boat, trailer and motor, they can check any attached mud, vegetation or animals. If possible, powerwashing a boat and allowing it to dry between trips is a good defensive measure. Eastman added that "quagga mussel veligers" were discovered at Angostura Reservoir in September of 2014 and a single adult zebra mussel was found at Lewis and Clark Lake in November of 2014. Those discoveries in South Dakota spurred the Commission and GFP to take action to strengthen AIS laws. At Mondays Belle Fourche City Council meeting, the question of public trust and confidence in the Citys business was brought before city council members. A letter signed by four council members was received by Mayor Landphere addressing fair, ethical, and transparent conduct of city business in the location of the Belle Fourche Economic Development Corporation office and NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources located in city hall. The three other council members asked why, if the issue were so important, it hadn't been brought before the whole council for discussion instead of a letter and last-minute request to add an agenda item to remove NeighborWorks and BFDC offices from City Hall. According to the letter, concerns range from accountability to the city by BFDC and NeighborWorks, the appearance of secret deals with the city and the use of city resources by BFDC and NeighborWorks that are not available to the general public. Conflict surfaced when council members began to discuss the pros and cons of allowing the two entities to retain office space in city hall. Council member Kayla Kinard waited until after comments were given by Hollie Stalder, who represented the Belle Fourche Development Corporation. Kinard then listed her concerns about the letter to the mayor. First of all, she said, is the letter itself. It is signed by half of the people who sit on city council. When four people meet to discuss a matter and draft and sign a letter, to quote the letter, it creates perception and appearance of impropriety, which reflects negatively on the citys efforts to operate in an open and transparent way. It does not instill public trust and confidence in the fair operation and integrity in the Belle Fourche city government, she said. Secondly, she is the city council representative to BFDC. "Not one person has come to me about any questions or concerns about impropriety concerning BFDC she said. I have not received one call, e-mail, or question from anyone who signed this letter, Thirdly, BFDC is a large revenue producing part of Belle Fourche she said. This action, she continued, persists in injuring an entity that has the potential to bring in revenue. Kinard added that economic development is an investment in the future. Its not about what happens in this fiscal year. She went on to add that its about jobs created for the future that began with the city council. When we are trying to increase our revenue in the next year, we all talked about how we want to grow so that we have the money to support the city. So our answer is to injure a revenue producing entity for the city. That is not logical, she said. Lastly, Kinard went on to say that she felt that there seems to be a theme from people on the council that different forms of media perpetuate negative, incorrect information about the Development Corp, about transparency, or lack of transparency. It is inaccurate and untrue. I am highly against this, she concluded. Council member Fred Ager said that he sees that the Development Corp is not accountable to the city on any level. He said he wonders where the corporation funds are going. A lot of those funds belong to the city. We need to be aware of what is going on, he said. Ager went on to explain that he thought the Development Corporation should share with the city more of where the money goes and what it does. Kinard said that everything is talked about at the regular meetings. She added that perhaps there are some things that have not been transmitted to every member of city council. Economic development is a vision, Council member Jim Smit added. He said the letter is counterproductive. According to Smit, all plans have been shown to the council. Think about the future, he said. This could have been a real good conversation to have collectively as a whole council and it should have been, declared Council member James Ager. He went on to say that four people from the council decided it was time for BFEDC to go. He said his problem is the way this happened." As elected officials, we are to function collectively as eight and the mayor. " Council member Steven Ritch said that he met with one council member who showed him the letter. He asked why all council members were not involved with the discussion of the letter. I would like to ask about fairness, Ritch asked. Why dont we allow other non-profit organizations that could share (office space)? Kinard also stated that she was not invited to any meeting with a business prospect, city officials and BFDC. She said she wondered if the mayor picked those that had the meeting. Jessica Carmichael added that she thought the entire council should have been invited. This is the first Ive heard about this meeting that we apparently had, she said. This seems to raise a lot of questions. Im assuming the mayor made the phone calls, Smit interjected. Part of her management and leadership is to pick and choose who comes to these meetings. Shes the administrator of this city. The issue is not being informed about it until afterwards or from one of the members who was there, said Ritch. James Ager added the BFDC did what they were supposed to do. BFDC told the mayor about the meeting and the mayor chose members to attend, he went on. Its not the mayors fault, he said. I dont see anything wrong on anybodys part. Monte Talkington said that he wants BFEDC to relocate because they have nothing to do with city government. Were not kicking them out. We just want this clarified for the people, he said. Holly Stalder, BFDC director, was permitted to speak on behalf of that entity. She spoke to several points brought out in the letter to the mayor. I believe it [the letter] reflects poorly on our community, she said. And it reflects poorly on our relationship she added. She went on to say that the letter showed innuendoes of improprieties that do not exist. The heat and power would be on in the offices occupied by BFDC regardless of who was using them, she said. BFDC pays for supplies, the copier, and the phone; these are all charged to the corporation she added. Economic development in this community, according to Stalder, has brought in over $700,000 in economic growth. The purpose of BFDC is to promote business in this area. BFDC provides copies of its monthly bills to the city and that are paid through a city subsidy on a monthly basis. In addition, a quarterly statement is available. Again, she added, all their meetings are open to the public. Any secrecy results from honoring the request of any new business prospect. We believe that trust must not be violated, she emphasized. Stalder concluded by saying that the BFDC is committed to serving Belle Fourche and the great community. She was asked by Katie Satzinger if a lease on the office is paid at all. Stalder said that the corporation did not, and that it was not common for other economic development entities to pay a lease. Stalder also said that there are copies of all agreements on file and a full financial standing can be reviewed in their office. Jamie Van Norman from NeighborWorks stood and addressed the council with the importance of her organization. She had found out about the letter written to the mayor through an outside source. NeighborWorks Home Resources is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe, decent, and affordable housing and revitalizing neighborhoods in the Black Hills region. All the people that come to see me need a safe place to go, said Van Norman. We are making Belle Fourche a better city. Executive Director Joy McCracken observed that some of the language of the letter was disappointing. I dont think weve ever withheld information from the city, she said. Because you provided an office, we were able to put that money back into the community, she said. Both BFEDC and NeighborWorks will have to relocate effective Jan. 1, 2017. In other City Council business: *Eighth Ave Project will have a public meeting Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. *Fall Flavors will have another lamb demonstration this Thursday. Check out Belle Fourche Chamber website. *Check out BF Chamber Facebook for an interesting interview and photos of the area. *A thank-you was voiced to Officers Jucole Jones and Jamie Goetsch who helped with Tip a Cop fundraiser for Special Olympics last week. *Parade of Lights will be Nov. 25. Officials from Jackson County who used local resources to battle a huge prairie wildfire east of Rapid City this week may get some financial help from the state. Meanwhile, West River ranchers and residents who lost structures, cattle or grazing land to the fire could get some financial help of their own if a senator's request for federal aid is approved. South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard on Thursday issued an emergency disaster declaration for Jackson County. On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. John Thune wrote U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to ask for federal disaster assistance for ranchers affected by the fire, many of whom he said are still recovering from the devastation of Winter Storm Atlas three years ago. Daugaard signed his declaration in response to the Cottonwood Fire, a wildfire that started over the weekend near Wall and burned through 41,360 acres of public and private land. The disaster declaration says the state will cover 90 percent of non-federal fire apparatus fuel costs, all aircraft expenses and South Dakota Wildland Fires suppression expenses. Officials declared the fire completely contained by 8 p.m. Tuesday, but have remained on-scene in the days since to monitor the area and prevent any flare-ups. No people were hurt or primary residences lost in the blaze, but several structures and numerous livestock were lost. As reported to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office by Tuesday, there were 137 livestock killed in the fire. Several ranchers have reported injured animals that will need to be evaluated by veterinarians. Valuable grasslands for grazing also were lost. This prairie fire is the most destructive I have observed for fence loss, cattle loss, hay loss and pasture loss in my 27-year career, said Jim Strain, deputy director of South Dakota Wildland Fire. Our records go back to 1949, and this is South Dakotas largest wildfire ever for the month of October. Daugaard flew over the affected area on Tuesday, according to the release, to witness the damage himself. Obviously, this fire has caused a great deal of damage, especially to livestock, fences and forage, Daugaard said in the release. Using dollars from the State Fire Suppression Special Revenue Fund, the state will assist Jackson County in paying fire response costs. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and USDA Farm Service Agency are also administering a program that allows people to donate hay removed from acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. Due to the severe losses, SDDA said it is extending the deadline for CRP donated hay applications to producers affected by the Cottonwood Fire. Producers interested in receiving donated hay can find the application on the SDDA homepage at sdda.sd.gov. PIERRE | Starting in 2018, South Dakota employers could see small reductions in unemployment insurance rates if the Legislature agrees to a proposal from the state Department of Labor and Regulation. The plan calls for contribution rates to be cut when the balance in the unemployment trust fund is at least 1.6 times what was spent on benefits in the last three recessions or the past 20 years. Financial projections released Wednesday by the state department show total benefits paid for calendar 2016 are estimated to reach $27.6 million, while employer contributions plus interest are estimated to total $39 million. If those hold true, the trust fund is on track to close 2016 with a balance of $110.8 million. Nothing shocking or new in that number, state Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman told members of the states unemployment insurance advisory council. Looking to 2017, projections indicate the trigger for contribution cuts would be reached June 30 if South Dakotas economy stays on its present course. Employers would be notified in October 2017 and the reduced rates would go into effect Jan. 1, 2018. The tax rates would drop one-tenth of 1 percent. That can be a lot or a little, depending on each business. As examples, a business paying at a current rate of 0.20 percent would be reduced to 0.10 percent, while a business paying at a current rate of 9.50 percent would be reduced to 9.40 percent. Council member Shawn Lyons, executive director for the South Dakota Retailers Association, asked Hultman whether she would provide legislators with a full explanation of how she arrived at the one-tenth of 1 percent reduction. She said she would, but that it will be "a philosophical discussion, she said. The 2018 projections for the trust fund show it finishing with a balance of $123.3 million on Dec. 31, 2018. If that holds true, the reduced contribution rates would remain in effect for 2019. The trust fund went broke during the 2008-2010 recession and South Dakota borrowed from the federal Department of Labor as did other states. South Dakota employers paid surcharges to get the state fund out of the red. MOSCOW, October 20 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) The Moscow District Military Court on Thursday refused to exclude rulings on examination of bullet cases found at the scene of killing prominent opposition politician Boris Nemtsov from the list of evidence, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. A lawyer for Zaur Dadayev, who stands charged with murder of the politician, has asked the court to remove a report on the examination of six bullet shells because of violations allegedly committed by investigators. Therefore, a high-ranking investigator for especially important cases of the Russian Investigative Committee, Marina Molodstova was earlier questioned as a witness. Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Major General of Justice Igor Krasnov was also summoned but he has not appeared in court yet to give testimony in the case. 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 ($239,700). 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. Men who tried to cross border along with Karaulova receive prison sentences MOSCOW, October 20 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) Men who tried to cross the Syrian-Turkish border along with Varvara Karaulova (Alexandra Ivanova), who stands charged with attempting to join the Islamic State militants in Syria, have received prison sentences, RAPSI learned in the courtroom on Thursday. During the hearings in the Moscow District Military Court it was revealed that these men were arrested on June 1, 2015 when they attempted to cross the border. A man with a surname of Akhmayev was sentenced to five years in a penal colony, and another man, Gorsultayev, was sentenced to three years in a settlement colony. Karaulova confirmed that she knew one of the men because he had testified earlier. On Tuesday, the prosecutor asked the court to partially declassify information falling under state secret category. According to the prosecutor, these documents contain testimony of a witness, a Federal Security Services officer, who earlier has testified under the pseudonym of Uraz Ramadanov. Later his name was revealed to be Alexander Poluektov. The witness was giving testimony behind closed doors on the prosecutors request. On Monday an acquaintance of Karaulova, Anfisa Khodgiyeva was questioned. The witness told the court that she had met Karaulova in Turkey. According to Khodgiyeva they met in an apartment where several people who wanted to illegally cross Turkish-Syrian border were transported to. On October 5, the court began hearing of the case on the merits. The Moscow State Universitys educators and the defendants group mates were questioned as well. As previously reported the second-year student of the Moscow State Universitys Faculty of Philosophy, allegedly decided to join the Islamic State, the organization banned in Russia, and secretly started off for Istanbul on May 27. On June 4, she was arrested near Turkey's border with Syria along with 13 other Russian citizens when attempting to cross into the territory occupied by Islamic State militants. On June 11, she returned to Russia under escort of Interpol employees. In October, Karaulova, who had changed her name to Alexandra Ivanova, was again arrested in Moscow and put in jail. She has been found sane by the psychiatric evaluation. The student did not plead guilty and stated that she was not going to become a terrorist. The Islamic State, an organization which is prohibited in Russia, is currently one of the major threats to global security. Over three years, these terrorists have managed to seize large areas of Iraq and Syria. The organization is also attempting to spread its influence to North Africa particularly, Libya. The area controlled by ISIS covers up to 90,000 square kilometers. State Duma approves ban on using figures and symbols in names Context Russian senator proposes ban on using figures and symbols in names MOSCOW, October 20 (RAPSI) - The State Duma Committee on Family Affairs has supported a bill prohibiting the use of figures, symbols, abbreviation and obscene words in names, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday. The draft law was submitted to the lower house of Russias parliament by Valentina Petrenko, member of the Federation Council, Russias upper house of parliament, in April. The bill would put a ban on registration of names containing figures, symbols, numeral adjectives or their combination, ranks, obscene words, abbreviations which fail to meet the requirements of current legislation on acts of civil status. Current legislation gives full rein to parents in choosing names for their babies. Registry authorities are not entitled to deny registration of a childs name because of its injuriousness, roughness, disharmony or difficulties in pronouncing, an explanatory note to the bill says. At the same time, existing law does not include principles obliging parents to give their children only those names which do not violate their rights and interests. According to the registry authorities statistics since 1998, Nikolai-Nikita-Nil, Christamrirados, Dolphin, Yaroslav-Lyutobor, Luka-Shchastye (Luka-Happiness), Summerset Ocean, are among the strangest boys names. The most unusual girls names registered during this period are April, Polina-Polina, Princess Daniella, Zarya-Zaryanitsa (Dawn), Alyosha-Kaprina, Oceana, Sophia-Solnyshko (Sophia-Sunshine). The biggest uproar, now over 10 years old, involves parents who named their child BOC rVF 260602, which loosely means a biological object of the human species from the Voronin-Frolov family, born 26 June 2002. Little BOC, as he is called, has no documents up to date because the court ruled in favor of a Moscow civil registration office that refused to register the child with this name to protect his interests, Petrenko said earlier. The proposed bill will make it possible to ensure more efficient protection of childrens constitutional rights and statutory interests to a name. BOZEMAN, Mont. - Jim Hagenbarth of Hagenbarth Livestock in Dillon has been named the 2016 Outstanding Agricultural Leader on behalf of Montana State Universitys College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station.The public is invited to congratulate Hagenbarth at a Montana-made breakfast to be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in MSUs South Gym of the Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center during the colleges annual Celebrate Agriculture event scheduled for Nov. 11-12 at MSU.MSU Vice President of Agriculture Charles Boyer said Hagenbarth is a successful and respected agriculture leader for Montana and a great example for current university agriculture students.Jim Hagenbarth represents some of the very best of Montana agriculture: commitment to the stewardship of land, resources and people and an impressive dedication to public service, Boyer said. Were pleased to honor Jim with this award, not only for his familys successful livestock and ranching business, but because he has worked tirelessly to engage in difficult conversations and processes at local and national levels, to find common ground among diverse voices and agendas. In agriculture, that is not easy.The award is given annually to individuals or couples who are engaged and well-respected in the states agricultural community. Recipients are those who have impacted many with their accomplishments, have a lifetime of achievement in agriculture, are industry leaders or innovative producers and are actively involved in the agricultural community.Hagenbarth exhibits outstanding leadership in agricultural and public service to Montana and MSU, according to members of the selection committee. The Montana Stockgrowers Association and the MSU Department of Animal and Range Sciences nominated Hagenbarth for the award. Letters of support for his nomination were received from the United States Department of Agriculture, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Department of Natural Resource Conservation and a host of Montana ranchers.Nominators said Hagenbarth is well-respected among livestock ranchers, wildlife and fisheries biologists, government agencies, special interest groups and watershed groups. They add that he has been an exemplary, composed leader in contentious and high-stakes natural resource discussions and as a farm and ranch policy advocate for Montana producers.He has also successfully forged private and public partnerships in species management protection and for natural resources at state and national levels.Perhaps Hagenbarths most notable influence, according to support letters, is his work with the Montana citizens working group for the Interagency Bison Management Plan, a cooperative, multi-agency effort that guides the management of bison and brucellosis in and around Yellowstone National Park.His work with this effort led him to testify before the U.S. Congress regarding Montanas cattle and bison interactions, particularly surrounding the brucellosis disease.Additionally, Hagenbarth has lobbied in Washington, D.C. for the Big Hole Watershed Committee, of which he was a founding member and currently serves as vice president. His dedication to the Upper Snake Sage-Grouse Local Working Group resulted in a 38-page plan drafted between citizen ranchers and state and federal agencies to increase sage-grouse populations in the upper Snake River region of Idaho.He has also been an invited speaker to numerous national conventions, including National Cattlemens Beef Association and the First National Bison Symposium.Hagenbarth is a volunteer on the Montana Board of Livestock, National Cattlemens Association and the USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research lab in Logan, Utah. He has served as a research advisory council member of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and is active in the Knights of Columbus, National Cattlemens Beef Association, Montana Stockgrowers Association and the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.Hagenbarths family history in Montanas sheep and cattle industries dates back to statehood, when Hagenbarth s grandfather managed 150,000 sheep and 500,000 cattle on nearly two million acres of range. Hagenbarths family still owns and manages the 120 year-old cattle ranch today.Hagenbarth received a bachelors degree in business management from the University of Notre Dame before returning to work on his familys ranch.Hagenbarth and his wife, Laurie, have three adult children: Mark, John and Kate.The selection committee for the Outstanding Agricultural Leader award is comprised of three Montana agriculture representatives, a College of Agriculture faculty member and an MSU student. MSUs College of Agriculture has presented Outstanding Agricultural Leader awards since 1999. Claire Goldrick and Peter Hughes own two businesses in one location on Main Street in Hamilton. The shop opened August 1. River Run 406 Photography and Art Gallery is the artistic side of the business that sells beautiful original oil paintings and digital prints of art and photography on canvas. Goldrick, who signs her paintings CL Goldrick, spends her days painting by the large south window that provides good natural daylight. The west wall of the shop is filled with regional oil paintings by Goldrick and her artist friends. She enjoys showing the works and telling the stories behind each one. Like floating in the drift boat, horses crossing water where the river spreads out into small streams, her favorite places are near Skalkaho Falls, fly-fishing in the Missouri River and scenes from Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Montana. Goldrick started painting when she was 5 years old with a paint-by-number kit that she changed the numbers on because she did not like what the kit had. As her talent increased, she worked in watercolors, oils, charcoal and pastels. I started on commissions, painting portraits of high school friends, horses and dogs. Thats how I paid for boarding my horse, she said. Goldrick spent years painting in New Mexico and Arizona. She was part of an art community in Colorado, lived in Hamilton previously and showed her work in the Ponderosa Art Gallery south of Hamilton. They sold a lot of art for me, Goldrick said. She moved Hamilton permanently this year and invites the public to both visit and observe her as she paints. She does commission paintings of places and portraits. Ill have the subject sit for me for a formal portrait, she said. Hughes is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes. He also does all the printing and art photography. I photograph the originals and do the printing, Hughes said. I like canvas because I get a really high resolution off of it. The canvas has a kind of bumpy surface that adds a three dimensional quality to your photographs that you dont get on paper. It gives a little more depth in the photograph. Hughes said he take pictures of the artwork that clients bring in to the shop on Main Street with available light. Ive got enough light coming in here that I can get fantastic results, he said. After taking the images, he provides customers with the canvas print and a flash drive with the raw image, jpeg and TIFF file. The east wall of the shop is filled with digital prints that Hughes has made on canvas from his large printer. He takes pictures of artwork and then he tweaks them in Photoshop and sends them to the five-foot printer that prints on canvas, Goldrick said. If your painting is worth $5,000 and you put it in a gallery and thats what you want to sell it for, but all your relatives want a copy you can have any size made on canvas. Then you can sell the copy from $100 to $500 or just give it to them. Goldrick said there are prints of her works and other artists as well as photographs by Hughes. He prints his best photos on canvas, stretches and frames them, Goldrick said. Hughes said he loves Montana and wants to give back to the Hamilton community. We said when we could figure out a way to make a living were going to live here, he said. Were back and happy to be here. Once a month he wants to donate 10 to 15 prints to a nonprofit organization and host a gathering as a fundraising event in the gallery. He hopes it works so he can schedule the events a year in advance. The Sharper Edge is the other business in the shop, with Hughes doing knife sharpening. I came up with that name because photographs need to be tack sharp, he said. The art needs to be sharp. Everything revolves around sharpness. Hughes uses what he calls the best knife sharpener on the planet. I can set the angle, clamp the blade and once Ive got the angle right I use diamond stones to sharpen knives, he said. Its simple and fool proof. The Sharper Edge also sells Wusthof kitchen knives and knife blocks. We have a whole range of sales items depending on what people want to buy, Hughes said. I specialize in sharpening kitchen knives so if people have a set of kitchen knives that they havent sharpened in five years they can bring them in. Contact River Run 406 Photography and Art Gallery and The Sharper Edge at clgoldrick870@gmail.com or by calling 970-507-0621. For more information, drop by 206 Main St. to visit, watch Goldrick paint and see the beautiful works of arts and prints. The shop is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed Sunday but call for special appointments. Dear Annie: My daughter and I have not spoken in over 12 years. I am now getting up in age (I am 82) and dont know what to do to even say hello to her. She has told me over and over again that she does not love me or want anything to do with me. She is still my daughter, and I do still love her. My grandson got married last year, and I was not allowed to go to the wedding. My grandson and I keep in touch, but I dont want him to get in the middle of all this, nor do I want my other two children to get involved. My two sons dont really like their sister and do not see her that often or speak to her. My daughters-in-law have tried to be her friends, but she will not call them, either. We were never really that close, even though I have tried in the past to be there for her. She is a very strong-willed person and feels she doesnt need anybody but her husband, her son and now her daughter-in-law in her life. This is a real shame. I dont know how many more years God has for me, and I just want to let her know that Ive always loved her. Friends have told me to move on and know that I have done everything one can do. All these years, I have been deeply depressed because of this situation. What can I do? Missing Her Dear Missing: I am a firm believer in trying to mend family relationships whenever you can. Your friends hate seeing you get hurt by your daughter, and there is wisdom in their advice for you to move on. It certainly isnt your responsibility to keep trying or your fault if she never wants to reconcile. She seems quick to burn bridges rather than repair them. But if youre just in this to have some contact with your daughter, I think you should continue reaching out as much as youd like. Just make sure youre wearing the proper emotional armor when you do i.e., have realistic expectations and accept that she may never reciprocate. *** Dear Annie: This is in response to the letter from Crushed in California. Shame on you for giving her such bad advice. You should have told her to make a beeline to an attorney who specializes in family law. After 24 years of marriage, her husband has decided he wants a divorce and ordered her to move out, as if she were a mere tenant, without making any financial arrangements. Most states apply more or less the same procedures and guidelines. What typically happens in a long-term marriage is the husband is ordered to leave the home (although in rare cases, a judge allows both of them to live in the same house but sleep in different rooms) and pay his wife about 50 percent of his income (according to established legal guidelines) for the support of the children and her. The children are typically allowed to live with their mother in the family home, and the husband is given reasonable visitation rights. At a later time, the support order is adjusted. The judge takes into account the earnings of the wife, outstanding financial obligations, the needs of the children, etc. No court in the world would ever allow the scenario described by Crushed in California. Attorney *** Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2016 CREATORS.COM The Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week is four weeks away, Nov 14-21. Cornerstone Bible Church is hosting a countdown event at 7 p.m., Thursday, in Hamilton. The public is invited to attend the special presentation by local residents who traveled with shoeboxes and helped distribute the gifts to children around the world. In 2012, Greg Reinhardt traveled to Uganda, Carla West went to Zambia in 2013 and Debbie Reinhardt helped distribute shoebox gifts in Columbia in 2014. Were going to share snippets and impactful moments of our distribution trips, Greg Reinhardt said. Well have a question and answer portion and share some of the stories of what God did last year. Other things on the agenda for Thursday night include information and materials to help pack shoeboxes, door prizes, dessert and games. Well play a simple game of how many shoeboxes you can pack in a shipping carton, it is timed and very fun, Reinhardt said. We wont have stuff to put into the shoeboxes but brochures and suggestions on what to put in a box, how to donate items and how to build a box online. He will present information about upcoming events like a recruiting campaign and a celebration event set for 2017. We will talk about opportunities to volunteer to do seasonal and year-round volunteer work, Reinhardt said. This year our goal is 10,000 children to be blessed from our greater Missoula area which includes Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral, western Sanders and Lemhi, Idaho, counties. Reinhardt said that last year donors from these areas blessed 8,854 children with shoebox gifts. The Northwest Regional goal, that includes Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, is 325,000 shoeboxes. Nationally the goal is 9.5 million and internationally, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, England, Spain and Germany, the goal is 12 million. The Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week Annual Countdown Event in Hamilton is open to the public. It doesnt matter if youre a church goer or not, youre invited to come, Greg said. The speakers will be presenting at various churches the rest of October; Corvallis Methodist Church on Oct. 23 and St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Hamilton on Oct. 30. For information about the shoebox ministry, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. For information about the OCC countdown event at 7 p.m., Oct. 20, at Cornerstone Bible Church, 280 Fairgrounds Rd. in Hamilton, email Greg Reinhardt at shoeboxgreg@gmail.com. Roy Capp is not a fan of Google maps. Capps ranch on the western edge of Stevensville completely surrounds the 1.2-acre Fort Owen State Park. But when the rancher pulls out his cellphone and types in the parks name, the resulting map shows that his entire ranch is part of the historical park. Ive been fighting this for five years, Capp said Wednesday as he prepared to meet with members of the Montana State Parks Board and interested locals about the challenges his family faces with the landlocked park thats just a stones throw from his home and ranch buildings. Ive had people drive out in my hay field, Capp said. I found some ladies crawling around on my round bales to get a picture of themselves. People think that if its on Google, it must be true. Over the years, hes also had things turn up missing from his ranch operation, found people wandering around his corrals, and had carloads of drunks stop pull up near his home. This really shouldnt be a park, Capp said. It should be a historical monument. The Capp family has lived on the ranch since 1972. The site was originally given to a local historical society back in the 1920s or 30s. When that organization decided it could no longer manage the site, it turned the land over to the state parks system in 1956. The historical significance of Fort Owen is widely recognized. The first mission built by the Jesuits that came to the Bitterroot Valley in the 1841 was constructed nearby. When the Jesuits left for a time, they sold the property to Mayor John Owen in 1850. Its a place of many firsts for Montana. Owen built the first sawmill, first gristmill and had the first cattle herd. The first bill of the Montana Legislature dealt with Fort Owen. In terms of the pre-statehood, Fort Owen was a happening place, said Loren Flynn, the state parks employee who manages Fort Owen and Travelers Rest in Lolo. Today, theres not much left above ground from those early times. The adobe back wall of the barracks is all of the original set of buildings that remain on the site. The barracks has been reconstructed and several other historical buildings have been moved onto the site along with interpretive signs. State parks officials estimate that about 3,000 people visit the park every year. They say those numbers have been on the downward trend for some time. The chief challenge of managing the site is its proximity to the Capp ranch. People have to use the ranchs main road to access the park. Once they arrive, there is barely room for two cars to park. For Capp, too many of the people who do come to visit the publicly owned historical site dont respect the fact that its surrounded by private property. On Wednesday, members of the state parks board and several folks from the Stevensville community met at the park to learn more from Capp and start a discussion on what might be done. The board will hold its monthly meeting Thursday in Hamilton. Almost on cue, as the group gathered in a circle to talk, a family stopped by to visit the historical site. After the family finished walking through the barracks, they wandered through a gate and onto Capps property to go look at a horse in a nearby corral. Thats what Im talking about, Capp said. State Park Manager Chet Crowser said the situation at Fort Owen is unique in the state. I cant think of any other site like this that we manage, he said. The group talked about different ways the park could manage to protect its integrity, provide access to the public and offer some relief to the landowner. Capp offered to donate several acres that he owns behind the Historic St. Marys Mission site on the western edge of Stevensville to the state if it would consider moving the remaining structures there. But that idea didnt resonate to many. They said removing the buildings would change the historical context of the historical site where tens of thousands of artifacts already have been discovered. Others offered ideas ranging from buying a new easement across the Capp property to access the site and provide parking, to reducing access to tours that would originate at the St. Marys Mission. By the end of the meeting, it was obvious that finding a solution was not going to be simple. The State Parks Board Chairman, Tom Towe, said building local support for the site will be an important first step, especially in these times when the state parks system is facing funding challenges of its own. We are going to need everyone to work together, Towe said. I think everyone agrees that this is a very significant historical place. A Corvallis man was charged with felony theft and burglary after he allegedly broke into a shop and stole guns, a crossbow and a ski helmet with a professionally painted buffalo on its side. Logan Khaide Kniffen, 26, appeared before Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey on the theft and burglary counts as well as a felony charge of possessing methamphetamine. According to a charging affidavit, a Ravalli County sheriffs deputy responded to a report of a burglary on the East Side Highway near Corvallis on Oct. 3. The victim said he had been away on business. When he returned, he found that his shop had been broken into and two rifles, a shotgun, a crossbow, and a ski helmet and ski backpack had been stolen. Three days later, a sheriffs detective learned that one of the rifles had been pawned in Pocatello, Idaho, and the pawn ticket had been issued to Kniffen. The detective also learned the crossbow had been pawned in Missoula. On Oct. 17, the detective obtained a search warrant for Kniffens residence and vehicles. When the detective arrived at the residence, he was met by a man and woman named Michelle Kniffen. She told the detective that Kniffen was asleep in a bedroom on the north end of the trailer, according to the court documents. The detective found Kniffen there. He also found the ski backpack that was stolen. While inside the residence, the detective noticed a small bindle sitting on the kitchen table. Initially, Kniffen told the detective that Michelle Kniffen had the stolen property in the house when he came home and he didnt know it was stolen, according to the affidavit. Kniffen later admitted to pawning some of the items in Idaho, the affidavit said. Michelle Kniffen said she didnt know anything about the stolen property, but did tell the detective that Kniffen uses methamphetamine. She said she wasnt sure if there was any in the house at the time. After obtaining a second search warrant, the detective found several bindles with trace amounts of methamphetamine, the affidavit said. Bailey set bail at $25,000. Privacy Policy RealChoice is a BlogSpot blog. You get whatever privacy you get when you post on a blog. As Blogmistress of RealChoice, I do not collect information on my users or those who post comments. I will delete spam and offensive comments, and thoroughly cooperate with law enforcement, as I did in the case of Ted "Operation Counterstrike" Schulman, if people make terroristic threats on my blog. So fight nice, kids. America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance! Kathmandu, Nepal: The so-called special general meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is going to be held today amid a heightening controversy among the members. With the Patan High Court on Thursday refused to issue an interim order on the writ filed by former senior vice president of the organization Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar and his aide Govinda Prasad Ghimire, the way was paved to organize the special general meeting. The decision to hold the special general meeting has heightened the integral differences in the umbrella organization of the Nepalese business community. Former senior vice president Rajkarnikar and Ghimire had filed a writ at the Court claiming that the special general meeting called by the FNCCI executive committee has breached the provision of the FNCCI statute. However, the court had denied issuing stay order after hearing the arguments presented by the plaintiffs and defendant on Wednesday. It is said that at least half dozen former presidents FNCCI are not going to be attend in the special general meeting today. Kathmandu, Nepal: At least four people killed and one dozen injured when a passenger bus and a truck coming from the opposite direction collided on head at Mirchaiya-6 of Siraha district along the east-west highway of Siraha district on Thursday morning. The deceased have been identified as Payal Agrawal- 33 and Bindiya Gurung 30 of Gangtok, Sikkim and Nanu Rai 35 of Rabi-6, Panchthar. Another deceased is said to have breathed his last while receiving treatment at hospital. The deadly incident had taken place when the bus with registration number Na 5 Kha 4889 en route to Kathmandu from Kakarbhitta collided head-on with the truck with registration number Na 3 Kha 4130 at around 2 am on Thursday. An error occurred while processing your request. The page you are looking for on this website is unavailable, has moved, or does not exist. Please visit collinsaerospace.com to find the product or service you are looking for. 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We are a multi-racial, multi-issue "rainbow coalition" dedicated to social justice, peace and building progressive power. Our key priorities include economic justice; equal rights and equal opportunities for all regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation; international solidarity; humanitarian service; eradicating poverty at home and abroad; environmental protection and sustainable development; and electing progressives to public office and then holding them accountable. Algerian leaders are seemingly determined to unleash the Polisario separatists provocative acts against Morocco. More importantly, the Algerian army elements do not hesitate to participate in these acts. Polisario armed militia, assisted by six officers of the Algerian army, including a senior officer, were intercepted by soldiers from the sixth regiment of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) as they were trying to creep in southern Morocco, last week, reported Moroccan daily Assabah on Monday. The intruders were attempting to position themselves in the Guergarate buffer zone separating the extreme southwestern tip of Morocco and northern Mauritania. Thus, the Algerian plan to impose a military presence of the Polisario in the buffer zone, adjacent to the Moroccan border post of Guergarate, was aborted skillfully by the elements of the FAR, says Assabah newspaper, without disclosing its sources. After they noticed suspicious military movements in the area, the Moroccan soldiers intercepted, on Moroccan soil, the intruders who were later on interrogated. Moroccan soldiers neutralized this commando without firing a single shot. They also seized troop transport vehicles, jeeps and pickups equipped with small cannons as well as a lot of military equipment and small arms. After they were interrogated for 48 hours, the Algerian officers and some elements of the Polisario were released and sent back to Algeria wherefrom they came. A group of Polisario militias was held by the FAR to deepen investigations and uncover the ins and outs of the commando mission. On the Algerian official side, it is total silence and the Algerian media have also been silent on this serious incident. Observers in Rabat believe that the incident is likely to escalate tension between Moroccan and Algerian neighbors in the absence of any reaction from the United Nations and its mission in Western Sahara MINURSO. Yet, this mission was closely following the latest face-to-face between Moroccan security forces and a group of about thirty armed militiamen rushed in Guergarate buffer area to stop the asphalting of a stretch of a road between southwestern Morocco and northern Mauritania. To distract the Algerian public opinion from the institutional vacuum in the country since April 2013, when President Abdelaziz Bouteflika suffered a severe stroke and was confined to a wheelchair, the Algerian generals create incidents with Morocco, using the Polisario as a scapegoat. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. BEIJING - Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday met with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez in Beijing, calling on both sides to expand trade and investment cooperation. China views Uruguay as a good friend and partner in Latin America, he said, noting that China is willing to strengthen the alignment of the two country's development strategies. China and Uruguay launched a study on bilateral free trade negotiation, which sends a positive signal regarding trade liberalization and economic globalization to the world, said Li. This will also help advance China's economic and trade cooperation with Latin American countries and countries of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), to achieve multi-win outcomes, said Li. Mercosur, which was founded in 1991, includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. In addition, the premier proposed that cooperation with Uruguay in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture and animal husbandry, and clean energy be enhanced. China is willing to work with Uruguay to enhance high-level contact as well as mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's core interests, said Li. He also suggested the two sides maintain communication and coordination on international affairs and increase people-to-people exchanges, to improve ties. Vazquez agreed with Li that further deepening cooperation in economic and trade, investment, finance, science and technology and culture would be advantageous to both sides. Uruguay supports free trade and the integration of regional cooperation,he said, adding that Uruguay is ready to push forward the negotiation and signing of a free trade agreement with China. He welcomed Chinese enterprises to increase investment in Uruguay. He said Uruguay is willing to promote the development of relations between Mercosur countries and China. Earlier Wednesday, top legislator Zhang Dejiang met with Vazquez, pledging to further strengthen cooperation between China's National People's Congress and National Congress of Uruguay. Vazquez said Uruguay is ready to enhance parliamentary links with China. Film tells the story of social activist and patron of the arts Mabel Dodge Luhan, a woman 100 years ahead of her time Awakening in Taos, a film by Mark J. Gordon and narrated by Ali MacGraw will screen at this years LaFemme International Film Festival on October 22 at the Laemmles Music Hall theater at 10:00 am. As the country is on the verge of electing the first woman President, Awakening in Taos follows the personal evolution, 100 years ago, of Mabel Dodge Luhan as a writer, salon hostess, art patroness, social activist and a resident of New Mexico. Born in Buffalo, New York, Mabel was a woman unique to her time. Her influence extended into the world of arts, music, literature and activism for social change. In her late 30s she experienced a life-altering arrival into a small town in Northern New Mexico and embraced the Taos Pueblo Indians in a way that seized the attention of the artistic and literary world. Her unconventional marriage to Antonio Lujan, a full-blooded Tiwa Indian from Taos Pueblo, created a revolutionary bridge between two cultures. She lured progressive thinkers and artists, including D.H. Lawrence, Aldous Huxley, Willa Cather, Dorothy Brett, Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keeffe and others to the remote town of Taos to attend her salons. Many of these visitors stayed for periods of time and several remained their entire lives. Mabel's home and salons made an extraordinary contribution to the culture of Taos County and the State of New Mexico. Luhan was a writer and advocate for the arts, womens rights and Native American culture in a time when women were still fighting for the right to vote. Shot entirely in New Mexico with a local cast and crew, the film features breathtaking cinematography and aerial footage of Taos landscapes and landmarks. These physical features produced a visual response captured in 20th-century paintings and photos by Mabels guests. It was a book, Edge of Taos Desert: An Escape to Reality written by Mabel herself that piqued director Gordons interest and set him off on a ten year journey to get the book transformed into a film worthy of the topic. Filmmaker Gordon assembled a large team of writers, editors, art experts, historians and documentary producers to bring the many varied details of Luhans life into sharp focus. Actress Ali MacGraw happened to sit next to him on a plane and they began discussing the book which she already loved. She offered to read some pages at a fundraiser in Taos and then signed on when the project was greenlighted. Through a biographer of Luhans, Gordon met Leslie Harrell-Dillen, an actress who had been performing a one woman show portraying Mabel. She joined the production and appears as Mabel and reads her words from books and letters. Awakening in Taos: The Mabel Dodge Luhan Story won Best Feature made in New Mexico at the 2015 Santa Fe Film Festival. The film was a joint production with New Mexico PBS. Its not an entirely rhetorical question: if you showed a bunch of Lucio Fulci movies to audiences that had never seen anything by him, could they detect that they were all directed by the same person? Im guessing they would, thus providing a kind of confirmation of the auteur theory that might have made Pauline Kael vomit. What would be the giveaway, though? Would it be Fulcis tendency to double down on shock tactics? After all, you know its a Fulci because hes the only filmmaker whod zoom in for a close shot on extravagant gore when others would cut away at the last second, or at least take care not to linger on all that ruined flesh. Oh, but Fulci avoids those kind of tasteful, faintly hypocritical, filmmaking traditionsin effect breaking taboos that you didnt even know really existed until he broke them. To be clear, he was never anything close to being intentionally transgressive; in fact, he was the opposite in many respects as he wanted to make films that were nothing if not immanently watchable. The goal of his aesthetic wasnt to offend. If he gave you a graphic image of impalement, its because he thought thats what you wanted to see. Otherwise, why were you attending one of his movies? So if you live anywhere near New York City, and would like to test some of these theories, youll be given the chance at Anthology Film Archives starting tomorrow and continuing through Halloween. The Genre Terrorist: Lucio Fulci is a retrospective that could have taken place in New York at any point in the past two decadesso, yes, this is well overdue in addition to being sorely needed. My impression is that Fulci only fully came out from the shadows in the past dozen years or so. Argento was already a living legend. People wrote books about the Bavas. In the U.S., Romero had the audacity to keep making movies. Fulci, though, had faded into the background except for the cultists and exploitation junkies. His rise was a gradual, post-mortem process, buoyed by the growing interest in giallo and the worldwide zombie craze across all media earlier this century. In the wake of the latter, Fulcis underwater shark vs. the undead throwdown in Zombie became something of a twisted iconic moment. If you head to Anthology, you can be the judge of whether it still holds up as such. You can also find evidence to refute my claims, of Fulci not repeating the same aesthetic gestures. For surely the demented insanity of The New York Ripper is different than the gonzo insanity of Zombie. And both diverge sharply from the moody mystery of Dont Torture a Duckling and the measured creepiness in The House by the Cemetery and the meta-film madness of Cat in the Brain and the apocalyptic trippiness of The Beyond and the compelling cheesiness of Manhattan Baby and the 70s-saturated excesses of Contraband and the would-be eroto-fantasy aspirations of Conquest. Of course if you already know these films and take exception to my stylistic summaries, bring a Fulci neophyte with you and enjoy his or her response as the master lays waste to whatever genre he happens to be venturing into. But dont forget how lucky are youto be in downtown Manhattan while watching The New York Ripper or Manhattan Baby on a big screen. Well just wow. "You don't have to live like a refugee," Tom Petty sang in 1979. The musician was reacting to the pressures of the music business when he wrote the lyrics, he said later, but the song has resonated for years because of its harsh and self-accusing tone, a message that rings true even today. In A Stray, a new film by Musa Syeed, the lead character Adan doesn't want to live like a refugee. He's portrayed by Barkhad Abdirahman, who made a notable impression as an angry modern-day pirate opposite Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips. As Adan, he is just as frustrated, but his character expresses himself in a far milder manner. That doesn't mean he's a pushover or an entirely gentle soul. He wants things the way he wants them, and he is not hesitant to make his views known. That appears to be why his mother has kicked him out. Likewise, he has alienated the few friends he has made among the Somalian community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With nowhere else to go, he seeks shelter in a mosque; he's a Muslim, and devoted to the faith, though his worship appears rote. Adan prays anyway, and, surprise! Things start looking up for him. With the change in circumstances, a couple of layers of anger dissipate, and his gentler soul emerges from hiding. He even takes pity on a lost dog that he encounters, bringing the little dog to the mosque until he can find it a new home. Alas, that is Adan's undoing, as the dog is not acceptable to be in the mosque as an impure creature, according to a disturbed fellow worshiper, who protests loudly. Adan stalks out with the dog and soon finds himself wandering the streets, little dog in tow. His renewed faith is tested, repeatedly. Writer/director Musa Syeed, who previously made the dramatic feature Valley of Saints, as well as a couple of short documentaries, creates a distinct environment for Adan and the dog. Late at night, Minneapolis doesn't appear to be an actively dangerous city, yet as Adan strides through the streets, the sense of isolation becomes profound. He encounters a variety of people -- some of the encounters appear to be unplanned and random, caught by chance -- and through his snippets of conversation, reveals much about himself. It's obvious that Adan and the little dog are both refugees, but the dog also serves as an excuse for the increasingly lonely Adan to talk out his problems. It would be easier for him to abandon the dog, and Adan even makes half-hearted efforts to do so on more than one occasion. Something keeps bringing him back. Is it the little dog's sad, liquid eyes? Or is it that Adan recognizes a kindred soul? Not to put too fine a point on it, but refugee status is not exclusive to humans or canines. In the aforementioned song, Tom Petty also sang, "everybody's had to fight to be free," and that's certainly true of Adan as well. He may be a stray, but that doesn't mean he can't belong, while still being his own person. A Stray avoids pushing its points too hard. Like the dog, it's watchful and observant without barking too much. But it's impossible to leave behind. Review originally published during SXSW in March 2016. The film opens in New York at IFP Media Center on Friday, October 21 with a regional roll out to follow. In Sergio Leone's classic The Good The Bad And The Ugly, one of many iconic scenes involves a gunfighter sneaking up to murder Eli Wallach's Tuco in a bathtub. The anonymous heavy lost his arm in a shootout with Tuco in the opening scene of the film, and seeking bloody revenge, as is par for the course in so many Westerns, he stops first for a smug monologue about how it took months to learn how to shoot with his other hand. As the grimy, Italian blonde savours the reversal of fortune (again, a staple of this superb film) with words, Tuco turns the table because he has his pistol in the bathtub. He blows away the smug, would-be killer through the soap suds. To the corpse, he lectures, "When you have to shoot, SHOOT. Don't talk." It would not surprise me in the slightest, if it was this scene alone that inspired Ti West to make In A Valley Of Violence, a film that seems a full featured examination of what amounts to a throwaway two minutes in a 179 minute film. More recently, HBO's Deadwood, the Coen Brothers' True Grit remake, and the recent pair of Quentin Tarantino gunslinger film have set out to prove that excessively loquacious, but nevertheless savoury, dialogue is a wholesome part of the Western that bears at least some consideration. Ethan Hawke plays civil war deserter Paul, who, after a Shakespearean styled prologue with a drunken Irish priest (Burn Gorman doing what he so wonderfully does) about the nature of where he finds himself, ends up nevertheless caught up in the local toxicity of a friable futureless village-slash-movie-set called Denton. He tries to keep his head down and sip his drink at the bar as the local blowhard and sadistic bully, Gilly (Generation Kill & The Wire's oily-but-wide-eyed James Ransome), who also the deputy and son of the town's sheriff, picks a fight with him for no reason other than that Paul a stranger in a place that, you guessed it, don't like no strangers. Pestered to the point of violence, and equally important to the point of speaking (mainly to the audience) he says that he just wants to hang out with his preternaturally cute, Lassie-like, dog and make for Mexico to forget the horrors of the war. Anyone who has ever seen a western, hell anyone who has ever seen some movies, can spot what is coming a mile away. Don't get me wrong though, the point of the film seems less about realistically defined characters or completely reinventing the wheel -- West even shoots on 35mm film, although he favours 1.85:1 over cinemascope to keep things somewhat small -- and more about playing with familiar tropes of the western. This auto-critique of the genre, whose often deadpan and straight-up approach to many familiar situations is sure to be abrasive to some. Paul being forced to deal revenge to many of the denizens of Denton is without question a given in this sort of thing. As Paul reluctantly returns to town with guns a-blazin', it is more through dialogue than gunfire that the showdown at high noon takes place. If there is a mission statement to In A Valley of Violence it is (as stated above) when to speak and when not to speak. This is no better embodied than in the films most surprising and winning performance. Taissa Farmiga, younger sister of the always great Vera Farmiga, proves herself a charming, motormouthed lady-friend to Paul. Going so far as to offer her hotel as a kind of safe-space to all the vitriol on display in the town at the risk of alienating her pampered older sister (another solid turn from sci-fi stalwart Karen Gillen) who is engaged to Gilly. Further complicating matters is the pragmatic, intelligent sheriff, ably played by a grizzled John Travolta, looking to out grizzle Kurt Russell's facial hair from Bone Tomahawk. Travolta is quite convincing as a weary but savvy antagonist. As is often the case with smart dictators, he has surrounded himself by ineffectual morons, this includes his son, but also character-actor stalwarts Larry Fessenden, Tommy Nohilly and Toby Huss, all of whom are quite excellent each in their own unique brand of henchmen incompetence. I like the small wardrobe detail of the sheriff's badge which cannot be mounted on his chest because the pin is broken. Travolta is not in the film very much, but oh-boy does he make the most of this screen time offering delightfully purple mouthfuls of monologue! It doesn't so much chew scenery, but rather roll it around on his tongue to get every molecule of flavour from the experience. His presence here recalls Ed Harris' offbeat turn in the underrated Western-satire, Sweetwater. Damn if it is not a fun decade for those desire to see filmmakers playing in idiosyncratic ways in the dusty, mostly abandoned sandbox of the wild West and where we currently are with one of the great American cinema archetypes. On a further side-note, I am always a sucker for a shot where a character steps to the side (or removes an obstructing object) to reveal information in the frame without cutting, and Ti West enjoys doing it often here, to suggest that a good use of film language can make up for some of the things the films deficiencies. If there is nothing particularly deep on display here, it is still fun to be treated to a classic animated red white and black animated title sequence, to take in Jeff Grace's Morricone styled soundtrack, and to watch a talented filmmaker have a bit of a lark with a genre he has clearly has affection for. For good reason the film is titled In 'A' Valley of Violence, and not in 'The' Valley of Violence. Remember that in its heyday, everyone was grinding these types of films out mostly without the reverence of the revisionist westerns that came at the tail end. Before things got all serious with The Wild Bunch and Unforgiven, there was a tradition of using the Western as a clothesline for comedy; hell, Leone himself ghost-directed the goofball My Name Is Nobody, and even managed to get Henry Fonda to co-star. Suffice it to say, I found the experience of watching West's plethora of dialogue set-pieces, off-kilter domestic situations, and occasional forays into grit and violence to be satisfying in their own fashion. The movie is less about telling a great story and more a long-winded conversation with other films. Peoples mileage on this will certainly vary, but I believe there is a spot at the table for fare such as In A Valley or Violence, even if it is just more of an amuse bouche than an entree. Aw shucks, Tuco might be shaking his head and wagging his finger as his shooting iron cools nearby, you know the man liked a good bit of chit chat while breaking bread. Review originally published during Fantasia in July 2016. The film will open in select U.S. theaters on Friday, October 21. The Southern District of Florida blog was started in 2005 by David Oscar Markus , who is a criminal trial and appellate lawyer in Miami, Florida. He frequently practices in federal courts around the country, including his hometown, the Southern District of Florida and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a former law clerk to then-Chief Judge of the District, Edward B. Davis. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Cloudy skies with periods of light rain late. Thunder possible. Low near 60F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of light rain late. Thunder possible. Low near 60F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. "The United States needs a defender general" | Main | BJS reports encouraging crime reductions based on its National Crime Victimization Survey October 20, 2016 Local Montana judge being assailed for short jail sentence given to father who raped 12-year-old daughter The latest controversially lenient sexual offense sentencing garnering social and traditional media attention comes from Montana, and this Washington Post article provides some of the notable details under the headline "Father who repeatedly raped his 12-year old daughter gets 60-day sentence. Fury erupts." Here are excerpts: In the case of Judge John McKeon, as of early morning Wednesday, almost 20,000 people had signed a Change.org petition calling for his impeachment for the 60-day sentence he gave a Glasgow, Mont., man who pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping his prepubescent daughter. A father repeatedly raped his 12-year old daughter, Deputy Valley County Attorney Dylan Jenson said during an Oct. 4 sentencing hearing. Its time to start punishing the judges who let these monsters walk our streets, read the petition. Prosecutors had recommended a mandatory 25-year sentence, 100 years with 75 suspended, which is what state law calls for. Instead, though, Judge McKeon handed down a far lighter sentence: a 30-year suspended prison sentence, which means the man will only serve it if he fails to meet the conditions of his probation. Among those conditions, which McKeon called quite rigorous, was the requirement for the man to register as a sex offender, the Glasgow Courier reported. He also cannot access pornography and has limited access to the Internet. In addition, the man will serve 60 days in jail, but McKeon gave him credit for the 17 days he already served, meaning hell only spend another 43 days in jail.... In most of these controversial cases, the judges under siege tend to remain silent. What makes McKeons case unusual is that he has chosen to defend himself in public. In an email to the Associated Press, McKeon said he had several reasons for handing down the seemingly light sentence. The judge claimed that news coverage obscured state law by failing to mention an exception to the mandatory 25-year prison sentence. According to McKeon, the law allows those arrested for incest involving someone under 12 years old to avoid prison if a psychosexual evaluation finds that psychiatric treatment affords a better opportunity for rehabilitation of the offender and for the ultimate protection of the victim and society. The judge wrote this is one of Montanas attempts to encourage and provide opportunities for an offenders self-improvement, rehabilitation and reintegration back into a community. In the note to the AP, McKeon also referenced letters written to him by the victims mother and grandmother. Both letters requested the convicted man not be sentenced to prison. The victims mother, who walked in on the man sexually abusing her daughter, wrote that the mans two sons love him and she wanted his children have an opportunity to heal the relationship with their father, according to McKeon. The victims grandmother echoed this, calling the mans behavior horrible but stating that the mans children, especially his sons, will be devastated if their Dad is no longer part of their lives. For all these letters defending the convicted man, though, Deputy Valley County Attorney Dylan Jensen told the AP that no one spoke on behalf of the victim, a 12-year-old girl, at Fridays sentencing hearing. The petition to impeach McKeon highlighted this fact. No one spoke on behalf of the 12 year old child at trial, it read. No one. The victim was not given justice, but instead will have to live with the fear that she still has to face her rapist in their community. McKeons email concluded, All district judges take an oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of this state. These constitutional provisions and laws include certain fundamental legal principles that apply at sentencing, including a presumption of innocence for unproved criminal allegations, the varying sentencing policies and the governments burden to counter evidence supporting an exception to mandatory sentence.... McKeon, who has served as a Montana state judge for 22 years, is retiring next month, according to the Associated Press. Considering that an impeachment in Montana, according to the National Center for State Courts, requires a two-thirds vote of the house of representatives and [a] convict[ion] by a two-thirds vote of the senate, the point is fairly moot there simply isnt enough time to impeach him. October 20, 2016 at 08:56 AM | Permalink Comments So he is identified in this article as a "monster". Of course the remaining question is what message does that give the child pornography viewers and downloaders who have never inappropriately touched a minor, or molested a minor who routinely get sentences of 5 years or longer? Posted by: tommyc | Oct 20, 2016 9:28:14 AM Repeated violent contact sex abuse, rape of a child= slap on the wrist 6o day sentence, 30 yr suspended sentence and life on the registry. A one-time,non-contact viewing of CP on the internet= 5-10 in prison and 15-life on the registry. How ridiculous our justice system is! Posted by: kat | Oct 20, 2016 10:26:26 AM I'm concerned about the reference to no one speaking for the victim. It is quite possible that members of the family are somewhat in denial regarding the harm to the child or the appropriate nature of the rapist here not getting prison time etc. Protective services of some sort surely are involved but an independent voice would be appropriate for sentencing purposes. And, there are various types of limited detention, such at home or weekends or something that could be a middle way here. It's hard to truly judge these things without an in depth study of the details, but can see the concern. Posted by: Joe | Oct 20, 2016 10:55:09 AM So the prosecutor is now complaining to the media that no one spoke up for the victim? Really? Has he no shame? It's cowardly and dishonest for a prosecutor to blame a judge for not considering evidence the prosecutor failed to present. Posted by: Stephen Hardwick | Oct 20, 2016 12:16:58 PM Here is the code for Montana's GAL... http://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/40/4/40-4-205.htm So the question not answered by the DA is whether the court refused to appoint a GAL or whether the DA failed to request one. My guess is that the DA failed to request one, got burned, and now wants to blame the judge. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 20, 2016 12:44:47 PM I think the judge would have a duty to make sure an advocate was there for the child, in part to fully inform him regarding a proper sentence? This is basically the argument on the petition -- it cites statutory requirements and holds the judge failed them. The GAL link says this: "The court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of a minor dependent child with respect to the child's support, parenting, and parental contact." If it applies, it says "the court may," not only on the request of the prosecutor. So, I would not only lay blame on one party. If blame is required. It would be helpful if the coverage addressed this aspect more. The articles by the way note the prosecutor upset but saying he accepts the decision. I wonder if the petition made the prosecutor somewhat change his tune. Posted by: Joe | Oct 20, 2016 1:14:41 PM Judges don't often act on their own. They generally rely on the lawyers for the litigants to raise issues. That's part of judicial restrain. And even if the judge could have appointed a GAL to represent the child on his own (or found another way to let the victim speak), the prosecutor is still cowardly and dishonest for criticizing the judge for failing to do something the prosecutor never bothered asking the judge to do. I also don't know whether GAL's are ever involved in Montana criminal cases. I'm not from Montana, but I have never seen a GAL appointed to represent a victim in any of my sex offense appeals. Never. The prosecutor's victims' services office tends to take care of things like that. Even if a GAL could theoretically have been appointed, if it's never done in practice, then this judge and prosecutor weren't doing anything abnormal, especially if no one previously raised the general issue. (And, again, the prosecutor would still be wrong here for criticizing the judge for an the prosecutor never raised.) Posted by: Stephen Hardwick | Oct 20, 2016 1:34:51 PM I did wonder if the GAL process applies but "often" means "sometimes" & this isn't a run of the mill case with everything considered. We don't know the full story here so I'm not going to call him "cowardly" just yet, putting aside that the coverage at first had a statement where he didn't bring it up. I think the petition and negative response in general might have led the prosecutor to change his tune. Don't know though. Anyway, bottom line, I care more about bring in such a voice if there was an opening. Posted by: Joe | Oct 20, 2016 4:45:33 PM @Joe https://www.law.cornell.edu/ethics/mt/code/MT_CODE.HTM If the prosecutor failed to ask the court for a GAL he may have violated the Montana Code of Professional Conduct 1.14. Here is the relevant text. "(a) When a clients capacity to make adequately considered decisions in connection with a representation is diminished, whether because of MINORITY, mental impairment or for some other reason, the lawyer shall, as far as reasonably possible, maintain a normal client-lawyer relationship with the client. (b) When the lawyer reasonably believes that the client has diminished capacity, is at risk of substantial physical, financial or other harm unless action is taken and cannot adequately act in the clients own interest, the lawyer may take reasonably necessary protective action, including consulting with individuals or entities that have the ability to take action to protect the client and, in appropriate cases, seeking the appointment of a guardian ad litem, conservator or guardian." So how in good faith can he complain? He has now admitted that the child was not adequately represented yet it was his ethical duty under the code of professional conduct to ensure such representation. Now there may be some wiggle room here for him legally insofar as the prosecutor can claim that the victim is not his client, the state is. So he has no duty to her. But given that he is the one doing the crying he looks cynical at best if he makes such a claim. The Code of Conduct clearly places the onus on the lawyer. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 20, 2016 5:23:23 PM The GAL section cited is in the divorce/child custody/support section of the code. If Daniel wants to argue that it could have applied to this criminal case, he needs to show his work. And there's no way an ethical standard about clients would apply for a prosecutor towards a victim. I stand by my point. Unless the prosecutor tried to get the victim's statement in and was thwarted by the judge, the prosecutor is dishonest and a coward for blaming the judge. Posted by: Stephen Hardwick | Oct 20, 2016 9:03:28 PM @Stephen We are on the same side here, I'm not attacking the judge. As for whether the GAL can be appointed in a criminal case in Montana I don't know; I'm not from Montana. I do know it can be done in some other states. Once upon a time it was actually mandatory under federal law for states to appoint a GAL in such circumstances but so many states violated it routinely that they repealed that part of the law. I do, however, take exception to one point you make. You write, "And there's no way an ethical standard about clients would apply for a prosecutor towards a victim." Why would it not apply? It a standard of conduct for lawyers and a prosecutor is a lawyer. Why should there be one ethical standard for prosecutors and another ethical standard for anybody else? That makes no /ethical/ sense. I do take the point that a victim is not the same thing as a client but I'm not persuaded that as an ethical matter that this distinction is worth much. The prosecutor certainly has some ethical duty duty to a crime victim as per https://cor.mt.gov/Victims/Victim-Rights so if the crime victim is a minor it makes no sense to abrogate a lawyers ethical duty just because someone is a prosecutor and the other party is a victim. That might follow the strict letter of the code of conduct but it seems manifestly inconsistent with its spirit. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 21, 2016 3:10:35 PM affords a better opportunity for rehabilitation of the offender and for the ultimate protection of the victim and society. The defendant engaged in Multiple acts of incest with his daughter. The "ultimate protection of the victim and society" is best served by a mandatory sentence of 25 years. This judge should not only be impeached; he should be criminally prosecuted. Posted by: Emily | Oct 22, 2016 9:54:09 AM Post a comment Georgia completes its seventh execution of 2016, bringing national execution total for year to 17 | Main | Local Montana judge being assailed for short jail sentence given to father who raped 12-year-old daughter October 20, 2016 "The United States needs a defender general" The title of this post is the headline of this interesting new commentary authored by Andrea Lyon, who is the dean at Valparaiso University Law School. She joined the school in July 2014. Here are excerpts: At a time when nearly every political constituency agrees that we have over-incarcerated and over-criminalized our country, one question arises: Why did non-partisan recognition of this issue take so long? Its no secret that we incarcerate a higher number of people per capita than any other first-world nation.... There has been no voice at the policy table for the accused, incarcerated and paroled. We have an attorney general of the United States. We have a solicitor general of the United States. The only lawyer that is enshrined in the United States Constitution is referenced in the Sixth Amendment: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. Yet, the defense is not, and has not been a part of policy decisions regarding criminal justice matters. There is currently no office to represent criminal justice interests at the executive level the way that the attorney general does.... All over the United States indigent defense is in crisis. There are too many cases and insufficient resources to properly staff offices and prepare cases. Too often, the result is that we find out, sometimes decades after the fact, the wrong person was in prison, or perhaps executed. A defender general would know how the defense would be impacted by laws in ways that the prosecution and judiciary dont anticipate. There could be real input for legislatures about the likely consequences of passing certain statutes, and to help prevent expensive and ineffectual decisions.... We have seen Secretary Hillary Clinton decry over-criminalization and mass incarceration and acknowledge her husbands part in it. Had President Clinton been presented with a defender generals analysis, he might have chosen a different path. How would this work? As far as I know there is no similar office internationally. Israel has a chief public defender for the entire country, and that job is to run the defense attorney function for the indigent in that country. Vermonts public defender system is called by that name. Some other states, such as Kentucky and Wisconsin, have statewide indigent defense systems. There is certainly recognition of the importance of representation of the accused in many countries, including our own. What is not clear, though, is a national recognition of the need for a defense policy voice that is regularly included in the conversations that Congress and the executive branch have about these issues. Both branches can and do turn to the attorney general for her input on statutory and other concerns. The solicitor general also serves as an ongoing resource, but there isnt an office that can represent the concerns of the defense, their families and their communities. Defendants and defense attorneys need a representative at the executive level who can collaborate on major policy issues, establish national and statewide standards, and coordinate training efforts within the criminal justice system. This is a crucial voice that should be a regular part of the executive discourse and an ongoing resource for indigent defense. This defender generals office should be created immediately. It should be appropriately staffed and liaisons created with each of the states and territories. The defender general should command the same respect and stature that the offices of the attorney general and solicitor general command, and the defender general would ensure that all of those interested in criminal justice have a seat at the table. October 20, 2016 at 08:36 AM | Permalink Comments An interesting and, I think, valid point. The people's interests, that is the sovereign's interest, does not necessarily align with that of the government, even, and especially today, in the area of law enforcement. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Oct 20, 2016 11:54:13 AM Any nominations? Posted by: Don't Ask | Oct 20, 2016 4:54:23 PM How about Bryan Stevenson? Posted by: Doug B. | Oct 20, 2016 5:44:02 PM Would note that AGs and SGs handle more than just criminal cases. A large percentage of their work is in civil cases. While having one Federal Defender (instead of different ones in each district) would give the federal defender system a unified voice at budget time, I am not sure that such a change would necessarily give the defense bar more of a seat at the table when it comes to substantive legislation. Both prosecutors and the criminal defense bar already have lobbyists who represent their interests and give them a voice-- both at the state level and the federal level. Whether they get real input on legislation depends on the particular whims of the people involved in the legislative process. The DOJs power in legislative matters comes from the AG being a cabinet officer who (hopefully) has the ear of the president who has the power to veto legislation. Merely creating a Federal Defender or Defender General does not give that new official the same inside track with the President that the AG has. Big issue at the state level (and I am assuming that it would be at the federal level) would be how this office would fit into the executive or judicial branch. As noted above, AGs power in the federal system comes from being a cabinet position with regular access to the President. I can't see the Federal/ Public Defender being a cabinet-level position. (Being part of the cabinet is almost a guaranteed conflict of interest with the clients' interests.) Several states that I know of have an appointed public defender commission (with commission members serving a set term rather than at will of governor) that then hires the chief public defender, thereby placing two layers of insulation between the elected executive and the public defender. But such insulation from the legislative and executive branch weakens the ability of the public defender to be a strong voice for indigent defense. Posted by: tmm | Oct 20, 2016 5:44:29 PM Post a comment California Attorney General Kamala Harris is leading an investigation into whether criminal identity theft took place at Wells Fargo, a bank embroiled in a scandal that may involve up to two million bank and credit card accounts allegedly created without customers' approval as part of an unscrupulous, sales-driven corporate culture. The LA Times has learned through a public records request of a warrant served on October 5th to search Wells Fargo's San Francisco headquarters. The Associated Press confirmed the news of the AG's investigation with Harris's office and also obtained copies of the warrant, which they write seeks names of customers who had accounts improperly opened as well as the names of employees who opened these accounts, their managers names, and information pertaining to associated fees that may have been in play. Wells Fargo's alleged wrongdoing has led to anger and chastisement at virtually every level. Here, in San Francisco, supervisors will vote on a resolution to cut all financial ties with the company. US attorney's in SF, NY, and Charlotte have already opened inquiries into the conduct of the bank. The LA Times writes that documents accompanying the warrant cite probable cause that Wells Fargo has been in violation of the state penal code in two ways that can be charged as felonies and which are punishable by imprisonment, violations concerning impersonation and use of unauthorized personal information. Whom Harris' office might charge higher ups are lower-level workers remains to be seen. Finally, the political timing of the Attorney General's move is interesting to note, as it comes mere weeks before the end of her campaign against Loretta Sanchez to succeed Barbara Boxer in the US Senate. Previously: Bay Area Whistleblower Told Wells Fargo CEO About Bogus Account Problem In 2007 As we ring in Disaster Anniversary week here in the Bay Area, some bad news comes via a new study published in the journal Science Advances. As KRON 4 reports, a team from the U.S. Geological Survey has found a previously unknown strand of the Hayward Fault that connects up to the Rodgers Creek Fault in Napa and Sonoma Counties, and the connection point means that a severe break on the Hayward Fault that caused a subsequent break along the second fault could mean severe shaking along a 188-mile stretch all the way the Healdsburg and the potential for a 7.4 magnitude quake. To put that in perspective, that would mean that five times the energy of the Loma Prieta quake (6.9M) would be released, and that would occur much closer to the urban areas of San Francisco and the East Bay, since the earlier big quake was centered so far south of the city. Per the study: The ability of an earthquake on the Hayward fault to continue onto its northern extension along the Rodgers Creek fault (or vice versa) greatly depends on the geometrical relationship between these faults beneath San Pablo Bay. And that relationship is what scientists have been examining, concluding that "data strongly suggest that the offshore Hayward fault connects to the western strand of the Rodgers Creek fault through a releasing (extensional) bend in northern San Pablo Bay." Things get pretty technical from there, but the intent of the study is to anticipate the intensity and direction of potential shaking under various dual-fault scenarios the idea of a dual rupture of both faults is not a new one, however, and the USGS published this scenario of a 7.2M quake along both faults much earlier. As CBS 5 explains, the new study simply confirms what many scientists already suspected about the faults' connection, and clarifies that beneath San Pablo Bay this occurs as the Hayward Fault bends ten degrees to meet up with the Rodgers Creek Fault. FYI: There hasn't been a major rupture along the Hayward Fault since 1868, and it tends to rupture every 100-150 years. I'll let you do the math. Related: Reminder: We Are Still Due For A Big Earthquake On The Hayward Fault Hayward City Workers Accidentally Destroy Longtime Geo-Pilgrimage Site On Hayward Fault P.S. Get your earthquake kit together. Maybe because San Francisco hardly kicked its drinking habit during Prohibition the 18th Amendment was rather loosely observed by local law enforcement here or perhaps because Anthony Bourdain once called San Francisco a "two-fisted drinking town," many have come to think of the City by the Bay as a particularly wet one. But one SoMa bar owner and longtime industry observer seems to think things are drying up, especially late at night, although well before 2 a.m. last call. That's John Ottman, one of the owners of Bloodhound (Seventh and Folsom), a guy who also runs the excellent Bernal Heights neighborhood bar Holy Water, and whose partners there are behind Churchill, the favorably located, frequently packed bar at Church and Market. The happy hour crowd is great," he told Hoodline, speaking of Bloodhound. "But by midnight, its a ghost town. Its a citywide thing. For a peek inside Bloodhound, let's turn to a recent post on the pet-friendly website This Dog's Life: Inside Bloodhound, patrons will find rich wood paneling and soft Edison-blub lighting, as well as overstuffed leather chairs and pool tables awaiting some friendly competition. A ceiling painted with the silhouettes of birds alludes cheerfully to the sport that inspires this favorite establishments decor. The bars no-nonsense hunting-lodge theme aligns with the noble name of this classic establishment. The name Bloodhound evokes the expectation of hunting, outdoors and rustic feel without really bringing to mind the actual dog, a bloodhound, says Bloodhounds co-founder John Ottman I like to think it subconsciously prepares you for whats inside." Ottman also observed to Hoodline that in his SoMa environs, "A lot of restaurants have closed. Three or four on this block alone... Triptych closed. El Capitan closed. Citizens Band is done." So, what's going on here: Is there something specific happening on Bloodhound's strip on Folsom? Is it appropriate to take Ottman's example as a referendum on city drinking in general, or just a useful anecdote? I, for one, find it not so surprising to hear that a bar in SoMa that Bloodhound in particular is particularly popular with the after-work crowd. It's kind of perfect for that, though I find nearby Driftwood to do the trick and the live music doesn't hurt. Is this really a citywide thing, though? Are we happy hour crazy and late night dog-tired? Something to discuss at happy hour or over a late-night drink if that's still a thing. Related: Does Anyone Go Out Anymore?: San Francisco Nightlife In The Age Of Netflix And Chill A four-alarm fire in the Castro District left seven residents homeless and injured three firefighters this morning, leaving damage significant enough to close an area street all Thursday morning. The fire was reported at 12:17 a.m. at 27 Hattie Street, a small street between Market and 17th Streets, KRON 4 reports. By 1 a.m., the blaze had been upgraded to four-alarms, according to the San Francsico Fire Department. BREAKING: WORKING FIRE, 1ST ALARM, 27 HATTIE ST #SFFD ON SCENE. pic.twitter.com/KEvmYPrB1D SF Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) October 20, 2016 By 2:05, the blaze was "under control," according to the SFFD. #1020WF1 UPDATE THIS FIRE IS UNDER CONTROL 7 displaced 3 FF injured fire under investigation 0205 Hrs pic.twitter.com/05HnTVtwXs San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) October 20, 2016 According to ABC 7, officials believe that the blaze began "the garage of one home and spread to the homes next to it." In addition, they report, a ruptured gas line at the front door of the structure fed the flames. Firefighters say a ruptured gas line at the front door of a home in the Castro made the firefight very tough. 3 homes damaged. pic.twitter.com/pCIsbA1ryX Amy Hollyfield (@amyhollyfield) October 20, 2016 Looked like a gas explosion from Twin Peaks. The flames got very high very quick David Lombardi (@LombardiESPN) October 20, 2016 Another factor in the swift spread of the fire: Balloon construction, which "means there's no fire stops between the floors so there's a way that the fire could travel from the first floor straight up to the roof," SFFD Battalion Chief Paul Crawford told ABC 7. Breaking. Victorian homes didn't have built in fire walls bc of age so fire raced through easier. SF. @kron4news pic.twitter.com/2nPX3skzJY Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) October 20, 2016 "There's no fire stops, wood blocking that would stop the fire from spreading fast," Crawford said. While current day buildings are designed in a way to prevent this issue, older buildings are not. And the building that burned is clearly an older one, as KRON 4 reporter Will Tran tweets that it was bought in 1887 "for 10 gold coins." Patricia says Victorian home bought by grandfather 1887. Paid 10 gold coins. had 100 yr party for it @kron4news pic.twitter.com/lqn1lAPweB Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) October 20, 2016 According to the SFFD, three firefighters were injured as they fought the fire. Two were treated at the scene, and the third was transported to the hospital with an injured wrist. All 3 of our injured firefighters are okay. 1 was taken to a hospital for a possible fracture wrist. The others were treated @ scene. https://t.co/ELtcKh6lS9 San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) October 20, 2016 All seven residents five adults and two children escaped safely. San Francisco couple says they heard crackling, explosion. Ran out. Family owned since 1887. @kron4news pic.twitter.com/5THgUTdsvU Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) October 20, 2016 A female tabby cat, who was spotted running out the front door as the melee began, is still missing, and area residents are asked to me on the lookout for any stray cats. As of publication time, Hattie Street remains closed as firefighters clean up the scene. The 100 block of HATTIE will remain closed through the morning. This is not a major street and should have little impact on traffic https://t.co/L96ifsNlWl San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) October 20, 2016 According to the SFFD, the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Third alarm on Hattie and Market. @Scott_Wiener pic.twitter.com/9NF8C3G2W8 SF Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) October 20, 2016 3rd alarm at Hattie and Market st. #sffd units on scene pic.twitter.com/qwNXa5hdPe SF Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) October 20, 2016 #1020WF1 UPDATE 1 FF INJURED TAKEN TO HOSPITAL NON LIFE THREATENING UNK DISPLACED 4th ALARM pic.twitter.com/Q6gbmb6EtK San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) October 20, 2016 #1020WF1 UPDATE 7 displaced 2 FF injured Active 4th Alarm fire AVOID AREA 27 HATTIE pic.twitter.com/f9rDsv2tbG San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) October 20, 2016 THANK YOU SF FIRE RESERVES FOR YOUR HELP TONIGHT AT HE 4th ALARM fire pic.twitter.com/VvYGhU1mUi San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) October 20, 2016 More from the SF fire in the Castro. Those are SFFD chainsaws working pic.twitter.com/81BL6xeTHI David Lombardi (@LombardiESPN) October 20, 2016 More SFFD chainsaws for fire in an old wooden Victorian, to make sure it doesn't spread. Such an eerie sound pic.twitter.com/guKi7eJrtW David Lombardi (@LombardiESPN) October 20, 2016 Related: Mysterious Man Sets Bonfire In Garage Of SF Motel A suspicious item that was being treated as a possible bomb was found in the back of a car at AutoReturn, the city-contracted company that handles towed vehicles. The discovery was made before noon, with police on the scene shortly, and just before 3 p.m. the area was deemed safe after hours at a standstill. A message from SFPD Officer Giselle Talkoff explains: "This incident has been deemed safe. We can confirm a note left on the vehicle is what led to the investigation. At this time, we can not provide the information on the note as this is still an open and active investigation. The Bomb squad deemed the vehicle in question safe and did not present any further concerns." According to Bay City News, those inside the nearby Hall of Justice are not being allowed to leave. Bomb threat triggers lockdown at 850 Bryant. No one can leave Hall Of Justice in SF @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/md7jP7taQM Jaxon Van Derbeken (@jvanderbeken) October 20, 2016 Update 12:20 p.m. A shelter in place was issued by the SFPD. Helicopters buzzing over SF to film suspicious incident at 7th and Bryant pic.twitter.com/dkrfG4S28u Jessica Mullins (@Mullin_Around) October 20, 2016 Update 12:40 p.m. The Hall of Justice was voluntarily evacuated. Update 1:10 p.m. A tweet from a Chronicle breaking news reporter stated that two noises were nothing to worry about: Two pops spaced minutes apart just came from the impound yard in SF where police are investigating a possible bomb. NOT a detonation, per PD Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) October 20, 2016 The pops were audible from outside the crime tape on 7th and Bryant. @OfficerManfredi says they could have been trying to pop the trunk. Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) October 20, 2016 Update 1:15: California Highway Patrol arrived on the scene. UPDATE 7TH/HARRISON CHP IS STARTING FREEWAY CLOSURE, BOMB SQUAD IS ON SCENE. HOJ SHELTER IN PLACE. SF Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) October 20, 2016 A tweet from an ABC7 reporter showed wha was purportedly the epicenter of all this: A white car in the AutoReturn lot. #breaking this is the white car under bomb threat suspicion at 7th/Bryant in #SF. Hall of justice and 101 closed!! pic.twitter.com/taJb189sM4 Kristen Sze (@abc7kristensze) October 20, 2016 Update 1:25 p.m. News outlets received this from SFPD: Please pull your choppers back, or if possible, also gain altitude. The rotor noise is hampering the investigation. Please do NOT show video or photos of the EOD Unit as they set up, work the situation, or break down their operations. We do not want to educate anyone as to the EOD Units procedures or capabilities. SFist immediately pulled its entire fleet of aerial drones. Update 2:30 p.m.CHP was directing drivers looking to access the Bay Bridge to go east and take on ramps at Essex, First, Sterling, or Fifth. Update 2:40 p.m. The area got the all clear. #SFPD has rendered the scene safe & lifted the shelter in place. Streets will reopen shortly. Avoid area if possible due to traffic. #SF San Francisco Police (@SFPD) October 20, 2016 According to ABC7, courts remain closed for the day. Streets and highways, however, are reopening. This post has be updated. LE MARS, Iowa | A planned $40.5 million expansion of Wells Enterprises' main ice cream plant in Le Mars would create an additional 81 jobs, according to state documents released Thursday. Wells, the makers of Blue Bunny ice cream and frozen novelties, is seeking $3 million in state tax incentives to help finance the expansion, which calls for a 6,000-square-foot addition to the company's South ice cream plant. The project also includes adding two production lines, as well as "significant investment and various improvements." The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board, at its monthly meeting Friday in Des Moines, will consider the Wells application for $2.83 million in investment tax credits and $192,973 in sales, service and use tax refunds. Additionally, the board will consider a request for $691,000 in tax incentives for a proposed $21 million expansion of VT Industries' facility in Holstein. The VT expansion would create 60 new jobs. The project calls for the addition of 184,500 square feet of new and remodeled space to relocate the company's existing offices, according to state documents. The expansion would then allow the company, which produces architectural wood doors and countertops, to increase its production of doors by 5,000 per week. The city of Holstein would contribute $641,451 in property tax abatement, according to the documents. In Le Mars, the city would provide $399,101 in property tax abatement for the Wells project, according to documents. Wells, a private, family-owned company, is the largest employer in the Plymouth County seat of about 10,000, with more than 2,000 workers. The company's two plants also produce in excess of 150 millions of gallons of ice cream per year, giving rise to the city's claim as the "Ice Cream Capital of the World." The latest project is the second major expansion in less than a year for Wells' South plant at 1191 18th St SW, near Business Highway 75. In 2015, the IEDA board approved $644,400 in tax incentives for a $19.3 million expansion that included a 12,000-square-foot addition, the installation of a new multi-product production line and the purchase of additional hardening equipment. At Friday's meeting, the IEDA board also will consider a request for $98,850 in withholding tax credits for Bruening Eye Specialists' proposed expansion in Sioux City. The practice, which has an office in Dakota Dunes, is planning to construct a medical office site at 5450 Sergeant Road, directly west of Biolife Plasma Services. The $1.6 million project is expected to create 13 new jobs. The state assistance would come through the state's Targeted Jobs Tax Withholding program, which allows new or expanding employers in border cities like Sioux City to divert a portion of their state income tax withholding to qualifying capital projects. VERMILLION, S.D. | One person was killed in an automobile crash near Vermillion, S.D. Wednesday night. A release from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety said a 78-year-old male was driving a 2016 Camry south on South Dakota Highway 19 around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday and drove through a stop sign at the intersection with the South Dakota Highway 50 bypass. His vehicle collided with a 1999 Freightliner, driven by a 44-year-old male. The driver of the Camry was killed in the crash. The other driver was uninjured. Authorities are not releasing the names of those involved at this time. OAKLAND, Calif. | Two Californians who tried to scam money from Sioux City credit unions pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to their involvement in a fraud ring that operated nationwide. Michael Thomas, 47, of Oakland, and Barbara Lopp, 55, of Stockton, both pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in U.S. District Court in Oakland. According to terms of their plea agreements, Thomas will be required to pay $433,472 in restitution and Lopp $198,988 in restitution. The two were arrested in February 2015 in Sioux City after Thomas presented a fake driver's license and credit card in a failed attempt to get a $9,800 cash advance from Municipal Credit Union. Police discovered the two had visited and made similar attempts at two other Sioux City credit unions, but were unsuccessful. The two were initially charged in Woodbury County District Court, but the cases were dismissed after they were indicted in California. Federal court documents said Thomas and Lopp were part of a northern California fraud ring the FBI had been investigating since September 2013. Thomas, Lopp and others used fake credit cards to obtain cash advances from numerous banks and credit unions in Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Oklahoma and Kansas. In the scheme, Thomas or Lopp would enter a financial institution and seek a cash advance. After an initial request was declined, Lopp or Thomas would tell bank personnel there might be a block on the credit card and provide a phone number to call. Bank employees calling the number were connected with another member of the fraud ring who, acting as a customer service representative, would authorize the transaction. By the time bank personnel would discover the transaction was fraudulent, Lopp and Thomas would be gone. Sioux City police arrested Thomas after a failed attempt to get a cash advance and found Lopp in a car a block away. Police found them in possession of numerous fake identification and credit cards as well as maps showing credit unions in Iowa. SIOUX CITY | The U.S. Senate candidates in Iowa debated campaign issues on Wednesday in Sioux City, with mentions of presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton quite scant, as incumbent Republican Charles Grassley and Democrat Patty Judge sparred verbally. Judge and Grassley primarily focused on their own issues, as they debated in what could be seen as a regional undercard to the big national debate by Clinton and Trump right after the Iowa event wrapped. Grassley is seeking to be returned to the Senate in 2017, while Judge pointed to several examples of what she said constituted obstructionism by Grassley in the most recent period of his 42-year tenure in the House and Senate. Grassley at several points mentioned his clout in passing substantial pieces of legislation, such as agricultural policy Farm Bills and others that gained bipartisan support. Judge retorted, "Chuck Grassley in 42 years has not changed Washington. Washington in fact has probably changed him." Grassley contended he keeps his eye on Iowa, coming back to New Hartford frequently and holding meetings in all 99 counties each year to understand what is important to state residents. "Washington is an island surrounded by reality. Get out of there," Grassley said. The debate lasted one hour at Morningside College. The tone of the event was civil before a crowd of 300. As expected, an issue that has been prominent in the senatorial campaign returned Wednesday. The U.S. Supreme Court has had a vacancy since February, when Justice Antonin Scalia died. Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Commitee chairman, has continued refusals to hold hearings to fill the vacancy until after a new president is inaugurated in January. Obama nominated appeals court judge Merrick Garland for the open spot on the nine-member Supreme Court. Judge said Grassley is shirking his duty, to the detriment of the court and nation. "We have a Supreme Court that is unable to function. This is exactly what is wrong with Washington. This is why people are angry," Judge said. Grassley was asked if he would change his mind if Clinton won the presidency on Nov. 8, and majority-party Republicans wanted him to hold court hearings this year. He said he could shift to hold hearings if that Republican urging ensued, but added, "I don't expect that to happen." The two also tangled on the right approach to possible tinkering with immigration policy and the 2010 Affordable Care Act that brought federal health care reform. "It is a failure. It is a failure...We've been lied to about ObamaCare," Grassley said, pointing to health cost and insurance premium increases. Judge said Grassley failed by voting against the 2014 immigration reform package that passed the Senate but died in the House. She said it is time to give millions of undocumented workers legal status so they can continue to work hard at jobs and come "out of the shadows." Grassley responded that the bill didn't have enough border enforcement. He said immigration is an issue less on the minds of Iowans in 2016 when compared to 2014 and 2013. Grassley has been the polling and fundraising leader in the race to win the six-year term. Judge, who lives in Albia, has served as a state legislator, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and lieutenant governor. Some Democratic candidates have sought to tie their opponents to Trump, who has dropped in national polls over the month of October after a series of controversies, including highly-charged comments on women. Judge made a different calculation at the debate, mentioning Trump only for what she said was "bragging about not paying taxes." Linda Waugh, of Sioux City, said she thought Judge had the best handle on issues and didn't mind the presidential candidates getting few mentions. "I really wanted them to focus on the issues in Iowa," Waugh said. Marti Martin, of Sioux City, said she liked that, as opposed to the presidential debates, there was no interrupting by the senatorial candidates. She said Grassley dominated in the debate. "(Grassley) stuck to the issues. He talked about specifics," Martin said. The crowd was told not to applaud during the debate. During a break for advertisements at the midpoint, a man from the crowd clapped and yelled, "Good job Chuck!" Grassley quickly admonished him: "Don't do that, folks, please." The candidates will also discuss issues in the other senatorial debate this year, airing on WHO Radio in Des Moines on Nov. 4. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy SIOUX CITY | Isaiah Mothershed has requested that a judge overturn a jury verdict and acquit him of shooting a Sioux City police officer. Mothershed's attorney, Matthew Metzgar, filed a motion for judgment of acquittal Tuesday, saying that trial evidence did not show Mothershed intended to kill Officer Ryan Moritz or a homeowner who was chasing him from her house after she returned home and found him inside it. Metzgar asked that District Judge Steven Andreasen acquit Mothershed of both attempted murder charges. Mothershed, 19, of Sioux City, was found guilty Oct. 7 of two counts of attempted murder and four counts of first-degree robbery. His sentencing is set for Nov. 15. The Woodbury County District Court jury found Mothershed guilty of shooting Moritz in the leg on Feb. 7 while waiting to be transported to jail after his arrest and of firing the shot at the homeowner after she interrupted the break-in. Metzgar said evidence presented at trial was that Moritz was shot while standing facing Mothershed, but the bullet that passed through Moritz' leg was traveling in an upward direction, yet struck the bottom of a closet door across the room while going in a downward direction. "This is physically impossible," Metzgar said. Metzgar said it was apparent that during a struggle between Moritz and Mothershed the gun went off, accidentally hitting Moritz, with a second shot accidentally striking Mothershed in the leg. Mothershed had no intention of killing Moritz, Metzgar said. Metzgar said evidence was clear that in the homeowner's case, Mothershed fired the shot to scare, not kill, the homeowner while he was escaping. In addition to attempted murder, jurors also found Mothershed guilty of taking part in a string of armed robberies and break-ins that occurred from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6. Metzgar's motion, a routine defense tactic often filed after a guilty verdict, did not address the robbery convictions. Judges routinely wait until the sentencing hearing to rule on such motions. Mothershed faces a 25-year prison sentence on each count, but it will be up to Andreasen to decide if they will be served at the same time or back-to-back, or some combination of the two. Many millennials are OK with socialism, even communism, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Forty-five percent of those polled between the ages of 16 and 20 years old said they would vote for a socialist, while 20 percent said they could vote for a communist. Maybe that explains the Che Guevara T-shirts so many of them like to wear. Responding to the poll, Marion Smith, the executive director of the organization, said, "An emerging generation of Americans has little understanding of the collectivist system and its dark history." Partial credit for this should go to former presidential candidate and avowed socialist Bernie Sanders. Even more shocking is the poll's discovery that a third of millennials believe more people were killed under George W. Bush than Joseph Stalin, whose regime murdered 20 million people between 1924 and 1953. The total killed under all communist regimes (so far) is estimated at 100 million. The poll also found that capitalism, which offers millennials more opportunities than the socialism and communism so many of them admire, is viewed favorably by 42 percent of young people, compared to 64 percent of Americans over the age of 65. That so few older adults appreciate capitalism is also disturbing, though it is a triumph of liberal propaganda, which tends to base its ideology on intentions and feelings, not evidence and outcomes. In part, these results are a product of a public education system that increasingly treats all ideas and organizing principles -- save democracy and capitalism -- as equal. Moral judgments are not to be made, thanks in part to an emerging philosophy divorced from right and wrong. The late Catholic Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen brilliantly summed up the problem with modern society more than a half-century ago; before it evolved into the morally chaotic nation we are today. He wrote, "America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance -- it is not. It is suffering from tolerance. Tolerance of right and wrong, truth and error, virtue and evil, Christ and chaos. Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." When one has lost a standard for judging right from wrong, good from evil, when anything goes (Cole Porter wrote a satirical song with that title), then socialism and communism become one more organizing principle among many of equal value. That liberal Democrats are succeeding in shaping young people's minds is revealed by this finding in the YouGov poll: More than half of millennials say the capitalism system works against them, while four in 10 call for a "complete change" so that the highest earners pay their "fair share" in taxes. No one ever defines what "fair share" means, much less holds government accountable for the money it wastes, including the failure of costly programs Congress lacks the will to terminate. This way of thinking is a triumph of the envy-greed-entitlement worldview, which believes that if someone is making more money than you, they owe you the difference, except those higher taxes won't find their way into your pocket. We used to learn from the successful, because they served as role models and examples of how hard work and risk-taking could improve any life. Now, we penalize success and, as a result, get less of it. But we feel better and feelings are all that matter, right? At least that's how we have been conditioned to think. These poll results ought to spur more parents to rescue their children from an education system that is failing them on many levels. Maybe a field trip to a communist country would cure millennials of their moral equivalence. They might start by visiting the prisons in Cuba. We want to know what you think about the movies. You can Tweet us your reviews @scweekender or share them on Facebook, facebook.com/siouxcityweekender. We'll pick the best comments on Monday before the next Weekender. Here are this week's movies: The Accountant Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick Story: A math wiz uses his talents to him criminal organizations, but the U.S. Treasury is hot on his trail. Rated: R for strong violence and language throughout Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender Max Steel Starring: Max and Steel Story: That cool action figure Max Steel? Well, he's got his own movie now. He's a superpowered dude who has to save the world. Rated: PG-13 for some sci-fi action violence Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender Kevin Hart: What Now? Starring: I'd guess Kevin Hart Story: Comedian Kevin Hart performs his standup routine in front of a crowd of 50,000 people in Philadelphia. Rated: R for some sexual material, and language throughout Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender The Birth of a Nation Starring: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer Story: A slave named Nat Turner, who preaches in the antebellum South, organizes and leads a rebellion. Rated: R for disturbing violent content, and some brief nudity Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender The Girl on the Train Starring: Emily Blunt, Luke Evans Story: A woman, recently divorced, becomes entangled in an investigation involving a missing person. Rated: R for violence, sexual content, language and nudity Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life Starring: No one you know Story: A teen's imagination is stunted by middle school rules, so he comes up with a plan to break them all. Rated: PG for rude humor throughout, language and thematic elements Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender Masterminds Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Kristin Wiig Story: A gang of idiots tries to pull off one of the biggest bank heists in history. The only problem is... they're idiots. Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some language and violence Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield Story: A boy finds an orphanage full of residents with special powers, which may help him uncover a mystery. Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and peril Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender Deepwater Horizon Starring: Markie Mark, Kate Hudson Story: The true story of an offshore drilling rig that exploded in 2010 and caused the most devastating oil spill in U.S. history. Rated: PG-13 for prolonged intense disaster sequences and related disturbing images, and brief strong language Verdict: Your movie review could go here. Tweet us @scweekender The Magnificent Seven Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt Story: Seven gunmen are hired by poor villagers in order to fight off a gang of murderous thieves. Rated: PG-13 for extended and intense sequences of Western violence, historical smoking, some language and suggestive material Verdict: MagnifSeven lies between popcorn film & more complex Western flicks. Dialect not true to 1870s. Still recommend, rousing. -@SCJBretH The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. By 1980, the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights (DCCHR) was clearly in decline. It reached its peak in the spring of 1977, after the (Miami) Dade County Commission added affectional and sexual orientation to the countys human rights ordinance. The electoral repeal of the gay rights ordinance on June 7 sent much of Miamis LGBT community back into the closet and the Coalition into a downward spin from which it would never recover. The DCCHRs most enduring creations - Pride South Florida and the weekly news (twn) - were now independent entities, and the Coalitions work on behalf of the first March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights (October 14, 1979) did not help the groups standing back home. A twn editorial attributed the DCCHRs decline to a leadership void and to an epidemic of gay apathy that has permeated our community since 1977. Gay businessman Jack Campbell, who led the DCCHR through the 1977 debacle, ended his second term as president, and was succeeded in April 1980 by his vice president, Staci Aker. Though I have been living in Fort Lauderdale since 1978, I was still on the Board, from where I witnessed the groups decline. Then the Mariel Boatlift came along, and the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights had another reason for existing. In retrospect, the Mariel Boatlift was one of several events that rocked Miami in 1980. The Boatlift happened at the same time as the police shooting of Black businessman Arthur McDuffie; the cops acquittal; and the ensuing riots. (Some things have not changed.) Even so, the Boatlift had an impact on Miamis Cuban community, LGBT or otherwise. The attempt by almost 10,000 Cubans to gain freedom by taking refuge at the Peruvian embassy in Havana led to an April 20 decision by President Fidel Castro to open the port of Mariel to anyone wishing to leave the island, as long as someone came to pick them up. Soon almost 2,000 boats sailed from Florida to Mariel, most of them owned or rented by Cuban-Americans eager to free their loved ones. By the time the Cuban government closed Mariel 125,000 Marielitos had left Cuba, including many criminals or mentally ill people foisted on the boat owners by the Cuban government. Once they arrived in the U.S. many of the newly free Marielitos were placed in refugee camps or in federal prisons. Among the 125,000 or so Cubans who left Cuba by way of Mariel were many LGBT people. The Castro government viewed gays as scum; persecuted them; and placed them in detention camps. To escape the repressive regime, Miami Herald reporter Daniel Shoer-Roth wrote in 2015, thousands of gay men and lesbians - plus some heterosexuals who lied about their orientation in order to be expelled from the country - left Cuba on the 1980 Mariel Boatlift. The presence of so many queer Cuban refugees, including effeminate locas, shocked native Americans who shared the Cuban governments homophobia. Even so, as Susana Pena wrote in her book Oye Loca: From the Mariel Boatlift to Gay Cuban Miami, queer Marielitos had a big impact on South Floridas LGBT community; and their presence might have led to the gay revival in South Beach later that decade. Native Americans, including some Cubans, blamed the Marielitos for the rising crime rate and other ills. When AIDS arrived shortly after the Boatlift, queer Marielitos were accused of spreading the epidemic. To this day there is controversy as to the extent of HIV and AIDS among LGBT Marielitos. Herald reporter Elinor Burkett, author of The Gravest Show on Earth: America In the Age of AIDS, speculated that many if not most gay Marielitos contracted HIV when they came to the U.S. and experienced this countrys freer sexual culture. I do not agree. Though HIV contributed to the deaths of many gay Marielitos, it did the same to members of other groups, in Miami-Dade County and elsewhere. It is true that the two best-known gay Marielitos, writer Reinaldo Arenas (1943-1990) and activist Pedro Zamora (1972-1994) were HIV positive, though Zamora died from AIDS complications and Arenas killed himself. On the other hand, other gay Marielitos successfully survived both AIDS and homophobia, becoming valuable members of South Floridas LGBT and mainstream communities. Meanwhile, what was the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights doing during the Mariel Boatlift? Though many gay Marielitos were in detention camps or in federal prisons, the U.S. government agreed to release them if they had sponsors who would take them in and vouch for their good behavior. Led by Cuban-American activist Joe Fragga, the DCCHR worked hard to find sponsors for those gay Marielitos who did not have family members who were willing or able to do so. Thanks to the efforts of Fragga and of the DCCHR, many gay Miamians stepped up to the plate to help their Cuban brothers. Not surprisingly, good-looking Marielitos were quick to find sponsors, while the homely ones languished in refugee camps. But it was the Coalitions finest hour, after the 1977 referendum campaign. The Mariel Boatlift was the Last Hurrah of the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights. Dade County was not ready for an LGBT rights organization. Broward County soon replaced Dade County as LGBT South Floridas center of gravity; and South Beachs Art Deco heyday was still in the future. By then I was no longer active in the Coalition. I lost my bid for re-election to the Board in 1980 and transferred my activist activities to the Broward County Coalition for Human Rights (soon to be superseded by the Tuesday Night Group). Though the DCCHR tried to stem the tide by electing local bar owners into their board, the group disbanded in 1983. Still, the Dade County Coalition should be remembered for its achievements, even in defeat, and deserves a place of honor in the history of the struggle for LGBT equality, in South Florida and elsewhere. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. The Soyuz MS-02 rocket is seen on the pad as the umbilicals retract prior to launch, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 49 Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, and flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos will spend the next four months living and working aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky. NASA/Joel Kowsky Two spaceships are racing to the International Space Station this weekend. One is delivering about 2,400 kilograms of crew supplies and science gear and another is carrying three new crew members. The Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome early Wednesday and will dock to the International Space Station Friday morning. Expedition 49-50 crew members Shane Kimbrough, Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov will enter the Poisk module to begin their mission and live and work in space until February. Though the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship launched first Monday night from Virginia, it is taking a slower approach to the station and will arrive Sunday. Mission managers decided to let the Cygnus take its time on orbit and let the new crew members arrive first. Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi will command the 57.7-foot-long Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus while NASA astronaut Kate Rubins backs him up. Ground controllers will then remotely control the robotic arm to install Cygnus to the Unity module for a month-long stay. The next big mission event will be the departure of Rubins, Onishi and cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin. The Expedition 49 crew members have been in space since July and will return to Earth Oct. 29. Ivanishin is packing the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft with cargo and preparing the vehicle for its undocking and landing in Kazakhstan. On-Orbit Status Report Soyuz 48S Launch: 48S launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at GMT 293/08:05:14.378, carrying Expedition 49 crewmembers Shane Kimbrough, Andrei Borisenko, and Sergey Ryzhikov to the ISS. Vehicle experienced a nominal ascent and all solar arrays and antennas successfully deployed. The Soyuz will perform a 34-orbit rendezvous before docking with the ISS on Friday, October 21 at 9:59 am GMT. Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Remove and Replace (R&R): FE-6 disconnected the water umbilicals at the CIR Z-Panel, removing water pressure from the rack. The crew then accessed and changed out the Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) Supply and Return hoses. Last week the rack was connected to the Vacuum Exhaust System to remove the water from within the CIR. Todays hose changeouts will enable the resumption of FLame Extinguishment-2 (FLEX-2) operations using a decane fuel and will position CIR for implementation of the Cool Flames Investigation (CFI) arriving on OA-5. The FLEX-2 experiment studies the rate and manner in which fuel is burned, the conditions that are necessary for soot to form, and the way in which a mixture of fuels evaporate before burning. The results from these experiments will give scientists a better understanding how fires behave in space and will provide important information that will be useful in increasing the fuel efficiency of engines using liquid fuels. CFI provides new insight into the phenomenon where some types of fuels initially burn very hot, then appear to go out but they continue burning at a much lower temperature, with no visible flames (cool flames). Understanding cool flame combustion helps scientists develop new engines and fuels that are more efficient and less harmful to the environment. Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Ethernet Hub Unit Installation: FE-6 installed the JEM Ethernet Hub Unit and connect Ethernet and power cables earlier today. This will provide new capability of a redundant data line for the Medium Rate Data Link (MRDL). Todays Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. ??-8. Setup Body Mass Measurement ??-8. Closeout Ops ISS CREW/SSIPC CONFERENCE Meteor Hard Drive Set Swap PILOT-T. Experiment Setup. JEM Ethernet Hub Unit Installation Meteor Hard Drive Gather PILOT-T. Experiment Session. Tropical Cyclone Hardware Closeout Combustion Integrated Rack Middle Panels Rack Doors Open Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Open JEM Ethernet Hub Unit Ethernet Crossover Cable 5m Reconnection Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus Water Hose Replace PILOT-T. Closeout Ops. Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Close Combustion Integrated Rack Upper Rack Doors Close Soyuz 731 Sokol Suit Leak Check Drying of Sokol Suits (Soyuz 731), setting up suits 1 and 2 for drying Adjustment of Kentavr for Soyuz 731 crew Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3 ??? maintenance Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth OTKLIK. Hardware Monitoring Termination of space suits 1, 2 drying (Soyuz 731) Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) WSTA Fill Start drying of the 3rd space suit and set up the 1st pair of gloves for drying (Soyuz 731) Terminate drying of the 1st pair of gloves and start drying of the 2nd pair (Soyuz 731) Terminate drying of the 2nd pair of gloves (Soyuz 731) Dose Tracker Data Entry Subject Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth Terminate drying of the 3rd space suit, start drying of the 3rd pair of gloves (Soyuz 731) Flight Director/ISS CREW CONFERENCE Terminate drying of the 3rd pair of gloves (Soyuz 731) Space suits and gloves post-drying closeout ops (Soyuz 731) Completed Task List Items Wet Lab RNA SmartCycler Session 3 Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Nominal Ground Commanding Three-Day Look Ahead: Thursday, 10/20: Off Duty Friday, 10/21: 48S Docking Saturday, 10/12: Cygnus Capture OBT, Emergency OBT, Crew Adaptation QUICK ISS Status Environmental Control Group: Component Status Elektron On Vozdukh Manual [???] 1 SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1) Off [???] 2 SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2) On Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Idle Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Shutdown Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up Trace Gas Orbiter ESA The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) of ESAs ExoMars 2016 has successfully performed the long 139-minute burn required to be captured by Mars and entered an elliptical orbit around the Red Planet. Meanwhile contact has not yet been confirmed with the missions test lander from the surface. TGOs Mars orbit Insertion burn lasted from 13:05 to 15:24 GMT on 19 October, reducing the spacecrafts speed and direction by more than 1.5 km/s. The TGO is now on its planned orbit around Mars. European Space Agency teams at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, continue to monitor the good health of their second orbiter around Mars, which joins the 13-year old Mars Express. The ESOC teams are trying to confirm contact with the Entry, Descent & Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM), Schiaparelli, which entered the Martian atmosphere some 107 minutes after TGO started its own orbit insertion manoeuvre. The 577-kg EDM was released by the TGO at 14:42 GMT on 16 October. Schiaparelli was programmed to autonomously perform an automated landing sequence, with parachute deployment and front heat shield release between 11 and 7 km, followed by a retrorocket braking starting at 1100 m from the ground, and a final fall from a height of 2 m protected by a crushable structure. Prior to atmospheric entry at 14:42 GMT, contact via the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), the worlds largest interferometric array, located near Pune, India, was established just after it began transmitting a beacon signal 75 minutes before reaching the upper layers of the Martian atmosphere. However, the signal was lost some time prior to landing. A series of windows have been programmed to listen for signals coming from the lander via ESAS Mars Express and NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and Mars Atmosphere & Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) probes. The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) also has listening slots. If Schiaparelli reached the surface safely, its batteries should be able to support operations for three to ten days, offering multiple opportunities to re-establish a communication link. TGO is equipped with a suite of science instruments in order to study the Martian environment from orbit. Although mostly a technology demonstrator, Schiaparelli is also carrying a small science payload to perform some observations from ground. ExoMars 2016 is the first part of a two-fold international endeavour conducted by ESA in cooperation with Roskosmos in Russia that will also encompass the ExoMars 2020 mission. Due in 2020, the second ExoMars mission will include a Russian lander and a European rover, which will drill down to 2 m underground to look for pristine organic material. Media are invited to a briefing tomorrow at 10:00 CEST at ESA Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. The media briefing will be streamed live on esa.int Spider-like marks on Mars NASA/ASU Input from about 10,000 volunteers viewing images from Martian south polar regions has identified targets for closer inspection, yielding new insights about seasonal slabs of frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice) and erosional features called spiders. The volunteers from around the world have been exploring the surface of Mars by examining images from the Context Camera (CTX) on NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and identifying certain types of terrain around Mars South Pole. The collected information is used by scientists planning observations of Mars by the orbiters High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, which photographs much less ground but in much greater detail, compared to CTX. Its heartwarming to see so many citizens of Planet Earth jump in to help study Mars, said HiRISE Deputy Principal Investigator Candice Hansen, of the Planetary Science Institute. Thanks to the discovery power of people, were taking pictures of features of Mars with HiRISE of places we would not have imaged without this assistance. In the spring the dry ice turns to gas and carves unusual features in the Mars surface, resulting in exotic terrains described informally as spiders, Swiss cheese and channel networks, this is what we asked our citizen scientists to find in the CTX images, said PSI Senior Scientist Hansen. The terrain type called spiders or araneiform (from the Latin word for spiders) is characterized by multiple channels converging at a point, resembling long legs of a spider. Previous studies concluded this ground texture results from thawing of extensive sheets of ice bottom-side first as the ice is warmed by the ground underneath. Thawed carbon dioxide gas builds up pressure underneath. Wherever it finds a place to escape through the overlying sheet of remaining ice, a rapid flow out through that vent pulls dust with it. Gas flowing under the ice toward the escape point picks up that dust as it carves the channels that resemble spiders legs. Results from the first year of this citizen-science project, named Planet Four: Terrains, were presented today by Meg Schwamb, Planetary Scientist at Gemini Observatory, Hilo, Hawaii, at the the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and 11th European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) in Pasadena, Calif. Hansen is the Principal Investigator for the Planet Four citizen science project. This project was inspired by the success of earlier citizen-science activities, said Schwamb. Mars south pole is sculpted by a never-ending cycle of freezing and thawing of exposed carbon dioxide ice. As carbon dioxide thaws into gas it carves distinctive channels and pits in the ground. Volunteers have helped identify more than 20 regions in mid-resolution images to investigate with higher resolution. Planet Four: Terrains is on a platform released by the Zooniverse, an organization that hosts 48 projects that enlist people worldwide to contribute to discoveries in fields ranging from astronomy to zoology. Some of the HiRISE observations guided by the volunteers input confirmed spider terrain in areas not previously associated with carbon dioxide slab ice. From what weve learned about spider terrain elsewhere, slab ice must be involved at the locations of these new observations, even though we had no previous indication of it there, Hansen said. Some of the new observations targeted with information from the volunteers confirm spiders in areas where the ground surface is made of material ejected from impact craters, blanketing an older surface. Crater ejecta blankets are erodible. Perhaps on surfaces that are more erodible, compared to other surfaces, slab ice would not need to be present as long, or as thick, for spiders to form, Hansen said. We have new findings, and new questions to answer, thanks to all the help from volunteers. Visit http://www.psi.edu/news/marsspiders to see an image of spidery channels eroded into Martian ground. A grant from NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission funds Hansens work on the project. Eighteen new seed varieties developed in Timor Leste are thriving despite tough local conditions. Tried and tested by Timorese farmers, the quality seeds are contributing to higher yields and production rates than traditional varieties, and reducing the nations import requirements and hungry season. When Timor Leste achieved independence in 2002, years of struggle for statehood had taken a toll on local agriculture. More than 63% of the countrys population were farmers but war had isolated them from the advances and advantages of agricultural research. The best thing we could do was to get farmers access to new varieties from around the world, explains research agronomist Dr Rob Williams. Fourteen years on, the innovative Seeds of Life project from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has produced 18 new high-yielding seed varieties of staple crops, including cassava, groundnuts, maize, rice, sweet potatoes, mung beans and red beans that have been trialled, tested and replicated by Timorese farmers for Timorese conditions. To get world class seed stock for testing, the project sent a mayday call to a range of CGIAR centres involved in agricultural research for development. Back came sacks of seeds from around the globe and about 3,000 Timorese farmers were involved in the early research phase, providing feedback on yields, storage abilities, taste and returns at market. We wanted to know if they could produce more food if they changed varieties without changing anything else, no other inputs, states Williams. Using a new variety gave some farmers twice the crop yield in half the time such as sweet potato in 4 months instead of 8 months. More than 4,000 farm experiments tested the suitability of the new CGIAR varieties with different farmer practices, seasons and agricultural ecological zones. Superior yield, agronomic adaptability and social, environment and gender were also analysed. Top performers were given a Timorese name and launched by Timor Lestes Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) there were no hybrids and no issues with patents. To replicate and distribute these selected seeds, community groups multiplied 1 t of seeds into 6 t for community use. This method was used to establish Timors National Seed System for Released Varieties, empowering farmers to breed seeds and distribute them through local groups. The groups receive starter seeds, a tarpaulin for spreading seeds on, and storage drums. Theyre usually family-based and can turn 5 or 10 kg of seed into 200 kg, says Williams. For sweet potato and rice, it was done via cuttings. By 2009, about 100 t of seed was distributed to 20,000 farming families. Now MAF contracts growers to produce 30 t of certified seeds. These seeds are provided to commercial seed producers there are 69 of these large farmer groups across the country. The seeds are purchased by MAF, FAO and NGOs and distributed to farmers. Farmers can also buy seeds from shops run by their local production group. In 201415, sufficient seed was produced by commercial seed producers to replace 75% of the nations seed import requirements. The Timor Leste seed programme has reduced the hungry season and almost doubled production, says ACIAR research manager for crop improvement and management, Dr Eric Huttner. In addition, quality seed of improved varieties has been shown to contribute 15-131% higher yields than traditional varieties. However, the macro- economic climate is changing and young farmers are moving to work in the capital, Dili. While the yield has increased, some areas of production, particularly rice, have decreased. Cost of production remains too high compared to cheap rice imports from Thailand and Vietnam, says Huttner. For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/28MtCtj Sprudge.com co-founder Zachary Carlsen is in Milan for the 2013 DC Campus, hosted by Dalla Corte and Urnex. We join him as he wanders the streets of Milan, in search of un caffe Here in the grand old Northern Italian city of Milan, it takes on average around thirty seconds from the moment you order un caffe until youre greeted by a demitasse served alongside an ornate basket of sugar. Between the Castello Sforzesco and the Duomo Di Milano, there are countless opportunities to order an espresso turns out I was able to blow through around 8 in an hour. This is a world where each shot will set you back one euro, the median age of your bar person is 45, Caffe Si is king, and the cafes themselves are primarily distinguished by the size of their chandeliers. Welcome to espresso in Milan. But first A Quick Reference Guide For Ordering Like A Local in Milan Good morning: buongiorno Espresso: un caffe (at this point put one euro on the counter) Thank you: grazie! Good-Bye: ciao! Cafe De Ville (Via Dante 16) For the purpose of this cafe crawl, I took a taxi from my hotel and hashed out directions with my cabbie. Armed with a map, I pointed to Castello Sforzesco and stated, voglio andare a li which translates roughtly to I want to go to there. The cab dropped off at an enormous fountain next to the castle, and I knew that if I walked towards Duomo Di Milano (the main church of Milan), Id find cafes. My walkabout began by me following a large tourist group of Canadians walking down Via Dante, away from the castle, and Cafe De Ville was the first place I ran into. This place is spacious and advertises living room seating inside. TripAdvisor and Yelp reviewers have not been kind to this place the most generous reviewer gave it two stars but that was for the food, and thats not why Im here. All I want is un caffe. Pronto. The bartender is well-dressed (they all are), and my single espresso arrives in a little more than forty seconds (I clocked it). The barkeep used the other half of my shot to make a macchiato for a road worker wearing a bright neon vest. The shot needs some dressing upand this is quite socially acceptable to do hereso I gingerly added 6 grams of sugar to my 7 grams of espresso. Glug glug, it goes down sweet and hot, and ciao Im out the door. Majestic Cafe (Via Dante 15, next to the Foot Locker) The bartender at Majestic Cafe pointed toward the bag of Caffe Si (warning, their web site plays smooth jazz) and said to me, in plain english: Best coffee in the world. Awesome! Ill take it. Was it was his enthusiasm for Caffe Si that made the shot taste so good? Or maybe it was his aerodynamic look. Regardless, everything about the experience was great, especially the espresso, which was sweet on its own, with a bit of fruit in the cup. And the best part? My shot arrived 45 seconds after I ordered it. Who has time to wait? Caffe Dante (Via Dante 15, one door down from Lush, two doors down from the aforementioned Majestic) By this time, I was getting the hang of it. Buongiorno, un caffe, I told the no-nonsense barkeep, and by the time I took the lens cap off my camera the espresso was ready. This bar had bottles of grappa directly at eye level, and let me tell you, we here at Sprudge.com adore a fine caffe corretto, but it was 8:15 in the morning, and honestly? This shot of espresso didnt need corretting. The rumors are true: Northern Italian espresso can be really nice, as can the wait staff. The three working behind the bar at Caffee Dante were particularly courteous. Caffe Milano (Via Dante 13/15) Talk about streamlined: Caffe Milano features two big counters to the left and right upon entry, serving different kinds of food with a pastry case in the center. This was the first place I visited with a cash register up front, which means you walk in, pay your euro, take the receipt to the bartender, and boom, boom, boom. Youve got your espresso. Bang, slurp, good, sip, molto buono, grazie, ciao, back on the street. Caffe Sforzesco (Via Meravigli 2) All class, this place. You can tell by the big chandelier, the giant cup full of sugar up front (love that look), and are you seeing this guy? With the bow tie? Unstoppable. Un caffehey, thats a Dalle Corte Evo behind the barboom. My espresso? Lovely. No sugar, grazie. Next! But before we go, Sforzesco really was an aesthetic highlight on my crawl. I just love the look and feel of all these open pastry on plates. How many espressos have I had? By this time, Im starting to sweat. Im halfway between the castle and the church. Look out for cars and trolleys. Aperol Caffe (Piazza Cordusio) Ooh, Aperol Cafe. An aperol spritz sounds lovely at this point, a little booze to counteract my caffeine crazies. You pay the man at the door, walk to the back, and get your espresso. It took my bartender no more than twenty seconds to produce the shot, and like most of the shots on this crawl, it was surprisingly complex, sweet, and juicy. But really, how many shots have I consumed? Im not 22 anymore, I cant just consume all this coffee. This manner of self-abuse must be answered for. Caffe Martini (Via dei Mercanti) This gentleman was by far the youngest bartender out of all the cafes I visited, and the shot he pulled me was a little thin, in need of sugar. Is that Beyonce playing? Caffe Martini is super cute, because it looks tiny at first, but then you look up and theres all this adorbable seating on the lofted second floor. I loved it, but I didnt love my shot. Also I am literally vibrating at this point from caffeine. Caffe Mercanti (Via Mercanti 21) Final stop, just steps away from the Duomo plaza. I have a theory, based on an admittedly small sample size, but a theory nonetheless: in Milan, the closer you get to the Duomo, the more unpleasant your espresso experience will be. Maybe it was the carnal imbalance of caffeine-to-food in my system, maybe it was the dude who threw keys on the floor in the direction of the woman mopping, ordering her to hurry up, but the whole thing was a little tedious. Before I could take a proper picture of the interior, a man barked at me to pay. It was not the finest service experience, but whatever, I had made it to the Duomo, consuming no fewer than eight espressos in one hour, and it was time I made it back to the Dalla Corte Loft to begin the second day of DC Campus. I find a taxi stand just a block away from Mercanti. Taxi, taxi! Pronto, pronto! Sprudge.com is in Milan all week covering the scene at DC Campus. Coverage made possible by Urnex and Dalla Corte. Read more of our coverage from DC Campus here. I love me a good coffee crawl. It is a surefire way of seeing all that a city has to offer. Its why (much to the chagrin of my non-coffee-obsessive wife) I always end up spending one day of a vacation checking out a citys coffee scene via three-to-six cafe stops. (Its called me time. Deal with it.) And as an American adult male, I also have a favorable view of beer. Much like coffee, theres a lot to nerd out on in the beer world; from the making to the consuming, there is a nuance to beer that finds a common kin in coffee. But there are only enough hours in the day for one liquid love, so I can really only classify my beer-dom as aggressively interested, nowhere near expert level. Just give me a fresh hopped IPA or a sour and Im a happy camper. When I first heard about Wichita, Kansas Wicked Brew Tour, a self-guided romp around seven coffee shops and six breweries, I thought it sounded like a cool idea. Once I found out you get a shirt for visiting eight of the 13 places, I knew I had to do it. All in one day. And, being a semi-obsessive completionist, I was visiting all 13 stops or I wasnt going at all. So thats what I did. With the help of my tour guide, Reverie Coffees Andrew Gough, I went to all 13 places, taking thorough and increasingly incoherent notes. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though not so much the next day. (A few days removed, though, Im back to considering it a good idea.) But either way, I did it. I went on the Wicked Brew Tour, and all I got was this T-shirt. Stop 1: Reverie Coffee Roasters The tour starts at the home base for my tour guide, Reverie Coffee Roasters on Douglas Avenue. The nearly 100-year-old building is home to both Reveries cafe and roasting facility. The space is reminiscent of other specialty shops that take root in smaller cities across the US: older buildings lovingly cared for and maintained as a means of preserving some small portion of the towns history. And indeed, Gough has removed plaster from the walls to reveal the buildings original brick structure. As I do with most crawls, I have to start this one with an espresso. Normally, by the end, I wont even want to see one, so I need to ride the high while it lasts. Gough suggests the Nameless Espresso, Reveries ever-changing single-origin offering. During my visit, the Nameless was a washed Peru, a really solid coffee: well-structured, good body, tastes like it would hold up well in milk. Its what your everyday espresso should be. Its a good start to the day. I feel like I need more coffee, but Im sure that sentiment wont last. Coffee Count: 1 Stop 2: Churn & Burn Ice Cream and Coffee. Moving to the south side of town, our next stop is Churn & Burn Ice Cream and Coffee. All the ice cream is made in-house using nitrogen pumped through metallic tubes hanging from the ceiling. There are three basic components from which innumerable variants can be created: the Churn, the Burn, and the Churn & Burn. The Churn is the ice cream, the Burn is espressofrom local specialty items purveyor The Spice Merchant & Companyand the Churn & Burn is a combination of the two. And while this is a brew tour, Gough strongly suggests the Churn & Burn. Im not a huge fan of sweets, so this will be a test of my fortitude. Have so much coffee that Im vibrating? Sure. Get exceptionally drunk while acting as an ambassador for Sprudge? Most definitely. Consume sugar? Every man has his limits. But Im here to see it all, to experience each stop at its best, to step out of my comfort zone. Give me a salted caramel Churn & Burn, dammit, and add some extra drizzle. It is, of course, delicious on a 90-plus-degree Wichita summer day. My teeth may fall out of my head, but it will be worth it. It could use more espresso, but that may just be me still needing coffee. Coffee Count: 2, Sugar Count: 1 Stop 3: Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates Sure, lets double down on the sugar rush. Why not? In truth, Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates is more chocolate shop and wine bar than coffee shop. So in keeping with that, a 16-ounce dark chocolate mocha is in order. I havent had one of these in probably 10 years, but I must say, they use some pretty damn good chocolate. And with coffee roasted by Reverie, it makes for a tasty beverage. I think theres a trip to the dentist in my very near future. Coffee Count: 3, Sugar Count: 2 Stop 4: Wichita Brewing Co. & Pizzeria (East Location) Finally, a beer stop. Thus far there has only been one kind of brew on this brew tour, and a beer sounds pretty great right about now. I may have gone a little overboard with the eight-beer flight though; Wichita Brewing Company had a nice selection of sours and IPAs, so I had to get them all. And they are all mini-pours, so I should be fine. Right? Right. Probably should have eaten here. This may be the turning point where things start to nosedive. Only time will tell Coffee Count: 3, Sugar Count: 2, Beer Count: call it 3 Stop 5: The Donut Whole The Donut Whole is pretty easy to find in Wichita. Its the building with the giant rooster on top of it. The 24-hour doughnut shop touts Wichitas best coffee, which seems like a bold claim. But in fairness, the sign seems to have been made more than 50 years ago, so Ill cut them some slack. Inside the shop has a very 90s vibe, with lots of vintage-looking circusy kitsch. The big plastic lion really ties the room together. Perhaps not the best coffee in Wichita, but the Nitro Joes cold brew is still pretty tasty. Its roasted a little darker than I normally go for, but the nitrogen adds a silky mouthfeel that smooths out the edges. And it goes great with a cinnamon-sugar cake doughnut. Coffee Count: 4, Sugar Count: 3, Beer Count: 3 Stop 6: River City Brewing Company Then there was this delightful, farmy saison from River City Brewing Company. It was accompanied by another missed opportunity to eat. Things are heading to a bad place. Coffee Count: 4, Sugar Count: 3, Beer Count: 4 Stop 7: Espresso To Go Go Were only about a mile and a half from our starting location yet it feels like weve gone so far. This corner cafe has the cleanest design thus far on the crawl. The big windows on two sides of the building pump a lot of natural light into the all-white space. And theres a giant disco ball, the biggest one Ive ever seen. Its not really out of place, but it is the focal point of the space. Like, Hey, did you know there was a coffee shop around that disco ball? I hadnt noticed. Gough says Espresso To Go Go makes a really excellent Vietnemese iced coffee. You know how I said earlier about not liking sugar? That sentiment doesnt extend to Vietnamese iced coffee. Sugary though it may be, it is one of my favorite beverages of all time, and Espresso To Go Gos doesnt disappoint. Its made with Spice Merchant coffee that cuts through the sweetened condensed milk nicely. No whip for me, thanks. I dont like sugar. Coffee Count: 5, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 4 Stop 8: The Hungry Heart and WHOLE Brewing Company Maybe its because the fifth beer is always better than beers one through four, but this blackberry-jasmine lambic from WHOLE (Wichitas House of Living Elixir) may be the best beer I have on the Brew Tour. Its at least the most recent one. Food is finally happening too, my first nosh of the day, and its pretty exceptional: ahi tuna nachos and smoked salmon toast. The bartenders were really friendly, and we talked about Wes Anderson, Coen Brothers, and Christopher Guest movies, which took my mind off the painful realization that doing the entire Wicked Brew Tour in one day is a bad idea. So that was nice. Coffee Count: 5, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 5 Stop 9: Meads Corner Next up is Meads Corner, and guess what, its on a corner. The awning states that its a fair trade coffeehouse, which kinda sounds like a jumble of coffee buzzwords. Turns out, theyre using PTs Coffee Roasting Company coffeethe first out-of-town roaster to make an appearance on the crawlso they get a pass on the whole fair-trade thing. Meads is also the first place to sport a three-group Synesso Hydra, or anything non-La Marzocco for that matter. The espresso is good, but unlike beer, the sixth coffee is never as good as coffees one through five. Right now, its just caffeine and perseverance that are carrying me through. Pray for mojo. Coffee Count: 6, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 5 Stop 10: R Coffeehouse Please dont make me drink any more coffee. Ok, focus. R Coffee House is a cool neighborhood shop in what looks to be an old corner house. Theres an older, hippie Jimmy Buffett-looking dude with an acoustic guitar about to start his set. He compliments my Tweed Coffee Roasters shirt because Tweed is his last name. Jeffy Tweed maybe? Like Meads before it, R is also rocking PTs espresso. Its great. I drank it. It was great. Im done with coffee for the day. Is that a juice bar next door? Coffee Count: 7, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 5, Juice Count: 1 Stop 11: Wichita Brewing Company & Pizzeria (West Location) Im not sure how they got two stops on the brew tour. Sneaky little bastards. I had a beer there. I think it was a sour or something. It was the best yet. Coffee Count: 7, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 6 Stop 12: Hopping Gnome Brewing Were back on Douglas Avenue. Youre not going to believe this, but this ICT IPA from Hopping Gnome is the best beer Ive had today. Maybe its because it is 8% ABV and is boozy enough for me to actually taste it. This patriotic gnome riding an owl is giving me the stink eye. Coffee Count: 7, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 7 Stop 13: Central Standard Brewing Sour beers, Bretts, gosesCentral Standard is speaking my language. And its the last stop. Im not sure if I had multiple beers or just took photos of them. There would be no way of knowing. I got that all-important last stamp, and thats all that matters. I could definitely see myself hanging out here, drinking more and eating the tasty food truck food. But Ive got a date with destiny and I dont want to be late. Coffee Count: 7, Sugar Count: 4, Beer Count: 8, 9? Stop 14: Visit Wichita Bureau They said it couldnt be done and that I was crazy for even trying. But here I stand (stand being used liberally). Drunk. Caffeinated. Underfed. Triumphant. Jessica from the visitors bureau was nice enough to take a photo with the T-shirt. She also said Gough and I were the first people to ever do the entire tour in one day. Well, theres a tale of another intrepid soul hitting all the spots in one day, but he didnt turn in his tour card until the next day, so Im taking the honor as the first to do it all. It took a full day of no-nonsense, action-packed crawlin, but I did it. Ive seen all that Wichita has to offer a thirsty out-of-towner, and I must say, Id do it all again. But probably not all in the same day. Now someone give me a whiskey and put me to bed. Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network. New York (United Nations), October 20, 2016 (SPS) - The United States proposed Tuesday at the UN Security Council to send a mission to Western Sahara to speed up UN process for the settlement the conflict between Polisario Front and Morocco. The American proposal, made at a Security Council meeting on Western Sahara Tuesday, has been approved by all the member states of the UN body, Ahmed Boukhari, the representative of the Polisario Front at the United Nations, told APS. There was no opposition, at the Security Council, to the United States' proposal, he said. The Security Council made a similar mission in Western Sahara in 1995, but the absence of consensus among its members prevented it to go back again to the territory. Boukhari, who welcomed the US proposal, said the mission will "show Security Council's interest in being on the ground of a conflict high on its agenda." SPS 125/090/700 New York, October 20, 2016 (SPS) - Polisario Front's Representative to the United Nations Ahmed Boukhari has denounced, once again, Wednesday in New York, Morocco's hindrances to process for the resolution of Western Sahara conflict, which requires the resumption of negotiations. Boukhari underlined Rabat's repeated "delaying tactics" to undermine the efforts of the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross and delay his trip to the region. "Rabat continues to resort to delaying tactics with the support of France to undermine the efforts of Ross for the resumption of negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front, Boukhari told APS in New York. The UN mediator, who presented Tuesday a report on Western Sahara conflict to the Security Council, was having great difficulty in obtaining the cooperation of Morocco for the resumption of talks. Boukhari said he expected that "the visit of the UN Chief will be an opportunity to resume negotiations. It is Polisario Front's hope." "The Security Council is paralyzed by the position of France. This latter doesn't listen to Ross but listens to Morocco," he said, adding that the UN body has become a part of the problem instead of being a part of the solution.SPS 125/090/700 With less than 72 hours to tick off prior to her appearance in a $20,000 elimination for the Breeders Crown two-year-old filly pace on Saturday (Oct. 22) at the Meadowlands Racetrack, trainer Kevin Lare thinks owner Frank Chick may be a bit weary of his weekly training updates in regards to Roaring To Go. I know I sound like a broken record, he said. But I keep telling Frank the same thing every time she has trained all year; she only gets better each trip and she is ready. This week though I do think she is really on her A game and she will have to be in order, God willing, to race again next week. A daughter of Art Major and the Western Ideal mare Lionness Hanover, Roaring To Go has quietly compiled a record of 12-6-3-0, banked $242,636 and set a track record of 1:54 at Saratoga in New York Sire Stakes action on July 27. She also hit the line first in the $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final on Sept. 24 at Yonkers Raceway, but was placed second for taking an inopportune foray inside the pylons. Despite her sterling resume, Roaring To Go was not a name on everyones list to vie for divisional honours prior to Grand Circuit action at Lexington's Red Mile. Her upset, however, of heavily favoured Idyllic Beach at that facility in a $73,000 division of the Bluegrass Stakes, illustrated that Roaring To Go, who was purchased for $16,000 at the Goshen Yearling Sale, is certainly able to pace with the best. I thought at the beginning of the year she was a filly we would have some fun with in the New York Sire Stakes program, Lare said. Did I think she would go in 1:50.4 at Lexington and beat the best filly out there? No. Then she came right back and won her division of the International Stallion Stake. It was really fun to get our picture taken twice in Kentucky, but she is not getting a break here. She will have to race very well against Idyllic Beach and all these other nice fillies in the Breeders Crown now. I knew a bigger track would move her up, because she gets steppy on the turns on a half-mile track and has a tendency to run in. Brett Miller (her regular pilot) has done a terrific job with getting her through that and Im hoping it is something we will no longer have to be concerned with next year. Roaring To Go will have the opportunity for a rematch against Idyllic Beach as the fillies commence their quest for participation in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final on Saturday (Oct. 29) in the fourth race on this Saturday's card from Posts 7 and 8, respectively. Roaring To Go will have the services of Brett Miller in the bike and Idyllic Beach will be driven by Yannick Gingras. Only Idyllic Beach has won in a swifter time (1:50.3) than Roaring To Go among all freshman pacing fillies in North America this year. I have definitely been fortunate enough to train horses like Ginger And Fred, Snow White and Southwind Tempo, Lare said. But I have never had a horse that went :25.3 in her last quarter-mile in her first race, which this filly did. Like I said, I knew she had some speed, but that trip really grabbed my attention. While her immediate pedigree may not seem quite as impressive as Idyllic Beachs as that young lady hails from a Horse of the Year sire and O'Brien Award-winning dam Roaring To Gos family tree is quite solid and does not lack quality. Her dam's two previous foals are both winners Well Excuuuse Me (Well Said, $68,295) and Well Lets See (Well Said, $52,945) and she is a half-sibling to Lookout Hanover (The Panderosa, $405,774), Long Fight Hanover (Allamerican Native, $162,137) and Lonewolf Currier (The Panderosa, $453,695). Roaring To Gos granddam, Ladyking (Cams Card Shark) is a half-sister to Cancun Hanover (Jennas Beach Boy, $194,335), Cinch Hanover (Life Sign, $170,810), Runover Again (The Panderosa, $194,614), Current Hanover (Western Ideal, $380,248) and Courser Hanover (Astreos, $236,416). Chick has been a staunch supporter of harness racing for decades and he still owns Roaring To Go's older brother, Well Lets See. When Roaring To Go became available, he took advantage of a golden opportunity to bring her home. Frank definitely kind of back-doored into this filly because he did already have the experience with the other horse, Lare said. The first foal (Well Excuuuse Me) did sell for a decent price at Harrisburg ($30,000), but Frank bought the second one (Well Lets See) for $4,500. That one could pace, but was one of the smallest Standardbreds Ive ever seen. He was like a pony and you could saw the seat off the jog cart to fit him. When Frank saw this filly had a little size to her, he jumped right in, but now like I said to him recently, if he wants to keep dipping in to this family, from now on he better be prepared to open his wallet. They wont be selling for those kinds of prices anymore after what she has accomplished. Although Lare has already enjoyed a Breeders Crown triumph with Snow White, a victory by Roaring To Go would hold a special place in his heart, because it would provide Chick, with whom he has a close bond, with his first Breeders Crown trophy. Frank did retain a piece of Yankee Bounty (10 per cent) after he was sold midway through his two-year-old season, Lare said. I cant remember how he performed in the Breeders Crown (sixth in his elimination in the 2015 3-year-old colt pace), but it would be so special for this filly to win this race with Frank. Not only to give him something he has never experienced before after all he has done with the sport, but because of all he has done for me. He always believed in me and when I was down he provided me with horses so I could work my way back up. Having a filly like this with and for him, is a treat. That is why it was so enjoyable to have our pictures taken in Kentucky. Frank buys maybe one or two yearlings every year and he doesnt spend a lot of money, so he does not normally get to be in a winners circle somewhere like there. Im so glad he did not sell this filly and we are exactly where we are right now. I told him these kind of horses dont come along very often. If she does well in this race, she is not staked to anything else, but its possible we will supplement her to the Matron. It would mean so much to Frank to have her in there as Delaware is home and all, but we will see how we do here first. A filly like this is always special, but this does take on even more meaning because of how far back I go with Frank and everything he has done for me, as well as the sport. (USTA) Post Time with Mike and Mike presented by BetAmerica has announced a stellar lineup for their Thursday (October 19) show. Jimmy Takter will come on the show to talk about his fantastic pacer Always B Miki and how he will prep going into the Breeders Crown. Always B Miki has come back from multiple injuries to become harness racing's fastest pacer ever. Darrell Wood from the Virginia Equine Alliance will come on to discuss the recent meet at Shenandoah Downs. He will discuss everything from how wagering went, to how the racing went throughout the entire five-week meeting. Winnie Morgan Nemeth from New Vocations will come on to talk about the Breeders Crown Pledge drive that will begin this week. The on-going series with the VIP Internet Stable will continue this week to help new owners get into the sport of harness racing. Gabe Prewitt will join the show to discuss the happenings going on at Pompano Park this week. He will discuss some of the great wagering opportunities that the track has going on. Post Time with Mike and Mike, presented by Bet America, can be heard each Thursday at 7 p.m. on their website at posttimewithmikeandmike.com or on-demand. (With files from Post Time with Mike And Mike) EquiMania! will be trotting into Toronto to celebrate a decade of entertaining Royal Agricultural Winter Fair visitors this November 4 13. Equimaniacs can expect their favourite interactive exhibits and several new activities to join the well-travelled, award-winning display. Come see the impressive new Tree of Life equine reproduction station, which will showcase the stages of foal development, complete with a video that features the birth of a foal. Fantastic clay models and artwork illustrate the different stages of fetal development. Each stage of growth from first heartbeat to the forming of hooves and hair is captured in the amazing new display. Visitors will also leave with knowledge of nutritional requirements of the mare during pregnancy, lactation, growth of the foal and responsible breeding. 'Shorty Legs' will have a whole new look, as he will get dressed up to go off to the races! Saddle up again and learn a thing or two about the different racing disciplines in Ontario. The fiberglass horse is a barn favourite that the kids want to ride on every year. Have your camera ready! Check out new the barn fire prevention resources and play the popular EquiMania! Explorer game. Kids and parents will learn more about horses and safety inside the stable and out, around equipment and when handling them. The EquiMania! Explorer Passport makes learning fun, as the kids collect stamps while they accumulate horse sense. Equine Guelph, in partnership with the Ontario Equestrian Federation, will be promoting Ticket to Ride for a third time at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. The Ticket to Ride program is proving hugely popular, offering youth an opportunity for a free introductory riding lesson (or introduction to horses) at participating OEF member riding facilities. Visit EquiMania! for more details. Girl Guide Night is another feature returning on the Wednesday evening (November 9). Club members will participate in an exciting itinerary of activities working towards earning their Horse Power Badge followed by a special presentation by OEF in the Animal Theatre. EquiMania! looks forward to welcoming the Girl Guides and showing them interesting equine facts like how their anatomy effects function. "Equine Guelph is proud to be presenting EquiMania! for its tenth year at the Royal," said Gayle Ecker, director of Equine Guelph. "We are passionate about getting kids and adults excited about horses and thanks to the generosity of our loyal partners and volunteers, we are able to celebrate this wonderful milestone!" Equine Guelph would like to thank the Royal Winter Fair for bringing EquiMania to their Education Centre and our sponsors for their continued support: Greenhawk, Kubota Canada, Ontario Equestrian Federation, Shur-Gain, Standardbred Canada, SSG Gloves, System Fencing, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and Zoetis. Equine Guelph is looking forward to another busy year of touring with EquiMania in 2017! (Equine Guelph) Judicial Watch: Clinton Emails with Petraeus Reveal Her 'BlackBerry Blues;' Clinton Tells Then-CENTCOM Commander to Use Her 'Personal Email Address' Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5172 WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch today released new State Department documents containing email correspondence between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Gen. David Petraeus, in which she had what she termed "blackberry blues" over her inability to use her BlackBerry inside her secure office. The FBI recovered these new emails from those not turned over by Hillary Clinton. These emails are government documents and not personal emails, as Clinton claims in defending her decision to not turn over 30,000 emails sent or received by her as secretary of state. The emails also show she knew about the security issues of her BlackBerry use (and yet denied recalling anything about it or refused to answer questions). In the newly obtained email exchanges, Clinton also told Petraeus, "If there is ever anything you need or want me to know, pls use this personal email address" hr15@att.blackberry.net when corresponding with her. Petraeus, at the time of the email from Clinton, was the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing U.S. military efforts in critical areas, stretching from Northeast Africa across the Middle East to Central and South Asia, and including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Egypt. The new documents were among the nearly 15,000 Clinton emails discovered by the FBI, and obtained in response to a court order in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit for State Department records about Clinton's separate email system (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:15-cv-00689)). On January 28, 2008, only one week after becoming secretary of state, Clinton sent an email to Petraeus from her non-state.gov email account apologizing for her "tardy" response to his earlier email and blaming it on what she termed "blackberry blues:" From: H [mailto:hdr22@clintonmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:33 PM To: Petraeus, David H. GEN USA Subject: Re: Follow up David Sorry to be so tardy in responding. I've had blackberry blues. I can't use mine all day long since my whole office is a SCIF [Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility]. I don't yet have a computer and I had to change my address and lost some of my traffic. (The State Department represented to a federal court that Hillary Clinton did not have a State Department computer.) Shortly before taking office, Clinton emailed Petraeus asking that he use only her personal email account when contacting her. At the time, Petraeus was the Commander of the United States Central Command: From: hr15@att.blackberry.net Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 3:57 PM To: Petraeus, David H. GEN USA Subject: Follow up Dear Dave, Thanks for giving me so much of your time the last two nights. I appreciated our conversations and enjoyed the chance to see you and Richard becoming acquainted. I'm looking forward to working w you both. If there is ever anything you need or want me to know, pls use this personal email address. All the best, Hillary. MORE: www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/clinton-emails-petraeus-reveal-blackberry-blues-clinton-tells-centcom-commander-use-personal-email-address Contact: Christy Roberts, NRBTV , 615-733-2961NASHVILLE, Oct. 20, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- Christians will gather this fall for the Defending Truth Conference in Nashville, TN to learn to proclaim and defend the great truths of Christianity.Presented by NRBTV and ApologeticsBible.com , the event will be held on Saturday November 12 in Nashville, TN at Belmont University's McAffee Concert Hall. This event will feature inspirational presentations from leading Christian apologists including Norman Geisler, David Geisler, Erwin Lutzer, Ed Stetzer, J. Warner Wallace, and Troy Miller.Together, these Christian leaders will help attendees to explore the important questions about life and the believer's response to the definition of marriage, abortion, creation/evolution debate, radical Islam, politics, and religious liberties."Today's culture is inundated with worldly views and is becoming less accepting of Christian teachings and values," says Miller, President & CEO of the NRBTV, which is presenting the fourth annual conference."Now it is more important than ever for Christians to know what we believe and be able to effectively communicate our faith," he adds.For more information or to register, visit www.nrbtv.org/dtc . To learn more about NRBTV or ApologeticsBible.com, visit www.nrbtv.org and www.ApologeticsBible.com respectively.ABOUT NRBTVNRBTV a Christian TV channel headquartered in Nashville, TN, and seen nationwide on DIRECTV channel 378 and select broadcast affiliates. The channel is also streamed worldwide on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV (4th gen) streaming players, via a free mobile app, and online streaming. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, NRBTV reaches a global audience 24 hours a day with thought-provoking, Christ-centered programming. For more information, visit www.nrbtv.org Westfall Group Strengthens Team with Two Major Additions Contact: Palmer Holt 704-663-3303ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- The Westfall Group ( www.westfallgroup.net ), the nation's leading major donor events company, has made two significant additions to its leadership team that will strengthen its ability to serve nonprofit clients with fundraising services.Photo: Barry Durman, senior consultant (right). Ron Forseth, vice president for development (left).Barry Durman, the Westfall Group's newest senior consultant, will provide the company's non-profit clients guidance and insight in deepening relationships with high-capacity supporters through the major donor event model. Ron Forseth has been named the Westfall Group's vice president for development and will work with the company's strategic partners and prospective clients."We're extremely honored to have Barry and Ron on our team," said Westfall CEO Bob Westfall. "Their talent and experience will undoubtedly result in exciting new developments for our business, as well as improving our clients' ability to impact lives and transform communities around the world."Barry Durman's passion for transformative impact is reflected in a long career of leading fundraising efforts for nonprofit organizations. He was the executive over development at Insight for Living and SIM, as well as president of Atlantic City Rescue Mission and KMA, a donor relationship management software firm."Barry brings a heartfelt commitment as well as keen insights and expertise to all his work," said Lisa Wolf, the Westfall Group's vice president of consulting. "We are confident that our clients will be well served by Barry's deep background in and passion for major donor fundraising."Ron Forseth has forged a network of relationships that will help expand the Westfall Group's reach and influence around the globe. Ron was previously the vice president of business development at Outreach, Inc. where he had executive oversight over the Outreach Media Group and Outreach Web Properties."Ron has been successfully helping nonprofits with development for nearly three decades," said Westfall. "His broad experience and stellar reputation will bring added dynamism and growth to Westfall's marketing efforts. It's a privilege to have him onboard."About Westfall GroupThe Westfall Group is the nation's leading innovator and implementer of major donor events, with a track record acquired through more than 300 events that have generated over half a billion dollars for nonprofit clients. Westfall's event weekends bond major donors to organizations' missions by condensing a year's worth of cultivation into one extraordinary, transformational experience. They are headquartered in the Atlanta, Ga., area. For more information, visit www.westfallgroup.net Media Contact:For more information contact Palmer Holt at 704-663-3303 or pholt@paragoncommunications.net The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie... October 19, 2016 - Fort Russ - RuBaltic.ru - Translated from Russian by Kristina Kharlova Washington researchers accuse Russia of cooperation with Europe Europe is dependent on financial and energy resources of Moscow, according to a report by the Washington Center for strategic and international studies. On October 13 in Washington, a study was published, "The Kremlin's Playbook: Understanding the Russian Influence in Eastern and Central Europe", which on the example of five countries Latvia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Serbia, explains the mechanisms of the workings of the Kremlin with the economies of European states. The study notes that when the countries of Eastern and Central Europe joined NATO and the EU in 2004, the expectations of European and American politicians were aimed at the "continuation by regional states of positive democratic and economic transformation". However, analysts believe that more than ten years later, "the region has experienced a steady decline in democratic standards, while its economic cooperation with Russia has expanded significantly". "Over the last 10 years the share of Russia in the global trading system increased by almost four times: from $210 billion in 2003 to $730 billion in 2014, and Russia's trade relations with the European Union accounted for 44% of the total," said the preamble of the report. According to analysts, the work of Russia in Latvia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Serbia, is aimed at consolidating around itself the sympathetic politicians, dominance on energy markets and providing the most favorable economic partnerships. [How dare you Putin? - FR] "In some countries, Russian influence has reached such proportions that it jeopardized their pro-Western orientation and Euro-Atlantic stability, as such," reads the report. According to the study, Latvia has a high dependence on the Russian economy (higher only in Bulgaria). "Latvia is 100% dependent on the energy sector of the Russian Federation, which, moreover, is the third largest market of the republic, and 11% of Latvian GDP comes from the transport sector, where the main flow of transit is provided by Russia", analysts say. The report states that entrepreneurs are dependent on the Russian economy and the normal functioning of relations with Russia. Measures to prevent Russian influence proposed by the researchers, are analysis of financial flows coming from Russia and improvement of assistance programs to Eastern European governments. [More American/European tax-payer handouts! - FR] "The United States can no longer be indifferent to these negative processes. All members of NATO and the European Union must collectively recognize that Russia's influence is not only internal challenge to control, but a threat to national security," - point US analysts. The report was prepared by the Center for strategic and international studies (CSIS) in collaboration with the Center for the study of democracy in Sofia. CSIS was created in Washington in 1962 at the initiative of the director of the CIA with the aim of "finding ways to sustain American prominence and prosperity as a force for peace". Today, CSIS conducts research on policy issues and strategic analysis of political and economic challenges, with a particular focus on issues concerning international relations, trade, technology, finance and energy. Wisdom of the Crowd: 55 % of respondents said that the Trust Bak set up by Fairprice will not be profitable as there are already too many d... Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the year's end. Call it a hoops for grades project. An effort led by Kelso barber Bill Ammons will award free tickets to Portland Trailblazers and Winterhawks games to Kelso and Longview middle school students who dramatically improve their grades. Students will be chosen quarterly by school counselors, Ammons said. The first batch of 20 tickets is for a Blazers game on Nov. 25. Monticello Middle School in Longview will be the target of the first effort. Ammons is looking for other members of the community to help support his cause. The Trailblazers are charging him $14 a ticket, though the Winterhawks are giving him the tickets for free, Ammons said. Ive never been so excited about a civics project, said Ammons, who has sponsored many over his years at the Pacific Barber shop on South Pacific Avenue. He said he has a goal of getting at least 200 students awarded for improving their grades, but he said school principals are so excited about the idea that he thinks he may be able to reward even more. Anyone interested in contributing to his cause should call Ammons at his Castle Rock-area home, 274-7811. Outgoing Fibre Federal Credit Union CEO Larry Hoff received a Lifetime Achievement award recognizing his work to promote the credit union movement and charitable organizations over his decades-long career. The Northwest Credit Union Association presented Hoff with the award during the annual MAXX Convention in SeaTac, Wash., last week, according to a press release. Hoff is preparing to retire by the end of the year after 15 years at Fibre. During his tenure, the credit union grew to almost 90,000 members with $970 million in assets. The credit union also expanded beyond Cowlitz County to 14 branches across Southwest Washington and northern Oregon. Before taking the helm at Fibre, Hoff worked at Columbia Community Credit Union and Electra Credit Union (now called Advantis). In 1986, he helped to found the charity Credit Unions for Kids, which raises money for ill children. Ten years later, the organization was selected as the charity of choice to support Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals. Hoff put together new ways to raise money for the charity, such as the Rock & Ride motorcycle ride and concert that he co-founded with Roger Michaelis, former CEO of iQ Credit Union. The Rock & Ride raised $300,000 during its nine-year run. He also served on the board for OHSU Doernbecher Childrens Hospital in Portland. Larry Hoffs business success and long tenure serving credit union and their members in the Northwest is only part of the reason he was honored with the Lifetime Acheivement Award, said Troy Stand, NWCUA President and CEO. Larrys dedication to the community (has) been a hallmark of his career. Chris Bradberry will take over as Fibres president and CEO when Hoff steps down at the end of this year. Clouds covered the sky on Wednesday, but two local florists brought a bit of sunshine into peoples days by giving away hundreds of free bouquets. This is the first time Bandas Bouquets in Longview and The Flower Pot in Castle Rock have participated in a national Petal it Forward event, which was started by the Society of American Florists. The idea is to give away two free bouquets to random strangers one bouquet for the recipient to keep, the other to give away. There were florists from 235 cities across all 50 states who joined the Petal it Forward, according to Society of American Florists. Flowers put a smile on peoples faces whether theyre giving or receiving, said Lisa Allen, owner of Bandas Bouquets. I just thought it would be fun. Plus this year I could afford it. On Tuesday Allen and her staff spent hours assembling chrysanthemums and carnations into 200 bouquets. Each small bundle would normally be sold for $4. While a distributor gave Allen a discount, she still spent a few hundred dollars on the event. Allen loaded buckets of yellow, white, purple and maroon flowers onto a cart she pushed around Commerce Avenue, stopping random strangers in stores or on the street. Some people were hesitant to accept the gift because of allergies or just because they were too busy to stop, yet those that did were glad to receive it. I got a smile on my face, said Michelle Philbrook, owner of the boutique store Posh on Commerce Avenue. Philbrook said she would give the extra bouquet to a friend grieving the loss of a loved one. Mill City Grill server Shawna Meredith said she would give the flowers to her daughter Hailey because I love her and she needs flowers. Its super nice, added server Bree Howell. I want someone to give me their extra flowers, she joked. In Castle Rock, The Flower Pot owner Sue Pulse said she started out with about 70 larger bouquets of lilies, roses, chrysanthemums and tulips to give away. She continued to make more throughout the day. Its been a nice, fun day. Most (people) are amazed, most of them are fun. A few of them are like, What? Pulse said, laughing. Pulse said the idea behind giving people two bundles was that so people could enjoy the happiness of getting flowers and the joy of giving flowers. Its been about two and half years since Christine Graham left her minimum-wage job at Burger King for greener pastures at Cassava cafe in Longview. Although her barista job started at minimum wage, within a few months her salary rose and she continued to receive periodic merit-based raises as she was promoted to a supervisory role. Now, when the 22-year-old looks back, she isnt quite sure how she and her boyfriend made ends meet. The two could only secure part-time work at their respective fast-food jobs (her boyfriend worked at Wendys). I dont know how we even survived, Graham said Monday. Often eating unhealthy fast food was actually cheaper than buying groceries, she noted. So its no surprise that Graham likes the idea behind statewide ballot measure Initiative 1433. The measure, which voters will decide on Nov. 8, would gradually raise the minimum wage to $13.50 an hour by 2020. It also would mandate employers to provide workers with one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Proponents say I-1433 would put more money into the pockets of low-income workers so they can buy more basic necessities and stay home when theyre sick without worrying about the financial repercussions. Opponents say hiking the minimum wage would suppress job growth, particularly in struggling rural areas like parts of Cowlitz County. It will be the straw that broke the camels back, said Eric Smith, co-owner of The Pet Works in Longview. Whether we are a viable, sustainable business or not is at risk. Smith said most of his workers make more than the states current minimum wage, but less than $13.50. He estimates the measure would boost his payroll costs by 20 percent. Washingtons existing $9.47 minimum wage already is the eighth highest in the nation. Last year, there were an average of 151,300 minimum-wage jobs in the state, and about 3,100 of them were in Cowlitz County, according to the Employment Security Department. Cowlitz County may feel more impact from I-1433 because it has a higher proportion of low-wage jobs, said Scott Bailey, regional economist with the Employment Security Department. Bailey estimates that if the wage increase had gone into effect last year, it would have affected 21 percent of the countys workforce and added about $20 million to county payrolls. However, he cautioned that the numbers shouldnt be used for projections. Studies on the effects of wage hikes have produced conflicting results, and both sides of the debate tend to cite whatever research supports their view. Yvette Ollada, spokesperson for No on I-1433, points to a recent study from the University of Washington. The study looked at the Seattle minimum wage hike, which went into effect in April 2015 and is phasing in a $15 wage depending on business size. Researchers found that under the new law, the benefits of the increase may have been partly offset by fewer hours worked per person and slightly less overall employment, according to a UW press release. Even though people have a few more dollars in their pockets, the status of where they are in the overall wage economy doesnt change, Ollada said. Opponents criticize the initiative for not taking a more regionalized approach, like a new bill in Oregon signed into law in March. Under that law, minimum wages will incrementally increase to $14.75 in the Portland metropolitan area, but they will only increase to $13.50 in medium tier markets and $12.50 in lower tier markets. Specifically, the problem with (I-1433) is that its a classic one-size fits all solution that wouldnt be good for our area, said Jim Walsh, a Grays River Republican running for a legislative seat representing major parts of Southwest Washington, including Longview. Anything like 1433 or any piece of legislation that would be viable would have to include some regional flexibility. Walshs opponent, Longview Democrat Teresa Purcell, said she reluctantly supports the initiative because it is the only plan on the table to raise wages. I wish it would look more like the Oregon proposal, which took into account the vast diversity in the state and has more accommodations for economically depressed areas, Purcell said. However, she supports the initiatives plan to require paid sick leave. We need to make it so were not forcing people to come to work sick so that people are taking care of their families, Purcell said, adding there needs to be a balance between business and employee needs. Graham, the Longview barista, said she would be grateful for the addition of paid sick leave. She suffers from frequent colds and often has to stay home without pay, she said. About 1 million Washingtonians dont currently have access to paid sick leave, according to Raise Up Washington. This initiative is about fair labor standards. What we know is Washington middle class families dont just depend on the number they take home on their pay stubs. They also depend on taking care of their loved ones when they get sick, said Jack Sorensen, spokesman for Raise Up Washington. A raise to $13.50 an hour would put about $607 more a month into a full-time minimum wage employees pocket (after taxes). Overall, that would be $2.5 billion more in annual earnings statewide, according to Raise Up Washington. Proponents point to studies showing that modest gains in minimum wages dont contribute to reduced employment. For instance, one study looked at fast-food restaurants on both sides of the Pennsylvania-New Jersey border before and after New Jersey raised its minimum wage in the early 1990s. Researchers found no evidence of job loss as a result. So far, Raise Up Washington is out-polling and out-fundraising opponents. It has raised $4.2 million in campaign contributions compared with $82,000 raised by opponents, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. The bigger donors to the yes campaign include Seattle venture capitalist Nick Hanauer; various education and service unions, such as Service Employee International Union and Washington Education Association; a California-based group called The Fairness Project that is also supporting minimum-wage initiatives in other states and dozens of small contributions from individual donors. Donors for the no campaign include the Washington Restaurant Association, the Association of Washington Business, the Washington Food Industry Association and the Washington State Farm Bureau. According to the most recent Elway Poll, I-1433 has 57 percent support among voters, with 31 percent opposed and 12 percent undecided. But businesses owners like Smith of The Pet Works arent convinced. Although his business is profitable, Smith said locally owned retail chains like his operate on thin profit margins. Plus they have to compete with big-box retail chains and online giants like Amazon, he said. We want to pay people as much as we possibly can, but it all comes to down to affordability, Smith said. Its not that employers are being greedy, its just a lack of revenue to keep up with costs. Following the deal of Historical Paris Climate Change Protocol, 197 nations are agreed to collaborate in reducing the greenhouse effect on the Mother Earth by phasing out HFCs systems from the refrigeration sector. In an amendment to the Montreal Protocol endorsed on Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda by 197 signatories nations will start to decrease their use of HFCs by 2019 and India is one of them. Indias support for the international Paris Climate Change Deal will decrease the intensity of the greenhouse gasses equivalent to shutting one-6th of its thermal power stations throughout the following 35 years. As per the published statistics of IndiaSpend, this new pact if carried out successfully will eliminate the volume of discharging carbon dioxide from thermal power stations which in other ways will protect the environmental balance all through the world. In this deal, India has agreed to trim down the production and employment of HFCs systems and will drag this rule into power in 2028. Just to recall, India is one of the topmost greenhouse gas producers in the world, and this rule will be a more determined plan to phase down HFCs which is the primary source of greenhouse gas. As per a press release by Climate Action Network International, this deal is more determined and go-getting than the previously signed pacts and India if perfectly implement it can trim down the primary source of global warming. As said by Vaibhav Chaturvedi, an Associate at Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a New Delhi-based research institute, India under the new contract signed in Rwanda, will condense 75% of its snowballing HFC production between 2015 and 2050, and it will surely bring some reformations in the current state of global warming. The legally binding deal has been signed by 197 nations under the flagship of the USA in Rwanda on October 15, 2016 and the deal is to eliminate the massive production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which is a part of greenhouse gasses that can boost up the intensity of global warming potential up to 12,000 times more than the carbon dioxide (CO2) does. As officially declared, this rule of Phasing down HFCs from refrigeration units T will come into force on January 1, 2019, and steer clear of the release of 70 billion tons of CO2 corresponding globally. The US space agency NASAs Maven spacecraft has been investigating the upper Martian atmosphere for over a year now and has found something very interesting. According to latest data, water on the Red Planet does not escape gently into the atmosphere and there are ups downs in the hydrogen and water escapes. The rate of hydrogen escape determines the rate of water loss which is highest when Mars is closest to the Sun and the rate decreases as the Red Planet moves away from the Sun. Using highly sensitive equipment aboard the Maven probe, scientists were able to determine variation of up to ten times between highest and the slowest rate. MAVEN is giving us unprecedented detail about hydrogen escape from the upper atmosphere of Mars, and this is crucial for helping us figure out the total amount of water lost over billions of years, said Ali Rahmati, a MAVEN team member at the University of California at Berkeley who analyzed data from two of the spacecrafts instruments. Water vapor in the Marss lower atmosphere is the major contributor of Hydrogen to the upper atmosphere of Red Planet. In the presence of sunlight, the water molecule disintegrates into two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen which leads to hydrogen escape from upper atmosphere. Scientists knew about the hydrogen loss but they assumed it to be like a slow leak in a tire. In addition, scientists have previously tried to examine the escape rate using Hubble Space Telescope and Mars Express Orbiter, but found very wagy results with variation in data. Recent observations made by the Maven spacecraft revealed that hydrgen escapes ten times faster than previously thought. Now that we know such large changes occur, we think of hydrogen escape from Mars less as a slow and steady leak and more as an episodic flow rising and falling with season and perhaps punctuated by strong bursts, said Michael Chaffin, a scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder who is on the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) team. Chaffin is presenting some IUVS results on Oct. 19 at the joint meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences and the European Planetary Science Congress in Pasadena, California. Four highly sensitive instruments aboard Maven spacecraft have observed the hydrogen escape rate and detected the factor-of-10 change in the rate of escape. Changes in the density of hydrogen in the upper atmosphere were inferred from the flux of hydrogen ions electrically charged hydrogen atoms measured by the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer and by the Suprathermal and Thermal Ion Composition instrument. IUVS observed a drop in the amount of sunlight scattered by hydrogen in the upper atmosphere. MAVENs magnetometer found a decrease in the occurrence of electromagnetic waves excited by hydrogen ions, indicating a decrease in the amount of hydrogen present. NASA scientists are now trying to find the reasons behind the escape and which factor is driving the escape at such high rates. Scientists already know that Mars elliptical orbit causes the intensity of the sunlight reaching Mars to vary by 40 percent during a Martian year. There also is a seasonal effect that controls how much water vapor is present in the lower atmosphere, as well as variations in how much water makes it into the upper atmosphere. The 11-year cycle of the suns activity is another likely factor. In addition, when Mars is closest to the sun, the atmosphere becomes turbulent, resulting in global dust storms and other activity. This could allow the water in the lower atmosphere to rise to very high altitudes, providing an intermittent source of hydrogen that can then escape, said John Clarke, a Boston University scientist on the IUVS team. Clarke will present IUVS measurements of hydrogen and deuterium a form of hydrogen that contains a neutron and is heavier on Oct. 19 at the planetary conference. By making observations for a second Mars year and during different parts of the solar cycle, the scientists will be better able to distinguish among these effects. MAVEN is continuing these observations in its extended mission, which has been approved until at least September 2018. MAVENs findings reveal what is happening in Mars atmosphere now, but over time this type of loss contributed to the global change from a wetter environment to the dry planet we see today, said Rahmati. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (L) speaks during an interview with Xinhua News Agency in Manila, the Philippines, Oct 13, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is leading a big delegation to China this week. Even before he embarked on his first trip outside of Southeast Asia as president, Duterte sent many positive signals that have raised hopes the new Philippine leader can repair his country's ties with China, which were strained under the previous government led by Benigno Aquino III. In his interviews with Chinese media ahead of his Beijing trip, Duterte expressed his desire to improve ties with China and strengthen cooperation with China in a wide range of fields. He also said the just concluded joint military drills between his country and the United States in the South China Sea will be the last while he is in office. Such words and gestures can help turn a new page in relationship between Beijing and Manila and ratchet down tensions in the disputed waters, which will in turn contribute to peace and stability in the region. If such desirable momentum can be maintained, people should not be surprised if Beijing and Manila reach a consensus on resolving their maritime disputes through bilateral talks and negotiations very soon. Such a prospect is also sought by China as the South China Sea disputes have become a major man-made obstacle standing in the way of deepening mutual trust and cooperation between China and its neighbors in Southeast Asia. Yet, some in the world arena are unhappy about the warming relations between Manila and Beijing. Their narrow-mindedness leads them to think Manila is backing down from its South China Sea position and distancing itself from Washington and its security alliance with the US because it wants economic benefits from Beijing. A Financial Times report on Oct 12 presents a typical view of such kind. Quoting some analysts, the London-based newspaper said Duterte has unrealistic expectations about what China will give him, and he has lessened his leverage with Beijing by publicly repudiating the US. tech2 News Staff 32 lakh debit cards issued by various banks are compromised in what is turning out to be the biggest financial breach in India so far. The cards are being replaced, or banks are asking the affected customers to change their pins, according to a report in the Economic Times. The Reserve Bank of India has asked banks to replace 17.5 lakh compromised debit cards, according to a report in The Hindu. The breach was apparently in the payment system of Hitachi Payment Services. Hackers introduced a malware in the system that compromised the data of users after withdrawal from some ATMs. Hitachi is one of the largest providers in India for point of sale services, ATM withdrawals and mobile transactions. Suspicious transactions originating in China triggered an ongoing security audit across banks. The malware was apparently active for over six weeks before being detected. The media reports have little or no information on the location and spread of the compromised ATMs. Users who are affected are being directly contacted by the banks. SBI, HDFC and Bank of Baroda have already initiated the process of replacing the cards of the affected customers. SBI, the largest lender in the country, is replacing 6 lakh compromised cards. HDFC has silently contacted its customers weeks before the breach went public, advising customers to use only HDFC bank ATMs. Out of the 32 lakh compromised cards, 26 lakh are from the Visa and Mastercard platform, while the remaining 6 lakh are from the Rupay platform. Replacing the cards is not strictly necessary, as the systems in the banks themselves were not compromised. It is an additional step, for extra security. Customers can safely continue to use their cards with a changed pin. One of the easy steps consumers can take to prevent misuse is to frequently change the PIN numbers. hidden 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". Reuters hidden U.S. bank regulators on Wednesday outlined cyber security standards meant to protect financial markets and consumers from online attacks against the nation's leading financial firms. Leading banks will be expected to use the most sophisticated anti-hacking tools on the market and to be able to recover from any attack within two hours, said officials briefing reporters on the plan. The rules, which will be finalized after industry input, is meant to raise cyber security to a top priority for corporate executives and boards, according to the banking agencies. Banks with assets of $50 billion or more must satisfy the new rules that will be finalized in the months ahead, according to a statement by the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. That scope means roughly 40 banks and a variety of non-bank financial companies would have to comply with the final rules. "Covered entities would be required to be capable of operating critical business functions in the face of cyber-attacks," the regulators said in a statement. Cyber security issues have been a priority for Wall Street and regulators as financial leaders like the New York Federal Reserve have been caught in high-profile hack attacks. On Wednesday, officials said the new standards have been contemplated for some time and that regulators are concerned about the vulnerability of the nation's financial systems. One official briefing reporters about the proposal said it was meant to mitigate the risk of any future cyber events. Reuters hidden 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. IANS hidden Struggling mobile networks giant Ericsson could try to hire a chief executive with no track record in the telecoms industry after looking beyond the obvious candidates, a source familiar with the matter said. Swedish business daily Dagens Industri suggested that defence firm Saab's chief Hakan Buskhe could be in the running for the job in a column titled "Will Saab's boss save Ericsson?". The source would not confirm that Buskhe, who has been in the top job at Saab since 2010, was being considered but did say that the search had extended beyond those frequently named in media speculation, most of whom have telecoms experience. "I understand there is a person on the short list but that it is not so easy to get the person concerned," said the source, who declined to be named or give any further details. Ericsson, Saab and Buskhe all declined to comment. Ericsson has been without a permanent CEO since ousting Hans Vestberg in July. The sense of crisis around the company deepened last week when the world's biggest maker of mobile network equipment reported a 94 percent plunge in quarterly operating profit and tumbling sales. The names often cited as contenders in recent weeks include company insider Hakan Eriksson, an executive based in Australia, former Ericsson CFO and current Stora Enso boss Karl-Henrik Sundstrom as well as Johan Wibergh, the CTO of Vodafone who spent nearly two decades at Ericsson. Asked whether experience at Ericsson was a requirement for the board in choosing a new leader, the source said: "In my view it should be a person with great industrial experience and knowledge, whether within telecoms or another sector is not so important." Credentials Buskhe, 52, has a track record in high-tech businesses and close ties with Marcus Wallenberg, vice chairman of Investor which is a major shareholder in both Saab and Ericsson. Buskhe has been credited with turning Saab around by broadening its international exposure at a time when European Union defence budgets were falling and securing groundbreaking deals for its fighter jets in emerging markets like Brazil. Investor said on Wednesday that the priority for Ericsson was to find the right CEO. "I know the board is working very hard with the question," Investor CEO Johan Forssell told Reuters, adding that Ericsson Chairman Leif Johansson has already laid out his criteria for the role. "It requires a strong leader, a person who understands technology and a person with good strategic abilities." Swedish media have reported that some candidates have turned down approaches due to the terms or worries over the future of a company which is slashing thousands of jobs and faces fierce competition from Huawei and Nokia. One Swedish fund manager who owns Ericsson shares said he was surprised to see Buskhe's name mentioned but that he had the relevant research and engineering profile. "It may not be possible to get a Ronaldo or a Messi to Ericsson right now, so we may have to settle for someone further down the list," said the fund manager, who asked to remain anonymous. "From the main owner's perspective, Buskhe is a good name -- they have worked with him for many years." Reuters hidden Website owners are free to store users' internet addresses to prevent cyber attacks, the European Union's top court said on Wednesday, rejecting a claim from a German privacy activist who sought to stop the practice. Patrick Breyer, a member of Germany's Pirate Party, had sought to stop the German government registering and storing his Internet Protocol (IP) address when he visited its web pages, arguing that citizens should have a right to surf the web anonymously. Website owners routinely store users' IP addresses to provide customised features, enable or disable access to content or to blacklist IP addresses involved in "denial of service" attacks against a website. German law prevents website owners from keeping users' data indefinitely unless the data is required for billing purposes, but the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled on Wednesday that the prevention of cyber crime is a legitimate reason to store such data without users' consent. "Internet companies will still follow us around the web, collect information about our private interests and pass this information on," Breyer said in response to the ruling. "Now the EU has to close this unacceptable loophole in data privacy laws as quickly as possible." Joerg Hladjk, leader of the Brussels cybersecurity, privacy and data protection practice at law firm Jones Day, said the ECJ ruling was an important decision that expanded the "scenarios under which data can be retained without the user's consent beyond what is allowed under German law". tech2 News Staff After plenty of rumours, Apple has finally broken its silence on the launch of its much-awaited MacBook refresh. The new page that details the event is up on Apple's website with the message "hello again", inviting fans to join them on the live stream of the event set to take place on October 27 at 10AM PDT (which would be 10:30AM IST). Like always Apple has not detailed or even hinted as to what it plans to reveal at the event. But with the new iPhones for the year already launched back in September, this indeed could be for the much-awaited MacBook refresh. We say much-awaited as Apple's current generation of MacBooks (Air and Pros) offer fifth generation chipsets and the same old design as their predecessors. From what we know through rumours and leaks so far, Apple may announce both a refreshed version of the MacBook Air and a redesigned MacBook Pro Series. 9to5Mac points out that we may see some newer hardware from the Mac lineup as well. The Mac Lineup received a refresh a few years ago, so don't expect a redesign but just upgraded hardware with the Mac Pro, iMac desktops and the Mac Mini as well. Japanese blog, Macotakara pointed out that Apple is already geared up to release its new range of MacBook Pros and a new MacBook Air by end of October as conveyed by a reliable Chinese supplier. While the MacBook Pros are expected to arrive in 13-inch and 15-inch models, the same source also points out that Apple will kill the 11-inch MacBook Air. The reasons for the same seem to be related to the existence of the iPad Pro series. The 13-inch MacBook Air model is expected to see a complete redesign. Other details hint that, the new MacBooks will be skipping on the standard USB ports and will go in for the USB Type C ports instead, along with support for the Thunderbolt 3 standard. The USB C ports will be used for charging, so it is indeed time to wave goodbye to the MagSafe connector. The MacBook Pro lineup is also expected to feature Touch ID and an OLED touch panel that sits over the keyboard. hidden Czech police have detained a Russian man wanted in connection with criminal hacking attacks on targets in the United States in an arrest carried out in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. LinkedIn Corp said on Wednesday that the arrest was related to a 2012 breach at the social networking company that it previously said may have compromised credentials of 100 million users, prompting it to launch a massive password reset operation. "Following the 2012 breach of LinkedIn member information, we have remained actively involved with the FBI's case to pursue those responsible," LinkedIn said in the statement. "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," the company said. Czech police said that a court would decide whether to extradite the suspect to the United States. The Russian news agency TASS indicated that Russia would fight any extradition attempt. "We insist that the detainee is handed over to Russia," it quoted Andrei Kolmakov, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Prague, as saying. Reuters could not reach Kolmakov for comment. Czech and U.S. authorities declined to confirm that the man was a suspect in the LinkedIn breach or say what charges were being filed against him. Video footage released by police showed a man being arrested without resistance in a restaurant of a central Prague hotel. He had dark hair, and wore a hooded sweatshirt with camouflage pattern, blue jeans and sneakers. A Czech police spokesman said that Yevgeniy N., a Russian born in 1987, had been arrested on Oct. 5 in response to a request through Interpol. Police said the man was briefly hospitalized after collapsing and then put in custody. Two U.S. officials said the man was not linked to recent political hacks in the United States. The U.S. government this month accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a hacking scandal would not be in Russia's interests. Reuters BigRock announced a new addition to its web hosting services portfolio Cloud for Business. This new offering helps customers get online with increased reliability, scalability, high-performance storage, optimum data integrity and easy management via a pay-as-you-use model, helping save capital expenditures on technology infrastructure. We are excited to introduce Cloud for Business to help customers implement substantial capital savings with zero in-house server storage and application requirements. We understand that our customers businesses rely on their sites being up and running 247, said Shashank Mehrotra, Managing Director of Endurance India. Cloud is quickly becoming the norm for small businesses looking to leverage the benefits without having to deal with the complexities of managing and deploying in-house IT infrastructure. According to Gartner, the adoption of cloud computing is one of the Top 10 strategic technology trends that will shape digital business through 2020. With Cloud for Business, BigRock aims to empower growing Indian businesses and the professionals running them with a robust and reliable cloud solution that will help further establish and accelerate their online presence seamlessly. Harnessing the true potential of cloud computing, Cloud for Business brings next-generation hosting infrastructure and technology to the Indian audience at affordable rates, and, it is powered by cPanel, the web hosting industrys most reliable, intuitive control panel. Each Cloud for Business plan includes 80+ one-click installation apps that can be used to build everything from websites, to blogs and forums. Every user also receives access to a suite of themes, templates, graphics, logos, add-ons and plugins via the integrated MOJO Marketplace suite, allowing them to build, brand and expand their website quickly and easily. Customers also get a free domain name, across a choice of extensions including .com, .net, .biz and .org with every Cloud for Business package. Cloud for Business is the result of advancements in processors, virtualization technology, distributed storage technologies and fast, premium servers. The cloud provides reliability and quick service for websites, with the ability to quickly scale resources to meet business demands and spikes in web traffic. Resources are available on demand and customers have the freedom to scale by turning them on and off to ensure better cost-efficiency and resource optimization. Cloud for Business is currently available on BigRock starting at INR 499 per month. US presidential debate: Trump ducks election result pledge Clinton said Trump would be Putin`s puppet : Photo- AFP Republican Donald Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election result if he loses, in the final TV debate against Hillary Clinton. "I will tell you at the time," he told moderator Chris Wallace. For days he has claimed the election is "rigged". The Las Vegas debate continued the campaign's bitter tone, with Mr Trump calling Mrs Clinton a "nasty woman". Polls show Mr Trump is losing in key battleground states after facing a slew of sexual assault allegations. The final battle of wits came less than three weeks before election day on 8 November. The candidates declined to shake hands before and after the political sparring, setting the tone for what would later become yet another debate marked by shouting and interrupting. Mr Trump appealed to the Republican establishment by vowing to appoint Supreme Court justices with a "conservative bent" who would overturn a key ruling that made abortion legal in the US and protect gun rights. He also stuck to his pledge to deport undocumented immigrants and secure US borders. Meanwhile, Mrs Clinton firmly declared she would stand up for the LGBT community, defend abortion rights, focus on restoring the middle class and equal pay for women. "The government has no business in the decisions that women make," she said. In one of the more striking moments, Mr Trump twice declined to say whether he would accept the election's outcome, breaking with the country's long-standing tradition of a losing candidate's concession after the votes are counted. "That's horrifying," Mrs Clinton shot back. "He is denigrating and he is talking down our democracy. And I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of a position." Mr Trump's response drew sharp criticism from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the candidate was "doing the party and country a great disservice by continuing to suggest the outcome of the election is out of his hands and 'rigged' against him," according to a statement. Nicolle Wallace, a NBC News analyst and advisor to Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, said on NBC: "He may as well have laid down in his own coffin with a hammer and nail and pounded it in himself." When asked about her paid speech to a Brazilian bank in which she spoke of her dream of open trade and open borders, Mrs Clinton said she was talking about energy policy. In one key exchange, he attacked her 30 years of "very bad experience" and she responded by going through her timeline, comparing where she was to where Trump was. While she was in the White House helping to track down Osama Bin Laden, "he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice", she said. Donald Trump tried to be restrained. He really did. During the first section of the third presidential debate, when the topic was the Supreme Court, if you squinted you could almost imagine that this was just another presidential race, with two candidates squaring off and vigorously discussing their public policy positions on abortion and gun control. Even the immigration discussion started reasonably civilly, until Mrs Clinton pivoted to turn a question about WikiLeaks into an attack on Donald Trump's relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin. At that point, interrupting Mr Trump returned. He called Hillary Clinton a liar and after she called him a Russian puppet, he said that was in fact her. By the time the topic turned to "fitness to be president," the stage was set for a total meltdown. He said the women who has accused him of sexual harassment were in it for the fame and Clinton campaign stooges. Perhaps most remarkable, however, was when moderator Chris Wallace asked Mr Trump to support the election results, no matter how they came out. He refused to do so. He accused the media of poisoning people's minds. He said Mrs Clinton shouldn't have been allowed to run for president. It was Mr Trump in a bunker, settling scores and lashing out at enemies real and perceived. At that point, the headlines were written and the debate results were locked in. It was not a good night for the Republican. Mr Trump has faced damaging fallout after a video emerged of him making obscene comments about groping women, with senior Republicans deserting him. When pressed about sexual assault allegations made against him by several women in the wake of the video, Mr Trump said the claims had been "largely debunked". In addressing the groping accusations, Mrs Clinton said: "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger". "Nobody has more respect for women than I do," Trump said as the crowd was heard scoffing. He also blamed Mrs Clinton, whose campaign he said was responsible for drumming up the allegations. -- BBC Online US warns `overwhelming` response to any North Korea use of nukes US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Defense Secretary Ash Carter hold a 2+2 ministerial meeting with their counterparts from South Korea at the State Department in Washington. AP, Washington : The United States warned Wednesday that any attack on American allies or use of nuclear weapons by North Korea would be met with an "overwhelming" U.S. response as it sought to reassure close ally South Korea that the U.S. has its back. The statement by Defense Secretary Ash Carter came as top U.S. and South Korean diplomats and military officials met, weeks after North Korea's most powerful nuclear test explosion to date, and days after its failed test launch of a ballistic missile - one of more than 20 such tests this year alone. The flurry of activity has deepened concern over the North's progress toward having a nuclear warhead it can mount on a long-range missile. The two sides discussed steps to strengthen the so-called "extended deterrence" provided by U.S. nuclear forces in defending South Korea and agreed to begin a high-level dialogue about it. Seoul is looking to allay calls from conservatives at home who want South Korea to develop its own nuclear arsenal. "The U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea is unwavering. This includes our commitment to provide extended deterrence, guaranteed by the full spectrum of U.S. defense capabilities," Carter said in opening remarks. "Make no mistake, any attack on America or our allies will not only be defeated, but any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response," he said. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said the threat posed by North Korea is "more grave than ever" and that the North is "nearing the final stage of nuclear weaponization." "North Korea's threat is no longer confined to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. It's now a direct threat to the mainland U.S.," he said after the talks. "The next few years will be the tipping point." He said defense officials on Thursday would discuss the possibility of deploying U.S. "strategic assets" to the South - an apparent reference to permanently basing nuclear-capable planes or vessels there. Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated the U.S. will deploy "as soon as possible" a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, a missile defense system intended to protect South Korea and the nearly 30,000 U.S. forces based there. The plans for THAAD have angered China and Russia, which see it as a threat to their own defense. Kerry called for every country to rigorously enforce U.N. sanctions on North Korea, which are intended - but have failed - to prevent its development of weapons of mass destruction. He said the international community needs to cooperate so the North "pays a price for its dangerous actions." The U.S. and China, which is the North's traditional ally and main trading partner, are currently negotiating at the U.N. Security Council on tightening sanctions in response to the Sept. 9 nuclear test. The U.S., South Korea and Japan are considering additional sanctions of their own. Kerry said the U.S. wants to close a loophole in the current U.N. sanctions allowing coal exports from North Korea to support the livelihood of its people. Kerry said that provision was being abused and the "greatest amount" of coal and revenue has just passed between China and North Korea. The U.S. hopes that tighter sanctions can force impoverished North Korea to return to long-stalled negotiations on providing aid in exchange for denuclearization, but there appears to be little prospect of their resumption because of Pyongyang's determination to have nuclear weapons. Man dies falling from 4th floor A Correspondent : A man died after falling from the 4th floor of a five-storey building in Noiarhat area of Chittagong city on Wednesday. The deceased Mohammad Hossain, 32, -- of Bhujpur in Fatikchhari upazila of the district -- used to work as a caretaker of the building. Hossain fell down from the balcony of the floor while he was checking the water pipeline of the building after getting on the railing, said Golam Newaz, a sub-inspector of EPZ Police Station. He was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead around 12:00pm, said Nayek Hamidur Rahman of CMCH Police Camp. Orientation for int`l students of Fall-`16 semester of DIU held City Desk : The orientation program of international students enrolled in the Fall-2016 semester in different departments of Daffodil International University (DIU) was held on Thursday at DIU auditorium. Prof Dr. Yousuf M. Islam, Vice-Chancellor of DIU was present at the program as the chief guest while Prof Dr. S. M. Mahbub-Ul-Haque Majumder, Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Science and Information Technology (FSIT) was also present at the program as the special guest. Conducted by Md. Maruf Chowdhury, Senior Administrative Officer the program was also spoke by Prof Dr. Golam Maowla Choudhury, Controller of Examinations and Proctor, Syed Mizanur Rahman, Director (Student Affairs), Dr. Touhid Bhuyan, Head of the Department of Software Engineering and Somalian student Ahmed Hassan. A total of 75 international students from 6 different countries like China, Nepal, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia enrolled in this Fall-2016 semester in different departments of DIU. Addressing as the chief guest Prof Dr. Yousuf M. Islam welcomed the students to DIU as their career path and urged the newly enrolled students to make the best use of the resources provided by the university and make them fit for the challenging employment markets. He asked the students to be ideal human beings by incorporating three major things- discipline, honesty and quality so that they become successful human beings. The political logic of hard Brexit Jacek Rostowski : Little more than three months after the United Kingdom's decision in June to leave the European Union, Brexit politics are careening out of control in the UK. An almost revolutionary - and very un-British - dynamic has taken hold, and, as British Prime Minister Theresa May indicated in her "Little Englander" speech at the Conservative Party conference this month, the UK is heading for a "hard Brexit." That outcome would run counter to British public opinion, which remains moderate on the question of fully breaking with the EU. According to a July BBC/ComRes poll, 66% of respondents considered "maintaining access to the single market" to be more important than restricting freedom of movement. In an ICM poll the same month, only 10% of respondents said they would prioritize ending free movement over maintaining access to the single market, while 30% viewed the two as equally important and 38% considered maintaining full access to the single market the priority. These findings will surprise only those who buy into the narrative that the West is confronting a large-scale xenophobic revolt against the elites. While the "Leave" camp certainly included many hard Brexiteers whose primary motivation was to end free movement, it also comprised people who believed Boris Johnson, the former London mayor and current foreign secretary, when he promised (as he still does) that the UK could have its cake and eat it. In fact, despite Leave's large faction of angry white working-class voters, middle-class trade-friendly Brexiteers, together with the "Remain" camp, constitute a clear majority of everyone who voted in the June referendum. Under normal circumstances, one would expect the government's policy to reflect the majority's preference, and to aim for a "soft Brexit." Instead, a classic revolutionary pattern has emerged. According to the Brexiteers, the people have spoken, and it is the government's duty to deliver a "true" Brexit. But the government must overcome the spoilers, such as senior civil servants and the Remain majority in the House of Commons, who favor a Brexit in name only - a "false" version that could never deliver the benefits of the real thing. In this revolutionary narrative, the worst elements of Europe's political tradition have crowded out British pragmatism. What a majority of British voters want is considered irrelevant. With a hard Brexit, the Leave camp can avoid being seen by voters as the supplicant in negotiations with the EU - which it inevitably would be, no matter how often May denies it. The EU will have the upper hand in negotiations for two simple reasons. First, the UK has more to lose economically. While other EU countries' total exports to the UK are double what the UK exports to the rest of the bloc, its exports to the EU amount to three times more as a share of its GDP. Likewise, the UK has a services surplus, which matters far less to the rest of the EU than it does to Britain. Second, just like the EU's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada, any negotiated arrangement between the EU and the UK will have to be unanimously accepted by all EU member states. Thus, the negotiation will not really be between the UK and the EU, but rather among EU members. The UK, without a presence at those talks, will simply have to accept or reject whatever the EU offers. This would be true even if the UK pursued a prepackaged arrangement such as membership in the European Economic Area or the EU Customs Union; it will be all the more true if the UK seeks a "bespoke" deal, as May has indicated she will. If British voters recognized their country's weak negotiating position, the Brexiteers, who won the referendum on their promise to "take back control," would face a political disaster. Walking away from substantive negotiations is the simplest way to avoid such an embarrassing unmasking. Thus, politically, a hard Brexit is actually the soft option for the government. Economically, however, hard Brexit will come at a high price, which the UK will have to pay for years to come. The only consolation is that Brexit's revolutionary momentum may not be sustainable. Shortly after the Leave camp labeled bureaucrats in her Her Majesty's Civil Service "enemies of the people" - a typical statement in the early stages of a revolution - pro-Brexit Foreign Trade Minister Liam Fox derided British exporters, calling them "too lazy and too fat" to succeed in his brave new free-trading Britain. Such rhetoric is a symptom of desperation. It carries echoes of the declining years of the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev, when Marxist apologists insisted that there was nothing wrong with communism, except that humanity wasn't yet mature enough for it. If developments continue at this pace, the revolutionary zeal we see among British politicians may burn itself out before "hard Brexit" is consummated. (Jacek Rostowski was Poland's Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from 2007 to 2013). Courtesy: Project Syndicate 19 members of 'dope gang' held in city DB Police arrested 19 members of \'dope gang\' from different areas in city on Thursday. UNB, Dhaka : Detectives in separate drives arrested 19 members of a 'dope gang', who rob people after making them unconscious using sedatives, from different parts in the capital on Wednesday night. Briefing reporters at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) media centre on Thursday Joint Commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) of DMP Md Abdul Baten said tipped off, a special DB team conducted separate drives at Saidabad, Gabtoli bus stand, Bangshal, Bhatara, and Kamalapur BRTC bus stand and arrested them. The arrested gangsters were involved in looting valuables of people after making them unconscious through feeding them food mixed with sedatives, the Joint Commissioner (DB) said. Khadiza improves further: Doctor bdnews24.com : A doctor at Square Hospitals has said the condition of Sylhet college girl Khadiza Begum Nargis, critically wounded in a sharp weapon attack, has improved further. Khadiza, who has been under treatment at the Dhaka hospital for the past two weeks, was taken out of her bed and she sat on a wheelchair for a while on Thursday, said the hospital's Medicine and Critical Care Unit Consultant Dr Mirza Nazim Uddin. He said the Sylhet Government Women's College student was 'recovering fast'. "Khadiza's physical condition has improved. The nurses also took her for a spin on a wheelchair today." Nazim said, on Wednesday they also took off the tubes that were placed on her throat for breathing. "She is breathing normally now." Assaulted violently on Oct 3 on the Sylhet MC College campus by Badrul Alam, a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League's Shahjalal University of Science and Technology unit, Khadiza was taken to Square Hospitals the following day amidst a wave of protests. She had received severe injuries in her brain, head, hands and legs in the machete attack. After she was brought to Dhaka, Khadiza had undergone a surgery and was put on life support until Oct 13. On Oct 17, another surgery was performed on her right hand to repair the muscle chain which was cut when she had tried to ward off the blows of the sharp weapon. However, her family is still anxious about her recovery. They wish to take her abroad for better treatment. Her uncle Abdul Kuddus told bdnews24.com: "She appeared 'restless' this morning. She looked like she was in pain." "We want to take her abroad. But as the government has said that it will bear all her medical bills, we are urging for its cooperation." HRW calls for repealing of foreign donations law Staff Reporter : The New York-based Human Rights Watch has said that Bangladesh Parliament should repeal a new law regulating civil society organizations accepting foreign funds. It said, the new law [introduced in Bangladesh] subjects non-government organizations [NGOs] to comprehensive and arbitrary government control over their activities, stifling freedom of expression and other rights. "Bangladesh's international donors, who provide critical development assistance, should publicly call for the repeal of the law," the HRW said. The law, known as the Foreign Donations [Voluntary Activities] Regulation Bill 2016 [FDRB], came into effect on October 13, 2016. The law requires all foreign-funded NGOs, a category that describes development, human rights, and many other organizations, to submit virtually all activities for approval to a bureau under the Prime Minister's office, without clear criteria for grounds for rejection or a timeframe in which decisions should be rendered. Registration is similarly at the discretion of the bureau, and a last-minute addition to the law makers it an offense for NGOs to criticize the government. "The Foreign Donations Law is a shocking new initiative by a repressive government to make civil society to the government line, or risk being arbitrarily shut down," said Brad Adams, Asia Director of HRW. "The government claims it is committed to freedom of expression and pluralism, but then passes a law that would make an authoritarian regime proud." HRW and Bangladeshi NGOs have long expressed concerns about earlier drafts of this law. Gives the NGO Affairs Bureau the authority to review proposed projects by NGOs and order them cancelled; Requires prior governmental approval before anyone involved in voluntary activities travels out of the country for purposes connected with work on the project; Requires groups receiving or planning to receive foreign funding to register with the NGO Affairs Bureau, submit to inspections and monthly coordination meetings with its representatives, and seek approval for all planned activities before receiving the grant; and Imposes tough sanctions for non-compliance by both organizations and individuals, including fines, disciplinary action and cancellation of registration. A new element added since the draft law was circulated in 2014 makes "inimical" or "derogatory" remarks against the Constitution, the Parliament and other governmental bodies an offense. These terms are undefined, and could be used to limit any criticism of the government whatsoever. Any NGO found by the NGO Affairs bureau to have engaged in "inimical" or "derogatory" remarks can have its registration cancelled. Such a law clearly abrogates the rights of free expression which Bangladesh, both through its own Constitution and through its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is obligated to protect. The law is part of a sustained attack on civil society, particularly human rights organizations and other critics of the government. On October 19 statement Suranjit Sengupta, a leader of the ruling Awami League party, reportedly said that non-governmental organizations have no right to freedom of expression. The International Centre for Not-For-Profit Law (ICNL) has said previously that Bangladeshi procedures regulating NGOs are already plagued by delays, hurdles, non-transparency, and arbitrary decisions. The law comes during a sustained campaign by the government against political, media, and civil society critics which has led to an effective clampdown on any dissent from within the country itself, Human Rights Watch said. "The Bangladeshi government should be trying to create a welcoming and encouraging legal environment for NGOs in a manner that accords with international best practices and does not interfere with fundamental rights," said Adams. "Instead, it is treating NGOs like the enemy within. Requiring prior approval of projects, giving the state-wide discretion to deny projects and foreign funding, requiring approval for travel, and targeting critics are the Hallmarks of an authoritarian state - not a democracy," he said. JSC, JDC exams to be held under Edn Ministry Staff Reporter : The Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Junior Dhakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations-2016 will be held under the Education Ministry instead of the Primary and Mass Education Ministry. The JSC and JDC examinations will start from November 1 this year. Earlier, the government has decided to take the JSC and JDC examinations under Primary and Mass Education Ministry as a part of the initiative to turn the primary education up to Class-VIII. Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman Fizar informed the Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid through a Demi Official Letter (DO Letter) on Thursday. Mostafizur Rahman Fizar said, the Education Ministry asked the Primary and Mass Education Ministry to take the JSC and JDC examinations. But the Cabinet did not finalize the matter. That is why the examinations will be held under the Education Ministry. The Education Ministry officials told The New Nation yesterday that the ministry would not get any pain to take the responsibility of the examinations. "The ministry supervises the examinations. But, actually the boards arrange and maintain all the responsibilities of the examinations. So, we see no problem here," an official of the ministry said. Meanwhile, some officials of both ministries blamed the lack of coordination between the Education Ministry and Primary and Mass Education Ministry. They said that, it was unwise that the ministry changed its decision just before 12 days of the examinations only. CityCell operation shut by BTRC Staff Reporter : Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Thursday shut the spectrum of country's oldest mobile phone operator Citycell as it failed to pay dues. "We have suspended the spectrum of CityCell as the mobile phone operator in line with the Telecommunication Act for failing to pay government dues after getting the court order," State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim told the journalists at an emergency press briefing at BTRC office in the city yesterday. She said now the CityCell mobile phone operator does not have any scope to return back for operation. "We are going for the next steps in order to cancel its license," Tarana Halim said. BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said CityCell must have to pay the Outstanding bills. "There is no alternative but to pay the dues," he said. Earlier a team of BTRC officials accompanied by RAB and police went to the Citycell office in Mohakhali and cordoned off the head office of the mobile operator since 4:30pm yesterday. Later, they shut down the operation of Citycell. They also entered the office at Pacific Centre and shut down some equipment used to provide voice, text and internet services to the customers, sources said. Under government directive BTRC had decided to shutdown the operator's service at 12 midnight of August 23 for failure to pay outstanding bills of Tk 477.51 crore. On August 30, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court granted mobile phone operator Citycell two months more time to payback all of its dues to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Citycell's subscriber base shrunk to 700,000 in June, which is less than 1 percent of the total number of mobile-phone users. After the biometric registration of SIM cards, the operator now has 100,000 to 150,000 customers only, BTRC. On August 17, the BTRC issued a notice to Citycell asking to explain by 30 days why its licence for the operation would not be cancelled for its failure to pay dues. In 1989, a licence to operate telecom services was issued to Bangladesh Telecom Ltd (BTL). Investments from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunication Ltd came the next year, which was then re-christened as Hutchison Bangladesh Telecom Ltd (HBTL). In 1993, the then foreign minister M Morshed Khan-owned Pacific Motors, SingTel and Far East Telecom brought HBTL's shares. The company was renamed as Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd, with the brand name of Citycell. In 2012, when the regulators renewed its licence, the company was allowed to switch from CDMA to GSM for only a Tk 2 billion fee. The company also qualified to bid for 3G services, but did not take part as it failed to come up with the $20 million earnest money. But on August 22, the High Court extended the deadline, revising a government directive ordering its closure. In line with court's order, the country's first mobile phone operator was scheduled to pay two-thirds of its total dues by September and rest of the money within another 30 days. Earlier on July 31, BTRC served notice on Citycell to explain why it should not face legal action for not paying the dues and asked its subscribers to switch to other phones by August 16. Later, the posts and telecommunications division (PTD) gave another seven days allowing the subscribers to manage alternative connections by August 23. Citycell which had been offering service using Code division multiple accesses (CDMA) has now 1.50 lakh to 2 lakh subscribers after completion of ownership verification through biometric method. According to BTRC, the Citycell didn't pay the second and third installments of Tk 229 crore for 8.82 megahertz spectrum since spectrum renewal in 2012, which has breached the licensing terms. Besides, it has owed annual spectrum fees (from the year 2013 to 2016) Tk 27.14 crore, revenue sharing (2014 to 2016) Tk 27.84 crore, social obligatory fund (2011 to 2016) Tk 8.92 crore, VAT Tk 39.92 crore and late fee of Tk 135 crore. Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited under the brand name "Citycell" obtained license in 1989 where SingTel Asia Pacific Investment Limited has 45 per cent share while Far East Telecom Limited owns 23.57 per cent share and remaining 31.43 per cent share hold by Pacific Motor Limited. DU Ka-unit admission test today BSS, Dhaka : The admission test for the first year honours courses under Ka-unit of Dhaka University (DU) for 2016-2017 academic years will be held today. The test will be held in 87 centers inside and outside of the campus from 10 am to 11.30 am, a press release said here yesterday. A total of 90,427 admission seekers will vie for the test against 1745 seats under the unit to get admission in separate disciplines of science group, it added. Bringing mobile phone or any eclectic telecommunication devices in examination centers is strictly prohibited while a mobile court will monitor the examination to resist any fraudulence, it added. The seat-plan of the test is available on the university website admission.eis.du.ac.bd, the release added. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs. LPD headquarters Google Earth [Editor's Note: It seems there's more to this story about the selection of a new police chief for the city of Lafayette, including an apparent controversy over selection of someone to fill the newly created position of deputy police chief. Read more about that here.] Mayor Joel Robideaux could begin conducting final interviews for Lafayettes vacant police chief position as early as this week, according to information released Wednesday by City Hall. The six candidates certified as qualified applicants by the Municipal Fire & Police Civil Service Board in September were interviewed Monday and Tuesday of this week by a committee comprising Lafayettes current top criminal justice officials District Attorney Keith Stutes, Sheriff Mark Garber and LPD interim Chief Reginald Thomas in concert with the Robideaux administration, which earlier began conducting background- and reference checks on the applicants: Toby Aguillard of the Tangipahoa Sheriffs Office; James Benoit with Louisiana State Police; Forrest Blanton and Vaughn Burris of the LPD; UL Police Chief Joey Sturm; and Sammy Wyatt, LSU Office of Internal Audit. Stutes, Garber and Thomas are expected to advise Robideaux in choosing from the six candidates to conduct final interviews. As the three law enforcement officials that will work most closely with the new chief, I look to the D.A., sheriff and current interim chief for their unbiased and independent assessment of the candidates qualifications, Robideaux says. Given their history and respective roles in law enforcement, I value their professional opinions on this important matter. Al Lippman, 1938-2016 Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Those who knew Al Lippman best will tell you those are the words he lived by. His family describes him as a man who was slow to anger, and quick to forgive. The dapper dresser, who forged lasting relationships with state politicos of all stripes, leaves behind many lifelong friends. Al Lippman died Oct. 17 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. He was 78. Lippman spent his career as a Morgan City-area lawyer, having retired to Lafayette in recent years with his wife of six decades, Gail Poche Lippman. A world traveler who fancied exotic and exciting destinations, he most loved his fishing and hunting trips to Plum Bayou, Cocodrie and Pecan Island with family and friends. He relished the thrill of the hunt and the catch. He was also an avid antique collector. Lippman was a close personal friend to former Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster, having served as master of ceremonies for Fosters first inauguration in 1996. He also introduced Foster at his second inauguration in 2000. A Republican, Lippman also supported former Gov. Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat. Along with his wife, survivors include the couples three children, Beth Lippman Busbice and her husband Bill, David Lippman and his wife, Angie, and Karen Lippman; his nine grandchildren, Ryan Busbice and his wife, Laura, Matthew Busbice, Sarah Busbice Dickerson and her husband, Jesse, Michelle Lippman Boudreaux and her husband, Josh, Andree Lippman, Kelli Lippman, Michael Lippman, Ashleigh Schneider and William Schneider; five great grandchildren, Emma and Ella Dickerson and Christian, Madeline, Noelle and Chloe Busbice; his brother, Darryl Lippman and his wife, Lynn and his sister, Tanya Murray. Lippman was born in 1938 in New Orleans. He was a 1956 graduate of St. Stanislaus College Prep, in Bay St. Louis, Miss., and was valedictorian of his class. Lippman earned his undergraduate degree from UL Lafayette in 1960 and his juris doctorate from Tulane University School of Law in 1962 (recipient of full merit/academic scholarship). Lippman was a senior partner with the Morgan City law firm of Lippman & Mahfouz. He served as a board member of Whitney Bank (2011-14), as an advisory board member for Hancock Bank (2012-14) and on the boards and Executive Committee for Whitney National Bank and Whitney Holding Corp. (1998-2011), along with numerous other business interests, including real estate and investments. Funeral services will be held Friday, Oct. 21, at noon in Martin & Castilles La Fleur de Lis Chapel in Lafayette. Visitation is Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. until the service. Rabbi Barry Weinstein and Monsignor Richard Green will conduct the funeral services. Read the full obit here and more from The Advertiser here. Highlights of the many live music events taking place around Acadiana this weekend IND L!VE offers highlights of the many live music events taking place around Acadiana this weekend. BROCK MCGUIRE BAND Thursday, Oct. 20 Angelle Hall Doors: 7:30 p.m. The Brock McGuire Band will perform a concert of traditional and original Irish music on the UL Lafayette campus in Angelle Hall, Ducrest-Gilfry Auditorium, located at 601 East Saint Mary Boulevard in Lafayette, on Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 7:30 pm. JON HATCHETT BAND THE CADILLAC GRAINERS SABRA & THE GET RIGHTS Thursday, Oct. 20 Artmosphere Bistro Doors: 9 p.m. Artmosphere hosts Invasion of the Honky Tonks featuring The Cadillac Grainers, the Jon Hatchett Band and Sabra & The Get Rights. RAY BOUDREAUX & ZACHARY KIBBEE Thursday, Oct. 20 Blue Moon Saloon Doors: 9:30 p.m. Ray Boudreaux and Zachary Kibbee perform at the Blue Moon Saloon this Thursday. RHYTHMS ON THE RIVER: HIGH PERFORMANCE Thursday, Oct. 20 River Ranch Town Square Doors: 5:30 p.m. Rhythms on the River offer music, food and fun. This concert is free. No ice chests or pets, please. BACH LUNCH: LES FRERES MICHOT Friday, Oct. 21 Parc Sans Souci Doors: 11:15 a.m. For over 25 years the Lafayette Science Museum Foundation has provided a free lunchtime concert series for the whole family called Bach Lunch. Held every Friday 12 1 p.m. in Downtown Lafayette, Bach Lunch offers bag lunch options for purchase beginning at 11:15 a.m. from some of the areas local eateries coupled with live music from area musicians. Proceeds from the bag lunches go towards supporting the Lafayette Science Museum. DTA! WITH COWBOY MOUTH Friday, Oct. 21 Parc Sans Souci Doors: 5:30 p.m. Downtown Alive! is bringing back Cowboy Mouth to the Parc International stage this Friday. Cowboy Mouth is a one-of-a-kind rock group that always draws a crowd. Cowboy Mouth lives to tour with over 20 years of touring experience under their belt, performing 150 shows a year. Their high energy and love of the stage is sure to keep everyone on their feet having a good time. AFTER DTA!: MIKE & THE ROCKETS Friday, Oct. 21 Antlers Downtown Doors: 10 p.m. Mike & The Rockets will be performing downtown at Antlers on Jefferson Street right after Downtown Alive. $10 Cover Charge at 8:30 p.m. SICKBAY PRESENTS GRAND NATHANIEL & THE GHOSTS SHRUGS EASY AGE Friday, Oct. 21 Artmosphere Bistro Doors: 9 p.m. Admission: $10 Sickbay is proud to re-present Grand Nathaniel & the Ghosts and Shrugs performing live & dry with Easy Age on October 21st at Artmosphere! Doors open at 8! Music at 10. $10 or $7 with a recent receipt from Genterie Supply Co., Lagniappe Records, Parish Ink or Rukus. THIEVES OF SUNRISE JORDAN ANDERSON & DANE BROUSSARD Friday, Oct. 21 Blue Moon Saloon Doors: 9 p.m. The Thieves of Sunrise are rocking all the way to the Bayou to conclude their 2016 Rock & Soul Revival National Tour at Blue Moon Saloon. JAMIE BEGERON & THE KICKIN CAJUNS Saturday, Oct. 22 The Grouse Room Doors: 10 p.m. Theyve become one of the most sought after acts playing along the Gulf Coast and on any given weekend youll find JAMIE BERGERON & the kickin cajuns performing at most festivals, corporate events and clubs. KEVIN NAQUIN & THE OSSUN PLAYBOYS FOREST HUVAL Saturday, Oct. 22 Blue Moon Saloon Doors: 9:30 p.m. Forest Huval and Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys headline the Blue Moon Saloon this Saturday. LILLYBRAVE ISLE DERNIERE STEVIE BILLEAUD Saturday, Oct. 22 Artmosphere Bistro Doors: 9 p.m. Lilly Brave is a unique group of independent musicians who write and perform Soulful melodic Pop songs. POLLY PRY Saturday, Oct. 22 Cite des Arts Doors: 7 p.m. Toe-tapping, knee-slapping, tear-jerking folk/country band Polly Pry will perform on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at 7:00 p.m., at Cite des Arts, 109 Vine Street in downtown Lafayette. SICKBAY PRESENTS MINI HORSE CARBON POPPIES RAD WAGON Sunday, Oct. 23 Blue Moon Saloon Doors: 8 p.m. Admission: $7 Sickbay presents Mini Horse (Detroit) with Carbon Poppies and Rad Wagon at Blue Moon Saloon! $7, or $5 with any recent receipt from Lagniappe, Genterie Supply Co., or Rukus. Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. The Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of Vietnam should enhance exchanges on the experiences of governance and jointly improve the governance capacity, President Xi Jinping told a senior Vietnamese official on Thursday. Xi made the remarks while meeting with visiting Dinh The Huynh, the Executive Secretary of Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, one of the country's five key leaders. Mentioning that the two parties have similar missions and tasks, Xi said that enhancing high-level party-to-party communications could deepen and expand the strategic consensus reached by the two sides. The current China-Vietnam ties are developing in positive direction with improvements made in all areas, Xi said, adding that the two countries should cherish the friendship and make more pragmatic cooperation to benefit the people. Dinh said that it's the Vietnam's long-term policy and top strategic priority to strengthen Vietnam-China traditional friendship. Vietnam would like to enhance political trust and improve cooperative mechanism with China, he said. 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Not only used portable toilets for sale craigslist wallpaper, you could also find another pics such as. The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Join author Pat Fitzhugh at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 upstairs in the McCracken County Public Library, as he presents a discussion about The Bell Witch. Fitzhugh is the author of "The Bell Witch: The Full Account," which according to a news release from the library is "a detailed historical and journalistic analysis of one of Americas most terrifying and documented hauntings." "If you have lived in Kentucky or Tennessee, well anywhere, youve heard about The Bell Witch," the release says. "Fitzhughs book about the Bell Witch has become a staple of modern, history-based ghost research." Fitzhugh has over 300 radio and TV appearances to his credit. In 2006, he appeared in the motion picture DVD, An American Haunting, starring Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland. The author will be available for book signing after the program. This program is free and open to the public. McCracken County Public Library is located at 555 Washington St., Paducah. For more information, contact Bobby Wrinkle at 270-442-2510 or bwrinkle@mclib.net. CARBONDALE Although the Carbondale Downtown Master Plan has been adopted by the City Council, residents still had the opportunity to share more ideas about how they would like to change their downtown. At Old Train Depot on Wednesday, the city and Carbondale Main Street hosted an open house design charrette. The open house had representatives from the city, Main Street, business owners and local architects from the region to help guide residents' ideas. Carbondale City Planner Sarah Lawrence said in the master plan, there are some minimum design standards about how developments should be planned, but in brief instances. They dont really get into aesthetic styles, materials, or colors, she said. They are very basic. Lawrence said as one of the recommendations of the master plan was to design a more comprehensive set of standards so it can be ensured that future development adheres to what character the community envisions for it. The more information we can get from the public, the better we are, she said. Of course, she said, the city would have to determine what is realistic, and all ideas would have to be run through the City Council before anything happens. However, developing the new design standards was recommended, and the open house is the mechanism the city decided to use to gather information. The public has the opportunity to fill out a survey, and then write their ideas on several different design guidelines on a large white sheet of paper. The guidelines available for the public were: doors and entrances, awnings, canopies, signs, building materials and colors, building heights and widths, and building placement and orientation. Carbondale Main Street Executive Director Meghan Cole said when the city had a similar open house with master plan consultants Houseal Lavigne, of Chicago, it was looking at a much bigger scale. Now, the focus has become much smaller. This isnt the last open house of its kind. The city and Main Street will host another open house at the Old Train Depot on Nov. 9. MARION Students at Jefferson Elementary School in Marion hit the floor Thursday for an annual event educating students on how to prepare themselves during an earthquake. The students were part of the 491,449 in the state that participated in The Great ShakeOut, a national earthquake preparedness drill. "We have a registration portal where we see who is supporting The Great ShakeOut and we wanted to make sure that we were in Southern Illinois where the greatest impacts will be to make sure that the elementary students understand the importance of practicing (and preparing) for an event," said James Joseph, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. As Joseph spearheaded a classroom discussion with students from Mrs. Brown's fourth-grade class, they were enthused to learn and share what they knew about earthquakes and the impact it can have within the region. A student named Jared waved his hand in the air awaiting recognition from Joseph. Once acknowledged, the eager child shared his understanding of earthquakes and the fact that "they can happen anywhere at any time." "That's why it is very important for you to learn what to do in case of a fire, flood, or, in this case, an earthquake," Joseph added. After the discussion, Joseph hand-picked three students to review the action plan for the world's largest earthquake drill. After each student made note to "drop" to the floor, "cover" under their desks and "hold on" to the desks front legs, it was time for each student to put what they learned into practice. At about 10:20 a.m. the intercom screeched as Kimberly Brave, the principal of the elementary school, announced the beginning of the drill. As rehearsed, each student dropped to the floor and hid underneath their desks while holding onto the two front legs of their particular table. Joseph joined in on the drill by diving next to a student, who was peering out from under his desk located in the back of the classroom, and remained until the drill concluded some five minutes later. "It was cool," said Gavin Riddle, the student who was joined by Joseph in the back of the classroom. "I feel very confident about earthquakes now." Feeling a bit more confident about earthquakes herself, 10-year-old Lea Wong said she learned a lot of facts about the region in reference to earthquakes. "I learned that we have to get under a table or something sturdy if there is an earthquake, and that we're the second biggest fault line in the U.S.," she said. In an interview after the event, Joseph shared his enthusiasm about the school's participation and the students' consistencies to stick with the preparations during an actual occurrence. "Kids have saved lives because they have been consistent with the preparedness that they learn," he said. "I have a third- and first-grader at home in Chatham who are near and dear to me, so ensuring that kids know what to do and you find sometimes in emergencies even when adults are not agreeing with what should happen, it's the kids that (stick to the plan)." Growl at the Moon tickets on sale COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina State Museum will welcome guests to Growl at the Moon Thursday, Oct. 27, from 7 to 10 p.m. The event will feature the "Wizard of Oz 4-D Experience," a laser light show set to Pink Floyds "Dark Side of the Moon," a fortuneteller, live music and delicious food. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more or purchase tickets. Halloween Movie Night and Costume Contest in Branchville Oct. 27 BRANCHVILLE -- The Town of Branchville will present a Halloween Movie Night and Costume Contest beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, to be held at Branch Junction. Movies showing will be "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," and "Toy Story of Terror." A costume contest will be held at 7:30 p.m. with a cash prize awarded. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Trunk-or-treat event to be held Oct. 29 Orangeburg Parks and Recreation is hosting its first Trunk-or-Treat event at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. The event will be located at Hillcrest Recreation Complex Field D. This will be a free event with food and drinks available for purchase. As a bonus, Movie Night in the Park will show the new movie "The Jungle Book." The movie will be shown on Field C. If any business or organization is willing to participate in this event please contact Zachary Tarrant at 803-533-6020. Spooky Trails Halloween event Oct. 29 The Second Chance of Orangeburg Animal Rescue Coalition will hold a Spooky Trails Halloween pet costume contest and silent auction from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Southern Paws Pet Lodge on North Road. Entry fee is $10 for one pet and $15 for two pets. For an entry form, to volunteer or to donate an auction item, email cbs1008@aol.com or call 803-535-9600. Jack on the Track Oct. 31 SPRINGFIELD -- Jack on the Track, an annual event in Springfield, will be held on Monday, Oct. 31, Halloween night, from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. on the walking trail in downtown Springfield and has games, candy, and fun for all ages. Denmark marks Halloween with costume show DENMARK -- The Denmark Police Department is having a Costume Show Monday, Oct. 31, Halloween, at Jim Harrison Park from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. with candy being given out to children at the gazebo. The curfew for trick-or-treating in the city of Denmark will be 8 p.m. that evening. Google News returns (as of Oct. 18) 285,000 search results on the phrase "rigged election." It's a trending topic, run up the flagpole of public consciousness by media coverage of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's mouth. Sample, from an Oct. 17 rally in Wisconsin: "Remember, we are competing in a rigged election. ... 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." Three observations: First, this kind of rhetoric is dangerous, and not just in a notional manner. More than one country has descended into riot, revolution, coup or civil war territory over disputes about the integrity of its elections. Think it can't happen here? Think again. Secondly, this kind of rhetoric isn't new by any stretch of the imagination. In the United States, the claim has enjoyed growing persuasive power ever since 2000 when a Florida vote recount was halted by the US Supreme Court, thereby awarding the office of president to George W. Bush, who probably didn't actually win the election. Many Democrats ascribed John Kerry's 2004 defeat to voting machine manipulation in Ohio. In 2012, Republicans threw in with complaints over apparent voter intimidation at urban polling places in support of Barack Obama's re-election. Finally, Trump is not the only presidential candidate claiming that this presidential election is rigged. As far back as August, we have Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton saying things like this: "I think laying out the facts raises serious issues about Russian interference in our elections, in our democracy. ... For Trump to both encourage that and to praise Putin despite what appears to be a deliberate effort to try to affect the election I think raises national security issues." The Clinton version is a bit more subtle (and even less well-supported by anything resembling actual evidence) than Trump's. It's also at least as dangerous and possibly more so to the extent that it might serve as a casus belli for World War III. Trump is preemptively positioning himself to claim that a victorious Clinton and her party rigged the election. That could lead to fireworks. Clinton is preemptively positioning herself to accuse a foreign power of rigging -- or at least unduly influencing -- the outcome to her loss. That could lead to fireworks of a nuclear variety. Third party and independent candidates have the strongest complaints of election-rigging -- the Republicans and Democrats have colluded in suppressing all other parties for lo on 130 years now with restrictive ballot access laws and other dirty tricks. But those complaints aren't quite the gasoline-soaked pile of tinder that happens when the two wings of the ruling oligarchy have this type of falling out. We certainly live in interesting times. Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This site focuses on Republican politicians and conservatives that rip off their constituency. We have the Tea Party, fundamentalist churches, the corruption of ALEC and other special interests groups. But the site also supports progressive Democrats and the local Democratic Socialist of America. We must have ideas on how to replace regressive and corrupt politicians with something better. For comments steveotto2001@yahoo.com or ottozero2001@yahoo.com. By Azernews By Nigar Abbasova Hydrocarbon resources have long ago established their position of the predominant source of energy, constituting a lions share of the global energy mix. The recent developments in the black gold market, including more than a twofold drop in oil prices strengthened the assumption that the era of hydrocarbons is nearing its end, further adding to the idea that hydrocarbon-dependent world is a thing of the past. A combination of volatility in the oil market, long-term price pressures, environmental concerns, and rapid technical advances is among the main factors contributing to the growing appeal of renewable energy sources (RES). However, views on possible end of oil era and switch to alternative energy sources, as well as on whether energy sources may be efficient and profitable enough to replace hydrocarbons, and will they ever be able to replace traditional sources by 100 percent are very controversial. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said that there is no real reason for talking about the decline of the era of hydrocarbons, mentioning that there is no real basis for making such far-reaching conclusions, at least for now. Citing International energy Agency, he noted that in 20-30 years the world will remain the same hydrocarbon, and the demand for oil and gas will continue to grow, although not as rapidly as before. Putin, however, mentioned that the mankind is moving to the "green energy" and this is definitely the main and proper development path. RES includes solar and wind generation, bioenergy, geothermal energy and tidal energy. One of the main pluses of the use of such sources is that they are renewable so they will never run out. Moreover, environmental advantages of utilizing the alternative and renewable forms of energy can not be overestimated. Policy Analyst at European Policy Centre Marco Giuli told Azernews that RES sources are already plentiful, and upfront costs are going down to the point that discourse is now shifting from how to support deployment to remuneration in an oversupplied environment. Giuli also said that unfortunately, hydrocarbons are plentiful as well and their low cost poses a fundamental threat to a cost-effective deployment of RES. The main problem with renewable energy is that it often relies on the weather for its source of power, therefore, it has a seasonal character. In addition, the cost of obtaining renewable energy is by far in excess as compared to traditional energy generation. However, most experts agree that RES will inevitably increase its share in the overall energy balance due to environmental doctrines and technical progress. Guili mentioned that climate policies, with their large sets of instruments including targets, carbon pricing, support schemes may act as an accelerator but at some point in history a shift will be unavoidable anyway as hydrocarbons are an exhaustible resource. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), held in Paris in December 2015, established a new framework on the reduction of emissions, which became an additional sign that the end of fossil fuel may be near. Renewable energy is considered to be a vital component in a bid to move the energy sphere towards the low-carbon future envisioned in the Paris agreement. Co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS) Gal Luft told Azernews that the talk of the imminent end of an era of hydrocarbons is unrealistic. He said that the global transportation system is more than 90 percent dependent on oil and power generation is still vastly dominated by coal and gas. Most renewable sources are intermittent and therefore require backup of gas fired turbines. While non-fossil energy is growing by leaps and bounds RES is starting from a low base and it will take decades before significant penetration can occur. By Azernews By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijan, aiming to take advantage of its fertile lands, abundance of water and climatic diversity, keeps the development of agriculture in the top-priority and expands its international cooperation in the sector. The cooperation, as well as exchange of experience, is considered to be the main driving force for the sector development. Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said that the country seeks to study the experience of the Netherlands in the spheres of production, processing and packaging of agricultural products, as well as for the development of poultry farming and vegetable growing. Speaking at the meeting with Dutch Ambassador to Baku Onno Kervers, Mustafaev said that the countries have ample opportunities for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, industry, transport, environment, education and others. Agricultural sector of Netherlands is a global leader in terms of innovation and volume. The country generates some 7.5% of global exports in agricultural and food products, surpassed only by the US, while the figure is considered to be the sign of overwhelming performance for such a small country. Azerbaijan, which places a huge emphasis on the development of agriculture in a bid to diversify its economy may take advantage from the vast experience of the Netherlands in the sphere. The country plans to increase exports of agricultural products by entering the traditional markets with a larger volume and supplying the products to new markets. Mustafayev mentioned that good conditions have been created for entrepreneurs in industrial parks and zones and Dutch companies can also take advantage of these conditions. The Netherlands ranks fourth in terms of the volume of investments made in Azerbaijan. The country invested some $340 million in Azerbaijan over the last three years. Moreover, Dutch companies successfully operate in the areas of lakes restoration, water purification and other projects. Azerbaijan and Netherlands earlier signed a memorandum of understanding, which envisages strengthening of cooperation in agrarian sector, as well as implementation of joint projects and programs by the sides. The trade turnover of Azerbaijan with the Netherlands amounted to $90.4 million in January-September 2016, more than $32 million of which accounted for exports to that country, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. By Azertac President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral. Ambassador Erkan Ozoral reviewed a guard of honor. Erkan Ozoral presented his credentials to President Ilham Aliyev. President Ilham Aliyev then had a conversation with the Ambassador. The head of state hailed the fact that Erkan Ozoral has previously worked in Azerbaijan and will continue his activities as an ambassador to the country. President Ilham Aliyev expressed his confidence that the ambassador will spare no efforts to further develop Azerbaijan-Turkey bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev recalled with pleasure his meeting with Turkish President Pecep Tayyip Erdogan at the World Energy Summit which was recently held in Turkey. Saying Azerbaijan and Turkey were the closest countries on a global scale in terms of historical ties and today's realities, the head of state noted that our work is to further develop this relationship both on international arena and in the bilateral format and to strengthen this unity. The newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral hailed excellent relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, saying they reached the level of strategic cooperation and were based on brotherly ties. He thanked President Ilham Aliyev for supporting his country during the attempted coup d`etat in Turkey on July 15. The Ambassador said his country has always strived to elevate its brotherly relations with Azerbaijan to a higher level. Erkan Ozoral said he was honored to take up his mission as an ambassador to Azerbaijan, adding he will do his utmost to contribute to strengthening the bilateral ties. They discussed prospects for the development of the bilateral relations in a variety of areas, including transport, tourism, construction, agriculture and healthcare. By Trend Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not and can not be a subject of discussion, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in his interview with the head of the Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya, Dmitry Kiselyov. We will never agree with granting independence to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian side is well aware of this, Ilham Aliyev said. However, a reasonable compromise is possible by ensuring the security of population of Nagorno-Karabakh, implementation of various investment projects by Azerbaijan and a peaceful cooperation between the two peoples under the condition of liberation of territories beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region, said the president commenting on Kiselyovs question on how Azerbaijan sees the conflicts settlement. This corresponds to the proposals on which we are working and which have been put forward by the mediators, he added. Touching upon the main reason behind the conflicts remaining unsettled, President Aliyev said that over the past 24 years, since the OSCE Minsk Group was created, Armenia has in every way blocked any slightest progress in the negotiation process. Our position is that people should live there, where they lived. Because they lived there for a long time: the Armenian population lived there for 200 years, while the Azerbaijani people much more, but that is not the point. he noted. For example, 95 percent of the population in Shusha was Azerbaijanis. They were driven out, their houses were either captured or destroyed, and currently, other people live in their houses. This must end, said the president. The Armenian population of the Nagorno-Karabakh can live there as they lived before, we are not against that, he added. What benefit did Armenia have from this conflict? Millions of Azerbaijanis suffered, but did Armenians become happier from this, did it become more secure, more prosperous, of course not, said Ilham Aliyev. Without normalization of relations with Azerbaijan, there cant be development in the region. They will always live under certain pressure, thinking what if something happens. We want peace in the region and our position is quite constructive, but we want our territories back, he added. Armenia wants peace but it doesnt want to give back somebody elses territories. That is the difference. Undoubtedly, we cant provide anything more than this compromise, said the president. As I have already said, there can be no compromise on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but there can be a compromise on the issues of local self-government, self-government of the Nagorno-Karabakh, and in the future, if we agree, it can be an autonomous republic. The Armenian leadership is well aware of this, but they manipulate public opinion, create an image of the enemy, distort the essence of the negotiation process and present it in such a way that as if Azerbaijan wants to almost annihilate the Armenian population or to expel them. That is not true, Ilham Aliyev said. By Trend The OSCE monitoring held on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops passed without incidents, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said. The monitoring was held Oct. 20 under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the line of contact near Ashagi Abdurrahmanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov, Simon Tiller and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Nepokrytykh. On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Jiri Aberle, Peter Svedberg and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Major Christian Hirsch. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. City chief executive sees big benefits of dockside Everton stadium Thursday, 20 October, 2016 Liverpool council's chief executive, Ged Fitzgerald, has been extolling the virtues of a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in terms of regeneration of the area. Everton have been looking at brownfield sites in the docks area of Vauxhall over the past few months as they weigh up alternatives to remaining at Goodison Park and a delegation from the club, led by Farhad Moshiri and which included Chairman Bill Kenwright, CEO Robert Elstone, director Sasha Ryazantsev, and US-based architectural designer Dan Meis, toured Bramley-Moore Dock last week. Another site at Stonebridge Cross off the East Lancs Road in Croxteth is also under consideration but the north docks area is overwhelmingly favoured by supporters, among them current Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson, and Mr Fitzgerald put forward the case to an audience of potential investors at the Mipim UK conference in London yesterday. He argued that a 300m stadium development at Bramley-Moore Dock associated developments which would create an anchor point at that end of the river for the kind of transformation that the docks closer to the city centre have undergone in recent years and, later, he expressed to the Liverpool Echo his belief that from a regeneration point of view it's a fantastic opportunity. Article continues below video content I think there's some really exciting potential opportunities for that stadium in that location. That itself would create a massive magnet and anchor point for the regeneration of the wider North Liverpool area and would be a fantastic destination and attraction in its own right. And I say that even as a Liverpool fan. Though there has been no indication of a timeline for any decision over whether an Everton stadium at either location could be given the green light, Mayor Anderson has hinted in recent weeks that an announcement could come by the end of the year. Any dockside development would require a land-purchase deal with current landowner, Peel Holdings, who have earmarked Liverpool's north docks area for a 5bn regeneration and development scheme. Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer About these ads A fleet of Russian warships is heading towards the Mediterranean on a route past the British Isles as part of what is believed to be the countrys largest naval deployment since the cold war. It is not clear if the fleet will pass via the North Sea and the Channel or west of Ireland. It includes the aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov, which is reported to be carrying fighter bombers and is accompanied by several other Russian vessels. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe. The convoy was photographed by the Norwegian military as it journeyed through international waters on its way to Syria where it is thought they will participate in a final assault on the besieged city of Aleppo. The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday to join HMS Richmond in escorting the group on its voyage south. HMS Dragon, also a destroyer, is due to meet two Russian corvettes that were travelling north towards Britain from the direction of Portugal. It is understood that shadowing ships is regular business for the Royal Navy, who have been supported by Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft on this occasion. The Admiral Kuznetsov is Russias only aircraft carrier but is capable of hosting more than 50 aircraft and is equipped with Granit anti-ship cruise missiles. Photos released by the Norwegian navy, taken on Monday off its coast near Andoya Island, show that the aircraft carrier was accompanied by a nuclear-powered battle cruiser, Peter the Great. Two anti-submarine warships, the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov, were also present, alongside four support vessels. Russia has a naval base in Arkhangelsk, east of Norways northernmost point. A Norwegian newspaper, VG, quoted General Morten Haga Lunde, head of Norways military intelligence service, as saying the eight ships involved will probably play a role in the deciding battle for Aleppo. Royal Navy ships will continue to escort the Russian task group and provide a visible presence south through the North Sea and Channel as the Russian fleet sails through and carry out their flying operations, the MoD said. The UK is working alongside Nato partners to monitor the warships passing the UK this week. A senior Nato diplomat said that the Russians were assembling their largest naval deployment in decades with 10 ships already based off the Syrian coast. Citing western intelligence and speaking on the condition of anonymity, he told Reuters: 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. This is not a friendly port call. In two weeks we will see a crescendo of air attacks on Aleppo as part of Russias strategy to declare victory there. Vice-Admiral Clive Johnstone, the UK commander of Natos Allied Maritime Command, said allied nations routinely monitored activities of interest which includes the presence of Russian vessels close to national waters. This is in the interest of supporting our overall maritime awareness and safety of navigation in sea lanes of communication. Tass, Russias 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. It said the vessel would carry 15 Su-33 and Mig-29K jet fighters and 31 helicopters. True Nordic: How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada at the Gardiner Museum I went to the opening of True Nordic: How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada, the new show at the Gardiner Museum, last week. I was surprised and pleased to see on display a small Deichmann Goofus sgraffito plate I had donated in memory of my best friend Tim Egan, who died of AIDS in the mid 1990s. Tim was the "salt of the earth", a pretty capable potter himself and he is deeply missed. AIDS, like wars past, devastated my generation and he was the best among us. I gave my Deichmann piece to honour my friend and was very moved to see it in the show. One of the many nice things about Deichmann pottery is that it's normally very clearly signed on the back, making it easy to identify. Once you see the signature or just the DK initials and the NB initial for New Brunswick, it's hard to forget it. Their turquoise glaze is especially pretty. Deichmann Goofus figurine and pin dish - Gardiner Museum - True Nordic: How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada Erica and Kjeld were Danish potters who pioneered art pottery in Canada, working in rural New Brunswick. If you drove out to the East Coast between the 1940s and 1960s, you may well have bought something at their studio. They were the subject of two National Film Board documentaries. The Gardiner very cleverly has the 1961 The Story of Peter and the Potter showing; download the pdf study guide to The Story of Peter and the Potter NFB film and also the 1964 Crafts of My Province. They also had a solo show at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in 1991. The catalogue for that show is below and is full of wonderful photographs of their work and a detailed examination of their life: The Turning Point: The Deichmann Pottery, 1935-1963 = Le Tournant: La Poterie Deichmann, 1935-1963 If you want to read more about the Deichmanns and New Brunswick art history, you might enjoy "The Dignity of Every Human Being": New Brunswick Artists and Canadian culture Between the Great Depression and the Cold War". If you like Canadian ceramics (and who doesn't?), you will be interested in Studio Ceramics in Canada, 1920-2005. Written by the redoubtable Gail Crawford, this was the catalogue from another show at the Gardiner Museum and includes information on the Deichmanns among others. You should also look at On the Table: 100 Years of Functional Ceramics in Canada. I also found interesting the book Crafting New Traditions: Canadian Innovators and Influences, which includes chapters on the Deichmanns and the Oak Ridges lamp and fiberglass Bostlund family (see the great display at the Gardiner of their lamps lit up). It also has information on jewellery designer and Quaker refugee advocate Nancy Meek Pocock, who has a silver cut-out brooch with hanging birds and gems near the end of the show. Of course THE source of historical information on Arts and Crafts in Ontario is A Fine Line: Studio Crafts in Ontario from 1930 to the Present by Gail Crawford. She was at the opening and I overheard (eavesdropped?) a man say to her "your book is the most influential in this field". I wholeheartedly agree. A tour de force, well worth a read, but well worth buying as well (I have a copy, thank you Judy Pocock, Nancy's daughter). Beautifully written, it's erudite and engaging as well. A Fine Line: Studio Crafts in Ontario from 1930 to the Present There are in-depth, unique sections in the book on Nancy Pocock, metal workers Rudy Renzius and Harold Stacey and many others. For a Ontario (or Toronto) audience, it also really gives a sense of the evolving business and cultural side of studio crafts locally for the past 80 years. It was Crawford's research and book that helped me identify and place into context metal worker Andrew Fussell's chrome hand-hammered bowl that I own. If I have one tiny regret about the show, notwithstanding the Renzius covered dish, it is the absence of more everyday affordable items in pewter, copper, brass etc. in the early part of the show (and no pieces by Fussell). It was kind of amazing though to see the Carl Poul Petersen's Bronfman family tea service with samovar from the McCord Museum (see this link for more information about Petersen) and you can open this pdf to see more detailed images and information about this tea service. It makes the memory of buying Seagrams' Seven Crown and Crown Royal in the 1970s a bit sweeter. I also found very interesting the French language Arts decoratifs et design du Quebec: guide de collection, which is especially strong on 1960s-70s plastics (furniture and smalls) and the very intellectually rigorous The Allied Arts: Architecture and Craft in Postwar Canada. Both of these sources have information about fabric artist / weaver Mariette RousseauVermette who has a monumental work on display. Clearly, I am passionate about this subject, and realize I must write another blog post about the mid-century Scandinavian source material that is available at Toronto Reference Library. At the opening of the True Nordic show, the two curators, Rachel Gotlieb and Michael Prokopow, gave a very interesting talk. Dr Gotlieb spoke about the importance of doing archival library research. Our collection is rich and deep across subjects, time and also languages. But I will leave exploring that to the next blog post. There was a reference in the curator's talk and in the show of a seminal book and touring show called Design in Scandinavia: An Exhibition of Objects for the Home which covered Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. The exhibit visited several American cities, as well as Toronto and Ottawa in the 1950s (two Royal Ontario Museum curators were on the North American organizing committee). The ROM presented this show as part of a conscious policy to support further shows on American and Canadian modern design of the era, as seen by this excerpt from their 1954/55 annual report. The Toronto Reference Library has a copy of the 1950s Design in Scandinavia exhibition catalogue. You can read a lovely illustrated review of the show by Stephen Dale of the National Gallery of Canada Magazine here. Dubai-headquartered regional law firm BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates has launched UAEs first app to address queries related to value added tax under one platform. The VATs App was launched at the Gitex 2016, which concludes today in Dubai. The application is aimed at addressing the needs of people, who would want to know more about the impact of value added tax (VAT) on their business and once the legislation is final, have a simplified calculation tool. The app will soon be available on the Apple Appstore and Google Play Store. Senior management from the law firm are present at Gitex to answer the queries with regard to VAT and a host of other solutions within the legal framework, at Sheikh Saeed Hall S2-A21 and S3-A21. The UAE will start implementing VAT at a rate of five per cent from January 1 2018. VAT is an indirect tax and is levied on supplies of goods and services. Although certain business sectors such as education, medical services and social services will not be liable to charge VAT on their services and just over a hundred essential food items will be exempt from VAT, the implementation of VAT in the UAE will affect all businesses across the spectrum. According to the recent estimates by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a VAT rate of five percent would create additional revenue equivalent to approximately 1.5 per cent of the UAEs gross domestic product. Dr Ahmad Bin Hezeem, senior partner of BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP, said: This is a step ahead in the VAT direction. We are proud to be one of the sponsors of the 36th Gitex Technology Week and are equally delighted to launch our very first mobile application on value added tax. We received a lot of enquiries from our customers and we wanted to support them. Our team them decided to capitalize on the power of technology and created this useful app that will come in handy for the industry stakeholders while calculating their VAT. We look forward to working together with Smart Dubai Government to achieve its 2020 Dubai vision. VAT is a global phenomenon as it has been rolled out in over 150 countries which include the EU, Australia, Singapore, Canada, Malaysia and a number of Mena countries. VAT is charged at each stage of the supply chain cycle. This particular app is designed to collect information from the consumers, analyze their requirements and answer the queries with the click of a button, added Jimmy Haoula, managing partner at BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates. John Peacock, a senior associate and the contact person regarding VAT at this law firm, said: The implications of the imposition of VAT on companies is complex to say the least. Once registered for VAT, companies will have to charge VAT on all services provided which will include both once off and recurring provisions of services, such as, amongst others, monthly licensing fees charged. Against this VAT collected, all supplies and services on which VAT will be paid by the company will be able to be set off and the net VAT amount will have to be accounted for and paid to the government on a regular basis. Accordingly, there will be numerous administrative, legal and accounting function adjustments required to existing systems to enable the smooth transition into the VAT environment." From a corporate level, the existing business structures may not be efficient for VAT purposes and may lead to VAT being payable by the company due to its existing internal functioning and licensing agreements (especially between free-zone entities holding IP rights and on-shore entities operating under license of these free zone entities) which may lead to the company being out-priced in the market, the statement said. VAT awareness for all involved from management to sales staff will be imperative so that VAT issues are handled correctly to avoid unnecessary expenditure or even the payment of penalties by the company due to a lack of knowledge, unpreparedness and particularly contract conformity with the requirements for VAT. VAT will impact each and every aspect of any business enterprise in the UAE, whether registered for VAT or not. The law firm will inform the stakeholders with regard to the latest updates on VAT regulations through its website and social media platforms. Also as the new legislation is released, the law firm will provide for additional services and tools, to assist in this transition process, it said. Founded in 2001, the law firm addresses the legal needs of several sectors including corporate M&A, litigation, arbitration, banking and finance, commercial, construction, employment, fraud, insurance and reinsurance, intellectual property and real estate. Presently the app will ascertain the needs of the companies based on the information that they provide, such as the turnover of the company, nature of the sector among other information. The app is a handy tool for ascertaining the needs of clients regarding VAT and our team is well trained and equipped to answer all the queries that the stakeholders might have with regard to VAT, concluded Dr Hezeem, who was also the former Dubai Courts Director General. - TradeArabia News Service FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp and the worlds largest express transportation company, said it will support the 2016 Global Women in Leadership Economic Forum as its official Gold Sponsor for the third consecutive year. The forum will take place on October 24 and 25, in Dubai, UAE. This year, Nathalie Amiel-Ferrault, vice president of customer experience and marketing for FedEx Express Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa, will participate in the panel, Not Just CSR: Embedding Diversity in the Business DNA, said a statement from the company. The panellists will address the importance of diversity in corporate values, while highlighting best practices in creating an inclusive workplace at all levels of an organisation, it said. Amiel-Ferrault added: Our company was founded on a people-first philosophy, with the spearhead of connecting people, places and cultures. To meet the needs of our diverse customer base, we reflect their diversity within our organisation. Advocating for a diverse workplace enables us to offer equal opportunities to all, placing merit exclusively on talent and ability, he stated. FedEx policies and values have led it to be named in the UAEs top 15 Great Place to Work listing for six consecutive years, it added. TradeArabia News Service Egyptian Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has signed a partnership agreement with a leading Saudi organisation to set up an iron and steel factory in the Ain Sukhna region of Egypt at an investment of $1 billion said a report. As per the deal, Saudi International Expertise Association Academy will set up the new factory on a plot owned by the SCA. Once completed, the new Suez Canal for Iron and Steel plant will boast a production capacity of about 1.2 million tonnes of steel per annum, reported Amwal Alghad, citing a senior official. The partnership agreement is worth $500 million, while the contracted upon investments are estimated at $1 billion, stated SCA chairman Mohab Mameesh, after signing the deal with Saudi Prince Walid bin Saud Bin Mosaed Bin Abdel Aziz of the Academy. The new plant is set to be the core for establishing a complex for iron and steel industries, he added. SR Technics, a world leading MRO service provider, said that it has won a 10-year exclusive power by the hour (PbH) agreement from Volotea, the airline of mid and small-sized European cities. In addition to providing engine maintenance, repair and overhaul for the airlines CFM56-5B fleet, the company will offer in-service and on-wing support, said a statement from the company. All engine work will be completed at the MRO providers Zurich facilities, it said. The new agreement with SR Technics is part of the carriers re-fleeting plans. Volotea is currently flying a growing fleet of Airbus A319 with CFM56-5B engines, and is planning to rapidly expand this in the coming years, it added. The quality, flexibility and competitive rates of the service package were clearly important to the airlines decision to award SR Technics with the long-term engine contract, said a statement. We are very pleased to be awarded with this agreement from Volotea, says Frank Walschot, chief operating officer at SR Technics. Volotea has grown significantly in recent years, and while relying on our high-quality engine services, the airline can concentrate on expanding its route map and flying even more passengers, he said. We look forward to building on our collaboration to support Voloteas future growth, he added. Roman Pane, chief operating officer, Volotea, said: We are delighted to partner with SR Technics, which will ensure we get top-notch technical support for our expanding A319 fleet. Relying on such a strong partner will allow us to focus on our core business of transporting our passengers safely and on-time, he added. TradeArabia News Service Nissan Motor Company has completed its acquisition of a 34 per cent equity stake in Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) and became its largest shareholder. MMC will also become part of the global Alliance with Nissan and Renault. With the addition of MMC, the alliance will be in the worlds top three automotive groups by global volumes, with sales of 10 million units in fiscal year 2016, said a statement from the company. Nissan chairman and chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn announced that Nissan and MMC would collaborate on joint purchasing, deeper localisation, joint plant utilisation, common vehicle platforms, technology-sharing and an expansion of the companies combined presence in both developed and emerging markets. The combination of Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Renault will create a new force in global car-making, said Ghosn. It will be one of the worlds three largest automotive groups, with the economies of scale, breakthrough technologies and manufacturing capabilities to produce vehicles to serve customer demand in every market segment and in every geographic market around the world, he added. Ghosn predicted that through its partnership with MMC, Nissan would target synergy benefits worth 24 billion yen in fiscal year 2017, rising to 60 billion yen in fiscal year 2018 and beyond. The gains will contribute to increased earnings per share worth an estimated 4 yen per share in fiscal year 2017 and 10 yen per share in fiscal year 2018 on top of any earnings accretion linked to Nissans overall shareholding in Mitsubishi Motors. Nissan offered its assistance at the request of Osamu Masuko, president and chief executive officer of MMC, following the companys fuel economy crisis. The two companies have cooperated on kei-cars for the Japanese market over the past five years, said a statement. We are committed to assisting Mitsubishi Motors as it rebuilds customer trust, said Ghosn. This is a priority as we pursue the synergies and growth potential of our enlarged relationship. As part of this strategy, Nissan has nominated four representatives to the board of MMC, including Ghosn as chairman-elect. The other nominees are Hitoshi Kawaguchi, chief sustainability officer and head of global external affairs; Hiroshi Karube, global controller and global asset manager; and Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Nissans current representative on the Mitsubishi Motors board. At Masukos request, Yamashita joined the company earlier this year as executive vice president of development and as a member of its executive committee. Ghosn has announced a number of other management changes, effective November 1, to allow him to continue to focus on maintaining Nissans momentum in delivering performance, while at the same time supporting Masuko at MMC. Ghosn has proposed to the Nissan Board, which has approved, the appointment of Hiroto Saikawa, currently chief competitive officer, as co-chief executive officer. Saikawa will be succeeded as chief competitive officer by Yasuhiro Yamauchi, currently Alliance executive vice president of purchasing. Veronique Sarlat-Depotte, currently deputy to Yamauchi will assume the responsibility as Alliance executive vice president of purchasing and head of the Renault Nissan Purchasing Organisation. She will be supported by Makoto Uchida who will take responsibility for purchasing at Nissan. Also at the request of Masuko, the management team of MMC will be further strengthened by current Nissan Chief Performance Officer Trevor Mann, who will become chief operating officer of MMC. Mann will be replaced as chief performance officer by Jose Munoz who will continue as chairman of Nissans North American region. At a time of unprecedented change in the global auto industry, this strategy will build on our existing strengths and management capabilities to ensure increased competitiveness, better products for our customers and attractive returns for shareholders, Ghosn concluded. TradeArabia News Service The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an MoU with the Huawei International on the sideline of its participation in the 36th Gitex Technology Week that is concluding today (October 20) at Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC). The MoU was signed by Abdulla Al Madani, CEO of Corporate Technology Support Services Sector,RTA and Alaa El Shimy, managing director, Huawei Enterprise, Middle East. Al Madani praised the MoU considering it an important step towards stepping up the partnership with a renowned telecommunication provider at the local, regional and international levels, which would help RTA to build effective partnerships, and deliver improved services. The RTA has always been seeking to bring about happiness to clients and users of public transport means as well beneficiaries of its diverse and smart services. In accordance with the MoU, RTA would work with Huawei International on improving and keeping abreast of the technological trends worldwide. This would help RTA to achieve the vision of the Dubai Government in uplifting the profile of the Emirate towards becoming the smartest city in the world in three years, and boost its image as a global hub for finance, business, tourism and services, rendering it one of the leading cities in smart applications, said Al Madani. "The partnership between Huawei and RTA is based on a mutual collaboration to develop a strategic roadmap for innovative, transformative services that will fulfill Dubais vision to become a smarter, happier city, said El Shimy. "This collaboration will see Huawei leverage its global expertise in smart city deployments to support the RTAs vision to provide a more seamless experience for its commuters across its public transport system. We look forward to being able to implement Best of Class technological practices that can support the RTA with Smart roads and public transport initiatives with its Big Data and IoT analytics platforms that can ultimately, offer a personalized and optimized experience for UAE residents and for visitors attending mega events such as the Expo 2020, added El Shimy. TradeArabia News Service Several workers were injured in a fire at a Saudi Aramco crude oil processing facility near Riyadh on Wednesday (Ocotber 19), the company said. The fire has been controlled and the company's operations have not been impacted, it said. "Saudi Aramco emergency response teams have controlled a fire that occurred close to a tank at a crude oil processing facility located in Alwsea area, near Riyadh," the statement said. "This incident happened around 3:00 pm on Wednesday October 19, 2016. We regret to report that several injuries have occurred, all are being treated. "The Companys operations are not impacted. The company will release additional information as it becomes available," it added. Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh said 17 people were hospitalised, with three needing treatment in intensive care. A group of Italian investors has visited Iran to discuss business opportunities in the petrochemical sector with major local companies, said a report. The delegation was headed by one of the main shareholders of Fiat Automobiles Ernesto Paulio arrived in the southern Iranian city of Assaluyeh to hold talks with officials of Iranian petrochemical companies, added the Iran Daily News report. The visiting Italian delegation aims to investigate venues for investment in Iran's oil and petrochemical industries through large European banks, it said. Paulio expressed readiness to take advantage of major European banks for investing in Iran's petchem industries to launch a long-term bilateral cooperation. Bebuzzd, a new multi-store digital loyalty programme, launched by Blackhawk Solutions DMCC, a leading IT company based in Dubai, aims to provide local businesses with a simpler way to manage a cost-effective loyalty programme. The unique system would allow all businesses to be part of Bebuzzd, thus, helping consumers integrate a loyalty programme to one single common platform. The strategic launch of the programme comes in the wake of recent industry reports suggesting that UAE residents, both expatriates and Emiratis, spend more than five hours a day using social media - with 29 per cent accessing six to ten apps installed on their smartphones and other gadgets. With Bebuzzd, UAE consumers will benefit in terms of receiving key value additions and attractive incentives. With this unique programme, customers are at ones fingertip. This app is programmed to send customized digital vouchers, offers, event notifications to its customers with just one click through a digital clock. If your customer cannot make it, he can always transfer it to his friend digitally. Bebuzzd Managers app is touted as the strongest tool ever developed by the company, which would help managers to monitor their business even when they are travelling. It would ensure that none of the customers feedback goes unattended. Every feedback is received on the Managers app, which allows him to take action and respond live. Not just that, if a business or a company is running an offer or a promotion, Bebuzzd can send its customers the picture of the offer and provide live feedback about the effectiveness of the promotion with no additional cost. Abdul Nazeer, CEO of Bebuzzd said: Traditional loyalty programmes as we know them today, have reached the limit of their utility for both the consumers and for the merchants. They just do not stimulate loyalty anymore because customers earnings are fragmented across too many accounts, and that`s why merchants do not benefit. Customers are showing apathy to traditional concept (too complicated or demanding process of registration, hard to use, one more plastic or paper card in your wallet, and so on). It is in this context, we realised the importance to keep shoppers happy and to ensure that they keep coming back. Nazeer added that the company conducted a survey that suggests that it costs 500 per cent more to acquire new customers than it does to keep current ones and that cost of bringing a new customer up to the same level of profitability as an old one is up to 16 times more. Bebuzzd is meant to relieve consumers from carrying loyalty cards in their wallet. This new app represents an understanding of the fact that customer loyalty programmes need to be reimagined around common and traditional loyalty concepts in order to dramatically extend their value and increase participation among consumers. Bebuzzd has adopted the strength of a coalition loyalty programme--creating a digital community of unique brands and businesses. Everyone is digital today. Just like the rest of the world, the UAE and Dubai are being taken over by the mobile revolution as well. Take a look at the fact that in 2016, mobile subscribers exceeding 16 million subscriptions and mobile penetration of nearly 200 per cent, there is no wonder that the UAE is considered the second largest m-commerce market in the world," concluded Mujeeb Rahman, COO, Bebuzzd. - TradeArabia News Service Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa (PMMAF) is showcasing its latest version of wireless video intercom system expandable up to 7 monitors at the Gitex Technology Week, a major ICT show concluding today (October 20) in Dubai, UAE. Yasuo Yamasaki, director, System Solutions and Communications Division, PMMAF said: Home security remains a priority among regional consumers, who are fast adopting smart home technologies. The future of intercoms should be, as with many of the facilities in our house, integrated and connected with each other and the Internet. Our Video Intercom Systems are specially designed for creating a connected, comfortable, and safe home. The IP Video Intercom System is the latest product that Panasonic has introduced within the intercom category. It is a full IP system with a lobby station, door station and room monitor that supports PoE (802.3af). Suitable for large apartment systems it can support up to 2,000 devices with a control box and up to 200 devices without a control box. Additional features include email notifications, voice mails, visitor recording, easy installation and convenient maintenance. Panasonics Wireless Video Intercom System VL-SWD272 has many unique features which include picture recording, night vision, and voice changer options. The system can record up to 50 visitors with the capability to record eight still images per visitor, which can be displayed frame by frame, also, the night vision captures images in colour at night. These features ensure that you see every person visiting your home. Panasonics range of video intercom series includes premium wireless model VL-SWD501, smartphone connect model VL-SVN511, standard VL-SWD272 and wired model VL-SF70. TradeArabia News Service After eight successful wedding competitions, Crowne Plaza Amman hotel has announced the winners of the ninth installment of this competition, titled Win Your Wedding with Crowne Plaza Amman. For the competition, Crowne Plaza Amman has joined forces with the official airline carrier Royal Jordanian, Feelings Wedding Planner and Al Alami Wedding cards to present future brides and grooms with the ultimate fairytale wedding. The winning couple (away from the country), Hussam and Zeina Al Zubi was announced during a raffle event at Crowne Plaza Amman whereby they will enjoy a fabulous wedding party including rich buffet, customised cake and one fancy night in a Junior suite at Crowne Plaza Amman, two airline tickets by Royal Jordanian to enjoy their honeymoon, LED dance floor, lighting, DJ and photography by Feelings Wedding Planner and last but not least 150 customised design wedding cards by Al Alami Wedding Cards. The competition kicked off end of July 2016, where couples could have the chance to win by booking for their weddings at Crowne Plaza Amman between July 17, 2016 until October 13, 2016 for weddings to be held during October 15, 2016 until February 28, 2017. Crowne Plaza Amman is conveniently situated in Amman, and is firmly established as a business and leisure hotel. Crowne Plaza Amman boasts 279 guest rooms and suites, five restaurants and lounges to satisfy all tastes and styles, and has many services and facilities to offer its guests. A complete business and meeting facilities are available including complimentary internet access as well as The Spa which includes a state-of-the-art gym and many spa services are available to relax and rejuvenate. - TradeArabia News Service Experiential travel encompassing the adventure, culture, heritage, wellness & spa and cruise tourism segments, which are currently trending globally, will be adopted as the official show theme for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, taking place in Dubai. Travellers are increasingly looking beyond conventional leisure programmes and itineraries and actively seeking out atypical experiences that deliver a true taste of local culture. This growing trend is now on the radar of the regions tourism chiefs as destinations face increased competition for their share of the more traditional travel segments and are increasingly looking to diversify their proposition into new and niche markets which require product differentiation and innovation, said Simon Press, senior exhibition director, Arabian Travel Market. ATM 2017 will integrate the experiential theme across all of the show verticals and activities, including focused seminars and roundtable events, featuring dedicated exhibitor participation. The Middle East has an abundance of authentic local experiences to offer from overnight stays in a stone house in remote Omani villages to Old Dubai walking tours that search out the best street food. We also want to create awareness of how to convert concepts into viable commercial realities, to broaden the appeal of Middle East destinations, increase their visitor numbers and revenues, which can support sustainable economic development, said Press. Marketing to experiential travellers will be an integral part of the ATM Travel Tech seminar programme. Developing new communications strategies is a must to reach out and engage with these consumers, who by the sheer nature of their choice, are unconventional, tech savvy and mobile. So connecting through relevant content via social media platforms, blogs, vlogs and peer-to-peer recommendations as well as third party endorsements, will be examined in depth, added Press. Industry professionals throughout the Middle East region are keen to look for new and niche markets, especially in the short to mid-term as Dubai in particular, continues to grow its hotel supply unabated. According to STR, at the end of August 2016, Dubai had grown its room stock to 85,500 across 403 hotels, which is putting added downward pressure on rates as hotels compete for occupancy, with little respite ahead as room supply is set to rise further to between 140,000 and 160,000 rooms by 2020. ATM - considered by many industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, witnessed a year-on-year visitor attendance increase of 8 per cent to over 39,800 in 2016, with 2,520 exhibiting companies, signing business deals worth more than $2.5 billion over four days. ATM 2017 will build on the success of this years edition with the announcement of an additional hall as Reed Travel Exhibitions looks to add to its record-breaking achievements earlier this year. One new feature is the Chief Information Officer Summit and ATM 2017 also welcomes back the UNWTO & ATM Regional Ministerial Summit as well as other popular features such as the Leaders Breakfast, Global Stage, Wellness and Spa Lounge (which has grown by 40 per cent and now includes 35 international suppliers and 35 Middle East specialist buyers) Travel Agent Academy, Buyers Club and the Bloggers speed networking events. Arabian Travel market forms part of the World Travel Market Portfolio, and comprises of the leading leisure travel events in the world; World Travel Market London, WTM Latin America in Sao Paulo and WTM Africa in Cape Town, plus recently launched WTM connect Asia in Malaysia, exclusive hosted buyer 1-2-1 meetings events. ATM 2017 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 24-27. For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2017, log on to: www.arabiantravelmarket.com. - TradeArabia News Service Rotana Group's Centro Capital Centre & Capital Centre Arjaan in Abu Dhabi have welcomed Sami Savanur to his new role as cluster assistant director of Marketing and Communications. An Indian national, Savanur previously held the role of marketing executive for Centro Sharjah before being promoted to his new role. He has completed his MBA from James Cook University, Singapore and has been working with Rotana Hotel Management Corporation since 2014. As cluster assistant director of Marketing and Communications, Savanur will lead the marketing strategy encompassing digital marketing, guest engagement, hotel activations, CSR and brand alliances. Together with the hotels' management, he will work towards strengthening the positioning and increasing awareness of both hotels in compliance with the company standards. I earnestly look forward to this exciting opportunity of working with two renowned brands of Centro and Arjaan, Savanur said. "It will be a great experience to work on positioning the hotels individually and to strive towards increasing their prominence collectively in the Capital Centre district of Abu Dhabi. - TradeArabia News Service E. Albertsons neighborhood meeting Saturday A neighborhood meeting will be held at 2 p.m., this Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Center to discuss a proposed halfway house/clean and sober house in the 200 block of S. Minnesota Ave. Please bring your concerns to discuss. Blue ribbon school celebration Fort Caspar Academy hosts a National Blue Ribbon School celebration at 2:45 p.m., on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the Academy, 4100 W. 38th St., in Wolf Creek. Audition for family Christmas play Stage III Community Theatre will hold auditions for its December production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, at 2:30 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 23, and at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, Oct. 24, at the theatre, 900 North Center Street. There are roles available for four men, six women, eight boys and nine girls. Childrens roles range from age 5 up through early teens. Auditions are open to everyone no special preparation or prior experience necessary. The show is directed by Kristina Young and tells the story of a couple who is putting on a church Christmas pageant. Theyre faced with casting the Herdmans probably the most inventively awful kids in history. Theres mayhem and fun in equal doses as the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on! A copy of the script is available for review at the reference desk of the Natrona County Public Library. Most rehearsal times for children will be scheduled early, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Parents and children are encouraged to participate together, and parents are welcome at rehearsals. There are also lots of backstage positions available that wed love to have parents (and others) help out with. For more information about Stage III, please visit www.stageiiitheatre.org. Vision screenings for children Jensen Eye Care is offering no cost, no obligation vision screenings for school-age children from now through the end of November. The screening will be held at Dr. Jensens office, 3101 SW Wyoming Blvd., close to the CY Ave & Wyoming Blvd. intersection across from Sutherlands. Because vision is so important to the learning process and because many school-age children have undiagnosed vision problems, the doctors and his staff have committed to screening school-age children for vision problems. It has been Dr. Jensens experience that school screenings are very good at picking up vision problems with nearsighted children, but are not very effective at picking up farsightedness. Farsighted children tend to struggle in school. They are often the children who work below their potential in school and sometimes are misdiagnosed as having attention deficit disorders or hyper-activity issues. As school continues, it is important to make sure your childs vision is what it ought to be. If you would like your child to participate in this free vision screening, call 265-7008 to reserve time. Puppy kindergarten starts An obedience class just for puppies is being offered through the Casper College Community Education Department on Monday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Oct. 24 through Dec. 5. Puppy Kindergarten (CMSV 2110 80) is specifically designed for puppies ages 6 months to 1 year and their owners. Instruction will include socialization, house training, mouthing, good nutrition, come when called, good manners, the importance of vet care, and more, according to instructors Jana Oler and Dawn Miller. Owners are asked not to bring their puppy to the first session, and will be asked to sign a liability release form and provide proof of rabies vacation for each puppy, according to Oler. Registration is currently underway for Puppy Kindergarten at Casper College. For more information or to register, contact Laura Ryan, community education specialist, at 268-3399 or lburnett@caspercollege.edu. Dog obedience class starts A class aimed at creating great companion dogs is being offered at Casper College beginning Tuesday, Oct. 25. Dog Obedience (CMSV 2100 80) will provide instruction on socialization, house training, mouthing, and good nutrition. It will also help train dogs to come when called and to develop good manners. The importance of veterinarian care, and many other topics will also be covered, according to instructors Jana Oler and Dawn Miller. Dogs of all ages are allowed in the class, however dogs less than a year old are encouraged to take Puppy Kindergarten, says Oler. Owners are asked not to bring their dog to the first session, and will be asked to sign a liability release form and provide proof of rabies vacation for each dog, Oler notes. Classes will be held each Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., through Dec. 6 at Casper College. Registration is currently underway for Dog Obedience at Casper College. For more information or to register, contact Laura Ryan, community education specialist, at 268-3399 or lburnett@caspercollege.edu. NARFE sets social Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a no-host social meeting at noon on Oct. 25, 2016, in the meeting room of the Casper Senior Center, 1831 East 4th Street. NARFE meets Nov. 29 Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a business meeting at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016. Please note the date has been changed from November 22 to 29. The program will be given by a representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Following the BC/BS presentation, we will have our business meeting at which time election of officers will be held. All members are urged to attend. Entrepreneurial spirit roundtable Breakthrough 307 sponsors its free entrepreneur meet up from 6 to 7:30 p.m., on Thursday Oct. 27, at The Wyoming Technology Business Center, 2435 King Blvd. Join us for a short presentation with Amber Pollock from Backwards Distilling Company where she will kick off our discussion of challenges and rewards with some first hand experience of each. After that, group up with fellow entrepreneurs and our team of Breakthrough 307 Connectors for an hour of facilitated roundtable discussion where you will have the opportunity to collaborate, commiserate, and connect with fellow entrepreneurs. Come share your experiences, hear from others, get inspired, make meaningful contacts, and get involved in the early stages of this exciting ecosystem. Space is limited for this event, RSVPs are required by Oct. 25. Please RSVP to info@breakthrough307.com Gymnastics at rec center begins Improve coordination, strength and flexibility with the Casper Recreation Centers gymnastics classes beginning October 29 or November 1. The Gym Jam class for toddlers age 2-4 and their parents is held on Saturday mornings from 9:15-9:55 a.m. This class will create an enriching parent/child environment focusing on movement, tumbling, games, music, and social interaction. Tot Tumbling is for ages 3-4 and held on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:10 p.m. Children will have fun learning to tumble and be introduced to gymnastic equipment including balance beam, vault and bars. Youth Beginning Gymnastics is for ages 6 and over and is held on Wednesdays from 5:15-6:15 p.m, or Saturdays from 10:00-11:00 am. Advanced Beginning/Intermediate Gymnastics is for ages 6 and up who have taken the beginning class and have permission from the instructor to move up. The class is held Saturdays from 11:05 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Children will work on tumbling moves, balance beam, vault and uneven bars. Dont delayclass sizes are limited, so register today! For further information or to register for upcoming classes, please call the Casper Recreation Center at 235-8383, register on line at www.activecasper.com or stop by 1801 E 4th St. Good Shepherd sets unity service Oct. 30 The community is invited to a special service for encouraging greater unity between Lutheran and Catholic churches in our region on Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m., at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 51 Primrose St., in Paradise Valley. Lutheran churches around the world will mark Martin Luthers posting of the 95 Theses in 1517 with special services on Sunday, Oct. 30. This will set the stage for the 500th observance next year, which will be observed by many Catholic and Lutheran Churches worldwide. Join us for this special service as we take a major step towards recognizing how many Catholic and Protestant churches now recognize more of the things we share in common. During the Oct. 30 service, members of Good Shepherd and Pastor Jack will read from the Common Prayer developed by the Lutheran World Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. In the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity document From Conflict to Communion, we read, The church is the body of Christ. As there is only one Christ, so also he has only one body. In the Common Prayer, we read, Encouraged by the Second Vatican Council, Catholics gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments from our common heritage which are found among our separated brethren.... In this spirit, Catholics and Lutherans embrace each other as sisters and brothers in the Lord. Together they rejoice in the truly Christian gifts that they both have received and rediscovered in various ways through the renewal and impulses of the Reformation. For more information on the church, visit our website at: goodshepherdlutheranchurch.biz One-night country swing set Casper College will offer Country Swing: Intermediate (CMSV 0039 80) as a one-night workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Taught by Machelle Holloway, the class will run from 7 to 9 p.m. and costs $15 per person. The class is open to anyone who has taken the Country Swing I class offered at Casper College. Students must register with a partner and teens are welcome. For more information call Laura Ryan, community education specialist, at 268-3399. Small flock, fiber management symposium How to raise sheep and goats, and process and spin fiber will be covered in the second annual Small Flock and Fiber Symposium Oct. 28 and 29 in Casper. The symposium is sponsored by University of Wyoming Extension and runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 28, and concludes with a dog and puppy command demonstration on Oct. 29. The $20 fee covers all materials and lunch on Friday. Reservations are required by 4 p.m., on Oct. 25. Call 235-9400. All Friday sessions will be held at the Natrona County Extension Agricultural Resource and Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. Topics include an overview of the states fiber industry by the Wyoming Wool Growers Association, starting a flock without land, how much forage a flock requires and using guardian animals with flocks. Mountain Meadow Wool Mill will present best custom fiber processing choices for small producers. For more information, call Scott Cotton at 235-9400 or email scotton1@uwyo.edu OLLI offers class for caregivers A class to help caregivers learn how to take better care of themselves and an alternate option to provide outside care will be offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Casper College on Friday, Nov. 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. The class, Surviving the Holidays as a Caregiver (OLLI 3001 01) will be taught by Marilyn Conner, who says that students will learn how to avoid burnout when caring for someone else. In addition, the class will take a field trip to Central Wyoming Hospice. Central Wyoming Hospice provides respite care for anyone who needs it, not just those who are terminally ill, says Conner. Knowing there is respite care available if you need it can make the holidays easier on your entire family, notes Conner. For more information or to register, contact Vicki Pollock, lifelong learning specialist at 268-2097 or vpollock@caspercollege.edu; or Karen Arnold, lifelong learning specialist, at 268-2099 or karnold@caspercollege.edu. Casper Fire Chief Kenneth King announced his retirement Wednesday, hours after apologizing for sending an email asking an investigator to delete bad parts from video evidence of the Cole Creek Fire. King will step down Jan. 2, 2018, the city announced. City Manager V.H. McDonald received and accepted his retirement letter Wednesday. The announcement came hours after Kings apology for the email. I deeply regret my insensitive words and lack of judgement, King wrote in a letter released after noon Wednesday. Words simply cannot express how truly sorry I am for the way my actions have offended and embarrassed members of the community and the City organization. King sent the email in October 2015, but it only became public when the Star-Tribune published a story about it on Oct. 9 10 days before Kings announcement. Mayor Daniel Sandoval said he learned about the chiefs retirement Wednesday. He said he knew McDonald had been wrestling with a decision about the chief, but the city manager had not shared many details with him or the Casper City Council. Sandoval said he was fairly sure the chiefs retirement was connected to the email, but couldnt say for certain. Maybe it was a mutual decision, maybe some pressure was applied, Sandoval said. The chiefs retirement was the best way to handle the controversy surrounding the email because it eases the transition between chiefs, the mayor said. I believe the thinking was that if you just come right out and fire the head of the department, it leaves that department in disarray, he said. And thats not something you do with a department that is a matter of public safety. King has been fire chief since July 2013 and has worked in the department since 1980. The process to find Kings replacement will begin immediately, according to a city announcement. Chief King has long been dedicated and committed to fire service and the community, McDonald said in the release. I appreciate Chief Kings earlier apology to the community and believe it to be sincerely heartfelt. King sent the email to fire inspector Devin Garvin on Oct. 14, 2015, as crews were still working to extinguish the Cole Creek Fire. The blaze had begun three days earlier when embers from burning wood chips escaped the city landfill and ignited the nearby prairie. The flames spread into rural Evansville, destroying 14 homes and charring about 10,000 acres. At the time, Garvin was helping collect evidence for the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the state fire marshals office. Could you cut out the bad parts, and make sure that no copies are made and only DCI views? King wrote in the email. The city turned over the email along with more than 1,000 others as part of Star-Tribune public records requests made this spring and summer. In an interview with the Star-Tribune this summer, King said the email was a joke. It was a joke, and it was a bad joke, King said this summer. And it was just between me and Devin to try to make light. I just got done telling him where some evidence was and then I just answered him. There was no thinking. In his letter Wednesday, King called the email inappropriate. While I cannot take it back, I can assure you that this scar will guide my future actions as I strive to serve the community with the highest degree of professionalism and commitment, King wrote in his letter. Tammy Clark, who lost her home and multiple animals in the fire, said she thought the apology was hollow and late. It happened because he was caught, not because he feels it with his soul, she said. Clark said she wants to see the chief back up his words with action. Has he been out here to help? she asked. Has he stopped at any of these houses and asked if we need help? City officials have declined on multiple occasions to say whether they had investigated Kings conduct or whether he had faced any disciplinary action, referring to city policy that bars them from discussing personnel matters. Speaking before the retirement announcement, McDonald declined to answer when asked if he personally had anything to say to those who are frustrated with the way the city handled the fire or to those who lost their homes and say they feel forgotten by city. The issue is under litigation, so I have no comment, he said. At least 24 claims related to the fire have been filed against the city, totaling about $1.7 million, city spokeswoman Tanya Johnson previously told the Star-Tribune. The city handed over the claims to its insurer, the Wyoming Association of Risk Management. State law caps the citys liability at $500,000, though losses are estimated to rise into the millions. Sandoval said he understands the frustration the fires victims have with the city but said the city does not have the power to change the limit. I understand their frustration because the claims they have are so far in excess of the $500,000 cap thats a terrible disadvantage, he said. All the bureaucracy can do is dole out disappointment, he said. Victims of the fire have until Oct. 10, 2017, to file claims as well as lawsuits. Almost a month after the fire, Tracy Belser who was then support services director and is now an assistant city manager sent an email to several city officials and asked that they stop using email to discuss the fire. Belser did not offer an explanation for the decision in her email but later told the Star-Tribune it was meant to encourage better communication and not an attempt to keep the emails out of the public record. Emails from city accounts are considered public record and can be viewed by anyone who requests them, including journalists and attorneys. African Trade Insurance Agency officially open for business in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe At a press conference, the CEO of the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) , George Otieno, along with H.E. Dina Mufti, the Ethiopian Ambassador and Gabriel Negatu, Regional Director, African Development Bank announced today that it is ready to begin covering transactions in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. After a year-long process that was supported with funds from the African Development Bank, both countries are now members. The announcement will give investors crucial comfort to start or continue doing business in these countries. ATI was established in 2001 by African governments and a range of other shareholders to ease the concerns of investors by providing a range of investment and political risk insurance products. In the case of Ethiopia, one of Africas fastest growing economies, ATI will help the country maintain its status as one of Africas biggest success stories. The $66 billion economy has been expanding as much as 10.3 percent annually over recent years, according to the International Monetary Fund, with a dip to 6.5 percent last year due to drought. Ethiopia has also been successful in attracting large manufacturers such as Unilever NV, Diageo Plc and Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) and has taken the lead in export of agricultural products. For Zimbabwe, membership in ATI would give a boost to the countrys quest to attract foreign direct investments. I have no doubt that our membership will contribute to Zimbabwes current efforts to reduce the cost of doing business by making political risk and credit insurance, as well as non-payment and FDI cover readily available to exporters, importers and investors, noted Industry & Commerce Minister Mike Bimha. He also noted that his office had been inundated with inquiries from the private sector and potential investors on how they could access ATIs insurance services. The African Development Bank is pleased to have financed Ethiopia and Zimbabwes membership into ATI. The affiliation with ATI will attract prospective investors with additional guarantees to participate in the priority areas of powering & lighting, feeding, industrializing and integrating both countries. It will also help improve the livelihood of millions of Ethiopians and Zimbabweans, noted Gabriel Negatu, African Development Banks Regional Director. In both countries, ATI has a current project pipeline estimated at over one billion USD, which is expected to double in the short-term based on existing demand for its products. Prospective projects include a 400 MW solar energy plant in Ethiopia that would contribute to the countrys carbon neutral growth plan to improve the living conditions of its citizens. And in Zimbabwe, ATI is considering a line of credit targeting commercial banks that will allow them to increase their lending volumes. I believe our entry into Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, particularly at this time, sends a powerful message to investors. Our presence signals that both countries are open for business because we are standing beside them as a credible and internationally-respected insurer with an A rating from S&P. This should be positive news to anyone interested in doing business in the either country, noted Mr. Otieno, ATIs Chief Executive Officer. ATI provides political, investment and trade credit risk insurance and surety bonds to clients doing business in its member countries. The products are created to help countries attract more investments and to promote domestic trade by providing insurance that mitigates against sovereign risks and specifically, currency inconvertibility and exchange transfer, expropriation, trade embargoes, non-honouring of contracts and payment default risks among others. Companies and investors interested in learning more about ATIs products and services can send an enquiry to AfricanRisks@ATI-aca.org. www.ATI-aca.org Candidates for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives will debate at Casper College. For more information, click here. When: 7 p.m. today, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Where: Wheeler Concert Hall in the Casper College Music Building. If you go: The event is free, and the public is encouraged to attend. Moderator: Dale Bohren, Star-Tribune executive editor Watch live: The debates will be broadcast on the WyomingPBS network and streamed live at Trib.com. Sponsors: Casper College, the Casper Star-Tribune and WyomingPBS. CHEYENNE Attorneys for a Cheyenne teenager who shot a man in the head at point-blank range are appealing their client's conviction. Public defenders representing 17-year-old Phillip Sam submitted documents to the state Supreme Court last week arguing why the conviction should be thrown out. Sam was sentenced in January to life in prison in connection to the Oct. 5, 2014, death of 19-year-old Tyler Burns. Sam was convicted in August of first-degree murder and 12 counts of aggravated assault and battery with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors say he took a gun to a pre-arranged fight at a park, fired the weapon at a group of his peers and then approached Burns and shot him in the head as he pleaded for his life. Sam's attorney argued that Sam acted in self-defense. GILLETTE A 34-year-old Idaho man has pleaded not guilty in a Wyoming court to six counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor. Timothy B. Duelke, of Shoshone, Idaho, entered the plea during his arraignment in District Court last week. Authorities say the charges against Duelke stem from when he lived in Gillette in 2009 and 2010. An investigation had started in 2010 but was stalled when Duelke left Gillette. The case was reopened in December when an attorney called the Campbell County Sheriff's Office about an unrelated case. Investigators tracked down a woman who says she was younger than 18 when she had sexual relations with Duelke and became pregnant. According to court papers, DNA tests confirm Duelke is the child's father. CHEYENNE Wyoming has the largest gender wage gap in the United States. On average, women in Wyoming earn 64 cents for every dollar a man earns. In some Wyoming counties, its even lower than that. Crook County has the widest wage gap. Women in that county make an average of 52 cents for every dollar a man earns. In Laramie County, women earn an average of 74 cents for every dollar a man earns. Now a few nonprofit organizations across the state are taking steps together to decrease that wage gap. The Wyoming Health Council, the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and Laramie County Reproductive Health have joined forces to create a collective impact initiative to address the issue. Jody Sanborn, a prevention specialist for the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, is a representative working on the partnership. Collective impact initiative is when groups of people come together across disciplines because they have a shared vision and mission, she said. They work collaboratively with a common agenda to share resources. Those different agencies or organizations might have different ideas on how to come to that outcome, but reinforce what the other organizations are doing. Susie Markus, executive director of the Wyoming Health Council, said the wage gap can contribute to conditions that place women and children at risk. It can keep women in abusive relationships, for instance, if the woman cannot earn enough to support her children if she leaves. Markus said the same organizations have been working through a collective impact initiative to increase prevention of sexual violence, which she said goes hand in hand with the wage gap. She said they took a step back to the wage gap after reading comments Rep. Gerald Gay, R-Casper, made to a Casper journalist about the wage gap. According to interview transcripts published by Better Wyoming, Gay said, Men and women have different ways of going about taking time off moms for maternity leave and that sort of thing. Women are always going to take their full maternity leave, and theres the dependability issue about whether theyre going to show up for things. He also said that women abuse the work system by taking every sick day available to them. Some of the misuses and abuses that go on there, and its predictable, its statistics that are written in stone, he said. In response, Markus said, What he said is in support of (gender) norms women are responsible for their own inequality in the workplace. Gay later placed blame on Better Wyoming and said the article was agenda-based, according to information published by the Casper Star-Tribune. Sanborn said, There was this urgency of the issue to address it collectively, with whats going on politically. And she also stressed that the wage gap affects much more than just how much a woman is paid. I think that whats great about this (partnership) is it would allow us to come together as a united front in addressing not just the wage gap, not just sexual violence work. It would allow us to say all our issues are connected at the core. Markus said they are in the beginning stages of the work the initiative will undertake and the representatives still need to meet to form solid plans, but she expects the first steps will be to start spreading information about the gender wage gap. That is the direction the groups took in their work on sexual violence prevention. Regarding that work, Markus said, I feel like we have made a big difference. As such, she believes the work on the wage gap will be successful as well. Sanborn said she hopes more organizations will join the initiative as they learn about it. Its all important. We as communities as society we need to care. We can be more powerful as a group than as individual organizations. JACKSON The Wyoming Secretary of States Office alerted county clerks to require an undetermined number of people to provide proof of citizenship before allowing them to vote, stirring anger from some who say it has deterred people from casting ballots. State Election Director Kai Schon said some noncitizens can apply for drivers licenses and that information did not make it into the voter registration system until recently, making it necessary to ask some people to show they are qualified to vote. Prior to this year, there was no means of validating whether or not individuals registering to vote with a Wyoming drivers license were citizens or not, Schon wrote in a letter to a critic Tuesday. The state alerted the Teton County Clerks Office to check 59 people early this year. The office has notified them to provide citizenship confirmation before they can vote in next months general election. Schon did not say how many voters statewide were told to verify their status. Isabel Zumel, an advocate for Teton Countys Latino community, has written to Secretary of State Ed Murray saying the move prevented some voting in the August primary election. She told Murray she knows of three people who received notice requiring them to provide proof of citizenship. One of the people got very upset, Zumel said. I think it just made her so upset that she decided not to go forward and show the proof. The effort did not target a specific ethnicity, Teton County Clerk Sherry Daigle said, but she has received some angry calls from people who had received citizenship and had to go register to vote. It wasnt singling any specific people out at all, she said. It wasnt malicious in any means. The state used drivers license information from the state Department of Transportation to identify people who were originally registered as non-residents, temporary aliens or resident aliens, Schon said Wednesday. The election director said some of the people on the lists may have subsequently become naturalized citizens. He said the state undertook the project to satisfy concerns of county clerks around the state that no non-citizens be allowed to vote, although he said hes not aware that any has. Carbon County Clerk Gwen Bartlett, president of the Wyoming County Clerks Association, said the verification effort was a joint project between the association and the state. She said a person who may be in the state for six months on a work visa can get a drivers license. Its really no different than a felon, if somebody had registered that was a felon, and our system does those checks to make sure that we dont have felons on the roles, and then we notify them and say, Hey, theres a potential that you may be a match to a felon, Bartlett said. She said she believes her office notified about five people in Carbon County and hasnt received any complaints. Schon said the verification effort wasnt intended to hurt or benefit any political party. The secretary of state is a Republican, as are the other four statewide elected officials. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by roughly 154,000 to 44,000, according to the latest figures. In a state with a small population, and with outcomes of local elections having margins as slim as 10 or fewer votes, anything that impedes qualified voters from registering and voting is significant and can ultimately affect the outcome of local elections, Zumel said in her letter to Murray. Editor: Voters in House District 57 face an important choice in the upcoming general election Knowledge and experience versus an unknown, inexperienced newcomer. Heres what we know about Audrey Cotherman: She has lived in Wyoming for decades and has years of education including a doctoral degree. Audrey has many years of work experience, community involvement, and volunteerism. She has owned her own businesses and worked in governmental endeavors. Audrey has informed voters about her commitment to affordable health care, public education, public lands remaining public, growing the state economy and jobs. Her opponent, on the other hand, has filled neighborhoods with signs. He has provided little or no clear information about his positions on health, education, public lands, the state economy and jobs. Her opponent is a newcomer to the state, having lived in Wyoming for four years. He clearly lacks depth of experience in business or government. Again, about all we have seen are a multitude of signs. We dont know why he is running for election. How does he plan to help voters in House District 57 and Wyoming? What legislation does he intend to introduce? One might only assume that Audreys opponent is depending on name recognition and the fact that he is a member of the pre-dominant political party in Wyoming to win the election. Fortunately, we know that Wyomingites have a long and proud history of voting for the person and not exclusively the party. Voters in House District 57 are encouraged to learn about the candidates, their strengths, differences, and experience. Having done that, I am confident they will realize that Cotherman is the clear choice in the Nov. 8 election! The venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack jet, a mainstay of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, has won a powerful new ally in Congress in the fight to save the aircraft from early retirement. During a visit to Tucson on Wednesday with Arizona Rep. Martha McSally, House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said the A-10 is safe from proposed retirement in pending versions of the main defense authorization bill for fiscal 2017. And Thornberry said the A-10 will keep flying for the foreseeable future, if he has anything to do about it. Speaking at the gate of Davis-Monthan Air Force base with military aircraft soaring overhead, Thornberry said there is broad support in Congress to keep the A-10 to fulfill an urgent need for close air support of ground troops. Built for close air support, the A-10 already has a strong supporter in Thornberrys Senate counterpart, John McCain, who with McSally and others has helped block Air Force plans to retire the aircraft to save money. Backers say that with no ready replacement to provide the kind of slow, loitering and lethal air support the A-10 offers, retiring the Warthog would put troops lives at risk. I see, personally, no option but to provide that close air support. This is the aircraft thats done it, it has some unique capabilities, but were not going to send people into combat without it, thats the bottom line, said Thornberry, who toured D-M for the first time on Tuesday. I think were going to have A-10s for a long time. My sense is, the argument has turned in Congress, on both sides of the aisle, he said, giving McSally credit for leading the charge to save the A-10 as a freshman member of the Armed Services Committee. Thornberry, who became chairman of Armed Services last year, said he supports a McSally amendment in the pending version of the defense policy bill, requiring comparative test of close air support capabilities between the A-10 and the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Thornberry said he also supports another McSally amendment to the defense appropriations bill, that would provide $100 million to resume a program to upgrade wings on existing A-10s whose airframes are reaching their maximum service life. He predicted the A-10 retirement prohibition and the rewinging proposal will make it through the lame-duck Congress after the election as part of a larger budget deal. Earlier this year, Air Force brass said they would delay the planned final retirement of the A-10 fleet by three years, to 2022. But McSally, a Tucson Republican and a former A-10 combat pilot, said that without the rewinging upgrades, the Air Force would have to start scrapping A-10s by fiscal 2018. New wings have been purchased for more than half of the roughly 280 A-10s in the fleet, under a billion-dollar program awarded to Boeing in 2007. Along with other upgrades, the rewinging was intended to keep the A-10 flying until 2028, before the Air Force decided to mothball the aircraft. Another McSally amendment in the pending House version of the defense authorization bill would require the Air Force to conduct a fly-off between the A-10 and the F-35 to compare their prowess at close air support. The measure would require the Air Force to certify a switch to F-35s for close air support wouldnt add risk to troops. It simply makes it conditional, McSally said. Were not going to put one more A-10 in the boneyard until we have a fly-off competition, side by side between the F-35 and the A-10. Though McSally stressed features that make the Warthog more survivable, such as extra armor and redundant controls, the Air Force says the plane cant survive in areas with sophisticated air defense systems the F-35 is designed to evade. After visiting the Armys Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista on Tuesday, Thornberry toured Raytheon Missile Systems plant at the University of Arizona Tech Park to view production lines for the Navys Tomahawk cruise missile and other weapons. He later met with the DM50, a local support group for the base. Wednesday morning, Thornberry and McSally met with officials of the Arizona Technology Council to talk about opportunities for small- to medium-sized businesses in the defense acquisition process, McSally said. Later at D-M, Thornberry got to climb around the cockpit of an A-10 and visited the operations of the Air National Guard 214th Reconnaissance Squadron, which remotely pilots unmanned aircraft in combat zones from its base at D-M. The local base is on the short list to land further drone remote-piloting squadrons, McSally noted. The Texas Republican also was shown the 309th Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Groups aircraft boneyard, the 612th Air and Space Operations Center, D-Ms EC-130 Compass Call electronic jamming planes, and visited the bases combat search and rescue squadrons. McSally noted that while D-M has been associated mainly with the A-10, D-M hosts many critical capabilities that are in high demand, while offering easy access to major training ranges in Southern and Central Arizona. She noted that the 612th Air and Space Operations Center, a unit of the D-M-based 12th Air Force, has been managing Haiti hurricane-relief efforts as part of its mission to coordinate air operations for the entire Air Force Southern Command. Thornberry, a rancher who has no military background, said he learned much and was impressed during his visit. The diversity of the missions here, and the ranges, the terrain benefits, all of that was very impressive, he said. I dont think I had a full understanding before coming here and talking with the people who perform those missions. McSally said Thornberry was also shown some areas that need budget attention, such as an inadequate jet-maintenance area that has been neglected for lack of construction funding. Theres some to-do lists that come out of this visit for me, that help me understand better and put greater emphasis on some of the upgrades, whether its the (A-10) upgrades or facilities, Thornberry said. Thornberry also said he was impressed by a showing of community support for D-M. I come away very impressed not only by what the men and women serving in the military are doing, but also the community support that helps them do that, he said. Thats a key factor in todays military and obviously its a strong positive in this area. Tucson community and business leaders worry that the loss of the A-10 mission would make D-M vulnerable to the next round of base closings and have launched a larger lobbying effort to advocate for new missions for the base and a public-education campaign to rally community support. Thornberry said in an interview that a base closing and realignment, or BRAC, will not be approved by Congress this year, noting that continued expenses related to the last major BRAC round in 2005 have left a bitter taste in lawmakers mouths. Instead of a full-scale BRAC, the Pentagon may make smaller, targeted facility cuts, he said. Thornberry said he has a very good working relationship with McCain. Employees at El Rio Community Health Center are mourning the loss of their longtime chief financial officer Celia Sarabia Hightower. Hightower died Oct. 12 of pancreatic cancer. She was 62. In the 29 years Hightower spent overseeing finances at El Rio, which has a history of caring for disenfranchised populations, the nonprofit never lost money. That was no small feat considering El Rio was coming out of a bankruptcy, comprised one location and had a budget of less than $2 million when Hightower joined the organization in 1987. In those early years, Hightower also acted as chief operating officer. Her passion for El Rios work fueled the energy she put into balancing its books. The community feels that this is their clinic, and theyve embraced it, Hightower told the Star of El Rio in 2005. We have generations of family members coming and we treat them with dignity and respect. When she retired Sept. 30, the budget was $135 million and the organization was up to 14 campuses. We have never lost money any year on her watch, said Nancy Johnson, who is the CEO of El Rio. Many of the employees here she hired 17 or 20 years ago, and there have been wonderful, heartfelt messages about how she believed in them and supported them in their education. El Rio is part of an organization of federally qualified health centers called Community Health Best Practices LLC, which recently set up a Celia Hightower Scholarship in her honor. The scholarship will fund educational opportunities for El Rio employees. Hightower was an early advocate for creation of the Pima Community Access Program (PCAP), which helps provide health-care options for people without insurance coverage, Johnson said. She also oversaw El Rios financing of a major purchase and move buying the downtown Manning House and relocating administrative headquarters there. In 2013, Inside Tucson Business named her CFO of the year. Celia lived her life with a passion, whether it was El Rio, traveling with her family, being with her grandsons or dancing, Johnson said. She was a breast cancer survivor and was very involved in influencing our work around mammography. Every October we have free mammography on Fridays. She did a lot of fundraising in the community, and was just a very passionate individual. She got behind everything 110 percent. Hightowers friends and family described her as capable, energetic and always someone one could count on to get the job done. She was born and raised in Tucson as the eldest of five children and learned responsibility at a young age because both of her parents worked, said her husband, Penn Hightower. The couple was married for 46 years. The couple met as students at Sahuaro High School. They graduated in 1972 and married in 1976, shortly before Hightower earned her nursing degree from the University of Arizona. She later went on to earn a dual MBA/MIS degree, also from the UA. In 2014 she was inducted into the Sahuaro High School Hall of Fame. Every job she ever interviewed for she got, her husband said. She was amazing, beautiful, intelligent and capable. Before joining El Rio, Hightower worked as a nurse at a Phoenix area hospital before becoming a trauma nurse in the emergency room at Carondelet St. Josephs Hospital in Tucson. After earning her graduate degree, Hightower got experience in the financial world working for Bank of America. Penn Hightower said his wife was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2013. She had surgery and was back at work by April. If El Rio didnt mean anything to her she wouldnt have gone back, he said. It was like part of her extended family. When she turned 62 on Aug. 23, Hightowers co-workers threw her a dual retirement/birthday party. Hightower wore a tiara. In addition to her husband, Hightower is survived by two daughters: Kristina Menzies of Boulder, Colorado, Sandra Hightower of Tucson and three grandsons. Maybe its the desert. Or perhaps the community. For whatever reason, the Tucson area is heavy with visual artists. And over the next four weekends, artists in and around the city will throw open their doors and invite you in to browse, study, ask questions, and maybe even to buy. For nearly 30 years, the Open Studio tour had been an undertaking of the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona (formerly Tucson Pima Arts Council). It had been held on one weekend, but has grown into a massive project with too many artists to contain to two days. Last year, some of the artists started organizing neighborhood tours. This year the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance is working with the artists to organize a series of studio tours. SAACAs marketing expertise and grant money provide by the Arts Foundation will help get the word out. The studio tours are spread over four weekends, each devoted to a specific geographic area. That means we get to see more art without racing from one end of town to the other in one weekend. Meet some of the artists who are waiting to meet you. Gary LaCroix has plans to show the first two weekends of the Open Studio Tour, the first at his home studio (402 E. Burrows Place), the second with the Tucson Pastel Society (2447 N. Los Altos Ave.). His works scream color and are rich with shapes. I do a lot of meditation and sometimes I see images, says LaCroix. Other times, he just picks up a pencil and begins to draw. This oil on canvas, Near Death Experience, is from his latest series, which highlights knots. Susan J. Wischmann shares BlueSkies Studio with three other artists (101 W. River Road); it will be open on the first weekend of the tour. The one-time school librarian and art teachers paintings evoke the whimsical animal images that pop up in childrens books. Pieces like this acrylic painting, Rodger-Dodger the Coyote from Arizona, are packed with a sort of joy that runs off the page. Wil Taylor pulls images for his paintings and prints from the Southwest, often allowing the viewer a new perspective on our land and the myths around us. The one-time middle school art teacher was trained as an illustrator, and you can see that discipline in his work. You can also see an imagination that gives a twist to his subjects, such as this gesso on print, Raptor Rapture, which gives this sense of soaring with a key to unlock mysteries. He will show his work at the Gilded Cage Gallery (3473 N. Nandina Lane) the second weekend of the tour. Sally Krommes is a painter who recently took up photography. It was the saguaro cacti that pulled her in that direction. Out in the desert not too long ago, she took a good look at a saguaro. As I got closer I saw the way cactus had grown, had survived the sun, and the amazing textures and surfaces that are there, she says. Usually, we see this as a western symbol but I was drawn to it as more of an abstract work. Her studio (2416 E. Mabel St.) will be open the second weekend of the tour. Tina LeMarque has been painting since she was a young girl. I paint from what I call an inner landscape, says LeMarque, who is also a psychotherapist. My primary thing is I come out with very large and very bright-colored canvases. As an example: The piece here, Pink Path to the Sun, is an oil on a 5- by 7-foot canvas. She opens her studio (5612 N. Mina Vista) on the third weekend. At the core of each of Noreen K. Dziats pieces is the gourd. But youd never know it: she transforms them into works that speak of the Southwest. Some are functional, such as keepsake boxes, and some long to be hung, such as her masks, and this piece, Lion in the Cholla. Her studio (4802 W. Paseo de las Colinas) is open on the first weekend of the studio tour. Chandika Tazouz draws and paints indigenous people from around the world. Her portraits reflect her global travels, and her intent is to capture the respect, grace and dignity of her subjects. She often lives with and learns from those in a community before she begins to draw. Her oil, Amor de Madre is among the pieces that will be at her studio (4500 W. Speedway, No. 5) on the first weekend of the tour. Leanne C. Miller turns to the natural world for the inspiration for her abstract paintings. Her acrylic on paper here, Movement of Water, evokes the fury and beauty of a Tucson monsoon it isnt hard to imagine the calm right behind that wall of water. Her studio (826 N. Venice Ave.) will be open on the second weekend of the tour. Ron Nelson has participated in Open Studio tours since they started almost 30 years ago. Hell be open the fourth weekend (524 N. Ferro Ave.), and has whipped up some ceramic cups with thumbs for handles for the occasion. Nelson is the ultimate recycler: He makes the paper he paints on, using old newspapers mixed with leftover house paint. The cast paper is the most time consuming process in creating his art. It takes about three months to make a casting of paper, he says. Its built up like plywood. When the paper is ready, he paints. This piece, Prickly Pear with Butterfly, is acrylic on top of his paper. Tucson Meet Your Birds, a free event Saturday at Sweetwater Wetlands, will showcase the beauty and importance of the areas abundant bird life and offer an opportunity to learn the basics of bird-watching with guidance from members of the Tucson Audubon Society. Presented by the society and Tucson Water, operator of the wetlands, the 7 a.m.-1 p.m. event will feature bird-watching along tree-lined paths and ponds at the 20-acre site northwest of the Prince Road exit from Interstate 10. Audubon Society birding experts will be stationed around the wetlands with spotting scopes to help visitors see birds, and binoculars will be available for visitors to borrow. Wildlife rehabilitation groups will have live birds available for viewing, and Tucson Water representatives plan to offer information on water conservation and wetlands operations. Several food trucks will provide refreshments for sale. This event is designed to create an easy opportunity for birds to touch peoples lives. said Karen Fogas, executive director of the Audubon Society. Many Tucson locals dont realize that southeast Arizona is an important region in our country that hosts over 500 different bird species throughout the year. Jennie MacFarland, bird biologist with the society, noted some of the birds that visitors might see at the wetlands. We are at the tail end of fall migration so there are still a few moving through, and our wintering species are starting to show up, MacFarland said. Well see yellow-rumped warblers, orange-crowned warblers and waterfowl such as American wigeon and northern shoveler, that spend the winter here in Tucson. This time of year is a great moment of transition. The spotting scopes will provide a pretty amazing close-up view of birds, said Sara Pike, marketing director for Tucson Audubon. To see the details of colors and feathers can really turn someone on to noticing a bird they may have overlooked otherwise, Pike said. PHOENIX Federal appellate judges on Wednesday questioned assertions by attorneys for the state and its Republican Party allies that a new law outlawing ballot harvesting does not target minorities. Assistant Attorney General Karen Hartman-Tellez argued that the law, approved earlier this year, is a legitimate and legal effort by the Republican-controlled legislature to ensure the integrity of elections. She conceded that making it a felony to collect the ballots of others might result in some inconvenience. But Hartman-Tellez said there was no proof that minorities would be harder hit. Judge Sidney Thomas said that ignores evidence that 14,000 people living on the 2.8 million acre Tohono Oodham reservation have no postal service. Thats a significant barrier thats different from the barrier that white citizens would have in Phoenix, he said. Theres no comparative white group, Thomas continued. Theres no white reservation. The judge also noted a similar situation in the largely Hispanic border community of San Luis. Hartman-Tellez said there are white-majority rural communities that also lack household mail delivery. But even if that were not the case, she told the three-judge panel that none of that is enough to void the law that took effect in August. There isnt a single declaration, anything, from a person who says, Im going to not be able to vote now that this law is in effect, or that Its going to be much more difficult for me to vote, she argued. The law makes it a felony, punishable by a year in state prison, to collect the voted or unvoted ballot of another. The only exceptions are for relatives, members of the same household and certain caregivers. That question of how the law affects on minorities is important because the lawsuit filed by the Arizona Democratic Party and its allies relies on a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act making it illegal to enact changes in election laws that have a disparate effect on the rights of minorities. Hartman-Tellez pointed out that U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Rayes, in refusing last month to stop the state from enforcing the law, concluded there was no quantitative evidence to show minorities were more likely to be harmed than anyone else. But appellate Judge Sandra Ikuta said theres a small problem with what Rayes ruled. She said theres nothing in the law that requires challenges to offer up such hard data. Thomas said that leaves courts to weigh what evidence it does have. He said in this case that includes sworn affidavits that allowing others to collect their ballots is mostly used by Latinos and Native Americans. There also are similar statements from legislators representing affected areas. And I dont see anything on the other side of the coin that its heavily used by anybody else, Thomas said. Sara Agne, representing the Arizona Republican Party which intervened to defend the law, told the appellate judges it is justified because it helps protect against election fraud. Its in the states interest to have that chain of custody information, she said. Thats one of the reasons the state has implemented this sensible election regulation. Agne said a majority of other states have similar laws, though only a handful make it a felony like Arizona. Bruce Spiva, representing the Arizona Democratic Party and its allies, told the judges that fear of fraud is not enough to impose this kind of burden. This law might disenfranchise thousands of people on the one hand, he argued. On the other hand, not one single instance of fraud has been shown. Spiva also told the court they need to consider Arizonas lengthy and infamous history of discrimination among its minority citizens. The appellate judges could rule within days. That is because early voting already has started in Arizona and, along with it, the restriction on who can return someone elses ballot. Challengers to the law also raised another issue in their legal papers. They pointed out that election officials throughout the state have said they have no intention of trying to enforce the law. Were not police, Pima County Elections Director Brad Nelson told Capitol Media Services when the law took effect. And Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell said her staffers will process ballots as theyre brought in, whether one at a time or with one person having multiples. In their legal papers, challengers say the result is that the Arizona Republican Party is training poll watchers to use it to interrogate and intimidate voters who may have to show up in person to drop off their early ballots. Agne, in her own legal brief, told the appellate judges to ignore that claim. To be categorically and unequivocally clear, the (Republican) Party does not use, implement, or permit its member or volunteers to use or implement any harassment or voter intimidation tactics, she wrote. (SAN DIEGO) A 2011 Salpointe Catholic High School Graduate and Tucson, Arizona, native recently returned to the United States from an overseas deployment with the largest amphibious warship in the Navy. Ensign Shea Livingston, is a surface warfare officer serving aboard USS Boxer (LHD-4), based in San Diego, California. As a surface warfare officer, Livingston is responsible for driving and operating the ship while also leading a group of around 30 Sailors in her department. The part I love the most about my job, is leading and mentoring Sailors and its also pretty cool to drive a 40,000 ton warship and have the Captains faith that you are capable to do so, said Livingston. Boxer is an amphibious assault ship that resembles a small aircraft carrier. When deployed overseas, it is designated as the flagship of Combined Task Force 151, the international anti-piracy task force pursuing pirates off the coast of Somalia. Boxer is famous for playing a critical role in the rescue mission of Capt. Richard Phillips on April 12, 2009. U.S. Navy SEALS and other special operations forces from USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) rescued Phillips who was later transferred to Boxer for medical evaluation and care. This successful rescue mission was portrayed in the 2103 movie, Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, and featuring crewmembers from the USS Boxer. The ship is armed with two semi-active radar-guided NATO Sea Sparrow missile systems (NSSMS) for anti-air warfare protection, two rolling airframe missile (RAM) systems and two Phalanx close-in weapon-system (CIWS) mounts to counter threats from low-flying aircraft and close-in small craft. Its 844 feet long 106 feet wide, displaces more than 40,000 tons, and reaches speeds in excess of 23 miles per hour. As a member of the U.S. Navys amphibious assault ship, Livingston said she is proud to be part of most capable amphibious force in the world. This is my first ship and it will always be important to me and where I will learn the most, said Livingston. The chain of command is always great and very helpful in ensuring I am developing to my full potential. Sailors jobs are highly varied at sea, according to Navy officials. More than 1,000 crewmembers keep the ship running smoothly, which includes everything from maintaining engines, handling weapons, and flying aircraft. Serving in the Navy, Livingston is learning about being a more responsible leader, and sailor through handling numerous responsibilities. The recent deployment offered the opportunity to experience cultures from around the world. The Navy has helped me see the importance of serving your country and the role the Navy plays in defending it, said Livingston. Its also taught me how to be selfless and put others before myself because as a leader, you have to take care of the people you are leading. A Sheriffs Department sergeant who also is head of the deputies union is suing Pima County and two officials he says have failed to produce documents related to a complaint he filed against Sheriff Chris Nanos more than six months ago, documents show. In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Pima County Superior Court, Kevin Kubitskey says County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry and Human Resources Director Allyn Bulzomi wrongfully denied his access to public records. On Feb. 26, Kubitskey, president of Pima County Deputy Sheriffs Association, made a verbal complaint of bullying and workplace violence against Nanos and other members of the command staff, after a human resources employees told him that a written complaint would be delivered to Nanos. Kubitskey participated in an in-person interview a few weeks later, after which he received no additional information about his complaint, according to the suit. On July 11, he contacted the investigator who interviewed him, asking for the status of the report. Two weeks later, he received a reply that the report was complete and sent to the chain of command for signatures. On Aug. 24, Kubitskey sent another email inquiring about the status of his complaint. He was told that it was under review by central administration, the lawsuit says. After another six weeks without response, Kubitskey filed a public records request with the county for the report on Oct. 11. Kubitskey is asking the court to order that records be produced and that he be awarded attorneys fees and reimbursed for expenses related to filing the lawsuit. I was kind of surprised to see the suit was even filed, but given the timing, this is clearly politically motivated, Huckelberry said Wednesday. Ten days prior to his complaint to human resources, Kubitskey filed an aggravated-assault complaint against Nanos with the Tucson Police Department. Huckelberry said that once a criminal investigation is opened, the countys case is suspended until police complete its investigation. We only picked the complaint back up in July, he said. Its suspect, given that (the human resources complaint) is identical to the one given to law enforcement that was found to be without merit. The criminal investigation was passed along to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office, which declined to prosecute in April. Hucklberry said Kubitskeys records request was filed only a week before the lawsuit, which didnt allow the county time to comply. I filed the lawsuit after numerous attempts to obtain information regarding my complaint of workplace violence against Nanos, Kubitskey said. After finding out it was complete, I continued to get the runaround. After making one final attempt to get the records on Tuesday, he went ahead with the lawsuit. I have reason to believe that the report contains information thats purposely being held for release until after the election, Kubitskey said. Nanos, who was appointed by the county Board of Supervisors in July 2015 to complete the term of Clarence Dupnik, is seeking his first full term as sheriff. He is running against Republican Mark Napier in the Nov. 8 general election. On Wednesday , the county provided Kubitskey with the investigative report, stipulating that the investigation is not complete. In the report, human resources investigator Mike Tully wrote that there was enough evidence to prove that Kubitskey was the victim of workplace bullying. On Oct. 17, Deputy County Administrator Tom Burke wrote that he did not agree with the findings, and believed Tullys questioning to be biased. As a result, Burke said he could not forward the information to Huckelberry for review. He added that elected officials arent employees of the Board of Supervisors and arent subject to discipline or dismissal by the board. This is another attempt to stop the process thats designed to protect us as employees, for their own benefit and gain, Kubitskey said. And in this situation, its to save face for appointed Sheriff Nanos going into the election. OPINION: "Well, I finished by telling this person I knew his grandparents were huge Franklin Delano Roosevelt supporters. After being asked what point I was trying to make, I responded with something the late president once said: 'Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves. And the only way they could do this is by not voting,'" writes Tucsonan Mary Stanik. DEKALB, Ill. (AP) There's bound to be a few more witches and princesses, lions, superheroes and more knocking on doors looking for treats this Halloween, after a Sycamore student has made sure that kiddos have costumes. Susana Martin continued a tradition this year that she started about three years ago. The 12-year-old Sycamore Middle School seventh-grader collected scores of Halloween costumes that she has donated to area nonprofit organizations. "There are lot charities about Christmas and holidays like that," Martin said. "But there weren't really any charities for Halloween, and I think there should be." So after reading in a magazine about another tween who held a similar drive where she lived, Martin decided she would do it here. Over the past few weeks, she had bins set up at places such as the Kishwaukee YMCA and DeKalb and Sycamore libraries where people could drop off donations of Halloween costumes. "I like giving things to people who don't have them. I just think it's good to help people," she said. Some of the ones given to Martin's Halloween Costume Club, as she has named it, were new and still in the package. Others were gently used, and her mom helped her to sort, clean and put them on hangers. While the idea for the club is the youngster's own, she acknowledges that Mom helps to do a lot of the legwork. Over the three years she has had her costume club, Martin and her mother, Jeanette, report giving away about 800 character ensembles. This year, about 160 were given away, they said. Distribution was divided among Salem Lutheran Church's food pantry in Sycamore and Safe Passage domestic violence shelter and Barb Food Mart - both in DeKalb. "I'm amazed at how kind people are," Jeanette Martin said. But she also is proud of what her daughter is doing. "I am very proud of her. I like that she took ownership," Jeanette said. "I hope that some of this will stay with her as she grows up, to remember to think of other people first." News of the club has spread among some of their neighbors, family and friends, Jeanette said. Although Susana sets the collection bins out in late September, her mom said, people have started to think of the Halloween Costume Club when they do spring cleaning earlier in the year or know before the official collection time that they have costumes to give. The mother-daughter team made the last drop-off of costumes last week with the delivery to Barb Food Mart. Becky Mascal was amazed at the heap of race car driver, clown, popular blue train engine, crayon and other character costumes that Susana pulled from the family van. Mascal, a Barb Food Mart board member, praised her for being a youth looking out for other young people. Barb Food Mart runs a pantry that families of kids who attend school in DeKalb School District 428 are able to access. She said volunteers at the pantry will lay out the costumes, likely sometime next week, and parents will be able to select one for their children. "I think it's just so amazing to have anybody donating, but especially when kids are getting started so young and finding out how much people can use the stuff, and how much good they can do," said Mascal, who also a sixth-grade teacher at Huntley Middle School. "Hopefully, maybe some other kids will see it" and pick up on such ideas. ___ Source: The (DeKalb) Daily Chronicle, http://bit.ly/2e6eqx9 ___ Information from: The Daily Chronicle, http://www.daily-chronicle.com This is an Illinois Exchange story shared by The (DeKalb) Daily Chronicle. A group of early childhood education advocates are looking to make high-quality preschool programs accessible and affordable for Tucson families. The organization, Strong Start Tucson, is working to gather support for an initiative that would pay for preschool scholarships using money generated by a proposed half-cent city sales tax. Pima County preschool programs charge an average of $7,200 a year, putting the early-learning experience that research has shown to be critical, out of reach for many families in a city where the median household income is about $37,000 a year. Every child in Tucson should have access to high-quality preschool because it is the best predictor of future success in school and in life, said Strong Start Tucson Chairwoman Penelope Jacks. When kids have a high quality preschool experience, their chances of succeeding all throughout their education goes up dramatically theyre much more likely to graduate high school, theyre much less likely to be incarcerated later in life. Its just in every way a boon. While a high-quality preschool program has proven to be beneficial for children, communities that get behind such an effort prosper as well, said Jacks, who previously served as director of the Southern Arizona Childrens Action Alliance before retiring. This would really set Tucson apart from other cities as a place where we value our children, where we provide for our children and where we are creating a future for them, she said, adding that would make the city more attractive to businesses, spurring economic growth. Could this pass? According to Jacks, the support is there. Strong Start Tucson has conducted polls showing vast support for a half-cent sales tax increase and high levels of concern about all children having access to high-quality preschools, Jacks said. Were confident the support is there and past votes by Tucsonans show theyre willing to spend for education and to give every child an opportunity, she said. Many have asked us why we are not doing this as a statewide initiative and its because we know Tucson voters are more committed to children than the rest of the state has to shown itself to be. Jacks added that while Tucson would be the first Arizona city to take up such an effort, it has been successfully done in other places around the country including Denver and San Antonio. The half-cent sales tax being proposed by Strong Start Tucson would generate about $50 million a year money that would be used to provide scholarships to as many as 8,500 children living within city limits, said Jacks. With an estimated 16,500 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds eligible to attend preschool, that would make a significant impact. Who is eligible? Every family living within city limits with children who have not entered kindergarten would be eligible. Priority will be given to children ages 3 to 5 years old and scholarships will be based on income and family size. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up Children living in poverty may receive the full cost of tuition, other families may be asked to pay tuition that is a percentage of their income. Scholarship amounts have not yet been decided but the idea is that families will pay no more than 10 percent of their annual income, with the majority paying 2 to 4 percent of their income. How does it all work? To get the sales tax initiative on the ballot in November 2017, the group will first have to formally file with the City of Tucson, which they plan to do shortly after the general election next month on Nov. 8. Strong Start Tucson will have to collect nearly 10,000 signatures by July 6, but they are planning to collect twice as many. As long as enough valid signatures are collected, the initiative will go to voters for approval next fall. If approved, the half-cent sales tax would cost the average household about $36 a year. For more information about Strong Start Tucson or to get involved with the initiative, go to strongstarttucson.org What if I need help paying for preschool now? We wont know until next summer whether Strong Start Tucson can gather enough signatures to get its half-cent sales tax initiative on the ballot, but there are resources albeit limited for families in need now. First Things First is a voter-approved initiative funded by tobacco tax revenues that works to help Arizona children ages 5 and younger receive quality education, health care and family support. In 2015, more than 2,600 Pima County children received scholarships through First Things Firsts Quality First program. The organization has also worked to improve the quality of Arizona child care centers, offering training and education incentives. But the demand is great and the endeavor to increase access is not something that First Things First can do alone, says Jessica Brisson, FTF senior director of the southeast regional area. When tuition for quality early learning programming is similar to paying for college or making a mortgage payment, affordability for families with young children needing care is a significant issue, Brisson said. Its a significant workforce issue as well if families cant afford to access care and continue working, that hinders a strong workforce and a strong community. Thats why we really welcome a community conversation around young children have access to quality care and education. In addition to Quality First scholarships, the Child Care Resource and Referral program will help parents find the right child care center to fit each familys needs free of charge. On July 27, Rijiju said in the Lok Sabha that the BJPs ideology on the uniform civil code should be taken as the country's ideology on the same. Basil Islam | TwoCircles.net NEW DELHI Union Minister Kiren Rijijus recent remarks on implementing the uniform civil code have re-ignited the debate on the viability of a uniform civil code and its possible... Help India! By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net Srinagar: Weeks after banning the Valley-based English daily Kashmir Reader, the J&K police on Wednesday summoned editor of news website J&K Now Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa in its cyber cell in Srinagar where the editor has alleged that he was intimidated by the police officers. Support TwoCircles Yesterday (October 19) they summoned me (J and K Now) at its cyber cell in Srinagar where its three officers harassed and intimidated me for over three hours. My ailing father was accompanying me, Kawoosa told Twocircles.net According to Kawoosa, the police had summoned him regarding a video statement of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit that its website had published over a month ago as part of its routine news. Being journalists, we receive thousands of emails from every section of the society, including the police and the government itself, requesting publication. Similarly, I received the anonymous email by Hizb, claimed Kawoosa. However, the police is now accusing me of sympathizing with the militant group and being on their payrolls or having links, only because my website was the first to share its statement then, which was later copied by media based in Kashmir and elsewhere, he added. The police officers, as per Kawoosa, shouted at him, saying that the news post on his news site J and K Now would instigate youth towards violence and he was an equal party to the crime. Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa Taking a step forward, the police officers even threatened to make a case on him, if he did not reveal the person he was in contact with among the militant group, claimed Kawoosa. Even though I gave them open access to my e-mail account on which I had received the mail, they continued to intimidate me. Later, the police men made note of most of his e-mail addresses, phone numbers and family members, and also took the password of his Facebook profile to which my websites page (followed by 300,000 people) is linked. Further they have seized the driving license of the editor and on Thursday he had been asked to report before Superintendent of Police (SP) in Srinagar. Earlier this month, four to five Jammu and Kashmir police officials had paid a visit to the office of Kashmir Reader in Srinagar along with an order issued of District Magistrate Srinagar which called for immediate ban on publishing the newspaper. Help India! By Sheikh Khurshid Alam for Twocircles.net Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. Patrick Henry Support TwoCircles The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), with its egoistic stand of boycotting the questionnaire of the Law Commission of India is doing more damage to Indians in general and Indian Muslims in particular than it has achieved from its decades of hegemony over the Indian Muslims. First of all, it should be clear that AIMPLB is not the voice of the 13 crore Muslims of India, at least not mine. The Press Release dated October 13, 2016 of AIMPLB and other like-minded patriarchal organisations states, The fact is that the questionnaire points to the ulterior intentions of the commission and is an attempt to nullify the Muslims personal Law. The question is framed so as to confuse the respondents. By referring to article 44 of the constitution, an attempt is made to give a constitutional position to Uniform Civil code. This is false and deceit as the clause is Directive Principle which is not bound to be implemented. What should I understand from this? I can deduce the following points: One, that the Law Commissions intentions are malafide. Two, that that the said questionnaire is an attempt to nullify Muslim Personal Law. Three, that the questions are framed to confuse the respondents. And last, that that the law Commission has misrepresented Article 44 of the Constitution of India. On perusal of the Law Commissions appeal dated October 7 2016, I am tempted to say that AIMPLB has made itself a laughing stock by criticising the Law Commissions initiative. The latent problem with AIMPLB and other like-minded organisations is that they have no constructive work to do but to only fool the gullible Muslims with their theatrics of public meetings, signature campaigns and useless Jumma sermons. AIMPLB has no ground to criticise the intent of the Commission. Moreover, what is the rationale behind saying that the said questionnaire is an attempt to nullify Muslim Personal Law? The Personal Laws are guaranteed by the constitution as a fundamental right, which cannot be and will not be nullified by a simple questionnaire. For the information of those people, who, without going through the questionnaire, and on the boycott call of AIMPLB, are blindly sharing messages on the social media, I would like to point out that there are 16 questions and none is confusing. AIMPLB has concocted a lie that the commission has misrepresented Article 44 of the Constitution and everybody believes it without even reading the appeal of the Commission. AIMPLB has confused the people by clubbing together all the issues like Instant Triple Talaq, Uniform Civil Code, Polygamy, Shariah Laws and overall Muslim Personal Laws as practiced in India. The press release of AIMPLB further says, The Board strongly sticks to its position that a change of even an alphabet in the Sharia is not admissible and acceptable. These are derived from the Quran and Hadith and are in unison with the needs and aspirations of human beings Who is the All India Muslim Personal Law Board fooling by saying that any change in Shariah is not admissible? How is triple talaq sanctioned by Quran and Hadith? And again, how is triple talaq in unison with the needs and aspirations of the helpless women? Does AIMPLB believe that The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 is the Shariah? Muslims lost half of their Shariah more than a century ago and left with few areas of Shariah today in 2016, AIMPLB is threatening that it will not tolerate the abolition of an innovation like triple Talaq. What a pity! O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy Surah Baqarah 208 Any sane and abled Muslim will not advocate the retaining of an unjust practice like triple talaq but AIMPLB will. The debate over Uniform Civil Code had even divided the Constituent Assembly and AIMPLB fears that a questionnaire will abolish the Personal Laws of the Indians and bring into effect Uniform Civil Code. The appeal of the Law Commission says, The commission hopes to begin a healthy conversation about the viability of a Uniform Civil Code and will focus on the family laws of all religions and the diversity of the customary practices, to address social injustice rather than plurality of laws. Responding to the demands of social change, the commission will consider the opinions of all stakeholders and the general public for ensuring that the norms of no one class, group or community dominate the tone or tenor of family law reforms Showing some maturity, the AIMPLB, instead of shouting boycott, should have welcomed the questionnaire of the Commission and requested everybody to answer it. The questionnaire has plenty of scope to reject any step towards formation of a Uniform Civil Code. At a point of time when the whole country was intoxicated with the fervour of freedom, it had taken two years, 11 months and 18 days to frame the Constitution of India by a team of stalwarts like B.R. Ambedkar, N. Gopalaswami, K.M Munshi, M.Sadullah, Madhav Rao, Khaitan and others. Why has AIMPLB forgotten that the implementation of Uniform Civil Code is not an issue for the Muslims alone; it will equally disturb our other brethren! Sixty nine years of independence and the State of Jammu & Kashmir has its own constitution, Nagaland and other tribal states are not governed by the so called uniform legislations like Code of Civil Procedure and Hindu Undivided Family has been reaping tax benefits till now. Which Uniform Civil Code will compensate all these issues and ensure that the norm of one class, group or community does not dominate the tone and tenor of family law reforms? It is easy said than done. Its time that AIMPLB stops bossing around, starts to appreciate the evils of triple talaq and stops creating a false atmosphere of fear in the minds of the masses that the Personal Laws of the Indians are in danger. The author is a Member of Calcutta Society for Socio-Legal Research, a non-profit organisation addressing the current and future dynamics of the Minorities of India, overall public-awakening activities and research projects Help India! By Amit Kumar, Twocircles.net Mohammed Ilyas has barely had a moment to sleep in the past ten days. Between consoling family members, his job and running from pillar to post to seek justice for the death of his family member Minhaj Ansari, Ilyas has been left tired, sick and wishing this is all a dream that he wakes out of one day. Support TwoCircles Until October 3, Ilyas was a regular person with a family to take care of in Jamtara. But ever since the custodial death of Minhaj Ansari, Ilyas has been running around helpless, trying to fathom what happened. He was a quiet boy with a child and a wifewe still cannot believe what has happened. I have lost count of how many vehicles full of people, camera crew and reporters have come to our house for the past week. The media has helped, but sometimes it seems they just want to make an exciting story out of it, he told Twocircles.net over phone. Ilyas knows the road to justice is a long, and treacherous one; he says that he is overwhelmed by the list of things that they have to do. We received Rs 2 lakh from the district administration..but how will that help the family of Minhaj for the rest of their lives? Who will arrange to take care of the child? Insaf to choriye, abhi tak post-mortem report nahi mila hai, he says, on the verge of tears. It was on Thursday evening, that some friends of Ilyas finally managed to get hold of the post-mortem report, and the report has bust all claims made by the administration that the death of Ansari was due to medical negligence. The post-mortem report, dated October 14 points out that the victim had injuries in his sole, there was blood oozing from his mouth and he had injuries in his stomach, large intestine and back. The mucus of stomach was highly congestedit was layered with blood, reddish brown in colour. The stomach was empty2/3rd of the small intestine was filled with blood, the report reads. It further adds, Above noted injuries are anti-mortem caused by hard and blunt substancesCause of death is haemorrhage and shock. But most worryingly for the administration, the word encephalitis is not even mentioned in the post-mortem report, which shows that the administrations attempt to divert the death as a case of medical issue stands exposed. Speaking with Twocircles.net, a medical practitioner who assessed the report ruled out all chances of encephalitis. The report says that injuries are attributed to hard and blunt substances. There is no way this was due to encephalitis, which is caused due to a bacterial or a viral infection. And the fact that the report does not even mention it makes it clear that some kind of torture was surely involved, the doctor said. Also, one other person who was arrested with Ansari, Shahban, spoke with the Association for Protection of Civil Rights and confirmed the abuse and torture that they suffered. Initially, they (the police) picked two of us (him and one other person) in plain clothes. Then they brought Minhaj and all three of us were beaten. They then took Minhaj to another room and beat him mercilessly. When we were released in the morning, we could see that Minhaj was lying down, unconscious, he told APCR. The family of Ansari has also been extremely disappointed with the response of the local MLA Irfan Ansari. He made so many promises to us on the day of Minhajs burial; and after that day he hasnt even picked our phone. As our MLA and a member of our community, are we asking for too much if we ask him to help us get justice? asked Ilyas. Despite repeated attempts, Twocircles.net has not been able to contact Ahmed for comments. Will protest outside Collectors office, demand justice Irked by the lack of any progress over the custodial death of Ansari, Mohammed Sirajuddin, a local activist and a friend of Ansari said that they would be holding demonstrations outside the office of the District Collector. When we refused to bury Minhajs body, the police threatened us saying it would turn into a Hindu-Muslim conflict. Then, they tried to fool us by saying that he had died because of encephalitis. Now the post-mortem report has ruled out that also. Will they charge the accused now? Merely suspending the officer is no solution, he said. He added that the entire family of Ansari, including his parents, wife and relatives would gherao the Collectors office and demand action, including a case under Section 302 against Harish Pathak and others who killed Ansari. According to Ilyas, he has also been saddened by the lack of support from local Muslim organisations. People from Jamat-e-Islami had come to meet, but we have not got any assurances from them regarding the support they will extend. All I wish is that the wife and child of Ansari are not left helpless. But politics again has overtaken human sentiments, he added. With 74% of Russians saying in opinion polls that homosexuality should not be accepted by society, the western world is speaking out on an industrial scale. The Sochi Winter Olympic games very quickly became an international pedestal for speaking out about the increasingly homophobic Russia along with Russias new anti-gay laws, banning homosexual propaganda in front of minors. Whilst the tides are turning for the LGBT community in Britain, with same-sex marriage recently being legalised, the situation in the rest of the world is vastly deteriorating. Whilst on Russian turf LGBT people arent allowed to promote their sexuality in front of children. 5,578 miles away in Uganda the Anti homosexuality act, 2014 sentences homosexuals to life imprisonment. However, the act doesnt stop there in prohibiting Ugandans from being gay in Uganda, the act also includes provisions for Ugandans engaging in same-sex relations in other countries to be extradited back to Uganda. I dont know about you, but Id rather be a gay Russian than a gay Ugandan right now. I have often questioned why the British public are speaking out about Russia, as opposed to places such as Uganda where the situation is clearly more dramatic, and I have come to only one conclusion It could easily be us. With Russia being a relatively developed country and also a predominantly white country, it is much easier for the British LGBT community to empathise with its Russian counterparts and put themselves in their shoes so to speak. African nations, in which the life-styles massively differ, arent easily relatable for British nationals - which could have resulted in a lack of care for the African LGBT community in comparison to our own. I next draw your attention to the fact that homophobia within the Commonwealth, of which Uganda is a part and of which our own Queen is the head of state for its members, is much more severe than that of Russia. Out of 53 Commonwealth member states, 41 still criminalise same-sex relations between consenting adults. In 2 Commonwealth countries it is possible in certain regions to be executed under Sharia law for homosexual acts (Pakistan and Nigeria). And where do these homophobic laws originate from in many cases? British colonialism. Much of the homophobia in these 41 Commonwealth countries strings from British colonialism and was instituted by our old laws and public opinions. For me at least, these facts bring the situation of homophobia in the commonwealth a lot closer to home than the situation in Russia. In Russia the LGBT community is allowed to walk freely in the streets as long as they dont promote their lifestyle. In many Commonwealth countries it is illegal to be gay. For this reason I beg that the LGBT community in Britain turns its attention, not completely, away from Russia and increasingly focuses on homophobia within the Commonwealth. There have been many atttempts made. There have been negotiations, but ultimately there has been stalemate. The subject that I am referring to is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many claim that the key to securing global peace is through resolving this conflict. But the question is, why has Peace alluded us so far and more so, can there ever be lasting peace? In dealing with the subject matter, it is important to first of all mention that there have been peace deals struck in the region. In 1979 Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed the "Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty".Furthermore, in 1994, Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty ending "46 years of war". However, despite the Oslo Accords that was signed between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation in 1993, there has never been a meaningful and long lasting peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. The question is, why? There are a few reasons. Why peace has alluded us The first reason is geography. Since the country'screation in 1948,the Jewish statehas been surrounded by a plethora of Arab nations who have continually opposed their existence. As a result the priority of Israelis different to others in that their primary aim is simply to survive. This has been tested throughout the country's history, a period littered with war. The war of independence in 1948, the six day war in 1967 and the Yom Kippur in 1973 illustrates this. As a result, that mentality to survive and deal harshly with those who threaten that existence is party why their approach to the Palestinians is how it is. There are mental scars still. The views of the right Secondof all there is the religious factor in Israel. It has been said that the best way for the conflict to end is by the creation of a two-state solution. However, a large majority of Israel's religious contingent are simply opposed to this. This was illustrated by the fact that 99.5% of those living in settlements (arguably the most religious Israelis) in the Palestinian territories oppose such a deal. Such opposition was also demonstrated by the killing of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 who was assassinated by a religious extremist, Yigal Amir, as a result of Rabin's desire to secure peace with the Palestinians. The third reason, I believe, is the view of the Palestinians themselves. It can be claimed that a large proportion of the Palestinian people do not want to settle for peace. Although there are many who do, there are a lsinginifcant anumber of right wing individuals (like Israelis) who oppose negotiations and believe that the land where Israel is located is ultimately the land of Palestine. Majorinfluences Furthermore, a bigger problem isthat,those that do oppose peace have a major influence within their own governments. With regards to Israel, in Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition are parties such as Yisrael Beiteinu and United Torah Judaism; both right wing religious parties with a strong influence on decision making. With regards to the Palestinians, a similar theme has occurred, most notably by the emergence of the militant group, Hamas. They have been in power in the Gaza strip since 2006, and have been continuously outspoken in their opposition to Israel. Now we know why peace has so far alluded us, the question is, can there ever be lasting peace between the two sides? For that to occur, certain things need to happen. In the short term Israel must remove the settlements and act with more foresight in repelling the threats against them. And for Hamas, the tunnel building and rocket launching has to stop. But in the long term, peace can only come from understanding and accepting one another. Violence simply leads to more violence. Both sides must come together and accept that fighting is not the answer. There has to be a collective effort to build trust and to work together. If they do not, the problems will continue to exist. The words roadtrip are usually associated with the rocky stretches of the US or the stunning Australian coastline. ButEuropesroadtrips, engulfed with some of the worlds most Picturesque scenery,are the real underdogs in the travelling world. Amalfi coast drive, Italy This thrillingly steep coastalroadwrapped around Southern Italys mountainside is the perfectroadtrip for camera addicts. With its dramatic sea cliffs, endless bays and authentic fishing villages, the trip covers all corners for the perfect summer getaway. The Road Tripincludes stop offs at the colourful cliffside village of Positano and panoramic views from the hilltop of Ravello, in addition to a multitude of family-run restaurant offering traditional Italian cuisine. Widely considered as Italys most scenic coastline, the journey was deemed by UNESCO as an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values. RomanticRoad, Germany Following a trail of fairy tale castles, RomanicRoadis located in the Southern provinces of Bavaria and Baden-Wiirtemberg.Theroadis 220 miles long, covering 28 red-roofed villages.Stop-offs include the historic cities ofWurzburg, Aungsburg, the medieval walled towns of Rothenburg ob de Tauber, Dinkelsbuhl and the journey ends with the Neuschwanstein Castle and the Alps. Theroadwas created in 1950 following the end of World War 2, when Germany was desperate to rebuild its tourism industry. The first visitors were friends and families of the American soldiers stationed in large bases in Bavaria, but the Route soon became widely popular attracting visitors worldwide. Route des Grandes Apes (Great AlpineRoad), Switzerland and France This high-altitude route takes you from lake Geneva to the shores of the Mediterranean, passing through the French Alps. The spectacular mountainroadis 684km long and includes 16 passes that are among the highest in the Alps. Theroadtrip offers spectacular landscape and hidden valleys immersed with local culture and cuisine.Roadtrippers that undergo the journey will follow in the steps of the Tour de France, which coversparts of the sameroute. The best time to travel the route is between June and October, when the snow has melted and travellers can appreciate the beautiful national parksthat the road trip has to offer. RingRoad, Iceland Complete with natural hot springs, erupting geysers and heated blue lagoons, the scenes of Icelands ringroadare not far from those found on a postcard. Starting in Reykjavik, the route covers the entire perimeter of the country and connects the best towns and cities. The 830 miles of stunning scenery consists of stop offs at small local farming villages that provide accommodation for tourists, and advice on the nextnearest attraction. Popular destinations include the renowned Hallgrimskirkja church, the golden circle loop where theingvellir national park is located, a double-tiered waterfall which falls into the earth, and popular volcanic areas. The benefit of driving along the coast is that travellers can take advantage of whale watching tours and the countrys famous blue glaciers during their journey. Previousroadtrippers suggest leaving three to seven days to complete the route. Basque Circuit, Spain Consider investing in a retro camper van, complete with a surfboard tied to the roof, and you will fit right in on this coastal Spanish route. Ideal for beach lovers, theroadbegins in Bilbao where nearby villages parade some of the worlds best surfing and continues along to San Sebastian; famous for water-sports. Theroadthen swerves South through the wilderness of the Pyrenees to Pamplona. Hot spots include the Bay of Biscay, Biarritzs boho beaches and lavish boulevards such as the Pearl of the Aquitaine. Travellers recommend a week to complete the route, to ensure theres enough time to visit as many hidden treasures and beaches as possible. expressPay Ghana launches Bank Direct Service with Visa Ghanaian financial technology company, expressPay, has announced the launch of an industry-first instant money transfer service in collaboration with Visa and local commercial banks. Dubbed, Bank Direct, the service enables consumers to instantly send and receive money into their bank accounts from any Visa cardholder or mobile money wallet. First of its kind in West Africa, expressPays Bank Direct was launched at an event graced by dignitaries, executives of the banking, finance and mobile technology industries. The service is expected to significantly change the mobile payments landscape by uniting traditional banking with mobile finance to the benefit of consumers. Bank Direct effectively eliminates the need to travel to ones bank to transfer or receive money. Ghanaians can simply transfer money from their bank accounts or mobile money wallets to any bank account with an associated Visa card. It is a convenient, seamless and secure way to send money to friends and family anywhere in Ghana and can be accessed from the comfort of your home or office, said Curtis Vanderpuije, CEO of expressPay. With a substantial proportion of the Ghanaian population unbanked, Bank Direct will foster financial inclusion, while capturing the informal economy, and enabling a cash-lite, and more money-efficient society. The service improves existing systems through interoperability while streamlining processes to use mobile money to connect with money in bank accounts. We are proud to work with Visa to make this revolutionary service possible, Mr Vanderpuije added. expressPays Bank Direct is the result of local innovation and global capability as the international payments gateway giant, Visa lent its full support to make the service a reality. Speaking on the functionality of the expressPay Bank Direct initiative Ade Ashaye, Country Manager for Visa in West Africa, stated that BankDirect makes for seamless peer to peer money transfers. Funds that are transferred via the Bank Direct service will be deposited directly into the recipients bank account and can be accessed through branded point-of sale terminals, ATMs and e-commerce merchants. Funds will also be available through other banking channels such as online banking, mobile banking, agents and branches. Bank Direct is a cost effective, fast and convenient way of transferring money. The service also brings the advantages of Visas global network - security, reliability and global acceptance. It also eliminates the long forms, complex routing numbers waiting time associated with conventional fund transfers, Ashaye concluded. How Bank Direct works People can send money and receive from one bank account to another directly from their phone or computer by downloading the expressPay app (www.expresspaygh.com/app) on Google Play Store or the Apple Store. To send with Bank Direct: Login to expressPay or sign up if you dont already have an account Select Bank Direct from the Send money category Enter recipients phone number and click Pay to send The recipient instantly receives transfer confirmation! To receive with Bank Direct: Burke Ramsey, brother of murdered child pageant starJonBenet Ramsey, gave his first interview on Dr. Phil, and dad John Ramsey gave his last. Burke denies that he or his parentshad anything to do with the child's death. DNA evidence cleared Burke Ramsey and his parents in the death of JonBenet in 2008. Boulder police were discovered innumerous lies, cover-ups and dropped balls. But the weird behavior of Burke and his parents feeds theories on their guilt. Dr. Phil details exhaustive evidence that proves no one in the Ramsey house had anything to do with JonBenet's murder. He also explains the family's strange behavior and Burke's bizarre smile. JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation botched, period On Christmas night, 1996, JonBenet Ramsey was found beaten, presumably sexually assaulted and dead in her family's basement in Boulder, Colorado. What started as a kidnapping investigation turned into murder. It made the family instant though unenviable Celebrities. The nation was polarized over intruder theory and guilt of mother Patsy Ramsey, father John, or 9-year-old brother Burke. Thanks to the Boulder police leaking "information," ignoring intruder reports, allowing evidence to be tampered with, covering up DNA evidence,giving false reports to entrap family, giving tabloid propaganda,and flat-out lying, the Ramsey family was assumed guilty, even after being repeatedly cleared. Police actually suppressed a report of a man dressed as a Ninja raping a child in her home nearby around the same time. They ignored the obvious link to JonBenet.In short, Boulder cops wanted someone in the Ramsey family to have done it. . Odd behavior of Burke Ramsey, parents Part of what fuels family involvement theories is that Burke Ramsey smiles and even laughs inappropriately in the Dr. Phil interview. His mother Patsy and dad John showed similar unusual affect. Patsy was bombastic and theatrical and John was wooden. Even in the kidnapping 911 call, Patsy sounded like she was playing the part of a terrified mother. But Mrs. Ramsey was an actress, of sorts. As a beauty queen and pageant mom,she was used to posing and being ever camera ready. John Ramsey was a businessman where professional cool is mandatory. As for Burke's notorious smile, Dr. explained that he's just nervous and shy. If you look closely at his smile, you can see that it masks great emotion. Expressions of grief are personal, reminds Dr. Phil. And regardless, how a person shows emotion has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. While DNA evidence is conclusive--the Ramseys didn't do it. China Life invests in Starwood hotels Updated: 2016-10-20 08:34 (China Daily) Pedestrians walk past the W Hotel Hollywood, owned by Star-wood Hotels& Resorts Worldwide Inc, in Hollywood, California. [Photo/Bloomberg] Starwood Capital Group sold a stake valued at about $2 billion in US hotels to China Life Insurance Co, extending a streak of Chinese investment in overseas lodging properties and travel-related businesses. China Life, the country's largest life-insurance company, will be the lead investor in the properties, with sovereign-wealth funds and others also owning a piece of the 280 select-service hotels in 40 US states, Starwood said in a statement on Tuesday. The whole portfolio is valued at more than $3 billion, according to Starwood. The Greenwich, Connecticut-based firm, which last year sold New York's luxury Baccarat hotel to another Chinese insurer, will continue to be the asset manager. "With this select-service hotel portfolio, China Life has an efficient vehicle for investing in the United States economy," Barry Sternlicht, chairman and chief executive officer of Starwood Capital, said in the statement. "We look forward to working with China Life on additional opportunities across a wide range of real estate asset classes in the years to come." Chinese investors have been buying hotel and travel businesses around the world as outbound tourism surges and China's economy and wealth expand. Anbang Insurance Group Co last month acquired 15 luxury US hotels, including New York's JW Marriott Essex House and the Westin St Francis in San Francisco, as part of a $6.5 billion purchase from Blackstone Group LP. Anbang helped usher in a wave of Chinese investment in US hotels with its February 2015 purchase of New York's Waldorf Astoria for $1.95 billion, the highest price paid for a US hotel. The Beijing-based company started a bidding war for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc in March. BLOOMBERG China manages to keep economic growth dynamics: Russian expert Updated: 2016-10-20 14:00 (Xinhua) MOSCOW - China has managed to keep the expected overall dynamics of economic growth in the first nine months of this year, a Russian economist said Wednesday. In an interview with Xinhua, Alexey Maslov, a professor at the Higher School of Economics, one of Russia's top universities, said China's gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the first nine months "showed the rate in accordance with the planned guidelines." China's GDP expanded 6.7 percent year-on-year between January-September 2016 to nearly 53 trillion yuan ($7.87 trillion), according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China earlier on Wednesday. The latest figure, which is within China's annual growth target range of 6.5 to 7 percent, is less impressive compared with the double-digit growth China's economy achieved in the first decade of the 21st century. Maslov sees the slowdown as the result of the country trying to diversify its growth impetus. China's rapid growth has long come from public investment in fixed assets, while a significant part of the production did not give a direct return to the market, Maslov said. Therefore, although the growth rate figures looked well, the real money turnover was less impressive, he added. Over a year ago China set itself the task of developing the consumer market share in the country's GDP and did a good job, which is evidenced by the over-ten-percent retail sales jump in the first nine months this year, the expert said. Maslov said that the achieved results overturned the fears of some foreign observers who held a bearish view about China's economic prospects. Meanwhile, Maslov also said that China's economy should not only be evaluated by its GDP figures. "There are two factors that can guarantee the stability of the Chinese economy -- the increase of investment abroad and the reactivation of the consumer market, both of which have worked well so far," he said. Besides, the fight against corruption is bringing positive results. In the past two years China managed to "break the backbone" of a number of regional financial clans, whose interests were largely inconsistent with the main directions of the country's economic development, he said. Maslov also warned about the growing imbalances in the Chinese economy, with one third of provinces heavily subsidized and rich coastal provinces contributing disproportionately large amounts to the GDP growth. But on the whole Maslov is optimistic about China's economic prospects. China, to its credit, is now groping for the base, which will allow it to contain the slowdown of its economy and make a smooth landing, he said. China criticizes Japanese Cabinet members' visit to notorious shrine Updated: 2016-10-20 07:07 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- China on Wednesday urged Japan to face up to history after two cabinet ministers visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during the annual Autumn Festival. The two ministers were Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi and Katsunobu Kato, minister for promoting dynamic engagement of all citizens. Both cabinet ministers are close allies of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who himself visited the shrine on Monday. "[The fact] that Japanese Cabinet members visit the Yasukuni Shrine, which not only honors Class-A convicted war criminals but also beautifies war, again, reflects the Japanese government's unhealthy attitude toward its past transgressions," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing. "China is firmly opposed to this," she said. Lawmakers stage walkout to protest anti-China acts Updated: 2016-10-20 08:04 By WILLA WU(China Daily) Residents hold placards and shout slogans outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on Wednesday to protest the retaking of the Legislative Council oath by lawmakers-elect Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung Chung-hang. ROY LIU/CHINA DAILY Two supporters of HK independence were urged to make a public apology and retract their previous remarks Dozens of Hong Kong's lawmakers launched a walkout at a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, in protest against the anti-China antics of two separatist lawmakers-elect during a swearing-in ceremony last week. The group of lawmakers who joined the walkout demanded the pair apologize and retract their remarks before they get a second chance to take the oath. The group had earlier urged lawmakers-elect Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung Chung-hang to apologize for their behavior during their swearing-in a week ago, saying it insulted China and Chinese around the world. Yau and Leung refused to offer an apology, despite the public condemning their act of using offensive language and reading the country's name as "Shina", a derogatory reference to China used by Japanese militarists during World War II. The meeting on Wednesday was scheduled for five lawmakers-elect to retake the oath, including Yau and Leung. The meeting was adjourned for a lack of quorum following the walkout. This left Yau, Leung and a third lawmaker-elect, Lau Siu-lei, waiting for their turn to take the oath again. Legislator Martin Liao Cheung-kong said conducting the walkout was a difficult decision to make, but added that there was no other way to prevent Yau and Leung from taking the oath again. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, chairperson of the New People's Party, urged Yau and Leung to make a public apology to all Chinese and retract their previous remarks. Several groups protested outside the LegCo Complex on Wednesday morning against the pair retaking the oath. The protesters held banners and placards reading: "Strongly condemn Yau and Leung", "Apologize to Chinese" and "Yau and Leung get out of China". Hong Kong-born and raised Fung Suk-ying, a middle-age woman who joined the protest with seven friends, asked: "How can someone who is a separatist become a lawmaker?" The pair's behavior has drawn indignation from Chinese communities overseas. A joint statement by 152 overseas Chinese groups in the UK condemned the two lawmakers, saying that their advocacy of separatism has jeopardized national sovereignty, hurt the rule of law and undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. They demanded apologies and that the pair be barred from public office. Hong Kong historian Chiu Yu-lok, who initiated a signature campaign with hundreds of academics to denounce the pair, told China Daily they had set a bad example for society. Chiu said the public's faith in integrity and responsibility will falter if lawmakers think they can treat a swearing-in ceremony like they did. Society will not let them get away with this, he added. He said it also showed that young people in Hong Kong need to change their ideas about nationality and history. To achieve this, Chinese history should be mandatory in Hong Kong schools, Chiu said. The High Court on Tuesday accepted the Hong Kong government's judicial review against giving Yau and Leung a second chance to be sworn in. The Department of Justice argued that Yau and Leung had already "declined or neglected" to take the LegCo oath on Oct 12. The case will be heard on Nov 3. What do astronauts eat in space Updated: 2016-10-20 10:25 By Wu Yan(chinadaily.com.cn) What do Russian, American, Japanese and Chinese astronauts eat in space? Do they eat the same things as on earth or something totally different? Are these foods tasty? The truth may blow your mind. A girl buys space food in tubes used by astronauts in outer space in a vending machine in Moscow, Russia, on Feb 15, 2015. [Photo/IC] Russia As the first country to send astronauts into space, Russia started to develop space food since the early 1960s. Food that can be sucked was the earliest type of space food, but astronauts still felt hungry after eating them. Later, more satisfying foods like oxtongue, herring pie and chicken cutlets were then added to the menu to solve the problem. Now Russian astronauts can enjoy a variety of food similar to on earth, such as black bread, honey cake, ham, quail, Polish pike, Russian cheese and sturgeon. Food is stored in special packages, and astronauts can eat them with a spoon or fork rather than suck them with a straw. A new space menu, as reported by the Russian media in 2013, includes vegetable soup, mushroom soup, Russian mushroom, jelly, sesame milk curd and others. NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren corrals the supply of fresh fruit that arrived on Aug 25, 2015. Visiting cargo ships often carry a small cache of fresh food for crew members aboard the International Space Station. [Photo/IC] US Fast food is the main food for American astronauts. The range of delicious food includes sausage pies, spicy grilled fish, potato roast beef, butter bread, tempeh broth, tuna salad and drinks like Coca-cola. Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts even enjoyed a Thanksgiving Day Turkey dinner in 2009, with smoked and irradiated turkey, candied yams, freeze-dried cornbread stuffing and green beans. This NASA video shows Japanese astronauts Naoko Yamazaki (L) and Soichi Noguchi preparing sushi in the International Space Station on April 14, 2010. [Photo/IC] Japan Japanese space food expresses their unique cultural identity. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency displayed 29 different types of space food at an exhibition in Tokyo in June, 2007. Most of these are traditional Japanese food, including rice balls, tomato fish, curry noodles, mountain vegetables, beans, glutinous rice, and sweets. At the request of Japanese astronaut Takao Doi, Nissin Foods Holdings Co Ltd and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency developed nine types of Japanese space food together, which includes assorted Udon noodles, tempura soba, onion scrambled chicken, fried tofu sushi, and assorted pancakes. They are instant food and need to be soaked in hot water at 70 C before eating. The udon noodles and soba are stickier than normal to prevent the noodle soup from spilling out. Takao Doi said that he expected to eat food from home in space before the launch of space shuttle Endeavour in 2008. Xi extends 'warm and firm' handshake to Duterte Updated: 2016-10-20 14:17 By An Baijie(chinadaily.com.cn) President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that his handshake with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was "warm and firm" despite the bilateral ties "experiencing winds and rains". "Before this visit, you had told the Chinese media that 'I will talk with friendship, extending my hands in brotherhood', and today, I shook hands with you with similar feelings," Xi told Duterte, who is paying a state visit to China from Tuesday to Friday. China trip is Duterte's first official visit to a foreign country outside ASEAN after becoming the president in June. The visit comes after ties between the two nations suffered a blow due to the unilateral filing of the South China Sea arbitration case by Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino III against China. Mentioning that the visit is a milestone in bilateral ties, Xi said the foundation of friendly neighborhood between the two countries remains unchanged. "We should answer the public's demand, take opportunity of this visit, push forward the China-Philippines ties back to friendship, and improve the relations comprehensively," Xi said in his opening remarks. Duterte said his visit is of great significance that could enhance cooperation in many areas. "This is spring time in our relationship," he told Xi. "There are many areas in which we can cooperate." The two countries will sign a number of cooperative documents after the meeting. The Philippine president also expressed gratitude toward the "excellent arrangement and warm hospitality". "This is a historic visit, and presents an opportunity for relations between China and the Philippines to restart on a fresh, more positive footing," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday. Applauding Duterte's commitment to improving bilateral ties and voicing support for dialogue and cooperation between the two nations, Wang said the visit accords with the national interests of the Philippines and the wishes of its people. No foreign force can stand in the way of improvements to China-Philippines relations, Wang said, adding that China's arms are open and ready for friendship and cooperation. Ruan Zongze, executive deputy president of the China Institute of International Studies, said that the visit is expected to enhance cooperation in trade, infrastructure and drug control. Road-tripping Senegal: Experience Africa's west coast by car Updated: 2016-10-17 08:30 (Agencies) A side street on the Ile de Goree, or Goree Island, off the coast of Dakar, Senegal. [Photo/Agencies] From dizzying Dakar to vibrant Saint-Louis, Senegal pulsates with rich culture, history and charm. If you want to experience it allfrom bustling cities to sleepy, seaside villageshop in a rental car, charge up your favorite navigation device or app, brush up on your conversational French, and start your road trip across Africa's colorful western coast. Dakar for the music, and the art lover. Senegal's largest city perched on the tip of the Cap-Vert peninsula is an ideal starting place for your journey. Spend the afternoons filling your suitcases with trinkets and T-shirts from the capital's many frenetic street markets. For a more serene shopping experience, head to La Galerie Antenna. This African art mecca boasts an impressive collection of sculptures, paintings, masks and jewelry from across the continent. Rest up and head out after midnight to experience Dakar's thriving music scene at a local bar or club. After your late night, regroup by the beach at one of Dakar's luxury hotels. While most of Senegal is surprisingly drivable, Dakar traffic is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared for a general disregard of road signs and discombobulating roundabouts. Some rental-car packages include drivers or one can be arranged through your hotel. Or hop in taxis for short trips. They're abundant and inexpensive. Be sure to check rates with a local before hailing a ride and negotiate the fare with your driver in advance. Goree Island for history buffs An afternoon (at least) spent exploring the history and architecture of Ile de Goree is a must when visiting Dakar. The UNESCO World Heritage site was a shipping point for African slaves during the 16th through 19th centuries. The island's most famous and sobering attraction, Maison des Esclaves (Slave House), has had many high-profile visitors, including President Obama in 2013. It is now a museum and memorial site serving as symbol for the larger slave trade throughout Africa. You can easily book a tour guide when you arrive, but the small, tranquil island is quite walkable on your own. Take in the scenic ocean views, colorful, crumbling architecture, shops and street vendors before dining on fresh fish at the hilltop restaurant, Dolce Vita. 'Accidental' pupil topped his UK class Updated: 2016-10-17 20:33 By WANG MINGJIE(China Daily UK) Tang Yuanbo, is now studying for an Oxford PhD. [Photo/China Daily] For many Chinese students, the idea of attending school in the UK follows lengthy consideration, but for Tang Yuanbo it happened very quickly. "There were only two months between when I actually decided to study in the UK and when I arrived in this country," said Tang, who took an exam in an exchange program organized by Shenyang Education Ministry that led to a place at Lime House School in Carlisle and a scholarship covering 20 percent of fees. He had a tough time when he arrived aged 16. "I was verbally abused by some of the international students on the first day. My English was relatively poor, so it w as quit e a shock t o me." But things changed quickly and he emerged as the school's top student and his classmates turned to him for study advice. Seen as a 'science genius', he says he always had great support from his chemistry teacher. "Once, I took some wool to see whether wool could be dissolved in acid or alkali and I did the experiment, which made the lab stink for the whole day. All the chemistry classes were canceled that day." After Lime House, he went to Imperial College London for a bachelor's degree in engineering and is now pursuing a PhD in material science at Oxford University. Tang said his achievements inspired others in his home city but he does not think his route to an elite university is the only one, noting that, since his school was founded in 1899, fewer than 10 pupils have gone on to Oxford or Cambridge. "If you go to Westminster or Eton, it might help but it doesn't apply to all the independent schools in the UK. Many Chinese students or families have little knowledge of British schools' performance as there are so many schools in the UK and there is limited information available in China." Tang noted that primary Chinese education is intense and solid and beneficial to students, but "I do believe seeing a bigger picture, and being 'shocked' by different cultures is crucial for a person to understand the world better". Iraqi forces continue fighting against IS near Mosul Updated: 2016-10-20 09:24 (Xinhua) The Iraqi army and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces launch military operations in Khazar village, 35 kilometers south of Mosul, Iraq, on Oct 18, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] MOSUL, Iraq -- Iraqi security forces on Wednesday continued fighting against the Islamic State (IS) militants in their all-out offensive to free the city of Mosul, while the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an IS attack on the town of Sinjar and killed 47 militants, security sources said. In the third day of the offensive, the troops fought sporadic clashes with IS militants in several areas in northeast and east of Mosul, while the Peshmerga forces shelled IS positions with artillery and mortar rounds near the towns of Bashiqa and Butilla in northeast of Mosul, a security source from the Operations Command of Nineveh Liberation told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Iraqi army continued their clashes with IS militants at the edge of the town of Hamdaniyah, some 40 km southeast of Mosul, after repeated attempts to enter the town after the militants showed stiff resistance, the source said. In south of Mosul, the Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Sunni and Shiite Hashd Shaabi units recaptured the villages of al-Bakr, Siewah, Najma, Osmaniyah Rafla and Zawiya while moving north to the IS-held town of Shoura, some 30km south of Mosul, the source added. Separately, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an attack by dozens of IS militants with three suicide car bombs from three directions on the military positions outside the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of the IS-held city of Mosul, Brigadier General Luqman al-Khansouri, commander of the town's security forces, told Xinhua. The troops destroyed the three suicide car bombs and killed up to 47 extremist militants after several hours of fierce clashes, Khansouri said, adding that three Peshmerga members sustained serious wounds and were evacuated to the town hospital. Early on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake the country's second largest city from the extremist IS group. "Today I declare the launch of the operation of liberating Nineveh province. The time of victory has come, and the moment of the great victory is approaching," Abadi said in a brief address aired on Al Iraqiya. Exploration project ExoMars arrives at Mars Updated: 2016-10-20 09:33 (Xinhua) The Proton-M rocket, carrying the ExoMars 2016 spacecraft to Mars, blasts off from the launchpad at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, March 14, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] BERLIN -- European Space Agency (ESA) announced at its mission control center in German city of Darmstadt on Wednesday evening that its Mars exploration project ExoMars had arrived at the Red Planet after receiving signals from the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). However, the ESA could not get the signals from the Schiaparelli lander as it was supposed to land at 4:48 p.m. local time in Germany (1448 GMT), because radio contact was lost before landing. At this moment, it is unclear how Schiaparelli landed or whether it is harmed. "The ground control team at ESA's space operations center are going to work all night to analyze the data on the ExoMars Schiaparelli lander. More at the press conference tomorrow," the ESA said on its Facebook account. ExoMars, a joint endeavor between the ESA and Russia's Roscosmos space agencies, comprises the TGO and the Schiaparelli lander. TGO is on a multi-year mission to understand the methane and other gases in Mars' atmosphere at low levels, and could be evidence for possible biological or geological activity, while Schiaparelli lander will test key technologies in preparation for ESA's ExoMars 2020 rover mission. From 'rigged' to Russia, last debate heated Updated: 2016-10-20 11:47 By Chen Weihua in Washington and Agencies(China Daily USA) Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton took to the stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening for their third and final presidential debate. During the fiery 90-minute debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace, the two candidates were asked questions on six major topics: immigration, the Supreme Court, the economy, national debt and entitlements, turmoil abroad and fitness for the presidency. China came up several times. "One of the biggest problems we have with China is the illegal dumping of steel and aluminum " Clinton said, and accused Trump for using Chinese-made steel in his construction projects, at one point joking that the Las Vegas hotel Trump spent the day in was "paid with Chinese steel". A Xinhua report on Oct 15 said that China will arrange checks on its coal and steel overcapacity reduction efforts. Details on the lower capacity are being examined and will be released soon, ZhaoChenxin, spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission, was quoted in the report. Clinton also touted her "Women's Rights Are Human Rights" speech that she made at the fourth United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Many Chinese believe Clinton's words directed at their country were biased. The World Economic Forum index shows that China fares better in the gender gap than countries such as Japan, South Korea, India, India and Saudi Arabia. Trump said he didn't necessarily believe Russia hacked emails from Clinton's campaign, in a discussion about Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign emails being released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said US intelligence officials believe Russia is behind the hacks. Trump said "of course" he condemns Russia or any other country interfering in the US elections, but he wouldn't retract his claim about the election being rigged and said he would "look at it at the time" to see what happened on Election Day, Nov 8. He was responding to Wallace's questions about whether he would honor the American tradition of the presidential loser conceding to the president-elect. The candidates outlined starkly different visions for the Supreme Court under their potential presidencies, with the Republican declaring the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion would be overturned by his judicial nominees. Clinton vowed to appoint justices who would uphold the ruling legalizing abortion, saying, "We have come too far to have that turned back now." Trump pressed Clinton on immigration, accusing her of wanting an "open borders" policy, a characterization she vigorously disputes. Chinese speed their way to love in London Updated: 2016-10-20 17:08 By ANGUS MCNEICE(China Daily UK) Speed dating has been hot in London since the early 2000s, with events often aimed at niche groupsthe under 30s, over 40s, tall men, petite womenbut curiously, the capital's top speed-dating company only themes one event by nationality or ethnicity: Chinese speed dating. "I don't know why the Chinese events have remained popular," said Andrew Summersgill, founder of Original Dating. "It's a slightly strange anomaly really, that these particular events are in such high demand." He organized the first one after getting several emails from Chinese Londoners about a year ago, after a Chinese speed dating organizer stopped functioning. Since then, he has put on five events, mostly sellouts. The most recent one was held at the kitsch 1950s-style cocktail bar, Love Die Late in central London where 14 men and 14 womenan even mix of British-born Chinese and Chinese expatschatted, mostly in English. They moved on every four minutes until every guy and girl had met. Chris Marsh, who hosted the night, was similarly at a loss to explain why Chinese-themed evenings work so well. "All I know is that they are always really nice people, and it's really popular," Marsh said. Most participants are bashful when approached for an interview, though one, who requested his name not be usedan Australian consultant in his late 20s with parents from Guangzhouwas talkative after a successful night. "Tonight, I met a few people who I had an interesting conversation with that I may catch up with later on," he said. "My view is that Asian and Chinese people have some key principles in life. Family is a very important thing. I find conversation with Chinese people tends to be a bit deeper, I suppose. "With Chinese people I connect at a different level. Maybe, there is a preference to connect with people with a similar background and values." Whatever the reason behind the demand, Chinese speed dating in London shows no sign of slowing down and Summersgillis organizing a Chinese evening every six weeks. Marriott International to debut Eco-Conscious Element Brand in Egypt Marriott International has announced plans to debut Element Hotels, the stylish eco-incubator brand in Egypt in early 2019. Located in Cairos upscale Heliopolis district and slated to be the largest Element Hotel in the Middle East and Africa, Element Cairo is being developed by Abraj Misr Urban Development and is owned by Middle East Real Estate for Development (MERED), an Egyptian limited liability company. Element Cairo will be part of The Gate Project, the new iconic ecofriendly development, featuring the largest housing, administrative, commercial facility in Egypt and the Middle East. The hotel will feature 344 light-filled rooms and an atmosphere designed to fuel a life in balance and on the move. Egypt is one of our key markets and we are excited to introduce a new brand to the capitals city center, said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. Element Cairo will be a highly-anticipated addition to our rapidly growing portfolio presenting travelers an appealing, new option for short and long stays in this market. We believe travelers deserve more than a place to stay so we dont compromise on comfort or quality for guests. Engineer Ali Rabie, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abraj Misr Company, the pioneering real estate developer in the field of building via green architectural technology said It is with great pride that we announce the inking of an agreement to bring Element Hotels to Egypt as part of one of the foremost real estate projects by our company. Our collaboration is a continuation of the companys strategy of working with reputed international brands to redefine the lifestyle landscape. We are confident that this project with its modern and outstanding architectural design will be the first choice for those seeking uniqueness of experience and tranquility. Located within easy access from the airport, downtown Cairo as well as New Cairo, Element Cairo will be part of a landmark mixed-use project with a high-end retail mall housing Egypts largest indoor theme park and unbranded residences. Spacious studios and one, two and three-bedroom suites at Element Cairo will offer a fluid design of modular furniture, fully equipped kitchens, the signature Heavenly Bed and spa-inspired bathrooms. Hotel amenities will include fast and free WiFi, complimentary bikes to borrow, a state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness center, 668 square meters of flexible meeting space and a fully equipped business center and an all-day dining cafe. Guests can fuel their day with the healthy Rise breakfast and wind down with the Relax evening wine reception both complimentary. A recognized industry leader in the eco-space, Element offers travelers a fresh interpretation of the traditional hotel experience with natural light, modern design, healthy options and eco-minded sensibilities. This reimagined extended-stay experience is perfect for the traveler who is visiting for a few days or a few weeks. Element continues to grow at a phenomenal pace with hotels slated to open in numerous markets by the end of 2017, including Austin, Dallas, and Katy, Texas (USA); Gainesville, Florida (USA); Moline, Illinois (USA); Des Moines, Iowa (USA); Chandlers, Arizona (USA), Redmond, Washington (USA); Huntsville, Alabama (USA); Palmdale, California (USA); Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Bali Ubud, Indonesia; Hebei and Foshan, China; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.at statement. That statement is made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. www.Marriott.com Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. HA NOI The Ministry of Finance has issued a directive on the financial management of the Debt and Asset Trading Corporation (DATC), which will be enforced on November 1, 2016. The directive stipulates that DATC should maintain ownership, management and usage of procured debts and properties. Each debt procured by DATC (by agreement or appointment) is regarded as a special commodity and the company should manage and pursue it. DATC has a right to transfer debts and properties into capital of restructured SOEs, which must be in conformity with related laws, according to the new regulations. The use of debts and properties for capital procurement must be based on investment effectiveness approved by relevant authorities. Properties (excluding debts) should be evaluated by competent authorities in accordance with laws. Under the new guidelines, DATC must submit semi-annual and annual reports to the finance ministry on the development of the State capital. The use of capital is based on three principles: buying debts and properties for business activities in line with laws; supporting SOE restructuring; contributing capital for upgrading business activities. In addition, DATC must preserve and develop State capital at the company. The corporation is not allowed to directly invest or contribute capital into real estate sector, buy shares at banks, insurance companies, stock companies. DATC could be active in buying shares and convertible bonds at businesses where it has been a shareholder or having restructuring plans to facilitate the process. VNS A small copper company in northern Bac Ninh Provinces Gia Binh District. Small- and medium-sized enterprises are struggling to access business resources, such as credit, land and market information. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Ha HA NOI The draft law on support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be discussed at the 14th National Assemblys second meeting sessions which will open today, heard a conference yesterday. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment ang Huy ong said at the conference organised by the ministrys Agency for Enterprises Development and the United States Agency for International Development that SMEs were a driver for growth and the core of the economy. SMEs accounted for 97 per cent of all firms, provided jobs to half of the labour force and contributed 40 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP). However, they were still struggling to access business resources, such as credit, land and market information. ong said the law would create a level playing field for firms while raising private resources in boosting the SME community. The law would aim to encourage firms to renovate the growth model and improve competitiveness. The support from the law is appropriate to Viet Nams commitments to international trade deals, Le Van Khuong, Head of SMEs Department said, adding that the law was expected to boost employment and contribute to enabling one million firms to operate efficiently by 2020. According to Gloria Steele, USAIDs Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia, Viet Nam was growing rapidly in the region. Creating a favourable environment for SMEs to develop was essential for the countrys growth, she said. Support to women-led firms In another conference held on Tuesday, experts said that gender equality should be addressed in the law on support for SMEs, by supporting female-led firms. A report heard at the workshop on Tuesday held by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Ha Noi Womens Association of SMEs (HAWASME) revealed that female-led firms significantly contributed to the countrys socio-economic development but faced several disadvantages compared with male-led firms. The report carried out by HAWASME and Asian Development Banks Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) found that female-led firms accounted for 24.8 per cent of the total number of firms or 25 per cent of the total number of SMEs and created more than 1.6 million jobs. Female-led firms also used more women workers than male-led firms with respective proportions of 43.4 per cent and 36 per cent. However, they faced barriers in accessing financial resources, market information, trade promotion programmes and Government supports. Female entrepreneurs also struggle to balance family and work, according to the report. Ha Thi Vinh, director of Quang Vinh Ceramics Company, said that female entrepreneurs were often bound by cultural and family factors. Experts at the conference said that the draft law should address gender-related issues. According to Hoang Quang Phong, VCCIs Deputy Director, there was a shortage of support for female-led firms. It is necessary to have policies to promote female entrepreneurship, Phong said. Currently, Viet Nam has only Decree 56/2009/N-CP which mentions female-led firms, saying that support to female-led SMEs or SMEs using a significant number of women workers will be given priority. However, there were no detailed regulations and support failed to reach female-led firms. Many countries such as South Korea, the Philippines and the US have separate laws or programmes to support female-led firms. Bui Sy Loi, Deputy Chairman of the NAs Committee on Social Affairs said that he expected the law on support to SMEs would support SMEs and female-led firms. Loi said that support to female-led firms should include trade promotion, resource access, developing business network and improve capacity. If support to female-led SMEs is included in the law, I believe that the goal of 35 per cent of firms being led by women entrepreneurs will be within reach, Loi said. -- VNS Distillers' dried grains soluble in a warehouse, used mainly for cattle feeds. The decision by the MARD to stop importing said feed is due to storage pests Photo greenco-international.com HA NOI Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh signed a decision on Monday to stop all imports of distillers dried grains from the United States and peanuts from Sudan and Hong Kong. The decision to stop importing US distillers dried grains with soluble is due to grains contamination with the Warehouse Beetle Togoderma variable, while peanuts from Sudan and Hong Kong are contaminated with the khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium Everts and the seed beetle Caryedon serratus. This was revealed after they were subjected to Vietnamese phytosanitary inspection. This decision will come into effect 60 days from the signing. Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) asked the Plant Protection Department to tighten inspection of US grains and peanut containers from Sudan and Hong Kong until the decision comes into effect. In an official statement, MARD asked concerned authorities in the respective countries to find a comprehensive solution to the issue. This is not the first time Viet Nam has made a decision to stop importing grains used for cattle feed due to worries over the competition with domestic products. Previously, Viet Nam stopped importing corn soy beans and peanuts from India and Senegal due to contamination with several harmful pests. VNS BEIJING A workshop was held in the Chinese central province of Hunan on October 19 to promote co-operation between Viet Nam and China in economics, trade, investment and tourism. The event was organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in China and the Hunan provincial Department of Commerce as part of the ongoing 2016 ASEAN-Hunan Famous Brand High-Quality Products Trade Fair. Minister-Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in China Nguyen ac Thanh said the workshop will enable businesses to study co-operation opportunities and potential in the context of the recent establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community and the growing friendship and co-operative ties between the two countries. He noted that with the goal to raise bilateral trade to US$100 billion in 2017, the two sides have continuously undertaken measures to expand partnership in economics, trade and investment in a healthy, stable and balanced manner, while encouraging businesses to expand partnership. According to the diplomat, the Vietnamese Government is committed to creating the best possible conditions for foreign enterprises, including those from China, to do business in Viet Nam. Viet Nam has also welcomed Hunan businesses to invest in projects suitable with the countrys sustainable development strategy, especially in construction materials, supporting industry, equipment and machinery, as well as electricity, renewable energy and green growth. Viet Nam-China trade surpassed $66 billion in 2015 (Chinas statistics $95.8 billion). China has been the largest trade partner of Viet Nam for the past 12 consecutive years, while Viet Nam became the largest trade partner of China in ASEAN in 2015 for the first time. As of July 2016, Chinese firms poured in nearly $11 billion into 1,500 investment projects in Viet Nam, ranking ninth out of the 110 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation. China is the leading country in terms of the number of tourists to Viet Nam and it is also one of the most popular destinations for Vietnamese travellers. Close to two million Chinese vacationers arrived in Viet Nam in the first nine months of 2016, a year-on-year increase of over 55 per cent and equal to the total figure of 2015. VNS HA NOI The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced the preliminary results of the administrative review of the anti-dumping duty imposed on some of Viet Nams oil country tubular goods (OCTG). The review was conducted at the request of Viet Nams SEAH Steel VINA Corporation (SSV) on OCTG for the period from February 25, 2014, to August 31, 2015. OCTGs are essentially tubes that are used in oil and gas production. As per a notice published in the US Federal Register on October 14, the DOCs review has determined that SSV did not sell the concerned merchandise in the US at rates below the normal value during the period of review (POR). The weighted average dumping margin for the POR for SSV is zero per cent. However, the anti-dumping duty of 111.47 per cent, announced on July 11 for other Vietnamese OCTG exporters, remains unchanged. In the notice, the DOC said that interested parties can submit case briefs within 30 days after the date of publication of these preliminary results in the Federal Register. Rebuttals to case briefs, which must be restricted to issues raised in the case briefs, can be filed within five days after the deadline for filing case briefs. Exporters who want a hearing must submit a written request to the assistant secretary for enforcement and compliance within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice, the DOC has said. The DOC will issue the final results of the administrative review, which will include the results of analysis of all issues raised in the case briefs, within 120 days of publication of the preliminary results. - VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is concerned that Viet Nam might fail to achieve its GDP goal of 6.7 per cent this year. In his report of the countrys socio-economic development in 2016 to the National Assembly (NA) this morning, Phuc said the average economic growth in the last three quarters only reached 5.97 per cent. This was much lower than the GDP rate of 6.5 per cent in the same period last year. During the second meeting session of the newly-elected NA, which opened this morning, the PM on behalf of the government said projected GDP growth this year may only reach 6.3-6.5 per cent, slightly lower than the original target of 6.7 per cent set by the previous NA. That economic growth has failed to meet the goal, will affect other targets, for example it will lead to higher budget deficit and public debt, Phuc said. Viet Nams public debt was among the top issues on the governments agenda as it has already crossed the red line set by the NA at 65 per cent of the GDP. The Ministry of Planning and Investment in its latest report released last month issued a warning that the risk of public debt climbing beyond the ceiling rate was becoming more apparent". Despite the looming risk that Viet Nam might not be able to reach the GDP goal this year, the government still proposed a GDP target of 6.7 per cent for next year, according to Phuc. VNS Nina Vaca, US Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship What do you suggest for startup businesses in Viet Nam? I think Viet Nam creates an incredible opportunity for startups; were very excited that angel investors have travelled from Viet Nam to the United States and we have great hopes for the people of Viet Nam. My advice for startups in Viet Nam is to take advantage of the entrepreneur ecosystems that are available. Through these networks and ecosystems, businesses should find not only investment but also employees, associates and access to other aids, which will allow them to bridge the gap between a new startup and a successful entrepreneur. Ive found that the Vietnamese community has a strong work ethic and a very natural sense of entrepreneurship, both in here and in the United States. So again I would advise them to take advantage of those ecosystems, organisations, chambers or councils, from local ones to national ones, that can help elevate their profile so that people can know who they are. The US programme of Global Innovation in Science and Technology is a perfect example of how they can bring you lessons, exposure and funding. Human resources and human capital are the difference between success and failure for a business, and I would advise you to focus on human resources development too. What do you think Vietnamese startups should do to attract investors? One of the main reasons the White House is bringing Vietnamese angel investors to the United States is the notion of investing in Viet Nam and giving Vietnamese businesses their own wealthy investors right here, in addition to recruiting talented people to reinvest in the community. So, these successful businesses in Viet Nam will give back by investing again. The fastest developing field for startups right now is the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field, along with several industries like healthcare, with the underlining of STEM education, so I would suggest focusing closely on this field as well. There are great opportunities in the country and in the world, so another piece of advice is to continue on your path. My message to the Vietnamese startup community is that its okay to fail, but its also in your weakest moment that you find your strength. ang Huong Giang Can you tell us about the role and impact of angel investors? Angel investors play a basic role in creating the startup ecosystem. They are entrepreneurs who have succeeded to some degree in their own business, with experience and funding to reinvest in later startups. Their primary objective is to finance new startups based on their own knowledge and understanding for market demand. Their secondary objective is to operate the company and make new networks to support the startup. On the whole this is mentorship, in which the angel investors provide the startup with knowledge, experience and even relationships to help the startup move onto the next level. Do you have any other advice for domestic startups? The first and foremost thing to do is to really focus on the product and the service that they are delivering to the customers. In an ecosystem, there can be a lot of noises and distraction from different people, but the startup themselves must know their own product and devote themselves completely to the field at hand. Even when they come to mentors for advice, they must still use their intuition to see for themselves and make their own decisions. And should they have to pivot to a new field, they should only do so if they truly understand their motives and have tried their best. So again, besides developing human resources, creating networks, ecosystems and finding the appropriate field of operation, focusing is the most important thing a startup can do. What is your take on the startup environment in Viet Nam now? Our spirit is high and we are determined, although our ecosystem is still young. Startups have yet to learn much about business, as in marketing, accounting or just operating in general. In other countries, there are incubation programmes to help these startups, so I would say the first step to turn startup founders into more well rounded and capable of running a company own their own would be to have these incubation programmes in Viet Nam. Im confident and positive about the future of startup businesses in Viet Nam. The movement is going well with support from the government as well as other large companies, or from individuals like us. So Id say that the environment is in good hands to move up in the world. VNS HCM CITY Hard Rock Cafe Vietnam will host two Halloween parties on October 28 and 29. Themed Walking Dead Man, the event on October 28 will feature dance performances by zombie dancers. Entrance is free. The Hell Festival party on October 29 will include live music by Sweet Nightmare band from Indonesia. There will be prizes for the best costumes. Tickets are VN150,000. The venue is at 39 Le Duan Street in District 1. VNS Hong Van A decent facility with passionate teachers is the first impression one has when visiting the Kianh Foundation Centre in central Quang Nam Province, which is offering near free care and treatment for nearly 100 children with disabilities. Jackie Wrafter, a wholehearted woman who has spent more than a decade with disabled children in ien Ban Town, Quang Nam Province, founded the foundation in 2001. I was not really a children person before I came to Vietnam. But I see the children with disabilities in Viet Nam whose lives are so hard, and yet they never feel sorry for themselves and are just happy when they get the opportunity to do something more with their lives. It is impossible not to give a helping hand to children who have this attitude, said Jackie. There are children who seemed almost impossible to help when we first encountered them, and then with the support of our staff they learned to do simple, everyday things and to live life in a meaningful way. These children are always in my mind and their stories seem like small miracles, said Jackie. In 2001, when Jackie and her friend, Jacci Bulman came to Viet Nam on a world tour, they visited an orphanage in ien Ban Ward that Jackie eventually worked at. We strongly felt that we had to do something to help the children here, said Jackie. Under her wing: Jackie adopted Khoa when he was seven years old. Now, Khoa lives with her and talks with his family every week on the phone. Photo courtesy of Jackie Returning to England, Jackie called for donations for these kids by talking to everyone about them. One of her friends also helped her by speaking about the children on BBC Radios John Peel show, while others made a small book about them. Jackie did not expect that the foundation would eventually get regular amounts of money from donors. We decided the best thing we could do for the children was to employ a physiotherapist to start working with them, and later register as a charity, said Jackie. Many desperate families in the province then started to give their disabled children to the orphanage, hoping that Jackies group could help them. Many of kids came from ien Ban Town, where there are a large number of children with disabilities. In 2012, the Kianh Foundation started to run a purpose-built day centre for such children with the aim of supporting families so that they dont get to the stage where they feel their child is such a burden that they have to abandon it to an institution, said Jackie. Whilst more special schools are appearing in the cities, the situation for children with disabilities living in rural areas is still pretty hopeless, said Jackie. There are currently 99 children at the centre, who have all kinds of different abilities and disabilities. Up until last month, the families had to pay only VN200,000 (US$9) per month to cover the basic costs of the kids lunchtime meals. Recently we are having some problems in finding enough charitable donations, so we recently shared this problem with our families and asked them to pay a bit more, depending upon what they could afford, said Jackie. We greatly appreciated the families readiness to pay more, even those who are in very difficult economic circumstances, added Jackie. Growing skills: After some time in the centre, they can follow a class routine, be more independent, social, and have a more varied vocabulary. Photo courtesy of Jackie Early intervention key Generally, when kids are admitted to the centre, they are often low in self-confidence, are not used to any kind of structure or routine, and have hardly any basic skills. After some time at the centre, they can follow a class routine, be more independent, social, and have a more varied vocabulary, said Nguyen Thi Quynh, who has worked as a teacher in the centre for six years. The centre provides physical and occupational therapy as well as a modified mainstream Vietnamese curriculum for children who have good cognitive abilities. It also offers a wide variety of other programmes, which include an early literacy and numeracy programme, communication and speech development, as well as life skills, behaviour management, dance therapy and art. We feel that early intervention is very important, so we take children as young as we can, said Jackie. We are also starting to do more work with the families, which is so important. The families really need to be on board, active in their childs development and give them opportunities to do at home what they have learned at the centre. Parents need to have expectations of their child. In need: We are still waiting for generous donors who see how much impact we are having on these children and wants to help us do more, said Jackie. Photo courtesy of JackieIn the near future, the centre will help some organisations in training their staff and developing their programmes as the centre has become experienced in these areas. We would like to become a resource centre helping build the capacity of other schools and support mainstream schools in supporting children with special needs, but I think this also needs some input from the Ministry of Education. Even if mainstream teachers are trained in some special education strategies, it is still very hard for them to put them into place when they have a class of 30, 40 or even 50 students to manage, said Jackie. We are still waiting for generous donors who see how much impact we are having on these children and want to help us do more, said Jackie. The local authority has granted about 4,000sq metres for the centre. It will give more land to expand the centre as the waiting list to join the centre grows month by month, said Deputy Chairman of the ien Ban Town Peoples Committee, Nguyen Xuan Ha. "Most of the families having disabled children here are very poor, so the operation of this foundation is greatly meaningful and humane," said Ha. Poor parents dont have to worry about their child and can go to work to make ends meet, said Ha. "We could hardly find another person who can do so much for disabled kids as Jackie," said Nguyen Thi Quynh, who has worked as a teacher at the foundation for years. "She is truly a selfless person, who has a deep compassion for the kids. She always wants to bring the best things to the kids and staff. Everyone working here surely shares the same feelings towards Jackie as me," said Quynh. Wholehearted: Jackie Wrafter, founder of Kianh Foundation. In 2012, the foundation opened a day care centre which now hosts 99 children with disabilities. Photo courtesy of Jackie There is currently an Australian special education trainer working at the centre and other international experts make frequent trips to the centre to provide the staff technical support every year, said Quynh. In 2006, Jackie adopted seven-year-old Khoa, who was sent to ien Bans orphanage because his family was so poor. Khoa was a bright and intelligent kid who was eager to learn. He learned to walk, feed himself and started talking much more in a very short time, said Jackie. In 2007, an American charity stopped funding the orphanage and Khoa was about to be sent back to his family. It would be terrible if a child with so much potential went back to a place where he would just stay at home all day and never have the opportunity of an education. So I asked his parents if I could share the care of him with them, and they agreed, said she. Khoa loves me and his family a lot, added Jackie. VNS Tran Anh Tuan Tran Anh Tuan, acting director of the Ho Chi Minh Institute for Development Studies speaks to the newspaper Tuoi Tre (Youth) on the importance of putting the people in the centre of designing new policy. According to the agenda for the upcoming National Assemblys full house meeting, lawmakers will discuss and approve four laws and give their comments or suggestions on 12 bills. Dont you think that the workload is too heavy for a month sitting? I cannot agree more. The agenda for the second full house meeting of the 14th National Assembly (NA) is packed. One of the objectives of the meeting is how to help the Government achieve its goal of becoming a Government of constructivism through high quality legal documents. Two months ago, the NA started to gather comments from Government agencies, mass organisations, concerned agencies and the general public on how to revise the four laws and 12 bills. The focus is on how to make the laws serve the people, particularly enterprises better. This is the key message of building a constructive Government. During the law making process of previous legislatures, there was a tendency for lawmakers who represented certain agencies to have a tendency to be in favour of the fields that they were specialised in. Do you have any comments on this? Yes! During debates, there were heated discussions between the pros and cons among both specialised and non-specialised lawmakers on the topics under discussion. I totally objected to such types of discussions by scientists or experts. I think that they should behave more properly for the common interest. One of the objectives of the discussion is to make laws that provide a favourable environment for both enterprises and the people, not only for management agencies. At present, the percentage of full time deputies among NA delegates is not that high, with quite a few of them playing two roles, for instance being an NA deputy and cabinet member, or local government leader. In these circumstances, what should we do to prevent unwanted debates during the law making process? In my opinion, during debates or discussion, lawmakers should put the interest of the nation above all. We all understand that not all rules or regulations can fit everyone. The interest of the nation must always be upheld, and this is a principle that all deputies have to observe. In other words, we all want to have a good Government, a Government of the people and of enterprises. But in Viet Nam, the law making process has not provided many opportunities for lawmakers to participate in, right from the beginning of the process. What are your thoughts on this? Whether we have a Government of constructivism or not depends on our policies. The process of developing a law in Viet Nam is somehow different from other countries. To compile a new law, a ministry or sector is assigned to draft the law. The responsibility of the NA deputies is to give their comments or suggestions to the draft document when it is presented to the NA Commissions. In my opinion, this procedure must be changed. Full time deputies should get involved right from the beginning of the law compilation process. I think it is a way to ensure the objectivity of the law and to avoid unwanted debates when the bill is presented to the full house meeting. In your capacity as a deputy of HCM City and head of the Citys Institute for Development Study, what can you do to curtail such a nuisance debate? As for the upcoming National Assembly meeting scheduled for Thursday, the deputies will spend some time to discuss new rules to create favourable conditions for development. No doubt, the discussion will encroach on the rights and interests of certain ministries or sectors that some delegates come from. Of course, the National Assembly will have to arrange time to settle these obstacles. However, I am confident that if all the deputies share the same objective to help the Government perform its job better for the people and the nation this will be achieved. VNS A string of summits which aim to further links among Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries will take place in Ha Noi next week, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo baoquocte.vn HA NOI A string of summits which aim to further links among Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries will take place in Ha Noi next week, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 8th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Viet Nam Summit (CLMV 8) and the 7th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 7) will be held at the National Convention Centre from October 24-26, said Deputy Minister ang inh Quy at an international press briefing yesterday. On the occasion, at Viet Nams initiative, the World Economic Forum on Mekong region (WEF Mekong) will be organised for the first time alongside the CLMV 8 and ACMECS 7 to promote the regions potential to the international business community. With the theme of Seizing opportunities, shaping the future, the CLMV-8 will discuss opportunities and challenges facing the economies of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam and co-operation measures to improve their competitiveness and regional integration, Quy said. The ACMECS is part of the economic co-operation framework between the five Mekong countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. Themed Towards a dynamic and prosperous Mekong sub-region, it will focus on discussing measures to increase regional linkage to boost economic integration and increase co-operation between ACMECS countries for the sustainable development of the Mekong sub-region. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will chair ACMECS 7 and CLMV 8. The summits will see the attendance of leaders of Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, as well as representatives from international organisations, WEFs member businesses and major enterprises in countries sharing the Mekong River, and scholars. The highlight of the CLMV and ACMECS co-operation is to aim for specific results with outstanding projects and programmes, such as the new roads in the East-West Economic Corridor and the South Economic Belt, and the bilateral and multilateral agreements on transport, customs and immigration procedures, and scholarships. The CLMV and ACMECS are also important mechanisms for Mekong countries to co-ordinate efforts to cement trust and hold dialogues to seek solutions to common challenges like water resources, climate change and diseases based on the harmony of interests of all sides. The organisation board will operate a press centre in the National Convention Centre from October 23-26 to enable domestic and foreign reporters to cover the meetings, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh. - VNS HA NOI School violence has recently increased not only in quantity, but also in severity, said educational experts. Videos of students fighting have been widely shared on social networks lately. At the end of last month, an eighth grader commited suicide after being beaten and humiliated by his friends father on video. The clip was then posted on social networks and many students commented that it was normal to be beaten at school. On October 9, an eight grader at Pham Ngu Lao Junior Secondary School in the central province of Khanh Hoa posted on her Facebook that if she received 1,000 likes, she would set fire to her school. When she received enough likes, after encouragement from friends, bought petrol to school and set it on fire in the medical room. The fire was extinguished by the schools security guard, but the student burned both her legs. Currently, Cam Thuy District Police in the central province of Thanh Hoa are investigating the case of two female students beating a girl unconscious. Videos of the incident were posted on forums and Facebook. Speaking about the problem, Hoang Thi Minh Phuong, deputy principal of the Le Hong Phong Junior Secondary School in Ha ong District, Ha Noi, said that punishing students did not fix anything completely. Most punishments used by the education sector aim at educating students and giving them an opportunity to correct their faults. Agreeing with Phuong, Nguyen Ngoc Duy, a psychological expert, said that expelling these students was not a good idea. More important was that students are taught social skills and teachers understand the students psychology. But schools were lacking in these areas, he said. Schools role Nguyen Trong Hoan, an official of the Nghe An Department of Education and Training, said that after several cases of school violence in the province recently, the department asked schools to work with local authorities to spread knowledge about laws to students. Vu Kien Trung, a teacher of the Ta Quang Buu Junior Secondary School in Ha Noi, said that to reduce school violence, families, schools and society should focus on educating students behaviour and personality. Students should not have access to violent programmes, images and games and schools should have lessons creating connections between students to set up love between people, he said. Schools should have lessons creating connections between students to set up love between people. Television programmes should honour good behaviour instead of broadcasting too much negative behaviour, he said. Parents and teachers should act as good examples for students, said Trung. Truong inh Chien, a lecturer of the HCM City Academy of Public Administration, said that at present teachers only focus on teaching knowledge, and did not pay enough attention to training students skills and behaviour. In fact, some teachers did not have good behaviour towards their students. A system of behaviour norms at schools was needed, he said. Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Nghia said that the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) would promulgate a system of behaviour norms and the system would be used nationwide. The system would have different content for kindergartens, primary schools, junior secondary schools, high schools, colleges and universities. The ministry would also promulgate a circular giving guidance on cultural behaviour to students. Localities should have detailed plans based on the guidance and apply in their areas, she said. Manpower for psychological education Ngu Duy Anh, director of the MoETs Department of Student Affairs, said that at present, the education sector had difficulties because it did not have staff specialised in psychological consultancy at schools. Psychological consultancy did not received proper attention at schools, so students lack a teacher-friend who they can talk to about their problems. The MoET suggested setting up a model of giving psychological consultancy at schools with the aim of improving students social skills. VNS HA NOI Hastening the disbursement of official development assistance (ODA) and preferential loans remains a huge task for the remaining two months of this year in the context of increasing public debts and limited resources, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh. The official made the remarks at a workshop on accelerating the implementation and disbursement of ODA programmes and projects in Ha Noi on Tuesday. Minh, who is also head of the National Steering Committee for ODA and Preferential Loans, emphasised the need to disburse more than US$22 billion of ODA and concessional loans committed to Viet Nam for 2017-2020. He explained that slow implementation and disbursement could result in higher project costs. The Deputy PM urged ministries, agencies and localities to prepare for the projects and fulfill their commitments regarding compensation, land clearance, human resources and corresponding capital, noting that land clearance is a big problem for infrastructure projects. With attention on the use of ODA and concessional loans, the Vietnamese Government has taken steps to speed up the disbursement and raise the efficiency of the capital, he said. The official cited Government Resolution No. 60/NQ-CP on hastening the actualisation and disbursement of public investment capital in 2016 and the Law on International Treaties with regulations concerning the signing of international treaties on ODA. At the workshop, World Bank (WB) Country Director for Viet Nam Ousmane Dione, on behalf of the Asia Development Bank, the French Development Agency, the German Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Korea Exim Bank and the WB, pledged further support to Viet Nam. He expressed his belief that Viet Nam and the banks will join hands in addressing problems in carrying out these projects. According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as of September 2016, over $4.9 billion of ODA and concessional loans were committed to Viet Nam, representing a 1.8-fold rise year-on-year. Of the figure, only $2.68 billion was disbursed, equivalent to 81.4 per cent of the amount from the same time last year. The projects mainly focus on transport, water supply and sewage, environmental hygiene, urban development and climate change response. The ministry blamed the lack of corresponding capital, complicated institutional regulations and difficulties in land clearance for the sluggish implementation and disbursement of the loans. VNS Custom officers in Quang Tri central province examine smuggled goods. During the first half of this year, the provinces Board of Customs uncovered some 350 cases of smuggling with a total value of VND455 billion (US$20.5 million). VNA/VNS Photo Tran Tinh HCM CITY The scale of tobacco smuggling has fallen but the situation remains complicated, especially in smuggling hubs like the Southern cities and provinces of HCM City, Long An, Tay Ninh, An Giang, and the northern provinces of Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, a conference on combating smuggling has heard. Speaking at the conference held in HCM City on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh asked local authorities of such provinces to intensify and mobilise all forces to crack down on cigarette smuggling. Binh said that despite the efforts of central and local governments, the battle against smuggling, counterfeit goods and commercial fraud had not been satisfactory. At the conference, a representative from the border guard said that new jobs for residents living near the border would help reduce smuggling. Many of the smugglers are manual labourers. He said that international cooperation in fighting tobacco smuggling was needed since neighbouring countries encouraged the activity. According to the National Steering Committee on Combating Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeit Goods, authorities in six Southern provinces where tobacco smuggling is reported as serious have uncovered 15,363 cases, seizing more than 11 million boxes of cigarettes. The local authorities prosecuted 373 criminal cases and 471 people who committed violations. In Long An Province, between October 2014 and June 2016, more than 3,780 cigarette smuggling cases were uncovered with over four million boxes of cigarettes involved. Some 56 criminal cases were prosecuted against 79 people who were charged with violations. Local authorities collected more than VN6 billion (US$272,000) in administrative fines. During the same period, officials in Tay Ninh uncovered more than 1,500 cases involving 1.5 million cigarette packages involving 649 people. Some 76 cases and 139 people were prosecuted in criminal courts. In HCM City, officials investigated 3,577 cases in which 1,398 people took part in smuggling about 2.5 million cigarette packages. A report at the conference revealed administrative penalties totalled VN17 billion ($772,000) involving about 115 people prosecuted. The situation remains serious despite action taken to prevent smuggling in Southern provinces, the smuggling hub of the country. Smuggled cigarettes are not displayed in broad daylight as before, but clandestine trades still take place at some restaurants, hotels and bars. The Ministry of Public Security notes that smuggled cigarettes account for 24-25 per cent of the domestic market, while the confiscated amount accounts only for 6-7 per cent. Smuggling causes a range of issues from potential consumer health problems and failure of tax collection, to public disorder and the corruption of officials. Limitations and reasons Many reasons were given for the currently complicated smuggling situation, the conference heard. First, in domestic markets, the tax applied to cigarettes is exorbitant. Tax includes 65 per cent for special consumption tax, 10 per cent VAT, 135 per cent for corporate income tax, and a 1.5 per cent tobacco harm prevention fund tax. This, plus strict policies cause the price of cigarettes to be higher than in other countries. Secondly, local authorities lack determination in directing the fight against smuggling. The communication between local authorities and enforcement agencies as well as the equipment and support supplied are insufficient. In some cases, officials turn a blind eye to or even collude with smugglers. Thirdly, peoples livelihoods in remote areas are not stable; therefore, they are susceptible to persuasion from criminals into participating in illegal activities. The fines are low and not much deterrence; the main owners and ringleaders of the operation just pay up and continue smuggling. Viet Nam is one of the first countries to participate in the WHOs Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). No other members of FCTC allow the re-exporting of contraband cigarettes. According to the Deputy Manager of the Government Office, Le Manh Ha, there needs to be a plan to control tobacco retailers. Raising awareness of the harm of cigarettes is also much needed, as when the demand decreases, the supply will decline. Leaders of provinces where smuggling persists and flourishes will be held accountable before the Government. A heavy-handed approach is needed in dealing with violators. Implementing New rural programmes and offering vocational training to people in border areas to help them get secure livelihoods would also help, the Deputy Prime Minister said. VNS IEN BIEN The increasing number of suicides in ien Bien over the last few years has raised alarms among the community in the remote mountainous province. A report from local police recorded a total of 405 suicide attempts with 365 people dieing since 2011 through the end of June 2016. The number increased year by year, and at a concerning rate: the number of people killing themselves last year jumped almost threefold to 94 from just 32 in 2011. Municipal Criminal Police Division Deputy Chief, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Hien told ien Bien newspaper that the suicides happened for various reasons, calling some of them minor. They could be due to low scores at school, spouses badmouthing each other or jealousy in romantic affairs. Vu A So from the Noong U Commune in ien Bien ong District, about 52km to the southeast of the province capital ien Bien Phu city, told of how his nephew barely escaped death after eating the poisonous la ngon, nicknamed the heartbreak grass. When with friends at his house, my nephews wife said that he was not a decent man in front of the guests. He was so embarrassed and went into the forest to take la ngon to die, So said. His wife discovered him in time to save her husband, but attempted suicides for reasons like this were not rare in Noong U where la ngon has become the way out for troubled locals. In the neighbouring commune of Suoi Lu, a junior high school girl took her own life a few months ago after being scolded by her father for breaking her mobile phone. Her parents found her body inside the adjacent forest, dead after ingesting la ngon. La ngon, rampant in the northern mountainous regions, is the most poisonous plant in Viet Nam as only three leaves are enough to kill a healthy man in less than an hour. The alkaloids in the plant cause respiratory failure and circulatory collapse. The police report showed that la ngon appeared in 189 suicide cases in ien Bien since 2011, or nearly half of the total. ien Bien ong District surfaced as the capital of la ngon suicide attempts, accounting for nearly 98 per cent of the cases with 185 suicide attempts. Over the first eight months of 2016, the district reported 73 cases with 29 people killed by the plant, double the number from the same period last year. The district health centre deputy director Cao Thi Ly said that many who attempted suicide went into the forest or to fields to eat the grass, making them hard to be found. When they were discovered and delivered to the health centre or the communal health stations, it was already too late, she said. Most were already dead. Noong U Peoples Committee Chairman Cu A Cha said that suicide by la ngon were common in ethnic minority communities in the area, disproportionately among Mong people. Cha believed the reasons for such high a rate of suicide law in poverty, low levels of education and what he called an attitude of undervaluing ones own life. However, questions regarding why Mong people had such high rates of suicide about 85 per cent of suicide attempts in ien Bien were carried out by Mong locals, according to the police report compared to a dozen other ethnicities living in similar conditions, remained unanswered. There is yet to be any thorough research into the issue in the region. To tackle the issue, many proposed destroying all la ngon plants in the area in the short-term, yet Ly believed that the only solution was psychological support for locals. VNS BA RIA-VUNG TAU The reason for the huge number of fish deaths in Cha Va River, in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces Long Son Commune, was prolonged heavy rain, the provincial Peoples Committee said. Officials arrived at the conclusion at a meeting between the provincial Peoples Committee, the natural resources and environment department, local authorities and affected households and made the announcement yesterday. Heavy, continuous showers led to a sudden drop in the amount of saline and dissolved oxygen in the river water and killed fish, they said. Local agencies had collected water and fish samples to identify the cause. Between October 10 and 15, 254 tonnes of farmed fish from 90 households in Long Son Commune died, causing an estimated loss of VN29 billion (US$1.31 million). Most of the fish were pomfret and cobia, and all were almost large enough for sale. Fish farmers have opposed the conclusion, saying that in all their years of fish breeding, its not as if this year received the highest amount of rainfall, for such a drastic effect. Instead, farmers blamed the six seafood processors in neighbouring Tan Hai Commune for the fish deaths. These units have been discharging waste water and polluting the river for the past two years, they alleged. On October 13, farmers laid out all the dead fish on Highway 51 in Vung Tau City in protest and demanded compensation from these enterprises. Fish farmers want a dyke built to separate the waste water and the local drainage system so that contaminated water does not flow into the river. Tran Van Cuong, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the department has asked provincial authorities to make a list of affected households so that they can be offered supportive policies such as debt expansion and breeding baby fish. The department has also asked the committee to urge agencies to complete the construction of a seafood processing area in at o District quickly and move seafood processors out of residential areas. Work must be completed by the first quarter of next year, he said. This is the sixth time since 2015 that fishermen in Long Son Commune have suffered losses from massive fish deaths. The most serious incident occurred in September 2015, when 33 households lost VN18 billion ($900,000). Fish breeders sued the firms for compensation, but so far only two of the companies have given the farmers compensation. VNS HA NOI The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) launched an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at a ceremony today in Ha Noi. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, Director of NIHE ang uc Anh, Acting Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Human and Health Services Mary Wakefield, US Ambassador to Viet Nam Ted Osius and representatives of NGOs. The EOC-NIHE is a cooperation project between Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NIHE, under technical and financial support from the US government for Viet Nam to enhance detection and response capacities corresponding to global health threats. This support is under the scope of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) following CDCs initiative since June 2014, and has until now reached 50 nations worldwide. The programme includes 11 discreet GHSA Action Packages toward three goals -- Prevention, Detection and Response. The establishment of EOC-NIHE is the second major milestone in the roadmap of establishing an EOC network in Viet Nam, which aims to collect epidemic data from various sources, analyse the data and set up corresponding plans in case of an epidemic emergency situation. EOC-NIHE is responsible for collecting epidemic data from 28 northern provinces of Viet Nam to build a national epidemic data source and provide warnings in case of abnormal occurrence of diseases. EOC-NIHE also connects with international EOCs worldwide, such as CDC Atlanta, WHO Western Pacific Region. Along with facilities and technical support from CDC and other international organisations, EOC-NIHE will enhance NIHEs capacity in data management, with the most updated and timely data, which will serve as the foundation for Viet Nam to respond to public health events in an appropriate manner. VNS HA NOI Fish sauce makers and food technology experts are voicing their scepticism and discontent towards an announcement on the high arsenic content in fish sauce, an essential element in Vietnamese cuisine. The announcement was made early this week by the Viet Nam Standards and Consumers Association (Vinatas). Ho Kim Lien, chairman of the Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Association, said the association had filed a petition demanding a clarification of the announcement from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Health and Kien Giang Provinces authorities. The information was unclear and threatens to push traditional fish sauce makers towards bankruptcy, she said. Vinatas, a non-profit organisation, on Monday announced the result of its test on 150 varieties of fish sauce sold in the market. Of these, 101 varieties of 88 brands, including one Thai brand, have arsenic content exceeding the permitted limit of 1mg per litre, according to the announcement. However, Truong Quang Hien, chairman of the Phan Thiet Fish Sauce Association, said Vinatas failed to clarify the difference between organic and inorganic arsenic compounds for the public. "They did not make it clear. Organic arsenic compounds are non-toxic. But the ambiguity makes consumers misunderstand the information, he said. In the past two days, some 10 members of my association have come to me demanding a clarification of the announcement to ease the anxiety of both consumers and fish sauce makers. Experts on food technology also expressed their dissatisfaction with Vinatas announcement. According to Vu The Thanh, a lecturer on food safety of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, arsenic is present in inorganic and organic forms. While inorganic arsenic compounds are highly toxic, organic arsenic compounds, which are often found in sea water and fish, are considered non-toxic. Fish sauce is made from fish, therefore most of its arsenic content is organic arsenic compounds, which cause little or no harm to humans, Thanh said. The limit of 1mg per litre set by the Ministry of Health for dipping sauce in general, including fish sauce, is applicable for inorganic arsenic compounds, he said. He also cited a survey announced in 2008 by the Food Chemistry journal on arsenic content in fish sauce exported to Austria from Viet Nam and Thailand. The result showed a majority of arsenic compounds found in the fish sauce were organic in nature and the products were safe. The result of Vinatas test is about arsenic in general, so it holds no meaning with regard to safety assessment of the product, Thanh said. Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Thinh from the Food and Biotechnology Institute shared a similar opinion. Vinatas should not have messed up the two types of arsenic, he said. The announcement was not made in the proper way. They cannot just publish the result without clear analysis and explanation. How can ordinary consumers know the difference between organic and inorganic arsenic? On hearing fish sauce contains arsenic, they will panic, he said. At a meeting with the prime ministers task force team on Tuesday, Nguyen Thanh Phong, head of the Food Safety Department, under the Ministry of Health, said an inter-sector team had been conducting inspection of fish sauce sold in Ha Noi and HCM City since October 12. The team would expand the inspection to other regions, including those having a long tradition of making fish sauce, such as Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province. The result would be submitted to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc before October 22, Phong said. Meanwhile, ang Van Chinh, chief inspector of the ministry, said the ministry had asked inspectors at localities to take samples of fish sauce sold in their respective regions four months ago. This would serve as a basis to carry out a nationwide inspection on production and sale of fish sauce in 2017. Viet Nam, currently, has some 2,800 fish sauce makers, producing around 2 million litres per year. VNS LAS VEGAS - Turning his final presidential debate appearance into an unprecedented assault on US political convention, Donald Trump refused on Wednesday to say that he would respect a Hillary Clinton victory in November. As the last head-to-head encounter of the toxic 2016 campaign descended into mud-slinging, the Republican mogul doubled down on claims that his Democratic rivals supporters plan to rig the vote. And when asked whether he would commit to recognizing the result of the November 8 vote no matter what, the reality television star said: "Ill tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense, OK?" Clinton declared herself "appalled" by what she said was an attack on 240 years of US democracy. And, quoting her former rival Bernie Sanders, she called Trump the "most dangerous person to run for president in the modern history of America." Trump had come into the third televised debate of the 2016 campaign in Las Vegas looking to restore hope to his campaign just 20 days before Election Day. Dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct, trailing in the polls and losing ground in key swing states, the 70-year-old was looking to capitalize on his last major chance to woo wavering voters. "The media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile-on is so amazing," Trump said, referring to reports citing women accusing him of sexual assault, which he said were "fiction" and drummed up by Team Clinton. He alleged that millions of fake voters had been registered and that the 68-year-old Clinton should not even have been allowed to run because she mishandled classified State Department emails. Even some Republican lawmakers were outraged. Senator Jeff Flake said Trump was "beyond the pale" and onetime presidential candidate Senator Lindsey Graham said if Trump loses, it will be "because he failed as a candidate." Democrats called on Republican leaders to repudiate "Trumps utter contempt for our democracy," as Nevada Senator Harry Reid put it. "One of our hallmarks has always been we accept the outcome of our elections," Clinton told reporters as she flew home to White Plains, New York. "So what he said tonight is part of his whole effort to blame somebody else for his campaign, and where he stands in this election." The extraordinary exchange was only one of a series of ferocious clashes, as the two stony-faced candidates faced off from behind podiums on everything from immigration to Syria. At one point, Trump broke into one of Clintons responses to call her "such a nasty woman". The candidates took and left the stage without shaking hands. In what has been a bitter campaign, the two White House hopefuls got off to a subdued but oddly substantive start to the debate, compared to previous brawls. They were asked about their vision for the Supreme Court, prompting Clinton to argue the election was about "what kind of country are we going to be". She insisted gay rights and womens rights must not be rolled back. Trump echoed conservatives who believe "the Supreme Court is what its all about," vowing to appoint anti-abortion justices who would also protect gun rights. "If you go with what Hillary is saying, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby," he said. "Using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate," Clinton responded. New Brexit Pundits have declared the presidential race all but over after the provocative billionaire attacked leaders of his own party and obliterated the normal rules of political decorum. His debate stance did nothing to quell fears that he and his most passionate fans might not recognize the elections outcome, thereby plunging the country into a political crisis. Trump predicts an electoral surprise -- what he calls a "new Brexit" -- when Americans vote. Clinton leads by more than six points in an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics. Women especially have thrown their support behind the former secretary of state, senator and first lady, who is poised to become the first female president in American history. A Quinnipiac University poll showed she is winning with female voters by 52 per cent to Trumps 37 per cent. AFP Editor's note: The following is an open letter to Virginia Tech employees from Kevin Foust, chief of police and director of security. Foust is the honorary chair of the 2016 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. Dear colleagues, A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the Ut Prosim spirit of the Hokie Nation during the Virginia Tech Police Departments 24-hour relay fundraiser. Ten members of the department ran 138 miles, raising about $3,000 for the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. On behalf of the Virginia Tech Police Department, I would like to thank everyone who made a donation and came out to cheer us on in the rain. We appreciate your support and your dedication to making a difference in our community. And, while hundreds of individuals supported our 24-hour relay, departments across the university are showing their support for the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign by holding fundraisers of their own. Thanks to these fundraisers and individual pledges, about 6 percent of our employees have donated more than $121,000 toward our $325,000 goal. We still have a long way to go, but I know that with your help, Virginia Tech employees can show the community that we too embrace the Ut Prosim way of life. Remember, every gift, no matter how small, can have a huge impact on our community. With more than 1,000 charities to choose from, including dozens located right here in the New River Valley, you can truly make a difference. Just imagine the lives that could be changed if each of us made a donation; the hungry would be fed, the homeless would have shelter, and veterans would receive the support they need. With your help, the possibilities are endless. Please join me in supporting this years Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. While the campaign will continue through Dec. 12, I encourage you to make your donation today. Kevin L. Foust Honorary Chair, 2016 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign Chief of Police and Director of Security For more than 51 years, Tom Tillar has been a Hokie in every sense of the word. From his time as a student through his career with alumni relations, Tillar has embraced the values and traditions of Virginia Tech. He said that it was his father, who attended Virginia Tech in the late 1940s, who largely influenced his decision to choose the university. My father often teased me by saying, You can go to any college you want, but Ill pay for Virginia Tech,' Tillar said. Tillar is one of seven Virginia Tech employees who are being honored for 45 years of service to Virginia Tech. He was recognized during the 2016 Service Recognition Program. After starting at Virginia Tech as an undergraduate student majoring in biology in 1965, Tillar became a student leader in the class officer system and for the Squires Student Center. When he enrolled as graduate student in 1970, he was also hired to work for the student union and Greek life programming, which are now part of the Division of Student Affairs. After obtaining his masters and beginning his doctoral program, Tillar started his career with the Virginia Tech Alumni Association in 1975. There he held various positions, including director of annual giving and director of alumni relations. In the mid-1990s, he became the vice president for alumni relations, a position he held for 20 years. In this position, Tillar helped grow and expand the association. He helped create alumni relations directors for all eight academic colleges and planned separate homecoming weekends for alumni from each college. He was also a leader in planning, designing, fundraising for, and decorating the Holtzman Alumni Center and Inn at Virginia Tech. Tillar also played a part in creating the Multicultural Alumni Advisory Board, which reaches out to Virginia Techs diverse community. In his time in alumni relations, he helped implement multiple alumni programs, such as Summer around the Drillfield, which encouraged alumni to visit Virginia Tech during the summer. He also promoted programs for local alumni chapters that hosted prospective students, raised money for scholarships, and created job fairs for alumni. Tillar is held in high esteem by his peers as someone whose dedication to his alma mater has helped shape Virginia Tech. Tom Tillars impact on and legacy in the alumni relations arena stretches far beyond his years at Virginia Tech, said Matthew Winston, senior associate vice president for alumni relations. During his tenure leading the alumni operation, he was regarded as a leader in this industry amongst his peers across the country. He applied his knowledge and experiences to the betterment of the entire Hokie Nation, and his dedication and service to our alma mater, as evidenced by the innovative programs, signature alumni center, and legions of loyal Hokies around the world are a testament to his commitment to the Virginia Tech community. In January 2016, Tillar took on a new position in the Pamplin College of Business as the special assistant to Dean Robert Sumichrast. In this position, Tillar is responsible for interacting with alumni about the Global Business and Analytics Complex, which will include a residential component. He also assists the new Virginia Tech Investor Network, a group that seeks to finance promising start-ups that include a founder, board member, or active investor who is a Virginia Tech graduate, student, or faculty member. Tom Tillar is a trusted advisor for me about a wide range of issues especially on issues concerning Pamplins relations with our external constituencies, said Sumichrast. He has been wonderful in making introductions for me with alumni across the country and in maintaining relations with them. Toms decades of experience with Virginia Tech allow him to help put current issues in context. Written by Mackenzie Nicely, a senior from Lexington, Virginia, majoring in public relations and political science. Indian cricket captain left paranoid about my privacy after hotel breach Virat Kohli has been rocked after a contractor at the Crown Resort in Perth took a video inside his hotel room and shared it to social media. Interest rate rise expected to put more pressure on households 03:21 The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to confirm a seventh consecutive rate rise when it meets today, putting more pressure on households before... Gas companies have an obligation to supply Australians first 05:49 Nationals Senator Matt Canavan says gas companies should have an obligation to supply Australians first and to look after the country.... Melbourne Cup to be run at 3pm AEDT 04:56 Victoria Racing Club Chairman Neil Wilson says Melbourne Cup Day will be a great day for Australians. A two-day event dedicated to Breguet took place last week in Manila, organised by the watch retailer Lucerne, with SJX as the guest speaker. The purpose of the event was to detail Breguets unparalleled status as one of the most important historical names in watchmaking, while today being a manufacturer of exceptionally innovative, even cutting edge, complications. Over 50 key clients of Lucerne and two dozen journalists attended the three sessions, hosted by Ivan and Emerson Yao. The brothers run Lucerne, the Philippines leading retailer of fine watches. They were joined by Martin Ganz, Breguets Vice President for Hong Kong and Taiwan, and Mike Lou, the watchmakers PR consultant in Hong Kong. Each session opened with a 30-minute talk by SJX in two parts. First was telling the stories that fill Breguets past, like the saga of the Marie Antoinette pocket watch stolen by an international thief. That was followed with a rundown of the brands crucial complications, including the landmark Classique Chronometrie 7727 and ingenious Tradition Chronographe 7077, which are amongst the most technically interesting wristwatches on the market today, but not widely appreciated or understood. The Breguet showcase was the first event of its kind organised by Lucerne, but it wont be the last. According to Emerson Yao, the retailer plans to repeat such events to further enhance knowledge and appreciation of mechanical watchmaking in the Philippines. SIOUX CITY The U.S. Senate candidates in Iowa incumbent Republican Charles Grassley and Democratic challenger Patty Judge debated Wednesday, with few mentions of presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Judge and Grassley primarily focused on their own issues. Grassley hopes to return to the Senate in 2017. Judge pointed to examples of what she said was Grassleys obstructionism. Grassley mentioned his clout in passing substantial legislation such as farm bills with bipartisan support. Judge retorted, Chuck Grassley in 42 years has not changed Washington. Washington in fact has probably changed him. Grassley contended he keeps his eye on Iowa, coming back to New Hartford frequently and holding meetings in all 99 counties each year to understand what is important to residents. Washington is an island surrounded by reality. Get out of there, Grassley said. The debate before a crowd of 300 at Morningside College lasted one hour. The tone was civil. One issue prominent in the campaign returned Wednesday. The U.S. Supreme Court has had a vacancy since February, when Justice Antonin Scalia died. Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, has refused to hold hearings to fill the vacancy until after a new president is inaugurated. President Barack Obama nominated appeals court judge Merrick Garland for the open spot on the nine-member court. Judge said Grassley is shirking his duty, to the detriment of the court and nation. We have a Supreme Court that is unable to function. This is exactly what is wrong with Washington. This is why people are angry, Judge said. Grassley was asked if he would change his mind if Clinton wins the presidency Nov. 8 and majority-party Republicans want him to hold hearings this year. He said he could shift his position, but added, I dont expect that to happen. The two also tangled on immigration policy and the 2010 Affordable Care Act. It is a failure. It is a failure. ... Weve been lied to about Obamacare, Grassley said, pointing to rising health care and insurance costs. Judge said Grassley failed by voting against the 2014 immigration reform package that passed the Senate but died in the House. She said it is time to give millions of undocumented workers legal status so they can continue to work hard at jobs and come out of the shadows. Grassley responded the bill didnt have enough border enforcement. He said immigration is an issue less on the minds of Iowans in 2016 than compared with 2014 and 2013. Grassley leads in the polls and in fundraising in the race to win the six-year term. Judge, who lives in Albia, has served as a state legislator, Iowa secretary of agriculture and lieutenant governor. Some Democratic candidates have sought to tie opponents to Trump, who has dropped in national polls after a series of controversies, including highly-charged comments about women. Judge made a different calculation at the debate, mentioning Trump only for what she said was bragging about not paying taxes. The crowd was told not to applaud during the debate. During a break for advertisements at the midpoint, a man from the crowd clapped and yelled, Good job, Chuck! Grassley quickly admonished him: Dont do that, folks, please. The candidates will also discuss issues at a Nov. 4 debate airing on WHO Radio in Des Moines. WATERLOO Authorities are trying to determine what caused an older model Corvette automobile to explode behind a Waterloo home Wednesday night. No injuries were reported in the blast, which erupted shortly before 8 p.m. behind a home in the 400 block of Ricker Street. Crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue found the remains of the vehicle engulfed and extinguished the flames. The Corvette, which was parked in the homes back yard, hadnt been used in a long time and had been the subject of recent vandalism, firefighters said. CEDAR FALLS Citizens can anonymously drop off expired, unwanted or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications at the Cedar Falls Police Department, 220 Clay St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Its part of a national drug take-back event in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Homebound citizens can have their unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs picked up by a uniformed Cedar Falls police officer by calling 273-8612 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday Citizens can also take advantage of the prescription drug dropbox located in the lobby of the Police Department if they cant participate Saturday. The drug dropbox is available to citizens at any time. FREEPORT Authorities have determined that two gunshot deaths in Freeport over the weekend were the result of a murder suicide. The bodies of Craig Freilinger, 55, and Sarah Szabo, 41, were found at a Dogwood Road home on Sunday night after neighbors reported hearing gunfire. On Thursday, the Winneshiek County Sheriffs Office said officials with the Iowa State Medical Examiners office ruled that Szabos death was a homicide, and Freilingers was determined to be a suicide. The evidence and investigation concludes Freilinger shot Szabo, then shot himself, sheriffs officials said in a prepared statement. Szabo suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and Freilinger had a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff's office. Sheriff's officials said the two had been boyfriend-girlfriend and recently separated. DES MOINES Iowa Republicans are making robust investments in their attempt to win control of the Iowa Senate, outspending Democrats by nearly 70 percent in the chambers most critical election races. In four pivotal races, Republicans outspent Democrats by an average of roughly $117,000, according to campaign fundraising reports filed Wednesday. In those four races, Republican Party spending averaged roughly $289,000, while the Democrats spending averaged roughly $172,000. The new reports cover Statehouse fundraising from July 15 to Oct. 14. Iowa Democrats hold a 25-23 Senate majority, with one independent senator and one vacant seat to be filled by a special election in December. That vacancy was created by the death of Davenport Democratic Sen. Joe Seng. That means Republicans likely need to flip three seats to gain Senate control. In a Muscatine County race that is expected to be one of the most contested races this fall, Democratic incumbent Chris Brase faces a challenge from former legislator Mark Lofgren. The Republican Party of Iowa devoted nearly $259,000, most of it in advertising, to Lofgrens campaign during the three-month period, while the Iowa Democratic Party devoted roughly $237,000 to Brases campaign. Brase did well on his own, raising nearly $130,000, but has just more than $5,000 remaining. Lofgren raised just $25,000 during the period, but still has nearly $43,000 heading into the home stretch. In a critical Cedar Valley race, the state Republican Party poured more than $314,000 into the campaign of Craig Johnson, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Brian Schoenjahn. The Iowa Democratic Party devoted $193,000 to Schoenjahn. On his own, Schoenjahn raised nearly $69,000 in the period compared to the roughly $21,000 raised by Johnson. In a key northern Iowa race, where Democratic incumbent Mary Jo Wilhelm faces Republican challenger Waylon Brown, Republicans more than doubled the Democrats spending. The state GOP devoted nearly $300,000 in mostly advertising to Browns campaign, while the Senate Democrats campaign organization devoted roughly $142,000 to Wilhelms campaign. Republicans also more than doubled Democrats spending in an important central Iowa race, where Democratic incumbent Steve Sodders faces GOP challenger Jeff Edler. The state Republican Party paid for more than $283,000 for Edlers campaign, while the state Democratic Party chipped in roughly $117,000 for Sodders. In those four races, Republican Party spending totaled roughly $289,000, while the Democrats spending totaled roughly $172,000. Republicans appear to have high hopes for the Cedar Rapids-area race in which Democratic State Sen. Liz Mathis is up for re-election. The state GOP devoted more than $242,000 to the campaign of Republican challenger Rene Gadelha. The Democratic Party, perhaps signaling its confidence in Mathis, provided just more than $44,000 to her campaign. Mathis also raised nearly $72,000 on her own, compared to the roughly $24,000 raised by Gadelha. WATERLOO A Waterloo man who was injured when his apartment caught fire Thursday morning has been moved to an Iowa City hospital for treatment. The man suffered burns to his arms and fled the house, reaching the downtown area on foot before police and paramedics found him. He was taken to Unity Point-Allen Hospital in Waterloo and then transferred to the burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa. Authorities said the house at 623 W. Second St. is split into four apartments, but the building hasnt been inspected for rental purposes for some time, and city officials were unable to find an entry for the property in its rental registry. It had a for-sale sign in the front yard. Fire officials said the building wasnt equipped with smoke alarms, and it was a neighbor who woke to the cries for help around 7 a.m. and called 911. I heard help me, help me. I was dialing as I dialing while I was running, said Keith Truax. Firefighters and police were on the scene within minutes, and a woman who lived in a first-floor apartment escaped without injury, and no one was home in the upstairs apartments. The fire came out the window as we were pulling up, Marty Freshwater, a battalion chief with Waterloo Fire Rescue, said. The fire was in a small studio apartment in the back. Flames gutted the apartment, but crews extinguished the fire before it spread to other apartments, Freshwater said. A few minutes after fire call, the injured resident as found walking about a half a mile away on West Fifth Street near Commercial Street with burns. Authorities havent determined the cause of the fire. WATERLOO Freemasons are perhaps best known for their traditions, rituals and secrets. A primary goal for Masons is to ensure their history is preserved. Changing times have forced Waterloo Masonic Lodge No. 105 A.F. and A.M. to adapt to declining membership and funding. That led the lodge to sell its nearly 90-year-old downtown building and move to more modest accommodations. On Saturday, lodge members will lay the cornerstone at 607 Bishop Ave. The event begins at 3 p.m. and is free and open to the community. While lodge members lamented the decision to move, it was necessary, said Paul Wurtz, a third degree master Mason and the lodges junior deacon. The lodges current roster lists 110 members far fewer than previous generations. Similar membership declines have occurred in other organizations, country clubs and affinity groups Wurtz noted. Fraternal organizations are struggling because of the way the world is changing, he said. Adhering to Masonic ideals helps Masons adapt to changing times, said Kevin Nelson, lodge treasurer. Masons use the symbols of the square and compass and say that an operative mason uses the working tools to build, while a speculative mason a freemason uses symbolic working tools to build character, explained Nelson, a third degree master Mason. Many historical figures were Masons, Wurtz added. This includes several founding fathers, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Other famous masons include Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and John Glenn. Everyone in the country should be educated on our how Masons have helped shape the nation, said Wurtz. Its not a secret society; its a society that has secrets. Modern Freemasonry can be traced to 1717 in England, though the organization has roots in antiquity. White settlers brought this legacy with them to the Iowa Territory in the early 1840s. According to records from the Grand Lodge of Iowa, the territorys first Masonic meeting took place in a Burlington carpenters shop in November 1840. In February 1841, a similar action resulted in formation of Iowa Lodge No. 2 at what would later become Muscatine. By January 1844, there were four lodges. As a result, the Grand Lodge of Iowa was formed, with 101 total members. Today, the Grand Lodge of Iowa in Cedar Rapids houses a museum and the worlds third-largest Masonic library. Both are open to the public. Waterloo Lodge No. 105 was chartered in 1857, nearly a decade after Iowa gained statehood. Throughout the citys history, political, civic and business leaders have numbered themselves in those ranks. In 1927, construction of the Waterloo Masonic Temple at 325 E. Park Ave. began. The four-story building offered ample space to the large and growing group. It was a boom time for the lodge, which boasted a few thousand members, said Andrew Schaffer, a third degree master Mason and lodge secretary. The lodge moved to the building in 1929, after the first two floors were finished. Workers poured concrete stairs to the third and fourth floors. However, construction ceased in October of that year, when global financial markets crashed. The economy recovered, and Lodge No. 105 continued to thrive. However, the upper floors were never finished. In those days, there was a (membership) waiting list, said Schaffer. Induction remains a secret steeped in tradition. Prospective members fill out a petition. That petition is read at a meeting, and a committee is assigned to vet the candidate. If a candidate is cleared, membership is put to a lodge vote. A successful candidate begins working through the degrees. This intensive study can take four months or more and differentiates Masons from other fraternal organizations, Wurtz explained. No one can become a Mason unless he has strong faith in God, obeys the law and is a good citizen and possesses honor and integrity, said Wurtz, junior deacon of Masonic Lodge No. 105 A.F. and A.M. God rules over our lodge. The lodge is not a church, but God directs our actions. Nelson likens the Masonic degrees to the progression of life. The first is the entered apprentice degree, which Nelson compares to youth. The second is fellowcraft degree, when a Mason hones his skills. The third stage, master Mason degree, indicates the man has achieved wisdom and is ready to work toward the sublime degree of master Mason. Each stage is commemorated with a ceremony, recognizing the Masons work to achieve the status. With todays multiple demands on time and attention, fewer men now seek to become Masons, said Wurtz. The need to stretch resources is common among the states Masonic lodges. A few of the lodges have closed, and some have consolidated, said Schaffer. Iowa used to have 300 lodges. Now, its in the 290s. The Waterloo lodges declining membership resulted in reduced funding. By the late 1990s, it was clear the Masonic Temple was too big for dwindling group. There were months where the old building was $5,000 just to heat it, Schaeffer recalled. We had to downsize to something more affordable. The Masonic Temple, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was listed for sale. It sold in 2013. The lodge and its sister organization for women, Eastern Star, moved two years later. Members have remodeled the buildings main floor and plan updates for the exterior and lower level. WATERLOO A man who perished in an Oct. 13 automobile crash and fire has been tentatively identified. Greer Funeral Home identified the driver as 26-year-old Michael Jerome Levy Jr., of Waterloo, a father of two. Waterloo police said a positive identification hasnt been determined but noted that the Iowa State Medical Examiners Office has released the body to the funeral home. No foul play is suspected in his death. Services for Levy will be a p.m. Saturday at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church with visitation an hour earlier. The accident happened shortly after midnight on Oct. 13 when the driver was heading east on Newell Street. The car left the roadway, hit a tree at 510 Newell and caught fire. The driver was dead at the scene. According to the accident report, his fiance told police she believed he was headed to work when the accident happened. Levy worked at Tyson Foods, which is about four miles east of the accident scene. Clintons religion David Mansheim PARKERSBURG Hillary Clintons faith is seldom discussed in this election, perhaps because it is the kind to be put into practice and not the show-off kind. She always has been a social-justice-focused Methodist shaped by John Wesleys mantra: Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. When Clinton spoke to the United Methodist Women Assembly, she shared her faith has guided her to be an advocate for children and families ever since she was mentored by her youth pastor in Park Ridge, Ill. Once, when asked about why she thought God allows suffering, she quickly answered, The existence of suffering calls us to action. Time Magazines book, Hillary: An American Life contains a chapter called Anchored By Faith that shows how her beliefs inspired private devotion, prayer and reflection as well as public service. Critics may decry her political aspirations, but an examination shows her faith has consistently driven her to pursue a higher calling. Letter response Mary T. Baker CEDAR FALLS In response to Steve Kaplers letter (Oct. 7), I am the average voter and no, I am not an idiot. I feel my Christian values do not endorse my supporting a candidate who disparages women, Muslims, Hispanics, POWs, disabled individuals and basically anyone who dares disagree with him. Trump (the financial genius) took a deduction allowing him to not pay taxes for 18 years after losing almost a billion dollars in one year. Trump may have created jobs, but he also filed bankruptcy six times, resulting in thousands of individuals and numerous small companies not getting paid for completed work. A recent Newsweek article reported Trump purchased steel and aluminum from Chinese manufacturers in at least two of the last three Trump construction projects. Mr. Trumps recent locker room banter stating women will let him do anything, including groping because he is a star, is deplorable. This banter expressly illustrates his true character and who he is. Your analogy referring to Hillarys underwear, Mr. Kapler, is so Trump. You are obviously swimming in the Trump cesspool. Blind allegiance Marty Siebel CEDAR FALLS As Election Day is just around the corner, I see an increasing groundswell building behind Hillary Clinton. The Des Moines Register has jumped on her bandwagon. Inexplicably, the momentum toward the White House has shifted. Important members of the GOP, some of the good ol boys also known as die-hard Republicans, have abandoned ship. Why? That ship has become a runaway train with Donald Trump at the throttle. I think it a sad state of affairs when a man such as Trump can bully himself to a place on the ballot for the highest office in our land. Shame on those who blindly follow an allegiance to any political party without examining the candidate first. God help us, it will take more than a popular campaign slogan to lead our great nation. Witches Walk set for Saturday CEDAR FALLS Downtown Cedar Falls will be the site of a Witches Walk on Saturday people can visit participating businesses for goodies and prizes. Witchy wear is encouraged. The Witches Walk is hosted by Community Main Street and sponsored by: Basket of Daisies, Chocolaterie Stam, Fig & Frolic, Gallery 106, Hatchlings & Hens, Heres Whats Poppin, The Ivy Trellis, Jennifers On Main, Jiva Salonspa, Kate & Co., Little Prairie Girl, LBL, LR Jewelers, Main Street Exchange, Miss Wonderful, Noble Oak, Peekaboo Baby & Gifts, Pink Peony Studio, Pump Haus, Purse-N-ality Scratch, Spotlight Style Boutique & Salon, Twirl Boutique, Uptown Tots, Vintage Iron Co., and Worlds Window. For more details, check www.cedarfallsdowntown.com. Altrusa Club to host fundraiser CEDAR FALLS Altrusa Club of Cedar Falls will host the annual Brush Strokes of Fall brunch fundraiser Saturday at Beaver Hills Country Club. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.; the event begins at 10 a.m. Cedar Valley Art and Wine owner and artist Dr. Kim Blakesley will speak at this years scholarship fundraiser. Proceeds support $1,000 scholarships to help nontraditional students attending a college or university in Iowa. Altrusa also new and gently used books for free For tickets, call Sue at 290-5015. The group meets at noon the first Thursday of every month (May through December) at NewAldaya Lifescapes Cafe. Church hosts a harvest meal RAYMOND The St. Joseph Catholic Parish will host its harvest breakfast, silent auction and bake sale from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sunday at Reuter Hall, 313 E. Central Ave. The menu includes scrambled eggs, sausage patties, homemade cinnamon rolls, hash browns, juice, coffee and milk. Cost is $7 for adults, $5 for youths ages 4 to 12 and free for children ages 3 and younger. Everyone is welcome to attend. Church sets sale, bazaar WASHBURN The annual Marge Foulk Memorial Chicken Noodle Dinner, bake sale and bazaar will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at St. Pauls Presbyterian Church, 410 First St. The menu includes chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes, choice of vegetable, coleslaw, rolls and homemade pie. Carry out available. Cost is $8 for adults ages 12 and over and $3 for children ages 5 to 11. Trick or treat event Oct. 29 WATERLOO Main Street Waterloo will host its annual family-friendly downtown Halloween event from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 29 at the downtown Farmers Market, 327 W. Park Ave. Activities will include crafts, games, free toys and candy for the kids. Everyone can enjoy free orange drink from McDonalds and popcorn, and try your hand at guessing the number of candies in a jar. 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29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) I suggest USA do Live Stream with Multiple Servers as Russia did with her presidential election, internally and externally broadcasting for the whole world to watch the voting process and the counting process, from the freest country in the world, but, that may Jeopardize that United States Election Transparency. Fat chance of that happening Russia did and they did it from sea to shining sea! Oh! You forgot about that fact? Russia let everyone in the world watch the elections, real time and then we could watch them count the vote WtR Editors note: After 15 years without a vacation, Phyllis Cohen, along with her husband and two dogs, embarked on a road trip from Pennsylvania to the Grand Canyon and Utah. This is the final article of a four-part series. Read the first feature, Hitting the Road After All These Years, the second, A Ruff Start and the third, Land of Enchantment. I was feeling pretty brave by the time we were en route to the Grand Canyon. After a week of embracing new places every day, my road trip had become more of a mind trip. We had a few hours to kill on the way to our hotel in Flagstaff, Ariz., and turned at the sign for the dog-friendly Petrified Forest. I expected a stretch of desert with fossilized driftwood scattered among the canyons, but once we penetrated the border of the park the scenery became quite dramatic. Eons of dust and wind had carved out spooky formations, later named Devils Playground and Blue Mesa. In spite of the strong sun, I pictured Rolands journey through the Waste Lands in Stephen Kings Dark Tower. The wind whipped at us menacingly but lately Id gained more confidence in my hiking abilities. The next day we arrived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Both spectacular and surreal, it was humbling to see what tectonic forces and the angry Colorado River could shape over millions of years. It was hard to believe this place had once been a subtropical habitat. Its a tourist-heavy attraction, but when I looked down at the jaw-dropping painted canyon it felt like no one was there but me. My husband and our dog Bhakti stepped out onto cliff edges farther than my own comfort zone would allow. It was hard to leave the Grand Canyon but we had reservations that evening at Gouldings Lodge in Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border. We approached the town of Kayenta just before sunset. Was it a trick of light that turned the desert sand to red? When soul-stirring red buttes appeared out of nowhere, jutting into the sky, I decided this must be what it looks like on Mars. This is Navajo territory. The Tribal Park has a self-guided, unpaved loop that winds through Monument Valley and made us grateful that we were driving in a truck. The land was the backdrop for many John Ford Westerns and is what moviegoers recognize as the quintessential view of the American West. Theres an old quote about visiting a sacred site and letting it tell you its secrets. Thats how I experienced those mysterious, ancient buttes. Its an act of respect to tread quietly on Navajo land and not insinuate yourself. The valley seemed to broadcast a message to me to be still as I entered its history, its essence, for a brief moment in time. We had time after lunch to explore the Natural Bridges in Utah, but nothing prepared me for the road that would take us there. Part of the Trail of the Ancients, formations like Mexican Hat begged us to drive farther. An innocuous sign suggested that towing an RV should be avoided. I can only describe this three-mile, staggering switchback road, carved into the cliff edge of Cedar Mesa, as a thrill for the driver. As for the passenger, myself, it was torturous. The gravel road was constructed in the 1950s to haul ore, but I couldnt open my eyes until a parking area offered a breathtaking view of the Valley of the Gods. Oct 20, 2016 | By Benedict In an interview with Dezeen, designer Janne Kyttanen looks back on the 3D printed Lily light, a flower-shaped lamp designed at Amsterdams Freedom of Creation studio back in 2002. The laser-sintered lamp was an early example of 3D printing being used to create desirable, functional objects. In the early days of the 21st century, 3D printing was far from the public eye. Although some manufacturers had been using additive technology for decades, mainly as a prototyping tool, 3D printing would not become part of the cultural zeitgeist until years later. With that in mind, it is easy to see why Janne Kytannens innovative Lily light shone brightly when it was unveiled just after the turn of the millennium. The 3D printed Lily light, designed by Kyttanen in 2002, might not cause much of a stir if seen in a collection today, but rewind to Milan Design Week 2003, and the Finnish designers modest creation was sending ripples through the design world. Here was an example of 3D printing being used to create something permanent, both a stylish item for the home and a shining example for a million future 3D printing projects. 14 years after its creation, the influence of the 3D printed lamp remains undimmed. Why? The designer himself has a few ideas. Made from Nylon 12, a very fine powder used for laser sintering, the Lily light represented a big challenge for Kytannen. Not only was it unusual to create luxury household objects using 3D printing, it was also incredibly expensive to do so. As such, the Finnish designer had to create an object that was small and used minimal materials, but that was still visually captivating. "My whole inspiration was to create something very small, but something that would give a big impact into a space, Kytannen explained. In order to reduce material usage and costs, Kytannen designed the 3D printed lamp with extremely fine petals which glow when the light is turned on. According to the designer, this internal illumination of the lamps 3D printed components fascinated attendees of Milan Design Week, propelling his laser-sintered creation into the spotlight. When people saw the Lily for the first time, I felt that they were mesmerised by the 3D technology, Kyttanen said. But the public could also afford it. This combination of beauty and affordability made the Lily light, and many 3D printed household items designed in later years, particularly appealing. While the 3D printed Lily light is currently available in various versions (floor or table, various sizes, 391+) through Materialise, Kytannen initially envisaged makers downloading the digital files and printing the item at home. My point was to create a commercially successful product and pave the way for things to come in 3D printing, the designer said. I wanted to create a future concept for when people could, one day, download 3D data in their living rooms and 3D print them. 14 years after the creation of the Lily light, and Kytannens vision has more-or-less come true: there are several online platforms where people can download 3D printable furniture and other items, often for free. Looking back, Kytannen can be proud that his Lily light, a simple flower-shaped 3D printed lamp, helped to bring that vision to reality. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Oct 20, 2016 | By Tess Japanese design firm Nendo never ceases to impress us with its innovative and highly creative projects. From 3D printed bonsai trees, to stunning architectural pieces, the design studio founded by designer Oki Sato has an impressive and prolific portfolio which has left us all excited to see what is next. Excitingly, we are happy to report that Nendo has unveiled yet another design series called Un-Printed Material, which is currently being exhibited at Tokyo's Creation Gallery G8. First room As the name subtly suggests, the exhibition explores the medium of paper, though rather than explore it through paper itself, it does so through 3D printed objects. Specifically, the art series consists of a number of 3D printed pieces that resemble outlines of paper, from crisp single sheets, to folded, and even to torn outlines of paper. The exhibition, which covers three rooms of the gallery, contrasts the black 3D printed paper inspired pieces with the clean white walls of the gallery space. The overall effect, as can be seen in the photos, is striking. The first of the three exhibition rooms presents 30 hanging A1 sized 3D printed outlines (of 3mm thick), each in variably different states. The second room contains a number of smaller post-card sized outlines of 1mm in thickness, which showcase the various stages of crumpling and folding paper, and finally, the third room contains 3D printed outlines of objects which are traditionally made of paper, such as disposable cups, cartons, paper bags, and origami figures. Second room As the Un-Printed Material exhibition description so eloquently states: Graphic designers use paper as a medium to express their ideas. Similarly, we wanted to work with paper but approach it from a different angle. Working both by hand and with a 3D printer, we created outlines of paper as an expression of that paper without actually using paper itselfBy zeroing in on the finer details and carefully representing them in the outlines, we attempted to capture that unique essence of paper that we have all felt at one time or another. Third room Indeed, for anyone who has ever worked creatively with paperwhether that has involved drawing on it, folding it, or crumpling it up to erase a bad piece of workthe 3D printed outlines certainly do seem to take on a certain quality that paper possesses. Of course, the 3D printed outlines are not practical objects, but on a conceptual level they provoke the viewer to think about materials and mediums. As Nendo says of its latest project: The title of the exhibition un-printed material is a play on the term printed material that alludes to the concept of the designs. Un-Printed Material will be on display at the Creation Gallery G8 in Ginza, Tokyo until November 17th, 2016. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Bill Gates in his own blog: A few years ago, I pulled off a purposeful prank. While I was giving a TED Talk on malaria to a room full of influential people, I opened a canister and let loose a small swarm of mosquitoes. Theres no reason that only poor people should have the experience, I said. I let the audience squirm in their seats for about half a minute before I let on that the mosquitoes were not infected with malaria. My gimmick worked. A distant problem suddenly got very close to home. Today, gimmicks are no longer necessary for convincing Americans of the danger of mosquito-borne diseases. The spread of Zika virus in south Florida, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the U.S. has given millions of Americans a direct understanding what its like to live with the fear of mosquitoes and the harm they can do, especially to pregnant women and children. The world must focus serious attention and resources on ending the Zika epidemic. At the same time, we should keep in mind that the overwhelming toll of mosquito-related illness and death comes from malaria. Malaria is the key reason mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the world. More here. Luisa Zielinski at The Paris Review: Martin Heidegger never apologized for his support of the Nazis. He joined the party in 1933 and remained a member until the bitter end, in 1945. First, he spoke out enthusiastically in favor of a conservative revolution with Hitler at its helm. From about 1935, he found his own ambitions disappointed, and grew more silent. Yet, when he called his dalliance with National Socialism his greatest mistake after the war, he was upset not at his crime, but at the fact that he got caught. Not that Heidegger has had to apologize, either. For the past seventy years, his many apologists and acolytes have gone to astounding lengths in trying to prove that his philosophical oeuvre exists independent of what was, they avowed, a mere weakness of character, an instance of momentary opportunism. In 2014, a group of French philosophers even tried to halt the publication of Heideggers Black Notebooks, his philosophical diaries. But if antisemitic references in his philosophy are oblique and, as some would have it, coincidental to his critique of modernity, the Notebooks leave little room for such charitable reading. Even after the war he would bemoan the Jewish drive for revenge, with their aim consisting in obliterating the Germans in spirit and history. more here. Here's what's up this weekend... Cher for Hillary at Oasis WHAT: Big news: Cher (yes, THE Cher) will be holding a Hillary Clinton fundraising event this Sunday in San Francisco. The one and only Goddess of Pop is rallying the community to support her preferred presidential candidate in an event called Love Trumps Hatea Cher for Hillary Celebration. The night will be hosted by Oasis co-owner Heklina, but the rest of the deets are still hush-hush. Cher impersonator and Ru-Paul's Drag Race All-Stars season 1 winner Chad Michaels is the only performer listed on the line-up so far. Grab tickets here while they last! WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 23, 710pm WHERE: 298 11th St. (SoMa), hillaryclinton.com Conversation with Chelsea Clinton at The Magic Factory Election season is in town, and we have another pro-Hillary event for you: Chelsea Clinton is coming to the city to speak at a Hillary Victory Fund event hosted by San Francisco designer Ken Fulk. The event, called Conversation with Chelsea, will be held in Fulk's studio located in the 1920's building affectionately known as "The Magic Factory" and is co-hosted by Uber's senior manager of product communications Chelsea Maughan Kohler, seasoned fundraiser Stefanie Roumeliotes, and Alex Mallick Williams, former associate director of Human Rights Watch and wife of Robin William's son Zak Williams. WHEN: Friday, Oct. 21, 10:30am-12pm WHERE: 310 7th St. (SoMa), hillaryclinton.com The Mexican Museum is holding a Dia de los Muertos event with themed art, festivities, and activities for all ages. (Courtesy of mexicanmuseum.org) Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at The Mexican Museum The Mexican Museum is holding a very special family-friendly event in celebration of the Day of the Deada Latino holiday all about remembering departed loved ones and the unity between life and death. Creative festivities include making papiermache masks and painting calaveras alongside professional Bay Area face artists. Guests will also have a chance to make personalized, mini-altars for loved ones who have passed away, and are encouraged to bring printed photos or small items of remembrance. WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 23, 124pm WHERE: Fort Mason Center: 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina), mexicanmuseum.org Detox Before You Retox at Brass Tacks WHAT: Organic juice and fancy cocktails are swirling together for this free, fun cocktail event. Project Juice and Brass Tacks SF are mixing things up by inviting you to trade in your boring, calorie-filled drinks for a refreshing cocktail that helps you fight your hangover before it starts. WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 20, 58pm WHERE: 488 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), brasstackssf.com Fisherman's Wharf is inviting Bay Area locals out to their fourth annual Wharf Fest this Saturday. (Courtesy of visitfishermanswharf.com) Wharf Festat Fisherman's Wharf WHAT: Feel no shame in pulling out your tourist hat and joining hundreds of locals in celebrating everyone's favorite pier. The Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District is putting on the fourth annual Wharf Fest this weekend, featuring arts vendors, a DJ, and fun activities such as a Segway obstacle course, rock climbing walls, and even a mechanical bull. This year's chowder competition features 10 restaurants to sip, taste, and vote for; Buy tasting tickets for that here, but enjoy the rest of the festival for free! WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 22, 11am-5pm WHERE: Little Embarcedero, between Taylor and Powell (Fisherman's Wharf), visitfishermanswharf.com Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Speaks at Terrapin Crossroads WHAT: Celebrity chef, award-winning cookbook writer, and restauranteur Mario Batali will speak at Book Passage's Cooks with Books series next Thursday. Hosted at the Terrapin Crossroads Restaurant in San Rafael, a $125 ticket to this tasty event includes a meal, wine, and a signed copy of Mario Batali: The Big American Cookbook. WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 27, 12:30pm WHERE: 100 Yacht Club Dr. (San Rafael), bookpassage.com Autumn in Northern California can be dry and crisp while it waits for the Pacific storms to roll in, but there's a lush oasis in the Cascade Range that stays green year-round. 100 million gallons of spring water gush out of Burney Falls every day. photo by Nancy James Just under 300 miles north of San Francisco (via I-5 through Redding), between Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mount Shasta,McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Parkis named after Samuel Burney, a pioneer in the 1850s whose descendants have been responsible for saving the majestic 129-foot spring-fed waterfall and the surrounding land from developmentthe family purchased the forested property and gifted it to the state in the 1920s. Today, most visitors go for the fallswhen you see them tumbling out of the volcanic rock festooned with lush green plants, you may think you're in South America instead of Shasta Countybut there's much to do in this land of underground springs. There are several trails around, but, when you first arrive, be sure to walk down the paved path to the bottom of the falls to experience the wind created from the 100 million gallons of icy water that gushes here each day. Cabins are available for rent year-round. (Courtesy of McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park) STAY: Camping + Cabins While there are a few hotels and rental homes in and around the town of Burney, the park's campground is also open all year. Sites are first come, first served through the fall and into spring; during the summer, you can book a site on Reserve America ($35/night). The park also has 24 one- and two-room insulated cabins ($83-105/night) with bunk beds and propane heat; bathrooms and pay showers are nearby. We recommend packing plenty of groceries, but if you run low on supplies, the park has a convenient store and gift shop stocked with drinks, snacks, camp supplies, and souvenirs.// McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, 24896 California 89 (Burney), parks.ca.gov Kayak among blackberry bushes and bald eagles on Lake Britton. photo by Brett James Lake Britton + Stand By Me Bridge The campground has easy access to the towering Burney Falls, but don't miss the other wonders within walking distance. Because the park was created by ancient volcanic activity, it is now covered with porous basalt that traps snow and rain and holds it in massive underground reservoirs. The icy water slowly trickles out of fissures in the rock through various creeks and, if you hike to the top of Burney Falls, you can see where the springs leak out. Many day trippers to the falls fail to notice one of the best places in the area: The 4,700-square-mile reservoir known as Lake Britton is fed by the falls (and various other creeks) and is an ideal spot for boating, kayaking, and fishing. The site also offers great wildlife watchinglook for Bald eagles, river otters, osprey, and some very large trout. Kayak into Burney Creek or over to the PG&E Britton dam. If you don't have your own boat, the Lake Britton Marina rents canoes, rowboats, kayaks, and small motor boats as well as boat slips. (ForBoat rental reservations and information, call 530-335-5713, burney-falls.com.) Eighties babies and fans of the late River Phoenix won't want to miss out on the photo opp at the McCloud River Railroad bridge: Spanning the lake just east of Highway 89, the bridge had a cameo in the 1986 film Stand by Me. The Lake Britton bridge. (Wikimedia Commons) Ahjumawi Lava Springs + Views of Shasta If you have your own kayak or canoe, you can head to another hidden water haven. About 45 minutes from Burney Falls, Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park is another unexpectedly lush oasis in the middle of the high desert.The waters of Big Lake, Tule River, Ja-She Creek and Lava Creek converge at this spot to form one of the largest systems of fresh water springs in the country. So, it's unsurprising that Ahjumawi means "where the waters come together" in the language of the Pit River Native American tribe. This park is only accessible by shallow watercraft, which can get up close and personal with a variety of water plants, frogs, herons, loons, and pelicans. When boating along the shoreline, keep an eye out for the rocky fish traps used by the Pit River Ajumawi (their preferred spelling) built to catch both Sacramento sucker and trout. Look out in the distance you'll see the 14,162-foot snow-capped peak of Mount Shasta. On a clear day, you can also see Mount Lassen to the south. Mount Shasta makes an appearance at the north end of Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park. (Nancy James) The parking lot for the Ahjumawi boat launch is only accessible via a dirt road from the small town of McArthur. If you are feeling adventurous, the park has three primitive boat-in camping areas ($7/night) with pit toilets and access to the springs. You can pay for your site at the self-serve station in the parking lot. // Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, Rat Farm Rd. (McArthur), parks.ca.gov Country Cafe + Coffee For the Road All this exploring will make you hungry, and while the towns of Burney and McArthur are small, there are several places to fuel up before heading home. In McArthur, Crumbs serves lunch and dinner. We recommend the juicy hamburgers and grown-up tator tots, but the restaurant serves sushi too. // Crumbs, 44226 State Highway 299 E. (McArthur), facebook.com/CrumbsRestaurant When heading past Burney, stop at the Mt. Burney Coffee Co. for a latte or Almond Joy mocha. Coffee drinks here are made with Has Beans from Chico, and they even serve snow cones.// Mt. Burney Coffee Co., 37155 Main St. (Burney), 530-335-5282. En espanol | Caregiving for a family member can be time-consuming and emotionally draining. It can be financially draining, too. About 48 million Americans provide care without pay to an adult family member or friend, and they do so for an average of nearly 24 hours per week, according to the "Caregiving in the U.S. 2020" report by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC). Another AARP study issued in June 2021 found that 78 percent of family caregivers regularly incur out-of-pocket costs caring for a loved one, with the average annual expenditure topping $7,200. That unpaid and often expensive commitment can make it hard for caregivers to make ends meet. Twenty-eight percent say they have stopped saving money, and 23 percent have taken on more debt, the AARP/NAC study found. Growing awareness of this financial burden has fueled a national conversation around issues like paid leave and even outright payment for family caregivers. Your chances of getting paid to be a family caregiver are best if you are caring for a U.S. military veteran or for someone eligible for Medicaid, but other possibilities exist. For Medicaid recipients All 50 states and the District of Columbia offer self-directed Medicaid services for long-term care. These programs let states grant waivers that allow qualified individuals to manage their own long-term home-care services, as an alternative to the traditional model where services are managed by an agency. In some states, that can include hiring a family member to provide care. Benefits, coverage, eligibility and rules differ from state to state. Some programs pay family caregivers but exclude spouses and legal guardians. Others will pay care providers only if they do not live in the same house as the care recipient. Program names also vary. What is called Consumer Directed Care in one state might be called Participant-Directed Services, In-Home Supportive Services or Cash and Counseling in another. Contact your state Medicaid program to ask about its options or to start the sign-up process. Enrolling in self-directed care involves the following steps: Assessment. Your loved one with assistance if desired or needed is assessed for capacities, need, preferences, risks and strength as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires. Planning. Your family member and any chosen representatives create a written service plan detailing the daily living assistance required. Areas may include bathing, dressing, feeding, helping with light housekeeping and laundry, managing medications, moving from bed to wheelchair, preparing meals, shopping, supervising activities and transporting to appointments. Contingency plans should be available for coverage when the care provider is off and instructions for fill-in caregivers should address risks. Budgeting. If the assessment shows need, a budget for goods and services will be provided. Selection. When the care plan is set, the care recipient, or a surrogate if needed, chooses a caregiver. For military veterans Veterans have four plans that they may qualify for. Similar to self-directed care under Medicaid, this Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program allows qualified former service members to manage their own long-term services and supports. It is available in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for veterans of all ages who are enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration health care system and need the level of care a nursing facility provides but want to live at home or the home of a loved one. A flexible monthly budget, based on a VA assessment of the veteran's needs, enables participants to choose the goods and services they find most useful, including a caregiver to assist with activities of daily living, such as bathing, cooking, feeding, dressing, using the bathroom and adjusting prosthetic devices. The veteran chooses the caregiver and may pick any physically and mentally capable family member including a child, grandchild, sibling or spouse. VA medical centers determine eligibility and make referrals. Find and contact your nearest center for more information on the program. This program supplements a military pension to help cover the cost of a caregiver, who may be a family member. A&A benefits are available to veterans who qualify for VA pensions and meet at least one of the following criteria. The vet: Requires help from another person to perform everyday personal functions such as bathing, dressing and eating. Is confined to bed because of disability. Is in a nursing home because of physical or mental incapacity. Has very limited eyesight, less than 5/200 acuity in both eyes, even with corrective lenses, or a significantly contracted visual field. Surviving spouses of qualifying veterans also may be eligible for this benefit. To apply, complete the A&A application form. Explain why a caregiver is needed, ideally including an attending doctor's report. Be specific about the disease or injury that caused physical or mental impairment, and explain on the form your typical day, noting how well you get around, any loss of coordination or any inability to manage basic daily needs without assistance. You can mail the form to the pension management center that serves your state or file in person at your regional VA benefits office. Veterans who receive a military pension and are substantially confined to their immediate premises because of permanent disability can apply for a monthly pension supplement. The application process is the same as for A&A benefits, but you cannot receive both housebound and A&A benefits at the same time. This program provides a monthly stipend to family members who serve as caregivers for veterans who need assistance with everyday activities because of a serious injury or illness sustained in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975, or on or after Sept. 11, 2001. (Benefits will be extended in October 2022 to veterans who suffered a service-related disability between those dates.) The veteran must be enrolled in VA health services, have a disability rating (individual or combined) of 70 percent or higher, and need either personal care related to everyday activities or supervision or protection because of their condition. The caregiver must be 18 or older and a child, parent, spouse, stepfamily member, extended family member or full-time housemate of the veteran. The stipends are based on federal pay rates for the region where an eligible veteran lives. The caregiver receives 62.5 percent or 100 percent of the pay rate, depending on the level of supervision and help with daily activities the veteran needs. A family caregiver in Dallas, for example, would receive $1,752 or $2,803 a month, according to a VA fact sheet on the program. Other caregiver benefits through the program include these: Access to health insurance and mental health services, including counseling Comprehensive training Lodging and travel expenses incurred when accompanying vets going through care Up to 30 days of respite care per year. For more information on help for military caregivers, visit the VA Caregiver Support page or call its hotline at 855-260-3274. Getting paid by a family member If the person needing assistance is mentally sound and has sufficient financial resources, that person can choose to compensate a family member for the same services a professional home health care worker would provide. If you and your loved one are exploring this route, try these steps to establish a proactive employer-employee approach, which can minimize stress and family tension. Put aside any awkward feelings about discussing what you both need. Talk about wages and paydays, health risks, scheduling, and how respite care and caregiver sick days will be handled. Draw up a personal care agreement that will serve as a contract between the caregiver and the care recipient. It should spell out wages, what services will be provided and when, and the length of the agreement, among other terms. Consider involving other members of the immediate family in working out terms so they are not surprised later. Consult an elder care lawyer to review your contract to make sure it meets tax requirements and deals with inheritances. All other interested parties, such as siblings, need to approve it. Beware of emotional pitfalls. If family members seem uncomfortable with the arrangement or disagree with the plan, consider a session with a neutral party, such as a family therapist or family mediator who specializes in elder care. Keep professional records. Specify services performed, dates of work and the amount paid. This paperwork is essential if your family member later applies for Medicaid. During the qualification process, a caseworker will examine records for the past five years. Report income. As with any paid job, caregivers are legally required to report wages as taxable income. If at a later date your family member becomes eligible for Medicaid but your taxes have not been paid, Medicaid will consider the money a gift not an expense. This could prevent your loved one from qualifying for Medicaid. On the other hand, the Internal Revenue Service is clear: When services are provided, all money received is a wage, not a gift. Long-term care insurance If your loved one has long-term care insurance, it probably covers some costs for home health care and personal care services. However, not all policies extend that coverage to paying spouses or other family members living in the home. Ask your loved one's insurance agent or insurance company for specifics and request a written confirmation of benefits. Editor's note: This article was originally published in October 2016. It has been updated with more recent information and the AARP Top Tips video. Summit Carbon files lawsuits against Brown, Edmunds counties Two South Dakota counties are facing federal lawsuits from one of the companies planning a carbon capture and sequestration pipeline. Presentation at the 7th Microcap Investment Conference Hong Kong, Oct 20, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - China Dairy Corp Ltd ( ASX:CDC ) is pleased to provide presentation slides used at the 7th Annual Microcap Conference held in Melbourne on the 19th of October 2016. China Dairy Corporation - China Dairy Corporation (CDC) was established in 2005 - A leading producer and wholesale distributor of raw milk and a breeder and seller of dairy cows in China - 590 employees located in China's northernmost province Heilongjiang - Owns approximately 35,000 cows and partners with farmers with an additional 14,000 cows as at 30 June 2016 - CDC's cows have an average annual milk yield of 8.6 tonnes per milkable cow and its partner's cows have any average annual milk yield of 8.1 tonnes per milkable cow. - CDC and its farmers exclusively use Holstein cows, due to their high milk production capacity China Dairy Corporation | Operations China Dairy Corporation operates in the renowned agriculture & dairy province of Heilongjiang in northern China. CDC Land Use Rights - Land across 5 sites in Heilongjiang province - Footprint of over 17.8 million square meters - Long term leases, earliest expiring in 2021 - Heilongjiang province has a humid and continental climate - Ideal for grass growing, essential in the grazing and feeding of CDC cattle CDC Quality Control All customer contracts are based on the company providing milk that adheres to minimum quality standards - the majority of these are at higher standards than those imposed by China's government. Cows are fed with nutritional feedstuff through a total mixed ration methodology so milk produced has good nutritional value and has helped to materially reduce CDC's cultivation costs since being implemented. To view the presentation, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/854LU845 About China Dairy Corp Ltd China Dairy Corporation Limited (ASX:CDC) is a company primarily engaged in the production and wholesale of raw milk and the rearing, breeding and sale of dairy cows in Heilongjiang province, China. CDC generates revenue through two primary business models: - the sale of raw milk from cows that are owned by the company; and - milk sale commissions on the sale of raw milk from cows the company has sold to farmers. As at 31 March 2017, CDC owned 31,877 cows and partnered with farmers with an additional 20,927 cows from which CDC makes a sales commission on the milk sold. Airmen are tasked with serving their country with the utmost respect and honor upon swearing into the U.S. Air Force, whether joining at the age of 17 or before the cut-off point at 39 years old. Airman 1st Class Daniel Caraglio, 20th Medical Operations Squadron mental health technician, chose to enlist later than most Airmen with reasons all his own. Enlisting at age 32, Caraglio used his diverse work experience and skills gained through on over 20 different jobs to assist his fellow Airmen throughout basic military training, and continues to do so at his first duty assignment at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Having worked career fields ranging from factory lines to retail management, I am capable of applying my skills to assist anyone in need, said Caraglio. I worked in factory lines as the only English speaker and grappled up the sides of homes with 90 pounds of gear as a roofer. Caraglios drive to help people be their best was brought about almost 20 years ago. My dad left pretty early, said Caraglio. I was in sixth grade, about 12. It was just my mom in the house and as the big brother, I had to put my childhood on hold just a little bit to take care of my younger siblings. Coming from what he describes as absolutely nothing, was rough, said Caraglio. Having been impacted this early in life, he dedicated himself to taking care of his family and anyone else he met along his journey. I did those 20 odd jobs to help provide for my wife and daughter, but in the end it was just taking away from my time with them, said Caraglio. Caraglio said honor was the biggest drive behind his decision to join the armed forces, admitting he felt he would regret his decision later in life if he did not serve while he was eligible. Basic training was my first taste of being in the Air Force and probably one of the hardest things mentally, said Caraglio. I had to leave my family behind temporarily to help provide for them. Utilizing his refined people skills and attentive mindset, he helped build cohesion in his struggling flight throughout BMT. I used to focus on the little things in basic training. Said Caraglio. When we were told to get on the wall, everybody would rush to the wall which was great, but I would go help and get the slower ones on the wall first. While in BMT, Caraglio served as dorm chief helping to ensure the success of not only his flight but also his brother and sister flights who were in need of assistance. I helped lower-week dorm chiefs report their flights for accountability, said Caraglio. It was unheard of for a BMT trainee to report a flight and say Sir, trainee Caraglio reports as ordered, permission to assist wingman in accountability? Upon graduation, Caraglio applied his newly acquired Air Force knowledge to his innate caring for others to make an impact on his new family at Shaw AFB. Given my age, the idea of rank has never brought fear to me, even in basic, said Caraglio. As long as I was respectful, being able to talk to someone as an equal has been awesome. As a mental health technician, Caraglio has provided numerous services to the Airmen, Soldiers and dependents on base. I can take vital signs, schedule patients and follow-up appointments for my wingmen, said Caraglio. Im not trying to teach all my skills to people, Im just here to help so you can do your job and succeed. The concept of rank plays a huge role in the military no matter the career field, it is all dependent on how you shine light on that rank. Im just happy that Im able to serve my country and that I made the enlistment window, said Caraglio. That is more important than having a few more stripes on my shoulders. His positive outlook of service before self has been seen by supervision in and out of his career field, although he has been on station for less than half a year. He is a very hard worker and is dedicated to what he does, said Staff Sgt. Natalia Yarbrough, 20th Medical Operations Squadron mental health noncommissioned officer in charge. He is always first to jump up and ask to assist. Whether it be military or civilian, everyone chooses a path in life. One Airmans years of experience have helped mold the lives of those he has come in contact with. In his final remarks, Caraglio leaves everyone with a few small words of wisdom: live life and love living it; dont be scared of anything. Acer India, one of the largest PC vendors in the country, has been recognized as Indias Most Trusted Computers Brand 2016. The Award demonstrates Acers commitment of bringing innovative products with excellent service and user experience to its customers. INDIAS MOST TRUSTED BRAND Awards criteria are based on a comprehensive survey conducted by Media Research Group (MRG), a company with close to 15 years experience in conducting exhaustive research of this nature. This survey is based on the opinions of the Indian consumers. Consumers across India vote for the brands that they trust the most across 50 different industry segments. Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Chandrahas Panigrahi, Sr. Director and Consumer Business Head, Acer India says, We feel honoured to be awarded with the prestigious Indias Most Trusted Brand Award. Trust is the most important aspect in the success of any consumer brand and we are delighted with the trust that consumers have retained in ACER and ranked us No. 1 amongst the other brands. In Acers journey of 40 years, we have constantly worked hard towards providing the best products and services to consumers that are high on innovation, technology and style. The grand awards ceremony which felicitated and honored more than 50 successful brands was held on at The Leela, Mumbai. Airbnb, the world's leading community driven hospitality company, today announced the launch of a social media contest to celebrate the upcoming smash release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, a Bollywood feature starring Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The Ae Dil Lets Airbnb contest gives participants a chance to live the Ae Dil lifestyle by revisiting the characters on-screen journeys in London or Paris, including local recommendations from the stars such as Ranbir Kapoors favourite restaurant and Karan Johar's preferred cafes and insider shopping spots. This curated access to two of the worlds most dynamic cities mirrors the central ethos of Airbnb, offering unique, local insight that lets you Live like a local. Commenting on this unique contest, Karan Johar, Dharma Productions & Director, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil said, Londons grandeur and the romance of Paris have always enticed Bollywood buffs from every generation. The AeDilLetsAirbnb contest is a great way for travelers and Bollywood aficionados to relive the romance of film. I am thrilled to see Airbnb recreate the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil experience for fans by giving them a chance to win a transformative journey in two of the worlds most iconic cities. To participate, all one has to do is create a dream Wishlist of five Airbnb properties in London or Paris on the Airbnb platform (either website or app). Participants can make as many Wishlists as desired and title them under a cinematic name to increase their chances of winning. Two lucky winners will be selected based on the most creative name for their Wishlist and will get the chance to travel to either London or Paris with a guest. The contest opens on October 20, 2016 at 10 am IST and closes on October 30, 2016 at 12 pm IST. Each of the two winners will receive (one winner for London and one winner for Paris) a 3 nights/4 days stay for the winner and one friend. So why wait #AeDilLetsAirbnb! Korean electronics major Samsung has been facing a lot of flak globally over its Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. The high-end phone has been facing critical battery issues and videos of the Note 7 phones on fire have been widely circulated on social media. So serious is the issue that airlines all over the world have banned the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 citing security risk. Samsung has now gone on damage control mode and has permanently stopped the sale and production of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. The company has also asked its customers not to use the phones as it continues its investigations into the fiasco. Is it a case of too little, too late? Should the company have done more? What next for the company? Adgully spoke to some industry experts to know more. Impact on the overall Samsung brand Harish Bijoor, Brand Expert & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, remarked, I do believe the brand is stirred and shaken. Both. Samsung will, however, recoup from it all. Samsung is much more than Galaxy Note 7. It is possibly the only company across all screens available today: the mobile screen, the tablet screen, the desktop screen, the laptop screen, and more. KV Sridhar, who recently stepped down as Chief Creative Officer of SapientNitro India, opined, I think going by what had happened in the past whether it was colas or chocolates or any other category where they had a temporary setback it is nothing new. A faulty line is always there, even Apple had problem and issues, automobile brands have these issues all the time. I think it will have a temporary impact, but in the long run they will be alright as far as the brand is concerned. Sure, there could be some financial loss for the time being, then there could be some impact on the product range, but it wont be for the long run, only short term, I feel. Rajat Agrawal, Editor, BGR.in, noted that there would be some impact on the high-end segment of smartphones, but he doesnt see it impacting the overall Samsung brand in India. Samsung had not launched the Galaxy Note 7 in India, which I believe, helped to dampen the impact of the exploding battery fiasco, unlike in the US and other international markets where it had launched. However, the warnings against Samsung Galaxy Note 7 at airports and in-flight announcements could make some high spending customers move away from the brand, he added. What more should Samsung do? Sridhar remarked, I think in cases like this, the more transparent, honest and open you are, the more conversations you have with people, the more secure they feel. On the contrary, the lesser communication you have with the consumers, the more will be the speculations. True, mistakes happen, but they can be corrected. But there is the need to be very honest and transparent about it, rather than be silent, that would be my advice to them. It is important to get back into the realm of consumer trust, stressed Bijoor. Agreeing with Sridhar, he said, The best thing to do is be transparent about it all. Consumers love transparent companies and transparent brands. Particularly in this space. Agrawal, who further said that those loyal customers could have been handled better. After the recall and refund, there is very little left for Samsung to do with respect to the Galaxy Note 7 and its customers. However, it still isnt clear what caused the batteries to explode and Samsung should come out with its findings in a transparent manner as soon as possible in order to retain customer trust, he added. Rebuilding consumer trust While Bijoor felt that six months flat was a long period of time for rebuilding consumer trust and confidence in the brand when such incidents happened, Sridhar, on the other hand, noted that it had nothing to with the larger brand issue. It is a product and a model that has developed some defect and they have called back the product from the market and are fixing it the problems. It doesnt mean that the other products of Samsung will suffer. People are mature enough to understand that there could be a temporary dip and usually it takes 3-6 months or a quarter or two for things to settle down. After that, they will be back because these are trusted brands, this trust has been built up over the years. Had something like this happened to one of the newer brands, then they might not get a second chance and the damage and impact would have been much higher. Brand trust will not be eroded overnight over one mistake or one product. So, I guess after a couple of quarters they should be back in full form. This festival season, the people of Kolkata and Delhi celebrated the victory of good over evil, albeit in a different manner. In both the cities, as the magnificent festivities of Durga Puja and Dusshera respectively hit a crescendo, a campaign by The Brand Brewery (TBB) -- a leading experiential marketing agency became the talk of the town. The campaign aptly christened Sehat-ki-Goonj was conceived and executed by TBB for Indias first iron fortified salt brand Tata Salt Plus. The inimitable initiative aimed at creating awareness about anaemia which is highly prevalent among women as well as children in India. In Kolkata, TBB chose the setting of Durga Puja to spread the message of health because the festival that pans over four days is one of the most opulent celebrations in the City of Joy and sees lakhs of enthusiasts participate in the revelry. The brilliantly accomplished campaign centred around a simple premise that Bengalis, especially women, follow as a tradition that blowing a conch will eradicate all negative energies and usher in wellbeing before the start of something new or auspicious. In tandem with this thought, TBB envisaged the maverick campaign by connecting it with the aspect of health. As part of Sehat-ki-Goonj, a massive conch was placed at the FD Block Salt Lake City pandal. Women were then invited to blow the conch and the decibel units that they produced while blowing it for over 15 to 20 seconds were recorded. Every participant was gifted a free hamper which included a one kg Tata Salt Plus pack while those who won or crossed the set decibel were given a bigger hamper. It is a known fact that blowing a conch requires enough strength and stamina. Through Sehat-ki-Goonj, TBB cracked upon the idea of using the conch as a medium to spread awareness for the campaign and bank upon the tradition of blowing a conch to eliminate evil. Said Mr Pradyumn Tandon, Founder and Director, TBB, About 55% of women and 73% of children in India are iron deficient, which makes us one of the worst-hit anaemic countries in the world. We felt that in a city like Kolkata, Durga Puja celebrations are the best way to reach out to women especially since the festival also symbolises the power of a goddess. The campaign was popularly referred to as Swasther Protidhwani in Kolkata. A special Sehat-ki-Goonj tune was also recorded for the occasion based on the ragas ShuddhaKalyan and Bhairav both known for celebrating good health and end of evil. Meanwhile in Delhi, as large crowds participated in achieving proverbial victory by celebrating the burning of Ravaanat the iconic Ramlila Maidan, team TBB preferred to focus upon their health. A similar conch was also placed at the venue where women were invited to blow it and the decibel levels were checked. While it was Durga Puja in Kolkata to reach out to a larger demographic, in Delhi it had to be Dusshera celebrations. It is the day when millions relive mythology and rejoice the victory of good over evil as they witness the enactment of Rama killing Ravana. Added Tandon, In Delhi, we thought Dusshera was the best occasion since that is when huge crowds throng this venue to participate in Ravaandahan. Tata Salt also looks at anaemia as an evil that needs to be wiped out of our country. Hence it was a perfect opportunity to reach out to people, especially women and talk about the menace. During the campaigns, 950 kg of Tata Salt Plus was distributed in Kolkata and 580 kg of Tata Salt Plus was distributed in Delhi. TBB has successfully conceived and executed several other campaigns for Tata Salt during festivities which provide the perfect setting to reach out to more and more people. The campaigns have helped in projecting the brand as the official health keeper of the nation with its purest form of salt. The Sehat ki Goonj campaign was an extension to this thought especially with the Tata Salt Plus variant that is Indias first iron fortified iodised salt that is known to provide up to 50% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of iron. TataCLiQ.com, Tata groups multi-brand phygital e-commerce player, today announced the appointment of Mr. Vikas Purohit as Chief Operating Officer to spearhead the commercial, seller management & digital marketing functions. To support Purohit further to build the portals luxury portfolio, Mr. Amit Rawal has been appointed as Head - Luxury Business. Tata CLiQ has witnessed a multi-fold growth since its launch in May this year and is all set for the next big scale up to strengthen its footprint in the Indian e-commerce space. These appointments come at a time when Tata CLiQ is at a crucial growth juncture and is expected to launch two new categories and the luxury portfolio. As the COO, Purohits mandate would be to strengthen and grow the commercial, seller management and digital marketing functions. Purohit was one of the first few employees of Amazon.in and is credited for building one of the most successful fashion businesses for the portal across geographies. He comes with a strong e-commerce and fashion retail experience and his appointment is a step further in the companys strategic plans to build the brand portfolio and expand offerings for its customers. He has previously held leadership positions at Amazon.in, Reliance Brands, Tommy Hilfiger India and Aditya Birla Groups Madura Garments and is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru. Under the leadership of Purohit, Rawal as head of Luxury Business, will focus on building Indias largest luxury-lifestyle destination and increasing awareness of Tata CLiQs luxury brand offerings. Rawal has a successful entrepreneurial background having founded Elitify.com, a leading premium e-commerce portal. He has strong global management experience in his previous stints with Thomson Reuters and Deloitte Consulting, where he managed multi-billion P&Ls and advised fortune 100 companies. He is a technology evangelist with strong expertise in e-commerce, business development, Omni-Channel retail, digital marketing and analytics. Tata CLiQ is on a steady growth path. It is encouraging to see consumers believing in our authentic, brand forward, phygital value proposition. As we embark upon the next stage of our growth, we are building our team and are happy to bring on board Vikas, a seasoned leader who has consistently led brands to success. With support from Amit, I have confidence that this team will bring in the direction and energy for us to deliver a superior experience to our consumers and increase offerings on the portal. said Ashutosh Pandey, CEO, Tata CLiQ.com TIMES NETWORK, a part of Indias largest media conglomerate, The Times Group, launched their IP property, the Make In India Summit and Awards. The day-long initiative took place onOctober 18th, 2016, at Taj Palace, New Delhi and was attended by some of the most valued dignitaries in India. The special guests of honour at the event included high profile names such as Nirmala Sitharaman, MoS (Independent Charge), Ministry of Commerce & Industry; Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister Textiles; andChaudhary Birender Singh, Union Minister Steel and other key speakers such as Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary, DIPP; Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog; Banmali Agrawala, President & CEO, GE, South Asia; Baba Kalyani, CMD, Bharat Forge; Arun Tiwari, CMD, Union Bank Of India to name a few. The summit aimed to lay out key imperatives and framework for turning the vision of Make In India into a reality. The summit kicked off with the welcome address by Sandeep Gurumurthi, Executive Editor, ET NOW, followed by a keynote address by Nirmala Sitharaman, MoS (Independent Charge), Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The panel discussions covered topics such as India The Global Manufacturing Hub; Brand Make In India; Feeding A Billion People The Role of Food Processing Industry; Make In India More Than Just A Slogan and so on. The panel discussion was followed by the Make In India award ceremony where seven organisations were awarded for their remarkable work in taking this initiative further in their respective industries. The event concluded with the closing remarks by Executive Director, HUL, Mr. Pradeep Banerjee. Commenting about the awards, Ashit Kukian President Revenue Times Network, said, Times Network is home to Indias most influential television audiences and caters to the diaspora across continents. Hence, it was only fitting that we host the summit to provide a platform for some of the most celebrated thought leaders to ideate on one of the key sectors responsible for Indias development. Make In India Awards render impetus to the socio-economic growth of the nation, enabling India to become a global leader. It seeks to honor the contribution of companies, organizations, institutes, which are an epitome of excellence in their chosen area of interest. The Make in India campaign, that just turned two, created a major impact through various policies and initiatives and we are honored that such valued dignitaries graced the Make in India Summit with their presence and addressed the gathering, helping us to take this initiative further. Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani - Union Minister Textile, said, "We need to celebrate the success of Indian brands and the notable work done by our own people. The textile industry is an exciting sector from the manufacturing perspective and we are trying to pool in our strengths across ministries. Also the traditional skills need to be engaged to the modern technology and the industry academia must be strengthened not only domestically but internationally. In the coming days, Textile going technical and digital would surely be beneficial. We are exploring possibilities to establish direct connect between artisans & global buyers." Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, MoS (Independent Charge), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, said, "Make in India, Make for India, all aim to make India a global manufacturing power and with momentum on our side we look to contribute at least 25% of Indias GDP through manufacturing sector which currently lies between 13-14%. India has crossed 3.5% of the market globally in the textile sector. Digitisation is an active component where the government is spending a lot of money on technology and technical expertise who are also working together towards this. The government is also in talks with the rail ministry on how freight cost can be reduced. Another area the government is moving forward is the trade facilitation in the service sector." The TIMES NETWORK Make In India Summit was presented by Hindustan Unilever Limited, powered by Union Bank of India, Supported by DIPP and Industry Partner CII. The Times Network Make In India Awards were presented by Union Bank Of India, powered by Hindustan Unilever Limited, Supported by DIPP and Industry Partner CII. The entire event will be converted into 5 episodes, each to be telecast on TIMES NOW Indias No. 1 English News channel and ET NOW - Indias No.1 Business News channel. The episodes will be aired right through the month of November. The Make In India Awardees are: Regulatory News: Cantargia AB (Cantargia) will be presenting new data at the Protein & Antibody Engineering Summit (PEGS (http://www.pegsummiteurope.com/)), an international scientific conference to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, from October 31st to November 4th 2016. The company will be presenting data from preclinical studies in non-small cell lung cancer, where the product candidate CAN04, a humanised antibody against the IL1RAP target molecule, has been investigated. The presentation will take place on October 31st 2016. With the ambition of developing a new cancer therapy, Cantargia has developed a fully humanised antibody, CAN04, which binds with high affinity to Interleukin-1 Receptor Associated Protein (IL1RAP). The antibody blocks signalling from the inflammatory cytokine IL-1, which in turn reduces signals that promote tumour growth and survival. Cantargia has previously shown that antibodies against IL1RAP can stimulate killing of tumour cells in various preclinical PDX-models of leukemia. In the new study Cantargia shows that high levels of IL1RAP are expressed also in several different solid tumours, including non-small cell lung cancer. CAN04 treatment of various solid tumour cell lines with IL1RAP on the cell surface led to a reduced secretion of the inflammatory and tumorigenic cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. CAN04 also stimulated cells from the immune system to directly destroy these tumour cells. In a PDX model, mice were transplanted directly with tumour cells from a patient with non-small cell lung cancer. In this model a microenvironment is developed in the tumour that is not obtained in classical cell line-based models. A statistically significant treatment effect was obtained with CAN04 in the study. We are very pleased to present new data on CAN04 at an important scientific conference. In addition to the documented effect in various models of non-small cell lung cancer, including a very aggressive PDX model, these results constitute an important base for continued studies of CAN04 both as monotherapy and in combination with other drugs, Gran Forsberg, CEO, says. The poster, The CAN04 antibody targets IL1RAP and inhibits tumor growth in a PDX model for NSCLC, will be available at www.cantargia.com after the presentation. This constitutes information that Cantargia is required to publish under the EUs Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication through the above contact person on 20 October 2016, at 08.30. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006666/en/ Cantargia Gran Forsberg CEO Telephone: 046-275 62 60 E-mail: goran.forsberg@cantargia.com Certified Adviser: Sedermera Fondkommission Louella Aker, 69, becomes first female hand transplant recipient in Kentucky A Jeffersonville, Ind. woman has become the first female hand transplant recipient in Kentucky and the tenth patient to receive a hand transplant from the Louisville Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) program. The program is a partnership of physicians, researchers and healthcare providers from Jewish Hospital, part of KentuckyOne Health; the Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery (CMKI); the Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center; and the University of Louisville. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006625/en/ Louella Aker, double hand transplant, pictured with Christina Kaufman, Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand & Microsurgery; Stu Williams, PhD, division chief, Bioficial Heart, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute; and Tuna Ozyurekoglu, MD, lead hand surgeon, Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center. (Photo: Business Wire) During a 17-hour procedure on September 17, 2016, Louella Aker underwent a double hand transplant at Jewish Hospital. The 69-year-old acquired an infection while involved in the cleanup of Henryville, Ind. after an EF4 tornado hit the area on March 2, 2012. Aker was later diagnosed with septicemia and underwent a bilateral, below-the-knee amputation on her legs, left forearm amputation, and right partial hand amputation. Aker was added to the organ donor registry on September 18, 2015. There are so many things you cannot do without your hands. This will change my life and allow me to do the things I miss, like holding my granddaughters hand, said Aker. I spent many days praying for a donor, but also crying for the donors family for their loss. This is such a huge and exquisite gift they have given me and I thank and bless them for their sacrifice. I also want to thank the surgeons, my family and my church for their support. Twenty surgeons from Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center, the Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand & Microsurgery and University of Louisville performed the procedure. Fourteen staff members from Jewish Hospital and six anesthesiologists also assisted with the surgery. Although a little slow, we are pleased with the progress that Louella has been making, said Tuna Ozyurekoglu, MD, lead surgeon, Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center. She is truly a fighter who has continued to grow stronger each day following this surgery. We look forward to watching her return to her normal activities, as she shows the world how successful transplantation can be. Operations such as this help demonstrate the enormous importance of organ and tissue donation, said Christopher Jones, MD, director of abdominal transplantation and associate professor of surgery, University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital. If it were not for the donor family graciously agreeing to limb donation, the efforts of Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates and neighboring organ procurement organizations, this certainly would not have been possible. Aker was placed on immunosuppressive medications to prevent rejection of the new hand. She is tolerating her medications, and to date, has no signs of clinical rejection, added Jones, who is overseeing the patients immunosuppressive therapy by closely monitoring her for signs of rejection and adverse reaction to medications. The success of the Louisville VCA program has led to additional funding for ongoing transplantation and research. Early funding for research on composite tissue allotransplantation and immunotherapy from the Jewish Hospital & St. Marys Foundation, also part of KentuckyOne Health, helped to bring about the nations first hand transplant. Other hand transplants were funded by the Department of Defense. In late 2012, the Jewish Hospital & St. Marys Foundation allocated $1.5 million for the Louisville VCA program to bring potential hand transplant recipients to Louisville for screening, performance of the hand transplantation surgery, and patient therapy and rehabilitation after surgery. In 2013, the Louisville VCA program was awarded $850,000 to fund a clinical trial of a new treatment that will help prevent rejection of hand transplants as part of the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) research program. AFIRM II is a five-year, $75 million federally funded project that will focus on applying regenerative medicine to battlefield injuries. Results of this trial will be far-reaching and benefit not only military patients, but all hand transplant recipients. We are all very pleased at how well Ms. Aker handled the surgical procedure, and we are grateful that she agreed to participate in the AFIRM-funded study, said Christina Kaufman, PhD, Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery. It is through participation in research by patients like Ms. Aker that we are able to find ways to make hand transplantation more accessible to everyone who might benefit. The AFIRM II funding enables Louisville VCA researchers to explore the potential for a cell-based therapy to help control the immune systems response to a hand transplant, with a goal to lessen or eliminate the need for immune-suppressant drugs. It is amazing to be part of an extraordinary team, performing procedures such as this double hand transplant, said Stuart K. Williams, II, PhD, director, Bioficial Organs Program, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute. New innovations developed by investigators at the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute are being translated to help patients recover more quickly from transplant surgery. The Louisville team developed the pioneering hand transplant procedure and has performed hand transplants on 10 patients since 1999. The clinical trial is led by Dr. Tuna Ozyurekoglu, MD, with research at the CMKI and the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute, a partnership of Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and the University of Louisville. Funding for the surgical procedure was provided by the Jewish Hospital & St. Marys Foundation, part of KentuckyOne Health. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006625/en/ KentuckyOne Health Barbara Mackovic, 502-587-4230 or 502-641-5461 Senior Manager barbaramackovic@kentuckyonehealth.org PureTech Health plc (PureTech or the Company, LSE: PRTC), a cross-disciplinary biotech company developing 21st century medicines, today announced the appointment of Joseph Bolen, Ph.D., as the Companys Chief Scientific Officer. In this new role, Dr. Bolen will lead the scientific development and advancement of PureTechs pipeline and will work closely with the team and Scientific Advisory Board as the Company identifies and pursues new modalities to address significant medical needs. We are tremendously excited to bring Joes visionary leadership and drug development expertise to PureTech, said Daphne Zohar, Chief Executive Officer of PureTech Health. Joe is a seasoned industry expert who brings the ideal balance of rigor and creativity to the role of CSO, and shares our vision for identifying and nurturing innovation that can potentially redefine healthcare. Joseph Bolen brings to PureTech decades of industry experience in immunology and oncology, having overseen the discovery and advancement of more than 30 drugs into clinical development including Velcade, Entyvio and Ninlaro. Dr. Bolen most recently oversaw all aspects of research and development for Moderna Therapeutics as President and Chief Scientific Officer. Previously, he was Chief Scientific Officer and Global Head of Oncology Research at Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company. Prior to joining Millennium in 1999, Dr. Bolen held senior R&D positions at Hoechst Marion Roussel, Schering-Plough (DNAX), and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He began his career at the NIH, where he contributed to the discovery of a class of proteins known as tyrosine kinase oncogenes as key regulators of the immune system. Dr. Bolen graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.S. degree in Microbiology & Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Immunology and conducted his postdoctoral training in Molecular Virology at the Kansas State University Cancer Center. PureTech Health is one of the most exciting companies in biotech, advancing truly unique multi-modal solutions to some of todays most significant healthcare challenges through modulation of the human nervous and immune adaptive systems, Dr. Bolen said. I look forward to working closely with the highly accomplished PureTech team, the world-class Scientific Advisory Board, and the vast PureTech network of colleagues across the world who believe that we are entering into a new era of technology and science convergence that will profoundly impact our understanding of disease and fundamentally change the practice of medicine. Our mission at PureTech Health is to collaborate broadly with biomedical science and technology leaders in order to generate the most exciting ideas and then to transform these concepts into breakthrough medicines. About PureTech Health PureTech Health (PureTech Health plc, PRTC.L) is a cross-disciplinary biotech company creating 21st century medicines that modulate the adaptive human systems. Our therapies target the immune, nervous, and gastro-intestinal systems by addressing the underlying pathophysiology of disease across multiple dimensions rather than through a single receptor or pathway. We are advancing more than 20 clinical studies across our pipeline, with five human proof-of-concept studies and multiple pivotal or registration studies expected to read out in the next two years. PureTech Healths pipeline is sourced and filtered by the worlds leading scientific experts, who along with PureTech's leading team and board analyze more than 650 scientific discoveries per year to identify the most promising opportunities for patients. This process places the PureTech Health on the cutting edge of ground-breaking science and technological innovation and leads the Company between and beyond existing disciplines. For more information, visit www.puretechhealth.com or connect with us on Twitter. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains statements that are or may be forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to the company's future prospects, developments and strategies. The forward- looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties described in the risk factors included in the company's regulatory filings. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions regarding the present and future business strategies of the company and the environment in which it will operate in the future. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date of this press release. Except as required by law, regulatory requirement, the Listing Rules and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, neither the company nor any other party intends to update or revise these forward- looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006570/en/ PureTech Allison Mead, +1 617-651-3156 Director, Communications and Investor Relations amead@puretechhealth.com Columbia Pacific Management, one of the largest and fastest-growing healthcare providers in Asia, is partnering with Temasek, an investment company based in Singapore, on a joint venture that will provide Chinas growing middle-class population with affordable, patient-centered care across a spectrum of healthcare and senior services. Temasek is investing about $250 million USD in Columbia China, the China healthcare arm of Seattles Columbia Pacific Management, which will result in a 50/50 joint venture with Columbia Pacific. Columbia China currently has a 220-bed orthopedic hospital, two multi-specialty clinics and three senior living facilities in Shanghai and Beijing. The company is also developing three multi-specialty hospitals of 300-500 beds, in Wuxi, Jiaxing and Changzhou, as well as a 300-bed senior living facility in Ningbo and a growing pipeline of other projects across China. The partnership with Temasek will enable Columbia China to further expand in China through acquisitions and greenfield projects. Weve already built a strong team in China that has quickly expanded since we first entered the China market five years ago, said Bee Lan Tan, Group CEO of Columbia China. With such valued support from Temasek, we look forward to continuing to accelerate our growth. Chinas demand for healthcare services and senior living at international standards is unprecedented and growing every day, said Nate McLemore, Managing Director of Columbia Pacific Management. We are thrilled to have a partner like Temasek that has both a shared vision of providing high-quality healthcare to Chinese patients and seniors, as well as a long track record of successful investments in China and around the world. Columbia Pacific Management has been operating in Asia for 20 years. The company's expansion in China is similar to the network of hospitals the company owns in India and Southeast Asia through another affiliate, Columbia Asia. Columbia Asia opened its first hospital in Malaysia in 1996 and over two decades has developed one of the largest hospital companies in Asia, with 27 hospitals and two clinics delivering high-quality, affordable and standardized care. Columbia Pacific is committed to the China market. In 2011 the firm became the first foreign-owned company to receive permission from the Chinese government to build senior care facilities in China and now has three senior care facilities: one in Beijing and two in Shanghai. Columbia Pacific went on to acquire a 220-bed orthopedic hospital and two multi-specialty clinics in Shanghai. Columbia Pacific is focusing on large cities the three hospitals of 300-500 beds under development are in Wuxi (6.4 million), Jiaxing (4.5 million) and Changzhou (4.6 million) with facilities designed to serve the wide-ranging medical needs of Chinas fast-growing middle class. For more information about the Columbia China hospital network, go to the companys website, Columbia-China.com. To learn more about Columbia Chinas senior care facilities, go to KaijanCare.com. For more about Columbia Pacific Management, go to columbiapacificmanagement.com. UBS was the placement agent and financial advisor to Columbia Pacific Management on the transaction with Temasek. About Columbia Pacific Management Columbia Pacific Management (CPM), based in Seattle, oversees an international healthcare business that develops and operates hospitals, clinics and senior housing in Asia. With locations in China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia and Vietnam, CPMs operating companies provide healthcare and senior care services in markets making up more than half the worlds population. All of these countries have rapidly aging populations, rising middle- and upper-middle-class populations, an under-supply of quality healthcare and senior care facilities, and increasing rates of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiac diseases creating an unprecedented demand for world-class healthcare services and senior housing. The companys affiliates include Columbia Asia, operating hospitals in India and Southeast Asia; Columbia Africa, which operates a clinic in Nairobi, Kenya; Columbia China, which is building a network of hospitals and clinics in China; Cascade Healthcare, a subsidiary of Columbia China that operates senior care facilities; and Remote Medical International, which provides medical services and supplies to challenging locations around the globe. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006612/en/ U.S. Media: Pacific Public Affairs Ashley Bach, +1-206-579-2414 ashley@pacificpub.com or Asia Media: Columbia China George Jiang, Director of Marketing, +86-136-0190-5139 george.jiang@columbia-china.com An internal view of the Space Surveillance Telescopes structure, including the wide-field camera, center. (DoD photo) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has worked with the Air Force to develop an advanced telescope that already is revolutionizing space situational awareness and helping prevent potential collisions with satellites or Earth.During an event Oct. 19 in New Mexico, DARPA formally transitioned its Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) from an agency-led design and construction program to ownership and operation by Air Force Space Command, which has announced plans to operate the telescope jointly with the Australian government at a site in Western Australia.Space is congested with tens of thousands of manmade objects as well as micro-meteors, asteroids and other natural satellites, Lindsay Millard wrote in a post on the DARPA website. (And) space is contested by a range of manmade threats that may have adverse effects on satellites.Millard, the program manager of DARPAs tactical technology office, also wrote, today, deep space telescopes dont give a comprehensive picture of all objects in orbit around the Earth.Existing search telescopes have relatively narrow fields of view and cant reliably detect and track faint objects, including small objects in geosynchronous orbits -- about 22,000 miles above the Earth. Millard said hundreds of thousands more pieces of debris and asteroids may be too faint to track with current sensors.The telescope achieved first light in February 2011. Two years later, then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Australian Defense Minister David Johnston signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to relocate the SST from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station in Western Australia.DARPA officials said Australia offers a uniquely beneficial vantage point for testing, and a place to demonstrate SSTs enhanced algorithms and camera.NASA is already leveraging SSTs ability to see very faint objects in a wide field of view and to help warn against asteroids and other near-Earth objects, DARPA officials said in a recent press release.With 2.2 million asteroid observations in 2014, 7.2 million in 2015 and hopes for 10 million in 2016, SST has become the most prolific tool for asteroid observation in the world. SST has also discovered 3,600 new asteroids and 69 near-Earth objects, including four that carry a risk of hitting Earth, DARPA says.With its amazing capabilities, said Brad Tousley, the director of DARPAs tactical technology office, SST joins a prestigious list stretching back decades of game-changing space situational awareness programs on which DARPA and (AFSPC) have collaborated. Tousleys office oversees SST.On Oct. 18, DARPA transferred ownership of the telescope to the Air Force and the SST will make the move to Australia to be operated and maintained by the Australian government. The SST will be a dedicated sensor in the U.S. Space Surveillance Network, operated by the AFSPC.SST has increased space situational awareness from only a few large objects at a time to a view with 10,000 objects at a time, each as small as a softball, DARPA officials said. The telescope can also search an area larger than the continental U.S. in seconds and survey the entire geosynchronous belt in its field of view -- a quarter of the sky -- multiple times in one night.DARPA officials also said technological firsts in SSTs development are helping redefine what telescopes can do.SST uses the most steeply curved primary telescope mirror ever made, for example, and the mirror lets the telescope collect more light to see images across a wider field of view than any other space surveillance telescope.To hold the mirror, DARPA says that SST uses an innovative Mersenne-Schmidt design, which allows for a much more compact construction than traditional telescopes. SST is the largest telescope ever to use the design, making it the worlds quickest and most nimble large telescope.Even SSTs camera includes advances, DARPA officials said. The SST team developed the first curved charge-coupled device (CCD) to provide clear imagery across the telescopes wide field of view because current digital cameras with flat CCDs cant record images from such highly curved mirrors without distortion.The camera also has the worlds fastest telescope camera shutter and takes thousands of pictures a night. DARPA recently upgraded the camera, faint-object detection algorithms and search speed to make it even more effective.SSTs eye on the sky sees objects around Earth, in the solar system and universe beyond.DARPA looks forward to seeing what the Air Force will do with SST, Walker said. And we will continue to work with them as DARPA pushes the technological envelope on space situational awareness with our Hallmark and OrbitOutlook programs.From Australia, DARPA said SST will provide space situational awareness information from the southern hemisphere -- an area of the geosynchronous belt that now is sparsely observed -- to the U.S. Space Surveillance Network.The telescope also will continue to give NASA and the scientific community surveillance data on events like supernovas and potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids.DARPA has worked closely with the Air Force since the agencys creation to boldly invest in high-impact technologies so the United States can be the first to develop and adopt the novel capabilities made possible by such work, Walker said. (left to right) Susan dOlive, daughter of 1st Lt. Charles dOlive, the last officially recognized U.S. Ace of World War I, and her family pose with Senior Master Sgt. Darby Perrin, an Air Force artist from the 465th Air Refueling Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Lt. Col James Morriss, vice commander of the 307th Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and Brig. Gen. Vito Addabbo, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio, Oct. 1, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joel McCullough) Celebrating 100 years of Reserve Airpower, Senior Master Sgt. Darby Perrin, an Air Force artist from the 465th Air Refueling Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, unveiled a painting at the 2016 World War I Dawn Patrol Rendezvous event October 1, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.The painting depicts 1st Lt. Charles d Olives victory over three German Fokker DVII fight planes on Sept. 13, 1917. Commissioned in the U.S. Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps, d Olive was the last officially recognized U.S. Ace of WWI. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.Perrin unveiled his painting to the dOlives daughter, Susan dOlive, and her family alongside Brig. Gen. Vito Addabbo, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Lt. Col. James Morris, vice commander of the 307th Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.He did a wonderful job, said Ms. dOlive. Paintings are individual creations that come out of historical fact. He (Perrin) has done his homework on what everything should look like, but also its his own creation.Perrin was assigned the role of capturing the essence of the WWI event by the Air Force Reserve Command Historian Office. He completed the painting in 18 days.Perrin did not base his work solely on the historical stories told. I did a lot of research on the details and the mechanics of the planes.There is a long tradition in the military of recording for the experiences of soldiers and sailors in peace and at war.In this day and age where digital media is such a big thing, and its so much easier to grab an image off the internet, its nice to see people have an appreciation for art and an actual original painting, said Perrin. It really means a lot and I am glad to be part of it.Not only does the painting depict an event in history, it showcases the fact that Reserve Airpower is something to be appreciated.Citizen Airmen have been serving our country for more than 68 years and make up 20 percent of the Air Forces workforce. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James hosted a Spouse and Family Forum in the Smart Center Auditorium on Joint Base Andrews Oct. 19.This forum provided an opportunity for Air Force leaders to address issues, suggestions, and questions directly from Air Force spouses and family members.Our Airmen are doing a great job, but no Airman does the job by themselves, James said. Every single person is backed up with a family -- many with spouses -- but everyone has a family and everyone has family concerns.James was joined by Air Force senior military leaders and subject matter experts as they fielded questions from the attendees and social media. The forum's agenda -- spouse employment and child care access; Air Force program for families with special needs; and schools, assignments, deployments and reintegration -- was based on frequently asked questions James received during her travels.The ongoing mobile military lifestyle for military spouses is something that isnt going away, according to Eddy Mentzer, the director of the Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program.Our program is a DOD-wide program that serves all military spouses; its available through Military OneSource, and thats really where spouses should go as their first stop to look for information, resources and tools, Mentzer said. The ability to connect with one of our career counselors is paramount. They work individually one-on-one with the spouse as often as they need at no cost whatsoever to the spouse.There are also thousands of military spouses who have established successful careers, whether its entrepreneurial, or working at the highest levels of government or industry.I would call on those spouses to become mentors and work with those new and young spouses to show them how they were able to navigate that path, Mentzer said.Child care concerns have also risen across the Air Force, especially when child care operating hours dont coincide with duty hours. There are options available to those who face this issue parents may contact their on-base child development and school-age centers, and family child care program for information on Air Force-expanded child care programs, including community-based child care fee assistance through Child Care Aware of America For us, the challenge is educating our Airmen and families on the options available, said Deb Willey, the chief of Air Force Child and Youth Programs. Thats one thing we had already identified even before the forum. We seem to get the same questions, so were working on new ways to get the information out to our families.Working at a child care facility may be an opportunity for some spouses looking for employment. Thirty-two percent of the Air Forces Child and Youth Programs work force is military spouses.Were always looking for spouses who are willing to work; thats a challenge for us at some locations, Willey said. There are opportunities for advancement once you start working with us, and we really value training and education because were in the business of educating and developing youth.According to Lt. Col. Andy Cruz, the medical chief of the Exceptional Family Member Program, several EFMP pilot programs are being tested in the hopes of optimizing care for families.The DOD family member travel screening pilot will help streamline forms, he said. We are also trying to upgrade (information technology) systems so family members can track their family member relocation clearance package at any given time to alleviate stress.In addition, the new expedited clearance process, which is now available at 10 locations, will be implemented at more stateside locations, so families wont have to repeatedly go through the family member relocation clearance process.According to the Air Forces senior enlisted Airman, a more permanent fix to challenges within EFMP policy would have to be made by Congress.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody said any changes to legislation will require advocates on many levels."We need to advocate, he said. We have to say there is a big enough need here, big enough challenge for our service members and their families, and there has been an evolution of what a family looks like since those laws were written."Some spouses were also concerned with the educational options and resources available for their dependents at each new assignment.We understand schools in general are a primary concern for our Airmen and their families, said Carl Buchanan, an Airman and Family Readiness policy analyst. Whether families have their children enrolled in public, Department of Defense, private schools, or home-schooled education for our Airmens children is a concern for many.We wanted to hear some of those difficulties, and we did, he said. We understand that there are many local challenges out there and this forum was designed so we could hear these concerns firsthand.He also recommended families engage with their installations Airman and Family Readiness Center for information and resources.There will be a school liaison or someone who can provide the resources for any questions families may have, he said. They dont even have to go to the base. You can search for the Airman and Family Readiness Center online and call from home.In addition, male spouses voiced their concerns that not enough resources were made available for them while their sponsors are deployed.Air Force senior leaders have witnessed robust key spouse programs across the Air Force and believe a model program should be identified and replicated across the Air Force.Commanders will reinforce the expectation that fun, family and culture are a mission priority, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein. I can give you an example of every kind of squadron in the Air Force Ive seen. The common theme is the command team. If they choose to make it an obligation, its going to be vibrant.While time did not allow for every issue to be addressed, the majority of questions submitted via social media and at the forum will be answered on the Air Forces official website at a later date.(Editors note: Tech. Sgt. Robert Barnett and Staff Sgts. Alyssa C. Gibson and Jannelle McRae contributed to this article.)Panel 1: Spouse employment and childcare accessPanel 2: Air Force program for families with special needsPanel 3: Schools, assignments, deployments and reintegrationPanel 3: Continued White House, DOD salute companies' commitment to hire military spouses Employers who hire military spouses are doing the right thing for their businesses -- and for the country, speakers at a Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership event said this week. White House and Defense Department officials, business representatives and military spouses were among those who attended the Oct. 17 induction of 50 employers to the MSEP program -- the largest induction class since the initiative was launched five years ago. By hiring military spouses, employers are promoting stability in military families, which increases the readiness of the force, said Todd A. Weiler, the assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs. "You're getting a loyal and committed workforce, and we're getting a more stable, a more predictable, a less stressful environment for our families," he told the employers. Biden: 'Debt of gratitude' to military families Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, helped to launch the MSEP program in 2011. Speaking at the event -- which was held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building, the same location where the program was launched -- she said the entire family serves when a member is in the military. "I believe that we owe those who wear our uniform and their families a debt of gratitude," she added. "Military spouses are among the most skilled and dedicated members of America's workforce. That's why all of you are here today." At the program's inception, supporters were excited to have 50 partner companies that pledged to increase employment opportunities for military spouses, Biden noted. The number has increased significantly, she said, pointing out that the 50 new inductees were joining 335 other companies that had already partnered with the program. "Since we launched, more than 100,000 military spouses have been hired, and that is truly remarkable," Biden said, welcoming the new partners into the program. "Our veterans, service members and their families deserve the very best efforts of each of us, to show them how much we appreciate their service to our country." No such thing as 'average' military spouse The experiences and makeup of military spouses vary greatly, including in age, backgrounds, education, career aspirations, family composition and religions, said Ellyn Dunford, the wife of Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "There is no such thing as an average military spouse, nor an average military spouse experience," she said. Dunford relayed the challenges of balancing her career as a physical therapist with her family life through more than three decades as a military spouse. Amid the frequent moves, military families face challenges as spouses try to balance a careers, including perhaps even being geographically separated to keep a job, she said. Dunford said the lessons she learned over the decades have helped her in her current role and in advocating for military families. She applauded the efforts of the MSEP and its partner companies, saying those who hire military spouses are using "their heart and their head." Morocco Kings visit to Rwanda Comes With 5000 Low Cost Homes A Moroccan construction and real estate company has announced it will construct 5000 affordable housing units in Kigali city. Palmerie Development Group company sealed the deal worth $ 68 million. The houses will be built in Ndera sector, Gasabo district. Kigali wants to bridge housing gaps by targeting to build 10,000 new homes every year until 2023. This evening Morocco and Rwanda signed 21 hot deals of projects on a historic visit by Moroccos King Mohammed VI currently in the country for a 3-day state visit since yesterday. A total of 19 agreements is roughly grouped into eight categories including; business, agriculture, politics, infrastructure, education, health, social welfare and security. The ettijari wafa bank has invested also $41 million in acquisition of 76.19% shares in Cogebanque-a commercial bank that was owned by Rwandan shareholders. This investment is a sign of Moroccan interest in Rwandas financial market, said Claver Gatete, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. Established after a merger between Banque Commerciale du Maroc and Wafabank, the Casablanca-based Bank enjoys wide presence around the world, with branches in London (UK), Paris (France), Brussels (Belgium), Madrid and Barcelona (Spain); Milan (Italy), Shanghai (China), The Netherlands, Tunisia, Senegal, Ghana, Mauritania and Mali. Other banks in Rwanda will benefit from another agreement whereby Banque Centrale Populaire Group of Morocco will train Rwandas micro-finance staff and bring financial literacy among banks clients. President Paul Kagame and King Mohammed VI also launched the African mutual growth investment Fund worth $300 million with $50 million dedicated to Rwanda and the rest, to the East Africa community member countries. Another business deal that was signed will see Morocco facilitate Rwanda to develop Special Economic Zones. Rwanda Development Board Officials said Morocco has very strong industrial sector and will help Rwanda to implement its vision to build a special economic zone in all districts of the country. Currently, Rwanda has only one renowned special economic zone in City of Kigali. Rwanda and Morocco have also sealed a deal to invest in pharmaceutical industry. Moroccan Cooper Pharma, a renowned producer of antibiotics among other drugs, will set up its facility in the Special Economic Zone. Already exporting to 21 countries across the world, Cooper Pharma wants to make Rwanda a strategic store for East Africa. An interesting agreement which is good news for Rwandan farmers could be an establishment of crop insurance. Morocco will partner with Rwandas insurance companies to develop and structure financial products dedicated to agriculture for small holder farmers. The deal is timely because Rwandan insurance companies are always reluctant to venture into agriculture sector which they consider unpredictable. For air transport business, an air service agreement that was signed will provide right to fly across the territory of another country without landing. Airplanes of one country can make stopover in the territory of the other country for non-traffic purposes. The countries signed a MoU on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion. Taxes will only be paid to the individuals country of residence and tax officials from both countries will have the task to prevent any tax evasion. Tourism sector in Rwanda could also be revamped following an agreement on exchanging experiences on promotion of tourism between both countries tourist experts. The Rwanda Development Board will have a lot of work to ensure that all business agreements signed are executed, also entered into agreement with Moroccan counterpart, Casablanca Financial City Authority (CFCA). The agreement is mainly in area of easing and supporting flow of investment in Rwanda. They will also play a major role in implementation of another agreement on ensuring protection and promotion of investments. In security, Rwanda and Morocco signed a cooperation agreement to fight terrorism which is becoming a global threat, and all forms of transnational crimes. Meanwhile, the two countries signed a visa exemption agreement. From now, Moroccan and Rwandan nationals with diplomatic and official passports will not be required to present visas upon arrival. King Mohammed VI and president of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, chaired, on Thursday in Kigali, the ceremony to launch an agriculture partnership program between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Rwanda. At the Beginning of the ceremony, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Aziz Akhannouch gave before the two heads of states a presentation on the broad lines of this program, which was elaborated in conformity with the Royal Instructions to help Rwanda benefit from Moroccos experience in terms of small agriculture, mainly the expertize related to the Moroccan Green Plan. Launched in April 2008, the ambitious Moroccan Green Plan was aimed at turning the agricultural sector into an important lever for socio-economic development, said Akhannouch. The Minister added that this strategy has contributed to increasing the income of thousands of small farmers and improving their living conditions. The Morocco-Rwanda agriculture partnership program is based on sharing the Moroccan expertise to meet the Rwandan potential, said the minister, noting that this program seeks to promote technical cooperation in the fields of irrigation infrastructure and animal health. It is also meant to help Rwandan farmers benefit from the expertise of Moroccos groupe Credit agricole, the Mutuelle Agricole Marocaine dAssurances (MAMDA) and OCP group regarding, respectively, the integration of small farmers in systems of funding, and of multi-risk insurance and the setting up of a database on soil fertility (fertility card). The minister underlined that Morocco, which will host next November in Marrakech the 22nd conference of parties to the UN framework convention on climate change (COP22), proposes an ambitious initiative on the adaptation of African agriculture and the reinforcement of its resilience to face climate change. Afterwards, the King and the Rwandan head of state chaired the signing ceremony of four agreements on the implementation of the Morocco-Rwanda agriculture partnership program. They are: a memorandum of understanding in the field of agriculture, signed, on the Moroccan side, by agriculture and fisheries minister Aziz Akhannouch, chairman of MAMDA board Hicham Belmrah and president of groupe Credit agricoles board of directors Tariq Sijilmassi and, on the Rwandan side, by minister of agriculture and animal resources Geraldine Mukeshimana. The second agreement is a memorandum of understanding to establish a harvest insurance. It was inked by Aziz Akhannouch, Hicham Belmrah and Geraldine Mukeshimana. The third is also a memorandum of understanding in the field of fertilizers between the Rwandan ministry of agriculture and animal resources and OCP. It was inked by CEO of OCP Mostapha Terrab and Geraldine Mukeshimana and concerns an industrial investment in blending units to produce fertilizers adapted to the Rwandan soil and cultivation. The fourth is also a memorandum of understanding between Moroccos Groupe Credit Agricole and the Development Bank of Rwanda. It was signed by Tariq Sijilmassi and director general of the Development Bank of Rwanda Alex Kanyankole. King Mohammed VI, accompanied by HH Prince Moulay Ismail, visited, on Thursday in Gisozi (Kigali suburbs), the memorial commemorating the victims of the Rwandan genocide which claimed the lives of one million people in 1994. The Moroccan monarch, who is paying an official visit to Rwanda, placed a spray of flowers on one of the common graves where the remains of millions of the genocides victims are buried, and observed a moment of silence for the deceaseds souls. Inaugurated in April 2004, on the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, the Gisozi memorial includes three permanent exhibitions explaining the tragedys circumstances, reasons behind the growing tension between the countrys ethnic groups, what triggered the genocide and how it took place. The exhibitions comprise pictures, videos, written testimonies, articles and information posters documenting the tragedy. The memorial pays tribute to all the genocides victims and is a strong tool to raise the awareness of future generations. At the end of the visit, the Memorial director Honore Gatera handed the sovereign a brochure on the exhibition and a book entitled 28 years of survivors testimonies. The King signed afterwards the Memorials book of visitors. The Ethiopian authorities have detained more than 1,600 people under the state of emergency, a government minister has told the BBC. A statement, quoted by state-affiliated FBC website, lists arrests in the Oromia and Amhara regions, which have recently seen massive demonstrations. This is in addition to Mondays arrests of 1,000 people near the capital. A six-month state of emergency has been declared in the face of a wave of unprecedented anti-government protests. Under the emergency measures, people can be detained without an arrest warrant for the duration of the state of emergency. FBC reports that a total of 1,683 people have been arrested in at least five places, including in Shashamene, 250km (155 miles) south of the capital, Addis Ababa, where 450 people have been detained. It describes most of those arrested as suspects in the recent violence and adds that a large number of looted weapons had also been handed over. Some business people have been detained for closing their shops, as have three teachers for abandoning school. There is no mention where the people are being held. [dropcap]F[/dropcap]inally, Uttar Pradesh heavy-weight Brahmin Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined BJP. People are speculating setback to the party ahead of polls in Uttar Pradesh but I personally feel that her exit will not make any difference to Congress and joining BJP will help out the saffron party. The funniest part is that, she gave stupid reasons to quit the party in which she spent 24 years. She said she was hurt when the party questioned the surgical strikes conducted by the Army across the LoC. She is a senior politician; she should know Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi during his road-show in Bulandshahr thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the stringent action being taken by the Indian Army. He further asserted that the Prime Minister has his full support. Anyways, as we know politicians have no ethics; they change their ideologies and loyalties as they change their garments. I am not surprised by the Bahuguna joining BJP but I was amazed that Amit Shah accepting all the tainted Congress leaders into BJP, which always claims that, they are the party with a difference. Rita Bahuguna resigned from Congress party and her membership of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly to join the BJP was done in the presence of party president Amit Shah. Ms Joshis brother, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is already in the BJP and was made a part of the partys executive in its Allahabad meeting. While speculation was rife last week that Ms Joshi would be joining the BJP, it was a last minute announcement that confirmed the rumours. She just repeated her family history, her father and brother did the same. There was one more reason that she wanted to quit Congress, their poll manager Prashant Kishore replaced many leaders, and he tried his best to sideline non-active Congress leaders who are aged and could not perform. Several senior party leaders were also upset that feedback from grassroot leaders was being ignored. He is a strategist and he done the same thing when he was working with BJP, remembered L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi was sidelined. Ms Joshi is rumoured to have been upset with former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit being projected as the Congress chief ministerial candidate and Brahmin face in Uttar Pradesh. Ms Joshi, besides being a Brahmin, is also the daughter of former Chief Minister Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna. Joshi squarely blamed the leadership of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for ignoring senior party leaders but had a word of praise for Congress president Sonia Gandhi for being more democratic in her functioning. Its BJP who needs senior and seasoned leaders in UP, perhaps they thought Bahuguna being a Brahmin can save their face. Brahmins, estimated to constitute around 14 per cent of the electorate, are seen as an important vote bank in UP where BJP, Samajwadi Party and BSP seem locked in a close contest for the assembly polls due next year. Joshi has been indifferent to the party activities in the past few days, mainly during the much-hyped Kisan Yatra of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Mr. Gandhi recently concluded a month-long tour of the state to win over farmers, who form a sizeable chunk of electorate. Rita Bahuguna Joshi was an Indian National Congress politician and an MLA from Lucknow Cantt constituency of the state of Uttar Pradesh. She was the president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee from 2007 to 2012. She holds an MA and a PhD in History and is a professor in Medieval and Modern History at the University of Allahabad. She is also a recipient of a United Nations Award of Excellence and is being among the Most Distinguished Women in South Asia. Rita Bahuguna held the post of mayor of Allahabad from 1995-2000. She is a former vice-president of the National Council of Women, has been president of the All India Mahila Congress since 2003 and of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee since September 2007. She has twice contested unsuccessfully in elections to the Lok Sabha. She was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Lucknow Cantonment in the 2012 state elections. She contested for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow and lost. On 16 July 2009, she was detained for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati. She was later sent to the Moradabad jail on 14 days judicial custody. Joshis speech was about the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh and the increasing number of rapes in the state. She cited a few cases in which some women were paid Rs. 25,000 compensation after being raped. She remarked that simply compensating the women with money was not enough. She was one of the party leaders arrested by the Meerut range police on 11 May 2011 from the Bhatta Parsaul village of western Uttar Pradesh along with the fellow leaders Rahul Gandhi and Digvijaya Singh. They were taking part in an agitation staged by the local farmers condemning the state government policies. Lets see how Bahugana saves the face of BJP in Uttar Pradesh. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Iraqi forces are advancing faster than expected in a major offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State terrorists, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Thursday. We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned, Abadi said, speaking on a videoconference link to an international meeting co-hosted by France and Iraq on the future of Mosul following the start of the offensive this week. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had warned on Tuesday that the battle to retake Iraqs second-biggest city could take months. French President Francois Hollande told todays meeting that the terrorists were already fleeing to Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. We cant afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa, Hollande said, adding: We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate. The long-awaited offensive on Mosul was launched on Monday, with some 30,000 troops involved in Iraqs largest military operation since the pullout of US troops in 2011. Representatives from around 20 countries including the US, Turkey, Gulf states and EU member states are attending the Paris meeting co-chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Todays talks come ahead of a meeting in Paris next Tuesday of the coalitions defence ministers to assess progress in the Mosul offensive. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter will be among 13 ministers at the talks, an aide to Le Drian said. In a letter addressed to Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, Mayor Snehal Ambekar asks this question. Mayor Snehal Ambekar is miffed with the recurring allegations made by BJP saying that Shiv Sena is responsible for corruption prevailing in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). With an eye on 2017 BMC polls BJP MP Kirit Somaiya had attacked Sena by saying that BMC is in the grip of a powerful mafia which is controlled from Bandra. Snehal had written a letter to Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai Ajoy Mehta and asked whether mafia raj is prevailing in the civic body. Earlier Shiv Sena workers allegedly disrupted a programme organised by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya in suburban Mulund wherein an effigy of corruption was to be burnt to mark the festival of Dussehra. MCGM is ruled by the Sena-BJP alliance for the last 20 years. Snehal Ambekar said, Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta is the head of the BMC. He is the right person to answer whether mafia raj is prevailing in the civic body or not. The civic body officials have been working hard for the citys development. BJP has been making allegations about rising corruption in the BMC to garner political mileage. BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has been targeting Sena over corruption and has expressed his partys resolve to end corruption mafia in the civic body. In a function organised on the occasion of Dussehra festival at Mulund, Somaiya had once again raised the issue of corruption in the BMC which invited the ire of Shiv sainiks. A tussle had broken out between activists of both the parties as some persons were injured. The activists arrived at the spot with bamboos in hand and were chanting slogans against Kirit Somaiya. The clash was averted after the intervention of the police. Somaiya, who represents the Northeast Mumbai constituency, said, I will continue my fight against the mafia-raj and corruption in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). He also alleged that Shiv Sainiks had tried to kill him. The saffron partys strategy to link Shiv Sena with the scams in the BMC is clearly visible. It has cornered the Shiv Sena over four scams in last one year without directly taking the partys name. BJPs Mumbai unit president Ashish Shelar too has taken barbs at Sena, drawing pointed reactions from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed concern President Barack Obama may take action Israel opposes at the United Nations before leaving office as US criticism of its settlement building intensifies. Netanyahus statement late Wednesday comes after speculation Obama could break with recent US practice and support or at least not veto a UN Security Council resolution laying out parameters for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There has also been speculation he could give a speech before leaving office in January that would do the same. Israel fears such parameters would include elements it opposes, such as a timeframe for resolving the conflict and demands for action against settlements in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu said that in the past, presidents at the end of their terms had promoted initiatives which were not in accordance with Israels interests. The prime minister added that he hoped this was not about to be repeated and that he expects the United States not to change what has historically been its policy for decades: to prevent anti-Israel resolutions in the UN Security Council. Netanyahus office issued the statement in response to a report by Israels Channel 2 television. The report quoted him as saying in a private meeting that the entire settlement enterprise is in existential danger during the interim period between the US presidential election and when Obama leaves office. Netanyahus statement denied he had said that during the meeting with a group of Israeli settlers. Earlier this month, Netanyahu spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State John Kerry in a bid to calm Washington`s anger over new Israeli settlement plans. Settlements in the West Bank are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace efforts as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. The United States has warned that continued settlement building in the territory occupied by Israel in 1967 is eating away at the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Settlements are a key political issue within Israel, with those in favour advocating that Jews must return to their biblical homeland, including the West Bank. Netanyahus government is seen as the most right-wing in the countrys history and key members of his coalition openly oppose a Palestinian state. Immediately after meeting Union Home minister Rajnath Singh over the controversy surrounding Karan Johars Ae Dil hai Mushkil, President of Producers Guild Mukesh Bhatt told on Thursday that he feels safe after getting an assurance of a great Diwali release and that the film will be screened without any violence. Bhatt and Apoorva Mehta from Dharma Productions arrived in the capital on Wednesday to meet the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the smooth release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. BJP MP Babul Supriyo, who is also an Union Minster too addressed the media before the meeting and stated that law and order situation surrounding the films release will be discussed in detail. Supriyo termed MNS a party of Goons and said No one should be allowed to take law in their hands. MNS is a goons party. They have been openly saying they will break multiplexes. They should not have the power to say they will take law in their own hands, said Supriyo. Before meeting Rajnath Singh, Mukesh Bhatt spoke to the media and said, MNS has threatened us. I am sure the govt will understand our situation. I have come here as a citizen. I have full faith in my government. I am sure they will support me. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil featuring Fawad Khan in a cameo role, ran into trouble after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) said they wont let any movie featuring Pakistani artistes release in India. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. MNS continued their protests as the party rejected Johars statement that he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. The Maharashtra government has, however, assured protection to cinemas where the film will be screened from Diwali weekend. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Date: 15 October, 2016. Place: Charlotte, State of North Carolina, United States. A few days ago, in the night of the 15th of October, a very strange event was witnessed in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. According to a press report published on British online news site Express.co.uk, a group of citizens spotted what a group of between five and ten lights moving across the sky. Unusual lights have been captured in the night sky with observers claiming they belonged to alien spacecraft the news stated. The footage appears to show a cluster of between five and 10 lights moving seemingly randomly in the darkness, it continued. Wow, what is it? said one of the witnesses while he was video recording the event. At first I was thinking that they were like flares off a chopper... but they're moving very strangely, added another man who does not appear on camera. Hundreds of internauts and UFO enthusiasts have watched the video uploaded by C. Hulbert on virtual social network YouTube. However, according to the news, the reactions to the possible UFO sighting are split. Some people seem to support the theory of the truth is out there, but some others are rather sceptic. One credited the filmmaker with his clip, adding: This is amazing. Best footage I've seen in a while., stated the article. Another person affirmed that this blinking could actually be some sort of binary language used to establish communication with humans. It's a communication attempt. There are three luminosities for each light and two patterns with all the lights", he asserted. But he also manifested his disappointment for not being able to figure out the message the alleged alien visitors were sending. I can't tell where the repetition point is because you move around too much, he said. However, another user expressed his doubts about the veracity of the clip. He is of the opinion that these lights look like sky lanterns seen through air pollution. He also explained that they [the lights] blink because they are moving and spinning and the visibility is low. It's also why they keep ascending higher and higher. Draw your own conclusions For further information: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ufo-lights-spotted-blinking-night-9076824 UFO lights spotted blinking in the night sky could be 'communication attempt' say experts Unusual lights have been captured in the night sky with observers claiming they belonged to ALIEN SPACECRAFT. UFO spotters have been buzzing online following the release of the video captured in the skies over Charlotte, North Carolina on October 15. The footage appears to show a cluster of between five and 10 lights moving seemingly randomly in the darkness. "Wow, what is it?" says a voice on the recording, as the camera stays trained on the moving illuminations. The man behind the camera says: "At first I was thinking that they were like flares off a chopper... but they're moving very strangely." The footage was shared on YouTube by C Hulbert, and commenters are split on its provenance. One credited the filmmaker with his clip, adding: "This is amazing. Best footage I've seen in a while." But another says that they look like "sky lanterns seen through air pollution," adding: "They blink because they are moving and spinning and the visibility is low. It's also why they keep ascending higher and higher. "Go home folks, no aliens to see here. In response to the 'blinking' of the lights, a commenter online says that it looks like binary language. "It's a communication attempt. There are three luminosities for each light and two patterns with all the lights." Unfortunately, any message has been lost, as the user adds: "I can't tell where the repetition point is because you move around too much." INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 20, 2016 In his final address to a National FFA Convention, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urged FFA members to be the generation that opens up the doors of agriculture for all. Speaking today in Indianapolis at the opening session of the organizations 89th annual convention, Vilsack said FFA members can be some of the nations best ambassadors for agriculture, a field that he says should be open to new producers and all kinds of production systems. Your generation is the generation that can invite everyone to participate in agriculture, he said to a packed audience clad in blue FFA jackets. It is your generation that can revive and remind Americans of the incredible contribution that rural America makes to every single person every single day in this country. Vilsack started his speech with familiar talking points about the work of USDA during his tenure and the value of rural America, but his off-the-cuff remarks then turned to a challenge. He said FFA members need to take part in telling agricultures story. Thats a common appeal in agricultural circles, but Vilsack approached it from the perspective of using that story to open agriculture to everyone. You need to tell the story of an America that was built strong because of agriculture, he said. You need to tell the story that whether youre a big farmer and have a large-scale commercial operation, or youre a small farmer who's selling to a farmers market, youre equally important to the American economy, and equally important to telling the agricultural story. You need to be the generation that says it doesnt make any difference whether youre a man or a woman, you can be a farmer. You can participate in this great calling of American agriculture. It doesnt make any difference whether youve been in this country for a year or been in this country for 100 years. You can be part of agriculture. You need to be the generation that welcomes everyone into agriculture. Kaitlyn Schmeichel, South Dakota FFAs vice president, said a committee of FFA members focusing on diversity has actually been meeting during the convention, a signal of agreement with Vilsacks rallying cry for inclusion. We have been looking into all the different ways that we can be inclusive to our members and the different opportunities that we can utilize to incorporate all the members of our organization, she said. The message of communicating agricultures story resonated in particular with Alison Simon, the South Dakota FFA president. She told Agri-Pulse she wants to work for USDA some day, to be a strong advocate for agriculture as part of her career. Using agriculture to reach people, she said, is something Im passionate about. Taylor Lexow, an officer with the Chapman, Kansas, FFA chapter, said she used speech class assignments to explain ag issues to other students, including several speeches about genetically modified foods. She said her chapter is very active in her community, which she says spurs further community involvement in FFA. Learn about the benefits of subscribing to Agri-Pulse. Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. Were so involved in everything, and I think when people see that, it makes them want to get more involved too, Lexow told Agri-Pulse. Vilsack has spoken several times at FFA conventions in the past, and he said based on his interactions with FFA members, he believes the organizations membership is well positioned to handle the challenges of communicating about a changing industry. I have tremendous confidence in all of you; I have tremendous faith in all of you, he said. I know how you feel, I know how passionate you are, I know how energetic you are and I know that you happen to be some of the best spokespeople for American agriculture that exist anywhere. This years convention is expected to draw record attendance, potentially topping 65,000 FFA members and guests. #30 For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com Life may not be amusing in Syria, but theres still an underground amusement park for kids. For fun in North Korea, theres bowling. In Kabul, Afghanistan, people de-stress at karaoke bars. In recent days PPD has been collecting photo stories showing how people everywhere look for good times, no matter Darren Ornitz, a New York-based photographer, has been documenting a program established in Panama City in which gang members are provided counseling, job training and the chance to work at hotels and restaurants in the historic Casco Viejo city center. The program was co-established by developer K.C. Hardin, who Iraqi Forces Liberate Another Assyrian Town From ISIS The imperative town of Bartella has been captured by Iraqi forces. The town lays 21km to the east of Mosul and is on the Mosul highway. The town had a pre-ISIS invasion population of around 30,000 in which was traditional an Assyrian majority settlement before mass migration by Shabaks and Kurds made them the minority in 2003. In the operation to liberate Bartella, four senior ISIS figures and a further 18 killed following heavy artillery fire. U.S.-Backed Forces Clash With ISIS in Assyrian Suburb in Iraq Iraqi security forces backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and in collaboration with Kurdish Peshmerga troops and a Christian militia have besieged the Iraqi Christian town of Qaraqosh as part of the offensive to liberate the nearby city of Mosul from the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), reports CNN. The news network did not identify the Christian paramilitary group fighting to liberate Qaraqosh, which lies about 10 miles away from Mosul, a city that was "once considered the heartland of Iraqs Christian population," reports Christian Today. Nevertheless, the non-denominational Christian news outlet adds that Nineveh Plain Forces (NPF), one of several Christian militias operating in Iraq, are participating in the operation to free Mosul and the surrounding areas. Moreover, the Assyrian Confederation of Europe (ACE) has noted that the Iraqi Christian militia known as the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU) has been "tasked" with participating in the military campaign to liberate the Assyria Nineveh Plain, the historical homeland of the Assyrian Christians, and "is officially recognized and supported by the Iraqi government. Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq and the capital of Nineveh province, home to the largest concentration of Christians and other ethno-religious minorities in Iraq. The Assyria Nineveh Plain region is located in the province. Qaraqosh, also in Nineveh province, was once home to Iraq's largest Christian community, considered one of the oldest in the world. In a statement released Monday, the day that the Mosul offensive began, the NPF said: We salute the [Kurdish] Peshmerga forces, all Iraqi military forces, the federal police and the international coalition on the launch of the operations that will allow the retaking of the province of Nineveh. Iraqi security forces, Peshmerga fighters and a Christian paramilitary group have forced ISIS fighters into the center of Qaraqosh, where airstrikes are pounding the militants, in apparent coalition support of the assault, Gen. Amr Shamoun from the Christian militia group said. Its the latest clash with ISIS militants in the coalitions aggressive push toward Mosul aimed at unshackling the strategic city from the terror groups brutal control. The operation has been complicated since ISIS apparently brought civilians into Qaraqosh, which was abandoned after militants took over in 2014. Part of Qaraqosh has already been liberated, Shamoun said. They [Christians in Erbil] held a vigil overnight, holding candles and singing hymns, images showed, while others gathered in the street, cheering and dancing. But their celebrations may have come too soon. ISIS appeared to be putting up a real fight in Qaraqosh, as the terror group has in several areas since the operation launched Monday. The NPF noted that it represents the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people of Iraq, adding that it is honored to participate in these operations to liberate all of our occupied territories, and to push out the terrorist gangs of ISIS." We have sworn to fight relentlessly, side by side with the allied forces, in order to free all of our cities and villages in the Nineveh Plain and Mosul area, continued the NPF statement. CNN learned from a Christian militia general that the U.S.-backed forces fighting on behalf of the Iraqi government "are facing fierce resistance and exchanging heavy gunfire with militants" in Qaraqosh, adding:News that U.S.-backed forces were trying to recapture the Christian town from ISIS sparked jubilation among the Christians who were forced to flee the town, many of whom have made the city of Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, their home. CNN notes:There is disagreement among the Christian community in Iraq. Some Christians would prefer to fight to liberate Nineveh province independent of the Kurdish Peshmerga troops. Members of the Christian and Yezidi minority groups have accused the Kurds of stealing their land and of abandoning them when ISIS stormed their territory back in 2014. ISIS jihadists have committed genocide against the Christian community and other ethno-religious minorities in Iraq. As a result, the number of Christians in Iraq has plummeted. Participating in the offensive to take back Mosul is a coalition of up to 30,000 Iraqi government forces, Kurdish Peshmerga troops, Sunni Arab tribesman, and Iran-allied Shiite militias, all advised by American troops and backed by U.S.-led airstrikes ISIS has an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 jihadists fighting to defend the Mosul. Meanwhile, more than 5,000 U.S. forces have been deployed to Iraq. October 19, 2016 RAMALLAH, West Bank Dr. Mustafa Barghouti is a medical doctor who graduated from Moscow University in 1978 and then specialized in internal medicine and cardiology at Al-Maqassed Hospital in East Jerusalem. In 1979, he co-founded a nongovernmental organization now known as the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS); in 2002, he co-organized a political movement, Mubadara (Palestinian National Initiative), for which he ran as candidate in the 2005 presidential elections that took place two months after the November 2004 death of Yasser Arafat. Barghouti won 19.8% of the votes when running for president against Mahmoud Abbas in 2005. He said he considered it a victory, vowing to win the next time. But there havent been any further national presidential elections though elections were announced by President Abbas in October 2009 and scheduled for January 2010, then canceled in November 2009 upon a request from the Central Elections Commission. In 2006, Barghouti was elected to the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC), a body authorized in the Oslo Accord and based in the occupied Palestinian territory. But the work of the PLC was formally suspended in 2007; Hamas had effectively lost the presence of more than half of those elected on its Change and Reform List, as at least 45 out of 74 Hamas-backed elected legislators were either charged, tried or locked up in Israeli jails for being members of the Hamas movement. The arrests and jailing of ministers, political figures and legislators occurred continuously. In a June 2010 interview, Barghouti said of the PLC, The reason for its freezing is mainly the fact of Israels arresting one-third of the members of parliament. But the second reason is because both Fatah and Hamas could not agree to meet. And if they meet under the situation where one-third of the members are in jail, how would that reflect on the voting? So all these were complications. But the main factor that is preventing the council from properly working is the arrest of about 48 members of our council. He further explained in the 2010 interview that the problem is the absence of a majority. If Fatah comes, Hamas does not come. If Hamas comes, Fatah does not come. What we need is an agreement. Of course, if the people are out of jail, Hamas automatically has a majority, and then the council can meet. But, the fact that one-third of Hamas' (parliamentary) members are in jail is preventing the normal procedure, and requires an agreement between the two factions to have the council meet. That is why it is not able to meet. Local elections initially scheduled for Oct. 8 but now postponed and nowhere in sight would have been an essential preparatory step for presidential and PLC elections, in addition to promised, first-time-ever elections for the PLO's Palestine National Council. The cancellation of elections was a negative thing; we opposed it, Barghouti told Al-Monitor in an interview in his PMRS office in Ramallah on Oct. 8, the same day the elections were supposed to have been held. One of his goals, Barghouti explained, was to obtain governmental authorization for elections in East Jerusalem but that did not happen, apparently to avoid Israeli objections. We [in the Palestinian National Initiative] said, if you cant have it because Israel will block it, lets do it by consensus. But we should have a council for Jerusalem. With an official authorization for elections in East Jerusalem, the door would have been opened for candidates, and East Jerusalem Palestinians would have been able to work toward a consensus list, as has happened in some places in the West Bank. In some places in the West Bank, they have already formed councils without elections, Barghouti explained. The different parties and families have agreed upon a certain number of officials such as 11 members out of 11 members, so no competition. So [if the elections had proceeded], they would have been elected by consensus. If this could happen in East Jerusalem, balloting then would not be necessary, and there would be, at long last, a representative council there. Conceivably, an East Jerusalem council could conduct discussions on matters relating to the Palestinian East Jerusalemites daily lives with whomever they saw fit, including with officials of Israels Jerusalem municipality where Palestinians have never had any representation due to a decision to avoid participating in municipal elections in order not to confer legitimacy on the occupation. Barghouti said it would be up to the hypothetical, not-yet-formed Palestinian East Jerusalem council to decide whats next: They will decide on their own what they will do; they will be representing the public there. And they will fight for the rights of the public in every possible way. He seemed angry that the authorities in Ramallah did not order elections in East Jerusalem. We asked for that, two months before the courts decision. I mean, the Palestinian National Initiative, my party, which is a non-Fatah, non-Hamas, democratic group that advocates nonviolence, but which advocates democracy heavily. We demanded that the elections also take place in Jerusalem. But to claim that because we didnt have elections in Jerusalem which is the responsibility partially of the [Palestinian] government you [the Palestinian government] cancel elections or stop elections altogether? Unacceptable. They [the Palestinian government] should have said, No, hold the elections also in Jerusalem if they cared about the matter. You know, they [Israel] have not allowed me to go to Jerusalem since 2005, when I ran for president, Barghouti said, adding, Since then, I was punished. Regarding whether there was a link, he said, Of course! It happened when I was running for president, and since then I was arrested four times in Jerusalem first for running [for president] and then for refusing their [Israeli authorities] order and going to Jerusalem. Since then, they dont allow me to go to Jerusalem, where I was born and where I worked as a medical doctor for 15 years, and I have a sister living in Jerusalem. They confine me; they dont allow me to go to Jerusalem. But I dont listen to them. Yesterday, I was in Jerusalem. It was a Friday, and Israeli authorities had allowed men over the age of 60 to go to Friday prayer in Jerusalem. Still, he was lucky he wasnt spotted. He could have been subject to arrest or he could even have been beaten. Barghouti has been injured by Israeli forces, by his count, eight times. I was shot twice, in 1996, when I was treating an injured person in my white coat, as a medical doctor. A sniper shot me twice with high-velocity bullets; I have 36 pieces of shrapnel in my back and shoulder. That was at the entrance to Ramallah in 1996, when there were demonstrations following [Benjamin] Netanyahus effort to build a tunnel below Al-Aqsa Mosque. [On other occasions] I was hit with tear gas bombs, with stun grenades, with metallic bullets that they call rubber bullets. I was beaten by Israeli soldiers on Jan. 2, 2002, when we held a press conference in Jerusalem with members of the European Union. They arrested me and then they released me at the checkpoint after a few hours and then, at the al-Ram checkpoint, the army attacked me again and dragged me and hit me with rifles on my knee, and they fractured my patella. So its not the first time, and I am lucky that I am still alive, but many other Palestinians unfortunately were not that lucky, he said. This was reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. On Oct. 24, 2015, Barghouti was attacked as he was returning home from a dinner with friends in Darna Restaurant in Ramallah by an assailant with a knife whom, Barghouti believed, was aiming to kill but in the end was only able to slash his face. Palestinian authorities promised an investigation, but the attacker and possible accomplice were neither identified nor caught. Concerning Gaza, Barghouti said that even if there were unresolved problems that made it difficult or impossible to hold local elections everywhere in Gaza, the elections still should have gone forward where it was possible. Balloting could have been rescheduled for a later date in those places in Gaza as happened in a few places in the West Bank where redistricting was being contested, during local elections in 2012 (they were held only in the West Bank, and the net result was to remove many Hamas-linked officials from local office). It is very important to move away from the one-party rule system, Barghouti said with Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza and to develop a more democratic culture. I think that having pluralism in these elections would have helped smooth the relationships between political parties, and especially between Fatah and Hamas, because we would have ended up with many [local] councils with a mixed political pluralistic system, which means that people have to learn to work together. And that, in my opinion, is the entry point to ending the internal division and to have real reconciliation and re-establishment of democratic structure and democracy as a way of dealing with our differences, Barghouti said. Barghouti said he would favor a quota for the representation of young people in the municipalities, as there is for women and for Christians in Palestine. Currently, young people are excluded from the political process. Barghouti did succeed, at a PLO leadership meeting held in Cairo once [he did not specify when], in lowering the age of eligibility for membership in the PLOs PNC from 28 to 21. Now, he said, We need to do more for the other Palestinian councils, considering that 80% of the [Palestinian] public is below the age of 33, and one/third are between the ages of 17 and 28. Asked if he is still planning to run for president, Barghouti hesitated, I dont know; I mean it will depend on what Im running for. First, we have to see what is going to happen. But he feels strongly about recent outside discussions of succession. What people should know, especially in the West, is that you cannot impose a president just because this country likes him or that country loves him. No president will have legitimacy without elections by the people. Some, particularly in the United States, have lobbied for there to be a vice president a post that would not be elected, but rather appointed. But Barghouti rejected the idea sharply, since Palestinian law does not say anything about a vice president. There is nothing like that in our constitution, which is [technically] not a constitution; it is called a Basic Law. There is nothing. How can you put a vice president without changing the law first? About Abbas health being in the spotlight when he underwent a medical procedure as part of testing after reportedly not feeling well in Ramallah, Barghouti said, Hes OK. Thats what they [the doctors and Abbas aides] say. He looks OK. I dont know the medical condition exactly, and I cant give you speculation about somebodys health. He went [to the brand-new Consultative Hospital in Dahiet al-Reehan in Ramallah], as it was announced, for tests. The tests included catheterization, which came out to be normal as they said. He came out walking from the hospital on the same day, which means hes OK. Its a very well-equipped hospital, and the doctor who did it for him is a governmental doctor from Ramallah Hospital; [the doctor is] a Palestinian [citizen]. The problem is not the succession issue, Barghouti said. The problem is the lack of democratic practice, the fact that we did not have presidential elections on time, and we did not have [Palestinian] Legislative Council elections on time. And what we need today is to find a way of having these elections. Currently, Abbas holds two presidential titles (in addition to being the head of Fatah). Abbas was elected in 2005 as president of the Palestinian Authority (PA). In November 2008, he was formally confirmed as president of the State of Palestine by a vote of the PLOs Central Council during a meeting in Ramallah. Abbas actually already had that title, by virtue of becoming chairman of the PLO Executive Committee soon after the death of Arafat. The PLO Executive Committee unanimously agreed that PLO Secretary-General Abbas would succeed Arafat as chairman of the PLO Executive Committee. After Arafat died, the then 69 year-old Abbas was appointed chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Weeks later, Abbas was elected to the head of the PA because he ran in elections when I ran against him, Barghouti added. If I [had] won, I could have become the president of the PA, and he would have been the head of the PLO and president of the State of Palestine. But the first time Abbas publicly used the title "president of the State of Palestine" was in signing the letter he wrote to apply for UN membership for the State of Palestine on Sept. 23, 2011 now preserved and recorded as UN Security Council documents. Barghouti explained that Abbas was indeed elected to the position that is, he was elected by the PNC in 1996 to the PLO Executive Committee, and then elected by the Executive Committee as secretary-general of the PLO. The Executive Committee can temporarily choose him, but this had to be approved by the PLOs Central Council, Barghouti explained, and that happened eight years ago. While there may appear to be no statutory limit to time in office for the president of the State of Palestine, Barghouti disagreed. There is a limit, because each time, according to the law, each time we have a meeting of the PLOs PNC, he [Abbas, as head of the PLO] has to go through elections he and all other members of the Executive Committee. So, basically, nobody can be elected as president or chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, and thus as president of the State, without being elected by the PLOs PNC. The problem is that we have not had a full meeting of the PNC since 1996 which was the last time the PLOs PNC elected members to the PLO Executive Committee. The prospect of elections offered hope for some movement, but external and internal constraints continue to block the situation, and people are again just marking time, waiting to see what will happen next. Editor's note: This article has been updated since its initial publication. October 19, 2016 There have been persistent rumors, and denials, in recent months that the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood have been considering a reconciliation to end their bitter, yearslong rivalry. Now observers are wondering how the recent killing of a former, but still influential, Brotherhood leader might affect the situation. Egypts Interior Ministry said earlier this month that Mohamed Kamal, a former member of the Brotherhoods upper-echelon leadership known as the Guidance Bureau, had been killed Oct. 3. The police described Kamal as being responsible for the killing of Col. Wail Tahun of the State Security Investigations Service. Police said Kamal died in an armed clash with security forces while they attempted to arrest him, but the Brotherhood maintains that Kamal was executed after he surrendered. Kamals death raises a number of questions concerning the potential for reconciliation and alignment between the ruling regime and the Muslim Brotherhood. It could complicate the groups already-severe internal split, which has created two factions. The first faction, formed by Kamal and Brotherhood foreign office director Ahmad Abd ar-Rahman, is supported by a group of younger members. Mohammad Muntasir was appointed by this faction as its official spokesman. This group formed after former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by the military in July 2013 and a number of Brotherhood leaders were imprisoned, with others fleeing abroad. This younger group adopted the revolutionary movement model, which Brotherhood detractors refer to as terrorist operations. The other group, which has been labeled by some as the old guard, is led by Mahmoud Ezzat, who is the Brotherhoods interim supreme guide, and by Secretary-General Mahmoud Hussein. They have declared that the Brotherhood will adhere to a peaceful approach. Kamal had announced his resignation from all Brotherhood administrative posts in May due to the disputes between the two wings. Until then, he held the post of president of the Brotherhoods crisis-management committee, or the high administrative committee, in which he had discharged the Brotherhoods affairs since February 2014. It was in that capacity that he released a statement explaining the reasons for his resignation. Egyptian police accused Kamal of being the founder of the Brotherhoods armed wing and its special committees, as well as supervising the groups administration and planning its offensive operations, according to an Interior Ministry statement. Some of the most prominent of those operations included the assassinations of Tahun and former Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat; the slayings of numerous police officers, policemen and members of the armed forces; and the attempted assassination of former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa. Verdicts were issued against Kamal in many of these cases. Kamals killing raises many questions about the future of the Muslim Brotherhood and particularly the revolutionary movement wing. Will his death pave the way to greater understanding and alignment between the latter and the ruling regime? Samih Eid, a researcher focusing on Islamist movements, told Al-Monitor, Kamal leaned toward the thinking of the groups younger members, those who favored what they called revolutionary action, which is really committing terrorist operations against the police as a form of reprisal. He added, Kamal helped to form the special committees and organize those operations. He assumed leadership of the Crisis [Management] Committee, which was formed because so many of the Brotherhoods leaders were imprisoned or fled. Many disputes broke out between the Brotherhood members inside [Kamals faction], and the members in prison and abroad. That persisted until Kamal resigned his membership in the Guidance Office. Eid said Muntasirs statements, which absolutely did not come out without Kamals approval, did indeed express the violent revolutionary approach. However, he said accusations against Kamal have been exaggerated to an extent, such as blaming him in the assassination of Barakat and perhaps his involvement in the bombing of electricity transmission towers. Kamals wing was weakened in the recent past because Mahmoud Ezzat, the interim supreme guide, maintained control of 95% of the organization, and financial support was withheld from a number of those who Kamal controlled, Eid said. Regarding a prospective reconciliation between the Brotherhood and the state following Kamals killing, Eid says the factions of Ezzats old guard communicate with foreign and regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and other states, while the United States and Britain are in contact with the ruling regime in Egypt. He said, Many of these regional powers support the Brotherhood in not overtly involving itself in violence. That was the approach that was adopted by Ezzats faction. Therefore, Kamals killing [works] to their benefit. And, absolutely, this event will help produce a settlement or mutual understanding. Eid said, however, that he expects a violent response against the police by young Brotherhood members who believe Kamal was executed in retaliation for his police-killing convictions: The sharpness of Brotherhood statements concerning a violent reprisal against the police indicate one will come soon. October 20, 2016 The Oct. 14 appearance of Hagai El-Ad, the executive director of the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories BTselem, before the UN Security Council to address the twin issues of Jewish construction in the occupied territories and the demolition of Palestinian homes there generated a slew of Israeli condemnations against Israeli peace and human rights groups. BTselem was castigated not only for airing Israels dirty laundry on the world stage, but also for crossing the line between legitimate objective reporting of Israeli human rights abuses in Area C, which is under Israeli control, and actively encouraging the international community to do something about it. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described BTselem as a flash in the pan, an organization seeking to use international force to accomplish what it failed to achieve through democratic elections. Al-Monitor columnist Mazal Mualem argued that El-Ad had played into the hands of the right, dubbing his appearance imprudent. On the other hand, Al-Monitor columnist Shlomi Eldar wrote that the activities of these organizations on the international stage is clear proof to the world that only part of the Israeli public supports the continuation of the occupation. The editorial board of Israeli daily Haaretz also praised BTselem, and argued that not only was it the organizations right to sound its important and courageous message to members of the UN Security Council, it was its duty. As we know, the prime minister considered his March 2015 speech before Congress in an effort to undermine the Obama administrations policy on Iran as a heroic act. But one can only surmise how Netanyahu would have reacted if opposition head Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Camp would have invited to the Knesset the US president, for him to express his objection to the Israeli governments settlement policy. Netanyahu can teach the left a thing or two about operating abroad. More than once, as head of the opposition, he tried to undermine the policy of the Rabin government by mobilizing foreign pressure to achieve what he had failed to accomplish in democratic elections. In the mid-1990s, he backed a campaign waged by Israeli right-wingers in American-Jewish organizations and on Capitol Hill against a peace agreement with Syria, which was supposed to include the deployment of a US peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights. Also, Netanyahu was one of the chefs who, along with congressional Republicans, cooked up the legislation mandating the move of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (Jerusalem Embassy Act), intending to sabotage peace talks with the Palestinians. This was all done behind the back of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. It is safe to assume that Netanyahu would not have come out against an appearance of Avi Roeh, the chairman of the Yesha Council that represents the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, at the Security Council to regale its members with tales of the settlers contribution to the welfare of their Palestinian neighbors. If the course charted by Netanyahu and Roeh leads Israel to the abyss, they both will be there. They live in the State of Israel, watch as their children and grandchildren perform their compulsory military service and pay taxes into the states coffers. By the same token, if the activities of El-Ad and his colleagues on the left to expose the injustice of the occupation result in the imposition of foreign sanctions on Israel, all Israeli citizens without any exemption would pay the price. No left-wingers would be exempt. But there are a handful of Israelis who influence the fate of the nation from afar and bear no personal responsibility for their deeds. They travel to Israel on their private jets and enter the country on Israeli passports, and they use their American passports to gain entry back into the United States. Their substantial fortunes have built a golden bridge for them between the leaderships in Israel and the United States. Using this bridge, they amassed tremendous political influence that also buys them respect and prestige. Prominent among this group are billionaires Haim Saban and Dr. Miriam Adelson. Saban, 72, who left Israel in the mid-1970s, is considered one of the biggest donors to the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. According to June 2015 email correspondence between Saban and Clintons advisers, made public on WikiLeaks Oct. 11, Saban urged that she distance herself from President Barack Obamas policies on Israel so that she can recapture the 11% lost between 2012 and 1992 in Jewish support for the Democrats. It is no secret that Obamas policies on Israel includes rejecting Netanyahu and his settlement policy. And, indeed, Clinton was quick to promise that immediately upon her election she would invite Netanyahu to the White House; not a word about Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. According to Saban, the Israeli-American who is a close associate of Clinton and major funder, in order to be elected for a second term in 2020, Clinton would have to distance herself from Obamas policy and maintain close relations with Netanyahu for the next four years, too. Adelson, 71, emigrated from Israel to the United States at the end of the 1980s and has lived there ever since. The marriage of American Jewish tycoon Sheldon Adelson to the doctor from Haifa, who does not hide her right-wing views, nor her admiration for Netanyahu, brought the gambling mogul closer to Israel and to the prime minister. A member of Congress or presidential candidate who dares mention the word occupation must wipe Adelson off his list of campaign contributors. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who referred to the West Bank as occupied territories, was forced to apologize to the casino king for his slip of the tongue. Adelson personifies everything that is poisoning our democracy and Israels today swaggering oligarchs, using huge sums of money to try to bend each system to their will, columnist Thomas Friedman wrote in The New York Times at the time. Having said that, the main problem is not with places of residence of Saban or Adelson and not even their political leanings but the damage they cause to Israels true interests. Much as Netanyahu keeps saying, Israel is committed to the two-state solution, in order to insure its Jewish and democratic character. Anyone acting against this principle, has no right pretending to be Israels best friend. October 19, 2016 BAGHDAD As Turkey continues to thumb its nose at Iraq, thousands of Iraqi Sadrist protesters surrounded the Turkish Embassy on Oct. 18 in Baghdad and demanded that Ankara remove its troops from the Bashiqa base near Mosul. Meanwhile, Iraq's parliament is mulling the effectiveness of a potential economic boycott against Turkey. Parliament member Ali Abd al-Salman told the media Oct. 12 that an economic boycott is necessary "to force Turkey to withdraw its troops. However, things have escalated beyond mere calls for a boycott. Rahim al-Darraji, a parliament member representing Al-Mouwaten bloc, called for burning Turkish goods in the streets." And some Iraqis seem to be taking serious steps toward waging economic war on Turkey. For example, the provincial council of Basra decided Oct. 16 to stop hiring Turkish companies for projects, especially in the oil business, in addition to stopping Turkish nationals from entering Basra International Airport and preventing the circulation of Turkish goods in the province. In what seemed like a serious action rather than a simple demand, the Karbala provincial council on Oct. 15 threatened to expel Turkish companies operating in the province if Turkey insists on keeping its troops in Iraq. Resentment against Turkey is even growing on the street: On Oct. 9, Iraqi workers expelled officials from a Turkish company for taking down a Shiite religious banner. Iraqi boycotts against Turkey are not new. The Baghdad provincial council voted in December to boycott Turkish products and prevent new deals with Turkish companies. But Salam Zaidan, a journalist and expert in economic affairs, told Al-Monitor a boycott isn't realistic and would harm both countries. For example, Turkey could retaliate by threatening to withhold its water resources, he said. Also, The Iraqi government will not be able to control the many outlets for imports, including the Kurdistan Regional Government, which relies almost exclusively on trade with Turkey. However, several studies say Turkey would lose $11 billion the equivalent of its trade exchange with Iraq in 2015 if Iraq were to cut economic ties. In addition, there are 1,058 Turkish companies operating in Iraq that would stand to lose business there. Mohammed Abbas, a member of the Iraqi parliament's economics and investment committee, told the media Oct. 13 that boycotting Turkish goods can be a pressure card in the hands of the Iraqi government. Economist Abdul-Hussein al-Shammari had expressed the same opinion when he told the media Oct. 6 that Iraqs boycott of Turkish goods will leave a significant impact on the Turkish economy. Hussein Thaghab, an economic expert with the pro-government newspaper al-Sabah, told Al-Monitor, In terms of economic considerations it is possible to pressure Turkey, and this could negatively affect its economy. However, a serious call to boycott Turkish products is quite difficult in the absence of alternative local products that could cover the markets needs. In addition, it is hard to control the products entry since the government is unable to control the borders." Thaghab added, "The long-term commercial exchange system and the long-term contracts between Turkish companies and the Iraqi government, as well as the private sector, are the reasons why a boycott is impossible at this time. Najiba Najib, another member of the economics and investment committee, also believes a boycott would not have the desired effect. It is not possible for Iraq to pressure Turkey economically to force it to withdraw its troops," Najib told Al-Monitor. "Iraq is a consumer country, and blocking the borders with Turkey would result in a rise in prices in the Iraqi markets. This would further burden the citizens financially, and thus it will not force Turkey out of Iraq. To successfully boycott Turkey, Iraq would need to provide comparable alternative products from local and international sources, according to Ahmed Kanani, who heads the committee. Iraq imports goods worth millions of dollars from Turkey. The Iraqi markets are filled with Turkish products, and finding new sources for imports requires time and plans, he told Al-Monitor. Kanani believes that, given enough time, it would be possible to impede dealing with Turkish traders and businessmen and pressure Turkish companies in Iraq, and thus force them to [pressure] their own government to take positive political positions toward Iraq and withdraw troops from Iraqi territory. There is no doubt that implementing a boycott is not as easy as simply calling for one. Even if an economic boycott were feasible, it would be impossible to get parliament to approve it because so many parties have strong relations with Turkey. A lot of companies and contracts are managed by politicians and influential business people who would not be pleased with the deterioration of economic or even political ties with Turkey. Meanwhile, the Iraqi market remains overly dependent on Turkish goods that cannot be dispensed with abruptly. October 19, 2016 The speech delivered by BTselem executive director Hagai El-Ad at the UN Security Council Oct. 14 generated a political storm last week in Israel. While the angry responses did not surprise anyone, bad timing contributed to the public furor: The speech was delivered only 24 hours after UNESCO passed a resolution that denies the connection of the Jewish people to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Between the lines, in his reactions to the speech, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared the BTselem activists to traitors and threw all the Israeli human rights organizations to the dogs. But beyond Netanyahus anger and his irresponsible attacks against BTselem, El-Ads speech raised all the main issues that concern Israeli society regarding these organizations. Is it legitimate for Israeli sources to express criticism of the occupation and the enlarging of settlements in an international forum? Have the organizations key activists crossed redlines in their human rights activities and entered the domain of governmental political activity? And finally, are the organizations investing their efforts on the global front because they have lost all hope of generating change in Israeli public opinion? Following the attack on him, El-Ad explained in a Haaretz article that the worlds intervention against the occupation is legitimate, like any issue connected to human rights. This is all the more true with regard to an issue like our control over another nation: This is not an internal Israeli issue. It is clearly an international one. Most of the human rights activists agree with this position. They believe that the continuation of the 50-year-old occupation, with no end in sight, is not a purely political-governmental issue, but clearly an issue of the violation of human rights. To their critics they respond that even Netanyahu, who likes to belittle the UN, stands up year after year to deliver a speech at the General Assembly meeting. In addition, all the right-wing movements have international departments and send their representatives to Jewish communities throughout the world in order to present their worldviews and the importance of Jewish settlement in all parts of the land of Israel (term used by the right wing for Israel and the West Bank). How can this be permitted to the prime minister and right-wing activists, yet forbidden to left-wing organizations? The Peace Now movement was also invited to the discussion in the Security Council on the Israeli occupation, but the movement heads decided not to participate. Peace Now director Avi Buskila told Al-Monitor that they turned down the invitation because they felt that the damage caused by their appearance at the discussion would outweigh any possible advantages. He said, My theory is that we need to operate within Israeli society. We did not participate because we didnt want an Israeli representative at the discussion out of the concern that we will alienate the [Israeli] public, and will be difficult for them to listen to us afterwards. Now our goal is a discourse within Israeli society, most of which does not support annexation of the territories. I am not partner to the presumption that the Israeli public has lost its ability to wield influence; the contrary is true. Most do not support annexation of the territories. The organization that absorbs the worst attacks in Israel, mainly due to its activities on the global stage, is Breaking the Silence, which collects testimonies of Israel Defense Forces soldiers who served in the West Bank. Avner Gvaryahu, in charge of the overseas activities of the organization, told Al-Monitor that Breaking the Silence has definitely not given up on trying to influence Israeli public opinion. He said that in this last year, almost all of Breaking the Silences planned events in Israel were accompanied by the pressure to cancel. Sometimes, security officers were hired to protect the participants. If we thought we have no chance of convincing the Israeli public about ending the occupation, we wouldnt be trudging from event to event and fighting for our rights to be heard everywhere that people want to hear us, Gvaryahu said. He added that despite the attacks on them and the attempt to categorize them as traitors, the recent year was a record year in their educational work. According to Gvaryahu, Since the occupation is not only an internal Israeli issue, we also operate on the global arena as well. I myself spoke at the UN two years ago. Does that mean that I am a traitor? Certainly not. It is a legitimate platform, and the Security Council is a relevant group. It is important that information reach them, too. Gvaryahu held a series of lectures and meetings this past year on American campuses, with the goal of showing that large sections of the Israeli public oppose the occupation policy. It is clear to us that the decision to end the occupation will be taken in Jerusalem and not on the campuses, but it doesnt happen because of the blind support provided by American Jewish communities to Israel, sometimes due to lack of knowledge as to what is taking place in the territories. That is why it is up to us to bring the data to them. Whether the Security Council is an appropriate place for a discussion on the issue is certainly a controversial topic, even among human rights organizations. One thing is clear: The activities of these organizations on the international stage is clear proof to the world that the entire Israeli public does not support the continuation of the occupation, and this voice must be heard. The Peace Now director said that while the public understands that the vision of the two-state solution must be realized, there are barriers to that vision due to legitimate fears that must not be belittled. I grew up in the Galilee [a northern Israeli region near the Lebanese border], and when my mother said she was afraid of the katyusha [rockets], she really was afraid. We must invest most of our resources in dismantling this fear and explain that an agreement or diplomatic process is inevitable. Yes, a price will be paid. What will be the price? The dismantling of the settlements. But there will also be benefits. However, despite these words, it is clear that the Israeli public is not only concerned about the security-related issues connected to a political agreement, but also the one-sided, unbalanced UN resolutions that are sometimes even outrageous. In the Security Council, El-Ad claimed that he came as a worried Israeli. He was probably aware that he took a huge wager that his organization might lose another segment of Israeli public opinion as a result. But let us remember another incident: the dissemination of the BTselem video in March that documented the shooting of a neutralized terrorist by soldier Elor Azaria in Hebron. Thus, the organization has indeed demonstrated to Israelis and the world the reality of the occupation much more clearly than any speech delivered by an Israeli representative on the same platform in New York. October 20, 2016 WASHINGTON As the long-anticipated Iraqi military campaign to take Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) got underway this week, humanitarian aid groups warned of the plight of up to 1.5 million civilian inhabitants of the city, hundreds of thousands of whom may be displaced by fighting in the coming weeks. The United Nations said the scale of displacement that could be triggered by Mosul military operations, with estimates ranging from 200,000 to 1 million people, may pose one of the single biggest and most complex humanitarian challenges it has ever faced. Depending on the intensity and scope of the fighting, as many as 1 million people may be forced to flee their homes in a worst-case scenario, Stephen OBrien, the United Nations undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, said Oct. 16. Preparations have been underway since February for the Mosul campaign, and the United Nations said it had shelters prepared to house 60,000 people, while construction of additional sites to accommodate up to 250,000 people is taking place. But with Iraq already housing 3.3 million internally displaced people before the Mosul operation began, the UN had received only approximately 58% of its 2016 Iraq funding request of $861 million. Despite generous new funding pledges, the US $284 million Mosul flash appeal is only just over half funded, the UNs Office for the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. As a result, key components of the response, including emergency camps, are critically underfunded. The daunting humanitarian burden anticipated for Mosul has further stressed already overwhelmed and insufficient resources to care for the over 3 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Iraq most of them who fled IS or earlier battles by the Iraqi government to retake towns from IS since 2014, said Daryl Grisgraber, a senior advocate for the Middle East and North Africa at Refugees International. This justified need to prepare and plan for Mosul is really taking some attention and resources away from the 3.3 million IPDs in the rest of the country, Grisgraber told Al-Monitor in an interview Oct. 19. Grisgraber, who traveled in Iraq between Sept. 15 and October 4 to investigate conditions for Iraqs displaced, said she was struck by how little conditions had improved for them since a previous fact-finding trip a year before. Things are still very bad for IDPs countrywide, particularly in Iraqs central provinces, such as Baghdad, and Anbar province, she said. Even as [IS] is pushed out of these areas, they remain in certain pockets, so [displaced people] cant go back [to their homes] and its very insecure, Grisgraber said. Meanwhile, the UN and foreign nongovernmental organizations largely cant work where the IDPs are because security conditions are too risky and its too dangerous for staff, she said. There is a real lack of humanitarian presence where the most vulnerable people are. Syria: the largest source of refugees in the world Even as the situation for Iraqs displaced remains bleak, the refugee crisis fueled by neighboring Syrias more than 5-year-old civil war is truly overwhelming, almost apocalyptic in scale. With 4.9 million Syrian refugees and 6.6 million internally displaced since the conflict began in 2011, Syria has produced the largest number of refugees currently in the world at 65 million refugees and displaced. We are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record, the UN refugee agency writes. An unprecedented 65.3 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 21.3 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. A UNHCR report, Global Trends, released in June, found a total of 65.3 million people were refugees or displaced at the end of 2015. It is the first time in the organizations history that the threshold of 60 million has been crossed. Since 2011, when UNHCR announced a new record of 42.5 million forcibly displaced people globally, these numbers have risen sharply each year, to 59.5 million in 2014, the UNHCR Global Trends study reported in June. This is an increase of more than 50% in five years. The study found that three countries produce half the worlds refugees. Syria at 4.9 million, Afghanistan at 2.7 million and Somalia at 1.1 million, UNHCR wrote. In addition, it said, Colombia, Syria and Iraq had the largest numbers of internally displaced people. A "broken" system running "from crisis to crisis" Bill OKeefe, the vice president of government relations and advocacy at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), said the refugee problem is overwhelming and the system to deal with it is broken, treating refugees like a short-term problem rather than a protracted condition under which most refugees will be so for almost 20 years. The problems are overwhelming, and the system is broken to the extent that all anyone can do is run from crisis to crisis and respond, OKeefe told Al-Monitor in an interview. We are clearly at an inflection point at refugee and displaced people, and the need for system reform is critical and the political will to drive that system of reform is not there. The world is experiencing the largest refugee flows in history due to the failure to prevent the wars that are driving people from their homes. All the failure to invest in social cohesion, community peace building, governance, all those preventative measures, OKeefe said. And in the analogy of a patient, the world is a patient that has had no preventive care. We have cancer. There are no political solutions, no investment in prevention. Most critically, OKeefe said, governments and UN agencies have not adapted to the reality that the conflicts driving out most of the worlds refugees last for decades. The system has not recognized or adapted to the reality that your average refugee is a refugee for 19 years, OKeefe said. It is a long-term problem. But we still have a short-term response. Its so long because the conflicts that have driven most refugees to flee last for 20-25 years, he said. If you look at the Afghan refugees in Pakistan, they are feeling conflicts that have been ongoing for decades. Iraqis have had low-level conflicts since 2003. So people flee, and cant go back, [because the] conflict is still there, and they cant, and there are not enough resettlement opportunities in third countries. So they are stuck, he said. But the programming that governments provide still treat it like it is a year-by-year problem. We need to help, own up to that families are going to be there for 20 years. Help them live a normal life where they are. They need education. Helping refugees lead a normal life where they are OKeefe praised US President Barack Obamas hosting of the Leaders Summit on Refugees at the United Nations on Sept. 20 that aimed to get pledges to support getting an additional 1 million refugee children in school. We dont want a lost generation of Syrians and Iraqis where you have children without education and skills to rebuild their country, OKeefe said. Its a critical, critical, critical topic. CRS is providing schooling and psychosocial support for 65,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugee children in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt, he said. The UN childrens agency UNICEF says there are more than 2.5 million Syrian children now registered as refugees outside of Syria, primarily in the neighboring host countries of Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt 600,000 of whom are not in school. In addition, Syria is home to 2.1 million school-age children (ages 5-17) who are not in school. In 2016, UNICEF requested $847 million in funds to support programs to get Syrian refugee children access to education and psychosocial support in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. In Turkey, UNICEF aimed to get 400,000 children access to formal education through direct support and systems strengthening, as well as 80,000 children provided with child protection or psychosocial support services. In Lebanon, where Syrian refugee children account for 40% of the entire school population, UNICEF aimed to support 233,000 Syrian children enrolled in school, and psychosocial support to 185,000 children in 2016. In Jordan, UNICEF aimed to support 156,000 Syrian refugee children enrolled in school in 2016, as well as 50,000 in Iraq and 15,000 in Egypt. In May, UNICEF and other UN agencies launched the Education Cannot Wait initiative, to try to bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions during crises and long-term development afterward, through predictable funding. The aim is to raise nearly $4 billion to reach 13.6 million children in need of education in emergencies within 5 years, UNICEF said. We know education can quite literally be life-saving in crises keeping children safe from abuses like trafficking and recruitment into armed groups as well as providing children the opportunity to shape their futures, UNICEF spokeswoman Aimee Gonzales told Al-Monitor by email. Multiple surveys have shown that children and youth living in emergencies say that going to school is one of their most important priorities. Obama, while addressing the Leaders Summit on Refugees, lamented the largest refugee crisis in the world since World War II. And he acknowledged a collective international failure to end conflicts such as Syrias that are driving such epic displacement, even as his own decision not to intervene to halt the violence there remains perhaps his most-debated foreign policy decision as his presidency nears its end. We are facing a crisis of epic proportions, Obama told the leaders. I called this summit because this crisis is one of the most urgent tests of our time our capacity for collective action. To test, first and foremost, our ability to end conflicts, because so many of the worlds refugees come from just three countries ravaged by war Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. Obama continued, The mentality that allows for violence with impunity is something we cannot excuse. And collectively, we continue to make excuses. We all know that what is happening in Syria is unacceptable. And we are not as unified as we should be in pushing to make it stop. October 20, 2016 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Palestinian experts discussed the government decision forbidding a second job for civil employees at a workshop organized by the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) on Oct. 19. They criticized the lack of a clear government policy and plan for the decisions implementation, which would affect marginalized groups especially. The decision did not include an increase in the salaries of public employees, who can barely make ends meet amid the rising living costs, and thus poverty levels are expected to rise further. On Sept. 27, the Palestinian consensus government issued a decision to forbid civil and military employees to hold two jobs starting in 2017, to fight corruption and curb unemployment. Palestinian Bar Association Secretary Rubhi Qatamesh criticized the decision and told Al-Monitor, The decision should have been based on a sane economic equation that entails increasing the salaries to be in line with the consumption rates so that everyone can conform to the law. Qatamesh said that the second paragraph of Article 67 of the Civil Service Law No. 4 of 1998 states that a public employee has the right to work outside official working hours. Article 85 of the same law details the terms and conditions of the jobs that an employee can perform outside official working hours, provided it does not conflict with the main job and its requirements. He noted that the current decision forbids employees to take on any job outside the framework of public work. He said, The law was never implemented, and 90% of public employees have other jobs because the salary in public service is not enough to satisfy their needs. Qatamesh added that the new government decision should apply to everyone without exception. He expressed his doubts that public employees would abide by the decision and would evade it and take on another job. He also said that unemployment can be solved through social and economic development projects. Buthaynah Salem, the head of the legal department at the Ramallah Ministry of Labor, said that the ministry does not know the circumstances that led to issuing the decision. She told Al-Monitor that the decision took away the ministers right to grant exceptional permission for their employees to take on another job, by completely banning employees to have two jobs. Salem said that the decision also annulled the executive provisions stipulated in Article 85 of the Civil Service Law, saying that it is more important to monitor previous laws because the Civil Service Law guaranteed an employee the right to work two jobs only within strict frameworks and in specific cases. However, Salem did not deny the Ministry of Labors support for the decision that would curb unemployment in some sectors, and she said that its effects will only be tangible in the long run. Yasser Khayat, a technician at the Ministry of Health in Ramallah, told Al-Monitor, I had been working as a driving instructor outside my work hours for years, in compliance with the Civil Service Law which allows public employees to have another job on the side after obtaining permission from the relevant authorities. But under the consensus government, the minister of health refused to grant me permission [to continue my work as a driving instructor], as he considered this an interference in matters falling within the scope of the employer's direct discretionary power. Khayat said that the Ministry of Transportation has been refusing to grant him permission to resume work as a driving instructor for three years without the permission of the Ministry of Health. He said that he had to work without the approval at his own peril, and he expressed his anger at the governments decision to ban additional employment completely. He wondered how he could continue to support his family of six without working extra hours. An inspector with the Ministry of Health, who is married to two women and has three children, told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the decision is harmful given the current circumstances. He said that public salary payments are interrupted and could be completely cut any minute. Besides, he argued, prices are soaring and the ministry is imposing salary cuts on civil servants. As a result, financial hardship is taking its toll on employees' living conditions. He added that he started public work in 2000, but he only took on a second job four years ago without official permission. He justified his action by saying that his salary is not sufficient, and that he would continue to work illegally even if the new law is implemented in early 2017. A teacher at a public school in Jenin who supports a family of six, including a child who needs medical treatment that costs $150 each month, said that he has been working as a cleaner at a wedding hall in Jenin for three years. He makes roughly $750 as a teacher and earns $13 per day to clean the hall; the bank loan for his house is $345 each month. He told Al-Monitor that he is against the decision and that the employees salaries should have been increased instead of forbidding civil servants from taking on a second job. He said that he works two jobs to feed his family and pay for the basic house needs, not for luxury. He said that he will not object to the decision, but he will not obey it either. Majdi Abu Zeid, CEO of AMAN, told Al-Monitor, The decision is part of the governments attempts to reform public jobs and rationalize expenditure, especially under the prevailing austerity phase due to decreasing foreign grants. Abu Zeid said that AMAN recommended in its report about rationalization and austerity in public spending to fix the situation of employees who still hold a private job in addition to their public employment. He noted that the decision in its current form presents several legal problems: the government did not mention how it would be implemented, the working groups it would include (in terms of job position and salary) and the nature of the second job. Is it limited to associations or does it involve freelance jobs, too? He added that the decision needs to be imposed on all groups in society, especially since some civil servants hold two positions in public institutions: Some employees work full-time at a ministry and part-time at a university, for instance. October 20, 2016 As the two main contenders for the Oval Office faced off in the last debate for the presidential run of 2016, Russia's role in the Middle East was a topic on which former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump fired some of their bitterest shots at one another. In response to Trumps statement that he would enjoy Putins respect something the flamboyant billionaire sees as a necessary and helpful tool in fixing the badly broken relationship with Russia Clinton noted that a reason for Moscow to want to have it would be Kremlins desire to have a puppet as president of the United States. Trumps further claim about Russian President Vladimir Putin outsmarting Clinton and President Barack Obama every step of the way reflects a broader grievance that exists in the United States and in some places across the Middle East that Moscow is winning everywhere, with America in retreat. The narrative is quite appealing to Trumps supporters but is rather shallow on the merits. Indeed, since the very beginning of the Arab Spring, Russia and the United States have had diametrically opposing views of the nature of the protests and their implications for the broader region. In fact, situations in Libya, Egypt and Syria are frequently brought up by the Russian media and decision-makers as a manifestation of badly conceived and unskillfully managed US policies in the region that started with the invasion of Iraq. In other words, the Russian narrative doesnt package this as a win for Moscow-lose for Washington, but rather a lose-lose for everyone the people in the region above all and as a series of blunders that should serve as caveats for future regional uprisings and crises. Still, the joint initiative on the destruction of the Syrian chemical arsenal that Moscow and Washington worked through over 2013-2014 was a great contribution to contemporary global and regional security. A few in the Russian media, for the sake of buttressing domestic propaganda, still recall Putins proposal to Obama on Syria's chemical weapons as the Russian leaders diplomatic victory. In essence, however, it was one of those rare examples when Moscow and Washington could work together on issues of mutual importance and commit to their obligations; these types of initiatives and experiences are badly lacking today. Unfortunately, the track record of successful bilateral dealings in the region isnt long, with both sides pursuing their parallel missions frequently seen as mutually exclusive. But the fact that one party isnt getting what it wants doesnt necessarily mean the other one is especially when the other party is equally struggling to promote its own strategy. Trumps remarks get him easy tweet followings but are targeted at ill-informed audiences who express little interest in having a critical perception of the events in the Middle East. Clintons response, however, reflects another extreme at least as seen from Russia. Like any nation, including the United States, Russia is seeking a friendly partner when it comes to foreign leaders. Regardless of the image of Putin shaped in Western discourse, he clearly understands Russias own limited leverage toolbox over America. It eventually boils down to the nuclear and now cyber capabilities the Russians possess. Even more important is the understanding that the president of the United States although a powerful position cannot get all things done unilaterally. Russians are aware of the US system of checks and balances, although they do not always accurately understand how it functions and probably would like better points of access with all the US decision-making bodies, not just the administration. But to think that the Russians expect a puppet in the Oval Office is simply not realistic. Most important is how the two American presidential nominees are viewed in Moscow itself. The image of Trump as Putins candidate and thus someone Moscow would prefer to deal with is very much detached from the perception of him in Russian decision-making. His unpredictable character and the fact that Trump rarely minces his words are viewed as potential challenges in communications with him. For example, the personal deals with Putin that Trump has indicated could take place could fail to be reached due to the systemic disagreements between Russia and the United States. Moscow sees that this could bring about Trump's unleashing all of the negative stereotypes of Russians to craft a new age of American Russophobia, Trump-style something not entirely impossible given what the campaign has seen so far. Clinton isnt Putins prime choice for a counterpart either she is expected to conduct a more hawkish foreign policy, underpinned by a strong belief in the idea of the American exceptionalism. But it wouldnt be an exaggeration to argue that the Kremlin is bracing for her presidency simply because shes believed to have better odds. Therefore, throwing political or other capital behind someone who you feel has minimal chances to win isnt a rational strategy. The alleged hacking of the Democratic National Committee emails wasnt about making Trump stronger they apparently have not said anything about Clinton to the point that the American people have become so appalled that they are reconsidering their decision to vote for her en masse. It was more about building Moscows own deterrent against potential interference of the United States into Russias domestic affairs the Russian presidential elections of 2018 in particular. This US presidential campaign will soon be over, but the United States will still be left with a challenge of how to work with Russia in the Middle East, in Eurasia and elsewhere. It is thus crucial in the remaining months before the new president takes office to keep the antagonism low and resist the temptation to play the Russia card way too often. Blaming Russia when it comes to US security grievances even if Kremlin actions allow for such a view may be a winning political campaign strategy, but could echo badly when it comes to the future relationship with Moscow after either Clinton or Trump is elected president and badly needs Russia when it comes to a number of security challenges in the Middle East. October 20, 2016 Marvel Comics usually publishes comic books about superheroes who save the world from villains, but this time, they've decided to do something different. "Madaya Mom," a Syrian mother of five living in the besieged Syrian city of Madaya, has become Marvel's latest superhero. A hero, or a superhero, is a matter of heart and determination, and not about special powers. So if in the midst of war, you keep the strength to be a calm and loving mother to your family, and take the role of spokesman for all the mothers caught in a war, I think you fit the category of a superhero, Dalibor Talajic, the comic's illustrator from Zagreb, Croatia, told Al-Monitor. ABC News managed to establish contact with a Syrian woman and chronicled her testimonies in a blog on its website. For her own protection, she was called Madaya Mom. "Madaya Mom" is a free new digital comic created by ABC News and Marvel Comics. The comic tells the true story of the Syrian mother and her five children who have been trapped inside the Syrian town of Madaya since Syria's President Bashar al-Assad began besieging the town in July 2015. The woman and her children are fighting off starvation, unsanitary living conditions and threats of violence. The woman couldnt get out of Madaya, and ABC News couldnt get in. Because the network wanted to add a visual element to her story, ABC producer Rym Momtaz approached Marvel to ask if they could visualize the woman's messages, Talajic said. Since I have been working with Marvel for years and I had a reputation as an artist who can build around very little information, they asked if I was up for it. Talajic, who in 2009 began working for Marvel almost exclusively, said he was extra aware of the sensitivity of the material and didnt want to slip into cheap sensationalism. In the early '90s, the illustrator produced a few short war stories while Croatia was at war. But there was a naive, romantic view of the war in my stories. Nothing like this. So for me, 'Madaya Mom' is very controversial, but only from a humane point of view. This is not a true story from, lets say, a decade ago. This is happening right now. As we speak, this woman is out there living her nightmare, Talajic explained. In the comic, the heroine says, All that is left are cats and dogs and that the water is so freezing cold due to the lack of electricity that when she touches it she goes numb immediately. She describes how she and her children suffer from intense hunger and cold, and says that going outside is extremely dangerous because of regime snipers and daily bombardment. The moment that hit him the hardest while working on the comic was when the mother decided to stop eating in order for her children to have more food. Mostly because it was not a dramatic decision. It was natural and calm, as if she changed her shirt for that day. It's something you do, simple as that, Talajic said. The siege of Madaya is now in its second year. Dozens of people have died from starvation and malnutrition. Children are collecting grass and leaves with which to make soup and can't even walk straight, reports show. Approximately 1 million Syrians live in siege conditions while another 4.5 million are waiting for humanitarian aid. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said in January that the use of starvation as a weapon in Syria is "a war crime." Since 2011, many Syrian artists have responded to the ongoing civil war. They used their pens and pencils to tell the stories of outcries over people's deaths as well as poke fun at the tyranny of Assads regime. The Kurdish-Syrian cartoon artist Kaniwar Zidan has made many cartoons about the Syrian civil war, including one that explains the suffering of children living in Madaya. When I first saw the Marvel comic about an ordinary Syrian mom, I thought it was great. It perfectly describes what mothers in besieged areas are going through and what we, as artists, want the world to know, Zidan, who fled to Germany before the war started, told Al-Monitor. Drawing cartoons may lead to threats and intimidation. Zidan himself has received lots of insults and threats online, especially in the beginning of the war. People threatened to kill and kidnap members of my family. Yes, I was scared. Luckily, I received a lot of moral support as well. This encourages me to continue my work, despite the risks. Reactions to "Madaya Mom" are extremely positive in general. There are a few voices that comment on it from a political point of view, Talajic said. Regardless of your feelings or knowledge of the Syrian war, this is a story about civilians, about people caught in between the guns. That's all. I am not sure what this comic can achieve. Raising awareness of other people suffering is always a good thing. If the public is aware enough, the pressure on the politicians and decision-makers starts. I dare to hope this is a small contribution to that. Talajic, who had no connection to Syria whatsoever before he made the comic, explains that the ABC journalist managed to send a few images from the comic to the woman in Madaya. The mother said she loved it. That truly means a lot to me, he concluded. October 20, 2016 What is Ankaras strategic thinking about the battle for Mosul in Iraq, even as Turkey unleashes airstrikes on US-backed Kurds in Syria? One undeniable fact: Ankara feverishly wants to be in Mosul when the cards in Iraq are reshuffled. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, responding to Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadis ultimatum that Turkish soldiers cant enter Mosul, said Oct. 17, How can you keep me out? I have a 350-kilometer [200-mile] border there. Those who have nothing to do with the place are entering Mosul. Why? Because Baghdad is supposed to have invited them. We will be there for the operation and at the table. The next day, newspapers close to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) government reported his words in banner headlines. Erdogan has thus made Mosul an important domestic political issue in Turkey. The first crisis between Ankara and Baghdad erupted in December over Turkeys decision to reinforce its presence at Bashiqa, Iraq, near Mosul. In my Dec. 7 column, I wrote that Ankaras goal is to set up an autonomous Sunni power center at Mosul that will incorporate the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) under Massoud Barzani and the Turkmens. The United States' position on the crisis between Ankara and Baghdad is clear-cut. Meanwhile, Ankara wants to replicate Operation Euphrates Shield that enabled it to return to the playing field in Syria, only this time, in Iraq as "Tigris Shield." But the situation is radically different. The coalition has decided that Mosul is to be liberated exclusively by anti-Islamic State (IS) forces under US leadership and Iraqi forces. The US military wants to keep intact the ground force it has been able to patch together in more than a year and doesnt want an Ankara-Baghdad crisis affecting it. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the matter of the Turkish army participating in the Mosul operation is an issue to be handled between Iraq and Turkey. Looking at the battlefield deployment, the strategic goal of the Mosul operation appears to be to push IS eastward, where there is no coalition ground force, and to steer IS toward Syria on the Tal Afar-Sinjar axis. Of course, during this channeled movement IS convoys will be under heavy coalition air attacks. To better understand Turkeys position on Mosul, we need to look at Turkeys military presence in Iraq. Since the early 2000s, Turkey has been keeping a tank battalion with two companies at the former Bamerni air base south of Metina. It also has a commando battalion at Kanimasi close to the border, two tank companies for force protection at Bashiqa, plus a commando battalion and six special forces teams tasked with training and equipping missions. Turkey also maintains special forces liaison offices in 10 cities of the KRG, notably at Erbil, Dahuk and Zakho. All these military assets cannot possibly join an operation against Mosul. At the moment, the Turkish armys participation would be limited to four 155 mm howitzers with a 40-kilometer (25-mile) range based at Bashiqa. What is the situation today? The Bashiqa camp which accommodates 500-600 Turkish soldiers, howitzers, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, tanks and other armored vehicles is now at its highest alert level. Sources in Ankara contacted by Al-Monitor want the Bashiqa camp to play the key role in the assault against Mosul from the north. These sources noted that since the beginning of the Mosul operation, no one has asked to use any Turkish base for the air attacks, no Turkish air elements have been involved and there has been no artillery fire from Bashiqa. It is clear that Ankara is considerably annoyed by not even taking part in the air operations against Mosul. What Ankara wants most is active participation of the Ninevah Guards, which comprise about 3,000 Sunni Arab militias, Turkmens and Kurds under the leadership of Atheel al-Nujaifi, the former governor of Ninevah province. Ankara, by having the Ninevah Guards, which it sees as a balancing force of the Mosul operation in the offensive from the north, wants Baghdad and Tehran to recognize Turkeys role. Ankara now thinks Turkish proposals are being taken into consideration. Sources say the participation of the Ninevah Guards and the Kurdish peshmerga in the grand Mosul offensive has been accepted. Half of the 3,000-strong Ninevah Guards will be involved in the thrust to the center of Mosul; the other half will be kept in reserve. US interlocutors were also informed of a key Turkey reservation about the Mosul operation. Turkey rejects any participation of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), either as part of the peshmerga or with Yazidi Sinjar Resistance Units, which is linked to the PKK. Sources say they have been assured by the United States that the PKK will not be involved in the operation in any manner, whether under its own banner or under the cover of another organization. The political knot of the operation is what kind of governance there will be in Mosul after the operation. Every power in the region has a different goal: Barzani's KRG wants to control north of Mosul; the PKK dreams of a canton at Sinjar; Nujaifi wants to recover his lost leadership of Mosul; and Shiite Arabs see control of Mosul as part of their regional power struggle that will enable them to dominate the city with US support. Ankaras red lines are summarized as: no mass refugee wave, no entry of Shiite militias into Mosuls center or oppression of the people, and not allowing the PKK to sneak in under the banner of the Sinjar Resistance Units. If Ankara believes these lines are crossed, it can turn to its plan B and have Barzani and the Sunni Arab tribes of Mosul declare, "The balance of power is changing. We therefore invite Turkey to Mosul," thus enabling Turkey to assume a larger role in the field, backed by the legitimacy of such an invitation. On Oct. 16, some Sunni Arab tribes that met in Erbil did issue a declaration inviting Turkey to Mosul, but this declaration went largely unnoticed. Ankara feels its Operation Euphrates Shield is going well in northern Syria and has restored Turkeys status as a major player there. So Turkey's plan C in Iraq is to copy-paste that operation into northern Mosul. If Turkey's plans A and B dont work out, Ankara plans to set up a 10-kilometer buffer zone just like it has done in Syria. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Umit Yalin led a Turkish diplomatic delegation to Baghdad on Oct. 17 to discuss the status of Turkish forces at Bashiqa and the ongoing Mosul operation. Sources in Ankara said the real mission of the delegation was to explain in detail Ankara's plan C. Ankara wants Baghdad and Washington to understand that plan C is serious and feasible. Will IS resist? First, some basic facts: Over the past year, IS has been facing a shortage of financial resources, a dwindling number of foreign militant fighters, the loss of 40% of the territory it held in Iraq and 20% in Syria, diminishing local popular support and expansion of the anti-IS coalition, which is increasingly becoming a force on the ground. What, therefore, are the options for IS under these deteriorating circumstances? The first option is a phased, temporary withdrawal with the intention of returning. If IS still maintains its central planning capacity, it can leave the city center in phases without sustaining major losses by staging extreme measures against the coalition force for example, by using chemical weapons and executing its prisoners en masse. The intention here will not be to entirely abandon Mosul, but to set the stage for a second assault against the city. The second IS option would be to resist until the end, which means risking annihilation in a protracted urban war. This scenario could be triggered if Iraq's army enters the city with a show of force that turns the people against them. The Sunni Arabs remember how they had problems returning to Salahuddin and Anbar after IS was expelled because of arbitrary and oppressive actions by Shiite militias. Despite all soothing and reassuring messages from the Baghdad government, most Sunnis dont believe them. Some irresponsible, bombastic comments by Shiite militia chieftains do not help. Now we are seeing that IS is not as apocalyptic as we were led to believe. However, as an organized force, it can be expected to maintain its cohesion, resist with minimal losses and go underground in Mosul. If the clashes in Mosul assume a sectarian character, local residents who do not usually support IS may decide to support it against Shiite militias, thus strengthening the IS capacity to engage in long-term urban warfare. To understand the seriousness of the situation, one has to look at military activities at Silopi, the Turkish town closest to Mosul. Turkey is currently deploying batteries of 155 mm howitzers there to cover a 40-kilometer target zone. Now, if we start reading reports of Ankara shifting armored and mechanized brigades to Silopi, that will be a signal to us that Ankara has given up on plan B and is moving on to plan C, which provides for a buffer zone in Iraq in other words, Operation Tigris Shield. October 20, 2016 Turkish jets pounded US-backed Syrian Kurdish-led forces during the early hours of Oct. 20 in an apparent attempt to prevent them from establishing a long-coveted corridor to link up territories under their control in northern Syria. The Turkish attacks follow sustained threats from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to take further action against the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which are closely linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The airstrikes will likely further complicate Washingtons efforts to balance its relations with Turkey, a key NATO ally, and the YPG, which remains the US-led coalitions most effective partner against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria. The YPGs continued attempts to expand its territory in defiance of US warnings to stay put have not helped. The Turkish army said that as many as 200 YPG militants were killed in the strikes, which targeted areas recently captured by the YPG as it continued its advance eastward toward the IS-held town of al-Bab. The YPG disputed these figures, claiming that no more than 10 fighters were killed. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 11 YPG fighters had died in the overnight sorties, which followed sustained Turkish artillery attacks against the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin. There are conflicting reports as to whether the targeted group were YPG proper or a group affiliated with them. Nilufer Koc, co-chair of the pro-PKK Kurdistan National Congress, said in an Oct. 20 statement that two villages had been shelled, killing four civilians and injuring dozens, hours after their liberation from [IS]. A YPG commander in Syria told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, We will be watching very closely who reacts and how, in a reference to the United States and Russia, both allied with the YPG in Syria. In recent weeks, al-Bab has become the focus of intense competition between Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and the YPG because of its strategic location at the intersection of opposition-held areas north of Aleppo and Kurdish-held areas to the east and west of the town. The rebels, the YPG and Syrian regime forces positioned to the south are now all within striking distance of al-Bab. If the YPG succeeds in capturing al-Bab, it will be able to link Afrin with Kobani and Jazeera, the two contiguous administrative areas, or cantons, under its control. Turkey has declared establishing such a link a red line. In August, Turkish troops moved into northern Syria to wrest control of its borders from IS, but above all, to torpedo the Syrian Kurds plans to connect the cantons. The strikes mark the second time Turkey has attacked the YPG from the air, raising interesting questions about Ankaras relations with Russia and with the Syrian regime. YPG sources who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said Turkey is unlikely to have initiated the strikes without informing Russia, whose planes effectively control the skies over northwestern Syria. Russia and Turkey are on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict, but Ankaras fears of the emergence of a PKK-run Kurdish entity along its borders appear to have surpassed its desire to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. This is one of the main reasons Turkey was so keen to patch up ties with Russia, and some claim with Damascus, after downing a Russian jet over the Syrian border last year. It is widely assumed that Turkish troops launched Operation Euphrates Shield with Russias assent, but Moscow is also said to have made it clear that it would not permit Turkish-backed rebels to take al-Bab, because it would threaten regime defenses in Aleppo. Russias position remains unchanged. YPG sources speculate that Moscow gave the green light for Turkish airstrikes to prevent their forces from moving on to al-Bab. In exchange, Erdogan assured Russian President Vladimir Putin in an Oct. 19 telephone conversation that he would help eject Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, the jihadist group formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, from Aleppo. Whether he will, or even can, remains unclear. Turkey is also threatening to take unspecified military action in Mosul, where a critical campaign to free the city from IS is underway. As in Syria, Turkeys most likely target would be the PKK, which has several hundred fighters in Sinjar, a mainly Yazidi-populated area west of Mosul. Russia clearly benefits from any Turkish move that deepens the rift between Ankara and Washington. Turkeys attacks against the YPG will have certainly helped to achieve that goal. Editor's note: This article has been updated since its initial publication. October 20, 2016 The United States has accused Yemens Houthi rebels, who took over the countrys capital in September 2014, of launching multiple attacks by anti-ship missiles two Oct. 10 and a possible third Oct. 15 on its ships in the Red Sea. These attacks came after the Houthis targeted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) vessel SWIFT and released footage of the attack. While the Houthi attack that damaged the UAEs SWIFT on Oct. 1 was strongly condemned by the UAE, which called it an act of terrorism, the US reaction to attempted missile strikes on its ships was fiercer. In retaliation against the attacks on the US destroyer Mason destroyer and the amphibious transport dock Ponce on Oct. 10, the US military targeted three coastal radar sites along the Red Sea despite the Houthis denial of carrying out those attacks against the US targets. It did not take long before the anti-ship missile attack on the destroyer was thought to be repeated. This suspected attack came Oct. 15, hours after the release of two US citizens who were held captive in Sanaa by the Houthi rebels. They were flown to Oman in what was seen as a gesture of goodwill toward the United States. The Houthis denied any connection with the suspected attack, which raised speculation about the identity of those responsible for the attacks and even about the attack itself. After initial reports that there might have been a malfunction with the destroyers radar detection system during the third presumed attack on the Mason, the Pentagon declined to state whether the Mason indeed had been targeted by anti-ship missiles Oct. 15. These latest developments complicate one of the regions complex conflicts. While they reflect an evolvement in the military capabilities of the alliance between the Houthis and their old foe and current ally, Yemens former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, enabling them to reach new targets and thereby signal their resilience and ability of continuing their war, they also take the Yemeni conflict from the regional to the international arena by posing a threat to international trade that passes through the Red Sea. While the Houthis declined to declare responsibility for those anti-ship missile attacks, the fact remains that the repeated attacks on ships in the Red Sea pose a great threat not only to the military presence in the Red Sea, but also to trade and shipments that go through the Red Sea as well as the Bab el-Mandeb Strait one of the worlds busiest trade routes. The UAEs description of the attack on its SWIFT vessel as an act of terrorism and the quick reaction of the United States to the attacks on ships in the Red Sea suggest not only that the smuggling of new weapons to the Houthi rebel movement which Oman is mainly accused of will not be tolerated, they also suggest that threatening the security of trade in the Red Sea will also not be accepted. Around 4 million barrels of oil are shipped daily through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. Such attacks put shipments at great risk and raise costs of insurance for those shipments. While halting shipping through Bab el-Mandeb is unthinkable for international trade, the securing of the Red Sea remains crucial for international stakeholders such as Europe and the United States, which are highly dependent on oil shipped from the region as well as for two of the leading countries in the Saudi-led coalition: the UAE and Egypt. With all its current economic problems, Egypt cannot afford to see revenues from its Suez Canal decline, especially after the disappointing revenues following the canals expansion. The UAE also is interested in securing its investments across the Red Sea, where the state-owned Dubai Ports World owns and manages many East African ports. Since the start of the Saudi-led war on Yemen in March 2015, the UAE landed two deals to manage Red Sea ports. In May 2016, Dubai Ports World won a 30-year deal to manage the Berbera Port of Somaliland after it also landed a 30-year lease agreement in late 2015 to use the Eritrean Port of Assab 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the coast of Yemen for military purposes, according to a UN report. Dubai Ports World has been managing the Djibouti Doraleh Container Terminal since 2008. This threat to international trade and ports across the Red Sea might be used by the Houthi-Saleh alliance as a leverage to strengthen their position in any future round of negotiations. There is a clear message from the Houthi-Saleh alliance to the international community that the Houthis can and will target ships in the Red Sea. This is particularly the case following the news that the Supreme Political Council which was self-appointed by the Houthis and Saleh on July 28 intends to name the internationally notorious and since 2010 UN-sanctioned arms dealer Fares Manaa as minister of trade and industry. While securing the trade route in the Red Sea is crucial for the international community, establishing a sustainable peace plan that guarantees the states monopoly on force remains a more efficient mechanism to secure Yemeni coastlines, and thereby ensure a safer trade route. Politaspeech.png Politaspeech screen grab. (c/o Chris Beaman) Chris Beaman is Chief Product Officer at The Foundry, a software startup incubator, and founder of New Leaf Digital, an Innovation Education non-profit. Chris co-organizes CoWorking Night, which happens weekly at AL.com's Huntsville Hub. In a departure from our usual article format, we turn our attention this week to a Huntsville-based social/political startup called Politaspeech and the story of their inception. I had a chance to catch up with Eric Mellen, who is one of Politaspeech's founders, and ask him about founding his company. CB: What are the names of your founders? EM: Eric Mellen and Larry Wilbourn CB: What are you and Larry's backgrounds? Where are you from and what do/did you do for a living? EM: I was born in Huntsville and have lived there most of my life. I took a brief service in the United States Navy as an electronics technician, and have worked a series of labor and service jobs as I put myself through school. I'm currently a software engineering intern with Mentor Graphics. EM: Larry was raised in humble beginnings in New Hope, Alabama, where he was a self-taught web developer starting from the age of 12. He worked and attended school until he gained an internship with AEgis Technologies. He is currently employed there as a web developer and videographer. He and a coworker recently won the GEOHackHSV hackathon back in May. CB: Can you provide a 10-word or less description of your startup? EM: Politaspeech is a politically-focused social media experience and community. CB: Which problems are you trying to solve with your startup? EM: There is no good social media platform where people openly discuss politics in a meaningful way. CB: What's your solution to this? EM: To create a clean, regulated, and reliable platform to enable people to make a change by sharing their voice. CB: What is your business model? How does or will your startup make money? EM: Currently, we are focused on perfecting the product for the end user. When we gain enough daily active users, we will then focus on ad-based revenue and a premium subscription service that will offer enhanced features. CB: Why did you embark on Politaspeech? EM: When I started the project, I knew very little about politics and how to get informed. That was the initial problem I wanted to solve. I figured what I wanted to do was a pretty big problem and no one had solved political social media yet, so why not give it a shot. CB: What's the latest news with Politaspeech? What are you working on? What's coming up soon for you? EM: We currently just published our app to the Google Play store, and are about to start a marketing campaign to get some initial users and bring life into the community. We are working on perfecting the product before we add a lot of features, and optimize what we have. After that, we are really excited about a new feature involving live video debates that should get some people really excited. CB: What do you need help with? How can the Huntsville community help? EM: The Huntsville community can definitely help. Go to politaspeech.com and download the app and let us know what you think, and tell your friends there's a really cool app for politics that was made right here in Huntsville. CB: Great, thank you Eric. Is there anything else you'd like readers to know? EM: We started in May 2014 as a casual project. It became a huge project that went over 3 major iterations. Basically, I see there being three main phases to a lot of startups. The first phase, you have a dazzling idea and think you're going to change the world, and everything is fun, new and exciting. This is the delusional phase. Then, you start getting feedback about your product, and realized that from the get go, you didn't know anything, and being inserted into a market, your goal is to get your product less and less wrong. This is the survival phase. The last phase, which we haven't gotten to, is either success and growth or "back to the drawing board" as they say. EM: Politaspeech centralizes news articles from around the globe, and allows people to review and discuss them. Our unique "Voice" feature allows you to say anything about a hashtag. Both of these features are tied with a credibility system, which is the "currency" of the site. People with strong voices can thrive, and unpopular comments are cast to the side. EM: Fun fact: Most of the project was done in Larry's apartment's small office, where Eric had to be signed to the lease because he was over so often. CB: Ha, that's funny. Thanks Eric. --- If you (the reader) liked this article format, let us know in the comments below. Which Huntsville-based startup founder should we interview next? Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City closing Carl Icahn says he lost $100M This June 30, 2016 photo shows the exterior of the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, N.J. The hotel has shut down after failing to reach an agreement with its union workers. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Here are the top stories in business on AL.com for Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Follow all of Alabama's business news here anytime. Whether or not he wins the presidency, some think the 2016 election has done irreparable damage to Donald Trump's brand. A Birmingham company is behind a $27.5 million expansion to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal. One well-known retailer - Macy's - hopes to cash in on Black Friday sales a little early this year by opening its doors on Thanksgiving Day. Dave Dionne will no longer be the Red Mountain Park's Executive Director, the Red Mountain Park's Commission announced Wednesday. Developers hoping to turn the Birmingham CrossPlex into a mixed-use destination faced a setback Wednesday when their original concept plans failed to gain approval from the Birmingham Design Review Committee. A growing number of young women in the South are wanting more from their lives and workplaces. They want to get dirty and work with their hands, and colleges and schools are listening. Alabama is home to five new Ross Stores as the West Coast retailer looks to expand its brand across the U.S. through late 2016. Community creativity is now on display in downtown Huntsville at Arts Huntsville's Pumpkin Patch, sponsored by Lyon Family Farms. From now until October 31st pumpkins will decorate the windows of downtown businesses, showing off the imaginations of Huntsville artists, nonprofits, businesses, schools and families. The public is encouraged to take a stroll around downtown Huntsville and vote for their favorite pumpkin now through October 31st. Arts Huntsville will award cash prizes to the top three winners in both the artist/individual/family category and non-profit/business/organization/club category, with first place receiving $100, second place $75 and third place $50. The pumpkins can be viewed in the windows of the following businesses on the downtown Huntsville Square as well as Clinton and Eustis Avenues: Alamex Translation Services, Harrison Brothers Hardware, Jerry Sanford Barclay, Commerce Kitchen, Green Bus Brewing, Greene Street Market Store, Madison County Law Library, A Cup of Everything, Larry Marsili Attorney at Law, Clinton Row, Pints & Pixels, UG White and Wilmer & Lee Attorneys at Law. The public can vote by scanning the QR codes at each pumpkin display and by visiting artshuntsville.org. Voting ends on October 31st. Winners will be announced November 4th on the Arts Huntsville Facebook page. For more information, call (256) 519-2787 and follow Arts Huntsville on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @artshuntsville. Alabama, meet Ali. Ali Callahan is 9. Her favorite colors are lavender and scarlet, and she likes to use them when she colors. Her hobbies are arts and crafts and swimming. Her favorite subject is "read aloud." She's a typical Southern girl. Ali also loves her 5-year-old brother Noah, and they even get along--usually. That's an especially good thing, since they are homeschooled and therefore spend most of their time together. Recently, Ali's parents bought her a digital camera. She uses it to document field trips as she travels through Alabama history. Ali, meet Alabama. State history is taught across the nation in fourth grade. Students in Miami learn about Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth. In Massachusetts, they're studying the Mayflower and the Boston Tea Party. Ali will spend the next eight months learning about her home state--and she'll do so by walking the paths of Alabamians before her. Ali's mom, Rachel, recalls her own Alabama history lessons, 26 years ago, as dry and boring. Rachel instead designed her own curriculum--and invited AL.com along for a road trip through Alabama history. We'll trace the state's existence from prehistoric days to the modern era. Along the way, we'll discover places to visit and how a state's past influences a Southern girl today. And we'll share that with you, the reader, through a series we call Sweet Home History. What should you expect? Ali's field trips occur several times a month; Rachel has ideas for more than 40 destinations. I'll post about these trips at least twice a month, including lots of questions from and conversation with Ali. She'll share her photos. Ali is writing and illustrating a report for each lesson, offering a girl's-eye view of the state. Why do we study our state history? Here are a few points that stood out to me in the Alabama fourth-grade social studies course of study: Students learn the history, economics and politics of Alabama They learn about how institutions in these areas respond to people's needs They learn about how the state's economy developed in the past, and where it is today They see how technology has shaped Alabama, as well Students learn about the diverse groups of people who developed the state Ali is learning about Alabama through reading, yes, but also by visiting places where history was made. She's picked up a hammer and hunted for fossils. In a cave that once sheltered Mississippian Native American tribes, she contemplated the space and how it sheltered those people. When she studies more-recent years, Ali will interview her family and friends about their experiences. Rachel has devised an elaborate spreadsheet to track topic areas, years, books, field trips and interviews. My name is listed in the interview column, on the row for 1981. I'm excited to share with Ali my love and knowledge of Alabama music. How did I become involved? I've never formally studied Alabama history. Although I'm a native Alabamian, my family moved from Birmingham to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1988. While Rachel studied Alabama history, I took field trips to the nation's oldest wooden schoolhouse. I moved home to Alabama in 2003 and have spent my adulthood absorbing the state's history at every opportunity. That's why Rachel asked me to help identify books for Ali's curriculum. We became friends through the Internet (as so many people do these days) thanks in part to her blog, Grasping for Objectivity in My Subjective Life. As we discussed book selections to complement Ali's field trips and the people she would interview, a bigger idea took form. And of course, I jumped at the chance to tag along on these field trips. I'm a Southern woman walking alongside--and in some cases, being guided by--a Southern girl as she learns about her home. A Birmingham man is asking a judge to remove a statewide amendment from the Nov. 8 ballot because he says it could overturn a judge's ruling that halted Jefferson County's plan to refinance more than a half-billion dollars in school construction debt and divert much of the $60 million in savings to the county's general fund and other non-educational projects. Besides the general fund, money would also go to schools, the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, the Birmingham Zoo, and $3.6 million a year towards local legislators' pet projects in their districts. Bob Friedman, a member of the Committee to Save Jefferson County, filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Monday asking that Amendment 14 be removed from ballots across the state. The lawsuit names six legislators and Secretary of State John Merrill as defendants. The amendment seeks to validate hundreds of laws - including the Jefferson County sales tax bill - that have been adopted over the past three decades under a certain legislative rule that last year was challenged in court. Montgomery Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick has set a hearing for Tuesday to consider a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent junctions seeking removal of Amendment 14 from the ballot. Merrill said Wednesday that he could not comment on the lawsuit because his office has not yet been served with it. But it's probably too late to get the amendment off the ballot. Merrill noted that absentee voting has been going on since Sept. 24 in Alabama. "It would be very, very, difficult to change the process that is in place," he said. Merrill also said he supports Amendment 14. He said he voted for it when he cast his absentee ballot on Friday. The need to validate the hundreds of laws came after Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Graffeo in December 2015 declared the state law approving Jefferson County's refinance plan void because the Alabama Legislature did not properly enact it under a Budget Isolation Resolution. Under the Alabama Constitution when voting on a bill prior to an annual state budget being adopted legislators must first pass a Budget Isolation Resolution by three-fifths of a quorum - or 32 votes in the House of Representatives - in order to allow the vote on the bill to take place. But a House rule requires only three-fifths of those voting, a lesser standard. The Jefferson County sales tax bill passed the House after a 13-3 vote on the BIR. "These votes were, as a matter of law, insufficient to meet the requirement for an affirmative vote of 'three fifths of a quorum present' for the House to validly adopt a BIR," Graffeo stated in his order. The bill creating Amendment 14, approved during the summer's special session on the lottery, was sponsored by State Sen. Cam Ward, whose district covers Bibb, Chilton, Jefferson, and Shelby counties. The bill was approved by the legislature Aug. 25. The next day Montgomery Circuit Judge William A. Shashy issued an order forcing Merrill to include the amendment on the ballot after the Chilton County Health Care Authority filed a lawsuit that same day. A sales tax to build a new hospital in Chilton County is among the bills affected by the BIR issue, according to that suit. Jefferson County has appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court of Graffeo's ruling. But the county, in a Sept. 19 motion, asked the high court to stay and action on the appeal until after the election when "the people of Alabama will vote on the ratification of a constitutional amendment that would cure budget isolation resolutions that authorized local laws, like the local sales and use tax in this case." Merrill, legislators and others have said that if Amendment 14 isn't approved by voters, it could open up legal challenges to more than 600 laws statewide that have been adopted without a 32-vote BIR in the House since the 1980s. Friedman, who is not a lawyer, said he believes those laws would be protected from legal challenges because of statute of limitation. Amendment 14 states that it seeks to "ratify, approve, validate, and confirm the application of any budget isolation resolution" on bills adopted by the Legislature before Nov. 8, 2016 "that conformed to the rules of either body of the Legislature at the time it was adopted." But Friedman said he believes Amendment is "nothing but an end-run" about Graffeo's ruling to get Jefferson County's plan approved. "Frankly, it's not our job to clear up the terrible mess," Friedman said of the hundreds of laws that could be affected. "Our job is to protect the school tax money." One group, which included Jefferson County state Reps John Rogers and Mary Moore, and an individual taxpayer, Keith Shannon, opposed the new tax and revised spending plan in lawsuits, which led to Graffeo's ruling. Shannon is one of the two men who filed a lawsuit that resulted in the county's 2009 occupational tax being struck down in 2010. Jefferson County officials have said the county needs the money, $36 million a year of which would go into the county's general fund, to help ease the financial burden it has had since its occupational tax was struck down and helped push the county into bankruptcy in 2011. Come, I want to show you something, the Peshmerga commander tells me. Wed been filming on a base thats jointly run by the Kurdish Peshmerga and the Iraqi army. I will show you their tunnels. ISIL tunnels. We follow him and his guard, by car, down a dirt road a little back from where their main front is. The roads are dusty and bumpy. Its a little village, the houses are all all pockmarked with the signs of a fierce battle. We get out and we follow him into what he tells us was the local ISIL emirs house. The front door is also riddled with bullet holes. In the kitchen, a black iron kettle lies on the floor, and a box of rotting onions. In another room, military vests and ammunition. Its a strange feeling looking at what the fighters would have worn. A whiteboard hangs on the wall written on it There is no God but God and what appears to be a shift system. The commander is eager to show us the main reason he has brought us here. We move on ducking down through openings that have been smashed through the walls. There are no doors, a few mattresses lie on the floor. Its all very basic. Flanked by two blankets, which they turned into makeshift curtains, is a huge hole in the wall, and it goes deeper in. Sand bags line one side of it and a pitch black drop into the ground. Osama, our producer, and Ali, our cameraman, go back to get the equipment from the car. Come down, I will show you, he tells me. His guard goes first, and turns on his flashlight. His AK-47 goes with him. A split second thought passes through my mind do they actually think ISIL could re-emerge from the dark? Its a ridiculous thought but Ive got a slight unease about heading down, into the dark. The commander is next, then me. I step down the sand bags and follow them to the right. The ceilings are higher than you think, theres no need to crouch that low. Its cool and slightly damp. I follow the torch light but the guard moves a little further on, then its just myself and the commander he turns on the light on his phone. We go round a bend. This is their 5-star hotel, he tells me. There are two mattresses, and at some point what appears to be lots of feathers on the ground maybe from an opened pillow. A little space off the side of the tunnel has a pile of what looks like some food cartons and water. There are electrical wires he says its OK to touch them now. ISIL wired up the tunnels so that they could have light. But its dark now. We walk on. I feel the walls, they are solid. I can stretch out my arms, and they dont touch the wall on either side. There is space here. He tells me to keep moving, but at this point I think its time to start filming, so I tell him Ill get our cameraman. I move back and theres a turn left so I go there as there is some light. I have no sense of direction down here. I keep walking and come to an opening into a room, and start calling for Ali our cameraman. The commander follows me and laughs saying Im in the wrong house. Weve basically walked underground across the little dirt road that divided where we went down, to the neighbouring house. This is how ISIL moves undetected. As we make our way back to where we came from, I am amazed of how extensive and professionally these tunnels have been built. We climb out, and Ali goes in. I ask the commander if its like this everywhere. Yes he says, ISIL has built these tunnels in every territory they hold. Hundreds of clowns have donned their biggest shoes to join the 21st Latin American clown convention in Mexico City. The convention has attracted participants from 14 countries around the region to take part in events such as make-up competitions and to learn extreme balloon twisting. But theres a shadow hanging over their painted smiles this year: the trend of menacing clowns threatening the public around the US, Canada and the UK has now hit Mexico. People dressed as sinister clowns have been spotted scaring the public in various spots around the country. In retaliation, groups of clown hunters have cropped up on social media, sometimes writing aggressive threats to all clowns. Al Jazeera caught up with the clowns to find out more. Lapaya, Uganda Outside the village of Lapaya, in northern Uganda, the Agogo river plunges 50 metres over the edge of a rocky escarpment in a series of dramatic waterfalls. Few tourists make it to this remote part of the country, but come here on a Monday and you will see several young men perched on a flat rock at the top of the falls, wearing white lab coats and staring intently at their exposed calves. These men are at the forefront of the battle against Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, a little known fly-borne tropical disease that has terrorised the area for as long as anyone can remember. Their job is simple wait for the flies to attack, then catch them before getting bitten and so far it seems to be working. When I was a boy it was so bad said Charles Okello, a 35 year-old flycatcher. So many people in the village went blind, and their skin became like a leopards. We are very afraid of the black fly. But were going to finish them. The captured flies, which are preserved in alcohol until they can be taken to a laboratory in Kampala for testing, provide crucial information on the spread of the disease, which feeds back into an eradication program focusing on mass drug administration and the dosing of rivers with chemicals. A few years ago the team would regularly catch over 100 flies in a single day, he explained, over the roar of the falls. Now that number has dropped to just three or four. River blindness is a gruesome disease. The bite of an infected Simulium blackfly like getting an injection said Bukelo leaves behind microscopic larvae which penetrate into the wound. These grow into adult worms, up to 30cm long, which gather in lumpy nodules under skin and in turn start to release new larvae. The first sign of the disease is usually an itching of the skin, which can be severe once the larvae start to attack the pigmentation, leading to a distinctive leopard skin appearance. If untreated, the larvae may enter the eye. At this stage the victim will be able to see the miniature worms wriggling up and down within the cornea. Blotchy patches appear in the field of vision and if left unchecked the victim will in time become completely blind. The CDC estimates that there are still some 25 million people suffering from the disease, 99 percent of them in Africa. Half the village is blind Lapaya, a ramshackle village of mud huts and banana trees, linked up by a web of sandy tracks, has already taken a heavy toll. Locals estimate that over half the village suffers from vision problems; many have lost their sight altogether. Abandoned homes dot the landscape, a legacy of a particularly large hatch of blackly in 2008 that forced many to flee the area. Even the chickens ran away, said Owot Moses, who started losing his sight five ears ago, and is now only able to distinguish blurry areas of light and dark. When I was working in the fields the black flies used to cover my whole body. The flies were so bad we couldnt be outside after five pm. There is little support for the blind in Uganda. Moses was unable to continue working and his wife left him. He now lives alone in abject poverty in an isolated shack at the edge of the village. For 21-year-old Okello Norwell, losing his sight as a child meant giving up any hope of getting an education. At first I could see the worms moving up and down in my eyes, he told in the pitch darkness of his mud home, gripping the cane he uses to navigate his way around the family compound. Then I became blind forever. I want to do do something in my life but I cant, he said. Norwell is one of three people in his family who have gone blind from Onchocerciasis. Offensive on larvae But in recent years a renewed offensive against the disease funded by Sightsavers and the Carter Centre has had a dramatic impact, explained the head of the Pader districts vector control program, William Sam Oyet. As well as collecting data on the disease through the fly catching program, every Saturday for the last 4 years Oyets team has set off on bicycles with tanks of chemicals to spray the faster flowing sections of local rivers, like the waterfalls at Lapaya, where the blackflies like to breed. Temephos, he explains, is a larvicide, and does little harm to the rest of the rivers ecosystem. Then, twice a year he sends Okello and the team out to conduct a massive drug distribution exercise that aims to provide every member of the district with Ivermectin, a powerful drug that prevents infection and helps to fight the disease in its earlier stages (after a certain point the damage becomes irreversible). The amount of pills distributed is decided according to body size, so the team travels with a handy stick to take measurements. Moses Okipi, Sightsavers country director in Uganda, said transmission is now occurring in only 9 of the 36 districts that once suffered from the disease and that the country is on course to have it completely eliminated by 2020. It has had a terrible impact on northern Uganda said Okipi. The blindness, the family breakups, the school dropouts. But finally we are on top of it. The end is now in sight. The people behind Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Meet the backroom staff, advisers, spin doctors and pollsters behind Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The Federal Election Campaigns Act of 1971 gives each US presidential candidate the right to assemble a campaign organisation distinct from the national party staff. The group usually includes an inner circle of advisers who are close to the candidates. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's campaigns include a campaign manager, a chief pollster, communications director heading a communications team, policy advisers and general diary manager. The candidates' inner circle are often people who have either worked with them in previous campaigns, served them in comparable positions, or are long-term close acquaintances. Whoever becomes President, they will certainly appoint many of his or her inner circle into powerful positions within the White House. What the US was doing to the world at large is what Americans now fear Trump might do to the US. Hours before the scheduled third and final debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas, The New York Times published an article in which it argued that the Republican presidential nominee in effect has no foreign policy beyond using and abusing global issues to elicit gut fears and hostile fantasies of his domestic followers, that foreign policy has in effect become a matter of domestic fear-mongering. The piece could not have been more timely and poignant but not in the sense that The New York Times intended it further to discredit the liberal bete noire of this election. In a sense far more serious and accurate. For the World at large, Trump is America and America is Trump. What has now become domestic politics to the US has been its foreign policy for a much longer history. Decent Americans There are decent Americans who insist Trump is the worst of America. But for the world at large and at the receiving end of American military might, Trump is the very quintessence of America because Trump is what America does to the world, and now it has come dangerously close to do unto itself what it has habitually done unto others. OPINION: US elections The rich cant be trusted with money Liberal America is now scared that Trump will do to America what America has done to the world. It was just foreign policy when America set up lunatic puppet dictators just like Trump to torture, maim, and murder their own people around the globe to protect its national security interest. It was just something Daddy did at work. When he came home he was all good, kind, and cuddly just like Obama. Now the Daddy is about to become a nasty, vicious, domestic abuser like Trump. Trump is the poetic justice of the world. So long as America was only doing to the world at large what America now fears Trump may do to America, there was no outcry. There was consensus. The world deserved what America did to the world. Now liberal America is up in arms to disown, to exorcise, to dispel this demonic spirit from itself and put it back in a bottle and hand it over to Hillary Clinton so she can continue the habitual exercise of doing it to the world and be a nice. lovely-looking grandma at home, as Ronald Reagan was its grandpa before her. This very 'western civilization' has been a threat to world peace for a very long time, and Trump is now its defining moment ... by Genie in and out of the bottle Donald Trump is a thug, liberal America is now screaming out loud, Hes a thug who talks gibberish, and lies, and cheats, and has issues, to put it mildly, with women. That sounds awfully familiar to the ears of the world from Asia to Africa, Latin America, and the Arab and Muslim world. Hes lazy and limited and he has an attention span of a nanosecond. Is this about Trump or about every petty dictator the US has habitually supported and brought and kept in power? Donald Trump is the greatest threat to western civilization we have faced, another cries in fear, since the fall of the Berlin Wall. He might very well be. OPINION: Trump for dummies But this very western civilization has been a threat to world peace for a very long time, and Trump is now its defining moment, as were Hitler, Mussolini, King Leopold II, and the entire spectrum of British, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and Belgian imperialism wreaking havoc on every corner of this earth. He might be a son of a bitch, but he is our son of a bitch. Now who said that? Somebody said that about Donald Trump, or was it President Franklin D Roosevelt reportedly saying it about the dictator of Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza Garcia? History has a sweet sense of humour. The sentence has now come back to haunt the country of its origin. Donald Trump might be a son of a bitch the world is now echoing in kind, but he is your son of a bitch. Trump is Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Manuel Noriega of Panama, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Idriss Deby of Chad, Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan. Trump is the nasty Mr Hyde hiding inside the lovely looking Dr Barack Jekyll Obama, coming out unexpectedly for a house call. by Trump is the late Shah of Iran and the late Saddam Hussein of Iraq put together. Trump is every single Arab general or dictator the US has befriended and kept in power. These and scores of other nasty, brutish, vile and vulgar dictators are and have been supported, endorsed, kept in power, and used and abused to serve the US and its favourite settler colony Israel military and economic might, and they all fall into the category of Roosevelts our sons of bitches. For unto us a tyrant is born Yes, it would be worthwhile to study clinically, in detail, the steps taken by Hitler and Hitlerism, Aime Cesaire said famously in his Discourse on Colonialism, and to reveal to the very distinguished, very humanistic, very Christian bourgeois of the 20th century that without his being aware of it, he has a Hitler inside him, that Hitler inhabits him, that Hitler is his demon, that if he rails against him, he is being inconsistent and that, at bottom, what he cannot forgive Hitler for is not crime in itself, the crime against man, it is not the humiliation of man as such, it is the crime against the white man, the humiliation of the white man, and the fact that he applied to Europe colonialist procedures which until then had been reserved exclusively for the Arabs of Algeria, the coolies of India, and the niggers of Africa. OPINION: The garden of Americanly delights Cesaire anticipated Trump and reaction to Trump too, for Trump is now equally poised to do to America what Mussolini did in Libya, King Leopoldo II in the Congo, the French in Algeria, the British in India, the Spaniards in the Americas, the Israelis in Palestine. Obama is not happy with Trump. He and his wife Michelle Obama and the entire Democratic Party and liberal stalwarts like Elizabeth Warren are really concerned what Trump might do to America what they have done to the world at large. Trump is the nasty Mr Hyde hiding inside the lovely looking Dr Barack Jekyll Obama, coming out unexpectedly for a house call. Liberal America is up in arms capturing their Mr Hyde, hiding it inside President Hillary Rodham Clinton in the White House so she can do as US presidents habitually do, ripping the world to pieces and keeping the liberal heart of this empire bleeding for peace on earth just in time for next Christmas. Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policies. Neve Gordon is a Marie Curie Fellow and Professor of International Law at Queen Mary University of London. On October 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he plans to support his coalitions initiative to boycott the Joint List, the third largest party in the Knesset. The move, initiated by Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, is aimed at punishing the partys decision not to go to former President Shimon Peres funeral, which was attended by dignitaries from no less than 70 countries, including US President Barack Obama and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Members of the Joint List have proven that theres no point any more in discussing anything or even arguing with them, Lieberman said, while adding that we must decide to boycott all their appearances and addresses in the Knesset. National day of mourning Speaking on Israeli Channel 2, the head of the Joint Arab List, Ayman Odeh, explained that Peres funeral was part of a national day of mourning in which I have no place; not in the narrative, not in the symbols that exclude me, not in the stories of Peres as a man who built up Israels defences. OPINION: Shimon Peres: Loser, schemer or romantic? He went on to recall scenes in Peres long public career: from his role in the military government imposed on Israels Palestinian citizens in 1948-1966, through his pivotal role in obtaining Israels nuclear arsenal, to the Israeli armys 1996 attack on a UN compound in the Lebanese village Qana, where 106 civilians were killed. He even cited Peres failure to attend the funeral of Yasser Arafat, with whom he had won the Nobel Peace Prize, or, indeed, of any other Israeli-Arab leader. Perhaps because he did not think that the Israeli public could stomach it, Odeh did not mention that Peres was a colonist through and through. In documents recently revealed, Peres is quoted as saying that he does not believe in an Arafat state and that Jordan is the only Palestinian state, while bemoaning the existence of Palestinian citizens in the Galilee. I see how they eat up the Galilee and my heart bleeds, he told former Prime Minister Menachem Begin in a 1978 meeting between the two. Netanyahu's government is currently spending millions and millions of dollars to combat the Palestinian boycott movement, while criminalising anyone who dare to support it publicly. by Much more recently, Peres went so far as to maintain that Israeli Defence Force] operations enabled economic prosperity in the West Bank, relieved southern Lebanese citizens from the terror of Hezbollah, and have enabled Gazans to have normal lives again. Colonial civilising mission Indeed, until his death he was the paradigmatic voice of the colonial civilising mission. During the same Channel 2 interview, however, Odeh did point out to his Israeli Jewish audience that the following Saturday the Arab-Israeli community would be marking the 16th anniversary of the October 2000 riots in which 13 citizens of the community were killed by police during a series of demonstrations protesting about Israels actions against Palestinians at the outset of the Second Intifada. Will anyone from the government attend? Odeh pondered; Can someone understand our pain or does our pain not interest anybody? Notwithstanding Odehs candid effort to expose Israels racist approach towards its Palestinian citizens, Netanyahus coalition is determined to boycott the Joint Arab List. OPINION: Israels war on peaceful activism Ironically, this is the same coalition that has been outspoken against the adoption of the boycott strategy as a legitimate non-violent political tool to struggle against Israels subjugation of the Palestinian people. Indeed, Netanyahus government is currently spending millions and millions of dollars to combat the Palestinian boycott movement, while criminalising anyone who dare to support it publicly. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan announced the formation of a committee to prevent Boycott, Divestement, Sanctions (BDS) activists from entering the country, and to deport those already in Israel/Palestine. Boycotting Israels colonial project is anti-Semitic, Netanyahu and his cronies assert, as they boycott the Palestinian leaders who dared not pay final respect to Peres. They are so captivated by their twisted logic, that the irony is lost on them. Neve Gordon is a Leverhulme visiting fellow at SOAS, University of London. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. The first round of polling appears to have excited neither the nations media sources nor the voting public. Doctors are no longer bound by the secrecy provision criminalising speaking out about conditions at refugee prisons. The Australian government has quietly lifted the threat of jailing doctors who speak out against child abuse and neglect of asylum seekers in detention, doctors lawyers revealed on Thursday. Doctors 4 Refugees, a volunteer organisation, launched a High Court challenge in July to the constitutional validity of secrecy provisions within the Border Force Act. Doctors argue that the provisions gagged them from speaking publicly about conditions in Australian-run immigration camps on remote islands. The doctors legal team discovered in court documents this week that the government had exempted health professionals from the secrecy provisions shortly before lodging its legal defence, lawyer Meghan Fitzgerald said. A government website shows that the change took effect on October 1, exempting a wide range of health professionals, including doctors, midwives, podiatrists and nutritionists. The government has been forced into a back down as a result of the advocacy of health professionals who owe a duty of care to their patients and whose ethical duties are paramount, Doctors 4 Refugees said in a statement. READ MORE: Australia accused of denying detainees medical care Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. The Border Force Act, which became law last year, makes it a criminal offence punishable by two years in prison for a broadly defined entrusted person within the immigration regime to disclose protected information. Fitzgerald said that the doctors were continuing their case, adding teachers and social workers who work with asylum seekers should also not be gagged by the threat of prison. Under Australias tough immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing to a camp in Nauru or to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, and are not eligible for resettlement in Australia. Allegations of rights abuses Several rights groups have released reports in recent weeks on rights abuses in one of Australias offshore prisons for migrants and refugees on the island of Nauru. Australia on Tuesday rejected a claim by Amnesty International that conditions on Nauru, where about 400 Australian-bound asylum seekers are held amount to torture . Australian PM denies Nauru prison camp claims Amestys report came on the heels of an October 7 United Nations report accusing the governments of Australia and Nauru of failing to protect children held in detention. Additionally, a UN human rights investigator said this w eek that Australias government has become increasingly secretive through a range of new laws, including the gag on officials speaking out about conditions at Australia-run immigration camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Michel Forst, the UNs Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, recommended that Australia review its secrecy laws, including the stifling Border Force Act, to remove provisions that contravene human rights principles. Forst said he had been assured by government officials during his two-week visit to Australia that no one had yet been charged under the Border Protection Act. This may well be the case, but the Acts existence and government actions aimed at censoring and intimidating advocates has had a chilling effect on the disclosure of information about violations in off-shore processing, Forst wrote in his End of Mission Statement. Legislation allows the suspension or termination of an NGO if it makes derogatory remarks about constitutional bodies. A new Bangladesh law regulating the work of foreign-funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is intended to intimidate groups critical of the government, the head of a prominent anti-corruption watchdog has told Al Jazeera. The Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act 2016 was enacted in parliament earlier this month without debate. It gives the NGO bureau a body that operates under the supervision of the prime ministers office the power to suspend the registration of an NGO or to close it down if it makes any derogatory remarks about the constitution or constitutional bodies. Constitutional bodies in Bangladesh include the parliament, the election commission, the comptroller and auditor general, the attorney generals office, the public service commission and the judiciary. The clause in the law is a way of intimidating NGOs working on governance and human rights. Their main job is to be critical of government and government bodies when they are not delivering according to their mandates, and they are supposed to raise a critical voice when that happens, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, head of Transparency International, told Al Jazeera. WATCH: Bangladeshs new reality It is clear intimidation for all NGOs which are rights-based and advocacy-orientated. At a very minimum, for organisations like us, it will have a deterrent effect and enforce self-restraint. The undefined wording allows the act to be used indiscriminately to target any particular organisation that is not liked by one section of government or the other, he added. However, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry, which drafted the provision, rejected the criticism. Freedom of expression and freedom of thinking are only for citizens. NGOs dont have this right. They do not have the right to criticise parliament or any constitutional body, chairman Suranjit Sengupta told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday. A foreign body cannot be abusive about a sovereign parliament NGOs will have to work under this law if they want to work, he said. Iftekharuzzamans criticism of the new law reflects widespread concern in Bangladeshs civil society, which fears the law will become a tool of the government to control the work of NGOs. Sultana Kamal, a human rights activist who, until recently, ran the countrys largest human rights organisation, Ain o Salish Kendra, has called the bill oppressive and contrary to democratic practices. International human rights organisations have also added their voices to these concerns. In a press release, Amnesty International said the vagueness of the wording in the law could give the authorities sweeping powers to punish NGOs simply for exercising their right to freedom of expression and criticising government bodies. On Thursday, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said the new law is a shocking new initiative by a repressive government to make civil society toe the government line, or risk being arbitrarily shut down. The government claims it is committed to freedom of expression and pluralism, but then passes a law that would make an authoritarian regime proud, he said in a statement. The law appears to be part of a wider crackdown on free expression in Bangladesh that has, in recent months, resulted in the closing down of 35 news websites without providing a reason, and arrest of journalists and Facebook activists under the Information, Communication and Technology Act 2006. On August 8, three journalists from a news website were arrested for publishing a correction to a false rumour circulating on the internet relating to an air crash involving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas son. A couple of weeks later, Dilip Roy, a student leader at the University of Rajshahi, was arrested for writing about the prime minister and her policy on the establishment of a power station near the Sundarban mangrove forest. The government is also considering enacting two other laws the Digital Security Act and the Bangladesh Liberation War (Denial, Distortion, Opposition) Crime Law. European police have arrested 18 people suspected of involvement in a continent-wide tax evasion scheme that swindled hundreds of millions of dollars. The clampdown targeted a VAT fraud gang responsible for defrauding EU citizens of approximately 320m [$350 million], Eurojust and Europol said in a combined statement in The Hague on Thursday. The syndicate used a sophisticated infrastructure including buffer companies to facilitate money laundering and crime-related money transfers spread over various members states and a number of third states. Detectives in Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain and Sweden carried out searches in a major crackdown on the crime syndicate on Wednesday. In total, police conducted 38 searches and seized more than $697,000. The operation involved more than 200 officers. READ MORE: Europol uncover major online child abuse network Thanks to a high level of close international cooperation, we contributed to preventing this group from hiding behind national borders and continuing to defraud EU citizens of huge amounts of tax money, said Germanys member of Eurojust, Gabriele Launhardt, who chaired the operations coordination. Police also executed three assets freezing and seizure orders, including several Swiss accounts. Fourth day of battle to retake ISIL stronghold sees entrance of Iraqi special forces and an advance from the northeast. Iraqi forces launched a third front in the offensive to take back Mosul but ISIL fighters put up stiff resistance, unleashing a wave of vehicle-borne suicide bombers while leaving a deadly trail of hidden explosive devices. Iraqs government said on Thursday its soldiers advanced from the south and east, while Kurdish Peshmerga fighters moved in from the north and east on the countrys second-largest city, now under control of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS. Attack helicopters strafed ISIL positions as Iraqs special forces entered the town of Bartella, 15km east of Mosuls outskirts. After we break them in Bartella, everywhere else they will crumble, said Major-General Fadhil Barwari. He said ISIL had few defences in the town, which was almost completely empty of civilians. They just left some snipers and suicide car bombs. READ MORE: Mosul battle puts Iraqi civilians at heightened risk ISIL fighters drove at least nine suicide car and truck bombs against the advancing troops, eight of which were destroyed before reaching their targets, while the ninth struck an armoured Humvee, Lieutenant-Colonel Muntadhar al-Shimmari told the Associated Press news agency. The deadly defence offered a glimpse at what Iraqi forces can expect as they approach ISILs biggest urban bastion. Al Jazeeras Imran Khan, reporting from Erbil, said as of 21:00 GMT on Thursday Bartella remained in the hands of ISIL and the fighting continued. He reported that the area of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul, also remained besieged and Iraqi forces were fighting to take villages surrounding it. This is a very tough fight, Khan said. They need to push through in order to open up a road that takes them 10km into Mosul via the highway. The battle is continuing and they are getting very close towards Mosul. The US military announced the first American death since the operation began. The US soldier died on Thursday from wounds sustained in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Iraq, though the army did not specify where. In the areas surrounding Mosul, Iraqi troops can benefit from the use of air power and artillery. The fight will be different once they enter the city, where most of the civilian population is concentrated, Khan reported. The closer you get to Mosul is where the civilians really are, and thats going to be a real challenge for both the Kurdish and the Iraqi security forces. The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 US-led invasion. Tens of thousands of troops are involved, while there are thought to be nearly 6,000 ISIL fighters in and around Mosul. It is expected to take weeks, if not months, before Mosul falls. Amer al-Jabbar, a 30-year-old soldier with the Iraqi special forces, said he was happy to be taking part in the attack and hoped to avenge two brothers killed while fighting. I had one brother who became a martyr in 2007 and another who became a martyr in 2014, AP quoted him as saying. I want to avenge them and Im ready to die. ISIL captured Mosul during a lightning-quick advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the armed group and its last major urban centre in Iraq. It is believed 1.5 million people have remained in the city, and the United Nations warned that as many as one million people could flee in the coming days, creating a serious humanitarian crisis. Former prime minister Saad Hariri says supporting Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah, is necessary to protect the country. Michel Aoun, a former military chief and ally of the armed Hezbollah group, is set to become Lebanons new president after receiving an endorsement from rival and former prime minister Saad Hariri. Thursdays endorsement paves the way for the 81-year old Maronite Christian leader to fill the post that has been vacant since May 2014. I announce today before you my decision to endorse the candidacy of General Michel Aoun for the presidency of the republic, Hariri said. He described his decision as necessary to protect Lebanon, protect the [political] system, protect the state and protect the Lebanese people. OPINION: A new Green Line for Lebanon? Hariri said the endorsement came after he had exhausted all other options and was intended to preserve the political system, reinforce the state, relaunch the economy, and distance us from the Syrian crisis. We want to protect our country from this crisis, he added. For two years and five months, the Lebanese parliament has been unable to agree on a successor to former president Michel Suleiman. Lebanons 128-member parliament is now expected to convene next week for a session to vote on the president the 46th such session since Suleimans term expired in May 2014. Lebanons president is reserved for a Christian candidate under a power-sharing agreement. The endorsement comes as a surprise with speculation that it is the result of a deal that will allow Hariri to return as prime minister. Al Jazeeras Imtiaz Tyab, reporting from the capital Beirut, said Hariris endorsement of Aoun raises some eyebrows within Hariris Saudi and Western-backed Sunni-majority party. He said at least two senior members of Hariris party announced they would oppose Aouns nomination. Hariri is finding himself in a very difficult position, our correspondent added. Aoun is allied with the Shia movement Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and has dispatched fighters to neighbouring Syria to bolster the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. He served as head of the armed forces and briefly as prime minister during Lebanons 1975-1990 civil war, when he was a staunch opponent of Syrian military presence in Lebanon. But he shocked many by brokering an alliance with Damascus ally Hezbollah in 2006, a year after his return from exile in France and after Syria pulled its troops from Lebanon. The current war in Syria has deepened existing divisions in Lebanon, with Hezbollah and its allies backing Assads regime, while Hariri and his partners support the uprising against him. More than one million Syrian refugees have also sought shelter in Lebanon, straining the countrys already stretched resources and infrastructure. The outcome of Iraqs military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is beyond doubt. ISIL was never the mythical fighting force that many people assumed, and it was always just a matter of time until the Iraqi army would regroup and reorganise. With its vastly superior numbers, armaments, funding and international support, the military will push ISIL out of its last redoubts within Iraqs territory, possibly before the end of this year. Without minimising the seriousness of the military campaign and the sacrifices of the individuals in uniform who are risking so much to liberate their country from ISIL, Iraqs more determinant challenges will lie elsewhere. It is now standard fare among analysts that Iraqs long-term objective must be to prevent the emergence of al-Qaeda 3.0 and that the Iraqi state must enact a number of common-sense measures to prevent the jihadists from remobilising within a few years. READ MORE: Mosul Battle puts Iraqi civilians at heightened risk While a short-term military victory against ISIL might be near, I am not remotely confident that the Iraqi state will establish the institutions and mechanisms that are necessary to protect its people. Iraq will have to complete its military campaign without destroying Mosul, while at the same time establishing some semblance of the rule of law and protecting its population from retribution. Most countries would find these challenges daunting and, given Iraqs track record, there is little cause for optimism here. While past failures have been depressing enough in their own right, the stakes in Mosul are much more significant, given the citys size and historical significance. Getting these issues wrong in Mosul will have far greater repercussions than they have elsewhere. In the context of a near-total absence of government oversight, regular and irregular forces have looted and burned peoples homes, tortured and sometimes even executed detainees over the past two years, often well after ISIL forces on the ground were defeated. Iraqis are living through intense times. The countrys social relations have been remarkably resilient in the face of a constant barrage of violence. Nevertheless, because of the context that we are living in, developments on the ground are now automatically interpreted through a sectarian lens by just about everyone. Military realities make it inevitable that Mosul will suffer significant physical damage in the coming weeks and months, which will cause many locals to resent Baghdad. Put in crude, sectarian terms, many local Sunnis will assume that their city was purposely reduced to rubble by Shia-led forces to punish them and possibly even encourage them to leave and never return. For people on the ground, this will be a fairly easy narrative to believe given developments over the past two years. In the context of a near-total absence of government oversight, regular and irregular forces have looted and burned peoples homes, tortured and sometimes even executed detainees over the past two years, often well after ISIL forces on the ground were defeated. While this type of behaviour is not representative of the security services overall conduct, the abuses that have taken place have been very well documented, and there has hardly been any accountability for those responsible. Less perniciously, perhaps, but just as importantly, the governments response to the tens of thousands of people who have been displaced by the fighting in places such as Tikrit, Ramadi and Fallujah has been highly deficient, with thousands being forced to languish in the open air with almost no provision. These totally unnecessary developments have given considerable ammunition to Iraqs enemies as they cast doubt on the countrys capacity to survive as a single nation. In the battle for Mosul, given what is at stake, the government has no choice but to take this issue far more seriously. The challenge for the Iraqi government will be first to control the behaviour of its military, the police and in the Popular Mobilisation Units, who in other contexts have unnecessarily damaged property and infrastructure and committed horrific abuses against ordinary citizens. This will require oversight and accountability measures of the type that have been lacking in Iraq in recent memory. The Iraqi government will also have to counter the sectarian narrative by clearly explaining the precautions that have been taken to prevent unnecessary damage to the city and to protect its people during the military campaign. In the past, the Iraqi government has responded to allegations of abuse either by not reacting at all, or by downplaying the damage caused and its significance. Even where the government successfully liberated Tikrit, allowing the vast majority of its inhabitants to return unmolested, it did not adequately carry that message, leaving the narrative to be depicted in starkly negative terms. Iraqi Prime Minister, Hayder al-Abadi, appears to be taking this issue more seriously than in the past. He has issued clear instructions to all groups involved in the fighting and has delivered convincing statements designed to reassure the local population about their future. However, the problem since 2014 has not been an absence of good intentions but the failure to establish the type of oversight mechanisms that would cause for good intentions to be reflected in reality. Given past performance on both issues, there is little cause of optimism that the government will rise to the challenge. READ MORE: The day after the battle for Mosul After the battle against ISIL in Mosul has been won, and even if no major abuses take place, there is still a risk of the terrorist network rising again out of the ashes, as it did from 2009 to 2014. After al-Qaedas first defeat in 2008, they were able to exploit Iraqs decrepit security arrangements, its corrupt politics and its ineffectual justice sector to re-establish their racketeering networks, to rearm and to intimidate and assassinate their opponents over a period of years. They did so safe in the knowledge that state institutions were incapable of investigating, arresting, prosecuting or punishing anyone apart from the weak and vulnerable. The only way to counter this and prevent it from recurring will be to reform the courts, the police and the countrys intelligence sector to ensure that they are capable of monitoring, investigating and prosecuting terrorist and criminal networks as they seek to re-establish themselves. Establishing the rule of law in Iraq will be far more difficult than people realise for at least two reasons. First, the countrys legal framework is essentially non-existent. There are no laws to govern the Ministry of the Interior apart from a secret Baath-era law that no one appears to have a copy of or to control any of the very many intelligence agencies that were created since 2003. All function in the absence of clear mandates, operating procedures or oversight. Enacting the necessary legislation to make each of these bodies more accountable and efficient would be a monumental task for any country. Which is why it is so unfortunate that the body responsible for enacting this legislation, the Iraqi parliament, is the most ineffectual of all state institutions. Fuelled by a highly deficient electoral law, parliamentarians openly abuse their positions, engaging in corruption and even bragging at how much wealth they have accumulated. READ MORE: Will Fallujah put an end to ISIL in Iraq? It would be foolish to assume that the parliament is either capable or willing to enact the type of legislation at issue, mainly because the logical result of any such action would be that a large proportion of parliamentarians would end up in jail. Therefore, if the only path to establishing security and the rule of law in Iraq is through parliamentary reform, then the only avenue of opportunity for genuine reform is to replace the current parliamentarians in the 2018 elections. The long-term success of Iraqs military campaign will depend on the emergence of new political movements taking over the reins of government, which is a remote possibility to say the least. Al-Qaeda 2.0 may be close to defeat, but for anyone who thinks that this fight is over, al-Qaeda 3.0 is just around the corner. *Author of The Struggle for Iraqs Future. Al Jazeera speaks to a resident trapped with his young family as battle to retake the city enters its fifth day. Families inside Iraqs Mosul say they are living in fear and desperation as the military operation to retake the city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) pushes on. Speaking to Al Jazeera on the phone from inside Mosul, Abu Yazan, 36, who didnt want his real name used fearing reprisals from the group, said fleeing the city was not possible at this stage. There is no way out for us as families. Even if we think about fleeing the city, that is not possible at the time being. We are being held hostages; ISIL took the whole city of Mosul as hostage, said the father of three children. Two-pronged offensive launched in battle for Mosul Abu Yazan said the only passage that families can take is into neighbouring Syria on a road west of Mosul that cuts through the desert. I have three children, the youngest is four, and the eldest is 11. I will never risk their lives and cross the desert with them. We might be targeted, we might die of thirst, or even lose our way. Since the operation began, Abu Yazan said ISIL increased the number of fighters in the city and increased security checkpoints as well, adding the group was forcing anyone who owns a vehicle to replace their car plate with ones made by ISIL, which read State of Nineveh', to reflect the Nineveh governate of which Mosul is capital of its self-proclaimed caliphate. Abu Yazan is one of 1.5 million civilians trapped inside the city. As Iraqi, Kurdish and coalition forces push into the city, international aid agencies have warned of the potential consequences on civilian lives. There are real fears that the offensive to retake Mosul could produce a human catastrophe resulting in one of the largest man-made displacement crises in recent years, William Spindler, spokesman for the United Nations aid agency, said. The UN has estimated as many as one million Iraqis may flee their homes in a matter of weeks. Mosul, Iraqs second largest city, fell to ISIL in June 2014 and is currently its last major stronghold in the country. While the advance to take back the city is viewed as a positive step, it poses life-threatening risks for civilians who try to flee from under ISILs control or are caught in the crossfire. READ MORE: Iraqi civilians may face abuse, torture in Mosul battle Human rights groups predict the citys civilians may face death, torture, and displacement. We are trapped. There is no safe place in Mosul... We fear for our lives if the sectarian militias enter Mosul. by Abu Yazan, civilian in Mosul Although much of the threat comes from ISIL fighters, human rights organisations have found civilians are also vulnerable to mistreatment by the Iraqi army and the state-sponsored Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU). The PMU, comprised mostly of Shia militias but also include Sunni groups and others, was officially designated part of the Iraqi armed forces in February 2016, after it took centre stage in the fight against ISIL in 2014. The militias have been accused of abducting, killing, and torturing civilians in past operations to retake territory from ISIL. Abu Yazan said residents of Mosul hope PMU fighters are not allowed to enter the city. We are trapped. There is no safe place in Mosul. We fear random bombing, we fear for our lives if the sectarian militias enter Mosul. A recent report released by UK-based rights group Amnesty International detailed the brutality experienced by civilians at the hands of ISIL, PMU, and Iraqi security forces in previous confrontations. It is imperative that all the forces involved Iraqi, Kurdish, and the US-led coalition do not target civilians and spare no efforts to avoid disproportionate attacks in civilian residential areas, that they ensure that civilians wanting to flee have safe routes to flee, Donatella Rovera, the senior crisis response adviser for Amnesty, told Al Jazeera on Wednesday. According to the UN, about 3.3 million Iraqis, or 10 percent of Iraqs 33 million population, have been displaced from their homes since the beginning of the crisis in January 2014, when ISIL overran large swaths of the country. More than one million Iraqis fled between 2006 and 2008 because of the sectarian war in Iraq, following the US-led invasion and occupation in 2003. The Mosul operation is expected to yield another mass exodus of civilians, who are paying the highest price for the conflict. Abu Yazan said he hopes the military offensive will end as quickly as possible. It might be the only way that our suffering ends, when the operation is done and the Iraqi army would have control over Mosul. We have faith in the Iraqi army and the Kurdish Peshmerga. Incident comes a day after 19-year-old woman was killed by officers who appeared to shoot her as she lay on the ground. Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank shot dead a Palestinian teenager who hurled rocks at a patrol, the army said. The incident occurred in the Beit Ummar area near the city of Hebron. The Palestinian health ministry named the slain Palestinian as 15-year-old Khaled Bahar. Rocks were hurled at the soldiers, wounding one of them lightly, a spokesperson told AFP news agency, adding that the soldiers first fired warning shots and then [fired] towards the suspect, resulting in his death. Violence since October 2015 has killed 235 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out alleged knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were shot dead during protests or clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians, as well as Israeli and international rights groups, say Israeli forces have, in some cases, used excessive force to subdue attackers. Meanwhile, Israeli police defended the officers who shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian woman accused of trying to stab them on Wednesday, after video emerged appearing to show them fire at her as she lay on the ground. Police said an inquiry had been opened into the shooting. No Israelis were hurt in the incident at a junction near the Palestinian city of Nablus, police said. The video shows a partial picture of the event, police spokesperson Luba Samri said in a statement. It is not possible to see the terrorist moving towards the officers while handling the knife and endangering their lives. The Palestinian foreign ministry harshly criticised the shooting, saying that the recording shows the soldiers continued to shoot her despite her falling to the ground and not representing any threat to them. The incidents came as Jews celebrated the week-long holiday of Sukkot, the third of three successive Jewish holidays that have led to tensions with the Palestinians in the past. Filipino president says he prefers character of an Oriental after meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. President Rodrigo Duterte has declared the Philippines separation from long-standing ally the United States during a visit in Beijing as he rebalances his countrys diplomacy towards China. Dutertes comments came after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square on Thursday. The two also pledged to enhance trust and friendship and played down a maritime dispute in the South China Sea. I announce my separation from the United States, both in military but economics also, Duterte announced at a meeting of Filipino and Chinese businessmen in Beijing. America has lost it, Duterte was quoted as saying in a transcript of his speech by the Philippine Presidential Communications Office on Friday morning. I mean, I realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. OPINION: Rodrigo Dutertes pivot to China Duterte is in China on a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijings sphere of influence and its deep pockets. Xi called the two countries neighbours across the sea with no reason for hostility or confrontation, the official Xinhua news agency said. The two leaders held extensive and amicable official talks and oversaw the signing of 13 bilateral deals, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said his country and China will sign $13.5bn in deals this week. He did not elaborate. Separately, the Philippines Presidential Communications Office said Xi committed more than $9bn in low-interest loans to the country, with about one third of that coming from private banks. About $15m in loans will go towards drug rehabilitation programmes. Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said Dutertes visit was very significant and a diplomatic victory for China, with the Philippines agreeing to resume bilateral talks after years of confrontation. A visit like this would have been impossible just six months ago, when the war of words between Manila and Beijing was at its height. Richard Javad Heydarian, a political analyst, said by declaring a strong alliance with China, Duterte is going against the Filipino peoples inclination towards the US. A survey just came out yesterday, which says that the US enjoys a plus 66 net approval rating. China has a negative 31 favourability rating, Heydarian told Al Jazeera. He also said the Philippine military is very predisposed towards the United States, while very critical towards China. Since 1951, the Philippines has maintained a defence treaty with the US, which pledges that both countries would come to each others defence in case of an armed attack. The White House said on Thursday the Philippine government has not officially asked to end any security or economic ties between the US and Manila. We have not received any official requests from Filipino officials to alter any of our many issues where we bilaterally cooperate, White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters. Loud and rowdy Under Dutertes predecessor, Benigno Aquino, the China and the Philippines were at loggerheads over the South China Sea where Beijing has built a series of artificial islands but since taking office in June the new head of state has changed course. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, Liu said. Dutertes visit to Beijing capped a series of recent declarations blasting the United States and President Barack Obama. Duterte was quoted by the Manila-based website Rappler calling Americans loud, sometimes rowdy. Their larynx is not adjusted to civility. He said he prefers China because it has the character of an Oriental. It does not go around insulting people. Addressing the Filipino community in Beijing on Wednesday, the firebrand leader said the Philippines had gained little from its long alliance with the US, its former colonial ruler. Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend, he said, as if addressing the US. He also repeated his denunciation of Obama as a son of a whore. In a world where a blog is created every second does the world really need another blog? Well, it's got one. An irregular set of postings, weaving an intricate pattern around a diverse set of subjects. Comment on culture, technology, politics and the occasional rant about life. Alan ... in Belfast, Northern Ireland Fourth day of battle to retake ISIL stronghold sees entrance of Iraqi special forces and advance from northeast. The Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces have begun a new two-pronged offensive against ISIL in Mosul, from the northeastern Bashiqa region and through eastern Bartella villages. Iraqi special forces joined Thursdays offensive in a pre-dawn advance on Bartella, encountering heavy fire from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL). Major General Maan al-Saadi said the elite Counterterrorism Forces were helped by US-led coalition air raids and heavy artillery on the fourth day of the massive operation to retake Iraqs second-largest city from ISIL, which is also known as ISIS. Al Jazeeras Zeina Khodr, reported hearing the sound of heavy gunfire and artillery from the frontline near Bartella, as the offensive got under way. Earlier this morning, ISIL tried to send a suicide car bomber, but that was destroyed, Khodr said. READ MORE: Mosul battle puts Iraqi civilians at heightened risk The focus of this latest offensive is to reach the perimeters of Mosul city, Khodr added, reporting that the area in Bartella where the push is ongoing is roughly 12km away. Special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where ISIL fighters are preparing for a climactic battle. In the areas surrounding Mosul, Iraqi troops can benefit from the use of air power and artillery, whereas the fight will be very different once they enter the city, Khodr reported. Al Jazeeras Hoda Abdel Hamid, reporting from the frontline near Bashiqa, said that the intensive northeastern offensive, led by the Kurdish Peshmerga, also marks a new entry point into the battle. So far, the northeast has remained static. It is the first time they have pushed through here, all the way from the Mosul Dam, she said. Kurdish Peshmerga forces here are ready to encounter a lot of booby traps, as well as one of the main challenges so far, suicide bombers. But they do have air support, as well as artillery and mortar fire [as back-up]. Abdel Hamid reported that there were large explosions and a stream of ambulances rushing back towards the hospitals from the frontlines, indicating casualties on the Peshmerga side in the early hours of Thursdays offensive. Just as the Peshmerga forces recaptured nine villages on the first day of the offensive, the goal of the northeastern push is to retake and secure surrounding areas in Bashiqa before awaiting support from Iraqi troops to prepare to enter Mosul city, Abdel Hamid added. Meanwhile, civilians have already been displaced by the advance and ensuing battles, with hundreds of thousands more expected in the coming weeks. The United Nations said it fears that up to a million people could be forced from their homes by the fighting. And in Mosul, hundreds of thousands of civilians were trapped with dwindling supplies on Wednesday, many sheltering in basements. We couldnt sleep last night because of the air strikes. The explosions were huge but Im not sure what the targets were, said Abu Saif, a 47-year-old resident contacted by AFP news agency. Many families are starting to run out of some basic food goods, there is no commercial activity in Mosul the city is cut off from the world. Battle for Mosul The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 US-led invasion. More than 100,000 troops are involved, while there are thought to be nearly 5,000 ISIL fighters in and around Mosul. It is expected to take weeks, if not months. Amer al-Jabbar, a 30-year-old soldier with the Iraqi special forces, said he was happy to be taking part in the attack and hoped to avenge two brothers killed while fighting for the Iraqi security forces. I had one brother who became a martyr in 2007 and another who became a martyr in 2014, AP quoted him as saying. I want to avenge them and Im ready to die. ISIL captured Mosul during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the armed group and its last major urban bastion in Iraq. Iraqs US-trained special forces are seen as far more capable than the security forces that crumbled as ISIL advanced in 2014. They have played a central role in retaking several cities and towns over the past year, including Ramadi and Fallujah, in the western Anbar province. Nearly 30,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the Peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shia militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began on Monday after months of preparation. They will be advancing on the city from several directions. The US military is carrying out air strikes and artillery shelling in support of the operation. More than 100 US forces are embedded with the Iraqis, and hundreds more are playing a supporting role in staging bases. Major General Gary Volesky, the top commander of US land forces in Iraq, said on Wednesday that US Army Apache attack helicopters were striking ISIL targets in support of the operation. Homes, schools and crops destroyed as powerful typhoon strikes main island of Luzon, but no reports of deaths. One of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit the Philippines destroyed houses, tore roofs off schools and ripped giant trees out of the ground on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of deaths. Super Typhoon Haima hit the northern province of Cagayan late on Wednesday night with winds similar to those of catastrophic Haiyan in 2013, which was then the strongest storm to strike the disaster-prone Southeast Asian archipelago and claimed more than 7,350 lives. Haima roared across mountain and farming communities of the northern regions of the main island of Luzon overnight, and by morning a picture was emerging of large-scale destruction. Rice and corn plants as far as the eye can see are flattened, Villamor Visaya, a university teacher in Ilagan, one of the main northern cities with a population of 130,000 people, told the AFP news agency by phone. Many houses were destroyed. I saw one school building crushed under a large tree it was as if our house was being pulled from its foundations. Haima hit coastal towns facing the Pacific Ocean with sustained winds of 225km an hour, and wind gusts of up to 315km/hr. It weakened overnight as it rammed into giant mountain ranges and by Thursday morning had passed over the western edge of Luzon and into the South China Sea, heading towards southern China. Jefferson Soriano, mayor of Tuguegarao, the capital of Cagayan where Haima made landfall, reported badly damaged schools and gymnasiums where people had sought shelter. They are calling for help because the roofs have been torn off. The problem is, our rescuers here are unable to go out and help, Soriano told DZMM radio before dawn while the storm was still raging. In in the mountains of Carranglan, a town of about 40,000 people, on the southern edge of the typhoons direct path, landslides had left a bus trapped in mud on Thursday morning. Men walked knee-deep through mud and floodwaters across a destroyed road in Carranglan, while aluminium roof sheeting lay on a nearby hillside. The Syrian military said on Thursday a unilateral ceasefire backed by Russia had come into force to allow people to leave besieged eastern Aleppo, a move rejected by rebels who say they are preparing a counter-offensive to break the blockade. Rebels say the goal of Moscow and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is to empty opposition-held areas of civilians so they can take over the whole city. They talk about humanitarian corridors, but why are they not allowing food into besieged eastern Aleppo to alleviate our suffering? We only need the Russian bombers to stop killing our children. We dont want to leave, said Ammar al-Qaran, a resident in Sakhour district. Syrian state-owned Ikhbariyah television said rebels had fired a mortar barrage near to where ambulances had been heading to take patients from the besieged parts of the city for treatment in government-held areas. READ MORE: Aleppo and the myth of Syrias sovereignty Also on Thursday, a UN aid official for Syria said Russia agreed to extend daily pauses in military action against rebel-held eastern Aleppo for four more days. Jan Egeland told The Associated Press news agency that the UN on Thursday received verbal assurances for the extension by a day from three days previously both from Russias diplomatic mission in Geneva and in writing from Russian military officials in Syria. Egeland noted the UN had already received assurances a day earlier from Moscow that the daily pauses in air strikes and artillery shelling would be extended from eight hours to 11 hours per day. We have gotten it extended in both hours and in terms of days, he said, adding the UN has a window from Friday at least until Monday. Egeland said the UN received green lights it needed from Syrias government, armed opposition groups, and Russia, which announced the pause in fighting that began on Thursday. He said the UN hoped to organise evacuations of several hundred critically wounded or sick people with their families, either to government-controlled western Aleppo or to the rebel-held city of Idlib to the southwest, and deliver medical supplies to eastern Aleppo. An estimated 275,000 civilians remain trapped in the citys east. Putins instructions Russias Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday the humanitarian pause has been extended on President Vladimir Putins instructions and was supported by the Syrian government. Putin said Russia was ready to extend the pause in air strikes if the rebels did not escalate fighting. The Kremlin specified that the rebels attempt to re-arm and re-group would derail the humanitarian pause. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed anew for a long-term ceasefire in Aleppo. Merkel said as she arrived on Thursday at a European Union summit in Brussels that she hoped EU leaders would make clear that what is happening in Aleppo, with Russian support, is completely inhuman. There must be work as soon as possible on achieving a ceasefire not just one over several hours per day, followed by many hours of bombing, but a lasting ceasefire. Since Russia intervened in the war more than a year ago, the governments side has gained the upper hand on numerous fronts, including Aleppo, where the opposition-held sector has been completely encircled for weeks. READ MORE: Can urban agriculture help to save east Aleppo? The Syrian army has pressed ahead with a major campaign, supported by Iranian-backed militias and Russian air power, to take full control of Syrias largest city, divided between rebel and government zones since 2012. The rebels, however, said they were preparing a large-scale offensive to break the siege of Aleppo. The coming battle is not going to be like others. We are waiting for the signal of the start of a decisive battle which will surprise the regime and its militias, Abu Obeida al-Ansari, a commander from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, said in a statement on social media. The Turkish military said its fighter jets hit Syrian Kurdish targets in northern Syria, and killed up to 200 fighters, according to state media. The jets hit 18 targets in Maarrat Umm Hawsh, a region north of the city of Aleppo, the official news agency Anadolu said. Quoting the army, the report claimed that between 160 and 200 fighters from the YPG, the Peoples Protection Units, were killed in the raids on Wednesday night. A Syrian-Kurdish forces leader, however, said that while Turkish jets and artillery were attacking, no more than 10 fighters had been killed so far. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said at least nine YPG fighters were confirmed killed and 26 people were injured in some 20 raids. Anadolu said nine buildings used as YPG headquarters, meeting points, shelters and weapons depots were destroyed as well as four vehicles. Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the death toll. The Anadolu report said that the YPG had attacked Turkish-backed Syrian rebels. However, the Observatory said it had no information on such an incident. On Thursday, the Syrian military said it would bring down any Turkish war planes entering Syrian air space. Any attempt to once again breach Syrian airspace by Turkish war planes will be dealt with and they will be brought down by all means available, the Syrian army general command said in a statement. US-Turkey tension over Syria In August, Turkey launched a ground operation in northern Syria, targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group and the YPG, and continues to maintain a military presence in the neighbouring country. The United States considers the YPG to be a key force in the fight against ISIL in Syria. Turkey says the group is an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish fighters the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) who have carried out a series of deadly attacks in Turkey over the past year. Tensions between Turkey and the US have increased over the YPG, but Ankara has repeatedly said it will not allow a terror corridor on its southern border and wants to prevent the joining of the Kurdish cantons of Afrin and Kobane. It will be interesting to see what the United States has to say about the attack Turkey has carried out on the force [the US] sees as effective in fighting ISIL in Syria , said Al Jazeeras Mohammed Adow, reporting from Gaziantep a Turkish border town near Syria. Turkey entered the Syrian war to try and remove ISIL from its border which last month Ankara said it achieved while also aiming to halt the westward advance of the YPG. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey would not wait for terrorist organisations to come and attack us during a speech in Ankara. These organisations, wherever their activities are, wherever they are nesting, we will go [there], he said. At least 11 people killed on first day of truce aimed at facilitating delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance. Scattered clashes between rebels and pro-government forces in Yemen have undermined a UN-brokered ceasefire aimed at facilitating the delivery of much-needed humanitarian supplies in the war-devastated country. At least 11 people were killed on the first day of the ceasefire, which despite sporadic attacks was largely holding across the country after taking effect shortly before midnight on Wednesday. Both sides blamed the other for breaching the 72-hour truce. At least 10,000 people have been killed more than half of them civilians in the conflict while another three million are displaced and millions more need food aid. The government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, said on Thursday that Iranian-allied Houthi rebels shelled the strategic city of Taiz, which is held by pro-government forces. Taiz suffered heavy shelling and the siege of it by the Houthis has continued, Yemeni General Samir Haj was quoted as saying by the state news agency Saba. Meanwhile, a Houthi-run news agency said its fighters had repelled attacks by government forces in the northwestern al-Jawf province in the early hours of the truce. The deaths on Thursday included three civilians killed in a coalition air raid on Saada province, a Houthi stronghold, according to rebel-controlled media. Yemeni foreign minister talks to Al Jazeera Five pro-government fighters were killed in two rebel attacks in Saada and Hajja provinces, according to pro-government forces, while three rebels were said to have died in attacks in the Red Sea province of Hodeida. A man and his daughter were also wounded in a cross-border attack from Yemen on the kingdoms Jazan region, according to Saudi civil defence authorities. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to support pro-government forces after Houthi rebels overran much of the country. Saudi Arabia and the United States accuse Iran of arming fighters allied with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, charges Tehran denies. Both sides declared respect for the ceasefire but reserved the right to respond to infractions. The coalition has said it will continue an air and maritime embargo to prevent shipments of weapons to the rebels, and will maintain airborne reconnaissance. At dawn, coalition aircraft flew twice over the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, without conducting raids, according to residents, who said they had had enough of failed truces. Mocking us Theyre 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. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said late on Wednesday the truce should be a first step towards resuming UN-led peace talks, urging all parties in the conflict to respect it. VIDEO: The economic damage of Yemens war The ceasefire will allow urgent humanitarian assistance to reach large parts of the population that have suffered drastic shortages in basic needs such as food and medical supplies, she said. The last ceasefire attempt began in April and collapsed as UN-brokered peace talks broke down in August. The UNs humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, told reporters on Wednesday that he hoped the truce would provide a chance for aid workers to reach areas isolated by the fighting. Were seeing very high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity, he said. Two weeks after a UF competitive Bollywood dance group was confronted with racial slurs, UF students want to show their support. Praveen Varanasi, a former senator in the Student Senate, said hes sponsoring a Student Government resolution, authored by three Impact Party senators, responding to the incident. The resolution needs to be approved by SG committees before it can reach the Senate. The resolution is the Student Senates way to say they stand in solidarity with the dance team Gator Adaa, he said. On Tuesday, the Asian American Student Union posted a letter of support on its Facebook page condemning the incident in which two men mocked the Gator Adaa dance group and compared them to an invasive species. The group, made up of 13 women, was practicing for a competition outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Oct. 4 when the encounter occurred, according to Alligator archives. In the letter, AASU stated this inexcusable act of bias reminds us of the importance of education and advocacy for (Asian and Pacific Islander American) issues on a collegiate level and beyond. Kevin Doan, the president of AASU and the letters co-author, said if a similar event happened again, he would respond quicker. He had a draft prepared six days after the incident but spent time revising it. For us, we felt that even though we are a little over two weeks past the point, its still an important discussion, Doan said. Doan said he wanted to support the South Asian community, a group that isnt often considered part of the APIA community. Our goal is to try to strive for advocating for all Asian American identities, he said. Its just unfortunate that acts like this happen on campus. Its reality, but its up to us in how we respond. Varanasi, the president of Indian Student Association, said he appreciated the letter regardless of when it was posted. I dont think theres necessarily a time limit on it, he said. Theyve always been very supportive, and I appreciate their support. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Update: Tim Kaine will be speaking at the Reitz Union on UF's campus at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine will hold a campaign rally in Alachua County on Sunday afternoon. As of press time, event details, including the exact time and location, have not yet been determined, according to hillaryclinton.com, the Democratic presidential candidates campaign website. Those interested in attending the rally can RSVP on the website. Jake Best, the president of Gators 4 Hillary, said he expects the Virginia senator to encourage residents to vote, a convenient topic because early voting in Florida begins Monday. Im sure its not a coincidence that hes coming Sunday, a day before early voting, Best said. Best said he saw the announcement on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon after leaving his French class. He then texted Mahen Gunaratna, Floridas Hillary for America communications director, to confirm the rally would happen. I was very excited, the 19-year-old UF journalism sophomore said. I was hoping that wed get someone to come to Gainesville for a rally. On Friday, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Fla., will also be in Gainesville as she hosts a volunteer training session at Gainesville Police headquarters, located at 545 NW Eighth Ave., according to Clintons website. Andrea Miranda, the secretary of UF College Democrats, said shell be shortening a trip to her familys home in Orlando to see Kaine speak. The UF political science senior said she hopes to bring her 16-year-old sister with her. Miranda said she wants to learn more about Kaine as a person, noting that since Clinton named him as her vice presidential pick, it was revealed that Kaine speaks Spanish and plays harmonica. I just want to hear more about him, she said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Hours before the final presidential debate began, Gainesville resident Kyle Young made his stance known, painting Trump is Revolution and Hillary for Prison on the graffiti-filled 34th Street Wall. The 30-year-old, who doesnt identify with a major party, said he will vote for Republican candidate Donald Trump come Election Day because he thinks the millionaire real-estate mogul is a better choice than Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate. As he painted the wall over the course of several hours, he said his children ages 6 and 2 came to mind. I want America for them, because I think its gone, he said. During the debate, held in Las Vegas, Trump and Clinton spoke about their visions for the country. They argued about Supreme Court nominations, abortion and immigration, as well as both candidates recent scandals, including the hacking of Clintons campaign managers emails and allegations of sexual abuse against Trump. At The Swamp Restaurant on West University Avenue, Trump supporters watched the debate on two TVs, squeezing about 70 people on the upper balcony. The UF College Republicans organization hosted the watch party and were joined by Turning Point USA at UF, a nonpartisan activist organization. Trump supporters boasted T-shirts, buttons, hats and stickers and handed out koozies bearing Trumps name and his slogan, Make America Great Again. Kevin Lemos, a UF computer engineering freshman, said he supports Trump because hes an ultra-conservative who understands the importance of Supreme Court justice selections. Theres a lot of justices that are, like, a thousand years old, and they arent always going to be around, the 19-year-old said. As Clinton responded to the first question of the debate regarding Supreme Court picks she favors those who are pro-choice and pro-gun-control Lemos shook his head, his lips pursed. Shes literally listing point by point why Im voting for Trump, he said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now At the Regal Gainesville Cinema Stadium 14, located at 3101 SW 35th Blvd., about 40 people settled into reclining chairs to watch the candidates on the big screen. Lori Sandholdt, a 53-year-old Gainesville resident, came to the theater with her two children, excited to watch Clinton defend her vision. Sandholdt, who voted for Clinton in the 2008 democratic primaries against now-President Barack Obama, said shes confident Clinton would make a better president than Trump, citing the candidates decades of political experience and inclusive ideals. She said the unusual presidential race one thats more informal than most has been entertaining thus far. I think its been very interesting to watch how the American public has approached this election and how the candidates have responded to the publics support or lack of support, Sandholdt said. On the corner of Northwest Sixth Street and Northwest 23rd Avenue, a gloomier message greeted motorists on a sign stationed outside a National Vacuum store. Roses are red/Violets are blue/Your candidate sucks/And mine does, too, it read. Alligator staff photographer Grace King contributed to this report. Fall is finally here, and you know what that means: going to pumpkin patches, having your friend take 53 pictures of you holding the same pumpkin at various angles and drinking pumpkin spice lattes to stay toasty in our crisp 82-degree weather! But in all seriousness, even though we dont have the cold weather and falling leaves right now, there are plenty of ways to get in the fall spirit right here in Gainesville. Pumpkin patches This is a guide to some of the best and worst pumpkin patches to visit in Gainesville, from those offering ziplines and bounce houses to those with minimal attractions. BEST - U Pick Lane Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze Although its quite a drive, this pumpkin patch, located at 2391 NE 140th Ave. in Williston, Florida, is well worth it. Its easily the best and most authentic fall experience youre going to be able to have within a driving distance of Gainesville. This pumpkin patch not only has a real patch where you are able to pick your pumpkin directly off the stem, but it also includes a beautiful corn maze and a zip line. This zip line isnt just for children; it can easily fly any college student across the farm! For only $10 all of these attractions are available to visitors. With reasonably priced pumpkins, horses to pet, hay to climb and delicious corn to eat, this pumpkin patch has everything you could possibly hope for this fall season. BEST - Gainesville Church of God Pumpkin Patch Located at 7003 NW 39th Ave., this is a pumpkin patch I would highly recommend visiting. This pumpkin patch is not only a memorable way to spend a fall day, but it also has a charitable purpose: All of the profits made are going directly to needy children and families in both Gainesville and Guatemala. So you can buy pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, play pumpkin checkers and have your face painted, all for a great cause. The pumpkin patch even includes a free bouncy house college students are allowed to jump in, and the church also throws Halloween movie nights on Fridays. WORST - Trinity United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch This was among one of the more disappointing pumpkin patches to visit in Gainesville. Theres nothing wrong with this pumpkin patch; it just does not offer the same exciting attractions and fall experiences the other pumpkin patches do. But if youre simply looking to pick up a pumpkin and take a couple fall pictures, then this is the place for you, and the place even has a few spots set up just for picture taking. WORST - Wesley United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch This pumpkin patch is also one I would not highly recommend visiting. Wesleys pumpkin patch, located at 826 NW 23rd Ave., is a short distance from campus but wont give you the experience youll be able to find at any of the other pumpkin patches. It is much smaller than all of the patches previously mentioned, and it is not the most ideal place to take your fall pictures considering the fact it is directly on a main road. But if youre in the market for the sole purpose of buying a pumpkin to carve, this is the perfect place to stop by! Your local fall favorites Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Its October, so every coffee shop has pumpkin-spiced everything. This fall season, let us take a detour from some of the more overplayed fall favorites like the typical pumpkin spice lattes and try some new fall flavors in our local Gainesville coffee shops! BEST - Maudes Classic Cafe One coffee shop thats full of new interesting flavors is Maudes Classic Cafe, located at 101 SE Second Place. Here I tried a pumpkin-spiced Italian soda for the first time, and although it sounds a bit strange, it was the most delicious drink Ive tasted in Gainesville thus far. The cafe also has a variety of other fall specials worth noting: blackberry lavender white mochas, honey and cinnamon milkshakes, hot cider and hot cinnamon spice tea. BEST - Patticakes Another coffee shop thats worth swinging by is Patticakes. There are also new fall flavors to try there, including Mayan hot cocoa, sea salt hot cocoa and hot apple cider topped with caramel. Of course, you cant resist grabbing one of a pumpkin chocolate chip cupcake while youre at it. Once you visit one of these local coffee shops and taste the fall treats, youre going to thank me for breaking your typical Starbucks routine! Gainesvilles hot fall events BEST - Adult trick-or-treating For those looking for some alcoholic treats instead of sugary ones, Swamp Head Brewery has you covered. From 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Oct. 26, the brewery will be holding an adult trick-or-treating event with candy-inspired beers like Reeses Stout, Mounds Catherines Russian Imperial Stout and Warhead Berliner, according to the events Facebook page. BEST - Boo at the Zoo This is a great option for those looking for a family-friendly Halloween. The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo will transform into a big trick-or-treating event with 14 candy stations, food and music. The event will run from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, and admission is one canned good per person, which will go to local charities. WORST - All Saints Day Cemetery Tour This is a self-guided tour through the Kanapaha Presbyterian Church Cemetery, which was founded in the late 1850s, on Oct. 30 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. It makes the Worst list because why are you in a cemetery the day before Halloween? Arent you really pushing your luck? (These may also be personal issues.) Brooklyn electronic rock outfit Bear Hands will perform at High Dive on Monday as part of its national tour, which supports the bands 2016 release, Youll Pay For This. Though Bear Hands has been an active band since 2006, it took the release of its sophomore album, Distraction, in 2014 to get the group mainstream play. If youre unfamiliar with the band, try listening to the track Giants, from the album Distraction. Its quiet drum-machine intro is followed by the abrupt sound of Dylan Raus distinctive sing-shout. He chants choppy verses over huge instrumental sounds, swelling with sustained synth lines and accented by a poignant guitar riff. Perhaps Bear Hands most distinctive characteristic is Dylan Raus vocal style. Fast-paced verses arent so much sung as barked by Rau, who seems to incorporate rap influences into the pacing of his lyrics. I listen to a lot more hip-hop than rock these days, Rau said. Though I would never consider myself a rapper, I think there are definitely some hip-hop vibes on our new record. The stand out tracks on Youll Pay For This, though, tend to be slower and more heartfelt than those from Distraction. Where a track like Agora from the second album sounds like a party-rock banger with upbeat, call-and-response-style vocals, 2AM from this years release maintains a more relaxed, almost defeated pace. Its like Distraction represents an amped-up night of binge-drinking, dancing and sexual encounters, while Youll Pay For This feels more like a hangover. Its pacing reflects a more contemplative, even regretful sound. What I love about Bear Hands is how every one of their albums sounds different, Juan Salguero, a 20-year-old UF English junior, said. Their first album is super psychedelic, but their second is way more poppy. This new one is still poppy but sad, too. Bear Hands released its first two albums through Cantora Records. This independent label based out of Brooklyn, New York, is most notable for its work with electro-pop duo MGMT, artists who, at times, sonically resemble Bear Hands. With this new album, though, Bear Hands made a big leap. The group released Youll Pay For This through its own record label, Spensive Sounds. After 10 years of playing together without a lineup change, the bands members took the path of their music into their own hands. Being in the same band with the same people for 10 years can be difficult, Rau said, but I love the guys, and this definitely feels like an achievement. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketfly.com or Hear Again Records in advance for $15 or at the door for $17. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Jon Corzine taught us we can't trust people with our money. Marissa Mayer showed we can't trust others with our emails. John Stumpf and Carrie Tolstedt have now demonstrated we can't trust anyone with our identities. See what I did there? I personalized the problem. I bet it hooked you in, but it's a nasty trick that can lead to scapegoating and witch hunts without finding any lasting solutions. The people aren't the problem here. Or at least, they're not the whole problem. Let's start over: The Wells Fargo scandal is an example of what happens when a system requires you to effectively hand over the keys to your identity to strangers as if you were giving them your car keys. News broke Wednesday that California's attorney general, Kamala Harris, is investigating Wells Fargo on allegations of criminal identify theft. It's unclear how strong a legal case Harris may have. But even if she's grandstanding, she's made an important connection. As most readers know, more than 5,000 branch employees created roughly 2 million sham accounts under the watch of former Chief Executive Stumpf and former retail chief Tolstedt. Regardless of whether that conduct met a legal definition of identity theft, it clearly involved the unauthorized use of personal information. (A spokesman for Wells Fargo would say only that the bank is cooperating with the request for information,) To be clear, I'm not making an argument for prosecuting anyone. This isn't another post about who should be fired or whose pay should get clawed back or "ZOMG why hasn't anyone gone to jail yet?" Leave that to the tarantulas. Harsh punishment might deter banker misbehavior. And properly aligned sales incentives would surely go a long way in preventing debacles like this. But a fundamental vulnerability remains: We have no control over our personally identifiable information. We have to trust countless third parties to protect it and not to abuse it. And when someone attempts to misuse our data, whether it's a cyberthief or a bank employee desperate to meet sales quotas, we don't find out until after the fact, if at all. That's a broken system. Rather than having to hand out car keys, individuals should have the power to give valet keys to their identity. A valet key can't open the trunk or the glove department, and it allows the car to go only so fast. Personal data likewise should be shared on a conditional basis, with the limitations on what can be done with it enforced by contract, cryptography, or some combination. Note that I am not calling for a government mandate. In Europe and the U.K., regulators are pushing banks to open up their data through application programming interfaces, so customers can easily port their information from one bank to another. It's a worthy goal for those who value competitive markets, but a distasteful means for us on this side of the Atlantic. The change should come from the bottom up. So if any Washington regulators are reading this.PROMONTORY IS HIRING! OK, now that they've all left the room, we can continue the discussion. Technologists have been working to fix the problem of identity for years. Their proposed solutions have been variously called personal clouds, user-centric identity, or most recently self-sovereign identity. As an aside, this software industry term, "user," is a lot more appealing than that economist's word we all use, "consumer." A user controls her destiny. A consumer sounds like a 400-pound glutton being fed through a tube. As the banking industry moves into the digital world, perhaps it should start thinking of retail customers as users rather than consumers. Back to identity: Banks can play a constructive role here. There are well over a dozen startups and open-source software projects designing identity solutions that would restore some measure of control to the user. Some of them are seeking to partner with banks. More broadly, any new system will have to be interoperable, meaning a digital identity would be widely usable. That requires coordination and the adoption of common data standards, which, as many bankers know, is like herding cats. It's an opportunity for leadership. A few forward-thinking banks, such as U.S. Bank, BBVA and USAA, have been exploring opportunities to themselves act as identity providers. They have to know everything about their customers under anti-money-laundering regulations, but other businesses don't. Netflix, for example, may need to know that someone is old enough to view adult content, or located in a jurisdiction where certain material is not under copyright restrictions, but it doesn't need a birthdate or a street address. Instead, the user's bank could vouch that he meets the parameters, without burdening Netflix with personal information that hackers would want. The bank might even be able to charge Netflix a fee for this. Banks in other countries already provide similar services. Of course, if banks remain custodians of this information, they will have to control internal access to it tightly more tightly than Wells Fargo did, to say the least. By further undermining trust in financial institutions' ability to safeguard anything above the FDIC insurance limit, Wells may have set back bank ID a ways in the U.S. The challenge for the industry now is to once again rebuild that trust and either be part of the solution or stay out of the way. Marc Hochstein is the editor in chief of American Banker. The views expressed are his own. Next Steps: As Wells Fargo retail-banking chief Mary Mack works to overhaul the company's sales culture, her employees wonder how they'll be evaluated and paid under her leadership. She's been on a 20-city listening tour to find out what led to Wellsgate and why. She's also been trying to come up with employee incentives that won't induce any misconduct. "There are clearly things as a company that we've got to work on," Mack said. Different Strokes: The new chairman of the American Bankers Association, Dorothy Savarese, wants the rules of the financial system to encourage community banks and big banks to do what they do best. "We need diversity," she said, arguing that differently sized banks have different strengths and weaknesses and that one-size-fits-all regulation fails to recognize that. "We're homogenizing banking and I don't think that's good for our country because the diversity of our banking industry supports the diversity of our economy and we know that a diverse economy is a resilient one and creates more jobs." Savarese is just the second woman to lead the ABA board, after Elizabeth Duke (in 2004-2005). She discussed what it means to have a woman in that role, what her priorities will be and what she hopes to do about the challenges facing her peers. Saverese is president and CEO of the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank and No. 11 on this year's list of the Most Powerful Women in Banking. Guys Struggle with Work-Life Balance Too: Former Visa CEO Charles Scharf spent most of his time at the company's San Francisco headquarters before stepping down Monday to devote more time to his family in New York. "I think to do this job properly you need to be committed to spending the appropriate amount of time in San Francisco," he said. "Given my personal situation, I don't feel that I can do that right now." Scharf also will also step down from Visa's board. Family First: The U.S. is the only developed country without mandatory paid family leave for new parents. In contrast to most countries - which ensure at least three months of paid leave - the U.S. offers three months of unpaid leave. Many have attributed the gender gap in financial services to the difficulties in balancing work pressures with family demands. To help address this, paid family leave should be compulsory in the industry, contends Mike Meyer, the head of global credit and U.S. fixed income at RBC Capital Markets. Please, Mr. President: Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White should be demoted, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said Friday. Warren is pushing for a rule that would require companies to publicly disclose their political spending and is upset about a lack of support from White. In Case You Missed It Bankers Wanted, Flexible Hours: The big hurdle in diversifying the senior ranks of banking right now is in retaining female talent; no one has difficulty with the recruitment portion of the puzzle, says David Casper, president and CEO of BMO Harris Bank. "Leaders need to adapt to the changing needs of their employees, not vice versa," Casper says. The 9-to-5 workday, for example, is becoming a thing of the past. "All employees have personal and professional obligations," he says. "We need to revisit the traditional views of how, when and where we get our work done. The most effective employees are working on their terms, their way." It matters at the recruitment level too. "If a talented prospective employee has two job offers, he or she is going to take the one that offers more flexibility. It doesn't matter if the applicant is a man or a woman, or whether he or she has kids. Top talent wants flexibility." Community Bankers to Watch: Five executives on American Banker's list of Women to Watch hold key positions at banks with less than $30 billion in assets: Karen Glenn of First United Bank and Trust; Liz Dukes Wolverton of Synovus; Mary Ann Scully of Howard Bank; Jill Castillaof Citizens Bank of Edmond; and Begonya Klumb of UMB Financial. Make sure to check out these profiles. Role Call Judy Steiner has joined the Banner Corp., in Walla Walla, Wash., as its chief risk officer. She was previously chief risk officer of FirstMerit Corp. in Akron, Ohio., which was acquired by Huntington Bancshares earlier this year. Maria Coyne, a former executive vice president at KeyCorp, is now the president and chief executive of the Cornerstone Fund, the financial services arm of the United Church of Christ. "Her work in establishing a Women's Small Business Banking arm within KeyBank was perfect for Cornerstone," Brian Clarke, a partner at executive search firm Kensington International, said in a blog post. Coyne, who is a familiar face among the Most Powerful Women in Banking, last appeared on the list in 2014. Rosann Zulauf is now chief retail officer at Two River Bancorp in Tinton Falls, N.J., where she is responsible for branch planning, sales and service, budgeting and regulatory compliance for the 15-branch network. She was previously a retail market manager for TD Bank in New Jersey. Minnesota Bank & Trust in Edina, Minn. has recruited Margaret A. Johnson to oversee retail and small business banking. Johnson was previously a senior premier banker at BMO Harris Bank. Stock Yards Bancorp in Lousiville, Ky., has added an eleventh seat to its board for Donna Heitzman, a former portfolio manager for KKR Prisma Capital in New York. Beyond Banking Female Partners: Sequoia Capital, one of Silicon Valley's most highly respected venture capital firms, has hired Yahoo's Jess Lee as its first female investing partner for its U.S. operations. The firm had reportedly been pursuing Lee since 2012, and Sequoia Chair Mike Moritz said last year that he was working to find a female partner. Other VC firms, including Accel Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, General Catalyst, IVP, Mayfield Fund and Redpoint Ventures, still list only men among their U.S. partners. Earlier this year Peter Thiel hired the first female partner at his venture capital firm, Founders Fund. "Getting the first female venture capitalist into a top-tier partnership is a big deal," said Kate Mitchell, the co-founder and partner of Scale Venture Partners and the chairwoman of the National Venture Capital Association's task force on diversity. "Whether that translates into a long-term commitment to better inclusion, only time will tell." The Double Bind of Women: Unconscious bias and the double bind for women may be even more deeply ingrained in American culture than racial bias, according to former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, a Democrat from Illinois. The double bind is "the very, very fine line of being a shrew on one hand and a puppet on the other that any woman in public life has to walk," she said. It arises when our minds try to align our stereotypes about men and women, with our stereotypes about leadership, says NYU psychology professor Madeline Heilman, who helped conduct a study on how to tell, scientifically, if women are victims of gender bias. She asked volunteers to evaluate a high-powered manager joining a company, sometimes telling them the manager is a man, other times that it's a woman. "When the person was presented as a high powered person, who was very ambitious, we found that the person was seen as much more unlikable when it was a woman than when it was a man," she says. "We have conceptions of these jobs and these positions and what is required to do them well, and there's a lack of fit between how we see women and what these positions require." Davids and Goliaths: Arjuna, Pax, and Trillium, three small activist investment firms, are challenging some of the world's largest companies on gender imbalances in the workforce, on their boards, equal pay and LGBTQ protection. Arjuna Capital's director for equity research and shareholder engagement, Natasha Lamb, began the movement earlier this year, looking at eBay, Google, Adobe, Facebook. "Pay equity is no longer aspirational," Lamb said this week. "It's being implemented." In the coming year Lamb will look at eight companies, including four of the big banks and two other financial services firms. Trillium is also looking at financial companies and plans to file resolutions at nine of them to get more disclosure of data on race, gender, and pay, said Trillium vice president Brianna Murphy. She's filing resolutions at Aflac and Fifth Third Bancorp, asking them to issue reports on workforce diversity. Please see our Women in Banking page and join our LinkedIn group. Opus Bank will split the duties of chief credit officer in the wake of credit issues that will prompt the Irvine, Calif., company to report a quarterly loss next week. The $7.5 billion-asset company also pledged on Wednesday to improve its lending processes and credit monitoring. Those assurances were made just days after the company warned that it charged off nearly $39 million tied to eight loans in the third quarter, with a large percentage of those tied to loans in its technology banking division. The company's stock has lost nearly a third of its value since the credit disclosure on Monday. It shares were trading at $23.50 midday on Thursday. Stephen Gordon, Opus' chairman, president and chief executive, said he would dedicate "deeper talent and resources" to handing the company's growing loan portfolio, including a plan to bifurcate the role of chief credit officer. Opus plans to add a second credit officer to handle commercial lending and specialty banking, Gordon said. Another executive, presumably existing Chief Credit Officer Bob Granfelt, would focus on commercial real estate. "We are also going to be lowering our in-house maximum hold limits, which we believe will reduce the risk of single event impact," Gordon said. Opus will also lower approval authority levels in an effort to "increase scrutiny and oversight in the credit approval process." The investor call was moderated by Brett Villaume, the company's director of investor relations and a former analyst at FIG Partners, who asked detailed questions about the troubled loans and any fallout from the unexpected quarterly loss. Management did not take any questions from investors or analysts, who were instead asked to submit questions in advance. The call was intended to only address credit-related issues. Gordon said the company would still hold an investor call next Monday to discuss quarterly results. Opus has grown rapidly since Gordon led a $460 million recapitalization of what was a $273 million-asset bank, then called Bay Cities National Bank, in 2010. It did so by largely hiring lenders and expanding into specialty lending businesses. The company earlier this year earmarked technology as an area primed for growth; management disclosed in the second-quarter earnings release that it would deemphasize the business because it did not "meet our standards for profitability at this stage of Opus' evolution." Wednesday's investor call brings the company's "strategic direction into question," Tim O'Brien, an analyst at Sandler O'Neill, wrote in a note to clients. The decision to revamp credit policies "calls into question the underlying credit quality of commercial and specialty loans that are now on the balance sheet." At the same time, it is unlikely that Opus can continue to grow as aggressively as it had in recent quarters, or as rapidly as management forecast when the company reported second-quarter earnings, O'Brien warned. During the last quarterly call, management projected that Opus would produce $2.5 billion in new loan fundings this year. As of the second quarter, it had funded $1.2 billion in loans. Gordon and his team also outlined other areas that will be affected by the quarter's credit issues. For starters, Gordon said he will urge the board to deny him a discretionary bonus for this year. The company will withhold incentive compensation from the bankers who originated the loans, and credit-related employees tied with the chargeoffs will also be impacted. Opus also said it will not declare a third-quarter dividend. While management said it doesn't need to raise capital to cover the expected quarterly loss, it could look to bring in new money to support continued growth. Management also provided more details on the troubled loans, noting that the issues were largely tied to one technology loan, which contributed to 80% of the difference between the specific reserve and the chargeoffs. Overall, technology loans fell 9% in the third quarter, to $254 million at Sept. 30. Gordon, meanwhile, said the company will continue to monitor trends elsewhere in its entire loan portfolio. "We'll continue to evaluate risk-adjusted returns and concentrations in all of our business lines," he said. The Icelandic shipping company has acquired 90 percent of the forwarding company Extraco Internationale Expeditie B.V. in the Netherlands. The Icelandic shipping company Eimskip said Tuesday it has acquired 90 percent of the forwarding company Extraco Internatinale Expeditie B.V. in the Netherlands. Situated near the Port of Rotterdam, Extraco services importers of chilled and frozen commodities in the Netherlands; and provides import handling, warehousing, customs brokerage, and distribution of bulk, chilled and frozen commodities in Europe. Extraco employs 19 people and the majority of the companys management team will stay on board and own a 10 percent share. Its annual turnover is around 19 million euros (U.S. $20.8 million). Extraco will move into Eimskips office in Rotterdam and will establish a reefer logistics center with the other Eimskip identities European Transport Services, Eimskip Reefer Logistics and Jac. Meisner. Eimskip acquired Jac. Meisner at the beginning of 2015. Eimskip said the Extraco acquisition is the first of several accretive acquisitions it will be making in its core markets in the coming months. The main aftereffect of the 2016 election could well be found in the lines of Yeats' prophetic The Second Coming, where the Irish poet wrote: Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Will things in America fall apart? Will anarchy be loosed on the land? Can the center hold? There is a convergence of several trends that make it unwise to dismiss such questions as out of hand. Look at just two of them -- debt and the question of legitimacy. The recognized federal government debt alone is $20 trillion. When state and municipal debt is added to that, the total grows to $22.5 trillion. To this, unfunded liabilities of government should be added. These are promises that government has made to various people and groups. It includes Social Security, Medicare, government pensions, and the like. Estimates on the unfunded government liabilities range from a 'low' of $30 trillion to $128 trillion per Sen. Coburn (R-Okla) This level of debt is unprecedented. We are in uncharted waters. So why is the public so blase to this historic and ruinous mountain of debt? One reason is because most people do not understand the numbers involved. As I've seen it explained, if from the time of Jesus, you spent a million dollars a day up until now, you still would not have spent a trillion dollars. And that is just one trillion dollars. Another thing people do not fully grasp is what government debt entails. It is not free money. It is, as Thomas Jefferson said, thievery from future generations. It is boosting current government spending and passing the cost on to our children, grandchildren, and on down. And what is so sad about this situation is that much of government spending is squandered. It comes from the political establishment -- Democrats and Republicans -- shamefully buying votes, growing bureaucracies, and peddling favored treatment to corporations, fat cat donors, and other money interests. It would be remiss not to point out the media involvement in all this. Realize that debt is the fuel for government expansion. Without massive debt, the governments we live under -- federal, state, and even local -- would never have come close to reaching the intrusive scale they have. The average Joe and Jane have been lulled to sleep as the dangers of this debt by a mainstream media which is fully complicit in the project of building ever bigger government. The media does this by downplaying the debt problem when it doesn't ignore it entirely. Many times more air time and print space is given to what Donald Trump said off the record 11 years ago than, say, the explosion of federal debt under Barack H. Obama. This is journalistic maleficence in the extreme. To paraphrase Trotsky, people may not interested in the government debt problem, but the debt is interested in them. Although they have started to wake up, it has not yet fully dawned on the Millennials that it will be they who are left holding the bag for this debt. It will crimp their lifestyles and stunt their economic opportunities. When this realization comes, it will radically change attitudes and voting patterns. Some say that this will shift the younger generation to the Left as evidenced by the support Crazy Bernie garnered in the Democrat primaries. But perhaps not. For when the seed corn for the future has been eaten by current consumption, all the protesting and demands in the world can't bring it back. The only logical option is to suck it up and move forward. This will not be pleasant situation, but it is the only way to build a better future. Another group especially vulnerable to the mountain of debt is seniors. As the ever-growing debt squeezes the life out of the economy, retirees will come to realize the unsustainability of government promises to them like Social Security, Medicare, and pensions. Seniors will instinctively turn to the government exactly at the time when Washington is less able to help them. The growth of a debt of the size we have smacks of government irresponsibility. The coming awareness of this can only reduce the credibility of government even further. And this is a segue to the question of government legitimacy. So where to begin? National Public Radio (NPR), a liberal source, reports a Pew polls showing that less than 1 in 5 Americans say they trust the government 'always or most of the time,' 81 percent do not trust the government, and 74 percent say public officials put their own interests ahead of the nation's. And these dismal poll numbers for trust in government came before damaging revelations like: 1) the constant bungling of the Veterans Administration where civil service rules have priority over care for our vets 2) the FBI's shameful white washing of Hillary Clinton's email actions that are, or border on the, criminal, and 3) the Wikileaks dumps showing how Hillary Clinton peddled influence for, what looks to any objective observer, donations to her Clinton Foundation. So how about the people's representatives? A Rasmussen poll (July 2016) found only 11 percent of respondents thought Congress was going a good or excellent job. Gallup found similar results with congress having a 20 percent approval rating and a 76 percent disapproval rating. However it is cut, wherever you look, whether it is in polls, in conversations around the family table, in neighborhoods or around the office water cooler, you find faith in the federal government is shockingly low. Now for piece de resistance. This is the presidential campaign. Events such as the Wikileaks dumps have shown Hillary Clinton to be an extremely corrupt government official and a bold-faced liar. This narrative is so solid that she's been labeled a liar to her face on the national stage. Indeed, Trump even called for her prosecution and jailing. How could he get away with that? Simple. It's because merely 11 percent of the American public believe Mrs. Clinton is trustworthy -- and rightfully so. Even Hillary Clinton's supporters accept the fact of her inherent duplicity. Unfortunately, many will still vote for her anyway for the flimsy reason that she's a woman. Others want 'free stuff,' hoping that she's not lying to them, too. It has been clear for over a generation that the media has a severe liberal bias. In this presidential race, Trump has expose the mass media as being a propaganda arm of the Clinton campaign. It was just recently reported by the Center for Public Integrity that, of the money journalists have contributed to the campaigns, 96 percent went to Clinton. Trump has driven this point home with a such a vengeance that the mainstream media has been stripped of its pretense of objectivity, balance, and fairness. It now stands as naked as the fabled emperor without clothes. This explains why Gallup estimates that only 32% of Americans have trust in the media, an all-time low. And as the revelations in the Wikileaks dumps sink in and Trump's charges resonate, this approval rating can only sink further. And it is not just lack of trust in the media that is eroding its influence. The number of people who live in the liberal media bubble diminishes by the day. This is due to the growth of alternative news sources like talk radio, cable TV, and the Internet. The old media's monopoly has been broken. Also, the blind reliance on the mass media for one's news is a carryover from days past. As the generation brought up of Cronkite and Huntley & Brinkley and magazines like Newsweek, Time, and Life fade, so does the mass media's captive audience. As for Trump and the matter of his legitimacy, the Clinton campaign is not running on Mrs. Clinton's achievements. How could they, as the woman's record as Secretary of State is one failure after another? As for her one six-year stint in the Senate, Hillary did little more than take up space and prepare her run for the presidency. So instead, the Democrats and their accomplices in the media are directing their energy at trying to demonizing Trump and his supporters, much like the Obama campaign successfully did to Mitt Romney in 2012. The point here is that, whoever wins the White House in November, their legitimacy is going to be tainted. This will make it extremely hard to govern. Even the legitimacy of the election process is being doubted by 41 percent of the country, who think the presidential election is rigged to favor Clinton, much like the primaries were. We live in a representative democracy that requires the consent of the governed. With the legitimacy of Congress, the presidency, government agencies (the VA, the FBI, the IRS, Department of Education, etc.), the mass media, and even the election process itself in question, it can honestly be asked: "Can the American center hold?" If not, any bad event or set back like a recession, a major default, or horrific terrorist attack can send things spiraling in ways completely unimagined right now. The ruling elite know the center they control is spinning at such a terrific speed that the resulting centrifugal force is flinging the various groups in society further and further apart. The trust in government and major institutions like the media were the glue that once held things together. Now, the solvent of corruption and lies is dissolving that glue. Trust is fading fast across the entire spectrum of society. Ditto legitimacy. What can bring things back together again from the establishment's perspective? One tried and true method is war. I pray that I'm wrong, but don't discount the real possibility that the establishment might reach for this option. There are many in the political class who are on a constant war footing as it is. Think of John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and the like. Include Hillary Clinton in with this group. And the war required to solidify the center again can't just be relative minor like the ones the U.S. conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has to be a war that touches all levels of American society. Only war with China or Russia fit that bill. Crazy thought, right? I hope so. But realize Yeats wrote his Second Coming in 1919. Ten years after that, the Great Depression started and ten years after that, WWII began in Europe. Yeats' time was that of the telegraph and propeller biplanes. We live in the age of cell phones, supersonic jets, the computer, and the Internet. Things today happen orders of magnitude faster than back in 1919. From Florida, I flew out to Reno to entertain at the 2016 Nevada Women's Expo. In between my shows, I made pit-stops in my hotel room. Folks, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Every news TV channel I turned to was beating the crap out of Trump trying to brand him an abuser of women. Leaked Hillary emails have revealed that the mainstream media gets its marching orders from the Clinton campaign. Thus, the media fix is in: portray Trump in a red hoodie with a pitchfork; portray wicked-crooked Hillary as angelic, wearing a pure white flowing gown. Never have I seen such a shock-and-awe orchestrated media campaign to demonize a candidate. On the issue of abuse of women, if we had a fair and balanced mainstream media rather than operatives of the Clinton campaign, Hillary's advisers would have begged her, Pleeeeease Ma'am, don't go there!!! Hillary and Bill's records of abusing women is horrific (assault, rape, Hillary humiliating a 12- year-old girl to get her rapist off and more). And yet, the Clintons arrogantly know they can get away with attempting to brand Trump an abuser of women while they belong in the Infamous Abusers of Women Hall of Shame. Folks, it is beyond repulsive and stomach turning watching our Leftist enemies deceptively promoting this evil woman as an angel of light. During the extremely rough flight into Reno for the Women's Expo (my wife Mary's nails pressed firmly into my thigh), I watched a DVD of Trevor Loudon's extremely scary, compelling and yet hopeful new movie, Enemies Within. Trevor's movie brings home the reality that Communism and Sharia Law could become the law of the land in America. I realize that sounds far-out, as we said in the 70s. However, Trevor gives documented evidence to prove his point. Enemies Within zooms in on the best-kept secret of modern politics. Almost no one is aware of the fact that fewer than 20,000 U.S. Communists, socialists and extreme progressives are able to influence the politicians and even write the laws that control the lives of over 300 million Americans. Enemies Within features shocking testimony from an awarded Homeland Security agent who was humiliated and punished by our government for doing his job, collecting data on Islamic terrorists operating in the United States. The agent's data was removed from the system. The agent was investigated and deemed more of a threat to national security than the terrorists. Trevor's movie names numerous U.S. congressmen who are colluding with foreign and domestic enemies. As said in the Twilight Zone movie, Wanna see something really scary? Hillary Clinton could not pass an FBI security check because of her overt ties to organizations with known associations with terrorism. That should scare your socks off, folks. Trevor exposes a long list of high-ranking democrats who are in bed with American communists working to elect as many far-left Democrats as possible. The movie documents Obama's communist roots. I remember pundits in both parties having a cow over Victoria Jackson's song, There's A Communist Living in the White House. Watching the movie, I was moved by comments from U.S. Navy Admiral, retired, James Ace Lyons. Never in my lifetime did I believe I would witness this great country of ours being withdrawn from our world leadership role; and taken down by our own administration. Obama, with Hillary's blessing, has decimated our military; the smallest army prior to WWII; the smallest navy since prior to WWI. The Chinese are building 60 ships a year. We are building 9-10 ships per year. We have 1700 nuclear weapons in the overall nuclear balance verses the Russians' 4500. Our tactical nuclear weapons are obsolete. Russia's tactical nuclear weapons are new. Enemies Within caught Hillary on video vowing to go further than Obama's implementation of illegal immigration. To gain a permanent progressive majority, Democrats need more voters. They need illegals. Our enemies within lie that there are 11 million illegals. The truth is there are 20 to 50 million. If the Dems can legalize 10, 20, 30 million illegals and give them voting rights, the majority will vote Democratic. It would mean game over for our two-party system, the end of America as founded. Bottom line -- we cannot allow our enemies within to succeed in putting Hillary Clinton in the White House. The Democratic party platform touts communism hidden under a shroud of more palatable names. Yes. Yes. Yes, we can! The good news is Trevor's movie, Enemies Within, offers solutions. Folks, find out how you can stop our enemies evil takeover. Please visit EnemiesWithinMovie.com Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American Chairman: The Conservative Campaign Committee http://www.lloydmarcus.com/ That the Clinton Foundations operations are nothing but a cash cow scam is seen in a brilliant analysis and expose of its operations in Colombia, a country beset by internal strife and an ongoing battle with drug cartels. The truth, as reported by Ken Silverman and the American Media Institute in Fusion, a joint venture of ABC and Univision, hardly Trump surrogates, explains in part how the Clintons amassed a small fortune without holding any job or running any business: Colombia should be the Clinton Foundations best case study. Ground zero for the drug wars of the 1980s and 90s, racked by uneven development and low-intensity conflict for half a century, Colombia has received more foundation money and attention than any other nation outside the United States. Bill and Hillary Clinton have visited the country often and enjoy close relationships with members of Colombias ruling party. Colombia has also been home to the vast oil and natural gas holdings of the man who is reportedly the Clinton Foundations largest individual donor, Canadian financier Frank Giustra. Many of the Colombian success stories touted on the foundations website -- the ones specific enough for us to track down -- were critical about the foundations effect on their lives. Labor leaders and progressive activists say foundation programs caused environmental harm, displaced indigenous people, and that it concentrated a larger share of Colombias oil and natural gas reserves in the hands of Giustra We interviewed young women in the foundations job-training programs; female business owners who sought help from its programs; workers who toiled for the foundations biggest individual donors firms; indigenous fisherman who were promised jobs and aid; and union leaders, social-justice activists, and progressive lawmakers. Some say they lost money. Others said they were used as props. Still others simply thought that the foundation had wasted a lot of their time. They are doing nothing for workers, one Colombian union official told us, with disgust. I dont even know what they are doing in this country other than exploiting poverty and extracting money. Clinton donor Giustra benefited significantly from his association, even if the people of Columbia didnt: When we met him (Senator Jorge Enrique Robledo) in his wood-paneled office in Colombias Capitol building in May, his desk was stacked high with papers related to Pacific Rubialess labor practices, the result of years of investigative work by his staff. He did not see the Clinton Foundation and its partnership with Giustras Pacific Rubiales as either progressive or positive. The territory where Pacific Rubiales operated, he said, thumbing through pages of alleged human-rights violations, was a type of concentration camp for workers. In September 2005, Giustra and Clinton flew to Kazakhstan together to meet the Central Asian nations president. Shortly thereafter, Giustra secured a lucrative concession to mine Kazakh uranium, despite his companys lack of experience with the radioactive ore. As Bill Clinton opened doors for Giustra, the financier gave generously to Clintons foundation. Colombia is the classic case of, dare we say it, quid pro quo. The people of Colombia were used as pawns in yet another Clinton pay-for-play scheme. You scratch the backs of the Clintons will scratch yours. The media will ignore it as the Clintons profit from it. Rafael Cabargas, a legendary local oil-workers union leader who was arrested during a strike at a Pacific Rubiales operation in 2011, was equally dismissive of the Clinton Foundations and Giustras activities in Colombia. We interviewed him in a tiny, cluttered union office in one of Cartagenas poor, outlying neighborhoods. They are doing nothing for workers, he said with disgust. I dont even know what they are doing in this country other than exploiting poverty and extracting money. How is it, Secretary Clinton, that the Clinton Foundation accepted donations from countries and individuals that support the execution of homosexuals, throwing them off buildings and who support Sharia Law and state-sponsored suppression and abuse of women and their rights? How is it that human rights took second place behind your just for donor contributions? As Investors Business Daily editorialized, donations to the Clinton Foundation even played a factor in the refusal of Hillary Clintons State Department to designate Nigerias Boko Haram as a terrorist organization for two years: Hillary's emails may be only the tip of an iceberg that could include Clinton Foundation donations to shield Boko Haram from being designated a terrorist group and her brother's involvement in a Haitian gold mine Last month, the Washington Post reported on another deal involving Rodham that could prove politically embarrassing and damaging for his sister. It seems that he sits on the board of a company that got a coveted gold-mining contract from the government of Haiti after the Clinton Foundation sponsored relief work in Haiti. In interviews with the Post, both Rodham and the chief executive of Delaware-based VCS Mining said they were introduced at a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which seems more and more to be an unseemly mix of charitable work with the political and business interests of Clinton Foundation donors. And then there's Hillary's strange dealings regarding the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram, which just recently pledged its allegiance to the ever-expanding Islamic State... Last May, we wondered why for two years on Hillary Clinton's watch the State Department refused to designate a Nigerian Islamist group as a terrorist organization. This group has murdered thousands as it wages a real war on women. As Josh Rogin at the Daily Beast reports, the Clinton State Department "refused to place Boko Haram on the list of foreign terrorist organizations in 2011" after the group bombed the United Nations headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry last week asking for all of Hillary's records relating to Boko Haram and her reluctance to designate it a foreign terrorist organization. Vitter also requested all of Hillary's communications with Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian construction tycoon who has donated millions to the Clinton Foundation. Vitter noted that Chagoury had a financial interest in the potential impact of designating Boko Haram a terrorist group How many of the more than 30,000 "personal" emails that Hillary deleted from her private account relate to these matters? Is that why she needed a private email server? Yet, for some reason, the slush fund that is the Clinton Foundation has been ignored by a rigged media that obsesses more about Trump talking dirty than Hillary Clinton using her various offices for personal gain. Corruption has been a Clinton hallmark. The Clintons have made a career of making a fortune on the dime of a public they intentionally deceive and defraud, using their positions of power to enrich themselves at the publics expense. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. Courtesy of what should be an explosive WikiLeaks disclosure we finally know Hillary Clintons fondest dream: An America without borders. It was an amazing confession by Clinton to Brazilian bankers of what the Left desperately longs for but avoids saying in public. If this huge gaffe had received a fraction of the media attention it merits, Clintons campaign might be over. Even the clueless NeverTrump Rich Lowry noticed it and its potentially poisonous ramifications for Clinton. As an aside, one wonders why he and his other benighted friends in the NT crowd (Will, Krauthammer, Goldberg et al), dont notice the terminal demographic problems HRCs sure pursuit of her dream will cause their future ideologically pure conservative presidential candidate. If the Trump team has the judgment, guts and talent to give this gift from Clinton the full Lee Atwater treatment, the unpleasant consequences for Open Borders Hillary could be huge, even at this late date. It goes without saying that Americas Goebbels media has made no mention of this revelation -- potentially the most momentous to date from Wikileaks. So, if the electorate is going to learn about Clintons astounding dream of Americas dissolution, Trumps campaign will have to hit her gaffe hard, plain and often. The words are out of her mouth -- Clinton will never again be able to credibly claim any intention to secure the nations borders or to stop or even reduce the massive illegal invasion of America that will be the enduring legacy of the Obama years. No prior major party candidate for the American presidency has come close to expressing the goal of abolishing Americas borders, more a nightmare than a dream to the overwhelming majority of Americans, 83%, according to Pew Research. We all know that in her vision of an America without borders, Clinton sees enduring one party rule by the Left, while Americas corporate and banking elite envisions low labor costs forever. We also know that middle and working class Americans see something else: An America into which will flood, entirely unscreened, tens, eventually hundreds of millions of the more than 600 million inhabitants of the western hemisphere south of the Rio Grande, plus anyone who manages to get to any of those countries from the terrorist-producing parts of the world. And from this massive flow, that it is they who will bear the enormous downside: depressed wages, fewer jobs, overwhelmed public schools, exploding social welfare claims, more drugs, more gang warfare, more crime, and more acts of Islamic terrorism by Islamists for whom Mexico, Central America and South America are only a cheap flight away. In short, most Americans see Hillary Clintons dream of abolished borders, now tattooed on her forehead but covered by media makeup, as the abolition of their country. Trumps campaign needs to help Hillary remove the makeup, so her Open Borders tattoo can be seen in all its ugliness. In turning its campaign spotlight on this huge new issue, there is much more for Trump to work with than the mere dream itself. From another speech, one of her infamous closed door $225,000 Goldman Sachs pay-offs, we learn Mrs. Clintons further belief that those who favor limitations on immigration are un-American, that all those who dont share her dream of a nation without borders are un-American. Thats a lot of un-American Americans. Possibly never before in American presidential contests, certainly never before in the post-World War II era, has such a damning dual revelation about the real views of a major party presidential candidate surfaced -- the first, on a position that puts her at odds with the overwhelming majority of the electorate on the central issue of the campaign, the second that expresses more clearly than anything she has ever said her contempt for her fellow citizens. Trumps managers and ad writers need to get to work on Clintons now in-the-open, undeniable desire to end America, and on her related belief that the vast majority of her countrymen are un-American because theyd prefer not to. Here, for the Trump campaign, are some of the most electorally pertinent facts: As the aforementioned Pew Research September 30, 2015 survey numbers show, 83% of Americans believed that immigration should either be maintained at present levels (34%) or decreased (49%). These numbers include the following breakdown as to who holds the deplorable view that immigration should be reduced from present levels: Republicans (67%). Democrats (33%). Though Pew did not ask, presumably most of this 83% of Americans would also take at least slight offense to learn that Hillary Clinton considers them un-American. But even if -- perhaps especially if -- Trump got in some good jabs, his campaign needs to follow up hard and often. Out-of-control immigration is immensely unpopular across the country. Especially in light of this latest bombshell disclosure about Hillarys deep longing for open borders, its the issue that could still affect large portions of the electorate. This issue brings Trump back to his beginnings: He surged dramatically into the lead for the Republican nomination and never looked back when he got clear, bold and tough on securing Americas borders. As the race comes to its close Hillary has revived the issue and served it up on a gold plate. All thats left is for the Trump campaign is to run with the gift. Hard, clear, tough and often. The tidal wave of harrumphing over Donald Trumps refusal to endorse the probity of the voting and vote-counting to come is quite amusing to me. I remember eight years of accusations from Bush 43 opponents that his election was stolen and that he was selected, not elected. So spare me the righteousness about the need to respect our sacred institutions, unless you can point to your similar criticism of Gore. Millennials are probably ignorant of this history. Heres the video you can send your friends and relatives: The orders have gone out: outrage at Donald Trump is the required response to his remarks on accepting the election results. A narrative has been written, and it is important that no other thoughts be allowed to reach those who live in the New York Times/MSNBC bubble. A majority of voters do not watch Fox News, do not read Drudge, and do not listen to conservative talk radio. So it was a serious breach of discipline this morning when Joe Scarborough strayed off the plantation. Media Matters, the Soros-funded David Brock outfit that effectively operates as part of the campaign although a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, cracked the whip: JOE SCARBOROUGH (CO-HOST): What was [Trump's] exact quote? MIKA BRZEZINSKI (CO-HOST): He said I will leave you in suspense. WILLIE GEIST (CO-HOST): He said I will look at it at the time and keep you in suspense. HAROLD FORD JR.: So that means he is not willing to say I will accept the outcome. SCARBOROUGH: No, what that means is he will look at it at the time. I love everybody saying -- I woke up to these screaming headlines saying, "Donald Trump will not respect election results." He actually said I will look at it at the time. I'll see. FORD JR.: Has there ever been a presidential candidate to say that? SCARBOROUGH: If there are voting irregularities, then any presidential candidate, anybody -- MIKE BARNICLE: What would you have said? What would your response be to that question? SCARBOROUGH: I'd say yeah, I'll certainly respect the outcome of the election. I of course would want to make sure that's fair. I will want to make sure that it's fair, it's on the up and up. BARNICLE: Well, he didn't say that. SCARBOROUGH: Yeah but you know what? This is an example the media got something they can absolutely freak out about and claim that he is an agent of Vladimir Putin and destroying democracy in America. And it's just another example of the media having to find a little phrase and freak out. When as a Republican I have listened to Democrats talk about the only two times we won the White House in like 800 years that we stole both elections. I had to sit through Fahrenheit 911 and a lady was sobbing violently behind me on the Upper West Side about the election being stolen from George Bush and I patted her halfway through. I go, it's all right, it's all right, ma'am. It's all right. It's all a lie anyway. Democrats have been whining for 16 years, they are still writing articles about how Bush stole the elections in 2000 and 2004. So this holier than though attitude about, "this is the first time anyone has suggested that the election is not a sacrosanct process," it's a joke. So you guys bathe in that hypocrisy if you want to, I'd just like to hear how the debate went. Go ahead, bathe. Having reviewed the records of the late and unlamented George Tiller, I can assure readers that Hillary Clinton absolutely misrepresented the reality of late-term abortion. In fact, roughly 95 percent of the late-term abortions performed by Tiller, then America's most prolific abortionist, were done for the convenience of the mother and/or the statutory rapist who impregnated her. Why are we worrying about toddlers with guns when unborn infants are being killed in the millions by doctors with syringes? I wrote the following in 2011. Horses are my life and having kids would mess that up for barrel racing, so said a 15 year-old who hoped to abort the healthy, viable baby that she had already carried for more than six months. The year was 2003. Our confused little cowgirl had come, alas, to the right place, Dr. George Tillers clinic in Wichita, the world capital of late term abortions. Tiller promptly invoked the Kansas rodeo exception to the state prohibition on late term abortions. A second physician, Dr. Ann Kristin ( Kris) Neuhaus, confirmed the rodeo exception, and the baby was executed with the utmost privacy, and all for only about $6,000. Unfortunately, the only false detail in the story above is the rodeo exception. One can excuse the girl in question for thinking there was one, but there was not. To abort her baby, Tiller had to ignore the states tough abortion laws. This he could do in 2003, and for the next six years, only through the protection of his political patron, then governor, now Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. The perverse details of Tillers practice finally came to light this past week not through a hard-hitting media investigation or a criminal probe, but through an anodyne and under-reported Kansas Board of Healing Arts hearing into Neuhauss confirmation protocol. According to actual Kansas law in 2003, a doctor could abort a healthy, viable baby only if he and a second independent physician agreed that the abortion would prevent the mother from suffering a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function or save her life. Thus, for the official state record, Tiller interpreted the hurt that might accompany the temporary loss of barrel racing as substantial and irreversible. Neuhaus, after a 15 or so-minute review using a computer-generated answer tree, gave the girl her official diagnosis, major depression, single episode. And this girl at least got a review. In one case discussed at the hearing, Neuhaus approved the abortion a week after it took place. Read the rest here. Second Video SECTION I (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group You could fuck your mother in front of the governor and not go to jail. 0:11 Cesar Vargas Dream Action Coalition Founder Whats the goal of overall campaign, right? Yeah and for me I totally get it, this is illegal, this is something that can be done. 0:17 [PVA journalist: And I assume you dont go off and tell these conversations to anybody?] No, no, no. 0:26 [PVA journalist: Because this is technicallyyou knowvoter fraud.] 0:29 Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor ---------------------- The Foval Group However, other people can make things happen that you dont need to know about. 0:32 We talk about lots of things that we dont talk about. 0.:38 You know what? Weve been busing people in to deal with you fuckin assholes for fifty years, and were not going to stop now. 0:39 James OKeefe : This is Part II of our undercover investigation into the dark, backroom dealings of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Part I blew up on social media, with many Americans wondering why the mainstream media wasnt covering the story. In fact, Project Veritas Action had television exclusives lined up around the country. Those television stations spiked the story at the last minute. Our sources tell us the reason they did so was fear of retaliation and retribution from a future Hillary Clinton administration. Truth is dangerous, especially when it challenges those in power. In this video, Democratic operatives tell us how to successfully commit voter fraud on a massive scale. 0:46 Second Video SECTION II (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Aaron Black DNC Rapid Response Coordinator So Im basically the response director the guy that responds for the DNC for all things Trump on the ground. Nobody is really supposed to know about me. 1:37 Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group No, Im saying we have mentally ill people that we pay to do shit. Make no mistake. This guy, Cesar Vargas is his name. I bot a priest to cry on camera once. You know, Brad and Bob [Creamer] and Lux and myself are all part of the old school method, where it doesnt matter what the friggin legal and ethics people say, we need to win this motherfucker. 1:46 So Bob [Creamer] is really the president and talked to him this afternoon and theyre all in if we can get 25 grand theyre all in. 2:13 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Our investigators wanted to find out what it would take to get the highest favorable turnout. Democrat politico Scott Foval was our target and he was more than willing to lead us through the process of how to rig an election. 2:22 Second Video SECTION III (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group We did it to them when we were in charge too. What we didwe did the exact same thing. Only, we manipulated the vote with money and action, not with laws. 2:34 Its a very easy thing for Republicans to say, well, theyre busing people in. Well you know what? Weve been busing people in to deal with you fuckin assholes for fifty years and were not going to stop now. Were just going to find a different way to do it. 2:47 So, I mean I grew up with that idea. They used to bus people out to Iowa. If we needed people out there, wed bus people out to Iowa. 3:00 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary When we met Scott Foval, he worked for People for the American Way, an organization funded in large part by George Soros. He now works for Americans United for Change. Its a non-profit that claims to move America in a new, better direction. With guys like Foval working for them, we wonder what direction that might be. 3:11 Second Video SECTION IV (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group When I do this, I think as an investigator first. [PVA journalist: Yeah, work backwards, yes, thats great.] I used to do investigations. A differentmethod. I think backwards from how they would prosecute if they could, and then try to build out the method to avoid that. 3:32 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary The plan that was discussed was how to bring people from one state to another state to vote illegally. 3:54 Second Video SECTION V (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group They could invalidatewell, OK, 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? 4:00 Are they going to charge each individual of voter fraud? Or are they going to go after the facilitator for conspiracy, which they could prove? Its one thing of all these people drive up in their personal cars. If theres a bus involved? That changes the dynamic. 4:18 Its the legality. Because you can prove conspiracy if theres a bus. If there are cars, its much harder to prove. 4:42 If theres enough money, you have people drive their POVs (personally owned vehicles), or you have them drive rentals. Yeah. With Wisconsin license plates. Absolutely. 4:52 Well you cant have them with Wisconsin license plates because rentals heremost of them dont have Wisconsin license plates. 5:05 But, theres this thing called used car auctions. Used car auctions, the titles belong to some unknown company. Theyre company cars. [PVA journalist: And you know these are multiple employers, these are not just one employer.] 5:12 So you use shells. Use shell companies. Cars come from one company; the paychecks come from another. Theres no bus involved, so you cant prove that its en masse, so it doesnt tip people off. 5:29 When I do this, I think as an investigator first. I used to do the investigations. A different methodI think backwards from how they would prosecute if they could, and then try to build out the method to avoid that. 5:49 If the car has a Wisconsin license plate and its owned by a third entity, then its much harder to prove that these people drove in from out-of-state. Theres no bus involved, so you cant prove conspiracy. 6:21 [PVA journalist: And they would have to be looking for them in the first place.] Oh, a bus is something when youre not looking for when you are looking for a car. 6:41 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Our journalists helped brainstorm with Foval and how to come up with addresses for their phony voters. 6:50 Second Video SECTION VI (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group [PVA journalist: Now, if we just had the canvassers logging the homes, they dont even have to know why theyre doing it.] Put a mark on it. [PVA journalist: And say, this addresswe have moved, but moves could mean someone else moved in. And then take that data, and flip it out, and you give it to people, and you have people go vote in it. Thats brilliant. I love it. 6:55 [PVA journalist: So, you knowand it sort of depends upon, you know, how muchthe canvassers dont have to know why theyrethey just need to be told to do it.] No, in fact you dont want them to know. 7:15 The question is whether when you get caught by a reporter, does that matter? Because does that turn into an investigation or not? In this case, in this state, the answer is no, because they dont have any power to do anything. 7:26 [PVA journalist: So, this is maybe not stuff for the general, but stuff to maybe hold off until] No, I think you should do it for the general. You have to do it in multiple states. 7:42 So, what you do is you implement the plan on a much bigger scale. You implement a massive change in state legislatures and in Congress. So you aim higher for your goals, and you implement it across every Republican-held state. 7:55 [PVA journalist: So, starting on the grassroots] Honestly, the ripest environment to do it in? Two, within striking distance. Michigan, Indiana. 8:22 The least restrictive donation caps and campaign finance laws and investigative arms, and any of that. Like, they have weakened it so bad in these three states, you could fuck your mother in front of the governor and not go to jail. If you had enough money to go like this. 8:34 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Foval then told our journalist that he knew the guy who made stuff like this happen. 8:57 Second Video SECTION VII (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group So Bob Creamer comes up with a lot of these ideas. I work with Bob Creamer one to one all the time. Im the white hat. Democracy Partners (Bob Creamer) is kind of the dark hat. I will probably end up being a partner there at some point, because our philosophy is actually the same. 9:01 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Bob Creamer founded Democracy Partners in 2011. He is the husband of Jan Schakowski, a Democratic Congresswoman from Chicago. And in 2005, he pled guilty on tax violations and bank fraud. He was convicted and sentenced to five months in prison and 11 months of house arrest. 9:23 Second Video SECTION VIII (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video PVA journalist (to Bob Creamer) & Bob Creamer Project Veritas Action Democracy Partners Founder and Partner [PVA journalist (to Bob Creamer): One of the things that Steve was talking to Scott (Foval) about, he passed on to me and I think one of the reasons why I got in touch with you.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: Uh-huh. -------------------- [PVA journalist: They envisionedwhat do you need to be able to vote? In some of these voterWhat do you really need, ok?] --------------------- Bob Creamer: (Nods head) Right. --------------------- [PVA journalist: What makes you a citizen?] --------------------- Bob Creamer: (Nods head) Yeah. --------------------- [PVA journalist: And if you look at that checklist, its an ID card of any kind, and it shows you who you are] --------------------- Bob Creamer: (Nods head) Right. --------------------- [PVA journalist: and a pay stub that shows youre getting paid at a local address someplace.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: To get registered you mean. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Yeah. To get registered. So, you go in to register, if you have those two things, your registered to vote.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: Yeah. --------------------- [PVA journalist: So, lets say I have business in side, say, Illinois or Michigan, and I hired people, and I had addresses for them, I could write them checks for thoseI could use them as day laborers or whatever and use them and find my way around the voter ID, the registration laws for Hispanics.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: (Nods head.) --------------------- [PVA journalist: Umm, thats one thing, actually that idea, when he gave it to me, it was like that sounds like something we could register huge numbers of people that way. That kind of thing kind of stuck in my craw when he (you?) mentioned it to me.] --------------------- 9:30 Bob Creamer Democracy Partners Founder and Partner Bob Creamer: Alright. Let me, on that front, Im gonna write down these options. Let me see if I can uhh, chat with people who are most involved in Hispanic voter registration. And, uh, I can see what their thoughts are. I mean there are a couple of different organizations that arethats their big trick. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Okay, yeah, if you know folks that you can put me in touch with.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: Well help you do this. This is very important, this stuff. Turnout is huge, huge, huge. 11:00 Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group Bob Creamer is diabolical and I love him for it. I have learned so much from that man over the last twenty years, I cant even tell you. And he calls me to be his firefighter a lot of the time, because there are people, who, in our movement who will not do what it takes to get shit done. 10:25 And I am not that person. Im the one they send when everything has gone to shit. So, he spends a lot of time on the phone with my boss asking me to go places that I dont wish to go. 11:58 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary We had ourdonorset up a second meeting with Bob Creamer to see how he could help put this voter fraud plan into motion. 12:11 Second Video SECTION IX (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Bob Creamer Democracy Partners Founder and Partner [PVA journalist: This is re-enfranchising voters. Thats how I look at it, okay? If I could, through my company, employ these people for a day, okay, or for a week or for a month, okay? Then I could find work for them, useful work for them, so we can issue corporate IDs for them.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: Heres my fearIm going to run this by our lawyers. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Okay.] --------------------- Bob Creamer: My fear is that someone would decide that this was a big voter fraud scheme. And 12:18 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Creamer hesitated to help ourdonorpull off the voter fraud scheme that Foval created. 13:00 Second Video SECTION X (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group Bob (Creamer) came back to me and asked me, What is he talking about? I told him what we were talking about. And he said, Well Im not going to touch that with a ten-foot pole now. I go, Nor should you. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Good advice.] --------------------- Nor should you. He goes, Good. Im glad were on the same page there. I said, However, other people can make things happen that you dont need to know about. --------------------- [PVA journalist: So thats where I think this goes.] --------------------- But you do understand, hes still gonna have to know about it. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Um, Mr. Creamer?] --------------------- Yes. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Well, I mean, is that okay? As long as its outside of] --------------------- [Foval waves his hand dismissively, indicating that it is okay.] We talk about lots of things that we dont talk about. 13:05 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Foval told us about a guy in New York that works with Creamer a lot. We wondered if he was the guy who could pull off the voter fraud scheme. 13:47 Second Video SECTION XI (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group This guy named Cesar Vargas. Is his name. So, Bob (Creamer) is really good friends with him and talked to him this afternoon. 13:55 Project Veritas Action (PVA) Commentary Vargas is an interesting character. He is the co-founder of the Dream Action Coalition, a New York lawyer, and a DREAMer himself. Born in Mexico, Vargas is an undocumented alien. 14:04 Second Video SECTION XII (the sections are our designation, not PVAs) The Players Their Organizations Quotes Video Cesar Vargas Dream Action Coalition Co-founder [PVA journalist: What he (their fictitious donor) wants in the simplest terms, wanting, was he had this idea and Scott (Foval) made it seem possible, but said it was impossible to do nowessentially, getting a bunch of people on a bus, or whatever. Taking them around the country. They legally can vote. So they can vote. At the same time, theyre also getting work permits under a different name and again voting on behalf of people who cannot vote.] --------------------- Yeah, I would have to like say you know, can we make something special during midterm elections in 2018? 14:17 Like I said, this is not gonna happen this election. --------------------- [PVA journalist: I know that.] --------------------- So I think its about, for us, lets see who the next president is. If itif its Donald Trump, it even makes more sense. The issue will be more credible and much more opportunity for us to jump in to this. If its Secretary Clinton, and the voting ID laws are loosening, and we have much more opportunity for people to vote, and we have immigration reform, its not going to be as significant, right? 15:01 [PVA journalist: If we cross that bridge, can I tell him that youre the one who can possibly help us do that?] --------------------- Yeah, absolutely, I mean, count me in. --------------------- [PVA journalist: And I assume you dont go tell these conversations to anybody?] --------------------- No, no, no. No, absolutely, absolutely. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Because this is technically, you know, voter fraud.] --------------------- As an activist, do we want to do this? Do we want to take the chance? Lets talk about it. 15:28 Scott Foval People for the American Way Deputy Political Director --------------------- Americans United for Change (AUFC) National Field Director --------------------- Democracy Partners Advisor --------------------- The Foval Group We have to do a better job of making out people do what theyre supposed to do. Not asking them. Making them. Not expecting them and taking them for granted, but beating the shit out of them and then making them do it. --------------------- [PVA journalist: Like voters?] --------------------- Yeah. 15:46 With the background threat of a New Conservative Party, which will ensure GOP losses for years if the new third party gathers more momentum than did the Tea Party, and other examples of bashing the GOP, particularly by the anti-establishment right, Noah Rothman has penned an important piece over at Commentary magazine. First, he says the turbo-conservatives (my word, not his, though we describe the same reality) nominated Trump because they (wrongly) believed that the GOP doesn't know how to win. Mr. Rothman writes: Trump has made no secret of his antipathy toward conservatism and the politicians who speak in its name. The Republican nominee is now in open warfare with one of the GOPs most popular figures, House Speaker Paul Ryan, calling him a man who doesnt know how to win. Trump supporters will nod their heads to this assertion. That view is dogma on the anti-establishmentarian right. This pique led to the nomination of an unqualified presidential nominee who will badly lose a winnable race for the White House. Now, out of spite, those same people who sacrificed the presidency are contemplating the sacrifice of the GOPs majorities. Because theyve convinced themselves that Republicans like Ryan dont know how to win, they believe theyre not forfeiting much. Theyre dead wrong. Then the rest of Mr. Rothman's essay is about all the victories the GOP leadership, both in the states and in Washington, D.C. Two sample paragraphs from the victories in Washington follow. First, the GOP has stopped the Obama agenda in many ways. Republicans in Congress have effectively blocked Barack Obamas agenda since 2011. They have obstructed punitive taxes on businesses that seek reduced labor and materials costs overseas. They stopped Obamas DREAM Act, which offered citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants. House Republicans sued the Obama administration over its extraconstitutional executive actions deferring deportation status to millions of illegal immigrants -- and won. Theyve thwarted a slew of new gun control measures. They prevented passage of a series of new stimulus bills Barack Obama labeled jobs proposals even after conceding shovel ready was a fantasy. Theyve prevented more green kickback schemes, like Solyndra and Sapphire Energy. By 2009, federal spending had expanded by around 6 percent every year for nearly 30 years. That ended in 2011. Since the tea party GOP retook the House, federal spending has grown by only 1.3 percent annually. Second, Mr. Rothman lays out the accomplishments of the GOP: And what has the GOP passed? A lot. By July of 2016, the Republican-led Senate set a record for passing more legislation through that chamber that became law than at any point since 1990. After retaking both chambers, the congressional GOP passed an Obamacare repeal bill and forced Barack Obama to veto it. The president now concedes that his signature reform law is deeply flawed and needs a major overhaul -- a concession that Republicans fought for six years to win. The GOP-led Congress started passing budgets again in 2015, rather than simply relying on continuing resolutions to fund the government. The GOP passed a bill to keep Guantanamo Bay open, despite Obamas veto threat. The president blinked. Theyve passed anti-Net Neutrality legislation, expanded funding for the military, the de-funding of Planned Parenthood, and new measures to vet refugees fleeing war in the Middle East, none of which Obama allowed pass into law. Then Mr. Rothman concludes with common sense about the turbo-conservatives (again, my term, not his): Conservatives were led astray in 2016. They fell prey to a narrative of victimhood a persecution complex that made Donald Trump possible. Trump will lose, but, despite his best efforts, he may not succeed in taking the GOPs congressional majorities with him. With luck, those self-described conservative voices peddling a malicious myth of Republican complicity with Obama will be exposed and discredited. There is still time to save the Republican Party from the decimation they have joined with Democrats in wishing upon it. It is a sad fact that turbo-conservatives, particularly the ones who dominate talk TV and radio, have been spending far too long bashing the "establishment," even calling those who disagree with their strategy "silly" or "smarmy". If we lose the White House, and it's looking more and more likely, the turbo-conservatives will blame the "establishment," not themselves, even though it is so obvious that the specific GOP leaders, like Ryan, McConnell, and former speaker Boehner three specific humans, not some "establishment" cabal read the political landscape accurately and have done a lot to advance conservatism, while the turbos have accomplished little except push for the Ultimate Outsider, the weakest candidate of them all. A little self-knowledge would go a long way. James Arlandson's website is Live as Free People (new look), where he has posted Bill Clinton nudged Trump to run in the GOP, the GOP has not given 'everything' Obama wanted, the GOP 'Establishment' will have to save Trump and country, and In defense of the GOP "Establishment." Back in the primaries, I took an interest in the different sites about Latinos supporting Senator Sanders. I recall stories about a generational divide in many Hispanic Democrat homes between Sanders and Clinton. In the end, Clinton got more votes, but the Sanders effort exceeded expectations. It was interesting to see that they had the same views of Mrs. Clinton that we did. In the most recent WikiLeaks release, we've learned a few things about how the inner Clinton team thinks. We've also learned that Senator Sanders never had much of a chance. This is a sample of what they thought of the Sanders supporters and others: Long before Hillary Clinton called millions of Americans a basket of deplorables, her top campaign advisers and liberal allies openly mocked Catholics, Southerners, and a host of other groups, according to newly released emails that offer a stunning window into the vitriol inside the Clinton world less than a month before Election Day. The emails, published by WikiLeaks after a hack of Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas private account, also show Clinton campaign officials and Democratic leaders disparaging supporters of Sen. Bernard Sanders as self-righteous whiners, calling Hispanic party leaders such as Bill Richardson needy Latinos, labeling CNN anchor Jake Tapper a dk and even lambasting longtime Clinton ally Sidney Blumenthal. The sheer number of insults in the email trove has left the Clinton campaign, along with outside organizations such as the Center for American Progress that were routinely involved in the brutal bad-mouthing, unable or unwilling to respond. Instead, they have blamed the hack on Russia and have refused to even confirm that the emails are genuine, though they also havent denied their authenticity. Wonder how all those "self-righteous whiners" or "needy Latinos" who voted for Sanders feel about that... Many of them are young Latinos who turned out in the primary. I wonder how they will react when they learn that the primary was a sham. In other words, Senator Sanders never had a chance and all of those young Latinos were used by a party with a predetermined nominee. It would be nice if Univision or Telemundo devoted a segment to these Latino victims of Democrat corruption. I agree that Trump said some stupid things about Mexicans, but the Democrats cheated Latino voters in the primaries. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. At the end of the debate, while Hillary was droning on with snippets rehearsed, Trump gave the best description of Hillary. He said, "Such a nasty woman." Who could disagree with that? She is nasty and a woman. On substance and manner, Trump was clearly the winner. Hillary gave her usual robotic answers sprinkled with cheap shots, which is her preparation for the past week. Trump brought out that the violence at his rally in Chicago and other rallies was caused by operatives of the Clinton campaign. Hillary did not deny it. On the Middle East disaster in Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Libya, Trump clearly stated that Obama and Hillary, as secretary of state, caused the disaster by withdrawing from Iraq without leaving a force. Hilary did not deny it. On Mosul, Trump said we announced several months ago that we would attack Mosul to get the ISIS leaders, thus giving the ISIS heads-up to leave. Hillary did not defend giving the ISIS leaders advance warning so they could leave Mosul. So if we take Mosul, so what? The ISIS leaders have left, so they can continue to attack us. On the emails scandal, Hillary did not deny that she destroyed emails after a subpoena was issued by Congress. On the question whether we should leave a force in Iraq if we defeat ISIS, Hillary gave a "Clintonian" answer that we would not leave an "occupying force." Hillary, if president, may leave a force but not classify it as an "occupying force" and call it another name. Trump was clear that we would build the wall and support the Second Amendment, whereas Hillary dodged the question about her speech advocating "open borders." She gave a Clintonian answer that this meant not open borders for immigration, but open borders for electrical grids. Only the MSM believes this. Hillary dodged the question on the corruption in Haiti by the Clinton Foundation. Trump was clear on reducing taxes and appointing conservative judges who may overturn Roe v. Wade, thus sending the abortion issue back to the states, which was the law until 1971. He was strong in opposing late-term abortions, whereas Hillary clearly supports abortion up to the minute of birth. The big issue for the TV pundits was Trump's refusal to say he will accept the results of the election if he loses. Trump said he will wait to see how the election is conducted. Al Gore spent three months litigating the results of the 2000 election, then many Democrats attacked Bush as an illegitimate president. Some of the TV pundits tried to characterize this as Trump being against a peaceful transition. This is absurd. Trump said he will review how the election is conducted and then decide. Given the issues surrounding the election, such as the Pew report on the number of mistakes in registered voters, the Hillary campaign paying thugs to start fights at Trump rallies, the MSM refusing to cover the email scandal, and Wikileaks, it is rational to say we will review how the election was conducted. Trump won because his issues of reducing taxes, border control, and defeating terrorism are in the best interest of our country. Trump made it clear that Hillary will be the third term of Obama. Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (27) The developer preview of Android 7.1 hit a number of Nexus devices just yesterday, and now everyone is going through the OS to see what exactly Google has added in this new version of Android and also finding out what exactly is being left to the Pixel and Pixel XL, and not coming to the Nexus lineup. One of the new features is called Smart Storage, and it does exactly what you think it does. It intelligently frees up space on your device, when you are running out of space. Its something that happens to all of us. Say you want to download a new app, but you dont have enough space to do so, Smart Storage will make it possible for you to download that app. The interface for Smart Storage will look pretty familiar to features built into other smartphones that are designed to eliminate clutter on your device. There are three sections here, basically. Photos & Videos, Downloads and Apps. With Photos & Videos, you can opt to remove those photos and videos that are over 30 days old. This is definitely a great thing, especially with the ability to backup everything to Google Photos these days. That way the pictures arent gone for good, but you are able free up some space on your device. Downloads and apps will show you which of these havent been used for 90 days. Lets face it, if you havent used an app for 90 days, it probably doesnt need to be hogging up space on your smartphone right now. Theres no cache cleaner here, which is probably a good thing, as those dont really do much to help you save room. As your phone will just rebuild the cache the next time each app is open. Google has done a great job here at making the UI pretty easy to understand, even for those that arent tech nerds. It also shows you how much storage each action will free up. Which is going to help you determine whether you want to remove that old app or not. More importantly, this appears to not be a Pixel-exclusive feature, as this is already on the Pixels, but it is now in Android 7.1 proper. So it should, theoretically at least, come to other Android devices that are running stock-ish Android (like Lenovos Moto brand) when they get the update to Android 7.1. Back on October 11th Google announced that in the near future, they would begin pushing out the developer preview software for Android 7.1 Nougat for the most recent Nexus devices. At that same time, Google also broke down some of the new changes and features that could be expected in the upcoming dev preview, and now the software is just starting to make its way to users handsets as Google has just made the dev preview available for download and installation. Of course, to install the dev preview you will need to have a compatible Nexus device, which at this point in time includes the Nexus 5X, the Nexus 6P, and the Pixel C tablet. As Android 7.1 Nougat only comes running on the Pixel and the Pixel XL right now out of the box, this gives those using last years Nexus and Pixel devices a chance to check the software out before perhaps making the jump to a new phone. While this is one way of looking at it from a consumer standpoint, it also gives app and game developers a chance to test out the software with their apps and work towards making their apps compatible with the new software version so its ready once Google pushes it out officially. While users will be able to grab the OTA images and Factory Image from the buttons below to flash to their devices if they wish to do so, the Dev Preview will also be pushed out to devices over the air giving uses another method of applying the new software, so long as theyre enrolled in the Android Beta Program, which should cause the update to be sent out automatically. Update SDK and tools have also been made available for the new version of the dev preview if developers or tinkerers want get their hands on it. As a recap of what the dev preview will offer those with a compatible device, it includes things like the native app shortcuts, as well as the new circular icons and enhanced wallpaper data. Along with the first round of the Android 7.1 dev preview that is available now, Google plans to put out a second build next month with a planned public launch the month after. A couple of weeks after officially announcing Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL flagships, the Mountain View-based tech giant is now ramping up their marketing machine. The Pixel phones mark a significant landmark in Googles hardware strategy. Up until recently, the company has often shied away from consumer electronics and mostly dealt with hardware based on emerging technologies like Google Glass and various drones. Sure, it had a hand in the Nexus line, but Nexus hardware was still produced by Android original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) while Google was handling their software. Nexus phones were mostly touted as great devices and had a loyal following but they werent huge commercial hits. Google wasnt really bothered by that as the companys representatives often claimed that the main goal of the Nexus project was to show what pure Android can do and not directly compete with OEMs. However, thats all in the past as everything related to Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL signifies a complete change of the companys hardware strategy. These are the first two devices branded exclusively by Google and specifically advertised as being Made by Google. Theyre premium flagships with equally premium price tags and are marketed much more heavily than any Nexus phone before them. In other words, Google Pixel and Pixel XL arent only targeting Android enthusiasts, theyre targeting pretty much everyone. So, when you make a phone that is meant to appeal to the average consumer, a heavy marketing campaign is in order. Google is aware of that and is investing a lot of money in advertising its two flagships. Over in the United Kingdom, Google Pixel and Pixel XL officially hit the market today and their maker decided to celebrate this occasion by renovating its store in Currys PC World located on Tottenham Court Road in central London. The store opened today at 7 AM and coffee stalls branded with a MadeByGoogle hashtag were found in the vicinity. In addition to that and a lot of traditional advertising, Engadget reports that a similar pop-up store is opening in New York today. It remains to be seen whether this coffee-and-Pixel concept will also be introduced in other territories which are slated to receive Googles latest flagships in the coming weeks. Walk into most Best Buy stores in the US, and youll usually find set-aside areas for each major mobile carrier, as well as areas to play with and purchase the latest and greatest from both Apple and Samsung. Best Buy shoppers in Canada will soon be able to visit similar mini-stores full of Google gear like Pixels, Chromecasts, and Daydream hardware, according to a press release from Best Buy. A small selection of Best Buy stores throughout the region, 14 of them to be exact, will be getting new Google-themed Experience Stores, where consumers can check out whats new from Mountain View. Much like the other Experience Stores that Best Buy shoppers can find themselves in, these Google Shops will be staffed by people specifically familiar with the Google products and ecosystem that theyre selling. Users will be able to walk up and try Google hardware, with the initial lineup planned to consist of the two Pixel phones, along with the Daydream View headset once it debuts, as well as the 4K-packing Chromecast Ultra, once it hits retail. The plan is to start by opening up 10 small stores across Canada, then building out 4 larger, more comprehensive ones in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Mississauga later in the year. Googles head of global retail design, Janell Fischer, spoke in glowing terms about the stores and the experience that customers can get by trying out Googles newest hardware and seeing how it can fit into their lives. Googles new Pixel phones mark the first time that theyve put their own seal of approval on mobile hardware, and essentially necessitate Google getting a retail strategy in line for the unified hardware approach that theyre pursuing with the help of Rick Osterloh. For now, nothing is set in stone as to whether there will be more Google Shops, when they could drop, or where they will end up, but its only natural to assume that if this experiment with an initial lineup of stores goes well, Google will be getting Best Buy on board as a more permanent part of their long-term retail and consumer relations strategy. While LeEcos event in San Francisco today was focused on products such as the uMax 85 TV which comes with an 85-inch screen, as well as the Le Pro3 and Le S3 smartphones, two of the standout products were LeEcos LeSEE Pro smart car and the LeSyvrac Super Bike. Both are each equally compelling in their vision of what LeEco aims to offer, although it is worth noting that the LeSEE Pro car is still just a concept, while the LeSyvrac Super Bike will actually be available in the US in the near future, unfortunately there is still no date for release or a price point thats been set. The LeSEE Pro, while not available just yet and with no mentioned release time frame or cost having been mentioned, has some advanced tricks up its sleeves like a self-driving mode, and an external mounted display which can be used to signal pedestrians if the car is handling the driving, as well an ability to change colors based on what signal is being shown at the time, for example, such as whether or not the car is reversing, turning left or right, or flashing its emergency lights. The bike, which LeEco is keen to point out is the worlds first super bike, is a dream for anyone who envisions riding a bike with some advanced features and functionality built in. This starts with simple and thoughtful touches like the integrated lighting system, which includes a front-mounted bike light, as well as rear-mounted laser markers to keep the rider visible when its dark. The bike also features a handlebar-mounted touch display which is powered by Android software, and this allows for the ability to view important details about the ride that a cyclist may be interested in having accessible at all times, such as distance, speed, and route just to name off a few. The LeSyvrac super bike also has side accent lighting and red tail light in addition to the dual LED front light and rear laser markers, and its equipped with a 30-speed shift system, as well as a location tracker and an alarm for security. Other elements, like the Dual-Piston Hydraulic disc brakes help to round out what is sure to be a cool bike to ride. Xiaomi, the Chinese tech company that has often been referred to as The Apple of China in the Western media, introduced its latest flagship smartphone, the Mi 5, earlier this year. The company has also launched a whole host of new smartphones over the past year as part of its more pocket-friendly Redmi line, including the mid-range Redmi Note 3 and Redmi Note 4, both of which come with pretty impressive hardware for the price. However, it hasnt been all smooth sailing for Xiaomi in recent times. The company was the leading smartphone vendor in its homeland not so long ago, but its inability to launch a flagship product last year cost it dear, with Huawei taking over the top slot in the country with a number of attractive offerings of its own. However, having finally launched the Mi 5 earlier this year after what seemed like an eternity, Xiaomi is apparently getting ready to launch its second-generation premium phablet at some stage in the coming weeks. There have already been numerous leaks about the Mi Note 2 over the past few weeks that have revealed just about all the key hardware specs of the upcoming phablet. Now, a few leaked Powerpoint slides that show off what looks like marketing material for the upcoming phablet, have seemingly confirmed most of those hardware specs that have been rumored thus far. That includes the 5.7-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display with Force Touch and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip. The device is also expected to come in two different versions, with the base model carrying 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, while the more premium version will sport 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. Neither is expected to have a microSD card slot, though. The Mi Note 2 also promises to be the first Xiaomi smartphone with a dual rear-camera setup thats expected to include the 23-megapixel Sony IMX318 sensor and the 12-megapixel Sony IMX378 sensor. The front-facing selfie-cam is expected to be an 8-megapixel unit. The device is also said to come with a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner and an NFC chip, while the battery will reportedly be a 4,100 mAh unit. According to the leaked slides, the base version will be priced at 2,799 Yuan ($415), while the more premium version will sport a 2,999 Yuan ($445) price-tag. LeEco has held its first press conference in North America earlier today and we are getting to see a number of the companys new products. One of these new products, which was only shown on a screen for a handful of seconds, is the new ExploreVR headset. This is a headset which is designed to carry the LeEco Le Pro 3 smartphone, which is based around the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset. The new virtual reality headset also includes a USB Type-C connector and LeEco explained that it will also work with Bluetooth headphones, which most smartphone-based VR headset manufacturers dont recommend due to audio latency and quality issues. The ExploreVR headset contains what LeEco is calling a premium memory foam lining for the best possible comfort, as this will adapt to fit the contours of the wearers face. There are high-precision aspheric lenses included in the unit plus a proximity sensor that will pause or restart playback when the headset is removed or put back on. LeEco has also included a 10,000 Hz IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) a sensor designed to reduce head tracking latency to the minimum. Unfortunately, LeEco did not detail the accompanying software that would be driving the ExploreVR headset, which could end up being an important aspect in deciding whether this is a headset worth picking up. Nor did the Chinese company provide any more details regarding the additional specification of the headset, or its handset-compatibility (beyond the Le Pro 3). As a result, there are no current details on pricing for the headset or its availability, other than mentioning that the United States launch is in just two weeks (November 2). LeEco has a habit of bundling content with new products, so theres a chance that the Chinese company will include one or more movies with the ExploreVR and it is also possible that the virtual reality headset will also use Googles new Daydream VR ecosystem. With only two weeks to go until the product actually launches, we will not have to wait too long to see how LeEco is planning to tackle the emerging (VR) virtual reality scene. Meizu is one of the most interesting China-based smartphone manufacturers. This company had introduced a number of devices in the last couple of years, and theyve managed to grow quite a bit. The companys Meizu PRO 6 and MX6 handsets that had been introduced this year are quite compelling, and so is their M3 Note budget smartphone which packs in really solid specs, and quite a sizeable battery. That being said, Meizu is having some legal issues at the moment, as Qualcomm had decided to sue the company in Germany, France and the US for patent infringement. Meizu was fast to respond to those accusations by saying that they respect Qualcomms right to use legal measures if theyre not pleased with the process of negotiations (over patents), as the two companies have been negotiating for quite some time it seems, this is not the first time this lawsuit had been mentioned. That being said, it seems like Meizu could sue some of their competitors in China, as Meizu feels theyve infringed on the companys patent(s). So, whats going on? Well, it seems like Meizu thinks that OPPO, Xiaomi and Smartisan are infringing on the companys mBack patent. If youve ever used one of Meizus devices, you probably know what mBack is. This term refers to the companys multifunctional home button which basically removes the need to have a separate back button. If you touch this button without physical pressing it, youll trigger the back action. If you, however, physical press it, the button acts as a home button. So, Meizus devices basically have only one button below the display, no separate capacitive keys are present on their devices. So, youre probably wondering how do you multitask then, well, all you need to do is swipe from the bottom up, and youll trigger the overview screen. Having that in mind, the companys Vice President, Li Nan, and one other Meizu exec, have published a couple of posts on Weibo (Chinese social network) and accused Xiaomi, OPPO and Smartisan of patent infringement. Well have to wait and see what happens next, but it seems like Meizu could sue all three companies in China, they obviously feel like they have a case here. Ever since Lenovo purchased Motorola from Google some time ago now, it was interesting to see what the Chinese giant would do with the storied brand. As it turns out, the company would do plenty with the Moto brand. In North America and throughout the West, theyve diversified the Moto line of products, offering a little something for every budget and every segment of the market. In China however, the Moto brand has also been used to extend Lenovos sizable share of the Chinese market. One such upcoming device weve heard a lot about is the Moto M, which has leaked out time and time again in real life images, as recently as yesterday in the case of the Moto M Plus, but there are now even more of them leaking out. These new photos are apparently of a Moto M with the model number XT1662 and features a 5.5-inch 1080p and is apparently running a MediaTek CPU, which would be something of a first for Motorolas devices, which have relied upon Snapdragon CPUs historically, even in their mid-range and lower-end devices. The new images are of a Moto M in a sort of metallic gold hue, and once again the overall look and feel appears to be similar to the Huawei Nova Plus which launched not too long ago. Interestingly for a device thats said to be sold only in China, the Google Play Store icon is seen on the front page in the above image, which suggests a launch outside of China as well, which is something this new leak strongly suggests, with the rumor of Microsoft apps to be preloaded as well. The Moto M Plus has recently leaked out as well, and both appear to be mid-range devices with premium builds, and features such as the rear-facing fingerprint sensor making up the overall feature sheet. Design wise, the placement of this fingerprint sensor is placed around the back of the device, which would be a first for Moto devices, as the Moto Z and Moto Z Force feature fingerprint sensors on the front of the device. A launch event for the Moto M and Moto M Plus is perhaps just around the corner, given the late arrival of these leaks and how complete the device appears to be. The whole fiasco which has plagued the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, hasnt really settled well with Samsungs customers. This is due to the fact that many Galaxy Note 7 users had to visit their respective point of purchase multiple times, first to obtain a replacement unit during the first recall, and then to return the aforementioned replacement unit to obtain a refund when the smartphone was discontinued. Some Galaxy Note 7 users have already filed lawsuits against the South Korean company because they say that they were left without a smartphone for weeks during the first recall, and still incurred monthly carrier charges during that time, which of course, they had to pay for. The plaintiffs are now seeking compensation from the firm. Now, South Korean media outlets are reporting that Samsung has a new compensation program for its Galaxy Note 7 customers in the works. It is reported that Samsung is considering providing its Galaxy Note 7 customers with cash discounts for their future purchase of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 or the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. The industry source which is mentioned in the report didnt state which handset the electronics manufacturer will decide to offer the discount for. At the moment, it is unclear how much the discount will be and that is if the company goes through with the new compensation program. Samsung has yet to officially confirm this reported compensation program. However, the company is already offering incentives to Galaxy Note 7 users in many markets it sold the device in. In South Korea, the company is offering a complimentary voucher worth 30,000 won ($26) to Galaxy Note 7 users who return their device. The company is also offering a 70,000 won ($62) credit on their monthly carrier charges, but that is if users opt to replace their Galaxy Note 7 unit with a different Samsung smartphone. So far, only 10 percent of some 500,000 Galaxy Note 7 users in South Korea have returned their device for a refund or exchange. Many Galaxy Note 7 owners are reluctant to return their device as there are few other options in the market which offer similar functionality to the Galaxy Note 7, but Samsung is hoping to expedite the return process with its cash benefits. Samsung Pay is one of the most popular mobile payment services in the world, and technically speaking it should also be one of the most secure solutions in the market. Nevertheless, no system is perfect and as readers might recall, a couple of months ago in August, security researcher Salvador Mendoza seemed to have discovered a security flaw in Samsung Pay, which could, in theory, allow attackers to exploit an issue in Samsungs Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology and gather credit card data into tokens. Now, mister Salvador Mendoza claims to have discovered a second vulnerability in Samsungs mobile payment solution, this time exploiting a flaw in NFC communication. Earlier in August after the first alleged security flaw has been discovered by Mendoza, Samsung issued a short statement ensuring Samsung Pay users that the platform is secure, and the company also shared a comprehensive document explaining how Samsung Pay and tokenization works. More recently, however, security researcher Salvador Mendoza claims to have found a second vulnerability in Samsung Pay, one that affects NFC transactions, which should technically be more secure than MST communications. As a quick reminder, Samsung Pay is the only mobile payment solution available in the world to make use of both MST and NFC technologies for secure payments. Now, Salvador Mendoza claims to have discovered an exploit that allows an interception application running on a smartphone in the vicinity of a checkout terminal to intercept an NFC transmission and steal the authentication token after the customer confirms the purchase with a fingerprint or PIN, and before the transaction is finalized. Once the NFC transmission is intercepted, the customer will be prompted with an error message, and after attempting to confirm the payment a second time, the system will create a new token valid for 24 hours which will then be intercepted and stolen by the aforementioned application. Mendoza claims that he has tested the vulnerability at a grocery store, and adds that the issue could be exploited in other stores like BestBuy or Walmart just as well. Samsung has yet to issue a respond in regards to these findings, but its worth noting that the first official statement released in August was brief, claiming that recent reports implying that Samsung Pay is flawed are simply not true and explaining that Samsung Pay uses a multi-layer security system that works in tandem with the security systems of our partners to detect any emerging threats. Either way, Salvador Mendoza intends to demonstrate the new vulnerability at the Ekoparty security conference which will take place next week in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Having transitioned from their own OS to Android with the PRIV last year, the BlackBerry has gone on to launch its second Android smartphone, called the DTEK50, earlier this year. Now, if all the leaks, rumors and online listings are anything to go by, BlackBerry Inc. is apparently getting ready to launch its third Android smartphone in the coming days. The device is expected to be named the DTEK60, and will be available for purchase worldwide unlike the DTEK50, which was launched only in select markets. One of the countries where BlackBerry plans to launch the upcoming handset is Germany, and that is exactly where our latest DTEK60 news comes from. According to reports coming out of Germany earlier today, the countrys largest retailer, MediaMarkt, will start offering the DTEK60 from the 25th of this month at a price of 600 ($660). It isnt entirely clear, however, as to whether the device will be put up for pre-order on that date or whether MediaMarkt will actually start general sales from that day. Either way, the rumored price-tag looks significantly higher than what many North American retailers are asking for the device. The smartphone was recently put up for pre-order on a number of American and Canadian e-commerce sites including, NCIX, Staples Canada and B&H Photo Video. While the two Canadian retailers are quoting CAD 699 ($535) for the unlocked 32GB model, B&H in the US was asking for $500 from those wanting to pre-order the device. While BlackBerry is yet to officially announce its upcoming premium smartphone, many of its key hardware specs have already been leaked online on more than one occasion. The DTEK60 is expected to be designed and manufactured by TCL, much like the DTEK50 that was launched earlier this year and was thought to be a re-branded Alcatel Idol 4 for the most part. According to all the listings that have popped up over the past few weeks, the upcoming device will feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display panel and will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC. It will come with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, while imaging options will include a 21-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone will also include a fingerprint scanner, an NFC chip and a 3,000 mAh battery. The Samsung Gear S3 was first revealed at the IFA trade show which was held in Berlin. Back then, it was rumored that Samsung will put the Gear S3 on sale at the end of October. However, that seems to be not quite the case as Samsung is reported to have released an official statement saying that the Gear S3 will be released in mid-November. The smartwatch which comes in two variants, the Gear S3 Classic and the Gear S3 Frontier is expected to help the South Korean company recover from the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fiasco it is currently facing. On Wednesday, the company said that the smartwatch will debut in its home country of South Korea, the US, and certain European countries. China, which is one of the largest electronics market, is said to not be included on the list, but a Samsung official stated that it will be launched in the country at a later date. The Samsung official went on to say that the price would be disclosed once the release date is fixed, but it is likely that the smartwatch will cost around $350 and up. While the Gear S3 is yet to be released, it is already available for pre-order in Canada from Best Buy, where it costs $470 CAD ($358) for both variants. However, the Gear S3 smartwatches being sold by Best Buy Canada, do not support 4G LTE or NFC. As far as the specs of the Gear S3 go, the smartwatch comes with a 1.3-inch circular Super AMOLED display, protected by Cornings new Gorilla Glass SR+. The Gear S3 Classic is 12.9 mm thick with a streamlined design, while the Gear S3 Frontier shares a similar 12.9 mm thick casing, but it appears to be a little more edgy and sporty looking. Both come with IP68 water and dust-resistance, an optical heart rate sensor, 4GB of storage and 768MB of RAM, as well as Samsungs own Tizen 2.3.2 OS. A dual-core CPU clocked at 1.0 GHz keeps everything ticking along, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, as well as GPS are included. The Gear S3 also comes packed with a 380 mAh battery, which Samsung says can offer up to three-to-four days of battery life on a single charge. The latest offering from Samsung also supports wireless charging. Now that Samsung has ended production of the Galaxy Note 7, its no surprise that the company is trying to switch consumer attention over to its other devices and forget about the two recalls. As part of their efforts, the company has also been teasing the release of some new devices, among them the newly announced Galaxy On Nxt, which was made official today in India. As can be seen when looking at the South Korean companys latest smartphone, its clear that they havent taken any risks in terms of design, with the traditional Samsung front panel, along with the typical metallic accents and decently small bezels either side of the 2.5D glass display. Around the back, Samsung has once again kept it simple by placing only the camera and flash towards the top both of which seem to be flush against the panel, with no camera bump in sight and the companys logo towards the middle of the rear of the device. The smartphone is 8 mm thick and weighs in at a respectable 167 grams. Moving on to specs, Samsung has equipped the device with a large 5.5-inch display which features a 1080 x 1920 resolution. Taking a closer look at what is on offer inside and the Galaxy On Nxt is powered by Samsungs own octa-core Exynos 7870 processor (clocked at 1.6 GHz), and this itself is coupled with the Mali-T830MP2 GPU and a generous 3GB of RAM. As well as this, the device comes with 32GB of internal storage, though this can be expanded via a microSD card as and when needed. Moving on to the cameras and Samsung has equipped this device with a 13-megapixel camera on the rear (which is coupled with an LED flash), along with an 8-megapixel camera on the front. Other specs include support for 4G LTE and dual-SIM, a fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth, NFC and a relatively large 3,300 mAh battery. Advertisement Regarding the pricing and availability, the Galaxy On Nxt is now available in black, gold and pink from Flipkart in India for the equivalent of $275. As of now, it is unclear as to whether the company has any plans to release the device elsewhere. Quadruple play or quad-play has been a rather popular strategy in the United Kingdom for a while now. The idea to combine a television subscription, broadband Internet access and telephone with wireless service into a single, attractively priced package has already been implemented by BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media and the market is just about to get even more competitive. As it turns out, Sky is finally ready to make its own quad-play as the company just announced that registrations for its mobile network are opening on Monday, October 31st. This revelation was made during the companys annual Investor Day where Skys representatives noted that signups will be exclusively available to customers in the UK for the time being. The fact that Sky decided to debut its wireless service in the United Kingdom isnt surprising given how thats the companys biggest market. In accordance with an announcement from Sky made in early 2015, the upcoming virtual mobile network will be powered by Telefonicas British O2 network. While this initial rollout will be exclusive to existing Sky customers, a larger expansion is planned for next year. Thats when Sky is expected to start aggressively marketing its latest service and offer attractive deals in an effort to convince customers to switch providers. Unfortunately, no details on pricing of Sky Mobile have been given yet but its expected more information will be available by the end of October because Sky certainly wont expect its customers to sign up for a service without knowing how much it costs. Speaking of Skys customers, the head of the companys UK and Ireland division Stephen van Rooyen recently revealed that latest in-house studies suggest more than two-thirds of Sky subscribers in the United Kingdom would consider switching to Sky Mobile. Given that report and the fact that Skys last expansion into broadband in 2006 went pretty well, its no wonder the company is confident about its future prospects. Advertisement All in all, while Sky may be a bit late to the quad-play game, more competition on the market can hardly be a bad thing for the end user. If you happen to be one of Skys 12 million customers in the UK, you can expect the company to offer you an attractively priced wireless service if youre willing to leave your current provider. To say that Yahoo hasnt been terribly popular lately would be a huge understatement. Shortly after the tech industrys former darling revealed that it suffered a major data breach that compromised 500 million users in 2014, things went from bad to worse for the Internet giant. Namely, it came to light that Yahoo was scanning emails from its users on such a large scale that it has actually built a robust surveillance system. The spying tool allegedly scanned for specific character strings and was built on request from the US government. While other tech companies promptly denied that theyve ever done anything even remotely similar to that and stated that no US intelligence agency ever made any such requests to them, Yahoo is still adamant to prove that what it did wasnt only common but also misinterpreted. Following that line of thinking, the company has just sent an open letter to US National Intelligence chief James Clapper. In the letter, Yahoo publicly demands Clapper to clarify national security orders on obtaining user data. Yahoos representatives specifically stated that such requests are often issued to Internet companies by various US intelligence agencies. Furthermore, in a short press release published on Yahoos pages, the company asserted that the aforementioned mail scanning tool doesnt exist. Interestingly enough, it didnt label the original report revealing the surveillance system as false but simply misleading. Unfortunately, no further clarification has been given but simply requested from the US government. Presuming that this statement wasnt twisted in some way, its possible that Yahoo is legally not allowed to speak of the matter any further, which would also explain why it requested the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to set the record straight. All in all, Yahoo is in a really tight spot right now. In addition to facing serious accusations about compromising user privacy, its facing them at the worst possible time. The company is currently in the process of selling its core business to Verizon. The two reportedly agreed to a $4.8 billion sale but Verizon is now allegedly looking to haggle because it feels recent events significantly affected the value of Yahoos Internet services business. The Royal Anguilla Police Force is investigating the circumstances surrounding how a fire during the early morning hours on Tuesday 18th October, 2016 destroyed the entire building which housed Madeariman Restaurant and Bar on Shoal Bay East. The fire which was reported to The Valley Police Station at about 1:30am quickly spread engulfing the entire structure in flames. The building said to have been closed for the off season was totally destroyed by the fire. As the Police continue investigation into this matter they are appealing to members of the public who may have been in area of Shoal Bay and may have seen anything suspicious or have any information regarding this fire to contact the Valley Police Station with such information. The telephone number is 497-2333 and asks for the Major Crimes Unit or to speak to any Police Officer of their choice. Additionally information can be sent via the RAPF Tips Website by logging on to www.gov.ai/911 or email AXA911@yahoo.com which are both secure websites. BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, October 17, 2016 The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is providing Jamaica with a technical assistance (TA) grant to strengthen the capacity of the countrys Ministry of Finance. The funding will help to support Jamaica in the ongoing implementation of their Economic Reform Programme, under which critical macroeconomic and structural reforms are being undertaken with the objective of stabilizing the economy and setting the stage for inclusive economic growth. The Government of Jamaica has identified a need to bolster the Ministry of Finances technical expertise in fiscal and macroeconomic policy that supports the countrys reforms under its homegrown structural adjustment programme. The programme is aided and assisted by the IMF and other development partners including CDB, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and the European Union. The TA grant of USD400,000, approved by CDBs Board of Directors last week, will help to: strengthen the MOF management teams capabilities to guide the implementation of critical reforms to support the achievement of key medium-term macroeconomic results; provide technical advice to the Minister of Finance and, by extension, the Cabinet on macroeconomic policy issues in general and, specifically, on how best to achieve the goals and objectives of GOJs reform programme; and enhance relevant skills of technical staff within MOF through training and transfer of expertise and knowledge. Director, Economics at CDB, Dr. Justin Ram, notes that the Bank attaches particular importance to the transfer of expertise and knowledge within strategic institutions, such as the finance ministry. The transfer of knowledge and expertise will help to up-skill relevant managerial and technical staff. This will contribute to improved capacity for strategic policy formulation, management and coordination. Through this grant, the Government of Jamaica will benefit from enhanced policy advice; and increased technical capability to effectively facilitate the implementation of fiscal and structural reforms in particular, and economic development policies in general, Ram said. Malaysian religious government says hot dogs are un-Islamic Hot dogs are un-Islamic, says the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (MIDD). To receive halal certification,the MIDD, a religious government body, says hot dogs must be renamed. MIDDs Sirajuddin Suhaimee explains says: In Islam, dogs are considered unclean and the name cannot be related to halal certification. Yes, but the hot dog contains no dogs, it being most often a composite blend of pigss scrotum, anus and lips. Malaysian halal food guidelines say halal food and halal artificial flavour shall not be named or synonymously named after non-halal products such as ham, bak kut teh, bacon, beer, rum and others that might create confusion, he adds. The Auntie Anne store has been refused halal certification unless it renamed its Pretzel Dog. Mr Suhaimee says it should be called a Pretzel Sausage. And in keeping with Islamic law, Auntie Anne might care to circumcise the tip of its Fat Torpedo: Mike Kritharis Posted: 20th, October 2016 | In: Reviews, Strange But True, The Consumer Comment | TrackBack | Permalink ROME - The military field hospital set up by Italy in the Libyan coastal city of Misrata is now operational, Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said on Thursday. The hospital at Misrata airport has 50 beds. It is due to serve forces loyal to the national unity government following a request from Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. In addition, training for the Libyan coast guard and navy will begin on October 24, Pinotti said. The training by Italy will be land- and sea-based and discussion of Tripoli's request for 11 patrol boats is also expected to resume, the minister added. "There is dialogue with Libya, we back the government of Al Serraj and are increasingly calling for inclusive capacity in order that all components of the country might be represented," Pinotti said. Papal apartment at Castelgandolfo opens to the public Pope Francis relinquishes summer residence (ANSAmed) - Vatican City, October 20 - The papal apartment at the popes' summer residence in Castelgandolfo in the Alban hills south of Rome is to open to the public for the first time ever on Friday, Vatican sources have said. The transformation of the apartment used by popes down the centuries into a museum comes after Pope Francis decided to relinquish use of the Castelgandolfo residence, prefering to spend his summer break at the Vatican. It is also in line with the decision taken at the very start of his pontificate to reside not in the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St Peter's square but in the humbler Santa Marta residence. On Friday a first select group of visitors wll be able to see the bedroom, private chapel, library and study used by successive popes from the 1600s onwards. The visit will be followed by a concert of popular Chinese music conducted by Cui Zimo in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Gandolofo, itself made available to visitors for over a year. (ANSAmed). Aleppo to be cleaned of rebels after pause& Military solution to pave way for negotiations, Sy (ANSAmed) - Moscow, October 20 - Russian and Syrian armed forces will "clean" Aleppo of rebel forces once today's 11-hour 'humanitarian pause' is over, Russian Senator Franz Klintsevich and Syrian MP Jabal Rabia told the daily newspaper Izvestia. "This ceasefire allows civilians to leave the battle zone. The terrorists will also have the same opportunity," Klintsevich said. "After the humanitarian pause the city will be cleaned of rebels. But it will be very difficult to accuse Russia of ignoring the interests of civilians," he added. "Russia has made a great effort to seek a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict," Rabia said. "But now it is obvious that the US and their allies are not interested in such a scenario. The current ceasefire will be the last opportunity for the rebels to leave the city. The ensuing cleaning of the city will be a military solution, but it will pave the way for negotiations to resolve the conflict," he added. (ANSAmed) (by Cristiana Missori) BEIRUT - Beirut Fashion Week is this year showcasing attire for women seeing elegance but wanting to dazzle and seduce as well, in Middle Eastern style. Known as 'La Mode a Beyrouth' (LMAB), the event runs until October 23 and highlights the creations of both new and established Lebanese talents for a public made up of sector experts, buyers, specialised press and bloggers, as well as celebrities. Many of this year's designers seem to look to their Paris-based counterparts and the much-loved Lebanese designer Elie Sabb - popular for years among Hollywood stars - for inspiration. The brainchild of Lebanese businessman Johnny Fadlallah and sponsored by the culture and tourism ministry, the fashion week of the city known as Paris of the Middle East aims to ''bring the country back to being the Middle East fashion capital and restore the Lebanese public's confidence'', Fadlallah told ANSAmed. Despite the economic stagnation and internal and regional political instability, a great deal of inspiration, creativity and ability to reinvent oneself remains among the young, he said, adding that ''we wanted to focus on their energy, and have dedicated an entire day to Beirut Young Fashion Designers Competition''. There are many fashion weeks in the Arab world, from the much-acclaimed Dubai one to ones in Tunis, Casablanca and - soon - Marrakesh. From November there will also be one in Cairo, where ''from November 21 to 23 we will be proposing our concept to Egyptian partners with whom we have signed an agreement'', he said. He added that soon ''we will all be following this format''. There is a conspicuous absence of some important designers, however: from Saab to Rabih Kayrouz, from Zuhair Mourad to Georges Chakra and Georges Hobeika, as well as the young designer of Armenian origins, Krikor Jabotian. For the time being they are watching to see what direction the initiative will take. The absence has left many foreign buyers surprised, such as luxury retail ones like Harvey Nichols and Lambert & Associates, which from their headquarters in New York, London, Paris, Milan and Florence decide what to buy for large chains that have an enormous influence on fashion. ''We would have wanted to see more young designers and fewer successful fashion houses,'' commented Mathilde de Saint Anthost, account manager of Lambert & Associates, calling for more originality. ''The models proposed in Beirut could work better for the Arab world than for the Western one,'' she added. There is talent but efforts need to be channeled in the right direction, she said, ''many things must improve. You can't become Paris or Milan in a short time. You need to be humbler.'' Also, she said, Lebanese designers known at the international level ''could have taken part to support the country's efforts''. The important thing, say the promoters, ''is to convey a message of hope'' for a country where in any instant the clock could be turned back. French police stage new protest in Paris Agents express exasperation at anti-terror workloa (ANSAmed) - Paris, October 20 - French police gathered in Paris on Wednesday evening as part of an ongoing nationwide revolt to express their "exasperation" at the additional workload caused by the terror crisis and solidarity with colleugues attacked in anti-police riots in the capital's banlieue. Most of the 300 police agents who turned out to protest were in civilian clothes and some wore orange armbands carrying the word 'police'. They gathered under the statue in Place de la Republique where police have been targeted on several occasions during recent protests against France's controversial labour reforms, watched from a distance by colleagues deployed by their superiors to keep the peace. (ANSAmed). Two Turkish soldiers killed in clashes with PKK Five more injured on Iraqi border (ANSAmed) - Istanbul, October 20 - At least two Turkish soldiers were killed and a further five injured on Thursday in clashes with PKK Kurdish rebels in the southeastern province of Hakkari on the border with Iraq, Dogan agency reports. The clashes, which are in the district of Cukurca, are still underway, the source added. (ANSAmed). GENEVA - Russia has agreed to extend a ceasefire in place during a part of every day across Aleppo until Monday, a UN official in charge of Syria said in Geneva on Thursday. UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland confirmed that Russia had also agreed to lengthen the daily ceasefires from eight to eleven hours per day. UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura praised the humanitarian pauses to enable those requiring medical care to be evacuated from Aleppo. Egeland said he hoped the first of hundreds of sick and wounded could be evacuated on Friday from the besieged, rebel-held eastern part of the city to western Aleppo or the Idlib region. MADRID- Spain's Constitutional Court on Thursday overruled a ban on bullfighting in Catalonia, which the Barcelona parliament had passed in June 2010. The decision was approved with 8 votes in favor and three against. The court ruled that Catalan authorities generally could regulate such public spectacles but in this case the national parliament's ruling that bullfighting is part of Spain's heritage must prevail. The ban had been approved by the parliament on the basis of a popular initiative started by animal rights activists. The ban on bullfighting, considered a Spanish tradition, had been interpreted not only as a measure in light with positions taken by animal rights activists but also as a further challenge by Catalan and separatist parties against the central government. Bullfighting had been declared cultural heritage under the government of Mariano Rajoy (PP). The ban in Catalonia had had a limited effect, since it had been practiced only in one ring in the region. The Constitutional Court's decision has sparked reactions from the region. Barcelona myor Ada Colau said that it ''can say whatever it wants. We will enforce the regulations that ban animal abuse''. Syria: EU Council weighs sanctions in draft conclusions Measures in section on Russia (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 20 - The European Council is weighing possible sanctions against individuals or entities that support the Syrian regime if the conflict were to continue. In the section on Russian involvement, the latest draft conclusions being discussed by EU leaders leave open the possibility of several options to put pressure on Moscow, sources said. The sentence is said to have been agreed at the foreign ministers meeting on Monday in Luxembourg. The decision to leave it ambiguous and not to include the name of the countries in which the individuals or entities under consideration reside was a compromise between those who - such as Great Britain, Germany and France - would like to have names Russia and those who - like Italy - wanted to indicate Syria. The wording of the document leaves both options open. On Wednesday evening after a meeting between Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia in Berlin, French president Francois Hollande reportedly called European Council chief Donald Tusk to reiterate the need to put as much pressure as possible on Moscow, including through the possibility of fresh sanctions. (ANSAmed). If youre considering a subscription to the Disney Plus streaming service, you may be wondering how much it costs. The service is available on both YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan received EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Herbert Salber on October 20. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, Vigen Sargsyan informed Herbert Salber about the situation on the contact line, the regular ceasefire violations and the recent developments over Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. The sides ruled out any alternative to the peaceful conflict settlement and reaffirmed the necessity to support the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and confidence building initiatives of the international community. The Armenian Defense Minister and the EU Special Representative also exchanged ideas over regional and international security issues and discussed the prospects for a defense and security cooperation between Armenia and the EU. Originally a child prodigy at the Paris Opera Ballet, Ms. Chauvire was acclaimed as a national symbol of French culture by an adoring public and by the French government, which bestowed its highest honors on her. Although she belonged to a generation of gifted ballerinas at the Paris Opera, she was set apart by a mesmerizing elegance that was never confused with chic. The past is another country: they drink things differently there. After the gin-marinated 1950s of John Osbornes The Entertainer, this week I hit the whisky: in the 1960s Connecticut of The Red Barn and then with the 1970s Hampstead topers in Pinters No Mans Land. Gin, in Osbornes play, is predominantly a womans tipple: mothers ruin, and the ruin of Archies maudlin wife Phoebe, loosening her maundering tongue. Whisky, on the other hand thats a mans drink, and couldnt be better chosen to run through two plays about masculinity queasily asserting itself. Strong plays weak The Red Barn at the National Theatre is David Hares adaptation of La Main by Georges Simeon, in which a mans life swirls out of kilter after his friend disappears in a rural snowstorm. Characters reach for the amber stuff in extremis, pouring another finger of poor judgement. Police lieutenant arrives in search of your friend, missing-presumed-dead? Offer him a drink, and when he gives you the fish-eye, have one yourself. Fetching up for an affair at the widows apartment? You could surely use a whisky. The lady has one too? Watch yourself, buddy, youre in dangerous waters. Robert Ickes production fairly shines with masculinitys fragile veneer. It may look chic with Mad Men assurance the tailoring, grooming and swinging furnishings but the male who negotiates this environment is far from alpha. Ickes coup is casting Mark Strong as Donald, a lawyer sinking in a life half-lived. Strong plays weak, a mighty actor cast for frailty. Last seen on stage compact with hair and muscle as raging Eddie in A View From the Bridge, Strong (photo above by Manuel Harlan) here blinks in specs and a suit. His stillness is paralysis; his eyes arent like tunnels but lost holes in the snow. Hes always out-foxed. Bunny Christies fantastic set a variation on the cinematic moving shutters of her Baby Doll some years ago means the play keeps its counsel. No one gets full perspective, all views are partial, shifting and liable to close down at alarming speed. Donald the good husband, father, friend, adviser sees less than anyone, and pours away his reputation. Scotch doesnt ruin him, but alongside lust and lost ambition, its another occluding lens through which he miss-sees. When Mona (Elizabeth Debicki), the lost friends widow, joins him in a post-coital glass, the amber fluid stands out in her chic white apartment, signalling caution: beware the woman with a mans drink. (Simenons period sirens often activate a male impulse to self-sabotage.) This Propwatch series is mildly obsessed by onstage catering, whether a celebratory cake or solitary fried egg. No apologies for that we are how we eat, and these choices can reveal a character. Take Donalds wife Ingrid (Hope Davis, unnervingly poised). Even in the midst of a snowstorm, a power failure and a man hunt, she nonetheless emerges with a platter of perfect sandwiches, neat triangles with the crusts cut off. No wonder Donald clings to and chafes at his marriage. What does stage management use for scotch? Tea and toast can both do the job. Its probably just as well in No Mans Land (Wyndhams Theatre), where much drink is consumed. And I mean much. Pinter states that the drinks cabinet is the central feature of the set, with its great variety of bottles: spirits, aperitifs, beers, etc. Those bottles get a good going over during the course of the play, from the first As it is? to the last Ill drink to that. In the first act alone I counted four vodkas and a bottle of beer, alongside at least ten glasses of whisky, until Hirst the host (Patrick Stewart, quietly stocious) loses patience with small measures and demands to swig from the bottle. His intrusive guest, Spooner (Ian McKellen, pictured above by Kevin Berne) attempts to make coffee, but that doesnt get very far. Champagne makes an entrance in the second act, and Spooners wheedling anecdotes include a Hungarian emigre on Pernod and his own extensive wine tours around Dijon. The company of men But whisky, the great malt which wounds, will put the man in man of letters. McKellens acute sensitivity to the whereabouts of the bottle becomes the defining note of his first act. However bleary, he keeps it in his sights, weaving over to the cabinet in hope of a refill, eyes wide in expectation, cheeks sagging in disappointment. Whisky becomes a physical challenge too: as he weaves back and forth in his grubby plimsolls, he keeps his mac folded over his arm hes clearly accustomed to being asked to get his coat and eases the tumbler from one hand to the other as he tries to maintain a wordly monologue. When he then tucks the bottle under one arm, hes on the verge of juggling. Spooner is a man who needs to improvise on the fly, and who grabs a whisky while he can. Were in the company of men here. Boasting, bullying, angling for a job, laying claims to status. Women only feature in hazy recall: wives, lovers (these usually other mens wives), the odd emotionally ambivalent mother with a gift for currant buns. But there are only men in no mans land. A calcified state which never moves, which never changes but which remains for ever, icy and silent. Heavy curtains drawn tight, even on a summers morning. Men stuck with themselves, pickled. Hand on glass, now and forever. A drop for you, sir? Follow David on Twitter: @mrdavidjays The latest issue of ASEAN Briefing Magazine, titled The Guide to Manufacturing in Indonesia, is out now and available to subscribers as a complimentary download in the Asia Briefing Publication Store through the month of November. In this issue of ASEAN Briefing: An Introduction to Manufacturing in Indonesia Locations for Manufacturing Setup in Indonesia Corporate Establishment in Indonesia Choosing if, where, and how to establish foreign manufacturing operations in Indonesia can be a significant challenge. The archipelagos low costs and rising stature in production and assembly make it an attractive location for investment. However, tapping into these opportunities requires a high degree of understanding regarding the nations social and regulatory cleavages and presents numerous challenges for even the most weathered investors. While developing an understanding of Indonesias vast diversity may seem daunting, a number of options are available to investors which allow entry and operations to be conducted in a seamless manner. Key considerations in this regard include maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of Indonesias corporate establishment guidelines, and a firm understanding of the special incentives and production locations that Indonesia provides to those setting up facilities within the country. In this issue of ASEAN Briefing, we discuss the growing importance of Indonesia as a hub for manufacturing within Southeast Asia, and provide guidance on how to select and establish operations within the country. We analyze demographics and government policies driving growth, highlight the importance of location in achieving operational success, and outline steps required to establish foreign invested manufacturing operations within Indonesia. Dezan Shira & Associates has a growing team of Tax and Corporate Advisory specialists within Indonesia and ASEAN at large with years of experience helping foreign enterprises set up operations within the region. For questions or information on manufacturing, corporate establishment, or other issues related to entering the Indonesian marketplace, please contact our office in Indonesia. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email asean@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Annual Audit and Compliance in ASEAN For the first issue of our ASEAN Briefing Magazine, we look at the different audit and compliance regulations of five of the main economies in ASEAN. We firstly focus on the accounting standards, filing processes, and requirements for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. We then provide similar information on Singapore, and offer a closer examination of the city-states generous audit exemptions for small-and-medium sized enterprises. The Trans-Pacific Partnership and its Impact on Asian Markets The United States backed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) includes six Asian economies Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, while Indonesia has expressed a keen willingness to join. However, the agreements potential impact will affect many others, not least of all China. In this issue of Asia Briefing magazine, we examine where the TPP agreement stands right now, look at the potential impact of the participating nations, as well as examine how it will affect Asian economies that have not been included. An Introduction to Tax Treaties Throughout Asia In this issue of Asia Briefing Magazine, we take a look at the various types of trade and tax treaties that exist between Asian nations. These include bilateral investment treaties, double tax treaties and free trade agreements all of which directly affect businesses operating in Asia. by Wang Zhicheng The central government recognizes the Church's right to the property, but the local government refuses to hand it over and wants to profit from speculation. An appeal to Xi Jinping to enforce the rule of law. Tianjin (AsiaNews) - A group pf nuns, priests and lay faithful from Anyang have staged a demonstration in Tianjing to ask for the restitution of a building owned by the diocese, which the local government wants to demolish, selling the land. The demonstration attempt took place two days ago in front of the seat of government of the Hexi District (Tianjin), which occupies the building. But the protesters were stopped by the security personnel and some nuns were beaten. The diocese of Anyang has a large number of buildings in Tianjin. Some of them were requisitioned during the rural reform movement of the Cultural Revolution. Under Deng Xiaopings reform, Beijing established that private property was to be restored to the rightful owners, unless they were being used for purely social purposes. But in this case - as is frequently the case - although the government recognized the diocese of Anyang as the owner of the building, it has failed to hand it over for their use. In addition, the district government has planned to sell the land and destroy the building which is located in the city center and is very attractive from an economic point of view. According to some believers, this case is a sign that "the religious policy of the Partys Central Committee is not followed by local governments". The faithful have confidence "in Secretary Xi Jinping, [under whom] religious policies have improved, given that he pays much more attention to religious issues". In addition, "the Partys Central Committee defends the rule of law, safeguarding the legal rights under the law." This is why they believe that "the property should be returned without undue difficulty". According to research of the Holy Spirit Study Centre in Hong Kong, the turnover linked to the confiscated church property that has never been returned is around 130 billion yuan (13 billion euro) by Sumon Corraya Dhaka (AsiaNews) - About 250 members of the Bangladesh Catholic Students Movement (BCSM) celebrated the 25th anniversary of their organization. Cardinal designate Patrick D'Rozario was present at the celebrations and said: "The exponents of this student movement are doing a great job for the Catholic Church, its leaders carry on our work. We thank them sincerely. " The festivities were held on October 13 and 14 last in Dhaka Centre. Addressing the young people, Archbishop George Kocherry, Apostolic Nuncio of Bangladesh, said: "You have to use your talents for the good of man. We know that young people know how to do many good things, if they want it. So you have to take the initiative and work for mercy in service. " The student organization is a lay movement. It was born in 1991 to promote the Christian lifestyle and motivate young people to support moral values. It is part of the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) and is a member of the Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB). Sebastian Rozario, former Secretary of the movement and current assistant executive director of Caritas Bangladesh, noted that the association "was born 25 years ago to bridge the gap between bishops and youth, introduce students to the Catholic Church, in order to create a more collaborative relationship". William Nokrek, president of the BCSM, told AsiaNews that the movement "aims to promote the values and Christian ideals, develop the personality of college students, particularly in the social sphere, education and culture. We want between increases students' awareness of their responsibilities towards the Church and the nation. " Today the Movement is committed to the formation of its members and in different social and charitable activities such as blood donation, distribution of clothes to the poor, visiting hospitals and slums. The organization's leaders point out that many of those who have been part of the BCSM in their youth, in adulthood go on to occupy prominent positions in various fields. This is because, concludes Sebastian Rozario, "Here they learn to express themselves, to present themselves. The education they receive helps them to enter the professional life ". The families of dozens of leaders of the Caliphate were transported on board buses to Raqqa without running into roadblocks, or being discovered by the Allies inspection flights. Suspicions that they are being aided by Turkey and the US. Iraqis think that the victory of Mosul will be "a Pyrrhic victory": the leaders will not be caught, or questioned, and no one will ever know who their secret allies are. Raqqa (AsiaNews) As the Iraqi army continues its advance towards Mosul rumors are also circulating that there is a secret agreement to transfer Daesh militiamen from Mosul to Syria, specifically to Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, in Caliphate territory". A similar transfer has already taken place under the protection and with the complicity of many countries, including some which officially are fighting Daesh in Iraq, but not in Syria. These rumors are now substantiated. An Raqqa resident has reported seeing 10 white buses followed by 12 cars, entering the city in motorcade (see photo). The white vans are the typical means of transport that the Islamic State (IS) used for operations in Mosul. Dozens of passengers, mainly women and children, alighted form these vehicles, many speaking foreign languages and Arabic dialects that are neither Iraqi nor the Syrian. The fact that women and children were treated with great respect has made the residents of Raqqa suspect them of being family members of Isis leaders and foreign mercenaries. The families - escorted by armed guards to ensure their protection - were accommodated in student housing in the district of Al Rumeileh. The news quickly circulated on social media, which has overtaken traditional news agencies, sparking uproar in Iraq, among the members of the so-called "Phalange of Babylon". This is a paramilitary militia composed of Christians (Orthodox) in Mosul that fights alongside the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga to regain their lands occupied by the IS. Some of them have expressed suspicion of Allied forces complicity in allowing Daesh fugitives, to make the journey to Raqqa. Curiously, the Western air force engaged in air raids, did not report any sightings of them and allowed them to arrive safe and sound in Raqqa. Late yesterday an Iraqi source told the pan-Arab TV Al Mayadeen that are already 100 prominent leaders of Daesh who have fled Mosul and arrived in Raqqa with their family. The propaganda machine of the Daesh "Caliphate" however reports the exact opposite: "the relatives of foreign Daesh leaders are fleeing Raqqa in the direction of Mosul, considered more secure." The news of the escape from Raqqah to Mosul was even declared by Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited by AFP, and rebroadcast by Sky 24 network in Arabic, who spoke of the arrival in Mosul from Raqqah of 70 families of Daesh leaders. In any case, this transit between Mosul and Raqqa seems to have taken place in complete safely. It is not clear how these families are arriving from Mosul to Raqqa (or vice versa): the strategic highway Sinjar, which links Mosul to Hassakah in Syria and then to Raqqa is under the total control of the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga. The only other possibility is to pass further south, from Shaddadiya in Syria, or to the north, where there are Turkish troops in Baashika. Of course all these movements would be visible with satellites and from the air, where Russians, Americans, Iraqis, French aircraft patrol day and night. Military experts say that a massive flight of Isis militiamen from Mosul to Raqqa, would transform the recapture of Mosul into a Pyrrhic victory. The military presence of Daesh on the western side of the Euphrates in Syria would allow them to take advantage of any vacuum in the future to return to Iraq, rising from the Nineveh Plain to Ramadi, Falluja and again threaten Baghdad. The suspicion of the Iraqis is that "Daesh will only temporarily withdraw from Iraq without a landslide victory, the leaders of the Caliphate will not be captured or stopped, only to be re-used at any time by countries that already support and aid Daesh in secret." Iraqis are convinced that after the liberation of Mosul, the Daesh leaders and fighters will not be arrested or tried for crimes against humanity of which they are guilty. They will not be subjected to interrogation to find out who their secret allies really are. (P.B.) Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh was the guest of honour at a commemoration ceremony organised by the Bishops Conference. Several times, BJP members have tried to belittle the character of the Saint of Kolkata. New Delhi (AsiaNews) Indias Home Affairs minister paid tribute to Mother Teresa, canonised by Pope Francis on 4 September in St Peters Basilica. Yesterday, Rajnath Singh, one of the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indias ruling Hindu nationalist party, was guest of honour at a ceremony organised in Delhi by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) to mark the canonisation of Mother Teresa. Speaking before the assembly, he noted that Saint Theresa of Kolkata came to India to conquer hearts with love". He also said that the government would provide security to minorities and all those who work towards humanity. The ceremony to commemorate the "Mother of the poorest of the poor" was held at the government Vigyan Bhawan conference centre, organised by the CBCI in cooperation with the Archdiocese of Delhi and the dioceses of Faridabad and Gurgaon. Top officials from the Catholic Church in India were present, including CBCI president Card Baselios Cleemis; Card Oswald Gracias, president of the Conference of Bishops of the Latin Rite; Card Telesphore Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi and former CBCI president; and Card George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabar Church. Mentioning attacks on minorities on the eve of 2015 assembly election in Delhi, Minister Singh noted that he would ensure that no such incident occurs either before or after an election in future. He said Saint Mother Teresa was referred to as Mother because of the love bestowed by citizens on her. The presence of the minister, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modis staunch loyalists, shows how Mother Teresa was really loved by everyone, including Hindus, as evinced by the presence of an Indian government delegation led by the Foreign Affairs minister at the canonisation ceremony at the Vatican. This was followed by an impressive government-sponsored ceremony in Kolkata attended by more than 20,000 people. Singhs presence was that more significant since his partys ideological and paramilitary groups, namely the radical Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), tried to belittle Mother Teresas character. However, civil society groups and political leaders responded unanimously on every occasion saying that she was a saint who spent her entire life in the service of those at the bottom of society. by Weena Kowitwanij Parliament will shortly invoke Article 23 of the Constitution, which regulates the royal succession. Prince Vajiralongkorn will be crowned after the cremation of his father, Bhumibol Adulyadej. Prime Minister Chan-o-cha tells Thais they should not be afraid or worried. Bangkok (AsiaNews) Thailands military junta has reassured the Thai people that they would soon have a new king. The first step by Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn towards the throne "will be taken very soon," said Wissanu Krea-ngam, a jurist and Thailands deputy prime minister since August 2014. The political leader spoke to clarify the timing of succession to the throne of Thailand after the death of King Bhumibol. The Thai Parliament is expected to start shortly the formal procedures of royal succession. Following the special session of Parliament on 13 October, the speaker announced that the Legislative Assembly will invoke section 23 of the 2007 Constitution, which regulates the succession to the throne, even if the timing is not defined. The people of Thailand "should not be afraid or worried, said the head of the military junta. After at least 15 days of mourning, it will be the right time to implement the article." The second step, according to the deputy prime minister, "will be the cremation of King Bhumibols body, which will be carried out more or less one year from 13 October (the day of his death). The coronation will be held sometime after the cremation ceremony." The delay in the second step that leads to the coronation, he explained, "it is due to the expressed will of Prince Vajiralongkorn". State agencies have reported that the heir to the throne "wants everything to be as stable as if His Majesty King Bhumibol were still alive, until everyone is reconciled with the fact that there is a change in monarch. At that point we will talk about the succession. For now, retired General and former Prime Minister (1980-1988) Prem Tinsulanonda was appointed regent pro tempore until the coronation. King Bhumibol named his son as his heir on 28 December 1972. A few hours after the kings death, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed that Maha Vajiralonkorn would be the next king. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - To really know Jesus we need to pray, worship and recognize our sins said Pope Francis at Mass this morning in Santa Marta, taking a cue from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians where the Apostle of the Gentiles asked that the Holy Spirit offers to the Ephesians the grace to "be strong, strengthened" to ensure that Christ may dwell in their hearts. "There is the center." Paul, the Pope observed, "plunges" in the "immense sea that is the person of Christ." But "how can we know Christ?", How can we understand "the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge" ?. "Christ is present in the Gospel, reading the Gospel we know Christ. We all hear the Gospel when we go to Mass. With the study of the catechism: The catechism teaches us who Christ is. But this is not enough. To be able to understand the breadth and length and height and depth of Jesus Christ we must enter into a context, first, of prayer, as does Paul, on his knees: 'Father, send me the Spirit to know Jesus Christ'". To really know Christ, then, prayer is necessary. But Paul, "not only prays, he worships this mystery which surpasses all knowledge and in a context of worship asks for this grace" from the Lord. "Do you know the Lord without this habit of worship, to worship in silence, worship. I think, if I'm not mistaken, that this prayer of adoration is the least known to us, it is what we do less. Waste time - I dare say - before the LORD, before the mystery of Jesus Christ. Worship. And there in silence, the silence of adoration. He is the Lord and we love him. Third, the Pope continued, "to know Christ we must be conscious of ourselves, that is, get in the habit of recognizing ourselves as "sinners." "You cannot worship without recognizing our sins. To get into this bottomless sea without shores, which is the mystery of Jesus Christ, these things are necessary. Prayer: 'Father, send me the Spirit to lead me to know Jesus'. Second, adoration of the mystery, enter into the mystery, worshiping. And third, recognizing our sins: 'I am a man of unclean lips'. May the Lord give us the grace that Paul calls for the Ephesians also for us this grace to know and gain Christ. " by Mathias Hariyadi Azianzah Sultan, 22, was putting up the Islamic State symbols in public places when police stopped him. After wounding some agents with a dagger, the terrorist was shot in the legs and arrested. He had caliphate leaflets and Molotov cocktails in his possession. For Defense minister, people must be more alert against the threat of groups linked to the Islamic State. Jakarta (AsiaNews) A man, 22, perhaps affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), was wounded in the legs and arrested after attacking five police officers in Tangerang (Banten province), west of Jakarta. Police surprised Sultan Azianzah this morning as he was putting up IS signs in public places, on trees and lampposts. When the officers ordered him to stop, he attacked them with a dagger and handmade explosive devices. Before he was neutralised by a gunshot to the legs, he managed to injure some agents. "The offender was taken to hospital for treatment," said Jakarta Police spokesman Awi Setiyono. Sultan Azianzah was born in Lebak Wangi, a suburb of Tangerang, just 20 kilometers from Jakarta. He had on him a knife, a dagger, a few Molotov cocktails, leaflets and stickers with symbols of the caliphate. Defense Minister General Ryamirzard Ryacudu told a special meeting of Parliament that the country must be more alert against the threat of groups linked to the Islamic State. "They are our common enemy, he explained, and the people expect us to guarantee the safety of nation". Arsul Sani, a lawmaker, called for changes to the anti-terrorism law. "Jihadi attacks and other threats are imminent," he said. Indonesian police are active finding and arresting IS militants as they return from fighting in Syria. It is estimated that several hundred left for the Middle East and that the caliphate can count on about a thousand sympathisers in the country. For some time, IS has also been active in Indonesia where it has earned the allegiance of several Jihadi groups. A group linked to the caliphate that sought predominance among Southeast Asian Jihadi groups has been blamed for terror attacks in Jakarta on 14 January. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, with 206 million members (87 per cent of the population) and is home to a moderate form of Islam. Various groups, like Nadhlatul Ulama, have repeatedly condemned IS violence and bad interpretation of Islam and have defended Christian churches from possible attacks. Retired General David Morrison AO has challenged the legal fraternity to speak up about mental illness.The plea was made by Morrison, this years Australian of the Year, in the annual Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation lecture held last week at The Ceremonial Court of the Federal Court of Australia Law Courts Building in Sydney.The former army chief made his challenge as the legal profession becomes fraught with professionals who are suffering from depression.In the lecture , Morrison asked what solicitors and barristers, especially those starting their legal careers, are being asked to do.How far do the everyday workplace pressures intrude on how members of your profession live their lives? he asked.Later on, he said legal professionals see hours billedcases won, seniority gained, reputations for toughness and resilience forged, the commitment to the firm before self as instrumental to success in the field.The retired lieutenant-general implies, however, that there needs to be a balance in life to combat mental illness.He also noted that a change in culture in the legal profession, particularly in removing the humiliation attached to seeking help for mental issue, is needed.The most significant contribution made by the leadership of the army was to tackle matters of culture, Morrison said.While he did not advocate for the legal profession to mirror or improve on what is being implemented in the army, he called on leaders of the legal profession to act.He advocated on leaders to develop policies and workplace practices that support those in need.If we, leaders in the workplaceclearly communicate to our employees that they are not alone that disclosing their circumstances will not result in adverse consequences at work then we areensuring that we are not bystanders, he said. A former Melbourne lawyer claims that he has been defamed by an accountancy firm, its partner and a client. In a letter to the Australian Taxation Office, Issac Alexander Brott claimed that accountancy firm PKF Melbourne, its partner and officer Sean Dillon and client Natalie Maree McAra wrote a libellous letter about him to the ATO, a Herald Sun reported revealed. Brott alleges that Dillon wrote the letter which was sent to the agency in August as instructed by McAra. The letter defamed Brott, he said, since it suggested he engaged as director and controller of corporations while in bankruptcy. Under the Corporations Act, persons who are bankrupt cannot be directors or controllers of corporations. The former lawyer alleges that the letter in effect accuses him of committing wilful breaches of the law. Brott was struck off the roll of legal practitioners in 2011 after being found guilty of four charges of misconduct. His case was the first time the Legal Services Commissioners recommended a lawyers striking off the roll, the most serious disciplinary action that can be taken against a legal practitioner, to the Supreme Court of Victoria. The misconduct charges were related to the former lawyer acting on behalf of two individuals without proper consent or instructions. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal also considered a long history of disciplinary action taken against Brott dating as far back as 1985. By John Long, Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University Jaws are crucial to the evolutionary success of many animals, yet their origins have long been shrouded in mystery. Now a new discovery is shedding light on how the jaws of ancient fishes are related to our own. Prehistoric armoured fishes called placoderms were the first fishes to have jaws. They arose some time in the Silurian Period, about 440 million years ago, to become the most abundant and diverse fishes of their day. Placoderms dominated the oceans, rivers and lakes for some 80 million years, before their sudden extinction around 359 million years ago. This is possibly due to the depletion of trace elements in our oceans. But placoderm jaws bear no resemblance to those of any living animal. So the question was, how did they evolve, and what is their relationship to modern jawed animals? John Long The discovery A paper published today in Science by Zhu Min and colleagues at the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology in Beijing, shows how placoderm jaws evolved and then rapidly changed. The key is a newly discovered fish named Qilinyu (pronounced chee-lin-you), which lived some 425 million years ago and was discovered at a site in Qujing, China. It has an unusual set of jaws that is similar to both those of traditional placoderms and those of modern bony fishes, or osteichthyans. This is significant because we are all ultimately descended from osteichthyans, as this group includes the lobe-finned fishes (Sarcopterygii), from which all four-limbed land animals arose. As Zhu Min explained to me: With this finding, we can now trace our dermal jaw bones (dentary, maxilla and premaxilla) to the most primitive jawed vertebrates. The gnathal plates of conventional placoderms, such as the gigantic Dunkleosteus, are the homologues of the marginal jaw bones of bony fishes and tetrapods. From simple jaws to complex ones, or vice versa? Before this new discovery, we had a very poor record of Silurian placoderms. But the latest fossil is just the latest in a series of intriguing discoveries made over the past decade at Qujing. These include the oldest known complete bony fish, Guiyu, as well as the oldest known complete placoderms. One of these, Entelognathus is arguably one of the most significant transitional fossils found in the past century, bridging a huge morphological gap between the extinct placoderms and the living bony fishes. Such discoveries have profound philosophical implications, as they finally link our tetrapod line directly back to placoderms, which were the first vertebrates to evolve the complex suite of anatomical features that are found in all living higher animals today. These not only include jaws and teeth, but also paired hind limbs, complex inner ears with three semicircular canals, a pattern of paired plates protecting the brain, and an interesting way to reproduce using external genital organs. We humans are the product of just one of countless evolutionary lines, all of them shaped by this underlying vertebrate body plan. John Long Entelognathus had a complex set of externally ornamented dermal bones covering its lower jaw, as well as structures called gular plates underneath its throat. It had a lower jaw formed of dentary and infradentary bones, and an upper jaw comprising premaxilla and maxilla a pattern typical of all early osteichthyans and most early tetrapods. This posed a conundrum for evolutionary biologists. Were the first jaws really complex structures made of many external dermal bones, as in Entelognathus and osteichthyans, or were the simple blade-like jaws of most placoderms the primitive condition? Why Qilinyu matters Enter the newly discovered Qilinyu, a bizarre armoured fish with a head shaped rather like that of a dolphin. Yet its most significant feature is its jaws, which are subtly reinforced by a small external surface of dermal bone, a trend that is more extensively developed in Entelognathus. Unlike Entelognathus, the lower jaw of Qilinyu does not have a complex set of external dermal bones. Instead it has a simple bent blade-like jaw with a small part participating in the palate, and a large part participating in the face. In this respect it more closely resembles other typical placoderms, whose lower jaws are mainly developed along the palatal face for biting. The upper jaws of typical placoderms, like Bruntonichthys shown above, are entirely inside the mouth, attached at the front to the palate, and have no external dermal bone exposed. Qilinyu shows us that the typical upper jaw bones of most placoderms had to gain an external dermal bone lamina so as to become incorporated into the cheek bones in later animals. Another bone in the cheek of most living animals called the jugal bone, or zygomatic bone in mammals also first appears in these early placoderms. The discovery of Qilinyu confirms that the upper jaw bones of placoderms are indeed the evolutionary equivalent of the premaxilla and maxilla of other animals. These two bones persist in evolution and are still present in most mammalian skulls, although in some cases, such as in humans, the premaxilla is incorporated into the maxilla. Brian Choo Qilinyu also provides the first hard evidence that the earliest placoderms had paired pelvic fins. Recent work has shown that placoderms were the first vertebrates to have paired hind limbs and paired external genitalia called bony claspers, formed by the same development process as typical vertebrate limbs. The next big question for early vertebrate palaeontologists is the issue of when and how teeth first evolved. Was it at the same time as the first jaws, or before or after? Neither Entelognathus nor Qilinyu has teeth, and neither do the most primitive of all placoderms, the antiarchs. Some placoderms with teeth are controversial as to whether these constitute real teeth or not. But we also know that certain placoderms called arthrodires had relatively advanced tooth structures, with a primitive kind of dentine and pulp cavities. Why did teeth evolve in some placoderms and not others? And are our own teeth and those of our fellow tetrapods evolved from placoderms teeth, or did they arise separately? The only way to find the answers will be to find more fossils so its back to the trenches. John Long receives funding from The Australian Research Council. Brian Choo receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Originally published in The Conversation. By Lister Staveley-Smith, Science Director at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) and Deputy Director of Flickr/Peter Ozdzynski , CC BY-SA Look up on any clear night and if youre lucky you may be able to see part of the Milky Way stretching across the sky. For many thousands of years that was all people could see of our galaxy, though today light pollution means even that view is now fading for many naked-eye observers. Even for astronomers, much of our galaxy is obscured from view in the visible light spectrum, including the galactic centre. Our view of the Milky Way has also come a long way since the first observation on March 25, 1951, of the famous 21-cm neutral hydrogen line by Harvard astronomers Harold Ewen and Edward Purcell. Dutch astronomer Hendrik van de Hulst in the 1940s had provided the first prediction of the existence of this faint cosmic emission, the detection of which was to revolutionise radio astronomy. Observations of signals at this wavelength by radio telescopes allowed the spiral structure of the Milky Way to be seen for the first time. A clearer view Today sees the opening of a new chapter of discovery with the release of a brand new view of the Milky Way, published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. The map stems from a decade of analysis and thousands of hours of observing time on the 64-metre CSIRO Parkes radio telescope in New South Wales, Australia, and the 100-metre Max-Planck radio telescope in Effelsberg, Germany. The outcome is a brand new hydrogen image of the Milky Way and its environment with a level of detail that is at least four times better than previous images. Benjamin Winkel and the HI4PI collaboration, CC BY The importance of the new HI4PI image (as we call it) can be seen from the fact that the previous best but blurry image of hydrogen gas in the Milky Way, published in 2005, has so far been cited more than 1,700 times in scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Was it necessary to use observations of the whole northern and southern skies? Yes, because we live inside the Milky Way and we are entirely surrounded by it. So the new image is a view from inside, and not an impossible view from outside. New structure to our galaxy By examining the motion of the hydrogen clouds towards or away from us (caused by the spin of the Milky Way), a good model of the Milky Ways structure can be inferred. The Australian team leader Naomi McClure-Griffiths, from the Australian National University, has already used the Parkes data to discover a new outer arm of the Milky Way. Why did it take a decade to produce? Largely because the data not only had to be calibrated and imaged with new algorithms, but also had to be cleaned of terrestrial and cosmic noise. Terrestrial noise comes from illegal transmissions in the 21-cm radio band. This part of the radio spectrum is protected by international treaty but we frequently detect emissions, usually caused by faulty or badly designed equipment outside (and occasionally inside) the observatories. Cosmic noise comes from strong emissions which leak into the telescope from other parts of the sky, similar to trying to observe the night sky when there is a bright street lamp in the corner of your eye. Fortunately, team member Peter Kalberla from the University of Bonn, Germany, was able to digitally remove these artefacts by using sophisticated models of the telescopes combined with carefully using the annual variation of the spurious signal provided by the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. Other colleagues, including Benjamin Winkel and Juergen Kerp, were able to painstakingly crossmatch and patch together the two hemispheres into a uniform image of the Milky Way across the whole sky. The hydrogen data from the two telescopes has already provided many scientific discoveries. The newly combined data will allow even more discoveries. For example, we will be able to trace for the first time at this level of detail, the complete path of the stream of hydrogen being pulled from the Magellanic Clouds by the Milky Way. The enormously strong tide created by our Milky Way has pulled out a long tail of gas from the clouds, which extends across almost the whole sky. Just as importantly the new data set is now available to all astronomers and will provide a valuable resource for future research. X-ray astronomers, for example, will be able to use the data to better correct their data for interstellar absorption and better understand the intense emission associated with distant supermassive black holes. A word of warning though for those wishing to download the whole data set its about 188 gigabytes. Our receivers were simultaneously tuned to thousands of different frequencies. This allowed us to look at hydrogen at many different redshifts (using the so-called Doppler effect). So the underlying data set is vastly larger than the simple intensity and velocity images shown here! But who knows what other new discoveries the data will reveal? Lister Staveley-Smith receives research funding from the Australian Research Council and the Western Australian government. Originally published in The Conversation. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Hi Everybody. My name is Shahar and I am 24 years old from Israel. In Februray 2017 I will be starting my studies in Australia, in Brisbane. I am planning on traveling to Australia in late December, be in Sydney a few days, including new years, and then rent a car and drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Brisbane. My dad will accompany me. My question is what towns/beaches should we stop and visit on the road between Sydney and Brisbane?. Thanks in advance, Shahar. Hi,So I have been in Australia for 2 two and a half years. I initially moved out here on a Working Holiday visa in 2014, when I met my partner. Before this visa expired I changed to a Student Visa in order to carry out my Bachelor degree. I have been on this visa for a year and a half as of now and have now decided to apply for a Partner visa in order to be able to potentially gain PR in a couple of years time.During this time I will still be studying. I understand that whilst I am on the Temporary visa I will still be paying full upfront International student fees which is fine. However, I was wondering if the same restrictions apply as on the student visa?On my current visa the following restrictions are in place:- Must carry out a full time course load (40 CP per semester)- May only work 20 hours per week during semester.- Am able to work unlimited hours outside of semester.It is my understanding that these restrictions are just on a Student visa, though if I am wrong please let me know. Am I right in thinking that if on a Temp Partner Visa the following is true:- Will pay full international fees- No conditions on course load i.e. could study part time- No work restrictions whilst in semesterIf anyone could provide me with some clarification that would be great! Or if anyone else has gone through the same visa and found any issues or conditions I would be grateful for any information you could provide.Thanks ! EV kW One of them is the still limited capacity of the Li-Ion battery technology, but we've seen major progress lately coupled with a significant price decline, so things are definitely moving forward in this direction. Besides, it's not just the car industry that would benefit from more efficient batteries, which means there's no shortage of research funding.The second is the people's perception of EVs. This is probably the hardest to deal with, but Tesla is doing a pretty good job by showing electric cars are anything but boring, and with plenty of other companies - including more traditional ones like GM or Mercedes-Benz - ready to offer their own similar products, more people will have the chance of experiencing anfirst-hand.The third and final one is that of the infrastructure. You can tell this is a big problem by looking at what Tesla did. Realizing an electric car is nothing without a network of charging stations, it went and built one itself. That's not exactly ideal - mainly because charging stations should be standardized across the entire industry - but it served its purpose.Europe is waking up to the idea that lots of cars will skip gas stations altogether pretty soon in search of a plug, so it's taking some actions. Two days ago, news of a network of ultra-fast chargers broke out, but there were just 25 of them scattered across four countries. They would, however, offer up to 350of charging power, which is more than double the Tesla Supercharger's output.At the same time, the EU (European Union) has just approved regulations that require any new house or apartment building to include electric car chargers starting 2019. What's more, the law would also apply to home renovations, Clean Technica reports.That not only makes plenty of sense, but it's a very good idea. Just like real estate developers need to ensure they build enough parking spaces so they don't add to the cities' parking woes, installing electric chargers should also become a priority. And doing it while said property is being built or renovated is well thought-out too since it would also require the lowest costs for the owner or developer.Buying a house with the option of charging an EV built into it is likely to give a lot of people the incentive to buy an electric car. It will take time, but for the first time, it does look like everyone agrees that this is the future of transportation. US, not it's your move. We have already seen spyshots of a prototype that is a BMW coupe that looks too big to be a 6 Series, which is expected to be turned into the second-generation 8 Series. Those that are familiar with BMWs history already know that the successor of the first generation 6 Series, referred to as the E24, was the E31 8 Series.As the years passed after the only 8 Series model in BMWs lineup passed, people expected to see a comeback of the GT from Munich. Nothing happened until 2003, when BMW launched the second generation of the 6 Series, known as the E63/64. It was primarily based on the technical platform of the E60 5 Series, and eventually got a successor.Currently, the BMW 6 has the chassis codes F12 and F13, and it was first revealed in production guise at the 2012 Shanghai Auto Show. BMW went further with the idea and created a Gran Coupe version of the 6 Series, which was made to compete with Audis A7 and Mercedes-Benzs CLS.All along, BMW lacked a direct competitor of the Mercedes-Benz CL, which was the Coupe version of the S-Class. Audi also does not have a direct rival of the car that is now named the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe, but the four-ringed brand from Ingolstadt has not announced any plans for such a model.BMW, on the other hand, has been testing prototypes of a car that is visibly larger than an ongoing 6 Series. While the next generation of the 5 Series has recently been revealed, the 6 Series is in development, and the German brand has even confirmed the launch of the next M6 However, an important question arises with the launch of the next 6 Series and the existence of the prototype seen in the top image of this article. How will the 6 Series be integrated into the range if a bigger, more expensive coupe, will be launched by BMW?This has made some believe that the potential 8 Series will lead to the elimination of the 6 Series from the range, but BMW might only eliminate the Coupe from the 6 Series range for the introduction of the 8 Series, while the Convertible and Gran Coupe could be kept in the range without any worries. If the launch of the 8 Series happens after the production cycle of the next 6 Series ends, then BMW might discontinue the 6 entirely for the 8 Series To illustrate the said point, we'll focus on Koenigsegg's carbon fiber wheels. An early step towards delivering such goodies on a production vehicle was made with the Agera.However, as the Swede explains in the Drive-provided video at the bottom of the page, the carbon wheels of the Agera were purely a product of engineering. Well, with Angelholm's latest velocity weapon, the Regera, the Swedish specialists had what they needed to also integrate a special design in the fabrication of the CF wheels.This isn't one of those "at first it might seem simple" cases and yet all the preparation in the world won't mean you're ready for the engineering challenges of building a set of wheels for a vehicle that's been gifted with 1,500 hp The clip offers an interestingly simple explanation on how the hybrid-specific weight distribution of the Regera saw the weight of the battery pack required the front wheels to be wider.Nevertheless, we need to mention that Koenigsegg isn't the only automaker delivering CF wheels on production cars anymore, as Ford also does this for the Mustang Shelby GT350R - this amusingly reminds us of how Porsche still claims the 911 Turbo is the only production vehicle employing variable geometry gas turbocharging, when... Koenigsegg offers such a setup for the One:1 In the end, Koenigsegg proves it can share some of its tech wisdom with the world in a way that makes the company stronger through an apparent vulnerability and we have to applaud this. LeEco is quite big in China, but the brand hasn't really breached any other foreign markets - at least not very important ones. That looks about to change very soon judging by the grandiose event it organized yesterday in San Francisco.The location wasn't chosen at random: it's a bold statement made toward all the Silicon Valley-based companies ( Tesla Goole , to name a few) that there's a new player in town. Unfortunately for LeEco, things didn't exactly go down as planned last night.The company's founder and chairman Jia Yueting came running down the runway with a fake smile on his face. Using a translator, he told the 1,700-strong crowd that It shouldn't be me running out here, we didn't have any other choice. He then explained that what we wanted is me in the car, and the autonomous car drives me out, Tech Crunch reports.Not a very good translator, it would seem, but that wasn't the main issue of the night. That title would have to go to the car's absence. The LeSee Pro did have an absolutely valid excuse for missing the presentation: it didn't have enough time to make it from London where it was used for filming the fifth movie in the Transformers series.To avoid having an empty stage, the Chinese company brought the LeSee concept which had already been unveiled back in April in Beijing. Apart from the design, though, not much is known about LeEco's car other that it claims to have advanced autonomous abilities and best-in-class connectivity.Even though the LeSee Pro would have arguably been the highlight of the evening, LeEco's event introduced other devices as well, ranging from 4K TVs to VR headsets, and from mobile devices to electric bikes. The Chinese company plans to release its smartphones and television products on November 2, but there's no word on when it plans to do the same with the LeSee Pro. AWD The latest episode of this kind saw the 570S duking it out with the 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus. The two speed demons were brought together by the velocity-obsessed team over at cars.co.za, with the South African battle obviously involving a drag race.The quarter-mile adventure saw the two mid-engined animals sprinting on the Killarney Raceway, with the battle turning out to be a surprising one. At first, the R8's all-wheel-drive gave it the take-off edge, with the McLaren never managing to make up until the 1,320-feet finish line was crossed.In theory, this sounded perfectly normal. In terms of the power-to-weight ratio, both supercars sit at around 2.7 kilograms per horsepower, while the Mac only packs a minor 29 lb-ft (40 Nm) advantage.Both the 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus and the McLaren 570S are able to deliver mid-10s quarter-mile passes, but we'll mention the Audi R8'sadvantage once again.Well, once the McLaren's tires were warmed up, the two raced again and the finishing order was reversed. This is also a good lesson when it comes to understanding how important it is to bring the tires up to temperature for a race.And things get even more interesting, albeit with a bit of an apple-to-orange comparo twist, if we remember the time when the Audi R8 V10 Plus beat the Lamborghini Huracan to 62 mph.Interestingly, this is just the first part of the comparo, with the second one set to bring us a time attack battle between the two beasts. And that's where the tires will get seriously warmed up. The answer to that questions is obviously a big, fat "no" and also gives us a good occasion to remind you of the actual dimensions of the concept that might just see Maybach finally being revived as a brand instead of an add-on badge for Benz vehicles.The Six sits at 5,700 mm (224.4 in) in length, 2,100 mm (82.6 in) in width, and is 1,328 mm (52.2 in) tall, while offering two-plus-two seating.Well, Hungarian artist X-Tomi has decided to stretch things way past the six-meter point, adding a bed to the thing. And with the German automaker set to introduce its first pickup truck, the tentatively-named GLT, on October 25, the timing for this pixel rearrangement seems perfect.In fact, we might've found a perfect use for such a "blue collar" machine, even though such a path would require a few mods for the bed. To be more precise, any eccentric owner could use suck a truck to travel between cities, with a smart car being loaded in the back.Then, the Rolls-Royce-defying truck could be parked on the outskirts of the city, with the smart being invited to take it from there. As for the electric powertrain of the concept, such a scheme would offer a perfect opportunity for recharging.And if this whole story seems a little crazy, you should know that's how the Internet works these days. Perhaps it's time to remind you of some even wilder renderings out there, such as this dismantled Porsche 911 GT3 RS PDK, which has been turned into a Chevy-animated drag racer. Too much to handle? Here's a real-world Porsche Cayman with a Ford Mustang Coyote 5-liter V8 engine swap Photo of Garza courtesy of GM Mexico. The fleet market in Mexico has been very robust. In 2015, fleet sales grew to 20% of all auto sales in Mexico, and, in the first quarter of 2016, it has grown 4.1%. NAFTA and nine other free trade agreements have triggered a surge in international investment to build new factories to export or sell vehicles in the local market. To learn more about the fleet market in Mexico, Automotive Fleet recently interviewed Francisco Garza, GM Mexico vice president, vehicles sales, service, and marketing (VSSM) for Mexico, Central America, and Carribean countries, who has held this position since 2011. Below are excerpts from the interview: AF: What is the current state of the retail and fleet automotive markets in Mexico? Garza: As of March (January-March), retail industry has grown 15.3% and fleet industry growth was 4.1%, versus 2015. Total industry growth during Q1 was 13.7% versus 2015. AF: Where do you foresee future growth occurring in the Mexican automotive market? Garza: We are sure that with the results that weve been having and the strategies were implementing, we will continue having our customers loyalty. We will seek to conquer new customers with our next generations and special editions such as Spark Cargo, Spark NG, Cruze NG, Camaro NG, Suburban Heavy Duty, Tahoe Police, etc. AF: What vehicle segments are exhibiting the greatest growth in Mexico and why? Garza: The highest growth has been seen in low-end segments such as small and medium pickups, small and medium SUVs, and small and compact cars. Decrease of used-vehicle imports from the U.S., as well as a higher credit availability in the domestic market (auto loans), are the main drivers for this growth. AF: What impact has the depreciation of the peso against the U.S. dollar had on GMs business in Mexico? Garza: The weakness of the currency has two factors: on the one hand, the price of vehicles in the market and, on the other hand, the value of exports. It is not an easy question, nor does it have a concrete answer. There has to be a balance. We have significant pressure due to the prices of vehicles with the latest technology in the domestic market, but we have been able to manage it in our portfolio. We have Mexican products, others come from Korea, South America, North America, so we end up having a favorable equation, although with many challenges for this year. There is certainly additional pressure in the exchange rate for the vehicles we market in the country. We are adjusting to what the market can offer in terms of pricing and expect to keep a balance just as we have in the past years. Photo of GM Mexico's headquarters courtesy of GM. AF: How many retail dealers do you have in Mexico? Garza: There are 165 total 126 Chevrolet and 39 Buick-GMC-Cadillac and 61 Fleet Certified Dealers. AF: What initiatives has GM Mexico launched to better assist its franchised dealer body? Garza: We have a number of initiatives, such as: BDC (Business Development Center) strategy for sales and service: This is a strategy for attaining improved levels of conversion rates for both sales and service Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles: This initiative is helping dealers to develop further new car business by developing a sound practice of trade-ins. SSO (Service Smarts OnLine): This service (along with DART, both provided by Urban Science) gives dealers high-quality information that allows them to better take advantage of the opportunities that are present in each dealers PMA, both in new car sales as well as in after sales/service. AF: Mexico is a major oil exporting country. What impact has lower oil prices had on the domestic fleet market in Mexico? Garza: As mentioned before, the fleet market has not grown as fast as the retail industry, although the real impact to the domestic fleet market is the opening of credits. AF: What percentage of GM Mexicos production is exported? If the U.S. is your largest export market, what are your second and third largest export markets, and which vehicles do you export to them? Garza: Exports represent 69.1% of total production. Canada is the second largest export market for Mexico, and we export Silverado, Sierra, and Trax to them. The third most important market is Argentina, and we only export Trax to them. AF: With the dramatic growth in the automotive production footprint in Mexico, how is Mexicos infrastructure, in particular, ports, rail, and haul away companies, coping with this increase in volume? Garza: Mexico is a country that has attracted investment, in part, because of its geographic location, which is strategic in terms of infrastructure, both ports and railways are key in logistics and distribution. Due to the size of the industry, we are facing some challenges such as lack of specialized equipment (auto transporters) to meet the growing demand and, on the other hand, challenges in the field of security in railways. However, we know that our suppliers are working on improvements. AF: The fleet market is currently very strong in Mexico. What is GM Mexico doing to further increase its volume of fleet sales? Garza: We are expanding the Fleet Services Program to increase coverage in the Dealer Network and we are re-launching the Small-Medium Business Program. Finally, we are aiming to improve performance in the Supplier and Business Partners Program as well. AF: How do GM dealers in Mexico support the corporations fleet sales initiatives? Garza: GM launched the very first fleet program in Mexico back in 2010 with a very strong set of benefits for our customers, which includes the only fleet certified dealer network in the market. Dealers are a key factor to success in fleet sales, and we do have the best and most professional dealer network Editor's note: This article first appeared online in the Q3 Global Fleet Market Conditions supplement published in October of 2016. The Toyota Corolla has been dominating the US sales chart as the top-selling compact sedan for more than a decade now, selling more than 350,000 units for years in North America alone. Thus, the 2017 Toyota Corolla is cautiously evolutionary adding only minor styling tweaks, a handful of interior and multimedia updates, as well as a strengthen safety system Here's our full review on the 2017 Toyota Corolla. Same Old Reliable Corolla With Awesome Additions Now on its fifth year of production, which already sold more than 40 million units worldwide, one would think Toyota would choose to put a revolutionary change to their Corolla. But base on the stats, the Toyota Corolla is doing something right and still continues to dominate, thus the reason why the Japanese automaker isnt really looking to fix something that aint broke. The result is the same old reliable Corolla for 2017 with slight styling tweaks, update in the interior and multimedia system and the biggest upgrade is in the safety department, where the Corolla now boasts a raft of upgraded technology as standard across the line. The basic engine stays the same as a four-cylinder 1.8-liter that can produce 132 hp and 128nm of torque with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), according to Topspeed. The optional engine is only available in the new LE Eco version, which can produce up to 140 hp and 126nm of torque. The SE version offers an optional transmission six-speed manual gearbox. 2017 Toyota Corolla Looks The 2017 Corolla receives significant changes on the outside. This time, it assumes design details that were originally assigned to the Toyota Mirai. The look of the Corolla is now more modern. The model adopted new headlights with a slightly altered format and now with LEDs and projectors, as well as redesigned bumpers, more aggressive front grille, new light-alloy wheels and taillights with the new internal layout. The basic version of the 2017 Corolla L offers 15-inch wheels, while the SE version offers sportier aluminum alloy wheels of 17 inches. 2017 Toyota Corolla Interior Changes for 2017 include what Toyota calls a more premium look, according to GreenCarReports. The materials used were improved, the seats are more comfortable especially those in the SE and XSE versions and the rear bench now offers more space making the car more comfortable. The media center is now new, called Toyota Touch 2, complete with new touch-sensitive commands to replace physical buttons, while the digital clock was repositioned to the right side of the center console. The instrument panel features an LCD screen of 4.2 inches. Its touch screen was improved. Virtual buttons are larger, clearer graphics and faster response. Your system interface is the easiest and intuitive to operate in the segment. Safety Comes First The 2017 Toyota Corolla gets a set of new active-safety features which includes frontal collision alert, lane departure warning, automatic adjustment of the beam of the headlights and recognize traffic signs. It also now includes the electronic stability control (ESP) as standard, correcting one of the main weaknesses of the previous model. The new Corolla also adopted retuned suspension, power steering with a new setting, sound insulation of improved cabin making it safer than ever. In conclusion, the 2017 Toyota Corolla does not stand out in its segment when it comes to changes. It's far from exciting but is a perfect example of a simple, demure, comfortable and safe car which is just fine with hundreds of thousands of buyers in the US every year. The mission of awwwards is to create the biggest community of web designers and developers on the Internet, as well as our platform, we also host conferences all over the world in iconic cities, where attendees can see inspiring talks from leading fi A senior European Union diplomat stressed on Thursday the importance of the proper conduct of Armenias next parliamentary elections slated for April, saying that they should herald democratic change in the country. Piotr Switalski, the head of the EU Delegation in Yerevan, also expressed hope that the newly reshuffled Armenian government will follow through on its pledges to implement major economic reforms. The next elections will be very important, he said, speaking at an economic forum in Yerevan. In many ways, they will determine the countrys future. I am an optimist and believe in the bright and democratic future of Armenia. Lets hope that the next elections will be an important launching pad for the democratic future of Armenia, added the diplomat. With Armenia due to switch to the parliamentary system of government in 2018, the legislative elections will determine who will govern the country after President Serzh Sarkisian serves out his final term. Sarkisian and his Republican Party (HHK) say that they are committed to ensuring that the polls are free and fair. Last month, the Sarkisian administration agreed to enact a number of major legal safeguards against vote rigging which had long been demanded by the Armenian opposition. Armenias parliament passed on Wednesday relevant amendments to the Electoral Code agreed by the HHK and three opposition parties. Switalski reaffirmed the EUs strong support for those amendments. I think its a very good development for Armenia, he said. The EU has agreed to provide a large part of an estimated 9 million euros ($10 million) needed for the implementation of the Armenian governments landmark deal with the parliamentary opposition. The sum will be mostly spent on the purchase of equipment required for live online broadcasts of voting and ballot counting in all polling stations. Switalski also commented on the economic reform agenda of the recently appointed Prime Minister Karen Karapetian and his cabinet. The immediate task is to remove the obstacles, hurdles and limitations for business activities in Armenia, said the EU envoy. An improved investment climate would attract more foreign investment and spur the growth of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, he added. Switalski also called for a reform of Armenias tax and customs services and a liberalization of lucrative sectors of the economy controlled by a handful of wealthy businesspeople. Armenia is seen as an economy controlled by mini-monopolies, he said. Prime Minister Karen Karapetian presented his newly formed cabinets plan of actions to the Armenian parliament on Thursday, reiterating its pledges to combat corruption and improve the countrys business environment. Our primary objective is to ensure a free, fair and competitive environment for business, Karapetian told the National Assembly, laying out the governments economic priorities contained in its policy program. Law-abiding economic entities must not notice and must not be affected by the work of tax and customs bodies, he said. Contacts between them must be reduced to a minimum. Entrepreneurs must be certain that they can be subjected to criminal liability only in the event of fraud and other offenses dangerous to the public. Let us work with foreign investor in order to prove that it is safe and simply profitable to do business and invest in Armenia, added Karapetian. The 33-page program commits the new government to boosting economic growth in Armenia through a tougher fight against corruption, better tax administration and equal conditions for all businesses. It says the government will also reform Armenias tax and customs services in order to make tax collection less arbitrary. Opposition lawmakers questioned the governments commitment to such reforms. Naira Zohrabian of the Prosperous Armenia Party, the second largest parliamentary force, challenged Karapetian to shed light on measures against corruption and tax evasion promised by him. You will see whether or not we do that, the premier replied, citing relevant provisions of the government program. The program says, among other things, that the government will seek to criminalize within the next three months illegal enrichment of state officials. It will also introduce new legislation on conflicts of interest. The main official rationale for President Serzh Sarkisians decision last month to replace his previous prime minister, Hovik Abrahamian, and roughly half of the government ministers is to speed up economic reforms. Sarkisian said on September 8 that Karapetian has agreed to lead a great wave of changes that will address popular disaffection with the socioeconomic situation in the country. Leaders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), which remains represented in the government by three ministers, said they are encouraged by Karapetians action plan. We want to believe that things are really changing in the country, that fresh blood is coming into the country, one of them, Aghvan Vartanian, told a news conference held ahead of the parliament debate on the government program. By contrast, opposition lawmakers were highly skeptical about its declared objectives. Zohrabian insisted that Karapetians cabinet will not break up economic monopolies because the ruling regime heavily relies on them in holding on to power. I dont think you need a magic wand to identify those individuals who have monopolized Armenias economy, she said during the debate. Some of them are sitting here, while others are outside [the parliament building.] It is hard to fight against them, Mr. Prime Minister. Why? Because these are individuals who contribute to the regimes reproduction, claimed Zohrabian. Another opposition lawmaker, Tevan Poghosian, strongly criticized the content of the program, saying that it is short on specifics and does not set far-reaching objectives. He said the document dashed his hopes for positive change that could occur under the new premier. 20 October 2016 11:06 (UTC+04:00) The Armenian armed units shattered ceasefire with Azerbaijan a total of 22 times throughout the day, Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry reported on October 20. Armenian armed forces, stationed in Armenia`s Vazashen village in Ijevan region subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces located in Bala Jafarli village in Gazakh region. The ceasefire was violated near the Yusifjanli village in Agdam region, Garakhanbayli village in Fuzuli region , Kuropatkino village in Khojavand region and Mehdili village in Jabrayil region, as well as nameless hills in Goronboy, Tartar, Fuzuli and Jabrayil regions. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Jaxport CEO Eric Green said the $23.5 million grant marks a milestone in our initiatives to build the port of the future and move cargo in the most efficient and eco-friendly way possible. 20 October 2016 14:24 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Problems of the Armenian economy seem to have no end. At least, until the current regime stays in power. No wonder that former President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan recently admitted that his country is facing a serious economic disaster. The governing regime is busy with theatrical ceremonies of reforming the government and electoral process, which are clearly aimed at the strengthening its own power rather than at the improvement of the country, Ter-Petrosyan stressed. In the near future, our country will face a real economic disaster, hidden under a harmonious title default. These words of the former Armenian president drew the attention of the countrys authorities and pro-government experts. All of them in one voice began to refute the statments, arguing that the situation is not that bad. However, the facts of the economic crisis are self-evident. Armenias external debt is growing, as well as the budget deficit; economic growth is significantly lower than it was foreseen. More precisely, the state debt of Armenia has already amounted to $5.36 billion as of the end of the first half of 2016. Noteworthy, the forecasted GDP in 2016 amounts to 5.443 trillion drams. Hence, by the end of the first half-year, the national debt of Armenia made up 46.7 percent of GDP, which is quite risky for the countrys economy. Ter-Petrosyan, warning that Armenia may be completely insolvent in the near future, and not able to pay pensions and salaries of its citizens, is very close to the truth. Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper reported citing the circles close to the ruling party of Armenia, that the authorities find it difficult to pay the pensions lately, and this process gradually becomes a heavy burden for the state budget of Armenia. The newspaper mentions that the government should allocate the pensions in the same amount as they are charged from the wages of employees. Until now, the funds of cumulative pensions have received 14.7 billion drams ($31 million), and till the end of this year, the total figure should become 26.76 billion drams ($56 million). Every year, it is more and more difficult to the authorities to allocate these funds, the newspaper reported. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 17:07 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan and Iran, the two energy-rich neighbor countries, seek to boost the interaction in the energy sector through joint construction of power plants. The joint construction of new power plants by Azerbaijan and Iran will enhance energy stability and export potential of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, said Etibar Pirverdiyev, the head of Azerenergy OJSC, the largest electrical power producer in Azerbaijan. Pirverdiyev stressed the necessity of starting implementation of this project as soon as possible. This project is very important for both Azerbaijan and Iran, Pirverdiyev said, further adding that the work on the project must be accelerated. Earlier, the Iranian parliament passed a bill on the joint construction of two power plants with the Republic of Azerbaijan. The hydroelectric power plants will be built near the Araz River borderline in the Iranian town Marazad and Azerbaijans Ordubad. In December 2015, Azerbaijan and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding, which covers cooperation in some 12 different spheres of economy. The agreement promises new opportunities and prospects for economic cooperation between the two countries, in particular in the sphere of energy. The document envisages cooperation in construction of new power plants at Khoda Afarin and Qiz Qalasi dams on Araz river, as well as construction of Ordubad power plant on the Azerbaijani side and Marazad power plant on the Iranian side. Today, the generation capacity of Azerbaijan's power system is 7,200 megawatts. Power plants of Azerenergy generated 16.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in January-September 2016. Overall, the generation capacity of Azerbaijan's power system grew by 30 percent over the past five years. Earlier, Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian noted that cooperation with Azerbaijan in electricity and water sectors should be boosted. He said that the two countries held talks on construction of geothermal and wind power plants in Iran's Meshkin Shahr and Khaf cities, and the projects are also to start soon. There have also been talks of linking the electricity networks of Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia. The power grids of Azerbaijan and Iran have already been synchronized, and current volume of electricity trade between Tehran and Baku is 10 megawatt. Experts believe that Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Georgia will benefit from linking their electricity networks. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 17:52 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova The delegation headed by the deputy of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan, the head of the parliamentary friendship group Azerbaijan-Australia Khanlar Fatiyev visited the War Memorial in Canberra and put a wreath to it. The ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Committee on International relations Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Democratic Reforms Party Asim Mollazadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Australia Rovshan Jamshid and Honorary consul of Azerbaijan to Australia Aidan Rzayeva. In addition, the delegation visited the monument erected in memory of the founder of the Turkish Republic Ataturk. On the same day, the delegation met with the Minister of Trade and Investment of Australia Steven Chiobo. Speaking at the meeting Khanlar Fatiyev noted the readiness of the inter-parliamentary friendship group to provide the necessary assistance to the development of business between the two countries. He called on businesses of the two countries to interact closely through their Ministries of Economy. Steven Chiobo noted that the Australian Trade Commission can make a major contribution to the expansion of economic ties between the two countries He mentioned agriculture, food production, mutual investment and transport as the promising areas between Azerbaijan and Australia. Such topics as visa procedures, exchange of students, expansion of bilateral ties, settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and cooperation in humanitarian, tourism, agricultural and other spheres were discussed at the meeting with the deputy minister of immigration and protection of the Australian borders, Alex Hawke. Moreover, the Australian side, which was provided with detailed information about the Azerbaijani University ADA, showed a great interest in terms of cooperation with that institution. Azerbaijans Honorary Consulate is expected to be opened in the Australian city of Perth the biggest city and capital of the Western Australia. The Azerbaijani delegation will attend the opening of the Honorary Consulate. The Australian Embassy in Ankara is accredited to Azerbaijan representing Australia's foreign policy, trade, consular, immigration and other interests in Azerbaijan. The two countries also cooperate through a working group on inter-parliamentary relations, which was established in the Azerbaijani parliament in 2011. The economic development and innovation in Australasia and Oceania are of special interest to Azerbaijan, especially in the times of the economic diversification. Azerbaijani officials always highlight the unique geographical location of Azerbaijan that can create substantial benefits to Australia and even help Australia access the benefits of trade on the Great Silk Road, in which Azerbaijan is already a focal point. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Australia stood at $4.937 million as of 2014, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. The trade turnover between the two countries is made up mostly of Azerbaijan's exports of crude petroleum to Australia. --- Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 17:30 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates, enjoying huge opportunities to further deepen the bilateral trade and investment relations, held discussions to define the priority areas during the joint business-forum in Baku on October 20. The UAE companies specializing in agriculture, food industry, construction, pharmaceutical industry, logistics, tourism, security, production of fire alarm systems, and beauty industry joined the forum, focusing on investments in non-oil sector, mutual tourism opportunities, imports and exports. Azerbaijans strategy of diversifying income and further improving the business environment has helped the country to attract more investors, including from the UAE. The volume of the UAEs direct investments to the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan's economy is approximately $659 million, said Orkhan Mammadov, Head of Interstate Economic Cooperation Department at Azerbaijans Economy Ministry. Currently, 223 companies from the UAE are operating in Azerbaijan. The trade turnover between our countries, amounted to $58 million as of the end of the third quarter 2016, and this is 24 percent more compared to the same period of 2015, Mammadov said at the event. The official stressed that the economic relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE strengthened year on year. The two countries have established a strong legal and regulatory framework -- more than 30 official documents were signed, including the agreement on encouragement and mutual protection of investments, avoidance of double taxation and other important documents, he emphasized. Mammadov also mentioned the increasing tourism potential between the two countries. The simplification of the visa regime starting November 2015, led to the increase of the tourist flow from the UAE to Azerbaijan, said Mammadov. Over the first nine months of 2016, the number of foreign tourists visiting Azerbaijan amounted to 1.7 million. The number of tourists from the UAE alone has increased 34 times compared to January-September 2015. Rufat Mammadov, Head of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), for his part, agreed that the increasing number of tourists from the UAE may lead to improvement of business relations between the two countries. This year we witnessed a large influx of tourists from Arab countries, he said. A significant increase in the number of tourists from the UAE especially pleases us. I believe that this growth will improve business relations between our countries. Very often those, who come to Azerbaijan as tourists, think about starting a business here, according to him, as the country created all conditions and favorable business environment for this. Azerbaijan should be seen not only as a market for selling products, but also as a platform for long-term activities, he added. AZPROMO head went on to say that Dubai may become a hub for the export of Azerbaijani goods to other countries of the Middle East. The UAE is a traditional partner of Azerbaijan, and our companies show great interest for the Middle East, he said. Given this interest and numerous appeals, we are planning to organize an export mission to Dubai within the mechanisms to promote the brand Made in Azerbaijan. He clarified that the main objective is to export Azerbaijani products to Dubai, as well as other countries of the region through Dubai. Mammadov said that Arab companies show interest in Azerbaijani products, mainly in production of agricultural and food companies. Considering this, we also plan to put the country stand under the brand Made in Azerbaijan at one of the largest exhibitions of the region, Gulf Food, in 2017, Mammadov said. Overall, Azerbaijan and UAE enjoy fruitful cooperation in various fields and their mutual relations are developing both in the political, economic and cultural fields with ascending line. Recently, the two countries agreed to establish a joint investment fund to facilitate the implementation of joint investment in mutually beneficial projects. The sides eye invest making in the areas that stimulate the growth of mutual investments and increase trade, particularly in agriculture, food processing, logistics and transport systems. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 19:05 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) paid compensations worth around 498.13 million manats ($ 311.33 million) to depositors of Dekabank, Kredobank, Zaminbank, Parabank, Caucasus Development Bank, AtraBank, Bank of Azerbaijan, Ganjabank, Texnikabank and Bank Standard. Banks Paid compensations (million manats) Volume of paid compensations (million manats/ million USD) Insured deposits (million manats) Volume of insured deposits (million manats/ million USD) Bank Standard 232.47 ($ 145.29) 460 ($ 287.5) Zaminbank 50.98 ($ 31.86 ) 60 ($ 37.5) Dekabank 2.88 ($ 1.80 ) 5.59 ($ 3.49) Kredobank 18.07 ($ 11.29 ) 30.21 ($ 18.88) Caucasus Development Bank 1.88 ($ 1.17) 2 ($1.25) Atrabank 14 ($8.7) 14.55 ($ 9.09) Bank of Azerbaijan 24.09 ($ 15.05) 24.2 ($15.12) Ganjabank 0.97 ($ 0.60) 1 ($0.62) Texnikabank 119.98 ($74.98) 122.6 ($ 76.62) Parabank 32.82 ($ 20.51) 43.79 ($ 27.36) Acceptance of applications from insured depositors of DekaBank, KredoBank, Zaminbank and Parabank began August 1, 2016 and the payment of compensations has been carried out since that day. Compensations to the insured depositors of Caucasus Development Bank and AtraBank are being paid starting from August 23. Clients of Atrabank can receive compensations in the branches the deposits were placed in. However, those who concluded the contract in the Khazar branch must approach to the banks main office. Depositors of Caucasus Development Bank receive compensations at the banks main office. Payment of compensations to insured depositors of Bank of Azerbaijan has been carried out since Jan. 29, 2016 at branches of Muganbank and Rabitabank, and since Sept. 8 at ADIFs office. Clients of Ganjabank receive compensations since February 4 at the branches of Rabitabank, Unibank and Kapital Bank. Payment of compensations to insured depositors of Bank Standard started October 11, 2016 at the banks main office and its branches in the regions of Azerbaijan and will continue for one year. Depositors of Texnikabank can receive compensations since February 12 at ADIFs office. The licenses of all the ten banks were cancelled during 2016 as the aggregate capital of these banks didnt meet the minimum requirements [50 million manats]. In general, they havent fulfilled the regulators instructions. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 11:20 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani books are presented at world's largest book fair in Germany, Azertac reported. Azerbaijan`s booth at the fair features books on national leader Heydar Aliyevs and President Ilham Aliyevs life and activities, as well as on Azerbaijan`s history, culture, and tourism potential. The Frankfurt Book Fair is considered to be the most important book fair in the world for international deals and trading. It is held annually in mid-October at the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. For five days more than 7,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries and more than 286,000 visitors take part in the fair. Representatives from book publishing and multimedia companies from all over the world come to the Frankfurt Book Fair in order to negotiate international publishing rights and licensing fees. Since 1976, a guest of honour is named for the fair. Literary programme is organized for the occasion (readings, arts exhibitions, public discussion panels, theatre productions, and radio and TV programmes). A special exhibition hall is set up for the guest country, and the major publishing houses are present at the fair. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 23:15 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova One of the most "delicious" events of the year, the International Bread Festival, kicked off in Baku. The event offers an opportunity for professional bakers to improve their baking skills and share ideas, Trend Life reported. The festival, timed to the International Chefs Day, aroused great interest of residents and guests of the city. Every October 20, home cooks, and professional chefs across the world celebrate International Chefs Day. As the name implies, the day is meant to celebrate the greatest of culinary gurus. This time the event brought together bakers from more than twenty regions of the country, including Karabakh, Lachin, Ganja, Ismayilli, Baku, Qusar, Astara, Zagatala, Balakan, Zangelan, Sheki, Imishli, Goychay, Agdash, etc., as well as guests from Turkey, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The festival features more than five hundred bakery products, traditional kinds of bread and pastries. Under the charming sounds of mugham, guests were presented the traditional bakery products. Trend news Agency was awarded an honorary diploma for the promotion of and contribution to the development of national cooking. Grandiose celebration amazed foodies with its warm and lovable atmosphere that prevailed throughout the occasion. Azerbaijani people cant really imagine their national cuisine without homemade bread. There are other bread varieties sold in Azerbaijani bakeries, including tandir, lavash, and shirinchorek. Each of them is different in shape, size, taste and smell. Cooking of bread from flour and water is done by its steaming and roasting. Tandir bread is usually preferred over others on special occasions, such as weddings, birthday parties and holiday celebrations. It's history began in Neolithic. Scientists note that the word "tandir" refers to the ancient Turkic peoples (the Sumerians). The bread cooks in the inside of the hollow which has been plastered in surroundings. Bread is cooked by attaching on walls of tandir. The bread is also prepared like fragile bread and kept for a long time. Shirin chorek, or sweet bread, is mostly baked on holidays such as Novruz and Ramadan. Lavash is thin flat bread made of water, flour and salt. It's thickness varies depending on how thin it was rolled out. Toasted sesame seeds or poppy seeds are sometimes sprinkled on before baking. The bread is widely consumed in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 18:24 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Baku Open Cup-2016 successfully wrapped up in Baku, Trend Life reported. The dance competition started with a minute of silence in memory of the famous dancer, honored artist of Azerbaijan Kamil Dadashov. The event brought together the best dancers from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine. Participants of all ages competed for the title in the nominations: hip-hop, house, techno, break dancing, dance shows, folk dance, stylized folk dance, dances of the peoples of the world, oriental, etc. The jury members included such prominent artists as Rima Mammadova, Tahir Eynullayev, Ulviya Gasanova, Farid Ibragimov, Farhad Aliyev, Andrew Freeman, Kamran Mammadov, Aysel Huseynova and Veronica Talibova. "Competition with the participation of foreign guests has turned out very bright and interesting. All guests were very pleased. I hope that we will see these dance teams in Baku again, and we'll also perform abroad. In November, we are going to hold Autumn Tale Festival," said Aziz Azizov, the President of the Azerbaijan Dance Association. Here are the list of winners: Folk Style: Formation child 1 place "Azad" dance group Solo Child 1 place "Indji" dance group Small group child 1 place Jam SS Small group Juniors 1 place "Azad" dance group Mini production 1 place "Nakhish" dance group Folk Etnika: Duet Baby 1 place "Indji" dance group Solo Child 1 plaxe "indjie" dance group Duos Child 1 place "Azad" dance group Solo Juniors 1st place "Leyla" dance group Small group Juniors - 1 place - "Ugur" dance group Formation Juniors GG dance group (Georgia ) Solo Adults Leynal Seidalizadeh Show Dance: Solo Child 1 place Jam SS Small group Child 1 place The Legenel Duet Child 1 place "Ugur" dance group Solo Juniors 1st place Jam SS Mini prouction 1 place Smart Kids Bollywood: Solo Baby 1 place "Buta" dance group Solo Child 1 place "Mingechevir" dance group Solo Adults 1st place Solmaz Asadova Formation Juniors 1st place "Leyla" dance group Duet Child 1 place "Buta" dance group Hip Hop Show Battl : Child Yusif Jafarli Jam SS Adults Maga Abdullayev --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 15:10 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The Nagorno-Karabakh region has always been, is and will be Azerbaijans integral part, said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in an article about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The minister stressed that Armenias occupation policy will never be successful. The only way to achieve a sustainable settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to establish civilized relations between the two neighboring states is the liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani lands, restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity and ensuring the refugees and displaced persons right to return to their homelands. Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million had to leave their homes. Four UN Security Councils resolutions of 1993 on the settlement of the conflict 822, 853, 874 and 884 are not implemented by Armenia, and the efforts of the mediators, especially those of the OSCE Minsk Group, made for over twenty years, have not led to the necessary result. Instead of showing goodwill in the negotiation process, Armenia openly prevents all attempts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, noted the minister, emphasizing that by ignoring all demands of the UN Security Council and flagrantly violating international law by not withdrawing its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Armenia impedes the return of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs to their homes. Furthermore, the Armenian side constantly breaks the ceasefire regime on the frontline it occurs on a daily basis. Trying to distract attention from the main and substantive issues of the peace process, Armenia focuses on the technical aspects of the ceasefire regime and regularly commits military sabotages, Mammadyarov stated. Since the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian aggressors destroyed 1,200 historical and architectural monuments, looted 27 museums, over 100,000 items were exported to Armenia. In addition, the Armenian occupiers destroyed 152 religious monuments and 62 mosques, 4.6 million books in 927 libraries, including the Holy Quran and rare Islamic manuscripts. The occupation of Azerbaijani lands harms Armenia itself due to its policy, the country cannot benefit from the international projects. If that continues, Armenia will be even more ignored by its neighbors. Azerbaijan has repeatedly noted its readiness to resolve the conflict through substantive negotiations. They should lead to a change in the status quo and to the liberation of Azerbaijani lands from occupation, Azerbaijani FM mentioned. The sooner Armenia realizes this and withdraws its troops from the occupied territories, the sooner the conflict be solved and Armenia will be able to take advantage of the economic benefits of the regional cooperation, Mammadyarov concluded. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 10:06 (UTC+04:00) Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not and can not be a subject of discussion. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev made the statement in his interview with the head of the Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya, Dmitry Kiselyov. We will never agree with granting independence to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian side is well aware of this, Ilham Aliyev said. However, a reasonable compromise is possible by ensuring the security of population of Nagorno-Karabakh, implementation of various investment projects by Azerbaijan and a peaceful cooperation between the two peoples under the condition of liberation of territories beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region, said the president commenting on Kiselyovs question on how Azerbaijan sees the conflicts settlement. This corresponds to the proposals on which we are working and which have been put forward by the mediators, he added. Touching upon the main reason behind the conflicts remaining unsettled, President Aliyev said that within for the past 24 years of creation of the OSCE Minsk Group, Armenia has in every way blocked any slightest progress in the negotiation process. Our position is that people should live there, where they lived. Because they lived there for a long time: The Armenian population lived there for 200 years, while the Azerbaijani people much more, but that is not the point. he noted. For example, 95 percent of the population in Shusha was Azerbaijanis. They were driven out, their houses were either captured or destroyed, and currently, other people live in their houses. This must end, said the president. The Armenian population of the Nagorno-Karabakh can live there as they lived before, we are not against that, he added. What benefit did Armenia have from this conflict? Millions of Azerbaijanis suffered, but did Armenians become happier from this, did it become more secure, more prosperous, of course not, said Ilham Aliyev. Without normalization of relations with Azerbaijan, there cant be development in the region. They will always live under certain pressure, thinking what if something happens. We want peace in the region and our position is quite constructive, but we want our territories back, he added. Armenia wants peace but it doesnt want to give back somebody elses territories. That is the difference. Undoubtedly, we cant provide anything more than this compromise, said the president. As I have already said, there can be no compromise on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but there can be a compromise on the issues of local self-government, self-government of the Nagorno-Karabakh, and in the future, if we agree, it can be an autonomous republic. The Armenian leadership is well aware of this, but they manipulate public opinion, create an image of the enemy, distort the essence of the negotiation process and present it in such a way that as if Azerbaijan wants to almost annihilate the Armenian population or to expel them. That is not true, Ilham Aliyev said. Responding to Kiselyovs question regarding U.S. Secretary of State John Kerrys recent statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution, the president said the statement is absolutely unacceptable. This is a diplomatic mishap, and our Foreign Ministry and I have already responded to this inappropriate statement, he said. Ilham Aliyev reminded that recently, on October 7, he has quite clearly expressed his opinion on the statement during a Cabinet of Ministers meeting. I said it is at least unfair to put blame on Azerbaijan for the conflict not being resolved, said the president. The statement is absolutely contrary to the position of the U.S. President Obama, together with other presidents of France and of Russia has said that the status-quo is unacceptable. But now the U.S. secretary of state declares that he sees no settlement, and moreover he says that solving this conflict is even harder than solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What kind of signal is he sending, and to whom? Is he sending a signal to Armenia that they should protract this conflict as many years as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has lasted? This is absolutely unacceptable statement, said the president. He added that this statement once again shows why the conflict is still not solved. Because there are decisions, resolutions of international organizations, but they are not executed. There is no pressure on the aggressor country, on the contrary, often there is a policy of encouraging the aggressor, something well-known in the history of the 20th century not of the same scale, but roughly of the same essence, said Ilham Aliyev. This is the problem we are facing. We are being told: the peaceful way, only the peaceful way, nothing but the peaceful way. We say very well, lets settle this, because eventually it is unfair, aside from violating all the international laws, to occupy another states territory and drive out the population, and keep the occupied territories under control, President Aliyev added. He said it is no secret today that Azerbaijans army has a serious potential to solve many issues. We are told the peaceful way, we say very well then, we are waiting. And instead of the pressure on the aggressor we hear such statements, added the president. Subject Quick Links Click on any of the badges below to see posts from that subject area. This is just a quick way to search for all posts with these labels using one click. 20 October 2016 15:30 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova The Caspian Sea is the biggest enclosed body of water on Earth, with enormous deposits of oil and gas as well as rich fisheries. It plays an important role in the transport corridors, along with being an important part of the international and regional projects. While, the question Is the Caspian Sea a Lake or a Sea is the subject of discussions of not only researchers, but also politicians, still there is no consensus among the littoral states over the status of the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is washing shores of the five countries: Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Russia. Baku is sure that all issues of the Caspian Sea legal status must be resolved in a spirit of respect for littoral states sovereign rights and mutually beneficial partnership. Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov announced about this in his article published by the official press. He also pointed to the importance of strengthening the trust between the parties, in particular, on issues related to regional stability, security and economic and scientific-research activities in the Caspian basin in settling the seas legal status issues. The minister believes that confidence-building measures must also include the provision of equal security conditions for all Caspian states. We are also convinced that strengthening of stability in the Caspian Sea should rest upon consideration of interests of all parties, not inflicting damage to each others security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Independence of the Caspian states should be respected and non-interference in the internal affairs of each other must be ensured, he said. Azerbaijan shared a common vision of the Caspian countries on the current state of Caspian Sea environment, and is interested in expanding cooperation for addressing environmental problems of the sea. A great work has been carried out to coordinate the provisions of the draft convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, the minister further added. He said the adopted political decisions and agreements reached during the summits of the Caspian states heads make future negotiations on the draft convention more efficient. The Caspian Sea is a significant part of many international and regional projects aimed at economic development and well-being of people in the countries of the Caspian region, as well as ensuring global energy security, according to him. Priorities of the Caspian states include the issues related to strengthening of international cooperation, improving the investment situation in extraction and production of energy resources and supplying them to international markets, establishing dependable and secure relations, attraction of environmentally friendly and profitable technologies, stated the minister. During the Soviet Union, the Caspian Sea was practically an inland body of water within the boundaries of the USSR, and only on the south, it washed the coast of Iran. A key problem to further development in the region is the unresolved status of the Caspian Sea and the water boundaries among the five littoral states. The legal status has been remained unsolved during the past two decades, preventing development and exploitation of its disputable oil and gas fields and creating obstacles to the realization of major energy projects. Negotiations related to the demarcation of the Caspian Sea have been going on for nearly a decade now among the littoral states bordering the Caspian. The major issues cover the access to the mineral resources (oil and gas), access for fishing, access to international waters. Azerbaijan proposes that the Caspian Sea must be divided into national sectors based on the median line principles since it is an international boundary lake. In turn, Iran and Turkmenistan oppose Azerbaijans position considering that the Caspian Sea must be divided into equal parts between the pre-Caspian countries so that each country must have 20% of the sea. --- Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 17:14 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Agriculture, one of main goals for Azerbaijan to remove dependence of economy on oil and assure expansion of economic development to rural areas, begins to gain momentum in the country with farsighted reforms. Traditionally the main destination and the largest consumer of agricultural exports has been the CIS market, but in recent years this market has expanded to include many other countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. This was also mentioned by Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev at his visit to north-western region Gazakh on October 19, who stressed that the country has become an important exporter of agricultural products, not only in the region but also globally. Attending the opening of Birinci Shxl Farm LLC, the president got acquainted with the rural farming activities in the Gazakh region, noting that such farms will benefit greatly the growth of agriculture and the country as a whole. President Aliyev said that the products grown here will provide for the countrys food security and ensure exports in the future. Thus, the development of agriculture will be even more rapid. Today it is a reality. Despite the fact that the world experiences crisis, agriculture in Azerbaijan has increased by more than 2 percent this year, he said. Speaking about the modern approach implemented in this sphere, the head of state noted that such methods will strengthen the country. First of all, we must meet the domestic demand, he said. We should meet not only domestic demand, but also provide for exports. At the initial stage the products manufactured in the farm, occupying an area of 151 hectares, will be supplied to the local market. As part of his visit to Qazakh, President Aliyev attended and inaugurated several facilities. The president attended the opening ceremony of the 10km-long two-lane Qazakh-Kosalar highway after renovation and of the 110/35/6 KV Dash Salahl sub-station. The sub-station was built to improve electricity supply for the large part of Qazakh and is the fourth 110KV facility built in the western region of Azerbaijan and the 44th in the country. The sub-station will also supply electricity to farms, plants, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure facilities in Qazakh and Aghstafa regions. Then, President Aliyev also inaugurated a new building of the Museum of History and Local Lore. Later on this day, the president visited western region of the country -- Aghstafa. Here, the head of state viewed conditions created at the newly renovated Heydar Aliyev Center, inaugurated Modern furniture factory, which is an affiliate of home-made Saloghlu furniture plant and launched Modern furniture factory. Following this, the president also inaugurated a Music Center and viewed conditions created at the newly-renovated Aghstafa Region Cultural Center. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 11:31 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Ukraine will provide 50 percent discount to the port dues for Kazakh vessels carrying transit cargos, Kazakh Investment and Development Ministry reported. The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine informed Kazakh party about this decision at the meeting within International Conference "Integrated Transport Corridors Europe - Asia" in Ukrainian city of Odessa. Creation of favorable conditions on the Trans-Caspian international transport route was discussed at this meeting, which was also attended by transport authorities of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Kazakh Ministry of Investment and Development continues discussing creation of economically favorable conditions on the entire length of the Trans-Caspian corridor with Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and then through Turkey and Ukraine to Europe. The agreement to create the Trans-Caspian International Transportation Consortium was signed in April in Baku by the railway authorities of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan. New competitive tariffs were introduced for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route since June 1, 2016. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 11:04 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova The leaders of Russia, France and Germany concluded talks on Syria in Berlin, which lasted 1.5 hours. Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande discussed the situation in Syria, "Interfax" reported. The discussion on Syria took place as the situation in the country remains tense, especially around the city of Aleppo, where a humanitarian pause has been announced, lasting 11 hours, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time (05:00 to 16:00 GMT), so that civilians could escape Aleppos eastern districts and aid convoys could safely reach those who remain. Russian Presidents Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed on October 19 that Putin plans to discuss the Syrian issue with his colleagues from France and Germany. Peskov further noted that the main purpose of the trip to Berlin is to discuss the prospects of the implementation of Minsk agreements, although the Russian President is open for discussion of Syrian issues as well. Since September 19, when the Bashar al-Assad regime announced the end of a week-long truce sponsored by Washington and Moscow, Syrian and Russian warplanes have pounded opposition-held parts of Aleppo. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests -- which erupted as part of the "Arab Spring" uprisings -- with unexpected ferocity. The Syrian Center for Policy Research, a Beirut-based NGO, has put the total death toll from the five-year conflict at more than 470,000. --- Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 18:17 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The Islamic Republic of Iran, which reentered the energy market following the recent release of western sanctions imposed on it, plans to inaugurate Persian Gulf Star refinery soon. A cornerstone of Irans economy is to ensure self-sufficiency in gasoline supplies, and the completion of the flagship Persian Gulf Star Refinery (PGSR) project remains central to achieving this goal. Irans Deputy Oil minister Marzieh Shah-Daei told Trend that the construction of the refinery will allow the country to reach self-sufficiency on benzene production. She mentioned that the country will refine surplus of oil products to petrochemical materials. Moreover, a number of petrochemical plants will be constructed close to refineries in Tabriz, Arak and Isfahan to use part of the products of refinery as a raw material for petrochemical plants. The Persian Gulf Star refinery is the most important refining project in Iran, meant to process the condensate from South Pars in Asaluyeh. The managing director of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) Abbas Kazemi earlier said that the Star gas condensate refinery, with a capacity to produce 360,000 barrels per day is slated to become operational by March 2017. Once the refinery is operational, some 35 million liters of gasoline and 14 million liters of gasoil will be added to daily production of oil products in Iran. Moreover, the refinery will yield some four million liters of liquefied gas, three million liters of jet fuel, and 130 tons of sulfur. The country plans to increase the oil (and gas condensate) refining capacity from the current 1.8 million barrels per day to 3.1 mbd by March 2021. Moreover, the country is expected to commission 3 large refineries by 2021. The project, which is Iran's first gas condensate refinery, has so far received some 1.6b to complete. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 October 2016 18:21 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova Ankara and Astana have formed a good relationship over the recent years, equally benefiting both sides in numerous ways. This relationship is expected to gain further depth and width in the near future. Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu now agreed to expand trade and economic cooperation, the Kazakh foreign ministry reported on October 20. The meeting of two ministers took place in Kazakh city of Almaty within the third meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group of two countries. The foreign ministers agreed to actively promote the expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries, and facilitate the effective work of the Kazakh-Turkish Intergovernmental Economic Commission, the ministry said. During the meeting, the sides also discussed cooperation in tourism, transport, and logistics, military-technical and defense industry, and fight against extremism and terrorism. Special attention was paid to the implementation of the agreements reached during the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Turkey in April and August 2016, as well as to preparation for the meeting of the Strategic Cooperation Council under the heads of two countries scheduled for next year. The parties also discussed cooperation in the investment sphere and prospects of the creation of joint Kazakh-Turkish investment and infrastructure funds which will invest in joint projects. I drissov invited Turkish companies to work in Kazakhstan and noted that it will open them access to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union, Central Asia, Russia, and China. Idrissov and Cavusoglu exchanged views on topical international and regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine. They expressed mutual interest in strengthening the cooperation within the framework of such multilateral formats as the UN, CICA, OIC, Turkic Council and others. The bilateral trade volume between two countries reached $ 2.14 billion in total in 2015, with the export of $741 million and the import of $1.27 billion. The countries aim to increase the bilateral trade volume to the level of $10 billion. The amount of international direct investment from Kazakhstan to Turkey is $681 million, according to the data of November 2015 of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey. Moreover, projects of Turkish construction firms in Kazakhstan exceeded $21 billion. --- Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 20, 2016 / B3C newswire / --Synaffix BV announced today it has entered into a Commercial License Agreement with ADC Therapeutics for its proprietary GlycoConnect and HydraSpace site-specific antibody-drug conjugate technologies. Under the terms of the agreement, ADC Therapeutics has been granted a single-target license for one of its preclinical programs and has also been granted an option to take a limited number of additional single-target licenses for potential future programs. Floris van Delft, CSO at Synaffix said: We are delighted that ADC Therapeutics has recognized the value of our proprietary antibody-drug conjugate technologies and has elected to incorporate Synaffix technology into one of its preclinical programs. The experience of Synaffix and its partners has consistently confirmed that, in preclinical models, our proprietary GlycoConnect and HydraSpace technologies significantly improved both efficacy and safety as compared to other mainstream site-specific conjugation approaches. We look forward to working closely with the ADC Therapeutics team to advance these promising therapeutics to the patients who need them. Synaffix is eligible to receive upfront, milestone and royalty payments on a per-target basis. About GlycoConnect and HydraSpace The Synaffix technology platforms include GlycoConnect, the site-specific and stable antibody conjugation technology that involves proprietary enzymes and metal-free click conjugation reagents, and HydraSpace, the antibody-drug conjugate enhancing spacer technology. GlycoConnect was shown to be capable of significantly enhancing the therapeutic index of an antibody-drug conjugate on its own. The highly polar properties of HydraSpace improve the solubility and stability of the payload and the resulting antibody-drug conjugate product, thus enhancing further the therapeutic index of the antibody-drug conjugate. Both technologies have demonstrated compatibility with all antibody-drug conjugate payload classes and all IgG isotypes without requiring antibody engineering. About Synaffix BV Founded in 2010, Synaffix BV is a Netherlands-based biotechnology company exclusively focused on the continued advancement of best-in-class ADC technology platforms. As a leading innovator in the field of ADCs offering absolute versatility and state-of-the-art solutions, our vision is to become the preferred partner in the development of these complex biological therapeutics and realize our ambition connect to cure. Synaffix is backed by a top tier, life science-focused investor syndicate including Aravis, BioGeneration Ventures, BOM Capital and Merck Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital fund of Merck. Contact Synaffix BV Anthony DeBoer Director, Business Development Tel: +31 620 773 194 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens. As'ad's Bio As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants. Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa. We produce contents across various categories including Politics, People, Love and Romance, Nature, Entertainment, Technology and pretty much everything else that Africans may find relevant. 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Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ... Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ... Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! The famous comedian who talks about anything under the sun has gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in comedy history. Join us in unearthing lesser-known facts about the former on-air-personality, standup comedy superstar, movie ... Who Is Patrick Starr, What Is His Net Worth and Gender? The make-up industry over the years has grown to become a billion dollar industry not just because there are probably more women wearing make-up but because a whole lot of men, especially the young ones, have become bold enough to wear it unlike before. A few of these men, like Patrick Starr, have even gone ... How Did Chris Jansing Become a Senior Correspondent at MSNBC and Who Is Her Husband? An award-winning American television news reporter and journalist, Chris Jansing has succeeded in carving a spectacular niche for herself in the field of TV journalism. Outstanding for not just her excellence in journalism, Chris is also cherished for her incredibly gorgeous looks post 60! For close to four decades, Jansing has continued to soar in her ... Jaclyn Glenn Biography Age, Height & Ex-Boyfriend American Youtuber, Jaclyn Glenn, rose to prominence through her self-titled YouTube channel Jaclyn Glenn. She has remained an acclaimed atheist and continues to air her views on hot issues from politics, religion, animal rights, to atheism. During the heated 2016 US Presidential elections, Glenn featured in Hump Trump: Official Donald Trump Song. Her parallel acting career ... Is Pat Sajak Married to a Wife or is He Gay With a Partner? Pat Sajak is one of the most popular TV game show hosts in America. He commenced his career as a radio disk jockey as well as a TV weatherman before being tapped to host Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States. Sajak has hosted the popular game show from 1983 ... Nayyera Haqs Bio What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ... Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ... Meet Phil Mudd of CNN The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? When it comes to discussing issues surrounding terrorism, American Counterterrorism and National Security Expert, Phil Mudd, occupies a globally significant position. He has voiced his interest in the fight against terrorism and insecurity on many popular media platforms, both print and broadcast, such as CNN, BBC, CBS, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, NBC, Fox, The New York Times, ... Jim Hoffer: Biography, Wife Mika Brzezinski, Children and Net Worth Jim Hoffer is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an investigative reporter for Eyewitness News, New York City. In his over two decades of investigative journalism, Hoffer has been at the front lines of several crucial stories from the 9/11 attack to the crash of American Flight 587 to the 2003 Blackout. On top of ... The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ... Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ... How Brendan Greene Became a Game Designer to Look Out For and Facts About His Failed Marriage The name Brendan Greene may not easily ring a bell in the larger society but for gaming enthusiasts, he is considered a god and this is because of his invention of the video game, Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, also called PUBG. Based on the popular last-man-standing/battle royale concept, Greenes creation has taken the gaming world by ... WFAAs Sonia Azad Bio Does The Reporter Have A Husband Or Boyfriend? Emmy Award-winning journalist and Health & Wellness reporter Sonia Azad is on the news segment News 8 Daybreak for the television station WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, a channel which she joined in October of 2015. Besides her time on the news, Azad is also a marathon runner and a certified yoga instructor. She has covered major news ... This Is Everything You Should Know About Caroline Heldman, Her Career Portfolio and Other Facts Love it or hate it, there is no escaping the fact that feminism has come to stay in our world. The movement has continued to garner momentum over the years and this is due to the sustained push by several women, and even men, including the likes of Caroline Heldman. A Professor of Politics at ... Understanding The Enigma That Is Gavin McInnes, The Controversies He Has Stirred and All About His Wife Gavin McInnes is a polemical English-born writer and TV personality, who is best known for his racist and fascist ideologies, as well as his co-ownership of Vice Media and Vice Magazine. He is also an actor a Nearly 64,000 Floridians signed up to vote during the week-long extension of the state's voter registration period. That number has the potential to swing the outcome of the November election in Democrats' favor. Department of State has verified almost 37,000 applications submitted In 2012, 181,000 registered to vote within last nine days of registration period Republicans believe their efforts in this cycle will balance Democrats' gains Florida Decides Voters Guide The Florida Department of State reported Wednesday that it had verified 36,823 of the voter registration applications submitted over the extension period and is working to verify 26,773 more. Additional registration applications are expected to arrive by mail. Four years ago, Democrats outregistered Republicans by a wide margin during the final days of Florida's voter registration period. The Florida Democratic Party, which filed the lawsuit seeking to extend this year's registration period due to inconveniences caused by Hurricane Matthew, expects similar results. "In 2012, in the last nine days of the period of time for registration, 181,000 people registered to vote in Florida, so it had a huge impact," said FDP attorney Kevin Hamilton. "And that was a skewed population sample that were more likely low-income, more likely...minority." The additional verified and pending voters roughly total Gov. Rick Scott's razor-thin margin of victory in his 2014 re-election. President Obama won Florida's 29 electoral votes by a similarly scant 74,000 votes in 2012. If Democrats are giddy about their post-registration prospects, however, Republicans believe their aggressive multi-year Florida ground game will temper any Democratic inroads. The party has cut what four years ago was a Democratic registration advantage of more than 500,000 voters in half. "Something we're doing different this time is really focusing on voter registration," said Ninio Fetalvo, a Tallahassee-based Republican National Committee operative. "We've flipped ten counties across the state and we now have a majority in 39 out of 67 counties across the state." Meanwhile, Florida Democrats want a federal judge to impose new rules on the eve of the election that state officials are warning could create chaos. The Florida Democratic Party is asking U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to order state election officials to allow people to cast a ballot during early voting even if their registration application has not yet been verified. Early voting is scheduled to begin in some counties next Monday. Democrats say that some election officials have told them that they won't be able to verify all the new registrations in time. State officials say they are working to verify all applications by the time early voting begins statewide. Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 14-year-old boy was charged Wednesday with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of his grandparents who were found fatally shot in their Chambers County home. Prosecutors will decide whether to charge the teenager as an adult. A deputy was dispatched to a waterfront home Tuesday in the 11000 block of Cedar Gulley Road in Beach City and found the two adults dead from apparent gunshot wounds, the Chambers County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. On Wednesday the couple, both 72 years old, was identified as Chester and Sandra Bienek, according to KTRK. Public records show the couple moved to Beach City in 1999 and opened a business, Sandra's Gift Shop, in 2009. "They were both shot with a handgun, we believe. ... There were no signs of forced entry or robbery or anything like that," Sheriff Brian Hawthorne told the TV station. When the teen was questioned, Hawthorne said, he showed no emotion but seemed "lethargic" and "could not really give us a good account of anything." The Barbers Hill ISD said in statement, "The grandparents of a Middle School South student were killed in a double homicide at their home." "Our hearts go out to the family experiencing loss, and we have additional counseling at Middle School South for those in need of such services. ... [T]he best thing that anyone can do at this time is hug your children and grandchildren and tell them you love them," superintendent Greg Poole added. Check back for new details as this case unfolds. Did you know the couple? Email andrew.kragie@chron.com Authorities are working to identify a suspect who evaded arrest Wednesday evening in Jasper County, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a release. At around 7 p.m., a Texas State Trooper stopped a Buick passenger vehicle for a speeding violation along U.S. 96 in Buna, Sgt. Stephanie Davis said. (Picture of the area where St. Isaac Jogues' body was thrown after his death in modern day Auriesville, NY) Isaac Jogues was a missionary to New France (Canada), starting in Quebec and working among the Hurons and Petuns in the area of the Great Lakes. This was a rough assignment not only were the living conditions hard, but the locals blamed the Blackrobes for any disease, ill luck, or other problems that occurred where they were. Captured on 3 August 1642 by the Mohawks, enslaved, tortured and mutilated for thirteen months, he taught the Faith to any who would listen. With the help of local Dutch settlers he finally escaped and was sent back to France to recover.While recovering in France he decided to return to his mission work in New France (Canada). He declared, My heart tells me that if I have the blessing of being used for this mission, I shall go and I shall not return; but I would be glad if our Lord should fulfill the sacrifice where he began it, and that the small amount of blood I shed in that land should turn out to be an advance payment for that which I would give from all the veins of my body and heart.In 1644 he returned to New France (Canada) to continue his work with the natives and negotiate peace with the Iroquois. He was tortured, decapitated, and martyred by the Iroquois tribe on October 18, 1646. Despite the Affordable Care Act providing millions of Americans coverage since 2010, there are still a great deal of uninsured Americans. Kaiser Family Foundation recently found there are 27 million uninsured Americans. Bloomberg provides a snapshot into this population and how the government plans to bring in new ACA enrollees. Here are six thoughts: 1. Of the Americans who did not purchase coverage, 50 percent cited cost as the primary barrier to obtaining coverage. Only 11 percent said they attempted to get coverage but were unable to do so. 2. Adults between the ages of 26 and 34 were the largest uninsured group, which is unsurprising as many in this cohort are segueing off of their parents' insurance and may lack the capital to buy it on their own. 3. A large portion of the uninsured population have low incomes, with almost 7 million people making less than the poverty level and many living in one of the 19 states that opted to not expand Medicaid. Another 3 million of the uninsured population do not qualify for subsidies due to their income exceeding the threshold, nearly $96,000 for a family of four. 4. Undocumented immigrants comprise 20 percent of the uninsured population, many of which reside in California, Florida and New Jersey. 5. More than 15 million uninsured residents are not eligible for financial assistance to get coverage, which leaves 11.7 million Americans eligible for government aid. Of these 11.7 million people, 6.4 million can sign up for Medicaid, children's programs or some state-funded programs for immigrants. The remaining 5.3 million could obtain tax subsidies to help decrease the cost of insurance. 6. The government is targeting 11.7 million Americans eligible for these program and tax subsidies when open enrollment opens on Nov. 1. The government plans to launch an outreach strategy that uses advertising to encourage Americans to sign up for coverage. More articles on coding & billing: Humana, Cigna among insurers facing complaints over alleged HIV drug coverage discrimination 9 insights Regulators approve premiums hikes exceeding rates payers' requests 5 things to know Survey says payers slow to adopt value-based care arrangements: 4 thoughts Here are seven updates for ASC leaders to note: Dayton Children's to open $47.5M specialty center, equipped with surgery center Dayton Children's is opening a new specialty care center that includes an outpatient surgery center in Miamisburg, Ohio. Dayton Children's surgery center will house four operating rooms. UnitedHealth Group Q3 revenues hit $46.3B UnitedHealth Group reported its third quarter results, with revenues of $46.3 billion. UnitedHealth Group's third quarter earnings from operations increased 19 percent year-over-year to $3.6 billion. The adjusted net earnings hit $2.17 per share, up 23 percent. Healthcare data breaches increasing in latter half of 2016; 118 cases in Q3 The Protenus Breach Barometer report found the first six months of the year saw 25.3 breaches per month, whereas the second half has experienced 39.3 breaches per month. HSS reported 37 breaches involving 246,876 impacted patient records in September. Of the healthcare data breaches in September, 92 percent involved healthcare providers. Only two cases involved health plans. Anthem, Cigna required to disclose accusatory emails On Oct. 14, a judge ordered Anthem and Cigna to release emails between the two companies accusing each other of breaching the potential merger agreement. Federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson agreed with the federal mediator that the emails were not privileged communication and should be public. The insurers are required to release 12 whole documents and emails, and 13 excerpts from other communications. Medical device and technology market will eclipse $500B in sales by 2021 The medical device market is well on its way to surpassing $500 billion in sales by 2021. EvaluateMedTech analyzed the market and predicts it will overcome an economic slowdown in China as well as the "challenges in the European Union." Senator urges DOJ to reject $465M Mylan settlement Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice imploring the agency to reject a settlement with Mylan Pharmaceuticals. CMS found Mylan underpaid a Medicaid rebate program for years, leading to the DOJ's settlement with Mylan. The language outlined in the settlement does not imply the company committed any wrongdoings concerning how much it paid Medicaid. In his letter, Sen. Blumenthal said Mylan paid Medicaid "a shadow of what it should be." He wrote, "Simply, this agreement is blatantly inadequate, notably in dollar amount, but also Mylan's avoiding admission of moral and legal responsibility." Infection control market to total $17.8B by 2021 The market is expected to hit $17.78 by 2021, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5 percent. Factors spurring market growth include growing incidence of hospital-acquired infections, more surgical procedures, increased awareness about the need of food sterilization as well as awareness about disinfection. More healthcare news: CHI St. Luke's pursues ASC expansion plans in Houston, acquires & rebrands Woodlands Ambulatory Surgery Center 4 key takeaways Pure-Vu System effective for colon cleaning; Takeda presents data on vedolizumab & more: 5 GI company key notes Fake it until you make it, or until you get caught 8 key notes on people posing as MDs The Maryland Health Care Commission voted Thursday to approve a proposed $543 million hospital in Prince George's County, according to The Washington Business Journal. The proposed regional medical center is a joint venture between Cheverly, Md.-based Dimensions Healthcare System and Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System. It is designed to replace the county's existing trauma center. The new facility's quest for approval from state regulators has been slow. Dimensions Healthcare and UMMS submitted an application for a certificate of need in 2013, but regulators didn't review it until April 2015, according to the report. Competing hospitals in the region, such as Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis and Doctor's Community Hospital in Lanham, opposed the project and submitted written comments to regulators calling for closer scrutiny of the plan's details. Throughout the process, supporters of the project including state and county elected officials fought with Gov. Larry Hogan (R) to garner $55 million in operating subsidies for Dimensions, which has seen its revenue decline for years, according to the report. The health system has since secured about $400 million in county and state taxpayer money to support construction of the new facility. Under the current plan, UMMS would become the new facility's sole operator and owner. Construction is likely to begin in the spring, with completion expected in 2020, according to the report. The healthcare workforce represents one of hospitals' biggest costs and affects every aspect of the organization, from the quality of patient care to the hospital's bottom line. With such high stakes amid the transition to value-based care, leaders must ramp up recruiting and retention strategies while mitigating the effects of the nationwide staffing shortage. At the AMN Healthcare 2016 Healthcare Workforce Summit in San Diego, Scott Becker, publisher of Becker's Hospital Review, moderated a panel discussion with three health system finance executives on the top staffing challenges they are seeing in their organizations. Panelists included Gary Raju, CFO of St. Louis-based Mercy Health System of Oklahoma; Chip Neuman, CFO of Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, Calif.; and Brian Scott, CFO, chief administrative officer and treasurer of AMN Healthcare. Here are three of the most interesting takeaways from the panel. 1. There is a wide disconnect between compensation and current care delivery models. Although all hospitals are working to transform care delivery and compensation systems to support a value-based model, for many organizations, the pace of change for each component is out of sync. According to Mr. Raju, most of Mercy's hospital business is still rooted in fee-for-service. "We are still in a system where the more we do, the more we get paid," he said. "One of our biggest challenges is realigning compensation to reward the quality of care for a population." The health system has introduced some elements of pay for performance, but communicating this new system to employees is still a challenge, according to Mr. Raju. "People get a bonus check and they don't know what for," he said. "People in nursing and other workers don't get a sense of how they are compensated in terms of value." 2. The nationwide staffing shortage makes recruiting and retention efforts all the more important. In the face of a worsening clinician shortage, hospitals and health systems cannot afford to lose solid talent. According to Mr. Scott, attracting and retaining the best workers is not as easy as it once was. Offering higher salaries will always make an organization attractive, but with heightened competition among providers for talent, organizations that offer development opportunities such as additional training, college tuition reimbursement, student loan forgiveness, comprehensive insurance and other benefits will stand out from their peers. "It's a good market for employees," he said. It's important to know that hiring is only the first step. When it comes to retention, it is equally if not more important for hospitals to prioritize creating a supportive and rewarding workplace for employees. "In terms of retention, the most important thing is how the nurses feel they are being treated at work," said Mr. Raju. "How is the medical staff treating them? Do they feel valued by the system? Do they feel empowered to do what they believe is best for the patients?" He added that nurses typically don't hesitate to leave an organization if they aren't satisfied with their jobs. 3. Effective leaders today must possess different skill sets than in the past. "The skills you need to be a leader today are different than 10 or 20 years ago," said Mr. Scott. "Being a subject matter expert is not enough. You must be adaptable, you must be able to inspire others and, importantly, you must invest in succession planning." Mr. Neuman echoed Mr. Scott, noting that when he first began his career in healthcare, CFOs were known only as finance leaders. "Now CFOs are expected to understand more about the hospital's clinical operations, and clinicians are expected to know more about the finance side," he said. Leaders today have largely moved away from top-down leadership styles and tend to be more deferential to teams, according to Mr. Raju, as driving transformation is more effective when it is done by a team. A group demanding Lower Keys Medical Center reverts to public ownership took out a full-page ad in a local paper calling on the state attorney to investigate LKMC over claims of fraudulent billing, FL Keys News reports. LKMC, owned by Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, came under fire earlier this year after patients reported experiencing poor quality service and aggressive billing practices. In a full-page ad in a local Sunday newspaper, a group of patient advocates demanded Monroe County Attorney Catherine Vogel impanel a grand jury to investigate allegations against the hospital. The Committee to Rescue Our Hospital paid for the ad. Key West City Commissioner Sam Kaufman lodged a similar request with the attorney general's office earlier this year. "My office has been looking and examining information to see whether or not we can establish a state crime," Ms. Vogel told FL Keys News. "If and when we find something that can be criminal, we will take it to the grand jury." San Francisco-based Remedy helps patients avoid overpaying for medical care by using big data and technology to audit medical bills and correct any mistakes. The company, which was founded in late 2015 and went public last month, has a network of medical billing contractors who review patients' claims via their insurance company. Remedy identifies errors and overcharges and then works with providers, hospitals and insurance companies to get the patient's costs down by resolving errors and even negotiating correct bills lower. The service is free, but the company takes a 20 percent cut of any money it saves the patient, with a maximum fee of $99 per bill. "Even absurdly obvious errors can go undetected by patients, and it's everything from the mundane to the super complicated. Most of the time the bill you get in the mail is really obfuscated and opaque," said Victor Echevarria, Remedy CEO and co-founder. "You take an immensely complicated system with all sorts of errors and you combine that with the higher deductible world we have now, and people are needlessly spending thousands of dollars out of pocket. So we built Remedy to fix it. We plug into your insurance company not unlike what Mint does with your bank accounts the patient gives us their credentials, and we monitor for claims. We hope to offer a layer of protection between our patients and the broken billing system." Mr. Echevarria recently spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about how Remedy started and why its focus is medical billing. Note: Interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: What sparked the idea for Remedy? Victor Echevarria: We estimate that based on various external data, patients lose $120 billion each year as a result of medical billing errors and overcharges that's $1,000 for every family in the U.S. The founders saw a way to keep people out of financial ruin with a technology platform and network of medical billing specialists that can efficiently correct these errors at a massive scale. While launching the company, I experienced this firsthand when my son's trip to the emergency room turned into a financial nightmare thanks to incorrectly denied claims. My personal experience galvanized his belief that Remedy's platform and technology will protect the average family from thousands of needlessly billed dollars. Q: Why did Remedy choose to focus on billing? VE: Medical billing is hard for a layperson to understand, with countless billing codes for every little thing (there's something like 90 different codes for an angioplasty, for example). By combining our technology with a team of medical billing specialists who can take over the challenge of deciphering patient bills, spotting mistakes and most importantly, getting them resolved by knowing the right person to talk to and what to say, we can save Americans thousands, even millions of dollars each year. Just since launching our beta in December 2015, Remedy has saved users over $100,000 in incorrect medical bills and has found errors in over 70 percent of all complicated medical bills it has reviewed. Q: What does 2017 hold for Remedy? VE: Next year should be a very exciting year for us. We just opened up to the public and have seen a massive influx of new customers who want to take advantage of the service. We're also looking forward to making this even more accessible to all Americans, not just those with smartphones and/or internet access most of our interaction with patients, should they choose, can occur over SMS. Part of the reason we look at all bills is because a $50 error can be incredibly meaningful to a large percentage of American families. According to Neal Gabler's article in The Atlantic earlier this year, 47 percent of Americans don't have enough savings to cover a $400 emergency. We ultimately want to help everyone in the country, which means making our product accessible through multiple channels. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh told Armenpress the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime more than 30 times at the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight October 19-20 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime more than 30 times by firing over 350 shots from various caliber small arms at the Armenian positions in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. In the northern direction the Azerbaijani forces fired also DShK heavy machine gun (45 shots) and ISTIGLAL sniper rifle (103 shots). The Defense Army forces control the situation in the frontline and continue confidently carrying out their military tasks. Albuquerque, N.M.-based Presbyterian Healthcare Services tapped Dale Maxwell to serve as interim CEO, after current President and CEO James H. Hinton leaves to take the helm of Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health in January 2017. Here are four notes: 1. Mr. Maxwell is currently executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Presbyterian Healthcare Services. 2. He joined Presbyterian in 2000 and has served in a number of leadership roles, including CFO for Presbyterian. 3. Presbyterian has no plans to immediately begin searching for a permanent CEO, noted Katharine W. Winograd, PhD, chair of the organization's board. 4. Mr. Hinton has led Presbyterian Healthcare Services for 21 years. Leaders like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are renowned around the world for their innovative genius and inspiring leadership styles. But their successors not so much. Despite Microsoft and Apple's continued growth and success, neither company's current leaders have demonstrated an aptitude for imagination on par with their predecessors, according to the Harvard Business Review. After heading Microsoft for 25 years, Bill Gates handed his title to Steven Ballmer in January 2000, who served as CEO for 14 years. Mr. Ballmer tripled the company's sales to $78 billion and more than doubled profits from $9 billion to $22 billion, according to the report. The company also launched Xbox and Kinect and acquired Skype and Yammer during his tenure. In terms of revenue growth, Mr. Ballmer was top notch. But in terms of long-term survival, he was a failure, according to the report. The problem was Mr. Ballmer organized the company around the execution of its current strengths: Windows and Microsoft Office. As a result, it lost to Google in search, to Apple in mobile operating systems, to Netflix in media and to Amazon in the cloud. By 2015, out of the 2 billion smartphones out there, Microsoft's mobile OS share was 1 percent, according to the report. One of the many strengths of visionary CEOs is they develop an executive staff filled with top operating executives. When Mr. Jobs was CEO of Apple, he led the vision but placed strong operating executives throughout the company in hardware, software, product design, supply chain and manufacturing who then translated his vision into new products and services. The problem arises when it is time for the visionary CEO to depart. Most often, the outgoing CEO appoints one of the operating executives who reported to them to run the company, as in the case of Microsoft and Apple. Usually one of the first things these operations/execution-minded CEOs do is try to eliminate the chaos in the organization, as they value stability and process. While this helps ensure predictability, it can be a death sentence for creativity, according to the report. Creative people leave the organization and a cultural shift descends from the C-suite: What used to feel like a company out to change the world begins to feel like any other job. Visionary CEOs err when they select execution executives for their successors. They confuse execution with passion and market insight, but these traits are the not the same for long-term survival, the latter is more valuable, according to the report. Physician imposters can be extremely dangerous to patients and pose a liability to healthcare organizations. While they range in age and background, physician imposters tend to share certain behavioral and personality traits, according to Broadly. Pretending to be a medical professional is illegal and poses life-threatening risks for patients, yet many people have gotten away with it, sometimes for years. In June, two Colorado state boards and the state attorney general filed a contempt citation against an allegedly unlicensed woman who posed as a physician and administered intravenous treatments for a decade. After getting caught once last year, in February, Malachi Love-Robinson, then 18 years old, was accused of pretending to be a physician again. In another case, Cecil Alexander Kent Jr. of Eastlake, Ohio, pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of approximately $6.2 million while he posed as a licensed physician. In March a woman in Maryland was sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating a physician assistant and treating and diagnosing 137 infants and children. These cases may involve a diverse set of characters, but they share many commonalities. Here are four things to know about the psychology of a physician imposter, according to Broadly. 1. Danny Sullivan, a forensic psychiatrist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, told Broadly fake physicians follow similar "practice" patterns: "They'll restrict themselves to a couple of procedures or activities that other people won't necessarily determine that they're inept in, and gradually as they develop the bravado or the skill to pass themselves off more effectively, they might then move to try things that are more ambitious," he said. "So, if they're successful, it's because they've started off as reasonably humble, and then only gradually ramped up what they're doing." 2. In many instances, physician imposters focus on taking advantage of society's most vulnerable populations. They often work in small ethnic or minority communities with non-English speaking patients, according to Mr. Sullivan. For instance, in 2015, Oneal Ron Morris, a trans woman, was arrested after providing illegal cosmetic injections to numerous other trans women, whose faces and buttocks became permanently disfigured as a result of her concoction which included a mixture of cement, super glue and other toxic substances, according to the report. One victim died of acute respiratory failure after one of Ms. Morris' procedures. 3. Physician imposters often have the same personality type as those who impersonate other "hero" professionals, such as paramedics, war veterans and lawyers. "What they tend to have in common is that they choose occupations that give them some form of prestige or recognition, a situation where they get positive feedback and validation for their skills and abilities," said Mr. Sullivan, according to the report. These individuals crave approval from others. 4. Physician imposters are also often similar from a mental health perspective. "In many cases they don't have a formal psychiatric diagnosis," Mr. Sullivan told Broadly. "In some cases they're depressed or have substance abuse issues, but in most cases they have personality difficulties. The technical term we use to describe them is 'fantasists.'" Two weeks before open enrollment begins, CMS' Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt discussed his expectations and predicted challenges leading up to the Nov. 1 start date on Politico's Pulse Check. Below are three thoughts from Mr. Slavitt, as told to Politico. 1. The No. 1 concern for open enrollment 2017 is "definitely outreach," Mr. Slavitt said. He said the top three untapped uninsured groups are the working poor, the chronically uninsured and a group dubbed "the new economy," or entrepreneurs and contractors not tied to one job. "Pockets of people, immigrants, young people they're people who are in different sectors. We're getting smarter about who those people are," Mr. Slavitt said. "We need to make dents in [those] groups every year." In terms of those in the third "new economy" pocket, Mr. Slavitt told Politico that people forget the marketplace is for that population as well. "The president and the leaders from Congress, when they were talking about the Affordable Care Act and putting this together, part of the rationale was to make sure our economy cannot be so tied to this job lock idea," he said. "And these are people that will come and go [from the marketplace]. Some will come in for a few months, some will come in for a year and the up and down I think you see in the marketplace is actually a very healthy thing." 2. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) does not have it "exactly right." Last week, Gov. Dayton said the ACA is "no longer affordable to increasing numbers of people." Mr. Slavitt told Politico he thinks that claim is not entirely accurate. "Rates are going up in 2017 to a greater extent than they did in 2015 and 2016. So why are they going up? The largest reason is that rates were underpriced for the first couple years of the marketplace," he said. "So before you start thinking about risk pools and young people, remember that we've never covered sick people before in this country, no questions asked. I don't think we know how much it would cost," Mr. Slavitt said. 3. Rate increases may be high, but the real concern is healthcare costs in general. Mr. Slavitt said premium rate increases are about 18 percent below what the Congressional Budget Office's has estimated. He said "in a more perfect world where we had better data, rates would have started 10 percent higher, rates would have gone up a little bit more in 2015, they would have gone up a little bit more in 2016 and we would have had a smooth landing here. That would be better. But we don't." He said the question people should be asking is, "Why is healthcare not affordable enough for everybody to be able to afford it? That's a question we've had to ask before the ACA. I think the ACA made some of these things visible but certainly didn't cause them." To listen to the full Politico Pulse Check interview, click here. More articles about payer issues: Feds project 9% average increase for monthly ACA enrollment Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield pilots mental, physical Crohn's care program Why some deceased continue to receive Medicare mailings Mequon, Wis.-based Titan Spine strengthened its sales management team to meet demand for its Endoskeleton line of titanium interbody fusion devices. Here are four key points: 1. The company doubled its sales team with nine new members to also address the recent full launch of its nanoLOCK surface technology. 2. The new sales managers will work with the company's distribution network partners across the nation to boost surgeon adoption. 3. Titan Spine was able to expand its sales team due to its round of financing with Southlake Equity Group. 4. The nanoLOCK surface technology encompasses a combination of roughened topographies at the macro, micro and nano levels. Following news about Abbot Laboratories' plans to acquire St. Jude Medical, the companies will sell $1.12 billion in products to Japan-based Terumo, according to Chicago Tribune. Here are seven insights: 1. Headquartered in Lake Bluff, Ill., Abbott projects its $25 billion deal to acquire St. Jude Medical will close by the end of 2016, a company spokesperson said. 2. To appease regulatory concerns, Abbott plans to divest its Vado Steerable Sheath, a device helping physicians perform heart procedures involving catheters. Minnesota-based St. Jude Medical will divest its Angio-Seal and Femoseal products, which providers use to seal punctures from catheter-based procedures. 3. St. Jude Medical came under fire earlier this month after the company and the FDA warned consumers that some of the company's heart devices are equipped with batteries that are running out sooner than projected. 4. The FDA said two people have died in cases related to the devices after the devices could not deliver the necessary shocks to the heart because of batteries dying early, Chicago Tribune reports. 5. Muddy Waters Capital implored St. Jude to recall its pacemakers and implantable medical devices in August, arguing cybercriminals may target the devices, leading them to malfunction. In response, St. Jude referred to the claims as "false and misleading" and filed a lawsuit against Muddy Waters and others. In the suit, St. Jude alleges they released incorrect information to decrease St. Jude's stock value as a way to profit themselves. 6. The FDA has not advised people to stop using the devices, but the agency is looking into the Muddy Water's allegations alongside HHS. 7. On Oct. 26, St. Jude shareholders are expected to vote on the Abbott deal. More articles on devices: Foothills Medical Centre joins INSPIRE study as Canadian site: 5 key points Amendia joins forces with Global Spine Outreach to enhance scoliosis care 3 observations Hensler Surgical launches patented bone collector: 4 takeaways The physicians at Auburn Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., will likely have a new union at the end of the evening. A strong majority of Auburn Medical Center physicians cast ballots in favor of the union at the National Labor Relations Board Region 19 offices in Seattle last week; the National Labor Relations board is expected to certify the results tonight. Here are five things to know: 1. The union will include hospitals, pediatricians, surgeons and OB/GYNs, among other specialists. 2. While physicians in California have been unionized for decades, this union is believed to be the first group of private sector physicians in Washington to form a union. Last year, physicians in Oregon joined a union representing other healthcare workers at their facility. 3. The Union of American Physicians and Dentists will represent the AMC physicians. They are also speaking with other physicians in the region about forming unions. 4. When the union is certified, physicians at AMC will negotiate for the first time with their employer, MultiCare Health System, which purchased AMC in 2012. MultiCare operates five hospitals and several clinics in the Tacoma area. 5. Physicians can unionize to negotiate with hospital administrators to ensure the focus on efficiency and cost-cutting doesn't come at the expense of patient care, according to UAPD President Stuart Bussey, MD. Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Oct. 20, 2016. MACRA final rule is here: 9 reactions, afterthoughts & takeaways CMS dropped a landmark final rule Friday morning for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which determines physician Medicare payment fees after the repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula. Read here how nine industry leaders reacted to the major reform. SpineGuard to launch PediGuard Threaded for spinal surgery SpineGuard plans to launch the next-generation PediGuard "Threaded" device next week. The Dynamic Surgical Guidance technology enables the PediGuard "Threaded" device, which is a drilling instrument with a threaded shaft design in various sizes. Surgeons can use the device to streamline surgical steps while maintaining accuracy in pedicle screw placement preparation. 74% of patients experienced fusion at 1-year follow-up in SImmetry Sacroiliac Joint Fusion System study Minnetonka, Minn.-based Zyga Technology reported 12-month fusion and clinical results for patients undergoing SImmetry Sacroiliac Joint Fusion with decortication. The study revealed 74 percent of patients experienced fusion at 12 months. These patients reported a 72 percent decrease in back pain. Zyga plans to see 24-month results in early 2017. Johnson & Johnson, Texas Medical Center partner to speed up medical device development Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Houston-based Texas Medical Center have partnered to create innovative medical devices. Researchers and developers with access to the Baylor College of Medicine the Houston Methodist Research Institute and the Texas Heart Institute's preclinical facilities will staff the Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center. The goal is to decrease the amount of time taken in the medical device cycle. 97% of healthcare attorneys project more involvement in cybersecurity going forward Most healthcare attorneys see cybersecurity becoming a more prevalent issue in the healthcare space, a nationwide survey found. Ninety-seven percent of attorneys said they expect to be increasingly involved in cybersecurity matters over the next three years. While many reported they are prepared to respond to a data breach or cyberattack, 40 percent said their plans are too generic, lacking specific guidance for certain types of incidents. Titan Spine launches nanoLOCK surface technology nationwide Titan Spine expanded its commercial launch of the nanoLOCK surface technology throughout the nation. This full U.S. launch follows the company's alpha introduction of the technology in certain market areas. So far, Titan Spine has sold nanoLOCK implants in 14 hospitals in eight states. Spinal implants, devices market to hit $19.5B by 2024; MIS driving growth The global spinal implants market is slated to hit $19.54 billion by 2024, according to a Grand View Research report. The increasing number of spinal injuries, rising number of obesity cases and growing adoption of sedentary lifestyles will drive market growth. Key market players include Medtronic, Depuy Synthes, Stryker, NuVasive, Zimmer Biomet, Globus Medical, Orthofix International and LDR. HSS honored for high-quality spine, hip surgery care by Healthgrades Healthgrades honored New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery for its high-quality care in spine surgery and hip replacement. Healthgrades also ranked HSS among "America's 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery," for the third consecutive year. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said talks with Russian, Ukrainian and French leaders about a stalled Ukraine peace deal "didn't achieve miracles", BBC reported. All sides have agreed to draw up a roadmap by the end of November on how to implement the Minsk peace deal. Mrs Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Francois Hollande also discussed Syria. The German leader said she and Mr Hollande had a "difficult conversation" with Mr Putin. Both condemned Syrian and Russian air strikes on Aleppo. The Ukraine discussions took place against a backdrop of tensions elevated by Russia's military backing for the Syrian regime - and a bombing campaign in Aleppo which the European Union has warned could amount to war crimes. A blizzard of telephone diplomacy over the past week - when Mr Putin postponed a visit to France over a row about Syria - is said to have resulted in Wednesday night's meeting, which attracted several protest groups outside. The 2015 Minsk agreement eased fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country, but violence frequently flares along a demarcation line. Speaking after the Berlin talks, President Poroshenko said all sides had agreed that a road map would be drawn by the end of November on how to implement the 2015 agreement and also protocols reached in 2014. He also said Russia had agreed with a proposal to allow the deployment of an armed police mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. President Putin has made no official comments on the issue. Ukraine, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia has supplied the rebels with heavy weapons and regular troops. Russia denies that, but it is hostile to the Kiev government and openly supports the rebel cause. In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula - a move condemned by Kiev and the West. The last four-way meeting in the so-called Normandy Format took place in Paris in October 2015. Mrs Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters to limit their expectations to a "brutally honest assessment of the situation" in Ukraine, while Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov agreed that "obstacles" to implementing the Minsk accord should be identified. Meanwhile, President Petro Poroshenko said he was not optimistic about the negotiations over the conflict, which has claimed nearly 10,000 lives since it erupted in 2014. He will leave the table when what Mr Seibert termed the "catastrophic situation" in Syria is raised. Latest figures are showing unemployment in Northern Ireland is now at its lowest since the financial crisis Northern Ireland's jobs market appears so far unscathed by the vote to leave the EU with latest figures showing unemployment now at its lowest since the financial crisis. The labour force survey, which covers a period following the June 23 vote, said unemployment had fallen over June to August to reach 5.5% - down from 6% on the year before and the lowest since 2008. And the separate claimant count, also from the Department of the Economy, showed that the numbers of people signing on fell by 400 last month, to reach 34,900. The numbers claiming jobseekers peaked at 64,700 in 2013 and has since fallen by 46%. Economy Minister Simon Hamilton said the fall was "good news for our economy". The economic inactivity rate fell to 25.7% - the lowest since records began in 1995, but still above the UK average of 21.5%. The youth unemployment rate was down 5.6 percentage points to 13.2% - but was still above the UK average of 12.8%. But while the figures suggest the jobs market has been insulated so far from any negative effect from the Brexit vote, Ulster Bank chief economist Richard Ramsey warned it may just be a question of time. The bank's own survey has found the economy had stagnated in the third quarter. "It should be remembered that the labour market statistics are lagging indicators. The Ulster Bank PMI suggests that the Northern Ireland economy broadly stagnated in the third quarter, and the Brexit vote has created uncertainty across many private sector firms, which may impact on investment intentions. "So while the latest labour market statistics are positive and encouraging, we do expect to see the unemployment rate drift higher in the months ahead." And he said the Mid and East Antrim District Council area was the only one not to have experienced a fall in jobseekers' claimants over the past 12 months. The area has reported major job losses from manufacturers such as tobacco giant JTI Gallaher and Michelin, both of which are closing their operations in Ballymena. JTI will close by next year while Michelin shuts the year after. Manufacturers are urging Stormont to adopt a new 'industrial strategy' to the boost sector Manufacturers are taking their case to Stormont to urge the Executive to create a dedicated strategy to boost the sector and tackle huge job losses. Manufacturing NI and Unite are joining to launch a joint campaign calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to adopt an 'industrial strategy'. Economy Minister Simon Hamilton has ruled out any form of dedicated manufacturing plan. He told the Belfast Telegraph last month: "We have a strategy for the economy. It includes manufacturing. That's why manufacturing output rose by 2.4% in the last 12 months and we have the highest number employed in the sector since pre-downturn. Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Manufacturing NI, said: Northern Irelands manufacturing sector employs more than 85,000 and contributes more than 18bn in sales of which 14bn are external. An opportunity exists to do more, so it is vitally important that our politicians adopt an ambitious approach to create the conditions which will allow manufacturing to grow to 20% of the Northern Ireland economy creating jobs, increasing investment and quickly assisting the Executive to deliver a rebalanced economy which benefits the entire region. We need an industrial strategy to ensure that high-value added Manufacturing stays on the agenda that there is real action to lower energy and transport costs, to win foreign direct investment in the sector. Unite regional secretary, Jimmy Kelly, said: Northern Ireland has lost six thousand jobs in manufacturing over the past two years these were among the best paid jobs in the region and will not be easily replaced by jobs of an equivalent value. Earlier this year, a report warned that more than 6,000 jobs could be lost across Northern Ireland's manufacturing sector over the next decade as companies become more efficient and increase their use of technology. But the study, carried out by Manufacturing NI and Oxford Economics, predicted the industry itself would grow in size, despite headcount falling. Heavy traffic on the M2 heading into Belfast, towards its intersection with the M3 and Westlink The on hold 165m York Street interchange scheme may not be able to apply for crucial EU funding until 2018, it's been announced. The interchange was intended to solve the Belfast's increasing traffic problems. It aimed to transform traffic flow where the Westlink, M2 and M3 converge. And the bulk of the cash needed to build it, around 40%, was due to come from the EU. There are now fears Belfast traffic will get worse, as other major road projects, such as the A6, make getting to the city easier. Last night, the news was branded a "disaster" for Northern Ireland. Now, Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard has said the next call for EU funding is early 2018 and as a result, the funding stream for this project goes beyond the time frame set by the chancellor. That could mean EU funding is no longer an option for the huge scheme. As is already on record, the Executive has set out four flagship infrastructure projects which will benefit people across the region. These include the Belfast Hub and Belfast Rapid Transit projects, as well as the A5 and A6. There are of course other significant capital projects like York Street Interchange and I and my Executive colleagues fully recognise the importance of these projects and their impact for local people. However, the reality is that progress on all of these will be determined by the scale of resources available from the forthcoming budget process. Earlier this week this newspaper reported that Belfast is now the third most congested city in the UK. The upgrade of the York Street Interchange aims to tackle the traffic gridlock which occurs daily. As Northern Ireland's busiest junction, it carries 100,000 vehicles daily, mostly commuters to and from Belfast from around Co Antrim. A tender for the project is valued at 100m, but it is thought the entire scheme could cost up to 165m. Mr Hazzard said: In the case of York Street, while it is a project that could have attracted up to 40% EU funding, there would still be a 60% gap to make up. My department has of course been pursuing European funding for York Street Interchange through the Connecting Europe Facility. "Unlike structural funds, this is a highly competitive funding programme with member states required to submit applications as part of a formal bidding process. "This is implemented by a series of calls for funding. The next call for major projects is anticipated for early 2018. As a result, the funding stream for this project goes beyond the timeframe set by the chancellor. To clarify the position on procurement of the York Street project specifically, the bidding exercise has now been extended so procurement decisions can be made in line with future funding allocations. James McAvoy will be returning to Radio 4 with a cameo role in Neverwhere follow-up How The Marquis Got His Coat Back James McAvoy is to make a return to BBC Radio 4 with a cameo in a new dramatisation of a short story by author Neil Gaiman. The actor will step back into Gaiman's universe for a second time in the Neverwhere follow-up, How The Marquis Got His Coat Back. He will return for a short stint as his previous character, businessman Richard Mayhew, who discovered the magical realm of London Below in the radio adaptation of Neverwhere. McAvoy said: "It's just a privilege professionally, but in terms of creatively it's just fun to go back into that world where so much is unknown and anything is possible. '"t (London Below) really is a flip side to normal suburban, or domestic or urban life. And anything can happen and that's always an exciting environment to act in." The tale follows the Marquis de Carabas, who embarks on a journey to find his lost coat. The X-Men actor said he would not mind trying his hand at surviving in the Marquis's world. He said: " I reckon that I'd like a panic button though, it'd be like paintballing I think where you go 'yeah I can do this, this is brilliant', when five minutes in you've hit loads of people then the next thing you know, you get 20 pellets in your head. "I think it would be like that, so I'd like a panic button that could get me out of danger when it goes a bit wrong." Actor Paterson Joseph, who played the Marquis in the 1996 BBC TV adaptation of Neverwhere, will return to voice the lead character. He is joined by Hustle's Adrian Lester, Rising Damp's Don Warrington, comedian Mitch Benn and the Detectorists Divian Ladwa. The Wombles' Bernard Cribbins will reprise his role of Old Bailey from the previous Radio 4 Neverwhere production. :: How The Marquis Got His Coat Back will air on BBC Radio 4 on November 4. Once again, the judges, presenters and contestants did not fail to get slightly suggestive with an array of jokes during The Great British Bake Off as the series arrived at the semi-final stage. Patisserie Week saw the bakers challenged to cook up puff pastry savoury palmiers, yeast-based savarin drizzle cakes and 36 delicate fondant fancies, and they also managed to cook up some cheeky innuendos. Selasi Gbormittah also became slightly too big for his boots and tried to take over the show during one challenge. Here are some of the funniest moments from the episode: :: Gbormittah took on the job of hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc as he shouted to the bakers during the signature challenge: "An hour gone, two hours left." Perkins replied: "Are you doing me out of a job mate? This is all I had! I was like the speaking clock but with puns. That's all we had." :: Candice Brown on preparing her palmiers. "This is my second set, I'm just rolling in my nuts." :: Perkins to baker Andrew Smyth over the male-on-male competition in the tent ahead of the final. "It's hard to beat Selasi. I mean, you want to be the only cock in the hen coop, on a pure Darwinian level." :: Jane Beedle on her technical challenge techniques. "I thought maybe I'd whip it, but I think I'll go with my dough hook." :: Gbormittah discussing his method for mixing his yeast-based dough. "I'm folding the ingredients in - I don't want to beat it too much." :: Smyth marvelling over the sheer scale of his dough. "The first prove was an hour, the second prove was 15 minutes but it is rather large and it will grow more. I think I'll go in." :: Paul Hollywood commenting on the structure of Brown's savarin. "To penetrate that far down the liquor is going to find it difficult. It's quite tight at the top." :: Perkins telling the bakers how much time they have left on their showstopper challenge. "As I said to Idris Elba last weekend, you have two and a quarter hours to tickle my fancy." YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Following tense Normandy Four talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters he had expressed Moscows readiness to extend the humanitarian ceasefire in Aleppo for as long as needed. Meanwhile, his EU counterparts accused Russia and Syria of war crimes, RT reported. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande chose to focus on Russias role in the Syrian conflict, claiming that Moscow bears responsibility for the start of the political process in Syria. Merkel alleged that the separation of terrorists from moderate rebels in Aleppo something Russia and Syria have been demanding is an impossible task without a complete ceasefire. It will not be possible to separate terrorists from civilians under bombardments, Merkel said at the briefing. Hollande in turn called what is happening in Aleppo a real war crime, calling for maximumpressure to be exerted on Russia. The Western powers also expect that Moscow will put more pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad to stop the bombing of rebel forces controlling eastern Aleppo, which comprise Al-Nusra terrorists and the groups the West considers moderate, such as the Free Syrian Army. Merkel went as far as calling Russian and Syrian air strikes on terrorist hideouts in eastern Aleppo inhumane. This is a severe blow to the people of Aleppo, and we are sure that it is impossible to separate terrorists and civilians when such bombardments are taking place, she said. While Hollande admitted that of course, there are terrorists in Aleppo he stressed thatbombardments should be out of question. Both German and French leaders did not exclude that they may discuss new sanctions against Russia during the upcoming EU summit. We should not exclude this possibility, Merkel said, calling the Berlin negotiations on Syriatough and difficult. Putin held a separate news conference, reiterating the Russian position on Syria and lamenting that little progress achieved in talks on the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The Russian leader said he had talked about the Russian side's plans to extend the pause in delivering airstrikes [in Aleppo] for as long as possible, depending on the developments in this territory. Putin stressed that Moscow has been calling for the reinvigoration of work on a new Syrian constitution, which would be the first step toward a political transition in the war-torn country. I once again reminded our colleagues that Russia proposes to step up work in this sphere on devising and adopting a new constitution, on the basis of which preliminary election may be held and positions of all conflicting parties may be preliminarily coordinated, Putin said. The leaders of Normandy Four have not made any breakthrough on Wednesday when it comes to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. However, they agreed to work out a road map on a Donbass settlement by November, based on the Minsk agreements of February 2015. All parties to the Berlin talks confirmed their commitment to these agreements, Putin noted, saying that Minsk Accords continue to serve as a basis for the peace process in eastern Ukraine. While no new documents have been signed during more than 5-hour long talks in Berlin on Wednesday, the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, the four states that comprise Normandy Four group, have discussed several key points to be included in the next agreement to be thrashed out by the countries foreign ministries. Juliet Stevenson, Carey Mulligan, refugees and activists will stage a poignant last plea for the unaccompanied children in the Calais "Jungle" camp. A reading of the Dublin III regulation, which sets out a refugee child's right to claim asylum, will be performed by them at the Young Vic theatre in London to urge the Government to speed up the resettlement process. With the bulldozers poised to begin the flattening of the sprawling site in northern France, concerns are growing for the children who may not be brought safely to the UK in time. Truly, Madly, Deeply star Stevenson, a staunch campaigner for vulnerable refugee children, said there was "great concern" that if they were not relocated soon, they would go missing. She told the Press Association: "Many of them are already in a terrible state of panic and fear about what happens when those police come in and demolish it. "The great concern is how to transfer these most vulnerable children, in both the Dublin and Dubs categories, safely in the next few days so that they don't disappear and panic or get picked up by traffickers." Under Dublin III children can have their asylum claim transferred from their arrival point in Europe to another country if they have family members living there. Additionally, the amendment to the Immigration Act 2016 made by Lord (Alf) Dubs requires the Government to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from Europe. A census conducted by Help Refugees on October 15 recorded 865 children living in Calais - many of whom are unaccompanied. Of the reading, called Last Chance, Stevenson said: "It is such integral part to understand what this treaty is and why it means these children are allowed to be here. "If you want to know to more or get a better grasp of it, come and listen and we will read it to you. This is the law, it isn't a conspiracy by a bunch of people who have nothing better to do. "This is actual legislation - it was born out of an idea to do the right thing by children who have been uprooted and rendered homeless by war or violence." With more children starting to arrive in Britain ahead of the camp's closure, photos of the transferral of 14 youngsters to the UK prompted demands from Tory MP David Davies for tests on the teeth of child migrants to verify their age. Saying the teenagers who arrived on Monday "don't look like children", he said he hoped "British hospitality" was not being abused. Expressing her dismay, Stevenson said she could not believe that as a country the debate was being had over whether the children were the age they claimed. She said the controversy surrounding the images of the children's arrival was a "total distraction" from the real humanitarian issue of how to protect them. "I think it comes from David Davies' desire to skew this argument away from what really matters," she said. "Which is, his own government have declined to concern themselves with the well-being of these extremely vulnerable and traumatised children for an entire year now. "They have begun the process less than a week before the camp is due to be demolished. These promises were made months ago and nothing has been delivered. "His own government who passed the Immigration Act with the Dubs amendment have done absolutely nothing until a few days before demolition and they have declined to work with the people who have the expertise." Having visited Calais before, Stevenson said it has become a toxic, dangerous and terrible place and is "always considered to be an immigration problem". "All over this country there are people who do welcome these most beleaguered and traumatised children and want to feel that we can give them some space and care until their countries are safe to go back to," she added. "Are we ashamed of taking 10,000 Jewish children in during the war? Are we ashamed of that history? No, I think we are very proud of it. What is the difference?" She added: "There are hundreds of traumatised and desperate children in that camp who should be here and who are not." :: Last Chance staged by Good Chance will take place at the Young Vic theatre in London from 7.15pm on October 20 and will feature a Q and A session as well as the stage reading. Tickets are free. Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini has revealed he is considering suing the Metropolitan Police after he endured a year of suspicion before being told he would not be prosecuted for historic sexual abuse. The presenter and DJ told how he was dropped by the BBC and had his life turned upside down when he was arrested in October 2013 over a claim he sexually assaulted two teenage boys. The American-born presenter spent a year on bail before finally being told he would not face charges because of insufficient evidence. Speaking at the Gibraltar Literary Festival, he told how he had been the victim of a celebrity "witch hunt" launched by police in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal. And he told how the outgoing Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who he called "the villain of my life", has never apologised to him. He said: "The Metropolitan Police of Bernard Hogan-Howe attempted to destroy my life and end my career for their own public relations purposes in a 100% fraud. "And when they failed, as they have done, they did not admit it, they did not apologise, they did not offer restitution. "There can be no organisation more vile than the Metropolitan Police. "Bernard Hogan-Howe is the villain of my life, but more than that, he is the coward of my life." Mr Gambaccini said the police chief, who has announced he is retiring, has repeatedly failed to answer questions directly about his case when questioned by the Home Affairs Select Committee and by journalists. And he revealed that while the police chief has "embarked on an apology tour" of other public figures who have been exonerated of historic sexual offences, he has not been invited to a meeting. He said: "I've not been invited, and there had been no apology." Mr Gambaccini also revealed that he is considering suing the Met Police after recently discovering that his case file has errors in it and that allegations relating to a second complainant, who he calls secondary, do not feature. He said this second complainant "appears to have been brought in to justify my arrest" before being dropped by police. He said: "On Tuesday I did instruct my lawyers to make preliminary investigations to seek information concerning my case with particular reference to secondary with the idea this may lead to action." He said no final decision has yet been taken, but said he changed his mind and decided to consider suing because "I cannot live with the stifling dishonesty of the Metropolitan Police". He added: "I may sue the Metropolitan Police." Mr Gambaccini described how a knock on the door early in the morning one day in October 2013 changed his life forever. He opened it to find eight Met Police officers who searched his home, confiscated his belongings which were carried out to the waiting cars in black bin liners, and arrested him. But Mr Gambaccini said that while he is entirely innocent and he has never been charged, he had anticipated suspicion might fall on him as he was the latest in a long list of celebrities who had been arrested under Operation Yewtree, set up in the wake of the revelations about paedophile Savile. He said: "After the exposure of the activities of Jimmy Savile, the public went into a moral panic. "They did not feel comfortable knowing that something so dreadful had happened and no one had stopped it." He accused the institution of the Met Police of trying to "divert" attention from their own failure to confront and prosecute Savile by carrying out a "round up of his contemporaries". And he said that when police went on the news and said accusers would be believed his "heart sank" and he feared he could be next because he had been one of the first celebrities to speak publicly about Savile - having waited "30 years" for his crimes to come out. He said he warned his husband and lawyer that he could be in the line of fire "because this is happening to people". But police did not recognise the special place celebrities can have in the minds of the public, he warned. "Whereas the man in the street is known to the people he or she has met in their lives, celebrities are are known to these people plus millions of others", he said. "To some of them they have fulfilled emotional needs. Everyone of us has a stalker or a fantasist, you don't have to be beautiful. Some people fall in love with a voice." This leaves celebrities particularly vulnerable to false accusations, Mr Gambaccini said. When news of his arrest was made public, he said the BBC could not dump him fast enough. He went from being the subject of special programmes praising his 40 year career to being suspended. He said: "This is one of the most incredible features of the entire experience, from the moment I was arrested until this moment, no BBC manager from outside of radio has gotten in contact." He said his immediate managers were "instructed to dump me" and that the director general Lord Hall, who he has known for many years, has never been in contact even after he was exonerated. "Unfortunately in all of the witch hunt cases the BBC has acquiesced in totalitarianism", he said. Mr Gambaccini said the BBC was not the only institution to dump him after his arrest. He has cut Amnesty International out of his will because of how they treated him at the time. Over the course of a year he was repeatedly re-bailed without being charged in what he believes was a tactic designed to turn him into a "flypaper" in the hope other complainants would come forward and stick. None did. The experience seriously damaged his faith in British justice and his adopted home land of the UK. He said: "Britain originated the expression of fair play, and the expression that's not cricket. "The centuries old, internationally respected, evidence-based system has mutated in the last five years into a rumour and accusation based system." Alongside Sir Cliff Richard, who was cleared of sexual abuse allegations after his home was searched by police in front of the BBC's rolling cameras, he is calling for those accused of such offences to be given anonymity until charged. He believes this will help stop other people having to go through the ordeal he did. The comedian is expecting his first child with fiancee Laura Gallacher Russell Brand has said he is "lit up by the idea" of becoming a father. The comedian, who is expecting his first child with fiancee Laura Gallacher, recently swapped his London home for the countryside which he described as calmer than living in the capital. "I'm so much happier over the course of the day to see one or two people and a few chickens, that's a good way of living," he told ES Magazine. On becoming a father, Brand said: "I'm very excited about becoming a dad and I'm preparing myself. "I am just getting ready to be with a new little person and see what it is they want." "I feel lit up by the idea." Brand has recently enrolled at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies which he described as an attempt to explore religion and spirituality. "I'd like to understand what the deep truths are of Islam, Baha'ism, Christianity; I want to know more", he said, adding: "I am very interested in the role that religion and spirituality will play in the further formulation of world events and how secular societies are held together. "The old idea (about politics) is dead and people don't know what's replacing it yet, so I'm spending some time discovering what it is." Brand, who has battled addictions in the past, said he was "lucky" to have a substance misuse problem rather than a "food, sex or spending issue". "Those things are insidious because they're culturally endorsed, they're habitual,'' he said. He said addiction should "be regarded like autism". "Everybody is somewhere on the spectrum. If you look at your own life, what is it you do that isn't good for you and you can't stop doing, even if it is seemingly innocuous, like the way you watch TV," he added. Tom Cruise is expected to attend the premiere of the new Jack Reacher film in Leicester Square Tom Cruise gave newcomer Danika Yarosh a dictionary during her first week on the set of new movie Jack Reacher: Never Look Back, the rookie actress said. The 18-year-old, appearing in her first major film role as tearaway Sam Dayton, said the veteran Top Gun star took her "under his wing" on set. Speaking at the film's European premiere, the American teenager said Cruise also "took it upon himself" to be her teacher - and gave her tips on how to execute stunts without getting hurt. She told the Press Association: "The first week on set he actually gave me this big dictionary with everything I ever wanted to know about film. "It was a dictionary specific for film, so if I was ever on set and something was said that I didn't understand but didn't want to ask, I could just look it up no problem. "He taught me about everyone on set, what their roles were, and how they contributed to the film." She added: "He taught me all about stunts so if he was ever doing a big stunt that I wasn't part of he had me sit next to the camera so I could watch him do it in real life and see how you see it on camera. "It was a masterclass from the best." Cruise spent over an hour on the red carpet, in London's Leicester Square, meeting fans and speaking to press, having flown in from Los Angeles earlier that day. Asked if he had any plans to reduce the amount of stunts in future films, he said: "I'll be running til the very last day. "In each one (film) I'm just learning a new challenge. "I like studying, I'm always studying, pushing myself to find new stuff. I kind of find something and make it part of the movie. "I just do it, it's who I am and part of my life. I've trained my whole life and I just apply it to movies - I'm always learning a new skill." Jack Reacher: Never Look Back is released this week. Selasi said he felt it was his time to go. The Great British Bake Off's Selasi Gbormittah has admitted shedding a tear after being the ninth baker to leave the tent, but has promised fans it is just the beginning of his baking journey. On the morning after Wednesday's semi-final episode was broadcast on BBC One, he posted a heartfelt message on Twitter, sharing his feelings about his experience on the pre-recorded show. He wrote: "The journey is just beginning. I can finally cry; it's been incredibly overwhelming and humbling. "Such an honour and proud to have been selected as one of the lucky 12. Entered with a smile and leaving with an even bigger smile and a big slice of cake! "The GBBO (Great British Bake Off) experience is unreal! I can honestly say I've met a crazy, funny and awesome bunch of guys." He added that the experience had been a "massive learning curve" and he hoped he had "managed to create some sort of baking influence out there". In the penultimate episode of the competition, the contestants were tasked with creating a selection of tasty treats under the theme of Patisserie Week. But the 30-year-old banker failed to impress judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood with his creations. Following the show, he said: "It's a massively great achievement for me personally, and my family, to get to the semi-finals. It's been absolutely amazing, splendid, I loved it all. "I was almost at the last hurdle, and then I dropped the ball. I can't blame anyone else but myself. I was sorry to be going but also accepted it at the same time." The famously calm and collected baker said being dubbed "Mr Cool, or the chuckling zen banker" among his fans "does make me smile". He said he and the other bakers, especially Benjamina Ebuehi, got on well and that "for me it was more about a bunch of people baking in the tent and having a great time, not a competition". He added: "My best moment in the tent has to be every moment. But when I messed up and tried to blag my way out of it, I can't believe I did that. Now, watching it back I find it really hilarious. "My worst moment had to be leaving of course, but I think I left at the right time, it was time for me to go. I knew it and felt it." Hollywood said he was "very proud of Selasi" to get this far, and Berry added that he is a "great character". Gbormittah's downfall in the semi-final began with the signature challenge, as the four remaining bakers were tasked with creating 24 savoury palmiers with two different flavours. His salmon, spinach and mushroom, and sun-dried tomato, onion and Parmesan palmiers - constructed with puff pastry - were under-baked, with Berry describing them as "very raw". The technical challenge required the contestants to construct a ring-shaped yeast drizzle cake called a savarin, but Gbormittah came bottom of the pack for his over-baked effort with disappointing orange segments on top. His showstopper challenge creation - 36 fondant fancies - was the final straw as Berry and Hollywood confessed they were "not excited" over his flavours or the fondant around the outside of each mini cake. Aerospace engineer Andrew Smyth, 25, was named Star Baker for the second time during the competition, securing him a place in the final along with Jane Beedle, 61, and Candice Brown, 31. :: Gbormittah will join Jo Brand on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice at 9.30pm on Friday October 21 on BBC Two. The final of The Great British Bake Off will air at 8pm on Wednesday October 26 on BBC One. The Robinson Centre was closed in 2015 amid concerns over asbestos Attempts to resolve a legal battle over a leisure centre closed amid asbestos fears have "run aground", the High Court has heard. Belfast City Council's challenge to the decision to transfer the Robinson Centre in Castlereagh into its control is now set to go to a full hearing early next year. The action, brought against the Department of the Environment, had been repeatedly adjourned amid continuing efforts to reach a settlement. But Mr Justice Deeny was informed on Thursday that all talks to date have failed to produce a breakthrough. David Scoffield QC, for the Council, said: "I'm sorry to inform Your Lordship that, at least for the minute, discussions have run aground. "We have agreed to ask the Court to fix a date for (hearing) the matter." The Robinson Centre, located off the Castlereagh Road, closed in February last year due to health and safety concerns over asbestos. The facilities were transferred from Castlereagh Borough Council to the new Belfast super council on April 1, 2015. That prompted an eleventh-hour legal bid to stop the handover. Although Belfast City Council was denied an order restraining the Department from making the transfer, a challenge to the legality of the move has continued. The cost of refurbishing the Centre has been estimated at a conservative 5million. Read More In May last year a committee at Belfast City Council approved demolishing the facilities if they remained under its control. It was stressed at the time, however, that planning of that work was in no way an acceptance that the transfer from Castlereagh Borough Council under Local Government Reform was correct or lawful. The legal case was previously put on hold to await the outcome of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in May. It was hoped that new ministers could then be in place to make a final decision on the leisure centre. Earlier this year the court was told discussions aimed at ending the dispute were at an advanced stage. However, Mr Scoffield confirmed the ongoing stalemate. He pledged that attempts to reach a resolution will continue in advance of the full judicial review. Listing the case for a three-day hearing in January, Mr Justice Deeny told the parties: "This is now quite a mature matter and I agree it should be disposed of. "Obviously come in (to court) if you manage to sort it out." The Fisheries vessel Banrion Uladh, which was renamed Queen of Ulster by DUP Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen The Fisheries vessel Banrion Uladh, which was renamed Queen of Ulster by DUP Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen It cost just 302 to change the name of a Fisheries vessel from Banrion Uladh to the Queen of Ulster, it can be revealed. Yesterday it was reported that the bill for the anglicisation of the name was almost 7,000. However, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said the change of name was carried out during the boat's annual servicing, which in total cost 6,835. A DAERA spokesperson said: "The change of lettering was carried out at a scheduled annual maintenance event involving repairs, repainting and anti-fouling. The total cost of these works was 6,835. This included a cost of 302 for updated signage." The Belfast Telegraph revealed last month that DUP Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen had changed the name of the vessel to its English equivalent. The boat's purpose is to patrol the Irish Sea as far south as Anglesey and as far north as Lough Foyle, carrying officials with powers to board fishing boats to check if they are complying with EU quotas. It was launched in 2010 by then Sinn Fein Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew, and its Irish name, which translates as Queen of Ulster, sparked annoyance among DUP MLAs. After becoming DUP Agriculture Minister this year, Ms McIlveen ordered the name to be changed to Queen of Ulster, which in turned sparked Sinn Fein fury. At the time Ms McIlveen explained: "The change of lettering was carried out at a scheduled annual maintenance event involving repairs, repainting and anti-fouling. "DAERA is a new department with a fresh identity and logo and adopts a single language policy. There have consequently been some necessary adaptations to assets transferring to the new department," she said. "The name of the patrol vessel was a matter for the former minister at DARD (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) Michelle Gildernew and was not an issue for consultation." Irish language group Pobal slammed the name change as a "sad and petty action". James Brokenshire said he is "entirely satisfied" with the arrangement that will see him invited to attend the European Exit and Trade Committee only when permanent members think his presence is required The Secretary of State has insisted Northern Ireland's voice will still be heard at a key Government Brexit committee despite his omission from its core membership. James Brokenshire said he is "entirely satisfied" with the arrangement that will see him invited to attend the European Exit and Trade Committee only when permanent members think his presence is required. The Welsh and Scottish secretaries will also attend on that basis, which has prompted claims from political rivals that the devolved regions are not central to the Government's Brexit planning. Prime Minister Theresa May will chair the Brexit committee. Its 12 core members include Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Brexit Secretary David Davis and Chancellor, Philip Hammond. "I am able to attend meetings of that committee where there are Northern Ireland-related issues," said Mr Brokenshire. "I am confident I am able to represent Northern Ireland's view, Northern Ireland's perspective, into the Brexit consideration and absolutely remain at the heart of discussions across Whitehall in ensuring the voice of Northern Ireland is heard loud and clear, and I am that champion to ensure that the issues that matter to Northern Ireland are properly reflected into the negotiation," he stated. In an interview with BBC Radio Ulster, he added: "I am entirely satisfied that the arrangements that are in place are appropriate for me to advocate very firmly the views of Northern Ireland, and to ensure we do have that loud voice in Whitehall underlining the key themes." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MLA described Mrs May's decision to relegate the Secretary of State to a part-time member of the 'Brexit cabinet' as a slap in the face to the people of Northern Ireland and Scotland who voted to remain in the EU. "Not only will the First and deputy First Ministers be shut out of negotiations, the British Government's most senior representative for Northern Ireland has been relegated to a part-time member of Theresa May's band of Brexiteers," he said. "That's a slap in the face to the people of Northern Ireland, and Scotland, who voted to remain." Mr Eastwood added: "It also reveals that the British Prime Minister believes that there is a hierarchy of voters, and in her hierarchy people in Northern Ireland and Scotland come dead last. "In case she needs reminding - the people of Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to remain in the European Union. Our will cannot be overridden by people in England, Wales or anywhere else. "Either we remain in the EU or we retain the benefits of EU membership through legally recognised special status. That means retaining the free movement of people, goods and services across the island, access to the single market, maintaining our basic human rights framework and resourcing local projects with European funding streams." He allegedly dealt heroin to undercover police eight times between November 2015 and January 2016. A courier driver accused of supplying heroin to police officers posing as drugs addicts in a major undercover operation has been granted High Court bail. Floyd Hobson is to be released from custody after his lawyers insisted he is not the criminal mastermind running a narcotics racket in Co Armagh. The 29-year-old, from The Glebe in Portadown, faces charges of possessing, supplying and being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. He allegedly dealt heroin to undercover police eight times between November 2015 and January 2016. Audio and video recordings allegedly depict him supplying the officers with test purchases, the court heard previously. It was claimed that he became involved in a bid to pay off a 5,000 debt linked to his own cocaine habit. Two separate factions were said to be trading heroin in the Portadown area. But Hobson denies any association with a suspected gang of five Portuguese arrested in the same operation. He was said to have been introduced to the police investigation team when they were pretending to be addicts. Defence counsel Declan Quinn stressed on Thursday that each alleged incident only involved supplying 25 wraps of heroin. "He (Hobson) does seem to be a worker as opposed to someone who is a mastermind with access to significant funds," Mr Quinn added. Granting bail, Mrs Justice Keegan ordered the accused to live at an address in Portadown under curfew and with electronic monitoring. Imposing a ban on using a mobile phone, tablet or computer, the judge also ordered him to seek assistance from his GP for any addiction issues. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Hillary Clinton won the final presidential debate, topping Donald Trump by a 13-point margin according to a CNN/ORC poll of debate watchers, giving Clinton a clean sweep across all three of this year's presidential debates, CNN reported But Wednesday's debate watchers were closely divided on which candidate they trusted more on the issues most important to them. Overall, 52% who watched tonight's matchup thought Clinton did the best job, to the 39% that thought Trump did. That's a tighter margin than in the first two debates. After the first debate, 62% of those who watched said Clinton won, 27% Trump, followed by a 57% Clinton to 34% Trump margin for the town hall debate held October 9. Half of voters (50%) who watched Wednesday's debate said Clinton agreed with them more on the important issues, while 47% thought Trump did, but by wide margins, they thought Clinton had the better understanding of the issues, 61% to 31%, and was better prepared to handle the presidency, 59% to 35%. Still, most said their minds weren't changed by tonight's debate, 54% of those who watched said it would have no effect on their vote, and those who did feel swayed were about evenly split between Trump (23%) and Clinton (22%). Voters who watched were divided on who would better handle the economy (50% said Clinton, 48% Trump), immigration (50% Trump to 48% Clinton), or nominations to the Supreme Court (49% said Trump, 48% Clinton). Clinton held a narrow edge on handling the federal budget (50% to 46%) while she held a wide advantage as better able to handle foreign policy (55% to 41%). Trump was again seen as spending more time on the attack, by a 60% to 23% margin, and more said his attacks were unfair (43%) than said so of Clinton's jabs at Trump (34%). Even among Republicans, 41% said they considered Clinton's attacks on Trump's fair, but Democrats were not nearly as accepting of Trump's attacks on their nominee (19% said his attacks against Clinton were fair). Watchers were split on who was more sincere and authentic during the debate, with 47% saying Trump was and 46% seeing Clinton that way. Clinton had a clear edge on this question after the first debate, 53% to 40%. Aside from partisanship, the poll suggests one of the sharpest demographic divides among debate-watchers is education among whites. White voters who hold college degrees said Clinton won by a 58% to 33% margin, while those who do not have a four-year degree say Trump won by a 48% to 41% margin. And the gap between these voters on which candidate agreed with you on the issues that matter most to you is even larger, with 59% of white college debate-watchers saying Clinton does while 61% of whites without degrees say it's Trump. The CNN/ORC post-debate poll includes interviews with 547 registered voters who watched Wednesday's debate. Results among debate-watchers have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Respondents were originally interviewed as part of an October 15-18 telephone survey of a random sample of Americans, and indicated they planned to watch the debate and would be willing to be re-interviewed when it was over. The rift between former Alliance leader David Ford and the Presbyterian Church grew wider yesterday after the South Antrim MLA made a move to relax Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws. It came just 24 hours after Mr Ford was ousted as an elder in his church for supporting same-sex marriage. Yesterday, Mr Ford submitted a Private Member's Bill at Stormont seeking to reform the law on the termination of pregnancies in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities. If passed, women in Northern Ireland carrying a foetus unable to survive outside the womb would be allowed to have an abortion. But in a statement, the Presbyterian Church said that "the taking of a child's life in general cases of fatal foetal abnormality cannot be justified". It restated its position that "human life begins at conception and that from that moment the human embryo should be treated in a manner in accordance with full human dignity". Mr Ford's move follows a previous failed attempt to change the law while he served as Justice Minister. He said: "The working group on abortion, which was established before May's election, has sent its report to the Health and Justice Ministers. "While that is welcome, any guidelines coming from it will not change the law to achieve the reform needed to help women who are given the dreadful diagnosis that a longed-for child has no prospect of life. "This is not about disability, it is solely concerned with situations where a foetus cannot survive. "A wide-ranging consultation has already been carried out on this issue by the Department of Justice. "We know the desire is there in Northern Ireland for change to the law. We need to help the women who wish to seek a termination in these circumstances and we need to help them now." Last night, the Presbyterian Church said in a statement that at its general assembly in June, it called on the Governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic to ensure that women received the best care possible around the birth period. It added: "The general assembly also received a paper which acknowledged the complexities involved in cases with children with life-limiting conditions. "The report stated that, 'Our conviction that human life begins at conception entails that the unborn child in a condition of fatal foetal abnormality has the same rights as do other children without fatal foetal abnormality and that our responsibility towards the child with fatal foetal abnormality is one with our responsibility towards any unborn child'. "It went on to say that, 'It goes without saying that we are dealing with an agonising situation for the mother'. "'Yet, we hold that the taking of a child's life in general cases of fatal foetal abnormality cannot be justified." This is the second time in as many days that the Alliance MLA has been at odds with the Presbyterian Church to which he belongs. On Tuesday, Mr Ford was dismayed after being ousted from his post as an elder at Second Donegore Presbyterian Church near Templepatrick over his support for same-sex marriage. Mr Ford said: "It is a matter of great sadness to Anne (his wife) and I that both Presbytery and Session have failed to act to promote healing and unity within our church, despite repeated requests from us over the last nine months. "I believed, as an elder, that I had a part to play in making our congregation fit for purpose. "Unfortunately, Presbytery and the judicial commission have now made that impossible." However, the Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Frank Sellar, supported the decision, praising the church's judicial commission for its "balanced judgment" on the matter. Yesterday, The Belfast Telegraph attempted to contact a number of Presbyterian ministers, however eight refused to comment on the issue. But speaking to this newspaper, Rev WH Higgins, Moderator of Down Presbytery, said he supported the decision. "The scripture is very clear and I think that, although we must have love, compassion and acceptance of all people and all views, we have taken the stand that it's unscriptural," he added. "And I would support that a leader in our church couldn't stand by same-sex marriage because scripture is very clear on the subject." Rev Stuart Finlay, a minister at Annalong, Co Down, added: "The church has taken the decision wisely and carefully and I'm happy they've arrived at a wise and balanced decision. "I support my church's position on this. Marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman." Former Alliance leader David Ford has thanked those who offered their support to him in the wake of his removal as an elder at Second Donegore Presbyterian Church Mr Ford was removed as an elder at the church near Templepatrick because of his party's support for same-sex marriage. However, he remains an ordained elder of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Following an appeal process, the decision to remove the South Antrim MLA was upheld, something Mr Ford described as a "matter of great sadness". The decision sparked much discussion. More: Read More On Thursday morning David Ford repeated the "upset" caused for him and his family and also thanked all who had offered their support, expressing how grateful he was that they had not been hostile toward the church. He said there were too many to contact personally. On Facebook, he said: "Some are political colleagues, personal friends or fellow Presbyterians but many are not. "I am also grateful that few have engaged in hostility towards the body that has upset me and - far more importantly - my family, who have had a difficult time. I am so proud of and grateful to Anne, Janet, Ruth, Martin and Helen." He continued: "There are difficult moral issues that this society has not had to deal with over many years. As people from all sections of the community (including public representatives) grapple with them, I hope we can do so in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance of different opinions. "For those of you of faith, this is an issue that deserves your prayers. "I will not be making any public response to the official statement from Presbyterian Church House, but I stand over the statement that I issued on Sunday and Monday. "I will never be able to thank all those who deserve my thanks individually, but your support is appreciated." A spokeswoman for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said that while Mr Ford had been removed from his role as a ruling elder in Second Donegore, he remained an ordained elder of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland "without charge in good standing." Showing support to Mr Ford, acting Alliance party leader Naomi Long called it a "sad day for the church". She said: "As a fellow Presbyterian and someone who believes passionately in freedom of and freedom from religion, who supports the separation of church and state, and who supports equal civil marriage because of my faith, not in spite of it, this is a very sad day for the church and a very painful day for many of us who support David Ford's position. "His faith is clear to anyone who knows him, a man of principle who respects those who hold different views: that others cannot be so gracious or show humility in disagreement is regrettable to say the least. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,' John 13:35." John O'Doherty said LGBT people living across the UK should experience equal dignity and treatment Gay people in Northern Ireland are being treated with a double standard, campaigners have claimed. The Rainbow Project, which advocates on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, wants the region brought into line with England and Wales where those convicted of abolished sex offences have been formally pardoned. Director John O'Doherty said : "Since 2012 gay and bisexual men in England and Wales were able to apply to the Home Office to have offences removed from their criminal records - this has not been the case in Northern Ireland. "Indeed, we have seen this further move by the British Government to ensure posthumous pardons in England and Wales while once again LGBT people in Northern Ireland are treated with a double standard." The UK government has announced posthumous pardons for thousands of gay and bisexual men in England and Wales convicted over consensual same sex relationships before laws were changed. The move followed widespread calls for action after Second World War code-breaker Alan Turing was exonerated in 2013 over a 1952 conviction for gross indecency with a 19-year-old man. Mr O'Doherty added: "The UK presents itself as a modern, diverse and equal society - but the reality remains that the experiences of LGBT people across these islands are hugely different. It is incumbent on not only the Northern Ireland Assembly, but indeed the UK government to ensure that LGBT people living across the UK experience equal dignity and treatment." Northern Ireland is the only region in the UK or Ireland where same sex marriage remains outlawed and a lifetime ban on gay men donating blood has only recently been lifted. Alexandra with the bikers who turned up at her home to surprise her The mother of a teenage girl battling cancer for a second time has said she is overwhelmed at the support for her brave daughter - and that it is all worth it just to see her smile. Alexandra Johnston, from Londonderry, is fighting Ewing's sarcoma for the second time since 2013. To date, she has had cancer in almost every part of her body. The courageous 14-year-old has recently undergone 30 rounds of chemotherapy and will have scans in November to see how the cancer has reacted to the treatment. Alexandra astounded medical staff after she was initially given six months to live. During her treatment, she became a huge fan of the programme Sons of Anarchy, the FX motorcycle club drama. As a treat, her family organised a special surprise. A video, which has been viewed by thousands of people, captured the moment 30 bikers arrived outside her house. Now they are trying to get the video to the attention of Sons of Anarchy star Ryan Hurst. Mum Karen said the family had been inundated with cards and messages from people all over the world. Furthermore, in a random act of kindness, a woman the family has never met has started a fundraising page to help pay for the holiday of a lifetime. Alexandra was set to go on a big family trip to Florida in August, but they had to cancel it due to her treatment. "We are absolutely overwhelmed," said Karen. "You think, 'Is this for real?' If Alexandra gets the all-clear now after her scans, the first thing we will do is get her to America." Karen also paid tribute to her daughter's courage, saying she was "always smiling". "She is just the life and soul of the party 24/7," she added. "You wouldn't know to look at her, only for her wee bald head... that is the only way you would know there is anything wrong with Alexandra. "She's amazing. Because Ewing's has such a bad reputation and with little chance of survival, we never stopped her doing anything she ever wanted. We just said, 'Go live life', and that's exactly what she does. "She never stops smiling. They used to call her the beacon in the hospital because they said that her smile lit up the ward." Karen said the teenager has constantly defied the odds. "She was stage four Ewing's sarcoma and they told her she had six months to live, and she came through that," she explained. "She did a high dose of chemo, which was seven days full straight chemotherapy through from morning to night, which could have taken her life. "She was supposed to be in isolation for six weeks - and 24 days after the start of her chemo she was sitting in the ward. She just keeps continually beating all the odds." Karen said the visit from the bikers was an experience that Alexandra would never forget and one that lifted the whole family. "Every one of them hugged that wee child," she added. "The tears were tripping off them as well as her. It lifted every single one of our spirits and it was amazing. Anything is worth it to see that wee smile." Reid was remanded into custody to appear again on 17 November. A 30-year-old man is due in court on the previous day in connection with the incidents. A man has been remanded in custody accused of car hijacking offences in south Belfast. Paul Reid appeared before the city's Magistrates Court to face a total of seven charges linked to incidents on Wednesday. The 27-year-old, from Monagh Drive in the west of the city, allegedly used force or threats to take control of a Vauxhall Corsa. He is further charged with the attempted hijacking of a Suzuki vehicle on the same day. Reid is also accused of trying to rob a man of his wallet and the attempted theft of three chocolate bars from a Tesco store. Charges of common assault and possessing an article with a blade or point, namely a box cutter, in the University Street area were put to him too. The final alleged offence involved having diazepam without a prescription. An investigating detective said he could connect Reid to the charges. No questions were put to the officer during the brief hearing. A defence solicitor also confirmed he was not seeking bail because no address was available. The District Judge remanded Reid in custody to appear again by video-link on 17 November. A second man, aged 30, charged with hijacking as part of the same investigation is also due before the court next month. A man was abducted while on his way to visit his seriously ill father in hospital before being shot in the legs and dumped on a Co Londonderry roadside A 22-year-old Northern Ireland man was abducted while on his way to visit his seriously ill father in hospital before being shot in the legs and dumped on a Co Londonderry roadside. A walker found the victim crawling along the Hass Road in Dungiven in a bloodied state at around 8pm last night. He had a gunshot wound to his leg which is not thought to be life threatening. Sinn Fein councillor Sean McGlinchey said: I was on the way to see an constituent and I saw an ambulance, so I stopped and asked the paramedic what was happening. He informed me there was a young lad in the back of the ambulance that was shot in the legs and dumped here. I asked if I could speak to him and I asked him what type of help he would need. He told me he was abducted in Derry out of his home going to visit his ill father in hospital he (the father) is critically ill on the life support machine. He was taken out here in a car and just abducted and shot in the leg and left there. It is the second shooting incident in Dungiven recently. On Wednesday night of last week, a mother and her two young children were left terrified after gunmen fired a number of shots at their house in a quiet residential area. The woman was inside her home at Ard na Smoll when she answered a knock on the door, only to be confronted by up to four masked gunmen. She was threatened by the gang before they fired a number of shots into the air. The womans two young children were inside at the time, although neither the woman nor the youngsters were harmed. They have since fled the house. Police investigating the abduction and shooting are appealing for information. Detective Constable Donnell is keen to speak to anyone who may have been in the Glenowen Park area of Londonderry and who noticed anything unusual or untoward between 6.30pm and 8pm. Anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the Glenshane Road area close to Altnagelvin Hospital, or at Hass Park in Dungiven, between these times, is also asked to come forward. Anyone with information should contact detectives in Strand Road on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. An elderly woman has been killed after she was attacked by cattle on a family farm in Co Londonderry A woman has been killed after she was attacked by cattle on a family farm in Co Londonderry. The pensioner, who has been named locally as Breige McKeefry and is aged in her 70s, was rushed to the Causeway Hospital for treatment. However she died from her injuries yesterday evening. The tragic incident happened on the family farm off Carhill Road in Garvagh at about 2.30pm when the woman was attacked by cattle. It is understood Mrs McKeefry had been working with livestock at the time. DUP east Londonderry MLA Adrian McQuillan expressed his sympathies to the elderly woman's family. Mr McQuillan said late last night: "This news is very shocking to the entire close-knit community of Garvagh and the surrounding areas. "The family were well-known in the farming community and I understand the woman in her 70s was killed by cattle on the family farm, this evening. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family during this deeply distressing time. "The HSENI (Health and Safety Executive) will be carrying out investigations. "Yesterday evening's incident serves as a reminder that there are many dangers that surround us on our farms. "It is important that those working on farms take caution and follow all safety procedures." A spokesman from the Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) said: "The HSENI can confirm it is currently investigating a serious incident on a farm in the Garvagh area, but is not in a position to make any further comment at this stage." The Ambulance Service said that emergency services were called to the scene at around 2.30pm. "A patient was taken from the scene to Causeway Hospital," a spokesman added. It's the third farm tragedy to hit Northern Ireland in the last few weeks. Yesterday's tragedy comes after the deaths of 30-year-old Co Tyrone farmer James Irwin -who was killed after becoming trapped in farm machinery - and Alastair Sloss, who died in a slurry accident last Friday. And it comes just a month after another woman suffered horrific injuries after she was attacked by a cow in Co Fermanagh. Caroline Somerville from south Belfast had been visiting Devenish Island when she was attacked by the farm animal. Her dog was also injured and later died. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness makes a speech at the Agenda Northern Ireland Economic Conference in the City Hotel in Derry yesterday Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said he doesn't trust the Secretary of State to deliver a good deal from Brexit. He made his remarks at a summit which brought business and political leaders to Londonderry. The event centred on laying down forecasts for the economic future for Northern Ireland post-Brexit. Mr McGuinness said the Executive is determined to deliver new and better jobs for the region - but questioned James Brokenshire's role in the EU exit negotiations. He added: "The Executive is committed to delivering for all because, without a strong economy, you cannot tackle deprivation, you cannot deliver the health and social care people need, you cannot improve quality of life and you cannot deliver real social change. "During this mandate we will invest an additional 1billion in our health service, protect household budgets, support the most vulnerable in society, enhance our reputation internationally and implement the Fresh Start Agreement. "We all want an economy that works for everyone, providing good jobs and the opportunity for our people to possess the skills they need to improve their lives. "To do this we must be competitive. That won't mean we will become one of the biggest economies in the world but it does mean we will have a well-justified reputation as one of the world's most dynamic, innovative and high-performing small advanced economies. "Although we can't manage factors beyond our control, we must use every lever possible to mitigate the consequences and support people." Mr McGuinness told the Northern Ireland Economic Conference that in order to get the best deal for people here out of the Brexit negotiations by the Government, he would not leave it in the hands of Mr Brokenshire. He added: "I will be travelling to London to meet the British Prime Minister, as well as the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, to ascertain whether this British Government knows what it is doing over Brexit. "Key areas of concern were identified in the joint letter from Arlene Foster and myself, and the question is whether the British Government is taking those seriously, and the answer is I don't think so. "I don't trust this British Government to negotiate on our behalf. They don't have the best interests of the people of the North at heart. "And despite what James Brokenshire may say, he will not be my representative at those negotiations. That is the responsibility of elected representatives here." Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was among the guest speakers at the conference. He commented: "European Union financial support has played, and continues to play, an important role in developing the economy of Northern Ireland. Many Government agencies, public bodies, private sector companies and the farming community continue to receive EU funding. "We all recognise the Brexit negotiation will be difficult. The EU has never faced in its history as complex an exercise as the forthcoming negotiations but, with political goodwill to succeed and with a mutual respect for one another, agreement can and must be reached." "It is certainly for the mutual benefit of both Britain and Europe that this is the case, and the interests of all the people on the island of Ireland must be protected during this negotiating process," Mr Ahern added. A number of high-profile political leaders attended the funeral of the wife of former SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon in Co Armagh yesterday. Gertrude Mallon (nee Cush) passed away in her family home on Monday after suffering from a long illness and dementia for many years. The former Deputy First Minister was comforted by a number of the mourners who attended yesterday morning's funeral at St James of Jerusalem Church in Mullaghbrack, close to their Markethill home where the family has lived for some 50 years. Seamus (80) quit the world of politics in 2005 to care for his wife after she started suffering poor health. His daughter Orla and granddaughter Lara comforted each other at the funeral. Among the mourners paying tribute was former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, former SDLP leader John Hume and current SDLP leader Colum Eastwood. As news of her death emerged, SDLP veteran John Hume described Mrs Mallon as the "beating heart" of the party in south Armagh. "She was a tower of support to Seamus, her contribution to peace, politics and people across this island is immeasurable," he added. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. At least 100 commanders of Islamic State terrorist group have left the Iraqi city of Mosul and headed for Syria amid the Iraqi forces' offensive, Sputnik News reported. According to Al Mayadeen channel, the group of IS commanders moved to the Syrian border, as the Iraqi air forces continue to monitor the area to the west of Mosul. The start of the military operation to retake Mosul from IS, which seized it in June 2014, was announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi on October 17. According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation. They are backed by the US-led international coalition's airstrikes. Saad Hadithi, Abadi's spokesman, said on Wednesday that the operation was progressing faster than expected. A Stormont action plan to tackle the vestiges of paramilitarism must not neglect rural communities by over-focusing on urban trouble hotspots, an Assembly chair has warned. Justice Committee chair Paul Frew expressed concern after a senior Department of Justice official said the 50 million strategy would hone in on places deemed to be heavily influenced by gunmen. Mr Frew told Anthony Harbinson that no area of Northern Ireland had gone untouched by paramilitaries, highlighting crimes such as smuggling and racketeering. "That cocktail of disaster has gone right across Northern Ireland," he said. "How can you assure us, how can you assure any MLA who represents rural communities outside of Belfast or Londonderry or places where you would have a high level of paramilitary activity in comparison and contrast to the population, how can you alleviate the concern that they would have, and we would have, that this money is going to be allocated fairly to affect all of Northern Ireland, and not just some of hotspots, if there is such a thing." Mr Harbinson, who was briefing committee members on the implementation of the strategy announced in the summer, insisted problems in rural communities would be tackled. He said while there was a targeted geographical focus to the plan it also took a thematic approach to issues impacting across the region. "By no means are we saying the bulk or any proportion of the money at the moment is specifically set aside for particular areas," he said. The DoJ official added: "All of those issues will be taken care of, looked at, but there are certain geographic areas where perhaps the prevalence of paramilitaries, whether that be somewhere like Carrickfergus, where we know there is a very strong element of paramilitary activity, those are some of the areas geographically that we would be looking to deal with and take forward." Police are beefing-up resources dedicated to tackling paramilitary-linked criminality as part of the plan to eradicate the terror groups. The strategy also includes a pledge from the UK and Irish governments to "consult to consider" new short-term weapon decommissioning mechanisms, if the requirement arises in the future. The 22 page document was the Stormont Executive's response to an independent panel report that recommended actions required to put an end to terrorist organisations. The panel was set up as part of the landmark Fresh Start political agreement struck between the Democratic Unionists, Sinn Fein and the UK and Irish governments last year. The accord resolved a political crisis sparked by a murder linked to the Provisional IRA. The panel, which made 43 recommendations, said paramilitary activity had greatly reduced over the course of the peace process, with the main groups remaining on ceasefire, but some members and former members continued to engage in violence, intimidation and other crime. The 50 million funding the strategy is jointly sourced from Stormont and the UK government. Beulah Print has refused to print wedding invitations for a same-sex couple for the second time, citing their Christian beliefs. The printing company in the Republic of Ireland hit headlines last year when it declined an order from Jonathon Brennan for his civil partnership ceremony. Despite the fallout, the Drogheda firm has again refused to print invitations for a woman who is getting married. She took to Facebook and said: "Went into a wedding shop to get invitations done, so excited going in! I was giving details to the guy and then he soon realised I was gay. "He said sorry you can't get invitations done here as I have my own beliefs. WOW. I thought this country had moved on from that." Yesterday, co-owner Noel Tuite confirmed that a woman had called into the office and asked about printing the wedding invites. "It is true. We declined to print the invitations," said Mr Tuite. Asked was the refusal based on religious grounds, he said: "We are Christians. It was on grounds of our faith." The Defence Secretary was speaking at an international conference on waging war through advanced technology Britain is using cyber warfare in the bid to retake Mosul from Islamic State forces, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has revealed. Speaking at an international conference on waging war through advanced technology, Sir Michael made it clear Britain was unleashing its cyber capability on IS, also known as Daesh. Asked if the UK was launching cyber attacks in the bid to take the northern Iraqi city from IS, the Defence Secretary said: "I'm not going into operational specifics, but yes, you know we are conducting military operations against Daesh as part of the international coalition, and I can confirm that we are using offensive cyber for the first time in this campaign." Sir Michael told the cyber warfare conference, organised by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), that the UK was preparing itself for a significant assault. "It is only a matter of time before we have to deal with a major attack on UK interests. "Last year GCHQ detected twice as many national security level cyber incidents - 200 a month - as the year before. "We know hostile actors are already developing and deploying advanced capabilities. "Our cyber adversaries can target us anywhere on the planet, not only stealing our information to exploit, coerce, or gain psychological advantage over us, but potentially dealing a sucker punch to our systems, disrupting our armaments, or our energy supplies, even our government systems. "That's why Her Majesty's Government is investing 1.9 billion - almost double the previous levels of investment - to protect the UK from attack, to keep ahead of the curve," he said. The Defence Secretary announced 265 million is being pumped into "rooting out cyber vulnerabilities" in military and wider cyber dependent systems to try to counter the growing threat. A number 10 spokesman said the "whole issue of migration is subject to review". Theresa May has ruled out exempting foreign students from net migration figures as part of a sweeping review of the system. Number 10 had indicated the issue would be examined as part of the wholesale reforms despite the Prime Minister's resistance to changes to the treatment of students while she was home secretary. But hours after giving that indication, Downing Street clarified that the Government was "categorically not reviewing whether or not students are included". A Number 10 spokesman said: "The Government objective is to reduce annual net migration to the tens of thousands, and in order to deliver this we are keeping all visa routes under review. "Our position on who is included in the figures has not changed, and we are categorically not reviewing whether or not students are included." The comments came after Downing Street had previously hinted all parts of the immigration system would be examined. At a regular briefing in Westminster, a spokesman said: "The issue of migrant numbers that will come into the country, be it student or otherwise, is an issue that will have to be very closely looked at by the Government as we set about establishing a new system." Asked if the issue of foreign students was subject to review, the spokesman said: "The whole issue of migration is subject to review." The Government is committed to reducing net migration to the "tens of thousands", although the target has never been met since the Tories entered office in 2010. Chancellor Philip Hammond had been questioned about the issue of foreign students being counted in the net migration figures when he appeared before the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday. He said decisions about what was covered by the net migration target should be guided by public perception, indicating that he did not believe people's main concerns were about students. Mr Hammond told MPs: "When the public tells us loudly and clearly that they have a problem with levels of migration, it is very clear to me that they are not talking about computer programmers, brain surgeons, bankers, senior managers... possibly students. "But they are talking about people competing for entry-level jobs with people in the UK who, perhaps, have a level of skills that means they only have access to those kind of jobs." Meanwhile, Brexit Secretary David Davis insisted that the reforms to the system after leaving the EU would not stop "highly intelligent" migrants coming to the UK. He told the Commons: "Clearly it is not going to be in the national interest to restrict the movement of talent, if you like, the free movement of brain power. "You can be very, very confident that we will not be limiting highly intelligent, highly capable people's access." Liberal Democrat education spokesman John Pugh said: "Theresa May's stubborn refusal to change tack risks doing serious damage to Britain's economy and global reputation. "Stopping talented overseas students coming to study in the UK does nothing to address concerns over migration, it just undermines our world-leading universities. "Once again the Conservative Government is pursuing a narrow and reckless obsession with overall migration numbers, instead of standing up for what's best for Britain." MPs sought to ramp up the pressure on Sir Philip Green by unanimously recommending he is stripped of his knighthood. The former BHS owner was labelled a "billionaire spiv" and compared to Napoleon as MPs lined-up to criticise his role in the retail chain's demise. They have asked the Honours Forfeiture Committee to ensure Sir Philip's knighthood is "cancelled and annulled", with the move viewed by one former minister as part of the businessman's "humiliation". The unprecedented decision is non-binding, although Downing Street indicated it believes the independent committee may have a decision to make in the future. The Government also called on Sir Philip to "quickly" remedy the BHS pension scheme deficit, with investigations under way into the conduct of BHS directors and the management of the pension scheme. BHS went into administration with a 571 million pension scheme deficit shortly after being sold for 1 by Sir Philip to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell. Iain Wright, chairman of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said BHS is "one of the biggest corporate scandals of modern times". The Labour MP told the Commons: "(Sir Philip) took the rings from BHS's fingers, he beat it black and blue, he starved it of food and water, he put it on life support, and then he wanted credit for keeping it alive. "His extraction of value early on in his ownership made the company less able to innovate, to retain a market share or have a competitive place in the retail market, which would allow the firm to generate the profits and be in more of a position to survive the growing pension deficit. "This drip, drip decline provided the backdrop to Sir Philip's wish to sell the business." Labour MP David Winnick questioned how Sir Philip was deemed worthy of a knighthood in 2006, highlighting how the tycoon had put the business in the name of his wife, who lives in Monaco. He also said: "I see Green as a billionaire spiv, a billionaire spiv who should never have received a knighthood, a billionaire spiv who has shamed British capitalism, and the least we can do today is to make our views clear and strong." Tory MP Richard Fuller (Bedford) suggested the retail tycoon had failed "to find his moral compass" in not addressing the store's pension deficit over the summer. And Labour former minister Karen Buck said there have to be wider consequences for the "sake of the reputations of good business" and the Government. She also said: "There must be individual accountability. What I want to see more than anything - more than further damage to Sir Philip Green's reputation, more than his humiliation, more than the removal of his knighthood - is the money." For the Government, Business Minister Margot James said: "If evidence is uncovered that indicates that any of the directors' conduct fell below that to be expected then action will be taken." The barrage of criticism came after Sir Philip made another defence of his actions. In a letter sent by the businessman's holding company Taveta, he accused senior Labour MP Frank Field o f "highly defamatory and false statements" for dragging the tycoon's Arcadia group into the BHS saga. It also accused Mr Field of causing "distress" to Arcadia's 22,000 employees by suggesting Sir Philip is "running Arcadia into the ground like BHS". Sir Philip's letter said there is "absolutely no substance" to the allegations. Mr Field has led the charge against Sir Philip over BHS's collapse, dragging him before MPs to explain his actions. Opening the debate on Thursday, Mr Field described Sir Philip as a "very successful traditional asset-stripper". He also said: "Given my age, you may have thought I might be able to touch the hem of the garment of Napoleon. "I never knew Napoleon, but in my mind's eye this was a character most like the Napoleon I read about in the history books while I was at school." On the question of Sir Philip's knighthood, a Number 10 spokesman said: "There will obviously be a decision potentially made at some stage by the forfeitures committee. "But that is an independent committee, the Government has no role in that at all." A spokesman for Sir Philip declined to comment. Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted the move amounted to an abuse of the House of Commons. He told BBC Radio Four's PM: "The rule of law requires that people, that you may not like, and you may not approve of, are entitled to justice. "The House of Commons used to issue Bills of Attainder which allowed people to be executed on the say so of the House of Commons. It used to have Bills of Pains and Penalties which penalised people on the will of the House of Commons. "That is not the way we do things now, and I think to call for another committee to strip somebody of an honour, when normal process is that an honour is only taken away if somebody has committed a criminal offence, is an abuse of the House of Commons." The Government is to choose whether to expand airport capacity at Heathrow or Gatwick The boss of Heathrow Airport has insisted that there is no policy or political reason why a third runway cannot be built. Chief executive John-Holland Kaye claimed the UK needs the west London hub to be expanded "as quickly as possible". Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed on Tuesday that the Government's preferred airport expansion project will be announced next week. The shortlisted options are a third runway at Heathrow, extending the airport's existing northern runway and building a second runway at Gatwick. Asked if he had been given any indication that the Government was unhappy with anything in Heathrow's expansion plan, Mr Holland-Kaye replied: "Not at all." He told the Press Association: "There's no policy reason at all stopping us from getting on with Heathrow. "There's no political reason either because there is massive support in Parliament to get on and make it happen. "Just in the last few days we've seen the SNP with their 56 votes come out in support of Heathrow, we've seen the Parliamentary Labour Party come out in support, as well as the DUP with their eight MPs. "So just there you've probably got 250 out of 650 votes before the Government even says anything. "That shows that we're very politically deliverable as well as being the right national choice." Gatwick has said it will remain "ready to deliver" a second runway if the Government rejects its proposal, claiming Heathrow expansion is "likely to fail" even if the project gets the go-ahead. Mr Holland-Kaye said he was "delighted" when Theresa May set out the process for approving airport expansion. Following next week's announcement there will be a public consultation before a National Policy Statement is published and put to MPs. "This is exactly what we have been hoping for and I think she's shown great leadership in demonstrating that she is going to make a decision and setting out a clear path," he said. "This planning process is a very good and very successful way of deciding on big infrastructure projects. This is what Hinkley Point went through, Thames Tideway and lots of other smaller projects." Mrs May's predecessor, D avid Cameron, was warned a year ago that the Government was "exposed on Heathrow" because it had no answers to concerns on air quality. A memo to the then PM by his Number 10 policy chief raised alarm about a Whitehall air quality plan, according to The Guardian. The note, written by senior adviser Camilla Cavendish, was dismissive about the first draft of a government air quality initiative from the environment department which was then headed by Liz Truss. The September 2015 memo said there were "problems with Liz's clean air plan as currently written", adding: "I t leaves us exposed on Heathrow where we don't yet have an answer on air quality". Gatwick c hief executive Stewart Wingate described the publication of the document as a "h ighly significant last-minute intervention". He said: "It comes from the person who was in charge of policy in Downing Street until just a few weeks ago. She makes crystal clear that air quality will once again choke off airport expansion if Heathrow is chosen - and she is in a position to know." Mr Wingate added that t he Heathrow area "currently breaches air quality levels" and claimed a third runway will mean "millions more car journeys to the airport". A trading update revealed that for the first nine months of 2016 Heathrow slumped to a 293 million loss after it was stung by exceptional items. This compares with a 552 million profit in the same period last year. Stripping out exceptional items, pre-tax profit increased 11% to 202 million. Revenue rose 1.3% to 2.1 billion. Heathrow added that a record 57.3 million passengers used the airport during the period, up 0.7%. HMS Duncan - one of the Royal Navy's six Type 45 destroyers - is due in Belfast on Friday along with three other NATO warships Theresa May has condemned Vladimir Putin's aggression in Syria as Royal Navy vessels monitored Russian warships thought to be heading to reinforce the attack on the besieged city Aleppo. The Prime Minister accused Moscow of being behind "sickening atrocities" in support of Bashar Assad's regime. Her comments came as a Russian taskforce, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, was being shadowed by the Royal Navy as it headed towards the eastern Mediterranean. Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday to "man-mark" the Kuznetsov group, which is heading south through the North Sea and English Channel. The Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond escorted the group from the Norwegian Sea as it steamed south. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, have agreed a temporary humanitarian truce in Aleppo but Mrs May urged European leaders to take a firm line against Moscow. Arriving at her first Brussels summit as PM, Mrs May called for a "robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression". She said: "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop these appalling atrocities, these sickening atrocities, in Syria." Nato said the prospect of Russia's only aircraft carrier heading to the region does not "inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syrian crisis. A Nato official said: "Russia has the right to operate in international waters. There are plans in place for Nato navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean. "At the same time, the deployment of the carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean does not inspire confidence that Russia is working towards a political solution to the conflict in Syria." Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said in September that the Admiral Kuznetsov-led Northern Fleet would be joining a taskforce in the Mediterranean. According to the Russian news agency Tass, he told a defence board meeting that the plan was to bolster the Mediterranean fleet's "combat capabilities". A statement from the fleet to the agency on October 15 said the group also consisted of the Pyotr Velikiy battlecruiser, the Severomorsk anti-submarine ship, the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer and other support vessels. The statement added: "Special focus will be made on safeguarding security of maritime traffic and other types of maritime economic activity of Russia and also on responding to the new kinds of modern threats such as piracy and international terrorism." Mr Putin has held out the prospect of extending the pause in the Aleppo bombing campaign following a meeting with French president Francois Hollande and German chancellor Angela Merkel. The Russian president said: "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes. We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo." Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the Russian naval deployment was aimed at "testing" British capabilities. "The Russian fleet that is now sailing from the North, presumably down into the Mediterranean, is clearly designed to test the alliance. It's being marked every step of the way by the Royal Navy and ships and planes of other Nato members as well. "It's clearly designed ... to test our response, and any weaknesses in the alliance, and we must make sure we respond in due measure. That fleet will be marked, shadowed every inch of the way." YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. In order to remain competitive in the media field, it is necessary to comprehensively understand the future and in this context to strengthen capabilities for withstanding the arising challenges. The current modern media is no longer just a humanitarian branch and the technological development process is greatly impacting its activity, Director of ARMENPRESS state news agency Mr. Aram Ananyan said in his report The Future of Media: Modern media trends in terms of forming a single pan-Armenian information network, during the 8th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists entitled Armenian Statehood: Core of Unity. We see affordable technologies worldwide, but along with this the fight for an interesting content must be tougher. The increase of volume of accessible information doesnt mean increase of information consumption, Mr. Ananyan said, adding that journalists are in the future with one foot, and in the present and past with another. As the largest and widest Armenian agency with international scope, ARMENPRESS is engaged in discussions with its partners regarding issues of the future, in order to understand where the industry will be in 15-20 years. We need to see what will happen in the nearest future, what challenges we will face tomorrow. We cant respond to tomorrows challenges with yesterdays tools, Mr. Ananyan added. Director Aram Ananyan says the relations of media, state and business are transforming worldwide in a global context, when very often brutal propaganda is carried out under free press and provisions are pushed forward which dont have anything to do with information and journalism. The rapid growth of number of media doesnt bring quality. You cant find journalists from the street. Journalists must be qualified professionals, Mr. Ananyan said, mentioning that there is huge progress in copyright/reputation protection by professional media, and added that this fact is joyous. As head of a state agency, I am open for all kinds of cooperation with all our partners, Director of ARMENPRESS Mr. Aram Ananyan said, wishing efficient work to the participants of the forum. The 8th Pan-Armenian forum of Journalists kicked off on October 20 in Yerevan. The forum will be held until October 22, when the participants will depart for Nagorno Karabakh to continue the works. Artist's impression of the Schiaparelli lander detaching from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (European Space Agency/PA) A European spacecraft that broke off contact as it attempted to land on Mars may have jettisoned its parachute too early, investigators believe. Mystery surrounds the fate of Schiaparelli, which began its six-minute descent at 3.42pm UK time on Wednesday. Scientists know that its heat shield functioned properly and its parachute deployed as planned at an altitude of 6.8 miles. But something went wrong around the time the craft was due to eject its parachute and fire up three clusters of retro rockets before landing. A statement from the European Space Agency (Esa) said: "The data have been partially analysed and confirm that the entry and descent stages occurred as expected, with events diverging from what was expected after the ejection of the back heat shield and parachute. "This ejection itself appears to have occurred earlier than expected, but analysis is not yet complete." The nine retro rockets, which should have slowed the probe's descent to less than 4.3mph before the craft dropped the final 6.5ft to the ground, were thought to have switched off "sooner than expected". The evidence points to Sciaparelli hitting the ground too fast and too hard, though this is yet to be confirmed. Andrea Accomazzo, head of Esa's planetary operations, said the probe's data stream was cut off "in the order of 50 seconds" before the planned touchdown. Speaking at Esa's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, he said: "Unfortunately we're not in a position yet, but we will be, to determine the dynamic condition at which the lander has touched the ground. Then we will know if it has survived structurally or not." He said the data showed the retro rockets firing for three or four seconds, "a time much shorter than we were expecting". Schiaparelli was only the second probe Esa has attempted to land on Mars. The first, Beagle 2, also suffered a radio blackout after detaching from its Mars Express mothership on Christmas Day 2003. Anxious minutes of waiting turned into hours and days until scientists finally had to admit that the British-built craft was lost. It was not until last year that scientists discovered the probe on the surface of Mars. Satellite images suggested two solar panels had failed to deploy, blocking its communications antenna. Esa scientists refuse to be disheartened about Schiaparelli, pointing out that its prime function was to test an untried landing system for a rover mission due to be launched in 2020. ExoMars Rover will send a six-wheeled mobile laboratory built in the UK to the Red Planet to drill for soil samples and analyse them for signs of past or present life. While Schiaparelli was plunging through the Martian atmosphere, its mothership, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, settled itself to circle the planet. Esa said the orbital insertion had been a complete success. TGO will sniff the Martian atmosphere for trace gases including methane, which may have a biological origin. Esa director general Jan Worner stressed that the aim of the Schiaparelli "test" was to obtain engineering data. "We got the knowledge," he said. " I'm happy. I think it is a big success." Former UK Space Agency chief executive David Parker, now director of human space flight and robotic exploration at Esa, said: "We have over 100kg of science instruments in orbit around Mars now so we're ready to undertake really exciting science." As it fell through the Martian atmosphere, Schiaparelli was supposed to capture photos of the approaching ground. The craft was designed to land on terrain containing rocks as high as 16in. Dozens of MPs have signed a motion calling for Sir Philip Green to lose his knighthood over the collapse of retailer BHS Sir Philip Green has renewed hostilities with MP Frank Field ahead of a parliamentary debate on whether he should be stripped of his knighthood. In a letter sent by Sir Philip's holding company Taveta, the billionaire accuses the Labour veteran of "highly defamatory and false statements" for dragging the tycoon's Arcadia group into the BHS saga. The letter references comments made by the MP to Channel 4, in which he compared the way BHS was run to the state of Sir Philip's Arcadia empire, which houses Topshop and Dorothy Perkins. It accuses Mr Field of causing "distress" to Arcadia's 22,000 employees by suggesting Sir Philip is "running Arcadia into the ground like BHS". Sir Philip's letter said there is "absolutely no substance" to the allegations. Mr Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, has led the charge against Sir Philip over BHS's collapse, dragging him before MPs to explain his actions. Later on Thursday, Sir Philip will face calls to be stripped of his knighthood as MPs probe the collapse of BHS. Nearly 50 MPs have backed the proposal for the billionaire businessman to lose his title, awarded in 2006 for services to retail, which could be subject to a parliamentary vote. Tory Richard Fuller and independent Michelle Thomson have tabled an amendment asking for the Honours Forfeiture Committee to recommend Sir Philip's knighthood is "cancelled and annulled". During a Commons debate, MPs will also say the billionaire businessman should "fulfil his promise" to resolve the retail chain's multimillion-pound pension fund black hole. BHS went into administration shortly after being sold for 1 by Sir Philip, with a 571 million pension scheme deficit. A motion for debate says: "That this House notes the recent joint report by the Business, Innovation and Skills and the Work and Pensions committees on BHS. "(This House) endorses that report's criticisms of the governance of the company and of the holding company, Taveta Investments Ltd. "(This House) believes that the sale of the company to Retail Acquisitions Ltd for 1 was clearly not in the interests of British Home Stores' employees and pensioners. "(This House) notes the failure of Sir Philip Green over many years to resolve the deficit in the BHS pension fund, and calls on him to fulfil his promise to do so forthwith." The chairman of the Commons Standards Committee breached the MPs' code of conduct by accepting payment for hosting events for a drug company in Parliament. But the committee recommended that no further action was required against Sir Kevin Barron following the "minor" and "inadvertent" breach. The fees received by Sir Kevin Barron after sponsoring three events in Parliament were donated to charity, and Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson concluded the breach of the rules was "at the least serious end of the spectrum" because the MP did not personally benefit. The report recommended that no further action was required against the Labour MP, who stood aside while the committee examined his case, and the inquiry had raised "no doubts over Kevin Barron's integrity and honesty". Sir Kevin referred himself to the independent commissioner after a Daily Telegraph report on his links to the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group (JPG). The Rother Valley MP entered into an agreement with JPG in 2011 and subsequently sponsored three events in Parliament. Money from the JPG was donated to the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in his constituency, and the committee's report found that three cheques to the charity, each for 3,000, were registered in Sir Kevin's entry in the Commons register of Members' interests as remuneration for his work for JPG. In her inquiry, the commissioner found that by hosting the events in Parliament, Sir Kevin breached the Commons "banqueting rules" that state that private dining rooms " are not to be used for the direct or indirect financial or material gain by a sponsor", even though the money went to charity. That error put Sir Kevin in breach of the MPs' code of conduct, which states that parliamentarians using Westminster's facilities must follow the rules. Ms Hudson said: " I consider this breach of the rules and the code to be at the least serious end of the spectrum. There was nothing untoward in Sir Kevin booking the dining room for the use of a third party. "Indeed, at the relevant time the banqueting regulations allowed third parties to book the dining facilities, only through the sponsorship of a named Member. "The breach of the rules arose because, in his agreement for the provision of services, Sir Kevin said that he might sponsor the occasional event in Parliament. This then became part of the remunerated agreement and thus breached the regulations." Sir Kevin told the commissioner he was "surprised" at the breach of banqueting rules because he had declared his interests when booking the rooms. "If I had breached any of these rules I would have expected to be contacted by the registrar," he said. In its conclusions, the committee agreed with the commissioner that Sir Kevin had "adhered fully to the rules on the disclosure of his relationship" with JPG. But "w e also agree with the commissioner's finding that Kevin Barron was in breach of the code in accepting payment of any kind linked to the use of House facilities". "Although he did not receive payment himself, he was able to direct that it be given to a particular charity as a result of the contractual relationship. "This means that the payment was a 'direct or indirect financial or material gain' to Kevin Barron as a sponsor of the events organised in the House on behalf of JPG." The committee added: " Kevin Barron has cooperated fully with the Commissioner's investigation and we agree with her conclusion that the inquiry has raised no doubts over Kevin Barron's integrity and honesty. We consider that no further action is required." But the panel, made up of MPs and lay members, raised concerns about the "multiplicity of rules" set by different bodies within the Commons and the "vagueness" of the wording. Sir Kevin said: "The report published today has found no serious breaches as I always maintained. The inquiry has found a 'minor' and 'inadvertent' breach of a banqueting rule. I felt that I had taken all the steps I could to check the rules, but acknowledge my mistake. "Just to make it absolutely clear, this arrangement led to no personal financial gain as payment was made, as a donation, to a local children's hospice in my constituency. "I would like to thank Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, for her very thorough investigation into this matter and the Committee on Standards for their judgment. "I will be resuming my duties as chair of the Committee on Standards and the Committee of Privileges. It has always been a huge honour to chair these committees and I am delighted to return to this role." The Prime Minister will tell counterparts that the "priority now has got to be looking to the future" as she sets out Britain's position at a European summit European leaders have warned Theresa May they will play hardball over Britain's exit from the EU. The UK will face "hard" negotiations if it wants to make a clean break with the bloc, the French president said as the Prime Minister arrived in Brussels for a summit. And EU leaders were told to "stand firm" in their talks with Britain as Mrs May watched on. The PM will attempt to ease the jitters Brexit is causing across the bloc by insisting the UK does not want to damage the EU when it quits. But Francois Hollande issued a firm warning that Britain is facing a rocky ride as he arrived for the European Council. "I say very firmly, (if) Mrs May wants a hard Brexit, the negotiations will be hard," he said. And in the first formal meeting the Prime Minister has attended in Brussels as premier, the president of the European Parliament made clear MEPs would not give the UK an easy ride. Martin Schulz said: "I refuse to imagine a Europe where lorries and hedge funds are free to cross borders but citizens are not." He added: "An overwhelming majority in the European Parliament expects you to stand firm when designing the EU's future relationship with the UK. "The fundamental freedoms are inseparable, i.e. no freedom of movement for goods, capital and services, without free movement of persons." A No 10 source said the meeting was "constructive" and Mrs May had received a "good reception". Mrs May arrived in Brussels declaring she had "very clear message, which is the UK is leaving the EU but will continue to play a full role until we leave and will be a strong, independent partner after we have left". She added: "It's in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together." The PM has indicated that her priority for a post-Brexit deal is control over immigration, which most observers believe will force the UK out of the Single Market. Mrs May held informal talks with Estonian prime minister Taavi Rovias and Romanian president Klaus Werner Iohannis. Statisticians said the rise is thought to largely reflect factors other than an increase in actual levels of violence Violent crimes recorded by police have jumped to the highest level since a national standard for logging offences was rolled out 14 years ago. Official statistics also revealed rises in the number of crimes involving firearms and knives registered by forces in England and Wales in the year to June. Police recorded just over a million "violence against the person" offences in the period - a 24% rise on the previous year, and the highest number recorded in a 12-month period since the introduction of the national crime recording standard in April 2002. Statisticians said the trend was thought to largely reflect factors other than a rise in actual levels of violence - but there were "genuine" increases in some categories. One factor was the inclusion in the category of two harassment offences, which include revenge pornography and internet trolling cases. John Flatley, of the Office for National Statistics, said: "Violent crime covers a wide spectrum, from minor assaults, harassment and abuse that result in no physical harm to the victim, through to incidents of wounding and murder." He said the latest figures present a "complex picture", with the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimating similar levels of violent crime to recent years but the number of offences recorded by the police increasing. "We think the rise in the police figures is due to a combination of factors," Mr Flatley said. "First, the expansion of the police series to cover new harassment offences. "Second, a greater proportion of incidents reported to the police being recorded as crimes. At the same time, the crime survey has shown a greater proportion of victims of violent crime reporting to the police. "Finally, it appears there has been a small but genuine increase in some categories of violent crime." Police recorded almost 30,000 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument, up by 9% on the previous 12 months, although there has been a general downward trend over the longer term. Offences involving firearms in the latest year rose by 7% to 5,244. The ONS report said: "For both knife crime and firearm offences, there appears to be a mixed picture, with some evidence to suggest there has been a small but genuine rise in some areas but also suggestions that it reflects general changes in recording processes." Police recorded 681 homicides in the year to June. The ONS said the figures include, for the first time, the 96 cases of manslaughter which resulted from events in Hillsborough in 1989. Meanwhile, victims experienced about 3.6 million fraud and 2 million computer misuse offences in the year before interview. The figures on the two categories are "experimental" but are set to be included in the crime survey total for the first time in the next quarterly report, meaning the headline rate could be almost double the level previously reported. It was also revealed that sexual offences recorded by the police increased 14% on the previous year, while crime survey estimates showed the proportion of adults who were victims of sexual assaults in the previous year had not significantly changed. Overall, the headline count based on the crime survey estimated there were 6.4 million incidents of crime - which was not significantly different to 6.5 million the previous year. Police recorded 4.6 million offences in the year ending in June, an annual rise of 7%. Lucy Hastings, director at the charity Victim Support, said: "While we recognise and welcome the increased willingness of victims to come forward and the better recording of crimes by the police, there is no escaping the very real increase in knife and gun crimes reflected in these figures." Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the Tories are "the party of rhetoric on law and order, but serious crimes are rising on their watch". She added: "Recorded crime is rising under the Tory Government. Knife crime, firearms offences and homicide have all risen." Policing minister Brandon Lewis said police reform is working and crime has fallen by well over a quarter since June 2010, according to the survey. He said the ONS is " clear the rise in police-recorded offences largely reflects improved recording practices and a greater willingness of victims to come forward". National Police Chiefs' Council lead for crime and incident recording Jeff Farrar said: " Crime statistics released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that levels of crime reported through the Crime Survey of England and Wales have remained stable at the lowest levels since surveys began in 1981." He added: "Police recorded crime has increased by 7%, but rises in public order, sexual offences and in violence without injury have been major factors in this. "We are not complacent about any crime rises, even if analysis suggests changes to recording and reporting are behind these figures." Afia, at six months, with keeper Joanne Rudd at Bristol Zoo A baby gorilla born by Caesarian section eight months ago has begun meeting others in her troop. Afia, a Western lowland gorilla, has been cared for by keepers at Bristol Zoo since her birth in February. She has now met the Zoo's 36-year-old female, Romina, while her keepers watched on. The pair are getting on well and are now spending 24 hours a day together. Lynsey Bugg, curator of mammals at the zoo, said: "Since day one of Afia's hand-rearing, we have been planning on introducing Afia into the group within her first year to avoid imprinting and a lack of knowledge of gorilla-specific behaviour later in life. "We had strong indications that both Romina and Afia were ready - Afia was physically and mentally strong enough and Romina was enjoying watching her through the mesh. "We are absolutely thrilled that they are now bonding and getting on so well. We could tell that both were unsure at first, but they have grown to trust and understand each other. "It is obviously a very emotional time for her keepers, who have dedicated so much of their time to raising her, but we are all very relieved. This is the exact outcome we were hoping for at this stage." Initial introductions began last week with the pair being separated by mesh. Romina's den was then opened just enough for Afia to get through while staff monitored closely. Over the past few months, keepers have separated Romina in an off-show den for increasing periods of time. This was to help Romina and the rest of the troop become used to being apart, reading for her to bond with Afia. During this time, keepers trained Romina to bring a cuddly toy gorilla to the mesh for feeding as well as to put it in a box and walk away if keepers needed to intervene. All training was successful and keepers were confident that Romina, who has shown maternal instincts towards Afia since birth, was ready to meet her. Afia was born by emergency Caesarian section on February 12 this year. Her mother, Kera, suffered complications following the birth and was not well enough to care for her. Because of this, zoo staff decided to hand-rear her behind the scenes. This involved feeding throughout the day and night, taking it in turns to take her home overnight and teaching natural gorilla behaviours. Now that Afia has bonded with Romina, further introductions with the rest of the troop will begin to take place. Video cameras have been set up inside dens to allow staff to monitor relationships, with keepers and vets on hand should there be the need to intervene. The two met through the dating app Tinder An Australian man charged over the death of a New Zealand tourist who plummeted from his apartment balcony after the two began arguing during a date has been found not guilty of murder. Gable Tostee was also acquitted of manslaughter over the death of Warriena Wright, who fell from Mr Tostee's balcony in 2014 after the two met through the dating app Tinder. Mr Tostee, 30, had faced a life sentence if he had been convicted by the Queensland state Supreme Court jury. Prosecutors did not allege that Mr Tostee threw Ms Wright, 26, to her death but had argued she was so scared of Mr Tostee that she fell 14 floors while trying to escape from his apartment balcony in the city of Gold Coast. The two met for the first time on the night she died, and went back to his apartment. During the trial, prosecutor Glen Cash said Mr Tostee intimidated and threatened Ms Wright so much that she felt her only escape was to climb down from his balcony. The court heard an audio recording made on Mr Tostee's phone that captured an altercation between the pair, as well as the fatal fall. Mr Cash alleged that Mr Tostee became angry after Ms Wright threw ornamental rocks at him and hit him with a telescope. The prosecutor also said that Mr Tostee choked and restrained her before locking her out of his apartment on the balcony. "You're lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony," Mr Tostee is heard saying in the recording. "If you try to pull anything, I'll knock you out." Defence lawyer Saul Holt denied Mr Tostee was responsible for Ms Wright's death, saying the woman, from Lower Hutt, on New Zealand's North Island, became erratic and aggressive towards Mr Tostee after a night of drinking. Outside court, another lawyer representing Mr Tostee said his client was grateful for the verdict. "He's relieved this matter is now behind him and he's looking forward to moving on with his life," Nick Dore told reporters. AP Members of the public arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images US entertainer Wayne Newton and wife Kathleen McCrone attend the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban arrives prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Donna Brazile (R) confers with US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (L), D-Nevada, prior to the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with Jesse Jackason before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen are seen before the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attends the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The Reverend Jesse Jackson arrives for the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen arrive prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (C) arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) A television cameraman tests his equipment prior to showtime at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, where the final debate between US presidential nominees Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will be held October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDSPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Police officers stand outside the Thomas & Mack Center ahead of the third presidential debate between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Members of the public arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images US entertainer Wayne Newton and wife Kathleen McCrone attend the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban arrives prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Donna Brazile (R) confers with US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (L), D-Nevada, prior to the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with Jesse Jackason before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen are seen before the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attends the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The Reverend Jesse Jackson arrives for the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen arrive prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (C) arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) A television cameraman tests his equipment prior to showtime at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, where the final debate between US presidential nominees Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will be held October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDSPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd during the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves to the crowd as she walks on the stage during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea Clinton speak to guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Fox News anchor and moderator Chris Wallace speaks to the guests and attendees during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump adjusts the microphone during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Guests and attendees wait for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Guest and attendees wait for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence (R) and Melania Trump are seen before the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images Co-chairs for the Commission on Presidential Debates, Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. (R), and Michael D. McCurry (L) speak prior to the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ivanka Trump waits for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Eric Trump speaks with his wife Lara Yunaska before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ivanka Trump waits for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Vanessa Trump wait for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump shakes hands with former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump is greeted by Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: (L-R) Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump and Malania Trump arrive before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Police officers stand outside the Thomas & Mack Center ahead of the third presidential debate between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves on arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is seen speaking on a TV screen during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Robyn BeckROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump listens during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump listens to Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speak during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Members of the media watch the third U.S. presidential debate with republican presidential nominee Donald Trump democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the media center the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Mark Ralston-Pool/Getty Images) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Former President Bill Clinton, right, speaks to his daughter Chelsea Clinton, left, before the third presidential debate at University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speak during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton (R) speaks as Republican nominee Donald Trump looks on during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Donald Trump has threatened to challenge the result of the US presidential election if it is "questionable" - although he teasingly promised to embrace the outcome "if I win". The Republican presidential nominee said he would accept "a clear election result" but was reserving his right to "contest or file a legal challenge" if he loses. It was his first attempt to explain his stunning warning a day earlier in the final debate that he might not accept the results. Mr Trump brushed off the likelihood of that happening with a confident prediction that "we're not going to lose". JUST IN: Trump: I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win" https://t.co/4z453rVzqK CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2016 Speaking at a rally in Delaware, Ohio, he said: "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election." But he added: "If I win." Mr Trump's musings about hypothetical Election Day scenarios came as his campaign was reeling from widespread astonishment over his refusal to commit to the time-honoured American tradition of the election's loser acceding gracefully to the winner. Mr Trump has warned repeatedly of impending, widespread voter fraud, despite no evidence to support him and plenty of evidence to the contrary. Asked at the debate whether he would accept the outcome, Mr Trump said: "I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense." That sent immediate shockwaves through the campaign, as Mr Trump's supporters tried to soften his remarks and fellow Republicans sought more distance from their nominee. .@HillaryClinton lays out why she believes people should vote for her #DebateNight https://t.co/GDUuaLnbwZ Sky News (@SkyNews) October 20, 2016 .@realDonaldTrump lays out why he believes people should vote for him #DebateNight https://t.co/1BLjWfRC1u Sky News (@SkyNews) October 20, 2016 The distraction deprived Mr Trump of the comeback moment he sorely needed, despite a sometimes more measured and poised performance in Wednesday's third and final debate. The Republican National Committee, whose chief mission is to get the GOP nominee elected, was put in the remarkable position of disputing its own candidate, with a spokesman saying the party would "respect the will of the people". Even some of Mr Trump's most ardent supporters felt it was a step over the line. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said it was "imperative that Donald Trump clearly state" he will accept the results. Mr Trump's running mate Mike Pence and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, both of whom had previously insisted Mr Trump would accept the election's results, were left trying to assert that Trump would contest the results only under extraordinary circumstances. As he entered the campaign's final stretch on Thursday, Mr Trump tried to turn the tables on Hillary Clinton by accusing her of "cheating" and suggesting she should "resign from the race". He cited a hacked email that showed Mrs Clinton's campaign was tipped off about a question she had be asked in a CNN town hall meeting during the Democratic primary. "Can you imagine if I got the questions? They would call for the re-establishment of the electric chair, do you agree?" Mr Trump asked supporters. Mr Trump's effort to shift the conversation back to Mrs Clinton centred on an email from long-time Democratic Party operative Donna Brazile to Mrs Clinton's campaign in March with the subject line "From time to time I get the questions in advance". It contained the wording of a death penalty question that Ms Brazile suggested Mrs Clinton would be asked. Ms Brazile, now the acting Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairwoman, was a CNN contributor at the time she sent the email, one of thousands disclosed publicly by WikiLeaks after Mrs Clinton's campaign chairman's emails were hacked. Mrs Clinton's campaign has said Russia was behind the hack. "She used these questions, studied the questions, got the perfect answer for the questions and never said that she did something that was totally wrong and inappropriate," Mr Trump said of Mrs Clinton. He said that Ms Brazile should resign as the head of the DNC. All that was overshadowed by Mr Trump's comments about the election results, which marked the culmination of weeks of escalating assertions that "this election is rigged" against him and that Mrs Clinton was trying "to steal it". Meanwhile, ratings group Nielsen said the third presidential debate is likely to land between the record-setting first match between Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump and the second in terms of the number of Americans who tuned in on TV. For the major commercial broadcast and cable news networks, Nielsen estimated there were some 63.7 million viewers. When estimates for other networks that aired the debate, including PBS, are added in, the final viewership tally should approach 70 million viewers. The first debate reached 84 million people, the most ever for a presidential debate, and the second had 66.5 million. AP A German police officer has died a day after being shot by an anti-government extremist who had hoarded dozens of weapons at his home. The 32-year-old officer succumbed to his injuries in hospital, said Elke Schoenwald, a spokeswoman for police in the Middle Franconia region. Three other officers were injured in the shootout - one from gunfire and two others by flying glass. An armed response unit had been sent to the suspect's home in the Bavarian town of Georgensgmuend on Wednesday to confiscate more than 30 weapons he legally possessed for hunting. Local authorities had revoked the 49-year-old's licence because he appeared increasingly unreliable, Ms Schoenwald said. The man, whom police did not identify, had a history of defying authorities and refused to allow officials to conduct a check on the weapons over the summer, she said. The suspect was a supporter of the Reich Citizens' Movement, an extremist group that refuses to acknowledge the authority of the post-war Federal Republic of Germany. Germany's top security official said measures needed to be taken to ensure officers do not become victims of violence. "The increasing number of attacks by extremists is unbearable and unacceptable," interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said. He did not specify which measures would be taken but his counterpart in the state of Bavaria, Joachim Herrmann, suggested that members of the Reich Citizens' Movement should be banned from owning weapons. A recent report by Berlin's state intelligence service describes the movement as "an extremely diverse range of small groups and individuals who believe in an ideological mixture of conspiracy theories, anti-Semitic and anti-democratic views, and who have been behaving increasingly aggressively for some time". It is mainly known for pursuing obscure legal claims against German authorities. In August, a member of the movement was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with officers in eastern Germany as he tried to prevent his eviction. AP YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia approved the proposal on signing the agreement on Cooperation of the CIS participating states in the mining metallurgy sector, reports Armenpress. Minister of Nature Protection Artsvik Minasyan said the agreement aims to confront external challenges. Steps will be taken towards deepening the cooperation ties between the mining-metallurgy enterprises and companies operating in the CIS states aimed at enhancing the economic efficiency, as well as updating the technological and innovative systems, installing energy-saving and environmental systems, Minasyan said. The two candidates will go head to head at the University of Nevada, after a tense second debate which saw Mr Trump threaten to jail Mrs Clinton if he was elected. Donald Trump has refused to say if he will accept the result of the US presidential election if he loses, as he clashed with Hillary Clinton in their final head-to-head debate. The candidates squared off at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas for the last time before Americans go to the polls on November 8. Republican Mr Trump was questioned about claims he made ahead of the third debate that the election will be rigged in favour of his Democratic rival. Asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he would accept the election result, Mr Trump replied: "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." Mrs Clinton described Mr Trump's remarks as "horrifying", while the Republican National Committee said the national party would "respect the will of the people". "Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is is rigged against him," Mrs Clinton said. "There was even at time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting the Emmys were rigged against him." In another tense exchange, Mrs Clinton branded Mr Trump a "puppet" of Russian president Vladimir Putin and challenged him to condemn Russia's suspected involvement in the hacking of emails during the election campaign. "I don't know Putin," Mr Trump said. "He said nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good. "He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president. "We're in very serious trouble. We have a country with tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads ... 1,800 nuclear warheads and she's playing chicken." Mr Clinton responded: "That's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States". Mr Trump replied: "No, you're the puppet." The billionaire tycoon also addressed claims he sexually assaulted a number of women, accusing Mrs Clinton's campaign team of creating the "totally false" allegations. "I didn't even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't even do anything," he added. "These women ... I think they either want fame or her campaign did it. And I think it's her campaign." Mrs Clinton said: "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth." In a repeat of the bitter tone of the first two debates, Mr Trump called Mrs Clinton a "nasty woman" and claimed America would be in "some mess" if she is elected. "The only thing you have over me is experience but it's bad experience," he added. In a discussion on immigration, Mr Trump said his desire to build a wall on the US-Mexico border was to keep out "bad hombres". He said: "One of my first acts will be to get all of the drug lords - we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out ... We have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out." The two candidates also clashed over the rights of women to have abortion. Mr Trump said he planned to appoint "pro-life judges" to the Supreme Court and allow individual states to determine whether abortion should be legal. Referring to Mrs Clinton, he said: " Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable." Mrs Clinton responded: "That's not what happens in these cases and just using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate." Among the debate audience was US president Barack Obama's half brother Malik, who was a guest of Mr Trump. He had previously told the New York Post be believed the Republican "can make America great again". Conservative US commentator Ann Coulter told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it was "refreshing" the debate had focused on the issues rather than on Mr Trump's "personal baggage". "On issue after issue, he is taking the popular side," Ms Coulter told Today. "No war, end the job-killing trade bills, bring back manufacturing, build a wall, extreme vetting for Muslim immigrants. "A lot of that came out in the debate, which was kind of novel compared to the first two debates." Ms Coulter said she did not believe voters would make their choice based on Mr Trump's controversial character. "No-one is voting for Donald Trump because of his personality or his character," she said. "It is all about his issues. "It's not like Americans looked around the country and said 'Let's run this gauche lout reality TV star'. He was the only one who would talk about these issues." Ms Coulter argued that Mr Trump would not necessarily lose a personality battle against Mrs Clinton, who she described as a "congenital liar and a crook" who was taking an excessively belligerent stance towards Russia. "What makes my blood run cold is Hillary wanting to start World War Three," she said. Ms Coulter said she did not "fully trust" polls which have indicated Mrs Clinton is on track for a clear victory. Pollsters found it difficult to take account of people who have not voted in previous elections, millions of whom she expected to turn out to vote for Mr Trump, she said. Turkey has escalated its offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, pounding them with air strikes and artillery, and complicating the battle against the Islamic State (IS) group by Ankara and Washington, both Nato allies. In the fight for Aleppo, meanwhile, the Syrian military used a lull in violence to urge residents and rebels to evacuate the besieged opposition-held part of the city. Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said as many as 200 members of the Kurdish-led forces were killed in Syria's Aleppo province by the Turkish bombing and shelling. A senior commander with the main Syria Kurdish militia confirmed the Turkish attack on his forces north of Aleppo but disputed the casualty toll, saying that no more than 10 fighters were killed. Like in Iraq, where Kurdish fighters are at the forefront of the offensive to retake the city of Mosul from IS, Kurdish forces in Syria also have been battling the militants and made significant territorial gains in Aleppo province. That has dismayed Turkey, which is dealing with a home-grown Kurdish insurgency and trying to prevent an expansion of Kurdish influence in Syria. "We will not back down," said senior Kurdish commander Mahmoud Barkhadan of the People's Protection Units. "We are fighting Daesh. Why are they striking at us?" he asked, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Mr Barkhadan accused Turkey of aiding IS militants by turning the fight into a Turkish-Kurdish battle. Turkish artillery also hit near Afrin, a Kurdish enclave in north-western Syria, he said, adding that his forces have not retreated but that Turkey's actions allowed IS fighters to wage a counter-offensive. More than 10 fighters were killed and 20 wounded in over 30 aerial attacks that began on Wednesday night, he said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 14 Kurdish fighters were killed and four were missing. Anadolu, quoting military officials, reported the raids were carried out late on Wednesday night on 18 targets in the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria. Between 160 and 200 militia fighters were killed, it said. The targets struck areas that Syrian Kurdish forces recently took over as they pressed a campaign to drive IS militants from areas north of Aleppo. The Syrian Kurdish forces have been a source of tension between Turkey and the United States. The US considers the militia group - the People's Protection Units, known as the YPG - to be the most effective force against IS in Syria. Turkey calls it an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out deadly attacks in Turkey and considers it a terrorist organisation. Anadolu said the 18 Syrian Kurdish targets hit included nine buildings used as headquarters, meetings points, shelters or arms depots, along with five vehicles. The pause in the fighting in Aleppo is part of a humanitarian ceasefire announced by Russia in the contested city to allow for the evacuation of civilians and fighters, as well as the wounded. Rebels have rejected the offer to evacuate, saying it was not serious. Clashes were heard at one of the safe corridors announced by the Syrian military. "Talk of fighters or non-fighters leaving is denied and groundless," said Ammar Sakkar, spokesman for Fastaqim, one of the largest rebel groups operating in Aleppo. "The rebels' decision has not and will not change. It is to be steadfast." Eastern Aleppo, besieged by government troops, has been subjected to intense and relentless airstrikes by Syrian and Russian aircraft in recent weeks. Hundreds of people have been killed and whole neighborhoods destroyed. "Our dear people in Aleppo districts, let the wounded and sick leave... We guarantee you safe passage. Seize the opportunity and protect your families' lives," government loudspeakers echoed from a checkpoint. They offered a warm meal and medical help along the way. "There is no point in continuing to fight. Your positions and bases and warehouses are known to us precisely. Don't use civilians as human shields," the announcements said. But there were no takers on Thursday, with residents saying they did not trust the promise in the absence of international monitors. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura insisted a unilateral ceasefire aims only to allow medical evacuations and is not part of a broader plan that he has laid out for Aleppo, countering an assertion by Syrian President Bashar Assad that most civilians want to leave. AP Later UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says nearly 500 people have been killed and almost 2,000 wounded since the Syrian government launched its offensive on the eastern, rebel-held part of the city of Aleppo on September 23. Mr Ban says the city's besieged district has seen "the most sustained and intensive aerial bombardment" since the conflict began five and a half years ago. He told the UN general assembly that the unilateral pause in bombing announced by Russia that began on Thursday is welcome and will hopefully lead to urgent medical evacuations. But the UN chief said "this is the bare minimum," and what is needed is full humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo and a nationwide cessation of hostilities. AP Members of the public arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images US entertainer Wayne Newton and wife Kathleen McCrone attend the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban arrives prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Donna Brazile (R) confers with US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (L), D-Nevada, prior to the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with Jesse Jackason before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen are seen before the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attends the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The Reverend Jesse Jackson arrives for the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen arrive prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (C) arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) A television cameraman tests his equipment prior to showtime at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, where the final debate between US presidential nominees Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will be held October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDSPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Police officers stand outside the Thomas & Mack Center ahead of the third presidential debate between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Members of the public arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images US entertainer Wayne Newton and wife Kathleen McCrone attend the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban arrives prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Donna Brazile (R) confers with US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (L), D-Nevada, prior to the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks with Jesse Jackason before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen are seen before the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attends the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The Reverend Jesse Jackson arrives for the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen arrive prior to the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (C) arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) A television cameraman tests his equipment prior to showtime at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, where the final debate between US presidential nominees Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will be held October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDSPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd during the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves to the crowd as she walks on the stage during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea Clinton speak to guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Fox News anchor and moderator Chris Wallace speaks to the guests and attendees during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump adjusts the microphone during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Guests and attendees wait for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Guest and attendees wait for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence (R) and Melania Trump are seen before the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump face off in their last presidential debate on October 19, with the Republican candidate spiraling downward amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / joe raedleJOE RAEDLE/AFP/Getty Images Co-chairs for the Commission on Presidential Debates, Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. (R), and Michael D. McCurry (L) speak prior to the third and final US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ivanka Trump waits for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Eric Trump speaks with his wife Lara Yunaska before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Ivanka Trump waits for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Vanessa Trump wait for the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump shakes hands with former presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Melania Trump is greeted by Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: (L-R) Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump and Malania Trump arrive before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Police officers stand outside the Thomas & Mack Center ahead of the third presidential debate between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves on arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is seen speaking on a TV screen during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Robyn BeckROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump listens during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump listens to Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speak during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Members of the media watch the third U.S. presidential debate with republican presidential nominee Donald Trump democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the media center the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Mark Ralston-Pool/Getty Images) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RichardsPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Former President Bill Clinton, right, speaks to his daughter Chelsea Clinton, left, before the third presidential debate at University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speak during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton (R) speaks as Republican nominee Donald Trump looks on during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. AFP/Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 19: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tonight is the final debate ahead of Election Day on November 8. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Donald Trump has refused to say if he would accept the result of the US presidential election if he loses, as he clashed with Hillary Clinton in their final head-to-head debate. The candidates squared off at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas for the last time before Americans go to the polls on November 8. Republican Mr Trump was questioned about his claims that the election will be rigged in favour of his Democratic rival, after he tweeted that "there was large-scale voter fraud happening on and before election day". Asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he would accept the election result, the Republican nominee replied: "I will look at it at the time." Mr Trump said the media was "so dishonest" and had "poisoned the minds of voters". Of Mrs Clinton, he added: "She shouldn't be allowed to run. It's crooked. She's guilty of a very serious crime. "Just in that respect I say it's rigged. She should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with emails and so many other things." Asked again if he would accept the results, Mr Trump replied: "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." Mrs Clinton said Mr Trump's remarks were "horrifying". "Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is is rigged against him," she said. .@HillaryClinton lays out why she believes people should vote for her #DebateNight https://t.co/GDUuaLnbwZ Sky News (@SkyNews) October 20, 2016 .@realDonaldTrump lays out why he believes people should vote for him #DebateNight https://t.co/1BLjWfRC1u Sky News (@SkyNews) October 20, 2016 "There was even at time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting even the Emmys were rigged against him. "This is a mindset. This is how Donald thinks. It is funny but it is also really troubling - that is not the way our democracy works." Claims v facts Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump struggled in the final presidential debate to explain comments from their past. Here is a look at some of the claims. MRS CLINTON on Mr Trump's charge that she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: "I was talking about energy." THE FACTS: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Mrs Clinton said in the speech that "my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere". The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Mr Trump claimed. MRS CLINTON: "I want to make college debt free." THE FACTS: She might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room and board can lead students to borrow. Mrs Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than 125,000 dollars a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average 18,943-dollar sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Mr Trump is correct that government would shoulder higher costs with Mrs Clinton's plan, which would cost the government an estimated 500 billion dollars over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. MR TRUMP: "Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes." THE FACTS: Mrs Clinton's plan would not raise taxes at all for 95% of Americans, according to the non-partisan Tax Policy Centre. The very wealthiest would take the greatest hit, though a doubling is highly questionable. Two-thirds of her proposed increases would hit the top 0.1% of richest Americans, the centre estimates. The main components of her tax plan: a minimum 30% tax on those earning at least one million dollars a year, and a 5% tax surcharge for those earning more than five million a year. She would also cap the value of tax deductions and exclusions for wealthier taxpayers. .@realDonaldTrump running mate @mike_pence says "if the vote is fair, I'm confident we will accept it" https://t.co/0psTvwuJbH Sky News (@SkyNews) October 20, 2016 Read more Read More MRS CLINTON on her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: "It didn't meet my test." THE FACTS: It met her test when she was US secretary of state and she promoted it worldwide. Hacked emails from her campaign, released on Wednesday by WikiLeaks, showed that Jake Sullivan, her top foreign policy adviser, called her a "big champion" of the deal and worried about how to handle the issue in the face of Senator Bernie Sanders' opposition. She later flip-flopped into opposition during the Democratic primaries against Mr Sanders. Mrs Clinton says she no longer backs the proposed trade deal as written because it does not provide enough protections for US workers on wages, jobs and the country's national security. Yet the final deal also includes some of the strongest labour protections of any US trade agreement. MR TRUMP: "Hillary Clinton wanted the (border) wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally it wasn't built." THE FACTS: He is partly right. As a senator from New York, Mrs Clinton did support the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which authorised the construction of hundreds of miles of fencing along the US-Mexico border. But it was built, contrary to Mr Trump's assertion. Nearly 700 miles of fencing was put in place during George Bush's second term and the beginning of Barack Obama's first term. The fencing is placed largely in urban areas along the nearly 2,000-mile frontier. It is not the type of solid wall that Mr Trump has pledged to construct at Mexico's expense. The fence has miles-long gaps and gates built in to allow landowners access to their property on the south side of the fencing. Immigrants have been known to go over and around the fence. DONALD TRUMP: Referring to a 2010 US-Russia treaty limiting both countries to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads, Mr Trump said, "They create warheads. We can't." The FACTS: Incorrect. The New START treaty, which Mr Trump called "Start Up", does not prevent either the US or Russia from building nuclear warheads. It restricts each country to a total of 1,550 warheads deployed on bombers, submarines and in underground silos and requires that this limit be reached by February 2018. Mr Trump also said that after the treaty was signed, "they expanded and we didn't". It is true that the Russians have increased the number of their deployed warheads to 1,796, and the US warhead total has dropped to 1,367. But it also is true that their total was far below that of the US when the treaty went into effect in 2010. New data published by the State Department this month showed that although Russia has added to its warhead total, its inventory of missile launchers, such as underground silos, has shrunk. Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, who closely tracks US and Russian strategic forces, says the rise in Russian deployed warheads is temporary and is to be followed by the retirement of older nuclear weapons so that Moscow gets under the treaty limits. "Russian compliance with the treaty by 2018 is not in doubt," he wrote recently. MR TRUMP: "She's lied hundreds of times to the people, to Congress, and to the FBI." THE FACTS: His claim about the FBI does not square with what FBI director James Comey has said publicly. At a July congressional hearing, two days after announcing that he was recommending against bringing charges against Mrs Clinton over her use of a private email server to handle sensitive information while secretary of state, Mr Comey said, "We have no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI." MR TRUMP: Under Hillary Clinton, "six billion (dollars) went missing" at the State Department. THE FACTS: Not quite. That figure is a distortion about a legitimate record-keeping concern. In 2014, the State Department's inspector general released an alert warning that the documentation for six billion dollars in State Department contracts was incomplete. But there is no reason to think that all occurred under Mrs Clinton. The inspector general, Steve Linnick, specifically disavowed the conclusion that the money went missing. MR TRUMP: "President Obama has moved millions of people out ... millions of people have been moved out of this country." THE FACTS: True. Mr Obama has overseen the deportation of more than 2.5 million immigrants since taking office in January 2009. During Mr Obama's first term hundreds of thousands of immigrants were deported annually, following a trend of increasing deportations started under George Bush. The administration set a record in 2014 when more than 409,000 people were sent home. During his second term, deportations have steadily declined as he has opted to focus immigration enforcement resources on finding and deporting serious criminals and those who pose a threat to national security or public safety. But Mr Trump also claims that "nobody knows about it, nobody talks about it" and that is far from the truth. Mr Obama has been dubbed "the deporter in chief" by immigration advocates and opponents of his immigration enforcement policies. MRS CLINTON: "I disagreed with the way the court applied the Second Amendment" in the District of Columbia vs Heller decision in 2008. "I was upset because unfortunately dozens of toddlers injure themselves and even kill people with guns ... But there's no doubt I respect the Second Amendment, that I believe there's an individual right to bear arms." THE FACTS: While Mrs Clinton emphasised the protection of children from gun accidents, the main holding in that case was far broader: that individuals have a right to own guns, at least in their homes and for self-defence. The case marked the first time the court said that individuals have a Second Amendment right to own a gun. The decision struck down Washington's ban on handgun ownership as well as a separate requirement that people who have other guns store them either with trigger locks or disassembled. The court said both provisions violated the Second Amendment. Reconstructed after the civil war, the army is the only totally non-sectarian force in the country. Its also the only institution that still works. Without it, conflict may yet have reignited Maybe its because I live in Lebanon, and return to Beirut from Aleppo and Damascus, that the place seems so normal. While all around this little jewel, the Middle East burns Syria, the occupied West Bank, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, increasingly Egypt and, alas, Turkish Kurdistan Lebanon glistens brightly in the darkness, largely untarnished by the horrors on the other side of its borders. Or so it seems. We might be forgiven for believing that this little paradise still exists in the Arab world. True, Lebanon has no president, no functioning government and constant power cuts (I currently have three electricity outages a day, sometimes totalling six hours, without a generator). Reading by candlelight might seem as romantic as Milton preferably without its physical effect on him but it gets a little boring after a while. True, the Syrian war has stained Lebanon. Mosque bombings, the attempted destruction of the Iranian embassy by suicide killers, the brief capture of the Lebanese town of Ersal by Isis and the beheading of Lebanese soldiers who were seized there, seemed to foreshadow a replay of the countrys old civil war. Hezbollah fighters from southern Lebanon receive military funerals when they are driven home by the dozen from the Syrian battlefields. Sunni and Alawite (Shia) gunmen have fought in the northern city of Tripoli. But the new Lebanese war didnt happen. I have a few pet theories about Lebanons survival. It has the most educated population in the Arab world and the most talented (in the literal sense of the word) people. Its own civil war, with its 150,000 dead a little common grave compared to Syria today taught the Lebanese that no one wins, although the Christian minority continued to hold the presidency and the Shia Hezbollah continued to keep their guns. For their own safety, tens of thousands of Lebanese children offspring of the middle classes and the elite, of course were sent abroad by their parents during the 1976-90 war. They lived in Geneva, Paris, London, New York. They studied at Oxford, Harvard and the Sorbonne. They grew into adulthood in Western nations where dignity and freedom were natural rights rather than privileges. They returned to their country appalled at its sectarianism, its corruption, the hatreds of the family zoama, the seigneurs who believe they have a blood-right to power. The returning children loathed the stigma of mixed marriages and their self-righteous priests. Good on them, I used to say. Theyve even forced the government to accept civil marriages to the meddlesome fury of both Muslim and Christian prelates. Yet the old traditions persist. I recall a Muslim friend whose son attended a British university and whom I would meet in the UK from time to time. He enjoyed his freedoms beer, girlfriends, the freedom to speak his mind but in his final term he asked his mother back in Beirut to find him a Muslim bride. I was saddened. He enjoyed the good life, and then wanted mummy to find him a teenage bride of the right religion. Almost every six months I encounter a Muslim or Christian friend whose parents threaten to disown them if they marry a man or woman from a different religion. Up in the Chouf mountains at Beit Eddine, I attended a conference on sectarianism at which a worthy Western academic suggested that the youth of Lebanon must be encouraged to marry whomever they love, whatever their religion. No, I said. Its their parents to whom they should preach. And what do you do about corruption? Its a cancer in the Middle East (and a lot of Western countries, I might add). I regularly meet with men and women who have dodgy backgrounds. Its part of my job as a journalist. They defrauded a bank, or have civil war blood on their hands, or are trying to smear a rival politician. I used to frequent a vegetable shop whose owner had murdered another man in a family feud. He kept a rifle beside the cauliflower stall. Last week, an internal security force officer used his service pistol to shoot his neighbours in the Kesrouan region over a dispute about their pit bull dogs. Banks which levy outrageous charges on current accounts threaten their customers. My own bank in Beirut (its charges are not outrageous and its owned by former prime minister Saad Hariri, of whom more later) used to send me a letter in which I was supposed to promise not to break US federal banking laws. The bank was so frightened of US money-laundering threats if a bank cant deal in dollars, its out of business that it went on sending me this wretched note year after year until I sent them a lawyers letter which told them that they had no legal right to make this demand of a British citizen. At which point, the whole fandango immediately came to an end. Every few years, the government commences an anti-corruption drive in which civil servants immediately refuse to take bribes (for a few weeks) to avoid being fired. But then what happens? Quite a while back, my landlord captured this nonsense rather well. When his phone line was cut in the past, the PTT man came right away. He received a few Lebanese pounds for his work and the line was fixed. Now when my phone line is cut, my landlord moaned, the PTT man wont fix the line because hes not allowed to take a gift. How do I get my phone back? Corruption, even small scale, oils the wheels. But what is Lebanon to do with Sister Syria next door? Its calculated that $10bn of Syrian money lies in Lebanese banks, apartment blocks, investments and cash. You can imagine how the Americans whove put around 80 Syrians on their economic blacklist might roar with outrage at this statement. But its true. And thanks to the Middle Easts former colonial masters (French, of course) who broke Lebanon off from Syria, many Lebanese families are also Syrian families this might apply to about a third of the population of Tripoli, Lebanons northern city and many of these Lebanese also hold US citizenship and are, of course, perfectly entitled to hold accounts in Lebanese banks. And if they withdraw it and spend the money in Damascus, who is to know? There is thank God, say all the Lebanese the army. Reconstructed after the civil war, its the only totally non-sectarian force in the country. Its also the only institution that still works. Without it, that civil war may yet have reignited Lebanon. The Saudis were going to pay for its rearmament three billion dollars worth, the weapons to come from King Salmans chum Francois Hollande. But when the Saudis were angered by the Shia Hezbollahs attacks on the Kingdom, they pulled the plug and so Lebanese soldiers are still protecting their nation with old British SLR rifles once used in Belfast and outdated Humvees and even more outdated Huey helicopters of Vietnam vintage. In the absence of a president, the most powerful man in Lebanon is General Abbas Ibrahim, head of the countrys internal security, a Shiite who is a good friend of Qatar he has helped to negotiate the release of soldiers and nuns who were held captive by the Islamist Nusrah group and a brave (some might say foolhardy) man. Whenever I see him (the last time was in Qatar) I always tell him to take care of his life because I fear he is the most endangered species in Lebanon: a very brave man whom an awful lot of people would like to kill. If he is vain (as his critics claim), he is also courageous. When he was the senior army intelligence officer in southern Lebanon, it was his duty to maintain contact with all armed groups in the area. He would walk, at night, alone and unarmed, into the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian camp to talk to members of Osama bin Ladens al-Qaeda. He deserves to survive. So does Lebanon. But in the very latest bit of roguery to appal the Lebanese, it looks as if ex-General Michel Aoun might at last achieve his ambition of becoming president of Lebanon. Aoun was the Lebanese army general who in 1990 thought he was the president and went to war with the Syrian army. After hundreds of his soldiers were martyred by the Syrian army (and quite a few hundred Syrians martyred in a minefield by the Lebanese army), Aoun fled to the French embassy, set off to Paris in self-exile and then returned triumphantly to Lebanon to become (wait for it) a friend of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and his Hezbollah allies. Quite a lot of Lebanese thought he was completely crackers. None was more infuriated than Saad Hariri (yes, the owner of my bank), the former Sunni prime minister whose own ex-prime minister father Rafiq was assassinated so Saad believed by Syrian security personnel in 2005. Saad could not stand the sight of Aoun. He raged at his words. But now, to the shock of Lebanese Sunnis, Hariri is declaring himself (after visits to France and Saudi Arabia) in favour of Aouns presidency. In other words, Hariri is cosying up to support a man who is an ally of the regime which he believes murdered his father. Could this possibly be because Saad wants to become prime minister again even Aouns prime minister? In Lebanon, the president must be a Christian Maronite, the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker of parliament a Shia. But the Shia speaker of parliament is Nabih Berri who says he will not tolerate Aoun as president. So do at least 13 of Hariris own top party supporters. Its sectarianism again; the system in which every Lebanese Christian and Sunni and Shia Muslim lives in mutual love, suspicion and fear of each other, love always trumping fear if the people dont want another civil war. Politely, this is called the National Pact. And thats why Lebanon will always be a nation-in-waiting. To be a modern state, Lebanon must de-confessionalise so that anyone, whatever his religion, can be president or prime minister. But if you de-sectarianise Lebanon, it ceases to exist. For the identity of Lebanon is sectarian. Its a Rolls Royce with leather seats, flat screen TV in the back, a cocktail cabinet but square wheels. Beautiful, luxurious, coveted, it doesnt work. But thank God its got the Lebanese people. Which is why Lebanon will survive. Its people have what so few Arabs enjoy: relative freedom, education, a love of books (real books outnumbered e-books at the last Beirut book fair) and an abiding belief in their history: Roman ruins, Crusader castles, ancient mosques, the Phoenician love of travel and adventure (which is why the national airline is always packed, even if does show advertisements for medical facelifts). The Lebanese are their own heroes. StartPage.com has informed Yahoo that it will drop Yahoo search results from its metasearch platform Ixquick.eu by the end of the month. CEO Robert Beens predicts that while his company is the first to part ways with Yahoo, others will likely follow. Mr Beens said: "We are not the only ones disturbed by Yahoos lack of openness about major privacy violations, said Beens, commenting on recent news. "Even though Ixquick.eu cant be affected by Yahoos government ties because of our strict privacy protections and our location outside US jurisdiction, we no longer feel comfortable partnering with them." It wasnt until late this past August that Yahoo admitted to a 2014 breach in which email addresses, passwords, and birthdates for over 500 million users were stolen. Then in early October, Yahoo was confronted for secretly aiding the US government in spying on its users email, whether those users were accused of wrongdoing or not. The digital rights group Fight for the Future has now launched a Dump Yahoo campaign urging users to delete their Yahoo accounts. Read more Read More "Yahoo has made it easy to walk away,"said Beens. "Most of our users have already switched to our flagship private search engine StartPage.com for superior search results. Beens said StartPage.com has become so popular because it delivers the best of two worlds: Google search results, and StartPages own privacy safeguards. "StartPage doesn't collect any personal data, like IP addresses, and doesn't pass on any personal data to third parties, including Google, Beens said. This way users get Web results from the most popular search engine with protection from the world's most private search engine." Another reason for StartPages popularity is its location in the Netherlands. The search engine is not subject to US laws like the Patriot Act, and cannot be forced to comply with US dragnet surveillance programs, like PRISM. "The Yahoo scandal illustrates why being based outside US jurisdiction is so important to our customers, said Beens. People who care about privacy know that its very hard to trust US Internet companies with their data because the government can force them to spy on customers." There has already been discontent among users of Yahoos major search partners DuckDuckGo and Firefox, and recently DuckDuckGo removed references to its partnership with Yahoo. A spokesperson for Yahoo said: "Yahoo does not have a partnership with StartPage and we have never had a formal relationship with the company." However in response Liz McIntyre, spokesperson for StartPage and Ixquick private search engines, told the Belfast Telegraph: "We DID have a signed contract with Yahoo to display search results at our metasearch sister search engine at http://www.ixquick.eu until we cancelled it. Technically, the contract was signed by Surfboard Holding BV (Surfboard Holding BV owns StartPage and Ixquick.) We cancelled it. Ms McIntyre added: "I'm sure Yahoo is very aware of its now defunct StartPage/Ixquick relationship. If Yahoo truly isn't aware of the contractual relationship, especially after all the recent media, they have far greater problems than we thought. "Or maybe they are being inundated with partnership cancellation requests and can't keep everything straight? " YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. On October 20, 2016, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the leadership of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the direction of the Hadrut region, near the settlement of Ashaghi Abdurahmanli, press service of the NKR MFA told Armenpress. From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Irzhi Aberle (Czech Republic), staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Peter Svedberg (Sweden), and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Major Christian Hirsch (Austria). From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria), Personal Assistant of the CiO Personal Representative Simon Tiller (Great Britain), and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Nepokritikh (Russia). The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the ceasefire regime was registered. From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense. 40K: SN Gorgeous No Retreat 3 Tourney 3 Minute Read Advertisement SN Battle Reports is back with a tournament rundown with so many stunning minis and tables you need to see. WOW! Just when we thought it couldnt get any better! The Tournament Rundown Just finished wrapping up our third No Retreat here at SN and we are lost for words.They just keep getting bigger and better. Up to a comfortable 36 players this time around and once again the Europa Retreat Centre proving the ideal location for such an event. Overall a huge success once again, more so than before. This time attracting players not only from the England and Spain, but also from Sweden, Ireland and Luxembourg! Some new celebrities as well as some more familiar faces including guys from Scattered Dice, Tabletop Tactics, Siege Studios, Greetings from the Warp, Geeks40k, Aceface and Andy Wardle himself! The (in)famous No Retreat reigning champion, The Spider, Lawrence Baker from Tabletop tactics returned once again to defend his title. He manages to do so yet again with his Dark Eldar, despite the higher standards in competition. Following our format from previous No Retreats, the event was held over two days with each player having 5 games, three on the Saturday and the remaining two on the Sunday. Army composition rules remained more or less the same. In short,1750pts, strict WYSIWYG, and a high level of painting across all the armies including basing of models. ITC FAQ and rules enforced. Although we believe that there will always be room for improvement, the current rules have proved to make for some fluffier armies with mostly pleasant themes ensuring that the event as a whole really stays true to the hobby and remains fun for all. Some fun awards again (maybe for the last time) including the Spoon, last place, and the Spork for cheesiest army. SNs very own Nick did us proud again and took home the spork where as Ethan just about missed the spoon by one place (Harlequins Ethan?! Really?) which was taken by Javier and his beautifully painted Tau. As always we held a painting competition although this time was a little different. We had the absolute pleasure of having Andy Wardle help us choose the winners! A big thanks to all of our sponsors for helping us make it all possible. Escenorama, Atomic Terrain, Hazard Manufacture, GAMEMAT.eu and Wargame Terrain Factory are to thank for the terrain filling an amazing 18 stunning tables. For the prizes, we have; Element Games Wargaming Webstore, Bandau Wargames and E-minis to thank for generously helping us out. Saccone and Speed graciously gave us a hand with all the drinks, and obviously another thanks to the Retreat Centre for providing us with the perfect venue. Advertisement Last but by no means least, we would like to send out a huge, HUGE thanks to all those who participated and followed us throughout the weekend. We love what we do and do it for the hobby as well as hobbyist. It means the world to us to see our passion reciprocated in such force. It wouldnt be possible without you guys. No Retreat 3 Tournament Awards 1st Lawrence Baker (England) (Tabletop Tactics) Dark Eldar (Yes, he successfully defended his titleagain!) 2nd Chema Triguero Morilla (Spain) Chaos Daemons 3rd Yannick Fuchs (Luxemburg) Dark Angels The Silver Spoon: Javier Martinez de las Heras (Spain) Tau Empire Players Player Award: Richard Hope (England) (Geeks40k) Space Marines Players Award for Best Army: John Causton (England) Craftworld Eldar Cheesiest Army (the Silver Spork): Nick Rodriguez (Gibraltar) (SN) Craftworld Eldar (Title Defended!) Subscribe to our newsletter! Get Tabletop, RPG & Pop Culture news delivered directly to your inbox. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy SN Awards: Javier Martinez de las Heras (Spain) Tau Empire Jamie Robson (England) (Tabletop Tactics) Space Marines Matthew Marlow (England) (Greetings of the Warp) Space Marines John Causton (England) Craftworld Eldar Fredrik Carrasco (Sweden) Elysian Drop Troops Andy Wardle (England) Space Marines No Retreat Painting Competition Best Painted Single Miniature: John Causton (England) Best Painted Monstrous Creature: Javier Martinez de las Heras (Spain) Best Painted Unit: James Froggat (England) Best Painted Vehicle: John Causton (England) Advertisement Miniatures From the Event Author: Steven Pardo Steven is a Gibraltar-based veteran tabletop wargamer with over 10 years of experience. He is the man behind SN Battle Reports. His specialty is organizing Warhammer 40K narrative events. He began writing for BoLS in 2015. Advertisement Read the Comments (24) YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia told "Armenpress" on October 20 the USD exchange rate was 475.30 AMD which is a decrease of 0.03 drams compared to the previous day. The Euro decreased by 1.46 drams forming 521.26 drams. British pound dropped by 0.60 drams forming 583.53 drams, Russian ruble remained unchanged 7.61 drams on October 20 compared to the previous day. The prices for precious metals are as follows: the price for silver per gram is 270.33 AMD, gold-19.392.67 AMD, and platinum-14.394.94 AMD. Relatives of victims of missing people in Bangladesh form a human chain outside the press club in Dhaka to call for an end to enforced disappearances, killings and abductions, Dec. 9, 2014. Window maker Amir Hossain has been loitering for days outside the Bangladeshi police detective branch (DB) office in Dhaka, hoping to find out what happened to his brother who was taken into custody by officers on Oct. 8, he said. His 22-year-old brother Arif was last seen being taken away in the Saat Rawza section of Dhaka on Oct. 8, but Hossain said police had not given him any answers on his siblings whereabouts. His brother is among dozens of Bangladeshis who are reported to have gone missing this year and are unaccounted for after allegedly being seen in the custody of law enforcers. I do not know what happened to him. We do not know what crime he has committed, Hossain told BenarNews tearfully. If he committed a crime, he should be sent to the court. Bangladesh is notorious for so-called enforced disappearances, cases in which people allegedly vanish at the hands of police or members of other security services and often are never seen again. Victims of such disappearances come from all walks of life, but the political opposition accuses the ruling Awami League party of targeting many of its activists and officials through enforced disappearances, allegations which government representatives strongly deny. Now, a leading Bangladeshi human rights organization, Ain-O-Salish Kendra (ASK), said the number of enforced disappearances has grown nationwide this year. At least 70 people vanished through enforced disappearances between January and July 2016, compared with 55 who disappeared in this way throughout 2015, according to data compiled by ASK. We have investigated many cases of disappearance and found these to be true. Disappearance is in no way accepted in any civilized society. It must stop immediately, ASK Executive Director Nur Khan told BenarNews. From all walks Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, an opposition-backed lawyer who has defended Bangladeshi war criminals, said the missing people include sons of three prominent opposition leaders who were convicted over crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Two of these leaders, Mir Qasem Ali and Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, were executed for war crimes. Some plainclothesmen go to the houses or obstruct the vehicles, and whisk away people without any warrant order or even without showing their identity cards. When families contact them, the police or RAB [Rapid Action Battalion] simply say we have not arrested them, the lawyer told BenarNews. You see people from all walks, from a Supreme Court barrister to day laborers, who are the victims of forced disappearance, he said. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the main opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), alleged that hundreds of our leaders and activists have been missing for months and even years since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took office in 2009. The Awami League has been pursuing the policy of abduction of [members of] the opposition to establish an authoritarian rule in the country, Alamgir told BenarNews. Government denials Police and government officials flatly reject such allegations. We do not believe in abducting anyone. Our law enforcers have been discharging their duties sincerely. The allegation of pursuing a policy of forced disappearance is completely baseless, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told BenarNews He was responding to the BNPs allegation that law enforcers had kidnapped Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, Mir Ahmed Qasem Arman, and Hummam Quader Chowdhury, the three sons of the aforementioned high-profile war criminals. In many instances, we have investigated the cases of forced disappearance and detected that they willingly went into hiding to embarrass the government internationally, the home minister added. And, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Masudur Rahman, criminal groups could have abducted Azmi, Arman and Chowdhury. In the past, we have arrested criminals impersonating police and DB personnel, he told BenarNews. Referring to some two dozen people, including Amir Hossain, who were hanging around the DB office this week, Rahman added, We do not know why these people have been waiting here. We have not unlawfully detained anyone. If we detain anyone, we produce them before the court in accordance with the law, Rahman told BenarNews. But as Kazi Rezaul Hoque, chairman of the autonomous National Human Rights Commission, sees it, law enforcement officials and authorities should not shrug off their responsibility to find out what happened to all those missing people. Even if criminals abducted the people, the law enforcers must find them out because they are there to protect the citizens, Hoque told BenarNews. Dodi Suridi gestures as he leaves a courtroom at the West Jakarta District courthouse after being sentenced to 10 years for his role in the Jan. 14 terror attack in Jakarta, Oct. 20, 2016. An Indonesian court on Thursday convicted and handed jail terms to the first two suspects prosecuted in connection with a deadly terrorist attack in Jakarta nine months ago. Dodi Suridi, 23, who was accused of supplying parts for and helping assemble one of the bombs used in the Jan. 14 attack claimed by Islamic State (IS), was sentenced to 10 years for violating Indonesias anti-terrorism laws. The defendant is proven guilty for conspiring to commit terrorism and providing material support for terrorism, ruled Judge Ahmad Fauzi who presided over the trial held at West Jakarta District Court. Ali Hamka, 48, who had been arrested a month before the attack but was linked to the suspects, received a four-year term for serving as a middle-man. The plot resulted in the deaths of eight people in central Jakarta, including the four men who carried it out. At least 40 people have been taken into custody for alleged links to the first act of terror claimed by IS on Indonesian soil. The two men were sentenced the same day that Indonesian police shot and killed a suspected supporter of IS, after the knife-wielding man injured three police officers and threw pipe bombs that did not explode during an attack in Tangerang, a satellite city of Jakarta, according to reports. A police spokesman said the attacker stuck an Islamic State (IS) sticker on a traffic post before attacking the officers. IS, through its Amaq News Agency, claimed responsibility for Thursdays attack, according to SITE Intelligence, a U.S.-based group that monitors extremist communications online. Its the risk I have to take Dodi was arrested the day after the Jakarta attack in Orimalang village, West Java province. Prosecutors said he was responsible for buying a gas canister and turning it into a casing for a bomb that exploded near a police post during the attack. The defendant was informed that the gas canister would be used as a bomb casing, and he still followed the order, the judge said. That order came from Adi Wijaya on Jan. 7, prosecutors allege. The men met on the social media site Telegram. Investigators determined that Adi had been in touch with Muhammad Ali, 40, one of the militants who was killed during the attack. The trial revealed that they met several times before the attack. Prosecutors claim that Ali ordered Dodi to pick up pipes to make the bomb in Tegal, West Java, in December 2015. Both men attended a meeting in Tegal a month before launching the attack. Leaving the courtroom, Dodi said he accepted the ruling. Its the risk I have to take for being a terrorist. I accept the sentence, he said, then shouted, Allahu Akbar! Gun Supplier Ali Hamka was arrested by Densus 88, the national anti-terror squad, in December in Sumedang, West Java. He was charged with serving as a middleman between Muhammad Ali and gun supplier Dadang Kumis. Muhammad Ali failed to purchase guns from Dadang in September 2015, but the judges determined that Ali Hamka was guilty of conspiring to commit terrorism and providing material support for terrorism. He knew gun possession by members of the public is strictly prohibited in this country, but he still carried out his attempt, Judge Maha Nikmah said. While the sentence was shorter than the six years sought by prosecutors, Ali Hamka said he was considering whether to appeal. I have to carefully think about it, he said. He has one week to challenge the sentence. JAT leader The trial revealed that Ali Hamka is a leader of Indramayu chapter of Jamaah Ansorut Tauhid (JAT), an extremist group led by Abu Bakar Bashir, the radical Islamic cleric who recently lost an appeal against his 2011 conviction for financing a militant training camp. As the chapter leader, Ali Hamka was responsible for recruiting new members and he aided the Eastern Indonesia Mujahiddin (MIT), a militant group that pledged allegiance to IS. He sent his son, Musa Al Kosam, to Poso, Central Sulawesi, to help MIT militants. His affiliation with a terrorist organization is another attempt of conspiring to commit terrorism and providing material support for terrorism, the judge said. Earlier this month, an East Jakarta court sentenced Arif Hidayatullah, a top deputy of Bahrun Naim, to six years in prison. Bahrun, an Indonesian national who is in Syria fighting for IS, is considered the mastermind of the Jakarta terror attack. Indonesia is closely monitoring nearly 50 citizens who have returned from combat stints with the Islamic State (IS) group in the Middle East, but the lack of a tough anti-terror law makes it hard for authorities to arrest them, officials said. Forty-seven IS fighters from Indonesia are under surveillance back home but they cannot be prosecuted under the countrys present laws for supporting or traveling abroad to join a foreign-based militant group such as IS, Indonesian counter-terror officials said. Authorities can arrest people only if they have evidence that they are planning terrorist attacks, according to officials. Now, the Indonesian parliament is considering a bill to revise the countrys 2003 anti-terrorism law to give police greater enforcement powers against suspected militants in halting potential attacks. IS claimed responsibility for an attack in central Jakarta that killed eight people in January, including the four suspected attackers, and officials have been warning that citizens returning from combat tours with IS could plot more attacks on home soil. We are only able to monitor them. We do not have the legal framework for further action, Inspector Gen. Arif Darmawan, deputy head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), told BenarNews. Meanwhile, Muhammad Syafii, who chairs a special parliamentary committee revising the antiterrorism law, said his committee was still gathering testimony from interested parties. He acknowledged that the ongoing discussions meant that the committees work would be delayed. We may be able to finish it in 2017, he told BenarNews. They can evade our detection Based on international intelligence reports, 47 IS combatants who are believed to have the skill to carry out attacks have returned to Indonesia, BNPT officials said. As of August, according to the agency, 237 Indonesian adults and 46 children were living in Syria. Additionally, 67 Indonesian citizens have been declared dead in Syria and 283 citizens who tried to enter Syria illegally were expelled by other countries back to Indonesia. National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian expressed concern about the nearly four dozen who have been identified as former IS combatants and who have returned to Indonesia. We are getting in touch with them but they can evade our detection. We believe they are organizing secretly and building interactions with other (radical) networks, Tito told the Reuters news agency this week. The dangerous ones But, according to one security experts reading, the public need not be concerned about the activities of the 47 IS veterans under surveillance. As they are already detected, we have no need to worry. They just need to be monitored. The government has their data, their names and addresses, Ridlwan Habib, a terrorism analyst from the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, told BenarNews. The real concern, he said, is those who have returned to Indonesia but have not detected by the government. Ridlwan explained that they enter Indonesia through several ways, such as pretending to be Hajj pilgrims returning home or by using false passports. Those who returned alone are the dangerous ones and have to be watched because their whereabouts are not known. They have the ability to build new networks that are not detected, he said. Harits Abu Ulya, a terrorism expert with the Community of Ideological Islamic Analysts (CIIA), said the assumption that former IS combatants would return to Indonesia is not accurate because, in his view, the militant groups followers would not want to go back to their countries of origin. That is, if they reach their destination, for example Syria, for them is a glory to live and die in that place. They will be completely dedicated to the IS, he said in a statement to BenarNews. Suspected followers of IS who have returned to Indonesia have done so because they were deported, or they no longer share the common ideology with IS, Harits said. Most were arrested before arriving in Syria, he said, pointing out there were stopped before leaving the country or were caught in Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan, Hong Kong or Turkey. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Esdward Nalbandian received the participants of the 8th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists from 27 countries. Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan was present at the meeting. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, Edward Nalbandian presented the diplomatic priorities of Armenia, particularly the leading role of Armenia in the mission of Genocide condemnation and prevention of new crimes and detailed on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process. The Minister also touched upon the situation in the Middle East, Syrian crisis and the assistance rendered to Syrian-Armenians. Referring to Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Minister Nalbandian said, I have mentioned about this in the past, but after getting acquainted to the recent announcements from Baku, I have to reiterate that Azerbaijanis have lost the sense of reality. They have lost it to such an extent that they try to deliver the myths created by themselves for their domestic audience to the international community. Baku insists that it is ready to mutual concessions. How much is the size of the concessions according to Baku? Ensuring Nagorno Karabakhs security? As they suggest, or the peaceful co-existence between the two peoples? This is more like a threat but not a concession. If you do not do what we say, there will be no peace. Granting autonomy? Azerbaijan has had no control over Nagorno Karabakh since the collapse of the Soviet Union, let alone now. And now it suggests autonomy under its control and presents it as a concession? This means that it offers something as a concession while Artsakh has much more today. The Azerbaijani leadership announced recently that the proposals of the Co-chairs go in conformity with theirs. But only a day before these announcements the Azerbaijani president confessed that he is pressured by the international community to recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh, but he resists. If the stances are in harmony, Azerbaijan should recognize the independence of Artsakh instead of resisting Edward Nalbandian said, adding that the heads of the Co-chair countries have expressed their positions in the 5 famous statements. If these positions are in conformity with those of Azerbaijan, why does Azerbaijan do everything to avoid taking the set of principles enshrined in the statements as basis for negotiations and even disdains making references to them like it happened during the Riga summit of the Eastern Partnership, from where the Azerbaijani delegation simply fled? the Foreign Minister said. The Foreign Minister of Armenia also brought numerous examples of Azerbaijani frauds and myths about freedoms in their countries that after some time were put under serious doubts by reputable international organizations. During the Sept. 27 Berkeley Soil & Water Conservation meeting, the group's District Land Services Specialist Nick Yoder apprised colleagues of the efforts to add a beehive and other additions to the rear outdoor area of The House of Smiles at 215 Carolina Avenue in Downtown Moncks Corner. Read moreOperation beehive: Local stakeholders hoping to spruce up child care recreation area A bid from Pulte Homes to rezone and add 465 residences and possibly a school near Sandy Run Creek on Jedburg Road wasn't met with open arms at a Oct. 26 community meeting on the part of local homeowners seeking to preserve the area's rural characteristics. Read moreJedburg Road residents tell Pulte Homes: 'Keep it rural' ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 20, ARTSAKHPRESS: All sides have agreed to draw up a roadmap by the end of November on how to implement the Minsk peace deal. Mrs Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Francois Hollande also discussed Syria. The German leader said she and Mr Hollande had a "difficult conversation" with Mr Putin. Both condemned Syrian and Russian air strikes on Aleppo. The Ukraine discussions took place against a backdrop of tensions elevated by Russia's military backing for the Syrian regime - and a bombing campaign in Aleppo which the European Union has warned could amount to war crimes. A blizzard of telephone diplomacy over the past week - when Mr Putin postponed a visit to France over a row about Syria - is said to have resulted in Wednesday night's meeting, which attracted several protest groups outside. The 2015 Minsk agreement eased fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country, but violence frequently flares along a demarcation line. Speaking after the Berlin talks, President Poroshenko said all sides had agreed that a road map would be drawn by the end of November on how to implement the 2015 agreement and also protocols reached in 2014. He also said Russia had agreed with a proposal to allow the deployment of an armed police mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. President Putin has made no official comments on the issue. Ukraine, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia has supplied the rebels with heavy weapons and regular troops. Russia denies that, but it is hostile to the Kiev government and openly supports the rebel cause. In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula - a move condemned by Kiev and the West. The last four-way meeting in the so-called Normandy Format took place in Paris in October 2015. Mrs Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters to limit their expectations to a "brutally honest assessment of the situation" in Ukraine, while Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov agreed that "obstacles" to implementing the Minsk accord should be identified. Meanwhile, President Petro Poroshenko said he was not optimistic about the negotiations over the conflict, which has claimed nearly 10,000 lives since it erupted in 2014. He will leave the table when what Mr Seibert termed the "catastrophic situation" in Syria is raised. The statement, which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made speaking to Rossiya Segodnyaa news agency owned and operated by the Russian governmentruns contrary to the rhetoric of the defense minister of Azerbaijan. October 20, 2016, 10:11 Thomas de Waal: Azerbaijan presidents statement on Karabakh is contrary to defense ministers rhetoric STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 20, ARTSAKHPRESS: Thomas de Waal, a senior associate at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment, and who specializes primarily in the South Caucasus region expressed such a view,as NEWS.am reports, Vesti.Az news agency informed. He said the concept of raising the status of the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (province) to that of an autonomous republic was already discussed in 1988, but it was rejected, and it is hard to imagine that this is more acceptable now. The British analyst added that the moderate tone of the Azerbaijani presidents speech is more impressive than its content. De Waal concluded that, even though it is good that Aliyev recognizes the rights of Karabakh Armenians, this is contrary to the rhetoric of the defense minister of Azerbaijan. Ilham Aliyev had stated about his willingness to give an autonomy status to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh); the latter, however, characterized this statement as ridiculous and pitiful. First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a NAIROBI, Kenya - At a recent press conference, the CEO of the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI), George Otieno, along with Dina Mufti, the Ethiopian Ambassador and Gabriel Negatu, regional director, African Development Bank, announced that it is ready to begin covering transactions in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Image by 123RF After a year-long process that was supported with funds from the African Development Bank, both countries are now members. The announcement will give investors crucial comfort to start or continue doing business in these countries. ATI was established in 2001 by African governments and a range of other shareholders to ease the concerns of investors by providing a range of investment and political risk insurance products. In the case of Ethiopia, one of Africas fastest growing economies, ATI will help the country maintain its status as one of Africas biggest economic success stories. The $66 billion economy has been expanding as much as 10.3% annually over recent years, according to the International Monetary Fund, with a dip to 6.5% last year due to drought. Ethiopia has also been successful in attracting large manufacturers such as Unilever NV, Diageo Plc and Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) and has taken the lead in export of agricultural products. For Zimbabwe, membership in ATI would give a boost to the countrys quest to attract foreign direct investments. I have no doubt that our membership will contribute to Zimbabwes current efforts to reduce the cost of doing business by making political risk and credit insurance, as well as non-payment and FDI cover readily available to exporters, importers and investors, noted Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha. He also noted that his office had been inundated with inquiries from the private sector and potential investors on how they could access ATIs insurance services. The African Development Bank is pleased to have financed Ethiopia and Zimbabwes membership into ATI. The affiliation with ATI will attract prospective investors with additional guarantees to participate in the priority areas of powering and lighting, feeding, industrialising and integrating both countries. It will also help improve the livelihood of millions of Ethiopians and Zimbabweans, noted Negatu. Project pipeline In both countries, ATI has a current project pipeline estimated at over one billion USD, which is expected to double in the short-term based on existing demand for its products. Prospective projects include a 400 MW solar energy plant in Ethiopia that would contribute to the countrys carbon neutral growth plan to improve the living conditions of its citizens. And in Zimbabwe, ATI is considering a line of credit targeting commercial banks that will allow them to increase their lending volumes. I believe our entry into Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, particularly at this time, sends a powerful message to investors. Our presence signals that both countries are open for business because we are standing beside them as a credible and internationally-respected insurer with an A rating from S&P. This should be positive news to anyone interested in doing business in the either country, noted Otieno. ATI provides political, investment and trade credit risk insurance and surety bonds to clients doing business in its member countries. The products are created to help countries attract more investments and to promote domestic trade by providing insurance that mitigates against sovereign risks and specifically, currency inconvertibility and exchange transfer, expropriation, trade embargoes, non-honouring of contracts and payment default risks among others. *Companies and investors interested in learning more about ATIs products and services can send an enquiry to . High ranking political leaders from different countries have offered their support to the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group, established to mediate between the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. October 20, 2016, 12:04 High ranking political leaders from different countries offered support to OSCE Minsk Group - Andrzej Kasprzyk STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 20, ARTSAKHPRESS: Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office said in an interview with Azernews newspaper. With regards to criticism in the address of the OSCE MG, Kasprzyk said co-chairs are informed in detail about the developments around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Chairmanship of the OSCE is paying constant attention and is informed in detail about developments. The Chairperson-in-Office, Dr Steinmeier, visited the region and the resolution of the conflict was high on the agenda of his trip. The CiO and other high ranking political leaders from different countries have offered their support to the activity of the MG, he said in an e-mail, further mentioning that the conflict is a frequent subject of public debate in other international organizations besides the OSCE. Kasprzyk emphasized that the co-chairs are involved in this mediation activity on a daily basis. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years. Kasprzyk, commenting on the armistice between the sides on the frontline, said that his office follows the situation on a daily basis. According to information obtained and from our own observations, from the end of May 2016 the situation along the front lines has been relatively stable, though there were still reports about ceasefire violations and, regrettably, recently about casualties. Every casualty is a tragedy and causes grief and sorrow for the family and friends of the deceased. I share these sorrows, he said , adding that the ceasefire will only hold based on the political will of the parties. Finally, I would like to stress that the monitoring exercises are not investigations, nor are they a peacekeeping measure. They provide a snapshot, an effective and consistent way of accessing information regarding the situation on the ground. With the support of the sides, we will continue our activity, he continued. At a school located roughly 25 km north-west of Abidjan, representatives from Merck, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ivory Coast's ministry of health announced the launch of a praziquantel tablet distribution programme to fight schistosomiasis in the country. At a celebration of the pharmaceutical companys donation of its 50 millionth tablet to the WHO held at the primary school in the village of Attinguie, representatives of the Ministry of Health of Ivory Coast and the British Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) administered tablets to the children. Depending on their height, the children receive between one and five tablets. Furthermore, the teachers explained to them the causes of the tropical worm disease. For this purpose, Merck has donated a total of 20,000 educational booklets to WHO for Ivory Coast. Mercks engagement in fighting schistosomiasis dates back to 2007 and involves 35 countries in Africa. More than 100m patients, primarily school children, have been treated to date. We are committed to further donating up to 250m tablets annually until this devastating disease has been eliminated, explained Belen Garijo, member of the Merck executive board and CEO healthcare. According to WHO, almost 20% of the Ivory Coast population requires treatment. To date, the development agency, USAID and SCI have supported the government of Ivory Coast in its fight against schistosomiasis. As a member of the Global Schistosomiasis Alliance, Consequently, Ivory Coast is benefiting for the first time from the partnership between Merck and WHO. For 2017, Merck will provide WHO with 6,5m tablets for the West African country. Schistosomiasis affects an estimated 260m people worldwide. The infection rate is especially high among children, and the consequences are serious. A seismic shift is taking place in our industry and adjustments are being made as the tremors grow louder and more frequent. Those at the forefront are mobilising to ensure that when the full quake comes they will be 100% ready. Others aren't even sure that anything's happening at all. I watched, listened and read with fascination Googles new announcements - hardware releases, new comfort-based designs and a rather interesting shift in the way search might be used. Google knows that the little box we type our every thought into wont continue in this form forever and they want to make sure that when it changes theyll remain the just google it of our lives. I pulled this quote from one of the more interesting articles I read: Artificial intelligence comes first. In that world you must own the interaction point, and there is no room for ads, rendering both Googles distribution and business model moot. Both must change for the companys technological advantage to come to the fore. This really caught my attention. Google has many brilliant minds working to ensure it is who it is and operates at optimal pressures for both consumers and its own financial well-being. Clearly the big brain is running full-steam ahead into a sector that, as of yet, has no clear rules, no dominators, no concrete advertising formats and no specific advertising revenue model. This should be a very big wake-up call for our media industry. How will we plan and, of course, show ROI in line with metrics that arent yet accepted as robust. Where will the audited data come from and how will we serve the inventory, if you can even call it that? There is no doubt in my mind that this is the future. History has always proved that consumers tell us what they want and its up to brands to listen and adapt or see an uncomfortable and sometimes agonisingly slow demise. We need to listen carefully right now as things are changing quickly and those in the know, like our friends at Google, are going to come out trumps. We need to carefully assess these changes in line with our current media agency models and, of course, expectations and commitments to our clients. How do we complement the science of perfect, channel-specific communications and measurement with immersive experiences that might not resemble an ad at all, more something that provides texture or sensory enablement knitted perfectly into a consumer journey? Those that choose to focus on the current landscape and trajectory of things are those who could be wiping away tears in the not too distant future. Ben Thomson from Stratechery.com says, We can be both impressed by Googles strategic thinking and, yes, courage in facing this new epoch, even as we are a bit bearish about their prospects: technology alone is rarely enough, and the only thing more difficult than changing business models is changing cultures. It takes a while to turn around a super-tanker but its sure worth it. The digital environment is getting more complex by the minute and sitting idle while it breaks down doors and carves an unexpected path is definitely not a good idea. We need to listen and implement steps now to ensure we are the media agencies of the future. About Carat Carats mission is to Redefine Media. Carat creates better business outcomes for clients through its command of media convergence. Established in 1968 as the worlds first media agency, Carat is part of the Dentsu Aegis Network, the global communications network Innovating the Way Brands Are Built. Consistently at the top of RECMAs Global Qualitative Evaluation ranking, Carat serves clients in 150 countries via a network of more than 9,000 talented staff. For more information visit Carat.com or follow @CaratGlobal. About Dentsu Aegis Network Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of eight global network brands - Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands including Amnet, Amplifi, Data2Decisions, Mitchell Communications (PR), psLIVE and 360i. Dentsu Aegis Network is Innovating the Way Brands Are Built for its clients through its best-in-class expertise and capabilities in media, digital and creative communications services. Offering a distinctive and innovative range of products and services, Dentsu Aegis Network is headquartered in London and operates in 123 countries worldwide with over 27,000 dedicated specialists. www.dentsuaegisnetwork.com The face of business is changing and in keeping with that change Times Media has redesigned its main print products and recently launched BusinessLIVE, a website that consolidates content, business and financial audiences. Both were launched to the media and stakeholders recently in Johannesburg at the Venue in Melrose Arch. The site, www.businesslive.co.za, incorporates Business Day, Financial Mail, Business Times, Investors Monthly, Rand Daily Mail, BDTV and Wanted Online, as well as exclusive syndicated content from the Financial Times, access to the Morningstar financial tools and data platform, and full access to the The Wall Street Journal website WSJ.com, via the paid-content section of the site, BL Premium. The majority of content on BusinessLIVE will remain free, while the best comment, opinion and analysis writing from Times Medias titles will be placed in the paid-content section of the site, BL Premium. The BL Premium will also house the exclusive content from FT.com, Morningstar and WSJ.com. Ray Hartley, former Sunday Times and RDM.co.za editor, will edit BusinessLIVE. For more than half a century Business Day has delivered content, the best analysis and insights. The philosophy of providing the best content has not changed and is the driver of the new site. The launch of BusinessLIVE also coincides with the redesign of the Business Day and Financial Mail newspapers. This follows research as well as international trends, which show that newspapers have been neglected in terms of design. Apart from this their audiences have also changed and their tastes need to be considered. The format will be a highly engaging one and will celebrate the power of print. Editorially a less is more approach, with less recycled news and more scoops, a less of the "what" and more of the "why", will be followed. The BusinessLIVE site itself is a super site that can be entered via various points and has a responsive design with embedded video and links etc. to bring the articles to life. Already the one product on the site WANTED has won an award. This, together with the launch of BusinessLIVE, demonstrates that Times Media is not a newspaper company, but a multimedia company. These business publications attract a high end audience because they offer in-depth coverage and are a leading authority on business. This is a 360-degree multimedia approach that is a platform for audiences and advertisers alike. The guest of honour at the event was deputy chairman of the Rothschild global advisory and previous Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel. Much of his address regarding the leadership in the country has been quoted on various news platforms. Manual called on South Africans to examine who they really are. Less than a generation has passed and we have descended as a nation held up by the world as a hero to what we have become. It is the responsibility of each of us to have the conversation of who are and ought to be. My fear is that the state is becoming increasingly corrupt. We need to rein against it. He spoke of the medias role in this and that media needs to be held accountable and responsible for its action and therefore need to be less reliant on sources. We live in an era where people draw up a package they sell to the media. What if these sources are lying? Professional media need to be more vigilant when these neat packages arrive on their desk. This is important, he says, because the role of the media is not insignificant. Freedom is the right to disagree with the state and media must assist in our national conversation of who we are. A new campaign, LABELWISE, launched on 18 October 2016 to help South Africans understand what impact the content of their shopping baskets and smart devices can have on saving the planet and empowering local communities. It is the first time that four eco and social labels Fairtrade SA, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Fair Trade Tourism have joined forces to increase public awareness around sustainable products. The objective is to help everyday shoppers identify products that are kind to our planet and foster a more ethical society, simply by making them aware of the different sustainability labels that exist. Whether youre looking for anything from paper to loo roll, coffee to wine, seafood to holiday destinations, our ultimate goal is to increase the South African demand for environmentally sustainable and ethical goods and services, says Lean Terblanche, executive director at Fairtrade South Africa, the campaigns leading partner. Unity is strength Working on the premise that while individually each of the four labels is effective, together they are a force to be reckoned with; the LABELWISE team is excited about the new collaboration. This partnership is more than just a campaign, it is a strategic alliance fuelled by a need to boost eco and social label awareness in South Africa, continues Terblanche. An active and engaged consumer is the most powerful ally to a disenfranchised producer. Each partner advocates for the empowerment of beneficiaries in different sectors, but we have one goal in common: we all want to grow the local market for sustainable goods and services through increased consumer consciousness. This campaign pools our voices to create something never seen before in South Africa - a stronger, common message that aims to increase awareness of the need to make better choices. Pick a platform LABELWISE is a multichannel platform. Consumers can visit www.BELABELWISE.co.za to view and share the inspiring, quirky campaign material. Consumers can have their voice heard and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Here they can challenge friends, retailers, restaurants and office managers to be more LABELWISE by using the hashtag #BeLABELWISE. SWITCH Africa Green, a European Union initiative, in collaboration with the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and the United Nations Environmental Programme, funds the campaign. Over the next two years, LABELWISE will educate public and private consumers about sustainable agricultural practices and responsible, sustainable tourism, and promote sustainable lifestyles more broadly. While year one aims at increasing awareness, year two will have a strong call to action to engage consumers directly. Labelwise_FairTradeTourism from North Ltd on Vimeo. Labelwise_FairTrade from North Ltd on Vimeo. Labelwise_MSC from North Ltd on Vimeo. Labelwise_FSC from North Ltd on Vimeo. Italian conferences and exhibitions company, Fiera Milano SpA's full acquisitions of its South African branch, Fiera Milano Exhibitions Africa (FMEA) will see the multinational company expand its operations in SA and Africa under a new strategy as directed by newly appointed global CEO, Corrado Peraboni. Maria Chieppa, the newly appointed managing director of FMEA, and former senior executive of the listed Italian entity, will be responsible for its local implementation. Maria Chieppa at the South Africa Italy Summit, organised by the European House of Ambrosetti Millions of Rands invested in growing events FMEA is also a leading conference organiser in South Africa with the fast-growing Cape Town Art Fair, and the biggest Good Food and Wine Show in Africa, in its portfolio. Chieppa says, FMEA sees good potential for growth in South Africa. As such, we are making a R10 million investment in the 2016 Good Food and Wine show to cement its position as the leading event on the countrys culinary calendar. A further R8 million will be invested in the Cape Town Art Fair as we elevate it to world class exhibition levels. Each year, the Good Food & Wine Show takes place in three different cities (Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban) to showcase innovations, trends, products and the latest developments in food and beverages, lifestyle gadgets, and appliances. In 2016, FMEAs multi-million Rand investment will be directed at transforming its format and content in collaboration with industry associations for a renewed emphasis on food and wine. Extended exhibition hours and gala dinners will also form part of the new-look show. As before, the latest in world-class food and wine products will be on display for the enjoyment of local chefs. The 2016/2017 show dates are: 28 30 October 2016 in Durban; 2 4 June 2017 in Cape Town; 28 30 July 2017 and 1 3 December 2017 in Durban. From 17 19 February 2017, the fifth edition of the Cape Town Art Fair will be hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, which can accommodate the events rapidly expanding visitor numbers and international profile. As one of the leading international art fairs on the continent, it will represent more than 50 galleries from South Africa, Africa, and around the world. Sustainable local growth Trade shows and exhibitions are powerful marketing tools for host cities and countries and FMEAs new strategy will ultimately strengthen and support economic growth in South Africa not only in the promotion of Cape Town, but also through the attraction of international FMEA clients, industry associations, chambers of commerce, and business partners to the region. Chieppa explains, South Africa, with its international airports, good infrastructure and currency value, is an attractive destination and we will be very successful in attracting business to the country. At the same time, SA will become Fiera Milano SpAs springboard into Africa. I have appointed a new management team of experts in their respective fields and we are looking for sustainable local growth, and will also use SA as a base from which to enter Sub-Saharan African markets. A long-term commitment According to Chieppa, Fiera Milano SpA first entered SA in 2012 via a partnership agreement and the recent full acquisition demonstrates the organisations long term commitment to the country. We will continue to expand our local exhibitions and conferences portfolio, and we will be adding business-to-business meetings, and premier international events, to our offering. We are proud of our local history and of showcasing SA as a business destination with much to offer the international community. Fiera Milano SpA is the only Italian trade fair company listed on the Italian stock exchange. Specialist tech PR agency DUO Marketing + Communications has been awarded 2016 Veeam Agency of the Year at the company's annual PR summit held in Amsterdam. More than 30 agencies worldwide deliver PR services for Veeam and were in the running for the award. DUO won the award for its consistent delivery of quality content, fresh ideas and excellent results. We are delighted to have won an award that we believe highlights the value we offer our customers. We believe that our focus on understanding the influence technology has on business and our ability to unravel the business value of technology, simply and effectively, makes us a valuable partner to clients such as Veeam, says Dominique Pienaar, Gauteng regional manager at DUO Marketing + Communications. This is the second time that the agency has been recognised by Veeam - at the inaugural PR Summit in 2014 in Barcelona, DUO was named Collaborative Agency of the Year. The summit acts as a two-day planning and collaboration session for the year ahead. It enables the corporate communications team to brief PR agencies on the companys communication and messaging goals for the coming year. Agencies collaborate, brainstorm and deliver creative ideas that will support the companys evolving message and allow it to reach its audience targets and PR goals for 2017. We understand that global messages need to speak to the the realities of doing business in Africa, so the ability to consult and partner with clients is becoming an increasingly important part of our role, says Pienaar. The summit highlighted the importance for consultants to be familiar with macro trends and find ways in which to incorporate, analyse and localise these trends in their thought leadership positioning for clients. We could not be more thrilled with this award which is a testimony to the account teams focus on, and drive to create and sustain awareness of, and interest in a global ICT brand like Veeam, concludes Pienaar. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and energy experts have called for the Department of Energy to factor in the latest research on renewables, which shows that solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy are 40% cheaper than coal, before it approves and publishes the latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The IRP was scheduled to be presented to the Cabinet last week but was postponed. The CSIR on Monday, 17 October, released a report which shows a drop in the cost of energy generated from wind and solar PV technologies since the submission of bids for window 1 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme on 4 November 2011. Tobias Niemz, head of the CSIR's Energy Centre, said such an update needed to be included in the IRP before it is gazetted. Chris Yelland, an energy analyst at EE Publishers, said before any decisions were taken on nuclear, solar, wind and other energy sources, a "proper" IRP is needed if SA wanted to plan for the next 20-30 years, and using the wrong or outdated figures meant getting wrong answers. "There is no way one can make important decisions on nuclear or coal or anything else until one does a proper resource plan for electricity," he said. Yelland doubted that a proper IRP would be published and concluded before the first quarter of 2017. The Department of Energy has been under pressure to wrap up the IRP, which is meant to be updated every two years. Industry stakeholders have also said that without transparency, proper inclusion and public engagement, the IRP should not be published. The CSIR report shows that the solar PV, wind and coal IRP tariffs "are fully comparable, because they are all based on long-term take-or-pay contracts with the same off-taker [Eskom]. The tariffs have also been suitably adjusted for consistency," Yelland said. The price projections for solar PV and wind were at R0.61/kWh, while those for coal IPPs were placed at R1.03/kWh, excluding the cost of carbon tax. The study also presents the latest updated cost of electricity from various types of Eskom coal and also nuclear. "If one is going to do this meaningfully it cannot be done overnight. Otherwise it will bring the whole process into disrepute and instead of having the country stand behind the plan for electricity, it will be a recipe for argument and dispute, and even a legal challenge," Yelland said. Source: Business Day As the global population grows from seven to nearly ten billion by 2050, we will need to build the equivalent of a city of one million people every five days to house them. The world already has ten cities with more than 20 million inhabitants, including Tokyo (37 million), Beijing (21 million), Jakarta (30 million) and New Delhi (25 million). Out of the seven billion people in the world, 6.7 billion live with pollution above WHO clean air standards. By 2050, around 12 million people from 23 cities in East Asia alone will be at risk from coastal inundation. Planning for climate change will be critical to minimise risk to these areas. These are just some of the stark facts about our global urban future. With these issues in mind, up to 50,000 participants have gathered in Quito this week to discuss a New Urban Agenda at Habitat III the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. The adoption of the agenda will set standards for sustainable development with a strong emphasis on social inclusion, cultural diversity, urban prosperity, urban governance, urban spatial development, and integrated urban planning including climate change. From Paris to Quito The Paris agreement on climate change will come into effect in November 2016. Cities will be at the heart of achieving its aim to limit global warming to less than 2C. Planning for a low-carbon and resilient urban future is now our greatest global challenge. It is critical to achieving emission reduction targets and planning cities for climate change. After all, cities produce 76% of carbon dioxide emissions and account for 75% of energy use worldwide. The focus is now on implementing the Paris agreement; that is where the New Urban Agenda, proposed for agreement at UN Habitat III, comes into play. Key issues being discussed include affordable housing, urban transport, gender equity, empowerment of women and girls, poverty, and hunger in all its forms. Involving communities in the future and design of cities is essential. Better urban governance of our growing cities and urban regions is a core theme. Observing the range of activities here at Habitat III, it is impressive to see the significant engagement of the private sector as well as governments and NGOs. This mix of partnerships is vital if we are to make positive change in the planning of our cities. Global companies are present as well as local consultancies. They can clearly see there is a market for them in more sustainable futures. This brings great hope for the future. The scientists are less happy, and are seeking greater engagement in future discussions. In the latest issue of Nature, the commentary says Scientists must have a say in the future of cities and argues that they should have been more involved in the Habitat III processes. Clearly, better connecting scientists with planners with communities is important in finding sustainable solutions. A key component in improving city planning is sharing knowledge and expertise. Cities are often connected through global urban networks such as C40, a network of megacities advocating for action on climate change, and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. Another important strategy being presented is improving the sharing of knowledge and expertise between like climate regions. It is equally important to improve communication of the major urban challenges with wider audiences. Researchers with the United Nations University developed an art strategy as part of the preparatory process for Habitat III, with the intention of stimulating thought and discussion on health and well-being in cities. The overall message from UN Habitat III is that the sustainable planning and design of our cities and human settlements is fundamental to improving the health and well being of our urban communities and acting on climate change. Through that, we tackle the stark facts of urban pollution, our response to climate change, and the future liveability of our cities. Our moment to act We are living in a unique time for cities, with multiple UN agendas coming together at once: the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris climate agreement, Sendai Framework for Risk Reduction and the Small Island Developing States Partnerships Framework. National urban policies are seen as crucial to implementation of all these agreements. As the New Urban Agenda states: the persistence of multiple forms of poverty, growing inequalities, and environmental degradation remain among the major obstacles to sustainable development worldwide. Through better urban governance, we can make significant inroads to address the ongoing barriers to achieving more sustainable cities. The proposed agenda particularly highlights transportation and mobility as a priority to support action. Habitat III offers an opportunity to raise global understanding of the enormous challenges facing cities, and a platform for nations to collaborate in developing more sustainable urban futures. This will require considerable effort from everyone. The UN Habitat III event got underway this week with a goal to establish a New Urban Agenda for the next 20 years. It is clear that transforming our world for the better means transforming our towns and cities. That means better urban governance, planning and design, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in his speech to open the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. It means engaging women and girls in making towns and cities safer and more productive for all, he told the gathering in the Ecuadorian capital. Welcoming the participants to Quito, Ecuadors President Rafael Correa spoke of his governments commitment to the idea of a right to the city, which he defined as the right to live, consume and produce in just and sustainable cities. The secretary general of Habitat III, former Barcelona Mayor Joan Clos, pointed out that cities have become the principal engine of development and prosperity. However, he also acknowledged dangers. Our analysis of urbanisation in the last 20 years reveals that the present urban practices are unsustainable, the Spaniard said, calling for a return to what he called the three basic principles of urban development. Urbanisation must be based on the rule of law and must be grounded in good design, Clos said. The third principle is adequate financing, he said, stressing that urbanisation is an economic phenomenon in which public investment generates a lot of private value. A new campaign that aims to help ordinary South Africans understand the impact the content of their shopping baskets and smart devices can have on saving the planet and empowering communities, has launched. [ley-buh-l-wahyz] the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness; especially of a social or ethical brand claim. Possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion as to what is fair or just. Concern for social and environmental issues among South African consumers is on the rise, from challenges related to deforestation, climate change, and overfishing to unethical labour practices and sharing of benefits. More people want to be part of the change they'd like to see in the world. For that purpose, four of the worlds most credible and ubiquitous eco and social labels have joined forces in a unique South African campaign: LABELWISE. The objective is to help everyday shoppers identify products that are kind to our planet and foster a more ethical society, simply by making them aware of the different sustainability labels that exist. Whether youre looking for anything from paper to loo roll, coffee to wine, seafood to holiday destinations, our ultimate goal is to increase the South African demand for environmentally sustainable and ethical goods and services. says Lean Terblanche, executive director at Fairtrade South Africa, Labelwise's leading partner. A strategic alliance} Working on the premise that while, individually, each of the four labels is effective, together they are a force to be reckoned with, the Labelwise team is excited about the new collaboration. It is the first time that four eco and social labels Fairtrade SA, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and Fair Trade Tourism have joined forces to increase public awareness around sustainable products. This partnership is more than just a campaign, it is a strategic alliance fuelled by a need to boost eco and social label awareness in South Africa, says Terblanche. An active and engaged consumer is the most powerful ally to a disenfranchised producer. Each partner advocates for the empowerment of beneficiaries in different sectors, but we have one goal in common: we all want to grow the local market for sustainable goods and services through increased consumer consciousness. This campaign pools our voices to create something never seen before in South Africa - a stronger, common message that aims to increase awareness of the need to make better choices. Pick a platform Labelwise is a multichannel platform. Consumers can visit Be Labelwise to view and share the inspiring, quirky campaign material. Consumers can have their voice heard and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Here they can challenge friends, retailers, restaurants, and office managers to be more Labelwise by using the hashtag #BeLABELWISE. The campaign is funded by SWITCH Africa Green, a European Union initiative, in collaboration with the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and the United Nations Environmental Programme. Over the next two years, Labelwise will educate public and private consumers about sustainable agricultural practices and responsible, sustainable tourism, and promote sustainable lifestyles more broadly. While year one aims at increasing awareness, year two will have a strong call to action to engage consumers directly. STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 20, ARTSAKHPRESS: From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Irzhi Aberle (Czech Republic), staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Peter Svedberg (Sweden), and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Major Christian Hirsch (Austria). From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria), Personal Assistant of the CiO Personal Representative Simon Tiller (Great Britain), and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Nepokritikh (Russia). The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the ceasefire regime was registered. From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense. Networking is one of the most powerful tools to use to unlock the potential of any socioeconomic transformation. Effective networks also require strong and well-connected relationships to accelerate growth and act as a catalyst for success. Karla Fletcher Doors open because of the other person on the other side. Often things happen at the speed of light while other times, it takes longer than we anticipate. The difference between the two instances is your network. In essence, the value of networking is to seal a concrete foundation for future investments and build useful contacts when one is provided with a plethora of opportunities. Networking can go far beyond the occasional one-on-one meetings. Networking has different types of techniques and most of them work efficiently for networkers. Two strategic techniques that are emerging are horizontal and vertical networking. Horizontal networking Horizontal networking is establishing relationships with people that are within the same professional level as you. What makes this form of networking unique is the ability it has to foster trust and focus among said professionals. Since they share mutual professional goals and frustrations, horizontal networking can offer them the convenient way to grow together and learn from each other. Vertical networking Vertical networking is consolidating relationships, sharing information and imparting knowledge with industry leaders as well as your juniors. Attending industry events and receiving insight from industry thought leaders is one of the best ways to master the upwards vertical approach, while downwards vertical requires a different approach that involves interactions that will develop the skills of the younger professionals. Essentially, downwards networking puts you at a position of being a career sponsor or mentor to these younger professionals. Network opportunities at the conference The National Business Conference, in association with the 14th annual National Business Awards, will take place on 17 November 2016, at the Emperors Palace Johannesburg. With the success of the National Business Awards, business delegates are given the opportunity to receive business insight from and interaction with the leaders of South Africas biggest and most powerful companies. Together they will share their insights on topics covering innovation, investing in people, sustainability, entrepreneurship, economic forecasts, global growth, attractive foreign investments, leadership, succession planning, nurturing talent and philanthropy. The breakaway sessions, panel discussions and the one-on-one Fast Track Networking session will be an excellent opportunity to network and exchange ideas with other business leaders. Renowned businessman and politician, Dr Mathews Phosa, will give a keynote address and deliver insight on rising through the obstacles at the prestigious conference. Other thought leaders who will share their secrets to success are: Greg Solomon - CEO, McDonalds South Africa Jannie Venter - managing executive, Barclays ABSA Asher Bohbot - CEO, EOH Holdings Shirley Zinn - CEO, Shirley Zinn Consulting & group head of HR at Woolworths Lance Fanaroff - joint founder and CEO, Integr8 Click here to book a seat at the event. This year's winner of Jagermeister Back The Artist, an annual competition that searches for South Africa's musical talent, is Phumuze Mnchu (also known as Cido Mooi). The youngster from Alexandria in Johannesburg was one of five to take to the stage at the finale event held at The Good Luck Bar on 14 October. Each finalist gave three song performances. Mnchus set of hip hop, electro and house beats was well-rounded and the audience had already given him the official nod of approval before the completion of his second track. The best thing about this amazing opportunity is that it will really help me with my career. I have an album and music videos, but Ive really been lacking this sort of support that Jager Music is able to give me, says Mnchu. The next step for Mnchu is the release of his latest music video, as well as stepping into studio with Reason HD as part of the grand prize that Back The Artist offers. Pursuing a musical career The event was preceded by a Music Seminar with speakers such as Siya Metane (SlikourOnLife) and Reason HD speaking on relevant topics and giving insights into the music industry pertaining musicians who would like to step into a serious music career and the challenges that could lie ahead. For more news and releases on the 2016 winner check out: Facebook | @jagermeistersa #BTA2016 TOKYO: Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn will become chairman of Mitsubishi Motors after Japan's number two automaker announced a major investment in its scandal-hit rival, a report said on Wednesday. Mitsubishi's Tokyo-listed shares soared more than 10% to 536 yen ($5.15) in afternoon trading, shortly after the report by the leading Nikkei business daily. The stock closed at 522 yen, up 7.85%, while Nissan edged up 0.52% to 1,004.5 yen. In May Nissan threw Mitsubishi a lifeline as it announced plans to buy a one-third stake in the crisis-hit automaker for about $2.2 billion, forging an alliance that will challenge some of the world's biggest auto groups. The purchase came after Mitsubishi was hit by a mileage-cheating scandal that slammed the brakes on sales. Mitsubishi has asked its current chairman and president Osamu Masuko to stay on as president, the Nikkei said, citing unnamed sources. Ghosn - who is also head of French carmaker Renault - will be officially appointed after a board meeting later this year, it said. Mitsubishi declined to comment on the report. Ghosn, who was widely credited with turning around a nearly bankrupt Nissan in the late 1990s, is being given the senior job so he can oversee Mitsubishi's turnaround, the Nikkei said. The automaker earlier warned it is on track to lose 145 billion yen this fiscal year as costs tied to the scandal mount. Mitsubishi has admitted it had been falsifying mileage tests for years, manipulating data to make cars seem more efficient than they were. Two of the affected vehicle models were being made for Nissan, which was the first to uncover problems with the fuel economy data. Among the compensation costs, Mitsubishi is on the hook to pay more than $1.0 billion to Nissan and other suppliers as well as payments to customers who bought the affected cars. Source: AFP Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has signed a landmark water cooperation agreement with Italy. The memorandum of understanding, which was signed on Tuesday, 18 October, saw both countries committing themselves to developing initiatives aimed at mitigating climate change by providing sustainable and integrated water resources. Part of the agreement is that both South Africa and Italy will ensure education, training and research in the fields of water quality enhancement, water resource management, water service management and rural sanitation technology. The agreement will also ensure that both countries work on joint projects that will enhance capacity building, technology transfer and technical assistance. These projects will mainly focus on empowering previously disadvantaged groups in the society such as women, youth and people with disabilities. During the signing ceremony in Johannesburg, Minister Mokonyane said the agreement will ensure that both countries share knowledge expertise to fight climate change. She said South Africas partnership with the Italians is aimed at assisting the country to strengthen its waste water treatment capacity as well as rural and urban onsite and offsite sanitation systems. We have also agreed to cooperate in integrated water management solutions, including the reuse of waste water for material and energy recovery. Given our current water challenges as a result of drought, water management is a critical resource and tool required by our government, said Minister Mokonyane. She said the main objective of the South African government is to ensure that poverty is eradicated, inequalities are reduced and that employment opportunities are created. We have made it our goal to ensure that we transform the water sector by making it inclusive of women and youth, those who were previously excluded. It is both countries responsibility to ensure that this agreement is implemented effectively to the benefit of communities. Our other area of focus as the country is food security and we hope that by coming into this agreement with Italy, the set objectives will be realised, the minister said. Italys deputy minister of Environment, Land and Sea, Barbara Degani, who led the Italian delegation, said she is glad to have signed the agreement with South Africa. She thanked Minister Mokonyane for all her efforts in making sure that the two countries work together. Working together will be a great opportunity for transferring expertise to fight climate change. The idea is to implement this agreement to the benefit of the people of both countries, especially women and the youth, said Degani. A Joint Steering Committee will be established to ensure the commitments made in the agreement are carried out. The committee will comprise three representatives from the Department of Water and Sanitation and Italian Republic Department of Environment, Land and Sea. The agreement follows a visit to Italy in September last year, where the departmental delegation, led by Minister Mokonyane and her deputy Pamela Tshwete, met with various stakeholders in the water sector. Subsequently, Minister Mokonyane hosted an Italian delegation in April this year. This was followed by the Italian delegation visit to KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and North West, where implementable joint projects were identified. Many people believe that water shortages will threaten global food security. That is not true. The world is not short of water . Even with climate change, there will be enough to grow all the food needed by the 10 billion people expected to populate the earth by 2050. Or even the 11 billion expected by the end of the 21st century. But global food security will remain a massive challenge, and water provides us with a useful lens through which to view the problem. An analysis of the water challenges suggests that the real obstacles to greater food security are the uneven distribution of land, people, productive capital and water. Bridging the gaps that arise because of this uneven distribution will remain the primary challenge. And trade policies must help not hinder this process. Why this conclusion? In a recent report Water and Trade, we sought to understand how water contributes to, and is affected by, trade rules and practices. Specifically, we asked whether trade policy could help to resolve local water problems. Water is a very bulky low value commodity which cannot be easily distributed. So local differences in water availability highlight the larger distributional challenges. We did not think that proposals to restrict trade in goods from water-scarce countries would be effective or fair. Environmental advocates have suggested that countries should meet externally imposed water efficiency standards if they want to export their produce. The most extreme proposal is to regulate the amount of water that a country can use to produce goods and services, so-called virtual water, and enforce such limits through trade regulations. We suggest that attempts to solve water problems through such trade processes would be unhelpful and unworkable. Cities taking up more water So what should be done? While there is no global water shortage, there are many local challenges. Many places will have to limit their use of water for food production so that they can supply the needs of cities and industries and protect the natural environment. China is the most obvious example. Its economic growth has been accompanied by massive migration from countryside to cities and urban water demand for domestic and economic uses is soaring. Greater prosperity also drives demand for more and different foodstuffs, which in turn need more water. A choice has to be made between people in cities, farmers and the environment. Many other countries face similar challenges, albeit at a smaller scale. Modelling work has shown that food production in the dry north of China will fall as water is diverted to cities and industries. Some people will lose their livelihoods. Given its still rapidly growing economy, and low population growth, China will be able to offer them alternatives. This is not so easy in other countries with less diverse and dynamic economies. If water shortages mean that food cannot be produced locally and there are no alternative sources of income, the logical response is for people to migrate elsewhere. It has already been suggested that current waves of migration from the Middle East, Syria in particular, were driven by conflict that was originally triggered by a long drought. Dealing with shortfalls Trade could help to solve this problem. Globally there is enough under-used land and water to produce more than enough food to meet the worlds needs. For a start, farmers in places like Argentina, Brazil, Canada and the US would be happy to produce and sell far more food than they do today. So the food needs of places with water (or land) stress could be met through trade. This approach is attractive for countries that want to protect and expand their current agricultural markets. But it does not address the over-arching challenge which is to ensure that people in poorer countries can earn enough to afford the food (and other things) that they need. How will farmers who have to give up their water to the cities make a living? What will happen in countries that need to import food but where many people are too poor to buy it? And critically, will countries trust the worlds trade system to provide reliable supplies in times of political stress and climatic unpredictability? We concluded that trade has helped maintain food security in countries where water availability limits domestic production. This is exactly how the oil-rich countries of the Middle East have managed to overcome their natural resource constraints. Closer to home, the experience of South Africa and other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries is that we import gains when drought cuts local production. This shows that trade and investment in agriculture can help countries buffer the impact of climate variability and shocks, such as floods and droughts. It can also provide an important mechanism to offset climate change-induced production decreases and improve access to food. But in some cases trade will make only a limited contribution to addressing water shortages. Countries with very large populations such as India and China will be concerned about the ability of global food trade to supply the huge quantities needed by their massive populations. For poorer countries, including many in Africa, our other conclusion is that trade policies should help and not hinder people to improve their livelihoods from agriculture. Trade policy should encourage agricultural support mechanisms that help to achieve efficient and sustainable water use and offer livelihoods to poor people. Too often, they do the opposite. For example, subsidies to help Indian farmers improve their irrigation efficiency are technically illegal in terms of WTO rules. Trade policy should also support the long-term efforts by African governments to attract investment aimed at increasing productivity of domestic agriculture, including greater water use efficiencies. Foreign investment in African agriculture is sometimes characterised as land grabbing, prompting concerns that it will place additional stress on local water resources. But in many cases, external investment can enable under-utilised resources to be productively mobilised. This kind of investment has helped Kenya and Ethiopia become major exporters of cut flowers and fresh vegetables, reducing rural poverty. So water and food security in poor countries will only be assured if overall trade policy supports people to use their land and water resources productively, efficiently and sustainbly. As we are already witnessing, if this does not happen, the world will continue to experience waves of desperate migration as well as environmental degradation. PORT SUDAN, Sudan - In support of its operations in Sudan, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), welcomed the arrival of over 50,000 metric tons of assorted food commodities including sorghum, lentils and vegetable oil. Image by 123RF The food commodities will be used to assist more than 2 million vulnerable people across the country. These include 200,000 South Sudanese refugees for three months, over 725,000 internally displaced people in all of Darfurs five states for four months, 900,000 school children for six months, and more than half a million people who have been affected by the lean season which lasts from April to October each year. U.S. Embassys Charge dAffaires, Ervin Massinga and USAID Sudan mission director Dr Jeffrey Ashley joined WFP Sudan country director and representative Matthew Hollingworth in Port Sudan to welcome the arrival of the US ship. In May this year, WFP welcomed the arrival of a shipment of 47,000 metric tons of sorghum also donated by USAID that was used to cover the needs of South Sudanese refugees and internally displaced people in Darfur. The United States through our strong implementing partner, WFP, continues to provide critical food assistance in a timely manner to areas that face severe food insecurity and malnutrition due to conflict and drought. The United States remains committed to fighting hunger and malnutrition and urges all parties to allow unfettered humanitarian access so as to end unnecessary suffering, said Massinga. Since 2011, the United States has been a long-standing partner and the largest single donor to WFP in Sudan contributing over USD 900 million to WFPs operations in the country. Its generous contributions have enabled WFP to provide assistance to all those in need across a range of activities implemented through general food distribution, school feeding, nutrition and food-for-assets programmes. I am very pleased to be here in Port Sudan and to welcome this ship carrying food for the people we serve across Sudan, said Hollingworth. WFP is grateful for the continued support from the US Government and people which helps us provide much-needed assistance to vulnerable families in the country. In 2016, WFP plans to assist 4.6 million vulnerable people in Sudan through a number of different activities, including emergency food and cash-based transfers, nutritional support and resilience-building activities to help communities become self-reliant. The important achievement of "Karabakh Carpet" company within three years of activity is the expansion of activities in terms of both production, product sale, geography and improvement of the product quality. October 20, 2016, 17:42 Next step of Karabakh Carpetcompany is the development of marketing policy. Company Director (Photos) STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 20, ARTSAKHPRESS: In an interview with Artsakhpress, the director of Karabakh Carpet" Company Sevak Khachatryan noted that for many years the Armenian tradition of carpet weaving was interrupted and in the initial period it was difficult to restore it. As Khacahtryan informs, five workshops were operating in Artsakh, in Shushi, Stepanakert, Chartar, Hadrut and Berdzor. "Unfortunately, now three workshops are operating, the workshops in Hadrut and Berdzor closed because of the problem of the product realization. The overall number of the employees exceeds 117, and their average salary is 75,000 AMD," noted Khachatryan. "Our primary aim is to have at least one workshop in each region of Artsakh, he said. Turning to the issue of product sales, Sevak Khachatryan stressed the importance of the functioning of ''Karabakh Carpet'' company Brand Stores in Yereven. Therefore, the works of Artsakh carpet-makers are presented not only in Armenia, but also to lots of tourists visiting our country. "We export our products mainly to United States, where Armenian Diaspora compatriots support us in sale of carpets. The orders from different countries of the world are also taken. Due to on-line store, operating on our official website, we receive orders as well," he said. According to Sevak Khachatryan, the company's production activities are based on a strong foundation, which guarantees high quality products. The next step will be improving the marketing policy, in order ''Karabakh Carpet'' company's products to be properly presented in international markets. In general, we have a problem of product sales, as the handmade product is expensive. Carpet prices depend on the density (on average, 1 square meter is equivalent to 160,000 ADM). Of course, there are carpets that are more difficult to work with, which increases the cost of the carpet. It has been 3 months since the company also produces carpets, 1 square meter of which is equivalent to 70,000 AMD. Our company mainly produces carpets with traditional ornaments, he said. The main purpose of "Karabakh Carpet" company is the restoration of the rich culture and traditions of carpet weaving. GLORIA BAUAI | Loop PNG | Edited JIMMY Drekore will refer to it as a nations achievement when, next Thursday, he receives the 2016 World of Children Health Award in New York City. Even though its Jimmy Drekore receiving the award, I will be proud to represent this beautiful country, he told the media before leaving Port Moresby for the United States with wife Merlyn (pictured). In 2005, Mr Drekore founded the Simbu Children Foundation, which strives to provide hope for sick and disadvantaged children. It is a charity that funds airfares, medical costs and expenses for sick village children from Simbu Province to enable them to travel to the city and overseas hospitals for medical tests, operations and other treatments that are unavailable locally. MANLIUS Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Deacon received some celebrity support on the campaign trail Thursday. Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, who's best known for being a member of rock group Sha Na Na, appeared with Deacon, D-Syracuse, at the Brookdale Senior Home in Manlius. Bauman entertained residents with stories about his career and even played the piano. In between, he made the case for why they should support Deacon in the 24th Congressional District race. As co-founder of Senior Votes Count!, Bauman is traveling around the country to support Democrats in key races. He's already endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and has thrown his support behind other Democrats in New York, including challenger John Plumb in the nearby 23rd Congressional District. Deacon received the Senior Votes Count! endorsement after filling out a questionnaire, according to Bauman. The group asked candidates several questions, including whether they support expanding Social Security (Deacon said yes) and if they oppose privatization of the social insurance program (Deacon, again, said yes.) Deacon also pledged to refer to Medicare and Social Security as "earned benefits," not "entitlements." "Republicans, Democrats, independents everyone resents Social Security and Medicare being referred to as entitlements," Bauman said. "They are not entitlements. They are earned benefits. You pay into them for your entire life and the money comes back." Bauman's interest aging-related issues isn't new. He's long supported candidates who believe programs such as Social Security should be expanded. The inspiration for his involvement in politics is his late mother. He said she was able to live with "dignity and independence" during her later years because of Medicare and Social Security. "That is why, from the deepest bottom of my heart, I'll be going from Alaska to south Florida and northern Maine to southern California finding leaders like Colleen Deacon to endorse on behalf of Senior Votes Count!," he said. "We will protect and even expand our Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid as well. That's why we want everyone in this room to take this election very, very seriously." Deacon pledged to work on behalf of her constituents to expand the programs, especially Social Security. "There's a number of options on the table right now to be able to make sure that we are keeping Social Security solvent and we have to work to pass some of these pieces of legislation so that we can have Social Security available and expand it for future generations," she said. Deacon is challenging U.S. Rep. John Katko, a Republican, in the 24th Congressional District. The district covers all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, plus the western part of Oswego County. Election Day is Nov. 8. After the incident, the engine boat and the overland communication between Teknaf land port and Maungdaw transit points were closed and Bangladesh border guards have stepped up patrols, the officials more added. Teknaf BGB commanding officer Lt Col Abujar Al Zahid said, after hearing gunfire at night in Maungdaw, the BGB contacted with Burma Border Guard Police (BGP) through an interpreter. The BGP has also informed to BGB officer over telephone that some of their outposts were attacked by unidentified assailants and requested to BGB , not to allow to enter the Bangladesh. Teknaf BGB Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Abujar Al Zahid also said, We have to know what is happening in Arakan State and we are alert at the border after the incident. The Burmese and Bangladesh goods and the passengers of both countries had to come off since the incident, the Teknaf port officer Abdul Monnan said. Most of Rohingya who came Bangladesh for medical treatment were stranded in Bangladesh, waiting for boat to go to Burma at Teknaf land port. No one helping the stranded Rohingya in Teknaf land port, said Kamal, a stranded Rohingya in Teknaf land port. The fighting between the DKBA soldiers and the BGF battalion 1017 lasted around 40 minutes, according to local villagers. Major Saw Deedee, Battalion Commander of BGF 1017 confirmed the fighting to Karen News. The fighting took place, but we are still making inquiries about it, Major Saw Deedee said. Despite villagers and government department officials claiming that there were casualties on both sides, Karen News is unable to verify the claims that one BGF soldier was wounded and four DKBA soldiers killed and one wounded. Fighting that began in early September between the DKBA and BGF in Mae Tha Waw areas of Hliangbwe Township was intense for a month and drove thousands of villagers from their homes many are still displaced. Villagers from Kawkareik Township and Yan Kote village told Karen News that they fear that the same will now happen to them. We are worried that the fighting will drag on like it did in the Mae Tha Waw areas. If the situation gets intense, the Burma army will come in, BGF will send in reinforcement and there will be more fighting. If we are in that situation, we will have no chance to work on our farms. Before Mae Tha Waw fighting, the fighting between DKBA and BGF first started on Asia Highway in Kawkreik Township where it caused displacement of several villages in the area. These displaced villagers have not settled back into their villages village schools in the area are still closed. Troops from the two groups exchanged fire near The Chaung Phyar Village in Kalain Aung Sub-Township of Yebyu Township on 8 September because of a territorial dispute. The KNU Joint Secretary, Padoh Saw Thawthi Bwe confirmed to KIC News that leaders from the two ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) had held a meeting on the Thai Burma border on 15 October where an agreement was reached. He said: [The aim] was not to find the main issue but to find a solution to the issue. Officials from both sides have agreed on preventing future conflicts. Padoh Saw Thawthi Bwe led the 14-member KNU delegation and the NMSP Vice Chairman Nai Hongsar led the 12-member NMSP delegation at the meeting. They discussed how to prevent further conflict and territorial disputes between the two groups and the implementation of a joint committee made up of Karen and Mon representatives. Previously there has been fighting between the KNU and the NMSP over territorial disagreements that have never been properly resolved. Nai Hongsar said that the two groups would not be able to negotiate over territorial issues until the situation in the region stabilises. Both groups have also agreed to re-appoint representatives to the Taung Pauk 24 Village Joint Administrative Committee and Territory Demarcation Committee, which was jointly established by the KNU and NMSP in 2006 and 2007. Reporting by SPhan Shaung for KIC News Translated by Thida Linn Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI Family members say they have not been in contact with 13 Arakanese from Haigyi Island in Ayeyarwady Region for more than a month, after they were... The RCSS/SSA statement, released on October 14, said that the Burmese ethnic the group is deeply saddened by the passing of the king. We offer our condolences to the Thai royal family and the people of Thailand, the statement read. The Shan army declared that it would fly flags at their bases at half-mast for the next 15 days. The RCSS/SSA regularly holds the kings birthday celebration at our headquarters in Loi Tai Leng and along the border, said Lt-Col Sai Seng Murng, the spokesperson of the RCSS/SSA. On October 17, the SSPP/SSA also published a statement. On behalf of the Shan people, we express deep condolences to the royal family and Thai people, it read. The death of His Majesty the King was a great loss, not only for Thai people but also for Shan people. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the worlds longest reigning monarch, passed away at Bangkoks Siriraj Hospital on October 13 at 3:52pm at the age of 88. Having been on the throne for seven decades, the Thai king was widely respected, both at home and around the world. Among scenes of grief, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has led the country since a 2014 coup, declared that the kings son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, would succeed the throne. The government also announced that flags would be flown at half-mast for the next 30 days, and that a year-long official mourning period would be observed. DEAR BRUCE: I went to a medical doctor and after his staff verified my Medicare and Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance, he treated me. After the appointment, which cost several hundred dollars, his office staff informed me he did not accept either Medicare or Blue Cross, and I would have to pay the bill or his staff would send it to collection. I could have easily gone to another doctor if his staff had informed me they didn't take my insurance. I can't pay the bill, as I have limited income. What would you do? Reader DEAR READER: I think you did everything correctly by having the office verify your insurance before going to your appointment. Even after all that, you still have an obligation, but paying cash is nonsense. I would insist that you deal directly with the doctor, not his staff, and negotiate the bill. You might be able to work out a deal, paying a few dollars a month, which would be the way to go. You're also owed an apology. DEAR BRUCE: I haven't paid my federal taxes in quite some time. I kind of got mad at the way our government has wasted time and money. After checking the 16th Amendment, which Pennsylvania opted out of ratifying, it doesn't say anywhere that we are bound to pay taxes on income. My question is, can any of this hold up in court, or do I threaten them with letting all taxpayers know about the loophole and let our government go broke, so they won't be able to prosecute anybody? L.W. DEAR L.W.: You may have all kinds of arguments with our government and try to rebel, but all that does is get you into a bigger hole, and sooner or later it's going to catch up. If I were you, I would hire a representative who routinely works with the government on circumstances such as yours. He or she can help you get paid up, or at least get your returns in so that the amount you owe is established. You may or may not be able to negotiate a portion of this, depending on your income. Don't let it go on any longer. Khun Zaw Oo from the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) said that the only media allowed to take photos and film video of the parliament during its sessions are the Information and Public Relations Department from the Ministry of Information and Myawady, MRTV, and SkyNet TV. He said: Independent media, who are not state-owned media, have to cover the news from a TV placed inside a tent outside the parliament. The sound quality from the sound box is unclear. We cant take photos. The photos taken from the TV screen are of bad quality. This is especially bad for broadcasting media. We cant take photo when there is reflection from the TV. The sound is quite unclear so we dont know what is being said [in the parliament]. U Kyaw Thu Zaw, the director of the Parliament Office, told S.H.A.N that the Information and Public Relations Department has to be allowed to cover news from inside the parliament because they have a duty to inform the public about what is happening in parliament, but that no other media organisations would be allowed in the parliament. He said: We have only allowed them [the Information and Public Relations Department] in because the parliament is very small. There is no space for observers from outside, even when broadcasting groups come to film inside the parliament. It is distracting for the parliamentary representatives. Si Thar Hein, a reporter from Eleven Media, said that the restriction is an act of discrimination against independent media and that independent media as well as state media should be allowed inside the parliament. He also said that he wants the Shan State Hluttaw to allow all the media to cover parliament properly, as in all the other state and regional hluttaws. Khun Zaw Oo pointed out that according to the media bylaw the authorities have no right to prevent the media from taking photos and videos of parliament unless they have a good reason. He said: The Shan State Hluttaw needs to reduce the restrictions. We are not making excess demands. We are only demanding media rights in line with the law. Reporting by Nan Sai Phoo for S.H.A.N. Translated by Thida Linn Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI The 14 October meeting of National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), the first of its kind since Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) regime comes into power, followed by the 15 October, first anniversary of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signing occasion has brought back the back burner issues to light, portraying the woes that the country is facing, into a package as a whole, which needs to be resolved earnestly and speedily. The national defense and security affairs meeting of 14 October that was attended by the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, U Htin Kyaw, the State Counselor, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Commander in Chief of Defense Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Deputy Commander in Chief Vice Senior General Soe Win, Union Minister for Ministry of Home Affairs Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe, Union Minister for Ministry of Defense Lt-Gen Sein Win, Union Minister for Office of the State Counselor U Kyaw Tint Swe, touched on the following issues, according to the Presidential website. The situations of the battle occurred in Kachin State and the Northern Shan State The efforts of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) which signed the NCA The situations which occurred in Wa Special Region (1) and Mailar(Mong La) Special Region (4) The management procedures in order to enhance the capacity and ability of the Myanmar Police Force. Remarkably, the said meeting didnt mention the issue of recent Arakan conflict that has already taken place on 9 October. It is not clear, whether concrete directives or solutions have been made, but seen from the speeches delivered the following 15 October, on the occasion of the first anniversary NCA, the NLD regime and the Tatmadaw dont seem to have a clear understanding of cooperation, on how to go about with the countrys woes, in a coordinated manner. Thus, it is necessary to study the speeches delivered at the occasion, as a clue on how each stakeholder is gearing up to go about with overcoming the obstacles. Aung San Suu Kyi In her speech, Suu Kyi reiterated her former position of all-inclusiveness and advocate, or one could even say plead, for the culture of altruism in peace-building. All inclusiveness is very important to our country. Peace is a treasure which cannot be exchanged for whatsoever thing. Reflecting in the wording NCA, the notion of fire struck my mind, she emphasized explicitly. In trying to instill the culture of altruism, she said: Should we want peace and ceasefire, we had better start with extinguishing of anger and prejudice which are likened to fire burning inside our heart and soul. So, only when all the individuals and organizations involved can subdue their fire-like anger and prejudice, will we be able to achieve the genuine peace. Her ultimate message was outlined when she stressed: We have our own opinion, we cant deny. But Im confident we are all able to overcome these bitter experiences. What we ought to compete is who the most forgiving individuals and / or organizations are. We are not to compete in our firing power. We need to vie with one another for our fire-extinguishing power. The whole country is watching us with great expectation. Buttressing her plea, laced with urging she said. Instead of competing with one another in firing power, wed better vie in fire-fighting power. In addition Suu Kyi talked about the seven-point road map to amend the military-drafted constitution, which includes the following: To review the political dialogue framework To amend the political dialogue framework To convene the Union Peace Conferencethe 21st century Panglong in accordance with the amended and approved political dialogue framework To sign union agreement the 21st century Panglong Conference Agreement based on the results of the 21st Century Panglong Conference To amend the constitution in accordance with the union agreement and approve the amended constitution To hold the multi-party democracy general elections in accordance with the amended and approved constitution To build a democratic federal union in accordance with the results of the multi-party democracy general elections (Source: Global New Light of Myanmar 16 October 2016) Min Aung Hlaing The Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaings speech on the NCA first anniversary occasion centered on the concept of the present union being the continuous legacy of immemorial time; urging the EAOs to sign the NCA, give up the armed struggle and make use of the multi-party democracy platform to address their grievances; and acceptance of the militarys six guiding principles to achieve peace. He said: Our country is a Union which has been formed since yore (immemorial). Any regions and states in the Union are home to all ethnics, not for a single ethnic specifically. To make his point that armed struggle is out of place, he said: I would like to say the attempts to grasp the opportunities through armed struggle line by turning a blind eye to the actual rights and opportunities is opposition to the peoples desire. Therefore, if we accept democracy, we need to abandon the obsession to the armed struggle line which is the opposition of democracy, he stressed. Ethnic-minority areas where armed groups are based are peaceful and have no more fighting since the groups signed the ceasefire. Mutual trust proves that. So I am urging other armed groups to learn from the example, Min Aung Hlaing also said, luring the non-signatories to sign the NCA. The most important message that he put across is the often reiterated militarys controversial six guiding principles to achieve peace, which is the actual stumbling block in the peace process, as far as the EAOs are concerned. They are: To have a keen desire to reach eternal peace, To keep promises agreed to in peace deals, To avoid capitalizing on the peace agreement, To avoid placing a heavy burden on local people, To strictly abide by the existing laws, and To march towards a democratic country in accord with the 2008 Constitution. Mutu Say Poe The Karen National Union (KNU) leader Mutu Say Poe is a close confidant of Min Aung Hlaing and is even jokingly depicted by many as a sample pupil of the Tatmadaws peace process structure. Now even he was forced to protest the Tatmadaws heavy-handedness on the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), as it begins to directly attack the NCA signatory the RCSS and the KNU indirectly. The Karen Border Guard Force (KBGF), which is jointly commanded by the Tatmadaw conducted offensives against the splinter group of Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), intruding into the KNU controlled area of Hat Gyi, where a dam is scheduled to be built by the government. The KNU and RCSS are two core EAOs, from a total of eight EAO signatories of the NCA, that have thousands of troops, while the others only have token armed forces with only few soldiers, except for the DKBA. Mutu outlined his plea in his recent speech during the NCA anniversary as below. It is necessary to avoid the use of force in our attempts to adopt and exercise the new political culture of the NCA and in finding political solutions through political means. For instance, it is necessary to stop the ongoing armed conflicts in northern Myanmar. Although incidents are understandable, intentional attacks are not acceptable. Leaders from both sides are responsible to reach an agreement on interpretation of the NCA. Therefore, on behalf of NCA signatories, I would like to call for the government and the Tatmadaw with all seriousness to ease policies and suspend the use of force in order to pave way for non-signatories to sign the NCA. United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) The UNFC, an alliance of seven ethnic armies, that is the non-signatory of the NCA didnt attend the occasion even though it was invited. But immediately after the NCA anniversary occasion, the governments Peace Council (PC), headed by Dr Tin Myo Win, and the UNFCs Delegation for Peace Negotiation (DPN), led by Khu Oo Reh met in the afternoon. After a few hours of meeting the DPNs joint-secretary Tun Zaw was interviewed by the BBC, in which he said that the talks were about accommodation of the UNFCs eight point proposal that was already handed in to the government a few weeks ago. Accordingly, if the said points could be negotiated satisfactorily, another point of signing the NCA would be included, making the eight point proposal to become a nine point agreement. The UNFC proposal centers around all-inclusiveness, unilateral or bilateral ceasefire and a tripartite dialogue proposal to make each level of the peace negotiation to be fair and equitable. However, Tun Zaw said that the important point discussed was said to be on how Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) should be empowered to make it workable. The DPN was said to proposed that the role of international participation in the mechanism of JMC implementation and enforcement, so that positive achievement could be evaluated, as the recent self-employed peace keeping structure, given the inability to end the some seven decades old ethnic conflict and not producing satisfactory result and achievement. The idea was said to be met with cold shoulder from the part of the military and meeting ended without any resolution, with an understanding to meet again to resolve the remaining issues between the two parties in the coming November. Reportedly, four out of eight point proposal was said to be resolved, although both sides did not spell them out. The Rohingya conflict Another issue that has thrust forcefully into the political scene is the Rohingya conflict, equally alarming if not more than the ongoing EAOs and Tatmadaw (Burma Army) conflict. On October 9, around 400 militants in a coordinated action targeted three Burma border posts along the border with Bangladesh and killed around nine soldiers. The Presidents office has also released an official statement detailing information obtained through interrogation of apprehended suspects, as well as apparent intelligence sources. However, the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN), based in London, on 17 October, refuted the statement of Burma Presidents office described a well organized armed group called Aqa Mul Mujahadeen, whom they said were funded by middle eastern sources and connected to proscribed terrorist groups. The BHRN questioned the validity of this uprising being a well-planned military operation, as its statement said: If the men in the video are assumed to be responsible it should also be noted that they depict only a few dozen adult men with assault rifles and that the vast majority seen in the videos are children armed with swords, sticks and farming tools. This again draws questions into any accounts describing the group as well organized, well funded or well trained. Whatever the regime likes to portray the situation, the recent violence outburst of the Rohingya is the product of the successive military governments side-lining and oppressing of said ethnic group. There might be some elements that have received training somewhere abroad. But according to available data, it seems to be more of a home-grown rebellion due to the injustice and oppression, rather than a well-planned military operation, involving only rebel combatants. According to the New Delhi based The Wire, After this major border incident, Bangladesh had moved swiftly and arrested two of the attackers and handed them over to Myanmar. Accordingly on 16 October, Dhaka unequivocally condemned the attack and promised to help track down the perpetrators. Bangladesh follows a zero tolerance policy towards violent extremism and terrorism of any form and manifestation, said a statement issued by Bangladesh foreign ministry. Outlook Taking cues from the events that have been unfolding, assessment on stakeholders political stance; the government and military policy in dealing with the EAOs; and the governments handling of the Arakan conflict involving the Rohingyas spontaneous rebellion or armed outburst would be in order. First let us look at the issue of the stakeholders political positions in relation to the contemporary political happenings. Suu Kyi could be said to have reiterated her previous commitment of all-inclusiveness and genuine ceasefire achievement, although she is powerless to rein in the military to stop its offensives in Kachin, Shan and Karen States, excluding Arakan State, where the government seems to be working in tandem with the military on the recent Rohingya uprising. While the military is trying to project its image that the offensives in the Kachin, Shan and Karen States are with the blessing of the government, Suu Kyis recent speech indicated that it might not be the case. Because her clear urging that the conflict and warring parties should compete more in extinguishing the flames of war and not firing power or escalating the conflict showed that she couldnt have agreed to the heightening of armed conflict that the military has decided to implement. And clearly, especially the offensives in Kachin and Shan States are the handiwork of the military and not an accidental armed engagement, while patrolling. Apart from that, the conflict in Karen State between the KBFG and the splinter group of DKBA unfolded as an intentional encroachment of the KNU territory, which is against the NCA. It should also be noted that the RCSS and the KNU are signatories of the NCA.The Commander-in-Chief has clearly indicated that it is not going to abdicate from the militarys self-employed national savior role and protector of the multi-party democracy, sovereignty and national unity, even though this image projection of the military is highly debatable and controversial. Its mentioning, as if it is part of the multi-party democratic system is deplorable, as the military occupied twenty-five percent of the MP seats in all parliaments without election; having a bigger say in NDSC that is existing parallel with the government, where no such structure is allowed in a real democratic system of governance; and also the parallel military court together with the countrys judicial system. As such, the Commander-in-Chief taking cover and leaning on the elected civilian government to blast at the EAOs has no bearings and moral weight, so to speak. Finally, justifying the militarys offensives in the name of protecting the ethnic population is an undue credit accumulation, as all know that how much human rights violations have the military committed on the population during these years of war in ethnic states. One only needs to go through tons of documentation compiled by the UN and reputable rights organizations. Besides, even a child knows that opening war front on the EAOs is not conducive to the peace process and trust-building and could even be seen as sabotaging the deliberation that otherwise might lead to peace. As for KNU leader Mutu Say Poe, it has made a plea that the military allowed all-inclusive participation of all EAOs and to stop the military offensives nationwide. But whether his plea would be heard and implemented is totally another question. The UNFC has not budged from its demand for either unilateral or bilateral ceasefire to be in place first, coupled with an eight point proposal to amend the NCA, if it were to sign it, according to the government and military wishes. But it has made clear that military pressure on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), with the extension of all the UNFC members, would be counter-productive as a means of pressure to sign the NCA and would be met with only stiff resistance. In sum, the government and the military positions in Kachin, Shan and Karen States seem to differ, as the military is bent on negotiated surrender stance, while the NLD is for all-inclusiveness and negotiated settlement. And this seemingly uncoordinated strategy is not leading the country to peaceful settlement and successful political outcome. Still no one is quite sure whether the NLD government and the military are doing things in cooperation or the government just being dragged into a mum or tight-lipped situation and has to act as if it is agreeing to what the military has been doing in ethnic states, with the exception of the Arakan State on Rohingya issue. Regarding the Rohingya rebellion situation, the military and the government seems to be on the same page so far. The violent protest, with no doubt, stems from the building up of the tension all through theses years that has finally exploded. The 1982 citizenship law of General Ne Win era, that have stripped all the Rohingya of their citizenship and eventually lumped all the Muslims with origin from Bangladesh into an illegal immigrant category, might be the main culprit. While Islamophobia and xenophobia definitely might be playing important roles in this racial and ethnic conflict, it is simply not correct not to differentiate those who are entitled to be citizens and those who enter the country illegally, after the independence from the British in 1948. The angst of over foreignization or xenophobia is understandable, especially for the Arakanese. But lumping the whole ethnic group, legal and illegal, into inhumane treatment of illegality might not also be correct and could even become an act of racial discrimination, leading to racism. As such a new set of conceptual thinking which could accommodate the liberal democratic principles and preserving the ethnic identity of the indigenous Arakanese must be found. All know that assuming the policy line of Ne Wins side-lining and oppression would only breed animosity and rebellion, as is evident by the recent violent outburst. It might even be considered as an act of despair and disappointment. In a concrete term, filtering out the illegal immigrants with the cooperation of the neighboring country and reinstating the citizenship rights of those who are entitled is the only way to go. As to how this could be achieve would be entirely up to the government and stakeholders concerned, including those at the receiving end, depending on their creativity, degree of harmony aspirations of peaceful co-existence and innovation. To conclude, unless the military could make an about turn from its negotiated surrender stance and top-dog, preconceived posture, the war with the EAOs wont end and the peace process would remain a pipe-dream. The same goes for the resolution of Rohingya issue, so long as only side-lining and oppression is used and not humane accommodation. With the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's announcement Tuesday evening that $600,000 in funding had finally been released for blue-green algae studies on Owasco Lake, reactions from local leaders have been mixed. While all are grateful for the funding and the collaboration with the state's Department of Health on testing treated and raw water samples over the past few weeks, there are some who are disappointed with the state's delay on plans for next year. While recent tests have shown declining and not detectable toxin levels in both the raw and treated drinking water, the threat is far from over. Local leaders are feeling the pressure to find solutions to two looming problems. There's the short-term problem blue-green algae toxins, called microcystin, are likely to show up in the treated drinking water next year. How can the town of Owasco and city of Auburn's water systems, which serve more than 45,000 customers, better filter out those toxins so there are no detectable levels? Then there's the long-term problem eliminating blue-green algae blooms on Owasco Lake. Local leaders are meeting Friday for a phone conference with DEC officials and potentially officials from the state Department of Health and the state Department of Agriculture & Markets to discuss what can be done next. Eileen O'Connor, director of the Environmental Health Division of the Cayuga County Health Department, said the state Department of Health has been great with their laboratory work and help with outreach to the public. "We're a little concerned that the response in terms of water quality protection appears to be lagging," she said. The release of the $600,000 promised last year was good news said Ed Wagner, supervisor for the town of Owasco. But, he said, it was pre-allocated. The state has not announced any new funds for continuing studies or solutions to the increased number and intensity of harmful algal blooms. "They're years late and dollars short," Wagner said. "What are they going to do besides give us the money they promised us?" Another concern Wagner has, is the state has not addressed the short-term problem of what the two water treatment plants can do to prevent toxins from showing up in the drinking water. While the state has provided recommendations to the plants that have been helpful, including increasing their use of powder activated carbon and disinfectant, there's been no guidance on measures that would rid the treated water of toxins altogether. "This could turn into a catastrophic situation for the whole county if we don't have clean drinking water not even talking about recreation, not even talking about tourism or anything else," Wagner said. "This needs to be taken care of in eight months. It's got to be funded, engineered and implemented within an 8-month period, and that's going to be very difficult, but considering the impact that it has, it has to be done." Seth Jensen, director of the city of Auburn's Municipal Utilities, had similar concerns. He said algal studies that are being done have come from pre-allocated funding, which he is grateful for. But, he said, he hopes the state and federal government will step in with some new funding, especially as the city has hired an engineer on a 2014 grant to look at the water treatment plant. Jensen expects a report sometime next week outlining potential recommendations for ridding the water of toxins. "I hope that the state or federal government will help with those upgrades to ensure our finished water is non-detect every single time that we test it next year," Jensen said. Keith Batman, chairman of the Cayuga County Legislature, said he's not been displeased with the state and federal governments' initial reactions. The county's work with the DEC on a Nine Point Watershed Plan is a good start and part of a longer-term solution, he said. "I think all of this has taken everyone by surprise," Batman said. "No one thought we would have the problem we have. What has happened is everyone at every level has reacted with concern, and that's an important first step. No one is suggesting it's not a problem." Batman hopes that he and other local leaders will have a clearer direction of what to do in the next month or so. And that's how Auburn Mayor Michael Quill felt, too. "So far, we're reasonably happy with what we're doing, and we just need to continue on with it," he said. "There's a whole lot more in the recipe, so to speak, to see if we're satisfied with everything." Empire State Development's tourism office is posting weekly fall foliage reports. Below is the report posted Oct. 19, 2016: Gorgeous Peak and Near Peak Colors Taking Over Hudson Valley, Thousand Islands-Seaway, Greater Niagara and Finger Lakes Regions Albany, NY This is the sixth 2016 Fall Foliage Report for New York State. Reports are obtained from field observers and reflect expected color conditions for the coming weekend. Fall Foliage Reports are issued every Wednesday afternoon and are available at www.iloveny.com/foliage. Vibrant peak and near peak fall foliage is spreading throughout the Hudson Valley, Thousand Islands-Seaway, Greater Niagara and Finger Lakes regions, and continues to make a colorful splash in several other regions, according to observers for Empire State Developments I LOVE NEW YORK program. Hudson project about 100 percent color change and peak conditions with golden shades of yellow and orange highlighted by deep shades of red leaves of average brilliance. Spotters at Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County expect 85 percent color change and peak conditions this weekend with bright orange, red and yellow leaves. In Orange County, spotters in Goshen are calling for peak conditions this weekend with nearly complete leaf transition and very brilliant scarlet, yellow, peach, wine, and lime green leaves. The Hudson Valley will see foliage ranging from peak to just past peak this weekend. In Colombia County, spotters reporting fromproject about 100 percent color change and peak conditions with golden shades of yellow and orange highlighted by deep shades of red leaves of average brilliance. Spotters atin Rockland County expect 85 percent color change and peak conditions this weekend with bright orange, red and yellow leaves. In Orange County, spotters inare calling for peak conditions this weekend with nearly complete leaf transition and very brilliant scarlet, yellow, peach, wine, and lime green leaves. In Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, leaves will be near peak this weekend. Look for up to 60 percent color change in higher elevations and mostly bright predominating colors of yellow, bright blonde, and some deep gold, along with a little orange and some red. In Rockland County, spotters reporting from New City expect foliage to be near peak with 70 percent color change and very brilliant red, purple, yellow and orange leaves. In Orange County, spotters reporting from just north of Newburgh report significant leaf droppage and expect past peak, but still beautiful, leaves for the weekend with bright shades or orange, red and yellow. Alexandria Bay in Jefferson County expect peak leaves nearly 100 percent changed this weekend with lots of brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange. In Oswego County, spotters expect 80-100 percent color change by the weekend with peak conditions. Trees throughout the back fields and city parks of the county are boasting a full array of autumn colors from dull mustard and pumpkin shades to vibrant purple tones to bright bursts of orange and red. Leaves are now past peak in St. Lawrence County. Expect nearly 100 percent color change this weekend with red, yellow, orange, purple and green leaves of dull to average brilliance. In the Thousand Islands-Seaway region travelers can expect to encounter some really beautiful peak and just past peak foliage. Spotters reporting fromin Jefferson County expect peak leaves nearly 100 percent changed this weekend with lots of brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange. In, spotters expect 80-100 percent color change by the weekend with peak conditions. Trees throughout the back fields and city parks of the county are boasting a full array of autumn colors from dull mustard and pumpkin shades to vibrant purple tones to bright bursts of orange and red. Leaves are now past peak in. Expect nearly 100 percent color change this weekend with red, yellow, orange, purple and green leaves of dull to average brilliance. Niagara Falls, where you can expect 60 percent change with a wide range of fall colors. In Erie County, spotters in Buffalo expect near peak to peak foliage with 50-60 percent color change. The colors will be closer to 60 percent changed south of Buffalo as you approach ski country; in the city center 40-50 percent change is expected. Look for lots of average to bright leaves of yellow-gold with touches of red, orange and purple. Peak and near peak foliage predominates in the Greater Niagara region this weekend. Peak foliage will arrive in Niagara County and, where you can expect 60 percent change with a wide range of fall colors. In Erie County, spotters inexpect near peak to peak foliage with 50-60 percent color change. The colors will be closer to 60 percent changed south of Buffalo as you approach ski country; in the city center 40-50 percent change is expected. Look for lots of average to bright leaves of yellow-gold with touches of red, orange and purple. In Wyoming County, spotters reporting from Perry expect near peak to peak leaves this weekend with 70-75 percent color change and bright yellow, red, orange and green leaves. Near peak foliage will be found throughout Orleans County, according to spotters in Albion. Expect around 80 percent color change inland and about 60 percent near Lake Ontario. Look for bright shades of green and gold and orange, along with touches of reds. Syracuse, in Onondaga County, are taking into account expected wind and rain and predict that this weekend will be the best for leaf peeping in the area. Look for more than 50 percent color change and many shades of yellow, red and purple. You can expect peak foliage conditions in Livingston County, according to spotters in Geneseo. Color change should be about 60 percent as the shades of yellow from the early fall are being overtaken by the more brilliant reds and burgundy. The wide variety of trees standing side by side in various stages of color change is making for striking views in every direction. Steuben County spotters predict just about complete foliage transition and peak leaves in the Corning and Hornell areas, and about 75 percent color change and near peak conditions around Keuka Lake. Look for very intense reds, oranges, golds and yellows. Foliage will be peak in Tompkins County this weekend, according to spotters in Ithaca. Look for red, green and brown leaves of average brilliance, along with many shades of yellow and orange. Cortland County leaf peepers expect peak foliage this weekend with 75 percent color change and bright orange and green leaves. Many areas of the Finger Lakes region will be awash in gorgeous peak and near peak foliage this weekend. Spotters in, in Onondaga County, are taking into account expected wind and rain and predict that this weekend will be the best for leaf peeping in the area. Look for more than 50 percent color change and many shades of yellow, red and purple. You can expect peak foliage conditions in Livingston County, according to spotters in. Color change should be about 60 percent as the shades of yellow from the early fall are being overtaken by the more brilliant reds and burgundy. The wide variety of trees standing side by side in various stages of color change is making for striking views in every direction. Steuben County spotters predict just about complete foliage transition and peak leaves in theandareas, and about 75 percent color change and near peak conditions around Keuka Lake. Look for very intense reds, oranges, golds and yellows. Foliage will be peak in Tompkins County this weekend, according to spotters in. Look for red, green and brown leaves of average brilliance, along with many shades of yellow and orange.leaf peepers expect peak foliage this weekend with 75 percent color change and bright orange and green leaves. Spotters in Watkins Glen in Schuyler County predict 75-85 percent color change and near peak to peak conditions this weekend with average to bright yellow, orange and red leaves. Tioga County spotters based in Owego are calling for near peak foliage with 70 percent color change this weekend. The vibrant predominating colors include red, yellow, brown and green. Look for near peak colors in Ontario County, according to spotters in Canandaigua. Color change should be around 85 percent with average to bright shades of yellow and orange, along with some bright reds striking just the right contrast. In Cayuga County, foliage spotters reporting from Auburn are calling for near peak leaves this weekend, with brilliant shades of orange, yellow and red, along with some green. Spotters in Rochester are calling for leaves at midpoint of change with 50-60 percent transition and mostly muted yellow leaves, along with some orange, red and brown, and much green. Leaves appear more brilliant in the sunlight. Spotters checking in from the Brighton area of the city expect 50-55 percent color change and midpoint conditions with a great mix of trees with leaves of all colors, including yellow and green-yellow, russet and orange and red. About 45-50 percent of trees remain green. In Wayne County, spotters predict 40-50 percent color change and midpoint conditions this weekend with yellow and green leaves of muted to average brilliance. Colors are coming on strong in Yates County where foliage will be at midpoint of change this weekend. Spotters reporting from Penn Yan predict 50 percent color transition and very brilliant leaves of orange, yellow and red, with some patches of dull brown. In Seneca County, foliage will be transitioning from the early stages to midpoint of change. Expect to see 45 percent color change and average to bright yellow, orange and red leaves emerging from the green. In Chemung County, Elmira-based spotters expect past peak conditions this weekend with 70 percent color change and muted gold and green leaves. Sullivan County. Look for nearly complete color change and brilliant colorful cornucopias of yellow, orange and red sprinkled with green. Spotters reporting from Kingston in Ulster County predict peak foliage this weekend with 80 percent color change. Predominating colors include yellow, deep burgundy and hints of brighter orange, and some salmon color. Very little green remains as a backdrop. At Belleayre Mountain in Highmount, foliage will be just past peak. The ride up to the mountain from Kingston still has some beautiful leaf peeping opportunities with leaves of orange, gold, red and yellow. The Catskills region will see a mix of peak and past peak foliage this weekend. Peak colors should hold on through the weekend in. Look for nearly complete color change and brilliant colorful cornucopias of yellow, orange and red sprinkled with green. Spotters reporting fromin Ulster County predict peak foliage this weekend with 80 percent color change. Predominating colors include yellow, deep burgundy and hints of brighter orange, and some salmon color. Very little green remains as a backdrop. Atin, foliage will be just past peak. The ride up to the mountain from Kingston still has some beautiful leaf peeping opportunities with leaves of orange, gold, red and yellow. Spotters in Catskill, in Greene County, expect just past peak leaves this weekend with still extremely vibrant shades of red, yellow and orange. Foliage above 2000 in the county is now past peak; look for brilliant red and yellow leaves. Delaware County will be past peak. Look for yellow and gold leaves of muted brilliance. Malone, in Franklin County. Spotters reporting from the Franklin County Historical & Museum Society expect nearly 100 percent color change and very brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange. Spotters in northern Warren County expect peak to just past peak foliage for the weekend, with fiery yellows, bright orange and red leaves covering the mountains with color. The southern part of the county will be near peak to peak with beautiful yellows, oranges, reds and muted rusts. Spotters in Crown Point in Essex County expect peak to just past peak foliage this weekend with nearly complete color change and average to vibrant shades of yellow and orange accompanied by some bright sparks of red. Foliage in the Adirondacks will be mostly past peak by the weekend. Peak color should hang on until the weekend in, in Franklin County. Spotters reporting from theexpect nearly 100 percent color change and very brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange. Spotters in northernexpect peak to just past peak foliage for the weekend, with fiery yellows, bright orange and red leaves covering the mountains with color. The southern part of the county will be near peak to peak with beautiful yellows, oranges, reds and muted rusts. Spotters inin Essex County expect peak to just past peak foliage this weekend with nearly complete color change and average to vibrant shades of yellow and orange accompanied by some bright sparks of red. Saranac Lake in Franklin County predict just past peak foliage for the weekend with nearly 100 percent color change and shades of gold, yellow and orange beginning to predominate the fading shades of red. Foliage is past peak in the Franklin County areas of Tupper Lake and Mt. Arab. With 90-95 percent color transition, leaves are fading and a bronze, copper and ginger haze predominates the landscape with the sporadic hues of canary, maize, pumpkin, and mimosa. With above average temperatures and no heavy frost predicted, it should be another good weekend for leaf peeping. Foliage in Lake Placid is now past peak, however there are still many vivid orange and gold leaves that make for a beautiful backdrop. At Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, foliage is now past peak, but there are still lots of golden and burnt orange leaves and the underbrush has just turned. Spotters reporting fromin Franklin County predict just past peak foliage for the weekend with nearly 100 percent color change and shades of gold, yellow and orange beginning to predominate the fading shades of red. Foliage is past peak in the Franklin County areas ofand. With 90-95 percent color transition, leaves are fading and a bronze, copper and ginger haze predominates the landscape with the sporadic hues of canary, maize, pumpkin, and mimosa. With above average temperatures and no heavy frost predicted, it should be another good weekend for leaf peeping. Foliage inis now past peak, however there are still many vivid orange and gold leaves that make for a beautiful backdrop. Atin, foliage is now past peak, but there are still lots of golden and burnt orange leaves and the underbrush has just turned. Hamilton County spotters reporting from Indian Lake report that foliage will be past peak this weekend with about 50-60 percent of the leaves remaining on trees. Look for average shades of orange and yellow, along with some remaining red. Spotters reporting from Speculator expect nearly complete color change and past peak conditions with red, yellow, burgundy and orange leaves of average brilliance. In Herkimer County, foliage is past peak in Old Forge. Look for 90 percent color change this weekend with bright yellow and gold leaves along with shades of red and orange. Leaves that have fallen are creating a colorful carpet on the trails in the forest. Northville and Caroga Lake predict peak foliage for the weekend with nearly 100 percent leaf change and bright shades of orange, red and yellow, along with rusty browns and bronzes. In Schenectady County, expect peak colors this weekend, including bright oranges and reds, along with radiant pinks and purples. Conditions are some of the best seen in years according to spotters in Glenville. Montgomery County will be near peak this weekend with many shades of gold, yellow and red leaves. In the Capital-Saratoga region, Fulton County spotters reporting fromandpredict peak foliage for the weekend with nearly 100 percent leaf change and bright shades of orange, red and yellow, along with rusty browns and bronzes. In Schenectady County, expect peak colors this weekend, including bright oranges and reds, along with radiant pinks and purples. Conditions are some of the best seen in years according to spotters inwill be near peak this weekend with many shades of gold, yellow and red leaves. Thacher Park in Voorheesville predict just past peak leaves this weekend with lots of bright shades of yellow and red. Spotters in Rensselaer County predict just past peak foliage for the weekend. Look for 65-75 percent color change with about 25-35 percent leaf fall. Spotters note that this season has seen a lot of remarkable foliage and this weekend should be full of bright colors from orange to red, to yellow and green. Yellow predominates among the trees on higher elevations and some green trees and bushes remain. In Albany County, spotters atinpredict just past peak leaves this weekend with lots of bright shades of yellow and red. Spotters inpredict just past peak foliage for the weekend. Look for 65-75 percent color change with about 25-35 percent leaf fall. Spotters note that this season has seen a lot of remarkable foliage and this weekend should be full of bright colors from orange to red, to yellow and green. Yellow predominates among the trees on higher elevations and some green trees and bushes remain. Chittenango project peak leaves for the weekend with 70-75 percent leaf change and vibrant shades of yellow, red and orange. Leaves will be past peak in Chenango County, according to spotters in Norwich. Look for near complete color change with bright yellow, red and orange leaves. Spotters in Binghamton, in Broome County, expect just past peak foliage this weekend with 75-80 percent color change and bright orange, yellow and red leaves predominating. Color change is complete throughout Oneida County and most areas can expect just past peak conditions this weekend and great colors, according to spotters in Utica. Look for various shades of vibrant oranges with a bit of bright red to dominate the color scheme, blending in with muted shades of yellows, gold and blush. The leaves are gently transitioning to past peak in many areas of the Central New York region. In Madison County, spotters inproject peak leaves for the weekend with 70-75 percent leaf change and vibrant shades of yellow, red and orange. Leaves will be past peak in Chenango County, according to spotters in. Look for near complete color change with bright yellow, red and orange leaves. Spotters in, in Broome County, expect just past peak foliage this weekend with 75-80 percent color change and bright orange, yellow and red leaves predominating. Color change is complete throughout Oneida County and most areas can expect just past peak conditions this weekend and great colors, according to spotters in. Look for various shades of vibrant oranges with a bit of bright red to dominate the color scheme, blending in with muted shades of yellows, gold and blush. Herkimer County spotters in Mohawk expect just about all of the leaves to have changed color by the weekend. Look for bright just past peak leaves of red, orange and gold. Spotters checking in from Cooperstown in Otsego County expect foliage to be just past peak this weekend, but beautiful nevertheless. Look for nearly 100 percent color change and bright shades of yellow, red and orange. Schoharie County will also be past peak this weekend. Chautauqua expect peak foliage with about 100 percent color change and brilliant orange, red and yellow leaves. In Cattaraugus County, foliage spotters checking in from Little Valley expect past peak foliage this weekend with approximately 75 percent color change and shades of yellow, rust, orange and red of average brilliance predominating. Leaves are past peak at Allegany State Park. Look for 80 percent color change and lots of yellow, orange and red leaves of average brilliance. The park will still have some trees in the process of changing this weekend, and it should be another excellent weekend of fall colors. Visitors to the Chautauqua-Allegheny region this weekend can expect a mix of peak and past peak leaves. In Chautauqua County, spotters inexpect peak foliage with about 100 percent color change and brilliant orange, red and yellow leaves. In Cattaraugus County, foliage spotters checking in fromexpect past peak foliage this weekend with approximately 75 percent color change and shades of yellow, rust, orange and red of average brilliance predominating. Leaves are past peak at. Look for 80 percent color change and lots of yellow, orange and red leaves of average brilliance. The park will still have some trees in the process of changing this weekend, and it should be another excellent weekend of fall colors. East Meadow predict 60 percent color change with yellow, orange, red, purple and green leaves of average brilliance. In Suffolk County, spotters reporting from Tanger Outlets in Riverhead expect 40 percent color change and midpoint conditions with yellow, orange, red, purple and green leaves of average brilliance. Leaves on Long Island will be at midpoint of change this weekend. Nassau County spotters inpredict 60 percent color change with yellow, orange, red, purple and green leaves of average brilliance. In Suffolk County, spotters reporting frominexpect 40 percent color change and midpoint conditions with yellow, orange, red, purple and green leaves of average brilliance. Pelham Bay Park in The Bronx expect just 15 percent change with some pops of bright color. Predominating colors are mostly green with a few lighter greens, dark yellows, dark reds and browns. Foliage change is still in the early stages in New York City , where spotters atinexpect just 15 percent change with some pops of bright color. Predominating colors are mostly green with a few lighter greens, dark yellows, dark reds and browns. Volunteer Leaf Peepers The I LOVE NY team of volunteer Leaf Peepers, located throughout the states 11 vacation regions, are tasked with keeping track of the color change in their area as leaves progress each week. The information is then used for fall foliage reports, which are posted online each week, featuring a detailed map of color change throughout New York State, vantage points for viewing spectacular foliage, suggested autumn getaways and weekly event listings in each region. About Fall Foliage The weekly foliage report, a detailed map charting fall color progress, vantage points for viewing spectacular foliage, suggested autumn getaways and weekly event listings are available by visiting the I LOVE NEW YORK web site at www.iloveny.com/foliage . Reports are also available by dialing, toll-free, 800/CALL-NYS (800/225-5697) from anywhere in the U.S., its territories and Canada. To learn how to become a volunteer Leaf Peeper, e-mail your name, address and phone number to foliage@esd.ny.gov . Fall foliage reports are also available by dialing, toll-free, 800-CALL-NYS. Progressives for Central New York began a year ago in support of Bernie Sander's presidential bid. Many hundreds of people joined our efforts. We are continuing our work to foster a political revolution. While Colleen Deacon, the Democratic candidate for the 24th Congressional District doesn't support all the positions we believe are important, she supports enough of them that we wanted to point them out to fellow Central New Yorkers as they decide how to participate in the Nov. 8 election. We also found Ms. Deacon to be welcome to meeting with community groups, hearing our concerns and engaging in meaningful dialogue about the issues important to our region.On issues of Trade and Economic Justice, Ms. Deacon has expressed strong opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership a disastrous trade deal. She is campaigning on that opposition and has agreed to speak out against a vote on it during the lame duck session if she is elected. She supports a $15 minimum wage and increased taxes on the wealthy and corporations as well as paid family leave. To make Democracy Work, Ms. Deacon supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. She supports efforts to get money out of politics and reduce the power of corporations and the wealthy. She believes voting should be made simpler and easier, favoring same day registration, early voting and removing onerous restrictions on voters. On Healthcare, while Ms. Deacon does not at this time support Medicare for all, she would like to see us move toward universal health care and supports adding a Public Option to the Affordable Care Act and amending it so that the government could negotiate lower prices with drug companies. She will defend Planned Parenthood and work to ensure that all women have access to high quality, affordable health care. On the critical issue of Climate Change, Ms. Deacon understands that it is caused by humans and is extremely important. She supports a federal ban on fracking and is open to a carbon tax on fossil fuels. She supports more stringent energy efficiency standards and increased investment in clean energy. Bernie Sanders received over 25,000 votes in our district during the presidential primary. We believe that Colleen Deacon is the better candidate to advance our values for the 24th congressional district in this critical election. Katherine Burns and Andy Mager Burns, of Otisco, and Mager, of Syracuse, write on behalf of Progressives for Central New York Nowadays, car safety is advancing rapidly with growing importance, especially for the active safety, or say the primary safety. As one of the major players in the car safety industry, KSS draws a lot of attention from all over the world, and even more after it was bought by Joyson from China. Recently Gasgoo interviewed two top chiefs from KSS (Key Safety Systems), i.e., Jason Luo, the President and CEO, as well as Greg Heald, President of global Passive Safety Division and also responsible for Asia Pacific. From the interview, we could got the KSSs concrete theory on car safety development, and the strategic plan in the future. How could KSS build reliable safety systems for automotive cars? In recent years, car safety meets several big glitch cases, or even astonishing scandals. The most influential one is Takata airbag rupture case, which has caused over 50 million cars recalled globally and is still expanding in 2016. Airbag with faulted control unit made by German Continental Group also lead to more than 5 million vehicles recalled all over the world. Compared with growing attention to mobility safety, how could carmakers and suppliers ensure the dependability of relative systems? For KSS, days after 1999 bankruptcy crisis go smoothly with rapid growth. According to Jason Luo, global revenue of KSS reached $1.59 billion in 2015, with the goal of $1.7 billion for 2016, and over $2 billion for 2018. China market contributes KSS more than $500 million revenue in 2015, about 30% growth year-on-year, accounting over 30% for the whole income. As one successful player, the answer from KSS could be enlightening for the industry. First, enterprises must know the market and customer need from the begining, since primary goal of serving customers could lay the basis of reliable product. You (should) start with listening to the customer, thinking about what the customer exactly needs and where the market is going to go. Greg Heald said, Its why we moved into China, and focus on being in China, for the China market from a long term, developing local engineering talent, localizing raw materials, localizing capability in terms of manufacturing. Thus, KSS emphasize how to focus on exactly what the customer needs, how do you focus on making sure that you do it in the most efficient way as possible. From understanding the customers, KSS takes the first step to supply creditable product. The second point is that, from designing, engineering to manufacturing, every step should be implemented with high level of inerrability. Within the industry, quality is the most important thing, always. Greg Heald said, so to ensure the safety of airbag, The way is to make every part and every step flawless, perfect and with zero defects. Before manufacturing one product, KSS looks at all of the process that lead up to the manufacturing the parts, from all of the designing process, all of the development process, to all of the engineering process, including how to select suppliers and raw materials. Then the parts move into manufacturing process. KSS have numerous control procedure throughout the manufacturing process to ensure the each step started correctly and exactly. Heald noted that test conducted throughout the manufacturing process is important, too. According to information gathered by Gasgoo, Takata has identified airbag exposure to the material of ammonium nitrate applied in the inflator, which is vulnerable under the condition of heat and moisture. So Takata now has the plan to replace ammonium nitrate with guanidine nitrate, the latter also used by TRW and Autoliv. Jason Luo and Greg Heald told Gasgoo that, And KSS inflators, we use a different raw material than Takata, so we do not use the same type of gas generator, we dont use amonion nitrate. When asked about the opportunity brought by the downfall of Takata, Jason Luo and Greg Heald admitted that KSS and other competitors obtained chance from the case, whats more, it could be also a lesson for the peers. Heald mentioned that, For sure the industry will be adjusted. So the market share might change. However, KSS pointed out that we should not fear from airbag itself due to recent issues, because airbag quality performance is relatively steady compared with other auto parts.Speaking for our quality record, airbags production has a very long time, and the systems and the process is full developed, and the manufacturing is very mature. And if we look at the total population, excluding recent issues with one particular producer, the record and performance is really quite good around the world with airbag producers. Said Heald. Moreover, airbag is connected to many other equipment in the vehicle, while itself is a system more than just one fabric bag. Heald pointed out that, (For some so-called airbag recall cases) it is an electronic problem. Its a different market area. But at times when you see recalls in the industry, often times it is interesting, more than on product. It could have something to do with the system, the interaction between different parts of the vehicle. More acquisition/combination in the industry, more integration between active/passive systems Active safety, including ADAS, is one of hot topics in the auto industry. KSS expressed optimistic prospect over active safety segment, due to its necessary for autonomous driving technology. Currently, KSS has already obtained some active safety projects from carmakers. On the basis of the global business growing speed, KSS determined to increase investment, especially in some key technologies. Even some acquisitions had been included in the whole plan. Because of the current transaction stage, the chief declined to comment on detail information about future acquisition. But the case of buy Korean-based ImageNext could be an example. In Feb. 2016, just two months before taken by Joyson, KSS bought major stake of ImageNext, which is famous for its surround view monitoring tech. So the purchasing could help KSS to expand its active safety business. Since active system is developing very rapidly, now suppliers are exploring some new segment for passive system, such as pedestrian protection, outer airbag and even wild animal protection. For example, Volvo used outer airbag from Autoliv to reduce the pedestrians hurt effect during the collision; while ZF-TRW is developing outer airbag which could protect the car in the T-boned occasion. Based on Greg Healds data, passive safety contributes over 90% of the KSS total sales revenue globally. So on the one hand active safety will be the focus point with great potential, on the other hand, passive safety business would keep an important role in KSSs plan. On pedestrian protection, Greg Heald told us that, In fact we have several projects relative to pedestrian safety, in Europe and North America. We have been working on that for many years. In fact, there is no strict boundary between active and passive safety, in KSSs view, nevertheless, the combination of the two should be the proper tendency for tomorrows car safety. Jason Luo insisted that the two types of safety concepts might change. Traditionally, passive safety takes effect after the accident has happened, to relieve the loss. But KSS links sensors from active safety to restraints system from passive safety, resulting into a new concept instant safety. Under KSS, active safety could be divided into three sub-concept. The first one is ADAS, with software, control system and algorithm as the major content. Then is the cameras and sensors inside or outside the car. The last one is just so-called instant safety. According to Jason Luo, active safety could foresee the collision, winning more time for the passive safety systems preparation. For example, the airbag could deploy fully, while the panel can be open in advance, with bonnet raised; some car models could even deploy airbag to the ground to protect the car, or make the car departed from the collision route. He compared the extra time as, Previously we call the responding time T0, which now minus 30 to 50, with the time in advance. Greg Heald also pointed out that, With the fusion of active and passive safety, and more electronics, as well as more cameras in the vehicle, we will have better information about where is the occupants in the car, and better information about is there going to be an accident. Then the restraints system could do something. With new technology, we could judge whether there is going to be an accident within 30 milliseconds. With extra time, the safety system could do more work. Cameras inside the car could tell the occupants status, sitting or laying (for autonomous cars). If the system learned the collision direction before it happened, then the pretension system could bring the people to a safer direction. said Jason Luo. The inner cameras can also estimate whether the occupant is with disease or wound, then help the restraint system touch the human body in a proper position, while the force can be adjusted according to the body size. A larger force for the adult, a smaller force for the children. So the intelligent character of active safety bring obvious optimization for the passive safety. Active safety is closely related to car intelligence, especially autonomous car, while passive safety could enjoy new chance brought by smart cars, too. When asked about whether a different safety system design is needed for smart car and new energy cars, Greg Heald answered, For sure the markets will continue to grow, and there will be many different new opportunities for our products.One simple example: if the driver is not driving the vehicle (autonomous car), you can turn your seats around, you can face each other, you can sleep. But the car may still have an accident.So how do you design your bag, your seat belts to protect you of sleeping? If the driver or occupant face toward a different direction, then the restraint system need to adjust the way to take effect for better protection. Jason Luo said that, KSS had already finished battery protection technology for alternative fuel vehicles, ready to enter production. The solution could handle battery fire problem. When the system confirm the battery is overheated, it would cut the electricity and cover the battery with inflaming retarding material. Introduction of the chief: Jason Luo: Global President, CEO of KSS Mr. Luo has been with the company since 1997. Prior positions at KSS include President, Chief Operating Officer; President of Asia Division; VP of Global Engineering; Director of Global Engineering. Mr. Luo serves as President, CEO, and board member of KSS since March 2007. Mr. Luo has led the business transformation and global expansion of KSS since 2007 to ensure KSS can serve its global customers from its 34 global technical centers and manufacturing plants in North American, Europe and Asia. Born in China, Mr. Luo has a deep knowledge and understanding of doing business in China, and achieved 10-fold revenue growth in China since 2007. Greg Heald: President, Passive Safety Division & President Asia Mr. Heald joined KSS in 1998. Prior to this assignment, he served as President Asia and Sr. Vice President Global Procurement, and President & CEO Hamlin, Inc. During his 17 year career with Key Safety Systems (formerly Breed Technologies) he has also served as President & CEO Hamlin, Inc., Sr. Vice President Global Procurement & Business Development, President & COO Global Airbag Business Unit, President & COO North America, President North American Airbag and Inflator Business Unit and Vice President Global Procurement. About KSS: Key Safety Systems (KSS) is a global leader in the system integration and performance of safety-critical components to the automotive and non-automotive markets serving the active safety, passive safety and specialty product sectors. Through highly specialized design, development, and manufacturing, KSS technology is featured in more than 300 vehicle models produced by over 60 well-diversified customers worldwide. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and its entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, Schiaparelli, approach Mars. Photo: ESA/ATG medialab DARMSTADT, GERMANY (AFP): Ground controllers waited anxiously for news on Thursday on the status of a tiny European craft which touched down on Mars as part of a daring quest for life on the Red Planet, but may not have survived the impact. The paddling pool-sized "Schiaparelli" lander, a trial-run for a Mars rover to follow, was scheduled to land at 1448 GMT on Wednesday after a scorching, supersonic dash through Mars' thin atmosphere. Hours later, the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the craft had touched down, but said it was emitting no signal -- evoking the ghost of Europe's first, failed, bid to land on Mars 13 years ago. "The lander touched down, that is certain," ESA's Schiaparelli manager Thierry Blancquaert told AFP. "Whether it landed intact, whether it hit a rock or a crater or whether it simply cannot communicate, that I don't know," he said from mission control in Darmstadt, Germany. Blancquaert said he was "not too optimistic" of receiving a clean bill of health. This would be Europe's second failed Mars landing in a row, joining a string of other unsuccessful attempts by global powers to explore our planetary neighbour's hostile surface. The British-built Beagle 2 robot lab disappeared without trace after separating from its mothership, Mars Express, in 2003. Its remains were finally spotted in a NASA photograph last year. Schiaparelli had travelled seven months and 496 million kilometres (308 million miles) onboard the European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to come within a million kilometres from Mars on Sunday, when it set off on its own mission to reach the surface. The pair comprised phase one of the ExoMars mission through which Europe and Russia seek to join the United States in probing the alien Martian surface. The TGO was successfully placed in Mars orbit on Wednesday, to cheers and applause from ground controllers some 170 million kilometres away. "It's a good spacecraft in the right place, and we have a mission around Mars," flight operations manager Michel Denis announced. Schiaparelli's silence put a damper on the celebrations, though ESA officials tried to look on the bright side. "Whatever is going to happen, we will have learnt a lot of things because we will have data recorded of the descent," spokeswoman Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin told AFP. "So, we already have quite a bit of lessons learnt." For ESA director-general Jan Woerner, "this is typical for a test". "We did this in order to get data about how to land with European technology on Mars, therefore all the data we will get this night... will be used to understand how to manage... the next landing when we're going with the rover." Schiaparelli's landing was designed to inform technology for a much bigger and more expensive rover scheduled for launch in 2020 -- the second phase and high point of ExoMars. The rover will be equipped with a drill to look for clues of life, past or present, up to a depth of two metres. The TGO, in turn, will aid the search for life by sniffing atmospheric gases potentially excreted by living organisms -- however small or primitive. Its science mission will start in early 2018. DEHRADUN (PTI): Around 15 personnel of Indian Army and Air Force had a narrow escape on Wednesday when an IAF helicopter, in which they were travelling, crashed after taking off near the Mana village of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. The Mi-17 V5 helicopter was practising 'inter-valley movement' at Ghastoli helipad between Badrinath and Mana Pass when the mishap took place at around 9:25 AM, the IAF said. However, all occupants including members of the crew and personnel of the Indian Army's 12 Grenadiers were reported safe, the IAF added. There was neither any civilian casualty or damage to civilian property, it said. A colonel rank officer is looking into the accident to ascertain its cause. India and China on Wednesday carried out a joint army exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. Photo: MoD spokesperson's Twitter NEW DELHI (PTI): In a first, India and China on Wednesday carried out a joint army exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, a move that comes amid hectic diplomatic manoeuvring between the two countries over a host of issues like Nuclear Suppliers Group and designation of Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. During the day-long 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 operations, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance. 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. The Indian team for the exercise was led by Brigadier R S 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 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. This year's edition of 'Hand in Hand' will be held at Aundh, near Pune in Maharashtra, from November 15 to 27. The PAK FA fifth generation fighter. MOSCOW (BNS): The Russian Air Force could receive the first five T-50 PAK FA fifth-generation fighter aircraft in 2017, the country's Air Force Chief has said. "We will complete the trials of the PAK FA fighter jet next year. The first five PAK FA fighter jets have been included in the contract," Russian Aerospace Force Commander-in-Chief Viktor Bondarev said as reported by Itar-Tass news agency. "I believe that we will start receiving the first five planes next year," he said, adding that serial production of the advanced fighter jets will begin soon after the initial delivery. The Aerospace Force is receiving Sukhoi Su-35S multi-role fighters, Mil Mi-28N (Havoc) and Kamov Ka-52 (Hokum-B) attack helicopters, as well as upgraded Tupolev Tu-95MS (Bear) and Tu-160 (Blackjack) strategic bombers that "are showing excellent characteristics," the Air Chief said. Meanwhile, about 20 Sukhoi Su-30SM multi-role fighters would be delivered to the Air Force annually. "We purchase planes of this type annually. We will receive 20-24 planes, which is virtually the number needed to equip an air regiment," Bondarev said. The Russian Defence Ministry has awarded a contract to Irkut Corporation for the supply of Su-30SM multi-role fighters as part of the State Defence Order for 2016-2018. The contract entails the delivery of more than 30 Su-30SM fighters to the Russian Air Force by the end of 2018. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Police say they seized more than $250,000 worth of illicit drugs, including crystal meth, during a series of raids in the Brandon area made as part of a seven-month, multi-agency investigation. While he didnt specify how, Brandon Police Service Deputy Chief Randy Lewis said there is a link between arrests made in connection with the investigation and recent gun violence in Brandon. We believe that the recent shooting incidents in Brandon are linked to those arrested and we hope that this will quell the gun violence in the city of Brandon, Lewis said during a press conference in Winnipeg on Wednesday morning. Joe Bryksa/Winnipeg Free Press Brandon Police Service Deputy Chief Randy Lewis, centre, Winnipeg Police Service Insp. Max Waddell, left, and RCMP Insp. Tim Olmstead look over firearms and illicit drugs seized during Project Derringer in Brandon at RCMP D Division headquarters in Winnipeg on Wednesday. Three men have been arrested in connection with the operation, and Lewis said he sees the arrests and seizures as a significant blow to the western Manitoba drug trade. It is certainly a very positive move in our battle against drugs, Lewis said. Project Derringer was led by the Manitoba Integrated Organized Crime Task Force. Lewis said the investigation involved an interprovincial investigation into the cross-border movement of illicit drugs into the Westman area. The Brandon Sun previously learned that the operation involved an investigation into the large-scale movement of illicit drugs from the Toronto region to the Brandon area. Nine search warrants were executed at three residences including a farm near Griswold last Thursday and a First Street home on Friday (although police didnt specify that that was one of the three homes). A hotel room was also searched. One of the arrestees is from Ontario, and as part of the investigation his home was also raided, although additional details werent provided. Police didnt specify where the drugs were found, but they seized more than three kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of marijuana, and one kilogram of methamphetamine. They have a street value of more than $250,000. Nine guns were seized including a handgun and semi-automatic assault-style rifle and a crossbow and ammunition for the guns. Several vehicles believed to have been used to transport drugs were seized, and $25,000 cash. Joe Bryksa/Winnipeg Free Press Brandon Police Service Deputy Chief Randy Lewis speaks at RCMP D Division Headquarters in Winnipeg on Wednesday. Items seized as part of Project Derringer included firearms, cash, vehicles and drugs. The arrests were made with the help of tactical teams from both the Brandon Police Service and RCMP. The three accused remain in custody at this time, and Lewis said further charges are pending against the men. He said there may also be further charges against those men, and against others in Brandon and across the province. While the joint organized crime task force was involved, Lewis said there are no apparent ties to any specific street gangs. The possible link between the three accused and the recent shootings is not clear, as they are not among those currently charged in connection with the shootings. Nor is it clear if there is a connection between the guns seized and the shootings. At seven months long, the drug investigation began prior to the shootings in September and October. However, the investigation into the shootings continues, and police said theyll do firearms testing in an attempt to link the drug case. During questioning by journalists, Lewis repeated a position previously stated by the BPS that the Brandon shootings were targeted at specific people and homes. The general public unless you are involved in the gun and drug subculture you have little to worry about, Lewis said. RCMP Handout Police seized cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin and crystal meth, as well as a large quantity of cash as part of Project Derringer. Leslie Gerald Bisson, 36, of Griswold and Justin Tyler Reimer, 28, of Brandon are charged with drug trafficking and weapon related offences. Javed Ali, 29, of Georgetown, Ont., faces six charges related to drug trafficking. He was reportedly arrested last Thursday at the Griswold-area farm. The allegations against the men havent been proven and theyre presumed innocent. Last weeks raids came shortly after a series of four shootings in Brandon in which one woman was grazed by a shot from a shotgun, another man survived being shot in the torso and two homes were fired on. There was also a home invasion, in which it appears the victims were targeted by mistake. Police made several arrests in each of those incidents, except for the most recent shooting in which a vacant Russell Street home was shot. When it comes to major drug investigations in the Brandon area, history shows that charges and seizures are one thing but prosecution another. In 2011 and 2012, the Brandon Police Service ran a drug sting that included covert surveillance. In October 2012, police announced that more than $2 million worth of drugs were seized during searches at rural properties near Brandon and Gilbert Plains. In that case, it was alleged that marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy were regularly being shipped from British Columbia to Manitoba for distribution to Brandon and Dauphin drug dealers. RCMP Handout A number of weapons were seized as part of Project Derringer, including an assault-style rifle. The case languished in the courts and the file passed between Crown attorneys. Ultimately, three of four men charged in relation to that operation had the charges against them dropped. One man was convicted of possession of marijuana and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Of the $2 million in drugs seized by police, about $1.6 million worth remained unexplained as no one was convicted of possessing them. The final accused had his charges dropped more than two years after that bust. None of the accused in that prior case are charged in relation to this investigation. ihitchen@brandonsun.com Twitter: @IanHitchen Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Plans are underway for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of #82 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Brandon. The service and being able to offer the program to cadets in Brandon and the Westman area for 75 years is definitely something to be celebrated, and were inviting all of Brandon and the surrounding communities to come and join us in the celebration on January 14th, Captain Dan Fontaine said. One needs to turn back the pages of Canadian history in order to understand the grass roots of Canadas Air Cadet Program. In the early days of World War II, France had fallen, Britain was under heavy attack by the Germans and it was critical for greater air support from the Allied Forces. That stemmed the idea to prepare a select corps of teenage men who would devote their spare time to training for when they would take their place as aircrew with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Submitted Commanding Officers Honour Roll Award: Present to LACs Gu, Lu and Horvath (LAC acronym for Leading Aircraftmen) by Commanding Officer Capt Dan Fontaine. According to the Air Cadet League of Canada, youth joined squadrons continuously throughout these first few years from 1941 to 1944, resulting in 59 Air Cadet Squadrons operating in Manitoba. Brandons squadron officially joined on Jan. 12, 1942. In these early years, squadrons would meet and parade regularly at schools or armouries in their cities and smaller communities. The three elements of the Brandon Cadet Programs land, sea and air met weekly at the Brandon Armoury on Victoria Ave. By September of 1944, the program reached its peak war strength of more than 29,000 cadets participating in 374 squadrons throughout Canada. More than 1,700 officers and instructors would maintain the program and another 2,000 civilians would supply financial and additional support. After the war, air cadet training continued but with more community-minded instruction for the development of young leaders across the country. I think of any organization in any community, 75 years of service is a very serious accomplishment, Fontaine said. It should be celebrated. It should not pass without some sort of pomp and circumstance. And after 75 years there are a huge number of people who have been involved with the unit, both in the administration and training, as well as the many cadets themselves. Fontaine comes by his passion for the program honestly after he joined the Brandon squadron in 1985 at the age of 13. Its special to me, he said. After working out west, Fontaine moved back to Brandon in 2015 to assume the position of Economic Development Officer for the city, allowing him to rejoin his original unit, this time as its commanding officer. Even though Ive been part of two different eras with the unit, theres a 25-year gap that I dont have direct involvement in so were working with our connections in spreading the word out to get as many people involved as possible, and bring back as many generations as possible, to celebrate the 75th with us. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As a longtime health politics watcher, I had put the chances of a new health accord being reached at no better than 50-50 as the federal, provincial and territorial health ministers met this week in Toronto. But not having a health accord is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, Canada has only ever had one such agreement. Despite the rhetoric and hair-pulling by the premiers and other self-appointed saviours of medicare about how desperately we need an agreement to replace the one that expired in 2014, we should remember we have survived most of our time with medicare without such long-term agreements. That is not to say that an accord that provided stable funding and an agreed-upon agenda of policy actions would not be a good thing. It might serve as a touchstone for those of us concerned about the future of Canadas health-care system to help keep governments accountable. But the accord originally signed by former prime minister Paul Martin and the provincial and territorial leaders in 2004 did little to improve the systems quality, sustainability or accessibility. It provided money to the provinces, much of it supposedly targeted to agreed-upon reforms, which changed very little within the system. Another accord like that, to be frank, could do more harm than good. If there is to be a new health accord, it has to be one that can be used to measure promised progress and to hold governments to account for how they spend billions of health-care dollars. Having looked at the positions of the federal and the provincial/territorial governments, it is possible to construct an accord that actually might move us forward in terms of both the fiscal sustainability of the system and its much recommended but little enacted reform. First, the system does not need significantly more money for its current operations. The federal government has accepted the previous governments commitment to an annual increase of three per cent or the equivalent of the nominal rise in GDP, whichever is greater. As provincial health costs are rising at less than three per cent per year, there is little evidence the system is underfunded. And, if provinces are convinced they need more cash, then they might first assure us they are spending what they have as efficiently as they can. There is ample research to demonstrate provinces could be getting much better value for their spending. Second, the shift to per capita transfers has to be adjusted. It is simply inappropriate for Ottawa to argue that health-care dollars be allocated on a per capita basis without also recognizing that not all capitas cost the same to keep healthy. Adjusting the per capita transfer to account for demographic factors such as age, indigeneity and socio-economic status is a necessary prerequisite for moving our health focus upstream to prevention. This has been a goal of every health system review of the past 40 years and weve still made virtually no progress on it. Third, any new investments in specific areas such as home care or mental health have to come with conditions that the money be spent as directed and provinces report on progress. Yes, health care is primarily a provincial responsibility when it comes to organizing and delivering services. No one disputes that. But if the provinces want more cash in order to improve those services, they need to accept that their past behaviour has diminished both Ottawas and the publics trust they will follow through on their commitments. They took the money Paul Martin offered and effected virtually no change. Burn us once, shame on you. Burn us twice, shame on us. An accord based on those three elements would constitute wins for both the federal government its escalator plus conditions on new money and the provinces and territories a per capita transfer that would increase funding for those whose populations need more health care. It would also be a win for Canadians. It would force their governments to spend more wisely rather than just spend more. And it would force them to commit to demonstrating that they are making progress on long-promised reforms. If the alternative is another accord like the one we have just finished with, Canadians and Canadian health care might be better off without. Tom McIntosh is a professor of politics and international studies at the University of Regina. He was research co-ordinator for the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada. His column was recently published in the Winnipeg Free Press. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2016 (2202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. I also have a similar St. Barnardo story To the person who wrote in to Sound Off regarding the St. Barnardo children who were sent to Canada from Scotland and England (Oct. 15 Brandon Sun), I have a similar story and was wondering if I could get in touch with you. I know that Sound Off operates on an anonymous basis, so if you are interested in responding can you call Debbie at The Brandon Sun at 204-571-7415. She has my information and maybe we can connect. Whats the holdup? Its high time the Liberal government owns up to its promise to legalize marijuana. How ridiculous is it that people are still getting fined, or could be thrown in jail, for having something on them that the current government plans to legalize? The more I watch this unfold, the more I think the Grits are using it as a wedge issue designed to boost fundraising, not dissimilar to how the Tories stroked the gun crowd for years before finally changing the legislation. Excited by new plans for rec centre Congratulations to Horizon Builders for beating out the competition on the rec centre land purchase. Your plans to make a skating rink should be applauded by all. Well done! The UCD Choral Scholars have shot a scenic music video in Westport, Co Mayo singing Brendan Grahams Orphan Girl. Mr Graham wrote the song for the Annual Great Famine Commemoration ceremony held in 2012 at Sydneys Hyde Park Barracks to commemorate the relocation of over four thousand female orphans who, between 1848 and 1850, were brought from Ireland during the Great Famine of the 1840s. Heritage Council chairman Conor Newman has decided to step down after eight years in the post. The decision, he says, was not taken lightly. He informed Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys of his decision, and thanked her for the first significant increase in funds since his appointment. He also thanked all the Board members and staff who "maintained their positive outlook through some difficult years". He said: I was appointed in 2008, just before the economic crash. Notwithstanding the impact of what was a very challenging period, the Council continued to show creativity and imagination in working for heritage, and with local communities. We have drawn our energy from the enthusiasm and knowledge of people in every corner of Ireland. They have been our inspiration. Our focus has unapologetically been to work with them to improve the quality of their place and of their lives Minister Humphreys, paying tribute to Mr Newman, said: I would like to sincerely thank Conor for all of his work on the Heritage Council over the last number of years. He never failed to represent the heritage sector with real commitment and enthusiasm, and he used his own knowledge and expertise to the benefit of local communities all over Ireland. I wish him the very best for the future. A change to the help-to-buy scheme announced in the budget has been revealed in the Finance Bill. Finance Minister Michael Noonan says a minimum loan to value mortgage of 70% will now be required, rather than the 80% announced on Budget day. Advisors to Nama on the sale of its Northern Ireland loan portfolio are requesting that its advice is not published by the Public Accounts Committee. Lazard has agreed that letters between itself and Nama on the sale of Project Eagle can be disclosed to the spending watchdog by Nama. The Taoiseach is traveling to Brussels today for a major EU summit. It will be the first for UK Prime Minister Theresa May, where she is expected to update EU leaders about tentative Brexit plan Leaders will be permitted ask the prime minister questions, although the summit agenda does not allow for any lengthy discussions on the matter. Sources say there is sympathy for Irelands unique position among EU leaders, but it is not likely the Taoiseach will make any direct plea for Ireland as a special case at this point. The major priority for the two days will be latest challenges facing the EU - a trade deal with Canada which had an original deadline of next week. Sources say that if the EU cannot agree a deal with Canada, it will be impossible to strike a trade deal with Britain. An Australian man charged over the death of a New Zealand tourist who plummeted from his apartment balcony after the two began arguing during a date has been found not guilty of murder. Gable Tostee was also acquitted of manslaughter over the death of Warriena Wright, who fell from Mr Tostee's balcony in 2014 after the two met through the dating app Tinder. Mr Tostee, 30, had faced a life sentence if he had been convicted by the Queensland state Supreme Court jury. Prosecutors did not allege that Mr Tostee threw Ms Wright, 26, to her death but had argued she was so scared of Mr Tostee that she fell 14 floors while trying to escape from his apartment balcony in the city of Gold Coast. The two met for the first time on the night she died, and went back to his apartment. During the trial, prosecutor Glen Cash said Mr Tostee intimidated and threatened Ms Wright so much that she felt her only escape was to climb down from his balcony. The court heard an audio recording made on Mr Tostee's phone that captured an altercation between the pair, as well as the fatal fall. Mr Cash alleged that Mr Tostee became angry after Ms Wright threw ornamental rocks at him and hit him with a telescope. The prosecutor also said that Mr Tostee choked and restrained her before locking her out of his apartment on the balcony. "You're lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony," Mr Tostee is heard saying in the recording. "If you try to pull anything, I'll knock you out." Defence lawyer Saul Holt denied Mr Tostee was responsible for Ms Wright's death, saying the woman, from Lower Hutt, on New Zealand's North Island, became erratic and aggressive towards Mr Tostee after a night of drinking. Outside court, another lawyer representing Mr Tostee said his client was grateful for the verdict. "He's relieved this matter is now behind him and he's looking forward to moving on with his life," Nick Dore told reporters. A Breaking Bad-obsessed sado-masochist strangled a police officer in England, then copied a plot from the hit American drama by dissolving his body in an acid bath, a British court has heard. Pc Gordon Semple, 59, was on duty when he arranged to meet his alleged killer, Stefano Brizzi, via Grindr for "hot, dirty, sleazy" sex on the afternoon of April 1. The 50-year-old Italian was allegedly in the middle of throttling him when he turned away another man who had arrived for a drug-fuelled sex party. Over the next few days, neighbours on the Peabody Estate in south London noticed a "revolting smell" coming from Brizzi's flat. When one complained, Brizzi put it down to cooking for a friend, jurors at the Old Bailey were told. By April 7, a resident alerted police, who visited the flat and found Brizzi wearing only sunglasses and underpants. They also found a bath full of acid with "globules of flesh" floating in it, the court heard. Brizzi allegedly told an officer: "I've tried to dissolve the body ... I've killed a police officer. I killed him last week. I met him on Grindr and I killed him. Satan told me to." However, jurors were told that the defendant was not claiming a psychiatric defence and now says Pc Semple died accidentally during a "sex game gone wrong". Gordon Semple. Opening the trial, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors the case called for "broad minds and strong stomachs". Pc Semple had been in a relationship but was "sexually promiscuous" and used Grindr for "extreme" encounters of "domination, bondage and much else besides", he said. On the day of the killing, Pc Semple and Brizzi had invited more men on Grindr to join them for a sex party with drugs available but only one man - referred to as CD - turned up, jurors were told. Mr Aylett told jurors: "When CD pressed the entry buzzer, someone who can only have been the defendant replied over the intercom 'We are having a situation here. Someone fell ill but we're taking care of it. So our party is cancelled'. CD turned around and went home." The prosecutor told jurors that CD must have arrived at the very point Pc Semple was meeting his death inside the flat. Brizzi later told police that Pc Semple had invited a number of people to the flat "but they didn't arrive and, when one did arrive, I was right in the middle of strangling Gordon and I said to - he was right there at the door - and I said to him 'Look, this is not the right time now, people are falling ill and it's a mess'." After Pc Semple's partner failed to get hold of him on his mobile phone, he reported him missing. The court heard that Brizzi had been a user of crystal meth - referred to as Nutella - which had cost him his job at financial giant Morgan Stanley. He allegedly told a support group that he believed in the Devil, and liked "satanic rituals" which involved having sex over the sign of the pentagon. He liked to boast of his sexual exploits and told one meeting he had once tied a man up, treated him like a dog and made him go into a cage, jurors heard. Brizzi was said to be "obsessed" with the American show Breaking Bad, jurors were told. Mr Aylett said the main character, chemistry teacher Walter White, produced crystal meth and, after poisoning a rival, dissolved the body in acid. Brizzi denies murder but has admitted obstructing a coroner by dismembering and disposing of the body. Mr Aylett went on to describe Brizzi's movements in the days after the killing. On April 5, Brizzi was captured on CCTV at DIY store Leyland SDM buying items including perforated metal sheets, three buckets, and cleaning products. Brizzi sobbed noisily in the dock as jurors watched the footage. Mr Aylett suggested the perforated sheets were to "grate" Pc Semple's flesh into the globules found in the bath. A German police officer has died a day after being shot by an anti-government extremist who had hoarded dozens of weapons at his home. The 32-year-old officer succumbed to his injuries in hospital, said Elke Schoenwald, a spokeswoman for police in the Middle Franconia region. Three other officers were injured in the shootout - one from gunfire and two others by flying glass. An armed response unit had been sent to the suspect's home in the Bavarian town of Georgensgmuend on yesterday to confiscate more than 30 weapons he legally possessed for hunting. Local authorities had revoked the 49-year-old's licence because he appeared increasingly unreliable, Ms Schoenwald said. The man, whom police did not identify, had a history of defying authorities and refused to allow officials to conduct a check on the weapons over the summer, she said. The suspect was a supporter of the Reich Citizens' Movement, an extremist group that refuses to acknowledge the authority of the post-war Federal Republic of Germany. Germany's top security official said measures needed to be taken to ensure officers do not become victims of violence. "The increasing number of attacks by extremists is unbearable and unacceptable," interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said. He did not specify which measures would be taken but his counterpart in the state of Bavaria, Joachim Herrmann, suggested that members of the Reich Citizens' Movement should be banned from owning weapons. A recent report by Berlin's state intelligence service describes the movement as "an extremely diverse range of small groups and individuals who believe in an ideological mixture of conspiracy theories, anti-Semitic and anti-democratic views, and who have been behaving increasingly aggressively for some time". It is mainly known for pursuing obscure legal claims against German authorities. In August, a member of the movement was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with officers in eastern Germany as he tried to prevent his eviction. Iraqi special forces have joined the battle for Mosul with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by the so-called 'Islamic State' group, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The addition of the elite troops marks a significant intensification of the fight. As they advanced, attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. Major General Maan al-Saadi said the elite Counterterrorism Forces advanced on the town of Bartella with the aid of US-led coalition air strikes and heavy artillery on the fourth day of a massive operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. "God willing, we will take this town today," he said. The militants fought back, unleashing at least four suicide car bombs against the advancing forces, one of which blew up after it was struck by tank fire. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where IS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is the largest operation by Iraqi forces since the 2003 US-led invasion, and is expected to take weeks, if not months. Kurdish forces known as peshmerga, who are also taking part in the offensive, announced a "large-scale operation" to the north and north east of Mosul. "The operation will be in three fronts," the peshmerga said in a statement after recent gains by the peshmerga to the east of Mosul and Iraqi security forces to the south. Peshmerga forces stationed on mountains north east of Mosul descended from their positions and charged towards the front line. They used bulldozers and other heavy equipment to fill trenches and moved armoured vehicles into the breach after about an hour of mortar and gunfire at IS positions below in the village of Barima. Military operations also appeared to be under way in the town of Bashiqa, north east of Mosul, with thick smoke billowing from the town. A day earlier, Bashiqa was pounded by air strikes and mortar fire from Kurdish peshmerga positions high above. The approaches to Mosul run through clusters of mostly abandoned villages where IS militants have planted roadside bombs and other booby traps. Bartella, a traditionally Christian town which fell to IS two years ago, is believed to be empty of civilians. "Our intelligence tells us the district is full of IEDs," Maj Gen al-Saadi said, referring to the homemade explosives 'IS' has planted in huge numbers during past campaigns. Special forces Deputy Officer Ziyad Katham Humaydi said one of the vehicle bombs was an armoured truck filled with explosives. He said the group often uses suicide truck bombers as a first line of defence to hold territory. "We've even seen them rig a full oil tanker with explosives," he said. 'IS' captured Mosul during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremist group and its last major urban bastion in Iraq. Iraq's US-trained special forces are seen as far more capable than the mainstream security forces that crumbled as 'IS' advanced in 2014. 'IS' have played a central role in liberating several cities and towns over the past year, including Ramadi and Fallujah, in western Anbar province. More than 25,000 troops, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began on Monday after months of preparation. Many European Union countries oppose obligatory quotas that would force them to take in refugees from other overwhelmed member states, European Council president Donald Tusk has said. Mr Tusk said: "There is no enthusiasm for obligatory quotas. But we should all show solidarity and do what we can to help." EU members voted last year to share responsibility for an estimated 160,000 asylum seekers who have flowed into Europe, concentrating primarily in Italy and Greece. More than a year later, just over 6,000 refugees have been relocated to other countries. Hungary, which voted against the sharing plan, has challenged the scheme in court. Mr Tusk's home country, Poland, also has opposed it. Earlier, international aid group Doctors Without Borders said refugees at camps in Greece were still living in mostly "appalling conditions". In a report, the agency commonly known by its French name, Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF), argued that the EU and Greece had "collectively failed to establish humane and dignified reception conditions". Around 14,000 migrants are confined to islands in the eastern Aegean Sea where they are being processed for potential deportation back to nearby Turkey. At the rubbish-strewn refugee camp of Ritsona, 50 miles north of Athens, children walk barefoot and families in tents use wooden pallets for flooring, to stay above the mud and try to stay warm. "It's very bad. How can I explain: I mean very bad," Syrian refugee Yousef Hanash said. "Can you imagine living in a tent with six persons and, if you have a newborn baby, how the situation will be?" Mr Hanash said he came to Europe as a last resort, unable to keep his family safe after his cheese factory was destroyed in the war and he moved around Syria. MSF said people at risk included pregnant women and people with mobility problems, while it described conditions facing mental health patients as "dire". "For vulnerable people, the lack of appropriate accommodation and specialised care is directly contributing to their worsening health status and could well be life-threatening," the group said. "For the victims of violence or other forms of ill-treatment and people with psychiatric disorders, inadequate living conditions further undermine people's efforts to re-establish a sense of normality and safety and to engage in a therapeutic process." The group urged the government to seek alternatives to the refugee camp system and improve a screening process to identify vulnerable migrants, while it said the EU needed to provide emergency financial support to the state health system. Donald Trump has left his stunned allies struggling to defend his refusal at the final presidential debate to say if he would honour the results of the November election should he lose, sparking condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats. Sean Spicer, the chief strategist of the Republican National Committee, which is supplying much of the Trump campaign's voter outreach efforts, said the national party would "respect the will of the people". "I cannot speak for what he thinks," Mr Spicer said. South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement that "Mr Trump is doing the party and the country a great disservice" by suggesting the election is rigged, while Arionza senator Jeff Flake called the New York billionaire's statements "beyond the pale". After spending the past few weeks claiming without evidence that the November 8 election would be "rigged" in favour of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump was asked directly by Fox News anchor and debate moderator Chris Wallace if he would concede should he lose to Mrs Clinton. "I will look at it at the time," Mr Trump said. When pressed moments later, he added: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense." Mrs Clinton called Mr Trump's comments "horrifying". Billionaire Mark Cuban, one of Mrs Clinton's top supporters, called Mr Trump's words "a slap in the face of every American in the history of this country, the constitution and our democracy". "That's what we're proud of," he said. "So for him to question that, that's disqualifying." Mr Trump's shock comments came just hours after his running mate, Indiana governor Mike Pence, said on CNN "that we'll certainly accept the outcome of this election". And Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka, arguably his most influential adviser, said on Wednesday that her father would "do the right thing" when she was asked if he would concede after a defeat in November. The debate answer left his own team scrambling in the aftermath of the debate. Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, at first responded to questions about the comment by saying he "would accept the results, because he'll win the election". "So, you know, absent widespread fraud and irregularities, then, we'll see," Ms Conway said. "What he's saying is we have to see what happens." She later rejected the outcry over Mr Trump's comment, saying it was "not fair" to suggest he was undermining the prospects of a peaceful transfer of power. "You've got to listen to everything he said," she argued. "Al Gore did not accept the results of the elections and he said he would. "He actually conceded to George W Bush on election night in 2000 and then called and retracted his concession." Mr Gore pulled back his concession only after updated vote count results in Florida showed the state too close to call, throwing the outcome of the election into doubt. When the US Supreme Court later halted a recount, leaving Mr Bush ahead in Florida and giving him the election, Mr Gore conceded and asked the country to accept Mr Bush as the nation's next leader. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, another of Mr Trump's top allies, said the Republican nominee had good reason to be suspicious about potential fraud. "There are indications of a lot of fraud around by the Clintons," he said. In fact, there is no proof that voter fraud is a widespread problem in the United States. A study by a Loyola Law School professor found that out of one billion votes cast in all American elections between 2000 and 2014, there were only 31 known cases of impersonation fraud. Spain's top court has overruled a local ban against bullfighting in the powerful north-eastern region of Catalonia, saying it goes against a national law protecting the spectacle. The Constitutional Court ruled that Catalan authorities generally could regulate such public spectacles, and even ban them, but in this case the national parliament's ruling that bullfighting is part of Spain's heritage must prevail. Catalonia stirred controversy when it banned bullfighting in 2010, becoming Spain's second region to do so after the Canary Islands in 1991. The decision was part of the growing movement against bullfighting but it was also seen as another step in the Catalan government's push to break away from Spain. The ban had little practical effect as Catalonia had only one functioning bullring, in its capital Barcelona. PETA director of international programmes, Mimi Bekhechi said: "Today is a dark day for Catalonia, for common decency, and for bulls who may, once again, be terrorised and tortured in the region in the name of so-called 'tradition'. "The Constitutional Court of Spain has undermined the will of the vast majority of Catalans who want nothing to do with bloody bullfighting spectacles, in which animals are repeatedly speared and stabbed to death. "Bullfighting must stop if not because the law requires it, then because it's the right thing to do." PHOENIX -- Donald Trump's chief Arizona surrogate is defending his comments that he won't commit to abiding by the results of the election. "He's not going to concede any kind of election before he knows the results,'' said former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. "It's no different than Bush v. Gore,'' Brewer continued, referring to the close race in 2000 that was not resolved for days until the Supreme Court finally halted further recounting of questioned ballots in Florida. In that case, however, it was never in question whether Republican George W. Bush or Democrat Al Gore would accede to what was the final Electoral College tally, even with Gore actually winning the popular vote. But Trump's comments have left some Arizona Republican politicians distancing themselves from the remarks. During the 90-minute debate, Chris Wallace of Fox News noted Trump has said during the campaign the election is "rigged.'' So he asked Trump if he'll accept the outcome. "I will look at it at the time,'' Trump responded, saying "the media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile-on is so amazing.'' He claimed there are "millions of people'' who are illegally registered to vote and that Hillary Clinton "should not be allowed to run'' based on what he claims are crimes she committed. Nor was Trump dissuaded by Wallace's comments about the long tradition of "peaceful transition of power'' and "that at the end of the campaign that the loser concedes to the winner.'' "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time,'' Trump responded. "I'll keep you in suspense, OK?'' Clinton called that "horrifying.'' But Brewer, who attended Wednesday's debate in Las Vegas, said she sees it through a different lens. "He's going to concede when the results and known and certified and verified,'' she said. But Brewer, who before becoming governor was secretary of state and Arizona's chief election official, said Trump cannot ignore "allegations in some states that there has been some hanky-panky.'' "If there's hanky-panky, he'd have a reason to question the results,'' she said, not specifying what would fit into that category. Trump doubled-down on Thursday, telling supporters in Ohio he "will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election -- if I win.'' The refusal drew a sharp reaction from Sen. John McCain who ran for president in 2008 -- and conceded defeat to Barack Obama. McCain, in a statement, said he didn't like the results. "But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance,'' he said. "A concession isn't just an exercise in graciousness,'' McCain continued. "It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leader's first responsibility.'' McCain said in every previous election the loser congratulates the winner "and calls them 'my president. '' "This election must not be any different,'' he said. Jeff Flake, the state's other Republican senator, had a shorter response, tweeting out after the debate that Trump's refusal to say he will accept the election results "is beyond the pale.'' Current Secretary of State Michele Reagan, also a Republican, sidestepped the direct question about Trump's statement. Instead, she insisted that no one will have reason to question the results, at least those from Arizona. "Signature verification, proper identification at the polls and multiple layers of system safeguards make manipulating the outcome of an election exceedingly difficult,'' she said in written response to the query. Reagan said county officials test equipment before each election and state law requires it remain "secure and under constant surveillance.'' "Combined with audits and full paper trail after each election, we are confident in our election systems, but remain vigilant,'' she said. Daniel Scarpinato, press aide to Gov. Doug Ducey, gave an equally non-responsive answer to the question about what his boss thinks about Trump's refusal to say he will abide by the results. Instead, Scarpinato mentioned the opportunities for Arizonans to vote, including early. Robert Graham, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, said he does not interpret what Trump said as being the candidate would refuse to honor the results. But Graham, who also attended the Wednesday debate, suggested perhaps Trump's verbiage was a bit inartful. "This guy hasn't made a career out of being a polished orator,'' he said. "The way it's better said that if it's a close race, you wouldn't expect anybody to concede,'' he said. And Graham said that as much as he agrees with Trump about Clinton being unqualified and possibly guilty of a crime with destruction of emails and lying to the FBI about it, in the end, none of that matters. "If she wins, game over,'' he said. "Nobody should challenge it.'' And Graham said he's sure that Trump agrees. "He just wants to make sure that people are playing by the rules,'' he said. Brewer, for her part, said the whole discussion of what Trump might do is meaningless. "He's probably not going to have to worry about it because he's going to win,'' she said. And Brewer continues to predict Trump will take Arizona despite recent polls showing Clinton with an edge. British Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to continue to "work closely" with the EU after Brexit but has voiced her unhappiness about being left out of a meeting of leaders, writes Elaine Loughlin, Political Editor Irish Examiner. Ms May attended her first Leaders Summit as Prime Minister yesterday and began by voicing her dissatisfaction about being left out of a meeting of European heads of state in Bratislava last month. Arriving at the meeting in Brussels Ms May remained adamant that the UK would "continue to play a fill role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left". "It is in the interest of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together including at this summit," she said. Although there will be discussion or debate on Brexit during the Summit, which continues today, as European Council president Donald Tusk had asked Ms May to update European leaders on the UK's plan in relation to Brexit during dinner last night. She was also asked to clarify remarks she made to the Conservative party conference during which she signaled a hard Brexit. However, at the beginning of the meeting it is understood that the British leader criticized the other 27 member State for not including her in the Bratislava meeting in September. She insisted that while Britain remains part of the EU it should be involved in talks. Speaking on the fringes of the Summit, Minister of State for European Affairs Dara Murphy said there would be instances when heads of State would have to meet without the UK. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had sufficient authority and information to issue an emergency order to protect Michigan residents from lead-contaminated water as early as June 2015 - seven months before it declared an emergency, a watchdog has found. The crisis in Flint should have generated "a greater sense of urgency" at the agency to "intervene when the safety of drinking water is compromised," Inspector General Arthur Elkins said in an interim report. Flint's drinking water became tainted when the city began drawing from the Flint River in April 2014 to save money. The impoverished city of 100,000 north of Detroit was under state control at the time. Regulators failed to ensure water was treated properly and lead from ageing pipes leached into the water supply. Federal, state and local officials have argued over who is to blame as the crisis continues to force residents to drink bottled or filtered water. Doctors have detected elevated levels of lead in hundreds of children. A panel appointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder concluded that the state is "fundamentally accountable" for the lead crisis because of decisions made by state environmental regulators and state-appointed emergency managers who controlled the city. Even so, Mr Snyder and other Republicans have faulted the EPA for a slow response. At a congressional hearing this past spring, Mr Snyder blamed career bureaucrats in Washington and Michigan for the crisis, while apologising for not acting sooner to resolve it. The report by the inspector general says officials at the EPA's Midwest region did not issue an emergency order because they concluded that actions taken by the state prevented the EPA from doing so. The report calls that interpretation incorrect and says that under federal law, when state actions are deemed insufficient, "the EPA can and should proceed with an (emergency) order" aimed at "protecting the public in a timely manner". Without EPA intervention, "the conditions in Flint persisted, and the state continued to delay taking action to require corrosion control or provide alternative drinking water supplies," the report said. Michigan officials declared a public health emergency in October 2015; the EPA declared an emergency three months later. EPA administrator Gina McCarthy has acknowledged that her agency should have been more aggressive in testing the water and requiring changes, but said officials "couldn't get a straight answer" from the state about what was being done in Flint. Ms McCarthy has refused requests to apologise. "It was not the EPA at the helm when this happened," she said. The director of the EPA's Midwest regional office stepped down on February 1 amid criticism that the agency failed to act sooner to address lead contamination in the predominantly African-American city. The official, Susan Hedman, denied wrongdoing, but said she was leaving to avoid becoming a distraction. In a memo from June 2015, Miguel Del Toral, a scientist in the EPA's Midwest office, had warned of dangerously high levels of lead. He later criticised the agency for not taking swift action. MUMBAI/ HANOI/ BANGKOK/DHAKA: Prices of rice from top exporter India edged up this week on an up tick in the rupee... Just before 5 a.m. on Sunday at the Hopi Tribal Complex in Kykotsmovi the air is still and the sky dark. The scene has the feeling of the calm after a deep breath. Soon headlights start piercing through the black, and as more and more people decked out in warm running gear ramble out of their cars, the calm slowly builds to an excitement and anticipation familiar to anyone who has toed the line for a race before. But this is no race that these runners have gathered for. They will be running, but as a form of prayer, of protest, of resistance, as a plea. Theres no starting pistol, only a prayer and the sprinkling to the wind of the sacred Hopi white corn meal. Theres no competing, just a group of concerned community members determined to collectively relay-run the 78 miles from Kykotsmovi to Twin Arrows Casino, where the Navajo Law and Order Committee is to hold a hearing on the proposed Grand Canyon Escalade project at the Confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers. But these are the Hopi, with their long tradition of running, speaking in one of the best ways they know how with their feet. They too hold the Confluence to be a sacred place, and have for hundreds of years. And through the many steps that it takes to cover those 78 miles, they seek to pound out their message like the beat of a drum this place is sacred, holy, and exploiting it for profit will not only undermine the spirit of this sacred place, but also the spirit of these people. During this peaceful prayer run I had the honor to run with many of the Hopi participants, mostly during the early hours of the morning. We watched the sun rise to our left as we ran south on the highway out of Kykotsmovi, and saw a rainbow appear to our right from the early-morning clouds. As the sun climbed and we crested a rise in the road we saw the sacred peaks in the distance near Flagstaff, with a fresh dusting of snow atop patches of yellow from the changing aspens. The runners passed a small bag of homa to each other as they ran sacred Hopi white corn meal. I ran alongside Bobbie Kewanwyma, and asked him about it. He said the white corn represents purity, innocence, spirit. It reminds us that our spirit is one with all this (Bobbie gestures to the land surrounding us), with this spirit. I came up to a young woman chanting while awaiting her turn to run, stepping in place. I ran with others who played traditional songs on their cell phones, the rhythmic beat mirroring the beating of footsteps on asphalt and gravel. I ran with a grandmother who was given the homa from her grandson; a man passing us in a car called out, Nahongvita! I asked her what it meant and she said, Be strong. Find strength within you. My boy. Three generations, united in running, in strength, in the convinction that this land on which we depend is holy. Some non-Natives dont seem to be able to understand the import of the Hopi (and Navajo) idea that land itself can be sacred, a place of reverence. To make an analogy to the tourist development at the Confluence for such non-Natives, would we think its permissible to put a fast food chain on the floor of the Sistine Chapel, so long as we were guaranteed to get rich off it? The fact that conceiving of a landscape, an entire river, or water itself as sacred is difficult for the non-Native mind to grasp does not mean that those who have this expansive view of what is holy can be ignored in the name of profit and development. As the painting on the back window of one of the cars helping to shuttle runners said: Leave the Grand Canyon alonewe will stay rich in culture and traditionsay no to $. Some places are more precious than any amount of money can buy, and the Confluence is one of those places, both to Natives and non-Natives alike. This run was the embodiment of a plea, a peaceful protest, a prayer. It said what is of utmost significance is not money, but the human spirit; not a corporation, but the community; not a fossil-fuel-powered tramway, but our own two feet. This Sunday was a day of worship for this group of runners a day of worshipping the land that surrounds us, by gratefully placing our feet upon it, one after the other. After 12 hours the runners all poured into the Twin Arrows parking lot together, and the next day were greeted with a small victory in the form of a 5-0 vote from the Committee opposing the Escalade project. But its only a small victory there are three more committees to consider the proposal before its voted on by the Navajo tribal council later this month. You can join these voices, quietly but powerfully calling for justice and respect, by signing the petition at savetheconfluence.com. Every voice matters. Flagstaff voters who watched Wednesdays presidential debate reviewed the contest as one where Republican Donald Trump succeeded in keeping his composure but neither candidate made any surprising strides. I wasnt particularly moved one direction or another, said Starla Collins, adding that while she is a Trump supporter, she is waiting to fill out her ballot to see how the coming weeks play out. Democrat Hillary Clinton is a much more seasoned speaker so her answers came out more polished while Trumps were more direct, Collins said. Despite seeing Trump as a less skilled speaker, Collins said she supports the Republican candidate because he will do more to support the countrys financial stability, international and national security and constitutional principles. Clintons warning to voters during the debate that Trump would have his finger on the nuclear red button was a dramatic oversimplification of the process, Collins said. In regards to recent sexual assault allegations and a video of Trumps talk on the topic, Collins said that in this presidential election, voters cant make their decision based on morality because both candidates rank so low in that area. I have to remove that from the equation and vote for the candidate who is going to positively impact the things that are important to me, she said. For Brian White, it was Clintons talk about economics that stuck out in the debate. The 40-year-old said Clinton was breaking down (Trumps) economic plan and made a good point in reminding voters that under her husband, the country was almost out of debt. Sitting on bar stools beside White at Hops on Birch Wednesday night were Dieuwerke Antoons and Mark ODonnell, who were visiting from the Netherlands. Trumps talk about building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border is a weird gesture, Antoons said. Such a policy prevents people from being able to make a future for themselves here, she said. As for Clintons proposal to make in-state tuition free for families making $125,000 or less, ODonnell said its no more ridiculous than making Mexico build a wall. What stood out for Nathan Jones was Trumps unwillingness to commit to accepting the results of the Nov. 8 election regardless of the outcome. Its not consistent with someone who respects the democratic system, said Jones, a Clinton supporter. Hes not respecting the will of the voters. Jones said he appreciated that Clinton directly pressed Trump to explain his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin during the debate. Questions should be asked about the Clinton Foundation, Jones said, but that discussion also needs to recognize the amount of good the foundation has done in the world. Nate Jim, who wore a Trump T-shirt to watch the debate at Monsoon, said he was glad the discussion touched on donations accepted by the Clinton Foundation. The fact that the foundation took money from countries with poor human rights records directly conflicts with Clintons message, Jim said. When asked about it, Jim said he doesnt give much weight to the sexual assault allegations against Trump, calling them basically he said she said. Though the debate seemed to start with candidates trying to stay on topic, Collins said she was soon disappointed as personalities trumped the policies. She said it has become scary to talk about politics because passions seem to be running so high. We have to have grace and understanding for people who see things differently because that is what brings balance into our world, she said. Most NAU faculty and staff will be getting a raise this year some more than others. Northern Arizona University President Rita Cheng announced in an email to employees earlier this month that raises amounting to 3 percent of the payroll had been allocated under a new merit-based appraisal system. While the criteria will be slightly different for staff, as compared to faculty, the goal is the same: recognition of our employees who provide the education, knowledge creation, student and support services necessary for our success and who are the foundation of the programmatic infrastructure of NAU, she wrote. Staff members who meet expectations on their annual evaluations will receive a 2 percent base salary increase, with the additional funding going to a limited number of employees considered to be top performers, the email read. Faculty will be eligible to receive a 1.5 percent salary increase if theyve maintained at least a satisfactory rating over the last three years, with the rest of the funds being divided among the departments and distributed to higher performers. Cheng addressed a crowd of around 200 gathered in the High Country Conference Center Tuesday afternoon for a public forum on the pay raises, enrollment growth and other campus updates. Brian White, academic adviser in the College of Health and Human Services, voiced his concern for the fairness of these performance reviews during the question-and-answer session. Cheng acknowledged that there can be a lot of flaws in appraisal systems, but also mentioned that employees would have the chance to dispute their performance reviews if they felt they were not wholly representative of the quality of their work. In response to a question about continued enrollment growth overtaxing facilities, class size and nearby neighborhoods, Cheng defended the growth as building the states educational capital. With more than 5,700 new freshmen this year, she said enrollment saw a 10 percent increase from last year. This was also the first year with more than 30,000 students combined in Flagstaff, online and across the state. In line with goals set by the Arizona Board of Regents, NAU hopes to grow by 35,000 students by the year 2025. Despite this growth, NAU sees students as individuals, not just numbers, Cheng said. Cheng also reviewed upcoming changes that will turn the Honors Program into the Honors College. It will provide amplified options for students seeking an extra challenge, Cheng said. She said that 1,325 students are currently a part of the Honors Program, a 25 percent increase from last year. NAU hopes to provide an honors living community for students in the new Honors College as well as offer a seminar series led by Cheng. Before the 90-minute forum wrapped up, an audience member asked Cheng why Parking Services no longer offers free parking at the Cline Library after 4:30 p.m. Cheng said there was not enough revenue to maintain parking lots and that the solution was to either increase rates of parking passes for staff and students, or move to an everybody pays something model. The second option is what went into place August 1 when permits or guest passes became required for the Ardrey lot near the library as well as the Health and Learning Center and South Commuter lots. SINGAPORE: Palm oil may revisit its Oct. 25 high of 4,263 ringgit per tonne, as it may have resumed its uptrend from... The driver killed early Wednesday morning in a crash linked to heavy smoke on Interstate 40 near Parks was a Williams resident. The Arizona Department of Public Safety has identified the victim as Aaron Anderson, 48, of Williams. A friend of the family, Traci Melchert, has set up a Go Fund Me account online to raise money for his widow. "We are all heartbroken and in shock," Melchert wrote on the webpage. "For those of you who knew him, he always had a smile on his face and was one of the nicest people I have ever met." According to DPS, two semi trucks and Anderson's Chevrolet van were involved in a collision in the eastbound lanes of I-40 at approximately 3:30 a.m. Wednesday at milepost 173, located between Parks and Williams near Pittman Valley. Based on the description of the crash given by the Ponderosa Fire District chief, it appears one of the semi trucks rear-ended the van and pushed it into the back of a second semi truck. A Highway Patrol captain at the scene said smoke in the area from a prescribed burn reduced visibility down to about 20 feet, DPS spokesman Bart Graves said. The U.S. Forest Service halted plans for additional prescribed burns due to weather conditions Wednesday and Thursday, but residual smoke from burning that took place Tuesday likely settled along the interstate overnight as temperatures cooled. Highway Troopers responded to five additional collisions on eastbound and westbound I-40 in roughly the same area as the fatal crash Wednesday morning. Two of the crashes resulted in injuries. The highway was closed for 35 miles between Williams and Flagstaff for about five hours. ATHENS: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday rejected Turkish claims on the sovereignty of Greek islands, at... WASHINGTON: The United States said Tuesday it was raising with Saudi Arabia a prison sentence handed to a US citizen... NEW DELHI: Britains foreign minister has insisted during a visit to India that a lot of progress has been made in... Luxury chocolatier and retailer Hotel Chocolat has recorded a massive increase in profits for the year to 26 June 2016, thanks to a focus on the dark side. Revenues increased from 81m in the preceding year to 91m, with profits jumping from 2.9m to 5.6m, an increase of 91%. Major growth areas came through the opening of seven new retail outlets and a big push for online sales, which rose by 20%. The company attributed the performance to the growing popularity of what it described as hedonistic chocolate, made with higher cocoa content and less sugar, offering a more luxurious taste with perceived healthier content. The Rare and Vintage range was launched this month, which includes 20 super-premium fine cocoa recipes, and the company also said in the update that it had improved its childrens ranges these will be launched before Christmas. Angus Thirlwell, co-founder and chief executive, said: Our results are strong, the Hotel Chocolat brand has continued to strengthen and we have made good progress with our three strategic priorities of investing further in our British chocolate manufacturing operations, growing our store estate and developing our digital offering. Hotel Chocolat has 81 stores nationwide as well as restaurants in London and Leeds, and even a hotel in St Lucia. Its manufacturing base is in Huntingdon, while the headquarters are in Royston. Three new stores have been opened so far in the 2017 financial year a cafe and shop have opened in Worcester and Chelmsford, and a boutique has opened in Peterborough. Two train station outlets are also planned, in Londons Clapham Junction and Euston. One further cafe and shop is expected to open in Bury St Edmunds, and two boutiques will open at the designer outlet in Cheshire Oaks. There will also be a new store in Crawley, West Sussex. In May, Hotel Chocolat saw shares surge after the company listed on the stock market for the first time. Liberal leader Jeremy Hanson has denied reports of a rift in his party after a breakaway faction penned an excoriating letter slamming its shift to social conservatism. Elements of the Canberra Liberals have expressed serious concern about the functioning of the party this week, as soul-searching continues in the aftermath of Saturday's election defeat. Canberra Liberals Jeremy Hanson, pictured during his concession speech, has rejected claims of a split in the party. Credit:Jay Cronan Some within the party have expressed concern that the Liberals have fundamental and systemic problems, which are keeping moderates either at bay, or out of the party altogether. A breakaway group of Liberals, formed after the bitter preselection tussle between Gary Humphries and Zed Seselja in 2013, re-emerged publicly on Thursday. Bungendore Fine Art: Tribal Fusion. A diverse range of works expressing the social and cultural struggles experienced by indigenous people throughout the world. Until November 2. Open daily, 10am-4.30pm. 42b Ellendon Street, Bungendore. See: bungendorefineart.com.au. Australian Centre on China in the World: Zhang Peili: From Painting to Video. An exhibit which features a set of the artist's pioneering video works, complimented by a complex video installation from the late 1990s and a custom-made LED work. Until November 15. Open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, with selected weekend viewings. Fellows Lane, ANU, New Acton. See: http://ciw.anu.edu.au/events/gallery/zhangpeili/ . ANCA Gallery: Soundcheck. A playful exhibition with instruments, announcements, inventions, high-low tech contraptions, buttons to press, sonic pencils, animation and more. Until Sunday, November 6. Open Wednesday to Sunday, noon-5pm. 1 Rosevear Place, Dickson. See: anca.net.au . Canberra Artworks: Canberra Calligraphy Society 30th Anniversary Exhibition. An exhibition featuring members' works centred around the theme of celebration. Until November 8. Open Monday to Friday 9 am-5 pm, and Saturday 9am-2pm. Canberra Artworks, 8 Townshend Street, Phillip. See: canberracalligraphysociety.org.au Canberra Glassworks: Fresh Glass. Drawing inspiration from spring and Floriade, this exhibition pairs studio glass vessels and sculpture with botanical installations. Until October 30. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm. 11 Wentworth Ave, Kingston. See: www.canberraglassworks.com Drill Hall Gallery: Charlie Sheard. A survey of painter Charlie Sheard's recent work, representing the coming of age of a virtuosic and lyrical artist. Doug Alexander. An homage to the achievements of ceramicist Doug Alexander. Both until November 6. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. Kingsley Street, off Barry Drive, Acton. Ph: 6125 5832 or see: dhg.anu.edu.au. Ginninderra School House Gallery: The World Around Us. An exhibition of paintings in oils, pastels and watercolour, portraying many aspects of our world by artists Eva Henry, Stuart Marshall and Isla Patterson. Until October 30. Open Thursday and Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 8.30am-4pm. Sweet Copper, Ginninderra School House Gallery, Old Ginninderra Village, 3/11 O'Hanlon Place, Nicholls. See: sweetcopper.com.au or ph: 6230 9007. Narek Galleries: Delicate Touch V. An exhibition of contemporary porcelain by four Australian potters with four different approaches, including works by Cathy Franzi, Shannon Garson, Bronwyn Kemp and Sophia Xarhakos. Until November 13. Open Thursday to Sunday and public holidays, 10am-5pm. Old Tanja Church, 1140 Bermagui Road, Tanja. See: narekgalleries.com or ph: 6494 0112. High street coffee chain Starbucks has announced its Christmas sandwich range, as well as the return of its fast-becoming-traditional festive red cups. From a brand new Festive Veggie Feast Baguette to the Turkey & Maple Bacon Sandwich, the range will be available to eat in-store or on-the-go. The Turkey & Maple Bacon Sandwich is layered with pork, sage & onion stuffing and potato hash, topped with sweet potato and pumpkin puree and cranberry sauce, and served with fresh spinach on thick rye bread. It costs 3.29 to take away or 3.89 to eat in. The Festive Veggie Feast Baguette contains warm, roasted butternut squash and pieces of creamy brie, served with a sage & onion stuffing, topped with fresh cranberry sauce and real ale chutney, wrapped in a crusty baguette. Take away and eat in from 3.99. Also on offer is a Roast Beef & Blue Cheese Brioche Baguette, made with medium-rare topside of beef and a blue cheese sauce, mustard and ale chutney wrapped in a soft brioche roll. Customers can ask for it to be served slightly toasted for a warming treat. Take away and eat in from 3.99. And to complete the range theres the Turkey Feast Baguette, with pulled turkey and maple-cured, smoked bacon. It comes with stuffing and is topped with a creamy Bechamel sauce, chicken gravy and fried onions, priced from 3.99. The new sandwiches and the red cups will be available in stores from the beginning of November. In August Starbucks signed a deal with Connswater shopping centre in Belfast to open its first-ever drive-thru store in Northern Ireland. ACT Police have warned members of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang they will be closely watched this week as up to 400 descend on Canberra for their annual national meeting. Deputy Chief Police Officers of Crime, ACting Commander Susan Bail said police expected them to arrive during Friday and Saturday for the Fyshwick meeting this weekend. ACT Police to be out for Rebels national meeting in Canberra this weekend. Credit:Rohan Thompson Canberra's OMCG-targeting Taskforce Nemesis, as well as broader teams of traffic and general duties police, would be monitoring for "any intimidating, antisocial or illegal activity over the weekend", she said. She said any members of the community concerned about the presence of the gang, and needing police to attend, should call 131 444, while suspicious activity could be reported to Crime Stoppers ACT on 1800 333 000. Australia's powerful banking regulator has declined to enter into the debate over whether Sydney faces a housing bubble, saying the "B-word" simplifies what is a more "nuanced" issue. Wayne Byres, chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, was on Thursday asked by Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson about a report from UBS that last month ranked Sydney fourth in a global "bubble index" that sought to measure the risk of a real estate bubble. Mr Byres, who oversees a banking sector with almost $1.5 trillion in mortgages, stressed the risks in the property market but said the "B word" was not helpful. "I deliberately avoid using the B word. I think it sort of simplifies the debate somewhat," Mr Byres said in Canberra. Network Ten CEO Paul Anderson probably wished he were anywhere else yesterday as the market sold off his company's shares in the wake of a dismal quarterly update. Thursday had the hallmarks of an episode of Survivor Australia for Network Ten and by the close of market the investor tribe had spoken, taking 19 per cent off the company's shares. Talk about KFC Big Bash. Network Ten chief Paul Anderson. The company booked a $125 million write-down on its TV licences. Credit:Jessica Hromas Network Ten booked a $125 million write-down on its TV licences, a move that could be a hallmark of a company readying itself for a suitor just like The Bachelorette. But CBD fears Anderson could be left holding the roses as potential matches look for love elsewhere. Premier Mike Baird says the NSW government has achieved from two electricity transactions roughly the proceeds it anticipated from three, with the part-privatisation of Endeavour Energy still to come. On Thursday, Mr Baird and Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian announced two Australian pension funds will pay $16.189 billion for 50.4 per cent of Ausgrid on a 99-year lease after an unsolicited proposal to the NSW government. After $10 billion of debt is repaid, net proceeds will be around $6 billion, Mr Baird said. It follows the part-privatisation of electricity transmission company Transgrid in December for more than $10 billion for net proceeds of about $7 billion after debt. Fortescue Metals has indicated the price of iron ore prices may decline heading into 2017 as the market makes way for additional supplies from Australia and Brazil, even as high-cost domestic miners in China continue to close down. The large new mines coming on stream are Gina Rinehart's 55-million tonne Roy Hill mine in Western Australia and Vale SA's $US15 billion S11D development in Brazil. Roy Hill is already in production but is expected to move closer to peak output next year. BHP warned iron ore and coking "supply [would] grow more quickly than demand in the near term". Credit:Bloomberg "The market has well and truly priced their entry," said Nev Power, Fortescue Metals chief executive, on Thursday when discussing the group's September quarter production, "with 'forward curve backwardation' pricing in their entry", he said, referring to the fact the price for future iron ore deliveries is below the present spot price. "The price range is $US40-60 the past two years as new supply comes in and high supply exits." A write-down to the value of its television broadcast licence has pushed the Ten Network into another full-year loss. Ten, the home of shows such as Survivor and Bachelorette, reported a net loss of $156.8 million for the year to August 31, largely driven by a $135.2 million impairment of its television licence, but a significant improvement on a loss of $312.2 million from the previous year, which was also impacted by a television licence write-down. Ten chief executive Paul Anderson: "Sound results." Credit:Ben Rushton In afternoon trade, Ten shares had plunged 17.3 per cent to $1.175. However, the metropolitan free-to-air broadcaster's underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation returned to the black, recovering to $4.5 million after a $12 million loss in the previous corresponding period. Suschitzky started working in documentary film in the late 1930s, when he collaborated with Paul Rotha. Along with the filmmaker and critic John Grierson, who was widely credited with coining the term documentary, Rotha was a leading proponent of the genre as an instrument that could dignify and elevate everyday life. Wolfgang Suschitzky, an Austrian-born photographer and cinematographer who was a key figure in a British film movement of the 1930s and '40s that saw documentaries as a force for social good, has died at his home in London. He was 104. Suschitzky brought a similar social consciousness to his street photography. Duncan Forbes, who organised a show of Suschitzky's work for the National Galleries of Scotland in 2002, said Suschitzky had been "careful to highlight social grades and distinctions" in photographs that often expressed quiet hope over despair. Whether his subjects were workers laying down paving stones or men in fedoras browsing secondhand bookstore shelves, he depicted them as content doing whatever they were doing. Suschitzky's documentaries included a film about the steel industry, an 11-minute short about rents in Aberdeen, Scotland, and a film about world hunger. He later won praise for feature film cinematography, notably for Joseph Strick's 1967 version of Ulysses and the British crime film Get Carter (1971), directed by Mike Hodges and starring Michael Caine. Wolfgang Suschitzky was born in Vienna to parents of Jewish heritage. The family lived in a working-class neighbourhood where his father, Wilhelm, an atheist, ran a socialist bookstore, Bruder Suschitzky, with his brother. 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. The federal government is already preparing to replace the embattled Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs, with planning under way to choose her successor. Professor Triggs is set to be recalled to Parliament to face another grilling from Coalition senators after she acknowledged misleading a Senate inquiry this week by impugning the reputation of a journalist who reported critical comments she made about Australian politicians. Professor Triggs' appointment is due to expire in the first half of 2017 and, in the words of a senior government source, "by the time people are coming backing from their Christmas holidays the selection process will be well under way and she'll only have a couple of months left". "She's bloody hopeless and she stands condemned [for misleading the inquiry]." Cabinet Minister Christopher Pyne has acknowledged the simmering tensions between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his predecessor Tony Abbott, admitting that the two still disagreed about "who the prime minister should be". Mr Pyne and fellow Liberal frontbencher Josh Frydenberg had on Friday sought to play down the rivalry that had descended into open warfare in Parliament on Thursday over a supposed deal on gun imports, when the Defence Industry Minister made the admission. Of the spat between Mr Turnbull and Mr Abbott, Mr Pyne said: "They are very old friends. Of course they have a difference of opinion about who the prime minister should be. That's been played out in public, we know that, and Malcolm Turnbull is the prime minister." In a separate interview, Mr Frydenberg labelled the skirmish a "great big distraction" and a "beltway" issue that was of little interest to voters outside the Canberra politics bubble. Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump has displayed a particular type of hyper masculinity - the man who is proud not to apologise and to have never changed a diaper, who views "loser" as the ultimate insult, who bonds with other men by objectifying women. It's especially striking because today's schools and workplaces try to value something different: empathy, impulse control and collaboration. For three decades, jobs that require these social skills have grown much more than others, researchers have found. They say one reason that boys are more likely than girls to get in trouble in school and are less likely to graduate is that a narrow definition of masculinity can stunt their ability to develop these skills. If there is a silver lining to Trump's views on manliness, it's that it has prompted a national discussion about the "boys will be boys" excuse for things like bullying, boasting or appraising women in crassly sexual terms. That has offered an opportunity for parents and teachers to make clear what behaviour is unacceptable. Michelle Obama, in an emotional speech last Thursday, asked what message Trump's words and behaviour sent not just to girls, but also to men and boys. "Like us, these men are worried about the impact this election is having on our boys who are looking for role models of what it means to be a man," she said. A former director accused of defrauding a Sydney-based technology company of $9 million was so indebted to bookmaker Tom Waterhouse that he risked being barred from betting on future horse races, a court has heard. Andrew Sigalla steps outside the court for break on Monday. Credit:Michaela Whitbourn Andrew Sigalla, a former director at TZ Ltd, is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court on 24 counts of defrauding the sharemarket-listed company. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Lucy Turnbull's resolve to boost economic development in Sydney's west is challenged by the state government's own figures showing the east will remain the epicentre of jobs growth over the next two decades. The chief of the agency charged with reshaping the city, the Greater Sydney Commission, said Australia's most populous city should be "reimagined" as three great cities what she has termed the Eastern Harbour City, Central Parramatta River City and the Western City near the proposed new airport at Badgerys Creek. Speaking on Thursday, Ms Turnbull said dividing Sydney into three cities was needed because of the forecast population growth. "Sydney's population is growing rather rapidly at the moment. In 20 years' time we will have a population of 6.2 million we have 4.6 [million] now. And demographers say by 2056 we will be a city of 8 million people," she said. A man with alleged links to a bikie club will remain in custody for at least another five days over a Gold Coast home invasion. Sven Kelly, 44, is facing four charges relating to the alleged Pacific Pines break and enter in August, where it will be claimed a person was stabbed. A man with alleged links to a bikie club will remain in police custody after fronting Southport Magistrates Court. Credit:AFR Kelly's contested bail application will be held over until Tuesday, in line with Queensland's procedures for alleged bikies which requires evidence to be exchanged between the two legal parties before a decision on bail is made. Outside the Southport Magistrates Court, defence lawyer Campbell MacCallum could not confirm whether Kelly was a member of a bikie group, but said his client did not know the residents of the house. Fire investigators will return to a Gold Coast business estate on Thursday to figure out what triggered a major fire that ripped through the building, causing serious damage. Several businesses at the the Biggera Waters complex were badly damaged or destroyed, with one factory roof collapsing entirely and another partly falling in. Businesses were evacuated as black smoke poured into the air and several premises were still off limits on Thursday morning. It took 13 fire crews about two hours to contain the blaze, which broke out about 6pm. Police are searching for a white sedan after a drive-by shooting in Brisbane's south-west overnight. Five people, a man, woman and three children were inside their Firefly Street home at Durack when three shots were fired into their home, about 7.20pm. A vehicle and garage were damaged in a drive-by shooting at Durack. Credit:Tom Threadingham The shooting damaged a vehicle parked in the driveway and a garage door. No-one was physically injured. A jury has found Gable Tostee not guilty of the murder or manslaughter of New Zealand national Warriena Wright The pair connected on the dating app Tinder and met up on the Gold Coast Warriena Wright plunged to her death from the 14-floor balcony of Mr Tostee's Gold Coast apartment in the early hours of August 8, 2014 There were gasps and tears in the court room when the jury's verdict was handed down Defence solicitor Nick Dore said his client was happy with the result, thanked his supporters and looked forward to getting on with his life. In a short statement read outside the court, Warriena Wright's family said the whole situation had been "incredibly traumatic". Warriena Wright's tragic death will now be referred to the Queensland coroner to investigate Gable Tostee has reached out to the family of Warriena Wright to express his sympathy after he was acquitted of murdering the New Zealand tourist. Defence lawyer Nick Dore says Mr Tostee had wanted to communicate with Ms Wright's family since before his Supreme Court trial but had been instructed not to. The 30-year-old carpet layer was acquitted of killing the 26-year-old who fell from the 14th floor balcony of his Gold Coast apartment in August 2014. An aboriginal centre showcasing people who trained dingoes and dolphins to help them fish should be built on the Southport Spit as a tourist attraction, according to Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate. Cr Tate said the centre should be built at the north of the Spit to celebrate the culture of people dating back 40,000 years ago. An unknown aboriginal boy spearfishing in the Southport Broadwater. Credit:Gold Coast City Council Burleigh Heads indigenous national parks and wildlife service ranger Clinton Brewer explained on ABC radio in July 2012 how dolphins were used to assist fishermen on the Gold Coast. "They'd wade out into the water, and get all their spears and towrows, and nets. And a whole bunch of them would go out into the water," Mr Clinton said. The project uses virtual reality to immerse various groups, including the general public, marine scientists and divers, into five different parts of the reef and asks them questions regarding what they can and can't see and what parts of the reef they found visually appealing. Dr Peterson said the health of the reef did not always relate to how beautiful it was and varied between different groups. "Some of the initial findings we are hearing are that marine scientists' perception of beautiful is very strongly tied to what they perceive as healthy, whereas a diver or a citizen looks at colours, shapes and might be more focused on fish rather than coral," she said. "I am a diver not a marine scientist so when QUT Research associate Julie Vercelloni (who helped developed the virtual reality experiment) would pull up a picture of a very colourful reef I would think that was very beautiful but she would point out to me that many of the coral on that reef were soft coral and that represented a degraded habitat. "So she was looking at it thinking it wasn't beautiful because it wasn't in a pristine condition, it wasn't all hard coral, and I was thinking it was beautiful because there was a lot of coral present and they were very colourful. Urban sprawl in south-east Queensland will be prevented from choking out the green belts between Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts by ecological "inter-urban" breaks, according to Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jackie Trad. Ms Trad said the inter-urban breaks had been written into the South East Queensland Regional Plan for the first time. Deputy Premier and Local Government and Planning Minister Jackie Trad, with south-east Queensland mayors. Credit:Tony Moore "They are included on the map for the first time," she said. Maps in the plan show them north of Caboolture and south of Caloundra, and towards the Gold Coast between Beenleigh and Coomera. An alleged paedophile previously identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of NSW toddler William Tyrrell will face court in Victoria next year. William "Bill" Spedding is facing a string of historic child sexual abuse charges. The offences are alleged to have occurred in Clarendon near Ballarat and other locations across regional Victoria. Bill Spedding is a person of interest in the William Tyrrell case. Credit:Nick Moir Spedding was due in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday for a committal mention, but a solicitor appearing on his behalf requested the matter be heard in his absence. The lawyer told the court that Spedding lives 400 kilometres north of Sydney and current bail conditions on unrelated NSW matters restricted him from leaving the state. Owners of the illegally demolished Corkman Irish Pub have been ordered to make the Carlton site safe by Friday, after the Environment Protection Authority confirmed it was contaminated with asbestos. The Metropolitan Fire Brigade on Thursday hosed down the site, to allay concerns high winds would blow the asbestos onto passers-by. The Environment Protection Authority has also ordered the owners who could not be contacted on Thursday to cover and secure the rubble and debris by Monday. The 159-year-old Corkman Irish Pub, formerly known as the Carlton Inn, was built in 1857 and had a heritage overlay. It was knocked down by Shaq Demolition and Excavation on the weekend. There were no building or planning permits in place. A drug dealer who crashed his motorcycle while fleeing from police in Perth's east has been jailed for eight years. Heath Andrew Lenton had an unlicensed firearm, a flick knife, more than $4000 in cash, several mobile phones, and drugs including methylamphetamine and cocaine with him when he crashed in Victoria Park in September 2014. Heath Andrew Lenton carried methylamphetamine and cocaine when he crashed his motorbike. The 46-year-old drove through two red lights and travelled at more than 80km/h to avoid police, the WA District Court heard on Wednesday. Judge John Staude said Lenton's involvement in drug dealing was at a much higher level than that of a street dealer. Many year 12s across Australia are currently celebrating the end of their high school experiences at whole-school assemblies - little did Mercedes physical education teacher Lara Fresson know she was about to reach her own milestone alongside them. Long-time partner and Iona Presentation College physical education teacher Gervase Vlahov had spent weeks organising the moment he would ask Ms Fresson to marry him, and hid backstage for an hour at the school's graduation assembly to make it all happen. Ms Fresson was overcome with emotion. Credit:Gervase Vlahov "We have been discussing it for the last two years, and I always said I wanted to wait for the right time and didn't want to rush things," he said. "I was in contact with Lara's work colleague for several days before the event, and she got permission on my behalf from Lara's principal. Berlin: Germany and France have directly told Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the "criminal" bombardment of civilians during four-way talks designed to find a solution to the violence in Syria. "We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after what she described as a difficult discussion with Mr Putin about the crisis in Syria. French President Francois Hollande again used the phrase "war crimes", and both leaders criticised Russia for attacking the civilian population under the pretense of fighting terrorism. "We agree that terrorism must be combated, but not at the price that 300,000 people there must lose their lives and suffer without all necessary supplies," Dr Merkel said. Pop up fashion: a full line of merchandising bearing a Nasty Woman meme sprung up on Red Bubble. Credit:Red Bubble "RT if you're a nasty woman and it's made your life a freakin' pleasure," the actress and creator of Girls Lena Dunham posted on Twitter. Within an hour, it had 1300 retweets. At Vox, writer Liz Plank said, the phrase was "the feminist rallying cry that Hillary Clinton needed". Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump blames that "nasty woman" and the "bad hombres" during the last debate. Credit:AP A Janet Jackson fan immediately went into action and spliced footage of the debate into a video of her 1986 song Nasty. On Red Buddle, a user began selling a line of merchandise including everything from coffee cups, to posters, jumpers and cushions. The political skills Hillary Clinton displayed in Wednesday's debate were remarkable. Credit:AP "That Nasty Woman" became a hashtag and word got out that the Clinton campaign had already purchased a web domain with the term and redirected it to its official site. Clinton herself brushed off the comment. "I just didn't pay any attention to that," she said after the debate. Campaigners jumped on the latest Trumpism. Credit:Red Bubble Within hours, dozens of sellers on Etsy had whipped up merchandise - t-shirts and buttons - bearing both slogans. The Republican presidential candidate, unfurled the "hombre" line when he took on a question about immigration from the moderator, Chris Wallace. "And once the border is secured, at a later date, we'll make a determination as to the rest. But we have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out," he said referring to Mexicans. Critics howled that the phrase was racist and in line with his previous description of undocumented Mexican immigrants as criminals, drug dealers and "rapists", though he allowed at the time that "some of them" were "good people". Merriam Webster said "hombre" and "nasty" both topped its list of the most-searched words during the debate - as did "ombre" an old card game, and "ombres", a type of hair style that involves colours fading into each other. The dictionary cited uses of the phrase "bad hombre" as far back as the 19th century. Ginger Knight of Philadelphia, who described herself as "not really that political," said she was more focused on the Republican nominee, reading Facebook statuses to see which of Trump's phrases were catching on with other users. "And I just started making word buttons," she said. She made a "bad hombres" button, a "nasty woman" button and a "rigged" button, among others. They've been selling "every couple of minutes" on Etsy she said. Laura Brittain, another Etsy user and a Democrat from North Carolina, said that her source for quotes most likely to sell well came from her teenage daughter. "If we're watching the debate and something comes up and our 17-year-old daughter keeps bringing it up, we usually make a shirt or make something," she said. "Last night she just kept saying, 'He reminds me of an angry Cheeto'," she said of Mr Trump. While she was planning to vote for Mrs Clinton, Ms Brittain said she wasn't particularly enthusiastic. Others saw their use of Mr Trump's comments as a form of political expression. Erin Boyd of Bellingham, Washington, who has been on Etsy for about a decade, made her own version of the "nasty woman" t-shirt. "I don't usually make meme-type shirts," she said. "But in this election, you just can't not. It's so easy because there have been so many amazing quotes from Mr Trump." Ms Boyd, a registered Democrat, sold out of the shirts overnight and re-listed them on Thursday morning, interrupting a phone conversation to remark that she had just sold another one. "They're selling like literal hot cakes," she said. "It's insane." She said this was a particularly compelling election for women given the contrast between the two candidates, and that she planned on voting for Clinton. "We have a woman running for president. Her opponent is a man from whom we can get quotes like 'such a nasty woman'," she said, before pausing to think. Loading Latest News Property investors abandon Queensland market Government laws threaten investor control, says industry body Call to expand approved housing projects Sunshine state planning laws should be eased, says developer National regulator ASIC has permanently banned Bernard Meehan, former mortgage broker for AHL Investments (trading as Aussie Home Loans), from engaging in credit activities. The regulator's investigation found Meehan had submitted payslips, document checklists and loan serviceability forms in nine home loan applications to Westpac over a period of twelve months from January 2014 to January 2015. These documents were found to be false or materially misleading and included payslips that had not been issued by the purported employer. Meehan's actions were "wrong, inconsistent with a compliance mentality and showed a lack of insight into what was required of a broker," ASIC said. In addition, he failed to adhere to proper procedures and did not accept that what he did failed to comply with national credit legislation. Aussie Home Loans reported the misconduct to ASIC. "Gatekeepers, such as banks, aggregators and franchise groups have an important role to play in regulating the mortgage broking industry and act as a first line of defence to detect inappropriate practices and behaviour," said ASIC's deputy chairman Peter Kell. Since July 2010 when ASIC became national regulator of consumer credit, the regulator has investigated over 100 matters relating to fraud. Outcomes to these investigations ranged from voluntary leave to permanent bans. To date, ASIC has banned 74 individuals or companies from providing credit services. This includes 32 permanent bans. Through the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, ASIC has also brought criminal prosecutions against 14 credit service providers; with 12 having been convicted of fraud or dishonesty offences relating to the provision of false and misleading information/documents to lenders in client loan applications. "Meehan is the fourth Aussie Home Loans mortgage broker who has been permanently banned and/or convicted over the past 18 months for submitting false or misleading documents in loan applications," ASIC said. The other three mortgage brokers were: Mr Madhvan Nair convicted on eighteen charges involving the submission of false or misleading information to Westpac, NAB and ANZ Ms Emma Feduniw convicted and permanently banned for providing false documents in eight loan applications to Westpac Mr Shiv Prakash Sahay convicted and permanently banned for providing false documents in loan applications for seventeen of his clients to Bankwest and Suncorp Metway "Aussie Home Loans has welcomed ASICs action against banned mortgage broker, Mr Bernard Meehan," the firm said in a statement. "Aussie voluntarily reported Mr Meehan to ASIC and to the MFAA . Aussie then fully cooperated with resulting investigations, by providing results of the internal investigation and other evidence to assist in prosecution."The statement continued saying that Aussie's zero tolerance policy for infringements, combined with proactive and voluntary reporting of serious breaches, means the firm has some of the most stringent compliance processes in the industry. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams There are some new kids on the Block! This years Blocktoberfest beer tasting event, happening on Oct. 22 in Bushwick, will be the biggest yet, with 26 New York City breweries offering samples of suds at the annual fest. One of the brewmasters at the boroughs newest beer maker, the Kings County Brewers Collective, said he is looking forward to pouring and to drinking beer at the event. Were all really looking forward to getting to sample of the newest brews from our friends in the industry, said Zack Kinney. Some of the best beer in the country is being brewed right here in the city, but its pretty rare that were all together in one place. The event, sponsored by the New York City Brewers Guild, moved from its usual Clinton Hill space so it could fit all the beer barons, according the guild president. Its going to be in a slightly larger location, with more beers than ever, said Kelly Taylor, who is also co-founder of Kelso Beer Company. We kind of outgrew the old one, basically. The day will feature food trucks and a performance from music group the Home Brew-sicians but the focus is on the beer and those who make it, said Taylor. Brewmasters will bust out some special concoctions for the festival, including Kelsos 10-year anniversary India Pale Lager, a sour coffee beer from the Brewers Collective, and something called Goat Mutorcs from SixPoint. The fest features eight Brooklyn breweries, but Kelso is no longer among that number the beer company recently closed its Clinton Hill brewing facility, and is now hunting for space in the Bronx. Brooklyn started getting a little nutty, price-wise, said Taylor. But just because his company said Kel-so long to Brooklyn does not mean the boroughs beer scene is slowing down, said Taylor, but it is changing. I think what it means, in general, is a lot more breweries are going to be opening primarily as taprooms, he predicted. Places that sell beer directly to customers can afford the retail rents that most spots in Brooklyn require, said Taylor. Recent Brooklyn breweries with tap rooms include Threes Brewing, Strong Rope brewery, and Kings County Brewers Collective. Blocktoberfest at the Well (272 Meserole St. between Bushwick and Morgan avenues in Bushwick, www.thewe llbro oklyn.com ). Oct. 22, 12:305:30 pm. $10$37 ($10$30 in advance). Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Are they high!? The city is considering opening facilities where heroin users can safely shoot up under medical supervision, but some advocates in areas such as Bay Ridge and Sunset Park where opiate addiction is raging say the plan is bonkers and warn that finding locations for the sites will be as fraught as current battles over placement of homeless shelters, which many Brooklynites charge the city opens without proper notification. Im worried if the city moves forward with these facilities that there will be a lack of community notification like with hotels being converted into homeless shelters, said Bob Capano, who is running for term-limited councilman Vincent Gentiles Bay Ridge seat next year. I fear these spaces could be slipped into communities without letting anyone know. Locals called the heroin haven idea totally counter-intuitive. Are you kidding me? That is absolutely not the solution, said Rob Serrano, who lives near Owls Head Park, where a woman was recently found beaten to death next to a purse with hypodermic needles in it. How could that possibly help people? Thats just telling me its okay to shoot up, youre literally giving them the space to do that. Thats crazy to me. Capano agreed. We dont need clean, nice taxpayer-funded shooting galleries that would decriminalize heroin use, he said. The Council allocated $100,000 in September for the Department of Health to study supervised injection facilities controversial storefronts that provide intravenous drug users clean needles and a place to get high while under medical supervision. Serrano does not think that having a supervised place to get a fix could have prevented the womans death, he said. Whats to stop her or anybody else from going to one of these places where they cant get in trouble for using and then when theyre closed going out and getting high again? he said. No such sites exist in the U.S., but 66 cities in other countries, including Canada, have them, according to information from advocacy group Supervised Injection Facilities for a Safer NYC. A 2014 study in the medical journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence surveyed 75 studies exploring the good and bad of supervised injection sites and determined that the services promoted safer injection conditions, enhanced access to primary health care, and reduced the frequency of overdoses. Such facilities did not increase drug injecting, drug trafficking, or crime in the surrounding areas, the study found. A local drug counsellor who is still on the fence about such sites cautioned against knee-jerk opposition, explaining that they are a better option than letting people shoot up on the street. Do I agree with it? The jury is still out on that. But anything that helps people getting off the streets helps us with the heroin epidemic, said Donna Mae DePola, a recovering addict who runs Resource Training and Counseling Centers in Bay Ridge and Sunset Park. I wouldnt want it next to where I live either, but I think a lot of people who are opposed to it dont really understand it and think were encouraging [drug use]. Were not throwing our hands up in disgust were doing harm-reduction. The facilities would be more appealing if they were located in hospitals instead of storefronts, as is usually the case, DePola said. Either way, heroin use has become more public especially in Bay Ridge, according to Community Board 10 district manager Josephine Beckmann. People are starting to see it on the streets more, she said, citing hypodermic needles found discarded on public streets. The citys safe-injection site study is part of a larger effort to curb heroin and opiate abuse, a city spokeswoman said. Record numbers of New Yorkers are dying from opioid-related overdoses, and the DeBlasio administration recently funded $5.5 million of new initiatives to address this crisis. We look forward to reviewing the Councils allocation to conduct a study of this issue, said health department rep Julien Martinez. And some say the $100,000 for the study could be better spent on actual treatment. I think what has a better chance of savings peoples lives is giving them drug counseling and supportive therapy to help kick the habit, said Capano. Reach reporter Caroline Spivack at mspiv ack@c ngloc al.com or by calling (718) 2602517. Follow him on Twitter @carolinespivack. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams It doesnt measure up! Brooklyn Bridge Park builders are again saying one thing and delivering another now that plans they filed with the city show two parkside luxury apartment buildings have more floors than promised in June, park watchdogs claimed this week, but green space officials say theres nothing to worry about, as the buildings will stay within their legally mandated height limits with the exception of a 9-foot bulkhead on one of the parcels. Plans recently filed for the two controversial towers at Pier 6 have raised the eyebrows of activists who claim park honchos have been deceptive about how many stories each building will actually rise as they were when the Pierhouse hotel and condo complex ended up blocking protected views of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. This is the story of Brooklyn Bridge Park, said Judy Francis, president of activist group Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund Bait and switch. Officials in June told the parks board of directors made up of elected officials, their appointees, and local stakeholders that the towers would stand at 28 stories and 14- to 15-stories, respectively, before the board voted to approve the proposal. But last weeks filings show plans for the buildings at the foot of Atlantic Avenue topping out at 30 and 16 stories. A park official said they were being truthful with the public and the board all along and nothing had changed since June, explaining that the extra stories will only house mechanicals and storage rooms, which he said are not considered floors despite being labeled as such by the Department of Buildings and will not exceed height limits. Under the terms of a 2015 settlement, the structures must stay within a 315 and 115-foot height limit including the bulkheads and machinery on top, and the buildings adhere to the height cap, according to the filings. But a spokeswoman for the park acknowledged that the 16-story buildings bulkhead will exceed the cap by nine feet. That is because the park asked permission to do so from the Empire State Development Corporation, which is overseeing the project and just requesting the modification to the plan gives them the right to go higher, the park claims. The park has run in grey area surrounding height caps in the past a 2015 lawsuit alleged that the Pierhouse hotel at Pier 1 had blown its 100-foot height limit by adding unplanned mechanicals to the top, blocking protected views of the Brooklyn Bridge. Park honchos argued that the activists had known about the bulkheads all along, and a judge eventually threw out the case, but not before pointing out that the building looked simply too large. A separate lawsuit last year claimed that the penthouse at the Pierhouse luxury condo complex was too big, once again jutting into the only legally protected scenic view in New York City. The same judge threw out that lawsuit too, saying that the case wasnt brought forth quickly enough for him to do anything about it. Francis claims that the latest development with the Pier 6 towers only further validates a lawsuit filed by the Brooklyn Heights Association that alleges the parks board was misled when it gave the green light to the buildings in the summer. The BHAs lawsuit makes plain that the Brooklyn Bridge Park board were misinformed when they voted for housing in June, regard to everything about these buildings heights, location, facilities, need for funding so it is no surprise that the park is again playing games with the heights and bulks, said Francis. The towers will also house a gym, lounges, playroom, ground-floor retail, a so-called dog washing station, according to the plans. The city said in June that a previously planned pre-kindergarten space for one of the lots would be moved to another nearby location, but has yet to reveal additional details of where the promised tot academy will be sited. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Is it a fresh start or a repeat of the past? The Phoenix Hotel has risen from the ashes of the shuttered Sunny 39 Hotel which police closed as a front for prostitution last year and now neighbors, who are already critical of the number of hotels opening in the area, say they are nervous that the new inn will follow in its predecessors footsteps. Of all the things that could have replaced this, why a hotel? said Marcela Mitaynes, who lives up the block from the 39th Street hotel. Aside from concerns about prostitution, people are just at their wits end about the over saturation of hotels in the area. Its just been difficult to have all this in a residential area. There are all these people coming and going. The four-story, 44-room hotel on 39th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues remained vacant for nearly a year after police arrested and charged the owners and manger with permitting prostitution and falsifying business records late last year. The property is owned by Kings King Realty LLC, which leased the building to Sunny 39 and is now leasing the space to Phoenix. The new operators, who opened the inn in September, have no affiliation with Sunny 39, and owners called the hotel phoenix to signal a new start not a continuation of the same, according to a worker there. People have come and told us about the prostitution and their worries, and we let them know that we have nothing to do with the old hotel, said Tan Feng, the assistant manger of the hotel. The manager picked phoenix, because it means rebirth and to be reborn with a better life. Were a new hotel, so its like a rebirth. Were renovating the rooms and working to make the hotel nicer so that people can come and enjoy the area. Community Board 7 district manager Jeremy Laufer is keeping an eye on the spot as is the 72nd Precinct, he said. But those who advocated for the city to turn the building into a school are less than thrilled with the hotels opening. Im completely disappointed that this happened when we were very clear about what the former managers were doing and that this was allowed to move forward, said Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (DSunset Park) who wrote Mayor DeBlasio about the hotel. I hope what took place doesnt get repeated. Our community deserves better. Ortiz assembled a community task force after the last hotel was shuttered. The 10 or so vigilant Sunset Parkers mostly retired law enforcement comprising the task force keep tabs on hotels, tallying how often certain guests visit and what time the inns get the most foot traffic, Ortiz said. The assemblymans office passes noteworthy information to the police and relevant city agencies at least once a week, the lawmaker said. The task force is a comfort to those who live in the area, one neighbor said. That place was no good for the community before, and Im not convinced this new hotel will be any better, but its nice to know people are watching this place, said Romeo Dela Fuente, who lives across the street from the hotel. Well see what happens I guess. 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. latest news October 31, 2022 Buddy TV In November, there are hundreds of new and returning TV showsit can be overwhelming to try and choose what to watch. That's why we've selected some of the best options... Campus News Series to explore issues that have sparked protests across the U.S. By JOHN DELLACONTRADA By bringing the university together in an open and constructive way, we hope the UB community will gain a better understanding of the issues and viewpoints, and will feel better-equipped to discuss them with colleagues, students and friends during the academic year. Orlando. Flint. Dallas. Cleveland and Philadelphia. American cities have been focal points for tragedy, protest and heated debate of issues affecting the nation over the past several months. To encourage discussion of these emotional topics and understanding of different points of view, UB will bring together faculty, staff and students for a weeklong series of midday panel discussions Oct. 24-28. DifCon: Our Cities. Our Issues will explore gun violence, racial inequality, political polarization and other issues that have sparked civil unrest and protest across the U.S. Faculty panelists will set the stage for audience participation by sharing their expertise and insights, and by leading constructive conversations about provocative issues that affect us all. Our cities have weathered volatile clashes between citizens, agencies and ideologies, says Teresa Miller, vice provost for equity and inclusion. The goal of Our Cities. Our Issues. is to bring together the university community to discuss whats happening across the country and to understand the effect these events have on each of us. The weeklong discussions continue last years difficult conversations series, which examined 12 topics impacting individuals and society. The success of DifCon 12, followed by several turbulent events resonating across the nation, prompted a continuation of the conversations at UB, Miller says. By bringing the university together in an open and constructive way, we hope the UB community will gain a better understanding of the issues and viewpoints, and will feel better-equipped to discuss them with colleagues, students and friends during the academic year, she says. Faculty and staff from across the university and across disciplines will serve as panelists, including faculty from the departments of Transnational Studies, History, Political Science and Economics, as well as faculty from the schools of Law, Nursing, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Architecture and Planning, Public Health and Health Professions and the Graduate School of Education. Staff will participate from the offices of International Education, Sustainability and Campus Living. The event is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion and the Intercultural & Diversity Center. The schedule: SHOOTINGS in MINNEAPOLIS, BATON ROUGE and DALLAS Oct. 24, noon 1:30 p.m., Intercultural and Diversity Center (240 Student Union) Killings in these three cities sparked outrage on both sides of the Blue Line, and in Charlotte and Tulsa since then. This panel will explore police violence, violence against police and the question of how far weve come. TRAGEDY in ORLANDO Oct. 25, noon 1:30 p.m., Intercultural and Diversity Center Orlandos Pulse Nightclub was the site of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Was it violence against the LGBTQ community, an attack on the Latino community, a domestic terrorist attack or all of the above? NEW HAVEN and HYDE PARK PROTESTS Oct. 26, noon 1:30 p.m., 330 Student Union Student protests at Yale University and a bold letter to the freshman class at the University of Chicago challenged campus communities to consider the relationship between academic freedom, free expression and inclusion. THE CLEVELAND and PHILADELPHIA CONVENTIONS Oct. 27, noon 1:30 p.m., Intercultural and Diversity Center Both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions raised issues of safety, community and the future of our national identity in an increasingly polarized society. Yet, the platforms couldnt be any more different. LEAD THREAT in FLINT and BUFFALO? Oct. 28, noon 1:30 p.m., Intercultural and Diversity Center Lead discovered in the public water supply prompted calls for accountability and reform in Flint. Is Buffalo next? World Series Game 3 postponed due to rain in Philly Rain is moving into Philadelphia and it could impact Game 3 of the World Series Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. Ltd has bagged order worth $170 million (around Rs 1,140 crore) from the United Republic of Tanzania. The order includes supplying of vehicles, gensets, spares and equipment for development of workships, training modules and allied equipments to be fitted on ambulances. Vinod K Dasari, managing director, commented that exports is an import part of Ashok Leyland's strategic intent to globalise its product portfolio and derisk itself from supplying only into India. Recently the company has bagged order worth $200 million from the Cote dIvoire in the African region and another order to supply 773 vehicles to Tanzania under Line of Credit from the Government of India. Further the company is currently executing another order to supply of 777 vehicles to the Minister of Home Affairs in Tanzania. This latest order is being financed fully by EXIM Bank of India under National Export Insurance Account (NEIA) Scheme. Payment Services on Thursday claimed that an external audit on its ATM networks that it manages for banks have not seen any breach of its systems, even as it is updating the banks and card schemes across its network. "We had appointed an external audit agency certified by PCI in the 1st week of September, to check the security of our systems for any breach/compromise based on a few suspected transactions that were highlighted by banks for whom we manage their ATM networks," Loney Antony, Managing Director, Payment Services said in a statement. "The interim report published by the audit agency in September, does not suggest any breach / compromise in our systems. The final report is expected by mid-November. The banks and card schemes are updated with the progress of the audit," Antony said. Over 3.2 million debit cards are said to be compromised due to a virus or a malware infection in the switch provider system at Payments Services, which operates ATMs in the country. It has affected transactions of several banks including SBI, Axis Bank, YES Bank and HDFC Bank. Motorcycle and Scooter India Private Limited (HMSI) has begun exporting two-wheelers from its Gujarat plant. The company has sent its first consignment of Dio scooters to Sri Lanka from Mundra port last week. "We have started exporting from Gujarat plant from last week. We have sent Dio scooters from Mundra port to Sri Lanka which will reach there by end of this month," said Yadvinder Singh Guleria, senior vice president, sales and marketing at HMSI. However, the company is not planning to increase exports from here and will export to Sri Lanka only as of now. "Sri Lanka and Nepal are major export markets for us and we will continue to focus on them. Right now we have no any plans to export to other countries from Gujarat as we have just begun the same," Guleria added. HMSI claimed that Sri Lanka and Nepal contributes almost 75 per cent share in its total exports of about 120,000 units during first half of current financial year 2016-17. HMSI commenced Activa and Dio production in Gujarat in February 2016 which is now running at full capacity of 1.2 million units a year. The company is, however, expanding its production capacity by 600,000 units at its Narsapura plant in Karnataka which is likely to be completed by June 2017. "With this new expansion, our total production capacity will reach 6.40 million units from current 5.80 million units. We have planned to invest about Rs 400 crore in Karnataka plant expansion," Singh said. The company has launched new two-wheeler 'Navi' earlier in this calendar year which it claims to have received good responses from urban areas. HMSI has thereby almost doubled its sales target for Navi. Guleria said, "At the time of launch, we had set target to sell 50,000 units but we have achieved the same in October. Hence, we are changing our sales target to 90,000 units for Navi scooter." On Friday, (JLR) takes the covers off the first cross-over under the Jaguar brand, in India. The British brand, owned by Tata Motors, will launch the Jaguar F-Pace at an event in Mumbai. Rohit Suri, president, Jaguar Land Rover-India, spoke to Swaraj Baggonkar about the launch. Edited excerpts: Integrated business service provider on Thursday said it will acquire stake in three -- Terrier Securities, Simpliance and Comtel Solutions -- helping it to offer increased services and expand the share of the wallet from its clients. These firms will help add Rs 750 crore in revenue and operating income of Rs 52 crore in this fiscal. Reliance Industries surprised the Street with a record standalone net profit of Rs 7,704 crore for the quarter ending September 2016 (Q2 FY17), 17.9 per cent higher than the Rs 6,534 crore profit after tax (PAT) reported in the same period last year. Bloomberg consensus estimates had pegged the net profit at Rs 7,239 crore on revenue of Rs 58,004 crore. Standalone revenue, too, was ahead of estimates at Rs 64,344 crore. The $12-billion deal between the Rosneft-led consortium and Essar Oil would not lead to a re-rating of rival refiners in India, analysts said. All in the same block of Main Street, Odell, one can deliver a letter at the post office, make a deposit at the bank, get a haircut, eat lunch and pick up a gallon of milk at the corner market. It's similar to other Nebraska towns with a few hundred residents. But as decades pass, small-town markets are disappearing. It's a fate Odell community members refused to let happen to their beloved Odell Market. When previous owners Perry and Sharon Gydesen announced this summer they were retiring with no prospective new owners in sight, community members formed a plan to save the town's only grocery store and coffee hangout. As of late September, Odell Market is owned by 85 community shareholders, which includes individual spouses listed separately. "I'm glad to be retired, but I'm really glad that the store is continuing," Sharon Gydesen said. "That was a big concern for me." Her absence is the most noticeable change at Odell Market since the paperwork went through four weeks ago. The store still opens at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed Sunday. Its adjoined room is still a daily gathering place for two coffee crews. "It's still a place where people can get a snack or come get all of their groceries and see familiar faces and chat," Gydesen said. "To lose a business in a small town is just too hard. And it's in an important part of the community...Nobody wanted the store to close." Across the street is the Odell Community Center. Caddy-corner is the Odell City Park. Gydesen said a group of about eight to 10 regular folks gather in the mornings for coffee in the grocery store's adjacent room of seating, located past storage. Another five or six visit there in the afternoons. These folks didn't want the store to close. The Gydesens didn't want the store to close. Elderly folks who get their groceries from (and, for some, delivered by) Odell Market didn't want the store to close. Nor did manager Cathy Bures, who has worked there for 30 years, including when her parents were the owners. "My father and mother owned it for 15 years," Bures said. "My father is still alive...He's really happy. He's got macular (degeneration) and can't drive. I'm close by so I can take him his groceries and stuff." Bures said she didn't know what should would have done if the store closed. "I'm glad it's here because I've worked here for a long time," Bures said. Previously, Gydesen was at the store full time and Bures was also an employee. Now, Bures has help from Julie Klecan. In the first community meeting, in June, focused on the future of Odell Market, seven joint owners of a Summerfield, Kansas, grocery store explained how they operate and gave potential shareholders of Odell Market ideas for a similar operation. That same month, Odell community members began the arduous and foreign process of forming a cooperative to save the grocery store. "I was kind of surprised by the amount of people who stepped up to try to keep it around," Bures said. Bures said there were many long and tedious meetings since June and the whole process was stressful. "There were lots of ups and downs," Gydesen said. "It was kind of a roller coaster of a summer." A woman in town with experience in fundraising started doing so for the project, Gydesen said. "The money took a while to come in, but people started jumping on the band wagon," Gydesen said. She said nobody knew where to start in the legal parts of the process. Gydesen said efforts were also strongly led by Jill Scheele. Bures said the big group of shareholders are split into sub groups with separate responsibilities and one core group oversees the store as a whole. They plan to meet quarterly and have ideas for freshening the store, which she said will be revisited after the first of the new year. "We're trying to get it back to where it was," Bures said. "It's kind of quiet right now since everybody's out harvesting...We're doing a lot of cleaning and some rearranging. We're try to get the inventory built back up. We weren't ordering much for a while because we didn't know if this would go through. We're getting there, slowly but surely." Sharon Gydesen will continue to cook and serve lunch, always featuring pie, on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Odell Market. The contest to supply the Indian Air Force (IAF) a single-engine, medium fighter is currently playing out as a two-horse race. US giant, Lockheed Martin, is the Goliath looking to slay the David that is Swedish firm, . The Central Buraeau of Investigation (CBI) has sent another reminder to Canadian authorities seeking questioning of Nazir Karigar, a Canadian who is a suspect in a case of alleged pay-off to an aide of a Union minister in UPA government in 2007. The pay-off was made to bag the USD 100-million worth contract. CBI sources said the agency has registered the case and dispatched judicial requests to facilitate provision of information. Judicial requests were dispatched in 2013 also, but were only partly processed. The sources said CBI is seeking examination of Karigar in the case, a scenario that has not been possible even after three years of sending the 2013 judicial requests. It is alleged that Karigar and unknown officials of had entered a criminal conspiracy in floating and processing a tender for installing computerised passenger face recognition biometrics system in various airports of India. The deal allegedly caused favour to a company, CrypoMetrics, during 2005-07. It is alleged that Karigar had also provided several crucial tender documents to the company even before it was floated by . The contract was finally scrapped, but CBI needs to question him to get to the bottom of the case, they said. Sources said the agency had sent the latest reminder in September this year. The case is likely to figure in the upcoming talks between CBI Chief Anil Sinha and Bob Paulson of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who is visiting the country and will address the annual D P Kohli memorial on Thursday. RCMP had approached the CBI through diplomatic channels informing them about the scandal and allegations made against Indo-Canadian businessman Nazir Karigar, who claimed that he had paid a bribe of 250,000 dollars to an aide of a Minister in UPA government, official sources said. Karigar had reportedly claimed that he had met the Minister through a senior police officer and allegedly paid the bribe amount to the minister's aide for pushing the contract in favour of his company. The Minister had rejected the allegations as baseless in his letter to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Minister had said the claims of bribery appeared to be "a perfect con job" by somebody trying to convince his company that he could deliver a contract if he is paid. The wheel of the iconic agitation came full circle on Thursday, as farming resumed at the demolished Nano car plant site after a decade, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sprinkling mustard seeds on the land. The possession of 103 acres of land was given to 298 farmers spread over five mouzas well within the 12-week deadline set by the division bench of judges Arun Mishra and V Gopala Gowda of the Supreme Court on August 31. The Bench also ruled that the land acquisition process in for the car project was faulty and was not for public purpose. Most of the portion of the Nano car shed has been razed to the ground. Only a small structure is left which will also be demolished in the next few days, a senior state government official said. Banerjee, who had steered massive agitation against forcible land acquisition in 2006, said, will be a model before the world and a monument will be constructed here. She said, By November 10, the process of giving physical possession of the entire land would be complete." She talked to the farmers, enquired about the condition of the land and the kind of crops they plan to harvest in days to come. She also handed over crop kits to some farmers. Last month Banerjee had handed over land 'parchas' and cheques to the farmers in Singur. 'Parcha' is a document which establishes the ownership of a farmer over a piece of land in revenue records. Strongly batting for resuming India-Pakistan dialogue, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah today visited the Zero Line along LoC and interacted with border dwellers. "People of J&K cannot live in an atmosphere of animosity and uncertainty anymore. Wars haven't and won't resolve inherently the political issues between India and Pakistan," he said at Gali-Maidan on Zero Line along Line of Control. The Conference leader visited Gali Maidan, the most adversely affected region in the recent mortar shelling, against the advice of the security apparatus. He hoped that better sense would prevail upon New Delhi and Islamabad that "mutual cooperation and peace is imperative for growth and prosperity in the region." Farooq interacted with border dwellers at Sabjian, Chandak and Sabjian. He expressed solidarity with the people, saying they had been facing the brunt of border skirmishes valiantly. "Wars will not only cause human loss, it will also shatter the economy of the region and the costs of confrontation will be borne by generations to come," he said, adding that dialogue has no substitute. He also hit out at the ruling combine of PDP-BJP. Public anger has been the highest in South Kashmir, where PDP garnered a significant number of seats based on its lies of being opposed to the BJP, he alleged. "We cannot afford to be bystanders, being the party of masses and with the legacy of sacrifices that we have made," Farooq said and urged the party cadre to meet this challenge with fortitude and dedication. The NC chief also cautioned the people against the "divisive forces who have miserably failed to govern". "They will try to sow seeds of hatred and mistrust among various segments of society as a diversionary tactic and the people must be beware of such attempts," he added. As Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is defiant on continuing its protest against the release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar will be meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the capital on Thursday. In the past, many judges at the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) did not allow consumers to file a case jointly because of a technicality in the law. But, a recent judgment by an NCDRC Bench has given some respite to such consumers, especially home buyers seeking relief against developers. Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom believes that India has the potential to become a nuclear hub. The construction of units 3 and 4 at Kudankulam has already begun. In addition, Rosatom is fully committed to construct units 5 and 6, and six units on a second site. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, Rosatom South Asia Chief Executive Officer Alexey Pimenov shares the companys strategies. Edited excerpts: How has your journey been in India? Construction of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP) in Tamil Nadu is the largest joint Russian-Indian project in the energy sector. The Russian Federation has provided technical assistance to India for the construction of power units 1 and 2 of the project with VVER- 1,000 reactors, which have a generation capacity of 1,000 Mw each. Unit 1 is generating power and the performance figures have exceeded design expectations. Efficiency of the first unit is 2.4 per cent, 2.5 per cent higher than expected. In fact, India obtained a more advanced product than planned initially. Unit 2 is complete and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) has to decide the date of commissioning. Vice Chancellor M. Jagdeesh Kumar on Thursday said the students, who have gheraoed him and other officials inside his office, have not let even their wives meet them. They also did not have food to eat, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) VC told reporters, who were let inside by the protesting students. "We have been gheraoed since 2.30 pm yesterday (Wednesday). We had to sleep on the floor and we had no food to eat," Kumar said. The has been in ferment ever since undergraduate science student Najeeb Ahmed went missing on the night of October 14-15, reportedly after a brawl with a few members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad. Expressing the hope that Najeeb comes back soon, Kumar said: "Students have become relentless and adamant. They think that we (varsity authorities) are not doing our best to find him." However, All India Students Association (AISA) member Rama Naga denied the allegation of gheraoing the officials. He said that the students have gathered outside the Administrative Block, "so that they talk to us". "We have not forced anyone to stay inside the building. We want him to come and answer all our questions about missing Najeeb," Rama Naga told the media. The Bhubaneswar Commissionerate police on Thursday said it arrested Manoj Nayak, the besieged chairman of city-based SUM Hospital, after the latter surrendered at the local Khandagiri police station. Police Commissioner Y B Khurania confirmed his surrender and subsequent arrest. HALLAM -- A future plant to produce carbon black and hydrogen will create jobs in southeast Nebraska and provide clean energy for the country, said leaders of the project at the Monolith Materials groundbreaking ceremony in Hallam on Thursday morning. Monolith is producing carbon black in the U.S. for the first time in 30 years, its website reads. At its Olive Creek Plant, located just northeast of the center of Hallam, pipeline grade natural gas will be converted into carbon black and hydrogen. Carbon black is used in everyday products such as industrial rubber products. It can also be customized to act a pigment in inks, paints and toner and as a UV absorber in pipes and other agricultural products, the website says. Carbon black is virtually pure elemental carbon produced by thermal decomposition of natural gas under tightly controlled and monitored conditions, the website goes on. The key part of that is the utilization of natural gas rather than crude oil. In their formal addresses on Thursday, leaders of the project as well as Governor Pete Ricketts called the production process efficient, environmentally friendly and economically savvy. Monolith searched starting about three years ago for the right location and the right partners to build this plant, speakers explained at the event. Eventually, they found Nebraska and partners Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) and Norris Public Power District. The hydrogen byproduct will be used by NPPD to replace the coal-fired boiler of unit 2 at Sheldon Station, the website explains. The new boiler will generate 125 mw of electricity enough to supply power to 150,000 homes. Monolith is hiring now for an initial staff of 50 to develop and run Phase 1 of the manufacturing plant. The company expects of the plant initial production capacity in 2018 and full production capacity by 2020. By 2020, the plant should employ about 600 people, they said. Three years ago we decided to bring our company to Nebraska and build our company here and ever since then, weve been trying to prove ourselves to you, Monolith co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Rob Hanson said in his opening remarks. Soon, were going to be one of the biggest employers in this region and you have my word we will be very good to our employees. Were your neighbors now and you can trust that were going to continue to be very transparent in this project. Were going to continue to involve the local community in making decisions that impact it and the project as a whole. Monolith Materials Executive Chairman Bill Brady spoke of the future of the carbon black industry and the significance of the companys project in terms of using U.S. land and resources. Although its the first phase, I can guarantee you we expect to expand here for a long time to come, Brady said. For decades, the carbon black industry has expanded outside the United States, creating jobs and economic growth in countries like China and Southeast Asia. This project brings it back to the heartland. We really call ourselves the next generation of American industrial technology. We take an abundant natural resource in natural gas and turn it into carbon black which is found in everything black around you and hydrogen to replace coal for clean power in Nebraska. Brady thanked his partners, Monolith employees and investors and Ricketts and the state of Nebraska. Pat Pope, President and CEO of NPPD, called the project revolutionary. NPPD is always looking for opportunities to utilize new fuel sources for electric generation that are both cost effective and environmentally friendly, Pope said. The partnership with Monolith Materials, the state of Nebraska, NPPD and Norris Public Power District is a unique combination of innovation, environmental sustainability and economic development for the area and the state. Governor Ricketts said the first phase of the project will not only produce 50 jobs but also a $30 million economic impact on Nebraska. He said the second phase, in 2020, will create a $600 million impact on Nebraska. That helps us grow Nebraska, Ricketts said. That helps our kids and grandkids find the jobs they want, right here in Nebraska. Ricketts said Monolith was drawn to Nebraska in part by its people and workforce, which he described as loyal, hardworking and the type of workers who help their companies succeed and grow. He said he couldnt be more excited about the project. This is a big deal, Ricketts said. This is a big deal for our country. Union Minister was today attacked with bricks allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists here, when he was on his way to a police station to stage a protest against the arrest of some BJP workers. Supriyo said he had informed Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident and the latter will seek a report regarding the same from the state. "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," the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, alleged. "They also showed me black flags. I do not know why the police allowed the mob to come near my car," he said. Supriyo told PTI, "There was protest regarding illegal slaughter houses operating in Asansol under the patronage of TMC minister Malay Ghatak. These slaughter houses are causing havoc to the environment. I have informed the Home minister about the incident and he will seek a report from the state." Video footage of the incident showed Supriyo standing on the foot board of a vehicle and a stone landing on his chest. BJP sources said the Union minister received injuries in the attack. The BJP state unit has decided to observe a 12-hour bandh all over Asansol and demonstration by burning the effigy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at every district headquarters and a mass agitation. A protest rally has also been planned at at Hazra More. Ahead of the 'Make in Odisha' conclave scheduled to be held on November 30-December 2 here, Chief Minister on Thursday met envoys from over 25 countries at an 'Ambassadors Meet' organised in New Delhi. Banks, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the government got into damage control mode on Thursday to curtail the risks emerging from a possible data breach of 3.2 million debit cards. Three financial institutions, including the BSE, have faced cyber attacks in the last three months. Several banks have faced an increase in some form of cyber attack or security breach in recent times. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday decided to allow foreign investment up to 100 per cent under the automatic route in other financial services. is planning to wind up participatory notes (P-notes) operations in India, as tightening of regulatory framework has made the business unviable. P-notes attractiveness has been on the wane following tightening of the regulations and the recent double tax avoidance agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius. Recently, many customers have got mails and messages from their to change the ATM PIN of their debit cards. We now know the reason, with reports suggesting 3.2 million accounts in five leading -- State Bank of India, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and YES Bank -- are compromised. Bankers and cyber experts advise that ideally an ATM PIN should be changed every three to six months. Are they being overly cautious? Perhaps not. Several have already asked their customers to change their card security details and to stick to own ATM networks. According to Reshmi Khurana, country head-operations for Kroll Advisory Solutions, there are reports of customers reporting transactions on their debit cards in China, which is how banks came to know of the breach of data security. A certain foreign payment services company, whose system is believed to have been compromised, is going for a forensic audit. While it is not confirmed, the breach of data seems to be on account of a malware inserted in a white-label ATM network, which is why banks are cautioning their customers to stick to their own banks ATM network, she says. An ATM breach means the PIN numbers of not only that banks customers but all those who use that banks ATM network could be compromised. For most customers, using the card at an ATM would seem a safe transaction, being monitored by the bank. However, not always so. About 70 per cent of ATMs in India are running on outdated Operating Systems (OS), making it easier for fraudsters to exploit. Microsoft withdrew all support to Windows XP about two years before. But, there are still many ATMs running on Windows XP OS, which makes them vulnerable to malware and fraud, points out Harshil Doshi, consultant at Forcepoint, a data privacy and security company. Most banks also use ATM machines of different vendors, due to which standardisation of networks and technology is not possible. This also opens the system to possible fraud, Doshi adds. Fraudsters have developed devices to infect all types of ATMs. The merger of State Bank of India (SBI) with its associate will bring down new recruitment by around a fifth next year. is calculating that the numbers are likely to become surplus with the merger. It has already announced there wont be any job cuts on account of the merger. There will be an impact on recruitment next year. It could be in the range of 20-25 per cent. Already, associate have stopped filling vacancies. The day we decided on a merger, we knew not to opt for new recruitment in the associate . We wont drastically cut down on hirings; there is a need to infuse fresh blood, said an official. Since 2015-16, there has been no recruitment in the associate banks. On an average, requires at least 13,000 staff (new hires) on account of retirement every year, according to an official. However, over the past two years, the bank has been going slow on recruitment, especially clerical staff. Last year, the bank did not hire any clerical staff. This year, however, SBI is recruiting around 17,000 clerical staff, one of the highest in the past few years. This includes recruitment of around 3,008 agri staff, which SBI is inducting after a gap of several years. We have a larger thrust (now) on agricultural lending and are recruiting after a gap of several years, said an SBI official. For the past few years, 70-75 per cent of the requirement for officers at SBI was met by internal promotion. This year, SBI is recruiting 2,004 probationary officers, against 1,976 last year. The five associate banks to be absorbed into SBI are State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Travancore. SBI expects this to be complete by the end of this financial year. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened its noose around cyber fraud and security breach in the banking system with a rise in such incidents. In a draft circular on Customer Protection Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions, had said that must put in place appropriate systems and procedures to ensure safety and security of electronic banking transactions carried out by customers. It had also said that the systems and procedures in must be designed to make customers feel safe about carrying out electronic banking transactions. ALSO READ: Security breach: Don't ignore banks' advice to change ATM PIN has hinted at having a new set of investment bankers and legal team when it re-launches its Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) of shares. The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that his visit to Hungary and Algeria was undertaken to reconnect India's old ties with these two nations. He was addressing the Media onboard Air India One Special Aircraft on his way back to New Delhi after a five-day visit to Hungary and Algeria, today. The Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya was also present on the occasion. . . The Vice President said that the visit to Hungary came after a long gap and there were substantive discussions with the Hungarian leadership on various issues. He further said that two MoUs were signed with Hungary - one on water management and the other by Indian Council of World Affairs. Hungary agreed India on elimination of the menace of terrorism and supported a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat, he pointed out. Setting up a working group on science and technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence technologies for mutual benefits was also agreed upon, he added. . . Acknowledging that his Algeria visit also came after a long gap, the Vice President said that he had a wide range of discussions with Algerian leadership and there was agreement on taking the India-Algeria ties to a new level and how to 'rejuvenate' the bilateral relations. The Vice President said that Algeria was willing to cooperate with India in several sectors including Energy, Security, Space and Fertilizers. He further said that there was willingness on both sides on the possibility of setting up of a joint venture fertilizers plant by Algeria and India in the north African country. He pointed out that if the process of setting up of a joint venture fertilizer company in Algeria materializes, the price of fertilizer in India is expected to come down along with the subsidy burden of the government on fertilizer. The fertilizer plant was linked to our efforts for food security, he added. . . Reacting to a question on terrorism, the Vice President said that the issue of terrorism was discussed with the top leaderships of both Algeria and Hungary. Their view on the menace of terrorism was that it was a disease for the entire world and it has to be eradicated in all forms and manifestations, he added. . . Police Commemoration Day to be observed tomorrow Union Home Minster to pay homage to the Police Martyrs The Police Commemoration Day will be observed at the Police Memorial Ground, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi tomorrow. The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh will lay wreath and pay homage on the occasion. The day commemorates the sacrifices of ten policemen while defending our borders with China in 1959. Indian Police personnel were responsible for manning the 2,500 mile long border of India with Tibet until the autumn of 1959. On October 20, 1959, three reconnaissance parties were launched from Hot Springs in North Eastern Ladakh in preparation for further movement of an Indian expedition which was on its way to Lanak La. While members of two parties returned to Hot Springs by the afternoon of that day, the third one comprising of two Police Constables and a Porter did not return. All available personnel were mobilized early next morning in search of the missing personnel. A party of about 20 Police personnel led by Shri Karam Singh, DCIO proceeded ahead on horseback, while other followed on foot in three Sections. At about mid day, Chinese Army personnel were seen on a hillock who opened fire and threw grenades at the party led by Shri Karam Singh. Since there was no cover, most personnel were injured. Ten of them died, seven were taken prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape. Bodies of the ten personnel were returned by the Chinese only on November 13, 1959, a full three weeks after the incident. These bodies were cremated with full Police honours at Hot Springs. The Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that October 21 would henceforth be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these gallant personnel who were killed in Ladakh and all other Police personnel killed on duty during the year. It was also decided to erect a memorial at Hot Springs and, every year, members of Police Forces from different parts of the country trek to Hot Springs to pay homage to those gallant martyrs. Since the year 2012, the Police Commemoration Day Parade is being held at the National level at the Police Memorial, Chanakyapuri. Since 1961, more than 33,000 police personnel have sacrificed their lives for security of the nation and service to the society. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 28th Accountants General Conference in New Delhi today (October 20, 2016). . . Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the founding fathers of our Constitution had envisaged a prominent role for public audit in our countrys governance and accountability framework. The institution of CAG is one of the oldest in the country with a history of more than one and a half centuries. He stated that Albert Einstein had once observed, It is important not to stop questioning." And he was happy to be present in the precincts of an institution whose job is to question. . . The President said that public expenditure has increased manifold and the scope and range of governmental activities have multiplied exponentially. At the time of independence, in 1946-47, the receipts of Government of India amounted only to Rs 3,706 crore and its expenditure to Rs. 3,443 crore. Nearly seven decades later, in 2014-15, government receipts and expenditure had both increased to about Rs. 17 lakh crore. This unprecedented growth has obviously led to newer paradigms in public financial management. Concept of governance is rapidly changing and leveraging technology would enable the government to effectively reach out to the poorest of the poor. Increased use of technology platforms would help to ensure that benefits of Government schemes and programmes effectively reach the disadvantaged and financially excluded sections of society. . . Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri KV Thomas, Chairman, Public Accounts Committee and Shri Shashi Kant Sharma, Comptroller and Auditor General of India. . . Shri Jayant Sinha says with proper manpower skilling the civil aviation sector can create about 60 lakh jobs directly and indirectly in the next ten years The Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shri Jayant Sinha has said that the civil aviation sector has the potential to create about 10 lakh direct jobs in the next ten years. Given a six- fold multiplier effect that jobs in this sector have, this can lead to the creation of about 60 lakh jobs direct and indirect - in the next ten years. As jobs in the civil aviation sector tend to be of high value, this would go a long way in improving the economic condition of a large number of young people. The Minister also said that the sector can reasonably be expected to grow at an average rate of about 10-12 % over the next ten years. However, to achieve this we first need to fill the gap between the demand for skilled manpower for a huge variety of trades in the sector, and the availability of the same. Stressing upon the need for world class training and skilling, he said that this can raise the employability of our people across the world. Shri Sinha also flagged the issue of non-availability of land to build airports as another constraint for growth of the sector. The Minister was speaking at a workshop on Building Awareness on Aligning Skill Development in the Civil Aviation Sector with the National Skill Qualification Framework ( NSQF) in New Delhi today. The event was also attended by the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy and senior officers of both ministries. Speaking on the occasion Shri Rudy informed that his ministry has developed about 1500 course curricula for training in various skills across ministries. The biggest challenge before his team has been to define the various kinds of skills and the ecosystem of each, define job roles and tailor the training programme accordingly. In this context he said that aligning a training programme to the National Skill Qualification Framework was very important as the framework provides for standardised, consistent, nationally acceptable outcomes of training across the country. The event also saw the signing of an MoU between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for training of people in the various trades associated with the civil aviation sector. Shri Jayant Sinha hailed this memorandum of understanding as a momentous one. Also speaking on the occasion Secretary Ministry of Civil Aviation Shri Rajiv Nayan Choubey said that the aim of the Ministrys Civil Aviation Policy is to raise domestic ticketing from the present about 80 million to about 300 million. But for this to happen, we need to fill the existing gap in availability of skilled manpower. Shri Rohit Nandan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship emphasized on the need for world class training across trades and levels as the civil aviation industry is international in nature. He also stressed upon the need for training to be uniform. Officials of the two ministries held day long discussions on issues like NSQF, setting up of skill development centres and centres of excellence, training of trainers, identifying job roles, National Occupational Standards and other training related matters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three daylong Global Conference to Make India the Centre for Arbitration gets underway in New Delhi tomorrow The first ever Global Conference to Strengthen Arbitration and Enforcement in India gets underway in New Delhi tomorrow. The three daylong conference titled, National Initiative On Strengthening Arbitration And Enforcement In India" from October 21st to 23rd, 2016 is being launched by the Government and Judiciary as a major initiative to change the face of dispute resolution in India. NITI Aayog, Ministry of Law & Justice, DIPP, National Legal Services Authority, International Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution, National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development have collaborated to make India the centre of arbitration. Also for the first time six leading international arbitral institutions (HKIAC, ICC, KLRCA, LCIA, PCA and SIAC) and all major industry associations (FICCI, PHD Chamber, CII and ASSOCHAM) have come together to drive this initiative. The Conference seeks to provide impetus to commercial arbitration in India, which is fast gaining pace across the world, for faster, more efficient dispute resolution outside the court room. The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjeea will inaugurate the three-day global Conference on Friday, the 21st October while the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will deliver the valedictory address on 23rd October. The Conference will have the Chief Justice of India, Shri T. S. Thakur as its Patron-in-Chief. Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitely and the Union Minister for Law and Justice and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad will also address the conference in addition to luminaries from legal and corporate world. Chief Justices of six countries are participating at the first ever Global Conference on Arbiration in India to share their thoughts. Distinguished Jurist Fali Nariman and William Rowley, QC, Chairman, LCIA Board are amongst the keynote speakers. The best minds from Indian and international legal bodies, corporate houses and the legal fraternity are participating in the Conference. The Conference will serve as a platform for discussing critical issues, sharing experiences on the best international practices and creating a roadmap to strengthen arbitration and its enforcement in the country. The Conference will have 7 intensive brainstorming technical sessions. These will dwell on different facets to strengthen institutional arbitration and ensure a facilitative judiciary to encourage Indian and foreign parties to arbitrate in India. More than 1000 experts and Government functionaries are expected to participate in the Conference besides 1200 students and faculty from various law colleges. Background: The Conference comes in the backdrop of the immense losses suffered by the business enterprises and the economy at large, due to enormous backlogs involved in dispute resolution in Indian courts. This keep resources and money of the businesses trapped till resolution of the dispute. This is a major disincentive for foreign companies coming to invest in India. So they seek alternatives. One such alternative is arbitration which can be cost effective and quick. Increasingly, foreign companies that partner with Indian businesses are approaching countries outside of India for dispute resolution. In the World Bank Report on the Ease of Doing Business India has improved its position by 12 ranks. However, on the Enforcement of Contracts India fares extremely poorly and ranks 178 out of 189 countries. The World Bank Report suggests that improving the mechanism to resolve commercial disputes in India will go a long way in bettering Indias rank. Many Indian companies are going to foreign arbitration centres like Singapore, London and Paris taking a huge chunk of dispute resolution business outside India. Statistics make this picture clear. In 2012, 49 of the total 235 cases in Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) involved an Indian party. This figure grew to 85 out of 259 cases in 2013. India has already undertaken major structural reforms to facilitate ease of doing business recently, including legal reforms to revamp the existing arbitration framework. The Parliament has recently passed an Amendment to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. Moreover, the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, 2015 has been passed to fast track commercial dispute resolution. Building over these reforms, the initiative by Government and Judiciary will help to improve the institutional capacity necessary to create a vibrant ecosystem to make India the next big hub for international commercial arbitration. North Korea on Thursday conducted what appeared to be its second failed test in a week of a powerful medium-range missile that experts warn could be operationally deployed as early as next year. South Korean and US military monitors said the missile believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan exploded shortly after take-off at around 6:30 am Pyongyang time. The attempted launch came just hours before the start of the third US presidential debate a timely reminder of the challenge North Korea's fast-moving nuclear weapons programme will pose to the next occupant of the White House. It also followed a meeting in Washington between the US and South Korean defence and foreign ministers, at which US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by the North would be "met with an effective and overwhelming response". Kerry also confirmed the imminent deployment of a sophisticated US missile-defence system in the South to deter the growing threat. It was the second failed launch in less than a week of the Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres. The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. "Our military strongly condemns North Korea's continued illegal provocative actions and are fully prepared for the possibilities of further provocation," the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The last Musudan test on Saturday was denounced by the UN Security Council which is currently debating a fresh sanctions resolution against Pyongyang over its fifth nuclear test carried out last month. The missile has now been tested eight times this year but only once successfully. A Musudan launched in June flew 400 kilometres into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and was hailed by leader Kim Jong-Un as proof of the North's ability to strike US bases across "the Pacific operation theatre". Despite the string of failures, some experts believe the missile is moving swiftly towards operational deployment. According to John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specialising in rocket propulsion, the aggressive launch schedule, while multiplying the risk of failure, also increases the information gleaned from each test. "If they continue at this rate, the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile could enter operational service sometime next year much sooner than had previously been expected," Schilling wrote recently on the 38North website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. Australia's biggest electricity grid has been sold to local pension funds for $12.5 billion. A deal sources say consists largely of debt and is much cheaper than bids from China and Hong Kong, which were blocked on security concerns. The country's top two pension funds, IFM Investors and AustralianSuper lodged the unsolicited bid for 50.4 per cent of Ausgrid in the state of New South Wales (NSW) last month. The deal, which the bidders have emphasised as "all-Australian", will likely help politicians tamp down a backlash over foreign asset ownership. The offer for the 99-year lease of Ausgrid, which assumes all of the company's debt, was accepted without significant price negotiation, financial sources familiar with the matter said. There was also no need to compete in a new auction that had been planned after the earlier bids were rejected. They declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media on the matter. The NSW government said that about 10 billion Australian dollar (A$) in debt would be written off through the A$16.2 billion ($12.5 billion) deal, leaving the rest to spend on infrastructure projects. It declined to compare the deal with previous offers. In August, final bids from State Grid Corp of China and Hong Kong-listed Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd were blocked by the federal treasurer on unspecified security grounds, leading to a rebuke from China which called the move protectionist. Although terms of those bids were not disclosed, sources said their offers were higher. Brett Himbury, the CEO of IFM Investors, which invests on behalf of 29 domestic superannuation funds, told Reuters the deal would be completed before the end of the year. "Not only do we think we got fair value but we've acquired a very high quality critical infrastructure asset," he said. In November 2015, an consortium led by Australia's Hastings Funds Management paid A$10.26 billion for state electricity transmitter, TransGrid. Nissan Motor Co and Renault's Chairman and Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn has taken charge as the new Chairman Elect of Corp, responsible for transparency and corporate governace of the scandal hit Japanese car maker. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump "choked" while meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto as he failed to press on his promise of making Mexico build a wall along the US' southern border, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton alleged on Thursday. "When it comes to the wall that Donald talks about building, he went to Mexico, had a meeting with the Mexican president but did not even raise it, he choked and then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said we are not paying for that wall," Clinton, 68, said during the third and final presidential debate here. Trump's plan to build a wall and a strong deportation policy would rip the country apart and is not in tune with the values of the nation, the former secretary of state said. "We are both a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws and that we can act accordingly. And that is why I am introducing comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days with the path to citizenship," Clinton said. Trump, 70, refuted Clinton's allegations, saying "I had a very good meeting with the President of Mexico. Very nice man. We will be doing very much better with Mexico on trade deals. The NAFTA deal signed by her husband is one of the worst deals ever made of any kind, signed by anybody. It is a disaster". "Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally the wall was not built. But Hillary Clinton wanted the wall," Trump claimed. He alleged that Clinton wants to give amnesty. "This is a disaster and very unfair to all of the people that are waiting on line for many, many years. We need strong borders. Illegal immigrants are coming to the country and many of them are engaged in criminal activities. They are coming in illegally. Drugs are pouring in through the border. We have no country if we have no border," the business tycoon said. "Hillary wants to give amnesty. She wants to have open borders. I want to build the wall. We need the wall. And the Border Patrol, ICE, they all want the wall. We stop the drugs. We shore up the border," Trump said. "One of my first acts will be to get all of the drug lords, all of the bad ones - we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out. We are going to get them out, we are going to secure the border. And once the border is secured, at a later date, we will make a determination as to the rest. But we have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out," Trump said. Clinton said she does not want to be sending parents away from children. "I do not want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about in action in our country. We have 11 million undocumented people. They have four million American citizen children, 15 million people," Clinton said. "He said as recently as a few weeks ago in Phoenix that every undocumented person would be subject to deportation. Now, here is what that means. It means you would have to have a massive law enforcement presence where law enforcement officers would be going school to school, home to home, business to business, rounding up people who are undocumented. We would then have to put them on trains, on buses to get them out of our country," Clinton said. "I think that is an idea that is not in keeping with who we are as a nation. I think it is an idea that would rip our country apart," she said. Clinton said her comprehensive immigration reform plan, of course, includes border security. "But I want to put our resources where I think they are most needed: Getting rid of any violent person. Anybody who should be deported, we should deport them," she added. US Republican presidential nominee stirred social media ire on Wednesday after he said: "We have some bad hombres here" and referred to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as "such a nasty woman." Despite a slick campaign to lure companies from London to Berlin after Britain voted to leave the European Union, some of those which have moved say it is not as easy as it first appeared. In a fiery final debate on Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Republican nominee and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton clashed on a range of issues, such as immigration, dealing with the Islamic State, abortion, gun control, taxes, and healthcare. The term "work-life balance" often triggers an exasperated eye-roll amongst old-style managements. That's because it advances the notion that time given to work ought not to hollow out one's quality of life. But for legions of men and women who have allowed their personal lives to leak away at the altar of their professions, sounds more like a catchphrase than an HR imperative, more workplace Neverland than something practical and doable. Motor said on Thursday it had completed a deal to take a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors, and would be retaining the embattled automaker's chief executive in a bid to help it recover from a mileage cheating scandal. In light of continued developments, primarily since 2008, there exists in these United States a Legal System which operates on a proved Two Tiered approach to justice rendered, which primarily benefits Democratic Elites and Woke Ideological Virtue Signalers, representing their co-dependent wards, to the expressed exclusion of normal hardworking American citizens: What is your suggestion in remedying this widespread injustice and, if not corrected, its existential outcome for our Constitutional Republic? Complete overhaul of the Department of Justice and their enforcers - the FBI - to reflect a far more honest justice system to keep patriots remaining calm. Disband the FBI, and request that congress investigate all unethical and non patriotic practices to partially right the wrongs of a distrusted and politically weaponized "Department of Justice." Motors said on Wednesday that it would equip all of its new vehicles with technology that enables fully autonomous driving, but would not activate the system until it undergoes further testing. Republican candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday would not commit to accepting the outcome of the November 8 if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy and sending shockwaves across the political spectrum. Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton trumped her Republican opponent Donald Trump again when they took to the stage on Wednesday night, going head-to-head in their last presidential debate, according to the CNN/ORC and YouGovUS post-debate polls. Chinese cellphone maker has sold a record 1 million smartphones in India in 18 days during the Diwali festive season, despite boycott calls of Chinese goods in the country, state media reported on Thursday. A major UK business delegation to the Global Investors Summit in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh will be led by Alok Sharma, FCO Minister for Asia and the Pacific. He will join representatives of 28 UK businesses at the event in Indore on Saturday (22 October 2016), which is a global platform for interaction with Indian industry leaders, policy makers, investors and businesses. The visit follows shortly after the announcement that Prime Minister Theresa May will lead a trade mission to India next month during her first major bilateral visit since taking office. Speaking ahead of the Global Investors Summit, Alok Sharma said: "Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in India and a great example of how the UK and India are working together for both of our benefit. "The UK has been a long-term supporter of the state, through aid and other partnerships, and it now has a vibrant economy. The Global Investors Summit will allow us to build and strengthen business links in thriving areas like tourism, rural development and a dynamic manufacturing and industrial sector." Mr Sharma will make the opening speech at the summit and will also meet with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The UK is a country partner for the summit, which takes place every two years to showcase the industrial strengths of the state. The UK's Department for International Development (DfID) began making major investments in Madhya Pradesh in 1999 which have improved governance, health and nutrition, rural livelihoods, urban reforms, financial services and civil society support. The UK now has a partnership with the state providing technical assistance on issues including on Smart Cities and urban development. Indore is being developed as a role model Smart City, using the latest technology to maximise liveability for residents and effectiveness for businesses. The evolving relationship between the UK and the state reflects long-term reforms in India and the important role of both our countries on the world stage. Prime Minister Theresa May will lead a trade mission of small and medium sized business from all regions of the UK when she visits India next month. During her visit she will join Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the first India-UK TECH Summit, a showcase for partnership in technological industries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the baton charge on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers by Police, who were protesting against a recent TMC attack on Union Minister Babul Supriyo in Asansol, actor-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly on Thursday said that they would talk to the their party leadership to chalk out next course of action. Ganguly told the media that many BJP workers, including women, were injured in the attack. "The way they raised their hands on Babul and in the same way they disturbed our rally and beat us up. Some of our workers got their heads injured. Women were also hurt and women police attacked me on my back," Ganguly said. "Next course of action- We will talk to our leadership and will decide accordingly," she added. Ganguly further accused the Trinamool Government of planning everything. "In Bengal, if a Union Minister's car can be thrashed, bricks and stones are thrown at her, then what are we here? We are nothing. They are trying to threaten us, but the most difficult thing is that people are seeing everything and the way we are being threatened. We were doing peaceful agitation. We have a right to protest," she said. Earlier during the day, Police resorted to a baton charge on Bharatiya Janata Party workers protesting against a recent TMC attack on Supriyo in Asansol. "They baton charged us for no reason. The police behaved really bad with us," said one angry protester. Supriyo was attacked on Tuesday with brick stones allegedly by TMC workers in Asanol when he was on his way to police station to protest against arrest of some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. On his official Twitter account, Supriyo accused TMC Minister Malay Ghatak of "scheming" the attack. "TMC MIN Malay Ghatak's goons inflicted this injury on my 'chest'' with a solid brick thrown 'FROM A DISTANCE"-Cowards (sic)," he said. A video footage of the incident that has surfaced shows a violent mob attacking Supriyo's convoy. During the scuffle, one BJP party worker was thrashed and his clothes were ripped off. The mob pelted stones and thrashed party workers in the presence of police officials. "Someone caught this moment on camera!!!!! That big a stone thrown from a distance-COWARDs! I don't back off in front of goons of Malay Ghatak," he tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The kin of a new born which died at the Dufferin Hospital in Kanpur on Wednesday, today alleged medical negligence as being responsible for the child's death. Deep Verma, a resident of Singhpur, had admitted his pregnant wife Shalini in Dufferin Hospital on October 16. Shalini delivered a baby boy on the same night. Deep Verma alleged that the child, who was hale and hearty, had fallen ill due to the negligence of doctors, and died on Wednesday morning. "Last night, they said that the report is normal and the new born is healthy but we need to keep the child for 48 hours observation and then the family can take him home. Doctors demanded money for giving the good news and we agreed on the condition," said Shalini. "I don't know whether they(doctors) treated my child or not, but my new born is no more. This is a proper case of medical negligence and we have complained to the police," she added. "My child died because we could not fulfill their demands, but at least, they should have informed us that our child was getting critical," said Deep. Family members also alleged that the doctors had demanded money from them which they refused to give. The family members of the deceased boy first clashed with security guards and later attacked the doctors. Soon the police was called to sort out the matter. Senior police officials assured them that action would be taken against the doctors if found guilty after inquiry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ideaz Factory has announced that the second edition of Startup Jalsa will be held on October 22 and 23 at Manav Rachna International University located on the Delhi-Surajkund Road in Faridabad. More than 1000 delegates are expected to attend Startup Jalsa this year. Hosted by The Ideaz Factory and powered by Gionee, the two-day startup festival helps entrepreneurs add value by showcasing their offerings to the investors and raising funds ranging from Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.10 crores. Entrepreneurs will also get to meet successful leaders from Escorts, Gionee, YES Bank, Knowlarity, Commonfloor.com, Indo-European Forum and others. Nitin Narang, the festival director of Startup Jalsa and the Founder of The Ideaz Factory, says, "According to a recent industry report, more than 40% of startups have failed in the last two years out of which 75% of their founders never tried their hands at entrepreneurship again. We believe that the startup ecosystem needs supervision of mature leaders to enhance its success rate. We conceived Startup Jalsa with a vision to add a new perspective and bring the focus back on the basics of business building instead of quick valuations and fame. We have created a platform where India's new generation entrepreneurs can interact with successful traditional business leaders with a proven track record of creating and scaling businesses profitably. We are privileged that Shri Vipul Goel, Haryana's Minister of Industries and Commerce has consented to be the Guest of Honour at this year's event." Rao Narbir Singh, Haryana's Minister of PWD will also deliver the closing keynote address, added Nitin. Vipul Goel, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Environment and Industrial Training, Government of Haryana, says, "After a successful edition in Chandigarh, we look forward to welcoming almost a thousand start-ups again this year at Startup Jalsa in Faridabad. The Haryana Government has taken several initiatives to boost the entrepreneurial spirit in the state. We are empowering industries through easy finance and investments. We have established 19 clusters dedicated for small and medium businesses and are creating a Rs.1000 crores fund for them. We will also provide collateral free loans of up to Rs.1 crore to startups. We are also setting up a 16-acre startup warehouse in Gurgaon in partnership with NASSCOM. We have also reduced the minimum land requirement for townships in the state from 100 acres to 25 acres, which will boost startups. Faridabad, a major industrial hub shortlisted for development as a Smart City, offers a lot of potential to emerge as the next hub for startups." Nitin adds that the Startup Jalsa team's passion has been further buoyed this year with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent speech in which he remarked, "Start-ups have always been the engine of progress. When each of the five hundred odd towns produces ten startups and each of our six hundred thousand villages produce six small businesses, on a regular basis, we will create an enormous economic momentum and generate a huge number of jobs in our country. I see startups, not as short term investments, but as long term commitments." Startup Jalsa 2016 will feature more than 50 speakers and investors. Entrepreneurs can expect to meet and hear top leaders such as Rajan Nanda, Managing Director, Escorts Group; Arvind R Vohra, CEO & MD, Gionee India; Sumit Gupta, Group President and Country Head, Retail Banking Assets Group, YES Bank; Neeraj K. Singal, CEO, SEMCO Group; Sarbvir Singh, Regional Advisor, JP Morgan; Sumit Jain, Co-Founder and CEO, Commonfloor.com; Ambarish Gupta, Founder and CEO, Knowlarity; Pranay Gupta, Co-Founder, 91Springboard; Anirudh Damani, Angel Investor and Serial Entrepreneur, Artha Ventures; Manish Kheterpal, Managing Director, WaterBridge Ventures; Somak Ghosh, Managing Partner, Contrarian Capital; Sujit Kanoria, Trustee, Kanoria Foundation; Pratyush Kukreja, Consultant, Unitus Seed Fund; and, Sanjay Singhal, Founder, Strategizers, among several others. Vijay Goel, founder, Indo European Business Forum, will also be speaking at the event. The first edition of Startup Jalsa in Chandigarh in June 2015 featured more than 700 entrepreneurs, over 30 speakers and 20 investors. More than 40 startups received investment commitments of a total of Rs.50 crores at Startup Jalsa 2015. The keynote address was delivered by Ronnie Screwvala, Founder UTV. Other prominent speakers included Arunabh Kumar, Founder, The Viral Fever (TVF) and Pankaj Jain of 500 Startups. The startups showcased at Startup Jalsa 2015 also featured in Pitchers, an online series launched by TVF. The Ideaz Factory is also known for having organized a plantation drive in Faridabad which entered the Limca Book of World Records. It also unfurled the world's largest tiranga (Indian national flag) in Faridabad. Some of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies organized by The Ideaz Factory have seen participation of over a hundred thousand participants. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel lashed out on Thursday at Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's bombardment of Aleppo and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on the country. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime; one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its [Russian] backers must end," said Hollande after a meeting between the three leaders in Berlin. Merkel condemned the air raids on Aleppo as "inhumane and cruel", reports the Guardian. Both the leaders warned that they could not exclude imposing sanctions on Russia, hours ahead of an EU summit where Russia's role in Syria is set to be discussed. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," said Hollande, while Merkel added: "We cannot remove this option." Turning to a planned ceasefire due to begin in Aleppo later on Thursday morning, Hollande said Putin appeared to be ready to extend the truce, set to last for 11 hours. "We came out of the meeting with the impression that there could be an extension of the truce, but it's up to the Syrian regime and Russia to show it," he said. A truce of just a few hours would not be enough to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and allow civilians to leave the area, he added. The Syrian army separately said that the ceasefire would last three days. Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also said that they were considering fresh economic sanctions against the Syrian Government and its supporters, apparently Russia, in response to the continued bombardment of Aleppo. However, the two nations failed to develop any consensus for tougher military options, including a no-bombing zone. Kerry said the west will look again at intensifying economic sanctions. He, however, did not specify Russia as a target. "We are considering additional sanctions and we are also making clear that President Obama has not taken any options off the table," said Kerry. Aleppo, held by rebels determined to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has come under heavy bombardment since the Russian-backed military announced an offensive in late September to regain control of the east. Air strikes there have flattened numerous residential buildings and civilian facilities, in a campaign the European Union said could amount to war crimes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after the Patna High Court granted bail to Rocky Yadav, the son of a suspended JD(U) MLC, in a case of killing Aditya Sachdeva in Gaya, the victim's parents on Thursday said it is a very bad day for Bihar and also questioned the basis for granting bail. "It is a very bad day for Bihar that a criminal got bail as this is very shocking news for the entire nation. In this case, everything was clear, yet he got bail and how he got it is a matter of investigation," late Aditya's father Shyam Sundar Sachdeva said. Expressing dissatisfaction over the judgment, Sachdeva said despite of having all evidences, we were denied justice, adding that "money and power has again silenced the truth." "I hope the government will fight for us," the father added "We need answers, high court gave decision in his (Rocky Yadav) favour without even opening the case," said Aditya's mother Chand Sachdeva said. "It is all about getting justice and the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar promised us that we would get justice. I hope the government will fight for us," Sachdeva told ANI. In the Gaya road rage case, accused Rocky Yadav, son of former JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi and 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. When Aditya and his friends had overtaken Rocky's SUV, an angry Rocky chased them and then gunned down Aditya. 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. In this high profile road rage case, Rocky Yadav's mother Manorama Devi and gangster father Bindi Yadav were also arrested, but were also released on bail earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gallup Organization and Inside Higher Ed co-hosted a conference in Washington on September 15. They called itMost of those in attendance were university officials of one kind or another.I was the sole participant who takes a negative view of racial preferences in college admissions, which I regard as both legally defective and educationally damaging, among other pernicious defects.Two subjects were up for discussion: the legal environment for racial preferences in college admissions following the Supreme Court's recent decisions in Fisher v. University of Texas and a Gallup poll showing low levels of approval for racial preferences among the public. I spoke mainly on the former, but as to the latter, Ashley Thorne of the National Association of Scholars observed in this essay thatI was introduced by Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed who explained that my organization (the Center for Equal Opportunity) opposes racial preferences and then added,He's right.In my presentation, I argued that, following Fisher, college officials have three options.First, they can choose not to use racial preferences at all.Second, if they do consider a student's race in admission decisions, they can do so in ways that are narrowly tailored to some legitimate objective (not merely to fill an arbitrary quota), showing that they have first tried race-neutral options. That is, they can follow the legal constraints that have been put on using racial preferences.Third, they can use racial preferences illegally. But schools that appear to do that will be scrutinized, hit with Freedom of Information Act requests, and possibly sued.I went on to explain why colleges should drop racial preferences: they are not only legally problematic but widely unpopular with the public, as the poll showed; using race as a proxy for disadvantage is unjust and inaccurate; and schools that don't use preferences avoid a host of problems including stigmatization, resentment, mismatch, and the encouragement of an unhealthy obsession with race.My arguments were not greeted with wild applause. As Ashley Thorne (who stayed for the entire event, which I could not) wrote in her essay,An excellent example of that complacency was this statement by one of the members of my panel, Art Coleman (managing partner and co-founder of the Education Counsel): "Forget the law." If you want to do the "educationally right thing," he declared, you should figure that out first, then the law. The University of Texas, Coleman stated, had told the Supreme Court "what the law should be."I agreed with Coleman that it is important to keep in mind that none of the Court's decisions on racial preferences in university admission-Bakke, Gratz, Grutter, and Fisher I and II-has reversed any of the other decisions. And those decisions, while unfortunately keeping the door open for racial preferences, have also put constraints on their use. Schools must, the Court has held, document that the use of such preferences is the only way to achieve the "educational benefits" of a "diverse" student bodyAnd despite Coleman's rather inartful suggestion that schools "forget the law," he himself has actually made clear over the years that they should not do so, and has himself described the hoops that need to be, and should be, jumped through. Colleges that don't comply with the law risk lawsuits.I corrected Mr. Coleman's suggestion that all of the justices accept the purported "educational benefits" of "diversity" as being a "compelling" enough interest to justify racial discrimination. There's certainly no reason to think that the Chief Justice, let alone Justice Alito and Justice Thomas, accept the claim that diversity produces any educational benefits, much less ones so substantial as to justify discrimination against American students who are not classified as being in a "diverse" group.I also disputed Coleman's suggestion that treating people without regard to skin color somehow deprives them of their "dignity." I think it's the other way around.Morality aside, the problem with breaking the law here is that schools will be caught.My organization, the Center for Equal Opportunity, has filed many, many FOIA requests with universities over the years, and that's not going to change. We will ask for all documents related to the various hoops that schools are supposed to jump through: for example, the studies that Justice Kennedy wants done, the consideration of race-neutral alternatives, the periodic review of racially preferential measures, and so forth.Schools that respond that they have no such records are admitting that they have not done what the law requires of them. They cannot blissfully engage in racial preferences without a paper trail, no matter how much officials may believe that they're "doing the right thing."Trustees and alumni should take note of this. No matter how sympathetic one is to political correctness, it is irresponsible for a school to break the law and set itself up for a ruinous lawsuit.Which brings us back to my message for college officials: You are being watched Rajasthan Law Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore has said law is same for everybody, even if a person is a celebrity, and that is why the state government has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the decision of the High Court that acquitted actor Salman Khan in the 1998 alleged chinkara poaching cases. "Law is same for everybody, even if a person is a celebrity, and that is why the state government has decided to file an SLP," he told ANI on Wednesday. The Rajasthan High Court on July 25 had acquitted Salman in the poaching case for the want of evidences. "In the SLP, we have urged the apex court to quash the decision of the high court and Harish Dulani, a key witness, whose statements are not recorded, should be record now and the apex court should also take his statement into consideration," he added. Salman was convicted by a lower court in 2006 in the two chinkara cases, but this was overturned by the High Court in its judgment Monday. One of the animals was killed at Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, and the other at Ghoda Farms on September 28, 1998. At that time, they were shooting for film 'Hum Sath Sath Hain'. Chinkara is an endangered animal accorded the highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It has already been seen that alcohol consumption, either by the victim or the perpetrator, is a key factor in more than half of sexual assaults on college campuses. A study by the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions have now found out that 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 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 said. "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." The study did not find that nonmedical use of opioid analgesics or stimulants was associated with negative sexual events. Parks continued saying, "NMUPD is an increasing public health concern, particularly among emerging and young adults." "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 researcher added. The study is available online and will appear in a special issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors in December. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rejecting the allegations levelled by Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the former Congress Uttar Pradesh president who joined the BJP on Thursday, as "excuses", Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fact is that she knew that she won't be able to win election this time and she tried to secure a safe seat with the Congress and when she didn't get it, she moved out of the party - "opportunist leaders don't stick to one place". "All these are excuses of Rita ji, as the person who leaves an organisation abuses it (gaali); but the reality is that she knew it that she won't be able to win election this time and she tried to secure a safe seat with the Congress and when she didn't get it, she moved out of the party," the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge for Utter Pradesh Affairs, Azad, told ANI. "Her opponent this time is Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's younger brother's wife and that is why she (Rita Bahuguna) was looking for a safe seat since long, because she thought that she won't win. That safe seat she searched in the SP, BSP, and now went to the BJP," said Azad, who is also the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha. Stating that "opportunist leaders don't stick to one place", Azad added: "She was in the Congress; then went to the SP; and now she is in the BJP. Where will she go tomorrow? This is opportunism. So, her allegations were her excuses to move out of the Congress, whereas in reality she is not in a position to win a seat in the upcoming elections, because her opponent is very strong." She has been negotiating with various political parties in since long, and she stuck a deal with a party and joined it, Azad claimed. "Her father was famous nation-wide for his secular credentials and fought against the communal forces, and if today his daughter joins a communal political party, it is painful," he added. Addressing journalists after joining the BJP at its headquarters here today, disgruntled Rita Bahuguna Joshi said, "Today, I resigned from the Congress Party and joined the BJP. It was not an easy decision to take, but I took it for the betterment of the nation and the state after a long consideration. My political career has been of 27 years thus far, of which I spent 24 years with the Congress Party and for 10 months with the Samajwadi Party. I worked for the Congress with full dedication and honesty for 24 years," she said while addressing journalists after joining the BJP at its headquarters here. "I am unhappy with incidents that took place in the past few days. Our country is struggling with terrorism and in this direction the Narendra Modi government took a very decisive decision when he gave a freehand to the India Army to cross the Line of Control (LoC), which included the will to accept any results that would have emerged out of the surgical strike, though the result was good," she said. "This happened for the first time and the success that we got was not only an achievement for the army but also for the government. When the whole world accepted that we carried out surgical strikes, I didn't like the way the Congress and other parties questioned it. Words like 'Khoon ki dalali' were used that saddened me," Joshi added. "Prashant Kishor could be a poll manager, but he certainly is not the poll director. But, unfortunately, the entire direction and leadership of the election has been given into his hands. How long we have to walk, when we will stand and sit, all these things were told to us a day before, despite the fact that leaders are grass-roots workers. Nothing could be more unfortunate than handing over the party on contract (to Prashant Kishor)," she said, adding that even senior leaders of the Congress are unable to put across their point in the party. Sonia Gandhi understands the organisation; she used to listen to us irrespective of whatever decision she took; but, in the leadership of Rahulji even this is not possible (to get your point across). The people of Uttar Pradesh are not ready to accept his leadership so as the whole country. Even senior Congress leaders are not happy with him. However, the fact is that Rahul Gandhi was unable to provide the kind of leadership that a party like the Congress needs. The people have rejected his leadership," she alleged, adding that only the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could bring about development in Uttar Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the Supreme Court (SC) issuing notices to him and others, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday welcomed the judicial proceedings in the Panama Papers case. Earlier in the day, five petitions were taken by the apex court involving the Prime Minister and several others. The three-member bench had issued notices to the Prime Minister, his family members and others made party in the petition seeking his disqualification on account of the Panama Papers leaks. The Dawn quoted Sharif as saying, "I welcome the judicial proceedings in connection with Panama Papers." After consulting with his legal team, the Prime Minister in a statement said, "The court of public opinion has been making decisions, it would be better to wait for the judiciary's decision." He held the opposition responsible for the prolonged delay into investigation of the matter by a judicial commission. Sharif claimed that he had made his stance on the matter clear in the National Assembly and before the people and had also announced a commission to probe Panama gate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Taliban delegation has reportedly demanded the release of its cadres and removal of the group's leaders from the United Nations blacklist during informal talks held in Qatar. The group also demanded that the Taliban group should be identified as a formal movement before they agree to participate in peace talks, reports the Khaama Press. The Afghan Taliban officials, based in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, said that the talks yielded little results, adding that the U.S. officials were part of the process, although they did not specify whether they were directly involved in the talks. Afghan and U.S. officials demanded that the Taliban declared a ceasefire, laid down arms and started formal peace talks, said the UAE-based official. "Like our previous meetings, it was a waste of time and resources, as we could not achieve anything from the meeting," said the UAE-based official. This comes as the Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected that the group's delegation participated in informal talks with the Afghan government delegation in Qatar, calling the report by the Guardian as baseless. Mujahid further added that the group remains firm on its conditions to participate in peace talks only if the government agrees to the exit of all foreign troops from the country and the establishment of a strict Islamic system. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By the end of 2018, a new rail connectivity of India and Bangladesh is likely to operate, said a joint high delegation of both the nations after the conclusion of the fifth Project Steering Committee meeting of Agartala-Akhaura (Tripura-Bangladesh) Railways that met here at the Agartala State Guest house yesterday. The 10-member Indian delegation, consisting of senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and India Railways, was led by Ajit Kumar Gupte, Joint Secretary of MEA, Government of India while the eight member Bangladesh team was led by Sashi Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary of Bangladesh government that reached Agartala. "There is a stress of 15 Km which is still to be built which will enable the railway line between Bangladesh and India to be connected. It will provide access for Bangladeshi goods to be able to come the Northeast (India) and similarly Northeast to access goods to Bangladesh. We have met the Bangladeshi delegation led by very senior officials who had come to discuss a roadmap for implementing this project as soon as possible," said Gupte during a joint press conference after the completion of the meeting. He informed that all pertinent issue related to the project has been discusses and a deadline has been set for completion of it. "We have completed all approvals in the respective ministry of both governments; we are now fully ready to start implementing the project. We discussed in detail issues such as land acquisition in both sides in Tripura and on the Bangladesh side in Brahmanbaria. We also discussed how the tenders would be issued, how the contracts would be given to respective companies and we have set specific dead line for implementation of the project," said the India team leader. He added that the land acquisition though almost is complete in the Indian side but yet to start in Bangladesh side and hopefully the project shall be completed by 2018. Gupte said, "We are expecting that some part of the work in the Indian side can be start by December this year 2016 because the land acquisition has to begin. Unless the land is acquired the work cannot start. Similarly, the process of land acquisition in the Bangladeshi side is going to start soon. We are hoping that the project will be completed within two to two-and-a-half year." He informed that the total cost of the project which India government will bear is around Rs 972.52 crores out of which the Indian side will cost Rs 580 crores, while the Bangladesh side shall cost around Rs 392.52 crores. Meantime, the Bangladesh team leader informed that they have also initiated the land acquisition process and by June next year the entire process will be completed and the land shall be handed over to the contractor. Singha said, "I think that this connectivity is very important, it will boast up the bilateral trade and people to people contact. It is one of the new frontiers of our opportunity, it is very important for both the countries. You know that already both the governments have agreed to act and signed MoU for establishment of the rail connectivity. We have targeted to complete the project by 2018." According to him though at seven point railways between India and Bangladesh are connected, it is operational on date only at three places. Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is directly supervising the new India-Bangladesh railway project along Tripura which is going to be part of Trans-Asia Railway network. The Agartala-Akhaura railway project was finalised in January 2010 when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met her then Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh during her visit to New Delhi. Later Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the railway project with Hasina during his visit to Dhaka. The 1,650-km distance between Agartala and Kolkata would be reduced to only 550 km once the new rail track is linked through Bangladesh. The Indian government had announced it will bear the entire cost of the 15-km railway project. Of the 15 km, 5 km fall in the Indian Territory and the remaining in Bangladesh. Around 97.6 acres of land in Tripura was initially estimated for laying the track but the latest alignment of the project in which the Indian side will be overhead has reduced the required land acquisition to 72 acres. The India state-owned IRCON is expected to lay the tracks on both sides of the border. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) During the final presidential debate on Wednesday, Republican nominee Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of being a "puppet" of Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the Democratic nominee refused to accept Moscow's interference in the . Clinton said Putin endorses Trump as, "It's pretty clear, he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United State." She noted that the Russian hackers had been blamed for releasing internal Democratic emails, apparently in an effort to help Trump's cause, reports the Washington Post. "You're the puppet," Trump replied. In a fierce backlash, Trump said the real reason Clinton disliked Putin is because he had outmaneuvered Clinton - who was previously secretary of state - and President Obama in nuclear treaties and in Middle Eastern conflicts like the one in Syria. "She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way," he said. When Trump was pressed about the hacks, which the U.S. intelligence agencies have blamed on Russia, he said he was not convinced. He seemed to attack the smarts and credibility of those intelligence agencies, saying that the hacks could have been carried out by China or another party. "Hillary has no idea. Our country has no idea," said Trump. During the debate, Trump also seemed to backtrack on his idea of a mass deportation of illegal immigrants, which has been a bedrock part of his campaign. But during the debate, Trump offered another plan: He would first round up "the bad ones" among illegal immigrants. The 90-minute contest in Las Vegas came just under three weeks before Election Day and with early voting underway in more than 30 states. The candidates outlined starkly different visions for the Supreme Court under their potential presidencies, with the Republican declaring the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalising abortion would be overturned by his judicial nominees. Clinton vowed to appoint justices who would uphold the ruling legalizing abortion, saying, "We have come too far to have that turned back now." Trump pressed Clinton on immigration, accusing her of wanting an "open borders" policy, a characterization she vigorously disputes. Ashok Leyland gained 2.14% to Rs 86 at 15:15 IST on BSE after the company announced that it won order worth $170 million or Rs 1140 crore from the United Republic of Tanzania. The announcement was made during market hours today, 20 October 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 137.95 points or 0.49% at 28,122.32. On BSE, so far 10.59 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 13.45 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit high of Rs 86.30 and low of Rs 84.40 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 112.80 on 13 April 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 75.15 on 30 September 2016. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 284.59 crore. Face value per share is Rs 1. Ashok Leyland said that the order is for the purchase of the company' vehicles, gensets, spares and equipment for development of workshops, training modules and allied equipment to be fitted on ambulances. This order is being financed fully by EXIM Bank of India under National Export Insurance Account (NEIA) Scheme. It may be recalled that the company had recently concluded the supply of 773 vehicles in Tanzania under line of credit from the Government of India. Further, the company is currently executing another order for supply of 777 vehicles to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Tanzania. Ashok Leyland's net profit jumped 101.2% to Rs 290.78 crore on 10.6% growth in net sales to Rs 4175.79 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. Ashok Leyland is one of the leading manufacturers of medium and heavy commercial vehicles in India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A range-bound movement was witnessed as key benchmark indices hovered in positive zone in mid-morning trade. At 11:15 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 192.35 points or 0.69% at 28,176.72. The Nifty 50 index was currently up 53.90 points or 0.62% at 8,713. The broad market depicted strength. There were almost two gainers against every loser on BSE. 1,535 shares rose and 790 shares declined. A total of 175 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.42%, underperforming the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.7%, outperforming the Sensex. In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. US stocks registered small gains yesterday, 19 October 2016, helped by better-than-expected earnings and rising oil prices. The Federal Reserve released the latest iteration of its Beige Book, which summarizes economic conditions in the US. In it, the Fed said economic activity increased at a modest pace in most regions. Bank stocks edged higher. Among public sector banks, Union Bank of India (up 2.91%), Indian Bank (up 2.13%), Canara Bank (up 1.91%), Punjab National Bank (up 1.74%), Bank of Baroda (up 1.35%), State Bank of India (up 1.28%), Bank of India (up 1.28%) and IDBI Bank (up 0.69%) gained. Among private sector banks, ICICI Bank (up 4.11%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (up 0.51%), HDFC Bank (up 0.15%) and IndusInd Bank (up 0.04%) edged higher. Axis Bank rose 1.33% after the bank said it proposes to raise funds by issuing senior unsecured redeemable non-convertible debentures of Rs 10 lakh each for cash at par aggregating to Rs 5000 crore. The board of directors of the bank will consider the proposal to issue and allot the securities through circular resolution. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Yes Bank was up 0.94% ahead of Q2 September 2016 results today, 20 October 2016. RBL Bank surged 5.71% after net profit rose 34.3% to Rs 89.89 crore on 37.91% rise in total income to Rs 1071.04 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The bank's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at Rs 274.65 crore as on 30 September 2016 as against Rs 252.61 crore as on 30 June 2016 and Rs 161.61 crore as on 30 September 2015. The ratio of gross NPAs to gross advances stood at 1.1% as on 30 September 2016 as against 1.13% as on 30 June 2016 and 0.93% as on 30 September 2015. The ratio of net NPAs to net advances stood at 0.55% as on 30 September 2016 as against 0.65% as on 30 June 2016 and 0.48% as on 30 September 2015. The bank's provisions and contingencies (excluding tax provisions) rose 122.33% to Rs 49.58 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Net Interest Income (NII) rose 59.5% to Rs 302.94 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Net interest margin (NIM) rose to 3.41% in Q2 September 2016, from 2.99% in Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Auto stocks edged higher. Bajaj Auto (up 1.2%), Hero MotoCorp (up 0.84%), Ashok Leyland (up 0.83%), TVS Motor Company (up 0.6%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 0.49%) and Maruti Suzuki India (up 0.49%) rose. Tata Motors (down 0.17%) and Eicher Motors (down 0.08%) edged lower. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Skill development work initiated at 100 KVKs and pulses and oilseeds hubs are being established at equal number of KVKs The Central Government has announced opening of at least one Krishi Vigyan Kendra in all districts of the country. This will provide advanced Agriculture technical assistance to the farmers near their farms itself. Besides this, Central Agriculture and farmers welfare minister Shri. Radha Mohan Singh has also announced opening of Apiary Development Centers in ten states. Shri Singh called upon the farmers to use the residual husk after paddy farming to make organic fertilizer, in paper making and Card-board Industry and as animal feed. This will prevent the adverse effect of husk burning on the environment. Shri Singh directed that all the KVK and district Agriculture officers should apprise farmers to make appropriate use of husk. Shri Radha Mohan Singh Said that Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's Mission to increase the number of trees in the country by planting saplings on farm boundaries under National Forestry Plan should be implemented. Shri Radha Mohan Singh said all these things in New Delhi today while interacting via video conference with all the Krishi Vigyan Kendra experts, District level officers associated with agriculture Development and progressive farmers of 12 states. It was the first occasion when the Union Agriculture and farmers welfare minister addressed the officers of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and District Agriculture officers, through video conference. Shri Singh suggested the farmers to farm fish in paddy field, as this will provide them economic benefit. The Central Agriculture and farmers' welfare minister stressed improvement of indigenous breeds in Animal husbandry and vaccination of domestic animals especially against foot and mouth disease. During the video conference, Shri Radha Mohan Singh reiterated the resolve to modernize agriculture. Shri Singh said that farming will be modernized through use of drone and smart phones. The Central Minister declared that Skill development work is being initiated at 100 KVKs and pulses and oilseeds hubs are being established at same number of KVKs. Shri Radha Mohan Singh appealed the youth to associate themselves with Agriculture schemes based Start-ups and instructed the KVK and Agriculture officers to help the youth in connecting with the Start-ups, so that more job opportunities may be created. Shri Singh also urged all to provide constructive assistance to the Swatch Bharat Mission. The Union Minister directed all the Krishi Vigyan Kendra Experts and district level officers associated with Agriculture development to participate in the cleanliness campaign in at least 5 villages so that more awareness on cleanliness may be created in the society. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was a bad idea for the federal government ever to get into the business of financing college with its various grants and loans, but at least in the old days, most of the money loaned was eventually repaid. Now that the overselling of higher education has boiled over, politicians are eager to show their "concern" for students who have trouble repaying, (and sometimes who aren't having trouble) with programs to let them escape their debts.Currently, the federal government has two large initiatives going that allow students who have loans to avoid paying them in full. One is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). It forgives large amounts of debt for those who take "public service" jobs after graduation. The other is the Education Department's Borrower Defense to Repayment rule, which makes it possible for students to escape their debts by claiming that the school they went to misrepresented the probability that they would find good jobs after graduation.Let's begin with PSLF.Back in 2007, Congress enacted two measures intended to relieve the debt burden students have taken upon themselves. (And, I must add, zero measures intended to prevent students from binging on foolhardy borrowing.) One was Income-based Repayment (IBR), which allows students to cap their monthly payments at a percentage of their adjusted gross income (originally 15 percent, but lowered to 10 under Obama), with the government forgiving all remaining debt after 20 years of payments.The other program was Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), which allows student debtors to use IBR to cap monthly payments, but receive the government's golden ticket of forgiveness after only ten years of payments. To qualify, a student must work in a non-profit organization or government job. The reach of PSLF is immense, covering about one quarter of all employment in the U.S.PSLF is tantamount, in many instances, to unlimited free borrowing for graduate or professional degrees by individuals who want to enjoy the security, benefits, and (mostly) good pay of the "public service" sector. In his September 2016 paper " The Coming Public Service Loan Forgiveness Bonanza ," Jason Delisle of the American Enterprise Institute explains,Students are smart enough to figure out that PSLF lets them pocket a great deal of money, courtesy of federal taxpayers, if only they manage to get into a qualifying job and work there for ten years. PSLF enrollment has grown rapidly (at present, more than 431,000 individuals; see the chart included in Delisle's article), but that number will undoubtedly increase as more learn about this windfall.Medical students are making great use of PSLF. More and more doctors work in government-run hospitals and clinics and therefore qualify for loan forgiveness. In this Wall Street Journal article from last November, Dallas-based consultant Dale Molldrem stated that between 75 and 80 percent of the new doctors his firm advises are planning to take advantage of PSLF. He's helping them to becomeMost people earn far less than doctors do, but their tax dollars are covering a big part of the investment doctors made in themselves by going to medical school and then taking a job with a non-profit entity.There are two main consequences of PSLF. First, it diverts a great amount of money from the U.S. Treasury into the hands of individuals who have taken advantage of the system. Delisle quotes estimates that it will be around $12 billion over the next decade.And second, it distorts the market for higher education, encouraging universities to offer more programs that lead to government employment and at higher cost, since they know students are not price sensitive when it comes to getting such credentials. They know their accumulated debt will be wiped out.Turning to the Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR) rule, it too enables students to escape paying off their college loans. What triggers BDR is a student claim that any "acts or omissions" by the school were misleading with regard to the probability that completing a degree will lead to good employment.In other words, if a school has exaggerated its job placement data or failed to disclose that many graduates don't find "suitable" jobs, students can demand that their loans be discharged. But in this case, the loss doesn't fall (at least initially) on the schools themselves since they are obligated to repay the government the amount of the defaulted loans.BDR has been around since 1994, but it was rarely used until recently. The event that breathed life into the rule and set the Department of Education to writing a new and more expansive version was the collapse of the for-profit chain Corinthian Colleges, which was found to have made false statements about its job placement rates.Under the current rule, more than 25,000 former Corinthian students have applied for cancellation of their loans and the Education Department has already processed over 4,000 claims, discharging $73 million in debt. The remaining worth of the bankrupt business won't cover even a small fraction of the claims, so the loss will fall overwhelmingly on the taxpayers.The Education Department's rewrite of the rule isn't scheduled to take effect until next year, but it expands on the old one in several key respects. One is that it allows students to demand loan forgiveness even if the school did not deliberately misrepresent facts about itself.That will put many colleges on thin ice because most don't have accurate data on the post-graduation occupational successes or failures of their graduates. They send out questionnaires to grad six months to a year after they get their degrees, but often the reply rate is low, and those who have landed good jobs are more likely to respond than those who haven't.So if a school claimed that 80 percent of its grads found jobs in their fields of study within a year based on its surveys and a disgruntled student who didn't could show that number was inflated or misleading, he could qualify for loan cancellation. The school would be obligated to repay the government.This is where lawyers enter the picture. They're expert at digging to unearth the grounds for legal claims. In a recent Inside Higher Ed article , writer Paul Fain pointed out that law firms are already searching for students who will file claims.Also, the new rule applies to non-profits as well as the for-profits like Corinthian and ITT that have so far been the Education Department's targets. That worries many small and financially precarious colleges.Another aspect of the new rule is that colleges must make various disclosures to prospective students, such as financial difficulties they're facing. And if they are under investigation by federal or state authorities for an array of possible infractions, they would have to not only disclose them, but also must set aside funds equal to ten percent of the federal grants and loans they received the previous year to reimburse students if the school collapses and the students can then refuse to pay their loans.Among those who are worried about the new rule is Brian Johnson, president of Tuskegee University, an historically black school. Johnson is quoted in this Wall Street Journal article saying that the rule would severely damage schools like Tuskegee that accept many students who might struggle with college.he asks.In short, the new BDR rule is certain to have many unintended, harmful effects that will require further administrative tinkering to ameliorate.The effect that cannot be ameliorated, however, is that both PSLF and BDR will heap more of the cost of our wasteful and ineffective higher education system on American taxpayers. Instead of trying to reduce that cost, the Education Department is just spreading it around. On 28 October 2016 Hindustan Organic Chemicals will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on 28 October 2016 to consider and to approve the Un-audited Financial Results of the Company for the 2nd Quarter/Half year ended September 30, 2016 and to fix the date for Extra Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Department of Information and Technology, Maharashtra Government L&T Construction's Smart World & Communications Business unit announced the signing of the formal contract with the Department of Information and Technology, Maharashtra Government, under which Nagpur will be converted into the country's first large scale integrated Smart City. The scope of work will cover laying of 1200 kms of optical fiber network backbone, creating 136 city Wi-Fi hotspots at key locations, establishing 100 digital kiosks and developing city surveillance systems with 3800 IP based cameras. Further, as an avant-garde endeavour, the city has identified a strip of approximately 6 km to be developed as a Smart Strip with smart ICT interventions and IOT solutions like smart lighting, smart transport, smart parking, smart bins etc. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices edged higher in early trade tracking positive sentiment in global stocks. At 9:17 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 124.27 points or 0.44% at 28,108.64. The Nifty 50 index was currently up 37.15 points or 0.43% at 8,696.25. In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. US stocks registered small gains yesterday, 19 October 2016, helped by better-than-expected earnings and rising oil prices. The Federal Reserve released the latest iteration of its Beige Book, which summarizes economic conditions in the US. In it, the Fed said economic activity increased at a modest pace in most regions. Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 1,007 shares rose and 185 shares declined. A total of 46 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.46%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.53%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. Telecom stocks rose. Idea Cellular (up 2.09%) and Reliance Communications (up 0.64%) edged higher. Bharti Infratel was up 1.48%. Bharti Infratel is a telecom tower arm of Bharti Airtel. Bharti Airtel was down 0.39% at Rs 306.10. The company announced an offer for all customers purchasing a new 4G mobile handset. Airtel is offering 10 GB 4G/3G data on a recharge of Rs 249 along with any new 4G handset. 1 GB data will be instantly credited to the customer's account and the additional 9 GB data can be claimed by the customer through MyAirtel App. The data will be valid for 28 days. Users can avail a maximum of 3 recharges within 90 days, on the offer. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. The special offer, which was introduced in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh last week, has now been extended across India and is available across all brands of 4G handsets. Airtel 4G is currently available in 18 circles across India. In non 4G circles, 3G data will be available to customers with their 4G devices. Pack Prices may vary from circle to circle. Offer on 4G handsets only and can be availed within 30 days of purchase of the handset. Axis Bank rose 0.74% at Rs 539.30 after the bank said it proposes to raise funds by issuing senior unsecured redeemable non-convertible debentures of Rs 10 lakh each for cash at par aggregating to Rs 5000 crore. The board of directors of the bank will consider the proposal to issue and allot the securities through circular resolution. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Banking, metal, telecom sector stocks and index heavyweight HDFC led modest gains for key benchmark indices. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 145.47 points or 0.52% to settle at 28,129.84. The Nifty 50 index rose 40.30 points or 0.47% to settle at 8,699.40. The Sensex settled above the psychologically important 28,000 level. It had closed below that level during previous trading session. In overseas stock markets, European shares were mixed as investors were cautious ahead of a European Central Bank (ECB) meeting later in the day. Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. US stocks registered small gains yesterday, 19 October 2016, helped by better-than-expected earnings and rising oil prices. The Federal Reserve released the latest iteration of its Beige Book, which summarizes economic conditions in the US. In it, the Fed said economic activity increased at a modest pace in most regions. Back home, the Sensex rose 145.47 points or 0.52% to settle at 28,129.84, its highest closing level since 5 October 2016. The index rose 228.13 points, or 0.82% at the day's high of 28,212.50. The index rose 47.20 points, or 0.17% at the day's low of 28,031.57. The Nifty 50 index rose 40.30 points or 0.47% to settle at 8,699.40, its highest closing level since 10 October 2016. The index rose 67.90 points, or 0.78% at the day's high of 8,727. The index rose 19.20 points, or 0.22% at the day's low of 8,678.30. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,600 shares rose and 1,223 shares declined. A total of 225 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.06%, underperforming the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.50%, outperforming the Sensex. The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 3383.22 crore, lower than turnover of Rs 3956.73 crore registered during the previous trading session. Among the sectoral indices on BSE, the S&P BSE Bankex (up 1.42%), the S&P BSE Metal index (up 1.36%), the S&P BSE Finance index (up 1.05%), the S&P BSE Telecom index (up 1%), the S&P BSE Realty index (up 0.98%), the S&P BSE Consumer Durables index (up 0.65%), the S&P BSE Industrials index (up 0.65%), the S&P BSE Capital Goods index (up 0.61%) and the S&P BSE Basic Materials index (up 0.57%), outperformed the Sensex. The S&P BSE Utilities index (up 0.35%), the S&P BSE Consumer Discretionary Goods & Services index (up 0.24%), the S&P BSE Power index (up 0.23%), the S&P BSE Energy index (up 0.21%), the S&P BSE Oil & Gas index (up 0.09%), the S&P BSE Teck index (up 0.03%), the S&P BSE Auto index (down 0.04%), the S&P BSE FMCG index (down 0.1%), the S&P BSE IT index (down 0.25%) and the S&P BSE Healthcare index (down 0.35%), underperformed the Sensex. Metal and mining stocks edged higher. Vedanta (up 4.36%), Hindalco Industries (up 2.85%), NMDC (up 2.58%), Steel Authority of India (up 1.86%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 1.05%), Tata Steel (up 0.71%), Bhushan Steel (up 0.34%) and Hindustan Copper (up 0.17%), edged higher. JSW Steel (down 0.26%) and National Aluminium Company (down 0.48%), edged lower. Meanwhile, copper prices edged lower in global commodities markets. High Grade Copper for December 2016 delivery was currently down 0.52% at $2.0925 per pound on the COMEX. Hindustan Zinc rose 0.68% to Rs 249.90. The company's net profit fell 15.41% to Rs 1901.87 crore on 10.51% decline in total income to Rs 4647.62 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell 6% to Rs 2077 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The company said its revenues decreased during the quarter on account of lower volumes, partly offset by higher zinc & silver prices and rupee depreciation. Net profit decreased during the quarter due to higher depreciation and lower investment income on account of smaller corpus despite higher mark to market gains. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC rose 1.26% at Rs 1,359.05. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,367 and a low of Rs 1,346.25 in intraday trade. Public sector banks edged higher. Syndicate Bank (up 6.06%), Corporation Bank (up 5.60%), United Bank of India (up 4.27%), Dena Bank (up 3.90%), Union Bank of India (up 3.79%), Allahabad Bank (up 3.25%), Punjab National Bank (up 3.23%), Andhra Bank (up 2.52%), Canara Bank (up 2.50%), Indian Bank (up 2.20%), UCO Bank (up 2.12%), State Bank of India (up 2.02%), Punjab & Sind Bank (up 1.71%), Bank of Baroda (up 1.58%), Vijaya Bank (up 1.50%), IDBI Bank (up 1.24%), Bank of India (up 1.15%), Bank of Maharashtra (up 0.65%) and Central Bank of India (up 0.22%), edged higher. Private sector banks were mixed. ICICI Bank (up 4.72%), City Union Bank (up 3.49%) and Federal Bank (up 3.39%), edged higher. IndusInd Bank (down 0.12%), HDFC Bank (down 0.25%) and Kotak Mahindra Bank (down 0.32%), edged lower. Axis Bank rose 0.64% to Rs 538.80 after the bank said it proposes to raise funds by issuing senior unsecured redeemable non-convertible debentures of Rs 10 lakh each for cash at par aggregating to Rs 5000 crore. The board of directors of the bank will consider the proposal to issue and allot the securities through circular resolution. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. RBL Bank rose 4.72% to Rs 327.50 after net profit rose 34.3% to Rs 89.89 crore on 37.91% rise in total income to Rs 1071.04 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The bank's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at Rs 274.65 crore as on 30 September 2016 as against Rs 252.61 crore as on 30 June 2016 and Rs 161.61 crore as on 30 September 2015. The ratio of gross NPAs to gross advances stood at 1.1% as on 30 September 2016 as against 1.13% as on 30 June 2016 and 0.93% as on 30 September 2015. The ratio of net NPAs to net advances stood at 0.55% as on 30 September 2016 as against 0.65% as on 30 June 2016 and 0.48% as on 30 September 2015. The bank's provisions and contingencies (excluding tax provisions) rose 122.33% to Rs 49.58 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Net Interest Income (NII) rose 59.5% to Rs 302.94 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Net interest margin (NIM) rose to 3.41% in Q2 September 2016, from 2.99% in Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Yes Bank rose 1.31% at Rs 1,308.80 after the bank reported 31.31% rise in net profit to Rs 801.54 crore on 24.7% rise in total income to Rs 4982.23 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Yes Bank's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at Rs 916.68 crore as on 30 September 2016 as against Rs 844.56 crore as on 30 June 2016 and Rs 491.35 crore as on 30 September 2015. The ratio of gross NPAs to gross advances stood at 0.83% as on 30 September 2016 as against 0.79% as on 30 June 2016 and 0.61% as on 30 September 2015. The ratio of net NPAs to net advances stood at 0.29% as on 30 September 2016 as against 0.29% as on 30 June 2016 and 0.2% as on 30 September 2015. The bank's provisions and contingencies (excluding tax provisions) rose 55.54% to Rs 161.67 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Net interest income (NII) rose 30.5% to Rs 1446.20 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015, on account of strong growth in advances and current account-saving account (CASA) deposits. Net interest margin (NIM) rose to 3.4% in Q2 September 2016 up from 3.3% in Q2 September 2015. The result was announced during market hours today, 20 October 2016. The Sensex has risen 263.88 points or 0.95% in this month so far (till 20 October 2016). The Sensex has risen 2,012.30 points or 7.70% in calendar year 2016 so far (till 20 October 2016). From a 52-week low of 22,494.61 hit on 29 February 2016, the barometer index has risen 5,635.23 points or 25.05%. From a 52-week high of 29,077.28 hit on 8 September 2016, the barometer index has fallen 947.44 points or 3.26%. The Sensex is off 1,894.90 points or 6.31% from a record high of 30,024.74 hit on 4 March 2015. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NBCC (India) announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016, that the government proposes to sell up to 9 crore equity shares, or 15% equity, of NBCC (India) through offer for sale (OFS) through a separate, designated window on the stock exchanges. The OFS will open on 20 October 2016 for non-retail investors and on 21 October 2016 for retail investors and non-retail investors who choose to carry forward their un-allotted bids. The floor price for the OFS shall be Rs 246.50 per equity share. The OFS floor price is at 2.57% discount to the stock's previous closing price of Rs 253 on BSE. As on 30 June 2016, the government held 90% stake in NBCC (India). Reliance Industries and Yes Bank will declare its Q2 September 2016 results today, 20 October 2016. Hindustan Zinc's net profit fell 15.41% to Rs 1901.87 crore on 10.51% decline in total income to Rs 4647.62 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell 6% to Rs 2077 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The company said its revenues decreased during the quarter on account of lower volumes, partly offset by higher zinc & silver prices and rupee depreciation. Net profit decreased during the quarter due to higher depreciation and lower investment income on account of smaller corpus despite higher mark to market gains. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Bharti Airtel after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016, announced an offer for all customers purchasing a new 4G mobile handset. Airtel is offering 10 GB 4G/3G data on a recharge of Rs 249 along with any new 4G handset. 1 GB data will be instantly credited to the customer's account and the additional 9 GB data can be claimed by the customer through MyAirtel App. The data will be valid for 28 days. Users can avail a maximum of 3 recharges within 90 days, on the offer. The special offer, which was introduced in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh last week, has now been extended across India and is available across all brands of 4G handsets. Airtel 4G is currently available in 18 circles across India. In non 4G circles, 3G data will be available to customers with their 4G devices. Pack Prices may vary from circle to circle. Offer on 4G handsets only and can be availed within 30 days of purchase of the handset. RBL Bank's net profit rose 34.3% to Rs 89.89 crore on 37.91% rise in total income to Rs 1071.04 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Bayer CropScience's net profit rose 2.12% to Rs 159.10 crore on 8.22% rise in total income to Rs 1118.10 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Tata Coffee's consolidated net profit rose 61.89% to Rs 44.65 crore on 7.19% fall in total income to Rs 375.76 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Quess Corp's consolidated net profit increased 65.86% to Rs 30.12 crore on 27.27% rise in total income to Rs 1023.38 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Ceat announced of a rollout a new breed of 'Puncture Safe' tyres for the two wheeler market. This new range will offer a technology to consumers that will allow tyres to resist punctures with no loss of air pressure and allow a hassle free and safe ride. This new range is currently available only in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and the company proposes to roll out the "Puncture Safe" tyre range in the other markets in a phased manner. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) has issued commercial paper for Rs 150 crore on 19 October 2016, in favour of ICICI Bank, having maturity date as 30 December 2016. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Suzlon Group announced a joint venture with the Unisun Energy Group for the development and construction of a 15 megawatts (MW) Solar PV Project located at Bhainsa, Adilabad District, Telangana. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. According to the contract signed between Suzlon Group and the Unisun Energy Group on 22 August 2016, the Unisun Energy Group shall acquire a 49% stake in Vayudoot Solarfarms, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set-up by Suzlon for executing this project. Unisun Energy has the option to acquire the balance of the 51% stake in the SPV in the future in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations. The off-taker of the Vayudoot project will be the Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSNPDCL). Suzlon will be responsible for project commissioning and to provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services for a period of 25 years. The project is expected to be commissioned in the financial year 2017 (FY17). Suzlon won solar projects of 210 MW in Telangana through a competitive bidding process and the PPAs for the same were signed in February, 2016. These include one project of 100 MW, one of 50 MW and four projects of 15 MW each. NCC will be watched. The NCC-BGR Consortium, which was formed between NCC and BGR Mining & Infra (BGR), has been awarded the Pachhwara North Coal Block Mine Developer and Operator Project (MDO Project) by the West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL). The Pachhwara North Coal Block is located in the Pakur District of Jharkhand State and was allocated by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India, to the WBPDCL and the coal extracted is for use for their power plants in West Bengal. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. The project has coal reserves of nearly 400 million tons and over burden of 1650 million cubic meters. The rate of mining fee per ton of coal is about Rs 890 including taxes. The total duration of the Project is about 30 years and will be extended for further period until the coal reserves are exhausted. The peak rated capacity of the mine is 15 million tons per annum (to be achieved by the 6th year of commencement of operation). The value of the project including taxes is estimated to be Rs 35000 crore (approximately) over a period of 30 years and the annual revenue at rated capacity is about Rs 1335 crore. These values are however valued at the current prices. Further, the contract provides for escalation of mining fees etc and therefore the yearly turnover may vary in line with the escalation of the input prices. Tata Communications announced the successful completion of the India data centre joint venture transaction with ST Telemedia, a strategic global investor focused on communications, media and technology sectors. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. In May 2016, the parties announced their entry into definitive agreements whereby ST Telemedia, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), agreed to acquire a 74% majority stake in Tata Communications' data centre business in India and Singapore. The transaction for STT GDC's acquisition of the majority stake in the India data centre business has been completed and is estimated at 100% enterprise value of Rs 3140 crore. Tata Communications remains a significant shareholder. The transaction for the Singapore data centre joint venture is expected to close shortly. The strategic partnership provides both companies with the opportunity to further grow their data centre businesses, offering advanced managed data centre services that enable digital transformation for customers. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Quess Corp rose 3.91% to Rs 620.25 at 10:14 IST on BSE after consolidated net profit increased 22% to Rs 30 crore on 2.7% rise in revenue to Rs 1018 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q1 June 2016. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 205.61 points, or 0.73%, to 28,189.98. On BSE, so far 37,142 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average daily volume of 1.24 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 625 and a low of Rs 609 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 651.25 on 4 August 2016. The stock hit a record low of Rs 452.40 on 14 July 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 19 October 2016, gaining 9.71% compared with 2.27% fall in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 20.5% as against Sensex's 0.71% rise. The stock was listed on the bourses on 12 July 2016. The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 126.75 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Quess Corp's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margin increased to 5.4% in Q2 September 2016 from 5.3% in Q1 June 2016. Separately, Quess Corp announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 49% stake in Terrier Security Services (India) Private Limited for a consideration of Rs 72 crore, marking its entry into the manned guarding and security solutions business. With a track record of over 27 years, Terrier is among the leading providers of manned guarding services in India. In addition, Terrier also provides training services for security personnel and electronic security solutions to clients. Terrier has a pan India footprint with presence across 14 states spanning 60 cities. The company has over 400 clients including marquee names in the information technology, engineering and automobile sectors and a deployed head count of over 16,000 guards as on 31 August, 2016. The company closed FY 2016 with revenue of Rs 220 crore and EBITDA margin of 5%. Closing of the transaction is subject to, inter-alia, fulfilment of certain conditions precedent set out in the agreement between the parties to the satisfaction of Quess, and statutory and regulatory approvals. Separately, Quess Corp announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016 that it has entered into a binding agreement of terms to acquire a majority stake in Comtel Solutions Pte. Ltd, marking Quess' entry into the technology staffing domain in Singapore. Closing of the transaction is subject to, inter-alia, fulfilment of certain conditions precedent set out in the agreement, to the mutual satisfaction of both parties, and statutory and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to provide a significant boost to Quess' operations in Asia Pacific where it already has presence in Malaysia, Philippines and Sri Lanka. Comtel is one of Singapore's largest independent staffing companies with services offered across staffing solutions, managed services solutions, and recruitment and search services with operations across Malaysia and Indonesia. Comtel serves more than 60 clients, including marquee names in BFSI, Engineering and IT sectors. The Company grew at a CAGR of about 27% between FY 2014 to 2016 and closed FY 2016 with revenues of SGD 82 million and currently has a headcount in excess of 1,400 associates. Quess will initially acquire 64% in Comtel while the balance will be acquired in a phased manner over FY 2018 to FY 2020. Quess and the current Comtel management will work towards rapidly expanding the platform bringing together their respective expertise and local knowhow. Separately, Quess Corp announced after market hours yesterday, 19 October 2016 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 45% stake in Simpliance Technologies Private Limited. Simpliance is a Bengalaru based compliance Technology firm. Simpliance will continue to be managed by the existing key management personnel headed by Anil D Souza. Quess will pay a consideration of Rs 2.5 crore as fresh equity for a 45% stake and the investment will be used to enhance the existing platform. Quess Corp provides comprehensive solutions including recruitment, temporary staffing, technology staffing, IT products and solutions, skill development, payroll, compliance management, integrated facility management and industrial asset management services. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sales rise 8.29% to Rs 76161.00 crore Net profit of Reliance Industries declined 22.89% to Rs 7206.00 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 9345.00 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015. Sales rose 8.29% to Rs 76161.00 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 70332.00 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015.76161.0070332.0014.6713.2212676.009768.009902.006926.007206.009345.00 Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The anti-incumbency factor is worrying the ruling Congress in Manipur, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has said. Ibobi Singh, who has been in power for three consecutive terms, said the anti-incumbency feelings may tilt the balance in the January assembly polls. The Congress leader admitted to IANS in an interview that there appeared to be a gap between the performance of the Congress government in Manipur and the expectations of the people. "If our party can overcome this factor, it will win at least 50 seats in the 60-member house," he said. "In 2002, we got 20 seats and 31 in 2007. We created a political record in the state by winning 42 seats in 2012. "This time we are expecting about 38 seats, even after conceding the anti-incumbency factor. However it is for the voters to decide," he added. Asked about the resignation of three Congress MLAs to join the BJP, he said the development was of no consequence. "All of them had been ministers for over 10 years. Perhaps they were not happy as they were dropped from the ministry. But four Trinamool MLAs have joined us a few days back." The Chief Minister admitted that there were some lapses in the police recruitment tests. This is why the government cancelled the test results and held fresh tests. He added that the appointment of ranking officials had been entrusted to Manipur Public Service Commission. --IANS il/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP of "accumulating an army of opportunists" ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, and added that senior leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi's exit will have no impact on its electoral fortunes. "The Bharatiya Janata Party, after coming to power at the Centre, has done only one thing, and that is accumulating an army of opportunists," Uttar Pradesh Congress party chief Raj Babbar told reporters here, minutes after Joshi joined the BJP. He accused BJP President Amit Shah of toppling elected state governments and influencing opposition leaders to join the BJP. "Their party president is influencing leaders of other parties to join his party and also trying to topple elected government in different states. The BJP has been successful in breaking other parties across the country," the yesteryear's actor said. Hitting out at Joshi, Babbar said, "She said she is a history teacher; today, she has repeated her family history." He said Joshi's exit won't have any affect on the state Congress. "When her brother joined the BJP in Uttarakhand, the Congress remained unaffected. And even her joining the BJP won't have an affect on the Congress." Earlier in the day, Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined the BJP here in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. Joshi, who had been with the Congress for 24 years, said she had also resigned her membership of the state assembly. She represented Lucknow Cantt. --IANS aks/sid/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CBI Director Anil Sinha on Thursday held talks with Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Bob Paulson on pending Letters Rogatory in several cases. The Canadian police officer was in the city to deliver the 17th D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture, held annually in the honour of the founding director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI is hopeful of disposal of the judicial requests to Canada that seek to examine Canadian nationals, including a witness in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and a businessman allegedly involved in a bribery case related to Air India. "The issue of examining Narinder Singh, a witness in the anti-Sikh riots, as well as Nazir Karigar, suspected of involvement in an Air India bribery case, was flagged during the meeting," said a CBI source. "The meeting was fruitful and we are hopeful of disposal of our requests," said the source, adding that extradition of several Canadian residents accused in corruption and drug trafficking cases in India also came up for discussion. Karigar, a businessman in Ottawa, was in May 2014 convicted by a Canadian court for bribing officials in India with a view to bag a $100-million contract from Air India. India and Canada have signed the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters. --IANS and/tsb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Choosing the right subject is one of the crucial factors that gives documentaries a better mileage, suggests Chris McDonald, President of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. "You see, there are thousand stories around us. If you want to make a docu-film, ask yourself why would you like to make the film and if it has the potential to touch the heart of a wider audience. The subject also should have relevance... Then put yourself on the audiences' shoes, would you like to watch it? Then go for it!" he told IANS. After running a documentary theatre and curate Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, McDonald realised how the pulse of the audience is different. He explained, "In a documentary film festival, people from any parts of the world are open to watch dark, heavier subjects, war, genocide or anything gory. Whereas, in a theatre ... people want to watch colours, music, culture and want to get emotionally attached with a story. That is why it is important to identify the subject based on the group of audience would you like to reach out to?" McDonald, who was present here in Mumbai on Wednesday at The Filmmakers Bootcamp, as part of Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival, appreciated the initiative, and said, "MAMI is a great platform not only for audience who are getting a chance to watch well curated international films and documentaries, the local filmmakers are getting chance to collaborate with international filmmakers." --IANS aru/lok (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won Wednesday night's final presidential debate, as she has won the two previous ones, but her Republican rival Donald Trump easily made the debate's headlines by his refusal to say if he would accept the election results if he lost. As the bruising presidential campaign enters its final weeks, the sharp rivalry between the two candidates became visible when they declined to acknowledge each other at the beginning of the third and final debate in Las Vegas. The key moment in the debate came near the end when moderator Chris Wallace challenged Trump to say whether he will accept the results of the November 8 election. "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now," Trump told Wallace. "I'll keep you in suspense." In recent days, Trump has argued that the media, Hillary Clinton's campaign and election officials may be conspiring to rig the election against him. "It was horrifying what he said," Clinton told reporters, "We are a country based on laws. And we've had hot, contested elections going back to the very beginning, but one of our hallmarks has always been that we accept the outcomes of our elections." "He is denigrating...he's talking down our democracy," the former Secretary of State added. According to a CNN/ORC instant poll of debate watchers, Clinton beat Trump 52 per cent to 39 per cent. There was a plus or minus 4 percentage point margin of error. Trump did outperform expectations, however. Nearly six in 10 viewers said he did better than expected, whereas 44 per cent said the same of Clinton, the poll showed. The showdown began with the two candidates -- Clinton dressed in an off-white signature pantsuit and Trump in a black suit with a contrasting bright red tie -- taking the stage at University of Nevada's Thomas and Mack Centre without a hand-shake or a smile. The final clash provoked several flashpoints and moderator Chris Wallace had to ask the candidates not to talk over each other. Trump repeatedly called Clinton "such a nasty woman", while the Democrat described him as "unfit" to be Commander in Chief of the US amed forces. However, the evening focused more on policy than earlier showdowns and Trump looked intent on maintaining a more even manner. Trump assured America that "nobody has more respect for women than I do" as he denied allegation of sexual assault as conspiracy or fiction. The final debate was Trump's last and biggest chance to appeal to the women voters, many of whom have rejected him. They debated over issues like Supreme Court; Second Amendment (protects the rights of people to keep and bear arms) where he hit Clinton for being anti-gun; abortion and the economy where the Manhattan billionaire boasted that as president, he would make the US an economic engine with annual growth rates of 5 or 6 per cent, while if Hillary goes to the White House, growth rates will be less than zero. Trump went on to slam Clinton over her record as Secretary of State, the controversy over her private email server, and painting her as the symptom of a tired political establishment who had achieved nothing in her 30 years in public life. The two rivals also clashed on immigration and the Islamic State during the 90-minute showdown. With less than three weeks to go, it was the candidates' last chance to address their messages directly to the American people. The debate ended, as it had begun, without the customary handshake in a sign of how hostile the campaign has become. After the final answers ended, Clinton stepped away from the podium to thank the moderator while Trump stayed at his podium until she was out of reach. The latest YouGov poll also declared Clinton the clear winner on Wednesday night. Out of 1,503 registered voters who tuned in to the debate, 49 per cent of participants said Ms Clinton came out on top. Thirty-nine per cent of voters argued that Mr Trump won the contest while 12 per cent claimed it was a tie. Sixty-eight per cent of voters disagreed with Trump by suggesting that both candidates pledge to accept the final election results come November. --IANS ksk-rn/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian manufacturers -- both public and private -- must provide quality products at affordable costs to face the challenges from China, Union Minister Anant Geete said here on Thursday. The Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises also underlined the need for enhanced use of latest automation and robotics technologies to produce quality yet affordable products. "The era of globalisation has led to a cut-throat competition across the world, thereby making it a challenge for our manufacturing sector to survive. We need to face up to these global challenges, else we might get isolated," said Geete inaugurating an Assocham international conference "Industry 4.0: Smart Manufacturing". He said although the government feels that pushing the industrial sector will lead to create more job opportunities, the upcoming robotics technology may lead to significant job losses. India's manufacturing sector has been under stress over the recent past due to various reasons, the minister said. Geete also spoke on how the government came to the rescue of the domestic steel industry by fixing the minimum import price for steel, as China was supplying finished products at a cost at which the domestic industry gets raw material. He pointed out that this is how China has been destabilising the domestic steel sector, and more or less a similar situation prevails in the entire manufacturing sector. "We need to compete with China, which has spread across the world...we need to accept this challenge," said Geete. The Union Minister further said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under the aegis of the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, has invited global investors and industrialists to come and set up their manufacturing units in India. "But our first priority should be to save our domestic industry, including both private and public sector enterprises, as they will play the most significant role in the development of programmes like Make in India." --IANS ag/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana's Information Technology (IT) exports touched Rs 42,160 crore in 2015-16, with the state's millennium city Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon) leading in the sector. "The IT exports from Haryana have touched Rs 42,160 crore during 2015-16 and Gurugram is a major contributor. Despite global economic slowdown, these exports reflect an increase of 6 to 6.5 per cent over the previous year," a government spokesperson said here on Thursday. The assessment was made on the basis of data collected by National Association of Software and Services Companies and Export Promotion Council. "At present, more than 500 IT and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) are functional in Gurugram. About 50 new small and big IT companies have come up in the state in the last two years. In e-commerce, Snapdeal has opened its office in Gurugram that provides direct employment to more than 6,000 persons and indirect benefits to thousands others," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said increased investment in the IT and ITeS sector was due to the new investment policy of the Haryana government. Well known IT companies operational in Gurugram include Hughes Software, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL, G-Capital, Silicon Graphics, Alcatel, American Express, Convergys, Motorola, Ericsson, Polaris, Dell, Samsung, Aricent, Microsoft, IBM, Siemens, Fidelity, Genpact, Oracle, WNS and Google. --IANS js/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Agitating students on Thursday let JNU Vice Chancellor (VC) M. Jagadesh Kumar leave his office, after keeping him confined there for almost 20 hours over a missing student. The students on Wednesday held a protest outside the administrative block over the disappearance of Najeeb Ahmed, who has been missing for the past six days. The Jawaharlal Nehru University students forced top officials, including the VC, to stay confined in their offices on Wednesday. The protesting students, including student wings of Left party and the Congress, claimed inaction of the varsity administration in tracing Ahmed. The Left student wing has been accusing the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for its involvement in the alleged abduction of the undergraduate student following a brawl. "What is the responsibility of a VC, an FIR was also filed by Najeeb Ahmed's mother. Only one person has been found guilty in the Proctorial inquiry; what about the others," Sunny Dhiman, National Students Union of India (NSUI), member said. Dhiman also said that a student from the School of Russian Studies was also involved in the brawl and had tried to pick a fight with Ahmed on Wednesday. Apart from the ABVP, all student political bodies took part in the protest and vented their anger against the university officials. Carrying photos of Ahmed, JNU students went about in the neighbourhood inquiring about him. The Delhi Police on Wednesday announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information about Ahmed. --IANS vn-kd/ask/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday handed over physical possession of land to a section of the cultivators of this rural belt. She also kicked off the process of cultivation in a symbolic gesture by sowing mustard seed. Ten years ago, the state's erstwhile Left Front government had acquired land for Tata Motors' Nano project in this pocket of Hooghly district, amid violent peasant protests, as many of them were unwilling to part with their land. However, with the handing back of the land to farmers, the circle is complete, as Banerjee asked the peasants to resume cultivation on their respective plots. Returning here five weeks after she gave land documents to the farmers on September 14, Banerjee sprayed the seeds over a plot at Gopalpur and interacted with the farmers on how they planned to cultivate their land. "I understand the farmers' job well, because I had close connection with village life as a youngster. The crop that the farmers can cultivate immediately is mustard. So, according to the cultivators' priority, we have given them the kit to grow mustard. "After some time, they will grow potatoes, and then paddy. In this way, they will cultivate multiple crops," said Banerjee, who had spearheaded the anti-land acquisition protests from 2006-2008. As the supremo of then principal opposition party Trinamool Congress, Banerjee had staked all during the movement, as she undertook a 26-day hunger-strike and then held a 16-day sit-in, demanding 400 acres out of the 997.11 acres acquired for the project be returned to those farmers who did not want to part with their land. A division bench of Justices Arun Mishra and V Gopala Gowda of the Supreme Court on August 31 directed that land be returned to the farmers of Singur within 12 weeks. The court-stipulated time-frame will expire by November-end. Banerjee said: "By November 10, we will hand over the entire land to the peasants. Share-croppers and agricultural labourers will also get their share." She claimed that 932 acres of land has already been made cultivable, while work is going on to develop the remaining 65 acres. "Of these 65 acres, 36 acre land has concrete, pillars and lots of metals due to the construction done on it. But we have decided that we will make this part of the land cultivable too. "Save greenery, create greenery and bring smiles in Singur again is our theme. For those who wanted to save their agricultural land, it is a dream that has come true," she said. Banerjee told the officials to ensure the job of making the land cultivable is finished by November 10, preferably by November 8. "I am sure that as far as the issue of agricultural land is concerned, Singur will be the model for the world," she added. Praising her officials, the Chief Minister said fresh land is being demarcated daily. "This is a very big task and a tough job." She pointed to the demolished ceiling of the abandoned Nano plant and said two artificial waterbodies dug in the area would also be filled up. "90 per cent of the job is over. We will reward all the officials and employees involved at a later date for their excellent teamwork." In a reference to those plot holders who still remain untraced, Banerjee said: "There were a lot of irregularities earlier (during Left Front regime). Many people had taken cheques fraudulently. So, now they are untraced." Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, who played a key role in the entire process of return of land, said the government has distributed 10,436 land records, while about 2,300 records are yet to be distributed. "4,443 farmers have collected cheques so far. Out of 997.11 acres, we have brought 931 acres under the distribution ambit," Chatterjee said. In October 2008, Tata Sons' then Chairman Ratan Tata announced shifting the project out of Singur, and months later Nano got its home in Gujarat's Sanand. The protests upped Trinamool's political graph, and it rode to power in the state in 2011, ending 34 years of Left Front rule. --IANS sgh-ssp/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will be on a state visit to India from October 24 to 27 and his visit will boost business ties with India, said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday. "He will lead a high-level business and education delegation. He will arrive in Mumbai on 24th evening. In Mumbai, he will deliver a keynote address in event organised by the Bombay Stock Exchange in association with Chambers of Commerce," said Swarup. "He will also meet with the Governor and Chief minister of Maharashtra. He will also attend Innovation showcase event to celebrate 'Innovation in New Zealand-India business partnership'," he added. In New Delhi, Key will hold one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by official delegation-level meet to discuss the growing bilateral relations. He will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee. "He will be attending a business summit as well," Swarup said. The New Zealand Prime Minister will depart from New Delhi on October 27 via Kochi. "In Kochi, the Prime Minister and his delegation will undertake a short tour of the new Kochi international terminal and the work undertaken by the New Zealand company Glidepath," said Swarup. Key will also be accompanied by members of New Zealand Parliament Mark Mitchell, who is chair of foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee, and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi. --IANS sid/pgh/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid protests over a missing Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday asked Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma for a detailed report on the issue. "The Home Minister has spoken to the city police commissioner and asked for a report on the matter," Home Ministry spokesperson K.S. Dhatwalia told IANS. Meanwhile, protesting students were demanding a conclusive response from the authorities on the whereabouts of Najeeb Ahmed, who went missing on the night of October 14. On Wednesday, they staged protests outside the Administrative Block forcing the top brass of the university to stay put in their offices. --IANS sk/ask/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Months ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the BJP here in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. Joshi, who had been with the Congress for 24 years, said it was not an easy decision for her but she had taken it in the interest of the country and Uttar Pradesh. The former President of the Congress state unit told the media she had resigned her membership of the state assembly. She represented Lucknow Cantt. Hailing the Indian Army's September 29 surgical strikes in Pakistani territory, she said it was a "big accomplishment of the government along with that of the army". Bahuguna's brother and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna joined the BJP some time back. --IANS bns-ps/tsb/mr (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi of "not listening" to party cadres, senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the BJP here in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. She also gave up her membership of the Uttar Pradesh assembly. Joshi's decision to join BJP, months ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, is widely seen as a big jolt to the Congress, with which she was associated for 24 years. "Soniaji used to understand us. She might take any decision but used to listen to us. But even that is not possible under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi," Joshi told reporters after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. In a fierce attack on Rahul Gandhi, Joshi said: "His leadership is not acceptable not just to Uttar Pradesh but to the entire nation. Even senior leaders of the state are angry. "The way he should have given leadership to a national party, he failed to do it seriously. His leadership is not acceptable to the people." Joshi said it was not an easy decision for her to quit the Congress but she took it in the interest of the country. Hailing the army's surgical strikes in Pakistani territory, Joshi said Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Congress demand for proof made her angry. "It was a big accomplishment of the government and of the army. I was also happy when I came to know about the surgical strikes," she said, adding what made her angry was when proof of the strikes were sought and words like "khoon ki dalali" were used. The Congress reacted with predictable disdain to Joshi's desertion. State Congress chief Raj Babbar said her defection would make no difference to the party in Uttar Pradesh just as her brother's leaving the Congress in Uttarakhand had no impact. The former Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief also took on Congress poll manager in Uttar Pradesh Prashant Kishor, saying "a poll manager can never be a poll director". "After the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, the way Congress should have proceeded, it didn't." Joshi till not long ago was known as an ardent supporter of Rahul Gandhi. But on Thursday, she accused the Congress of handing over the whole election management to Prashant Kishor. "Not only the direction of the election but the whole leadership was handed over to him. The party has lost its credibility... What can be more unfortunate than a party being given out on contact? Even powerful leaders were not allowed to speak freely," she said. Joshi also took on Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party and the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party. "Both the SP and BSP have looted the state. There is mafia raj in Uttar Pradesh. UP needs to be freed from both these parties." Joshi is daughter of the late Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna and a sister of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who joined the BJP some time back. Informed sources said Joshi was cut up with the party ever since it named former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as the Chief Ministerial candidate and making Raj Babbar the UP unit chief. Joshi is likely to be the BJP candidate from Lucknow Cantt against Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav. --IANS bns-md/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling it "height of intolerance", the BJP on Thursday said that anything related to Lord Ram is seen as communal, even though it is a matter of faith and not . "This is height of intolerance that anything even distantly related with Lord Ram is seen as communal," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told IANS when asked about the role of Mandir in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections due early next year. The BJP-led central government recently announced it would build a Ramayana Museum in Ayodhya, and Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma visited Ayodhya on Tuesday to inspect the proposed site, some 15 km away from the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site. Opposition parties and the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh have accused the BJP of announcing the project just ahead of the state assembly polls solely for political gains. However, Sharma said his party is not trying to cash in on the Ram temple issue in Uttar Pradesh elections. "Let me say it once again that Ram Mandir is not a political issue but that of people's faith. We would be fighting the Uttar Pradesh elections on the issues like law and order, road, water and infrastructure, and not on Ram Mandir," Sharma said. "Mandir to aastha ka mudda hai (Mandir is a matter of faith)," he added. However, he quickly added that his party is "committed to building a Ram temple in Ayodhya", but it would be either through judicial orders or public consensus. On senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joining the BJP on Thursday, Sharma said that people in the Congress are disenchanted with Rahul Gandhi's leadership. "It is not just Congress leaders, but senior members from other parties in the state -- be it Bahujan Samaj Party or the Samajwadi Party -- are also joining the BJP. They are dissatisfied and looking towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP with hope," Sharma said. --IANS mak/nir/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Syrian army said on Wednesday that a three-day "humanitarian truce" will enter into force in the city of Aleppo as of Thursday, according to the state news agency SANA. The general-command of the Syrian army said in a statement the truce will go into effect from 8 a.m. local time to 7 p.m. for three days, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement urged the rebels to lay down their weapons and get advantage of the pardon issued by President Bashar al-Assad to all rebels who surrender themselves to the Syrian army. The general-command said it had detailed information on the whereabouts and positions of the rebels in the eastern part of Aleppo city, stressing that "any armed man who doesn't take the chance of the declared truce, will meet his doomed fate". The statement charged that the rebels in eastern Aleppo are holding hundreds of families hostages. Meanwhile, SANA said that rebels started evacuating the eastern part of Aleppo on Wednesday evening. A number of armed rebels as well as wounded, sick and aged people exited eastern Aleppo through the passages identified by the Syrian army and the Russian side, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying. Evacuating the ultra-radical groups from Aleppo, mainly the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the Nusra Front, is a main demand of Russia and the Syrian government in order to loosen the military offensive against eastern Aleppo. Earlier in the day, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that units of the Syrian army have pulled back to allow the rebels to leave the eastern part of Aleppo. --IANS lok/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major achievement, the Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Khodad detected and tracked the landing of a European Space Agency spacecraft on a Mars mission, an official said here on Thursday. "On Wednesday evening from 7.04 p.m., the GMRT clearly detected and tracked the weak signal emanating from Schiaparelli EDM, all the way into the last phases of the descent of module through the Martian atmosphere till 8.37 p.m.," said GMRT Dean Yashwant Gupta. Schiaparelli's entry and descent module (EDM) of the ExoMarch Project separated from the parent spacecraft, the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) on October 16 after a six-month-long journey from Earth. It followed a trajectory that brought it to the point of entering the Martian atmosphere for a landing on Wednesday (October 19) evening, Gupta said. "The six-minute journey through the (Martian) atmosphere is the most hazardous part of the project and many previous Mars lander missions have failed at this critical juncture," Gupta said. A radio frequency transmitter transmits waves which are the only means to ascertain the health of the lander. It must be ensured that the lander, travelling at very high speeds, doesn't get overheated and lands without damage. During this period, the GMRT observed, detected and transmitted the waves received from the lander live to the ExoMars Mission Control centre in Germany. In order to monitor the health of the EDM during this crucial phase, the US's NASA had assigned GMRT, to act as a receiver station for this mission on behalf of the ExoMars Project, he added. Terming it as "a historic achievement", Gupta said that with this, GMRT has extended its scope to the arena of planetary space missions. Elaborating on the challenge GMRT faced, Gupta said the signal at a frequency of 401 MHz is very weak, emitted by a 5W transmitter on the EDM and it required the high sensitivity and interference-free environment of the GMRT to detect it. "The receivers covering this frequency have been developed by National Centre of Radio Astrophysics of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, as part of GMRT's upgrade, well in time for this (Mars) mission," Gupta said. The detection was made possible by signals from the GMRT antennae and analysing them with special signal processing software that was jointly developed by GMRT and NASA. The display from GMRT was streamed live to the ExoMars Mission Control centre in Germany, which provided valuable real-time monitoring facility to the project team there. In fact, the Pune-based observatory's system was tested in August-September with test signals generated by the NASA's Mars Rover, which is currently exploring the Martian surface and GMRT had successfully detected them, he said. The GMRT, built and operated by TIFR's NCRA since 15 years, is one of the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescopes operating at metre and centimeter radio wavelengths, situated at Khodad, around 70 km from Pune. --IANS qn/pgh/dg (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Power seems to be having the better of blood in Uttar Pradesh. As assembly polls draw near, the war of supremacy in the ruling Samajwadi Party is getting intense and bitter. Bruised by the turf war, the party is now slipping into further chaos with both sides - one led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the other by his uncle and state unit chief Shivpal Singh Yadav and supported by patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav - unsheathing the swords. Well wishers and supporters of the party have been either stunned into silence or are reconciled to the fact that the party, which turns 25 next month, might actually be over sooner or later. And notwithstanding the feeble voices of "all is well", there are rumours of an imminent split, with Akhilesh Yadav apparently thinking of forming a new political outfit. Initially boxed into a corner, Akhilesh Yadav -- who was the face of the party in the 2012 assembly elections -- is now openly siding with his young team which has been expelled by the party's old guard and making it evident that he has yielded a lot of space but not any more. Not only has the Chief Minister openly defied the party diktat on not mixing with leaders sacked from the party but is publicly seen with them. His Wednesday's letter informing Mulayam Singh Yadav that he will hit the campaign trail on his own steam from November 3 was like a final blow to the father. Now, a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav, Udayveer Singh, has gone a step further and openly asked Mulayam Singh Yadav to step down and name his son as the national President of the party. In a letter to Mulayam Singh, Udayveer Singh has alleged that Shivpal Singh was jealous of Akhilesh Yadav's charisma. "The developments are unfortunate but the time has come for the leadership to take a call and accept Akhileshji as the universally acceptable and most popular leader," he told IANS. But Udayveer Singh's letter has been taken as a slight to the Samajwadi Party chief. Mulayam Singh -- a former Defence Minister and one of India's most experienced politicians -- has called a meeting of senior party leaders, legislators and MPs on October 24. Rumours suggest that the Chief Minister would skip the November 5 silver jubilee celebration of the party and efforts were on by the Young Turks to get Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav named the party chief. The hostilities have virtually split the party into two camps -- from the top to the bottom. Akhilesh Yadav has shifted his political office from the Samajwadi Party headquarters to that of Janeshwar Mishra Trust. Two separate email ids are being used to contact the media on party issues and different voices emerging from Lucknow have baffled the cadres. (Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in) --IANS md/mr/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress-producer Dia Mirza says that it is unfair to a target a film like "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" that involves 99 per cent Indian crew members. "The day central government announces a financial isolation of Pakistan where they say all trades and communications will be seized, as a part of the film industry... I am pretty certain that we will maintain that 100 per cent," said Dia, who attended Good Homes For Art event organised by Good Homes Magazine, here. "But to target a film, where 99 per cent Indian crew members are involved and their livelihood depends on the project, it's unfair," she said when asked about the release troubles faced by the makers of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". It is under threat from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for featuring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. Speaking about the art event, the actress said: "Art is a form of expression of one's imagination and without imagination life would be dull. Art compels society to respond." "I've been brought up in an environment where my dad and my mom were artistes. So for me it comes naturally, be it as a form of painting, music, dance or writing. As a filmmaker or film producer, I get to spend some quality time with lots of artistes. However, in my own time I love to do painting," said Dia. --IANS iv/nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party MP on Thursday denied allegations of being "honey trapped and compromised" by defence middleman Abhishek Verma and said he didn't pass on any "secret data". Gandhi also said he would file a criminal defamation suit against Swaraj Abhiyan leaders who held a press conference on the allegations against him. "I am going to file a criminal defamation suit against Swaraj Abhiyan leaders," Gandhi said. Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan on Thursday released a letter written by US based lawyer C Edmonds Allen to the Prime Minister's Office in which he has alleged that Gandhi was "honey trapped and compromised" by defence middleman Abhishek Verma. "They made allegations on behalf of the mails sent by an American lawyer to the Prime Minister," Gandhi said, adding "But that didn't have any evidence against me. "In their entire press conference, I did not get a single iota of substantial evidence in substance of allegations made against me," Gandhi said. Asked if he knew Verma, Gandhi said, "I met him in 2002, when I was doing my post-graduation in politics. It has been 14 years now that I haven't met him." "I didn't know him personally but knew him through family as he was the son of a Member of Parliament," Gandhi added. Allen's letter, written on September 16, said: "A member of parliament of defence consultative committee named has been honey trapped and compromised by the notorious arms dealer Abhishek Verma." Gandhi is no longer a member of the consultative committee of defence ministry. Allen has also sent the letter to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Security Advisor Ajit Doval. "I am deeply hurt by the sleazy allegations made against me," Gandhi said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In recent weeks a great deal has been said about how, post the 'surgical strikes', we have 'isolated' Pakistan. First, Bhutan and Bangladesh closed ranks with us in condemning the terrorist attack in Uri and supporting the retaliatory action across the Line of Control (LOC). Later, they were joined by Sri Lanka in regretting their inability, along with India, to attend the SAARC meeting scheduled to be held in Islamabad later in the year. Nepal, not so forthcoming had, perforce, to back out as well. To some extent, therefore, it could be said that Pakistan stood isolated, at least, in the South Asian region though why Sri Lanka and then Nepal, did not join immediately in condemning the Uri attack or in supporting our action thereafter, remains a question unanswered. In a welcome move on Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of India released the minutes of the first meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). There was considerable interest among observers about the variables each of the members considered before arriving at the decision to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points when they met on October 3 and 4. It was one of those policies where the commentary around the decision was perhaps more important than the decision itself. But while the public dissemination of the MPC's minutes opens the door to a new era of understanding monetary policy decision-making, the absence of detailed commentaries on growth and inflation was disappointing. There were also no indications of what the members thought would happen over the next year. Former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi's parting potshots at Rahul Gandhi provoked the grand old party to label the woman politician a traitor and an opportunist, even as the top brass lined up to defend the party vice-president. "Those who are leaving the party abuse Rahul Gandhi. She tried her luck with BSP and SP earlier and has now joined the BJP. Such leaders are opportunists," Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC in charge of UP affairs, said on Rita joining the BJP. Senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party president Amit Shah.Joshi was the chief of the Congress state unit of Uttar Pradesh during the 2012 Assembly polls. It is likely that she might get an equally important role in BJP for the coming UP Assembly polls.With Kalraj Mishra moving to the centre as a minister, BJP in UP does not have any Brahmin leaders of note in its ranks in UP. The Brahmins are an electorally significant community and comprise over 10 per cent of the electorate. The Congress has fielded former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, also a Brahmin, as its chief ministerial candidate in UP in an attempt to wean away some of the Brahmin support base of BJP.Joshi joining the BJP could arrest any dent in the partys upper caste support base. Apart from her Brahmin caste roots, Joshi also has pedigree.She is the daughter of Congress stalwart of yesteryears and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna. Earlier this year, Joshi's brother Vijay Bahuguna had walked out of the Congress with nine rebel legislators that led to the President's Rule being imposed in Uttarakhand. Vijay Bahuguna later joined the BJP. However, what Joshi had to say about Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today at the time of joining the BJP upset the Congress no end. She said Rahul Gandhi's statements after the 'surgical strike' by the Indian Army on the Line of Control. Joshi said Rahul Gandhi's comment 'khoon ki dalali' was unfortunate as it strengthened Pakistan's voice. There is such a thing as a silver lining. I have seen them countless times. If every cloud does have one, then I have been in"high cotton" lately! September has been full of clouds, fog and rain. September was shades of silver.October seemed to come suddenly. It is a favorite month of mine and I am glad to see its' arrival, but September seemed to pass in a hurry. I do hope that October doesn't slip away in the same fashion. Some of the prettiest skies of the year are in October, I think. I love the big cumulus clouds against the clear and bright blue expanse. When the leaves turn shades of gold and scarlet, even those not in the habit of noticing nature, will do so-in October. I love the wind that blows with a chill and sends the leaves dancing in mid-air. October is a lovely time.I was in Elizabeth City this first day of the new month. I got up early and went out before the first light had come. I will tell you, that the morning dawned as it does in April. Birds were singing and a warm breeze blew off the river. I had to remind myself that it was autumn, the time to bake pies!I could see early on, that this day would be another one much like the last ones. Clouds were covering the sky and hid the suns'announcement of morning. I like all kinds of weather and am usually content , no matter the outcome. Lyla and I have walked in heat , cold and even a light summer rain. We have yet to walk in snow, but first chance I get, we will. We walked yesterday under clouds that were heavy and spilt little droplets ever so often. I told Lyla about silver linings.Most often, things have not worked out according to my plans. I am not talking about birthday parties and camping trips-but about the bigger events of a life, houses and jobs -things of that nature. The rabbit patch itself was a silver lining. I was moving to another little town. After weeks and weeks of hard work, and a few things already placed, I had the electricity turned on and all seemed set. On that day, the owner had a change of heart and all my hopes were dashed. It took me some time to recover, but within a short while I found the rabbit patch-the place that made me paint birds and roses around pretty words on old barns-the place that allowed me to grow food and shelter homeless animals-the place that gave me words to write. The rabbit patch opened my heart to silver linings and proved they are real.Lyla herself is a silver lining of sorts. I did not want Jenny to move to Wilmington. She was a young , small town girl and I was certain, I had not properly prepared her for city life. It was a most unsettling time for me as I had planned on her staying closer to home. I was sure the shadow that followed me, meant a calamity of some kind was waiting to unfold at any moment . . instead, Jenny met Will in Wilmington and I often say I could not have "hand-picked" a better husband for my daughter, or a better father for Lyla .Many "lesser" things have been silver linings in my life. Sometimes, we see them quickly, but often "silver linings" take their own sweet time in showing up. Some are easily recognized and other times they require a most thoughtful reflection. I am still waiting for some of them to make their presence known.Lyla will have to hear the story again as she was mostly interested in a friendly cat that decided to walk a while with us. When we got back from the walk, we sat on the porch in a swing and watched it rain- soft and gentle showers fell and all was right in the world for us. It made me think that just maybe, there really is a silver lining behind every cloud. In the ongoing power struggle within the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, an office bearer of the party today demanded that SP national president Mulayam Singh Yadav appoint chief minister to the top party post. Shortly after ordering a CID probe into the incident of fire which gutted the Jessop & Co factory at Dum Dum in Kolkata, the state government and the fire department have filed non-bailable FIRs against its promoter Pawan Ruia, opening up a debate about the ownership of the company. While the state government moved ahead to issue FIRs against industrialist terming him to be in-charge of Jessop, the Ruia Group bounced back stating that is no longer associated with the company. Twelve Nepalese nationals were injured when the bus they were travelling in turned over near Kertu village in Shamli district on Karnal-Meerut highway here, police said today. The incident occurred last night when the Nepalese tourists were on their way to Delhi from Chandigarh, SHO of Jhinjhana police station, B P Singh said. The injured were rushed to a hospital where their condition was stated to be stable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 19 people were killed and 26 others injured today when a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and rolled into a deep gorgein district of Jammu and Kashmir. The bus turned turtle and fell into a deep gorge resulting in the death of 19 passengers, Tahir Sajad Bhat, SSP told PTI. "19 persons have been killed and 26 others injured when a bus carrying 45 passengers that was on its way to Buckle from met with an accident near Reasi here today," Bhat said. "The people who were seriously injured are being airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment," he said. Police said some of the injured persons are in a critical conditions. "The rescue operation is going on and a police team and the district administration is on the spot," he said. The 18th Jio MAMI Mumbai International Film Festival opened at iconic Royal Opera House here today, where 175 films from 54 countries will be screened. On the occasion, veteran director-writer Sai Paranjpye, known for helming popular films like "Sparsh" and "Chashme Buddoor", was feted with Indian Excellence in Cinema Award. The 78-year-old Padma Bhushan awardee was recognised for her valuable contribution to Indian cinema. Besides films, Paranjpye has written and directed many Marathi plays like "Jaswandi", "Sakkhe Shejari" and "Albel". She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2006 in recognition of her artistic talents. "When people give lifetime achievement awards, may be it is a subtle hint to say you have done enough. I feel privileged to receive the award from Jaya Bachchan in this magnificent phoenix theatre," Paranjpye said. Actress Jacqueline Fernandez hosted the event at the iconic Royal Opera House, which reopened after eight years of restoration. Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke, credited with movies likes "Still Life" and "The World", became the recipient of the International Excellence in Cinema Award at the Festival. He received the award at the hands of actor Aamir Khan. "It is my first time in Mumbai and in India. I am thrilled to be here. When I was very young, I saw 'Awara' and the film had a very deep impression. I have myself become 'awara' in the movie industry. I hope I continue being that," Jia said. Bollywood celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia D'Souza, Jackie Shroff, Shabana Azmi, Anurag Kashyap, Imran Khan, Zoya Akhtar and Kunal Kapoor were present at the opening night. The film festival will screen 175 films, including features, documentaries and short films from 54 countries. Actress Konkona Sen Sharma's directorial debut "A Death in the Gunj" will be the opening film, to be screened tomorrow. American drama film "Manchester by the Sea", directed by Kenneth Lonergan, will close the fest. Turkey has been selected as the country in focus. While cine lovers will miss the critically-acclaimed Pakistani film "Jaago Hua Savera", which was dropped from the line-up owing to protest threat, the festival has made space for interesting movies like "Azaad", "Trapped", "An Insignificant Man" and Priyanka Chopra's maiden Marathi production "Ventilator". While "Azaad" is a short film, which has been presented by acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, "An Insignificant Man" is a political thriller, chronicling the journey of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from a social activist to a controversial politician. It was earlier screened at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. "Trapped", directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and starring Rajkummar Rao, is about the survival story of a man who gets stuck in an empty high rise without food, water or electricity. The film will be screened as part of the new section 'Spotlight' to celebrate the diversity of the Indian cinema. 'Spotlight' is a segment of films that recognises Indian cinema's historical trajectories, celebrates its creative impulses and explores its futures. The upcoming Marathi film "Ventilator" is directed by "Ferrai ki Sawari" helmer Rajesh Mapuskar. The film revolves around an ailing senior member of a family, who is being put on the ventilator just days before the popular Ganpati festival, leading to varied degrees of speculation and panic amongst the large coastal clan he belongs to. The film will be screened under the section 'Marathi Talkies'. This segment has been launched to celebrate the Marathi cinema. Other films to be showcased this year at Marathi Talkies are "Vakratunda Mahakaya", "Bioscope" and "Rajwade and Sons". American filmmaker Cary Fukunaga will attend the festival and conduct a special masterclasson October 25at a suburban multiplex in Andheri. It will be the "True Detective" helmer's maiden visit to India. The cast and crew of superhit film "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander" will reunite at the festival's 'Movie Mela' and share their experiences and memories on the making of the 1992 cult youth-based film. The cast will be part of a panel which will include superstar Aamir Khan, Mamik Singh, Deepak Tijori, Deven Bhojani, Aditya Lakhia, Kiran Zaveri and Pooja Bedi along with Director Mansoor Khan and choreographer Farah Khan. The 'Movie Mela' will be a two-day event to be held at Rangmandir in suburban Bandra. The venue will be transformed into a movie carnival with figurines of famous movie characters, merchandising and conversations with celebrities throughout the festival. Also, a book on veteran filmmaker Nasir Hussain, known for helming hits like "Teesri Manzil", "Tumsa Nahin Dekha" and "Yaadon Ki Baarat", will be launched at the festivalon October 22. The book titled "Music, Masti, Modernity the Cinema of Nasir Husain" is written by Akshay Manwani. The launch will be followed by a panel discussion about 'Hussain's cinema' and how it has shaped generations of directors. The panel will include Hussain's nephew and actor Aamir Khan, director Mansoor, writer Manwani and producer Nuzhat Khan. The festival is open from October 20 to 27. Two Naxals active in Noida were today arrested from Bihar by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad, taking the total number of ultras nabbed to 12 after Sunday's crackdown on their gang planning a major pre-Diwali attack in the national capital and NCR area. An ATS official said here that Dharamveer Singh Yadav and Sipahi Ram were arrested from Darigaon area in Bihar's Rohtas district close to the border with Uttar Pradesh. The two ultras were trying to create a base in Noida, the official said. Rohtas, one of the Naxal-hit districts of Bihar, is close to Chandauli district in Uttar Pradesh from where one arrest was made on Sunday. Nine others were picked up from Noida. Today's arrest of two Naxals was made on a tip off from four ultras -- Ranjit Paswan, Krishan Kumar, Pawan Kumar Jha and Ashish Saraswat -- taken on seven-day custody of the UP ATS which got their remand till October 26. Averting a major Naxal attack in the national capital and its neighbourhood, the UP ATS had on October 16 smashed a gang of ultras arresting 10 of them, including a self-styled area commander, and recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition. The left-wing extremists were adept at making bombs and were planning some incidents in the Delhi-NCR region, IG (UP-ATS) Aseem Arun had said. Nine Naxals were arrested from Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi, while one from Chandauli near Varanasi. The arrested Naxals were active in eastern UP and adjoining parts of Bihar and had made Noida their base. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar State Information Commission today imposed fines on four Public Information Officers (PIOs) for not furnishing information or not doing it timely to applicants under the RTI Act. The fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 were slapped on two Block Development Officers (BDOs), one Circle Officer (CO) and one Station House Officer (SHO) for either not furnishing information or failure to provide timely information to the applicants. The four officials are also PIOs. The case pertains to 2012-13 and 2013-14 when the applicants had sought information from these PIOs, the State Information Commission said in a statement. Information Commissioner V K Verma imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Danapur CO in Patna district for not furnishing information. He also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on Barauni Refinery police station SHO for his failure to provide timely information to the applicant. The Commission fined Rs 20,000 on Kusheshwar Asthan BDO in Darbhanga district for not providing timely information and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Goh BDO in Aurangabad district for not providing information to the applicant. The Commission said that copies of the order have been sent to District Magistrates of the four districts so that the amount of fine can be deducted from the PIOs' salaries. The matter would be heard on April 3 next year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least five persons, including four women workers, were charred to death when a major fire broke out at a cotton godown close to Chakan near here this morning, police said. Four-five water tenders were pressed into action and the fire officers were making hectic efforts to control the blaze, they said. The fire erupted at around 10 AM at the cotton godown in Sana industries premises on Talegaon-Chakan road at Kharabwadi near Chakan, about 45 kms from here. "Five persons, including four women workers, have died in the fire and the work is going on to douse the flames," Chakan police official said. Besides water tankers from the fire station, additional fire tenders from various other firms in and around Chakan MIDC area were pressed into action to control the inferno, officials said. According to police, there were some people working in the godown at the time of the mishap. As soon as the fire broke out, some of them escaped but five lost their lives. The Chakan Police is investigating the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shifting of inmates from overcrowded Tihar prison complex commenced today with 75 prisoners being moved to newly-constructed Mandoli jail. A total of 200 prisoners will be shifted from Tihar to newly-constructed jail number 14 of Mandoli complex and the process will be completed in next 2-3 days, a senior Tihar official said. He said the process of shifting begun today with shifting of 75 inmates. The Mandoli prison was proposed 35 years ago to ease the overcrowding at Tihar prison complex and Rohini district jail. As per figures till December 31, 2015, Tihar and Rohini jails together accommodate 14,183 prisoners against their combine established capacity of 6,250. The Mandoli prison complex has six jails with capacity to accommodate 3,777 inmates and is spread over 78.62 acres in north east Delhi. The entire exercise of shifting will be completed in phased manner keeping in various other aspects in view, like availability of vehicles and security personnel. "We will shift prisoners from Tihar to Mandoli in a phased manner after getting construction clearance certificates for the newly-constructed jail structures," said the officer. The security of the Mandoli prison will be handled by nearly 1200 para military personnel drawn from ITBP and CRPF, he said. The Mandoli jails will get first-time offenders, long term under-trials, adolescents and women prisoners. In the initial stages, those with good conduct records are being shifted there from Tihar, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 9th Indo-Myanmar Regional Border Committee Meet which started from October 18 concluded today at Mantripukhri here under the aegis of Spear Corps of the Indian Army, a press release issued today by Inspector General Assam Rifles (South), said. The meet was a bi-annual event, which provided a platform for representatives of security forces and civil establishment of both countries to discuss and resolve crucial issues related to border management, bi-lateral cooperation, and terrorist activities as well as to strengthen the bond between the two nations, the release said. Major General SS Mishra, GOC Red Shield Division headed the Indian side, while the 19-member Myanmarese delegation was represented by Brig Gen Thet Pon, Commander, North West Command. Civilian representatives also attended the meeting, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma today rejected allegations of purported defence leaks by BJP MP Varun Gandhi to him saying the emails and photographs being circulated are "fabricated" and questioned the motive of the releases made today. "At the outset, I deny all the allegations contained in the aforesaid 7-page letter. I also deny all the allegations levelled by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan today at their press conference. "Allen is a known forger and he had in the past also morphed some photos of another individual and I had filed a case of criminal defamation against Allen in Patiala House Court on February 6, 2012. The case trial is on and the matter is subjudice," Verma said in a statement issued tonight. He said the so called "emails and photos are fabricated as I had not issued nor photographed Gandhi nor referred to him anywhere. "These are attempts on part of Allen to defame me, and others named in the letter. Allen is a known forger and there is a suit pending under sections of Information Technology Act and forgery at Patiala House courts which is subjudice therefore, this new act today orchestrated by Allen is true to his nature of character assassination by forgery and deceit. "I will be initiating a suit for criminal defamation against C Edmonds Allen and maybe against Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav shortly," he said. He questioned as to why Allen did not disclose these contents, made public today, when a joint team of CBI and Enforcement Directorate visited the latter in New York in 2012. "Why is it that Allen did not provide these photos or talked about the angle of blackmailing of Gandhi to the CBI and ED? Why now after four years when last month I was granted bail by Honourable Courts?," he said. With regard to the Scorpene deal, Verma said the "Delhi High Court had on January 13, 2016 dismissed the PIL filed by Bhushan on Scorpene Submarines purchase in which I was implicated as a party by Bhushan, as it had no merit. "Bhushan suppressed the above fact of dismissal of his PIL in this issue in his tweet of last week and also in today's press conference. The act of Bhushan today tantamounts to contempt of court," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar today held talks with senior UAE ministers here and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties, including in the defence sector. Akbar, who was here on a three-day visit from Tuesday, held meetings with UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin ZayedAl Nahyan and Minister of State for Defence Mohammed Al Bawardi. During his meeting with the UAE Foreign Minister, bilateral ties and ways to promote them were discussed. They also discussed the preparation for the forthcoming visit of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to India in January 2017. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade next year. During his meeting with Bawardi, the two discussed ways and means to promote bilateral cooperation in the defence sector, according a statement released here. Akbar also addressed the India-UAE Economic Forum and highlighted that the developmental agenda adopted by the visionary leaders of the UAE in the 20th century must be utilised by India and the UAE together to achieve a greater success story of the 21st century. He explained the avenues available for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India in various sectors. Wooing investors, Akbar highlighted the transparent process offered by the present government and the speed with which the business proposals are facilitated. He also interacted with the Indian community at India Club, Dubai. Together with Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, he also met senior officials in Abu Dhabi Investment Authority to discuss investment opportunities in India. Akbar also met prominent CEOs to discuss the promotion of bilateral trade and investment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Akshay Kumar has offered help to the ailing producer of his first film, Ravi Shrivastava. Shrivastava was the producer of the first project Akshay signed as an actor in 1991. The movie titled "Dwarpaal," was shelved and he made debut with 1992 film "Saugandh". "Yes sir, my team has reached out to him...Already taken care of," the 49-year-old actor wrote on Twitter in reply to one of his followers, who shared the link of the article on the ailing producer. Shrivastava, was the one who helped Akshay in getting a role in "Saugandh". According to the reports, the producer is suffering from kidney failure and needs money for the transplant. Shrivastav is bed ridden right now. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President Hamid Ansari arrived here today after his five-day trip to Hungary and Algeria during which he discussed with the leadership of the two countries steps to further strengthen bilateral ties. During the visit, both Hungary and Algeria made it clear that terrorism is a menace and it should be eradicated from the world. During his discussions with Hungary's President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other top leadership, both the countries sought a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat. 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 possibility of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence production for mutual benefits. The Vice-President expressed India's appreciation for the support extended by Hungary to India's membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime and for entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. During his two-day visit to Algeria, Ansari had wide ranging discussions with Algeria's 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. Sellal conveyed to Ansari that Algeria fully supports India's position on Jammu and Kashmir. Ansari also met President of Algerian National People's Assembly Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa and President of Council of Nations Abdelkader Bensalah and discussed with them various issues concerning both the countries. 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 possibility 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ground controllers waited anxiously for today on the status of a tiny European craft which touched down on Mars as part of a daring quest for life on the Red Planet, but may not have survived the impact. The paddling pool-sized "Schiaparelli" lander, a trial-run for a Mars rover to follow, was scheduled to land at 1448 GMT yesterday after a scorching, supersonic dash through Mars' thin atmosphere. Hours later, the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the craft had touched down, but said it was emitting no signal -- evoking the ghost of Europe's first, failed, bid to land on Mars 13 years ago. "The lander touched down, that is certain," ESA's Schiaparelli manager Thierry Blancquaert told AFP. "Whether it landed intact, whether it hit a rock or a crater or whether it simply cannot communicate, that I don't know," he said from mission control in Darmstadt, Germany. Blancquaert said he was "not too optimistic" of receiving a clean bill of health. This would be Europe's second failed Mars landing in a row, joining a string of other unsuccessful attempts by global powers to explore our planetary neighbour's hostile surface. The British-built Beagle 2 robot lab disappeared without trace after separating from its mothership, Mars Express, in 2003. Its remains were finally spotted in a NASA photograph last year. Schiaparelli had travelled seven months and 496 million kilometres (308 million miles) onboard the European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to come within a million kilometres from Mars on Sunday, when it set off on its own mission to reach the surface. The pair comprised phase one of the ExoMars mission through which Europe and Russia seek to join the United States in probing the alien Martian surface. The TGO was successfully placed in Mars orbit on yesterday, to cheers and applause from ground controllers some 170 million kilometres away. "It's a good spacecraft in the right place, and we have a mission around Mars," flight operations manager Michel Denis announced. Schiaparelli's silence put a damper on the celebrations, though ESA officials tried to look on the bright side. "Whatever is going to happen, we will have learnt a lot of things because we will have data recorded of the descent," spokeswoman Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin told AFP. "So, we already have quite a bit of lessons learnt." For ESA director-general Jan Woerner, "this is typical for a test". "We did this in order to get data about how to land with European technology on Mars, therefore all the data we will get this night... Will be used to understand how to manage... the next landing when we're going with the rover." Schiaparelli's landing was designed to inform technology for a much bigger and more expensive rover scheduled for launch in 2020 -- the second phase and high point of ExoMars. The rover will be equipped with a drill to look for clues of life, past or present, up to a depth of two metres. The TGO, in turn, will aid the search for life by sniffing atmospheric gases potentially excreted by living organisms -- however small or primitive. Its science mission will start in early 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ministers and top bureaucrats of Andhra Pradesh will henceforth have to necessarily stay put in the Government's Transitional Headquarters (Secretariat) at Velagapudi every Friday to redress public grievances. "All ministers, special chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries to government and heads of departments are requested to make available at the headquarters and in their offices (HoDs) every Friday to receive representations from public representatives and others for redressal of their grievances," Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker said in an official circular. "All private secretaries to the ministers are requested to bring the above instructions to the notice of the ministers and accordingly their schedule may be planned," the Chief Secretary added. The instructions were issued based on a directive from the Chief Minister, who received several complaints from MLAs and other public representatives that ministers and senior officers were not being present in the state headquarters. Interestingly, when the Secretariat opened in Velagapudi on October 3, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu told reporters in an informal chat that there was "no rule" that the ministers should be present in the headquarters on any particular day. "As ministers, we will be attending many meetings and public functions at different places. So we can't be asked to sit in the Secretariat on any particular day (of the week)," Yanamala pointed out. In fact, when Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was Chief Minister (of undivided AP) between 2004 and 2009, he put in place a system, wherein ministers were required to necessarily visit the Secretariat every Monday to take up official work. In subsequent years, that system was followed only in breach. Things turned worse in the last one year when the Chief Minister functioned from Vijayawada while the Secretariat was located in Hyderabad. Now that the Secretariat and offices of the heads of department have been relocated to the Amaravati capital region, it is expected that things will once again fall in place. Another reason for fixing Friday as the "grievances day" is to ensure officers and staff remain in the offices and attend to official work. With a five-day working week in force because of the transitional issues, most of the officers and employees were found to be leaving for Hyderabad early Friday afternoon or even late Thursday, paralysing work in the Secretariat and offices of the HoDs. The latest instructions, the government expects, will halt this practice and ensure the officers and staff are available in their positions till late Friday evening. Rebel violations mean there is "no ceasefire" in Yemen, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said today, the first day of a truce under a UN plan. "There is no ceasefire at all," Major General Ahmed Assiri told AFP. Huthi rebels and their allies had breached the truce since it took effect at midnight yesterday, including by firing mortars and rockets across the border into southern Saudi Arabia, he said, forcing coalition forces to respond. "This is the same situation as the previous time when we called a ceasefire," Assiri said. Since the coalition intervened in March 2015 to support Yemen's government, five previous ceasefires attempts failed. This time there were more than 43 violations along the border, "in which snipers and various weapons were used, including missiles and projectiles," the official Saudi Press Agency reported. In one attack, a man and his daughter were wounded in the kingdom's Jazan region, according to Saudi civil defence authorities. Assiri said coalition artillery and aircraft retaliated. "We will respond to each violation. We will be reactive," he said. The coalition says it remains committed to the truce. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Dhrubajyoti Borah traces the journey of a group of militants towards an elusive freedom and an uncertain future in his first English book. "The Sleepwalker's Dream: A Novel" is about June, Ron and several other rebels fleeing their hideout in Bhutan after an army attack along with their injured unconscious leader, who is unlikely to survive the ordeal of their journey towards the Assam border. With winter approaching, they desperately need to find a temporary shelter and miraculously their leader emerges from his coma and is able to guide them to a cave which has supplies of food and other essentials. As the only woman in the group, June sometimes feels isolated though she does sentry duty like her male comrades and keeps herself in good physical shape. But her memories keep taking her back to her long-lost family, her village, her innocent childhood and the tragic circumstances under which she had become an insurgent. Borah, in his book published by Delhi-based Speaking Tiger, gives life to Ron when he, too, is flooded by his own memories of his boyhood and the early days of passionate commitment and high adventure. On his first novel in English and the challenges and pleasures of this transition, the Guwahati-based Assamese writer and novelist told PTI, "It's not really a transition. I am an Assamese Indian writer first. But I had thought that if a good publisher accepts my book then I would at least know that I can write in English." "Little did I know that the manuscript has to pass through a tight scrutiny of a strict editor. Writing in English was both a challenge and a pleasure and also a journey of exploration of the possibilities of literary expression and bridge building," said the writer, who is a physician by profession. Asked if it was difficult to write about a very complex and misunderstood subject revolving around a group of insurgents, the president of the apex literary body of the state said, "The insurgents are from among us. They may be friends, friends of friends or their relatives. Some people may have first hand experience of them, others may have suffered grievously at their hands. But they are not a people apart. They belong to us. "Their lives are also beset with the same fears, sorrows and uncertainties as us. Only, they thought and acted differently. Middleclass prudence and instincts of self-preservation hold many of us back, but they take the plunge in pursuit of their dreams, however ill-advised or wrong they may seem. Understanding them is like understanding one's own self. It is not easy and it needs patience and compassion." On how he developed his characters, especially the female insurgent in his novel, Bora said, "A character in a novel is entirely a creation of the author. With flesh-and-blood experience gathered over the years from different sources and persons (not all of them insurgents). "A character plays a definite role in the narrative of a novel, in that fictional environment, just like people of flesh and blood play a definite role in the real world. The female insurgent plays a pivotal role in this novel and I have tried to see things from her perspective, believing (I hope I am right) that in this way I can recreate an insightful and meaningful story." On which aspect of the story appealed to him the most, Borah said, "The absurdities of human existence in the face of adversity and the ingenuity and desperate courage people call upon to survive; the lust for life and the search for meaning-these elements in the story appeal to me most." Asked if any of the characters in the novel were influenced by real-life people, he said, "Nothing can be created from nothing. As I have said, many ingredients go into creating the world of the novel. It has to have its own sun, moonlight, wind, rain and snow." "And its own situations populated by its own people, birds, animals and plants. It is filtered and crystallised through the author's imaginative mind and does not necessarily reflect anybody in particular or even the real world", said Borah, who has a literary career spanning over three decades publishing many critically acclaimed works of fiction and non-fiction, including novels, monographs on history, travelogues and collections of articles. Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke says actor-director Raj Kapoor's "Awaara" had a great impact on him and he likes the movie so much that he even sings its title track. "When I was young I had seen 'Awaara' and the film had great impact on me. Till date I remember that film. Throughout the day I was singing 'Awaara Hoon' song as I am in India," Jia said in an interview here. "The film showed equality and it's good. This film made us think that we all our equal. The respect towards the poor people made me think (about such people)," added the director. For Jia, Kapoor was a great actor. "Raj Kapoor is a fabulous actor. Its like a silent film Raj Kapoor had less dialogues but he did well," he added. "Awaara" helmed by Raj Kapoor, who also essays the lead role, was a hit. Jia said films like "3 Idiots", "PK" are seen by more people in China. "I have recently seen '3 Idiots' and I liked it. I would like to see more Indian art films, they are less promoted. I would like to see art, realistic films," he added. Sonu Sood and Jackie Chan have teamed up for a film titled "Kung Fu" and Chinese actress Zhu Zhu will be seen in Salman Khan starrer "Tubelight". And Jia is glad that Indian and Chinese artists are working together. "I have heard about these films, it's good that we are working together. We are working on a film called 'Journey to the West' where west refers to India, it's an ancient novel. "We would like to collaborate (with India) for this film as a producer. We haven't decided the director yet we will soon finalise," said Jia. Jia, who is here for the 18th edition of MAMI festival, would be conferred with the excellence in cinema international award, this evening. "I am interested in Indian religion, I want to understand religious philosophy of India. India is a country of many languages and this also fascinates me," Jia said. This is Jia's maiden visit to India and during his stay in the megapolis he is looking forward to see Elephanta caves. Besides this, he has expressed his desire to gorge on Indian curries. "I have heard there are lot of different kind of curries being made in India so I would like to try that," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladeshi national with five gold bars on him was arrested by the BSF from the border in Malda district. Md Jamal was arrested by the BSF from the Gojadanga area of Malda. He was arrested following specific inputs. Five gold bars were recovered from him In another incident, two persons were arrested along with FICN worth 50,000 from Farakka in Malda district. The two persons arrested were Abdul Matin and Azrul Sheikh, both residents of Malda. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons, including a bank manager, were killed today when their car fell into Alaknanda river in Rudraparayag district. 25-year-old Rahul, who worked as the Manager of Punjab National Bank's Ratuda Branch, a bank customer and his friend were killed when their car fell into Alaknanda river, police said. They were going from Ratuda to Gholteer when the car met with the accident last night around 11 PM, they said, adding that the bodies have been recovered and efforts are on to pull the car out of the river. The bank manager was a resident of Meerut, while the other two were locals. Chief Minister Harish Rawat has expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Patna High Court granted bail to Rakesh Ranjan Yadav alias Rocky Yadav in Gaya road rage case, Bihar government decided to challenge the order in the Supreme Court. Rocky, son of suspended JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi and historysheeter Bindi Yadav, is accused of shooting dead Class XII student Aditya Sachdeva for overtaking his car on May 7 this year. "The state government is going to file an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the bail granted to Rocky Yadav by the Patna High Court," Principal Additional Advocate General Lalit Kishore told PTI. Asked when the appeal is expected to be filed in the apex court, Kishore said, "We are trying our best to file it by next Monday." He, however, refused to divulge details about the grounds on which the state government would go in for the appeal. Police arrested Rocky from his father's mixer plant in Gaya on May 10. Rocky's parents, accused of sheltering him while he was on the run after the murder, were recently enlarged on bail. Police filed a charge sheet in a Gaya court against Rocky and another accused in connection with the murder case. They have also filed charge sheet against Rocky's cousin Teni Yadav, his father Bindi Yadav and his MLC mother's bodyguard Rajesh Kumar in the murder case. The state government had put the case on speedy trial and investigation was completed within three weeks and charge sheet filed within a month of the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP workers today clashed with the police at Kalighat in south Kolkata when they were stopped from marching to the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to register protest against yesterday's attack on Union minister Babul Supriyo at Asansol. The police set up barricades to stop them from marching towards Banerjee's residence, which is a short distance away. The BJP workers, who tried to break the barricades, clashed with the police who chased them wielding lathis. Police sources said nine persons were arrested in this connection. Senior BJP leaders, including party's national secretary Rahul Sinha, Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly were present on the spot among others. Roopa Ganguly alleged that some women policemen hit them from behind and said, "We have the right to hold protest". She also denied that BJP workers hurled stones at the policemen. Rahul Sinha claimed that they were holding a "peaceful agitation" when the police started the lathicharge. "There is no democracy in the state," he alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Around 13 policemen and several BJP workers were injured in a clash, when party activists tried to break police barricades, while they were marching towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in protest against attack on Union minister Babul Supriyo. The protesters alleged that the police resorted to lathicharge. The police, however, denied the claim and said they only tried to disperse the agitators. The march to the Chief Minister's residence was part of the BJP's agitation to register protest against yesterday's attack on the Union minister at Asansol. Kolkata Police Joint CP (headquarters) Supratim Sarkar said, "BJP workers attempted to break police cordon, pelted stones, assaulted lady police personnel and damaged three police vehicles." Four BJP activists and 13 policemen were injured in the clash. A total of 18 BJP workers, including five female activists of the party, were arrested, he said. The BJP workers began the protest march from Rashbehari crossing towards Hazra crossing, on way to CM's residence. Condemning the police action, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly, who was among the protestors, said that they had organised a peaceful protest-march, but the police resorted to lathicharge causing severe injuries to many. "The police personnel even threw stones targetting the procession," she alleged. Denying that BJP workers hurled stones at policemen, Roopa Ganguly alleged that some police women rather hit them from behind. She asserted, "We have the right to hold protest". Trinamool Congress secretary-general Partha Chatterjee, however, charged BJP with trying to create lawlessness in the state. "We condemn it. They have no organisational strength. They are trying to create lawlessness in the state," he said. "When Mamata Banerjee was in Singur to return land to the farmers, why did they go to her residence? They are trying to block development of the state," Partha said, adding they should have protested in Asansol. BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha also alleged that they were holding a "peaceful agitation" when the police hit them with lathis to break the protest. "There is no democracy in the state," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An RSS-affiliated farmers' body today demanded a ban on commercial roll out of GM mustard and an internal probe into the functioning of country's bio-tech regulator GEAC that falls under the Environment Ministry. Accusing the GEAC of being "in a hurry" to grant permission for commercial cultivation of GM mustard, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh questioned the GM technology which depends on chemical spraying, saying "who are they (GM propagators) making a fool of". "Bharatiya Kisan Sangh appeals for a complete ban on the introduction of GM Mustard with immediate effect and to hold a transparent internal inquiry about the sole existence of function of GEAC and its mandatory relevance with the safety assessment of any introduction," it said in a statement. "GEAC is in a hurry to give permission to GM Mustard for commercial cultivation. This GM Mustard testing application was rejected by the same GEAC in 2002. What again happened and now again the GEAC is in hurry to give permission and under whose pressure?," the Kisan Sangh asked. Anti-GM activists have been opposing the approval of GM Mustard for commercial release and have upped the ante against the "unscientific" appraisal process. GEAC had constituted a sub-committee to review the technical details and dossier related to environmental release of Genetically Engineered (GE) Mustard (Brassica juncea) hybrid DMH-11 and use of parental events (varuna bn 3.6 and EH2 mod bs 2.99) for development of new generation hybrids. submitted by the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP), University of Delhi, South Campus (UDSC), which had submitted its report. The report was uploaded on the Ministry's website inviting comments from various stakeholders till October 5. The Ministry after evaluating all the comments, had forwarded it to a sub-committee which after studying it will submit its final report to the biotech regulator-- Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). "If the entire GM technology is against chemical farming, then what is this HT GM technology which entirely depends on huge chemical spraying that is mandatory with the technology. Who knows what this chemical will create - cancer, male sterility, infertility - what? "GM propagators have announced that this technology will reduce chemical spraying. This GM mustard will mandatorily use heavy amount of spraying. Who they are making fools?," the statement said. It said there is no need for GM crop as there are plenty of mustard varieties which are performing much better than the one claimed by GM Mustard. "The GEAC is also under scanner that why it did not allow our designated seed testing laboratories to test the BT cotton seeds. Suspiciously acting in favor of some spurious MNCs for unknown reasons. "It becomes a priority to examine the role of GEAC in relation to allowing GM crop against the moratorium of the government and against the technical committee of Supreme Court and against the large number of doubts about its origin and genesis," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British lawmakers today approved a motion recommending billionaire tycoon Philip Green be stripped of his knighthood following the collapse of department store chain BHS, which cost 11,000 jobs. MPs in the House of Commons unanimously backed the non-binding motion that Green's knighthood be "cancelled and annulled" after a debate in which they accused Green of stripping BHS assets. When it collapsed in June, BHS had debts totalling more than 1.3 billion pounds including a 571-million pound deficit in its pension fund. MPs earlier called on Green to "urgently" address the shortfalls in a pension fund of 20,000 former employees. BHS, which sold clothing and homeware, failed to keep pace with traditional rivals such as Marks & Spencer and online giants like Amazon, resulting in a major loss of market share. The 88-year-old company had 163 stores and 74 franchise operations across 18 countries. Green bought BHS in 2000 for 200 million pounds and sold it in 2015 for 1 pound to Dominic Chappell, a former bankrupt businessman with no retail experience. Labour MP Iain Wright called the saga "one of the biggest corporate scandals of modern times". "(Green) took the rings from BHS's fingers, he beat it black and blue, he starved it of food and water, he put it on life support, and then he wanted credit for keeping it alive," he told lawmakers. Other public figures who have been stripped of their titles include Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in 2008, disgraced banker Fred Goodwin in 2012 and television star and serial paedophile Jimmy Savile in 2013. Green, the billionaire owner of Topshop, appeared before a parliamentary committee in July and its report called him the "unacceptable face of capitalism". He accused committee chairman Frank Field of running a "kangaroo court" and of a "constant press campaign barracking and insulting me and my family". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pentagon chief Ashton Carter today decried North Korea's latest missile test and again vowed an "overwhelming" response if Pyongyang were ever to launch a nuclear weapon. North Korea today yesterday in the United States conducted what appeared to be a failed test of a powerful medium-range missile that experts warn could be deployed as early as next year. "We strongly condemn last night's attempt, which even in failing, violated several UN Security Council resolutions," Carter said at a joint press conference with his South Korean counterpart, Han Min-Koo. Carter went on to repeat a pledge he and Secretary of State John Kerry had made in Washington yesterday, ahead of the most recent missile test. "Make no mistake: Any attack on America or our allies will not only be defeated, but any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response." It was the second failed launch in less than a week of the Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometers. The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. Yesterday, Kerry said the United States would deploy a missile-defense system to South Korea as soon as possible, despite opposition from China. Washington sees the US-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system as protection against North Korea's pursuit of missile and nuclear technology. An outfit representing PET container manufacturers today moved the National Green Tribunal against an NGO's plea for a ban on use of PET pacakaging, alleging that it was motivated by interests of the glass industry and not environmental concerns. The NGO had sought the ban saying such packaging leached harmful chemicals such as phthalates and heavy metals into the items. The PET Container Manufacturers Association (PCMA) told a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar that the instant case is a motivated petition filed at the behest of business rivals of the plastic industry for their commercial interest. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the matter before the green panel and sought urgent hearing saying the NGO Him Jagriti Uttaranchal Welfare Society's plea was liable to be dismissed "PCMA states that the applicant (NGO) had intentionally suppressed the fact that its President is a consultant to the glass manufacturing industry. The present proceedings are not bonafide proceedings and not based on environmental concerns but commercial interests of the glass industry. "PCMA has now become aware of emails exchanged between various NGOs including the applicant and senior officials of Hindustan National Glass and Industries Ltd. This email clearly demonstrates that Him Jagriti is merely a front and the real petitioner in the instant case is Hindustan National Glass and Industries Ltd and that this petition is therefore a motivated petition filed at the behest of business rivals of the plastic industry for their private interest," the plea alleged. The matter is listed for hearing on October 24. An expert committee constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has earlier told the Tribunal that there is no conclusive proof that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used for packaging medicines have ill effects on human health. The panel, set up by the Health Ministry in August last year under the chairmanship of M K Bhan, had said that PET can be used safely as a packaging material for drugs under a regulatory system and process. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The makers of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" including Karan Johar were today assured both by the Centre and Maharashtra government that no one will be allowed to stall the upcoming release of the Bollywood film that is facing threat from the MNS for featuring a Pakistani actor. The assurance was given by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during separate meetings with Johar and a delegation of the film fraternity that included its producer. The film, that features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in a cameo role, ran into trouble after Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) said they won't allow release of any movie in India that featured Pakistani artistes. It is due for release on October 28, ahead of Diwali. Film & Television Producers Guild of India president Mukesh Bhatt and Apoorva Mehta from Dharma Productions, which is behind "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", led a film fraternity delegation and met Singh in Delhi to discuss the smooth release of the film. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bhatt said they decided to meet the Home Minister as there is a sense of "fear" and the law and order situation especially in Mumbai is going out of control. "We requested him to give us assurance along with the chief minister of the state that law and order will be intact and our movie 'ADHM' which is releasing on October 28 should not face any difficulty. "They have assured us whatever support we want he will provide to us. He said that he will talk to chief ministers of the states so that the law and order remains in place and violence does not take place near theatres. Full security will be given to all exhibitors. The way we celebrate Diwali, (We want) everyone get entertained and celebrate it with happiness," Bhatt added. Union minister Babul Supriyo, who was also part of the delegation, said, "MNS is a party of goons. They should not be allowed to take law and order in their hands." Bhatt said that he is not worried about MNS threats after the Home Minister's assurance and he is confident that "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" will have a smooth release. Fadnavis assured Johar that the Maharashtra government will not allow anyone to disturb law and order. "The state government would like to reaffirm that the government will not allow anyone to disturb law and order and stern action will be taken. Democratic protest is fine but unlawful activity will not be tolerated," Fadnavis assured Johar, who called on him in Mumbai. Police had yesterday taken strict action against MNS workers for protesting and raising slogans outside Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. Twelve activists of the MNS who had gone to Metro theatre to threaten them were arrested and sent in judicial custody till November 4. Meanwhile, continuing with their agitation, the MNS shifted the scene to Maharashtra's Nagpur city where some party workers this afternoon demonstrated in front of cinema hall at the main business locality in Sitabuldi against the release of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". They later submitted a memorandum to the theatre manager not to screen the film. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government today said it will open at least one Krishi Vigyan Kendra in all districts of the country to provide technical assistance to farmers. Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh announced this while interacting via video conference with all the Krishi Vigyan Kendra experts, district level officers associated with agriculture development and progressive farmers of 12 states. "The Central Government has announced opening of at least one Krishi Vigyan Kendra in all districts of the country. This will provide advanced Agriculture technical assistance to the farmers near their farms itself," an official statement said. Singh also announced opening of Apiary Development Centers in ten states. The minister called upon the farmers to use the residual husk after paddy farming to make organic fertilizer, in paper making and card-board industry and as animal feed. This will prevent the adverse effect of husk burning on the environment. Singh directed that all the KVK and district Agriculture officers should apprise farmers to make proper use of husk. The minister said that the Prime Minister's mission to increase the number of trees in the country by planting saplings on farm boundaries under National Forestry Plan should be implemented. It was the first occasion when the Union Agriculture minister addressed the officers of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and District Agriculture officers, through video conference. Singh suggested farmers to farm fish in paddy field, as this will provide them economic benefit. He stressed on improvement of indigenous breeds in Animal husbandry and vaccination of domestic animals especially against foot and mouth disease. During the video conference, Singh reiterated the resolve to modernize agriculture through use of drone and smart phones. He said that skill development work is being initiated at 100 KVKs and pulses and oilseeds hubs are being established at same number of KVKs. The minister appealed the youth to associate themselves with agriculture schemes based start-ups and instructed the KVK and Agriculture officers to help them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Governor McCrory was joined by local leaders today, including (from left to right): Mayor Chuck Allen (Goldsboro), Mayor B.J. Murphy (Kinston), Mayor Leo Taylor (Tarboro), Commissioner Scott Dacey (Craven County), Mayor Nat Robertson (Fayetteville) Contact: Crystal Feldman Crystal Feldman govpress@nc.gov Raleigh, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory announced today that he has established a Hurricane Matthew Recovery Committee to coordinate efforts to rebuild after the storm. The governor made the announcement during an address from the State Capitol, in which he highlighted the immediate action the state has taken to respond to the storm and outlined long-term plans being made to recover.said Governor McCrory.The Hurricane Matthew Recovery Committee will help meet five objectives: to raise money for those in need through the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund for Hurricane Matthew, particularly in regards to providing permanent housing; reopen and rebuild critical infrastructure as fast and as safe as possible; implement a comprehensive strategy for how to rebuild towns and communities in a sustainable way; assess the storm's financial impact on agriculture, small businesses, commercial fishermen and other industries, and develop an economic recovery plan of action; and implement a plan for any needed legislative action for any additional relief funding.The Committee will be chaired by Governor McCrory's Chief of Staff Thomas Stith. Other co-chairs include Steve Wordsworth of Rocky Mount representing the business community, Anne Faircloth of Clinton representing the agriculture community and Vanessa Harrison of AT&T representing the utilities.In addition to the committee, the governor highlighted action that has been taken to respond to the storm.Governor McCrory signed an executive order calling on legislators to provide flexibility with the school calendar for schools that were closed because of the storm. The governor is also requesting that school boards not reschedule lost school days until after legislative action can be taken.The state has also taken measures to provide disaster food stamp benefits in impacted counties to those who receive SNAP benefits and those who are not normally eligible. The governor has approved disaster unemployment assistance for those who lost their jobs as a result of Hurricane Matthew, and extended the tax filing deadline and waived the late penalty for any taxpayer in impacted counties.Working with federal partners, Governor McCrory announced that $21.9 million in federal funding has been approved for individual assistance. Six Disaster Recovery Centers have opened in eastern North Carolina where individuals can apply for assistance to help pay for housing, medical and dental needs, disaster unemployment assistance and other storm-related needs. Centers are open in Nash, Harnett, Wilson, Edgecombe, Johnston and Wayne counties. People in need of storm-related assistance can call FEMA's hotline at 800-621-3362.A total of 27 people have now died in North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Matthew.Nearly 1,000 people continue to reside in 20 shelters that remain open across eastern and central North Carolina. The number of power outages is now below 600, down from more than 800,000 at the storm's peak.More than 500 roads are still closed due to damage or flooding from the hurricane. The latest road conditions and updates can be found by downloading the ReadyNC mobile app or calling 5-1-1.All North Carolina rivers are expected to be below flood stage by Monday. The Lumber, Cape Fear, Neuse and Tar rivers have crested with the exception of some areas near the coast. The Lumber River is receding throughout Robeson County and is forecast to drop to minor flood stage today. The Neuse River at Kinston is expected to drop below major flood stage by Thursday and the Neuse River at Goldsboro is no longer at flood stage. The Tar River at Tarboro remains at minor flood stage and is expected to drop below normal flood stage today. The Tar River in Greenville remains in major flood stage but is receding and is expected to drop below major flood stage today.The governor encouraged individuals and groups to help in the relief efforts by making a financial or other contribution. Monetary contributions to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund for Hurricane Matthew can be made by texting NCRECOVERS to 30306 or by visiting NCDisasterRelief.org . This is one of the best ways to help fund long-term recovery efforts. Also, a list of organizations assisting with the North Carolina relief effort can be found at NCvoad.org. Dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 to speak with a trained call specialist about questions you have regarding Hurricane Matthew or go to the United Way's N.C. 2-1-1 site at http://www.unitedwaync.org/nc211 . For updates on Hurricane Matthew impacts and relief efforts, go to ReadyNC.org or follow N.C. Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook.Read Executive Order 110 here As part of its initiative to portray message-oriented films as a strong medium of communication among children, the Children's Film Society of India (CFSI) has organised a 11-day film festival in the North-East States of Manipur and Sikkim from October 17 to 27. The festival, which opened in Imphal on October 17, would travel to eight cities in Manipur and Sikkim in the next few days to showcase message-oriented and meaningful films, CFSI said in a release here today. Dr Shravan Kumar, CEO, CFSI, said, "Manipur has a rich history of film-making and it has produced many noted directors and artists in the Industry. With film-making so very imbibed in the culture of these north-eastern states, we are happy to facilitate ingraining the cultural richness and precious heritage values of Manipur and Sikkim among their children through the powerful medium of films." CFSI has been regularly undertaking such initiative for the children of North-Eastern States with an active interest," Kumar said. Early this year, CFSI had presented the second leg of 19th International Children's Film Festival in Gangtok, Sikkim, which also covered West Sikkim travelling through four districts viz. Geyzing, Yokosm, Bermoik Martam and Tharpuss. This time CFSI has joined hands with 'Smile Foundation', a national level development organization which works for children's health and education, to host the 'Children film Bonanza' in Manipur & Sikkim states, the release said. CFSI was setup in 1955 and since then it has produced over 260 films for children including feature films, short films, animations, television episodes and documentaries. CFSI has been making films for Indian market since its inception and this would be a collective effort to reach market internationally and make much better cinema which would be entertaining as well as educative, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 145 children, including 95 girls brought from Odisha without valid documents were detained and rescued by Kerala railway police at Parasalla railway station here today. An Odisha based agent who transported the children via Chennai to work in a private firm here has been taken into custody, police said. The agent told the police that they were brought here to work in a private firm in the city after giving them training. On a tip off that a group of children were travelling in a train from Chennai to Thiruvanathrapurm, police conducted search and rescued them. They would be produced in the Railway Court and further steps would be taken as per Court's order, police said. The children had left Odisha three-four days ago, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China released another two captive- bred giant pandas into the wild today in southwest China's Sichuan Province, in an attempt to diversify the endangered species' genetic pool. Hua Yan and Zhang Meng, both females, were born at the semi-wild training center in Wolong Nature Reserve in August 2013 and July 2014, respectively. They were released into Liziping Nature Reserve this morning. They are the sixth and seventh giant pandas to have been released to the wild. Both of them were declared in good shape and ready for release after a thorough physical examination at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) on Tuesday. "The two pandas have learned the basic skills needed to survive in the wild, including foraging for food, distinguishing and hiding from predators, and adapting to harsh weather conditions," state-run Xinhua agency quoted Huang Yan, a panda reintroduction specialist as saying. Both have been fitted with ID chips to monitor their physical conditions and GPS collars. The best time to release pandas is late autumn or early winter, the time when wild young pandas usually leave their mothers. "Releasing them to the wild is just the beginning. We'll continue to monitor them and see whether they can survive in the wild," said Huang. "We hope they can mate and breed." China first released a captive-bred panda into the wild in 2006. Xiang Xiang, who was a five-year-old at the time, was released into Wolong National Nature Reserve. However, he died roughly a year later after fighting with other pandas over food and territory. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Tao Tao (male), Zhang Xiang (female) and Xue Xue (female) were released into Liziping reserve. Xue Xue died a month after her release in November 2014. The last panda to be released was Hua Jiao, a two-year-old female, in November 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese manufacturer that makes apparel under the Adidas, Reebok and Armani brands will open a factory in Arkansas, creating 400 jobs, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced today. The state has signed a memorandum of understanding with Suzhou Tianyuan Garments Company to invest USD 20 million in a location, most likely in Little Rock, and create 400 jobs paying an average of USD 14 per hour, said Hutchinson, who announced the to reporters via Skype because he was on a trade mission in China. Tianyuan makes about 10 million articles of clothing annually and now supplies 90 percent of Adidas garments, the governor's office said. "What's fascinating is these are higher-paying jobs, in terms of the garment industry. It is more highly technical, including robotics," Hutchinson said. "So it'll be interesting to watch as to how the garment industry unfolds in the coming years and how Arkansas can participate in that." The Tianyuan agreement is the second major deal for Arkansas involving a Chinese company during Hutchinson's term as governor. Earlier this year, Sun Paper announced it would build a USD 1 billion pulp mill in Arkadelphia and create 250 jobs. The state's deal with Tianyuan Garments calls for Arkansas to provide a USD 1 million infrastructure assistance grant, USD 500,000 for training and an estimated USD 1.6 million in rebates based on the company's annual payroll, according to the memorandum of understanding released by the governor's office. It also calls for a 65 per cent abatement on property tax and the state's assistance to obtain 20 work visas. "This deal with Tianyuan shows the continued momentum we have with companies looking to invest in Arkansas," said Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chinese Embassy in Rome has strongly protested plans by Milan city council to bestow honorary citizenship today on the Dalai Lama, saying it would have a negative impact on bilateral relations and regional cooperation. The embassy said in a statement that honoring the Dalai Lama "has seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people" and expressed its "strong protest and firm opposition." Protests were expected at the University of Milan-Bicocca, where the Dalai Lama was scheduled to speak to students and where officials plan to give him a key to the city. He also was meeting with Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola on the first day of a three-day visit that includes a series of spiritual talks. China accuses the Dalai Lama of leading a campaign to split Tibet from the rest of China. The Dalai Lama says he simply wants a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. He said in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica that the climate in Tibet "remains extremely grim and repressive, characterized by constant controls of Tibetans, who are denied many basic human rights." "Whether they admit it or not, Tibet remains a thorn for China, which wants to play an important role in the world," he was quoted as saying. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As uncertainty loomed over their tie-up for upcoming civic polls, Shiv Sena today said BJP should designate one leader for co-ordination between them as many BJP leaders were "purposefully creating confusion" over the issue through their utterances. "We have decided that BJP should designate one person who will officially communicate with us for seat-sharing ahead of these elections. We will not talk to any other BJP leader," said a senior Sena leader after attending a meeting of party leaders, including state cabinet ministers, to discuss Sena's strategy for the polls. The meeting was held at Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree' here. A close aide of the Sena chief told PTI that Thackeray asserted that he will take a call on tie-up with BJP even as those present at the meeting favoured going solo for polls. He also asked party leaders to work towards expansion of Sena at the grassroot level all over Maharashtra. According to a Sena leader, Thackeray told the meeting that BJP leaders are deliberately making misleading statements and creating impression that BJP would continue the alliance with Sena for polls. Incidentally, state Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar has said in Nagpur that BJP is keen on maintaining alliance with Sena for elections to municipal councils. At the meeting, Thackeray referred to the bitter experience wherein BJP had snapped ties with Sena just ahead of 2014 Assembly elections. After NDA victory in polls, Sena was forced to accept subordinate position in state government. Sena is a junior alliance partner in the BJP-led NDA governments in the Centre and Maharashtra. "Sena did not call off alliance (with BJP) before the (2014) Assembly polls. It was the BJP which snapped the 25-year-old ties. Uddhav ji wants the BJP to appoint one leader from the party who will coordinate with Shiv Sena as many BJP leaders are speaking in different voices in current situation," the leader said. Thackeray also clarified that formation of local outfits at the poll-bound municipal council and nagar panchayat level won't be allowed. "Party will field candidates on the bow and arrow symbol," the aide quoted the Sena chief as saying. On the occasion, the leaders apprised Thackeray about the prevailing political situation in various parts of state. The four-phased polls will be held for 212 civic bodies, including 192 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats, spanning 25 districts, between November and January next. Though forming alliance with the BJP for next year's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election is still undecided, Sena leadership has decided to focus only on civic polls as of now. Veteran actor Clint Eastwood's actor son Scott paid tribute to his father's iconic role from theb film, "Spaghetti Western", in an eerily authentic Halloween costume. The "Suicide Squad" star channeled Clint's famous "Spaghetti Western" get-up at Hilarity for Charity's 5th Annual Variety Show to benefit The Alzheimer's Association this past weekend, reported E! Online. Dressed in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, Scott draped a brown poncho over his shoulders and chewed on a cigar just like his dad's character "The Man with No Name" from classics like "A Fist Full of Dollars", "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".' Asked if Clint gave the outfit his seal of approval, Scott said, "I sent him a picture. I haven't heard back; he doesn't do a lot of texting." The actor also revealed the costume was a last-minute decision. "I hadn't thought about it before I was told it was a costume party, and I said, 'Well Halloween came early'," he said. The Hilarity for Charity fundraiser was hosted by its founders, Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, and included other famous guests like Snoop Dogg and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The event raised USD 1.6 million for Alzheimer's research and has raised over USD 6.5 million since Rogen and his wife created Hilarity for Charity in 2012, according to a statement from the fundraiser. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The third and final US presidential debate began in Las Vegas on Thursday with Republican candidate Donald Trump arguing that the Second Amendment giving rights to citizens to bear arms be upheld, while his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called for measures to prevent killings by those who carry firearms. Given that the next president is likely to appoint several Supreme Court judges, the views of the two presidential candidates -- Clinton and Trump are crucial for the American people who vote in the November 8 general elections. Clinton said she supports the Second Amendment but, there needs to be a move to prevent unlawful elements carrying fire arms for killing people. "Some 33,000 people die every year in the US because of shooting. Trump is opposed to any kind of restrictions on the freedom being given to people by the Second Amendment," she said. "The next president will almost certainly have at least one appointment and likely or possibly two or three appointments," debate moderator Chris Wallace of the Fox News said, firing off the first question. "I feel that at this point in our country's history, it is important that we not reverse marriage equality, we stand up for the rights of people in the workplace, that we stand up and basically say, the Supreme Court should represent all of us," Clinton said in response to a question. She added that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people, not on the side of the powerful corporations and the wealthy. "For me, that means that we need a Supreme Court that will stand up on behalf of women's rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community, that will stand up and say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system," Clinton said. "I look forward to having that opportunity. I would hope that the Senate would do its job and confirm the nominee that President Obama has sent to them. That's the way the Constitution fundamentally should operate. The president nominates, then the Senate advises and consents, or not, but they go forward with the process," she asserted. Disagreeing with his rival, Trump said, "We need a Supreme Court that in my opinion is going to uphold the Second Amendment, and all amendments, but the Second Amendment, which is under absolute siege." "I believe if my opponent should win this race, which I truly don't think will happen, we will have a Second Amendment which will be a very, very small replica of what it is right now. But I feel that it's absolutely important that we uphold, because of the fact that it is under such trauma," he said, adding he has already shortlisted and made public names of 20 such nominations. Arguing that America should not have judges appointed who decide what they want to hear Trump said, "it's all about the Constitution of and so important, the Constitution the way it was meant to be. And those are the people that I will appoint." Clinton responded saying that she supports the Second Amendment. "I understand and respect the tradition of gun ownership. But I also believe that there can be and must be reasonable regulation. Because I support the Second Amendment, doesn't mean that I want people who shouldn't have guns to be able to threaten you, kill you or members of your family," she said. The United States need comprehensive background checks, to close the online loophole, close the gun show loophole, she added. "There's other matters that I think are sensible that are the kind of reforms that would make a difference that are not in any way conflicting with the Second Amendment," she argued. Referring to the National Rifle Association (NRA) endorsing Trump, Clinton said they are running millions of dollars of advertisements against her. Citing examples of cities like Chicago, Trump said tough gun control laws does not help. "In Chicago, which has the toughest gun laws in the United States, probably you could say by far, they have more gun violence than any other city. So we have the toughest laws, and you have tremendous gun violence. "I am a very strong supporter of the Second Amendment. I'm very proud to have the endorsement of the NRA. And it's the earliest endorsement they've ever given to anybody who ran for president," he said. Actor Colin Firth is being eyed to join the cast of Disney's "Mary Poppins Returns". The British actor is in negotiations to play William Weatherall Wilkins, president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, in the sequel to 1964's "Mary Poppins", reported Variety. In the upcoming movie, Firth will share screen with Emily Blunt and Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda. Blunt is on board to play the magical nanny, while Miranda has been tapped to portray a new character, a street lamplighter named Jack. Emily Mortimer is set to play the now-grown Jane Banks, who was one of the children Mary Poppins looked after in the original fantasy film. Meanwhile, the grown-up version of Jane Banks' brother Michael will be played by Ben Whishaw. Additionally, Meryl Streep is cast as Mary's cousin, Topsy. Rob Marshall will direct "Mary Poppins Returns" which is scheduled to be released in US theatres on December 25, 2018. Set in Depression-era London, the sequel follows a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, who along with Michael's three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress' claims of waiving loans of farmers if it comes to power in Punjab are its attempts at "politically bribing" the farming community, BJP state unit spokesperson Rajat Kumar Mohindru said today. "State Congress chief Amarinder Singh has talked about waving the loans of farmers. This is entirely a 'political bribe' being offered to the farmers of Punjab," he alleged. He questioned why did the Congress not take such a step when it was in power at the Centre for 10 years and said, "Had they (Congress) done it then, the farmers would not have become indebted as such." He alleged that the concerns being raised by Congress leaders now are a mere "eyewash" and its attempt at getting votes in the Assembly elections due in the state next year. "But, not only the farmers, all classes of the society in Punjab are aware of their reality that how after coming to power the Congress distances itself from the people," he said. He also termed as "political drama" Singh's remarks, claiming that the former Punjab chief minister has no experience of farming or agriculture. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress in Punjab today attacked the Parkash Singh Badal government over the clash in Mukstar in which three persons were yesterday killed and demanded a thorough probe into the incident. The clash had taken place over the control of a gurdwara in Mallan village. "Three persons were killed and half a dozen injured in the senseless violence that could have been easily prevented by timely government action," several Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) leaders said in a joint statement statement. PPCC leaders Karan K Brar, Harnirpal S Kukku, Harcharan S Sotha and Nathu Ram said the incident showed law and order had collapsed in the state under the Badal dispensation. Even the police personnel present on the spot failed to prevent the incident, in which around 70 gunshots were fired in about 45 minutes, they alleged. The tension at the gurudwara was building up for over a week after Makhan Singh, who had been overseeing the gurudwara affairs for the past several years, "was forcibly thrown out of the premises by the rival faction led by Naib Singh. "The authorities failed to make adequate security arrangements and the situation flared up," the Congress leaders alleged. Prompt steps should be taken to control the situation in the area and strict and exemplary action should be initiated against those found guilty of inciting the violence, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coastal areas across India face losses of more than Rs 1,000 crore annually due to corrosion, which can be checked by galvanising structures using zinc, Steel Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh said today. "Coastal area structures are prone to corrosion incurring loss of over 1000 crore every year. Structures built on the coastal areas need to be protected by choosing galvanised bar," he said at the International Galvanising Conference here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Smart City project will be built on reformed structures that will promote use of steel and zinc, he said, adding that the focus will be on Research & Development (R&D) as well as exploration. "Like an ant can kill an elephant, you need zinc coating to make steel corrosion free. To achieve long life in bridges, India needs galvanised steel structures," Singh said. Consumption of zinc is directly related to steel market. India needs to grow on the basis of the US's metal industry -- Whatever produced, needs to be consumed, he added. He also launched the Hindustan Zinc die casting alloy (HZDA) that is produced using primary zinc and pure aluminium and will cater to the needs of the die-casting sector for applications in automobile components, household appliances, sanitary-ware and defence. Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) CEO Sunil Duggal said: "India loses around 4-5 per cent of GDP annually on account of corrosion losses." Western countries mandate the use of galvanising for the steel structures used for bridges, highways, public utility, airports, metro stations and railways stations for long lasting and robust structures, he added. On contribution from the mining sector in India's GDP, Duggal said: "For meeting 1 per cent of GDP through mining, Indian mining industry needs to grow 27 per cent and HZL by at least 50 per cent." Speaking on the economics and importance of galvanising, International Zinc Association Executive Director Stephen Wilkinson said car makers in Europe, North America, Korea and Japan have been using galvanised steel for body panels for decades. These companies provide anti-corrosion and perforation warranties for a minimum of 10 years. But there is no such protection for most cars made for the Indian consumers, he added. Here, customers are advised to pay for extra coatings to protect the car body after purchase. More than 60 per cent of the cars in India have surface rust which reduces steel strength and the life of the car, Wilkinson said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A father, who is ready and willing to pay maintenance for his daughter, is also entitled to visit her at least on her birthday or at regular interval, the Delhi High Court today observed while permitting a man to meet the child in school. The court allowed the man, who claimed that he had not met his 12-year-old daughter for the last three years, to visit the child in her school at Lonavala in Maharashtra on her birthday, festivals or once in three months. "Though this is not a petition concerning the visitation rights of the parties, a father who is ready and willing to pay maintenance for his daughter is also entitled to see his daughter at least on festivals, her birthday or at regular interval," a bench of Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Pratibha Rani said in its verdict. The court said this while dealing with a petition filed by the man, a resident of Delhi, challenging an order directing him to pay a monthly alimony of Rs 25,000 to his estranged wife. He was also asked to pay Rs 25,000 per month for education and maintenance of the child. The man, who had not challenged the direction to pay the amount for his child, also told the court that he should be allowed to meet his daughter. He claimed before the court that he was earning Rs 10,000 per month and his wife belonged to a very rich family which owns various properties, including a flat in Bandra and a bungalow in Lokhandwala in Mumbai. The woman had claimed that she has no shares in the flat in Bandra as it was in the name of her mother. She also denied that she was having any other property in her name. In its verdict, the bench said that keeping in view the "luxurious life style in which he lives, evinced by the four luxury cars maintained by his family", the order directing the man to pay Rs 25,000 monthly maintenance to his wife "needs no interference". "A spouse unable to maintain himself/herself is entitled to maintenance on the principle of equi-status and respect that the spouse would have enjoyed if he/she continued to live with other spouse," the bench noted. "We, therefore, permit the appellant (man) to visit his daughter at Lonavala and meet her in her school. Necessary instructions in this regard shall be given by the respondent (wife) to the principal of the school to enable the appellant to meet his daughter on her birthday, festivals or once in three months," the bench said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran on Thursday, while appearing before a special court, refuted CBI's claim that he pressurised a Chennai-based telecom promoter to sell his stakes in Aircel to a Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006. While arguing on framing of charges against him in the Aircel-Maxis case, the former union minister claimed that during the time period of the alleged crime, the Chennai-based businessman, C Sivasankaran, was in talks with several other companies to sell his stakes in Aircel. "There is no reason why I would try to facilitate a business transaction, which may even attract criminal charge, which was not even embryonic at that time," said the ex-ministers'counsel, who was arguing his case before Special Judge O P Saini. Pointing to the impossibility of supposed deal, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of Dayanidhi, argued that it was not possible for the accused to facilitate a "non-existent" deal, for which Aircel had already initiated talks in 2004. "Aircel tried to do business with several other companies and it was only in October 2005, the business transaction between Aircel and Maxis was finalised," the counsel said. CBI has claimed that Dayanidhi pressurised Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel and two other subsidiary firms to Maxis Group. The agency had also claimed that the politician had forced Sivasankaran to sell his three companies to Malaysia's Maxis Communication Berhad, also an accused in the case. The arguments on the point of framing charges remained inconclusive. The court had earlier held it had the jurisdiction to try the matter against Dayanidhi Maran, Kalanithi Maran and others as the Aircel- Maxis deal "fairly and squarely falls within the description of 2G scam". Turkish warplanes carried out deadly strikes on US-backed militias in northern Syria, including Syrian Kurdish fighters, a monitor said today, action that is likely to raise tensions between the NATO allies. The army, quoted by the official agency Anadolu, said the raids hit 18 targets north of the battered Syrian city of Aleppo, areas recently recaptured by the People's Protection Units (YPG) from the Islamic State group. It said the raids killed between 160 and 200 YPG militants. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Beirut, however, put the toll much lower at at least 11 fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-- a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters -- killed and 24 wounded. Tensions between the US and its NATO ally Turkey have heightened over Ankara's actions against the YPG, which Washington views as an effective force against IS in Syria. Ankara has repeatedly said it will not allow a "terror corridor" on its southern border and wants to prevent the joining of the Kurdish "cantons" of Afrin and Kobane. The strikes come on the eve of a visit to Turkey by US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter to discuss developments in the region including the Syrian conflict and the offensive to recapture Iraq's second city of Mosul which began this week. Ankara considers the YPG and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) as terror groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, has waged a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. In a statement, the Kurdish Rojava region in Syria condemned Ankara's actions as "blatant aggression", calling for the United Nations, Moscow and Washington to "put direct pressure on Turkey to stop its attacks". President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkey and Washington had been discussing a joint operation to take territory back from IS but has warned the US not to launch any offensive with the YPG. Michael Stephens, senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute said Turkey's actions were "a message and a warning to the YPG 'understand something, you won't join these two cantons up. There are going to be consequences'". "If there is a signal that that is what is happening, the Turks will fight it and they will use the premise of national security to do that," he told AFP. The strikes were part of Turkey's military operation in northern Syria launched on August 24. Ankara has sent in tanks and has been striking jihadist targets while supporting Syrian opposition fighters in their battle to retake IS-controlled territory. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 15 states which have so far joined the Centre's UDAY scheme to revive power units, will see losses coming down to 28 paise an unit by fiscal 2019, from 64 paise in fiscal 2016, according to Crisil. "Crisil estimates the aggregate 'gap', or loss, of distribution companies (discoms) of 15 states that have joined the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna (UDAY), would more than halve to 28 paise per unit by fiscal 2019 compared to 64 paise in fiscal 2016," Crisil said in a press release. According to the the credit rating agency, aggregate losses of these discoms will decline 46 per cent to Rs 20,000 crore from Rs 37,000 crore. However, it said that the gap will still be well above the 'nil' envisaged under UDAY because some states with very high aggregated technical and commercial (AT&C) losses have lesser preparedness to reduce it because of inadequate feeder separation, feeder and distribution transformer metering, and poor track record of other efficiencies. The ability to increase tariffs is restricted in some states as elections are due in 12 months, cross-subsidisation is high, and tariff orders are delayed, it said. The gap is calculated as average revenue realised minus average cost of supply, it added. Crisil Ratings Business Head - Large Corporates, Gurpreet Chhatwal said in the statement,"Rajasthan, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand are expected to fare better in the implementation of UDAY, so are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries. However, UP, Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir are expected to be the laggards. "These three states would account for almost two-thirds of the gap in fiscal 2019. So, concerted efforts by them will be critical to narrowing future gap." Energy requirements of discoms are expected to increase at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7 per cent by fiscal 2019 compared with around 4 per cent till fiscal 2016. Yet, this will not be a major respite to generation capacities that do not have long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), as fresh signing of PPAs seems unlikely, it said. That's because 25,000 MW of capacities with already- signed PPAs are expected to be operational by fiscal 2019, and there will also be some pick-up in plant load factors of existing capacities because of better fuel availability. Any uptick in long-term PPA signings is possible only if discoms turn profitable by fiscal 2019, and strive to meet the government's 'Power for all' objective. Over the past year, initiatives to increase coal production, and the 5:25 refinancing scheme of the Reserve Bank of India have reduced operational capacities at risk by 6,000 MW to 40,000 MW from 46,000 MW that Crisil had flagged, it said. Crisil Ratings' Senior Director Sudip Sural said in the statement,"While lack of fresh long-term PPAs (power purchase agreements) continues to impact generation capacities, facilitation of medium-term PPAs and corresponding coal linkages,continued focus on augmenting domestic coal production, and facilitation of open access by states can help further reduce the capacities at risk." It said that as for under-construction thermal projects, Crisil estimates 24,000 MW capacities are facing viability issues. Of these, 13,000 MW capacities face commissioning risks because of weak sponsors, while the rest are reeling because of poor offtake by discoms or inadequate fuel arrangements. A third of the capacities with weak sponsors can be revived through debt restructuring or sale to a new sponsor, it added. The Ministry of Social Justice has drafted a bill to decriminalise begging and rehabilitate beggars and homeless people, the Centre and AAP government told Delhi High Court today. The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal which directed the ministry to place on record a copy of the draft legislation - The Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016. The court was hearing two PILs seeking basic human and fundamental rights for the beggars in the national capital and for decriminalising begging. Advocate Kushal Kumar, appearing for the ministry, told the court that pre-legislative consultation meeting with representatives from states and union territories was recently organised to seek their opinions. He said the Centre has asked all stakeholders to share their views and suggestions for eradication of poverty. Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot had said at a pre-legislative consultation meeting that the Bill "will provide protection, care, support, shelter, training and other services to all persons in destitution". The approach of the Ministry towards addressing the problem of destitution and beggary was "rehabilitative rather than punitive," he had said. The Ministry had also then said that the model law was drafted on recommendations from the National Consultation Meetings held with state representatives and experts in the field of beggary. Currently, there is no central law on begging and destitution and most states have adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which criminalises beggary, or have modelled their laws on that basis. The two petitions have challenged the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act. The bench today asked the ministry to furnish a copy of the draft bill to the petitioners, Harsh Mandar and Karnika Sawhney, who have in their pleas also sought basic amenities like proper food and medical facilities at all beggars' homes in the city. Their pleas were first filed in the Supreme Court from where they were transferred to Delhi High Court. The high court in October last year was told that Delhi Police was assisting the AAP government in removing beggars from tourist spots, traffic intersections and religious places here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and the European Union today sought to "broaden" their bilateral engagement, in various fields, by leveraging the strength of Indian diaspora in EU countries. "As far as our relationship with the diaspora is concerned, currently we are at a very interesting junction as India is asserting its position on various world forums. "So, as India grows in stature, so does its diaspora and as the diaspora grows, it benefits India too. We need to have a very different kind of interaction. And, Indian diaspora is very fascinating," senior MEA official, D M Mulay said. He was speaking here at a panel discussion on 'New Homelands: the Indian Diaspora in the European Union' hosted by the EU Delegation in India. The event was held ahead of the opening of a photography exhibition on Indian diaspora community in EU as part of the diaspora project sponsored by the EU Delegation in India, at the India Habitat Centre. "This project is about finding new friendships and bringing together two cultures and to show EU to a larger public. And, the purpose is to further strengthen the bond between the EU and India," Deputy Head of EU Delegation in India, Cesare Onestini said. Three photojournalists were chosen as part of the project to travel to a few European countries, including Italy, Sweden, Denmark, and Slovenia, and document their experiences of meeting Indian diaspora community there. "We acknowledge the importance of Indian community in Europe and its importance in the future of the European Union. And, this project is part of our vision to broaden our bilateral engagement with India," a senior official of the EU Delegation in India said. Nearly 30 million Indians are residing in various countries outside of India and about 6.3 million live in countries which are part of the European Union. Mulay said the Centre's policy toward the diaspora has "evolved" and now "we take a 360-degree view of it. So not just the economic benefits they bring to us, but also cultural enrichment. Therefore, we have a more holistic approach now." "We will be hosting the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas next year from January 7-9 in Bangalore, as part of which a new format of the event has been designed. There would be various thematic discussions, including on diaspora and inputs from those would be made part of the policy making," he said. The exhibition captures the struggles and triumphs of various Indians who chose to settle in a different country, and how their relationship with India "evolved" over the decades. Sweden-born Gautam S Bhattacharyya, who recently took charge as the Deputy Head of Mission in the Swedish Embassy, was also present on the occasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European Union president Donald Tusk warned the bloc would be incapable of negotiating new trade deals if Belgium fails to approve the accord with Canada by tomorrow. The deal, known as CETA, "could be our last free trade agreement, if we are not able to convince people that we negotiate to protect their interests," Tusk said as he arrived today for a two-day EU summit to discuss trade issues. Tusk spoke as the head of the French-speaking Belgian region of Wallonia still refused to sign off on the EU-Canada trade accord and asked that a signature next week with Canadian premier Justin Trudeau be delayed indefinitely. "I hope that Belgium will once again prove that it is a true champion in compromise making, that on Friday we will have an agreement that paves the way for CETA," Tusk said. Negotiations were ongoing however with Magnette mulling the latest proposal by the European Commission, the EU's executive, in his offices in Namur, 70 km southeast of Brussels. An EU official said ambassadors from the bloc's 28 member states would meet later on Thursday to discuss the latest compromise offers. "We are awaiting a response by the Walloon government. The sooner would be the better," said the pro-CETA Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel. The parliament of the region of Wallonia last week voted to block CETA, meaning that Belgium cannot sign up to the pact and leaving the deal in limbo after seven years of negotiations. Paul Magnette, the outspoken head of government of Wallonia, has said differences remained too wide on a contested investor protection system that has become a hot-button issue for the anti-free trade movement. EU leaders fear that if CETA were to fail, it would send a signal to the world that it is difficult if not impossible to reach trade deals with Europe. The struggle to close the deal is also a worry for Britain, with many seeing CETA as a potential model for EU ties with the UK after Brexit. The Canada deal is opposed by a wide array of groups, who say it is a test model to push through the even more controversial EU-US trade deal called TTIP, still in negotiation. Activists believe both deals threaten environmental and consumer protection and offer unfair benefits to multinationals. Tusk stressed that the problem was far bigger than just the Canada agreement, with the leaders also set to discuss tomorrow rising anger against the negative effects of global free trade that has fed the rise of populists, such as Donald Trump in the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European Union leaders warned at a summit on Thursday that they will consider sanctions over its role in the Syrian conflict if Moscow does not stop "crimes" in the devastated city of Aleppo. As the bloc's 28 leaders met in Brussels for a crucial discussion on their future strategy to deal with Moscow, EU President Donald Tusk said they should "keep all options open, including sanctions." French President Francois Hollande said that "all options are open for as long as there is not a ceasefire that is respected and for as long as there is an intention to destroy this town, Aleppo, a town of martyrs." The leaders in a draft summit statement said the EU was weighing sanctions against supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities. "The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue," the draft EU summit statement said. "The European Council strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo," it added. British Prime Minister Theresa May, arriving for her first EU summit since the June Brexit vote, called for a united European approach to "sickening atrocities" in Syria, "We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May told reporters. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." The EU leaders were to discuss their long-term policy over dinner but deep cracks over how tough to be with Moscow remained evident. Some warned there was no unity on adding sanctions over Syria to those that the EU has already imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. "One option is sanctions. I don't think there's unity but I think it should be on the table, that this should be an option for the future," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told reporters. Luxembourg premier Xavier Bettel meanwhile said that "certain people were talking about sanctions" but "we have to find solutions around the table." Russia had upstaged the summit by announcing earlier in the week that it would halt hostilities over Aleppo today just as the 28 leaders were gathering in Brussels. It said on Thursday it would extend the truce by 24 hours, without specifying when it would end. The UN had said earlier it had received a pledge from Moscow to extend it until Saturday. Specialty pharmaceuticals firm Eurolife Healthcare has entered into an agreement to acquire Baxter India's form-fill-seal (FFS) infusion business for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will allow Eurolife to consolidate its position as a prominent player in the segment and expand its FFS infusion manufacturing capacity, Eurolife Healthcare said in a statement. The company, however, did not provide any financial details of the proposed acquisition. "Eurolife is totally committed to making significant investments in the acquired facilities, in order to expand capacity to feed our flourishing FFS infusions business both locally and globally," Eurolife Healthcare CEO Sandeep Toshniwal said. Following the close of the transaction, Eurolife Healthcare will have a pan-India FFS infusions manufacturing presence in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, the company said. This will also help meet the growing demand for Eurolife's products from its export distribution network spread over 22 countries, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ancient Europeans may have been snacking on rodents such as mice and voles at least 5,000 years ago, a new study suggests. Rodents have not always been mere pests annoying the humans throughout their history, they may also have been their food source, researchers said. "Rodents are frequently excavated from older archaeological sites in Europe, but people have not examined why they are there," said Jeremy Herman, a biologist at the National Museums of Scotland in the UK. Researchers sifted through nearly 60,000 small mammal bones collected at the Skara Brae settlement on the largest island of the Orknay archipelago in Scotland. The researchers, after re-examining the bones, found the number of mouse bones was equal across all four trenches. However, the trench in one building had a greater accumulation of vole bones than the other three trenches. This suggests that the voles, who generally live in the fields and stay away from human homes, had been brought there deliberately by people, researchers said. The team found burn marks on several of the bones, suggesting the animals had been roasted, 'Los Angeles Times' reported. "The way they are burnt it is pretty clear that they were pretty much whole when they were stuck on the embers of a fire. I have not tried it myself, but I imagine they got pretty crisp on the outside," Herman said. The number of vole bones discovered by researchers suggests that the rodents were not a primary source of food for the inhabitants of Skara Brae. However, it still is clear that people were eating them, at least occasionally, researchers said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The chairman of the trust that ran the hospital where a devastating fire on Monday killed 21 people today turned himself in to police and was arrested even as the SIT on black money ordered a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the trust's financial transactions. Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the SUM Hospital here, surrendered before the police and 3.30 AM and was taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, barely hours after the Odisha police issued a Lookout Circular against him and another trustee Saswati Das. Nayak's arrest takes to five the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy, which also left scores injured. "Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation," Commissioner of Police, Y B Khurania told reporters. Even as he was being interrogated, information came that the The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Black Money has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe financial transactions of the trust he headed. Though the reason behind the SIT order was not immediately known, a senior police official said the ED has been directed to examine all financial transactions of the trust that runs several institutions including the SUM Hospital. Sources said Vice Chairman of the Supreme Court- appointed SIT on black money Justice Arijit Pasayat has also asked Odisha police to cooperate with the ED during their investigation. "We have received a letter from the SIT on black money last night asking us to cooperate with the ED which is to probe the money transactions of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust," said Director General of Police K B Singh. The SIT has asked the police to ensure that at no document or evidence pertaining to financial transactions of the trust including the hospital are tampered with or destroyed, the DGP said. He said efforts were on to apprehend Saswati Das. Earlier, four senior officials of Sum Hospital including its Medical Superintendent Pushparaj Samantasinghar had been arrested on Tuesday night on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state government's fire service department. The hospital officials were booked under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC. Union Health Minister J P Nadda, who rushed here from New Delhi under instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had yesterday said the facility was running without a valid fire safety clearance. The hospital was also accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of the state government to improve its firefighting apparatus. Another FIR was filed against the hospital authorities on behalf of Director, Medical Education and Training, alleging gross negligence in taking adequate fire safety measures. That apart, the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) is inquiring into the incident. Bhubaneshwar Police Commissioner Y B Khurania said more people could be arrested during the course of investigation. A "flood" of multi-storeyed buildings have been constructed on the floodbanks of Ganga and Yamuna over the years without devising any mechanism for waste disposal, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) told the National Green Tribunal today. The state pollution control board told the green panel that floodplains have been encroached upon in Delhi, Noida and Greater Noida to build apartments and housing societies. The UPPCB alleged that these buildings released tonnes of solid waste and untreated water, which went directly into the rivers causing pollution, and said those living in them should be directed to have their own sewage treatment plants (STPs). "Over the years, there has been a flood of residential and commercial buildings along the floodplains of Yamuna and Ganga. But the sewerage capacity has not changed. Presently, they take environmental clearance (EC) and discharge their solid waste and other garbage in the sewer lines in collusion with local bodies. Local authorities take money and grant them permission to discharge all waste in the sewer lines. "Also, there is no site for dumping of municipal solid waste. When you plan a new residential area like Greater Noida there must be an independent site. Whenever any colony, multi-storey building, apartment is constructed, it should be made mandatory in their EC condition that they must have their own STPs," UPPCB told the NGT. The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow. The Tribunal had yesterday lamented that the Ganga rejuvenation project, which is of national importance, was being carried out by officials "who do not know" how many drains are polluting the river. While setting up a panel to collect information on the quantum and quality of waste being released into the river, the NGT had said "a project of national importance is being carried out and all authorities including Centre and state government do not know how many drains are polluting Ganga." The NGT is hearing final arguments by various authorities on the mechanism to clean the Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao. The green panel had divided the work of cleaning the river into five segments -- Gomukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will travel to Sri Lanka over the weekend to discuss implementation of various decisions taken during the recent visits here by the President and Prime Minister of the island nation. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the aim of Jaishankar's visit is to discuss economic cooperation and to pursue various initiatives discussed between the leadership of the two countries. "Foreign Secretary is going to Colombo over this weekend to discuss economic coperation with Sri Lanka and to pursue various initiatives and ideas discussed during the two high-level visits of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe," he said. The contentious issue of capture of fishermen is also likely to figure during Jaishankar's visit to Colombo. After Sirisena's ascent to power, there have been several high-level visits by Indian and Sri Lankan leaders to each other's countries starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's in March 2015, which marked the first visit to the island nation by an Indian leader since 1987. Sirisena has twice visited India since January 2015. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also made his first overseas visit to India after assuming office. He had visited India earlier this month also. Sri Lanka and India enjoy a robust partnership and New Delhi is Colombo's largest partner in defence training. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Traders' body CAIT has strongly condemned the report published in China's Global Times in which the state-run daily, in reaction to boycott of Chinese goods in India, had said "Indian authorities bark" about the growing trade deficit. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) termed the remark as "great insult" to India and urged people to refrain from buying Chinese goods this Diwali. "The remarks by Chinese media are at a very low level speaks the mentality of China on this issue and also reflect the anxiety of China by the success of social media campaign (to boycott Chinese goods)," CAIT said. A piece in the Chinese newspaper had said: "Let the Indian authorities 'bark' about the growing trade deficit with China. The fact of the matter is they cannot do anything about it." CAIT National President BC Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that such a remark amounts to great insult of our country. "It appears that China is under a wrong impression that Indians can not celebrate Diwali without Chinese products. Let the Diwali festival give an appropriate answer to China since the campaign has deeply penetrated among women and children in houses beyond markets who have made up their mind not to purchase Chinese goods in this Diwali festival season," the traders' body said. However, it said, boycotting of Chinese products at this stage is not going to affect China since on every season as the goods are usually imported 2-3 months before adding that Indian traders will have to suffer losses, arguing that "nothing can beat patriotism". CAIT urged the Union Government to declare a policy for reimbursement of losses suffered by Indian traders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal today reviewed the operations of solid waste processing plant at Karsara here. The solid waste processing plant, which resumed operations in August after a gap of four years, was envisaged for the city under JNNURM on PPP modelwith capacity of 600 TPD. In May, NTPC was handed over the task to revive the plant and complete the pending work. NTPC made the plant functional within three months of taking up the task. Goyal said that the dispute between Varanasi Municipal Corporation and the company engaged in waste collection and disposal had led to itsabandonment since 2012. In absence of the plant in operation, entire waste of the city was dumped in Ramanavillage area which was a matter of concern for local residents. After the make-over, the plant capacity has been gradually increased and after processing 6,100 MT of waste in the first month of operation, has been able to process the entire daily waste collection from the city for 4 consecutive days since 15th October 2016. Goyal also held meeting with officialsto review the progress of various central government schemes in the Varanasi district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Haryana government today dismissed two doctors and suspend as many officers while ordering showcause against five others for alleged dereliction of duty in redress of the complaints received at 'CM window' grievances portal. These orders were issued today by Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rakesh Gupta and OSD to Chief Minister Bhupeshwar Dayal during a meeting with Nodal officers to review the progress of complaints received on CM window here. They expressed displeasure over the performance of Regional Officer, Hisar and Bahadurgarh of Haryana State Pollution Control Board, K Das, in dealing complaints on CM window and ordered his suspension, an official release said here. Besides, they also ordered to suspend Block Elementary Education Officer, Panipat Satbir Saroha for not investigating properly the complaint against a private school. Apart from this, orders have also been issued to terminate the services of Dr. Dara Singh and Dr R. P. Sharma, the release further said. Showcause notices were issued to District Food and Supplies Officer Seema Sharma of Mewat, Assistance Excise and Taxation Officer Vijay Kumar, Police Inspector Gharaunda Rajbir Singh, Station House Officer Taoru and Nodal Officer of Mines and Geology Department for delay in redress of grievances received on CM Window. Bhupeshwar Dayal directed the Nodal Officers to redress the grievances received on CM Window on priority basis and said that laxity in this regard would not be tolerated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Calcutta High Court today refused to stay the appointment of primary school teachers in West Bengal, the process for which has already started for thousands of selected candidates. Hearing a PIL filed by a few candidates who claimed that the appointment process was illegal, a division bench comprising justices Dipankar Dutta and S Chatterjee, however, held that the appointments would depend on the outcome of the petition. Refusing to entertain a prayer for injunction on the appointment of candidates in the post of primary teachers, the division bench directed that the state education department may go ahead with the process. The PIL would be heard by the court in due course of time and the appointments would depend on the outcome of the petitions and everyone would abide by the outcome of the final order, the court directed. Around 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the Teachers Eligibity Test (TET), results of which were declared by the state education department in September following disposal of petitions challenging the examination process in the high court. The interview of candidates is on at present following the declaration of results of the written examination. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HELENA Dinosaurs have roared into Montana's race for governor with a renowned paleontologist who consulted with Steven Spielberg on the "Jurassic Park" movies saying the Republican candidate would spend taxpayer money on private schools that teach creationism and mislead children about how old the Earth is. A new television ad features former Montana State University paleontologist Jack Horner saying candidate Greg Gianforte thinks the Earth is only a few thousand years old. Horner says Gianforte supports using taxpayer money to fund "private schools that obscure the truth about dinosaurs and the age of the Earth." "He'll say I'm attacking his religion I'm not," Horner says in the ad. "We just need to make sure that our kids learn the truth. I'd think twice about voting for Greg Gianforte." Gianforte, a Bozeman technology entrepreneur who is making his first run for political office, is in a tight race against incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Gianforte campaign spokesman Aaron Flint on Wednesday called the ad silly and said it misrepresents Gianforte's strong support of public schools and teachers. "From his personal support of CodeMontana, computer science in every high school, support for more trades education and more Greg is proposing increasing investments in our public schools once he's elected governor," Flint said. Gianforte does not have an opinion on the Earth's age, Flint said. Regarding Gianforte's views on evolution, Flint forwarded a comment made last year by Gianforte in which he said, "I believe young people should be taught how to think, not what to think, and a diversity of views are what should be presented." The ad is funded by a newly formed political action committee called Montanans for Truth in Public Schools, a group whose spending was part of a state-by-state analysis given to The Associated Press by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit news organization. It aired over the weekend in the Billings, Bozeman and Missoula markets. The committee's treasurer, Adrian Cohea, said the group is concerned that Gianforte would promote teaching creationism and intelligent design alongside evolution. "The purpose of the group is to educate the public about Ginaforte's desire to use public dollars to fund private schools that may be teaching methodologies in evolution that are at odds with scientific consensus," Cohea said. Documents obtained by The Associated Press show the group is funded by 12 donors. Its two largest donors are Billings television broadcasting pioneer Joe Sample and Helena real estate developer Alan Nicholson. Gianforte has steadfastly refused to talk about his religion, and it has not emerged as a major issue in the campaign. He attends and helped build an expansion to Grace Bible Church in Bozeman and has donated millions of dollars to religious organizations in the U.S. and in Africa, according to tax records released by Gianforte last year. The tax records show Gianforte's foundation also donated $290,000 to a museum that holds the creationist view that humans and dinosaurs coexisted. Horner, one of the world's best-known dinosaur researchers, left Montana State University's Museum of the Rockies over the summer. Michael Crichton based the character Alan Grant on Horner in the 1990 book "Jurassic Park," and Steven Spielberg brought Horner on as a technical adviser on all of the "Jurassic Park" movies. Horner declined to comment Wednesday, saying the ad speaks for itself. In an interview with The Associated Press in May, Horner dismissed creationism as "pseudo-science." The leaders of France and Germany lashed today at President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's bombardment of Syria's Aleppo and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Russia. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its (Russian) backers must end," French President Francois Hollande said after a meeting between the three leaders in Berlin. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the air raids on Syria's second city as "inhumane and cruel". Both leaders warned that they could not exclude imposing sanctions on Russia, hours ahead of an EU summit where Russia's role in Syria is set to be discussed. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said at a press conference, while Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option". Turning to a planned ceasefire due to begin in Aleppo later this morning, Hollande said that Putin appeared to be ready to extend the truce, set to last for 11 hours. "We came out of the meeting with the impression that there could be an extension of the truce, but it's up to the Syrian regime and Russia to show it," he said. A truce of just a few hours would not be enough to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and allow civilians to leave the area, Hollande added. The Syrian army separately said that the ceasefire would last three days. Aleppo, held by rebels determined to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has come under heavy bombardment since the Russian-backed military announced an offensive in late September to regain control of the east. Air strikes there have flattened numerous residential buildings and civilian facilities, in a campaign the European Union said could amount to war crimes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A large number of supporters of Manojranjan Nayak, the founder-president of SOA Charitable Trust that runs SUM Hospital, today staged demonstration protesting his arrest in front of Khandagiri Police Station here. The demonstrators, which included employees of SOA University and residents of nearby villages, protested against the arrest of Nayak made on the basis of an FIR filed by the fire service department. Bhubaneswar DCP Saytabrata Bhoi rushed to the spot and the demonstrators dispersed. Demonstrations were also organised in Jeypore and Berhampur. Nayak's supporters staged demonstration before office of the IG, Southern Range at Berhampur. Kalinga Gramya Unnayan Parishad, an outfit of villagers, also participated in the demonstration and alleged that the livelihood of a number of locals will get affected if the hospital is closed over the fire mishap. The Odisha Private Hospital Owners Association also came in support of Nayak. "We demand withdrawal of case against Nayak and his release. This is because the state government has not formulated rules under the Odisha Clinical Establishment (control and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016," the association's secretary Aditya Prasad Routray said. It also threatened to launch an agitation if the case is not withdrawn. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Odisha government for the first time today admitted lapses in the fire safety measures in Sum Hospital where 21 people perished in a blaze. "There was lapse in the fire safety measures of the Sum Hospital. Action will be taken as per the provisions of the law," state Health Minister Atanu S Nayak told reporters, a day after Health Minister J P Nadda pointed out faults in the safety measures in the facility. Nayak's statement came three days after a massive fire broke out in the hospital claiming 21 lives. The government is yet to receive reports of two separate inquiries being conducted by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner and Director of Medical Education and Training. Earlier, the Director General of Fire Service Binay Behera had noted that Sum Hospital did not follow the fire safety norms. Nayak, who has been accused by opposition parties of shielding Sum Hospital owner Manojranjan Nayak, said, "Police have arrested five officials, including the owner of the hospital, on the basis of an FIR by the Fire Service Department." Promising stringent action against those responsible, the minister said precautionary measures were being taken to avoid a repeat of the incident in any of the health facilities in the state. "We have passed the Odisha Clinical Establishments (Control and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016. The provisions are there for penalty of Rs 5 lakh and 6 month jail term for the violators of the legislation," the minister said. Congress leader and former MP Pradeep Majhi said, "We demand immediate resignation of the health minister." "If the health minister does not perform his job properly, then the accountability lies with the Chief Minister. Both the health minister and the chief minister have to either perform or step down," general secretary of Odisha BJP Prithwiraj Harichandan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Government today said it is planning to develop Gurugram as 'Smart City' at its own level. The announcement was made in a meeting here between Chief Secretary DS Dhesi and British Deputy High Commissioner David Lelliott, who had called on Dhesi to invite him for an interactive session on 'Infrastructure and Urban Development' to be held here on October 21, an official release said. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been set up to develop Faridabad as Smart City and consultants are being appointed for the same. Faridabad would be developed on PPP mode, the release further said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Institute of Technology Madras, has proposed to set up a Centre for Advanced Automotive Research in collaboration with German-based Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. IIT Madras had signed the letter of intent with Fraunhofer Institute IWU Germany for its proposal to set up the Applied Centre for Advanced Automotive Research, a press release said. "This is a partnership where we are engaging with Fraunhofer, Germany. We want the Centre to be a delivery centre that delivers R&D solutions of excellent level and in a timely fashion", IIT Madras, Dean (ICSR), professor Krishnan Balasubramanian said. "We are excited about this coolaboration and look forward to expanding our already extensive engagement with India", IWU Frauhofer, Executive Director, Dr Ing Dirk Landgrebe said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even as China has indicated its unwillingness to support India's attempt to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the country will still go ahead with its plans to have 63,000 MW of nuclear capacity by 2032. "We want to be a part of the NSG. We are in talks with the member countries as well as China. India believes there will be a positive outcome from its dialogue with China," Atomic Energy Commission of India member Ravi Grover told reporters on the sidelines of India Nuclear Energy Summit here today. When asked about country's stand if the talks with China do not go through, Grover said, "We are hopeful they will go through. But if they don't, we will continue with our plans in expanding our nuclear power capacities." At present, India has a total capacity of 6,000 MW and plans to reach 63,000 MW by 2032. Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. To prevent India's entry in the elite group, China has stated that NSG's rules disallow a member who has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India, however, has already made its position clear that it would not surrender its national interest by signing the accord, but its track record of non-proliferation should entitle it to join the NSG. India was granted an NSG waiver in 2008 that allows it to engage in nuclear commerce, but deprives it of a vote in the organisation's decision making. When asked about the progress in the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra, Grover said there was a consensus on all the parameters, including technical issues, but the crucial part of financing is yet to be decided on. "We are currently negotiating on the financing and cost aspect as we want to provide power from these plants at affordable tariffs. Once we come to a conclusion on this aspect, we will then go ahead with developing the plan for setting up of the project," Grover, also director of Homi Bhabha National Institute, said. State-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) is in talks with French Company EDF that has agreed to build six LWRs (light-water reactors) with a capacity of 1650 MW each. He said similar negotiations were on with the US-based WestingHouse Co which is expected to build another six units of 1,000 MW each in Andhra Pradesh. "Our intent is to arrive at mutual acceptable technical and commercial terms that enable a viable tariff regime," Grover added. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has invited french food companies to invest in India and said 100 per cent FDI in marketing of food products offers vast opportunities for the global firms. The minister is on an official visit to SIAL Food Show 2016 in France. During the course of her visit, she met key industry players in France to discuss investment and collaboration opportunities between India and France in food processing, food technology and retail industries, industry body CII said in a statement. Speaking at the Fourth Edition of 'France-India Agribusiness and Food Processing Industries', Badal reiterated the need for enhanced cooperation between India and France in this sector. "With increasing disposable income and changing consumer preferences in India, retail and e-commerce are booming in the food segment and this is where the opportunity lies. "Over the past two years the Government of India has taken a number of policy decisions to spur vibrant growth in the food processing segment. With such a progressive policy outlook, we will offer full support towards new collaborations and greater investment," she said. The government has recently allowed 100 per cent FDI through FIPB route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. This path-breaking initiative has opened up vast opportunities for international companies to invest in India in the food processing supply and marketing chain. "The French food companies expressed interest in doing business in Indian during the interaction with the Minister of Food Processing," CII said. Badal interacted with top food companies in France, sharing with them the huge business potential in India's food processing sector and encouraging the French companies to explore India as an investment destination. She had one to one meetings with senior leadership of French companies, including Savencia Fromage & Dairy, the leading cheese company in France, Sodiaal - the leading dairy cooperative of France, Groupe Auchan - one of the leading retail chains in France and Axreal -the topmost grain cooperative of France. Badal also met companies from other countries which are actively looking at India, as an investment destination, that include: Gordon Food Service (USA), Friesland Campina (Netherlands), the Colryut Group (Belgium). She met Stephane Le Foll, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, France to discuss strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the food processing sector. Badal also invited the companies and various associations to participate with their delegation on the occasion of the World Food 2017 - a three day flagship event being organized by the food processing ministry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu suffered a narrow loss against Sayaka Sato of Japan in women's singles to draw curtains on Indian campaign at Denmark Super Series premier, here today. In a battle of nerve, Sindhu went down fighting 13-21 23-21 18-21 to World No. 12 Sato in a second round match that lasted an hour and five minutes. It was Sindhu first event after the Olympics and she will be back at French Open next week. It was a bad day for India at Denmark as Ajay Jayaram and H S Prannoy also suffered losses in the second round of men's singles competition here. Jayaram fought hard before going down 21-23 15-21 to Shi Yuqi of China, while Prannoy lost 10-21 20-22 to top seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in a gruelling contest. Sindhu fought back from 1-3 to lead 12-8 at one stage but she blew it as sato marched ahead, reeling off sixth points and then grabbing seven straight points. In the second game, Sindhu was 10-15 down but she didnt give up and turned the tables after being tied 21-21 at one stage. The decider was another tough battle as both the shuttlers went neck and neck till 18-18 when the Japanese surged ahead. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indonesian police shot dead a man carrying knives, suspected pipe bombs and a symbol of the Islamic State group after he launched a daylight assault on officers near Jakarta today, an official said. The man was shot three times as he stabbed wildly at officers on a busy intersection in Tangerang, a satellite city outside the capital, Jakarta police spokesman Awi Setiyono told AFP. Setiyono said the perpetrator threw two suspected pipe bombs at the officers, but neither detonated, and displayed an IS symbol on a nearby traffic pole during the frenzied attack. "A man suddenly stuck an IS logo sticker on a traffic police post, took a machete from his bag and blindly attacked our personnel," he said. The attacker - believed to be a member of a local hardline group - was also carrying a turban, along with knives and the suspected bombs, Setiyono added. The 21-year-old attacker later died from his wounds, the spokesman said. He said police investigating the case had discovered that two of the attacker's brothers were police officers in Tangerang. Three officers were injured and taken to hospital. Police have often been the target of attacks by extremists in Indonesia, a country that has long struggled with Islamic militancy. In January, police officers were targeted by gunmen and suicide bombers at a traffic post in central Jakarta. The IS-claimed attack left four civilians and four militants dead, and injured several police officers. Police and military personnel have also been killed in clashes with extremists in a remote part of Sulawesi, where for years a ragtag militant group has been waging a conflict against security forces from their jungle hideout. Indonesia suffered significant attacks in the 2000s including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists. A sustained crackdown weakened the most dangerous networks but IS has proved a potent new rallying cry for Indonesia's radicals, stoking fears that militants fighting with the group could seek to organise attacks back home. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Pakistani troops suspectedly providing cover fire, 4-6 heavily-armed militants today tried to sneak into India through the International Border in Jammu but the attempt was foiled by alert BSF which claimed to have injured or killed at least one of them. "BSF will soon be lodging a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers for the nefarious activities from Pakistan territory, particularly from the area nearby their post," said the spokesman of the paramilitary force about the incident in Hiranagar area of Kathua district. "Last night, movement of a group of terrorists was noticed on the Pakistan side of International Border. Their movement was kept under watch by alert BSF troops," the spokesman said. At about 2345 hours, the group of heavily-armed terrorists were again spotted by alert BSF troops close to IB on the Pakistan side where they reached taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth. "Terrorists took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth," he said. In view of this, all the nearby BSF and Army posts as well as Police were alerted. "At about 2355 hours, militants fired two RPG shells aiming BSF night patrol vehicle in the area followed by heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons towards patrolling party and BSF duty points," the spokesman said. BSF troops retaliated. "The firing from BSF was not only to suppress their (militants') fire but also to create havoc among terrorists," he said, adding it not only pinned them down but forced them to retreat. "During illumination of Para bomb fire, it was clearly seen by BSF troops that four terrorists were fleeing and also dragging one of their injured or killed associate," the spokesman said. Earlier, BSF Inspector General (Jammu Frontier) D K Upadhyaya said a group of 4 to 6 militants made an infiltration bid into Indian side along IB and attacked one vehicle carrying troops on patrolling with RPGs followed by heavy and indiscriminate firing at forward area (Bobiya) in Kathua last night. The vehicle was patrolling the borderline at the time of the infiltration bid, he said, adding that BSF troops guarding the borderline fired back heavily resulting in exchanges. He said that there was possibly support fire from the Border Out Posts (BoPs) of Pakistan troops. "Because BoPs are close by, so there is possibility of tactical support of rangers as well," he said. The militants retreated, taking advantage of thick growth of bushes and darkness, the officer said, adding that "when we fired para bombs for illumination of the area, the militants escaping back were carrying one injured back." They continued firing and BSF troops fired for over 20 minutes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Imagine being in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and stepping into a very foreign country and yet a very familiar country. Imagine realizing a childhood dream and a dream of a lifetime. Those are some of the impressions my good friend Joey Puettman had when he ventured to the other side of the world to experience a fly fisher's bucket list item, fishing for taimen (Hucho taimen). The taimen is a salmonid that lives in eastern Asia. The tributaries of the Amur River are some of its core habitat. Taimen are piscivores, they feed on other fish, though they won't pass up a rodent or a bird that might come by. Taimen are long-lived and can attain an age of 55 years. They can reach 59 to 71 inches. The International Game Fish Association world record is 92.8 pounds. Puettman realized a long time ago that he needed to save for this trip of a lifetime. He started saving about five years ago and soon after contacted Scott Heywood, of Angling Destinations, to book a trip. Heywood has worldwide angling opportunities, and he had the right trip for Puettman. Heywood booked Puettman with Mongolia River Outfitters, and the trip was cast. Puettman said that the last year and a half was spent in planning and preparation. A lot of the trip was just getting there: it took him three days of travel to reach the Onon River in Mongolia. He flew from Billings to Seattle to Seoul, South Korea, to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. From there he took a small plane to the Onon River and then rode in a Russian SUV for a couple hours before meeting his guides and other anglers. The guides were international in origin: one was from New Zealand; one from Australia; one from Chile; and one from Morocco," Puettman said. "They all loved to fish and guide, and they traveled the world to guide in various areas. We floated the river in American-made drift boats that were brought in containers. The Onon River was like no place I had ever been, and yet it seemed like places I had been only as they must have been 1,000 years ago," Puettman said. "It reminded me of sections of the Madison River, Bighorn River, or Wind River Canyon in many ways. The amazing thing about the area was that there were no fences and no 'No Trespassing' signs. We were the only boats on the river. Can you imagine fishing a river in the U.S. where you don't see another fisherman or boat? We'd see nomadic herders in the distance. They seemed to be as curious to view us floating by in drift boats as we were to view them. Puettman fished an 8 weight Sage SP rod with a floating line. He used tube flies that were mainly white with a lot of Krystal Flash. He used a heavy, rather short leader. Fishing for taimen was somewhat different than fishing for trout, Puettman recounted. They didn't seem to like the deep troughs, but rather on the edges of slack water, where side channels or tributaries entered, off shelves and ledges and from around fallen trees. They are the ultimate ambush predator. Taimen are smart. They are hard to catch and just because you hook one doesn't mean you are going to land it. You don't let down until the fish is in the net. Taimen have hard mouths so a draw strike is needed to drive the hook home. You can't fight them too hard or too soft; it's a careful balancing act. If you let them get into the heavy current, you will lose them and yet if you horse them, they'll break off. When a taimen fights, it will often go into a spiral that requires a lot of rod maneuvering. Puettman said that fishing for taimen and the atmosphere of the trip was a lot like hunting for elk and elk camp. The anglers and guides had a camaraderie that had everyone cheering for one another. Everybody knew that taimen weren't easy to catch, and the previous group had only landed one during the entire trip. The accommodations were quite ritzy, Puettman said. When we arrived at camp in the evening we would be greeted with wine and cheese as we stepped out of the boat. We slept in snug, very comfortable yurts and enjoyed wonderful meals. Puettman and the others did catch taimen and other fish. One of the other species was a lenok, a salmonid of northeast Asia; another was an Amur trout; and finally a black-spotted pike (Amur pike). The pike looked like a northern pike but with black spots instead of white ones. Puettman said that the Onon River flows within a few miles of the Russian border, and that they were close enough at times to see border outposts. The highlight of the trip was the last day's float of 15 miles. Puettman's group was the first foreign fly fishers to ever fish those miles. It was an awesome experience to realize that I was part of an original expedition; I was first to cast a fly into that water. The last day didn't disappoint Puettman he landed a 36-inch taimen. That fish gave me all the fight I could handle. He ran, spiraled, and tried every move possible he didn't quit for the entire 15 minutes I fought him. I couldn't relax until the guide netted him and brought him aboard. To compound the group's success, another angler landed a 51-inch taimen on the last hour of the trip. Wow, what a way to close things out. Though another angler had caught a bigger fish, Puettman's elation was unbounded; he had landed a fish of a lifetime and fulfilled a quest that will sustain him into old age and the grave. He'll relish that trip and realize that he made his dream come true. Strong demand from HNIs and institutional buyers saw bids worth Rs 2,700 crore coming in on the first day of government's 15 per cent stake sale in construction company NBCC. The share sale attracted bids for over 11.08 crore shares as against 7.20 crore offered to institutional investors, garnering a subscription of 1.54 times, according to the stock exchange data. Most of the bids came at Rs 246.73 per share, slightly higher than the floor or minimum bid price of Rs 246.50. At this price, subscription of over 11.08 crore shares totalled over Rs 2,700 crore. As many as 9 crore shares are being sold over two days. The offer for sale (OFS) will open tomorrow for retail subscribers with 1.80 crore shares on table. Disinvestment Secretary Neeraj Gupta said today's share sale received widespread participation from High Networth Individuals (HNIs), MFs, banks, insurance firms and FIIs. According to sources, the buying indicated that market sentiment is strong and the retail investor portion is expected to get fully bid for tomorrow. Retail investors are being given 5 per cent discount to the share allotment price. Any unsubscribed portion of the retail category will be allocated to the un-allotted bids of institutional buyers who have chosen to carry forward their bids tomorrow. Shares of NBCC closed at Rs 251.15, down 0.73 per cent over previous close on BSE. Government holds 90 per cent in the company, which has a market capitalisation of Rs 15,180 crore. The sale will help the company meet Sebi norms that mandated PSUs to have a minimum public holding of 25 per cent. Further, the offer would also open for subscription by NBCC employees after 12 weeks of completion of the OFS. The stake sale is part of the government's Rs 56,600 crore disinvestment programme for the current fiscal. So far this fiscal, the government has raised Rs 6,414 crore through OFS and buyback of equity. NBCC is the third disinvestment through the OFS route by the government in the current fiscal. It had sold 7 per cent stake in Hindustan Copper to raise Rs 400 crore in September and 11.36 per cent in NHPC in April to garner Rs 2,716 crore. The Cabinet had in July this year cleared disinvestment in the project management consultancy and real estate development company. NBCC was listed on the bourses in 2012 when government diluted 10 per cent stake to raise Rs 127 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Elite Iraqi forces on Thursday retook a town on the eastern edge of while Kurdish peshmerga opened a new front in the offensive to wrest back the jihadists' last bastion in Iraq. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told an meeting in Paris that the four-day-old offensive was "advancing faster than expected". France and Iraq were co-chairing the meeting on the future of Mosul, which observers have warned could raise even greater humanitarian and interconfessional challenges than the massive military operation to retake it. In some areas, the Iraqi advance was met by a trickle of civilians fleeing both the fighting and the jihadists who ruled them for two years, but the feared mass exodus from had yet to materialise. The counter-terrorism service (CTS), Iraq's best-trained and most battle-seasoned force, retook full control of Bartalla, a town that lies less than 15 kilometres east of . "I announce to the people of Bartalla and Mosul we have complete control over Bartalla," CTS commander Taleb Sheghati al-Kenani told reporters from the town. "Its residents, its churches and all of its infrastructure are now under the control of CTS," he said of the small Christian town that IS seized when it swept across the Nineveh plain in August 2014. Some 120,000 Iraqi Christians were forced to flee their homes at the time. Further north Kurdish peshmerga forces opened a new front with a multiple-pronged assault on the town of Bashiqa. "The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL's movements," the peshmerga command said, using an alternative acronym for IS. At dawn, bulldozers flattened a path for forces in armoured vehicles to carve their way down towards Bashiqa. As tanks and personnel carriers prepared to advance, a shadow glided above them and one peshmerga shouted "drone!" Fighters opened fire at it with every weapon available, causing an almighty din and lighting up the dim morning sky, until it fell to the ground and the troops resumed their advance. An AFP reporter in the village of Nawaran near Bashiqa saw the downed drone, a Raven RQ-11B model similar to a booby-trapped one that killed two Kurdish fighters and wounded two French soldiers a week ago. Iraqi federal forces and the peshmerga have not divulged casualty figures in this offensive. On Thursday, IS released a short video showing the bodies of what it said were two peshmerga, hung by their feet from a bridge in central Mosul. A US service member was killed today when an improvised explosive device went off, the coalition said. An Israeli Arab couple appeared in an Israeli court today on "terror" charges for going to Iraq with their children and joining the Islamic State group, officials said. It was the first known case of an entire Israeli Arab family joining up with the jihadist organisation, said a spokeswoman for the Shin Bet domestic security agency. Wissam, 41, and Sabreen Zbedat, 30, from the northern Israeli town of Sakhnin, flew to Romania in June 2015 with their children aged three, six and eight, the Shin Bet and Israeli police said in statements. From there they travelled to Turkey, Syria and on to Iraq, where IS recruited them, the authorities said. The police said it was Sabreen, the wife, who convinced her husband to join and he then received religious instruction and military training before going into combat. Wounded in the leg, he was hospitalised in the IS stronghold of Mosul where his family was staying. Sabreen worked at a hospital in the northern city and the children attended schools, the police said. They decided to leave Mosul because of international coalition bombardment, harsh conditions imposed by IS and pressure from relatives in Israel. The return journey took eight months, according to the Israeli police. After several failed attempts they passed from Syria into Turkey, paying thousands of dollars to smugglers, but were arrested by the Turks after crossing the border. They arrived back in Israel on September 22 and were arrested at the airport. The children were put in the care of family. The parents were charged today in Haifa district court on counts of joining a terror organisation and visiting an enemy country. Several Arabs from northern Israel have been arrested for alleged links with IS and around 50 Israeli Arabs are believed to be among its ranks in Syria and Iraq at present. Israeli Arabs are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank shot dead a Palestinian teenager who hurled rocks at a patrol today, the army said. "Rocks were hurled at the soldiers, wounding one of them lightly," a spokeswoman told AFP, adding that the soldiers first fired warning shots "and then (fired) toward the suspect resulting in his death." The incident occurred in the Beit Ummar area near the city of Hebron. The Palestinian health ministry named the dead stronethrower as Khaled Bahar, 15. Violence since October 2015 has killed 235 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead during protests or clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Israeli police today defended officers who shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian accused of trying to stab them, after video emerged appearing to show them fire at her as she lay on the ground. Police said an inquiry had been opened into the yesterday shooting, as is usually done with fatal incidents. "The video shows a partial picture of the event," police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a statement. "It is not possible to see the terrorist moving towards the officers while handling the knife and endangering their lives. "From the recording of the event it is possible to see that immediately after the danger was neutralised and had passed, the officers stopped firing, closed the area and proceeded to do the follow-ups on the incident." The Palestinian foreign ministry harshly criticised yesterday's shooting, saying in a statement that "the recording shows the soldiers continued to shoot her despite her falling to the ground and not representing any threat to them." The incidents came as Jews celebrated the week-long holiday of Sukkot, the third of three successive Jewish holidays that have led to tensions with the Palestinians in the past. Sukkot, which ends on Monday evening, sees thousands of Jews visit the Western Wall in east Jerusalem's Old City, while a smaller number go to the nearby Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The sensitive compound is holy to both Muslims and Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egyptian officials who have received training in India under various scholarship programmes have come back and contributed to Egypt's economy and society, the Indian envoy here said today and underlined the importance of exchange of skills in deepening bilateral ties. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day was celebrated at the Indian Embassy in Zamalek today, an event which was attended by a large number of Egyptian government and military officials along with other nationals who have been trained in India in various courses organised under the ITEC Programme as well as ICCR Scholarships. India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya said that ITEC and ICCR Scholarships play a vital role in exchange of experiences and skills relevant for developing countries, build personal bonds and provide a template of innovation and progress. The envoy expressed satisfaction that Egyptian ITEC Scholars had come back after their training in India to contribute to their economy and society and that India had been able to increase the available slots over time. Mona Ahmed, Under Secretary in Egypt's Ministry of International Cooperation, noted that Egypt highly values its cooperation with India and its contribution to the building of relations. The Egyptian Armed Forces, who also avail of ITEC programme, also expressed happiness with the exchanges in updating skills and building bonds. Nearly 740 Egyptian government officials, military officers and scholars have attended various short-term and long-term training courses in the last few years under the ITEC and related programmes. The Indian government is offering 110 ITEC slots to Egyptian nationals on a yearly basis. In addition, Egyptian scholars who travelled to India on the C V Raman Fellowship, India-Africa Forum Summit training programme as well as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships also attended the ITEC Day Reception. These scholarships are offered for graduate, post graduate and doctoral studies in both the sciences and the arts. The Embassy has set up social media connections through Facebook and WhatsApp groups to bring the alumni together and to generate discussion about future cooperation activities. Launched in 1964, as a programme of cooperation and partnership from India to address the needs of friendly countries, including in the human resources development, the ITEC Programme is an important component of India's economic relations with Egypt. Under this programme of cooperation and partnership, India shares its technical expertise with Egypt. The ITEC Scheme offers training in over 280 courses in 47 prestigious educational, technical and vocational institutes in India in a variety of fields ranging from information technology, management, vocational training, rural development, banking, finance and auditing among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hit by the lingering uncertainty over highend diesel cars, the Tatas-owned Jaguar Land Rover India today launched its maiden crossover SUV the F-Pace with a 2-liter diesel engine, making this the lowest powered offering from the British luxe carmaker. The crossover SUV also comes with a 3-liter diesel engine and are priced at Rs 68.4 lakh for the 2-liter Pure variant, which goes up to Rs 74.5 lakh for the Prestige variant, and Rs 1.02 crore for the 3-liter R Sport variant and, finally to Rs 1.12 crore for the First Edition. All prices are ex-showroom- New Delhi. Jaguar Land Rover India President Rohit Suri told PTI today that the F-Pace has no direct rivals in the domestic market and may be the Porsche Macan and the BMW X5 could be the distant competition. When asked about the rationale for a separate SUV brand under the Jaguar brand as group company Land Rover is an SUV only player, Suri told PTI that they launched the F-Pace last year globally as the world over there is an increasing trend of moving to SUVs. Jaguar never had an SUV as it has always been known for its sedans and Suri termed the F-Pace launch as "a historic moment for Jaguar globally". Whether the company will lower the prices of its various models here following the massive 18 per cent plunge in the British pound on the back of the Brexit vote in June, Suri said no as pricing is a long-term strategy and not one or two currency specific. "We will not lower the prices massively for the sake of doing it or to ramp up volume. This is despite the fact that we did it with good result for the Jaguar XJ last year as our price was too different in the higher side. "We take a long term of the pricing as we source from across the globe and the massive currency depreciation in a few units cannot be a reason for a deeper price cut. Having said, that of course we will look at that option going forward but am sure it won't be massive as we did with the XJ," Suri said. When asked about the customer response to the F-Pace as the company had announced the prices earlier this month, he said very good but did not quantify. He said there is no immediate plan to locally assemble the F-Pace. JLR makes five models at its Pune plant-three from the Jaguar stable and two from the Land Rover. The Jaguar portfolio range includes F-Type, XF, XJ, XE and the F-Pace. Sure said the car will be available at all the 23 dealers from today. The company will have three more dealerships by March, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The administration of Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre today refuted the charges levelled on it by Deputy Leader of Opposition Ramesh Meena who had demanded cancellation of concessional land allotment made to the hospital. Director SG Pareek said the hospital administration was not violating the land allotment's terms and conditions which also includes free treatment to poor patients. "There is no irregularity. The hospital had submitted a report to the administration and Lokayukta in which also no irregularity was found," he said. "The hospital is being run as per norms and conditions and the facility of free treatment to poor patients is being provided as per the norm ever since its inception," he added. Meena had yesterday alleged that the hospital, run by a memorial trust, has violated norms and claimed that different probe committees have found irregularities in providing free treatment to the poor patients. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirty graduating students of Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad will be offered scholarships by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to study in Japanese universities. The announcement was made during the 6th Edition of the Academic Fair, organised under the aegis of JICA-FRIENDSHIP project, at Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H) campus. These scholarships would be offered to 30 graduating students of IIT-H to pursue masters or PhD and would cover tuition fees and logistics, a JICA statement said. The project has been initiated by JICA to facilitate development of research networks between institutions of higher learning and industrial clusters in Japan with IIT-H "that would lead to excellence in education and applied research in science and engineering". "FRIENDSHIP connotes Future Researchers at IIT-H to enhance Network Development with Scholarship of Japan. Under the project, scholarships are offered to students of IIT-H to pursue degrees such as PhD at internationally renowned universities in Japan, such as Tohoku University, University of Tokyo, Keio University, Waseda University, Nagoya University, Kyoto University, Ritsumeikan University, Osaka University and Kyushu University", it added. In the 6th Edition of the Academic Fair, The University of Tokyo, The University of Usaka, The University of Keio and The University of Ritsumeikan along with 23 Japanese Companies participated and shared insights on the various opportunities offered by JICA. Japan's Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu also attended the event and delivered his speech to encourage students to visit Japan and study there. A "tremendous progress" under the JICA-FRIENDSHIP project was observed where 37 IIT-H graduates - six students of Masters and 31 PhD students -- were sent to Japan in nine universities. Among these students, one graduate joined Suzuki, another joined Nisaan and the third one joined DRI. 44 Japanese faculties also visited India for academic interaction in December 2015. During the Academic Fair, faculty members from the Japanese universities shared with the students at IIT-H the scope for applied research and study, and the academia- industry linkages at the universities where such research is seamlessly applied for industrial development. Speakers at the Academic Fair included Prof.Hiroshi Esaki, Professor, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology and University of Tokyo, and Dr. KatsutoshiToda, Chairman & Managing Director,Toshiba Transmission and Distribution Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. JICA is extending integrated support to IIT-H through ODA (Official Development Assistance) loan of JPY 23,035 million (Rs 1,336 crore) for its campus development, joint research collaboration, and academic exchanges to develop new methodology of technical innovation as well as respond to the needs from the industrial sector. JICA's support is facilitating development of a research centre complex, technology incubation park and an international convention centre on the campus, procurement of laboratory equipment for these facilities and for the various engineering departments, among other initiatives, the statement added. Charging incumbent operators of "anti-competitive behaviour", Reliance Jio Infocomm today said over 75 per cent of calls on its network are still failing due to insufficient interconnection facility provided by other operators. "The customers of India have continued to face severe quality of service issues owing to inadequate release of points of interconnection by the incumbent mobile operators to Jio. Call failure rates continue to be severe with over 75 calls failing out of every 100 call attempts on the networks of some of the operators," Reliance Industries said in a statement. "Indian public have not been able to enjoy Jio's free voice offer as a result of such anticompetitive behaviour of incumbent operators in breach of license conditions," the statement said. The company is offering free phone call and 4G mobile broadband service till December 31. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had set a deadline of October 17, 2016 to mobile operators to resolve the matter so that customers do not experience poor quality of service. Trai has observed high level of congestion in telecom networks leading to call failure on Reliance Jio's network. "This is in breach of Quality of Service regulation that not more than 5 calls out of every 1,000 call attempts can fail. While Jio has rolled out a state-of-the-art network, the benefits of superior voice technology have been denied to public at large due to the POI congestion," RJio said. Jio has been alleging that Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are denying it required number of interconnection points. However, the incumbents have said that they have provided sufficient points of interconnection (PoIs) to meet requirement of Jio as per industry average. In the letter dated October 12, marked to Telecom Secretary and Trai Chairman, Jio alleged average call drop experienced by its customer as on October 8 was as high as 87 per cent on Vodafone and 67 per cent on Idea network for NLD service. The company has sought interconnection facility for supporting 100 million mobile subscribers by March 2017. Jio has achieved this growth faster than any other telecom operator or start up in the world including the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp and Skype, it added. "Jio has created a world record by crossing 16 million subscribers in its first month of operations (September 2016)," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) JM Financial will buy over 17 per cent stake in India Home Loan Ltd, by acquiring full holding of one of the promoters and another's non locked-in shares. As per the share purchase agreement between the company and JM Financial, Anant Bhalotia will sell his entire shareholding of 8.77 per cent and Rishabh Siroya his 8.76 per cent of non locked-in shares. The board has considered and recorded the intention of one of "the present promoters, Anant Bhalotia, to sell his entire shareholding in the company 996,890 equity shares of the company (8.77 per cent) to JM Financial Products Ltd (JM Financial) and one of the other promoters, Rishabh Siroya to sell his non locked-in shares 996,490 equity shares (8.76 per cent) to JM Financial," India Home Loan said. However, the valuation of the deal could not be ascertained. A total of 4,00,000 equity shares of Siroya are locked-in and not part of the sale transaction, it said in a regulatory filing. After the sale of their respective stakes, Bhalotia and Siroya would no longer remain as promoters of the company. Both have also tendered their resignations to the company board, effective from the completion of the sale. The sale will happen after approval from the National Housing Bank of India. It will also allot 29,11,755 equity shares on preferential basis including that to JM Financial (15,05,650 shares) at a value of Rs 11.94 crore. Nimesh Kampani-led JM Financial is a financial services group offering investment banking, institutional equity sales, trading, research and broking, wealth management, asset management broking and NBFC services. India Home Loan Limited (IHLL) is a Housing Finance Company which offers retail home loan product for affordable housing segment. The Mumbai-headquartered IHLL offers home loans to customers and for construction of a dwelling unit on an owned plot. Stocks of the company closed 4.2 per cent down at Rs 50.15 on BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HELENA The state Commission on Sentencing is recommending lawmakers close a loophole in child sex abuse sentencing laws that allowed an eastern Montana man to be put on probation after pleading guilty to raping his 12-year-old daughter. State prosecutor Dan Guzynski proposed Wednesday eliminating an exception to a mandatory minimum 25-year prison sentence for offenders convicted of rape, incest or sexual abuse if the victim is age 12 or younger. Under the current exception, an offender can receive a lesser sentence if a psychosexual evaluation determines the offender can be treated in their community, and the sentence protects the victim and society. Guzynski argued it does not make sense that a community could be safer with a child rapist present. "This legislation is not a knee-jerk reaction to what happened in Glasgow," Guzynski told committee members, but the recent case did serve as an example of a lack of consistency in sentencing. He noted a man he prosecuted in Great Falls last year received the mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years without parole after being convicted of raping his 10-year-old daughter. "Both evaluators said they were treatable in their community, both were sentenced under the very same law, both raped their children," he said. "One is going to spend the next 25 years in prison and one is out on probation." The Glasgow case led to a social media backlash against sentencing Judge John McKeon. An online petition calling for his impeachment had gathered nearly 31,000 signatures in less than a week. McKeon issued a statement last week defending his Oct. 4 sentencing under the exception and noted that the girl's mother and grandmother supported keeping the man in the community. Guzynski's recommendation was included in a bill being forwarded to the Legislature that proposes revisions to several sentencing laws. The state Commission on Sentencing which included legislators, judges and others considered several recommendations made by the Council of State Government's Justice Center after it reviewed Montana's criminal justice system with an eye toward reducing costs and recidivism. After keeping JNU Vice Chancellor and other officials under siege for over 20 hours, JNU students resolved to change their "method" of protest and resort to peaceful agitation till missing student Najeeb Ahmed is traced. The students who had during the day "let out" the VC and officials only to attend the Academic Council meeting, later decided to end the blockade and not use confinement as a method. "We had an all party meeting and we decided that we will not resort to confinement now even as we will continue with our agitation till Ahmed is found and a proper enquiry is conducted into the entire issue," a member of JNUSU said. The student groups, however, were divided over changing the strategy of the protest. While BASO and BAPSA, two groups active on campus, were of the opinion of continuing the confinement after the AC meeting, All India Students Association (AISA) opined otherwise. The confinement of the officials by students attracted criticism from various quarters including JNU Teachers Association, which has been supportive of the students union over past issues raised by them. "Howsoever peaceful the confinement is, it is wrong," JNUTA President Ajay Patnaik said. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid reports that Muslim youths from Kerala were being radicalised, Kerala Muslim Jamaat has decided to launch an anti-terrorism campaign across the state. Kerala Muslim Jamaat (KMJ), which met here today, said it view with great concern the reports that "tremors of global terrorism under the influence of Salfi ideology has its impact in Kerala also." Under this circumstances, Kerala Muslim Jamaat would organise grass root level people's conduct programme in all the 140 assembly constituencies, Kerala Muslim Jamaat State Secretary A Saifuddin Haji said here today in a statement. KMJ would hold the 'Manavasureksha' meetings in all the constituencies between October 22 and November 30, he said. Anti-terrorism seminars at district level and special discourses at selected 3000 centres have been planned as part of the campaign, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia that seizing the city of Aleppo will not help end the Syrian civil war and may further radicalise opposition forces. Speaking as officials from the US, Russia and Syria's neighbours met in Geneva to seek ways to restore a ceasefire in the civil war, Kerry said yesterday that Russia's bombardment of rebel-held areas was a mistake. Moscow argues that it is supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against Al-Qaeda-linked "terrorists" and blames Washington for failing to separate moderate rebels from the hardliners. But, speaking in Washington after talks with his South Korean counterpart, Kerry said: "Every bomb that's dropped by Russia and the Assad regime is radicalising more and more people." After the collapse last month of a short-lived US and Russian-brokered truce, the Syrian regime launched a major offensive against the rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo, home to an estimated 250,000 civilians. "If Russia and Assad succeed in taking Aleppo, the fundamental dynamic of this war does not change," Kerry said, warning Russia to recommit to the search for a viable ceasefire deal. "If you don't have a political settlement you can't have peace and so Russia needs to understand this is not making things better, it's making things worse. "And we have put on the table an opportunity for Russia to make a different choice, a simple choice," he continued. If Russia halts its own bombing and orders Assad to halt his offensive, Kerry argued, then international powers can work with moderates on the ground to isolate extremists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kurdish forces launched a major assault today on a town held by the Islamic State group near Mosul, opening a new front in the offensive to wrest back the jihadists' last Iraqi bastion. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told an international meeting in Paris that the four-day-old offensive was "advancing faster than expected". France and Iraq were co-chairing the meeting on the future of Mosul, which observers have warned could raise even greater humanitarian and interconfessional challenges than the massive military operation to retake it. In some areas, the Iraqi advance was met by a trickle of civilians fleeing both the fighting and the jihadists who ruled them for two years, but the feared mass exodus from Mosul had yet to materialise. The main target of the latest Kurdish push was the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Iraqi forces also pressed assaults towards the city from the east and south. "The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL's movements," the peshmerga command said, using an alternative acronym for IS. At around 6:00 am (0730 IST), bulldozers flattened a path for forces in armoured vehicles to carve their way down towards Bashiqa. As tanks and personnel carriers prepared to advance, a shadow glided above them and one peshmerga shouted "drone!" Fighters opened fire at it with every weapon available, causing an almighty din and lighting up the dim morning sky, until it fell to the ground and the troops resumed their advance. An AFP reporter in the village of Nawaran near Bashiqa saw the downed drone, a Raven RQ-11B model similar to a booby- trapped one that killed two Kurdish fighters and wounded two French soldiers a week ago. "These drones belong to IS... So we shot this drone and brought it down. As you can see, the peshmerga destroyed it," said General Aziz Weysi, commander of the peshmerga's elite Zaravani task force. "These drones can do observation and can explode. They sent this one but it did not explode," he told AFP. Iranian Kurdish rebels of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) were involved in the operation alongside the peshmerga and apparently taking a frontline role. East of Mosul, where the peshmerga launched the offensive on Monday, Iraq's elite federal counter-terrorism service was taking control of Bartalla, a town whose mostly Christian residents fled the IS advance two years ago. "There is resistance, we already blew up three car bombs today," Lieutenant General Abdelwahab al-Saadi, who is commanding operations in the area, told AFP by telephone. Bartalla, which lies less than 15 kilometres from the eastern edge of Mosul, saw fierce resistance from the jihadists earlier this week. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Sri Lankan court today ordered that an Interpol arrest warrant be issued for Udayanga Weeratunga, the country's former ambassador to Russia and a cousin of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Colombo Fort magistrate issued the order as the police's Financial Crime Investigation Division had requested the warrant in connection with the investigation into the alleged financial loss in purchasing Ukraine-built MiG-27 aircraft in 2006. Weeratunga has failed to appear in court as he is overseas. A cousin of Rajapaksa, he has dubbed the action as a political witch hunt. Several members of the Rajapaksa family have been arrested and granted bail in cases for corruption and wrongdoing during the decade-long Rajapaksa regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu government today informed the Madras High Court that it was in the process of obtaining information from neighbouring states on the procedure followed by them for appointment of law Officers in various courts. Hearing a batch of PILs seeking a direction to the authorities to frame guidelines and rules for appointment of Law Officers (LO) for representing Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the high court had on September 15 directed the government to place before it a draft of norms as per the observations made by the Supreme Court with regard to the appointments of LOs. It had also granted three weeks time to the state's Advocate General to furnish information regarding appointment of law officers already made in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and eight weeks for furnishing details about the norms for future appointments. When the matter came up today, the AG submitted that the government was obtaining information from neighbouring states in this regard and a final view will be presented before the court. The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments also filed their counter affidavits. On the appointments already made, the Tamil Nadu government said in a counter affidavit that applications for the post of Law Officers were received from different advocates from time to time and also from counsel who were already appointed and the then Advocate General had approved the same. The court then said information about how the applications were scrutinised and notings made should be produced before it. The counter affidavit by Puducherry's Law Department said the government had proposed draff rules for appointment of Law Officers. The bench then directed the counsel for the petitioners to examine the counter affidavits and file their submissions, if any, and posted the matter to November 29 for further hearing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lebanon's former prime minister Saad Hariri today endorsed the presidential bid of political rival Michel Aoun, paving the way for the ex-army chief to take the top post. "I announce today before you my decision to endorse the candidacy of general Michel Aoun for the presidency of the republic," Hariri said. He described his decision as necessary to "protect Lebanon, protect the (political) system, protect the state and protect the Lebanese people." The key endorsement looks likely to end a void in Lebanon's presidency that has lasted since May 2014, with the country's deeply divided parliament unable to agree a successor to Michel Sleiman. The endorsement comes as a surprise, with speculation that it is the result of a deal that will allow Hariri to return as prime minister. Hariri, a Sunni Muslim whose party leads a Western- and Saudi-backed political bloc, had fiercely opposed Aoun's candidacy. Aoun is allied with the Shiite movement Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and has dispatched fighters to neighbouring Syria to bolster the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Speaking to his supporters, Hariri said the endorsement came after he had exhausted all other options and was intended "to preserve the political system, reinforce the state, relaunch the economy and distance us from the Syrian crisis." "We want to protect our country from this crisis," he added. The war in neighbouring Syria has deepened existing divisions in Lebanon, with Hezbollah and its allies backing Assad's regime, while Hariri and his partners support the uprising against him. More than one million Syrian refugees have also sought shelter in Lebanon, straining the country's already-stretched resources and infrastructure. Lebanon's parliament is now expected to convene next week for a session to vote on the president -- the 46th such session since Sleiman's term expired. Lebanon's president is elected by parliament, and the post is always reserved for a Maronite Christian under a power-sharing agreement. Ex-general Aoun, 81, is a controversial figure. He served as head of the armed forces and briefly as prime minister during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, when he was a staunch opponent of Syrian military presence in Lebanon. But he shocked many by brokering an alliance with Damascus ally Hezbollah in 2006, a year after his return from exile in France and after Syria pulled its troops from Lebanon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Lindsay Lohan has decided to send help to Syrian refugees in Turkey by shipping them German energy drink Mintanine. The 30-year-old "Mean Girls" actress recently made a humanitarian visit to Turkey to visit refugees from the war torn city of Aleppo in Syria, and plans to continue her efforts from home, reported the New York Post. The "Just My Luck" star has partnered with German energy drink company Mintanine, and the beverage, which is also available at the star's Greek nightclub, will be delivered to the refugee camps. "There's hardly food, water or anything, so at this point sending anything is helpful. This is all part of Lindsay's mission to help refugees." Mintanine is described on its website as "blue lemonade", but also boasts that it doesn't contain any "synthetic flavours". "We do not use synthetic flavors or caffeine, no taurin, no aspartam, no inosit, but natural guarana," the site says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading Seafood processing and export firm Magnum Sea Foods Limited has been honoured with the First Prize as the best Medium Scale Industry in the country for the year 2013-14. The Award was received by Chairman of the Magnum Group, Ramesh Mahapatra from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function held at Punjab National University in Ludhiana on October 18, a press release said today. The award was presented in the presence of Union Minister for MSME, Kalraj Mishra, other Union Ministers and a host of dignitaries. Magnum Sea Foods Limited has brought laurels to Odisha being adjudged the best Medium Scale Industry in the Country by the union Government. Mahapatra in a statement has congratulated Team Magnum for the excellent team work in taking the companies to greater heights and bagging the 1st Prize in the National Award. Magnum Group headed by its Chairman Ramesh Mahapatra and Vice Chairman, Geetarani Padhee have won several awards both from the Centre and from the state. It was conferred the YES Bank SME Award as the Best Medium Scale Unit in CSR activity for 2012. It also received the Best Medium Scale Industry Award from the Government of Odisha in the year 2014, the release said. It has received several Export Awards from the Department of Export Promotion and Marketing. Other group companies have also been honoured with a number of awards over the years in recognition of their excellence and contributions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today assured filmmaker Karan Johar that the state government will ensure smooth release of his directorial project "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", which is facing threat from MNS for featuring a Pakistani actor in it. "The state government would like to reaffirm that the government will not allow anyone to disturb law and order and stern action will be taken. Democratic protest is fine but unlawful activity will not be tolerated," Fadnavis assured Johar, who called on him today. Police had yesterday taken strict action against MNS workers for protesting and raising slogans outside Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. 12 activists of MNS who had gone to Metro theatre to threaten them were arrested and sent in judicial custody till November 4. Meanwhile, continuing with their agitation, MNS shifted the scene to Maharashtra's Nagpur city where some party workers this afternoon demonstrated in front of a cinema hall at the main business locality in Sitabuldi against the release of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". They later submitted a memorandum to the manager of the cinema hall not to screen the film. The workers from MNS' film unit Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena had yesterday protested and raised slogans outside Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. The Raj Thackeray-led party asked the theatre management not to hold any show of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" which features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had earlier made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. However, the MNS yesterday said reality has dawned late on Johar. MNS cine wing head Amey Khopkar, after a meeting with senior party leaders and Raj Thackeray yesterday, said they were firm on opposing the film's release. The MNS and some other political parties have opposed the 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 film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma in lead roles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police confiscated multiple knives, a homemade explosive and a "railroad torpedo" from a man arrested Tuesday outside a South Side church. Adam Owen Grady, 33, appeared in court Wednesday on charges of felony possession of an explosive device, criminal endangerment and obstructing a peace officer. Yellowstone County Justice of the Peace David Carter set bond at $85,000 and ruled that Grady be placed on GPS monitoring prior to being released. Grady has multiple felony convictions, prosecutors said, including grand theft auto and fugitive from justice charges from South Dakota, as well as felony drug possession from Nevada. He has lived in Billings for about a year. Grady has a pending misdemeanor case for assault and obstruction of justice in Billings city court. Officers checked on a trailer at 450 Jackson St. after a 911 caller reported hearing a possible gunshot, court documents state. The 911 caller said they heard a man shout, "All I do is care about you." Neighbors next to the trailer told police they had not heard a gunshot, but heard yelling coming from the trailer. The neighbors told police a man, later identified as Grady, and a woman lived in the trailer, according to court documents. No one was in the trailer when officers arrived. Officers cleared the mobile homes and did not find a gunshot victim. Officers heard from the 911 caller that Grady was running through a field near the trailer. An officer spotted Grady running on Hillview Lane, and officers chased him to Bethel Baptist Church at 4119 Clevenger Ave. Officers held Grady at gunpoint against a chain-link fence. Grady was holding three eight-inch knives and wearing a scabbard. At an officer's direction, Grady dropped the knives but reached into his pocket, according to court documents. Police tackled him, and Grady struggled with officers until he was subdued with a Taser. Grady had dropped an orange flashlight when officers tackled him, court documents state. The flashlight was leaking black powder and had a green fuse attached to it, leading a Billings police bomb technician to determine it was a homemade explosive. When Grady was searched at Yellowstone County Detention Facility, officers found another small explosive in his pocket. A bomb technician called the device a "railroad torpedo." The device emits a loud noise when a train drives over it and is used to alert a train conductor that workers are on the tracks, court documents state. The family of Sepoy Sudhesh Kumar, who was killed in firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC, has refused to visit Lucknow to meet the Chief Minister, with his mother and wife saying they will eat only when Akhilesh Yadav visits their village. The martyr's brother Anil Kumar today said the family is observing various rituals and so cannot go to Lucknow to meet the chief minister and he should come over here if he has to pay respects to him. Sudhesh Kumar's mother Santosh Kumari and widow Kavita Kumari said that they have given up food and water and will eat only when the chief minister comes to their village. The family had performed the last rites after concerted efforts by the administration and SP leaders on Tuesday, somehow pacifying them to give up their demand for the presence of Akhilesh Yadav. The father of the martyr Brahmpal Singh, who had asked the chief minister not to discriminate between martyrs, was conveyed that the chief minister has called the family to Lucknow on Thursday for a meeting. Meanwhile, the district unit president of Samajwadi Party Firoz Khan said some political opponents were instigating the family against the government and he will soon apprise the chief minister about the same and request his to meet the family at the earliest. Sudhesh, hailing from Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, was killed when Pakistani Army opened unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts along the LoC in Rajouri district sector on Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mexican judge rejected today drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's bid to block his extradition to the United States, authorities said. The attorney general's office said in a statement that a court in Mexico City ruled against Guzman, but his lawyer immediately told AFP he would appeal the ruling to a higher court. The foreign ministry had approved the Sinaloa drug cartel chief's extradition in May, but his lawyers fought the decision in district court. The tribunal in the capital "decided to reject the protection" sought by Guzman, the attorney general's office said. The national security chief, Renato Sales, said last week that the government hopes to extradite Guzman by January or February. One of Guzman's lawyers, Andres Granados, said he would pick up court documents on Tuesday and that from there he would have 10 business days to appeal to a "college" of judges. He also vowed to seek a Supreme Court hearing. "We are not defeated," Granados told AFP, adding that he could still take the case to a regional human rights body. Guzman was recaptured in January, six months after his brazen escape from a maximum-security prison through a 1.5-kilometer tunnel that opened into his cell's shower. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A two-year-old girl was killed and six others, including her grandfather, injured in a collision between two buses on GT Road under Mohania police station area in Bihar's Kaimur district today, police said. The mishap took place as one bus hit the other from behind following which the girl fell down from her grandfather Shankar Pal's lap and was killed. Pal and five other passengers sustained injuries and they have been admitted to hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Narendra Modi government has been "successful" in exposing Pakistan, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh said here today while asserting that all "designs, challenges and conspiracies" will be foiled. "The armed forces, security forces and India has high potential to face any eventuality and we are facing such eventualities," he told reporters while reacting to increase in ceasefire violations and infiltration bids by Pakistan- aided militants along the Line of Control and International Border. Hitting out at Pakistan for its support to terrorism in J&K, he said, "Pakistan's wicked designs of militancy are not only getting exposed within the country but also in the world. The Modi government has been successful in exposing Pakistan." On the issue of recovery of Chinese flags by security forces from Baramulla in Kashmir, the Union Minister said, "without giving much attention to this subject, I assure you that we should keep faith on our security establishments and we will be successful in foiling all designs and challenges and conspiracies." Asked what action is being taken against the anti- national elements in the Kashmir valley, he said it will be appropriate for the state government to reply to this question. "But the way action has been taken, we are satisfied with it and are confident that the state government is taking action against those who are involved in such activities and are inciting trouble in Kashmir valley," Singh said. On the issue of sacking of employees involved in anti- national activities, he said, "it is an encouraging step and we hope that the morale of the civil society and the armed forces will get a boost by this action. On the issue of infiltration bid foiled by BSF in Kathua, Singh said, "the morale of the people living along the border line is very high which we have seen this time. They (border dwellers) are saying that a befitting reply should be given to enemies and they (enemies) should be defeated and destroyed. They are in full support of our armed forces and the Modi government." Hitting out at separatists for keeping the pot of unrest boiling in Kashmir, Singh said they should send their children to become stone-pelters and "sacrifices". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Muslim leaders in Britain have decided to take the issue of countering Islamist extremism into their own hands, it emerged today. Under plans being drafted by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), representing around 500 charities, schools and mosques across the UK, a new counter-radicalisation scheme is expected to be launched by next year. "In reflecting the wishes of a cross-section of British Muslim society, our affiliates have directed the MCB to explore a grassroots-led response to the challenge of terrorism. Real challenges exist, as we see with Muslim families broken up as a number of children, mothers and fathers leave to travel to Syria," the MCB said in a statement to The Guardian. Under the strategy, mosques will be the key point of contact but people would also be referred directly to the new counter-radicalisation scheme. Some of those who will try to turn people away from violence may include conservative Islamic scholars who may have extreme views on homosexuality or women's equality. This community-led initiative is being seen as a direct challenge to the UK government's own counter-terrorism 'Prevent' strategy, introduced after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. It tackles violent and non-violent extremism alike, from Islamist to neo-Nazi schools of thought. However, it has been criticised for appearing to focus on Muslim communities and a distrust of the scheme has reportedly developed over the years. The MCB said "Having Muslims pass through subjective and discriminatory counter-extremism litmus tests as a condition of engagement only reinforces the terrorist narrative. The Prevent strategy exacerbates this problem and it is quite clear that it does not currently have the support of many among Muslim communities across the UK, yet the threat of terrorism is real and severe". The MCB's anti-extremism strategy will include panels of community leaders, former police officers and professionals from mental health and other agencies willing to support the scheme. The UK government, however, defended its Prevent strategy as a useful means to counter extremism. "People referred under Prevent are absolutely not considered or treated as criminals. The strategy is about spotting early signs that someone is vulnerable and providing support to make them more resilient to grooming by terrorist recruiters," a spokesperson said. According to UK security services' estimates, as many as 3,000 people in Britain may pose a terrorist threat and that more than 850 have travelled to Islamic State (ISIS) -controlled territory in Syria and Iraq, some of whom may want to return to the UK as ISIS suffers military reverses on the ground. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern today that a Russian aircraft carrier battlegroup could join attacks on Syria's besieged city of Aleppo. Warships from NATO member Britain were shadowing the battle group through the North Sea and Stoltenberg said NATO navies would closely monitor the warships in "a responsible and measured" way as it headed to the Mediterranean. "We are concerned Russia's carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which increase human and civilian suffering," Stoltenberg said at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "What creates concern now is that this group may be used to... Increase attacks on Aleppo," the former Norwegian premier said after talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. "NATO navies will in a normal way monitor Russian ships and do so in a responsible and measured way as they always do because this is the way we follow Russian military actions," he added. A Royal Navy spokesman told AFP earlier the eight-strong group including the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was the biggest deployment of Russian naval assets seen off British shores in recent years. Britain's HMS Richmond frigate and the HMS Duncan air defence destroyer were monitoring the task group, which included the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer. The deployment comes after Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of its Northern Fleet, would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to boost Russian naval forces in the area. Russia launched a bombing campaign in September last year in support of long-time Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and deployed a naval contingent to back up the operations which have focused on rebel positions in Aleppo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the Law Commission seeking public opinion on Uniform Civil Code, civil society members and women rights groups today attacked the NDA government over the issue, saying it is an "obnoxious" move aimed at targeting minorities. The organisations, including ANHAD and AIDWA, said the Commission's move is "merely a stick" in the hand of the government "to beat up" minorities, while the personal laws of Hindu and Christian communities are "deficient" in terms of gender justice. The also hit out at the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) over its stand on triple talaq, saying it's a retrograde stance that lacks sense of justice and insisted that the practice be abolished. "The move of the NDA government to stealthily bring in the issue of UCC is obnoxious and condemnable. UCC is a politically motivated RSS-BJP agenda and is merely a stick in their hands to beat up the minorities, particularly Muslims," they said in a joint statement. The decision to seek feedback diverts attention from the basic issue of gender justice. Uniformity in law does not necessarily mean equality, they asserted. "All personal laws, including of Hindu and Christian communities, are deficient in terms of gender justice. Even today, Hindu laws related to property rights and guardianship of children are unequal and unjust and continue to discriminate against women. We, therefore, demand the government retracts its steps on UCC," they said. The organisations though said the practice of triple talaq should be done away with. Targeting the AIMPLB on the issue, they said, "The position of the board, the self-styled representatives of Muslims, in this regard is retrograde, lacks a sense of justice and therefore reprehensible." Besides ANHAD's Shabnam Hashmi and All India Democratic Women's Association (Delhi) general secretary Asha Sharma, the statement is signed by All India Progressive Women's Association's secretary Kavita Krishnan, National Federation of Indian Women (Delhi) president Noor Zaheer, Swastika Mahila Samiti's Kusum Sehgal and others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of Nepal's anti-corruption commission has been suspended after lawmakers accused him of abusing his position and lodged a motion to impeach him, a parliament spokesman said today. Lokman Singh Karki has headed the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) since 2013 and was a controversial appointment from the start because he had himself been the subject of corruption inquiries, although he has never been convicted. He was suspended late yesterday pending a discussion in parliament on an impeachment motion against him scheduled for Sunday, parliament spokesman Bharat Gautam told AFP. Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, chief whip for the opposition CPN-UML who supported the motion, said that Karki had used his position to target his personal foes. "We intend to show that no one is above the law and the constitution," he told AFP. The parliamentary motion states that Karki "seriously violated the constitution and laws and has not sincerely performed the duties of his position". It alleges that he used his role in the CIAA to put pressure on the national medical council to help a private medical college owned by his relatives. The commission denied those allegations in June. It also accuses him of obstructing proceedings in the Supreme Court on a writ filed against his appointment. Corruption is rife in Nepal, ranked 130th out of 168 countries in watchdog Transparency International's global corruption perception index. Karki could not immediately be reached for comment on the allegations against him. Some date back to his time as chief secretary to Nepal's former king Gyanendra before he was toppled in 2008. He became controversial at that time for his role in suppressing the anti-monarchy protests that ultimately led to the abolition of the monarchy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have arrested an alleged "manager" of a brothel in connection with the GB Road human trafficking and prostitution racket which was busted in August with half a dozen arrests. A team of Crime Branch arrested Damodar Pandey, a native of Nepal, from near NPL Parade Ground in Kingsway Camp on October 18, said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch). Crime Branch had launched massive action and had invoked stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against six persons arrested on August 25. Another accused Sarfaraz had surrendered before the Crime Branch in the case while two more arrests were made later. 38-year-old Pandey was an active member of the alleged syndicate run by the kingpin-couple Afaq Hussain and Saira Begum, who were arrested by Crime Branch in August. On sustained interrogation, Pandey allegedly confessed he is an active member of the syndicate and was the manager of Kotha No 64 located at GB Road. He used to collect money from customers and hand over the earnings to Afaq Hussain and Saira Begum, who are owners of the Kotha. He used to manage the day-to-day activities at the Kotha and kept watch on the activities of the girls there. He also told police he first came to Delhi in 2006 and initially drove auto-rickshaw for livelihood. His elder brother Ramesh Pandey was driver of Afaq Hussain and Saira Begum and was the active member of the syndicate and was previously arrested in the same case. He was introduced to the couple by Ramesh and was working as Kotha manager for the last six years, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a rare honour, New York City declared October 19, 2016 as Waris Ahluwalia day in recognition of the Sikh-American actor and designer for his "powerful" message of countering ignorance and advocating for religious understanding and tolerance. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio honored Ahluwalia at a special reception at his official residence Gracie Mansion here yesterday to celebrate the festival of Diwali. De Blasio presented Ahluwalia a proclamation that declared October 19, 2016 in the city of New York as 'Waris Ahluwalia Day'. Lauding Ahluwalia's talents of being a fashion designer, writer, actor and model, de Blasio said as a Sikh, Ahluwalia "proudly wears his Dastar (turban) wherever he goes and so he sends a powerful message to our city to our country of countering ignorance, celebrating inclusion and advocating for religious understanding and tolerance in everything he does." Addressing a gathering of over 300-400 Indian-Americans and other people from the South Asian community, de Blasio extended a special greeting to his "Sikh brothers and sisters" and underscored that an attack on any community and individual because of their faith is an "attack on all of us." "We believe that when any community is attacked, any individual is attacked because of who they are, because of their faith, because of where they come from, the attack on one is an attack on all of us," de Blasio said. Joined by his wife First Lady Chirlane McCray, Ahluwalia and others members of his administration on a stage erected in the sprawling lawns of the Gracie Mansion, de Blasio said whenever any community is affronted, the New York Police Department is present to protect that community. "Whenever there is a hate crime, we will call it a hate crime and act on it as a hate crime, protect the people and say it is unacceptable in the city of New York to act in any bias fashion against any people of the city." Amid loud cheers and applause, the Mayor said a special Diwali guide will be distributed to New York teachers through the Department of Education to help them educate students in the city about the "meaning" of the Indian festival of lights. Ahluwalia thanked the Mayor for the "incredible honor" and said that while Diwali has been celebrated for centuries, this year its message of triumph of good over evil is "more important and relevant than ever." He said while he has called New York City home ever since he moved here from India as a child, after the 9/11 terror attacks, "people would glare at me with anger and hate as I walked down my own streets, in my own hometown. "That was very confusing for me," he said, adding that six months after the 9/11 attacks, he was assaulted and nearly lost vision in his right eye. The Mayor and his wife began the reception by lighting the traditional lamp. The city's First Lady was dressed in traditional Indian attire of a yellow salwar kurta. India music, including popular movie songs played in the background. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BILLINGS A Billings prerelease center inmate is back in custody after walking away from Passages Womens Program on Sunday. Antoinette Shields, 31, was taken into custody Wednesday and is held at Yellowstone County Detention Facility, according to an Alternatives Inc. news release. The Montana Department of Corrections placed Shields on escape status after she left Passages at about 6 p.m. Sunday. She was sentenced for criminal possession of dangerous drugs and theft common scheme in Yellowstone and Richland counties. Shields arrived at Passages on Aug. 13. She faces an additional charge of felony escape with a maximum sentence of up to 10 additional years in prison. Ahead of Diwali, the government will launch on October 24 the sixth tranche of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) scheme, in which people can buy securities worth up to 500 grams. "Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds 2016-17 - Series III. Applications for the bonds will be accepted from October 24, 2016 to November 02, 2016," the Finance Ministry said, adding that SGB will be issued on November 17. SGB, an alternative mode of investment to physical gold, was launched in November last year. It provides investors a choice to diversify portfolio without the need to buy the metal in physical form. So far, the government has come out with five tranches of the SGB. There were more than 2 lakh applications for the fifth tranche. The bonds will be sold through banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices and recognised stock exchanges, NSE and BSE. The RBI had earlier this week said that five tranches of SGB for a total value of Rs 3,060 crore have been issued till date. The Reserve Bank issues bonds on behalf of the government. "The (SGB) investors will be compensated at a fixed rate of 2.50 per cent per annum payable semi-annually on the nominal value of investment," the ministry said. The tenor of the bonds will be for a period of 8 years with exit option from 5th year to be exercised on the interest payment dates. Payment for the bonds will be through cash payment (up to a maximum of Rs 20,000) or demand draft or cheque or electronic banking. The maximum amount subscribed by an entity will not be more than 500 grams per person per fiscal year. A self- declaration to this effect will be obtained. In case of joint holding, the investment limit of 500 grams will be applied to the first applicant only. Price of bond will be fixed in rupees on the basis of simple average of closing price of gold of 999 purity published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association Limited for the week (Monday to Friday) preceding the subscription period. The issue price of the Gold Bonds will be Rs 50 per gram less than the nominal value. The bonds can be used as collateral for loans. The loan-to-value ratio is to be set equal to ordinary gold loan mandated by the Reserve Bank from time to time. The capital gains tax arising on redemption of SGB to an individual has been exempted. The indexation benefits will be provided to long-term capital gains arising to any person on transfer of bond. Bonds will be tradeable on stock exchanges from a date to be notified by the RBI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seeking to calm worried customers following feared security breach of over 32 lakh debit cards of various banks, Finance Ministry today said they constitute only a small number of the total such cards which are "completely safe", with no need for panic. "Only about 0.5 per cent of total debit card details were compromised while remaining 99.5 cards are completely safe and bank customers should not panic," Department of Financial Services Additional Secretary G C Murmu told PTI. There are around 60 crore debit cards operational in India, of which 19 crore are indigenously developed RuPay cards while the rest are Visa and Master Card enabled. Since the data compromise has taken place from specific machine and specific time period, so it is just a limited issue and banks have asked their affected customers to replace their card or change PIN, he said, adding that other cards are not affected at all. A Canara Bank message to a customer said: "In view of security reasons...Please change the ATM pin immediately. In case not adhered to, we will be blocking the existing card on 21-OCT-2016." Murmu said data of the users who have transacted from ATM machines of Hitachi have been compromised during the month of May, June and July. The Hitachi ATMs, he added, deployed by many White Label ATM players and Yes Bank were impacted by the malware while usage at other ATMs were completely secured. As far as financial loss is concerned, there is minimum impact as reports on losses due to this is being collated. The genesis of problem was receipt of complaints from few banks that their customer's cards were used fraudulently mainly in China and USA while customers were in India, NPCI said in a statement. Apprehending that this could be a case of card data compromise, all the ATMs / PoS terminals in India and three card networks - RuPay, Visa and MasterCard worked in a collaborative manner in the month of September 2016. It was established through the analysis post such frauds were reported that there was a possible compromise at one of the payment switch provider's system. Based on the analysis, NPCI and other schemes identified the period of compromise and the possible card numbers which could have been compromised during that period. Though there were no complaints from any of the RuPay cardholders, NPCI as a domestic utility for ATM payments has taken the lead role for proactive steps in discussing the matter with various banks and card networks. The complaints of fraudulent withdrawals are limited to cards of 19 banks and 641 customers, NPCI statement said, adding that the total amount involved is Rs 1.3 crore as reported by various affected banks. Cards of all these complainants are related to other card schemes and there is no RuPay cardholder who had lodged any complaint for such fraudulent usage, it said. Murmu said all the affected banks have been alerted by all card networks that a total card base of about 32.14 lakh could have been possibly compromised. Out of this, 6 lakh are RuPay cards. "It was suspected that a compromise was at switch level which is PCI-DSS certified. Hence, subsequently PCI Council (the international body which sets standards on for PCI-DSS) was persuaded to conduct a forensic audit of the switch of one bank which is likely to be the point of compromise. The forensic study is in progress and NPCI is in touch with relevant stakeholders," he said. NPCI is closely working with all stakeholders and once the forensic investigation is over and the root cause is identified, we will issue a further set of recommendations as precautionary measures to member banks, he added. According to Yes Bank statement, it has proactively undertaken a comprehensive review of its ATMs, and there is no evidence of a breach or compromise on the bank's ATMs. "We would like to inform that the possible breach of information of debit cards has taken place in the ATM network of another bank. As a precautionary measure, the PINs of debit cards used at the ATMs of that bank have been changed. This has been done in order to protect our customers from any potential fraudulent transaction," ICICI Bank said. Even HDFC Bank said the bank's systems detected a potential compromise of debit cards arising from usage at a non-home ATM network a few weeks ago. "We immediately notified customers who we knew had used a non-HDFC Bank ATM in the recent past to change (their) ATM PIN. We take this opportunity to stress that all our customers use HDFC Bank ATMs only and also change ATM PINs from time to time to prevent misuse," the bank said in a statement. There have been no talks on buyback of the government's shares in the integrated zinc producer Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL), its CEO Sunil Duggal said today. "There has been no discussion on this topic (share buyback)," he told reporters here, adding that the company does not respond to market speculation. Duggal was responding to reports that the company led by billionaire Anil Agarwal is looking to buy back shares from the government. In 2002, the government sold 26 per cent stake in HZL for Rs 445 crore to billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta. The firm also acquired 20 per cent stake from the public. In 2003, it again acquired an additional 18.92 per cent in exercise of call option clause in shareholders agreement between the government and the firm. Now, the government owns 29.54 per cent in HZL. In August, Mines Minister Piyush Goyal said the government has no "strategic interest" in holding minority stake in HZL. "My approach is that we have no role in it and I don't see any role for us to keep that minor stake," Goyal told PTI. Agarwal, the chairman of mining giant Vedanta Resources, has time and again evinced interest in acquiring the government's remaining stake in HZL and aluminium maker Balco. In March this year, Agarwal had said stake sale of the government's remaining share in HZL and aluminium maker Balco can fetch it Rs 25,000 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As protests mounted against the proposed steel flyover here, Karnataka government today dismissed it as a "political gimmick", asserting that it had no vested interest and it had taken the decision after consultations with experts and "due diligence." "No, the government is not adamant on constructing the flyover. Neither is it a dictatorial decision as it is made out to be by the opposition. The decision to construct the flyover was taken after due diligence, after consulting technical and engineering experts," Bengaluru Development Minister K J George told reporters here. The Rs 1,761 crore steel flyover to link Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal to improve connectivity to Bengaluru international airport has come in for flak from civic groups and BJP and JDS on cost and environmental concerns. Former Chief Minister and State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa had likened Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to a dictator who had scant respect and utter contempt for public opinion. As many as 812 trees are feared to be chopped off, as per details made available by Bangalore DevelopmentAuthority. George said the opposition by rival parties is nothing but a political gimmick as they might be afraid of the Congress hogging limelight by implementing it, which could work in their favour in the runup to the 2018 Assembly polls. "The opposition also is a political gimmick to cover up their failure to implement the project - the actual process of which began from 2014," George said. Siddaramaiah has defended the proposed construction of steel flyover calling it "totally transparent" and claimed the project was proposed in 2010 and announced in 2014-15 budget. Reacting to allegations that vested interest had driven the government to take up the project, George said "there is only one interest, and that is people's interest, nothing else. There is no vested interest involved in this project." Asked whether the whole of the flyover will be made of steel, George said the government will implement the project as per the advice of the technical experts. JDS State President H D Kumaraswamy had alleged that the project was being used to "raise party funds" for next year's Uttar Pradesh assembly election. On October 16, the 'Citizens Against Steel Flyover' had formed a human chain to intensify their protest against the flyover. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner here over the killing of a civilian in India's "unprovoked ceasefire violation" across the LoC and sought an immediate probe. Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that 28-year-old villager Abdul Rehman was killed in "unprovoked firing by India in Karela sector of the Line of Control (LoC)" late last night. 12 others, including women and children, were injured in the incident, the FO said in a press release. The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called in by the Director General (South Asia & SAARC) today over "unprovoked ceasefire violations on the LoC by Indian forces", it said. "It was conveyed that the Indian side must investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, India must instruct its troops to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace and stability on the LoC," the release said. It further added that Pakistan notes with "deep concern that during the last couple of months, there have been a number of ceasefire violations from the Indian side on the LoC and the Working Boundary". Separately in Rawalpindi, the Pakistani military handed over a protest letter to the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) representative. "UNMOGIP representative was handed protest by GHQ (Pakistan's General Headquarters) regarding targeting of civilians by Indian Army and use of heavy calibre mortars," Zakaria said in a tweet. "UNMOGIP has been requested to immediately investigate the matter," he added. Pakistan and India have been accusing each other of violating the ceasefire of 2003 in Kashmir since the Uri terror attack last month. India has maintained that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the LoC. India has always stated that it has "no role to play whatsoever". (Reopens FGN 25) Meanwhile, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup in New Delhi said that Pakistan conveyed its concerns to the Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) about alleged ceasefire violations. "Yes our DHC was requested to go the Pakistan Foreign Office. Pakistan conveyed its concerns about alleged ceasefire violations. My understanding is that there was an exchange of fire connected with attempted infiltration on the Pakistani side," he said when asked about summoning of the DHC. India today termed as unfortunate Pakistan's ban on Indian TV and radio programmes and said it reflected the neighbouring country's lack of self-confidence. "It shows lack of self-confidence on Pakistan's part. It is an unfortunate development," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said, replying to a question. Amid Indo-Pak tensions, Pakistan's media regulatory authority yesterday announced enforcing a complete ban on Indian TV and radio contents from Friday and warned that the licences of those found guilty of violating the ban will be suspended. The ban extends to all Indian content on cable and radio being aired in Pakistan. The authority also decided to cancel one-sided rights given to Indian media by the government of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in 2006. Swarup said there was no ban on Pakistani artistes' performing in India. "As far as government of India is concerned, there is no blanket ban on Pakistani artistes. In view of the prevailing atmosphere and taking into account security considerations as well and sentiments of local organisers, we will do so in a case to case basis," he said, in an apparent reference to demand for banning artistes from Pakistan in the wake of the Uri attack. Asked whether the government was planning to have a SAARC minus Pakistan, Swarup said India remained committed to the regional bloc and its principles. "Our intention is not to throw out the baby with the bath water," he said, adding the government's priority is to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region. "Our interest in SAARC remains intact but our concern is that connectivity, trade, including MFN and cooperation that SAARC requires and the terror-free atmosphere needed for these initiatives is not there due to the actions of one country in our neighbourhood. "That is why all SAARC countries wrote to the Chair Nepal saying in one voice that in the current atmosphere it is not possible to participate in the proposed SAARC Summit in Islamabad," he said. On China's view that no country or religion should be linked to terrorism, in apparent unhappiness over India trying to corner pakistan on terror, the MEA Spokesperson said it is clear which country is the epicentre of terror in the region. "We are all aware that in our region, which country is epicentre of terrorism. There is no doubt about it at all. At the same time, we do have an ongoing dialogue with China on terrorism which is a phenomenon that affects China as well and China has said so also in the past," he said. Swarup said dialogue with China on the issue of terrorism will continue, adding a series of discussions with China will take place in the next two months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's special envoys today apprised the UK lawmakers about the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir and sought the British government's help to resolve the issue. The envoys comprising Senator Abdul Qayyum and MP Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh met with the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee at the British parliament in London. "The envoys apprised the Select Committee on the on-going gross violations of the human rights and atrocities being committed" in Kashmir, Foreign Office said in a statement. Qayyum emphasised that the "status quo" in Kashmir was now not an option. He called for non-discriminatory application of the universal declaration of human rights for durable peace and security. "The ongoing conflict could potentially impact Pakistan's efforts against terrorism, and would adversely affect regional and global peace efforts," he said. He said that in the globalised environment, peace and war could not be compartmentalised. Qayyum said that if peace was essential in Kabul, it was also essential in Srinagar. He claimed that Kashmir was in fact most explosive global flash point since it is a bone of contention between two nuclear powers like India and Pakistan, in the proximity of two other nuclear powers China and Russia. The envoy urged the British government to help resolve this dispute in the interest of global peace. Qaiser underscored that the ongoing conflict on Kashmir between the two neighbours had hampered progress and development in the region. He urged the UK government and the parliamentarians to play an active role in halting alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir. Both envoys also called for a fact-finding mission either from the United Nations or from the UK parliament to visit Kashmir on both sides. Member of the British Parliament Yasmin Qureshi was chairing the meeting. She told the envoys that the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir were already on the agenda of the Committee and she had personally asked the Committee to hold an independent inquiry into the issue. She added that the Committee members would call upon the UK government to act as a mediator in resolving the dispute. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced last month to send special envoys to leading world capital to highlight the Kashmir issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today warned of "appropriate action" if India violates the Indus Water Treaty and said it is closely monitoring the situation, amid reports that New Delhi may revisit the key water sharing accord. "Appropriate action will be taken in line with the Treaty in case of any violation by India," Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing. Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation, Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. Zakaria's remarks come amid reports that India may review the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty. He said that India is making "desperate attempts" to divert attention from the "atrocities and human right violations" being committed in Kashmir. He said Pakistan is highlighting Indian brutalities in Kashmir at world fora and there has been "very substantive outcome" of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that India violated ceasefire on the Line of Control for more than 90 times this year. The notion of isolating Pakistan is "ridiculous", Zakaria said, adding that India's "negative attitude" has been exposed which is the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also termed the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as "very disappointing and highly regrettable" as he deplored India's decision to "use SAARC for its political ambition", according to the report. Zakaria also referred to a media report quoting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a "very, very hot tinderbox" and offered to be "the mediator or arbitrator". Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," he said. "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today said the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has backed its stance over Kashmir by adopting a resolution upholding Kashmiris' right to self-determination. OIC Foreign Ministers met in Tashkent on October 18-19 for the 43rd Session and adopted a very strong resolution on the "grave human rights situation in Kashmir", Pakistan Foreign Office said. While upholding Kashmiris' right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the grouping reaffirmed its unwavering support to the just cause of Kashmiri people, expressed deep concern and condemned in strongest possible terms the unabated killing of defenceless Kashmiris. The grouping said that demonstrations by unarmed Kashmiris, despite curfew in the wake of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's death is a referendum against India, it said. It also rejected Indian attempts to equate the indigenous freedom movement of Kashmiris in Kashmir with terrorism. Stressing that "Jammu and Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India", the grouping said its resolution is indispensable for realisation of the dream for peace in South Asia. Condemning in strongest possible terms the unabated killing and brutality let loose in Kashmir, the grouping expressed shock at the deadly silence of world community. They also condemnned prolonged detentions of Kashmiri leaders by India and violations of freedom of movement and expression. Acknowledging that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are the party principle to the dispute, the resolution said they should be included in Pakistan-India dialogue process. The grouping regretted that India is not allowing OIC fact finding Mission to visit Kashmir or responded favorably to the offers of the Good Offices Mission by the OIC. They called upon India to implement numerous UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir which declare that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people, to join India or Pakistan, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. They reminded "the international community of its obligations to ensure the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and fulfill the promises made by it with the people of Jammu and Kashmir". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese consumer electronic major Panasonic is aiming at a 20 per cent marketshare in home air purifiers segment over the next four years. Besides, the company also has plans to manufacture some models of the airpurifiers locally at its Jhajjar plant in Haryana by 2018, which is expected to make it more competitive in the segment. "This industry in next four years may be around Rs 1,500 crore and we are aiming to have around 20 per cent share of that," Panasonic India GM, Water purifier & Air purifier, Syed Moonis Alvi told PTI. He further added: "This fiscal, we are aiming to sell around 20,000 units and do a business of around Rs 20 crore". The air purifier industry is presently estimated at around Rs 150 crore and is growing at a CAGR of over 30 per cent in the last two years. "The market would grow at a much bigger pace as it is now, because the product adaptability is increasing," he added. Panasonic presently has a line-up of six models and plans to take the count to 13 by the end of next month by adding seven more models, Alvi added. On local manufacturing, he said: "Right now, we are importing but we would have our own production line in the next two years. From 2018, we would start manufacturing of some selected models". Panasonic had forayed into airpurifiers in 1962 and has experience of over 50 years in the segment. "We have the technology available at our parent company and have an established sales channel in India," said Alvi, adding that it is leveraging on Panasonic's existing sales network for the sale of airpurifiers. Apart from traditional retail channels, Panasonic would also use e-commerce and direct selling to customers through demonstration of its range of airpurifiers. "This fiscal, we expect that 25 per cent of our sales would be from online channels and the contribution would go up because its plug-and-play feature that does not require any installations," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gov. Steve Bullock spoke about his opposition to school choice education policies at a campaign stop in Billings Thursday. Speaking at the Billings teachers union office, he told a group of educators that investments in the education system should remain in the public sector. We support the right of all families to choose what they deem is best for their kids, but I dont support any policy thats going to take money from our public education system and privatize it, Bullock said. School choice policies refer to the idea that if families choose to put their children in private schools, certain public programs could help pay for that education. Bullock called for continued focus on public schools and cited the state's high graduation rate, 86 percent, as a barometer for success in the system. A recent state report shows that while the overall state graduation rate exceeds the national average, a large gap still exists for Native American students, who came in at 71.6 percent. Bullock also chided his opponent, Republican candidate Greg Gianforte, for his stances on private education. Gianforte is the board chairman of Petra Academy, a private school in Bozeman. While he has supported school choice policies in the past, his campaign spokesman declined to specifically address school choice policies. "Greg Gianforte has proposed clear plans to increase funding for our great public schools," said campaign spokesman Aaron Flint. "A job creator like Greg Gianforte will make sure our kids are prepared for the high-wage jobs of the future." On the campaign trail, Gianforte has suggested greater focus on computer science and trades education. On his website, he calls for "local control" and "more parental say," as well as strong public schools. This year, Bullock has also proposed voluntary public preschool and expanded dual enrollment programs. In May 2015, Bullock allowed a school choice pilot program which provides income-tax credits for donations of up to $150 made to scholarships for private K-12 education or "innovative educational programs" at public schools to become law without his signature. The Department of Revenue initially excluded religious schools and therefore the vast majority of private schools in Montana from the program. A lawsuit challenged the rule, and the department dropped the rule after a Kalispell judge issued a preliminary injunction to stop the department from enforcing the rule. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday asserted the recently-signed euro 7.878 billion-deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets was the best ever offered to any country, rejecting Swaraj Abhiyan's Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav's allegation that India paid double the price. Parrikar, however, refused to comment on the duo's allegation that BJP parliamentarian Varun Gandhi was "honey trapped" into leaking defence secrets, a charge stoutly denied by the leader. "How much does it cost to level allegation?" an angry Parrikar retorted when asked about the charge levelled by Swaraj Abhiyan. "Rafale is the best deal that we have managed. It was because Prime Minister of India and President of France agreed that we have this deal which has not been offered to any other country," Parrikar said. Earlier in the day, Bhushan told a press conference, "... contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircraft, the government bought 36 aircraft, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy." He said despite having knowledge of all these things, the BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it. Dassault Aviation has 25.3 per cent stake in Thales. Parrikar said nothing has been proved in the alleged Scorpene leak and hence the case for banning any firm does not arise. India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft. Varun has already denied the charge, saying he has not met middleman Abhishek Verma, to whom he has been accused of having leaked defence secrets, since 2004. He has threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has told his Maharashtra counterpart that he would not be able to attend the meeting on the ongoing Mahadayi river diversion row, scheduled tomorrow in Mumbai. The Chief Ministers of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka were supposed to meet in Mumbai to try and find an amicable solution to the ongoing tussle among the three states on diversion of Mahadayi river water. "The Chief Minister of Goa has written to Maharashtra counterpart (Devendra Fadanavis) seeking to re-reschedule the meeting of tomorrow to some other date due to pre-scheduled appointments," a senior official attached to Goa CM office told PTI today. The formal communication sent yesterday has asked the Maharashtra government to give option of dates for the Goa Chief Minister to decide on his participation in the meeting. Maharashtra government had earlier agreed to host the tri-partite meeting in Mumbai. Mahadayi Water Tribunal, which is currently hearing the dispute among the three states, had earlier suggested that the governments explore the possibility of an amicable solution to the vexed issue. Goa government had called an all-party meeting on October 12 following which Parsekar had decided to participate in the meeting with CMs of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The opposition parties had then expressed apprehension over Parsekar attending the chief ministers' meet. Goa is opposing the move of Karnataka and Maharashtra governments to divert part of Mahadayi river water by constructing a dam upstream. Downstream Mahadayi is called as Mandovi river which meets Arabian Sea near Panaji. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major diplomatic victory for China, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte today announced "separation" from longstanding ally the US, as the two neighbours agreed to "temporarily put aside" their differences over the South China Sea (SCS) and signed 13 agreements. "I announce my separation from the United States," he said to applause at a business meeting in the presence of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli at Great Hall of the People. The comments by the Philippines mercurial leader may end Manila's strategic ties with Washington against China over its maritime dispute with Beijing. Duterte's comments came hours after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping who told him "We're neighbours and blood brothers". Welcoming Duterte, who decided to visit China after his bitter spat with the US over war on drug smugglers, Xi asked him to put aside the SCS dispute temporarily to improve bilateral relations. "Thistruly has milestone significance for China- Philippines relations," Xi said, praising Duterte's landmark visit to China to reset ties which have been damaged by the SCS dispute. Beijing claims almost all of the SCS despite partial counter-claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. An international tribunal struck down China's claims in July, saying Beijing has no "historic rights" in the SCS. China had rejected the ruling as "null and void" and said it "neither accepts nor recognises" the verdict of the tribunal established at the request of the Philippines. During today's meeting, Xi suggested that the two sides "temporarily put aside" the disputes, and learn from the "political wisdom" of history when the two nations had successfully kept their differences in check through talks, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. "As long as we stick to friendly dialogue and consultation, we can frankly exchange views on any problem, manage differences, discuss cooperation, and temporarily put aside what is hard to reach by consensus," Xi said. "We have no reason to take a hostile attitude or confront each other. I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things," Xi told Duterte at the Great Hall of People. Duterte said improved and developed relationships would benefit both peoples. "Even as we arrive in Beijing close to winter, this is the springtime of our relationship," he said. The two sides signed 13 agreements including cooperation between coast guards of the two countries which had confronted each other over the years to ascertain their maritime rights overScarborough Shoal which was seized by China in 2012. (Reopens FGN 26) Later, China denied access to Filipino fishermen. The agreements signed today included cooperation in fisheries. Ahead of his meeting with Xi, Duterte was quoted as saying yesterday that SCS arbitration case would "take the back seat" during talks and he would not bring it up rather wait for Chinese side to flag it. "I will not ask but if they (the Chinese) offer and if they'll ask me, do you need this aid? [I will say] Of course, we are very poor," he said in Beijing last night. "I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there," he said. Briefing the media after Xi-Duterte meeting, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told media that both sides have agreed thatthe SCS is not the sum total of their relations and that the two countries would restore consultations on diplomatic and defence matters. Duterte earlier said he wanted to buy Chinese military equipment to reduce dependence on US. "It means that a new page has now opened between the two countries in addressing the SCS issue through bilateral dialogue and consultation," Liu said. He also said China would restore Philippine agricultural exports to China which means that Beijing would permit import of Bananas from Manila after blocking them in recent years. China would provide financial support for Philippines' infrastructure projects and Duterte sought assistance from the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), he said. Ahead of his China visit, Duterte gave an impression of complete break with the US over criticism of his war on drug smugglers. His contempt for the US went to such an extent that he publicly abused US President Barack Obama. On the eve of his meeting with Xi, Duterte had said "It's time to say goodbye" to the US as he veered towards China. His stance threw US proactive policy in the SCS to corner China totally out of gear. The US now has to depend onother claimants to the SCS dispute-Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. It was the US and Japan which tried to build a stranglehold on China with SCS dispute specially after the tribunal's ruling in response to the Philippines petition. Duterte's stance brought major relief for China. Xi also metDinh The Huynh, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and its executive secretary, during which he said China and Vietnam should value positive momentum in bilateral relations, properly handle disputes and expand cooperation. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today said that all roads and routes approaching to Golden Temple will be beautified with a group of musicians playing melodious tunes depicting its history. He said work to beautify main route was in progress on war footing level. Badal told reporters here that main route to Golden Temple is being given a heritage look, even front elevation of all private buildings, either commercial or residential, were being changed on Government expenses. He said that in the coming days pilgrims using the main route to Golden Temple would be greeted with water fountains besides a team of musicians will play melodious tunes depicting the history of the Golden temple and the holy city. He said that special laser show and traditional Punjabi Marshal Arts would also be organized on roadside near Golden Temple and historic Jallianwalla Bagh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A temporary break in fighting in Aleppo will be long enough to safely evacuate 200 wounded from the devastated east of the Syrian city, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said. His comments came yesterday, hours after Russia announced it would extend a promised eight-hour truce in Aleppo today, to 11 hours to allow civilians and rebels to leave the city's rebel-held east. "It is enough (time), if we work quickly, for a medical evacuation" of 200 injured people who need urgent medical attention, de Mistura said in an interview with Swiss RTS television. He didn't say whether the pause in fighting would be sufficient to bring in humanitarian aid to the 275,000 people whom the United Nations believes are besieged in the city. The truce is due to begin at 8:00 am (0500 GMT). De Mistura confirmed that he was willing to travel to the area and accompany fighters from Al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, out of east Aleppo, as he had suggested last week. "I cannot give political guarantees... But the you can be assured that I will work to help them," he said. The Syrian regime and its ally Russia launched an offensive on September 22 aimed at seizing the city's east, held by rebels since 2012. The bombardments have left around 400 people dead, according to the UN. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to unveil a multi-storey tower at the Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City near here during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 in January, officials said today. The decision to invite the Prime Minister was taken at a meeting of Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Chairman and Managing Director of Hiranandani Group of Companies, Niranjan Hiranandani in Gandhinagar yesterday. The 16-storey tower is being constructed by the Hiranandani Group. During the meeting, Hiranandani apprised Rupani about the construction status of the building, sources in the Chief Minister's Office said. The tower will be among the first to be unveiled at the GIFT City in Gandhinagar, which will house the Bombay Stock Exchange IFSC (International Financial Services Centre) Limited and International Clearing Corporation IFSC Ltd, along with IFSC share brokers and global financial intermediaries. The building, named 'The Signature', has four lakh square feet of built up area and is being constructed at a cost of around Rs 150 crore. The GIFT City, a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to create an International Financial Centre as an alternate for Indian industries to similar centres already existing in London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 will be held between January 11 and 13. Prime Minister Modi is likely to be in Gujarat during those three days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to seek New Zealand's support to India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group when he holds talks with his counterpart of the island nation John Key here next week. Key will pay a four-day visit to India from October 24-27. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India's bid for NSG membership is likely to figure in talks between the two prime ministers besides other issues. In the June Plenary of NSG in Seoul, despite strong American support, China stonewalled India's bid to get entry into the group on the grounds that it was a not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. New Zealand, a member of the 48-nation grouping, is known to have strong position on nuclear non-proliferation. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity. Key will arrive in Mumbai on the evening of October 24 where he will deliver a key note address at an event organised by Bombay Stock Exchange in association with Chambers of Commerce. Key will also meet with the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He will also be attending Innovation showcase event to celebrate innovation in New Zealand-India business partnerships. In Delhi, Key will hold one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by official delegation level meeting to discuss growing bilateral relations. He will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee and attend a business summit. On conclusion of visit, Key will depart Delhi on October 27 via Kochi where he and his delegation will undertake a short tour of the new Cochin International Terminal and the work undertaken by the New Zealand company, Glidepath. Key will be accompanied by members of New Zealand Parliament Mark Mitchell, Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, MP. He had last visited India in 2011. President Pranab Mukherjee visited New Zealand in May this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh government's Global Investors Summit (GIS), the Congress today launched a campaign to "expose nexus between government and businessmen to grab land", as it termed the previous editions of the mega event as "super-duper flop." The GIS is scheduled to held in Indore on October 22-23. "The government has organised four GIS earlier and out of the total MoUs signed, less than 4 per cent of investment was actually made in the state. The agreements were inked to get land by the industrialists, who later leased it to banks to take loans in connivance with state officials," MP Congress Committee (MPCC) President, Arun Yadav alleged at a press conference here. To expose the "nexus between industrialists and the government" on the issue, Congress will stage a "Dhol Ki Pol" protest campaign across the entire state beginning from Indore on October 22, Yadav said. Citing figures, Yadav claimed in the first GIS held in 2007, MoUs worth Rs 1.20 lakh crore were inked but actual investment made was Rs 4,774 crore. In the second GIS in 2010 at Khajuraho, MoUs worth Rs Rs 2.37 lakh crore were signed, while investments worth only Rs 8,000 crore was made, he said. Similarly, in the third GIS, which was again held at Indore in 2012, MoUs worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore were singed but in reality only Rs 4,747 crore was invested in the state, Yadav said. The government claimed in 2014 GIS that MoUs worth Rs 6.79 lakh crore was inked but till date it has not provided any information about the actual investment made, Yadav said. "According to these figures which we have sourced through RTI, the actual investment made in the state after all these summits was less than four per cent," he said. The senior leader claimed that the state government after allotting land on lease to any industrialists also allows them to take loan by mortgaging it in the banks and the money so generated is being used by them for their industries in others states. He said that it has become a "trend" and alleged that government and industries instead generating employment for the youth of the state, they are diverting funds to units outside. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moscow and Kiev have agreed to end a deadlock on the conflict in eastern Ukraine by the end of November, Ukraine's president said, after a four-way summit in Berlin with the leaders of France and Germany. After yesterday's five-hour talks billed as "difficult", focus shifted to the conflict in Syria, with host Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's involvement in the civil war. Ukrainian Petro Poroshenko said the four signatories of the frayed 2014 Minsk peace accords had managed to make tentative progress after months of impasse. "Between now and the end of November we have to approve a roadmap. It will be a document on the implementation of all the Minsk accords," he said in a press conference after the Berlin summit, according to Russian agencies. Merkel had said ahead of the talks that the negotiations were aimed at "offering a brutally honest assessment" of progress on implementing the frayed Minsk peace accords for Ukraine. "Things are stalled in many areas such as the ceasefire, political issues and humanitarian issues," she told reporters Tuesday. "We have to seize every chance we have for progress. I have to say that we cannot expect a miracle but it is worth every effort at this point." Ahead of the meeting, Moscow had poured cold water on hopes for headway toward a lasting resolution to the Ukraine conflict. "We do not expect any breakthroughs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ahead of Putin's trip. Putin had not visited Berlin since Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, sending relations with the West plunging to their lowest point since the Cold War. Russia backs a separatist, pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine that has claimed nearly 10,000 lives. But it denies accusations that it has sent troops and weapons across its border with Ukraine to fuel the conflict. Beyond Ukraine, Moscow was also under fire over its involvement in the Syrian civil war at the Berlin talks. Speaking of the "disastrous" situation in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo, Merkel said she and Hollande would talk to Putin "about somehow alleviating people's suffering". "Here too, we cannot expect miracles but it is essential to talk, even if the views are far apart," said Merkel, who will head to Brussels for a summit with fellow EU leaders today. The European leaders will issue a condemnation against Russia over attacks on civilians in Syria's Aleppo, urge an end to fighting and call for a revived political process, according to a draft statement seen by AFP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A property dealer was shot dead by an unidentified person in front of his wife in outer Delhi's Aman Vihar area, police said today. Asharam (42) was shot dead yesterday around 8.30 PM at house-cum-office. His wife, who was fasting on the occasion of Karva Chauth and standing a few metres away, claimed a 25-year-old man wearing a yellow shirt shot him in the chest, they said. He was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where he was declared dead, a senior police officer said. Asharam's family members claimed he didn't have any enmity with anyone, but was one of the key witnesses in the murder case of one of his acquaintances who was shot dead last Diwali. Their suspicion that he was killed because of being a key witness in that murder case has been ruled out by police. "The area didn't have CCTV cameras so police is going by eyewitness accounts to get clues," the officer said. While some people claimed that Asharam was a BJP worker, its leaders said he was neither a member nor an office-bearer of the party or its wings. However, he was associated with the activities of a "confederation" of the local BJP MP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A federal judge on Thursday sentenced the former postmaster in Molt to two years of probation and ordered $7,879 restitution after the employee admitted stealing postal money orders. Wendy Reinholz, 60, of Molt, who pleaded guilty earlier to a misdemeanor count of misappropriation of postal funds, apologized saying she was utterly and completely sorry and was relieved when she got caught. Reinholz told U.S. District Judge Susan Watters that she was in counseling and that her husband has complete control over all of her finances. I am so sorry, she said. Watters, who followed a plea agreement, also followed prosecution and defense recommendations for a probationary sentence. Reinholz faced a guideline range of zero to six months in prison. The judge dismissed an indictment that had charged Reinholz with a felony. Watters said Reinholz had been remorseful for her crime, accepted responsibility and had suffered setbacks personally and financially because of her actions. There was no need to impose a prison sentence, she said. Watters also noted the postal theft wasnt the first time Reinholz had stolen money and that Reinholz had to sell her home to pay off a $20,000 loss incurred by the Billings Royals Booster Club. No criminal charges were filed against Reinholz in that case, the judge said. Prosecutors said agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General audited the Molt Post Office in August 2015. The review analyzed postal money orders that were issued by the post office but not reported in the postal accounting system. The audit found that Reinholz had issued herself 39 money orders between March 2015 and August 2015. She eventually paid for 25 of the money orders, but not the remaining 14 money orders, for a loss of $7,879. Reinholz told investigators that she was about $20,000 in debt from spending habits and issued herself the money orders to pay credit card debt. Providing modern technology to farmers is the greatest challenge being faced by the government, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today. "The greatest problem we are facing in the present perspective is how we should provide advanced technology and recent inventions to the farmers," Singh was quoted as saying in an official statement. He was speaking at the Indian Soil Science Institute's 81st Annual Conference at Rajmata Vijay Raje Scindia Agriculture University, Gwalior. "If we desire to change the destiny of India, we will have to change the rural scenario," he said. The minister said that first revolution in agricultural sector erupted in the West based on maximum availability of water and the country requires another revolution which will commence from the eastern states. Soil scientists from across the country are participating in this three-day conference. The central theme of the conference is 'Sustainability of Production in Pulses and More Crops with Low Resources'. The minister said fundamental natural resources like availability of big holdings as well as water is going to be reduced. He said the unexpected change in climate triggered low yield in crops, leading to economical loss to farmers. Singh stressed on reducing the cost of agriculture and balanced use of fertilizers and water. The agriculture minister also laid the foundation of Unified Apiculture Development Centre in Agriculture Science Centre, Morena. He said apiculture is a good source of income for agricultural labourers as well as farmers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today asked the party leaders in Goa to bury their differences and work as a team to ensure party's victory in the upcoming state assembly polls, a legislator informed. "Party leaders from Goa today met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, where he heard everyone's views on various issues. There was also discussion on forming alliance with like-minded parties, but there were two different viewspoints on it," a state Congress legislator, who attended the meeting, told PTI on the condition of anonymity. The Congress delegation, including Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro and State Leader of Opposition Pratapsinh Rane, met Gandhi and held talks with him over the forthcoming Goa polls. "The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) was of the opinion that there should be alliance with like-minded forces, but the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) was opposed to the idea and said it was keen on fighting the polls independently in all the 40 constituencies," the legislator said. "Since there was no consensus, the issue remained inconclusive, but Gandhi told the party leaders to begin working towards victory of the party. He said the election should help the party to gain its lost glory in the coastal state," he added. Neither Rane nor Faleiro were available for comments, but sources said Gandhi asked the CLP and PCC to work as a team in the State. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan has emerged as a pre-eminent hub for the domestic textile industry with a presence across the entire value addition chain from spinning to garments, a minister said. Speaking at the inauguration of textile exhibition 'Vastra', Rajasthan Industry MinisterGajendra Singh Khimsar said that during the Resurgent Rajasthan Partnership Summit held in November last year, 30 MoUs worth Rs 8,500 crore were signed for the textile sector. "Of the 30 MoUs, 12 projects have started production while 12 projects are under construction and three projects are under various stages of clearance," Khimsar said. "The state has significant presence in the entire value addition chain and has emerged as a pre-eminent hub for the sector. "The textile sector is one of the largest sources of employment generation and the youth and women are major beneficiaries of the job opportunities," he said. In June this year, the Centre had approved a special package for employment generation and export promotion in the textile sector. The package included a slew of measures which are labour friendly and would promote employment generation, economies of scale and boost exports, the minister pointed out. As many as 70 foreign buyers from 22 countries are participating in the event organised by the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation ltd (RIICO) with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Governments of Karnataka and Odisha are supporting the four-day event, while Jharkhand is participating as a Partner State. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Home Minister Rajnath Singh will flag the issue of Pakistan-sponsored cross border terrorism in India with top leadership of Bahrain and discuss with them on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation during his two-day visit to the Gulf kingdom beginning Sunday. Singh will meet Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa and will discuss with them various bilateral issues, official sources said. Pakistan's continuous support to cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be raised by the Home Minister in his meetings with the top leadership of Bahrain. There will be extensive discussions on how to enhance bilateral cooperation with regard to tackling terror and each other's fugitives, sources said. Bahrain is a key member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in which Pakistan is also a member. Singh will also address the Indian community in Bahrain during his trip. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Ayan Mukherjee has said that his close friend Actor Ranbir Kapoor is worried about the controversy surrounding the release of his upcoming romantic drama "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". Owing to its casting of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, the movie has drawn ire of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena which has threatened to stall its release in theatres, slated during Diwali on October 28. "Ranbir is tensed, everyone is worried about how things are unfolding. He is hoping for the best," Ayan told reporters here at the opening of 18th Jio MAMI Mumbai International Film Festival. Actress Richa Chaddha also voiced her support for the Karan Johar-directed film. "If one film could finish terrorism, we could have banned many other films earlier," she said at the event. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today extended the Centre's support to makers of the movie and assured security to exhibitors amid threats by MNS. "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" has been in the eye of controversy since the Uri attack last month, following which various sectors have been demanding a ban on Pakistani artistes from working in India. Last week, Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India announced it would not release movies featuring Pakistani artistes in four states of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Karnataka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has been accorded a VIP security cover of armed central paramilitary personnel by the government recently. Officials said the cabinet minister for Law and Justice and Electronics and Information Technology has been brought under the 'Y' security cover and his security duties will be handled by the CRPF's special VIP security commandos. They said as part of this protocol, about seven-eight armed Central Reserve Police Force personnel will be deployed for the security duties of the minister, a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar. A threat assessment report prepared by central security agencies had recommended the requirement of such a cover for Prasad after which the Union Home Ministry sanctioned it, they said. The 'Z+' category is the highest VIP security cover followed by 'Z' and while 40 commandos are usually deployed for the 'Z+' protectee, the latter has about 25-30 personnel. 'Y' is a scaled down category but the commandos are similarly armed. Sometime back a similar 'Y' cover was accorded to Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani, on a full payment basis. The CRPF provides VIP security cover to over 60 protectees. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Reserve Bank today permitted 100 per cent foreign direct investment in 'Other Financial Services' carried out by NBFCs, a move which will help attract foreign capital into the country. "On a review, in consultation with the Government of India, it has been decided to allow foreign investment up to 100 per cent under the automatic route in Other Financial Services, RBI said in a notification. "Other Financial Services will include activities which are regulated by any financial sector regulator viz. Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, National Housing Bank or any other financial sector regulator as may be notified by the Government of India in this regard," it said. Such foreign investment would be subject to conditionalities, including minimum capitalisation norms, as specified by the concerned regulator or government agency, it said. The notification, however, did not specify the sectors which have been opened up for automatic route. The present regulations on Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) stipulate that FDI would be allowed on automatic route for only 18 specified NBFC activities after fulfilling prescribed minimum capitalisation norms mentioned therein. Other salient features of the revised regulatory framework include downstream investment by any entity engaged in 'Other Financial Services' and will be subject to extant sectoral regulations. In the Budget 2016-17 Speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced about this liberalisation. Currently, 100 per cent FDI through automatic route is permitted in 18 NBFC activities including merchant banking, under writing, portfolio management services, financial consultancy and stock broking. In 2015-16, foreign direct investment in India grew by 29 per cent year-on-year to USD 40 billion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Industries today reported a 23 per cent drop in its second quarter net profit as compared to last year's figure, which was boosted by income from sale of US shale gas assets. Consolidated net profit in July-September at Rs 7,206, or Rs 24.4 per share, was 22.9 per cent lower than Rs 9,345 crore, or Rs 31.7 per share, earning in the same period a year ago. After excluding the exceptional item, the net profit was up 43.1 per cent. Last year, the company had sold EFS Midstream LLC for Rs 4,574 crore. "The company has achieved outstanding second quarter results with strong refining business performance and record petrochemicals segment earnings," RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said. Refining business sustained high profitability in a tough environment highlighting efficiency of RIL's refining assets, dynamic response to market trends and robust operations. Petrochemicals segment gained significantly from higher volumes, integration and supportive product margins, he said. The owner of world's largest refining complex saw profits from the refining business dip 9.4 per cent as it earned USD 10.1 on turning every barrel of crude oil into fuel in the second quarter, lower than USD 10.6 per barrel gross refining margin in the same period of last fiscal. RIL is using profits from its core refining and petrochemicals business to help its new telecommunications venture that started operations last month. Ambani said he was delighted and humbled by the response the company's foray into telecom business under Jio brand has got. "Jio is built to empower every Indian with the power of data," he said. "Our projects in the hydrocarbon chain are at advanced stages of mechanical completion and precommissioning activities. These projects will further strengthen our position as a leading operator in the energy and materials businesses," he added. Oil and gas production business saw loss of Rs 491 crore as compared to profit of Rs 3,326 crore. This was because of lower production and lower oil and gas prices. Petrochemical saw a massive 35.5 per cent jump in the segment profits to Rs 3,417 crore primarily due to increase in volumes of fiber intermediates and polyester products. Retail business saw margins rise by 42.1 per cent to Rs 162 crore. While revenue rose 9.6 per cent to Rs 81,651 crore, exports dipped 11.5 per cent to Rs 37,717 crore. Cost of raw material increased 4.7 per cent to Rs 41,134 crore and staff cost was up 17.7 per cent at Rs 2,017 crore. Interest cost was lower at Rs 893 crore as against Rs 993 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year, primarily on account of lower exchange loss. Company's debt swelled to Rs 189,132 crore as on September 30 from Rs 180,388 crore as on March 31. Cash in hand was down to Rs 82,33 crore from Rs 89,966 crore. After including other comprehensive income (including relating to associates and joint ventures), the net profit for July-September was Rs 7,833 crore, down 24 per cent from Rs 10,314 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal. Joe Root scored an unbeaten 38 to steady England after Bangladesh spinners grabbed three quick wickets at the start of the first Test in Chittagong today. Moeen Ali was accompanying Root with a sedate 17 not out after England were left reeling at 21-3 before recovering to be 81-3 at lunch on the opening day. Teenage off-spinner Mehedi Hasan made an immediate impression on his debut, bowling Ben Duckett for 14 before trapping Gary Ballance for one. Shakib Al Hasan also removed England's Alastair Cook for just four, in a disappointing start for the skipper who becomes England's most capped player in this match with 134 Tests. After Cook won the toss and elected to bat in the first of two Tests, England immediately faced a barrage of spin bowling. Mehedi opened the attack for the hosts, beating Duckett on several occasions before he spun one beautifully to hit the middle stump as soon as the England debutant offered some room. Three balls later Cook was also gone, attempting a sweep shot off Shakib only for the ball to hit him on the forearm and then the body before smashing onto the stumps. Ballance was initially given not out lbw, but Bangladesh reviewed the decision in their favour, with the replay showing the ball had struck his pad on the back foot first before touching the bat. Root clobbered two fours in the next over off Shakib and two fours off debutant pace bowler Kamrul Islam to seize some initiative for the visitors. Ali survived a nervous review on 16 after he was initially given out leg before off Shakib. England have included Gareth Batty in the side, giving the Surrey captain his first natonal cap in more than 11 years, while Bangladesh have handed batsman Sabbir Rahman his debut. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI) has detected and seized massive records of black money to the tune of Rs 2,300 crore at asecret office of a Kanpur-based iron and steel products maker. Acting on intelligence, the DGCEI officials found that the private firm was allegedly evading excise duty in manufacturing of iron and other products. The company was allegedly maintaining a secret office in Kanpur to keep a record of actual sales and evading payment of tax to the government by showing less sales, according to a press release issued today by the DGCEI. "This (maintenance of secret office) was being done to avoid declaring actual purchase, manufacture and sale of iron and steel products to the varioustax departments of the Central and state governments toescape the tax liabilities," it said. The DGCEI officials visited the secret office of the firm, which has a number of companies and is a leading manufacturer of TMT bars (Saria), iron and steel flats, billets, wires, etc, and detected Rs 2,300 crore black money (which is the total amount of unaccounted sales proceeds), the release said. The Managing Director of the firm was interrogated yesterday and put under arrest, it said. Recently, DGCEI had detected eight illegal packing machines of pan masala and gutkha in Dabri village area of New Delhi and arrested two masterminds. In this financial year so far, DGCEI has recovered over Rs 1,000 crore from tax evaders in its central excise and service tax investigations, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As employers continue to tell schools they need students ready to enter the workforce, state officials have released a framework for unraveling the meaning behind a wide-open phrase college and career ready. Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau visited the Billings Career Center on Thursday and unveiled guidance for schools, including a set of measurable objectives indicating college and career readiness. As Montana and other states have seen graduation rates rise over the past several years, several experts and educators have called for further emphasis on the quality of high school degrees. Juneau cited revisions of state education standards in several subject areas and implementation of Montana Common Core standards, which are widely regarded as more rigorous than previous standards. That (business input) is one of the reasons we raised academic standards, she said. The world looks different than it has in the past. The guide recommends that students identify a career path and check off three or more of the following benchmarks: 90 percent attendance in school. 25 hours of community service. An industry credential or certificate. A career pathway course with college credit. Work-based learning experience. Two or more organized co-curricular activities. An understanding of career choices based on employment and labor market statistics. An ability to analyze the cost of college as it relates to a variety of careers and occupations. Other areas of focus include an emphasis on a rigorous curriculum and soft skills like critical thinking. School District 2 recently commissioned its own career and technical education report, which emphasizes developing a cohesive approach across the district and more partnerships with local businesses. Superintendent Terry Bouck also complimented Juneau as number one in stepping up for the last legislative session for a bill that increased statewide CTE funding by a million dollars. The request originally asked for $10 million, and a similar bill is likely in 2017, as education officials have said lawmakers showed interest in subsequent funding increases. Great Falls Superintendent Tammy Lacey said Great Falls trustees are likely to use the state guidelines as a framework for making it our own. We might tweak it just a little bit, put a little agricultural spin on it, she said. The guidance was developed by a group of administrators, educators and business officials who make up the Montana College and Career Readiness Standards Commission. The guidance does not represent a mandate or requirement for schools. The All India Executive Council meeting of RSS would be held here beginning October 23, which would be attended by Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. The three-day meet, known as Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM), would be held at Sree Vidya Vihar High School at Annojiguda here, RSS sources said. Sangh Sar Karyavah (General Secretary) Bhayyaji Joshi would preside over the conclave in the presence of Bhagwat, they said. The state president, state secretary and state organising secretary, heading each 'Prant' (region) of RSS in the country, would take part in ABKM. In addition to them, prominent functionaries from social organisations working in different walks of life would also participate in the conclave. A total of about 400 people would participate in the event. The conclave would deliberate on key national issues and pass some resolutions, the sources said. The meet would also review and plan for the future on organisational matters and activities, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aam Aadmi Party today alleged that SAD-BJP and Congress governments had done nothing to bale out the farmers from debt but were responsible for the "pathetic condition" of farmers in Punjab. "Farmers in Punjab are reeling under the heavy burden of loans of around Rs 90,000 crore and are being compelled to commit suicides. Both the SAD-BJP and Congress parties make attractive promises during the elections, but after coming to power they did nothing to bale out the farmers from debt," AAP state convener Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi said. He was addressing an election meeting under 'Vote Jodo Jharu Naal' campaign of AAP at village Ghuddani Kallan in Payal constituency last night. Ghuggi said in last 20 years both SAD and Congress have been in power in the state and the financial condition of farmers had gone from bad to worse and even then, they were still claiming to be the saviour of peasantry. "People are eagerly waiting to teach a lesson to them in the 2017 elections," he said. He claimed all the sections of society were fed up with the "false promises" of the traditional parties. "Now, the only viable alternative before the people is the AAP," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today asked whether anyone can raise the issue of deaths along the border and seek votes for a particular party. The question was among several raised during a day-long hearing to revisit its two-decade-old 'Hindutva' judgement. Referring to the terms "national symbols" and "national emblem" in section 123(3) of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, a seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said nobody can be allowed to use them to garner votes in the elections. "Anybody can seek votes on the ground of national flag and national emblem and say that people are dying on the borders and so vote for a particular party. Can it be permitted," asked the bench. "This is specifically proscribed under this provision," senior advocate Shyam Divan said. The hearing also saw the bench observing that Parliament has consciously "widened" the scope of the term "corrupt practices" in the poll law to curb "separatist and communal" tendencies. "What is most significant in the present clause (of the RP Act) is that Parliament thought to widening the scope of 'corrupt practices' to curb separatist and communal tendencies during elections," the bench, which also comprised justices Madan B Lokur, S A Bobde, A K Goel, U U Lalit, D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao, said. The bench then raised a hypothetical question and asked if a 'Sikh granthi' seeks votes for a particular Hindu candidate, can it be said that this appeal "falls foul" of the provision in question. It may not amount to "corrupt practice" under the specific section of the RP Act, Divan responded. He also said that the term "his religion", used in the provision, means religion of the candidate and not that of the spiritual leader or cleric who seek votes. The court is examining the "scope and width" of section 123(3) of the RP Act which deals with electoral malpractices amounting to "corrupt practices", among other things. Meanwhile, three social activists -- Teesta Setalvad, Shamsul Islam and Dilip Mandal -- filed an application to intervene in the ongoing hearing to seek "de-linking of religion from politics". The fresh plea, filed by Setalvad and others, said that the issue could "potentially have far-reaching consequences on the purity of the electoral process". "The applicants are concerned about the electorate, the electoral process and the need to ensure that political parties and candidates for election do not use religion to appeal for votes. Sections 123(3) and (3A) were enacted to prevent the political parties from espousing religious sentiments for the purpose of garnering votes and get elected. "The Applicants are of the considered view that the interpretation given to Section 123(3) and (3A) of the Representation of the People Act,...Has had the effect of encouraging political parties to use religious appeals for garnering votes under the color of the proposition that 'Hindutva' is not a religion but a 'way of life'." The relevant section of the RP Act deals with "corrupt practices" and reads: "The appeal by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for any person on the ground of his religion, race, caste, community or language or the use of, or appeal to religious symbols or the use of, or appeal to, national symbols..., for furtherance of the prospects of the election of that candidate or for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate" would amount to corrupt practices. Yesterday, the apex court asked whether non-contesting spiritual leaders or clerics can be held accountable for "corrupt practices" under electoral law for asking voters to vote for a particular party or candidate. "How can a person, who himself has neither contested nor returned as a winning candidate, be tried for allegedly resorting to corrupt practices under the Representation of the People (RP) Act," it had asked. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Abhiram Singh whose election as an MLA in 1990 on BJP ticket from Santacruz assembly seat in Mumbai was set aside by the High Court, referred to section 123(3) of the Act and had said that corrupt practice can only be established if either the "candidate or his agent" seek votes on the name of religion. If any other person, like late Bal Thackeray and late Pramod Mahajan in the present case, sought votes on these grounds, referred to in the RP Act, then there has to be the "consent" of the candidate, he told the bench, which also comprised . The Scottish government today published a draft bill on a second referendum to decide whether the region would prefer to be independent from the UK. The bill does not make a second referendum compulsory but is likely to be resorted to if Scotland is not on board with the deal Britain strikes for its exit from the European Union (EU). Scotland had voted to remain in the EU in the June 23 referendum, in contrast with the rest of the UK which favoured Brexit. The first referendum over Scotland's future within the UK took placein 2014, which saw voters reject independence by 55 per cent to 45 per cent. The new draft Referendum Bill was formally published by Constitution Secretary Derek Mackay, despite the Scottish Parliament being in recess until next week. It says that any future referendum would be held on a similar basis to the one in 2014. It is now open for a public consultation, which will run until January 11, 2017. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland should be ready to hold a vote before the UK leaves the EU if it is felt necessary to protect Scottish interests. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she does not believe there is a mandate for another referendum on independence. If Scottish ministers decide a referendum is necessary, it would then be for the Scottish Parliament to consider the bill and decide whether a vote should be held, the BBC said. The UK government would then be asked to grant a Section 30 order to make the referendum legally binding. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Shailene Woodley has pleaded not guilty to criminal trespassing on the construction site of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The 24-year-old actress was arrested and charged for one count of misdemeanour criminal trespassing and one count of misdemeanour engaging in a riot, after peacefully protesting about the Dakota Access Pipeline last week, reported Us magazine. The "Divergent" star was among around 100 protesters - 26 of whom were later arrested - who turned up to the site to air their views against the proposed pipeline plans, which aims to transport crude oil from the North Dakota Bakken region through South Dakota and Iowa into Illinois, crossing the Missouri River. Protesters fear the pipeline project could potentially cause irreversible harm to the drinking water for the Standing Rock community - who live just one mile from the river - as well as the river's ecosystem. While "The Fault in our Stars" actress didn't attend court in North Dakota on Wednesday, her attorney entered her plea of not guilty on her behalf. The case goes to trial on Monday, and if found guilty Woodley could face up to 60 days in jail as well as a USD 3,000 fine. It seems her actions have not gone unnoticed either, as it was recently revealed the Department of Justice has halted the pipeline project and ordered the development company to suspend all construction work. The actress, who streamed the protest and her subsequent arrest on a Facebook Live chat, originally claimed she was being arrested because of her fame. She said in the video: "I'm being arrested! I was down there with everybody else! I don't know what's going on, as soon as they came I left. It's because I'm well known, it's because I have 40,000 people watching. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rio Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu made a resounding start to her campaign at Denmark Open, defeating China's He Bingjiao in straight games in the women's singles competition of the USD 700,000 Premier Super Series badminton event here. Sixth seed Sindhu, who is playing her first event after the Rio Olympics, notched up a 21-14 21-19 victory over Bingjiao in a minute match. This is the fourth meeting between Sindhu and Bingjiao as the Indian had lost twice to the Chinese with the only victory coming in the Malaysia Open in April. After this win, Sindhu will improve her head-to-head record against Bingjiao to 2-3. The 21-year-old from Hyderabad will next take on World No. 12 Sayaka Sato of Japan. Sindhu had reached the finals of the Denmark Open in the last edition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level Singaporean delegation will participate in Madhya Pradesh's flagship investment promotion event 'Global Investors' Summit' scheduled to be held this week. Singapore is one of several partner countries at the Global Investors' Summit (GIS) scheduled to held in Indore on Saturday, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh. The two-day event is aimed to showcase the strengths and industrial prowess of Madhya Pradesh and provide a global platform for interaction with Indian industry leaders, policy makers, investors and other stakeholders. The delegation will be led by Singapore's Parliamentary Secretary Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim who would be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Enterprise Singapore. Faishal will call on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Indore to discuss possible areas of cooperation between Singapore and Madhya Pradesh, Foreign Ministry said today. Prominent Indian leaders, as well as Indian and international businesses will attend the event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Some 1,400 trying to cross the Mediterranean were rescued on Thursday off the coast of Libya, according to the Italian coastguard, which coordinated the operations conducted mainly by aid ships. Attempts at the dangerous crossing are continuing despite worsening weather as winter approaches, with more than 2,400 rescued off Libya in total since Sunday. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres tweeted that it had rescued 802 people on six rubber dinghies and one small wooden boat, and MOAS, a Maltese NGO, said it had rescued 432 on three dinghies. Italian coastguards and the crew of an EU counter-trafficking vessel rescued the remaining migrants. Boats carrying migrants are treacherous even if they don't sink: exhaust fumes, hypothermia, dehydration and overcrowding have all proved fatal. On Wednesday, rescuers found five bodies on a dinghy carrying around 200 people, many of them unaccompanied minors. The Italian interior ministry said Tuesday that more than 145,000 migrants had landed in Italy so far this year, a figure similar to that of the previous two years. According to the UN, at least 3,654 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year. Meanwhile, it emerged on Thursday that as many as 900 migrants may have died in the 2015 sinking off Libya of an overcrowded fishing trawler, about 100 more than previously thought. The new toll from the worst maritime tragedy in the Mediterranean since World War II came after forensic scientists, who spent three months examining 675 body bags, discovered that many contained the remains of more than one person, Italy's missing person chief Vittorio Piscitelli told a news conference in Rome. Only 28 people survived when the 20-metre trawler capsized in April 2015. Spain's Constitutional Court today cancelled a ban on bullfighting in the region of Catalonia, in what is likely to exacerbate tensions between animal activists and fans of the centuries-old tradition. In a statement, the court argued that bullfighting was classified as part of Spain's heritage, and therefore a decision whether to ban it pertained to the central government and not to semi-autonomous regions like Catalonia. It said it had declared the ban "unconstitutional and void." Catalonia's regional parliament voted in 2010 to ban bullfighting from January 1, 2012 after animal rights groups managed to garner 180,000 signatures for a petition demanding the debate. It was the first region in mainland Spain to ban the tradition, although the Canary Islands abolished bullfighting in 1991. Critics at the time argued that more than an animal rights issue, the ban was also politically-motivated in a region with its own language, a fierce sense of identity and a desire to seek independence from Spain. But the tradition has drawn increasing controversy and protests around Spain in recent years, with demonstrators turning up and taking to Twitter to denounce what they feel is a brutal, anachronistic event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scattered clashes between rebels and pro-government forces undermined a fragile ceasefire in Yemen today as global pressure intensified for a lasting truce in a country where millions are homeless and hungry. At least 11 people were killed on the first day of the UN-brokered ceasefire, despite all parties insisting they will pause the fighting. The truce, for an initial period of three days, took effect shortly before midnight yesterday to allow sorely needed aid deliveries. A 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. Saudi Arabia and Washington accuse Iran of arming the insurgents allied with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, charges Tehran denies, and the conflict has stoked tensions between the rival Middle East powers. 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." The coalition has said it will continue an air and maritime embargo, to prevent weapons shipments to the rebels, and will maintain 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 truces. "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 -- in the conflict, while another three million are displaced and millions more need food aid. The deaths today included three civilians killed in a coalition air raid on Saada province, a historic Huthi stronghold, according to rebel-controlled media. Five pro-government fighters were killed in two rebel attacks in Saada and Hajja provinces, according to loyalist forces, while three rebels were said to have died in attacks in the Red Sea province of Hodeida. A man and his daughter were also wounded in a cross-border attack from Yemen on the kingdom's Jazan region, according to Saudi civil defence authorities. Military sources and residents said there had also been fighting around besieged third city Taez, and pro-Hadi positions came under fire in Sarwah, east of Sanaa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lynette Williams, a new Billings resident, registered to vote on Wednesday in the Yellowstone County courthouse election office. When she was finished, Williams walked around the counter and began her first day on the job as an elections clerk for the Nov. 8 general election. Among her duties is helping others register to vote. Williams said she was super excited to start her new temporary job. I think its an honor to be here, she said. Williams, a counselor specializing in addiction and substance abuse, moved to Billings recently from Wheatland, Wyo., and is waiting for the state of Montana to issue her professional license. Williams said she is looking for a counseling job, but in the meantime wanted temporary employment. A job service firm sent her to the county elections office. Williams is among the 14 temporary staff the county has hired to help with election duties during the busy general election season. Election Administrator Bret Rutherford said he has a crew of eight mostly retired people who come back to work for every election in addition to hiring another six people for general election. Because of the cyclical nature of elections and changes in voting with more mail ballot elections, Rutherford said the elections office hires temporary workers as needed to help his permanent full-time staff of three, which includes himself. As Williams was registering to vote, a steady stream of voters dropped off their absentee ballots in a large metal box a few paces from the door. People also came in to register. By the end of the day, Rutherford said he expected the office to have received about 12,000 voted ballots, which would be about 20 percent of the absentee ballots. The county mailed 61,000 absentee ballots Friday, and the office has had two steady days of mail, he said. I love to see them early. This is a good return so far, Rutherford said. When the absentee ballots are returned, the staff checks the voters signature on the envelope with the signature on file to make sure they match, Rutherford said. The ballots are audited again to make sure every ballot that was checked in is credited to the voter, and the green envelope containing the voted ballot is separated from the return envelope. The green envelopes sit unopened until Nov. 7, the day before Election Day, when they can be opened and ballots can be unfolded. The ballots cannot be tabulated, however, until Election Day under Montana law, Rutherford said. In my opinion that law needs to change, he said. Ballot tabulating can be more efficient than it is without compromising security but would require a Legislative change, he said. Many states tabulate ballots early but dont release the results until Election Day, he said. Rutherford also encouraged people voting absentee to mail their ballots by Nov. 3 and said the U.S. Postal Service recommends people mail their ballots a week in advance of Election Day. Voters also can walk in their ballot, drop them off at the polls on Election Day or bring them to the courthouse office, which will be open for drop-offs. The polls for Billings precincts will be at MetraPark. Stolen railway parts made of copper and brass worth over Rs 30 lakh have been seized from Gaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, the police said today. A gang of dacoits overpowered the security guard of a factory in Sundernagar area here on the intervening night of October 14 and 15 and tied up his hands and legs. Senior Superintendent of Police Anoop T Mathew said the dacoits then broke open the store room of the factory and stolen unfinished railway parts made of copper and brass. They loaded them in a car and an auto rickshaw and fled. The security guard somehow managed to free himself and informed the factory owner, Harsh Agarwal, who had registered a complaint with the police. A police team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Vimal Kumar was constituted to look into the case. The team identified the dacoit gang and arrested two of its members, Mathew said. Following their interrogation, the police team reached Ghaziabad and recovered the stolen parts. A country-made pistol, one cartridge, two mobile phones and two vehicles used in the crime were also seized. Search was on to apprehend other members of the gang. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former LeT militant Sufayan Zafar, arrested in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case, was not involved in the 26/11 carnage, prosecution has told a Pakistani anti-terrorism court. "Prosecution informed the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court which held the hearing at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi yesterday that no evidence had been found against suspect Sufyan Zafar during investigation," a court official said today. The prosecution said that the suspect had not provided money to terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks. It said Zafar had deposited Rs 14,800 to the bank account of his brother and not to a terror suspect. The court, however, directed the prosecution to file a separate challan of the suspect under section 512 of CrPc. "After submission of the challan under section 512 CrPc the court will decide about his bail or acquittal," the official said. The court adjourned the proceedings till Oct 26. Zafar was hiding after being declared proclaimed offender in the Mumbai case since 2009. He was arrested early last August from his hideout in Khyber-Pakhtaunkhawa province. A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, Zafar is among 21 other (absconding) suspects wanted in the case. He was accused of financing Rs 14,800 for Mumbai attack and providing Rs 3.98 million to co-accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack. The Federal Investigation Agency earlier declared that it had found 'no evidence' against Zafar during investigation. Six other suspects - Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum - have been lodged in the Adiala Jail since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks. Prime suspect LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, has been in hiding after getting bail over a year ago. Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine terrorists were killed while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and later executed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit the Philippines destroyed houses, tore roofs off schools and ripped giant trees out of the ground today, but there were no immediate reports of deaths. Super Typhoon Haima hit the northern province of Cagayan late last night with winds similar to those of catastrophic Haiyan in 2013, which was then the strongest storm to strike the disaster-prone Southeast Asian archipelago and claimed more than 7,350 lives. Haima roared across mountain and farming communities of the northern regions of the main island of Luzon overnight, and by morning a picture was emerging of large-scale destruction. "Rice and corn plants as far as the eye can see are flattened," Villamor Visaya, a university teacher in Ilagan, one of the main northern cities with a population of 130,000 people, told AFP by telephone. "Many houses were destroyed. I saw one school building crushed under a large tree... It was as if our house was being pulled from its foundations." Haima hit coastal towns facing the Pacific Ocean with sustained winds of 225 kilometres an hour, and wind gusts of up to 315 kilometres. It weakened overnight as it rammed into giant mountain ranges and by this morning had passed over the western edge of Luzon and into the South China Sea, heading towards southern China. Jefferson Soriano, mayor of Tuguegarao, the capital of Cagayan where Haima made landfall, reported badly damaged schools and gymnasiums where people had sought shelter. "They are calling for help because the roofs have been torn off. The problem is, our rescuers here are unable to go out and help," Soriano told DZMM radio before dawn while the storm was still raging. In Carranglan, a town of about 40,000 people in the mountains on the southern edge of the typhoon's direct path, landslides had left a bus trapped in mud this morning. Men walked knee-deep through mud and floodwaters across a destroyed road in Carranglan, while aluminium roof sheeting lay on a nearby hillside. President Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday night all possible preparations had been made for Haima, with tens of thousands of people evacuated, but he still struck an ominous tone. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Renewable energy player Suzlon Group today opened a new rotor blade making facility at Badnawar in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh. The inauguration was done by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the company said in a press release. The 19-acre facility has an annual production capacity of 400 MW and will manufacture rotor blades for its latest S111 2.1 MW turbine. The blade has a length of 54.8 meters, making it one of the largest rotor diameter WTGs in India, the company said, adding that it is designed to enhance wind generation at low wind sites, reduces the cost of energy and makes low wind sites viable. The Badnawar unit is Suzlon's 14th manufacturing facility in India and has been brought into operation in less than one year. The facility is also the first one of Suzlon to employ 20 local female engineers in manufacturing who have been provided with 9 months of training at the Suzlon Quality Academy. Chouhan said: "We need to focus on encouraging Wind and solar energy to fight against the risks of climate change which is the biggest threat to mankind and MP is moving fast in harnessing clean energy from wind and solar. "I also congratulate Suzlon for giving direct employment to 450 youth and I am confident that initiatives such as these will further create job opportunities in Madhya Pradesh." Suzlon Group Chairman Tulsi Tanti said, "Our new blade manufacturing facility is a testament of our commitment to make India the renewable energy technology hub of the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tajikistan began joint anti-terror drills with China today close near the border with Afghanistan as part of Beijing's drive to boost security in the region. Tajikistan's defence ministry told AFP that the exercises on Tajik territory would last until October 24 and involve at least 10,000 troops as well as military vehicles and helicopters. Tajik authorities said last month that China would be building infrastructure to increase security on the 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, which is a haven for drug traffickers. China and Tajikistan entered into an anti-terror alliance with Pakistan and Afghanistan earlier this year. Security issues in former Soviet Central Asia, a region that borders China's restive Xinjiang province, were once the exclusive preserve of Russia. But that has changed with the expansion of the China- and Russia-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which includes four of the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia and will soon incorporate Pakistan and India. A suicide attack against the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan in August highlighted Beijing's security interests in the region. Kyrgyz authorities blamed the attack, which injured three people and resulted in the attacker's death, on Uighur radicals, a mostly Muslim minority from China's Xinjiang region. The United States' security footprint in the region has shrunk since Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan ended agreements for bases used in Washington's Afghanistan operations in 2005 and 2014 respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A city-based industry body today favoured proposed Tajpur port in East Midnapore over the Sagar port, citing better connectivity in terms of technical and infrastructure access, and is also preparing a feasibility report to make its case before the West Bengal government. "Tajpur is better both in technical and accessible infrastructure terms compared to the Sagar port. We have verbally communicated this to the state government and are currently preparing a document justifying our analysis," Bengal Chamber of Commere and Industry (BCCI) president Sutanu Ghosh said here today. He further said Tajpur offers 15-metre draft allowing ships with 60,000 tonnes to dock while Sagar port can offer a 12-metre draft permitting only 45,000 tonnes of cargo. "Access to Sagar port is far more difficult than Tajpur and all these advantages make Tajpur a natural preference," Ghosh said. With Bengal government pushing for Tajpur project over Sagar port, the Kolkata Port Trust has raised concern and said the new proposal will hurt the viability of Sagar port, a project which is being developed jointly between state and Centre. KoPT officials said they were clueless about the state's behaviour as Bengal government was now pushing for Tajpur port when the project had received assistance and approval of the Centre. The state government is keen to scout for a private partner for the project and the bids would be floated by December. Roadshows were organised to attract investment in the maritime sector of the state and Tajpur project is also listed. The investment in the first phase will be around Rs 4,900 crore and another Rs 890 crore could be pumped in the second phase. The cost of dredging to create an 18km shipping channel to the port will be part of the investment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NCP today said it has authorised its district and city units to take a call on forming alliances for the forthcoming municipal council and nagar panchayat polls in Maharashtra while talks are on with Congress for a pact for Legislative Council elections. "The leadership has authorised district and city units to take a decision regarding alliances with like minded parties. A meeting has been convened on October 26 to take a feedback from the local leadership regarding finalising strategy for the polls," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told reporters here. Asked about the Legislative Council polls slated for November 19, Mailk said talks are on with the Congress and final decision is yet to be taken. "All parties have right to contest on their own. We feel the party which contested the seat last time should field their candidates again," the spokesperson added. Malik also alleged that the ruling BJP had admitted people with criminal background into its fold including Riyaz Bhati, an alleged aide of don Dawood Ibrahim. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should clarify why Bhati, who was earlier arrested for possessing two passports and was arrested by the ATS last year, was admitted to the BJP, made executive committee member of the Mumbai BJP and now given police protection," Malik said. "Bhati has cases of land grabbing and extortion in different police stations in Mumbai. People with criminal background have also been admitted in Pune, Kolhapur and Jalgaon," the NCP leader alleged. (REOPENS BES27) Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari hit out at NCP for levelling charges about his party's links with Bhati. In a statement, Bhandari said BJP has nothing to do with Bhati. "Bhati is member of a club associated with the Mumbai Cricket Association. BJP leader Ashish Shelar is MCA vice- president, while Sharad Pawar is the (MCA) president," the spokesperson said. Bhandari said, "NCP should address questions of Bhati's criminal links to Pawar." Sharad Pawar is the national president of NCP. "NCP should not try to link Bhati with BJP or any other leader. BJP will file a defamation suit against NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik," he added. Mumbai unit of BJP has not announced its executive committee, so there is no question of Bhati being a member. Bhati was voter in the MCA election and has been included in a special MCA committee, he said. Tata Steel's UK operations are still "not out of the woods" despite a "turnaround", the company's CEO has said. Bimlendra Jha, while addressing the International Dinner at Cardiff Castlein Wales last night, indicated that the firm's Port Talbot unit -- the largest among its UK steelworks -- had seen some turnaround but there was a long way to go. "We must remember that whether you drown one foot under the water or 10 foot under the water, you still drown. Therefore it is important to realise that while there has been a turnaround and this caveat is important, we are still not out of the woods," Jha said. "We are all looking for certainty, uncertainty is not good for anybody, not for our workers, our stakeholders or anybody," he said. While herefused to comment on speculation about a potential Tata Steel tie-up with German steel giant ThyssenKrupp, theCEO of Tata Steel UKstressed on the need to "never lose hope", 'Wales Online' reported. Port Talbot and its down-stream businesses are believed to be back in profit but a long-term period of sustained profitability is required for any real turnaround. InJanuary, 750 workers at the Port Talbot plant were laid off after a restructuring scheme was put in place. In March, the Mumbai-headquartered firm put its entire UK steel-making business up for sale. Smaller unit sales aside, the process was halted in July amid reports that it was exploring a possible merger with ThyssenKrupp. The obstacle is seen as the British Steel Pension Scheme, one of Britain's biggest with 130,000 retired and working members, 15-billion-pound of assets and a deficit that is expected to have increased significantly from last year's level of 700 million pounds. In its last statement on the issue, Tata Steel said it "continues to responsibly develop options to identify the best prospects for the future sustainability of our UK operations and the best outcome for members of the British Steel Pension Scheme". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Supporters of Israel from across the globe marched in Jerusalem today, two days after UNESCO backed a resolution which Israel said denied Judaism's connection to the city. Thousands marched through the largely closed centre of Jerusalem as part of the annual Jerusalem March, an important part of the Sukkot Jewish holiday. Groups carried flags from dozens of countries, including the United States, Brazil and Thailand, with many visiting as part of Christian delegations. A large group of Chinese marchers waved their flag alongside signs saying "We stand with Israel" while a British group sang "We love you Israel, we do". Israelis from across the country also took part. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said thousands of people attended, without giving a specific number, while 3,500 police officers were deployed across Jerusalem to protect the march and other key sites during the Sukkot festival, which lasts a week. Shlomo Milevsky, an Orthodox Jew watching the march, said it was good to see support for Israel. "This is great but it is only for an hour," he said. "We have to face problems all year." Maurie, an American Jew who did not want to give his last name, said the march was a "celebration to show solidarity with Israel". He said the march had taken on particular resonance in the wake of the UNESCO vote, which Israel said denied the Jewish people's historic relationship with Jerusalem. UNESCO's executive board backed a resolution on "occupied Palestine" on Tuesday, after being approved at the committee stage last week. Referring throughout to "the occupying power," it condemns Israel for restricting Muslims' access to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound -- Islam's third holiest site -- and criticises damage by security forces to the site and nearby excavations. Israel is furious that the resolution refers to the Jerusalem Old City site only by its Muslim name, Al-Aqsa or Al-Haram al-Sharif. It is considered holy by Muslims, Christians and Jews. Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount and it is considered the holiest site in Judaism. Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in a move never recognised by the international community. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 6 lakh foreign tourists arrived in India in September, an increase of 13.4 per cent as compared to the same period last year, the government said today. The footfall last month led to foreign exchange earnings to the tune of Rs 11,781 crore as compared to Rs 10,415 crore in September 2015, recording a growth of 13.1 per cent, an official release said. Foreign tourist arrival registered a growth of 13.4 per cent in September with 6.15 lakh visitors coming to India as compared to 5.42 lakh in the same month last year, it said. Among the top 15 source countries, Bangladesh accounted for the highest share of tourist arrivals last month at 20.58 per cent, followed by the US (10.96 per cent), the UK (7.97 per cent), Malaysia (4.98 per cent), Sri Lanka (3.98 per cent) and Australia (3.47 per cent). The share of China share was 3.36 per cent, while that of Germany 2.83 per cent, Japan 2.79 per cent, Canada 2.58 per cent, Nepal 2.16 per cent, France 2.15 per cent, Singapore 2.08 per cent, Afghanistan 1.57 per cent and Pakistan 1.36 per cent. Foreign tourists arrival during January-September 2016 were 62.07 lakh, recording a growth of 10.5 per cent as compared to 56.15 lakh in the same period last year. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism during January- September this year were Rs 1,12,068 crore, witnessing a growth of 14.5 per cent over Rs 97,843 crore in the corresponding period last year. The Delhi airport welcomed the highest share of foreign tourists in September at 30.99 per cent, followed by Mumbai airport (16.28 per cent), Haridaspur Land check post (11.62 per cent), Chennai airport (8.30 per cent), Bengaluru Airport (6.01 per cent), Kolkata airport (4.43 per cent), Cochin Airport (3.22 per cent) and Hyderabad Airport 3.01 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Womens apparel shop Torrid will open Saturday at Rimrock Mall, and it will be soon joined by a shoe apparel store and a locally owned Asian restaurant, mall officials announced Thursday. In late October, Asian Fusion will also open in the mall in the former Fuddruckers Express location in the food court. The restaurant is owned by Howard Wu, who also owns Asian Sea Grill on Billings West End and the Wild Ginger Japanese steakhouse in the Empire parking garage in downtown Billings. On Nov. 9, Famous Footwear will open in a 6,375-square-foot space in the malls JCPenney wing next to the Buckle in the same wing as Torrid. The chain will also keep its store at 2829 King Ave. W., according to a store representative. We are delighted to bring our guests more new places to shop and dine. With the holiday shopping season upon us, people are looking for fresh gift ideas, and Famous Footwear and Torrid have great ideas and selections. Asian Fusion offers a healthy and flavorful place to grab a quick, delicious meal, mall manager Devin Hartley said in a written statement. Boosting the malls food court has also been a top priority this year for Rimrock, which is owned by Chicago-based Starwood Retail Partners. Asian Fusion is the seventh food tenant, joining Mountain Mudd, Bobs Pizza, Orange Julius, Flaming Wok, Cinnabon and Neon Pretzel. California-based Torrid will occupy about 2,700 square feet. The new store will be the companys first in Montana, selling womens clothing and accessories from sizes 10 to 30. Famous Footwear is owned by Clayton, Mo.-based Caleres Inc., a leading worldwide shoe sales company. Caleres operates about 1,100 Famous Footwear-branded stores nationwide. Torrid and Famous Footwear will occupy space formerly held by Herbergers after it moved across the mall. H&M took over most of the former Herbergers anchor space, but other space was available for smaller retailers. Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump today accused his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of hiring people to incite violence at his rallies and bringing together the scores of women to accuse him of sexual sexual misconduct. "First of all, the stories have been largely debunked. Those people, I don't know those people. I have a feeling how they came, I believe it was her campaign that did it," Trump said at the third and final presidential debate here when asked by moderator Chris Wallace of the Fox as to why would so many women after so many years make up the stories about his sexual misconduct in the last weeks of the election campaign. Trump then accused Clinton and President Barack Obama of paying people to instigate violence at his rallies. "Just like if you look at what came out today on the clips where I was wondering what happened with my rally in Chicago and other rallies where we had such violence? She's the one and Obama that caused the violence. They hired people. They payed them fifteen hundred dollars and there are on tape saying be violent, cause fights, do bad things," Trump said. Trump had apologized for his behaviour with women following the release of a 2005 tape in which he was heard bragging about being able to grope and kiss women and get away with it because he is a "star". In the debate, Trump denied the accusations leveled against him by the women, saying "these stories are all totally false. He said he didn't even apologize to his wife Melania because he didn't do anything. "I didn't know any of these women, I didn't see these women. These women, the woman on the plane, the woman -- I think they want either fame or her (Clinton) campaign did it and I think it's her campaign," he said referring to accusations made by 74-year old Jessica Leeds that he had assaulted her when she was traveling in an airplane more than three decades ago. He said Clinton and Obama are engaging in a "criminal act" by telling people to go out and start fistfights and start violence in his rallies. "In particular in Chicago, people were hurt and people could have been killed in that riot. And that was now, all on tape, started by her. I believe that she got these people (women accusing him) to step forward. If it wasn't, they get their ten minutes of fame. But it was all fiction. It was lies and it was fiction," he said. Blaming Clintonand "her very sleazy campaign" for instigating the women against him, Trump said no one has questioned her about her State Department e-mails "where she destroyed thirty three thousand e-mails criminally after getting a subpoena from the United States Congress. "What happened to the FBI, I don't know. We have a great general four-star general today going to potentially serve five years in jail for lying to the FBI. One lie. She's lied hundreds of times to the people, to Congress, and to the FBI,"Trump said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bodies of two Chinese engineers, who were killed after being trapped in a lead and zinc mine in southwestern province of Balochistan, have been retrieved by rescuers, nearly a month after the accident. The Chinese were employed at the MMC Huaye Dudder Mining Company in Dudder area of Lasbela district in southwestern province of Balochistan. The bodies of both Chinese engineers were pulled out late last night, according to an official of the company. Officials said that a Pakistani worker was also trapped in the mine and rescuers are yet to find his body. Chinese are working in different projects in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. (Reopens FES 82) "The two Chinese engineers died four weeks ago when they went inside the mine and got trapped. Their bodies were recovered today after a lengthy rescue operation," a Balochistan government official said. The bodies were later airlifted to Karachi's Aga Khan Hospital for autopsy and medico-legal formalities. The bodies would be later handed over to their families who are already in Karachi. Two police constables have been booked for allegedly beating a youth to death at village in Igatpuri in the district, police said today. Constables Sunil Charoskar (45) and Sandeep Zalte (28), attached to Ghoti police station in rural Nashik, have been booked under section 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC, Additional Superintendent of Police Vishal Gaikwad said. The official said that according to relatives of deceased, Balu Khodke (26), a member of gram panchayat of Devachi Wadi at Khedgaon-Bhairav village in Igatpuri taluka, was being enquired by the two policemen over selling illegal liquor in the village last evening. "An altercation broke between the constable duo and Khodke when they reached the spot to enquire about sale of illegal liquor. The policemen allegedly hit him severely on head resulting in his death on the spot," the official said. As soon as the of the incident spread, furious villagers attacked the constables in which they received minor injuries and are being treated at a private hospital in Nashik, a personnel of Rural Police Control Room said. The two constables were locked up inside a room by relatives and villagers and were rescued by police after sometime. Locals also gathered outside the Ghoti police station in the night and demanded that the two constables be booked and arrested. The situation in the village was under control and deceased's body was sent for postmortem, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will arrive in Goa tomorrow for a visit during which he will hold talks with rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar for an alliance for the state Assembly elections due next year. "Thackrey will arrive in the state tomorrow morning. He will pay tributes at the samadhi of Goa's first Chief Minister late Dayanand Bandodkar at Miramar near here before proceeding to Porvorim where he is scheduled to address workers' convention," Sena Goa unit chief Sudip Tamankar told PTI. He will later meet Velingkar, whose party Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) is in talks with the Shiv Sena for an alliance in the forthcoming state polls. "Preliminary discussions on alliance (for Goa polls) will be held during the meeting. The details about seat sharing would be discussed later," Tamankar said. The GSM has already expressed its desire to align with Shiv Sena in Goa polls. Earlier this week, Velingkar had told PTI that during the meeting with Thackeray, in-principle approval for the alliance would be granted, pending detailed discussion on the number of seats to be contested by each party. Tamankar today said Thackeray will host dinner for editors of various media houses during his visit here. The Sena president will leave the state on Saturday after addressing a formal press conference. Shiv Sena has already a submitted proposal to GSM for alliance, seeking 20 out of 40 seats in Goa. Currently, Sena has no representation in Goa Assembly. GSM was formed after the BJP-led government refused to pay heed to the demand of Bharatiya Bhasha Surakash Manch (BBSM) that mother tongue be made medium of instruction (MoI) for elementary education in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's senior-most Indian-origin Cabinet minister Priti Patel today greeted people with her Diwali message celebrating the achievements of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain diaspora communities in the UK. The UK international development secretary also described the "beautiful celebration" as a time for reflecting on the true meaning of Diwali and donating generously to good causes around the world. "While we celebrate, we remember that from Syria to Sudan, there are millions of people living in fear of war and conflict, or living with the repercussions of a humanitarian disaster, as we have witnessed in Haiti where at least 200,000 homes have been affected. "Diwali prompts us to consider how fortunate we are to live peaceful and comfortable lives, and the importance of offering hope to those who are suffering and less fortunate," reads the message by the Conservative party MP. "My Department continues to keep its promise to the world's poorest people, and during these five days of festivities, millions more will also give hope to those less fortunate by donating generously to charities and good causes to help those in need," she adds. Describing the "Festival of Lights" as one of the world's most iconic religious celebrations, she highlighted how Britain has embraced Diwali all around the country through the positive impact of the Indian diaspora. "Now is also a time to celebrate the achievements of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain diaspora communities in the UK. For me, this is an opportunity to shine a light on thoseindividuals who take this country fromstrength to strength; it is a moment in time that reminds us that patience, optimism, and hope brings success and rewards," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK will send two major delegations to India this week to strengthen business links ahead of British Prime Minister Theresa May's visit next month. Alok Sharma, the Indian-origin minister for Asia and the Pacific in the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), will lead a team of 28 British businesses to the Global Investors Summit in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. The UK is a country partner for the summit, which takes place every two years to showcase the industrial strengths of the state. "Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in India and a great example of how the UK and India are working together for both of our benefit," said Sharma, who will make the opening speech at the summit and also hold talks with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "The UK has been a long-term supporter of the state, through aid and other partnerships, and it now has a vibrant economy. The Global Investors Summit will allow us to build and strengthen business links in thriving areas like tourism, urban development and a dynamic manufacturing and industrial sector," he added. Sharma's team will arrive in Indore soon after an infrastructure delegation comprising 11 British companies to Chandigarh on Thursday and Friday. The participating UK companies have expertise in infrastructure and urban planning, architectural design and heritage conservation, transport design, water and waste management, renewable energy and services including project and programme management and construction delivery. David Lelliott, the British Deputy High Commissioner Chandigarh, said: "We are aware how important infrastructure and urban development projects are for the people of this region, and have been engaging closely with governments at state and city level. "The UK has much to offer, so I'm delighted that this delegation representing UK expertise across a wide range of relevant fields is visiting Chandigarh. The visit underlines the interest that UK companies have in doing more in this region." The delegation will hold roundtable meetings with the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana, as well as the Chandigarh administration, to discuss plans for upcoming infrastructure projects in the region. The British Deputy High Commission will also host an interactive session on 'Infrastructure and Urban Development' in Chandigarh on Friday to provide an opportunity for representatives of state governments, municipalities and the private sector to learn more about the expertise and capabilities of the UK companies and to explore how best they might participate in projects in the region. The delegations follow an announcement by May recently that she will lead her own trade mission of small and medium sized businesses from all regions of the UK when she visits India between November 6 and 8. During her visit she will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the first India-UK Tech Summit, a showcase for partnership in technological industries, as well as hold bilateral talks. India has been named among the priority countries the UK wants to clinch trade deals with as it officially leaves the European Union (EU) after a referendum in favour of Brexit in June. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A UN rights expert today exhorted Sri Lanka to step up urgent and concrete reconciliation efforts and reduce the army's presence in the former war zones in the Tamil dominated northern areas. "The government must put in place some urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political will and commitment to better protect Sri Lanka's minorities," the visiting UN minority rights expert Rita Izsak-Ndiaye said at the end of her 10-day visit. She also asked the Lankan government to return military- occupied land and reduce the role of the army in northern areas, a long-pending demand of the ethnic Tamils since the end of the nearly three-decade-long separatist war led by the LTTE in 2009 in which thousands of civilians were killed. The UN rights expert also asked Colombo to free Tamil detainees held in custody for long periods without charge. Asking for stepping up of reconciliation efforts in the war-battered nation, Rita said: "The Sri Lankan identity and the notion of nationhood must be strengthened to foster a stronger sense of belongingness and togetherness of all Sri Lankans. "While the country is undergoing an important reconciliation process... The devastating impact of the war and violence on psychological well-being cannot continue to be ignored." She lamented that past acts of "repression of culture and expression, ethnic intolerance and discrimination" have severely damaged social and cultural norms in the country. "Truth-seeking, reconciliation and healing takes time and cannot be done overnight. "This includes continued return of land to their owners, charging or releasing all security-related detainees, making progress in finding disappeared persons and taking visible steps to gradually transfer military powers to civilian authorities," she added. She said nearly 6,000 acres of private land was still occupied by the military in the northern province and must be returned to their previous owners. The Hungarian human rights expert also met the foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera and other senior officials to assess the situation in the island seven years after the end of fighting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has hoped that a political deal reached in the Democratic Republic of Congo to delay an election until 2018 will help improve human rights and lead to a credible vote. The main opposition has rejected the deal signed Tuesday that would keep President Laurent Kabila in power until the election in April 2018. Kabila was due to step down at the end of 2016 to make way for the vote this year. Ban "takes note" of the accord and "hopes that the implementation of the agreement will contribute to a more conducive climate for the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms essential to political debate and credible elections," the UN statement said yesterday. The UN chief urged the government to continue confidence-building measures with the opposition, particularly the release of political prisoners and respect for the right to peaceful assembly. Anti-Kabila demonstrations in Kinshasa last month turned violent, killing some 49 people. Ban called on "political groups who were not part of the national dialogue to seek to resolve their differences peacefully." He stressed the "crucial importance of peaceful and credible elections for the stabilization and consolidation of constitutional democracy in the DRC." One of Africa's biggest and most resource-rich countries, the DR Congo has been ruled by Kabila since 2001, when his father Laurent was assassinated. He was elected in 2006 to his first five-year term under a constitution that sets a two-term limit for presidents. An opposition call for a protest strike yesterday was heeded in Kinshasa, where most shops were closed, but the appeal was ignored in the second city of Lubumbashi and Bukavu. The United Nations is moving hundreds of peacekeepers from the east of the country to Kinshasa to help deal with a possible outbreak of violence, UN officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Visiting UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Rita Izsk-Ndiaye today noted that there was a trust deficit involving the Sri Lankan state and different communities in the island. The Sri Lankan identity and the notion of nationhood must be strengthened to foster a stronger sense of belongingness and togetherness of all Sri Lankans, she said. "And while the country is undergoing an important reconciliation process with constitutional reform, transitional justice and policy-making, the devastating impact of the war and violence on psychological well-being cannot continue to be ignored," she said. Past acts of repression of culture and expression, ethnic intolerance and discrimination have severely damaged social and cultural norms and feelings of identity, belonging and trust, she told reporters adding truth-seeking, reconciliation and healing takes time and cannot be done overnight. However, at the same time, in order not to lose the momentum gained by the new administration in 2015, the government must put in place some urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political will and commitment to better protect Sri Lankas minorities, she said. This includes continued return of land to their owners, charging or releasing all security-related detainees, making progress in finding missing persons and taking visible steps to gradually transfer military powers to civilian authorities, she added. The Hungarian human rights expert was on a 10-day visit assessing the situation in the island. She met foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera and other senior officials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Attorney General Loretta Lynch today dismissed Donald Trump's claim the upcoming presidential election could be rigged in favour of Hillary Clinton. Speaking in Rome just before Trump's latest controversial comments on the subject, the top US justice official said there was no reason to think that there was a realistic risk of false ballots being cast in significant numbers, voters being impeded or counts being falsified. Trump has repeatedly claimed the American establishment is so desperate for Clinton to win the election that the result could somehow be doctored in her favour. In his latest comments, in Delaware, the Republican White House hopeful said today he would accept a "clear election result" next month, but reserved the right to legally challenge the outcome if he felt it was "questionable," sticking to an unprecedented defiance of US democratic norms that has drawn broad-based criticism. Lynch, asked about similar comments Trump made in today's head-to-head debate with Clinton, said the Department of Justice would consider any allegations brought to it. But she added: "At this point I don't think it is helpful to speculate about whether or not we would look into something we do not see as an actual threat." Lynch said the Justice Department was working closely with all US states to ensure their systems were secure against the risk of "hacks, attacks and the like." "We feel it is very difficult for any outside actor to affect the result. We have great confidence in our electoral system." Lynch also said that her department had been briefed by intelligence experts on Russia's apparent attempts to influence the election through its involvement in leaks seen as damaging to Clinton's cause. But she said that attempts to "impact on the hearts and minds" of voters should be distinguished from claims that the actual vote tally could be influenced by foul play. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If in fact an army marches on its stomach, the veterans attending Thursdays Homeless Veteran Stand Down event were in perfect lockstep, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the women in Passages Culinary Arts Program. Seven female prison inmates honing their culinary skills under the direction of Chef Instructor Megan Jessee prepared and served 300 lunches to veterans, their families and service providers during the Stand Down, hosted by Volunteers of America at the Shrine Auditorium. Roasted turkey, loaded mashed potatoes, vegetables and a pumpkin cheesecake dessert were on the menu. We have high expectations, and they usually exceed them, Jessee said while her charges were plating meals for the Stand Down, now in its seventh year. This is really good experience, and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of this today, said Adrienne Upshaw, who is set to graduate next month from the 18-month culinary program. Its great to get to meet people and show them our skills. Bill Holder, Volunteers of America director, said that about 45 providers including hair stylists, nurses, massage therapists, veterans service groups, shelter operators, job service providers and educators gathered under one roof to serve the up to 150 veterans expected to attend the Stand Down. "Stand down" is a Vietnam-era term referring to a safe retreat for units returning from combat operations. In past years, the event also provided clothing to veterans in need, but Holder said a New Jersey warehouse full of surplus clothing burned, and event organizers instead relied on local donors for clothing, books and other essentials. Holder said he enjoys hearing veterans stories each year during the event. One fellow today applied for (housing) at Independence Hall. I heard the story of what got him in a homeless situation, and Im able to assess his willingness to do the things that are necessary to prevent him from being homeless again, Holder said at about mid-morning Thursday. As we speak his application is being processed through the Veterans Administration. As a veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq, Salvador Hernandez was inquiring about tribal benefits from Vincent Goes Ahead, director of Apsaalooke Veterans Affairs, which serves 438 Crow veterans. As long as youre doing what you need to be doing, you should get what you deserve, said Hernandez, 31, who is working on a degree at Montana State University Billings. Its extremely great to have all this information so that veterans know where to get the help they need. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock dropped by to talk about a veterans assistance program that provides free confidential counseling for veterans in crisis. Bullock said the program, initially rolled out during the stand down event in Great Falls, is an extension of a counseling program offered to state employees. Over the past year, five former Montana soldiers died by suicide, Bullock said. We ask so much of them, the governor said. We need to make sure they get the services they need. The United States and Saudi Arabia today imposed sanctions on alleged Hezbollah members and financial backers, accusing them of funneling money to the Lebanese militant group or engaging in terrorism. The US Treasury Department said it targeted four individuals and one company, effectively freezing their US assets and blocking any transactions with them, while also announcing related action by Saudi Arabia. In a related action, the US State Department also blacklisted alleged Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, alias Abu Ali al-Tabatabai, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The State Department declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 1997 and long-standing US efforts have sought to disrupt the organization's funding. Founded in the 1980s in Lebanon, the Shiite militant organization and political party has provided military support to President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian conflict, and American officials blame it for attacks stretching back to the 1980s. "Hezbollah continues to plan, coordinate and execute terrorist attacks around the world, and Treasury will continue to aggressively target Hezbollah and those supporting its terrorist activities," Adam Szubin, acting Treasury under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. The US designations were imposed under an executive order issued by former president George W. Bush in the immediate aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. The men blacklisted by the Treasury included Muhammad al-Mukhtar Kallas and Hasan Jamal-al-Din, purported accountants for Hezbollah financier Adham Husayn Tabaja, as well as Yosef Ayad and Muhammad Ghaleb Hamdar, described as members of Hezbollah's External Security Organization who were accused of plotting attacks in Thailand and Peru. Kallas and al-Din worked with Tabaja to move bulk cash shipments between Lebanon and Iraq and had assisted other Hezbollah members who were already blacklisted, according to the Treasury. The Treasury also blacklisted the Tabaja-controlled company Global Cleaners, which it said had won sanitation services contracts in Baghdad. Saudi Arabia designated Kallas, al-Din and Global Cleaners under a local counterterrorism law, freezing their assets and prohibiting any commercial licenses for the men in the kingdom. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP MP was at the centre of a controversy over allegations that he had leaked defence secrets to middleman Abhishek Verma and arms manufacturers after being "honey trapped", a charge he stoutly denied. At a press conference here, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav released a letter written by Edmonds Allen, a New York-based lawyer, to the PMO last month that Varun was honey trapped and compromised by Verma. He alleged that Verma "blackmailed" Varun, a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, into sharing sensitive information on crucial arms matters. Varun rejected these charges, saying he has not met Verma since 2004 and threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. "The entire information presented does not contain an iota of proof that either I had access or shared any communication regarding sensitive information to Verma," Varun said. Allen, who was a partner of Verma, fell out with him in 2012. Verma is facing trial in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case. Bhushan alleged that despite having all the details, BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it. India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft. "Any action against Thales may have jeopardised the Rafale deal. Moreover, contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircrafts, the government bought 36 aircrafts, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy," Bhushan said. However, Bhushan and Yadav did not take Varun's name during the press conference and instead asked journalists to refer to the letter. They claimed to have withheld photographic evidences pertaining to the matter. Allen wrote to the PM, Defence Minister, CBI and the NSA with all the details on August and September this year. Varun said that he last met Verma when he was a post graduate student in London at the age of 22 years. "I am going to turn 37 now. I have never met him since I entered public life in 2004. The only reason why I even know of him is because his parents were members of parliament and was a respected family. I knew them as many other leaders knew them," he said. Asked if he had come across any sensitive information during his tenure on the consultative committee on defence, he said, "Any MP who has been on that committee knows that not even 0.1 percentage of any confidential information is shared with the committee. Vice Admiral S V Bhokare today assumed charge as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala in neighbouring Kannur district. Recipient of Yudh Seva Medal and Nao Sena Medal for his distinguished service, Bhokare took over as the seventh Commandant of INA. Bhokare who is the first officer from the Submarine arm to take over the reins as the Commandant of INA was given a ceremonial guard of honour on the occasion. Earlier in the day, the Vice Admiral paid homage at the INA war memorial "Prema Sthal" by placing a wreath, an INA release said today. Bhokare is a specialist in Navigation and Direction and a graduate of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and Defence Service Staff College in Wellington, Tamil Nadu. He also holds a master degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Australia Defence College, Canberra. The officer, belonging to the "elite" Submarine arm of the Indian Navy, commanded three frontline Submarines as well asGuided Missle Frigate "INS Beas" and Submarine base "INS Vajrabahu" during his career of 32 years, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Why does Kerala have such a peculiar dog bite menace," the Supreme Court wondered today as a committee appointed by it warned that the "excessive" stray canine population will continue to pose "very serious threat" to public safety unless brought down to "manageable level". "I have been to several states. In Orissa the dog bite incidents are rare. In Assam it is rare. Why is this dog bite problem so concentrated in Kerala? Why does Kerala have such a peculiar dog bite menace. We need to know," Justice Dipak Misra said. The bench, also comprising Justice Amitava Roy, observed that if the problem was indeed grave compensation should be paid to the victims. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, who is assisting the court as Amicus Curiae in the matter, said the problem was also "severe" in Gujarat. Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for Kerala said, compensation cannot be granted to every dog bite victim as there would be a huge rush for it. Advocate V K Biju, who appeared for a petitioner Jose Sebastian, whose wife died due to stray dog attack, said as per a recent report in Delhi there is a dog bite incident every six minutes. He said stray dog attacks on women and children were rampant in Kerala. The bench asked the Amicus Curiae to deliberate on issues of dog bite control, responsibilities of local bodies and compensation to be paid to the victims on the next date of hearing on November 17. It also asked the counsel for Kerala and other parties to submit what are the commonalities and differences in Central and state laws. Advocate Anjali Sharma appearing for Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) said court has sought reply from the state governments on the module for 'Implementation Framework for street dog population management, rabies eradication and reducing man-dog conflict' but not all states have filed their responses. She said all solutions relating to man-dog conflict, sterilization and vaccination with humane approach are provided in the module. Meanwhile, the apex court-appointed committee headed by former judge of Kerala High Court Justice S S Jagan submitted its second report to the court which raised concern about public safety due to the menance. "The existing excessive population of stray dogs would continue to pose a very serious threat to the safety of pedestrians, domestic animals and two and three wheeler riders unless their numbers are reduced to a manageable level," it said. The committee said, "As such, for the present problem, implementation of Animal Birth Control (ABC) procedures will not be an immediate solution and an immediate solution is called for in order to contain this menace, if people are to be protected from the street dogs immediately." It said several deaths and injuries occurred due to accidents as a result of dogs chasing two and three wheelers. "Many morning walkers feel threatened by stray dogs which have forced them to discontinue their walk itself. The presence of stray dogs in packs is a common sight on almost all roads and streets of the state...The committee feels that the situation is really grave and urgent steps are to be taken to safeguard the public from attacks of stray dogs," it said. The committee, in its earlier report had said more than one lakh people in Kerala have been bitten by dogs in 2015-16 and warned that frequent stray dog attacks on children there has created a "dangerous" situation. The apex court had on October 4 restrained public display of street dogs being beaten to death in Kerala by some politicians and common people. Earlier on September 14, the Supreme Court had said compassion should be shown to stray dogs and these animals be not allowed to become a menace to the society, while stressing on the need for balance to be created for dealing with such situations. Some NGOs and individual petitioners have moved the apex court against the decisions of some high courts, including the Bombay High Court and the Kerala High Court, to allow municipal authorities to deal with the stray dog menace as per the state rules which provide for culling. The apex court had earlier declined to pass an interim order to stay culling of stray dogs by Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation on a PIL by advocate Anupam Tripathi, saying the killing of dangerous dogs and those animals that are infected with rabies should be guided by the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001. Republican presidential candidate on Thursday asserted that he will totally accept the outcome of the US presidential election if he wins but reserved his right to file a legal challenge in the case of a "questionable result". "Ladies and gentleman, I want to make a major announcement today. I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters, and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic Presidential election if I win," Trump told his supporters in Delaware, Ohio. However, the 70-year-old billionaire, went on to state, "I will accept a clear election result, but I will also reserve my right to contest and file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." Last night during the third and final presidential debate, Trump refused to commit himself to whether he would accept the results of the November 8 general elections. "The debate last night was amazing. And everybody said I won. Including every single online poll, and some had it at 90 and close to 90 per cent, so that's pretty cool," he said. Trump, however, continued with his allegations of voter's fraud. "The question of voter fraud came up during the debate. We want fairness in the election. This is nothing to do with me, but having to do with the future of our country. John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, was quoted in WikiLeaks as saying, illegal immigrants could vote as long as they have their drivers license," Trump said. "What I'm saying is don't be naive folks. Don't be naive. One of the big issues that came up last night was the fact that the Clinton campaign has paid people to disrupt, violently, our rallies and to incite absolute total bedlam. It's so bad, so bad," Trump said. "And you know, I have had occasions where we had rallies and it was so incredibly violent. I said, what's going on over here? These were paid people by the Clinton campaign and it just came out," he alleged. Trump said he gives a lot of credit to the people that brought this out. "Believe me. This is criminal behavior that violates centuries of tradition of peaceful, democratic elections. A campaign like Clinton's that will incite violence is truly a campaign that will do anything to win," he said. The Republican presidential candidate said that Clinton would endanger the country if elected. Kane Williamson struck a classy hundred but Indian bowlers did not allow New Zealand to capitalise on it and the visitors lost momentum during slog overs to end up with 242 for 9 in the second ODI, here today. Williamson, who has had an indifferent tour so far, struck a fluent 118 off 128 balls with 14 boundaries and a six. However, save opener Tom Latham (46), none of the other batsmen could provide considerable support. The last 15 overs of the innings yielded only 66 runs for the Black Caps. While Amit Mishra (3/60 in 10 overs) picked up the important wicket of Williamson, it was Jasprit Bumrah (3/35 in 10 overs) whose bowling was a revelation during death overs. He made a technically equipped Williamson crawl with a toe-crushing yorker and another unplayable delivery in the block-hole found Tim Southee failing to get his bat down. In all, Bumrah bowled an astounding 37 dot balls in his 10 overs while the entire team bowled 161 in all which is equivalent to 26.5 overs without scoring. Umesh Yadav (1/42) started with a perfect delivery that pitched on the middle and knocked off Martin Guptill's (0) as off-stump. However, Williamson looked confident from the outset as he timed his shots to perfection. He had an able ally in Latham and they put on 120 runs for the second wicket in 20 overs at a fair clip. Williamson started by whipping Yadav to mid-wicket followed by a cover drive and a flick off Pandya. Williamson pulled a short ball from Bumrah and a deliberate slash over slips to collect a couple of more boundaries. When Axar Patel was introduced into the attack, his short ball was promptly dispatched to the mid-wicket boundary and then the skipper came down the track to loft him over long-on. To add insult to the injury, he used the pace of the next delivery to guide it past gully for a boundary. At 46, Pandya dropped a low catch off Bumrah's bowling and then swept Mishra to complete his half-century with a boundary. Left-hander Latham was more partial to cover drives while he slog swept Mishra for a big six. It was Kedar Jadhav, who bowled one full, and Latham missed the line to be adjudged leg before. His run-a-ball 46 comprised six boundaries and a six. Ross Taylor (21) looked out of sorts during his 42-ball stay at the wicket before trying to hoick Mishra only to be caught by Rohit Sharma at mid-wicket fence. Williamson continued to bat confidently as he hooked Pandya to enter the 80s. However, the Kiwi skipper slowed down a bit during this phase where Corey Anderson (21) joined him. He swept Mishra to reach 96 followed by a couple of singles to be at 98. A cover drive off Bumrah fetched him two runs as his eighth ODI ton was completed in 109 balls. This was also his first ODI hundred against India. The genial Kiwi skipper got a generous applause from the capacity Kotla crowd. Williamson lost Anderson after a 46-run stand as Mishra picked up his second wicket. It was a flipper and Anderson trying to play off the backfoot missed the line completely. The New Zealand skipper was finally out on 118 when he tried to up the ante by hitting Mishra down the ground but Rahane standing at long-off boundary moved sideways to his right to take a well-judged catch. In the final few overs, the New Zealand innings lost momentum as they fell well short of a par score. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (Corrects SBI's outstanding cards to more than 200 million) By Devidutta Tripathy MUMBAI (Reuters) - A slew of banks in India are replacing or asking their customers to change security codes of as many as 3.25 million debit cards due to fears that the card data may have been stolen in one of the country's largest-ever cyber security incidents. Card network providers Visa , MasterCard , and home-grown RuPay have alerted banks to the possible compromise, A.P. Hota, chief executive of National Payments Corp of India (NPCI) that runs RuPay, told the CNBC TV18 television channel. The cards were possibly compromised by suspected security breaches involving as many as 90 ATMs throughout the country, said Hota, adding that the issue was still being investigated. Of the debit cards affected, 2.65 million are on Visa and MasterCard platforms, while 600,000 are on RuPay, said Hota, adding he believed the issue had been contained. "Adequate precautions have been taken, information security officers of all the banks and the information security officers of all three networks are in close touch with each other," said Hota. "There is no reason for any panic, or any kind of worry." Visa and Mastercard said in separate statements their own networks had not been compromised, but they were aware of the issue and were working with banks, regulators and others to support investigations. While the potential breach impacts a large number of debit card holders, the number of cards affected accounts for just 0.5 percent of the nearly 700 million debit cards issued by banks in India. Although breaches such as this have occurred in India in the past, Hota said prior breaches have been typically localized to five or 10 ATMs. He added the latest breach may have been caused by a compromised "switch" - part of the back-end networks aiding ATM operations - of one particular local bank. It was not clear whether the security breach involved card numbers and personal identification numbers only or other data. Banking industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter said the issue stemmed from a breach in systems of Hitachi Ltd <6501.T> subsidiary Hitachi Payment Services, which manages ATM network processing for Yes Bank Ltd . The sources were not authorised to speak with media on the matter and so declined to be identified. Yes Bank said in a statement on Thursday it had proactively undertaken a review of its ATMs and found no evidence of any breach. The bank said it continued to work with other banks and the NPCI to ensure safety and security of its ATM network and payment services. A Hitachi spokeswoman said it was investigating the matter, including whether there was a malware problem, adding it had no further comment at this time. State Bank of India , the nation's top lender, said it had blocked cards of certain customers after being informed by card network providers about a breach outside its network and it was replacing those cards as a proactive measure. The bank has found about 620,000 of its more than 200 million cards "vulnerable", Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, a deputy managing director at SBI, told Reuters, but added he did not expect any significant financial loss. ICICI Bank , HDFC Bank and Axis Bank - the top three private sector lenders - confirmed in separate statements some of their customers' card accounts had been possibly breached after use at outside ATMs. The banks said they had advised the clients to change their PINs. Standard Chartered's Indian unit has also begun to re-issue debit cards for some customers, according to messages sent to clients. The bank did not respond to requests seeking comment. (Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Additional reporting by Suvashree Dey Choudhury and Katsuro Kitamatsu; Editing by Euan Rocha, Christopher Cushing and Alexandra Hudson) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chase & Co is in talks to sell out of a Chinese securities joint-venture (JV) with First Capital Securities Co Ltd in what would a high-profile departure by a Western bank from China's securities segment. Global investment banks like often hold only minority stakes in such ventures and the resulting lack of control has been a source of frustration at a time when competition from domestic rivals is becoming increasingly acute. Almost all leading investment banks, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, UBS Group AG, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank AG and Credit Suisse Group AG have securities JVs with local firms in China. Shenzhen-listed broker First Capital in a stock exchange filing said it is in talks to buy JPMorgan's 33 per cent of JP Morgan First Capital Securities Co. It said no transaction has been finalised and that any purchase remains uncertain. confirmed the content of the filing. "China is a key market for the firm globally and for many of our clients outside China. JPMorgan believes in the long term prospects of China and remains fully committed to our China franchise," the US bank said in an emailed statement. China's securities regulator approved the establishment of JPMorgan First Capital Securities Co at the end of 2010. The venture is headquartered in Beijing and offers services such as stock and bond underwriting and merger advisory. The venture posted net profit of 52 million yuan ($7.72 million) in the first half of this year, compared with a loss of 23 million yuan in the same period a year earlier, according to information First Capital filed at the stock exchange. A Chinese internet colossus referred to as a combination of Netflix, Apple, Amazon and Tesla announced it is taking on US tech titans on their home turf. Commercial Feature is a Business Standard Digital Marketing Initiative. The Editorial/Content team at Business Standard has not contributed to writing or editing these articles. For further information, please write to assist@bsmail.in Last year, more than 800 new cases were filed before the Montana Supreme Court. Most were direct appeals from District Courts criminal, civil and family law cases. Montana voters must decide whether Kristen Juras or Dirk Sandefur is best qualified to handle that workload. Juras and Sandefur are running in the nonpartisan election to fill the seat now occupied by Justice Patricia Cotter, who is retiring. The election winner will join six other justices on the court for an eight-year term. Both Juras and Sandefur strike us as smart, personable Montana natives, both live in Great Falls. She is the daughter of a longtime ranching family. After moving out of state and earning a law degree, Juras returned to Montana to raise her family. She has been in private practice and taught at the University of Montana Law School. Sandefur is the son of mechanic and stay-at-home mom. He earned a degree in computer science before working as a Havre police officer, then worked his way through the UM Law school while raising a family. Sandefur joined the Cascade County attorneys office where he became chief civil deputy attorney. Cascade County voters have elected him three times as their district judge, a job he has held for 14 years in the states third-busiest judicial district. Like his fellow judges, Sandefur is a workhorse in a court where 5,600 new cases were filed last year. According to an independent judicial workload study each of the Cascade County judges last year carried double the workload that should be expected of a full-time judge. Juras has been outspoken in declaring that Montanans right to stream access is a nonissue. In a guest opinion printed in July, she wrote: "So dont be fooled by those who are yelling wolf that the publics right to use waterways for recreation is somehow in jeopardy thats a distraction from the real issues surrounding the upcoming elections for the Montana Supreme Court. But lawsuits continue on public access issues. Its disingenuous to argue that this is absolutely settled law as Juras said when she talked with editorial board members earlier this month in Billings. Disputes about how stream access law is applied in particular cases continue to be litigated. When a judge whos been on the bench for as many years as Sandefur is challenged in a politicized race, opponents often pick a few of the thousands of cases the judge decided, and selectively describe them to claim that judge is soft on crime. We are seeing such claims against Sandefur in negative ads from a political committee funded with out-of-state money. However, Cascade County Attorney John Parker (the prosecutor whose office most often appears before Sandefur) has praised the judge for imposing tough, fair sentences on criminals. Only one of the present seven justices, Laurie McKinnon, has experience as a District Court judge. Considering that most of the Supreme Courts work is deciding appeals from District Court, having the perspective of district judges is important. Thats one of the reasons why The Gazette editorial board endorsed McKinnon four years ago, and its a factor in why we support Sandefur. The entry of Reliance Jio in the telecom sector was clearlya positive disruptor for the customers. Right after the launch of the Jionetwork to the public, incumbents like Bharti Airtel and Vodafone responded tothe competition by launching new offers at competitive prices. Bharti Airtel, one of the leading telecom companies in thecountry, has released another major 4G plan for its new subscribers. To retainthe market share, the telecom company is consistently launching new 4G plans asa response to the newly launched Reliance Jio. According to this new plan, users who own anew 4G capable smartphone can get 10GB of 4G data at a price of Rs 259. ALSO READ: Jio effect: Airtel offers 15GB of 4G data at the price of 1GB To avail the offer, the user will have to subscribe to an Airtelservice within 30 days of the new smartphone's purchase and recharge theiraccount with Rs 259. According to the official website, the user willimideately get 1GB of $G data right after the recharge and the rest of the 9GBcan be availed by downloading the MyAirtel app and claiming the additional data. Each user will be able to use this particular plan thricewithin a period of 90 days and the validity for each recharge will be 28 days. ALSO READ: Mukesh Ambani says Jio isn't a "punt" but a well-engineered business Similar to Airtel, Vodafone had also released a 10GB 4G dataplan which has a similar period and validity. Clearly, Jio's launch hastriggered a war of tariffs in the telecom sector. The three months of unlimiteddata has seen a lot of consumersshifting to the new network. Most of these new plans are for limited time andmight get revised once Jio switches to paid data. Airtel and Vodafone reduced their data costs by almost 80percent since the launch of Jio and other companies like Idea and BSNL havealso pulled up their sleeves with new 3G data plans that are more than 60percent cheaper than what they offered a couple of months back. ALSO READ: Here is how Mukesh Ambani lashed out at incumbent telecom players India has become an "action zone" for China's big-time investors like e-commerce giant Alibaba as its market attracted second highest Chinese funding in IT products next to the US, state media reported on Thursday. Citing the fast growth of India's e-commerce website Paytm which provides services to 130 million people in India, a write-up in state-run China Daily said, "India is not just another developing country - it is the world's fastest-growing economy". "A huge internet population, rapid growth of mobile internet users, political stability, established institutions like judiciary, a thriving start-up ecosystem, renowned IT expertise and the promising market potential... all these factors have made India an attractive, almost irresistible proposition for Chinese investors," the report said. Apart from Ant Financial, China's internet giants Alibaba Group Holding Limited and Tencent Holdings Limited have already invested in Indian tech companies, it said. Smaller players and even start-ups in China are rushing to India as they see the country as the next frontier in internet-based businesses and a promising market for them to replicate Chinese tech giants' success stories, it said. While the Chinese investors look to flock to India to cash on the fast growing e-commerce market, there are also anxieties among Chinese investors over growing calls for boycott of Chinese goods in India following China's blocking of India's move to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UN and blocking India's bid to become the member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Chinese officials said China's investment in India currently touched about USD three billion, which Indian officials said not much compared to the potential. Quoting a report from itjuzi.com, a website dedicated to data on tech investments, the report said India has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tech investors, second only to the US. In the first half of 2016, Chinese internet giants and venture capital firms invested more than 42.1 billion yuan (USD 6.26 billion) in 60 tech-related projects overseas, including 10 in India and 33 in the US. "India will be the next big internet market after China," said Eric Shu, a senior partner with the Hangzhou-based venture capital firm InCapital. "We believe many successful business models in China's internet industry can be copied in India," Shu said, adding that as China's economic growth slows, Chinese investors are looking for opportunities abroad. In perhaps the biggest ever breach of financial data, as many as 32 lakh bank accounts may have fallen vulnerable to data theft, with banks now asking customers to change the PINs of their ATM-cum-debit cards. AP Hota, MD & CEO, National Payments Corporation of India said many banks in September complained that customers' debit cards are being used in China even though they themselves are based in India. This is what alerted NPCI to take corrective measures against the suspected breach of data security, he added in an interview with CNBC-TV18. ALSO READ: Debit cards breach: 5 steps to stay protected from cyber threat Below is everything you need to know about the data breach: The Union Urban Development Ministry has joined hands with the Indian Railways for the development of railway stations in smart cities as planned by the Centre. The ministry and Railways will work together with agencies like the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), state governments and municipal bodies to create transportation hubs around railway stations that will accommodate all modes of local transport. These transit-oriented hubs will be spread over nearly 500 acres. An estimated Rs1,500 crore will be spent on the redevelopment of stations in the 60 cities that have been listed as smart cities. The proposed redevelopment involving railway stations envisages improving passenger amenities, easy access to stations, integrated public transport hub, waiting halls and other amenities for passengers, development of residential and commercial spaces and landscaping. With funding of the project being a key concern, the Railways is seeking monetary assistance from foreign bankers. ALSO READ: 6 global players interested to develop ultra high-speed trains in India: Suresh Prabhu Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said that a round-table meeting with domestic and overseas bankers will be held next week to explore financing options for these projects. Countries like Germany, Japan, UK, France, South Korea and Belgium are likely to participate in the conference. "Railway stations and adjoining areas will be redeveloped on smart city lines for enhancing passenger amenities and easy access to stations. Optimal utilisation of land at railway stations, as a part of smart city development will also be ensured," said Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, after signing an MoU with the Railway Ministry. ALSO READ: Indian Railways create virtual museums to showcase rich heritage To begin with, 10 cities would be taken up for the proposed redevelopment with the involvement of NBCC, which has successfully executed redevelopment projects on self-financing basis in the past. These include Sarai Rohilla in Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Varanasi, Jaipur, Kota, Thane, Madgaon (Goa), Tirupati and Puducherry. As per the MoU, Railways will be responsible for forming joint ventures. The Urban Development Ministry will work with state governments and urban local bodies for integrating railway station redevelopment as part of smart city development plans. Prabhu said redevelopment of railway stations would primarily aim at decongestion of stations that would revamp the city landscape. (In association with Mail Today Bureau) On October 11, a man in Turkey committed suicide by shooting himself while streaming it live on Facebook through his smartphone. Even after the phone fell down, disturbing noises could be heard. ALSO READ: GST may make oil, chicken dearer; TV, air conditioner cheaper What's worse, Facebook failed to censor or take down this video for almost two days while it was continuously being shared and went viral. In April, an 18-year-old student from US posted a video on Instagram, before taking his life, saying 'Hey, so, I'm killing myself. Goodbye'. This 12-second clip was seen by over 15,000 people before it was taken down two days later. ALSO READ: Maggi makes a comeback, wins 57% market share on sustained recovery Social media companies are struggling to handle these cases and are looking at ways to prevent such horror from playing out on their platform. Facebook introduced suicide prevention tools earlier this year, and formed a team to look into worrisome posts of users. Now, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, has also introduced similar tools to prevent users from self-harm. HOW IT WORKS If any user sees a post on the photo-sharing app that instigates self-harm or possibility of an attempt to suicide, they can contact the local emergency service to report the content. Users can also anonymously flag a post they feel is negative, subsequently the person who needs help will be sent a support message that reads: "Someone saw one of your posts and thinks you might be going through a difficult time. If you need support, we'd like to help." For those who may be going through these phases of depression or cyber bullying and are in need of support Instagram provides three main support resources: A suggestion to message or call a friend, access general tips and support or contact a help line by accessing your location. If any user searches for a negative hashtag, Instagram immediately offers support options before the user can view the content. ALSO READ: ALSO READ: Banking data breach: Your debit card may have been used in China This move comes after Instagram took steps to limit the abusive content on its app. In September, the photo and video sharing app made it possible for anyone to filter their comments using customizable block lists. Users could bar anyone from posting explicit words or any form of bullying content in their comments sections. The Irish Independent has today reported that Hibernia Reit, Johnny Ronan's Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), developer Eamonn Duignan and the UK property group U+I are among a number of parties understood to have submitted offers to acquire the Central Bank's Dame Street headquarters by the close of bidding yesterday. The newspaper reported that other parties who had expressed an interest in the building and its associated portfolio decided not to follow through with an offer, having formed the view that the indicative pricing of 65m given to the Stephenson 'Tower' by selling agents, Lisney, was excessive. With the sale of the Central Bank's Dame Street headquarters being conducted on a 'best bids' basis, yesterday's process represented the one and only opportunity for potential purchasers to make an offer. Quite apart from the requirement to submit the highest offer and be in a position to complete the purchase of the Central Bank's Dame Street headquarters, its new owners will have to comply with a number of conditions of sale set down by the Central Bank. One stipulation requires the purchaser of the Central Bank Tower to seek permission from the Central Bank should they wish to remove the famous Crann an Oir sculpture from its present position on the bank's main plaza. While there has been speculation that the Central Bank headquarters could be converted for hotel use, sources familiar with the matter said this was unlikely given the estimate that the building could accommodate just 108 hotel rooms. That esimate was contained in the master plan drawn up for the Central Bank portfolio by Henry J Lyons architects. Based on a 65m price tag, any buyer proposing to redevelop the Stephenson-designed building as a hotel would be paying an effective 601,000 per room before the commencement of any conversion or refurbishment. Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Minister for Finance has secured permission to cut the price limit for homes that can be used as part of the recently announced Help to Buy scheme from 600,000 to 400,000 according to reports this morning. While this would be in effect a reduction of the stimulus, the purchasers in the 400,000-600,000 range were getting the least amount of help from the scheme. The restriction that only those borrowing 80% of the purchase price would be eligible for the tax rebate will be relaxed to 70%. This follows concern from the Central Bank that the 80% level could have encouraged first-time buyers to increase their borrowing to avail of the Help-to-Buy scheme. The Finance Bill is typically published in late October but may be amended as it progresses through parliamentary committees through November. So there could be further changes to the Help-to-Buy scheme before the bill is finally passed in December. According to Goodbody Stockbrokers, "We view the number of first time buyers who would be purchasing in this price bracket as small, and the scheme will continue to be focused on the 'starter homes' end of the market, where it will have the biggest effect." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Pavilion Development in Dun Laoghaire is to be brought to the market at a guide price of 9.6 million it was announced today. The property is a mixed use scheme developed in two phases in 2000 and 2007. It comprises 10 retail units and is conveniently located opposite Dun Laoghaire DART Station and Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Pavilion 1 consists of 5 ground floor shops occupied by Itsa Bagel, Mao, Eddie Rockets, Viking Marine and one remaining unit with terms agreed to a restaurant and currently in legals. There is also an ATM and a lower level gym let to Crunch Fitness. Pavilion 1 enjoys the use of outdoor seating areas for the restaurant units fronting the harbour as well as close proximity to a childrens playground providing high levels of footfall to this popular South Dublin leisure destination. Pavilion 2 consists of a 2-storey anchor unit occupied by Eason and Costa Coffee, 2 ground floor shops occupied by OBriens Fine Wines and Go Bonkers Ice Cream and a lower level unit with a letting agreed subject to planning to Just Wing It, who also occupy a restaurant unit in The Square Tallaght. Income from the retail units for sale is approximately 758,000 per annum which reflects a net initial yield of approximately 7.5%. The rent is due to increase to 905,000 when fully income producing post completion of the final two lettings. This will provide an investor with an extremely attractive 9% yield. The units for sale extend to a total of 51,280 sq. ft. (4,764 sq. m.). The split of rental income between retail and restaurant uses is almost evenly balanced. The diversification between retail and restaurant income creates an attractive prospect for potential investors. Jacqueline Fitzpatrick of JLL today commented, "This is an excellent opportunity for an investor to acquire an attractive retail portfolio, which is in demand from retailers due to its heavy footfall in a busy town centre with harbour views. The scheme, which we expect will be fully occupied by the end of 2016, will provide an investor with high yielding diverse income with the benefit of a strong tenant line up." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Irish secure IT retirement company, AMI, has today announced that it will invest 1.1m and create 15 jobs by 2018 as it grows its business and increases its team to 50. The investment is funded by the director. Available positions include engineers, logistics personnel and warehouse staff as well as sales and business development professionals. The company plans to triple its Republic of Ireland business to 3 million over the next three years. AMI specialises in secure IT retirement services that can generate revenue back for customers from the safe disposal of older IT assets. It is among the worlds top seven companies for the quality of its secure data sanitisation processes according to the worlds leading IT disposal standards body, ADISA. One quarter of Irelands 200 largest IT user organisations already have their old IT devices retired by AMI. Managing Director at AMI, Philip McMichael said, "Were always looking to grow and innovate, and the expansion in the technology sector in Ireland presents a huge opportunity for us. The IT retirement stage can leave data vulnerable if not handled correctly. The most security conscious companies choose AMI to be assured of the lowest risk of harmful data leaks from old devices." He added, "We have invested heavily in being the most secure operator on the market, and as more companies become aware of the importance of security, AMI aims to become embedded within their businesses." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Bank of Ireland yesterday hosted a business briefing, Scaling and Growing your Long-Term Care Business, for over 220 nursing home owners, long-term care providers and intermediaries. Over the past 18 months, Bank of Ireland has approved over 150 million in funding for the long-term care sector and has allocated a further 300 million for further sector investment. The event, which took place in Croke Park, featured a panel discussion on the topic of Scaling and Growing your Long-Term Care Business covered the areas of funding, the EII scheme, recruiting and retaining staff and planning for growth. The panellists were: Director, Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) and CEO Trinity Care - Keith Robinson Chief Executive at TTM Careers - Brian Crowley Head of Corporate Finance at Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland Ltd - Conor McKeon Head of Transaction Support at Bank of Ireland - Barry Heraty Head of Pensions and Investments at Bank of Ireland Life - Bernard Walsh Head of Health Sectors at Bank of Ireland, Hilary Coates said, "The knowledge and experience of operators and providers and their staff is key to meeting standards and delivering high quality care." She added, "Our in-depth understanding of the long term care is informed by sectoral specialist expertise, our banking experience and our local relationships with customers and we look forward to supporting businesses in achieving growth while continuing to provide quality care." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us British shares edged lower on Thursday as advertising giant WPP fell after sales growth at its French peer Publicis slowed and mid-caps NCC and Keller plummeted following disappointing updates. Shares in WPP fell nearly 3% after Publicis Groupe , down 6%, said third-quarter sales grew by just 0.2% on an organic basis following the loss of large media accounts in the United States in 2015. Concern about advertising revenues hit British broadcaster ITV as well, with its shares down 3% after broker Liberum cut its target price for the stock. "We reflect the latest comments from media buyers into our forecasts, which suggest a weaker advertising momentum into Q4," Liberum said, lowering its net advertising estimate for 2016. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was down 0.2% by 0830 GMT after gaining in the previous two sessions. The FTSE 250 index fell 0.4%. The mid-cap index's underperformance was caused by sharp sell-offs in shares of some companies. Cyber security company NCC plummeted 35% and headed for its biggest-ever daily decline after it faced some contract cancellations and difficulties with some renewals. Mid-cap engineering companies Keller slumped 25% and Senior fell 20% after both issued profit warnings . However, airline stocks found some solid ground after German airline Lufthansa, up more than 7%, increased its profit target for the year and on expectations that the British government will approve a third runway for London's Heathrow airport. "All the signals point to the government finally approving the move. This could deliver a major boost to the UK's airline sector and knock-on positives for European carriers," ETX Capital analyst Neil Wilson said. Shares in British Airways owner ICG, easyJet and Ryanair rose 2.2 to 3.3%. The FTSE 100 index, dominated by internationally exposed companies, has surged more than 20% since a post-Brexit sell-off in June following a drop in sterling. However, the index is up less than 9% since then in dollar terms. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Three former senior executives of Tesco accused of fraud and false accounting at Britain's biggest retailer were told on Thursday that they will face trial next September. Christopher Bush, 50, who was managing director of Tesco UK, Carl Rogberg, 49, who was UK finance director, and John Scouler, 48, who was UK food commercial director, were charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on Sept. 9 with one count of fraud by abuse of position and one count of false accounting. They made a brief appearance at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Sept. 22, when lawyers for the men said their clients would plead not guilty. At Thursday's hearing at Southwark Crown Court in London the trio spoke only to confirm their names. After hearing legal argument Judge McCreath said their trial will start on Sept. 4, 2017, though they will appear for another pre-trial hearing on May 30. The SFO said the alleged crimes occurred between Feb. 1 and Sept. 23, 2014. Tesco issued a statement to the Stock Exchange on Sept. 22, 2014, saying that during its final preparations for a results announcement it had identified a 250 million pound overstatement of first-half profit, mainly due to booking commercial deals with suppliers too early. The discovery led to the suspension of eight senior members of staff including Bush, Rogberg and Scouler, sent Tesco's shares tumbling and plunged the company into the worst crisis since Jack Cohen founded the business neary 100 years ago. The profit overstatement, identified three weeks after Dave Lewis took over as chief executive from the sacked Philip Clarke, was later raised to 263 million pounds. The SFO investigation into Tesco is continuing. When the trio were charged, Tesco issued a statement saying that there has been an "extensive programme of change" at the company over the past two years. It declined to comment further. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Residents of Providence listen to a panel of experts regarding the city manager ordinance during a recent meeting. PROVIDENCE After months of discussion and debate, the issue will finally be settled November 8. Voters will be able to make a decision whether or not the city will move administrative duties to a professional city manager. It has been a divisive topic in Providence. Residents and members of the City Council on both sides of the issue have been outspoken about the possible change. All administrative duties along with the normal legislative duties are with the mayor in the current form of government. That means the mayor hires, fires and supervises city employees. Those duties if the proposal receives enough votes will be relegated to the city manager, who would also have the ability to implement and recommend policies and programs, prepare and submit the annual budget, manage all expenditures and enforce city laws. Rex Facer, an associate professor at Brigham Young University, joined three others on a recent panel put together to educate Providence residents on the issue. He said a city manager would bring a set of expertise in running a government organization, something an elected mayor might not have, but when cities are smaller, that expertise might not be necessary. In a lot of small communities, you just kind of get along, he said. Everybody just kind of goes, Well, thats just the way it is and we dont want to pay for it because were afraid it will raise our taxes. Once cities get bigger, more departments are formed, the work load gets heavier and the issues become more complex. You have lawsuits, you have all kinds of challenges, Facer said. They recognize that they just dont have that capacity. Some of you may have noticed we dont pay local officials, mayors and council members, very much. One of the major challenges is were asking a mayor to take care of and run the day-to-day decisions of the city for $6,000 a year. Occasionally you get somebody that is retired or is flexible enough they can devote the time, but the reality is, in many communities, you dont have the luxury of somebody that can care for the day to day issues that may come up on a random schedule. But voters will have to decide if it is worth the cost. According to Utahs Right to Know, other comparable cities in Cache Valley pay managers more than $100,000 annually. During the past several months of debate, many residents said they feel their tax dollars would be better spent on other things the city needs, such as repairing streets. Providence resident Ron Smith was one of the many residents who voiced an opinion in a May city meeting. He said he hasnt heard a compelling case for hiring a city manager. Ive heard about grievances, he said. But Ive heard nothing that says we ought to really go back to this and make a big, and for a little town like Providence, a costly change. But for some, the cost is worth it. Melinda Greenwood works as a full-time city manager in Pleasant View and was one of the panelists at the recent meeting. She said having a full-time city manager provides residents with access to local government. Im there 40 hours a week, oftentimes more than 40 hours a week, she said. I think it increases that access. My management style has always been to try and give the resident the time and attention they deserve, because that is why we are there, is to serve our residents. Another panelist David Church, a Salt Lake City attorney for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, agreed. If in fact your mayor has had power and is in charge and can do it, you can accomplish the same thing without the city manager, he said. In most cities the mayor doesnt have the ability to do that. Its going to be the whole council or something like that. Some suggested that hiring a city manager would help prevent lawsuits against the city. Church said that could be true, but it isnt certain. It is also possible that they could get you in a lawsuit, he said. Anybody with $360 and a nephew that went to law school can sue you. The key is are you going to lose lawsuits? Are you going to be worse off in the liability and the litigation side with a city manager than without one? As I say, I dont have a dog in this fight but I can tell you, you will not be worse off from a liability side by having someone that is trained in school of government working on your office. A complete copy of the proposed ordinance can be found here. President Albrecht is USU's 15th president and assumed his position in 2005. LOGAN The pool of candidates to replace Stan Albrecht as Utah State University president was narrowed down to four candidates, according to a release by the Utah State Board of Regents. The candidates are Chancellor of Montana Tech Don Blackketter, USU Provost and Executive Vice President Noelle Cockett, former Virginia State University President Keith Miller and Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Boise State University Mark Rudin. According to the release, the chair of the search committee Teresa Theurer said that the pool of highly-qualified candidates was narrowed from 40 after an exhaustive search. Albrecht is USUs 15th president and has served since 2005. He announced his retirement in February this year. The finalists will be interviewed in person on October 26. KALISPELL A jury has found a 29-year-old Kalispell man guilty of the drug-related stabbing death of another man whose body was left in a creek east of Creston. Jurors heard closing arguments late Thursday morning and convicted Robert Wittal of deliberate homicide on Thursday afternoon. He faces 10 to 100 years in prison. Prosecutors argued Wittal killed 35-year-old Wade Rautio on May 26 in his role as an enforcer for a drug dealer who believed Rautio stole from her. Defense attorney Steve Scott said there was no physical evidence linking his client to the crime and that Wittal's three co-defendants were responsible for the murder. Investigators recovered Rautio's body on June 13 after co-defendant David Toman led Flathead County authorities to the crime scene near Creston and told officers he had witnessed the killing. Tasha Adams: I still sometimes feel like I released him out into the world. I think of him like a grenade where I was always putting the pin back in." The states largest and oldest petroleum industry trade association is endorsing Republican Liz Cheney for the states only U.S. House seat. Leaders of the Casper-based Petroleum Association of Wyoming feel the oil and natural gas industry continues to be threatened by regulations from federal agencies, Randy Harris, the associations chairman, said in a statement. Wyoming needs leadership to be competitive in todays market, and Liz Cheney is the only candidate running for Congress who has outlined concrete policy proposals that will reform the federal regulatory process and strengthen Wyomings fossil fuel industry, he said. The Petroleum Association of Wyoming is proud to endorse Liz Cheney because we are confident she will be a leader that fights for a more prosperous future for Wyoming oil and gas, the consumers we serve and most importantly, for our country. Cheney said in the statement shes honored by the endorsement. Our fossil fuels are national treasures, and as Wyomings next representative and lone voice in the U.S. House, I will work to lead a national effort to roll back and rescind out-of-control federal regulations, such as the Clean Power Plan and BLM Planning 2.0, and fight for policies that support a stronger and expanded fossil fuel industry, she said. The other major contender in the race, Democrat Ryan Greene, did not hear from the association before its endorsement, Greene campaign manager Max Weiss said in an email. Many local associations interview candidates before deciding who to support. PAW never reached out to our campaign, even though Greene is an American Petroleum Institute-certified welding inspector, Weiss said. If this is how things work, we fully expect the Virginia Bar Association to endorse Greene. Bruce Hinchey, association president, said Cheney reached out to the association and met with its leaders, while Greene did not. We certainly liked what she had to say," he said. | BY Ricki Green | Independent creative agency, 10 Feet Tall has released its first work for new client, Great Wall Motors Australia, this week. Promoting the new Steed dual cab, the agencys work is the next step by the Chinese car company in renewing its commitment to the Australian market and expanding its dealer network and launches the brands new positioning line, Built to Work. The launch TV spot for the integrated campaign leverages the strength and durability of The Great Wall of China itself, and proposes the idea that, in Australia, the sort of people who could build their very own Great Wall would be the sort of pragmatic, down-to-earth people who can now drive the new Steed. Every person in the spot was a genuine tradie or farmer. Says Tim Smith, chief marketing officer, Great Wall: To continue to build Great Wall brand here in Australia, we are determined to create a shared agenda with the nations hardworking, no-fuss tradies and farmers. Theyre smart, savvy and resourceful, and certainly dont need to spend $60,000 when all they want is ute thats built to work. Great Wall general manager Tony Carraturo praised the creative efforts of 10 Feet Tall: I think the new TVC perfectly captures the essence of the Steed and its no-nonsense approach to getting the job done. 10 Feet Tall managing director, Joseph Meseha, says the chance to work with Great Wall has been one the agency has embraced whole-heartedly. Says Meseha: Great Wall produced a great product in the new Steed, and their teams ambitious and resourceful. Its an exciting time for 10 Feet Tall to get involved and were really proud of the new direction that the Steed work represents. The Great Wall brand has so much potential here in Australia and New Zealand. Great Wall is the first automotive account for the agency. | BY Ricki Green | Last night, The Agency Circle, a national voluntary body committed to action in gender and diversity, launched to the communications industry. Driven by a commitment to stop the talk and start addressing the issues, they shared findings from a recent survey conducted across 15 leading creative agencies in Australia, with over 1200 people responding. The survey drew on recent IPG and AAAA studies measuring diversity in the UK and US media industries, providing the first opportunity for the Australian industry to benchmark itself internationally. Four core themes were identified: recruiting a more diverse workforce from the ground up, with a call to stop hiring in our own image, creating more family friendly working practices and embedding them into agency culture, supporting and developing mid level women into more senior positions and actively seeking to recruit, develop and retain women in creative roles. At entry level the industry looks healthy with an even male/female split, but at executive management level the ratio drops to 60/40, and in the C suite the numbers fall to 82/18. The results give leadership teams a way to measure their own agencys performance against the aggregated industry scores. As Agency Circle members theyll decide where they over and under index and what needs urgent attention. They also now know if and where the gaps exist between their perceptions of their agencys scorecard on gender and diversity and that of their staff. The Agency Circles role is to create an open, but action focused forum where agencies will acknowledge their focus on change in the year ahead. The survey will be conducting annually. Says Michele ONeill (pictured), director of strategy at VCCP and inaugural chair of The Agency Circle: Youre either in or youre out, enough of the rhetoric. Weve been having this conversation for over 30 years. Were working towards real change agency by agency. We all know the issues. The study has just given us a revealing set of numbers for each agency to improve upon. And well keep each other in check, tracking progress and reporting back. Were in this together, agencies have enough opportunities to compete, this isnt one of them. The Agency Circle is committed to assisting the industry by offering tools, advice, best practice and proven initiatives to enable agencies to develop and implement their own initiatives to improve diversity performance. Each participating agency will receive a fully aggregated report. Several agencies surveyed are already ahead in their journey with initiatives to improve their gender and diversity score card: Training on unconscious bias A review of workflow practices to reveal outdated working structures Changes to the sourcing of entry level talent, ensuring a mix of applicants from more diverse educational backgrounds beyond a tertiary degree Sending Creative Directors to leadership training which makes a significant difference to their understanding of broad agency issues Flexible working arrangements and acceptance of these arrangements for a family friendly workforce, including staggered starting and finishing times. | BY Ricki Green | Says Cameron Crowley, Taylors chief marketing officer: Its rare when you find a partnership not just in terms of digital smarts, but where the people involved and the attitude they bring fits your culture so well. We felt there was just a really good match. | BY Ricki Green | Miami Ad School has today announced a line up of Sydneys leading creative and planning talent to teach its Account Planning Boot camp 2017. The Account Planning Boot camp is an intensive 10-week training course with an increased focus on developing a creative mindset as well as strategic skills in understanding and analyzing data, developing insights, writing briefs and creating and executing concepts. It is recommended for planners, creatives, account service, brand owners and recent graduates. It starts on 3 January and ends on 15 March with a career management workshop. Jerker Fagerstrom (above, right), executive creative director at McCann will teach a class Tool Box where planners team with creatives to write briefs, develop strategies, concept ideas and execute campaigns. Students present their projects in a competitive setting, the class The Pitch, taught by Dylan Taylor (above left) of the Dylan Agency. A number of Australias leading planners will conduct intensive weekend workshops on Essential Planning topics: Al Crawford, Executive Planning Director, Clemenger BBDO on Account Planning: an Overview Ian MacDonald, Strategy Director, McCann on Creative Brief Writing Iona MacGregor, Chief Strategy Officer, Marcel on Understanding Brand Issues Dominic McCarthy, Head of Qualitative Strategy, The Leading Edge on Qualitative Research Michael Hogg, Strategic Planning Director and lead planner of The Monkeys team that won the 2016 Effie Grand Prix, on Measuring Effectiveness Marcelo Andrado, Digital Strategy Director, OMD on Social Content & Media Planning Julia Vargiu, Founder & Principal, New Business Methodologies on New Business Fagerstrom is an internationally renowned creative leader with a background in strategy and business development. Fagerstrom and his teams have been awarded at every major global awards show, having collected a Titanium Lion, a Cyber Grand Prix at Cannes, a Eurobest Outdoor Grand Prix among other coveted gongs. He has worked on global clients such as McDonalds, Adidas, Volkswagen, Lufthansa, Carlsberg and H&M, and in Australia his client experience includes Bunnings, Officeworks, Kmart, Mastercard, Purina, Microsoft, Xbox, Uncle Tobys and Coke/Sprite. Says Fagerstrom: We found the Miami Ad School Account Planning Boot Camp to be a very effective training course that helps juniors short-cut their career into mid level positions. Planners not only pick up the skills necessary to make it as a planner, but they also, just as importantly, develop a creative mindset. I recommend the boot camp also to creatives. Says Taylor: Our aim is to help students create original campaigns of a professional standard to win business in real life. In fact, we will get a client to provide a real brief. Well also enter the best campaigns into global student competitions which will accelerate the students careers. Taylors track record includes 300 Awards, being part of the B&T Agency of the Decade team, judging most recognised award shows and being the first Australian awarded the Irving Wunderman Award for lifetime achievement at the 30th Caples Award Show. In the same year, he was also named Australian Direct Marketer of the Year. The fate of affirmative action In one of the most controversial cases this year, the Supreme Court heard arguments over the use of race-conscious admissions at American colleges. It's Monday's news. Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 9:57PM As you well know, Samsung Galaxy Note7s are now banned from US and Canadian aircrafts (among other airlines). Hoping you wont become phone-less after having to leave the Note7 behind, Samsung is setting up pop-up booths at some of the most frequently visited airports in the US and around the world to exchange or refund Galaxy Note7 devices. Theres already a booth at San Francisco International Airport as well as airports in South Korea and Australia. Source: Quartz "I'll just flag the definition of abandoned because abandoned sounds like that might be a negative outcome [but] sometimes a customer might receive the information they need from the recordings and choose to exit the queue," the DHS boss said. University of Mary and Bismarck State College are teaming up to host an event aimed at helping high school students navigate college. The Missouri River Educational Cooperative's college symposium "Jump$tart Your Future" will take place Nov. 3 at BSC. The event will feature Brooks Harper, an author and career development expert, who will discuss topics, such as how to be successful in the job market and ace an interview. University of Mary and BSC students will lead a panel discussion on how to prepare for college. The MREC, in collaborations with the University of Mary, BSC and local industries including agriculture and tourism will host a series of college and career readiness events throughout the school year, according to a University of Mary news release. A group of visitors from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will pay a visit to United Tribes Technical College next week for a discussion on tribal sovereignty and governance. CEOs of major companies and a chairman of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan are among those who will be at UTTC campus on Oct. 25, according to a news release from UTTC. The discussion is part of a U.S. visit on accountability, governance and the role of citizenry in government. The group's visit began in Washington, D.C., and is provided by the Dacotah Territory International Visitor Program, in partnership with the Rumsfeld Foundation and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. UTTC previously hosted groups from Russia and Germany. The discussion is open to the public. It will be held from 12 to 2 p.m. at the UTTC Cafeteria conference room. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. I was teaching primary school kids and asked them to write about Guru Gobind Singh. After they wrote the article, I asked them few questions based on what they have written and to my surprise they did not know a single word. It made me realize that they had simply Google searched the topic and wrote the hundred words article without learning anything. Is it wrong to 'Google' things? Of course, it is not. Google provides a set of information about every keyword we ask it about. But still, there are a few things we are losing because of our habit of Google searching everything. Short Attention Span: The zeal to read a new novel has been taken up by reading articles online. The attention to details has been replaced by searching some keywords in the article and getting a feel of having learned something new. Less Interest in Books: Students are collecting soft copies of a book rather than buying a new book. The way people are studying from online materials is distracting them from reading a good book. At times, to have an in-depth knowledge of things, one need to read the book. Comprehension Skills Affected: Chatting and texting all the time in the 'chat lingo' is affecting the language skills of people around the world. 'You' has become 'U' and 'What' has become 'wt'. Even the auto correct thing in writing tools is leading us to make more spelling mistakes. The Internet is a powerful tool which provides immense information. However, it is a tool which should not overpower us. We need to hold on to that world where people talk to each other rather than 'connect' with each other. Our brain should not be a slave to this online living, otherwise, one day we would end up forgetting even the alphabets of our language. Goa Institute of Management (GIM) has invited applications for its PGDM and PGDM-HCM courses. The intake capacity of PGDM course is 240 and that of PGDM-HCM course is 60. The last date to apply is January 3, 2017. Eligibility: Candidate should have minimum 50% marks (45% for SC/ST) in his/her Bachelor degree Candidates appearing in final year of graduation can also apply but they must complete their degree by June 5, 2017 Candidate should have appeared in XAT - 2017/ CAT - 2016/ CMAT - 2017/ GMAT (2015/ 2016) How to Apply: Go to the official link Click on Register Now After registering, click on Already Registered Fill up the form Make payment Click on Submit Selection Procedure: The selection will be done on the given criteria - Objective Assessment (40%) Past Academic Performance (15%) Work Experience (10%) Face to Face Evaluation (30%) Composite Diversity Index (5%) About Goa Institute of Management: GIM was founded in 1993 by Romuald D'Souza who has also founded XIM, Bhubaneswar and was former director of XLRI, Jamshedpur. It offers programs that meet the challenging business needs of India and the state of Goa. It has partnerships with premier institutes abroad. There are student exchange programs that enable students to study one term at some premier institute of Europe. The students will get the chance to study in University of Antwerp, Belgium, Warsaw University of Technology Business School, Poland and Hochschule Ingolstadt, Germany. Dehradun, 20th October 2016: The three day 2nd IEEE International Conference on Next Generation Computing Technologies (NGCT-2016) organized under the aegis of 'Centre for Information Technology' in UPES and has been co-sponsored by "Department of Science & Technology, Government of India", "Defence Research & Development Organization, Government of India" , "RCPL" and Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, USA concluded in Bidholi Campus of UPES. In his key note address Dr Michael Coyle, CEO of Avatar Med Vision US, North Carolina, USA shared the recent developments through which contemporary computer technologies have made some major interventions in the Digital Health space towards the benefit of mankind. Some of the interventions demonstrated by him through audio visual aid included "Nano-Retina", "DNA Nanobots" & "Artificial Pancreas". Dr P Shekhar, Chairman & MD of Micro Technologies in his talk unleashed the recent developments of next generation computing technologies in the field of secured governance aimed at national E-Governance. Some of the other key speakers included Dr E G Rajan, President of Pentagram Research Centre, Hyderabad and Scientific Advisor at Helios & Matheson Analytics, USA who enlightened the participants by sharing the role of next generation computing technologies in the domain of Defence Technologies for Home Land security while Dr Piyush Maheshwari, Professor & Head of Engineering at Amity University, Dubai shared his insight on the role of next generation computing Technologies in smart city applications. Naval Force To Oil, IT Industry Giants Turn Top Recruiters At UPES Also presenting their views were Dr Ram Muthy Garimella from IIT-Hyderabad who in his talk on 'Fog Computing & Future Internet" gave an in depth insight on stem use of local servers a service provider to the main cloud system. Mr Tanmoy Chakravarty, Vice President & Global Head - Government Industry Solutions Unit (ISU) at New Delhi in his address presented his views on Governance Transformation through next generation computing Technologies. Over 150 technical presentations which were shortlisted from a total 437 submissions from reputed international and national institutes and organizations as well as were presented during the span of 3 days. The presentations were made on indulging themes like High Performance Computing, Data Science, Computer Networks, Security and Privacy, Image Processing, Artificial Intelligence. During the conference, Dr. Sudha Arora (GBPUAT, Pantnagar), Dr. M. J. Nigam (IIT Roorkee), Dr. S. D. Samantray(GBPUAT, Pantnagar), Dr. M. P. Thapliyal (HNB Garhwal University), Dr. Deepak Garg (Bennett University), Dr. Parmanand (Galgotias University), Dr. Karamjit Bhatia (Gurukul Kangri University), Dr. V. K. Sharma (Gurukul Kangri University), Dr. Ashish Negi (G. B. Pant Engg. College), Dr. D. R. Gangodkar and Dr. Sandip Vijay (ICFAI University) were invited as Technical Session Chairs for the evaluation of technical Presentations. UPES awarded top scores by QS Star Ratings A Candid & illustrative exhibition of models "NGCT EXPO" was also organized which promulgated the savvy of the students in the field. Certain highlights of the exhibition were the Environmental Data Monitoring Drone, Panel Arch- an imaging based starch engine & a Sensor based Soap Lifter. A workshop on "Linux Shell Scripting" was also organized as a part of conference in which about 35 scholars participated and learn about the Linux scripting language. This workshop was supported by RCPL India Pvt. Ltd., Noida. The valedictory ceremony of the conference was concluded on the eve of 16th October in the presence of Chief Guest, Prof Durgesh Pant, Director, Uttarakhand Space Application Centre, Dehradun. Dr Pant presented his uplifting views on Genesis of Computer & Impact of Advancement of Technology in today's arena. Dr. Manish Prateek while presenting the vote of thanks made a special mention of Dr Amit Aggarwal, the architect of NGCT-2016 and also committed of organizing a more advanced NGCT 2017 with his NGCT team. Also present at the valedictory ceremony were Dr Amit Agarwal, Dr J. C. Patni, Dr Kingshuk, Dr Inder Singh, Mr Ravi Tomar, Mr Hitesh Kumar, Mr Ankit Vishnoi, along with their colleagues from CIT in UPES and students from senior batches. Indian Students Make Country Proud at Global Aerospace Competition Nine Indian Aerospace students visited the Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Moscow for space training and aerospace workshop by Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) on 12 October 2016. GCTC is a Russian training facility responsible for training cosmonauts for their space missions. These students who went for the visit are a part of Space Kidz India, an organisation that aims at promoting science and technology for Indian students. Being the ambassador for GCTC, Space Kidz India flew its first crew from India comprising students from various institutions who got an exposure about the space centers at Russia. In the workshop, the crew got to work on a 360* lab, Simulation lab, see the 'Super Computer' and got on board a MIG 27. A presentation on the Sputniks, a series of Russian artificial satellites sent into orbit during the late 1950s and Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi was the highlight. At GCTC, Cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov, spoke to the crew about his experience in space, and how he trains the Astronauts and Cosmonauts. Simulation activities were a highlight at the GCTC. Students were distributed certificates for their successful completion of the workshop. The event was organised by Alla, Russian counterpart of Space Kidz India ar Roscosmos State Corporation. This educational mission to Russia, was flagged off by Consul general HE Mr. Sergei Kotov and Vice Consul Mr. Mikhail Gorbotov. Siva Suriya, who won the Young Scientist India -2016 organised by Space Kidz India jointly with Abdul Kalam International Foundation and MAI for his solar power project was also a part of the mission that concluded on the 19th October 2016. The team arrived Chennai today after their educational trip. In August, Space Kidz India won the Limca Book of Records for its successful NSLV launch that touched an altitude of 106789 ft. They also retrieved the payload and the data stored in it. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) has invited applications for the NCERT Doctoral Fellowship 2016. This scholarship scheme is being offered to provide opportunities to young scholars to conduct research in the field of education from different disciplinary perspectives. About NCERT Doctoral Fellowship 2016: The scholarship objectifies building knowledge base of education in the contemporary context. Fellowship will be given for research pertaining to the following priority areas: Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Concerns related to Teacher Education Schemes Teacher Educators' Education Education of the Disadvantaged Classroom Processes and Practices Curricular Areas Education for Peace Psycho-social Development of Children Under this scheme, the fellowship will be awarded to 10 deserving candidates, 4 out of the 10 fellowships are reserved for 4 Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) one each for Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Mysore. Candidates will be selected based on the criteria listed below. Candidates who are eligible can apply for the NCERT Doctoral Fellowship on or before November 21, 2016. Who is eligible? Candidates who are involved in research in the above listed areas can apply Candidates should have a good academic record with at least 60% marks at both Graduate and Post Graduate Levels Candidates should not be more than 35 years of age as on the last date of receipt of applications Candidates registered for Ph.D. degree in a recognized university or working toward their Ph.D. registration are eligible to apply How to apply? Candidates can apply online only Applications can be registered in the prescribed format on the official website of NCERT Selection procedure: Candidates will be short listed based on the applicants performance in the interview round The procedure will be designed by the NCERT which may also include presentation of the proposals Fellowship amount: Non NET fellows will receive a fellowship of Rs 12,000 per month NET qualified candidates will receive Rs 16,000 per month They will also receive a contingency grant of Rs.10,000/- per annum for period of 3 years Validity of the fellowship: Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal... The Bobcat plant in Bismarck was evacuated Thursday morning after an employee found the word "bomb" scratched into a bathroom wall. The employee notified security, who called police to investigate the threat around 9 a.m., according to Bismarck Police Sgt. Mark Buschena. Officers walked through the building on South 26th Street and did not find anything suspicious, Buschena said. Employees of the company will conduct a second search of the building and alert police if they find anything suspicious. The meaning of the graffiti is unknown at this point, Buschena said. As a precaution, the company sent home its first shift of workers. Work will continue at second shift, company spokeswoman Laura Ness Owens said. Buschena said the decision to evacuate was left up to the company, but police always encourage businesses to err on the side of caution. Another livestock shooting has been reported in Sioux County. The North Dakota Stockmen's Association and the Sioux County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of a horse shot and "mutilated." Julie Ellingson, executive director of the association, said investigators found the animal sliced from its shoulder to its nose, with the hide pulled back and its head skinned. The horse, valued at $3,000, was killed in the same pasture where other animals have been attacked over the past couple of weeks. The same rancher has had two animals injured and five killed, and 30 others have gone missing. Another rancher in the area has reported several bison killed. Stan Misek, chief brand inspector for the Stockmen's Association, refuted rumors circulating via social media that the missing livestock had been found. "Unfortunately, they are all still missing," he said, and authorities are continuing their search. Ellingson said investigators have been on-site "investigating the premises" for clues as to how the animals might have disappeared, and air surveillance has been used in an effort to find them. The missing animals were branded, she said. "Because this is one particular farm impacted multiple times, that's another element our team is looking into," she said. The first two reports were made by two ranchers, one on Sept. 29 and one Oct. 9. The other two reports came this week. "The crimes against livestock in this area over the last few weeks have been appalling," said Misek. "We are working hard to identify those who are responsible and would appreciate any information that the public may have to help us solve these cases and bring forth justice for the victims." Ellingson said many ranchers are gathering, weaning and vaccinating cattle and preparing for market at this time of year, "so there should be a lot of people actively look through their herds." The Stockmen's Association indicated hope that the missing animals simply got into another rancher's pasture and will be found. The association has a standing reward of up to $14,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those who steal, butcher or shoot cattle, horses or mules. Anyone with information should call Misek at 701-223-2522; NDSA West River fieldman Steve Bay at 701-955-3422; or Sioux County Sheriff Frank Landeis at 701-854-3481. Misek reminds livestock producers to be on the watch for any unusual activity or strange vehicles in the area, and to notify authorities about anything that seems suspicious. Infrastructure and the Dakota Access Pipeline were among the topics candidates seeking District 34 legislative seats sounded off on Wednesday night. About a dozen people gathered in Mandan City Hall to take in the forum. Theres no one stepping up to offer solutions, Dem-NPL Senate candidate Dave Gipp said of the 1,172-mile, $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline project and the protest movement it has spawned. Demonstrations at construction sites in the region have led to more than 140 arrests since August. Lets build a refinery, maybe with one of our tribes, Gipp suggested. Republican Rep. Todd Porter countered that idea by referring to the MDU Resources Group Inc. sale of its Dakota Prairie Refinery to Tesoro Corp. earlier this year after less than one year of operation, at a loss. You still need pipelines to get the oil there safely if a refinery were built, Porter said. If anyone has been dropping the ball its the federal government, Republican Sen. Dwight Cook said of the pipeline situation. Cook said the states main responsibilities at this point are public safety as the situation is resolved, and reimbursing Morton County and other local agencies for related law enforcement costs. Its a very complex issue with a very complex history, said Dem-NPL House candidate Bernie Parkhurst. Parkhurst said no matter how up to date the technology is for pipelines, theres no guarantee they wont leak at some point. When asked whether Mandan should continue to receive funding for hub cities affected by energy activity, all of the candidates were supportive. Traffic is obviously a big impact on our roads, Republican Rep. Nathan Toman said, adding that hed push for continued hub city status next session. During the last session, Mandan was included in an expanded program for funding to hub cities that have high employment in the energy industry. Dem-NPL House candidate Jessica Petrick agreed. Our school numbers of children are continuing to grow, she said. Wednesdays forum was sponsored by the North Dakota League of Women Voters, The Bismarck Tribune and Dakota Media Access. Exactly a year after unveiling its bold supercar concept, Faraday Future could reveal its first production model at CES 2017 in January. While speaking at the launch LeEco LeSEE Pro in San Francisco, company chief executive Yueting Jia said that Faraday, the U.S. automaker being funded largely by LeEco, might present its first production car in January. Unfortunately, thats all the information or lack thereof, which Jia would reveal, reports Jalopnik. Soon after his announcement however, the company sent out a tweet saying it will unveil the future at CES, likely its first model. Very little is known about Faraday Futures first model other than a teaser image released earlier in the month previewing the vehicles advanced and ultra-dense battery pack. That teaser showed what appears to be a sleek-looking crossover with long front and rear overhangs and potentially, seating for seven. Considering the popularity of crossovers and SUVs, it makes sense for FF to tap into this market first. PHOTO GALLERY FCA chief technical officer Harald Wester addressed a European Parliament inquiry in Brussels, denying claims from German authorities that Fiats 500X diesel model has been using unauthorized software during emissions testing. The claim originated from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority back in May, stating that the cars engine management software switched off exhaust treatment systems after 22 minutes, thus allowing the diesel-powered 500X to pass the 20 minute test. The car model in question meets emission standards in the test and does not detect that it is being tested, stated Wester while mentioning that EU legislation still allows for engine management software to perform adjustments meant to protect the engine itself. Wester added that FCA welcomes next years new emissions tests, which should lead to greater transparency for both consumers and the industry, as reported by Autonews. During his conversations with members of the panel, the FCA exec also said that EU legislation on car emissions should mirror the stricter US rules, or perhaps even become standardized on a global level. German authorities, however are sticking to their story that FCA cheated and that the 500X did indeed have an unauthorized switch-off device. PHOTO GALLERY Infiniti has yet to target the likes of Tesla Motors with a zero-emission vehicle, but this could change in the near future, as Nissans premium brand is mulling a dedicated electric car. Company president Roland Krueger told Autonews Europe that Infiniti is currently evaluating the development of a pure electric model with its eyes set on China, which became the worlds largest EV market in the world last year, overtaking the USA, thanks to an ongoing government-led campaign that saw massive investments in the field. When I think about EV, we design it for China definitely, even as the first market to launch. We are discussing this internally constantly what is the right timing for Infiniti to have such vehicles, Krueger said. At the moment, Infiniti offers nine models in the Peoples Republic, including five SUVs and four sedans, with six of them running on traditional gasoline engines, and the other three on a hybrid powertrain. A tenth model the QX30 will be launched next month, and it could be followed by the production version of the LE sedan concept, shown in 2012. In the meantime, sales of Infiniti cars have slowed this year in China, but once the QX30 enters the market in November, the brands numbers are expected to rise. PHOTO GALLERY As an official sponsor of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team, Epson are certainly within their rights to call upon Lewis Hamilton in an attempt to promote their EcoTank printer. It seems that the idea behind this commercial was to basically splash Lewis Hamilton with lots of ink while hes battling the Epson printer inside Mercedes state of the art F1 wind tunnel. On top of that, Mercedes even suggests that if we are to do one thing today, it should be to watch this clip which normally would be indicative of seeing Hamilton doing something amazing behind the wheel of a car, however this spot is more about satisfying a different type of visual appetite, one where colors reign supreme. By the way, if youre struggling to remember where exactly on Mercedes F1 cars it says Epson, its on the side of the rear wing in a pretty large white font which generally indicates that youre looking at one of the main sponsors of a team. As for Hamiltons performance, we wouldnt blame you if liked seeing him more in that Beasts of the Green Hell teaser video from a few months back when he was looking for the Mercedes-AMG GT R. VIDEO Honda did the right thing and revived the NSX in the form of a hybrid AWD mid-engined supercar with no less than three electric motors but is this enough to challenge established supercar players like McLaren? On paper theres no denying that the new Honda NSX has all it takes to impress, packing 573hp combined from all of its power sources, a nine-speed dual-clutch automatic and real torque vectoring. The McLaren 570S on the other hand has already proven that nothing on it feels entry-level, with the company showcasing their ability to engineer one more hugely exciting supercar, this time though for a price than can finally be described as sensible. And dont let McLarens description of the 570S as a sportscar fool you; this is a proper supercar, complete with a carbon tub and these gorgeous butterfly doors. Can the Honda NSXs advanced powertrain tech give it the edge though? Autocar is comparing the two supercars in their latest video, linked below. VIDEO The New South Wales Police Force has just taken delivery of a specially-equipped Audi S7 Sportback which will be used in a selection of community and youth engagement programs. The S7 Sportback has been lent to the Lake Illawarra Area Command and will be used for 12 months, replacing the RS4 Avant previously used by the department. To make the car stand out on the street, it has been adorned in a unique livery selected by Facebook fans on the Audi Australia page last year. The livery consists of a blue and white chequered pattern on the lower third of the body as well as numerous police decals, including links to the departments social media pages. Discussing the car, managing director of Audi Australia Andrew Doyle said The Audi S7 Sportback has a striking presence, thanks to its sophisticated design and the sound of its extraordinary twin-turbo V8 engine, and so it is perfectly suited to making an impact at the various events it will attend throughout the course of the next 12 months. Audi has been extraordinarily successful in Australia over the last decade, and so we are delighted to contribute back to the community in this way.. While the S7 Sportback wont be used in active police duty, if it was, it could keep up with most cars on local streets. After all, its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 pumps out 450 hp and 550 Nm of torque and can accelerate the car to 100 km/h in a scarce 4.6 seconds. PHOTO GALLERY Visiting the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart is a bucket-list item for any fan of the German automaker, with vehicles on display from the companys 85 years of history on both road and track. But some of the most enticing vehicles the museum holds are not on display, squirreled away in its archives instead. Gaining access to the warehouse is a rare opportunity, but Porsche has been so kind to give us a glimpse into its collection via the brands Facebook page. Look closely through these ten photos and youll see such wonders as a early 959 prototype, a smattering of amped-up 911s from Weissach, a single-seat 911 Speedster, a cutaway from a modern 911, an original VW Beetle (designed of course by Ferdinand Porsche), and a rare Porsche-engined BMW motorcycle. Theres a couple of rare grand prix cars from the companys brief foray into Formula One in the late 1950s and early 60s, the body shell for a Le Mans prototype, a stack of 924 GTS racers, and some close-ups of a modern 911 GT3 Cup racer, complete with Martini Racing stripes. Its the stuff that dreams are made of for the legions of Porsche faithful, and an opportunity any of us would be overjoyed to experience. Since few if any of us ever will, though, you can spark your imagination perusing through the images below. Photo Gallery Photo: Getty Images I find it interesting how children interact with their parents. When my boys were younger, it was clear their mom and I each had particular roles to play. If they wanted to wrassle, roughhouse, or generally do things of a testosterone nature they came to yours truly. I can remember once when the boys, who were around eight and six, were using me as their personal wrestling dummy. They would attack in tandem and I would fend off the assaults that came from every direction imaginable. I stopped the action and asked why they never wrestle their mom this way. My oldest stopped, looked at me and with all seriousness said, Because we love mom. The younger one agreed and the assault resumed. It's not that they didn't love me, but they decided it was my role to give them noogies while holding them in a headlock. It was mom's job to provide a more nurturing role. As little guys, they determined mom was the giver of affection and dad was the jungle gym, punching bag and wrestling mat. Their mom also took on the role of academic assistant. When they needed help with their math homework or something of that nature, they ran straight to mom. This had nothing to do with me being the dad, but everything to do with mom being a lot smarter than I am. However, when they needed help repairing their bike (later on their cars) they came to me, because while their mom makes me look like the intellectual equivalent of a Neanderthal with a learning disability, I am fairly handy with tools. I spent a lot of time fixing my own bikes and cars over the years, so I could apply that knowledge to assisting my spawn. And while they interact differently us, my wife and I interact with them differently. Being boys, I expected them to come home with scrapes, bruises and the occasional boo-boo. If they were walking, talking had all their appendages and assorted body parts, I would generally say You're OK. And they were aside from a few minor injuries that is. I witnessed many of my dad friends do the same thing with their kids. You're OK, now pick up your spleen and put your bike away. Of course, if the injury was more than just a minor boo-boo, I knew exactly what to do. Where's your mom? Mom would then rush in, assess the situation and apply whatever type of care was needed. From a Band-Aid to a hug, mom could cover it all. It's not that dads don't care, they just do things a little differently than their female counterpart. For example, my oldest son loved to climb trees when he was small and the apple tree in front of our home was a perfect place to hone his skills as a monkey. One day, he fell out of the tree, a distance of about two metres. I ran to the window in time to see him get up, dust himself off and give me a big grin. I made sure he had not hit is head or broken anything before giving my official diagnosis of You're OK. When I told his mom about it a couple hours later, she called him over for an examination that came just short of a full body CT scan. When she was done, she reached the same conclusion I did, he was OK. I hate to say I told you so, but... This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer A Summerland resident is presenting a first-person account of helping refugees in Greece at the Penticton Museum and Archives next week. Lesley Vaisanen spent six weeks helping refugees on the Island of Lesbos in Greece. Located in the northern Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey, Lesbos is the main refugee gateway to Europe. Vaisanen spent time fund raising to bring much needed supplies to Greece. In January 2016 leaving her family back in Canada, she flew to Greece to help refugees coming from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. She encountered many objections to her desire to travel across the world to help people in need. During her presentation she will describe why she felt compelled to go, and what she encountered on the Island of Lesbos. Lesley Vaisanen lives in Summerland with her husband and children. The desire to serve people in need is something she has always been driven by. Traveling to Greece was the first step towards fulfilling her desire. She is now working towards becoming a registered nurse. The presentation, part of the Brown Bag Lecture Series, will be from noon to 1 p.m., Oct. 25, in the museum auditorium. It is just one of the many lectures held every Tuesday in the fall and spring at the museum. Admission is by donation. Suggested donation is $2 for adults and $1 for children. Photo: Live Different A Canadian humanitarian worker is among three people missing after a small plane crashed off the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Humanitarian organization Live Different, which is based in Hamilton, says long-time employee Benjamin Cole Brown was on board the aircraft with two Americans at the time of the crash. The three were returning from Haiti where they had delivered donations and other aid to help local residents rebuild from a recent hurricane. Brown, 36, was managing programs in the Dominican Republic and had lived abroad for nearly a decade. Live Different spokeswoman Jennifer Digiandomenico says organization staff are at the crash site awaiting word on the search for survivors. She says employees are holding out hope that the man they referred to simply as Cole is still alive. "We love Cole so much," she said in a telephone interview. "He is a big part of the Live Different family, which extends all across Canada and the Dominican Republic and Haiti. We have received so many phone calls and emails from people in all three countries who are still praying and thinking of Cole." Digiandomenico said Brown boarded the personal plane with Chuck and Candy Ritzen, an American couple also involved in the humanitarian aid field, on Monday night as the three prepared to return to the Dominican Republic. The plane, she said, was Chuck Ritzen's personal aircraft that was frequently used for travel between the two islands. A spokesman for Global Affairs Canada said they were informed that a Canadian citizen was missing off the coast of the Dominican Republic. "Debris from a small aircraft has been recovered near Puerto Plata and consular officials at the Consulate of Canada in Puerto Plata Consular are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information," Austin Jean wrote in an email to The Canadian Press. Photo: CTV The BC SPCA is upset after a man will spend no time behind bars for beating his family's Chihuahua-cross to death with a four-foot long piece of wooden fence post. The dog, named Jersey, died of blunt force trauma after he bit the face of Christopher Mathes' six-year-old daughter during Thanksgiving dinner. The bite caused a small wound on the young girl's face. Cruelty investigators found the body of the small dog, which weighed about seven pounds, buried in a cardboard box after the SPCA was tipped off about the death. Mathes pleaded guilty to causing pain and suffering to an animal, and faced a $75,000 fine and up to five years in jail. A Kamloops judge gave Mathes a 12-month conditional discharge and one-year ban on being in the presence of dogs. Mathes had told the judge he was afraid of the dog, who had bit guests in the past. Marcie Moriarty, BC SPCA chief prevention and enforcement officer, said the punishment is no more than a slap on the wrist. "His reaction to this very small dog was completely unreasonable and what this sentence suggests is that inflicting this kind of violence that this type of activity should be condoned," Moriarty told CTV Vancouver. - With files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Contributed A play is work. It is not working in the salt mines work," but there are long hours, high emotions and lots of people and, hopefully, money to manage. Ironically, the bulk of time getting a play ready for production is before all the actors start rehearsing; it is finding a way to get it on the stage and this process can sometimes take years. An example of this is the new play by Ruth Bieber premiering this week at The Mary Irwin Theatre in Rotary Centre For The Arts. I met Ruth almost five years ago when I had recently moved to Kelowna from Calgary. We shared mutual experiences as artistic directors who worked with theatre companies there and Ruth kindly offered her extensive expertise on our very first board of directors. Those were exciting, yet difficult times trying to get New Vintage Theatre on its feet and Ruth was always there. All the while she was developing numerous projects of her own-she is an award winning director, artist and producer who has worked on stage, film and in galleries around North America. She is also a high profile advocate for the disabled and a playwright who has been tirelessly working on getting her play,To See or Not To See, read, workshopped and now produced. To See or Not To See is Ruths journey as a visually impaired artist. From her birth to present day, Ruths large cast play, which stars another award winner, Janet Anderson, is a complex and harrowing tale I was fortunate to read back in those early days of New Vintage. Filled with shamans and ironically, vision quests, the story is highly personal and emotional. As a dramaturg, I saw there were things about the play that presented challenges to it seeing production, but Ruth has pulled together a team that will impress and has seasoned director Phillip Wagner from Vernon at the helm. It may have taken time, but having been fortunate to be at other projects Ruth has produced, I can tell you the audience will be there to support this amazing womans play. To See Or Not To See runs October 20-22 at The Rotary Centre For The Arts. Tickets are available from www.rotarycentreforthearts.com. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. I would like to comment on the Worksafe BC fine issued to the School District 22 (Vernon) for asbestos related violations. Isn't this a classic example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Who does the government think pays for all these fines? Surely they could come to some agreement without using tax payer money. I am really getting tired of my tax paid dollar going from the right hand to the left hand without some benefit to the tax payer. Don Barnes Photo: The Canadian Press Stormy weather has paused the operation to remove thousands of litres of diesel from a sunken tug off British Columbia's central coast. Salvage crews have recovered more than 88,000 of the estimated 200,000 litres of fuel from the Nathan E. Stewart, which ran aground and sank last week in Seaforth Channel, about 20 kilometres west of Bella Bella. The latest joint situation report says more fuel is scheduled to be emptied Wednesday, but smaller boats working on the operation have been told to stand down because of predictions of gale to storm-force winds. Other parts of the operation, including shoreline clean up assessment, wildlife observations and environmental sampling were also put on hold because of forecast. The local Heiltsuk First Nation says in a news release that responders are concerned the tug may move in the storm, causing fuel to spill. Jess Housty, an elected councillor for the Heiltsuk, says that an aerial tour of the scene Tuesday showed that damage to the area is extensive. Photo: Dustin Godfrey Emergency crews responded to the scene of a crash on Lawrence Avenue Wednesday afternoon. At least one fire truck and a police car responded to the scene, where a car was in the ditch up the hill along Lawrence Avenue. It's not known whether anybody sustained injuries during the crash, but one person was at the scene, standing outside the car. Whether any other cars were involved in the crash or how it happened is also uncertain at this time. The Penticton Fire Department was not immediately available to comment on the crash. Castanet will update with more information as it becomes available. WATFORD CITY -- The McKenzie County sheriff is asking a judge to block an attempt by county leaders to remove him from office. Sheriff Gary Schwartzenberger argues in a court petition filed this week that the McKenzie County Commission has overstepped its authority, and hes seeking to block the boards action to remove him and suspend a lieutenant. I do not believe the board has the authority to sanction me for its perception of my alleged and unsubstantiated poor job performance, improper behavior or failure to perform my duties, Schwartzenberger wrote in an affidavit filed in Northwest Judicial District Court. Commissioners voted unanimously last week to draft a petition to Gov. Jack Dalrymple to seek Schwartzenbergers removal, citing an investigation that found bullying and retaliation tactics in the sheriffs office. The commission will meet on Monday to review the petition. Schwartzenberger says in the affidavit he has had significant difficulties with the commission since taking office in January 2015 and claims members have unlawfully interfered with his personnel decisions. He also alleges the commission may have broken the states open meetings law on four occasions when it discussed the personnel matters. Commissioners cited an investigation by the Village Business Institute that found evidence of threatening, intimidating and other controlling behaviors used by Schwartzenberger and Lt. Michael Schmitz. The commission also ordered Schmitz be placed on administrative leave, but Schwartzenberger wrote he has taken no disciplinary action against Schmitz. He argues the commissions action is unlawful. County Commission Chairman Richard Cayko said Wednesday the commission disagrees and believes the board is responsible for all county employees. Our goal is to make sure that we protect the employees, Cayko said. Schwartzenberger was charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly using a county credit card to charge about $1,000 in unauthorized expenses during a trip to Las Vegas. Some of the allegations of bullying and retaliation relate to witnesses involved in that case, according to the Village investigation. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and has said the truth will prevail. Ward County also is considering the removal of Sheriff Steve Kukowski after he was charged with misconduct in connection with the October 2014 death of an inmate. Kukowskis criminal trial is scheduled for Jan. 3, and the removal hearing is scheduled to begin Jan. 17 at the Ward County Courthouse in Minot. Its rare for a North Dakota governor to remove an elected official from office. In 2001, Gov. John Hoeven removed Richland County Sheriff Harlan Muehler and Commissioner Dave Paulson for misconduct. Those removals were prompted by a citizens petition after the county settled a gender discrimination lawsuit. Gov. George Sinner, who served from 1984 until 1992, ousted two sheriffs during his first term: Griggs County Sheriff Vernon Fuglestad, for serving invalid eviction papers; and Grand Forks County Sheriff Gordon Taylor, who had been arrested three times for drunken driving within five years. Photo: Facebook An Ontario man who carried out increasingly violent sex crimes against children and animals for close to a decade before a teenage victim reported him to police must be locked up indefinitely to protect the community, a judge ruled Wednesday in declaring him a dangerous offender. From the age of 14 until his arrest three years ago at 22, Shayne Lund "was engaged in sexual predatory behaviour towards infants, young children, adolescents, older teens, women and animals," Justice Joseph Kenkel said in his decision. Lund, now 25, was "obsessed entirely with his own deviant sexual fantasies and adept at manipulating and controlling others to assist him in his gratification," including two girlfriends he recruited to help him find children to sexually assault, the judge said. "He's been unable to restrain his behaviours and his conduct has become increasingly more dangerous over time," said Kenkel. "His offences have resulted in severe psychological harm to his young and vulnerable victims." "There will never be a time when it will be safe to release Mr. Lund in the community" without extensive treatment, including medication to reduce his sex drive, and rigorous supervision to ensure he never comes into contact with anyone under 18 years old, he said. Lund, who is the son of an Ontario Provincial Police constable, can apply for parole in four years. He must submit DNA to the national databank. Outside court, defence lawyer Eginhart Ehlers said it was clear from the evidence that Lund is "a predator" who committed "heinous offences" against children, and that the community must be protected from that kind of behaviour. "He started with accessing child pornography on the Internet ... and that's how Mr. Lund started this process and then eventually lost control of himself," he said. Ehlers also questioned why Internet providers allow access to child pornography, saying it should "simply be banned." Lund pleaded guilty to 35 charges involving 14 victims, including sexually assaulting and conspiring to sexually assault children, bestiality, and making child pornography. Court has heard Lund convinced his girlfriends, one of whom worked in early childhood education, to help him find and lure potential victims, some as young as two years old. Both women were sentenced as long-term offenders after pleading guilty to 11 charges. He also discussed a plan to have children with one of his girlfriends so that he could then have sex with those children, the court heard. Lund was arrested in 2013 when a 15-year-old girl told officers she'd had sex with the then-22-year-old. The girl told police that during her three-week relationship with Lund, he had also recorded their sex acts, encouraged her to film her nine-year-old sister nude and asked her to teach her sister to perform sex acts on him. Clowns are supposed to be fun and silly. They are supposed to be bringers of merriment, not scaring people half to death. That's why the creepy clown craze has real clowns understandably annoyed. The so-called creepy clown phenomenon has been making headlines across North America as people don freaky clown-like costumes and scare unsuspecting people. Donna O'Hearn is president of the Kalamalka Caring Klowns, and she said the creepy clowns are giving all clowns a bad name. The KCK have been clowning around town for decades. They are frequent visitors to the hospital where they cheer up patients with their silly antics. They can also be seen at a variety of community events doing what clowns are supposed to do make people laugh. But the scary clowns are giving all clowns a bad rap. It's quite distressing actually. It's disappointing because we have tried so hard to make clowns be a fun thing and when we go to hospitals, care homes and nursing homes that's what we do, said O'Hearn who has been clowning around for years. To have this connotation is very distressing to us. While dressed in full clown garb, O'Hearn is used to getting attention from people, but lately people have been looking more in shock than amusement. The expressions is not terror, but certainly concern, she said. Lakin Harison, 17, has been clowning for 10 years and said the creepy clown craze sucks. It does suck to hear that people are being attacked and that these scary clowns are affecting so many people, she said. It's brought up constantly (by her classmates) some think it's stupid, some think it's scary. Harison also has noticed a different attitude toward the caring clowns. People aren't smiling and waving so much, she said. Photo: The Canadian Press It 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. 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 minister's 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. Read more. Photo: Getty Images It has been suggested that if you are an elected representative, the worst day in government is still preferable than the best day in opposition. Although I am still relatively new member of the official opposition, I believe it is always important to focus on the fact that both sides of the House are important in a properly functioning democracy. I also believe that as opposition, we can also aim higher and raise the bar in how we hold the government to account and in that process ultimately influence the shaping of policy. If you have been following the prime minister's efforts to change how Supreme Court justices are appointed, you may be aware that part of these changes aimed to end the unbroken convention of respecting regional representation from different parts of Canada. As Atlantic Canada was the first to be adversely impacted by these changes, it was only natural that it became a very unpopular proposal there. Unfortunately for Atlantic Canada as there were no opposition MPs from the region, it was up to the official opposition to raise this unpopular issue in Ottawa. In order to force the government to address these concerns the official opposition tabled a motion to respect the convention of regional representation when making appointments to our Supreme Court. To the surprise of many in Ottawa, the government ultimately voted in support of this Conservative opposition motion and subsequently passed. A s a result, this week it was announced that Malcolm Rowe from Newfoundland is our newest judge on the Supreme Court. This example of maintaining regional representation on the Supreme Court illustrates that despite being in opposition, well intended proposals can become part of Government policy. It is for this reason that I have maintained my position as a member of the opposition will always include the importance of proposing alternatives from time to time as opposed to exclusively opposing. On a related note earlier this week I was also honoured to be named as the deputy critic for finance and by extension also a member of the finance committee. This is an opportunity that I welcome and one of the reasons why I am hearing from many local credit unions who are frustrated with changes that increasingly force administratively costly one size fits all policies onto them. As many in our riding of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola will know, credit unions provide an important community based alternative to the larger financial institutions. Unfortunately for credit unions, they simply do not have the clout and lobbying power of the big banks who are increasingly shaping government policy as was evidenced by recent changes to mortgage rules that benefit banks over independent mortgage finance companies. As the deputy critic for finance, these are some of the local community related issues that I will raise with my work in this area. It is also my intention as critic from time to time to mention those actions that I believe are potentially beneficial to Canadians. As an example, home builders and those involved in construction are concerned about significant increases in tariffs, in some cases as high as 276 per cent on dry wall that will make housing even more expensive. I have heard this may add an extra $5,000 or more to a new home. I have raised this issue in the House of Commons appealing both publicly and privately to government members. Although I am disappointed that the finance minister has not supported the Canadian Home Builders Association suggestion to suspend the new tariffs, I am pleased to report that the minister has announced this tariff policy will be formerly reviewed. This is an issue I will continue to press the government on as every effort from Ottawa should make housing more affordable, not more costly. I welcome your comments, questions and concerns on this issue or any other matter before the House of Commons. I can be reached at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-800-665-8711. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: The Canadian Press A Toronto-area couple has been arrested in a daring New Brunswick diamond theft that has been connected to a series of similar heists nationwide. The Saint John Police Force said 70-year-old Grigori Zaharov and 44-year-old Natalia Feldman of Vaughan, Ont., are facing theft-related charges. They are currently being held by the York Regional Police Service, and will be returned to New Brunswick to answer charges. The Saint John force says the pair "are suspects in numerous other jurisdictions for similar incidents," and multiple police agencies are working "to determine the entirety of their actions." The pair were sought in an Oct. 7 theft at W. Smith and Co. Fine Jewellers in Saint John. The store's owner said thieves presented themselves as a couple arguing over how many carats to buy, and then switched a $10,000 diamond with a fake while the salesperson was distracted. Photo: The Canadian Press Alberta Premier Rachel Notley remembered Jim Prentice on Wednesday as gracious, statesmanlike and visionary as her office announced plans to honour him at a state memorial. The public service for the former premier, who was killed in a plane crash last week near Kelowna, is to be held Oct. 28 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary. Details of the service, including speakers and those expected to attend, are still being worked out. Prentice and three other men were killed when a twin-engine Cessna Citation crashed shortly after takeoff from Kelowna airport Thursday night. Notley began her annual state-of-the-province address by lauding Prentice's contributions to public life. Notley, whose father Grant Notley was Alberta's NDP leader when he died in a plane crash in 1984, said she understands the pain the families of the victims are going through. "Words are not really adequate to describe that kind of loss, but there are words to remember the many, many contributions that Jim Prentice made to Alberta and to Canada," she said. "Online, through social media and in print, people everywhere are sharing those words and heartfelt outpouring of grief and remembrance words like generous, compassionate, caring, genuine," she said. "From personal experience, I can add the words gracious and statesmanlike as he provided me with valuable advice during the post-election transition." Also killed in the crash were optometrist Ken Gellatly, the father-in-law of one of Prentice's daughters, and former RCMP officer Jim Kruk, who was the pilot on the aircraft. The family of Calgary businessman Sheldon Reid, another victim of the crash, said in a statement Wednesday that he enjoyed telling stories about his travels around the world and was most proud of his son Dylan. "Sheldon was a man of incredible generosity generosity for his family, his loved ones, and the community of Calgary," the family wrote. "He will be fondly remembered for his smile, his laugh, and the depth of his care and compassion for those he loved." Photo: The Canadian Press A new report on homelessness proposes nearly doubling federal spending on affordable housing over the next 10 years to effectively eliminate the problem. Two groups the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness say that would effectively make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. The report, submitted in advance of a promised Liberal national housing strategy, recommends that proposed federal spending of about $22.6 billion over the next 10 years be increased to about $43.8 billion. It says the increase would amount to an additional $50 per capita annually. The report also says the spending strategy would help end a problem that costs the Canadian economy more than $7 billion a year. The federal government has already promised to increase spending on affordable housing, but the two groups say those increases don't go nearly far enough. "This is an opportunity to correct more than 25 years of inadequate investment, which has led to our current affordable housing crisis. It is also an opportunity to end homelessness in Canada once and for all" said Stephen Gaetz, the observatory's director. Alliance president Tim Richter says the need to act is urgent: "Importantly, we also know solving homelessness will be far cheaper than ignoring it," he said. The report blames the present state of homelessness on shrinking federal investment in housing, starting in the 1980s. It says the phenomenon has changed in the last 40 years. What was once a problem involving mainly older, single men now includes women, seniors, youth and aboriginals. Photo: The Canadian Press A 33-year-old woman facing deportation to the U.K. pleaded Thursday to be allowed to stay in the country she considers home, a day before a hearing that may shed light on her fate. Propped up in a hospital bed as she recovers from surgery, Fliss Cramman said she is terrified of being sent back to England, where she was born but left with her family at the age of eight. The young mother of four girls all born in Ontario only became aware she was not a Canadian citizen after a recent drug conviction and incarceration. The Canada Border Services Agency wants to deport her by Nov. 4, but her physician has said Cramman would require about 18 months in Canada to properly recover from a series of surgeries done after she was rushed to hospital from a prison facility in Dartmouth on Aug. 12. Her case returns to the Immigration and Refugee Board on Friday, when an adjudicator could issue a decision about releasing her from custody. However, advocates say if she's released, she may not have health coverage for a range of physical and mental health issues. Photo: North Okanagan Emergency Management Greater Vernon's five electoral areas have chosen the Red Cross to be their emergency provider in case of disaster. An inter-municipal program run by the City of Vernon's Emergency Services staff ends Dec. 31 and, under provincial law, a new service must be in place by Jan. 1, 2017. This new agreement will take effect on Jan. 1st and, as a result, there will be no changes to the current service levels or delivery, assured Rick Fairbairn, chairman of the North Okanagan Regional District Board and electoral area D representative. There is some concern about the breakup of the Vernon-based program that served the electoral areas and surrounding communities including Coldstream, Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Enderby and Lumby. However a number of councils decided to pull out, leading to the collapse of the program. This is a little cheaper, Fairbairn said of the Red Cross deal. With the end to the inter-municipal program, the city's emergency fees will be more costly, said Vernon director Catherine Lord. They had been offered (service with the city), Lord said. But with the agreement expiring, the fees are going up. Photo: Getty Images UPDATE: 12 p.m. FortisBC says it restored power to all customers within 23 minutes of the outage at 11:33 a.m. While the cause of the short outage is still under investigation, Fortis told Castanet they had a crew in the area energizing a new line that may have contributed to the outage. ORIGINAL: 11:20 a.m. FortisBC crews are working to restore power in Glenmore this morning. Power went out for 780 customers up Clifton Road Thursday morning, affecting homes in Magic Estates and Wilden. Fortis representatives say crews hope to have power back on before noon. The cause of the outage is not yet known. FARGO -- A defendant in a Grand Forks murder case will not face the death penalty. Krystal Lynn Feist, 31, of Grand Forks could have been sentenced to death if she was found guilty of the murder of 24-year-old Austin Brant Forsman, who was fatally shot March 11 at the Flying J travel plaza in southwest Grand Forks, but federal prosecutors said Tuesday they would not use capital punishment. Instead, she faces life in prison if convicted, U.S. Attorney Chris Myers said. Feist appeared Tuesday in the Fargo-based federal court, where prosecutors and defense attorneys discussed how to proceed with the case that has involved more than a dozen defendants. Feist will be tried with Modesto Alfredo Torrez, 34, and Lorie Ortiz, 32, who was not present for the Tuesday status conference. Prosecutors said Feist and other defendants engaged in trafficking more than 500 grams of meth in Minnesota and North Dakota, with the many of the suspects being accused of using violent acts, including the fatal shooting of Forsman, to further their cause. In Feists case, she has been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, murder in the furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy and death caused by the use of a firearm during a crime of violence. Torrez also faces those charges plus one count of obstruction of justice. Ortiz has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Forsman was found dead March 11 in a car at Flying J, and Feist was arrested shortly afterwards. She originally faced a Class AA felony murder charge in Grand Forks County District Court, but prosecutors dropped their case and allowed the U.S. Attorneys Office to take over. Though prosecutors said Torrez greenlighted and ordered the murder, Feist is accused of pulling the trigger and killing Forsman. Because the murder case allegedly involved a drug deal, prosecutors looked into seeking the death penalty against Feist. But now that the death penalty is off the table, Feist, Torrez and Ortiz could be sentenced to life in prison. A trial for the three co-defendants is set for May 2, 2017. The only person in North Dakota to receive the death penalty under federal law is Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., 63, who is on death row after he kidnapped, raped and murdered Dru Sjodin, a 22-year-old University of North Dakota student. Rodriguez is appealing the sentence and his next hearing is March 28. It was 98 years ago this week the First World War internment camp in Morrissey, B.C. closed and it is the focus of the seventh short documentary on a dark chapter in the province's history. The Camps, produced by actor and filmmaker Ryan Boyko of Armistice Films, is a cross-Canada journey that looks at all 24 internment camps where more than 8,500 people were wrongfully imprisoned from 1914-20. The documentaries feature interviews with internee descendants, archeologists, scholars and the military on why these internment operations are relevant today, 100 years later. The second camp featured in the multi-video series was Vernon, which housed a camp made up of men, women and children of mostly Ukrainian decent. The camp was where WL Seaton Secondary School currently sits. The Morrissey documentary follows archeologist Sarah Beaulieu as she researches the cemetery in Morrissey where internees were buried during the internment operations. The Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund (CFWWIRF) has set up a digital map that contains more than 5,000 digitized news articles dating from 1914-20, describing opinion of the time and showing the hardship endured by new immigrants who were invited to Canada and then had their civil and human rights taken away by the War Measures Act. Photo: CTV More than a week after a specialized food bank was hit by thieves in Sooke, B.C., efforts are underway to rebuild the stores of dog and cat food and pet supplies. In a Facebook post, Victoria Pet Food Bank president Margarita Dominguez confirmed hundreds of kilograms of pet food, along with supplies such as leashes, bowls and dog coats, were stolen from a shed used by the group in the Victoria suburb. The theft was reported to Sooke RCMP, but no arrests have been made. Police want to talk to anyone who may have information about the case. Dominguez reports an online fundraising campaign launched Wednesday by food bank staffers has raised several hundred dollars of the estimated $6,000 needed to replace the supplies. The kibble and other items are provided to pet owners who live on the street or can't afford all the costs of maintaining a pet. Photo: Getty Images A naked man with a hankering for eggs was arrested in Vancouver Tuesday night. The 35-year-old walked into a home near Cambie Street and King Edward Avenue through an unlocked door, took off his clothes, grabbed some eggs from the fridge and started cooking. The man apparently struggled in the unfamiliar kitchen, damaging the stove and microwave. A resident heard the noise, but assumed it was his roommate. When he finally decided to check out the racket, he discovered the naked chef and chased him away. Police were called, and arrested the suspect a few blocks away. Charges of mischief and breaking-and-entering have been recommended. Strangley, it's not the first time this strange crime has happened. In July 2013, police were called to a home in East Vancouver after the resident found a naked 30-year-old man cooking eggs in his kitchen. On this occasion, the man had even used the shower before helping himself to the grub. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: CTV British Columbia's representative for children and youth says the death of a 15-year-old drug-addicted boy points to the desperate need for government-funded programs that could save lives. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond has released a report on the death of Nick Lang, a Metis boy who died in June 2015, six days after entering a government-funded rehab program in Campbell River. Turpel-Lafond says the teen began having behaviour problems in Grade 4 and by the time he became addicted to drugs his parents tried repeatedly to get help and were forced to use the justice system after he assaulted his mother. Deputy representative Dawn Thomas-Wightman says the teen had to plead guilty to assault and was ordered by a judge to attend a full-time treatment program paid for by the Children's Ministry. He was found hanging in a bedroom closet in the care home where he was staying, and a coroner's investigation did not determine a cause of death, which Thomas-Wightman says may never be known. She says Nick was not in government care and lived with a well-functioning middle-class family near a major urban centre in B.C., where Metis-specific services were not available despite his parents' efforts. Children's Minister Stephanie Cadieux says she will discuss the report with other ministries to determine how services could be improved. Photo: The Canadian Press Entire communities have been honoured, individuals cited for heroism and boats blessed, but one year after the sinking of a whale-watching vessel off British Columbia that tossed 27 people into the churning Pacific, the wounds have barely started to heal. Five Britons and one Australian died on Oct. 25, 2015, when the 20-metre Leviathan II capsized in waters near Tofino, about 320 kilometres northwest of Victoria. The cause of the tragedy remains under investigation. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is expected to release its report next year. In the days immediately following the sinking, TSB investigators said most passengers and crew were on the top deck of the vessels port side, when a wave hit the starboard side. The vessel tilted up, rolled and capsized, said the TSB. Survivors described being thrown into the ocean without life jackets, grabbing hold of a single life ring that floated in the waves. Others expressed their fear at being in the bottom of the sinking boat and thrown about like laundry in a washing machine. Rescuers from the nearby First Nations village of Ahousaht raced to help in boats after seeing a single emergency flare. Families of those who died say the pain of their loss hasn't faded. "I feel just as sad today as I did last year," said Michele Slater Brown of Milton, Ont., whose father Jack Slater, 76, a British national living Toronto, died in the sinking. "This has affected me more than any other single event ever in my life." Brown said she will not be in Tofino on Tuesday for a ceremony to honour the victims one year after the sinking. Relatives and loved ones of the other victims are expected to attend the ceremony, which includes unveiling a plaque. David Thomas, 50, and his 18 year-old son Stephen, both from Swindon, England; Katie Taylor, a 29-year-old Briton living in Whistler, B.C., and 63-year-old Nigel Hooker of Southampton, England, also died in the sinking. Surfers found the body of Australian tourist Raveshan Morgan Pillay, 27, weeks after the boat capsized. Survivor Dwayne Mazereeuw, 36, of Calgary, described how he and his wife Elisa, 34, survived by clutching a life ring for more than 30 minutes in frigid waters before being pulled to safety by rescuers. Mazereeuw, a skate-park designer, helped mount an effort to build a skate-park in Ahousaht for the village's at-risk youth to repay those who saved him and his wife. The park's ground-breaking ceremony is set for Monday. Ahousaht Deputy Chief Patti Campbell said the park is generating excitement in a community where many are still recovering from the sinking even though band members have been called heroes. "Some of them have reached out for help," she said. "Some of them ended up a little bit fearful of the water. But we need the water to get to and from town and it's a fear they had to adjust to quickly." NEW TOWN - A brine spill that affected a coulee and contaminated cropland this week may have been minimized if the site had a perimeter berm as proposed by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, a health official said Wednesday. The North Dakota Department of Health is investigating a spill of 150 barrels, or 6,300 gallons, of produced water that occurred Tuesday at a saltwater disposal well about 7 miles northeast of New Town. The spill primarily remained on location, but an estimated five to 10 barrels, or 210 to 420 gallons, was not contained, said Bill Suess, spill investigations program manager for the health department. The brine, a waste byproduct of oil production, traveled an estimated 400 feet and reached a nearby drainage area and contaminated some cropland, Suess said. The site owned by Goodnight Midstream, which recently changed its name from 1804 Operating, did not have a perimeter berm, Suess said. The Industrial Commission recently approved new rules requiring most oil sites to have six-inch perimeter berms to minimize impact from spills by keep more of them contained. The rules were set to take effect Oct. 1, but the Legislatures Administrative Rules Committee postponed action on the new rules until its December meeting, citing a need for more clarification. I cant say for certain it would have completely been contained with a berm, but it obviously would have had a much better chance, Suess said. Goodnight Midstream plans to construct a perimeter berm at that facility in the next 60 to 90 days, said Richard Rehm, chief operating officer. The company considers it a best practice and has perimeter berms at 14 of its 16 facilities in North Dakota, Rehm said. Were actually in the process of approving the remainder of these perimeter berms, he said. The spill was caused by an employee who failed to open a valve, Rehm said. In addition, a safety shutdown device also failed, he said. Crews responded within hours with vacuum trucks to clean up the spill, Rehm said. Initial field investigation shows that the contamination did not go very deep into the soil, Suess said. Health officials and the Oil and Gas Division are expected to inspect the site and monitor the cleanup. The question of whether victims' rights should be added to the state constitution will be decided by voters this fall. Supporters of Measure 3, known as Marsys Law, say the change would elevate victims rights to the same level as those charged with crimes. Opponents say there could be unintentional consequences that might bog down the states criminal justice system. Measure 3 has had substantial financial backing -- more than $1 million -- provided by Henry Nicholas, a California businessman and national proponent of Marsys Law. His efforts stem from the death of Marsalee Marsy Nicholas, who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in California in 1983. So far, the law has passed in California and Illinois. Marsys Law for North Dakota sponsoring committee chair Kathleen Wrigley said she was hesitant to become involved with the measure because such incidents are not prevalent in North Dakota. Since then, she has decided the time is right. I think more than ever North Dakota needs this. Marsys Law for North Dakota will never be able to diminish the discretion of law enforcement, attorneys and judges, said Wrigley, whose brother, Daniel Boyle, was a Philadelphia police officer shot and killed on duty during an attempted traffic stop in 1991. The North Dakota language includes provisions for crime victims and their families to be notified of hearings in the judicial process and if the accused person escapes custody. It also calls for judges to take into consideration the welfare of victims and their families when setting bail for accused criminals. Im not expecting a huge impact on the quantity, but on the quality, Wrigley said of caseloads and response to victims if the measure is approved. She said the measure shouldnt have a major price tag other than some training and the printing of cards law enforcement would hand out to victims at crime scenes. She said states attorneys and victim advocates would have to maintain regular contact with victims. If its a significant issue I think thats more evidence that theyre not doing what they should be doing on a statutory level, Wrigley said. Aaron Birst, executive director of the North Dakota States Attorneys Association, said the group's individual members are overwhelmingly opposed to the measure. The main issue that prosecutors have is the denial of some of the discovery that they currently have access to, said Birst, referring to language in the measure allowing victims to refuse an interview and deposition. With potentially less evidence and information being gathered early in the process, more cases could go to trial that otherwise might result in plea agreements, according to Birst, which would increase workloads within the criminal justice system. Other groups, including the North Dakota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, expressed similar concerns. "Theres still uncertainty on how you read the law, said Birst, pointing to vague language, including the definition of a victim. He said its so broad it could bog down prosecutors offices, making it difficult to focus on higher-priority cases. If Measure 3 passes, he expects litigation to be filed in an effort to clarify the language. Birst said opponents would be more amenable to changes in law for stronger victim protections, such as establishing victim advocates, if they had gone through the legislative process. A window-dressing constitutional measure isnt the way to do it, he said. Weve never really had a constitutional measure that really injects itself into the justice system. Saudi Arabia: Northern Cement sees 43% profit fall in 3Q16 20 October 2016 Northern Region Cement Co reported a 42.83 per cent decline in net profits to SAR30.09m (US$8m) in 3Q16 from SAR52.64m a year earlier. Profits also decreased 38.16 per cent QoQ, according to the company's statement to the Tadawul. The decrease in profits has been attributed to lower sales following a weaker domestic demand amid the Hadj season and summer holidays, complemented by a rise in costs as fuel prices rose. Published under Last night Chris Wallace moderated the third and final debate of this presidential season. Many commentators have remarked that it was the most substantial policy debate of the year. But because of the interruptions and recriminations, it can be difficult to ascertain exactly what each candidate was proposing. Below Ive summarized the actual policy statements made by each candidate about the economy, and included the verbatim text of their remarks from which the summary is taken. In the summaries (the sections in bold), Ive stripped away the claims made by each candidate about the other and focused solely on the position they advocated or defended. Hillary Clinton on the economy: Create a jobs program that focuses on infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. Well, I think when the middle class thrives, America thrives. And so my plan is based on growing the economy, giving middle-class families many more opportunities. I want us to have the biggest jobs program since World War II, jobs in infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. I think we can compete with high-wage countries, and I believe we should. New jobs and clean energy, not only to fight climate change, which is a serious problem, but to create new opportunities and new businesses. Proposes to raise the minimum wage and ensure women get equal pay for equal work. I want us to do more to help small business. Thats where two- thirds of the new jobs are going to come from. I want us to raise the national minimum wage, because people who live in poverty should not who work full-time should not still be in poverty. And I sure do want to make sure women get equal pay for the work we do. Increase apprenticeships and technical education in high school and community colleges; have the government pay for college for all families that earn less than $125,000. I feel strongly that we have to have an education system that starts with preschool and goes through college. Thats why I want more technical education in high schools and in community colleges, real apprenticeships to prepare young people for the jobs of the future. I want to make college debt-free and for families making less than $125,000, you will not get a tuition bill from a public college or university if the plan that I worked on with Bernie Sanders is enacted. Increase taxes on corporations and high income on households earning more than $250,000. And were going to work hard to make sure that it is, because we are going to go where the money is. Most of the gains in the last years since the Great Recession have gone to the very top. So we are going to have the wealthy pay their fair share. Were going to have corporations make a contribution greater than they are now to our country. [] I have said repeatedly throughout this campaign: I will not raise taxes on anyone making $250,000 or less. Clinton claims her plan would produce 10 million new jobs. That is a plan that has been analyzed by independent experts which said that it could produce 10 million new jobs. By contrast, Donalds plan has been analyzed to conclude it might lose 3.5 million jobs. Why? Because his whole plan is to cut taxes, to give the biggest tax breaks ever to the wealthy and to corporations, adding $20 trillion to our debt, and causing the kind of dislocation that we have seen before, because it truly will be trickle-down economics on steroids. So the plan I have I think will actually produce greater opportunities. The plan he has will cost us jobs and possibly lead to another Great Recession. Claims that her policies will not add to the national debt. I also will not add a penny to the debt. Decrease the national budget deficit by increased government investment (i.e., stimulus spending). We know how to get control of the debt. When my husband was president, we went from a $300 billion deficit to a $200 billion surplus and we were actually on the path to eliminating the national debt. When President Obama came into office, he inherited the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression. He has cut the deficit by two-thirds. So, yes, one of the ways you go after the debt, one of the ways you create jobs is by investing in people. So I do have investments, investments in new jobs, investments in education, skill training, and the opportunities for people to get ahead and stay ahead. Thats the kind of approach that will work. [] So what I am proposing is that we invest from the middle out and the ground up, not the top down. That is not going to work. Thats why what I have put forward doesnt add a penny to the debt, but it is the kind of approach that will enable more people to take those new jobs, higher-paying jobs. Were beginning to see some increase in incomes, and we certainly have had a long string of increasing jobs. Weve got to do more to get the whole economy moving, and thats what I believe I will be able to do. Opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Well, first, let me say, number one, when I saw the final agreement for TPP, I said I was against it. It didnt meet my test. Ive had the same test. Does it create jobs, raise incomes, and further our national security? Im against it now. Ill be against it after the election. Ill be against it when Im president. Opposes illegal dumping of steel and aluminum into American markets. And, you know, one of the biggest problems we have with China is the illegal dumping of steel and aluminum into our markets. I have fought against that as a senator. Ive stood up against it as secretary of state. Proposes to create a trade prosecutor to enforce trade agreements. Were going to have trade agreements that we enforce. Thats why Im going to have a trade prosecutor for the first time in history. And were going to enforce those agreements, and were going to look for businesses to help us by buying American products. Increase Social Security contributions (most likely by raising the cap) and tax the wealthy to put more money into the Social Security Trust Fund. Well, Chris, I am on record as saying that we need to put more money into the Social Security Trust Fund. Thats part of my commitment to raise taxes on the wealthy. My Social Security payroll contribution will go up, as will Donalds, assuming he cant figure out how to get out of it. But what we want to do is to replenish the Social Security Trust Fund Donald Trump on the economy: Provides an unspecific proposal on helping families pay for college tuition. Well, first of all, before I start on my plan, her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes. Her tax plan is a disaster. And she can say all she wants about college tuition. And Im a big proponent. Were going to do a lot of things for college tuition. But the rest of the publics going to be paying for it. Increase free trade by renegotiation of trade agreements with foreign countries. So my plan were going to renegotiate trade deals. Were going to have a lot of free trade. Were going to have free trade, more free trade than we have right now. But we have horrible deals. Our jobs are being taken out by the deal that her husband signed, NAFTA, one of the worst deals ever. Our jobs are being sucked out of our economy. Plans to renegotiate or terminate NAFTA. I am going to renegotiate NAFTA. And if I cant make a great deal then were going to terminate NAFTA and were going to create new deals. Were going to have trade, but were going were going to terminate it, were going to make a great trade deal. Proposes to implement substantial tax cuts. We are going to cut taxes massively. Were going to cut business taxes massively. Opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Now she wants to sign Trans-Pacific Partnership. And she wants it. She lied when she said she didnt call it the gold standard in one of the debates. She totally lied. She did call it the gold standard. And they actually fact checked, and they said I was right. I was so honored. Supports making it more difficult for American businesses to obtain steel produced overseas. For 30 years, youve been in a position to help, and if you say that I use steel or I use something else, I make it impossible for me to do that. I wouldnt mind. Proposes to increase economic growth to between 4 and 6 percent. Well, I say theyre wrong, because Im going to create tremendous jobs. And were bringing GDP from, really, 1 percent, which is what it is now, and if she got in, it will be less than zero. But were bringing it from 1 percent up to 4 percent. And I actually think we can go higher than 4 percent. I think you can go to 5 percent or 6 percent. Proposes having businesspeople negotiate Americas trade deals. Weve had people that are political hacks making the biggest deals in the world, bigger than companies. You take these big companies, these trade deals are far bigger than these companies, and yet we dont use our great leaders, many of whom back me and many of whom back Hillary, I must say. But we dont use those people. Those are the people these are the greatest negotiators in the world. We have the greatest businesspeople in the world. We have to use them to negotiate our trade deals. Proposes repealing and replacing Obamacare. Can the Deteriorating World Condition Be Reversed? At the Calvary Bible Church, we say "Yes". We believe the answer lies in promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, salvation by Grace thru Faith, worldwide. Because of that conviction we have been supporting worldwide missions since our inception over 50 years ago. At the present time we provide partial support for 39 missionaries at home and abroad. We also support 16 mission organizations. Our mandate is the Biblical command, "Go and make disciples..." This command is the theme of our 49th Annual Missions Conference. Our keynote speaker at this year's conference is Mr. Jerry Wells who, at significant risk to himself, became a clandestine missionary to Communist Romania in 1988. His ministry with enTRUST4 continued for 28 years after the fall of communism. You are cordially invited to attend and hear Mr. Wells provide the details of his unique experience. Jerry Wells and family. (Contributed photo) Jerry's Romanian ministry consisted of assisting Romanian ministry leaders through consultation, mentoring, and specialty training. His goal was to make them successful in their ministries and to advance the cause of multiplying trained leaders in Romania. Mr. Wells worked among diverse, evangelical denominations in Romania, the Republic of Moldova, as well as in Serbia and Ukraine. Jerry Wells accepted Christ as his Savior at age 16 and immediately got involved in small group Bible study and student outreach. He graduated from Clemson University in 1972 (BS, Pre-Med) and from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1976 (Th.M.). Prior to becoming a missionary, Jerry pastored a church in Gadsden, Alabama for 10 years. In 1997 he wed the former Meda Lazar and together they have two daughters. The Wells family completed their ministry in Romania in June 2016 and now reside in Columbia, SC. Also, speaking at the Conference will be missionaries involved in: o Romania o West Africa o Asia o South America o Kosovo o and local ministries. o Choose Life, Downtown Rescue Mission, AWANA, Restoration Ranch and CEF, Service schedule: Sunday 9:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Mon - Wed 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Bible Church 607 Drake Ave. Huntsville, AL. More information at (256) 881-4381. www.cbchsv.org. Everyone is invited to attend. Admission is free. Media Fact-Check Tim Kaine on Iran Deal Claims | Main | AFP's Error, Editorializing and Omissions October 19, 2016 CAMERA Letter-Writers Prompt National Geographic to Correct on Gaza Zoo Closure National Geographic recently ran a feature about closing down the worlds worst zoo,? located in Gaza. Initially, the article politicized a story that was ostensibly about animal welfare and used it to take gratuitous and one-sided digs at Israel. After editors heard from CAMERA letter-writers, however, significant revisions to the article were made. The editors said that the story "came through our digital staff, not our magazine operation" and that they "are putting into place more checks to try to ensure that such pieces do not slip through our digital editing process." In the original article, after describing how zoo owner Abu Diab Oweida taxidermied 50 dead animals in the zoo, author Richard Tenorio had initially quoted Oweida saying that he did it to prove to the whole world that even animals have been affected and [killed] by the Israeli occupation after the three [recent] wars in the Gaza Strip.? The bracketed word killed? appeared to have been inserted into the quote by the reporter. That language has now been deleted, along with Oweidas reference to the Israeli occupation.? As CAMERA letter-writers pointed out to National Geographic editors, Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in 2005, removing both civilians and soldiers from the territory. A second quote from Oweida attributing his problems to the Israeli occupation? was removed as well, and new language was added to clarify the current relationship between Israel and Gaza. Editors also added significant background about the 2014 war between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers, including Hamass kidnapping of three Israeli teens that ignited the 2014 hostilities, and the fact that Hamas fired into civilian areas within Israel. They clarified that although the animals died during the 2014 conflict, the zoo itself was not bombed and the precise cause of the animals death was unclear. A seven-week conflict in 2014 hastened the decision to close the zoo. The conflict stemmed from the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers on the West Bank. Israel linked the crimes to Hamas, and began making hundreds of arrests in the case, including many of Hamas West Bank leaders. Hamas later began firing rockets at civilian areas in Israel, which retaliated by bombing sites in Gaza. The United Nations reported that nearly 2,200 people were killed in the conflict, more than 2,100 of them Palestinians. Its unclear precisely what led to the animals deaths at the zoo. The zoo itself was not bombed during the 2014 conflict, and animal-welfare groups say it had a troubled history of caring for animals. Abu Diab Oweida, the Palestinian businessman who owned the zoo, said many animals died during that conflict, and that the mummifications were an effort by the zoos staff to prove to the whole world that even animals (were) affected.? Oweida previously blamed a 2009 conflict for the death of several animals in the zoo, some of which also were mummified. Finally, editors made clear that the IDF strikes that were carried out in August of this year, while the animal rescue was being carried out, were against military targets in Gaza, and were not indiscriminate, as was previously implied. CAMERA commends National Geographic for the corrections. --kb Posted by SC at October 19, 2016 08:47 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment City Hall Moss Point.jpg The City of Moss Point is under intense scrutiny as Mayor Billy Broomfield announced on Tuesday that the city is under investigation for misappropriation of funds in the Moss Point Utilities Department and the Moss Point Police Department. The city is also in limbo as to whether they will search for a new police chief or allow the incoming board to make that determination. (Tyler Carter/Gulflive.com) MOSS POINT, Miss. - It's been more than a month since the Art McClung era with the Moss Point Police Department ended and Brandon Ashley was handed the reigns as interim chief. City leaders have yet to say how long they plan to let the interim situation last. On Tuesday, the Board of Aldermen voted to table an agenda item that would have allowed the city to take applications for a new long-term chief. Former Chief McClung turned in his resignation letter after the Board of Aldermen voted 5-1 to remove him from his position following a controversial run-in with the Pascagoula Police Department. According to Pascagoula police, McClung was allegedly driving 109 mph on U.S. 90 between the Gautier bridge and the Pascagoula bridge in his city-assigned police SUV. Officers' conversation on the footage indicated that McClung had been drinking, but on the instructions of Pascagoula Police Chief Kenny Johnson he was taken home without charges and no report was filed. On Sept. 23, The Mississippi Press sent an email to the Board of Aldermen in an attempt to find out if a meeting would be scheduled to discuss future leadership within the department, and how the board planned to proceed. Out of the six aldermen, only one responded - Ward 5 Alderman Linwood Grierson. Grierson told the Mississippi Press, "My position will be that we leave Brandon Ashley as interim (chief) for the remainder of this administration (June 2017). Since they would be saddled with our decision, I think it is best for the next administration to select a new chief. This, in my opinion, would be best for the city, new administration, and the new chief." At Tuesday's meeting, Moss Point Mayor Billy Broomfield said it was not his decision to make as to when another police chief would be voted upon. "I have no say so in the matter," Broomfield said. "As the Mayor, I have the power to veto their selection, but it is solely up to the board as to decide when we will advertise for a new chief, other than that, that decision is not mine." While the aldermen tabled their decision Tuesday evening, a timetable was not set as to when a decision would be made to either advertise the position or to make Ashley the Chief of Police permanently. PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- New rankings put the Pascagoula-Gautier School District in the state's Top 50, but the Moss Point School District came in towards the bottom of Mississippi's 143 public school districts. On Thursday, the Mississippi Department of Education released its 2015-2016 report card for Mississippi schools. The Pascagoula-Gautier School District came in as the 41st best district in the state. It was awarded a total score of 609, based on state assessments in reading, math, history, and science; college readiness; participation rate; and graduation rate. Pascagoula High School led the PGSD with an A rating and a total score of 757. Gautier High School received a B grade and was awarded a total score of 694. Wayne Rodolfich, the PGSD superintendent, lauded the district's efforts but said there is always room for improvement. "Many of our students have had a long road to travel for us to be a B district," Rodolfich said. "We are very excited that we achieved a B, and we are excited about our graduation rates. It is a tribute to our teachers, our parents, and most of all, our students who worked so hard to improve their achievement level. We do home visits, provide extensive tutoring and try to maintain a balance of all other activities so we can develop the whole child." The Moss Point School District, however, earned a total score of 465 in similar areas and currently holds a D ranking. Moss Point School District Superintendent Dr. Shannon Vincent says the district acknowledges shortcomings and is working to correct them. "The scores for the 2015-2016 school year are a snapshot of what we accomplished last year that can be used to chart our future strategies for success," Vincent said. "The areas of strength are indicative in 50-60 percent growth in all areas. Our areas of opportunity are clearly in proficiency. This year, we are implementing strategies to produce sustainable outcomes in growth and increase outcomes in proficiency. This is a baseline for the Moss Point School District. We look forward to continuing to progress in many areas and will work tirelessly to demonstrate that our students can compete with the rest of the students on the coast in student achievement." Here are the ratings for each Pascagoula-Gautier School District and Moss Point School District schools: Pascagoula-Gautier Pascagoula High School: A Gautier High School: B Eastlawn Elementary School: B Gautier Middle School: B Lake Elementary School: B Cherokee Elementary School: B Martin Bluff: B Gautier Elementary School: B Jackson Elementary School: B College Park Elementary School: C William M. Colmer Middle School: C Trent Lott Academy: C Beach Elementary School: C Singing River Academy: D Central Elementary School: D Arlington Heights Elementary: F Moss Point VANCLEAVE, Mississippi -- A Vancleave man is in custody after police say he stole items from a Vancleave home, then sold the stolen items to people who were friends of the victim's sons. Jackson County Chief Deputy John Ledbetter said Thursday the burglary occurred over the weekend when, according to investigators, 23-year-old Sean Cameron Barnett pried open the back door of the home while the homeowner was out of town. The homeowner's son, however, discovered the break-in. Taken were five guns, valued at $2,000, and tools. After Barnett sold the items to friends of the victim's sons, the sons recovered the items and returned them to their father. Barnett has been charged with one count of residential burglary. Bond was set at $5,000, but he is being held for the Mississippi Department of Corrections for a probation violation on an unrelated charge. Running a city is a lot like running a company. Instead of a CEO you have a mayor, who relies on numerous other departments and people to keep everything in working order. The best-run cities are able to provide quality services for their residents, much in the same way a healthy company is able to provide a good salary, ample benefits, and a positive work environment for its employees. But when cities are mismanaged, or the organization becomes too unwieldy, things start to fall through the cracks. Obviously, its still easy to find personal success in a poorly run city. However, taxes can be higher to cover the gaps of inefficient spending, and infrastructure might start to crumble around you. At the very least, you might not be able to count on a smooth commute to work, or a life free from worry about break-ins or other crimes. At worst, you could be losing money as you have to pay more for inefficient services, like health care and transportation. To get an idea of how well some of the areas in the United States are run, WalletHub took a look at several key factors of the nations 150 largest cities. Six key indicators made up a citys Overall City Services ranking, including financial stability, education, health services, safety, infrastructure and pollution, and the economy. Then, WalletHub measured the spending for those services against each citys spending per capita, to measure how efficient the governments were run. Not surprisingly, smaller cities tended to perform better in the rankings. Boise and Nampa, both cities in Idaho, topped the list, followed by Provo, Utah and Missoula, Montana. Its still admirable that these cities have spent their funds most efficiently, but they also have less on their plate than the city governments of New York or San Francisco. Of the 10 largest cities in the country, San Diego ranks highest at No. 65 not even breaking the top 50 best-run cities. Only half of them ranked in the top 100. Unfortunately, some of them landed in the ranks of the worst-run cities in the country. According to WalletHubs analysis, these are some of the worst-run cities in the nation. 10. Atlanta, Georgia The largest city in Georgia starts our list, with an overall ranking of No. 141 out of the 150 largest cities in the United States. The city didnt necessary stand out in terms of its mismanagement, but couldnt crack a ranking in the top 100 for any of its city services. It ranked the worst in terms of education, with the No. 145 spot in that category. It also failed to score well in financial stability and safety which includes factors like the crime rates and fatalities per 100,000 people. 9. New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is the only city in the true Northeast to rank poorly in city management, despite being home to Yale University. The city performed moderately in terms of infrastructure, health, and safety, but scored the worst for its education. That category takes into account the citys GreatSchools score and its high school graduation rate, suggesting the presence of an Ivy League school isnt enough to help younger students. 8. Flint, Michigan Flint has made headlines for more than a year because of high levels of lead in the water. Though the citys financial stability is high it ranked No. 11 among all 150 cities most of the other benchmarks were dismally low. Education is poor, infrastructure is weak, and health care provisions for its citizens are abysmal, earning the worst ranking in this years analysis. In addition, it also ranks in the top five for violent crime and unemployment rates, and has the highest percentage of people living in poverty out of the cities on the list. 7. Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga scored in the top third of cities in terms of financial stability and infrastructure, but fell in the rankings because of its safety measures. It also ranked poorly in terms of the overall economy, which takes into account factors like the unemployment rate, household income, and housing prices. The city has made improvements to its pollution issues compared to decades past, but a history of unregulated industry leaves room for improvement. 6. Memphis, Tennessee According to WalletHubs analysis, the financial stability of the birthplace of rock n roll is the only benchmark to score in the top 100. The rest of the factors each scored poorly, with none of them scoring better than 123rd place. The city ranked especially poorly in terms of education and health care services, along with the overall economy. The city also received lackluster reviews for its safety, likely explained by the higher-than-average rate of violent crimes. 5. San Francisco, California San Francisco might be known as a hub of innovation thanks to its close proximity to Silicon Valley, but apparently that doesnt extend to city management. The city ranked No. 2 for its health services and No. 4 for its overall economy, but scored No. 135 for its financial stability, pulling it down dramatically. That category includes factors like the long-term debt picture of residents and the citys credit rating. In light of San Franciscos incredibly expensive housing market and high cost of living, its not totally surprising that at least some of its residents would be relying on credit to continue living there. 4. Gulfport, Mississippi You might not be as familiar with this Gulf city if youre not from the South, but Gulfport is the second-largest city in Mississippi after its capital of Jackson. The city earned relatively low marks all around, though it suffered the most in categories like safety and the overall economy. It also scored poorly in terms of infrastructure and pollution, the category that takes into account air quality, water quality, road conditions, and greenhouse-gas emissions per capita. 3. New York, New York Managing the city of New York is a lot like running a small country, so its no wonder it can be more of struggle than some smaller metropolises. The city scored the worst in the category of financial stability, at the No. 143 spot. It ranked No. 4 in terms of safety and No. 27 for health services, but the rest were at the No. 92 ranking or higher. The city also was tied for the worst level of long-term outstanding debt per capita, and had one of the lowest household incomes, when adjusted for the cost of living. 2. Detroit, Michigan Detroit doesnt get a whole lot of love in terms of money management, especially following its bankruptcy. According to WalletHubs analysis, that outlook hasnt improved much. The city earned the worst marks in the category of financial stability, and also had low scores for its safety, health services, and economy. It also ranked the lowest in terms of unemployment rate, and was second-lowest (just ahead of Flint) for the percentage of people living in poverty. 1. Washington, D.C. Though Detroits rankings paint a pretty bleak picture, it didnt earn the worst spot in terms of city management. That goes to Washington, D.C., our nations capital. The city ranked poorly for its debt load and low high school graduation rates, perhaps why the city earned poor marks for its financial stability and the worst rank for education services. The citys infrastructure received a decent ranking, but otherwise had poor services across the board. More from Culture Cheat Sheet: Media Invite If your kids (or you) love Pokemon, mark down the date of 22 October 2016 (Saturday). Because that is when the FIRST Pokemon Research Exhibition to be hosted outside of Japan opens at the Resorts World Sentosa's S.E.A. Aquarium! To get started, choose your very own life-sized Pokeball at the entrance - a Pokeball (easy difficulty), a Great Ball (medium difficulty) or an Ultra Ball (hard difficulty). Each Pokeball contains a critter which researchers have to deduce which Pokemon is contained within. Out of the eight stations, you will then have to choose four observation machines and place your PokeBall into these machines that will generate clues regarding the Pokemons distinctive characteristics and silhouettes. Using the collected evidence, you can then attempt to guess which Pokemon is contained within your PokeBall! Station 1: Footprint Collector Station 2: Silhouette Shooter Station 3: Outline Shooter Station 4: Facial Enlarger Using your finger, swipe the screen to see an enlarged image of your Pokemon's face. Station 5: Height Gauge I guess this station is pretty self-explanatory. Station 6: Weight Gauge Station 7: Appearance Analyzer Station 8: Cry Gauge Or take selfies with some adorable inflatable Pokemons! Of course, nothing beats taking a photo with the ever-popular Pikachu, all decked out in a lab coat! Now go catch 'em all! Useful Information Pokemon Research Exhibition Aspiring Pokemon trainers in Singapore will be able to take on the role as scientific researchers and carry out the processes of observation, investigation and data collection, while learning more about species classification with Pokemon as the subjects.Following clues gathered at various interactive stations across eight areas, the researchers' sole objective is to accomplish one mission: to deduce the identity of the Pokemon contained within your PokeBall from clues gathered at stations.Think of it as an elaborate and interactive version of the good ol' 'Who's that Pokemon?' game.Depending on your accuracy of pressing the red and yellow buttons together, a footprint of your mysterious Pokemon will be generated on the screen.You will have to turn a knob and try to focus a sharp silhouette of your Pokemon.I think this has to be the most fun of the lot, as it requires you to jog repeatedly on the spot so as to generate an outline of your Pokemon. The faster you step, the clearer the outline will be.Ditto for this station. Heh.After placing your Pokeball into the machine, you will able to choose 2 appearance features which will offer clues to your Pokemon's identity.Interesting station where you will get to hear how your Pokemon sounds like. But if you are a Pokemon novice like me, chances are the cries will sound foreign to you.And after you are done filling in the clues into the worksheet, you can attempt to guess which Pokemon is in your Pokeball. Head to the Answer Checker to confirm your deduction.I failed to guess my Pokemon, in case you are wondering.Done? Go marvel at the unique characteristics of more than 700 Pokemon at a larger-than-life Pokedex wall.If you are planning to bring the kids down, here are some things to take note:- The Pokemon Research Exhibition opens daily from 10am to 7pm, and will last to 2 January 2017.- A S.E.A. Aquarium One-Day Pass is required for admission to Pokemon Research Exhibition.- It is much cheaper if you purchase the bundled admission tickets online: Adult $35 (U.P. $42), Child (4-12) & Senior Citzens (60 & above): $23 (U.P. $32)- Children aged 3 and below enter FREE.- The admission is only valid forPokeball at the exhibition. If you wish to try out another Pokeball of a different difficulty level, an additional charge of $5 is payable.- Because each Pokeball can only be placed at 4 out of the 8 stations, it will be better that the kids take a walk to see all 8 stations first before deciding which to put their Pokeballs at.- My recommendation for the 4 stations is Station 1 (Footprint Collector), Station 2 (Silhouette Shooter), Station 3 (Outline Shooter) and Station 7 (Appearance Analyzer). Simply because these stations are the most interactive.- And no, you can't take home the Pokeball when you leave. It has to be returned at the exit point.11:30am & 5:30pm daily: Inside Pokemon Research Exhibition2.30pm daily: S.E.A. Aquarium - B1 Entrance Atrium22 Oct 2016 2 Jan 201710am - 7pm dailyS.E.A. Aquarium, Resorts World SentosaOnline ticket bundle: Adult $35 (U.P. $42), Child (4-12) | Senior Citzens (60 & above): $23 (U.P. $32) These silicon nanowires were obtained with the help of new eco-friendly method developed by Russian scientists. Toxic hydrofluoric acid is replaced by harmless ammonium fluoride. Scientists from the Faculty of Physics, the Lomonosov Moscow State University have worked out a new and more eco-friendly method of silicon nanowires obtaining, which allows to replace hydrofluoric acid (HF) by ammonium fluoride (NH4F). Silicon nanowires are streamlined, almost parallel to each other nanostructures, looking like wires. Nanowires diameter varies from 50 to 200 nm, and the distance between structures - from 100 to 500 nm. Nanowires length, depending on etching time, could be from 100 nm and up to 10s of microns. Interest for silicon nanowires is caused by perspectives of their application in micro- and optoelectronics, photonics, PV, sensorics. They could be used even in biomedicine as silicon nanostructures are biodegradable materials, what means that they self-destruct in an organism after some period of time. Besides that, in limited concentrations nanostructures are not toxic for an organism. However, hydrofluoric acid (HF), used by conventional method in order to produce silicon nanowires, is extremely toxic. Obtaining of silicon nanowires with the help of metal-assisted etching becomes possible due to chemical etching of a silicon wafer, where metal nanoparticles (for instance, silver nanoparticles) activate etching. Kirill Gonchar, a Junior researcher in the Low Temperature Physics and Superconductivity Department, the Faculty of Physics, at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, describes the whole scheme of nanowires elaboration. He says: "We've used a two-step method of etching. At the first stage silver nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of a silicon wafer. But this deposition didn't produce a level layer but different island regions. At the second stage the silicon wafer was etched right in the places, covered with silver. Because of this, those silicone sheet places, which were uncovered with silver, turned into nanowires. Silver nanoparticles fell into the silicone sheet. And the more etching was lasting the longer nanowires were got at the output. At the end silver was removed with the help of nitric acid." Researchers from the Lomonosov Moscow State University have replaced dangerous and toxic hydrofluoric acid by ammonium fluoride at all stages of chemical etching. Moreover, they have studied optical properties of silicon nanowires, produced with the help of this method, and compared them with nanowires, received on the basis of conventional method, rested on hydrofluoric acid usage. Kirill Gonchar shares, how this idea to use ammonium fluoride in nanowires synthesis has emerged. He clarifies: "The idea of ammonium fluoride application wasn't new, it was borrowed from experiments of porous silicon obtaining, which took place 20 years ago. Ammonium fluoride was also used there instead of hydrofluoric acid. There were similar projects where nanowires were produced in ammonium fluoride, however, there was no replacement at all etching stages. We've studied optical properties of the nanowires we got and proved that they don't differ much from nanowires, obtained by conventional method." Silicon nanowires, produced by metal-assisted etching, could be used for creation of new photonic devices and silicon based sensors. Kirill Gonchar clarifies, that nanowires are promising as sensory elements of optical sensors for different substances. This happens due to, first of all, increase of Raman effect signal intensity, which is a "finger print" of a substance. And, secondly, due to sensitivity to different gases presence, for instance, oxygen (the relevant patent has been already registered). Moreover, structures, containing silicon nanowires, could be used in antireflection coating for solar cells. While ordinary silicon reflects in visible range about 30% of incident light, there could be obtained silicon nanowires which reflect 1-2%. Chicago-based online eye exam startup Opternative has sued a government agency and department in South Carolina, where the company was banned from providing prescriptions earlier this year. It's the latest in an ongoing battle between Opternative and the optometric industry. Advertisement The company filed a suit Thursday with the nonprofit Institute for Justice against South Carolina's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and its Board of Medical Examiners. The suit claims a ban on Opternative's ability to yield prescriptions violates the company's "right to pursue an honest living" and says South Carolina's laws don't treat eye care equally with other types of medicine that use online tools. Opternative offers exams in 39 states including Illinois, where it has partnered with ophthalmologists to write prescriptions, but it has pulled out of some states, including Georgia and Indiana, amid new legislation. Advertisement South Carolina's Eye Care Consumer Protection Law, which requires prescriptions for glasses or contacts to be based on an in-person exam, reached Gov. Nikki Haley's desk in May. Haley rejected the bill, saying it "uses health practice mandates to stifle competition for the benefit of a single industry." The South Carolina Senate and House overturned the veto days later, and Opternative stopped operating in the state. The Institute for Justice, a civil liberties law firm, represents its clients pro bono and takes cases in the areas of economic liberty, school choice, private property and first amendment rights. Robert McNamara, a senior attorney for the Institute, said South Carolina's new laws regarding eye-related telemedicine have nothing to do with public health or safety. "It's entirely about protecting established businesses from economic competition," he said. The American Optometric Association and other state groups have vocally opposed Opternative's tests and lobbied against them, claiming existing online tests are not able to provide patients with accurate prescriptions and that consumers might substitute the tests for a comprehensive eye exam that can uncover health problems like diabetes. The AOA has formally complained to the Food and Drug Administration about Opternative's tests and has asked the group to take legal action against the startup. Opternative co-founder and CEO Aaron Dallek has said the lobby against its tests by South Carolina's optometric association demonstrates the groups don't want optometrists to compete with its disruptive service. According to the suit, South Carolina's eye care law "stands in stark contrast to how South Carolina regulates telemedicine overall" and is a "purely protectionist piece of legislation." The suit also says South Carolina's eye care law draws an "arbitrary and irrational distinction" between ophthalmologists and other kinds of medical doctors by not allowing eye doctors to use online tools to provide medical services that otherwise meet the generals standard of care. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and Board of Medical Examiners said they had not seen the suit Thursday morning. Advertisement mgraham@tribpub.com Twitter @megancgraham In Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin it is still perfectly legal to have a pet tiger or an African lion or a bear or a monkey. Photo by Chip Litherland/AP Images for The HSUS 767 shares This week marks the five-year anniversary of perhaps the saddest incident in the nations history related to the private ownership of dangerous exotic wildlife. In Zanesville, Ohio, a mentally disturbed man released his private menagerie of 50 tigers, lions, cougars, bears, wolves, and primates before committing suicide, leading authorities to hunt down dozens of the animals as dusk fell on the small community in Muskingum County. That widely reported incident triggered state lawmakers to adopt the Ohio Dangerous Wild Animal Act in 2012, a tough and highly successful law that restricts the private possession of dangerous animals. A majority of other U.S. states also restrict private ownership of powerful exotic animals, to one degree or another. But it is astonishing that there are five states Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin where it is still perfectly legal to have a pet tiger or an African lion or a bear or a monkey. Tough and meaningful laws are necessary because, as incidents like Zanesville remind us, captive wildlife ownership can threaten public safety and animals lives. The large-scale release of so many dangerous wild animals in Zanesville required a massive response by multiple law enforcement agencies and other emergency responders. Residents were warned to stay in their homes, a sign on the interstate cautioned drivers to stay in their cars, and schools were closed. The animals involved paid the ultimate price, as they often do when they are brought into private ownership as pets or private menageries. One of the escaped big cats killed a baboon, and one of the other animals killed and ate a released macaque monkey. While the details of the incident are jarring, no one should have been surprised by the terrible outcome. In Ohio, people had been mauled, maimed, and killed by bears kept as pets or in poorly run roadside zoos. Adult tigers injured 10 people, in a series of incidents, at a private menagerie that allowed close encounters with the animals. Numerous people, including children, were bitten by monkeys, and three people were killed by dangerous reptiles kept as pets. Zanesville made plain what we had been warning for years. Its a shame it took that horrible incident to finally trigger lawmakers to act. The Ohio Dangerous Wild Animal Act has withstood court challenges by exotic animal owners and is being meaningfully enforced by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. According to the Associated Press, it has led to a drop in the number of exotic animals and permit applications to own such animals, in the state. As many as 162 animals have been confiscated by or voluntarily surrendered to the Ohio agriculture department in the past four years. We have countless time bombs waiting to go off in the other states with no laws: In Alabama, a two-year-old boy required more than 100 stitches after being clawed by a leopard at a poorly run roadside zoo, and a woman received 23 stitches for injuries to her legs and hand after she was attacked by a neighbors escaped pet monkey. In North Carolina, children have been killed and badly injured by tigers, including a 10-year-old boy who was killed when his uncles pet tiger reached under the fence and dragged the boy into the cage. Another pet tiger mauled, critically injured, and left a three-year-old boy permanently blind while his father was walking the animal on a leash. In Nevada, in addition to chimpanzees running amok in Las Vegas, there have been numerous dangerous incidents such as the man who required more than $160,000 in medical care after being bitten by a pet tiger who belonged to an acquaintance, and the handler who bled to death after being bitten on the throat by a tiger at a roadside zoo. In South Carolina, a 250-pound lion escaped from a backyard enclosure, burst into a mobile home, and attacked a five-year-old girl and her grandmother. A woman was hospitalized with severe injuries after she was attacked by a relatives pet black bear, and two shelter workers were bitten by a Rhesus macaque who was discovered running loose in a residents yard. In Wisconsin, an eight-year-old girl had to be given rabies shots after she was bitten by an 80-pound lion cub exhibited at a pet store; seven people have been bitten by primates kept as pets or in roadside zoos; and there have been at least five instances of people, including a teenager, hospitalized after they were bitten by venomous snakes kept as pets. Will it take another incident on the scale of Zanesville in one of their own states to compel these lawmakers to act? There are tough calls that politicians have to make, but this is not one of them. Its shameful that lawmakers havent adopted policies to prohibit this conduct, and its about time they get on board. The five-year anniversary of Zanesville provides all the reminder they need. On Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, the National Association of Realtors reports on sales of existing homes in September. After an end-of-summer surge, Chicago-area home sales were flat in September. Prices, however, climbed. (John Bazemore / AP) After an end-of-summer surge, Chicago-area home sales were flat in September. Prices, however, climbed. Only eight more homes were sold last month compared with the year before, an increase of sales in the nine-county area of only one-tenth of 1 percent over 2015, according to data from Illinois Realtors. In September, 9,895 homes were sold compared with 9,887 in September 2015. Advertisement The median price of homes fared much better, climbing 5.1 percent to $218,000 compared with $207,500 last year. Prices have inched up every month this year, with the exception of July. Thursday's data are in contrast to August, when Chicago-area home sales bounced back, climbing 7.6 percent despite a lack of inventory. At the time, real estate experts said they expected a quiet September due to fewer buyers looking for homes. Advertisement In the city of Chicago, home sales fell 3.2 percent as the median sales price rose 4.6 percent to $261,500. Condominium sales in the city, however, climbed 2.1 percent. The median condo sales price ticked up 1.4 percent from the year before to $299,000. Despite a positive national outlook, job growth in Illinois and Chicago has been lagging, which explains the flatness in the housing market, according to Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory at the University of Illinois. "People just sitting on the fence," said Hewings. "There's a great deal of variation of how people are responding to the economy depending on where they live. In Illinois, (because of) the fiscal problems of the state, people are saying, 'No this is not a good time.'" Hewings expects prices to continue to increase for the next three months. "We continue to see a vibrant Chicago market with homes moving quickly and with steady median price gains," said Matt Silver, president of the Chicago Association of Realtors and a partner at Urban Real Estate. "It is taking 42 days to sell a home, indicating buyers are eager to purchase when they find the right property." Across the state in September, homes sold more quickly than they did a year ago, averaging 58 days, down from 65 days a year ago, according to Illinois Realtors. The average commitment rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was also flat at 3.46 percent, up from 3.44 percent last month. Sellers are still seeing the benefits of a market where prices have risen consistently for the past four years, according to Doug Carpenter, president of Illinois Realtors and managing broker of Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell in Orland Hills. Advertisement "The tight inventory of homes on the market and a decline in average time it is taking to sell shows buyers are still in the market, they just aren't finding as much as they would like from which to select," Carpenter said. crshropshire@chicagotribune.com Twitter @corilyns About 70 workers at a Lansing egg production facility are striking over what they claim to be poor working conditions and low pay. (Charlie Neibergall / AP) Nonunionized workers at an Illinois egg production facility are striking over what they claim to be poor working conditions and low pay. About 70 workers walked out on their jobs Monday at the National Pasteurized Eggs facility in Lansing, about 30 miles south of Chicago, and continued to picket outside the plant Thursday. The employees are trying to unionize in an effort to ensure better working conditions and fairer pay, said Jorge Mujica, strategic campaigns organizer for Arise Chicago, a nonprofit helping the workers organize. Advertisement Part of the process has been educating the workers, most of whom are Latino immigrants, on their legal rights, Mujica said. The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union local chapter is working with the employees to file a petition to unionize, he said. "Other than walking out, they didn't really know what to do. So we started organizing some picket lines and brought some signs and are trying to organize solidarity," Mujica said. Advertisement The workers' complaints include sexual harassment; unclean and unsafe working conditions; unfair pay, particularly for women; and excessively long hours, Mujica said. The workers on strike represent the majority of a roughly 120-person workforce at the plant, where eggs are cleaned, pasteurized and packaged, he said. The workers were told before the strike that they would be fired and replaced with temporary workers as the company changes ownership, Mujica said. St. Louis-based Post Holdings is in the process of acquiring National Pasteurized Eggs, which produces eggs marketed as Davidson's Safest Choice, and folding it into its existing Michael Foods eggs business. Representatives of National Pasteurized Eggs, Michael Foods and Post Holdings did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Davidson's Safest Choice eggs are sold at locations in the Chicago area, including several Jewel-Osco and Mariano's stores. Gabriel Cabrera, 40, of Hammond, Ind., has worked in the shipping and receiving department at the facility for about two years. Cabrera said he's required to drive a truck for which he doesn't have the appropriate license. He also said his salary doesn't reflect the work. Among his grievances, Cabrera said the company doesn't pay workers for holidays or vacations. "People are very sad because they have a lot of family. Some people here, their whole family works for Michael Foods, and they don't have money to pay bills," Cabrera said. gtrotter@chicagotribune.com Twitter @GregTrotterTrib Rush University Medical Center unveiled its first mobile stroke treatment unit in the Chicagoland area on Oct. 20, 2016. The unit brings treatment to the patient's location dramatically decreasing the time to diagnose a possible stroke victim. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune) (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune) New types of ambulances will likely speed through the western suburbs soon, in hopes of delivering lifesaving care to stroke victims sooner. Unlike typical ambulances, the new mobile stroke treatment units of Rush University Medical Center and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital will carry CT scanners, cameras for communicating with stroke neurologists from afar and medication that can begin to dissolve clots and restore blood flow to the brain. Advertisement The stroke units will be the first of their kind in the Chicago area and likely among the first dozen or so in the country, said Rush officials who demonstrated Thursday how Rush's unit will work. Rush's specially outfitted ambulance is expected to serve western suburbs within 5 miles of Rush Oak Park Hospital starting in January. Northwestern's unit likely will start serving six western suburbs Winfield, West Chicago, Wheaton, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn and Roselle before the end of the year, said Northwestern spokesman Christopher King. Advertisement Both units still must gain formal approval from the Illinois Department of Public Health. In Illinois, strokes are the third leading cause of death, and 5,333 people in Illinois died from strokes in 2010, according to the Department of Public Health. Depending on their severity, strokes can cause partial paralysis, weakness and problems with thinking, awareness and memory, among other things. Strokes most often are caused by clots that block the flow of blood to the brain, though they also can be caused when blood vessels in the brain leak or burst, said Dr. James Conners, section head of cerebrovascular disease at Rush University Medical Center. Doctors at Rush and Northwestern say the new mobile units could make a huge difference in stroke patients' recoveries by allowing treatment to start sooner. "Time really is of the essence," Conners said. "For every minute that goes by of a blockage in the brain, you lose about 2 million brain cells." When someone calls 911 reporting symptoms of a stroke, a mobile unit will be dispatched to the patient along with a typical ambulance. Once the mobile stroke unit arrives, the patient will be assessed and given a CT scan. Rush might sometimes have a stroke neurologist on board its unit who can look at the results, and if no doctor is on board the results will be sent to a remote stroke neurologist. That remote neurologist will also be able to see the patient and talk to the paramedics via a camera in the ambulance. If it's determined the patient is having a stroke caused by a blockage, then the patient will be given clot-dissolving medication. If the patient is having a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain, the patient will be given medication to treat blood pressure and reverse the effects of any blood-thinning medication that may be in the patient's system. That patient may then be transported to the nearest hospital. Or, if it's suspected the patient is having a very serious stroke, that patient can get a CT angiogram on board the ambulance and be taken to a comprehensive stroke center, such as Rush University Medical Center or Central DuPage Hospital, for specialized treatment. Advertisement On the other hand, if it's determined the patient is not having a stroke, then the mobile stroke unit will leave, letting the traditional ambulance take over. Rush's unit will operate 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. Conners said most strokes occur during the day. If its mobile stroke unit is a success, Rush might want to buy additional units in the future to serve more of the Chicago area, said Dr. Demetrius Lopes, surgical director of Rush's mobile stroke unit. The unit cost Rush $950,000, and is expected to cost about $950,000 to $1.2 million a year to run, said Rush spokeswoman Deb Song. An anonymous $4.1 million grant is covering the cost for now. Northwestern's mobile stroke unit will be funded through a grant from the Northwestern Memorial Foundation, King said. Northwestern's mobile unit also will run seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The unit "allows us to bring services that traditionally have only been available in a hospital directly to a patient," said Dr. Harish Shownkeen, medical director of stroke and neurovascular surgery programs at Central DuPage Hospital, in a statement. lschencker@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @lschencker Photographer and former child refugee David Kittos has sued the Trump campaign for allegedly using his photo of a bowl of Skittles in a tweet against accepting Syrian refugees into the U.S. (Handout / David Kittos) A British photographer and former child refugee has sued the Trump campaign for allegedly using his photo of a bowl of Skittles in a tweet against accepting Syrian refugees into the U.S. David Kittos filed the copyright infringement suit this week in a Chicago federal court, naming as defendants the Trump campaign, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, running mate Mike Pence and Donald Trump Jr., who posted the tweet. Advertisement Kittos, who fled Cyprus as a 6-year-old in 1974, is seeking unspecified damages and a public apology from the Trump campaign for using his work without permission, according to Heather Blaise, his Chicago-based attorney. Donald Trump Jr. included this meme in a tweet a photographer says uses his photograph. (Handout) "It's pretty ironic that he would steal an image from a refugee to make a statement against refugees," Blaise said Thursday. Advertisement An amateur photographer whose day job is in technology, Kittos posted the photo of a white bowl filled with colorful Skittles candy to his Flickr account in January 2010 as an artistic experiment with different lighting techniques, Blaise said. The image went viral last month, when Donald Trump Jr. used Twitter to warn against accepting Syrian refugees, a divisive campaign issue. The Sept. 20 tweet allegedly features Kittos' photo and reads: "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful? That's our Syrian refugee problem." The Trump campaign did not reply to a request for comment Thursday. Blaise said she sent demand letters to the defendants last week seeking, among other things, a public apology and a monetary award, but did not receive a response, leading to the lawsuit. "The reason we selected Chicago is we just thought the jury pool would be better than it would be in New York or Los Angeles," Blaise said. Kittos registered for copyright protection for his Skittles photo on Oct. 3, according to the U.S. Copyright Office two weeks after the Syrian tweet was posted. Registration is not a requirement for copyright protection, but is required for filing a lawsuit, Blaise said. Because Kittos' photo was not registered at the time of the tweet, he would not be entitled to statutory damages, but can pursue actual damages, including what he would have charged to license the photo. "In this case, we have a plaintiff who will say there's not enough money in the world that he could have given me to license this work," Blaise said. On Thursday, Chicago-based Wrigley, which owns the Skittles brand, said the company had no involvement in the lawsuit. Advertisement rchannick@chicagotribune.com Twitter @RobertChannick In this Nov. 5, 2014, photo, a Yahoo sign is seen at the company's headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. The beleaguered Web company is seeking to close a sale to Verizon. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP) Verizon is doubling down on language it used last week to describe the massive, historic data breach affecting an estimated 500 million Yahoo accounts a move that puts even greater pressure on the beleaguered Web company as it seeks to close a sale to the telecom giant. At the moment, "we have to assume (the breach) will have a material impact on Yahoo," said Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo on an investor call Thursday. Advertisement A change in Yahoo's business that's deemed "material" is one that could make the Internet firm much less attractive to Verizon financially, and under the terms of the deal could allow Verizon to back away from the transaction. Verizon's lawyers talked by phone with Yahoo for the first time Wednesday to discuss the impact of the breach on Yahoo's business, according to Shammo. Advertisement Verizon will take "some time" to determine the fate of the deal, Shammo said, unless Yahoo "comes up with a different process" for interacting with its buyer. The telecom company is buying Yahoo in hopes of luring Internet users to its content, as well as using the behavioral data generated by users and visitors to sell targeted advertising, according to analysts. That strategy could suffer setbacks if Verizon concludes it cannot follow through with buying Yahoo. It may also be affected by a looming regulatory effort to force Verizon and other Internet providers to ask their customers' permission before using their personal data for advertising, according to business analysts. At the same time, analysts say, the Yahoo breach may provide an opportunity for Verizon to abandon its current deal with Yahoo and seek a discount on the company, which could bolster Verizon's strategy in the long run. "I can't think of a reason why Verizon wouldn't attempt to negotiate a lower price," said Walt Piecyk, an analyst at BTIG, in an interview last week. Tesla is making another leap forward in the race to build self-driving cars. The company said this week that every new Tesla rolling off the factory floor will now come with the hardware necessary to support full autonomous driving mode. This includes the recently announced Model 3, Tesla's electric vehicle targeted at mainstream consumers. Some of the company's existing Model S and Model X vehicles already have the technology, according to the company. Advertisement To make the system work, Tesla is equipping every new car with eight cameras to pull in visual data from around the car in 360 degrees. An additional dozen ultrasonic sensors will help detect obstacles. And crunching all the incoming data will be a sophisticated computer powered by a top-of-the-line graphics processor. Unlike self-driving cars built by rivals Google and Uberwhich have large, bulky cameras and sensor systems mounted on the roofTesla's hardware will be integrated seamlessly into the body of the car, chief executive Elon Musk said. Advertisement "Nothing is sticking out; this in no way makes the car ugly," Musk told reporters Wednesday. "There are no weird protuberances. It's incredibly subtle." But just because the autonomy package comes installed does not mean that customers will be able to enable self-driving on day one. Musk said that further testing will be necessary before the feature can be switched on. The company plans to conduct self-driving tests on a closed track before opening it up to a select number of early users, a group that will include Musk himself. Then Tesla will slowly make the software available to more customers around the globe, gradually activating it in all cars in "shadow mode," during which the cars will not be driving themselves but feeding data to engineers about how the computer might make decisions if it were truly in control. Ultimately, it may take a year or more for members of the public to see the feature in action; by the end of 2017, Musk said, people could expect to see a cross-country test drive from Los Angeles to New York involving a Tesla operating completely autonomously for the duration of the trip. Tesla's announcement comes after a summer of heightened scrutiny over its Autopilot feature. Autopilot is not a self-driving technology; it is designed as a driver-assist application similar to adaptive cruise control, but it has nevertheless raised safety concerns among skeptics, including lawmakers. In May, a Florida driver died as a result of Autopilot's failure to brake for a turning truck, resulting in what Tesla later said was the first fatal accident linked to the technology. Musk took aim Wednesday at the spate of critical media reports on Autopilot, saying that every negative story about the feature distracted from the thousands of people who are killed on roads today because of human error. Every time the media reports on Autopilot's flaws, "you dissuade people from using autonomous vehicles. You're killing people," Musk said. Autopilot will continue to exist side-by-side with Tesla's self-driving software. The latter will likely come under regulatory analysis after highway safety officials last month published a set of new federal guidelines for self-driving cars. A Sugar Grove man has been sentenced to prison for chronic drug dealing. Kyle Abraham, 30, of the 100 block of Monna Street, was sentenced to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by Judge Timothy J. McCann for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a class 1 felony. Abraham plead guilty last week and entered into the agreed sentence, Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis said Wednesday. Advertisement Abraham had been the target of an undercover operation by the Kendall County Cooperative Police Assistance Team in 2014, Weis said in a news release. Abraham also pleaded guilty to other drug-related charges in Kane County based on the same investigation, according to the release. He was given a seven-year sentence for that conviction, possession of objects of parts pertaining to LSD, to be served concurrently with the Kendall County charges, according to Kane County records. Advertisement After Abraham completes his prison sentence, he must serve two years of mandatory supervised release, according to the state's attorney. Assistant State's Attorney Frank Gorup prosecuted the Kendall County case, in which attorney Brad Telander represented Abraham. Weis said this was not the first instance Abraham had been on the radar of local law enforcement. Abraham had been convicted of dealing illegal substances before. Abraham was previously convicted in Kane County and sentenced to state prison on at least two separate occasions for drug-related charges, among other offenses that got him time in county jail, according to records. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to manufacture and delivery of between 10 and 30 grams of marijuana and was sentenced to 28 days in county jail plus 24 months probation, Kane County records show. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 240 days in county jail concurrent with another sentence plus 24 months probation, Kane County records show. In 2010, Abraham pleaded guilty in Kane County to manufacture or delivery of cocaine near a school or park, a class x felony, and was sentenced to 80 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 18 months in the state department of corrections, Kane county records show. Advertisement hleone@tribpub.com Twitter @hannahmleone 1. Vote ... for fried chicken Indulge in one of the best food pairings known to humanity: fried chicken and Champagne. Benefiting Kendall College Trust, which provides financial assistance to Kendall College hospitality and culinary students, the second Fried Chicken & Champagne Fest is a celebration of all things fowl and fizz. Chefs from Parachute, Dixie, Honey Butter Fried Chicken and more will dish out their best fried bird to hundreds of attendees. Meanwhile, more than 60 different Champagne labels will be poured. $85 includes tastings of each chef's fried chicken dish, desserts, sparkling water and five drink tickets. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Kendall College Skyline Room, 900 N. North Branch St., www.kendallfoundation.org Advertisement 2. Meet for brunch It's all-you-can-eat brunch with $5 bloodies at Stella Barra. (Anjali Pinto) Kids 10 and under dine free at Stella Barra's new unlimited brunch buffet, while adults can savor $5 mimosas, bellinis and bloody marys. On the food menu: roasted corn and egg enchiladas, charred tomato and cheese stratas, brioche cinnamon rolls and much more, including a pancake bar just for the little ones. Reservations accepted. $20. 10 a.m to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at Stella Barra, 1954 N. Halsted St., 773-634-4101, www.stellabarra.com Advertisement 3. Get tipsy at a tea party October high tea at The Virgin Hotel has a seven deadly sins theme. (Joseph Hernandez / Chicago Tribune) The Virgin Hotel turns high tea on its head with the Upside Down tea party, a weekend-only event helmed by beverage director Jon Harris. October's theme, the Seven Deadly Sins, serves teas themed around each dark trait, each accompanied by a boozy sidecar. Envy is a sharp green matcha tea, accompanied by New Orleans' anise-tinged Herbsaint, while Gluttony is Elvis-inspired: An oolong base comes with butter-infused aged rum and peanut butter meringue Chantilly cream. Tea-friendly bites are included, and more opulent teas even come with splits of Champagne. Starts at $35 per person. 2-5 p.m Saturdays and Sundays, Commons Club, Virgin Hotel Chicago, 203 N. Wabash Ave., www.virginhotels.com 4. Pop into this pop-up Get a taste of Campania at Eataly. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Head to Eataly for a taste of southern Italian fare by way of Campania. Vesuviana, the Italian marketplace's latest pop-up concept, draws its inspiration from the country's geological history, with wines from vineyards grown on volcanic soil. Meal highlights include pairing the scialati elli con sugo di mare, a hand-cut pasta from Campania with seafood ragu ($21), with storied winemaker Frank Cornelissen's Contadino 2014, from Sicily. Prices vary. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22; 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at Eataly, 43 E. Ohio St., 312-521-8700, www.eataly.com 5. Eat too much just enough barbecue The burnt ends are good, but wait until you try Q-BBQ's brunch. (Jane Donahue / Naperville Sun) Barbecue may be summer's defining cuisine, but fall with its cool weather is just as good a time to enjoy spicy, smoky flavors. Q-BBQ, which has four Chicago-area locations, is now offering a hefty weekend brunch centered around barbecue, including a 24-hour smoked burnt ends hash with roasted corn, Brussels sprouts, eggs and potatoes; and an Alabama Benedict with pulled pork and sausage gravy atop a buttermilk biscuit. Cancel all weekend plans, because a meal this heavy will incapacitate you in the best way. A la carte; prices vary. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, multiple locations, www.q-bbq.com jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com Twitter @joeybear85 Grace Farms, a sinuous design that melds into its hilly Connecticut landscape, is the winner of the Illinois Institute of Technology's Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize, which recognizes a distinguished work of architecture in North and South America. The award, announced Tuesday night, goes to the project's architects, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, 2010 winners of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. It comes with a $50,000 grant for architectural research and publication as well as chaired faculty position at IIT during the next academic year. Advertisement Set beneath a long, undulating roof, Grace Farms has been described as a combination nature center, gym, hub for social justice groups, and part-time ecumenical chapel, among other things. It is located in New Canaan, Conn., a New York City suburb that has several noted modernist homes, including the late architect Philip Johnson's Glass House. Stan Allen, chairman of the awards jury, said its members were impressed by "the radical way" with which Grace Farms blurs the land between building and landscape. Sejima and Nishizawa were finalists in the 1998 design competition for IIT's campus center, a contest won by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Nick Offerman has a new book, Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop, and will be introducing a screening of "Highlander" at the Music Box Theatre on Saturday. (Emily Shur photo) In early 1986 Nick Offerman was 15 and living in Minooka when he saw the "all but incomprehensible" (Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader) time-traveling action fantasy "Highlander" for the first of "six or eight times" that year, the onetime Chicago stage actor recalls. "Every so often," Offerman tells me in a recent phone interview, "we'd save up and drive the 20 minutes to go the big city, Joliet, to the Louis Joliet Mall, to see a film. It was quite exciting, coming in from Minooka. And with 'Highlander' " Advertisement He pauses a second. Then: "Well. Between the subject matter (immortal, large-foreheaded Scottish warrior played by Christopher Lambert prepares for battle in 1985-era New York City with his enemies, with the help of his immortal Spanish mentor, played by Sean Connery) and the Queen soundtrack, teenage Midwesterners of the male disposition were in the perfect wheelhouse for it. Everything Sean Connery said in that film spoke to our budding pubescence. Even to this day, when I get aroused, I see Connery pawing the sand with his boot, briefly, and I think to myself: Yes. I am the stag." To "Highlander" virgins, that stag line will make more sense after they see Offerman introduce an 11 p.m. Saturday screening of "Highlander" at the Music Box Theatre. In 2013 the actor best known as the delightful Libertarian Ron Swanson on the NBC sitcom "Parks and Recreation" hosted a revival of Jim Jarmusch's "Dead Man" at the Music Box and enjoyed the experience. He's back, and earlier Saturday, in an event cosponsored by The Book Stall of Winnetka, Offerman will be selling autographed copies of his latest book, "Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop." Advertisement "It's going great. People are actually purchasing it, and they're either really enjoying it, or they're being really polite in their false praise," he says. "I'm terrifically proud of it. It's a legit woodworking book, but I'm the class clown who got to write his own textbook, so I tried to make it the funniest textbook anyone's ever seen." After studying theater at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Offerman did what a lot of other fledgling actors did: He came to Chicago. He lived all over town, he says, in Pilsen, Rogers Park, West Town and a warehouse near North and Clybourn, where he had a live-in scene shop in a warehouse building. He paid cheap rent in exchange for acting as the building's unofficial security guard. "The only downside was I had to take a leak off the fire escape," he says. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Anyway. "Besides the obvious charisma of the city," Offerman says, "Chicago boasts the most fecund theater community because it doesn't have the ulterior motives of LA or New York. If you're putting up storefront theater in Chicago, it's because you want to make art." I wasn't yet in Chicago when Offerman came to develop his stage craft, but a few years later, as the LA Times drama critic, I had the great good fortune to see some of Offerman's work at an invaluable, still-viable company called the Evidence Room. Offerman was especially striking in a 2000 revival of the Edward Bond drama "Saved," notorious in its 1965 London premiere for the scene of English thugs stoning a baby to death. "That place literally saved my life," Offerman says of his LA Evidence Room days, before "Parks and Rec" made him popular, economically comfortable and eternally grateful. "I was in LA two or three years, trying to find a theater company with that kind of Chicago integrity, and failing. And drinking way too much bourbon because of it. And then I finally got hooked with them. And I met my wife there." Since 2003 Offerman has been married to "Will and Grace" Emmy winner Megan Mullally, another former Chicago theater alum. After that, he says, "I said goodbye to my Charles Bukowski years of my late 20s, and my Los Angeles efforts began to bear fruit." Actors Nick Offerman (L) and wife Megan Mullally perform Summer Of 69: No Apostrophe at Beacon Theatre on August 23, 2016 in New York City. (Mike Coppola / Getty Images) Like Offerman, Mullally was a stage performer of such obvious gifts and technique, watching her in her pre-"Will and Grace" years gigging around LA, you knew that if she got the shot, she'd be famous and reasonably rich. "It's uncanny," Offerman says. "We both got our big breaks when we were 37, 38 years old. Our respective shows were on NBC Thursday nights, in the same time slot. We both played these weird, off-center characters in the middle of great ensembles. The parallels were just so bizarre. And we continue to thank our lucky stars." Offerman has built things for most of his life. It's relaxation and concentration and reward, all in one grand pursuit. I mention how fortunate I feel to live in a house filled with my own father's adventures in woodworking: a desk here, a carved floor lamp there, bookends over there. Advertisement "When we make things for our loved ones," Offerman says, "whether it's furniture, or clothing, or a meal, it's so comforting. We're tapping into the traditions of affections that we humans have developed over the eons. It's something the corporations would have us forget. But now that we're using up the resources on the planet, we're saying: Hey, wait a second. Maybe there is something to the idea of keeping a table more than three years." Regarding the Music Box "Highlander" screening, Offerman points out that he has "no business doing this. I'm on a book tour, Atlanta, St. Louis, Ann Arbor so far, and this is while the Cubs are in postseason. So it's an emotionally fraught time. I have no business screening a movie at 11 p.m. on a Saturday; I'm 46 years old, fer cryin' out loud. But I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to sit down and have a good old-fashioned film experience at the Music Box, and relive the coming of my own manhood." Once, on the set of "Parks and Rec," Offerman dropped an inside reference to "Highlander" and Chris Pratt, his co-star, didn't know what he was talking about. Offerman immediately booked a screening on the studio lot of "Highlander" for Pratt and himself. "I don't want to pat myself on the back too soundly," he says, "but once he saw that movie, he became the world's biggest movie star. It doesn't seem purely coincidental to me." Nick Offerman will autograph copies of "Good Clean Fun" 7 p.m. Saturday at the Music Box Theatre lounge, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; www.musicboxtheatre.com Tickets are $36.50 and include a copy of the book. Offerman will then introduce an 11 p.m. Saturday screening of "Highlander" at the Music Box. Tickets $11 at www.musicboxtheatre.com or at the door. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @phillipstribune RELATED STORIES: Watch actor Nick Offerman describe how he handles Cubs stress Chris Pratt finds his clown and other magnificent thoughts Ryan Gosling sings, dances, reads in margins of Gene Kelly's annotated scripts Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Nestled on East 71st Street in the Park Manor neighborhood is a funeral home integral to Chicago's African-American history and civil rights struggles. Spanning the 300 block and meticulously kept, gold cursive lettering welcomes grieving families to A.A. Rayner & Sons, the subject of the new documentary short "Of a Few Days" from Northwestern University MFA candidate Timothy Fryett. It screens at 4:30 p.m. Saturday as part of the Black Perspectives short film program at this year's Chicago International Film Festival. Shot unlike a traditional documentary, Fryett forgoes talking-head interviews, music and digital graphics for longer takes that allow the setting to simmer in the viewers' minds. Fryett said he is a documentarian interested in a form of cinematic open-mindedness, but he's also a philosopher and inquisitive urban citizen. Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Fryett invites the audience into the South Side funeral home to identify with mundanity, routine and of course, death. The mood is cold but curious, with a quiet, removed gaze on its subjects influenced heavily from Fryett's love for documentarian Frederick Wiseman, who said, "The shooting of the film is the research. My response to that experience is what the final film is about." Advertisement "Of a Few Days" shows the day-to-day routine of Charles S. Childs Jr., co-owner of the family-owned funeral home, and his employees as they rake leaves, file paperwork and embalm bodies. Scene from the documentary "Of a Few Days." (Timothy Fryett) "I find a lot of optimism in facing and talking about things that might be regarded as unmentionable or frightening," Fryett said. "I'm interested in death, which is this great common experience, (and) I think there are a lot of connections between work and death. Work is about the constraints; the premeditated things and the stuff we have to do. I'm really interested in the terms that we're given as human beings which are not within our control and how we respond to those." Fryett says he found beauty in the way Childs responds to the terms of his labor, taking great pride not only in being a third-generation owner of an African-American business in an African-American neighborhood, but in the fact that his funeral home and family have run parallel with civil rights movements of the 1960s and '70s in Chicago. "A part of what we do is what society is about. We take care of the dead and we take care of the grieving," Childs said in an interview. "We have a specific unique opportunity to do something that nobody else is qualified or legally able to do." In 1955, the mangled body of Emmett Till, a black teenager who had been kidnapped and killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman in Mississippi, was brought to A.A. Rayner & Sons' previous location at 4141 S. Cottage Grove Ave., where "thousands waited in line to see the body" during an open casket service demanded by Till's mother. The casket is now considered a "sacred object" at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Childs' uncle, A.A. "Sammy" Rayner, was a colleague and political ally to Mayor Harold Washington, as well as an alderman in the 6th Ward from 1967-1971. When Washington died in November 1987, the Tribune wrote, "A.A. Rayner and Sons, where (Washington's) funeral procession will begin, helped shape the political movement that elected (him)." "They strove for justice. They strove for equality," Childs said. "It was imperative and important to become politicians because they had experienced themselves racism, police brutality and things that were not right in our community." While Fryett's documentary does not ask its subjects to verbally express those issues still making headlines today, it does depict the role A.A. Rayner & Sons has in the black political community of Chicago. During Fryett's shoot, the home was arranging the funeral of Augustus "Gus" Savage, a civil rights activist, six-term congressman and editor and publisher of the Citizen Newspapers. Advertisement "Of a Few Days" depicts Savage's memorial service as a gathering of political players in Chicago, and by happenstance, adds another thematic layer to the film, in which Fryett said he had only one goal; to learn about African-American life on the South Side through the lens of the funeral home. From filming on the South Side, Fryett said he also observed that the funeral home industry seemed like one of the last holdouts against big-box stores and corporations moving into communities and forcing out small businesses. "Maybe it's too sacred to big-box-ify and maybe in 10 years somebody will come around and create a chain and systematize (the funeral industry) and throw all these people out of business," Fryett said. "But it just is amazing because if you go to visit that funeral home, there's this great community spirit. There's this sense of history and trust." But Childs says corporate acquisition of mom and pop funeral homes is already happening: a Houston-based company, Service Corp. International, whose website claims that in late 2013, SCI's acquisition of another large funeral and cemetery services company grew their "footprint to more than 2,000 funeral homes and cemeteries in 45 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico." However, none of these theories is overtly visible in the film. For Fryett, his film depicts a South Side funeral home full of warmth that is in some degree "a reflection of African-American urban life that has gotten lost in other subcultures in the city." For tickets and more information, go to www.chicagofilmfestival.com. Advertisement bhoward@chicagotribune.com RELATED STORIES: Opening night of Chicago film fest finds itself in 'La La Land' A taste of the Chicago film fest Geraldine Chaplin and 'so many ghosts' at Essanay Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Walking a fine line between charming lark and smirking goof, Ti West's "In a Valley of Violence" is a Western homage that has its heart in the genre, but not so much in the story. Stripping its gunslinger plot down to the most essential pillars, the film has plenty of incidental pleasures to offer: a few chuckles, some typically Westian explosions of violence, a deliriously fun score, and a pair of perfectly solid performances from Ethan Hawke and John Travolta. (The real standout performance, however, comes courtesy of Jumpy, the magnificent collie who stars as Hawke's dog.) But there's a nagging emptiness where its center ought to be, a feeling that what we're watching isn't a finished film so much a proof of concept, a skilled, slightly warped cover version of a familiar tune. West's grasp of the rhythms and the grace notes of the Western idiom is undeniable, but he never seems to find a film worth telling within it. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement The basic outlines of "Violence" are Dick-and-Jane in their simplicity: "High Plains Drifter" by way of "John Wick." Hawke stars as Paul, a grizzled loner fleeing a mysterious past toward Mexico with his trusty steed and multitalented pooch, Abbie, by his side. Standing between him and the border is the desolate outpost of Denton, which requires Paul's arrival to even count as a one-horse town. Not long after rolling into the local saloon, he runs afoul of a gang of roughnecks lead by the hair-trigger Gilly (James Ransone, aggressively chewing every syllable of his black-hat speeches, several of which go on at least twice as long as they need to). Only after laying out the cocky Gilly with a single punch does Paul learn that he's the son of the town marshal (Travolta), who runs him out of town minutes after he's managed to pick up a lonely female admirer in 16-year-old Mary-Anne (Taissa Farmiga, charmingly motormouthed), who helps run the very vacant local inn. Paul is pursued to the outskirts of town by Gilly and his gang, and their attempted ambush causes him to swear revenge on the whole settlement. Advertisement Though often pigeonholed as a horror purist, West is first and foremost an astute student of genre in general, and his affection for the Western is palpable in every frame. The climactic siege, which takes up roughly a third of the film, benefits from sensible, easily followed geography. And Jumpy delivers one of the most charismatic canine performances since the late Uggie in "The Artist," not only performing impressive tricks, but also providing Hawke with more palpable chemistry than any of his human co-stars. So why does the whole film, impressive as it is, flutter by with such a whimper? Perhaps it's West's decision to play the verbal duels straight and the pistol duels as jokes, robbing the former of any juicy, literate patter, and the latter of real emotional stakes or tension. We never get more than a glimmer of personality within these well-worn character types, and West never digs beneath them to offer any sort of commentary or criticism. If "In a Valley of Violence" ends up being largely enjoyable all the same, a good deal of credit ought to go to composer Jeff Grace, whose Morricone-indebted score hits all the right notes and helps keep the picture tonally on track. "In the Valley of Violence" 2.5 stars MPAA rating: Running time: 1:43 Opens: Friday RELATED STORIES: Advertisement 'Keeping Up with the Joneses' review: You don't want to be their neighbor 'Certain Women' delivers poetic tales set against a big sky 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' review: Tom Cruise returns for ultra-violent, humdrum sequel Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Actress Kona Burks at Navy Pier where the self-guided Undreamed Shores project, the latest from One Step at a Time Like This, an Australian company, runs through Sunday. (Charles Osgood / Chicago Shakespeare photo) If you are alone with a pair of headphones and your own neuroses, can you really be at a show? Sure you can. Especially if you believe like me that one of the primary duties of the theater is to make the strange familiar and the familiar strange. Advertisement That latter aim is at the core of "Undreamed Shores," the latest Chicago project from One Step at a Time Like This, the brilliant Australian company whose previous headphones-and-you projects in Chicago include "En Route" (created in 2011) and "Since I Suppose" (2014). If you're an enthusiastic tourist, you'll know that self-guided, often GPS-aided, tours with smartphones are all the entrepreneurial rage at present in lots of big cities. They're fast replacing the backward-walking tour guide. And some of them are pretty arty and theatrical in nature if you follow the future trajectory of urban performance, you figure they're likely to play a larger and larger role. "En Route," the best of One Step at a Time's Chicago productions, took you on a thrilling, complex, multisensory journey around our city in all its beauty and ugliness. It was a stunner. "Since I Suppose" (based on "Measure for Measure") was less successful a bit too weird for me, and too dense for anyone who did not know the play very well. Advertisement "Undreamed Shores," which you can see, if that's the right word, on and around Navy Pier, does not reach the heights of "En Route," mostly because that 2011 project involved human actors whom you encountered at various intriguing points in your trip. "Undreamed Shores," which is presented, like the other One Step projects, by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, does not involve any human encounters, beyond the actor who shows up as you start the journey. In my case last week, she set me up with my smartphone and off I went. All over Navy Pier. Yes, including the parking garage, which I have hated for two decades. For any number of reasons, including the pricing structure and how much of the actual Pier itself it swamps. I should confess that I deviated from the tour for a second when I hit pause by the Ferris wheel and, without asking permission, stopped to buy a churro. With vanilla filling. A critic has to eat, and sometimes there can be a churro emergency. This deviation (I believe the soothing but commanding voice was at the time telling me to lie on the grass and stare up at the Midwestern sky) was apparently noted by the company, who must have had someone lurking, for I was admonished afterward. That is not surprising since, in my various interviews over the years, the control-freak artists at One Step at a Time (they are in demand all over the world) have told me they place a laserlike focus on how their work is delivered and received. Actually, that attention to good old customer service in the artistic sense represents a huge part of why their shows are so darn good. Just like Facebook, they give the illusion of self-control of you wandering with your own thoughts and (in this case) thinking about the relationship of Navy Pier with the history of the city and the complex, much-maligned ecosystem of the Great Lakes. But they also figure out every possible way in which you could deviate from their plan and they come up with a contingency, for them and for you. They won't let you wander on to the wrong level of the parking garage the roof of which, I was reminded during this show, has a really great view of the city. That's a fine way to bypass the $15 they charge to ride the new Ferris wheel. One Step at a Time is a master at soundtracks the music in this 70-minute experience is engagingly hypnotic and fascinating in every way, emotionally and otherwise. They also come up with some beautifully written evocations of visiting a place you likely know as I noted, they're all about making the familiar seem strange. Advertisement Navy Pier is presently under construction and, as an aesthetic destination, thus a work in progress. Frankly, I was leery of this being a commercial for the Pier, but that's not what this company does. They prefer pointing out the strange configurations of concrete, or taking you through the unmarked, prosaic door, of which Navy Pier still has many. The best thing about this show is that you feel like you are on a higher plane than the regular schmoes wandering around the Pier for a little more than an hour, you are oblivious to their worries, their draft beers, their speedboat tours in the autumnal chill, their rushing home from hard labor at the WBEZ studios. You have been made to think about why you live where you do and what all that means, if anything much at all. Eat first, please. "Undreamed Shores" is presented by Chicago Shakespeare Theater through Sunday; more at www.chicagoshakes.com/undreamed. Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @ChrisJonesTrib The Newberry library unveils its collection of Alexander Hamilton's writings, letters and copies of the Federalist papers. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune) (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune) When Yale University historian Joanne Freeman attended the musical "Hamilton," a stranger approached her at intermission, keen to know the historical accuracy of the production. Freeman's students love the show, and her nieces have memorized it. When speaking at high schools about it, Freeman has noticed teenagers mouthing words from the play about the very topic she's addressing. Advertisement "It's really kind of mind-blowing, the degree to which the play has pulled young people into history," she said. That is not to say the musical, which opened Wednesday in Chicago, is without historical faults. Freeman sought to set the record straight at a lecture on "Hunting for Hamilton" Thursday at The Newberry library, which is also seeking to spotlight its own collection of documents by and related to Hamilton. Advertisement Freeman has a long history with the man and the play. Fifteen years ago, she put together a book of Hamilton's writings. When she learned, to her amazement, that Lin-Manuel Miranda was writing a hip-hop-inspired play about the Founding Father, she gave him a copy of her book, passages of which ended up in the stage production. The musical tells the unlikely story of an orphan who was born in the Caribbean, possibly out of wedlock, and who rose to become Gen. George Washington's right-hand military man, a driving force behind the U.S. Constitution, the nation's first secretary of the treasury and an early advocate for a strong federal government. A man of strong passions and contradictions, Hamilton's excesses proved his downfall, ultimately leading (spoiler alert!) to a deadly duel with his nemesis, then-Vice President Aaron Burr. Freeman credits the show as being mostly accurate, but points out its shortcomings, such as compressing events in time, or omitting important facts. For instance, while the show emphasizes Hamilton's roots as an outsider who made himself into a Revolutionary War hero, it glosses over his suspicion of the public and his advocacy for a lifelong president and senators, similar to the governing style of monarchies of the time. His approach, Freeman said, was driven by the great fear, not uncommon at the time, that the young republic was not strong enough to survive, that the bickering states would fight each other until a foreign power swept in to take control. In addition, some historians have criticized the show for retelling the traditional story of a few white men founding the country by themselves, and failing to explore the role of other factors and common people, including slaves. But Freeman points out that the show is, after all, a musical, not a graduate school treatise. Advertisement "There's a lot of things wrong or missing," she said. "But you can't beat it as a teacher, and as a piece of theater, it's brilliant." With Hamilton mania now sweeping the city, and a year of shows practically sold out, The Newberry is showcasing its holdings of original documents from and about the man himself. Held in a cooled vault at the research library, behind a bank of security doors, are letters written by Hamilton, flattering and insulting comments about him by Founding Fathers James Madison and John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson's bound copy of the Federalist papers, which gained Hamilton fame as the leading cheerleader for the Constitution. There is also a copy of the "Reynolds pamphlet," in which Hamilton confessed to adultery in an unwise attempt to rebut accusations of financial misconduct. The Newberry shows the materials to visiting high school students and other groups, and anyone over 14 can request to see and study the documents in the library's reading room. Will Hansen, curator of Americana at the library, said there's enough material in the writings to prompt a sequel or prequel to the musical. He highlighted one line in particular of Hamilton's philosophy, illustrating the aggressive attitude that drove the man and makes the play a dramatic force: "Half confidence is always bad." "He was bold, and thought others should be as well," Hansen said. Advertisement Library spokesman Alex Teller sees parallels between Hamilton's life and the current presidential race, both replete with sexual scandals, polarized leaders and self-damaging statements. "Hamilton was in some ways a real hothead, and did not think out everything before he said it," Teller said. "That's the parallel that keeps coming up in my mind." rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Twitter @RobertMcCoppin The 2016 campaign saw its third and final presidential debate Wednesday night "because two is not quite enough, and I think four would make us go cannibal," said Stephen Colbert. "Think about this," Jimmy Kimmel said of the event. "They never have to be in the same room again. It's like the last time we saw mom and dad fight before the divorce." Advertisement Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) debates with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) The news headline coming out of the debate was that Donald Trump still refused to say that he will accept the results of the election. Trump, the Republican nominee for the highest office in the land, told moderator Chris Wallace, Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton and all the folks watching at home that he would "keep you in suspense" about his decision. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement "Donald Trump just dismantled democracy like it was dressing on a salad," said Trevor Noah, once again airing his "Daily Show" live after the debate. "'You know what? I'll look at it later. Put it on the side.'" "Jimmy Kimmel Live," actually living up to its name for the first time this election season, treated that same moment with video: Kimmel showed Wallace telling people they should vote because it's important to democracy and Trump, in split screen, shaking his head and issuing his now-familiar debate catchphrase, "Wrong!" And Colbert, fronting the other late-night show with the courage to go live Wednesday the NBC shows are in reruns this week keyed on that section of the debate, too, which he called "the decisive moment of the evening, of the election, of the American experiment." "I want to make sure I heard that correctly," the CBS "Late Show" host said. "Oh, 'suspense.' Democracy's going to end with a cliffhanger. I guess we're all going to have to wait until Nov. 9 to find out if we still have a country if Donald Trump is in the mood for a peaceful transfer of power or if he's just going to wipe his fat (bleep) with the Constitution." "What do you mean you'll keep us in suspense?" asked Noah. "Trump's basically going to run his campaign like an episode of 'Scandal' only with less black people and less women in power and a less realistic understanding of politics." So that was our presumed future constitutional crisis, reduced to quick-take punchlines or, in Colbert's case, a straight-up smackdown. But if Trump's wait-and-see stance on the will of the American people drew news headlines, the comedy line that seemed to excite social media was Noah's reference to the part of the debate that saw Clinton calling Trump the puppet of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Trump responding, "No, you're the puppet." "To be fair, Trump thinks all women are puppets," said Noah. "That's why he's always trying to stick his hand up them." Advertisement And Colbert scored big by saying, "I was surprised Trump agreed to debate in Vegas, especially at the University of Nevada, because he hasn't had a lot of luck with casinos or universities." Kimmel thought Trump was on the subdued side. "It almost seemed like he was doing an impression of Alec Baldwin doing an impression of him," the ABC host said, referencing Baldwin's stellar work on "Saturday Night Live." Kimmel's show was most pointed in crafting "the first-ever debate between a presidential candidate and his own running mate," spotlighting disagreements between Trump and Mike Pence. But otherwise, and without actually finding a good line to aim at Clinton, Kimmel was the most down-the-middle of the trio, delivering material that was more about the spectacle. At the debate, he said, "they had very strict rules: no cheering, no clapping, no booing and no answering the actual questions asked." He went live in Vegas to "correspondent" Ken Bone, now working on his second 15 minutes. Yet Kimmel at another point said, "If you're at this point still undecided, I say, That's it. You are now not allowed to vote, and furthermore, I will never go to a restaurant with you." Advertisement Having someone be a show guest, clearly, is different from sharing a meal. Noah's take on those baffling undecided voters was sharper. "Daily Show" correspondent Roy Wood Jr. focused on African-American millennials, who apparently have been having a hard time landing on a choice. And Wood had sympathy: "If you're black and under 30, you're being asked to do something you've never had to do in a presidential election: Choose between two white people." There were some amusing political moments with guests. Kimmel told his guest, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, "You don't look like you're running for president. You look like I've made an insurance claim, and you're coming to inspect my car." Colbert, meanwhile, had Hugh Laurie on, and he was trenchant in a way that English thespians tend to be so trenchant, in fact, that we'll let him have the last words. Advertisement "It may be too late, but for Trump I would suggest breast feeding," Laurie said. "The people who hate Hillary hate her so much," he observed. "I feel as if I've missed the first reel of the film, where she burned down the orphanage or something." Finally, bringing up a common debate topic, Laurie said, "The American voter is not going to be killed by ISIS. The American voter will be killed by diabetes, for example. If ISIS were halfway decent at their job, they would be opening a chain of doughnut shops." sajohnson@chicagotribune.com Twitter @StevenKJohnson RELATED STORIES: Anger management: The best late-night jokes about the second presidential debate Advertisement Seth Meyers needed to find his place in late night; then Trump ran for president Sips and sniffles: The best late-night jokes about the presidential debate Of Hillary and history: The best late-night comedy about the DNC, Night 4 Trump butts in: The best late-night jokes about the DNC, Night 3 Healing the Bern: The best late-night jokes about the DNC, Night 2 Convention chaos returns: The best late-night jokes from the DNC, Night 1 Advertisement Review: How Trump's dark speech channeled Ethel Merman 'The Trumpening': The best late-night jokes about the RNC, Night 4 'The Red Convention': The best late-night jokes about the RNC, Night 3 Melania, Melania, Melania: The best late-night jokes about the RNC, Night 2 Colbert for the win: The best late-night comedy from the RNC, Night 1 Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) It's arguably this august institution's lowest moment a cringe-inducing howler taught at journalism schools around the world. But now a copy of the Chicago Tribune's spectacularly wrong "Dewey Defeats Truman" edition from Nov. 3, 1948, could be yours, if you've got around $4,000 to burn. Advertisement An auction of presidential memorabilia by auction house Goldin Auctions includes the mint condition paper, originally sold for 4 cents alongside a stern Page 1 instruction that readers "pay no more." Tribune editors took a flier on the result after delaying the morning edition as long as possible, correcting the result in later editions when their error became clear, but not soon enough to prevent a victorious Truman from posing for an iconic photo of himself beaming as he holds aloft a copy of the earlier, incorrect version. Advertisement Reporter Arthur Sears Henning's byline appears on the main story, boldly proclaiming in his immortal first line that "Dewey and Warren won a sweeping victory in the Presidential election yesterday." It was evidently a bad day to be working at the Tribune Tower in more ways than one a typesetters strike meant that most of the paper was amateurishly banged out on a typewriter, and that a part of Henning's story was printed upside down. The most that could be said for the horribly bungled splash was that it was, apparently, an honest mistake, unlike the fictional scene in Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" in which newspaper baron Charles Foster Kane has two headlines prepared on the eve of his doomed run for governor of New York: "Kane Elected" and "Fraud at Polls!" A day after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump indicated he might not accept defeat at the polls, it is interesting to note that he allegedly told a Bloomberg reporter a decade ago that "Citizen Kane" was his favorite movie, and that he loved Welles because, "He thought everybody was a moron, everybody was this, everybody was that; if he had a budget he'd exceed it by 20 times and destroy everything. He became impossible." kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews Two years ago, a white Chicago police officer fired 16 bullets at a black teenager in a fatal shooting captured on dashcam video that sparked outrage and reforms in a city that remains far from healed. On the anniversary of the Oct. 20, 2014, shooting, amid surging gun violence, the city still faces uncertainty while awaiting the conclusion of a federal civil rights investigation of Police Department practices and the criminal trial of the officer at the center of the firestorm. Advertisement Still, experts say, there is reason for hope that the legacy of slain teen Laquan McDonald will be one of change. "I think the release of the video was a defining moment for the city," said Craig Futterman, a clinical law professor who directs the University of Chicago's civil rights and police accountability project. "It didn't just reveal what everyone agrees to be a horrible and unnecessary killing of a 17-year-old boy. What is also revealed is the routine operation of a police code of silence. The lack of police accountability is a decades-old reality that won't just evaporate overnight, and it would be wrong not to recognize the real progress and real changes that have occurred since the release of the video." Advertisement Activists are expected to gather Thursday outside police headquarters to commemorate McDonald's life and unite families affected by police shootings and street violence. Earlier in the day, at the site of the shooting, organizers also plan to unveil recall legislation regarding offices of the mayor, aldermen and state's attorney. The idea, sponsored by an outgoing Chicago Democrat who lost his primary re-election bid, likely won't advance during next month's veto session. But activists point to yearlong efforts by city leaders who fought against the video's release as reason the measure is needed. An uproar ensued after the court-ordered release last November. The footage prompted the city months earlier to pay McDonald's family $5 million. Officer Jason Van Dyke faces murder charges for gunning down McDonald, who authorities allege was on PCP, holding a knife and ignoring repeated commands to surrender while walking briskly on the 4100 block of South Pulaski Road. The video shows Van Dyke opened fire within seconds of arrival while McDonald appeared to be walking away from police, not lunging with the weapon as alleged. The fallout cost the city's top cop his job and exposed the failings of how Chicago police handle officer shootings and citizen complaints, especially those involving minorities. State's Attorney Anita Alvarez lost re-election in large part to her delay in bringing charges. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is pursuing termination proceedings against Van Dyke and four officers who are accused of an alleged cover-up. Another three officers have retired and a fourth resigned. Mayor Rahm Emanuel responded by urging widespread changes aimed at staying ahead of federal authorities who may seek to enforce reforms. His task force delivered a blistering report that found police practices rooted in racial disparity and discrimination. Much of the mayor's focus has been on the Independent Police Review Authority, which recommends discipline in many of the most serious cases. A Tribune investigation showed IPRA has often been biased in favor of officers, even when evidence suggests misconduct. The City Council voted to replace the agency with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, giving it broader authority to investigate alleged wrongdoing. Advertisement The Police Department also has proposed policy changes to cut down on certain uses of force. Officers may not shoot, for example, unless a fleeing person poses an "immediate threat." Current rules allow police to fire on anyone who has committed or attempted a felony using force. State Rep. Ken Dunkin, second from left; pastor Gregory Livingston; William Calloway, an activist who helped push for the release of the Laquan McDonald video; and pastor Charlie Dates pray across the street from where McDonald, 17, was fatally shot by Chicago police, on the anniversary of his death Oct. 20, 2016. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) Officers also would be compelled to use the lightest force possible in any situation under the new rules, which reflect new training on defusing tense incidents as well as crisis intervention. The mayor and police administration face a tough balancing act, though, as gun violence surges on the city's South and West sides. Some attribute the bloodshed, in part, to officers avoiding confrontations that could land them in scandal. According to Tribune data, Chicago has far outpaced other major cities with at least 605 homicides this year. The majority of the homicides involved gun violence, with at least 3,503 people shot. Dean Angelo Sr., president of Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police lodge, said it remains unclear what good has actually come since McDonald's death. He noted the availability of more Tasers for police, saying, "If there was a Taser on the street that day, it's over long before (McDonald) ever gets to Pulaski." But Angelo said some of the suggested restrictions are in response to critics who know little about police work. He fears the pendulum has swung too far, leading to policies that restrict and endanger police and embolden criminals. "Only we know who we're facing when we're in that alley or courtyard, " Angelo said. "It's a very tough job that requires instant decisions. My hope is that the officer is allowed to perform in a manner that ensures they go home at the end of their shift." Advertisement When asked about morale, Angelo responded, "If it exists at all, it's quite low. I pray it gets better, but I'm not that optimistic." Frank Giancamilli, a Police Department spokesman, called McDonald's death a tragedy that led to improved policies, transparency and training. "CPD is committed to increasing trust and accountability, which are critical to our efforts to rebuild the relationship between our officers and the residents they serve as we work to make Chicago safer," he told the Tribune in a statement. "Under Superintendent Johnson, the Department has committed to and is implementing the most sweeping reforms in recent memory." The deadly October 2014 police encounter began on an industrial service road, bordered by the Stevenson Expressway, some 8 miles southwest of downtown. Officers initially treated it as nothing more than a routine call of someone breaking into cars. Police trailed McDonald for nearly one half-mile, from a trucking yard through the parking lot of a Burger King and onto busy Pulaski Road. As other officers awaited backup units armed with Tasers, they tried to corral the teen to keep him away from passers-by. At one point, McDonald used a knife to slash the front tire and scratch the windshield of a squad car trying to box him. Still, police did not fire. Van Dyke heard the radio dispatches as he and his partner drove to the scene. Prosecutors said Van Dyke opened fire six seconds after exiting his squad car. In his written reports, Van Dyke said he believed McDonald was attacking him with the knife. He said the teen raised it across his chest and over his shoulder, an accusation the video showed to be false. The footage, which does not include audio, also highlighted inconsistencies from other officers who portrayed the teen as far more menacing than what the footage depicts. Advertisement Van Dyke, 38, is free on bond while he awaits trial. His use of lethal force marked the first time he had fired his weapon in the line of duty, his service records showed. He was hired in 2001 and patrolled some of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods, typically while working the night shift. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > In exclusive Tribune interviews this year, his wife and other relatives and supporters defended him as a good man and dedicated father of two daughters. Tiffany Van Dyke said her husband is traumatized that he "took a life," and said the shooting was not racially motivated. She said they both remember McDonald's family in their prayers. The teenager was a second-generation state ward raised by a great-grandmother in the city's rough Austin neighborhood, but his young mother played a constant role in his life and had petitioned the court to regain custody in the year prior to his death. The Tribune has inspected thousands of pages of records about his life in the court's juvenile and child protection divisions. The reports detailed his history of special education classes and school truancies, as well as 26 juvenile arrests, psychiatric hospitalizations and medical diagnoses, including post-traumatic stress disorder from childhood traumas. To mark the second anniversary of the shooting, McDonald's family released a statement Wednesday thanking supporters. "No amount of money will bring Laquan back," the statement read. "No amount of money will dull the pain of this tragic loss to his mother, sister and the rest of his extended family. ... We look forward to the day when the officer responsible for Laquan's senseless murder is held accountable in a court of law. Only then will justice truly be served." Advertisement cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com Twitter @christygutowsk1 For the first time since 2010, the Chicago Police Department plans to resume issuing an annual report that includes crime and other department statistics. Frank Giancamilli, a department spokesman, said the report will cover data from not only 2016 but also the five prior years when the report was not published. The information for 2011 through 2015 won't be as detailed, however, though it will get into calls for service, police activity, crime and arrest data, Giancamilli said. Advertisement An official in the department's research and development unit, the division that will compile the data for the report, said it would come out in February. Officials want the new reports to be more comprehensive than previous ones, and include totals on yearly hires and retirements by the department. The annual reports were discontinued by then-Superintendent Garry McCarthy, who was fired last December amid fallout from the release of video showing the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald. Advertisement CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi wrote in an email that the main reason the department stopped publishing the reports was that "a lot of the crime and department data contained is now published in real-time on the city data portals and web sites." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Past reports include data on major crimes and arrests by neighborhood, officers killed in service, the size of the CPD force, its racial makeup, salaries by rank as well as budgetary allotments and resources like police cruisers. In the fallout over the video showing an officer shooting McDonald 16 times, the U.S. Justice Department launched an investigation of the Police Department that focuses in part on officers' use of force and accountability. Giancamilli credited Superintendent Eddie Johnson with coming up with the idea to resume publishing the annual reports, though Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Police Accountability Task Force recommended the move in April. According to a member of the legal oversight and accountability working group, McCarthy did not give a clear reason as to why the department stopped publishing annual reports when the group met with him. "They should exist, you can clearly do it because you've done it in the past, and the public deserves to have this information. So why wouldn't we do it?" creyes@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kcecireyes A body found in a burning car in the Pilsen neighborhood last week has been identified as a Barrington Hills businessman. Sept. 27, 2016. (CBS Chicago) The death of a Barrington Hills man who was found in a burning car in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood has been ruled a homicide, authorities said Thursday. James D. Gerage, 43, died of multiple injuries due to assault, a spokeswoman for the Cook County medical examiner's office said. Advertisement Chicago police found Gerage in the back seat of a car Sept. 23 in the 600 block of West 21st Street. Gerage was an executive with Omega Demolition Corp., an Elgin-based company that earlier this month was fined $152,000 in the construction-related death of a worker on the Jane Addams Tollway. Advertisement The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for "overstressing" a 45-ton beam during demolition of an Interstate 90 bridge near Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines, OSHA said in a statement. The beam fell on 47-year-old Omega Demolition employee Vicente Santoyo, killing him. In addition to the fine, OSHA issued the company citations for safety and health violations. An OSHA administrator called the incident "preventable." Someone reached by phone in Omega's legal department Thursday declined comment when asked about the medical examiner's ruling in Gerage's death. A Chicago Police Department spokesman said Thursday that the agency's investigation into Gerage's homicide is ongoing. Freelance reporter Lee V. Gaines and Elgin Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey contributed. deldeib@chicagotribune.com Twitter @deldeib Attorney Rhonda Crawford talks about what she did and did not do while filling in as a judge. She speaks at her attormey's office in Chicago on Sept. 22, 2016. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune) The lawyer who allegedly posed as a judge has been indicted on criminal charges, the latest fallout from the scandal that began when the judicial hopeful from the South Side put on a black robe and presided over three traffic cases, her lawyer said Thursday. Despite the charges, she intends to remain on the ballot in her Cook County judicial election on Nov. 8. Advertisement The indictment, handed up by a Cook County grand jury, charges attorney Rhonda Crawford with two criminal counts, according to her lawyer, Victor Henderson, who said the Cook County state's attorney's office informed him of the indictment but did not specify the charges. "They contacted me and said they are moving forward with the charges," Henderson said. Advertisement A spokeswoman for the state's attorney's office declined to comment. The charges come one week after the state commission that oversees lawyers concluded Crawford committed a crime and asked the Illinois Supreme Court to suspend her law license and prohibit her from taking office. And they come less than three weeks before the November general election in which Crawford hopes to win a seat on the bench from the First Judicial Subcircuit, a district that includes the city's South Side and some south suburbs. Henderson said that Crawford was steadfast in her decision to be on the bench and would not drop out of the race. In addition she has tried to prevent her only opponent, Judge Maryam Ahmad, from waging a write-in campaign. "She's not going anywhere," he said. "She is going to fight the good fight." Crawford, 45, was not made available for comment. The status of any investigation into the role of Valarie Turner, the Markham judge who Crawford has said allowed her to wear her robe and handle the three cases, was unclear. But Chief Judge Timothy Evans has removed Turner from the bench and assigned her to administrative duties, while also referring the matter to the Judicial Inquiry Board, the state agency that oversees judicial conduct. The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, the state lawyers commission that investigated Crawford, said last week that she had committed two crimes, according to the documents it filed with the state's highest court. The commission accused Crawford of official misconduct, a felony, and false impersonation, a misdemeanor, by allegedly impersonating a judge. Crawford's campaign has insisted that she made an honest mistake and, under questioning by the disciplinary officials, she blamed Turner for encouraging her to take the bench. Turner, who has not spoken publicly about the case, could not be reached for comment. Advertisement In a statement Thursday, Crawford's campaign said the criminal charges against her were politically motivated and questioned whether prosecutors were attempting to influence the outcome of the election. "The timing of the indictment two weeks before the election is simply an attempt to disenfranchise voters on the South Side and in the south suburbs," the campaign said. The Crawford matter has become a major embarrassment for the Cook County judicial system, one of the nation's largest with about 400 judges. The matter also became a focal point in the court's internal election for chief judge last month. Evans ultimately survived his stiffest challenge since becoming chief judge in 2001. The incident began quietly in a lower-level courtroom at the Markham courthouse the morning of Aug. 11, an otherwise unremarkable day when Crawford sat in the witness box to observe cases. But during the 1 p.m. hearing, officials said, those in the courtroom were informed that Crawford was going to put on Turner's robe, sit in her chair and hear cases. According to the state Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, she heard three traffic cases from the Village of Dolton. Rhonda Crawford, the law clerk accused of posing as a judge, accompanied her attorney Victor P. Henderson at a news conference in Chicago on Sept. 22, 2016. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) Though Crawford had insisted she took no actions in any of the cases, documents filed by the disciplinary commission say she did. In fact, at one point, according to the documents, a lawyer for the village asked to continue a case because a police officer was not in the courtroom. Crawford asked if she could deny the motion and, when Turner said that she could, she did so, the disciplinary officials alleged. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Crawford, who had worked as a $57,000-a-year law clerk/staff attorney in the chief judge's office since 2011, was fired from her job. A former nurse, she obtained her law degree in 2003. She handily defeated two opponents in the Democratic primary in March. Advertisement While under indictment, Crawford can continue her campaign. Election officials have said a felony conviction would disqualify her. Turner, a graduate of Northwestern University and the University of Chicago law school, is a former federal prosecutor who also worked as an associate at the well-known Kirkland & Ellis law firm. First elected to the bench in 2002, she had presided over municipal cases in Markham before being reassigned. smmills@chicagotribune.com tlighty@chicagotribune.com Twitter @smmills1960 Twitter @tlighty Authorities are investigating a report of a sexual assault at a dorm at DePaul University Thursday morning. In a campus alert to students, the school said the assault was reported at Munroe Dorm in the 2300 block of North Clifton Avenue. The attack occurred between 1:45 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., the alert said. Advertisement According to police, an 18-year-old woman said she was attacked at the dorm. No one was in custody, according to Officer Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago police spokeswoman. Three construction sites where homes are being built in the Wicker Park and North Center neighborhoods were hit by armed robbers this month, according to a community alert from police. The most recent robbery happened at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of North Oakley Boulevard in Wicker Park, according to the alert. Advertisement That same property had been robbed at gunpoint previously at 9:25 a.m. Oct. 7. A half-hour later, around 10 a.m., a property in the 3900 block of North Claremont Avenue in the North Center neighborhood was hit, according to the alert. One robber was described as a Hispanic man 26 to 30 years old, 5-foot-4 to 5-foot8 and weighing 150 to 170 pounds. He was wearing a jacket or sweatshirt with "Chicago" written on it, according to the alert. Advertisement A second robber was seen running away in one of the robberies. Anyone with information about the robberies can contact Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263. Gov. Bruce Rauner speaks to reporters at the Capitol last month. (Seth Perlman / AP) Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Topspin Appointees picked by the governor to lead state agencies would no longer be allowed to appear in campaign advertising under legislation proposed by two senators from central Illinois. Advertisement Under the measure, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, and Sen. Sam McCann, R-Plainview, agency and department directors subject to confirmation by the Senate could be fined as much as $5,000 if they use their position to "influence" or "affect" the result of an election. Appointees could still donate to campaigns and support candidates of their choice, but the idea is to prevent the governor's cabinet members from using their job position for political reasons. Advertisement While Democrat and Republican appointees have used their status in state government to benefit various campaigns, the sponsors said they decided to push for the change after various cabinet members named by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner recently appeared in campaign materials on behalf of GOP candidates. The Illinois State Police already prohibits troopers from appearing in uniform in campaign materials. McCann's failed challenger in the Republican primary, Bryce Benton, was suspended without pay for one day after photos of him in his state police uniform were used for his campaign. Benton was backed by Rauner. A Rauner spokeswoman said the governor "welcomes any discussion to reform our political process" but highlighted his support to put in place term limits and overhaul how legislative districts are drawn. (Monique Garcia) What's on tap *Mayor Rahm Emanuel's public schedule was not available. *Gov. Rauner has no public events. *Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will address the City Club of Chicago at noon. *Chicago City Council budget hearings: Building/Ethics Board/Chicago Department of Transportation. *Cook County budget hearings: capital budget/planning and development/economic development/building and zoning/facilities management/inspector general. Advertisement *Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will join a couple of union leaders to push the transportation funding lockbox amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot. More on that issue here. *Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Duckworth will talk to union groups in Peoria and Springfield. *Democratic Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown and Republican challenger Diane Shapiro will debate at 7 p.m. on WTTW Ch. 11's "Chicago Tonight." What we're writing *Longtime Illinois Democratic political operative Bob Creamer ensnarled in hidden video controversy. *Romney campaigns for Kirk, calls him "essential" to keeping GOP control of U.S. Senate. *Aldermen who buy Cubs playoff tickets at face value should be in spotlight at game, ethics board says. Advertisement *City's emergency dispatchers using family medical leave to get time off. *CTU's House of Delegates gives thumbs-up to contract proposal. *State to close down all remaining auto emissions sites in Chicago. *Key red-light camera figure gets 14 months in Ohio bribery scandal. From the notebook : *Emanuel mum on Creamer: Mayor Rahm Emanuel didn't have much to say Wednesday when asked about Robert Creamer, a longtime Evanston Democratic political operative in the news this week after a conservative group released undercover videos alleging political dirty tricks. Advertisement Creamer, who has stepped back from his work for the Hillary Clinton campaign following the release of the videos by Project Veritas Action, gave Emanuel a job at the consumer rights group Illinois Public Action Council after Emanuel graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. "He gave me my first job in 1981," Emanuel said after touring the new section of the downtown Riverwalk project. "Well, I don't remember 1981, so I don't have anything to say." Asked about what he thinks about Creamer videos, Emanuel responded "I'll talk about it later, not right now." (John Byrne) *Dold gets support from Log Cabin Republicans in IL-10: In the battle for the North Shore 10th Congressional District seat, Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Dold has gotten the backing of the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that supports gay rights. "We are a better, strong nation when we practice freedom, fairness and equality for all Americans," Dold said in a statement. "The Log Cabin Republicans strive to create an inclusive environment that will strengthen Washington and bridge the gap between parties. I am honored to have received their endorsement," he said. Advertisement Dold was the first House Republican to co-sponsor the Equality Act, preventing discrimination in many areas on the basis of sexual orientation. He also was the first House Republican to be endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay civil rights group. Dold, of Kenilworth, is facing former Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, of Deerfield. (Rick Pearson) *Mock doc trailer back on Vimeo: A video trailer, mocking the movie that Illinois Policy Action has made about Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, is back up on the website Vimeo. The mock trailer had been removed by the website after the policy group claimed that it violated the organization's copyright. But Vimeo officials said they took another look at the "initial takedown notice and found it to be insufficient on closer examination." The mock trailer, which has portions that are NSFW, criticizes the Illinois Policy Institute and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. While apparently supporters of Madigan, no one has claimed credit for producing the trailer. Illinois Policy Action, which produced the Madigan movie, is the policy arm of the Illinois Policy Institute, which Rauner has previously contributed to before becoming governor. (Rick Pearson) Advertisement Follow the money *Gov. Rauner sent $1 million to Republican Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger's campaign fund. Munger, a Rauner appointee, faces a union-backed challenge by Democratic Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza. *Democratic Senate President reported more than $300,000 in contributions, including $53,900 from an operating engineers union fund. In possibly related news, he transferred another $300,000 to the Senate Democratic Victory Fund. Illinois Senate President John Cullerton is defending several Democratic Senate seats against GOP challenges funded by Rauner and wealthy allies. *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here. Beyond Chicago *Final debate: Trump won't say if he'll accept election results. *Trump vows to deport the "bad hombres." Advertisement *Iraqi town outside Mosul rises up against Islamic State, AP reports. *Haitian warlord meets his match: Hurricane Matthew. Nearly half of Chicago's 911 dispatchers are off work on federal medical leave at any given time, the city's Emergency Management commissioner said Wednesday, driving up overtime costs for an agency that must ensure that enough people are working to handle calls for emergency assistance. Alicia Tate-Nadeau told aldermen during the Office of Emergency Management and Communication's 2017 budget hearing that she has hired dozens of additional people to work as dispatchers, in an effort to lower overtime costs. But large numbers of dispatchers are out daily via the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows workers up to 12 weeks off unpaid each year for a variety of family or medical reasons. Advertisement "In intermittent FMLA, we have approximately 44 people every single day that call off," Tate-Nadeau said. "That's about 49 percent of all of the 911 operators that we have, are on some time of intermittent FMLA. Clearly this number is much larger than it should be." "The challenge of intermittent FMLA is that they can call that very day and say we are not going to be here," she told aldermen. "So whenever I hire folks back for overtime, I'm hiring them back at a minimum of time and a half to two times the salary." Advertisement Alicia Tate-Nadeau, Executive Director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) talks after being introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Eddie Johnson, Chicago police interim superintendent is on the left. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) After her testimony was over, Tate-Nadeau ignored a reporter's questions about whether dispatchers were using FMLA so much because OEMC officials were refusing to grant them regular days off because of staffing shortages. Aldermen also voiced concerns to Tate-Nadeau about city crossing guards being moved into her department from the Police Department. The crossing guards have said they are worried that they would have less authority if they aren't affiliated with the Police Department. Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, 11th, said crossing guards prefer police-type uniforms because people tend to respect them more and listen to their orders. "They look like police, they're perceived to be police and, in some places where they work, that's their only advantage," Thompson said. Also during day three of hearings Wednesday on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed 2017 spending plan, aldermen renewed their call for the city to hire more minorities, particularly in light of the police hiring surge Emanuel has promised in a bid to deal with the city's violent crime. It's a common theme at city budget hearings each autumn, as members of the City Council get a chance to publicly hold city officials responsible for the number of African-Americans and Hispanics who have been hired in various departments. When Human Resources Commissioner Soo Choi appeared Wednesday morning, talk quickly turned to making sure the 970 officers Emanuel says will be hired in the next two years are diverse. "This will probably be the largest point of hiring the city will see, especially the Police Department, for the next umpteen years, and we want to make sure that class, those classes of officers are diverse, reflect the city's diversity. And we need to know what (the Human Resources Department) is doing to make that a reality. Not planning, but what are you doing to make that reality," said Budget Vice Chairman Ald. Jason Ervin. Choi told aldermen the department will continue outreach to different organizations around the city to solicit diverse candidates. Of the current police applicant list of 8,921, about 71 percent identified as male and 28 percent as female, and about 26 percent as white, 23 percent as black, 42 percent as Hispanic and 3 percent as Asian, Choi said. The city could hire as many as 1,100 new police officers in 2017 to cover Emanuel's new hires, fill existing vacancies and fill new vacancies from retirements and promotions, she said. Advertisement jebyrne@chicagotribune.com hdardick@chicagotribune.com Twitter @_johnbyrne Twitter @ReporterHal A sheriff's deputy in a Northern California county near the Oregon border was shot to death Wednesday while responding to a disturbance call, the Modoc County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies were responding to a call on County Road 115, in a rural area about 10 miles south of Alturas, when deputy Jack Hopkins, 31, was fatally shot. A suspect was detained shortly after, the sheriff's office said. Hopkins joined the force last year, the office said. A video posted late Wednesday to the Modoc County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page showed about two dozen patrol cars with their emergency lights on riding down a town's street. The video was titled "Deputy Jack Hopkins Procession." The Shasta, Siskiyou, Lassen and Butte County Sheriff's Offices and the California Highway Patrol are investigating the shooting, the office said. The California Highway Patrol, the Alturas Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service responded to the scene after a call about an officer-involved shooting went out, the office said. The Modoc County Sheriff's Office said earlier in a brief statement the deputy was involved in an active-shooter incident. It didn't release any other details. The deputy is the fourth law enforcement officer in California to die in the line of duty in the last 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 sheriff's sergeant was shot and killed in the high desert town of Lancaster while answering a burglary call. Officers close a park in Milwaukee in August after protests and riots following the fatal shooting of Sylville Smith by police. (Jeffrey Phelps / AP) MILWAUKEE A Milwaukee police officer who fatally shot a black man in August, sparking several nights of unrest, has been charged with sexually assaulting a man two days after the shooting, after they watched coverage of the riots on television at a bar, authorities announced Thursday. Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown, 24, was arrested Wednesday, according to a statement from the Milwaukee Police Department. The adult male victim, identified only as AV1, told police on Aug. 15 that Heaggan-Brown had sexually assaulted him while off duty, according to the criminal complaint. That was two days after Heaggan-Brown fatally shot 23-year-old Sylville Smith, who police said was holding a gun when he was shot after a brief chase. Advertisement Heaggan-Brown took the victim to a bar late on the night of Aug. 14 where they drank heavily and watched TV as coverage of the protests aired, the criminal complaint said. The victim told investigators that Heaggan-Brown bragged that he was the boss and that there were "no limitations" on how he lived and that he could do whatever he wanted "without repercussions," the complaint said. The victim told police the day after the alleged assault that he had trouble remembering everything that happened after they left the bar but that he felt drugged. He said he woke up to Heaggan-Brown sexually assaulting him. His eyes teared up as he recounted the details, the complaint said. Advertisement According to the complaint, the man was nearly unconscious when Heaggan-Brown took him to St. Joseph's Hospital early on Aug. 15. The officer told a security guard who helped him wheel the man inside that the man had had too much to drink and was "completely out, zonked out of his gourd," the complaint said. But when nurses began providing aid, it said, "AV1 flipped out." It quoted him as saying, "Help me, help me, he was touching me." The terrified man grabbed the security guard's arm with "a little child death grip." And after he was secured in a four-point restraint, out of sight from the defendant, he exclaimed: "He raped me, he raped me," the complaint said. Later that morning, Heaggan-Brown texted his mentor, Sgt. Joseph Hall, saying he had messed up "big time," the complaint said. "Need your help big time. ... But need to handle this the most secret and right way possible," the text read in part. The sergeant told investigators that Heaggan-Brown claimed the sex was consensual but "admitted that AV1 was messed up and acting funny while at the defendant's residence." Using photographs and other data from the officer's cellphone, the complaint said, investigators determined that Heaggan-Brown offered two other people money for sex several times in December 2015 and in July and August of this year and that he sexually assaulted another unconscious person in July, and photographed that victim naked without that person's consent. The charges include two felony counts of second-degree sexual assault, two misdemeanor prostitution counts and one felony count of capturing an intimate representation of a person without consent. Police said Heaggan-Brown is suspended and in custody, and they have launched an internal investigation. Chief Edward Flynn scheduled a news conference for 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Online court records didn't list an attorney who could comment on Heaggan-Brown's behalf. Advertisement The head of Milwaukee's police union issued a statement saying it's imperative that the facts dictate the outcome. "The Milwaukee Police Association is proud to represent 1600 truly professional officers," the union's president, Mike Crivello, said in a statement. "In any large organization there may be a time that one, or a few discredit the overall; this is by no means reflective of the overwhelming majority of good officers." Heaggan-Brown joined the police department in July 2010 as an aide. Like Sylville Smith, Heaggan-Brown is black. He was assigned to patrol the city's heavily minority north side. Flynn has said that Smith was fleeing from a traffic stop when he was shot. Heaggan-Brown's body camera showed that Smith was shot after he turned toward an officer with a gun in his hand, according to investigators. Smith's death sparked two nights of violence in the Sherman Park neighborhood, with several businesses burned. It also ramped up long-festering racial tension in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Justice investigated Smith's death and has turned the case over to Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm for a charging decision. It's not clear when a decision in that case will be made. Advertisement Associated Press Legal notices 1) The material on this blog has been created by W. Blake Gray, is protected under US copyright law and cannot be used without his permission. 2) To the FTC: In the course of my work, I accept free samples, meals and other considerations. I do not trade positive reviews or coverage for money or any financial considerations, unlike certain famous print publications which have for-profit wine clubs but, because they are not classified as "bloggers," are not required by the FTC to post a notice like this. LAS VEGAS Hillary Clinton received a pointed question during the final debate that echoed a criticism she has faced for months: Was her family's global charity a "pay-to-play" arrangement in which donors got special favors from her State Department? She did not initially respond with a direct yes or no. Advertisement "Well, everything I did as secretary of state was in furtherance of our country's interests and our values," she said as she went on to list a number of Clinton Foundation achievements such as distributing HIV medication. When moderator Chris Wallace asked her again, Clinton responded that "there's no evidence" - but was cut off as Wallace turned to Republican nominee Donald Trump, who railed against the foundation for taking money from foreign countries hostile to women and gays. Advertisement "It's a criminal enterprise," Trump said, adding later: "Why don't you give back the money?" The exchange illustrated an often-overlooked aspect of Clinton's otherwise strong performance through her three encounters with Trump, in which she showed discomfort in the face of scrutiny about her record and struggled at times to provide crisp, clear answers about the controversies and policy positions that have dogged her for months. Clinton demonstrated more deftness Wednesday night in dealing with touchy issues such as trade that have tripped her up in the previous debates. Nonetheless, Clinton was pushed repeatedly to defend positions she had taken in support of a no-fly zone in Syria and enhancing border security. Taken cumulatively, the debates have revealed real weaknesses on the part of the Democratic nominee that could nag at her in the campaign's final days and, if she wins, hamper her ability to pull the country together and govern effectively following a long and bitter race. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 48 Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump after the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas on Oct. 19, 2016. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) Before Wednesday, her performances did little to turn around the public's largely negative impression of her - a handicap that would loom larger in the race if not for the many controversies surrounding Trump. Heading into the final debate, just 36 percent of likely voters said they found her to be "honest and trustworthy," according to last week's Washington Post-ABC poll. Clinton's often-lawyerly and halting answers during all three debates could foreshadow challenges ahead should she win the election and face the task of reassuring a skeptical American public and courting a potentially hostile Republican-led Congress. Moreover, a failure to put to rest the controversies that have damaged her standing would only fuel the rationale for congressional investigations and outright hostility from Republicans. When the campaign ends, it will not matter that Trump was just as untrustworthy - the burden will be on Clinton to overcome her weaknesses. Advertisement "Longer term, she's got to do a better job of articulating her views," said Jim Manley, a longtime Democratic operative and former senior aide to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada. "It's something that's going to continue to haunt her if she doesn't." Clinton's aides signaled before Wednesday's debate began that they hoped to use the faceoff here as an opportunity to lay out her vision for the country rather than set more traps for Trump. But Clinton's ability to accomplish that goal was undercut by charged exchanges about the Clinton Foundation, embarrassing revelations about her campaign brought to light by the hacked emails published by WikiLeaks, her paid speeches to big banks and continuing questions about her use of a personal email server as secretary of state. At one point, Wallace asked Clinton about her apparent statement during a paid speech to a Brazilian bank in which she said she dreamed of "open trade and open borders." "I want to clear up your position," Wallace said, then read from a transcript that was among the documents posted by WikiLeaks. "Is that your dream, open borders?" "Well, if you went on to read the rest of the sentence, I was talking about energy," Clinton said before quickly moving on to condemn the role Russians might have played in illicitly bringing the transcript to light. Advertisement "She wants open borders," Trump shot back. "People are going to pour into our country." Clinton's use of a private email server was a topic Wednesday night, as it has been in previous debates. But Clinton - who has given meandering defenses of her conduct in the past - largely stayed silent on the issue, even as Trump accused her of having "destroyed 33,000 emails criminally, criminally, after getting a subpoena from the United States Congress." Clinton immediately pivoted back to talking about Trump's treatment of women and controversial remarks he has made about other groups of people. Clinton boosters point out that she has always been better-liked while in office than while running for one. When Clinton won a seat to the U.S. Senate from New York, she won over colleagues from both parties by showing an unanticipated work ethic and a willingness to compromise to move legislation forward. It is unclear whether she could replicate that kind of dynamic upon entering the White House. In recent days, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has continued to raise questions about why the FBI did not recommend an indictment of Clinton in its probe of her email setup and said he sees a need for hearings. Advertisement "This is a flashing red light of potential criminality," he told Fox News on the day that allegations surfaced of a proposed "quid pro quo" between the State Department and the FBI related to classification of Clinton's emails. Clinton's tendency to offer legalistic responses was perhaps most vividly on display during the first debate, when Trump accused her of flip-flopping on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pending trade deal that Clinton had called the "gold standard" while serving as secretary of state but came out against in the midst of a heated Democratic nominating contest with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. "I was against it once it was finally negotiated and the terms were laid out," Clinton said. "The facts are - I did say I hoped it would be a good deal, but when it was negotiated . . . which I was not responsible for, I concluded it wasn't." "I wrote about that in my book," Clinton added, referring to her 2014 memoir, "Hard Choices." During the second debate, Clinton undoubtedly left many viewers scratching their heads when she invoked the name of President Abraham Lincoln to explain her contention that presidents sometimes need "both a public and a private" negotiating position. Her response opened the door for a memorable zinger from Trump, who derided Clinton for using "honest Abe" to duck a question. WASHINGTON Donald Trump painted an inaccurately dark portrait of manufacturing in America while Hillary Clinton stretched credulity in boasting that her spending plans won't add to the country's debt. As well, both struggled in the presidential final debate to explain comments from their past. A look at some of the claims in the debate and how they compare with the facts: Advertisement TRUMP: The violence that occurred at his campaign rallies "was started by" Hillary Clinton, whose operatives paid people to "cause fights, do bad things." He said the proof of this was "all on tape." THE FACTS: Unclear. A selectively edited video released on Wednesday by conservative activist James O'Keefe does show Democratic operative Scott Foval appearing to boast about provoking violent reactions at Trump rallies. But Foval was not directly employed by either the Clinton campaign or the Democratic National Committee, both of which have denounced his comments. DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile says she doesn't believe that people working for Democrats incited violence or employed the tactics Foval described. Advertisement ___ TRUMP: "We don't gain anything" by restoring Iraqi government control of Mosul. "Iran is taking over Iraq." THE FACTS: Actually, "we" do. Mosul is Iraq's second-largest city and has been the Islamic State's main stronghold in Iraq for more than two years. The city that was once home to about 2 million people is believed to still have 1 million residents living under harsh Islamic State conditions. Forcing the extremists out of Mosul has been widely seen as an important step toward breaking the group's grip on northern Iraq and depriving it of its key revenue streams. Islamic State fighters had begun to flee the city in anticipation of an onslaught by Iraqi Kurdish forces and the Iraqi military. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said when the Iraqi assault began on Monday that it marked a "decisive moment" in the broader effort to defeat the Islamic State. It is true that Iran has gained more influence in Iraq since the U.S. invaded to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003, but Iran is not in control of Iraq. ___ TRUMP: "We're not making things anymore, relatively speaking." THE FACTS: Despite his "relatively speaking" hedge, the assertion is wrong. U.S. factory production has more than doubled since 1979, when manufacturing employment was at its peak. Advertisement The problem is that it takes fewer people to produce more. The United States has lost more than 7 million factory jobs, a drop of nearly 40 percent, since the 1979 manufacturing employment peak. Factory production, minus the cost of raw materials and certain other expenses, reached $1.91 trillion last year, according to the Commerce Department, which uses 2009 dollars to adjust for inflation. That's a notch below the record set on the eve of the Great Recession in 2007. Factories have used robotics and computers to increase output even with fewer workers. The U.S. still produces plenty of autos, planes, steel and other metals, and large industrial machinery. ___ CLINTON: "I don't add a penny to the national debt." THE FACTS: Not true, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It estimates her increased spending in areas such as infrastructure, more financial aid for college and early childhood education, would increase the national debt by $200 billion over 10 years. That is far less than their estimate for Trump, who they predict would add $5.3 trillion over 10 years. But it's plenty more than a penny. ___ Advertisement TRUMP: Responding to allegations from at least nine women that he groped them or kissed them without their permission: "Those stories have been largely debunked." THE FACTS: Not true. None of the allegations have been proven false, and since they surfaced, more people have come forward to corroborate their stories. This week, for example, People Magazine said that a half-dozen people have backed up its reporter Natasha Stoynoff, who has said that Trump forced himself on her in 2005 while she was interviewing him at his Florida mansion for a piece about the anniversary of his marriage to Melania Knauss, a former model. At least two people say that Stoynoff called them and told them about Trump's behavior in the hours and days after she says it occurred. Three other people say Stoynoff told them about Trump's behavior years ago. Trump has repeatedly said he has evidence that would disprove the allegations, but he has yet to provide it. He has questioned why Stoynoff didn't include her allegations in the story and defended himself by criticizing Stoynoff's physical attractiveness. "Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words, you tell me what you think. I don't think so," Trump said at a recent rally. ___ Advertisement TRUMP: "She's lied hundreds of times to the people, to Congress, and to the FBI." THE FACTS: Trump's claim about the FBI doesn't square with what FBI Director James Comey has said publicly. At a July congressional hearing, two days after announcing that he was recommending against bringing charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server to handle sensitive information while secretary of state, Comey said, "We have no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI." ___ TRUMP: "President Obama has moved millions of people out ... millions of people have been moved out of this country." THE FACTS: That's true. Obama has overseen the deportation of more than 2.5 million immigrants since taking office in January 2009. Advertisement During Obama's first term hundreds of thousands of immigrants were deported annually, following a trend of increasing deportations started under President George W. Bush. The administration set a record in 2014 when more than 409,000 people were sent home. During his second term, deportations have steadily declined as he has opted to focus immigration enforcement resources on finding and deporting serious criminals and those who pose a threat to national security or public safety. But Trump also claims that "nobody knows about it, nobody talks about it" and that's far from the truth. Obama has been dubbed "the deporter in chief" by immigration advocates and opponents of his immigration enforcement policies. ___ TRUMP: Under Hillary Clinton, "$6 billion went missing" at the State Department. THE FACTS: Not quite. That figure is a distortion about a legitimate record-keeping concern. In 2014, the State Department's inspector general released an alert warning that the documentation for $6 billion in State Department contracts was incomplete. But there's no reason to think that all occurred under Clinton. The inspector general, Steve Linnick, specifically disavowed the conclusion that the money went missing. ___ Advertisement TRUMP: Hillary Clinton "has no idea whether it's Russia, China or anybody else" that is behind recent hacks of Democratic organizations and individuals. "Our country has no idea." THE FACTS: Actually, the U.S. government says it does have an idea, and has concluded it was Russia who hacked into the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the email accounts of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta and others. Trump's refusal to point the finger at Moscow is at odds with the prevailing position of the U.S. intelligence community. "We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities," the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said recently in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security. Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees say they've concluded Russian intelligence agencies were trying to influence the U.S. presidential election. Russia has denied the accusation. Advertisement ___ CLINTON, on Trump's charge that she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: "I was talking about energy." THE FACTS: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said in the speech that "my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Trump charged. ___ CLINTON: "I want to make college debt free." Advertisement THE FACTS: Clinton might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room and board can lead students to borrow. Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Trump is correct that government would shoulder higher costs with Clinton's plan. Her plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. ___ TRUMP: "Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes." Advertisement THE FACTS: Clinton's plan wouldn't raise taxes at all for 95 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The very wealthiest would take the greatest hit, though a doubling is highly questionable. Two-thirds of her proposed increases would hit the top 0.1 percent of richest Americans, the center estimates. The main components of her tax plan: a minimum 30 percent tax on those earning at least $1 million a year, and a 5 percent tax surcharge for those earning more than $5 million a year. She would also cap the value of tax deductions and exclusions for wealthier taxpayers. ___ CLINTON on her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: "It didn't meet my test." THE FACTS: It met her test when she was secretary of state and she promoted it worldwide. Hacked emails from Clinton's campaign, released Wednesday by WikiLeaks, showed that Jake Sullivan, her top foreign policy adviser, called her a "big champion" of the deal and worried about how to handle the issue in the face of Sen. Bernie Sanders' opposition. She later flip-flopped into opposition during the Democratic primaries against Sanders. Advertisement Clinton says she no longer backs the proposed trade deal as written because it does not provide enough protections for U.S. workers on wages, jobs and the country's national security. Yet the final deal also includes some of the strongest labor protections of any U.S. trade agreement. ___ TRUMP: Referring to a 2010 U.S.-Russia treaty limiting both countries to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads, Trump said, "They create warheads. We can't." The FACTS: Incorrect. The New START treaty, which Trump called "Start Up," does not prevent either the U.S. or Russia from building nuclear warheads. It restricts each country to a total of 1,550 warheads deployed on bombers, submarines and in underground silos and requires that this limit be reached by February 2018. Trump also said that after the treaty was signed, "They expanded and we didn't." It's true that the Russians have increased the number of their deployed warheads to 1,796, and the U.S. warhead total has dropped to 1,367. But it also is true that their total was far below that of the U.S. when the treaty went into effect in 2010. New data published by the State Department this month showed that although Russia has added to its warhead total, its inventory of missile launchers, such as underground silos, has shrunk. Advertisement Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, who closely tracks U.S. and Russian strategic forces, says the rise in Russian deployed warheads is temporary and is to be followed by the retirement of older nuclear weapons so that Moscow gets under the treaty limits. "Russian compliance with the treaty by 2018 is not in doubt," he wrote recently. ___ TRUMP: "Hillary Clinton wanted the (border) wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally it wasn't built." THE FACTS: He's partly right. As a senator from New York, Clinton did support the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which authorized the construction of hundreds of miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. But it was built, contrary to Trump's assertion. Nearly 700 miles of fencing was put in place during President George W. Bush's second term and the beginning of President Barack Obama's first term. The fencing is placed largely in urban areas along the nearly 2,000-mile frontier. It is not the type of solid wall that Trump has pledged to construct at Mexico's expense. The fence has miles-long gaps and gates built in to allow landowners access to their property on the south side of the fencing. Immigrants have been known to go over and around the fence. Advertisement ___ TRUMP: "So I just left some high representatives of India. They're growing at 8 percent. China is growing at 7 percent. And that for them is a catastrophically low number. We are growing, our last report came out and it's right around the 1 percent level and I think it's going down." THE FACTS: China and India are growing faster in large part because they're playing catch-up to the United States, the world's largest economy. Those two Asian countries are starting from a much lower baseline with a much larger population than the United States, meaning that by definition they should be growing faster. Economists would warn of a dangerous bubble if the United States grew that quickly and financial markets would fear a devastating recession to follow. But China and India aren't any better off than the U.S., said former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in an analysis released Wednesday. On a per-capita basis, China has just 10 percent of the United States' income. India has about 6 percent. Factoring in life expectancy, inequality and leisure, Bernanke notes that the United States comes off even better. ___ Advertisement TRUMP: "Last week, as you know, the end of last week, they came out with an anemic jobs report. A terrible jobs report." THE FACTS: The September jobs report that Trump calls "terrible" is actually viewed by most economists as encouraging. Employers added 156,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent because more Americans felt confident enough to start looking for jobs, a positive sign. Associated Press Joseph Scully started his career at St. Paul Federal Savings Bank as a property appraiser, carrying a Polaroid camera from one house to the next. Scully used his knack for numbers and the ability to connect with people to rise through the ranks and become the bank's president and CEO, building it from a single location on North Avenue in Chicago's Galewood neighborhood into a billion-dollar financial institution with 60 branches. Advertisement "When Joe became president of St. Paul in 1981, it was right in the middle of the savings and loan crisis, yet we thrived under his leadership," said Patrick Agnew, Scully's successor as president at St. Paul. "He quickly implemented a strategy grounded in smart, good, responsible banking. He listened to those under him and put very good people, leaders themselves, in charge of all the departments." Scully, 76, formerly of Oak Park, died of heart failure Oct. 15 in his home in Lakeside, Mich., where he and his wife have lived for the past 12 years. He retired in 1999 when Charter One acquired St. Paul for $1.2 billion in stock. Advertisement "Joe was a leader with so much fortitude and foresight," said Agnew, who is now retired. "Everybody loved, respected and followed him. He imbued in all of us the idea that we weren't just working for a living, but that we were trying to do something good for the whole community." He also "wasn't afraid to take unpopular stands for justice and social equality," said his wife of 53 years, Judy. During his time at St. Paul, Scully was active with the Oak Park Housing Center, a nonprofit group founded in 1972 and aimed at promoting equal access to quality housing in Oak Park and surrounding communities. "St. Paul was the first financial institution to support our center in the early 1970s, and that's because of Joe," said Roberta "Bobbie" Raymond, founder of the Oak Park Housing Center. "He saw the unfair practices within the housing market and understood that we needed to do something dramatic and fast. "He jumped right in and helped promote the objectives of our center. He began by educating his own staff. He conducted seminars for Realtors trying to convince them that they could market a diverse community, and he led house and architectural bus tours in Oak Park and the Austin neighborhood. I was so grateful for his support during that time. It meant the world to me." Scully was born and raised in Detroit, his father a tool and die maker and his mother a grade school teacher. He received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1962 from Loyola University in Chicago and started at St. Paul in 1963, the same year he got married. He and his wife settled in Oak Park in 1965 and lived there for 30 years before moving to Chicago and eventually Lakeside, where they had a second home. He received a master's degree in business administration in 1972 from Loyola and served as an assistant vice president and then vice president at St. Paul before becoming bank president. Scully had leadership positions with numerous community organizations, including the Austin Career Education Center in Chicago, which provides a supportive learning community in a nontraditional high school setting; Link Unlimited, a high school mentoring and scholarship program in Chicago; and CARA, a nonprofit job training and placement provider for homeless and at-risk individuals in the Chicago area. Advertisement "When it came to his causes, and working toward what he believed in, he was like the Energizer bunny," his wife said. In 2010, Scully and his wife, along with another business partner, became co-owners of the Vickers Theatre, a movie house in Three Oaks, Mich., saving it from possible closure. "We had no idea how much work it would be, but Joe was a big film buff and it's been a wonderful adventure," his wife said. "He loved helping to choose the films we've run." For more than 43 years, Scully battled Parkinson's disease, first diagnosed at age 33. But family members and colleagues said he never let the disease define what he could accomplish. "If you're really lucky, there are certain people you'll meet over the course of your life that make such a positive difference, have such a profound effect on you, and perhaps others, that they become literally irreplaceable and accomplish things nobody else could," Raymond said. "Joe was one of those people." Scully also is survived by four daughters, Julie, JoEllen, Elizabeth and Katie; a son, Kirk; a brother, Edward; and nine grandchildren. Advertisement Services were held. Joan Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter. In less than three weeks, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be elected president of the United States and if it feels like we've already heard enough about sexism and misogyny, get ready: The next four years are going to be filled with bitches, bimbos and nasty women. And that may be the best thing for women since the 19th Amendment. Advertisement This ugly campaign has pushed our country, once again, to talk with uncomfortable words about how men treat women. But unlike other moments that have temporarily buoyed this national conversation (Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes ...), this one is guaranteed to continue well past Nov. 8, thanks to the baggage that each candidate carries and regardless of who wins. (Donald Trump) would be the creep-in-chief and the hero of every office lout in America. If Trump's recent scorched-earth campaign strategy prevails and polls show that even as he trails Clinton he's not out of the running yet he will be the first U.S. president to have so openly insulted and disparaged women during a national campaign. Advertisement Do we need to revisit the highlights? About Republican primary challenger Carly Fiorina: "Look at that face. Would anybody vote for that?" About Fox News host Megyn Kelly: "She is so average in every way, who the hell wants to woo her!" About Clinton, during Wednesday's debate: "Such a nasty woman." And, of course, the "Access Hollywood" recording where Trump explains the real art of the deal: "Use some Tic Tacs" and "grab them by the p----." Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 12 Protesters in opposition to Donald Trump's attitude towards women congregate and chant near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Wacker Drive in Chicago near Trump Tower Oct. 18, 2016. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Would deplorable Donald be any different in the White House? No. He'd be the creep-in-chief and the hero of every office lout in America. But imagine also how often a President Trump would give this country new opportunities (the best!) to wrestle with issues of women's rights. Trump's endless stream of disrespect already has provoked a torrent of fury from women who say he is an outsized (yet weirdly small-handed) embodiment of the sexism that permeates their lives. Just ask the women in the office, or next door, or at church. Look up #notokay on Twitter. Women have been quietly dealing with Donald Trumps their entire lives from the leering guy at work who stands too close in the elevator to the pervert who masturbates on the train, women know them all and they're connecting that kind of behavior to things such as the persistent wage gap and the dearth of women in top jobs. Because they are connected. Advertisement So thanks, really, to Donald Trump for being so outrageous that women and the millions of men who also fight for gender equality couldn't stay quiet any longer. It will only get louder if he is elected. And this will be a good thing, believe me. If Clinton wins, though, will women be much better off? Assuming Trump concedes and doesn't drag this election into 2017, it's going to get complicated. Yes, she will be the first female president of the United States, but Clinton will govern a deeply fractured nation, including millions of Americans who voted for Trump and implicitly endorsed, or tolerated, his sexist words and behavior. If she wins it will be empowering for young girls and women to see a woman in the White House, just as there was hope of a new, post-racial America when Barack Obama became the nation's first African-American president. But I fear that the impact may be more polarizing than unifying. For eight years, President Obama and his family have weathered nonstop racist badgering, from the baseless birther movement to open comparisons of the first family to apes and monkeys. Will a Clinton presidency be similarly blasted with sexist commentary? Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign adviser, has been planting the nasty seeds against Clinton for years, at one point forming an anti-Hillary Clinton group called Citizens United Not Timid. Will she continue to be dismissed as a "bitch," as many have done, if she moves into the White House, or will she get a chance to govern? Sadly, too many Americans still struggle with the idea that a woman or a black person or an Asian or Hispanic or Muslim person could capably run much of anything, let alone the free world. A President Clinton will be expected to be better than perfect: to govern without a single misstep while looking charming (but not too charming) and being tough (but not too tough) and, naturally, baking cookies for the Oval Office every Tuesday and organizing the staff Christmas party. And that still won't be enough. Meanwhile, she'll be expected to just ignore what's sure to be a steady din of blatantly misogynistic rhetoric humming on social media, through the alt-right channels and among the good ol' boys we all know. Advertisement Hillary Clinton can stand her ground. She has been playing this "girls get to play but the boys are really in charge" game her entire life and she hasn't quit. She has stamina. What's more exciting, and inspiring, is to see how many women are showing they can stand their ground too. Lara Weber is a member of the Tribune Editorial Board. lweber@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lweber Twenty-five years ago, Pat Robertson, the televangelist and sometime Republican presidential candidate, published a book called "The New World Order," revealing a global conspiracy, stretching back centuries and financed by Jewish bankers, all aimed at the formation of a one-world dictatorship. The brains behind this conspiracy, Robertson said, was Satan, who at that time was working through his unwitting patsy, President George H.W. Bush. This fever dream recurs regularly on the American political right. It is enjoying new life right now in the increasingly crazed candidacy of Donald Trump. Trump, unlike Robertson, hasn't yet spotted Satan or the Freemasons among the conspirators, but his recent speeches allege that Hillary Clinton is "meeting in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of American sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers." Advertisement Trump is Pat Robertson redux. These conspiracy theories have deep anti-Semitic roots. Historically, when a politician talks about international bankers, he means Jewish bankers. Trump himself probably won't go there in so many words his own daughter and son-in-law are Jewish but his listeners know who he's talking about. In most years, this conspiratorial worldview remains safely parked on the lunatic fringe, but it never quite goes away. Robertson himself ran against Bush in the 1988 Republican primaries: he won three of them, in Hawaii, Alaska and Washington, and placed second in Iowa, with 25 percent of the vote. Advertisement Conspiracy theories have always animated the John Birch Society, which is still around, and the Liberty Lobby, which isn't. Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., saw global conspiracies and Reds under every bed. Earlier, the aviator and Hitler admirer Charles Lindbergh attacked "war agitators," including members of "the Jewish race." There's more to Trump's appeal, of course, than dog whistles for anti-Semites, but those people are there and Trump is giving them red meat. The white supremacist website The Daily Stormer has railed against the media as "the lying Jewish mouthpiece of international finance and plutocracy." Its founder, Andrew Anglin, urged his backers to bombard Jewish journalists who criticize Trump with anti-Semitic tweets. When Julia Ioffe wrote an article in GQ magazine about Trump's wife, Melania, Anglin instructed them to send critical tweets, specifically "identifying her as a Jew working against White interests." A new report by the Anti-Defamation League found no fewer than 19,253 anti-Semitic tweets aimed at 800 journalists over the past year, with 10 journalists all Jewish getting 83 percent of the total abuse. Some of these tweets were illustrated with photos of the offending journalists wearing a yellow Star of David, or superimposed on pictures of Holocaust victims, or even staring from a gas chamber guarded by a grinning Trump in a Nazi uniform. One showed the entrance to Auschwitz, with its famous gate proclaiming that "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Makes You Free") altered to "Machen Amerika Great." The ADL didn't blame Trump directly for these tweets but noted that "users directing anti-Semitism toward journalists self-identified as Trump supporters and nationalists." If Trump didn't compose these sick ravings himself, he bears the blame for tapping into this sewer with his rants about global conspiracies and international bankers. It's not as though he hasn't been courting the conspiracy mongers himself. Robertson, who is still around and still on the air, interviewed Trump on "The 700 Club" show in July. When Trump was revealed to have bragged about groping women, Robertson said this was just "macho" talk and said "he's like the Phoenix. They think he's dead, he's come back. And he came back strong." In February, Robertson hosted Trump at the televangelist's Regent University and told him that "you inspire us all." Robertson invited Trump to return to give a presidential address after the election, and Trump promised he would. Advertisement Everybody, including Trump, is known by the company he keeps. Pat Robertson, whose 1991 book recycled nearly every conspiracy theory in the books, is bad company. "The New World Order" reached back into history to embrace the Illuminati (an 18th century secret Bavarian society), the Freemasons, the New York Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, all financed by Jewish bankers. He even cited the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, purportedly the minutes of secret meetings of Jewish masterminds plotting with the Masons to rule the world. All scholars consider the Protocols to be a hoax cooked up in pre-Communist Russia, but conspiracy theorists such as Robertson can't let it go. These are the dark forces that Trump is summoning when he rails against "global power structures" that are kidnapping the country. "I take all these slings and arrows gladly for you," he says of the groping allegations, "so that we can have our country back." Translation: It's a conspiracy, folks. Only Donald Trump has it figured out, and only Donald Trump can save us from it. Richard C. Longworth is a Distinguished Fellow with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange participates via video link at a news conference marking the 10th anniversary of the secrecy-spilling group in Berlin, on Oct. 4, 2016. WikiLeaks said on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, that Assange's internet access has been cut. (Markus Schreiber / AP) Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks kingpin holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, can reboot his laptop all he wants. But he'll still get one of those infuriating "no connection to the internet" messages flashing red across his screen. That's because the Ecuadorean government, which has been hosting the fugitive Assange for more than four years, has cut off his internet privileges. Advertisement Why? Ecuador officials apparently feared they were being played as chumps in a purported WikiLeaks/Russian effort to meddle in the U.S. election via leaked emails involving Hillary Clinton. The U.S. has accused Russian intelligence of hacking Democratic emails, possibly to tilt the election in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin's alleged BFF, Donald Trump. Advertisement Ecuador "does not interfere in external electoral processes, nor does it favor any particular candidate," according to an official government communique. Bravo, Ecuador. This isn't about silencing Assange and suppressing his operation. It's about preventing the Ecuadorean embassy from doubling as headquarters for a Putin-Assange campaign to discredit Clinton. For the record: Yes, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has said he prefers Clinton "for the good of the United States and the good of the world." And now there's fresh evidence he may be fed up with his long-term house guest, Assange. Since 2012, Assange has been sheltered by Ecuador from extradition to Sweden over allegations that he raped a woman there. Assange has also said he fears extradition to the U.S. on potential espionage charges. Ecuadorean officials took pains to reaffirm their decision to shield Assange even as they cut off his internet privileges. But The Washington Post reports that President Correa "is treating Assange like a bad tenant who won't leave." Might want to start a web search for a new apartment, Mr. Assange . . . if your connection ever is restored. The Ecuador government notes that muzzling Assange "does not prevent the WikiLeaks organization from carrying out its journalistic activities." Nor is it likely to slow the flow of leaked emails: The bulk of them appear to have come via the hacked email account of John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman and a former White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton. Advertisement WikiLeaks accuses Secretary of State John Kerry of pressuring Ecuador's foreign minister to prevent Assange from releasing more Clinton emails. A U.S. State Department spokesman labeled the claim "simply untrue." If it were true, however, it would be one of the more effective moments in Kerry's feeble tenure. The big question remains: Is WikiLeaks colluding with Russia to tilt the election toward Trump? Assange himself has minced no words in his preference for None of the Above. His reply to a British interviewer when asked if the hacktivist favored Trump or Clinton: "You're asking me do I prefer cholera or gonorrhea? Personally, I'd prefer neither." There's no evidence of Russian/WikiLeaks collusion to influence the U.S election, Nicholas Weaver, a researcher at the International Computer Science Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, tells The Wall Street Journal. But that doesn't mean we won't learn tomorrow of some conspiracy that remains unproven today. "Assange has made it very clear that he's willing to be a useful idiot for any intelligence service," Weaver says, "as long as it furthers his own agenda." And don't forget, Assange and Putin have history: Russia Today, the state-run propaganda-centric television network, provided Assange airtime for a 10-part talk show series in 2012. The Useful Idiot is now unplugged. Good. Advertisement Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. On Wednesday nightfor the third and final time in 2016a presidential debate featuring Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump was virtually devoid of substantive K-12 talk. In an exchange roughly 40 minutes into the debate in Las Vegas, Clinton made a pitch for a stronger educational system from early education through college, and she said she would help the economy through better career and technical education programs. I feel strongly we have to have an education system that starts with preschool and goes through college, Clinton said. Later, she cited her background working for the Childrens Defense Fund and other work on education while she was first lady in Arkansas. Clinton also touted investments she wanted to make in education, although she didnt provide more specifics. Clinton also briefly referenced the Clinton Foundations Healthy Schools program. But other than those quick references to education, there was little for K-12 observers and advocates to chew on. Trump did not mention the topic at all. So concludes a long, parched walk in the desert for education in these debates. Education was barely mentioned at all in the first debate , with child-care issues getting slightly more attention. And in the second debate, Clinton criticized Trump for setting a bad example for children , following a question about that issue posed by a teacherbut other than that, there wasnt much at all. Voter-Backed Questions But which education issues could the candidates have discussed that might have been interesting to voters? Before the second debate, the Open Debate Coalition took questions for the candidates, and the top 30 questions were considered by the CNN and ABC moderators. No surprise: Education did not make the cut for questions that voters actually got to ask. Nevertheless, these were the top 10 education-related questions for the second debate on the Open Debate Coalitions website by the vote count, as of late Tuesday: What is your plan to address the mounting student loan debt crisis? (21,984 votes) Do you support returning control of our schools to parents and local communities? (6,564 votes) What will you do as president to fend off the privatization of public education? (5,525 votes) How do you plan to deal with college tuition? (5,267 votes) How will you expand and enhance career and technical education programs? (5,208 votes) What is your plan to improve early-childhood education in this country? (3,885 votes) Will you work to get corporations out of public education? (2,838 votes) Do you believe that the cost of higher education is out of control? (2,053 votes) What are your thoughts on the Common Core State Standards? (1,965 votes) How does state-testing through ESSA help or harm students and schools? (1,914 votes) Asking the Education Week Staff We also asked our Education Week colleagues what they would ask the candidates, based on controversial or high-profile issues on their respective beats. Here are the questions we got from them, along with links to their blogs and stories theyve written about the topics, and some useful background: How would you ensure that the public records generated by your administration are transparent to the public in accordance with existing law? And what is your position on whether the communications generated by new technologies such as Snapchat and Cyber Dust should be subject to open records laws? - Ben Herold, Digital Education Background: Clinton has been dogged by controversies surrounding her use of a private email server while Secretary of State and, more recently, the publication of email messages apparently obtained through a hack of the account of her campaign chairman. And back in 2015, Clinton joked that maybe the disappearing-message app Snapchat was the solution to her problems. But it turns out that such tools have landed K-12 officials in hot water , too. For example, in Fresno, Calif., the superintendent acknowledged having senior staff communicate with an app called Cyber Dust during a time period for which the district ended up being investigated by the FBI over no-bid construction contracts. Cyber Dust messages are automatically erased after a maximum of 24 hours . (Cyber Dust was founded by billionaire Mark Cuban, himself an interesting player in this campaign.) Would a Clinton or Trump administration continue civil rights investigations of schools and districts that, in the area of discipline, fail the disparate-impact test? How should schools handle discipline issues? Is there an appropriate federal role in this debate, or is it best left to state and local decisionmakers? - Evie Blad, Rules for Engagement Background: According to the most recent federal data, black K-12 students are nearly four times more likely to receive an out-of-school suspension than white students, and students with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be suspended as their peers. In 2014, the Education and Justice departments released first-of-its-kind discipline guidance which said that, under federal civil rights laws, schools are obligated to consider whether their student discipline policies are drafted and implemented fairly and consistently and whether they may have a disparate impact on certain student groups. While this move has been praised by civil rights organizations, which say it is necessary to end the school-to-prison pipeline, it has been criticized by some conservative lawmakers and think tank types, who say it will cause chaotic learning environments by discouraging schools from disciplining students who really need it. Both of you, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have floated proposals that would make child care more affordable for families. What would you do at the federal level to help increase the quality of the child care that children receive? - Christina A. Samuels, Early Years Background: In this July 2015 blog post, we looked at how public support for child-care centers often doesnt match the actual costs of educating those children . Thats even true when states like Pennsylvania have a sliding scale for their child-care subsidies that reward facilities for smaller class sizes and hiring better-educated teachers. For example, a 4-star-rated child-care center would be rewarded by Pennsylvania with a higher subsidy of up to $9,789 per childbut the cost of care for that child is $12,789, Samuels reported. And the skill levels of those working at many child care facilities is also the subject of scrutiny. Would you favor increasing the amount of money the federal government gives to schools, and if so, for what purpose or purposes? And how will you improve school building infrastructure? - Daarel Burnette II, State EdWatch Background: School spending stood at $623 billion nationwide in fiscal 2014 , according to recent federal statistics. The federal share of that funding has declined in recent years. And back in March, Clinton indicated she supported additional money for school infrastructure improvements . We never got a clear answer about what exactly she meant, but Clinton might have been referring to a couple of programs from the 1990s, the School Renovation, IDEA and Technology Grants, and the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds. Hey, whats for lunch? No, seriously: What should be for lunch (and breakfast, and maybe dinner) in Americas public schools? - Evie Blad Background: The meals that are served to the nations students have actually been the subject of a massive federal food fight thats occupied lawmakers for much of President Barack Obamas second term. The expected reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act , which sets the rules for school food programs, could unwind the heightened nutrition standards championed by first lady Michelle Obama for their potential to combat childhood obesity. Those standards have also been criticized by conservative lawmakers and school nutrition workers , who say they have contributed to unnecessary red tape for schools and garbage cans full of discarded food that students refused to eat. At one particularly fierce moment, the White House threatened to veto a bill that would have included riders restricting the rules application in schools. And heres how one kid hanging out near the White House recently felt about the issue: Young protester outside the White House. pic.twitter.com/u4faoi3fbJ Evie Blad (@EvieBlad) October 13, 2016 The Clinton Foundation has done some work on childhood obesity that includes school lunches, so we might be able to guess what a President Hillary Clinton would do in this issue. (As we noted above, Clinton mentioned this work briefly in the debate.) But would she take less of a hard line on the issue? Donald Trump, meanwhile has a known affection for fast food and disdain for regulations, so his position might seem pretty clear ... but maybe we shouldnt assume that. As president, would you force the issue of special education spending into the forefront by proposing a budget that includes full funding for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act? - Christina A. Samuels, On Special Education Background: When the law that would become the Individuals with Disabilities Education was passed in 1975, Congress authorized funding states for a maximum of 40 percent of the average cost to educate a special education student. (That average cost isnt connected to the actual cost of delivering various special education services, but to average per-pupil K-12 expenditures in the country.) Congress has not come close to reaching that level, and in recent years, the federal share of special education costs has hovered around 16 to 18 percent. However, full funding for IDEA would cost about $35.6 billion, according to estimates. Photos: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump listens during the third presidential debate at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Oct. 19 (Mark Ralston/AP); Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton shakes hands with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., on Sept. 26. (Julio Cortez/AP) On its website, the Republican Party has a survey in which you can suggest the most qualified candidate to fill cabinet posts under a President Donald Trump. But theres no space for you to suggest a new secretary of education . There are nine total cabinet positions you can make suggestions for in the survey, as well as a new chief of staff for Trump. To be fair, secretary of education isnt the only missing positionyou also cant suggest secretaries of agriculture, commerce, interior, housing and urban development, and transportation. Weve reached out to the GOP as well as Trumps campaign to ask about this issue. They didnt immediately respondwell update this post if we hear back. One possible reason for the absence of an education secretary in the survey? Trump has indicated that hed be interested in getting rid of the U.S. Department of Education altogether , or at least slashing its budget way down. (On the other hand, hes also called education one of the top three priorities for the federal government.) Previously, Trump indicated that former GOP presidential rival Ben Carson would have some sort of education role in his administration , but he hasnt elaborated on that idea. As for Hillary Clinton, weve written recently that theres at least a decent chance her education secretary could come from a higher education background. Click here for more about possible Clinton education secretaries . Photo: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa, Fla. last June. (Loren Elliott (/The Tampa Bay Times via AP) Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . A Geneva woman recently pleaded not guilty to stealing at least $500,000 from the St. Charles Veterinary Clinic between 1999 and last year, court records show. Martha P. Strauss, 52, denied two felony theft counts during arraignment last week before Judge John Barsanti. She was indicted in August on the charges that allege she wrote fraudulent checks on clinic accounts and deposited them into her personal account over the course of 16 years. Strauss served as the clinic's office manager, but was no longer working there at the time of her arrest, authorities previously said. An investigation started in December after a clinic employee reported a theft to police and said an employee had been taking money from the business while making it appear to be routine business transactions, officials said. Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed the total amount involved in the case beyond the $500,000-$1 million range referenced in the indictment. Advertisement County and federal records show Strauss and her husband filed for bankruptcy in August 2014, not long after the couple's Brentwood Place home went into foreclosure because the mortgage went unpaid for several months in 2013 and 2014. Strauss lists the clinic as her employer in the bankruptcy filing, noting she received a $5,000 per-month salary before taxes as a manager and had spent 15 years there. The couple reported that, in addition to the home foreclosure, it had nearly $55,000 in debts ranging from unpaid lawn care and medical bills to nearly a dozen credit cards, documents show. Strauss remains free on a personal recognizance bond with a court appearance scheduled for Dec. 1. Advertisement Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News. Community Unit School District 308 is considering issuing about $12.5 million in bonds over five years to cover the costs of facility work and technology. The proposal, presented at a recent school board meeting, sparked a sometimes fiery discussion among board members for the Oswego-based district that pit board member Greg O'Neil, one of the leaders of the board's finance and operations advisory committee, against his co-chair and other board members. O'Neil urged the board to consider a voter referendum on issuing bonds and accused other members of approving measures with no idea how they would pay for them. Other board members said there was no time for a referendum because they had already approved a timeline for one project the money would go toward. Advertisement The proposal comes after the district voted in January to refinance bonds to lower the annual amount of taxes collected in phases to go toward debt and to avoid a future spike in debt payments. This proposal, if approved, would maintain that levy around $30 million, close to what it was last year, during the first year of the restructuring, but nearly $3 million more than it is projected to be in future years. Under the proposal, owners of a $200,000 home could expect to see their tax bills increase by $24 over the bills they paid on the refinanced debt in 2016, according to the district's financial advisers. If the district doesn't approve the proposal, tax bills on a $200,000 home next year could be an additional $79 below what homeowners paid in 2016, though the way each home is affected would depend on its equalized assessed value, according to the advisers. Advertisement "We have 22 buildings, we have 22 schools," Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Ali Mehanti said. "So we need to make sure the schools are well-maintained." As the district considers issuing bonds, it faces other financial challenges. The district recently projected a $6 million budget gap, though board members ultimately approved a balanced budget. District officials continue to project larger deficits in coming years. At the same time, the district highlighted a variety of upgrades to its buildings and technology, many of which officials said were overdue. Versions of both lists of needs have come before the school board before. The district's technology infrastructure, including servers, phone equipment and other technology, is at or near the end of its life, and in some cases the district's vendor no longer supports it, Director of Technology Allen Clasen told the school board during a recent presentation. The district is looking at $4 million to cover those costs, an amount that does not include district workstations, desktops or technology related to curriculum needs. Mehanti said technology is usually refreshed on a three-year plan, but District 308 plans to stretch its new technology over five years. The district is also looking at $10.3 million for maintenance, parking lot repaving, surveillance cameras and alarms and other areas, work one of the district's architects described as "the most urgent of needs" from among a longer list. Mehanti pointed to surveillance cameras and an alarm system as big needs for the district, noting some buildings have no cameras and some are old and need to be replaced. That money would also cover construction related to a plan already approved by the board to relocate kindergarten students to their home schools and move preschool and some special education programs into new buildings. To finance the plan, district officials are looking at a move sometimes called a backdoor referendum. The district would announce the bond deal in local newspapers and hold a public hearing, and residents who object would have 30 days to gain a certain number of signatures on a petition. Advertisement Mehanti said the district would likely spend about 90 percent of the money within 18 months. O'Neil said the district should not borrow money for short-term needs, such as technology. Other board members said the district was looking to finance five years worth of technology with five years worth of debt. They said they could not hold a referendum, because the board would need the money to complete the relocation of kindergarten students and other programs and had already approved a timeline for that project that would not allow for a referendum. "We do need these items, this is a responsible way to do it, it is certainly allowed by law and there is recourse for citizens to band together and decide that we're wrong," board member Lauri Doyle said. O'Neil said that claim there is not enough time was "baloney," and blamed other board members for approving measures with no idea how they would pay for them. "I don't see any reason why the public shouldn't have a say in whether their taxes are going to go up," O'Neil said. "If we can't make the case that we need the money, then they won't approve it. If we do make the case, then they will." Advertisement sfreishtat@tribpub.com Twitter @srfreish It's always a pleasure when dinner includes interesting companions and I was surrounded by more than a few after being invited to attend a meeting earlier this week of the Aurora Navy League Council. Its members are veterans that include WWII fighter pilots and captains of nuclear submarines not to mention a committee that in the past two years raised over $400,000 for the commissioning of the Navy's latest ship, the USS Illinois, a nuclear sub that was launched earlier this month and will be commissioned next weekend in an elaborate ceremony hosted by the Aurora group. Advertisement Needless to say, table talk was lively and informative. It's also obvious these former sailors and airmen have quite a lot invested in this country. Which is why so many of them are disturbed by the direction this election is taking us. Advertisement Many, and this is no surprise, saw our two major candidates for president as deeply flawed. Those feelings were shared by the man who sat on my right during dinner, a 90-year-old retired engineer whose story makes him uniquely qualified to comment on this unorthodox and disturbing campaign season. "The first time I saw (Republican candidate Donald) Trump speak on television, I was shocked," said Eric Blaustein, of Lombard, "not so much because of what he said but the way the crowd responded to him." "No matter what kind of outrageous things came out of his mouth, the people waved their hands and loudly cheered 'Hurrah!' " he told me, his eyes growing more serious "I have seen that before in Nazi Germany in 1933." Blaustein, who was the honored guest at this dinner, made a similar comment later while talking to Navy League members about his experiences as a child growing up in Nazi Germany and as a teenage Holocaust survivor. As Blaustein quickly explained in his heavy German accent, his tale of SS atrocities was different from the ones we've grown used to, of concentration camp survivors with skeletal bodies covered by filthy and tattered striped clothing. Nevertheless, his tale of survival was fascinating and filled with the sort of life and death intrigue of which movies are made and books are written. It began when he was a 6-year-old Jewish child watching as the Nazi party entered his hometown of Chemnitz in eastern Germany, gradually taking away from him everything that was precious. First, he lost his friends, who would no longer play with him; then he could no longer attend his school. And his middle-class family's business, money, possessions and home were taken away. Then, finally, he lost his father, who was arrested a couple of times by the Nazis before eventually disappearing to join the underground movement in another city, he said. At age 15, Blaustein said, he was forced to become a grave digger for the Nazis, which meant sometimes hollowing out the graves of those he had known. Blaustein said he eventually had help obtaining fake papers and went into open hiding by pretending to be a member of the Hitler Youth. But that ruse came to an end when, in the fall of 1944, he was arrested as a deserter of the German army. Advertisement That turn of events, Blaustein said, left him with two choices: be shot that very day or admit he was Jewish in order to buy some time in a concentration camp. Needless to say, he chose the latter. At Buchenwald, fate or guile, or a little of both, was on his side again, when, with the help of a few conspirators, he was able to swap identities with a young Italian inmate who had died. Even though Blaustein, then 17, spoke no Italian, he said he managed to convince guards his name was Luigi for five months, until the U.S. Army liberated him in May 1945 from a Buchenwald satellite camp. He said his immediate family survived, but he lost many relatives in the Holocaust. Bitter and hurt by the homeland that betrayed him, Blaustein obtained a master's degree in engineering from a German university and moved to Israel in June 1948, just in time to join the Israeli army and fight in the War of Independence, he said. The lieutenant managed to cheat death a few more times, he said. And in 1954, he and his wife moved to Pittsburgh, where for many years he headed the engineering division for Morrison Knudsen, a large civil engineering and construction firm responsible for many major projects throughout the country. Blaustein, whose son is an international attorney living in Israel, moved to the Chicago area to be close to his daughter and grandchildren. Now living in a retirement home, he told me he's still an avid reader and researcher and enjoys teaching biblical history lessons twice a month to fellow residents. Advertisement When asked later about whether he maintains dual citizenship, Blaustein was quick to respond. "I am an American only," he proudly proclaimed And he loves this country passionately, he told me over dinner which is why he's so worried about what he sees as one egotistical man's vicelike control over those who feel disenfranchised. As a man who's had a front-row seat in one of mankind's most ugly chapters, Blaustein is fully aware of how history has a way of repeating itself. "This man frightens me," he said. "I watch what is happening. ... I can't believe this is America." dcrosby@tribpub.com Kindergarten entry assessmentsquick tests that are given to incoming students and are intended to help teachers tailor their instruction to a childs specific needsare used in close to three-quarters of the nations public schools. But using those tests doesnt appear to have a significant impact on how well a student is reading or doing math in the spring of the kindergarten year, raising the question of whether such tests are serving their intended purpose. These findings are part of a federally funded report from the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands, How Kindergarten Entry Assessments are Used in Public Schools and How They Correlate with Spring Assessments . There are 10 regional educational laboratories, and the Northeast & Islands branch covers six New England states, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The researchers used a longitudinal study of data gathered on children who started school in the 2010-11 school year, and the schools those children attended. At that time, 73 percent of public schools that offered kindergarten said they gave incoming students these entry tests. That percentage could be even higher now, because the U.S. Department of Education has been nudging states to create or improve entry assessments with the goal of getting children off to a strong academic start. In 2013, for example, the Education Department distributed $15 million to several states to help them create or improve their kindergarten entry tests . The researchers found that of the schools that were using these tests, the vast majority93 percentsaid they were doing so in order to individualize instruction. Forty-one percent used them to help create class assignments, nearly a quarter of schools reported using them to advise parents on delaying kindergarten entry, and 16 percent used them as screening tools for children who were younger than the kindergarten cutoff. And, despite saying that the intent of the tests is to improve instruction, using them didnt connect to a childs academic performance. For all their widespread use, these readiness tests are not universally supported. One concern is that theyll could be used to make the case to delay a childs entry into kindergarten even if the child meets the age cutoff, which my colleague Catherine Gewertz wrote about last year. Twenty-four percent of schools reported using the tests to support holding a child out of school for a year. So what to make of this? The authors of the report say that states must be careful as they roll out these systems that teachers understand how to administer them correctly and to interpret the results. In theory the impact of kindergarten entry assessments on student achievement depends on several components working together successfully, the report said. Those components include reliable tests, administered correctly, by teachers who can understand the results and make quick adjustments on the fly when necessary. In practice, schools operate at varying levels of quality in each link in this chain, the authors wrote. The national debate over the rights of transgender students to use school restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity, and the authority of the federal governments guidance on the topic, grew a bit more uncertain this week. The federal district judge in Texas who in August issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Obama administrations guidance meant to expand transgender students access to restrooms and locker rooms in schools on Tuesday sought to clarify the scope of his order. Judge Reed OConnor of the U.S. District Court in Wichita Falls, Texas, issued an order to clarify that the preliminary injunction applies nationwide, and could not be limited just to the 13 states that have challenged the transgender guidance. Meanwhile, a federal magistrate judge has recommended against a preliminary injunction sought by a group of parents and students to block a school district in that state from permitting transgender students to use the restrooms or locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert of Chicago issued an 82-page opinion , also on Oct. 18, that explores many angles of the transgender debate in the nations schools, including the U.S. Department of Educations policy guidance from earlier this year. And it offers more discussion of the use of locker rooms (as opposed to restrooms alone) by transgender students than in some other high-profile cases. Gilbert generally sided with transgender advocates and the Obama administration, though his opinion is merely a recommendation that must be approved by a federal district judge. (His opinion would also seem to be in tension with OConnors nationwide injunction against the federal guidance.) Recent rulings by courts around the country ... evince a trend toward a more expansive understanding of sex in Title IX [of the Education Amendments of 1972] as inclusive of gender identity, Gilbert wrote in his opinion and recommendation in Students and Parents for Privacy v. U.S. Department of Education . Therefore, the court cannot say with confidence that plaintiffs have a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that [the Education Departments] interpretation of Title IX is not in accordance with law or entitled to deference. The plaintiff group is made up of parents, students, and prospective students of Township School District No. 211 in suburban Chicago and is represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom . The group sued to block a policy of the 12,000-student district that allows transgender students to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity. The suit also seeks to block an agreement the Education Department entered into with District 211 in 2015 to allow a transgender girl identified as Student A to use the girls locker rooms at William Fremd High School in Palatine, Ill. The court, Gilbert wrote, finds plaintiffs have not shown they have a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that District 211 or the federal defendants are violating their right to privacy under the United States Constitution or that District 211 is violating Title IX because transgender students are permitted to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity and Student A is allowed to use the girls locker rooms at Fremd High School. High school students do not have a constitutional right not to share restrooms or locker rooms with transgender students whose sex assigned at birth is different than theirs, Gilbert said. Gilberts recommendations go to U.S. District Jorge L. Alonso of Chicago, who will hear objections from the plaintiffs and decide whether to adopt the opinion as his own. Texas Case Meanwhile, in the Oct. 18 order in Texas v. United States , OConnor responded to various motions by the Obama administration to clarify his Aug. 21 nationwide injunction. It is clear from Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit precedent that this Court has the power to issue a nationwide injunction where appropriate, OConnor wrote. Both Title IX and Title VII rely on the consistent, uniform application of national standards in education and workplace policy. ... Defendants are a group of agencies and administrators capable of enforcing their Guidelines nationwide, affecting numerous state and school district facilities across the country. OConnor said his order should not otherwise affect the missions of agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to enforce civil rights laws, including on sex discrimination. The injunction is limited to the issue of access to intimate facilities, OConnor said. Defendants are enjoined from relying on the guidelines, but may offer textual analyses of Title IX and Title VII in cases where the government and its agencies are defendants or where the United States Supreme Court or any Circuit Court request that Defendants file amicus curiae briefing on this issue. [UPDATE Friday 11:15 a.m.: The Obama administration on Oct. 20 filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans, indicating that it will appeal Judge OConnors Aug. 21 and Oct. 18 orders in the case by Texas and other states.] The opinions come as the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether to take up the appeal of a Virginia school district that is seeking to avoid the federal guidance on transgender student rights. Antipsychotic Drug Side Effects: The Latest News on Risperdal Lawsuits Like few other drugs, the antipsychotic Risperdal can treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and reduce irritability and aggressive behavior in autistic children. But like any other drug, Risperdal has side effects, including causing breast enlargement and diminished sexual functioning in young autistic boys. These side effects have led to a slew of litigation, from patient lawsuits to charges from the Department of Justice. Here is a roundup of all the latest news on those lawsuits, from our archives. Risperdal use has been linked with increased levels of prolactin, a hormone that, among others things, controls human milk production. The condition, known as gynecomastia, can cause breast enlargement and studies show autistic boys taking Risperdal are twice as likely to develop gynecomastia, and 14 percent more likely to suffer some sexual dysfunction. Just this year, one of the boys who developed gynecomastia, Andrew Yount, won $70 million from Risperdal's manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The jury in that case heard evidence that Janssen manipulated study data showing that Risperdal was suspected of causing gynecomastia in an effort to downplay the risks to adolescents. The latest wave of lawsuits claims Janssen knew about the elevated risk for gynecomastia as far back as 2003, but failed to warn patients about the known side effects. They also allege the risk is particular to Risperdal, and that other drug that have similar benefits in autistic patients don't have the same side effects. The recent side effect lawsuits aren't the only ones involving Risperdal. In 2012, Johnson & Johnson settled a Medicaid fraud lawsuit involving the drug for $158 million. In that case, Texas prosecutors claimed the company made false or misleading statement about the drug's safety, cost, and effectiveness, and also tried to improperly influence health care providers to prescribe the drug. A year before that, Johnson & Johnson and Janssen paid over $300 million in fines in South Carolina for sending a misleading letter to doctors stating that the drug was better than competitors, as well as understating Risperdal's risk for diabetes on drug sample packaging. Risperdal's legal troubles stretch all the way back to 2010, when the U.S. Department of Justice charged Johnson & Johnson with marketing and promotion of the drug Risperdal for the off label use of treating dementia in nursing home patients. Related Resources: In this Jan. 15, 2015 file photo, Lei Jun, chairman of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, holds up the latest models of the Xiaomi Note at a press event in Beijing. [Xinhua] Xiaomi Corp aims to become the largest smartphone vendor in India over the next three to five years, after it sold more than 1 million handsets within 18 days in the world's fastest-growing handset market. The announcement came shortly after its arch rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd confirmed it would start assembling phones in India in October. This highlights Xiaomi's latest efforts to revive declining sales as the Chinese smartphone marketits home turfis reaching saturation. Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, announced the news in an internal letter on Wednesday. "India is an extremely important market in Xiaomi's globalization strategy," Lei said. "It has become our largest market outside of the Chinese mainland." According to Lei, as of Tuesday, the Beijing-based firm had sold 1 million smartphones within 18 days in October in the run-up to Diwali, the biggest festival in India. In September, Xiaomi became the third-largest smartphone vendor within India's top 30 cities with 8.4 percent market share, the firm quoted data from International Data Corp as saying. "We will continue investing in Indiaexpanding our supply, and further improving our after-sales service," Lei said. Launched in 2010, Xiaomi achieved a rapid rise by seizing the e-commerce boom in China to sell handsets directly to consumers. But as online sales of smartphones peak, it is struggling with declining sales and facing mounting pressure from rivals such as Oppo and Vivo. Jin Di, a research manager at International Data Corp China, said it is hard to say whether Xiaomi can prevail in the Indian market, given the growing competition from both its Chinese peers and Indian vendors. "Almost every major Chinese smartphone brand is eyeing a presence in India. I don't think Xiaomi has a big edge, especially when India's e-commerce business, which Xiaomi is most good at, is not as well-developed as that of China," Jin said. Also, it will take time for Chinese brands to properly localize their operations, given the different business environments and polices in India and China, she added. In the second quarter of 2016, smartphone shipments in India grew by a healthy 15 percent annually, while the global smartphone market grew at a modest 3 percent. Chinese brands' captured almost 27 percent of the Indian market, data from Counterpoint Research show. Xiaomi's arch rival Huawei said on Tuesday it would start manufacturing its first smartphone model in India in October by partnering with a local factory whose annual production capacity will reach 3 million units by the end of 2017. Zhao Ming, in charge of smartphone business at Honor, the sub-brand of Huawei, said: "The India smartphone market is likely to exceed 100 million units this year. It is a market no one can neglect. We have long-term commitment to it." China's largest online car-hailing platform Didi Chuxing announced on Wednesday that it had signed a strategic partnership agreement with travel site TripAdvisor (China), to gear up its expansion in travel offerings. The partnership targets visitors who want to enjoy convenient travel experiences, aiming at establishing a full service ecosystem covering travel information, scheduling and car-hailing services. To implement the partnership, Didi and TripAdvisor will build offline Didi stations at up to 100 five-star hotels, mainly chosen by TripAdvisor. These stations will be located in destination cities with high demand for car-hailing services, directly connecting hotels with tourist attractions. "Didi looks forward to integrating its smart transportation capabilities with robust high-demand travel scenarios to create a more seamless mobility experience for our users, especially when they travel in unfamiliar cities in China," said Yang Jun, vice president at Didi Chuxing. Zhu Ming, vice president for Strategic Partnership and Account Management at TripAdvisor China, said: "As a world leading travel site, TripAdvisor has unparalleled access to information and reviews about everything a traveler would care about. We are delighted to work with DiDi to make it even easier for travelers to discover popular cities in China." As a one-stop travel platform covering more than 400 cities in China, the Beijing-based Didi Chuxing offers services in different fields, including taxi hailing, private cars, enterprise solutions, hitch and test drive. According to its official website, TripAdvisor has 350 million average monthly unique visitors, reaching 385 million reviews and opinions covering 6.6 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. In the future, the two companies will jointly introduce more specific car-hailing products, catering to individuals' customized needs. You are here: Home Chinese authorities on Wednesday enacted a grade-IV emergency response campaign, following the destruction wrecked by Typhoon Sarika across China's southernmost province of Hainan. Sarika made landfall at Hele Town, Wanning City in Hainan on Tuesday. The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China National Commission for Disaster Reduction despatched teams to assist the rescue and relief work in the worst-hit areas. The grade-IV response, the lowest in China's emergency response system, initiates a 24-hour alert, requires daily damage reports, and the allocation of money and relief materials within 48 hours. As of 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, more than 474,000 residents had been displaced, and over 2,600 houses destroyed. Direct economic losses in the region are estimated to be 2.62 billion yuan (US$389 million). Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders watched a gala commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March in Beijing on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua] China will hold a convention on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March at the Great Hall of the People, an official statement said Wednesday. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will deliver a speech at the event. The Long March was a military maneuver carried out by the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of the CPC from 1934 to 1936. The event will be broadcast live by China Central Television, China National Radio, China Radio International and several official websites. Your Driver's License May No Longer Be Federal ID in 2018 Believe it or not, there was a time when a driver's license was nothing more than a piece of paper with an actual paper photo glued on that got laminated. No magnetic strips, barcodes, holograms, or fancy security features. After the 9/11 attacks, the federal government passed the REAL ID Act, which required state IDs such as driver's licenses, to comply with new security measures to protect against counterfeit forms of identification. While the REAL ID Act was passed in 2005, there are still five states that have not complied, which will cause serious inconvenience for residents of those states. For example, the Pennsylvania driver's license won't be enough to board a plane in 2018. 5 States Are Not Compliant Currently, just under half the states have been approved as compliant, while five have been deemed non-compliant, and the rest are still under review.The five states that are not in compliance are: Oklahoma Kentucky Maine Pennsylvania South Carolina What's Going to Happen to Noncompliant States? The citizens of those states are going to have to get a federally recognized photo ID, such as a passport, in order to be able to enter federal buildings that require ID, or to travel. While this may not sound like a burden to people who already have a passport, for many it will be an inconvenience to have to spend money and time getting a passport. Additionally, it will require people to take their passports when traveling domestically. Although an ID is not technically required to travel domestically, airlines can refuse to let you travel without one if you can't prove your identity. Extensions have been liberally provided by the government to help states come into compliance, however the most recent extensions requested by Oklahoma, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Maine were all rejected. REAL ID Act Faces Opposition In some states, including Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Washington, and Oregon, there has been strong opposition to the REAL ID Act based upon privacy concerns from conservative politicians and political groups. As part of the act, states are required to provide information to a federal database to centralize state identification information in order to improve national security. The opposition argument asserts that the federal government is overstepping its authority in requiring states to disclose information about their residents. While for the government and law enforcement, it's an issue of security, for everyday people, it's mostly an issue of convenience. Related Resources: Chinese President Xi Jinping visits an exhibition on the high-technology achievements resulting from military and civilian cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for greater cooperation between the military and civilian sectors to contribute more to the dream of building stronger armed forces. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks when visiting an exhibition featuring the fruits of innovative military-civilian cooperation projects. "Military-civilian cooperation, as a national strategy, is crucial to national security and the bigger picture of development," Xi said, adding that it plays into building a prosperous nation and stronger armed forces. Recognizing the achievements of military-civilian cooperation, Xi said institutional reforms and innovation should continue, adding that substantial efforts should be made to promote military-civilian cooperation from both the demand and supply side and in the aspects of management, operation and policy making. Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee including Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli also visited the exhibition. The exhibition, at the Academy of Armored Forces Engineering of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, profiled the achievements of military and civilian cooperation since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Exhibits include real items, models and videos featuring processes and technology such as the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, hybrid power stations, cloud data encryption technology, and large-scale 3D printers with independent intellectual property rights, unmanned planes and vessels. A man sentenced to life in prison for buying 24 BB guns online has won an appeal to have his case reheard. Liu Dawei, 20, was convicted of smuggling the guns from Taiwan after a trial in April last year at the Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court in Fujian province. On Wednesday, the provincial high court announced it would rehear the evidence, stating that the sentence was "clearly inappropriate". The court initially turned down the appeal in August last year. "We were more than happy to learn the news," Liu's mother, Hu Guoji, said in a telephone interview. Hu said she and her husband have visited the high court's offices to petition for their son two or three times per month since October last year. The couple maintains their son is innocent of the charges. Liu, a native of Dazhou, Sichuan province, purchased the BB gunspneumatic guns that fire small pelletsfrom an online seller in Taiwan for 30,540 yuan (US$4,700), according to prosecutors at his first trial. The goods were seized by customs officers in Shishi, Fujian Province, and Liu was detained by police for smuggling firearms. Xu Xin, Liu's attorney, said he was pleased that the effort made by the family has paid off. "The court will start the trial of the case all over, and I am still going to defend my client as innocent," he said. One of the key facts regarding the case is whether the 24 BB guns purchased from the Taiwan dealer can be regarded as firearms. After the trial, the court deemed that 20 of the 24 guns purchased by Liu could lead to injuries and thus they were deemed guns. The production and sale of imitation firearms is prohibited in China, which bans civilian ownership of weapons. Xu said his client had no intention of smuggling firearms and had no idea the BB guns would be deemed firearms. During his trial, Liu reportedly asked the judges to shoot him with one of the BB guns he had purchased. "If I die, I'll admit I'm guilty," he was quoted as saying by Procuratorial Daily. Xu said the reason his client purchased such a large number of BB guns is that the seller would not agree to the sale unless he purchased a minimum of 20. "What Liu did was merely an online purchase, and the seller even agreed to pay for the shipping fees. He had no idea how the seller was going to ship the items from Taiwan to the Chinese mainland, or whether they would go through customs clearance," the lawyer said. The two astronauts aboard space lab Tiangong-2 appear to be in good health, according to a remote medical test on Thursday. Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2016 shows the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showing the two Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng (L) and Chen Dong in the space lab Tiangong 2. The two astronauts onboard the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft entered the space lab Tiangong 2 Wednesday morning. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua) With a domestically developed remote medical consultation system linking the space lab and space center on earth, Earth-based medical staff carried out regular medical checkups and cardiac function examinations on the astronauts, who appear to be in perfect health, said Wu Bin, director of the medical clinic of the Astronaut Center of China. The astronauts also mastered medical care for themselves and each other before their launch, said Wu. Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, the Chinese astronauts participating in the manned space expedition, left the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft and entered the space lab Tiangong-2 on Wednesday morning. They will live in the space lab for 30 days before returning to Earth. Police are searching for Gu Zhuoheng, who is suspected of involvement in cheating 53.8 million yuan (7.98 million U.S. dollars) from hundreds of investors nationwide in a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending scam, the local public security authority said Thursday. Prosecutors issued a warrant on May 27, 2015 for the arrest of Gu, who is currently at large, for illegal pooling of public deposits, said the Luohu branch of Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau in a statement. China needs to improve health care and offer tax exemptions in elderly care to tackle an aging demographic structure that will pose severe challenges in the coming decades, experts have said. The government should work to improve the health of the entire population and contain chronic diseases, so as to reduce health pressures in the future, Chen Wen, dean of the school of public health in Fudan University, told an aging seminar in Shanghai on Wednesday. The seminar, hosted by Fudan University and Columbia University, was attended by scholars and policymakers from home and aboard. It is important to invest in health, especially to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs), said Linda P. Fried, dean of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Most NCDs - for instance, 80 percent of strokes and heart diseases, and 40 percent of cancers - are preventable, Fried said, noting that in China, however, 80 percent of senior citizens' deaths were caused by NCDs. Investment in health is much more than just buying nutritional supplements or going to health education lectures, said Wen Yumei, a professor at Fudan University. "All areas, including prevention, early diagnosis, early treatment, nursing and recovery, should be integrated into one complete system," Wen said. Wu Yushao, deputy director of the China National Committee on Aging, proposed that the government offer tax exemptions for families who keep and take care of their elderly at home. "Letting senior people stay home where they can be taken care of by their children is China's most realistic policy on aging. Communal nursing homes and other institutions can only serve as a supplement," Wu said. Xi Zhiyong, chairman of Cherish Yearn, a company specializing in health care and nursing services for seniors, echoed Wu's view. "No matter how important and how rich we are, we all have to go home at the end of the day. Going home is the most beautiful journey in life," Xi said. China's population is aging. In 2015, about 222 million of the country's 1.3 billion citizens were 60 or older. That number is expected to grow at an alarming rate over the next few decades. Wu estimated that by 2053, China's population above 60 years old would climb to a staggering 487 million, or 34.8 percent of the country at that time. In addition, 40.63 million of China's elderly had partly or completely lost the ability to take care of themselves by the end of 2015, a great burden on families and society, Wu said. A whale in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, in 2006. (Photo Provided to China Daily) They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It can be in their camera lens as well. A new photo album called 100 Photographers Focus on Canada celebrating the nation's natural and cultural beauty made its debut at the Canadian International School of Beijing on last week. The book, compiled by China Daily, consists of about 300 photos from more than 140 Chinese and Canadian photographers. It displays Canada's charms from flaming maple leaves, dreamlike aurora borealis and rainbows over the Niagara Falls to the joyful interaction between humans and animals and the everyday lives of Canadians of all ages. You are here: Home Flash Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday met with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez in Beijing, calling on both sides to expand trade and investment cooperation. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China views Uruguay as a good friend and partner in Latin America, he said, noting that China is willing to strengthen the alignment of the two country's development strategies. China and Uruguay launched a study on bilateral free trade negotiation, which sends a positive signal regarding trade liberalization and economic globalization to the world, said Li. This will also help advance China's economic and trade cooperation with Latin American countries and countries of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), to achieve multi-win outcomes, said Li. Mercosur, which was founded in 1991, includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. In addition, the premier proposed that cooperation with Uruguay in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture and animal husbandry, and clean energy be enhanced. China is willing to work with Uruguay to enhance high-level contact as well as mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's core interests, said Li. He also suggested the two sides maintain communication and coordination on international affairs and increase people-to-people exchanges, to improve ties. Vazquez agreed with Li that further deepening cooperation in economic and trade, investment, finance, science and technology and culture would be advantageous to both sides. Uruguay supports free trade and the integration of regional cooperation,he said, adding that Uruguay is ready to push forward the negotiation and signing of a free trade agreement with China. He welcomed Chinese enterprises to increase investment in Uruguay. He said Uruguay is willing to promote the development of relations between Mercosur countries and China. Earlier Wednesday, top legislator Zhang Dejiang met with Vazquez, pledging to further strengthen cooperation between China's National People's Congress and National Congress of Uruguay. Vazquez said Uruguay is ready to enhance parliamentary links with China. Flash Sudan on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the Iraqi government and people until completion of liberation of Mosul from the Islamic State group. "The foreign ministry is following with great concern the developments of the situations in sisterly Iraq after the Iraqi government declared beginning of the process of liberation of Mosul from the grip of the terrorist Daesh group," Sudan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. "The ministry would like to express Sudan's solidarity with the government and people of sisterly Iraq until the liberation of Mosul is completed, and hope that the highest degree of keenness would be observed to preserve the lives of civilians so as to form an important step towards restoration of security and stability," it said. The Sudanese government urged the international community to live up to its responsibilities towards provision of support for the displaced people from Mosul and work to return them to their city after the end of the battles. Flash Visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte struck a conciliatory pose during the second day of his four-day visit to China on Wednesday, downplaying the sensitive South China Sea issue at his first news conference in Beijing. Visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at his first news conference in Beijing, Oct. 19, 2016. [Photo/Chinanews.com] "I'm here on a state visit to bring my respect to the great Chinese people and the Chinese government," he said. The plain-spoken leader defended his controversial anti-drug campaign and blasted US military involvement around the world. But he also added a bit of levity late Wednesday in explaining his lack of public engagements in the first 24 hours of his stay in the Chinese capital since his arrival on Tuesday night. "I slept," he said when asked what he did on Wednesday, triggering laughter from reporters. China is the first country outside ASEAN he has visited since taking office on June 30. He will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang on Thursday. The visit has stirred hopes that Duterte will raise China-Philippine relations from the low caused by the South China Sea arbitration case filed against Beijing by the Cabinet of his predecessor Benigno Aquino III. China has refused to recognize the result, which it says is invalid. When a reporter with the Japanese TV broadcaster NHK asked if he would raise the arbitration issue when meeting with Xi, Duterte said it is not the time to do so, and he will tell Xi, "I'm not here to make hard impositions". "I have to be courteous. ... It is a matter of courtesy and an Oriental way," he said, adding, "Because I am a visitor now, I cannot destroy the good will." On the potential economic outcome of his meeting with Chinese leaders on Thursday, Duterte said, "We will be asking for help from China." He did not elaborate. Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said, "As long as the two sides embark on dialogue and return to consensus, divergences will be managed and controlled and a new window will be open for further repair of China-Philippine ties." Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "China-Philippine ties returning to the right track of healthy, stable development is good news for both countries as well as for regional peace and stability," Hua said. Flash The Syrian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that units of the Syrian army have pulled back to allow the rebels to leave the eastern part of Aleppo city in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported. A Syrian government soldier walks past a ruin in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Sept. 12, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] In a statement, the ministry said the military forces withdrew from certain areas, giving the rebels two roads to leave Aleppo toward the northwestern city of Idlib, as part of a truce recently declared by Russia, which allows the ultra-radical rebels in Aleppo to leave. It stressed that arrangements for evacuating rebels and civilians from eastern Aleppo were finalized, pointing out that rebels who surrender themselves will be covered under an amnesty from President Bashar al-Assad. The ministry also noted that it is exerting all possible efforts to secure the evacuation of civilians and rebels from eastern Aleppo, and deliver aid to the people who will stay inside that part of the city. The Syrian government and Russia have recently urged the rebels in Aleppo to leave, offering them safe passages. Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy to Syria, recently proposed the evacuation of the ultra-radical groups from eastern Aleppo, so that the Russian and the Syrian air forces could halt their airstrikes against that part of the city. Flash South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Wednesday pledged to pursue perpetrators of ethnic violence in the country's Equatoria region which has seen an increase in targeted killings in recent weeks. President Kiir told hundreds of supporters of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) party in Juba that he will take direct command of the fight against ethnic violence if the country's security operatives agencies fail to stop the killings. The government said last week that at least 95 lives have been lost in targeted killings along major roads across South Sudan since September. The president accused groups plotting to put his country under foreign intervention of spearheading the violence, adding that the 4,000 strong UN protection approved by the Security Council in August will not solve the country's unrest. He called on all South Sudanese to embrace peace and reconciliation in the young African country which has suffered civil unrest since December 2013. "This is a political incitement and it is done by people who want to urge the international community to bring in the UN intervention force. But even if the intervention forces come here, the people who are calling you will never love it," Kiir said. "To transform this country to a democratic, just and prosperous nation, there is a need to urgently return peace to this country. And today, I commission all of you in the SPLM to go out into our country and preach peace and reconciliation among our people," he added. Flash A senior Iranian official said Wednesday that only Iraqi forces have the right to participate in the ongoing operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul, Press TV reported. "No other country has the right to interfere in (the internal affairs of) Iraq," Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, was quoted as saying. "There are some countries which have deployed forces to the country without obtaining the approval of the Iraqi government. The move is in contravention of international law," Velayati said. He dismissed the claims about Iran's direct intervention in the neighboring country, saying that Tehran only provides Baghdad with military consultation at the request of the Arab country's government. Velayati described the interference of both regional and non-regional countries in Mosul operation as "unconstructive." On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey has joined airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition during the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group. Yildirim warned that Ankara would respond if developments in Mosul lead to negative consequences against Turkey. Ankara has been locked in a row with Baghdad about the presence of its troops at the Bashiqa camp in northern Iraq and over who should take part in the U.S.-backed assault on Mosul. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and Vietnam should value positive momentum in bilateral relations, properly handle disputes and expand cooperation. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks on Thursday while meeting Dinh The Huynh, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and executive secretary of the Secretariat of the CPV Central Committee. Xi said that with joint efforts from both sides, China-Vietnam relations could maintain positve momentum with good progress and cooperation across the board. The two countries should continue their friendship, maintain the current bilateral relations, properly handle disputes and expand cooperation, he added. Calling the two countries a community of a shared future, Xi said closer communication between the CPC and the CPV would help them reach a strategic consensus. He also urged the two ruling parties to continue to share their experience in national governance and to strengthen the building of their governance abilities. Huynh said it was a consistent strategy and policy choice for Vietnam and the CPV to strengthen friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. He said the Vietnamese side is willing to strengthen political trust, make better use of cooperation systems and to enhance bilateral cooperation to promote the sound and stable development of relations between the two countries. You are here: Home Flash China on Thursday urged Slovakia to take measures to address the negative impact resulting from a meeting between President Andrej Kiska and the Dalai Lama. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks after Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak on Wednesday stressed that the country supported the one-China policy, three days after Kiska's meeting with the Dalai Lama. Lajcak said the meeting between Kiska and the Dalai Lama harmed China-Slovak relations. Lajcak made the comment after his meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Slovakia Lin Lin. "Kiska's meeting with the Dalai Lama seriously damaged the political foundation of bilateral relations," Hua said. Hua said China had noted Slovakia's commitment to the one-China policy and Lajcak's view of Tibet as an inalienable part of China. "We urge Slovakia to honor its promise, respect China's core interests and take measures to eliminate the negative impact of the meeting so that bilateral relations can return to normal," she added. Also at the daily press briefing, Hua reiterated that China firmly opposes any official of any country meeting with the Dalai Lama, "China's stance is clear." Her comments came after the city of Milan, Italy, awarded the Dalai Lama with honorary citizenship. Hilaritas Press, the publishing company started by Illuminatus! co-author (and Boing Boing Patron Saint) Robert Anton Wilson's daughter Christina and Bob's friend Rasa, have been doing a wonderful job re-releasing much of Wilson's back catalog under the new imprint. But they've hit a snag. New Falcon Publications, RAW's previous publisher, claims to own the Israel Regardie intro and the comic illustrations in Bob's popular title Prometheus Rising and they're apparently not interested in negotiating with Hilaritas on a license to use them. So, Christina and Rasa are turning to RAW's fanbase and the online art community in search of worthy new illustrations to replace the existing ones. Rasa writes: I have mixed feelings about this whole endeavor. I've always loved the cartoons in Prometheus Rising, and I really hate to see them go, but the previous publisher's poor printing in subsequent editions of Prometheus Rising left a lot of the images in a very poor state something we lamented in putting together our new edition. However, Bob was an optimist, and in that same spirit, both Christina and I are looking forward to this opportunity to update this amazingly relevant book for the delight of both new and old readers. They only have until November 15th to replace the art (37 pieces!) and the introduction. A tall order. I would love to see a pie in the face of this flapdoodled foolishness and see RAW's optimism properly served with a new introduction by someone equally as iconic as Israel Regardie and a new set of incredible cartoons. Remember how inspired John Thompson's illustrations were in Cosmic Trigger? Let's shoot for that! If you're interested in submitting some art samples, see the Hilaritas press release for all of the details. Millionaire Republican Donald Trump isn't just on the ropes: he's practically upside-down and tangled up in them, trailing his opponent by huge margins and seemingly finished in the race to become the next president of the United States of America. But Hillary Clinton is an infamously weak closer, leading to amusements like this New Yorker cartoon which reminds us that the older Millennials are nearing 40 and have New Yorker subscriptions. All the "what to expect from the third debate" articleswhich I had intended to aggregate hereare surprisingly bland, given the sheer insanity of the campaign and its increasingly deranged closing weeks. I guess this is because everyone acknowledges that there is such a huge difference in expectations between the two candidates that it's not really a "debate" at all. If Trump manages to get through it without sniffing or frotting his chair, he's done OK. If Hillary umms and ahhs too much, she's missed an opportunity to crush the bug. No-onenot pundits, not journalists, not viewersexpects anything of substance to be said. It is all about the performance, about the hope that one of them will lose it and do something entertaining. Trump's invited president Barack Obama's half-brother as his guest, a choice so inexplicable it suggests a return to Birtherism amid rumors Trump's been ditched by advisor Roger Ailes and simply has no idea what to do. Hillary's invited the least awful billionaire she can think of, just to remind Trump that he isn't one. All that said, it's going to be the most-watched third debate ever. We are all transfixed, and the stakes are so high that even the possibility of either candidate landing a true rhetorical haymaker seems too delicious to miss. With this in mind, here are my predictions for this evening's confrontation in Vegas: Trump will finally give us some good, proper, unhinged conspiracy rantage. It'll be entertaining and surprisingly effective, bringing the noise floor of televised media significantly closer to that of the internet. Clinton will finally choke in a way that seems genuinely bad probably over Wikileaks stuff that could be easily dealt with by laughter. She will go on the attack to compensate, and this will be fun. He'll do his Mussolini frown. She won't rip his spinal column out and dangle it before the audience as a 1000-year-old demon king claps maniacally, but there'll be a couple of good quotes. The argument will settle down to the same old boring stuff we're used to, receding into the kingdom of irrelevance faster than a 1990s Veep debate. I will receive at least one plaintive, genuinely appalled plea to stop photoshopping the candidates for my posts. POST-DEBATE UPDATE: Trump went full-bore conspiracy theorist, Clinton stumbled only a little on Wikileaks stuff, but I was dead wrong about one thing: the debate did not settle down afterward. Trump refused to say he'd accept the result of the election, called Clinton a "nasty woman" and generally reminded all watching that his 40% is his 40% and it isn't going to go away. Tourists select cosmetics at Sanya Haitang Bay International Shopping Mall.[Photo by Huang Yiming/China Daily] Consumption is the major economic driver, showing the nation's success in rebalancing the economy, but more efforts are needed to sustain growth, with heightened pressure in sectors with overcapacity, economists said. "China is on the right path of economic rebalancing as consumption contributes a high proportion to economic growth, with both the structure and quality improved," said Sheng Laiyun, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics, on Wednesday. Consumption contributed 71 percent of economic growth in the first three quarters, up by 13.3 percentage points compared with the same period last year, NBS data showed on Wednesday. Retail sales of consumer goods grew by 10.4 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, slightly higher than the 10.3 percent growth in the first half. The growth was largely fueled by rising consumer demand for automobiles, telecommunications products, food, clothing and other commodities, according to Xie Yaxuan, chief economist at China Merchants Securities Co. In September, consumption rose by 10.7 percent year-on-year, up by 0.1 percentage point compared with last month and the highest monthly growth this year. Xie said he believed consumption will continue growing, with demand for high-end products expected to increase. However, he added, maintaining growth momentum is cause for concern, since personal income growth has been slowing. Per capita disposable income in the first three quarters grew by 6.3 percent, down by 0.2 percentage points from the first half of the year. Although slower income growth is a natural result of economic restructuring as the nation deals with overcapacity, it shows how the labor market is facing heightened pressure, said Zhao Xijun, an economics professor at Renmin University of China. Niu Li, director of macroeconomics at the State Information Center, said the government needs to help create more jobs. "That can be quite challenging at a time when demand for investment, despite some signs of an uptick, has yet to stabilize," he said. Doug McMillon, chief executive officer of Wal-mart. [Photo provided to China Daily] Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Wednesday in Beijing that it plans to take further steps to deepen its strategic cooperation with JD.com Inc, one of China's leading e-commerce marketplaces, as the world's largest retailer plans to further tap the retail market in China. On Oct 6, Wal-Mart raised its stake in JD from 5.9 percent to 10.8 percent, and it is reported that Wal-Mart has become an observer member of the board of JD. In June, Wal-Mart partnered with JD and received 5 percent stake in JD, and the two planned to partner in several strategic areas. "The cooperation gave us wider customer access and provides our stores potential traffic from JD's huge customer base. We would like to deepen the cooperation, and deploy more efforts on e-commerce and mobile shopping, as they become part of the trends of consumers' shopping behaviors," said Doug McMillon, CEO of Wal-Mart. He said Wal-Mart is upbeat about the growth potential of the China market, and earlier estimated that 25 percent of its global retail growth will be in China in the next five years. Meanwhile, the retail giant launched its Wal-Mart Food Safety Collaboration Center in Beijing on Wednesday. Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart Foundation plan to invest $25 million in funding over the next five years to support research projects in applied science, education and communications, which will help to enhance China's food safety. "By bringing together the best food safety thinkers from across the food ecosystem, from farmers to suppliers, retailers and policy regulators, we will accelerate food safety awareness and help make Chinese families safer and healthier," McMillon said. A foreign merchant selects electric fans at the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Saturday. Chinese home appliance makers are betting big on smart products and solutions to win foreign consumers. [Photo provided to China Daily] China's major home appliance manufacturers are expected to post double-digit growth in export volumes this year, driven by high-end smart products, company executives said. Zhang Qingfu, vice-president with the international unit at Haier Group, China's biggest household appliance supplier, said that export volumes would rise nearly 10 percent year-on-year in 2016. "Foreign consumers favor high-end products with smart functions, which will enable Haier's export volumes to buck the trend amid sluggish global demand," Zhang said. Likewise, the value of Hefei Meiling Group's exports is expected to rise 20 percent in 2016 over the previous year, according to its marketing director Wang Xiaoyang. Chen Zhian, vice-general manager at the international sales unit at Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai, said the number of buyers visiting the company's exhibition at the fall session of the Canton Fair increased about 10 percent compared with last year. Data appear to support the ambitious expectations of the manufacturers. According to research institute Markets and Markets, the size of the smart home market worldwide will exceed $122 billion by 2022, and the average growth rate is seen at 14 percent from 2016 to 2022. Chinese home appliance companies are betting big on smart products and solutions to win foreign consumers. Haier said it has exported smart air conditioners to 24 countries, including Italy, France, Pakistan and India, and plans to sell intelligent home appliance sets to European countries from early 2017. Smart products boosted Haier's exports, which grew 10 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2016, said Zhang. Gree's exports, according to Chen, increased at least 15 percent year-on-year in the first nine months in 2016. "Clients in Norway prefer smart air conditioners," said Preben Falkum, a representative of Norwegian trade company JAZ AS. "I choose Gree's products because they are of best quality at a good price," added Falkum, who is a frequent visitor to the Canton Fair. In addition to designing smart devices, Gree has also invented a smartphone application to control household appliances like air conditioners and air purifiers. Most of the smart devices available in the market, however, are not compatible with other brands, which is seen as having a negative influence on the sales of these products. China Construction Bank Corp said it has approached more than 50 companies that could convert debt to equity as part of the nation's efforts to tame an explosion in corporate leverage that poses risks for financial stability. The bank assessed the firms' debt levels, industry indicators, and the strength of their relationships with CCB, said Zhang Minghe, who is leading the bank's swap program, called "Spring Rain." The companies include State-owned enterprises and private firms in industries from steel to coal, Zhang said at a briefing in Beijing on Tuesday. The banker was commenting after CCB in the past week announced deals with Wuhan Iron Steel Group and Yunnan Tin Group worth more than 34 billion yuan ($5 billion) and aimed at cutting leverage. Zhang said that the approach laid out by the government for the debt-to-equity initiative had avoided what bankers would be "most scared of"deals where the State was matchmaker. Zhang said it was difficult to forecast how big the program would get, because it is market-oriented, rather than being subject to a government quota. In the Yunnan Tin deal, a CCB unit is raising money from investors to buy 10 billion yuan of loans extended by other lenders, according to the bank. None of the debt is non-performing. The unit gets stakes in Yunnan Tin subsidiaries, with the expectation of eventually being bought out. The investors, which include insurers, pension funds, and private-banking clients, may get returns of between 5 and 15 percent annually over five years, without any guarantees, according to the bank. Debt-to-equity swaps involving companies abroad that have borrowed from Chinese lenders are also possible, according to Zhang. CCB, which is China's second-biggest lender, plans to set up a specialized "execution agency" for debt-to-equity swaps, Zhang said. Banks can't convert debt into equity directly, and instead must work through such execution agencies. Chinese policy makers are stepping up their fight against excessive leverage, with the cabinet last week releasing guidelines for reducing corporate debt and swapping debt for equity. BLOOMBERG The ACLU and the Yale Law School Media Freedom Clinic have filed a motion demanding the release of 23 judgments from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, a secret, closed courtroom that evaluates surveillance requests from America's spy agencies. The ACLU says that the 23 decisions identified by diligent study of other court records and press reports contain "new or significant" interpretations of US surveillance law. Disclosure of the opinions would shed light on how the government understands the boundaries of its spying power. Earlier this month, for example, after Reuters reported that Yahoo is secretly scanning every customer's incoming email, anonymous officials told the New York Times that that action was based on an individualized order from the secret court. Disclosure of the order would offer insight into why the government thinks that is legal. Yahoo, for its part, on Wednesday urged the Director of National Intelligence to release and explain the court order in question. MOTION OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOR THE RELEASE OF COURT RECORDS [UNITED STATES FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT] ACLU Wants 23 Secret Surveillance Laws Made Public [Alex Emmons/The Intercept] Company logos of China Unicom are displayed at a news conference during the company's announcement of its annual results in Hong Kong, China, March 16, 2016.[Photo/Agencies] China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd said it expected to report on Friday an 80 percent slide in its profit for the nine months through September, due partly to higher selling and marketing expenses. In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday, mainland's second-largest telecom service provider forecast its nine-month profit at 1.6 billion yuan ($240 million), down 80.6 percent from a year earlier. First half profit had plunged 80 percent to a 16-year low after racking up heavy expenses marketing its fourth-generation (4G) network. China's top three telecom operatorsChina Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecomare competing to capture Chinese users as they migrate to 4G from 2G and 3G. China Unicom, whose 4G subscribers accounted for 28 percent of China's total by the end of June, is likely to continue to face heavy marketing costs that will weigh on profits, analysts said. "The company is still in the stage of trying to gain market share. Its operating leverage is very high, profit margin very low, so any increase in cost results in great fluctuation in profit," said Nomura analyst Joel Ying. "Competition among the service providers is only more fierce in the second half now that China Unicom and China Telecom have basically completed their 4G networks," he added. China Unicom said it expects its number of 4G subscribers to double to 88.9 million in the first three quarters of the year. It announced earlier this month its State-owned parent company could be chosen for China's first pilot for mixed-ownership reform pending government approval, which could introduce private shareholders and more management autonomy. REUTERS BEIJING - The just-concluded BRICS summit has boosted confidence in global economic growth, said close watchers of the bloc, who also hailed China's contribution to the summit's success. Leaders of the BRICS nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- met in the western Indian state of Goa on Oct 15-16 for the group's 8th summit. Roberto Jaguaribe, president of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, said BRICS' impact on global governance should be viewed from two aspects. Firstly, BRICS members are all developing countries, and they represent a large number of developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, Jaguaribe noted, stressing that strengthened cooperation among BRICS members will break new ground for South-South cooperation. Secondly, BRICS represents 40 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of global GDP, Jaguaribe said, adding the pledge by BRICS to promote balanced and inclusive growth would bring hope to countries hoping to boost their moribund economies. The bloc has pledged continued contributions to global institutions and growth, especially regarding the New Development Bank (NDB) and the initiation of the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), which has has beefed up the global financial safety network. Koh Chin Yee, CEO of Longus Research Institute, Singapore, said that the NDB and the BRICS CRA could help BRICS members create a new model of cooperation among developing countries to better help cope with future financial turbulence. Koh also spoke highly of the growth momentum of BRICS, saying the bloc has already become a major force of global economic growth. Meanwhile, experts lauded China's active role in the summit, saying it helped deepen ties within the bloc and provided fresh impetus for cooperation among developing countries. Thanks to China, a key BRICS member, the bloc has transformed into an influential body on the global stage, said Li Zhuohui, an Indonesian political analyst. During the Hangzhou G20 summit in September, China committed itself to implementing innovation-driven development and economic reform, which has been welcomed by countries around the world including BRICS nations, Li added. A Kenyan economic analyst said Beijing's membership in globally influential bodies provides a chance to level the economic playfield in favor of poor countries. "Although China is the biggest economy in the world, it still regards itself and is indeed regarded by many countries as part of the developing countries," said Gerrishon Ikiara, International Economics lecturer at the University of Nairobi. "This explains why the 8th BRICS Summit in Goa stressed the need to create a fair, equitable and just international climate in which improvement in governance is given greater weight," said Ikiara. Ikiara said by using BRICS as a global platform, Beijing could better promote financing programs tailored for developing countries, especially African states, as part of the pledges made under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). As the world's leading economy, China continues to play a key role in global bodies, including the G20, BRICS, FOCAC and the UN and its affiliates, said Ikiara. MALACCA, Malaysia - Three Chinese companies joined hands on Wednesday to help a Malaysian company build a new deep sea port in the Strait of Malacca. The deep sea port, part of a grander 30 billion-ringgit ($7.2 billion) Melaka Gateway Project, is estimated to cost around eight billion ringgit and will be built with the help of PowerChina International, Shenzhen Yantian Port Group and Rizhao Port Group. It is expected to be completed by 2019. KAJ Development, the Malaysian company, said in a press release that the port is designed as a liquid cargo terminal, which will have storage facilities for liquid cargo, including petroleum, chemical products and vegetable oil. With a deep waterway of 25 to 30 meters, the port will be "an ideal choice for a deep sea port facility," said KAJ Development. A foundation laying ceremony was also held on the day, with both Malaysia's minister of transport Liow Tiong Lai and China's ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang in attendance. "On an annual basis, over nearly 100,000 vessels ply the Strait of Malacca as its strategic location as part of east-west maritime gateway. Clearly, there is significant opportunity and potential for growth," said Liow, adding the project was in accordance with the Belt and Road initiative put forward by China. Wang Bin, a senior manager of PowerChina International, said that considering the several visits of Admiral Zheng He to Malacca in the Ming Dynasty, building a sea port here is not only for economic returns, but also an inheritance of historic legacy. LUXEMBOURG CITY - China and Luxembourg have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation regarding their respective financial sectors. The pledge was made during Chinese Vice-Premier Ma Kai's separate meetings with Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. During the meetings, Ma said China cherishes its friendship with Luxembourg, and sees the country as a trustworthy partner in the European Union (EU). Hailing bilateral ties in the fields of finance, steel and aviation, Ma said China is willing to further strengthen high-level interactions with Luxembourg, build political mutual trust and promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges in a bid to elevate bilateral ties to a new high. "The financial sector is a priority of cooperation between China and Luxembourg," Ma said. Henri lauded the smooth development of China-Luxembourg ties, saying that it is an example of cross-cultural cooperation. China's economy is vibrant and Luxembourg is ready to engage with the country in innovative logistics as well as in other areas, Henri said. Luxembourg hosts the European headquarters or branches of major Chinese banks, which has enhanced the country's leading position in the global financial market, Henri noted, reaffirming his commitment to work for closer China-Luxembourg ties. As the year 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of Luxembourg-China ties, it will be a great opportunity for the two nations to intensify cooperation in trade and tourism, Bettel said. Luxembourg would like to be a gateway for China's cooperation with Europe, he added. As to solving the problem of global steel overcapacity, Bettel suggested that China and the EU are seeking a win-win solution through cooperation. Better judicial services and increasing legal awareness will make a contribution as Chinese enterprises invest overseas or foreign companies come to China for business, commercial and law specialists said on Thursday. "The more legal knowledge our investors learn, the smaller they will face disputes in a foreign country," said Chen Jiping, executive vice-chairman of the China Law Society, in the Conference on Legal Risk and Countermeasures of International Investment and Trade. The seminar, also hosted by the society, a nationwide academic organization, invited more than 200 law and commercial specialists, and will last until Friday. Chen suggested Chinese investors not only learn foreign laws, but also improve their legal awareness as they participate in international investments. "When we abide by laws in the country we decide to invest, we'll get more trust and avoid unnecessary investment risks," he said. "The legal awareness will also make the contribution to serving China's Belt and Road Initiative." Wu Hao, from the State Council's Legislative Affairs Office, echoed those sentiments, saying legal services or regulation would bring more economic gains. "Many foreigners have paid close attention to our country's economic developments, but rarely focused on our legal constructions," Wu said, adding that the seminar is the good opportunity for guests home and abroad to communicate and understand. Edmond Moukala, from World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, confirmed that lots of Chinese enterprises are developing or helping Africans to promote businesses in African countries. Abiding by African rules should be the priority before investment, he said, adding that some Chinese enterprises had agreed to protect environment of Africa during the developments. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is here to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit, in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, Sept 4, 2016. [Xu Jingxing/China Daily] China and Russia should firmly support each other's efforts to safeguard sovereignty, security and development, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday. Xi made the remarks while meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the sidelines of the G20 summit held in Hangzhou. The two countries should push forward practical cooperation in areas including infrastructure construction, energy, aviation, aerospace and high technology, Xi said, adding that the bilateral military exchanges and security cooperation should also be enhanced. China and Russia should strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs to safeguard justice and promote world peace, he said. Xi also urged to align the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. Putin said that Russia would like to make joint efforts with China to increase mutual political trust and people's friendship in order to further motivate economic cooperation. The two countries should enhance cooperation in areas including trade, investment, finance, energy, science and technology to bring real benefits to the people of both sides, he added. The Russian president voiced support toward the G20 summit's theme and agenda set by China and wished the summit success. China and Russia should firmly support each other's efforts to safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday. Xi made the remarks in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou. The two countries should push forward practical cooperation in areas such as infrastructure construction, energy, aviation, aerospace and high-technology, Xi said, adding that bilateral military exchanges and security cooperation should also be strengthened. China and Russia should strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs to safeguard justice and promote world peace, he said. Xi also called for the alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. A successful G20 Summit could meet the demands of a developing global economy and is in the common interest of all members, including China and Russia, Xi said. During Putin's state visit to China in June, the two nations issued three joint declarations and signed some 30 cooperative agreements. Such collaboration reflects the shared stance of China and Russia on key international and regional issues, with both sides making similar comments on safeguarding global strategic security and world peace, Xi said. Putin said Russia would like to join with China to share political trust and their people's friendship to stimulate economic cooperation. The two countries should enhance cooperation in trade, investment, finance, energy, science and technology, to bring real benefits to people on both sides, he added. He voiced support for the G20 Summit theme and agenda set by China and said he hoped the summit will be a success. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the countries' establishing a strategic partnership of coordination, as well as the 15th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation. Contact between the top leaders of China and Russia has been frequent in recent years, sometimes five or six meetings a year, which reflects the strategic importance of bilateral ties, said Jin Yong, deputy head of the School of Foreign Studies at Communication University of China. Chen Yurong, director of Eurasian studies at the China Institute of International Studies, added that cooperation in infrastructure and energy industries are at the top of the agenda for China-Russia exchanges. "Beijing is pushing forward the Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at improving connectivity in Eurasia, while Moscow needs support to counter declining oil prices," she said. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sunday. Nicolas Asfouri / Reuters (China Daily 09/05/2016 page2) MOSCOW - The just concluded Group of 20 (G20) Summit in China was held at the highest level of competency, the Russian G20 Sherpa Svetlana Lukash said Wednesday. Speaking at a news briefing, Lukash noted that the most important result of the summit was that it embarked on encouraging the world economy development in the long run for the first time, instead of paying a lot of attention to "short- and medium-term incentives." In this regard, the summit under China's presidency decided to focus on choosing the most effective ways of carrying out structural reforms and identifying new sources of economic growth, she said. According to Lukash, the main success of the summit was the adoption of the Blueprint on Innovative Growth, a framework document, which defines the work plan of the G20 over the long term in terms of innovation, the potentials of the new industrial revolution and the digital economy. The summit also stressed the importance of connecting developing countries and small and medium-sized enterprises to the existing and new global and regional trade associations, she noted. The alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union is now a priority of bilateral relations, she said, adding that the cooperation between the two sides is consistent with the interconnectivity of infrastructure, one of the main themes of the G20 Summit. She also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the summit in a very warm and frank atmosphere. China Daily and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a global media cloud and develop a new tech lab, Sept 21, 2016. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn] China Daily, the country's leading English-language newspaper, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft on Wednesday to further its digital integration and enhance its capability to provide more targeted and more valuable multimedia products to its global audience. To promote cloud computing and big data technological innovation and application in the area of media integration, China Daily and Microsoft will build a global media cloud and develop a new tech lab. Wang Hao, deputy editor-in-chief of the national newspaper, said that in the era of media integration, China Daily needs to incorporate cutting-edge technologies, platforms, channels into its own innovation to keep itself strong. Shen Yuanqing, chief operation officer of Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group, said that the media industry is undergoing a digital transformation and Microsoft, which aims to help industry players succeed in this transformation, will provide a custom-built media integration solution to China Daily, relying on its Azure cloud service, big data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies. Microsoft's Sandy Gupta said big data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies from the cloud will facilitate China Daily's information acquisition and help it more accurately visualize its readers. China Daily, which has a global audience of 47 million, is one of the highest cited media organizations of the country. A screenshot from Kase Gasanov's video shows him trying Chinese convenient food. China has become a source of inspiration for online stars in neighboring Russia, helping them attract hundreds of thousands of fans on social media and sometimes, make a fortune. Russian citizen Kase Gasanov has garnered nearly 100,000 clicks for his latest video on YouTube by tasting six kinds of Chinese convenient foods, including instant Seafood noodles and suanlafen, sour and spicy rice noodles from Southwest China's Sichuan province. After a sip of the suanlafen soup, Gasanov, in his Russian-language clip, described the popular snack as the "taste of hell". But after finishing the whole bowl, he admitted that it was actually quite tasty. Most of the videos made by Gasanov, who lives in China's Guangzhou and boasts 150,000 fans on YouTube, are related to his daily life in China. He said he hoped to be a bridge linking Russia and China. A former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor who worked with the National Security Agency will face charges of espionage in a case involving 50 terabytes or more of highly sensitive NSA data the government says were stolen. Federal attorneys Thursday said they will prosecute Harold Thomas Martin of stealing classified information under the same law used to indict Edward Snowden. Those convicted under Espionage Act charges face particularly harsh penalties which can include prison time of up to 10 years on each count. Was Harold Thomas Martin a data hoarder whose poor security practices led to criminal theft of the NSA cyberweapons in the "Shadow Brokers" hack? Was Martin knowingly involved in that criminal effort? No clear answers now, but these questions may well be the focus of any forthcoming trial. From Reuters: Harold Thomas Martin spent over two decades pilfering classified information from multiple government agencies, federal prosecutors said in a new filing made in a U.S. District Court in Baltimore. They expected to bring charges that included violations of the Espionage Act, the filing said. The amount of stolen data is estimated to be at least fifty terabytes, enough to fill dozens of hard drives, prosecutors said, adding that the alleged criminal conduct "is breathtaking in its longevity and scale." Some officials have said the trove may amount to the largest heist of classified government information in history. An attorney representing Martin was not immediately available for comment. Among the material allegedly stolen by Martin included a top secret document that contained "specific operational plans against a known enemy of the United States and its allies," the prosecutors said. U.S. officials announced in a criminal complaint earlier this month that Martin, 51, was taken into custody in Maryland in August and charged with felony theft of classified government material. It did not allege a motive. And from an earlier Daily Beast profile of Martin: CHONGQING - The economy of southwest China's Chongqing municipality has been boosted by the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect China and other countries along the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads. Changes started in Chongqing as early as five years ago, when IT companies like HP and Acer set up operations in the municipality. "These companies needed to develop a convenient, time-saving and cost-effective logistic path to send their products to global markets," said Yang Liqiong, director of the municipal logistics office. This year, the Yuxinou (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) Railway was opened to connect Chongqing and Duisburg, which is close to Germany's border with the Netherlands. "Transportation arteries like Yuxinou ended the logistical isolation of Chongqing from countries along the Belt and Road," said Zhang Jun, chairman of the board of a potassium company in Kazakhstan. In August, Chongqing signed a contract with the Kazakh company to jointly build a fertilizer distribution hub. "The hub will be used to distribute fertilizers to southwestern provinces in China and also exported to Japan and Southeast Asian countries," Zhang said. China need 14 million tons of potassium chloride per year, half of which needs to be imported. "The hub would not have been possible if not for the Yuxinou Railway network," he added. Better connection In 2013, China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa, along ancient trade routes. Chongqing has been one of the most active provinces to spearhead efforts to implement the initiative. The Yuxinou Railway, along with other transportation projects, has been expanded in capacity to support business and trade along the new silk road. Regular bus services have been opened from Chongqing to southeastern Asian countries. Chongqing spent 10 billion yuan ($1.49 billion) to build the Guoyuan port on the Yangtze River. Rail, aviation and waterway transportation have diversified logistical choices for businesses. "Inland areas like Chongqing used to be at the end of an international industrial division of labor. We have to wait for the resources to be transferred from developing countries, to the coastal areas of China, and then inland," said Guo Jian, head of the Chongqing municipal commission of economy and information. "With improved infrastructure, we are in a better position to compete with others and promote business," he said. Lifan, a Chongqing-based motorcycle and automobile manufacturer, saw a 20 percent growth in sales to the Russian market in last year, despite cross-the-board sluggish growth in the auto market. "More than 80 percent of our exports to Russia go through Yuxinou Rail. Railway transport saves more than 30 days on shipping, and cut logistical costs by $5 million a year," said Chen Wei, vice president of Lifan. Industrial upgrading Chongqing is one of China's largest laptop manufacturing bases. Every year, millions of laptops travel through Yangtze waterways and on railway transport to other parts of China and to the overseas market. It also makes about a third of cell phones in China, or one sixth of the global total, according to an industrial forecast for this year. "Logistics have figured rather importantly in each and every step as Chongqing builds a strong electronics industry. Good transportation and industrial infrastructure lured and kept strong companies here," said Guo. Trans-border e-commerce is also booming in Chongqing. Osell, an e-commerce platform headquartered in Chongqing, connects 190,000 small and medium sized Chinese companies with more than 1.7 million overseas retailers and buyers around the world. In 2015, transactions enabled by Osell totaled over $5 billion. Municipal authorities have pledged further efforts promoting economic development. "Chongqing is working towards a faster clearing of goods, smoothing out logistical bottlenecks and solving financing problems for companies," said Yang Liqiong. Authorities will improve the efficiency of the railway network and help develop a sound and healthy market for logistics, she said. China expects the ongoing eighth BRICS Summit to achieve positive results and inject new impetus to BRICS countries' cooperation and development, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday. President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in western India's Goa during the sidelines of the BRICS summit. [Provided to China Daily] Xi made the remarks while meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in western India's Goa during the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which is being held from Saturday to Sunday. As the host country of next year's BRICS summit, China is willing to work with the four other four member countries, including Russia, to make the summit a successful one, Xi said. China and Russia have cooperated well under many frameworks, including the BRICS, UN and Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Xi told Putin. Mentioning that the fruitful bilateral meeting during the G20 summit held in Hangzhou last month, Xi said that China and Russia should push forward to implement the result of the meeting. Putin said that Russia is dedicated to cooperation with China under multiple frameworks. He voiced support for China's goal of a successful BRICS summit in China next year. President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in western India's Goa during the sidelines of the BRICS summit. [Provided to China Daily] Saying that China is an important economic partner of Russia, Putin said that Russia would like to deepen cooperation with China in areas including infrastructure, energy and aerospace. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional issues including the Korean Peninsula situation, and both sides agreed to enhance communications to maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia. The Goa summit, themed Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions, will be attended by leaders of the five BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. A Goa declaration will be issued when the summit concludes on Sunday. The five BRICS leaders just met last month in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, where China hosted the 11th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn Rising protectionism, anti-globalism big challenges to world's well-being Business leaders in the BRICS bloc should promote confidence and contribute to global growth through stepped up investment in emerging economies, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday. The economies of the five BRICS countries - whose leaders met over the weekend in India - have slowed given the deep adjustments and challenges in the world economy, Xi noted in a meeting with business executives. Among the challenges cited by Xi were the rising threat of protectionism and growing anti-globalization sentiment. Still, Xi said, "The BRICS countries' advantages and potential in resources, markets and labor remain unchanged." He added that the executives should take a leading role in joint implementation of major projects. The bloc is composed of emerging powerhouses Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The meeting was their eighth summit. Xi spoke during the meeting in India's southwestern Goa state. The two-day summit concluded Sunday. Xi noted that establishment of the bloc's New Development Bank is an important fruit of their cooperation, and China will support the bank's work to make its first group of projects successful. Along with Xi, Brazilian President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Jacob Zuma attended the summit. While talking with the other BRICS leaders, Xi called on the countries to boost confidence at a time when economic recovery remains weak. The bloc should increase macroeconomic policy coordination and oppose all forms of protectionism, Xi told the other leaders. China is slated to take the rotating presidency of BRICS next year. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news briefing that Xi's speech was hailed by the leaders at the summit. The Goa Declaration issued at the summit's conclusion included some points of consensus the five leaders reached during the summit of the G20 major economies in Hangzhou last month, he said. At their meeting on the G20's sidelines, Xi said BRICS members should enhance coordination to make emerging-market economies and developing countries play a bigger role in international affairs. India is the final stop of Xi's tour of southern Asia, which has already taken him to Cambodia and Bangladesh. Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, told China Daily that even though the economic growth of BRICS countries has slowed, the performance of emerging economies remains far better than that of developed countries. "Since the recovery of the global economy after the 2008 financial crisis, the BRICS countries have contributed more than 50 percent of global economic growth," he said. Contact the writers at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn (L-R) Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose infront of a sand sculpture ahead of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit in Benaulim, in the western state of Goa, India, October 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] President Xi Jinping called on the leaders of the BRICS countries to "work together for an open world" and firmly oppose protectionism in all forms, during a speech at the BRICS summit in Goa, India on Sunday. "Openness holds the key to a country's prosperity," Xi said, adding that the emerging economies should strengthen coordination on macroeconomic policies and facilitate market inter-linkages, financial integration, infrastructure connectivity and people-to-people contacts. The summit, whose theme was "Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions", ran from Saturday to Sunday. Pointing out that the current momentum of global economic recovery remains fragile, Xi said that "some countries are getting more inward-looking in their policies, protectionism is rising and the forces against globalization are posing an emerging risk". The Chinese president called on the BRICS countries' leaders to participate in, advance and lead the reform in global governance with a view to achieving a more reasonable and equitable international order, and letting developing countries have a greater say. "It is imperative that we step up coordination and communication on major international issues and regional hotspots," he said. Along with Xi, Brazilian President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Jacob Zuma also attended the summit and gave speeches. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news briefing after the summit that Xi's speech was widely applauded by the leaders at the summit. The Goa declaration issued after the conclusion of the summit also included some of the consensus reached during the Group of 20 (G20) major economies summit held in Hangzhou, China, last month, he said. The five BRICS leaders also met there last month as China hosted the 11th summit of the G20. At their meeting on the sidelines of the G20, Xi said that BRICS members should enhance coordination to make emerging-market economies and developing countries play a bigger role in international affairs. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn The 16th Forum on Internet Media of China is held on Oct 17, 2016 in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Algorithm. Big data. Smart technology. These were some of the key words from speeches made by many editors-in-chief of Chinese internet media who attended the 16th national forum held on Monday in Southwest China's Guizhou province. Under the theme of "new idea for development and new ecosystem for cyberspace", officials of Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the Communist Youth League, as well as leaders of both Internet media and corporations shared their views about the progress and challenges posed by internet media today. Ren Xianliang, deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) highlighted that internet media should seek innovative and coordinated development and focus on social responsibility. His proposal resonates among internet media leaders. In a keynote speech on how ifeng.com takes on algorithm innovation and sticks to media responsibility in an age of artificial intelligence (AI), CEO Liu Shuang introduced their attempts in making Yidianzixun, a news recommendation app based on users' interests and reading habits. Meanwhile, he also said that media should be alert to the risks brought about by pandering to the number of views rather than focusing on quality. "Only integrating humanity into algorithms can prevent internet users from addiction to low quality and vulgar content," said Liu. Li Rong, standing deputy editor-in-chief of thepaper.cn, shared a similar view, saying that they take both quality and users' views into account when assessing a reporter's performance. Qin Yizhi, head of the Communist Youth League also gave a speech at the opening ceremony of the forum. He emphasized that a healthy cyberspace should be promoted for youth because they are "internet natives". His view is echoed in the statistics provided by Wang Changqing, deputy head of the internet development research department of China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), showing that most net users are young people. Wang also suggested media should think about how to take advantage of big data and social networks to cooperate on content production. He was grateful to see many leaders of traditional media attending the forum and sharing on this topic. This year's forum was hosted by youth.cn, and saw more than 700 guests gathering to discuss the issues. Geely launches a new car brand - Lynk & Co - in Berlin, Germany on Thursday. [Photo by Wang Zhixian/for China Daily] Chinese automaker Geely launched a new brand of car Lynk & Co on Thursday in Berlin in its drive to seize the midrange market. The medium-sized, tech-laden SUV was developed by Geely's China Euro Vehicle Technology R & D center in Gothenburg, Sweden. Li Shufu, chairman and founder of Geely, said that the new brand merges safety and high quality with modern technology, embodying the response from the traditional automaker to the challenges of internet companies. Geely's founder and chairman, Li Shufu, poses for a picture during the unveiling of the Chinese automaker Geely's first model Lynk & Co in Berlin, Germany, October 20, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] Li stressed the strong research and development ties between Geely and Volvo, a company it acquired six years ago, led to the new product. The R & D center in Sweden has grown from nothing to more than 1,000 employees and consultants in just three years. The design of the new Lynk & Co auto is distinct from concept cars, and has a modern European look. "This car points toward the future," said Peter Horbury, Geely's executive vice-president of design. "It shows the design language is versatile and flexible." Horbury said the car has a personality with both European and Chinese characteristics.The brand targets tech-savvy drivers, especially young people in megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai, New York and London. Andreas Nilsson, Geely's head of design, said: "Our car needed to stand out from the crowd and appeal to a global audience. Our interior design reflects this and feels familiar in the context of new technology." The automaker said the car offers an entirely new way to own and use a vehicle. Registered owners will be able to rent out their car to others using the Lynk & Co app and a shareable digital key, said Alain Visser, senior vice-president at Lynk & Co. Geely launches a new car brand - Lynk & Co - in Berlin, Germany on Thursday. [Photo by Wang Zhixian/for China Daily] The first vehicle will make its debut in China in 2017, and will launch in Europe and the US in 2018. Analysts say the brand is likely to be less luxurious than Volvo, but higher rated than Geely, and will go head-to-head with Volkswagen, Toyota, Ford and Hyundai. Michael D Dunne, president of Dunne Automotive, an investment advisory company, said: "It combines Chinese financial and manufacturing efficiency with an international team of designers and engineers. It will compete with mainstream products." But the road ahead for any new brand of auto can be bumpy. Namrita Chow, principal analyst at IHS Automotive, a global information company, said the performance of the brand will depend on its price. "One of the challenges will come from China's local producers" because many of them have also done well with R & D and sales in recent years, Chow said. Geely saw sales of its feature-packed cars grow for 16 consecutive months to September. zhangchunyan@chinadaily.com.cn An employee introduces a Samsung Electronics Galaxy Note 7 smartphone at a store in Seoul, South Korea. [Photo/Agencies] Samsung Electronics is to face a class action lawsuit in South Korea set to be filed next week by owners of the company's Galaxy Note 7 smartphones for their inconvenience experienced throughout the recall and discontinuation scandal, Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday. Owners of Note 7s, which Samsung decided last week to discontinue, plan to file a class action suit with the Seoul Central District Court on Monday. Harvest Law Office, a local law firm that will represent the owners in the court, has collected 57 owners of the fire-prone device as of 9:30 am local time (0030 GMT). The number is expected to rise as the law firm keeps, and will keep collecting those who want to join the class action lawsuit. The owners will claim 300,000 won ($268) per person in damages for their inconveniences they experienced during the company's recall and discontinuation process. Samsung announced its global recall in early September of 2.5 million Note 7 phones. Scores of the faulty devices catching fire or overheating had been reported globally for two weeks after its debut. The South Korean tech behemoth finally decided last week to stop production and sales of the fire-prone phones. Note 7 owners are to claim in the filing that they had visited retail stores four times to purchase the device at the very first, check batteries, exchange the faulty device with a replacement one and swap it with other smartphone. The damages of 300,000 won was claimed to compensate for their time-consuming, anxiety felt when they were using the fire-prone phones and a psychological trauma they suffered. Samsung has faced similar lawsuits in the United States. According to media reports, three Note 7 customers have filed a class action lawsuit with Samsung in a federal court in New Jersey. Lei Jun (left), founder and chief executive officer of Xiaomi, and Hugo Barra, Xiaomi's vice-president of international operations, display Mi 4i phones during the launch in New Delhi. [Photo/Reuters] Smartphone vendor sets sights on move to snap up biggest slice of nation's lucrative and huge market Xiaomi Corp aims to become the largest smartphone vendor in India over the next three to five years, after it sold more than 1 million handsets within 18 days in the world's fastest-growing handset market. The announcement came shortly after its arch rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd confirmed it would start assembling phones in India in October. This highlights Xiaomi's latest efforts to revive declining sales as the Chinese smartphone marketits home turfis reaching saturation. Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, announced the news in an internal letter on Wednesday. "India is an extremely important market in Xiaomi's globalization strategy," Lei said. "It has become our largest market outside of the Chinese mainland." According to Lei, as of Tuesday, the Beijing-based firm had sold 1 million smartphones within 18 days in October in the run-up to Diwali, the biggest festival in India. In September, Xiaomi became the third-largest smartphone vendor within India's top 30 cities with 8.4 percent market share, the firm quoted data from International Data Corp as saying. "We will continue investing in Indiaexpanding our supply, and further improving our after-sales service," Lei said. Launched in 2010, Xiaomi achieved a rapid rise by seizing the e-commerce boom in China to sell handsets directly to consumers. But as online sales of smartphones peak, it is struggling with declining sales and facing mounting pressure from rivals such as Oppo and Vivo. Jin Di, a research manager at International Data Corp China, said it is hard to say whether Xiaomi can prevail in the Indian market, given the growing competition from both its Chinese peers and Indian vendors. "Almost every major Chinese smartphone brand is eyeing a presence in India. I don't think Xiaomi has a big edge, especially when India's e-commerce business, which Xiaomi is most good at, is not as well-developed as that of China," Jin said. Also, it will take time for Chinese brands to properly localize their operations, given the different business environments and polices in India and China, she added. In the second quarter of 2016, smartphone shipments in India grew by a healthy 15 percent annually, while the global smartphone market grew at a modest 3 percent. Chinese brands' captured almost 27 percent of the Indian market, data from Counterpoint Research show. Xiaomi's arch rival Huawei said on Tuesday it would start manufacturing its first smartphone model in India in October by partnering with a local factory whose annual production capacity will reach 3 million units by the end of 2017. Zhao Ming, in charge of smartphone business at Honor, the sub-brand of Huawei, said: "The India smartphone market is likely to exceed 100 million units this year. It is a market no one can neglect. We have long-term commitment to it." Chairman of Alibaba Jack Ma (left) and Zhang Jindong, founder of retailer Suning, at the pressconference in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, after the two companies reached a deal onMonday. [Photo/China Daily] Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and retail giant Suning Commerce Group Co plan to invest 1 billion yuan ($148 million) to set up an e-commerce firm in Chongqing, a move that is likely to intensify their competition with JD.com Inc, China's second-largest e-commerce player. Suning will invest 510 million yuan, gaining a 51 percent stake in the new joint venture, while Alibaba will pay 490 million yuan, owning a 49 percent stake, according to a statement issued by Suning on Tuesday evening. The business scope of the new e-commerce firm covers services, wholesale and retail, and technological development and consulting. The joint venture will operate and manage the stores opened by Suning on Alibaba's online platform, expand business based on the customer-to-business model to improve the brand's services and their quick response to consumers' requests, as well as innovate the online-to-offline operating model to improve the service quality for small-and medium-retailers and consumers, the statement said. Suning said the two sides had deepened strategic cooperation, and synergized their resources in users, platform, goods, services and technology on the basis of keeping the independence of their businesses. Alibaba's online platform Taobao has acquired 1.861 billion shares from Suning for 28.2 billion yuan in June, making it the second-biggest shareholder of the country's largest home appliances retailer with a stake of just under 20 percent. The new joint venture is expected to bring better synergy between two companies, combining Alibaba's online retailing assets with Suning's physical stores and distribution facilities to make buying consumer electronics and home appliances easier for consumers, analysts said. Mo Daiqing, a researcher with the China E-Commerce Research Center in Hangzhou, said that Alibaba had already carried out some business cooperation after forming their alliance in 2015, with Suning opening a store on Alibaba's online platform. Lu Zhenwang, chief executive officer of Shanghai-based Wanqing Consultancy, the joint venture is also expected to serve as a pilot project for Alibaba to explore new ways to help traditional brands transform in the digital era. Contact the writers at fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn and mengjing@chinadaily.com.cn A foreign buyer browses the e-commerce platform of the Canton Fair for products his company wants in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. [Photo by Qiu Quanlin/China Daily] Internet technologies will lead to new ways of making deals between overseas buyers and Chinese exporters at the Canton Fair, which has introduced an e-commerce platform to help boost trade, according to a company executive. "The e-commerce platform, as an important supplement of the 60-year-old fair, will help increase trade efficiency for traditional Chinese exporters and global buyers," said Li Xiaobin, vice-president of Canton Fair E-Commerce Co Ltd. Organizers of the Canton Fair, or the China Import and Export Fair, launched the e-commerce platforme-cantonfair.comin 2013. "We have introduced a series of new measures, based on big data technologies, to facilitate efficiency of making deals between buyers and Chinese exporters," said Li. According to Li, a mobile app of the e-commerce platform was launched for global buyers at the 120th Canton Fair, which was being held in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province. "Buyers are allowed to browse products online, which are marked with QR codes, and visit the exporters' booths quickly," said Li. Buyers can also publicize their requests for products and can be quickly contacted by exporters, according to Li. According to Li, the e-commerce platform includes more than 4,500 traditional Chinese exporters and nearly 200,000 global buyers, with about 80,000 deals being reached online a year. In contrast with other e-commerce platforms, which focus on business-to-customer model, most deals done on the Canton Fair's e-commerce platform are large business-to-business agreements, according to Li. "The traditional Canton Fair, China's largest trade event, has already developed a large number of global buyers and laid a solid foundation for us to help Chinese exporters find potential clients online," said Li. Pan Xianhui, a sales manager of Ningbo Violet Lighting Electric Co Ltd, said promotion on the Canton Fair's e-commerce platform would be a further step for the company to meet potential buyers. "We are optimizing information of products on the platform, looking for more overseas buyers," said Pan. The company, in Ningbo of Zhejiang province, is a manufacturer of outdoor lamps and lanterns and other electric appliances, and sells about 90 percent of its products to overseas markets, according to Pan. The company's sales declined by about 10 percent year-on-year to about 200 million yuan ($29.7 million) in the first three quarters of this year. Pan attributed the sales drop to slowing global demand, shifts of manufacturing to neighboring countries and regions, and increased domestic production costs. Charles Wasko, as mayor of West York, PA, had a bad Facebook habit, issuing a string of racist and sexist postings that finally cost him his job. He regrets nothing, reports the BBC: "The racist stuff, yeah. I'll admit I did that, and I don't care what people label me as." His resignation follows public forums in which community members, including young children, called on the mayor to step down. Democrat Shawn Mauck will now move from the town council to the mayor's office. "Sadly West York lately has been known primarily for one thing, what residents call 'their racist mayor,'" Mr Mauck said at a council meeting as he accepted the mayor's resignation. The mayor had said he would only step down if certain conditions were met by the council members. "The demands were kind of silly childish immature from a guy who's not displayed too much maturity the last couple days," said Mr Mauck. He would not elaborate on the mayor's demands, but he did make clear they were not met. China's critical illness insurance system has run smoothly since its launch last year, and the central government plans to further promote it, despite facing challenges, Huang Hong, vice-president of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday. "Increasing numbers of people in China are benefiting from the policy," he said. "It is an innovative approach to healthcare reform, which is a difficult task facing many countries worldwide." In China, basic medical insurance offers little funding or protection, and critical illnesses can leave a family broke due to high treatment costs. Since last year, the government has adopted a policy whereby a small percentage of the basic medical insurance fund is used to buy commercial insurance to increase the protection offered. For the first nine months of this year, critical illness insurance payouts averaged 7,138 yuan ($1,060) per patient, with the highest payout totaling about 1.12 million yuan, Huang said. "It effectively helped poor people with critical illnesses to receive proper medical treatment," he said. According to the commission, funding for the insurance varies from 15 yuan to 60 yuan, depending on individual cases and the region of the country. At present, 16 insurance companies operate 605 insurance projects, covering 920 million people in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. "Many people can now receive medical treatment that they could not afford before," Huang said. In terms of supervision, Huang said insurance companies found a total of 436,700 faulty claims and rejected improper medical expense claims amounting to 2.27 billion yuan last year, which contributed to alleviating the rapid growth of medical expenses and preventing excessive medical treatment in some areas. Huang said there are still improvements to be made to the critical illness insurance system. For example, local governments should implement reforms of payment methods and control increasing medical expenses caused by excessive treatment. Huang said most medical insurance companies realized meager profits, but some of them are operating at a deficit. "Some insurance companies are too confident about their own ability and underestimate the complexity of the critical illness insurance system," he added. A man sentenced to life in prison for buying 24 BB guns online has won an appeal to have his case reheard. Liu Dawei, 20, was convicted of smuggling the guns from Taiwan after a trial in April last year at the Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court in Fujian province. On Wednesday, the provincial high court announced it would rehear the evidence, stating that the sentence was "clearly inappropriate". The court initially turned down the appeal in August last year. "We were more than happy to learn the news," Liu's mother, Hu Guoji, said in a telephone interview. Hu said she and her husband have visited the high court's offices to petition for their son two or three times per month since October last year. The couple maintains their son is innocent of the charges. Liu, a native of Dazhou, Sichuan province, purchased the BB gunspneumatic guns that fire small pelletsfrom an online seller in Taiwan for 30,540 yuan ($4,700), according to prosecutors at his first trial. The goods were seized by customs officers in Shishi, Fujian province, and Liu was detained by police for smuggling firearms. Xu Xin, Liu's attorney, said he was pleased that the effort made by the family has paid off. "The court will start the trial of the case all over, and I am still going to defend my client as innocent," he said. One of the key facts regarding the case is whether the 24 BB guns purchased from the Taiwan dealer can be regarded as firearms. After the trial, the court deemed that 20 of the 24 guns purchased by Liu could lead to injuries and thus they were deemed guns. The production and sale of imitation firearms is prohibited in China, which bans civilian ownership of weapons. Xu said his client had no intention of smuggling firearms and had no idea the BB guns would be deemed firearms. During his trial, Liu reportedly asked the judges to shoot him with one of the BB guns he had purchased. "If I die, I'll admit I'm guilty," he was quoted as saying by Procuratorial Daily. Xu said the reason his client purchased such a large number of BB guns is that the seller would not agree to the sale unless he purchased a minimum of 20. "What Liu did was merely an online purchase, and the seller even agreed to pay for the shipping fees. He had no idea how the seller was going to ship the items from Taiwan to the Chinese mainland, or whether they would go through customs clearance," the lawyer said. Contact the writer at xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn Residents hold placards and shout slogans outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on Wednesday to protest the retaking of the Legislative Council oath by lawmakers-elect Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung Chung-hang. ROY LIU/CHINA DAILY Two supporters of HK independence were urged to make a public apology and retract their previous remarks Dozens of Hong Kong's lawmakers launched a walkout at a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, in protest against the anti-China antics of two separatist lawmakers-elect during a swearing-in ceremony last week. The group of lawmakers who joined the walkout demanded the pair apologize and retract their remarks before they get a second chance to take the oath. The group had earlier urged lawmakers-elect Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung Chung-hang to apologize for their behavior during their swearing-in a week ago, saying it insulted China and Chinese around the world. Yau and Leung refused to offer an apology, despite the public condemning their act of using offensive language and reading the country's name as "Shina", a derogatory reference to China used by Japanese militarists during World War II. The meeting on Wednesday was scheduled for five lawmakers-elect to retake the oath, including Yau and Leung. The meeting was adjourned for a lack of quorum following the walkout. This left Yau, Leung and a third lawmaker-elect, Lau Siu-lei, waiting for their turn to take the oath again. Legislator Martin Liao Cheung-kong said conducting the walkout was a difficult decision to make, but added that there was no other way to prevent Yau and Leung from taking the oath again. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, chairperson of the New People's Party, urged Yau and Leung to make a public apology to all Chinese and retract their previous remarks. Several groups protested outside the LegCo Complex on Wednesday morning against the pair retaking the oath. The protesters held banners and placards reading: "Strongly condemn Yau and Leung", "Apologize to Chinese" and "Yau and Leung get out of China". Hong Kong-born and raised Fung Suk-ying, a middle-age woman who joined the protest with seven friends, asked: "How can someone who is a separatist become a lawmaker?" The pair's behavior has drawn indignation from Chinese communities overseas. A joint statement by 152 overseas Chinese groups in the UK condemned the two lawmakers, saying that their advocacy of separatism has jeopardized national sovereignty, hurt the rule of law and undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. They demanded apologies and that the pair be barred from public office. Hong Kong historian Chiu Yu-lok, who initiated a signature campaign with hundreds of academics to denounce the pair, told China Daily they had set a bad example for society. Chiu said the public's faith in integrity and responsibility will falter if lawmakers think they can treat a swearing-in ceremony like they did. Society will not let them get away with this, he added. He said it also showed that young people in Hong Kong need to change their ideas about nationality and history. To achieve this, Chinese history should be mandatory in Hong Kong schools, Chiu said. The High Court on Tuesday accepted the Hong Kong government's judicial review against giving Yau and Leung a second chance to be sworn in. The Department of Justice argued that Yau and Leung had already "declined or neglected" to take the LegCo oath on Oct 12. The case will be heard on Nov 3. Chinese President Xi Jinping visits an exhibition on the high-technology achievements resulting from military and civilian cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for greater cooperation between the military and civilian sectors to contribute more to the dream of building strong armed forces. Xi made the remarks when visiting an exhibition on the high-technology achievements resulting from military and civilian cooperation. NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, Expedition 38 Flight Engineer, takes a selfie while participating in spacewalk on Dec 27, 2013. It was designed to allow the crew to change out a degraded pump module on the exterior of the Earth-orbiting International Space Station. [Photo/IC] In photos: Glimpse into lifestyle of astronauts in space BEIJING -- Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong entered the space lab Tiangong II Wednesday morning aboard the Shenzhou XI spacecraft. It's story that has garnered plenty of international media attention. But what is life actually like in space? In two separate interviews, former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao and Alexander Zheleznyakov, a member of the Tsiolkovsky Russian Academy of Cosmonautics, tell us about the day-to-day routine of astronauts along with the mental and physical challenges they face. Excerpts of the interviews are below. Q: How was your day scheduled in space? Were you still on duty during the weekend? Chiao: A typical day begins with a short conference with the mission control centers to discuss the days activities. Then, each astronaut works off of his or her schedule for the day. The schedule includes experiment operations, repair/maintenance tasks, housekeeping/inventory tasks, meals, short breaks, and an exercise period. At the end of the day, there is another short conference with mission control. Weekends are lighter for work, and we do get some time off for major holidays. Q: What is the most common problem in space? Chiao: The most common problem in space for me is trying not to lose things. Everything must be secured in place, usually with velcro or a rubber bungee. But, if someone bumps into the object, it can come free and become lost. Most lost items end up in the air filters, but sometimes things stay lost for much longer, or even indefinitely! Q: What are these lost items? Anything important? Chiao: Could be anything, from small parts to a bag of disk drives, to personal items, like watches, pens, etc. Nothing dangerous. Q: What health problems could come out of the long-time stay in space? Zheleznyakov: We have special medicines to prevent lose of calcium in our bones and other negative changes in the human organs, and physical exercises to reduce threats to our health. All possible problems in an astronaut's health have been properly handled in the space missions so far. Q: How do you manage to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, in space? Chiao: The two-hour exercise periods take care of physical health. Mental health is up to the individual. Most of us spend our free time looking at the Earth and taking photographs. We also take time to use email or the VOIP phone to keep in touch with family and friends. Q: Any common psychological problems? Zheleznyakov: The mental conditions of astronauts during their space missions are largely linked to preparations before they go into space. What should be taken into consideration is whether or not their personalities suit the missions facing them. Q: What if depression his an astronaut? Zheleznyakov: You have to make a tight schedule to leave no time for too much mental excursion. I personally know no case of mental problems as going so far as disrupting an astronaut's mission in space. One day or two with a bad mood is common, but they come around in the end. Q: How important are the experiments you'll be carrying out? Chiao: Most experiments are biomedical in nature. That's because we really need to understand the negative effects of spaceflight on astronauts, and develop countermeasures to keep them healthy. Only then, can we expect to mount successful missions that are longer and farther from the Earth. Q: Anything you want to say to your Chinese colleagues in space? Chiao: I want to wish them good luck on their mission! I'm sure they are well prepared, and will do a good job. What do Russian, American, Japanese and Chinese astronauts eat in space? Do they eat the same things as on earth or something totally different? Are these foods tasty? The truth may blow your mind. A girl buys space food in tubes used by astronauts in outer space in a vending machine in Moscow, Russia, on Feb 15, 2015. [Photo/IC] Russia As the first country to send astronauts into space, Russia started to develop space food since the early 1960s. Food that can be sucked was the earliest type of space food, but astronauts still felt hungry after eating them. Later, more satisfying foods like oxtongue, herring pie and chicken cutlets were then added to the menu to solve the problem. Now Russian astronauts can enjoy a variety of food similar to on earth, such as black bread, honey cake, ham, quail, Polish pike, Russian cheese and sturgeon. Food is stored in special packages, and astronauts can eat them with a spoon or fork rather than suck them with a straw. A new space menu, as reported by the Russian media in 2013, includes vegetable soup, mushroom soup, Russian mushroom, jelly, sesame milk curd and others. NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren corrals the supply of fresh fruit that arrived on Aug 25, 2015. Visiting cargo ships often carry a small cache of fresh food for crew members aboard the International Space Station. [Photo/IC] US Fast food is the main food for American astronauts. The range of delicious food includes sausage pies, spicy grilled fish, potato roast beef, butter bread, tempeh broth, tuna salad and drinks like Coca-cola. Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts even enjoyed a Thanksgiving Day Turkey dinner in 2009, with smoked and irradiated turkey, candied yams, freeze-dried cornbread stuffing and green beans. This NASA video shows Japanese astronauts Naoko Yamazaki (L) and Soichi Noguchi preparing sushi in the International Space Station on April 14, 2010. [Photo/IC] Japan Japanese space food expresses their unique cultural identity. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency displayed 29 different types of space food at an exhibition in Tokyo in June, 2007. Most of these are traditional Japanese food, including rice balls, tomato fish, curry noodles, mountain vegetables, beans, glutinous rice, and sweets. At the request of Japanese astronaut Takao Doi, Nissin Foods Holdings Co Ltd and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency developed nine types of Japanese space food together, which includes assorted Udon noodles, tempura soba, onion scrambled chicken, fried tofu sushi, and assorted pancakes. They are instant food and need to be soaked in hot water at 70 C before eating. The udon noodles and soba are stickier than normal to prevent the noodle soup from spilling out. Takao Doi said that he expected to eat food from home in space before the launch of space shuttle Endeavour in 2008. President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that his handshake with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was "warm and firm" despite the bilateral ties "experiencing winds and rains". "Before this visit, you had told the Chinese media that 'I will talk with friendship, extending my hands in brotherhood', and today, I shook hands with you with similar feelings," Xi told Duterte, who is paying a state visit to China from Tuesday to Friday. China trip is Duterte's first official visit to a foreign country outside ASEAN after becoming the president in June. The visit comes after ties between the two nations suffered a blow due to the unilateral filing of the South China Sea arbitration case by Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino III against China. Mentioning that the visit is a milestone in bilateral ties, Xi said the foundation of friendly neighborhood between the two countries remains unchanged. "We should answer the public's demand, take opportunity of this visit, push forward the China-Philippines ties back to friendship, and improve the relations comprehensively," Xi said in his opening remarks. Duterte said his visit is of great significance that could enhance cooperation in many areas. "This is spring time in our relationship," he told Xi. "There are many areas in which we can cooperate." The two countries will sign a number of cooperative documents after the meeting. The Philippine president also expressed gratitude toward the "excellent arrangement and warm hospitality". "This is a historic visit, and presents an opportunity for relations between China and the Philippines to restart on a fresh, more positive footing," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday. Applauding Duterte's commitment to improving bilateral ties and voicing support for dialogue and cooperation between the two nations, Wang said the visit accords with the national interests of the Philippines and the wishes of its people. No foreign force can stand in the way of improvements to China-Philippines relations, Wang said, adding that China's arms are open and ready for friendship and cooperation. Ruan Zongze, executive deputy president of the China Institute of International Studies, said that the visit is expected to enhance cooperation in trade, infrastructure and drug control. HANGZHOU Otis Electric Elevator Co., Ltd. was officially inaugurated in Hangzhou today as the successor to the Xizi Otis brand, retaining its existing elevator and escalator manufacturing operations, extensive sales and service network, management and workforce. Hangzhou government leaders, Otis President Philippe Delpech, Otis China President Perry Zheng and Otis Electric President Lawrence Chui officiated at the inauguration ceremony attended by some 200 guests including key agents and customers. "Otis Electric underscores our commitment to serving the evolving needs of this important and diverse region," said Delpech, Otis president. "This new brand will focus on sustainable and tailored solutions to satisfy customer needs, especially in the residential, commercial and infrastructure segments." Since establishing its presence in Hangzhou 19 years ago, the company now known as Otis Electric has been a role model for foreign-invested enterprises in Hangzhou. The Hangzhou authorities congratulated the company on its new chapter as Otis Electric and look forward to its continuing success. During the inauguration, Otis Electric also announced the shipment of the 400,000th unit from its production lines. It was delivered to Hangzhou Metro for use on its new Line 2. The company has supported Hangzhou Metro by supplying elevators and escalators since 2008, when Line 1 was under construction. Hangzhou Metro and Otis Electric are both dedicated to supporting the urbanization of Hangzhou. Since their work together began, nearly 1,000 Otis Electric elevators and escalators have been installed on the Hangzhou Metro rail network. Otis Electric is dedicated to playing an important role in Hangzhou's transport infrastructure development. About Otis Electric Otis Electric, a brand of Otis, was introduced to China in January 2016. Otis Electric has manufacturing facilities in Hangzhou and Chongqing, as well as an accredited testing laboratory and over 240 branches and service depots across China. With strong capabilities to deploy the latest technologies in products and services, Otis Electric is dedicated to satisfying customer needs, especially in the residential, commercial and public infrastructure segments. About Otis Otis is the world's leading manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products, including elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Founded more than 160 years ago by the inventor of the safety elevator, Otis offers products and services through its companies in more than 200 countries and territories. Otis is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.otis.com. China is being urged to gradually abandon the Hukou system and allow free migration, as part of efforts to provide incentives for local governments to transform to a greener development model, an economist says. "The central government has strong motivations to go green and is determined to transform to a greener and sustainable model," said Matthew Kahn, an economics professor at the University of South California, noting that criteria for green development had been included among key tasks in the 13th five year plan (16-20). Despite with top level designs, some local governments "lack of incentives to go green" facing with downward economic headwinds, he said. The central government has been moving away from using old regime standards to evaluate officials based only on GDP growth and social stability, and adjusted the promotion criteria for mayors by including more indicators, such as quality of life and environmental protection. But it is a different scenario when it comes to provincial and municipal levels, according to Kahn. "Transformation can be particularly difficult for some less-developed cities,"he said, citing examples of Xingtai, a city in Hebei province adjacent to Beijing, where officials are having a hard time making choices between low carbon development and to ensure economic growth. Cities, with GDPs per capita above 130,000 dollars, based upon his research, can more easily "turn green "and would be benefited more by adopting green development strategies compared to those less-developed, according to his new book titled the rise of China's green cities that he co-authored with Zheng Siqi, an economics professor with Tsinghua University in China. "There is no free lunch for China to go green,"he said, adding that some inland cities tend to continue to rely on heavily polluted industries to sustain short-term but not sustainable growthrelocating laid-offs is among key challenges for officials. China expects to lay off 1.8 million workers in the coal and steel sectors, official data showed. Kahn said a possible solution might be loosening the migration restrictions incurred by Hukou system, a registration program that serves as a domestic passport, regulating rural-to-urban migration. "For people in the overcapacity sectors, mostly middle-aged, it can be hard for them to learn something new,"he said, adding that it might be a better idea to allow them move to other places, find menial jobs similar to what they have been doing. That would help those laid off in the overcapacity sectors to find new jobs in other cities and reduce certain level of pressure of local government, he said. "The leadership needs to have to be smart to people in the dirty industries,"he said, "workers in the heavy industries need to be compensated." Beijing, Manila agree to handle maritime disputes properly, in what expert calls a 'welcome U-turn' President Xi Jinping holds a welcoming ceremony to greet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing on Thursday. Xie Huanchi / Xinhua China and the Philippines agreed on Thursday to properly handle their maritime disputes and restore the bilateral ties soured by the South China Sea dispute. The development is a "welcome U-turn" in the bilateral ties, said Jia Duqiang, a senior researcher of Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Rodrigo Duterte's first visit to China as Philippine president also saw the two countries sign 13 deals, worth more than $13.5 billion, on finance, anti-drug efforts, production cooperation and tourism, said Ramon Lopez, the Philippine trade and industry secretary. President Xi Jinping, after a grandiose welcoming ceremony for his counterpart, described his handshake with Duterte as "warm and firm", even though the bilateral ties recently underwent some "winds and rains". China is the first country outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region that Duterte has visited since he took office in June. The visit took place amid a backdrop of bilateral ties that had suffered due to the unilateral filing of the South China Sea arbitration case against China by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III. Xi called on the two countries to handle disputes properly on the South China Sea issue, to set aside the disagreements, and to focus more on cooperation. China and the Philippines have a history of generations of friendship, and there are no excuses for hostility and confrontation, he said. Xi, who called the visit a milestone for bilateral ties, said the two countries remain friendly neighbors. Duterte expressed gratitude for China's support for the economic development of the Philippines. "This is the springtime of our relationship," he told Xi, adding that the two countries should enhance cooperation in areas including trade, investment, agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and tourism, as well as in efforts to combat drugs and terrorism. Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said the visit means a new page has been turned in the relationship between the two countries in addressing the South China Sea issue through bilateral consultations. China will provide financial support for infrastructure construction in the Philippines, Liu said, and will take part in the construction. According to Liu, Xi has announced that China will lift the travel advisories issued two years ago for Chinese people traveling to the Philippines, adding that this will encourage more Chinese to visit the Southeast Asian country. China has also resumed permits to 27 Philippine companies that export tropical fruit, including mangoes, to the country, he added. Jia Duqiang, the researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Duterte's visit is a "turning point" for China-Philippines ties. "Unlike his predecessor Benigno Aquino III, who relied much on the United States, Duterte has taken an independent approach in diplomatic policies," he said. Jia expressed cautious optimism regarding China-Philippines ties because "setting aside the arbitration case temporarily does not mean the resolution of disputes for good". Song Junying, a researcher of Asia and Pacific studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said that as a pragmatic political figure, Duterte aims to speed up the country's economic development to bring real benefits for his people. Aid from China will be crucial for Duterte to improve the country's infrastructure, he said. Zhang Yaozhong contributed to this story. When the Crown pardoned codebreaking war-hero and computer science pioneer Alan Turing in 2013, we noted that 50,000 other British men who were also convicted of "sodomy" remained criminals in the eyes of the law. England and Wales legalised sex between men over the age of 21 in 1967; Scotland followed in 1980, and Northern Ireland finally repealed its anti-sodomy law in 1982. The pardons are automatically applied to dead people; living people with criminal records will have to individually apply for a "disregard process" to clear their names. The Tory government has rejected a private member's bill that would dispense with this formality and automatically pardon everyone convicted under the statutes. One activist, George Montague, who was convicted under the anti-sodomy law in 1974, says that pardons are not the right remedy for the gross injustices visited upon gay and bisexual men. Pardons are a form of forgiveness for wrongdoing. Montague says he didn't do anything wrong, and he wants an apology, not a pardon. "To accept a pardon means you accept that you were guilty. I was not guilty of anything. I was only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," he told BBC Newsnight. "I think it was wrong to give Alan Turing one of the heroes of my life a pardon. "What was he guilty of? He was guilty of the same as what they called me guilty of being born only able to fall in love with another man." He added: "If I get an apology, I will not need a pardon." He added that there "never should have been an offence of gross indecency". "It didn't apply to heterosexuals. Heterosexuals could do what they liked, in the doorways, in passageways, the back of their car. "It only applied to gay men. That's not right, surely?" Gay men convicted of now-abolished sex offences to be pardoned [BBC] (Image: Passport photo of Alan Turing at aged 16, PD) One-quarter of air purifiers sold on the domestic market are substandard, an inspection by China's top quality authority showed. The inspection, conducted in the first half of this year, found 15 of the 61 batches of products were substandard, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. This is the first time that the administration has organized a national quality inspection aimed at air purifiers, and the inspection covered most well-known air purifier brands available in China, said Zhang Wenbing, chief for quality supervision at the administration. The inspection covered nearly 20 percent of China's air purifier producers, and of the models by big enterprises, 90 percent were up to standard, much higher than average, according to the administration. No products by big brands such as Honeywell, Samsung and Midea were found to be substandard. However, purifiers made by Chinese firms Guangdong Jingba Technology Co and Shanghai Xinsong Electronics Co were found to be substandard, due to respective issues of failing to remove methanol and failing noise standards. "Results of the inspection can provide the basis for consumers to choose air purifiers," said Song Guangsheng, director of the National Quality Supervision and Inspection Center for Indoor Environment and Environmental Products. With increasing demand for purifiers in recent years, the number of producers has also risen, but many purifiers on the market may not work as well as advertised, he said. "Many air purifier brands claim to be able to remove methanol, but in fact, few of them are able to do so," Song said. In the first half of the year, 4.5 million air purifiers were sold in China, 58 percent more than the same period last year, according to media reports. Zhang Xiao, an inspector at the National Quality Inspection Center for Household Electrical Appliances, said China has strict quality standards for air purifiers, and some key indexes include noise level, capacity to remove pollutants and purifiers' toxic emissions. China and Vietnam should work together to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties in the long term, officials of both countries' ruling parties said at a meeting on Thursday. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met in Beijing with Dinh The Huynh, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Both Liu and Huynh said the two countries should increase exchanges between the CPC and the CPV, and deal with the South China Sea issue properly. The meeting took place on the same day that President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, met Huynh. Xi told Huynh that the momentum of China-Vietnam ties should be cherished by both countries, adding that such ties will continue to develop steadily as long as the two stick to looking at the bigger picture, deal with discrepancies properly and conduct mutually-beneficial cooperation. China and Vietnam are "a community of shared destiny of strategic significance", and the two should exchange views on major issues, broaden their consensus and increase mutual trust, said Liu, also a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. Bilateral ties have been moving in the right direction in recent years, and the exchange of visits last year by Xi and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the CPV, paved the way for the development of such ties, Liu said. Liu called for increased sharing of experiences related to party discipline and country governance between the two sides, and touted comprehensive exchanges between the two parties at various levels. In addition, the two countries should strengthen people-to-people exchanges to increase mutual understanding between youths, Liu added. On the South China Sea issue, Liu said the two must maintain the peace and stability of the region, manage their discrepancies properly and work toward enhanced maritime cooperation. Huynh said that the two sides should implement the important consensus their leaders have reached, and let interparty exchanges and cooperation lead relations of the two countries. China Central Television contributed to this story. The Warriors is part of a nationwide homage to the 80th anniversary of the end of the Long March. [Photo provided to China Daily] During the Long March, a pivotal battle was fought by the Red Army when 22 soldiers risked their lives to cross a 103-meter suspension bridge under fire from the Kuomintang forces. Reckoned as a military miracle, the conflict on Luding Bridge over the raging Dadu River in Southwest China's Sichuan province on May 29, 1935, has been recorded in the collective memory of Chinese people. Generations have read about this heroic episode in their school textbooks. Now, a 102-minute feature is bringing this alive on the big screen. The Warriors, with a cast led by Li Dongxue, Yu Xiaowei and Nie Yuan, opened in Chinese theaters on Friday. The film is part of a nationwide homage to the Communist soldiers on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Long March this year. Lasting from 1934 to 1936, the Long March was a military retreat undertaken by the Red Army to avoid being captured by the Kuomintang's forces. Less than 30 percentor around 57,000 soldierssurvived the march to arrive in their destination in Northwest China's Gansu province, reported Xinhua News Agency. For director Ning Haiqiang, a veteran known for revolutionary films, the significance of the battle attracted him to again step into the familiar zone. "The Red Army would not survive if the soldiers hadn't succeeded in crossing the river, as Chairman Mao told American journalist Edgar Snow in Yan'an," Ning said at a Beijing event on Oct 12. Cast members pose as they arrive for the gala screening of the film Moonlight, in London on Oct 6. [Photo/Agencies] Moonlight is as wistful a film as its title might suggest. Director Barry Jenkins, in only his second feature, has created a singularly powerful and masterfully restrained work of art about a young man's coming of age in South Florida told in three different stageschild, teenager and young adult. This is no Boyhood, however. There are three actors portraying Chiron, and although it takes a bit of imagination to accept the three as the same person, Moonlight feels somehow even more poignant than that 12-year experiment. That's no small feat, and perhaps that's because of the power of the subject and its exploration of the gayness of an African-American man. But Jenkins has also accomplished something truly extraordinary in that Moonlight feels as real and raw and vague and specific as a memory. That this all coalesces into a coherent and impactful story is a testament to his singular talent. Jenkins adapted Moonlight from Tarell Alvin McCraney's play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. The subject, Chiron, played first by the promising newcomer Alex Hibbert, is introduced as a wisp of a boy in a rough, sunny neighborhood. He's being chased by some children when he finds refuge in a blighted apartment. An adult on the streets notices the scene and comes to Chiron's aid, coaxing him out of hiding and back into the world. Something is not right with this quiet little boy and this man, Juan, and his girlfriend Teresa are generous and well off enough to help. We soon find out that Chiron is indeed from an unstable home. His mother, Paula is fiercely protective of her little boy when she's alert, but she's also a full-blown addict. Moonlight is not propelled by story so much as atmospherea melancholy blend of music, careful imagery and colors and repeating motifs that will linger in your mind long after the credits roll. It's one of the most exciting character studies in recent memory and one that will endure beyond the politics and impermanence of awards season. Hopefully it doesn't take Jenkins another eight years to make a film. But we can take comfort in the very strong likelihood that, even if it does, it will be well worth the wait. Urban Dialogue, a free exhibition for Shenzhen residents in Guangdong province, tells how architecture integrates with and creates communities. [Photo provided to China Daily] Urban Dialogue, a free exhibition for Shenzhen residents in Guangdong province, tells how architecture integrates with and creates communities. Featured examples include Beijing South Station, Shenzhen's KK 100 mall and Hong Kong's Peak Tower, as well as other projects in East Asia such as Incheon International Airport of South Korea. Besides these landmark designs is Farrells, the British architectural planning firm that practices in London, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The exhibition celebrates the 25th anniversary of the firm's participation in the Chinese mainland' urban development. On show are designers' sketches, photos and models taking the audience through the complex, systematic process of urban design. The exhibition is held at the Excellence Group Century Tower through Dec 2. Related: Australia's 'Sculpture by the Sea' exhibition begins A scene from The Four Dreams of Linchuan. [Photo provided to China Daily] With this year marking the 400th death anniversary of Tang Xianzu (1550-1616), a celebrated playwright whom fans call "China's William Shakespeare", a series of cultural events have been held in Tang's hometown of Fuzhou, in eastern China's Jiangxi province. An original play, titled The Four Dreams of Linchuan, which is an adaptation of the famous Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) playwright's four well-known works, has been staged in Beijing this week. Tang composed more than 2,000 poems and essays, most of which were written during his later years. He is particularly remembered for his four plays The Peony Pavilion, The Purple Hairpin, Record of the Southern Bough and Record of Handan collectively known as The Four Dreams of Linchuan. The four works are still popular today and performed by Kunqu Opera troupes in China. A scene from Record of Handan. [Photo provided to China Daily] The adaptation combines the four works in a two-hour show. Director Tong Weiwei uses the image of Tang onstage to tell the stories. Tong says that the actors in the play were chosen from art troupes in Jiangxi province and Shanghai. The scriptwriter is Cao Lusheng from Shanghai Theater Academy. To cater to the young audiences, he cut the original four-hour performance into two hours. The director adds that the play, which is performed mostly in Kunqu Opera, borrows the singing style of Yihuangqiang, a local folk opera form of Jiangxi province. Related: 400 years on, Tang and Shakespeare brought closer together A scene from Hope Mission. [Photo provided to China Daily] Hope Mission, a TV series loosely based on true stories about the Huangpu Military Academy, will air across the country from Oct 24. Set in the 1930s, the 43-episode tale chronicles the lives of five students at the academy, which produced many commanders who fought in the Civil War and the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. In the series, the five students, disappointed by Kuomintang corruption, trek to Yan'an, then a revolutionary hub founded by the Communist Party of China, in search of values and righteousness. Liu Guotong, the director who has done other war-themed productions, likens Hope Mission to a television version of "road film", a genre popular in the West, which refers to the main characters on a road trip. The first Hello Kitty-themed hotpot restaurant in Shanghai. [Photo/IC] The Chinese mainland's first Hello Kitty-themed hotpot restaurant recently opened in Shanghai, becoming an instant sensation among local foodies. The store is filled with various images of the famous kitten, from walls and doors to tableware and even the dishes served, so that netizens are hailing it "the cutest hotpot restaurant." A similar restaurant was opened in Hong Kong last year. President Xi Jinping arrives for a state visit to Cambodia in Phnom Penh October 13, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] During President Xi Jinping's state visit to Cambodia from Oct 13 to 14, 31 trade and development and cooperation agreements were signed. The signing of deals between China and other nations during a presidential visit is now the norm and is the high expectations of such trips. Both countries would mutually benefit from greater economic cooperation and improved relations by working together in development and trade that benefit both countries. China values its long historical friendship with Cambodia built since the days of King Norodom Sihanouk and treasures the great support from the Hun Sen government in building peace and stability in Cambodia and the region. Based on the amicable relationship, China has been contributing to the development and modernization of Cambodia and its economy. China's experience and success in infrastructure and economic development is a blue print that could be applied to Cambodia to turn it into a modern state in accelerated pace and a role model for the region. Cambodia is also strategically located within China's One Belt and One Road project that spanned across Asia and South East Asia and participation in this project would add a lot of fuel to stimulate the growth of the Cambodian economy and linking Cambodia by road and by sea to the rest of the Asia and Europe. The Chinese expertise and financial resources would be the basket of goods and aids that China would bring to Cambodia to showcase what a mutually beneficial relationship could be good for both countries. China's success in helping Cambodia transform into a new economic miracle could boost China's attractiveness as a trading and economic partner and for other emerging states to want to emulate. In Cambodia lies a new model of inter-state cooperation and development in the emerging new economic world order of peaceful development. The author is a political observer from Singapore. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website. China's steady economic growth in the third quarter has not only won precious time for the country to further boost domestic consumption and take up the slack for slowing trade growth. It also highlighted the limitations of a red-hot property market fueled by easy credit to drive overall economic growth. Latest statistics showed that the Chinese economy expanded by 6.7 percent year on year in the past quarter. Although the third-quarter pace was only as fast as the previous two quarters, it is still a remarkable achievement for the world's second largest economy as the global recovery is increasingly troubled by slowing trade growth and lingering financial uncertainties. The World Trade Organization recently cut its forecast for global trade this year to just 1.7 percent from its previous estimate of 2.8 percent in April. The new figure, the lowest growth rate since the 2008 global financial crisis, indicates a drastic slowdown in global trade that has fairly explained the strong headwinds China's trade sector faces. As a result, China's foreign trade in the first three quarters shrank by 1.9 percent from a year earlier to only 17.53 trillion yuan ($2.61 trillion), with exports and imports down 1.6 percent and 2.3 percent respectively. This reconfirmed Chinese policymakers' judgment that the country can no longer rely on exports as a major growth engine that had served well to propel China's rapid rise as a global trading power since the beginning of this century. It is obvious that the double-digit growth of domestic consumption has timely lifted the country's economic growth at a moment of tremendous downward pressures in other sectors. In spite of all the economic difficulties at home and abroad, China's retail growth climbed by 10.4 percent in the third quarter, 0.1 percentage point faster than that in the first half year, to ensure a steady growth of the overall economy. Under such circumstances, it seems wise for the Chinese government to give more support to foster a sustainable domestic consumption upgrade. Unfortunately, much needed bank loans and credit support have been granted to home buyers in the belief that soaring house prices will both encourage fixed-asset investments and help create a wealth effect that would drive consumption growth to bolster real GDP growth. Shavkatbek Saipov was vacationing in Turkey in 2013 when he was hit in the eye by a teargas cannister fired by police during the brutal crackdown on the Occupy Gezi protests; he lost the eye and sued the Turkish police. The court found that the police had indeed caused his injury, but denied his claim against them. The court then ordered him to reimburse the Turkish state for the cost of the trial, fining him 151 Turkish liras about $50. Saipov was walking in Ankara's Guvenpark as a tourist on June 1, 2013, when police attacked protesters during the mass demonstrations that occurred around the country. Saipov said a gas canister used to disperse protesters hit his left eye after he became stuck in the middle of the police and the protesters. Despite undergoing two surgeries, Saipov lost his left eye and filed a complaint against the police officers. He also demanded compensation worth 210,000 liras [$68,000], of which 10,000 [$3,250] was for material damages and 200,000 [$64,750] for damages for mental anguish, from the Interior Ministry. Turkey Becomes Brazil: Orders Victim To Pay For Costs Of Trial After Police Blinded Him [Glyn Moody/Techdirt] (Image: Exploded tear gas can on the fly, Athens Indymedia, CC-BY-SA) Criminal justice: Felons convicted of serious corruption would be prohibited from seeking shorter sentences, under a third reading of the draft amendment to the Criminal Law. The amendment aims to "safeguard judicial fairness". China Daily A documentary series entitled The Corruption Fight Is Always Underway, produced by the top anti-graft watchdog and China Central Television, began airing on Monday. The eight-episode series has drawn public attention because of the top authorities' courage in laying bare the extent of the corruption and extravagance of some disgraced officials. For example, the documentary disclosed Zhou Benshun, a former Party chief of Hebei province, exclusively enjoyed an 800-square-meter military hotel with two chefs and two housekeepers, one of whom cared for his pets. And Bai Enpei, a former Party chief of Yunnan province, was disclosed to have received a jade bracelet worth 15 million yuan ($2.2 million) among other numerous valuables. When the anti-corruption campaign was first launched by China's new leadership a few years ago, few believed that so many high-ranking officials would be netted. One of the reasons for this was senior officials were usually held up as role models for other officials, and it was believed that exposing the scale of their corruption to the public would damage the Party's image. However, the unwavering anti-graft campaign of recent years and the high-pressure crackdown exerted on corrupt officials, no matter how senior they are, has shown that China's fight against corruption now makes no exceptions. The downfall of one senior official after another has dispelled public suspicions that some corrupt officials will be exempt from being held accountable for their misdeeds. To lay bare the corruption of senior officials, as the documentary does, reflects the Party's confidence in its self-governance. It also embodies the Party's long-cherished belief that better governance of the nation comes from stricter self-governance. Anti-corruption is a battle the Party must win. Disclosing to the public details about the wrongdoings of senior corrupt officials shows the top authorities are resolved to curb corruption and serves as a reminder that the fight is always underway. --Beijing Youth Daily The third-quarter economic performance of China reported on Wednesday was represented by a 6.7 percent growth in GDP from the same period last year. With the same growth rate achieved in the first half of the year, China's growth target of between 6.5 and 7 percent for the whole year, is attainable. A 6-plus percent growth may seem nothing special when compared with the country's growth in the recent past. But it is based on some new situations. Indeed, it would be amateurish for some self-appointed experts from overseas to say China is still being led by the same old economy and same old industry. First, it is easy to see that much of the growth is no longer driven by exports, and therefore there is no desire to increase exports by lowering the value of yuan against the US dollar. Second, it is no longer driven by massive government investment, not only investment by the central government, but investment at the local level, as was the case immediately following the outbreak of the 2008 financial crisis. Third, industry achieved some overall growth despite exports being sluggish and some sectors, most noticeably steelmaking and coal mining, have been undergoing deep cuts in capacity. Fourth, home sales, and all the consumer spending they entail, can, as they did in September, serve as a growth booster if carefully managed. Fifth, retail, especially in the large cities, did not collapse because of the tightened discipline on government expenses, as some feared when the anti-corruption campaign was launched years ago. However, the most encouraging ray of light in the third quarter was the increase in investment by the private sector, after a long period of sluggish growth. Private investors would not have increased their commitment unless they could see, in terms of common sense rather than the government's industrial policies, something worth their money, and a regulatory environment that can protect their lawful returns. The increase was small. But it is a heartwarming sign considering the attraction of diverse overseas investment opportunities. It should also be noted that more private investment can still come because in many new cities, public utilities remain under-developed and lag far behind the demand. Admittedly, the stability that China has achieved in the third quarter is only a small success in comparison with its huge tasks of pressing ahead with structural reform of the economy, controlling its debt level and correcting the regional imbalances. But while stability does not mean health, a healthy economy is impossible without a minimum of stability. Han Chunyu (sitting) introduces his scientific finding to journalists from China Youth Daily. [Photo/Weibo] Editor's Note: Han Chunyu, a biologist at Hebei University of Science and Technology in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, published a paper in the prestigious science journal Nature, in which he claimed to have made a breakthrough with NgAgo geneediting technologies. However, other scientists, both at home and overseas, said they have failed to repeat the results of his experiments, and 13 scientists have now called for an academic investigation to be launched into his research and for Han to share his original materials and data. China Daily shares two views on the controversy. Only repeatable experiments will be accepted by other scientists. If one scientist claims to have made a discovery but others cannot repeat it, then that discovery will not be accepted. When a scientist achieves a result that cannot be repeated, there are two possibilities, either mistakes were made in the experiment or the data has been intentionally falsified. In the first instance it's an error and in the second a misdeed, both are unacceptable. The 13 researchers have asked for an investigation mainly because they want to find out if either is true in Han's case. When foreign and domestic scientists say they cannot repeat the results of his experiments that means he must provide evidence to answer the challenge, or his "achievement" won't be recognized. Of course, such an investigation should be fair and follow strict procedures. In the United States, Denmark and Finland, it is a government department that does the job, while in Germany, Japan and France, it is renowned foundations that investigate. Han should provide the true materials and original data he used in his experiments, but he has the right to defend himself, too. Zhang Tiankan, vice-chief editor of Encyclopedia magazine and a former medical researcher After the 13 scientists co-signed a letter calling for investigation of Han and his experiments, the latter was quoted as responding: "I won't accept such an investigation. Why should I prove my own innocence?" It seems Han is rather sensitive to an investigation mistakenly assuming it would signal he was guilty of some wrongdoing. But even if an investigation concludes that Han's achievement does not stand that does not necessarily mean there has been any malpractice by Han. He might have made an unintentional mistake in his experiments, or achieved an accidental result somehow. If Han has carefully read the reports of the 13 scientists who call for the investigation, he should know that they do not include any prejudice against him and no one suspects him of intentionally falsifying data. People are just anxious to know whether his experiment is repeatable or not. Especially, most of the scientists trying to repeat Han's experiment are using public money to do so. Their attempts at emulating the results of his experiments have already consumed lots of money. We hope Han will accept the investigation as the opportunity to show he has nothing to hide. If he tries to resist the investigation, then that will lead to doubts about his trustworthiness. Zhang Zhouxiang, a writer with China Daily Michael Omoruyi gives a speech on a Long March seminar held in Yan' an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on October 30, 2016. [Photo provided by Jiang Xin/CYOL.COM] As I look at the new Yan'an from my window on our second day the most significant symbolic location of the Chinese revolution and a town that accounts for approximately 9 percent of Shaanxi Province's total GDP. A town whose agricultural sector generates the highest value added industrial output, accounting for approximately 8 percent of the city's GDP today, then I remembered a popular saying in my hometown "war is not beautiful", it was a devastating and exhausting campaign. However, today, in the reform era, we share victory, not pain with the Chinese people. However, there were two other veterans that shared the same experience of victory with me: 96-year-old Kang Wenhua and 98-year-old Liu Hailin. Both veterans took us back to the days of their youth. Speaking to us during a seminar meeting run by local organizers in Yan'an, both revealed their experiences during the Long March. After hearing them speak, it was difficult to imagine what it must have been like for these brave Red Army soldiers on the Long March, because the victory came at a dreadful cost. Still on the second day of our trip, I observed that Yan'an is rich in cultural landmarks and revolutionary sites. We visited the Yan'an Precious Pagoda Mountain, which was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and became a symbol of the Chinese revolution, since CPC established its headquarters in Yan'an in July 1937. We also went Yangjialing Village where the CPC Central Committee directed the war against the Japanese, where Xinhua News Agency, Xinhua Broadcasting Station, and Jiefang Ribao (Liberation Daily) have had offices. It was only at this moment, following in the footsteps of those brave Red Army soldiers, that some of the bitter struggles and pain they endured finally became real to me. But suffer they did, especially at this point, but now they don't face revolution anymore, but rather, reform. As I said in my other publication, people are transforming the old revolutionary town into an e-commerce center. Today, Yan'an is peaceful and has plentiful business opportunities for both farmers and entrepreneurs. Most of the farmers and entrepreneurs think the internet is a powerful key to promoting local agricultural merchandises to other part of the globe. According to a CCTV report, an e-commerce business owner named Qiao was the first to sign several contracts with local farmers inYan'an. He was able to turn these farmers' millet business into a fortune on the internet. We were told by the local organizers that in 2016, Wuqi County in Shaanxi province attracted the attention of the e-commerce giant Alibaba. This will provide a new platform for the farmers to market their products through the internet as well as raising its profile globally. This will creates more business opportunities and increase the employment opportunities for the locals. Furthermore, Yan'an is known as the holy land that transformed the destiny of China during the periods of war. While traveling through amazing, diverse scenery, I noticed that the town has many revolutionary sites and martyrs' cemeteries. These amazing revolutionary sites attract millions of tourists who wish to recall those impassioned revolutionary days. The Chinese travel a lot and they are the largest providers of worldwide tourism revenue. It is time for the Chinese government to harness this huge market. According to data from the China Tourism Research Institute, China had over 120 million Chinese who traveled abroad in 2015. These Chinese tourists spent a total of $104.5 billion dollars. But due to the fluctuation of the exchange rate recently, the cost of traveling overseas has gone up for Chinese tourists. Tapping these tourists could be a huge boost to Yan'an's local economy right now. Furthermore, the United Nations' World Tourism Organization data shows that, for every five per cent of the global GDP, tourism offers one in twelve jobs globally. Eighty years on, China's policymakers are looking to harness the power of tourism to help develop the country's poorest regions. The aim of the Chinese government is to raise 12 million people out of poverty through tourism in the next half a decade. To do this infrastructure development is the key, as the beginning of infrastructure is the beginning of reform. With this new strategy of reforming the local economy through tourism, they will be able to attract more people both from China and abroad to Yan'an. The beginning of struggle, perseverance, determination, and unity is the beginning of freedom, development and a glorious new dawn. Yan'an has proven this to be true with their current state of reform. Michael Omoruyi is a researcher from Institute of African Stuties Zhejiang Normal University. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton participate in the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, the United States, on Oct. 9, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] LAS VEGAS/NEW YORK -- New revelations about US Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's email controversy is to provide new ammunition for her Republican rival Donald Trump in their third and final presidential debate. Adding to voters concern amid Trump's claim that the Nov. 8 election was rigged against him, the line of attack on emails may hurt Clinton in the final stretch of their race to the White House, political analysts said. But it will not help Trump either to regain a footing in women voters and undecided voters as Clinton will sharpen an old weapon in her hand by attacking the New York real estate billionaire over women accusations of his sexual misconduct, they said. RIGGED ELECTION & EMAILS In their 90-minute showdown due on Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Trump is expected "to focus on the election being 'rigged' by the media and the Clinton campaign and economic interests," Robert Shapiro, a professor and former chair of the Department of Political Science at Columbia University, told Xinhua. "He will especially bring up the WikiLeaks emails and other emails that incriminate the Clinton campaign," he said. The email scandal was once again thrust into the presidential campaign on Monday when the FBI published documents containing the allegation of the State Department trying to arrange a "quid pro quo" to reduce the classification of an email from Clinton's private server regarding the deadly 2012 attack on a US compound in Benghazi, Libya. The emails "will be a line of attack" as the moderator -- Chris Wallace - will also bring this up since he is from Fox News which has been covering this scandal extensively, the professor said. Dave Robertson, professor and chair of Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, also believed that Trump will criticize Clinton harshly for the latest email disclosure. Trump "will charge that the State Department under her leadership was corrupt because it tried to cover up embarrassing information," he told Xinhua. But both professors believed that the new accusations against Clinton will carry limited killing power as the emails scandal which has been unfolding for over a year has already inflicted wounds on the trustworthiness of the former secretary of state and the first lady. As for Trump's claims of "rigged election," it will "mobilize Trump's base but I do not think it will persuade many undecided voters to vote for him," Prof. Shapiro said. Days into their final face-off, Trump has been voicing doubts that massive fraud is rigging the election against him. "The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places - SAD," Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday, without providing details. "Many of Trump's voters may accept his claim that the election is rigged, but most other voters will reject it," Prof. Robertson said. "It will not turn the tide in Trump's favor." "A number of Americans, however, are concerned that a few of Trump's supporters would use this claim as an excuse for violence on Election Day and after an election defeat," he added. A woman carries a baby at an evacuation centre for victims of Typhoon Haima in San Fernando, la Union in northern Philippines, October 19, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] MANILA, - The Philippines ordered the evacuation of northern coastal, low-lying and mountainous areas on Wednesday as the strongest typhoon to threaten in three years was due to make landfall later in the day. Typhoon Haima has been labelled a category 5 storm on a scale of 1 to 5 by Tropical Storm Risk and could cause flooding, landslides and storm surges of up to five metres (16.5 ft), the weather bureau said. Some flights and classes have been suspended and the Philippine Coast Guard has banned sea travel and fishing. The weather bureau raised storm warning signals for the northern and eastern parts of main island of Luzon, home to industrial and export centres. "The typhoon is very strong and destructive because of its large diameter," said Rene Paciente, assistant weather services chief at the weather bureau. Haima is the 12th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year. An average of 20 typhoons hit the Southeast Asian nation every year. Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines in 2013, killing at least 6,000 people. The Iraqi army and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces launch military operations in Khazar village, 35 kilometers south of Mosul, Iraq, on Oct 18, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] MOSUL, Iraq -- Iraqi security forces on Wednesday continued fighting against the Islamic State (IS) militants in their all-out offensive to free the city of Mosul, while the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an IS attack on the town of Sinjar and killed 47 militants, security sources said. In the third day of the offensive, the troops fought sporadic clashes with IS militants in several areas in northeast and east of Mosul, while the Peshmerga forces shelled IS positions with artillery and mortar rounds near the towns of Bashiqa and Butilla in northeast of Mosul, a security source from the Operations Command of Nineveh Liberation told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Iraqi army continued their clashes with IS militants at the edge of the town of Hamdaniyah, some 40 km southeast of Mosul, after repeated attempts to enter the town after the militants showed stiff resistance, the source said. In south of Mosul, the Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Sunni and Shiite Hashd Shaabi units recaptured the villages of al-Bakr, Siewah, Najma, Osmaniyah Rafla and Zawiya while moving north to the IS-held town of Shoura, some 30km south of Mosul, the source added. Separately, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an attack by dozens of IS militants with three suicide car bombs from three directions on the military positions outside the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of the IS-held city of Mosul, Brigadier General Luqman al-Khansouri, commander of the town's security forces, told Xinhua. The troops destroyed the three suicide car bombs and killed up to 47 extremist militants after several hours of fierce clashes, Khansouri said, adding that three Peshmerga members sustained serious wounds and were evacuated to the town hospital. Early on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake the country's second largest city from the extremist IS group. "Today I declare the launch of the operation of liberating Nineveh province. The time of victory has come, and the moment of the great victory is approaching," Abadi said in a brief address aired on Al Iraqiya. Houston is getting a rare treat: a chance to see the art collections of nine of the richest and most powerful Chinese spanning more than 800 years. Emperors' Treasures: Chinese Art From the National Palace Museum, Taipei, will open on Sunday and run until the end of January at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH). More than 160 works of art from the renowned collections of the National Palace Museum in Taipei will be on display. James Watt (left), curator emeritus and former chairman of Asian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, talks about the uniqueness of Gourd Vase With Design of Scrolling Lotus made of mold-grown gourd from the Qing Dynasty (16441911) at the exhibit preview of Emperors' Treasures on Wednesday in Houston. MAY ZHOU / CHINA DAILY The exhibition feature a selection of paintings, calligraphy, bronzes and decorative arts collected by eight emperors and one empress who ruled between the early 12th century Song Dynasty and the early 20th century Qing Dynasty. Gary Tinterow, director of the MFAH, recalled his visit to Taiwan three years ago with the goal of securing a promise to exhibit the palace art in Houston. "We are grateful to the National Palace Museum, Taipei. It has some 600,000 objects, all coming from imperial collections once housed in the imperial palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing. They are unmatched in rarity and scope. It's a tremendous gift for us to enjoy some of the pieces for the next three months," Tinterow said. Last time the artwork from the National Palace Museum visited the United States was in 1996, when an exhibit was held in New York and Washington. This year's exhibit was first held in San Francisco, and will visit Houston for the first time. Jasper Lin, director of National Palace Museum, said that the objects give audiences an idea of the artistic tastes of the nine imperial figures. Emperors' Treasures: Chinese Art From the National Palace Museum, Taipei, which opens this Sunday, features 160-plus art pieces for Houston audiences to enjoy until the end of January at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. MAY ZHOU / CHINA DAILY "They represent the history of Chinese art development. Different historical backgrounds and political and religious ideas are reflected in those art objects," commented Lin. Lin said that the Houston exhibit was extended for about a month until Chinese New Year. "It costs a lot of money for the art to travel to Houston. We hope to give people more time to enjoy them," Lin said. James Watt, curator emeritus and former chairman of Asian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is an organizing curator of this exhibition. "The artworks and objects displayed in Emperors' Treasures celebrate the cultural contributions of these significant imperial rulers, illustrating their roles as distinguished patrons of art, and often, as gifted artists." Watt said that the first exhibit of the imperial collections in the West was London in 1935. China's imminent war with Japan led to the cancellation of a US exhibit. "The London exhibition had a huge impact and inspired quite a few to become scholars studying Chinese art. One of them was William Willets. He was originally an engineer. He was so inspired by that exhibit that he went on to become a well-known Chinese art scholar. That exhibition produced a generation of Chinese art scholars," Watt said. In 1963, in appreciation of the US helping raise funds to build the National Palace Museum, some of the best pieces were exhibited in the US, said Watt. "It had a big impact in the US and inspired some of the best professors of Chinese art history, such as James Cahill. I hope this exhibit will bring similar inspiration to and have some impact on people in Houston." The Chinese community, led by Nancy Li and Anne Chao, has raised a significant amount of funds for this exhibition. "Since June, 19 business and community leaders in the steering committee worked tirelessly to exceed our original goal of fundraising. As a result, this special exhibition will be available to the audience without an extra fee. Visitors will only need pay the general admission fee to see it," said Li. Related events are planned by the museum, including the films A Touch of Zen; Dragon Inn; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; and The Last Emperor; art lectures by Watt and Amy Poster; gallery concerts, tours and family activities throughout the exhibition period. Tiffany Wang in Houston contributed to this story. SEOUL -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has test-fired a projectile, believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile, but it appeared to have failed, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday. The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) was quoted as saying that the DPRK launched what is believed to be a Musudan missile at about 7:00 a.m. local time (2200 GMT on Wednesday) near an airport in the country's northwestern North Pyongan province. The launch appeared to have failed, the JCS said without elaborating further. The failed launch came less than a week after the DPRK test-launched a Musudan missile from the same place last Saturday. The Oct. 16 launch ended in failure as the missile exploded soon after its liftoff. A session of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan has taken place in Tashkent. In the session, which was conducted by the chairman of the commission, M.Abdusalomov, representatives of political parties and mass media took part. In accordance with Article 241 of the law "On elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan" and Article 5 of the law "On the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan", the Central Electoral Commission examined political parties' applications and other documents submitted for participation in the presidential elections of the year 2016, and adopted a decision to allow the following parties to participate in the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan: the Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the movement of entrepreneurs and businessmen - the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan and the Adolat Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan. The Central Electoral Commission gave the authorised representatives of the political parties registration certificates and standard blank forms for lists of signatures. The session also looked at the issues of forming district electoral commissions for the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and approving their composition. The commission's members also discussed other issues relating to the preparation and conduct of the elections. Appropriate resolutions were adopted on all the considered issues. On the same day, a briefing took place for representatives of domestic and foreign media on the preparation and conduct of the electoral campaign for the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, M.Abdusalomov, noted that preparations for the elections were being made in strict conformity with the requirements of legislation and the main events programme for the preparation and conduct of the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The electoral campaign is gathering pace. The political parties taking part in the elections have been identified, and they have been given blank forms for lists of signatures. The political parties have the right to collect voters' signatures in support of candidates for President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at places of work, service, residence and at pre-election events. In line with changes made on December 29, 2015 to the law "On elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan" the number of signatures that lists from political parties should contain was lowered from 5 per cent to 1 per cent of the overall number of voters in the Republic of Uzbekistan, and it is 214 thousand 350 voters' signatures. These must be the signatures of voters of not fewer than 8 administrative-territorial units. At the same time, in one administrative-territorial unit political parties can collect not more than 8 per cent of all the signatures required. During the briefing, journalists were informed about the formation of district electoral commissions for the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Of the members of the district electoral commissions, 56.6 percent are members of the public who have practical experience of participation in the preparation and conduct of elections, 36.8 percent or 56 members of the commissions are women, and 12 of them are in the management of the electoral commissions. The entire electoral campaign is based on principles of openness and transparency. For these purposes, bilateral agreements were signed between the Central Electoral Commission and the National Tele-radio Company of Uzbekistan, the Uzbekistan National News Agency, the Jahon and Uzreport news agencies and the National Association of Electronic Mass Media. The Republican press centre is working. The Central Electoral Commission has already accredited about 400 representatives of foreign and domestic media. "Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan has accumulated a great experience of interaction with the media. The country has already approved the relevant laws and regulations governing the transparency of the electoral process and ensuring guarantees of electoral rights of citizens", - the author writes. Providing equal opportunities to candidates for the use of the media in the election campaign, bringing to the voters and the public of their programs, positions on further socio-political and economic advancement of Uzbekistan are indicated as the key factors in ensuring the transparency of the elections. The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan held its meeting October 13, 2016, in the format of videoconference, at the Republican Press Center for the coverage of presidential elections. The event was chaired by the head of the Commission Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov. Members of district electoral commissions for elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, representatives of political parties participating in the elections, as well as mass media took part in the meeting. The occasion participants discussed issues related to preparations for the forthcoming presidential ballot. Commission members deliberated on the plan of activities on the effective organization of the work of precinct election commissions for the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. During the meeting it was noted that the task of preparing for the elections and their proper conduct places greater responsibility on precinct electoral commissions. Therefore, the Central Election Commission, district electoral commissions and the Independent Institute for Monitoring the Formation of Civil Society intend to arrange training seminars aimed at bolstering the legal knowledge of the members of precinct electoral commissions and boost their skills in the effective organization of commission activities. Events are projected to be held in the format of national online seminar and as regional training workshops with the participation of members of precinct electoral commissions. Particular attention will be paid to such important aspects as the legal bases of activity of precinct election commissions, equipment of polling stations, register of voters and the procedure for making amendments and addenda to the organization of the process of early voting and casting ballot on the election day, the importance of the institution of observers, the role of the media to ensure openness and transparency of the electoral process. During the meeting the participants also deliberated on other issues relating to the competences of the Central Election Commission. Respective resolutions of the CEC have been passed on the issues discussed. RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian President Michel Temer decided on Wednesday to return from a trip to Japan, after a political ally, former Head of House Eduardo Cunha, was arrested. Though the presidential office did not clarify why Temer decided to do so, the announcement was made minutes after Cunha was arrested. Cunha is accused of taking massive bribes, trying to obstruct corruption investigations and laundering the bribe money in several accounts in Switzerland. The former congressman is a high-profile member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), which Temer also belongs to. Cunha is also regarded as the main political articulator of the impeachment of former president Dilma Rousseff. The former representative, expelled from congress in September, was regarded as one of the top influential people in Brazil's political arena. Chinese homebuyer shops for international home using VR. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Virtual reality technology has developed hugely in recent years and UK real estate agents are now using it to sell property to prospective Chinese buyers who want to invest without leaving their homes and offices. The technology lets clients-who include architects, property developers and real estate agencies-offer customers the chance to experience a potential new home as if they were really inside it. "Rather than buyers having to rely on 2D images, VR helps to inspire an emotional connection to a space, essential for those buying a home, and especially important for those buying from overseas," said Robert Kendal, CEO of Yulio Technologies, a Toronto-based virtual reality software company. VR's ability to provide such an experience of an overseas property means buyers can avoid early overseas travel to physically investigate options. Kendal thinks the technology, which can also give people an idea about properties that have not been built, is by far "the most powerful way of presenting a space to property buyers". During the last decade, China has become a major investment contributor to the overseas property market. According to Enviro Estates, a UK-based independent global real-estate company, Britain saw more than 8 billion pounds of investment from Chinese property buyers between 2013 and 2014. Many real-estate agents and property experts predict there will be a surge of interest from China and other Asian countries, from clients wanting to invest in Britain in the wake of a weak pound. James Dearsley, who specializes in property technology, agrees that the contribution of VR will only make it easier to connect Chinese buyers with UK real estate. "Traditionally, the nature of 'viewing trips' was popular, but VR offers the opportunity to alleviate the time-consuming nature of these," said Dearsley."Trips out are fundamentally inefficient, especially considering most buyers have little or no knowledge of the region they are buying in." Despite the fact that Chinese investors are increasingly looking to buy British property, industrial experts believe the number of people traveling overseas will decrease as travel for viewing purposes becomes less necessary. "Traveling abroad used to be critical for decision-making, but not anymore," added Eric Li, the China-based managing director of Goldmark Investment Group, a leading comprehensive property investment firm. Li noted that most of his clients have connections outside China, either children studying overseas or relatives living abroad. "When approaching us, most of them already show strong enough interest in investing overseas. Less and less of them rely on a physical trip to gather intelligence," he said. People use viewers to take a virtual tour of Jiuzhaigou National Park during an event at Edinburgh Zoo. The 72,000-hectare-park in China's Sichuan province is famed for its beauty and population of wild pandas. [KATIE PATON/RZSS] Visitors to Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo got to see far beyond the perimeter of the sprawling 33-hectare-site on Tuesday and Wednesday, with many traveling halfway around the world to China's stunningly beautiful Jiuzhaigou National Park. The virtual reality excursion was possible thanks to the Google Expeditions team, which was at the zoo for the event organized by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Other virtual tours took visitors to the Amazon Rainforest, Madagascar and Antarctica. The technology that made the international trips possible was recently demonstrated at the Scottish Learning Festival. Jiuzhaigou National Park, which translates as the Nine Village Valley Park, is an area of outstanding natural beauty in the north of China's Sichuan province. The 72,000-hectare-park is famed for its multi-level waterfalls, brightly colored lakes and snow-capped mountains and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. It has been a national park since 1982. Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web (Photo : YouTube) The very first car Honda sold in the United States was the N600. Advertisement The very first car Honda ever sold in the United States was the N600. Dubbed as the Serial One, the car was left by its owner to rust in a garage. Due to its sentimental value for the Japanese car company, Honda tapped an expert in restoring cars to breathe new life into the Serial One. Serial One is the nickname Honda bestowed to the N600. It first arrived on U.S. soil back in 1969. The hatchback has a 0.6-liter two cylinder engine and can max its rev power to an impressive 9,000 revolutions per minute. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Honda only brought a handful of the N600 into the U.S. market, probably just to gauge customer demand. The Honda N600 is billed as an economy car, and this is probably one of the reasons why its owner decided to leave a piece of history to rot in a garage, according to CNet. As part of Honda's restoration campaign, the company release a collection of documentaries on video sharing website YouTube. The videos were also shared on a dedicated website created specifically for the Serial One. The man in charge of restoring the Serial One to its original facade is notable restoration expert Tim Mings. Car enthusiasts have no debate over Honda's choice as Mings is considered one of the many experts when it comes to Serial One cars. Ming labored on the Serial One for more than a year to restore it to a factor-fresh condition. Now that the restoration is complete/ Honda celebrated the event by posting one last video in the cars documentary series. Advertisement TagsHonda, honda n600, serial one, honda serial one, n600 serial one, honda restoration (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Google is set to release an update for Chrome that will make the browser use up lesser memory space. Advertisement Google has announced that it is bringing its experimental browser project into the mobile platform, specifically for its Android mobile operating system. The American tech giant revealed via its official blog that it will start offering Chrome Canary for Android to interested users. This experimental browser allows users to try new mobile browsing features before it gets rolled out in the beta community. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Just like the Canary channel for other platforms, new versions are built from the most recent code available and often contain a variety of new features, enhancements, and bug fixes," Google wrote. Engadget reported that amid the fact that it sounds like an interesting idea, some tech experts were somehow skeptic. Accordingly, they have warned that using Canary is a bit of a gamble. Since Google automatically posts updated versions of the browser every weekday without any human testing, there is no guarantee that such features will work. Meanwhile, it was noted that before becoming available for the Android mobile platform, Google Chrome Canary has only been available for the Windows and Mac operating systems. Even popular Linux desktop distros are not supported. Google said the Chrome Canary, whose current build of the browser is version 56.0.2891.8, is now available for download from the Play Store. While there are no noticeable changes compared to the Dev release, some users, as well as tech enthusiasts, are eager to try or spot new features prior to their availability to the general public. Google Chrome Canary is a good way to experiment with the popular web browser. Moreover, it does not require users to uninstall their current version of Google Chrome to make way for the Canary version. Both versions can run autonomously from each other. Advertisement TagsGoogle, Google Chrome, chrome canary, google chrome canary, Android, chrome canary android (Photo : YouTube) Sony announced that the Xperia Ear is now available for pre-online through supported online retailers. Advertisement Recently, Sony has announced that the Xperia Ear is now available for pre-online through supported online retailers. Sony first revealed the Xperia Ear smart personal assistant at the Mobile World Congress back in February. Xperia Ear is powered by Sony's Agent Technology platform. Although, many tech analysts believe Sony's platform is not yet as sophisticated as Apple's Siri or Google Assistant. However, they say the plaform is still developing. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Just like most smart digital assistants, Sony's Xperia Ear allows users to receive notification and read out messages, even those from the instant messaging apps, according to Slash Gear. The Xperia Ear allows users to respond to those messages. The device also informs user of their daily schedule, the weather, and latest news. Like most smart digital assistants, users can easily ask for help from Xperia Ear through voice communication. What separates Xperia Ear from most smart digital assistant is its hardware. Unlike Siri and Google Assistant which are embedded into a smartphone, Xperia Ear is a mono earpiece which can be connected to a supported smartphone via Bluetooth. The earpiece can also double as a headphone. While the Xperia Ear does look nice on paper, it carries quite a hefty price tag. The device costs $220 and it is currently available for pre-order on Sony's online marketplace. Sony would start shipping the Xperia Ear by mid-November. Advertisement Tagssony, Xperia, xperia ear, digital assistant, smart digital assitant, xperia ear price, xperia ear preorder Cote d'Ivoire will start their defense of the Africa Cup of Nations against Togo in January, according to the draw made Wednesday.Cote d'Ivoire, who beat Ghana on penalties in the 2015 final, are in Group C against Togo, Morocco and Democratic Republic of Congo.Hosts Gabon will stage the opening match in Libreville on January 14 against Group A opponents Guinea-Bissau who make their first appearance in the 16-nation tournament.Cameroon and Burkina Faso are also in the group.The other group favourites, Algeria and Ghana start against Zimbabwe and Uganda respectively.Algeria have the toughest first round task in Group B where they must also take on Tunisia and Senegal for one of the two qualifying places for the quarter-finals.Ghana are the team to beat in Group D. Apart from Uganda, they will take on Egypt, making their return to the contest after missing three finals, and Mali.The final is in Libreville on February 5. (Photo : USAF) The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a monster in size with a length of 15 meters and a wingspan of 40 meters. (Photo : Google Maps) Flight path of the RQ-4B posted on the internet. Advertisement Russia is making very loud and angry noises against a mission carried out by a U.S. Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that overflew eastern Ukraine with that country's permission, despite the UAV turning on its transponder so it could be tracked by anyone, even civilians using the internet. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Using state run media and media allies, Russia claims the RQ-4 flew close to the Crimea, which it illegally seized from Ukraine in early 2014, when the UAV did no such thing, as can be seen from its flight path posted on the internet. RQ-4s flying over friendly Ukraine are nothing new; the U.S. has been doing this since 2014 with Kyiv's permission. But this mission last Oct. 15 has received unusual attention from Russian media at a time when speculations abound a Putin offensive to seize eastern Ukraine is a definite. The Russian people are also being incited to support the upcoming military action with warnings to prepare for the worst, even a nuclear war over eastern Ukraine Russia claims to own. One important missing piece is a "casus belli" to legitimize Russia's formal entry into the war against Ukraine. The Russians said the drone's 300 kilometer field of view would have easily allowed it to observe eastern Ukraine, including areas of Donbass, where Ukrainian and pro-Russian militia have maintained a ceasefire. One Russian analyst said the drone's mission was "to find the location, operating conditions and emission characteristics of radar air defense systems" because of the route it took. He also said turning off the drone's transponder was a ruse used by the Americans to claim "the drone was carrying out its monitoring mission legally -- in the framework of agreements with Ukraine, and without violating Russian airspace." Another said Russia is now seeing an increase in reconnaissance drone flights because of an increase in the budget of the United States European Command. A large part of this boost "was also committed to intelligence-gathering." "The Pentagon is actively monitoring where certain units are stationed in Crimea and southern Russia, as well as the disposition of DPR and LPR militia in southeast Ukraine," said this analyst. DPR stands for the Donetsk People's Republic, a self-proclaimed state in the Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine created by Russia to rule that part of eastern Ukraine it seized in 2014 and 20115. LPR is the Luhansk People's Republic, a self-proclaimed state in eastern Ukraine bordering the Russian Federation created from territory seized by Russia from the Ukraine. The U.S. is sharing intelligence collected by its UAVs with Ukraine, claimed the same analyst, who also said the U.S. does so to provoke Ukraine into taking military action against the DPR and the LPR. Another military analyst said that from a strategic perspective, "using a drone for reconnaissance on the location of DPR and LPR units is overkill ... Such a flight would be justified only in one case -- if the U.S. very needed to know something urgently, because otherwise satellite intelligence flies over the area every day." Advertisement TagsUkraine, Crimea, Russia, RQ-4B Global Hawk, unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, U.S. Air Force (Photo : Russian Navy) K-322 Kashalot Advertisement News of India's decision to lease a second Project 971 Akula I-class nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia comes only a few days after Pakistan signed a deal to acquire eight S20 diesel-electric attack submarines from China. The underwater arms race between the two rivals shows no signs of slackening as India will likely lease as third Akula I-class sub (this one an improved version) that will join the Indian Navy in the early 2020s. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The acquisition of both these Akula-I class boats in addition to the INS Chakra, an Akula II-class sub that joined the Indian Navy in 2012, will give India a qualitative advantage over Pakistan, which operates no nuclear powered attack submarines (SSN). SSNs can operate far longer, dive far deeper and are quieter than conventional diesel-electric subs such as the S20-class Pakistan recently bought from China. Indian media said the deal to lease the second Akula-class boat was reached during the 17th annual India-Russia bilateral summit at the western Indian state Goa last Oct. 15. The deal will cost India $2 billion. Russian media revealed the agreement, saying a source at the Russian Federation's Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed "the long-discussed lease to transfer a multipurpose Project 971 nuclear submarine to India from the Russian Navy was signed in Goa." The Akula I-class submarine expected to arrive in India in 2018 has been identified as the K-322 Kashalot (Sperm Whale), one of only three operational Akula I-class subs in the Russian Navy. The Kashalot is 28 years-old and is considered obsolete by the Russian Navy. The Kashalot served with the Russian Pacific Fleet before being retired from active service to undergo overhaul and modernization. She was laid down in September 1986 and commissioned in December 1988. There were originally seven Akula-1 subs commissioned into the Russian Navy from 1984 to 1990. India began negotiations with Russia to lease the K-322 in January 2015. Under the contract, Russia will modernize the Kashalot in accordance with the requirements of the Indian Navy. Work will take place at the Amur Shipyard, which is where the K-322 is right now. Russian media said India wants to lease the sub for 10 years and will have the option to buy it afterwards. The K-322 is armed with torpedoes and cruise missiles. It has a displacement of 12,770 tons submerged and a submerged speed of 65 km/h. The third Akula-class boat India plans to lease has been identified as the Irbis (no hull number) an improved Akula-I. Construction of the boat was stopped when she was 60% complete. She will be completed prior to joining the Indian Navy. Advertisement TagsProject 971 Akula I-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, Indian Navy, India, INS Chakra, Pakistan, K-322 Kashalot (Sperm Whale), Irbis (Photo : Getty Images) India and China on Wednesday conducted a joint military exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. Advertisement India and China on Wednesday conducted a joint military exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. The day-long exercise focused on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief, in which a fictitious scenario of earthquake striking an Indian Border village was emulated, an official statement said. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The statement described the exercise as part of an "ongoing initiative to enhance interaction and cooperation between India and China." It further added that it boosted "trust and cooperation between the two border guarding forces along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh." The recent army exercise was a sequel to the first Joint Exercise held on February 6 in the Border Personnel Meeting Hut at Chushul Garrison of Eastern Ladakh together with Chinese troops of Moldo Garrison. The first exercise in February was held in the Chinese side, and this time, they opt for the Indian side along the line of Actual Control, Times of India reported citing sources familiar with the matter. The second such exercise to be held by the two nations, the joint exercised called "Sino Indian Cooperation 2016" was held under the provisions of Border Defense Cooperation Agreement, 2013, according to Economic Times. Leading the Indian team is Brigadier R S Raman, while the head of the Chinese team is Sr Col Fan Jun. Describing the exercise as a great success, the official statement said it 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 exercise complements the Hand in Hand series of the India-China joint exercises and the effort of both countries to promote peace and cooperation along border areas. Advertisement TagsIndia, china, joint military exercise, India and China border, India China Military Exercise 2016 (Photo : Getty Images) A member of the Malaysian Navy makes a call as their ship approaches a ship belonging to the Chinese Coast Guard during an exchange of communication in the South China Sea on March 15, 2014 in Kuantan, Malaysia. Advertisement China will reportedly consider giving Filipino fishermen conditional access to South China Sea after the countries' leaders meet in Beijing this week, two insiders with knowledge about the matter told Reuters. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Everybody can go, but there will be conditions," one of the Chinese sources said, referring to both Chinese and Filipino fishermen. "The two countries would have to form working groups to iron out details," the source said when asked what these conditions are. The sources further refused to say what China would demand from the Philippines in exchange for the fishing concession. "It will be a return to the Arroyo days," the second Chinese source said. It can be recalled that during the reign of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo between 2001 and 2010, fishermen from both countries were given access to fish in the Scarborough Shoal. Should all of these are true, Reuters noted that the fishery cooperation would be one of the broad framework agreements the two nations would sign during Duterte's visit in China. On the other hand, when prompted for a comment about the news, the Philippine foreign ministry said it had "no comment at this time." Before leaving the country for China, Duterte said he would raise the Hague ruling and said he will not give up any sovereignty. Meanwhile, Lu Xiang, an international relations expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said China aims to jointly develop resources in the South China Sea with its neighbors. However, when asked what China would want in exchange for any concession, Lu answered: "Disputes with any neighbor are not conducive for China. We need a better external environment." Advertisement Tagschina, Philippines, South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea Dispute, south china sea news (Photo : getty images.) China on Wednesday criticized Japans decision to withhold its funding to a UNESCO Program for apparently including documents on the infamous 1937 Nanjing Massacre. Advertisement China on Wednesday criticized Japan's decision to withhold its funding to a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization program for apparently including documents on the infamous 1937 Nanjing Massacre. Beijing has reportedly described the decision as an "irresponsible act." Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "What Japan has said and done once again lays bare their wrong attitude of not acknowledging history," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a news briefing. "Not paying fees to UNESCO to exert pressure is irresponsible. They will not achieve their aims." Hua added that the Nanjing Massacre was a serious war crime and a historical reality acknowledged by many international community. UNESCO established the "Memory of the World" program in 1992 to safeguard the important historical documents and materials. It announced to include materials about the Nanjing massacre in its program last year, much to the dismay of Japan. Tokyo immediately protested the move, raising doubts over authenticity of the Nanjing Massacre documents handed over by the Chinese organization. It called for fair and transparent enquiry to validate the authenticity of such. The Nanjing Massacre continues to cast shadow on the bilateral relations between Japan and China, with the latter accusing Tokyo of not acknowledging its wartime aggressions. Beijing alleged that Japanese troops killed nearly 300,000 Chinese citizens in 1937 in then capital city of Nanjing. An international tribunal had put the death figure to 142,000. However, Japan has always raised questions over these death numbers. Several Japanese politicians and scholars have accused China of exaggerating these numbers, while many have claimed that the massacre never happened at all. Advertisement TagsNanjing Massacre, Japan, Japan and China, UNESCO (Photo : Getty Images) President Xi and Philippine President Duterte walk on a red carpet. Advertisement Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday in what political analysts said was part of Manila's charm offensive aimed at securing trade and investment deals from the world's second largest economy. Duterte was given the red carpet welcome by President Xi, who also greeted him with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement In the weeks ahead of his trip, Duterte said that he would not raise the South China Sea dispute between the two countries during the joint talks saying that he would wait for President Xi to mention it first before he responds. Estrangement The Philippine leader said talks on the South China Sea dispute would "take a backseat" and that there would be a "proper time" to discuss the sovereignty of the disputed sea. President Xi said that he hopes that Duterte's "milestone" visit to China can help restore the ties between both nations fully after years of estrangement due to their maritime conflict. Xi told Duterte that Manila and Beijing are 'brothers," and that the two sides could very well manage their dispute. "I wish we follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push Sino-Philippine relations back to when they were close friends," he said. Xi's comment was reportedly the first and only remark he made regarding the South China Sea dispute in front of reporters and the media. Not the proper time "This is not the proper time to discuss the South China Sea dispute. If President Xi brings up the maritime dispute during our talks, then that would be the only time I would raise our maritime claims in the South China Sea," Duterte said during a press conference. The Philippine leader said his trip to China is geared towards restoring ties with Beijing after years of hostilities between the two sides after Manila's filed a case with a Hague-based tribunal over the South China Sea dispute. Although Duterte said the visit is aimed at improving ties with Beijing, he also voiced hopes that Manila could secure much-needed investment on infrastructure and other projects from Beijing. 20 MOU Chinese officials said more than 20 memoranda of understanding (MOU), mostly on economic cooperation, are slated to be signed by the two sides on Thursday following Duterte's announcement that Manila is establishing a new commercial alliance with Beijing. In a separate interview, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing was pleased about Duterte's plans to use dialogue and consultation to resolve the maritime dispute between both nations. "This is how two friendly neighbours should treat each other," she said. "We have our own judgment on who is our friend, and we know what issues we can handle in a way like between friends." More than 300 business executives have traveled with Duterte on his four-day visit to Beijing hoping to strike a multi-billion dollar business deals. Already, the state-owned China Rail Group has offered US$3 billion to fund Manila's infrastructure projects through investment and soft loans. Advertisement TagsPresident Duterte, President Xi Jinping, MOU, China visit, South China Sea, brothers, china (Photo : YouTube Screenshot) GNC Holdings Inc. has reportedly met with Chinese buyers in recent weeks for a potential buyout that could be valued up to $4 billion including debt. Advertisement GNC Holdings Inc. has reportedly met with Chinese buyers in recent weeks for a potential buyout that could be valued up to $4 billion including debt, The Wall Street Journal reported citing sources with knowledge about the matter said. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The company's market is roughly estimated at $1.3 billion and its debt is nearly valued at $1.6 billion. GNC Holdings' Chinese suitors include Shanghai-based Fosun Group, investment firm ZZ Capital International, and several other Chinese pharmaceutical companies, the sources said. It is not clear if the interest would likely end up in bids for GNC, according to the Wall Street Journal. When asked for a comment, GNC told CNBC that the company "does not comment on rumors or market speculation." GNC, which sells vitamins and herbal supplements, has more than 9,000 stores across the globe. Despite opening only eight branches in China since it entered five years ago, it has become one of the top sellers on China's online shopping sites including Alibaba's T-mall and its rival JD.com. Although GNC's international business suffered a 4.6 percent drop to $79.9 million this year through June, its $3.5 million sale increase in its China business somehow alleviated the decrease. Meanwhile, shares of GNC Holdings jumped to as much as 8 percent in early trading Wednesday following reports of a Chinese buyout, the Business Insider reported. If the deal materializes, this would become the biggest Chinese deal in the nutrition sector since June, when China's Xiwang Foodstuffs acquired Iovate Health Sciences International for $730 million, the CNBC reported. Advertisement TagsAcquisition, merger and acquisition, GNC, GNC Holdings, GNC China, GNC Buyout, Fosun Group, ZZ Capital (Photo : Pixabay) Volkswagen's Phideon is priced at nearly $53,273. Advertisement Volkswagen will unveil its new top-end car model later this week. The model has been developed exclusively for the Chinese market. The new car called Phideon has the trappings of a luxury car. Volkswagen is looking to capitalize on the latest trend of subdued luxury in the Chinese economy. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Phideon was displayed by the company at a media event in Shanghai. It was placed alongside luxury cars such as Audi's A6 sedan, Daimler's Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and BMW 5 Series. Holger Santel, vice president of sales for SAIC Volkswagen, said that consumers are now shying away from flashy cars and do not want to show off. Volkswagen has ruled Shanghai's taxi market for quite some time. With Phideon, the company is looking to capitalize on quality rather than quantity. It does not plan to offer any discounts to push sales volumes. This is the second flagship sedan model for Volkswagen. Earlier it had put Phaeton on the market. However, the model failed to meet its sales targets and was discontinued earlier this year. Phideon is priced at nearly $53,273, making it a little more expensive than Ford's Taurus. The car comes with a 2.0-litre TSI unit, while its premium version is equipped with a V6 petrol engine of 295hp. Phideon is developed for the Chinese market. However, the company said that it is not averse to the idea of exporting the cars to other regions. Advertisement Tagsvolkswagen, BMW, Mercedes (Photo : US Navy) USS Sampson Advertisement The 32 year-old military estrangement between New Zealand and the United States takes a brief pause this November with the first visit of a U.S. Navy warship that New Zealand is certain isn't armed with any nuclear weapons. The goodwill visit of the USS Sampson (DDG-102), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, coincides with celebrations marking the Royal New Zealand Navy's 75th anniversary. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said he had given clearance for the Sampson to visit and was certain the Sampson has no nuclear weapons on board. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "I think it's a sign of the fact that the relationship between New Zealand and the United States is truly in the best shape it's been since the anti-nuclear legislation was passed," said Key. "All of those last vestiges of the dispute that we had have really been put to one side." The Sampson's visit is a pleasant interregnum to the over three decades-long misunderstanding between both nations triggered in 1984 when the government of then Prime Minister David Lange barred nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships from using New Zealand ports or entering New Zealand waters under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act. This law declared the territorial sea, land and airspace of New Zealand nuclear-free zones. New Zealand's anti-nuclear campaign is the only successful movement of its type in the world that resulted in the nation's nuclear-weapon-free zone status being enshrined in legislation. The U.S. responded to the law by downgrading its military ties with New Zealand The Sampson's visit is symbolic in that it's the first by a U.S. Navy warship since 1984 and could signal more warship visits, and closer military cooperation with the Royal New Zealand Navy, in the years ahead. Re-forging military links with small but militarily powerful New Zealand is vital to the U.S. Pivot to East Asia Regional Strategy of President Barack Obama adopted in 2012. The U.S. considers New Zealand part of East Asia. Among the key areas of action in this pivot are strengthening bilateral security alliances; forging a broad-based military presence and advancing democracy and human rights. Advertisement TagsUSS Sampson, new zealand, Prime Minister John Key, New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act, U.S. Navy, Pivot to East Asia Regional Strategy Presbyterians support black reparations, free education, income guarantees 20 October, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Christian Examiner) The Presbyterian Church (USA), which has been hemorrhaging members since it began pressing for gay clergy and same-sex marriage almost a decade ago, is now aligning itself with a radical "social justice" group which demands the government pay reparations to all blacks in the form of free education and income. On Oct. 19, the denomination's news service reported that the church's Israel/Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) endorsed the platform of the group calling itself the Movement for Black Lives (MBL). IPMN itself is a social justice organization. Its chief spokesman, Bob Ross, associate professor of global cultural studies at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has written on the growth of "U.S. Imperialism" in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. He said IPMN endorsed MBL because the struggle blacks in America face is the same as the struggle the Palestinians face for liberation from Israel. "These justice struggles are linked in that the people of Palestine are in solidarity with black people in America struggling for freedom, justice and equality," Ross said. "The black struggle and the Palestinian struggle for justice are not just parallels, but they're struggles where there is an exchange of ideas." These justice struggles are linked in that the people of Palestine are in solidarity with black people in America struggling for freedom, justice and equality," Ross said. "The black struggle and the Palestinian struggle for justice are not just parallels, but they're struggles where there is an exchange of ideas. IPMN is also the organization behind the the PCUSA's anti-Israel BDS (boycott, sanction and divest) movement. That movement wants to remove investments in companies that do business in and with Israel from the PCUSA's retirement funds. According to the denomination, the new endorsement expresses unity between the Palestinian and the social justice movement for blacks in America. "We cannot, therefore, continue to call for a just peace in Israel/Palestine without also working in solidarity with black people in America toward justice and liberation," Ross said. "For quite some time now we've felt as Christians, in general, but as Christians working for justice in particular, we can't limit ourselves to one place or one issue or one set of people. We need to keep our eyes and hearts open to other justice struggles around the world and here in the U.S." The Movement for Black Lives is not "Black Lives Matter," but there is little distinguishing the two. Though it is more academic and refined in its packaging, its platform, in fact, was written with the assistance of more than 25 racial and social justice groups, including Black Lives Matter Network. Its platform calls for an end to violence against blacks though not for an end to black on black crime like the epidemic plaguing Chicago, Baltimore and Detroit but an invest-divest strategy that punishes companies that won't align with the black social justice movement, black control of black communities and special political powers for blacks. In its platform on ending violence against blacks, the MBL calls for an end to the prison system, the use of money for bail, the death penalty, the "mass surveillance of black communities," and for an end to "the war on black trans, queer and gender nonconforming people." The group also calls for the federalizing of all law enforcement and an end to private education. One of the most controversial planks in the platform is that of reparations for "past and continuing harms." Those payments to blacks, according to the MBL, should include "full and free access for all black people (including undocumented and currently and formerly incarcerated people) to lifetime education." Costs for education, incurred through student loans, should be reimbursed to blacks, even retroactively, the group claims. Blacks should also be provided with a "guaranteed minimum livable income," according to the MBL. The endorsement and the "intersectionality" of the black and Palestinian social justice movements will be discussed at IPMN's annual meeting Oct. 27-29 at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. However, an alignment of the church with both the pro-Palestinian and violence-laden black "social justice" movement is likely to drive conservatives further away from the church. Many may have already left. Since the PCUSA approved the ordination of openly-gay ministers in 2011, the denomination has fractured. In 2005, the PCUSA reported its membership rolls at 2.3 million. That number dropped to 2.1 million by 2008 and 1.9 million by 2011 when the group began allowing the ordination of homosexuals. By 2014, the denomination had declined to 1.6 million. Thousands of children in the west African nation of Niger are suffering from severe malnutrition and lack of clean water. ChristianToday.com cites a report from the World Food Prgram, which states that 44 percent of children in Niger suffer from malnutritition. Christian relief organization World Vision is helping families in Niger communities get access to enough food and clean water. Faiycal is one such boy living in Niger suffering from malnutrition. He shared his heartbreaking story: "The pain was so intense that I was afraid I would die," he saaid, speaking of the many years he struggled with sickness and malnutrition. "I would throw myself on the ground and cry non-stop, that's how difficult it was for me to deal with my body's aches." Now, however, with World Visions help, Faiycal and his family have a farm where they can grow food and Faiycal is well enough to go to school. "When I get home, I often eat the crops that my mother has farmed. We have onions, maize, tomatoes and peanuts that we have grown with the seeds that we received. We also have a borehole with clean water, so I'm not afraid of getting ill either, he said. Faiycal still bears the marks of malnutrition, however. He is 14 years old, but looks much younger and his growth has been stunted. Niger is a poor country and many men leave their families to look for work elsewhere. Although organizations such as World Vision have helped many families and communities, many more children are still in need of help. Publication date: October 20, 2016 News / National by Stephen Jakes A two year old child in Highfields Harare is lucky to be alive after touching live electricity cables amid revelations the residents were now blaming the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority for failing to insulate the cables placing lives of the residents in danger.This was revealed by the Harare Residents Trust."A two year old child touched a ZESA box with live cables on the ground at number 8649 Highfield Paradise. The child is suffering from burnt hands due to the accident. The cables are open and live on the ground. After the incident residents had to close the electric box with stones," said the trust.The trust said ZESA should ensure that live cables are not exposed as they endanger lives. The approval of a UNESCO resolution calling Israel an occupying power in Jerusalem and demanding that it rescind control over the Temple Mount is but the latest foolish and ill-advised attempt by Israels critics in the United Nations to erase Jews from their own history. Indeed, erasing Jews has a very long history. Too many of the 24 countries that voted for UNESCOs resolution are places where Jews have lived for centuries before being murdered, or forced to flee, many to Israel. In recent memory, Jews were erased from countless towns and villages across Europe, first through the use of pogroms in czarist Russia, then by the Nazis and their accomplices. Jewish communities across North Africa and the Middle East were wiped out after that. All that remains in these places are the hulks of Jewish buildings and many, many graves. Responding to this UNESCO vote, Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, invoked the ultimate symbol of Jewish exile, the Arch of Titus in Rome: Engraved in the Arch of Titus you can see the seven-branched Menorah, which was and remains a symbol of the Jewish people and is also a symbol of todays Jewish state, he said. Soon UNESCO will say that the Emperor Titus was in the business of Zionist propaganda. Netanyahus description is quite accurate. There is no historical basis for ignoring the Jewish presence in Jerusalem. Literary sources, from the New Testament to the historian Josephus to the Talmud and the hadith, attest to this reality. Moreover, there are the archaeological remains of Jewish Jerusalem before Titus destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in the year 70. It was the largest temple compound in the Roman world, and its remains are still monumental. The Arch of Titus menorah, the best-known artifact taken from the Jerusalem Temple by Titus legions and memorialized on his triumphal arch a decade later, was chosen early on as a symbol for modern Israel precisely because its connection with Judaism was apparent to all. For two millennia Jews looked to the Arch of Titus menorah carried into exile in Rome and saw the ghastly image of their own exile from Jerusalem their own erasure from the holy city. As one ancient poet mourned, invoking the menorah: the lamps of Zion have been extinguished. After modern massacres and exiles of incomprehensible cruelty, Jews confronted with the reality of genocide and ethnic cleansing undertook to use the tools of modern nationalism to return to their ancestral land. Almost naturally, the Arch of Titus menorah was chosen to illuminate the way. The modern rivalry over Jerusalem that ensued has been an intense one, and the vortex of this conflict has been the Western Wall and the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. International leaders have struggled to find a way to satisfy the deeply felt attachments of both Jews and Muslims to this holy place, but with little success. Repeatedly, UNESCO member states have chosen to erase the claims of Jews and to give precedence to rather extreme Muslim claims. What this means, of course, is that UNESCO states, some of which successfully erased Jews from their territories through physical extermination during the 20th century, are once again trying to do so with vitriolic rhetoric. But the historically fallacious erasure of Jews and Judaism from the Western Wall and the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif is no answer to the problems of Jerusalem. In fact, it is deeply destructive to both sides. It breeds distrust in Jews and is false comfort for those who prefer that Israel disappear. Such one-sided acts only make this tragic conflict worse, energizing the claims and apocalyptic dreams of fanatics on both sides. The peace of Jerusalem for which all of us Muslims, Christians and Jews pray is an elusive one. A satisfactory (albeit never perfect) solution lies in mutual recognition that all three of the Abrahamic religions are at home in the holy city. One-sided international pronouncements are no answer. Jerusalem and all who love her deserve better. Steven Fine is the Dean Pinkhos Churgin Professor of Jewish History and director of the Center for Israel Studies at Yeshiva University in New York City, and author of The Menorah: From the Bible to Modern Israel Courtesy: Religion News Service Photo: The Arch of Titus menorah Photo courtesy: Steerpike via Wikimedia Commons Publication date: October 20, 2016 The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) apologized for the police's lack of initiative in building trust between the police and minority communities and the "historical mistreatment" of racial minorities. President of IACP, Terrence Cunningham, was speaking at the group's annual conference at San Diego on Monday. The group was formed in 1893, and has over 20,000 members around the world. It is one of the most respected law enforcement associations in the country. Cunningham said the trust between the communities can be built if the police officers take up their responsibility "to acknowledge and apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in society's historical mistreatment of communities of color." His admission comes after a spate of recent incidents in which minority civilians were shot by police officers. The shootings led to mistrust between police and African-American people, and provoked riots in many cities. In Tulsa, where a church member Terence Cunningham was shot, the city responded by uniting in prayers and inter-community fellowship. Residents of the city came together in worship, and shared their concerns with each other while voicing their opinion on a common platform. Cunningham reiterated that since the past cannot be changed, they must work to change the future. "While we obviously cannot change the past, it is clear that we must change the future. We must move forward together to build a shared understanding. We must forge a path that allows us to move beyond our history and identify common solutions to better protect our communities," he said. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who was also present at the conference, said that in 2017 the department will start collecting data on the use of force by the police officers, though the project was in "preliminary" stages. After the speech, Cunningham wrote in an email to The Washington Post that the police must take an initiative to build trust between the police and the communities at grass-roots level for a better future. "Communities and law enforcement need to begin a healing process and this is a bridge to begin that dialogue. If we are brave enough to collectively deliver this message, we will build a better and safer future for our communities and our law enforcement officers. Too many lives have been lost already, and this must end. It is my hope that many other law enforcement executives will deliver this same message to their local communities, particularly those segments of their communities that lack trust and feel disenfranchised," he said. As I write this, were less than 20 days from Election Day 2016. A great deal is at stake. It matters, doesnt it, what we do with our minds and our hearts during this time? So why bother with movies? What film could possibly make a difference? Last week, I invited readers to watch a documentary that does, I believe, matter. This week, my recommendation is a murder mysteryone that a 2012 survey of film critics declared to be the greatest film of all time. Vertigo? That creepy Alfred Hitchcock movie? The one that makes us so uncomfortable we want to throw things at the screen? Hear me out. Vertigo seems familiar at first: A suave and sexy detective on the verge of retirement is persuaded to investigate one last case. Detective Ferguson begins following a mysterious and meandering woman to answer her husbands questions. Madeline becomes his most confounding mystery. The more he shadows her around San Francisco, the more obsessed he becomes. And as her mysteries prove unsolvable, he grows desperate to possess and control her. Then, he loses her. Devastated, his ego shaken, his appetites unsatisfied, Ferguson falls into a funk. He wants back what never belonged to him in the first place. He meets Judy, who bears a suspicious resemblance to Madeleine. Despite her protests, he molds her into the image of his lost ideal. Were dismayed by how he charms her, traps her, exploits her. How could this archetypal American heroone played by Jimmy Stewart, no less!morph into such a misogynist? The way that Vertigo shifts our sympathies from the detective to his victim convinces me that its as timely as ever. Oceans of ink have been spilled in the last few weeks on ... 1 After 21 years, Books & Culture will cease publication after the release of its November/December 2016 issue. "Publishing print in a digital age is hard. Publishing print that is thoughtful is even harder, writes Christianity Today president and CEO Harold Smith in the last issue. And as a result, all that red ink has sadly forced Christianity Today to end the exceptional run of this outstanding Christian thought journal with this issue." When Christianity Today created B&C in 1995, some people thought Books and Culture was going to be sort of a culture war vehicle, like Chuck Colson but a little more intellectual, said John Wilson, the first and only editor of the publication. I honestly think that if it had been like that it would have been more financially viable, but that wasnt the intention from the outset, Wilson said. We werent a movement magazine. B&C co-chair Mark Noll helped start the publication in 1994, the same year his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind was released. Im quite depressed about the state of the world as is reflected in its closing, said Noll, a history professor at Notre Dame University, who believes the magazine thrived because of Wilsons vision and expertise. Johns singular ability in an age of polemics and partisanship and gotcha-journalism was to emphasize the long-term, to be thoughtful rather than reactive, to try to bring insight rather than onslaught, Noll said. Noll and Wilson join Mark and Morgan to discuss where B&Cs departure leaves the evangelical intellectual world, the specific conditions that made the publication possible, and how ... 1 Highest total since 1999 comes as federal judges rule against state attempts to ban Syrian refugees. | Syrian refugees at a camp in northern Iraq. Last month, World Relief nearly doubled the number of refugees it resettles in the United States in a typical month. In the past 12 months, the evangelical agency handled a caseload of 9,759 refugeesits largest total since 1999. The task set before us last month was nothing short of monumental, stated president Scott Arbeiter. But the work our dedicated staff and volunteers have accomplished has been equally impressive. The milestone comes at the same time as major setbacks to the effort to ban Syrian refugee resettlement in Indiana and Texas. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court found the Syrian refugee ban by Indiana governor and GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence was based on a nightmare scenario of Syrian terrorists posing as refugees to gain US entry. No evidence of this belief has been presented, wrote judge Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Four days later, Texass attorney general dropped the states appeal of a federal court decision, preventing Texas from banning resettlement of refugees from Syria inside state borders. Through its 26 offices and its local church networks, World Relief resettled 1,400 refugees in September. The agency supports federal plans to increase the rate of resettlement of refugees by nearly 30 percent next year. [We are] prepared to continue meeting the increased need into the next year by providing resettlement assistance to some of the worlds most vulnerable people, Arbeiter stated. The Obama administrations 2017 plan calls for the resettlement of 110,000 refugeesincluding 13,000 Syriansacross all 50 states. The 1980 Refugee Act authorizes the ... 'Defending Truth' Conference to Help Christians Reach Others and Defend Their Faith NASHVILLE, Oct. 20, 2016 / Presented by NRBTV and Together, these Christian leaders will help attendees to explore the important questions about life and the believer's response to the definition of marriage, abortion, creation/evolution debate, radical Islam, politics, and religious liberties. "Today's culture is inundated with worldly views and is becoming less accepting of Christian teachings and values," says Miller, President & CEO of the NRBTV, which is presenting the fourth annual conference. "Now it is more important than ever for Christians to know what we believe and be able to effectively communicate our faith," he adds. For more information or to register, visit ABOUT NRBTV NRBTV a Christian TV channel headquartered in Nashville, TN, and seen nationwide on DIRECTV channel 378 and select broadcast affiliates. The channel is also streamed worldwide on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV (4th gen) streaming players, via a free mobile app, and online streaming. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, NRBTV reaches a global audience 24 hours a day with thought-provoking, Christ-centered programming. For more information, visit Share Tweet Contact: Christy Roberts, NRBTV , 615-733-2961NASHVILLE, Oct. 20, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Christians will gather this fall for the Defending Truth Conference in Nashville, TN to learn to proclaim and defend the great truths of Christianity.Presented by NRBTV and ApologeticsBible.com , the event will be held on Saturday November 12 in Nashville, TN at Belmont University's McAffee Concert Hall. This event will feature inspirational presentations from leading Christian apologists including Norman Geisler, David Geisler, Erwin Lutzer, Ed Stetzer, J. Warner Wallace, and Troy Miller.Together, these Christian leaders will help attendees to explore the important questions about life and the believer's response to the definition of marriage, abortion, creation/evolution debate, radical Islam, politics, and religious liberties."Today's culture is inundated with worldly views and is becoming less accepting of Christian teachings and values," says Miller, President & CEO of the NRBTV, which is presenting the fourth annual conference."Now it is more important than ever for Christians to know what we believe and be able to effectively communicate our faith," he adds.For more information or to register, visit www.nrbtv.org/dtc . To learn more about NRBTV or ApologeticsBible.com, visit www.nrbtv.org and www.ApologeticsBible.com respectively.ABOUT NRBTVNRBTV a Christian TV channel headquartered in Nashville, TN, and seen nationwide on DIRECTV channel 378 and select broadcast affiliates. The channel is also streamed worldwide on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV (4th gen) streaming players, via a free mobile app, and online streaming. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, NRBTV reaches a global audience 24 hours a day with thought-provoking, Christ-centered programming. For more information, visit www.nrbtv.org home World Christian militia joins anti-ISIS offensive in Mosul The Christian militia known as the Nineveh Plain Forces has announced that it will be participating in the offensive against ISIS in Mosul. In the statement released on Monday, the group acknowledged the other military forces such as the Kurdish Peshmarga and the Iraqi military for launching the operation that will lead to the liberation of Nineveh province from ISIS. "The Nineveh Plain Forces (NPF), representing our Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people are honored to participate in these operations to liberate all of our occupied territories, and to push out the terrorist gangs of ISIS," the militia declared. The NPF is one of several Christian militias that are aimed at regaining control of Nineveh. Its fighters, most of which are Assyrian Christians, received training from the American military but it is mainly supported by the Peshmarga. "We have sworn to fight relentlessly, side by side with the allied forces, in order to free all of our cities and villages in the Nineveh Plain and Mosul area. We promise our people that we will honor this commitment," the statement continued. The operation to reclaim Mosul began when the Iraqi-led coalition began to move towards the city on Monday. The coalition is reportedly composed of 54,000 Iraqi Security Forces and 40,000 Peshmarga. Other paramilitary units involved in the operation include 9,000 Sunnis and 5,000 fighters from minorities such as Christians, Turkmen and Yazidis. U.S. military officials expect around 5,000 ISIS militants to meet the coalition in battle. The Peshmarga military commander told CNN that the whole operation could take up to two months. It is believed that there are still 700,000 people living in Mosul. Around 900 people had reportedly fled to Syria before the battle. There are concerns that ISIS might use the civilians as shields in the confrontations with the Iraqi forces. Lise Grande, the United Nation's humanitarian co-ordinator for Iraq, expects that as many as 200,000 people might need shelter in the coming weeks due to the operation. home World Christian party in Netherlands proposes ban on mosque's calls to prayer A Christian political party in the Netherlands is calling for a ban on the daily calls to prayer of mosques. According to NL Times, the proposal is part of the campaign of the Reformed Political Party (Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij or SGP) which is scheduled to be released in two weeks. "We're not in the Middle East here. We don't have to find it normal that at so many times, with that volume, 'Allah is great' blares through the street," SGP leader Kees van der Staaij said. "We have recently seen more and more irritation arise about these prayer calls," he added. According to Van der Staaij, the ban would not require any constitutional changes and stated that it is possible to restrict the prayer calls through the public demonstrations law. Home Affairs Minister Ronald Plasterk said that the call to prayer is guaranteed by the Dutch Constitution in Article 6 as part of its protection of the freedom of religion. Plasterk stated that the rules that apply to mosques' prayer calls are also applicable to church bells. The Dutch Moroccan Mosque Council (RMMN) is confounded by the proposal. The group's spokesperson, Said Bouharrou, said that very few mosques in the Netherlands are broadcasting prayer calls. He said that only the mosques in Utrecht, Roosendaal and Enschede are carrying out the daily call to prayer but it still has to obey the strict noise limits. "We're not really sure what the SGP wants to achieve," Bouharrou said, as quoted by Dutch News. "This is stimulating an anti-Islamic climate and increasing polarisation," he continued. Anti-Islamic sentiments seem to be increasing in the Netherlands. The Dutch Freedom Party, which is led by controversial politician Geert Wilders, is predicted to win 35 of the 150 seats in the Dutch Parliament. Wilders has previously called for the "de-Islamification" of the Netherlands. He is scheduled to go on trial on Oct. 31 for a speech he made against Moroccans in 2014. home US Head of Catholic organization mentioned in Podesta email denies creating Church division The director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG) admitted that some progressives have attempted to divide the Catholic Church but denied that the organization was created for that purpose. Christopher Hale, who served as the executive director of CACG since 2013, said there had been some discussions in the progressive community about creating divisions in the Church for political gain but he believes that such conversations have been reduced significantly. "I would argue that it's immoral to try to create divisions in the Church to try and achieve a political end. I think it's immoral and it's impractical," Hale told the Catholic Herald. CACG was mentioned in a leaked email from Clinton campaign chief John Podesta. In the exchange, Voices for Progress President Sandy Newman complained about the Catholic bishops' opposition to contraceptive coverage and said that there should be a "Catholic Spring" in which Catholics could demand changes in the Church's policies. "We created Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good to organize for a moment like this. But I think it lacks the leadership to do so now," Podesta wrote in response. Hale said that he was unaware of the conversation between Podesta and Newman. He claimed that the original leaders of CACG did not try to carry out the objectives that were mentioned in the email. "I can say unequivocally that since I've been here in 2013, that there is no attempt whatsoever to promote a 'Catholic Spring' or a revolution in the Church," he said. Hale insisted that the sole aim of the organization is "to promote the social teaching of the Church" and not to reform it. He pointed out that he had spoken against Planned Parenthood's use of human organs and that CACG opposed the Obama administration's mandate to force Catholic institutions to pay for contraception. "We challenge the Democrat Party time and time again," he said. Hale maintained that the CACG fully agrees with the teachings of the Church and added that it does not always agree with what its members have written. home World Jihadist group suspected to have kidnapped American missionary A jihadist group known as Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) is believed to be behind the kidnapping of American aid worker in Niger. Jeffery Woodke, who has lived in Niger since 1992, was abducted from his home in Abalak last Friday. Mohamed Bazoum, the interior minister of Niger said that the kidnappers were headed towards Mali, Express reported. "We think this is the MUJAO," said Bazoum. "We followed the kidnappers when they crossed the Malian border. They headed to the Menaka region (eastern Mali), near the Niger border, an area controlled by the MUJAO," he added. MUJAO has been known to engage in drug trafficking in Sahel and southern Algeria. It formally announced its existence after it kidnapped three aid workers from the Saharan refugee camp in Tindouf in October 2011. An anonymous government source told CNN that some people witnessed the abductors forcing Woodke to strip down to his underwear before putting him in a Toyota Hilux pickup truck. The source said that it is a common practice of terrorist groups to avoid being tracked down. A night guard and a national guard stationed at Woodke's house were killed during the abduction. Woodke has been working alongside the local NGO known as JEMED. He is also affiliated with the Christian aid group Youth With a Mission (YWAM). Pete Thompson, a spokesperson for YWAM, told CNN that Woodke's family has already been informed about the kidnapping. It has been reported that Woodke is the first U.S. citizen to be abducted in Niger. The U.S. State Department stated that it is already aware of the aid worker's situation. "The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is among our highest priorities. We have no further information to offer at this time," a department representative said. According to New York Times, the U.S. embassy in Niger issued a warning on Saturday that "the threat of kidnapping and hostage taking continues to be very high." News / National by Staff reporter THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) ban on demonstrations in Harare has expired and opposition political parties are now regrouping to launch fresh protests against President Robert Mugabe, accusing his government of fuelling corruption and causing untold suffering on people.Government, through Notice Number 239A of 2016 by ZRP Chief Superintendent Newbert Saunyama, issued a month-long demonstration ban in Harare which expired on October 15.MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said following the expiry of the controversial ban, his party was mooting one of the biggest demonstrations to force Mugabe out of office."Demonstrations will continue unabated throughout the length and breadth of the country. There is neither retreat nor surrender. The Zanu PF regime is collapsing and I can bet my bottom bond coin that the regime will be history even before 2018," he said.People's Democratic Party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said there were plans underway to turn up the heat on Zanu PF."We plan to converge with all parties on the National Transitional Authority platform and any other platforms and reignite citizens to take to the streets and protest. The demonstrations will take place in the next few days. The planning meetings are underway as we speak," he said.MDC-T national youth assembly leader, Happymore Chidziva claimed the police had issued the ban to restock their teargas supplies, which had run out, and also the dye for the water cannon trucks."While they have been restocking, we have been regrouping and preparing to face any threat to our civil liberties head-on. It was a well-deserved break for us and we are ready to re-engage so that we liberate our nation. With people looting government coffers to fund party and personal interests, democratic resistance can never be more ripe than now," he said. home World Marine Le Pen proposes ban on all religious symbols in France Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front (FN), said that she will ban all religious symbols in all public places in France if she is elected president next year. Le Pen explained that the ban, which would include kippas, headscarves, veils, burqas and burkinis, would be a part of a "sacrifice" to fight against Islamic extremism. "I know it is a sacrifice but I think the situation is terrible these days," she said to BFMTV. "I know that every French person, including [French] Jews can understand that if we ask for this sacrifice from them [in the framework] of the battle against the advance of Islamic extremism, they will make this effort and understand it," she added. The FN leader said she would extend a 2004 law that already bans religious symbols in schools to include all public places. Le Pen noted that she is not bothered by Jewish skull caps but they will be included in the ban. "It is clear that kips are not the issue within our country. But for the sake of equality, they should be prohibited," she said, as quoted by Express. "If I requested to ban solely Muslim attire, people would slam me for hating Muslims," she continued. She suggested that the national police force that enforces traffic rules could also enforce the ban on religious symbols. Le Pen heads the third largest party in France and it is gaining popularity among voters due to the recent terrorist attacks in the country. She also promised to hold a national referendum on France's membership to the European Union if she is elected. She criticized the current administration for being too "lax" with regards to the migrant crisis. Last July, several mayors imposed a prohibition against burkinis in about 30 French coastal towns. The highest administrative court declared the ban illegal but a majority of the mayors defied the ruling. Earlier this month, five mayors in the south-east of France declared a ban on the public use of shisha pipes. Critics decried the restriction as an assault on Arab and Muslim immigrants in the country. home World Museum no longer allows visitors to kick Virgin Mary display The new National Museum of Estonia will no longer allow its visitors to shatter a holographic image of Virgin Mary by kicking the base of the display case. The museum, which opened in the town of Tartu, unveiled the exhibit as part of its celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. When users kick the plate at the base of the display, a holographic image of the Virgin Mary shatters and is replaced with the word "Reformation." The display provoked the outrage of several religious leaders including Archibishop Urmas Viilma of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. According to LifeSiteNews, the image of the Virgin Mary still shatters at scheduled intervals but it is no longer activated by the kick. Varro Vooglaind, head of the Estonia Foundation for Family and Tradition, acknowledged the museum's decision. "Of course we want the exhibit removed entirely," he told LifeSiteNews. "But we welcome this change. It is an outrage, really very brutal and banal to allow people to kick an image of Our Lady," he added. Vooglaid said that a public relations officer for the museum, Kaarel Tarand, publicly admitted that the display was intended as a mockery. "He basically admitted it was a way of insulting religion. He said it shows that Estonia is a secular society, where it is allowed to mock religion. But when the national museum does it, it is insulting religion in the name of the Estonian state," said Vooglaid. Archbishop Viilma said the exhibit not only offends Lutherans but also Catholics and Orthodox Christians. He added that Estonia was dedicated to the Virgin Mary 300 years before the Protestant Reformation and that the country is popularly known as the "Land of Mary." Mart Helme, leader of the Conservative Party, said that the display could illicit negative reactions from the Russian-speaking community who are passionate about their religion. "The image should be removed as soon as possible because the virtual destruction the authors offer insults the feelings of religious Russian-speaking residents and hinders their integration," Helme said in a statement, as quoted by Catholic Herald. home US Perry Noble speaks out on drinking problem that led to his firing from church Perry Noble, former pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina, broke his silence about his family problems and drinking issues that eventually led to his firing from his own church. The church announced in July that Noble had beed fired as a pastor for alcohol abuse and "unfortunate choices and decisions." In early September, Noble disclosed that he had just come out of a rehabilitation facility in Arizona and he planned to return to the ministry at some point. In his Facebook post, the former pastor shared the mistakes he made that led to the loss of his job. Noble confessed that he had isolated himself from the community and he had been hypocritical for preaching "you can't do life alone." He said that isolation led him to self-pity, self-doubt and self-hatred which made him turn to alcohol. He revealed that he had faced challenges in his marriage but he chose to drink instead of ask for help. "I was sick - deceived by sin, alcohol and myself. I justified this by saying I needed it to take the edge off, to help me relax, to help me deal with the pressure at home," he wrote. "Honestly, I knew the entire time I was using it as an excuse to zone out at home, thus causing me to neglect my role as a husband and a father," he continued. Noble said that he and his wife Lucretia are still trying to make their marriage work and he urged other married couples not to give up fighting for theirs. He admitted that he had neglected his family and his other relationships because he was preoccupied with gaining control of his life. "I was 'successful' at work, I wasn't successful at home, so I chose to put more and more time into a place where I felt like I was in control rather than addressing the out of control area of my life," he explained. The former pastor wrote that although he had been suffering, he chose to be silent and tried to cope with his problems by abusing alcohol. He stressed that asking for help should not be viewed as a sign of weakness but as a sign of strength. He told his supporters not to make the same mistake he did. Noble concluded his message by asking for the forgiveness of the members of NewSpring. He encouraged them to continue reaching out to people who are far from God. home US Robert Jeffress prefers a tough leader, not someone who will turn other cheek Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, explained that he is endorsing Donald Trump because he wants a tough leader who will defend the nation from ISIS. "When I'm looking for a leader who's going to fight ISIS and keep this nation secure, I don't want some meek and mild leader or somebody who's going to turn the other cheek. I've said I want the meanest, toughest SOB I can find to protect this nation. And so that's why Trump's tone doesn't bother me," Jeffress said in an interview with NPR last Sunday. Jeffress, who is a member of Trump's evangelical advisory board, had previously criticized Christians who refuse to support the Republican nominee. At the beginning of the interview, NPR host Michel Martin mentioned the scandalous video tape where Trump was caught making lewd remarks about women. When he asked Jeffress to explain his continuing support for Trump despite the obscene comments, the pastor pointed out that evangelicals previously elected Ronald Reagan, who he claimed was a known womanizer. He also noted that Reagan was the first divorced president in U.S. history. "When evangelicals voted for Reagan, they weren't endorsing womanizing. They weren't endorsing divorce. They were endorsing Reagan's policies," he said. The pastor asserted that evangelicals continue to support Trump not because of his lifestyle but because of policies related to abortion, religious liberty and the Supreme Court justice nominees. He pointed out that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton disagrees with evangelicals on those issues. When Martin asked the pastor if he would acknowledge Clinton as "a sister in Christ" if she wins the election, Jeffress replied, "Absolutely. And I'll go one step further. I'll certainly be praying for her, too." Several evangelical leaders have withdrawn their support for Trump after the release of the video. James MacDonald, pastor of Harvest Bible Church and a former member of Trump's evangelical council, described the Republican candidate as "lecherous" and "worthless." Meanwhile, popular theologian Wayne Grudem urged Trump to repent and withdraw from the elections. home US Russell Moore decries "Culture of Death" as Obama and Clinton celebrate 100 years of Planned Parenthood As U.S. President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton celebrate the 100th anniversary of Planned Parenthood's founding, the pro-life community grieved over the lives that had been lost to abortion. Planned Parenthood, which was founded by eugenicist Margaret Sanger in 1916, performs over 320,000 abortions a year and receives $550 million annual funding through government grants and reimbursements. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), said that the anniversary should "should be an occasion for the church to grieve." "For a century, Planned Parenthood has been a force for the culture of death, beginning with its start as a racist, social Darwinist institution," Moore told Baptist Press. "It has been exposed even further in recent years as a trafficker of human bodies for financial gain," he continued. "Though the pro-life movement has made some remarkable gains, this landmark for the abortion lobby's biggest institution is a reminder of how far we still have to go for human dignity," he added. Both Obama and Clinton congratulated the organization and expressed their wishes that it would continue to operate for another hundred years. "For a century, Planned Parenthood has made it possible for women to determine their own lives. Here's to another #100YearsStrong," Obama tweeted. "Planned Parenthood, congratulations on your first 100 years. And here's to 100 more," said Clinton in a video released by her campaign on Oct. 16. Pro-life organizations have banded together to launch a campaign called #100YearsOfAbuse to counter the celebration and reveal Planned Parenthood's practices. The pro-life groups that joined the coalition include Alliance Defending Freedom, Susan B. Anthony List, Americans United for Life, and the Family Research Council. In 2015, a series of secretly recorded videos were released showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sales of fetal tissue. Following the scandal, Congress approved a bill that would cut Planned Parenthood's funding by 90 percent but it was vetoed by Obama in January. The attempt to override the veto was unsuccessful. It has been revealed that the abortion provider also receives donations from corporations such as Adobe, American Express, Avon, ExxonMobil, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Unilever and 30 others. 10 Books Every Church Preacher Should Read I love preaching. Over the past seven years I have spent one week of my holiday preaching, and another listening to preaching. Whenever I travel, I invariably spend the car journeys being inspired by preaching podcasts. I also love reading sermons many church leaders have turned their sermon series into books and so I lap up as many of those as I can. I also try to read at least one book a year on preaching in order to learn to be more faithful to Scripture and more relevant to our culture. The following are the best books I have read in recent years. I don't endorse everything they teach, but each one has prompted me to rethink an aspect of my preaching. If you are a preacher then why not read one of these before you plan your next sermon series? If you're a member of a congregation, you could even buy your minister one of these as a Christmas present... 1. Preaching with variety, J. Arthurs, Kregel This is a terrific little book that will challenge preachers to make sure they let the genre of the Bible passage they are preaching on shape the way they preach. Too often we stick a Bible text into our preparation process and out comes a generic three-point sermon that could actually be based on any number of passages. But a sermon on the Psalms should sound and feel different to a sermon on a chapter of Romans. This book will help to inspire more variety in our preaching by paying more attention to Scripture. 2. I believe in preaching, John Stott, Hodder This is a classic book by veteran Bible teacher Dr John Stott. He presents an apologetic for the place of preaching in the life of the church. With preaching often getting a battering both from inside and outside of the church, it will restore your vision and fire up your confidence. 3. The Power of Speaking God's Word, Wilbur Ellsworth, Mentor This was the book that challenged me to be free of scripted notes when preaching. The simple challenge of the book was, "If you can't remember your sermon how can you expect anyone else to." This short book will challenge you to make preaching more meaningful both to you and your audience. 4. Making Sense of God, Tim Keller, Hodder This is a brand new book from Tim Keller, who is one of my favourite preachers. Keller's own book on preaching is good, but I have included this book as he models how to unpick the assumptions many sceptics have about the Christian faith. I firmly believe that one of the key roles of preaching is to help equip the church to faithfully witness to the gospel in our increasingly sceptical culture. One of the vital things that preaching must do for our congregations is equip them to speak up for Christ wherever they are. Keller is an excellent model for this and this book will help you to do the same. 5. Lectures to my Students, CH Spurgeon, Banner of Truth It's a blast from the past but Spurgeon is often known as the Prince of Preachers and offers some vintage wisdom here. Spurgeon would regularly preach to audiences of more than 6,000 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, and this book is warm, challenging and often very funny. He's also the master of the pithy one-liner. Here are two of my favourites: "Many preachers are at home among books but quite at sea among men," and "Better abolish pulpits then to appoint men who have no experiential knowledge of what they teach." It will inspire and challenge you. Enjoy! 6. Almost Christian, Kenda Creasey Dean, OUP Preachers need to connect with the whole church. The exodus from the church of so many young adults and the growing number of young adult churches mean that many of our churches have a missing generation. As millennial Christians are rapidly becoming an endangered species, it is worth investing time in understanding the issues around their engagement with the church. Kenda Creasey Dean's excellent Almost Christian offers a brilliant snapshot of how young adults are being formed in the faith and the need for a rethink of their spiritual formation. We must reform our preaching if we are going to help equip young people with a real faith that will last a lifetime. 7. Preachers and Preaching, D.M. Lloyd Jones, Hodder Lloyd Jones' systematic expository preaching shaped a generation of conservative evangelicals. You might not agree with all he has to say for example, he was opposed to the recording of sermons because it might encourage people to listen to the word of God in an irreverent way but you will not fail to be impressed by the sense of gravity and awe he brings to preaching. 8. Thank God It's Monday / Fruitfulness on the Frontline, Mark Green, SU The good people at the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity have been helping the church to think about what it means to live for Christ at work. Mark Green's little book Thank God It's Monday is a must read for preachers, as too many of us are detached from the ordinary lives of working people and so too often is our preaching. The follow up Fruitfulness on the Frontline takes the ideas one step further and is excellent too. 9. Reaching Out without Dumbing Down, Marva Dawn, Eerdmans Preaching normally takes place in the context of a worship service and so this challenging book forces us to take a hard look at the extent we have turned our worship services into celebrity-based, pop-cultural froth. This book is as important now as when it was written in the 1990s as some current church-planting trends are in danger of forming an unholy alliance with contemporary culture at the expense of the gospel. This book is not an easy read as Dawn raises some pointed questions that we must face if we are going to be faithful to Scripture and connect with our culture. 10. Setting Hearts on Fire, John Chapman, Matthias Media Young Timothy was told to do the work of an evangelist and he was also given a solemn commission by Paul to preach the word of God in season and out. Too often evangelistic preaching lacks biblical substance and biblical preaching lacks an evangelistic edge. John Chapman's challenging book on evangelistic preaching will help us hold these two elements together. Dr Krish Kandiah is a theologian, author and the founding director of Home for Good. He is also the executive producer of 'Books for Life', a new initiative to encourage the church to recapture reading as a spiritual discipline. Find out more at www.booksforlife.uk, and follow him on Twitter @krishk. Archbishop Of Canterbury Adviser Condemns Extremists Who 'Hijack' Sacred Texts Violent extremism often arises in "deeply religious societies" where sacred texts are "hijacked" to promote extremist agendas, the Archbishop of Canterbury's adviser for reconciliation said yesterday. Dr Sarah Snyder was speaking at a groundbreaking conference in London organised by the Foreign Office to explore how freedom of religion and belief can help prevent violent extremism by "building inclusive and plural societies". She said the West sometimes forgets that many of the states troubled by violent extremism are deeply religious societies. "Religion is not an optional extra, or one dimension among many it infuses every aspect of life, including the political. The co-operation of religious leaders is vital to the building of inclusive, plural and peaceful societies," she said. "While religion is rarely the foundational cause of violence, our sacred texts and traditions can be, and are, hijacked to promote extremist agendas. Religion all religions must be recognised overwhelmingly as a source of peace, not violence. And religious leaders play a critical role in drawing their communities back to these foundational principles." Dr Synder stood in at the last minute for Archbishop Justin Welby, who was unable to attend. "In religion, as in politics, leaders have too often abused their power to further corruption, pernicious ideologies and even violence," she said. Yet they can be pivotal to peace. Religious leaders have access to all ages across all levels of society, she added. Through organisations such as the Mothers' Union, they have access to women who have been proven to be vital to peace and reconciliation. "Many faith communities across the world are modelling openness, inclusivity and peace every day. We have ample opportunity to build on that work so that not only communities but whole societies become open, inclusive and peaceful places where violent extremism is given less oxygen," Snyder said. "Religious leaders have the authority to speak into existing conflicts and divisions. Through their presence, they have unrivalled access across boundaries of age, gender, geography, education. And they have the capacity and vocation for action. To engage with religious leaders, of course, requires theological and cultural sensitivity. But the possibilities when we do so are transformative and offer authentic hope." Atheists Speak Out For Freedom Of Religious Belief Atheists can be among the "keenest champions" of freedom of religion and belief, a conference in London was told. Andrew Copson, of the British Humanist Association, told a conference on freedom of religion and belief at the Foreign Office, sponsored by human rights minister Baroness Anelay, that freedom of religion or belief was "a right of utmost importance to the non-religious". Copson described a a civil servant in Indonesia who was prosecuted after he set up an atheist group on Facebook. Alexander Aan was charged with "insulting religion" for making the group available. In addition, because he described himself as "Muslim" in his identity papers, he was charged with "lying on an official form", even though the papers do not allow a person to state they are atheist in Indonesia. The need for freedom of religion and belief is also shown in the 13 countries where the mere profession of non-religious views can be deemed "apostasy" or "blasphemy" punishable by death. Copson cited the International Humanist and Ethical Union's Freedom of Thought Report, an annual survey of discrimination and persecution against the non-religious. One case in the latest report is that of Mohamed Cheikh Ould M'kheitir, from Mauritania. Accused of blasphemy, this December will mark the second anniversary of his being sentenced to death. He awaits execution on death row. Copson said the case began and ended in a single day. "He has been on death row throughout 2015 and now throughout 2016, to date." As a 28-year-old blogger, M'kheitir was arrested in January 2014 for allegedly publishing an article seen by some as insulting Muhammad and constituting an act of apostasy. Copson said: "His writing in fact sought to highlight the indentured servitude in Mauritanian society, often socially justified with reference to national cultural identity and in particular to Islamic tradition." Following Mkheitir's initial arrest, there were protests condemning his writing and numerous calls, including by imams, scholars and professors, for his execution. One preacher even offered a substantial financial reward to anyone who killed him. Copson said his case had received little attention compared to others. "It is always worth remembering that for every Raif Badawi and Asia Bibi, there are dozens or hundreds of similarly persecuted M'kheitirs, let alone the thousands more who out of the reach of authoritarian interference are suffering in silence." Chinese Christians On Trial For Spying As Crackdown On Churches Continues Two members of a Chinese house church have been tried on charges spying, with a third member accused of "illegal business activities". The trial of Wang Yao and Yu Lei took place on Monday and Wednesday, where they faced charges of "deliberately revealing state secrets," Radio Free Asia reports. The trial took place at the Guiyang Intermediate People's Court, in the southwestern province of Guizhou. Other members of the Huoshi Church, of which the three accused are a part, say this is just the latest in a crackdown on their church from the police and state officials. One church member, who attended Wang's trial, said: "Wang Yao's family weren't allowed to attend the trial, and neither were two lawyers hired by her family to defend her." They added: "There have been people watching me in the past few days from my neighborhood committee and the local police station... They follow me wherever I go. The police have placed very tight controls on all Huoshi Church members." Li Hongmin, the third church member to stand trial, is accused of printing more than 11,000 copies of Protestant tracts for distribution. Li pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers defended him on the grounds of his constitutional right to freedom of religion. The pastor of Huoshi Church, Yang Hua, was arrested in December last year and faces charging of "deliberately leaking state secrets". His lawyers report that he is suffering serious health problems following torture during his incarceration. They are now suing for the use of "torture to extort a confession". The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enforces strict controls on religious practice among China's citizens. The country is home to approximately 68 million Protestants and nine million Catholics. The CCP is believed by human rights campaigners to be becoming increasingly concerned about the influence of Christianity in the country. A report published by China Aid earlier this year found that persecution against Christians in the country has increased sevenfold since 2008. Last month China's State Council released a draft set of rules aimed at eliminating non state-sponsored religious activity. The rules include bans on preaching or running religious events in schools and on "providing religious services online." There are also prohibitions against "organising citizens to attend religious training, conferences, and activities overseas." News / National by Mary Charamba Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development minister Joram Gumbo has revealed that he accompanied President Robert Mugabe to Malaysia to hunt for new planes.Air Zimbabwe is keen on leasing Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes from a Malaysian airlines."After the discussions that we are having with technical partners, we will have long haul planes" he said."It does not help us to receive planes and keep them at the Harare International Airport without routes. I am trying to scout for routes for Air Zimbabwe."That is why I went to Malaysia. I went to see Air Malaysia to see how they operate".According to Financial Gazette, Air Zimbabwe aged fleet comprises two Boeing 767s, three 737s, three MA60s and two Airbus A320s.Out of these planes, only four are flying - one airbus, one Boeing 767, one 737 and an MA60. Clinton And Trump Clash Over Abortion In Final Presidential Debate A clash over abortion rights marked the third US presidential debate on Wednesday that saw Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton go head to head for the last time before November 8. The rival candidates had a sharp but issues-based exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration to start the 90-minute showdown. The substantive policy discussion on the Supreme Court and the top issues it faces contrasted with the fiery personal attacks that characterised the first two debates. Clinton promised to appoint justices who would uphold a woman's right to abortion laid out in the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision, while Trump promised to appoint what he called "pro-life" justices who would overturn the decision. Under current law, Trump said, "You can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby." "Honestly, nobody has business doing what I just said, doing that as late as one or two or three or four days prior to birth," Trump said. Clinton said Trump's "scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate" and added: "We have come too far to have that [Roe vs Wade] turned back now." "This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make and I do not believe the government should be making it," Clinton said. Trump said he would appoint a Supreme Court justice who would protect American gun rights. He has said in the past that Clinton wants to "essentially abolish" the Second Amendment of the US Constitution guaranteeing the right to bear arms. Clinton said she supports gun rights, but wants additional regulations on guns, citing examples of children being hurt or killed in gun accidents. "I see no conflict between saving people's lives and defending the Second Amendment." "Because I support the Second Amendment doesn't mean that I want people who shouldn't have guns to be able to threaten, kill or members of your family," she added. No handshake Clinton and Trump walked straight to their podiums when they were introduced at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, foregoing the traditional handshake as they did at the second debate last week in St. Louis, Missouri. Trump seeks to reverse his fading momentum in a US election that opinion polls show is tilting away from him. The New York businessman, 70, has been damaged by several accusations he groped women which he denies and concerns about his claims the election will be rigged against him. Less than two weeks ago, a video tape emerged from 2005 in which Trump can be heard openly talking about trying to seduce a married woman, which has thrown his high-profile evangelical support into jeopardy. James Macdonald, a church pastor serving on Trump's Evangelical Executive Advisory Council, last week condemned the Republican presidential candidate as "lecherous and worthless" and Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said of the tape: "It didn't look like just someone who was talking locker room talk. It looked like someone who was premeditating being a sexual predator." Southern Baptist ethicist and theologian Wayne Grudem announced that he had reversed his support of Trump after having previously argued that voting for the Republican candidate was a "morally good choice". "I cannot commend Trump's moral character, and I strongly urge him to withdraw from the election," Grudem said. "There is no morally good presidential candidate in this election." Wednesday's debate gave Trump, making his first run for elected office, perhaps his best remaining chance to sway the dwindling number of Americans who are still undecided about their vote in the November 8 election. Clinton, a 68-year-old former secretary of state, US senator and first lady, leads in national polls and in most of the battleground states where the election will probably be decided. The debate was her opportunity to make a closing argument on why she is best suited to succeed her fellow Democrat, President Barack Obama, in the White House. Trump's White House bid has been marked by personal squabbles and controversial comments about immigration and minorities. Most recently, he has urged supporters to patrol polling places in inner cities to prevent voter fraud. Clinton has struggled to get past concerns about transparency raised over her use of a private email server for work communication while she was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Additional reporting by Reuters. Ethiopian Christian Teenager Arrested For Evangelism Is Back In Jail An Ethiopian teenager detained with three others for handing out a book about Christianity has been re-arrested hours after she was released. According to World Watch Monitor, the 18-year-old woman, known as Deborah, was released with her co-accused on bail after paying 3,000 Birr (around $135) to the court in Harar. It is not known why she was arrested again. World Watch Monitor's sources said the prosecutor's office is seeking advice on how to proceed with the case. The four teenagers Eden, 15, Gifti and Mihiret, both 14, and Deborah, 18 were distributing a Christian book in Amharic, Ethiopia's main language, by a local author, entitled Let's speak the truth in love: Answers to questions by Ahmed Deedat. The book sets out to answer questions about the Christian faith posed by the late South African Islamic scholar and former head of the Islamic Propagation Centre International. Christians in Babile, around 550 km east of the capital Addis Ababa, decided to distribute it following cross-cultural evangelism training. However, local Muslims said the book was an insult to Islam. Mobs attacked churches and church leaders were threatened. According to World Watch Monitor, one of the girls, Eden, suffered a beating on her first night in prison. Evangelical Christians frequently face discrimination and harrassment in Ethiopia, though the country says it guarantees freedom of religion. Samsung Gear S3 latest updates: company confirms release window for Korea and other countries Since Samsung has unveiled their latest smartwatch device the Samsung Gear S3 back in late-August at the 2016 IFA trade show in Germany, tech fans have been waiting for an official release date from the company in order for them to know when they will finally be able to get their hands on the device. Now, Samsung has recently made an announcement that somewhat narrows down the release window for the device to be sometime in mid-November. Given the recent downturn in the company's reputation due to the exploding batteries of the Galaxy Note 7, the launch of the new smartwatch is expected to help in its recovery. The new smartwatch showcases a myriad of new features that make it a cut above the rest of the products that are currently available in the market today. Samsung officially released an announcement revealing their release plans for the new smartwatch. "We decided to market the Gear S3 midway through November at the latest in Korea and some other countries. In China, the timepiece will be launched later," a Samsung official was quoted by a Korean news publication. Some retail sites in Canada have apparently already posted the device for pre-order with a shipping date of Nov. 18. The date does coincide with Samsung's mid-November announcement, which means that users in North America should be getting their hands on the device around that date as well. The new Samsung Gear S3 will be coming in two distinct models, namely the Gear S3 Frontier and the Gear S3 Classic. Both variants will be coming with 3.3-centimeter circular display as well as built in sensors and connectivity options. Samsung had not yet announced the official prices for the device, but they did mention that they would announce it after they come up with a fixed release date. Some reports, however, have pinpointed the price to be around $350 to $360. Sikh Mother Healed And Converts To Christianity While Watching Jesus Film A Sikh women was miraculously healed from agonising arthritis when she watched the Jesus film in her village. Soni (name has been changed), a mum of four, was sometimes unable to move any part of her body. Despite visiting many hospitals and trying a range of different treatments, she could find no relief. "My pain was increasing day by day," she says. "I used to get much pain and swelling in both my hands and body." She felt hopeless, and no-one seemed able to help her. That is, until she went to a screening of the Jesus film. Having never had any contact with Christianity or the Bible, Soni was intrigued when she heard about the screening in her village, which is near Amritsar in the Punjab region of India the only Sikh-majority region of the country. "I had never seen or heard anything about Jesus in my life," she says. "So I was very curious to know what this was about." She and her family went to watch, and they were not alone. A crowd gathered to watch the film, which was shown by local church planters working with UK Christian charity BMS World Mission. As she watched the film, Soni was moved by what she saw. Jesus was healing the sick and the demon-possessed. "I was truly blessed to see how Jesus healed many," she says. "I was also blessed to hear the teachings of Jesus." More moving to Soni was the fact that the film didn't only effect her emotionally. While watching, God completely healed her of her arthritis. "I felt something happen in my body as the movie was going on," she says. "At the end of the movie, suddenly I realised that my pain had gone." When the film ended, Soni asked for prayer from the church planters and told them how Jesus had healed her. She gave her life to Christ immediately and has been a faithful follower ever since. Soni is one of almost 3,500 people who have become Christ-followers through watching the Jesus film in India's Punjab and West Bengal regions, thanks to a project supported by BMS. In total, at least 10,000 people have watched the film, many of them hearing the gospel for the very first time. God is on the move. "Jesus released me from my arthritis pain," says Soni. "From that day, I surrendered my life to him." Please pray for Soni and for the thousands of new believers living as minorities in their Sikh and Muslim communities. The Unsatisfied Desire: 10 Bible Verses About Joy Joy, as CS Lewis knew very well, is different from happiness or pleasure. It was, in his mind, a definite spiritual experience which connects us to God. In one of his letters, he wrote: "It jumps under one's ribs and tickles down one's back and makes one forget meals and keeps one (delightedly) sleepless o' nights... My private table is one second of joy is worth 12 hours of pleasure." Elsewhere he says joy is "an unsatisfied desire which itself is more desirable than any other satisfaction". For Lewis a scholar, poet and author of The Screwtape Letters and the Narnia chronicles joy in music, food, art or beauty points us beyond the thing itself to God. It's a signpost, or a foretaste, of what's to come. Joy is a promise. Here are 10 Bible verses about joy. 1. "Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth." (1 Chronicles 16:33) 2. "This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) 3. "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21) 4. "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11) 5. "The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." (Psalm 19:8) 6. "Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart." (Psalm 97:11) 7. "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy." (Proverbs 14:10) 8. "Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you." (Isaiah 12:6) 9. "Go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." (Matthew 28:7-8) 10. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 6:22-23) Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Xiaomi Mi Note 2 release date, specs, rumors: single lens main camera seen in latest leaked images Fans are looking forward to Xiaomi's next flagship launch next week. However, getting close to its debut, conflicting reports on the Mi Note 2 continue to surface. Latest rumors suggest that the new flagship has been photographed in the wild, featuring only a single-lens camera. According to Xiaomi Today, the supposed live images surfaced courtesy of China-based social media site Weibo. The photos showcase what purportedly is the back panel of the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Note 2 flagship. While it remains unconfirmed, the images put to test previous rumors about the flagship, as they highlight the flagship only having a single-lens camera on the back. This disputes previous speculations about the new flagship. Prior to the images, supposed leaks of the specs and features list of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 mention that the new flagship will feature a dual camera setup as its main camera. It should be noted, though, that although the images came out of China, they remain unconfirmed until Xiaomi makes the Mi Note 2 official. The new flagship is confirmed to be launched at a press event next week, on Oct. 25. Meanwhile, aside from the back panel, some of the images also highlight the side edges of the purported Mi Note 2, supposedly confirming that the flagship will come out with a dual-edge display. Although Xiaomi already announced a launch date for its next flagship, confirmed specs and features for the Mi Note 2 remain scarce. Speculations suggest that the new flagship will use the step-up Snapdragon 821 processor paired with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM. There might also be a Pro version, with a massive 8-GB RAM and 256 GB of onboard storage. Other purported specs and features include an ultrafast fingerprint scanner, near-invisible bezels for its display, and QHD screen for its top-tier variant. It is also said that the Mi Note 2 will be the most expensive Xiaomi flagship to date, reaching above $650 for its base model. DOLLY FAIBYSHEV/STR Whole Foods Market Inc. shares declined as much as 2.5 percent after the Detroit Health Department said it's investigating two cases of Hepatitis A that may be connected to one of the chain's stores. One of the cases was an employee who handles prepared food at the store, which is located on 115 Mack Avenue in Detroit, the agency said in a statement on Thursday. The other person sickened was a customer who ate from that section of Whole Foods, the health department said. News / National by Thobekile Zhou More than four million people are in need of urgent food aid as the figures keeps escalating, Public Service, Labour and Social Services minister Prisca Mupfumira told parliament.Mupfumira said last year in August, the figure stood at 1,4 million.However, that has all changed.She was responding to a question from Thokozani Khupe who was keen to know how government was going to bridge the gap between the 1.4 and the 4 million so that all the people who require food assistance get that food.Mupfumira said "As we started the food mitigation programme in October, last year, we realised that a lot of people needed food out of the 1.4 million you talked about."We then went to do a first assessment in January, which indicated that the figure had risen to 2 million. We did another one in April, which also indicated that the figures had reached almost 4 million."What we then did was to ensure that we re-visit our ZIMVAC figures and add more people to the original ZIMVAC it was 1.5 million actually."This is what we are doing and we have since realised that even the 4 million we have, the figures are increasing, hence we have now launched communication to all the provinces and yesterday we had all the Provincial Administrators, all the Provincial Welfare Officers and we were supposed to have Provincial Ministers and only one came".She said as of last week, the country had about 320 000 tonnes of maize available and 19 000 tonnes of rice which would be incorporated into the food mitigation programme. Cypress Lakes High School students are creating tents out of scraps to send to refugee children in Africa. The schools National Art Honor Society are making the tents as part of the Be the Peace, Be the Hope Program, which allows art leaders to travel to war-torn regions to bring ideas to children in refugee camps. One of their pieces of outreach is the artistic tents designed by students. Jessica Green, Cypress Lakes art honor society sponsor, said its a great chance for students to be involved with a global service program and to learn more about the challenges faced by refugee children. It heightens your awareness of world issues, and its important that us as artists use our skills to help address these issues, Green said. I think it is astounding that our artwork is going to a foreign nation, and above all else to the people who are living in refugee camps. I can just imagine the horrible living situations these people must be in, but I can also see the burst of color and messages of hope and love we shared giving them a positive emotional impact. Each Cypress Lakes High student received a piece of a tent, and were assigned to decorate it with ideas and visions of hope. Using various art tools to accomplish this task, the program subsequently took the finished pieces with them to be sent to the nation of Burkina Faso in Africa. Mersadez Johnson, a senior and president of Cypress Lakes National Art Honor Society, said the tent design project helped her realize how dire some refugees circumstances are and to try to provide children in refugee camps with hope. It gave us as artists an opportunity to touch other peoples hearts and minds that are outside of our normal community, Johnson said. Humble ISD superintendent Elizabeth Fagen said sometimes it's the teacher's compassion that keeps students attending school. Fagen was the special guest speaker at the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year luncheon Oct. 18 She spoke about hardworking teachers and the changes in the education system, especially with technology. "Beyond taking care of the student's basic needs as people and human beings, teachers are also role models. I couldn't be more honored to be in a room full of extraordinary educators and those who support extraordinary educators," Fagen said. "My mother was a teacher and was my seventh grade teacher since we lived in a small town in southern Iowa." Fagen said in the past, educators had the task of preparing children to be a part of the workforce and while that can be the case today, there is the focus on technology and preparing the students for challenges in the future, in any field of work. "Teachers know teaching is far more than a profession; it's not something you sign up for as a career path or something you go to every day to get your paycheck, it's much more than that," Fagen said. "Our students come to us and they are people; people we care deeply about and they have a lot of needs that are well beyond the classroom. "We know, as educators, that without meeting those needs there is no learning. Teachers are the difference between the student's success or failure and not just with grades, but in life." Fagen said there is a need for technology and technology growth. "Right now in education, teachers are doing all the things I've mentioned and even more because the context of our work has changed dramatically," Fagen said. "The students have changed. We used to wonder the capacities of younger children; kindergarten is much different now because of touch capabilities on iPads and other devices which has unlocked the capabilities of young children in ways we never thought possible. The idea is the children we teach are always going to have always been independent, personalized little people with different strengths and challenges and these are all the things the teachers work on and bring into their classroom every day." Teachers honored The following teachers were honored at the luncheon. Humble ISD elementary: Atascocita Springs Elementary-Jennifer King; Bear Branch Elementary-Meghan Goodman; Deerwood Elementary-Donna Acosta; Eagle Springs Elementary-Samesia Hamlett, Elm Grove Elementary-Sarah Watson; Fall Creek Elementary-Aaron Austin; Foster Elementary-Kelly Tomasino; Greentree Elementary-Julia Arcuri; Hidden Hollow Elementary-Glenda Taylor Carlos; Humble Elementary- Giselle Torres; Jack Fields Elementary-Maria Teros; Lakeland Elementary-Sarah Szczepaniec; Lakeshore Elementary-Courtney Turner; Maplebrook Elementary-Wendy Walker; North Belt Elementary-Lorena Curiel; Oak Forest Elementary- DeLynn Buchanan; Oaks Elementary-Helen Suan; Park Lakes Elementary-Darrell Rogers; Pine Forest Elementary-Jennifer Howard; Ridge Creek Elementary-Patrick Andrus; River Pines Elementary - Beatriz Anaya; Shadow Forest Elementary - Julie Chriswell; Summerwood Elementary - Courtney Breeding; Timbers Elementary - Laura Smith; Whispering Pines Elementary - Merideth Seiler; Willow Creek Elementary- Joylyn Trigg; and Woodland Hills Elementary-Samantha Morgenroth. Humble ISD middle school: Atascocita Middle-Tedisha Jack; Creekwood Middle-Michelle McCrary; Humble Middle-Tischia Gordan; Kingwood Middle-Skye Kenny; Riverwood Middle-Sarah Zerface; Ross Sterling Middle-Falisa Watson; Timberwood Middle-Brooke Twing; and Woodcreek Middle-Darryl Legaspi. Humble ISD high school: Atascocita High-Virgilio Davis; Cambridge School-Jeremy Traughber; Career & Technology Education Center-David Srubar; Disciplinary Alternative Education Program- Vernon Massey; Humble High- Brandy Rood; Kingwood High-Rex Wolf; Kingwood Park High-Glenn A. Taylor III; Quest Early College High School-Angela Morales; and Summer Creek High School -Julie Sahmel. Spring ISD elementary: Booker Elementary-Brittani Hatten; Burchett Elementary-Holly Pusok; Cooper Elementary-Roberto Martin Soracco; Hirsch Elementary School -Charles E. Dorsey Jr.; Jenkins Elementary School-Kenny Moses; McNabb Elementary School-Francis Burgarin; Northgate Elementary School-Lori Douglass; and Salyers Elementary-Wendy Lindsey. Spring ISD middle: Dueitt Middle School-Lindsey McCullough and Twin Creeks Middle-Chase Gregory Jones. Spring ISD high school: Spring High-Sara McLain. Humble Christian School: Wanda Puckett-elementary; Renessa Washington-high school. Holy Trinity Episcopal School: Kerri Pakalnis-elementary. Lone Star College-Kingwood: Steve Davis-professor of history; and Lisa Darling-professor of English. Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Shaddox and his K-9 partner Mack demonstrated basic commands and training to the delight of students at the Good Shepherd Episcopal School in Kingwood. Shaddox was the special guest speaker at the school on Oct. 5. The students had the chance to pose for a picture with Mack and Shaddox, who have been partners since 2011, and pet the German shepherd dog before heading back to their classrooms. "This week, the students learned about St. Francis of Assisi, who was the patron saint of animals, and about God's creatures," Jan Lopez, head of the school, said. "When the students came to chapel this week, they were asked to bring food or other items that would benefit animals that we will donate to a local animal rescue and/or shelter. Bringing in the K-9 was exciting for the students and was something they could relate to because we talked about cats, dogs and other animals." Shaddox said Mack is a social dog who likes to be around other animals and children, which can be uncommon for some working dogs. "Mack was raised around other animals and people so he is socialized and enjoys being with people, but is also a very hard worker," Shaddox said. "Mack, who is a full-breed German shepherd from the Netherlands, is 100 pounds, which is large for a working police dog, but he is great at what he does. Since 2011, Mack has helped to seize $2.5 million for narcotics busts which is great." HCSO has 18 K-9 working dogs, but according to Shaddox, Mack is one of the only ones who is on the day shift, which means the pair work a variety of cases throughout Harris County. "Becoming a part of the HCSO K-9 unit and working with Mack is like winning the lottery; we have a great relationship and love working to keep Harris County safe," Shaddox said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houston entrepreneur Atul "Lucky" Chopra, known for transforming historic buildings into bars and restaurants, may be extending his footprint to Galveston's Historic Strand District. Turner Construction, which currently owns the building, is selling 1898 James Fadden building at 2410 Strand to Chopra for $700,000, but the deal is not yet complete. The company agreed to first make structural repairs, including stabilizing walls, the Galveston County Daily News reports. RELATED: Where to eat and drink in Galveston now According to the Bay Area paper, the historic building was recently at the center of some legal proceedings in Galveston. Its former owner, Allen Flores, reportedly sued the Port of Galveston and Turner Construction Co. two years ago, citing damage by construction crews. The construction company bought the building to settle the dispute. (Story continues below.) The Fadden Building, as it's known on the island, was constructed in 1898 by revered architect Nicholas Clayton. It was constructed as a wholesale liquor, wine and cigar business for Fadden, who passed shortly after its completion. His widow, Rosa Fadden, ran the business until 1900, when she sold it to H.N. Norton, according to Denise Alexander's "Galveston's Historic Downtown and Strand District." It's seen several bar and restaurant concepts come and go since then, including Lounge Nightlife Complex and Boomba Ultra Lounge. SEE ALSO: Tour Galveston homes listed under $230,000 If the sale goes through, it's likely that Chopra, who owns Hearsay Gastro Lounge in downtown Houston, may launch a bar or restaurant concept at the space. He has a history of converting old spaces into glamorous new establishments in Houston. "History adds value," he said. "I think it is good business" to keep an old building," he told the Houston Chronicle in 2010. Paras Gupta, a Cypress Ranch High School senior, earned the highest possible ACT Composite score of 36. Nationally, while the actual number of students earning the top score varies from year to year, on average, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earns the top score. Among test takers in the high school graduating class of 2016, only 2,235 of nearly 2.1 million students earned a composite score of 36 on the ACT. Paras is also a National AP Scholar and has been named a National Merit semifinalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corp., but academics is not his only forte. Paras loves to play the bassoon. He is first chair bassoon in the Cypress Ranch "Varsity Band" and has won Region and All Area awards and recognition each year since eighth grade. He is a leader in the Cypress Ranch Marching Band and is the "Head Overall Marcher" in 2016-17. His extracurricular activities include the Red Cross club at school since he believes in its mission and wants to help further it at the high school and college level. The U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation of Baylor University to determine if the college violated the federal civil rights law known as Title IX, after the administrator in charge of ensuring compliance with the law resigned abruptly earlier this month. The education department confirmed late Wednesday it launched the investigation based on the complaint filed by Patty Crawford, Baylor's former Title IX coordinator. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A woman accused of running an illegal spa in north Houston was arrested on Thursday as part of the Harris County District Attorney's Office's initiative to shut down illegal spas along FM 1960 and in surrounding areas. "Since I've been district attorney, I've talked to many residents who are upset about these businesses which seem to be little more than just fronts for prostitution," District Attorney Devon Anderson said during a news conference on Thursday. Ying Wen, 43, was arrested at her home in northwest Houston after the District Attorney's Office, in conjunction with the Harris County Sheriff's Office, raided the spa, her house and an empty store front next to the spa, finding $24,000 in cash and several designer purses at the different locations. READ MORE: Woman arrested in raid at La Porte spa Wen is charged with money laundering and faces up to 20 years in prison, with a possible fine of $10,000. Anderson noted a sexual assault and robbery also occurred at Wen's spa, Hana Top in the 14000 block of Bammel North Houston, on Aug. 8. Three women were found in the spa, whom Anderson said might be sex trafficking victims. Authorities are still investigating. "It's clear until we can charge and convict the owners, these businesses are just going to keep popping up," Anderson said. Due to residents' complaints, the District Attorney's Office has been going after illegal spas in the FM 1960 area. RELATED: Massage parlor raids lead to 14 prostitution arrests Tim Navarre, captain at the Harris County Sheriff's Office, said they don't know how many illegal spas are located in the city but there is a "plethora" of illegal spas in Harris County. "It's like cockroaches. We stamp out one and then it seems like 10 more pop up, but we're not going to stop," Anderson said. "We all deserve to have a safe place to live." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Another Harris County smoke shop accused of selling synthetic cannabinoids known as Kush has been targeted by county and state law enforcement officials. Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan, on behalf of the state and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, sued the Happie Hippie Smoke Shop as well as three associated individuals this week. The civil lawsuit, filed Tuesday, seeks temporary and permanent injunctions against the business, alleged investor Michelle Hartman and accused former operators Esam Ali-Hasan and James Ayling for violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Texas nuisance laws by selling the synthetic drug. READ MORE: HPD announces more Kush-related arrests, seizures The smoke shop, which is now closed, was located in a north Harris County strip mall in the 8900 block of North Freeway near West Gulf Bank. Ayling and Ali-Hasan were both charged with felony drug charges this year following a Houston Police Department undercover investigation in January that found synthetic cannibinoids at the store and a processing operation in an apartment shared by the men, according to the petition. The lawsuit said that "Ayling informed that the Happie Hippie Smoke Shop made around $30,000 a month from synthetic marijuana" and that the BMW Ali-Hasan drove "was purchased with cash from sales made at Happie Hippie Smoke Shop with the majority of sales coming from synthetic marijuana purchases." READ MORE: Bail set for brothers accused in Kush sweep Ayling, 26, was charged in January with one count of felony possession with intent to deliver synthetic cannabis and was arrested again in April on the same charge. He was sentenced to five years of probation on each count. Ali-Hasan, 27, was indicted on a synthetic drug possession felony charge in March. His case remains unresolved. Hartman, 47, has not faced any criminal charges in the case. In September, a similar suit obtained restraining orders against three Spice Boutique smoke shops and their owners. The court actions followed a June overdose of Kush in an area of Houston's Hermann Park coined "Kush Corner" that sent 16 people to the hospital. Officials also have asked the court to shut down those three stores for one year for violating Texas law by selling synthetic marijuana. Katz Boutique, a local chain of smoke shops and adult novelty stores, and its owners reached a $1.175 million settlement in August with authorities. The penalty is the largest ever for a case involving the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, according to the county attorney's office. The resolution stemmed from a 2015 petition, jointly filed by the state and Harris County, which was the first in Texas to use the DTPA in a drug nuisance suit to stop the sale of synthetic cannabinoids. In August, a Harris County District Court judge entered a final judgment against nine Houston-area Katz stores prohibiting the sale of all synthetic drugs, including fake cannabis. Any location that violates the order will be closed for one year. News / National by Staff reporter The body of the late national hero, Cephas Msipa has arrived in Siboza Village, his rural home in Zvishavane, where body viewing and tributes to the late liberator will take place on Thursday afternoon at Mandava Stadium.An Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopter carrying Msipa's casket, accompanied by the Midlands Minister of State Jason Machaya and Msipa's brothers, flew from Harare and arrived in Zvishavane around mid morning.The body was welcomed by Midlands Zanu-PF deputy chairperson Daniel Ncube, Deputy Minister of Mines, Mining Development Fred Moyo and othersMsipa (85), who died at West end Hospital in Harare on Monday following a battle with pneumonia, will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Saturday.More details to follow NEW YORK - A record high 60 percent of American adults support legalization of marijuana, according to a new Gallup poll released three weeks before voters in nine states decide whether to expand legal access to pot. When Gallup first asked about this issue in 1969, 12 percent of Americans supported legalization. By 2000, support had increased to 31 percent and has continued climbing since then, reaching 58 percent last year. Recreational use of marijuana is currently legal in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia. Depending on the Election Day outcome, they could be joined by Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada. Three other states - Florida, Arkansas and North Dakota - will be deciding whether to permit marijuana for medical purposes. Montanans will vote on whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law. According to Gallup's new poll, released on Wednesday, 67 percent of Democrats support legalization, compared to 42 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of independents. Support among adults aged 18-34 was 77 percent, compared to 45 percent among those over 55. The poll was based on telephone interviews conducted Oct. 5-9 with a random sample of 1,017 adults living in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Gallup said the margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points. Gallup's findings were similar to those in a survey released Oct. 12 by the Pew Research Center. It found that 57 percent of U.S. adults supported legalization of marijuana, up from 32 percent a decade earlier. Tom Angell, chairman of the pro-legalization group Marijuana Majority, said the two polls suggested that prospects were good for the state ballot measures. "More politicians - presidential candidates included - would do themselves a big favor to take note of the clear trend," he said in an email. Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later. 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." ___ Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Khazer, Iraq, and Sinan Salaheddin and Joseph Krauss in Baghdad contributed to this report. News / National by Ellen Shiriyedenga MDC Director, Planning, Strategy and Implementation Under the prevailing political environment, Zimbabweans would require neither a rocket scientist nor voodoo mathematical models to predict the outcome of 2018 elections. ZANU.PF has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that not only has it mastered the art of vote rigging, but is also prepared to shamelessly take Zimbabweans back to the stone age era where primitive manipulation tactics were used.It boggles one's mind to actually comprehend what the cronies of the ruling party are saying at their Norton By-election campaign rallies. One would be totally exonerated for branding Zimbabwe a banana republic that is under the tutelage of self-styled comedians.It is sheer desperation or typical ZANUPF mischief that a whole Vice President goes to great lengths to justify the looting of ZIMDEF funds, by asserting that the resources meant to cushion students on attachment were diverted to the ZANUPF million-man march simply because the country was under siege from opposition parties' civic action. Moreover, the Vice President's attempts at portraying Professor Jonathan Moyo as Zimbabwe's version of Robin Hood pilfering from the rich to aid the needy Tsholotsho people are to say the least, laughable. Vice President Mpoko and his ZANU.PF cronies believe it is prudent that students on work-related learning walk long distances to work and toil on empty stomachs for no pay. This is an insult to the suffering students, and not to mention companies arm-twisted to contribute to ZIMDEF despite choking under gross viability challenges ironically inflicted by ZANU.PF economic and governance incompetence.As if this is not enough, ZANU.PF rallies are spiced with truckloads of grain publicly flaunted as bait for starving constituents. Minister Prisca Mupfumira responsible for social welfare, purportedly an empathetic and all-embracing mother figure, sees it morally right to selectively and fraudulently distribute this grain meant for orphans, widows and all other vulnerable communities at these partisan gatherings.The classic act is that of ZANU.PF Youth Secretary, Kudzanai Chipanga proudly displaying a map supposedly as proof of location of housing stands for the youth, conveniently disregarding that this is State land which ZANU.PF had grabbed to use as its campaign trump card. How the supposed impoverished youth beneficiaries are going to service and build on those housing stands, is not a factor as long as they vote ZANU.PF.Worse still, the ZANU.PF DNA of violence and intimidation against those suspected to support other candidates, particularly independent candidate Themba Mliswa, has reared its ugly head. The torture and intimidation perpetrated on hapless women like Natasha Bakalia and Violet Masikinya provides a sneak preview of how far ZANU.PF is prepared to drive its violence machinery. The resuscitation of torture bases in Norton vividly brings back the unpleasant memories of the 2002 and 2005 youth bases where ordinary Zimbabweans were subjected to inhuman torture by the militia and war vets.The trajectory of events in Norton provides a synopsis of the extent to which ZANU.PF is prepared to go in order to win in 2018. ZANU.PF's insatiable thirst for power has incapacitated its ability to draw the line between state and party resources. They are prepared to sleep with one eye open and dignify corruption despite its crippling impact on our country's economy.Zimbabwean opposition parties should therefore stop bickering over trivia and fight this ZANU.PF cancer. Left unattended, it will eat away the moral and confidence marrow of the electorate. At this rate, the hopes of winning elections and displacing ZANU.PF misrule forever remain a castle in the air.Ellen ShiriyedengaMDC Director, Planning, Strategy and Implementation News / National by Staff reporter Zanu PF Secretary for Women Affairs and First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe and the Women's League national executive members have paid their condolences to bereaved families of six Zanu PF youths district executive members who died in a road accident on the 21st of September in Chipinge.The death of the six youths, who were conferred with district liberation hero status, touched the hearts of many and the Women League's national executive members spared some time to console the bereaved families at the conclusion of the Zanu PF Manicaland provincial executive induction workshop.The First Lady was represented by her deputy in the Women's League, Eunice Sandi Moyo, while the organ's members included Letina Undenge and Christine Meya Sibanda.In her condolence message, Dr Mugabe implored the party leadership to respect people who elevated them to positions of authority.She then donated financial assistance to the spouses of the deceased youths.Zanu PF Manicaland Provincial Youth League chairman, Mbuso Chinguno commended the First Lady for her generosity and castigated some party leaders for not standing with the Youth League in their times of need.Chipinge South legislator, Enock Porusingazi noted that the bereaved families require continous assistance with some who are still hospitalised requiring financial assistance to undergo specialised treatment in Harare.The six Zanu PF youths who died when the side panels of a Checheche-bound lorry carrying party supporters swung open are Robert Ndhlovu, Douglas Mashava, Murambo, Tawengwa Zimhira, Phineas Kazende and James Hletshwa Opinion / Letters Rayyane Chizvondo is a political analyst and social commentator for Khuluma Afrika a center for analysis and commentary I'm sure it wont escape your notice, that I have chose to start with no salutation, personally I'm of the opinion you're undeserving of any gesture of good will from yours truly.Its no secret that this open declaration was long overdue. The reasons as to why it came this late can on a great part be blamed on my naivety believing that somehow along the path you'd have a change of heart and be compelled to turn from your slothful ways. But I have had to pinch myself to believe there is no Santa or tooth fairy - no better you.I'll start of on a personal level, regarding how you have religiously assimilated me into the culture of selfish, so to it I shall indulge. You have made my country an unsafe territory to air any opinions. Yes, your constitution (not mine) guaranteed us freedom of speech, but we never enjoy any freedom after speech. Any addition I make hints on how I support an individual with the same bearing of opinion as myself. Such attempts are met with rants of hostility from your loyal lap dogs whose tongues are cultured in the same fashion. I have been criticised for thinking differently, for speaking the truth and seeking justice. (And taunted for wearing a Lacoste designer T shirt, but that's another story.)You have paraded on platforms and carelessly uttered words. Your fully fed mouths have spat nothing but quality acid that has left us focused on the quality of it rather than the pain of it. You have been irresponsible owing to the fact that you deem yourself above the law, maybe you are the law, clearly on countless occasions you have demonstrated that simple fact. No one needs any reminder. You are all wealthy individuals and in time you have proven that every man has a price, and so factionalism has been born.At your say, we altered the books of history. Our books were re-written so the truth suits your needs and agendas. The heroes fell and new ones were born. Some scars were made deeper as others were erased. You made us depressed so we undressed to satisfy your quarter life crisis. Each and every governmental department became a church, we offered all we had, praying things would get better. Poverty forced us into fasting - believing things will get better. Ten months into the year, what has been better? You have instead become the hostile enemy who enslaves our families and beats our wives and kids in the streetsSomewhere out there, a mother and her child are being buried as a result of starvation. What did you have for breakfast? How was your lunch? Who will be joining you for supper? Not only is this bankrupt, bust and cleaned out government failing to stump out starvation and keep social services ticking, it is deciding to buy 480 (top-of-the-range) off-road vehicles in preparation for the 2018 national elections. We have been made to believe the government is broke, or does this mean we have an answer to the $15 billion question? If ever I wished you well, I now pray to God he saves you, for the fire waiting for you could not be the same fire the devil will chill, you are your own devolution. May you have the decency and conscience to stop for a second and think of the harm you are causing to this nation because of your incompetence and greed.I have come to learn that politics in a democracy is by birth frustrating. A government by and for the people includes your extremely dumb neighbour, your weird hairdresser, your uncaring girlfriend, the aunt with the religious beliefs you find absurd, everyone you stare at on the bus (or who stares at you), the people who own the company you work for and the ones begging for change on your way there. They can never be way for a government by and for the people to function without frustrating most of the people in it in one way or another. It's really a miracle it works at all and for as long as it has. Somehow, power has not changed hands in this country with any frequency or civilised grace. This country's democracy has resulted in horrors and disappointments, but the truth is, this is not what people want anymore. To speak for the majority is to say they are sick and tired. This government is no longer healthy enough to sustain the economy, it needs to be replaced (if not kicked out). Why? Because you're simply not doing your job: which is serving us Governing for the people who voted you in.2018 elections will simply be choosing the lesser evil of the two, because people are not being faced with a choice anymore. If opposition parties will not shape up, they to should ship out. The country has gone to the dogs. Who put baboons in charge of the maize field? This is what Zimbabwe has turned into. Its becoming a parade for international laughter whilst the insiders suffer and seek asylum.But it is not always about democracy, oh yes! Some of you did storm into power illegitimately either by nepotism or for whatever reasons you and whoever put you there know. Its still coming to one thing, your behaviour and lack of verity and honesty are actions that have left your power sliding back to the people, the media or whoever knows where you stole last. People are now turning away from the government almost as quickly as they voted it in because of its mindless behaviour.Its interesting to ask myself. Do your family members approve of your wealth building means? I guess their humane judgements are clouded by the countless visits to the foreign resorts, their view of what's right blinded by the sunshine on the beaches of Zanzibar courtesy of pockets fattened by the unpaid salaries of civil servants. The rage of knowing my taxes pay for your designer suits and jewellery, you flourish on the account of helpless Zimbabweans whose monies you steal everyday! But its hard to think with all that money in your face isn't it? All you can do is get fatter, appear on our Tv screens with faces oiled like Cleopatra and promise the nation, "zvinhu zvichanaka." What will get better? How will you do that?If being right is wrong, allow me to drown in my wretchedness, for you also refuse to change for the greater.I grew up reading fairy tales every night before bed. (It causes less nightmares than you'd think.) I loved the juxtaposition of the truly evil villain and the heroine who suddenly found herself on the wrong side of someone who wouldn't hesitate to do whatever it took to bend the world into a shape more to their liking. But reality is the worst nightmare in Zimbabwe. It opens your eyes to see a government with The Grinch, The big bad wolf, The witch from Hensel and Gretel, Ursula the sea witch, A Pinocchio whose nose never gets any longer and Robin hood...all led by who we know as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, The Dark Lord (no pun intended).Sure, during 2016 we've seen some truths come to light. But not through you, our national leaders, being openly and totally honest. Rather, it's been though more brave whistleblowers having to fear for their lives as they speak out against those who are the perpetrators of wrong doings. Or its happened as a way of exposing the no longer desirable fruits of your trees, not because you are honest. How many of these thieves have been sued or jailed? Whose fairytale says Robin hood must run free when he bleeds the country dry to add more weight to his obesity as others starve? Instead you continue to rape, pillage and pollute us.Over the year you have let your supporters down and have somewhat proved your critics to be right. You demonstrated that your forceful speeches lacked the corresponding leadership and strategy. Time and time again you have made bold statements, followed by inaction, or a complete U-turn. I get the impression that you don't take us seriously. We're too busy using that darned social media to make memes and hashtags instead of wide spread solutions. We don't care about the issues; we just see it as a big joke. Or at least some don't, things are livening now. People are becoming aware of their surroundings and are asking for answers whose questions you reply with teargas and police brutality.You are all tied by old age and comradeship, we're stressed out by it. This is our future you're dealing with, and we're not comfortable with how you're handling it. You might not have to live in the nation you create 50 years down the road, but we do, and we're concerned.Yes, WE are the people YOU serve. And, as many of you tell us when we vote you in, it's a privilege and an honour to do so. The question you should be asking is where will you stand when all this blows off? Until just a few months ago, Evan Bayh was working for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Now the chamber is working as hard as it can against him. In a campaign twist with significance in the battle for the Senate, the nations leading business lobby is going all out to defeat Mr. Bayh, the former Democratic senator from Indiana trying to reclaim his old seat. The chamber is doing so despite the fact that Mr. Bayh, considered a business-friendly centrist, was on the chamber payroll as recently as June and made appearances on the organizations behalf after leaving the Senate in 2011. The chambers decision to attack its former ally has angered Senate Democrats to no end because capturing the Indiana seat is a crucial element of their plan to take back the Senate majority. Democrats efforts to persuade the chamber to stay out of the race as a demonstration of bipartisanship were rebuffed. The result has strained ties with Democrats, who might be chilly to future overtures from the chamber, particularly if they are running the Senate. The fact that the U.S. Chamber has spent millions against Evan Bayh, a pro-business candidate who has even served on some of their advisory boards, rips away any pretense of bipartisanship, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, in line to be Democratic leader, said in a statement. The national headquarters is a totally partisan place and has dramatically hurt their ability to work with our caucus in 2017. Unlike his father Birch Bayh, no one has ever accused Evan Bayh of being a liberal though he does have his moments. He is now running, again, for the Senate from Indiana and one of his prime detractors is his former employer the US Chamber of Commerce.It is not really surprising that the Chamber turned on Bayh. Despite a generally pro-business record he is not a Republican. Hopefully this reaction will allow Evan Bayh to see the light and realize that there is no loyalty on the right if you are not a perfect stooge. Maybe he will give up some of his less palatable blue dog ways. Houston is getting a financial boost in its effort to get homeless people off the street. Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Thursday that J.P. Morgan Chase is providing $1 million toward providing supportive housing for chronically homeless people. He urged other businesses to step up and help fill the remaining $8 million left to fund the program. gap between total costs for the new program and the amount the government can contribute. "It's not enough to fill potholes if we don't take the opportunity to fill the potholes in people's lives," Turner said at a press conference announcing the program. He urged other businesses to help make Houston "the Super Bowl of ending homelessness." The funding will go through The Way Home Houston initiative that aims to end chronic homelessness in Houston by 2020. The coalition calculated in 2012 that the goal would require 2,500 permanent supportive housing units. So far, 2,100 are already planned or under way, said Carolyn Watson, J.P. Morgan Chase vice president for corporate responsibility. Watson said the program is an innovative model that unites government, nonprofit and business efforts. The check will help fill a $15 million gap between total costs for the program and the amount the government contributes; of that, $8 million remains unfunded. A suspect linked to the slaying of a Houston smoke shop owner has been arrested in Nebraska. Jose Rivera, 30, was apprehended by the Metro Fugitive Task Force on Tuesday in Grand Island, near central Nebraska. Rivera is wanted in connection to the death of Michael Phelan, who was killed on Jan. 9, 2015 at the 45 Smoke Shop at 2623 North Freeway. Police are searching for a person of interest in the shooting death of a 25-year-old man late Wednesday night when gunfire erupted during an argument outside at an apartment complex in south Houston. The shooting happened about 10:45 p.m. in the parking lot of the apartment complex on Southlawn near Scott, said Jimmy Dodson, a homicide investigator with the Houston Police Department. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When the calendar flips to October, Houstonians begin thinking about the places that are reported to be haunted around the Bayou City. There are walking tours of haunted locations, DIY maps and urban folk tales about spirits still inhabiting the city, giving the occasional person a fright and a great story to later tell friends. RELATED: Where to get your Houston haunts Notable haunted places in Houston are reported to be the Rice Lofts (dancers on the rooftop), La Carafe (curious sounds and cold spots), the Battleship Texas (a dead sailor) and the Julia Ideson Building (the one-time handyman and his trusty dog). The list goes on and on depending on who you speak to. However, the most haunted place in downtown Houston, according to reports, is the Spaghetti Warehouse at 901 Commerce. The location became a restaurant in 1974, but the building had a long and varied life before that. Built around 1912, it was the site of a fruit and vegetable warehouse and later a pharmaceutical company before diners were bellying up for garlic bread and lasagna. RELATED: Texas homes still haunted by horrific murders As the story traditionally goes, a young pharmacist died after falling down the elevator shaft. The pharmacists wife was so distraught, she died less than a year later. The pair of ghosts are now said to haunt the building. Some people eating there have seen floating objects. Employees have reported strange sightings on the second floor (which is open for parties) and have even heard their name called when no one else is around. Apparently the male spirit shuffles around the restroom. The number of ghosts chilling out upstairs increases depending on who you talk to, it seems. Sometimes there are child ghosts that can be heard running around the building making mischief. The owners of the restaurant stocked it with antiques, including an old Houston trolley car, a chandelier and a grandfather clock. Some paranormal believers contend that spirits become imprinted on an item and follow it around, wherever it goes. RELATED: Ghost stories, myths and other Texas horror stories Employees either seem to get used to the haunted building or find work elsewhere, according to a manager who spoke to Chron.com earlier this year. If you are susceptible to believing in spirits, or at least have an interest in Houston history, its worth a visit. Your mind just might convince you that someone from the other side is watching you plow through a basket of bread sticks. One employee told a Houston Press reporter in 2009 that her shoelaces frequently came untied for some reason while working upstairs. That might get dangerous when you are waiting on a large dinner party. Some are dismissive and say that the stories were invented as a sort of marketing tool to drum up business in a downtown area where competition is plentiful, which we have to admit is rather funny if true. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump isn't a Texan's first choice for president, they'll have 13 other choices for write-in candidates for the November's election. The Texas secretary of state has certified 13 write-in candidates Texans can vote for as the next U.S. president. READ MORE: Local issues appear on General Election ballot To become a write-in candidate for the 2016 presidential election in Texas, candidates had to file a declaration of candidacy to the Texas Secretary of State between July 23 and Aug. 22. The candidate's application must include information about the candidate's vice-presidential running mate. The running mate must also give written consent to be listed as vice president. With a good number of voters who are unhappy with Trump and Clinton, interest in write-in candidates has grown. The term "write in" has increased in Google searches as the election gets closer. Top states that are looking into write-in candidates are Vermont, Delaware, Utah and Oklahoma. Mike Pence, Bernie Sanders and Mitt Romney were among the top write-in candidates searched for. READ MORE: Conspiracy theory: Ted Cruz set up on endorsement of Trump The write-in presidential candidates and their vice-presidential running mates are: Darrel Castle and Scott Bradley Scott Cubbler and Michael Rodriguez Cherunda Fox and Roger Kushner Tom Hoefling and Steve Schulin Laurence Kotlikoff and Edward Leamer Jonathan Lee and Jeffrey Erskine Michael Maturen and Juan Munoz Evan McMullin and Nathan Johnson Monica Moorehead and Lamont Lilly Robert Morrow and Todd Sanders Emidio Soltysik and Angela Walker Dale Steffes and Paul Case The candidates come from a variety of backgrounds such as law, business and politics. Under Texas law, the list of eligible write-in candidates in Texas will be available at voting booths. Votes for uncertified write-in candidates won't count on Texas voting ballots. Click through the slideshow above to see the best memes from the first debate between Clinton and Trump. Kautman-Jones endorses Davis Please support Meredith Davis in her re-election to the Genesee County Board of Commissioners - 8th District. I have had... Writer recommend Delor, Jones for GB school board I have met heard April Delor and Patricia Jones for the Grand Blanc School Board. They both have many years... Chairman Matt Smith reminds you to vote It is important that the voters of Genesee County show up and cast their ballot on Tuesday, November 8th, 2022.... The lecture at the Norman, Okla., high school was intended to heal the racial divides, a student said. The discussion's premise: White people are racist. All of them. Following that discussion, an Oklahoma teacher is under fire and a high school is mired in the debate about how teachers should inject themselves into controversial conversations about race in America. Norman NBC-affiliate KFOR reported on the controversy last week after receiving a recording from an offended student at Norman North High School. In the recording, the teacher shows a YouTube clip about imperialism. A man in the video uses white-out on a globe to illustrate how European influence spread across the world. The discussion follows. In the recording, the teacher asks: "Am I racist? And I say yeah. I don't want to be. It's not like I choose to be racist, but do I do things because of the way I was raised?" "To be white is to be racist, period," the teacher says. The offended student told KFOR in an interview that she felt picked on because she is white. The station didn't name the student or the teacher. "Half of my family is Hispanic, so I just felt like, you know, him calling me racist just because I'm white. . . I mean, where's your proof in that," she said. "I felt like he was encouraging people to kind of pick on people for being white." "You start telling someone something over and over again that's an opinion, and they start taking it as fact." As word of the lecture spread, some have criticized the teacher's tactics. "Why is it okay to demonize one race to children that you are supposed to be teaching a curriculum to," the girl's father asked in an interview with KFOR. Students who support the teacher walked out of the high school in protest on Tuesday. Student organizers released a statement that the school district shared with media outlets. "What has been reported in the news doesn't accurately portray what happened in our philosophy class, nor does it reflect what we believe in at our school," said a student who organized the demonstration and participated in a lecture but wanted to remain anonymous. "The information was taken out of context and we believe it is important to have serious and thoughtful discussions about institutional racism in order to change history and promote inclusivity." The school district has not said whether the teacher is facing disciplinary action. In a statement, Superintendent Joe Siano said the conversation, while important, could have been handled better. "Racism is an important topic that we discuss in our schools," Siano said in the statement emailed to The Washington Post. "While discussing a variety of philosophical perspectives on culture, race and ethics, a teacher was attempting to convey to students in an elective philosophy course a perspective that had been shared at a university lecture he had attended. "We regret that the discussion was poorly handled. When the district was notified of this concern it was immediately addressed. We are committed to ensuring inclusiveness in our schools." Scott Rogers, a former blogger for Conservative Voice, suggested the teacher went too far and told his Twitter followers the educator should be fired. The incident illustrates the tightrope teachers walk between engaging students in the important issues of the day and staying neutral in a room filled with impressionable youths. Implicit bias - the belief that we all have unconscious opinions about race, gender and ethnicity that subtly affect our actions - has been discussed in police stations, school rooms and on CNN. The nation has been grappling with the issue as it debates whether officers are more likely to use deadly force against minorities and whether teachers discipline black students more severely. For teachers, racial bias can be an engaging, relevant civics lesson as much as it is a prescient social issue, educators and experts say. But conversations about race in an educational setting are delicate. Still, the conversations are happening in schools whether teachers are involved or not. In August, students at a private school in Florida drew scorn when they had an Instagram debate about which was a more respectful way to use a racial slur for black people. Last month in Montana, two students made national headlines when one wore a shirt that said "White Power" on the front and another's had the word "Redneck" and a picture of the Confederate battle flag. In "Teaching Tolerance," a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, teacher Kathleen Melville talks about the difficulty - and the necessity - of discussing race in American high schools. "Talking about race is not entirely new to my ninth-grade students, but it's definitely not a comfortable topic, at least not at school. As I get to know my students at the beginning of the year, I notice how they tiptoe around the issue. One student uses the term 'white people' and then immediately apologizes to me: 'Sorry, Miss. No offense. I mean Caucasian.' Another student mentions the demographics of a neighborhood, saying there are a lot of white people, and someone else responds, 'Oooh! Don't say that! That's racist!' "This work with students does not come easily. The sanctioned curriculum avoids it and many administrators frown on it. But we need schools that give teachers wide latitude to tailor curricula to students' needs." Donald Trump is mocking his much-derided comment at the presidential debate that he might not accept the results of the election. Trump kicked off a rally Thursday in Delaware, Ohio, by saying that he "would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supports and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election." The city of Houston's three pension funds tentatively have agreed to changes sought by Mayor Sylvester Turner in intensive, months-long negotiations that would eliminate Houston's pension underfunding in 30 years and avoid more than $2.5 billion in future costs through benefit reductions. If approved, the deals also would limit the city's exposure to future market downturns by assuming more realistic investment returns, and would cap the city's future liability through provisions that would force future benefit reductions should the market tank. City finance director Kelly Dowe told a City Council committee Thursday morning that late-night talks -- continuing into the morning with the firefighters fund, City Hall sources said -- yielded an agreement with all three groups to move forward. The next step is to take the agreement to Austin in the form of legislation, as city workers' pension benefits are enshrined in state statute. "We have agreement with the municipal and police on the terms that we have, and those would be used to move forward to craft legislation that would be brought forward to City Council," Dowe said. "Fire has agreed to move forward. We negotiated mutually agreeable terms (and) they have sent over a letter indicating they were going to put those on an agenda for either Monday or Tuesday a board vote." The funds would assume more realistic investment returns -- 7 percent rather than 8 percent to 8.5 percent -- which first digs the hole deeper, increasing the total underfunding from $5.6 billion to $7.7 billion. To dig back out, the funds have agreed to reduce benefits -- things like annual cost of living adjustments and employee payroll contributions -- enough to slash the underfunding by roughly a third, or $2.5 billion. This included a $1 billion reduction in the police fund, $802 million in the fire fund and $700 million in the municipal fund. To shave another $1 billion off the remaining gap, Turner proposes to issue $1 billion in bonds, dumping $750 million of the proceeds into the police pension and $250 million into the municipal fund. Some Houston-area fans of Donald Trump are taking seriously their candidate's persistent warnings of a rigged election and are anticipating widespread fraud on election day. Experts and officials have said that such fraud is virtually nonexistent in American elections, but local Trump supporters dismissed such reports as assertions by a mainstream media that is aligned with Democrat Hillary Clinton, and asserted that other unconsidered types of fraud will occur. RELATED: Trump repeats charges of rigged election So, when Trump said in the final presidential debate on Wednesday night that he wouldn't concede the election until he saw the results a break from traditional American presidential politics his fans agreed it was a move the candidate was entitled to make. (On Thursday, Trump clarified he will accept the outcome of next month's presidential election if he wins.) "I think that there's going to be some kind of fraud, I really honestly do," said Jeana Blackford, 43, a local political activist who traveled across states to campaign for Trump during the primaries. "I don't believe that it is just going to be isolated, I believe it is going to be all over the place. And I don't believe it's just going to be the machines, I believe it's also going to be the poll workers." She cited a 2008 YouTube video showing apparent miscounts on a machine that tallies ballots, and said election officials could alter vote tallies or misdirect voters who are unable to read, citing her experience as a volunteer election official. She also said mail-in ballot could be tampered with by postal workers. And she pointed out the hacked email scandal that lead to the resignation of Democratic National Committee chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz during the primary and recently published videos showing democratic operatives apparently talking about instigating trouble at Trump rallies as evidence that something fishy was afoot. "A lot of us are concerned," Blackford said. Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, the county's top election official said "voter fraud, while infrequent, does happen," and cited an instance of one illegal vote cast in primary runoff this year, and an investigation into possible "mail vote harvesters." "The voting machines cannot be hacked or manipulated to produce inaccurate results," he said, noting that some successful hacks have been only theoretical. "If all the poll workers at a poll were to work together to allow people to illegally vote, then this could be an issue. That is why we have multiple people at every poll from both parties and encourage poll watchers." Any operation on a scale able to sway a presidential election would be unprecedented. RELATED: County clerk seeks to reassure voters that digital safeguards are in place Elections are run county by county, and there are more than 3,000 counties in the United States, with about 200 million registered voters nationally. Counties use a variety of types of voting machines. Experts and officials have previously told the Chronicle that it would take a massive, coordinated and exceptionally high tech operation to influence a national election. Even at a statewide level, a spokesman for the Texas secretary of state said it would be "nearly impossible" to execute election fraud. RELATED: Analysis: Rigged election claims may leave lasting damage Still, election security has become a hot topic of this race. Blackford was repeating an assertion made by Texas politicians that voter fraud is "rampant," in the words of Gov. Greg Abbott long before Trump began declaring the process was rigged. And Blackford wasn't alone. Ethan Sabo, 27, a Texas chair for the Make America Safe Again PAC and author of The Gay Republican blog also said he believes there will be voter fraud because "the establishment" is rigged against Trump, and that Trump has a right to contest the results. RELATED: Local Trump fans feel abandoned by GOP, campaign Cooper Jackson, 30, founder of the Houston Area for Donald Trump Facebook page, also said he expected fraud. "We've got to do everything we can to try to make sure this election is true. I'm thinking about taking a day off work on election day and doing some poll watching," he said. Dylan Baddour If Trump were to contest the election, Jackson said he would be ready to do whatever the candidate needed, suggesting signing a petition as an example. Drew Selensky, a freshman at Texas A&M University who sometimes helps Blackford with pro-Trump activism in the Baytown area, said that if Clinton is declared winner by a "large margin" on Nov. 8, he'll "be concerned and be really questioning if there was voter fraud committed." Blackford echoed that sentiment, saying she has seen such large crowds at Trump rallies and knows of so many scandals associated with Clinton that she would find it "suspicious" if the Democrat wins the election. "I do think that you're going to see people questioning the results. I think that you will see people demanding recounts," she said. "And I don't believe it will be the Trump campaign doing that, I believe it will actually be the voters." There are procedures in place to demand a vote recount, said a spokesman for the county clerk. The process usually costs the protester tens of thousands of dollars. A new survey released Thursday by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs shows Democratic challengers mounting formidable challenges to Republican incumbents in local countywide offices. In the race for Harris County District Attorney, the telephone poll of 400 registered Harris County voters showed Democratic challenger Kim Ogg ahead of incumbent Republican Devon Anderson by seven points, 40 percent to 33 percent. A similar survey released by UH in September showed Ogg and Anderson in a virtual tie, 29 to 30 percent. Tom Cruise Recreates Film Career On The Late Late Show Trending News: Watch Tom Cruise Recreate His Movie Career In 9 Minutes Why Is This Important? Because Tom Cruise has done tons of memorable movie scenes. Long Story Short Actor Tom Cruise appeared on James Corden's The Late Late Show in a nine-minute segment where he recreated many of his most famous roles including from the movies Top Gun, Vanilla Sky, Jerry Maguire and Mission Impossible . Long Story Sure, Tom Cruise might be a wackjob with his whole Scientology thing, but let's be clear he's been in a crap load of good movies and played some of film's most memorable roles. With quotes like "show me the money" to "I feel the need... the need for speed" to "I want the truth" (subsequently responded with "you can't handle the truth") Cruise's long movie career of 40+ movies has been a special one and he brought it all back live Wednesday night to The Late Late Show with James Corden. Alongside Corden, Cruise flipped wigs as well as leather jackets and armed himself with swords, guns and motorcycle props. He may not have done skits from all of his movies, but he did plenty, including The Last Samurai, Magnolia, A Few Good Men, Risky Business and Jerry Maguire, which featured a cameo from who else Cuba Gooding Jr. who was a big part of that memorable "show me the money" scene. Bring a little Tom Cruise nostalgia back into your life by checking it out below: This isn't the first time Corden has brought out a classic actor to replay their famous scenes. Check out Tom Hanks recreating his career in eight minutes here. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Where do you slot Tom Cruise on the best actors of all time list? Disrupt Your Feed Definitely going to have to rewatch some of these. Drop This Fact Tom Cruise almost didn't star in Jerry Maguire. The role was originally written for another Tom Tom Hanks. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off on their third and final debate in Las Vegas Wednesday night, only briefly discussing immigration, one of the most divisive issues of the election, before descending into an argument over Wikileaks and Russia. For those seeking deep insight into their positions on the issue, it was yet another disappointment. Despite all the rhetoric at rallies, both candidates have skimmed over the topic at the debates so far. Until Wednesday, Trump had failed to mention the cornerstone of his immigration platform -- a wall at the Mexican border -- and Clinton barely has brought up earlier promises to grant provisional work permits to large swaths of immigrants here illegally, both controversial proposals with passionate supporters and critics. In Las Vegas, however, Trump reiterated his desire to build a wall, but again offered no details about how it would be funded. Engineers and scholars have estimated it could cost $38 billion, almost as much as goes to fund the Department of Homeland Security for a year. Trump has said he would force Mexico to pay for it, possibly by cutting remittances, and Wednesday said had a "very good meeting" with Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto. Pena Nieto, however, has said his country would not pay for such a structure. As he has done frequently, Trump accused Clinton of wanting to give amnesty to immigrants here illegally and supporting open borders. "We have no country if we have no border," Trump said, repeating a favorite slogan of his campaign. "Hillary wants to give amnesty, she wants to have open borders." Clinton said she does not support open borders, but favors programs pushed by President Barack Obama that would give temporary work permits and defer the deportations of immigrants who came here illegally as youths and the parents of Americans and permanent residents who have no criminal records. About 800,000 young immigrants have qualified for Obama's program though his plan for about 5 million qualified parents were held up by a shorthanded Supreme Court, which declined to decide it. "I don't want to rip families apart," Clinton said. " I don't want to be sending parents away from children." Referring to claims once made by Trump that he would deport all immigrants here illegally, Clinton said she didn't want to see such a "deportation force" that would require a "massive law enforcement presence where law enforcement officers would be going school to school, home to home." "We would then have to put them on trains and buses to get them out of our country," Clinton said. "I think that is an idea that is not in keeping with who we are as a nation." Trump also repeated claims he has made frequently that the federal agencies of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have endorsed him. In fact, the unions of those agencies endorsed him. One of his first acts he said Wednesday would be to deport all immigrant "drug lords." "We have some bad hombres here that we're going to get out," he said. Clinton replied that she has supported border security, but that resources must be prioritized for where they are most needed. Congress currently only allocates enough money to deport around 400,000 of an estimated 11 million immigrants here illegally a year. Obama has prioritized removing immigrants convicted of violent and drug-related crimes and those who pose a threat to national security. Since he has been in office, Obama has deported more than 2.5 million immigrants have been deported, up nearly a quarter from those removed under President George W. Bush. "I think we are both a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws and that we can act accordingly," Clinton said. "That's why I am introducing comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days with a path to citizenship." It is unclear whether Clinton would be able to get a Republican Congress to support reform after such a divisive campaign over the issue and when neither Obama nor Bush were able to push through such an overhaul despite several attempts. Clinton also was asked about hacked emails recently released by Wikileaks in which she purportedly said in a speech to a Wall Street firm, "My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." It is unclear what Clinton meant by "open borders" because she has not released the full speech. Her campaign has said she was talking about clean energy across the hemisphere, and she repeated that argument Wednesday before the discussion devolved into a fight over Wikileaks and Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some experts have said she could also have meant trade. Todd Schulte, executive director of FWD.us, an immigrant advocacy group founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, said in a statement that the last debate of the election offered two visions on fixing the immigration system and dealing with the 11 million immigrants in the country illegally. "One vision is a policy of mass deportation that transforms America into a police state, hurts our economy, rips families apart, forfeits innovation to competing countries, and turns our backs on nearly 250 years of tradition," he said. "The other vision prioritizes reform in the first 100 days of the administration, embraces a smart approach to strong border security, promotes a policy that keeps families together, facilitates economic growth, and continues our proud history as a nation of immigrants." Here's a look at where the candidates stand on immigration: Donald Trump: The border wall What he's said: "We will build a great wall along the southern border. And Mexico will pay for the wall. One hundred percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for it. And they're great people and great leaders but they're going to pay for the wall. On day one, we will begin working on intangible, physical, tall, power, beautiful southern border wall. We will use the best technology, including above and below ground sensors that's the tunnels." (speech in Phoenix on Aug. 31, 2016) The reality: Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has repeatedly said his country would not pay for a wall and the day after Trump's speech he Tweeted that he "made it clear" they would not do so after a meeting with the nominee the day before. Other Mexican statesmen have been more blunt. In an interview with CNN in September, former President Vicente Fox said, "We are not going to pay for that ... It's a crazy idea. I don't know why US citizens, taxpayers, accept that they will pay for the wall.... No way Mexico will pay for it." The Trump campaign has said it could block U.S. financial institutions from allowing immigrants here illegally to wire money, which would pressure Mexico into funding the wall as it receives about $24 billion a year in remittances. There is also the issue of cost. Trump has said it would cost between $8 billion and $12 billion. Engineers and scholars have said a wall similar to what he has described would cost three times that. This week an article in MIT Technology Review estimated a 1,000-mile wall would cost about $38 billion. By comparison, the Department of Homeland Security requested $41.2 billion for its entire budget in fiscal year 2016. Much of the border already is divided by 650 miles of fencing, walls and vehicle barriers, as well as a "virtual wall" of thousands of sensors, cameras and other features such as drones and aerostats to detect illegal crossings. Almost 60 miles of border wall was built in the Rio Grande Valley, where nearly half of all Border Patrol apprehensions occur. Criminal immigrants What he's said: "Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens." (nomination speech in Cleveland on July 19, 2016) "We will terminate the Obama administration's deadly, non-enforcement policies that allow thousands of criminal aliens to freely roam our streets." (10-point plan on campaign website) According to federal government estimates last year, about 179,000 immigrants who have been ordered deported have criminal convictions. The vast majority are likely for re-entering the country illegally. A 2011 Government Accountability Office study analyzing data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission found that the "federal primary conviction" for 68 percent of offenders who were immigrants in fiscal year 2009 was an immigration-related violation - not a violent offense or any sort of crime which could be construed as a threat to public safety. Several studies have shown that immigrants - whether they are here legally or not - are far less likely than native-born citizens to commit crimes. A 2008 University of California study, for example, found that for "every ethnic group without exception, incarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants, even those who are the least educated. This holds true especially for the Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans, who make up the bulk of the undocumented population." Banning Muslim immigrants What he's said: After initially proposing a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" following the San Bernardino terrorist attack in December, Trump has since backed off on his statement. At the second presidential debate earlier this month, Trump said his Muslim ban has "morphed into a extreme vetting from certain areas of the world." "We are going to areas like Syria where they're coming in by the tens of thousands because of Barack Obama ... People are coming into our country like we have no idea who they are, where they are from, what their feelings about our country is." On his campaign website, he calls to suspend issuing visas to any place where "adequate screening cannot occur." The reality: Constitutional scholars and lawyers have said banning immigrants on the basis of their religion would likely be a violation of the First Amendment. But a president could potentially have the discretion to limit which areas of the world immigrants to the United States come from. Banning immigrants from every country with terrorism problems, however, would be challenging as that would include most areas of the globe, including France, Germany and Belgium. In all about 85,000 refugees were settled in this last fiscal year, including nearly 13,000 from Syria. The refugee resettlement process can take up to three years and experts have called it the most extensive screening program for any foreigner entering the United States. After being referred by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, applicants undergo extensive Department of Homeland Security background checks, biometric screenings and multiple in-person interviews. Investigators check their criminal records and certain civil information, such as if the applicant has ever applied for a visa or gone to a U.S. embassy or consulate, to see whether the information supplied has been consistent. The process includes an investigation by the National Counterterrorism Center and the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center. The government has also added an extra level of screening for Syrian refugees. According to the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C., three resettled refugees -- two Iraqis in Kentucky and an Uzbek in Idaho -- have been arrested for planning terrorist activities since 2001. This week a Houston man, Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, who came here as a refugee when he was a teenager, pleaded guilty of being an ISIS sympathizer who planned to set off bombs at two malls in January. End catch and release What he said: "We are going to end catch and release. We catch them, oh go ahead. We catch them, go ahead. Under my administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country and back to the country from which they came. And they'll be brought great distances. We're not dropping them right across. They learned that. President Eisenhower. They'd drop them across, right across, and they'd come back. And across. Then when they flew them to a long distance, all of a sudden that was the end. We will take them great distances. But we will take them to the country where they came from, OK?" (speech in Phoenix on Aug. 31, 2016) The reality: Catch and release refers to a decades-old immigration policy of releasing immigrants who are caught here illegally while they wait for a hearing with an immigration judge. The policy ended in 2006 and since President Barack Obama has been in office, more than 2.5 million immigrants have been deported, up nearly a quarter from those removed under President George W. Bush. Critics of Obama and some immigration enforcement officials, however, have characterized a revised set of priorities announced in 2014 as a form of catch and release. Under those priorities, Obama said immigration agents should worry chiefly about immigrants here illegally who have serious criminal convictions, pose a threat to national security or are involved in gangs, or those who arrived after January 2014. Congress currently only allocates enough money to deport around 400,000 of an estimated 11 million immigrants here illegally a year. Removing all of them could cost as much as $600 billion and take 20 years -- not to mention, President Dwight Eisenhower's Operation Wetback to which Trump referred would certainly be highly controversial to implement today and possibly illegal. Repeal Obama's executive actions on immigration What he said: "We will immediately terminate President Obama's two illegal executive amnesties in which he defied federal law and the Constitution to give amnesty to approximately five million illegal immigrants, five million." (speech in Phoenix on Aug. 31, 2016) The reality: Obama has issued two executive actions on immigration. One, Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals, gave temporary work permits and deferred the deportations of about 800,000 immigrants here illegally who came here as children. About 70 percent of the recipients saw a wage increase of 45 percent, according to a 2015 survey by the Center for American Progress and the National Immigration Law Center, two advocacy groups in Washington D.C. Trump would certainly be able to repeal this program on day one as he has promised. He has not said whether he would immediately deport all of the youth though they would indeed be subject to removal right away. Obama's second executive action, for the parents of American citizens and permanent residents who have been here for more than five years and have no criminal record, was tied up in the courts. A shorthanded Supreme Court declined to decide it, effectively ending the program. Hillary Clinton Comprehensive immigration reform in the first 100 days What she's said: "I'm going to be introducing comprehensive immigration reform in those first 100 days, and I'm going to be doing everything I can using whatever tools I have as president to remove the fear from families and to stop the raids and the roundups ... We're gonna get to comprehensive immigration reform when I am president." (June 2016, Telemundo) The reality: It's unclear whether Clinton would be able to get support from a Republican Congress to push through immigration reform after an election in which the issue was so divisive. The Senate in 2013 passed comprehensive reform that would have given immigrants here illegally a pathway to citizenship, ramped up enforcement at the border and repealed a diversity visa that grants green cards to one-fifth of African migrants in the country. It stalled in the House. Similar attempts supported by President George W. Bush in 2005, 2006 and 2007 also failed. The system has not been overhauled since the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 under President Ronald Reagan. That made it against the law to hire immigrants here illegally but also granted amnesty to about 3 million immigrants in the country at the time. Keep Obama's two executive actions and even expand them What she's said: "We must do everything we can to keep families already here together. So when the Supreme Court put DAPA on hold, and that affected 5 million immigrants, and it was devastating for millions of families. But it's important to note the Court did not actually rule on the substance of the case. I've said throughout this campaign that DAPA is squarely within the President's authority. And I will keep saying that and fighting for it. There's more we can do. We need a simple, straightforward system where people with sympathetic cases or can show a history of service to their communities can make their case, and be eligible for deferred action." (July 2016, LULAC National Convention) The reality: The Supreme Court elected not to decide whether Obama's executive action was unconstitutional, keeping in place a lower court's blocking of it. So Clinton could attempt to issue a new, even broader, executive action if she becomes president. She could also appoint a Supreme Court justice that would break the tie in the case. End 3- and 10-year bans What she's said: "The 3- and 10-year bars force familiesespecially those whose members have different citizenship or immigration statusesinto a heartbreaking dilemma: remain in the shadows, or pursue a green card by leaving the country and loved ones behind." (Campaign platform) The reality: A provision in the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act prevents immigrants who have overstayed their visas or crossed the border illegally from returning to the U.S. legally for either three or 10 years, depending on the length of time they had been in the country illegally. Clinton would not be able to end such bans on her own, however. It would have to be done through Congress. End family detention and close private immigration detention centers What she's said: "And we must absolutely end family detention, close private detention facilities and stop the raids and roundups. These actions are not consistent with our values. Too many children in our country say goodbye to their parents every morning not knowing if mom and dad will be there when we get home. I want to do everything I can to keep families together." (July 2016, League of United Latin American Citizens) The reality: The Obama administration has expanded the use of family detention to deter Central Americans from coming here after a surge of those immigrants overwhelmed the federal government in 2014. And though the Justice Department announced last month that it would end the use of private prisons, it did not extend that to immigration facilities. Increase number of Syrian refugees the U.S. admits from 10,000 to 65,000 What she's said: "We're facing the worst refugee crisis since the end of World War II and I think the United States has to do more. I would like to see us move from what is a good start with 10,000 to 65,000 and begin immediately to put into place the mechanisms for vetting the people that we would take in." (September 2015, CBS' "Face the Nation." ) The reality: As Trump and his campaign have said, that would indeed be a 550 percent increase from fiscal year 2016. Though it would be under Clinton's power as president, it would likely rankle Republicans. Last month, Texas withdrew from the federal refugee resettlement program after federal authorities declined to revise the security screening protocol. The state's withdrawal, however, does not actually affect the number of refugees settled in Texas or the services provided to them, including medical assistance, social services, preventative health and the unaccompanied refugee minors program. Rather, Texas will no longer be the steward of the federal funds it previously distributed to various charities and private agencies that ran the programs for refugees. Federal agencies will now lead those efforts directly in Texas. The move was the latest escalation in an almost yearlong battle between the states and Washington over resettling refugees that began after the Paris terror attacks. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. 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. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Gatestone Institute..20 October '16..Some 300 members of the Palestinian Fatah faction, headed by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, have begun receiving "military training" in the Gaza Strip in preparation for war with Israel.The armed wing of Fatah, Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - The Martyr Nidal Al-Amoudi Division, announced that its members have been enrolled in a new military academy for training "fighters" in the Gaza Strip. The academy, inaugurated recently in the Gaza Strip, would train the "fighters" on various fighting methods "in the context of a program for preparing for any future battle" with the "Zionist enemy."The Nidal Academy was named for Nidal Al-Amoudi, a top Fatah militant killed by the Israel Defense Forces on January 13, 2008, after he carried out a series of armed attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers during the Second Intifada. "The academy has been named after the commander Nidal Al-Amoudi (Abu Hussein) to fulfill his dream of qualifying the fighters militarily, morally, religiously and revolutionarily," explained a statement released by the Fatah armed group. Noting that some 300 "fighters" have already joined the academy, the group said that they have begun undergoing training in various methods of warfare."We have pledged to prepare an army of fighters by devoting our full abilities and energies to consolidate the option of armed struggle as the only means to liberate Palestine," the group declared.The Martyr Nidal Al-Amoudi Division is one of several Fatah-affiliated militias that continue to operate in the Gaza Strip despite Hamas's violent takeover of the area in the summer of 2007. These groups pose no threat to the Hamas regime, which is why they are allowed to operate freely in different parts of the Gaza Strip. The groups' explicit policy is to prepare for war with Israel and launch terror attacks against Israelis. Hamas, however, which expelled their leaders from the Gaza Strip and continues to persecute dozens of Fatah activists in the Gaza Strip, is not on their hit list. Caritas Cehia in cautarea unui expert/unei experte sau unei echipe de experti in prestarea serviciilor de consiliere psihologica (pe segmentul burnout) pentru echipa mobila de prestare a serviciilor psiho-sociale pentru refugiatii ucraineni American International Group Inc. agreed to sell commercial and consumer units in nations including Argentina and Turkey to Prem Watsas Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. for $240 million as Chief Executive Officer Peter Hancock narrows his companys focus. Fairfax will also acquire renewal rights on the portfolio of business written by AIGs Central and Eastern European operations in countries including Poland, the New York-based insurer said Tuesday in a statement. Hancock is focusing on property/casualty coverage in nations such as the U.S. and Japan where his company enjoys large market share. He reached a deal in August to sell a mortgage guarantor to Arch Capital Group Ltd. and said this month that it was scaling back in Brazil after agreeing to transfer auto policies to a unit of Porto Seguro SA. The deal with Toronto-based Fairfax furthers AIGs strategic goal of focusing its geographic footprint and investment in major economies that offer the greatest potential for profitable growth, AIG said in the statement. At the same time, AIG is committed to maintaining and enhancing multinational capabilities for individuals and companies that operate globally. Hancock previously announced transactions to exit operations in Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala. AIG has sold more than $90 billion of assets since 2009, mostly to repay a U.S. bailout. Argentina, Colombia Watsa has been expanding through acquisitions to diversify risks and add premium revenue that he can invest in stocks or derivatives. He struck a deal last year to buy Brit Plc to grow in the Lloyds of London market. The AIG agreement also includes local units in Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay and Venezuela. The businesses are well established in their respective markets with experienced management teams and a disciplined approach to underwriting, and they will significantly expand Fairfaxs footprint in Latin America, complementing operations in Brazil, Watsa said in a separate statement. Other countries in the renewal-rights portion of the deal are Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. The transaction is expected to be completed next year, Fairfax said. Watsa expanded in the region last year with an acquisition from QBE Insurance Group Ltd. Some Heft Were starting to get some heft in Eastern Europe. With this deal well have a little bit more presence, and well continue to do things that make sense. Were opportunistic, Paul Rivett, president of Fairfax, said in an interview. Its the same reason we like India, Africa. Its a much younger population. The demographics for economic growth over the long term are good. AIG advanced 61 cents to $60.90 at 9:32 a.m. in New York, narrowing its decline for the year to 1.7 percent. Fairfax climbed C$6.34 to C$726.61, expending its gain since Dec. 31 to 11 percent. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Volkswagen AG and car owners will likely secure a federal judges final sign-off on their $14.7 billion settlement as the automaker continues to seek regulators approval of a fix for 482,000 pollution-spewing vehicles still on U.S. roads. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco said he is strongly inclined to approve the settlement requiring VW to buy back cars with 2.0-liter diesel engines equipped with so-called defeat devices to cheat pollution-control tests. Breyer, after listening Tuesday to critics of the deal including more than 20 car owners, said he will issue a ruling before Oct. 25. The judge also gave preliminary approval to VWs $1.2 billion settlement with 652 auto dealerships to cover their losses related to the diesel-cheating scandal. He scheduled a hearing for January to consider final approval of that agreement, which provides buybacks on the same terms as the consumer accord. VW reached the settlement covering the 2-liter engines in June with consumers and regulators including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has yet to approve any of VWs proposals to fix those cars as technical negotiations on the resolution continue, Breyer told the court. Buybacks, Repair The settlement allows cars owners to choose whether to have VW buy back their vehicles or, if a fix is approved, repair them. The company remains in talks with U.S. regulators and car owners over a remedy for vehicles with 3.0-liter diesel engines also equipped with the emissions-cheating software. The automaker has earmarked $19.5 billion (17.8 billion euros) to extricate itself from the scandal. That includes the agreement with its U.S. franchise dealers, along with $86 million to California and $603 million to other states over violations of consumer protection laws. VW still faces criminal probes, shareholder claims and environmental lawsuits by multiple states, as well as lawsuits and a criminal probe in Europe. Jeannine Ginivan, a VW spokeswoman, said in a statement that the company welcomed the judges positive comments on the 2-liter settlement. Step Forward She said Volkswagen is pleased that the judge granted preliminary approval to the dealership settlement, calling it another important step forward as we work to make things right. If final approval is granted, car owners will be able to sell their vehicles back to VW for what they would have been worth on Sept. 17, 2015, the day before the emissions-cheating scandal became public. Owners will also have the option of having their cars repaired if the EPA approves a fix. In either case, they will also get $5,100 to $10,000 each in additional compensation. Some leaseholders will receive about half those amounts. Anna St. John, an attorney opposing the agreement on behalf of the Center for Class Action Fairness, told the judge car owners could have gotten the same deal buybacks and compensation through VWs settlement with federal regulators without paying massive fees to consumer lawyers. Attorneys for car owners could collect up to $324 million if the deal is approved. Lied and Deceived Breyer was skeptical of her argument. He said the consumer section wasnt accomplished in a vacuum. The settlement has to be looked at as a whole its a comprehensive settlement. Car owner Betty Carroll, 64, drove her 2012 Volkswagen Passat 130-miles from the Sierra Nevada foothills to San Francisco to formally object to the settlement, saying it falls short of her cost of buying a new car. A fix wouldnt be an option, she said. I dont know if its going to be a good fix after theyve lied and deceived, Carroll said. Who knows what theyre going to do. They can have it back. Carroll and St. Johns objections represented a small fraction of the consumer class that includes owners of 336,312 vehicles already registered to participate in the settlement two years ahead of the 2018 deadline to sign up, said Elizabeth Cabraser, the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs. There is resounding support for this consumer class settlement and the substantial benefits it provides, Cabraser said. Cars depreciate. They age in dog years. But even people shouldnt have to wait years for a seemingly perfect resolution when a resolution of this strength and responsiveness can be had now. The case is In Re: Volkswagen Clean Diesel Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, 15-md-02672, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. New Mexico officials ran into fresh criticism Tuesday about revisions to the states immigrant drivers license law at a public hearing on the proposed regulations. The Department of Taxation and Revenue has said its plan to implement a law approved this year would put New Mexico in compliance with tougher federal identification requirements for drivers licenses while extending driving privileges to immigrants in the country illegally. But advocates for the homeless and victims of domestic violence warned that the proposed regulations could unnecessarily tighten documentation requirements for basic state identification cards that poor, displaced people use to get jobs and apply for government health benefits. Hank Hughes, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, urged the state agency to restore a longer list of identity and proof-of-residency documents that have been accepted by the Motor Vehicle Division in the past. Documents that would no longer be accepted for a basic ID include military discharge papers, proof of eligibility for welfare benefits, medical insurance cards, school transcripts, infant baptism certificates and more, he said. That leaves a list of 23 eligible identification documents and nine residency documents. Getting a new ID is important for people who are starting their lives over again, and making that as simple as possible, I think is to the benefit of everybody in the state, Hughes said. You dont want people wandering around without IDs who cant get medical care, who cant get jobs and get access to lots of different things. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez spent years trying to repeal the states immigrant drivers license law before arriving at a compromise with Democratic lawmakers this year. The Taxation and Revenue Department described new complaints as ill-informed and noted that an overwhelming majority of New Mexicans have supported the governors position. This is just an ill-informed and incorrect attempt to smear the governors initiative to end the dangerous practice of issuing drivers licenses to illegal immigrants, said Ben Cloutier, a spokesman for the Taxation and Revenue Department. He added that issues of identification for the homeless would need to be addressed by the Legislature. A hearing officer will report on the concerns raised Tuesday to Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla for consideration before final regulations are issued. Under a law approved in February, New Mexico is moving to a two-tiered system of drivers licenses and identity cards with distinct application requirements. One tier provides a drivers license or ID card that complies with provisions of the federal REAL ID Act. The act eventually would require proof of legal U.S. residency for those who want to use state identification to access certain areas of federal facilities or board flights. New Mexico had no such requirement. New Mexico residents also can opt for a driving authorization card or another simple ID that wont guarantee access to federal facilities or air travel. Public concerns focused largely on new documentation requirements to obtain the second-tier driving card and ID. The Center for Law and Poverty objected to proposed requirements for an identification number, such as a Social Security number or substitutes such an IRS-issued individual taxpayer identification number, saying that goes beyond the intent of the Legislature. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. People living near the Coronado Bridge called Tuesday for new safety measures after a suspected drunken driver plunged off the San Diego, Calif., span and smashed into a festival 60 feet below, killing four people. All were asking is for please, as soon as possible, to get some high rails so that we wont ever have to have something like this happen again, said Tomasa Tommie Camarillo, who has worked 46 years to preserve Chicano Park under the bridge. At a news conference in the park, Camarillo said she has seen everything from motorcycles to a fender come crashing down near where people were gathered and children were playing. State Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, vowed to make the bridges safety a top priority, although he did not provide specifics. The bridge links San Diego to the Navy town of Coronado across the bay. The park is known for brightly colored murals painted on the bridges columns in honor of one of the oldest Mexican-American neighborhoods in the United States. On Saturday, the GMC pickup blew through a concrete retaining wall and crashed into a booth as a crowd gathered for La Raza Run, a motorcycle ride that began in downtown Los Angeles and ended at the park. Four people died and nine were injured, including vendors trapped under the pickup, which landed only steps away from a stage where a rockabilly band was playing. The driver, Richard Anthony Sepolio, was expected to be arraigned at a hospital Wednesday on four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, a felony DUI causing injury or death, and three counts of gross bodily injuries in a DUI crash, California Highway Patrol Capt. Jim Nellis said. Sepolio was recovering from an injured back and other injuries at a hospital. The 25-year-old Navy aviation electronics technician, who enlisted in 2014, was assigned to Helicopter Combat Squadron 6 at the base in Coronado. The San Diego County Medical Examiner identified the people killed as Cruz Elias Contreras, 52, and Annamarie Contreras, 50, of Chandler, Arizona; and Andre Christopher Banks, 49, and Francine Denise Jimenez, 46, both from Hacienda Heights, a suburb east of Los Angeles. The suspects mother, Blanca Sepolio, said family members didnt wish to comment on the crash when reached by the San Diego Union-Tribune. (Watson reported from San Diego. Weber reported from Los Angeles.P Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - The man accused of fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy at Mr. Hero made his first appearance Wednesday in Cleveland Heights Municipal Court. Daveion Perry, 20, is charged with aggravated murder and several lesser offenses in the Friday shooting of Sunny Ravi Patel at the sandwich shop on South Taylor Road. Perry also faces charges in Saturday robbery in University Heights. Judge A. Deane Buchanan set bond at $1 million and scheduled a preliminary hearing Oct. 28. Perry is scheduled to be sentenced for a burglary conviction Oct. 27 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. He pleaded guilty last month but had been released from custody after posting a $2,500 bond, according to court records. Detectives arrested Perry late Sunday as he ran from a Dollar General on Lee Road at East Overlook Road in what Mecklenburg called an "unsuccessful" robbery. "We don't know if he would have stopped if he had gotten away that night," Mecklenburg said at the news conference. "We had to do everything in our power to find him and stop him before he hurt anybody else." Investigators found Perry in possession of the gun he is accused of using to shoot Patel, Mecklenburg said. The armed man entered the Mr. Hero just before 8 p.m. and shot Patel once in the head, police said. The Highland Heights teen died after paramedics took him to University Hospitals. He took money from a cash register and ran from the store, police said. Perry is also charged in a Saturday armed robbery at a Subway in University Heights. A Subway employee reported that an armed man entered the store just before 9 p.m. and took $299 from a cash register, according to a police report. No injuries were reported in that robbery. The Mayfield City School District identified Sunny as a sophomore at Mayfield High School and offered condolences to his family. Funeral services were held Monday in Parma, Cleveland Heights Mayor Cheryl Stevens said during Monday's city council meeting. If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section. IMG_4353.JPG A Willoughby police officer fatally shot a person Wednesday in the Lowe's parking lot. The person's car crossed Euclid Avenue and crashed. (Courtney Astolfi) WILLOUGHBY, Ohio -- Officials identified the man shot and killed Wednesday by a Willoughby police officer. Frank Sandor, 38, of Cleveland was shot as he sped away from two police officers questioning him in the parking lot of a Lowe's Home Improvement store. Willoughby police have not released the name of the officer involved in the shooting, nor has the department released an initial report about the incident. The department has also not released 911 audio recordings requested by cleveland.com. Police said that Sandor was wanted on dangerous drugs and escape warrants in Lake County and was driving a car stolen from the parking lot of a K-Mart in Brunswick. Police have not said whether Sandor was armed or if he made any threats toward the officers prior to the shooting. A statement released Thursday by Willoughby police said that Sandor gave officers false information before he placed the Pontiac in reverse and struck a police motorcycle. The involved officer, a department veteran, suffered minor injuries after being struck by the car, Willoughby police Chief Jack Beckwith said. The YouTube video shows the officer walking with a limp after he fired the shots. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is now investigating the officer's actions, agency spokeswoman Jill Del Greco said. "We're conducting the criminal investigation to map out exactly what happened, and we'll turn the investigation over to the local prosecutor (to make a determination if) there was any criminal misconduct," Del Greco said. A YouTube video posted shortly after the 1 p.m. shooting showed one officer fire three rounds at the fleeing car. After the shots were fired, the car traveled out of the Lowe's lot and across Euclid Avenue, where it crashed in front of another shopping center. Seth Stoughton, a law professor and use-of-force expert at the University of South Carolina, said shooting at a fleeing vehicle is "almost never OK." He noted that the U.S. Supreme Court indicated it was acceptable in certain circumstances. Ohio BCI's criminal probe is expected to take months because investigators must await finalized autopsy and toxicology reports, Del Greco said. Bureau investigators have already created a 3D image of the shooting scene, and are in the process of interviewing witnesses. Officials are also awaiting a search warrant to search the inside of the car, which has since been moved to a bureau crime lab in Richfield. Beckwith would not say at a Wednesday press conference whether the incident appeared to have been handled properly by his officers. Willoughby police are conducting their own internal investigation to determine if the officer's actions violated departmental policy. While Sandor had outstanding warrants, most of the crimes in which he was charged were drug-related. He was indicted in July on a misdemeanor drug possession charge in Lake County Common Pleas Court, records show. He was out on a personal bond pending the indictment, but the Lake County Sheriff's Office could not serve a warrant after the indictment because Sandor had moved. Sandor has a limited criminal history before 2016. He was charged with one count of petty theft in Cleveland Municipal Court in 2013, and he failed to appear in court for several years. A warrant was issued for his arrest in that case in July 2016. He also had several misdemeanor warrants from Rocky River police, police said. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. Cleveland.com reporter Jane Morice also contributed to this story. The story has been updated to clarify details about BCI's investigation. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Parma's Polish Village added some new flavors Wednesday. The new Barabicu Smokehouse opened it doors at 11 a.m. serving up Texas-style beef brisket; Southern-style pulled pork; lamb, pork, beef and chicken sausage; and a variety of spicy sauces and other barbecue foods, many of which founding partner Jon Ashton was exposed to when he competed on the Great Food Truck Race in 2014. "We traveled the South and were exposed to so many different types of Southern barbecue," says Ashton. Like the other founding partners - George Hickey, Danny Cassano and Justin Ofandiski, and staff members Barrie Farber and Jason Farris -- Ashton has years of experience in the hospitality industry in Cleveland, including as a sushi chef at Parallax. Other partners have worked at Dante, with Michael Symon and in food wholesale. "Barabicu" means "sacred fire pit" in the Taino language, another nice international touch. The meat is smoked on a 700-pound-capacity wood-fueled smoker that the partners are running 24-hours a day. They smoked 500 pounds for opening day, and were doing brisk business, in part thanks to the heavenly smell of brisket wafting down Ridge Road. Menu items will vary daily, says Ashton, with some standards like brisket and pulled pork always an option. The opening day menu also included Barabicu's own "chicken cupcake," a fantastic rolled piece of thigh meat that had been brined, seasoned and then tightly rolled together and covered in crispy skin. The pulled pork, smoked for three days, was melt-in-your-mouth creamy, as was the brisket, smoked 18 hours. Sides were equally decadent and unique, from the homemade mac-and-cheese with bechamel, parmesan and cheddar; to the greens with smoked ham hocks; and smoked potato salad and chopped coleslaw. Other days, the menu may include jerk chicken and different types of sausage. Bread is made fresh at On the Rise on the East Side; soon the owners hope to partner up with Polish Village neighbors, too. "We're all about working with people in the area," says Ashton, who grew up nearby. He says they chose Parma's Polish Village -- after a short-lived foray into Tremont last year - because it was a busy residential area without many dining options, and also its access to nearby I-480. "We want locals to come and to be a destination spot," says Ashton. "Barbecue is very hot right now. " Though the space is currently just open for takeout, they hope to eventually add a dine-in area. Barabicu is at 5767 Ridge Road, Parma. It will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. "until the meat runs out." Ice Cube,O'Shea Jackson Ice Cube performs at the 2016 Festival d'ete de Quebec in downtown Quebec City, in Canada. (Amy Harris) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Count Ice Cube as one of the people who thinks Tupac Shakur should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next April. Shakur was one of 19 nominees named to this year's ballot earlier this week, and just one of two nominees (Pearl Jam) to be nominated during their first year of eligibility. In speaking with TMZ, Ice Cube, made his case for the late 2pac. "I think we need our own Hall of Fame to be honest, but Tupac definitely needs to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," Cube said. Cube and the other members of N.W.A. were inducted into the Rock Hall this past April. Leading up to the ceremony, the group publicly traded jabs with KISS member Gene Simmons about the validity of hip-hop in the museum. "It don't matter," Cube said of detractors. "As long as you get in, baby." We'll find out if 2pac gets in when the Class of 2017 is announced in December. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The first clear photographic evidence of a black bear sow with cubs in Ohio has been recorded in Ashtabula County, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The historic footage of a mother black bear (called a sow) safely crossing a roadway with at least two cubs was captured by Colleen Porfillio and her daughter Jenna as they were driving. "This is the confirmation we needed to help ensure our suspicions were on point," said Scott Peters, wildlife management supervisor for Northeast Ohio. "Black bear sightings in northeast Ohio counties are not all that uncommon anymore, especially sightings of young males looking to establish territories during warmer months." Wildlife biologists have logged some reported sightings of females with cubs, but supporting data such as high-quality pictures or video of a sow with cubs in Ohio has been lacking until now. "Whether or not the sow gave birth to the cubs here in Ohio we'll never know, since the sighting was only a few miles from the Pennsylvania border. Nevertheless, it's exciting to know they're spending time in the Buckeye State," said Peters. The cubs will stay with the sow just over one year, and then they will disperse to find their own territories. People who see a black bear in northeast Ohio are encouraged to contact Wildlife District Three at 330-644-2293. As much detail as possible including location, date, time, and bear activity is helpful to biologists. This data helps wildlife officials better understand this species as well as the population dynamics in Ohio. Reports of recent activity are most helpful, therefore sightings more than a few days old are not necessary to report. The ODNR Division of Wildlife began formally keeping records of black bear observations in 1993. Since that time, bears have been confirmed in over half of Ohio's 88 counties. Most observations occur in northeast and southern Ohio. Ashtabula County is a leading county for reported bear activity. Confirmed sightings include such details as photographs, tracks, scat, and reports directly from wildlife officials. Efforts to monitor the black bear have been supported by the Wildlife Diversity and Endangered Species fund, which receives donations from Ohioans through the state income tax check-off program and by the purchase of cardinal license plates and Wildlife Legacy Stamps. Historically, black bears roamed the Buckeye State, but unregulated hunting and habitat loss rendered bears extirpated from Ohio by 1850. Today, Ohio is again home to a small but growing population of black bears. Ohio's resident bear population is estimated to be anywhere from 50 to 100 individual bears. A black bear presents no danger to humans when it is given the proper space. Black bears are usually fearful of people, therefore bear attacks are rare. The first thing to do when you see a bear is to remain calm. Generally, black bears are non-aggressive and prefer to flee from the area as soon as they are aware of human presence. If you encounter a bear and it is not aware of your presence, simply back away from the area slowly. If the bear is aware of your presence and it does not leave the area, avoid direct eye contact with the animal, give the bear an easy escape route, and simply back slowly away from the area. Always avoid running or climbing trees, which may provoke a chase. An easy way to remember this is to be AWARE: Act calm and do not run. Warn the bear that you are near; talk in a firm, calm voice. Allow space between you and the bear. Step aside and back slowly away. Do not make the bear feel trapped or threatened. Raise your hands above your head to appear larger if the bear approaches. Clap your hands or shout to scare the bear away. Exit the area. The black bear is listed as endangered in Ohio and protected by state law. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, an agency dedicated to quelling violence in the city's most dangerous neighborhoods, soon will embed a "violence interrupter" in MetroHealth Medical Center's emergency room to guide gunshot victims and their families away from retaliation and to a better path. A $75,000 grant from the United Way of Greater Cleveland will cover the cost of training, salary and benefits for one of the Peacemakers' longest serving and most experienced members to work overnight shifts at the hospital, when gun violence is most likely to occur. In this Q&A, cleveland.com explores the details of the new program and other updates on the Peacemakers' operation since the agency came under the control of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland six months ago. Q: Who are the Peacemakers, and how do they intervene in conflict? A: The Peacemakers, a coalition of violence interventionists that have been operating in Cleveland for about seven years, is largely made up of former gang members and reformed criminals, who draw upon their street cred and relationships to detect trouble and quash it before it erupts. Their concern is the four to six percent of the population that drives nearly 70 percent of the city's violence, and the conflicts that have the potential to ignite deadly altercations if not interrupted. The team spends its time gathering intelligence about simmering hostilities on the streets and guiding youth, specifically between the ages of 15 and 25, to social services, drug treatment, job placement programs or other alternatives to violence and crime. Q: How have the Peacemakers recovered from the revelation last February that former Director Reggie Rucker had been embezzling from the group? A: Boys & Girls Clubs President Ron Soeder said in a recent interview that the Peacemakers have come a long way since his agency took control of the program in March, shortly after Rucker was indicted for stealing to pay his personal expenses and gambling debts. Under the new leadership of Director Sharyna Cloud, the Peacemakers have regained the trust of donors and the community, Soeder said. The agency continues to enjoy support from the Cleveland Foundation, which has granted the Peacemakers $800,000 to cover salaries and benefits for the 16 outreach workers, plus administrative costs. In addition to the $75,000 from the United Way, the Peacemakers are in the running for a $75,000 grant from the city of Cleveland to embed another interrupter in a University Hospitals emergency room. And for the first time, the Peacemakers have their own board of directors - consisting of law enforcement officials, a judge, a financial expert and members of the faith-based community -- to guide the agency's decisions and spending. Q: How have the Peacemakers evolved? A: In May, the Peacemakers hosted a delegation from the international Cure Violence initiative. The Cure Violence model - which relies on violence interrupters, much like the Peacemakers Alliance - approaches violence as a curable disease that is transmitted during disputes that have the potential to escalate. For the past 16 years, Cure Violence has helped dozens of major cities, including Baltimore and New York, develop programs that have been credited with statistically significant reductions in violence in some of the deadliest neighborhoods. The Cure Violence representatives advised the Cleveland group that - short of becoming a bona fide Cure Violence program - the Peacemakers should seek formal training in conflict resolution. Since then, Soeder says, the group has done just that. In August, the Peacemakers hired Chicago-based consultant Ameena Matthews to lead training sessions with the team. Matthews, who was featured in the PBS Frontline documentary, The Interrupters, formerly served as a violence interrupter with Chicago's CeaseFire program, the first Cure Violence program in the country. Soeder said the Peacemakers got a lot out of the training and put it into action right away. When a high-speed police chase started in Strongsville and ended in a crash on Cleveland's East Side, the crowd that gathered at the scene became angry and hostile toward the mostly white Strongsville police officers, Soeder said. Matthews and the Peacemakers were able to ease the tension and prevent a potentially violent altercation, he said. Q: What lies ahead for the Peacemakers? A: The Cure Violence representatives also had recommended that the Peacemakers, who currently cover the entire city, concentrate their resources on the city's most violent hot-spots. With less ground to cover, violence interrupters get to know their street sources well and more effectively defuse tension before it boils over. Spread too thin, workers end up reacting to violence and miss their chance to interrupt it, Cure Violence representatives argued. To that end, Soeder says future funding increases will be spent on beefing up coverage of hot spots, specifically Cleveland's Central, Glenville and St. Clair/Superior neighborhoods, as well as neighborhoods off of Kinsman Road. Soeder said those zones consistently produce the highest numbers of gun crimes and deaths and deserve a more concentrated focus. Q: How will the MetroHealth program work? A: The Peacemakers have tapped long-time interrupter Jeff Crosby to work in the hospital setting from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., Thursday through Monday each week - the times and days when violence is most likely to erupt. Crosby will be stationed in the emergency room, working cases as they come in. His focus will be keeping victims and their friends and family calm after a shooting, talking them out of retaliation and connecting them with resources to ensure the victim does not return. MetroHealth has pledged to support Crosby's work by providing social workers and behavioral interventionists, Soeder said. Many of the gunshot cases at MetroHealth come from Cleveland's Central neighborhood, he said. A life-long East Sider and former gang member, Crosby can relate to the pressures of inner-city life, Soeder said. But Crosby also happens to have a college degree, making him a perfect fit for the hospital setting, too. "He is an off-the-charts brilliant guy," Soeder said. "He used his brilliance, early on, for the wrong things. Now, we really think he will be the right person for this job." ELYRIA, Ohio - It was 1941. The United States just entered World War II. The average American worker made about $1,750 a year, in a time when a new house cost about $4,000, gas cost 12 cents a gallon and a new car was about $850. It was also the year that Alva and Evelyn Taylor married. On Tuesday, the couple will celebrate 75 years of married life in a quiet gathering with friends and family. It's a milestone so rare that only 3,000 people out of an estimated 327 million American residents will have reached it. Alva, 97, and Evelyn, 95, enjoy a quiet life at the Wesleyan Senior Living Village in Elyria. Their comfortable apartment surrounded by photos of their two sons, foster daughter, five grandchildren, two great-grandsons, as well as framed certificates honoring Alva's decades of service as a Methodist minister in Elyria, Bay Village, Painesville and Maple Heights. They had to be convinced by their son, Alan, of John's Creek, Georgia, to talk about their anniversary. "First we said no," said Evelyn. "Who wants to hear that? But then Alan convinced us to do it for all the people we knew over the years that we should talk about it." The couple was ready for the question that everyone asks: How have you lived so long and stayed together? "I prepared a list," Evelyn said, handing over a hand-written paper. + "We had good parents who took us to church each Sunday." + "We have the same value system." + "We have had a supportive family and friends and good doctors." + "We have supported and helped one another. When I was weak, he was strong." + "We have learned to forgive one another." + "When we were in our 80s and 90s, we were fortunate to live in a good Christian retirement home where food, transportation, activities, a chaplain and nursing care are provided." + "God is good." They said it also helps that they are lifelong non-smokers and non-drinkers. They are saddened by politics, noting that the hatred that been such a big part of the presidential election has soured them to the whole process. The couple experiences the health issues that come with advanced age, but still gets around, albeit with the help of walkers. They don't get out to Sunday church services often, but listen faithfully to the services piped in over the radio. "There have been good times and bad," said Alva. "We came through them together, and that is what is important." Alva sits quietly at one end of the couch, smiling. He lets Evelyn do most of the talking, but he gets animated when talking about his years as a minister. He also smiles when Evelyn reveals that she was the one who engineered their first meeting in the late 1930s. She was a farm girl who went through the Great Depression living about five miles from Mt. Gilead, not far from Galion, where Alva grew up. "We were both at a Marrow County square dance," she remembered with a smile. "I was in love with his wavy hair. I lined up during the dance so that he and I would be partners. We danced and later I gave him my watch and asked him to hold it for me until the dance was over. That made sure we would see each other before we left." Her plan worked. He walked her home and the relationship blossomed from there. She recalls their honeymoon in 1941. "We went to Niagara Falls and the New York Finger Lakes," she said. "It was a wonderful time, and the whole honeymoon cost us $69." There were some hard times. Their hardest time came in 1949, when Evelyn was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was hospitalized and bed-ridden for a year. "Thank God for our parents," she said. "We had two young boys, Alva was trying to finish his college degree and was writing sermons. I was able to help him type up his term papers and sermons. Life was difficult, but we made it through with prayer and the help of many people." Alva graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1953 and then went to the Oberlin College Graduate School of Theology, where he graduated in 1955. He also holds degrees from Vanderbilt Divinity School and Ohio Northern University. Once he graduated from Oberlin in 1955, they said their lives settled down. During his time at Bay Village and Maple Heights, Alva Taylor brought the churches out of debt. They moved around to serves churches that needed them. "I did not like moving all the time from parish to parish," Evelyn said. "We seemed to always be moving from one place to another: Mt Gilead, Galena, Nova, Milan, Elyria, Maple Heights, Bay Village and Painesville. We had a nice, long stay of 11 years at the Painesville United Methodist Church where Alva was pastor." In the early 1980's Alva became pastor of the Elyria United Church of Christ and then retired from the ministry in 1985. But even after that, he served as interim minister for churches waiting for a new pastor to be named. Like most parents, they delight in the lives of their children and grandchildren. Their son David lives in Simsbury, Connecticut, and their foster-daughter, Julie, in San Antonio, Texas. They beam with pride when they talk about their granddaughter, Christina, David's daughter, who is the director of patient care at a hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Alan said growing up was great, but not always easy. "You're the preacher's kid and people always expect a lot from you," he said. "People were judgmental about what my brother and I did and said, but we handled it. It never bothered me that much." He is happy that his parents reached such a rare milestone in their marriage. Joe Grover, of the University of Minnesota's Population Center, said in 2008 it was estimated that fewer than 1,000 couples ever reached their 75th anniversary. He said more sophisticated and accurate reporting from the U.S. Census Bureau has increased that number over the years. "By 2012, the number increased to 3,000," he said. "And was close to 3,500 by 2014. There has been a bit of a dip since then, so we believe the figure now is around 3,000, a pretty impressive figure." When told about the odds he and Evelyn beat, Alva smiles and looks over at his wife. "It's a good life," he said. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State Medical Board on Wednesday further complicated its position about whether or not doctors can issue preliminary medical marijuana recommendations to patients. Board member Robert Giacalone said during a committee meeting Ohio's medical marijuana law is not "crystal clear" and the board is not prohibiting doctors from recommending medical marijuana. But a board-issued statement released last month led many patients and doctors to think otherwise. The statement added to the confusion around Ohio's new medical marijuana law, angering advocates and patients eager to legally use marijuana as a treatment. Wednesday's comments don't change the board's previous statement, a board spokeswoman said Thursday. Do they mean anything? Depends on how you read the board's original statement and how you interpret the law. What's the confusion? Ohio's medical marijuana law allows patients with about 20 medical conditions to buy and use marijuana if recommended to them by an Ohio-licensed physician. But it will take up to two years to set up the program and open medical marijuana dispensaries. By next September, the medical board must develop an official certification process for doctors to issue a written recommendation for medical marijuana. Until the program is operational, the law provides patients an affirmative defense against prosecution for some marijuana charges if they obtain a written recommendation from their doctor and use marijuana as allowed by the law. Some doctors and the medical board say doctors can't write recommendations for affirmative defense because they're not yet certified. And there's no way for them to become certified at the moment. The board's guidance issued last month began, "A physician is not permitted to issue a state of Ohio approved written recommendation to use medical marijuana until the physician has obtained a certificate to recommend from the State Medical Board of Ohio," which is not expected to happen until sometime next year. The statement went on to recognize the affirmative defense and advise doctors talk to their attorneys and employers before writing preliminary recommendations. So, like the law itself, the board's guidance could be read two ways: Doctors can't write recommendations, including affirmative defense letters, because they're not certified and there's no process in place to certify them. If doctors want to write recommendations before then, for the purpose of affirmative defense, then they should talk with a lawyer. Is there a Catch-22 in the law? Lawmakers say no. Sen. Dave Burke, a Marysville Republican who worked on the law, told cleveland.com in September that the law allows doctors to issue affirmative defense letters immediately and guidance from the medical board is unnecessary. Sen. Kenny Yuko, a Richmond Heights Democrat, said there shouldn't be any confusion. "The affirmative defense section spells out everything a physician would need to do to provide patients with this limited, short-term protection without having to wait for the agencies," Yuko said in a statement last month. "It simply wouldn't make sense to read it any other way." Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who led the effort in the House, said it will take someone to test the affirmative defense to know how it works in the real world. "The intent was to give some folks piece of mind that if they really were in dire need of medical marijuana, there was a safe harbor to do it through the affirmative defense," Schuring said. Is the board changing its position? Board spokeswoman Tessie Pollock said the board is not changing its position or the statement it released last month. She said Giacalone was addressing public concerns by clarifying that the statement does not prohibit doctors from issuing recommendations for the purpose of the affirmative defense. About a dozen medical marijuana advocates protested outside the medical board's Wednesday meeting. Rob Ryan, executive director of Ohio Patient Network, said Giacalone's comments show that advocates are not being ignored and they'll continue to pressure the medical board to revise its stance. Ryan said doctors still need clarity about this issue to feel comfortable recommending marijuana. What should doctors do? The Ohio State Medical Association, which represents thousands of physicians and medical professionals, requested the medical board's guidance. Spokesman Reginald Fields said the association has advised its members to err on the side of caution and wait to recommend until rules are established next year or further guidance is issued. "The most important thing we've told our physicians is that sure, you can go ahead and do [an affirmative defense recommendation]. But if you're going to do that, be sure you're consulting with a private attorney," Fields said. Fields noted that the program is and will be optional for doctors. Neither the statement nor Wednesday's comments address whether doctors could face disciplinary action for issuing affirmative defense letters. The law gives doctors immunity from civil and criminal charges and disciplinary action for recommending medical marijuana to a patient. But another provision says doctors can face disciplinary action if they recommend marijuana without being certified to do so by the state medical board. An analysis by Benesch Attorneys at Law concluded the immunity provision protects doctors from disciplinary action for issuing affirmative defense letters following the law. "Not only does it allow doctors to recommend cannabis without fear of losing their medical license or facing criminal penalties in Ohio, including during the affirmative-defense period, but it could also protect them from potential civil malpractice liability to their patients or others," attorneys Jeff McCourt and Dan O'Brien wrote. Pollock said the board would apply state law, including the immunity provision, when reviewing disciplinary complaints about medical marijuana. Follow me on Facebook. osudrake.jpg Ohio State University President Michael Drake signed a statement asking the next U.S. president to practice diplomacy and global cooperation. (Ohio State University ) COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State University President Michael Drake, along with other college presidents and national security experts, has signed a statement urging America's next president to embrace diplomacy and foster mutual understanding and global cooperation. "The undersigned individuals ... believe the United States is stronger and safer when we recognize that we are a part of an interconnected, interdependent global community," according to the statement issued Wednesday by the NAFSA: Association of International Educators, a nonprofit association. "Collectively, we urge the next president to pursue policies and practices that embrace the diversity within and outside our borders and that build on our ability to communicate with allies and foes alike." The statement was signed by 29 men and women, including eight university presidents, retired U.S. ambassadors and former administrators. The statement also touched on issues at home. "Our next president must value diversity in our nation and in our world, honor our tradition as a nation of immigrants, and be willing to deliberate and collaborate," the statement said. The statement does not refer to presidential candidates Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Marlene Johnson, executive director of the association, told Inside Higher Ed that the omissions of candidates' names and parties were intentional. "The rhetoric of this campaign season has resulted in many discussions about whether our place in the world is one of interconnectedness or isolation," she said in an email. "The letter is designed to be nonpartisan and reflects the values of those who signed it rather than any particular political position." Other higher education administrators have expressed concerns about Trump. Brian Rosenberg, president of Macalester College, wrote in an April essay in Inside Higher Ed that "A higher education president who opposes some of the offensive behavior that Trump engages in or the policies he promotes might run the risk of being too outspoken. But passively observing Trump creates a risk that is in my view much greater: that of failing to speak when the values most important to the institution within one's care are imperiled." Hillary Clinton on Wednesday deflected Donald Trump's criticism of American trade deals, saying he has personally shipped jobs overseas through his companies. "There's only one of us on this stage who's actually shipped jobs to Mexico," Clinton said at the final presidential debate in Las Vegas. Trump has repeatedly attacked the North American Free Trade Agreement and proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, blaming the deals for manufacturing job losses and saying that renegotiating them would help to boost the economy. He has pointed in particular to NAFTA, which was passed during former President Bill Clinton's administration. Trump said Wednesday he has seen many people around the country affected by trade deals and added that he would promote trade but through deals other than those currently in place. Clinton's campaign has previously countered Trump's rhetoric by highlighting that some of his companies made their products outside of the United States. She also accused Trump of buying Chinese steel. Hillary Clinton on Wednesday contended that Donald Trump's immigration plans would "rip our country apart." Trump has pledged to triple Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and said all of the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. could be subject to deportation. He has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his campaign, claiming Wednesday at the final presidential debate that Clinton wants "open borders." Clinton said that Trump's plans would bring a "massive law enforcement presence" that would separate families. Clinton claimed that she has sought secure borders despite her support for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Donald Trump dominated Twitter and Facebook chatter during the third presidential debate, according to both networks. Trump was involved in 59 percent of conversations on Twitter, as well as 56 percent of Facebook chatter, per both companies. The top tweeted moments of the debate was the fight over sexual assault allegations against Trump, his refusal to say if he would accept election results, and conversations about Russian espionage during this election, with Hillary Clinton calling the Republican presidential candidate a "puppet" of Russian president Vladimir Putin. The most retweeted tweet of the debate was one Trump sent on Jun 18, 2013, where he asked if Putin would be his "new best friend" if he attended the Miss Universe Pageant. He denied during the debate he knew Putin. Tweet Clinton beat Trump on new Twitter followers after the debate. She welcomed 13,200 new followers, while Trump upped his numbers by 6,000. On Facebook, the leading topic of conversation was around Trump and moderator Chris Wallace disagreeing on the Republican presidential candidate's statements about Aleppo. Wallace said that things Trump said during the second debate about the city were not true, especially that the city had "basically fallen." The Republican presidential candidate retorted by asking the Fox News anchor if he knew what was going on in the city, saying it is a "catastrophe." Trump asserting Bernie Sanders said Clinton had "bad judgment," was the second most discussed moment on Facebook. "John Podesta said you have terrible instincts. Bernie Sanders said you have bad judgment," Trump said. "I agree with both." Coming in third and fourth on Facebook respectively were Trump's comments that the FBI and Department of Justice were "disgraceful" on Clinton's email probe and Trump saying he should have won an Emmy. The top topics during the debate on Facebook were: Iraq, Syria and ISIS, Russia and Ukraine, abortion, immigration and the WikiLeaks release. Never before has a single foreign leader been so discussed in a presidential election more than Russia's Vladimir Putin. And in Wednesday night's debate, his name even found its way into what was supposed to be a discussion about illegal immigration. That was thanks to Hillary Clinton, who foolishly decided to talk about Putin instead of continuing to hit Trump on his immigration promises. It all happened after moderator Chris Wallace brought up the Wikileaks revelation that she once basically advocated open borders in a speech to Goldman Sachs. Instead of clarifying her comments, Clinton immediately almost scolded Wallace and anyone reading the Wikileaks information because of the claim that that data became available because of Russian hackers. Even though some senior U.S. intelligence officials back that Russian hacking claim, Clinton very clumsily brought it up to avoid answering the question about borders. It was blatantly obvious and it her outrage about the Russian hacking seemed disingenuous. Trump, in turn, did a decent job of quickly calling Clinton on her evasion. Then, he simply held serve by restating the fact that he "doesn't know Putin." He might have missed an opportunity of his own when he condemned any and all foreign tampering with our election, but he should have repeated that condemnation at least once. But Putin continues to be the winner in these exchanges, because it boosts his stature even though in truth he is little more than a dictator of a country with a precarious economy and a bleak future. Hillary Clinton on Wednesday described her goals for Supreme Court appointments, highlighting how her potential administration would differ from Donald Trump's. Clinton said she wanted justices who would defend women's rights, back LGBT rights, support Roe v. Wade and reverse the Citizens United decision and its ability to funnel dark money into elections. Clinton said she wanted a court to "stand on the side of the people" rather than wealthy donors and corporations, though Clinton's own political career has benefited from some rich backers. Retailers looking to replicate the efficiency of bigger players like Apple would do well to focus their attention on one key measurement of success, according to entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis. Advising struggling New York-based Bowery Kitchen Supplies on the latest episode of CNBC's "The Profit," Lemonis reveals straightforward ways for any merchandiser to improve profits and evaluate its progress. "One metric [used] in measuring a retailer's success or its performance is to calculate its sales per square foot," Lemonis says. "By using their space more effectively, they could raise that number dramatically." By increasing sales per square foot by $100 at Bowery's sole 4,000-square-foot store, Lemonis calculates that that making simple changes would bring in about $400,000 in additional revenue. Here are his tips for any business looking to do the same. 1. Develop a merchandising plan Part of the problem that led to Bowery Kitchen Supplies registering a $100,000 annual loss was that they accumulated too much inventory, which was scattered about the store. Product offerings and dedicated floor-space were based on whims rather than the profitability of respective departments. Marcus Lemonis and owner Howard Nourieli gaze upon the store's renovated knife wall. CNBC "In order to really make sure the space works, you have to develop a merchandising plan," Lemonis says. "And we want to use the sales data to determine what departments are going to be there, how it's going to be organized, and quite frankly if a department should even exist at all." By analyzing the store's sales data, owners Howard Nourieli and Robyn Coval are able to identify where they had been under-dedicating precious retail space to proven profit generators like glassware and textiles. 2. Lead with recognizable brands After identifying the key departments customers appreciate most, Lemonis develops a strategy centered around "anchor tenants" products meant to boost profits for a entire department by establishing the product offering's legitimacy. Marcus Lemonis tries on a Tilit apron, which he thinks can boost the credibility of Bowery's textile department. CNBC "One of the ways that you improve the credibility of your business is to anchor one of those departments with well-known brands," Lemonis explains. "The credibility that you have as a brand retailer will spill over into the products that don't have established brands with really good margins." To establish its credibility in the newly expanded textile department, Lemonis adds designer aprons from New York chef wear designer Tilit to the portfolio. He hopes premium glasses from Balter Sales will be able to give a lift to the store's expanded glassware department, ideally at least doubling revenues. 3. Simplify the store's layout The store also rearranges its layout to make it simpler for customers to navigate. "When I first saw the store it looked like a warehouse jammed with products all over the place," Lemons says, describing it more as a hardware store for kitchen supplies. "Now the store looks organized, with strategic displays and clear departments." The Bowery Kitchen reorganized. CNBC If you're among those consumers who start the New Year with a debt hangover from holiday purchases, now's the time to take those retail credit cards out of your wallet. "Retail store credit cards have always been more expensive than your average credit card, and they're only getting more and more expensive," said Matt Schulz, senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com. A new analysis from the site found that the average retail card carries a rate of 23.84 percent, versus an average 15.22 percent for all credit cards. The card with the highest rate in the study was Big Lots, at 29.99 percent. (CreditCards.com assessed 68 store-branded cards for the study, including all of those on offer from the 100 largest retailers by 2015 sales.) "That is basically the penalty rate for most general-purpose credit cards," Schulz said. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (L) speaks as Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks on during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both talk tough about stepping up the fight against ISIS and finding a way to reduce Syria's carnage. The problem is that neither one has a clear explanation of how they'd do it. During the final presidential debate Wednesday night, Clinton struggled to square her repeated promises not to send ground troops back into Iraq with the cold reality that the Obama administration already has nearly 5,000 US forces on the ground there. Trump, for his part, refused to give a clear answer about whether his promise to "bomb the hell out of ISIS" meant that he would be willing to send even larger numbers of American troops into the fight. The muddled messages were an echo of the vice presidential debate from earlier this month where a flurry of insults, interruptions, and outright lies helped obscure a pair of unintentionally revealing exchanges. When Trump running mate Mike Pence blamed Clinton for the rise of ISIS, because she'd "failed to renegotiate a forces agreement that would have allowed some American combat troops to remain in Iraq," Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, shot back: "Well, if you want to put more American troops in Iraq, you can propose that." Pence didn't. Later, the Republican took implicit aim at Kaine's boasts that Clinton had helped to wind down the massively unpopular Iraq War. "The president just ordered more troops on the ground," Pence said. "We are back at war in Iraq." This time it was Kaine who had no response. Read More from Vox: There's a new "silent majority," and it's voting for Hillary Clinton The polls are split between Hillary Clinton winning and Hillary Clinton winning in a landslide Malik Obama: Donald Trump's debate guest and Barack's half-brother, explained The failure to articulate a clear message about Iraq and Syria isn't just a political problem for Clinton and Trump as they prepare for Sunday night's debate. It's also a substantive challenge, and one with significant real-world consequences. Come January, one of them will be commander in chief. That means they won't just have to figure out how to talk about the wars there. They'll have to decide what to do about them. Trump's Iraq and Syria strategies have a great big hole in the center In the vice presidential debate, Pence called for establishing "safe zones" in Syria where refugees fleeing the fighting in places like Aleppo could find shelter. Trump also supports the idea, though in characteristic fashion he believes Persian Gulf allies should pay for it. That sounds innocuous enough on the surface. The problem comes when you actually look at what establishing and protecting a safe zone in Syria would require. You'd need American aircraft to patrol the skies which could easily lead to situations where the US had to down Syrian (and potentially even Russian) warplanes and helicopters before they could strike civilians on the ground and you'd need what could be significant numbers of US ground troops to help set up, maintain, and guard the safe zone itself. That's not armchair analysis. In July 2013, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sent a letter to Capitol Hill Michigan warning that creating a no-fly zone would cost $500 million to set up and at least $1 billion a month to operate, and could result in US planes being downed. He said that establishing and then protecting humanitarian corridors designed to give Syrian civilians safe shelter from Assad's forces would require thousands of American ground troops. So far, it's unclear whether Trump and Pence would actually be willing to send the US troops needed to make this happen. GOP hawks like John McCain and Lindsey Graham have called for the deployment of up to 20,000 troops, more than triple the amount currently in the two countries, but Trump has repeatedly contradicted himself on the issue. In March, he said he'd be willing to send "20,000 to 30,000" more troops to fight ISIS. In July, he reversed course and said he'd actually have "very few troops on the ground." "When it comes to both Iraq and Syria, many Republicans talk a tough game but don't actually admit it would require more US forces," said Ilan Goldenberg of the Center for a New American Security, formerly a top Pentagon Middle East policy official. "The most striking example has been Trump and Pence's position on Syria, where they've both called for a safe zone in Syria but don't acknowledge this actually requires American forces." Michael O'Hanlon, a senior defense and foreign affairs analyst at the Brookings Institution, said that Pence's safe zone proposal seemed to echo earlier comments from Clinton, who has been talking about such a move for months. O'Hanlon said that Pence also "basically supported putting ground troops in position to defend those safe zones" something the Trump campaign rarely discusses so explicitly. "I think [Pence] is totally right and totally out of step with his running mate," O'Hanlon said. Clinton believes ground troops in Iraq are somehow not really ground troops in Iraq Clinton's Iraq policy suffers from a similar, though slightly different, problem. Last month, Clinton bluntly said that "we're not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again." That may come as a surprise to the families of the roughly 5,000 US troops already on the ground in Iraq, a number poised to grow by at least 500 in coming weeks. The former secretary of state is trying to be too cute by half. She's arguing that the thousands of US troops who are on the ground in Iraq to train and advise Iraqi and Kurdish forces aren't technically ground combat troops, even though they're deployed to an active war zone, regularly exchange fire with enemy forces, and have suffered casualties. "When she talks about how there won't be ground troops in Iraq, she means there won't be significant numbers of American troops there at the pointy end of the spear," said Derek Chollet, a former senior Obama administration official who strongly backs Clinton. "Of course troops serving in Iraq can be in harm's way. But the missions they're doing aren't combat operations." Still, Chollet acknowledged that the distinction can get lost in the final frantic weeks before the election. "It's really hard to talk about nuanced policy in the heat of the campaign," he said. "The nuance matters, and it often just gets lost." That may be true, but it simply serves as a reminder of Clinton's lingering Iraq problem. Clinton can describe them however she wants to, but the cold hard truth is that the US has sent ground troops back into Iraq. And if we've learned anything over the past 13 years of fighting, it's this: Putting Americans into Iraq is a lot easier than pulling them out. Sunday night's debate will be moderated by CNN's Anderson Cooper and ABC's Martha Raddatz, both of whom have spent extensive amounts of time reporting on Iraq and Syria and making trips to the region. That means Trump and Clinton are each likely to face questions about their strategies for the conflicts there. And it's a reminder that the clock is ticking to the moment one of them will need to actually put their plan in place. Oli Scarff | Getty Images According to research from the World Economic Forum, 35 percent of the skills you need to thrive in a job today will be different five years from now. So, how do workers and students prepare for a workplace of the future if we're not quite sure what it will look like? Five of WEF's Young Global Leaders reveal the skills of tomorrow. Soft skills Esteban Bullrich, Argentina's Education Minister A child today can expect to change jobs at least seven times over the course of their lives and five of those jobs don't exist yet. To get a better understanding of the skills that will be needed, we conducted a country-wide survey, that found soft skills such as teamwork, knowledge of digital tools, an understanding of rules and regulations, responsibility and commitment are the most relevant for the future. How can we teach our children these skills? In Argentina, we're teaching them across all subjects, and in Buenos Aires, we've introduced innovative classes like coding and entrepreneurship. We've also gone beyond the school gates, by creating neighborhood youth clubs where children can continue learning these skills. We're also ensuring that each student completes a 200-hour professional practice course, so they can apply all the skills they're learning to the world of work. watch now Data literacy plus empathy Belinda Parmar, CEO of The Empathy Business Sometimes, when we perceive the world through data-driven models, it can be harder to see the humanity behind the numbers. Technology has the potential to erode our sense of empathy. The challenge of the next 10 years will be to rebuild the empathy that we've lost. Companies will be looking for leaders who are able to help them do that - people with a trio of technical, linguistic and mathematical skills, who can make sense of the torrents of information that will continue to emerge. This will require a new kind of "data literacy", which will be in short supply, and therefore one of the most important skills of tomorrow. Empathy- teachers Vikas Pota, CEO of the Varkey Foundation It's impossible to predict which "hard skills" children in today's classrooms will need for jobs in 15 years' time. Who could have conceived two decades ago that there would be a whole new industry in search engine optimization? The jobs that artificial intelligence can't replace will be those that require strong human character traits. Workers will need empathy the ability to persuade and to work well with others. They'll need a positive attitude the ability to relearn, go back to college, and adapt to new situations. Thriving in this uncertain world, where careers could change every few years, will also require resilience. These "soft" skills are hard to teach and, as much as mathematics or science, will demand great teachers. watch now "The only reason they did it is because she's running for the office of president. They want to look tough. They want to look good," he said at the final presidential debate in Las Vegas. Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that U.S.-backed forces in Iraq have only tried to retake the ISIS position in Mosul because Hillary Clinton is running for president. Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton (not pictured) at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 19, 2016. Thousands of Iraqi and Kurdish forces are aiming to take back the city after more than two years under the terror group's control. It is considered a crucial operation in reducing ISIS positions in the Middle East. Trump did not offer evidence for his assertion that the offensive was designed to help Clinton. Trump claimed that ISIS only took Mosul because U.S. forces in the region left under President Barack Obama's administration. "I'm just amazed that he seems to think that the Iraqi government and our allies and everybody else launched the attack on Mosul to help me in this election," Clinton said. "But that's how Donald thinks, you know, he's always looking for some conspiracy." Trump also contended that Iran would be the big winner if U.S.-backed forces did take Mosul. A key moment in Wednesday night's debate came near the end when moderator Chris Wallace challenged Donald Trump to say whether he will accept the results of this election. The question became relevant over the course of the past week as Trump has made several statements that the election may be "rigged" against him. Considering the fact that it's never a good idea to agree to something before you know all the key facts, Trump's refusal to unconditionally say he'd accept the results was actually a good move. But he failed to give the best reply that could have turned this latest controversy in his favor. Trump's verbatim final answer to the question was: "I will tell you at time, I'll keep you in suspense." In one key way, that was the best answer because it keeps his supporters pushing for a different result and it frees him from being unable to legally challenge the results if indeed some vote tallying questions do arise. Don't be too shocked by the chances of that happening, unless you're too young to remember the weeks and weeks where the Al Gore campaign fought the Florida presidential vote results in 2000. But Trump failed to say the few extra words that could have clarified that. The best response would have been to say that he won't answer that until he's sure nothing illegal has transpired and doesn't need to fight the results like Hillary Clinton and the rest of the Democrats did so vehemently against George W. Bush's campaign 16 years ago. By not doing that, the Clinton team and most of the news media will likely pounce on Trump for advancing divisive and dangerous conspiracy theories about the electoral process. Of course, they've been doing that already for the last few days anyway. Trump is right that most of the media is indeed stacked against him and looking to twist his words. But he gave them plenty of rope to hang him with by not explaining why he can't be so foolish as to promise to concede before the election is even over. Simply by pointing to the Bush-Gore mess of 2000, he could have easily explained that position and possibly spiked the continued attacks on him for supposedly promoting divisive theories and charges. He didn't and it represented yet another missed opportunity for Trump in this campaign. Donald Trump said Wednesday that if he becomes president, he will make it a priority to remove "bad, bad people" from the United States. Speaking at the third and final presidential debate, Trump upheld his idea to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, citing illegal immigration and the influx of drugs to the United States as national security issues. "We're going to secure the border, and once the border is secured at a later date, we'll make a determination as to the rest," Trump said. "But we have some bad hombres here and we're going to get them out." "Right now, we're getting the drugs, they're getting the cash," the Republican nominee said, adding that he would not grant amnesty to illegal immigrants. Trump contended that the United States is "a country of laws," and that those seeking to become citizens will have the right to do so legally. "We have millions of people. ... They're in line, they're waiting to become citizens. Very unfair that somebody runs across the border [and] becomes a citizen," Trump said. Quiet pressure from the U.S. government played a role in Ecuador's decision to block WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from using the internet at Ecuador's London embassy, U.S. officials told NBC News. "It was a bit of an eviction notice," said a senior intelligence official. Ecuador's government said Tuesday it had partly restricted internet access for Assange, the founder of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, who has lived in the South American country's London embassy for more than four years. A source familiar with the situation says the Ecuadoran government has been frustrated with Assange and his presence at the embassy in London for months and has been considering how best to proceed. More from NBC News: Battle for Mosul: Hundreds of Civilians Flee Into Syria, U.N. Says The Donald Trump TV Network Could Be Just Three Months Away Michael Moore's 'October Surprise': A New Pro-Hillary Clinton Film The action came after U.S. officials conveyed their conclusion that Assange is a willing participant in a Russian intelligence operation to undermine the U.S. presidential election, NBC News has learned. U.S. intelligence officials believe Assange knows he is getting the information from Russian intelligence, though they do not believe he is involved in helping plan the hacking, officials told NBC. "The general view is he is a willing participant in the Russian scheme but not an active plotter in it. They just realized they could use him," said a senior intelligence official. WikiLeaks has been posting the private emails of Clinton adviser John Podesta and other Democratic officials that the U.S. says were hacked by, or on behalf of, Russian intelligence agencies. WikiLeaks said Assange's internet access was cut off Sunday. In a statement, Ecuador said the decision was its own. "Ecuador, exercising its sovereign right, has temporarily restricted access to part of its communications systems in its UK Embassy," the statement said. "The Ecuador government respects the principle of non-intervention in other countries' affairs, it does not meddle in election processes underway, nor does it support any candidate specially." The State Department said it did not pressure Ecuador or play any other role in blocking Assange's internet access. "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," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. However, U.S. intelligence officials told NBC that a message was conveyed to Ecuador that it should stop allowing Assange to carry water for Russian intelligence agencies, and that Ecuador, though run by a leftist, anti-American government, was receptive. The U.S. moves come as bipartisan concern is growing about the alleged Russian interference amid a daily release of Podesta emails. Marco Rubio, who is running to retain his Florida Senate seat after losing the Republican presidential primary to Donald Trump, urged members of his party not to seek to capitalize on emails stolen by Russian spies. "As our intelligence agencies have said, these leaks are an effort by a foreign government to interfere with our electoral process, and I will not indulge it," Rubio told ABC News. "Further, I want to warn my fellow Republicans who may want to capitalize politically on these leaks: Today it is the Democrats. Tomorrow it could be us." The evening marked one of the final large-scale media events of the cycle for both campaigns, and local college Republicans from Northeastern University said they thought Trump got off to a good start. Trump and Hillary Clinton spent Wednesday night on the stage together in Las Vegas at their final official presidential debate of the campaign, with Election Day looming in less than three weeks. BOSTON Regardless of a divisive party nominee who is struggling in the latest national polls, some college Republicans in this liberal city thought Donald Trump delivered a winning performance in the third presidential debate. Joe Frissora, president of the Northeastern University College Republicans, said he thought the debate "went fairly well" for Trump. Noting earlier that Trump "came out calm" before "getting bolder as the night goes on," Frissora said he thought the GOP nominee did well in calling out foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation and laughing off a comment about his previously criticizing the Emmy selection process. While Wednesday's debate started off largely civil and focused on policy before getting more heated, it was still relatively calm compared to the second debate on Oct. 9, which was a tense affair and grew bitterly personal at times. Of the small number of college Republicans who came to the Northeastern debate watch party, most were quick to laud the start of Trump's performance. With many students in the room laughing at some of Trump's remarks, the Republicans were clearly the minority in the room. Nafisa Kabir, a Republican club member wearing a Trump T-shirt, said she liked that Trump was taking an offensive tack and "bringing up things that people don't talk about with Hillary. However, she did note she was "not 100 percent about his terminology" shortly after Trump said "we have some bad hombres here" while discussing immigration. Overall, Kabir said Trump won and that he kept his poise during a debate that grew contentious toward the end. She also said Trump's statement from the debate stage in which he did not commit to accepting the results of the election was fair. Complimenting parts of Trump's closing statement in which he called for a stronger military and improved care for veterans, Aubrey Kenderdine, the Republican club's student government association representative, also said she thought Trump wonand earlier in the debate said he was acting "very presidential." There were some young Republicans who thought the debate did not fully go Trump's way. Olivia Lanagan, vice president of the Boston College Republicans, wrote in an email that neither candidate "outperformed the other." "Secretary Clinton made it clear that if she is elected, the next four years will be a continuation of the last eight under Obama. She did not offer any new plans or ideas," Lanaganwho said she does not plan to vote for either major party presidential candidatewrote. "As for Trump, this was certainly his strongest debate performance. He had several strong attacks on Secretary Clinton, and advocated for several new policy proposals... However, he hit a low point when he would not commit to accepting the results of the election." Though the students praised Trump's performance, they were skeptical of whether it would sway any voters. "At this point everybody's set where they are," Frissora said. The praises of Northeastern's College Republicans stands in contrast to some broader trends. Over the course of his campaign, Trump has upended traditional political coalitions and divided elements of the Republican Party. Particularly for younger voters, his candidacy has proved particularly unattractive. Pressed by moderator Chris Wallace, the GOP nominee once again demurred: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense, OK?" "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now, I'll look at it at the time. What I've seen, what I've seen, is so bad," Trump said Wednesday night before arguing that the media has "poisoned the minds" of the voters. He also cited a Pew study on voter roles that actually found no evidence of voter fraud, undermining his own case. After a relatively strong start to the final debate of the 2016 campaign, Trump once again descended into unhinged conspiracy mongering, refusing to say if he would accept the outcome of the presidential election next month, an unprecedented rejection of American political norms. Donald Trump had a final chance to stabilize his flagging campaign and make a play for the dwindling slice of undecided voters. He took that chance and set it on fire. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (C) walks off the stage surrounded his wife Melania Trump (L), his son Donald Jr (R) and other memebers of his family after the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. If you wanted to turn off undecided voters unhappy with Hillary Clinton but unsure of Trump's fitness to serve as president, you would be hard pressed to find a better way to do it than to suggest you won't accept the outcome if you lose. Polls already show Trump lagging badly behind Clinton on the critical questions of having the judgment and temperament to be president. Trump's debate performance will only make these numbers worse. Voters mostly don't like Clinton but they see her as a safe choice for president. They see Trump as the opposite. Trump surrogates spent the post-debate hours furiously spinning his election-rigging comments, not exactly a sign they thought the GOP nominee won the debate. Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway spent Thursday morning arguing that Trump meant he would not accept the results until they are certified. "Why would he before he knows the results and they're verified and they're certified concede an election that didn't happen yet. That's insane," she said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." She want on to cite Al Gore in 2000 as an example of refusing to pledge beforehand to accept an electoral outcome. This is a specious comparison. Gore first conceded to George W. Bush on election night then retracted his concession as networks changed their call of Florida and instead said the race was too close to call. An automatic recount began in the state that would decide the election. Gore and his legal team pursued the recount with vigor but when the Supreme Court stopped the recount and the Florida results became official, he immediately conceded despite protests from many in his party. Trump would be well within his rights to refuse to concede on Nov. 8 if the outcome is in serious doubt and recounts are required. That is not what he said on Wednesday night. He suggested there was going to be massive voter fraud, that the press had rigged the election against him and that Clinton should not be "allowed" to run. Gore never did anything remotely resembling this. Trump is irresponsibly and dangerously encouraging his supporters not to accept the outcome of an election it appears the GOP nominee will lose quite badly. As many editorial boards pointed out on Thursday morning, such comments are antithetical to a democracy that has rested for 240 years on the assumption of a peaceful transfer of power. There were other shocking moments in the debate, including Trump's continued refusal to accept the fact that Russians are hacking the U.S. election in order to help him win. This is the unanimous consensus in the intelligence community. This is what Trump had to say: "She has no idea whether it is Russia, China or anybody else. ... Our country has no idea." When Clinton accused Trump of being a "puppet" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump's response was: "No puppet. You're the puppet." This is literally the "I know you are but what am I" defense more common among adolescents. Trump did not dispute that he used Chinese steel to build his Las Vegas hotel or that he has used undocumented immigrants on other projects and underpaid them. And he suggested that it was Clinton's fault that he used the Chinese steel and that he has paid no federal income taxes for years. Scientific post-debate polls from CNN and YouGov showed Clinton won the debate by a comfortable margin. The GOP nominee had one final shot to convince Americans he would not be a dangerous embarrassment as president. He failed and is going to lose. Ben White is Politico's chief economic correspondent and a CNBC contributor. He also authors the daily tip sheet Politico Morning Money [politico.com/morningmoney]. Follow him on Twitter @morningmoneyben. Wednesday night's debate may not have delivered any knockout blows to Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, or changed many voters' minds. But Trump's positives and negatives from the "Duel in the Desert" do provide the Republican Party with some very important guidelines on how to survive post-election 2016. In short, the GOP must copy Trump's defiant fighting spirit but add more clarity to the message. Defiance and audacity have been the cornerstones of Trump's campaign from day one. And it's not so much the issues he chose, like illegal immigration, but the fighting spirit and tone of his words that attracted so many Republican primary voters. Remember, primary voters tend to be much more partisan than general election voters overall. Those Republicans are the ones who came into 2016 angry that the GOP Congress they voted into power on Capitol Hill had failed to end Obamacare, failed to stop the Iran nuclear deal, and failed to have the guts to use its Constitutional power of the purse to cut funding for the Democratic agenda. They saw a Republican Party that was too meek to even shut down the government for a few days. Trump's angry tone last night and all year was catnip for them, and the decision by his primary opponents like Jeb Bush and John Kasich to push their wise and reserved personas in contrast backfired badly. The people are angry, and the Republican voters are really angry. The elected GOP establishment either refuses to get that, or is too comfortable with the status quo to address it. That defiant anger has been present in Trump in each one of the three debates, last night included. Of course, it's been a constant at his rallies, interviews, and his Twitter feed. When his GOP opponents tried to sound the alarm bells about the way he was carrying himself, it came off like they didn't care as much about the direction the country was taking as the voters did themselves. And this is about all the voters, not just angry Tea Party Republicans or laid-off workers. The passion for immediate and sweeping change from Bernie Sanders' supporters and his impressive run in the primaries prove that. So, the biggest danger for the Republicans if Trump wins or loses is they'll convince themselves that a more reserved, Jeb Bush/Mitt Romney-like style, is the way to go. Perhaps it's a byproduct of having control of Congress for most of the last 22 years, but that kind of restraint implies a comfort with the status quo. And let's face it, if you had to choose between keeping a term-unlimited job in Congress with very little scrutiny connected to it compared to the brutally competitive and scrutinized race for and job in the White House every four years, a lot of people would choose the cozy "door no. 1" on Capitol Hill. A confident leader would embrace scrutiny something Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump hasn't done, said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon . "One of the things that makes this country as amazing as it is, is that we are allowed to criticize and scrutinize our elected leaders," Bezos said. "And there are other countries where if you criticize the elected leader you might go to jail or worse, you may just disappear. And the appropriate thing for a presidential candidate to do is to say, 'I am running for the highest office in the most important country in the world. Please scrutinize me.'" Bezos spoke at Vanity Fair's 2016 New Establishment Summit in San Francisco, where he was honored for his role in innovation. CNBC has reached out the Trump campaign for comment. Bezos and Trump clashed earlier this year over Bezo's ownership of The Washington Post. In an unprecedented move, Trump banned about a dozen news organizations, including the Post, from access to news conferences and campaign events earlier this year. At the time, Bezos said his instinct was to address it lightly on Twitter but that was a mistake, he said. Bezos said that in view of Trump's statement that he may not concede if he loses, or that he might lock up opponent Hillary Clinton if he wins, the GOP candidate is "erodes our democracy around the edges." "To try and chill the media and threaten retribution, retaliation which is what he has done in a number of cases to people involved in the media is not appropriate," Bezos said. "We have freedom of speech in this country, written into the Constitution. But except for our norms and our behaviors the stories we tell ourselves as a nation it's just a piece of paper." Bezos also zeroed in on Peter Thiel, fellow dot-com magnate who has donated $1.25 million to Trump's campaign. Companies like Facebook and Y Combinator have faced backlash for keeping Thiel onboard through the Trump campaign. Bezos said it is too divisive to say, "If you have this political opinion, you can't sit on my board." "Peter Thiel is a contrarian, first and foremost," Bezos said. "You just have to remember that contrarians are usually wrong." A General Electric (GE) GEnx next generation jet engine sits on display in the GE Aviation Systems LLC chalet on the opening day of the 51st International Paris Air Show in Paris, France. This is the world we are living in: 1 to 2 percent growth, and no matter how many countries you sell in and no matter how many products you sell, you can't get much growth. It is hard to see any acceleration in growth. Earnings beat by a penny, with revenue inline. The midpoint of the full-year guidance is $5.61, a couple of pennies below the $5.63 consensus. Here's the core of the problem: organic revenue growth of 1.6 percent. You can see the problem just by looking at one company that reported Thursday: Illinois Tool Works. This is one of the most diversified industrial companies in the world, selling automotive equipment, food equipment, adhesives and sealants, welding equipment, construction products, and testing/measurement equipment in 57 countries. Same problem with W.W. Grainger , which makes industrial supplies (janitorial products, ladders, safety gloves). They reported a slight beat on earnings, but full-year guidance was lowered at the midpoint. Overall sales are seen growing 1.5 to 2.5 percent year-over-year. Prior expectations were for growth of 1 to 4 percent. "We expect fourth-quarter demand to remain challenged," CEO D.G. Macpherson said. This is all a bit maddening, because we were supposed to see improvement in the third quarter. Several companies (such as Pentair , which makes water and fluid controls used in the oil and food & beverage business) indicated in their second-quarter reports that Industrials were bottoming. That may be the case, but we are not seeing any lift at all. Lackluster EPS growth prospects and pressure on margins: I expect to hear this repeated frequently as some of the companies most exposed to the global economy and manufacturer report in the next week, including Ingersoll-Rand , Pentair, and Flowserve . There are a few positives. The U.S. consumer is still strong, so companies that sell into the consumer space like Stanley Black & Decker (tools), or Watsco (heating, ventilation and air conditioning distribution) should hold up. And if oil can establish a new trading range of $50 to $60, that would certainly help companies exposed to Energy infrastructure like Dover , or Flowserve, which makes pumps and flow control systems for the oil industry. One wild card is nonresidential construction an awful lot of stuff goes into those office buildings if the trends hold up, companies that sell into this space like Ingersoll-Rand, Honeywell and Xylem might have more positive commentary. But that's a big if. General Electric reports tomorrow. This is the classic Industrial, even more important now that it has shifted its focus away from the Financial space and repositioned its portfolio to again concentrate on its industrial operations. They sell in more than 170 countries virtually the entire world. They are intimately involved in infrastructure, with businesses in aircraft engines, appliances, medical imaging, water processing and wind turbines. Those businesses Power, Aviation, and Healthcare have been strong. That's one of the reasons they have been expecting organic revenue growth of roughly five percent for the second half of the year. That's a tall order, especially considering other areas Oil & Gas, Transportation (locomotives) are having a tough time. That's why everyone will be watching GE tomorrow. AT&T and Time Warner are beginning talks for a potential merger, according to a report from Bloomberg. Bloomberg reported senior executives from both companies have met to discuss business strategies including talks of a potential merger. The talks were "informal" at this time and no financial advisers have been hired, the sources said. Sources previously told CNBC that AT&T was in the market to purchase a media property soon. In order to stay competitive with the likes of Verizon and Comcast, the telecommunications company needs to move into the media space. Doing so would give it the resources to become an advertising giant, because it would own not only Internet and cable access but content to advertise on. Experts said at that time that a large media company Time Warner made sense to complete AT&T's needs. Time Warner and AT&T declined requests for comment. "Rather than pointing our fingers at foreigners for the sad state of our economy and blaming trade, maybe it is time to ask where did we go wrong?" Whether or not there is trade, experts expect this automation process to pick up pace. However, you do not hear either of the candidates discussing this trend, maybe because it is not juicy enough. Furthermore, there is one important gain from trade that everyone in politics loves to ignore: lower prices for consumers. It is probably easy to ignore this important impact since the gains to each individual from trade are relatively small compared to someone who loses his or her job and livelihood. But they add up. Many of us enjoy the increased product variety and lower prices without noticing that it could be the result of free trade. A 2014 study by Fajgelbaum and Khandelwal notes that a large share of this price benefit accrues to lower income consumers, since they spend a larger share of their disposable income on heavily traded food and clothing items. They estimate that consumers in the bottom 10th percentile of the income distribution would lose more than half of their purchasing power if U.S. pulled out from international trade. It is interesting that this fact is not part of the discussion when there is an increasing focus on growing income inequality in U.S. politics. It is vital to evaluate trade agreements not only based on the losses, but also on gains whether they accrue to exporting industries or consumers. Most economists agree that the benefits from free trade outweigh any resulting job loss and that appropriate domestic policies such as trade adjustment assistance can help shore up any domestic labor impact. This could take various forms such as retraining workers for other booming industries or financial assistance. In addition, as trade agreements were adopted, overall job growth in the U.S. has trended upward over time, only slipping back during recessions. Furthermore, total U.S. manufacturing output has increased in recent decades even though it employs fewer workers. Rather than pointing our fingers at foreigners for the sad state of our economy and blaming trade, maybe it is time to ask where did we go wrong? The list is not short: our outdated tax code, increasing regulatory burden, crumbling infrastructure, and deteriorating education system are just a few culprits that have contributed to our sluggish economy and slow job growth. Our decreasing competitiveness in the international arena is most likely due to not keeping up with an evolving global economy. To address these major issues, we need strong leadership that is willing to break the growing partisanship in the Congress and make tough decisions. Kicking the can down the road will become harder and harder as the cost of inaction balloons. Whether or not there is a vote on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) during the lame duck session is still uncertain. Both presidential candidates have voiced their opposition to the agreement and that is shortsighted. Despite the noise made by trade opponents, 60 percent of Americans supports the passage of TPP, according to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. We can continue lowering the trade pinata for everyone to whack and claim that "we cannot compete." Or we can reach for the higher goal, put our fiscal house in order, approve TPP, and lead the pack in Asia, the fastest growing region of the world. Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump's campaign manager, attempted Thursday to shift focus onto the presidential candidates' economic plans, arguing that Hillary Clinton's proposals are not what many Americans want. Speaking with CNBC the morning after the third and final presidential debate the last major set piece before the November election Conway said she thought voters should instead key into Trump's message that he is the best candidate for the American economy. "I thought the richest part of the whole debate last night was about money, was about the fact that (Clinton) has doubled down on raising taxes, and she's got this ridiculous 5 percent extra tax on people she considers to be super wealthy," Conway said. "She'll keep the Obamacare penalty right in its place it's killing small-business owners and people who aspire to be small-business owners." Trump, meanwhile, "laid out his 25 million-job creation plan over 10 years, energy unleashing, he's talked about certainly getting rid of the Obamacare penalty on Day One. He's going to reduce taxes on the middle class, he's going to get economic growth past its anemic stage into a 3 or 4 percent," Conway said. Those proposals to grow the economy and create jobs "are the issues that affect everyday Americans," Conway said. Therefore, she added, many media outlets were wrong to focus their post-debate analysis on Trump's refusal to signal if he would accept the results of an election were he to lose. "If the mainstream media is focused on, as they usually are, one thing Donald Trump said, or one thing he tweeted, or one thing it's really malfeasance," she said. "It was an entire debate about the issues that the millions in poverty, the millions who don't have health insurance, and the tens of millions who say everyday life is unaffordable, that they feel less prosperous and less safe than they did when Obama got there eight years ago and she's looking for his third term," Conway said. "It's just derelict of duty to not cover everything that was discussed last night." For its part, the Clinton campaign has repeatedly hammered Trump's economic plan, which several nonpartisan groups have deemed more negative for the country than Clinton's. Speaking with CNBC earlier this week, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine chided those who argued that Trump would be better for the economy than Clinton. "I can't imagine any savvy financial person who thinks that the Trump plan is going to be better when the independent analysts, who are pretty sharp at this, say it will be dramatically worse," he said at the time, adding that the Republican nominee's economic plan would actually "raise taxes on millions of middle-class families." A statue is pictured next to the logo of Germany's Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, Germany, September 30, 2016. It's been a month since the first mention of reports that Deutsche Bank would have to stump up $14 billion to settle with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Despite the bank's stock taking a hammering in the markets -- Deutsche Bank shares are down 45 percent since the start of the year -- we appear to be no closer to a resolution that won't cripple the bank or hurt the DOJ's reputation. However, a source with knowledge of the negotiations who has asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the situation has told CNBC that Deutsche Bank is not yet close to agreeing on the settlement. The source further added that the German lender is trying its best to bring down the settlement amount and doing "everything possible" to cut costs across the bank. Meanwhile, analysts and investors across the globe have been speculating on possible outcomes and the reason for the delay. "The length of negotiations suggests that Deutsche Bank must be struggling to reduce any penalty to an amount that would not jeopardize its solvency position," Bronka Rzepkowski, lead global strategist at Oxford Economics, told CNBC via email. "So it would appear that the fines currently proposed by the U.S. Justice Department still exceed Deutsche's 5.5 billion euros ($6 billion) of litigation reserves." The bank was plunged into crisis after reports that the German lender could face a penalty of up to $14 billion from the DOJ for the misselling of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) in the run-up to the financial crisis of 2008. German markets news publication Der Platow Brief reported earlier this month, according to Reuters, that Deutsche Bank was looking at a settlement with the DOJ of between $4 billion and $5 billion by the end of October. The newsletter also said that the bank was considering scrapping bonuses and raising fresh capital but it did not cite sources. But while markets wait for an agreement to be reached, shares of Deutsche Bank have been on a rollercoaster ride on speculation about the settlement figure. "It is in the interest of (Deutsche Bank) to find an agreement as soon as possible, given mounting concerns regarding its solvency position, reflected by rising CDS (credit default swap) spreads and falling share prices," Rzepkowski said, adding that that given the current estimate of $5 billion-$8 billion in fines there is likely to be a reduction in the bank's U.S. activities. Possible outcomes? Rzepkowski also explained that there could be two possible outcomes of the settlement with the DOJ. "First, we could consider the fines paid by other banks that issued a similar amount of RMBS before the global financial crisis, and were subject to the same litigation. A broad estimate would be between $4 billion and $7 billion, which corresponds to the fees paid by Morgan Stanley and Citi, respectively," Rzepkowski explained. The second scenario, she said, is a less reliable method that takes into account the discount granted by the DOJ to U.S. banks. "Applying this discount to the initial proposal of a $14 billion settlement, would reduce the fine to $9 billion to $10 billion. Overall, although it is very difficult to predict, we see the fine as lying between a likely range of 5 billion euros and 8 billion euros." CNBC got in touch with Deutsche Bank but they declined to comment. Earlier this month, German local media reports stated that the bank is considering scaling back its U.S. operations amid trying to cut down legal and capital costs. The source told CNBC that the German lender's decision to scale back its investment banking operations in the U.S. is part of the settlement negotiation between the U.S. Department of Justice and Deutsche Bank. Getty Images However, some analysts view this as a means of the bank cutting costs rather than a move dictated by the DOJ. "Any reduction in U.S. investment banking operations by Deutsche Bank should be viewed as a proactive way to reduce the risk on its balance sheet (RWAs) to ease pressure on regulatory capital. This announcement may reflect hard negotiations with the DOJ and the expectations that the 5.5 billion euros may fall short of the eventual fine," Rzepkowski said. She further explained that while there is no doubt that shrinking U.S. business will weigh on future revenues; it could also provide Deutsche Bank immediate relief from capital pressures, which would also reduce dilution risk. "It is difficult to see how the scaling down of Deutsche Bank's U.S. operations could be part of an impending agreement with the U.S. DOJ. I rather see it as a strategic response to the current challenges faced by the bank." No bonuses? Deutsche Bank's Head of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) EMEA, Alasdair Warren, told CNBC Wednesday that the U.S. CIB division was an inseparable component of the German bank's offering. "We have built over the last 15, 20 years a global franchise and if you're going to be globally relevant you have to have a meaningful presence in the U.S. in the same way you've got to have a meaningful presence in Europe - which we clearly have - and a meaningful presence in Asia," he posited. "That will continue," Warren confirmed. While markets wait to hear from the DOJ for a final settlement figure, Deutsche Bank is said to have started taking measures to ensure a smooth sail through this crisis. The bank recently also announced a decision to cut 10,000 jobs and put in place a hiring freeze in order to save costs. The bank's CIB head told CNBC Wednesday that expectations among employees in the banking sector have to be much broader than just compensation. "Compensation dollars or euros at any bank this year with volumes being down are going to be a challenge," he warned. President of Alibaba Group, Michael Evans, (L) and president of Didi Chuxing, Jean Liu, speak onstage during 'The Truth About China' at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on October 20, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Critics who say there is a bubble in the Chinese economy are getting a lot wrong, two tech industry leaders said on Thursday. Michael Evans, president of Alibaba Group, said he's "not particularly concerned" with criticisms from hedge fund manager Kyle Bass or famed short-seller Jim Chanos. Chanos told CNBC yesterday that he though real estate and debt in the country was headed for a bubble, while Bass said the banking system had assets that were built "recklessly." Evans called the comments prognostications, based on misinformation of the country's real challenges. "Many of the things that Jim has focused on are actually real concerns, which the Chinese regulators and leaders are also focused on," Evans said. "But we have confidence that they both understand the magnitude of the issues and are thinking about solutions that will be sustainable in the long term." Evans spoke at Vanity Fair's 2016 New Establishment Summit in San Francisco, inspired by "figures who are setting the global agenda and leading the Age of Innovation." He was joined by Jean Liu, president of Didi Chuxing. Ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing has drawn attention from technology giants around the world for doing an Uber-like business at massive scale. Both said there are many misconceptions of China in the West. Evans said between his years of experience in finance and two decades working in China, he's confident that the transparency of both economic and financial information in China rivals that of the rest of the world. Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, delivers a speech during the evening session on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. SAN FRANCISCO Peter Thiel made a relatively modest investment in the presidential candidacy of Donald J. Trump, but it is generating a major uproar in Silicon Valley. Mr. Trump is toxic among technology investors and entrepreneurs. The news last weekend that Mr. Thiel was giving $1.25 million to the Republican's campaign is provoking outrage. And tech executives who work with the billionaire investor are being forced to explain why they plan to continue to do business with him. Now Mr. Thiel will defend himself. A spokesman said Wednesday evening that he would address the controversy in a speech in Washington later this month. He declined to comment further. More from The New York Times: Whoever Wins the White House, This Year's Big Loser Is Email Trove of Stolen Data Is Said to Include Top-Secret US Hacking Tools RussianHacker, Wanted by FBI, Is Arrested in Prague, Czechs Say Mr. Thiel was the first outside investor in Facebook and sits on its board. That has put the social media giant in the cross hairs of this debate. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, warned that cutting ties with Mr. Thiel because of his political views would be a troubling precedent. "We care deeply about diversity," Mr. Zuckerberg wrote in an internal Facebook post to employees. "That's easy to say when it means standing up for ideas you agree with. It's a lot harder when it means standing up for the rights of people with different viewpoints to say what they care about. That's even more important." An image of Mr. Zuckerberg's message to employees was posted on Tuesday to the website Hacker News, an online forum popular in technologist circles. Facebook confirmed the veracity of the photo and the post but had no further comment. Mr. Thiel spoke at the Republican convention in July, where he said Mr. Trump "is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America." That support incited some grumbling. But the complaints are louder this time, no doubt because the episode comes after the lewd "Access Hollywood" recording of Mr. Trump. Silicon Valley has been criticized in the last few years for its marginalization of women and lack of diversity. Rockefeller University, Collaborative Research Center Getty Images The $1.9 billion endowment fund of Rockefeller University has quietly been using exchange-traded funds to execute some of its investing ideas. And it's not the only big investor to pursue low-cost index funds as part of its search for better returns. That may seeming surprising. While global assets invested in ETFs topped $3 trillion earlier this year and money continues to pour in from retail investors seeking investment diversity with low fees, elite institutional investors are another story. Hero Images | Getty Images Pension funds, endowments and foundations which maintain portfolios hundreds of times greater than the average individual investor have been slow to embrace ETFs. A 2015 report from the research firm Market Strategies International found U.S. institutional investor portfolios were 54 percent actively managed and only 27 percent passively invested. But 27 percent is not insubstantial, and the report noted passive investments are gaining momentum with institutional investors. Take the Toronto-based Nature Conservancy of Canada, which manages about $100 million. Its chief financial officer, Kamal Rajani, said it is using ETFs that cover Canadian, U.S. and international equities, as well as Canadian bonds. What sorts of ETFs do other big fish favor and why? Here are six investing lessons from big investors on using ETFs to boost a portfolio at a low cost. 1. If you have a broad market trade you think will be a winner, use ETFs until you are able to refine your idea. The $1.9 billion Rockefeller endowment shows that true investing giants are embracing ETFs, though not in the way an average investor might have come to expect. Rockefeller chief investment officer Amy Falls explains: "We have used an ETF to initiate or expand exposure to an area, such as emerging markets, while we were completing a search for an active manager," she said. "In general, ETFs do not form a long-term or core part of our investment strategy, but they are a useful tool for moving more quickly toward an investment target." Falls said that university endowments tend to use ETFs in broad equity markets. As an example, Rockefeller recently used Vanguard's Emerging Market Index ETF (VWO ) as it expanded its exposure to emerging markets. "While we often have managers that we are researching prior to a target investment time, there are many times when a market opportunity may arise due to volatility, and we want the beta exposure but have not yet found the manager." Falls added, "We are cautious on narrow-segment ETFs, as the costs get higher and the tracking error can be larger." 2. Accepting the limitations of your size and resources is a compelling argument in favor of ETFs. Rockefeller CIO Falls said more consistent, long-term use of ETFs make sense for endowments that are either too large or too small to have adequate exposure to the highest-caliber active managers. On the large side, pension giants like CalPERs can fail to find the scale they need in active investments that was one of the reasons CalPERS cited in abandoning hedge funds in 2014. But for any investor, the more important thing to understand is how long it takes to identify the best managers be prepared to spend a long time on that search. How long? "It takes us 18 months on average to do complete due diligence on managers in a prospective area," Falls said. 3. Using ETFs will give you more time to focus on the better areas for active management and alpha generation. Ed Boyer, an investment committee member at the $95 million Goldseker Foundation in Baltimore and principal and senior consultant at Asset Strategy Consultants, said the nonprofit's investment committee discusses adding ETFs at nearly every meeting. "Adding ETFs is a regular subject at board meetings," Boyer said. He explained that large-cap equity, bond and international equity ETFs are the most appealing, as those are the areas where active managers struggle to outperform. "Using ETFs where passive investing does well lets you focus on areas where active management makes sense, such as real estate, venture capital, private equity and other alternative areas. It's really a time-allocation issue," Boyer said. Goldseker has a high allocation to actively managed alternatives, Boyer said, and has yet to add any ETFs. watch now 4. ETFs are a good way to gain exposure to overseas developed markets. As Falls noted, Rockefeller only used an emerging markets ETF until it identified the emerging markets trade it really wanted. And that matches another point, made by Jason Hilton, vice president of finance at the Northwest Health Foundation in Portland, Oregon, about where to use ETFs to create long-term exposure to broad markets. "We use ETFs to capture broad passive equity exposures in developed markets," said Hilton. Specifically, the nonprofit uses Vanguard's Developed Market Index ETF (VEA ) to invest in international equity. "I think (ETFs) have other uses helpful for institutional investors as well," Hilton said. "We don't, however, think they make as much sense in (areas such as) emerging markets, bonds and high-yield fixed income as we feel selective active management can still yield better results ... for now." 5. Using ETFs means you won't have to explain to anyone why you wasted money on high-priced managers. Boyer summed this one up best when discussing the benefits of ETFs and also provided an interesting glimpse into one of the real reasons why more institutions are moving assets away from active managers and to passive investments: "Using an index in these areas minimizes the headaches of having to explain underperformance to an investment committee," Boyer said. 6. A transfer of wealth is a good time to look at ETFs. Amazon 's smart home device, Echo, has a unique and little-known privacy feature, Jeff Bezos, the company's founder and CEO explained on Thursday. "We've done something a little unusual with Echo," Bezos said. "It would be no different from your phone, but we went one step further than what's done on a phone. When you hit the mute button on Echo, that red ring comes on that says the microphone is turned off. That mute button is connected to the microphone with analog electronics. You have to come physically tamper with the device. You couldn't do it with a computer virus." Bezos at Vanity Fair's 2016 New Establishment Summit in San Francisco, where he was honored for his role in innovation. He said that Alexa the name of Echo's voice activated assistant represents "leaning in to the future." But even as voice-activated assistants are heralded as the future, they raise concerns. For instance, The Executive Women's Forum this year established a a Voice Privacy Industry Group to establish principles to guide the new technology. "One of the great issues of our age is going to be privacy," Bezos said. "People don't think about it, but if you have a mobile phone in your pocket, it has microphones on it, and those microphones are under software control. And I would posit to you that just about any nation state in the world worth its salt can put a computer virus on your phone, anytime they want, and listen to everything you say from your cellphone." Alexa has "brains in the cloud," rather than in the device, so that it can continually get smarter. It uses deep learning, trying to understand your speech patterns. Though Bezos isn't sure how similar the underlying technology is, Alexa joins products like Apple 's Siri that seek to reduce the inconvenience of everyday tasks. (Apple has also vigorously defended its phones' privacy features.) "The fact that it's always on, you never have to charge it, and it's there ready in your kitchen or your bedroom or wherever you put it, the fact that you can talk to it in a natural way removes a lot of barriers, a lot of friction," Bezos said. "It's easier than taking your phone out of your pocket. And what people have found over and over again is that removing the tiniest amount of friction from ordinary activities ... it improves customers' lives." Focusing on customers, not competitors, has always been core to Amazon's mission. Bezos said that if you only measure your progress relative to how rivals are performing, you may be too tempted to slow down. "The core of the company is customer obsession, as opposed to competitor obsession," Bezos said. "Customers are always dissatisfied. They always want more. And so they pull you along, if you're trying to serve them.... customers are always pulling you." Prime Minister Theresa May has arrived at her first European Union summit with a "very clear message" for her fellow leaders: Britain is leaving the EU but we'll still help out while we're here. "The U.K. is leaving the EU, but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we will be a strong and dependable partner after we have left," May told journalists in Brussels as she arrived for her first European meeting. "It's in the interests both the U.K. and the EU that we continue to work closely together, including at this summit. We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May added. The 28 leaders are gathering in the Belgian capital for two days. They will mainly discuss how to deal with the Russian involvement in Syria, how to ensure that a trade deal with Canada receives full backing across the union, and will, once again, assess the state of the refugee crisis. May will brief her EU counterparts Thursday night on her views on Brexit, but there will not be any discussions on the future relationship between the EU and the U.K. "We expect PM May to intervene shortly during the dinner to present her views on Brexit," an EU official told CNBC in an email. "No debate expected." November 9th is fast becoming as important as November 8th. In an election that has already pushed all boundaries of political norms, Donald Trump threatened to break them in Wednesday's debate with his refusal to commit to accepting the outcome of the election, now less than three weeks away. With that audacious declaration, Hillary Clinton took one step closer to winning Thursday. More from NBC News: 5 major takeaways from the third and final presidential debate Final presidential debate: 11 moments the internet went wild for Debate was short on immigration, but #BadHombres was trending The U.S. tradition of peaceful transfer of power goes back more than two centuries to George Washington's decision to step down after two terms and John Adams conceding a loss to Thomas Jefferson after one. That set the stage for a treasured practice that would endure cries of a "corrupt bargain" from Andrew Jackson supporters in 1824, be renewed at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives in the Civil War, and finally survive a bitter recount and controversial Supreme Court decision in 2000. Trump, breaking with his running mate, other Republican leaders, and even his own daughter not to mention comments he made just weeks earlier in the first debate said he would "keep you in suspense" about whether he would concede if he loses. "I will look at it at the time," the GOP nominee told moderator Chris Wallace, drawing swift condemnation even from some other Republicans. With one incendiary comment, Trump set the stage for yet another divisive loyalty test inside his own party that will force Republican down-ballot candidates to choose between undercutting their nominee and risking the wrath of his voters or siding with him and further damaging the party brand. "That's horrifying," Hillary Clinton responded, before ticking off a long list of contests Trump has claimed were rigged, from the Iowa Caucuses to the Emmy's. "I should have gotten it," Trump interjected on the TV award. Trailing badly in polls, Trump did nothing to fundamentally change the dynamic of the race, despite delivering some strong answers on the Supreme Court, guns, and abortion that beleaguered Republicans had hoped to hear. But those discussions were quickly overshadowed by the unusual debate over the fundamentals of American government. Trump escalated another fight that touched on threats to American elections: He again refused to accept U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that the Russian government is attempting to influence the presidential race, leading Clinton to label her opponent "a puppet" of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I doubt it," Trump said of Kremlin-backed hacking, even after Wallace confirmed Clinton's summary of the intelligence agencies' views. "Our country has no idea." Trump once again declined to say anything negative about Putin whom he recently said he would like to meet with even before the inauguration if he wins the presidency beyond, "This is not my best friend." Trump's comments came on the heels of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday calling on the GOP nominee to "not indulge" the Kremlin by discussing Wikileaks, which has been posting hacked Clinton campaign emails. Trump also repeated his call for warmer relations with the Russian leader. In general, Trump showed more discipline than in previous debates, even as he plugged for his Las Vegas hotel, called Mexican drug cartels "some bad hombres," and called Clinton "such a nasty woman." For long stretches, the conversation actually resembled the kind of exchanges over policy that have typified debates between previous nominees. But the political point scoring seemed unimportant on a night when a major party nominee raised the possibility of a post-election crisis. Republican leaders moved quickly to contain the damage of Trump's talks, with many declaring that he will accept the outcome of the race on Nov. 9. "He is going to accept the results of the election," RNC chairman Reince Priebus said after the debate. Asked to explain Trump's refusal to make that same straightforward pledge, Priebus clarified that Trump would accept the results "barring some sort of massive fraud situation." "Well, I think Donald Trump's gonna be elected president of the United States and I know he'll absolutely accept the outcome of this election," Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told NBC News. Sen. Jeff Sessions, a top Trump ally, said Trump was merely reserving the right to challenge a close election, comparing it to Al Gore's legal challenges in 2000. "He doesn't intend to be cheated or taken advantage of," he said. "He'll defend his rights." Gore refused to concede the election to Republican George W. Bush amid a recount in Florida that hung on just a few hundred votes. In this case, what has observers in both parties most concerned is that Trump is preemptively claiming with virtually no evidence that the election is "rigged" by a vast and amorphous conspiracy that could already invalidate the results. Clinton's campaign meanwhile, watched the development closely. Campaign manager Robby Mook said he "would not be surprised" if Trump refused to concede the race, but insisted he was not worried about the prospect of violence. "Donald Trump doesn't get to declare a winner," Mook told reporters. "What's going to make it legitimate is the vote total." Rite Aid stock jumped 6 percent Thursday, following a mutual decision with Walgreens Boots Alliance to delay their merger agreement until January 27. The merger agreement was previously scheduled to be completed on October 27. The companies entered into a definitive agreement in October 2015, under which Walgreens would acquire all outstanding shares of Rite Aid for $9 a share. The original terms of the agreement allowed either party to delay the merger until January. Walgreens Boots Alliance is the largest retail pharmacy chain in the U.S. and Europe. Walgreens' stock was trading more than 4 percent higher Thursday. Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid have fallen more than 4 percent and 9 percent year-to-date, respectively, according to FactSet. Toward the end of the contentious debate, moderator Chris Wallace asked the candidates whether they'd be willing to consider a "grand bargain" that would include both tax increases and benefit cuts to preserve both Social Security and Medicare. The most recent estimates show that unless steps are taken, the Social Security Trust Fund will run out in 2034. Trump ignored Wallace's question on the federal programs, instead repeating his criticisms of the Affordable Care Act. He repeated claims that premiums will rise in 2017 by "60 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent" and that the law is "destroying our country." A recent study from the McKinsey Center for U.S. Health System Reform suggested premiums will rise an average of 11 percent for those looking for the best deal next year, according to The New York Times. "We have to repeal and replace Obamacare," Trump said. Clinton responded to Wallace saying that adding to the Social Security Trust Fund was part of her plan to raise income taxes on the wealthy. Social Security taxes on the wealthy are already rising: The Social Security Administration announced recently that the maximum amount of income subject to Social Security taxes will climb 7.3 percent, to $127,200 in 2017. "I will not cut benefits," she said. "I want to enhance benefits for low-income workers and for women who have been disadvantaged by the current Social Security system." The "Fast Money" traders debated whether it's worth chasing the rally in Microsoft after the company posted an earnings beat driven by continued growth in its cloud business. The stock climbed above its 1999 all-time high of $59.97 in extended trade. Trader Brian Kelly said he would not chase the rally in Microsoft, but would be interested in it on a pullback. "Everything that these guys said is exactly what everybody in this market now wants. There's very few stocks out there that have this type of growth, that have a dividend, that have a strong management team ... so Microsoft is going to attract a lot of investment money," Kelly said. Trader Karen Finerman agreed, but added that Microsoft's current valuation about a 27 price-to-earnings ratio on a trailing basis is much more appetizing than it was 17 years ago. Trader Dan Nathan said that a large portion of Microsoft's revenue still comes from its legacy businesses and that the current valuation is still too rich. He said there's a risk that the growth of the cloud business could slow down. Trader Tim Seymour disagreed, saying that Microsoft could still increase margins and market share. Venture capital (VC) investment into European tech start-ups slumped sharply in the third-quarter due to uncertainty around Brexit, but an increasing number of U.S. investors are finding the region's growing firms an attractive place to put money. A total of 2.63 billion euros ($2.89 billion) was invested across 577 completed transactions in the third quarter of 2016, representing a 38 percent year-over-year decline in capital invested and a 31 percent drop in deal count, according to data from analysis firm Pitchbook. Karl-Josef Hildenbrand | AFP | Getty Images Still, investment in Europe's start-ups remains resilient when put into context. Pitchbook said that more than 2.6 billion euros of VC has been invested in Europe during each quarter this year, all of which are higher totals than any quarter between 2009 and 2014. And this year is still on pace to record the second-highest level of capital invested in the last decade. The third-quarter decline in the region has been attributed to a number of factors including uncertainty around Brexit as well as broader macroeconomic factors. "We've seen a distinct pause in (the third quarter) across exit activity, fundraising and investments. This may represent a return to normal, or we may be seeing some of the effects of Brexit as the VC community navigates an uncertain economic and political environment," Nizar Tarhuni, senior analyst at PitchBook, said in a press release. UK sees Brexit hit The majority of the European technology industry has been against Brexit and VCs have been cautious about spending in the aftermath. Many firms are still in the dark about what a Brexit could do to the free movement of workers from across the continent, and start-ups in the fintech industry are unsure about what it means for regulation. Ireland and the U.K., however, continue to be the biggest countries for deals in Europe, grabbing around 35 percent of total funding activity. Just over 1 billion euros was invested across 207 deals in the countries, reflecting a capital invested figure that comes in relatively flat on a quarterly basis, and a total volume figure that is down just under 3 percent during the same time frame. At the current yearly run rate, 2016 is on pace to see over 4.4 billion euros invested across around 900 deals, which would put total financings on track to come in at the lowest level since 2011, according to Pitchbook. US VCs attracted to Europe watch now Among all of the indignities Wells Fargo has sustained in the wake of its illegal sales scandal, the bank is now out of good standing with a leading consumer watchdog group. The San Francisco-based lender is no longer accredited by the Better Business Bureau, making it possibly the biggest business ever to fall into that category. "Nobody can recall a company of this size, this scope, losing their accreditation," Thomas Bartholomy, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont, told WCNC, the NBC affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. The BBB website lists Wells Fargo as "not BBB accredited" and gives it a grade of "C-" on a scale of "A+" to "F." The bureau reports 4,105 total complaints against the bank in a three-year period including 1,201 in the past year. Of the 107 reviews on the site, all but four are negative. "Barack, Good meeting yesterday," Podesta wrote. "When we got off on the idea of creating an emergency national economic council, we left unresolved two questions that were contained in my 2 page cover memo." Five emails to or from that address show up in the hacked email file of John Podesta, head of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Dating back to the end of the 2008 campaign, the emails show that the Obama team was focused on getting the new administration up and running even before Election Day 2008. Even a president-elect needs to send email. And as a result of the stolen email messages released by WikiLeaks, we now know what President Barack Obama 's email address was during the presidential transition at the end of the 2008 campaign: bobama@ameritech.net. Podesta pushed for quick decisions on whether William Daley or Daniel Tarullo should run the interim economic staff team early on in the transition. Podesta recommended Tarullo. Podesta also reminded Obama that the president-elect had recommended billionaire investor Warren Buffett to the list of potential members of an interim outside economic council. He asked Obama for a decision. In a reply time stamped at 11:47 p.m. that night, Obama replied: "I will give you an answer on this tomorrow. Barack." The email noted it was sent via Obama's BlackBerry device using AT&T wireless. The Clinton campaign has not confirmed that the emails released by WikiLeaks are legitimate documents, and CNBC cannot independently authenticate the emails. Obama was so attached to that BlackBerry that he urged White House security officials to come up with a way for him to be the first president to carry a wireless email device as a sitting president. The Secret Service and U.S. intelligence agencies expressed concern about the prospect of foreign intelligence services gaining access to any device that the president would carry. In the end, they developed a secure workaround and the president was able to continue to use mobile email. Disclosure of emails from Obama himself in the WikiLeaks trove the theft of which intelligence officials have said was enabled by Russian intelligence indicated that intelligence officials were right to be concerned about the privacy of the president's communications at the time. Other emails to "bobama@ameritech.net" do not appear to have generated a reply from the president-elect. (Ameritech was one of seven regional Bells created after the breakup of the Bell system. It was acquired by SBC Communications.) In one email sent at 7:39 p.m. on election night of 2008, Podesta emails Obama with some last-minute thoughts on the upcoming G-20 meeting. "I don't want to bug you today," Podesta wrote. "The memo pasted below concerns a possible invitation to the G-20 meeting on November 15." That email would have reached Obama just 21 minutes before the major television networks called the election in his favor, making him the next president of the United States. Already, Podesta was focused on what Obama might hear about the G-20 from President George W. Bush in an expected upcoming congratulatory telephone call. "On the chance that President Bush would raise this with you tonight, I wanted you to be aware that it is the unanimous recommendation for your advisors that you NOT attend. As long as you are aware of that, we can review the contents of the memo tomorrow." In the memo, staffers weighed the pros and cons of accepting an invitation to the G-20, if it were extended. On one hand, the meeting just 11 days after the election would "afford you an early and efficient opportunity to evaluate the positions of leaders from other economically important countries," they wrote. But on the other hand: "With at most very limited influence on the outcome of the meeting, you would be associated with it. If, for example, the meeting is widely regarded as an anemic response to grave systemic problems, you will be tied to that perception." What's more, they wrote, "Attendance alongside President Bush will create an extremely awkward situation." "If you attempt to disassociate yourself from his positions, you will be subject to criticism for projecting a divided United States to the rest of the world. But if you adopt a more reserved posture, you will be associated not only with his policies, but also with his very tenuous global standing." The memo also noted that outside economic advisors were unanimously against Obama going to the meeting, including: Bob Rubin, Paul Volcker, Larry Summers, Daley and Tarullo. "Companies are set up to make and sell stuff, not to manage crises, so when one actually hits, I find myself advising a collection of highly capable amateurs primarily motivated by stopping the intense pain they are feeling." At the outset of a crisis, problems are often downplayed and sanitized so that management rarely even knows the extent of the hazard. This isn't a conspiracy as much as it is the human tendency to find both delivering bad news and the possibility of unknowns painful. My experience has been that companies often don't even know what is causing a problem despite the tendency for journalists and consumers to believe all hazards are not only fully understood but covered up with malice. A corporation isn't a monolith it is a collection of thousands of individuals, loose confederacies and decentralized components that have some attenuated influence, but not raw power over one another. Accordingly, the first version of events that I hear is rarely the same as the second and completely different from the twentieth. Here's the thing about underreacting: Problems often do go away after the first catalyst so sometimes downplaying the chances of a full-blown crisis are rational responses to initial fact-finding. But sometimes, as with Samsung, they don't go away, and this depends upon whether there is a genuine hazard or just motivated adversaries hell-bent on destroying a target as there were in the Toyota and Audi "sudden acceleration" crises, which were driven by media hysteria. Samsung, in fact, did take major actions after the initial reports of phone fires turned out to be signs of a larger problem: In September, the company announced it would replace all of the 2.5 million phones that had shipped to date. But in the fiasco vortex, nothing is ever enough. The second stage of the fiasco vortex is sheer chaos and terror. Companies are set up to make and sell stuff, not to manage crises, so when one actually hits, I find myself advising a collection of highly capable amateurs primarily motivated by stopping the intense pain they are feeling. Much of this pain is caused by journalists promising that "If you just come clean, this whole thing will go away." No, it won't. Besides the company doesn't even know enough to come clean with. Brutal coverage tends to start with online reports of dangerous products, then the "old" media rain down a cascade of allegations including some form of optical validation in the form of video footage either of a malfunctioning product or disturbing interviews with that product's victims. Next comes a tsunami of hostile inquiries from investigative media, government agencies, activist NGOs and short sellers. The plaintiffs' lawyers file suit. Then come the cavalcade of "experts" who take to the airwaves to declare the crisis to have been botched by the company, after all, producers don't like to book guests who'll say the company is doing the best they can, all things considered. The demand for the CEOs scalp soon follows, and the deathwatch begins. The company's stock then plummets, and every vendor and employee that has even the most tangential link to the controversy of which there may be hundreds hunker down, raise the drawbridge and lawyer up. Social media goes metastatic. This is about the time pundit flacks begin invoking the shibboleth of "transparency," an impossibility given that the landscape has degenerated into warring fiefdoms that resemble "Game of Thrones," dragons included. That buzzing in the CEO's ears is the sound of a congressional subcommittee sharpening it's carving knives. The beginning of the crisis' resolution comes once the company determines the extent to which it has a tangible problem versus the misperception of one. Samsung, by most reports, has such a problem: Its phones are catching fire and there are videos online that appear to show this. This is not a "communications problem," some kind of misunderstanding that can be resolved via a digital age charm offensive. Job one right now is to fix the phone and get a really good one that doesn't catch fire back onto the market. Then there is the casserole of other damage control elements: firing bad actors; reshuffling management; reorganizing the supply chain, settling some lawsuits while fighting others; offering consumer rebates; executive apologies; mortifying congressional hearings and paying government fines; expensive marketing campaigns; charm offensives with shareholders, employees and vendors; and, of course, blue-ribbon panel investigations where something and someone is blamed for the fiasco. Despite its out-of-the-gate stumbles, Samsung's decision to kill the Galaxy Note 7 was bold and shows that the company is willing and able to take the risks necessary to save its mobile enterprise not to mention its corporate reputation. Odds are that the current doomsaying will fade. Good companies like Samsung survive their crises all the time and even roar back as Toyota did in the wake of sudden acceleration, as did J&J after dozens of withering recalls in recent years. So when will Samsung's crisis end? Here's a clue about when the beginning of the end will come: Media coverage of the BP oil spill dropped off a cliff the moment the company plugged the leak and the camera on the ocean floor stopped filming the gusher. Nothing makes a crisis go away faster than fixing the problem. Commentary by Eric Dezenhall, CEO of Dezenhall Resources, a crisis-management firm in Washington, DC. He is also the author of "Glass Jaw: A Manifesto for Defending Fragile Reputations in an Age of Instant Scandal." Follow him on Twitter @EricDezenhall. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. UTICA, N.Y. The Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) Foundation has named its board officers for the 2016-17 year: Rick Short, president; Stephen R. Zogby, VP; Steve Coupe, treasurer; and Lori Kaplan Felice, secretary. Rick Short, President. Photo credit: MVCC Rick Short is director of marketing communications at Indium Corp., where he has worked in a variety of roles over the past 30 years. He holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a bachelors degree in business management from Utica College, and an associate degree from MVCC. Stephen R. Zogby, VP. Photo credit: MVCC Stephen R. Zogby is executive VP at Scalzo, Zogby & Wittig, Inc., an independent insurance agency that he co-founded in 1992 with Gary Scalzo. Zogby is also a member of the Oneida County Industrial Development Agency board, president of the board of Central New York Health Home Network, Inc., and serves on the agents advisory board of the Adirondack Insurance Exchange. He earned his bachelors degree in business/economics from SUNY Brockport and his associate degree in business administration from MVCC. Steve Coupe, Treasurer. Photo credit: MVCC Steve Coupe is general manager at Harley-Davidson of Utica, a position hes held for more than 16 years. He previously was chief operating officer at Carbone Auto Group. Coupe holds an MBA from Syracuse Universitys Whitman School of Management, a bachelors degree in finance from SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and an associate degree in business administration, management, and operations from Herkimer County Community College. Lori Kaplan Felice, Secretary. Photo credit: MVCC Lori Kaplan Felice has been a licensed real-estate broker and property manager at CA Kaplan in Rome for more than 25 years. Kaplan Felice is a member of the board of the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce, and she previously served as a trustee for the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties. She holds a bachelors degree in mathematics from Binghamton University. Contact The Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com Report details family's care for Santulli Danny Santulli's family has created a hospital room for him in the living room of their Eden Prairie, Minnesota, home, his dad wrote in a report. The following companies are subsidiares of Tenet Healthcare: 45th Street MOB LLC, 601 N 30th Street I L.L.C., 601 N 30th Street II L.L.C., 601 N 30th Street III Inc., AHM Acquisition Co. Inc., AIG Holdings LLC, AIGB Global LLC, AIGB Group Inc., AIGB Holdings Inc., AIGB Management Services LLC, AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #1 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #2 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #3 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #4 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #5 L.L.C., AMI Information Systems Group Inc., AMI/HTI Tarzana Encino Joint Venture, APN, ARC Worcester Center L.P., ASC Old Co. LP, ASC of New Jersey LLC, ASJH Joint Venture LLC, Abrazo Health Network EP Clinical Services LLC, Abrazo Surgical Outpatient Center LLC, Advanced Ambulatory Surgical Care L.P., Advanced Center for Surgery Vero Beach LLC, Advanced Regional Surgery Center LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Bethesda LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Metairie LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Northern Louisiana LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Sarasota LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Tampa LLC, Advanced Surgical Care of Lutz LLC, Advanced Surgical Care of St Louis LLC, Advanced Surgical Concepts LLC, Advantage Health Care Management Company LLC, Advantage Health Network Inc., AdventHealth Surgery Center Celebration LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Center Mills Park LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Center Wellswood LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Center Winter Garden LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Centers Central Florida LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Centers West Florida LLC, Alabama Cardiovascular Associates L.L.C., Alabama Digestive Health Endoscopy Center L.L.C., Alabama Hand and Sports Medicine L.L.C., Alamo Heights Surgicare L.P., Alliance Surgery Birmingham LLC, Alliance Surgery Inc., Alvarado Hospital Medical Center Inc., Ambulatory Surgical Associates LLC, Ambulatory Surgical Center of Somerville LLC, American Institute of Gastric Banding Ltd., American Institute of Gastric Banding Phoenix Limited Partnership, American Medical Inc., Amisub Inc., Amisub Inc., Amisub of California Inc., Amisub of North Carolina Inc., Amisub of South Carolina Inc., Amisub of Texas Inc., Anaheim Hills Medical Imaging L.L.C., Anaheim MRI Holding Inc., Anesthesia Partners of Gallatin LLC, Arizona Care Network Next L.L.C., Arizona Health Partners LLC, Arizona Spine and Joint Hospital LLC, Ascension Saint Thomas Lebanon Surgery Center LLC, Asia Outsourcing US Inc., Aspen Healthcare, Atlanta Medical Center Inc., Atlanta Medical Center Interventional Neurology Associates L.L.C., Atlanta Medical Center Neurosurgical & Spine Specialists L.L.C., Atlanta Medical Center Physician Group L.L.C., Atlantic Coast Surgical Suites LLC, Atlantic Health-USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Audubon Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Avita/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., BBH BMC LLC, BBH CBMC LLC, BBH DevelopmentCo LLC, BBH NP Clinicians Inc., BBH PBMC LLC, BBH SBMC LLC, BBH WBMC LLC, BCDC EmployeeCO LLC, BHC-Talladega Pediatrics LLC, BHS Accountable Care LLC, BHS Affinity LLC, BHS Integrated Physician Partners LLC, BHS Physician Performance Network LLC, BHS Physicians Alliance for ACE LLC, BHS Physicians Network Inc., BHS Specialty Network Inc., BT East Dallas JV LLP, BW Cardiology LLC, BW Cyberknife LLC, BW Hand Practice LLC, BW Office Buildings LLC, BW Parking Decks LLC, BW Physician Practices LLC, BW Retail Pharmacy LLC, BW Sports Practice LLC, Baptist Accountable Care LLC, Baptist Diagnostics LLC, Baptist Health Centers LLC, Baptist Physician Alliance ACO LLC, Baptist Physician Alliance LLC, Baptist Plaza Surgicare L.P., Baptist Surgery Center L.P., Baptist Womens Health Center LLC, Baptist/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Bartlett ASC LLC, Beaumont Surgical Affiliates Ltd., Berkshire Eye LLC, Bloomington ASC LLC, Blue Ridge/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Bluffton Okatie Primary Care L.L.C., Bluffton Okatie Surgery Center L.L.C., Braselton Endoscopy Center LLC, Briarcliff Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Bristol Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Broad River Primary Care L.L.C., Brookwood Ancillary Holdings Inc., Brookwood Baptist Health 1 LLC, Brookwood Baptist Health 2 LLC, Brookwood Baptist Health 3 LLC, Brookwood Baptist Imaging LLC, Brookwood Center Development Corporation, Brookwood Development Inc., Brookwood Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC, Brookwood Garages L.L.C., Brookwood Health Services Inc., Brookwood Home Health LLC, Brookwood Occupational Health Clinic L.L.C., Brookwood Parking Associates Ltd., Brookwood Primary Care Cahaba Heights L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Hoover L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care The Narrows L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Homewood L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Inverness L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Mountain Brook L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Oak Mountain L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Vestavia L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Network Care Inc., Brookwood Specialty Care Endocrinology L.L.C., Brookwood Sports and Orthopedics L.L.C., Brookwood Womens Care L.L.C., Brookwood Womens Diagnostic Center LLC, Brookwood Maternal Fetal Medicine L.L.C., Brownsville Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, C7 Technologies LLC, CGH GP Inc., CGH Hospital Ltd., CHIC/USP Surgery Centers LLC, CHN Holdings LLC, CHVI Tucson Holdings LLC, CML-Chicago Market Labs Inc., CRNAs of Michigan, CS/USP General Partner LLC, CS/USP Surgery Centers LP, Camp Creek Urgent Care L.L.C., Camp Lowell Surgery Center L.L.C., Cardiology Physicians Associates L.L.C., Cardiology Physicians Corporation L.L.C., Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Associates L.L.C., Cardiovascular Clinical Excellence at Sierra Providence LLC, CareSpot of Austin LLC, CareSpot of Memphis LLC, Carmel Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Castle Rock Surgery Center LLC, Catawba-Piedmont Cardiothoracic Surgery L.L.C., Cedar Hill Primary Care L.L.C., Cedar Park Surgery Center L.L.P., Center for Advanced Research Excellence L.L.C., Center for the Urban Child Inc., Central Carolina Physicians Sandhills L.L.C., Central Carolina-IMA L.L.C., Central Jersey Surgery Center LLC, Central Texas Corridor Hospital Company LLC, Central Valley Quality Alliance LLC, Central Virginia Surgi-Center L.P., Centura Ventures Surgery Centers LLC, Centura/USP Colorado Springs Surgery Centers L.L.C., Chalon Living Inc., Chandler Endoscopy Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Charlotte Endoscopic Surgery Center LLC, Chattanooga Pain Management Center LLC, Chesterfield Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Chico Surgery Center L.P., Clarksville Surgery Center LLC, Coast Healthcare Management LLC, Coast Surgery Center L.P., Coastal Carolina Medical Center, Coastal Carolina Medical Center Inc., Coastal Carolina Physician Practices LLC, Coastal Carolina Pro Fee Billing L.L.C., Colorado GI Centers LLC, Commonwealth Continental Health Care Inc., Community Connection Health Plan Inc., Community Hospital of Los Gatos Inc., Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of Asheville LLC, Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of Odessa LLC, Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of Raleigh LLC, Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of St. Petersburg LLC, Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of Tampa LLC, Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of Waco LLC, Compass Surgical Partners Holdings of Winston-Salem LLC, Conifer Care Continuum Solutions LLC, Conifer Ethics and Compliance Inc., Conifer Global Business Center Inc., Conifer Global Holdings Inc., Conifer Health Solutions LLC, Conifer Holdings Inc., Conifer Patient Communications LLC, Conifer Physician Services Holdings Inc., Conifer Physician Services Inc., Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions LLC, Conifer Value-Based Care LLC, Conroe Surgery Center 2 LLC, Coral Ridge Outpatient Center LLC, Corpus Christi Surgicare Ltd., Covenant/USP Surgery Centers LLC, CreAtiv Management Company Inc., Creekwood Surgery Center L.P., Crown Point Surgery Center LLC, DH/USP SJOSC Investment Company L.L.C., DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital Premier Clinical Co-Management Services LLC, DMC Education & Research, DMC Harper University Hospital Premier Clinical Co-Management Services LLC, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Premier Clinical Management Services LLC, DMC Imaging L.L.C., DeTar/USP Surgery Center LLC, Delray Beach ASC LLC, Delray Medical Center Inc., Delray Medical Physician Services L.L.C., Denville Surgery Center LLC, Des Peres Physician Network LLC, Desert Regional Medical Center Inc., Desert Ridge Outpatient Surgery LLC, Desoto Surgicare Partners Ltd., Destin Surgery Center LLC, Detroit Education & Research, DigitalMed Inc., Dignity/Abrazo Health Network LLC, Dignity/USP Phoenix Surgery Centers II LLC, Doctors Hospital of Manteca Inc., Doctors Medical Center Neurosciences Clinical Co-Management LLC, Doctors Medical Center Orthopedics Clinical Co-Management LLC, Doctors Medical Center of Modesto Inc., Doctors Outpatient Surgery Center of Jupiter L.L.C., EPHC Inc., EPIC ASC LLC, East Atlanta Endoscopy Centers LLC, East Cobb Urgent Care LLC, East Cooper Coastal Family Physicians L.L.C., East Cooper Community Hospital Inc., East Cooper Hyperbarics L.L.C., East Cooper OB/GYN L.L.C., East Cooper Physician Network LLC, East Cooper Primary Care Physicians L.L.C., East West Surgery Center L.P., Eastgate Building Center L.L.C., El Mirador Surgery Center L.L.C., El Paso Center for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy LLC, El Paso Day Surgery LLC, El Paso Urology Surgery Center Curie LLC, Emanate/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Emanuel Medical Center, Emerus BHS/SA NW Military LLC, Emerus BHS/SA Southside LLC, Emerus/BHS SA Hausman LLC, Emerus/BHS SA Kelly LLC, Emerus/BHS SA LLC, Emerus/BHS SA Overlook Parkway LLC, Emerus/BHS SA Schertz LLC, Emerus/BHS SA Thousand Oaks LLC, Emerus/BHS SA Westover Hills LLC, Encinitas Endoscopy Center LLC, Endoscopy Consultants LLC, Enterprise Research Solutions LLC, European Surgical Partners Ltd., Eye Center of Nashville UAP LLC, Eye Surgery Center of Nashville LLC, FMC Medical Inc., FMCC Network Contracting L.L.C., FREH Real Estate L.L.C., FRS Imaging Services L.L.C., First Choice Physician Partners, Flatirons Surgery Center LLC, Fort Bend Clinical Services Inc., Fort Worth Hospital Real Estate LP, Foundation Bariatric Hospital of San Antonio LLC, Foundation San Antonio Borrower Sub LLC, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Fountain Valley Surgery Center LLC, Franklin Endo UAP LLC, Franklin Endoscopy Center LLC, Frontenac Ambulatory Surgery & Spine Care Center L.P., Frye Regional Medical Center Inc., FryeCare Boone L.L.C., FryeCare Morganton L.L.C., FryeCare Physicians L.L.C., FryeCare Valdese L.L.C., FryeCare Watauga L.L.C., FryeCare Womens Services L.L.C., GAB Endoscopy Center LLC, GCSA Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, GIA/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Gainesville Endoscopy ASC LLC, Gainesville Endoscopy Center LLC, Gamma Surgery Center LLC, Gardendale Surgical Associates LLC, Gastric Health Institute L.L.C., Georgia Endoscopy Center LLC, Georgia Gifts From Grace L.L.C., Georgia Musculoskeletal Network Inc., Georgia North Fulton Healthcare Associates L.L.C., Georgia Northside Ear Nose and Throat L.L.C., Georgia Physicians of Cardiology L.L.C., Georgia Spectrum Neurosurgical Specialists L.L.C., Glen Echo Surgery Center LLC, Golden Ridge ASC LLC, Good Samaritan Medical Center Inc., Good Samaritan Surgery L.L.C., Graystone Family Healthcare Tenet North Carolina L.L.C., Great Lakes Surgical Suites LLC, Greater Dallas Healthcare Enterprises, Greater Northwest Houston Enterprises, Greenville Physicians Surgery Center LLP, Greenwood ASC LLC, Greystone Internal Medicine Brookwood L.L.C., Gulf Coast Community Hospital Inc., HC Hialeah Holdings Inc., HCH Tucson Holdings LLC, HCN EP Horizon City LLC, HCN EP Lee Trevino LLC, HCN EP Northeast LLC, HCN EP Sunland Park LLC, HCN Emerus El Paso LLC, HCN Emerus Management Sub LLC, HCN Emerus Texas LLC, HCN Laboratories Inc., HCN Physicians Inc., HCN Surgery Center Holdings Inc., HDMC Holdings L.L.C., HKRI Holdings LLC, HMHP/USP Surgery Centers LLC, HNMC Inc., HNW GP Inc., HNW LP Inc., HSRM International Inc., HSS Palm Beach Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, HSS/USP Surgery Center LLC, Hagerstown Surgery Center LLC, Harbor Heights Surgery Center LLC, Hardeeville Medical Group L.L.C., Hardeeville Primary Care L.L.C., Harlingen Physician Network Inc., Harper-Hutzel AHP Services Inc., Harvard Park Surgery Center LLC, Haymarket Surgery Center LLC, Health & Wellness Surgery Center L.P., Health Horizons of Kansas City Inc., Health Horizons of Murfreesboro Inc., Health Horizons/Piedmont Joint Venture LLC, Health Services CFMC Inc., Health Services HNMC Inc., Health Services Network Care Inc., Health Services Network Hospitals Inc., Health Services Network Texas Inc., HealthCorp Network Inc., Healthcare Compliance LLC, Healthcare Network Alabama Inc., Healthcare Network CFMC Inc., Healthcare Network DPH Inc., Healthcare Network Georgia Inc., Healthcare Network Holdings Inc., Healthcare Network Hospitals Inc., Healthcare Network Louisiana Inc., Healthcare Network Missouri Inc., Healthcare Network North Carolina Inc., Healthcare Network South Carolina Inc., Healthcare Network Tennessee Inc., Healthcare Network Texas Inc., Healthcare SMG I L.L.C., Healthcare SMG II L.L.C., Healthcare SMG IV L.L.C., Healthcare UC Holdings Inc., Healthmark Partners Inc., Healthpoint of North Carolina L.L.C., Heart and Vascular Institute of Michigan, Hialeah Real Properties Inc., Hickory Family Practice Associates - Tenet North Carolina L.L.C., Hill Country ASC Partners LLC, Hill Country Surgery Center LLC, Hilton Head Health System L.P., Hilton Head Regional Healthcare L.L.C., Hilton Head Regional OB/GYN Partners L.L.C., Hilton Head Regional Physician Network LLC, Hilton Head Regional Physician Network Georgia L.L.C., Hitchcock State Street Real Estate Inc., Holston Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Holy Cross Hospital Inc., Home Health Partners of San Antonio LLC, Hoover Doctors Group Inc., Hoover Land LLC, Hospital Development of West Phoenix Inc., Hospital RCM Services LLC, Houston Northwest Partners Ltd., Houston PSC L.P., Houston Specialty Hospital Inc., Houston Sunrise Investors Inc., Hyde Park Surgery Center LLC, Imaging Center at Baxter Village L.L.C., InforMed Insurance Services LLC, International Health and Wellness Inc., Intracoastal Surgery Center LLC, JFK Memorial Hospital Inc., Jacksonville Endoscopy Centers LLC, Journey Home Healthcare of San Antonio LLC, KHS Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, KHS/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Kingsport Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Laguna Medical Systems Inc., Lake Endoscopy Center LLC, Lake Health Care Facilities Inc., LakeFront Medical Associates LLC, Lakewood Regional Medical Center Inc., Lancaster Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Lebanon Endoscopy Center LLC, Legacy Warren Partners L.P., Leonardtown Surgery Center LLC, Lifemark Hospitals Inc., Lifemark Hospitals of Florida Inc., Lifemark Hospitals of Louisiana Inc., Longleaf Surgery Center LLC, Los Alamitos Medical Center Inc., Lubbock ASC Holding Co LLC, MASC Partners LLC, MH/USP Bay Area LLC, MH/USP Brazoria LLC, MH/USP Kingsland LLC, MH/USP Kingwood LLC, MH/USP Kirby LLC, MH/USP Main Street LLC, MH/USP North Freeway LLC, MH/USP North Houston LLC, MH/USP Richmond LLC, MH/USP Sugar Land LLC, MH/USP TMC Endoscopy LLC, MH/USP West Houston L.L.C., MH/USP Woodlands Parkway LLC, MSV Health/USP Surgery Centers LLC, MVH/USP Surgery Centers LLC, MacNeal Management Services Inc., MacNeal Medical Records Inc., MacNeal Physicians Group LLC, Magnetic Resonance Imaging of San Luis Obispo Inc., Magnolia Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Manchester Ambulatory Surgery Center LP, Maple Lawn Surgery Center LLC, Marion Surgery Center LLC, Mason Ridge Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., McLaren ASC of Flint LLC, Meadowcrest Hospital LLC, Medical House Staffing LLC, Medplex Outpatient Medical Centers Inc., Medplex Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Memorial Hermann Bay Area Endoscopy Center LLC, Memorial Hermann Endoscopy & Surgery Center North Houston L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Endoscopy Center North Freeway LLC, Memorial Hermann Specialty Hospital Kingwood L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Surgical Hospital L.L.P., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Brazoria LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Cypress LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Kingsland L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Kirby LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Main Street LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Pinecroft LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Preston Road Ltd., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Richmond LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Woodlands Parkway LLC, Memorial Hermann Texas International Endoscopy Center 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Inc., NME Psychiatric Hospitals Inc., NME Rehabilitation Properties Inc., NS Medical Billing Center L.L.C., NSCH GP Holdings LLC, NSCH/USP Desert Surgery Centers L.L.C., NSMC Holdings Inc., NSN Revenue Resources LLC, NUCH of Georgia L.L.C., NUCH of Massachusetts LLC, NUCH of Michigan Inc., Nacogdoches ASC-LP Inc., National ASC Inc., National Ancillary Inc., National Diagnostic Imaging Centers Inc., National HHC Inc., National Home Health Holdings Inc., National ICN Inc., National Imaging Center Holdings Inc., National Medical Services II Inc., National Outpatient Services Holdings Inc., National Surgery Center Holdings Inc., National Urgent Care Inc., Network Management Associates Inc., New Dimensions LLC, New England Physician Performance Network LLC, New H Acute Inc., New Horizons Surgery Center LLC, New Medical Horizons II Ltd., Newhope Imaging Center Inc., North Anaheim Surgery Center LLC, North Atlantic Surgical Suites LLC, North Campus Surgery Center LLC, North Carolina Community Family Medicine L.L.C., North Denver Musculoskeletal Surgical Partners LLC, North Fulton Cardiovascular Medicine L.L.C., North Fulton Hospitalist Group L.L.C., North Fulton Medical Center Inc., North Fulton Primary Care - Willeo Rd. L.L.C., North Fulton Primary Care - Windward Parkway L.L.C., North Fulton Primary Care - Wylie Bridge L.L.C., North Fulton Primary Care Associates L.L.C., North Fulton Pulmonary Specialists L.L.C., North Fulton Womens Consultants L.L.C., North Haven Surgery Center LLC, North Miami Medical Center Ltd., North Shore Same Day Surgery L.L.C., North Shore Surgical Suites LLC, NorthPointe Surgical Suites LLC, NorthShore/USP Surgery Centers II L.L.C., Northridge Surgery Center L.P., Northwest Georgia Orthopaedic Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Regional ASC LLC, Northwest Regional Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Surgery Center Ltd., Novant Health/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Novant/UVA/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Okatie Surgical Partners L.L.C., Old Tesson Surgery Center L.P., Olive Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Olive Branch Urgent Care #1 LLC, Ophthalmology Anesthesia Services LLC, Ophthalmology Surgery Center of Orlando LLC, Optimum Spine Center LLC, OrNda Healthcorp, OrNda Hospital Corporation, Orlando Health/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., OrthoArizona Surgery Center Gilbert LLC, OrthoLink ASC Corporation, OrthoLink Physicians Corporation, OrthoLink Radiology Services Corporation, OrthoLink/ Georgia ASC Inc., OrthoLink/New Mexico ASC Inc., Orthopedic Associates of the Lowcountry L.L.C., Oxford Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, PAHS/USP Surgery Centers LLC, PDN L.L.C., PHPS Inc., PHPS-CHM Acquisition Inc., PM CyFair Land Partners LLC, PMC Physician Network L.L.C., PSS Patient Solution Services LLC, Pacific Endo-Surgical Center L.P., Pacific Endoscopy and Surgery Center LLC, Paley Institute Global LLC, Palm Beach Gardens Community Hospital Inc., Palm Beach International Surgery Center LLC, Park Plaza Hospital Billing Center L.L.C., ParkCreek ASC LLC, Parkwest Surgery Center L.P., Patient Partners LLC, Peak Gastroenterology ASC LLC, Pediatric Surgery Center Odessa LLC, Pediatric Surgery Centers LLC, Physician Performance Network L.L.C., Physician Performance Network of Arizona LLC, Physician Performance Network of South Carolina LLC, Physician Performance Network of Tucson LLC, Physicians Performance Network of Houston, Physicians Performance Network of North Texas, Physicians Surgery Center of Tempe LLC, Physicians Surgery Center of Chattanooga L.L.C., Physicians Surgery Center of Knoxville LLC, Piccard Surgery Center LLC, Piedmont ASC LLC, Piedmont Behavioral Medicine Associates LLC, Piedmont Cardiovascular Physicians L.L.C., Piedmont Carolina OB/GYN of York County L.L.C., Piedmont Carolina Vascular Surgery L.L.C., Piedmont East Urgent Care Center L.L.C., Piedmont Express Care at Sutton Road L.L.C., Piedmont Family Practice at Baxter Village L.L.C., Piedmont Family Practice at Rock Hill L.L.C., Piedmont Family Practice at Tega Cay L.L.C., Piedmont General Surgery Associates L.L.C., Piedmont Internal Medicine at Baxter Village L.L.C., Piedmont Physician Network LLC, Piedmont Pulmonology L.L.C., Piedmont Surgical Specialists L.L.C., Piedmont Urgent Care Center at Baxter Village L.L.C., Piedmont Urgent Care and Industrial Health Centers Inc., Piedmont/Carolinas Radiation Therapy LLC, Placentia-Linda Hospital Inc., Pleasanton Diagnostic Imaging Inc., Point of Rocks Surgery Center LLC, Porter Musculoskeletal Surgery Center LLC, Potomac View Surgery Center LLC, Practice Partners Management L.P., Premier ACO Physicians Network LLC, Premier ASC LLC, Premier Adult and Childrens Surgery Center LLC, Premier Endoscopy ASC LLC, Premier Health Plan Services Inc., Premier Medical Specialists L.L.C., Prince William Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Professional Anesthesia Services LLC, Pros Temporary Staffing Inc., Providence/UCLA/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Providence/USP Santa Clarita GP LLC, Providence/USP South Bay Surgery Centers L.L.C., Providence/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Pueblo Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, R.H.S.C. El Paso Inc., RE Plano Med Inc., RHC Parkway Inc., RLC LLC, Reading Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Reading Endoscopy Center LLC, Reagan Street Surgery Center LLC, Red Cedar Surgery Center LLC, Redmond Surgery Center LLC, Republic Health Corporation of Rockwall County, Resolute Health Physicians Network Inc., Resolute Hospital Company LLC, Resurgens Surgery Center LLC, Rheumatology Associates of Atlanta Medical Center L.L.C., Rio Grande Valley Indigent Health Care Corporation, Riva Road Surgery Center LLC, River North Same Day Surgery L.L.C., Riverside Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Rock Bridge Surgical Institute L.L.C., Rock Hill Surgery Center LLC, Rockville Surgical Suites LLC, Rocky Mountain Endoscopy Centers LLC, Roswell Surgery Center L.L.C., SCNRE LLC, SFMP Inc., SFMPE - Crittenden L.L.C., SL-HLC Inc., SLH Physicians L.L.C., SLH Vista Inc., SLPA ACO LLC, SLUH Anesthesia Physicians L.L.C., SMSJ Imaging Company LLC, SMSJ Tucson Holdings LLC, SRRMC Management Inc., SSI Holdings Inc., Safety Harbor ASC Company LLC, Saint Francis Cardiology Associates L.L.C., Saint Francis Cardiovascular Surgery L.L.C., Saint Francis Center for Surgical Weight Loss L.L.C., Saint Francis Hospital Billing Center L.L.C., Saint Francis Hospital Medicare ACO LLC, Saint Francis Hospital Pro Fee Billing L.L.C., Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett Inc., Saint Francis Medical Partners East L.L.C., Saint Francis Medical Partners General Surgery L.L.C., Saint Francis Physician Network LLC, Saint Francis Quality Alliance LLC, Saint Francis Surgery Center L.L.C., Saint Francis Surgical Associates L.L.C., Saint Francis-Arkansas Physician Network LLC, Saint Francis-Bartlett Physician Network LLC, Saint Thomas Campus Surgicare L.P., Saint Thomas Surgery Center New Salem LLC, Saint Thomas/USP Surgery Centers II L.L.C., Saint Thomas/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Saint Thomas/USP Baptist Plaza L.L.C., Saint Vincent Physician Services Inc., Salmon Surgery Center LLC, Same Day Management L.L.C., Same Day Surgery L.L.C., San Antonio Endoscopy L.P., San Fernando Valley Surgery Center L.P., San Gabriel Valley Surgical Center L.P., San Ramon ASC L. P., San Ramon Ambulatory Care LLC, San Ramon Network Joint Venture LLC, San Ramon Regional Medical Center LLC, Santa Barbara Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Santa Clarita Surgery Center L.P., Savannah Endoscopy Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Schertz Surgery Center LLC, Scottsdale Endoscopy ASC LLC, Scripps/USP Surgery Centers 2 LLC, Seaside Surgery Center LLC, Shelby Baptist Affinity LLC, Shelby Baptist Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Shore Outpatient Surgicenter L.L.C., Shoreline Real Estate Partnership LLP, Shoreline Surgery Center LLP, Sierra Providence Health Network Inc., Sierra Providence Healthcare Enterprises, Sierra Vista Hospital Inc., Sierra Vista Surgery Center LLC, Silver Cross Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Silver Cross/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Sinai-Grace Premier Clinical Management Services LLC, Solantic Development LLC, Solantic Holdings Corporation, South Carolina East Cooper Surgical Specialists L.L.C., South Carolina Health Services LLC, South Carolina SeWee Family Medicine L.L.C., South County Outpatient Endoscopy Services L.P., South Denver Musculoskeletal Surgical Partners LLC, South Florida Ambulatory Surgical Center LLC, South Fulton Health Care Centers Inc., South Plains Endoscopy Associates LLC, SouthCare Physicians Group Neurology L.L.C., SouthCare Physicians Group Obstetrics & Gynecology L.L.C., Southeast Ohio Surgical Suites LLC, Southern Orthopedics and Sports Medicine L.L.C., Southern States Physician Operations Inc., Southwest Childrens Hospital LLC, Southwest Endoscopy LLC, Southwestern Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Spalding Regional Medical Center Inc., Spalding Regional OB/GYN L.L.C., Spalding Regional Physician Services L.L.C., Specialty Surgicenters Inc., Springfield Service Holding Corporation, St. Augustine Endoscopy Center LLC, St. Christophers Pediatric Urgent Care Center - Allentown L.L.C, St. Josephs Hospital Surgical Co-Management LLC, St. Josephs Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, St. Louis Physician Alliance LLC, St. Louis Surgical Center LC, St. Louis Urology Center LLC, St. Lukes/USP Surgery Centers LLC, St. Marys Hospital Cardiovascular Co-Management LLC, St. Marys Hospital Surgical Co-Management LLC, St. Marys Levee Company LLC, St. Marys Medical Center Inc., St. Vincent Health/USP LLC, St. Vincent/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Suburban Endoscopy Center LLC, Summit View Surgery Center LLC, Sun View Imaging L.L.C., SurgCenter Camelback LLC, SurgCenter Clearwater LLC, SurgCenter Development, SurgCenter Northeast LLC, SurgCenter Pinellas LLC, SurgCenter Tucson LLC, SurgCenter at Paradise Valley LLC, SurgCenter of Deer Valley LLC, SurgCenter of Glen Burnie LLC, SurgCenter of Greater Dallas LLC, SurgCenter of Greater Jacksonville LLC, SurgCenter of Northern Baltimore LLC, SurgCenter of Palm Beach Gardens LLC, SurgCenter of Pine Ridge LLC, SurgCenter of Silver Spring LLC, SurgCenter of Southern Maryland LLC, SurgCenter of St. Lucie LLC, SurgCenter of White Marsh LLC, SurgCenter of the Potomac LLC, Surgery Affiliate of El Paso LLC, Surgery Center at Mount Pleasant LLC, Surgery Center at University Park LLC, Surgery Center of Columbia L.P., Surgery Center of Coral Gables LLC, Surgery Center of Okeechobee LLC, Surgery Center of Pembroke Pines L.L.C., Surgery Center of Peoria L.L.C., Surgery Center of Santa Barbara LLC, Surgery Center of Scottsdale LLC, Surgery Centers of America II L.L.C., Surgery Centre of SW Florida LLC, Surgical & Bariatric Associates of Atlanta Medical Center L.L.C., Surgical Center Development #3 LLC, Surgical Center Development #4 LLC, Surgical Clinical Excellence at Desert Regional LLC, Surgical Elite of Avondale L.L.C., Surgical Health Partners LLC, Surgical Institute Management LLC, Surgical Institute of Reading LLC, Surgicare of Miramar L.L.C., Surginet Inc., Surgis Inc., Surgis Management Services Inc., Surgis of Chico Inc., Surgis of Phoenix Inc., Surgis of Redding Inc., Surgis of Victoria Inc., Sutton Road Pediatrics L.L.C., Sylvan Grove Hospital Inc., T1 Security LLC, TENN SM LLC, TFPS IV L.L.C., TH Healthcare Ltd., TH International Services Florida LLC, TLC ASC LLC, TOPS Specialty Hospital Ltd., TOSCA ASC Holdings LLC, TPR Practice Management LLC, TPS VI of PA L.L.C., TSPE LLC, Tamarac Surgery Center LLC, Tampa Bay Joint and Spine LLC, Tempe New Day Surgery Center LP, Templeton Imaging Inc., Tenet Business Services Corporation, Tenet California Inc., Tenet Central Carolina Physicians Inc., Tenet EKG Inc., Tenet El Paso Ltd., Tenet Employment Inc., Tenet Finance Corp., Tenet Florida Inc., Tenet Florida Physician Services II L.L.C., Tenet Florida Physician Services III L.L.C., Tenet Florida Physician Services L.L.C., Tenet Fort Mill Inc., Tenet Global Business Center Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Bucks County L.L.C., Tenet HealthSystem Graduate L.L.C., Tenet HealthSystem Hahnemann L.L.C., Tenet HealthSystem Medical Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Nacogdoches ASC GP Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Philadelphia Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Roxborough LLC, Tenet HealthSystem St. Christophers Hospital for Children L.L.C., Tenet Hilton Head Heart L.L.C., Tenet Hospitals Limited, Tenet Network Management Inc., Tenet Patient Safety Organization LLC, Tenet Physician Resources LLC, Tenet Physician Services - Hilton Head Inc., Tenet Rehab Piedmont Inc., Tenet Relocation Services L.L.C., Tenet SC East Cooper Hospitalists L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Gastrointestinal Surgical Specialists L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Island Medical L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Lowcountry OB/GYN L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Mt. Pleasant OB/GYN L.L.C., Tenet Unifour Urgent Care Center L.L.C., Tenet Ventures Inc., TenetCare Frisco Inc., Terre Haute Surgical Center LLC, Teton Outpatient Services LLC, Texan Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Texas Orthopedics Surgery Center LLC, Texas Regional Medical in Sunnyvale, The 6300 West Roosevelt Partnership, The Healthcare Insurance Corporation, The Healthcare Underwriting Company a Risk Retention Group, The Huron Corporation, The Old Bridge Surgery Center LLC, The Outpatient Center LLC, The Southeastern Spine Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center L.L.C., The Surgery Center at Jensen Beach LLC, The Tresanti Surgical Center LLC, Theda Oaks Gastroenterology & Endoscopy Center LLC, Three Springs ASC LLC, Timonium Surgery Center LLC, Titan Health Corporation, Titan Health of Chattanooga Inc., Titan Health of Hershey Inc., Titan Health of Mount Laurel LLC, Titan Health of North Haven Inc., Titan Health of Pittsburgh Inc., Titan Health of Pleasant Hills Inc., Titan Health of Princeton Inc., Titan Health of Sacramento Inc., Titan Health of Saginaw Inc., Titan Health of Titusville Inc., Titan Health of West Penn Inc., Titan Health of Westminster Inc., Titan Management Corporation, Titusville Center for Surgical Excellence LLC, Treasure Coast ASC LLC, Trinity Health of New England/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., True Medical Weight Loss L.P., True Medical Wellness LP, True Results Georgia Inc., True Results HoldCo LLC, True Results Missouri LLC, Tucson Digestive Institute LLC, Tucson Hospital Holdings Inc., Tucson Physician Group Holdings LLC, Turlock Imaging Services LLC, Turlock Land Company LLC, Twin Cities Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Twin Cities Community Hospital Inc., UAP Lebanon Endo LLC, UAP Nashville Endoscopy LLC, UAP Scopes LLC, UAP of Arizona Inc., UAP of California Inc., UAP of Missouri Inc., UAP of New Jersey Inc., UAP of Oklahoma Inc., UAP of Tennessee Inc., UAP of Texas Inc., UCC Tucson Holdings LLC, UMC Surgery Center Lubbock LLC, UMC-USP Surgery Centers LLC, USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, USP 12th Ave Real Estate Inc., USP Acquisition Corporation, USP Alexandria Inc., USP Assurance Company, USP Athens Inc., USP Atlanta Inc., USP Austin Inc., USP Bariatric LLC, USP Beaumont Inc., USP Bergen Inc., USP Bloomington Inc., USP Bridgeton Inc., USP Cedar Park Inc., USP Chesterfield Inc., USP Chicago Inc., USP Cincinnati Inc., USP Coast Inc., USP Columbia Inc., USP Connecticut Inc., USP Corpus Christi Inc., USP Creve Coeur Inc., USP Denver Inc., USP Des Peres Inc., USP Destin Inc., USP Domestic Holdings Inc., USP Effingham Inc., USP Encinitas Endoscopy Inc., USP Fenton Inc., USP Festus Inc., USP Florissant Inc., USP Fort Lauderdale Inc., USP Fort Worth Hospital Real Estate Inc., USP Fredericksburg Inc., USP Fresno Inc., USP Frontenac Inc., USP Gateway Inc., USP HMH Surgery Center at Shore LLC, USP Harbour View Inc., USP Houston Inc., USP Indiana Inc., USP International Holdings Inc., USP Jacksonville Inc., USP Jersey City Inc., USP Kansas City Inc., USP Knoxville Inc., USP Little Rock Inc., USP Long Island Inc., USP Louisiana Inc., USP Lubbock Inc., USP Maryland Inc., USP Mason Ridge Inc., USP Mattis Inc., USP Michigan Inc., USP Midland Inc., USP Midland Real Estate Inc., USP Midwest Inc., USP Mission Hills Inc., USP Montana Inc., USP Morris Inc., USP Mt. Vernon Inc., USP Nevada Holdings LLC, USP Nevada Inc., USP New Hampshire Inc., USP New Jersey Inc., USP Newport News Inc., USP North Carolina Inc., USP North Kansas City Inc., USP North Texas Inc., USP Northwest Arkansas Inc., USP OKC Inc., USP OKC Manager Inc., USP Office Parkway Inc., USP Ohio RE Inc., USP Oklahoma Inc., USP Olive Inc., USP Orlando Inc., USP Philadelphia Inc., USP Phoenix Inc., USP Portland Inc., USP Reading Inc., USP Richmond II Inc., USP Richmond Inc., USP Sacramento Inc., USP San Antonio Inc., USP Santa Barbara Surgery Centers Inc., USP Securities Corporation , USP Silver Cross Inc., USP Siouxland Inc., USP Somerset Inc., USP South Carolina Inc., USP Southlake RE Inc., USP St. Louis Inc., USP St. Louis Urology Inc., USP St. Peters Inc., USP Sunset Hills Inc., USP TJ STL Inc., USP Tennessee Inc., USP Texas Air L.L.C., USP Texas L.P., USP Torrance Inc., USP Tucson Inc., USP Turnersville Inc., USP Virginia Beach Inc., USP Washington Inc., USP Waxahachie Management L.L.C., USP Webster Groves Inc., USP West Covina Inc., USP Westwood Inc., USP Winter Park Inc., USP Wisconsin Inc., USP-HMH Surgery Center at Central Jersey LLC, USP/Carondelet Tucson Surgery Centers LLC, USP/SOS Joint Venture LLC, USPI Group Holdings Inc., USPI Holding Company Inc.1, USPI Holdings Inc., USPI Physician Strategy Group LLC, USPI San Diego Inc., USPI Stockton Inc., USPI Surgical Services Inc., Underwood Surgery Center LLC, United Anesthesia Partners Inc., United Real Estate Development Inc., United Real Estate Holdings Inc., United Surgical Partners Holdings Inc., United Surgical Partners International, United Surgical Partners International Inc., Universal Medical Care Center L.L.C., University Surgery Center Ltd., Upper Bay Surgery Center LLC, Utica/USP Tulsa L.L.C., VB Brownsville LTACH LLC, VBOA ASC GP LLC, VBOA ASC Partners L.L.C., VHM Services Inc., VHS Acquisition Corporation, VHS Acquisition Partnership Number 1 L.P, VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 1 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 11 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 12 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 3 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 4 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 5 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 6 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 7 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 8 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 9 Inc., VHS Arizona Heart Institute Inc., VHS Brownsville Hospital Company LLC, VHS Chicago Market Procurement LLC, VHS Childrens Hospital of Michigan Inc., VHS Detroit Businesses Inc., VHS Detroit Receiving Hospital Inc., VHS Detroit Ventures Inc., VHS Harlingen Hospital Company LLC, VHS Harper-Hutzel Hospital Inc., VHS Holding Company Inc., VHS Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Inc., VHS Imaging Centers Inc., VHS New England Holding Company I Inc., VHS Outpatient Clinics Inc., VHS Phoenix Health Plan Inc., VHS Physicians of Michigan, VHS Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan Inc., VHS San Antonio Imaging Partners L.P., VHS San Antonio Partners LLC, VHS Sinai-Grace Hospital Inc., VHS University Laboratories Inc., VHS Valley Health System LLC, VHS Valley Holdings LLC, VHS Valley Management Company Inc., VHS West Suburban Medical Center Inc., VHS Westlake Hospital Inc., VHS of Anaheim Inc., VHS of Arrowhead Inc., VHS of Huntington Beach Inc., VHS of Illinois Inc., VHS of Michigan Inc., VHS of Michigan Staffing Inc., VHS of Orange County Inc., VHS of Phoenix Inc., VHS of South Phoenix Inc., Valley Baptist Lab Services LLC, Valley Baptist Physician Performance Network, Valley Baptist Realty Company LLC, Valley Baptist Surgery Center LLC, Valley Baptist Surgery Center Real Estate LLC, Valley Baptist Wellness Center LLC, Valley Health Care Network, Vanguard Health Financial Company LLC, Vanguard Health Holding Company I LLC, Vanguard Health Holding Company II LLC, Vanguard Health Management Inc., Vanguard Health Systems, Vanguard Health Systems Inc., Vanguard Holding Company I Inc., Vanguard Holding Company II Inc., Vanguard Medical Specialists LLC, Vanguard Physician Services LLC, Ventana Surgical Center LLC, Veroscan Inc., Victoria Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., WHASA L.C., Walker Baptist Affinity LLC, Walker Street Imaging Care Inc., Warner Park Surgery Center LLC, Watermark Physician Services Inc., Webster Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Wellington Endo LLC, Wellstar/USP Joint Venture I LLC, Wellstar/USP Joint Venture II LLC, West Boca Health Services L.L.C., West Boca Medical Center Inc., West Bozeman Surgery Center LLC, West Palm Healthcare Real Estate Inc., West Suburban Radiation Therapy Center LLC, Westgate Surgery Center LLC, Westlake Hospital LLC, Westlawn Surgery Center LLC, Westminster Surgery Center LLC, Westminster Surgery Centers LLC, White Fence Surgical Suites LLC, Wilmington Endoscopy Center LLC, Wilshire Rental Corp., Windsor Mill Surgery Center LLC, Winter Haven Ambulatory Surgical Center L.L.C., Wisconsin Specialty Surgery Center LLC, and Wymark Surgery Center LLC. Read More Trying to meet all your book preview and review needs. the complete review - autobiographical Birth of a Dream Weaver by Ngugi wa Thiong'o general information | review summaries | our review | links | about the author A Writer's Awakening - Return to top of the page - Our Assessment: B : fine glimpse of author's college years, in interesting times See our review for fuller assessment. Review Summaries Source Rating Date Reviewer The Economist . 22/10/2016 . The NY Times Book Rev. . 23/10/2016 Michela Wrong TLS . 3/3/2017 Noo Saro-Wiwa The Washington Post A+ 22/11/2016 Chandrahas Choudhury From the Reviews : "Mr Ngugis unstated goal throughout this book is reclamation, not just of the Land and Freedom Army, but of much of the colonial endeavour in east Africa." - The Economist "This is an angry book, peppered with memories of slights, insults and arguments that may date back more than half a century but clearly have lost none of their bite." - Michela Wrong, The New York Times Book Review "It is these frank admissions that make Birth of a Dream Weaver refreshing and intriguing, all the more so through its mixture of social history, politics and literature." - Noo Saro-Wiwa, Times Literary Supplement refreshing and intriguing, all the more so through its mixture of social history, politics and literature." - "A swift-moving portrait of the artist as a young man, it describes the profound ripening of his artistic and moral consciousness. Indeed, its a book that should be read by any young person contemplating a degree in the humanities. But for the full force of its majestic revelations and wrenching insights about selfhood, literature, history and politics, one should give a whole weekend to Ngugi and read its prequels first. (...) Every page ripples with a contagious faith in education and in the power of literature to shape the imagination and scour the conscience. Indeed, its hard to think of another living writer today -- Orhan Pamuk, perhaps -- who speaks so inspiringly and convincingly about the value of literature. No serious reader will want to miss this riveting story of how a herdsboy and child laborer "became a weaver of dreams."" - Chandrahas Choudhury, The Washington Post Please note that these ratings solely represent the complete review 's biased interpretation and subjective opinion of the actual reviews and do not claim to accurately reflect or represent the views of the reviewers. Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. We acknowledge (and remind and warn you) that they may, in fact, be entirely unrepresentative of the actual reviews by any other measure. - Return to top of the page - The complete review 's Review : Birth of a Dream Weaver is the third in Ngugi wa Thiong'o's ongoing autobiographical series, this installment chronicling his college-years. Both for East Africa, and for him personally, this was a time of great transitions and change, with him already noting a fundamental one in his brief Prologue-paragraph and then repeating it in slightly different words near the close of the book: I entered Makerere in the 1959 academic year, a colonial subject, and left in 1964, a citizen of an independent Kenya. In those few years a writer was born. (M)ine was a wounded land, while Uganda, though exploited, had not been wounded by white settlerdom. - M.A.Orthofer, 20 October 2016 - Return to top of the page - : The New Press publicity page Harvill Secker publicity page Index of books relating to Africa See Index of Biographical works under review - Return to top of the page - About the Author : Kenyan author (James) Ngugi wa Thiong'o was born in 1938. - Return to top of the page - If employees are satisfied at work, chances are they will be more productive and stay with the company for a longer period of time. Fortunately for those small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that have a hard time competing with deep-pocketed enterprises, salary and perks are not the only ways to keep worker happy.Rewarding relationships and positive experiences also carry great emotional value for employees. When people can work and play together collaboratively, they feel as if they are part of a team. That emotional, intellectual, and professional fulfillment has a huge impact on both the employees satisfaction and the companys output. Here are some ways to encourage regular, positive, productive, and even fun interactions between coworkersincluding those who might not normally get to interact, such as remote workers. Email-based contests or trivia games. Everyone is connected via email these days, and who doesnt enjoy a good round of trivia? These can be for individuals or teams, and can be related to the business or not. The idea is to give people a mini break from work and a chance to show off their knowledge or learn something new. Putting these out regularly can also help give you an idea of which remote workers are attentive and online, and let the team interact in real time despite geographical location. Online competitions. The idea of competing for somethingwhether for reward, recognition, or the simple satisfaction of accomplishmentappeals to many. Creating an online competition can yield both direct and indirect benefits for the company, too. A contest to create of the most innovative new product, judged by a company-wide vote, has business benefits in mind. For something less profit-motivated, encourage your employees to complete online training courses, with the highest scores earning public kudos or prizes. This can help your workforce branch out, learn new skills, and increase their presence in their community. Employee resource groups (ERGs) or business network groups. People like to gather with other like-minded individuals in the organization, and ERGs give them a chance to do that. These are groups of employees who join together in the workplace based on shared characteristics or life experiences. They can be used for providing support, sharing best practices, enhancing career development, and contributing to personal development in the work environment. Such groups can also engage in community volunteer efforts such as food or blood drives and can help foster workplace wellness initiatives. Health and fitness programs. Individuals and companies have become much more aware of the need for physical fitness during work hours, bolstered by reports about the importance of movement for people who have desk jobs. With the availability of wearable fitness tracking devices like Fitbit and apps like MyFitnessPal, employees can keep track of steps, calorie burns, heart rate, and other health and fitness data. And companies can reward employees or departments for achieving fitness goals. Every little bit helps in building a more engaging, enjoyable, and healthy office environment, including the office itself and the equipment it utilizes. To extend your philosophy of enriching communication through every part of the company and foster an atmosphere thats conducive to collaboration, make sure you have the most reliable and advanced office equipment on board. For businesses seeking advanced printing solutions, only HP PageWide printers can deliver the fastest speeds, affordable color printing, and at a surprisingly lower cost than expected. It all adds up to best-in-class total cost of ownership. Garvan Walshe is a former National and International Security Policy Adviser to the Conservative Party. He runs Brexit Analytica. In less than a month the tanks had streamed up the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates to encircle Baghdad and defeat Saddams once fearsome Republican Guard. Political prisoners had been released, and the remnants of the Baath Party had fled to their traditional strongholds near Samarra and Tikrit. To Brexiters, the first days of the Tory conference in Birmingham must have felt like those weeks in spring 2003 felt to me. There were warning signs: the US Army, untrained in non-lethal policing, shot peaceful demonstrators in Fallujah. The crowd that gathered to pull down the statue of Saddam wasnt particularly large. The looting in Baghdad, perhaps inevitable, went on too long. But a horrific genocidal dictator had been deposed, Iraqis could finally say what they thought, its Shias could take their rightful place in the countrys governance, and Kurds begin to chart their own destiny. The wars opponents bloodcurdling predictions of house-to-house fighting in Baghdad, tens of thousands of coalition casualties, and even Saddam Hussein using chemical weapons (that those self-same opponents also claimed did not exist) against his own people or Israel had not materialised. Their project fear stood decisively refuted. Once the Americans and British, practiced state builders in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Bosnia, put their reconstruction plans in place, Iraq whole and free would get to its feet again. How we cheered Tony Blair when he told a packed house of Commons people said this would be my Vietnam. That those people turned out to be right was due to five serious mistakes in strategy. More than tactical errors (such as disbanding the Iraqi army, or waiting too long to impose order) or bringing the wrong tools to the job (trying to battle an insurgency with army designed for high-intensity fighting) they sprung from fundamental flaws in reasoning about what the Iraq mission entailed. This governments Brexit strategy suffers from exactly the same flaws. 1. Dismissing Inconvenient Experts As the Iraq war was being prepared, specialists warned that sectarian identities suppressed by Saddam would reemerge; that regional powers would interfere; that regime loyalists would not go quietly; and that Islamist extremists would exploit any power vacuum to regroup. Instead of developing plans to address these problems the wars supporters denied their existence. The same is happening over Brexit. The financial markets confidence in the management of the British economy has been shaken, and major foreign investors are withholding judgement because of this refusal to acknowledge the magnitude of the readjustment in economic relationships a Brexit that takes us out of the single market would require. It is not adequate to suppose that countries outside Europe can replace disrupted European trade. To point to the relatively faster growth in trade with emerging economies is to mistake a quantity for the rate at which it changes. America excepted, our trade with non-European countries is not very large, and so is growing from a low base. The EU accounts for two fifths because it is close and rich and companies have established deep commercial relationships across the bloc. Some of these can eventually be rebuilt elsewhere but it will take time for businesses to grow those new relationships and for the UK to negotiate the international trade frameworks they require. If the Government believes that the people have instructed it to prioritise attaining greater sovereignty over maintaining existing economic relationships it needs to prepare for the costs to the Exchequer of this adjustment that its own civil service has estimated as being in the tens of billion of pounds. It needs to think about which budgets are to be cut and by how much; how much extra government borrowing will be needed over the next decades to cover the shortfall and whether there is scope for further borrowing for a fiscal policy stimulus. These costs will increase if the markets question Britains economic competence: attacking treasury civil servants or questioning the independence of the Bank of England only makes the cost of compensating for the economic dislocation of Brexit even greater. Nor is it enough to point to the rising FTSE to head off the falling pound. The FTSE is only higher when measured in sterling. Measuring a buildings height in feet instead of metres doesnt make it any taller. Though a weak currency makes it easier for people to come to terms with falling living standards because of what economists call the money illusion, that doesnt stop living standards from falling. The benefit to exporters is limited because in todays economy firms import so many of their components, while prices of food and fuel will rise for everyone. 2. Believing your own propaganda We had told ourselves that Iraqis would not only be grateful for Saddams removal, but also happy to work under our tutelage to establish a pro-Western democratic regime there. This, our own propaganda, turned out to be completely wrong. The equivalent Brexit mistake is to overestimate the ease with which Britain can do side-deals to obtain goods and services market access while closing its labour market to Europeans. Government ministers still talk about Germanys desire to sell us their cars and Frances to supply us their wine and cheese. They need to get real. The reason England is uncomfortable with the EU is that it is a political project not just an economic one. That is why its continued existence means a lot more to the Germans and the French than the size of their exports of stereotypical goods. We have to accept that in these negotiations we will have far less influence than we would like. The Brexiteer claim that we sell more to them than they sell to us is wide of the mark because its the size of trade relative to the economic bloc in question that matters, and their trade with us is a smaller part of their total economy than our trade with them is. Together these facts mean that a hard Brexit at bearable economic cost has advantages for them over a complicated deal that creates special arrangements for Britain but which would cause political trouble for the EU itself. If we enter negotiations thinking of hard Brexit as an opening offer from which we can be bargained down, we could end up finding they accept an offer we had intended for them to refuse. 3. Mistaking the reasons used to justify the mission with whats required to make it work Weapons of Mass Destruction, thought to have been possessed by Saddam, were the central part of the case for regime change in Iraq. Though perhaps the best (if ultimately not good enough) hope for getting the UN to approve the invasion, the extent to which the case relied on them undermined support for the war once they couldnt be found, and diverted attention and resources to finding the supposed WMD instead building a peaceful and orderly Iraq after the war. Immigration was the referendums WMD, without which Leave wouldnt have won, and the main immigration lie that it is economically bad for the country was enthusiastically endorsed by the Remain campaign itself(!) which agreed that immigration was too high but wanted people to vote for an outcome that wouldnt bring it down. Now the Government has decided that the vote to leave is, to the exclusion of everything else, a vote to reduce immigration. In this they underestimate the intelligence of the public. A majority of the people do want to bring immigration down, but, as this ComRes poll shows, not if it costs them money. Unlike the Government, for whom it has become an absolute position, and the basis for a clumsy attack on an international financial elite more suited to Ken Livingstone than a leader of the Conservative party, the people understand there are trade-offs to be made. So instead of a serious discussion about what immigration regime is right, sensible and compatible with which trade and market access arrangements, the Government has denied itself being able control immigration policy while offering a policy that would benefit Poland, Spain, Italy and a host of smaller EU member states, supply much needed skilled and unskilled labour and tax revenue to a British economy at essentially full employment. 4. Forgetting that our reputation among foreigners matters to foreign policy The invading coalition ignored the wider strategic consequences of the invasion and the way it was conducted. Britains and Americas reputations suffered in the region and across Europe; and the reaction to Iraq meant we were too reluctant to intervene in Syria, allowing Assad to get away with war crimes as bad as Saddam Husseins. In the same vein, if you are about to undertake difficult negotiations with foreign countries that will determine your countrys future for decades, its not such a good idea to describe their citizens living here as bargaining chips, and promise to free our health service of the scourge of foreign doctors. Nor was it sensible to propose to collect a database of foreign workers and tell the media its purpose is to shame companies that employ them. Its more than a few decades since such ideas would have found favour in Berlin. 5. Shock and awe doesnt get you very far A successful reconstruction of Iraq needed its communities to cooperate and its neighbours at least to acquiesce; but an incompetent and brutal occupation alienated the former, and left a power vacuum whichthe latter filled. Brexiteers and the newspapers that support them have taken to wielding the will of the people with the enthusiasm of French revolutionaries. David Davis even took to describing the 52-48 result, which can reasonably only be said to be clear, as overwhelming. But if the British Election Study is right, enough leave voters have already changed their minds to flip the result. Their numbers will only grow as Brexits economic damage is felt, and protest voters turn against the government of the day. Unless efforts are made to win them back to the Brexit side the Government will be stuck implementing Brexit against public opinion instead of with it. We need a Brexit Surge As things stand, my gut instinct is that the Government could still manage to get a hard Brexit through, if it threatened an election against a hopeless Labour party and managed to manoeuvre its way around the Fixed Term Parliaments Act not least because the EU could well find it straightforward enough to agree. But Im not the sort of Leninist remainer who thinks Brexit should be tested to destruction so the UK can slink back in sans rebate, sans opt-outs, sans everything. Brexit is the most serious undertaking a British government needed to do since the Second World War and the Government needs to rise to the challenge the voters have given it. This means it needs to be honest with itself and the voters about the difficulty of the task they have been set (no more refusing to listen to foreign academics or dismissing Treasury economists calculations as bogus); stop believing that side-deals to British advantage will be easy to obtain; treat immigration as the important public concern that it is, not the overriding one it isnt; stop threatening the citizens of the countries it has to negotiate with; and start making serious efforts to bring the country, through its representatives in Parliament, the devolved administrations and mayors, with them. Call this the Brexit Surge. This would require a radical change in style from a Prime Minister who prefers to operate by consulting only with the tightest of circles. But what served her well enough managing the Home Office will not be enough to allow her to make a success of the peoples instruction to Brexit. She should hope the courts accept Lord Pannicks argument that Article 50 can only be invoked after an Act of Parliament and give her the chance to change policy without appearing to climb down. It would not be sensible, however irritating I understand it is going to be to some people, to go into a negotiation with all of our potential negotiating positions, all of the building blocks of a negotition position, spelled out in public with the costs and benefits and consequences displayed for our interlocutors on the other side of the table to see. I can promise you that the EU will not be arriving at the negotiations with all the downsides as well as upsides of its different negotiating positions for us to see. So said Philip Hammond yesterday during his evidence to the Treasury Select Committee. He confirmed that the Treasury will be undertaking assessments of those costs and benefits and consequences it would be surprising were it not to but his words above cast light on what the Commons should and should not do as next March approaches. It should go without saying that MPs can and should quiz Ministers about their negotiating plans: that those Ministers should come to the Chamber and before Select Committees and be held to account. But it is in the nature of a negotiation that Ministers will not be able to say very much beyond the broad aims that have already been outlined. It would not be in Britains interest for the EU institutions and EU countries to sit with their cards close to their chests while ours were displayed for all to see with, furthermore, MPs engaged in a public debate about which of them should be played in which order, if at all, quarrelling about which suit is trumps (if any) and arguing in some cases for Ministers to send for another pack. ConservativeHome wishes the Chancellor better luck with his modelling than his predecessor had, since the former conceded to the committee that some of those key Project Fear calculations were wrong or, as he put it in his rather less direct way: it is fair to say that [the Treasury modelling] did not take into account some of the mitigations that we would expect to be delivered. He said that these have included to date not moving Article 50 in the wake of the referendum and a substantial monetary intervention by the Bank of England in August. One might have thought that these possibilities were not beyond the imagination of the Treasury at the time. The same applies to his most substantial point that the Government is now embarked on a bespoke negotiation. To quote the Chancellor again: its also clear that we dont accept that there are only fixed models which we can as it were apply. This will be a bespoke negotiation with the EU about a bespoke solution, and therefore again the model didnt capture all of the potential outcomes. Close Nvidia is a renowned brand when it comes to graphic cards. Presently Nvidia cleared the high-end graphic cards competition with its latest 10-series of cards. The price point would be more than$200; AMD is struggling completely on all fronts, the price, performance and efficiency that Nvidia offers with more modern Pascal architecture. Now Pascal is ready with the budgeted category of new GeForce GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti cards. The starting price would be $109 to $139. The difference of 30 dollars can be justified as Ti version has 4GB of DDR5 on the other hand 1050 is comprised of half the memory. 1050 Ti has 768 CUDA cores as compared to 1050 having only 640. For a crisp comparison, Nvidia's 1050 cards are equipped with 6GB and 3GB flavors. The memory speed is very fast, the clock speed is awesome and few more CUDA cores. The thing to be noticed is that 1050 is the first ever Pascal which is not labeled 'VR ready'. Though it may match the new minimum speck oculus recently published. On the other side of the story, there are speculations that AMD will lower the price of its Radeon RX 470 card to $169 so as to compete with Nvidia. The consumer will have to wait and watch for the better point of reference, to understand the better deal. Although there is a fight break in this price range which is great. Perfect competition is always in the favor of the customer otherwise a single producer monopolizes the market. Though Nevada and AMD are pursuing their personal battles but its outcome shall be beneficial from a customer's perspective. Ti 1050 will be available in the market on or after 25th of October while 1050 may hit the market before this date. Custom versions of few other suspects like EVGA, ASUS, MSI, Zotac etc shall be made on 8th November. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare The Circuit of Wales project has secured a potential ?100m from a private banking firm which is claimed to be 'the last piece of funding' required. London-based Kleinwort Benson is stacking up the funds to cover the current hurdle Circuit of Wales is stuck on before being given the green light to begin construction work at Ebbw Vale in South Wales. Managing director of the private merchant banking firm Nigel Spray, who has worked across the world setting up funding for large developments, has confirmed around ?100m will be provided to cover the private funding requested by the Welsh government after rejecting the last funding plan in July. Economy Secretary Ken Skates declined the funding proposal earlier this year with the request for developers to reduce the underwriting percent covered by the government from 75% down to 50%. Speaking to BBC Wales, Spray says part of the bank's role while investing was to encourage and secure further funding from the private sector. "We will be bringing in, roughly speaking, another ?100m into the project which is largely funded, but that is the last piece of the funding," Spray told BBC Wales. "We believe that there is a team here that is very experienced and this is exactly the kind of project that investors, not just UK investors, international investors are very keen to be involved in. "The walls are there - it's our job to put the roof on. There are already very significant private investors in this project and we're looking to specialist investors to come in and do that final piece. "Although the government is there as a support, really the whole project is being funded by private finance and that I think is the reason why we will see this completed." A revised proposal is expected to be put forward to the Welsh Government in the coming weeks. The Circuit of Wales project is set to be financially backed by insurance giants Aviva who are potentially lined up to cover to new funding plan changes. The venture secured a five-year deal with Dorna to host the British MotoGP which began last year and had originally hoped to move the event to Ebbw Vale in 2017. After interruptions in confirming financial backing MotoGP has been delayed by 12 months, with the Welsh circuit expected to take over hosting duties in 2018. Silverstone has hosted the first two years of the British MotoGP contract the Circuit of Wales holds and will be called upon for the 2017 race. ...hang the dj is the headquarters for my old radio show Time Warp, which aired on 89X until March 2017. Headquarters for all the content from the previous site cristinarocks.com I currently host an independent, internet-based/streaming Classic Alternative show. Episodes debut Sunday mornings around 9am ET. Stream the archives here or here ...hang the dj is a music blog serving as a complement to my streaming program and features old school and classic alternative bands. Occasionally new music from, andgenres will be featured. If you have a project, feel free to submit music via email.Pleasepress releases, music submissions, comments/questions/etc here: hangthedjmag (at) gmail.comSocial: Channel programs News How 3 Dell Partners Are Delivering Cutting-Edge Solutions Today Matt Brown Share this Scott Winslow, Winslow Technology Group Dell Technologies partners are growing, winning deals and breaking into new verticals by helping customers achieve greater efficiency, manageability and cost savings. Combined with storage giant EMC, partners say Dell offers them an unprecedented opportunity to win larger enterprise deals, sell end-to-end solutions and take a consultative approach to IT sales and service that allows them to deliver to customers the right solution for present and future needs. Among the solution providers capitalizing on Dell's growth into market-leading positions are Winslow Technology Group, Waypoint Solutions and Sigmanet. Here's a look at how they have worked hand-in-hand with Dell to spur growth and ready themselves, and their customers, for the future. Winslow Technology Group: Driving Big Sales Growth By Adding EMC To The Portfolio Winslow Technology Group's focus on driving efficiency and flexibility for customers is resulting in some impressive growth numbers and lofty expectations as the solution provider welcomes EMC into the fold. With the addition of EMC's portfolio of enterprise storage and hyper-convergence offerings, the company expects to see its growth numbers increase to 40 percent year on year. The Waltham, Mass.-based solution provider is Dell's 2016 Northeast Partner of the Year, and has already been booking 20 percent to 30 percent annual revenue growth in recent years. In the past 10 months, Winslow Technology Group has increased staff by 30 percent, and Scott Winslow, the company's president, said the kind of revenue and headcount growth he's seeing is the result of his company's position at the leading edge of significant changes in the way customers make IT buying decisions. Those changes, Winslow said, favor Dell. In one recent deal, Winslow Technology Group was able to use Dell's FX2 converged server platform to win an account away from Cisco Unified Computing System and Dell's own M1000e blade offering. In addition to availability and performance, the customer, Immedion, a managed services and cloud services provider with seven data centers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio, was focused on space efficiency, manageability, fault domains and cost. Winslow Technology Group put the Dell FX2 platform head-to-head with Cisco UCS in an extensive proof-of-concept, and not only did Immedion choose the FX2, it has since standardized on the FX2 platform. "That's incredibly powerful testimony when it comes from a customer," Winslow said. Immedion, Winslow said, "had been using Dell M1000 at 16 blades as their standard for compute. With Cisco at eight blades, or the Dell M1000 at 16, if they want to bring another customer on board they've got to invest in a minimum of eight blades. But with the FX2, you can start in four-server increments. That was really important for them in terms of adding new customers, and from a capital expenditure standpoint." Before the Dell-EMC merger, Winslow Technology Group's biggest competition was EMC partners. Now, he expects the end-to-end portfolio to boost growth, and he's not waiting around for that to happen. Winslow Technology Group has hired 10 people in the past 10 months, increasing its headcount by a third. The solution provider began selling EMC's entire portfolio in June, Winslow said. "Our job is to identify customer issues and provide comprehensive solutions. We will be much more successful solving those challenges with the complete EMC solution set at our disposal. The key is getting trained and certified quickly so we can truly add value." Circling back to the Immedion experience, a real key area of opportunity is compute, he said. "It is strategic for Dell and will be good now for our EMC brethren too. EMC has historically done so well providing storage solutions to the largest IT enterprises in the world, but they have never had a compute platform of their own to sell," Winslow said. "With the combination of these two great companies, I think we are going to see Dell compute sales take off. Many more customers are going to do the same evaluation that Immedion did and come to the same logical conclusionthat the Dell server platform is the way to go. Whether it's the Dell FX2, VRTX, R700 or R900 series, we see Dell gaining momentum on the compute side as a result of this acquisition. We know that we can play a big role in that shift. We have the sales and engineering expertise to assist the new Dell Technologies team," he said. Paul Neyman, Waypoint Solutions Waypoint Solutions: Dell EMC 'Partner-Led' Combined With Consultative Approach Is Paying Off Waypoint Solutions is breaking into new verticals by leaning on a consultative approach to selling Dell EMC solutions, and is anticipating growth as a result of Dell's shift to a partner-led account strategy. And Waypoint is in a position to show Dell that a partner-led strategyan evolution for Dell, but a cornerstone of EMC's go-to-market operationcan bear fruit. Waypoint won a recent deal with the 14,000-student Seguin Independent School District in the suburbs of San Antonio over competitors' solutions that included Cisco, Nimble and NetApp. "This was a two-and-a-half-year sales cycle, and they went with us, and with Dell, because we stayed with the engagement, and stayed with the customer's needs," said Nick Wetsel, the Waypoint account executive who ran the deal. "Other partners were hitting roadblocks." In the end, Waypoint sold the district a complete Dell solution, including Dell servers, Compellent storage, Force10 switching, Dell DR6000 backup and deduplication, Dell Netvault data protection and a Microsoft Hyper-V cluster via Dell's Quest unit. The sale marks a bit of a turning point for Houston-based Waypoint, which has been concentrating on diversifying its customer base as its traditional verticalthe oil and gas industry struggles to cope with global economic pressures. Paul Neyman, the company's president, said the broad portfolio offered by Dell EMC ought to help in that regard. "We see a lot of potential in the hyper-converged play," Neyman said. "We see a lot of savings for our customers. Houston is a challenge. Oil and gas isn't going to change anytime soon. We're going to find new markets and new opportunities. We're looking to expand into new territories, new markets and new verticals like regional health care, security or high-performance computing. Customers want hyper-converged in a small form factor, and now I can do that." With a broad portfolio that can be sold end to end, transactions should become simpler, opening the door for Waypoint to offer profitable services around the infrastructure it's selling, he said. There's another way bringing EMC into the fold will help Waypoint. Dell has already committed to using an EMC-style partner-led strategy in accounts where solution providers have gained significant traction, and Wetsel said getting a boost like that is critical. "EMC is typically channel-led, and that's going to help us immensely," Wetsel said. "We've been working collaboratively with Dell account executives in the field and with their inside counterparts. Now, there's going to be more of a directive around using the channel, and I think we'll see an influx of opportunities. For me, that's particularly important. I don't want my customers talking to anyone else." Stephen Monteros, Sigmanet Sigmanet: Focus On Total Dell Technologies Solution Is A Winning Formula Sigmanet's focus on building complete solutions for its customers is resonating, and bringing EMC into the Dell fold will only make those solutions more complete, said Stephen Monteros, Sigmanet senior vice president. The full solution approach isn't one that every solution provider takes to heart, Monteros said. Instead, some are simply pushing products where they sense the opportunity for a quick sale. And while that may have worked in the past, more and more customers are realizing that they're better served by complete solutions designed to help accomplish long-term goals. In a recent transaction, Sigmanet took the Pittsburgh, Calif., Independent School District from simply replacing a motley assemblage of old gear to helping formulate a complete map for the 10,000-student district. The district, Monteros said, "was looking at remediating some backups, and then when we got into discussions with them, we found out they needed to transform their entire environment." It was running on "a mix of stuff they had acquired over the years and they just kind of put together," he said. The stack Sigmanet, Ontario, Calif., ultimately sold is primarily Dell, including PowerEdge servers, Compellent storage and a mix of tablets, Chromebooks and Windows-based devices, Monteros said. The bid was competitive, but HPE and Lenovo were simply pitching products to replace the old gear, he said. "Once we had a vision, it was easy to apply the numbers," Monteros said. "We partnered very closely with the Dell account manager. We presented together, and we worked very collaboratively. They had been pitched by HPE, Lenovo, all the regular players, but no one really looked at it as a total solution. They were just pitching point products, and that's the way they had done it historically." Now, the district can move forward with its vision to become more interactive with students through video, tools like online education company Kahn Academy and one-to-one computing, Monteros said. "But to do that, you have to say, 'This is the size of the pipes, this is the storage, and start presenting options, options for how to put it together the way they want it." Sigmanet, which partners with Dell and EMC, has had great success with Dell servers, and Monteros said he's looking forward to them being part of a turnkey solution with EMC storage. "It doesn't hurt for them to have the compute and storage together," Monteros said. "It's certainly going to help sell a lot of PowerEdge [servers]." Channel programs News Wipro To Buy Salesforce Superstar Appirio for $500 Million Michael Novinson Share this Business process services goliath Wipro says it will spend half a billion dollars to purchase cloud services powerhouse Appirio so it can improve its market share and position around Salesforce and Workday. The $500 million all-cash acquisition is expected to close by the end of the year, according to a statement. Wipro did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. The Bangalore, India-based company, No. 21 on the 2013 CRN Solution Provider 500, said bringing Indianapolis-based Appirio's 1,250 global employees on board will create one of the world's largest cloud transformation companies, making the combined firm the partner of choice for clients looking to modernize their processes and platforms on next-generation cloud applications. "When you combine Wipro's global scale and deep digital focus with Appirio's transformative worker and customer experience expertise, and best in class team, brand and partners, you create a formidable force in the industry," Chris Barbin, Appirio's CEO, said in a statement. "Our aim is to dominate the market and claim the top spots in industry Net Promoter Score, market share, and best places to work." [RELATED: Cisco's Warrior Heading To India's Wipro?] Wipro's existing Salesforce and Workday cloud applications practices will be consolidated under the Appirio brand and structure. Barbin will lead the expanded business, according to Wipro. Appirio is also an early partner of Google's and a pioneer in the crowdsourcing space, having created a marketplace Topcoder that connects more than a million designers, developers and data scientists around the world with customers. The solution provider works with leading brands such as Coca-Cola, eBay, Facebook, Home Depot, Stryker, Johnson Controls, Cardinal Health and Sony PlayStation. "In an increasingly digital world companies are recognizing that they need to transform how they engage with customers and employees by leverage the power of cloud," Abidali Neemuchwala, Wipro's CEO, said in a statement. "Appirio and Wipro are coming together to unlock transformational synergies in the applications space and help enterprises create new business models." Appirio was founded in 2006 and incubated inside Salesforce's San Francisco headquarters. The company today has offices in Indianapolis, San Francisco, Dublin, London, Tokyo and Jaipur, India. The systems integrator has seen its revenue grow from $137 million in 2013 to $178 million in 2014 to $196 million in 2015, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. "Chris and his team have spent the last decade building Appirio into a global leader delivering amazing customer experiences with Salesforce," Marc Benioff, Salesforce's CEO, said in a statement. "I couldn't be more proud of Appirio as it joins Wipro, where together they will continue to drive customer success on a much larger scale. Appirio is also very focused on creating and deploying unique solutions for users of Workday, the world's second-largest cloud-based software vendor. Appirio CIO Glenn Weinstein told CRN last year that securing IBM as Workday's primary cloud platform for development and testing tasks will create new opportunities for global systems integrators in Workday's channel. "Appirio has played a key role in the Workday community, and we're thrilled to see such a great opportunity for the team's continued growth," Aneel Bhusri, Workday's co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. "With Appirio, Wipro gains an organization with deep industry expertise and a strong commitment to customer service, dedicated to helping companies take their business to the cloud." For the quarter ended June 30, Wipro's gross revenues climbed 11 percent to $2 billion, while its net income fell 6 percent to $304 million. Wipro employs about 173,900 people globally. Cloud News Google Intros Coldline, An Archival Storage Solution, As Part Of A Storage Portfolio Refresh Joseph Tsidulko Share this Google Cloud Platform introduced on Thursday an archival storage product with unique latency and pricing characteristics, as part of an overhaul of its cloud storage portfolio. Revealed at GCP NEXT in London, the "storage refresh" includes the new Coldline archival solution, as well as new classes establishing regional segmentations, said Dave Nettleton, product manager for Google's storage portfolio. Google Cloud Platform rejiggered its storage solutions in response to customer demand. The provider has been rapidly expanding its customer base beyond Internet companies, and into the enterprise realm, Nettleton said. [Related: Google Rebrands Enterprise Business As Google Cloud, And Apps As G Suite] Customers wanted low-cost and easy-to-understand storage classes, as well as consistent APIs to access their data, regardless of the class, he said. And they "appreciate having fast access to all their data." Google's storage strategy aligns with three major use cases, Nettleton said. First is content storage and delivery, which encompasses a rapidly growing customer base of Internet businesses, like Spotify and Vimeo, as well as industry stalwarts such as Coca-Cola, he said. Another common use case is deploying analytics and machine learning technologies, for which cloud offers "a great place to store a lot of data quickly and cheaply," Nettleton said. Finally, Google's partners are driving a surge in customer adoption for backup, disaster recovery, and archival recovery, he told CRN. Coldline, unlike competitors such as Amazon Web Service's Glacier, offers the same low-latency as non-archival storage options. Complimenting Nearline, a product Google released last year, Coldline allows cheap storage and quick recovery for data that's typically accessed less than once a year. The product costs .7 cents per gigabyte per month to store, then 5 cents a gigabyte to access. "We think it's going to redefine archival storage because it means you can think differently about how accessible that data is to you," Nettleton told CRN. In addition to Nearline and Coldline, GCP going forward will offer storage classes called Multi-regional and Regional. At its recent Horizon event, Google announced nine new GCP regions are coming online around the globe in 2016 and 2017. The Multi-regional option is probably best for those customers streaming content, offering geo-redundancy for frequently accessed data. For analytics and machine learning practitioners, the Regional option lets them locate data in the same facility as their compute, Nettleton said. All four storage classes go straight to general availability, he said. Google's able to undercut competitors on storage price, Nettleton said, largely due to investments the company has made in its network. The network "lets us do really amazing things with our data," he said. "We can pull data between regions easily and very cost-effectively for customers." Customer data is kept on Google's network as long as possible before regressing to the public Internet, he said, which allows it to move efficiently between regions. Fastly, a content delivery network provider that also offers professional services, did the GCP implementation work for Vimeo, a popular video sharing site. Lee Chen, Fastly's head of strategic partnerships, said Coldline is uniquely suited to address emerging use cases confronted by video content providers. "Media is probably the fastest-growing, lowest-hanging fruit, that cloud storage has a market opportunity to address," Chen told CRN. A low-cost solution available at the same latency, but with additional cost for accessing the data, changes the strategy of the content storage and delivery businesses. "The really unique things about Google is the access time is the same regardless of what storage product you're going to. So pricing is the only variable you're thinking about," Chen told CRN. "Google approaching it this way and having a common API to serve all this content through is pretty unique in the cloud space," he said. Virtualization News HPE Takes Aim At Nutanix With A 'Lower Cost,' More Capable Hyper-Converged Platform Michael Novinson Share this Hewlett Packard Enterprise's hyper-converged offering has more capability, scalability and availability at a 25 to 30 percent lower cost than market leader Nutanix, according to a HPE executive. "Our latest software release provides a lot of capability, better node support, better capability from a redundancy and high availability perspective, all at about a 25 to 30 percent lower cost [than Nutanix]," said Chuck Smith, vice president and general manager of HPE's data center and hybrid cloud group. "So we're focused on 'em, and we're coming at 'em." HPE got into the hyper-converged market later than it would have liked from a platform perspective, Smith admitted Wednesday to the 275 attendees of the TechSelect 2016 Fall Partner Conference in Orlando. But now, Smith said HPE is the fastest-growing hyper-converged player in the market. [RELATED: HPE Unveils Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Based On ProLiant DL380 Servers] "Better capability, lower cost, better scalability, better availability from a platform perspective, all with the same ease of use which is kind of the customer experience that Nutanix was focusing on," Smith said. "And we're going to continue to invest here." Nutanix did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The San Jose, California hyper-converged infrastructure developer has also enjoyed stratospheric growth, with sales climbing from $127.1 million two years ago to $241.4 million last year to $444.9 million in its most recent fiscal year, which ended July 31. Nutanix had nearly 3,800 end-user customers of its hyper-converged infrastructure system as of July 31, including 310 global 2000 enterprises. And the company raised a higher-than-expected $238 million in an initial public offering (IPO) last month. Smith, though, touted that HPE's hyper-converged offering is integrated into the company's well-respected management schema, which he said is highly valued by many of the Palo Alto, California company's customers. Smith told TechSelect members to watch for a software release in the next six to eight weeks, which he said will propel HPE even further in a variety of hyper-converged features. "The push to integrate systems together and create a software stack that lands on commoditized or standardized hardware is driving a lot of our development and the competitive context that we have to deal with," Smith said. Nutanix's analysis of its competitive environment listed HPE as one of the traditional IT systems vendors operating in an "intensely competitive enterprise infrastructure market," according to a S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last month. DataVizion recently sold its first few hyper-converged deals through HPE, said Nick Patrick, vice president of sales for the Lincoln, Nebraska-based Tech Data partner. Patrick said DataVizion found it easy to discuss hyper-converged infrastructure with HPE, and was very pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to deploy the hyper-converged infrastructure. "With the size of HPE and their background, I imagine they'll do well in the hyper-converged space," Patrick said. HPE's commitment to achieving a best-in-class portfolio is reflected in its May launch of Hyper Converged 380, Smith said, which combines enterprise-class features and scalability with an easy-to-use software stack that allows virtual machines to be installed in just five clicks. From there, Smith said HPE is evolving from hyper-converged to composable infrastructure based off its Synergy platform, which is a set of open APIs that leverage software intelligence to deploy workloads seamlessly in complex hybrid IT environments. Plus, Smith said HPE can drop its Helion cloud system a multivendor hybrid cloud orchestration, automation, monitoring and management platform - on top of that to deliver on-premises cloud capability supported by flexible capacity and data center care. HPE's new organizational structure pairs its converged data center, Helion and essential software offerings into a Software-Defined and Cloud group. That group and HPE's Data Center Infrastructure Group will come together to form a Data Center and Hybrid Cloud group, which is being led by Smith in North America. HPE is the world's largest provider of private cloud, servers, and total storage, Smith said, and second-largest provider of wired and wireless networking. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LQR MKT held a grand opening Thursday morning for its new store in Norwalk, the first New England location for its Canada-based parent Liquor Stores N.A. The new liquor store opened with Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling presiding over a ribbon cutting ceremony. LQR MKT is located at 360 Connecticut Ave. in Norwalk, previously a Barnes & Noble book store that was shuttered in January 2015. The property is owned by the Cingari family of Stamford, which owns the ShopRite supermarket that anchors the plaza. Were thrilled that LQR MKT decided to call Norwalk their first home in Connecticut, Rilling said Thursday. Were always excited when a new business opens up. It brings jobs to the area some of our local residents will be working here and that helps the local economy. It also helps the city of Norwalk because now we get more taxes, Rilling added with a smile. I dont know a mayor who doesnt like a business coming in and paying ... taxes. LQR MKT is holding tasting events all week, starting at 3 p.m. Thursday with Stratford-based Two Roads Brewing running through 6 p.m., with separate tastings running 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. of Chateau St. Michelle wines and Jefferson Reserve bourbon. A cascade of brands will follow during tastings throughout the week from labels like Prophecy Wine and Thomas Hooker Brewing, as well as a few how-to forums including a mixology class for Halloween-themed cocktails. The schedule is posted online at lqrmkt.com or by calling 203-523-0514. Starting out we like to focus on that real local flavor and feel, said Gerald Proctor, vice president of government and community relations for Liquor Stores N.A., during the Thursday grand opening. We love to keep it local and keep it fresh. In commemoration of the opening, Liquor Stores N.A. donated $10,000 to the Norwalk American Legion Frank C. Godfrey Post 12, which provides supports for U.S. military veterans and youth groups, the largest private donation in the nonprofits history dating back to 1919. After the Thursday ribbon cutting, LQR MKT settled into its normal operations, with hours running 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Its a great wow factor you have great colors, its easy to look at, its designed with nice accessibility for customers to walk around, said Marino Sarno, the stores general manager. Everybodys been very happy with what weve been doing. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-354-1047; www.twitter.com/casoulman As a wave of dining options flood Fairfield County, it can be difficult to know where the best eats are. That's why Hearst Connecticut Media and CTBites got together to figure out the best of the best, resulting in their 2016 "Top 100 Dining & Drinks in Fairfield County" collaboration. Of the top 100, an impressive 34 were from the Bridgeport area. The best restaurants in and around Bridgeport are in the gallery above. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In southwestern Connecticut there are more than 800 registered sex offenders, with some in more areas than others, according to data from the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Before parents head out with their children to trick-or-treat around their neighborhood this Halloween, it's helpful to know if you live near a registered offender. Take a look at the gallery above for a recent count of offenders town-by-town in southwestern Connecticut. To view the state's DESPP website for more information and offender details, click here. Connecticut provides residents with this information and they can enter their address, town, or offender names to find out where registered individuals reside along with additional details. Users can also search using an offender's phone number, email address, or look through a list of offenders deemed "non-compliant." A list of offenders who have an unknown address or are homeless is also provided separately from location searches. In southwestern Connecticut, the largest number of registered offenders332are in Bridgeport, which is the state's most populous city. Stamford and Danbury had the next highest number of registered offenders with 79 each. Norwalk has 54. Redding was the only Fairfield County town with no registered offenders, according to the website. The Bridgeport Police Department said when it comes to trick-or-treating, parents and children need only practice common sense behaviors to make sure they have a safe holiday. "Children should always be supervised by an adult when trick or treating. Children should never enter someone's house [and] they should always wait outside and never be alone when knocking on a door," Av Harris, Bridgeport Police spokesperson, said. "They are always safer in numbers [and] they should never take any candies that are not in their original wrappers. If possible, stay in one's neighborhood." Harris added that anyone can view offender locations in their neighborhood if they feel inclined to do so. The state recommends parents keep an open line of communication with their children, teach them safety practices, and be sure to keep familiar with their daily activities. "If a picture is available from the local law enforcement's website, show it to your family. In general terms, tell your children that this person has hurt someone before. Explain to them that they should stay away from this individual. Avoid scary details," the website said. "The purpose behind community notification is to reduce the chance of future victimization by better informing the public." Safekids.org also recommends children practice safe habits on Halloween by going out in groups with friends or family and sticking to familiar areas. They also say trick-or-treaters should take precautions to be visible to drivers by using reflective materials on their costumes, using flashlights, and staying on sidewalks when possible. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and around the region, state and nation, advocacy groups are conducting various events vigils, marches, races, auctions, and so forth to raise awareness and money to combat the problem. If theres one in your neck of the woods, get out and support it. Domestic violence is a scourge that knows no socio-economic or geographic barriers: It occurs in the rarefied air of Fairfield Countys Gold Coast as well as in the triple-decker neighborhoods of the cities, and at every demarcation between. Connecticut advocates are expecting a positive curve moving forward: On Oct. 1 a new law went into effect in Connecticut. It requires a person who is the subject of a restraining order from the court in a domestic abuse case to surrender any firearms they own within 24 hours of the orders issue. We anticipate this bill will save lives, said Karen Jarmoc, president and CEO of the Connecticut Coalition against Domestic Violence. As with any form of violence, there is always a better way to address an issue. As much as we as a society have talked about and taken steps to reduce domestic violence, it remains a substantial national problem: One in four women will experience some form of abuse in their lifetime. And women are not the only victims: Experts say one in seven men will experience it. The abuse is not confined to verbal assault or pushing: Connecticut averages some 14 domestic violence-related deaths each year. A domestic confrontation is a charged atmosphere, fraught with danger. The rage that can come to dominate the situation leads to irrational thought and action. Police officers will tell you that a call to a domestic dispute presents one of the more unpredictable circumstances they face on the job. Earlier this month, for instance, two police officers in Palm Springs, Calif. were shot and killed while trying to help resolve a domestic dispute. One of the leading agencies in the state is the Bridgeport-based Center for Family Justice. Its CEO is Deb Greenwood, and she hit one of the challenges on the head when she spoke at a vigil earlier this month. It takes a lot of courage for a victim to walk through the door or pick up the phone, she said. And the reason is, people blame themselves for something they thought they did. The first step for a victim of domestic abuse to take is to ask for help. The Connecticut Coalition against Domestic Violence maintains a hotline at 1-888-774-2900. If you are in an abusive situation, you should call that number to ask for help, or just to find someone to talk to. Dont suffer in silence.If you are in an abusive situation, you should call that number to ask for help, or just to find someone to talk to. Dont suffer in silence. CultNews101.com: news, links, resources. Cults101.org: resources about cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations and related topics. CultMediation.com: offers resources designed to help thoughtful families and friends understand and respond to the complexity of a loved ones cult involvement. Intervention101.com: to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement. CultRecovery101.com: assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice. These real PA creatures could become cryptids if we don't save them Moved to compassion by their plight, this paper was among the first to demand that unaccompanied child refugees in the squalor of the Calais Jungle should be given asylum in the UK. The children we had in mind were frightened, far from home and desperately vulnerable to sex abuse and other exploitation. Many were said to have seen relatives slaughtered before their eyes in the war zones they had escaped. Indeed, their plight recalled that of the young Jewish children rescued from the Nazis under the Kindertransport programme of 1938-1940. As photographs emerge of the first beneficiaries of a plan to rescue dozens of children, isnt it well nigh impossible to avoid the conclusion that the Governments humane intentions are being cynically abused? Two children, one in a black jacket and another in a light blue hooded top, are pictured left arriving in the UK from a migrant camp yesterday. Right is a migrant who was rated by facial recognition software as having the features of a 38-year-old True, the Mail has long campaigned for controls on mass migration. But in the name of humanity, we believed an exception should be made for the helpless young who had nowhere else to turn. Today, we stick firmly by our belief that those in genuine need deserve our help. But as photographs emerge of the first beneficiaries of a plan to rescue dozens of children, isnt it well nigh impossible to avoid the conclusion that the Governments humane intentions are being cynically abused? Yes, some of the arrivals from Calais are clearly under 18. A third wave of 'child' migrants arrived in Britain from the Calais Jungle today - but the Home Office refused to carry out dental checks to prove their real age Nearly two-thirds of 'child' refugees quizzed about their real age last year were found to be adults, according to the Home Office. Pictured are two child migrants arriving in Croydon from Calais yesterday As for the others, the BBC pixelated many of their faces so that viewers could not judge their ages while The Guardian also kept its readers in the dark by failing to print photographs. But the Mail believes readers and taxpayers should be allowed to judge for themselves whether Britains hospitality and welfare system are being abused. So we make no apology for publishing the arrivals pictures, despite the ludicrous claim by former education secretary Nicky Morgan a politician with an unswerving instinct for discrediting her profession that press questioning of their ages has been shameful. Nobody, surely, can deny that some appear to be fully grown men (and how striking that almost all are male) with one rated by facial recognition software as having the features of a 38-year-old! The contrast to the Kindertransport programme could hardly be more stark. Given that nearly two-thirds of child refugees questioned last year were found to be over 18, isnt it clear that some who arrived this week are taking us for fools? This is why the Mail strongly backs former Labour home secretary Jack Straw when he says asylum seekers claiming to be children should undergo dental checks, widely used elsewhere in the EU to assess migrants ages. Predictable liberal voices condemn such checks as unethical. But would people who have allegedly dodged bombs and bullets to reach our shores really object to such a short and painless test? And isnt it infinitely more unethical to take liars on trust, make a laughing stock of the system and deny genuine child refugees the haven they crave? Savers let down again As recently as December, ministers confirmed that five million pensioners forced to buy annuities, often offering risible returns, would be given the right to cash them in from next year. Many made plans accordingly, promising cash to relatives or arranging to spend it on holidays or home improvements. Yet this week, at shockingly short notice, Treasury ministers have broken the laudable pledge made by former chancellor George Osborne, dashing the hopes of millions. Adding insult to injury, they claim theyve performed the U-turn to protect annuity-holders from the extortionate fees charged by grasping insurance companies for cashing them in. If they genuinely had pensioners interests at heart, wouldnt they cap those rip-off fees instead of condemning millions to a pitiful return on the savings of a lifetimes work? From acid peels to expensive serums, there are no end of products that promise to give you flawless skin. But one beauty expert got experimental with a range of products that you're more likely to find in the feminine hygiene aisle than at the makeup counter. Huda Kattan, known as Huda Beauty to her 15.4 million Instagram followers, has shocked fans by using Vagisil, laxative and lubricant to her face all in the name of research. In a four-minute YouTube video the Dubai-based blogger explains how she wants to test a range of unusual products including men's aftershave balm, milk of magnesia and olive oil on her skin. 'I know some of them seem really strange,' the 33-year-old admits. 'But as you guys know, there are so many different ingredients inside these products that work so well with make-up and just make it look perfect on your skin.' The mother-of-one begins by slathering Nivea men's aftershave balm onto her face, explaining that it has glycerin in it which helps to set make-up. She tries out olive oil too, claiming it is packed full of nourishing skin ingredients. Huda likens her 'jelly lube' to silicone-based primers, claiming that it feels 'soothing' but not very hydrating; making it perfect for oily skin types. 'It's actually more hydrating than I thought it would be,' she exclaims, rubbing it on her cheeks. The blogger tests out milk of magnesia - commonly used as a laxative - on her T-zone area, which leaves her with a thin 'film' on her forehead and feeling like her head has been 'sealed' Huda likens her 'jelly lube' to silicone-based primers, claiming that it feels 'soothing' and is good for oily skin types. 'It's actually more hydrating than I thought it would be, she exclaims 'I'm noticing as I'm putting it on my skin that it's kind of setting,' she says, adding that it feels 'tacky'. Huda also sings the praises of Vagisil - a gel which is normally used to cure vaginal itching - for its oil-controlling properties. 'This feels really good going on,' she says to the horror of her followers. 'It feels really creamy, it feels really soothing.' Finally she tests out milk of magnesia - commonly used as a laxative - on her T-zone, which leaves her with a thin 'film' on her forehead. The beauty guru tries out olive oil, claiming it is packed full of nourishing ingredients. But while some products work 'really well' and a primer, her followers were far from convinced Huda slathers on Nivea men's aftershave balm onto her face, explaining that it has glycerin in it which helps to set make-up. The product is an unlikely favourite among beauty bloggers After applying makeup to her entire face, Huda compares the results. The area where she had rubbed lubricant begins to peel, the Vagisil is a hit, and the milk of magnesia leaves her skin slightly dry. While she concludes that the Vagisil has worked 'really well' as a primer, her followers were far from convinced after the video was posted to Instagram. 'HUDA NO,' one wrote, while another fan pondered: 'Who comes up with this.' Akajessrambo commented: 'Did she really just put vagisil on her face?' Huda inspects the results. Some fans were horrified, with fizzzzaaa writing: 'WHAT IN THE F***ING WORLD,' while waffles3 added: 'She stupid af why would you put that s*** in your face' The area where she had rubbed lubricant begins to peel (pictured), the Vagisil is a hit; and the milk of magnesia leaves her skin slightly dry Sidneysease joked: 'Wow I've been using it wrong this whole time.' Others were less forgiving, with fizzzzaaa writing: 'WHAT IN THE F***ING WORLD,' while waffles3 added: 'She stupid af why would you put that s*** in your face.' Huda, who has achieved worldwide fame thanks to her in-depth beauty tutorials, has her own product ranges in Sephora and Harrods and recently graced the cover of Harper's Bazaar Arabia where she revealed how her husband had quit his job to support her. 'It was hard because heres my husband who was the breadwinner and is now reporting directly to me. In the beginning it was so sensitive,' Huda admitted. The mother-of-one, who told the magazine she's had a rhinoplasty, Botox and fillers, is loved for her outre videos, such as how to contour your breasts and tummy. Speaking about the negative comments she often receives and dubs 'pretty shaming', she said: 'Like you should feel ashamed for wanting to go under the knife. You should feel ashamed for getting fillers. 'If I want to look more beautiful, why am I all of a sudden categorised as a certain woman?' Deep down, Sophie knew shed made a terrible mistake the moment she swallowed one of two abortion pills to end her six-week pregnancy. Not long turned 29, in a fledgling relationship and her career in marketing just getting off the ground, it wasnt the best time to start a family. But still, she couldnt shake off the feeling that she was being pressured into taking a drastic step that she would later live to regret. Like Sophie, Shannon Skinner, 21, (pictured above) with her new born baby Amelia at her home in Bristol, had a medical abortion in 2014 at Marie Stopes by taking two pills Not just by her boyfriend and parents, who had been encouraging her to opt for an abortion, but, more pertinently, by the Marie Stopes clinic dolling out the drugs to bring her first pregnancy to an end. Sophie was due to take the second pill to complete the termination the following morning, but she didnt sleep that night as doubts crowded her mind. After many hours scouring the internet for clues as to whether the pill shed already taken could damage her baby, Sophie was resolute: she wanted her unborn child to live. But when she returned to the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, West London, and confided in a nurse as her family sat in the clinics waiting room, she was met with a steely response. I explained that I felt trapped and pressured, she says. I told the nurse I didnt want to take the second tablet. But she told me I was being a silly girl; that as I had already taken one, my baby would be deformed. Although no one actually knows if this is the case, it was a horrifying thought. But not enough to dissuade Sophie. She excused herself from the room, saying she needed the bathroom and fled. Outside, she was met by a group of anti-abortion protesters who keep vigil outside such clinics. They took her in a taxi to a Harley Street doctor, who gave her some of the pregnancy hormone progesterone to help counteract the abortion pill. She was helped financially by this group until some months later, when her family finally accepted her decision. Two years on, Sophie, who lives in Margate, Kent, has a successful career in marketing and dotes on her beautiful and so far healthy little girl, Samantha. Although she has since separated from the father, she has reconciled with her parents, who adore their grandchild. Her story made headlines when her baby miraculously survived. Although doctors say any potentially damaging side-effects of the medication are difficult to properly assess developmentally until Amelia now two is around four, she is a happy, bonny toddler Of her decision to have a termination, Shannon, pictured above with new born baby Amelia, says: I was told by my GP it was the best option because I suffered severe injuries during a difficult labour with my first baby, Lacie, who was only four months old when I found out I was pregnant again. Slowly, painfully, Sophie has tried to put her negative experience behind her. But she certainly isnt the only young, intelligent, independent woman who says she felt pressured into termination. As Sophie explains: Im an only child. My parents had big plans for me. I wasnt married. My career was just starting out. My then boyfriend didnt want the baby. I felt pushed into doing something I didnt want to do. But Ive completely forgiven them and they love Samantha deeply. Perhaps the most concerning element is Sophies assertion she wasnt listened to at the clinic, the suggestion being that they were hastening her to go ahead regardless. I told them I didnt want to have the abortion, says Sophie. I should have been supported. Its a serious accusation, and Marie Stopes which carries out about a third of the terminations in Britain insists it takes a womans choice very seriously throughout every stage of an abortion. A spokesman said: Choice is at the heart of everything we do, and that includes giving women information on all their pregnancy options. We ask women at every stage if they are sure they want to proceed, including in the procedure room. If a woman says no, or if we feel she isnt sure of her decision, we wont proceed. Instead, well recommend she takes some more time over her decision and speaks to an independent counsellor if shed like to. Pictured above is the Marie Stopes family planning clinic in London Most women who walk through our doors are absolutely clear they want an abortion. But around one in ten women doesnt proceed, either because shes changed her mind or were not confident that she is sure of her choice. But in August, the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), took the unusual step of halting the 250 abortions carried out each week nationwide at Marie Stopes clinics as a result of specific immediate concerns regarding consent, safeguarding, training and the competence of staff. The charity, which provides 70,000 abortions each year almost 90 per cent of which are paid for by the NHS wasnt allowed to carry out terminations on women under 18 or those classed as vulnerable or requiring anaesthetic (this effectively meant any procedures carried out after 12 weeks). The CQC did not provide full details as to why it had demanded the suspension, but said it was concerned that the right protocols may not be in place to ensure that girls under the age of 18 were able to give informed consent to a termination. In Britain, one in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime Inspectors were also concerned about the standards of anaesthesia in clinics when women were undergoing surgical abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy a small minority of the total terminations. The CQC said there was a lack of assurance in relation to training and competence in conscious sedation and general anaesthesia. The watchdog said it had become concerned during routine inspections of clinics, and as a result carried out an unannounced inspection of Marie Stopes Internationals corporate HQ before ordering the suspension. At the time, Marie Stopes expressed surprise at the timing of the suspension, but said it was working with the CQC to resolve issues. In Britain, one in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime. Yet the subject is still rarely discussed, particularly by women who regret them. Since Dr Marie Stopes launched her first family planning clinic in 1921, the charity has changed beyond all recognition. Ironically, Stopes herself was strongly opposed to abortion, insisting that proper birth control was the answer to unwanted pregnancies. Its the Marie Stopes clinic Shannon, pictured above, feels really let her down. My experience at the clinic was pretty horrible, she says. I didnt want an abortion really. And yet, Marie Stopes UK has been providing what it describes as specialist abortion care on behalf of the NHS for the past 40 years, offering lunchtime medical abortions (taking pills as opposed to surgery) following the advent of mifepristone a drug which blocks the action of progesterone in the Nineties. It is then followed up by a second pill, which causes the womb to contract and expel the foetus. Abortion costs listed on its website run from 82 for a consultation to 2,040 for a late surgical abortion at 19 to 24 weeks which involves removing the foetus, normally with forceps, under anaesthetic. All of these are carried out by Marie Stopes, which has an annual turnover of 250 million. Like Sophie, Shannon Skinner, 21, had a medical abortion in 2014 at Marie Stopes by taking two pills. Her story made headlines when her baby miraculously survived. Although doctors say any potentially damaging side-effects of the medication are difficult to properly assess developmentally until Amelia now two is around four, she is a happy, bonny toddler. Of her decision to have a termination, Shannon says: I was told by my GP it was the best option because I suffered severe injuries during a difficult labour with my first baby, Lacie, who was only four months old when I found out I was pregnant again. Its the Marie Stopes clinic she feels really let her down. Caroline, who lives in Ash, Surrey, has five children with her husband Robin, a 42-year-old priest. Describing her experience at the clinic, she adds: I was scanned by a monosyllabic sonographer who just grunted at me. I was eight weeks pregnant and scared' My experience at the clinic was pretty horrible, says Shannon. I didnt want an abortion really. When she told them it was her doctor who had advised the termination, the clinic didnt question it. I was eight weeks pregnant when I went there. I took the two tablets and went home. There was no follow-up call or appointment. Its not an experience I would ever want to go through again. [The clinic] felt like a conveyor belt. There were lots of crying women. I regretted it instantly. I only found out I was still pregnant when I later felt kicking, at which point I was 20 weeks pregnant. Now separated from Lacie and Amelias father, Shannon says staff at the clinic in Bristol did say there was a very small chance the medication might not work. She adds: Im glad it didnt. I call her our miracle baby because we just dont know how she survived. She must have really wanted to be here. Another woman who is still struggling to cope with what happened to her at a Marie Stopes clinic is Caroline Farrow. Now 42, she became pregnant following an assault when she was a 22-year-old air hostess. Looking back, I was panicked, she says. I didnt feel there was a way to keep the baby. Nobody at the clinic gave me any advice that I, like most women, could be a good mum. I just needed some reassurance and support. Adoption, for example, wasnt mentioned once. Caroline, who lives in Ash, Surrey, now has five children with her husband Robin, a 42-year-old priest. Describing her experience at the clinic, she adds: I was scanned by a monosyllabic sonographer who just grunted at me. I was eight weeks pregnant and scared. Caroline Farrow, 42, pictured above with her family, became pregnant following an assault when she was a 22-year-old air hostess. Looking back, I was panicked, she says. I didnt feel there was a way to keep the baby. Nobody at the clinic gave me any advice that I, like most women, could be a good mum' I was given the first set of pills and told to come back next day. I wasnt warned what would happen. I suffered agonising cramps, yet the only pain relief was paracetamol. I was throwing up violently and felt feverish. I remember pressing my head on the cold bathroom floor tiles. Worse was to come. I was told I would eventually pass the embryo sack. No one had prepared me that I would see a fully formed foetus. It haunts me to this day. A nurse put it in a brown paper bag like it was nothing. Im not sure I would have gone through with it if Id known what was going to happen. Following the recent controversy surrounding the clinics, there have been calls for its chief executive Simon Cook, who last year received a salary of 420,755, to resign. This week, services at Marie Stopes are slowly starting to resume, with the aim to have business as usual by the end of the month. The spokesman said the organisation was addressing the CQCs concerns: We will make sure that we learn from this and never again fall below the standards women have every right to expect from us. Andy Warhol famously said that in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Well these days, with the internet, people can become famous in 15 seconds, thanks to the power of the internet and the click of a button. That's what happened to Australian toddler Mason after a picture or him was posted on Instagram by Kim Kardashian's makeup artist. Zoolander: Mason Croucher (right) from Sydney has gone viral on Instagram after he pulled a hilarious face in a selfie Mario Dedivanovic, who does the Kardashian's make up, reposted the photo of Mason and his mum Samantha Croucher, from Sydney, on Monday. In the picture Mason is pulling a hilarious face at the camera while his mother smiles. Ms Croucher had been snapping a selfie when her son decided to open his mouth and scrunch his nose up, creating the lol-worthy moment. Famous fans: Kim Kardashian's make up artist Mario Dedivanovic (left) shared the photo Ms Croucher told NewsLocal that the photo wasn't staged, and her son just happened to pull the face. 'People were saying to me "how did you make him do that face" I didnt, he just did it randomly,' the mum said. 'Its a real once-in-a-lifetime moment. Ill be keeping copies of the post for him to see when hes older.' Social media star: Mason 's picture was shared globally after Mr Dedivanovic posted the photo on Instagram to his 2.8 million followers She snapped the photo while holding up an eyeshadow palette by Mr Dedivanovic that had just been released. The mum sent it to him and he liked it so much he put it on his page, which is followed by 2.8 million people. She has the most stylish daughter in showbiz so it was only a matter of time before Victoria Beckham branched out into childrenswear. The pop star-turned-designer has created a limited-edition spring collaboration with US retailer Target and it includes her first foray into childrenswear. The mother-of-four has created apparel and accessories for women, girls, toddler and baby as a part of her Victoria, Victoria Beckham range - and it's as chic as every other collection she's unveiled. Victoria Beckham has announced that she's created a limited-edition spring collaboration with US retailer Target and it includes her first foray into childrenswear The perennially stylish mother's new range, which will be available in-store and online in April, is inspired by her everyday life and the shared experiences between mother and child, she says. She has curated 200 items featuring soft pastels, bright pops of colour and pretty spring prints. She promises that the collection is feminine and functional and reflects her commitment to quality craftsmanship. Fashion fans who may not be able to afford her garments will be delighted to hear that this is much more price friendly and pieces range in price from $6-$70 (4.90-57), with most items under $40 (32). Was it inspired by Harper? Victoria is unveiling her debut childrenswear line and nothing costs more than $70 In 2011, following the success of her mainline collection, Beckham launched Victoria, Victoria Beckham, which was hailed 'a free-spirited companion' Speaking about her latest line, the 42-year-old said: 'Working with Target has been a really exciting process, and this partnership allows us to share the essence of Victoria, Victoria Beckham with more people than ever before. 'I was inspired to create the Victoria, Victoria Beckham line when I was pregnant with Harper, and since its launch, the category has evolved into an established lifestyle collection. 'With both the line and my daughter turning five, I felt it was the perfect time to extend into a more accessible price point and to celebrate both milestones by opening the range up to include childrenswear for the first time.' The perennially stylish mother's new range is inspired by her everyday life and the shared experiences between mother and child, she says. Here, she is pictured with her children L-R Brooklyn, Cruz, Romeo and Harper, as well as husband David, at a Burberry event in LA A spokesperson for Target added: 'Victoria Beckham is synonymous with impeccable style, and shes known around the globe for her distinct point of view as a designer.' Since launching in 2008 at New York Fashion Week, the Victoria Beckham brand has become one of the most revered in the industry and she has won countless awards. The Duke of Cambridge will meet Argyll veterans and tour the attraction The Duke of Cambridge has become patron of an appeal to safeguard the future of a Scottish military museum. Prince William is supporting the Thin Red Line Appeal which aims to protect the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum, Kensington Palace has announced. The royal will visit Stirling Castle next week to formally launch the appeal which will allow the museum to be redeveloped. Prince William is supporting the Thin Red Line Appeal which aims to protect the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum, Kensington Palace has announced William will tour the museum, based at Stirling Castle, on Monday and be taken around the visitor attraction. He will see the museum's key exhibits and meet members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalion Army Cadet Force, Argyll veterans and serving members of Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. The museum will also educate future generations on the role played by the soldiers of one of Scotland's great Highland Regiments over the last 220 years. The Duke of Cambridge will sign the visitors' book and be shown items relating to the Queen's role as Colonel of the Regiment. The royal will visit Stirling Castle (pictured) next week to formally launch the appeal which will allow the museum to be redeveloped William will tour the museum, based at Stirling Castle, on Monday and be taken around the visitor attraction (pictured with the Duchess of Cambridge last week at Manchester Town Hall) Later the Duke will be given an update on plans to redevelop the museum, following the recent announcement of Heritage Lottery funding. The Duke will then meet the appeal presidents, trustees and guests before officially launching the redevelopment of the museum and the Thin Red Line Appeal. Brigadier Bruce Russell, the chairman of the Museum Trust, gave his gratitude to the royal for his support for 'a unique part of the British Army'. From explaining why not to make incriminating calls on a prison phone to why being sent a drug test by a boss after the client was caught in the act is not 'entrapment', it is all in a day's work for a lawyer. Legal professionals vented their frustrations by sharing the 'dumbest' issues they have had to explain to their clients in a conversation on Reddit. One lawyer claimed that despite warning a client charged with murder numerous times that their phone calls in prison would be recorded, the man proceeded to call his girlfriend requesting that she 'hide the gun'. Venting: Lawyers have revealed the 'dumbest' issues they have had to explain to their clients [STOCK IMAGE] Advice: In a conversation on Reddit, pictured, legal professionals shared their stories of despair Deluded: Another said that their client wanted to sue their boss for requesting they test for drugs Another said that their client wanted to sue their boss for requesting they test for drugs. 'Your boss sending you to a drug test after he walked in on you snorting cocaine off your desk does not qualify as entrapment. You can not sue him,' wrote the lawyer. Another attorney said clients often appear surprised that they had to pay for their services. 'For some reason, some people think lawyers are like their personal spiritual guides or fairy godmother,' they added. Payment: This attorney complained that their clients often think their services are free of charge Extravagant: Another said victims sometimes make 'outrageous claims' Tips: One joked that it is not advisablefor a client to nod at the judge mid-trial if they need to go to the restroom A victim's advocate said some make 'outrageous' claims - such as one who requested a new $20,000 leather sofa. Another lawyer joked that they had to inform clients of courtroom etiquette. 'Don't signal to the judge you need to use the restroom during your trial by making eye contact and vigorously nodding while urgently pointing at your crotch,' they said. A lawyer complained that they had to reprimand their client for calling police 'to tell them exactly what they did that violated the restraining order.' Facts: This lawyer complained that his client could not see his story from the perspective of the jury Not advisable: This lawyer said they had to reprimand their client for calling police 'to tell them exactly what they did that violated the restraining order' Oblivious: Another lawyer said their client did not know that they could fire an employee for stealing money and aiming a gun at a co-worker One client had to be told that it did not matter whether or not they were sober after they 'jumped out of a third story window with a beer bottle and threw it at a cop.' The lawyer added: 'The jury is going to think you were drunk. Also, I think you were drunk.' Another attorney said their client did not know that they could fire an employee for stealing money and aiming a gun at a co-worker. Few people get the chance to work closely with the Duchess of Cambridge but Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman was given a rare glimpse into the elusive royal's life when she shot her for the magazine - and she's shared the details of their encounter. Kate, 34, was the cover star of Vogue for its 100th anniversary edition - the first time she had ever posed for a magazine photoshoot. So what was it like to work with one of the world's most famous women? 'She's incredibly likeable,' Shulman told ES Magazine's Charlotte Edwards. 'She really is. She wants to do what she's doing well, and she's very professional.' Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman was given a rare glimpse into the Duchess of Cambridge's life when she shot her for the magazine - and she's shared the details of their encounter Alexandra, who has been at the helm of the fashion bible for over 20 years, also explained how she thinks Kate differs to Princess Diana. She said: 'Diana was more interested in that high-voltage celebrity, that was something she really embraced. The Duchess of Cambridge is prepared to do her bit, but it's not one of the things that she most cares about. 'She loves her kids and the countryside. Dressing up, that's a professional side to her. It's a sort of uniform, all those lovely couture costumes.' Alexandra worked closely with Kate when she shot her for the magazine's centenary cover, which she managed to keep her a secret for four months, despite being followed by a documentary crew. So what was it like to work with one of the world's most famous women? 'She's incredibly likeable,' Shulman said. Alexandra, who has been at the helm of the fashion bible for over 20 years, also explained how she thinks Kate differs to Princess Diana, right In the second part of Richard Macer's fly-on-the-wall documentary, Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue, which aired last month, Shulman was filmed holding a meeting with her creative director Jaime Perlman to discuss the anniversary issue front cover. And as the pair pored over a series of white covers with graphics of 'Vogue 100' on them, there was no hint that it was all an elaborate ploy to cover up the fact the royal would be covering the centenary issue. Macer explains that he was told Shulman, 58, would make an important announcement on 28 April. 'I'm told I must not discuss this with anyone, even Alex,' he said. Speaking about Kate, Shulman added: 'She loves her kids and the countryside. Dressing up, that's a professional side to her. It's a sort of uniform, all those lovely couture costumes' He admitted that his instinct was that the long-standing editor, who has been at the helm for 24 years, was going to announce her resignation. 'I can't stop thinking about this surprise announcement,' he said of the longest-serving editor of British Vogue. 'Maybe she's going to tell everyone she's leaving. I think it's a surprise party for her staff to say thanks for all their hard work.' The first he knew of the Duchess posing for the magazine was on the morning of the big announcement. He was taken to a secret location in central London and escorted down a long corridor. Editor Alexandra Shulman arrives for the Gala to celebrate the Vogue 100 Festival at Kensington Gardens in London in May this year 'I've been speculating quite a lot about what she's going to say but the truth is, I have no clue,' he said. Finally he stepped into a room and realised he was in the main area of the National Portrait Gallery. There was no sign of Shulman, but all became clear when he saw two portraits of the Duchess of Cambridge being hung on the wall. The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery to see the results of her photo shoot with the magazine Filmmaker Richard Macer admits that when he heard Alexandra was making an announcement, he thought she might be stepping down. She's the longest serving editor of British Vogue Macer admitted he was impressed by how she'd managed to get the Duchess on the cover and realised his thoughts about her stepping aside were way off the mark. 'The centenary issue is selling like hot cakes and Alex is still at the top of her game. 'Far from announcing her retirement, she'd pulled off the scoop of the year,' he said. The longest-standing editor of British Vogue did admit that she'd been waking up at 3am feeling stressed as the publication of the centenary edition approached. 'I've never seemed like someone who carries stress with me,' she said. 'But I do.' A mother has been fined 30,000 by an Italian court for criticising her ex-husband in front of their son. The mother had custody over their youngster and a civil tribunal claimed the woman's ranting breached the child's rights of having a healthy relationship with both of his parents. The judge found the woman had failed to ensure the child and his father had a 'healthy and proper' relationship and 'continued to express her disapproval, using derogatory terms about the boy's father.' The mother now has to change her approach to her partner and child's relationship in order to keep custody. A civil tribunal was held in a court in Rome By repeatedly criticizing her ex in front of the child, the woman was said to be damaging the child's mental health making her actions criminal behaviour. Now the woman, who could not be named for legal reasons, has been warned that if she continues she 'could lead to modifications of the conditions of custody'. EU law recognises that children have the right to a personal relationship and direct contact with both parents. A recent parenting report claimed there is a new way to make the transition of a break-up easier for kids. As any divorcing couple with children will know, part of the agony of separating is deciding how best to shuffle the kids back and forth from their respective parents' homes. However, the latest separation trend sees the conventional divorce idea turned on its head. Instead of moving the children each weekend or each month, 'bird's nest parenting' sees the mother and father do the rotating in and out of the home - while the children remain the constants. Like 'conscious uncoupling' before it, bird's nest parenting requires an ongoing amicable relationship between the two parents in question. Smart divorce: The latest way to get a divorce is via 'bird's nest parenting' - this sees the mother and father do the rotating in and out of the home - while the children remain constant BIRD'S NEST PARENTING - HOW TO * Before you decide to adopt a bird's nest arrangement, make certain you're in an amicable relationship and can cope with co-managing a family home. * Work out the boundaries and costs of your arrangement so you don't run into trouble later. * Make it work for you - whether it's by way of a three-home system, or simply a two-home system. * Make sure you remember that you are doing this for your children. * Realise that this is probably not a feasible 'forever' option, but instead can give your children stability, particularly at points when they might need it, such as if they have exams. * Check whether everyone is committed to the arrangement, as going through a separation is hard. Advertisement Bird's nest parenting is thought to have originated in 2000 in the US, when a Virginia court agreed that the best solution for two young children in the midst of a family divorce involved them staying in their family home. The parenting idea is opposed to the treating of children as 'frisbees'. Since then, bird's nest parenting has been become more and more popular in the US, before it has come elsewhere. However, is the child-centric concept a beneficial idea for children or does it have drawbacks? 'Bird's nest parenting is unlikely to work as a long-term strategy for most divorcing couples, but it can be a good option initially as a transition,' psychologist, Dr Monique Robinson, from Telethon Kids Institute, told Daily Mail Australia. 'This is especially true if there is a particular need for stability. 'For example, if kids are doing High School exams, or if the children are generally more anxious and sensitive to change.' Advice: 'Bird's nest parenting is unlikely to work as a long-term strategy, but it can be a good option initially as a transition,' psychologist, Dr Monique Robinson (pictured), says Dr Robinson recommends the bird's nest approach as a 'stepping stone between marriage and divorce', but adds that it has its side effects insofar as it 'limits the parents' capacity to move on with new relationships. 'It also requires the parents to get along reasonably well as they continue to co-manage the family home,' she says. However, provided the parents are in the sort of relationship where they can continue to get along, bird's nest parenting can 'promote stability by allowing the kids to remain in their familiar environment'. Varied: And according to parenting experts, bird's nest arrangements can look different in different households - they just need to be made to work for you According to parenting experts, bird's nest arrangements can look different in different households. For parents who are wealthy and who live near each other, they can opt for a three-home system - where the kids live in the main family property, while both parents have different homes of their own. Meanwhile, in other circumstances, it allows couples to manage their finances as they go through a pricey divorce. For instance, one parent could live in the family home with the kids while the other parent could live in a smaller flat. This allows there to be just one set of kids' rooms and beds etc. 'Because the children are at the centre of this idea, that is a real bonus,' Dr Robinson says. 'However, separation is emotionally difficult for the whole family so it is important that all members of the family are committed to this or it won't work.' Baking enthusiasts are being invited to make their very own Victoria 'spooge' cake at a 'bring your own semen' (BYOS) cookery class. Amateur chefs will be taught to use semen as a cooking ingredient in cakes and other desserts as well as main courses, according to organisers. They can also learn to make chicken with a spicy jerk sauce, a semen-salted caramel dessert, and even cocktails using the bodily fluid. Scroll down for video Wonderush want to introduce 'bring your own semen' classes to London where amateur chefs will be taught how to use semen as a cooking ingredient in cakes and other desserts The cooking classes, which will be held in Shoreditch, London, once 30 people have registered interest, will discuss the health benefits of semen and cook using the ingredient. Participants will need to bring at least five teaspoons of semen along with them to the class, according to Metro, which can be their own, or even come from their partner. They will come home with not just a whole new of recipes under their belt but also an in-depth knowledge of semen-cooking techniques. Relationship expert Alix Fox said of the classes: 'While the idea of bringing cum into the kitchen will doubtless appall many people, some individuals find the idea of consuming such an intimate substance an incredible turn-on.' Participants can make their very own Victoria 'spooge' cake, chicken with a spicy jerk sauce, a semen-salted caramel dessert, and even cocktails using the bodily fluid Wonderush founder Nelson added: 'I know some people will find this hard to swallow, but the idea of cooking with semen isn't as far-fetched as one might think. 'Wonderush is all about giving people unique classes and experiences, and although our usual classes are somewhat tamer, this should give people a taste of our sense of humour.' Organisers are crowdfunding for the classes online and if they're a success, they hope to roll them out in other cities across the country. So far Wonderush has exceed its 200,00 target by 15,000. It isn't the first time people have found an alternative use for semen; last year Tracy Kiss, from Wendover, Buckinghamshire has posted a video to her YouTube page, describing it as a cooling, natural skin treatment to soothe sensitive skin. The single mother-of-two described how a male friend delivers his semen to her in plastic pots from the Chinese takeaway, which she then rubs into her skin and leaves to sink in for up to 20 minutes. Semen contains proteolytic enzymes, which are designed to dissolve proteins. When applied to the skin on a regular basis, these enzymes may help to break down dead layers and leave the skin feeling smoother. DAYS WITHOUT END by Sebastian Barry DAYS WITHOUT END by Sebastian Barry (Faber 17.99) Imagine a Civil War-era Western with hints of Brokeback Mountain and Tipping The Velvet and you might get a sense of Barrys remarkable seventh novel. Its hero is Thomas McNulty, a poetic-souled son of Sligo, who has fled the appalling Irish famine for America. Reduced to sleeping under a Missouri hedge, his fortunes change when he meets the black-eyed, beautiful John Cole, and the boys become first buddies then lovers, earning their bread as a drag act before enlisting in the U.S. Army. Thomas may lack much schooling but, as he looks back on his strange and wondrous life from late middle-age, its evident that hes a natural storyteller. His is an immersive tale that shifts effortlessly between the savagery of the battlefield and splendours of the natural world, stirring descriptions of which seam this novel with fierce beauty. But its the enduring relationship at its heart, delicately and tenderly drawn, that is perhaps most memorable: happiness may not be a fashionable subject but, as Barry suggests here, it is as worthy as any other (if not more so) of our consideration. Life-affirming in the truest and best ways. LONDON LIES BENEATH by Stella Duffy LONDON LIES BENEATH by Stella Duffy (Virago 16.99) IN 1914, a life-size bronze statue of a boy scout was unveiled in Londons Nunhead Cemetery. It had been designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, architect of Liverpool Cathedral and creator of the red telephone box, and commemorated the death of eight members of the 2nd Walworth Scouts in a sailing accident two years previously. Drawing on this terrible episode for inspiration, Duffy follows the lives of three of those on board young pals Tom, Jimmy and Itzhak in the months leading up to the disaster; months that, for Toms second-sighted mother Ida, are shadowed by foreboding. A paean not just to South London, but to a vanished way of working-class life, this is a novel that wears its sympathies on its sleeve, particularly when it comes to the women whose love and labour knit together the community. Duffys narrative is as fluid as a costermongers patter, carrying the reader along even though its destination is not immediately obvious, and although she is perhaps guilty of romanticising her characters Cockney pride and hearts of gold abound the anguishing, visceral final third of this novel pulls few punches. THE TOBACCONIST by Robert Seethaler THE TOBACCONIST by Robert Seethaler (Picador 12.99) NOMINATED for the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, Robert Seethalers A Whole Life was a miracle of concision that captured changing times and enduring truths. Like that novel, The Tobacconist is set in Austria, although this time, the authors scene is not the Alps but Vienna: in 1937 a seething, stinking place. For 17-year-old country lad and newly apprenticed tobacconist Franz, its all a bit overwhelming added to which one of the regulars is the world-famous idiot doctor Sigmund Freud. It would have been easy to caricature the founding father of psychoanalysis, yet Seethaler has the same empathy for the professor increasingly frail and pained by the cancer that will lead to his death as he himself had for his patients. When Franz falls helplessly under the spell of a gap-toothed beauty, he seeks out Freuds gnomic advice but, with Hitler on the rise and swastikas sprouting throughout the city, the doctor has troubles of his own. The Whistler by John Grisham The Whistler by John Grisham (Hodder 20) A John Grisham thriller is like a jigsaw puzzle hes brilliant at deceiving us into believing we have a perfect fit when, in fact, there is much more to it than meets the eye. The Whistler starts with a corrupt judge in Florida. As a professional investigator, Lucy Stoltz is used to judicial delinquency, but this case relies on an anonymous informer who has a story to tell of links to money-laundering on a massive scale. Eager to pursue the lead even when her work partner is killed in a car crash that turns out not to be accidental, Stoltz has to penetrate a thick smokescreen of duplicity to find the only person who knows enough to bring the full force of the FBI bearing down on a crime empire. It may seem odd to describe a jigsaw as nail-biting, but that is precisely what John Grisham delivers. by Michael Russell (Constable 19.99) THE CITY IN DARKNESS by Michael Russell (Constable 19.99) IT IS difficult to keep track of Stefan Gillespie. When we first meet him, at the start of World War II, he is a Special Branch detective in Dublin who hears more than it is wise to know about an IRA plot to raid an arms dump. Pitched into a swirl of conspiracy and counter-conspiracy that takes him half way across Europe, Gillespie is landed with managing the release of an IRA leader from a Spanish jail. But why should Dublin want back a man who can only make trouble for the government? And why is German intelligence, operating in supposedly neutral Spain, so closely involved? Gillespie also has his own mystery to solve: his wifes death, an apparent accident, is revealed as murder. Michael Russell is a master at building tension. This is a thriller to keep you guessing and gasping. THE TURNCOAT by Alan Murray THE TURNCOAT by Alan Murray (Freight Books 9.99) WE ARE back in the war, with the threat from fifth columnists but this time in Glasgow. In the wake of the blitz on the Clyde shipyards, Major George Maclean of Military Intelligence must track down the insiders who are guiding the Luftwaffe to choice targets. While the traitors stay a jump ahead, leaving several dead bodies to prove their point, Maclean is diverted to the interrogation of a German pilot who has crash-landed in the open countryside. This proves to be none other that Rudolf Hess, Hitlers deputy, having arrived on his mission to make peace with Britain. Hess has vital information to impart, but only to the wrong people. It is up to Maclean to persuade him to reveal the enemy within. Newcomer Murray writes with infectious enthusiasm and weaves a story that stays within the bounds of credulity. BOOK OF THE WEEK I READ THE NEWS TODAY, OH BOY by Paul Howard (Picador 18.99) Tara Browne must be one of the few people who is more famous for dying than he ever was in life. In December 1966, a Lotus Elan driven at speed by Browne crashed into another car in South Kensington. Two hours later, he died of his injuries, aged just 21. A few weeks afterwards, John Lennon who had known Browne slightly, but never much liked him read a report of Brownes death in the Daily Mail. Sitting at his piano with the whisper of a melody going round in his head, Lennon began to write a song about A lucky man who made the grade . . . He blew his mind out in a car / He didnt notice that the lights had changed. The song, of course, became A Day In The Life, the climax of whats generally reckoned to be The Beatles masterpiece, Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Dandy: Tara Browne with his wife Nicki And so the legend of Tara Browne was born a legend about a gilded youth who crashed and burned while hopelessly off his head. In fact, Lennon made the last part up: there was no evidence that Browne was either high on drugs or drunk at the time he seems simply to have lost control of the car. As Paul Howard persuasively argues in this biography, there was a lot more to Browne than that. He may only have been 21 when he died, but he had already crammed a remarkable amount into his life in part, because he always felt he was unlikely to make old bones. Time and again he told people: Im not going to live long. This probably had a lot to do with the fact that Browne never really had a childhood, but was catapulted, still half-formed, into a life of well-heeled debauchery. H is father, Dominick, was a philandering aristocrat who was deemed NSIT (Not Safe In Taxis) by the debutantes he pursued with unflagging zeal. Elevated to the peerage when his own father died, Dominick sat dutifully in the House of Lords for 72 years without making a speech. Brownes mother, Oonagh, was a member of the immensely rich Irish brewing dynasty the Guinnesses. A tiny, elfin woman who wore childrens shoes all her life, Oonagh was possessed of a formidably sharp tongue she once told a startled George V that he was pompous and boring. Tara Browne grew up in a world in which newspapers were ironed before breakfast and where his mothers arty friends drifted about in various stages of drunkenness and undress. As well as being strikingly good-looking, Browne was also maddeningly precocious. One dinner guest recalls him appearing, aged eight, in blue satin pyjamas, climbing onto the dining table and walking along it, saying to everyone: Hello, Im Tara. Behind his precocious facade, Browne was as lonely as he was insecure But this was only half the story. Behind his precocious facade, Browne was as lonely as he was insecure. He once confided in a classmate that the family butler was his best, and quite possibly only, friend. He effectively left school at 13 by which time, his priapic father had wandered off in search of new diversions and his mother had married a bisexual fraudster called Miguel. Keenly interested in music, Tara embarked on a trip around Irish folk festivals with Paddy Moloney, later to become the founder of The Chieftains. But while he was slumming it one moment, he was lording it the next, being chauffeured around in a vintage Rolls-Royce and scorching through an allowance of 700 a month at a time when the average annual industrial wage was just 546. No wonder Browne was dubbed societys reputed freest teenage spender by a newspaper. One of the more unexpected pleasures of his book is its extraordinarily varied cast of characters. Some are well-known such as the composer Igor Stravinsky, whom Browne met in Venice. Others, though, are much less so such as Judith Keppel, a friend of his who went on to become the first jackpot winner of TVs Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? But, all the time, theres a sense of a fuse smouldering ominously away, of time hurtling by far too fast. I READ THE NEWS TODAY, OH BOY by Paul Howard The older Browne became, the less comfortably his mask of assurance seemed to fit. People only like me for my money, he complained. There may well have been something in this, of course, but Browne was clearly as charismatic as he was troubled. Despite his fey appearance, he was also no pushover. Although he may have been a mummys boy, one friend said of him, he was a mummys boy who told mummy what to do. As the Sixties started to swing with ever-increasing abandon, Browne rubbed shoulders with assorted Rolling Stones he was particularly close to Brian Jones and Paul McCartney. Yet he was painfully aware he lacked any kind of role or purpose in life. Determined to become a racing driver, he worked for a while as a mechanic. Already, the Furies were closing in. He married at 18, fathered two children, then moved in with the model Amanda Lear, who had gained a certain notoriety due to rumours she had been born a boy she subsequently had an affair with David Bowie. But he stayed on good terms with his former wife, Nicki, whose last words to him were grimly prophetic: Drive carefully. After Browne died, Brian Jones spiralled into drug-addled depression and died two years later. In 1976, Keith Richards and Anita Pallenberg had a baby boy they named Tara in Brownes memory. When I started reading this book, I thought the chances that Brownes short life would yield enough material for a full-length biography were so slim as to be almost non-existent. Ivanka, who was in Nevada for Wednesday night's debate, also shared videos of her flight from Las Vegas to The 34-year-old mom took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of her six-month-old son She hit back at the claims saying: 'I am not sure if this was meant to be a joke, but in case there is any ambiguity, this is a complete and total lie' Ivanka Trump is having a tough couple of days, but you wouldn't know it from her Instagram page. Just one day after the 34-year-old vehemently denied Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti's claims that she once told him she had 'never seen a mulatto c**k', the mother-of-three was back on social media, as if nothing had happened. Ivanka, who was in Las Vegas, Nevada to support her father Donald at Wednesday night's final presidential debate, took to Instagram early the next morning to share a sweet photo of her six-month-old son Theodore modeling some new clothes. Scroll down for video Bouncing back: Ivanka Trump took to Instagram on Thursday morning to share a photo of her six-month-old son Theodore after denying claims that she once made lewd comments 'Leaving Las Vegas': Ivanka went on to post a video of herself flying out of Nevada 'Cozy in his fall gear,' she captioned the image, which sees the tot sitting in a dining room chair wearing a red shirt with navy and white stripes, navy pants, and a matching Ralph Lauren coat. The little boy is also sporting a darling pair of navy baby moccasins, even though he presumably wasn't leaving his New York City apartment. Although it was shared first thing this morning, it is unclear when the snapshot was taken or who actually took it. Later in the day Ivanka filmed herself flying out of Las Vegas and later landing in Milwaukee and then Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where she is stumping for her father. Campaign trail: She also shared clips of herself landing in Milwaukee and then Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where she is stumping for her father Meet and greet: Ivanka Trump (right) greets guests while making a campaign stop for her father in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Supporting her dad: Ivanka Trump greets a young fan during a campaign stop on Wednesday Making her voice heard: Ivanka speaks to guests at the campaign stop in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 'Leaving Las Vegas. Bye Bye,' she says with a smile in one of the short clips. The night before Ivanka and her stepmother Melania, 46, opted for solemn wardrobe, dressing entirely in black to watch Donald in the third presidential debate. They both wore stiff expressions as they took their seats at the University of Las Vegas in Nevada, by-passing the traditional hand-shake with the Clinton family as per the Democratic candidate's request. Earlier in the day Ivanka spoke out about her father's 'offensive' comments towards women before Peretti tweeted that she shared her dad's capacity for lewdness. All together: Ivanka and her family were in Las Vegas on Wednesday night to cheer on Donald at his final presidential debate Bad omen? Ivanka and her stepmother Melania, 46, opted for solemn wardrobe, dressing entirely in black to watch Donald 'Surprised Ivanka would be shocked by lewd language,' he tweeted today. 'I met her once & she casually said: 'I've never seen a mulatto c**k, but I'd like to!' But Ivanka hit back at the claims, calling them a 'total lie.' 'I am not sure if this was meant to be a joke, but in case there is any ambiguity, this is a complete and total lie,' she told the DailyMail.com. Peretti said he had written the tweet after reading about the businesswoman and mother-of-three statement a t Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit on Wednesday. Try to clear the air: Ivanka spoke about her Dad's 'offensive' comments a t Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit on Wednesday Damning tweet: As she spoke out about Donald's comments, Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti revealed that Ivanka shares her father's capacity for lewdness Allegations: Peretti (pictured) said he had written the tweet after reading about the businesswoman and mother-of-three statement at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit Ivanka had been asked about her father's comments in the now infamous 2005 video where Donald Trump was recorded telling Access Hollywood host Billy Bush that stars could do anything they like, even grabbing women 'by the p***y.' His daughter told interviewers at the event that she had found the r ecording 'jarring' and called her father's remarks 'clearly inappropriate and offensive'. But Peretti told Buzzfeed he had been surprised by her reaction to the language, after his encounter with Ivanka at a Manhattan dive bar called Tropical 128 about a decade ago. Denial: Ivanka hit back at claims saying: 'I am not sure if this was meant to be a joke, but in case there is any ambiguity, this is a complete and total lie' He said their conversation had taken place in front of five other people including his wife Andrea Harner, who confirmed she had overheard the comments. The claims are at odds with Ivanka's statement at the summit, where she said she had found her father's lewd comments 'offensive'. 'That's not language consistent with any conversation I've ever had with him, certainly, or any conversation I've overheard. So it was a bit jarring for me to hear.' As one of the most stylish European royals she has been known to experiment with her fashion choices. And Queen Letizia of Spain certainly did not disappoint when she stepped out for a glittering concert on Thursday night. Letizia, 44, stunned in a figure-hugging black dress as she joined her husband King Felipe VI for the XXV Musical Week closing concert in Oviedo, northern Spain. Queen stunned in a figure-hugging black dress as she joined her husband King Felipe VI for the XXV Musical Week closing concert in Oviedo, northern Spain The mother-of-two showcased her enviably trim figure and toned arms in the spaghetti strap dress, cinching in her waist with a chunky belt. She added a pair of towering stilettos and a chic satin clutch bag, and teased her normally sleek hair into mermaid waves. Letizia finished off her ultra-feminine look with a pair of diamond earrings, a slick of lip gloss and a hint of purple eyeshadow. Letizia joins her husband, King Felipe VI. She added a pair of towering stilettos and a chic satin clutch bag, and teased her normally sleek hair into mermaid waves The royal finished off her ultra-feminine look with a pair of diamond earrings, a slick of lip gloss and a hint of purple eyeshadow The couple, who are Leonor, Princess of Asturias, ten and Infanta Sofia of Spain, nine, looked typically loved-up as they clasped hands during the event at the Principe Felipe Auditorium. The event was part of The Princess of Asturias Awards, a series of annual prizes awarded by the Princess of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organisations who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs. The couple, who are Leonor, Princess of Asturias, ten and Infanta Sofia of Spain, nine, looked typically loved-up as they clasped hands during the event at the Principe Felipe Auditorium The event was part of The Princess of Asturias Awards, a series of annual prizes awarded by the Princess of Asturias Foundation Letizia shows off her latest hair style. At the event, awards are given to individuals, entities or organisations who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs Letizia clipped her hair to one side with a bejewelled hair clasp and added a touch of elegance with a pair of diamond earrings Previously known as the Prince of Asturias Awards, they were renamed last year to reflect the country's new heir to the Spanish throne, Leonor. While the two young princesses were nowhere to be seen, the family, who are famously close, have made several public outings together in recent months. The couple looked to be enjoying the concert on Tuesday night. The awards were renamed last year to reflect the country's new heir to the Spanish throne, Leonor While the two young princesses were nowhere to be seen, the family, who are famously close, have made several public outings together in recent months Last week they stepped out in force for Spain's National Day in Madrid where they watched some 3,000 troops and Civil Guard officers, plus military vehicles and planes, take part in the parade The hard-working royal also chaired a meeting at CSME (Spain's Mental Health Confederation) earlier this week. The Bedford beauty soared through to the Bake Off final last night Eagle-eyed viewers identified lipstick as from Younique in shade 'Stuck Up' Finalist Candice Brown has divided Great British Bake Off viewers over the course of the series for her dramatic lipstick shades and her pursed pout. But last night, the online abuse she normally receives was replaced with a flurry of posts raving about the 31-year-old brunette beauty's mulberry lip shade - after a big clue was dropped about the brand that the Bedford PE teacher likes to wear. The social media frenzy was sparked by co-host Mel Giedroyc volunteering to reapply Candice's lipstick during last night's semi-final on BBC One. Scroll down for video Great British Bake Off finalist Candice Brown (pictured) was given a helping hand with her lipstick last night form co-presenter Mel Giedroyc Mel kindly re-applied Candice's lipstick after it faded mid-way through the day's challenges Eagle-eyed fans have identified Candice's lipstick as being from the brand Younique The intimate moment between the two women - which left many fans swooning - included a close-up shot of Candice's lipstick, which many eagle-eyed viewers identified as being from US make-up brand Younique. Candice soared through to next week's final last week after a tense semi-final showdown between her and the other three contestants: Andrew Smyth, Jane Beedle and Selasi Gbormittah. But it was the aspiring model's style rather than her baking efforts that really caught the attention of viewers last night. They flocked to Twitter to rave about the teacher's effortless style - and covet her lipstick shade. Is Candice's lipstick from Younique? Viewers certainly think it is - and say it's the shade Modern Opulence - Stuck Up Fans loved it when Mel re-applied Candice's lipstick for her, with Twitter sent into a frenzy Every week the petite beauty has worn a different, bold lipstick shade, and first gained attention with her dark, plum colour in episode one. Her love of lippy hasn't gone unnoticed by the Bake Off team either, it seems, as last night Mel stopped by Candice's bench to rifle through the teacher's notebook. 'Week seven: Mulberry lip,' joked Mel, peering at a page. And after noticing that Candice's lipstick had faded mid-way through the day's challenges, the co-host then kindly offered to re-apply it for her. 'You without lipstick is not right,' she remarked. Candice then pursed her lips into her famous pout to allow Mel to re-apply the shade for her. The moment sent fans on Twitter into meltdown. Mel kindly offered to re-apply Candice's lipstick for her on last night's show, sending fans into meltdown Christine said: 'Mel is putting Candice's lipstick on and omg is this even allowed pre-watershed? *faints* #GBBO.' Catoful boyfriend joked: 'Him: what u thinkin about? 'Me: [very obviously thinking about mel sensually applying candice's lipstick] haha nothing :)).' Lauren Alexis wrote: '"Week 7. Wear mulberry lipstick" I love Candice so so so much can she be my friend #GBBO.' James A was among those swooning and said: '#GBBO Mel applying Candice's lipstick is a highlight of the series for me... Oh right... Cakes 'n stuff...' Jasmine said: 'I'm so down for the Mel x Candice friendship. I mean Mel putting on Candice's lipstick for her? #goals.' Fans raved about the moment that Mel re-applied Candice's lipstick on Twitter, and coveted the brand she was wearing Clo added: 'I wouldn't be so happy seeing Mel reapply Candice's lipstick if I didn't know exactly how much weird men on the internet HATE it #GBBO.' Ayse Merve wrote: 'Selasi doing Mel and Sue's job and then them applying lipstick on Candice #GBBO. Best thing i've seen!' Diana added: 'MEL APPYING LIPSTICK ON CANDICE YES 10/10 CONTENT FROM THE BAKE OFF.' Meanwhile others were obviously under the spell of 'The Candice Effect' as they tweeted about they wanted to replicate her look. Many viewers were under the spell of 'The Candice Effect' as they tweeted about they wanted to replicate her look Kellie Dawson wrote: 'I paused the tv for more time than is normal to try to work out what lipstick brand Candice uses #gbbo.' Rachel added: 'Trying to find out what lipstick Mel just put on Candice #GBBO.' Pipsuxx said: 'Can it really be a coincidence that I have started wearing lipstick at the same time as candice is on the Bake Off?' Her influence is so strong that it even makes Andre want to don make-up. He said: 'Candice makes me want to wear lipstick. #GBBO.' But now for the first time eagle-eyed Bake Off viewers have identified the brand Candice was wearing on the show. They say she was sporting a Younique lipstick in a shade called Modern Opulence - Stuck Up. Eagle-eyed Bake Off viewers have identified the brand Candice was wearing on the show. They say she was sporting a Younique lipstick in a shade called Modern Opulence - Stuck Up Emma Louise wrote: 'Candice rocking her Younique lipstick on bake off #gbbo. Anne Wilson tweeted: 'I knew it......Candice wears Younique lipstick. I've loved her choice of lip colours all series #gbbo.' Yonunique representative Jo's Younique Store said: 'Want Candice lipstick?Convinced it's our brand.' But not everyone was convinced. But Rebekah was convinced the lipstick was actually made by NARS instead of Younique Rebekah Mckenzie wrote: 'So cringe when Younique reps are on Facebook speaking about Candice from the Bake Off wearing their lipstick when it blatantly is NARS...' Candice grew up pulling pints in the pubs her parents ran, and loves vintage clothes and switches between baking in her pyjamas and high heels. She was first inspired to don an apron by her adored late grandmother - and she was brought to tears on the hit show when she showed host Mel Giedroyc a photo of her 'nanny'. Viewers said moment Selasi took over jobs of Mel and Sue was 'prophetic' Next week's final will be last time Mary and comedy duo front main series There was heartbreak last night when tent hunk Selasi Gbormittah crashed out of the competition at the end of the Great British Bake Off semi-final. But fans were equally upset whey they then realised that next week's final marks the last ever episode in which Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins host the main series. All three have bowed out of moving with the show - and judge Paul Hollywood - to Channel 4 in 2018, which will see the programme having a year off in 2017. Fans mourned on Twitter last night after the realisation that next week's final will be the last episode of the Great British Bake Off presented by Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, and Mary Berry The realisation struck a chord with ardent Bake Off fans, who took to Twitter to express their grief. A Mary Berry parody account tweeted: 'When you realise there's only one more episode after this of #GBBO left with Mel and Sue.' And Rachel Jay @therachyjay wrote: 'Saved #GBBO for after the #Debate2016 - so I could have hope again. 'Then remembered next week is the last week for Mary, Mel, & Sue.' There was one hilarious moment from last night's show that was particularly poignant for Bake Off fans mourning the impending loss of three of the show's stars. Fans were distraught last night as they prepared to say farewell to the beloved hosts Mel and Sue, and judge Mary Berry on next week's final Matt Jones was one of many to mourn the impending loss of Mel, Sue and Mary City banker Selasi, 30, took it upon himself to tell his fellow bakers that there were two hours left on their savoury palmiers challenge. The timing updates are normally the job of co-presenters Mel and Sue - and Sue did not take the usurpation of her role lightly. In an strangely prophetic exchange, Sue faked anger as she asked Selasi: 'Are you doing me out of a job mate? This is all I had!' The Ghanaian-born heatthrob, who crashed out of the competition last night, did apologise - but Sue and Mel were having none of it. 'I was like the speaking clock, but with puns,' quipped Sue. Fans reacted to the fact that next week's final will be the last episode in the main series presented by Mel, Sue and Mary And Mel joined in, pointedly asking: 'Do you want us to come and bake for you?' But though the conversation was intended to make audiences laugh, it left a bittersweet taste in some viewers' mouths as Mel and Sue will no longer be presenting the show when it moves to Channel 4. Some even suggested that Selasi was 'auditioning' for their roles. Matt Jones said: 'That bit with Mel, Sue and Selasi made me laugh and then I cried because I realised it will never be better than this again.' Chris Page tweeted: 'Mel and Sue ganging up on Selasi for stealing their job was really funny. Then I remembered someone will be doing their job next year #GBBO.' Of the exchange between Selasi and the presenters, Jessi Hawkins said: 'Oh the irony. I will miss you Mel and Sue.' Fans took to Twitter last night to express their grief at Mel, Sue and Mary leaving the Bake Off when it moves to Channel 4 Laura wrote: 'Sue: "Are you doing me out of a job?".. too soon. #GBBO.' Charina Leigh Cotton commented: 'The irony of Sue & Mel's reaction to Selasi doing the countdown.' And Bloody Foreigner tweeted: 'It's like a premonition. Jono Read posted a gif of a weeping man after writing: 'When Mel and Sue joke about how upset they'd be to lose their job on Bake Off... #GBBO.' A Mary Berry parody account turned poet to tweet: 'Roses are red, Violets are blue, Bake off won't be the same, Without Mel and Sue.' Martha Collison, a GBBO quarter-finalist from 2014, asked: 'Could @selasigb see into the future when he started replacing Mel and Sue?!' And Alison Cleland added: 'Selasi seemed to find out about Mel, Sue and Mary leaving #GBBO early so he's using the semi-finals to practice their jobs.' But before fans get too upset, the foursome will return in two Bake Off Christmas specials later this year before the show's move to Channel 4. They will welcome back four bakers from previous series to create festive bakes. The number of men undergoing vasectomies has fallen by nearly two-thirds in a decade, figures reveal. Experts say the decline is partly down to men having children later in life or leaving their options open in case they have a second marriage. Figures released by NHS Digital show that 11,113 vasectomies were performed in 2014/15, down from 31,216 in 2004/05. The numbers fell by 16 per cent in just the last 12 months of that period in 2013/14, 13,300 were carried out. Family planning specialists say men are becoming reluctant to have surgery that leaves them infertile. Many are not starting families until their late 30s or 40s previously this is when they would have considered a vasectomy. Some men may be putting off the procedure in case they divorce and marry again, and want to have more children. Vasectomies have also fallen victim to NHS rationing and many health trusts are restricting the 400 operation to save money. Furthermore, women are being increasingly encouraged to use long-term contraception such as coils so there is less need. Only last month the NHS watchdog NICE published new guidelines instructing GPs to offer women intrauterine devices because they are so effective. Clare Murphy, of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said there were social trends at play. She added: People are waiting longer to start and finish their families, so men today may be significantly older by the time they start considering the snip. In some areas vasectomies have been rationed to try to save money, even though in the longer term this is an extremely cost-effective option. Jamie Oliver recently spoke of how he had been banned from having a vasectomy by his wife Jools, who wanted more children. The couple, who are both 41, had a fifth baby in August. Vasectomies take around 15 minutes and are performed under local anaesthetic often at GP surgeries. But they arent completely effective and one man out of 2,000 will still be able to get his partner pregnant. The clinics were set up to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate and offer free condoms, the morning-after pill and testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Nakita Halil, chief executive of the Family Planning Association charity, said clinics were being closed due to local authority funding cuts. Over the last year, we have continued to hear examples of services being closed, moved or restricted and we know the pressure local authorities are under to make ends meet in their public health budget, she said. Edward Crook says he has been left disfigured after surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his face A pensioner left disfigured by an operation to remove a cancerous growth says he has been waiting for eight years for doctors to fix a massive hole in his face. Edward Crook, 71, had a sore on his top lip which kept getting 'bigger and bigger' before tests later discovered it was cancer. The retired engineer had surgery in 2008 to remove the sore, and was told a small piece of his shoulder would be taken to replace what was cut away. He said he was told he would spend just ten days in hospital - but awoke from a coma two-and-a-half months after going under the knife to find surgeons had removed almost half of his face. He had no nose and part of his mouth and most of the muscles in his shoulder were also removed in a life-saving operation. Mr Crook, from Bolton, claims he has not been offered reconstructive surgery since the initial operation - something which Manchester Royal Infirmary strongly denies. He described how he was expecting a minor operation to remove the growth. 'It was just a sore on my upper lip, under my nose, but it kept getting bigger and bigger,' he said. 'It was more than two years before my doctor sent me to see a specialist. He did a biopsy on me, found out I had cancer. 'When I saw the surgeon, they said they would just remove my sore and take no more than two square inches from my shoulder to put on my nose. 'He asked me which shoulder I wanted to take it from and I said my left so that I could still lift my fishing gear. 'Then I wake up from a coma two-and-a-half months later and half of me face is gone. 'I was never told why they did it either - they just said it was necessary. I have spoken to a lot of people who said they shouldn't have done it.' Mr Crook, a bachelor, said the surgery has left him disabled and he is now barely able to leave his home because of the cruel comments he receives. He said that despite his pleas for reconstructive surgery, he has not been referred for one. 'I can't do anything, it has totally ruined my life,' he said. 'I get comments from people all the time, I don't really want to go out.' He had no nose and part of his mouth and most of the muscles in his shoulder were also removed but claims he has not been referred for reconstructive surgery He said the surgeons told his family they had to put him in a coma to keep him calm while they took away most of his face. But he claims doctors have never explained why they carried out the procedure. Mr Crook said he used to love playing darts and going fishing but now he is afraid to leave his house due to cruel comments and stares he gets when he goes out. 'I get nasty comments all the time - I go out with a big plaster and people who are driving slow down and stare at me. 'People say all sorts of stupid comments to me and it's really upsetting.' Mr Crook said he has tried to seek legal advice but was 'messed around for three years' and told he didn't have a case. Mr Crook is now cared for by his nephew John and says the surgery, eight years ago to remove a cancerous lump, has ruined his life He said he now wants to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else. 'I had a solicitor and for three years they told me we would be going to court and all that but when it came down to it they said ''I'm sorry, you've not got a case''. 'I've tried to speak to other solicitors but they said because it has been three years they can't do anything legally. 'We went to Manchester to see a dental surgeon. He said he had contacted Liverpool Hospital for us and we should wait to hear him from them about reconstructive surgery within a month. 'We waited months and months and never heard anything. So we rang Liverpool but they said they hadn't heard anything about it. 'I have got a statement that was written by two district nurses to see if they could get me some extra money to help with my travel costs because I am now disabled. 'I can only eat processed food and I can't walk very far without having to stop. 'I used to play darts and make a bit of money out of it too but I can't do that any more because of the muscle they took from my shoulders. 'I can't do anything, they have totally ruined my life.' A spokesperson for Manchester Royal Infirmary denied Mr Crook had not been offered follow-up surgery. 'Mr Crook underwent a complex life-saving surgical procedure at the Manchester Royal Infirmary in 2008 and we were pleased that he survived the surgery which was successful. 'Unfortunately a complication precluded the planned reconstructive surgery. LATEST ON ZIKA: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS HOW DO PEOPLE GET IT? MOSQUITO BITES Zika is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It is the same type that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are found in all countries in the Americas except Canada and continental Chile. Zika will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found. SEX The virus can also be transmitted through sex, from either a male or female partner who has been infected. BLOOD TRANSFUSION A few cases of apparent infection via blood transfusion have been reported. PREGNANCY A mother can pass the virus to her unborn fetus. Current research indicates the greatest microcephaly risk is associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy, but health officials have warned an impact could be seen in later weeks. Recent studies have shown evidence of Zika in amniotic fluid, placenta and fetal brain tissue. HOW DO YOU TREAT ZIKA? There is no treatment or vaccine for Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika. However, a preventative shot is not expected to be ready for widespread use for at least two or three years. WHAT ARE THE DANGERS? BIRTH DEFECTS Microcephaly The CDC concluded that infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women is a cause of the birth defect microcephaly. Microcephaly is a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems, and other severe brain abnormalities in babies. The CDC said that since the causal relationship had been established, several important questions must still be answered with studies that could take years. The World Health Organization in an updated assessment said the 'most likely explanation' is that Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities including microcephaly. Brazil recently reported 1,949 confirmed cases of microcephaly believed to be linked to Zika infections in pregnant women. It is investigating more than 3,030 suspected cases of microcephaly. Guillain-Barre syndrome The WHO also updated its guidelines to say the infection is a trigger of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis. Its previous statement, based on a rapid assessment of evidence, said there was strong scientific consensus that Zika virus caused GBS, microcephaly and other neurological disorders. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? People infected with Zika may have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue that can last for two to seven days. But as many as 80 per cent of people infected never develop symptoms. HOW CAN ZIKA BE CONTAINED? Efforts to control the spread of the virus focus on eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets. U.S. and international health officials have advised pregnant women to avoid travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries, sections of Miami, Florida in the United States and Singapore where they may be exposed to Zika. They are also advising that men and women who have traveled to Zika outbreak areas use condoms or abstain from sex for six months to prevent sexual transmission of the virus. HOW WIDESPREAD IS THE OUTBREAK? Active Zika outbreaks have been reported in at least 59 countries or territories, most of them in the Americas, according to the CDC. Brazil has been the country most affected. Africa: 1 country Cape Verde Americas: 49 countries Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saba, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelmy, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Eustatius, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela. Asia: 1 country Singapore Oceania/Pacific Islands: 8 countries American Samoa, Fiji, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga. HISTORY OF ZIKA The Zika virus is found in tropical locales with large mosquito populations. Outbreaks of Zika have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia and the Western Pacific. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys and was first identified in people in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the WHO. ANY OTHER ZIKA-RELATED COMPLICATIONS? Zika has also been associated with other neurological disorders, including serious brain and spinal cord infections. The long-term health consequences of Zika infection are unclear. Lawmakers have slammed a pharmaceutical company for raising the price of a crucial leukemia drug by 40 per cent in less than a year. Bernie Sanders is leading the interrogation into ARIAD Pharmaceuticals in the latest battle between government and big pharma firms. ARIAD produces Iclusig, which is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia in some patients. The company has subtly bumped the price of the drug by at least 8 per cent every quarter - amounting to a 39 per cent increase. Now it costs $200,000 a year - up $80,000 in just a few years. Scroll down for video ARIAD produces Iclusig, which is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia in some patients. The firm has bumped the price of the drug every quarter - amounting to a 39 per cent increase WHAT IS ICLUSIG? THE DRUG Iclusig is the trade name for a drug called ponatinib. It targets an abnormal protein which prevents the body from regulating white blood cells. WHO TAKES IT Some patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia use the drug in combination with others. But for people with chronic myeloid leukemia, this is one of the most crucial forms of medication. The majority of chronic myeloid leukemia sufferers (95 per cent) have a genetic abnormality that means their body produces the abnormal protein BCR-ABL. As a result, their body cannot regulate the production of white blood cells. Advertisement The latest hike, announced this month, has been met with outraged cries from patients. It comes on the heels of two major controversies - when disgraced Turig CEO Martin Shkreli increased the price of life-saving drug Daraprim, and when drugmaker Mylan recently hiked the price of the EpiPen. Sen Bernie Sanders claims ARIAD's price hike is in the same league - and has written to the firm with Rep Elijah Cummings, D-Md, for an explanation. 'These outrageous sales tactics indicate that ARIAD is more concerned with its profit than with its patients,' Sanders and Cummings wrote. Sanders also tweeted about the company last week: 'Drug corporations' greed is unbelievable. Ariad has raised the price of a leukemia drug to almost $199,000 a year.' According to data from Truven Health Analytics, the list price for a year's supply of Iclusig tablets has increased from $114,960 in 2012 to $198,732 in October 2016. Sanders and Cummings also said they are investigating whether the company tried to boost profits by tweaking pill dosages and quantities to charge insurers and patients more for less medicine. The FDA approved Iclusig in 2012 as a treatment for two rare types of leukemia, but the company suspended sales the next October because of heightened concerns that patients could suffer from life-threatening blood clots. In December 2013, it relaunched with added warnings and to a smaller subset of patients. The inquiry comes as other pharmaceutical companies have come under fire from Congress for price hikes. Martin Shkreli, the brash former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, became the poster child of pharmaceutical-industry greed last fall for hiking the price of a life-saving drug, Daraprim, by more than 5,000 percent. Iclusig now costs $200,000 a year - up $80,000 in just a few years He invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer any questions at a House hearing earlier this year. In September, a House panel grilled Mylan CEO Heather Bresch after the list price of the company's life-saving EpiPens grew to $608 for a two-pack, an increase of more than 500 percent since 2007. Mylan is paying $465 million to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicaid for the EpiPen. A desperate Pakistani family anxiously awaiting a U.S. visa for their ailing little girl is running out of time. Maria is just six years old but a rare genetic disease has left her frail body wracked with pain and stunted her growth. Soon she will be unable to walk because her vertebrae are compressing her spinal cord. A U.S. hospital has offered to perform a surgery for free that could significantly improve Maria's quality of her life. But the American Embassy in Islamabad has so far twice refused to give the family visas to travel to the United States, said the girl's father, Shahid Ullah. Desperate: Maria (center) is suffering from MPS, a rare genetics disorder. The six-year-old, pictured at home in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, has been offered surgery in the US to repair her spine to avoid potentially life-threatening complications that could arise from the disease WHAT IS MARIA'S DISEASE? Morquio A is a rare genetic disease that targets the major organs. It's technical name is mucopolysaccharidosis type IV - also referred to as MPS IV or simply MPS. Sufferers lack sufficient amounts of an enzyme called GALNS. It means they cannot break down wasteful molecules in the body, which gather and clot in tissues, organs and bones. This can lead to scores of debilitating and life-threatening health issues, including heart disease, blindness, hearing loss, and bone deformities. Advertisement Speaking to The Associated Press by phone from Rawalpindi in Pakistan, Ullah said he was told it will 'take time' when he submitted a visa application again. Frustrated and frightened, Ullah has now turned to an American lawyer, Facebook and the media for help, starting a campaign he says could be his daughter's last resort. The surgery in the U.S. has been scheduled for November 2 and Ullah is pleading with anyone who will listen that Maria's 'case is different'. 'If we delay Maria's surgery, there will be too many problems,' said Ullah, who runs a small store selling blankets in the town of Rawalpindi, near the capital of Islamabad. Maria has to be in the United States by next Wednesday for pre-surgery tests, he insists. Ullah said he embarked on the tortuous quest to find help for Maria nearly four years ago, researching her condition, sending her blood and urine samples to laboratories in India and Germany, connected with families of children with the same disorder, known as Morquio Syndrome. Through the internet, he tracked down doctors with expertise in Maria's condition and families with children who suffer from the same disease from countries as far as Chile, Britain and America steered him to the Nemours/Alfred I DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. 'From all over the world parents with children with the same disease helped me, they were so kind,' he said. Families with children like Maria also rallied behind Ullah and began crowd funding on Facebook. Another family of a child with MPS, based in Spain, has created this GoFundMe page to help the family raise the $100,000 required for the surgery. The page's creator, Titti Smeby, writes: 'I have lived with this diagnosis for almost one year now and during these months I have learned to know a lot of lovely people around the world in the same situation. 'Each and every one of them have their unique story, and each story is heartbreaking. 'But there is one story that have affected me a lot more than others. Its the story of the sweet Maria.' She explains that Maria is the only MPS-infected child she has come across with so few options to improve her quality of life. Her page implores internet users to donate money. Soon Maria will be unable to walk because her vertebrae are compressing her spinal cord Frustrated and frightened, Ullah has now turned to an American lawyer, Facebook and the media for help, starting a campaign he says could be his daughter's last resort And now they wait for a visa. In previous attempts to get a U.S. visa, when Ullah applied for the entire family, he was told U.S. authorities feared they would not return to Pakistan. But this time he insists he only applied for a visa for Maria, himself and his wife. He plans to leave his other two children, a seven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old boy, behind with relatives during their stay in America, which is expected to take five months. 'I don't know what to do . . . who should I contact,' he says. 'Maria is in a lot of pain now ... she can no longer hold a pencil or a pen.' U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Fleur S. Cowan declined to comment on Maria's case, citing privacy laws, but said she would look into the matter. In Washington, the State Departments said visa records are confidential under U.S. law and that it could not 'comment on the specifics of an individual visa case.' Maria's father Ullah tracked down doctors with expertise in Maria's condition and families with children who suffer from the same disease from countries as far as Chile, Britain and America, who steered them to the Nemours/Alfred I DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington The Delaware hospital first reduced the cost of the $100,000 surgery to $82,000, Ullah said, but when it was clear he could not afford it, the Nemours Foundation said it would cover the full cost of the procedure. 'The hope is to do the surgery for the child . . . without any cost to the family,' said Chris Manning, who is with the Nemours Children's Health System public relations department, adding that the hospital has done multiple surgeries such as the one required for Maria. He added that the hospital also sent documentation to the embassy in Pakistan to facilitate Ullah's visa application. Melissa Harms, a California lawyer, offered to help pro bono when she heard of Maria's troubles from a client whose child has the same disorder. 'I was appalled,' she said. In an email to The Associated Press Harms said that housing for the family in the U.S. has been arranged and 'the airline tickets have been donated.' A heartbreaking video has captured the moment a dog, who was days away from death after maggots ravaged his ear, realised he was being rescued. Street dog Dylan was saved by Indian charity Animal Aid Unlimited after a family in Rajasthan found him curled up in their bathroom waiting to die as the flesh eating parasites started to make their way towards his brain. Despite the agony caused by the flystrike on his right ear, the video shows how the helpless hound still found the strength to wag his tail as his rescuers arrived. Scroll down for video The helpless dog is found curled up in a bathroom in Rajasthan as he prepares to die, but still manages to wag his tail when help arrives After being led out of the dingy toilet, he is then fed biscuits as he continues to wag his tail The tan-coloured dog even sat up as his saviours entered the dingy bathroom where he had hidden, preparing to succumb to his appalling injuries. Once he has been led out of the toilet, he continues to wag his tail and licks his lips as he's stroked and fed biscuits, before being wrapped up in a blanket and carried to the animal ambulance waiting outside. The dog is then seen standing on the veterinary table back at Animal Aid Unlimited's treatment centre as the team assess his injuries, before trustingly letting them roll him onto his side to treat him. Seemingly aware he is being rescued, the dog even allows the Animal Aid Unlimited workers to stroke him - despite being in obvious agony He is then wrapped up in a blanket and scooped up into the arms of one of his saviours, before being put into the animal ambulance waiting outside Once at Animal Aid Unlimited's treatment centre, he's placed on a veterinary table and willingly rolled over on his side as they prepare to operate on him After sedating Dylan, an Animal Aid Unlimited worker is seen cleaning up his bloodied wound, shaving the fur around it and then cutting away what remained of his necrotic ear. His rescuers then drain his ear canal with a syringe before bandaging him up. The next clip then shows a far happier Dylan recovering from his terrible ordeal, wagging his tail frantically and affectionately licking Animal Aid Unlimited workers at the charity's sanctuary in Udaipur. First they clean his wound and then shave away the fur around his necrotic ear They then give him a thorough wash to rid Dylan of any remains of the maggots which nearly killed him What remains of his mangled ear is then cut away and the helpless hound is bandaged up A spokesperson for Animal Aid Unlimited said: "We cannot imagine the excruciating agony this gracious old street dog was in when his ear was shredded and devoured by maggots. "When we arrived at the house where he had taken shelter in a bathroom, we found a dog hiding as they will often do when they think theyre going to die. "His reaction to seeing his rescuers was amazing." Things couldn't look more different for Dylan in the next clip, when he is seen enjoying plenty of TLC from Animal Aid workers The affectionate hound shows his appreciation by giving one of his rescuers a lick on the face And, as ever, his tail doesn't stop wagging as he enjoys life at Animal Aid's Udaipur sanctuary "Dylan wouldnt have had a chance without the help of so many kind souls who support our rescues." Animal Aid Unlimited - set up by Erika, Jim and Claire Abrams-Myers 15 years ago after the family relocated to India from Seattle - rescues thousands of animals from India's streets every year. Israel is the next big destination for haute Indian cuisine. It started with an Israeli food critic having a meal at the Indian Accent a couple of years ago. He came in unannounced and unrecognised, had his meal, and went home to write a grand piece on how Indian cuisine had come of age - and how different it was from what's served by Indian restaurants in Israel. Indian Accent's guardian angel, the celebrated chef Manish Mehrotra, didn't even know that he had become a star in Israel - because the critic writes for the country's main Hebrew newspaper - until his restaurant started getting a steady trickle of Israeli tourists who knew exactly what to order and how to eat the food. Manish Mehrotra introduces his Israeli counterpart, Ben Neriah (centre) of Tel Aviv's top-rated restaurant, Taizu, to freshly plucked green chillies in the Indian Accent kitchen Curious, Mehrotra asked them how they had came to know about him and that's when he learnt about the impact the critic had had. Before Indian food became the rage in Israel, Ben Neriah, a young chef (then only 27) in Tel Aviv, which is the country's nightlife capital as well, set off on a four-month tour across India, China, Thailand and Vietnam to discover the flavours of Asia to define the menu of the restaurant that he had planned to open. Having worked in the kitchens of iconic establishments like Arzac (San Sebastian, Spain) and Le Bernadin (New York City), the chef knew all about Michelin star dining, but he was driven by the idea of developing an 'Asiaterranean' cuisine -Asian food with Mediterranean touches. His dream translated into the restaurant named Taizu. Manish Mehrotra had Israeli tourists flocking to his restaurant Indian Accent after an acclaimed food critic sang his praises in a review TimeOut magazine named it Israels best new restaurant and not long after, Neriah was honoured as best chef of the year (a hat he has now worn for three years in a row). Needless to say, Neriah is quite a celebrity in his country and, interestingly, the top-selling items on his menu are butter chicken and beef vindaloo presented in the Asiaterranean style. On Sundays, Taizu's menu is 100 per cent Indian (there's even Indian music -Bollywood numbers - accompanying it) and it ensures that the restaurant gets sold out. Neriah says its the result of the review of Indian Accent by that influential critic. He recently opened an Indian Accent restaurant in New York adventure with residents of the Big Apple set to enjoy his famous galawat kebab Indian cuisine today is widely discussed in Israel today. People can't seem to have enough of it, he said to me in an interview during his recent visit to India. Many new Indian restaurants have also come up, he added. Neriah had come here for what he said was a dream project - an opportunity to understand Modern Indian Cuisine with Mehrotra. I couldn't miss the chance of working with a chef of his calibre, Neriah said. From November 8 to 12, Mehrotra will be at Taizu, working at its kitchen, to present his interpretation of Indian cuisine to Israeli diners. Mehrotra is now set to work with Taizu to present his interpretation of Indian cuisine to Israeli diners He is one of 13 top chefs from around the world who will be in Israel next month for an annual dining event called the Round Tables by American Express. For Mehrotra, it will be his first visit to Israel, but his $90-per-head dinners (without alcohol) are all sold out. I was really excited when I first heard I had to go to Israel, Mehrotra said. He's going with a big bag full of ingredients such as jaggery (gur), amchoor (made from whole and dried green mangoes), different kinds of papad and mustard oil, which is one ingredient that Indian chefs miss when they are abroad because of the rich flavour it lends to food. Mehrotra uses mustard oil to make his favourite dishes such as Kashmiri haak with lobster (turnips, or gogji as the Kashmiris would call it, will replace the crustacean for those who consider lobster to be not kosher). In the hands of a master, Indian cuisine acquires the kind of variety and depth it needs to court the international palate without losing its authenticity. The shape of the next generation of cocktails to come I met Andrea Fidora, Beverage Innovations Director at Monin - the world's biggest supplier of bar mixes - at a national bartending competition organised by his company in association with Tulleeho.com, the country's oldest online portal dedicated to alcoholic beverages. Fidora, who's based in Dubai, had just been to Iran and he had a lot of interesting things to say, but he got my attention with his elucidation of reigning cocktail trends because it was interspersed with insights into how we consume our social media. "We live in a visual world," he said, and added that there can't be a better time than now to become a bartender. Cocktails radiate colour, which makes them highly Instagrammable. Monin's Andrea Fidora serves age-old gin and tonic in a transparent plastic wrap with a straw The Instagram generation, he said, relates with all things good-looking and loves to interacts with them. The medium, moreover, offers millions of dollars of free advertising to people who can use it to their advantage. Cocktails today, Fidora said, must look good, taste good and be perceived as being good for the body. Globally, therefore, we are experimenting with beer and wine cocktails to bring down the percentage of alcohol. They are cutting down on sugar by using vegetable juices, exotic ingredients such as yuzu and fresh galangal juice, and replacing commercial colas with homemade soda pops. Fidora, for instance, mixes plain soda water with an infusion of caskara, the bitter-sweet skin of coffee beans, white peach syrup and fresh lemon juice. The result is a refreshing summery mocktail. No bartender wishes to be held back from bringing a touch of drama to the bar. Fidora is no exception. He wowed us with two absolutely innovative cocktails. One was the Aquarium Gin and Tonic, which is a sexed-up G&T served with lots of ice and straws in plastic foil. The other was the Popcorn Espresso Martini, which is served in a plastic bottle resting in a bowl of caramelised popcorn. Its ingredients are rum, popcorn syrup, cream, one shot of espresso, chocolate bitters and a spray of truffle oil. The world of cocktails is getting headier. Gentrifying chicken rice is a fine art Hainanese Chicken Rice served in Fullerton Hotelstyle by visiting chef Richard Ng The simplicity of Hainanese Chicken Rice is as beguiling as the umami bomb that gets released in your mouth the moment you have your first spoonful. It extracts so much flavour from a chicken that you wonder why the bird got a bad name in the first place. And you'd ask why a chef needs to tweak it when it is perfect in itself, until you've had Richard Ng's Chicken Two Ways. The Executive Sous Chef of The Fullerton Hotel (400 rooms and six restaurants) was in Gurgaon - at The Leela Ambience - for a Singapore food promotion and he presented this dish at a wine dinner hosted by the hotel's general manager. It is called Chicken Two Ways because it combines a creative presentation of the Hainanese Chicken Rice - it's actually a chicken ballotine stuffed with fragrant rice - and a speciality of the Teochew Diaspora - deepfried chicken leg with feet intact, braised in soy sauce for an hour and then softened sous vide style in vacuum packs (the Teochew people, who are origninally from the southern Guangdong province, are famous for their chicken feet preparation). Months ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and 11 of his top fellow ministers met 35 IAS officers from the UP cadre. The opposition was quick to accuse the BJP of attempting to influence bureaucracy before the polls - and called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take note. Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi said: 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. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his cabinet colleagues met 35 IAS officers from UP in Delhi AIMIM Chief Asauddin Owaisi also tweeted following yesterday's meeting: Hope eci [ECI] will take note. Justifying the meeting, Union minister of state for health and family welfare Anupriya Patel said: Uttar Pradesh is one of the biggest states. It is important that the Central government takes initiative like this. The opposition tries to see politics in everything. It need not been seen through the prism of politics alone. When asked as to why only UP cadre officers were chosen, Patel defended the government saying: We will meet other cadres as well, but in the right time. Union ministers have been slammed for meeting with the UP cadre with polls in the state looming 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 at the interaction. According to a source present at the meeting, Rajnath Singh reportedly gave a pep talk addressing the officers. Singh said: Most valuable thing you have is your reputation. Dont think if you go to place A from place B, people in place A won't know what you did in place B. Union minister of state for health and family welfare Anupriya Patel defended the meeting, which was criticised by opponents including AIMIM Chief Asauddin Owaisi Parrikar said an IAS officer being the steward of the administration in the district should always consider the interests of poor people. He asked the officers to show sensitivity to the issues of the armed forces personnel and ex-servicemen. However, the opposition leaders questioned the timing of the interaction as several young IAS officers would serve as the returning officers during the elections. Dear Readers, Just to let you know that you are welcome to Comment on the entries. Please save this blog site in your Favorite Place so you can find it easily. Travels (and more) has over 21,000 hits/month and I'm grateful to the many Readers who visit this blog regularly. Thank you, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard Buy swadeshi this Diwali to get a bang for your buck. That appears to be the message from an RSS affiliate, which has dedicated its annual India-only products fair in the capital to the boycott of all foreign goods, mostly from China. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the economic wing of the Sangh Parivar that seeks to promote indigenous industries and culture, says that the country needs to protect its identity and products against an invasion of merchandise from overseas. The development comes days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged citizens to abandon the tendency of buying goods, including foreign-made statues of Indian gods and goddesses, simply because they are cheaper. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) called on people to favour homegrown products This mela is to encourage the spirit of self-reliance and swadeshi, said Ashwani Mahajan, national convenor of SJM. Apart from providing an opportunity to craftsmen, these events also bring to consumers things that are not readily available in the market. "We are trying to provide an alternative to foreign products that have crept into our lives, especially Chinese ones. The development comes days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged citizens to abandon the tendency of buying goods from abroad SJM activists also burnt the effigies of Madhya Pradesh ministers on Wednesday to protest invitations to Chinese companies for the Global Investors Summit to be held in the BJP-ruled state this week. Analysts see this as a reaction to Beijings overt support to Islamabad amid flaring tensions between India and Pakistan following the Uri attack. Perhaps for the first time after independence, a certain consensus has arisen among people against Chinese products owing to its anti-India stand on various issues and this is going to add to the zeal against buying Chinese goods despite cheaper prices, Mahajan said. The SJM has been extremely categorical in its hostility towards foreign products and the ill-effects of globalisation on Indian manufactures and artisans, so much so that it has come into conflict with the BJP government at the Centre on many occasions. The fair is witnessing participation from 15 states, and more than 100 stalls have been put up. It is also focusing on marketing products centred around the cow. US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump continued his week appealing to the hearts and minds of impartial South Asians when he spoke to an Indian newspaper and promised to to ease tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India over ongoing unrest in Kashmir, which they both claim as their own. The news comes hot on the heels of last week's 'Hindus For Trump' event held at the Edison in New Jersey where 5,000 US-Indians people gathered for what was billed as a 'charity event' to raise money for the victims of terrorism in India. Highlights of the event included a 'Bollywood style' Michael Jackson impersonator, Trump confusing India with the nonexistent place, 'Hindu', and a stage play depicting the real threat Indians face on daily basis of incoming attacks from jihadists wielding green 'lightsaber' guns. The 'Hindus For Trump' event held at the Edison in New Jersey roused the support of 5,000 US-Indians However, in an interview with Indian newspaper Hindustan Times, Trump has now claimed that he would be more than happy to mediate peace between Pakistan and India. "Well, I would love to see Pakistan and India get along, because that's a very, very hot tinderbox.... That would be a very great thing. I hope they can do it," Trump said. Islamabad said it did not comment on media reports usually but in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria told a weekly briefing. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the Republican Hindu Coalition's Humanity United Against Terror Charity event Navy Seals get the Bollywood treatment saving innocent Indians from the threat of jihadists with green lightsaber guns "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," Zakaria said. The comment was a change of tack after Pakistan's interior minister launched a blistering attack on Trump's "ignorance" in May after the billionaire vowed that if he won office he would free a doctor jailed in 2011 after helping track down Osama bin Laden. Trump was being criticised in the US Thursday after he turned his final presidential debate appearance into an unprecedented assault on US political convention by refusing to say that he would respect a Hillary Clinton victory in November. Dancers at the charity event hosted by the Republican Hindu Coalition Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. India rejects any third party mediation and the rivals have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir. Tensions have soared in recent weeks as India blamed Pakistan for a raid on an army base in Indian Kashmir on September 18, which saw New Delhi respond with what it called "surgical strikes" across the border, infuriating Islamabad. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged BRICS leaders Sunday to take a strong united stand against the "mothership of terrorism" in the South Asian region, in a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan. Trump: Great for India? Sonia and Hillary: Demons? It's nearly been a week since she last heard her sons voice. Fatima Nafees, the mother of 27-year-old Najeeb Ahmed who went missing from Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University after a scuffle with some fellow students has sent a message to authorities: "Expel him if he is found guilty, but bring him back". Fatima has been waiting outside JNUs administrative block, her eyes searching for that familiar face. The mother of a missing JNU student has appealed to authorities to find her son even if they expel him. Najeeb Ahmed went missing after an alleged incident with a rival student body. Najeeb, a student of the School of Biotechnology, was staying in the Mahi hostel in the JNU campus. The Left-linked All India Students Association has alleged that he was beaten up by activists of the ABVP, which is linked to the ruling BJP. "My son called me the night he was hit by other students. And then he called me the next day at 11 am while he was on his way to get his medical test done. He told me that doctors refused to do his medical check-up as there was no FIR. I am waiting for you amma were the last words I heard from him, the distraught mother said. Najeeb Ahmed is a student of the School of Biotechnology, and was staying in the Mahi hostel in the JNU campus Following instructions from home minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Police formed a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the case amid growing anger among students over investigators failure to trace Najeeb and the allegedly sloppy manner in which the administration has dealt with the issue. The universitys vice-chancellor and some other officials were held up for over 20 hours by hundreds of protesting students demanding stronger efforts to track down the missing man. "My son is being implicated, accuses Fatima. "He is a peace-loving person. He was living in a dormitory for a month and shared space with so many people, yet no complaint was ever made against him. "He was away from politics and is a broad-minded person. Allegations that he was mentally ill and taking medicine are baseless. "He is so naive that whenever he wanted to withdraw cash from the ATM, he used to seek my permission". Classes have been disrupted for days over the protests at the university, which has seen demonstrations and clashes this year after authorities slapped sedition charges on some students who allegedly organised an event commemorating Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Najeebs mother said she wants her son back even as she alleged that the administration has been insensitive towards her. "The administration did not inform us about him going missing. I came and approached the police myself. We forced our way into the V-C's office where he just told us that he is trying his best. Classes have been disrupted for days over the protests at the university, which has seen demonstrations authorities slapped sedition charges on some students who allegedly organised an event commemorating Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru "He has been so insensitive towards us". Najeeb's sister Sadaf Musharraf, a teacher at a Delhi government school, said she got a call from the police station that a body has been found and the family should to come to identify it. "Fortunately it was not Najeeb. The Rector told me that he is not responsible for whatever happens somewhere else and said that he will see me in the court", she said. While tensions mounted on the campus, the confinement of officials attracted criticism from various quarters, including the JNU teachers association, which has been supportive of the students union over past issues raised by them. "Howsoever peaceful the confinement is, it is wrong, JNUTA president Ajay Patnaik said. Protesters found themselves divided on the sudden change in the method of demonstration. Various student groups such as the DSU, BAPSA Collective and CAFAU have now decided to carry out the campaign in their own way after terming the calling off of the blockade a betrayal on the part of the JNU student body. A protest march was carried out on campus at 9.30am to ascertain how many students wanted to participate in the campaign without any support from the student body. "It was unanimously decided to block the V-C and not let the academic council meeting take place. "The sudden change in the plan was not communicated to the common students, said Anubhuti, of the Campaign Against Fascist Attack on University. JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar fights through protesters on the JNU campus The students groups had a separate meeting to discuss the future course of action even as the blame game between the Left-affiliated groups and right-wing ABVP continued. JNU students union president Mohit Pandey said, "He has gone missing after the scuffle with ABVP members. They definitely know about his whereabouts". Alok Singh, president of JNU's ABVP unit, said, "From the beginning of the issue, they have been claiming that ABVP has a role in this. The Narendra Modi government is planning to spruce up parts of the Ramayana and Krishna tourism circuits in Uttar Pradesh, a move that is expected to become a political talking point ahead of next years elections in the state. Political observers say the BJP is eyeing the devotee vote bank in UP. The ministry of tourism (MoT) had approved the Krishna and Ramayana Circuits under its Swadesh Darshan scheme in July. The development is likely to spark controversy against the backdrop of the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid dispute, a divisive issue that has dragged on in courts for decades but retains powerful political leverage. The Modi government is planning to spruce up parts of the Ramayana and Krishna tourism circuits in UP, ahead of next years elections in the state Hard-line Hindu groups and some BJP leaders are pushing for a temple to be built at the site where activists razed the 16th century mosque in 1992. This week, Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma visited the proposed site in Ayodhya for setting up a Ramayana museum, which analysts see an attempt to keep pro-Hindutva elements in good humour. The museum will be part of the Ramayana circuit for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs 225 crore, with Rs 151 crore exclusively for Ayodhya. Sources say a dozen destinations spread across five states have been proposed under the Krishna circuit, with five of them in UP. They are Mathura-Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul, Nandgaon and Govardhan. For the Ramayana circuit, the ministry shortlisted four tourist spots in UP - Ayodhya, Shringhverpur, Nandigram and Chitrakoot. These tourist circuits are set to be developed on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner, tourism ministry officials said. The government will develop massive tourism infrastructure facilities around these destinations. The Centre will spend about Rs 250 crore on the Ramayana circuit in and around Ayodhya while it has already approved a fund of Rs 195 crore for the Krishna circuit. These are Hindu-dominated belts where promotion of pilgrimage tourism will play a key role for the BJP in its performance in the polls as it looks to ride on the religious sentiments of Ramayana and Mahabharata. "As far as I know, no previous government had even thought of promoting pilgrimage tourism in India," Anant Virya Dasa, caretaker of Vrindavan Chandrodaya temple, told Mail Today. "It is good that the government at the Centre has launched a scheme and people are happy. "Obviously, the BJP will be at an advantage in all these Hindu-dominated belts". Dasa said there is no politics involved, but people in large parts of UP (especially in the national capital region) have welcomed the drive. When asked, the state BJP leadership in UP, however, refused to comment on the issue. The development is likely to spark controversy against the backdrop of the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid dispute, a divisive issue that has dragged on in courts for decades but retains powerful political leverage The Union tourism ministry had launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15 to develop theme-based tourist circuits in the country. Under this programme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development. These are the Buddhist Circuit, North-East India Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit. The government's decision to limit tax relief on buy-to-let will force 440,000 of Britain's landlords into a higher income tax bracket, research claims. Landlords may have to hike rents or sell to shore up their finances, as while currently they can offset their mortgage interest against income tax, from April 2017 they will see this benefit cut and eventually replaced by a 20 per cent tax credit. The switch will also fundamentally change the way that landlords deal with their finances: instead of paying tax on just their profit, after 2020 they will have to pay tax on their rental revenue. The addition of this rental revenue to their normal income before their tax rate is calculated will push hundreds of thousands of people into a higher tax bracket. Two thirds of landlords have said they will have to put up rents to cope with the costs The forthcoming buy-to-let tax changes have led the National Landlord's Association to claim that 440,000 basic rate tax-paying landlords will find themselves in the higher rate tax bracket in future. Mortgage broker London and Country gives an example of a basic rate taxpayer with a property let out for 15,000 per year on an interest-only mortgage costing 10,800 per year. Under the current system, their rental income is judged to be 4,200 because they are able to deduct that mortgage interest before declaring their taxable income. From April 2017 the same landlord will be judged to have income from the property of 15,000. If that buy-to-let landlord had a job with a salary of 35,000, under the current system they would remain a basic rate taxpayer with total income of 39,200, but under the new system they would be a higher rate taxpayer judged to have total income of 50,000. As a direct result of the changes, 22 per cent of landlords questioned by the National Landlord Association, said they would be personally pushed into a higher tax bracket. A further 15 per cent of landlords had failed to work out what the financial impact of these changes would be on their own finances. The amount by which landlords will be affected will depend on their personal circumstances, including whether or not they generate income from any other sources. Richard Lambert, chief executive at the NLA, said: 'When the Government announced these changes last year, it claimed they would only hit a small proportion of higher-rate tax payers. We now know that is complete tosh.' Lambert said he hoped the Government would consider applying the rules only to new buy-to-let loans, approved after April 2017. 'Unless this happens, landlords will face an impossible decision of whether to increase rents and cause misery for their tenants, or to sell-up, and force their tenants to find a new home,' he said. Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond has agreed the National Landlord Association can meet the Treasury to discuss their concerns In theory, basic rate taxpaying landlord will not find their tax bills rise thanks to the new 20 per cent tax credit against mortgage interest, however, those who pay higher rate tax will see returns eaten into as they lose 40 per cent tax relief. Separate research from the Residential Landlords Association, published earlier this month, struck a similar chord to the NLA. Around two-thirds of its members said they are set to put up rents to cope with the cost of the changes. A third said they'll hike annual rents by around 300 next year. A further third said the rise would be closed to 600 and 7 per cent plan to charge an extra 1,200. Earlier this month a legal challenge to the impending tax changes, led by Cherie Blair, CBE and QC of Omnia Strategy LLP, failed. IRISH PRECEDENT SPARKS HOPE FOR UK LANDLORDS Last week Irish finance minister Michael Noonan confirmed plans to reverse a decision to restrict tax relief on mortgage interest for Irish landlords. Interest deductibility for residential property landlords was restricted to 75 per cent in 2009 as part of the measures introduced to rescue the public finances. In his 2017 Budget Noonan said: 'It is an appropriate time to revisit this measure in the context of the housing crisis. 'In light of the incentive I introduced last year to support landlords who let their property to social housing tenants for a minimum period of three years, I am going to restore full interest deductibility for other landlords on a phased basis.' The relief will rise from 75 per cent to 80 per cent in 2017 and thereafter will rise in increments of 5 per cent until fully restored to 100 per cent. Now landlords are scrabbling to persuade Government officials that the changes will be bad for tenants in the hope they are reversed before April next year. The NLA has met housing and planning minister Gavin Barwell and has further plans to meet financial secretary to the Treasury, Jane Ellison, to argue landlords' case after Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond agreed to hear what they had to say. Remortgage now, warn brokers Mortgage brokers meanwhile said landlords must prepare for the changes to go ahead. David Whittaker, of buy-to-let specialist Mortgages for Business, said: 'We recognise the NLA's figures and anticipate that the impact in future years will be greater again. 'This is why we think that landlords who choose to continue owning property personally should consider locking into the low five-year fixed rates currently available to reduce costs wherever possible. Clearly landlords must seek tax advice but it is our belief that going forward, most will be better off making purchases via limited companies to mitigate both the changing tax environment and the new underwriting guidelines issued by the Prudential Regulation Authority.' Multiple headwinds are piling pressure on landlords Many landlords seem not to realise that over the next few years they will face a considerable hit in the pocket The PRA guidelines, published in late September, require lenders to impose tougher rental income ratios on landlords who take a buy-to-let mortgage. Rather than needing rental income to equal 125 per cent of their mortgage payments, landlords will need this ratio to be a minimum of 145 per cent to meet most lenders' new criteria. These changes are not the only headwinds faced by landlords. Until April this year landlords could deduct 10 per cent of their rental income when calculating taxable profit to allow for general 'wear and tear'. Now landlords can only deduct the actual costs incurred by replacing furnishings in the tax year. And anyone purchasing a buy-to-let property or second home after 1 April this year has has to pay a 3 per cent surcharge over the standard rate of stamp duty adding tens of thousands of pounds to the cost of purchase. Andrew Montlake, of mortgage broker Coreco, said: 'Despite the publicity there has been over the crackdown on buy-to-let landlords it still seems that too many landlords have their heads in the sand where these tax changes are concerned. 'Many seem not to realise that over the next few years they will face a considerable hit in the pocket. We would urge landlords to get professional tax advice now to understand the full impact of these changes.' > Read our guide to tax on buy-to-let HOW WILL THE REMOVAL OF TAX RELIEF AFFECT YOU? Region Percentage of landlords moving from basic to higher rate tax East England 30% East Midlands 22% London (central) 31% London (outer) 24% North East 24% North West 19% Scotland 13% South East 25% South West 23% Wales 23% West Midlands 28% Yorkshire & Humber 24% Source: National Landlords Association When it comes to spending money on a new car it's the Scots who delve deepest into their pockets. That's according to new analysis by car-buying site Car Wow, which says Glaswegians fork out the most at motor dealerships, with neighbouring Edinburgh not too far behind. Of the 10 largest cities in the UK, big-city dwellers in London are only the third highest spenders in the nation. The trio of podium-placing cities all hand over more than 26,000 on average for showroom-fresh vehicles - many of which will have been bought on finance deals. Car Wow revealed how spending varies on new cars in ten of Britain's biggest cities In analysing the regional breakdown of new motors, the website says people in Glasgow outspend the rest of the nation and pay an average of 26,271 for a new vehicle, bucking any theory that the highest earners - Londoners - are the most extravagant when buying a new set of wheels. In Edinburgh, Scots spend slightly less on average on a new car at 26,166, while in London the bill came to a fraction less at 26,160. Of the ten major cities, those in Liverpool spent the least at 21,979 on average. The data was based only on sales through Car Wow's platform, which sells tens of thousands of cars per year. The website gets car dealers up and down the country to compete for buyer's by offering their best deal on the vehicle they want. A search shows how discounts can vary substantially between rival dealers for the same car and it claims to have arranged the sale of 1billion worth of new vehicles since it launched in 2010. OF THE 10 BIGGEST CITIES IN THE UK, WHO SPENDS THE MOST ON AVERAGE ON A NEW CAR? 1. Glasgow - 26,271 2. Edinburgh - 26,166 3. London - 26,160 4. Cardiff - 24,199 5. Birmingham - 23,621 6. Sheffield - 23,495 7. Bristol - 22,988 8. Leeds - 22,753 9. Manchester - 22,118 10. Liverpool - 21,979 Scots spending big of cars: Glasgow and Edinburgh top the table as the major cities with the highest average spend on new cars up and down the UK James Hind, founder of www.carwow.co.uk, said: 'What's interesting about these findings is that although London has higher earnings, on average, than any other city, no correlation can be found between the cities in the list and the average earnings in those locations. 'For example, people in Leeds are the third highest earners out of those listed in the top 10 (taking home an average of 516 per week), yet when it comes to new car purchases, people from northern city are more reserved in their spending than even those in Sheffield, which has the lowest average earnings of the ten cities (408 per week).' Edinburgh and Cardiff are the biggest movers up the table as the major new-vehicle spenders in the last five months, according to Car Wow A surprise for the car buying site was the rise of Edinburgh in the spending stakes. It was outside the top five when its data team last reviewed the numbers five months ago in April. Back then, motorists in the Scottish capital were only the ninth highest spender, forking out an average of 21,577. But since the surge of car buying in September due to the arrival of the 66 plate, the city has now jumped to second place in the standings with an average outlay of 26,166 on new motors. This might suggest that new-car prices in Scotland are more expensive than the rest of the nation with less competition and therefore fewer deals on offer than other regions of the UK. Another surprise was the average spend in Cardiff. Back in April - following the biggest month of new vehicle registrations of any this year in March - the Welsh capital had the tenth highest spend of the big cities in the country, handing over an average of 20,992. According to Car Wow's new data, buyers there now fork out 3,200 more on average at motor dealerships - a 15 per cent increase. Men spend more than women on average when buying a new car, the data claimed. But that wasn't the case in Glasgow Men spend more than women on a new car As well as regional comparisons, the site also looked into the sex breakdown when it comes to average spends at dealerships. It discovered that men hand over an average of 24,844 on a new car, whilst women spend considerably less at just 20,992. However, in Scotland, women outspend men on new car purchases by 2,000, on average. Hind believes the regional differences are not so much down to people's passion for new cars but more to do with the varying prices offered by dealerships up and down the country. 'Whilst it's easy to assume that the average spend on new cars varies depending on people's extravagance or frugality, we shouldn't jump to that assumption,' he added. 'We've found that the exact same make and model with the same specification can vary in price from city to city. 'We've had plenty of people buying vehicles through carwow that have opted to buy a car from a dealership many miles away from their hometown, purely because the price being offered was more competitive (and they could get the car delivered straight to their driveway). 'This is why it's so important to compare prices, not just at local dealerships but those around the UK.' 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. A country-wide boycott of Reckitt Benckiser products in South Korea led the chemicals firm to post its weakest sales growth in five years. The British household products group, whose brands range from cleaning products Cillit Bang and Harpic to Durex condoms, claimed responsibility for 96 deaths in South Korea after its steriliser product Oxy Sacsac, which was put inside humidifiers, was linked to a spate of fatal lung problems between 2001 and 2011. Hit hard: Reckitt said poor performance in South Korea had knocked 1.5 per cent off sales Reckitt said poor performance in South Korea had knocked 1.5 per cent off sales of its products. Sales rose slower than analyst predictions and were up just 2 per cent in the three months to September, compared with a 4 per cent increase across the year to date. Rakesh Kapoor, chief executive of Reckitt, said performance had been adversely impacted by South Korea. The steriliser at the centre of the scandal was among a number of products that contained PHMG, a chemical that causes harm to the lungs and irreversible lung disease when inhaled. The use of PHMG was eventually outlawed in 2011 after the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention published a report showing its toxic effects. Shortly after the release of the report, prosecutors in South Korea launched an investigation into companies selling products with the chemical, including allegations that Reckitt had suppressed data showing it to be toxic. Reckitt, which has set aside 300m for compensation, continues to negotiate payments to victims. George Salmon, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the groups image had been seriously damaged following the investigation. He said: The inevitable slowdown there was enough to dent group sales. Having already set aside 300m for the issue, investors will hope that there are no further charges to come in relation to the tragic episode. Last month Kapoor was forced to make a fresh apology for the deaths of mainly pregnant women and infants after family members turned up at the companys Slough headquarters. The millionaire, who lives in London with his wife and two children, said: I sincerely apologise for the injury and deaths of Korean consumers resulting from the humidifier sanitiser products. Kapoor enjoyed a generous pay packet of 23.2m last year, more than double the 11.2m he got in 2014, even though 18 per cent of investors opposed it. Meanwhile, South Korean supermarkets have stopped stocking Reckitt products amid a growing public backlash. In May, East Asian hypermarket Lotte Mart, which sells food, clothing, electronics and toys, cleared most of the brands products from its store shelves. It said: Not many consumers are buying the companys products these days and we have to respond to their calls. Reckitt sells more than 120 household items and five medical products in south Korea. 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. The CIA has been accused of political bias by trying to stall publication of an explosive memoir which could damage Hillary Clinton's chances of reaching the White House. The book tells the story of CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who was imprisoned in Pakistan in 2011 after shooting two men in self defense before being released in a controversial blood-money deal. According to the authors, the CIA held the book manuscript for several months before demanding a swathe of redactions - even on information that is publicly available - pushing the publication of the book from September 2016 to March 2017. Davis and his co-author Storms Reback believe the book - entitled The Contractor - could be seen as another 'Benghazi situation' for presidential candidate Clinton - which may explain the agency's attempts to delay publication until after the November 2016 election. Scroll down for video The Contractor tells the story of CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who was imprisoned in Pakistan in 2011 after shooting two men believed to be street robbers in self-defense in Lahore. He was taken to court in full public view. After 49 days in captivity he was released in a controversial blood-money deal Davis's actions sparked an anti-American outcry across Pakistan with many calling for him to be hanged. Protesters are seen shouting slogans beside a burning effigy of Davis. Now the CIA is accused of trying to delay the book's publication in order not to damage Clinton's election chances They also accuse the State Department - under Clinton's rule - of withholding two key interviews carried out for the book, which almost prevented the memoir from being written at all. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the book's co-author Storms Reback revealed how Army veteran Davis has 'zero trust' in Clinton as a potential president and believes she would have abandoned him in a Pakistani prison, facing possible execution. He thinks that had it not been for the U.S. military's plans to kill Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil, Davis would still be languishing in prison - or worse still, dead. Author Reback, 46, said: 'Both Ray and I believe the CIA are acting politically by delaying publication - they held on to the book for six months and slowed the whole thing down. 'It definitely seems like there is something funny going on behind the scenes - the book was supposed to come out the third week of September and the CIA went out of its way to delay the whole process. 'We turned the manuscript in months ago, then they redacted it, we responded and then they weren't happy with the changes. It kept getting delayed until the point where we had to push publication to March 2017. 'Ray does think that maybe the CIA, even though he is loyal to them, didn't want it to be published right before the election because it could have an influence on it. 'Although this incident isn't exactly the same, it could be seen as a mini-Benghazi for Hillary Clinton. 'At the time she was Secretary of State so all these important decisions overseas went through her - so how she handled the matter was going to be put under a microscope. 'Ray thinks that the book wouldn't put her in the best light.' Pakistani policemen with Davis's car in 2011. Davis, a former U.S. soldier, was employed as a security contractor for the CIA in the country Aftermath: The shoot-out led to Davis, a former U.S. soldier, was employed as a security contractor for the CIA in Lahore, Pakistan, providing protection for CIA operatives and political figures. He was ambushed by two men - believed to be street robbers - as he was stuck in traffic in January 2011. After one of the men pointed a gun at him, Davis says he opened fire in self defense, killing both of them. He was subsequently imprisoned in Pakistan as a diplomatic furor exploded around him - with the U.S. demanding Davis should receive immunity as a consulate employee and Pakistan insisting he face prosecution. Anti-American sentiments were inflamed in the country and people took to the streets calling for Davis to be hanged - with many Pakistanis believing he was a spy. The book details how Davis was held in the notorious Kot Lakhpat prison, fearing for his life. 'They cleared a wing of the prison for Ray so he was all alone.' Reback explained. 'The prison warden told him they were doing it for his protection but Ray wonders if they were preventing the U.S. from coming in and scooping him up somehow. 'Even though he was told he was protected, he still felt very vulnerable at times - and there were several occasions he felt his life was in danger. 'For example one night there were three security guards in the cell with him when two left. The one who stayed behind then pulled out his gun and Ray realized this this guy could shoot him but at that moment the other two returned and the guard put his gun away. 'He often felt he might get left in the prison, that was his big frustration. He was a security contractor and that was a big grey area. 'Occasionally the U.S. government has claimed security contractors as part of the military umbrella and taken responsibility for them and other times they've turned their back on them and said, "They're private - they're not part of our organization" so Ray didn't know which way the government was going to fall. 'As time went on he felt he could spend years in that cell. He was in captivity 49 days - in the prison for 35 days. 'He wasn't beaten and Ray says if you ask him if he was tortured he would say no but by the legal definition of torture then he definitely was. 'There were lots of little things done to him that were a form of psychological torture - for example the lights in his cell were on most of the time, there'd be music blaring outside his cell so he couldn't sleep, the guards would take away his possessions even if they had been approved - lots of mind games.' Accusation: Ray Davis says he believes that Hillary Clinton would have been happy to leave him in Pakistan - despite the reassuring call he received from her after his release Almost two months later, Davis was eventually released in dramatic court room scenes after the families of the two dead men were paid $2.4 million in diyya - a form of compensation or blood money payment recognized under Sharia law. Although the U.S. government has never officially admitted making the payment, it is widely believed that Pakistan stumped up the money - and was later reimbursed by America. 'When Ray went into court he thought he was being tried for murder - he thought all efforts at diplomacy had failed and he was pretty sure that after the court date he would be hanged or kept in jail for the rest of his life,' Reback said. 'Then all of a sudden he gets out, the court system changed from regular court to Sharia law court and he was freed. 'It's pretty dramatic that one minute he thought he was a dead man and the next he was free. 'Ray had no idea that was going to happen but also lawyers and people from the consulate who were working with Ray - they had no idea this was going to happen either - this came from high up in the chain of command and no one knew what was happening. 'When Ray was told about the deal he didn't want to do it. He said, "I've done nothing wrong we shouldn't have to pay any money" - he was completely opposed to it. But he now sees that was the only way he would get out.' The book describes how at the time, Davis received a pleasant phone call from Clinton congratulating him on his release. It wasn't until earlier this year when Davis spoke to former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, he realized that Clinton may not have as supportive of his release as she made out. The book is to be released in March following what its authors say were deliberate delays by the CIA Panetta, who was head of the CIA at the time of the incident, told Davis that Clinton and the State Department were considering disavowing the contractor - removing its support and essentially abandoning him to the Pakistani legal system. However, the U.S. had spent months planning a raid on bin Laden's Pakistani hideout - and had Davis still been in prison it was likely he would be executed in retaliation for a raid carried out without Pakistan's permission. According to Reback, Davis's imprisonment added a 'complicating factor' to the plans and 'getting him out became a priority.' 'Ray has had at least one or two conversations with Leon Panetta,' he added. 'Now he is working in the private sector Mr Panetta is free to have those conversations. 'After this one particular conversation earlier this year, Ray completely changed his viewpoint on the incident as it shined a light on what was going on behind the scenes and it wasn't as pretty of a picture as he had once imagined. 'He discovered that there was talk that the State Department was seriously considering disavowing him, turning its back on him and letting him stay there. 'In the book, Ray talks to Hillary on the phone after his release, and he's very respectful. He felt good, he had just got out and the whole conversation seems very rosy. 'But then after he had the conversation with Leon Panetta he suddenly started thinking about how she handled the situation and realized that if there weren't these other mitigating circumstances - like the bin Laden affair - he believes she would have just left him there. 'He believes that she would be happy to disavow him. 'From the conversations he's had with Panetta he feels she was forced into making the call to save him.' Davis believes Clinton's track record means she can not be trusted to run the country - and in particularly the military. 'Ray is not a big fan of Hillary,' Reback said. 'His viewpoint is the same as many military people which is that in the military you have to trust those you work with and those above you and from his point of view he doesn't trust Hillary Clinton. 'And that's from how she handled his case and in general - her wider body of work. He would not trust her to run the country - particular the role of commander in chief. Disaster: Davis compares his plight to the attack the following year on the US diplomatic post in Benghazi. It has dogged Hillary Clinton's electoral campaign and led to the discovery of her secret email server 'Ray would not give you some elaborate viewpoint on domestic affairs but when it comes to being the person in charge of the military and at the very top - that's where he has the most problems with her.' Reback and Davis also believe that Clinton is behind the State Department's refusal to approve two key interviews of consular employees who were involved in the case - US Consul General Carmela Conroy and Dr Dale Rush, who also worked for the consulate in Lahore at the time. Reback said: 'Ninety percent of the story is Ray's story from his perspective and it's an exciting story but there's a lot of murkiness about what was going on behind the scenes. 'We did our best to try and figure that out but we were blocked every time we got somewhere. 'I interviewed Carmela Conroy and she basically was the most important interview for the book but the questions and answers had to go through the State Department and even after nagging them 10 times they never released the answers to the questions - they still have them. His viewpoint is the same as many military people which is that in the military you have to trust those you work with and those above you and from his point of view he doesn't trust Hillary Clinton. 'When that happened I honestly thought the book would never get written. 'The fact that the State Department has never released the two interviews seems pretty crazy to me and the person in charge of the State Department at the time was Hillary Clinton - so I do wonder if that isn't part of it.' Reback, has been frustrated by the setbacks - particularly the CIA's redaction demands - which he describes as 'painful'. He said many of the things that the agency are adamant about removing - are available in other books and news articles. The author cannot reveal exactly what the CIA want removed from the book, but he says it is clear the agency wants to 'pretend' that tensions between the two countries did not exist. And although the book has now become something of a political hot potato, Reback claims that was never the plan. 'I really just want to humanize Ray in the book,' he said. 'When people think of military contractors they think of action heroes or the movie 13 Hours with the contractors in Benghazi. But Ray is different from that - he has a real soft side. 'I want people to sympathize with him because he was left in a real precarious state. 'If Ray could have had his way he would have served in the military all his life but because of injury he couldn't, so serving as a military contractor to him is the next best thing. 'When he does it he's not just doing it for a paycheck but to serve his country. 'I've never met anyone more patriotic that Raymond Davies. Some people talk about it - but he lives it.' The Kremlin has been accused of running a 'systematic lying campaign' against Finland, with officials in Helsinki anxious over Russia questioning the legality of its independence. The claim comes amid increased security concerns in Finland following Moscow's annexation of Crimea and tensions between Russia and the west over the movement of nuclear-capable missiles in the Baltic Sea. Both Finland and Estonia accused Russian fighter jets of violating their airspace last week, with Finnish jets twice scrambled after Russian Su-27 planes were reportedly detected over the Gulf of Finland - a claim the Kremlin denies. Scroll down for video Neighbours: Finland, which has been independent since 1917, shares an 833 mile border with Russia Finland's Defence Ministry has described Russian aviation over the Balkan Sea as 'intense', and officials believe the Kremlin is behind 'aggressive' media attacks against the country. Finland will next year celebrate 100 years since its declaration of independence from the Russian Republic. It shares an 833 mile border with Russia, but questions over the legality of the country's independence have made Finnish leaders uneasy. After the 2014 annexing of Crimea in Ukraine, one of Vladimir Putin's closest advisers warned the Russian leader would be setting his sights on Finland Finland claims that Russian Su-24 planes violated its airspace last week - a claim the Kremlin denies After annexing Crimea in 2014, having stated the region 'must be returned to Russia', one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's former advisers said the Russian leader would be setting his sights on Finland. Crimea had been part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic until 1954, when it transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Andrej Illarionov, Putin's chief economic adviser between 2000 and 2005, told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet: 'Parts of Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States and Finland are states where Putin claims to have ownership.' After annexing Crimea in 2014, having stated the region 'must be returned to Russia', one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's former advisers said the Russian leader would be setting his sights on Finland He said the Putin regime sees Finland's independence as 'treason against national interests'. Markku Mantila, the Finnish government's communications chief, said: 'We believe this aggressive influencing from Russia aims at creating distrust between leaders and citizens, and to have us make decisions harmful to ourselves. 'It also aims to make citizens suspicious about the European Union, and to warn Finland over not joining NATO.' Head of the Finnish government's communication department Markku Mantila has accused Russia of 'aggressive influencing' aimed at creating distrust Finland remains outside NATO, which has suspended relations with Russia and has been at the heart of rising tensions with President Vladimir Putin. As it is not a member state, an invasion would not be considered an attack against the alliance, which has 28 members. But earlier this month Finnish Defence Minister Jussi Niinisto signed a bilateral Statement of Intent with the US, strengthening defence ties, information exchange and reaching agreements on training. A plaque commemorating former Finnish president Carl Gustaf Mannerheim was met with protest in St Petersburg It has an official policy of non-alignment, and Niinisto stressed that the country is not edging closer to NATO membership, which has long been a controversial subject. Mantila has hit out at the aggressive campaign he says the Kremlin is leading against Finland. Reports earlier this year in Russia claimed Lenin's Bolshevik administration had no right to accept Finland's independence. And in June, a university in St Petersburg put up a plaque commemorating Carl Gustaf Mannerheim - Finland's most famous military officer and former president, who served in the Tsar's army but later led Finnish forces in World War Two. The plaque quickly became a target for protesters who have called Mannerheim - regarded in Finland as a symbol of the country's struggle against the Soviet Union - a murderer and ruthless Nazi collaborator. 'The plaque's been shot at, hit with an axe and doused in red paint several times,' Mantila said, noting that Finland had nothing to do with the plaque project in the first place. Russia's movement of nuclear-capable missiles has heightened tensions in the Balkan Sea Russia has started moving nuclear-capable Iskander missiles, which could have a range of more than 400 miles, into its Kaliningrad enclave bordering Poland and Lithuania. It comes as tensions mount between Russia and NATO, with July's NATO summit reaffirming that 'all practical civilian and military cooperation' with Moscow was suspended. Sauli Niinisto, President of Finland, said this week it is 'good' that NATO has moved troops to the Baltic countries and to Poland In May the Kremlin said a NATO missile defence system in Deveselu, Romania posed a 'direct threat to global and regional security', and vowed to take measures 'to ensure the necessary level of security for Russia'. On Tuesday Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said: 'It's good that NATO reacts to the concerns of the Baltic states and moves troops to the Baltic countries and to Poland. On the other hand we've now seen how Russia responds.' He continued: 'Finland's position remains that we'll do our best to calm tensions in the Baltic region and increase stability. We are still ready to make further efforts to advance this.' Mantila pointed to a case reported in the Russian media last month, which accused 'cold blooded' Finnish authorities taking custody of children from a Russian family living in Finland 'due to their nationality'. And a report by Kremlin-led NTV said 'even the locals call Finland a land of ruthless and irrational child terror'. Mantila said the network of officials who monitor attempts to influence the country has verified around 20 cases of clear information operations against Finland from the past few years, and around 30 'very likely' such operations. Security concerns have been high in Finland since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 'There is a systematic lying campaign going on... It is not a question of bad journalism, I believe it is controlled from the centre,' he said. Kremlin and Russian foreign ministry officials were not immediately available for a comment. Foreign Minister Timo Soini has also acknowledged the alleged propaganda, saying the government was countering false information with facts. Georgia has executed a man convicted of killing an Atlanta police officer and wounding a second officer with an AR-15 rifle. Gregory Paul Lawler, 63, was pronounced dead at 11.49pm on Wednesday at the state prison in Jackson after he was injected with the barbiturate pentobarbital. He became the seventh inmate put to death in Georgia this year. Lawler died after eating a meal he requested that included steak, a baked potato with sour cream and ice cream. He had also asked for asparagus, dinner rolls with butter, French onion soup, strawberries and apple juice for his last meal. Scroll down for video Gregory Paul Lawler (pictured right) was executed for killing John Sowa (left), an Atlanta police officer, and wounding a second officer with an AR-15 rifle Lawler was convicted of murder in the October 1997 slaying of Officer John Sowa and for critically wounding Officer Patricia Cocciolone. In a statement, the Georgia Supreme Court said it had unanimously denied defense requests to halt execution plans originally set for 7pm. Defense attorneys later appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which also declined to stop the execution late on Wednesday night. Lawler didn't make a final statement and refused an offer of a prayer. Then he lay on the gurney with his eyes closed as the lethal drug flowed, taking several deep breaths and yawning before becoming still. Cocciolone arrived in a wheelchair and sat in the front row of the witness area, as did Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard whose office prosecuted Lawler. The seven executions in Georgia this year are the most in a calendar year in the state since the death penalty was reinstated nationwide in 1976. Georgia executed five inmates last year and five in 1987. Lawler (pictured in his 1997 mugshot) didn't make a final statement and refused an offer of a prayer Georgia is one of five states that have carried out executions this year for a total of 17 nationwide. Texas has executed seven inmates, while Alabama, Florida and Missouri have executed one apiece. Sowa and Cocciolone were responding to a report of a man hitting a woman the evening of October 12, 1997, and arrived at a parking lot to find Lawler trying to pull his drunken girlfriend to her feet. Lawler quickly left and went to his apartment nearby, and the officers decided to help his girlfriend get home. When they knocked on the door, Lawler cursed, yelled and told the officers to leave. Once his girlfriend was inside, he tried to shut the door on them. Sowa put his hand up to keep the door from shutting and said they just wanted to make sure the girlfriend lived there and that she would be safe. Lawler grabbed an AR-15 rifle and fired 15 times as the officers fled, using bullets that can penetrate body armor, prosecutors said. When other officers responded to Cocciolone's radio distress call, they found Sowa lying near the sidewalk and Cocciolone on the ground in the front yard. Both officers' pistols were still in their holsters. The responding officers got Lawler's girlfriend out of the apartment, and Lawler finally surrendered after a six-hour standoff. He became the seventh inmate put to death in Georgia this year. Above, a file photo shows the state prison in Jackson Lawler's attorneys argued that a diagnosis last month of autism spectrum disorder helps explain why their client acted as he did in the encounter with the officers. That disorder, which wasn't diagnosed at the time, caused Lawler to misinterpret the officers' intentions and led him to believe he was in danger and needed to fight for his life, his attorneys argued. The disorder also caused him to behave in a way that may seem inappropriate when he testified at his trial and again when he was interviewed recently by investigators for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, his lawyers wrote in a clemency application. Because of his autism, they wrote, he 'has often been mistakenly perceived as cold, callous, or remorseless.' The parole board, which is the only authority in Georgia with power to commute a death sentence, declined to grant him clemency Tuesday. This is the heart-pounding moment a prowling lion sneaks up on a dozy leopard in an unusual encounter between two of the world's big cats. Out on the hunt at the Sabi Sands private game reserve in South Africa the lion was spotted by guests out in the distance. In the foreground was a sleepy leopard, who lay down for some rest on top of a mound. In this jungle it is the leopard who sleeps tonight, meanwhile the lion is wide awake Guests at the Sabi Sands private game reserve in South Africa watched on as a lion crept up on his fellow big cat Remarkably the lion decided to creep up on his fellow cat, although it is not unprecedented for the two to meet, and fight. And the lion had just such a plan in mind, attacking the leopard while it slept. His 'prey' jumped into the air and off the ledge in shock, before making its escape. Matthew Poole, a guide at the park, watched the scene play out and captured the intense moment on camera. 'By far the rarest sighting in my guiding career!' he said. Matthew was out on a drive searching for leopards on October 4 and watched one of the leopards walking along the banks of the Sand river marking its sent. The huge male lion leapt up to the leopard and surprised it while it slept on a mound 'It was at this moment we noticed the male lion lying in the river on the opposite bank. 'I said to my guests ''Can you imagine if these 2 dominant males came together''. 'It seemed as if my words weren't cold because shortly after that the male leopard went to sleep and the lion started to stalk him from the other side of the river,' added the 26-year-old. The leopard jumped into the air in shock and began swiping away at its disturber A rare scene, although it is not unprecedented for the two cats to meet, and fight Fortunately the lion didn't kill the leopard, but it did scare the living daylights out of it Matthew also described the unfolding scene, where there was 'a lot of excitement and nerves building' as the lion moved in to pounce. 'At this point I started to warn my guests about what could happen. But, before they knew it, the lion was right below the sleeping leopard! 'Fortunately, the lion didn't kill the leopard, but the sneaky lion scared the living daylights out of the leopard. The views of controversial euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke have risen to public prominence again after he mistakenly claimed the father of a family of four who died together in their Sydney home had requested a copy of his 'suicide book'. Nitschke, or 'Doctor Death', is the world's most outspoken euthanasia campaigner, whose advocacy first rose to prominence when he revealed he had constructed a 'death machine' in 1976. The campaigner had his medical licence suspended in 2014 for supporting Perth man Nigel Brayley, 45, in taking his own life with the deadly drug Nembutal. After a lengthy legal battle in the NSW Supreme Court, he was granted his licence again in June 2015 - but said he was now 'too flat out' with a stand-up comedy routine to practice medicine. Mr Nitschke, more commonly known as 'Dr Death,' has been condemned for his strong euthanasia views and had his medical licence suspended in 2014 After he was de-registered by the Medical Board of Australia in 2014, Dr Nitschke tweeted a photo of himself holding a glass of wine and a clock with the caption: 'A drink at midnight to mark the end of 25 years as a doctor' After he was de-registered by the Medical Board of Australia in 2014, Dr Nitschke tweeted a photo of himself holding a glass of wine and a clock with the caption: 'A drink at midnight to mark the end of 25 years as a doctor'. He said he had received a letter from the board saying his beliefs were 'incompatible with medical practice'. Nigel Brayley illegally imported the deadly drug Nembutal and died in May 2014 after attending an Exit International workshop Mr Brayley illegally imported the deadly drug Nembutal and died in May 2014 after attending an Exit International workshop in Perth and buying the Peaceful Pill handbook. In emails, the Perth man admitted to Dr Nitschke he did not have a terminal illness, but was 'suffering,' The ABC reported. The euthanasia campaigner successfully overturned the suspension in Supreme Court after a year-long legal battle. Justice Graham Hiley said the Health Professional Review Tribunal had no basis to immediately suspend the doctor. Dr Nitschke said the decision was a 'total win,' but his team had forked out more than $300,000 in legal costs. Avril Henry, 82, pictured with Dr Philip Nitschke killed herself after importing killer drugs from Mexico in April In emails, the Perth man admitted to Dr Nitschke he did not have a terminal illness, but was 'suffering' In 2000, Dr Nitschke ran part of the Darwin leg with the Olympic torch in Sydney (pictured) In December, Dr Nitschke again sparked controversy after saying people could want to die for 'social reasons' 'Our supporters have put in a huge amount of money. Had we lost and had costs gone against us we were looking at bankruptcy,' he said at the time. While he was relieved to have won the legal battle, Dr Nitschke said he planned to try and deliver his message in another way instead of practicing medicine. 'I'm flat out trying to be a comedian at present at the Edinburgh comedy festival in London,' he said. 'This is a way of bringing it to much broader audience, having them laugh about it and leaving not only entertained, but keen to change a pretty unsatisfactory situation'. Footage of his stand-up routine 'Dicing With Death' in Edinburgh shows the doctor on stage with a number of props as he explains to the audience the benefits of euthanasia. On Wednesday the founder of Exit International, Dr Philip Nitschke, said the dead father from northern Sydney (pictured with his family) had a digital version of the banned euthanasia handbook Peaceful Pill After a lengthy legal battle in the NSW Supreme Court reunited him with his licence in June, he said he was now 'too flat out' with a stand-up comedy routine to practice medicine Dr Nitschke is pictured here in 1996 with a computerised 'death machine' in his home Dr Nitschke burned his medical certificate in Darwin in December after a lengthy court battle to overturn a medical licence suspension 'Now you thought it was just going to be another one of those nights, going out and having a good time, but tonight you're going to get more. You're going to get a course in how best to kill yourself,' he said during one of his routines. He burned his medical certificate in Darwin in December. Euthanasia is illegal in Australia, and a private member's bill to have it legalised in South Australia has been delayed. In December, Dr Nitschke again sparked controversy after saying people could want to die for 'social reasons' 'It's not the majority of people, but it's a growing number of people, who have come along for reasons that would not be considered suffering of a terminal illness,' he said. On Monday, a family-of-four from Davidson in northern Sydney were found dead in their home after the father allegedly gassed them to death. Two days later, Dr Nitschke said the father Fernando Manrique contacted Exit International for a copy of their handbook 'The Peaceful Pill' before installing the gas system. Copies of his book the Peaceful Pill were seized and destroyed by the Australian Border Force in June Euthanasia is illegal in Australia, and a private member's bill to have it legalised in South Australia has been delayed But on Thursday, Dr Nitschke said he was mistaken and it was a man with the same surname who accessed the book online, not Mr Manrique. 'Fernando Manrique did not access our book,' he said. Copies of the Peaceful Pill were seized and destroyed by the Australian Border Force in June. The handbook provides information for the terminally ill and elderly on euthanasia. 'Customs prohibits importation of documents relating to suicide,' a spokesperson at the Border Force said. 'The importation of a device designed or customised to be used by a person to commit suicide is prohibited absolutely'. Dr Nitschke was born in 1947 in rural South Australia and studied physics at the University of Adelaide. Lost for two nights in freezing cold bush on a mountainside, a tourist thought he would die. Melbourne man Robert Galdamez, 25, became lost while walking on a mountain near Queenstown, New Zealand on Tuesday. Unable to find his way back to the resort town, he spent two nights in the bush with only leggings and a puffer jacket to keep warm, no food and hardly any water, Stuff.co.nz reported. Concerns were held by his partner that Mr Galdamez, who has a history of epilepsy, may have had a fit. Melbourne man Robert Galdamez, 25, recovering in hospital after his ordeal Mr Galdamez was lost for two nights in freezing cold conditions on a mountain in New Zealand's south A view from Ben Lomond, the 1,748m peak near Queenstown, New Zealand, where Mr Galdamez became lost An image taken by Mr Galdamez at the peak of Ben Lomond before he became lost shows snow blanketing the ground Melbourne man Robert Galdamez, 25, pictured wearing the clothes he had on when he went missing near Queenstown, New Zealand 'At one point, I really thought about giving up,' Mr Galdamez said. 'I was very, very scared.' When he became lost, he attempted to retrace his steps, but failed. About 6pm, he sent a message to family and a friend who he was on holiday with and took shelter by a large rock, lighting a fire in an attempt to stay warm. By 8pm, authorities were alerted and about 20 searchers, dogs and a helicopter equipped with night vision began to look for him. During his ordeal, he saw rescue helicopters flying overhead. The area where Mr Galdamez went missing, near Queenstown, on Tuesday Mr Galdamez is from Melbourne, Australia. He said at one point during his ordeal, he didn't think he would make it 'At that point I really thought I wasn't going to make it. It wasn't until the rescue team members found me with their dog that I screamed out.' While he was missing, his partner of four years, Tim Heritage, was worried he'd had an epileptic fit. They'd been messaging earlier during the ordeal, but the last he'd heard from Mr Galdamez was that he was afraid. Early on Thursday, Mr Galdamez was found near the summit of Ben Lomond, a 1,748 metre-tall peak, the Otago Daily Times reported. A selfie Mr Galdamez took before he became lost for two nights in the bush Another image from the peak reveals snow and rugged looking terrain He told Daily Mail Australia: 'It was the most amazing feeling seeing them [rescuers] and coming to take me into the chopper. 'I just hugged them and started crying. I honestly think I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them, so I am very grateful.' He was taken to the Lakes District Hospital and treated for hypothermia. In hospital, he said he felt 'lucky' after being rescued. He said he wanted to thank the police, volunteers, the search and rescue team and everyone involved in 'going out of their way to make sure I was found' including friends and family. His advice for anyone undertaking similar walks in New Zealand? 'Always travel with a friend so at least there is someone to look out for you in case things don't go to plan. Definitely pack all essentials and be prepared for worst case scenario.' Graphic images have emerged of a body boarder's severely mauled leg after he was attacked by a shark last year. Matt Lee was swimming at Ballina, on the New South Wales far north coast in July, 2015, when he was attacked by a four metre great white shark. The 32-year-old man was left fighting for his life after an excessive loss of blood. The image shows at least a dozen medical professionals from Gold Coast University Hospital surrounding the young man's mauled leg as they attempt to remove the shark teeth still embedded in his flesh. Shark attack victim Matt Lee's mauled leg (pictured) is going to air on Channel Seven Body boarder Matt Lee (pictured) before a great white shark mauled his leg at a Ballina beach An upcoming Seven Network documentary series, Gold Coast Medical, follows Mr Lee after he was attacked by the large predator. After a dramatic triple-0 emergency call, Mr Lee was flown from the beach to the hospitals rooftop helipad where trauma specialists were awaiting for his arrival after a lifesaving midair blood transfusion. The shark had 'ripped through Mr Lees leg like jelly' putting his life in jeopardy. Vascular surgeon Will Butcher and his team were forced to stem the bleeding and rush Mr Lee into theater for emergency surgery, reported the Gold Coast Bulletin. 'Ive been here for six years on the Gold Coast and Ive never seen anything like that,' Dr Butcher said after examining the injuries for the first time. An aerial image (pictured) of a great white shark seen off Ballina after Mr Lee was attacked Since the attack, state member for Ballina, Tamara Smith, has called for a plebiscite to be held on NSW Premier Mike Baird's plan to install shark nets in the area. Last week Mr Baird, an avid surfer, announced shark nets would be installed at Ballina. The premier did a political backflip following a spate of shark attacks at beaches near the popular tourism hub of Byron Bay. Japanese national Tadashi Nakahara was killed by a shark at Ballina less than four months before Mr Lee's attack. Matt Lee (pictured, left) with his girlfriend Suzy (pictured, right) as he recovers from attack Ms Smith has called on the government to ask locals their views on whether shark nets should be installed. 'My community has always been divided on shark mesh nets, but I believe we have always been able to have a civil conversation about it,' she said. 'That is what we are calling on the government to doconduct a plebiscite to find out what people would really like to see happen.' Less than 100km away in the state of Queensland, shark nets and poison bait drum lines have been a fixture of Gold Coast beaches since 1962. The rescue helicopter (pictured) which airlifted Matt Lee from Ballina to a Gold Coast hospital There have been no fatal shark attacks in that area during that time. Beaches along the NSW coast, from Newcastle to Sydney and Wollongong, also have shark nets. Mr Lee spent two months undergoing operations and battling infection before returning home to continue his painstaking rehabilitation at Ballina District Hospital, with love and care from his girlfriend Suzy. A mother-of-two was allegedly shot and killed by her boyfriend in San Diego while she shielded her young sons. Police says Vanessa Marie Bobo, 29, was killed in the apartment she shared with 32-year-old Roderick Harris, a former security guard who pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one charge of murder. Bobo's five-year-old son witnessed the shooting during which the mother held her 11-month-old boy and helped police identify the suspect, cops said. Vanessa Marie Bobo, 29, (pictured) was killed in the California apartment she shared with 32-year-old Roderick Harris, a former security guard Bobo's (left) five-year-old son witnessed the shooting during which the mother held her 11-month-old boy and helped police identify Harris (right) as the suspect Prosecutors say Harris and Bobo (pictured with their 11-month-old son) argued the night of her death. Roderick Harris, a former security guard, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one charge of murder The couple had dated for four years and had the 11-month-old son together. They shared a home on Lake Arrowhead Drive, where they also raised Bobo's five-year-old son with another man. Prosecutors say Harris and Bobo argued the night of her death. Bobo held her younger child in her arms as she tried to shield the kids from the violence, NBC San Diego reported. Prosecutors say Harris shot at Bobo twice with a .357-caliber revolver hitting a neighbor's wall with one bullet and Bobo's spinal cord with the other. Bobo dropped her 11-month-old baby as she fell to the ground. Police found the two children unharmed, crying by their mother's body. Detectives found a number of weapons at the couple's home: three rifles, a shotgun, a second revolver and two semi-automatic handguns, NBC reported. In court Tuesday, Harris kept his eyes low as he was ordered held on $3 million bond. He wore a blue jail uniform and spoke softly when the judge addressed him. In court Tuesday, Harris kept his eyes low as he was ordered held on $3 million bond Prosecutors say Harris shot at Bobo (pictured) twice with a .357-caliber revolver One bullet struck a neighbor's wall and the other perforated Bobo's spinal cord Harris doesn't have any past convictions. He was arrested for domestic violence in an incident involving a previous partner, NBC reported. Immediately after the shooting, he remained at large for nearly 12 hours before he was arrested in a relative's home in South Bay, KGTV reported. On Facebook, he said he was 'sorry' and that he reached a 'breaking point,' KGTV reported. Harris and Bobo had dated for four years and had a 11-month-old son together (right) The couple shared a home on Lake Arrowhead Drive, where they also raised Bobo's five-year-old son (left) with another man 'Sorry for what it looks like but I had a breaking point emotional abuse and cheated and lied and always under the threat of losing my child I guess in the end I still lose,' Harris wrote, according to the station. He also wrote to his son: 'love you **** I was always there just so you know.' After his arrest, Harris was treated for minor cuts that police said were self-inflicted. In a statement, Bobo's family said 'there aren't words to describe what we are going through and we appreciate all who can help.' Larger companies have lobbied to remain inside the EU for the sake of jobs Small firms have created ten times more jobs than the big businesses who are lobbying to keep Britain inside the EU's single market, an MP revealed last night. Tory backbencher Charlie Elphicke said the figures compiled by the independent House of Commons library - nailed the CBI's 'single market lies'. The pro-EU business group argues it is vital for the economy that the UK stays inside the tariff-free single market. Backbencher for the Conservatives Charlie Elphicke has slammed the 'single market lies' put forward by big businesses lobbying to stay in the EU The group's chief executive, Carolyn Fairbairn, warned that Britain was headed towards a 'cliff edge' if it implements a so-called hard brexit. But Mr Elphicke pointed out that small businesses rely least on the single market and they are the organisations which are creating the vast bulk of jobs. It is estimated that only six cent of British companies export to the EU - but all must comply with EU 'single market' legislation. The figures show small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have created 3.4 million new jobs in the private sector in the past 15 years. Big businesses have created 323,000 over the same period, according to a new analysis of the Government's Business Population Estimates 2015. In the past 15 years, the percentage of Brits employed by small businesses has also risen from 55% to 60%. Carolyn Fairbairn, head of the CBI, warned that Britain was headed towards an economic 'cliff edge' if it took the option of 'hard Brexit' MPs revealed that small British firms generate ten times more jobs than larger companies lobbying to remain inside the EU Mr Elphicke said: 'Small businesses depend least on the EU Single Market. Yet they have created ten times more jobs than big businesses. 'These figures nail the lie being peddled by the CBI and their corporate chums that the EU single market is the be all and end all for British jobs. Labour and Lib Dems need to accept we are leaving the EU and get behind the British people. 'It's clear that big businesses have not been the UK's job creators for 15 years. The Treasury and Bank of England should do more to support the small business job creators and accept that the Single Market is not all it's cracked up to be. Pro-Brexit minister Andrea Leadsom has said free trade with Europe is 'perfectly possible' 'We must build a Brexit Britain that is an aspiration nation where we back the entrepreneurs, innovators and wealth generators who create the jobs.' During the referendum campaign, cabinet minister Priti Patel warned that EU 'diktats' were throttling small businesses and costing every household in Britain the equivalent of 4,600 a year, the employment minister warns today. She cited research by the Treasury that the EU's 'single market' could impose costs of 7 per cent of GDP on the UK economy, or 125.2 billion per year. Last month, a survey of small businesses in Britain showed confidence had been unharmed by brexit. Yesterday, pro-Brexit Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom said it will be 'perfectly possible' to secure a free trade agreement with the European Union in a short period of time. Two teens had unwittingly exposed themselves as the alleged offenders Two weeks after the burglary A Perth mother has tracked down the alleged thieves who robbed her after they took a stream of selfies on her phone, unwittingly exposing themselves. The woman's phone and iPad were taken in a break-and-enter raid on her home in Waikiki on October 7, leaving her devastated, WA today reported. 'They took my lifetime worth of memories,' she said. Unwittingly, the two teenage boys decided to take selfies (pictured), using the phone they allegedly stole from the Perth family in a break-and-enter in Waikiki on October 7 Police had few clues - until a stream of selfies of two teenagers appeared on Wednesday in the woman's iCloud online storage. WHAT IS THE ICLOUD? Information - including photos and videos - is automatically shared between an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and a computer The information on each device is automatically updated and synced with information taken on other devices Advertisement 'It showed those two boys taking selfies, dumb and dumber alright,' she said. With their faces on her screen, the Perth woman decided to take matters into her own hands, and took to the internet to track them down. She posted a photo of the pair on Facebook, appealing to her community for help to identify the teens. She said it didn't take long for the pair to be named. Police were then quick to identify the alleged offenders, confirming it was the two boys named on Facebook. The selfies were a breakthrough in the case, and the pair have now reportedly been linked to the offence. Leeds Castle, a church in Dorset and a solar farm have been submitted Advertisement They are polarising gadgets beloved by some but deemed a nuisance by others. But there's no doubt that remote-controlled drones can capture the British countryside in all its glory from high in the sky. Now to highlight drone safety, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has teamed up with tourism board VisitEngland to launch a photography competition. The Civil Aviation Authority has teamed up with tourist board VisitEngland to launch a drone photography competition, with pilots already capturing some stunning sights including this image of Knowlton Church in Dorset by Ben Lovegrove A sunny day in Donegal, Ireland, pictured, by Tom Carmen is another entry in the competition, with the winners being chosen in February 2017 The challenge is designed to promote drone safety by getting pilots to take photos at the 400ft flying limit for the aircrafts. Pictured is a grassy track by Chris Frazer Smith Amateur pilots are challenged to submit images captured with drones while staying below the 400 feet (122m) flying limit for the crafts. The CAA and VisitEngland said the competition was a way to 'celebrate the beauty of the countryside' while educating drone owners on how to safely use the technology. Drones have become increasingly popular among amateur users. However, safety concerns have been raised following more than 40 reported 'near-misses' involving aircraft in 2016, despite the use of the remote control crafts in close proximity to airports being banned. No, this is not a magic eye puzzle, but amateur drone pilot Andrew Gemmell's photo entry of a solar farm, pictured The idea of the competition is to celebrate the 'beauty of the countryside', and this picture of Anglesey, off Wales, by John Davies is one of the submissions to do just that The Balcombe Viaduct, pictured on a drone by Tim Browne, is another of the stunning images put forward in the competition In September the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) said it was only a matter of time before a major accident is caused by a drone collision. Now the CAA wants to encourage safer use of the aircraft with the launch of the competition, where the public will be able to submit entries - captured by a drone flying no higher than 400 feet above ground - via social media using the hashtag #400ftBritain. The body has already created the Dronecode, which outlines the main rules surrounding the safe flying of recreational drones, which includes prohibiting flight less than 164 feet (50m) from buildings and 492 feet (150m) from crowds. This photo called Blue Field, also by Tim Browne, has captured a unique airborne perspective from the drone camera Amateur drone pilot Dazza Ratchy has put forward this crisp shot of Leeds Castle, pictured, from the morning sky Another of the entries is Hurst Castle in Hampshire, pictured, snapped next to a deep blue sea on a sunny day by Alan Proto The CAA's Jonathan Nicholson said: 'We absolutely want to encourage people to enjoy using their drones but we want them to do so safely. 'By launching 400ft Britain, a competition with the Dronecode embedded in its core, we're raising awareness of the Code and encouraging drone users to have fun whilst staying safe and within the rules.' The man claiming to be Bill Clinton's abandoned son has threatened to sue the former president unless he submits to a new DNA test. Danney Williams has long claimed that his prostitute mother, Bobbie Ann, met Clinton when she was working on the streets of Little Rock, Arkansas, and that he was the result of their multiple alleged sexual encounters. The 30-year-old's claims garnered international attention in 1992, as then-Arkansas Gov Clinton was gearing up to run for president. But a DNA test, reported by a tabloid during the 1990s, stated that Williams could not possibly be Clinton's son and eventually the story was dropped. Yet questions remained about the accuracy of the test. On Wednesday, just an hour before the final presidential debate, Williams held a press conference where he announced he was planning to file a lawsuit against the Clintons in New York unless Bill agreed to submit to a new test. 'I have compelling reasons to believe I am the son of former president Clinton,' he told reporters at a Las Vegas hotel. 'I am simply seeking the truth. I respectfully request DNA from President Clinton to determine paternity. I have had no response to my requests, so today I have authorized my attorneys.. to file a lawsuit in New York state to get... an order for a supervised test.' Scroll down for video Danney Williams (left) claims he is the biological son of former President Bill Clinton (right) On Wednesday, just an hour before the final presidential debate, Williams (center) held a press conference where he announced he was planning to file a lawsuit against the Clintons in New York unless Bill agreed to submit to a new test Williams insists that the timing of his announcement - just moments before Bill Clinton's wife was due to take the stage for the final presidential election - was not an attempt to damage the Clintons. He said he had not been in contact with the Trump campaign or received any money from them to make the press conference. Williams said he had been seeking a paternity test for his entire adult life but it was only now that he could get the press coverage. The father-of-five said that he was demanding a new DNA test because, while he admits he submitted a sample for the 1999 test, he says the analysis had been inconclusive. According to the Drudge Report, Star magazine had conducted the paternity test using the DNA analysis from the Kenneth Starr impeachment report which reviewed analysis on a semen stain on Monica Lewinsky's dress with Clinton's blood sample. Williams insists that the timing of his announcement - just moments before Bill Clinton's wife was due to take the stage for the final presidential election - was not an attempt to damage the Clintons Williams, pictured with his mother, has threatened to sue the former president unless he submits to a new DNA test Star's 1999 report had compared that analysis with samples from Danney and Bobbie and concluded that Clinton could not be the father. But Slate magazine reported that it would be impossible to determine whether Clinton was Danney's father with the 'imprecise' data. Slate argued in 1999 that the paternity test, because it was based on the limited analysis provided in the Starr Report and not a new DNA sample, was inconclusive. The magazine stated that the FBI actually performed two genetic fingerprinting tests on Clinton's DNA but the Starr report had only provided data on the less specific of the two tests. In December, Danney started a Facebook page under the name Danney Williams-Clinton, and has been posting several comparison shots between himself and Clinton in order to show a resemblance In 1999, the Drudge Report published a story claiming that Star magazine had conducted a DNA test and found that the two were not related, but there remains questions about the alleged test's validity Now, Williams has revealed he plans to sue Bill Clinton to order him to provide a new DNA sample to determine once and for all whether the former president is his father. 'I would love a DNA test to be done,' he said last week, adding that he had never taken the test reported by star magazine. 'All my life I've been told Bill Clinton is my father,' he added on Wednesday. 'Everywhere I go, people say this is Bill Clinton's son, he looks just like him. All I want to know is where I come from.' Williams, who goes by the name Danney Williams-Clinton on Facebook, was brought up by his aunt Lucille Bolton, because his mother was constantly in and out of prison when he was growing up. The Globe interviewed Danney's mother, Bobbie Anne Williams, in the 1990s, who told the story of how she allegedly met and began a relationship with Clinton in 1984. She says Clinton went out for a run one day in Little Rock, when he jogged by her housing project and introduced himself to her. She was 24 years old at the time. A few days later, Clinton allegedly jogged by the housing project again and paid Bobbie $200 for her to have sex with him behind some bushes. After that, Bobbie says that she and Clinton regularly had sex, sometimes alone, sometimes with other female partners. Danney's mother, Bobbie Ann Williams (right), says Bill Clinton paid her for sex on several occasions in 1984, around the time she became pregnant. When she gave birth to her son, she says she knew it was Clinton's because of her son's light skin tone. Bobbie claims Clinton was the only white client she had at the time Eventually, Bobbie became pregnant and she suspected that it was Clinton's child. But when she told the governor, he allegedly laughed in her face. 'He rubbed my big belly and said, "Girl, that cant be my baby." But I knew it was. I just had this kind of womans feeling that this was his child.' Bobbie told The Globe. She became even more sure when she gave birth to the baby boy on December 7, 1985, because the boy's skin tone was so light. Bobbie says her son could only be Clinton's because he was her only white client at the time she got pregnant. Shortly after giving birth though, Bobbie was imprisoned, and Bolton started taking care of the young boy. Bolton is said to be the first person who tried to force the governor to take a DNA test, and reportedly spoke about the matter with Hillary herself. When the governor's office began shutting her out, a local activist took up the cause and started spreading a flyer about the matter titled 'The Hottest Thing Going: Bill Clinton's D*** Will Keep Him From Running for President of the United States of America'. Bolton said she once took Danney to the Governor's Mansion in Little Rock in a bid to confront the Clintons but they were chased off the grounds. 'There was a car coming out of the front gate, right. When the gate swings open, I ran up in there and ran behind the gate. At the time, Slate reported that it would be impossible to determine whether Clinton was Danney's father with the 'imprecise' data 'When I got to the door, I asked for (Hillary) and the door was slammed in my face.' She said 'two big old guys' came from round the side of the mansion. 'I went running and jumped a fence, got the hell out of there,' she said. Williams says he has 'no doubt' he is Bill Clinton's son and said their relationship was 'common knowledge' as he grew up in Arkansas. 'Everywhere I went, they pointed out: 'It's Bill Clinton's son right there. You look like him, don't you? The ears, the mouth, the chin, the teeth, the eyes, the nose'. I see him in me. 'You can see a black Bill Clinton. When I'm brushing my hair I can see Bill Clinton with waves in his hair. 'I always feel bad about him not wanting to be in my life. Was it because I was black? Was there something wrong with me? Why do you not want to be a part of me? It made me even think of sometimes suicide.' In a recent video uploaded to YouTube, Williams said that his family would receive 'seven $100 bills' each month by mail, but it all stopped when Clinton became president. 'They were delivered to my home by state troopers. So I felt he was trying to be a part of my life. And then when he became president, everything stopped.' Danney's mother claims Clinton laughed at her when she told him that she believed her son was his Williams claimed to have had several near-miss attempts to speak to the Clintons. He once went to hear a speech Bill was giving at his presidential library in Little Rock but arrived too late. Just this year during a campaign stop he said he sat front and center as Hillary spoke, but she left immediately afterwards so he didn't get a chance to speak to her. 'I put myself right in front of the podium where she spoke. She was looking right at me eye contact. I was thinking she knew who I was.' What made it even more galling was the fact she spoke about meeting members of the Black Lives Matter movement and how she felt for them. 'It made me wonder. She says black lives matter, so why I don't matter to her? Williams contrasts his hardscrabble upbringing with that of Chelsea Clinton, who he calls his sister. 'In 1995 when my father was president of the United States, the state of Arkansas put us in foster care,' he says in the nine-minute video. 'I lived in foster homes. 'It made me feel horrible because I know his child, Chelsea, was well taken care of and we was house-to-house, hungry at nights.' He said he dropped out of school in 11th grade to work in a donut shop to support his brothers and sisters. The ripest double entendres can be the unintended ones. Mrs Thatcher, so prim, once lowered her voice to a husky whisper and said everyone needs a Willie (she was talking about the political merits of her deputy Willie Whitelaw, as it happens). Yesterday the equally sober Theresa May, standing at the Commons despatch box, appeared to say she hoped a Tory MPs wife would give him his appropriate birthday rations in the bedroom department. Blimey. And the Americans think they have problems with Donald Trump. Calm down, everyone! Theresa May in the Commons yesterday after her reply to Peter Bone Tory MP Mr Bone mentioned that it was his birthday and wondered if the Prime Minister would like to give him a birthday present and announce the reopening of Wellingborough prison Prime Ministers Question Time had just begun. Peter Bone (Con, Wellingborough) held the floor. Mr Bone is that one who looks a bit like a windswept Sven-Goran Eriksson. In the past he has often mentioned his wife in his parliamentary questions. Indeed, Mrs Bone has become quite a fixture, a sort of Everywoman of Northamptonshire, the voice of sense and decency in Englands shires. Mr Bone, with his wife Jeanette Yesterday Mr Bone let slip to the House that it was his birthday (he is 64). He wondered, in his usual droll fashion, if the Prime Minister would like to give him a birthday present and announce the reopening of Wellingborough prison. Mrs May, responding, felt a certain pressure to enter into the jocular spirit of things. This is a terrible danger area for her, for it is generally accepted that Mrs May is no Jimmy Tarbuck. When the producers for Mock the Week hold their casting sessions, the Rt Hon Lady is seldom high on their wishlist. And as anyone in showbiz knows, jokes can be as dangerous as unexploded waterbombs. Anyway, Mrs May rose to the despatch box and said that she was very happy to wish her Hon Friend a very happy birthday. At which fateful point she added, with a ho-ho-ho tone in her voice: I hope Mrs Bone is going to treat the occasion in an appropriate manner. The House had been laughing in the slightly forced manner it normally assumes when Mrs Bone is mentioned. Mrs Thatcher would not have cottoned on to such a Carry On moment but Mrs May, I think, did That continued for about three seconds until MPs realised that Mrs May had just said something accidentally rather filthy. Give old Bone his appropriate birthday present? As Wodehouse might have said: ! Or even: !!! Mrs Thatcher would not have cottoned on to such a Carry On moment but Mrs May, I think, did. She turned a little scarlet round the gills and did a couple of helpless shrugs. The Leader of the Commons, David Lidington, who was sitting beside the Prime Minister, had some difficulty retaining his composure. Had he been drinking a glass of water at that point, it is almost certain to say that he would have done the nose-trick. Mr Bone did not know where to look. How his brow must have prickled! Other MPs laughed with such heartiness, it was almost as if they were delighted to have the long-standing Mrs Bone joke finally punctured (for it will surely be some time before we hear that fine woman again mentioned in parliamentary debate by her husband). Speaker Bercow, craving attention, called the House to order by interrupting the extended merriment to say: I want to hear what is coming next! This only set off another gale of hog-whimpering. Mrs May: Calm down, Mr Speaker. In other news, Kenneth Clarke (Con, Rushcliffe) asked Mrs May about Brexit specifically, about Brexiteer members of the Cabinet manoeuvring against the Chancellor. He wanted Mrs May to put a stop to this political activity. We all know that old Ken is cross the voters opted to leave his beloved European Union but he usually manages to lace some bluff humour into his parliamentary questions. His jovial worldliness leavens his debating position. That is why the Speaker, when calling him, puts on a silly voice and tries to mimic Mr Clarkes accent. It is why Mr Clarkes dissent is tolerated by his party. High Street banks are opening the door to fraudsters by failing to adopt effective security around online banking, it was claimed last night. The criticism comes from Which? amid a 64 per cent increase in online banking fraud last year, taking it up to 133.5 million. At the same time, phone banking fraud rose by 28 per cent to 322.3 million. The scandal is hitting customers in the pocket as banks try to pass on the cost of fraud which they could and should prevent to victims. High Street banks are failing to adopt effective security around online banking, according to Which? (stock image) Which? has launched a super complaint with the Payment Systems Regulator over claims the banks are failing to protect customers duped into transferring money from their accounts to fraudsters. In the majority of these cases, the banks wash their hands of responsibility, leaving victims penniless. The consumer group says some banks have failed to implement two-factor security steps that can help keep online accounts safe. Two-factor authentication at log-in combines two different types of ID checks typically something you know, such as a password or PIN, with something you have, such as a card reader or a mobile phone or device on which you get a single-use pass code. A Which? test of 11 high street banks found that only five have adopted two-factor security checks. It named and shamed Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Bank, which are all part of the same group, along with Santander and TSB as scoring poorly on security over a number of years. It said none of these banks offers two-factor authentication at log-in, despite having the technology. The research, which involved the security consultancy SureCloud, also tested online security features at different stages, including logging in via a browser, adding a new payee and transferring money, and password complexity requirements. A Which? test of 11 high street banks found that only five have adopted two-factor security checks Best for online banking security are First Direct, HSBC and Barclays. First Direct and HSBC have introduced customer voice recognition for their telephone banking customers. Which? spokesman Alex Neill said: The best banks in our test manage to use two-factor authentication without it being too onerous for their customers, so theres no excuse for others to sacrifice security. Online banking is increasingly part of our daily lives and at the same time online scams are becoming more sophisticated. People can only do so much to protect themselves from fraud its time for banks to shoulder more of the responsibility and introduce extra protections to safeguard their customers. The Lloyds group challenged the validity of the Which? criticism, saying: The findings do not provide an accurate reflection of the highly sophisticated security our customers benefit from that is undetectable in this research. We dont consider the results accurately reflect these factors which have a material impact on how we protect our customers daily needs. TSB said: Customers are at the very forefront of everything we do at TSB, and we take their safety and security very seriously. It is our number one priority to offer safe and secure banking facilities for our customers across all of our products and services. The consumer group says some banks have failed to implement two-factor security steps that can help keep online accounts safe To achieve this we maintain complex and multi-layered fraud prevention controls which will not be visible to the customer or reflected in this survey. We continually review and improve our services to ensure they remain robust and fit for purpose. Santander said: We continually look to improve and enhance our customer experience. In doing so we seek to maintain an appropriate balance between customer usability and security. A Muslim group forced to cancel plans for a mosque on the Gold Coast by anti-Islam protesters have sold the site for almost double the money it paid. Protesters had successfully lobbied Gold Coast City Council to block the Salsabil Charity Organisation from converting a warehouse in Currumbin Waters into a mosque. The organisation has since sold the Currumbin Waters property for $3.34million, $1.6million more than it paid 18 months earlier, according to RP Data. The warehouse Salsabil Charity Organisation planned to turn into a mosque Locals campaigned Gold Coast City Council to block the mosque in Currumbin Waters The warehouse was purchased by Australian School of Meditation & Yoga, which plans to produce gluten-free chips at the site for its Vege Chip Company. Salsabil had initially appealed the council's decision to the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane, but lost earlier this year, Gold Coast Bulletin. The group has not confirmed whether it would search for an alternate site. A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia future plans would not necessarily be opposed. 'The Currumbin application was rejected by the City strictly on planning matters which was upheld by the Queensland Planning and Environment Court,' the spokesperson said. Inside the site of the planned mosque in Currumbin Waters, which the Muslim Group has sold for $3.34 million Salsabil sold the warehouse for $1.6 million more than it paid in 2014 The massive warehouse was sold for $3.34 million after council and a court blocked the Muslim group from converting it into a mosque 'Each application is considered on its merit.' Islamic Society of Gold Coast president Hussin Goss said the area needed more mosques to accommodate a growing Muslim population. 'As the community grows, more places of worship are required,' he told Gold Coast Bulletin. 'We will try to pursue this in the right areas.' Salsabil's plans to convert the warehouse to a mosque was opposed by local protesters, Facebook groups like Stop the Mosque at Currumbin, petitions and thousands of submissions to council. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Gold Coast Islam for comment. Locals protest against the mosque at Gold Coast City Council chambers in September, 2014 Locals protest the mosque in Gold Coast in September, 2014 believe he is being protected by cannabis supply contacts abroad Jamie Acourt (pictured), is suspected of being part of a 4million conspiracy to supply cannabis Police believe one of Stephen Lawrence's alleged killers has fled to the 'Costa del Crime' over a 4million cannabis smuggling ring. Officers suspect Jamie Acourt, 39, is being harboured by a network of contacts at locations along the southern Spanish coast. He is suspected of being a 'principal member' of an organised crime group involved in the large-scale supply of cannabis. Scotland Yard detained a number of people following a surveillance operation that lasted for two years, but Acourt fled before the arrests. Investigators revealed the thug went on the run earlier this year but this is the first time they have said he is on the continent. The father-of-two has an extensive network of contacts in Spain and has previously tried to start a new life there with his partner. But the unemployed steel fixer decided against emigrating at the last minute because the couple decided it would be too hard to be away from family and friends. Since the Lawrence case, Acourt has had only one conviction, after he stole empty soda siphons from a drinks warehouse in 1999. But police believe he has enjoyed a luxury heavy-drinking lifestyle as a result of his role in a drugs smuggling gang. Acourt and his brother Neil, 40, are two of the five men named as 18-year-old Stephen's killers by the Daily Mail in 1997. The black teenager was stabbed to death in a racially-motivated attack in Eltham, South London, in 1993. Stephen Lawrence, who was stabbed to death in a racially motivated murder. Jamie Acourt was among those suspected of being one of the killers Two of the original suspects, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were convicted of murder in 2012 and jailed for life. But three other suspects, the Acourts and Luke Knight, have yet to face justice. The notorious fugitive is among the faces of 10 suspected criminals who are believed to be evading justice in the sun. Crimestoppers and the National Crime Agency are once again urging the public to help them bring them to justice. Jamie Acourt appearing in a television interview on Tonight with Trevor McDonald in 1999, regarding the death of Stephen Costa Del Sol in southern Spain, where it is believed suspected cannabis supplier Jamie Acourt has fled, evading arrest in the UK The campaign, known as Operation Captura and which is marking its tenth anniversary, has enjoyed extraordinary success with 76 out of the 86 publicised fugitives captured. Among the 10 latest fugitives are suspects wanted for crimes including murder, child sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering and violence. Others include Londoner Shane O'Brien, 28, who is wanted for stabbing Josh Hanson to death in front of his girlfriend in a west London wine bar. Dangerous Glaswegian Jonathon Kelly, 36, faces being returned to prison to serve his remaining nine year sentence after disappearing while on licence. Stephen Carruthers, 43, from Bury, is wanted after police raided his home and found a computer containing 5,332 indecent images of children. He failed to answer bail. Police say they are pursuing all wanted criminals 'relentlessly' High-living Sarah Panitzke, 42, is wanted by the tax authorities for her role laundering more than 1bn for an organised crime gang. She absconded during her 2013 trial. Steve Reynolds, of the National Crime Agency, said he and his colleagues will 'relentlessly' pursue those wanted by police. He added: 'Many of them use Spain as a base to continue illegal activities which still have an impact on the UK, but it is not a safe haven. The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice. We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets.' A married couple apparently collapsed and died at their apartment just as they were about to eat dinner, police said. The bodies of Courtney, 20, and Cameron Hulet, 28, were found at their home in Dundee, Michigan, on Tuesday night. Investigators were not immediately sure what happened to the couple and toxicology tests are expected as part of the autopsy to determine the cause of death. Dundee police said the couple appeared to have sat down to eat a meal from Taco Bell at their home on Riley St when they suddenly died. Courtney and Cameron Hulet (pictured) apparently collapsed and died at their apartment just as they were about to eat dinner, police said Its really a puzzle, Dundee Village Manger Dave Uhl told the Monroe News. There is no indication as to what happened. Its a mystery. However, police said they also found a pound of marijuana on the kitchen table near their bodies. Dundee police chief Todd said the couples food was untouched and the marijuana was in the process of being divided up for sale. Authorities did not find any signs of trauma on either body and there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment. The bodies of the married couple were found at their home in Dundee, Michigan, on Tuesday Police were called to the apartment by a neighbor, who at first thought the couple were asleep Police were called to the apartment by a neighbor, who at first thought the couple had fallen asleep. The neighbor had visited the couple at around 9pm and left because she thought they were asleep. When she check on them hours later and found them in the same position, she called police. Opperman told the Monroe News that Child Protective Services had recently removed two young children from the home. The couple had only been living in Dundee for the past six weeks. Cameron Hulet has a criminal history in Monroe County that dates back a decade. Lawyers for Connery - pictured with wife Micheline - were locked up after a long trial Sean Connerys lawyers have been sentenced for tax fraud after an investigation sparked by the sale of the actors Spanish home. Luis Juega Garcia was sentenced to nine years and Hector Diaz Bastien and Ramon Asesio Bolea to seven years each after a long-running trial in Malaga. The three were also ordered to repay more than 14million in unpaid company tax, along with two other offenders including one referred to in the past as the actors wife Micheline Roquebrunes Marbella banker. Bastien founded the law firm that Sir Sean, 86, used when he sold his Marbella home in 1999, and Bolea and Garcia were partners. The house was demolished and more than 70 flats, later sold for an estimated 45million, were built in its place in defiance of planning regulations. The deal led to a high-profile investigation dubbed Goldfinger after the 1964 James Bond film in which Sir Sean starred. The actor was questioned before being told in 2014 he would not face trial. However, Miss Roquebrune was ordered to stand trial in November last year for allegedly aiding and abetting a complex operation to defraud the Spanish Treasury. Sydney socialite Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Buttrose has fronted court accused of making threats towards her adult son Andrew Spira, 18, who has an apprehended violence order against her. Buttrose, 47, arrived at Waverley Court on Thursday morning, dressed in black pants and a grey jacket, to enter her plea of not guilty to the charge. The niece of media personality Ita Buttrose was supported by her new fiance, Zoran Stopar, who arrived moments later. On his way into court, Stopar lashed out at a photographer, grabbing the microphone on his camera, before walking inside. Court documents stated Buttrose 'did threaten injury' to Mr Spira 'on account of a thing done by Andrew Spira as a witness in judicial proceedings'. Scroll down for video Sydney socialite Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Buttrose fronted Waverley Court on Thursday The niece of media personality Ita Buttrose was supported by her new fiance Zoran Stopar The charge arose after an incident in Bellevue Hill, when Buttrose made contact with her son about an unrelated matter. The threat to Spira is alleged to have happened between 12.01am on August 27 and 2.35pm on October 13, 2016, court documents showed. Buttrose has pleaded not guilty to threatening Mr Spira. The matter will return to court for a hearing in March 2017. Buttrose, 47, is accused of making threats towards her adult son Andrew Spira, 18, (pictured) Buttrose is seen here with her lawyer outside Waverley Court on Thursday Buttrose, 47, is pictured here with her son celebrating his birthday in 2015 Earlier this year Spira took an AVO out against Buttrose, which remains in place. Both the AVO and injury charge were mentioned on Thursday, and adjourned to March next year. Court documents stated Buttrose 'did threaten injury' to Mr Spira 'on account of a thing done by Andrew Spira as a witness in judicial proceedings' On Facebook last month, Buttrose excitedly announced their engagement Earlier this year Spira took an AVO out against Buttrose, which remains in place The alleged threat against Mr Spira was made between 12.01am on August 27 and 2.35pm on October 13 2016. On Facebook last month, Buttrose excitedly announced her engagement to Mr Stopar, a mountain climber and base jumper. She told friends the pair met through Shari-Lea Hitchcock, the long-time mistress of the late billionaire Richard Pratt. 'Zoran is good friends with Dallen, who is my best friend Shari-lea's boyfriend. Dallen introduced us,' Buttrose wrote. Angela Eagle, pictured, did receive a 'barrage of toxic homophobic abuse' an internal Labour investigation has found Angela Eagle was subjected to a barrage of toxic homophobic abuse from Labour members after challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership, an internal investigation found yesterday. Miss Eagle, the former shadow business secretary, also had a brick thrown through her office window on Merseyside within days of launching her leadership bid in July. The findings will fuel concerns about the outbreak of misogyny, anti-Semitism and homophobia among some supporters of Mr Corbyn. In a letter to the Labour leader in July, 45 female Labour MPs urged him to act to stop the abuse and intimidation being conducted in your name. The signatories, who included ten former shadow cabinet ministers, condemned Mr Corbyn for his inadequate response to abuse which included rape threats, death threats, smashed cars and bricks through windows. Several female MPs, including Miss Eagle, have been issued with panic alarms by police because of the level of abuse they face from activists claiming to be supporters of Mr Corbyn. Some supporters of Mr Corbyn had accused Miss Eagle of exaggerating the level of abuse she faced. But an investigation by Labours ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) found that the Wallasey MP, who is openly gay, was sent many hundreds of abusive, homophobic and frightening messages by Labour members, while her office had to endure abusive and intimidating phone calls. The report, which was leaked to the Liverpool Echo, found it was highly likely that the brick attack on her constituency party offices was linked to her leadership bid. And it described a toxic culture in the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party, which left some members too afraid to take part in its proceedings, amid claims of a takeover by hard-Left supporters of Mr Corbyn. It is understood that even before she announced that she was challenging Mr Corbyn for the leadership she was subjected to homophobic abuse at the constituency partys AGM. Miss Eagle warned in July that Labour was becoming the new nasty party for women. Mr Corbyn came under fire at the time after addressing a meeting of militants in her constituency by phone, when he is said to have told them to stand firm in the face of bullying from Labour moderates. But, in an apparent bid to distance himself from the abuse, he took the unusual step of attending the NEC disciplinary sub-committee that agreed the report. In a statement yesterday, Miss Eagle said: It is now clear and accepted by the NEC that homophobic abuse was perpetrated by some members of the local party; I will simply not tolerate it, and I know I have the backing of both Jeremy and union leaders when I say that there is no place for it in the Labour movement. As regards the vandalism of my office, I am grateful to both the internal investigators and the NEC for making clear the facts of the matter and for the support of members, including the leader of the Labour Party, that such abuse both happened and is intolerable. Ms Eagle, pictured at the Labour Party Conference with (from left) Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and Jennie Formby, had a brick thrown through her window after launching a bid for party leadership in July It is understood the Wallasey CLP will remain suspended until a review next spring and that a number of local activists could face disciplinary action. Meanwhile, a man was yesterday given an eight-week jail sentence suspended for two years after sending a death threat to Miss Eagle in July. Steven King, 45, of Paisley, near Glasgow, admitted sending a grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message. Wirral Magistrates Court heard that the message read: If you become the leader of the Labour Party you will split it and make Labour lose but also you will die you b****, you will have to watch every step and every time you eat anything, you will not live to enjoy the leader[ship] of the Labour Party. IRA sniper or bomb will be on you the day you steal the leadership of the Labour Party. 'You will have too many police with you 24/7. And will never be safe. Leave the UK it is the only way you can live or you will die. When interviewed by police, King said he sent the email as a way to let off steam over Miss Eagles leadership bid. The court heard he would never have acted on those threats. Welfare officers feared a slain two-year-old was at significant risk from her 'violent, unstable and verbally abusive' mother, while her ex-partner who is charged with beating the toddler so severely she lost a third of her blood had improved her life. John Clifford Torney has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Nikki Francis-Coslovic in the Victorian Supreme Court after her battered body was found in the roof cavity of her family home in Mildura, north-west of Melbourne, in August 2015. An officer from the Department of Human Services told the court on Thursday there were significant concerns for the young girl as her mother Peta-Ann Francis neglected to care for her and the home they shared. Scroll down for video Welfare officers feared slain two-year-old Nikki Francis-Coslovic was at significant risk from her 'violent, unstable and verbally abusive' mother Peta-Ann Francis (pictured) The battered body of Nikki Francis-Coslovic (pictured) was found in the roof cavity of her family home in Mildura, north-west of Melbourne, in August 2015 Teresa Cavallo said the house was covered in animal faeces and food scraps, while case notes indicated Ms Francis was 'unstable' and violent, the Herald Sun reported. She told the court there was a 'dramatic change to household management' once Mr Torney started spending time there and argued he had improved the young girl's living conditions in the three months he spent dating her mother. The court heard the child welfare department had written a letter on July 6, 2015 requesting for child care to be provided for Nikki. Officers feared Ms Francis could not look after the two-year-old properly - but the case was closed seven days later. John Torney (pictured) was charged with the murder of two-year-old Nikki Francis-Coslovic One week later Nikki was found with severe blunt force trauma to the torso and injuries to her kidney and liver. The toddler had lost a third of her blood, with a pathologist telling the court she may have laid beaten and helpless for an hour before she died. This comes after Mr Torney made explosive claims during the opening of his murder trial that she could not handle the pressure of motherhood and beat Nikki to death - leaving him to hide the young girl's body when she went out to do errands. Mr Torney's lawyer Julie Condon painted Ms Francis as a liar who had misled police. Mr Torney claims his former parnter could not handle the pressure of motherhood and beat Nikki to death - leaving him to hide the young girl's body when she went out to do errands Ms Condon told the court Ms Francis had asked Mr Torney dispose of the young girl's body and go along with a 'fabricated' missing persons report. He said Ms Francis had told him she went 'too far' with Nikki and that she was not breathing in a police interview after his arrest. Ms Condon has urged the jury not to get caught up in the assumption that a mother would not harm her children, the Herald Sun reported. 'What (Mr Torney) is saying to the police is, 'It's a mother who has fatally assaulted her own child', and of course as a community ... that's just an impossible picture, isn't it, because it runs contrary to the laws of nature,' Ms Condon said. Nikki Francis-Coslovic, 2, sustained injuries to her kidney, liver and skull and had lost one third of her body's blood volume before her body was found Mr Torney's lawyer painted Ms Francis (middle) as a liar who had misled police and urged the jury not to get caught up in the assumption that a mother would not harm her children She told the court 'inconsistencies' in Ms Francis' story about the last time she put Nikki to bed indicated she had a 'guilty conscience' and claimed the 'big bad lies' would unravel during the course of the murder three-week murder trial. The Triple Zero call Ms Francis made to report the young toddler missing in the hours before her body was found in the room of her home has been played for the jury. Prosecutor Gavin Silbert QC earlier argued Mr Torney 'consciously, voluntarily and deliberately killed' Nikki when Ms Francis was out of the house. The court heard Mr Torney smoked several cones of cannabis, had sex, and fell asleep with Ms Francis before she woke up at 2.40pm and realised her daughter was missing. Mr Torney's lawyer said 'inconsistencies' in Ms Francis' story about the last time she put Nikki to bed indicated she had a 'guilty conscience' (Ms Francis pictured right with Nikki's father and her three other children) WHAT HAPPENED TO SLAIN TODDLER NIKKI FRANCIS- COSLOVIC ON AUGUST 25, 2015? Nikki was reported missing by her mother on August 25 last year after she discovered the little girl's bed was empty. The toddler had spent the morning at home with her mother's de-facto partner John Torney while she ran errands. Nikki's body was discovered in the roof cavity of the home by a police officer. He had noticed dirty fingerprints on a manhole cover in the hallway and climbed on a chair to investigate. The officer noticed the girl was not moving and carried her down to a bedroom. Paramedics were called, and on arrival they observed rigor mortis had set in. Advertisement Mr Silbert said a post-mortem examination found Nikki had died between 11am and 2.30pm that day, while her mother was captured on CCTV running errands. The child's body was later found stuffed in a roof cavity in the house 'A pathologist will tell you that, based on the horrific injuries sustained, she could have been alive for up to an hour after the bashing before she died.' The prosecution alleges there is a four-hour window Torney was alone with Nikki, which he used to beat her to death and try to hide her body. His lawyer has urged the jury not to make assumptions about her client's character based on his decision to cram her body in the cavity of Ms Francis' home, the Herald Sun reported. 'Do not let that act mean that, from the very start of this trial, you say to yourself, 'Well, that could only be the act of a guilty person'. You mustn't think like that,' she said. She said 'logic and reason' are paramount in being a member of a jury. The trial is expected to last for three weeks. A California family was thrilled to receive a letter from a loved one, though he had been killed 14 years earlier. Aaron Vickers was the victim of a drive-by shooting in Stockton, CA when he was only 17 years old and a high school junior. Two years before that, he was asked to write a letter to his future self by his teacher, Daryl Hutchins, who promised to mail it back to him in ten years, just as he promised for all of the other students given the assignment. Aaron Vickers, above, was a 17-year-old at Plaza Robles High School in Stockton when he was given the assignment to write a letter to his future self Vickers penned a four page letter to his future self in which he said he might have a daughter named Arianna 'I'm So Unique' Vickers Video courtesy of KRON4 Vickers had a lot to say to his future self and penned a four page letter. But when the ten years passed, Hutchins learned his student was dead. He eventually tracked down Vickers' sister, Tyra Vickers-Kearney, on Facebook and promised to send her the letter. 'The days waiting for the letter, the anticipation was so high. We were wondering, what did the letter say? You know, I hope its not like a one-liner,' Vickers-Kearney told CBS Sacramento. Vickers was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2002 when he was 19 His high school teacher, Daryl Hutchins, tracked down Vickers' family on Facebook after learning he was dead and sent them the letter When the letter arrived, the family was elated to see how long and detailed the letter was. 'Ive never felt his presence like that in the past 14 years, but I felt like he was sitting right next to the side of me as [Tyra] was reading this letter,' said Aaron's mother, Deanetta Vickers. In the letter, Hutchins made his family laugh by predicting he would have a daughter named Arianna 'I'm So Unique' Vickers. Vickers' sister, Tyra, was thrilled to get the letter and said that her brother almost predicted the changing political landscape, saying in ten years there might be a black vice president and a woman might be running for president But probably what astonished them the most was how prescient the teen was in terms of the future political landscape. Letter to the Future: What astonished the family most was was how prescient the teen was in terms of the future political landscape 'He mentioned in ten years, well probably have a black vice president. Or maybe a woman would run for president,' said Vickers-Kearney. A Virginia anchor watched himself become the news on Wednesday morning when he accidentally said 'check your panties' live on-air. NBC 12 reporter Eric Philips meant to tell viewers to 'check your pantries' in the beginning of his segment about faulty slow cookers that were being recalled. But a typo in the script gave Philips the ultimate Ron Burgundy moment, and made him this week's viral star. Scroll down for video NBC 12 reporter Eric Philips became the news on Wednesday morning when he accidentally said 'check your panties' live on-air The Richmond, Virginia anchor meant to tell viewers to 'check your pantries' in the beginning of his segment about faulty slow cookers that were being recalled 'Check your panties, about 175,000 rice - I think that's supposed to be pantries', Philips realized as his co-anchor Karla Reddite begins to laugh. 'I couldn't warn you before I saw, I couldn't warn you, Eric I'm so sorry,' she exclaims, cracking up through her apology. Ever the professional, Philips sailed through the rest of his segment as Reddite continued to cackle as he discussed cookers that had been shocking users. After Philips completed the brief segment, NBC 12 meteorologist Andrew Freiden walked onto the set and said: 'I just want to go and say hello to the internet.' Reddite continues to laugh as she tells Philips: 'I'm trying to get it together.' 'Oh my goodness, okay we're moving on,' she says. Karla Reddite couldn't stop laughing throughout the segment, telling Philips: 'I couldn't warn you before I saw, I couldn't warn you, Eric I'm so sorry!' After Philips completed the brief segment, NBC 12 meteorologist Andrew Freiden (pictured) walked onto the set and said: 'I just want to go and say hello to the internet' Philips later posted the teleprompter script on Facebook to show the missing 'R' in the word But as Reddite begins her segment about a woman's 911 call going unanswered, she begins to giggle again and Philips steps in to help finish the story. 'My co-anchor Karla could not quite get it together,' Philips later told fans on his Facebook page. Philips laughed as he found out the phrase had already been turned into a meme just 15 minutes after the segment 'I had to finish that next story for her because she wasn't quite ready for "check your panties". Quite frankly I wasn't ready for "check your panties" either!' Philips, who said he didn't get a chance to pre-read the script that morning, called it his most embarrassing moment on television 'ever' and apologized to viewers for the mishap. 'It's funny how one letter in a word can make all the difference,' he said. 'Without the "R" it becomes something totally inappropriate for television news.' But Philips laughed as he found out the phrase had already been turned into a meme just 15 minutes after the segment. 'Let's just say it was a showstopper for all the wrong reasons,' he laughed. 'I'm just kind of taking it all in stride.' Days after savers were left high and dry by the Government, Treasury minister Simon Kirby complained about his job A Minister responsible for the U-turn that has left millions of pensioners unable to cash in their annuities appealed for sympathy last night by claiming it is difficult being a top politician. Days after savers were left high and dry by the Government, Treasury minister Simon Kirby complained about the challenges of his job. Answering questions from angry MPs, Mr Kirby said: Its difficult being a Government minister. Sometimes you have to make difficult and hard decisions. The Government had promised that millions of pensioners would be able to swap rip-off annuities for a lump sum from April. But most major insurance companies some of which had sold pensioners poor-value annuities in the first place refused to sign up to the plans. Mr Kirby, who as a junior minister is paid nearly 100,000 a year by the taxpayer, admitted the Treasury had axed its flagship policy after realising there would not be enough firms willing to buy the annuities. He said the Government had realised that without compromising on consumer protections, there would be insufficient purchases to create a competitive market and that pensioners trying to sell their annuities would also be likely to incur high costs in doing so. Ministers have been accused of buckling to pressure from insurance companies, which are said to have lobbied against the policy. Furious pensioners slammed greedy fat cat insurers for colluding and quashing the plans. Six major firms refused to commit to buying back annuities on the proposed second-hand market. Aegon and Royal London had said they would not even buy back annuities from their own customers, let alone from policyholders at other firms. Standard Life, Aviva and Scottish Widows were undecided, while LV= and Prudential were considering buying back annuities from their own customers, but not those of other firms. Furious pensioners slammed greedy fat cat insurers for colluding and quashing the plans Legal & General was the only major insurer to commit to buying back annuities from any customer. MPs and pensioners branded the collapse of the plans a disgrace. Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland said: Its no surprise that many in the industry who gave people such bad annuity deals in the first place have been lobbying so hard against this. They have a huge interest in stopping people from being able to sell their badly performing product. The new Government has simply bowed to the pressure and are leaving pensioners worse off. The Government claimed that allowing people to sell their annuities would have put them at risk of poor-value deals. But pensioners accused ministers of patronising them and said insurers should also have done more to make the plans a success. Anthony Katz, 61, who worked for 28 years as a buyer for the shoe firm Russell and Bromley and now owns a hotel in the Cotswolds, bought a 2,000-a-month annuity with his 750,000 pot in 2012. He said: Insurers say this was about protecting customers, but I think that is a lot of rubbish. They are interested in their profits and helping customers to get out of their annuities would not have been good for them. They are greedy fat cats driving around in their Aston Martins while we are stuck with annuities we were forced to buy. It is daylight robbery. Retired engineer Norman Webster, 61, from Bognor Regis, West Sussex, was also hoping to sell his annuity after taking out a 100-a-month deal several decades ago. He said: I wonder if there was pressure put on the Government by pension firms. Dozens of police cars drove through the centre of a small town in northern California last night as colleagues paid a moving, silent tribute to a sheriff's deputy who was shot dead while on duty. Deputy Jack Hopkins, 31, from Modoc County Sheriff's Office, was responding to a call in a rural area 10 miles south of Alturas when he was shot dead. A suspect was detained shortly afterwards. Deputy Jack Hopkins (pictured) was shot dead Wednesday while responding to a disturbance call, 10 miles south of Alturas, California Deputy Hopkins only joined the force last year. Modoc County is a rural area of northern California close to the border with Oregon and he is believed to be the first sheriff's deputy killed on duty in their history. Last night a video was uploaded onto the Sheriff's Office's Facebook page showing about 50 patrol cars with their emergency lights on riding silently down the street in Alturas. The video was simply titled 'Deputy Jack Hopkins Procession'. Dozens of patrol cars patrolled silently through Alturas after dark The silent tribute is believed to have been organized by Sheriff Hopkin's colleagues late last night California Highway Patrol are investigating the shooting, along with sheriff's deputies from neighboring Shasta, Siskiyou, Lassen and Butte Counties. It is understood dozens of law enforcement officers, as well as agents from the US Forest Service responded after Deputy Hopkins reported an 'officer down'. Deputy Hopkins is the fourth law enforcement officer in California to die in the line of duty in the last two weeks. Town halls threatened a revolt last night if they were burdened with bogus child refugees from Calais. It came as computer analysis of photographs of the 'child migrants' who arrived in London from the Jungle camp this week suggests many could be in their 20s and 30s. A local government chief warned migrants suspected of lying about being under 18 could be put through age checks. Free health, education and housing will be withdrawn if they fail, said David Simmonds of the Local Government Association. 'What we don't know yet is the process of verification the Home Office may have undertaken to establish the age of people,' he added. Computer analysis of photographs of the 'child migrants' who arrived in London from the Jungle camp this week suggests many could be in their 20s and 30s 'We know a significant proportion of people who come to the UK under existing arrangements, claiming to be children, turn out to be over the age of 18, which has been a big problem for councils. 'It is certainly possible that young people arriving from Calais, as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children needing support, will be refused support if there are doubts about their age.' Analysis of photographs of some of the 'child' migrants arriving in London over the past few days suggests some could be older than they claim. The facial recognition software written by Microsoft even suggested one migrant was 38. The global software giant stressed yesterday that its How Old Do I Look? program was a 'fun app' that 'guesses how old you look using machine learning'. Facial recognition software written by Microsoft suggested these two 'child' migrants were aged in their 30s The global software giant stressed yesterday that its How Old Do I Look? program was a 'fun app' that 'guesses how old you look using machine learning' A spokesman said: 'It is not intended to be used as a definitive assessment of age.' It came as it emerged that the migrants who are supposed to be 17 or younger are being given arbitrary dates of birth because the Home Office cannot verify their ages. Haris Stanikzai, who arrived on Monday, said he was 16 but he had been given an 'official' date of birth that makes him 17. The Afghan youngster, who does not have a birth certificate, said the Home Office told him that he was born on January 1, 1999. Haris told the Mail: 'I am 16 years old.' His uncle Jan Ghazi added: 'I do not know the exact day and month that he was born, but he is my nephew and I know, I can see, that he is 16. 'The Home Office may have said that his birth is on a particular date and I do not want to have an argument with them over it, but he is younger.' Analysis of photographs of some of the 'child' migrants arriving in London over the past few days suggests some could be older than they claim A third wave of 'child' migrants arrived in Britain from the Calais Jungle today - but the Home Office refused to carry out dental checks to prove their real age If a refugee does not have a birth certificate, a Home Office screening officer can certify them as a child based on their 'physical appearance and demeanour'. Unless the asylum seeker appears 'significantly' over 18, they should be 'afforded the benefit of the doubt and treated as children'. When officials believe the refugee is a child but not the age they claim, screening officers will estimate a date of birth and write the word 'disputed' on their application form. 'CENSORSHIP' ROW AS BBC PIXELATES MIGRANTS' FACES The BBC was accused of censoring the child migrants story by making it impossible for viewers to see their faces. The corporations news programmes obscured footage of some of the new arrivals by blurring their heads. Critics said it was a nonsensical way to report on a row about whether the migrants looked older than children, if nobody watching the programmes was allowed to see them. Sky News also shielded the youngsters faces in its coverage, while The Guardian newspaper simply ignored photographs of the older-looking migrants. Broadcasting insiders said it was a matter of editorial policy because the migrants were being treated as vulnerable children whose identities should be protected. But LBC radio host Nick Ferrari called the BBC bleeding-heart liberals. He added: How is anyone meant to have an informed view, if the BBC choose to censor this image? Advertisement An age assessment will then be arranged with trained experts. Councils are responsible for all costs associated with lone child asylum seekers up until the age of 25 and many are struggling to cope. The number has risen 54 per cent in a year because of the spiralling migration crisis. At least 3,472 unaccompanied children were seeking asylum at the end of June. Council chiefs expect hundreds more child refugees from Calais in the coming weeks, putting an additional strain on resources. Mr Simmonds said determining a migrant's true age was 'educated guesswork' and could end up in costly legal battles. 'Councils regularly refuse to accept what people say is their age and it is likely, within any cohort where there are significant numbers, that doubts will be raised and councils will refuse to treat those people as children,' he said. Mr Simmonds insisted it was important that British people knew that 'everyone who is coming in is being treated fairly'. 'In relation to those coming from France at the moment, the Home Office is responsible for making checks before they arrive,' he added. 'But age assessment is one of those things which quite commonly ends up in the courts, and councils like my own, Hillingdon in west London, which has a large population of asylum-seeking children, have lost or been embroiled in legal challenges and judicial reviews. 'We are normally relying on either verified documents someone has a passport or birth certificate or something like that or in the absence of that usually a series of interviews. So it is more or less educated guesswork. It is hugely unsatisfactory.' Around 12 migrants - all burly lads aged anywhere between 15 and 21 - were escorted off a coach The group that arrived on Wednesday was greeted by raucous supporters He added that councils have been worried about the issue of age assessments for years because 'we have frequently had to deal with situations where people claiming to be a child have seen it as a back door to route straight to immigration control'. If you come in as a child, you become a child in care and are handed straight on to the local authority who are then responsible for supporting them financially until the age of 25,' he said. Mr Simmonds said the warnings about adult asylum seekers pretending to be children had 'fallen on deaf ears' at the Home Office and the cost to taxpayers of disputes had risen as a result. Each judicial review of an age dispute costs councils about 50,000 in legal fees. Council chiefs have also warned of the risks of sex attacks in schools if adults posing as migrant children are allowed to enter Britain. A House of Lords committee has been told that possible sexual exploitation of pupils in the classroom was a very real concern. Local authorities are obliged to find school places for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who have been driven from their homes by war and famine. Tory MP David Davies has been condemned by dentists after last night calling for tests on teeth to verify the age of child migrants. Pictured, child refugees arrive in Croydon today on the third day of arrivals from Calais Two teenagers arrive at Lunar House in Croydon, south London, from the Calais Jungle camp today But Paul Chadwick, head of looked-after children and resources at Croydon Borough Council in south London, said difficulties in accurately verifying the age of lone refugees meant adults could sneak into the UK pretending to be minors and even receive places at school. That would potentially put younger pupils at risk of abuse. Dr Chadwick told the House of Lords EU home affairs sub-committee in April: 'The difficulties for schools tend to be in age assessments. Schools are concerned about the possible sexual exploitation of pupils by adults who are claiming to be children and placed in school. 'That is a very real concern in the light of some of the incidents that have occurred in some foster placements nationally.' In one instance, an Afghan refugee who claimed to be just 12 was exposed to be lying after he assaulted a man looking after him. Following the attack, indecent images of children were allegedly found on his phone as well as records of visits to jihadi websites. A dental examination revealed he had rotting wisdom teeth and was likely to be at least 21. He had arrived in Britain clandestinely via Calais and was sent to live in Wales. Mark Zuckerberg has shared an adorable picture of his baby daughter Max and revealed her first word: dog. Zuckerberg shared the picture of his 10-month-old daughter petting the family's Puli Beast at home in Palo Alto on Wednesday. 'Max loves Beast. Her first word: dog,' he captioned it. Scroll down for video Mark Zuckerberg shared this adorable picture of his daughter Max with the family pet Beast and revealed her first word was dog Clad in cosy-looking teal hoodie, Max is seen sitting on the carpet with her arms outstretched towards Beast's distinctive fur. The post has amassed more than 220,000 likes in less than five hours. The Facebook founder welcomed his first child with his wife Priscilla - named Maxima Chan Zuckerberg - in December last year. And like every new parent on Facebook, Zuckerberg has readily shared cute pictures and milestones. The Facebook founder welcomed his first child with his wife Priscilla in December last year Beast, who is a type of Hungarian sheepdog, has also made appearances on Zuckerberg's page. But he also has his own Facebook fan page with more than two million likes. Claimed Trump walked in on one woman in a massage room and made an inappropriate comment to another in an elevator He said the tales of nine women who accused Trump of groping are 'true' Mark Cuban accused Donald Trump of making unwanted sexual advances against two of his friends during a blistering on-air debate against former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The billionaire was taking part in discussion with the politician on Wednesday ahead of the third presidential debate when he made the claims. Asked if he believed the accounts of nine women who have separately accused Trump of sexual impropriety, Cuban said he knew of two other 'victims' who had not yet shared their story. ' Who knows if it's all true but I know two that won't come forward and I know with absolute certainty. Scroll down for video Mark Cuban claimed Donald Trump made sexual advances against two of his friends during a heated on-air spat with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani on CNN on Wednesday (above) 'Neither one was sexual assault, in one case he walked into a massage room and hit on her, the other it was a rude comment in an elevator. 'When something goes wrong for Donald, he never owns it. It's always a conspiracy theory'. Cuban made the claims during a heated appearance on CNN with the former New York mayor ahead of Trump's debate against Clinton at the University of Las Vegas. Giuliani undermined the credibility of women claiming to have been attacked by Trump over the past 30 years, accusing them of reading from a 'script'. 'These women come forward, all of a sudden it's kind of orchestrated. Using a kind of script: "groping, groping, groping. 'He believes and knows it is untrue. He is justifiably upset about the allegations against him. 'I know men who are touchy-feely. Donald Trump is not one of them,' he said. Cuban was taking part in a pre-debate showdown with former New York mayor when they came to blows Cuban reacted with horror and disgust as Giuliani sided with the Republican nominee. CNN's Erin Burnett (center) also claimed to know one woman who was attacked by Trump CNN's Erin Burnett claimed she too knew a woman who was the victim of an unwanted advance made by the Republican candidate. 'I know a woman that this happened to, with Donald Trump. I know her story to be true,' she said. Firmly pledging his support with the Democratic candidate, Cuban said Trump could only win if an unexpected surge in voters side with him. 'The only way Trump wins is if his cult comes out in force and far greater numbers than anyone expected.' Giuliani came out to bat for Trump, slamming his opponent in a series of cutting insults. CNN anchor Don Lemon was shocked by the businessman's claim during a phone interview earlier this week Trump used his podium on Wednesday to deny the allegations of nine different women who say he groped or kissed them 'She's been there forever and she's got nothing done,' he said. Cuban responded furiously of Trump: 'Name any of his products that are still successful? He cheated 6,000 people at Trump university. 'Trump games, cards, steaks, clothes. When somebody gives their name and sell their name so often, that tells me that they're desperate.' Cuban first made the accusation earlier this week during a phone interview with CNN's Don Lemon. He was vouching for the women who have come forward with separate allegations when he said: 'I know one. Cuban was present in the audience at The University of Las Vegas in Nevada for Wednesday's debate 'It didn't just happen recently. My friend reminded me, it was from 2000. I know someone else from two years ago,' he continued. Cuban, an avid Clinton supporter, said he did not expect either of his friends to share their allegations nor would he advise them to. Stopping short of calling Trump a friend, he earlier told Lemon he had personal experience with the businessman. 'We're not best friends but we're more than acquaintances.' He later repeated the accusation during a square-off against former New York mayor and Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani. There, he said Trump walked in to a massage room to hit on a woman and made an inappropriate comment to the other in an elevator. We've long been told that mobile phones and driving don't mix - but that's all about to change. Speeding drivers will soon be able to receive fines for traffic infringements via text message or email as part of new e-ticketing technology rolled out in Queensland. The modern initiative, coming into affect from Thursday, will mean motorists pulled over by traffic police can 'speed up' the process of dealing with infringements, while it will also remove paperwork needs and save on administration costs. Drivers caught speeding will soon be able to receive their fines via text message or email under a new initiative rolled out by Queensland police 'We'll start slowly, with just two officers for the first week using it and we'll see how it goes,' Queensland Police acting assistant commissioner Dale Pointon said. 'There's been some other minor pilots but not on this scale, we're leading the nation at this stage. 'I think it makes sense too because we're going to a paperless society, it's instant, and the sooner you can issue it the better.' While there are many positives to the move, there's also the danger that email scams and phishing tactics could catch out many vulnerable victims. Assistant commissioner Pointon said while that's a risk, police were hoping their initiative would be a success. 'There's always a potential of an email scam but if you haven't spoken to an officer, don't pay the ticket and report it to police,' assistant commissioner Pointon said. 'It is a risk that we're looking at, it's something you can't completely eliminate.' Acting assistant commissioner Dale Pointon (right) said the move would ensure fines could be dealt with quickly and also reduce the paper trail from infringements For those without a mobile phone or email access, fines can still be issued through the mail. But for those thinking they'll be able to get out of a fine by giving a wrong email address or phone number - think again. Police are letting drug users found with cocaine, heroin and ecstasy off the hook by sending them to a workshop instead of prosecuting them. Hundreds of suspected criminals are opting for slap on the wrist diversion courses despite being caught red-handed by officers. They are expected to complete a three-and-a-half hour education session and behave themselves for four months instead of risking up to seven years in jail. The scheme has been taken up by four out of five suspects. Drug users are being offered the chance to complete a three and a half hour education session and behave themselves for four months instead of risking up to seven years in jail (file photo) But critics warned that the process is asking to be abused and that many people require tougher treatment than a get out of jail free card. One said street-smart drug dealers will be laughing all the way to the workshops. Known as Checkpoint, the scheme offers those suspected of low-level offences the chance to sign a good behaviour contract instead of being charged. These include public order and drug offences, theft or shoplifting. Those suspected of serious offences, such as domestic abuse or hate crime, do not qualify. If the individual successfully completes the contract and does not reoffend, no further action will be taken against them and they will not receive a conviction. The scheme was first unveiled in Durham, where Chief Constable Mike Barton has long campaigned for the legalisation of drugs. There, 71 people caught with drugs have been let off the hook, as senior officers suggest the scheme could be adopted nationwide. Now, Avon and Somerset Police has revealed it has offered the course to 215 people caught in possession of drugs. The force has been running the pilot scheme in Bristol since April and will continue until April 2017. But neighbouring force Devon and Cornwall Police have strongly denied claims it is considering adopting the scheme. The scheme is supported by Cambridge University, which is using information for research Those behind Checkpoint insist it is not a soft option and is in fact tougher than being handed a caution or fixed penalty notice. It is supported by Cambridge University, which is using some of the information generated to forecast the risk of further offending. But critics warn that it risks legitimising drugs possession and is another step towards decriminalising drugs use by the back door. Labour MP Jenny Chapman, whose constituency is covered by the Durham force, has warned it should be used with extreme caution and risks leaving victims feeling that justice has not been done. And Rory Geoghegan, of think-tank the Centre for Public Safety, said: Offering to drop prosecutions for indictable offences in return for attending a workshop is a process asking to be abused. Prolific or vulnerable offenders require court-mandated problem-solving activity or prison, not a workshop and a get out of jail free card. The Home Office said: This Government has no intention of decriminalising drugs. It is vital that the police and criminal justice system have a range of measures available to them to prevent drug use. Abba Eban, the most eloquent of Israeli diplomats, once noted when he was ambassador to the United Nations in the 1960s that if Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions.His quip has become reality, most recently, with the preliminary vote last week by the executive board of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which denies a Jewish connection to the Old City of Jerusalem. The resolution referred to the Western Wall and Temple Mount only by their Arab names, and condemned the government for its aggression in its maintenance of the holy sites. Such false allegations have led to a number of fatal Arab terror attacks on Jews in the last year.Of course the UNs anti-Israel bias is longstanding and a given, to the degree that Israeli officials expressed a degree of optimism in that the 24-6 vote was not worse. They pointed out that countries including France, Italy, Spain, Indian, Sweden and Japan were among the 26 nations that abstained from the Palestinian-sponsored resolution rather than voting for it. They were pleased that no European countries supported the move.But only the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Estonia joined the United States in voting against the resolution, which Washington condemned was one-sided and unhelpful.Israel announced that it will break all ties with UNESCO. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: To say that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount is like saying that China has no connection to the Great Wall of China or that Egypt has no connection to the pyramids. With this absurd decision, UNESCO has lost the modicum of legitimacy it had left. But I believe that historical truth is stronger and that truth will prevail. And today we are dealing with the truth.Even UNESCOs director-general, Irina Bokova, criticized the vote. To deny, conceal or erase any of the Jewish, Christian or Muslim traditions undermines the integrity of the site, and runs counter to the reasons that justified its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list, she said in a statement. When these divisions carry over into UNESCO, an organization dedicated to dialogue and peace, they prevent us from carrying out our mission.Despite Israels break with UNESCO, Jerusalem is adamant about remaining a part of the UN, insisting that to leave over principle would only further isolate itself in the eyes of the international community. Still, it is deeply disheartening that at a time when world pressure is on Israel to make peace with the Palestinians, the UN supports efforts allowing the Palestinian Authority to avoid direct negotiations and places the onus fully on Israel.To deny Israels historical connection to the land, ignoring history and reality, is the worst way to promote reconciliation. Advertisement Once again, Donald Trump tried to use seats at a prime time presidential debate to make Bill and Hillary Clinton squirm. At the third and final contest in Las Vegas, Trump brought Lydie Denier, whose engagement to U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens was tragically cut short when Stevens died in the 2012 Benghazi attack. Bill Clinton attended the debate something that had not been certain in the days leading up to the final contest. But after the Clinton camp raised concerns about possible stunts, Bill Clinton and Melania Trump did not enter the debate facility in a way where they would meet and shake hands. Scroll down for video Bill Clinton (right, with daughter Chelsea) and Melania Trump (left) did not enter the debate facility in a way where they would meet and shake hands Front and center: Donald Trump's sons Donald Jr and Eric brought their wives with them to lend emotional support to their father on debate night Before the debate Lydie Denier tweeted a picture of herself and Patricia Smith on their way to the event in Las Vegas Hillary Clinton and Trump entered the stage from separate sides and also didnt shake hands. Stevens was the US ambassador to Libya when he was murdered in the terrorist assault on the American compound in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. Denier, a model and actress who met Stevens when he was a consular officer and she was seeking to gain permanent status here, told GatewayPundit in April that Clinton 'should have done a better job' in protecting the U.S. facilities in Benghazi that got overrun. 'As far as Hillary Clinton, it would take more than six minutes to say how I feel. But, obviously you know how I feel. I think she should have done a better job for security. 'And, not ignoring his requests for security. If he was a friend, as she said, then you don't let a friend down,' she said. From right, Melania, Ivanka and Tiffany Trump arrive for the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center Former US President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea Clinton greet someone in the row behind them at the debate Asked if Clinton was getting a pass, she replied: 'Well, she's Hillary Clinton. Clintons are very powerful, a reference to Stevens requests for security upgrades that he didnt get. Trump also brought four unbelievable people whose family members were brutally killed by illegal immigrants. His campaign had said in advance he would bring Malik Obama, the half-brother of President Obama. Malik Obama has become a critic of his half-brothers policies and has said he backs Trump because he can Make America Great Again. Pat Smith, the mother of the late Sean Smith, a State Department IT consultant who was killed in the Benghazi attack, was also said to be in attendance as Trump's guest. Clinton guests include CEO Mark Cuban, basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Former U.S. president Bill Clinton blows a kiss to someone in the crowd during the third and final debate on Wednesday A glum-looking Melania Trump did not shake hands with former president Bill Clinton ahead of the third debate But Melania Trump greeted vice-presidential candidate Mike Pence with a kiss on the cheek ahead of the debate Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence (right) and Melania Trump are seen before the final presidential debate Trump campaign CEO Stephen Bannon said they are intending to bring guests who bring up Clinton's 'sordid past'. Above, Bill and Chelsea Clinton Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (left) and President Obama's half-brother Malik Obama (right) both attended the debate Sarah Palin (left) is seated in the front row of the debate with President Obama's half-brother Malik (right) seated behind her President Obama's half-brother Malik (above) was also invited to attend the debate as Donald Trump's guest Also said to be attending was Leslie Millwee, the latest woman to accuse Bill Clinton of sexual assault, who made herself heard in the furious campaign back-and-forth about groping and sexual assault with a startling new TV interview. However, Millwee was a no-show at the debate. Millwee alleges he groped her three times when she was a 20-year-old television reporter in Arkansas and he was the state's governor, coming forward with her claim in an interview with Breitbart News aired the day of the debate. Millwee, who went by the name Leslie Derrick back then, says Clinton, then the governor of Arkansas, slipped into her television station's small editing room and groped her from behind while she was seated, 'hunching' her chair to the point of orgasm. 'I could feel what he was doing from behind me. I do not know if he had taken, you know, private parts out. Or if he was doing it. I assumed he was doing it through material but I could be wrong,' she said. The third and final presidential debate started with no handshake between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Ivanka Trump (right) arrives before the final presidential debate on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas Ivanka Trump (center) looks on before the start of the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Melania Trump (left) and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence attend the third and final presidential debate Scott Baio and his wife Renee Sloan attend the third presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night Retired NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar puts his arm around the Reverend Jesse Jackson as they await the debate's start Trump's campaign CEO, Stephen Bannon, forecast the debate strategy when he ran into CNN at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas ahead of the debate. He told the network that bringing President Obama's half-brother Malik to the high-stakes debate was 'just an appetizer.' He said Trump would bring guests who would 'expose Bill and Hillary's sordid past.' The campaign is lagging badly in virtually every opinion poll, and has endured an onslaught of criticism since the emergence of first Trump's 'grab them by the p****' tape and then a series of women claiming he was a sexual predator. Senior Republicans distanced themselves from the campaign - particularly Paul Ryan, the House Speaker - and Trump has spoken of his anger at them. Now for the final debate, it has embraced a 'scorched earth' attack on the Clintons as the way to come from behind to win on November 8. Trump brought four Clinton accusers to the second debate, holding a press conference with them in advance and raising decades-old issues of Bill Clinton's past. Dallas Mavericks basketball team owner Mark Cuban (right) talks with retired basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (left) Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (center) arrives before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate Jesse Jackson shakes hands with entrepreneur Mark Cuban before the third and final debate before Election Day Former Republican presidential hopeful Dr. Ben Carson in the stands prior to the start of the final presidential debate Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada arrives before the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas on Wednesday Attorney General Jeremy Wright (pictured) said the 'vast majority' of legal claims against troops are without foundation The 'vast majority' of legal claims against troops are without foundation, the government's top lawyer admitted yesterday. Attorney General Jeremy Wright said a legal witch-hunt against British troops is 'out of our control', but insisted claims against soldiers still have to be investigated despite a disgraced lawyer's downfall. The Attorney General told MPs: 'I am perfectly prepared to say I am convinced that at the end of this process the vast, vast majority of allegations will be found to be baseless. 'I do not dispute for a moment how difficult this process is and how frustrating it is that it is taking this long. It really should not.' Speaking to an inquiry into the drummed-up cases against British soldiers who served in Iraq, he said he had never before seen law firms generate claims on such a scale. He also suggested heavy-handed detectives employed to probe murder allegations could face criminal charges for turning up at barracks and allegedly pretending to be police. His brutal verdict came after law firm Public Interest Lawyers shut down in August this year after it was stripped of legal aid. Lawyer Phil Shiner, who was behind the firm, has made his career suing the British government at taxpayers' expense. He is facing a criminal probe and a professional disciplinary tribunal next year. His firm handed over 1,100 claims of wrongdoing by British troops to the Iraq Historical Allegations Team (Ihat). The 57million probe is currently looking at 1,666 claims in total. His brutal verdict came after law firm Public Interest Lawyers shut down in August, pictured is Phil Shiner, who was behind the firm Soldiers hoped that the closure of PIL would have stopped them being dragged before detectives working for Ihat. But yesterday Mr Wright admitted: 'We cannot shut up shop.' He said he understood that soldiers were going through a 'horrendous' experience. But in a defence sub-committee hearing he added: 'Part of it is out of our control, part of it is about the flow into the system as much as the way you manage things once they are there.' He said cases handed to them by PIL still had to scrutinised to weed out those that were baseless. He said: 'We can't assume, much as we might like to, that everything he brought to us is false. 'The obligation to investigate still exists even if it came from Mr Shiner and his company. 'What hasn't yet been demonstrated is every single one of the cases is not genuine.' He admitted: 'We are back I'm afraid to the same problem of sorting the wheat from the chaff. 'Even if a large proportion of the cases he brought to us are fake, false, do not have any merit at all, working out which they are, assuming Mr Shiner isn't going to tell us, would still require an investigatory process.' Detectives working for Ihat have been accused of turning up out of the blue at military bases and threatening soldiers with arrest even though they do not have the powers. Asked about this, Mr Wright said: 'Impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence and if that is what has happened then I have no doubt that that those who will pursue that type of offending ought to do so.' He said it was a 'source of deep frustration' that the Government had to investigate soldiers over incidents that happened a decade ago. He added: 'I don't think it is fair to say that in 2010 anyone expected that IHAT in 2016 would be dealing with the volume of cases it is now dealing with. 'The way in which these particular firms were generating workload in a way that I don't think has ever been seen before in any other context.' It also emerged that some of the claims submitted to Ihat were just three lines long, with very minimal details about the crime that allegedly took place. Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who set up the inquiry, blasted: 'It comes across to the untrained as completely insane.' Chair of the defence select committee, Dr Julian Lewis. said: 'If these people had operated the system with even a modicum of good sense and discrimination many of the soldiers wouldn't have been put through this.' A man may have murdered his ex-girlfriend then staged a car crash to cover up the crime, a court has heard. Mother-of-two Jasmine White, 28, was found dead with 'catastrophic injuries' at the scene of a smash in the early hours of September 27 at the outskirts of Kapunda, north of Adelaide. Her former partner, Adam James Cocks, allegedly assaulted Ms White and her new boyfriend Matthew Lintern before the smash, The Advertiser reported. Mother-of-two Jasmine White, 28, was found dead with 'catastrophic injuries' at the scene of a smash in the early hours of September 27 at the outskirts of Kapunda, north of Adelaide Ms White's boyfriend Matthew Lintern has alleged her ex murdered her and staged the crash Mr Cocks, 34, was allegedly at the wheel of the car and had sustained minor injuries, including a dislocated shoulder. The morning prior, he had allegedly 'ripped off' Ms White's front screen door about 6am and hit her in the head while yelling: 'I am going to kill you', prosecutor Nick Wong told Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Mr Cocks then struck Mr Lintern, 22, with a steel bar in the side of the head. Mr Lintern escaped and watched as Mr Cocks and Ms White left her home and contacted police over concerns for her safety, the court heard. The 22-year-old alleged his girlfriend had been murdered before Cocks 'staged' the crash, the court heard during Mr Cocks' bail application via video link. The morning before the crash, Mr Cocks had allegedly 'ripped off' Ms White's front screen door about 6am and hit her in the head while yelling: 'I am going to kill you' Lawyer for Mr Cocks, Nikki Conley, called the accusations 'bizarre'. No murder charges have been laid and a police investigation is ongoing. Mr Wong said Mr Cocks and Ms White had split following continued allegations of domestic violence. Mr Cocks has been charged with aggravated causing death by dangerous driving, serious criminal trespass and two counts of aggravated assault. He is also charged with driving under disqualification or suspension. He is yet to enter a plea. North Korea has suffered its second failed missile test in a week as the US warned Pyongyang of an 'overwhelming' response to any use of nuclear weapons. An intermediate-range Musudan rocket exploded shortly after take-off at about 6.30am local time, according to South Korean and US military monitors. It comes after US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that any use of nuclear arms by the North would be 'met with an effective and overwhelming response'. The attempted launch also came just hours before the start of the third US presidential debate - a timely reminder of the challenge North Korea's fast-moving nuclear weapons programme will pose to the next occupant of the White House. North Korea has suffered its second failed missile test in a week as the US warned Pyongyang of an 'overwhelming' response to any use of nukes (file picture) It was the second failed launch in less than a week of the Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 1,500 and 2,500 miles. The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. The US and its two key Asian allies all condemned the latest launch as a clear violation of UN resolutions banning the North from using ballistic missile technology. 'Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad,' said Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military was 'fully prepared' for further provocations, while Japan vowed to 'step up pressure' on North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (centre) inspects the ground jet test of a new type high-power engine of a carrier rocket, at the Sohae Space Centre, in September US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that any use of nuclear arms by the North would be 'met with an effective and overwhelming response' The last Musudan test on Saturday was denounced by the UN Security Council which is currently debating a fresh sanctions resolution against Pyongyang over its fifth nuclear test carried out last month The missile has now been tested eight times this year - but only once successfully. A Musudan launched in June flew 250 miles into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and was hailed by leader Kim Jong-Un as proof of the North's ability to strike US bases across 'the Pacific operation theatre'. Despite the string of failures, some experts believe the missile is moving swiftly towards operational deployment. A test-fire of a large-caliber rocket is seen being conducted from an undisclosed location in North Korea According to John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specialising in rocket propulsion, the aggressive launch schedule, while multiplying the risk of failure, also increases the information gleaned from each test. 'If they continue at this rate, the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile could enter operational service sometime next year -- much sooner than had previously been expected,' Schilling wrote recently on the 38North website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. After Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, the Security Council adopted the toughest sanctions resolution to date, targeting North Korea's trade in minerals and tightening banking restrictions. This is the adorable moment a pair of guinea pigs were filmed racing to finish their food - before it almost ends in a fight. The competition pits Custard, a white and ginger rodent, against the black and white Pablo to see who can finish a piece of parsley faster. Handed the tasty treat by their Australian owner, the two get munching straight away, with Custard taking a clear early lead. Custard and Pablo, two guinea pigs from Australia, have been filmed taking on one another to see who can eat a stalk of parsley the fastest Custard gets a flying start as Pablo takes the unorthodox tactic of eating his stalk in stages However, Pablo soon starts pulling back into the race as Custard appears to get stuck on a large bunch of leaves. But his clumsy jaws seem to let him down as he keeps dropping the stalk, allowing Custard to claim the victory. However, things almost end in tears after Custard tries to go after the stalk still sticking out of Pablo's mouth. That sparks a head-to-head between the two pets as they lunge toward each other. Since being posted online, the video has gone viral, being watched tens of thousands of times, with thousands more views every hour. Custard eventually triumphs over the slightly clumsy Pablo, before his greed almost sparks a fight between the two A man who let topless women sell sexual massages from the front room of his Sunshine Coast home has been convicted of prostition and fined $8,000. Stephen Glen Chapman, 49, let two women use the room to provide massages with a 'happy ending' for clients for up to $180. The women would put 30 in a jar for Chapman for each massage. Chapman pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Court and was convicted and fined on Wednesday, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported. Scroll down for video Stephen Glen Chapman (pictured) said illegal erotic massage parlous are in huge demand after he was found guilty of prostitution offences on Wednesday The court heard Chapman - who was convicted of similar offences in 2011 - allowed two women to perform sex acts on clients in his home for between $80 and $180, with him taking a cut each time. Chapman had posted 'hand relief' services online and in a local newspaper. He said around 12 other illegal erotic massage parlous operating on the Sunshine Coast area because there was a 'huge' demand for the services. 'Basically, there is a lot of people around who need that sort of service,' he told the Sunshine Coast Daily outside court. He said closing down his business, which was run in the front room of his house, would not stop his former clients seeking erotic massages elsewhere. 'At the end of the day, it is what it is, so if they want to do something like that they are just going to go somewhere else.' Chapman claimed there were at least 12 other illegal massage parlour in the area, with many advertising online (pictured) Chapman was was fined $8,000 in Maroochydore Court (pictured) on Wednesday Police found a detailed, handwritten diary complete with the phone numbers of thousands of Chapman's clients when they raided his house in December last year. According to reports, he denied being involved in the illegal massage service but changed his plea once a woman working for him revealed details about what she did inside the house. The court heard one woman made $1190 in a single shift after spending time with 11 men. Advertisement They have glamorously turned out to support him at each of his square-offs against Hillary Clinton. But the ever stylish Trump women opted for ominous wardrobe choices as they cheered him on at the third presidential debate on Wednesday, dressing entirely in black to watch The Donald fight for the White House one last time. Both the candidate's daughter Ivanka, 34, and his wife Melania, 46, wore stiff expressions as they took their seats at the University of Las Vegas in Nevada, by-passing the traditional hand-shake with the Clinton family as per the Democratic candidate's request. Melania was businesslike in a $1790 belted Ralph Lauren jumpsuit while Ivanka wore an asymmetric top and matching trousers. By contrast, Clinton was optimistic in white. She wore a shining pant suite for the occasion, her second sartorial nod to feminism after dedicating an outfit of the same color to the suffragettes at the Democratic National Convention. Scroll down for video Black out: Melania and Ivanka Trump opted for all-black outfits as they supported Donald Trump at the third presidential debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday. They were joined by his other daughter Tiffany, who dressed in blue, (second from left), his daughter-in-law Lara Yunaska (far left, in white), and son Eric (back left) Team Trump: The Republican candidate lowered his gaze to leave the stage after being joined by his family at the end of the debate Well done Donald! The stoic pair were full of smiles as they chatted with the Republican candidate after the debate Debrief: With his family gathered around him, Trump looked puffed up with triumph after his showdown against Clinton No ladies first? Trump, the self-proclaimed gentleman, led his family off the stage and out of the University of Las Vegas Towing the line: Donald Jr's wife Vanessa also dressed in black for the occasion, following her husband's stepmother and sister in their wardrobe choices Out of here: The family made a swift exit from the debate. Trump's sons, Eric and Donald Jr were also present Choice words? Melania was the subject of one of the night's topics. Trump boasted that he hadn't apologized to her for the claims of women accusing him of being sexually aggressive towards them. She earlier said she had forgiven him The group of women famously dressed in white while campaigning for the right to vote. It also completed the three colors of the American flag - she dressed in red for the first debate and in navy blue at the second. Wednesday's debate is the candidates' final opportunity to trade blows before the polls open on November 8. Clinton was declared the winner of the first two debates. The second, which took place earlier this month in Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, was prefaced with the emergence of tapes in which the Republican candidate boasted of his aggressive sexual strategies and treatment of women. Tense: Melania and Ivanka wore stern expressions as they were shown to their seats on Wednesday night before the debate All eyes on her: Ivanka Trump joined her step-mother in an all-black ensemble on Wednesday, maintaining a stiff expression as she took her seat No love lost: Melania greeted her husband's running mate Mike Pence warmly, planting a kiss on his cheek as they said hello Front row: Melania stifled a smile as she waited for her husband to take to the stage. Pence sat next to her throughout White knight? By contrast, Hillary Clinton beamed as she entered the stage in a white pantsuit and subdued black heels Sending a message: The Democratic candidate completed the colors of the American flag with her choice, dressing in blue and red at the previous two debates Among the worst received comments released on the tapes was one in which Trump boasted of 'grabbing women by the p****'. His wife dressed suggestively for the second debate in an aptly-named, hot pink pussy bow blouse, having previously condemned his use of the word. Ivanka at the time had not addressed her father's comments, instead putting the topic out of bounds when conducting interviews. She has since agreed they were 'offensive', dismissing the notion that she is a mastermind of his presidential campaign. Happier times: Melania perked up at sight of some of her husband's supporters, warmly greeting them as she took her seat Golden girl: Ivanka has attended all three of the debates, sitting in the front row alongside her famous siblings and stepmother Breaking the mould: Tiffany Trump broke the trend, sporting a blue satin dress for the event. She was given a front row seat on Wednesday unlike other debates where she has been seated away from her half-siblings Family affair: Ivanka and her sister watched intently as their father took to the podium at the packed university hall Since then, his campaign has relentlessly fought off accusations from nine different women who claim he sexually assaulted them. Trump and his advisers have batted away each of the allegations separately, insisting the claims are untrue and part of a conspiracy theory hatched by a 'biased' media to have his opponent elected. While his campaign has been plagued by their accusations, he did not suffer as severely in the polls as predicted as a result of them. After the second presidential debate, Rasmussen Reports gave the businessman a two point lead over his opponent. Clinton, who herself has been dogged by the disappearance of thousands of emails from her personal account, was given the lead in the majority of other polls. Camp Clinton: The Democratic nominee was full of smiles and time for her supporters who rushed for photographs with her Well done mom: Chelsea Clinton was among the first to congratulate her mother after her performance The other side: Chelsea Clinton was colorful by comparison, smiling as she entered the debate on her father's arm while dressed in a patterned dress Donald Trump said Roe v. Wade would be overturned if he becomes president because he plans to appoint two or three pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. Moderator Chris Wallace tried to peg down whether the Republican nominee wanted to see the controversial Supreme Court case overturned, which made abortion legal in the United States. 'Well, I think that will happen,' Trump began, before articulating further. 'Well if we put another two or perhaps three justices on, that's really what will happen, that will happen automatically in my opinion because I am putting pro-life justices on the Court.' Scroll down for video Donald Trump said he thought Roe v. Wade would be overturned automatically, because he plans to appoint two or three pro-life justices to the Supreme Court 'I will say this, it will go back to the states and the states will make a determination,' Trump added. Clinton, on the other hand, vowed to support Roe v. Wade. 'I strongly support Roe v. Wade which guarantees a Constitutional right to a woman to make the most intimate, most difficult in many cases, decisions about her healthcare that one can imagine,' Clinton said. She added that Trump was among those Republicans who called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood, noting how the healthcare centers also provide cancer screenings and other services, along with abortions. 'I will defend Planned Parenthood, I will defend Roe v. Wade and I will defend women's rights to make their own healthcare decisions,' Clinton said. Wallace asked Clinton why, as a Senator, she voted against a bill that would ban late term abortion. 'Because Roe v. Wade very clearly sets out there can be regulations on abortion so long as the life and the health of the mother were taken into account and when I voted as a senator, I did not feel that was the case,' Clinton said. She talked about meeting women who had to terminate a pregnancy during the third-trimester, calling their stories 'heartbreaking.' 'I do not think the United States government should be stepping in and making those most personal of decisions,' Clinton said. Trump disagreed, especially when it came to late term abortion. 'Well I think it's terrible, if you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month you can take a baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother, just prior to the birth of the baby,' Trump said. 'You can say that that's OK and Hillary can say that that's OK, but it's not OK with me.' Clinton shook her head. A refugee who attempted to smuggle $4.2 million worth of meth in treadmills was trying to pay off debts worth $30,000. In February 2015, Joseph Chukwuma, 29, was arrested trying to move more than 16 kilograms of the drug - at about 78 per cent purity - from Sydney airport to Adelaide. He'd become a drugs courier to pay off money he was lent to set up a business exporting car parts to Nigeria, but was busted by police, The Advertiser reported. Joseph Chukwuma being arrested in February 2015 after being caught smuggling meth About 16 kilograms of the drug was stashed inside two treadmills Appearing in the Adelaide District Court, Chukwuma - who was on parole for offences involving dealing cocaine and heroin in 2007 - pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug. Judge Paul Muscat said the drugs would have been worth millions more if they'd been 'cut in terms of purity'. However, the judge accepted Chukwuma, who had fled Liberia as a child, was only a small player in a larger international drugs ring, delivering the meth to pay off a small part of his debts. 'It is not suggested that you were going to trade in the drugs such as to reap those mind-staggering profits. Someone or others were going to do that. A package of meth half removed from the treadmill where it was hidden 'Nevertheless, your role was an important one in the chain of collection of and ultimate distribution of a very harmful illicit substance.' Chukwuma had owed $30,000 to a Nigerian lender for set-up costs his car parts business, from which he never received payments for sales. Unable to pay back the money, he was pressured by the lender to help deliver the meth. But the judge said he fact he was on parole for other drugs offences made it more serious. Chukwuma was sentenced to 10 years, six months in prison, but will be eligible for parole after six-and-a-half, backdated to his arrest date. The value of the drugs was estimated to have a street value of about $4.2 million Donald Trump promised over and over again on Wednesday that he would build a wall along the United States' border with Mexico to stop drugs from flowing into the country and halt illegal immigration. 'I want to build a wall, we need the wall,' he said at this evening's debate. 'We stop the drugs, we shore up the border.' Trump said one of his first acts as president would be to round up 'all of the drug lords, all of the bad ones - we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out.' The Republican said he would decide 'at a later date' what to do with other illegal residents. 'We have some bad hombres here, and we're gonna get them out,' Trump asserted. Scroll down for video Donald Trump promised over and over again on Wednesday that he would build a wall along the United States' border with Mexico to stop drugs from flowing into the country and halt illegal immigration Hombre directly translates to 'man' in Spanish, but it's slang for homie. Spanish speakers mocked Trump up on Twitter for pronouncing it as 'hambre' - the word for hunger. GOP strategist and political pundit Anna Navarro took a dig at him for it. She said another tweet, 'Well, now we know Trump's Spanish vocabulary is all of 2 words: "hombre" and "taco". I'd gladly teach him a few more choice words...' 'Scandal' creator and Hillary Clinton endorser Shonda Rhimes said, 'Wait. Rewind. Did that racist just say "bad hombres"?' ' "Nasty woman" or "hombre." Which was more offensive? And that's not even mentioning that Trump won't pledge to respect election results,' said the mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Chris Coleman. Twitter user Zach Lewis posted a picture of cartoon character Speedy Gonzales and said, 'Trump's PR team gonna backtrack faster than this bad hombre. ARIBA ARIBA ARIBA!' In the debate exchange Trump repeatedly accused Clinton of pursuing an 'open border' policy that he also claimed would allow Syrian refugees to 'pour' into the country. 'Hillary wants to give amnesty,' Trump charged at the third and final presidential debate. 'She wants to have open borders.' Defending his own deportation policy, Trump pointed to President Barack Obama, who has 'moved millions out people out.' 'She doesn't want to say that. But that's what's happened. And that's what's happened bigly,' he claimed. Trump said illegal immigrants would have to leave the country before they could apply for citizenship. 'We're going to speed up the process bigly, because its very inefficient, very unfair that somebody runs across the border, becomes a citizen,' he said. 'Under her plan you have open borders, you would have a disaster on trade, and you will have a disaster with your open borders.' Clinton said his claims that she'd allow immigrants to 'pour' through the borders are inaccurate. Trump repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton of pursuing an 'open border' policy - 'We will not have open borders. That is a rank mischaracterization,' she replied 'We will not have open borders. That is a rank mischaracterization,' she stated. 'We will have secure borders, but we will also have reform.' The former secretary of state did say in a speech, revealed in the Wikileaks emails, that she dreamed of 'open trade and open borders,' however, and debate moderator Chris Wallace reminded her of that tonight. 'Thank you,' Trump interjected. Clinton's explanation was that 'I was talking about energy,' which she says would have been clear if he'd read the comment in context. At a watch party after the debate in Las Vegas Clinton committed to introducing an immigration reform measure during her first 100 days in office. Half of the immigrants living in the country illegally pay taxes, she said. 'You know what that means? That means you pay more to support this country than Donald Trump pays.' She thanked the workers in her audience that fall into that category and promised to keep families together. 'We are not going to let Donald Trump have a deportation force that will round up 11 million people, along with the 4 million children that were born in this country,' she said. The next EnVision Bus Read more [...] Donald Trump hit Hillary Clinton for the Clinton Foundation at Wednesday night's debate, but she returned the fire pointing out that the Republican nominee couldn't be believed about any of his charitable giving without releasing his tax returns. 'It is a criminal enterprise,' Trump blasted, after moderator Chris Wallace tried making Clinton explain pay-to-play claims that Clinton Foundation donors got special access to her when she was the head of the State Department. To that, Clinton told the Fox News host, 'But there is no evidence,' she objected. 'And there is a lot of evidence of the good work.' Scroll down for video Donald Trump called the Clinton Foundation a 'criminal enterprise' and slammed the charity for taking donations from countries that mistreat gay people and women Hillary Clinton defended her family foundation, turning the tables on Donald Trump and pointing to how his foundation purchased a giant portrait of the billionaire Trump expanded the attack by noting some of the objectionable countries that donated to the global charity, started by President Bill Clinton after he left the White House. 'Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all of these countries,' he said. 'You talk about women and women's rights?' 'So, these are people that push gays off buildings, these are people that kill women and treat women horribly and yet you take their money, so I'm going to ask you right now why don't you give back the money you've taken from certain countries that treat certain groups of people so horribly?' Trump went on. 'I think it would be a great gesture,' the Republican nominee continued. 'Because she takes a tremendous amount of money.' Wallace had brought up how it looked like Clinton Foundation donors got picked first to do work in the country after the 2010 earthquake. Trump went there too. 'I was in Little Haiti the other day they hate the Clintons,' he said. 'Because what's happened in Haiti with the Clinton Foundation is a disgrace and you know it, and they know it and everybody knows it.' Clinton defended the foundation's record in Haiti by pointing out that it's the poorest country in this hemisphere and that the Clinton Foundation had raised $30 million to go toward earthquake relief. 'They don't want your help anymore,' Trump cut in. More broadly, she stated that the Clinton Foundation gave 90 percent of the donated money to programs around the world. 'I would be happy to compare what we do with the Trump Foundation, which took money from other people and bought a six-foot portrait of Donald,' she said. 'I mean, who does that? It was just astonishing,' she added. Trump defended the foundation, including money given to charity as part of a law settlement over an overly large flag pole. 'I want to mention one thing. Trump Foundation, small foundation, people contribute, I contribute, the money goes 100 percent, 100 percent to a lot of charities,' Trump said, adding the money often goes to Fisher House, name-dropping the charity the lawsuit's funds were given to. Clinton then hit him again on taxes. But, of course, there's no way we could know any of that is true because he hasn't released his tax returns,' she said. 'He is the first candidate ever to run for president in the last 40 plus years who has not released his tax returns,' she continued. Police raided the offices of three top NRL player managers on Thursday as part of the investigation into the Parramatta Eels salary cap scandal, including that of Jarryd Hayne. Fraud and Cybercrime Squad officers stormed offices in the CBD, Woollahra and Leichhardt in Sydney armed with search warrants. One of the addresses targeted was the home of Wayne Beavis, Jarryd Hayne's agent, in Woollahra. Scroll down for video Police officers wait to enter the office of manager Sam Ayoub in his Leichhardt office Police use a locksmith to enter one of the offices during their raids as they did not want to smash their way in, according to reports Police enter the Leichhardt office of Sam Ayoub as one of three offices raided as part of the ongoing investigation into NRL salary cap breach Police officers carrying stacks of papers leave the office of Sam Ayoub in Sydney's inner west Police said the investigation was planned and it was designed to seize documentation in the offices. The other addresses include the Leichhardt office of Sam Ayoub; and the Pitt Street offices of George Mimis and Paul Sutton, according to reports. Mr Ayoub was not at his office and not wanting to smash their way in, police called a locksmith who let them in just before midday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Police officers leave the home of player manager Wayne Beavis in Woollahra after three raids across Sydney An associate of player manager Wayne Beavis hands out a statement after the police raid No arrests are expected and no further comment will be made, police said. 'Detectives are still in the process of identifying and gathering relevant information,' a police statement said. 'A number of people have been spoken to, but no one has been arrested. 'Strike Force detectives executed three search warrants at businesses in Sydney CBD, Leichhardt, and Woollahra today, and seized a number of documents, which they believe are relevant to the investigation.' The investigation surrounds the scandal that embroiled the NRL when the Parramatta Eels were docked 12 competition points and fined $1 million for widespread breaches of the salary cap in 2016. The Parramatta Eels stepped down five officials after the scandal. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton erupted into verbal fisticuffs Wednesday night over a series of women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct. Nine women in all have said Trump manhandled them over the past three decades. The developments came after a debate 10 days ago, in which Trump insisted he never touched women without their consent. 'Those stories have been largely debunked,' the Republican nominee said. Scroll down for video Donald Trump goes on offensive over claims of abusing women as he debated Hillary Clinton 'Those stories have been largely debunked,' the Republican nominee said in reference to the allegations against him 'I didn't even apologize to my wife, who is sitting right here, because I didn't do anything!' he exclaimed. 'I think they either want fame, or her campaign did it.' And then in a new allegation, he said: 'I think it was her campaign that did it.' Trump cited a video sting by a conservative group called Project Veritas Action that caught organizers affiliated with the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee describing schemes to commit election fraud, and talking about sending provocateurs to Trump rallies in the hope of sparking fistfights. 'She's the one .. who caused the violence,' he said, suggesting her campaign coud just as easily have set up his accusers. Trump said he didn't apologize to his wife Melania (right) over the allegations of sexual assault Former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos (left) and Melinda McGillivray (right) are among numerous women who claim Donald Trump groped them 'They paid them $1,500 and they're on tape.' 'It was all lies, and it was fiction,' he said. Clinton pushed back, saying he had declared at rallies that the women were 'not attractive enough.' 'I did not say that!' Trump butted in. Clinton had Trump's words memorized. He had said one accuser would not have been 'my first choice,' and urged his supporters to 'look at' another in order to judge her suitability. 'Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth,' she said. 'Nobody has more respect for women than I do,' Trump insisted. 'These stories have been largely debunked ... [and were] probably or possibly started by her and her very sleazy campaign.' With the help of her daughter, she has put herself up for work on Facebook Diane Arnold said she was forced to come out of retirement to afford living But on arrival she was shocked to discover Sydney's high living costs An elderly woman who moved from the resort town of Noosa to Bondi Beach to be closer to her daughter and medical care has been forced to go back to work to afford Sydney's ridiculous rental prices. Diane Arnold, 70, thought she would never have to work again when she retired in 2003 after a career as an art teacher and artist. Two years ago, she moved from Noosa to Sydney after cracking her knee cap and suffering a blood clot that needed ongoing medical care. She went to Bondi to be close to her grown-up daughter, Hilary Burton. Diane Arnold, 70, (left) moved from Queensland to Sydney's eastern suburbs two-years-ago to live closer to her daughter Hilary Burton (right) She was shocked to find just how exorbitant Sydney's rent prices were and now she says she has been forced to look for work to be able to stay. 'I didn't really know how expensive it would be,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'It was a shock, it doesn't seem that bad until you move in.' A successful artist, Diane said she still didn't have the money to buy a home in Sydney, so renting was the only option. 'There was no choice really,' she said. A successful artist, Diane (right) said she still didn't have the money to buy near her daughter Hilary (left) in Sydney's eastern suburbs, so renting was the only option When she realised how high living costs were, Diane said she considered moving somewhere else in Sydney only to find that property was unaffordable right across the city. 'I thought well maybe I won't stay for very long and go somewhere else cheaper,' she said. 'But you pretty much have to cross borders to get anything cheaper, even the west is just as bad now.' Moving from Noosa, where the median rent is about $490 a week, to Sydney where it's about $630 for a one bedroom apartment in a sought after area, Diane was feeling the pinch. She said she simply resigned to the fact she would have to make adjustments to her lifestyle. Now two years later, the Sydney woman said she no longer wanted to be a victim of Sydney's high living expenses and decided to come out of retirement to search for a job. Hilary Burton (right) posted an ad in an online community group where she explained her Diane's (left) situation and asked for ideas or offers of employment Diane's art (pictured) is now sold online on the website Hardtofind.com.au 'In 2003 I decided "oh yes I am retired", but now I have to get a part-time job,' she said. 'It's so I can stay (in Sydney), I don't want to run out of money and say 'oh well, I'll just live like a pauper',' she said. Diane said she loved Sydney and everything it had to offer, but could no longer live near her daughter if she didn't do something soon. So with the help of her daughter Hilary, Diane took to facebook in search for work. Diane has had an outcry of support from an online community group who urged her to follow her artistic passions Hilary Burton posted an ad in an online community group explaining her mother's situation and asking for ideas or offers of employment. The ad quickly got an overwhelming show of support from the Bondi community offering the 70-year-old a job. 'I had no idea that the Bondi (group) was such a community and a loving community,' she said. 'I was so surprised, it was a shock, but it was wonderful.' 'My mum is a 70-year-old retired art teacher and artist looking to get back into the work place,' Hilary wrote 'I admire your mom! Hope she gets the best job ever!' one woman wrote on the post 'Diane Arnold is exhibiting her artwork at the moment at Carolyn's Art Cafe,' Hilary said The artist said she always used to sell her art at the markets, but 'the market sort of fell apart when the online websites came' And while there was an outcry of support from her community, Diane said there was still a barrier she felt blocked her from re-entering the workforce - technology. The artist said she always used to sell her art at the markets, but 'the market sort of fell apart when the online websites came'. She said she understood the online world was 'the way of the future' but it took some time to catch up. 'It's hard when you're older to grasp that idea,' she said. 'But Hilary gives me lessons once a week, and I write it all down and look at notes and practice. 'I couldn't have done anything without Hilary.' Donald Trump once again refused to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin in the final presidential debate saying Putin has 'no respect' for his rival, Hillary Clinton. An angry debate had some of its harshest and most rapid-fire charges yet between the two on the same stage when Wallace asked about Russia, a strategic rival to the United States. Hacking that the U.S. government says Russia has been behind has roiled the campaign, exposing awkward emails with the release of thousands of messages by Clinton campaign chair John Podesta in recent days. Trump once again refused to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin who he said wasn't his 'best friend.' Scroll down for video Who's the puppeteer: Trump faced accusations that he was Vladimir Putin's puppet -which he rejected, saying he was not the Kremlin overlord's 'best friend' Puppet too? Trump accused Clinton of being the plaything of her donors 'I don't know Putin. He said nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good,' Trump said. Trump, who has previously said Putin is a stronger leader than President Obama, said, 'He has no respect for her, he has no respect for our president, and I'll tell you what, we're in very serious trouble.' He continued: 'Putin, from everything I see has no respect for this person,' driving home the point. 'Well that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States,' Clinton countered. A supporter of hers, former CIA deputy director Michael Morell, has said Trump may be an 'unwitting agent' of the Russian Federation, citing a series of campaign ties and policy positions. 'You're the puppet!' shot back Trump. Clinton countered that Trump was willing to 'spout the Putin line' and implement his policy 'wish list' in Syria and other countries. 'You continue to get help from him because he has a very clear favorite in this race,' Clinton said. Clinton then pivoted to the repeated hacks on Democrats, including her campaign chair and on the Democratic Party. 'This is such an unprecedented situation,' Clinton continued. Attack: The exchange on Russia began in a discussion of immigration, veered to Wikileaks and went on to cover hacking 'Hillary, you have no idea,' Trump interjected. 'She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way,' Trump said. Trump at one point in the campaign invited Russia to hack Clinton's emails, but said he was being sarcastic. During the debate he brought up some of the emails, which have been dumped on WikiLeaks. 'John Podesta said some horrible things about you, and boy was he right,' Trump said. Wallace asked Trump point blank whether he would condemn Russian hacking and Trump did, though in language that was vague. 'By Russia or anybody else,' Trump responded keeping alive the possibility that someone else was behind the hacking. 'Of course I condone,' he said leaving out a direct object in his sentence instead of saying he condoned Russian hacking. Later in the debate, Trump responded to Clinton's charge that he put NATO allies at risk with past comments that he might not jump to defend those who are owing in their dues to defend the alliance. In May 2014, about two months after his episode aired on Bravo, another girlfriend accused Bonavia of punching and choking her Police reportedly found a woman in Bonavia's Beverly Hills home with her face bruised and A former contestant on the dating reality show 'Millionaire Matchmaker' has been sentenced for five years in prison for brutally assault a woman. Financial adviser John Bonavia, 30, of Los Angeles, was a contestant on season seven of the Bravo show. He was arrested in September 2015 after his neighbor called 911 reporting sounds of a struggle coming from his apartment. Officers who responded to Bonavias Beverly Hills home discovered inside a woman whose face appeared severely bruised and covered in blood. Bonavia pleaded no contest to felony domestic violence Wednesday and was sentenced to five years behind bars, TMZ reported. Scroll down for video Financial adviser John Bonavia, 30 of Los Angeles, was arrested in September 2015 after his neighbor called 911 reporting sounds of a struggle coming from his apartment Bonavia (right) pleaded no contest to felony domestic violence Wednesday and was sentenced to five years behind bars Officers who responded to Bonavias Beverly Hills home discovered inside a woman whose face appeared severely bruised and covered in blood The victims physical state was such that the 30-year-old man was initially charged with attempted murder, according to TMZ. Bonavia was born in Washington DC and grew up in Maryland in the family of a school principal, according to his personal website. He graduated from the University of Maryland and got into the stock market, making his fortune by investing in high-risk penny stocks. On his Twitter account, Bonavia describes himself as a 'sales and marketing guru' who 'excels at marrying problem-solving, ethics, leadership and creativity with sales, profitability and growth.' During his appearance on The Millionaire Matchmaker last year, Bonavia claimed his net worth was $1million. In his submission video to the show, Bonavia insisted that he is not a player - 'because players lie' - but rather a womanizer. 'I go out with women, we're having good times, I don't promise them anything, they know what it is,' he says in the clip with a smile, later adding: 'We're human beings, we're animals, we have sex and call it a day.' During his introductory interview with Patti Stanger on the show, the outspoken yenta dubbed the 30-year-old a 'frat rat' after he admitted to cheating on his ex-girlfriend and failing to remember the name of the girl to whom he lost his virginity at age 16. The financial adviser was also arrested in May 2014 after his ex-girlfriend accused him of punching, biting and choking her In his submission video to the Bravo reality show, Bonavia, pictured here in July surrounded by a bevy of beauties, insisted that he is not a player - 'because players lie' - but rather a womanizer Bonavia has been in trouble with the law before. In May 2014, about two months after his episode aired on Bravo, another girlfriend accused him of punching and choking her. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline at the time, Bonavia's former lover claimed her boyfriend ripped her shorts and bit her back and the side of her face. 'He then turned her over and started to strangle her with both hands around her neck,' the report stated. The victim said she believed she was going to die. While Bonavia was choking her, according to the papers, 'he repeated over and over again, "Im going to kill you tonight."' A transgender man is suing the city of Houston and two police officers for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment and seeking damages of up to $1million after he says they taunted him about not being a 'real man.' Kris Smith, 38, says he had just left his girlfriend's house on December 15, 2015 when he walked around the back of a nearby Burger King in Montrose to take a phone call for a job interview. He said he saw a cop car pull up and cops head towards what appeared to be a homeless man, reports the Houston Chronicle. He said when he began to walk away, an officer called him over and handcuffed him. When he asked what he was being arrested for, he was told trespassing. Kris Smith, 38, is suing the city of Houston and two officers he says arrested him, then taunted him about his sexual identity, and also gave him a 'rough ride' that left him with severe facial bruising He says while he was standing there making a 15-minute phone call about a job, a manager inside called cops to get him removed, but never came outside to ask him to leave. In fact, he claims he was not on Burger King property at all, but outside of a small wall around it. Inside of the patrol car, Smith said the other man, who police had also arrested, was dropped off at jail, but that's when things started to turn dark, according to his complaint. Smith said he told police he was transgender and might not be safe in a men's jail and asked to be taken to a jail for women. 'They told me they don't care if I [don't] have a penis, they'll put me in the guys' side anyway,' he told the outlet. The police allegedly also said the male inmates would 'have some fun' with him, according to online LGBTQ magazine About. Smith said although he was handcuffed, he was not belted and police gave him a 'pretty rough ride,' repeatedly slamming on the brakes of the vehicle, leaving him with bruises. A picture of Smith on About shows him with deep purple bruising all along his nose and cheeks and on one bicep. He said he was then placed in a cell before the women's dorm and his shirt removed, where the scars from his breast surgery showed. 'It was embarrassing' he said. After ten hours, his family posted bail. The cops have a very different version of events, saying they showed up when the Burger King manager called because Smith was panhandling and drinking beer. Smith calls their version 'complete made-up craziness.' Smith's charges were dismissed. He says the worst part of the experience was the alleged name calling. 'That's a severe bullying technique that they use and they think they can get away with it because it's just conversation. They think it's OK, and it's not OK. It's bullying, and no one deserves that,' he said. About reported that the Houston Police Department Internal Affairs Investigation unit investigated the matter but wouldn't release its findings. Also according to About, quoting the Houston Police Department's spokesperson, the two officers who arrested Smith were off duty. Moderator Chris Wallace was named the victor of Wednesday night's third and final presidential debate. The Fox News journalist won the praise of viewers who commended him for not allowing either of the candidates to speak over him. He put a sudden stop to one of Donald Trump's more impassioned attempts to ignore him, quipping: 'I'm not a potted plant here. I do get to ask questions.' Scroll down for video Fox News journalist Chris Wallace was widely praised for his performance as moderator of the third presidential debate WALLACE: WIT AND WISDOM Mr Trump, Im not a potted plant here. I do get to ask some questions - to Donald Trump as he tried to talk over the moderator I want to explore how far you think the right to abortion goes. You have been quoted as saying that the fetus has no constitutional rights. You also voted against a ban on late term partial birth abortions. Why? - to Hillary Clinton Why would so many different women from so many different circumstances over so many different years why would they all in the last couple of weeks. Why would they make up these stories? - To Donald Trump on groping claims It's an open discussion. Secretary, please let Mr Trump speak - silencing Clinton as she tried to speak over Trump Advertisement Each candidate appeared happy with his handling of the 90 minute showdown, approaching his desk afterwards to shake hands and exchange pleasantries. Wallace kicked off the debate with a seriously framed question about the candidates' plans for the Supreme Court. He earlier warned audience members to hold their laughter or shock, reminding them the were not participants but 'guests'. He maintained the same style of questioning throughout, interjecting ounces of humour every so often. At Trump's proclamation that 'nobody' respects women more than he, Wallace shushed the sniggering audience. He was just as quick to lampoon the businessman as he was to defend him. During a robust discussion over America's relationship with Russia, Wallace persevered through Trump's pugnacity. Wallace was well received by each of the candidates despite giving them equally harsh treatment Wallace shushed a sniggering audience after Trump's proclamation that 'no one' respected women as much as he does The journalist warned the audience before the debate they were not 'participants' but 'guests' 'Excuse me, Mr Trump,' he said repeatedly before eventually using his 'potted plant' take-down. It was not the first time the journalist has employed the one-liner. He used it against Democratic Rep. Adam Smith in 2013 on his show, Fox News Sunday, while the pair discussed the Benghazi attack. He pushed Clinton on the subject of her deleted emails and also addressed claims made against her husband by women who claim he sexually assaulted them. Neither Trump nor Clinton criticized Wallace's style of moderation during the debate, unlike in the previous two. Clinton warmly exchanged pleasantries with Wallace after the debate. She was the first to leave the stage Trump, who has accused every other moderator of bias, appeared happy with Wallace's style of moderation He was later accused by the Republican candidate himself of having a biased position. At the second debate, moderators Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz were largely applauded by pro-Clinton supporters. The pair were however held held in contempt by Trump supporters who condemned their questioning as one-sided. Police have raided five homes and arrested a man in connection to the supply of illicit drugs in south-west Sydney and on the New South Wales north coast. Strike Force Benwerrin was established to investigate the supply of methlyamphetamine, or ice, and cannabis at properties in south-west Sydney. Detectives from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad targeted five homes in Campsie, Georges Hall, Guildford, and Belmore at 7am, Thursday morning. A 35-year-old man was arrested at a home in Campsie during drug raids across western Sydney The man was charged with two counts of drug supply, dealing with proceeds of crime and dealing direct a criminal group Strike Force Benwerrin raided five homes across western Sydney in relation to the supply of illicit drugs in south-west Sydney and on the New South Wales north coast Police seized $145,000 cash, seven firearms and bullets, 1.5kg of cannabis, 113 milligrams of methylamphetamine, MDMA, a grenade, and plain package cigarettes. The police also found two luxury stolen luxury vehicles, stolen items and a dismantled hydroponic operation and clandestine laboratory. Investigators arrested 11 people, including a 35-year-old man at the Campsie home. Police found 1.5kg of cannabis, four ounces of methylamphetamine, MDMA, as well as a dismantled hydroponic operation and clandestine laboratory Police also seized $145,000 cash, seven firearms and bullets, as well as a grenade He was charged with two counts of drug supply, dealing with proceeds of crime and dealing direct a criminal group. He appeared at the Burwood local court, but was refused bail. Same-sex marriage is yet to be legalised in Australia, but that hasn't stopped one gay couple celebrating their love in extraordinary fashion. George Elsissa and Mitchell Taunton committed to each other on Saturday, surrounded by family and friends for their lavish ceremony. A well-renowned wedding dress designer, Mr Elsissa did not hold back at his own wedding as he celebrated in style with family and friends. After being together for four-and-a-half years the pair made the commitment surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and stunning sunshine at the Allview Escape in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Scroll down for video It is yet to be legal in Australia but a gay couple have wedded in a very lavish ceremony George Elsissa (centre right) and Mitchell Taunton (centre left) were surrounded by their groomsmaids The couple were able to take spectacular images as they took in the iconic scenery of the Blue Mountains George Elsissa (right) and Mitchell Taunton (left) committed to each other on Saturday The couple said marriage had been on the cards from the early days of their relationship, with their dream wedding an often talked about topic. 'From early on in ours we talked about what we imagined our wedding would be like,' Mitchell told Daily Mail Australia. 'Fast forward three and a half years later to a surprise Fijian holiday with "Marry me" spelled out in rose petals and George down on one knee.' In becoming husband and husband the couple agreed to take George's last name. George, a wedding dress designer, created all the day's outfits and gowns himself. Mitchell's black suit was covered in roman-style leafing across his torso, while on his head he donned a golden leaf crown. Not to be outdone, George had his suit jacket covered in sparkling jewels. While the happy couple admit their special day was lavish, they say the intricate details were what made it so special. George Elsissa (right) and Mitchell Taunton (left) committed to each other in a lavish ceremony on Saturday The couple enjoyed their ceremony at the stunning Allview Escape in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales George, a dressmaker, designed all the outifts and gowns for their special day 'Like every other wedding we had months of planning and at the last minute half of our plans fell apart,' Mitchell said. 'Most of our focus was on the making of the nine Groomsmaid dresses and our beaded jackets. 'Having made countless dresses for our wonderful brides at George Elsissa, being able to finally work on our own wedding was such an exciting process.' Not deterred by the fact that their union wasn't legally binding, Mr and Mr Elsissa say when the time comes that they can get married, they most certainly will. 'It disappoints us to know that our marriage isnt legally recognised here in Australia,' Mitchell said. 'We will most certainly make it official when (not if) it becomes legal in Australia. 'But for the time being we will make it legal in 2017 when we jet off to Hawaii for a holiday.' The couple agreed to take George's last name, becoming Mr and Mr Elsissa Under a beautiful flower-covered archway George and Mitchell became husband and husband. The pair sealed their commitment with a kiss under the archway A wedding like no other, the grooms were seated on a wooden table decorated by an arrangement of white roses The happy couple posed for photos with guests which were posted to social media using the #elsissawedding Mitchell wore a golden-leafed crown on his head and had his suit jacket covered in Roman-style leafing. Not to be outdone, George had his suit jacket covered in sparkling jewels Mr and Mr Elsissa were joined by nine bridesmaids, two flowergirls, two page bosy and a handful of groomsmen for their special day Accompanied by nine groomsmaids, two flowergirls, two page boys and a handful of groomsmen, the pair said their vows under a beautiful flower-covered archway. After becoming Mr and Mr Elsissa, the pair walked away to take photos among their stunning surroundings. Once all the official parts of the commitment ceremony were complete, the happy couple celebrated inside a large marquee. Video taken from the sky by Iconic Films shows the large scale of the wedding party and the incredible views over the Blue Mountains. They celebrated by gifting each other a 9.00ct Black Diamond Ring and a yellow gold engraved custom band by Michael Arthur Diamonds The colour theme of white and gold, was evident in the wedding invitations A marquee wedding, the entry to the wedding reception appeared as an invitation into a fairy tale With no small detail forgotten, the grooms also had custom jackets with their surname printed across the back Once all the official parts of the commitment ceremony were complete, the happy couple celebrated inside a large marquee In front of a marquee full of guests the couple cut into a two-storey white cake decorated with flowers The two-tier wedding cake was decorated with an natural ensemble The couple's guests lapped up the stunning views over the world famous Blue Mountains Video taken from the sky by Iconic Films shows the large scale of the wedding party and the incredible views over the iconic mountain range Six tables of guests joined with the packed wedding party for a night of celebrations. Many of the guests took to social media to share their snaps from the event using the #elsissawedding, while the official photos by Siempre photography showed the incredible detail of the day. But the party hasn't stopped for the loving couple, who have jetted off to the sunshine of Vanuatu for their honeymoon. They say their special day was amazing, but that the most important thing was confirming their love. 'Our wedding was everything we hoped for and so much more, but the most important thing was being able to commit to each other forever,' Mitchell said. Market and Eighth during the flood of 1886 Boats floated into the Read House during the 1886 deluge Floodwaters at Southern Express and the Union Station in 1886 42 inches of water was at the entrance to Warner Park in 1917 flood Jones residence in North Chattanooga during 1917 flood Water at the gate in 1917 Flooding in Brainerd in 1973 Previous Next Many photos of past Chattanooga floods are featured in the new historic photo book being published byChattanoogan.com. The worst flood on record came in 1867 - just after the city had been devastated by the Civil War. Then came deluges in 1886 and in 1917, when the Market Street Bridge was under construction. The last big flood the city experienced was in 1973. Paul Hiener's Historic Chattanooga Photos is scheduled to be ready Oct. 24. Mr. Hiener, a longtime Chattanooga printer and lifelong resident, collected over 3,000 historic pictures of his beloved hometown. He made some of the photos available through a five-volume set called Chattanooga Yesterday and Today. The Hiener family in April 1985 donated the more than 3,000 historical Chattanooga photographs in his collection to the Chattanooga Public Library. They were eventually cataloged and are now viewable on the library's website. This book, which is fully indexed, is a perfect companion to The Remarkable Stokes Collection previously published by Chattanoogan.com. An edition of 1,500 copies of the 253-page Hiener book is being printed by College Press at Collegedale. The photo book, which includes over 700 photos, is in an 11x8 1/2 format with a soft cover. The price of the book is $35, which includes the sales tax. This will reserve a copy or copies for later pickup at Zarzour's Restaurant on Rossville Avenue behind Fire Hall #1, which is on Main Street on the Southside. For those who want it mailed, add $5 and list where copies should be mailed. Send checks for $40 made out to Chattanoogan.com. Mail your orders to: John Wilson 129 Walnut St. Suite 416 Chattanooga, Tn., 37403 Shannon at Zarzour's still has some copies of the Remarkable Stokes Photo Collection and the Chattanooga Railroad Book, also published by Chattanoogan.com. A British woman has been raped by a colleague who worked with her on a Disney cruise liner. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was raped by a colleague who she had recently started dating after they met on board the luxury Disney Wonder liner. The boat was being held at a dry dock in the Spanish port of Cadiz, where it was being refurbished, when the alleged attack happened. The British woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was raped by a colleague who she had recently started dating after they met on board the luxury Disney Wonder liner (pictured) The Sun reports the woman was raped on board a ship called Rhapsody, which was being used as a hotel for crew as the cruise ship was being refurbished, following a staff party. The British woman told Spanish police that she consented to have sex with the man but the next morning he forced himself upon her. The man, 28, from the Caribbean isle of St Lucia, is now being held in a Spanish jail. The source added: 'The woman reported the man for forcing her to engage in an extreme sex act which she had said no to.' Rebecca Coriam, 24, from Chester, went missing in March 2011 while working as a childminder on the Disney Wonder during a cruise between California and Mexico A police spokesman confirmed: 'He is being investigated on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault.' Last month the Foreign Office said it is investigating the case of a missing children's entertainer who vanished from the 934ft vessel five years ago amid fears she was murdered. Rebecca Coriam, 24, from Chester, went missing in March 2011 while working as a childminder on the Disney Wonder during a cruise between California and Mexico. Her body was never found but British police were unable to investigate because the ship was registered in the Bahamas. Miss Coriam was reported missing on March 22, 2011, after she failed to report for a shift on the Disney Wonder, which was in the middle of a week-long cruise. She was filmed on CCTV talking on her phone, but there was no evidence to explain her disappearance. Miss Coriam was captured in CCTV footage, pictured, on the day of her disappearance, appearing to be distressed and wearing men's clothing The US Coastguard and Mexican Navy both searched the sea but were unable to find any trace of her. It was initially suspected she had been washed over the side by a 'freak wave', but CCTV footage later emerged of her on deck at 5.45am looking 'distressed' and tugging at what appeared to be men's clothes she was wearing. Crew members suggested she was upset due to a 'fight with her partner' and described her as a 'lovely girl with underlying sadness'. She was also said to have made her way to the fifth deck because it was her 'favourite spot' on the ship. A former church pastor has been arrested for trying to strangle a four-month-old girl at a Walmart in Kansas. Police and witnesses say Oleh Zhownirovych, 54, attacked the child at the store in Overland Park, just south of Kansas City, while she was in the checkout lane with her mother on Wednesday. Zhownirovych, who didn't know the mother or her child, was until recently a pastor at a Ukrainian Orthodox church in Clifton, New Jersey. 'I come in to grab 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,' mother Quisha Hill told Fox 4. Scroll down for video Police say Oleh Zhownirovych, 54, attacked the child (pictured) at the store in Overland Park, just south of Kansas City, while she was in the checkout lane with her mother on Wednesday Mom Quisha Hill (pictured) said her 4-month-old baby girl 'turned red for a few moments.' She is expected to be fine, she added 'I'm stealing her. I'm taking her. Call 911, call 911,' Zhownirovych told Hill, according to the station. That's when he allegedly began to choke the child and the mom screamed at him and got him to stop. 'That's when tons of Walmart workers come over to help me get her out,' Hill told Fox 4. 'She is still restrained. As soon as they come over to get him, they body slam him down to the ground. He punches one of the security officers and then that's when we have the baby back.' Several customers and store security pinned Zhownirovych down until police arrived. Hill said her 4-month-old baby 'turned red for a few moments.' She is expected to be fine, she added. Several customers and security personnel at the Walmart (pictured) pinned Zhownirovych down until police arrived Cops have not said if drugs or alcohol played a role in the bizarre attack. But Hill says the man appeared to be under the influence of some substance and at one point even tried to wear her daughter's car seat as a hat, FOX 4 reported. 'It's a wonderful thing that the bystanders were there and able to subdue suspect until police arrived,' Officer John Lacy told KCTV. Zhownirovych was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries before being taken to jail. In jail, Zhownirovych listed his address as that of the Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Ascension Cathedral in Clifton, New Jersey. A breastfeeding mother has revealed how she wanted to feed her son while visiting a mall but couldn't - because a Muslim woman was using a parent's private cubicle to pray. Identified only as Tatjana, the mother had gone to feed her three-month-old boy in Westfield Doncaster in Victoria, but had to use a shared space because the private rooms were full. But one of the children in the shared area pulled back a curtain to one of the cubicles, revealing a Muslim woman covered by a shawl kneeling on the floor praying, the Herald Sun reported. Breastfeeding mother Tatjana has revealed how she wanted to feed her son while visiting a mall but couldn't - because a Muslim woman was using a parent's private cubicle to pray (stock image) 'Now I don't have issues with religion or praying, but I was shocked that this family thought it was OK to take up this room to pray, while my son was denied a feeding room,' she said. 'I hope no other mother has to endure this.' Tatjana now wanted the mall, in an eastern Melbourne suburb, to install signs saying the area is exclusively for the use of mothers who are nursing. However, the mall, which does not have prayer rooms, said it would only manage use of the rooms if it was revealed they'd been used for 'publicly indecent or dangerous activity', it was reported. Tatjana said she didn't have a problem with praying but wanted the cubicles used for their intended purpose (stock image) Tatjana, who had contacted the mall's management, was unhappy with the response. 'I thought it was a cop-out and brush of the shoulder response. I'm sure if I was in a prayer room feeding my baby, there would be outrage.' A Westfield Doncaster spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the facility relied on the 'goodwill' of people to use facilities for their intended purpose. 'While we understand that from time to time customers might use our amenities for purposes other than what they're intended for we do rely on their goodwill to use them for their primary purpose,' she said. 'That applies to parking facilities such as disabled bays and parents-with-pram spaces for example, and in this case the use of parents' rooms, which are an amenity provided to customers for the caring needs of infants and children while at Westfield shopping centres.' Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is already calling for a recount if the presidential election is close because only a big margin would assure the Clintons couldnt defraud their way into the White House. The mayor telegraphed his plan to contest a close race after GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump refused to say he would concede the election if he loses. 'I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense,' Trump said when asked Wednesday whether he would accept the results if he loses. Serious: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told DailyMail.com that Donald Trump has every right to contest the election if it is close Legality: Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks with guests before the start of the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center Clintons a cheat, Giuliani said to DailyMail.com and other reporters covering the final presidential debate in Las Vegas. So I would say, Ill accept the results of an election when I see the paper, see how much they won by, if theyre big enough margins that you cant defraud your way out of it, Ill accept that either way. But if the margins are close, Ill probably want a recount, Giuliani said as by the way Al Gore did. So if Al Gore can do it, I dont know why everyone is so surprised that Donald Trump can do it. He was referencing the contested 2000 elections, where Democrats sought a recount after close margins, an infamous butterfly ballot and other circumstances allowed for a recount in an election where the state was the deciding factor. Then he vented, It seems whenever a Republican asserts themselves, everybody gets all upset Oh my god, the Republicans Al Gore contested the 2000 election. Hes called a Democrat, and nobody got upset about that, Giuliani said. Wallace was well received by each of the candidates despite giving them equally harsh treatment The reason he is so suspicious, Giuliani, a former prosecutor, said, is that, Bill and Hillary Clinton have been grifters from the day he was governor of Arkansas, and they were taking payoffs when he was governor of Arkansas. Then they sold the Lincoln bedroom. Then they gave Marc Rich a pardon for hundreds of millions of dollars for who knows what. Now theyre taking hundreds of millions of dollars from countries that kill women, stone women, dont allow them to drive. He claims to be a feminist? In other comments, Giuliani said Trump would challenge the results if there are indications of fraud. If it's a close election and there are indications of fraud, he will do what Al Gore did, he'll challenge it. The last election that I can recall that's been challenged was challenged by a Democrat, called Al Gore and if [he] has a right to challenge it why wouldn't Donald Trump have a right to challenge it? Thank you: Hillary Clinton thanks moderator Chris Wallace after the debate during which she called Donald Trump's threat to not concede the election 'horrifying' In these comments, Americas mayor said the size of the win isnt what mattered. If there are indications that it's a fraudulent election of course he would. Al Gore challenged it. Any Republicans who would accept the results of a forged election would be stupid. I would not accept the results of a fraudulent election. Giuliani said there is some evidence of fraud. There are something like 140-150,000 people that are registered that don't seem to be alive, he said. He said if the margin in a state like Pennsylvania were within 50 votes, I guarantee you theyre going to steal a lot more than 50 votes in Philadelphia. I will tell you how they will do it. Because they did it to me in New York. They will bus people in who will vote dead people's names four, five, six and seven times, bus them in from Camden, New Jersey, but them in from some of the outskirts of Philadelphia or pay people from Philadelphia to vote three, four, five times. It happened to me in 89, I caught about 70 percent of it in 93. Challenge: Donald Trump thanks Chris Wallace after telling him point blank that he will contest the general election if he deems it necessary Academic studies of voter fraud have found that it is rare. An article by Loyala Law School professor Justin Levitt tracked 14 years of allegations since 2000, and found just 31 incidents out of a billion ballots, factcheck.org noted. The 2000 election is seared into the memory of Democrats. Gore won the popular vote in the race but lost in the electoral college due to the contested Florida election. Hillary Clinton had Gore appear with her at a rally in Miami this month as a way to urge young voters to turn out and vote. A series of hacks of Democratic accounts, including Clintons campaign chairman, has raised fears of Russian interference in the U.S. election, after the government said Russia was behind the hacking. Turkey has risked America's wrath after its fighter jets killed 200 US-backed Kurdish troops battling ISIS in Syria. War planes struck Syrian Kurdish fighters north of the war-ravaged city of Aleppo, according to Turkish state-run media. But senior commanders of the militia have disputed the casualty count - claiming no more than 10 of their fighters were killed in Ankara's airstrikes. Turkey has risked America's wrath after its fighter jets killed 200 US-backed Kurdish troops battling ISIS in Syria. Turkish soldiers are pictured at the Syrian border earlier this year The Syrian Kurdish force - and its role in the north of the country - has been an ongoing source of tension between NATO allies Turkey and the United States. Picture shows the remains of a building after Kurdish fighters pushed ISIS out of the city of Manbij The Syrian Kurdish force has been an ongoing source of tension between NATO allies Turkey and the United States. The US considers the group, known as the People's Protection Units or YPG, to be the most effective force in the fight against ISIS in Syria. Turkey says the group is an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out a series of deadly attacks in Turkey over the past year and considers it to be a terrorist organisation. Commander Mahmoud Barkhadan of the People's Protection Units said that Turkish tanks have been shelling the Kurdish-led forces in the area since early Wednesday. He said jets joined overnight and continue to pound his forces in the area with more than 30 aerial attacks so far - and that early reports suggest no more than 10 fighters were killed and 20 were wounded. There was no word on civilian casualties yet. The bombardment was a major escalation by Turkey just as the offensive to recapture the city of Mosul from ISIS militants in Iraq was intensifying. Iraqi Kurdish forces have carried the brunt of the fighting so far in the Mosul offensive. Kurdish forces in Syria have also carried out most of the fighting against ISIS and made significant territorial gains, including advances in the last few days against ISIS militants in Aleppo province, much to Turkey's fury in recent months. Turkey, which is dealing with a homegrown Kurdish insurgency, has been trying to prevent an expansion of Kurdish influence in Syria. An army commander shows Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (left) a Turkey-Iraq border map 'We will not back down,' Barkhadan said in a telephone interview from the area. He accused Turkey of aiding ISIS militants by diverting the fight into a Turkish-Kurdish one. 'We are fighting Daesh, why are they striking at us?' he asked, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS. The Anadolu Agency, quoting military officials, said the raids were carried out late Wednesday night, attacking 18 targets in the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria. Between 160 and 200 militia fighters were killed in the raid. The targets hit were in areas that the Syrian forces recently took over as they pressed ahead with their campaign to drive Islamic State militants from areas north of Aleppo. Ankara has grown increasingly wary as the YPG succeeded in securing large portions of territory along the Syrian-Turkish border. In August, Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria to help Syrian opposition forces drive the ISIS group away from an area bordering Turkey, and to curb the Syrian Kurdish forces' territorial expansion. The Turkish attack came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would not 'wait for terrorists to come and attack' but would go after them before they have the chance to strike. A juror almost caused a mistrial in the murder case of a man whose Tinder date fell off his 14th floor balcony after posting about it on Instagram. The jury in Gable Tostee's murder trial reached its verdict early on Thursday after deliberating for more than 13 hours but the result was delayed after several Instagram posts by a juror on the panel were discovered. Mr Tostee, 30, was found not guilty of murdering his New Zealand Tinder date Warriena Wright, who fell from the balcony of his Gold Coast apartment in the early hours of August 8, 2014. The posts to the juror's more than 2,000 followers over several days specifically identified the person as a juror on Mr Tostee's murder trial and the juror's thoughts about being part of the case. Scroll down for video A juror almost caused a mistrial in the murder case of Gable Tostee after it was revealed the juror was posting photos of coffee cups (pictured) on Instagram throughout the two-week long trial Mr Tostee, 30, was found not guilty of murdering his New Zealand Tinder date Warriena Wright (pictured) 'I snagged a nasty one, so it's a bit full on,' one post said. 'I took it home with me yesterday and woke quite miserable this morning. Will make sure I leave it behind this afternoon,' another one said. 'I'm sure that I'm never thrown anything that I can't handle, so although it will be a tough trial, I will learn and grow from it,' a third comment read. The juror wrote on Wednesday - the jury's second day of deliberations - that it '[may be] over tomorrow'. Ms Wright fell from Tostee's 14th floor balcony in the early hours of August 8, 2014 (pictured is a police re-enactment of Ms Wright climbing over the balcony) The jury reached its verdict early (Tostee pictured) on Thursday after deliberating for more than 13 hours The jury's verdict was delayed while Judge Byrne considered the defence's application to dismiss the jury after the juror's posts were revealed (pictured Tostee after the verdict of not guilty was read) Tostee and Ms Wright, who met through the app Tinder, met for the first time on the night she died The juror, who cannot be identified, did not discuss the evidence in the trial or the jury's deliberations. Defence barrister Saul Holt QC argued for a mistrial but Justice John Byrne dismissed the application. But he did scold the juror anonymously after the jury delivered its verdict. 'This is a particularly disappointing feature of the events of the day but only one is responsible for it,' Justice Byrne said. 'That juror will discover when [they] accesses [their] Instagram account that many members of the public have commented on [the juror's] decision to communicate with others during the course of the trial.' The posts to the juror's more than 2,000 followers over several days specifically identified the person as a juror on Mr Tostee's (pictured) murder trial and the juror's thoughts about being part of the case Family members of Warriena Wright leave the Supreme Court in Brisbane (pictured) Some people propose under the Eiffel Tower, while other romantics pop the question on a secluded beach or at the top of a mountain. But for Gervase Vlahov, the perfect place to get down on one knee was in a hall filled with screaming schoolgirls. His girlfriend, physical education teacher Lara Fresson, was giving a farewell assembly at Mercedes College in Perth on Tuesday when the room suddenly fell silent. PE teacher Lara Fresson, was giving a farewell assembly at Mercedes College in Perth on Tuesday when the room suddenly fell silent and her boyfriend Gervase Vlahov appeared Happy couple: Mr Vlahov got down on one knee and, of course, the love of his life said yes Miss Fresson and her colleagues had been performing a funny dance routine to Hit Me Baby One More Time by pop star Britney Spears when the music suddenly cut. But when the teacher turned around to see what was going on, among the crowd was Mr Vlahov. In the footage obtained by the West Australian, the schoolchildren are heard screaming as Mr Vlahov, a PE teacher at another college, announces he is there to 'ask a question'. 'To you, she is your teacher. To me, she is my rock. My greatest supporter. My inspiration. My partner in crime. Someone who will always listen. Someone who will laugh at my jokes,' he said. 'Someone to push me when times are hard. She is the person who will pick me up when I am low and is with me to enjoy all the highs. 'She is my best friend and my true love.' Miss Fresson and her colleagues had been performing a funny dance routine to Hit Me Baby One More Time, by Britney Spears, when the music suddenly cut The proposal was a complete surprise, with only Miss Fresson's colleagues in on the secret Mr Vlahov got down on one knee and, of course, the love of his life said yes. The proposal was a complete surprise, with only Miss Fresson's colleagues in on the secret. 'Being a high school teacher myself, the idea of gatecrashing a whole school assembly came quite easily to me,' Mr Vlahov said. 'I thought it was a simple idea but one that would be memorable. 'I was snuck into the assembly early and hid backstage for an hour before popping out at the right moment.' Atheists are slamming the new faith-based film I'm Not Ashamed, which revolves around the first victim of the Columbine High School massacre. I'm Not Ashamed follows Rachel Joy Scott, who the film claims was killed by Dylan Klebold and Dylan Harris after she told them she still believed in God. Harris and Klebold murdered 13 people and injured 24 more before taking their own lives on April 20, 1999. It was the first school shooting to truly shake the nation. But it is 17-year-old Rachel's unshaken Christian faith, even when staring down the barrel of a gun, that is meant to be at the film's very core. Atheists are slamming the new faith-based film I'm Not Ashamed, which revolves around the life and death of first victim of the Columbine High School massacre, Rachel Joy Scott The film recreates Rachels' very last moments, and claim that she was killed after telling Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris that she still believed in God In a new excerpt of the film, released to The Hollywood Reporter, we see Rachel consoling her friend Richard Castaldo as they eat outside on the school lawn. 'How'd you get through it?' Castaldo asks her. 'I don't know,' she replies. 'There's no easy answer. But I don't think that God wastes anything, not even the bad stuff.' It is then that they see Harris and Klebold, donning the soon-to-be notorious trench coats, guns in their hands. They open fire, shooting Castaldo eight times and paralyzing him from the waist down. Rachel is hit but still alive, crawling toward her friend when Harris and Klebold approach. 'Well Rachel, where's your God now?' they taunt. 'What would Jesus do?' Then Harris grabs her by the hair and stares directly into Rachel's eyes. 'Do you still believe in God?' he asks. 'You know I do,' she replies. 'Then go be with him,' he says, before the screen turns black. The main source of contention in the movie is whether or not the conversation between Rachel and her killers actually happened. A number of atheists have pointed to the official police reports, which make no note of any such exchange happening between Rachel and Harris before her death. 'It is shameful that they are framing the entire premise of the movie around allegations that do not have any evidence to support them,' read one blog on ThatAtheistShow.com. 'The accounts of that day, actually, directly contradict them.' The main source of contention in the movie is whether or not the conversation between Rachel and her killers actually happened (pictured here is the actor playing Eric Harris, who killed her) A number of atheists have pointed to the official police reports, which make no note of any such exchange happening between Rachel and Harris before her death But Castaldo, who was briefly in a coma after the attack, later revealed that Harris and Klebold had in fact asked both him and Rachel about their faiths. Castaldo said he was still alive only because he truthfully answered that he did not. He also told his mother that the killers were yelling at Rachel 'about God and do you believe in God'. Rachel's brother Craig, who was in the school's library on the day of the shooting, maintains that he believed it happened. 'Eric and Dylan knew her,' he said. 'There is audio tape of them calling her a "stuck-up Christian bitch"'. 'She may have died anyway, but in that moment, she was killed for her faith.' Rachel Joy Scott, 17, seen here in her 1998 yearbook photo, was the first victim of the Columbine killers Craig may not have been witness to his sister's death, but he was there when a different teenage girl was killed because she believed in God. 'I know from the library how brave it was for my sister to say yes because, what happened there, was a girl simply said, "Oh God', and that's what caught their attention.' 'She was crying and begging for her life. They asked her four times if she believed in God, and finally she said yes, and that's when I heard gunshots. Her name was Val Schnur.' 'This is a real event and they want it told the way it happened, and I can respect that,' he added. 'But they're not privy to the information we have. All they have are police reports and news articles.' Some critics against the movie, though, have argued that the movie is 'dangerous', especially due to the current national rhetoric. 'It will be yet another movie that pits believers against non-believers, by portraying non-believers as the enemy,' ThatAtheistShow.com's post reads. 'In a country already so divided, this does not help lead us in a positive direction. We should not allow that to be skewed in an attempt to help people "find Jesus"'. The complaints were enough for YouTube to take down the film's official trailer for 11 months. But the site recently posted it back up and said it had made the 'wrong call'. 'With the massive volume of videos on our platform, sometimes we make the wrong call on content that is flagged by our community,' the site told the Reporter. 'When this is brought to our attention, we review the content and take appropriate action, including restoring videos or channels that were mistakenly removed.' Brian Baugh, the director of the film, has argued that he does not believe it is only for Christians, he wrote in an op-ed for The Wrap. Baugh said when he first got the call about directing a movie on Rachel's life, his first instinct was to pass on it. 'I started reading the script thinking it was going to be about some boring, sheltered, high school church girl who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,' he wrote. 'I was wrong.' Baugh said he was won over after reading Rachel's diaries, realizing she was 'complicated, messy and full of heart'. 'I could see that this project had the chance to connect with the audience no matter what they believed,' he wrote. 'At the core, the film is about the universal process of learning to stand up for your beliefs.' 'Even though I knew this was going to be marketed as a "Christian film", I thought it had a chance to connect with mainstream audiences if given the chance.' Advertisement Britain has deployed a flotilla of Royal Navy destroyers to 'man-mark' a fleet of Russian warships lurking off the Scottish coast in a move mocked as an 'overreaction' by Putin's supporters. Russian military experts have branded the Royal Navy as 'weak' and claimed the UK is 'scared' of Putin's ships - which are expected to pass within just one mile of England. The Russian aircraft carrier fleet, led by the 1,000ft-long Admiral Kuznetzov, is on its way towards the English Channel as it prepares to join Bashar al-Assad's bombing campaign in Syria, the Ministry of Defence confirmed. HMS Duncan - the world's most advanced air-defence destroyer sailed from Portsmouth last night to join frigate HMS Richmond, which has intercepted the Kuznetsov task group of eight ships. As well as the Royal Navy, the Royal Norwegian Navy, Finnish Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy have vessels surrounding the North Sea. Despite this response, one Moscow defence expert claimed Vladimir Putin is ready to 'seize control' of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic as he boasted about Russia's sea power while branding the Royal Navy 'tiny'. Scroll down for video Russian pilots conducted flight operations from the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier, pictured yesterday belching smoke, with the nuclear-powered Peter the Great guided missile cruiser shadowing in the background Royal Navy's HMS Duncan (centre) is seen here observing a Russian Kirov Class Battle cruiser (left) and Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov The HMS Richmond has reported the Russian fleet is heading south towards the Dover strait while several NATO vessels are being deployed to keep the flotilla under surveillance. Meanwhile Vladimir Putin has recalled two corvettes from the Mediterranean to divide the Royal Navy's response to his aircraft carrier provocatively sailing down the British coastline As well as the Royal Navy, the Royal Norwegian Navy, Finnish Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy have vessels surrounding the North Sea Frants Klintsevich, first deputy of Russian senate's Defence and Security Committee, confirmed the eight-strong flotilla was armed and ready for combat. 'We understand that such ships are armed, and that they did not just go for a walk with a walking stick,' he said. 'The fact that today the military ships, including a first-class vessel, go forward - it's part of combat training tasks.' He added: 'The Admiral Kuznetsov and Pyotr Velikiy are able to solve any task anywhere on the planet's waters.' The fleet has completed training its pilots for bombing missions while it has been tracked by the Royal Navy's HMS Richmond and several NATO vessels. Broadcasters have also brazenly claimed that the presence of the Russian fleet has 'scared' the Royal Navy. A report on TV Zvezda, run by the Vladimir Putin's Defence Ministry, boasted: 'NATO got scared by Russian ships moving towards Syria.' Vladimir Mukhin, who writes for Nezavisimaya Gazeta, headlined his column: 'Admiral Kuznetsov scared the English'. Putin's admirals are keen to ramp up the pressure on Britain's warships by calling in extra assets from the Mediterranean in a mission dubbed 'Operation Sea Fist' by the Russian media. A MOD spokesman said: 'It is pretty unambiguous that they have set a course to pass through the Dover Strait.' Belgian frigate Leopold I has just joined the tracking operation with the Admiral Kuznetsov belching smoke in the background The Russian fleet needs to certify its pilots, pictured yesterday flying a pair of SU-33 Flankers, for operating from the Admiral Kuznetsov around the clock before the carrier can begin strike missions against Bashar al-Assad's opponents in Syria The Russians have be flying operations with their Kamov KA-27 helicopters which can be used in anti-submarine warfare The Russians are trying to divide the Royal Navy's efforts to track their fleet by recalling two corvettes from the Mediterranean, forcing the HMS Dragon to head south from Portsmouth to intercept. It is understood there is also a Dutch submarine operating south of the English Channel. Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the Russian decision to deploy the aircraft carrier. Speaking upon her arrival in Brussels at her first EU summit since becoming Prime Minister, she said: 'We must show that robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression. 'The UK has put Russian actions in Syria on the agenda for this summit - we must continue to work together and it's vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria.' Russian media crowed abut the strength of their fleet. Military expert Alexander Khrolenko said: 'While the North Atlantic bloc is stalling in the sands of the Middle East, the Russian Navy seizes control over the Atlantic, not to mention the Mediterranean and Black Seas.' He added: 'They [NATO] have no equal in the Mediterranean.' The KNM Fritdjtof Nansen of the Norwegian navy is part of NATO's response to monitor the Russian fleet The Norwegian Air Force shadowed the Admiral Kuznetsov heading south earlier this week on their way to Syria IS THE FLAGSHIP OF PUTIN'S FLEET A FLOATING CROCK? AIRCRAFT CARRIER HEADING FOR DOVER NEED MAJOR REPAIRS AND CAN'T HIT TOP SPEED Britain is on high alert as Russia's aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov passes Dover in a blatant show of strength by Valdimir Putin. But back in Moscow, the vessel, launched 31 years ago in the Soviet era, is seen as 'the most problematic ship in the Navy'. After this voyage it is set for major repairs because it cannot hit top speed - leading to serious limitation for the aircraft. A recent report on the state of the ship highlighted 'violations of discipline' among a crew that rarely go to sea, but emphasised: 'The main problem of the Kuznetsov remains in its power plant. 'It is kept running only with the help of 'cannibalism' - when the necessary parts are taken from 956 class ships which use similar equipment,' said the report on Lenta.ru. Far from being an icon of Putin's power, Russian observers see the ageing the vessel as a symbol of the lack of naval planning since the end of Soviet times. 'Numerous repairs in 1994-95, 1996-98, 2001-04 and 2008 could not improve the situation, mainly due to lack of financial investment,' one report stated. The aircraft carriers chequered history is highlighted by the fact it has changed names four times. Admiral Kuznetsov, which is leading Russia's fleet, is in desperate need of repairs, pictured previously in the repair dock The vessel, launched 31 years ago in the Soviet era, is seen as 'the most problematic ship in the Navy' Advertisement Peter Roberts, senior research fellow for sea power and maritime studies at the Royal United Services Institute said the Russians were planning to use international waters when passing the English Channel so cannot be challenged. He said: ' It's a clear and military signal that Russia is back on the international stage. They are off to conduct a mission. They are off to conduct it off Syria. They are very focused on their mission.' There have been warnings issued to civilian aircrew, such as helicopter pilots supplying North Sea oil rigs of 'intense naval military flying' off Scotland's east coast. A Norwegian navy frigate has also been following the Russian flotilla, which is being kept under close watch by a P-3 Orion. Two further British warships are also currently steaming up the east coast to intercept the Russian fleet after the Kremlin boasted they are 'seizing control' of the Mediterranean. Type-45 destroyer HMS Duncan the world's most advanced air-defence destroyer sailed from Portsmouth last night to join frigate HMS Richmond, which has intercepted the Kuznetsov task group of eight ships. The HMS Richmond has taken up station a few hundreds yards from the task force. It will remain as an escort while the Russians remain in an area of UK national interest. It is understood that the Belgian naval frigate Leopold I has also started trailing the flotilla as part of Nato Maritime Group One. The Nato Maritime Group One has also been tasked with tracking the Russian fleet as it passes the English Channel The Kamov KA-27 helicopters can be used for troop transport as well as anti-submarine warfare operations The KA-27s flew close to the NATO vessels monitoring the Russian fleet as it approached the Scottish coast In a sign of the escalating tensions with Russia, UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon today warned Moscow: 'When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe.' According to the Ministry of Defence: 'Shadowing ships is regular business for the UK Royal Navy, supported on this occasion by Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft. 'They will continue to escort the Russian Task Group and provide a visible presence south through the North Sea and English Channel as the ships conduct their passage and carries out flying operations.' It marks a further breakdown of relations between the two countries after after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson became embroiled in a row with the Russian embassy last week. According to a Nato spokesman the fleet's destination does not 'inspire confidence' that the nation is seeking a political solution to the Syrian conflict. The official said: 'Russia has the right to operate in international waters. There are plans in place for Nato navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean. 'At the same time, the deployment of the carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean does not inspire confidence that Russia is working towards a political solution to the conflict in Syria.' The Russian fleet is expected to refuel in the Moray Firth before continuing on to the eastern Mediterranean The Admiral Kuznetsov is part of a flotilla of eight surface ships which is also been tracked by Russian submarines The Admiral Kuznetsov, pictured centre, is unusual for a modern warship for the trail of black smoke it leaves behind Mr Johnson called on people to demonstrate outside Russia's London embassy last week in protest against Russia's bombing campaign in the Syrian city of Aleppo. But Moscow responded by branding his call for protests 'shameful' and accused him of 'Russophobic hysteria'. Britain's mobilisation of the aircraft carrier fleet off the coast of Scotland is the latest in an increasing presence of international naval assets in the area. After completing training it is understood the aircraft carrier fleet will head to an anchorage on the Moray Firth where it will be refuelled before continuing to the Mediterranean. Type-45 destroyer HMS Duncan the world's most advanced air-defence destroyer sailed from Portsmouth last night to join frigate HMS Richmond, which has intercepted the Kuznetsov task group of eight ships A Royal Navy seaman onboard the HMS Richmond keeps watch on the Russian carrier fleet as it conducts training flight operations off the coast of the Shetland Islands The Russians are being shadowed by the HMS Richmond, with the Admiral Kuznetsov, belching smoke, in the background Naval assets from Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands are all believed to be on standby. As well as the Royal Navy, the Royal Norwegian Navy, Finnish Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy have vessels surrounding the North Sea. Nato aircraft are also patrolling the area, with tanker aircraft on station ready to refuel any fighter jets tasked with observing the Russian fleet. The United States has sent another of its Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers into the Mediterranean in advance of the Russian fleet's arrival. The USS Carney was refueled in Spain according to the US Sixth Fleet and will join the Nato forces in the eastern Mediterranean. The USS Ross is already in the region providing support for the French aircraft carrier the Charles De Gaulle. The USS Carney, pictured, departed Naval station Rota in Spain this morning in advance of the arrival of the Russian fleet In addition the RAF Quick Reaction Alert squadrons in RAF Lossiemouth in north east Scotland and RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire have been ordered to remain on standby in case they need to intercept any Russian jets straying into UK air space. The Admiral Kuznetsov is protected by a battle cruiser and a pair of large anti-submarine ships. It is also protected from below the surface by an attack submarine. The aircraft carrier is supported by the nuclear-powered battleship Pyotr Velikiy, (Peter the Great) pictured on Monday passing the Norwegian coast by a Lockheed P3-Orion surveillance aircraft The Russians have also sent a submarine, pictured, to protect the aircraft carrier fleet The Kuznetsov has undergone an extensive refit since its last deployment to the Mediterranean in 2014 when it had to be followed by several tugs in case its steam turbine engines packed up. Earlier this week the Norwegian navy followed the heavily-armed fleet as it sailed south from Severomorsk, near Murmansk in the Barents Sea. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Russian fleet is being kept under close observation by the Royal Navy and the RAF. A source told MailOnline: 'The Admiral Kuznetsov is currently conducting flight operations. The pilots need to be certified for carrier take-offs and landings at day and night before it takes up station in the Mediterranean.' A Royal Navy spokesman said the size of the Russian naval force was 'unusual' but that the Russian ships were 'behaving very well', including booking areas for flying and calling up coastguard stations. 'The special part of this is definitely the aircraft carrier. 'If you just wanted to keep it safe, you put a destroyer and a frigate with it. If you wanted to show a bit of muscle, you do what they're doing now.' But he added: 'I wouldn't say this is the full might of their fleet'. The French Navy has the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean already conducting combat operations against ISIS targets in Syria The Charles De Gaulle is been protected by the guided missile destroyer USS Ross, pictured here in the Combat Information Centre where its Tomahawk cruise missiles are controlled 'They are free to do this in international waters, but once they are in the English Channel, the aircraft will be grounded.' The MOD confirmed the Royal Navy would shadow the carrier and its fleet while it remains in the UK's area of interest. SUKHOI SU-33 FLANKER D CREW: 1 LENGTH: 70ft WINGSPAN: 50ft HEIGHT: 20ft ENGINGES: Two AL-31F3 afterburning turbo fans producing 28,214lb of thrust each The SU-33 can fold its wings so they can fit more aircraft on the flight deck FOLDED WINGSPAN: 25ft SPEED: Mach 2.17 - 1,430mph RANGE: 1,860 MILES WEAPONS: 1x 30mm cannon with 150 rounds 6.5 tonnes of munitions on 12 external hardpoints Advertisement Also, RAF Typhoons and Tornadoes are on red alert at airbases in Lossiemouth in North East Scotland and Coningsby in Lincolnshire in case any Russian jets stray into UK airspace The fleet could possibly route around Ireland's west coast to avoid the English Channel, although there is far greater shelter avoiding the Atlantic Ocean. However, after going through the Bay of Biscay and down the Portuguese coast, the fleet will pass through the nine mile wide Gibraltar straits before reaching its area of operation. It is understood the fleet will resupply before continuing to the Mediterranean. The Admiral Kuznetsov is the Russian flagship and the country's only aircraft carrier. The French already have the Charles De Gaulle operating in the eastern Mediterranean. Major Elisabeth Eikeland, spokeswoman for the Norwegian Army's National Joint Headquarters said: 'We have been informed that they are en route to the Mediterranean. It's not every day that so many ships sail together off Norway.' According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the aircraft carrier taskforce departed on Saturday to the Mediterranean. A spokesman said: 'The group consists of the aircraft-carrying heavy cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the Pyotr Velikiy battlecruiser, large anti-submarine ships Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov and support vessels.' The Russian MOD claimed: 'Special focus will be made on safeguarding security of maritime traffic and other types of maritime economic activity of Russia and also on responding to the new kinds of modern threats such as piracy and international terrorism.' The Admiral Kuznetsov had previously operated in the Mediterranean early in 2014. The Kuznetsov is main attacking threat is the Sukhoi SU-33 Flanker D aircraft. The supersonic jets can carry up to 6.5 tonnes of bombs and missiles on 12 external hardpoints. However, the lack of a catapult system on the Kuznetsov means the aircraft cannot take off with a full weapons or fuel load and safely make it into the air. The SU-33 is a specially adapted version of the SU-27 - which is the Russian version of the F-15. It has been fitted with a specially adapted undercarriage, and aerodynamic package to help it cope with operating off of a flight deck. Also the aircraft's wings are able to fold, meaning they can store more jets on the aircraft carrier. This is the bizarre moment a 'possessed' woman is freed of evil spirits during an exorcism in front of 300,000 pilgrims in Romania. The footage shows her screaming as she is placed next to Christian relics during an exorcism ritual. The ceremony took place during the annual yearly celebration of Saint Paraskeva, the patron of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iasi. More than 300,000 pilgrims, mostly Orthodox Christians, showed up for the ceremony when it took place between 10th and 14th October. People flocked to see holy relics which allegedly have miraculous properties. When the women started having a fit two police officers and a paramedic started taking her towards an ambulance, but an elderly woman stepped in the way and told them to take her to the relics instead. On the way, the possessed woman can be heard screaming: 'No, where are you taking me?' The Romanian woman was guided into a courtyard by a policemen and firstaid worker where a glass coffin containing relics was kept Hundreds of thousands of people gather to watch the annual ceremony and officials monitor the event to in case anyone falls ills during an exorcism When she was carried to the glass coffin containing the relics, the elderly lady accompanying her forcibly sticks her head to the glass as two riot policemen hold the screaming woman. A priest also joined the woman and can be heard saying: 'Dont let her go.' The woman screams: 'Im not getting out.' The woman appeared to be distressed and screaming as she was freed from 'evil spirits' and made to sit next to the glass coffin As the person believed to be demonically possessed stops screaming and looks exhausted, someone in the back says: 'The Saint indeed does wonders.' The woman who looks as if she has fainted is then taken by the cops and the paramedic to a first aid point as her elderly companion says that modern medicine would not be needed. Journalists from Romanian news portal ziare.com contacted Ionut Catana, a representative of the riot police, asking if he thinks it is normal for cops to perform exorcism rituals. An elderly lady who was accompanying the woman holds her head on the glass coffin while the priest, above right, continues the ceremony During the ceremony the woman screams 'I'm not getting out' and looks exhausted after the ordeal and The official answered: 'The riot policemen did not act to perform an exorcism, but to offer first aid. From our point of view, any person with such behaviour has medical problems. 'They took her to a first aid point. Because that was in the courtyard of the church, they had to pass by the holy relics, but the gendarmes did not act specifically take her there.' The Lee University Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Artist-in-Residence Bob Bernhardt, will present its fall concert in Pangle Hall on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Having just performed with "ARRIVAL From Sweden" during Lees Celebration 2016 festivities, the Symphony is working hard on this challenging program of great music, said Maestro Bernhardt. The concert will open with Finlandia, by Jean Sibelius. According to Maestro Bernhardt, it is a powerful, energetic, and beautiful tone poem and a superb concert opener. Graduate conducting student Seok Joon Kuen will conduct this work, making his debut with Lee Symphony. Telemanns Concerto for Viola will be the second of the evenings performances. It is a four-movement work which highlights the unique tone of the viola, and for its time, was a rare virtuoso display for the instrument. Megan Chisom, instructor of viola at Lee, will make her debut with the orchestra as the soloist of this piece. The program will close with Beethovens Symphony No. 5. This journey from rage to joy over its four movements has made it one of the most popular symphonies ever written, said Maestsro Bernhardt. It remains one of the most rewarding challenges in the repertoire. Maestro Bernhardt joined Lee's School of Music in the fall of 2011. He also serves as music director emeritus and principal pops conductor of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, principal pops conductor of the Louisville Orchestra, and principal pops conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony. He spent 19 seasons serving as the music director and conductor with the CSO and is the first to hold the title emeritus. He is also a frequent guest conductor for the Boston Pops and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The Symphony Orchestra ensemble of select instrumentalists performs one major concert each semester. Its musicians frequently participate in operatic, choral, and other concerts on campus. The ensemble also sponsors an annual concerto competition for university students. Mondays concert is a free, non-ticketed event, and is open to the public. For more information about the concert, contact Lees School of Music at 614-8240 or at music@leeuniversity.edu. A brave mother has said she is 'proud' of her hijab and 'more determined' to wear the headscarf after being targeted by a thug who tried to pull it off her head in Oxford Street. Sophia Dar, 47, a mother-of-four from Ilford, said she will not give in to bullies after she was attacked in broad daylight as she walked to work. She was left sobbing in the busy street and said no one came to aid to try and stop the aggressor as they were all 'engrossed in their own world'. Sophia Dar said she will not give into bullies after having her hijab pulled in Oxford Street Recalling the incident, Ms Dar told MailOnline: 'He was coming in the opposite direction but I wasn't taking much notice of him. I was just on my way to work at the bank, I wasn't hurting anyone...I'm trying to make a living for me and my family. 'But this man then made a beeline towards me and said "why are you wearing that?" pointing at my headscarf. He then tried to take if off my head. It was stuck on with pins and they came off but he didn't manage to remove it. 'I turned around and said "what the hell did you do that for?" He stamped his feet and said "well what are you going to do about it?" 'I then thought it would be best to try and walk away. No one came to help. Everyone was engrossed in their own world, on their phones or listening to their headphones. It's scary people think it's OK to ignore it. 'What shocked me was how he [the attacker] then walked off as though he had done nothing. We need to stand up to these people. They are bullies who think we will be quiet.' She reported the incident, that happened as she walked to work in Portman Square around 8.15am on Tuesday October 4, to police and has encouraged others to do likewise. 'If you let things go, people's mindsets will not change', she said. 'I will wear my hijab tighter and if anything it has made me more determined to wear it. 'I'm proud of it - it's a huge part of my identity.' Police are today hunting for the attacker who grabbed Ms Dar's hijab and tried to tear it off as she walked along Oxford Street in London Ms Dar, a mother to four children aged 21, 19, 14, and 11, said she had noticed a change in attitude since the Brexit vote on June 23. 'It is not right. It's not acceptable. It's not right to tell us to take off our headscarves. What I wear doesn't harm anyone. I want to wear it. 'I am not ashamed of it and I will not take it off.' She told MailOnline: 'I feel a lot better now, I feel I want to stand up to the world now. I was quite tearful and quite scared...it's not like me to be an introvert but I just wanted to keep out of the way. But then I thought why should I? Why should this incident change the way I want to live and my life? 'I'm sure lots of other men and women have gone through the same fears about speaking out but they shouldn't be afraid to do so.' Scotland Yard said the attacker fled towards Marble Arch. Police said he was about 5ft 5ins and of medium build, with short black greased-back hair. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt and light blue jeans. Detective Sergeant Steve Stamp, of the Met Police, said they had launched an investigation. He described the attack as 'unprovoked and hate filled'. Bushra Tahir, chairman of Redbridge women's charity Awaaz, said more women are being targeted because of their race or religion. In a separate incident this month, a woman had her hijab pulled down in a racially-motivated assault as she was walking in Haringey, in north London. She said the frightening incidents are becoming part of 'everyday life'. She added: 'Women don't always report it as they think the thing said to them is small, but it's not.' Female victims are more likely to suffer attacks because they appear 'more visibly Muslim' thanks to traditional dress and are also perceived as 'soft targets', campaigners have said. Earlier this month official figures showed hate crimes leapt by more than four-fifths in the wake of the EU referendum. The number of racially and religiously aggravated alleged offences logged by forces in England and Wales in July was 41 per cent higher than in the same month last year. Smith was drunk after drinking a bottle of vodka, a court heard as he attempted to steal his phone A drunk train passenger armed with a pocket knife racially abused and attempted to rob a commuter in Melbourne, a court has heard. After drinking a whole bottle of vodka, 28-year-old Michael Smith threatened a young man with a pocket knife on a Cranbourne-bound train shortly after midnight on March 23 last year, the County Court heard on Thursday. Smith, a father-of-two, demanded the passenger's phone and yelled: 'Give me your phone, you black Indian, or I will kill you.' A drunk train passenger armed with a pocket knife racially abused and attempted to rob a commuter in Melbourne, a court has heard (stock image) 28-year-old Michael Smith threatened a young man with a pocket knife on a Cranbourne-bound train shortly after midnight on March 23 last year (stock image) Smith swiped the knife at the man and knocked the phone out of his hand, Prosecutor Diana Hogan said. When they both got off the train, Ms Hogan said, the 28-year-old threatened to kill the passenger if he told protective service officers, The Age reported. The passenger did alert authorities who chased the offender after he fled the scene. Smith spat in the face of one of the PSOs and said, 'f*** you, black c***', during his arrest, the court heard. Smith later denied the offences and told police the passenger had racially abused him. He said the only thing he could remember was being 'smashed by PSOs.' Smith pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery, making a threat to kill, resisting arrest and assaulting a PSO. Defence counsel Christopher Pearson told the court Smith had an intellectual disability and had struggled with drugs and alcohol since he was a teenager. His bail was extended and he will return to court in December. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Victoria Police who cannot comment while the matter is before the court. A man has been killed and five others injured after scaffolding crashed down onto a street from a high-rise building in downtown Miami. The man, a 50-year-old bystander, suffered a 'fatal cardiac episode' while running from falling debris near the 50-story Echo Brickell condominium building. A woman was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after she was hit by debris while inside a car, and two construction workers were also taken to hospital, Miami Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Joseph Zahralban said. Scroll down for video A man was killed and five others injured when scaffolding crashed down from a Miami high-rise building into the street below The building's developer, Property Markets Group, released a statement saying it is investigating. Above a crushed vehicle can be seen along with debris Construction worker Quincy Williams was among the injured. He is seen here in his hospital bed Two other people were treated for their injuries at the scene. A relative identified one of the injured as construction worker Quincy Williams, 34, according to nbc6. They said he was wearing a helmet but suffered a gash to his head from falling debris. The family shared a photo of him in his hospital bed. No further details of the others who were injured were made available. Jenny Rivero, who works on a top floor of an adjacent building, said she and her colleagues heard the scaffolding crashing down. 'We just saw some debris flying across the window,' she said. Ms Rivero, who was evacuated from her building as a precaution, said wood planks and metal bars were scattered on the street below after the scaffolding fell. Debris is seen in the street near the 50-story Echo Brickell condominium building Nearby buildings were evacuated and the road was closed as emergency services worked to secure the scene The cause of the scaffolding collapse is under investigation, the building's owners said A photo she posted on Twitter showed emergency personnel and vehicles crowding the street. The building's developer, Property Markets Group, released a statement saying it is investigating the situation to the Miami Herald. The company said it was working with city officials, police, and the fire department to secure the site. 'At this time our thoughts and prayers are with those affected,' the statement read. Mark James video shows the mystery object disappear into the sea An incredible meteor-like object has been captured on video crashing into the sea leaving a fiery trail in its wake. Cameraman Mark James was in Penarth, a town the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, when the flaming object appeared. As dusk fell, the shimmering object was seen descending at great speed as it fell to earth. A strange meteor-like object was spotted yesterday in Wales as the night drew in Cameraman Mark James was in Penarth, Wales, filming the pier when it appeared The fireball left a trail of smoke in its path as it quickly headed for earth According to Wales Online the amazing footage was captured on Wednesday evening. He said: 'It was about 6.40pm and I was on top of the hill leading up to Penarth town. 'I thought it was a flare from the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).' The sighting has not been confirmed as a meteor, but the video comes just a few weeks after one was spotted at Turkey Beach and Emerald in Queensland, Australia and Washington DC to Ontario. Hundreds of locals took to social media to report their houses shaking and a burning light in the sky. The UFO quickly crashed down over the sea and follows other sightings around the world Mr James said he thought it was a RNLI flare being shot up into the sky MailOnline has contacted experts to see if it can be indentified Have you captured a meteor-like display? Email jessica.duncan@onemk.co.uk Advertisement Police received a number of calls from concerned residents in the Gladstone area, reporting tremors in what was initially believed to be an earthquake. Geoscience Australia has since officially ruled out an earthquake and Higgins Storm Chasing crew said a meteorite impacted somewhere offshore. A student has blasted a prestigious selective high school in his leaving speech for 'demanding' donations of up to $50 from students and losing its identity. Ben Qin, the outgoing student representative council vice-president of Melbourne High School, also said the elite high school no longer understood its pupils. The controversial claims were aired during a final-year speech on Wednesday in front of staff and students of the boy's school in South Yarra, which takes students based on academic merit and caters for Years 9 through to 12. Scroll down for video Ben Qin, the outgoing SRC vice-president of Melbourne High, has accused the school of 'demanding donations' from students in his leaving speech According to The Age, footage of Mr Qin's speech was posted on Facebook shortly after and gained traction online as his peers shared it. It is believed to have since been taken down. Mr Qin, 17, said he felt betrayed by the school when it reportedly told Year 12 students their 'legacy' with the school depended on their ability to raise money. 'A threat about a month ago that our legacy as a year level was contingent on demands of $50 donations ... I hardly think this was ever a good attitude,' he said. 'Don't we give back our intellect and our academic ability? Don't we give back our physical, artistic and musical talents? We thought this was valuable. Don't we, every year, give back in leadership, student representation?' 'Don't our parents pay? Don't they donate yearly to the school? The school raised nearly $4.5 million in donations, fees and other private sources in 2014, the latest MySchool data shows.' Mr Qin, 17, said he felt betrayed by the school (pictured) when it reportedly told Year 12 students their 'legacy' with the school depended on their ability to raise money He said a series of events throughout the year had whittled away any faith he had in the school. 'When I was in year 10, year 11 and at the start of this year, I believed in Melbourne High.' 'I believed in every aspect, its culture, its history... and I genuinely thought that our year level was perhaps a bit privileged. 'But standing here after all that's happened this year, I no longer believe in Melbourne High.' Melbourne High is considered to be one of the strongest academic schools in Victoria, with its 2009 cohort finishing with a median ENTER (tertiary rank) of 95.85, the highest of any school in the state's history. Jeremy Ludowyke, principal of Melbourne High School, responded to the student's allegations in a newsletter released on Friday. Mr Ludowyke began by saying he disagreed with 'much of what was said' and had 'major issues with the omissions of context from the grievances expected.' 'I also applaud and congratulate the speaker for the courage and eloquence of his presentation and did so immediately after he spoke,' he added. He also slammed the academic school for not understanding its students Last year the school captain of Ravenswood School for Girls on Sydney's upper North Shore attracted headlines for the content of her own leaving speech. Sarah Haynes, 18, used the speech to question the school's values by claiming it was being run like a business driven by financial concerns. 'Some people work hard and get noticed and good on them. Some people work hard, struggle and get overlooked,' Ms Haynes said. Thousands of Post Office workers are to stage a fresh strike in a dispute over jobs, pensions and branch closures, it was revealed today. Members of the Communication Workers Union will walk out on October 31, with more action in the run-up to Christmas not ruled out. It will be the second strike in the row over job losses, the closure of the final salary pension scheme, and the closure of Crown post offices. Walkout: Thousands of Post Office workers are to stage a fresh strike in a dispute over jobs, pensions and branch closures, the Communication Workers Union said today (file picture) Three meetings have taken place at the conciliation service Acas but no meaningful progress was made. Dave Ward, CWU general secretary, said: The stakes have never been higher for the future of the Post Office, its workers and the communities they serve. The Post Office is at crisis point and the management and Government need to listen to the workforce. Staff and the public are seeing little more than a glorified closure programme from the Post Office and it cannot survive by simply cutting costs. We are calling for the Government as the owner of the Post Office to step in, halt the cuts and work with us to develop a proper strategy that will secure the future of the service. Industrial action: It will be the second strike in the row over job losses, the closure of the final salary pension scheme, and the closure of Crown post offices (file picture) Kevin Gilliland, Post Office's network and sales director, said: We are disappointed that CWU is again talking about strikes when we continue to try to reach a constructive way forward through talks at Acas. The Post Office has repeatedly invited the unions to discuss strategy and present its view of the future of the business to our group executive and board. We can reassure our customers that, if strikes go ahead, the vast majority of people working at Post Office branches would not be involved and almost all of our network will be open for business and operating normally. Well over 11,000 of our branches are run by independent businesses. The 50,000 people who work in these branches will be providing Post Office services as usual if a further strike goes ahead. A Breaking Bad-obsessed sadomasochist strangled a police officer, then copied a plot from the American drama by dissolving his body in an acid bath, a court has heard. PC Gordon Semple, 59, was on duty when he arranged to meet his alleged killer, Stefano Brizzi, via Grindr for 'hot, dirty, sleazy' sex on April 1. The 50-year-old Italian was allegedly in the middle of throttling him when he turned away another man who had arrived for a drug-fuelled sex party. Over the next few days, neighbours on the Peabody Estate in south London noticed a 'revolting smell' coming from Brizzi's flat. When one complained, Brizzi put it down to cooking for a friend, jurors at the Old Bailey were told. PC Gordon Semple (left) was killed at the beginning of April this year. Stefano Brizzi (right) is standing trial for his murder. A court heard he attempted to dissolve the body in acid By April 7, a resident alerted police, who visited the flat and found Brizzi wearing only sunglasses and underpants. They also found a bath full of acid with 'globules of flesh' floating in it, the court heard. Brizzi allegedly told an officer: 'I've tried to dissolve the body ... I've killed a police officer. I killed him last week. I met him on Grindr and I killed him. Satan told me to.' However, jurors were told that the defendant was not claiming a psychiatric defence and now says Pc Semple died accidentally during a 'sex game gone wrong'. PC Semple, pictured with a young relative, had gone to Brizzi's flat for sex Opening the trial, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors the case called for 'broad minds and strong stomachs'. Pc Semple had been in a relationship but was 'sexually promiscuous' and used Grindr for 'extreme' encounters of 'domination, bondage and much else besides', he said. On the day of the killing, Pc Semple and Brizzi had invited more men on Grindr to join them for a sex party with drugs available but only one man - referred to only as CD - turned up, jurors were told. Mr Aylett told jurors: 'When CD pressed the entry buzzer, someone who can only have been the defendant replied over the intercom "We are having a situation here. Someone fell ill but we're taking care of it. So our party is cancelled". CD turned around and went home.' The prosecutor told jurors that CD must have arrived at the very point PC Semple was meeting his death inside the flat. Brizzi later told police that PC Semple had invited a number of people to the flat 'but they didn't arrive and, when one did arrive, I was right in the middle of strangling Gordon and I said to - he was right there at the door - and I said to him "Look, this is not the right time now, people are falling ill and it's a mess".' After PC Semple's partner failed to get hold of him on his mobile phone, he reported him missing. The scene at the Southwark estate in April this year after PC Semple was allegedly murdered The court heard that Brizzi had been a user of crystal meth - referred to as Nutella - which had cost him his job at financial giant Morgan Stanley. He allegedly told a support group that he believed in the Devil, and liked 'satanic rituals' which involved having sex over the sign of the pentagon. He liked to boast of his sexual exploits and told one meeting he had once tied a man up, treated him like a dog and made him go into a cage, jurors heard. Brizzi was said to be 'obsessed' with the American show Breaking Bad, jurors were told. Mr Aylett said the main character, chemistry teacher Walter White, produced crystal meth and, after poisoning a rival, dissolved the body in acid. Police at the scene in the days after Mr Semple's body was found at the flat PC Semple, originally from Inverness, Scotland, was last seen leaving London's Shard at 12.30pm on 1 April after an on-duty meeting at the five-star Shangri-La hotel. The officer, who lived with partner Gary Meeks, in Greenhithe, Kent, was attached to a Westminster Council anti-social behaviour unit. PC Semple, from Greenhithe, Dartford, was reported missing by Mr Meeks on Friday 1 April after he failed to come home from work. The officer, originally from Inverness, Scotland, had worked in banking before joining the Metropolitan Police. Donald Trump interrupted Clinton and said simply: 'Such a nasty woman' Donald Trump was criticized after he described Hillary Clinton as 'such a nasty woman' during last night's debate in Las Vegas. Trump interrupted the Democratic candidate as she was answering a complicated question about social security and Medicare. She said: 'I am on record as saying that we need to put more money into the Social Security trust fund - that's part of my commitment to raise taxes on the wealthy. Donald Trump (pictured) was in a belligerent mood in Las Vegas 'My Social Security payroll contribution will go up, as will Donald's, assuming he can't figure out how to get out of it,' Clinton added, taking a dig at Trump's record of avoiding paying tax. Trump interrupted her and just said: 'Such a nasty woman.' Clinton continued her answer but social media paid more attention to Trump's intervention, which people saw as an unnecessary personal attack. Journalist Stacey Patton tweeted: '"Such a nasty woman", said the presidential candidate who bragged about grabbing women by the p****.' This tweet, by Jane Hollis from Los Angeles, summed up the response to Trump's remark by many female Democrat supporters Hollywood producer and director Penny Edmiston parodied Trump and Hugh Grant's famous line from the film Notting Hill Orange Is The New Black actress Uzo Aduba summed up many people's view of Trump This tweet echoed a common perception about Trump Twitter was also full of tweets like this, after Trump used the phrase 'bad hombre' about criminals among illegal immigrants One of President Obama's speechwriters, Jon Favreau, tweeted: 'The most bizarre part about "nasty woman" is that it came during an answer about the Social Security Trust Fund.' Many women voters, especially Democrats, soon responded by claiming 'nasty woman' as a badge of honour on Twitter. Social media was also full of comparisons between 'bad hombres' and 'nasty women'. Trump had earlier used the phrase 'bad hombres' to describe the many criminals he said had snuck into the U.S. across the Mexican border as illegal immigrants. But many people on Twitter threw it back at him and claimed the election was a choice between a 'bad hombre' and a 'nasty woman'. Clinton herself was asked about it later and she said: 'I just didn't pay any attention to that.' An armed robber has been jailed for more than 22 years after he shot dead a Sydney fruit shop worker. Lance Lachlan Murdoch fired his silver pistol as his partner-in-crime struggled with Kamran Yousaf, 28, at the Villawood Fruit Market, in Sydney's west, on October 12, 2013. Murdoch, who has spent more than half of the time since he was 15 in custody, was found guilty of murdering the Pakistani international student last year. Lance Lachlan Murdoch (left) is jailed for more than 22 years for murdering Pakistani international student Kamran Yousaf at the Villawood Fruit Market on October 12, 2013 Acting Justice Jane Mathews previously jailed his hammer-wielding co-accused, Jame Phan, for at least 14 years - noting his much lower level of culpability for the murder. Drug-addicted Murdoch and Phan had carried a spate of armed robberies across Sydney. Murdoch, 30, was jailed for at least 22 years and six months on Thursday in the NSW Supreme Court. The armed robbers were wearing surgical masks and high-vis yellow vests when they approached two shop employees having lunch in the rear lane, demanding to be taken to the tills. Mr Yousaf stood up to Murdoch by grabbing onto his co-offender Jame Phan who was escaping with the till Murdoch, who has several mental health issues, still denies the murder saying he was at home asleep at the time Inside the shop, as Saturday afternoon shoppers including an 11-year-old girl watched on, Phan took hold of one of the tills and made a run for the rear lane - but Mr Yousaf would not let him go. Murdoch fired a shot at very close range, but despite being hit Mr Yousaf maintained his grip on Phan leading to him being shot again. 'His motivation clearly was to enable his co-offender to escape after he had been lawfully captured,' the judge said. Referring to Murdoch's 'extremely difficult childhood', the judge said that when he was at primary school his heroin-addicted father killed himself and he started using cannabis when he was 12. He was expelled in Year 8, was essentially illiterate, and by the time he was 14 had the first of his many brushes with the law. 'Mr Murdoch's drug dependency has been a constant issue in his adult life,' she said. He had become institutionalised, has various mental health issues and still denies the murder saying he was at home asleep at the time. Vladimir Putin is preparing to rain hellfire on Aleppo after sending Russia's largest navy deployment since the Cold War to Syria for a massive campaign of airstrikes. The Russian president has dispatched his northern fleet, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, to Syria with the warships on course to sail through the North Sea and then the English Channel. Nato sources believe they are carrying fighter bombers likely to bolster the attack on besieged Aleppo - in a fresh offensive that could turn the tide for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in his battle against rebel forces in the city. It comes as EU leaders weighed up sanctions against supporters of Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities, according to a draft summit statement that appears to target Russia. Vladimir Putin is preparing to rain hellfire on Aleppo after sending Russia's largest navy deployment since the Cold War to Syria for a massive campaign of airstrikes The Russian president has dispatched his northern fleet, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, to Syria with the warships on course to sail through the North Sea and then the English Channel EU leaders weighed up sanctions against supporters of Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities, according to a draft summit statement that appears to target Russia. Bomb damage is pictured in Aleppo Putin's northern fleet passed the Norwegian city of Bergen on Wednesday and will sail through the English Channel, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea towards the Syrian coast, according to a senior Nato diplomat quoted by Reuters. The anonymous source said the Russian warships are carrying fighter bombers likely to bolster the attack on the besieged Syrian city. The diplomat said: '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. '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. 'With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive.' Nato sources believe the fleet is carrying fighter bombers likely to bolster the attack on the besieged Syrian city - in a fresh offensive that could turn the tide for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in his battle against rebel forces The Russians have also sent a submarine, pictured, to protect the aircraft carrier fleet Two Royal Navy destroyers have been sent to meet the Russian warships as they prepare to take part in a final assault on Aleppo. Meanwhile, EU leaders are weighing sanctions against supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities, according to a draft summit statement that appears to target Russia. 'The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue,' according to a draft obtained by AFP before the summit in Brussels that opens later Thursday. A 'humanitarian pause' took effect today in the Syrian army's Russian-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo - but it was quickly tested by fighting on a corridor opened for civilians to flee. The army said it was opening eight corridors to provide safe passage for those leaving but the unilateral ceasefire suffered an early blow when clashes broke out at one of them, an AFP correspondent said. Artillery exchanges erupted around the crossing point on the front line in the city centre, the photographer said. The state SANA news agency blamed 'terrorist groups'. Syrians receive humanitarian aid at a village in the north of Aleppo, Syria yesterday ahead of a planned ceasefire in the city More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped in the rebel-held east of the city under near-continuous siege since mid-July and under devastating bombardment by Russian and Syrian government aircraft which only halted on Tuesday. Russia has said the pause in a Syrian army offensive launched on September 22 will continue until at least 4pm and could be extended. The Syrian army has said it will last three days. Syrian and Russian warplanes already halted strikes on rebel districts from 7am on Tuesday. The Syrian army has said it is opening eight corridors for civilians to leave, two of which can also be used by rebel fighters provided they leave behind their weapons. The United Nations has said the duration of the pause is not long enough to provide any relief supplies. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce would be long enough to safely evacuate just 200 wounded. Observation: HMS Richmond, a Type 23 Duke Class frigate, monitors the Russian fleet More than 2,000 people have been wounded since the army launched its offensive, according to the United Nations. Some 400 have been killed. The civilian casualty toll has drawn international condemnation with Washington saying the bombardment could amount to a war crime. Moscow has dismissed the accusation saying that it is propaganda that ignores the reality of the presence of jihadist fighters blacklisted by the United Nations in rebel areas. It has repeatedly demanded that fighters of other rebel groups break ranks with those of former Al-Qaeda affiliate, the Fateh al-Sham Front. The United Nations has urged the group's fighters to leave Aleppo and its envoy even offered to accompany them. But both the jihadists and other rebels have insisted they will fight on. Putin held tough talks with the French and German leaders in Berlin on Wednesday about the crisis after which he raised the possibility of extending the unilateral ceasefire. French President Francois Hollande condemned the bombing of the city as 'a war crime.' German Chancellor Angela Merkel described it as 'inhumane and cruel'. 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. Five years of efforts to put an end to the conflict in Syria have all failed, but over the past week world powers have made new efforts to broker a lasting truce. U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander on Wednesday told members of the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce and the Cocke County Chamber of Commerce that the next Congress and the next president must fix the Obamacare emergency, noting that the 2,366 Hamblen Countians and 1,444 Cocke Countians who this year have insurance on the Obamacare exchange have lost the option to buy Blue Cross Blue Shield next year, and will have only one insurer to choose from. In August, Tennessees insurance commissioner described the states Obamacare exchange as very near collapse, as some insurers exit the state and others raise their rates by some of the highest amounts in the nationas much as 62 percent next year. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, the states largest health insurer, last month announced it would no longer sell individual insurance policies in Knoxville, Nashville or Memphis, impacting 131,000 Tennesseans. This follows United Health Group's announcement earlier this year that it would no longer offer Obamacare exchange health plans in Tennessee for the 2017 plan year. There are currently 41,000 individuals in the state currently covered by these United Health Group plans. This is in addition to the 27,000 Tennesseans who lost their Community Health Alliance health plan when the co-op collapsed in 2015. A majority of Tennesseans on the exchange will need to find new plans next year. In 73 out of all 95 Tennessee counties, individuals will have only one insurer to choose from when buying health insurance on the Obamacare exchange for 2017. In 2016, every county had the choice of at least two insurers on the Obamacare exchanges. The Obamacare exchanges are collapsing in Tennessee and across the country because of federal mandates, a lack of flexibility for states and fewer choices for families, Senator Alexander said. The next Congress and the next president will need to work together to provide relief to Tennesseans paying 44 to 62 percent more in health insurance premiumswith at least 30,000 Tennesseans paying entirely out of their own pocketsand facing fewer health plan choices under Obamacare. The right prescription is not more of what caused the disease. We need to repeal and replace Obamacare with step by step solutions that give states more flexibility and individuals more choices to buy private health insurance that meets their families health care needs and budgets." Last month, Senator Alexander introduced emergency, one-year legislation that would have given states with failing Obamacare exchanges the authority to allow Americans who rely on Obamacare subsidies to buy any health plan they want, even if they purchase it outside of an Obamacare exchange. The legislation would also waive Obamacare's individual mandate, so Americans would no longer be penalized for not purchasing a federal government-approved health plan. Democrats did not support the legislation and instead announced support for creating a government-run health plan, or public option." Senator Alexander told the Morristown area chamber on Wednesday that in addition to the risk of losing their current insurer, Hamblen Countians are also at risk of losing their current doctors. The doctors at the states top hospital-- Vanderbilt University Medical Center-- were considered in network providers for Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Health Group plans in 2016. With the exit of these plans from many or all exchanges in Tennessee, it is anticipated that in at least Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis, none of the remaining health plans will have network agreements with Vanderbilt University health care providers in 2017. This means thousands of Tennesseans buying plans on the exchange either have to pay more in "out of network provider" fees when they seek the same care at Vanderbilt University or they will be unable to have their care covered by their new insurance plan altogether. A grandmother was held at knifepoint and had her hair pulled out during a violent home invasion. Marcelle Karam, 71, has spoken out about her terrifying ordeal when a knife-wielding woman broke into her Little Bay apartment, in south-east Sydney, and shoved her down a flight of stairs. Ms Karam's accused attacker Charlene Davis, 32, has been denied bail in Waverley Local Court and faces a string of charges over the incident, The Daily Telegraph reported. Scroll down for video Marcelle Karam, 71, was left pouring with blood after being held up at knifepoint in a violent home invasion 'I was terrified ... Blood was dripping down my face like someone had poured a bottle of water over me,' Ms Karam said. Ms Karam showed 9News the clump of hair that was torn from her scalp as well as blood stains left outside the apartment. The 71-year-old said she has never met Ms Davis and was unsure what motive she would have for the alleged attack. Ms Davis, who was arrested after attempting to flee the scene of the crime, is facing charged of aggravated break and enter, robbery and use or threaten to use an offensive weapon. The case was adjourned to Central Local Court on December 15. The 71-year-old had her hair (pictured) pulled out by a knife-wielding woman who broke into her apartment Advertisement Iraqi soldiers raised their weapons in celebration today on the outskirts of Mosul as Islamic State's hold on the city continues to crumble. It comes as Iraq's prime minister said the battle to seize back control of ISIS's last major stronghold in the country was going 'faster than planned'. Meanwhile, youths in Mosul have plastered leaflets on the homes of jihadists and threatened to rise up against them. Iraqi soldiers raised their weapons in celebration today on the outskirts of Mosul as Islamic State's hold on the city continues to crumble Iraqi troops wait for an attack to begin against the jihadists' last major stronghold in the country The approaches to Mosul run through clusters of mostly abandoned villages where ISIS militants have planted roadside bombs and other booby traps A member of the Iraqi government forces takes a position on top of a vehicle as smoke rises on the outskirts of the Qayyarah area, some 35 miles south of Mosul Smoke fills the air as Iraq's forces continue the massive operation against the jihadists The Battle for Mosul is going 'faster than planned' according to Iraq's prime minister, as it emerged ISIS is retaliating with suicide car attacks, roadside bombs and snipers. Peshmerga forces fire an anti-aircraft gun towards ISIS Frustrated teens in the city vowed to avenge the deaths inflicted by the terrorists and covered the homes of ISIS leaders with posters, one of which said: 'Now you will live in fear of us'. These leaflets, many of which were put up on Wednesday night, demonstrate the rising popular resistance against ISIS in Mosul. Iraqi special forces charged into battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS today, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. A member of Iraq's elite counter terrorism forces poses for pictures ahead of an advance towards the city of Mosul, Iraq Iraqi special forces charged into battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS today, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city Displaced children are seen as they have arrived at Al Qayyarah town, secured by Iraqi Army, in Mosul, having fled from ISIS ISIS captured Mosul during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque The addition of the elite troops, also known as counterterrorism forces, marked a significant intensification of the fight for Iraq's second-largest city. As they advanced, attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. It comes as prime minister Haider al-Abadi insisted government and Kurdish forces were progressing quicker than expected in their fight to reclaim the ISIS stronghold. Major General Maan al-Saadi said elite Counterterrorism Forces advanced on the town of Bartella with the aid of US-led coalition airstrikes and heavy artillery on the fourth day of a massive operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. 'God willing, we will take this town today,' he said. The militants fought back, unleashing at least four suicide car bombs against the advancing forces, one of which blew up after it was struck by tank fire. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties from the fighting. There were reports that fanatics had even rigged a huge sulphur plant to explode and surrounded it with human shields. But separate reports then emerged suggesting that the al-Mishtaq facility had been safely recaptured days ago. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where ISIS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 US-led invasion, and is expected to take weeks, if not months. The addition of the elite troops, also known as counterterrorism forces, marked a significant intensification of the fight for Iraq's second-largest city ISIS militants have fought back, unleashing at least four suicide car bombs against the advancing forces, one of which blew up after it was struck by tank fire. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties from the fighting Peshmerga forces prepare their anti-tank guided missiles in front of ISIS militants' positions at the town of Naweran near Mosul Iraqi forces advance through the desert on the banks of the Tigris river, north east of the main staging base of Qayyarah The Kurdish forces known as peshmerga, who are also taking part in the offensive, announced a 'large-scale operation' to the north and northeast of Mosul on Thursday. 'The operation will be in three fronts,' the peshmerga said in a statement, and follows recent gains by the peshmerga to the east of Mosul and Iraqi security forces to the south. Peshmerga forces stationed on mountains northeast of Mosul descended from their positions and charged toward the front line. They used bulldozers and other heavy equipment to fill trenches and moved armored vehicles into the breach after about an hour of mortar and gunfire at IS positions below in the village of Barima. Military operations also appeared to be underway in the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from the town early Thursday. A day earlier, Bashiqa was pounded by airstrikes and mortar fire from Kurdish peshmerga positions high above. Conflict: Smoke rises at Islamic state militants positions outside Naweran near Mosul, Iraq this morning A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter takes position in front of an ISIS stronghold on the outside of the town of Naweran near Mosul Kurdish Peshmerga forces gather prior to opening up a front against ISIS in Nawaran, some 13 miles northeast of Mosul The approaches to Mosul run through clusters of mostly abandoned villages where ISIS militants have planted roadside bombs and other booby traps The approaches to Mosul run through clusters of mostly abandoned villages where ISIS militants have planted roadside bombs and other booby traps. Bartella, a traditionally Christian town which fell to ISIS two years ago, is believed to be empty of civilians. 'Our intelligence tells us the district is full of IEDs,' al-Saadi said, referring to the homemade explosives IS has planted in huge numbers during past campaigns. By mid-morning the special forces were 17 miles from the Mosul city centre. 'SNIPER OF MOSUL' SHOOTS SEVERAL ISIS JIHADISTS IN ATTACKS INSIDE MOSUL A marksman has shot several ISIS jihadists in four regions of Mosul as uprisings against the group continue. The gunman, dubbed the 'Sniper of Mosul', is said to be hunting down ISIS fanatics while they are on patrol in the city's streets. A number of extremists have been injured by the shooter amid reports the attacks are improving morale among Mosul resistance groups. A marksman has shot several ISIS jihadists in four regions of Mosul as uprisings against the group continue (file picture) According to Iraqi News , there may even be more than one sniper at work. It quotes local media as writing: 'The emergence of the "Sniper of Mosul", as the residents call him, increased the pace of the popular resistance against the ISIS. 'The presence of the sniper in four neighbourhoods emphasizes that there are many snipers and not only one.' Advertisement Special forces Deputy Officer Ziyad Katham Humaydi said one of the vehicle bombs on Thursday was an armoured truck filled with explosives. He said the group often uses suicide truck bombers as a first line of defense to hold territory. 'We've even seen them rig a full oil tanker with explosives,' he said. Amer al-Jabbar, a 30-year-old soldier with the Iraqi special forces, said he was happy to be taking part in the attack and hoped to avenge two brothers killed while fighting for the Iraqi security forces. 'I had one brother who became a martyr in 2007 and another who became a martyr in 2014,' he said. 'I want to avenge them and I'm ready to die.' Fleeing for their lvies: Displaced civilians are seen as they have arrived at Al Qayyarah town, secured by Iraqi Army, in Mosul Prepared: Kurdish Peshmerga forces survey the positions of the ISIS fighters as they get ready for battle in Nawaran Liberation: Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremist group and its last major urban bastion in Iraq ISIS captured Mosul during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremist group and its last major urban bastion in Iraq. Iraq's US-trained special forces are seen as far more capable than the mainstream security forces that crumbled as ISIS advanced in 2014. They have played a central role in liberating several cities and towns over the past year, including Ramadi and Fallujah, in the western Anbar province. More than 25,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began on Monday after months of preparation. They will be advancing on the city from several directions. More than 25,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive The fight began on Monday after months of preparation. They will be advancing on the city from several directions The special forces advanced in some 150 Humvees decked with Iraqi flags and Shiite religious banners. Ali Saad, a 26-year-old soldier, said the Kurdish forces had asked them to take down the religious banners, but they refused. 'They asked if we were militias. We said we're not militias, we are Iraqi forces, and these are our beliefs,' he told The Associated Press. Mosul is a Sunni majority town, and many fear the involvement of the Shiite militias in the operation could stoke sectarian tensions. The Shiite militias have said they will not enter the city itself, but will focus on retaking the town of Tel Afar to the west, which had a Shiite majority before it was captured by ISIS. The US military is carrying out airstrikes and artillery shelling in support of the operation. More than 100 US forces are embedded with the Iraqis, and hundreds more are playing a supporting role in staging bases. A five-year-old in China cheated death after the car she was travelling in was flattened by an overturned lorry in China. Footage from the incident which took place in China's Yunnan province was uploaded on October 19. Police rushed to rescue the family in the car however the girl's parents died in the accident. A passenger car travelling in China's Yunnan province was flattened by an overturned lorry Police rushed to rescue the family in the car. A five-year-old survived but her parents died Racing against time: Rescuers work together to try and rescue the passengers in the car Rescued: The five-year-old was pulled out from the flattened car with minor injuries In the footage recorded by a dashcam from the driver behind, the truck can be seen trying to pass the vehicle. The car can be seen moving to the side to make room for the truck. However the truck suddenly tips over and lands on top of the car. The car is completely flattened by the giant truck. Police can be seen working to try and free those trapped inside. It took an hour to rescue the child. Accident: The lorry was trying to get past the car when the incident occurred Survivor: Rescuers carried the girl out from the wreckage and put her on a stretcher The truck was maneuvering past the vehicle when the incident occurred The car was left completely flattened by a truck after it fell on top of the vehicle The girl is then seen being carried out on a stretcher. She escaped with minor injuries however her parents died in the incident. Many people have been commenting on the story on social media site Weibo. One user commented: 'How could the truck drive so fast on the narrow motorway.' While another wrote: 'Poor little girl.' A tech entrepreneur who infamously wrote a long Facebook post deriding San Francisco's homeless population has been sacked by Twitter after news of his appointment was made public. Greg Gopman, who founded AngelHack, wrote the post in 2013, in which he described homeless people as 'trash'. 'Why the heart of our city has to be overrun by crazy, homeless, drug dealers, dropouts, and trash I have no clue,' he wrote. Greg Gopman, who founded AngelHack, wrote a controversial post in 2013, in which he described homeless people as 'trash' 'Each time I pass it my love affair with SF dies a little. The difference is in other cosmopolitan cities, the lower part of society keep to themselves. 'They sell small trinkets, beg coyly, stay quiet, and generally stay out of your way. They realize it's a privilege to be in the civilized part of town and view themselves as guests. And that's okay. 'In downtown SF the degenerates gather like hyenas, spit, urinate, taunt you, sell drugs, get rowdy, they act like they own the center of the city.' He later apologized for the post on Facebook, which was seen by many to embody the self-entitled tech worker stereotype. Twitter recently hired Gopman as a contractor to work on its developing virtual reality initiative - an appointment that did not go unnoticed in the tech world. Gopman posted on Facebook to say he had been dismissed from his role at Twitter After TechCrunch broke the news of his new role - and re-published his Facebook rant, Gopman claims he was fired by Twitter a day later. The social media company has been working to crack down on online harassment on its site. 'Andd I'm fired. Thanks TechCrunch,' Gopman wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday morning. In a follow-up comment he wrote: 'They wrote a smash piece on me last night and comms [sic] didn't want to deal with it.' He had reportedly been working for the social media giants for just one month. Gopman says he has now been sacked from his contractor job at Twitter after his comments were republished Since his Facebook rant earned him infamy, Gopman has engaged with the homeless community in San Francisco, proposing solutions to the problem - at least one of which was profitable. In 2015, he held a town hall meeting to discuss possible solutions, including turning Muni buses into roving showers, digital donation services, and transitional villages. He has also worked with homeless people directly on ideas to 'disrupt' homelessness. When asked about his dismissal, Gopman told the San Francisco Examiner: 'It sucks. I didn't do anything to cause this. I'm just taking a day off.' A drug-addicted doctor has been disqualified from practising after treating patients while being high on crystal methamphetamine. The Sydney woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked in senior roles at a number of hospitals, including the emergency department at St Vincent's Hospital. Daily Mail Australia understands the doctor only practised at St Vincent's Hospital for a short period of time five years ago. The 36-year-old medical practitioner treated patients after using large doses of ice ahead of her shifts - sometimes on a daily basis - during her medical career, the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard. The tribunal heard her weekly expenditure on drugs was often between $200 to $400 a day or 'thousands of dollars per week', obtained from friends and dealers. Scroll down for video A drug-addicted doctor has been disqualified from practising for treating patients while being high on methamphetamine (stock image) She also admitted to taking ecstasy, cocaine and GHB, known as a date rape drug. And she would then use codeine in an effort to decrease her dilated pupils to reduce the likelihood that others would suspect she was using stimulants. The doctor stopped practising in 2013 - and her registration has been suspended since March 2014. Last month, she was struck off the medical register for up to two years. The healthcare complaints commissioner ruled that 'the practitioner's conduct exposed patients to significant risk. 'She engaged in serious and deliberate conduct with complete disregard to her patient's safety.' She is seeking treatment for mental health issues. A St Vincent's Hospital spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. Children's Halloween costumes on sale in Britain can catch alight in just three seconds thanks to lenient EU safety laws with experts warning more than 100,000 children are put at risk by the 'death trap' fancy dress outfits every year. Campaigners warn that children up and down the country could be put in danger by their Halloween costumes this month with the cheap materials liable to catch fire near open flames such as a candles or lighters. In 2014, 21 children were admitted to hospital in England as a result of their clothing burning including Claudia Winkleman's daughter Matilda, eight, who suffered serious burns when her supermarket-bought witch costume went up in flames. Under current legislation fancy dress outfits are classified as 'toys' which generally burn relatively slowly. As such they do not have to meet the higher fire safety standards of clothing, which is governed by a separate British Standard. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has now released a video showing how quickly shop-bought children's fancy dress outfits can catch alight - with an H&M cat costume going up in three seconds and an Asda witch outfit in just four seconds. It also shows a little girl's ghost dress from F&F at Tesco being burned in just four seconds and a Sainsbury's boy's vampire costume catching alight in 10 seconds. Most of the Halloween outfits were found to be made from 100 per cent polyester. Campaigners warn that children up and down the country could be put in danger by their Halloween costumes with the cheap materials liable to catch fire near open flames such as a candles or lighters. Pictured: An F&F Tesco ghost dress for girl's caught alight in four seconds Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has now released a video showing how quickly shop-bought children's fancy dress outfits can catch alight - with an H&M cat costume going up in three seconds and an Asda witch outfit in just four seconds. Mrs Winkleman's daughter, Matilda, suffered horrendous burns when her witch's outfit was engulfed in a fireball when the cape touched a candle as she was out trick or treating. The youngster was rushed to hospital where she had to undergo plastic surgery on her burns. In the wake of the horrific accident, Mrs Winkleman, who presents BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing, launched a campaign to have fancy dress outfits governed by the same safety laws that apply to clothing. Describing the devastating incident, she said: 'It was really fast ... it wasn't fire like I'd seen.' In an interview with the BBC's Watchdog programme, she said the accident had been 'life changing' for both her and her daughter, adding: 'I can't remember life before it.' She called on parents to be vigilant about what materials they allow their children to wear and to avoid flammable fabrics, saying: 'I didn't, and it cost us.' The mother-of-three also spoke of her regret at putting Matilda in the supermarket-bought witch costume of hat, cape, striped tights and a flowing skirt. This little girl's ghost dress from F&F at Tesco (10) caught alight in four seconds in the test with flames engulfing it in 27 seconds. It is made from polyester. A Tesco spokesman said: 'Our F&F dressing up costumes meet all recognised industry safety standards and are made from materials that have performed best in flammability tests. We've reviewed the styling of all our costumes to make sure they don't include any long floating and potentially hazardous fabrics' This boy's werewolf costumer from Matalan (12) is made from polyester and acrylic and caught alight in 15 seconds before being engulfed within 26 seconds. It burned in total for two minutes, 30 seconds. A spokesman said: 'Safety is of paramount importance to everyone at Matalan. 'That's why we run campaigns at Halloween to educate and encourage parents' The outfit caught alight after touching an open flame and burned so fiercely that a neighbour suffered second degree burns while putting it out with his bare hands. Matilda had severe burns, particularly to one leg. Mrs Winkleman said: 'I was talking to somebody and then I heard her shout and she was on fire. It feels like she was on fire for hours, but the surgeon said it was probably just seconds. 'She went up is the only way I know how to describe it it was a spark and she screamed out for me. 'It was like those horrific birthday candles that you blow out and they come back. It was really fast, it was fast, it wasn't fire like I'd seen.' The accident took place last year during Mrs Winkleman's first series of Strictly as co-host with Tess Daly, 46. She took three weeks off to be at Matilda's side and when she returned to the show she came close to tears several times. She said at the time: 'It's life changing, but not life defining. It was definitely life changing for me. I can't remember life before it. I wish I had been dressed as the witch is mainly all I wish, that it had happened to me. She went up, and I don't want that to happen to another child. 'I would like parents on Halloween just to think about what they're going to put their kids in because I didn't, and it cost us.' This boy's vampire costume from Tu at Sainsbury's (14) caught alight in 10 seconds, with the flames taking hold in 22 seconds. It was completely burned in two minutes, 45 seconds. A spokesman said: 'Safety is our top priority. We have looked at every detail of each product in our dress-up range and introduced our own, more stringent flammability safety standard exceeding all legal requirements. We are doing all we can to encourage customers safely' The vampire costumer, for boys aged 5-6, was alight in 10 seconds and ablaze in two minutes Her neighbour Jamie Poulton, who used his bare hands to help save Matilda, said in the aftermath of the incident: 'Suddenly, Claudia's daughter went up in a crackling ball of flame. All the children were wearing the same kit. It was like a potential horror film in front of me, because they were all going to go. Once she goes, then the next one catches and they are all going to go off.' He added: 'This material just keeps reigniting and re-burning. And it is sticky, so it melts on the skin. It doesn't cinder. It remains hot. It was horrific to be honest. 'The costumes are very, very cheap to buy. They are nylon and they just go up.' The Government pledged to introduce tougher laws regarding the safety of supermarket-bought fancy dress costumes but campaigners claim nothing has been done. Jayne Reid, who is supporting a petition to have the law changed, said: 'This cannot be allowed to continue. 'How many children will dress up in these 'death trap' outfits and suffer horrific burns before this law is finally changed? 'It is about time the politicians woke up to this and did something about it before someone other child suffers what can be life-changing injuries.' 'She screamed for me': Claudia Winkleman, 43, has spoken for the first time about the horrific incident in which her daughter's Halloween costume went up in flames Claudia Winkleman's daughter Matilda with her father Kris Thykier at a 2013 film premiere Campaigners say more than half of all children who trick or treat this year will be wearing outfits comprised of items which do not conform to the higher fire standards for clothing. Despite the support of a number of MPs, the Consumer Protection (Standards of Fire Resistance of Children's Fancy Dress and Play Costumes Etc) Bill 2015-16 brought before Parliament on December 1, 2015 by MP Anne Main has since been withdrawn and will not progress further. Meera Lachani, a solicitor at Leigh Day who has represented clients whose children have been injured by such outfits, said: 'Fancy dress clothes on sale in the UK must have passed a flammability test but this test is intended to test toys which burn a lot slower than fancy dress costumes. 'Acknowledging the impracticality of requiring toys to be non-flammable, the tests used are based on a maximum 'after flame time' or a limited 'rate of flame spread', with the intention that a child would drop the toy before suffering serious injury. 'The chilling effect of this on children in the UK is that they are allowed to wear fancy dress costumes which have a shocking burning rate of 3cm per second, compared to a burning rate of 3cm in 2.5 seconds for their nightwear counterparts. 'Therefore, a child's Halloween costume is legally allowed to burn 2.5 times quicker than a similar piece of the same child's nightwear!' Miss Winkleman was interviewed by Chris Hollins for a Watchdog documentary on the incident Matilda with her father in October 2014, and Claudia with Strictly co-host Tess Daley (right) Claudia's neighbour Jamie Poulton suffered severe burns after he put out the flames with his bare hands Last year supermarkets vowed to apply more stringent tests on fancy dress outfits on their stores. Earlier this year Asda recalled a Horrible Histories Gladiator costume from it stores and Ikea recalled a bat cape costume due to safety fears. David Acton, Chairman of the Fire Authority, told MailOnline: 'Children's Halloween costumes are classed as toys and therefore exempt from the usual strict fire safety testing that other day to day clothing goes through. This means they are potentially much more flammable than regular clothing and as our experiments show, the speed at which they ignite is horrifying. An asylum seeker has been stabbed to death by a lynch mob of people traffickers near Calais after he tried to flee to reach the UK on his own, French authorities have revealed. Mohamad Omar Eyman suffered fatal knife wounds late on Monday night when he returned to the squalid Norrent-Fontes camp. Mr Eyman, 26, from Sudan, was set upon by a gang of 50 Eritrean migrants described by a state prosecutor and a charity chief as people smugglers when he returned to the make-shift collection of tents in France's Pas-de-Calais region after failing to reach the UK. A friend who tried to defend Mr Eyman was also stabbed, but is believed to have survived. A Sudanese migrant who tried to flee a Calais camp near Calais for Britain was stabbed to death and 'lynched' by people traffickers when he returned. Pictured: Migrants in the Calais 'Jungle' camp, unrelated to Eyman's death Mohamad Omar Eyman, 26, suffered fatal knife wounds late on Monday at the Norrent-Fontes camp in France's Pas-de-Calais region. Pictured: A migrant in the Calais 'Jungle' camp Mr Eyman was attacked by a gang of 50 Eritrean migrants, described as people smugglers whom he had argued with before leaving. Pictured: Riot police guarding a lorry on the A16 road heading into the Port of Calais ferry terminal 'It wasn't a fight but a punishment, a lynching,' claimed Nan Suel, president of the French migrant welfare charity Terre d'Errance. 'The murder victim had left the camp [at Norrent-Fontes] for Calais because he was in dispute with the people traffickers. 'Finally he came back to Norrent-Fontes. But the traffickers would not put up with his return and set upon him.' Mr Eyman tried to run away but was pursued by his attackers. He collapsed several hundred metres from the camp. The perpetrators fled after the 'lynching', the welfare charity claimed. Four men were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murder and are being interrogated by French police. 'Four suspects have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are being held in custody,' State Prosecutor Julien Michel told the Echo de Lys news website. 'The arrests are only part of the number of people who took part in the violence but the facts of the case are not clear at the moment. Mr Eyman's friend, a Sudanese migrant who tried to defend him, was also stabbed. He is believed to have survived the attack. Pictured: Migrants who fled the Calais 'Jungle' camp surrounding a motorway in Calais Mr Eyman left the camp because he was locked in a bitter feud with the 'people traffickers' alleged to have killed him, said Nan Suel, president of a French migrant welfare charity. Pictured: Migrants walking through squalid Calais 'Jungle' camp Four men were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murder and are being interrogated by French police. Pictured: Two migrants walking out of the Jungle camp which is due to be torn down next week 'The dispute was over the control of the [migrant] camp and the organisation [of people trafficking to the UK]. 'This was not a fight between two different peoples [nationalities]. There is no problem between the Eritreans and the Sudanese. 'Some Eritreans also intervened to try to stop the lynching but they were threatened by the Eritrean people traffickers.' The dispute was over the control of the [migrant] camp and the organisation [of people trafficking to the UK] Nan Suel, local charity chief Mr Eyman and the other knife-wound victim were rushed to hospital by the emergency services. But the 26-year-old was pronounced dead on Tuesday night. The Regional Governor of Pas-de-Calais added: 'A fight erupted between a group of about 50 drunken Sudanese and Eritrean migrants. 'The gendarmes immediately intervened to end the confrontation. Two migrants were injured and taken to hospital. 'One of them was found several hundred metres form the camp and in a critical condition. He died of his injuries on Tuesday night.' Friends have broken the sad news to Mr Eyman's family in Sudan, Nan Suel, president of the French migrant welfare charity Terre d'Errance, explained. Mr Suel went on to say that Eyman's death 'wasn't a fight but a punishment... a lynching'. Pictured: A migrant family of Kurdish refugees waiting to be relocated from Calais Jungle camp Eyman tried to escape the mob of attackers but they gave chase, and he collapsed around a hundred metres from the camp. Pictured: A mother and daughter from Iraq waiting to board a bus from the Jungle camp to another part of France Eyman and the other knife-wound victim were rushed to hospital by the emergency services but the 26-year-old was pronounced dead on Tuesday. Pictured: A bus waiting to take migrant families away from the Jungle camp 'He was travelling on his own,' he explained. 'But we got in touch with his brother in Sudan.' The Norrent-Fontes migrant camp, close to the A26 motorway from Paris to Calais is home to up to 200 migrants, from Eritrea and Sudan. It is a one of a number of small settlements close to transport links to the UK. The latest fatality is the 33rd death of migrants trying to reach the UK in northern France since January last year, according to French official figures. An outbreak of terrifying drug overdoses on the Gold Coast were the result of a bad batch of a drug called 'N-bomb' and MDMA, and not zombie drug 'flakka' as initially feared. The horror weekend in Queensland's party city saw 21 people treated and 16 people hospitalised following violent and incredibly volatile reactions to a mystery drug. It was widely reported people had likely overdosed on flakka, a hallucinogen which sends users into a paranoid frenzy where they act like zombies. But police toxicology reports have since returned and confirmed the people tested had no flakka in their system, and instead had traces of MDMA and LSD, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin. Scroll down for videos An outbreak of terrifying drug overdoses on the Gold Coast (pictured, footage released by Queensland Police) were the result of a cocktail of LSD and MDMA It was widely reported that the people had likely overdosed on flakka, a hallucinogen which sends users into a paranoid frenzy where they act like zombies (pictured, user in the US) WHAT IS N-BOMB? 'N Bomb' is the street name given to a powerful hallucinogen similar to LSD (acid) It distorts the user's senses and can be unpredictable, resulting in a 'bad trip' The people who overdosed on the Gold Coast were found with both LSD (acid) and MDMA (ecstasy) in their system - a potentially lethal cocktail of drugs It's believed they had a bad batch of Advertisement N-bomb is a powerful hallucinogen similar to LSD. It's unclear if the LSD (known as acid) and MDMA (known as ecstasy) were taken as a lethal cocktail together, or apart - a combination known as candy flipping where the MDMA is taken hours later in a bid to soften the come-down from the acid. Police have charged two men in connection to the drug mayhem across the Gold Coast over the weekend. On Sunday, Gold Coast Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) detectives arrested a 24-year-old Bundall man and charged him with supplying a dangerous drug. On Wednesday, detectives arrested a 21-year-old man at a Surfers Paradise address and arrested him for supply and possession of a dangerous drug. Police toxicology reports have since returned and confirmed that the people tested had no flakka in their system, but had traces of both LSD (acid) and MDMA (ecstasy) Queensland Police released a video showcasing a collection of the confronting drug overdoses witnessed across the weekend WHAT IS FLAKKA? NEW DRUG PLAGUING THE GOLD COAST Flakka, also known as gravel, first emerged in the United States in 2013. It costs as little as AUD$7.50 and can be accessed easily online, with some services offering next-day delivery. Most users do not know what they are purchasing, and are commonly told the substance is MDMA, the abbreviated chemical name for ecstasy. Flakka's active ingredient is a synthetic stimulant called alpha-PVP, which is chemically similar to MDMA. However, it has vastly different effects, causing users to hallucinate, become psychotic, rip their clothes off and run into the street. Flakka is most commonly snorted but can also be smoked or injected. Advertisement It comes as Queensland Police released a video showcasing a collection of the confronting drug overdoses witnessed across the weekend. In disturbing video caught on bodycam by officers, an 18-year-old girl can be seen collapsed in the street while screaming and writhing around in pain. Officers say they were forced to sedate the girl in order to take her to hospital after they were called out at around 9pm on Saturday, October 15. Elsewhere a 42-year-old man wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers and a single sock was filmed begging for help after collapsing on the back seat of a car. Police and medics had to wrestle the man into an ambulance on Monday at around 11.30pm after being called by an Uber driver when the man started lashing out. Medics and police attempted to comfort the man pictured as he screamed 'help me, please help me' This woman (pictured) under the influence or flakka or alpha-PVP writhes on the ground and her eyes roll back in her head was shown on television in South America Video of flakka users in the US show people writhing on the ground and screaching, hiding from non-existent gunman and running naked through city street AFL player Riki Stephens, 27, from Victoria, is also in a coma at a Gold Coast hospital after a suspected overdose of the drug. He was one of 16 people who were hospitalised in just one weekend on the Gold Coast as police warn the problem could be about to get worse. Brian Codd, assistant commissioner for the South East, said: 'As we lead into the Gold Coast 600 and the schoolies, our focus will be on the safety and security of our community. 'The reality is this: There is no safe way to take these illicit drugs. Reference to recreational drugs, party drugs, feeds into a narrative that sometimes give attraction to what these poisons, toxins and compounds are, and what they do to people.' he cannot be certain that he did intend to end his life But coroner gave open verdict - said while he believes Mr Homan prepared for A retired SAS hero and Everest mountaineer deliberately crushed himself to death under a heavy tipper trailer, an inquest heard. Guy Homan, 53, who served in the elite fighting force for nearly 20 years before leaving the military to become a tree surgeon, was found dead on July 4. His horrified wife Holly, 43, found his lifeless body at an industrial unit on the Four Seasons Business Park in Tillington, Hereford. Guy Homan, 53, who served in the elite fighting force for nearly 20 years before leaving the military to become a tree surgeon, was found dead on July 4 at an industrial estate in Hereford Ambulance crews freed the father-of-three from the heavy machinery, which was pressed on his neck, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe Mr Homan, who took part in the famous SAS rescue of five British soldiers in Sierra Leone in 2000, intended to take his own life. Detective Inspector Susan Clarke, of West Mercia Police, told the inquest it was a 'deliberate act' as Mr Homan was within easy reach of a button to stop the tipper. The hearing held at Hereford Town Hall also heard tape had been fixed on the controls to lower the tipper trailer. However Assistant Deputy Coroner for Herefordshire Mark Bricknell ruled out a verdict of suicide at the inquest on Monday. Recording an open verdict, he said: 'I'm not quite sure he did intend to take his own life. I think he gave consideration to it and he had prepared for it but he was a knowledgeable man. He was also one of 21 army mountaineers who attempted to become the first Britons to scale Mount Everest via the treacherous West Ridge in 2006. They managed to climb within a few hundred metres of the summit before adverse weather and avalanches put pay to the attempt 'He was clearly in a difficult place and people who give consideration to suicide don't always think rationally. 'It seems to me having gone through the mechanics he could have made more sure of his death. 'I am therefore not satisfied he did intend to take his own life when he did so.' Mr Homan joined the army in 1983, starting out in the Parachute Regiment before joining the SAS. He served for the special forces in Iraq, Bosnia, Africa and Northern Ireland before becoming a tree surgeon. He took part in the famous SAS rescue of five British soldiers being held hostage by militia in Sierra Leone in 2000. The Royal Irish Regiment troops were captured by the notorious West Side Boys guerrillas in Gberi Bana. SAS soldiers carried out a daring assault on their jungle stronghold, freeing the hostages. He was also one of 21 army mountaineers who attempted to become the first Britons to scale Mount Everest via the treacherous West Ridge in 2006. They managed to climb within a few hundred metres of the summit before adverse weather and the threat of avalanches put pay to the attempt. Mr Homan left the Hereford regiment shortly after the expedition to work for a security company before starting his own tree surgeon business in 2013. He lived with wife Holly, a veterinary nurse, who he had met while on an SAS tour of Northern Ireland in 1999. They were married for 16 years and had two daughters, aged eight and nine, as well as a six-year-old son. Mrs Homan told the inquest that her husband rented a unit at the Tillington Business Park but had an opportunity to return to the army as a welfare officer. She said: 'There was no decision made by him. 'There were a lot of factors to take into account and he was weighing up having a mortgage to pay and three children to support. 'He was very passionate about the tree surgery business and felt he was responsible for providing for the family.' Mrs Homan said she became concerned about his welfare on the morning of July 4 after she visited the business park but couldn't find him despite his car being there. She thought he might have been out for a run and, throughout the day, she rang him several times. But later that day, she returned to the unit before finding him under the trailer at around 2pm. Mrs Homan added: 'He was a devoted father and husband. We had planned the holiday of a lifetime to the Shetland Islands. 'I believe it was a moment of utter madness and entirely unplanned.' The coroner gave an open verdict. A series of footage showing inmates swinging punches in deadly fights that only stop 'when the first man faints' has triggered a promise from authorities that those involved will be punished. It is the latest scandal in the Brazilian prison system that has repeatedly been an example of what can happen in penitentiaries that are overcrowded and under-financed. The footage was recently filmed in the Complexo do Curado Jail in the city of Recife - where fights are regularly staged. Hundreds of prisoners can be seen screaming and cheering in the courtyard, with many men spectating from the surrounding roofs creating an arena. Two shirtless men launch themselves at one another, throwing their weight into punches that drag them to the ground. Even when they are on the ground, one of the combatants still finds himself being punched. Anonymous statements from former prisoners have been collected by Brazilian media outlet Globo, and they gave a shocking insight into the lives of the inmates. One said: 'When does this finish? When the first man faints.' Another added: 'The fights take place every day. There is training to prepare for a fight and specific days are marked in the calendar for tournaments.' An anonymous guard told journalists: 'As time goes by, prisoners are more and more armed. Guards dont go into some sectors because of those guns.' Prosecutor Marcelo Ugiette said: 'This is an example of what should never happen.' He added: 'More than 50 percent of inmates are waiting for their trials.' The facility was designed for less than 2,000 prisoners and it currently holds 7,000. One of the inmates at Complexo do Curado counts down to start the fight Inmates are known to have staged many fights in the courtyard and have used fatal weapons such as machetes Pedro Eurico, the Justice and Human Rights Secretary of the State of Pernambuco, commented: 'Any type of violence in prison is a criminal act.' In January, around 40 of the detainees escaped during a mass jail break. Explosives were used to blow up one of the walls in the Frei Damiao de Bozzano area of the prison. Two men were killed, one was injured and 36 were captured. One inmate called Kleber Jose de Araujo, 32, managed to escape and authorities have not issued any information so far to say that they have captured him. A former inmate revealed that fights are only supposed to stop when the first man faints Hundreds of prisoners fill the courtyard and stand on the top of the building to watch Brazil has one of the most crowded penitentiary systems in the world with 622,000 people jailed in 2014, making it the fourth largest prison population after the US, China and Russia. There are other problems in Brazil's prisons. In Pernambuco, prisons are lawless dens of iniquity being run by inmates who sell crack cocaine to prisoners and murder anyone who owes them money, an investigation revealed. Bosses in the state's overcrowded prisons are frightened of inmates and give the most dangerous ones called 'chaveiros' - or 'keyholders' - control over their cell block for them to 'maintain order'. Destitiute: Inmates who do not have money to buy a 'barraco' - or private bunker - sleep in a corridor in the Curado prison complex in Recife and their belongings hang from the walls The authorities give the job to convicted murderers, rapists and drug dealers because they 'command respect from fellow inmates', a jailbird told charity Human Rights Watch (HRW), who reported on the four Pernambuco prisons, where there is one guard for 31 inmates. It found chaveiros-run jails are hell holes where disease is rife, vulnerable ones are gang raped and relatives outside are blackmailed into paying off inmates' drug debts. While inmates rot in the cramped cells they share with dozens of other men, chaveiros live in spacious private rooms with their own TVs, fridges, fans and bathrooms, and employ prisoners as personal servants, known as 'chegados'. Scroll down for video Overcrowded: 37 prisoners share a tiny cell in PJALLB prison in Recife (pictured), Pernambuco, while the 'chaveiros' - the inmates chosen to rule over them - live in spacious rooms with TVs and bathrooms Violence: A prisoner in the Curado prison complex in Recife, Pernambuco, holds a bullet he claims was fired by the chaveiros' henchmen in the cell where he was being held Prisoners are made to pay a weekly tax of between five to 15 reais - around 80p to 8 - and anyone who cannot keep up with payments is assaulted or killed by the chaveiros' prison gang. These drug lords also make money by selling the prisoners crack cocaine - smuggled in for them by guards and police officers - and forcing their families on the outside to pay their debt. Prisons in Pernambuco on average have one guard for every 31 prisoners, according to data from the National Prison Department in 2015. At a 'semi-open' facility which holds around 2,300 inmates, only four guards are on duty at any one time. HRW visited four Pernambuco prisons this year and interviewed 40 current and former inmates, as well as their relatives, prison authorities, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and police officers to compile the report: 'The State Let Evil Take Over': The Prison Crisis in the Brazilian State of Pernambuco.' Its Brazil director, Maria Laura Canineu, said: 'Overcrowding is a major problem in Brazils prisons and nowhere else it is more severe than in Pernambuco. The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be escorting a superload through Tennessee on I-24 eastbound on Thursday night. The load will consume more than two lanes of traffic, which could create significant congestion. Drivers should expect delays and consider alternate routes. The superload is expected to cross into Tennessee from Kentucky on Thursday evening and travel through the night. North of Nashville, the superload will detour around downtown Nashville via Briley Parkway eastbound before re-entering I-24 via I-40 westbound. The superload will then take I-24 to I-75 to Georgia. The superloads maximum travel speed is 60 miles per hour. The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be escorting the load as it travels through the state. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will be monitoring the superload at its regional Transportation Management Centers in Nashville and Chattanooga. Overhead Dynamic Message Signs and portable message boards will be used to alert drivers of congestion along the route. Drivers can follow the superload progress on TDOT traffic cameras, view current DMS alerts, and track congestion at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic The superload will be carrying a Mobile Lift Platform, originating from Bastian Automation Engineering in Greenfield, In. The shipment will be crossing through Tennessee en route to Jupiter, Fla. The loaded dimensions of the superload are expected to be 100 feet long, 24 feet and six inches wide, and weigh in at 158,000 pounds. Mr Fitton must now prove his gender to successfully win the position He was described as 'incredibly blokey' by a senior Liberal party member The role on the student council at the University of Sydney pays $12,000 University student publicly announced he was a female to win an election A male university student has been accused of pretending to be a woman after he identified himself as a non-cis male to run for a coveted $12,000 position. Alex Fitton, a Liberal staffer for New South Wales MP Mark Taylor, is trying to score the position of joint general secretary at the University of Sydney. But members of the Student Representative Council cried 'shame' as Mr Fitton had never publicly identified as a female, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Alex Fitton affirmed he was a non cis male in order to win an executive position in a student election at the University of Sydney The cut-throat election saw Mr Fitton move away from a factional group to run on a joint ticket with fellow student Dylan Williams. In order to do so, a regulation required one of the two to identify as a non-cis male. The SRC's electoral officer Paulene Graham said she did not believe there would be an issue once a statutory declaration was signed. 'That [the signed document] is something that your standing legal [committee] is going to have to deal with. 'But under the rules as they currently exist if that person is willing to put that in writing for the public record for the rest of their life then I will accept it and we will proceed.' Mr Fitton (left), a Liberal staffer for New South Wales state MP Mark Taylor (right), has reportedly never identified as a female previous to the election A senior Liberal Party said the move Mr Fitton had taken, whether it is successful or not, was a reflection of the lack of maturity among young Liberals. 'He ran for an affirmative action position by pretending to be a woman,' the source said. 'He is incredibly blokey. Plays AFL. They all call each other "the boys". It's got no basis at all in fact.' The Chair of the SRC standing legal committee said Mr Fitton must prove his gender before his signed declaration is accepted. What has been provided now has not been accepted as sufficient. Daily Mail Australia has approached Mr Fitton for comment. A woman who went on a Tinder date with Gable Tostee before he was accused of murdering Warriena Wright has described their meeting as the worst date ever. The woman said she agreed to meet Tostee at the Cavill Mall on the Gold Coast the same place where he later Ms Wright - but they had not finished their first drink before the 30-year-old carpet layer suggested she come back to his apartment. 'He was an intimidating person,' the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told 9News. Scroll down for video An unnamed woman (pictured) described the date as the 'worst ever' and said the 30-year-old carpet layer was intimidating and belittling Ms Wright (pictured with Tostee) plunged off his Gold Coast balcony of Tostee's 14th floor apartment after a date on August 8, 2014 'It was very much belittling, he thought he was the man and I should have been, I guess, a bit more doting on him but that's not how I was.' 'When I said no it was like he didn't want to take that as answer,' the woman said. He insisted she walked him to his apartment anyway, but when they reached the door he again suggested she come upstairs, she said. When she refused again, he abruptly ended their date because he did not get 'what he [wanted] out of women.' Tostee (pictured) suggested they go to his apartment before they had finished their drinks and seemed upset when she refused 'When I said no it was like he didn't want to take that as answer,' the woman said of Tostee (pictured leaving court after the jury announced their not guilty verdict) Ms Wright (pictured), 26, was in Australia for a friend's wedding when she met up with Tostee for a date Prosecutors argued Tostee scared Ms Wright so much she felt her only escape was to climb over his balcony (pictured is a police re-enactment) Not long after their disastrous date, Tostee met Ms Wright, a 26-year-old New Zealand tourist, on the popular dating app. Ms Wright plunged off his Gold Coast balcony of Tostee's 14th floor apartment at 12.55am on August 8, 2014. A jury found Tostee not guilty of murder or manslaughter on Thursday after a gruelling six-day trial and three days of deliberations. In the years before Ms Wright's death, Tostee who has boasted about bedding 260 women sent dirty messages to numerous women on Tinder. In the years before Ms Wright's death, Tostee who has boasted about bedding 260 women sent dirty messages to numerous women on Tinder A jury found Tostee not guilty of murder or manslaughter on Thursday after a gruelling six-day trial and three days of deliberations Tostee recorded an argument between he and Ms Wright before she fell to her death, during which he threatens to lock her on the balcony and 'f***ing destroy [her] jaw' 'You're looking pretty spankable,' he said to one woman. 'What I'm trying to say is that you look pretty ravishable and that I'd do naughty thinks to you,' he continued. Messages show he used the same pick up line with Ms Wright before they met. The U.S. Postal Service has launched an investigation after a metro Atlanta resident says she filmed a worker dumping hundreds of pieces of mail in the woods. Kellie Campbell of DeKalb County tells WSB-TV she recorded the postal worker walking near a fence and dumping several bins of mail into a ditch. 'I sat there and recorded for about five minutes and he continued to just grab more mail and continued just to toss it over the fence,' she said. Scroll down for video The U.S. Postal Service has launched an investigation after a metro Atlanta resident says she filmed a worker dumping hundreds of pieces of mail in the woods (above) Kellie Campbell of DeKalb County recorded the postal worker walking near a fence and dumping several bins of mail into a ditch (above) Campbell called the Postal Service, which sent workers to collect and deliver the mail. More than a dozen bins of the dumped mail were collected from the area as it took workers a few hours. In a statement, the Postal Service condemned the unlawful disposal of mail and said it was investigating the incident. 'It's just so uncalled for,' Theresa Williams said. 'To just take somebody's personal mail and just discard it like that.' In a statement, the Postal Service condemned the unlawful disposal of mail and said it was investigating the incident. No charges as of Wednesday have been filed against the worker, who has not been publicly named 'That's where my mail at, down in that hole down there in the woods,' Johnnie Lanier said. 'I think that was very disrespectful.' Neighbors who live in the area where the mail was dumped said they were angry because they have not received any important mail, the TV station reported. 'You have business statements, bank statements, very important mail that people are looking for and probably waiting for,' Campbell said. Former Coronation Street actress Tracy Brabin was heckled by far-right candidates after being elected MP in the by-election triggered by the killing of Jo Cox. Labour candidate Ms Brabin was forced to restart her victory speech as rivals yelled insults like 'racist and 'fascist' after she took 85.8 per cent of the vote in Batley and Spen, West Yorkshire. The MP hit out at fringe parties who 'sow division', called the win 'bittersweet' and added that she hoped Mrs Cox would be proud. The other main parties did not put up candidates in the by-election out of respect for Jo, who died in June after she was stabbed and then shot in the head. But the British National Party, the English Democrats and other fringe parties did stand and some supporters started yelling at Ms Brabin when the result was returned. Meanwhile, in David Cameron's old Witney constituency in Oxfordshire, Conservative Robert Courts came out on top, but with a severely reduced majority of around 5,000 - down from 25,000. New MP: Tracy Brabin, pictured, has won the Batley and Spen byelection for Labour succeeding her friend Jo Cox, who was murdered in June Abuse: Ms Brabin had to restart her speech as she was heckled by far right rivals Tracy Brabin, the new MP for Batley and Spen, is joined by deputy Labour leader Tom Watson as Labour put on a show of strength today The results come as MPs pledged to mount a commemorative shield in the House of Commons to remember Mrs Cox as voters went to the polls to elect her successor. Ms Brabin, who played Tricia Armstrong in the ITV soap between 1994 and 1997, received 17,506 votes although turnout in the Yorkshire constituency was just 26 per cent - one of the lowest by-election turnouts since the Second World War. Leader of the Commons David Lidington threw his support behind the shield, which commemorate MPs killed in the line of duty. In David Cameron's old Witney constituency in Oxfordshire, Conservative Robert Courts (pictured) came out on top, but with a severely reduced majority Parliament's cross-party choir will perform a special concert to pay tribute to Mrs Cox, who was tragically killed on the streets of her Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire in June this year. Ms Brabin was named Mrs Cox's successor after all other main parties decided not to run against Mrs Cox in a mark of respect. In her acceptance speech, Ms Brabin - who took almost 86 per cent of the vote - said her win was a victory for 'hope and unity'. Speaking over heckles of 'she's a racist', and 'Coronation Street', she said: 'This has been a difficult experience for all of us and tonight is a bittersweet occasion for me. That this by-election has had to take place at all is a tragedy, she said. 'I hope Jo will be proud tonight of our community. We have shown that we stand together with one voice choosing unity and hope.' Tracy Brabin is congratulated by Labour supporters today after she was elected as the new MP for Batley and Spen Neil Humphrey, aka ANTI-Corbyn from the By Election Protest Party, reacted angrily after the announcement is made that Tracy Brabin had won Past: Ms Brabin played Tricia Armstrong in the ITV soap Coronation Street between 1994 and 1997, pictured arguing with Bill Roache as Ken Barlow as the police look on Labour MP Andy Burnham (left) was out campaigning for Tracy Brabin in Batley & Spen yesterday as the ex-Coronation Street star was elected as the successor of her close friend Jo Cox (pictured right, in 2015), who was killed in June A number of fringe parties, mainly on the hard right, did move in to try and gain support in the highly unusual election aiming to benefit from the low turnout. Ms Brabin, who was heckled loudly by supporters of some of the rival candidates, said many of the people who voted for her told her they did not normally support Labour. 'Some because of what Jo meant to them. Some because they wanted to send a message that our community stand united. Some as a reaction to some of the fringe parties who chose to try and use this tragic by-election as an opportunity to sow division,' she said. Asked about the heckling, Ms Brabin said: 'It just shows who they are. Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson joined Tracy Brabin today after she was elected as Jo Cox's successor for the Batley and Spen seat 'The people of Batley and Spen have given me a mandate but they've lost their deposits. 'I get to work and feel very supported. I feel the people of Batley and Spen behind me. Asked about the turnout she said: 'Well, it's a wet Thursday in October. But I think 85 per cent, or whatever it is, is very good. 'And I feel that the community have said what was for us a tragedy has turned into an opportunity to sow hatred and they didn't buy it.' Counting went on through the night for the Batley and Spen, left, and Witney, right, by-elections, with Labour and the Conservatives retaining the seats respectively Despite fears of a low turn-out in Batley and Spen after the traditional parties decided not to oppose Labour, there were plenty of votes to count for the volunteers, pictured Minor parties did run in the by-election though, including National Front candidate Richard Charles Edmonds, right, pictured speaking to members of his party MPs pledged to mount a commemorative shield in the House of Commons to remember Jo Cox as voters went to the polls to elect her successor. Pictured, Labour MPs Andy Burnham (left) and Holly Lynch (right) campaign for Labour candidate Tracy Brabin (middle), a former Coronation Street star, who was elected as Mrs Cox's successor in Batley & Spen Asked about the turmoil in the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, she told Sky News: 'I am not tribal in that regard but my absolute focus will be on the people of Batley and Spen. My first job is to be an excellent parliamentarian and also a constituency MP. 'I have had huge support from the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party), lots of support from the last few days, people coming up from all sides if you want to talk about side. I think there is a real yearning for unity in the party.' Mrs Cox's widower Brendan congratulated Ms Brabin on Twitter, writing: 'Well done @Tracy4MP & great to see all the purveyors of hate lose their deposits.' After the result, Mr Cox also tweeted a picture of him and his wife at the 2015 general election count. He said: 'This was Jo at the general election count last year as I briefed her on the numbers. She was calm, serene and full of grace that night.' Voters also took to the polls to elect David Cameron's successor yesterday, after the former Prime Minister decided to stand down. Mrs Cox's widower Brendan took to Twitter to congratulate Ms Brabin on her by-election win Mr Cox also tweeted a picture of him and his wife at the 2015 general election count The Conservatives retained the seat, with barrister Robert Courts securing victory as the Liberal Democrats surged past Labour to take second place. And the Tory majority was slashed from more than 25,000 at last year's general election to just 5,702. Their share of the vote was just over 45 per cent, down from Mr Cameron's 60 per cent in 2015. Mr Courts won 17,313 votes, with his nearest challenger, Ms Leffman bagging 11,611, 30 per cent of the vote, up from 6.8 per cent last year, and knocking Labour into third place as Duncan Enright received 5,765. Labour gained just under 15 per cent - down slightly from the 17 per cent it had at the general election. All the other candidates lost their deposits. The result will nevertheless alarm those Labour MPs who believe the party cannot win under Jeremy Corbyn, despite his crushing victory in last month's leadership contest. The Greens had garnered attention with their candidate Larry Sanders as he is the brother of US Senator Bernie Sanders who ran Hillary Clinton close in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination. Larry, the elder of the Sanders brothers took home 1,363 votes, meaning he lost his deposit. Shadow Leader of the House Valerie Vaz was on the verge of tears as she said Mrs Cox's 'great service to her country through her public service so rightly deserves a plaque in this chamber' Voters also turned out for David Cameron's successor in Witney. Conservative candidate Robert Courts and his wife Kathryn are pictured after voting at Bladon Church Hall,Woodstock in Oxfordshire yesterday Leader of the Commons David Lidington threw his support behind the shield, which commemorate MPs killed in the line of duty Mr Lidington supported a commemorative shield for the late MP to be mounted alongside the Heraldic shields (pictured) that remember the 42 MPs killed during both World Wars Mr Cameron quit the seat last month after insisting he did not want to become a 'distraction' to Mrs May while she established herself in Downing Street as he stressed he had his 'own views' on certain issues. The remarks prompted speculation he decided to stand down because the new wave of grammar schools announced by Mrs May was an idea he opposed as PM. But Mr Cameron and his successor in Number 10 did campaign together for Mr Courts in Witney. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also visited the constituency to back his party's veteran candidate, Mr Enright, who lost out to Mr Cameron by more than 25,000 votes in 2015. MPs paid tribute to the late Jo Cox (pictured in the Commons earlier this year), who was killed on the streets of her West Yorkshire Batley & Spen constituency in mid-June this year A tribute to Jo Cox lay on Parliament Square for weeks after he tragic death in mid-June Jo Cox, pictured on the River Thames in London on the day before she was killed on the streets of her Batley & Spen constituency in mid-June Jo Cox's husband Brendan Cox, pictured at a special service for the late MP in Trafalgar Square a week after she was killed The Liberal Democrats were represented by businesswoman Ms Leffman, and Ukip by Dickie Bird, in the Oxfordshire seat. He was narrowly pipped by fourth-placed Sanders, winning 1,354 votes. Calls by former Lib Dem leader Lord Paddy Ashdown for a single pro-EU candidate to stand against the Tories came to nothing. Lib Dem party leader Tim Farron said: 'The result not only signals that the Liberal Democrats are back in the political big time and the return to three-party politics, it is a clear rejection of the Conservative Brexit government's plan to take Britain out of the single market. 'This was the 10th safest Tory seat in the country with a massive 25,000 majority, yet the Conservatives were seriously rattled. 'They are riding high in the polls, but my sense is that has largely been because people did not feel there was a real opposition to the Conservative Brexit government. Witney proves there is now a real opposition, and that opposition is the Liberal Democrats.' MPs in the House of Commons chamber yesterday paid tribute to Mrs Cox on the day voters in her Batley and Spen constituency picked her successor. Shadow Leader of the House Valerie Vaz was on the verge of tears as she said Mrs Cox's 'great service to her country through her public service so rightly deserves a plaque in this chamber'. Mr Lidington supported a commemorative shield for the late MP to be mounted alongside the Heraldic shields that remember the 42 MPs killed during both World Wars. He added: 'I would also like to pay tribute to the fact that the Parliament choir has with the agreement of Jo's family commissioned a new choral composition that will be performed in her memory at a forthcoming concert.' Alec Baldwin's Donald Trump impersonation is getting trashed by his own brother. Stephen Baldwin spoke with CBSN after the third and final debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday night and said: 'Hes got the voice down very well. I think its getting a little too nasty right now.' He then added: 'I dont want to be a party pooper here, but I dont think its very funny. Everybodys got 20 days now to really do their homework.' Stephen, 50, is not the first to criticize Alex's performance, with Donald himself also very vocal about how little he cares for the Oscar-nominated actor's work on Saturday Night Live. 'Watched Saturday Night Live hit job on me. Time to retire the boring and unfunny show. Alec Baldwin portrayal stinks. Media rigging election!' tweeted Trump over the weekend. Just last year however Trump praised the program after they asked him to host. Scroll down for video Not a fan: Stephen Baldwin (above) criticized his brother Alec's Donald Trump impersonation after Wednesday night's debate Over it: 'I dont want to be a party pooper here, but I dont think its very funny,' said Stephen (Alec above as Trump) Stephen, who is a a born-again evangelist, has been a very vocal Republican for years, and was at Wednesday night's debate to cheer on Trump. He is the father of model Hailey Baldwin, whose best friend is Kendall Jenner. In an interview with The Christian Post earlier this year, Stephen spoke about why he is supporting Trump for president. 'I've said this about Donald Trump, in my two experiences with him doing Celebrity Apprentice, I found him to be actually behind-the-scenes a pretty regular Joe guy. Down to earth, a father, a husband and a businessman,' said Stephen. 'I think many people don't understand that Donald Trump has spent his life and career building his brand a certain way in business and that's kind of what everybody's use to. 'Don't get me wrong, he still says things in a way that are very brash and harsh and sometimes controversial, other times he just says some things the wrong way. I don't think there's a lot of people that would debate that.' Family: Stephen (left with Alec), whose daughter is model Hailey Baldwin (right in 2014), also said that he thought the Saturday Night Live skits were 'a little too nasty' He went on to say later in that interview: 'I believe that in president Trump is somebody who could really start to implement things in the physical realm and in the natural realm that will help us financially. 'Another motivation for me is I believe that he would enact and support bringing the country back to that moral code. That is that religious freedom for Christians to be able to have prayer back in school if they so choose. 'I wholeheartedly believe Mr. Trump is the type of individual that will stand for those things. He is a Christian. That is something very personal to him and I respect that.' Pilkington's lawyers argue the confession was obtained by coercion and in violation of her Brittany Pilkington, 24, a mother-of-four from Ohio, is accused of smothering her three young sons over a 13-month period An Ohio mother charged with suffocating her three young sons said in a recorded police interview that she smothered each boy with a blanket because she didn't want them to suffer. Brittany Pilkington, 24, also said in her taped confession she was depressed and worried her sons would eventually become abusive toward women. Pilkington can be heard in the recording, made in August 2015, a day after the death of her youngest son, telling officers that she was sleeping with the infant in bed and then woke up on top of him. She also was recorded saying she held a blanket over her other son's face. The married mother-of-four is accused of suffocating her sons over a 13-month period out of jealousy at the attention her husband gave the boys. Authorities allege she killed her 3-month-old son Niall in July 2014, his 4-year-old Gavin in April 2015 and 3-month-old Noah in August 2015. The couple's 5-year-old daughter remains in the custody of relatives. Scroll down for video Taped confession: Pilkington said in this recorded police interview that she smothered each boy with a blanket because she didn't want them to grow into abusive men Innocent victims: From left to right: 3-month-old Niall died in August 2014, 4-year-old Gavin died in April 2015, and 3-month-old Noah died in August 2015 Pilkington has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated murder. Her trial is scheduled for late February 2017, and if convicted, she could face the death penalty. A Logan County judge has been reviewing Pilkington's statements while considering a request to exclude her confession in the potential death penalty case. Her lawyers argued it was obtained unconstitutionally. Prosecutors, however, said the Bellefontaine woman knowingly agreed to be interviewed without the presence of a lawyer. Sickening: The 24-year-old woman, seen here in court this week, allegedly killed her children out of jealousy at the attention her husband gave the boys Pilkington's attorney Marc Triplett (left) has asked a judge to exclude her confession from her upcoming trial, arguing that it was obtained unconstitutionally 'These were not statements that were coerced but were given voluntarily,' Logan County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Eric Stewart said. But the defense claimed police officers pressured Pilkington into making the self-incriminating statements in violation of the 5th and 14th Amendments. Pilkington's attorney Marc Triplett told Judge Mark OConnor on Tuesday that police knew his client's 'lack of mental acuity' and that she didn't understand when she signed a form waiving her Miranda rights. Stewart countered by noting that Pilkington obtained her high school diploma and that she was advised of her rights by officers at the police station and then again at the sheriff's office. As the judge watched Pilkington's hours-long police interview in court on Tuesday and Wednesday, the woman sat quietly between her two lawyers and kept her head down, reported the station WDTN. Pilkington's husband, 44-year-old Joseph Pilkington (left), pleaded guilty to sexual imposition for getting her pregnant when she was just 17 years old In July, Pilkington's husband, 44-year-old Joseph Pilkington, pleaded guilty to sexual imposition for having sex with his wife before they were married and getting her pregnant when she was just 17 years old. Before marrying her, the man had been in a long-term relationship with Brittany's mother and had lived with her under one roof from the time she was nine. A curious polar bear poked a hovering wildlife drone with her paw on an isolated Canadian Island. Nature filmmaker Patrick Dykstra was filming on Somerset Island, in a remote part of Nunavut, Canada, when he spotted a polar bear and her two cubs. Collecting his drone camera, he dashed across the terrain to see if he could capture them on film. Patrick said: 'We took a very cautious and respectful approach with the bears and launched the drone from about one thousand feet away so as not to scare them. Nature filmmaker Patrick Dykstra was filming on Somerset Island, in a remote part of Nunavut, Canada, when he spotted a polar bear and her two cubs Launching the drone from 1,000 ft away did not guarantee his safety though, as the island offered little vegetation or cover, leaving him exposed to the polar bears As the polar bear reared up on her hind legs to get a closer look at the buzzing drone, Patrick feared he might have to say farewell to his camera 'As the drone approached, the young bears showed curiosity towards it, but the mother was a bit sceptical at first. 'I think had the young bears not been curious, the mother would not have interacted with it at all. 'However, the curiosity of the youngsters seemed to make the mother hang around and then eventually become interested herself.' Launching the drone from 1,000 ft away did not guarantee his safety though, as the island offered little vegetation or cover, leaving him exposed to the polar bears. The bears did spot Patrick and his colleague, but thankfully they were too transfixed by the drone to bother with two men sat quietly in the distance. As the polar bear reared up on her hind legs to get a closer look at the buzzing drone, Patrick feared he might have to say farewell to his camera. He said: 'I was pretty curious to see if the bear might want to crush the drone. I thought that would have been a pretty interesting result! 'But I was careful to keep the propellers higher than the bear at all times and only let her come near the camera, both for the safety of the drone and the bear.' While they wait for the oceans to freeze so they can return to their winter hunting grounds, polar bears spend the summer months roaming the Northwest Passage, but they are not always so easy to spot. .The bears did spot Patrick and his colleague, but thankfully they were too transfixed by the drone to bother with two men sat quietly in the distance While they wait for the oceans to freeze so they can return to their winter hunting grounds, polar bears spend the summer months roaming the Northwest Passage The Dubai-based photographer said: 'We spent several days out looking for bears, some days working harder than others to find them. 'However, this family did not require any tracking and in fact showed up quite close to where we were filming beluga whales. I'd say they found us more than we found them!' Despite having more than enough power, the bear did not knock the drone out of the sky, instead choosing to simply swot at it. Patrick added: 'The bear was clearly not trying to be malicious with the drone or she would have simply smashed it with her paw. 'She seem to instead be curious about it. I'm sure it is the first drone that she had ever countered, so her curiosity was not surprising. 'Rather than be aggressive, she just gently nudged the camera a few times in order to understand more about this strange new thing in her world.' A millionaire New York businessman has admitted strangling his British girlfriend to death in a hotel room before hanging a 'do not disturb sign' on the door after they met on a Muslim dating site. Property tycoon Sammy Almahri, 45, dramatically changed his plea on the second day of his trial at Cardiff Crown Court this morning and admitted murdering 28-year-old Nadine Aburas. He had earlier admitted unlawfully killing her, but had denied murder. He now faces life in prison. Miss Aburas was found dead on New Year's Eve by hotel staff at Future Inns hotel in Cardiff Bay- after Almahri had fled the scene in her car and driven to London Heathrow Airport in a bid to evade justice. Millionaire New York businessman Sammy Almahri (left) strangled his British girlfriend Nadine Aburas (right) in a hotel room in Cardiff Bay after meeting her on a Muslim dating site The jury were told yesterday that Almahri, who had claimed he worked for the FBI, fled the country after the killing and was eventually arrested in Tanzania. Ms Aburas' body was found at the Future Inns hotel in Cardiff Bay by the duty manager at lunchtime on New Year's Eve 2014. The hotel room had been locked and there was a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door. Almahri had fled to Qatar in the Middle East and then on to Tanzania but was caught three weeks later. He at first denied murder by claiming he was driven by the 'Voice of God' in his head. But his trial was halted at Cardiff Crown Court when he suddenly admitted the murder. She had lived alone in her own flat in Cardiff and met Almahri on an internet dating site called MuslimMatch.com. The pair had a two-year romance travelling between UK and New York at least three times. But Almahri became 'besotted' by Ms Aburas - showering her with money and expensive presents. Discovery: The body of Ms Aburas was found by staff at the Future Inns hotel (pictured) in Cardiff - and hours later her killer fled in her car to drive to Heathrow Airport to escape justice Prosecutor Roger Thomas said: 'He paid for mobile phones and a car. She was living off jobseekers allowance. 'There's no doubt the financial benefits were attractive to her.' She returned home with an injured lip from their last meeting and then began seeing other men in her hometown. Almahri became 'increasingly jealous' then began bombarding her with abusive messages. The court heard he warned her: 'You will be in hell.' Andrea Aburas, the mother of Miss Aburas, is pictured at a press conference last year after a global manhunt was launched for Almahr He discovered she had seen another man before sending her messages calling her a 'hooker' and a 'whore', the court was told. The court heard he contacted one of her brother's Jamal on Facebook to threaten to send him pictures of his sister. He also sent her a phone message of her naked saying: 'I am going to post these around a Facebook you hoe.' The court heard the message was seen by another brother Aman. Almahri travelled from the U.S. to see Ms Aburas - but he was punched by one of her brothers. Another brother told him to 'stay away from my sister' before taking him to Cardiff railway station. But he downed a bottle of gin and a dozen shots of tequila before luring Ms Aburas into the Future Inns hotel. He strangled her, washed her body, placed her hands together and faked a suicide note pretending to be from her. Shortly after 3am on December 31, he left the hotel and travelled in her car to Heathrow Airport. He booked a flight at 10.35am he took a flight to Doha in Qatar. Her body was found at around 12.20pm on New Year's Eve by the duty manager - and police were called. The court heard Almahri as eventually located in Tanzania and arrested on an Interpol arrest warrant on January 19 before being returned to Britain. Almahri claimed he was suffering from 'abnormality of mental function'. He claims he was in a psychiatric state of hearing 'the voice of God' telling him to kill Nadine. This was the killing of a defenceless woman by a jealous and dangerous man Roger Thomas, prosecuting The court heard Almahri initially claimed he was not guilty of murder because his responsibility is diminished by mental illness. The trial was due to last four weeks - but was halted when he pleaded guilty. Mr Thomas said: 'This was the killing of a defenceless woman by a jealous and dangerous man.' Almarhi was remanded in custody and is expected to be sentenced next month. After the hearing, Ms Aburas' mother Andrea Aburas said: 'Justice has been done for Nadine. 'We wish to thank everyone who has assisted us in this tragic period in our lives. This is the moment two BASE jumpers flying tandem miss their landing zone and end up crashing onto a petrol station forecourt. The accident was caught on CCTV in the Talas district of central Turkey's Kayseri Province. The daredevils had jumped from the nearby Ali Mountain - a popular destination for base jumpers in Turkey - but missed their target. This is the shocking moment that two BASE jumpers flying tandem missed their landing zone and ended up crashing onto a petrol station forecourt narrowly missing being run over by a car Landing at such speed the pair fall over on the hard concrete of the forecourt in Turkey, a popular destination for daredevils They ended up landing badly on a filling station, in between two cars which were driving off the forecourt, missing one of them by a split second. The pair hit the ground at speed and several passers-by immediately rushed to their aide. Eyewitnesses also filmed the aftermath of the incident with their smartphones, recording footage of the parachute landing on the petrol station roof and also the mountain the pair had jumped from. Many people rushed to their aid but some took to their smartphones to film the ordeal The BASE jumper's parachute landed on the roof of the petrol station and they escaped without serious injury The BASE jumpers both reportedly escaped without serious injury and doctors described their condition as stable. Interim Democratic Party Chairwoman Donna Brazile suggested the hacked emails published by Wikileaks had been altered after she was confronted about feeding a question to Hillary Clinton ahead of a town hall debate co-hosted by CNN and TV One. On March 12, one day before the Democratic debate, Brazile sent an email about the death penalty to Clinton staffer Jennifer Palmieri with the subject: 'From time to time I get the questions in advance,' according to Wikileaks. The death penalty question was repeated verbatim in an email debate co-host Roland Martin sent to CNN producers the next day, and the question was asked using similar wording during the event in Columbus, Ohio, Politico reported. When Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly confronted Brazile on Wednesday night asking how she got the question in advance, Brazile said she refused to be 'persecuted' before adding: 'I am not going to try to validate falsified information'. Scroll down for video Donna Brazile (right) suggested the hacked emails had been altered after Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly (left) confronted her about feeding a debate question to Hillary Clinton One day before the Democratic debate on March 13, Brazile sent an email to Clinton staffer Jennifer Palmieri with the subject: 'From time to time I get the questions in advance' (pictured) Brazile's message was among the emails from Clinton campaign manager John Podesta's account that were hacked by an unknown agent and then published by Wikileaks. Clinton's campaign has refused to verify whether the hacked emails were real. During the presidential debates, however, Clinton's answers about paid Wall Street speeches, snippets of which were cited in the hacked emails, seemed to confirm their validity. Brazile's message to Palmieri opened with the statement: 'Here's one that worries me about HRC.' The email then states: '19 states and the District of Columbia have banned the death penalty. 31 states, including Ohio, still have the death penalty. According to the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, since 1973, 156 people have been on death row and later set free. Since 1976, 1,414 people have been executed in the U.S. Thats 11% of Americans who were sentenced to die, but later exonerated and freed. Should Ohio and the 30 other states join the current list and abolish the death penalty?' On the day of the debate, Roland Martin's email to CNN producers contained three questions, the last of which mirrored the exact wording in Brazile's message to Palmieri. During Wednesday's interview with Kelly, Brazile said: 'I have my documents. I have my files. Thank god I havent had my emails ripped off from me and stolen and given to some criminal to come back altered.' She also said: 'As a Christian woman I understand persecution but I will not stand here and be persecuted because your information is totally false. 'Podesta's emails were stolen. You're so interested in talking about stolen material, you're like a thief that wants to bring into the night the things that you found that was in the gutter.' The death penalty question was repeated verbatim in an email debate co-host Roland Martin sent to CNN producers the next day, and the question was asked using similar wording during the event in Columbus, Ohio (pictured, Brazile at the third presidential debate) During the third and last presidential debate on Wednesday (pictured), Donald Trump accused the Democratic party of inciting violence at his rally in Chicago When Kelly asked who gave her the information, Brazile said: 'I am not going to try to validate falsified information. I do my homework, I communicate, I talk. CNN has never provided me with questions.' Brazile also said: 'A lot of those emails, I would not give them the time of the day. 'I have seen so many doctored emails. I have seen things that come from me at 2 in the morning that I don't even send. There are several email addresses that I once used. This has not been verified. This is under investigation.' Brazile also issued a statement that read: 'As it pertains to the CNN Debates, I never had access to questions and would never have shared them with the candidates if I did.' Martin asked his social media followers for ideas on what to ask the candidates, but said: 'As far as consultation [with Brazile], I don't believe I did.' CNN's Jake Tapper, who was co-hosting the event, slammed Brazile, calling her alleged behavior 'unethical' during a radio interview with WMAL. Government spending is often portrayed as a freight train "quickly running out of track." And there is some truth to that statement. There is not an endless supply of money to fund every good idea that comes along, and we must acknowledge that problem. Fiscal responsibility is a must. That is why spending on priority issues like public education is important. You can spend $9,000 a year for a child to receive a quality education, or you can spend $40,000 a year to incarcerate an adult in some communities. That is a harsh reality. You have read the statistics enough to know that there is an undeniable connection between literacy skills and incarceration rates. Children who do not read on grade level are more likely to dropout, use drugs or end up in prison. Research shows that reading abilities in third grade act as a tell-tale barometer for later school success. Governor Haslam has wisely invested Tennessee dollars into literacy initiatives in 2016 because he knows poor reading skills are connected with unfavorable life outcomes. Low literacy is strongly related to crime. Low literacy is strongly related to unemployment. Illiteracy and crime are closely related. The Department of Justice states, The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure. Over 70 percent of inmates in America's prisons cannot read above a fourth grade level. We need to come together as a society and work to address the real issues facing our children. We need to have community conversations about what we expect from our local schools, but we need to recognize that the problems are much larger than what a school can address and are likely to be different in each community. A one size fits all approach simply does not work. You probably know the line, which comes from Jim Collins bestselling business book, Good to Great: Get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. It is important that we start prioritizing our spending, and over the long run it will save money that we can use to create a stronger public school system. And we have to get the right people into our classrooms and retain them. When educated and intelligent citizens make informed decisions about what they want from their government and society, the outcome is far more likely to be positive. Similarly, if a good education system is in place for the next generation of children, the likelihood of societal stability is greatly increased. So it is important we get this right. Literacy is critical. And public education is a wise investment. J.C. Bowman Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, a non-partisan teacher association headquartered in Brentwood, Tn. A luxury travel firm has admitted liability over the death of a mother who died in a boating accident in Brazil when two pilots were playing a game of chicken. Gillian Metcalf died from head injuries after a vessel she and her husband Charlie, plus their daughters Natasha and Alice were all on board, crashed with another boat on the Rio Negro river. The 50-year-old was on a family 12-day trip to celebrate Gillian's 50th birthday and arrived in the Amazon after first visiting Iguazu Falls. They were then heading to a luxury eco lodge called Juma Amazon lodge, 60 miles south-east of the state capital Manaus, when tragedy struck in September 2013. Gillian Metcalf, pictured with her daughters Natasha (left) and Alice and husband Charlie Metcalf, was killed in a boat crash in Brazil in 2013 The crash happened as their boat stopped to refuel at a floating petrol station as another pleasure cruiser came the other way. Gillian, who was a lawyer from Tenterden in Kent, died instantly from serious head injuries, but the skipper of the other boat raced off without stopping. Her husband Charlie Metcalf told of his wife's needless death during a game of 'dare' between the two men. He said: 'We were involved in a stupid game of dare. Either pilot could've simply turned the wheel at any stage and my wife would still be alive.' The trip was booked with Audley Travel, which took three years to admit liability for the accident. Mr Metcalf added: 'They have kept us waiting but myself and the girls were determined to carry on until we had succeeded. 'The waiting stops you from moving on from what happened. You stay anchored in the past, but now we know they have admitted liability it completes the circle.' Two men were originally accused of murder before the charge was reduced to manslaughter. Mrs Metcalf with her husband. The tour company behind the trip have admitted liability Boatmen Raimundo Nonato Lima and Mailson Gomesall went on trial in Manaus and were found guilty of the equivalent of manslaughter. Despite assuring Gillian's family that the men would be jailed, the judge initially commuted their prison sentences to two years and eight months of community service. After an appeal and pressure from the Metcalf family, the pair were later jailed. Mr Metcalf, 60, who was married to Gillian for 25 years said: 'Our river pilot didn't have respect for human life and in court he was very surly and just trying to save his own skin, but I'm not eaten up by hatred for him. 'The circumstances of the accident and the police inquiry made it obvious early on that both river pilots were grossly negligent and reckless. 'After three return trips to Brazil, both pilots were convicted of criminal manslaughter in August 2015. At the subsequent inquest in the UK there was a verdict of unlawful killing. 'During this period of time both my daughters have celebrated their 21st birthdays and graduated from university without their mother.' The family were on a trip of a lifetime to South American, visiting Iguazu Falls The amount of compensation has yet to be determined, but Mr Metcalf was forced to spend tens-of-thousands of pounds of his own money in getting justice for his wife. Lawyer Jenny Kennedy, a partner at London-based law firm Anthony Gold, said: 'It's taken three years for Audley Travel to accept responsibility for Gillian's death and it's been an agonising wait for the family. 'It's very hard to understand why they didn't accept responsibility in the first place and I had to issue proceedings in the High Court for compensation. None of us was going to give up.' Ian Simkins, CEO of Audley Travel, said: 'Our deepest condolences go out to the Metcalf family. 'We are incredibly sorry for the tragic event and since then we have tried to support the family as best we can, for example providing on-the-ground support during the criminal proceedings in Brazil and admitting liability under the Package Travel Regulations. 'At present, we are waiting for the family's solicitors to submit a legal claim, and we hope to hear from them soon. take car because it is stick shift A Missouri man who was almost carjacked said he believes the armed thief didn't steal his car because it was a stick shift. Dustin French was driving home on Thursday night around 11pm after leaving a Shell gas station. French was a half mile away from the gas station when he noticed a car behind him as he pulled up to the curb in front of his home, according to KMOV. Dustin French (pictured) who was almost carjacked said he believes the thief didn't steal his car because it was a stick shift French was driving home on Thursday night around 11pm after leaving a Shell gas station (pictured). He was a half mile away from the gas station when he noticed a car behind him as he pulled up to the curb in front of his home 'A car came up right behind sort of half parallel parked behind me. A passenger got out with a firearm, told me to get out of my car and empty my pockets,' French told the station. French said a gunman, who police say was late teens or early 20s, got out of the passenger side and approached his vehicle and told him to empty his pockets. Luckily, the only thing French had in his pockets were his keys. French told the station that he asked the gunman for further directions. 'He said get up and walk away. Face away and keep walking.' He believes the gunman didn't steal his car because it was a stick shift. French says there were several things working against him that night, including a burnt out street light in front of his place. French (pictured) said a gunman, who police say was late teens or early 20s, approached his vehicle and told him to empty his pockets. Luckily, the only thing French had in his pockets were his keys. He said he believes the gunman didn't steal his car because it was a stick shift French says there were several things working against him that night, including a burnt out street light in front of his place. He was also alone and didn't notice that he was being followed. His car is pictured parked near his home He said he was also alone and didn't notice that he was being followed. 'I'm glad I didn't panic or threaten violence or make any quick moves,' French said. 'Kept my wits about me as best as I could. Asked thieves for instructions on what to do to prevent harm to myself' French said he reported the burned out street light to the city and it has been fixed. A self-styled 'vigilante Uber hunter' has been taking on what he claims are Uber drivers parking in disabled and taxi rank bays. Salvatore Barrile, alongside a group of taxi drivers 'fighting for their livelihoods', has been challenging private hire drivers parking illegally in taxi rank bays at Egham railway station. The 46-year-old, who has been a Hackney Carriage driver for 16 years in Runnymede borough, said the situation was bigger than many might think. Salvatore Barrile saw an Uber driver parking illegally outside Egham Station in Surrey Barrile, who is Hackney Carriage driver for the past 16 years has complained that Uber drivers regularly ignore many of the rules and regulations he and his colleagues are forced to obey He said: 'We are getting flooded by Uber drivers coming from all over. 'It is going on every day. I just hope people understand the effect Uber is having on our livelihood. It isn't just parking on non-authorised taxi bays.' Mr Barrile has documented his woes with drivers over the months, taking pictures and video of various cars parking in both disabled and taxi bays. A spokesman for the national taxi hailing mobile app said he 'believed' both taxis featured in Mr Barrile's videos were 'Uber Partners'. Meanwhile, the Transport For London Taxi and Private Hire vehicle checker was able to verify both taxis in the video are licenced in London, meaning the two drivers caught on camera were carrying out trips in the Runnymede area. A spokesman for Uber added the company 'will remind drivers that have carried out pre-booked trips from Egham Station where they are able to park'. Uber drivers fall into the Private Hire Vehicles category of taxi licencing rules which means that, once a licence is obtained, the holder can 'take pre-booked jobs in an area covering a radius from that borough' according to advisory literature on the Runnymede Borough Council website. Barrile approached the driver outside the station to remonstrate with him over his parking This means in boroughs which do allow Uber drivers to operate such as Windsor, Miadenhead, London Boroughs and Woking, the holder can then use their licence in 'a radius' from that area. But Mr Barrile believes these rules make a 'mockery' of the licencing system. 'As a taxi licenced by Runnymede, I have to follow all the regulations including a topographic knowledge test of the area, proof that I can drive safely by doing a driving test too,' he said. 'And in the meantime, all those drivers coming from outside the area don't have to follow any of these regulations.' He also claims Uber is 'overworking' its drivers by making them work 'over 16-hour days', an allegation refuted by an Uber spokesman. 'Licensed private hire dirvers who use the Uber app are independent contractors who are free to log into the app when and where they choose,' he said. Barrile complains Uber drivers from London regularly try and pick up fares in Egham The spokesman added the average number of hours a driver has logged onto the Uber app is 28 hours-a-week. A spokesman for Runnymede Borough Council said: 'We have requested information from TfL around the operator and driver of these vehicles. If they are able to provide the details we will consider prosecutions. 'Runnymede has no jurisdiction over vehicles parking in disabled bays in South West Trains car parks. 'Uber is not licenced by Runnymede. Uber is licenced by various authorities as an operator, including TfL. 'They can legally collect pre booked passengers in Runnymede in the same way as any other operator. A grandfather accused of raping one woman and assaulting four others over a six-year period has been pictured for the first time. Patrick Perkins, 57, was taken into custody in July last year after detectives matched DNA from the crime scenes with that of his close family relative. The father-of-two and grandfather-of-five appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court last Thursday via video link and pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and four counts of assault with intent to rape, The Advertiser reported. Patrick Perkins (pictured in yellow hi-vis shirt), 57, is accused of raping one woman and attacking four others over a six year period He is accused of assaulting four women with intent to commit rape and raping another between November 2005 and August 2011, in the North Adelaide region. His alleged sex-crimes sent the community into a state of fear, with staff from the Women's and Children's Hospital reportedly arming themselves with scissors and hairspray for protection on their walk to and from work. Perkins has been in custody for 15 months, but a suppression order on his identity was lifted when he formally pleaded not guilty during last week's hearing. One of his alleged victims was assaulted when she was walking down Pennington Terrace, near Adelaide Oval, late at night, the court heard. The 57-year-old was taken into custody in July last year after detectives matched DNA from the crime scenes with that of his close family relative He is due to front the Adelaide District Court in December and will face trial next year Prosecutors allege a man sitting on the steps of St Peters Cathedral snatched the woman and pulled her into the grounds of the church. She managed to escape during the struggle and ran away. It's believed that Perkins has the support of his family, the Advertiser reported. The Federal Government's plan for a plebiscite on same-sex marriage has passed parliament's Lower House - but it is expected to be knocked back in the Senate. Debate on the enabling bill was cut short on Thursday, denying about 20 Labor MPs a chance to speak, and sent to a vote 10 days after it was introduced. The bill narrowly made it through the Lower House, 76-67. It is expected to be defeated in the Senate, with both Labor and the Greens voicing their opposition to the proposal. The federal government's doomed plan for a plebiscite on same-sex marriage has passed parliament's lower house The plebiscite on same-sex marriage is expected to be defeated in the Senate Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has repeatedly refused to say whether he has a 'Plan B' if the plebiscite - an election promise - is killed off. 'The bill is before Parliament and Parliament has to do its work,' he said last week. Independent Andrew Wilkie earlier challenged coalition MPs to cross the floor and support either a Labor or crossbench private bill for marriage equality once the national vote was 'dead and buried'. 'If you're in this place in the pursuit of the public interest, then that's what you'll do,' he said. Mr Wilkie thinks there's enough people of 'good heart' in the government who will see the sense in dealing with the matter in parliament. He rejected the argument that would bring about the destruction of Mr Turnbull. Malcolm Turnbull has refused to discuss a 'Plan B' if the plebiscite is killed off Labor leader Bill Shorten recently defended the opposition's decision to block the Federal plebiscite proposal 'In fact, it could be the saviour of the prime minister,' he said. Government frontbencher Darren Chester said he does not see a credible pathway to marriage equality in this term of parliament other than through a plebiscite. The Nationals MP has only recently changed his view to support same-sex marriage. Labor leader Bill Shorten recently defended the opposition's decision to block the Federal Government's plebiscite proposal, saying gay people should not be subject to different laws. A mother-to-be has died following the miscarriage of her twins after an Italian doctor reportedly refused to terminate them because he was a 'conscientious objector' to abortion. Italian prosecutors have opened an inquiry into the death of 32-year-old Valentina Milluzzo. Her family have said the doctor treating her refused to abort the foetuses due to his beliefs, but Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania has rejected the claims. Italian prosecutors have opened an inquiry into the death of 32-year-old Valentina Milluzzo (pictured) Valentina Milluzzo's family have said the doctor treating her refused to abort the foetuses due to his beliefs, but Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania (pictured) has rejected the claims Milluzzo was admitted to the hospital on September 29 after going into labour just 19 weeks into her pregnancy. After receiving fertility treatment at another health facility, she was in a stable condition at Cannizzaro Hospital until October 15 when her condition worsened. The family's lawyer said one of the unborn twins was suffering a breathing complication and alleges the gynaecologist refused to abort the foetuses in order to save the mother, according to the BBC. 'As long as it's alive, I will not intervene,' the lawyer said, quoting the doctor. Hours later, they were both stillborn, according to the lawyer. Having lost her babies, the mother-to-be's condition dropped again overnight and she died on October 16. Head of Cannizzaro Hospital Angelo Pellicano dismissed the lawyer's account. 'There was no conscientious objection on behalf of the doctor that intervened in this case because there was no voluntary termination of the pregnancy, but (the miscarriage) was forced by the grave circumstances,' he told the Ansa news agency. 'I rule out that a doctor could have told the family what they say he told them.' Sources told Ansa that the doctor had not been registered as a 'conscientious objector'. Milluzzo's burial has been postponed as the investigation continues. Paolo Scollo, a senior doctor at the hospital, Paolo Scollo, told the Corriere website all doctors in his department were 'objectors', and external doctors were called in when necessary. 'However, in this case we're talking about a spontaneous miscarriage, no external help was needed. So we do not think the doctor was negligent,' he said. In a report earlier this year, it emerged 70 percent of Italian gynaecologists refused to carry out abortions in 201, according to national figures of the predominantly Catholic country. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the US of launching a 'global manhunt' of its citizens Russia has claimed the US is staging a 'global manhunt' of its citizens, after a man was arrested in the Czech Republic on suspicion of hacking more than 100 million LinkedIn passwords. The claim was made by Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova following the arrest of a suspect, who is accused of hacking LinkedIn Corp. In a 2012 breach, 117 million passwords were stolen. The man, who was wanted by Interpol, was arrested in Prague on October 5, but it was not announced until yesterday. His arrest, which was carried out 12 hours after authorities learned he was in the country, was supported by the FBI. In a brief statement, the FBI said the man was 'suspected of conducting criminal activities targeting U.S. interests', but did not give any more details. 'As cybercrime can originate anywhere in the world, international cooperation is crucial to successfully defeat cyber adversaries,' the statement continued. The suspect has not been named, but unconfirmed reports identify him by the name Yevgeniy N. Reports from the Czech Republic state he was in the country with his girlfriend. Police spokesman Jozef Bocan said the suspect was arrested in a Prague hotel. After the arrest the suspect collapsed, received first aid treatment and was hospitalized, Bocan said. The man arrested in Prague is suspected of hacking the passwords of 117 million LinkedIn users A statement from LinkedIn said: 'Following the 2012 breach of LinkedIn member information, we have remained actively involved with the FBI's case to pursue those responsible. '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.' A law enforcement source in Washington told the New York Times that the suspect was not believed to have had any links with hacks on the Democratic National Committee files, or organisations including DCLeaks and WikiLeaks. Russian authorities have vowed to battle efforts to extradite the suspect. In a statement to Russian news agency Tass, Alexey Kolmakov, spokesman for the Russian embassy in Prague, said: 'The notice said he was arrested based on a request from a court in the United States. 'We insist the Russian citizen is handed to Russia.' A statement from LinkedIn said: '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 business social network said that it believes to be true a purported hacker's claim that 117 million user emails and passwords were stolen in the breach. Prague's Municipal Court will decide whether to extradite the suspect to the United States, with Justice Minister Robert Pelikan having the final say. US authorities have two months to deliver to their Czech counterparts all the documents necessary for the Czech authorities to decide on the extradition request. Even if Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence are losers in November, a majority of Republicans want them leading the party though Pence leapfrogs over Trump as the GOP's No. 1 pick. A new Bloomberg Politics poll shows that 27 percent of likely voter who are Republican or lean Republican want Pence, Indiana's governor, as the face of their party. After Pence comes Trump, who 24 percent of GOP-leaning likely voters think should remain the most visible politician. Scroll down for video Donald Trump's running mate Mike Pence (left) edges out The Donald (right) himself when Republican voters were asked who should be the face of the party if Trump doesn't win The new face of the party should Donald Trump lose is already on the presidential ticket, with many thinking Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is the best fit Next up, 19 percent of GOP-leaning voters wanted Sen. Ted Cruz, who was one of the final two Republican candidates for president to drop out. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who as of late has played foil to his party's nominee, received the support from just 15 percent of his party's voters. While finally Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who was the last presidential candidate to drop out of the race, handing the nomination to Trump, received the support of 10 percent of likely voters. Team Trump's views seem to resonate better with voters than the ideas of Ryan, as 51 percent of Republican respondents said Trump's views match their own idea of what the GOP should stand for, while 33 percent said the same thing of Ryan. Fifteen percent said they weren't sure. That being said, of Trump's supporters only a little more than a third of them said they would continue following the billionaire businessman after the election if he loses to Democrat Hillary Clinton. Thirty-eight percent said they'd continue to follow him, another 33 percent said they'd follow him for awhile, but then would probably lose interest, another 24 percent said they'd give up on Trump then and there. Looking across the aisle, should Clinton lose to Trump, a very, very slim majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters said they'd like the former secretary of state to remain the most visible pol in the party. Thirty-two percent voted Clinton to remain the Democratic leader, while 31 percent opted for the first runner up of the primaries, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Another liberal favorite, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren got voted on by 23 percent of Dems to be the woman in charge. And while Pence was a crowd-pleaser with Republicans, Democrats say 'meh' to Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, with only 6 percent wanting him to be the face of the party. Martin O'Malley, the former Maryland governor who ran for president and dropped out the first night of contest, received just 1 percent of Democrats' support. stealing as a servant and possession of the drug He has been charged with Senior pharmacist has been suspended from working after he allegedly stole restricted painkillers from his workplace and took them in his car. Matthew Foster was working at Fiona Stanley Hospital, south of Perth, in February when the West Australian Health Department reported the 38-year-old to the Corruption Crime Commission (CCC). Foster - who is now charged with three counts each of stealing as a servant and possession of the prohibited drug or opiod - was 'responsible for promoting safe, rational and cost-effective drug therapy'. Matthew Foster, 38, allegedly stole heavy-duty opioid drug from work and took it in his car CCC Commissioner John McKechnie referred to the incident as he spoke before his agency's parliamentary oversight committee, The West Australian reported. 'Another example, I won't mention the name because it's still before the court, held a senior position in Health who was alleged to be stealing drugs and was located by commission officers allegedly just after he had ingested in a car in a public place and was arrested and charged for a number of reasons, including his own safety,' CCC Commissioner John McKechnie said. Mr Foster is banned from practicing until he is reinstated by the Pharmacy Board of Australia. He has been bailed to appear again in Fremantle Magistrate's Court next month. A marksman has shot several ISIS jihadists in four regions of Mosul as uprisings against the group continue. The gunman, dubbed the 'Sniper of Mosul', is said to be hunting down ISIS fanatics while they are on patrol in the city's streets. A number of extremists have been injured by the shooter amid reports the attacks are improving morale among Mosul resistance groups. A marksman has shot several ISIS jihadists in four regions of Mosul as uprisings against the group continue (file picture) According to Iraqi News, there may even be more than one sniper at work. It quotes local media as writing: 'The emergence of the "Sniper of Mosul", as the residents call him, increased the pace of the popular resistance against the ISIS. 'The presence of the sniper in four neighbourhoods emphasizes that there are many snipers and not only one.' Iraqi forces and Kurdish fighters have launched a major bid to drive ISIS out of its last major stronghold in the country. Iraqi special forces this morning charged into the Mosul battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city It was also reported that local youths are forming militia in a bid to fight extremists from the inside of the city. Iraqi special forces this morning charged into the Mosul battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The addition of the elite troops, also known as counterterrorism forces, marked a significant intensification of the fight for Iraq's second-largest city. Lee Universitys Dee Lavender Missions Week, will be held Oct. 24-28, raising funds for the Phebe Grey Orphanage in Liberia, Africa, for the second year in a row. The orphanage was founded in 1996 by a team of missionaries who desired to help children affected by the countrys violent civil wars. Today, the Phebe Grey Orphanage has expanded, having its own school and church, but lacks the necessary resources to meet the high demand for shelter in the area. Missions Week will bring special chapel services to campus. The first chapel service will be a time of celebration. On Thursday, Oct. 27, Dr. Carolyn Dirksen, director of faculty development and distinguished professor of English, will share about the universitys projects and ongoing work in the Phebe Grey Orphanage. Missions Week is one of my favorite times of the year at Lee University! said Campus Pastor Jimmy Harper. I get excited when our campus community can come together as a family to bring impact to a project around the world, especially one as important as the Phebe Grey Orphanage in Liberia. The funds raised during Missions Week will help provide the orphanage with a steady operating budget. Donations, special offerings in chapel, and Missions Week T-shirt sales are the main fund raisers. Students and faculty are also working on special projects across several different departments on campus that will contribute. Associate Lecturer in Special Education Alex Sandoval and his class are developing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) boxes as a way for science students to learn hands on. Dr. Mava Wilson, associate professor of computer information systems, is working with her class to refurbish and reprogram computers for the schools computer lab. Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, and the Young Adult Literature class, taught by Dr. Donna Summerlin, are collecting books to contribute to the library, which was originally installed last summer. Dr. Dirksen and her Biblical and Theological Foundations for Benevolence class are working together to build teaching materials for a health promotion class at the school. The Community Psychology class, taught by associate professor of psychology Dr. Heather Quagliana, is developing a transition plan for the children at the orphanage who finish high school and reach the age of 18. They are also creating training materials so that the orphanage workers can be better equipped to deal with issues of childhood trauma. According to Dr. Dirksen, these are just a few examples of the projects in which students and faculty are involved. Other departments are also working to contribute to the orphanage, school, and church. We believe that our continued partnership with the Phebe Grey Orphanage can help bring about sustainability and stability and make a lasting impact that will change the lives of children and a nation for eternity, said Becky Stevens, Campus Ministries secretary. Since 1991, Missions Week has been carried out in honor of Lee University student Dee Lavender, who died on a summer mission trip to Panama just before her 21st birthday. Missions Week projects have been in place for more than 20 years, and a week devoted to missions has been part of Lee programming since the 40s. For more information about Missions Week or to make a donation, visit http://www.leeuniversity.edu/missions-week/ or contact Campus Ministries at 614-8420. Professor Avril Henry, 81, made no secret that she had planned meticulously to end her life A retired professor killed herself using an illegally imported drug days after armed police raided her home following an Interpol tip off about the package. Professor Avril Henry made no secret that she had planned meticulously to end her life as she struggled with a host of incurable conditions. The 81-year-old English medieval culture expert from Brampford Speke in Devon was a member of the pro euthanasia group Exit International. Its founder Dr Philip Nitschke said he spoke to her after the police raid and she was furious that Devon and Cornwall Police had intervened. He accused the force of being heavy handed. Some of the illegal drug was seized during the raid when officers broke down her front door - but it appears she kept some back which she used to kill herself four days later. Dr Nitschke, who is often referred to as 'Dr Death', said: She described her life as becoming a complete misery. She could not lift anything and was living an impossible existence. It got to the point she did not have a life she wanted to live. Conversations: Dr Philip Nitschke (right) said he spoke to Dr Henry (left) after the police raid and she was furious that Devon and Cornwall Police had intervened She was too ill to travel to Dignitas in Switzerland but made it clear she did not want to keep living. Today, an inquest at Exeter's County Hall heard coroner John Tomalin conclude that she committed suicide. He said police had been contacted after an internet worker was told by Dr Henry that later that day she was going to kill herself at 7pm on April 20 this year. Police and friends arrived at her detached three-bedroom cottage in Brampford Speke at 6.40pm and the academic was found fully clothed but dead in her bath. Mr Tomalin said she was a 'lady who knew her own mind, a bright, intelligent retired professor' who had left her position at Exeter University some 20 years earlier. She was a lady who suffered a number of painful and debilitating conditions which there were no cure for, and these had been treated for symptom relief only. Dr Nitschke said Dr Henry (pictured together) said her life had become a 'complete misery' He said Dr Henry started considering ending her life back in November 2013 when she told her GP Stephen Vercoe that her life was not worth living. The inquest heard that she could not be sectioned because she was of sound mental capacity and was not suffering from depression. Dr Henry was found dead in her bath with a copy of her will nearby and a suicide note The inquest was told that Interpol tipped off the police about the tracked illegal drugs package from Mexico which she ordered over the internet. But Mr Tomalin said she 'took exception' to the police raid. She died from phenobarbital toxicity from taking the barbiturate - the drug was no longer prescribed to humans in the UK and it is illegal in this country. Mr Tomalin said she died at a 'time and place she directed herself'. Friends described the professor as 'quirky' and she said would not allow people to wear shoes in her home. The inquest was told that she suffered with 'a number of painful and debilitating conditions' which included arthritis in her joints, huge spinal pain, incontinence, cardiac failure, chronic deafness, sleep problems, asthma and swollen feet. Her GP Dr Vercoe said she first mentioned euthanasia in November 2013 then she told him 'life is not really worth living any more'. She repeated to other health workers that she wanted to go to Dignitas in Switzerland to end her life. The medics said it was illegal for them to help to assist her end her life and 'she accepted' that. Dr Vercoe said: Legally assisted suicide is illegal. House: Friends described the professor as 'quirky' and she said would not allow people to wear shoes in her home in Bramford Speke, near Exeter in Devon Despite intervention the 81 year old professor became angry and wanted them 'to call the dogs off' as she was told it was their 'moral duty to preserve her life'. They concluded after mental health assessments that she was 'of sound mind'. She was found dead in her bath with a copy of her will nearby and a typed suicide note. Dr Henry's door in Bramford Speke, which was smashed down by police - who Dr Nitschke accused of being heavy handed She had taken the killer drug with some alcohol from a miniature bottle of Cointreau, she said. She wrote: I am alone. The decision is wholly mine. It has the sympathetic, loving support of all my family, friends, members of the village. [She included staff and friends at a local swimming pool where she swam daily until the week before]. All have known for a long while of my intention. This has been laboriously planned over more than 12 months. Written evidence for this is in the basin. It also appears from Feb 2015 in my Patient Records, as my GP can confirm. (He would gladly have helped me but for the illogical, cruel British law which says suicide is legal, but forbids help to make it certain, swift and painless). In case solitary suicide was not possible, I also obtained Approval for Assisted Dying at ExInternational, Bern, Switzerland but the journey in my unpowered wheelchair would have been difficult and horrible. I very much hope that, since the evidence here shows clearly that no murder has been committed, there need be no Port Mortem, so that you can ask A. White and Sons to collect my body from here asap, as pre-arranged and paid for - like my burial in my orchard. She signed it Avril Henry, Emeritus Professor with a PS: If I have fouled the bath in death, please please be kind enough to wash it down: Dettol is provided. A photo released by Dr Nitschke of the incident report when police raided Dr Henry's home Friend Emma Healey, who knew her for 15 years as her cleaner, said she suffered great pain and lack of mobility. She said the professor never married or had children. Her lawyer Will Mitchelmore said being housebound 'removed her dignity'. Mrs Healey said she was not aware that Exit International had been told that her inquest was being held. William Michelmore, her solicitor, told the inquest: Two armed police officers smashed a glass panel in Avril's door and came into her house. She described her life as becoming a complete misery. She could not lift anything and was living an impossible existence Dr Philip Nitschke, Exit International She was very upset by the infringement on her personal space by the police forcing their way in. She instructed Mr Michelmore to lodge a complaint with Devon and Cornwall Police. Mr Michelmore said he had been aware that Dr Henry intended to kill herself for 15 months and discussed travelling to Switzerland. However, she was not well enough to travel and worried that others who went with her could be committing a criminal offence. If she could have gone to Switzerland by herself she would have, he said. Devon and Cornwall Police said at the time of her death that there had been concerns of her welfare on June 15 and 'therefore entrance was enforced'. A spokesman said: No criminal issues were highlighted during this incident and the matter was left in the hands of medical and mental heath professionals. But four days later Professor Henry achieved her wish to end her life with her glass of brandy and fatal barbiturate. Ault's case was reopened due to new DNA collection and testing technology Heckert was allegedly in a relationship with Ault's husband at the time of her death and no arrests have been made in the case murder case, Diana Ault was shot to death in front of her two kids at her home in Missouri in 1994 A 48-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder more than two decades after she allegedly stabbed to death a love rival in 1989. Police believe the suspect could also be linked to a similar case in which a woman was shot dead in front of her two children five years later. Carolyn J. Heckert was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals Service in Smithville, Kansas on Wednesday afternoon, the Kansas City Star reported. DNA evidence linked Heckert to the homicide of Sarah Jo DeLeon, who was found dead near railroad tracks on December 29,1989 after being stabbed to death. The 18-year-old also suffered a head injury. According to KMBC, Heckert had been in a relationship with DeLeon's then-boyfriend and 'police knew all along they were looking for a female suspect.' In addition, Heckert, who was a realtor and previously worked as a postal worker, was also reportedly in a relationship with the husband of Diana Ault, who was shot to death in front of her two young children at home in Independence, Missouri in 1994. Scroll down for video Carolyn J. Heckert (left), 48, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals Service in connection with the 1989 cold case homicide of 18-year-old Sarah DeLeon (right) DNA evidence linked Heckert (left) to the DeLeon (right) homicide. She was found dead with multiple stab wounds and a head injury on December 29, 1989. They both were dating the same man at the same time In a separate case, Heckert involved in a relationship with the husband of Diana Ault (pictured). Ault was murdered in Independence, Missouri in 1994 and as of Wednesday, police said they have nothing new to report in her case Both murder cases were reopened by police three years ago. As of Wednesday, police said they have nothing new to report in the Ault investigation. Earlier this year, Detective Scott Howard said there is pattern of behavior that might link DeLeon's murder to the unsolved Ault case and an abduction in Kansas City, Kansas on February 13, 1987. A train crew spotted DeLeon's body near Interstate 435 and Wolcott Drive which is the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas. Police said DeLeon had left her boyfriend's house about 1am on December 29 and was headed home before her body was discovered later in the day. Her car was found about a mile from her home under the Interstate 70 overpass at 78th Street with the door open and her emergency flashers were on. Police did not find any blood or evidence of a struggle in or around her car at the time. Investigators believed that she had been killed somewhere else and her body was dumped along the railroad tracks. The murder weapon was never recovered. In addition, there was no indication that DeLeon, who was a 1989 graduate of Washington High School, was sexually assaulted. At the time of her death, DeLeon was attending Kansas City Kansas Community College while, she and her younger brother, Matt, worked as ushers at The Woodlands greyhound race track. At the time of Ault's death in 1994, her husband, Tim (above), was reportedly having an affair with another woman who is believed to be Heckler. He admitted in 2004 that he regretted cheating on his wife The 27-year-old case was reopened by police due to new DNA collection and testing technology. DeLeon's mother, Gail Elieson, said on Thursday she was 'elated' that an arrest was finally made. 'I'm elated, I didn't believe it until I saw her name and mugshot. That was fantastic,' she told the Star. Elieson said she never met Heckert, but she knew for a while she had been considered a suspect in her daughter's murder. 'She was a good kid,' her mother said. 'She had no enemies but this one woman.' In a separate case, Ault, 26, had just returned home from a Superbowl XXVIII watch party on January 31, 1994 when she was ambushed in her kitchen. She was found shot to death by police as she was surrounded by her crying then-4-year-old son and then-6-month-old daughter. Her husband, Tim, was at work at the time of her horrific murder. Ault's son Josh told investigators at the time that his mother's killer picked him up and put him inside a closet before taking her mother's car. Ault's car was found less than a mile away from the home and was still running. Face of a murderer? FCK police released this mugshot after she was arrested in connection to the 1989 cold case murder of Sarah DeLeon Police said DeLeon (left) had left her boyfriend's house, who about 1am on December 29 and was headed home before her body was discovered later in the day. DeLeon's younger brother, Matt (right), said his sister was 'outgoing' and 'friends with everybody' A gun that belonged to her husband and was thought to be the murder weapon was also found at a nearby church, The Kansas City Star reported in May. Prior to her murder, Ault and her husband had told police they received several phone calls where they were threatened by a woman. Sharon Vanvleck, her older sister, recalled last week to Dateline about the moment she received the horrible call about the murder. 'I just remember sliding down my stove, just with this gut-wrenching scream and cry,' she shared. 'And it was just, like, a wailing -- just from my gut. This scream and cry. I'll never forget it.' Vanvleck said that it was not a secret her sister's husband had 'strayed' with another woman. She said her sister confided about the infidelity to her, several friends and colleagues. In 2004, Tim spoke to KMBC and said he regretted having an affair on his wife. At a 2014 vigil for DeLeon, her family said they were still devastated by her murder 'If I could go back in time, I'd trade places with her,' he said. The widower explained to the TV station that he moved out of the home he shared with his wife to live with another woman shortly before his wife's murder. He said the other woman he went to live with was his co-worker at a postal facility, but did not reveal her name. At the time, Heckert also worked at a postal facility. The Ault and DeLeon families have long been in contact and have held joint commemorative ceremonies for the women. Both families have said previously that DeLeon and Ault were the victims of harassment or bullying before their deaths. 'The investigation has revealed that the suspect and an accomplice have been involved in other incidents involving the harassment and intimidation of romantic rivals,' Kansas City, Kan., police said in May when they announced they had identified a suspect. At a 2014 vigil for DeLeon, her family said they were still devastated by her murder. 'She was outgoing. She was friends with everybody. She didn't have any enemies and she was a lot of fun to be around, ' her younger brother Matt told WDAF. In another interview, Matt said his sister was bullied too, similar to Ault. 'We knew Sarah was harassed and a little bit bullied and we feel like that also ties into the connection with the Ault case, too,' he said. Pictured above is the railroad tracks where DeLeon's body was found in 1989 Heckert is being held in a Clay County Detention Center in Missouri on $1million bond and is awaiting extradition. Investigators are also seeking help from the public in relation to an 'abduction by deception' in which the victim was fooled into leaving her house in a limo in 1987 - two years before DeLeon was murdered, the Star reported. She was then taken to the American Inn at 78th Street and Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Kansas. 'We are asking for tips regarding the February 13, 1987, incident as we believe the circumstances are relevant to a possible prosecution in Sarah DeLeon's death,' a statement from police in May reads. 'We believe that we can show a pattern of behavior that links this to the DeLeon homicide and other crimes,' Howard said. A two-year-old boy was seriously hurt and two other children injured when a car ploughed into families waiting at a bus stop during the school run today. The toddler was taken to hospital along with two girls, aged five and six, plus an injured woman following the horror crash this morning. Emergency service crews - including an air ambulance - were scrambled to the scene outside a doctors surgery in Dagenham, East London, at about 9am. Police response: The toddler was taken to hospital along with two girls, aged five and six, plus an injured woman following the horror crash this morning The toddler and one of the girls were taken to a Central London hospital for emergency treatment as priority cases. A total of four ambulances, an emergency response vehicle, ten police cars and two fire engines responded to the incident, reported the Barking and Dagenham Post. Local resident and Ford worker Mark Lawrence, 51, told the newspaper: 'It was hectic. Ive never seen so many ambulances and police cars in one area. 'It doesnt help that the wifes brother got killed in Whitechapel on his push-bike so this brings back bad memories for her. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'The driver involved in the collision stopped at the scene. No arrests have been made. Road closures are in place. Location: Emergency service crews - including an air ambulance - were scrambled to the scene on this road (file picture) in Dagenham, East London, at about 9am today 'Officers from the serious collision investigation unit are investigating and are appealing for anyone who saw what happened to get in touch. Inquiries are ongoing. It was hectic. Ive never seen so many ambulances and police cars in one area Mark Lawrence, local resident A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: We were called at 8:47am to reports of a road traffic collision on Porters Avenue, Dagenham. We sent five ambulance crews, our hazardous area response team and an incident response officer to the scene, with the first of our medics arriving within four minutes. We also dispatched Londons Air Ambulance. We treated five patients at the scene. Two children were taken as a priority to a hospital in Central London. A mother in Colorado has continued to lead the search for her daughter's body, two years after the 19-year-old went missing and a friend confessed to her murder. Lea Porter vanished in June 2014, after a break-up with her boyfriend left her homeless. She was looking for friends to crash with in Denver when her family lost contact with her. The young woman's high school friend Christopher Waide eventually confessed to her murder, saying the two reconnected when he offered her a place to stay. Rene Jackson (pictured) continues to search for her 19-year-old daughter's body, more than two years after the teen was murdered Lea Porter (left) disappeared in June 2014 after being taken in by a high school friend, Christopher Waide (right). Waide eventually confessed to her murder While Waide was sentenced to 48 years in prison for her murder, police never did find Porter's body, which he said he trashed in a dumpster. I just can't accept the fact that I don't know where my daughter is. I can't live with that. Rene Jackson, mother of Lea Porter So in an effort to bring closure to the situation, Porter's mother Rene Jackson has continued to search for her daughter's body. In a new interview with ABC, which is set to air in full on Friday, Jackson says she continues to hike through mountain trails in central Colorado with search dogs, hoping to find signs f her daughter. 'I just cant accept the fact that I dont know where my daughter is,' Jackson told ABC News 20/20. 'I cant live with that.' She's also consulted psychics and paid the travel expenses to volunteers who help her with her search. Porter started doing down a dark road after she graduated high school, when she moved in with her 38-year-old boyfriend Jesse Mine, a tattoo artist who first introduced her to heroin. Waide said he trashed Porter's body in a dumpster at his apartment complex, but the young woman's body was never found Above, the scene at the landfill where police fruitlessly searched for Porter's body In the days before her disappearance, friend Malorie Nixon says Porter was trying to get help. 'The day before she went missing, I saw her down in Pueblo and she had been off of it for three days,' Nixon said. 'You could tell, she was super sick.' It was around that time that Mine and Nixon broke up after just six months together. Mine was moving back in with his parents in Maryland so that he could get help. But Porter wasn't coming along with Mine, and was left homeless by the breakup. So she took to social media, asking friends if anyone would let her crash with them temporarily. Porter's mother and brother were the first to notice her missing, when the normally frequent texter dropped all communications around June 3, 2014. 'I knew there was something wrong right away because I couldnt get a hold of her,' her brother Maxx Porter said. 'It was just days of calling back and calling, calling, calling, calling.' After Porter's disappearance, Waide claimed that he offered her a place to stay but that she abruptly left Police called Mine in for questioning, and he told investigators that he last saw her at a motel outside of Denver as they were saying their goodbyes. He said he thought it was weird that she stopped all conversation with him, but he didn't start to worry until her brother contacted him. 'When Maxx called me and said, "Yo dude, wheres my sister?" Thats when I was like, ---- something bad has happened,"' Mine said during his police interrogation, referencing the fact that Maxx and his sister talked daily. Mine had a strong alibi so police moved on with the investigation. Porter's mother looked over her daughter's cellphone records and saw that one number was contacted a lot in the days before her disappearance. 'This one number kept popping up over and over,' Jackson said. 'It was Christopher Waide... and I had never heard that name before.' He even posted missing person's posters on Facebook and offered to help in the search The family contacted Waide, a high school friend of Porter's who said he offered her a place to stay after seeing her posts online looking for somewhere to crash. However, he said she abruptly left without explanation and hadn't seen her since. He appeared concerned when he heard about her disappearance, posting missing person posters on his social media accounts and offering to help join the search. 'He put it out there that he really wanted to help find Lea,' said Westminster Police Det. Matt Calhoon. 'And hes really concerned about her, and he wanted to do anything to help us.' But police grew suspicious of Waide and asked to search his apartment in Westminster. There they found the entire place trashed and several suspicious items in the bedroom. A computer in the bedroom had been used to search bondage websites, there were strange stains on the bare mattress and there was a duffel bag full of size 14 women's underwear - too big to fit petite Porter. The knife was alongside the mattress which had bleach spots on it. 'He claimed that he cut his hand about a week and a half earlier and he explained thats why he bleached his knife,' Calhoon said. 'So thats when we actually asked him to come in for a formal interview at the police station.' Waide then claimed that Porter had come on to him during her stay. 'We were just getting ready to get back into the video game then she leaned in and kissed me and I kissed back,' Waide told investigators, adding that they went on to have sex in his bedroom. When he received a call from her worried family, he says he panicked and threw out the bed linens. 'We started turning the heat up,' Det. Mike Lynch told ABC News.'And I asked him, "Where's the body at?" I says, "Is that body out there with the cell phone? Did you kill Lea Porter?"' That's when Waide cracked under pressure and admitted to killing her. Donald Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway is backing up the candidate's claim that the system is 'rigged' against Trump a day after Trump upended the final presidential debate by refusing to say he would accept the election results. 'The system is rigged against him, generally. You know that,' Conway told CNN host Chris Cuomo on Thursday morning as he tried to parse the incendiary claim. Trump at the debate refused to issue a blanket statement he would accept the results. 'I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense,' Trump told moderator Chris Wallace. Donald Trump's campaign manager said Thursday 'the system is rigged' against Donald Trump 'generally,' a day after the candidate refused to say he would accept the election results Breaking down the election results moment, Cuomo said, 'It sounds not just like whining, but disavowing the democratic process if it doesn't suit Donald Trump's personal preference. Is that right?' President Obama had mock Trump for whining about the system at a press conference this week. 'Well, first of all, there were two people on the stage last night and only one of them was whining, and it wasn't Donald Trump,' Conway shot back. Conway then maintained that 2000 election loser Al Gore, too, would have refused to say in advance that he would accept election results. 'If you had had Al Gore in this seat 16 years ago and you asked him the same question, Chris. If you said Vice President Gore, if you win the popular vote and you're losing Florida by less than 600 votes and it will be decisive to the election, will you concede the election,' Conway said. SPIN ROOM: Conway got asked repeatedly about Trump's statement about whether he would accept the election results following Wednesday's final presidential debate She tried to shift the focus to a study of bias in donations by members of the media. On Wednesday Conway had denied the existence of 'widespread' voter fraud A day earlier, Conway, a longtime GOP pollster and consultant brought in to run Trump's campaign after two earlier shakeups, refused to say there was widespread voter fraud in the elections. 'No, I do not believe that,' Conway told MSNBC. 'So absent overwhelming evidence that there is, it would not be for me to say that there is.' Trump said Monday in Wisconsin, 'So many cities are corrupt that voter fraud is very, very common. More than 1.8 million deceased individuals right now are listed as voters.' Trump refused to say he would accept the results of the election, saying, 'I will keep you in suspense' Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump advisor, told reporters after the debate Trump would seek a recount if the election were 'close' Vice President Al Gore poses for photographers following his concession speech in December 2000 in his office in the Old Executive Office Building in Washington. Gore conceded that Texas Governor George W. Bush had won the presidential election Clinton's running mate, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, said Trump would 'whine' if he loses. 'Donald is still going to whine if he loses, but if the mandate is clear, I don't think many people will follow him. And you know, it's just this inability to accept responsibility is at the core of this,' Kaine said. In a separate interview, Conway told ABC's 'Good Morning America' that Trump wants a 'fair shot.' 'He just wants a fair shot. You know, if you're Donald Trump, you don't get a fair shot most days.' Conway has repeatedly cited a new media study that showed the 96 per cent of media contributions went to Hillary Clinton rather than Trump. The study was by Center for Public Integrity, and included journalists and those who list media companies on federal disclosure databases, with industry contributions of $396,000. Conway tried to recast Trump's comments as being about the technical certification process. One saw him assaulting the same victim with HIV- A pedophile has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a six-year-old boy alongside a man with HIV before broadcasting the abuse live on the internet. William Byers Augusta admitted a string of charges including the rape of a child after appearing at Cumberland County Court in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Prosecutors told the court that Canadian authorities intercepted a broadcast of the 20-year-old sexually assaulting the boy in July 2015. William Byers Augusta, pictured, admitted a string of charges including the rape of a child after appearing at Cumberland County Court in Carlisle, Pennsylvania They then alerted authorities in Cumberland County who arrested Byers Augusta and began a search of his house. According to PennLive.com, officers then discovered a further 10 recorded instances of the pedophile abusing the same victim. It came after officers searched him home as well as seizing several electronic devices, including a laptop. In one of the videos, Byers Augusta is seen assaulting the child simultaneously with 62-year-old Ira Task. Byers Augusta was seen assaulting the child simultaneously with 62-year-old Ira Task, pictured, who is HIV-positive Investigators believe the pair met via an internet chatroom and arranged to meet at Task's home in Harrisburg to assault the boy. Authorities say Task did not wear protection despite knowing he had been HIV positive since 1994. Other clips reportedly showed Byers Augusta tying his victim up, kicking him in the stomach and also forcing him to perform sex acts. Police also found 50 images of child pornography on the man's electronic devices. Byers Augusta pleaded guilty to a range of charges, including 11 counts of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, aggravated assault, possession of child pornography and criminal conspiracy to commit rape of a child. He is set to be sentenced on January 17, 2017. However, the child pornography charges have been dismissed pending a federal case. Cowardly ISIS fighters have been caught fleeing Mosul in women's clothing after wives and girlfriends were ordered to evacuate the city. As the battle to liberate Mosul raged into its fourth day in Iraq, the terror group's commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi reportedly told women affiliated with the group's leaders to get themselves out of the firing line. But it appears spineless terrorists have used it as an opportunity to escape the war, by dressing in dresses. Scroll down for video Cowardly ISIS fighters have been caught fleeing Mosul in women's clothing after wives and girlfriends were ordered to evacuate the city The two men - reportedly ISIS fighters - were caught by Kurdish Peshmerga troops near Mosul, according to The Sun. It is understood Baghdadi is cornered in Mosul. Major General Gary Volesky, of the US Army, who heads the anti-IS coalition's land component, said ISIS commanders are 'fleeing the city' ahead of 'multiple assaults' planned for Thursday. ISIS is also evacuating the 'wives of leaders' according to a reported order by ISIS boss Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Maj Gen Volesky told reporters in a video briefing that many foreigners among the 6,000 IS fighters would likely end up forming the core of the holdout jihadist force. The Iraqi media outlet Al Sumaria added: 'The ISIS evacuated what it called the women of caliphate from the city of Mosul to the Syrian ISIS-held cities including Raqqa, over the last two days,' pointing out that, 'These women are the wives of the leaders of ISIS.' 'The women of caliphate were evacuated by orders from Baghdadi to avoid being captured by the security forces or rebellious people of Mosul after liberating the city.' Army General Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said the battle could last 'for months'. Army Gen Votel said Iraqi officials have publicly spoken of the Mosul battle lasting for weeks or months, amid speculation the army may launch a simultaneous offensive to retake Raqqa in Syria. He said he is comfortable with the Iraqis' timeframe and said it was important to ackowledge the Islamic State are an 'adaptive enemy capable of adjusting to setbacks'. Army Gen Votel said: 'I'll give you an example. The operation we did to Manbij, in northern Syria, took about 71 days to complete, from start to finish.' He also stressed the importance of 'simultaneous application of pressure' in Mosul and Raqqa. He said: 'I think it's extraordinarily important and we are certainly attempting to do that. Fairy bread is made up of three ingredients - bread, butter and sprinkles It also referred to the iconic treat as 'fairy toast' - Fairy toast? An American journalist has been mocked online for a piece about the iconic Australian snack A US journalist has been mocked online by Australians after she claimed that fairy bread was a snack 'usually eaten at breakfast'. Writing for Epicurious Magazine, Katherine Stock prefaced her article on the iconic Australian snack by listing its three ingredients - bread, butter and sprinkles. But things went downhill from there as she went on to explain that fairy bread 'was usually eaten as breakfast ... or after dinner to finish off the meal'. Indignant Australians filled with national pride flooded the magazine's Facebook page with complaints about the 'hysterical' and downright 'offensive' article. 'Mate, I don't know who told you about Fairy Bread, but us Aussies only eat it at parties or if we're feeling lonely. Obviously run ya facts past a Australian first,' one man wrote. 'You have misinformed millions of this Aussie gem. This article is offensive,' was all one woman had to add. Indignant Australians filled with national pride flooded the magazine's Facebook page with complaints about the 'hysterical' and downright 'offensive' article Many Australian readers took issue with Ms Stock's use of the term 'toast' instead of 'bread' 'I wanna know who "advised" you on Australian's preference for this as a breakfast food? Dude, they were pulling your leg,' another person pointed out. Others slammed Ms Stock for incorrectly labeling fairy bread 'fairy toast' instead. 'Fairy toast? Cultured butter? Fancy bread? Nope, nope, nope. Cheap home brand white bread, simple margarine and hundreds and thousands. No fancy bread, no fancy butter (definitely not home made) and definitely not toasted,' one woman commented. Ms Stock explains that 'despite its striking appearance, in Australia, fairy bread isn't considered fancy food'. 'But thanks to the wealth of pretty sprinkles available, it's also great for kids' parties and tea parties. (I can also see this being popular at weddings),' she continues. One reader summed it up best with this sarcastic post: 'This article is hilariously inaccurate, I love it. Crikey this article is so great that I'm just gonna hop in my kangaroo and go share this article with all my friends.' One reader summed up her frustration with a capitalised rant reading: this article is offensive A teenager who had been missing for almost a year has been found by police in New Mexico, some 1,500 miles away from home. Rae-Showna Jones, 17, disappeared in December 2015 from Saginaw, Michigan, but on Tuesday she was found wandering around the back of a Walmart in the southwest of the country. Police believe the teenager may have been a victim of human sex trafficking. Rae-Showna Jones, 17, ran away from home last December and had been missing ever since There was finally a break in the case on Tuesday when someone spotted Jones wandering near a Walmart in New Mexico The teenager was found more than 1,500 miles away from where she disappeared last year The teen's mother, Charlena Poole, pictured, said she was in tears the moment she found out police found her daughter Rae-Showna's mother, Charlena Poole, told Mlive.com that said she has prayed for her return every night since she vanished. 'I just screamed like I hit the lottery,' Charlena said. 'Me tossing and turning at nighttime, praying and almost about to commit suicide a couple of times, you know, thinking, where is my daughter, and who did this to her, and did somebody try to hurt her,' Charlena told ABC7. The teen was stopped by police who found her walking near a busy intersection in Rio Rancho near the city of Albuquerque. It was only when they questioned her that they found out Jones was a teen who had been a reported missing. Police say they are now going to speak to her to find out what had happened in over the last ten months. Video Courtesy WJRT Rio Rancho investigators said right now they have no reason to believe there is any criminal activity involved but so far Rae-Shawna isn't talking Mom, Charlena, had been praying for her daughters safe return but was beginning to lose hope. She believes her daughter is a victim of human sex-trafficking Rio Rancho Police Lt. Nicholas Onken said that he was not sure if Jones was a victim of human trafficking or not. Although officers picked her up, she has so far refused to talk to them about how she ended up in New Mexico. Mom, Charlena, told police that she feels as though she has been to hell and back with the turmoil of losing her daughter. She ended up having to go through counselling in order to get her through, although she still faces a smaller problem of trying to get her daughter back home. A GoFundMe account has been set up to pay for a flight to get her back to Saginaw, Michigan. 'When I go get her now, it's going to be a miracle. I can believe but then I can't believe that my daughter is alive and they found my daughter,' said Charlena. 'I just want to see her!' she said. Three people have been arrested after a brawl broke out in the pick-up line outside a Florida high school on Wednesday, police say. Additionally, the police cruiser driven by the officer responding to the incident was forced into a ditch after a car pulled out in front her while arriving at the scene. The incident occurred around 2.15pm outside Cocoa High School in Cocoa. Officials say the brawl started when one parent, Kellie Rhynes, 40, got out of her car to complain that some students were taking too long to get in the car in front of her. Scroll down for video All-out brawl: Police say the fight outside Cocoa High School on Wednesday started because one woman was complaining the car in front was taking too long A cellphone video taken by a witness shows Rhynes throwing her fists at the other driver. Other adults then quickly join in. 'Apparently these people got impatient and it got the best of them,' Yvonne Martinez, Cocoa police information officer, told Click Orlando. 'They all got out of the car and the fists were flying.' Kellie Rhynes; Cedric Rhynes, 21, and Brittany Canada, 25, were all charged with battery and disruption of a school function, according to Cocoa police. Pictured from left, Kellie Rhynes; Cedric Rhynes, 21, and Brittany Canada, 25, were all charged with battery and disruption of a school function Crash: The cruiser driving by the responding officer was cut off by a car coming out of the school and ended up in this ditch Injured: Officer Amanda Toledo was taken to hospital with minor injuries after crashing the police car However, the responding officer, Amanda Torello, had to be hospitalized after crashing into a ditch when she arrived at the scene. Officials say Torello had her lights and siren sounding, but as she went to pull into the school, another car pulled out in front of her and she swerved to miss it. The police car ended up in the ditch and Torello had to be treated for cuts and bruises from the airbag. 'She's OK, just a little bit shaken up,' Martinez said. They were booked into the Brevard County Jail Wednesday night, and are being held on $750 bond each. Previous Next Atlanta artist Marcella Howards paintings will be featured in Gallery 5 beginning Nov. 4 through mid-December at the Mountain Arts Community Center. The show will feature a large sampling of her latest works, some painted while on location outside Paris. Paintings will be available for purchase. An opening reception will be held in Gallery 5 at the MACC on Friday, Nov. 4 from 5-7 p.m. and is open to the public. "Come by and meet the artist and enjoy refreshments and beautiful artworks," officials said. The exhibit is open to the public during regular MACC hours Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Bio on Marcella Howard Based in the study of art and literature, Ms. Howard utilized visual art and music in a career that encompassed teaching for a time. She later went into banking. Her return to visual art represents her pursuit of her original passion and her homage to the great classical masters, as well as bringing her unique vision to scenes. Her paintings evoke an emotional response and whisper of contemporary influences as well as the classical ones. Ms. Howard currently resides in Atlanta with her husband, Jim, and has two married sons. One of her hobbies is photographing her grandchildren. Donald Trump crossed a red line in last nights final TV debate. In fact, he crossed a red line that he himself had very deliberately and firmly drawn up earlier in the evening. The Republican candidate was emphatic about the vital importance of upholding and protecting the United States Constitution. We need a Supreme Court, he said, that in my opinion is going to uphold the Second Amendment, and all amendments. The justices I am going to appoint are people of tremendous respect. They will interpret the Constitution the way the founders it interpreted. And I believe thats very, very important. Donald Trump crossed a red line in last nights final TV debate after he had firmly drawn it up earlier in the evening when he was emphatic about the importance of the Constitution Not just important, nor even very important. No, Trump was crystal clear: its very, very important. So there was nothing equivocal about this. It was also a completely consistent statement from a man who has strongly committed to restoring law and order in a country he believes is ravaged by criminals, illegal immigrants, terrorists and corrupt politicians. Yet later in the debate, Trump was asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he would accept the result of this election. It was a massive moment. For months Trump has moaned about the election being rigged against him. But for him not to accept the actual result on November 8 would be utterly unprecedented and plunge America into chaos. Trump knew the question was coming, and hed had plenty of time to plan his answer. But when moderator Chris Wallace asked if he would accept the result of this election, he crossed his own line What he said next was not therefore an accident. He chose his words very carefully: I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now. Ill look at it at the time. Wallace, the most impressive off all the debate moderators, waited patiently for Trump to spew his usual bile about the crooked media conspiring with crooked Hillary to do him in, then he spoke: But sir, there is a tradition in this country in fact one of the prides of this country is the peaceful transition of power and that no matter how hard-fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign the loser concedes to the winner. Not saying youre necessarily going to be the loser or winner but that the loser concedes to the winner and the country comes together in part for the good of the country. Are you saying youre not prepared now to commit to that principle? This was Trumps chance to save himself by saying that of course he would accept the result assuming there was no confirmed widespread voter fraud or foul play, and no recount. Those are the rights of every candidate, Republican or Democrat. Indeed, Bill Clinton personally urged Al Gore not accept the result in 2000 when the hanging chads in Florida cast legitimate doubt. But instead, Trump doubled down: What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. OK? Well no Donald, thats not OK. This is not a cliff-hanging decision on Celebrity Apprentice, this is something which strikes at the very core of a free and fair democracy. Indeed, I would agree with Hillary who described it as horrifying. Why? First, because not saying you will accept an election result flies in the face of everything the Constitution stands for. Second, because its downright dangerous. If Trump loses, and the polls currently suggest this is more likely than not, there will be a lot of anger and resentment amongst his millions of supporters. That anger and resentment will be massively increased if he then refuses to accept the result and declares that a crook has stolen the White House. If youre in any doubt how dangerous this could be, then consider a Twitter exchange last night between Fox News commentator Laura Ingraham and self-styled Conservative political journalist April LaJune. Ingraham tweeted: He should have said he would accept the results of the election. There is no other option unless were in a recount again. To which LaJune replied: Theres another option. Its called the Second Amendment. If you think we will tolerate this youre mistaken. When the comment sparked outrage, she clarified so there could be no doubt what she meant: Im advocating taking back our country against a tyrannical govt. Read your 2nd Amendment. In other words, Ms LaJune was saying she would use guns to rise up against a Clinton government. There will be many others having similar thoughts in light of their man, their hero, publicly stating he has been robbed of victory if he loses in three weeks. I dont think its too far-fetched to fear that America could be plunged into a very unstable, violent situation extremely quickly. So I urge Donald Trump not to continue with this suspense over whether he would accept the election result or not. Of course Trump would hate losing to Hillary. He hates losing at anything. But it could be downright dangerous should he not accept the results of the election If he does lose the election, Trump will win in many other ways anyway. His brand is now ten times bigger, his fan base a hundreds times larger. He has become one the most famous people on the planet and for everyone who hates him, there are many who love his outspoken, controversial style. Hed hate losing obviously. He hates losing at anything. But Trump knows his presidential campaign has already been the greatest PR stunt in political history and a razor-smart marketer like him will surely turn that into a massive positive for Trump Inc going forward. Theres already talk of him launching a Trump TV network which could well be very successful and make him billions of dollars. So any loss would clearly be tempered by huge upside. However, if he deliberately goads his voters into violent, vengeful retribution then it might not just kill his brand stone dead, it could also potentially kill a lot of his fellow Americans. By refusing to say youd accept the election result, Donald, youre telling people the Constitution doesnt matter, and the wishes of the Founding Fathers are there to be ignored. The logical extension of this thought process is lawless anarchy. Thats the last thing youd want for a country you profess to love, surely? So be smart, be wise and be better than this. Come out today and tell the American people you will fight, fight, fight to the bitter end of this astonishingly bitter battle. But also say that if you lose, youll accept the result and preserve the integrity of American democracy. Losing sucks. But everyone loves a gracious loser. Judge Francis Sheridan warned men to 'leave your wives alone' if a relationship turns sour as they 'are not your property' A furious judge has warned men to 'leave your wives alone' if a relationship turns sour as they 'are not your property'. Judge Francis Sheridan issued the stern message at Aylesbury Crown Court and said: 'They are not accountable to you'. His words were aimed at defendant Paul Deacon, who he jailed for six months for attacking his ex-wife and then posting a topless photo of her on Facebook. The court heard how Deacon and had split up from his wife Selina and they decided to meet in a pub to discuss how to arrange childcare of their children, both under 10, as well as Mrs Deacon's daughter from a previous relationship. During the heated meeting, Deacon accused her of seeing someone else and told her 'if I can't have you, no-one can.' When they went back to the house Deacon turned violent and attacked his ex-wife. Sandra Beck, for the prosecution, said: 'When back at the house she went upstairs and when she came down he had her mobile phone,' Ms Beck told the judge. 'He shouted at her 'what the f*** is this?' and read her the texts. She had been messaging an ex of hers. He grabbed her around the throat and squeezed. She pushed him again and he hit her in the face. 'She asked for her phone back and he refused. He snapped it in half with both hands.' Mrs Deacon picked up the broken phone and managed to get out of the house in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to call the police. Deacon was arrested and released on bail but later posted a topless picture of her on Facebook. Judge Francis Sheridan issued the stern message at Aylesbury Crown Court (pictured) and said: 'They are not accountable to you' Emily Culverhouse, defending, said: 'Despite them living in separate homes he believed the relationship was ongoing. He discovered she had been seeing someone else and he became upset. 'It was a stupid thing to do. He is concerned and upset that he has not seen his children for two months.' She claimed his business would be forced to close if a jail sentence was imposed and he was financially supporting two older children from his first marriage. Sentencing him to a total of six months in jail, Judge Sheridan said: 'Domestic violence is a top priority throughout all crown courts in England and Wales. 'It is all too common and all too wicked. 'For men and it is predominantly men, however long they have been in a relationship they have to accept the woman is free to go about her life, she is not accountable to you. 'In this particular case you met sensibly to talk about providing for three children. However, you took the law into your own hands and attacked your former wife in her home. 'She was frightened and went upstairs to her bedroom. You squeezed her throat making it perfectly clear that if she couldn't be yours, she couldn't be someone else's.' The judge handed down four months in prison for assault and two months for the revenge porn offence to run consecutively as it was committed while he was on bail. A concurrent sentence of one month was given for causing criminal damage. Judge Sheridan also gave Deacon an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting his ex-wife and it stipulated all visits to their children must be facilitated through social services. He added: 'It is usually the man who treats the woman in this disgraceful way. 'Whilst on bail you committed an act of revenge and humiliation, you posted a private photo of her. That is revenge porn. 'The message has got to go out to others - leave your wives alone, particularly when the relationship has gone sour. 'They are not your property.' A heavily pregnant mother has hit out at a rail company after claiming she was asked for proof she is expecting by an overzealous ticket inspector. Claire Hillard took a seat in first class because she was worried about the safety of her unborn child after a crowd of people rushed for the delayed Great Western train. The 36-year-old, who is seven months' pregnant with her second child, said she offered to pay for an upgrade but was shocked when the inspector on the London-bound train asked for proof she was expecting in the form of a doctor's note. Claire Hillard, of Cookham, Berkshire, took a seat in first class because she was worried about the safety of her unborn baby as a crowd rushed for the delayed London-bound train Mrs Hillard, of Cookham, Berkshire, who had been travelling from Maidenhead, said: 'The train I usually get was delayed and it moved platforms from two to four. 'This created a stampede of people crossing to the platform and an overcrowded train so I headed to first class. 'I took a seat in first class, but I didn't just want to travel for free - especially as there were other people who had a first class ticket who were having to stand. 'When the guard asked for my ticket I told him I was seven months pregnant but happy to pay the difference. 'He then asked me if I had a cover note from my doctor to prove I was pregnant. I thought he was joking at first. 'He told me it was unfair I was sat there and he made me feel like a piece of dirt on his shoe. 'Other people in first class actually stood up for me and one guy, who was standing, said no-one would have made me give up that seat.' Mrs Hillard, who already has one son, Max, with husband James, was forced to pay for a first class upgrade to her ticket, but felt she was made to look a bad person. Mrs Hillard, of Cookham, Berkshire, said she sat in first class as the train was overcrowded but claims she was 'treated like dirt' by the ticket inspector (file picture of Great Western train) The fashion trend forecaster added: 'It was an extreme situation and inspectors should be able to use their own judgment. 'I feel for the pregnant women who don't have the confidence to look after themselves and break the rules. 'I don't know about you, but I don't know many people that walk around with cushions stuffed up their t-shirts. 'He represents cold-hearted people that sadly exist, a cold-hearted company that sadly exists and clearly feels the need to stick up for first class passengers over a pregnant woman.' Great Western Railway refused to comment on the incident directly, but a spokesman said: 'We offer a Mums2B pass allowing a free upgrade to first class for standard season ticket holders if there are no seats available in standard. 'Passengers wishing to upgrade from standard to first are welcome to do so.' Advertisement Stunning pictures have revealed the remains of the most famous treasure hunting ship in US history, which salvaged $50million worth of gold bars and led to a manhunt for her rogue captain. The incredible images show the high tech equipment that was left behind as the R/V Arctic Discoverer was abandoned due to a lengthy court case, which led to her captain going on the run from Federal authorities. Other shots show the rusty exterior of the 180-foot-long ship, while some from inside the ship reveal the flaking wooden interior that remains. The R/V Arctic Discoverer was abandoned due to a lengthy court case over salvaged gold bars The famous treasure-hunting ship was used to find and recover the Central America which sunk in a hurricane in 1857 The photographer who explored the abandoned ship found Sonar and radio equipment that had been left behind in the control room The R/V Arctic Discoverer was used by Captain Tommy Thompson and his Columbus America Discovery Group to find and recover the Central America, which sunk in a hurricane in 1857. The wreck sat at over 8,000ft deep, but in 1988 Thompson and his team managed to salvage about three of the twenty-one tons of gold coins, gold bars and numerous artefacts on board. Lawsuits were filed against Thompson's salvage rights claim, prompting a decade-long legal battle. The ship was used by Captain Tommy Thompson and his Columbus America Discovery Group until lengthy court battles put it out of service Thompson and his team managed to use to ship to salvage about three of the twenty-one tons of gold coins, gold bars and numerous artefacts The eerie photographs show the ship's rusted exterior and the crumbling paintwork on the interior of the boat After ten years in court the Columbus America Discovery Group was awarded ninety-two per cent of the recovered gold and items. The crew waited for their money, but with millions to be paid in legal fees and more problems mounting up, operations were suspended at the site. Investors pulled out and new court battles were being waged against Tommy Thompson, who promptly disappeared. By 2012 the last word on Thompson's whereabouts from his lawyer to a judge were: 'My client is out to sea'. Photographer Leland Kent said he hoped his photographs would give a glimpse into the history of the treasure ship The crew of the ship waited years for their share of the money from the epic treasure haul The boat is currently docked in Green Cover Springs, Florida, not far from where Kent is currently living American photographer Leland Kent managed to take the eerie snaps in Green Cover Springs, Florida where the ship is docked. Kent,32, from Birmingham, Alabama, said he was keen to capture the history of the ship. 'Every location has a history, and I try to portray that in my photographs so others can see what I see when I am there,' he said. 'I like to show what is left behind and forgotten. I got the idea after reading about the Arctic Discoverer and the captain being wanted for stealing the gold. U.S. Marshals have tracked the rogue captain down, but the legal battle for the treasure is ongoing The incredible images offer a glimpse into the historic ship as it once was The 180-foot-long ship has been left to rust and rot since its quest for treasure came to an end 'I realized the ship was only a short drive from where I currently live in Florida. I wanted to go see it for myself before the ship was completely gone. 'Sonar and radio equipment were left behind in the control room. In the galley there was a dry erase board with names and phone numbers of the crew.' U.S. Marshals tracked Thompson and his girlfriend down in Vero Beach, Florida earlier this year. They had been hiding there under assumed names, paying cash for lodging and their other expenses. Italy is the top producer for the second year running Experts say the 2016 vintage wine is 'good' despite crops being spoilt Wine prices are set to rise after floods, droughts and icy weather battered crops around the world, but experts believe the 2016 vintage could still ooze quality. For the second year running, Italy is the top producer having made 48.8 million hectolitres, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine. France is closely behind in second place after a bout of terrible weather 'drowned' its produce, followed by Spain. Slide me Silver lining: Wine production in countries around the world has suffered due to flooding, droughts and hail but the quality of the crop is still 'good' Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was an increase in the three countries' wine exports this year, according to the EU farm federation Copa & Cogeca. The wine division chairman Thierry Coste said: 'Overall, the 2016 harvest is on a par with previous harvests and the quality was good across the board. 'Wherever we look, we see across the EU that some regions have been badly affected and others not by the climatic conditions.' Italy is the biggest producer this year, France is second followed by Spain It isn't all doom and gloom for wine drinkers after-all as the wine company revealed the quality is still at a 'fair level' compared to the 'excellent year' in 2015. Above, a man harvests grapes ready for production On the other side of the water things are looking up, as the USA grew by two percent, churning out 22.5 million hectolitres. Meanwhile, Argentina, Chile and South Africa suffered the biggest fall in wine-making. And while 2015 was a juicy season for all, the industry collectively produced 259 million hectolitres - one of its lowest levels over the past 20 years. Other European countries that can grab a glass and celebrate after experiencing a better year than predicted include Portugal and Hungary. The Czech Republic is expected to have a good quality vintage but production may decline to 550,000 hectolitres - a huge drop compared to 740,000 in 2015. An elite private schoolboy who was allegedly masturbated on by a fellow student was subjected to relentless bullying after telling his friends about the incident, a royal commission has heard. Sydney's The King's School student, known as CLC, was asleep on a camping trip when he woke to find the pupil allegedly ejaculate on his sleeping bag in April 2013, ABC News reported. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard the teenage boy went on to endure months of bullying by other students who called him a 'c** rag' and 'c** dumpster'. Four months after the alleged incident, the boy's parents raised the issue with the deputy headmaster, the housemaster and a counsellor - prompting the Parramatta private school to launch an investigation. The King's School student, known as CLC, was asleep on a camping trip when he woke to find the pupil allegedly ejaculate on his sleeping bag in April 2013 The teenage schoolboy went on to endure months of bullying by other students (stock image) The school initially took disciplinary action by asking students involved in the bullying to write a 1,000-word essay on 'the nature and value of a happy community'. The parents sought a meeting with the school's headmaster Timothy Hawkes in October after the harassment escalated. But counsel-assisting the inquiry David Lloyd said the boy's father felt the blame was shifted onto his son. 'Dr Hawkes said that CLC bore some of the blame and responsibility for the bullying, because he did not report the camp incident when it occurred,' Mr Lloyd said. The royal commission heard the student was allegedly masturbated on by a fellow classmate 'In a subsequent letter... Dr Hawkes said to CLC's parents that one of the principal people to keep the cadet camp incident secret from the school and CLC's parents for so long was CLC.' Police investigated the alleged incident in November 2014 but no charges were laid because the matter was never formally reported. A 12-year-old boy showed incredible survival skills when he endured nearly 24 hours alone in the unforgiving mountains of South Africa after getting lost. Tristan Smyth had to jump into a gorge to escape a group of baboons, having been separated from his scout group while barefoot and wearing just a pair of swimming trunks. A frantic search for him was launched in the Magaliesberg Mountains just outside of Johannesburg, but it was 22 hours before he made contact with his mother. Experts were amazed that Tristan Smyth, aged 12, managed to survive for nearly 22 hours in the unforgiving mountain range Experts were amazed that the boy survived the ordeal, which began at around 1pm on October 15, when he lost contact with his group on a hike in the Mountain Sanctuary Park. He told the Randburg Sun: 'I kept trying to follow the moon, but as I walked, more rain drops fell As it got darker, I heard what sounded like voices and ran towards them. It was the baboons.' Tristan was scratched on the arm by one of the primates, and would later need a rabies injection. He was hiking with fellow scouts in the Mountain Sanctuary Park when he lost contact with his group, barefoot and wearing just a pair of swimming trunks He revealed that he found water to wash the blood off his wounds, and battle the bitter cold by using his own urine, and sticking leaves to his body. The scout, from Greymont, a suburb of Johannesburg, said: 'I kept thinking I should follow the river, follow the light, follow the sun and eventually there will be buildings and roads and people and I could call home. 'I got scared thinking they would not find me, I did stop and got emotional, but then I just kept on going.' Unforgiving: A huge rescue operation was launched to try and find the boy, and workers were astounded when Tristan made contact with his mother after being missing for 22 hours An unnamed rescue worker told the newspaper: 'Many adults would battle in that situation.' After his incredible survival effort, Tristran - who also endured a hailstorm - said he just wanted to see his mother, Anita Smyth, again. He followed a fence, and at 11am the following day made contact with his mother from a farm near Buffelspoort Dam, several kilometers from the park. Tristan was attacked by a group of baboons during his 22-hour ordeal in the South African mountains By that stage helicopters and dog units had been sent out, but the Smyth family was beginning to fear the worst. Mrs Smyth told The Times: 'I heard one of the policemen say it was time to call in the divers to start searching the pools and dams. That was when my legs gave in.' Staff were underpaid between February 2014 and May last year Asian workers who were 'faster and cheaper' A hiring company targeted Asian workers because they were 'younger, cheaper and faster than locals who are old and slow'. Sydney woman Yan Hu and her company Global Express Consultancy Pty Ltd were fined a total of $105,339 after admitting to underpaying 19 staff from Taiwan and Hong Kong on 417 working holiday visas, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. The employees, who were hired to make cheesecakes and muffins for a supplier to Coles and Woolworths, were underpaid more than $45,000. The employees, who were hired to make cheesecakes and muffins, were underpaid more than $45,000 Hu paid them $16-$18 an hour, resulting in an underpayment of minimum hourly award rates, casual loading, and penalty and overtime rates. 'I find that Global deliberately sought to engage foreign nationals as employees because of Ms Hu's opinion, which she willingly shared - that they were "younger, cheaper and faster than locals who are old and slow'',' Judge Justin Smith said. Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said the fines should deter Australian employers underpaying overseas workers. 'Outsourcing work to the lowest-cost contractor and turning a blind eye to whether the contractor pays workers' correctly is not acceptable conduct,' she said. The Global Express staff were underpaid between February 2014 and May 2015. They were supplied to three factories in Sydney. The underpayments formed a 'deliberate strategy aimed at maximising Global's profits,' Judge Smith said. A man who rushed to a dog's aid after witnessing her being thrown off a cliff has given the animal a permanent home. Reuben Roque, a combat veteran, watched in horror as his security camera captured the dog being hurled from a cliff in LA's City Terrace neighborhood by a man who is believed to be her owner. He rushed to the pitbull mix aid and was relieved to find a bush had broken her fall. Reuben Roque rescued the pitbull mix after seeing footage of her being thrown off a roof, but was forced to hand her over to authorities Roque took her in and fostered her following the incident on the morning of September 28, and named Hera after the Greek goddess. However, Roque was forced to hand Hera over to the authorities as she became part of an animal abuse investigation. Security footage showed the shocking moment the pitbull was thrown off a 20ft cliff by the owner but survived Roque has now been reunited with Hera, who recognised her hero rescuer instantly when they were brought back together Authorities had to take Hera from the Roque home to spay and microchip her so she could legally be adopted back to the family. 'Its been rough just not knowing which direction things were going to go and it was such a waiting game,' Roque told Fox11. However, the dog instantly recognized him and his family when they were reunited after being apart for a week. 'She was a wonderful patient,' Marcia Mayeda, Director of Los Angeles County Animal Control, said. 'Very friendly to all the staff and she was a joy to have, but she belongs with her family.' Speaking of the shocking incident, she added: 'We were all just horrified and shocked and disgusted by that sort of behavior.' According to Mayeda, investigators are confident they will present a strong case to the district attorney in the coming weeks. George Norman Davis had frequently told friends and relatives he would 'rather die' than watch the presidential debates and it seems God took him at his word A retired long-haul trucker who felt America was 'going someplace in a handbasket' passed away after telling relatives he would 'rather die than watch the (presidential) debates'. George Norman Davis, a U.S. Army veteran, died recently and was buried in Millsboro, Delaware, but his hilarious online obituary has attracted a lot of attention. The obit, on the Legacy.com website, started: 'Apparently he meant it when he said he would rather die than have to watch the presidential debate. 'At least he is no longer obligated to vote, firmly believing regardless of the outcome, the nation is going someplace in a handbasket and he would rather travel in the opposite direction.' Davis, who passed away last month, was clearly something of a character, according to the author of the obituary. It continues: 'Thankfully his wife Emma Lou, parents George & Nellie, sister Maggie, cousins Bill & John, and good friends Ann & Wade who have preceded him, finally convinced the man upstairs that he was too old to cause much trouble up there and its safe to let him in. Highly debatable, but God knows best.' The obituary reads: 'Norman spent his childhood near Booths Corner (Pennsylvania) and joined the U.S. as a young man. He spent the rest of his life exaggerating the hardships of both.' 'He liked country music, NASCAR, hunting, fishing, and making up wild stories about the latter two,' joked the anonymous writer. Mr Davis, a confirmed non-voter, died only hours before the first presidential debate and the obituary writer does not record his views about Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Mr Davis would not have been watching last night's debate, even if he had been alive Several people were mightily amused by the obituary. Judith Fields, from California, wrote: 'I wanted to express sadness at Mr. Davis' passing, but gratitude for a man with such a great sense of humor and the willingness to share it. Thanks for bringing a little levity to my day; God bless him and his family! Thank you.' And MJS wrote: 'I am very sorry for your loss...Mr. Davis sounds like a wonderful guy, sounds like quite a gentlemen to have known. Kudos to whoever did the write up. Actually sounds like perhaps George did himself. RIP Sir..' The obituary, by the way, ended: 'He was one of a kind.' Chattanooga City Councilwoman Carol Berz will host a campaign re-election kick-off event on Thursday, Oct. 20. Councilwoman Berz is seeking her 3rd term to represent Chattanooga City Council District 6. The event will be held at Wilson Air Center, 932 Jubilee Dr. in Chattanooga from 5:30-7:30 p.m."I promised that if I was fortunate enough to win my first election, I'd work hard on behalf of those sending me to City Hall," Councilwoman Berz said. "It's an honor I don't take lightly and, when re-elected, I'll continue the commitment."The general public is welcome to attend.RSVP to contact@carolberz.com. Karen Watson is locked in a six-figure court battle of a horse she hoped would race An angry horsewoman and an equestrian couple are locked in a 420,000 court battle over a thoroughbred foal with a cough. Horse breeder Karen Watson found her 120,000 foal Sidney was struggling after contracting a chest infection whilst in the care of Yorkshire stud farm owners Stephen and Josephine Knowles in 2010. Miss Watson had harboured high hopes for Sidney's prospects as a future racehorse. But after he came home from the Knowles' Beechwood Grange Stud, near York, in June 2010, it was found that he was suffering from a serious chest infection known as the 'rattles', which has destroyed his chances of becoming a track star, she says. She is now suing the stud farm for the loss of Sidney's estimated 120,000 value - in a case which she says will also see the loser handed a 300,000 legal costs bill. The court heard that Sidney was born at Beechwood Grange in April 2010. His mother - Miss Watson's mare, Club Oasis, who is related to a string of group winners on the track - had been sent to the prestigious stud to be matched with top sire Firebreak. Sidney's sisters from the same parents had fetched 120,000 each, she says, and Miss Watson, who keeps horses on her own land at Broughton Farm, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, expected a similar return on Sidney. The horsewoman says alarm bells rang when Sidney and his mother were first delivered home and he was found to be 'coughing'. The horse at the centre of the case was sired by Firebreak, who won five of his 12 races Urgent veterinary advice was sought and he was treated with powerful antibiotics, but Miss Watson says the damage had already been done, and whilst Sidney is now much loved as a pet, his value as a potential race horse has been wiped out. Mr and Mrs Knowles deny any responsibility for Sidney's illness and were exonerated by a county court judge in 2014. But Miss Watson has now succeeded in overturning that ruling at the Court of Appeal. After three years of courtroom battles, racking up lawyers' bills which Miss Watson estimates will reach 300,000, the case will now be re-tried, with the loser set to take a huge financial hit. London's Appeal Court heard that, when Sidney first fell ill, he was displaying symptoms of diarrhoea and a raised temperature of 102 degrees. Lord Justice Jackson said that Mr and Mrs Knowles did not tell the vet who attended the foal about the high temperature he was running. The vet then went on to treat Sidney for a stomach upset, rather than looking for a more serious ailment. The horse's owner is angry of his condition after he was kept at Beechwood Grange Stud The horse is now kept at Ms Watson's Broughton Farm, though he is not likely to race Miss Watson maintains that, had the vet been appraised of all the facts, Sidney would have received prompt treatment for his condition which would have saved him from permanent damage. Lord Justice Jackson, allowing her appeal, said: 'It is not appropriate to withhold material from a vet in the hope that he will find it out himself. 'The appeal will be allowed and the judgment set aside. The case will be remitted to Leeds County Court for a retrial,' the judge concluded. Miss Watson said outside court that, despite his health troubles, Sidney is an extremely popular pet amongst her friends and family. 'Little Sid has now got quite a fan club,' she added. Justin Ross Harris told a teenager that he loved her and that he would have left his wife for her - had it not been for his infant son Cooper. State witness Janie Meadows, 21, told the court Thursday that Harris, who is facing murder charges for Cooper's death in a hot car, was prepared to leave his troubled marriage but for his son. 'He said if his situation had been different he would be with me instead of her,' Meadows said. 'If Cooper wasn't in the picture I probably would have left by now,' he said, according to her testimony. Meadows said she and Harris had talked about a future together. She called Harris her 'best friend.' Meadows was just 18 when she met Harris on the Skout dating app in 2013, and did not know his real age at first. Meadows, now 21, was just 18 when she met Harris on the Skout dating app in 2013. She did not know his real age at first A steady stream of women have testified that Harris had relationships of various kinds with them while he was married and a father to his son Cooper. Harris looked stricken and dabbed at his eyes as one of his defense attorneys continued a cross-examination of his text messages She said that Harris told her that his wife Leanna caught him cheating on her, and that his marriage 'was falling apart'. 'I just had a really bad breakup,' she said. 'Ross just kind of showed up at the time I needed.' Harris let her believe he was single at first. He pressed her to meet with him but she was 'sketched out,' she said. But they eventually met a few months later in a store where she worked and they kissed. It didn't go any further, though he told her he loved her, she said. The reality of his marital status emerged as a result of a game called 'Two Lies and a Truth,' she continued. He told her he was married and had a child, and he divulged his true age. 'I was taken aback by it,' she admitted. Still, they talked and texted at length for nearly every day. 'I fell in love with him' she said.' 'He told me he loved me every day," she said. Meadows, a witness for the state, was the latest woman to testify that she had a relationship of some kind with Harris. Defense attorney Maddox Kilgore suggested she was upset after learning that Harris had been involved with other women. "It doesn't change what I'm saying," she said. Alexandra Swindell recounted how she was an 18-year-old college student when Harris, now 35, picked her up at her dormitory room at the University of Alabama in 2012 The jury also heard from two more young women who become involved with Harris. Molly Sims was 18 years old when she met Harris on the Skout site. She knew he was married. They never met but texted through that site and Kik, she said. "We talked about everyday things, but it would get sexual sometimes. He would change the subject to make it sexual.' They exchanged nude pictures, she added. The relationship ended when she found a boyfriend two years later, she said. And Elizabeth Smith told the court about meeting Harris in his car for sex, in a parking lot just of the interstate. She was 21 when she met Harris on Kik in January, 2014. They chatted nearly every day. Though they never met face-to-face again, their texting conversations continued until the day Cooper died, evidence showed. Harris mentioned 'problems in the bedroom' with Leanna, she said, but agreed with defense counsel that 'Ross had never talked about leaving his wife.' Before sunrise on the day Cooper died, Smith texted Harris and suggested they meet for oral sex. He asked if she could meet him later that day, she testified. 'Did he ever tell you that his child was going to be in the car?' defense attorney prodded. 'No,' she said. The court was shown this image of Cooper Harris sleeping. The boy died in June 2014 after his father Justin Ross Harris left him in a boiling hot car for more than eight hours while he was at work Earlier on Thursday yet another woman, Alexandra Swindell, said that she was an 18-year-old university student in Alabama when she met Justin Ross Harris online in 2012. She knew the married father-of-one as 'BamaXH', until he introduced himself as Justin. He never mentioned that he was married or had a child, she told the jury. Swindell recounted how Harris picked her up at her dormitory room at the University of Alabama and drove to a park area where they talked and kissed. Then she performed oral sex with him, she said. They never met again, but they continued to chat by texting for a few months before fading away. Swindell said that her conversations with Harris rekindled several weeks before Cooper died and were sexual in nature. The day Cooper died, she texted Harris and indicated she wanted to have sex with him again. Harris broke down in court again on Thursday as one of his defense attorneys continued to cross examine Cobb County Detective Ronson Smith about other text messages he had sent to other women. Caitlin Hickey Floyd testifies about her sexting conversations with Ross Harris in the weeks leading up to Cooper's death Harris with Cooper, who died aged 22 months after being left in his father's car The investigator told the court Harris texted an unidentified woman on the social app Whisper the day Cooper died, saying that his son was 'awesome.' He wrote that Cooper woke him up at 5:30 a.m. that morning. 'He wrote "I have a son" who decided "I'm gonna get up early. Ha ha Ohhhh gotta love kids [sic],"' the investigator said. Harris told the unidentified woman that Cooper was two years old. 'What a great age,' the unidentified woman replied. 'He's awesome,' Harris said. Later that morning Harris' wife Leanna, mother of Cooper, texted him. 'Get to work OK?' she asked. 'Yup yup,' Harris replied. 'We're gonna go to the early movie so I should be home close to 7.' An hour before Harris left work that afternoon, he texted his wife again. 'When you getting my buddy?' he asked. That was the last text Harris sent to his wife. Cooper was likely already dead by that hour, according to the county medical examiner's previous testimony. Jurors were also shown an image of a sleeping Cooper on Thursday. Harris fought to stave off tears as he gazed at the large screen in the courtroom. The image was one that he and Leanna had shared in a text. Links to U.S. passport requirements for children were also discovered in the phone's web history, the detective told the court. In the weeks before Cooper Harris died, Harris - who was married at the time - was also texting back and forth with other women including Caitlin Hickey Floyd, a young Atlanta woman he met in the social app 'Whisper.' She was single at the time she met him online, a court heard Wednesday. 'I am so horny' and 'too much of a sexual freak,' Harris texted her only days before Cooper died, it was revealed in Wednesday's testimony. And while Cooper was left in the boiling hot SUV on shortly after lunch on June 18, Harris asked to see pictures of the woman naked. He said, 'Can I see your t**s?' she told the court. She sent him a picture of her breasts. Harris replied, 'Mmmmm.' 'I asked if he wanted to play with them. He said, 'F*** yes I do,' Floyd continued. She testified that when first meeting him on the social app, Harris admitted he was married. 'I asked if he had a conscience. He said 'No.' He never said he had a child,' she said. Jurors were shown numerous messages sent by Harris on June 18, 2014. A large display screen in the center of the courtroom glowed with text messages and website links from Ross Harris' iPhone 5s - messages the accused killer likely never thought would become so public. One text to the Whisper site read, 'I love my son and all but we both need escapes,' according to Det. Ronson Smith, a Cobb County Police investigator who extracted pages of data from the phone's memory. Smith's evidence showed Harris texted a contact known as 'alwaysinmyfeelings' at 9:15 a.m. that morning, just a few minutes after ordering breakfast at the Chick-fil-A restaurant near the day care center as well as Harris' office. Harris drove into his office's car park at 9:25 and entered the building known as the 'Tree House' two minutes later. Cooper would stay in the SUV, strapped into his car seat with no means of escape, as he died later in the day, according to evidence presented sat the trial. 'I love my son and all but we both need escapes', Harris texted on the day that Cooper died Data recovered from Harris's iPhone 5S that showed numerous text messages on June 18, 2014 It was hot and sunny that day, and Harris drove to his workplace with his infant son Cooper in the back. The ride from Chick-fil-A, where the pair breakfasted, to Harris's Home Depot office was likely air-conditioned and comfortable for the father and son, on the morning of June 18, 2014 in Marietta, Georgia. But once Harris had left the family SUV - with his son inside - and headed into the office, the temperature inside the vehicle rose steadily, the jury heard Wednesday. By 1 p.m., as Harris worked inside his cool office, the temperature inside his car where Cooper had been trapped had risen to over 100 degrees as it sat in direct sunlight. By 3:30, the car seat that held Cooper was 125 degrees, according to evidence presented Wednesday as his father's murder trial continued. Those were the findings of Dr. David Brani, an engineer who placed temperature gauges inside the Harris SUV and on Cooper's car seat on July 8 and measured the conditions throughout the day. The weather and temperatures on the testing day were similar to the day Cooper died, Brani said. Harris is charged with intentionally leaving Cooper in the hot car to die. Brani said he drove the SUV from the police evidence impound facility for 30 minutes to the Home Depot lot, using the air-conditioning settings in place when Harris was arrested several weeks before. Brani parked the SUV in the Home Depot lot Harris used on the day Cooper died and set up the sensors that tracked interior and external temperatures from 9 a.m. until 4:14 p.m., he told jurors. The thermal coupler sensors recorded conditions on the car seat, Brani explained. Defense Attorney Carlos Rodriguez questioned Detective Ronson Smith about text messages extracted from Ross Harris phone. A defense attorney for Harris points to his SUV in the parking lot Harris was in tears in court on Tuesday, as a medical examiner described Cooper's 'prolonged' and 'agonizing' death. Former Cobb County Medical Examiner Brian Frist detailed Cooper's final hours, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, saying his death would have been a slow one. 'I believe he went through various stages as he was passing,' Frist said. 'He would've experienced nausea, a headache, dehydration, seizures, anxiety.' Harris wept as jurors were shown 34 autopsy photographs of Cooper's body. The child died of hyperthermia. Harris says he did not realize he had left his son in the vehicle until it was too late. At one point he stopped by the car to drop off some light bulbs. By that point Cooper had already been in there for around four hours. Frist could not say with any certainty whether Cooper would have been alive by that time. Another witness, Mark Wilson, told the court Tuesday that he was in the Cobb County Police 'holding pit' on a DUI charge when Harris arrived. Harris said, 'What's up, guys?' Wilson recalled. He was 'pretty nonchalant and didn't appear sad or upset,' he added, saying that Harris never told Wilson why he had been arrested. They sat beside each other in the large holding area and engaged in 'small talk' for two to three hours as they waited to be processed into the system, Wilson said. Video from the jail showed Harris sitting in a chair near the front with his arm on the back, in a seemingly relaxed way. Wilson learned the reason for Harris' arrest from newscasts the next day. When prosecutors asked if Harris' behavior in the holding area was consistent with someone who had just lost a child, Wilson replied, 'Absolutely not.' Wilson admitted to selling his story to the National Enquirer the following month. Cobb County Prosecutor Jesse Evans questioned mechanical engineer Dr. David Brani on Wednesday about the interior temperatures recorded inside the SUV. By 3:30pm the car seat that held Cooper was 125 degrees, the court heard Harris broke down in tears in court on Tuesday as a medical examiner detailed the final hours of his son Cooper The car seat in which Cooper was left on the hot summer's day in June 2014 Jurors have had to endure hard-hitting photos of Cooper's body after he was removed from the car Harris also cried in court two weeks ago during opening statements, when his defense attorney Maddox Kilgore told the jury that ' Cooper's death was an accident, it was always an accident.' But prosecutors say he deliberately left his son in the car as he wanted him out of his life. On Monday an Alabama teenager testified that she exchanged sexually explicit messages with Harris. 'C' was 15 years old when she and Harris began texting each other, sending explicit images of their genitals over their mobile phones. The woman, now 19, testified Monday that she and Harris found each other on Whisper, an anonymous website, in May 2014. Harris's son Cooper was discovered dead a month later. On Monday, the young woman identified as 'C' said she had initially lied about her age to Harris, posing as an 18-year-old. 'I love older guys,' she posted on the website. Harris soon responded with a photo of himself as well as a graphic image of his penis, which was introduced as evidence Monday. 'I apologize,' Cobb Prosecutor Chuck Boring told the jury as he displayed the image of Harris' genitals to jurors. The teen girl told the court: 'He told me he wanted me to make him a naughty old man.' During testimony, prosecutor Chuck Boring showed jurors the photo of Harris' penis that was sent to the girl. Jaqueline Robledo also described using multiple apps to communicate with Harris in 2013 when she testified on Monday. Jaqueline Robledo (pictured in court on Monday) also described using multiple apps to communicate with Harris in 2013. She said she was 19 when they first started sexting after she posted on the app Whisper about the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' movie. They had sex at Harris's house in 2013 Robledo said she was 19 when they first started sexting after she posted on Whisper about the Fifty Shades of Grey movie. Robledo told the court their conversation quickly turned sexual and they eventually agreed to meet at his place, where they had sex. 'It was at night, and it was at his house,' and he wasn't the least bit nervous, she said. They maintained their friendship following the tryst, and Harris also revealed to her that he 'had relations' with a man while on vacation the following year in 2014. Harris met that man on the Whisper site as well, according to her testimony. Last week Daniela Doerr, a former prostitute, told the court that Harris had sex with her three times in the weeks before his son died. Harris, 35, had contacted her after finding an ad that listed her services, she said. Police located her after discovering her number on Harris' cell phone following his arrest for Cooper's death. 'He had no presence, he was just dumpy. It was vanilla sex,' she told the court. Daniela Doerr (left) distinctly remembered Harris as a 'repeat' client when police showed her his photograph, she testified. Detective Ray Yager testified that if Harris had used his computers to search for information on 'hot car deaths' neither he nor his colleges could confirm it, despite investigators' claims The alleged searches of 'children dying in hot cars' that Harris had reportedly admitted to police couldn't be verified on any of his numerous computers, cell phones or external hard drives, Yager explained to the jury Cooper's death came under public scrutiny after investigators said they found evidence Harris had researched child deaths inside vehicles just weeks before his son perished. But on Friday Detective Ray Yager testified that if Harris had used his computers to search for information on 'hot car deaths' neither he nor his colleagues could confirm it. Yager, a computer forensics expert for the Cobb County police, had been alerted that Harris and his wife Leanna had researched child deaths online. But the alleged searches of 'children dying in hot cars' that Harris had reportedly admitted to police couldn't be verified on any of his numerous computers, cell phones or external hard drives, Yager explained. 'No notable files' were detected with key words including 'murder, child, cruelty to or in-car deaths, surviving prison, murder, homicide, divorce, alimony or legal defense,' according to Yager. The only topic revealed was a Reddit link to 'child free', he added. And on Monday Harris' college friend revealed that the story behind that link may not be as terrible as it first seemed. James Alex Hall, who also works with Harris at Home Depot, testified that he sent Harris the link. Harris clicked on the site and quickly replied 'Grossness', defense attoney Maddox Kilgore showed the jury. That evidence contradicts the prosecution's assertion that it was Harris himself who initiated the search, court observers noted. Video Courtesy WXIA In opening statements two weeks ago, prosecutor Chuck Boring told the jury Harris wanted a new life without children, and that desire may have served as motivation to allow his son to die in his hot car. Prosecutors previously said Harris was messaging six women the day Cooper died. He told one woman on Whisper: 'I love my son and all but we both need escapes.' They are arguing that Harris intentionally killed Cooper by leaving him for more than seven hours in a vehicle parked outside his workplace. Harris' lawyers called the death accidental. An indictment filed against Harris in September 2014 listed the following eight charges: malice murder, two counts of felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, cruelty to children in the second degree, criminal attempt to commit a felony of sexual exploitation of children, and two counts of dissemination of harmful material to minors. A family who returned home from the shops found an unwanted guest after a puma sneaked inside and hid under the kitchen table. The Quincano family who live in the Southern Peruvian Province of Huanta, in Peru, said that they had all gone off shopping. When they returned to their home in the neighbourhood of Al Papilar, they were stunned to find the big cat hiding in the kitchen. A family who returned home from the shops found an unwanted guest in the kitchen Intruder alert! The Peruvian family were stunned to find a big cat hiding in the kitchen Amazed, they shut the door and then grabbed the mobile phone in order to record the incident. The footage shows the kitchen door being slowly opened. The puma can be seen sitting under the table, snarling and baring its teeth as a warning. The family said they were baffled as to how the big cat managed to get into the village, and then how it got into their house without being seen by anyone. Fernando Quincano, one of the family members, later told local media: 'It was aggressive, if one went close, it would roar and be pretty scary.' They immediately called the police and the fire brigade. As officers did not know how to tackle the problem, they called a veterinarian from the National University of San Cristobal, based in the nearby city of Ayacucho. The puma can be seen sitting under the table, snarling and baring its teeth as a warning The puma was then tranquilised and taken to a zoo n the Southern Peruvian Province of Huanta The puma was then tranquilised and taken to a zoo. A Syrian plastic surgeon who says he wants to leave Britain and return to war-ravaged Aleppo was arrested at an immigration centre today. Dr Abdulkader Majed Al-Zuebi was held by six officers and bundled into a police van for an alleged public order offence outside the Home Office headquarters at Lunar House, Croydon, South London. The doctor moaned he doesn't like the UK and would tell migrants arriving from the Calais Jungle to go back - because 'it's better there'. He cannot work because he has claimed asylum in the UK so he has been forced to sell his 3,000 Rolex watch to pay his five-star hotel bills. Arrest: Syrian plastic surgeon Dr Abdulkader Majed Al-Zuebi, pictured, who says he wants to leave Britain and return to war-ravaged Aleppo was arrested at an immigration centre today Held: Dr Al-Zuebi, pictured, who boasts he earns 6,000-a-month in Syria, arrived in Britain on October 8 from Germany. But he begged Home Office officials to allow he to return to Syria Selfie: Dr Al-Zuebi, who reportedly has a fiancee in the UK, says he doesn't want to stay in Britain and even said he would tell migrants arriving from the Calais Jungle to go back - because it's better there Dr Al-Zuebi, pictured on holiday in Egypt, moans that he can't work because he has claimed asylum in the UK so he had to sell his 3,000 Rolex watch to pay his five star hotel bills Dr Al-Zuebi, who claims to earn 6,000-a-month in Syria, said officials have refused to give him his German passport back since he arrived at London Stansted Airport on October 8. He has pleaded with the Home Office to allow him to fly back to war torn Aleppo as soon as possible because he prefers it to Britain. An hour before his arrest this afternoon Dr Al-Zuebi, who claims to have a fiancee in Britain, said he would sleep outside the Home Office building until they deported him. He was issued with a form at London Stansted Airport when he arrived on an EasyJet flight from Germany, reportedly confirming he had applied for asylum in the UK, which prevents him from working. 'I do not have my papers,' he said. 'They were taken when I arrived. The doctor, pictured being arrested, pleaded with Home Office bosses to let him return to war torn Aleppo because he prefers Syria to Britain. Before his arrest he promised to sleep in front of Lunar House, the immigration centre in Croydon until he was returned to Syria Dr Al-Zuebi, pictured being bundled into a police van today, says he wants to fly himself back to Syria because he is used to earning 6,000-a-month and cannot support himself in the UK Desperate to go home: Earlier the Dr Al-Zuebi, pictured in front of the gates at Buckingham Palace moaned: 'I want to work and support myself and I have told them I want to be deported. I've been turning up here for several days.' 'I have not been able to stay anywhere other than five star hotels and I cannot work without my papers. 'I used to have jobs earning 6,000 a month as a doctor. In hostels the beds are bad and the food is not better than normal. 'The Home Office say it will be six months before I get my passport back. I have had to spend my nights in five star hotels like the Marriott and The Four Seasons. 'I had to sell my Rolex for 3,000 to pay for my rooms. I had membership to these hotels back in Syria so I can stay there without papers.' The refugee, who claims to have studied medicine at the University of Aleppo, argued he want to be deported and said: 'It's not a better life here. Hotel stays: The reluctant doctor's Facebook page is littered with suggestions he may be wealthy with pictures of him staying at luxury hotels. Pictured: He apparently relaxes by the pool at the Hilton Hotel in Istanbul Dr Al-Zuebi claims to have had to sell his Rolex watch, pictured left, for 3,000 to pay his hotel bills because he is prevented from working in the UK after he apparently applied for asylum. Pictured right, the plastic surgeon tries on an expensive looking white suit in Liverpool in 2013 The asylum seeking Syrian doctor moaned: 'The Home Office say it will be six months before I get my passport back. I have had to spend my nights in five star hotels like the Marriott and The Four Seasons.' An hour after his alleged rant demanding the return of his German passport, Dr Al-Zuebi , pictured in front of a black BMW at another luxury hotel, was dragged from the building by police officers , bent over and restrained by officers 'I want to work and support myself and I have told them I want to be deported. I've been turning up here for several days. 'They say they are not going to send me back to Syria. I will need to buy a British passport and book a private flight to Damascus. 'I used to fight for Assad and I am going to return to do that in Syria. Everyone says you will have a better life in the UK and it's not true. I want to go back. I would rather be back in Aleppo than stay here. I want to deport myself. 'I would tell those arriving from Calais to go back. It is better there than it is here Dr Abdulkader Majed Al-Zuebi 'It's different for minors because they can't support themselves but I'm a normal man and I can. I am going to camp out here and sleep here until I get my papers.' His Facebook page is filled with pictures of him staying at five-star hotels in London and Istanbul and a photo of a Rolex watch and pictures of him stood in front of expensive cars. An hour after his alleged rant, the doctor was dragged from the building, bent over and restrained by officers. Scotland Yard confirmed: 'At around 3.30pm officers were informed of a disturbance at Lunar House. 'They arrested man on suspicion of a public order offence. He had been remanded in a south London custody suite. Enquiries continue.' Yesterday Dr Al-Zuebi claimed he left Syria when the war started as he could not 'kill civilians' He added: 'I was put in jail, then I fled to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, then Greece, then to Germany.' As he has a German passport he was able to get into the UK legally. An hour after his alleged rant demanding the return of his German passport or travel back to Syria, Dr Al-Zuebi, was pictured being dragged away by six police officers and taken away Dr Al-Zuebi, pictured, was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence today the Home Office centre in Croydon. He vowed to sleep outside the building until being repatriated Luxury: The angry doctor, reportedly pictured here at Istanbul's Hilton Hotel, 'I want to go back. I would rather be back in Aleppo than stay here. I want to deport myself.' Back home: Despite being at the centre of intense bombing and bloodshed, Dr Al-Zuebi still says he would rather be in Aleppo, pictured, than Britain, adding: 'I would tell those arriving from Calais to go back. It is better there than it is here.' Dr Al-Zuebi highlighted his case to reporters covering the arrival of child migrants from Calais's 'Jungle' camp. He said: 'I want to go back. I would rather be back in Aleppo than stay here. I want to deport myself. 'I would tell those arriving from Calais to go back. It is better there than it is here.' Downing Street said it was 'categorically not reviewing' the situation No 10 appeared to stand by the claim this morning but May has ruled it out Hammond hinted students could be left out of migration Theresa May delivered a brutal slapdown to Chancellor Philip Hammond last night after the Government endured a chaotic 24 hours over the issue of foreign students. Mr Hammond had told MPs on Wednesday that ministers were having conversations about whether international students should be taken out of the Governments net migration target. Downing Street initially appeared to confirm that a full-scale review of the controversial scheme was under way. Theresa May, pictured this afternoon in Brussels, tonight firmly ruled out any exemption for foreign students from migration totals in a rebuke to her Chancellor But last night, following a farcical few hours of conflicting statements, the Prime Minister ordered No 10 to declare categorically that the idea was not being considered. It fuelled speculation that Mr Hammond is becoming increasingly isolated in the Cabinet because of his soft views on Brexit. In a blunt rebuke, a No 10 spokesman said: Our position on who is included in the figures has not changed, and we are categorically not reviewing whether or not students are included. Only last week, Mr Hammond refused to approve plans for a tough visa system for EU workers during Cabinet talks. And ministers have privately accused him of undermining Brexit by warning that the British economy faces a rollercoaster ride. One Cabinet minister accused him of using his party conference speech this month to deliver a tirade of negativity about Brexit. The Treasury angrily denied claims at the weekend that he had threatened to quit because of growing differences over the UKs negotiating stance with Brussels. Philip Hammond yesterday suggested to the Treasury Select Committee, pictured, that foreign students could be excluded from migration totals And Mr Hammond told MPs that he was not acting as a drag anchor on Brexit, adding: My job is to make Brexit a success. But the latest row highlights mounting Cabinet tensions as ministers try to agree the Governments priorities for the negotiations with Brussels. The tension between Mrs May and her Chancellor after just 100 days of the new government marks a dramatic change from the cosy relations between No 10 and No 11 during the Cameron-Osborne era. Mr Hammond is said to be irritated at his exclusion from the PMs daily 8.30am strategy meeting an event Mr Osborne often used to chair. Removing foreign students from the figures could have a major impact on the Governments prospects of hitting its target of reducing net migration to below 100,000 a year. '3m migrants? That's nothing' Europes leaders told Britain to stop complaining about the prospect of an extra three million migrants arriving, it emerged last night. In the EU referendum lead-up, they suggested this was a relatively limited number, and that Britain should stop demanding tighter border controls. The dismissal is revealed in a new account of David Camerons failed Brussels renegotiations. Daniel Korski, then his top EU adviser, said the ex-PM was given short shrift when he said the UK faced the influx. Mr Korski wrote on the Politico website: Our European counterparts pointed out that the number of immigrants moving to the UK was relatively limited, compared to, for example, Germany. 'As we tried to argue that the UK faced a unique set of circumstances ... we struggled to provide evidence to support our case. Advertisement Ministers pushing for the change believed it would also help Britains universities continue to attract tens of thousands of fee-paying students every year. Mr Hammond told the Commons Treasury committee on Wednesday: When the public says they have got concerns about immigration they are not talking about computer programmers, brain surgeons, senior managers... or possibly students. They are talking about people competing for entry-level jobs. Mrs May opposed the move for six years as Home Secretary. It is thought she shared concerns about the impact on public confidence. At 11am yesterday, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said: What happens in terms of the immigration process we establish as a result of exiting the EU is a matter that will be very closely scrutinised by the Government. This issue is very much a subject for review as we go through the process of exiting the EU the whole issue of migration is open to review. But the mood changed dramatically at 4.25pm, when No 10 issued a fresh statement making it clear that the subject was not up for debate. Lord Green, chairman of the influential Migration Watch think-tank, warned that taking students out of the statistics would damage the already fragile public confidence in the figures. The teenage boy from Georgia who was allegedly body-slammed to the floor by a teacher is 'emotional' after having his right leg amputated on Tuesday. Montravious Thomas, 13, was attending Edgewood Student Services Center in Columbus on September 12 when Bryant Mosley 'had to physically restrain a student... due to behavioral issues,' a Columbus Police Department report said. Renee Tucker, the attorney representing Thomas and his mother, said Mosley repeatedly threw the boy to the ground then sent him home without medical attention or telling his mom, The Ledger-Enquirer reported. The teen's amputation was performed Tuesday night in the Children's Hospital of Atlanta at Egleston as Tucker said he is 'coping.' 'He's doing OK, as much as can be expected,' Tucker said. 'He was emotional, of course, yesterday and last night. Today, he's a little better. He's still coping. Scroll down for video Montravious Thomas (pictured left and right after surgery), was attending Edgewood Student Services Center when he was allegedly body slammed to the ground three times by a teacher. He had to have his right leg amputated due to nerve damage he suffered The teen's amputation was performed Tuesday night in the Children's Hospital of Atlanta at Egleston as his family's attorney said 'he doesn't want anyone to look at his leg'. Thomas is pictured above after surgery 'Egleston has done a pretty good job, and he's getting the idea of a prosthetic in his mind. 'They're sending counselors by and showing him pictures of kids still being active (with a prosthetic leg). 'So he's getting used to the idea, but it's still emotional for him. He doesn't want anyone to look at his leg.' Thomas had his right leg amputated below the knee because some veins were severed as part of his broken tibia that provided blood flow to his foot, she added. Doctors at the hospital tried to save Thomas' leg by removing an artery from his thigh and tried to have it act like a vein, but it didn't work. Tucker also said another injury he suffered required surgery to repair his dislocated right knee. Thomas has been hospitalized since since the September 12 incident. His mother, Lawanda Thomas, lost her job working at a temporary agency because she has spent most of her time to be by her son's side at the hospital. At the time, the teen was attending the AIM program, which hosts children who have been temporarily removed from their regular schools due to disruptive behavior, when the incident happened. It was his first day at the program WTVM reported. Thomas (above) had his right leg amputated below the knee because some veins were severed as part of his broken tibia that provided blood flow to his foot Thomas (left) has been hospitalized since since the September 12 incident. His mother, Lawanda Thomas (right), lost her job working at a temporary agency because she has spent most of her time to be by her son's side at the hospital The family's lawyer Renee Tucker (left) is now preparing a $5million lawsuit in relation to the alleged altercation that happened last month Tucker said Thomas was trying to leave class to call his mom when Mosley, a behavioral specialist, stopped him. Mosley then threw him to the floor for an 'unknown reason,' Tucker said, and did it again when the boy tried to leave again. Tucker also claims that Eddie Powell, the assistant principal, saw the violence at one point, and that a school resource officer saw Thomas limping away but didn't help or file a report. The attorney also says that the school talked about calling for an ambulance, but then decided against it, and that Mosley then put the boy on a bus home without calling his family. 'We don't know the extent that the injuries were worsened by the failure to render aid and certainly by picking him up and seating him on the school bus,' Tucker told the Leger-Enquirer. 'Then they had him ride in that same school bus home without any support or stabilization of that leg.' The boy's mom took him to a Columbus hospital when he got home. He was then airlifted to an Atlanta hospital. Video courtesy of WTVM.com Since then, he has undergone four surgeries AllOnColumbus reported. He was told on Sunday that the nerve damage was so severe, his leg would have to be amputated. Tucker told AllOnColumbus: 'Doctors talked to him and his mother on Sunday and told him they were having to take his leg since they were unable to improve the flow of blood to his lower leg. 'Right now we are all concerned for his long-term health.' The family will be pursuing a lawsuit, Tucker said, and that early filing notices put the figure at $5million. A police report filed at the time cited 'behavioral issues' as the reason for Mosley having to 'physically restrain' the boy, according to WTVM. And in a statement to the press, Muscogee County School District director of communications Valerie Fuller cited safety issues for the altercation. '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,' she said. The incident occurred at Edgewood Student Services Center (above) in September during a class for disruptive teens. Teacher Bryant Mosley is no longer there She added that 'physical restraint' is allowed in Georgia schools if 'the student is an immediate danger to himself or others and (they are) not responsive to less intensive behavioral interventions including verbal directives or other de-escalation techniques.' There were no other children in the room at the time, Tucker said. The attorney also says that an insider has told her there is video footage of the alleged assault and has filed an open records request to see it. Fuller also appeared to distance the district from Mosley, saying that he was not hired directly by them. 'Bryant Mosley was provided by Mentoring and Behavioral Services, a contract service provider, to the Muscogee County School District,' she said in her statement. 'Mr Mosley is not presently providing services to the Muscogee County School District. 'Mr Mosley is specifically trained in MindSet curriculum, a system of preventing and managing aggressive behavior, and Georgia restraint requirements.' The teacher is no longer working at the school, Fuller said, although it isn't known when that decision was made. Mentoring and Behavioral Services' (MBS) website says that it provides Autism, Aspergers, ADHD, and behavioral services in Columbus and Phenix City. Bryant has not been charged with any crimes related to the incident involving Thomas (pictured above) The site says it is a 'client focused organization that specializes in individualizing holistic behavioral approaches to produce a healthy and productive environment that fosters positive growth.' It says that it follows the 'wholesome values' including compassion, caring, honesty and integrity. It is currently 'accepting clients between the ages of 2-18 that have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum.' When asked whether Bryant was still employed by MBS, Dailymail.com was directed to the company's Rob Poydasheff, who declined to comment. ' At this point, we are still in the early stages of investigating the events which occurred and I have advised my client not to comment or speculate on the matter until we have completed our investigation,' he wrote. 'We are certainly very concerned for Montravious and our hearts go out to him. He and his family are in our thoughts as prayers.' Bryant has not been charged with any crimes related to the incident, according to WTVM. Clinton has her surrogates on the trail in battleground states as well - Bill, Chelsea , Barack and Michelle Obama and some celebrity Hillary Clinton will blitz the swing states over the next several days in a bid to run up the vote score before Election Day. Clinton and her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, will each speak at a dinner in New York City tonight. The Democratic White House contender will begin a five-day stretch of campaign travel on Friday, beginning with a rally in Cleveland, Ohio. 'No more debates. No more naps,' she told reporters Wednesday evening before an over-night flight from Las Vegas to New York. Saturday Clinton will link up with running mate Tim Kaine for two stops in Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Sunday she'll campaign in North Carolina with her 'Mothers of the Movement,' women whose children were killed with guns. On the docket Monday: a rally with Elizabeth Warren in New Hampshire. She'll head to Florida for two days of events after that. Scroll down for video Hillary Clinton will blitz the swing states over the next several days in a bid to run up the vote score before Election Day Clinton's campaign has not said where she'll be on Thursday and Friday of next week, but communications director Jennifer Palmieri suggested to journalists traveling with the campaign to Las Vegas that there will be events on those days, too. In fits and spurts Clinton has taken her message to Nevada, Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Iowa and Michigan in recent weeks. But she's had several batches of 'down' days, as well, that she used to prepare for the three general election debates. 'You dont like to have to take a lot of time off of the trail to do that, but we have found that that is very worthwhile,' Palmieri said Friday, explaining the campaign's decision to keep Clinton at home until the debate. The senior campaign aide promised a more frenetic pace after the candidates' final showdown, yesterday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 'In between the debates it's been aggressive, and you should expect it to be even more aggressive,' she said, arguing that Clinton have 'covered a lot of ground' in spite of the rally-free prep days. Trump has ruthlessly went after Clinton, who holds fewer rallies than he does, for a lack of 'strength' and 'stamina.' 'Hillary Clinton is taking the day off again, she needs the rest,' he taunted in September. 'Sleep well Hillary see you at the debate!' 'No more debates. No more naps,' she told reporters Wednesday evening before an over-night flight from Las Vegas to New York Mocking her in July, the 70-year-old billionaire said, 'Shell go home, shell take a nap for four or five hours, and shell come back. 'No naps for Trump, no naps. I dont take naps. We dont have time.' Neither does Clinton, anymore, apparently. She swatted back at Trump for his 'naps' comments Wednesday night from her campaign plane. Her campaign said afterward that she was being sarcastic. Nationally, Clinton is six points ahead of Trump on average in a four-way race with Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. It's roughly the same when they face off. Trump is pulling out front in the crucial battleground state of Ohio, which has went the winner in every presidential election after 1968. An Emerson survey that was released on Wednesday showed Clinton with a four-point advantage in Pennsylvania and an eight-point lead in New Hampshire. Quinnipiac University's latest poll of Florida also showed positive signs for Clinton. She's four points up there. After Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine dash through Pennsylvania Saturday, Vice President Joe Biden will drop in for rallies in Pittsburgh, on Tuesday. He'll be in Wilkes-Barre, minutes away from his childhood hometown of Scranton, on Friday. Today he campaigned in New Hampshire President Barack Obama is in Miami today for a Clinton rally and a White House event on healthcare. His next campaign stop is Sunday, in Las Vegas Bill Clinton is acting as the welcome wagon in Florida. He's on a two-day bus tour of the states tomorrow and Saturday. The Clintons are pictured at a debate watch party last night in Las Vegas The margins of error in some of the polls is nearly as large as the gap between Trump and Clinton, however, and her campaign plans to inundate the four states over the next days 10 days. Chelsea Clinton will get out the early vote at three events on Wednesday in Ohio in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. Rock band The National will throw a concert in Cincinnati, too. After Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine dash through Pennsylvania Saturday, Vice President Joe Biden will drop in for rallies in Pittsburgh, on Tuesday, and Wilkes-Barre, minutes away from his childhood hometown of Scranton, next Friday. Bon Jovi is also being dispatched to Pittsburgh for a 'Love Trumps hate' concert next Thursday. Katy Perry will serenade potential voters in Philadelphia next Saturday. Bon Jovi is also being dispatched to Pittsburgh for a 'Love Trumps hate' concert next Thursday. Katy Perry will serenade potential voters in Philadelphia next Saturday. Above she performs at the Democratic National Convention in July Biden campaigned for Clinton today in Nashua, New Hampshire, while Bill Clinton delivered remarks in support of his wife in Nevada. Bill is also acting as the welcome wagon in Florida. He's on a two-day bus tour of the states tomorrow and Saturday. Kaine will follow in his footsteps on Sunday and Monday and Hillary arrives Tuesday. Bon Jovi will hold a second concert for Clinton next Friday in Tampa. Jennifer Lopez will cap off the week with a performance that promotes Clinton a week from Saturday in Miami. President Barack Obama is in Miami today for a Clinton rally and a White House event on healthcare. His next campaign stop is Sunday, in Las Vegas. Kaine is in North Carolina today. His wife, Anne Holton, and Second Lady Jill Biden will do their part at events in Fayettville and Jacksonville, North Carolina, on Saturday. First Lady Michelle Obama is testing the waters for Clinton in Phoenix, Arizona, today. The Republican-leaning state moved to a toss-up this week and could be scooped up by Clinton on Nov. 8 even as incumbent Senator and 2008 GOP presidential nominee John McCain wins his re-election there. Clinton's campaign made a surprise announcement this morning that it would be adding Miley Cyrus to its cast of surrogates this weekend. Donald Trump threw a head-fake at the nation on Thursday, stopping short of saying he will concede the November election to Hillary Clinton if he doesn't emerge victorious. 'I want to make a major announcement today,' he began his speech at a campaign rally in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. 'I would like to promise and pledge to all my voters and supporters, and to all the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win.' Applause rang out as Trump fans let out a sigh of relief at the sound of their hero sticking to his guns. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Double down: Donald Trump used a rally in the swing state of Ohio to promise to accept the election result - with a crucial caveat: 'If I win.' Cheered: The crowd at the Delaware, Ohio, rally was ecstatic as Trump refused to back down on the results and said: 'We want fairness.' Trump generated countless headlines, and condemnation from Democrats, for saying in Wednesday's final presidential debate that he would take a wait-and-see approach to accepting the election result doesn't go his way. On Thursday he claimed fraud could run rampant and insisted he would decide later whether to put up a fight if the election . 'Of course I would accept a clear election result,' Trump said, 'but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result.' 'We want fairness in the election,' he boomed, citing Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta saying in a hacked and leaked email that illegal immigrants can vote as long as they have drivers licenses.' 'What I'm saying,' Trump added, thinking out loud in a suddenly hushed voice, 'is, "Don't be naive, folks. Don't be naive".' President Obama blasted Trump's comments at a rally for Hillary Clinton in Miami hours after Trump doubled fueled the fiery opposition with his latest comments. 'This is just more than the usual standard lie,' Obama said, speaking at length about Trump's escalating comments about a rigged election and fraud. 'I want everyone to pay attention here. That is dangerous,' Obama said. 'When you try to sew the seeds of doubt in peoples minds that undermines our democracy,' he said. 'That is dangerous,' President Obama said of Trump's comments about a rigged election Obama also mocked Trump's claims of voter fraud, citing an academic study showing minimal actual fraud over a period of 14 years. 'You are much likelier to get struck by lighting than to have somebody next to you commit voter fraud,' Obama said. ;Youd [sooner] win the power ball' Obama said. 'Here in America, we believe in democracy and we accept the will of the people,' Obama told the crowd. Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Trump critic who was the Republican Party's presidential nominee eight years ago, lit into Trump on Thursday over his reluctance to concede defeat if he comes up short. 'I didnt like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance,' McCain in a statement. 'A concession isnt just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leaders first responsibility.' Not impressed: Arizona Sen. John McCain, the GOP's 2008 presidential nominee who immediately conceded his loss to Barack obama, blasted Trump for not following suit I won't back down: On Thursday Trump claimed fraud could run rampant and insisted he would decide later whether to put up a fight if the election doesn't shake out his way McCain's words tracked slightly with Trump's claims about voter fraud, saying there have been 'irregularities' in previous elections. But he insisted no results have been changed because of them. 'I don't know whos going to win the presidential election. I do know that in every previous election, the loser congratulates the winner and calls them, "my president",' McCain jabbed. 'Thats not just the Republican way or the Democratic way. Its the American way.' Trump, however, suggested during Wednesday's debate that the principle of 'one person, one vote' is equally American and declared that the U.S. voting system is broken. He cited statistics from the Pew Research Center showing 24 million voter registrations in the United States that are questionable, including those of deceased Americans whose names haven't been removed from the voter rolls. '1.8 million people are dead but they're registered to vote,' Trump told about 1,200 Ohioans, 'some of whom vote even though they're dead.' 'Which is really a hard thing to do! But it's easy if fraud is involved.' 'One was a Republican,' he said, 'and after death became a Democrat. It's true.' Trump also cited numbers showing that '2.8 million people are registered in more than one state' and '14 per cent of noncitizens are registered to vote.' 'You understand where I'm coming from, right?' he asked. Challenging a presidential election would be a difficult feat unless one or two states' vote tallies were split evenly enough to be contested with recounts and court cases. That's what happened in 2000 when Democrat Al Gore refused to accept a loss in Florida, the state that ultimately put Republican George W. Bush in the White House. After an automatic recount, triggered by a near-50-50 result, Gore appealed to the state Supreme Court, which sided with him and declared that additional recounting should continue. The Bush camp filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately sided with the Republican and overruled Florida's high court. On election night, Gore famously called Bush to congratulate him before making a second call to take it back. Debate moment: Chris Wallace, the debate moderator on Wednesday night, asked Trump to promise to accept the outcome of the election. But he declined saying: 'I will look at it at the time.' 'Horrifying': Hillary Clinton pounced on the Republican's position on the election results as he dropped the bombshell at the debate And he never conceded that he lost Florida only that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision was final. This time around, Trump could stall the appointment of presidential electors the people who actually cast the final votes reflecting the way their state elections ended up until state-level elections are certified by election officials. SWING STATES WHERE VOTE COULD END UP IN COURT FLORIDA Why? 2000 crisis over hanging chads ended up in Supreme Court - and it could happen again. NEW MEXICO Why? 2000 voting margin was even tighter than in Florida, and this time a close race could put make its electoral college votes key. NEVADA, COLORADO, UTAH Why? Illegal immigrants here can get driver licenses. If an illegal then used it as proof of ID to vote, that could be used to challenge the outcome. PENNSYLVANIA Why? Aging voting machines are already a concern. A close margin could see their decrepitude used to sue. OHIO Why? John Kerry in 2004 said the state had voting problems with machines not working properly. His claims could be used to challenge a close result. Advertisement If enough states' results are in question after polls close, the process could drag out for days or weeks. And lawyers from both parties would descend on the affected states like locusts, poring through ballots to search for advantages. However, if Trump or Clinton has an Electoral College lead large enough that swinging razor-thin margins in one or two states wouldn't change who wins the White House, there would be no point in fighting the inevitable. In 2000 the voting margin in New Mexico was even narrower than in Florida. Gore won the state's five electoral votes, but they wouldn't have been enough to give either candidate the magic number of 270. So the nation's attention focused on the Sunshine State instead. But even if Trump lost by a sizable number of electoral votes, his campaign could still pull the trigger on an unusual long-shot approach: arguing that some state laws governing elections are flawed or unconstitutional. Issues on the table might include the lack of voter ID laws in some states, although it would be a tough hill to climb. In August the Supreme Court struck down a North Carolina law that required IDs to vote, agreeing with the U.S. Justice Department's claim that it put minorities at a disadvantage. Voters must show IDs to vote in more than 30 states. Their laws weren't affected by the August ruling. But results in even some of those states could be questioned if it can be shown that non-citizens with driver's licenses slipped through the cracks and cast ballots. Throwback Thursday: Trump's decision to only accept a victory as valid has led to his aides citing Al Gore's example. He conceded the presidency on December 13 - after losing at the Supreme Court Words could come back to haunt him: Leaked emails sent by John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman, could be used by the Trump campaign in litigation Twelve states and the District of Columbia currently allow illegal immigrants to get licenses if they can show a foreign birth certificate or passport. They include Nevada and Colorado, two key battleground states where close voting margins could lead to a new kind of constitutional fight. With Utah in play for the first time in decades, the Beehive State's loose driver's licensing standards could also be challenged. Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta wrote in 2015 that illegal immigrants who come to polling places in 'voter ID' states and lie about their citizenship could easily vote. 'If you show up on Election Day with a drivers license with a picture, attest that you are a citizen, you have a right to vote in Federal elections,' he wrote to campaign adviser Joel Benenson in an email published this week by WikiLeaks. Thousands of emails were hacked from Podesta's account in a coordinated action the Clinton campaign says was orchestrated by Russian intelligence operators. Fighting illegal immigration has been one of Trump's consistent campaign themes. Clinton has sided with so-called 'dreamers' and other unlawful border-crossers, hinting at a path to citizenship if she becomes president. Trump's lawyers could challenge vote totals in touch-screen machines if they had evidence that they were unreliable. New York police have discovered the remains of a fifth teenager from a Long Island community. Suffolk County Police said Thursday the death of 18-year-old Jose Pena-Hernandez, of Brentwood, was being investigated as a homicide. The teen's body was found in a wooded area near the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death. Pena-Hernandez had been missing since June 13, and was a known member of the street gang MS-13. The skeletal remains of Jose Pena-Hernandez, 18, were found near the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center on Sunday. The known gang member had been missing since June The discovery comes after four Brentwood high school teens were found dead within the past six weeks, all suspected victims of gang violence. The first body was discovered on September 16, and identified as 19-year-old Oscar Acosta, who had been missing since May 2. Then came the body of Miguel Garcia Moran, 15, which was found on September 21. Moran had been missing since February 20. Pena-Hernandez's death is just a series of teen murders that have been plaguing the community of Brentwood, Long Island. Last month, authorities found the bodies of 19-year-old Oscar Acosta (left) and 15-year-old Miguel Garcia Moran (right) Officials say both of the young men had been killed as a result of gang violence. Also last month, best friends Nissa Mickens, 15, and Kayla Cuevas, 16, were found dead just a day apart. Mickens body was found brutally beaten on a tree-line street in the town, on the day before her 16th birthday. The next day, Cuevas body was found in a similar manner, in a wooded backyard of a nearby home. Best friends Kayla Cuevas, 16 (left), and Nissa Mickens, 15 (right), were found beaten to death a day apart last month as well Cueves was reportedly in conflict with another student known to be a member of MS-13, and investigators are looking into whether the gang may have been involved in her death. And earlier this month, 34-year-old Dewann Stacks was found dead on a road about a mile from where Mickens' body was found. Police are also investigating whether gang violence may be to blame. Police didn't immediately know if Pena-Hernandez attended the Brentwood school. Anyone with information on any of these crimes is being asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. A slum landlord has been fined 162,000 after 18 people were found living in a multi-million pound four-bedroom flat opposite Hyde Park. Abbas Rasul, 64, who owned the flat in Kensington, London, charged an average of 800 a month in rent from each tenant, earning him nearly 15,000 a month. They were all squeezed into the converted four-bedroom flat in the mansion in Hyde Park Gate where flats can sell for more than 5million. The house in Kensington is next door to the Dutch embassy and near the 23m house where Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965. Abbas Rasul, 64, who owned the flat in Kensington, London, charged an average of 800 a month in rent from each tenant, earning him nearly 15,000 a month They were all squeezed into the converted four-bedroom flat in the mansion in Hyde Park Gate where flats can sell for more than 5million The house in Kensington is next door to the Dutch embassy and near the 23m house where Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965 Many of the tenants living there were believed to be migrant workers who work at some of the capital's luxury hotels and the flat's problems only came to light after one complained about conditions. Council officers found it had been subdivided into small units using flimsy plasterboard partitions and comprised of 14 rooms. Pictures of the property show parts of the ceiling collapsed, a washing machine and dryer shoved into the bathroom and other white goods in the hallway. Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard there were no fire doors, smoke detectors or alarms in the 'unsafe' property, some rooms lacked basic lighting and there was only one kitchen. The flat was also said to be a serious fire hazard, with a cracked flue on its unserviced gas boiler. There were also no fire doors, smoke detectors or alarms in the overcrowded flat which had one kitchen shared by all the tenants. Many of the tenants living there were believed to be migrant workers who work at some of the capital's luxury hotels and the flat's problems only came to light after one complained about conditions Council officers found it had been subdivided into small units using flimsy plasterboard partitions and comprised of 14 rooms An order by environmental health officers requested all the tenants to leave within 28 days. The Fire Service inspected the building and would only allow tenants to remain in the flat if a 24 hour on site manager was provided by the landlord. Rasul and his companies, Grosvenor Property Investments Ltd and London Victoria Estates Ltd, were found guilty of failing to license a house in multiple occupation earlier this month. They were also found to be in breach of 22 housing regulations. Rasul of The Quadrangle, Cambridge Square in Paddington, west London, and his companies were fined a total of 162,000 and ordered to pay 3,498 in costs. In sentencing the magistrates said there had been a 'lack of compliance over considerable amount of time and an attempt to obstruct officers in their investigations.' An order by environmental health officers requested all the tenants to leave within 28 days The Fire Service inspected the building and would only allow tenants to remain in the flat if a 24 hour on site manager was provided by the landlord The council say it is believed the building has now been renovated. Abbas did not appear in court but was found guilty of the offences in his absence They added: 'There is evidence of substantial disregard of their obligation to protect the tenants whilst they are living at the property.' Deputy leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, Rock Feilding-Mellen, said: 'This type of landlord has no place anywhere, and in Kensington and Chelsea we will do our utmost to crack down on them. 'Tenants were living in crowded conditions created by illegal and unsafe alterations.' Neighbour Melanie Taylor said: 'The comings and goings were ridiculous. There were so many people arriving and leaving with suitcases - the landlord was clearly cramming them in and it amounted to years of hell for us. 'The building used to be split into family apartments, but that all changed. This is an embassy district and he was running a downmarket hostel. We were all very angry about it.' The council say it is believed the building has now been renovated. HCSO Uniformed Services Captain Lynn Triplett and Sheriff Ray Nash Pictured, left to right: HCSO Chief Deputy Allen Branum, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, CPD Chief Fred Fletcher, HCSO Sheriff Jim Hammond, U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, and Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke Pictured, left to right: HCSO Sheriff Jim Hammond, Guest Speaker Ray Nash, and CPD Chief Fred Fletcher Members of the CPD and HCSO Honor Guard Presenting the Colors Hamilton County Sheriffs Office Corrections Cadets with Congressman Chuck Fleischmann CPD and HCSO Honor Guard Pictured, left to right: HCSO deputies and Honor Guard members, Brevin Cameron and Marcus Dotson Previous Next Over 400 members of law enforcement, community stakeholders, elected officials, and members of the business community had the opportunity to attend the 2016 AEGIS Law Enforcement Foundations 2016 Annual Luncheon on Tuesday. "This years guest speaker was sheriff and internationally renowned law enforcement expert, Ray Nash. With more than 37 years of law enforcement experience, Sheriff Nash retired in 2009 after serving three terms as the elected sheriff of Dorchester County, S.C. to pursue an overseas mission. For more than three years, Sheriff Nash supported the international police reform effort in Afghanistan as the criminal justice advisor for the US Embassy in Kabul and the professional development director for the International Police Coordination board. Most recently, Mr. Nash founded Focal Point Investigations where he serves as its CEO and chief investigator. "Sheriff Nash offered a motivating call to law enforcement and the community. His message was very timely and spoke to ways to help heal the divide that is growing in some parts of our country between law enforcement and citizens. He also spoke about what it takes to serve and to be an honorable and upstanding law enforcement officer and the importance of community support. "The AEGIS Law Enforcement Foundation seeks to build community partnerships between local law enforcement and the business community in Hamilton County in order to help raise funds to purchase important equipment and training necessary for our local law enforcement personnel. "Most recently, the AEGIS Law Enforcement Foundation, in cooperation with many business partners, was able to secure funding for a new, state-of-the-art Firearms Training Simulator and purchase bullet-proof vests for our local law enforcement K-9s in Hamilton County. "Yesterdays event was well attended and continues to strengthen our communitys relationship between local law enforcement and the business community," officials said. She was initially arrested in June and released on bond, but in August she was re-arrested for failing to comply with judge's orders and let him and his friends spend the night Officials said Carrier had sex with the 15-year-old boy on multiple occasions She is required to register as a sex offender and have no contact with the victim or his family parish jail and got a suspended sentence of eight years in a state prison Mom jailed: Rachel Carrier, 35, a mother-of-five from Louisiana, has been sentenced to a year in jail for repeatedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy A mother-of-five from Louisiana has been sentenced to a year in jail for repeatedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy during her alcohol-fueled house parties. Rachel Carrier, 35, of Bogalusa, learned her fate last Thursday, two weeks after she pleaded guilty to six counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Authorities said Carrier had multiple sexual encounters with the unnamed 15-year-old boy and sometimes had him and his friends spend the night at her home. During those sleepovers, Carrier let the teens smoke and drink alcohol. A district judge last week sentenced Carrier to eight years in a state prison but suspended that portion of her punishment, as long as she complies with several conditions, reported Nola.com. The woman will serve a year in the Washington Parish jail, followed by five years of probation. She also will have to registered a sex offender and seek court-mandated mental health counselling. Carrier will receive time-served credit for the eight months she has spent behind bars since her arrest this summer. As part of her sentencing, Judge Martin Coady prohibited Carrier from having any contact with the teenage victim, members of his family, or other unsupervised minors, except for her own relatives. Carrier was initially arrested on June 28 and was released two days later on $30,000 bond with specific orders not to have any contact with the victim. Instead of abiding by the terms of her release, Carrier continued having drug and alcohol-fueled sexual binges with teenagers, including the one she was ordered to stay away from, the sheriff's office said. As a result of her indiscretions, Carrier, who has three teenage daughters, was re-arrested on August 12 on three felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Britain's first ever gorilla born by C-section has been introduced to the adult female that zookepers hope will raise her as her own. Afia, an eight-month-old western lowland gorilla, was introduced to Romina, a 36-year-old female, at Bristol Zoo last Wednesday. Zookeepers held their breath as adorable Afia approached Romina for the first time, hoping that the older gorilla will take on the infant's much-needed maternal role. Britain's first ever gorilla born by C-section has been introduced to the adult female that zookepers hope will raise her as her own Afia, an eight-month-old western lowland gorilla, was introduced to Romina, a 36-year-old female, at Bristol Zoo last Wednesday The meeting has been a huge success for the zoo's gorilla keepers, who have dedicated their time to caring for Afia since her birth in February this year. Complications meant that Afia was delivered by emergency C-section and consequently she could not be raised by her biological mother. After Afia's birth, her mother Kera was not well enough look after her baby. Since she has recovered, she has been unable to strike a bond with Afia as she does not realise the little one is hers. Kera remains at the zoo in a separate enclosure and is slowly being taken off her medication. Before last week, keepers at Bristol zoo had been playing parent to the primate, including feeding her and teaching her natural gorilla instincts. According to keepers, who have been monitoring the pair closely, the gorillas are getting on well and are now spending 24-hours a day together. Initial introductions began last week and the pair were separated by mesh. Zookeepers held their breath as adorable Afia approached Romina for the first time, hoping that the older gorilla will take on the infant's much-needed maternal role Romina's den was opened just enough for little Afia to get through while staff monitored closely Eventually Romina's den was opened just enough for little Afia to get through while staff monitored closely. Bristol Zoo's Curator of Mammals, Lynsey Bugg, said: 'Since day one of Afia's hand rearing, we have been planning on introducing Afia into the group. Within her first year to avoid imprinting and a lack of knowledge of gorilla-specific behaviour later in life. 'We had strong indications that both Romina and Afia were ready - Afia was physically and mentally strong enough and Romina was enjoying watching her through the mesh. 'We are absolutely thrilled that they are now bonding and getting on so well. We could tell that both were unsure at first, but they have grown to trust and understand each other. Afia, at six months old playing at Bristol Zoo with her keeper Joanne Rudd in August this year 'It is obviously a very emotional time for her keepers, who have dedicated so much of their time to raising her, but we are all very relieved. This is the exact outcome we were hoping for at this stage' Over the past few months keepers trained Romina to bring a cuddly toy gorilla to the mesh for feeding as well as to put the fake baby in a box and walk away, if keepers needed to intervene. All training was successful and keepers were confident that Romina, who had shown huge maternal instincts towards Afia since birth, was ready to meet little Afia. Now that Afia and Romina have bonded, and are spending 24-hours a day together, keepers say further introductions with the rest of the troop will begin to take place. Police are becoming increasingly concerned about a 15-year-old girl who disappeared after leaving school in Lancaster. Elin Bland has not been seen or heard from since Wednesday afternoon, which detectives say is 'extremely out of character'. The teenager was last seen at around midday leaving Chadwick High School, Mainway, in the Skerton area of the city. Lancaster schoolgirl Elin Bland has not been seen or heard from since Wednesday afternoon, which detectives say is 'extremely out of character'. The teenager was last seen at around midday leaving Chadwick High School, Mainway, in the Skerton area of the city She was reported missing a short time later after the taxi driver waiting to take her home informed the school she had not turned up. Elin, of Bay Horse, Lancaster, has not made contact with friends or family since. A spokesman for Lancaster Police said: 'Elin left school at her usual time but did not make it to the taxi which was waiting directly outside. Elin was reported missing a short time later after the taxi driver waiting to take her home informed the school she had not turned up 'She has not been seen or heard from since, which is extremely out of character for her. 'If you believe you have seen Elin or know where she may be, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. 'We would urge also Elin, if she sees this appeal, to make contact with either her family or us.' Elin is described as white, of slim build, with brown eyes and very long, dark brown hair. She was last seen wearing a black jumper, black trousers, a grey hoodie and black shoes. Scientists at the base evacuated after they ate infected polar bear meat island base was used by Nazis during Second World War A secret Nazi base in the Arctic abandoned after scientists ate infected polar bear meat has been unearthed. The mysterious site, named Schatzgraber or Treasure Hunter by Hitler's underlings, was constructed in 1942 - a year after the Third Reich invaded Russia. Russian researchers have now rediscovered the military base, which the former garrison evacuated by U-boat after eating infected polar bear meat. Scroll down for video Fragments of munitions, like this bullet,were found at the former Nazi base in the Arctic, which scientists fled after its founding in 1942 after infection spread following staff eating bear meat The 'Treasure Finder' base was set up in the remote Arctic by Hitler's forces, used to gather weather information - and, as its name suggests, perhaps unearth special artefacts The base could have been part of a mission to find ancient artefacts. More than 500 objects were recovered form the site as Russian scientists explored the former Nazi compound located in Alexandra Land, an island around 1,000 kilometres from the North Pole. On the barren moonscape of the isolated island, relics of the Second World War can be seen, with shells and other fragments of the conflict lying on the shale. The ruins of bunkers, discarded petrol canisters and even paper documents have also been discovered, preserved in the intense cold. Alexandra Land, named for a lady in the Russian nobility, lies in the extreme north within the Arctic Circle. It was disputed by a number of nations, including Norway, for its access to whaling territory. Between 1930 and 1990 the Nazi weather station was the only fixed presence on the barren island. Scraps from the abandoned base were found by researchers exploring the site, which is located in the territory of Russia The spot became strategically important in WWII because of the weather reports it produced - helping military operations and transport in the far north. Allied forces occupied most suitable sites for polar weather reports, so the Nazis landed a small group of observers on Alexandra Land. Supplies for the men at the remote post were dropped by air. In 1944 all of the men at he base ate raw polar bear meat, which resulted in disease from roundworms living in the infected flesh. A U-boat had to rescue the scientists posted there after infection ravaged their base. The island became more strategically significant during the Cold War, when American and Russia vied for control of the Arctic, and the regions mineral wealth became apparent. Advertisement In one house, dust and rubble surround the entrance to a tunnel in a room with a gaping hole in the upper wall. Another picture shows a kitchen, with doors and cupboards left open, and a fridge covered with cartoon stickers. These properties, on the outskirts of Mosul, once housed ISIS fighters and what few possessions they had. Now the buildings have been recaptured by Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces. Abandoned in the heat of battle, many are littered with detritus including coffee cups, crockery and crutches. Scroll down for video An abandoned ISIS tunnel in a house on the outskirts of Mosul. This is one of many properties used by the Islamic State - but now, it has been recaptured by Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces So far, advancing Kurdish troops have moved through villages outside the city, finding abandoned houses rigged with explosives and underground bunkers In some cases, Islamic State fighters appear to have fled without putting up a fight. 'We did not face resistance from Daesh. They are retreating to Mosul and to Syria. They gave no resistance,' one peshmerga soldier said ISIS swept into Mosul and other parts of northern Iraq in 2014 and has used extreme violence to administer a self-proclaimed caliphate there and in parts of neighbouring Syria Abandoned in the heat of battle, many of the homes are littered with detritus including coffee cups, crockery and crutches So far, advancing Kurdish troops have moved through villages outside the city, finding abandoned houses rigged with explosives and underground bunkers. In some cases, Islamic State fighters appear to have fled without putting up a fight. 'We did not face resistance from Daesh. They are retreating to Mosul and to Syria. They gave no resistance,' one peshmerga soldier said. Daesh is an Arabic acronym for Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which swept into Mosul and other parts of northern Iraq in 2014 and has used extreme violence to administer a self-proclaimed caliphate there and in parts of neighbouring Syria. 'The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL's movements,' the Kurdish general military command said in a statement announcing the launch of Thursday's operations. At dawn on Thursday, howitzer and mortar fire began - hitting a group of villages held by Islamic State about six to 12 miles from Mosul, while helicopters flew overhead, according to Reuters reporters at two frontline locations north and east of Mosul A U.S.-led coalition that includes France, Italy, Britain, Canada and other Western nations is providing air and ground support to the forces that are closing in on the city in an operation that began on Monday Mosul is the last big stronghold held by Islamic State in Iraq and around five times the size of any other city the group has held 'The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL's movements,' the Kurdish general military command said in a statement announcing the launch of Thursday's operations Jihadist are said to have run around 'like rats' as they emerged from network of tunnels to surprise the soldiers with suicide attacks. There are fears they will use chemical weapons, snipers, and booby traps to desperately defend their position. However, the offensive to seize back Mosul from Islamic State is going faster than planned, Iraq's prime minister said on Thursday. Iraqi and Kurdish forces launched a new military operation to clear villages such as this one on the city's outskirts. Howitzer and mortar fire started at dawn, hitting a group of villages held by Islamic State about six to 12 miles from Mosul, while helicopters flew overhead, according to Reuters reporters at two frontline locations north and east of Mosul. To the sound of machine gun fire and explosions, dozens of black Humvees of the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), mounted with machine guns, headed towards Bartella, an abandoned Christian village just east of Mosul. The push to capture it is expected to become the biggest battle fought in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion Kurdish Peshmerga forces inspect a tunnel inside one of the abandoned houses Some 1.5million residents are still believed to be inside Mosul, and Islamic State fighters have a history of using civilians as human shields Iraqi soldiers raised their weapons in celebration today on the outskirts of Mosul as Islamic State's hold on the city continues to crumble Militants were using suicide car-bombs, roadside bombs and snipers to resist the attack, and were pounding surrounding areas with mortars, a CTS commander said. Hours later, the head of Iraq's Special Forces, Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati, told reporters at a command centre near the frontline that troops had surrounded Bartella and entered the centre of the village. Two soldiers were hurt and none killed, and they had killed at least 15 militants, he said. A cloud of black smoke wreathed some frontline villages, probably caused by oil fires, a tactic the militants use to escape air surveillance. The fighting around Mosul has forced 5,640 people to flee their homes in the last three days, most in the past 24 hours, according to the International Organization for Migration. Iraqi troops wait for an attack to begin against the jihadists' last major stronghold in the country Iraqi and Kurdish forces (above) have launched a new military operation to clear villages on the city's outskirts The United Nations says Mosul could require the biggest humanitarian relief operation in the world, with worst-case scenario forecasts of up to a million people being uprooted by the battle A U.S.-led coalition that includes France, Italy, Britain, Canada and other Western nations is providing air and ground support to the forces that are closing in on the city in an operation that began on Monday. Mosul is the last big stronghold held by Islamic State in Iraq and around five times the size of any other city the group has held. The push to capture it is expected to become the biggest battle fought in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The United Nations says Mosul could require the biggest humanitarian relief operation in the world, with worst-case scenario forecasts of up to a million people being uprooted by the battle. Some 1.5 million residents are still believed to be inside the city, and Islamic State fighters have a history of using civilians as human shields. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said controls were being put in place to check jihadists were not trying to insert themselves among those fleeing Mosul. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte announced his 'separation' from the United States on Thursday saying it was time to say 'goodbye'. 'America has lost now,' Duterte said in China's Great Hall of the People. 'Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend,' he said Wednesday of the US. 'No more American interference. No more American exercises. What for?' Duterte also declared that he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks. Scroll down for video Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte (left) announced his 'separation' from the United States on Thursday saying it was time to say 'goodbye'. He declared that he also realigned with China. Zhang Dejiang (right), Standing Committee chairman of the National People's Congress Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate 'I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to [President Vladimir] Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way.' It's believed Duterte was referring to US military presence in his country, but the Philippines president added: 'I will not go to America anymore. I will just be insulted there.' Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate. His efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30. Duterte's trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said $13.5 billion in deals would be signed during the China trip. His remarks will prompt fresh concern in the US, where the Obama administration has seen Manila as an important ally in its 'rebalance' of resources to Asia in the face of a rising China. The administration agreed a deal with Duterte's predecessor granting US forces rotational access to bases in the Philippines and further doubts will be raised about the future of this arrangement. In Washington, however, the White House stressed the traditional bonds between the US and the Philippines in response to Duterte's comments and stuck to a US approach of seeking to play down his repeated verbal attacks. Duterte's tone towards Beijing is a stark contrast to the language he used against the US, after being criticized about his bloody war on drugs. He has called President Barack Obama a 'son of a b***h' and told him to 'go to hell', while alluding to severing ties with the old colonial power Duterte also said he may got to 'Russia to talk to [President Vladimir] Putin (pictured) and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia' 'The US.-Philippine alliance is built on a 70-year history, rich people to people ties and a long list of shared security concerns,' White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters. 'We have not received any official requests from Filipino officials to alter any of our many issues where we bilaterally cooperate.' Schultz said the White House does not view Manila's relationship with China as a 'zero sum game'. 'We believe that it's in our national security interests when our partners and allies in the region have strong relationships with China,' he said. A few hours after Duterte's speech, his top economic policymakers released a statement saying that, while Asian economic integration was 'long overdue', that did not mean the Philippines was turning its back on the West. 'We will maintain relations with the West but we desire stronger integration with our neighbours,' said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a joint statement. 'We share the culture and a better understanding with our region.' Duterte's abrupt pivot from US to Beijing is unlikely to be popular at home as an opinion poll showed Tuesday that Filipinos still trust the US far more than China Following their meeting, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said the South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations. 'The two sides agreed that they will do what they agreed five years ago, that is to pursue bilateral dialogue and consultation in seeking a proper settlement of the South China Sea issue,' Liu said. China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. In 2012, China seized the disputed Scarborough Shoal and denied Philippine fishermen access to its fishing grounds. Liu said the shoal was not mentioned and he did not answer a question about whether Philippine fishermen would be allowed there. He said both countries had agreed on coastguard and fisheries cooperation, but did not give details. Duterte's tone towards Beijing is in stark contrast to the language he has used against the US, after being infuriated by America's criticism of his bloody war on drugs. He has called U.S. President Barack Obama a 'son of a b***h' and told him to 'go to hell', while alluding to severing ties with the old colonial power. In 2015, as Hillary Clinton was preparing to extract herself from the Clinton Foundation amidst an onslaught of bad publicity as she launched her presidential campaign, the Demoratic candidate favored an approach that allowed foreign donations to keep pouring in, according to a leaked email from her campaign chair. Throughout the run-up to the campaign, the foundation drew intense scrutiny for posing potential conflicts of interest for Hillary Clinton when she had served as secretary of state notwithstanding a procedure imposed by the Obama administration meant to sort through potential conflicts. There were presented in an email distributed by Clinton Foundation programming official Maura Pally, which got the memo into the hands of Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, who has had thousands of emails hacked from his gmail account. Hillary Clinton favored allowing the Clinton Foundation to keep taking foreign donations, a new hacked internal email reveals The document, called 'Proposed Foundation Changes,' lays out options for moving forward and state's Hillary Clinton's preference. 'Secretary Clintons preference is for the Foundation to continue to accept foreign government contributions, but to significantly increase disclosure,' according to the memo. 'She does not want to limit the Foundations ability to operate programs now or in the future. We could go further and say the programs are already funded (listing out current funders) and we are not expecting additional funds, but we dont want to close the door to unexpected opportunities,' according to the document. A second option lists an 'alternative compromise.' Clinton wanted the foundation to be able to keep taking money from foreign governments, which have included Qatar and Saudi Arabia. She is pictured here at a meeting with Gulf foreign ministers in 2012 Clinton campaign aide Jennifer Palmieri warned about going down 'rabbit holes' and urged President Clinton to dodge questions about the foundation in an upcoming TV interview Staff were interested in maintaining funding for current programs, such as the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative. Canadian businessman Frank Giustra, pictured, promised $100 million Clinton aide Jennifer Palmieri warned against going down 'rabbit holes' and urged 'not engaging on specific questions' in a planned Bill Clinton interview 'Alternative compromise would be to say that the Foundation will not accept contributions from foreign governments unless that funding is part of an ongoing program or a disbursement for a completed negotiation.' LEAKED PLANS FOR THE CLINTON FOUNDATION TO PREPARE FOR HILLARY'S CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: 1. Foreign government contributions. There are multiple options for consideration: a. Secretary Clintons preference is for the Foundation to continue to accept foreign government contributions, but to significantly increase disclosure. She does not want to limit the Foundations ability to operate programs now or in the future. We could go further and say the programs are already funded (listing out current funders) and we are not expecting additional funds, but we dont want to close the door to unexpected opportunities. b. Alternative compromise would be to say that the Foundation will not accept contributions from foreign governments unless that funding is part of an ongoing program or a disbursement for a completed negotiation. That includes the following: ... c. The final option would mirror the 2008 MOU agreement whereby the Foundation submits new foreign government contributions and those of a substantial size increase to an independent body (e.g. White House, State Department) for review. The obvious challenge with this is that there is no independent body to make that review. Advertisement The memo then lists foundation operations being bankrolled by foreign governments. These include 'Haiti reconstruction efforts will continue to be funded by Qatar [may be able to take this out pending discussions to have funds go direct]' an apparent effort to move the contributions off line. Also listed are 'Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnerships work around training, supply chains, and distribution enterprises' that would 'continue to be funded by Canada, UK, Dutch, German governments.' A third option was to mirror a 2008 memorandum imposed by the new Obama administration to review new foreign government contributions. "The obvious challenge with this is that there is no independent body to make that review,' according to the memo. The foundation, which had stopped taking foreign donations when Hillary Clinton ran the State Department, resumed the practice when she left. In April of 2015 it restricted overseas donations to just six western governments. It wasn't until this year and a year's worth of damaging scrutiny that Bill Clinton said the foundation would not take foreign or corporate donations if Hillary Clinton got elected. Another WikiLeaks email titled 'input needed' from Clinton aide Kristina Schake sought to prep for a Bill Clinton interview with NBC's Cynthia McFadden. 'For President Clinton's interview - could use help with what he should say in response to a question about the book and her. Think the question would be anything from arent people right to be concerned about this amount of money from foreign governments to are you worried that this will hurt her trustworthiness.' That drew a response from Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri warning about getting drawn into 'rabbit holes.' 'We recommend not engaging on specific questions related to 1) donors; 2) implementation of the MOU; or 3) HRC's knowledge of donors to the Foundation. These are rabbit holes.' An autistic boy who cannot be touched or hugged has made an incredible connection for the very first time with his new service dog. Five-year-old Kainoa Niehaus traveled to the 4 Paws For Ability center in Ohio from Japan. The little boy waited two years for an animal to become available and then flew thousands of miles to meet him. His mum Shanna shared a photo of her son resting his head on Tornado. Scroll down for video Kainoa Niehaus, 5, who is autistic and cannot be touched or hugged by anyone has connected for the first time with his new service dog. His mom, Shanna, could barely hold back her tears It had taken five years for this moment when Kainoa finally found someone he could bond with 4 Paws For Ability is a non-profit global organisation which provides service dogs to disabled children and veterans whove lost the use of limbs or their hearing 'See this moment? I've never experienced a moment like this,' she wrote underneath the posting on Facebook. 'This picture captures the face of a mother who saw her child, who she can't hug, wash, dress, snuggle and touch freely lay on his new service dog of his own free will, with a purposeful, unspoken attachment. 'This is the face of a mom who has seen her son experience countless failed social interactions on the playground in an attempt to have a friend. Any friend. Any kind of connection. 'She has sat with her son while he has cried at night for months because he has no consistent connections outside of the family no matter how hard he tries and no matter what he works hard on in his Autism therapies. The youngster has never been able to be touched or hugged until now. He developed a seemingly instant bond with Tornado the Golden Retriever Kainoa and his mom traveled to Ohio from Japan to meet Tornado the Golden Retriever after two years of waiting for a dog to become available. Kainoa and Tornado connected instantly Kainoa struggles with social interactions on the playground, but when he finally met his service dog, there was an instant bond The heartwarming story shows the amazing effect of dogs and the important role service dogs play in the lives of so many people 'It doesn't transfer to the natural occurring world for him. And now she is sitting behind her son silently watching this moment, with the air sucked from her lungs, and no words to say.' The non-profit organisation 4 Paws For Ability who provided the youngster with the animal say they hope to enrich the lives of children with disabilities by placing them with task-trained service dogs. The non-profit global organisation provides service dogs to disabled children and veterans who've lost the use of limbs or their hearing. Kainoa's mom added: 'It's worth every fight for services for my son, every diagnosis, every new provider, every dollar spent, every paper filled out, every school meeting, every shed tear, every step forward, every step back, and every wonder of the unknown future. Somehow because of this - because of Tornado - I know everything will be okay. 'As a mother, I have seen countless challenging and painful moments my son has encountered and cried countless more. Yesterday however, I cried for a different reason. It is a feeling that is indescribable.' Shanna's post on the Love What Matters Facebook page has been shared more than 232,000 times so far. Making friends: The non-profit organisation 4 Paws For Ability who provided the youngster with the animal say they hope to enrich the lives of children with disabilities by placing them with task-trained service dogs to Trump's refusal to say he would accept outcome of election 'That erodes our democracy around the edges,' Bezos said, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos boldly went where no man has gone before in talking about the prospect of a Trump presidency - and how it could be thwarted with the help of a space rocket. Speaking at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco Thursday, the billionaire owner of the Washington Post and the aerospace startup Blue Origin wryly pointed out that he could arrange a trip to outer space for the controversial White House hopeful. 'I have a rocket company, so the capability is there,' Bezos noted while talking about the election with Walter Isaacson, the president and CEO of The Aspen Institute, a non-partisan think tank. Scroll down for video To infinity and beyond: Amazon's Jeff Bezos (left) wryly suggested at a conference Thursday that as the owner of an aerospace startup, he has the capability to send Donald Trump (right) to space Big Blue: Bezos' Blue Origin rocket has recently come one step closer to manned space flight Bezos, who this week was declared by Forbes Magazine the second richest American, having overtaken Warren Buffett thanks to his eye-popping $70billion fortune, made the comment while discussing his earlier spat with his fellow billionaire, Donald Trump. Bezos recalled that back in December, when he was attacked by Trump in a series of tweets accusing him of using the Post as a 'tax shelter' to bolster Amazon's stock, he responded by tweeting: 'Finally trashed by @realDonaldTrump. Will still reserve him a seat on the Blue Origin rocket. #sendDonaldtospace.' The internet entrepreneur fired off the flippant tweet not long after making the announcement that Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket had made a successful landing after a suborbital flight. Bezos said he regrets tweeting it now - though he has not removed the message in question as of Thursday afternoon. Billionaires' brawl: Back in December, Bezos betrayed his desire to send Trump to space after the real estate mogul accused him of using the Washington Post as a 'tax shelter' Bezos now says he regrets sending that tweet making light of Trump and his candidacy 'My first instinct was to take it very lightly,' Bezos said Thursday, seemingly referring to Trump's candidacy. 'But the more I thought about it, that was a mistake. I should not have taken it lightly.' Then turning serious, Bezos lashed out at Trump for chipping away at the American voters' faith in the US Constitution and the democratic system. Bezos was alluding to Trump's refusal to say during Wednesday's third and final presidential debate against Hillary Clinton that he would accept the outcome of the election next month if he loses. 'That erodes our democracy around the edges,' Bezos said. Saying that he might lock up his opponent ... these aren't acceptable behaviors.' Speaking of Trump's refusal to say he would accept the outcome of the election, Bezos told Walter Isaacson (right), the CEO of The Aspen Institute: 'That erodes our democracy around the edges' No love lost: The CEO of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post lashed out at Trump for threatening to retaliate against members of the media, including Post reporters, for daring to scrutinize his campaign and business dealings Since the beginning of the race for the White House, Trump has repeatedly excoriated the Washington Post for the critical way the paper has been covering his campaign and his business dealings, accusing reporters of bias. At one point, Trump had even barred Post reporters from attending his rallies. Bezos said Trump's attempts to 'chill' the media and threaten reporters with retaliation because he does not like what they write about him is inappropriate and runs counter to the core principals of American democracy. 'We have freedom of speech in this country. It's written in our Constitution,' he said. 'We are not a new democracy. It is inappropriate for a presidential candidate to erode it around the edges. They should be trying to burnish it not erode it.' He went on. The producer got his big break in show business with the Carry On films one of the most iconic scenes in British cinema Paul Cowan, 77, was behind the Carry On moment Barbara Windsor's bikini top flies off A film producer responsible for the iconic Carry On scene where Barbara Windsor's bikini top flies off has died - nearly 50 years after he made cinema history. Paul Cowan, 77, got his big break in the franchise and despite being third assistant director its shoestring budget meant he could improvise. In the film classic Windsor's character 'Babs' is doing an outdoor aerobic session at a family campsite when her bikini flies off and hits co-star Kenneth Williams in the face. Paul stood off camera pulling a fishing wire and hook attached to the young actress' bikini 'time and time again', creating one of the most loved skits in British cinema. He went on to produce some of the best-known films during the 1980s and 1990s, including psychological thriller The Crying Game and fact-based feature The Krays. But he will always be remembered for the racy scene while shooting 1969 comedy Carry on Camping which catapulted Ms. Windsor and her cleavage into the limelight. A defining moment in British cinema history, the scene from Carry On Camping features Barbara Windsor taking part in an aerobics class at a holiday park The stretching in her excercises causes her bra to ping off and fly into the face of co-star Kenneth Williams Bombshell actress Mrs Windsor is left topless in the raunchy film franchise, which helped launch the career of Paul Cowan - who pulled the bra off himself using fishing wire His wife Karen said: 'During a time when trade unions had a stronghold on the UK film industry, getting his break on the Carry On films as a third assistant director was an achievement. 'But under a strict hierarchy, Paul still worked his way rapidly up to first assistant director. 'His first film - Carry On Camping was filmed on a shoestring, in a few days, with angry farmers and a lot of mud. Mentone will celebrate fall with the annual Tour of Homes sponsored by Little River Arts Council. The hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and 12-3 p.m. on Sunday. The cost is $10 and the money helps fund the Council's mission to promote and support art in the region. Here are the reviews of the homes: Eight homes will be on tour. On the Western brow a European style (French influence) home with antiques and artifacts is open. It features a mural by local artist Jimmy Frazier behind a dramatic staircase. Stone View is another home with the magnificent valley view. This home has the feel of something new anchored in the past. It was built using local artisans and craftsmen. The stonework, beautiful interior and outside spaces are stunning. The handsome stone gate will be open for guests' visit. On the Western side of the mountain, Longview Cottage is a showplace for local artist. This home overlooks Shinbone Valley with overlooks, comfortable chairs, and fire pits outside; or enjoy the view from the newly built 56 feet long screened porch. The porch features furniture built by Jeff Rymer and antique pieces. Inside the owner has art by Scott Thomas (Happy Art), Howard Finster, Lucy Mitchell, Neil Whitt, Andrea Brannon, Wayne Hostetter and others. There is a historic house (1920's Bruce house); newly built artist's house with porches galore; a former restaurant being restored for a private home; Windy Hill Farms (they will give a tour of the farm) and the wonderful Camp Juliett Lowe is having an open house for the tour. These homeowners will welcome guests to get a glimpse of the Lookout Mountain town and area. Town Hall will be open where guests can make a bid on art and items for the silent auction. For information go to www.littleriverartscouncil.org or call Sandra Padgett at 256.418-2879. A recording Gable Tostee made of the hours leading up to his Tinder date Warriena Wright's death was among the most crucial evidence at the Gold Coast man's murder trial. While it is still not clear why Tostee started recording the events in his apartment that fateful night, the audio provides a chilling insight into what happened in the hours leading up to Wright's death. On Thursday, a jury found Tostee, 30, not guilty murdering Ms Wright - who fell from the balcony of his 14th floor apartment on August 8, 2014 - or of her manslaughter. On Friday morning his lawyer Nick Dore said he never asked Mr Tostee why he recorded three-hours of his date with Ms Wright. 'I haven't been on a date in 22 years so I don't know [if it's unusual],' Mr Dore told the Today show. 'I never needed to know, to be honest with you'. Police transcript of a recording from the evening gives minute-by-minute detail into the hours before her tragic death falling from Unit 1404, the Avalon Apartments, Surfers Paradise. Scroll down for video Gable Tostee, 30, was on Thursday acquitted of the murder of New Zealand woman Warriena Wright, 26, who died after falling from the balcony of his Surfers Paradise apartment The pair met on the dating app Tinder and went back to Tostee's apartment where they took photos Tostee is pictured here outside the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Thursday THE NIGHT TOGETHER 12.56.21am: Gable Tostee states: 'f*** me' 12.56.30am: Music begins. It is James Blunt, 'Nights Like These'. 12.57am: Tostee: 'Don't go baby, please.' 12.58am: Sound of drinks being poured. 12.59am: Conversation about food 1.02am: Tostee asks Wright to come here and chill and have a drink. Repeats to chill, have a drink. He says that everything on him is good looking. Wright: 'I am psycho drunk' and not to test her. 1.03.30am: Tostee: 'Shut up or I will make you come again. Wright: 'Shut up or I will beat you up'. 1.05.30am: Tostee: 'Do you want to come to my work tomorrow?' Wright: 'Do you want to come to my family tomorrow?' Tostee: 'You can help me lay carpet. You can help me tell my mum I am not a loser ...' 1.06am: Wright says she loves people and that 'she is all good with dying' 1.07am: Wright says 'I know you want to kill me because you told me so.' Further reference to dying from smoking. 1.08am: Further conversation about galaxies, travel to Alice Springs, religion and gods. 1.09am: Tostee says that he 'doesn't think there is anything after this, you die and that is it' and says, 'throw me off the balcony and that is it. This is it, boom.' 1.12am: Tostee : 'Don't touch them. You love them rocks.' Wright asks, 'Are you a god?' And Tostee says, yes he is. He is Zeus. He tells her to relax and to 'come back here'. 1.14am: Wright says she is going to 'go vampire on his ass'. Tostee says, 'Stay right there.' Ms Wright was in Australia for a two-week holiday in August 2014 Tostee recorded their entire conversation back at his apartment 1.14am: Wright: 'You are dead and I hate you.' 1.15am: Conversation about her dead dog. Tostee says, 'Don't hurt me, I am defenceless.' 1.19am: Sounds of laughing and hitting in the background, followed by Wright saying 'No seriously Bro' and male saying, 'Ow'. 1.20.30am: Music still playing and soft sounds of groaning in the background. 1.22: Wright says, 'this is Australia baby. I am ninja' and 'no, no'. 1.26.21am: Tostee says, 'I should walk you home.' 1.26.51am: Tostee says, 'Stop that' and Wright says, 'Oh my god you are like a Christian.' 1.28.07am: Wright says, 'Don't be a d**k to me.' ... Tostee says, 'I don't want to like have to muscle you'. 1.29.06am: He says, 'Just relax.' ... 'I don't like getting beaten up'. 1.31am: Tostee states: 'Just be nice.' Conversation is calm. 1.32.30: Tostee states he wants another drink 1.33.02: He states: 'Come here' and Wright says, 'have a good night.' Tostee says, 'Do you want me to walk you back home?'. There are sounds of ruffling and the Wright is heard to say 'have a good night' and Tostee states 'no ... I'll take care of you in the morning'. A number of photos were taken on Tostee's balcony on the night Ms Wright died The 30-year-old is seen here arriving to court on Thursday THE ARGUMENT 1.35.31am: The music stops. 1.35.40am: Wright says: 'Where is my sister's s***? Where is all my f***ing data? Where is my iPhone?' Tostee says, 'do you want me to ring it?' Wright: 'Yes, I would love you to f***ing ring it.' 1.36.19am: Tostee: 'Hey I didn't say you have to leave. I said that you have to stop beating me up.' Heated conversation. 1.36am: Wright: 'Are you going to f***ing untie me because I will f***ing destroy your jaw. It is not f****ing funny ... 'Get it for me'. Tostee: 'No, you get it.' Wright: 'I am going to call the police.' 1.37.21am: Repeats she is going to call the police. 1.38am: Wright: 'Cmon Cletus.' 1.38am: Wright: 'I am going to call the police.' Tostee: 'What are you looking for? Where is my money? How are you going to call the police without your phone?' 1.39.13am: Tostee: 'Your phone must be out of battery ... it must be out on the balcony.' An older photo of Tostee shows him posing with his arms behind his head Tostee: 'Please calm down please. You have had too much to drink. I had s*** loads of money.' Wright states that she f***ing rules in New Zealand but she gets taken advantage of. 1.39am: Tostee: 'Do you even remember what you were doing to me half an hour ago? You were beating me up for no reason ... you thought it was funny or something. Why were you beating me up?' Wright: 'I am gone. I will be out of your hair, see you later. I am going.' Then produces the phone, saying 'see you later', to which the Tostee replies: 'You are such a drama queen'. 1.41am: Tostee asks if 'we can sit down and discuss this'. Wright states she is a freak. Tostee says that he is going to get bruises. He asks Wright to stay the night. States he is the most tolerant person he would meet, 'but you are just a bit violent.' Offers to cook something and asks again if she wants something to eat. 1.45.16am: Tostee asks how long she is living on the Gold Coast. Wright says: 'Geez, God didn't want me here for long. He has kicked me out already.' 1.46:30: Conversation about Greek gods and mythology. 1.48am: Wright asks if she can go over to the window and have a look. Tostee says: 'Don't jump off or anything'. Ms Wright, 26, was a bank cashier who lived in New Zealand 1.49am: Tostee says that people with white coats are going to come in and states that she would jump off the balcony. 1.49.30am: Tostee states: 'Just come here, I just want to cuddle you. I just want to snuggle you'. Wright says, 'Being talked to by gods' The door shuts and possibility that the female is in the toilet. 1.51.am: Tostee whispers into the recording device, 'God help me, s***'. 1.52am: Wright calls male a 'social demon' and male asks if she got the photos he sent, 'our balcony photos'. He says: 'You are so much more drunker than me. I need to catch up.' 1.56am: Tostee states that his mum is in Adelaide because his pa died of cancer. Conversation about male finding out about his pop is dying. 1.57.30am: Doesn't think he has been so sad before. Wright says 'sorry bra'. 2.02.31am: Wright: 'UK men are funnier and have bigger d***s.' Tostee : 'Not bigger than mine.' Conversation continues about (male genitalia). Tostee asks if his is 'the biggest'. 2.03.30am: Tostee: 'Hey, hey, hey, no violence.' Then laughs and says: 'What are you doing Cletus?' and 'enjoy that'. Wright then says, 'Cheers.' This is a police photograph of a reenactment of the circumstances leading up to Ms Wright's death 2.05.30am: Tostee tells Cletus to 'chill out' and says 'it is not cool here' and he will 'fix that s***'. Possible pouring, drinking. Tostee asks Wright to promise that she does not beat him up. 2.09am: Tostee states she is a 'wus' and offers her food. Says that if she 'was going to go all kung fu on me then I will kick your a**'. Calm conversation. 2.10am: Sound of a struggle. Wright: 'That really hurt my vagina.' Tostee laughing and female replies: 'You sound like a f*****'. 2.12am: Tostee states she is insane. He says: 'Alright I give up what do you want' There is a loud bang and he says, 'oww'. 2.12.31am: Tostee says: 'I will do what you want. I will be your sex slave (possibly having rocks thrown)'. 2.13am: Tostee says: 'Alright, that is enough, That is enough.' ...Wright says, 'no seriously, I have to have a ****.' CCTV footage captured her and Tostee hugging when they met on the Gold Coast FIGHT ESCALATES, SOUNDS OF CHOKING - AND THEN THE FATAL FALL 2.14AM: Tostee says, 'You are not my kind of girl. You have worn out your welcome. You have to leave. Wright says 'Ok, it is all good.' She's out of breath. Tostee states, 'you have to leave'. She replies 'OK. It's all good'. He says, 'I thought you were a nice girl.' 2.14.51am: Tostee says, you are f***ing insane'. 2.15am: He states I think you are kidding but you are not. Go on right now. He states I do need a sample of DNA. 2.15.31am: Tostee says, 'I thought you were kidding and I have taken enough. This is f***ing bull**** ... you are lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony you god damn psycho little b**** ... who the f*** do you think you ..'. You are lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony you god damn psycho little b***h - Gable Tostee 2.16am: 'What. What - got something to say- say it.' Wright breathing heavily. She states '(unintelligible) sexist'. Tostee replies, 'yeah right. I am the one who is injured. You don't have a god damn scratch on you'. 2.16.51am: Tostee states: 'I thought that you were just playing around but I am f***ing sick of this s***. You're a god damn psycho. I am going to let you go. I am going to walk you out of this apartment just the way you are. 'You are not going to collect any of your belongings, you are just going to walk out and I am going to slam the door on you, do you understand. If you try and pull anything. I'll knock you out, I'll knock you the f*** out. Do you understand? Do you understand? Do you understand? 2.17.49am: 'Cmon, get up. Get up'. Wright states, 'I am so sorry'. Tostee states, ' I don't care'. Struggling. Tostee: 'you don't understand do ya. You don't understand anything at all do you.' Struggle. Tostee states, 'let go. You think that you hit me and I was going to fall down like in the movies'. More laboured breathing sounds. He states, 'let go of it. Let go. Let go.' More choking sounds. Tostee is pictured here in 2014 2.18.46am: Still laboured breathing sounds. Breathing slows. Tostee, 'Let it go.' 2.19.35am: Sound of something dropping (metallic). 2.19am: Movement and rustling and sounds of Wright calling out. Sound consistent with door unlocking. She states, 'No'. Possible sound of glass door being hit. 2.20.46am: Tostee: 'Who the f*** do you think you are? Hey?' Wright: 'No, no, no. No! No no no.' Tostee: 'You tried to kill me huh? Well, why did you try and hit me with that. Huh? Shut your filthy mouth.' Wright: 'No, no, no, no, no. (screaming).' Tostee: 'It is all on recording you know. It is all being recorded. Wright: 'No no no no no no no no no no no no. Just let me go home.' Tostee: 'I would but you have been a bad girl.' Sound of door sliding shut. 2.20am: Wright: 'Just let me go home. Just let me go home.' Last words of 'just let me go home'. Tostee- heavy breathing. Faint scream detected. 2.21.23am: Very heavy breathing from Tostee. 2.21.50am: Tostee makes call to lawyer Mick Purcell. Call made from handset. '(Expletive).' Call not connected. 2.22am: Tostee: 'Where the f*** are my keys?' 2.23am: Tostee: 'F***, f***, f***' Ms Wright fell from Unit 1404, the Avalon Apartments, Surfers Paradise 2.23.30am: 'Oh my god.' Sounds of getting dressed, pulling jeans up, belt etc. 2.26am: Sound of sirens in the background. 2.26.30am: Sound of lift button. 2.28.41am: Walking noises. Footsteps. 2.39.44am: Walking stops. 2.42am: Walking starts again. 2.47am: Call to Michael Purcell. 2.49am: Screen shot taken of phone with images of deceased. Then, a call to deceased. Sounds of walking, traffic and traffic light pedestrian button, and then a nightclub in the background. 3.10.21am: Male states, 'Um a piece of supreme please.' 3.11.30am: Paper rustling. (Eating pizza). The pair had a fight on the night Ms Wright died, which was recorded by Tostee PHONE CALL TO HIS FATHER 3.23.13am: Phone call connects his father. Tostee states, 'Hello dad. I might have a bit of a situation. See um I met up with a girl for a date tonight and she started getting really aggressive. 'It was all right at first and like we, you know, had sex in bed and she kept drinking. We were both drinking and I think that she thought that it was like a joke or something and she kept like beating me up and whatever. 'It was cos she was really drunk and whatever and I like forced her out on the balcony and I think that she might have jumped off.' Dad: 'Oh no.' 3.23.30am: Tostee: 'Like I have been walking around and there are a million cops around my building. I'm f***ed. I don't know what to do.' Dad: 'Where are you, at your unit?' Tostee: 'I didn't cause this, like I didn't push her. There are a million cops around the area.' Dad: 'I'll come and get you ok.' Tostee: 'It is really f***ed up. I am like at Dominos. Dad, like this is not my fault ... I don't know, like I tackled her on my floor inside the building and I never forced her over the balcony.' Tostee is seen here being released on bail from the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre west of Brisbane, on November 19, 2014 Dad: 'I am sure you wouldn't, mate.' Tostee: ' ... I don't know what the f*** happened, it is crazy. This f***ed up, this is so f***ed up. I swear to god I didn't push her, I just chucked her out on the balcony and locked the door because she was beating me up.' Dad: 'I'll come over now ok?' [The call continues for several minutes until the male says,'hang on a sec. What the f***. What the f*** is this ... it is her phone in my pocket.'] Dad: 'Is it her phone?' Tostee: 'It is her phone, yeah ... Dad like what happened was we were drinking and we got into bed together then and after that she just kept drinking and she just kept like I don't know she was just like beating me up. 'She thought it was funny or something and I was just like tackled her in the middle of my apartment and I said that it wasn't funny anymore and blah blah blah. 'Then when I let her go the last thing I remember was she was on the balcony and I don't know if she jumped or what, I don't know. It wasn't my fault, it wasn't my god damn fault.' 3.46.30am: Call made and connected. 'Hey dad, are you nearby. I am seriously freezing. Dad: 'Not far away at all. Tostee: 'Can you stay on the line?' Dad: Yep.' 3.47.30am: Sound of car door opening and seatbelt being placed on. 3.47.46am: Dad: 'The only thing we can do is ring [his lawyer] Bill Potts up now. You can't do anything else but that but you need to do it straight away really. Can you find his number? Ms Wright, 26, is pictured with her mother Marzabeth 'Beth' Tagpuno Wright Tostee: 'I didn't do anything. Dad: 'Yeah mate, I understand. Do you want to go to hospital?' 3.48.30am: Male: 'f*** it. I wish that I had cameras in my unit. I have audio. I tried calling her phone.' Dad: 'Don't call her phone.' 3.49am: Call is made to phone and goes to message bank. Dad: 'What are you doing, why did you do that?' Male: 'I don't know.' 3.50.19: Call to the deceased. 3.51am: 'Why does this sh** always happen to me. I didn't ask for this. I wasn't doing anything wrong, I just invited the girl over. The more she drank ...' Dad: 'Was she jealous or something?' Why does this sh** always happen to me. I didn't ask for this. I wasn't doing anything wrong, I just invited the girl over - Tostee Tostee: 'Me and her had sex and it was like the more that she drank she just got violent for some reason. Dad: 'Did she want a more serious relationship or something?' Tostee: 'No, she was like I know MuyThai blah blah blah and I'll beat you up for fun rah rah rah and I was like tolerating it for a bit and went 'yeah stop that'. Last thing that I remember was that I tried holding her down and she ran out on to my balcony. I hope I just imagined it.' 3.51.30am: Call to deceased. 3.52am: I might have locked her out on my balcony cos there is like a lock. I can't remember what I did but I absolutely did not throw her off my balcony. I would never do anything like that.' 3.52.30am: Dad: 'We need to ring up Potts.' A woman who served as her father's getaway driver after he broke out of prison has claimed she did not know he escaped and thought he had been released. Tonya Renee Carver, 22, has been charged after picking her father, Dennis Claude Carver, up from outside Gaston County Jail, a minimum security prison in North Carolina, on Tuesday. The 22-year-old is now facing a felony charge of accessory after the fact for unwittingly being a part of the brazen escape, the Gaston Gazette reports. Tonya Renee Carver (left) has been charged after serving as her father's (right) getaway driver after he broke out of prison, despite saying she thought he was on home release The newspaper also reports Dennis Carver called his daughter after he broke out, and asked her to meet him near the I-85 near Dallas. She then drove her father about 10 miles to Kings Mountain. The duo was picked up by police just hours later, and Dennis Carver was returned to prison. Tonya Carver said she thought her father had been given home release when she picked him up, and was unaware he was on the lam. Dennis Carver (right) called his daughter (left) after he broke out, and asked her to meet him near the I-85 near Dallas The 45-year-old was seven months into his 20 month sentence for motor vehicle larceny and larceny when he sprang himself free from jail. He is now being housed in the Caldwell Correctional Center in 'restrictive housing', the Gazette reports. Vice President Joe Biden unloaded on Donald Trump today for the 'damage' he's doing to the political fabric of the nation and America's reputation abroad. Incensed by Trump's proclamation that the election is 'rigged' and he might not accept the outcome, Biden said the Republican Oval Office aspirant is 'genuinely a threat to the democratic process.' His overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin are an 'indictment of who we are,' Biden screamed. 'He plays into the hands of our enemies so uniquely. He is so stupid that he doesn't understand - no no...it's possible,' Biden said, talking over laughter in the audience, 'its possible he doesnt understand the damage hes doing.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Vice President Joe Biden unloaded on Donald Trump today for the 'damage' he's doing to the political fabric of the nation and America's reputation abroad Biden acknowledged that Trump had gotten under his skin. The vice president said he had a positive speech prepared for today but then he felt a 'nagging feeling' that was 'more than frustration' and realized why he's so angry about the election. 'Trump has been so outrageous,' Biden said, that the presidential contest hasn't been about the candidates' ideas. A congressman and senator before he his eight-year stint in White House, Biden declared: 'I don't know anybody who knows more about foreign policy than I do. 'Just because I've been doing it for so long, not because I'm so smart, he added after rally-goers erupted into laughter, 'because I've met every major world leader.' The tee-up was so that Biden could explain that his trip to the Baltic states in August was a direct response to Trump's threats to abandon the United States' NATO commitments. 'Think about how much damage has already being done by this continued romance with Putin,' Biden said. Throughout the New Hampshire speech, Biden dipped back and forth between deep-rooted fury at Trump's promises to set fire to the Obama administration's foreign policy and despair. He refused attempts to be consoled. 'No, I'm not looking to be clapped,' he said. Biden was campaigning for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire when he made the remarks. He was swings of depression and shouting in his remarks - but was back to his smiling self by the end of the rally, taking selfies with attendees of the event Russia's meddling in the U.S. election through its hacking of Democratic Party and Clinton campaign emails and Trump's claim in Wednesday's debate that 'our country had no idea' if the Kremlin is behind it, had Biden in an uproar. 'What an indictment of who we are. What an indictment of our capabilities, what an indictment of our military, sending a message that flies into what Putin is doing in Russia,' Biden screamed. 'Saying America's weak, they're crippled and cannot move forward, that's how he's keeping support in Russia. Switching back to Trump, Biden said that for a major party's political candidate to say 'for the world to hear, playing into the hands of Putin, that our country has no idea....can you fathom any presidential candidate ever,ever having said that? 'Ladies and gentleman this guy is far beyond a bad character with women, that's enough to disqualify him,' the VP contended. Trump's claim yesterday that Iraq launched an assault on ISIS in Mosul to help Clinton win the Nov. 8 election was one step too far for Biden, the ranking member of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee when he was in the upper chamber. 'Can you imagine this guy becoming commander in chief and getting one ounce of respect from a single solitary military man or woman?' he asked. Sweden has opened its first cemetery for atheists because the majority of the population do not believe in God. The neutral burial place is in Borlange in central Sweden and was proposed by a teacher in the country, who is originally from Kurdistan. Josef Erdem applied for the land after negotiations with the Church of Sweden. The neutral burial place is in Borlange in central Sweden and was proposed by a teacher in the country, who is originally from Kurdistan (file photo of a Christian cemetery) Following the discussions, it was agreed that the church will maintain the graveyard but will have no further involvement with the cemetery. Sweden has the second-highest number of non-religious people in the world, per head of population. Mr Erdem told The Local: 'People can decide for themselves what their graves should look like, but the cemetery will be free of all religious and nationalist symbols. 'I've spoken to a lot of people about this, many of them religious, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. 'In fact the reaction has been positive from religious and non-religious people alike across the country.' People of faith are allowed to be buried in the cemetery but will not be able to have religious symbols or marks of religion on their headstones. Many locals have expressed an interest in being buried there. Local teacher Gunnar Lindgren told broadcaster SVT: 'I don't want a burial place with a stone that needs to be cared for. People of faith are allowed to be buried in the cemetery but will not be able to have religious symbols or marks of religion on their headstones 'I also don't want a church burial because I'm not a believer so this suits me. A massive 76 per cent of Swedes said they were either not religious or were 'convinced atheists', according to a survey by Gallup International and the WI Network of Market Research. China was the only country to score higher. In the global ranking of 65 countries, the UK came sixth from last, with only 30 per cent of the population calling themselves religious. This compared to 53 per cent who said they were not religious and 13 per cent who are convinced atheists, with the remaining Britons saying they did not know. In contrast, 94 per cent of people in Thailand deem themselves religious, with Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia and Morocco completing the top five on 93 per cent each. At the bottom of the list was China, where 61 per cent of people are atheists, with only a meagre 6 per cent regarding themselves as religious. Hostile EU leaders have warned Theresa May that Britain must continue to let in hundreds of thousands of migrant workers every year if it wants access to the single market. As she attended her first EU summit, the Prime Minister faced a barrage of demands from Eurocrats determined to preserve rules on free movement. Meanwhile, European council chief Donald Tusk said he still hoped the UK would not leave at all - and our former commissioner in Brussel, Lord Hill took a swipe at hardliners urging 'stupid' Brexit. Scroll down for video Theresa May, pictured with (l-r) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite at an EU summit in Brussels, has been told Britain 'must keep letting in migrant workers' She was pictured greeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker with a kiss on the cheek as leaders gathered for an official photo Mrs May, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, led the way for their countries' interests at the summit Mrs May endured a difficult first day of the gathering, where she delivered a stern message that the UK must not be left out of the bloc's operation before it formally leaves. Many in Brussels are unhappy that Mrs May has said restoring control of Britains borders will be her priority in the Brexit talks. Currently, EU migration adds 180,000 people to the UKs population every year. German politician Mr Schulz told the summit: From day one, the European Parliament must be fully involved in setting the new relationship between the EU and the UK not least because it must give its consent to any withdrawal treaty and subsequent treaty setting out the full relationship. Despite hostile warnings from fellow European leaders, Mrs May looked to be enjoying herself at the Brussels meeting, pictured She was also seen laughing and joking with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, right, despite many at the EU being unhappy that she has described restoring control of Britain's borders as a 'priority' Treating the European Parliament as an obstacle rather than a partner in this process would therefore be a serious mistake. Mr Schulz repeatedly warned Britain that, if it wants access to the single market, it must continue to leave its borders open. The fundamental freedoms are inseparable, i.e. no freedom of movement for goods, capital and services, without free movement of persons, he said. They [the UK] have decided to leave the single market and they want full access to the single market after leaving the European Union. 'Thats only possible by accepting the fundamental rules of the European Union. The comments came despite Eurocrats insisting that no talks on the detail of Brexit are allowed until the UK triggers Article 50 next year. Speaking to the press ahead of the meeting, Mrs May, pictured, said the UK would continue to play a 'full role' in the EU 'until we leave' The Prime Minister, pictured arriving at the summit, also said Europe must 'maintain a united stance in the face of Russian aggression' Last night Number 10 insisted it was relaxed about the remarks, with one senior official saying: This does not change our approach. Mr Tusk, who chairs the summit, made clear he had not given up on the UK changing its mind despite Mrs May flatly ruling out a U-turn or second referendum. 'If it is reversible or not, it is in the British hands. I will be the happiest one if it is reversible,' he said. Mr Tusk said that he hoped Mrs May would realise 'the European Union is simply the best company in the world'. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, Lord Hill - who stepped down as our EU commissioner after the historic referendum on June 23 - said there was a widespread and mistaken view in Brussels that the result could be overturned. But the peer, who campaigned for Remain, suggested some ministers were underestimating the difficulties of the looming referendum. While UK politics tended to focus on economic factors, in Europe it was more 'emotional' and 'romantic' which could make a punishment strategy more likely. In an apparent dig at hardline figures such as International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, Lord Hill said: 'We have this false choice in the UK often between "hard" and "soft" Brexit. 'I think the choice is between stupid Brexit and more intelligent Brexit.' Tory MEP Syed Kamall, who leads the EU parliaments European Conservatives and Reformists Group, said of Mr Schulz's comments: This is all posturing. EU leaders are blowing hard now but theyll soon see sense when the detailed negotiations begin. On her way into the summit, Mrs May said: I am here with a very clear message: the UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and well be a strong and dependable partner after weve left. 'It is in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together including at this summit. 'We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression.' Mrs May also warned leaders that she would not accept decisions made without her at a summit in Bratislava last month. The other 27 EU leaders met to discuss the future of the bloc but she was not invited. She said: I accept the 27 need to meet but I want UK to play an active part otherwise it will be hard to accept things you agree. Earlier in the day, Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat said some EU states still believed Britain may not leave the EU. He told the BBC: I do think that some of us are keeping that option at the back of our mind. Jeremy Corbyn yesterday invited socialist leaders to a meeting in London next year to discuss an alternative Brexit. Two Georgia teenagers have been arrested on murder charges after an 18-year-old boy who had been missing since the weekend was found dead in the woods Wednesday. Suspects Dakota White, 17, and Brandon Warren, 18, were taken into custody late Wednesday . A short time later, a large search party combing through a 200-acre wooded area in Houston County came upon the body of Sam Poss. Brandon Warren, 18 (left), and Dakota White, 17 (right), have been arrested in the killing of a missing Georgia high school graduate Sam Poss, 18, pictured with his mother on the day of his graduation, was found dead in the woods Wednesday Poss, a recent high school graduate who had aspired to join the US Navy, was reported missing Saturday morning. According to his father, Christian Poss, Sam was last seen alive at around 1.30am Saturday, walking barefoot along a wooded trail from the house of a friend, believed to be Dakota White, reported the Macon Telegraph. The 18-year-old victim reportedly had gone to White's home to fix his computer. He never made it back to his father's home, located just a half-mile away on Frank Satterfield Road. According to Brandon Warrens arrest warrant, Sam died as a result of strangulation, suffocation and/or stabbing. The document states that Poss was killed sometime between 11pm Friday and 7am Saturday at White's home in the 1100 block of Tucker Road in Perry, Georgia, reported the station 13WMAZ. So far, there is no word on a possible motive. Christian Poss, Sam's father (right), said the teen was last seen alive at around 1.30am Saturday, walking barefoot along a trail from the house of a friend, believed to be White Violent death: According to Brandon Warrens arrest warrant, Sam (right) died as a result of strangulation, suffocation and/or stabbing Poss' disappearance sparked a large-scale search operation involving specially trained firefighters, cadaver dogs and a Georgia State Patrol helicopter, which came to a tragic end overnight when his body was located in the vicinity of Lake Joy. Warren and White had their initial court appearance Thursday morning, at which time a judge ordered they both be held without bond. A man with distinctive yellow nails is wanting for making suggestive comments about a 19-year-old woman's clothing before allegedly sexually assaulting her. The 19-year-old woman was on a route 86 tram travelling between Melbourne's city central and Bundoora when the perverted stranger allegedly approached her. He reportedly sexually assaulted the 19-year-old woman while making comments about her clothing. The man was wearing a black hooded jacket with white text on either side of the zip and a white t-shirt (computer generated picture) Police said the tram was travelling through Reservoir, in Melbourne's north, between 4.30am and 5am on Sunday morning when the sexual assault allegedly happened. The woman told police she immediately got off the tram in Reservoir after the terrifying interaction. When she got off, the man with yellow nails stayed on the tram and continued to travel towards Bundoora. The Transit Crime Investigation Unit released a computer generated image of the man they believe is responsible for the disgusting act. Police are now on the hunt for the offender who is described as being Caucasian, about 50-years-old, about 170cm tall with a medium build an very short grey hair and grey stuble. The man reportedly has distinctive yellow nails, similar to this police issued picture Police were told he also had distinctive yellow nails. The man was wearing a black hooded jacket with white text on either side of the zip and a white t-shirt. Last night it was revealed that UK Visas and Immigration, the Home Office agency responsible for asylum claims, already accepts dental checks as proof of age, if provided by the migrant Dental tests are already being used to assess the age of migrants, the Daily Mail can reveal. The Home Office is under fire for ruling out tooth X-rays for youngsters coming to the UK from The Jungle camp in Calais. Ministers claimed such checks were 'inaccurate, inappropriate and unethical'. But last night it was revealed that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), the Home Office agency responsible for asylum claims, already accepts dental checks as proof of age, if provided by the migrant. Guidelines said officials should give 'considerable weight' to reports from dental consultants who have assessed arrivals. The UK has agreed to take around 200 unaccompanied children at The Jungle camp who have family in this country. MPs and immigration lawyers, backed by Labour former home secretary Jack Straw, led calls for dental tests to determine their age after some of those arriving appeared older than 18. Citing guidance from the British Dental Association, the Home Office claimed dental X-rays were not accurate enough because they carried a margin of error of at least two years. But UKVI documents titled Assessing Age For Asylum Applicants showed that officials used such tests to check on some asylum seekers who were trying to prove they were children. Critics said this torpedoed the Home Office's claims that the tests were unethical, although Whitehall officials pointed out that the migrants involved were voluntarily taking the test to prove they were under 18. The UK has agreed to take around 200 unaccompanied children at The Jungle camp who have family in this country. Charity workers in the camp have admitted the majority of young migrants are lying about their age to get to Britain Tory MP Philip Davies said: 'It is ludicrous that the Home Office is pooh-poohing the idea of using dental records to establish how old these people are, when its own guidance says the tests are accurate to within a couple of years. MPs and immigration lawyers, backed by Labour former home secretary Jack Straw (above), led calls for dental tests to determine their age after some of those arriving appeared older than 18 'We should be doing whatever it takes to check people's ages and make sure our generosity is not abused.' Mr Davies called for Home Office ministers to be hauled before the Commons to explain the child migrant fiasco and reassure people that adult refugees were not pretending to be youngsters to exploit the asylum system. He said: 'This is a serious concern. Can we have an urgent statement on what the Government is going to do to ensure that child refugees are actually children?' Charity workers in the Jungle have admitted the majority of young migrants are lying about their age to get to Britain. A Home Office spokesman admitted that UKVI did recognise dental records as a valid indicator of age in some cases, but insisted it did not seek them proactively. Harrowing videos have emerged which appear to show children in Mosul being tortured and beaten with hammers by Iraqi soldiers and militia. The civilians, some of whom look as young as eight, were assaulted while being interrogated by the Western-backed troops over whether they were loyal to ISIS, reports claim. It came after Amnesty International warned civilians caught in the crossfire of the battle to retake the city from the terror group may face execution and torture. One horrifying video shows a young man being hit on the knee with a hammer before a slab of concrete was thrown onto his head in front of a crowd of soldiers. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT Harrowing videos have emerged which appear to show children in Mosul being tortured, pictured (left) is an Iraqi solider with a hammer and a boy can be seen curled on the floor The young boy can be heard screaming in pair after he is hit in the knee with a hammer (right) The boy could be heard yelling 'no no' when he was brutally knee-capped. After the attack, the boy was told to 'stand up man'. Other footage, posted to Twitter on Tuesday, shows a boy being struck over the head with an automatic weapon while he sits handcuffed in the back of a truck. The blood-covered youth can be heard screaming in agony as the troops repeatedly hit him - while others gathered round and filmed the attack on their phones. During the beating, the troops fired questions at the boy, asking: 'How many people were with you? 14? Where were you coming from?' Another young boy, who had just escaped from Mosul, can be seen looking dazed after he was held down and savagely beaten by Iraqi troops. The child, who names himself as Ihab Muhammad, is asked if he or members of his family are members of ISIS in the video, the Middle East Monitor reported. Another young boy, who had just escaped from Mosul, can be seen looking dazed after he was held down and savagely beaten by Iraqi troops The child, who names himself as Ihab Muhammad, is asked if he or members of his family are members of ISIS in the video He is then seen being hit over the head by the soldiers because they did not like the explanation he gave. The footage shows the boy screaming in pain before one Iraqi soldier told him 'shut up or else I will kill you'. MailOnline cannot independently verify the authenticity of the footage - most of which is too graphic to be shown in full. The torture and murder of unarmed civilians and children constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity. Earlier this week, Amnesty International released a scathing report accusing Iraqi and Kurdish authorities for committing grave violations of human rights against Iraq's Sunni Arab community. The rights group said paramilitary groups and government forces had previously rounded up thousands of older boys and men who were then tortured, forcibly disappeared or extra-judicially executed. Other footage, posted to Twitter on Tuesday, shows a shirtless, handcuffed boy being hit on the head with an automatic weapon in the back of a truck The boy could be seen being repeatedly hit by the soldiers, as other crowded round and filmed the attack on their phones During the beating, the troops fired questions at the boy, asking: 'How many people were with you? 14? Where were you coming from?' In a 70-page report, titled 'Punished for Daesh's crimes', Amnesty claimed the government was complicit in 'brutal revenge attacks'. 'As the battle to retake Mosul gets underway, it is crucial that the Iraqi authorities take steps to ensure these appalling abuses do not happen again,' said Philip Luther, the group's research and advocacy director for the region. 'States supporting military efforts to combat IS in Iraq must demonstrate they will not continue to turn a blind eye to violations.' Iraqi soldiers were seen raising their weapons in celebration today on the outskirts of Mosul as ISIS's hold on the city continues to crumble. It came after Iraq's prime minister said the battle to seize back control of ISIS's last major stronghold in the country was going 'faster than planned'. The civilians, some of whom look as young as eight, were assaulted while being interrogated by the Western-backed troops over whether they were loyal to ISIS, reports claim The boy could be heard yelling 'no no' when he was brutally knee-capped in the video After the attack, the boy was told to 'stand up man' by the Western-backed soldiers Meanwhile, youths in Mosul have plastered leaflets on the homes of jihadists and threatened to rise up against them. Iraqi troops charged into battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS today, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where ISIS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 US-led invasion, and is expected to take weeks, if not months. Thousands of Iraqis have fled the fighting over the past few days and taken shelter in northeastern Syria. The refugees, mostly women, children and the elderly, have been crossing the border since the day before the assault began on October 17. Iraqi soldiers were seen raising their weapons in celebration today on the outskirts of Mosul as ISIS's hold on the city continues to crumble Mr Mosley has been 'on mission' against press since S&M party exposure When Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke died in Rome in October 2013 his funeral caused a riot. The former SS captain had been extradited from Germany, convicted and jailed for the massacre of hundreds of Italian civilians in 1944. Shortly before his own death, aged 100, Priebke affirmed his belief that the Holocaust the Nazis extermination of six million Jews was a hoax. Priebke was a monster. But he was also a baptised Roman Catholic and his family wanted a burial service in a church. Swiss Bishop Bernard Fellay, pictured, is head of Roman Catholic sect the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) which has been accused of anti-Semitism The Vatican refused: holy premises were to be off-limits for a manifest sinner. Then, to widespread outrage that led to that riot, an already controversial breakaway Roman Catholic sect stepped in to give this unrepentant Nazi his dying wish. The Society of St Pius X (SSPX) is no stranger to accusations of anti-Semitism. Its current leader, a Swiss bishop named Bernard Fellay, has recently described Jews as the enemies of the Church; one of its former bishops was, like Priebke, a Holocaust-denier. Another war criminal who was wanted for murdering Jews was eventually tracked down decades afterwards to his refuge in a Society of St Pius X monastery. The Societys ultra-reactionary Catholicism rejects gay rights and sexual equality. Its founder, a controversial French cleric, was once fined for racial intolerance (he was accused of fomenting hatred of Muslim immigrants). To many such as the Anti-Defamation League, which fights prejudice against Jews the SSPX is an exemplar of modern-day anti-Semitism. Yet the organisation is also a UK-registered charity. At the head of its six-strong board of trustees which includes Bishop Fellay is a man named Wilfrid Vernor-Miles, a London-based tax lawyer to the rich. He and his father one of the best-connected legal clans in the country are also trustees of a Catholic charity which makes significant donations to the Society of St Pius X, as we shall see. But Wilfrid Vernor-Miles is also a trustee of another charity. It is called the Independent Press Regulation Trust (IPRT). Its role is potentially pivotal in the battle for the future freedom, or otherwise, of a British Press which has sometimes called the SSPX and its offshoots to account. That is because the IPRT is the vehicle through which motor-racing tycoon Max Mosley has been channelling his money via his own family trust fund to finance a would-be independent UK press regulator called Impress. Founded by a Labour activist called Jonathan Heawood, and backed by the anti-Press pressure group Hacked Off, Impress has applied for recognition from a quango established by David Camerons coalition administration, the Press Recognition Panel. This was established by Royal Charter after the Leveson Inquiry into the Press. It is now thought possible, if not likely, that next Tuesday the Panel will indeed recognise Impress as an official regulator. If Impress does secure approval from the Panel, it will trigger the implementation of a new law under which devastating punitive damages can be awarded against publications that lose libel actions and do not belong to Impress. The SSPX is a registered charity linked to another, the Independent Press Regulation Trust, which Max Mosley has been 'channelling' money to finance an 'independent' press regulator called Impress This, of course, will include all of Britains mainstream newspapers, which have refused to acknowledge the Press Recognition Panel, thereby declining to endorse what would be the States authorised Press policeman. Mr Mosley, the loyal son of British Union of Fascists leader Sir Oswald Mosley, would like that. He has been on a mission to reform the Press since his predilection for sadomasochistic orgies was exposed in 2008 by the now defunct News of the World. In short, he is a man with a very big axe to grind. The Independent Press Regulation Trust was established to present a cordon sanitaire between the tycoons naked desire for revenge and the independent press regulator, Impress, which he has promised to underwrite to the tune of nearly 4 million, virtually all of its income. Mr Mosley would supposedly be several steps removed from the regulators business. But that carefully planned arrangement cannot disguise the forces at play here, which begs the question of how independent and fit for purpose the Independent Press Regulation Trust really is. Today, a Mail investigation can reveal how, for the second time in 80 years, the wealthy and influential Mosley and Vernor-Miles families are working side by side in an endeavour which focuses on the media. It also reeks of an urge to control, and has troubling links to racial bigotry. The year was 1932 and Ernest Vernor-Miles, grandfather of our modern-day tax lawyer Wilfrid, decided to convert to Catholicism. Two years later he bought the Catholic Herald, a weekly newspaper for the faithful which had a circulation of almost 100,000. In the year of Vernor-Miless conversion, the aristocratic former Labour MP Sir Oswald Mosley formed the British Union of Fascists. His hard-core supporters were known as the Blackshirts after the uniform they wore that was based on Hitler and Mussolinis cohorts. For a brief period some of the mainstream press this paper and the Daily Mirror included praised the BUFs supposedly conservative agenda. That support soon evaporated as violence and an intolerance that was very evidently un-British became synonymous with the movement. But not so with the Vernor-Miles-owned Catholic Herald. Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke, left in 1995 and right in the 1940s during service in Rome, was granted a burial service by the SSPX despite a refusal by the Vatican Throughout the rest of the 1930s up until the outbreak of war with Nazi Germany, the Herald expressed, at best, a moral ambivalence towards fascism. At worst it suggested a solidarity of purpose with it. The Herald condemned the Blackshirts street fights, crude anti-Semitism and worship of State power over God. But it admired much about the Fascists authoritarianism, and reminded readers that a Jewish problem really existed. This week the Mail has examined the Catholic Heralds archives in Cambridge University library. The examples uncovered, which were published under the Vernor-Miles ownership, are damning. In the edition of August 17, 1935, under the headline Fascism, a Herald article stated: To bring back social solidarity and to inspire the whole with the common end are the aims of Fascism and also of ourselves. It added: The principle of authority is essentially Catholic In an article on the East End, published in October the following year, the Herald described Jewish citizens as an alien element. It added: Once again the crudities and brutalities of the Fascist campaign in East London and other Jewish quarters should not be allowed to blind us to the reality of the problem here. And it was not Fascism that created the problem but the Liberalism that allowed the Jew to become dominant in a then-Christian country. In January 1937, under the headline Resistance to Jewry, an article says: To pretend there is nothing substantial behind the complaints [of a contemporary newspaper called the English Fascist] is the attitude of the ostrich. To hush up the problem as if it were not fit to be talked about is to preclude the possibility of any solution but violence. In other words, there was a Jewish problem that needed to be discussed. Then in February 1938, the month before the Nazi takeover of Austria, the Herald carried a prominent report of a BUF rally in South London. Max Mosley is the son of Sir Oswald Mosley, pictured, founding leader of the British Union of Fascists The headline read: Cheers and salutes at Mosley meeting. Underneath it began: There was great enthusiasm when Sir Oswald Mosley addressed a meeting in Lewisham. 'He outlined the Blackshirt policy, many points of which are excellent. The Herald reported that the Leader said: The National press is one long stream of lies. 'And this produces such a roar of assent as one thought only to hear on some occasions at Nuremberg. And so the Mosley and Vernor-Miles love-in continued with, for example, a large Herald piece in June 1938 which stated that: In England the growing strength of the British Union of Fascists is a hopeful sign During the war, Sir Oswald Mosley was interned in Pentonville jail a precaution against which his son Max Mosley, then a boy, railed in his recent autobiography. Winston Churchill had also wanted Vernor-Miless editor put behind bars for his papers attacks on Britains necessary alliance with Communist Russia against the Nazis. In the end, the Prime Minister was persuaded otherwise. In 1948, Ernest Vernor-Miles was awarded a papal knighthood by Pope Pius XII, who has been much criticised for remaining silent about the Holocaust when it was taking place. And what of that central player in this drama, Max Mosley? By 1962, he was a married Oxford graduate and a Parachute Regiment reservist studying for the Bar. But that summer he was arrested in Ridley Road, a predominantly Jewish area of Hackney, when trouble broke out at a provocative rally sparked by his fathers fascistic Union Movement. Mosley Junior had brawled with anti-Nazi protestors who attacked Sir Oswald. The American Time magazine reported that prior to the clash, Mosley Seniors thugs had entered the neighbourhood shouting, like their 1930s forbears, Jews Out. Max Mosley was acquitted after a night in the cells. Eyewitnesses recall that his parents, Sir Oswald and the socialite Diana Mitford at whose wedding Adolf Hitler was a guest collected him in a chauffeured limousine. The same year saw the start of the Second Vatican Council, which was convened by Pope St John XXIII to bring the Catholic Church into the late 20th century. This modernisation was opposed by some clergy, including the afore-mentioned French cleric, Bishop Marcel Lefebvre, who, in response, founded the breakaway Society of St Pius X. Today, it runs a number of seminaries, churches and schools around the world and remains apart from the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome. Now dead, Lefebvre had been accused of collaboration with the French Vichy regime, which in turn collaborated with the Nazis during the war. He also advocated support for Frances far-Right National Front in more recent years. In 1990, the SSPX founder was fined for fostering racial intolerance because of comments he made about Muslim immigrants from Frances former colonies. Other episodes brought the Society a bad press. A Frenchman, Paul Touvier, was a Nazi collaborator who killed a number of Jews and helped deport others to Auschwitz. After the war, Touvier went on the run and was sentenced to death in absentia. He was finally caught by police in 1989, in a Society of St Pius X priory in Nice, where he had been sheltering with his family. Perhaps the most high-profile scandal concerned the Societys British-born Bishop Richard Williamson, who in a 2009 television interview denied that the Nazis had ever used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews. The furore after his comments was immense. The Society denied that the sect was in any way anti-Semitic, and yet fully three years passed before Williamson was expelled and that was largely due to his opposition to any SSPX rapprochement with the Vatican. Today, as I have established, it is the tax lawyer Wilfrid Vernor-Miles who is named in Charity Commission records as the point of contact for the Society of St Pius X. (His family no longer owns the Catholic Herald.) Wilfrids solicitor father John Vernor-Miles is another trustee. In fact, they are the only two lay members on the board. Both father and son are partners at venerable City solicitors Hunters, which absorbed their family law firm Vernor Miles and Noble in 2011. Hunters acts for the SSPX. Wilfrid and John Vernor-Miles are also two of the three trustees of another charity, called the Catholic Charitable Trust. Charity Commission records show that each year the trust, which has a cash reserve of more than 2 million, gives thousands of pounds to a number of Catholic causes. Sir Oswald Mosley is pictured walking down an avenue of saluting supporters, known as blackshirts, in the 1930s But each year, by far the biggest beneficiary is the Society of St Pius X and its support groups around the world. The latest accounts show that the trustees of the Catholic Charitable Trust gave the SSPX more than 20,000 in the financial year ending in December 2014. A similar figure was donated the previous year when the SSPX helped to bury the Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke. It was to tax lawyer Wilfrid Vernor-Miles at his Hunters address that Jonathan Heawood, founder of the would-be Press regulator Impress, wrote cap in hand in July 2015 in the hope that you and your fellow Trustees [of the Independent Press Regulation Trust] will be able to provide financial assistance towards the establishment and support of Impress. Mr Heawoods hopes of financial support were realised thanks to the millions that Max Mosley has promised to pour into Impress via the IPRT. Despite its extensive financial support from Mr Mosley, today Impress still only regulates a handful of tiny news organisations some of them distinctly Left-leaning. In stark contrast, most mainstream papers, including the Daily Mail, are signed up to the newspaper industry-funded self-regulator IPSO (the Independent Press Standards Organisation). The government quango set up to decide which body should oversee the Press, the Press Recognition Panel, has received a handsome grant of taxpayers money from the Treasury to conduct its business. But in a years time, that 3 million of funding will run out. It must then support itself by charging any Press regulator it has recognised for periodic reviews of its activities. So far only one potential regulator has applied for recognition Impress. (The regulator most of the mainstream press supports, IPSO, has not sought recognition from the Press Recognition Panel for the simple reason that the press is not free if it is forced into regulation by judicial blackmail.) So it is that the Press Recognition Panel must recognise Impress next Tuesday or wither and die. Of course without Mr Mosleys money, and the charity of which Mr Wilfrid Vernor-Miles is a trustee the Independent Press Regulation Trust there is no Impress. The Press Recognition Panel prides itself on its liberal credentials it even held a solemn debate on what to call its staff Christmas dinner, before settling on seasonal end of the year event in order to avoid offending anyone. Long lines snaked around early voting sites in Hamilton County as presidential balloting got underway on Wednesday. The lines were so long at the Brainerd Recreation Center that former Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Paul Smith said he had a lengthy wait. He said, "They have had months to prepare for a presidential election and they only have five voting machines here and at the election office. People are turning away and going home. The elderly can't wait in line this long." Sandy Lusk said she also encountered long lines at Brainerd. She said, "It took us 50 minutes for only four things on our ballot." Kerry Steelman, election administrator, said, "There have been long lines at all four early voting locations throughout the day, but especially at the Election Commission office. In reality we have equipped each location with additional staff and machines enabling us to more efficiently process voters. "As of 4:15 p.m., 4,019 voters have cast a ballot - Brainerd Recreation Center: 810, Eastwood Church: 769, Northgate: 891, and Election Commission: 1,549. "To help reduce wait times voters need to have their state or federal photo id in hand." Jennifer Walker said she went to the election office and learned at the end of the process that she had been handed the wrong ballot. She said, "When I was putting my stub into the box I noticed that it said Tyner. I am from Soddy Daisy and I was wanting to vote for the commission race and the wine issue. None of those were on the ballot. "I wonder how many other people got the wrong ballot." Election officials said they could not verify that anyone had been given a wrong ballot. A rising number of parents have been flouting the government's ban on term time holidays, new official figures show. One in 20 half days were missed down to unapproved family trips in the autumn and spring terms of 2015 to 2016 - a five-year high. This has gone up from roughly one in 23 half days in the previous academic year, and one in 30 in 2011 to 2012. A rising number of parents have been flouting the government's ban on term time holidays, new official figures show. Posed by models The figures, from the Department for Education, suggest an increasing number of parents are choosing to ignore the controversial ban. Since 2013, families who take children out of school for holidays have incurred fines of 60 per pupil and are taken to court if they refuse to pay. Many are simply disobeying the rules and paying the fines because travel and accommodation are so much cheaper in off-peak times. The figures are for the period leading up to a landmark High Court case in May, when judges ruled term time holiday was in fact legal. The government has vowed to fight the decision but today's statistics suggest parents would continue to ignore the ban even if the ruling is overturned. The figures also show that around one in 13 pupils or 7.6 per cent missed at least half a day for both authorised and unauthorised trips up from 7.2 per cent the year before. Jon Platt (pictured) won a High Court ruling against a fine issued for taking his daughter out of school for a family trip to Florida Overall, unapproved family holidays accounted for 5 per cent of authorised and unauthorised absences in 2015 to 2016, compared with 4.4 per cent in 2014 to 2015. This had dropped from 4.6 per cent in 2013/14 - the year new rules on school absence, including higher fines for parents if children miss lessons, came into force. In 2011 to 2012, unauthorised family holidays were the reason for 3.1 per cent of absences. Under the new rules, head teachers can only grant leave in 'exceptional circumstances'. This policy was thrown into doubt in May after Jon Platt won a High Court ruling against a fine issued for taking his daughter out of school for a family trip to Florida. After the decision, ministers urged heads to continue the new policy, and requested that Isle of Wight council, which issued the penalty to Mr Platt, appeal against the ruling. Mr Platt said: 'The evidence shows that family holidays can actually be good for a child's education.' Earlier this week, freedom of information requests revealed that councils across the country made 4 million from fining parents in the last year. A Department for Education spokesman said: 'Evidence shows that every extra day of school missed can affect a pupil's chances of achieving good GCSEs. 'Over the past decade, absence rates have followed a downward trend and almost 200,000 fewer pupils are now persistently missing school than in 2010, thanks to the hard work of teachers, who are insisting on improved pupil behaviour and attendance. Russia is readying itself to become a leader in the construction of hypersonic aircraft, a new report reveals. Kremlin-backed media claim engineers in the Federation are among the first in the world to work towards new materials for planes capable of reaching hypersonic speeds. The move could help Russia produce a new fleet of aerial war machines that could launch nuclear attacks from space. Aviation researchers are reportedly working to develop the materials which can withstand the stress and high temperatures of travelling many times the speed of sound. Scroll down for video Russia is among the first in the world to work towards the raw materials for hypersonic planes, according to a new Kremlin report. It states aviation experts are working to develop new materials to withstand the stress of travel above Mach 5 (stock image used) HYPERSONIC MATERIALS According to reports from Russian-backed media, aviation engineers and researchers in Russia are working to develop new materials for hypersonic flight. The new materials could potentially withstand temperatures of 1,500C, generated by speeds of Mach 5 and above. Hypersonic vehicles become engulfed in a superheated bubble of plasma, which reflects electromagnetic radiation, cutting the vehicle off from the outside world. Advertisement The findings come from a state-backed research fund, which claims to Russia is a leader in the development of such resistant materials, reports Sputnik. Breaking the sound barrier and reaching speeds of close to 4,000 miles per hour puts the structure under immense stress. Russia has already revealed its plans for a stealth bomber capable of hypersonic speeds, with an engine which could be ready as early as 2020. The PAK-DA craft, which would travel far higher than existing planes, would be able to reach any target on earth within two hours and could deliver a nuclear warhead. But in order to achieve hypersonic capabilities, engineers have to overcome a number of design hurdles. Firstly, the heat generated from the air resistance means materials for the planes wins and fuselage must be able to maintain temperatures of more than 1,500C (2,700F) during flights, which would otherwise melt steel and other conventional materials. According to Sputnik, a statement from the Fund for Perspective Research, said: This [problem] is addressed by creating innovative composite materials based on carbon fibers. Breaking the sound barrier and reaching speeds of close to 4,000 miles per hour puts the structure under immense stress. Pictured is a long-range supersonic interceptor jet, capable of travelling faster than the speed of sound There has been considerable progress in this sphere, and Russia is one of the world leaders. Engineers in the US, Australia, UK, China and others are working to develop hypersonic aircraft which can travel at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. A US-Australian group is looking to Scramjet technology. These engines are designed to carry only hydrogen fuel, sucking in the oxygen they need for combustion and achieving speeds greater than Mach 7. Britains closest programme to the Russian hypersonic jet is a top secret stealth drone being developed by BAE Systems. The 200million Taranis aircraft will be the most advanced built by British engineers. Chinese engineers are reportedly looking to develop hypersonic aircraft capable of taking passengers to the edge of space, which it claims will be ready by 2030. Russia has already revealed its plans for a stealth bomber capable of hypersonic speeds, with an engine which could be ready as early as 2020. Aside from the structural stress and high temperatures involved in hypersonic travel, researchers will have to overcome issues with communication. Hypersonic vehicles become engulfed in a superheated bubble of plasma, which reflects electromagnetic radiation, cutting the vehicle off from the outside world. According to Sputnik, Russian researchers at more than 40 state laboratories are working on these issues. One group in China is working on the communication issue caused by plasma bubbles, using a matched layer which enables signals to penetrate. Professor Stephen Hawking has warned that artificial intelligence could develop a will of its own that is in conflict with that of humanity. It could herald dangers like powerful autonomous weapons and ways for the few to oppress the many, he said, as he called for more research in the area. But if sufficient research is done to avoid the risks, it could help in humanity's aims to 'finally eradicate disease and poverty', he added. Professor Stephen Hawking has warned that artificial intelligence could develop a will of its own that is in conflict with that of humanity He was speaking in Cambridge at the launch of The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, which will explore the implications of the rapid development of artificial intelligence. All great achievements of civilisation, from learning to master fire to learning to grow food to understanding the cosmos, were down to human intelligence, he said. 'I believe there is no deep difference between what can be achieved by a biological brain and what can be achieved by a computer. 'It therefore follows that computers can, in theory, emulate human intelligence - and exceed it.' Artificial intelligence was progressing rapidly and there were 'enormous' levels of investment. He said the potential benefits were great and the technological revolution could help undo some of the damage done to the natural world by industrialisation. 'In short, success in creating AI could be the biggest event in the history of our civilisation,' said Prof Hawking. 'But it could also be the last unless we learn how to avoid the risks. Professor Hawking warned that AI could herald dangers like powerful autonomous weapons and ways for the few to oppress the many (like the plot of Terminator, pictured) 'Alongside the benefits, AI will also bring dangers, like powerful autonomous weapons, or new ways for the few to oppress the many. 'It will bring great disruption to our economy. 'And in the future, AI could develop a will of its own - a will that is in conflict with ours. 'In short, the rise of powerful AI will be either the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity. 'We do not know which.' He continued: 'That is why, in 2014, I and a few others called for more research to be done in this area. 'I am very glad that someone was listening to me.' He welcomed the launch of the new centre, which is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and the University of California, Berkeley. REPORT CALLS FOR BAN ON KILLER ROBOTS The report by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic was released as the United Nations kicked off a week-long meeting on such weapons in Geneva. The report calls for humans to remain in control over all weapons systems at a time of rapid technological advances. It says that requiring humans to remain in control of critical functions during combat, including the selection of targets, saves lives and ensures that fighters comply with international law. 'Machines have long served as instruments of war, but historically humans have directed how they are used,' said Bonnie Docherty, senior arms division researcher at Human Rights Watch, in a statement. 'Now there is a real threat that humans would relinquish their control and delegate life-and-death decisions to machines.' Some have argued in favor of robots on the battlefield, saying their use could save lives. But last year, more than 1,000 technology and robotics experts including scientist Stephen Hawking, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak warned that such weapons could be developed within years, not decades. In an open letter, they argued that if any major military power pushes ahead with development of autonomous weapons, 'a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of tomorrow.' According to the London-based organization Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, the United States, China, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and Britain are moving toward systems that would give machines greater combat autonomy. Advertisement 'The research done by this centre is crucial to the future of our civilisation and of our species,' he said. CFI is funded by an unprecedented 10 million grant from the Leverhulme Trust. Its mission is to create an interdisciplinary community of researchers that will work closely with industry and policy-makers. It is the first centre of its kind that will examine both risks and benefits, short and long-term. And Professor Hawking joked: 'We spend a great deal of time studying history, which, let's face it, is mostly the history of stupidity. Advertisement The European Space Agency says it still has not received any signal from its experimental Mars lander since shortly before it was meant to reach the red planet's surface. That means the planned 'soft landing' of the Schiaparelli probe yesterday is likely to have failed, as the parachute may have 'jettisoned too early' - though there is no confirmation of this yet. The head of ESA, Jan Woerner, said this morning the mission should still be considered a success, because the probe sent a vast amount of data back to Earth before falling silent. Scroll down for video The European Space Agency says it still has not received any signal from its experimental Mars lander since shortly before it was meant to reach the red planet's surface. That means the planned 'soft landing' of the Schiaparelli probe yesterday is likely to have failed, though there is no confirmation of this yet, as the parachute (artist's impression) 'jettisoned too early' WHAT WENT WRONG? Scientists are sifting through large amounts of data transmitted by Schiaparelli until the signal was abruptly cut off. European Space Agency (Esa) officials say it is too early to speculate about what might have happened. The initial data suggests the parachute may have jettisoned too early. The retro rockets were also fired for a shorter period of time than expected, around three to four seconds. Andrea Accomazzo, head of Esa's planetary operations, said a point came during the six-minute descent when the spacecraft did not behave 'exactly as expected'. He confirmed the craft's retro-rockets had ignited - but the data only recorded them firing for three or four seconds before the loss of signal. The nine rockets in three clusters around the rim of the probe were supposed to slow its descent to less 4.3mph (7km/h), before switching off and allowing the craft to drop 6.5ft (two metres) to the ground. Mr Accomazzo also said the craft's heat shield had performed 'flawlessly' and its parachute had deployed as planned. Advertisement Scientists are sifting through large amounts of data transmitted by Schiaparelli until the signal was abruptly cut off. Dr Manish Patel, senior lecturer in planetary scientists at the Open University who has an instrument on board the lander told MailOnline he feels 'a mixed feeling, of great joy that the orbiter in successfully in orbit and our instrument is safe, and disappointment that we lost contact with the lander.' But ESA officials say it is too early to speculate about what might have happened. Andrea Accomazzo, head of Esa's planetary operations, said a point came during the six-minute descent when the spacecraft did not behave 'exactly as expected'. He confirmed the craft's retro-rockets had ignited - but the data only recorded them firing for three or four seconds before the loss of signal. The nine rockets in three clusters around the rim of the probe were supposed to slow its descent to less 4.3mph (7km/h), before switching off and allowing the craft to drop 6.5ft (two metres) to the ground. Mr Accomazzo also said the craft's heat shield had performed 'flawlessly' and its parachute had deployed as planned. Esa director general Jan Worner remained up-beat, stressing that the main part of the mission had been a complete success. Schiaparelli's 'mothership', the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), successfully completed it orbit entry and is now circling Mars. Next year it is due to start sniffing the Martian atmosphere for signs of unusual trace gases such as methane, which may be a sign of life. 'The very good news is that TGO is very successfully inserted into orbit,' said Mr Worner, speaking at a news conference at Esa's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany. He pointed out that Schiaparelli - technically known as the ExoMars entry, descent and landing demonstration module (EDM) - was primarily a test vehicle. Its job was to try out the landing system to be used for the next phase of the ExoMars mission which will fly a rover to Mars in 2020. 'The test is there to get data, to get knowledge, and we got the knowledge' he added. 'I'm happy. I think it is a big success.' Data was received during the descent, and most of the parts of the landing went to plan. However, the final part of its landing did not go as expected, the ESA scientists said, and the retro rockets fired for much shorter than expected - only around three or four seconds. This means we are not sure whether the lander is now in one piece, as the landing might not have been soft enough. Jan Woerner, Director of the European Space Agency (ESA) during a press conference at the European Space Agency (ESA) in Darmstadt, Germany. The final part of its landing did not go as expected, the ESA scientists said, and the retro rockets fired for much shorter than expected - only around three or four seconds Speaking at a press conference today, Andrea Accomazzo, head of Esa's planetary operations (second from right), said a point came during the six-minute descent when the spacecraft did not behave 'exactly as expected'. He was joined by David Parker (left) director of human spaceflight and robotic exploration at ESA, Rolf Densing (second from right) director of operations and Don McCoy, ExoMars' project manager (right) Employees sit in the contol centre of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Darmstadt Germany. The signal from Mars Express came through at 6.30pm and confirmed exactly the same as the initial signal picked up by the telescope in Pune 'We saw the signal through the atmospheric phase, the descent phase - at a certain point it stopped,' said Paolo Ferri, ESA head of missions operations. 'This was unexpected but we couldn't conclude anything from that because this very weak signal picked up on ground was coming from an experimental tool. 'We waited for the Mars Express measurement which was taken in parallel. It was of the same kind, it was only recording the radio signal. The signal came through at 6.30pm BST (1:30pm ET) and confirmed exactly the same. The signal went through the majority of the descent phase, but it stopped at a certain point that we reckon was before the landing. 'To conclude more on this, because there can be many, many reasons for that, we need more information. It's clear these are not good signs. Artist's impression of the Schiaparelli lander in one piece on the Martian surface. Scientists are sifting through large amounts of data transmitted by Schiaparelli until the signal was abruptly cut off. European Space Agency (Esa) officials say it is too early to speculate about what might have happened The ExoMars 2016 entry, descent, and landing demonstrator module, known as Schiaparelli, landed on Mars in a region known as Meridiani Planum. The landing sites of the seven rovers and landers that have reached the surface of Mars and successfully operated there are indicated on this map THE FAILED MISSIONS TO MARS: BEAGLE 2 AND OTHER LOST LANDERS An artist's impression showing how the Beagle 2 landing craft may look once it landed on Mars The only previous European Space Agency (Esa) spacecraft to attempt a Mars landing was the ill-fated British-built Beagle 2 on Christmas Day in 2003. After separating from the Mars Express orbiter that carried it to the red Planet, Beagle 2 was not heard from again. It was not until 2015 that scientists discovered the Beagle had landed, but could not communicate after failing to deploy solar panels. Esa isn't the only space agency to lose a spacecraft on the way to Mars. Part of Nasa's Mariner mission, the Mariner 8 was supposed to send images and data back from the red planet. Instead, a launch failure in 1971 meant that it ended up in the Atlantic Ocean without making it into space. In 1999, Nasa's Mars Climate Orbiter disintegrated in the Martian atmosphere. The space probe ventured to close to the atmosphere following a software programming error. Following the successful launch the Sputnik satellite, the Soviets attempted to send the Mars1M to the red planet in 1960m but a technical failure shortly after take off meant that it broke up before it reached orbit, and a second launch, the Mars 1M No. 2, also failed. In 1962, the Sputnik 22 probe, was lost in low Earth orbit, while both Sputnik 23 and and 24 also failed to make it to Mars. In 1969, the Soviets' Mars 1969A exploded shortly after launch over the Altai Mountains. A month later, the Mars 1969B suffered a similar fate, crashing back to the ground just 41 seconds after launch. In 1971, the Kosmos 419 also failed to make it out of low Earth orbit. Later that year, the Soviets' Mars 2 lander made it to the red planet but crashed and was lost. A series of failures followed, ending with Mars 7. After launching in 2011, China's Yinghuo-1, which was the country's first and only attempt at reaching Mars, failed to make it out of Earth orbit and eventually broke up over the POacific Ocean. In 1998, Japan launched the Nozomi probe, which made it to Mars in 2003, but failed to make it into Martian orbit. Contact was later lost. Advertisement 'The TGO which successfully entered into orbit did another good job which is recording the telemetry that the EDM Schiaparelli lander was transmitting during this phase. 'It's a lot of data - we reckon we have on board more than 20MB of data. 'We should remember this landing was a test. As part of a test you want to know what happened. 'It's fundamental that tonight we look at this telemetry. I'm quite confident that tomorrow morning we will know.' The lander was expected to send out another radio signal today, and the Mars Express orbiter or a telescope in India might pick it up. 'We will keep monitoring...if there is a signal coming we will pick it up,' they said. All the key pieces of hardware were activated as the lander descended, and the team now need to analyse this data. Michel Denis, French ExoMars Flight Director, working in the main control room of the European Space Agency (ESA) prior to the expected landing. The probe was expected to send images of Mars back to Earth and conduct scientific measurements on the surface, but its main purpose is to test technology for a future European Mars rover This artists concept illustrates a Martian dust storm, which might also crackle with electricity. The Schiaparelli lander was forecast to be heading into a global dust storm on Mars yesterday TRACE GAS ORBITER - THE INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD THE 'MOTHERSHIP' The Trace Gas Orbiter carries a science payload of four instruments: NOMAD, ACS, FREND and CaSSIS The Trace Gas Orbiter carries a science payload of four instruments: NOMAD Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery NOMAD combines three spectrometers, two infrared and one ultraviolet, to perform high-sensitivity orbital identification of atmospheric components, including methane and many other species, via both solar occultation and direct reflected-light nadir observations. ACS Atmospheric Chemistry Suite This suite of three infrared instruments will help scientists to investigate the chemistry and structure of the Martian atmosphere. ACS will complement NOMAD by extending the coverage at infrared wavelengths, and by taking images of the Sun to better analyse the solar occultation data. CaSSIS Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System A high resolution camera (5 metres per pixel) capable of obtaining colour and stereo images over a wide swathe. CaSSIS will provide the geological and dynamical context for sources or sinks of trace gases detected by NOMAD and ACS. FREND Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector This neutron detector will map hydrogen on the surface down to a metre deep, revealing deposits of water-ice near the surface. FRENDs mapping of shallow subsurface water ice will be up to 10 times better than existing measurements. Source: ESA Advertisement Artist's impression of the Schiaparelli lander detaching from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Schiaparelli separated from its own mothership, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, on Sunday after a 310 million mile (500 million km) seven-month journey through space Schiaparelli separated from its own mothership, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, on Sunday after a 310 million mile (500 million km) seven-month journey through space. At 3.42pm UK time yesterday, it was due to begin a 'six minutes of terror' journey through the Martian atmosphere. During this time the probe was travelling on autopilot and mission controllers on Earth could only sit and wait - hence the 'terror'. Although it carries some instruments, Schiaparelli's main job was to test out the Russian-designed landing system for a future ExoMars rover mission due to be launched in 2020. Initially slowed by the friction on its heat shield, the probe should have deployed its parachute at an altitude of about 6.8 miles (11km). As it neared the ground, three clusters of retro rockets were supposed to fire, slowing the craft's speed to less than 4.3mph (7km/h), 6.5ft (two metres) from the surface. The rockets were then due to switch off, allowing the probe to drop the rest of the way. A special crushable structure built into the spacecraft was meant to cushion against the final shock. During the descent Schiaparelli was programmed to take pictures of the approaching Martian terrain. The landing site is Meridiani Planum, a flat region that interests scientists because it contains an ancient layer of haematite. On Earth, the iron oxide mineral almost always forms in a watery environment. Schiaparelli was due to spend about four days gathering weather data before its batteries ran out. All Telsa cars 'from here on out' will be built with full autonomous capability - including the Model 3, Elon Musk announced tonight. In a press call today, the Tesla CEO said 'all of the cars we make are shipping with level five hardware with full self-driving capability.' Musk claims the technology will soon enable 'full autonomy all the way from LA to New York,' saying this would be achieved 'without the need for a single touch.' According to the firm, Model S and Model X vehicles with the new hardware are already in production. Scroll down for video Models with the new self-driving capabilities will have eight cameras, rather than the four in the simpler autopilot vehicles. This will provide 360 degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT All Teslas being produced, including the Model 3, are now being built with full autonomous capabilities. Model S and Model X vehicles with the new hardware are already in production. System will have eight cameras with 360 degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range. It will also have 12 updated ultrasonic sensors to detect both hard and soft objects and a forward-facing radar that can see through 'heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead.' The vehicles will be equipped an on-board system powered by Nvidia that achieves '12 trillion operations per second, basically a supercomputer in a car.' This is said to have over 40 times the computing power of earlier generations, and uses a newly developed neural net for vision, sonar and radar processing software. Advertisement Buyers will be given two options, Musk said. This would be 'either basically an improved Autopilot or self-driving,' he said during the media Q&A - but the additional capabilities will cost another $8,000. Musk says that, 'the foundation is laid for the safety level to be at least twice that of a person, or maybe better.' He notes, however, that it will take time to complete the validation of the software and go through the regulations before the true self-driving systems can be activated. With continual improvements, Musk says the firm is aiming for capabilities are 10 times the safety of a human driver. Models with the new self-driving capabilities will have eight cameras, rather than the four in the simpler Autopilot vehicles. This will provide 360 degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range. The enhanced suite will also include 12 updated ultrasonic sensors, allowing the self-driving cars to detect both hard and soft objects. A forward-facing radar will enable the car to see through 'heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead,' the firm says. And, the vehicles will be equipped with 'a gigantic increase in computing power,' according to Musk, with an on-board system powered by Nvidia that achieves '12 trillion operations per second, basically a supercomputer in a car.' This is said to have over 40 times the computing power of earlier generations, and uses a newly developed neural net for vision, sonar and radar processing software. With this technology, the firm says the vehicle will be able to see 'in every direction simultaneously and on wavelengths that go far beyond the human senses.' In the discussion, the billionaire CEO also lashed out at negative media coverage of the Tesla Autopilot crashes, arguing that when you write an article that effectively dissuades people from using an autonomous car, youre killing people. The self-driving capabilities are, statistically, far safer than human drivers, he points out. The enhanced suite includes 12 updated ultrasonic sensors to compliment the vision, allowing the self-driving cars to detect both hard and soft objects. Along with this, it has a forward-facing radar that can see through 'heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead' While Tesla is best known for its electric cars, the company has new products on the way. But fans had to wait an extra two days to hear what Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla (pictured) has up his sleeve next Musk tweeted today that the announcement would go live at 8 p.m. (ET), and noted that tonight's reveal would address earlier allusions to a 'Model 3 part 2.' Many speculated that the mystery product may be a giant touchscreen dashboard or a new version of Autopilot with more autonomous capabilities. The reveal was initially supposed to come on Monday, but was delayed for 'a few more days of refinement.' On Twitter today, Musk wrote, Tesla announcement goes live at 5pm California time. 30 minutes of media Q&A to follow. He also tweeted: This is also what I was alluding to my Model 3 part 2. Elon Musk is set to unveil an 'unexpected product' tonight. The Tesla CEO tweeted today that the announcement would go live at 8 p.m. (ET) after it was delayed for a few more days of refinement The reveal was initially supposed to come on Monday, but was delayed for 'a few more days of refinement' SPECULATION ON TWITTER Many people on Twitter speculated at what the new product could be. One user, called Keng, replied to Mr Musk's tweet, saying 'Model 3 Part Deux' hinting that it could be a new vehicle. Others have suggested that Tesla has been working on an electric two-wheeler, such as Edward Patel, who tweeted: 'Time for a motorcycle maybe?' Autopilot 2.0 could be the next generation of Teslas semi-autonomous driving system called Autopilot. Tesla recently released an update to its Autopilot 8.0 system, but it could also be planning to announce new features. Advertisement This delay comes as German regulators are calling for Tesla to stop using the 'misleading' term autopilot for the driver-assistance function. The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has written to Elon Musk's company with the request to no longer use the 'misleading' term Autopilot for the driver assistance system of the car. 'In order to prevent misunderstandings and false expectations from clients, we are asking that the misleading term "Autopilot" no longer be used in advertisements for the system,' the letter said. Many people on Twitter have speculated on what the new product could be. One user hinted it could be a new vehicle, like an updated version of the Model 3. The Tesla CEO has previously said the event would happen today. But his latest tweet (pictured) suggests Tesla will be revealing the unexpected new product on Wednesday. Mr Musk said the product 'needs a few more days of refinement' Tesla recently released an update to its 'Autopilot 8.0' system, but it could also be planning to announce new features. With this updated version, Tesla is expected to add more sensors to the vehicles to give them more self-driving capabilities Others suggested that Tesla has been working on an electric two-wheeler, for example Edward Patel, who tweeted: 'Time for a motorcycle maybe?' The firm has recently faced criticism from customers in Norway about its Model S P85D cars. The model is best known for its stomach-churning acceleration during 'Insane mode,' allowing the car to go from 0-60 mph in just three seconds. But it appears that customers in Norway are not happy, and claim the acceleration is not as fast as advertised. Some 126 owners of the car are seeking money back from Tesla, and it looks like they could get as much as 50,000 kroner (5,750 in UK and $6,155 in US) each. The mystery of whether there is an undiscovered planet at the edge of our solar system is one that has gripped the imagination of astronomers since the start of this year. Dubbed 'Planet Nine' by some, the world was predicted by two Caltech astronomers in January, and since then scientists have been trying to find evidence for and against its existence. Now the latest of these claims is that the ninth planet appears to be responsible for the unusual tilt of the sun. Dubbed 'Planet Nine' by some, the world was predicted by two Caltech astronomers in January. Now the latest of these claims is that planet nine appears to be responsible for the unusual tilt of the sun (pictured), according to a new study HOW THEY 'FOUND' PLANET NINE Researchers inferred Planet Nine's presence from the peculiar clustering of six previously known objects that orbit beyond Neptune. They say there's only a 0.007 per cent chance, or about one in 15,000, that the clustering could be a coincidence. Instead, they say, a planet with the mass of 10 Earths has shepherded the six objects into their strange elliptical orbits, tilted out of the plane of the solar system. Advertisement The planet may be adding a wobble to the solar system, making it appear the sun is tilted slightly. 'Because Planet Nine is so massive and has an orbit tilted compared to the other planets, the solar system has no choice but to slowly twist out of alignment,' said Elizabeth Bailey, a graduate student at Caltech and lead author of the study announcing the discovery. All of the planets orbit in a flat plane with respect to the sun, roughly within a couple degrees of each other. That plane, however, rotates at a six-degree tilt with respect to the sun, giving the appearance the sun itself is cocked off at an angle. Until now, no one had found a compelling explanation to produce such an effect. 'It's such a deep-rooted mystery and so difficult to explain that people just don't talk about it,' said Professor Mike Brown, one of the pair who published the initial paper suggesting Planet Nine's existence. Professor Brown and Konstantin Batygin used mathematical modelling and computer simulations to find the planet would exactly explain a strange clumping behaviour of a group of dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt, a field of icy objects and debris beyond Neptune. The mystery of whether there is an undiscovered planet at the edge of our solar system is one that has gripped the imagination of astronomers since the start of this year. Dubbed 'Planet Nine' by some, the world was predicted in January 9artist's impression) PLANET NINE Even the mysterious planet's name causes controversy. Mike Brown is Professor of Planetary Astronomy at Caltech. He is best known for his discovery of Eris, the most massive object found in the solar system in 150 years, and the object which led to the debate and eventual demotion of Pluto from a real planet to a dwarf planet. Alan Stern is an engineer and planetary scientist. He is the principal investigator of Nasa's New Horizons mission to Pluto. He is famously a defender of Pluto's planet title, which was stripped from it in 2006. The two scientists are 'at loggerheads' with each other over the classification of Pluto, according to some astronomers. The mysterious planet has always been termed 'Planet X', X being the roman numeral for ten, suggesting a tenth planet. But when Professor Brown and his team published the paper in January, they controversially named the planet 'Planet Nine' instead of Planet X, as a nod to Professor Brown's work towards declassifying Pluto. 'Calling it Planet Nine is very mischievous,' Professor Monica Grady told MailOnline. Advertisement The unknown world, dubbed 'Planet X' by others, is thought to be 10 times more massive than Earth and the furthest planet from the sun - but its exact location is unknown. Since the prediction, researchers over the world have been using different instruments to hone in on the planet. 'It continues to amaze us; every time we look carefully we continue to find that Planet Nine explains something about the solar system that had long been a mystery,' said Dr Batygin, an assistant professor. The new findings have been accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal, and will be presented on October 18 at the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences annual meeting, held in Pasadena. The tilt of the solar system's orbital plane has long confused astronomers because of the way the planets formed, as a spinning cloud slowly collapsing into a disk, then into objects orbiting a central star. But it could be explained by the angular momentum of the large and distance Planet Nine. Angular momentum equals an object's mass multiplied by its distance from the sun. Because the other planets in the solar system all exist along a flat plane, their angular momentum works to keep the whole disk spinning smoothly. Archaeologists working on a dig in Istanbul say they have found the biggest ever collection of ancient medicine, including what they believe are treatments for depression and heart disease. Nearly 700 small ceramic bottles containing 'anti-depressant pills and heart disease drugs' were found at Bathonea on the shore of Kucukcekmece Lake in the Avcilar district of Turkey's largest city. Evidence of the site was first uncovered in 2007, after the waters of the lake, west of Istanbul, were lowered by drought. Archaeologists believe the findings not only demonstrate the scale of drug production and use in the region, but also show signs of an ancient surprise attack by invaders which caused huge fires. Scroll down for video Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered nearly 700 small ceramic bottles containing anti-depressant pills and heart disease drugs THE TOWN OF BATHONEA Archaeologists first discovered the site of Bathonea in 2007 after the waters of Lake Kucukcekmece, west of Istanbul, were lowered by drought. Researchers identified a number of stones stamped with an insignia from Constantinople - the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Work at the site has revealed the remains of a Greek temple, a Byzantine church and a number of artefacts including coind and pottery, dating back as far as the 4th Century BCE. Tests of a layer of charred earth at the site indicates a large fire almost 1,400 years ago. This would tally with the time when an Avar army launched a surprise attack on Constantinople, around 617 CE. Advertisement Sengul Aydingun, the head of the Bathonea excavations, said the bottles might be more than 1,390 years old as they were found below a fire layer believed to be from the time the Avar Empire attacked Istanbul in 626 CE. She said that the team had been analysing thousands of pieces of bottle fragments found at the site this year, as well as fragments found in 2013 and 2015. Dr Aydingun said: 'We thought the number of bottles was 400 but this year we attached together lots of pieces and saw that it was nearly 700. 'This is really high for ancient times. 'This is the highest number of ancient bottles discovered in an archaeological excavation. 'We delivered most of them to the museum. 'There were lots of pestles, mortars and a big cooker around these bottles. It seems that there was a drug production centre here. 'We also found lots of medical tools and spatulas.' The bottles might be more than 1,390 years old as they were found below a fire layer believed to be from the time the Avar Empire attacked Istanbul in 626 CE The archaeological site of Bathonea is located on the shore of Kucukcekmece Lake in the Avcilar district of Turkey's largest city (pictured) Dr Aydingun added: 'The interesting part is that there are some plants in this field where we are working in winter. 'These plants are the core of many drugs.' The remnants of the contents of the bottles were analysed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK). 'They got the formulas of two drugs; Methanone and Phenanthrene,' said Dr Aydingun. 'One of them is an antidepressant and the other is used in cases of heart diseases.' 'The cores of these drugs were obtained from nearby plants. This is a very good result for us,' she added. But the archaeologists also discovered a large fire layer which have been carbon tested by experts at the Wroclaw Archaeology and Ethnography Institute in Poland. 'The result of the analysis there may add a new page to Istanbul's history,' she said. The number of bottles was thought to be 400, but this has increased to nearly 700 after fragments were reconstructed (pictured) 'The fire is estimated to have occurred between 620 CE and 640 CE, which is an important date range. 'During these dates, there were attacks against Istanbul from Thrace. 'There was also a serious attack from the Avar Empire in 626 CE. 'There was a large group of structures in the field of Bathonea. 'This structure group was almost demolished by the fire. And the bottles remained under this fire layer. This may be evidence of the Avar attack. 'Historical documents mention this attack, but we have not found archaeological evidence. 'If it becomes clear, the Bathonea excavations will be the first archaeological evidence for the Avar attacks.' Archaeologists first discovered the site of Bathonea in 2007 after the waters of Lake Kucukcekmece, west of Istanbul, were lowered by drought Whether it's Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, it is impossible to log on your favorite social media site without seeing a selfie. However, A new study found that those who spend a lot time 'selfie lurking' on these sites instead of posting or liking may be giving away their state of well-being. Researcher found those who 'lurk' in the background while scrolling through selfies have lower self-esteem and feel less satisfied with their own lives. Scroll down for video A study found some people a lot of time 'selfie lurking' instead of posting or liking - and it can be harmful to your well-being. Researcher found those who 'lurk' in the background while looking through selfies may have low self-esteem and feel less satisfied with their lives. WHAT IS SELFIE LURKING? Researcher reveal that when a person does not participate in social media activities, such as posting or liking, and just observe in the background it is called 'lurking'. Penn State researchers found this viewing behavior is common with selfies, which they call 'selfie lurking'. And the more people view their own or other's selfies, the lower their level of self-esteem and life satisfaction is. However, those who have a need to appear popular experience an increase in self-esteem and life satisfaction. Researcher believe selfie lurking is a ways for these individuals to satisfy their desire to appear popular. Advertisement 'Most of the research done on social network sites looks at the motivation for posting and liking content, but we're now starting to look at the effect of viewing behavior,' says Ruoxu Wang, a graduate student in mass communications at Penn State. This type of viewing behavior is called 'lurking', which is when someone doesn't participate in social media activities, but rather stays in the shadows and observes. And although this type of behavior may seem harmless, new evidence suggests otherwise. Wang and Fan Yang, a graduate student in mass communications at Penn State, conducted an online survey to collect data on the psychological effects of posting and viewing selfies and groupies. The team found that posting did not have any psychological effects on the participants, but viewing behavior did. They found the more people viewed their own or other's selfies, the lower their level of self-esteem and life satisfaction was. 'People usually post selfies when they're happy or having fun,' said Wang. 'This makes it easy for someone else to look at these pictures and think his or her life is not as great as theirs.' The volunteers who exhibited the need to appear popular were also found to be even more sensitive to selfie and groupie viewing, however, these individuals experienced an increase in self-esteem and life satisfaction. This type of viewing behavior is called 'lurking', which is when someone doesn't participate in social media activities, but rather stays in the shadows and observes. However, Researchers believe selfie lurking is a ways for some individuals to satisfy their desire to appear popular Researchers believe selfie lurking is a ways for these individuals to satisfy their desire to appear popular. Wang and Yang hope their work can raise awareness about social media use and the effect it has on viewers of people's social networks. 'We don't often think about how what we post affects the people around us,' said Yang. WOMEN REALLY ARE SELFIE QUEENS A recent study has revealed snap-happy young women are the most prolific of the selfie-snappers, spending a staggering five hours a week getting those shots just right. The survey of 2,000 women found that those aged between 16 and 25 are the worst offenders, spending an average of 16 minutes on each selfie-session, three times a day. Over half said they take selfies 'all the time', with the average snap-rate coming in at three selfies a day. And with applying make-up, getting the right lighting and perfecting the angle, the time spent on each photo-taking session added up to 48 minutes a day - that's a baffling five hours and 36 minutes every week. The research showed a significant trend among the younger generation to suffer from 'selfie-esteem' - linking their own body confidence with the amount of 'likes' they receive on a selfie via social media. In fact, a snap-happy 22 per cent even cited getting 'likes' to boost their ego as the main reason for taking them. But getting individual attention was also a factor, as one in three admitted to using their sexiest selfies to catch the eye of a potential love interest. And it's also an act of revenge. One in five confessed they'd posted suggestive pics of themselves to make an ex-partner regret ending their relationship. On a more concerning level, 27 per cent of the younger women confessed they actually delete selfies within minutes if they haven't gained enough 'likes' on social media. And four in ten said they take so many selfies they've become more analytical of their faces, finding flaws they hadn't previously seen. Advertisement 'I think this study can help people understand the potential consequences of their posting behavior. Although Penn State found staring at selfies is linked to low self-esteem, a separate study from the University of California, Irvine found that regularly snapping selfies and sharing the images with friends boosts people's mood and ultimately makes them happier. The findings suggest that taking one selfie a day will improve your confidence and make you more comfortable with yourself. Wang and Yang hope their work can raise awareness about social media use and the effect it has on viewers of people's social networks. Another study found regularly snapping selfies and sharing the images with friends boosts people's mood and ultimately makes them happier 'Our research showed that practicing exercises that can promote happiness via smartphone picture taking and sharing can lead to increased positive feelings for those who engage in it,' said lead author Yu Chen, a postdoctoral scholar in UCI's Department of Informatics. This is particularly useful information for returning college students to be aware of, since they face many sources of pressure.' The team chose to observe college students for their research, because first year students have a lot more worries financial difficulties, being away from home for the first time, feeling loneliness and isolation and loads of school work. The project involved three types of photos to help the researchers determine how smiling, reflecting and giving to others might impact users' moods. The first was a selfie, to be taken daily while smiling. The second was an image of something that made the photo taker happy. And the third was a picture of something the photographer believed would bring happiness to another person (which was then sent to that person). Participants were randomly assigned to take photos of one type. The team collected close to 2,900 mood measurements during their study and found that subjects in all three of the photo groups experience increased positive moods. RECENT STUDY FINDS SELFIES MAY BE A SIGN OF ILLNESS Experts linked selfies with mental illness in April last year by suggesting suggested that people regularly searching for the perfect angle from which to portray themselves could in some cases be ill. One leading psychiatrist said the majority of patients he sees with Body Dysmorphic Disorder take a lot of selfies. Dr David Veale, a consultant psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and The Priory Hospital, told The Sunday Mirror: Two out of three of all the patients who come to see me with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) since the rise of camera phones have a compulsion to repeatedly take and post selfies on social media sites. He told MailOnline: Taking selfies is not an addiction - its a symptom of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) that involves checking ones appearance. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used to help patients moderate their obsessive behavior relating to their appearance. Sufferers of BDD can spend hours trying to take pictures that do not show any defects or flaws in their appearance, which they are very aware of but which might be unnoticeable to others. In one extreme case of the disorder, a British teenager Danny Bowman tried to commit suicide because he was unsatisfied with his appearance in the selfies he took. He was so desperate to attract girls, he spent 10 hours a day taking more than 200 selfies trying to find the perfect image, but his habit, which began at the age of 15, caused him to drop out of school and lose almost two stone in weight. In an article for Psychology Today, Dr Pamela Rutledge, Director of the Media Psychology Research Center in Boston Massachusetts, said: Selfies frequently trigger perceptions of self-indulgence or attention seeking social dependence that raises the 'damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-dont' specter of either narcissism or very low self-esteem.' Advertisement Some in the selfie group reported being more confident and comfortable with their smiling photos over time. The students taking photos of objects that made them happy became more reflective and appreciative. And those who took photos to make others happy became calmer and said that the connection to their friends and family helped relieve stress. 'You see a lot of reports in the media about the negative impacts of technology use, and we look very carefully at these issues here at UCI,' said senior author Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics. A piece aluminium that looks as if it was handmade is being hailed as 250,000-year-old proof that aliens once visited Earth. The discovery of the mysterious chunk of metal in communist Romania in 1973 was not made public at the time, according to CEN. Testing has since revealed that the object is made of 12 metals and is 90 per cent aluminium with Romanian officials dating it as being 250,000 years old. The initial results were later confirmed by a lab in Lausanne, Switzerland, CEN reports. A piece aluminium that looks as if it was handmade is being hailed as 250,000-year-old proof that aliens once visited Earth Metallic aluminium was not really produced by mankind until around 200 years ago, so the discovery of the large chunk that it claimed to be up to 250,000 years old is being held up as a sensational find. WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE? While UFO hunters claim that the mystery chunk of metal was brought to Earth by aliens, some experts dispute this. Local historian Mihai Wittenberger says that the object is actually a metal piece from a World War II German aircraft. He believes that it is a piece of the landing gear from a Messerschnmitt ME 262. However, this does not explain the age of the artefact, claim the investigators. Nigel Watson, author of the UFO Investigations Manual, told MailOnline that the object could be wreckage from a satellite, which may explain why it was kept secret back in 1973. Advertisement In 1973, builders working on the shores of the Mures River not far from the central Romanian town of Aiud found three objects 10 metres (33 feet) under the ground. They appeared to be unusual and very old, and archaeologists were bought in who immediately identified two of them as being fossils. The third looked like a piece of man-made metal, although very light, and it was suspected that it might be the end of an axe. All three were sent together with the others for further analysis to Cluj, the main city of the Romanian region of Transylvania. It was quickly determined that the two large bones belonged to a large extinct mammal that died 10,000-80,000 years ago, but experts were stunned to find out that the third object was a piece of very lightweight metal, and appeared to have been manufactured. The object is 20 centimetres (7.8 inches) long, 12.5 centimetres (4.9 inches) wide and 7 centimetres (2.8 inches) thick The details of the discovery were never made public at the time because it was pulled out of the earth in communist Romania in 1973, claim the investigators Builders working on the shores of the Mures River not far from the central Romanian town of Aiud found three objects 10 metres (33 feet) under the ground, one of which was the chunk of metal In 1973, builders working on the shores of the Mures River not far from the central Romanian town of Aiud found three objects 10 metres (33 feet) under the ground The object is 20 centimetres (7.8 inches) long, 12.5 centimetres (4.9 inches) wide and 7 centimetres (2.8 inches) thick. What puzzled experts is that the piece of metal has concavities that make it look as if it was manufactured as part of a more complex mechanical system. Now a heated debate is going on that the object is actually part of a UFO and proof of visitation by an alien civilisation in the past. The piece of metal was originally to be the end of an axe Gheorghe Cohal, the Deputy Director of the Romanian Ufologists Association, told local media: 'Lab tests concluded it is an old UFO fragment given that the substances it comprises cannot be combined with technology available on Earth.' However, local historian Mihai Wittenberger claims that the object is actually a metal piece from a World War II German aircraft. He believes that it is a piece of the landing gear from a Messerschnmitt ME 262. The UFO hunters say that this explanation does not explain the age of the artifact. The metal object has now gone on display in the History Museum of Cluj-Napoca, with a sign that reads 'origin still unknown'. 'It is fairly rare for people to find chunks of metal attributed to UFO crashes', Nigel Watson author of the UFO Investigations Manual told MailOnline. 'The (in)famous Roswell flying saucer crash of 1947 is alleged to have left wreckage that was impossible to cut or burn and would return to its original shaped if crumpled up. 'Unfortunately, the USAF whisked all the wreckage away leaving conspiracy theorists to think that the US government has a flying saucer stashed away in Area 51. 'If UFO wreckage is kept from the grasp of the US government, or by mystery "Men In Black", it usually has a mundane explanation. 'In some cases our own satellites have crashed and have been regarded as UFO wreckage, which is a good way of keeping a space mission secret. 'In this instance, it could be wreckage of a satellite, and that's why it was kept secret back in 1973. 'As with all such cases, the debate between the UFO supporters and people with more Earthly explanations tends to rumble on without either side conceding defeat'. The metal object has now gone on display in the History Museum of Cluj-Napoca, with a sign that reads 'origin still unknown'. Nasa has revealed its Juno spacecraft has lost its main computer and science instruments shortly before it was due to make an orbital pass near Jupiter on Wednesday. The loss kills plans for a highly anticipated close-up observations of the largest planet in the solar system. It also comes a day after ESA is believed to have lost its Mars lander on the red planet. Weighing 3.6 tonnes, Juno is to swing within some 2,600 miles (4,200 kilometers) of the solar system's largest planet, Jupiter, the closest any spacecraft has passed MARS MISSION WAIT The European Space Agency says it still has not received any signal from its experimental Mars lander since shortly before it was meant to reach the red planet's surface. That means the planned 'soft landing' of the Schiaparelli probe yesterday is likely to have failed, as the parachute may have 'jettisoned too early' - though there is no confirmation of this yet. The head of ESA, Jan Woerner, said this morning the mission should still be considered a success, because the probe sent a vast amount of data back to Earth before falling silent. Advertisement Nasa's Juno spacecraft entered safe mode Tuesday, Oct. 18 at about 10:47 p.m. PDT (Oct. 19 at 1:47 a.m. EDT). Early indications are a software performance monitor induced a reboot of the spacecraft's onboard computer, Nasa said. It's the second setback in less than a week for the solar-powered Juno, which has been orbiting the giant planet since July on a $1.1 billion mission to explore its poles, atmosphere and interior. Last week, mission managers decided to postpone an engine firing planned for Wednesday after a pair of valves in the spacecraft's propulsion system didn't work as expected. 'At the time safe mode was entered, the spacecraft was more than 13 hours from its closest approach to Jupiter,' said Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. 'We were still quite a ways from the planet's more intense radiation belts and magnetic fields. 'The spacecraft is healthy and we are working our standard recovery procedure.' The spacecraft is designed to enter safe mode if its onboard computer perceives conditions are not as expected. In this case, the safe mode turned off instruments and a few non-critical spacecraft components, and it confirmed the spacecraft was pointed toward the sun to ensure the solar arrays received power. The U.S. space agency said the glitch followed an unrelated problem last week that prompted it to skip firing Juno's braking engine, to steer the probe into a tighter regular orbit around Jupiter. Juno reached Jupiter in July for a 20-month study to learn how and where the giant, gas planet formed, setting the stage for the evolution and development of Earth and the rest of the planets in the solar system. An artist's impression shows the Juno probe carrying out one of its close flybys of Jupiter During Wednesday's flyby, scientists had planned to begin using Juno's instruments to peer beneath Jupiter's thick clouds and map its gargantuan magnetic fields. But the loss of the ship's main computer, 13 hours before the close encounter, put the observation plans on hold until at least Dec. 11, when the spacecraft makes its next close pass by Jupiter, NASA said. The cause of the computer outage is under investigation. NASA also is analyzing the unrelated propulsion system issue. NASA had hoped to shift Juno into a tighter orbit around Jupiter so it could fly close more often. Those plans are now on hold. Lead scientist Scott Bolton, with the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, said the mission goals are not impacted by Juno's orbit, since critical measurements are taken whenever the spacecraft flies close to Jupiter. 'The worst-case scenario is I have to be patient and get the science slowly,' he told reporters during a webcast news conference at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, California. But new insights about the science data collected 53 days ago have been announced, showing that there were lots of storms near the planets equator. One key finding came when researchers looked at the terminator the division between the parts of the planet in the sun, and those in the dark. Juno observed a huge storm, around 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) across more than half the size of Earth. Due to its proximity to the terminator, the researchers could also see the shadow cast by the storm, which rose 85 kilometres (53 miles) above the atmosphere. ve lived in Farmington, Kentucky for a year and a half now. Farmington is a very small town set out in the country. The scenery is beautiful here; lots of farm land, horses, and cattle. I happen to live on a horse ranch with seven horses, three cats, two dogs, nine chickens and a partridge in a pear tree. Im a city girl. I grew up in the outskirts of Chattanooga in a nice little town called Harrison. Harrison is known best for its bay. You can fish, camp, swim, boat, and hike there. Ive done it all. My in-laws live in Kentucky, you see. Thats how we came to Farmington. Im the feed-girl at the ranch and as I was getting grain for the horses one morning, I turned the corner and there he was; this beady-eyed little mouse. I thought to myself, Steph, this is the country and this is normal. Hes got to have a place to live, too. I kept calm and was rather impressed with the fact that I was watching my worst nightmare run freely in the same area I was in. I watched him run from the far end of the barn and then all of a sudden, he ran across my foot. I let out a scream that was heard from here to yonder! This girl had met her match! This was my first realization that Im living the country life now. Its not bad though. We have a lot of family bonding time. For instance, during the winter when the weather gets too rough for the horses to be outside we stall them at night. Last winter we had a huge (huge to me, anyway) snow that dropped eighteen inches in some places. We brought the horses inside the barn. Their stalls must be cleaned twice a day when they are inside and my little girl Ellie enjoys helping out at the ranch so very much. She is right there by my side quite often as I do my barn chores. This particular day was no different. We were cleaning the waste out of the stalls with pitchforks and my daughter had a kids rake she uses to clean the stalls. So I was scooping up poop, if you will, and I notice Ellie is giggling. I saw her taking the poop off my pitchfork and putting it on hers! I said to her, Ellie, what are you doing? and she responded, Mom, you have all the good poop! The memories we are making up here - they are wonderful. Such is life - Kentucky life. Country living. And, I wouldnt trade it for anything. stephcarter22@gmail.com to enable the feature in the future Tesla is planning to roll out a ride services program and will announce details next year, the luxury electric vehicle maker said on its website, a service first outlined by Chief Executive Elon Musk in his master plan in July. News of the Tesla Network was in a disclaimer about the self-driving functionality on new Model S vehicles. However, it bans owners from signing their car up to services from Uber, Lyft and others. Scroll down for video News of the Tesla Network was in a disclaimer about the self-driving functionality on new Model S vehicles. 'Please note that using a self-driving Tesla for car sharing and ride hailing for friends and family is fine, but doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network, details of which will be released next year,' read the disclaimer. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for more detail. Musk said on Wednesday Tesla is building new vehicles with the necessary hardware to eventually enable full autonomy, although the software is not yet ready. Car makers have rushed to invest in so-called mobility services, hoping to capture the potential trillions of dollars in revenue from selling both vehicles and such on-demand services, while carving out a stake in the industry dominated by Uber. Barclays analyst Brian Johnson wrote in a note to investors on Thursday that although a Tesla Network could 'excite the market' over its potential earnings stream, it was a costly proposition. 'While we think ride-sharing/hailing is the future of mass-market mobility, we have some financial concerns with the idea of an OEM-owned fleet,' Johnson wrote. Venture capitalists and corporate investors had poured nearly $28 billion into the ride services sector in the past decade as of June, according to a Reuters analysis. FULLY AUTONOMOUS All Tesla car being produced, including the Model 3, are now being built with full autonomous capabilities. Model S and Model X vehicles with the new hardware are already in production. System will have eight cameras with 360 degree visibility around the car at up to 250 metres (820 feet) of range. Musk said on Wednesday Tesla is building new vehicles with the necessary hardware to eventually enable full autonomy, although the software is not yet ready. It will also have 12 updated ultrasonic sensors to detect both hard and soft objects and a forward-facing radar that can see through 'heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead.' The vehicles will be equipped with an on-board system powered by Nvidia that achieves '12 trillion operations per second, basically a supercomputer in a car.' This is said to have over 40 times the computing power of earlier generations, and uses a newly developed neural net for vision, sonar and radar processing software. Advertisement General Motors has made the biggest bet, investing $500 million in Lyft in January. GM's upcoming electric Chevrolet Bolt was designed expressly with car sharing in mind, executives have told Reuters. Money-losing Tesla lacks the deep pockets of GM, and ride services companies like Uber and Lyft burn billions of dollars in price wars to secure regional dominance, as occurred with Uber in China before it ceded to local rival Didi Chuxing. In his 'Master Plan, Part Deux' in July, Musk outlined a system in which a Tesla owner could add a car to a shared Tesla fleet using a phone app, allowing it to 'generate income for you' and lower the cost of ownership. Musk said that in cities where car ownership is lower, Tesla would operate its own fleet. But these females tend to have a The queen meerkat lives long and has more Many species in the animal kingdom have female leaders, but new a study finds meerkats are the only ones in which traditional sex hormone patterns are reversed. Researchers discovered female meerkats can produce more testosterone than males, making them 'mean girls' and usually leaders of the group - but at a cost. A team from Duke University found that these females tend to carry more gut parasites, which is a sign of a weakened immune system. Scroll down for video Many species have female leaders, but a study finds meerkats are the only ones in which traditional sex hormone patterns are reversed. Researchers found female meerkats can produce more testosterone than males, making leaders of the group - but at a cost MEAN GIRL MEERKATS Duke University found that meerkats are the only known species where females produces more testosterone than males. These 'mean girl' meerkats are likely to lead the group, with as many as 50 male and female meerkats beneath her who act as helpers. She is the biggest bully, does the most shoving, charging and stealing of food from the other females underneath her. This queen meerkat will go so far as to exile females who become pregnant or even worse, she will kill their pups. However, another study found that females with high levels of testosterone, regardless of their social status, carry more gut parasites - a sign if a potentially weakened immune system. Advertisement A study published in the journal Scientific Reports, Duke professor Christine Drea and research associate Charli Davies and colleagues found that female meerkats, in the southern tip of Africa, can produce up to twice as much testosterone as males, reports Duke Today. These 'mean girl' meerkats are most likely to lead the group with as many as 50 male and female meerkats beneath her who act as helpers. She is the biggest bully, does the most shoving, charging and stealing of food from the other females. Queen meerkats will go so far as to exile females who become pregnant or even worse, she will kill their pups. Ruling with an iron fists keeps these lower-ranking females devoted to feeding and watching over her babies instead of their own. Not only is the dominate female treated like royalty, she also tends to live longer and 80 percent of her litter survives. Following this conclusion, the team wanted to understand if this hormone boost comes at a cost. A Duke graduate student, Kendra Smyth, collected fecal samples from 37 wild females living in the Kuruman River Reserve in South Africa's Kalahari Desert from 2013 to 2014. MEERKAT HIERARCHY Meerkats live in groups of up to 50 individuals, yet a single dominant pair will almost completely monopolise reproduction. Lower-ranking meerkats help to raise offspring through feeding and babysitting. Since only a small minority of individuals ever get to be dominants, competition for the breeding role is intense in both sexes and females are unusually aggressive to each other. Within groups, lower females are ranked in a hierarchy based on age and weight, forming a 'reproductive queue'. When dominant females die, they are usually replaced by their oldest and heaviest daughter, though younger sisters sometimes outgrow their older sisters and can replace them in breeding queues. Advertisement Not only is the dominate female treated like royalty, she also tends to live longer and 80% of her litter survives. However, females with higher levels of testosterone , regardless of their social status, have more gut parasites than other females a weakened immune system Smyth measured sex hormones and recorded the number of parasite eggs found in the droppings this allowed her to determine if the animals were infected. The results of this second study revealed that females with higher levels of testosterone and related hormones, regardless of their social status, have more gut parasites than other females a sign of a weakened immune system. FEMALES GAIN WEIGHT IF THEIR SISTERS DO New research has shown that female meerkats actively gain weight in order to out compete their younger sisters to ensure they can move up the social hierarchy. The study identified pairs of sisters and artificially increased the growth of the younger member of each pair by feeding them three times a day with hard-boiled eggs. The scientists weighed them and their older sisters daily for three months. The results showed that the increased growth of younger females stimulated their older sisters to gain weight in an attempt to outgrow their rivals. This suggests that lower-ranking meerkats keep tabs on those nearest them in the breeding queue, and make concerted efforts to ensure they are not overtaken in size and social status by younger and heavier meerkats. But competitive growth does not stop there. If a female meerkat gets to be a dominant breeder, her time in the role is longer if she is substantially heavier than the rest of her group. Advertisement 'It could be that the hormones dampen the immune system, making it harder to keep parasites in check,' Smyth said. The findings are consistent with an idea biologists first proposed in 1992, which posits that testosterone makes males showier and more aggressive, but also more prone to infection. Advertisement If a book before bedtime helps to lull you into a restful night's sleep, then you'll be spoilt for choice at this Parisian literary hub, which is perhaps the only bookshop in the world where you can stay the night, without spending a penny. Under the shadows of the Notre Dame, for more than six decades, the kooky Shakespeare and Company has hosted aspiring writers, sometimes for months at a time, for free. Over 30,000 guests have stayed at the bookshop since it opened its doors under American expat George Whitman - many of which have gone on to become international best sellers. And now, 65 years after the bookshop opened, the owner, Whitman's daughter Sylvia has released a memoir documenting its long history. For more than six decades, Shakespeare and Company has hosted aspiring writers, sometimes for months at a time, for free. Above, one of the guests At the moment, the limit on the number of guests staying each night is six. Above, the piano room in the quirky bookshop George Whitman opened Shakespeare and Company at 37 rue de la Bucherie in 1951, a space he called 'a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore' There are various alcoves in the shop where the guests, known as Tumbleweeds, can spend the night while they stay there Whitman opened Shakespeare and Company at 37 rue de la Bucherie in 1951, a space he called 'a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore'. It held the same name as a Parisian literary spot that had existed between 1919 and 1941 at another location, which was owned by American expat Sylvia Beach. Beach's bookshop had been a regular gathering place for legendary writers such as Ernest Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald and T S Eliot and she had also been the first to publish James Joyce's Ulysses in 1922. Whitman had called his version a 'spiritual successor' and it soon became the centre of expat life in Paris for the book writing crowd. The name Shakespeare and Company came from another bookshop in Paris owned by American expat Sylvia Beach Left, one of the residents in the bed behind a curtained space in the children's area and right, the writer's lounge upstairs Whitman had called his bookshop a 'spiritual successor' of the original Shakespeare and Company and it soon became the centre of expat life in Paris for the book writing crowd But Whitman, who had been the recipient of the generosity of strangers on his travels around the world, had also wanted his bookshop to offer the same for fellow travellers. Since the beginning, Shakespeare and Company has hosted overnight guests, or 'Tumbleweeds'. Rather than paying for their stay, the Tumbleweeds only needed to help out in the shop for a few hours, write a one-page autobiography for the archives and 'read a book a day'. It became the perfect place to stay for aspiring writers, many of whom have since become successful authors including Alan Sillitoe, Sebastian Barry, Robert Stone, Kate Grenville and Ian Rankin. Whitman (pictured), who had been the recipient of the generosity of strangers on his travels around the world, had also wanted his bookshop to offer the same for fellow travellers Shakespeare and Company owner George Whitman (second from right) with some guests at the bookstore Pictured is the original Shakespeare and Company, where owner Sylvia Beach (centre) is seen talking to James Joyce (left) and writer Adrienne Monnier (right) Molly Dektar, who was a one-time Tumbleweed, wrote in her blog that while most people stayed a week or a month, one person even stayed for seven years. She said that Tumbleweeds spent the night in different alcoves in the bookshop and had access to a kitchen upstairs. There was a cupboard halfway up a set of stairs, which had once been a toilet, where the Tumbleweeds would store their stuff during the day. Some nights everyone would go out together - but since there was only one key, things could get complicated. Whitman passed away in 2011 but his daughter Sylvia has carried on the tradition and continues to run the bookshop with her partner, David Delannet. In exchange for staying at the bookshop, Tumbleweeds have to write a one-page autobiography. Pictured is the bookshop's cat next to some of the archives of the autobiographies Molly Dektar, who was a one-time Tumbleweed, wrote in her blog that while most people stayed a week or a month, one person even stayed for seven years Dektar said that Tumbleweeds spent the night in different alcoves in the bookshop and had access to a kitchen upstairs On some nights everyone would go out together - but since there was only one key, things could get complicated Today, up to six Tumbleweeds are still able to sleep in the bookshop each night but there's also an adjoining cafe, a literary festival and a publishing arm of Shakespeare and Company, which has just released a book on the history of the company. It draws on the unseen archives of the shop, including some of the biographies of the Tumbleweeds and hundreds of images. Sylvia Whitman said: 'I'd wanted to bring the archives to life for a long timenot only due to the sheer size of them, but also because we wanted to share all these incredible tales and celebrate independent bookstores in general, celebrate these lighthouses, these accumulators of stories.' David Delannet added: 'This history offers readers a unique perspective on Paris, as well as an insight into the life of the literary traveller in the second half of the 20th century and a feel for a bookshop whose motto is "Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise".' There was a cupboard halfway up a set of stairs (left), which had once been a toilet, where the Tumbleweeds would store their stuff during the day. Right, two of the Tumbleweeds The publishing arm of the bookshop has just released a new book, detailing its history. It features selected autobiographies as well as unseen images Sir Richard Branson has added yet another venture to his ever-growing business portfolio, with the launch of his very own line of Virgin-branded cruise ships. The 66-year-old billionaire - who is a keen sailor himself - revealed on Tuesday that his new cruising brand will be called Virgin Voyages. Three ships are currently being built, with production costs coming it at close to $2 billion (1.63 billion). Ahoy there! Sir Richard Branson has added yet another venture to his ever-growing business portfolio, with the launch of his very own line of Virgin-branded cruise ships The first sailing is planned out of Miami in 2020 to the Caribbean. The vessels are being built by the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri with a capacity of at least 2,700 passengers, considered mid-size by the cruise industry. Speaking by phone following a Miami press conference about the cruises, Branson promised that Virgin Voyages would create boutique experiences for travelers that are as 'magical' as those offered by his other enterprises. His other ventures include the Virgin airline brand, Virgin Trains, a Chicago hotel and a game reserve and lodge in South Africa. Sailing on the high seas: Branson revealed on Tuesday that his new cruising brand will be called Virgin Voyages - Tom McAlpin is acting CEO of the brand (pictured above) From air to sea: Branson promised that Virgin Voyages would create boutique experiences for travelers that are as 'magical' as those offered by his other enterprises The company is also developing spaceship tourism through the Virgin Galactic venture. Branson said Virgin Voyages will be the first major cruise line to adopt a new clean energy technology called Climeon Ocean that transforms waste heat from ship engines into electricity for onboard use. Asked if the ships would sail to Cuba, Branson noted that Virgin has been flying to Cuba from London for years and that he 'definitely' hoped to include the island on Virgin Voyages itineraries. Currently Virgin offers cruising holidays but it does not operate any of its own ships. The family of a British man, who was left paralysed and stranded in a Spanish hospital after a stroke, are desperately trying to raise funds to bring him home. Tom Lawrence travelled to Gran Canaria after his partner died of cancer but while there, he suffered a severe stroke. However, because the hospital he's in can no longer care for him, the taxi driver's family is left trying to raise over 30,000 to bring him home in an air ambulance. Tom Lawrence (pictured) travelled to Gran Canaria after his partner died of cancer and suffered a severe stroke while he was there The taxi driver from Tunbridge Wells has been in hospital since May this year and is paralysed on the right side of his body The 57-year-old had once been a drummer in a band and had hoped to return to the UK after his Spanish break Mr Lawrence has been in Gran Canaria since May this year after quitting his job to take some time out. While there, he suffered from a severe stroke after a bleed in his brain and subsequently fell into a five-day coma. The 57-year-old, who had once been a drummer in a band, woke up with paralysis on the right side of his body and can no longer speak. And after contracting pneumonia, he has been stuck in hospital. So far, his European Health Insurance Card has paid for his treatments but the cover only lasts for six months and now he must return to the UK. The Spanish and UK authorities have reportedly refused to pay 32,000 for an ambulance, which includes the services of a doctor and two nurses, to transport him back to the UK. In order to raise funds to bring him back, Mr Lawrence's sister Mandi Holder has set up a Just Giving page. So far, it's raised just over 1,500. So far, his European Health Insurance Card has paid for his treatments but the cover only lasts for six months and now he must return to the UK. Above, Lawrence with his family and friends Mrs Holder, 52, has flown out to see her brother on six occasions and said he went out there to 'get a new lease on life' before returning home to get a new job and 'fresh start'. Heartbroken Mr Lawrence lost his partner, Michelle, to cancer just months earlier. Mr Lawrence, who lived in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was found unconscious by his niece Sarah and had been passed out for at least seven hours. He was due to meet Sarah at the airport in Spain and she became suspicious when he never showed. Mrs Holder said he is frustrated in his hospital bed and has to communicate with nurses by squeezing his hand once for yes, and twice for no. She said: 'It was so lucky Sarah arrived when she did. But now they are just leaving him lying there in hospital. I do not know which way to turn, so I am asking for help. Heartbroken Mr Lawrence lost his partner, Michelle, to cancer just months earlier before the new tragedy struck 'He is so responsive, he smiles, he cries. I feel he still has his life ahead of him. His partner Michelle died from cancer just months before he went to Spain. 'He was formerly a taxi driver but quit before he went out there. He was full of life and always on the go.' She added: 'He went out there to get a new lease on life, he needed to get away. Afterwards he was going to come back and get a fresh start. 'A big part of his life is his band The Roadrunners so he was going to carry on playing when he came back and he was going to look for a new job. 'He had problems with his blood pressure but it was being treated, he was absolutely fine before he left. 'We're currently in talks with legal companies and trying to find out what medication he needs for the flight. Advertisement A millionaire property developer who helped found Alton Towers is set to open Britain's 'first-ever' six-star resort in Cornwall. John Broome, 73, has been granted planning permission to start building the luxury Camel Creek Resort, situated between Newquay Airport and fashionable Padstow. A three-year build period is expected to start in February 2017, with foundations being laid for swanky villas, 'stylish treehouses' and 'a large sub-tropical pool surrounded by thousands of newly planted indigenous trees'. A spokesperson for the development told MailOnline Travel that they couldn't give an exact figure for the project but it is in the 'tens of millions mark'. Unusual design: A millionaire property developer who helped found Alton Towers is set to open Britain's 'first-ever' six-star resort in Cornwall - here a rendering shows what the site will look like Futuristic: John Broome, 73, has been granted planning permission to start building the luxury Camel Creek Resort, situated between Newquay Airport and fashionable Padstow In the pipeline: A three-year build period is expected to start in February 2017, with foundations being laid for swanky villas, 'stylish' tree houses and 'a large sub-tropical pool surrounded by thousands of newly planted indigenous trees' Businessman Broome - who was also behind a failed bid to turn Battersea power station into a 'mini Las Vegas' in the 1980s - announced plans for his ritzy leisure spot last year but since then there has been no word. The Camel Creek Resort project initially received a hostile response from the public. But the ambitious scheme, which includes 50 treehouses and more than 100 villas on the 90-acre site, has now been given the go-ahead by planners who voted 17-2 in favour of it. And developers promise the project will create nearly 1,000 jobs. Cornwall Council's planning committee backed proposals to build the resort on the former Crealy Adventure Park between Wadebridge and St Columb Major. Planners say building the luxury resort, which also received the support of local MP Scott Mann, is 'considered to be an expansion of an existing tourism facility'. Seen from above: Cornwall Council's planning committee backed proposals to build the resort on the site of the former Crealy Adventure Park between Wadebridge and St Columb Major Updating the area: Planners say building the luxury resort, which also received the support of local MP Scott Mann, is 'considered to be an expansion of an existing tourism facility' Ambitious: This rendering shows how visitors will be able to relax by a serene lake in luxurious chalets 'The benefit of the application outweighs the negative impact. The extent of the harm associated with the development can be controlled through the imposition of conditions and planning obligations which will secure mitigation,' said officials. Committee chairman Rob Nolan said he was confident it was a genuine holiday resort and would bring economic benefits to the area. But vowed that the council would impose a series of legally-binding conditions on developers to ensure that the scheme went ahead as planned. Broome has described the Camel Creek project as the creation of Britain's 'first six-star resort'. The scheme involves a holiday and leisure park with 236 holiday lodges, facilities, exhibition space, a convention centre, ancillary services and service buildings, restaurant, cafe, public house and shops. The holiday accommodation would include 106 villas, 84 courtyard properties and 46 tree houses. A new access road would be built off the B3274. Hub of activity: The holiday accommodation would include 106 villas, 84 courtyard properties and 46 tree houses - a new access road would be built off the B3274. Sunny skies ahead: Cornwall Council's planning committee chairman Rob Nolan said he was confident it was a genuine holiday resort and would bring economic benefits to the area Backlash: Objectors fear the scheme will damage the environment and have questioned its sustainability. 'If the Camel Creek Resort is developed there will be 997 jobs on site and at all levels as befits a luxury resort,' said Broome. He noted that his build will 'give Cornwall another world class destination', helping the area to 'shift out of the pattern of seasonal employment and low wages into a high-tech and upmarket future'. However, objectors fear the scheme will damage the environment and have questioned its sustainability. Indeed, St Issey Parish Council said the development is 'of too large a scale to be positioned on this site, will have too large a negative impact on the local economy'. The parish council did not attend yesterday's meeting but local Cornwall councillor Jeremy Rowe expressed concern about the project's environmental impact and questioned whether issues concerning transport and drainage could be dealt with. With mass-travel the way it is, your little darling is highly likely to one day clock up far more air miles than you have. According to new figures released by London's Heathrow Airport, the average five-year-old of today is expected to fly over half a million miles during their lifetime. That's the equivalent of jetting to the moon and back. According to new figures released by London's Heathrow Airport, the average five-year-old of today is expected to fly over half a million miles during their lifetime The data reveals that the number of youngsters flying through Heathrow is at an all time high. Thousands of under fives took their first flight in 2016, an increase of 15 per cent compared to five years ago. And a staggering half a million families will pass through Heathrow airport this half term alone. The top five most visited holiday destinations of these young travellers include the US, India, United Arab Emirates, Canada and Italy. The top five most visited holiday destinations of these young travellers include the US. Pictured is tourism highlight the Grand Canyon So what about when they get there? In a separate study on kids' holiday preferences just published by Booking.com, a vast difference emerged between the desires of teens and little ones. Staying near a pool or water slides was deemed the top priority for children between the ages of five and 11, followed by activities they can't do at home. Playing with other children was important to nearly half. However, 89 per cent of youngsters aged between 12 and 15 prioritised a strong Wi-Fi connection as being essential. They have been living it up with a romantic trip to Barbados lately. And on Wednesday, Mark Wahlberg and his wife Rhea Durham took their getaway to the high seas. The couple were spotted enjoying themselves upon a luxurious yacht off the coast of the Caribbean island. Scroll down for audio All aboard the love boat! Mark Wahlberg and his wife Rhea Durham enjoyed a day off the coast Bridgeton, Barbados on Wednesday Dressed in just their swimwear, the twosome showed off their impeccably toned physiques as they topped off their tans while walking on board the vessel. Rhea, 38, looked fantastic in a triangle teal bikini while scraping her brunette tresses back into a ponytail. Her husband, 45, meanwhile, put his sculpted physique on show as he made his way around in nothing more than swim trunks. From chatting it up with friends to swimming around in the water, Mark and his leading lady were clearly having a blast as they relaxed on the boat. So sweet: Later that day the two were seen back near the shore as they took a dip together and shared some sweet nuzzles and kisses Happy times: Mark held tight to his beautiful wife as they enjoyed the sun and sea Hold my hand baby! The duo looked to be having the time of their lives Cheers to a great vacation! The couple chatted with a pal as he enjoyed a glass of wine Va va voom! The mother-of-four looked absolutely fantastic in a triangle teal bikini while scraping her brunette tresses back into a ponytail Bikini babe! Durham's two piece featured a lacy ruffle on the bottoms The actor dove right into the water and swam by the boat as his leading lady approached him with a wide smile on her face. Rhea, however, seemed more content to dip her feet in the water as she chatted to her husband. At one point, Mark rinsed off with a quick and refreshing outdoor shower. Later that day the two were seen back near the shore as they took a dip together and shared some sweet nuzzles and kisses. Making a splash! Wahlberg dove straight into the turquoise waters Something funny?: The actor dove right into the water and swam by the boat as his leading lady approached him with a wide smile on her face Coming closer: The model relaxed on the deck as her beau lingered nearby Mark and Rhea have been enjoying themselves these last few days with a romantic getaway to the Caribbean. The couple have been married since 2009 and have four children: Ella, 13, Michael, 10, Brendan, eight, and Grace, six. In May the actor opened up about how having children has changed him. The actor told KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O that he's mellowed since having children, admitting: 'I'm a 44-year-old father-of-four now. I'm not the crazy, fun guy that I used to be.' The water's fine! While the actor had chosen to dive right in, Rhea seemed content just dipping her feet in Just another day in paradise! The couple have been enjoying themselves these last few days with a romantic getaway to the Caribbean Time for a rinse-off! At one point, Mark rinsed off with a quick and refreshing outdoor shower Mark added that people in his native Boston expect a 'certain type of guy' when meeting the action movie star, but insists he's a reformed party boy. 'If you can't grow up and become more mature having children, then nothing's going to work for you,' he said. Meanwhile, Mark has been working on the newest Transformers film, The Last Knight. Set to hit theaters on June 23, 2017, it will see the return of Mark as Cade Yeager, Josh Duhamel as Lieutenant Colonel Lennox, Tyrese Gibson as Robert Epps, and Stanley Tucci as Joshua Joyce. Quick chat: The actor momentarily stopped his shower to chat with a jet skiier He made quite the impression on Georgia Love from the very first day, presenting her with a thoughtful pasta bracelet gift at the first cocktail party. But Courtney Dober says he struggled to tell the Bachelorette beauty he 'loved' her during the final stages of filming. Speaking to OK! magazine, the 30-year-old whose hometown visit will be aired on Thursday, said: 'We had conversations where she asked me how I was feeling and I wasn't prepared at this stage to look her in the eyes and tell her I loved her because I genuinely didn't feel that'. Scroll down for video Not completely into it? Courtney Dober says he struggled to tell the Bachelorette beauty Georgia Love he loved her during the final stages of filming Viewers of the Channel Ten reality show have been given a sneak peek into Courtney's hometown visit, during which he takes 27-year-old Georgia to Sydney's Northern Beaches to meet his siblings while his parents are overseas. In a promotional clip released on Thursday morning, the pair are seen enjoying each other's time at the beach while dressed up as lifeguards. But fun chatter soon turns to more serious talk. 'Do you go to bed at night thinking I really hope that it's Georgia and I are standing there at the end?' Georgia asks the industrial designer and television presenter. Sneak peek: In a promotional clip released on Thursday morning, the pair are seen enjoying each other's time at the beach while dressed up as lifeguards during the hometown visit Asking the question: 'Do you go to bed at night thinking I really hope that it's Georgia and I are standing there at the end?' Georgia asks him, to which he responds 'I don't know' Choosing to be blatantly honest, he responds: 'I don't know'. This seems to trigger alarm bells in Georgia's mind, as she then says in a piece-to-camera: 'I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me'. However it looks like there is still a chance of the pair being on the same page so to speak, as Courtney has spilled a few details about the hometown visit date. Favourite: He made quite the impression on Georgia from the very first day, presenting her with a thoughtful pasta bracelet gift at the first cocktail party 'I took her to a place where I grew up and pointed out houses that I dreamed of one day living in,' he told OK! magazine. 'I asked if she could see us living and raising a family there because that's what I wanted, and she was very honest in saying it was a place she could grow old.' Courtney is in the final four men vying for Georgia's heart, alongside Lee, Matty and Jake. Matthew Newton's engagement to American girlfriend Catherine Schneiderman appears to be official, after the brunette beauty was spotted in New York flashing her new ring. Stepping out with her 39-year-old fiance in recent weeks, Catherine, 23, was seen wearing a sparkly diamond ring on her left hand ring finger while carrying shopping bags. The ring appears to feature a large emerald cut diamond with two smaller stones on either side, set on a white gold band. Scroll down for video Engaged! Matthew Newton's fiancee Catherine Schneiderman showed off her engagement ring as she stepped out in New York recently Sparkling! The white gold ring worn on Catherine's left hand ring finger appeared to feature a large emerald cut diamond with two smaller stones on either side While the couple have not confirmed the news publicly, Catherine didn't make any efforts to hide the sparkler as she ran errands with her beau. Cutting a laid-back figure, the US-based personality flaunted her legs in a black lace miniskirt and a white T-shirt. Matthew meanwhile, wore a loose-fitting blue shirt tucked into his blue jeans for the outing. With his hair slicked back and sporting dark sunglasses, the actor was seen eating some sort of a snack bar as he carried grocery bags. With her hair held back away from her face by sunglasses, Catherine was seen holding a lit cigarette in one hand and her phone in the other. Rare sighting: The outing comes after recent claims by a magazine that the couple got 'secretly' engaged Secret romance? Despite the exciting news, Matthew's famous parents Bert and Patti weren't aware of their son's proposal Out and about: Troubled actor Matthew was seen cutting a rugged figure while snacking on a candy bar The make-up free buxom brunette is a far cry from Matthew's famous ex-girlfriends. The actor has previously dated blonde actress Rachael Taylor and once blonde beauty, Brooke Satchwell. In 2007, he was charged with four offences in regards to long-time girlfriend Brooke Satchwell, pleading guilty to one charge of common assault but the recorded conviction against him was later overturned. While in 2010 his then girlfriend Rachael Taylor took out an AVO against the actor after two domestic violences incidents in a hotel in Rome and was later charged with breaching the AVO in 2011, charges which were later dropped in a Sydney court. Conflict? Catherine's father Eric is the Attorney General of New York and is understood to hold strong views against those who commit domestic abuse, offences which Matthew has been convicted of in the past Cosy: Matthew has been spotted doting on his fiancee during the couple's recent outings Different: Brunette Catherine is a far cry from Matthew's exes, who have been famous Australian actresses Last week, New Idea reported the troubled star had 'secretly' proposed to his girlfriend, who is the daughter to New York Attorney General, Eric. Despite the exciting news, the pair have reportedly kept the announcement a secret from their family and friends, including Matthew's famous parents Bert and Patti. While it is not known if Matthew has been introduced to her father, his dark past is conflicting to the politician's views and opinions in regards to domestic abuse. Looking back: Matthew's famous exes include glamorous actresses Rachael Taylor (left) and Brooke Satchwell (right) In 2010, the Attorney passed a bill to increase the punishment handed to those involved in such crimes. 'The time to criminalise this horrific form of abuse is now,' he told a press conference according to the New York Senate. 'I am proud of the overwhelming bipartisan support for this legislation. It sends a strong message that we must do everything in our power to ensure that no one is immune from accountability for committing such a heinous crime.' Relaxed: Catherine has also been spotted recently in the couple's neighbourhood while smoking a cigarette Living together: Records show Matthew and Catherine are living in the same New York apartment Casual: On another occasion, Catherine was seen smoking as she played on her phone New Idea has claimed Catherine is aware of the Australian actor's past but she 'sees Matt as a misunderstood genius'. The news of the pair's engagement comes two months after Matthew's father Bert revealed his son finally found light at the end of the tunnel. 'I have always prayed for a happy ending, and I think it has arrived,' Bert said to the Herald Sun. He added: 'He is happy, he's doing good things, and that's the most important thing.' She's been a star in Australian showbusiness for over two decades. And with hosting roles on Dancing With The Stars, Big Brother and The Voice in her time, one would suspect Sonia Kruger has no trouble commanding an audience and speaking her mind. But during a Today Extra interview with Kourtney Kardashian on Thursday, the 51-year-old admitted she once considered faking her own death to avoid public speaking. Scroll down for video Confession: During a Today Extra interview with Kourtney Kardashian on Thursday, Sonia Kruger admitted she once considered faking her own death to avoid public speaking. It all began when Sonia's co-host David Campbell asked 37-year-old about her anxiety confessions, and a recent speech she made at the Glamour Women Of The Year awards in the UK. Kourtney admitted that 'getting on the stage at the awards and like having to speak', is a situation that 'freaks me out'. 'I failed two classes in college because I couldn't give the speech. Like we had to do a project at the end and I just wouldn't show up,' she told the Australian television hosts. Interview: It all began when Sonia's co-host David Campbell asked 37-year-old about her anxiety confessions, and a recent speech she made at the Glamour Women Of The Year awards in the UK Stage fright: Kourtney admitted that 'getting on the stage at the awards and like having to speak', is a situation that 'freaks me out' Speaking out: Sonia was quick to empathise with the older sister of Kim Kardashian, making a personal confession of her own. 'I have considered faking my own death to get out of public,' she told co-host David 'One of them was just like a speaking class. Like, it was just all about, like, giving speeches and you could pick whatever topic you wanted. 'And I just couldn't do it and I didn't show up and I failed the class.' Sonia was quick to empathise with the older sister of Kim Kardashian, making a personal confession of her own. 'I have considered faking my own death to get out of public speaking. I have,' she told co-host David. Star: With hosting roles on Dancing With The Stars, Big Brother and The Voice in her time, one would suspect Sonia Kruger has no trouble commanding an audience and speaking her mind Host with the most: Sonia pictured hosting Big Brother Australia in 2014 Even silver screen sex symbols aren't immune to slow starts. Mad Men leading man Jon Hamm, speaking to Elle, admitted that he wasn't Don Draper debonair his first time making love as a 19-year-old college student. 'Theres no version of it thats not awkward,' the St. Louis, Missouri native, 45, told the magazine. 'As much as I practiced, I was still not quite ready for game time. Maybe its easy for some people it certainly wasnt easy for me.' Way back when: Jon Hamm, 45, reflected on his first time having sex in a new Elle piece. The actor appeared in NYC October 12 to promote his upcoming film Keeping Up With The Joneses Hamm did quite a bit of looking back in the interview. Now a top Hollywood draw with Emmys and Golden Globes sitting on his mantle-place, Hamm said that the tough times in his career made success that much sweeter. The actor, asked what advice he'd impart to himself 25 years ago, told the publication: 'The best thing you could say is: Appreciate it. Struggle is part of the journey." 'Thats what Ive learned in my forties: This too shall pass.' Cringey: Hamm said he was 'not quite ready for game time' when the opportunity struck when he was 19 New avenue: Hamm (right), with Keeping Up with the Joneses co-star Zach Galifianakis (left), said that he's far more confident in his ability to perform in drama than comedy Armed and dangerous: The actor appears opposite beautiful Gal Gadot in the new movie The actor, who's been on the promotional trail for his upcoming comedy movie Keeping Up with the Joneses, told Australia's New Idea that transitioning from the drama genre was no laughing matter. 'I've found it terrifying to try to create something funny, because it's not what I normally do,' the actor said. The movie casts Hamm opposite stunning Gal Gadot as a married couple who are secret spies, until their new neighbors - played by Isla Fisher and Zach Galifianakis - uncover the secret next door. Breakthrough: The actor's career did not catch fire until his mid-30s with AMC's Mad Men Ladies' man: In spite of his recent revelations, it's a tough sell that the handsome actor (with Mad Men co-star Jessica Pare) has even had an awkward moment with the opposite sex And while he's mastered the suave 60s advertising exec, Hamm admitted that he's unsure of his abilities to get audiences laughing. 'I love watching comedy and I love participating in comedy, but I don't know how successful I am at it, necessarily,' he said. Rosario Dawson sure looked like she was having a blast with Sienna Miller at the launch of Kenzo x H&M in New York City on Wednesday. The Sin City actress stunned in a printed maxi skirt and black blouse, which she teamed with a chic pair of animal print style heels as she danced with the American Sniper actress. The two were seen dancing during the event and chatting together. Party girls: Rosario Dawson sure looked like she was having a blast with Sienna Miller at the launch of Kenzo x H&M in New York City on Wednesday Rosario's skirt was the same print as the backdrop she was posing against on the arrivals carpet earlier that night. Dawson added a chic satin scarf around her neck to complete her sophisticated look. She styled her silky raven locks into subtle, tousled waves as she opted for a natural palette of make-up for the evening's festivities. Stunning: Rosario sure looked like she was having a blast at the launch of Kenzo What a beauty: The Sin City actress stunned in a printed maxi skirt and black blouse, which she teamed with a chic pair of animal print style heels Classy: Dawson added a chic satin scarf around her neck to complete her sophisticated look She looked demure and classy on the red carpet but the actress was certainly ready to let her hair down once inside the venue. Dawson was seen pulling out some serious dance moves with Sienna Miller. Sienna struck an effortlessly chic note in a grey top, white trousers, strappy black heels as she had her blonde hair slicked back away from her face. Classic beauty: Sienna Miller struck an effortlessly chic note in a grey top, white trousers, strappy black heels as she had her blonde hair slicked back away from her face Sheerly amazing! The blonde star wore a semi see-through shirt The pair looked adorable and goofy as they were seen dancing beside one another at the star-studded event. Also in attendance at the celebrity fueled event was actress Lupita Nyong'o. Lupita wore a blue dress that featured vibrant floral and animal print, a collared neckline, and long, puffy sleeves. Wow: Lupita wore a blue dress that featured vibrant floral and animal print, a collared neckline, and long, puffy sleeves The Star Wars: The Force Awakens actress continued to dress up her look with a pair of bright orange hoop earrings while also topping off the look with a head band. She looked simply radiant with shimmering eye shadow, lipstick, and pink blush. 27-year-old Joe Jonas stood out in an animal print blue jacket, black trousers, and sneakers with a neon green sole. Alessandra Ambrosio's a woman of protean talents: not only modelling clothes, but also designing them. On Wednesday night, she celebrated her new collection, ale by Alessandra, for Revolve. Fittingly, the fete was thrown at Revolve Social Club in West Hollywood. The 35-year-old kicked off the proceedings in her midriff-baring sheer black Virginia Top. Golden girl: Alessandra Ambrosio dazzled in gold as she debuts new collection at Revolve Social Club in West Hollywood She framed her astoundingly flat stomach with the matching Virginia Skirt, which falls past the ankle but features substantial portions of netting and translucent fabric. Two Snapchat videos she posted early in the evening showed her primping for the night in what appeared to be the mirror of a ladies' room. A pair of gold chokers encircled her neck, and the phrase: 'Ready to present my collection' sprawled across the screen of both posts. As the posts continued, she allowed the camera to pan across a long semicircular rack, on which several articles from her new line were strewn. Wow: The model looked her usual stunning self in a dazzling short gold dress Debut: On Wednesday night, she celebrated her new collection, ale by Alessandra, for Revolve in a gold dress before slipping into a black ensemble Handy: Fittingly, the fete was thrown at Revolve Social Club in West Hollywood Getting the party started! DJ Zen helped her take to the decks 'Hey, guys, it's happening!' she cooed from offscreen. 'Here it is: my first collection for Revolve!' She immediately followed that update with another pair of videos which showed her apparently in the same lavatory, but a different outfit. Her hair pulled severely back into a high, messy ponytail, she'd retained the chokers but swapped out the Virginia Top and Skirt for her line's Julinha Dress. Overseeing: Revolve Co-founder and CEO was also on hand Michael Mente Kindred spirits: Model Ludi Delfin matched her pose for pose Laid back: Fellow Brazilian Michelli Buback went for a more casual look in distressed jeans 'Second look of the night,' she announced, fixing a pout to her complexion and flashing a peace sign for the camera in a duo of Snapchat posts from the loo. She showcased that look in the rest of her Snapchat Story that evening, posing in a solo picture taken on Revolve Social Club's rooftop. The name of the collection glowed in orange neon lights behind her, set against a wall of bamboo sticks framed by tropical foliage. Quick change: Alessandra also modelled her fabulous Virginia long skirt and crop top combo Assets: She flashed her toned midriff and her equally stunning smile Showcase: The name of the collection glowed in orange neon lights behind her, set against a wall of bamboo sticks framed by tropical foliage Grinning, she showed off her enviably toned legs from the high-cut Julinha Dress and threw up two peace signs for good measure. The next photo saw her at the same place, this time flanked by three models, one of whom donned the cleavage-baring Rute Mini Dress, available for $210 (171.05). Ultimately, the DJ's selections could be heard pummelling away in the background as various videos let the Erechim native's followers watch the party unfold. 'Ready to present': She documented much of the evening on Snapchat Gorgeous! The model made sure to become her own advertising machine Her own best advert: She started off the evening posing in her line's midriff-baring Virginia Top, which she matched with the Virginia Dress 'Hey, guys, it's happening!': The 35-year-old showed her followers a semicircular rack carrying her new collection's wares at the ground floor of the event venue During one, she held up the evening's cocktail menu, on which gold script over a black field offered readers a 'Maldives Mixer,' a 'Bohemian Dream' or a 'Polynesian Punch.' 'Party time!' the Victoria's Secret Angel crowed. 'What are we gonna drink?' Her excitement had bubbled over onto her Instagram page as well. A publicity photo uploaded there on Tuesday saw her sitting on a tiled floor, bare legs akimbo. Ready to party: She flashed a peace sign for the camera as she filmed a mirror selfie video Quick-change: Later in the evening, she switched into her line's Julinha Dress Ready for the evening: The Erechim native (second from left) stood for a photo with three other models, one of whom wore the new line's Rute Mini Dress The frequently sheer and occasionally netted black Micaela Dress had such a wide and low neckline, it appeared a tiny hint of her bra was visible. Once the party began on Wednesday night, she once again displayed the Julinha Dress, kicking her legs back as she posed for a photo from same loo featured in her Snapchat Story. That morning, she'd been spotting picking up some refreshments in advance of the festive evening that lay ahead. 'What are we gonna drink?': The Brazilian bombshell offered her Snapchat followers a glimpse of the cocktail menu, which included a 'Maldives Mixer,' a 'Bohemian Dream' and a 'Polynesian Punch' Everything's better with a little sparkle #getthepartystarted #aleXrevolve A photo posted by Alessandra Ambrosio (@alessandraambrosio) on Oct 19, 2016 at 9:16pm PDT Wearing a white jumper that bore the words 'BEAUTIFUL DREAMER' about a drawing of the Buddha, she'd headed over to the vegetarian restaurant The Butcher's Daughter on Abbot Kinney Boulevard and been seen leaving with a full paper bag. Black capri leggings emphasised her vertiginous legs, and as far as footwear, she stayed casual: white flip flops elegantly matched her top. She'd trammelled her hair into a ponytail, as later in the evening. The Brazilian bombshell threw in some colour by way of a pair of pink aviator sunglasses that complemented the faded streaks of blue, yellow and pink on her jumper. 'Beautiful Dreamer': Earlier that day, she'd been spotted strolling to vegetarian restaurant The Butcher's Daughter on Abbot Kinney Boulevard wearing a Buddha jumper The haul: She left the establishment carrying quite a heavy bag She's known for never taking a fashion misstep. And on Wednesday Kate Beckinsale didn't disappoint when shooting on set of her latest film The Only Living Boy In New York. The 43-year-old British beauty flaunted her long slender legs in a pair of skintight black trousers. Working woman: Kate Beckinsale was spotted on set of her latest film The Only Living Boy In New York on Wednesday The Underworld star looked stunning as she went effortlessly cool as she teamed the skinny jeans with a long camel sweater. A low-cut scoop neck white tee was semi sheer and slightly revealed a black bra she wore beneath. She was ever the ageless beauty in minimal makeup with a hint of rose blush and pale pink gloss. Slim pins: The 43-year-old British beauty flaunted her long slender legs in a pair of skintight black trousers A pair of dark oversized sunglasses nestled neatly on the award-winning actress's nose. The Serendipity actress stepped out in a pair of sexy high heeled suede ankle boots. Kate co-stars in the film alongside Pierce Brosnan, Jeff Bridges, Callum Turner and Kiersey Clemons. Chic: The Underworld star looked stunning as she teamed the skinny jeans with a long camel sweater The movie follows recent college graduate Thomas, played by Callum, whose life dramatically changes when he begins a relationship with his father's mistress Johanna, played by Kate. The film directed by Marc Webb, 42, is due out in 2017. Marc previously directed 500 Days of Summer and the 2012 Spider-Man reboot The Amazing Spider-Man and its 2014 sequel. Kate can next be seen on the big screen in Underworld: Blood Wars due out on January 6. Gal Gadot was a vision of perfection as she entered Hollywood's El Capitan Theater Wednesday to promote her new movie Keeping Up with the Joneses on Jimmy Kimmel. The 5 ft., 10 in. Wonder Woman stunner showed off her mile-long legs in a sexy white skirt, with a Burberry trench and leopard print Schutz heels. The Israeli-born beauty, 31, had her brown mane slicked back and dark brown glasses, smiling wide with a bold shade of red lipstick. Scroll down for video Peace and love: Gal Gadot, 31, walked confidently into a Jimmy Kimmel taping in Hollywood, California on Monday A step ahead: The Israeli actress-model was on hand to promote her new comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses, which co-stars Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher and Zach Galifianakis Fashionista: Gadot was immaculately put together in a white skirt and stylish khaki jacket Gorgeous gal: The statuesque beauty, with Jon Hamm, is part of a strong cast in the new comedy In the comedy, Gadot plays Natalie Jones, a secret spy for the government who moves into a suburban neighborhood with her spy husband Tim, played by Mad Men's Jon Hamm. The snag comes when the next door neighbors, the Gaffneys - played by Isla Fisher and Zach Galifianakis - figure out the Joneses are not all what they seem. It's another entry into Gadot's impressive resume, as the former Miss Israel continues building on her career with roles in blockbusters like Furious 7 and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which she played the iconic role of Wonder Woman. Next year, Gadot will have the silver screen all to herself in a summer action feature film about the DC comics heroine. A reason to smile: Gadot's rocketing to new heights, both in the star-studded upcoming comedy as well as what will likely be a career-defining role as Wonder Woman Beauty queen: Gadot, who finished her ensemble with a pair of Schutz heels, captured the title of Miss Israel in 2004 Speaking with Variety last week, Gadot said that the reason that the character, formerly played by Lynda Carter, resonates with audiences, is because she's someone they can relate to. 'She has the heart of a human and is very compassionate, but her experiences - or lack of them, her naivete, really - make her interested in everything around her and able to view the world in a way that wed all like to: with a genuine curiosity,' Gadot told the publication. Gadot also spoke on recent remarks from veteran comic book writer Greg Rucka, that the comic book heroine must have had sexual experiences with other women after living on the all-female planet of Themyscira. Summer blockbuster: Gadot gets a feature role in next summer's Wonder Woman She said that aspect of the character is 'not something weve explored ... but when you talk theoretically about all the women on Themyscira and how many years she was there, then what he said makes sense.' Gadot said that while Wonder Woman 'does not experience any bisexual relationships' in the upcoming movie, the film is 'not about that' anyway, necessarily. She said, 'Shes a woman who loves people for who they are. She can be bisexual. She loves people for their hearts.' Isabel Lucas and Rebel Wilson were among the stars to turn out for the Australians in Film Awards in Hollywood on Wednesday. The Australian actresses, who have both made a name for themselves abroad, dazzled in chic red ensembles as they arrived at the annual event. Isabel opted for a business glam look, showcasing her slender frame in an elegant two-piece red suit. Scroll down for video Elegant: Isabel Lucas opted for a business glam look, sporting a chic red two-piece suit as she arrived at the Australians in Film Awards in Hollywood on Wednesday The 31-year-old actress looked flawless, keeping the focus directed to her choice of attire by wearing her golden locks out with a loose natural wave. She also highlighted her wide green eyes with a thick black mascara and eyeliner, while defining her lips with pale red lipstick. The blonde beauty posed confidently for the waiting cameras as she headed into the event. Blonde beauty: Isabel posed confidently for the waiting cameras as she headed into the event Flawless: The 31-year-old actress highlighted her wide green eyes with a thick black mascara and eyeliner Rebel opted for a shiny red number which clung to her body to highlight her voluptuous curves. Wearing her blonde tresses out in loose curls, she sported for a more natural makeup look, with lightly blushed cheeks, slick eyeliner and a nude lip. The Bridesmaid starlet contrasted her bright gown with a pair of black pointed toe heals. Flaunting it! Rebel Wilson opted for a shiny red number which clung to her body to highlight her voluptuous curves Natural look: Wearing her blonde tresses out in loose curls, Rebel sported lightly blushed cheeks, slick eyeliner and a nude lip Gong: The 36-year-old was honoured with the Screen NSW Kellermann Award at the event The 36-year-old was later honoured with the Screen NSW Kellermann Award, which recognises a pioneering role model for Australian women. Another to pick up a gong on the night was Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney, who walked away with the Breakthrough Award. The Australian actor, who got his break playing Captain Boomerang in the highly anticipated blockbuster, arrived arm-in-arm with girlfriend Mecki Dent. Smitten: Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney arrived arm-in-arm with girlfriend Mecki Dent Winner: Jai walked away with the Breakthrough Award, which has previously won by the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie Mecki flaunted her ample cleavage in a daring, low-cut dress as she posed for the cameras with her beau. Jai, meanwhile, looked dapper in a perfectly tailored black suit and white-spotted bow tie. The Breakthrough Award has been previously won by the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie. Daring to bare! Natasha Bassett flashed a generous amount of skin in a plunging white designer dress Also gracing the red carpet was rising Down Under starlet Natasha Bassett. The 23-year-old looked stunning as she flashed a generous amount of skin in a plunging white designer dress. She parted her long blonde tresses at the middle and left them to fall over her slender shoulders. Happy snap: Natasha was pictured with former Neighbours star Ben Lawson The blonde bombshell, who will star in a biopic of the life of Brittany Spears, was also pictured with former Neighbours star Ben Lawson. LA-based Australian actress Lucy Fry was another to attend. The 24-year-old actress, originally from Brisbane, showcased her flawless complexion with light makeup, accentuating her natural beauty. Natural beauty: LA-based Australian actress Lucy Fry showcased her flawless complexion as she arrived on the night New role: The 24-year-old actress recently landed a key role in Bright, starring Will Smith The Wolf Creek starlet recently landed a key role in Bright, which stars Will Smith. The Australians in Film Awards, now in its fifth year, celebrates Australian actors and creatives in the film industry. Others to attend the ceremony included International Award recipient James Wan, comedian Tim Minchin and Daniel MacPherson's wife Zoe Ventoura. Winners are grinners: James Wan took home the Fox Studios Australia International Award Funny business: Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician and director Tim Minchin Red carpet: Actress Hannah Marshall attends the annual event, which is in its fifth year All smiles: Daniel MacPherson's wife Zoe Ventoura was also at the event Summer Bay star: Luke Bracey, known for his role on Australian soap Home and Away Posing up a storm: Actress Kendal Rae was another up-and-comer who flashed a smile for the cameras Chic: Former All Saints star Jenni Baird cut an elegant figure on the red carpet He's one of the four men left on The Bachelorette Australia, vying for Georgia Love's heart. And while fans are aware of industrial designer Courtney Dober's past as a television presenter, it looks like his experience in front of the camera began just after finishing high school. The now 30-year-old featured in children's program Totally Wild back in 2003, aired on Channel Ten, the same network that screens The Bachelorette. Scroll down for video Blast from the past: The Bachelorette's Courtney Dober featured in children's program Totally Wild back in 2003 (R), aired on Channel Ten, the same network that screens The Bachelorette In the segment, the then-teenager spoke about his creative talents. 'Anything I can sort of get my hands on, anything lying around the garage, I'll sort of put something together,' he explained to one of the show's hosts. When asked about one of his standout creations at the time, a hovercraft, Courtney said: 'It was actually for a school project, my last year at school, year 12 major work. 'I wanted to get good marks so to get good marks I had to make something totally different to what other people make.' Creative: In the segment, the then-teenager spoke about his creative talents Innovative mind: 'Anything I can sort of get my hands on, anything lying around the garage, I'll sort of put something together,' he explained to one of the show's hosts Courtney has continued to put his creativity to good use, introducing a special wristbands alongside his brother Jarrad, which helps children with asthma and allergies. He also has quite an impressive presenting showreel behind him, and has interviewed the likes of Jennifer Hawkins, Megan Blake Irwin and Lauren Brant. Earlier this month, Courtney hit back at speculation he's purely on The Bachelorette for fame rather than winning Georgia's heart. TV presenter: He also has quite an impressive presenting showreel behind him, and has interviewed the likes of Jennifer Hawkins Chatting away: In 2014, Courtney interviewed Scott Disick's rumoured ex-girlfriend, model Megan Blake Irwin, at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival in Sydney He told The Daily Telegraph: 'I couldn't give a s**t what I do for a career - love is what makes you eternally happy'. The Sydney-based reality TV star also claimed he wouldn't care if he was a barista or a barman if it meant he had someone special to go home to. 'I would choose Georgia 100 per cent,' he added. Courtney is one of four men left on the dating show, which has suffered low ratings compared to last year's season. The other eligible bachelors are Lee Elliott, Jake Ellis and Matty Johnson. Hi 5! In 2013 Courtney also interviewed Lauren Brant, the former Hi-5 star who was embroiled in a 'cheating' scandal last year with retired NRL player Beau Ryan She's the Australian actress who has been chosen to play Britney Spears in her upcoming biopic. And, rising starlet Natasha Bassett stunned on the red carpet event on Wednesday in a plunging designer gown at the Australians In Film Awards Gala in Los Angeles. The 23-year-old flaunted her ample bosoms in the risque low-cut design, with the white figure-hugging ensemble displaying her generous cleavage. Scroll down for video Taking the plunge! Actress Natasha Bassett stunned on the Australians In Film Awards Gala red carpet event on Wednesday in a plunging designer gown in Los Angeles that flaunted her ample bosoms The actress appeared in high spirits as she attended the star-studded event with many other Australian celebrities. She left her exposed chest bare, choosing only to accessorise with rings and a clasped bracelet. The blonde bombshell parted her tresses in the middle and let her styled curls fall over he svelte shoulders. Serious side boob: The blonde bombshell's figure-hugging dress highlighted her svelte frame and naturally perky cleavage Natasha opted for minimal makeup look, with mascara and a blush pink lipstick becoming standouts to her application. The New York-based stunner was also pictured with former Neighbours star Ben Lawson. Isabel Lucas and Rebel Wilson were among the stars to turn out for the Hollywood event to celebrate Australians in film. Elegant: Isabel Lucas opted for a business glam look, sporting a chic red two-piece suit as she arrived at the Australians in Film Awards in Hollywood on Wednesday The Australian actresses, who have both made a name for themselves abroad, dazzled in chic red ensembles as they arrived at the annual event. Isabel opted for a business glam look, showcasing her slender frame in an elegant two-piece red suit. The 31-year-old actress looked flawless, keeping the focus directed to her choice of attire by wearing her golden locks out with a loose natural wave. She also highlighted her wide green eyes with a thick black mascara and eyeliner, while defining her lips with pale red lipstick. The blonde beauty posed confidently for the waiting cameras as she headed into the event. Rebel opted for a shiny red number which clung to her body to highlight her voluptuous curves. Wearing her blonde tresses out in loose curls, she sported for a more natural makeup look, with lightly blushed cheeks, slick eyeliner and a nude lip. The Bridesmaid starlet contrasted her bright gown with a pair of black pointed toe heals. Flaunting it! Rebel Wilson opted for a shiny red number which clung to her body to highlight her voluptuous curves Gong: The 36-year-old was honoured with the Screen NSW Kellermann Award at the event The 36-year-old was later honoured with the Screen NSW Kellermann Award, which recognises a pioneering role model for Australian women. Another to pick up a gong on the night was Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney, who walked away with the Breakthrough Award. The Australian actor, who got his break playing Captain Boomerang in the highly anticipated blockbuster, arrived arm-in-arm with girlfriend Mecki Dent. Smitten: Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney arrived arm-in-arm with girlfriend Mecki Dent Winner: Jai walked away with the Breakthrough Award, which has previously won by the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie Mecki flaunted her ample cleavage in a daring, low-cut dress as she posed for the cameras with her beau. Jai, meanwhile, looked dapper in a perfectly tailored black suit and white-spotted bow tie. The Breakthrough Award has been previously won by the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie. Natural beauty: LA-based Australian actress Lucy Fry showcased her flawless complexion as she arrived on the night LA-based Australian actress Lucy Fry was another to attend. The 24-year-old actress, originally from Brisbane, showcased her flawless complexion with light makeup, accentuating her natural beauty. The Wolf Creek starlet recently landed a key role in Bright, which stars Will Smith. The Australians in Film Awards, now in its fifth year, celebrates Australian actors and creatives in the film industry. Others to attend the ceremony included International Award recipient James Wan, comedian Tim Minchin and Daniel MacPherson's wife Zoe Ventoura. Winners are grinners: James Wan took home the Fox Studios Australia International Award Funny business: Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician and director Tim Minchin Red carpet: Actress Hannah Marshall attends the annual event, which is in its fifth year All smiles: Daniel MacPherson's wife Zoe Ventoura was also at the event Summer Bay star: Luke Bracey, known for his role on Australian soap Home and Away Posing up a storm: Actress Kendal Rae was another up-and-comer who flashed a smile for the cameras Chic: Former All Saints star Jenni Baird cut an elegant figure on the red carpet They're from opposite sides of the country. And on Thursday night's episode of The Bachelorette, that became apparent for Georgia Love and Jake Ellis, who were faced with tough questions about their relationship during hometown visits. The 28-year-old former news anchor was introduced to the 30-year-old Salesman's family at their Benowa Waters home on the Gold Coast and almost immediately, they pair began feeling the heat. Scroll down for video Feeling the heat: Georgia Love and Jake Ellis were faced with tough questions about their relationship during hometown visits on Thursday's episode of The Bachelorette 'We've only been here five minutes and [his mum] Robbie's already pulling me aside. I feel like she's got something playing on her mind,' she said in a side interview. As Jake's mother began reflecting on her son having been away for three and a half years, the attention soon shifted to Georgia and where she plans to settle down. 'My plan is to go back to Melbourne and, you know, kind of settle back there. My mum's unwell so... I do wanna be back in Melbourne to be with her;' the Hobart-native began. Meeting the family! The 28-year-old former news anchor was introduced to the 30-year-old Salesman's family at their Benowa Waters home on the Gold Coast and almost immediately, they pair began feeling the heat '...I'm sorry your mum's not well, but I'm sure Jake shared with you that Brian and I have had our health issues as well, and still ongoing,' Robbie replied. She added: 'So for him to have actually been away so long was really hard. I could understand that you wouldn't want to leave your mum. And I'm just wondering where do you see you and Jake? I mean, how are you feeling?' Georgia then firmly reiterated her desire to be with her mother in Melbourne and later in a side interview, the brunette beauty acknowledged it could pose a problem for Jake. Awkward! 'We've only been here five minutes and [his mum] Robbie's already pulling me aside. I feel like she's got something playing on her mind,' she said in a side interview 'So if I am with Jake at the end of all this, whether that's that he moves to Melbourne or we do distance for a while and see what happens, I don't think Robbie would like Jake moving at all,' said Georgia. 'I can tell that already. He walked in the door and she burst into tears. She wants him home. She misses him.' Robbie then emphasized the importance of family in their home dynamic, telling Georgia - 'the family unit, the four of us, is very, very strong, very, very important to all of us.' Candid chat: As Jake's mother began reflecting on her son having been away for three and a half years, the attention soon shifted to Georgia and where she plans to settle down She later revealed her doubts about her son's romance with Georgia. 'Georgia wants to be there for her mum, as it should be,' she began. 'But long-distance relationships at the best of times are challenging, to say the least. So... Yes, I'll be very interested to see how it continues. If it continues.' Following Georgia's one-on-one with Robbie, the group gathered for a family meal in the dining area, where Georgia and Jake continued to face tough questions. Opening up: 'My plan is to go back to Melbourne and, you know, kind of settle back there. My mum's unwell so... I do wanna be back in Melbourne to be with her;' the Hobart-native began 'What differs Jake from the rest of the contestants for you to go, 'You know, I wanna see him more, I wanna know a bit more about him'?' asked Jake's brother Luke. A stunned Georgia did her best to remain calm despite being completely thrown off by Luke's candour. 'Um...I mean, what... The first part of your question was what differs Jake from everyone else, and, um, Jake makes me feel very, very special. Yeah, he...he, um... Just, yeah, he makes me feel good,' she bumbled. Not over yet: Following Georgia's one-on-one with Robbie, the group gathered for a family meal in the dining area, where Georgia and Jake continued to face tough questions Despite the awkward tension, Luke continued the intense questioning. 'And in a personal level, how do you see Jake fitting into your life? ... how do you think he will impact your life? And how do you think, you know, you guys are gonna make it fit together?' he asked. She replied: 'My mum is unwell. So certainly in the short term, I want to be in Melbourne ... Whether that's a few months or a year or forever, I don't know because I don't what's gonna happen and where that's gonna be.' 'But the fact that Jake and I are from different places is... ..obviously not a reason to not make it work. But that would, you know... that...would be something that would, you know, be a sticking point for us, that we would both live in Melbourne for a while. It's easy for me to say that would work but may be different for you guys.' Protective: Robbie appeared weary when Georgia mentioned her plans to move back to Melbourne The beauty acknowledged that if she intends to have a future with Jake, sacrifice would be important. 'Family is so important to me and Jake and the fact of the matter is our families are in different states,' she said. 'So at the end of the day, if we're together, one of us is going to have to make a huge sacrifice,' she added. Is there a future? The beauty acknowledged that if she intends to have a future with Jake, sacrifice would be important. 'So at the end of the day, if we're together, one of us is going to have to make a huge sacrifice,' she said Prior to the family dinner, which marked the first time that a woman had met Jake's family since 2014, he shared family recipes with the journalist at his family home. 'I thought I might get you to help me for dinner tonight with my turkey,' he explained. 'The turkey that we're doing is a big, big family tradition. It's something we don't share with people lightly.' Letting her in: Prior to the family dinner, which marked the first time that a woman had met Jake's family since 2014, he shared family recipes with the journalist at his family home The pair then began getting busy in the kitchen and at one point, they enjoyed a flirtaitous exchange while getting their hands dirty in what Jake described as a 'Ghost' moment. 'You know, this is a very heavily guarded secret and sharing that with Georgia is a big step,' he acknowledged. 'So even though it's a simple turkey, it's more symbolic than that.' Deep feelings: Georgia and Jake shared several kisses throughout their time together on the Gold Coast During the same episode, Georgia ,met with the final fours families, including that of Courtney, Lee and Matty J. Courtney Dober was unceremoniously booted from the show after Georgia realised that he was wasting her time. Gone: Courtney Dober was unceremoniously booted from the show after Georgia realised that he was wasting her time She was very critical of Georgia Love during Matty Johnston's hometown date on Thursday night's episode of The Bachelorette. And as the contestant's sister Kate sat down to speak one-on-one with her brother's potential new girlfriend, she revealed a myriad of concerns. As a new mother, she revealed Matt had moved home to Sydney after years in London to help out with his baby nephew, and she was worried about Georgia continuing to live in Melbourne. Scroll down for video As Matt's sister Kate sat down to speak one-on-one with her brother's potential new girlfriend, she revealed a myriad of concerns on Thursday's The Bachelorette's episode featuring home town visits 'He is the only family I have here in Sydney,' she told the former journalist. 'I don't think I can give him up to Melbourne. Are you willing to move to Sydney?' Georgia looked stressed during the conversation and proceeded to answer Kate's questions with political finesse. 'Look, I'm at a point where I actually don't know what the future holds for me...at all,' she said with a straight face. 'I don't know who I'm going to be with, I don't know what my job will be.' The red flags appeared in abundance as Georgia sat down for a one-on-one with Kate during dinner. Matty's elder sister expressed her concern about how the show worked, and how many other guys the Bachelorette was dating. 'I'm nervous for him, I'm scared,' she said to the camera. 'My protectiveness has come out straight away and I wanna just wrap him up and take him away from this.' But the first red flag of the evening was raised even before Georgia and Matty walked through the door. As they walked through Sydney, the 29-year-old told his date about his sister, who he shared a very close relationship with growing up. Worried smiles: As Georgia and Matty strolled through Sydney, The Bachelorette began to see multiple red flags He mentioned it may be an issue in the future, as he was reluctant to move away from her for Georgia, who plans to base herself in Melbourne after the show. 'The fact that my sister lives here and I'm now an uncle, that's a really big consideration for me,' he says. 'Obviously I wanna be a really big part of his life, so being in Melbourne would definitely have a big impact on my relationship with my sister and her family.' 'She wants me to start a family, like, now.' Georgia then put on the tense smile which carried her through the evening. Kiss for good luck! Georgia and Matty enjoyed a quick peck before meeting his sister, mum and little brother As Matty and his Bachelorette sweetheart walked through the door, the couple both hugged his baby nephew. While the brunette beauty seemed mildly uncomfortable, Matty was right at home - which appeared to distress Georgia. 'Matty seemed really clucky. I know his family wants him to have kids soon, and I don't want kids soon,' she said with panicked eyes to the camera. 'I don't feel ready for a baby in the next few years. 'That's a huge thing. That could be a massive wedge in a relationship. 'That might be a huge red flag for us.' Georgia may have called all the stops when it came to dating on The Bachelorette this season. But on Thursday night's episode, Lee, Courtney, Jake and Matty became the date planners on The Bachelorette during Georgia's home town visits. The first destination on Georgia's itinerary was Sydney, where she met up with fan-favourite contestant Matty J. Time to meet the family! Georgia visited Lee, Courtney, Jake and Matty on The Bachelorette's exciting home town visits episode on Thursday night Matty, who decided to woo Georgia with a romantic horse ride revealed to the camera that: ' I kinda forget how easy it i to get along with Georgia.' As they rode through the park together, Matty revealed that he had an extremely close relationship with his sister and that he had actually joined pony club as a child so as to follow in her footsteps. 'Matty did pony club because his sister did it, and I know that she's in Sydney and we're here on this hometown in Sydney. So I started to get a bit of a picture of who I'm gonna be meeting later today and...feeling a bit of pressure already,' Georgia admitted. Hello handsome! The first destination on Georgia's itinerary was Sydney, where she met up with fan-favourite contestant Matty J Indeed, Matty wasn't shy to admit that his sister may have a few choice questions for Georgia upon their impending meeting. 'Kate, is a very strong, independent woman. She's pretty opinionated and she's pretty direct with people,' he explained. Matty also said that his sister would likely take issue with the fact that Georgia lives in Melbourne. Welcome to the brood! Later in the episode, we saw Georgia sit down with Matty's family for a meet-and-greet 'I think my sister would really prefer it if I stayed in Sydney,' he admitted. Later in the episode, we saw Georgia sit down with Matty's family for a meet-and-greet. Georia was greeted with Matty's tiny nephew as she entered the family home, prompting her to admit to the camera that Matty may be more clucky than she is. 'I don't want kids soon': Georgia was greeted with Matty's tiny nephew as she entered the family home, prompting her to admit to the camera that Matty may be more clucky than she is. 'I know his family wants him to have kids soon, and I don't want kids soon,' she confessed. Next, Georgia was thrown into the lion's den as she received a grilling from Matty's family, who were dubious of the fact that she was dating several men at once. Matty's sister Kate pulled Georgia aside to ask her about whether she would have children soon. Getting to the bottom of things: Next, Georgia was thrown into the lion's den as she received a grilling from Matty's family, who were dubious of the fact that she was dating several men at once Georgia admitted that she wasn't ready for a family, prompting Kate to tell the cameras: ' Seems like Matty would be making all the compromises. He'd be having to wait to have kids. He'd be having to move to Melbourne.' Kate proceeded to warn Matty not to get too close to Georgia for fear of her breaking his heart. Matty admitted to his sister that he is in love with Georgia, saying: 'I couldn't have asked for anything more.' Farewell: At the end of the date, Georgia bid farewell to Matty with a lingering kiss At the end of the date, Georgia bid farewell to Matty with a lingering kiss. Next in the episode, Georgia paid a visit to Jake in his native Queensland. Rather than warming Georgia up to the idea of meeting his family, Jake began the date at his parents house, leaving Georgia lost for words. 'Oh s***!' the gobsmacked beauty said. Fancy seeing you here! Next in the episode, Georgia paid a visit to Jake in his native Queensland Luckily, Jake had organised his parents not to be home at the time, leaving the doting pair to enjoy a cooking date in the family kitchen. 'It actually means an awful lot that this is what Jake had planned for us to do. I think it's a good sign about how Jake sees me fitting into his life if he's already sharing the family recipe with me,' cooed Georgia. Next, Jake whisked Georgia away to a local park for an intimate picnic. 'He's already sharing the family recipe with me': Jake had organised his parents not to be home at the time, leaving the doting pair to enjoy a cooking date in the family kitchen As they sipped champagne, Jake warned Georgia that his mother and brother may have a few tough questions for her. Sure enough, Georgia was accosted with endless probing questions from Jake's tight-knit family. First off the bat was Jake's mother, who asked Georgia whether she would move away from her sick mother to be with Jake, whose parents also suffer from health issues. Real talk: Sure enough, Georgia was accosted with endless probing questions from Jake's tight-knit family 'You realise that with Jake comes us. The family unit, the four of us, is very, very strong, very, very important to all of us,' she told Georgia. Over dinner, Jake's brother fired hard-hitting questions about how Jake would fit into Georgia's life. 'The fact that Jake and I are from different places is...obviously not a reason to not make it work, Georgia retorted. Later, Jake's mother pulled her son aside and gave him her blessing. Once again, Georgia bid farewell to her handsome suitor with a kiss. Giving those lips a workout! Once again, Georgia bid farewell to her handsome suitor with a kiss Next we saw Georgia fly to her native Melbourne where she caught up with Lee over a coffee. Lee left Georgia stunned when he revealed that it is his grandmother's dying wish that her grandson would have children. 'It's Grandma's dying wish to have grandchildren. 'No pressure, Georgia. Welcome to the family.'' Indeed, his grandmother didn't mince words with Georgia as she directly quizzed her about having children. Date with a handsome devil: Next we saw Georgia fly to her native Melbourne where she caught up with Lee over a coffee 'Lee is a very sensitive boy, and I can see that he's smitten. If he doesn't get picked, it's gonna hurt him, yes,' Lee's grandmother said. Georgia was also pulled aside by Lee's mother, who expressed worry for her son's sake at this stage of the competition. She also revealed that Georgia is the first brunette Lee had ever dated, leaving Georgia wondering whether she was his type. Thanks for sharing! Lee left Georgia stunned when he revealed that it is his grandmother's dying wish that her grandson would have children. Baby talk: Indeed, his grandmother didn't mince words with Georgia as she directly quizzed her about having children 'I don't think I'm Lee's type, from what I hear. And I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. It does make me wonder if I am seeing the real, true Lee all of the time,' she confessed to the camera. The date ended with a sweet kiss in the moonlight. Finally, Georgia travelled back to Sydney where she met with Courtney for his home visit. Last stop! Finally, Georgia travelled back to Sydney where she met with Courtney for his home visit Georgia was especially pensive ahead of the date due to several 'unresolved things' that she and Courtney had still to work out. 'I'm sick of the ambiguity. Today's make or break,' she told the camera. Courtney and Georgia enjoyed a picnic on the beach during the date. Things turned sour as when Georgia asked Courtney whether he truly wanted a relationship with her. Shaking his head and stuttering, Courtney muttered: 'I don't know'. 'I don't know': Things turned sour as when Georgia asked Courtney whether he truly wanted a relationship with her Not happy! Georgia, who was fuming at this stage, grumbled to the camera: 'There are people who I have already sent home that at some point or another I pictured here at this stage' 'I'm just sitting there in shock. I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me. No-one wants that,' Georgia told the camera, holding back tears. 'I can't tell you whether or not I see you and I being together in two years' time and whatnot because I just can't... I can't think that far ahead,' he admitted. Georgia, who was fuming at this stage, grumbled to the camera: 'There are people who I have already sent home that at some point or another I pictured here at this stage.' Pulling herself together, Georgia conceded that she would go ahead with the meet-and-greet with Courtney's family just to satisfy her curiosity. Pulling herself together, Georgia conceded that she would go ahead with the meet-and-greet with Courtney's family just to satisfy her curiosity. She soon regretted her decision, however, when she was met with prying questions about her flailing relationship with Courtney over dinner with his siblings. 'I think Courtney wants a relationship and he thinks he's ready for a relationship. I actually don't think he is,' Georgia gravely told the camera. Speaking with Courtney's brother Jarrad privately, Georgia confessed that she was worried that Courtney doesn't have time for her. She was quickly disappointed, however, when Jarrad regaled the same confusing message Courtney had told Georgia earlier in the episode. Imperfect meeting: She soon regretted her decision, however, when she was met with prying questions about her flailing relationship with Courtney over dinner with his siblings Jarrad is telling me exactly the same things as his brother - that Courtney does have feelings for me, but he doesn't have time, he doesn't know if he's got enough time to fall in love. But time's the one thing we don't have,' she said. During the subsequent cocktail party, Georgia confronted Courtney about their relationship. 'If you're asking me do I think I can tell you that I love you at the end of this... I don't know,' Courtney admitted. Getting it out of her system: During the subsequent cocktail party, Georgia confronted Courtney about their relationship Tearfully, Georgia responded: 'I don't think it's enough... I can't keep doing it to myself. I need to be true to what I came in here for and what I wholeheartedly believe I can and will find at the end of this.' 'So I don't really see...any point in having a rose ceremony tonight,' she concluded, adding: 'I think you should go now.' Without a word, Courtney stood up and walked out, leaving Georgia in tears. The pop princess is usually found prancing around on stage in gold hot pants. But Kylie Minogue rocked on a very different look on Thursday, as she appeared on Rainbow Beach in the Gold Coast in a pink cotton robe. The singing sensation was on set for her latest acting endeavour, 70s themed comedy Flammable Children. Scroll down for video Naughty naughty! Kylie Minogue looked almost unrecognisable as she acted in a scene for her upcoming 1970's comedy Flammable Children Kylie looked every part the 70s star, with gold strappy kitten heels flaunting her calves, only just seen below her robe. The pale pink gown appeared crushed in the photographs, and featured olive green leaves joined to bright yellow flowers, with white dot details. The Spinning Around hit maker covered her golden tresses with a cropped wig in a lighter shade of blonde. Surely that's not her! The pop princess is usually seen rocking more chic looks - a big contrast to her set look, which sees her in a dishevelled blonde bob wig and a cotton robe She accessorised the dated look with a pair of oversized pale pink sunglasses and wrapped an orange and white striped towel around her neck. The images appear to show a scene in place, as Kylie pointed and yelled at two others on set. Acclaimed actor Guy Pearce is seen rocking a Surfers Paradise visor, blue button-up shirt, vibrant striped shorts and large brown-rimmed sunglasses. He is then seen picking a young girl up in his arms. Star role: Acclaimed actor Guy Pearce is seen rocking a Surfers Paradise visor, blue button-up shirt, vibrant striped shorts and large brown-rimmed sunglasses Showing off his muscles: He is then seen picking a young girl up in his arms The blonde girl seems to be a constant annoyance for Kylie's character, as she again finds herself looking sternly at the bikini wearing woman, but in a different outfit. This time dressed in an elaborate white lace bikini, Kylie shows off her bronzed skin and toned arms. You again! The blonde girl appears to be a constant annoyance for Kylie's character, as she appears to anger the 48-year-old in more than one scene The 48-year-old wore the same striped towel as the earlier scene, but wrapped around her small waist and leaned over a car door to tell off the girl. Flammable Children is a comedy by Stephan Elliott, who is known for directing the iconic Australian flick The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Set in 1975, Flammable children tells the story of two teenagers who follows the story of two teenagers who witness a blue whale being washed up on a local beach. Meanwhile, the pair's eccentric parents spend their time catching up with the sexual revolution of the 1970s. 'Flammable Children is going to be smart and funny, with a distinctly nostalgic flavour that I think people will really connect with,' said Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason. Brad Pitt has reportedly reunited with his 15-year-old son Maddox for the first time since the actor's marriage to Angelina Jolie spectacularly collapsed. The 52-year-old met with the teen on Wednesday, reports TMZ. The meeting is believed to be their first face-to-face since he allegedly attacked Maddox on board a private jet on September 14, a claim he denies. Scroll down for video Moving forward: Brad Pitt has reportedly reunited with his 15-year-old son Maddox for the first time since the actor's marriage to Angelina Jolie spectacularly collapsed MailOnline has contacted spokesperson for Pitt. The incident is said to have been the catalyst towards Jolie filing for divorce and moving into a rented home with their six children. He has already has visitations with his other five children, which have been supervised due to an order from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, which is currently investigating him. The FBI has confirmed agents are 'gathering facts' and will decide whether the incident warrants a full federal investigation in due course. The meeting comes amid claims that Pitt and Jolie have had no contact since their shocks split. Close: He has already has visitations with his other five children, which have been supervised due to an order from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, which is currently investigating him over claims he attacked the teen on a private jet The two A-listers have instead opted to have their negotiations - especially the custody battle - handled by their respective teams according to a new report from People. As the former power couple announced their split four weeks ago, a family source told the weekly: 'It's just a sad situation.' It has previously been reported that Jolie, 41, wants sole physical custody of the their six kids while 52-year-old Pitt is pushing for joint custody. As Jolie had adopted Maddox in 2002, two years before she had met Pitt, the two share quite a bond as a source close to her told Us Weekly: 'Maddox is very close with Angie.' Insiders for the publication have denied that Maddox has already made his mind up about custody as California law states that a child older than 14 can decide the parent they would prefer to live with. Jolie, 41, filed for divorce five days later, ending two years of marriage and 12 years together. The couple are parents to Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, ten, and twins Vivienne and Knox, eight. Fashion momentarily overshadowed film as a host of stars gathered for a screening of new movie American Pastoral on Wednesday evening. But while special emphasis was placed on the forthcoming film's illustrious cast, Swedish model Victoria Silvstedt ensured she stood out after joining the arrivals outside New York City's Museum of Modern Art. The blonde star, 42, caught the eye in a vibrant red dress and matching choker as she posed for photos at the exclusive event. Scroll down for video Here she comes: Victoria Silvstedt ensured she stood out after joining the arrivals outside New York City's Museum of Modern Art for a screening of forthcoming film American Pastoral A distinctive off-the-shoulder design revealed a hint of Victoria's nicely toned physique, while the outfit's gold belted waist gave an otherwise straightforward colour choice a distinctive flourish. The former Miss Sweden completed her look with a pair of peep-toe ankle boots, while a black leather handbag rounded things off. Victoria was joined on the night by the film's central cast-members, Dakota Fanning, Ewan McGregor, Uzo Aduba and Valorie Curry. Looking good: The blonde star, 42, caught the eye in a vibrant red dress and matching choker as she posed for photos at the exclusive event. Attention to detail: A distinctive off-the-shoulder design revealed a hint of Victoria's nicely toned physique, while the outfit's gold belted waist gave an otherwise straightforward colour choice a distinctive flourish Finishing touches: The former Miss Sweden completed her look with a pair of peep-toe ankle boots, while a black leather handbag rounded things off Victoria has been embracing her lavish celebrity lifestyle, having spent most of the summer holidaying in a number of picturesque coastal hot spots. Despite exuding confidence in both her bikini and more glamorous attire, Victoria previously revealed her discomfort with the modelling catwalk and the industry as a whole. Speaking to Female First, she said: I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18. 'I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious. But it never felt like it was my thing, I'm not like a runway skinny model, I'm more curvy. It was torture, I put myself through starvation, you know torturing myself.' Special guests: American Pastoral cast-members Dakota Fanning, Ewan McGregor and Uzo Aduba also attended the screening of their new film American Pastoral is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Philip Roth and tells the story of a once standout high school athlete who is now a successful businessman married to a former beauty queen. But when their teenage daughter disappears after being accused of committing a violent act, he embarks on a mission to find her and bring her home only to make a discovery that shakes him to the core. American Pastoral premiered last month at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival and is set to be release in the United States on October 21 and the United Kingdom on November 11. She rushed to her sister's bedside after discovering she'd been seriously injured in a car crash earlier this month. And Amanda Holden, 45, shared an adorable throwback snap of herself with Debbie, 44, as young girls on Instagram on Thursday. Wearing her golden locks in pigtails, Amanda can be seen beaming brightly as she stands with her arm around her sister's shoulders. Scroll down for video Throwback Thursday: Amanda Holden, 45, shared an adorable throwback snap of herself with Debbie, 44, as young girls on Instagram on Thursday She wore a blue summer dress over a bright pink and white striped jumper. A couple of plasters adorned her knees, just above her long white socks. Debbie dressed in a sunshine yellow knitted jumper, tartan skirt and a pair of bright red socks. Amanda simply captioned the photograph: 'Me and my sis. #throwbackthursday' Following her crash on October 6, Debbie was described as being in a 'critical but stable' condition at a hospital in Cornwall. Close: Amanda rushed to her sister's bedside after discovering she'd been seriously injured in a car crash earlier this month Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda had to rush off after attending Simon Cowell's 57th birthday bash in London. A source told MailOnline at the time that the family hoped Debbie would 'make a full recovery' and was 'out of the worst'. Debbie, who is single without children, escaped death during a Nepal earthquake in April last year. Sister sister: Debbie has reportedly become especially close with Amanda in adulthood, after living through a strained relationship with their father Frank as children She has reportedly become especially close with Amanda in adulthood, after living through a strained relationship with their father Frank as children. Amanda has previously spoken about their relationship with her estranged father, who 'was hardly ever there'. Frank split from their mother Judith in 1976 on the grounds of his alcohol-fuelled behaviour. Live on air last year, Amanda was visibly moved when it was revealed Debbie had been caught up in an aftershock while stranded on Mount Everest. She spoke to her sibling on ITV's This Morning, after the earthquake killed some 5,500 people and left 11,000 injured. His followers went into meltdown after he was inactive on social media for five days, using the hashtag 'findkurtcoleman' in hopes of locating him safe and well. But, Instagram celebrity Kurt Coleman was just taking a break from his phone and seems to be back to posting daily. Despite returning with a anti-social media rant, the 19-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday with a shirtless upload straight from the shower discussing cleanliness with his followers. Scroll down for video A selfie a day: Instagram star Kurl Coleman, 19, is known for posting daily and when he didn't for five days his fans went into meltdown. After resurfacing on Wednesday with an explanation, it seems he will getting back to his normal routine, starting with this shirtless selfie taken post-shower uploaded on Thursday His post the day before said he felt 'so good' taking a break from social media, as it's 'not a real experience'. The lengthy rant also questioned why people edit their photos for 'your 'followers' that don't even give a f*** about you?' 'So many people take this so seriously and it's not even real,' he continued. However, putting his strong feelings aside, the star with 173,000 followers has returned regardless. Seemingly untouched or edited, the recent image sees Kurt in a towel with his hair and body visibly wet from showering. Alive and well: Kurt posted his first selfie after five days of radio silence to Instagram on Wednesday, along with a lengthy explanation and anti-social media rant Missing? Instagram 'celebrity' Kurt Coleman raised concerns for his welfare with the 'selfie a day' addict disappearing from social media Nightmares: Kurt last tweeted on Sunday, after sharing bizarre thoughts about having nightmares and being attacked by a group of cats Earlier this week, Daily Mail Australia became aware of a recently-established Twitter account named 'Find Kurt Coleman'. It was supposedly set up by three 'deeply worried' fans of Kurt, who were apparently concerned for his safety. They claimed Kurt's recent 'disappearance' from social media was linked to a mystery board game he played last week. Spooky: Fans claimed Kurt's recent 'disappearance' from social media was linked to a mystery board game he played last week Kurt last tweeted on Sunday, after sharing bizarre thoughts about having nightmares and being attacked by a group of cats. Given Kurt's previous posts promoting the film on social media, it was speculated his alleged 'disappearance' was simply a viral marketing campaign by digital brand Amplify, run by Sydney-based Marquee Studios. However it is unknown whether Kurt has any relationship with them. Taking a break? Alternatively, he could have just taken a social media break as suggested by his manager Alternatively, he could have just taken a social media break as suggested by his manager to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday. But Loren O'Keeffe of MPAN criticised the decision to use a 'missing person' to promote a horror film. 'To joke about something that impacts so many people so enormously - to sell more tickets - is a slap in the face to those genuinely dealing with the torment of not knowing where their loved one is. Bizarre: Kurt posted weird tweets before he supposedly went 'missing' Insomnia? He also complained about lacking sleep Earlier this week: Daily Mail Australia became aware of a recently-established Twitter account named 'Find Kurt Coleman' 'Not to mention Kurts fans who were legitimately concerned for his welfare,' they told Daily Mail Australia. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Marquee Studios for comment. In the past, Kurt has been criticised by an educator as 'self obsessed' and a 'narcissist'. The social media enthusiast told Daily Mail Australia at the time the comments were 'unprofessional' for a teacher. If youre searching for a missing loved one, please go to: www.missingpersonsguide.com Melissa George looked sombre as she left a Paris court on Thursday after her partner Jean David Blanc appeared on charges of domestic assault against her. Blanc made his appearance amid reports that the Australian actress was taken to hospital last month following the alleged assault. He denied the charges against him, according to a report in French newspaper Le Parisien. In court: Melissa George was pictured on Wednesday leaving a Paris court The Australian actress, 40, wore a white maxi dress and ballet flats, along with a tan sweater over her shoulders as she descended the steps, accompanied by friends. Jean David left separately, wearing dark blue trousers and a warm winter coat. Last month, the actress was reportedly taken to Cochin hospital hospitalised following the alleged assault by her partner of four years. According to French website Purepeople, Melissa, received medical treatment after turning up at the police station at around 3am on Wednesday morning. The star - who shares two sons with 48-year-old Jean David - was allegedly suffering from bruising to her face and complaining of pain and feeling faint. Accused: Jean-David Blanc left court after appearing on domestic violence charges Sombre: The actress was accompanied by a group of friends while descending the court steps M6info reported: ' According to statements by the actress ... she was assaulted by her companion. 'The police were called last night to intervene in the centre of Paris. 'In shock, Melissa George, had a swelling of the face and complained of pain, nausea and dizziness.' MailOnline previously contacted a Paris police spokesperson, who confirmed reports the actress was hospitalised. Shocking: Melissa was allegedly been hospitalised following a domestic incident concerning her French partner of four years, Jean David Blanc (pictured in May 2016) Jean David is a businessman, writer and film producer, famed for founding cinema service organization AlloCine. The couple first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party, before entering into a relationship in 2012. They welcomed their first child, a son named Raphael, in February 2014 and a second son, Solal, in November last year. Family life: The couple first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party, before entering into a relationship in 2012 Melissa was previously married to Chilean film director Caludio Dabed. When announcing Solal's birth on social media, Melissa publicly gushed over her longtime de facto. 'Thank you to my love, Jean David, for giving me the best gift in my life. I love you,' she wrote at the time. Flop: Melissa recently starred as Dr. Alexandra Panttiere in the NBC medical drama, Heartbeat which was cancelled by the network back in May Melissa most recently starred as Dr. Alexandra Panttiere in the NBC medical drama, Heartbeat. Unfortunately, the show flatlined and was canceled by the network back in May following poor ratings and a negative critical reception. She rose to fame as Angel Parrish in Home And Away in the 90s, before landing recurring roles in Alias and Grey's Anatomy. She is one of Australia's most glamorous supermodels, who regularly travels with her son. And while on a trip to New Zealand, Megan Gale has been posting plenty of rugged-up shots of herself and son, River. The 41-year-old didn't seemed to be phased by Queenstown's cooler temps, instead embracing the weather with an unusual choice of dessert; gelato. Cold treats! Supermodel Megan Gale proves it's never too cold for gelato, as she shared a rugged-up snap of herself enjoying a large scoop on holiday in the snow to Instagram on Wednesday The Austraia's Next Top Model judge kept her warm mittens on to grip the frozen treat in her hands, as she shared the snap to Instagram on Thursday. Megan was dressed in a warm long sleeve top, wool infinity scarf, puffer jacket and ski pants for the outing. Proving it's never too cold for ice-cream she couldn't contain her grin as she posed for the photo with the tub full of her chosen flavour. Snow bunny! The L'Oreal Paris ambassador announced her arrival in New Zealand six days ago on Instagram, and has been posting up a storm ever since The L'Oreal Paris ambassador announced her arrival in New Zealand six days ago, and has been posting up a storm ever since. The actress posted more than 40 images, ranging from scenic views, ski sessions, waterfall hikes, snowman building and a trip to the Kiwi Birdlife Park. Megan is sharing the special time away with husband Shaun Hampson and River, 2. Family holiday: Megan is sharing the special time away with husband Shaun Hampson and River, 2 (pictured) The brunette beauty has built a s uccessful career as a model and actress and has her own swimwear label, but she insists her most important role in her life is being a mother. She recently spoke to the Nine Network's Today Show about her struggle to find balance between motherhood and working in her thriving career. 'Oh gosh definitely it is not with ease... It is just really trying to find that balance,' she said describing navigating her post-modelling career while raising her son. The Perth-born model admitted that 'It's hard. It's not easy' as she tries to make her young son her priority while juggling her empire. Nick and Vanessa Lachey seem to be enjoying their life as parents to the fullest. The couple took time out on Wednesday to treat their two children Camden, aged four, and Brooklyn, aged two, to a trip to Disneyland in Southern California's city of Anaheim. Vanessa is heavily pregnant with their third child but managed to disguise her bump with a roomy black T-shirt. Scroll down for video... Happiest place on earth: Nick and Vanessa Lachey took time out on Wednesday to treat their two children Camden, aged four, and Brooklyn, aged two, to a trip to Disneyland Nick shared a family photo on Instagram that read: 'I've been waiting for years to ride a rollercoaster with my son! Thank you Disneyland for making this happen!' Lachey wore a V neck grey shirt with khakis and a grey cap. He held Camden while Vanessa had Brooklyn. Her mini me looked sweet with matching Minnie Mouse ears and red Minnie Mouse Mary Jane shoes. Bonding time: The proud parents looked ecstatic to be at the Happiest Place On Earth as Nick pushed along their son on the stroller Bumping along: The 35-year-old beauty showed off her burgeoning baby belly in a black jumpsuit Watchful eye: Vanessa fed popcorn to her young son in between rides Vroom vroom: The parents looked like they were having a blast as they rode the Cars Radiator Springs Racers ride with Camden Earlier this month they were dressed up to hit dinner together in West Hollywood. The two held hands and looked happy with their date night. After marrying in July 2011, the couple quickly got to work assembling a family. Their firstborn, a son called Cameron, arrived September 2012, and his sister Brooklyn was born only last January. Out on the town just the two of them: The couple held hands as they went to dinner in West Hollywood on October 12 Miss Teen USA 1998 publicised her pregnancy last month on Instagram, whilst celebrating her family's having bought the late Jenni Rivera's Encino mansion. In the photo, she and her spouse stood at their new front door, their arms raised in triumph and their cheerful-looking progeny propped up on cardboard boxes. Their dog Wookie sat with the family looking distinctly unimpressed. Text splashed over the photo quipped: 'We got a new crib! Now we need a new CRIB!' A red heart was scrawled about Mrs Lachey's belly, below which more text read: 'Newest Lachey arriving Spring 2017.' Did Democrats Really Hire Protesters To 'Be Violent' At Trump's Chicago Rally? By Stephen Gossett in News on Oct 20, 2016 3:38PM Protesters outside Trump's rally in Chicago in March / Photo: Tyler LaRiviere At Wednesdays third and final debate, Donald Trump accused Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party of planting paid protestors to foment violence at Trumps Chicago rally in March. Trump, as expected, was referencing a video released by controversial conservative activist James OKeefe, in which Democratic operatives appear to urge disruption. The video features Robert Creamerhusband of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9th)and Scott Foval, both of whom stepped aside from their roles following the videos release. If you look at what came out today on the clips," he said, "I was wondering what happened with my rally in Chicago and other rallies where we had such violence. Shes the one, and [President Barack] Obama, that caused the violence. They hired people, they paid them $1,500, and theyre on tape saying, be violent, cause fights, do bad things. When I saw what they did, which is a criminal act by the way, where theyre telling people to go out and start fist-fights and start violence, he added. In particular in Chicago people were hurt, and people couldve been killed in that riot. And that was now all on tape started by her. Though its subjects hardly flatter themselves (especially Foval), the video is problematic for several reasonsas is Trumps invocation of mayhem and violence. Politifact does a good job of picking apart OKeefes demonstrated history of selective editing and deliberately provocative sting tactics. They write: "From the start, two things are clear: One, the videos are edited in ways that the context of the conversation or the meaning of the statement isnt always clear, nor do you know when they took place. Two, Project Veritas undercover operatives are often goading their subjects with leading statements. It has the effect of making the viewer infer that the people said something that he or she didnt literally say." (NPR drew a similar conclusion in its own fact check.) Politifact went on to write the Trump campaign provided no evidence of payment from Clinton or Obamaa charge that the video itself does not substantiate. On the other hand, Trumps claim that the Chicago riot reached a point that people couldve been killed would seem to hold even less water. And when things did escalate during the March protest, Trump supporters played their part, as well. Scuffles happened, and I witnessed several, Chicagoist politics reporter Aaron Cynic said in an interview with Muftah. The crowd itself was non-violent as a whole, but there were violent people in the crowd (mostly on the Trump side). The scuffles I saw break out (4 or 5) were generally brought on by Trump supporters, who would flood in a group towards someone or a group that was either obviously anti-Trump, or looked like they could be (people of color, mostly). Kevin Pang, who covered the rally and protest for Chicago Magazine, would seem to agree. It was an ugly situation of people yelling horrible things at one another, but comparisons to the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots are far-fetched, he wrote in March. Also, it follows that UIC's and Chicago's diverse demographics would object to Trump, payment-free, especially considering Trump was arguably at his height of xenophobic rhetoric at the time. Muftah wrote: "On the evening of March 11, Trump was scheduled to hold a rally at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). UIC has a large minority population: 5% of its student body is African American (roughly 2,000) and 8.1% are Hispanic (about 3,500). 22% of the schools population is made up of international students (approximately 10,000). Minority groups make up the majority of the city of Chicago itself. Out of a population of about 2,722,389 people, 39% are African American and 28.9% are Hispanic." Several who attended the protest certainly seemed to agree: I was at the Trump rally in Chi. Wasn't paid. There was not riot. Fact check @realDonaldTrump Lauren Mialki (@laurenmialki) October 20, 2016 I was supposed to get paid for showing up to protest #Trump's #Chicago rally? #DebateNight. Must not have bc it wasn't violent. Socialwerk (@Wife_alert) October 20, 2016 She has transformed herself from the wild party animal on Geordie Shore to one of daytime TV's favourite presenters. But Vicky Pattison proved she's still the fun-loving girl who was always up for a laugh on the MTV series during her hilarious Celebrity Juice appearance on Thursday night - where she is seen putting a pair of tights on her head. The reality star, 28, had the studio in stitches in the upcoming episode as she squeezed herself into a tight pair of nude hosiery, squashing her face and destroying her makeup in the process. Scroll down for video Hose that girl? Vicky Pattison, 28, squeezes her face into a pair of tights during her appearance on Celebrity Juice on Thursday night - to the delight of the crowd The Newcastle native could not contain her laughter as she pushed her face into the material, smudging her smoky eye make-up and flattening her hair to her forehead. Looking worlds away from her usually glamorous appearance, host Keith Lemon even took to his Instagram page to post her ridiculous antics. As Vicky smiled directly at the camera with her head hilariously inside the undergarment, the blonde host wrote for fans: 'Still fit even if her eyelashes are coming off.' 'Still fit': The Newcastle native could not contain her laughter as she pushed her face into the material, smudging her smoky eye make-up and flattening her hair to her forehead More hilarity: Vicky embarks on the funny act on Thursday night's Celebrity Juice, where the group also watch John Barrowman suggestively eat a banana Having remained mostly under the radar recently in preparation for her presenting stint on Extra Camp, conversation elsewhere on the chat show directed to the charity hike she completed in August. Vicky took on the Coppafeel Fabulous Challenge - a charity to raise awareness of the signs of cancer - alongside fitness expert Chloe Madeley, which saw them hike alongside volcanoes and glaciers in Iceland for 58km. However the challenge gained her gruesome injuries to her feet - leaving the star in a wheelchair as her baby toe completely blistered and tore apart. A Camp affair: Vicky was joined by co-star Chris Ramsey, who she is set to host ITV's I'm A Celebrity Spin off Extra Camp with this autumn Iceland 1 Vicky 0: Talking about her recent charity challenge for Coppafeel, Vicky admitted she was left in a wheelchair after her baby toe completely blistered and tore apart Posting graphic photos of it to her Instagram page, she horrified many of her 2 million followers. Showing the gruesome snap of her toe on the show, a horrified Keith exclaimed: 'Youve got another toe growing out of your toe!' Vicky explained the painful experience: 'I basically didnt have time to wear in my walking boots, so I barebacked it on the trek. 'There was so much friction between my little toe and my boot, that I got a mixture of frost bite and a really big blister and when I got home, it wasnt going anywhere it was just growing so I thought, f**k this, Im pulling it off.' Revelation: Talking of the horrific injury gained from the trek, Vicky admitted she got home and thought 'f**k this, I'm pulling it off' 'Tent ting': Vicky embarked on the challenge with fitness fanatic Chloe Madeley, which saw them hike alongside volcanoes and glaciers in Iceland for 58km Met with horror from the other show members, including Keith who was taken aback in shock, Vicky joked at the act: 'I'm quite hard!' When asked if her toe would ever get better, she grimaced: 'Its still disgusting, I dont think Ill ever get the nail back according to doctors.' Moving on to warmer climates, Vicky is preparing to fly to Australia for her new role as host on the I'm A Celebrity spin-off series Extra Camp - alongside Joe Swash, Stacey Solomon and Chris Ramsey. The reality star scored the presenting gig after winning the ITV reality show last year. Talking to Good Morning Britain earlier this week about the experience down under, Vicky gushed: 'For me, it was the best experience of my life. I think I've romanticised it. I think the most difficult part is missing your friends and family.' Celebrity Juice continues tonight on ITV2 at 10pm She sure knows how to be a top housewife. On Wednesday Real Housewives Of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga showed off how she has expertly decorated her New Jersey mansion for Halloween. This comes after sharing a look at the pumpkins she and her sons picked. Meanwhile, the family has been trying to cope with the incarceration of Joe Giudice. In a Halloween mood: Melissa Gorga has decorated her New Jersey mansion for Halloween Spooky: The Real Housewives Of New Jersey star posed outside her home on Wednesday The 37-year-old beauty looked fit in tight, distressed jeans, a lack tank top and a green bomber jacket. The beauty's brown short boots were by Sugar Brand. Gorga also tried on a Dream Vision Virtual Reality headset by Tzumi Electronics. Stylish on the stairs: The 37-year-old beauty looked fit in tight, distressed jeans, a lack tank top and a green bomber jacket Nice kicks MG: The beauty's brown short boots were by Sugar Brand Her own reality show! Gorga also tried on a Dream Vision Virtual Reality headset by Tzumi Electronics On Sunday the wife of Joe Gorga was seen with her sons showing off their pumpkins. She also modeled a stylish Coalition LA faux fur vest. That same day the brunette beauty was seen breaking down in tears on The Real Housewives Of New Jersey as her brother-in-law Joe Giudice, 44, headed off to jail. Happy it's Halloween! Melissa modeled a Coalition LA faux fur vest as she decorated her backyard with pumpkins on Sunday Her boys: Also with the 37-year-old reality star were her sons Joey and Gino Melissa looked pretty in her faux vest that she paired with ripped jeans and to-the-knee boots. Her sons Joey and Gino had on grey and blue track suits and looked like mini me versions of Melissa's husband Joe Gorga. She also has a daughter Antonia who is not pictured. The family dog, dressed in a pumpkin jacket, looked ready for a walk. Like a model! Melissa looked pretty in her faux vest that she paired with ripped jeans and to-the-knee boots Sunday night's episode of RHONJ was not easy for Melissa. She was seen breaking down in tears as Joe was sent off to serve his 41 months in prison for fraud. Its almost like a funeral, because youre not going to see this person for 41 months, what do you say to them? pondered Joe. Tearful goodbye: Everyone cried on the day he left, including Melissa Family support: Melissa said she couldnt be happier to be a support for Teresa Joes goodbye bash was going off with a bang, despite the depressing circumstances. I think thats what Joe really wanted, said Teresa, calling it bittersweet. But Teresa was beginning to fret about her husbands departure. The day arrives: Its been emotionally exhausting and Im just drained, said Teresa, who looked fraught It's time: Joe and Teresa left in an SUV while family stood in the driveway Ive known Joe my whole life, his father was at the hospital when I was born, we grew up togetherhe was at my sweet 16, she explained. Whatever mistakes we made, you paid your dept, Im ready to pay mine, said Joe, vowing to become a better person while locked up. Everyone cried on the day he left. Car talk: Melissa and Joe were also preparing for Joe s departure Its almost like a funeral, because youre not going to see this person for 41 months, what do you say to them? pondered Joe Its a terrible situation, said Joe Gorga. Its been emotionally exhausting and Im just drained, said Teresa, who looked fraught. Melissa said she couldnt be happier to be a support for Teresa. Teresa was seen in bed with her kids as she broke down in tears. The star asked all of them to pray for Joe who sits in prison. Teresa has already served her jail term. Sad: It was a heartbreaking episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Sunday night, as Joe Giudice was sent to prison for 41 months Prayers: On their first night without Joe the girls climbed into bed with their grieving mother and tearfully mourned his departure and offered prayers for his safe return Please God, make my daddy come home quick, said Milania, 10, before bursting into tears Please God, make my daddy come home quick, said Milania, 10, before bursting into tears. His other children Gia, 15, Gabriella, 11 and Audriana, 6, also sobbed, as they cuddled their mother in bed. Bring my husband home, my daughters need their daddy, agreed Teresa, 44, who has already served her own spell in prison, for her role in Joes tax fraud crimes. Hi famous father David has showed off his toned torso in countless advertising campaigns. And it looks like his son Brooklyn is following in his footsteps. The 17-year-old posted a snapshot on his Instagram account on Thursday showing off his impressive biceps at the gym. Ripped: Brooklyn showed off his impressive arm muscles during a workout session at the gym 'Working hard. @mrbobbyrich light weight lots of reps,' he said alongside the snapshot. Wearing a sleeveless Rolling Stone T-shirt and rolled up tracksuit bottoms, the teenager is pictured sitting down while clutching the dumbbell and performing repetitions. Hitting the gym isn't the first hobby Brooklyn has inherited from his famous father. He is regularly seen driving an array of pricey cars and was recently spotted whizzing around a Surrey racetrack last weekend in a Mercedes C63 coupe with race driver Paul Rees. Racing pals: Brooklyn posed with driver Paul Rees who said he had 'potential' after they took a spin on a Surrey racetrack Rees reposted Brooklyn's Instagram of the pair posing by the car alongside the caption: 'This dudes got potential! Great time spent with @brooklynbeckham going mostly sideways in the new #mercedes.' However Brooklyn, who split from actress girlfriend Chloe Moretz earlier this summer, does keep himself busy. He was recently made a brand ambassador for the Honor 8 - Honor's latest smartphone - joining the likes of Scarlett Johansson and Karlie Kloss. Earlier this month, he also paid a visit to Kenya with his mother Victoria as they continued their UNAIDS charity mission in Africa. Cafe culture: Brooklyn was pictured with his close pal Rocco Ritchie enjoying a spot of lunch in London on Thursday Giggles: Brooklyn and Rocco were in high spirits when they sat al fresco during a fun afternoon Sporty: The boys were sporting casual attire as they caught up with one another Gossip time: They had a group of pals with them including their model pal, Kim Turnbull, far right Her husband Andrew Upton was spotted putting on a very affectionate display with actress Harriet Dyer on Monday night. But if Cate Blanchett was concerned, she certainly wasn't showing it on Wednesday as she stepped out in New York. The 47-year-old actress was pictured laughing and hugged a male pal on the sidewalk while wearing a slightly more somber outfit in contrast to her mood. Doing great! Cate Blanchett stepped out in New York on Wednesday looking in good spirits following pictures of her husband Andrew Upton looking very cozy with young actress Harriet Dyer The Carol star wore her hair tied back and donned funky red-framed glasses. Jazzing up her outfit a little more the actress carried a patterned tote as well as a cross-body handbag. Photographs emerged of Andrew, 50, and Australian star Harriet, 27, putting on a very touchy-feely display on Monday night as they enjoyed a late night out in Sydney. Out and about: The 47-year-old actress chatted with a friend on the sidewalk Sophisticated chic: Cate's look was more somber as she opted for all black and a patterned tote bag - but added colour with some red framed specs The duo have worked together through the Sydney Theatre Company and Harriet is best known as playing Patty Saunders on Australian drama Love Child. There appeared to be no shortage of conversation and the pair were rarely apart while joining locals for a game of pool. At one point she reached out and playfully grabbed the director's arm as he patiently waited for his turn on the pool table. As the pair exited a bar and headed home in separate taxis Andrew reportedly confirmed their relationship is purely platonic explaining: 'We've been friends for years. She's a good friend.' Handsy: Andrew, 50, was pictured being very affectionate with 27-year-old Harriet during a late night out in Sydney on Monday night Just friends: The screenwriter says the duo's relationship is purely platonic Andrew and double Academy Award winner Cate recently relocated from their Sydney home to Los Angeles. The pair - parents to children Dashiell, 14, Roman, 12, Ignatius, eight, and 20-month old Edith - married on December 29 1997 after meeting on the set of a television show the previous year. Meanwhile, Harriet was dating Australian actor Ben Lawson until late last year, when they split after their long distance relationship didn't work out. She is now rumoured to be dating actor Patrick Brammell. While she hasn't given a full blown tour of her new mega mansion yet, Heather Dubrow is still giving her fans the odd sneak peek here and there. The reality star posed in her stunning kitchen in her latest Instagram on Wednesday night as she did her pre-reunion show ritual. The 47-year-old posed in her pajamas in front of a beautiful black onyx marble countertop and holding up a glass of rose champagne. Scroll down for video 'A glass of the good stuff!' Heather Dubrow relaxed in the new kitchen of her mega mansion on Wednesday night as she did her pre-reunion beauty ritual 'Pre reunion beauty ritual - LOL ... bath bomb with my babies , champagne pj's from @lisa.heil_ and a glass of the good stuff ( r two ...) #RHOC #heatherdubrowsworld #drandmrsguineapig see you tomorrow @bravoandy' Heather captioned the snap. The star - who is married to top plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow - wore a shorts pajama set with champagne design and appeared to be makeup free. Season 11 of Real Housewives of Orange County is still airing but it seems the cast are getting together on Thursday to film the first part of the reunion show. Heather's co-star Tamra Judge also shared a picture to mark the occasion. Heather's RHOC co-star Tamra Judge also marked the occasion by sharing a throwback photo of the cast - except for newcomer Kelly Dodd Alongside a throwback photo of the ladies enjoying a recent dinner together, she wrote: 'It's happening. #reunion Cheers to my girls it's been an exhausting season, but at the end of the day these are our lives, good bad & ugly. #originals #rhoc #tbt' Unsurprising to many fans newcomer Kelly Dodd was missing from the snap. Viewers saw Tamra threaten to kill Kelly in last week's episode. The drunken feud came during a pub crawl in Ireland after Kelly said 'no wonder her daughter doesn't talk to her' - referencing Tamra's eldest daughter from whom she is estranged. Meanwhile Heather says that Kim Kardashian's Paris robbery incident on October 3 has given her food for thought. Closet envy: In July Heather gave fans a sneak peek inside her massive closet in her newly completed mega mansion 'Ive always been really careful when I travel. Especially when we travel abroad with the show, but its scary,' she told Page Six on Monday. 'You have to be aware of your surroundings and when youre in the public eye, you have to be careful about what youre posting.' And while she seemingly loves to flaunt her wealth on Instagram, Heather says she's cautious about which parts she shows. 'Theres certainly aspects of our house we wont be showing because of security reasons,' she said. 'Yes, the house is over-the-top and crazy, but we have a lot of security.' Twice as nice: The huge walk-in wardrobe features two levels Chateau Dubrow took over two years to complete and the star has shared photos from a selection of rooms including a bathroom, the movie theatre and champagne cellar. She also recently shared a clip of her huge closet. As if the two-storey walk-in wardrobe was not impressive enough, the room also features a huge chandelier light. Special delivery: Aside from clothes, a ladder and a chandelier, the closet also has a button for the star to contact the kitchen when she requires a glass of Veuve Clicquot Heather and Terry certainly have space for two closets this size as their new home - which is 20,000-square-feet. Her dedication to champagne knows no bounds as in July she posted a snap of herself unpacking no less than 14 cases of the French bubbly - which costs around $50 a bottle. Heather captioned the snap: 'Moving in! #priorities @veuveclicquot.' She also showed off her theatre room with her husband lounging on one of the luxurious leather chairs. The essentials: Her dedication to champagne knows no bounds as last week she revealed she had a specially designed champagne cellar installed and posted a snap of herself unpacking no less than 14 cases of the French bubbly - which costs around $50 a bottle Hollywood glam: Heather previously showed off her theatre room with her husband Terry lounging on one of the luxurious leather chairs The couple certainly do not do things by halves as aside from a champagne fridge and movie theatre they also have a ridiculous 14 bathrooms and a lap pool. The master bathroom is also awe inspiring, as it is so big that is has a seating area in the centre as well as separate vanity areas for her and her husband. She has installed her own private beauty salon complete with a shampoo sink, and two built-in makeup stations. Mega mansion: The 20,000-square-foot home has taken more than two years to build Opulent office: The star also shared this look at the office which is far from all business The expansive home also has an underground garage that features a dumbwaiter to lift the car up to ground level. Heather's champagne wall separates the formal dining area from the kitchen, which has a big central eating island which Heather revealed will have a big 5ft by 13ft trough in the middle. The onyx marble centre island allows for ice to be put in and snaps served on top. One of 14: The master bathroom is also awe inspiring, as it is so big that is has a seating area in the centre as well as separate vanity areas for her and her husband Fit for a king: While the bathroom includes a private beauty salon for her, Dr. Dubrow gets his own luxury - a special toilet - which Heather joked was 'Terry's Throne' What's cooking good looking: Heather's champagne wall separates the formal dining area from the kitchen, which has a big central eating island which has a big 5ft by 13ft trough in the middle As you wish doctor: The Botched star wanted a big comfortable couch - and he certainly got what he wanted She's known for glamorous and provocative ensembles on TOWIE. And now ITVBe newbie Amber Dowding flaunted her laidback style in an oversized plaid shirt while she paraded her toned pins in a pair of racy over-the-knee boots. The 22-year-old hairdresser strutted her stuff in the daring dark grey footwear as she she stepped out for filming on Thursday. Scroll down for video Off duty chic: ITVBe newbie Amber Dowding flaunted her laid back style in an off duty oversized plaid shirt while she paraded her toned pins in a pair of racy over-the-knee boots Penciled in! Kate Wright teamed her cut-out-shoulder jumper with a racy leather pencil skirt that flaunted her enviable curves and teased at her pins with a daring front slit Continuing to highlight her never-ending pins, the blonde beauty teamed her sultry boots with a pair of light washed denims which clung to her honed legs. Amber opted to hide her infamous curves as she worked a colour coordinating plaid shirt with blue, white and red check, upping the style ante by rolling her sleeves to flash her statement silver watch. The Essex beauty layered her lumberjack inspired shirt over an figure-hugging white vest that displayed her ample cleavage to the fullest as she wrapped a simple choker around her slender neck. Despite her hairdresser background, Amber swapped her usual backcombed hairstyle for centre parted chignon that framed her facial features and accentuated her bronzed smokey eye. Those boots were made for walking! The blonde beauty teamed her sultry boots with a pair of light washed denims which clung to her honed legs Amber joined the cast back in July, saying at the time: 'I'm very much a girls' girl with my friends. I'll always have their backs. I don't hold back though and I say what I think.' Best friends with Lydia Bright, Amber already knew most of the well-known cast before joining the show, having met them on the Essex social scene. Amber was joined on set by a stylish Kate Wright, who gave October the cold shoulder in a wool rust coloured turtle necked knit. Oozing sex appeal, the 25-year-old teamed her cut-out-shoulder jumper with a racy leather pencil skirt that flaunted her enviable curves and teased at her pins with a daring front slit. Military chic: Georgia donned a khaki military jacket which she layered over a cowl-necked cropped jumper Completing her ensemble, the beauty slipped on a pair of velvet calf-high boots as she draped a gold chain strapped handbag over her shoulder as her perfectly coiffed curls cascaded down her shoulders. The stylish duo were also spotted with fellow cast mate Georgia Kousoulou whilst shooting for the ITVBe stalwart's latest episodes. Keeping to an utility theme, the 25-year-old donned a khaki military jacket which she layered over a cowl-necked cropped jumper. The girlfriend of fellow TOWIE star Tommy Mallet injected height into her petite frame with a pair of matching khaki boots as she slipped into form-fitting high-waisted denims with ripped knees. Exposing her knees to the masses while on location, Georgia styled her ombre locks into curl as she caught up with her gal pals. Georgia recently buried the hatchet with bestie Chloe Lewis on Wednesday night's episode with the help of friend Lydia Bright. Calling for an 'interfriendtion', Lydia brought the two together as the pals apologised for their actions in Marbella following their major bust up where Georgia branded Lewis as 'disloyal'. She might be enjoying some time off on holiday, but that doesn't mean Charlotte Crosby is about to let her workout regime slip. The 26-year-old was pictured wearing a stunning floral two-piece while on holiday as she showed off her incredible figure. Posting the results on Instagram, the former Geordie Shore star wore a broderie anglaise long shirt over the top which floated behind her. Scroll down for video Wow thing: Charlotte Crosby flaunted her incredible figure in a floral bikini as she sunned herself on holiday - she posted the results on Instagram on Thursday The post comes after an earlier one which showed her heading to the gym, despite her time abroad at an unknown location. Showing off her toned abs in a neon crop top and grey tiny shorts, she captioned the image with the words: 'Workout time. 'No excuses on holiday you can do #3minutebellyblitz & #3minutebumblitz ANYWHERE.' Dedicated to the cause: She also shared this pre-workout snap of herself in which she showed off her toned abs Charlotte has been keeping her fans close during her getaway and on Wednesday, she shared yet another racy snap. She showed off her slim body in nothing but an extreme plunging bodysuit. The neckline had a criss-cross lace-up detail which showed off her curves, as she stood on a balcony, going braless in the one-piece. Hot to trot: Charlotte showed off her incredible figure in an extreme plunging black leotard as she posed against a balcony - she shared the image on Instagram on Wednesday With her caramel locks piled up on top of her head, Charlotte had perfected her pout for the sultry picture. Leaning on a railing, the reality star showed off two more inkings as she stood barefoot on some patterned tiles. Meanwhile, her latest post comes as her friend Holly Hagan has reportedly quit Geordie Shore, following Charlotte's recent departure. Not a care in the world: Her latest posts come as her friend Holly Hagan has reportedly quit Geordie Shore, following Charlotte's recent departure Charlotte is usually shown heavily made up, often looking particularly glamorous on a night out. But like many people, she recently showed she can suffer from a bad skin day. The ex-Geordie Shore star posted a series of shots on Snapchat showing herself with a bad case of acne. Laid bare: Charlotte scrawled 'bad' on a shot of her which featured her with red spots all other her cheek The snaps showed the make-up free star with her face close up to the camera, and a cluster of red spots all down one side of her cheek. Charlotte wrote captions on the snaps, with one shot captioned 'bad one' and another with the words 'bad' along with an arrow pointing to another breakout on her cheek. This isn't the first time the brash reality star has shared her skin troubles with her fans. Not happy: Charlotte Crosby showed she can suffer from a bad skin day Breakout: Charlotte's appearance was a far cry from her usual heavily made-up look Baring all: Charlotte went make-up free for the Snapchat shots She posted pictures of herself in May where she counted spots on her face, and a video where she is seen saying: 'I am absolutely furious about this situation. Spotty face and greasy hair.' She told followers she was 'fuming.' Meanwhile, Charlotte recently came under fire from TV bosses of Celebs Go Dating for her recent romance with model Ash Harrison. Hard to handle: This isn't the first time Charlotte has suffered from spots on her face Producers of the series, which follows celebrities going on dates with members of the public, are claimed to be frustrated she didn't tell them she had a secret boyfriend during filming. The Sun report that E4 felt let down because Charlotte's new relationship means she wouldn't have found love on the show, which has already seen the star break down in tears over her ex Gaz Beadle. Charlotte is clearly moving on from her on/off five year relationship with Gaz,which came to a head earlier this year when she announced she would be quitting Geordie Shore as she couldn't be around him anymore. Hailey Baldwin flaunted her taut tummy in a cropped sweatshirt in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood on Thursday. The IMG Model - who turns 20 next month - finished off her athleisure wear with white ribbed leggings and grey trainers. The 5ft7in stunner - who relies on stylist Maeve Reilly - was sipping on iced-coffee and toting a blue reptillian purse during her stroll. Scroll down for video Baring her belly: Hailey Baldwin flaunted her taut tummy in a cropped Are You Am I sweatshirt in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood on Thursday GUESS Girl: The IMG Model - who turns 20 next month - finished off her athleisure wear with white ribbed leggings from Alo Yoga and Kanye West's Yeezy trainers Caffeine fix: The 5ft7in stunner - who relies on stylist Maeve Reilly - was sipping on iced-coffee and toting a blue reptillian purse during her stroll On Wednesday night, Hailey excitedly tweeted about the sixth season of FX's American Horror Story: Roanoke. Meanwhile, the rest of the world was buzzing over the final presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Baldwin's father Stephen discussed the debate for CBSN, including what he thought of his older brother Alec's Trump impersonation on NBC's Saturday Night Live. 'INSAAANEEEEE!' On Wednesday night, Hailey excitedly tweeted about the sixth season of FX's American Horror Story: Roanoke 71.6M tuned in! Meanwhile, the rest of the world was buzzing over the final presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Commentator: Baldwin's father Stephen discussed the debate for CBSN, including what he thought of his older brother Alec's Trump impersonation on NBC's Saturday Night Live 'He's got the voice down very well. I think it's getting a little too nasty right now,' the 50-year-old born-again Christian evangelist told host Vladimir Duthiers. 'I don't want to be a party pooper here, but I don't think it's very funny. Everybodys got 20 days now to really do their homework.' The Usual Suspects star is an outspoken supporter of the 70-year-old reality star, having been fired by him twice on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. The 50-year-old born-again Christian evangelist said: 'He's got the voice down very well. I think it's getting a little too nasty right now. I don't want to be a party pooper here, but I don't think it's very funny. Everybodys got 20 days now to really do their homework' Daddy-daughter selfie: The Usual Suspects star is an outspoken supporter of the 70-year-old reality star, having been fired by him twice on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice In the November edition of Harper's BAZAAR Australia, the nepotistically-privileged socialite gushed over Stephen and Kennya's impressive 26-year marriage. 'I believe in love. I see it in my parents, who are still together,' the former fling of Justin Bieber said. 'I don't really plan on sticking in this industry for year upon year upon year. I want to, like, have family and settle down and live a normal life. Traditional: In the November edition of Harper's BAZAAR Australia, the nepotistically-privileged socialite gushed over Stephen and Kennya's impressive 26-year marriage The former fling of Justin Bieber said: 'I believe in love. I see it in my parents, who are still together...I don't really plan on sticking in this industry for year upon year upon year. I want to, like, have family and settle down and live a normal life' Baldwin currently fronts KITH's Power Rangers-inspired campaign - coming out Friday - which was shot by photographer Nolan Persons. The Bible-quoting blonde - who boasts 9.1M followers - also fronts her very own cosmetics collaboration with ModelCo, which launches in Sydney next month. Go, go Power Rangers! Baldwin currently fronts KITH's Power Rangers-inspired campaign - coming out Friday - which was shot by photographer Nolan Persons Advertisement He's been hot-trotting across the globe to promote his new flick, Jack Reacher: Never Let Go. And despite being one of the most famous actors in world, Tom Cruise was well and truly upstaged at the action film's London premiere by his drop dead gorgeous co-stars, Danika Yarosh and Cobie Smulders. The 54-year-old actor looked incredibly dapper as he arrived at London's Leicester Square on Thursday, but the spotlight was quick to be diverted to the sexy leading ladies who wowed in their ensembles. Scroll down for video In the spotlight: Tom Cruise, 54, was well and truly upstaged at the Jack Reacher: Never Let Go premiere at Cineworld, Leicester Square in London by his drop dead gorgeous co-stars, Danika Yarosh, 18, (centre) and Cobie Smulders, 34 (left) American actress Danika, 18, donned the most racy ensemble of the night in a perilously plunging tiered gown, which just about covered her modesty. The beauty, who may or may not be Tom's daughter in the movie, kept her make-up look natural and slicked back her locks to allow the navy printed dress to do all the talking. Featuring elegant nude underlay, the garment placed emphasis on her tiny waist before skimming the rest of her slim physique. And while the teen star opted for drama, Cobie, 34, smouldered in a more form-fitting white dress which hugged every inch of her figure before falling at midi-level. Stunning: American actress Danika, 18, donned the most racy ensemble of the night in a perilously plunging tiered gown Elegant: The beauty, who may or may not be Tom's daughter in the movie, kept her make-up look natural and slicked back her locks to allow the navy printed dress to do all the talking Details: An eye-catching fluffy collared drew further attention to her front Glamorous: Cobie, 34, smouldered in a more form-fitting white dress which hugged every inch of her figure before falling at midi-level Quirky: The How I Met Your Mother actress looked lovely in her off-the-shoulders number as she graced the red carpet Main man: Tom got suited and booted for the occasion, looking handsome as ever for the premiere Much younger than his years! Despite his age, Tom looked incredibly youthful Interacting: The action star was clearly in high spirits as he waved to his fans Suited and booted: He looked incredibly dapper in his dark three-piece suit Lucky for some! Tom couldn't help but beam as he posed in the middle of the two glam actresses Howling: The three co-stars dissolved into fits of laughter as they shared a joke on the red carpet Key characters: Don Granger, Cobie, Tom, Danika, Director Edward Zwick and Author Lee Child all lined-up together for a shot Talented: Cobie is a Canadian actress and shot to stardom in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother Elegantly baring her tanned decolletage, the beauty wowed as she slicked her dark locks into a bun while posing up a storm in sexy, strappy heels. However, Tom did manage to hold his own in a three-piece suit complete with a white collared shirt and coordinating dark blue tie. The hunky superstar proved to form a lovely bond with newcomer Danika and gave her a dictionary during her first week on the set of new movie. Speaking at the London premiere, the American teenager said Cruise also 'took it upon himself' to be her teacher - and gave her tips on how to execute stunts without getting hurt. She told the Press Association: 'The first week on set he actually gave me this big dictionary with everything I ever wanted to know about film. Smooth mover: Tom showed off his smooth moves as he played up for the cameras Action man: Asked if he had any plans to reduce the amount of stunts in future films during the premiere, he said: 'I'll be running til the very last day 'It was a dictionary specific for film, so if I was ever on set and something was said that I didn't understand but didn't want to ask, I could just look it up no problem. 'He taught me about everyone on set, what their roles were, and how they contributed to the film.' She added: 'He taught me all about stunts so if he was ever doing a big stunt that I wasn't part of he had me sit next to the camera so I could watch him do it in real life and see how you see it on camera. 'It was a masterclass from the best.' A studious star: Tom explained it was about learning new things and pushing himself: 'I like studying, I'm always studying, pushing myself to find new stuff. I kind of find something and make it part of the movie' Push yourself: He continued: 'I just do it, it's who I am and part of my life. I've trained my whole life and I just apply it to movies - I'm always learning a new skill' And Tom proved absolutely captivating and energetic - despite jetting in from LA that morning- as he spent over an hour signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. Asked if he had any plans to reduce the amount of stunts in future films, he said: 'I'll be running til the very last day. 'In each one (film) I'm just learning a new challenge. 'I like studying, I'm always studying, pushing myself to find new stuff. I kind of find something and make it part of the movie. 'I just do it, it's who I am and part of my life. I've trained my whole life and I just apply it to movies - I'm always learning a new skill.' The plot of the second Jack Reacher film revolves around an accusation that former military police major Jack committed a murder 16 years prior. Lucky man! Tom looked delighted as he posed with his gorgeous co-stars Smooth operator: Tom planted a quick kiss on Cobie's cheek Little help: The young actress had to hold her dress up to make her way across the carpet Trend-setter: The blonde beauty sported a black manicure and opted for a statement silver ring, while her co-stars kept it simple in terms of accessories Sheer sass: The 18-year-old kept her make-up to a minimum, choosing instead to let her striking youthful features shine through The sequel is again adapted from one of Lee Child's book series. The first Jack Reacher film released in 2012 made $200 million. It was shot almost entirely in New Orleans, and the first teaser trailer debuted online last week. The action thriller film, which cost just shy of $100 million to make, is released around the US on Friday. Other attendees included pop songstress Tallia Storm who opted for a plunging tux combination and Michelle Heaton who absolutely oozed sex appeal in a bright coral-coloured gown. Always a pleaser! Tom giggled as he made a fan's dream come true with an autograph Strike a pose! He even took time to pose for photographs with his fans Long-awaited: The sequel is again adapted from one of Lee Child's book series. The first Jack Reacher film released in 2012 made $200 million Superstar: Fans couldn't get enough of Tom Mile high club: Tom looked well-rested despite jetting in from Los Angeles earlier that day All eyes on her: Cobie held her own as she posed solo on the red carpet A star turn: The How I Met Your Mother alumnus looked the consummate professional as she talked to the cameras at the event True professional: Despite his lack of rest, Tom radiated energy as he took on the red carpet for the eagerly anticipated flick Long awaited: It was shot almost entirely in New Orleans, and the first teaser trailer debuted online last week Inspiration: The sequel is again adapted from one of Lee Child's book series. The first Jack Reacher film released in 2012 made $200 million The man behind it all! Author Lee Child undoubtedly looked pleased at the success of his novels Rebecca Ferguson absolutely dazzled in a glittery black mini-dress, complete with a stylish cape. Falling at thigh level, she oozed confidence as she posed up a storm alongside a slew of other celebs - including gymnast Claudia Fragapane who looked pretty in a white and gold number. Cheryl's ex Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini put romance woes behind him and proved very handsome in a navy suit while Naomi Shimada kept it stunning in a simple black velvet jumpsuit. Dazzling: Michelle Heaton absolutely oozed sex appeal in a bright coral-coloured gown Who's that girl?! Frenchman Jean-Bernard couldn't take his eyes off Michelle as she elegantly walked across the carpet Singer Tallia Storm, 17, opted for a plunging tux combination Siren-like: Rebecca Ferguson absolutely dazzled in a glittery black mini-dress, complete with a stylish cape Va va voom! She rounded off her look with a pair of strappy silver stillettos Looking good! Cheryl's ex Jean Bernard Fernandez Versini put his romances woes behind him and looked slick in a stylish navy suit Enjoying their night off: Gymnast Claudia Fragapane and Strictly Come Dancing's AJ Pritchard wowed on the red carpet, as did Craig Revel Horwood Naomi Shimadi stood out from the crowd in a velvet jump-suit which boasted lace detailing on the front Strictly red carpet: Strictly Come Dancing's Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton waltzed their way up the red carpet Made for the red carpet: Former Made In Chelsea star Kimberley Garner flashed her washboard stomach in a chic ruby reed two piece Justin Theroux took it back to the eighties as he honoured 'Throwback Thursday' this week. However, it wasn't a genuine flashback to the actor's teen years but a memento from his time on set of the 2005 movie The Baxter. The 45-year-old actor is seen in braces and a shaggy black wig alongside co-star Elizabeth Banks in the Polaroid style image he posted on Instagram. He wrote alongside it: 'Fake #tbt to fake high school sweetheart, for fake set photo with the very real @elizabethbanks' Scroll down for video 'Bad ombres': Justin Theroux shared a fake throwback on Thursday showing him with actress Elizabeth Banks on the set of The Baxter in 2005 The actor also added numerous hashtags to the post including a little nod to Donald Trumps 'bad hombres' comment during the final debate on Wednesday night. He wrote: '#og#badombres' Meanwhile Justin's wife Jennifer Aniston was busy on the set of a SmartWater photo shoot in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Friends vet was dressed to the nines as she showed off her chest in a plunging black and white floor-length gown. Theroux and Aniston wed in August 2015 at their Bel-Air mansion with Sandra Bullock and Courteney Cox as guests. Working hard: Meanwhile Justin's wife Jennifer Aniston was busy on the set of a SmartWater photo shoot in Los Angeles on Tuesday Theroux and Aniston wed in August 2015 at their Bel-Air mansion with Sandra Bullock and Courteney Cox as guests In the past few months Theroux has been filming The Leftovers in Australia while Aniston stayed in New York to finish filming scenes for Office Christmas Party. Their relationship has been going from strength to strength since they celebrated their first anniversary in August with a low-key anniversary celebration. He flew to Los Angeles from Australia to ensure he would be with his wife on their special day. A source told People magazine: 'Justin flew from Australia to LA to spend their anniversary week with Jen.' Out and about: Theroux and Aniston are pictured in New York in September 'They relaxed at home, had dinner with friends and had a small anniversary celebration at home.' Jen has previously said that she felt like they were husband and wife for a long time before they tied the knot. She said: 'We felt married for so long. Married life is so normal and fun and not much different.' She shared: 'I'm lucky because Justin is the funniest person I've met, and we make each other laugh. Laughter is one of the great keys to staying youthful.' Theroux can currently be seen in thriller The Girl On The Train alongside Emily Blunt. Hundreds To Rally For Laquan McDonald, 2 Years After Police Shooting Death By Stephen Gossett in News on Oct 20, 2016 4:00PM Protesters march on Nov. 24/Chicagoist Updated 11:45 Today marks the two-year anniversary of the death of Laquan McDonald, the 17-year-old boy whose extra-judicial killing at the hands of Chicago police sparked waves of protest, prompted a federal probe into the department and ushered in calls for accountability that continue today. Memorials and protest are scheduled for this evening to commemorate McDonalds life and call for further police reform, with hundreds planning to attend. McDonalds family released the following statement today: Laquans death at the hands of Jason Van Dyke was a brutal and senseless act of violence. Time has not dulled the pain of this tragic loss to his mother, his sister and the rest of his extended family. We thank all of the people who have honored Laquans memory and continue to advocate for police reform. We look forward to the day when Jason Van Dyke will be held responsible for Laquans senseless murder and everyone involved in trying to cover up this criminal act is held accountable. Only then will justice truly be served. Ahead of this evening's demonstrations, some organizers and local leaders gathered at the site of McDonald's death to pay respects and homage. Activists and community leaders pray where #laquanmcdonald was shot & killed 2 years ago today! #LaquanDay pic.twitter.com/iiZXjUNijf Rosa Flores (@RosaFlores) October 20, 2016 Police dashcam video captured the killing on tapein which McDonald was shot 16 timesbut video was only made public more than a year after the fact, just before Van Dyke was charged with murder. Footage appeared to show McDonald moving away from officers, in contradiction of official police testimony. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is still struggling to recover from the social and political fallout over what critics charged was a cover up. An investigation by the Department of Justice launched a probe, which is still ongoing, of CPD following the tapes release. Over the last two years, both the case itself and its far-reaching effects continue to evolve. Last month a judge granted request for a grand jury to hear evidence against officers who were involved at the scene; and three weeks ago, a witness to the shooting filed a lawsuit alleging that police officers engaged in cover-up tactics, including confiscating her phone as she attempted to film. Among more recent political changes, Emanuel proposed a new accountability agency, COPA, to replace the beleaguered IPRA; and Supt. Eddie Johnson announced this month a series of revisions to the departments use-of-force policy. One of the most notable debates to rise in Chicago has been that of the so-called "Ferguson effect," which Johnson indirectly (and controversially) cited as cause for a severely beaten officer's reluctance to use deadly force. A gathering arranged by activist Lamon Reccord will meet in the 4100 block of South Pulaski Road, the site of the killing, at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Another action, organized by activist William Calloway, is planned for tonight at Chicago Police Headquarters (35th and Michigan) at 6 p.m. Calloway on Thursday morning announced a bill proposal that, if passed, would create a recall mechanism that would allow citizens to hold special elections against some local government officials, including the mayor and aldermen, DNA Info reports. Update: Emanuel's office released a statement on McDonald's death Thursday morning, calling the death "a wake-up call": Two years ago Laquan McDonald lost his life tragically and unnecessarily. His death was a wake-up call for our city on an issue that has challenged the city for decades, and brought a renewed commitment to a public conversation about policing and community relations. But more than just breaking from the past, we will continue working together across the city to build a brighter future by restoring trust between residents and our officers, and implementing the reforms necessary to prevent this from happening again. She is an avid dog lover and pit bull advocate. And Kaley Cuoco showed her support for the breed on Thursday while leaving a yoga class in Sherman Oaks, California. The 30-year-old was seen sporting a white T-shirt which featured a drawing of a pit bull and the words 'don't bully my breed'. Animal lover: Kaley Cuoco wore a 'don't bully my breed' T-shirt in Sherman Oaks, California on Thursday as she left a yoga class The slogan is used to promote a positive image and understanding of bully breeds and raise awareness about breed specific legislation. Kaley has two beloved pit bull mixes, Norman and Shirley, as well as a scruffy white pup named Ruby. For her exercise session on Thursday, the Big Bang Theory star teamed her top with loose-fitting grey gym shorts which left her long and slender legs on show. Kaley also wore black furry sandals and had a matching gym bag slung over her shoulder. In fine form: The actress was also showing off her long legs in gym shorts and sandals Showing her support: Kaley recently shared a snapshot of her pit bull Shirley wearing one of the tops The actress styled her blonde hair in a top knot and finished off her look with round sunglasses over her make-up free face. Kaley is a big fan of yoga and had been seen leaving another class just two days earlier. The blonde is still starring as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, which is now in its tenth season and ninth year. Puppy love: The 30-year-old also has pit bull mix Norman and scruffy white pooch Ruby Dedicated: Kaley is an avid fan of yoga and was also seen at a class just two days earlier Kaley is making $1million per episode of the sitcom, and will also be appearing in comedy movie Handsome next year with Natasha Lyonne and Leah Remini. Meanwhile the former 8 Simple Rules star is currently in a relationship with Karl Cook following the end of her marriage to Ryan Sweeting. Kaley and Ryan married on New Year's Eve in 2013 after six months of dating, and split after less than two years of marriage. Their divorce was finalised in May. Madama Butterfly (Glyndebourne Tour) Verdict: Opera's great weepie Rating: One fine day, of course, it had to come here. And now, with sometimes shocking intensity, Glyndebourne has at last staged operas greatest weepie Madama Butterfly Puccinis gloriously melodic, but emotionally devastating, assessment of East-West cultural chasms, wayward passion, betrayal and blighted love. It begins the touring companys new autumn and winter season and, as so often with this egalitarian offspring of the summer festival, brings with it some notable young talent, particularly South Korean soprano Karah Son in the title role. South Korean soprano Karah Son (left) gives a heartbreaking, beautifully sung performance in Glyndebourne's Madama Butterfly In director Annilese Miskimmons bold and sometimes bleak new production (updated from early 20th-century Nagasaki to the Fifties) this Butterfly plausibly evolves from a vulnerable, fan-swishing, kimono-clad, 15-year-old child-bride to a deserted and Americanised single parent in a two-piece suit, puffing on cigarettes and reading Life magazine. And Ms Son gives a heartbreaking, beautifully sung performance. Its not a huge voice, but she uses it with passion and purity and her sensitive portrayal captures all the vulnerability and confusion of an outcast struggling to find an identity between two cultures. In director Annilese Miskimmons bold and sometimes bleak new production this Butterfly plausibly evolves from a vulnerable, kimono-clad, 15-year-old child-bride to a deserted single parent in a two-piece suit, puffing on cigarettes and reading Life magazine Ardent singing, too, from Italian tenor Matteo Lippi as her girl-in-every-port lover, Pinkerton, and sympathetic performances from Claudia Huckle and Francesco Verna as Suzuki and Sharpless. But the production veers alarmingly between cynicism and romanticism, the first act losing much of its charm by being set in the office of the marriage broker, Goro, where two G.I. cash-and-carry marriages are sardonically dispensed with before Butterfly even arrives. Conductor John Wilson takes a break from his more familiar forays into film and show music to find the full emotional swell of this extraordinary score. He certainly knows his Puccini and his shattering orchestral climax had me pinned to my seat. The Glyndebourne Tour is sponsored by the Daily Mail and is at Glyndebourne until November 4, then Milton Keynes, Canterbury, Norwich, Woking and Plymouth. She's spent a lot of time in the sunny climes of California this year to focus on her swimwear range. And Kimberley Garner couldn't escape the Hollywood glamour back in England as she stepped out for the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back premiere in London's Leicester Square on Thursday. The former Made in Chelsea star, 24, absolutely wowed on the red carpet as she went braless in a sexy semi-sheer top. Scroll down for video Red carpet babe: Kimberley Garner,24, couldn't escape the Hollywood glamour as she went braless for the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back premiere in London's Leicester Square on Thursday The fitness fan showed off her toned abs in the co-ordinating outfit, which were toned to perfection. The sleeveless lace number hugged on to her enviable frame and she completed the outfit with matching high-waisted trousers which clung on to her pert derriere. Her pointed heels managed to peek out from under the flare of the fitted garment, boosting her height as she posed up a sexy storm. The Chelsea beauty absolutely dazzled as she showed off her pretty, chiselled features while her blonde locks, complete with a flirty hair-braid, framed her stunning face. Bottoms up! The former Made In Chelsea star showed off her toned physique and perky derriere in a matching maroon co-ord Fantastic figure: She worked her angles to show off her inch of her envy-inducing body Flesh baring: The reality star showed no hesitation in foregoing her undergarment and to further send pulses racing she flashed a snipped of her toned tum Kimberley found fame on E4's MIC but left after only one season and has since been leading quite the jet-set lifestyle. The stunner spent a large portion of her year Stateside focusing on her swimwear range, Kimberly London. And recently she enjoyed a sunny getaway to St.Tropez as well as making a stylish mark in the Big Apple for New York Fashion Week. The designer, who dated Spencer Matthews and Richard Dinan during her time on the show, admitted recently that she was unhappy with the way she was edited in the show, and accused producers of persuading her to say certain things. She explained: 'They definitely edit a lot - I was shocked when I watched it back. They get you to say certain phrases, and suddenly create scenes that happened completely differently to reality.' Standing tall: Her pointed heels managed to peek out from under the flare of the fitted garment, boosting her height as she posed up a sexy storm Beautiful: The Chelsea beauty absolutely dazzled as she showed off her pretty, chiselled features while her blonde locks, complete with a flirty hair-braid, framed her stunning face Needless to say, it was all about the big screen as Kimberley was joined by the action flick's stars Tom Cruise, Danika Yarosh and Cobie Smulders. The Hollywood mega-star looked absolutely dapper in his suit, while the leading ladies smouldered in their sexy attires. Guests included the likes of Tallia Storm, Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, Michelle Heaton and Rebecca Ferguson. In the spotlight: Tom Cruise, 54, was well and truly upstaged at the premiere by his drop dead gorgeous co-stars, Danika Yarosh, 18, (centre) and Cobie Smulders, 34 (left) Lucky man! Tom looked delighted as he posed with his gorgeous co-stars He didn't find love on The Bachelorette. But Courtney Dober's motives for joining the TV dating show might not have involved matters of the heart - as Kyle Sandilands accused the 30-year-old of trying to launch a media career. 'You've been chasing fame for years!' the 45-year-old shock jock said after co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson revealed Courtney had applied for a job as a Royal Wedding reporter on The Kyle and Jackie O Show back in 2011. Scroll down for video Looking for fame? Courtney Dober was accused of 'chasing fame' during an interview with KIIS 106.5's The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Friday The comments were made during Courtney's exit interview on Friday morning, following his elimination from the Network Ten show. Jackie, 41, told Courtney: 'We've actually met you before... we've had an encounter with you.' She asked Courtney to explain as Kyle apparently had 'no memory' of his meeting with the freelance TV presenter. They've been here before: This wasn't the first encounter Courtney has had with the radio duo, having entered a 'street reporter' competition years earlier 'I was almost the street reporter for you guys,' the Queenslander explained. 'You were. We were doing a competition on air to find our new street reporter,' Jackie revealed. Courtney then laughed off Kyle's comment about him 'chasing fame' and said he doesn't like to categorise himself. Chasing opportunity: The 30-year-old applied to become 2DayFM's street reporter in 2011 when Kyle and Jackie 'O' were still hosts on the radio station 'I'm open to every opportunity, you know. I definitely have never put myself in any specific basket,' he told the hosts. Courtney, whose StarNow profile boasts a lengthy resume of past modelling and acting roles, is no stranger to appearing in front of the cameras. He's previously interviewed celebrities including Jennifer Hawkins, Lauren Brant, Alex Perry and Megan Blake Irwin. Aspirations: Courtney has worked extensively to build his showreel, and has interviewed celebrities such as Jennifer Hawkins in the past Earlier this month, Courtney hit back at speculation he's purely on The Bachelorette for fame rather than winning Georgia's heart. He told The Daily Telegraph: 'I couldn't give a s*** what I do for a career - love is what makes you eternally happy'. The Sydney-based reality TV star also claimed he wouldn't care if he was a barista or a barman if it meant he had someone special to go home to. 'I would choose Georgia 100 per cent,' he added. Brush with fame: The Queenslander was also shown chatting to Lara Bingle at Sydney Fashion Week But the avid surfer sang a different tune on last night's episode, when he bluntly told the ex-newsreader he's not in love with her. 'I can't tell you whether or not I see you and I being together in two years' time and whatnot because I just can't... I can't think that far ahead,' he admitted. Following a disastrous meeting with his family, during which his brother Jarrad warned Georgia that something didn't seem right with Courtney. At the cocktail party, Georgia sat down for a heart-to-heart with Courtney. Disaster: Courtney shared a tense conversation with Georgia Love following Thursday's hometown visits, during which he admitted he wasn't in love with the 27-year-old 'If you're asking me do I think I can tell you that I love you at the end of this... I don't know,' Courtney admitted. Tearfully, Georgia responded: 'I don't think it's enough... I can't keep doing it to myself. I need to be true to what I came in here for and what I wholeheartedly believe I can and will find at the end of this.' 'So I don't really see... any point in having a rose ceremony tonight,' she concluded, adding: 'I think you should go now.' Kyle Sandilands is known to ask his interviewees rather blunt questions. And on Friday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show, the radio shock jock was at his best, questioning The Bachelorette's Courtney Dober about his penis size. 'What do you expect me to say Kyle? "Yeah I'm hung like a horse!"' the reality TV star awkwardly responded, after admitting he hasn't had sex in months. Scroll down for video 'What do you expect me to say Kyle, "Yeah I'm hung like a horse!"' The Bachelorette's Courtney Dober awkwardly dodged a question about his penis on Friday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show KIIS FM's Kyle cut straight to the chase, speculating that Courtney is single because he has a 'tiny willy'. Awkwardly laughing and then pausing, the freelance TV presenter replied: 'What do you expect me to say? "Yeah Kyle I'm hung like a horse!"' The hilarious response came after Courtney admitted that he hasn't had sex in the months since filming The Bachelorette. Frankly speaking: Kyle (pictured with radio co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson) cut straight to the chase, speculating Courtney is single because he has a 'tiny willy' 'None, I've been keeping it quiet mate. It's been a while,' after Kyle questioned the star on his private life. 'When you get out of the show you need to get into hiding a bit. I don't want to be seen hitting on girls,' he added. The comments come shortly after Courtney spoke to The Daily Telegraph about his failed romance with journalist Georgia Love, having been booted off the series on Thursday night's episode. 'I just couldn't fall in love in that time [three dates],' he said. He's just not that into you! Newly-eliminated Courtney spoke about his failed romance with Georgia Love, telling The Daily Telegraph that he struggled to fall in love with her after just three dates 'I was getting there and I would have loved to spend more time with her to see where it goes, and I told her multiple times I wish I met her on the outside world ... but I am not someone who falls in love within three dates,' he went on. Meanwhile, Georgia appeared to hold a very different stance on the matter, having declared to Courtney that she was ready to fall in love on The Bachelorette during Thursday night's cocktail party. Clad in a show-stopping red gown, Georgia confronted Courtney about their relationship as they sat in the Bachelorette mansion. Be gone! Georgia finally called it quits with Courtney during Thursday's cocktail party 'If you're asking me do I think I can tell you that I love you at the end of this... I don't know,' Courtney admitted. Tearfully, Georgia responded: 'I don't think it's enough... I can't keep doing it to myself. I need to be true to what I came in here for and what I wholeheartedly believe I can and will find at the end of this'. 'So I don't really see...any point in having a Rose Ceremony tonight,' she concluded, adding: 'I think you should go now'. Without a word, Courtney stood up and walked out, leaving Georgia in tears. Ending things: Clad in a show-stopping red gown, Georgia confronted Courtney about their relationship as she sat in the Bachelorette mansion's garden with a pensive-looking Courtney Waterworks: Tearfully, Georgia responded: 'I don't think it's enough... I can't keep doing it to myself. I need to be true to what I came in here for and what I wholeheartedly believe I can and will find at the end of this' She emerged fan favourite on The Bachelor, with many viewers wishing they could call her their best friend. And Nikki Gogan has again proven her BFF credentials in a heartwarming snap with her friend Kelly Symmons' daughter Frankie during a recent trip to Tasmania. The 28-year-old was a vision of motherhood as she held her best pal's baby in her arms while feeding her a bottle and smiling for the camera. Scroll down for video 'Proud aunty': Bachelor reject Nikki Gogan (pictured) poses with her niece in a heartwarming snap posted to Instagram during a trip to Tasmania The blonde beauty appeared in happy spirits for the Instagram photo, which she captioned: 'Missing this little poppet and her gorgeous Mumma.' Nikki added: 'And her Daddy and the rest of the Tassie crew! How lucky I am to have so many little people that I adore so so much both near and far.' The Bachelor runner-up also added the hash tags, 'Proud aunty', 'Baby whisperer', and 'Frankie Rose'. In the comments, her friend Kelly responded: 'We are the lucky ones! Heart bursting with love for this.' 'Keen as': Nikki recently played the perfect bridesmaid at another friend's wedding and posted a supportive photo to Instagram while gearing up for the festivities (pictured) Nikki said she would be back in Tassie next year for her niece's birthday, adding that her friend's live in a 'stunning part of the world'. The photo comes just one week after Nikki played the perfect bridesmaid at another friend's wedding. Taking to Instagram, Nikki posted a supportive picture wearing a jumper with the slogan 'Keen as' ahead of the festivities. Runner up: Nikki (L) rose to prominence after her appearance of season four of the Bachelor with Richie Strahan (C) after she and Alex Nation (R) made it to the final two She captioned the image: '(yes, I am one of THOSE people that wear 'fun' slogans on their shirts) for my besties wedding tomoz. 'But by gee the effort gals go to for big days... I've been coloured, waxed, plucked, tanned, toned etc blokes get it easy! 'Fresh out of the hairdresser, you rock my socks Jaz! And completely fresh faced with no pencil or filler on these brows with love and thanks to my brown queen.' Shocked: Richie stunned the nation when he rejected fan favourite Nikki during the final rose ceremony in Bali in favour of single mother Alex Nikki rose to prominence after her appearance in season four of the Bachelor in which she competed against 25 other girls to win Richie Strahan's heart. The Perth real estate agent was sadly rejected after making it to the final two when Richie chose single mother Alex Nation to be his girlfriend. Nikki made a teary exit from the Bachelor admitting last month that she was 'still raw' from the experience - although appears to be making strides to move on. Their parents are some of the most famous faces to have graced Tinsel Town in many a generation. But as the sons of Jude Law, Cindy Crawford and Pamela Anderson hit the streets of Capri in their tuxedos they were certainly stars in their own rights. Starring in the new Dolce & Gabbana campaign, the three A-List offspring were clearly ready to make a play for stardom - looking the definition of suave in their tuxedos. Scroll down for video Return of the Brat Pack: When the sons of Jude Law, Cindy Crawford and Pamela Anderson hit the streets of Capri in their tuxes they certainly looked like stars (L-R Rafferty Law, Presley Gerber and Brandon Thomas Lee) Rafferty Law, Presley Gerber and Brandon Thomas Lee, were also joined by the son of Daniel Day-Lewis, Gabriel-Kane, on the shoots. And while the sons of Hollywood's finest stole the show with their chiseled cheekbones and familiar features, they were nearly outclassed by the galmorous girls in their midst. Giving the boys a run for their money were Thylane Blondeau and Brooklyn Beckham's ex, Sonia Ben Ammar. Watch that guy: Rafferty, Presley and Brandon, were also joined by the son of Daniel Day-Lewis, Gabriel-Kane, on the shoot (pictured with L-R Thylane Blondeau and Sonia Ben Ammar) Having shot scenes earlier on in the day, the group proceeded to paint the town red in the Italian Fashion House's finest evening wear. Getting into the party spirit, the group headed off to a swanky venue to shoot more energetic shots. The group was rounded off by Viner Cameron Dallas, 22, and male model Luka Sabbat, 18. Party! While the sons of Hollywood's finest stole the show with their chiseled cheekbones and familiar features, they were nearly outclassed by the galmorous girls in their midst From night to day: Having shot scenes earlier on in the day, the group proceeded to paint the town red in the Italian Fashion House's finest evening wear Who's that guy? Another famous face on the shoot was Viner Cameron Dallas, 22, who has walked and starred in campaigns for D&G before Hey good lookin'! Rounding off the group was male model Luka Sabbat, 18 Say what?! The genetically-blessed group were in high spirits, despite having been at work all day Aptly named the #DGMillennials campaign, the group were involved with a day-long shoot showcasing D&G's Summer 2017 designs. Earlier on the genetically-blessed group were seen shooting in daywear from the collection. Presley, 17 - whose mother Cindy ruled the runways in the 1990s - looked dapper in a black suit worn with a floral shirt and leopard print shoes. The blond - whose dad Rande Gerber was also a model - walked in the brand's runway show back in June. Wild boys! Aptly named the #DGMillennials campaign, the group were involved with a day-long shoot showcasing D&G's Summer 2017 designs. Here come the boys: The band of famous offspring descended on Capri, Italy for the flamboyant shoot Acting and modelling: Presley (right) - whose mother Cindy ruled the runways in the 1990s - looked dapper alongside Gabrielle-Kane, the musician son of Oscar winner Daniel Strut: Presley and Gabrielle-Kane were joined by Pamela Anderson's son Brandon Thomas Lee (centre) Cool kids: Jude Law's son Rafferty was also on the shoot, wearing a white suit Posing: Blonds Dylan and Cameron both rocked outlandish ensembles from D&G's summer 17 collection Stepping up: The boys lined up on some stairs as they were snapped Pull up a seat: Changing outfits again, Jude, Dylan and Cameron rocked their looks at a cafe Salut! The boys got a wake-up call from a shot of espresso Cool dudes: The boys all rocked mainly monochrome ensembles with hints of leopard print Jumping for joy: Rafferty leaped to get in the snap alongside Presley Another member of the Dolce & Gabbana family is 20-year-old Rafferty, son of actors Jude and Sadie Frost. He had also pounded the catwalk for the designers and looked dapper in a white suit and shades. Pamela Anderson's 20-year-old son with Tommy Lee, Brandon, and fashion favourite Gabrielle-Kane Day-Lewis, the musician son of Oscar winner Daniel, were also clothed in some of D&G's finest garments. Close: Presley had fun alongside Rafferty before changing and getting a selfie with Gabrielle-Kane Chat: The boys enjoyed a chinwag in between pictures Making friends: They then got some selfies with some locals Rock and roll: The gang then clambered on to a van carrying barrels Fun time: Vlogger Cameron looked like he was having a whale of a time Say cheese: The group made their own memories with several rounds of selfies Hat's a good look! Presley Gerber donned a paisley trilby as he posed up a storm Smooth sailing: Cindy Crawford's son seemed in good spirits as he took to the seas Oar you ok? Cameron Dallas played around on the sailboat Living it up: Gabriel Kane Day Lewis burst out laughing on the set Sharing's caring: Brandon Thomas Lee and Rafferty Law seemed to split a bag of sweets The boys are back in town: : Brandon Thomas Lee, Cameron Dallas, Presley Gerber, Luka Sabbat, Gabriel Kane Day Lewis and Rafferty Law made for a handsome group Beautiful in black: Sonia Ben Ammar looked lovely in jeans and a statement hoodie The haphazard shoot saw the boys posing outside a cafe, hugging passers-by and taking selfies with fans. They were also spotted clambering over a wheeled crate carrying barrels. The Millennials campaign is Dolce & Gabbana's attempt at introducing the younger generation to their brand by 'keeping it in the family'. Back in black: Zendaya was another pretty young thing turning up for the shoot Easing into the day? The 20-year-old stunner arrived on the set ready to shoot in a black hoodie, slim-fitting track pants and a pair of swish trainers Smiles all round: The actress and model was full of smiles as she arrived on the set, and was ushered towards a car for her part of the shoot Pleased to see you: Co-founder of D&G, Domenico Dolce, gave the starlet a huge hug as he met her on the busy set Ready to ride? The model was soon ensconced in a luxurious red convertible disguised as a taxi upon arrival Riding in style: Zendaya and two friends looked to be living it up as they arrived on the set Take a right! The group seemed to enjoy the spin in the classic convertible Next stop, the shoot! The group were treated to all the sights of Capri as they arrived on the set in the swanky classic car To the sea! The group were later seen hanging out on a boat Daddy's here: Meanwhile, in London, Rafferty's dad, Jude, cut a rakish figure as he headed to the BBC Radio 2 studios That's where he gets it from: The actor, 43, sported a dark blazer teamed with black jumer, silk scarf and fitted silver trousers Yahoo calls for 'transparency' from US spy agencies Yahoo asked US spy agencies Wednesday to offer public "transparency" about data they make internet companies provide on users and to declassify any secret order served on the company. The announcement responded to media reports this month which said the US government had obtained a secret court order for Yahoo to scan hundreds of millions of user accounts last year for information tied to a state-sponsored terrorist organization. Yahoo on Wednesday sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, saying the company had found itself "unable to respond in detail" to the reports, which it said were in part misleading, and called on Clapper's office to confirm the existence of any such order by commenting on it publicly. Officials say attempts by other members of Congress and civil society groups to learn more about the Yahoo (file) order are unlikely to meet with success anytime soon, because its details remain a sensitive national security matter "Recent news stories have provoked broad speculation about Yahoo's approach and about the activities and representations of the US government, including those made by the government in connection with negotiating Privacy Shield with the European Union," Yahoo General Counsel Ron Bell wrote in the letter to Clapper. The European Commission in July launched the EU-US "Privacy Shield" framework, aimed at protecting the personal data of Europeans that is stored in the United States. "That speculation results in part from lack of transparency and because US laws significantly constrain -- and severely punish -- companies' ability to speak for themselves about national security-related orders even in ways that do not compromise US government investigations," Bell wrote. The call for declassification echoed that made earlier this month by Senator Ron Wyden, a critic of US dragnet surveillance activities. In a separate message also posted to Tumblr on Wednesday, Yahoo said an unspecified news media article on the surveillance had been misleading: "the mail scanning described in the article does not exist on our systems." The New York Times and Reuters both reported this month that Yahoo had customized email scanning systems to conduct the searches. UN chief hopes for credible vote in DR Congo UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday voiced hoped that a political deal reached in the Democratic Republic of Congo to delay an election until 2018 will help improve human rights and lead to a credible vote. The main opposition has rejected the deal signed Tuesday that would keep President Laurent Kabila in power until the election in April 2018. Kabila was due to step down at the end of 2016 to make way for the vote this year. People hold placards and face Congolese anti-riot policemen on October 19, 2016 in Goma during a demonstration over plans by Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his term in December Mustafa Mulopwe (AFP) Ban "takes note" of the accord and "hopes that the implementation of the agreement will contribute to a more conducive climate for the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms essential to political debate and credible elections," the UN statement said. The UN chief urged the government to continue confidence-building measures with the opposition, particularly the release of political prisoners and respect for the right to peaceful assembly. Anti-Kabila demonstrations in Kinshasa last month turned violent, killing some 49 people. Ban called on "political groups who were not part of the national dialogue to seek to resolve their differences peacefully." He stressed the "crucial importance of peaceful and credible elections for the stabilization and consolidation of constitutional democracy in the DRC." One of Africa's biggest and most resource-rich countries, the DR Congo has been ruled by Kabila since 2001, when his father Laurent was assassinated. He was elected in 2006 to his first five-year term under a constitution that sets a two-term limit for presidents. An opposition call for a protest strike on Wednesday was heeded in Kinshasa, where most shops were closed, but the appeal was ignored in the second city of Lubumbashi and Bukavu. Ivanka Trump says father will respect vote results Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump said Wednesday that the Republican presidential candidate would accept the results of the November 8 election. Trump, 70, has been warning ominously that the vote is "rigged," particularly since his support has slid for the past 10 days after a series of charges that he sexually assaulted women. That has fueled fears that his supporters might rise up in some fashion should they feel the election was not won fairly. Ivanka Trump, 34, vice president of the Trump Organization, says she tries to keep her distance from her father's campaign Brendan Smialowski (AFP/File) "He'll either win or he won't win and I believe he'll accept the outcome either way," Ivanka told MSNBC in an interview. Ultimately, "my father is in this to win it," she said in the interview in California. But "I'm not interested in talking about alternative outcomes and of course I think my father will always do the right thing. That's the type of person he is." Ivanka, 34, vice president of the Trump Organization, also said she tries to keep her distance from the campaign. "When things have happened over the course of this campaign that are uncomfortable for us as a family, oftentimes, things have been said that are mischaracterizations or interpretations that are false... you know, a statement he will make, we'll talk about it," Trump's eldest daughter said. "We have a very open dialogue," she stressed. He "is always ready to listen." Despite her brothers' high-profile roles in the campaign, Ivanka said, "I don't express my views on policy, with one exception as it relates to child care and advocating for women because... it was core to my personal and professional mission over the last decade." She also shot down claims that she is a behind-the-scenes campaign heavyweight. As the world's largest trade fair for books, the 68th Frankfurt Book Fair will run from Oct. 19 to 23 in Germany. With more than 460 books on display, the China International Publishing Group (CIPG) will no doubt be the biggest Chinese exhibitor. Fang Zhenghui, vice president of China International Publishing Group (CIPG). [Photo by Zheng Liang / China.org.cn] "We will provide 465 different books focusing on Chinese culture, literature, language, traditional Chinese medicine, as well as Chinese fairytales to German readers," Fang Zhenghui, vice president of CIPG, told China.org.cn in Frankfurt. "Among them, over 380 are newly published, and 90 percent are written in German, English, Spanish, Arabic and 13 other foreign languages." According to Fang, in September 1952, CIPG made its oversea exhibition debut at the Leipzig International Book Fair. Since the 1970s, the CIPG delegation has regularly participated in all major international book fairs. Fang said, "In the past five years, CIPG has taken part in 65 book fairs in 26 different countries. The total area of our exhibition booth reached over 3,000 square meters, and more than 5,500 various kinds of books were on display, over 5,000 of which were published in 43 foreign languages." In order to improve publications, CIPG has held an international seminar since 2006. The seminar invites foreign and Chinese publication experts and sinologists and explores how Chinese publishing houses can effectively market abroad. Fang said, "This time, the seminar will be held on the morning of Oct. 21 at C area of Hall 4.1. Experts, editors and practitioners both from Europe and China are expected to discuss trends in international publication and how to connect Chinese publishing agencies to readers from across the world." Being the core force of Chinese publishers going abroad, CIPG launched "Overseas Editorial Office on Chinese Theme" with local publication agencies in 2014. Sixteen editorial offices have been established to date. Hollande, Merkel slam Russia on Aleppo, leave sanctions open The leaders of France and Germany lashed out at President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's bombardment of Syria's Aleppo and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Russia. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its (Russian) backers must end," French President Francois Hollande said after a meeting between the three leaders in Berlin. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the air raids on Syria's second city as "inhumane and cruel". German chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande attend a press conference at the chancellery in Berlin, on October 19, 2016 Stephane de Sakutin (AFP) Both leaders warned that they could not exclude imposing sanctions on Russia, hours ahead of an EU summit where Russia's role in Syria is set to be discussed. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said at a press conference, while Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option". Turning to a planned ceasefire due to begin in Aleppo later this morning, Hollande said that Putin appeared to be ready to extend the truce, set to last for 11 hours. "We came out of the meeting with the impression that there could be an extension of the truce, but it's up to the Syrian regime and Russia to show it," he said. A truce of just a few hours would not be enough to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and allow civilians to leave the area, Hollande added. The Syrian army separately said that the ceasefire would last three days. Aleppo, held by rebels determined to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has come under heavy bombardment since the Russian-backed military announced an offensive in late September to regain control of the east. California probes Wells Fargo for alleged identity theft Wells Fargo, which created two million unauthorized accounts for its customers, is under criminal investigation in California over alleged identity theft, according to documents obtained by AFP. The documents, confirming information reported by the Los Angeles Times, were obtained from the office of California Attorney General Kamala Harris. Harris ordered the third-largest US bank by assets to provide a trove of information, including the identities of the California customers who had unauthorized accounts opened in their names and those of the Wells Fargo employees who opened them, according to a search warrant served October 5. California Attorney General Kamala Harris has ordered Wells Fargo bank to provide a trove of information on two million unauthorized accounts created for customers Frederic J Brown (AFP/File) Harris wants to know whether Wells Fargo violated California laws prohibiting certain types of impersonation and the unauthorized use of personal information, the documents showed. Both violations can be charged as felonies, punishable by imprisonment for more than a year, the Los Angeles Times noted, adding that it was not clear whether Harris's office is considering charges against individual bank workers, high-level bank executives or the bank itself. For the California investigator, James Hirt, there may be links suggesting that Wells Fargo employees illegally used the bank's computer system to obtain personal information about customers. Hirt indicated that they could be guilty of identity theft to open the bogus accounts. Confirming it had received a request for information, a Wells Fargo spokesman told AFP: "We are cooperating in providing the requested information." Wells Fargo, whose biggest shareholder is billionaire Warren Buffett, has been reeling since US and California regulators revealed in September some two million deposit and credit card accounts were opened in customers' names between 2011 and 2016 without their approval. Wells Fargo paid a fine of $185 million for the fake accounts and fired some 5,300 mid- and low-ranked employees linked to them. The scandal led to the resignation of chairman and chief executive John Stumpf last week. He was succeeded as CEO by president and chief operating officer Tim Sloan, a 29-year company veteran, who promised transparency and tighter oversight. An internal Wells Fargo inquiry is also underway. The San Francisco-based bank is under investigation by the Justice and Labor departments and could face lawsuits from shareholders and customers. Some US states, including California and Illinois, have cut ties with the bank. New Milky Way map to help explain how galaxies form A new super-detailed hydrogen map of the Milky Way could help explain the mystery of how galaxies form, Australian and German scientists behind the project said Thursday. The decade-long HI4PI project, which used the world's largest steerable radio telescopes, provides an in-depth view of all the hydrogen gas in and around the galaxy that contains our solar system. "We've basically put together a very complex map of hydrogen gases associated with our own Milky Way," Australian team leader Naomi McClure-Griffiths, a professor from the Australian National University, told AFP. The centre of our Milky Way Galaxy seen through Spitzer Space Telescope NASA (NASA/AFP/File) "Hydrogen is the most basic element, it's what everything is made from, and what we have achieved will help us understand better how galaxies form." The study used telescopes in Parkes, Australia and Effelsberg, Germany to map neutral hydrogen, the most abundant element in space and the main component of stars and galaxies. It 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," McClure-Griffiths said, adding that her research group was now using the data map to answer bigger 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. University of Bonn astronomer Juergen Kerp said the project required more than a million individual observations and about 10 billion individual data points, significantly improving on previous work on the issue. Although neutral hydrogen is fairly easy to detect with modern radio telescopes, mapping the whole sky was a significant achievement, he added. "Radio 'noise' caused by mobile phones and broadcast stations pollute the faint emissions coming from stars and galaxies in the universe," said Kerp. "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." Staveley-Smith said the new map would help with future work to be undertaken by the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) super radio telescope, which is expected to be partially operational from 2020. Australia and South Africa were picked in 2012 to jointly host the SKA project, billed as being 50 times more powerful than present radio telescopes. It will be used to explore exploding stars, black holes, dark energy and traces of the universe's origins some 14 billion years ago. Indian hospital owner arrested over deadly fire Indian police have arrested the wanted owner of a hospital after he turned himself in over a blaze earlier this week that killed 21 patients, a top officer said on Thursday. Manoj Nayak, chairman of the private SUM hospital, presented himself at a police station late on Wednesday night following a two-day hunt for him in eastern Odisha state. "He is the main trustee of the hospital. He is the man behind the show, he was running the hospital," said Odisha director general of police Kunwar Brajesh Singh. Rescue workers help victims of a massive fire at the SUM hospital building in Bhubaneswar, the capital of India's eastern Odisha state, on October 17, 2016 - (AFP/File) "He came to the police station. After his surrender, he was interrogated and he has been arrested," he told the Times Now TV network. Four other staff from the Bhubaneswar city hospital were arrested on Tuesday and face charges of criminal negligence and homicide over the fire that broke out in the intensive care unit on Monday night. The fire took hold in the dialysis ward of the hospital before quickly spreading to other sections, killing 19 seriously ill patients who were unable to flee the blaze. Two more patients died of injuries suffered in the fire. The state government has ordered an inquiry into the tragedy, promising tough action against those found responsible for the accident. The Indian Express and other local media reported that the hospital had not complied with required safety standards and staff had not received proper fire training. Fire disasters are relatively common in India, partly because of poor safety standards. Forces operating in Iraq's Mosul theatre A wide array of Iraqi and international forces are involved in the fight to retake Mosul from the Islamic State jihadist group, which overran the country's second city in 2014. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of the much-awaited operation on Monday and anti-IS forces have already retaken several villages and significant swathes of land from the jihadists. These are the main forces that are operating in the wider Mosul theatre or may do so. Not all will play a role in the fighting inside the city: A member of the Iraqi forces stands on an armoured vehicle as smoke billows from the Qayyarah area, some 60 kilometres (35 miles) south of Mosul Yasin Akgul (AFP) - Islamic State group - Heavily armed jihadists who have had years to prepare their defences in Mosul, which IS seized before sweeping through cities and towns to the south in 2014. Iraqi forces have since regained significant ground, and Mosul is the last city the jihadists hold in the country. - Counter-terrorism service - Iraq's elite force which have spearheaded most key battles against IS. But constant reliance on these troops over the past two years has taken a toll. - Army - The Iraqi army has begun playing a more successful role in operations against the jihadists since it was revitalised by US-led training after several of its divisions collapsed during the IS offensive two years ago. - Police - Includes special forces units, paramilitary federal police and provincial police. Many Iraqi police forces have played roles more akin to those of soldiers in the war against IS. - US-led coalition - A US-led international alliance is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq and Syria, and providing training, arms and equipment to forces opposing the jihadists. There are more than 7,500 coalition military personnel deployed in Iraq, over half of them from the United States. Most are in advisory or training roles, but special forces soldiers who have fought the jihadists on the ground have been deployed and coalition forces near Mosul have also targeted IS with artillery. - Kurdish forces - The peshmerga are the armed forces of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. They nominally answer to the federal government but in practice operate independently, battling IS along a long front in the country's north. Forces from Iran's Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) are embedded in some peshmerga operations. It is separate from other Iranian Kurdish rebels groups that have also been active on the Iraqi side of the border such as the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK). - Hashed al-Shaabi - An umbrella organisation created in 2014, which includes a dizzying array of paramilitary forces who vary widely in skill and in the degree to which they are actually under government control. The main groups are Iranian-backed Shiite militias, including Ketaeb Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Badr. The Hashed has played a major role in the anti-IS fight in Iraq but forces within it have also carried out abuses. It includes recently trained Sunni tribal forces sometimes referred to as "tribal mobilisation" or "national mobilisation". - Iranian advisers - Iranian forces have provided advice and other assistance, including funding for various militias fighting IS in Iraq. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards foreign operations wing, has been repeatedly pictured in Iraq during the war. - Turkish troops - Deployed at a base near Mosul from which they have carried out artillery strikes against IS. Turkish troops are also present inside Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. Deadly Turkish raids on US-backed Syrian Kurd fighters Turkish warplanes carried out deadly strikes on US-backed militias in northern Syria, including Syrian Kurdish fighters, a monitor said Thursday, action that is likely to raise tensions between the NATO allies. The army, quoted by the official news agency Anadolu, said the raids hit 18 targets north of the battered Syrian city of Aleppo, areas recently recaptured by the People's Protection Units (YPG) from the Islamic State group. It said the raids killed between 160 and 200 YPG militants. Members of the Kurdish police and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) patrol in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh Delil Souleiman (AFP/File) The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Beirut, however, put the toll much lower at at least 11 fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-- a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters -- killed and 24 wounded. Tensions between the US and its NATO ally Turkey have heightened over Ankara's actions against the YPG, which Washington views as an effective force against IS in Syria. Ankara has repeatedly said it will not allow a "terror corridor" on its southern border and wants to prevent the joining of the Kurdish "cantons" of Afrin and Kobane. The strikes come on the eve of a visit to Turkey by US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter to discuss developments in the region including the Syrian conflict and the offensive to recapture Iraq's second city of Mosul which began this week. Ankara considers the YPG and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) as terror groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, has waged a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. In a statement, the Kurdish Rojava region in Syria condemned Ankara's actions as "blatant aggression", calling for the United Nations, Moscow and Washington to "put direct pressure on Turkey to stop its attacks". - Send a message - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkey and Washington had been discussing a joint operation to take territory back from IS but has warned the US not to launch any offensive with the YPG. Michael Stephens, senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute said Turkey's actions were "a message and a warning to the YPG 'understand something, you won't join these two cantons up. There are going to be consequences'". "If there is a signal that that is what is happening, the Turks will fight it and they will use the premise of national security to do that," he told AFP. The strikes were part of Turkey's military operation in northern Syria launched on August 24. Ankara has sent in tanks and has been striking jihadist targets while supporting Syrian opposition fighters in their battle to retake IS-controlled territory. The goal of the operation was to remove IS from the Turkish border -- which last month Ankara said it achieved -- while also aiming to halt the westward advance of the YPG. Turkish media quoted the army saying shells fired on Thursday from YPG-controlled Afrin region hit uninhabited land in Hatay, southern Turkey, which the military responded to with howitzer fire. Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey would not "wait for terrorist organisations to come and attack us". "Instead of dealing with the flies, we will drain the swamp," he said in a speech in Ankara. Erdogan has previously said he wants to create a 5,000-square-kilometre (1,900 square-mile) safe zone in Syria by pushing further south in the operation dubbed "Euphrates Shield". Indonesian militants jailed over deadly Jakarta attack An Indonesian Islamic State group supporter was jailed for 10 years on Thursday for helping make a bomb used in a deadly attack in Jakarta, as the country faces an increase in IS-linked assaults. Dodi Suridi, 23, was found guilty of committing an act of terror over his links to the attack in the Indonesian capital in January, which killed four assailants and four civilians and was claimed by IS. A second IS supporter, 48-year-old Ali Hamka, was also jailed for four years over the attack for trying to find guns and ammunition to use in the assault. Dodi Suridi pictured at his trial, where he was found guilty of committing an act of terror over his links to a deadly IS-claimed attack in Jakarta Wawan Kuniawan (AFP/File) The attack -- the first claimed by IS in Southeast Asia -- saw dramatic scenes as a suicide bomber blew himself up in a Starbucks and security forces battled gun-toting militants. It was the first major attack in Indonesia for seven years. Asked whether he accepted the decision, Suridi was unrepentant and told the court: "That's the risk of being a terrorist, I accept the verdict." As court officials led him away, he yelled "Allahu Akbar", or "God is greatest", and flashed a smile at journalists. The world's most populous Muslim-majority country has long struggled with Islamic militancy and Indonesians have flocked to fight with IS. Also on Thursday, police shot dead a man carrying knives, suspected pipe bombs and an IS symbol after he launched an attack on officers near Jakarta. Other IS-linked incidents this year include a foiled plan to launch a rocket at an up-market Singapore waterfront district from an Indonesian island and a botched suicide attack on a police station, which killed only the assailant. Analysts believe the January 14 assault was organised by a militant group led by a jailed pro-IS cleric. Suridi, who was arrested a day after the attack, altered a gas canister to be used as a bomb. The militant transported the canister and a casing for a pipe bomb to Jakarta, where he handed them to another man, who blew himself up as he attacked a police post during the assault. Although Suridi, who pledged allegiance to IS in 2014, did not directly participate in the assault, presiding Judge Achmad Fauzi said his actions had "disturbed the community and shaken the life of our nation". Hamka, who was jailed by the same court, did not manage to find any weapons to pass to the attackers but was found guilty of breaking anti-terror laws. A number of people have been arrested over suspected involvement in the incident. Iran denies role in attacks on US navy from Yemen Iran denied reports from Washington that it played a part in failed missile attacks on US naval vessels off Yemen, saying on Thursday that the claims were "false and paranoid". "The vague and contradictory remarks by American officials these past days are false, paranoid and inappropriate," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told the official IRNA news agency. Washington has accused Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen of firing surface-to-surface missiles at the destroyer USS Mason on at least two occasions in recent weeks. Yemeni Huthi rebels have been blamed for two failed missile attacks on the USS Mason A top US general, Joseph Votel, told a Washington think tank on Wednesday that "some of the technology that we've seen there are things that are associated with" Iran, though he acknowledged "it's not totally exclusive to them." Ghasemi responded by saying that it "would be preferable for the American army -- which has an undeniable role in the atrocities committed against the Yemeni people by its direct or indirect support for the coalition forces -- to prevent further atrocities." Washington provides intelligence and logistics support to a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the Yemeni rebels since March last year. The United Nations says that since the intervention started, the conflict has killed almost 6,900 people, more than half of them civilians. British Al-Jazeera reporter freed in Somalia 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. 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) Mohamed Abdiwahab (AFP/File) 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. Philippine police chief suspends officers over violent clashes The Philippines' national police chief on Thursday suspended dozens of officers involved in violent clashes with anti-US protesters, as he voiced anger at one of his men ramming activists with a van. At the rally outside the US embassy in Manila on Wednesday, the van reversed quickly into dozens of people then forward again, running over at least two protesters. The driver said shortly afterwards he panicked as he feared being mobbed. Thirty demonstrators and 32 police were injured in the clashes, which also saw the authorities fire tear gas and the protesters strike out with batons. Thirty demonstrators and 32 police were injured in the clashes, which also saw the authorities fire tear gas and the protesters strike out with batons "I am saddened and angered," national police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said in a statement. "Police forces are under strict instructions as a matter of policy, to exercise maximum tolerance in such public assemblies." Nine senior officers and 40 lower-ranking policemen were suspended pending an investigation into the incident, chief superintendent Oscar Albayalde, head of police in the national capital region, told AFP. The policemen will still receive their salaries as the probe is under way, he said. Four protesters remained in hospital Thursday, according to rights group Karapatan, but none of them had life-threatening injuries. Hundreds of protesters had gathered outside the embassy to express support for President Rodrigo Duterte's foreign policy shift away from the United States, the Philippines' longstanding ally and mutual defence partner. Police insisted the protesters had instigated the violence, saying the group did not have a permit, breached security lines, and threw paint and debris at the embassy gates. But the protesters accused the police of being at fault. "What the police did was unjustifiable and totally unnecessary. Are these the same people who should be in uniform? They should be ashamed," Edre Olalia, lawyer for the protesters, told AFP. Duterte, who was in Beijing for a four-day visit, said he was waiting for official reports into the incident and did not want to engage in a "blame game". The Philippines has for decades been one of the United States' most important and loyal allies in Asia. But Duterte, who describes himself as a socialist and has close links to communists, has threatened to cut ties as he shifts closer to China. At an anti-US rally, a police van reversed quickly into dozens of people then forward again, running over at least two protesters China International Publishing Group (CIPG) for the 40th time attended the Frankfurt Book Fair, which opened on Oct. 19 this year in Frankfurt, Germany. Fang Zhenghui (R), vice president of China International Publishing Group (CIPG), speaks at the global debut of CIPG's latest publication, "Keywords to Understand China," at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 19, 2016. [Photo/China.org.cn] The book fair received 465 volumes of books, including 380 new books, from CIPG. Among the publications, 312 books were written in English, while 106 books were in other foreign languages, such as German, French, Spanish and Arabic. The categories of the books cover a wide spectrum of writings, including introductions to contemporary China, Chinese culture and literature, a Chinese language learning series, healthcare and traditional Chinese medicine and childrens stories to cater to the demands of an overseas audience. This year, CIPG highlights books on Chinas political, economic, diplomatic and ecological advancements in order to respond to the concerns of global readers. At the opening ceremony of the book fair, New World Press, a subsidiary of CIPG, made the global debut of its latest publication, "Keywords to Understand China." Translated into nine languages, including, French, Russian and Japanese, "Keywords to Understand China" help the readers grasp the concepts, ideas, policies and development models of China through analysis of keywords taken mostly from Xi Jinpings speeches and writings. On Oct. 20, CIPG will invite 10 veteran publishers from Europe to participate in a workshop focusing on a selection of book topics in a bid to respond to the interests and concerns of the global readers. As the Frankfurt Book Fair occupies a central role in introducing worlds presses and publications, CIPG will seize the opportunity to reach agreements with its counterparts from the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, Turkey, Spanish, India, Greece and Vietnam to sell its publications in overseas markets. In the past few years, CIPG has ranked as the top publisher among its domestic peers by ensuring hundreds of copyright exports to foreign countries. Calls for overhaul after 72 die in Myanmar ferry disaster A total of 72 people died when an overloaded ferry sank in central Myanmar, local officials said Thursday, calling for an overhaul of the creaking boats that ply the river as the search effort ended. Scores of teachers, students and workers were packed into the crowded boat when it capsized in the early hours of Saturday as it chugged along the Chindwin River. More than 150 people were rescued alive, but dozens more perished as the vessel swiftly sank about 72 kilometres (45 miles) north of the city of Monywa. The overloaded ferry was carrying scores of teachers and university students when it went down while travelling on the Chindwin River in Sagaing region Str (AFP/File) Dozens of bloated corpses have been swept downriver, while others were found trapped inside the broken shell of the boat as rescue workers hauled it to the surface. "We lifted the whole sunken boat this morning," Sa Willy Frient, director of social welfare and resettlement in Sagaing region, told AFP. "We got 72 dead bodies in total... 14 men and 53 women were taken from the boat, and another five dead bodies which were carried away by the water. "We have concluded our salvage today." Family and friends have identified 44 of the bodies, local authorities said, but the rest were decayed beyond recognition after days in the water. Four workers on the boat were arrested after it sank, but the boat captain and the owner have fled. Boat accidents are common in Myanmar, where many people living along its flood-prone river systems rely heavily on often overcrowded ferries for transport. Regional lawmaker Tun Tun Win said the central government needed to upgrade the boats that operate on the Chindwin River, which most locals rely on for transport. "This morning, I helped at the funeral of a doctor who died when the boat sank. Her wedding was planned for yesterday," he said. "The union government should improve the transport system. These kind of incidents been happening for a long time along the Chindwin River. Indian court acquits 14 over 2002 massacre of Muslims An Indian court on Thursday upheld appeals by 14 Hindus convicted over the massacre of 33 Muslims burnt alive during some of the worst religious unrest the country has seen since independence. The victims had crowded into a small house seeking shelter during a wave of anti-Muslim violence in the western state of Gujarat in 2002, triggered by a train fire in which Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive. The rioters set the house alight, killing 28 people on the spot. Another five later died of their injuries. A wave of anti-Muslim unrest hit Gujarat in 2002, triggered by a train fire in which Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive - (AFP/File) The court in Gujarat upheld the convictions of another 17 people sentenced to life in prison in the original 2011 trial for their role in the killings in the village of Sardarpura. "Out of the 14 acquitted, the bench granted benefit of doubt to 11, while it said it did not find evidence against three others," said defence lawyer N L Jain after the hearing. All 31 men were originally handed life sentences for murder, arson and other charges in the Sardarpura case. The attackers first surrounded the village, blocking off any escape, and then moved in. Gujarat's Hindu nationalist government was accused of tacitly supporting the attacks, and survivors of the Sardarpura massacre said it could have been avoided if the police had arrived on time. "We were shouting, pleading and begging. But no one came to our help, not even the police," Bifu Mia told AFP at the time. More than 100 people have been convicted over the riots, which left more than 1,000 people dead in some of India's worst inter-faith violence since independence in 1947. Muslims were blamed for the train fire and Hindu mobs hungry for revenge rampaged through Muslim neighbourhoods in towns and villages across Gujarat during a week of bloodshed. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the state's chief minister at the time, was accused of turning a blind eye to the violence. He was cleared of any wrongdoing in 2012 by a Supreme Court-ordered investigation but has been dogged by the accusations. Witnesses said mobs surrounded and raped Muslim women, poured kerosene down their throats and on their children and threw lit matches at them. Earlier this year a court jailed 11 Hindus for life over the massacre of dozens of Muslims hacked and burnt to death in a residential complex in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. UN hopes Aleppo medical evacuations will begin Friday Medical evacuations from Aleppo could begin Friday, the UN said, confirming that a humanitarian truce in the devastated Syrian city had been extended. The pause in fighting in the besieged rebel-held east of the city began at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) on Thursday, but the United Nations said it was not able to dispatch aid convoys or begin evacuations on day one of the truce because warring parties had not provided security guarantees. Speaking in Geneva, the head of the UN's humanitarian taskforce for Syria, Jan Egeland, said he hoped those in most urgent need of care could be taken out on Friday by the World Health Organization and Red Cross. The West has expressed increasing alarm at the situation in Aleppo, saying the ferocious Russian-backed onslaught on the rebel-held east could amount to a war crime Ameer Alhalbi (AFP/File) "We believe we now have all of the green lights that we need both from the Russians and the government and from the armed opposition groups," Egeland told reporters. He cautioned, however, that "this is Syria, so everything can go wrong at every possible opportunity." The tentative evacuation plan was announced after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and their key backer Russia agreed to extend the truce through Saturday. They intially promises just a one day pause. Syria, which announced the extension on state media Wednesday, has offered an eight-hour daily truce. Russia has promised to halt its bombardment for 11 hours each day, said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN's humanitarian office (OCHA) in Geneva. Egeland said Russia was weighing a UN request to push the truce through to the end of Sunday. Those evacuated from eastern Aleppo will have the choice of being taken to the city's government-controlled west, or to Idlib, which is in opposition hands, Egeland told reporters. If the truce holds, hundreds of people could be evacuated from eastern Aleppo with their families, the UN official added. Egeland also said that aid trucks stuck near the Turkish border for weeks could also reach eastern Aleppo, delivering medical and food supplies to civilians in grave need of relief. Eastern Aleppo has effectively been cut off from humanitarian aid since July 7 when regime forces seized the last supply route. Since then, civilians have faced severe water, food and medicine shortages while enduring bombardments from regime and Russian forces that have affected nearly every medical facility in the city's east, according to the UN. - Broader Aleppo plan - The UN's Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, stressed that the temporary pause initiated by Russia was welcome but still inadequate and restated his plan to ease the crisis in eastern Aleppo. That includes a total halt in Russian and Syrian bombing and the withdrawal of fighters from the former Al-Qaeda affiliate, the Fateh al-Sham Front -- formerly known as Al-Nusra. Russia and Syria have used the jihadists' presence in eastern Aleppo as justification for their continued assault. British PM urges 'robust, united' EU response to Russia over Syria British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday called for a "robust and united" European approach to Russian "atrocities" in Syria, as she arrived for her first EU summit in Brussels. "We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May told reporters. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to reporters ahead of a European Union summit in Brussels, on October 20, 2016 Thierry Charlier (AFP) May said she brought a "clear message" to other EU leaders that Britain would continue to play its part in the bloc until it formally withdrew following June's shock Brexit referendum. "The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left," she said. "It's in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together, including at this summit." EU leaders meeting for the two-day talks are set to "strongly condemn" Moscow and call for a permanent end to hostilities in Syria, as Russia and the Syrian army begin a brief "humanitarian pause" in the battleground city of Aleppo. Lebanon's Aoun set for presidency after key endorsement Lebanon's former prime minister Saad Hariri on Thursday endorsed the presidential bid of political rival Michel Aoun, paving the way for the ex-army chief to take the top post. "I announce today before you my decision to endorse the candidacy of general Michel Aoun for the presidency of the republic," Hariri said. He described his decision as necessary to "protect Lebanon, protect the (political) system, protect the state and protect the Lebanese people." Lebanon's former prime minister Saad Hariri on Thursday endorsed the presidential bid of political rival Michel Aoun (seen here) Joseph Eid (AFP/File) The key endorsement looks likely to end a void in Lebanon's presidency that has lasted since May 2014, with the country's deeply divided parliament unable to agree a successor to Michel Sleiman. The endorsement comes as a surprise, with speculation that it is the result of a deal that will allow Hariri to return as prime minister. Hariri, a Sunni Muslim whose party leads a Western- and Saudi-backed political bloc, had fiercely opposed Aoun's candidacy. Aoun is allied with the Shiite movement Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and has dispatched fighters to neighbouring Syria to bolster the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Speaking to his supporters, Hariri said the endorsement came after he had exhausted all other options and was intended "to preserve the political system, reinforce the state, relaunch the economy and distance us from the Syrian crisis." "We want to protect our country from this crisis," he added. The war in neighbouring Syria has deepened existing divisions in Lebanon, with Hezbollah and its allies backing Assad's regime, while Hariri and his partners support the uprising against him. More than one million Syrian refugees have also sought shelter in Lebanon, straining the country's already-stretched resources and infrastructure. Lebanon's parliament is now expected to convene next week for a session to vote on the president -- the 46th such session since Sleiman's term expired. Lebanon's president is elected by parliament, and the post is always reserved for a Maronite Christian under a power-sharing agreement. Ex-general Aoun, 81, is a controversial figure. He served as head of the armed forces and briefly as prime minister during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, when he was a staunch opponent of Syrian military presence in Lebanon. Arms deals with Europe, Israel fuel South Sudan war: UN A UN panel of experts has found evidence of "well-established networks" of arms suppliers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East that are fueling the war in South Sudan. In a confidential report to the Security Council obtained by AFP on Thursday, the panel described the arms deals that are not recent and involve Israeli and Bulgarian firms. The council has threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan to try to end the fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup Charles Atiki Lomodong (AFP/File) While the arms deals date back to 2014 or earlier, "this evidence nevertheless illustrates the well-established networks through which weapons procurement is coordinated from suppliers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and then transferred through middlemen in eastern Africa to South Sudan," said the report. The panel said rebel fighters loyal to Reik Machar recently turned up in the Democratic Republic of Congo armed with Israeli-made automatic rifles that were part of a stock sold to Uganda in 2007. The weapons were likely taken from South Sudanese government stocks either through battlefield capture or defections, said the report sent to the council last week. The panel said the Israeli-made rifles were likely part of a larger group of weapons that was transferred to South Sudan from Uganda. After receiving a tip from Spain, the UN experts are looking into an arms trafficking network based in Europe that received an "extensive list of small arms, munitions and light weapons" from the rebels in 2014. The deal which also involved a middleman from Senegal provided for shipments that were at least partially delivered, they said. - Deals through Uganda - A Bulgarian firm delivered a shipment of small arms ammunition and 4,000 assault rifles to Uganda in July 2014, which were later transferred to South Sudan. The firm, Bulgarian Industrial Engineering, worked through an intermediary in Uganda identified as Bosasy Logistics, whose chairman Valerii Copeichin is a Moldovan national. The report said recent arms supplies were likely to have been made "through the same modality." UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous has called on the council to move quickly to cut off the arms flow, but Russia opposes the move while African countries have expressed reservations. "I think an arms embargo should happen now and that's even very late," Ladsous told reporters on Tuesday. "The rainy season is coming to a close and that has frequently been the time of the year when people go back to military operations." The council has said it will impose an arms embargo if Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon determines that the government in Juba is blocking the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force. South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup. US legal chief dismisses Trump ballot claims US Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Thursday dismissed Donald Trump's claim the upcoming presidential election could be rigged in favour of Hillary Clinton. Speaking in Rome just before Trump's latest controversial comments on the subject, the top US justice official said there was no reason to think that there was a realistic risk of false ballots being cast in significant numbers, voters being impeded or counts being falsified. Trump has repeatedly claimed the American establishment is so desperate for Clinton to win the election that the result could somehow be doctored in her favour. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, pictured on October 11, 2016, said the Justice Department was working closely with all US states to ensure their voting systems were secure against the risk of "hacks, attacks and the like" Mark Wilson (Getty/AFP/File) In his latest comments, in Delaware, the Republican White House hopeful said Thursday he would accept a "clear election result" next month, but reserved the right to legally challenge the outcome if he felt it was "questionable," sticking to an unprecedented defiance of US democratic norms that has drawn broad-based criticism. Lynch, asked about similar comments Trump made in Wednesday's head-to-head debate with Clinton, said the Department of Justice would consider any allegations brought to it. But she added: "At this point I don't think it is helpful to speculate about whether or not we would look into something we do not see as an actual threat." Lynch said the Justice Department was working closely with all US states to ensure their systems were secure against the risk of "hacks, attacks and the like." "We feel it is very difficult for any outside actor to affect the result. We have great confidence in our electoral system." Lynch also said that her department had been briefed by intelligence experts on Russia's apparent attempts to influence the election through its involvement in leaks seen as damaging to Clinton's cause. Arab coalition says Yemen rebels breaching truce Rebel violations mean there is "no ceasefire" in Yemen, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said on Thursday, the first day of a truce under a UN plan. "There is no ceasefire at all," Major General Ahmed Assiri told AFP. Huthi rebels and their allies had breached the truce since it took effect at midnight Wednesday, including by firing mortars and rockets across the border into southern Saudi Arabia, he said, forcing coalition forces to respond. A destroyed vehicle is pictured in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah STRINGER (AFP/File) "This is the same situation as the previous time when we called for a ceasefire," Assiri said. Since the coalition intervened in March 2015 to support Yemen's government, five previous ceasefires attempts failed. This time there were more than 43 violations along the border, "in which snipers and various weapons were used, including missiles and projectiles," the official Saudi Press Agency reported. In one attack, a man and his daughter were wounded in the kingdom's Jazan region, according to Saudi civil defence authorities. Assiri said coalition artillery and aircraft retaliated. "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." The coalition says it remains committed to the truce. "Without observation on the ground, there is no ceasefire. Without pressure from the international community on both sides there is no ceasefire," Assiri added. As one of its conditions for supporting the truce, Yemen's government had insisted that the rebels should join a truce observation committee. "Up to now, no one showed up" from the rebel side, Assiri said. During the previous truce which began in April and ultimately collapsed, joint committees of rebel and loyalist army representatives were in the field to monitor violations. US service member killed north of Mosul: defense official A member of the US military was killed Thursday in a bomb blast north of Mosul, a senior US defense official said, as Iraqi forces in the region continued their push on the city. The official told AFP that the service member had died in what were likely "Mosul-related" operations, but did not provide additional details. More than 100 US troops are advising Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga as they advance toward Mosul, the Islamic State group's last stronghold in Iraq, on multiple fronts. Smoke rises after a mortar shell hit an area close to an Iraqi army position near the village of Tall al-Tibah, some 30 kilometres south of Mosul, on October 19, 2016 Ahmad al-Rubaye (AFP) Officials did not immediately identify the service member and the US-led coalition fighting IS said further information would be released "as appropriate" -- additional details often depend on when family members are notified of the death. An unnamed US official cited by CNN said the service member was medevaced off the battlefield but later died from the wounds. No other US troops were wounded, CNN said. The death is the fourth time a US military member has been killed in combat in Iraq since operations against IS began there in 2014. In May, Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Charles Keating was fatally shot during a pitched battle with IS near the village of Tal Asquf, north of Mosul. In April, Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin was killed by an IS rocket attack that also wounded eight Marines at an artillery position in the Makhmur area of northern Iraq. And in October last year, Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, an American special operations soldier, was killed during a joint raid with Kurdish forces against IS in Hawijah, a northern Iraqi town. Some 1,400 migrants rescued off Libyan coast Some 1,400 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean were rescued Thursday off the coast of Libya, according to the Italian coastguard, which coordinated the operations conducted mainly by aid ships. Attempts at the dangerous crossing are continuing despite worsening weather as winter approaches, with more than 2,400 migrants rescued off Libya in total since Sunday. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres tweeted that it had rescued 802 people on six rubber dinghies and one small wooden boat, and MOAS, a Maltese NGO, said it had rescued 432 migrants on three dinghies. Refugees and migrant wait to be rescued as their rubber boat sinks some eight nautical miles off Libya's Mediterranean coastline Aris Messinis (AFP/File) Italian coastguards and the crew of an EU counter-trafficking vessel rescued the remaining migrants. Boats carrying migrants are treacherous even if they don't sink: exhaust fumes, hypothermia, dehydration and overcrowding have all proved fatal. On Wednesday, rescuers found five bodies on a dinghy carrying around 200 people, many of them unaccompanied minors. The Italian interior ministry said Tuesday that more than 145,000 migrants had landed in Italy so far this year, a figure similar to that of the previous two years. According to the UN, at least 3,654 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year. Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday that as many as 900 migrants may have died in the 2015 sinking off Libya of an overcrowded fishing trawler, about 100 more than previously thought. The new toll from the worst maritime tragedy in the Mediterranean since World War II came after forensic scientists, who spent three months examining 675 body bags, discovered that many contained the remains of more than one person, Italy's missing person chief Vittorio Piscitelli told a news conference in Rome. Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should comply with WTO rules and ensure Chinese companies' right of defense while imposing trade remedy measures, an official said Tuesday. In a preliminary ruling made by the European Commission earlier this month, anti-dumping duties will be imposed on imports of hot-rolled steel from China for six months, with the exclusion of tool steel and high-speed steel products. The exclusion was the result of the defence put forward by Chinese steel and cutting tool maker Tiangong International Co., but will also be enjoyed by other manufacturers of those products, Shen Danyang, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce, told a press conference. As there will be half a year before the announcement of the final ruling, Shen said Chinese companies should make continued efforts to defend themselves. "The central government will continue to support Chinese companies with regards to the foreign anti-dumping investigations," Shen added. China is against trade protectionism and advocates a prudent, restrained and rule-based use of trade remedy measures, according to Shen. Saudi-led coalition violated law with double air strike in Yemen: UN The Saudi-led coalition carried out a deadly "double-tap" air strike on a funeral ceremony in Yemen this month in violation of international humanitarian law, a UN panel of experts concluded. More than 140 people were killed and 525 injured in the air strike on October 8 on a community hall packed with 750 mourners attending the funeral of the rebel Huthi interior minister's father. The experts told the UN Security Council in a report obtained by AFP on Thursday that it continues to investigate whether the second air strike directly harmed medical personnel in what could amount to war crimes. Yemenis and rescue teams gather at the site of reported airstrikes on a funeral hall by Saudi-led coalition air-planes in the capital Sanaa Mohammed Huwais (AFP/File) "The panel has not seen any demonstrable evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition took effective and adequate precautionary measures to minimize civilian casualties in respect of the two air strikes so far confirmed," said the report sent to the council on Monday. "In contrast, there is evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition violated its obligations relating to the protection of the wounded and persons hors de combat in its second air strike." Those killed in the bombing included the head of the Huthi Republican Guard, the mayor of Sanaa, a prominent member of the Huthi military council, two commanders and a former governor. Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son attended the funeral, but left before the attack, the report said. The experts found that the timing between the two strikes indicated the "deliberate use of the 'double tap' tactic, the consequences of which are that individuals responding to the first explosion are caught by the second." The attack resulted in "disproportionately higher numbers of civilian casualties, when compared to military casualties," said the report, adding that this could have been anticipated prior to the attack. The report said the second air strike came three to eight minutes after the first bombing and "almost certainly resulted in more casualties" to the already wounded and first responders. International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on the wounded, medical personnel and non-combatants. The panel said it was waiting for a response from the coalition's head of investigation concerning its findings. The Saudi-led Arab coalition announced a ceasefire after the attack on the funeral ceremony triggered global outrage and prompted the United States to review its support of the military campaign in Yemen. The coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels overran much of the impoverished country. NATO shadows Russian naval force, fears more Aleppo attacks British warships on Thursday shadowed a Russian aircraft carrier battle group through the North Sea as NATO voiced fears the powerful force could soon join in attacks on Syria's besieged city of Aleppo. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would monitor the eight-ship force in "a responsible and measured" way as it headed to the Mediterranean, the latest cat-and-mouse encounter in two years of Cold-War style tensions. "We are concerned Russia's carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which increase human and civilian suffering," Stoltenberg said at North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters in Brussels. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would monitor the eight-ship force in "a responsible and measured" way as it headed to the Mediterranean Dez Wade (MOD / CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016/AFP) "This group may be used to... increase attacks on Aleppo," the former Norwegian premier told a press conference after talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Stoltenberg said NATO was also concerned about Russia's "continuing destabilisation" of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow-backed rebels are battling Ukrainian government forces two years after what he reiterated as Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. European Union leaders also meeting in the Belgian capital meanwhile warned Russia that they will consider sanctions over its role in the Syrian conflict if Moscow does not stop "crimes" in the devastated city of Aleppo. NATO-Russia ties have sunk to lows not seen since the Cold War as President Vladimir Putin reasserts Russian power through intervention in both Ukraine and Syria. A Royal Navy spokesman told AFP that the battle group spearheaded by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was the biggest deployment of Russian naval assets seen off British shores in recent years. Britain's HMS Richmond frigate and the HMS Duncan air defence destroyer were monitoring the task force, which also included the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer. - 'Test the alliance' - Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the Russian naval deployment was aimed at "testing" British and broader NATO capabilities "The Russian fleet that is now sailing from the North ... is clearly designed to test the alliance. It's being marked every step of the way by the Royal Navy and ships and planes of other NATO members as well. "It's clearly designed ... to test our response, and any weaknesses in the alliance, and we must make sure we respond in due measure," Fallon said. The deployment comes after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of its Northern Fleet, would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to boost its naval forces in the area. Russia has been staging a bombing campaign in Syria for the past year in support of long-time ally President Bashar al-Assad and deployed a naval contingent to back up its operation. A Royal Navy spokesman said the Russian ships were "behaving very well", including booking areas for flying and calling up coastguard stations. A NATO official said separately the deployment "does not inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syria crisis even as it implemented a temporary "humanitarian pause" to operations on Thursday. Since tensions erupted over Ukraine two years ago, Russian air and naval forces have had a number of close shaves with their NATO counterparts. Syrian rebels preventing evacuation of Aleppo: Lavrov Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday accused Syrian rebels of preventing civilians from leaving areas of battle-scarred east Aleppo despite a humanitarian truce in Syria's second city. In a phone call to his US counterpart John Kerry, Lavrov said the halt in fighting should give both civilians and rebels the opportunity to leave. However he told Kerry that "the rebels are violating the ceasefire and preventing the evacuation of the population", the Russian foreign ministry quoted him as saying in a statement. Syrians walk over rubble following air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of Aleppo Ameer Alhalbi (AFP/File) Kerry confirmed that he had spoken with Lavrov without mentioning any discussion on Syria. The phone call, initiated by Washington, is the seventh this month and came at the end of a day when the "humanitarian pause" in rebel-held east Aleppo took effect following weeks of heavy bombardment by Russia. So far hardly anyone in the rebel-held areas has used the corridors established for civilians and rebels to, separately, leave the city. The duration of the truce remained unclear. The Russian side had said it would last 11 hours on Thursday but Moscow later announced a 24-hour prolongation. Officials celebrate Elephant Butte centennial TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) Standing at the foot of one of New Mexico's most important pieces of water infrastructure, Gov. Susana Martinez and a crowd of state and federal officials marked the 100th birthday of Elephant Butte Dam. The construction of the dam and the ability to store water in the reservoir has allowed for a century of irrigation in southern New Mexico, West Texas and Mexico. Aside from creating the state's largest lake, the towering concrete structure provides flood control for the lower Rio Grande and irrigation water to 178,000 acres of farmland throughout the region. This photo provided by the Bureau of Reclamation shows an American flag displayed on Elephant Butte Dam as part of a centennial celebration near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Alexander Stephens/Bureau of Reclamation via AP) Martinez called the dam an impressive sight, at just over 300 feet high and more than five times as wide. "It stores hundreds of millions of gallons of water and has helped to make southern New Mexico an agricultural powerhouse," she said. "You know we love our Hatch green chile and it doesn't water itself." She also mentioned the onions, pecan orchards and other crops that depend on water from the reservoir. The dam also brings in tourism dollars from the boaters and other recreationists who frequent the lake, which Martinez described as one of New Mexico's flagship attractions. State parks officials said more than a million visitors were counted at Elephant Butte last year. Wednesday's celebration was followed by guided tours of the dam. Congress authorized construction of Elephant Butte Dam in February 1905. The Bureau of Reclamation oversaw construction over a five-year period. When completed in 1916, it was the second-largest dam in the world, surpassed only by the Aswan Dam in Egypt. In this photo provided the Bureau of Reclamation, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez addresses a crowd during the Elephant Butte Dam centennial celebration near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Alexander Stephens/Bureau of Reclamation via AP) US says it detected failed NKorean missile launch WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. military says it detected a "failed" North Korean missile launch on Wednesday. The U.S. Strategic Command issued a statement late Wednesday saying it presumed the missile was a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, said the U.S. condemns the attempted missile launch, calling it a provocation. He said the U.S. government intends to raise its concerns at the United Nations. AP FACT CHECK: Trump, Clinton and their debate claims WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump painted an inaccurately dark portrait of manufacturing in America while Hillary Clinton stretched credulity in boasting that her spending plans won't add to the country's debt. As well, both struggled in the presidential final debate to explain comments from their past. A look at some of the claims in the debate and how they compare with the facts: TRUMP: "We're not making things anymore, relatively speaking." Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump debates Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Mark Ralston/Pool via AP) THE FACTS: Despite his "relatively speaking" hedge, the assertion is wrong. U.S. factory production has more than doubled since 1979, when manufacturing employment was at its peak. The problem is that it takes fewer people to produce more. The United States has lost more than 7 million factory jobs, a drop of nearly 40 percent, since the 1979 manufacturing employment peak. Factory production, minus the cost of raw materials and certain other expenses, reached $1.91 trillion last year, according to the Commerce Department, which uses 2009 dollars to adjust for inflation. That's a notch below the record set on the eve of the Great Recession in 2007. Factories have used robotics and computers to increase output even with fewer workers. The U.S. still produces plenty of autos, planes, steel and other metals, and large industrial machinery. ___ CLINTON: "I don't add a penny to the national debt." THE FACTS: Not true, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It estimates her increased spending in areas such as infrastructure, more financial aid for college and early childhood education, would increase the national debt by $200 billion over 10 years. That is far less than their estimate for Trump, who they predict would add $5.3 trillion over 10 years. But it's plenty more than a penny. ___ TRUMP, referring to a 2010 U.S.-Russia treaty limiting both countries to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads: "They create warheads. We can't." The FACTS: Incorrect. The New START treaty, which Trump called "Start Up," does not prevent either the U.S. or Russia from building nuclear warheads. It restricts each country to a total of 1,550 warheads deployed on bombers, submarines and in underground silos and requires that this limit be reached by February 2018. ___ CLINTON, on whether she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: "I was talking about energy." THE FACTS: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said in the speech that "my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Trump suggested. ___ CLINTON: "He held a number of big rallies where he said that he could not possibly have done those things to those women because they were not attractive enough." TRUMP: "I did not say that. I did not say that." THE FACTS: He did say that. At an Oct. 13 rally, Trump criticized the physical attractiveness of People magazine reporter Natasha Stoynoff, who has said Trump forced himself on her at Mar-a-Lago while she was interviewing him for a story. Trump said: "Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words, you tell me what you think. I don't think so." ___ CLINTON: "I want to make college debt free." THE FACTS: Clinton might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room and board can lead students to borrow. Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Trump is correct that government would shoulder higher costs with Clinton's plan. Her plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. ___ TRUMP: "Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes." THE FACTS: Clinton's plan wouldn't raise taxes at all for 95 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The very wealthiest would take the greatest hit, though a doubling is highly questionable. Two-thirds of her proposed increases would hit the top 0.1 percent of richest Americans, the center estimates. The main components of her tax plan: a minimum 30 percent tax on those earning at least $1 million a year, and a 4 percent tax surcharge for those earning more than $5 million a year. She would also cap the value of tax deductions and exclusions for wealthier taxpayers. ___ CLINTON on her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: "It didn't meet my test." THE FACTS: It met her test when she was secretary of state and she promoted it worldwide. Hacked emails from Clinton's campaign, released Wednesday by WikiLeaks, showed that Jake Sullivan, her top foreign policy adviser, called her a "big champion" of the deal and worried about how to handle the issue in the face of Sen. Bernie Sanders' opposition. She later flip-flopped into opposition during the Democratic primaries against Sanders. Clinton says she no longer backs the proposed trade deal as written because it does not provide enough protections for U.S. workers on wages, jobs and the country's national security. Yet the final deal also includes some of the strongest labor protections of any U.S. trade agreement. ___ TRUMP: "Hillary Clinton wanted the (border) wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally it wasn't built." THE FACTS: He's partly right. As a senator from New York, Clinton did support the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which authorized the construction of hundreds of miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. But it was built, contrary to Trump's assertion. Nearly 700 miles of fencing was put in place during President George W. Bush's second term and the beginning of President Barack Obama's first term. The fencing is placed largely in urban areas along the nearly 2,000-mile frontier. It is not the type of solid wall that Trump has pledged to construct at Mexico's expense. The fence has miles-long gaps and gates built in to allow landowners access to their property on the south side of the fencing. Immigrants have been known to go over and around the fence. ___ TRUMP: "So I just left some high representatives of India. They're growing at 8 percent. China is growing at 7 percent. And that for them is a catastrophically low number. We are growing, our last report came out and it's right around the 1 percent level and I think it's going down." THE FACTS: China and India are growing faster in large part because they're playing catch-up to the United States, the world's largest economy. Those two Asian countries are starting from a much lower baseline with a much larger population than the United States, meaning that by definition they should be growing faster. Economists would warn of a dangerous bubble if the United States grew that quickly and financial markets would fear a devastating recession to follow. But China and India aren't any better off than the U.S., said former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in an analysis released Wednesday. On a per-capita basis, China has just 10 percent of the United States' income. India has about 6 percent. Factoring in life expectancy, inequality and leisure, Bernanke notes that the United States comes off even better. ___ TRUMP: "Last week, as you know, the end of last week, they came out with an anemic jobs report. A terrible jobs report." THE FACTS: The September jobs report that Trump calls "terrible" is actually viewed by most economists as encouraging. Employers added 156,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent because more Americans felt confident enough to start looking for jobs, a positive sign. ___ TRUMP: Under Hillary Clinton, "$6 billion went missing" at the State Department. THE FACTS: Not exactly. That figure is a distortion about a legitimate record-keeping concern. In 2014, the State Department's inspector general released an alert warning that the documentation for $6 billion in State Department contracts was incomplete. But there's no reason to think that all occurred under Clinton. The inspector general, Steve Linnick, specifically disavowed the conclusion that the money went missing. ___ TRUMP: "President Obama has moved millions of people out ... millions of people have been moved out of this country." THE FACTS: That's true. Obama has overseen the deportation of more than 2.5 million immigrants since taking office in January 2009. During Obama's first term hundreds of thousands of immigrants were deported annually, following a trend of increasing deportations started under President George W. Bush. The administration set a record in 2014 when more than 409,000 people were sent home. During his second term, deportations have steadily declined as he has opted to focus immigration enforcement on deporting serious criminals and those who pose a threat to national security or public safety. Trump also claims that "nobody knows about it, nobody talks about it" and that's not so. Obama has been dubbed "the deporter in chief" by immigration advocates and opponents of his immigration enforcement policies. ___ TRUMP: Clinton "has no idea whether it's Russia, China or anybody else" behind recent hacks of Democratic organizations and individuals. "Our country has no idea." THE FACTS: Trump's refusal to point the finger at Moscow is at odds with the prevailing position of the U.S. intelligence community. "We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities," the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said recently in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security. Russia has denied accusations that it was behind the effort. ___ TRUMP: Insurance premiums under the Obama health care law next year "are going to go up over 100 percent." THE FACTS: Premiums are going up, and by double digits in many states, but to say it's over 100 percent is hyperbole. The full impact of next year's premium increases is going to take time to sort out, and will vary across the country. Full information will be available Nov. 1 when the HealthCare.gov market goes live. A study this summer by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation looked at 14 metro areas with complete information and found premiums were rising in 12 of them. The average increase for a popular option called the "lowest-cost silver plan" was 11 percent. Since then, some states have reported higher numbers. California's marketplace projected an average increase of 13.2 percent. The three insurers in Tennessee's market got increases of 44 percent, 46 percent, and 62 percent on average. In Minnesota customers will see increases ranging from 50 percent to 67 percent. Many consumers receive subsidies that will offset the rising premiums, but an estimated 9 million people buy individual policies outside the health law's markets and pay full freight. Many will be shocked when they get their renewal notices. ___ CLINTON: The Obama health care law "extended the solvency of the Medicare trust fund." If Trump repeals the law, "our Medicare problem gets worse." THE FACTS: Clinton is basically on target, but Medicare's funding problems are more complicated than she implies. The 2010 health care law was partly financed with cuts in future payments to hospitals, insurers and other Medicare service providers. According to projections at the time, that extended the solvency of the Medicare trust fund to 2029. (Otherwise Medicare would have been unable to fully pay its bills in 2017.) Republican budgets since then have kept Obama's Medicare cuts. But the health care law did not solve Medicare's financial problems. The trust fund is currently projected to be exhausted in 2028. The program's trustees have repeatedly warned Congress and the president that action is needed to sustain Medicare over the long haul. ___ TRUMP: "If you look at your voter rolls you will see millions of people that are registered to vote, millions this isn't coming from me, this is coming from Pew report and other places millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldn't be registered to vote." THE FACTS: Trump correctly cited the Pew report, although the finding does not prove his point that the presidential election is "rigged." A 2012 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that 24 million voter registrations on the books were either no longer valid or inaccurate in some way. Some were failures to remove names of people who had died or moved, blamed on "antiquated" state registration systems. But the report didn't find or even discuss any evidence of voting fraud. ___ Associated Press writers Cal Woodward, Mary Clare Jalonick, Robert Burns, Deb Riechmann, Chad Day, Stephen Braun, Christopher S. Rugaber, Jeff Horwitz, Alicia A. Caldwell and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report. ___ FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz out with torn Achilles FRISCO, Texas (AP) FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz will miss the playoffs with a torn left Achilles tendon, a significant setback for the MLS-leading club with one game left in the regular season. Diaz had surgery Wednesday, three days after he was injured in the 89th minute of a 2-1 home victory against Seattle. The 25-year-old Argentine led FC Dallas with five goals and 13 assists. Diaz had three game-winning goals and seven game-winning assists. Final debate brings little clarity to undecided voters RIVER FALLS, Wis. (AP) As a tumultuous campaign nears an end, undecided voters across the country watched the final debate of the U.S. presidential race with a mix of skepticism and rapt attention Wednesday night. They were searching for clarity, and some found it. But others remained painfully undecided just a few weeks before the election, saying neither candidate won them over. "I heard a lot of the same rhetoric spewed over and over again," said 41-year-old Damon Holter, who makes barbecue sauces and marinades in western Wisconsin. "I know I need to make a decision. I just don't know how to get there." Undecided voters Damon Holter, left, and Kyia Britts watch the third and final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump at Bo's 'N Mine bar and grill in River Falls, Wis., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen) Here's what else Holter and others had to say: 'LIKE A LITTLE KID' Watching the start of the debate at Bo's 'N Mine bar and grill in River Falls, Holter took note when Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump again did not shake hands. "He's just like a little kid," he said when Trump began speaking. Still, the GOP candidate did a better job than in the first two debates, taking charge while Clinton stumbled, Holter said. "She's no longer acting presidential" when she's interrupting Trump, he said. But when Trump talked about the U.S. border with Mexico, Holter scoffed: "The whole notion of a wall is pretty ridiculous." Overall, he said, nothing either candidate said swayed him. THE VERDICT: Holter remains undecided. A HOUSE DIVIDED Chadd Bunker, 50, a union truck driver in Sparks, Nevada, who considers himself largely politically apathetic, said after the debate he's still not sure if he will end up voting, but he doesn't think he'll cast his ballot for Trump. The longtime LA Dodgers fan kept an eye on his laptop streaming the National League championship against the Cubs while watching the debate in his living room with his wife Karen, a staunch Democrat. "I think Hillary kicked his butt. And that's my unbiased opinion, because I don't really care," said Chadd Bunker, an avid outdoorsman and gun owner. "She may be crooked. She may have done stuff, but she seems the most logical." Bunker cast his first presidential vote for Ronald Reagan in 1984, voted for Obama in 2008 and sat out the 2012 election. He said he is pro-abortion rights and didn't learn until Wednesday night that Trump is not. He doesn't think his life will change much regardless of who wins. He likes Trump's experience in the business world and believes Clinton would be better at handling foreign affairs. "Neither one of them is going to come to my house and take my guns," Chadd Bunker said. THE VERDICT: "I don't know if I decided one way or the other. But if I did have to vote, I would probably vote for Hillary Clinton. I would not vote for Trump," Chadd Bunker said. ROOKIE VOTER Taylor Botwinis of Clinton Township, Michigan, is 26, but this will be the first time she casts a ballot in a presidential election. Clinton is a no-go for the homeschooling mother of three. For Botwinis, the debate was an opportunity to hear more from Trump and decide whether to support the Republican or vote for a third-party candidate. She filled a page with handwritten notes early in the debate but put down her pen when the discussion slid into finger-pointing over ethics, morals and fitness for office. "The first four issues Supreme Court, Second Amendment, abortion, immigration I could side with Trump," she said. "Now they're nitpicking. They're just like kids." Botwinis noted Trump didn't directly answer when asked about U.S. troops possibly going to Syria under his presidency. She liked his pledge to improve the economy, saying too many college graduates aren't working in their field of study. Botwinis cringed when Trump called Clinton a "nasty woman." "Even if he's thinking that have a filter," she said. THE VERDICT: Botwinis said she'll likely vote for Trump because of his "stances, not his personality." FIRST-GENERATION AMERICAN Hussien Kazwini, a community college student in Toledo, Ohio, says this debate was more substantive, but there were no big moments that changed the race. "Hillary was on the defensive, but I don't think Trump made a big splash to change or damage Hillary's momentum." Kazwini, whose parents were born in Lebanon before coming to the United States 30 years ago, will vote in his first election. He says Trump's stand on immigration and threats to deport people "isn't morally right" but he also doesn't believe there should be open borders. Kazwini noted Trump kept his temper in check until he called Clinton a "nasty woman" near the end of the debate. "He can't help himself," Kazwini said. THE VERDICT: He's still undecided but leaning toward Clinton. He says Trump's comments about women and his demeanor are not huge issues. However, "I want to hold a president to higher standards." TOO POLISHED Matt Alsaeedi, 26, felt refreshed by Clinton's authenticity during much of the debate, saying an overall mistrust in government "hurts her as much as it helps her" as a candidate. The Charlotte School of Law student originally from Sandy Run, South Carolina, who said he leans to the left politically, was listening for discussion of foreign policy issues. "I liked Secretary Clinton's specificity as to what she wanted to do, her knowledge of the issues," Alsaeedi said. "I did not get that impression from Donald Trump, but then again, I expect him to delegate most of those duties anyway." The biggest disappointment to Alsaeedi was a lack of discussion of veterans' issues. "There's a crisis with mental health issues," he said. "There's an epidemic, and it wasn't even mentioned, and it bothers me. ... I would have expected Secretary Clinton to at least have dropped the 'V' word, and it was not." THE VERDICT: Alsaeedi remains undecided, saying he was turned off by Clinton's polished-politician persona. "I was on board with her until she opened the can in the conclusion," he said. "It felt like she just spewed this message. I'm undecided still out of a lack of trust in Secretary Clinton, unfortunately." LESSER OF TWO EVILS Alanna Conti, a 25-year-old graphic designer from rural Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, changed her party registration from independent to Democrat so she could vote for Bernie Sanders. After he lost the primary, she thought about casting her ballot for Libertarian Gary Johnson or Green Party candidate Jill Stein. But Conti doesn't want to throw away her vote so she's considering backing Trump or Clinton, even though "I dislike both of them very much." Conti favors universal health care and free public college, but she's also open to middle-class tax cuts and even a corporate tax cut, if it would bring jobs back from overseas. As she watched the debate at her home, Conti drew two columns on a pad one labeled Clinton, the other Trump and quietly took notes. Afterward, Conti said Clinton won on policy, as Clinton's views on guns, college and abortion more closely align with hers. "It's a lesser of two evils election, I think, unless you're like a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter or Trump supporter, Anyone who's in the middle is not happy at all with the choices we have," she said. THE VERDICT: Conti says she'll probably vote for Clinton. "I still don't like her. But if she does half the things she says she wants to do, I'll be pretty happy." DETERMINED TO VOTE Erin Ross, a 36-year-old certified nurse midwife, has always voted Republican. But after the debate, she's still looking for a GOP candidate. Trump could have won her vote, "but he blew it," said Ross, who has four college and post-graduate degrees and whose top issues are immigration, health care and character. Ross is determined to cast a presidential ballot. But she doesn't know for whom, yet, "and that is painful," she said after watching the debate at her suburban Denver home with her husband, Mike, also a Republican. Neither Trump nor Clinton is a role model, and the country needs that in a president, Ross said. "One person says outrageous things, is racist, sexist and full of himself, and the other engages in criminal behavior but escapes responsibility with the right connections," Ross said of Trump and Clinton, respectively. Both talked too little about the future Wednesday night, Ross said about health care, immigration, refugees and entitlement programs. On the election rigging exchange in which Trump said Clinton's running post-email scandal was criminal, and Clinton called his positions dangerous for peaceful transfers of power Ross had to agree with both candidates. "I want facts, not whining that it's rigged," she said of Trump. But Clinton, she said, "owes a lot of people a lot of favors." THE VERDICT: Ross remains undecided. RELUCTANT DEMOCRAT Dave Hart, 39, of Phoenix, is a Democrat torn between voting for Clinton and a third-party candidate. A software support specialist who works from home, Hart watched the debate with a friend at Chambers On First pub in downtown Phoenix. Hart started out as a Sanders supporter and never warmed up to Clinton. It has nothing to do with her email issues, he said. It's her history as "somebody that plays the game to get what she wants rather than do what's right." Hart has put off filling out his early ballot, which arrived last week. He saw the final debate as Clinton's last chance to sway him. Hart has been adamantly opposed to Trump, and the debate only cemented his opinion. Hart laughed several times, especially when Trump said he would run the country the way he runs his company. "Look how many times he's gone bankrupt or ripped off little people little businesses," Hart said. As Trump continued to talk over moderator Chris Wallace and Clinton, Hart joked there was one way Clinton could get his vote. "If she just walked over right now and punched him in the face, I would go home and fill out my ballot," Hart said. THE VERDICT: Hart is still not 100 percent behind Clinton, and did appreciate some of her comments about helping families, women and children. He wants to do more research but might half-heartedly join Team Hillary. "Honestly, if I can't think of a reason not to vote for her, I will," Hart said. READY TO TAKE A CHANCE For Justin Harris, both candidates had their moments in the debate, but neither really stood out. The 43-year-old father of three said he had hoped to hear more about foreign policy and economic issues and was frustrated when the candidates instead used their time to launch personal attacks. He scoffed and laughed toward the end of the debate when Clinton and Trump were talking over one another. "I felt like I was in 8th grade or something," said Harris, who watched the debate at Big Al's bar in suburban Richmond while the other patrons continued watching sports. Harris, who works as a telecommunication-broadband consultant, said he didn't like how Trump interrupted the moderator, Chris Wallace. But he also said he didn't think Clinton did a good job of actually answering the questions. THE VERDICT: Harris says that after tonight's debate, he's leaning toward Trump. He's afraid that if he votes for Clinton, she will maintain the status quo, which for him and the country isn't a good thing, he said. "All I know is the status quo right now, I'm not happy with and I don't want my kids and my grandkids to keep doing the status quo because it ain't working. Sometimes you got to take a chance, take a gamble," he said. He added that Trump "can only do so much damage, because Congress controls everything." ___ Sonner reported from Sparks, Nevada. Also contributing to this report were James Anderson in Denver; Meg Kinnard in Charlotte, North Carolina; Terry Tang in Phoenix; Ed White in Clinton Township, Michigan; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Michael Rubinkam in Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania; and Alanna Durkin Richer in Richmond, Virginia. Undecided voter and lifelong Los Angeles Dodger fan Chadd Bunker, 50, checks out a National League Championship baseball game on a laptop computer as his wife Karen watches the final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump on TV at their home in Sparks, Nev., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner) Alanna Conti, 25, poses for a photo before watching the final presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump at her home in Sweet Valley, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Conti, who voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary, has not decided who she'll vote for in the fall election. (AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam) NYU students react while watching the presidential debate between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump during a debate watch gathering, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Patrons watch the presidential debate on television at Bokampers Sports Bar & Grill, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in Miramar, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) NYU students react while watching the presidential debate between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump during a debate watch gathering, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Fadumo Osman, left, political director for NYU College Democrats, watches the presidential debate between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump during a debate watch gathering, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Militant in Jakarta attack dies from gun shot wounds JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) A suspected militant who attacked police on the outskirts of the Indonesian capital Jakarta with a machete and pipe bombs has died from gunshot wounds, police said Thursday. Jakarta police spokesman Awi Setiyono said three officers including a local police chief were injured and the attacker, who was shot several times, died on the way to hospital due to blood loss from wounds to his legs and stomach. Footage broadcast on TVOne showed the man limping around a busy city road carrying weapons including what appeared to be a pipe bomb. At one point, the footage showed him running toward an officer. Police said the injured officers have stab wounds and have been hospitalized but the attacker also threw explosives. A member of police bomb squad inspects the site where police officers were attacked earlier, in Tangerang, Indonesia, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. A man with an Islamic State group symbol was shot Thursday after attacking the officers with a machete, police said. (AP Photo) Police were monitoring a protest when the attack occurred Thursday morning in the satellite city of Tangerang. The attacker, Sultan Azianzah, 21, was unemployed and a member of Daulah Islam, a hardline group in Ciamis in West Java province, said Setiyono. Radical Islamic groups in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, have been weakened by a sustained security crackdown since the 2002 bombings on the tourist island of Bali. But IS's high profile attacks in the Middle East and Europe and the group's online propaganda have helped to recruit a tiny minority of Indonesians to their cause, mostly teenagers and young adults. Experts say their capacity to mount successful attacks is still limited. An attack in central Jakarta in January killed eight people including four attackers. Subsequent attacks have failed completely, including a would-be bombing of a church in Medan on Sumatra and an attack on a police complex in Solo on Java that killed only the suicide bomber. Police seized sharp weapons, pipe bombs and an IS sticker as evidence in the Tangerang attack. They believe Azianzah traveled to greater Jakarta with the intention of attacking police, a frequent target of Islamic militants in Indonesia. Local media reported that the attack unfolded after police intervened when the man tried to put an IS symbol on a police post. ___ Police in Yongjia County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province recently cracked down on an illegal network involved in smuggling the blood samples of pregnant mainland women to Hong Kong in order to test the gender of the fetus. With nine months of relentless endeavor, the police arrested 11 suspects out of more than 300 people involved in the illegal business with a transaction value estimated at 200 million yuan (US$29.69 million) -- the largest case of criminal fetal gender testing so far detected in the country. During the investigation of the illegal blood tests that can lead to termination of pregnancy (especially if the fetus is female), police and local family planning authorities maintained surveillance of several key suspects, including a man named Li, who touted the Hong Kong gender tests among the pregnant women in Leqing and Yongjia of Zhejiang Province. Li was once a staff member of Yuhuan County Peoples Hospital from which he was fired due to unclear reasons years ago. He opened a pharmaceutical store after leaving the hospital and one day found the website of a fetal test business offering to help pregnant women determine fetal genders from their blood sample sent to an agent company in Shenzhen that worked with clinics in Hong Kong. Having convinced the Shenzhen company of his medical backgrounds, Li soon became one of their agents by introducing pregnant women to the business. He had earned hundreds of thousands of yuan before being arrested, police said. A man named Zhou was another suspect detained. It was the second time he had been arrested for involvement in the illegal blood test business. As a staff member from a private hospital in Leqing, Zhou used to draw blood from pregnant women and send their samples to Hong Kong for fetal gender tests, which consequently led to his arrest in 2015. Later, he was released upon bail pending trial. However, Zhou couldnt resist the fat rewards on offer and restarted the blood smuggling business from a flat with a constantly changing cell phone number. He was re-arrested based on the identification by several pregnant women. Liu Yixiao, a policeman from Yongjia Police Office, said Zhou charged between 2,000 and 4,000 yuan as his commission for each blood test costing 6,000 yuan. Xie Yongping, a team leader in Yongjia Police Office, explained: To ascertain fetal gender by the blood samples of mothers-to-be is not illegal in Hong Kong; therefore, some agents in Shenzhen (neighboring Hong Kong) started to set up transfer stations to send blood samples there. Li and Zhou provided test cubes, needles, ice bags and protocols as traders positioned at the lowest end of the business chain, said Xie. They disguised the blood samples as cosmetic products and left no detailed messages about the addresses of recipients, who would send couriers to collect and deliver them to a logistics center. With the cooperation of several pregnant women, who pretended to want a fetal gender test while working with liaison personnel in Shenzhen, the police raided several illegal organizations allegedly involved in the business. They broke into five agencies in Shenzhen and arrested 11 suspects whose confessions enabled them to chart the illegal blood-transaction business. More than 50,000 pregnant women and 300 suspects involved in the illegal business were subsequently identified with the ring leader named Lin, who fled to Hong Kong after the raids. Lin, 59, a Hong Kong native, had set up the colossal network of blood sample transaction in 2013 in Shenzhen. The organization extended fast to 30 subsidiaries with 120 employees and 200 regional agents. Most employees were women born between the 1980s and 1990s, whom Lin lured with high salaries and dividends that reportedly reached 200,000 yuan a month for each core member. Through the trans-provincial action, the police took 75 suspects into custody and have so far identified more than 40 of them. When visiting the pregnant women involved in the illegal business, police found most of them are from rural areas where the expectations of giving birth to a boy are high especially among the women whose first child was a girl. The Chinese mainland prohibits prenatal gender tests partly out of concern for demographic imbalance and the elimination of discriminations against females -- an old mindset still haunting families, especially those from rural towns and villages. Takeaways: Trump refuses to commit to accepting 2016 results LAS VEGAS (AP) Trailing in the polls, Donald Trump had little to lose in his final debate against Hillary Clinton. He still managed to send shock waves, refusing to say he would accept the results of the 2016 election if he loses. Trump largely steered clear of making personal attacks against Clinton at the start of the debate, but repeatedly clashed with the former secretary of state as it went on. He called her a liar, questioned her experience and at one point labeled her "such a nasty woman." Unconventional as always, the celebrity businessman wouldn't commit to conceding the election if he fails to win the White House, a staggering declaration by a presidential nominee. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Some takeaways from Wednesday's debate: __ NO SURRENDER More than an hour into the debate, Trump would not commit to honoring the election results if Clinton wins. Pressed by moderator Chris Wallace, Trump said he would "keep you in suspense." Clinton said it was "horrifying" that Trump wouldn't heed the nation's tradition of having a peaceful transfer of power. The businessman has argued without providing any evidence that the election is rigged against him and has suggested Clinton would be an illegitimate president because she used a private email server as secretary of state. He said she "never should have been allowed to run." __ 'NASTY WOMAN' Trump faces the possibility of a large gender gap against Clinton and some of his commentary is unlikely to help him with women voters in swing states. At the end of the night, Trump referred to Clinton as a "nasty woman" and denied again that he had engaged in any sexually aggressive behavior, blaming Clinton's campaign for the series of women who have charged him with groping and other forms of harassment and assault in recent days. The GOP candidate said he didn't know his accusers. "I didn't even apologize to my wife," Trump said, "because I didn't do anything." In an interview earlier this week, Melania Trump said her husband apologized to her. Clinton didn't let the moment go, noting that Trump had derided the women as unattractive and "disgusting." Clinton said, "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger." __ BAD HOMBRES When Trump reiterated his call to build a wall along the Mexican border, he vowed again to get rid of "drug lords" and "bad people" in the country. Adding a touch of Spanish, Trump said, "we have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out." The phrase quickly resonated on social media with allies of Clinton saying Trump was denigrating immigrants. Clinton said Trump's immigration policies would amount to "rounding up people who are undocumented" and would "rip our country apart." __ ABORTION The candidates had their first extended exchange over abortion rights of the general election. Trump said he thought Roe vs. Wade would "automatically" be overturned if he is elected because he will appoint justices who are against abortion rights. But he refused to say whether he personally thinks the landmark case should be overturned. Clinton said she'd strongly defend the ruling and offered a passionate defense of a woman's right to have an abortion, even as Trump accused her of supporting "ripping" babies from their mothers' wombs. "This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make, and I do not believe the government should be making it," Clinton said. __ PUTIN A question over immigration quickly turned into a sharp exchange over Russia's role in the election, an issue that has become central to the campaign. Asked about her apparent support for "open borders" in a private speech to a Brazilian bank, Clinton pointed out that the excerpt came from a hack of her campaign chairman's personal email an intrusion that U.S. intelligence agencies blame on Russia. She called on Trump to "reject Russian espionage against Americans" and cast him as a "puppet" of Vladimir Putin. Trump shot back that Clinton was the "puppet," saying "of course" he condemns Russia or any other country interfering in the U.S. elections. But Trump said he doubted that Russia had hacked emails from her campaign. Trump went onto say that Putin is not "my best friend." He added, "She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way." __ 'BAD EXPERIENCE' At the end of President Barack Obama's two terms, Trump tried to reach voters who may be in the mood for a change in Washington. He cast himself as an outsider, acknowledging to Clinton: "The one thing you have over me is experience. But it's bad experience." Trump said, "The problem is, you talk, but you don't get anything done, Hillary." Clinton responded by comparing her record over the past three decades to Trump's resume as a businessman. She pointedly noted that on the day she was inside the White House Situation Room during the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, Trump was hosting his NBC reality show, "Celebrity Apprentice." __ TOO LATE? Trump did not appear to do enough to connect with women, college-educated and suburban voters who have gravitated to Clinton during the fall and helped her build a solid lead in preference polls. His unwillingness to say he'll accept the results of the election should he lose will give Clinton another way to argue that he doesn't have the temperament to be president. And now Trump has little time to make up ground. When the debate got underway, about 2.2 million Americans had already voted and many more will take part in in-person early voting next week. Clinton's campaign expects more than half the electorate in the battleground states of Florida, North Carolina and Nevada will vote before Election Day. For many voters, the debate may have been the final chance for Clinton and Trump to make their case. __ Thomas reported from Washington. ___ Follow Ken Thomas and Lisa Lerer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/kthomasdc and http://twitter.com/llerer Trump on Clinton: 'Such a nasty woman' WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump asserted in the final presidential debate that no one respects women more than he does. Yet in its closing moments, standing onstage with the first major-party female presidential nominee in U.S. history, he called Hillary Clinton "such a nasty woman." Political pundits of both parties expressed shock at the snipe, with many on social media and cable news identifying it as one of the Republican nominee's worst moments of the 90-minute meetup in Las Vegas. Instantly, the Twitter hashtag "nastywoman" was born, with social media users making mostly positive comments about the Democratic nominee, and entrepreneurs began marketing T-shirts. A website riffing on it nasty women get (expletive) done redirects visitors to Clinton's campaign donation page. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton debates Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Mark Ralston/Pool via AP) The people running Clinton's Twitter account also made sure to highlight the disparity between Trump's statement earlier, "Nobody respects women more than me," and his "nasty woman" utterance. Trump defenders, including conservative radio host Mark Levin, argued that both men and women can be "nasty" and that there was nothing sexist about his remark. Just before Trump said that, Clinton seemed to get under his skin. She'd been talking about her proposal to preserve Social Security and Medicare. Her plan, she noted, would raise taxes on the wealthy, including her and Trump. And then she added of the billionaire, who in the 1990s took nearly a $1 billion write-off for business losses: "Assuming he can't figure out how to get out of it." As she continued talking Trump interjected, "Such a nasty woman." He raised his right hand to point his finger and shook his head, letting his mouth drop open in apparent disgust. That time Trump refused to say he'll accept election result WASHINGTON (AP) Sometimes, the answer to a debate question seems obvious. Donald Trump, will you absolutely accept the results of this presidential election? He dodged. Twice. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump debates Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez) "I will look at it at the time," Trump bobbed. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News pressed the question again. "I will tell you at the time," Trump weaved. "I'll keep you in suspense." The final presidential debate of the 2016 campaign got off to a remarkably civil start Wednesday night: two candidates discussing serious issues such as abortion and gun control. Imagine that. Could this campaign, ugly and unpredictable for so long, finally be veering back to more traditional territory? Don't count on it. A half-hour in, the name calling and interruptions resumed. An hour in, came the stunner: An exchange in which a major presidential candidate, speaking to tens of millions of watching American voters, declined to endorse the legitimacy of the coming election results. "If you look at your voter rolls, you will see millions of people ... that are registered to vote that shouldn't be registered to vote," Trump said. He said Clinton shouldn't even be allowed to run for president, citing the "rigged" results of an FBI inquiry into her use of a private email setup. "She's guilty of a very, very serious crime," Trump said. For the record: There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in U.S. elections. And the FBI concluded that while Clinton had handled classified material in her emails in a reckless manner, there was nothing to prosecute. Clinton was quick to call out Trump. She called his response "horrifying." "He is talking down our democracy," she said. "I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position." Clinton offered other examples of Trump crying foul when things didn't go his way: when he lost the Iowa caucuses, when he lost the Wisconsin primary, when Trump University got sued. "There was even a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row, he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged," Clinton said. Trump jumped in: "I should've gotten it." That drew a chuckle from the audience, but Clinton insisted it was no laughing matter. "This is a mindset," she said. "This is how Donald thinks. And it's funny, but it's also really troubling." She went on to extol the U.S. history of free and fair elections and said plenty of candidates have accepted the outcomes even "when we may not have liked them." The Republican nominee was uncowed. As the 90-minute debate moved on to other subjects, Trump got in one last dig: "Such a nasty woman." ___ Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ Moderator Chris Wallace, of FOX News, turns towards the audience as he questions Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez) In Philippine drug war, a family struggles to stay safe MANILA, Philippines (AP) The bodies terrified Betchie Salvador, because she always knew her husband could be next. They had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year so many that one local newspaper had to create a "Kill List" just to keep track. Dealers and addicts were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders. Their bodies ended up dumped on highways in the rain, curled in pools of blood in the slums. Some were found tied up, with masking tape plastered across their faces. Some were draped with cardboard signs that warned, "I'm a pusher. Don't Be Like Me." In this Sept. 5, 2016 photo, the body of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador lies on the pavement after being shot by unidentified men in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) With each new death, Betchie imagined losing the man she had loved for a decade a proud father of three who was also an addict. "We talked about it a lot," she said. "I told him, 'Please don't go out at night.'" "Don't worry," Marcelo always told her. "It's gonna' be OK." ___ MARCH 15: "When I become president, I'll order the police and the military to find these people and kill them. The funeral parlors will be packed." Duterte at a rally in the northern city of Lingayen, detailing plans to fight the drug trade. ____ THE LURE OF SHABU Marcelo's addiction began when he was working as a driver in the eastern province of Bicol. And all it took was one hit. A colleague introduced him to a potent methamphetamine known in the Philippines as "shabu," saying it helped him stay awake at night. The drug was ubiquitous and easy to get. It could also be smoked, snorted, or injected for as little as one dollar. When the couple moved to Manila last year, hoping for better work prospects, they settled in a busy central district called Las Pinas. Marcelo found a new job driving a "tricycle" a rickshaw with a motorcycle attached that is used as a taxi. He earned about $10 per day ferrying customers around the city, just enough to support their two boys, ages 6 and 7, and a newborn baby girl. He also found a new group of friends who were into shabu, and his year-old drug habit did not let up. Shortly after Marcelo arrived, a police officer caught him with methamphetamines. But there would be no jail time or court case to face, no drug rehabilitation program to go through. Marcelo bribed the officer to destroy his case file and let him go. ___ MAY 7: "All of you who are into drugs, you sons of bitches, I will really kill you. I have no patience, I have no middle ground." Duterte on the final day of campaigning for presidential elections. ___ THE PUNISHER Duterte called it a life-or-death threat to the nation, and the nation believed him. The Philippines was at risk of becoming a "narco state," he said. And a weary electorate, exasperated by decades of crime and corruption, agreed. Something had to be done. It didn't matter that statistics from the government's Dangerous Drugs Board showed the estimated rate of methamphetamine use had dropped from 6.7 million in 2004 to 1.7 million today. It didn't matter that this rate an estimated 2 percent of Filipinos was no higher than that of other countries like the United States or Australia in recent years, according to United Nations figures. It didn't matter that drug wars mounted in countries like Thailand or Colombia or America had miserably failed. What mattered was that drugs were still a problem, and this was a cause the nation could rally around. With prisons already crowded and a justice system so broken that drug cases could take a decade, Duterte argued successfully for another, quicker way. It was modeled in part on a brutal anti-crime campaign he spearheaded while mayor of the southern city of Davao, where he rode a Harley-Davidson and cultivated a New Sheriff in Town image that earned him nicknames like "Duterte Harry" and "The Punisher." The campaign was fought not just by state security forces, but by motorcycle-riding assassins known as the "Davao Death Squads" who massacred more than 1,000 people. Human Rights Watch says the grim wave of extrajudicial killing was directed by active duty police and former officers. Only a handful of perpetrators were convicted. After Duterte was sworn into office June 30, he directed police to launch a massive new anti-drug operation nationwide. It was called "Double Barrel." ___ JUNE 30: "They say that my methods are unorthodox and verge on the illegal ... The fight will be relentless and it will be sustained." Duterte speaking about the impending drug war during his inauguration speech. ___ 'PLEASE DON'T GO OUT AT NIGHT' In Marcelo's neighborhood, the mood shifted quickly. While security forces carried out raids and rounded up drug suspects, police drew up "watch-lists" of suspected addicts and dealers, aided by local officials, civil society leaders and vigilant residents. Drug suspects were called out. Just a couple hundred meters (yards) from Marcelo's home, residents demanded authorities evict a couple they accused of selling drugs. On July 12, the pair was found murdered in their rickshaw, where they had apparently tried to spend the night after being chased from their house, according to Filipino media. On July 18, another body turned up in Las Pinas, this time of a man with his neck slashed, found beside a placard labeling him an addict and a thief. By then, Marcelo's mother, Betty Soriano, had decided to start accompanying her son on his nightly tricycle shifts. The family believed he would be safer, and her presence would discourage him from spending time with the drug users he always ran across. Marcelo then made his wife an extraordinary promise: He was quitting shabu. It had become too dangerous. Betchie felt he had to do more, and convinced him to work day shifts. But the competition was too tough, the money too little, and Marcelo reverted to working nights. He told Betchie she didn't have to worry "because I'm not using drugs anymore." At one point, a government official approached Marcelo at his tricycle stand, and told him he needed to turn himself in, a process called "surrendering" that has drawn about 700,000 drug users so far. Most have been released after acknowledging their crimes, giving up the names of others involved in the narcotics trade, and pledging never to use again. Marcelo waved the man off, saying it wasn't necessary. He had already quit. ___ AUG. 6: "My order is shoot to kill you. I don't care about human rights, you better believe me." Duterte warning drug dealers during a press conference in Davao City after visiting a police officer who had been shot in the chest. ___ AN UNPRECENTED SURGE OF KILLINGS The police statistics show an astounding rise in the number of drug suspects shot dead by security forces: just 68 in the first half of the year, compared to 1,578 since Duterte took office. Vigilantes, though, appear to have killed significantly more: as many as 2,151 murders police have either linked to the drug trade or classified as "unexplained." At least 864 of them were carried out by motorcycle-riding gunmen a favored tactic employed by vigilantes against drug suspects. Jose Luis Martin "Chito" Gascon, director of the independent Commission on Human Rights, described them as extrajudicial killings, and said the phenomenon has plagued the country at least since late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in a "people power" revolt in 1986. The latest upsurge is "unprecedented," he said, "because of the scale, the large number ... over a fairly short period of time." There is no shortage of theories about who the vigilantes are: drug syndicates killing their own, rogue police offing informants, state-sponsored death squads like the ones in Davao. Regardless, human rights groups say Duterte bears much of the blame. In nationally televised speeches and press conferences he has repeatedly encouraged both the police and the public to eliminate drug suspects, dismissing the need for due process. The rhetoric is ironic in a country that banned the death penalty a decade ago, and it has left many aghast. "What I don't understand is, how can it boggles my mind how can you actually propose that to address the problem of injustice, you perpetuate more injustice?" Gascon said. One reason may be that many Filipinos feel there is no other way to fight drugs beyond brute force. Another may be that Duterte's campaign has had an immediate effect. Police say crime has fallen in some areas by nearly half, and neighborhoods once overrun with drug dealers are safer than they've been in years. ___ AUG. 26: "I'd like to be frank with you, are they (drug users) humans? What is your definition of a human being? Tell me." Duterte addressing soldiers at an army camp on Aug. 26. ___ GUNSHOTS IN THE DARK On the night of Sept. 5, Marcelo parked his rickshaw at a small roadside kiosk, where he had stopped to buy essentials for the morning coffee for his family, chocolate drinking powder for his kids. When Malvin Balingatan, who worked at the shop, leaned forward to hand him change, shots rang out, according to a copy of the police report obtained by The Associated Press. It was 10:05 p.m. As Balingatan ducked out of the way, he caught a glimpse of the killers receding into the darkness: two men in black on a motorcycle, helmets covering their faces. Marcelo managed to run 10 or 15 meters (yards) to the corner, where more shots were fired before he collapsed on the pavement. His mother, who had dutifully accompanied him that night and was cowering in the back of the tricycle, screamed out. "My son! My son!" At their family home, a five-minute walk away, Soriano broke the news to Betchie. Marcelo's children appeared, woken by the chaos and the crying. "Where's Daddy?" one of them asked. "Where's Daddy?" "He's gone," Betchie replied, tears streaming down her cheeks. By the time Betchie got to the scene, Marcelo her Marcelo was sprawled face-down in a pool of blood, his body lit by a halo of light from a bank of television cameras. A crowd had gathered, held back just behind a strip of yellow police tape that blocked the road. They stared silently at Marcelo's closed eyes, the blood stain on the back of his yellow shirt, the 13 numbered signs investigators had placed in the road beside each spent bullet. Just beside Marcelo's limp fingertips was a small translucent packet of white methamphetamines. ___ SEPT. 5: "Everybody has a terrible record of extrajudicial killings. Why make an issue about fighting crime?" Duterte at a press briefing in Davao City. ___ 'WE DON'T WANT ANY TROUBLE' Three days after the shooting, Betchie's boys are home playing video games on a cellphone beside the open casket that holds Marcelo. Betchie is thinking about their life together. She is trying not to cry. "I keep wondering what will happen to me, to my children," she says, explaining that her 39-year-old husband was their family's sole breadwinner. "All we can do now is pray." Her mother-in-law insists the drugs found at Marcelo's fingertips weren't his and weren't there when he died. She doesn't know who put them there, or why. Everything he had been holding the coffee, the chocolate powder had scattered across the ground when the first shots rang out. If he was running for his life, how could he have held on to shabu, she asks, but dropped the rest? She won't bring it up with the police, though, because "we don't want any trouble," she says. "What's the point? What for?" There is a certain shame that hangs over the families of slain drug users here, and most don't know where to turn for help. Few trust the country's notoriously corrupt police. Pointing fingers at killers who are still at large would also carry great risk. Betchie says she still hopes they find who did this. But her voice is tinged with resignation. She is looking down, eyes half closed. The vast majority of vigilante murders in the Philippines remain unsolved, and police say this case is no different. They have no leads. Outside on the street, Marcelo's rickshaw is parked on the curb, empty and quiet. A pair of red and blue wrist bands are wrapped around its headlight and speedometer, propaganda from the election campaign. Each is inscribed with seven white letters: D U T E R T E. ___ AP journalists Teresa Cerojano and Aaron Favila contributed to this report. In this Sept. 5, 2016 photo, police investigators inspect the body of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador after being shot by unidentified men in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 5, 2016 photo, police inspect the site where alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador was shot dead by unidentified men in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 8, 2016 photo, children look at the body of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador at their house in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 8, 2016 photo, a chick and some food and drinks are seen on top of the coffin of alleged drug Marcelo Salvador at their house in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Many superstitious Filipinos believe that putting a chick on a coffin of a person slain due to an attack or conflict will help hasten the attainment of justice while placing food on the casket help them attain a smooth journey in the afterlife. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 14, 2016 photo, Betchie Salvador, center, the wife of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador, his mother and family members grieve during funeral rites at their house in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 14, 2016 photo, the youngest daughter of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador touches the coffin of her father during funeral rites at their house in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 14, 2016 photo, family and friends walk beside apartment-type tombs as they attend the funeral of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador at a public cemetery in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 14, 2016 photo, cemetery workers carry the coffin of alleged drug user Marcelo Salvador during funeral rites in Las Pinas, south of Manila, Philippines. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. Salvador became a victim, the casualty of a vicious war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives as part of a campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 21, 2016 photo, a policeman checks on the unidentified body of an alleged drug lord with his head, hands and feet wrapped in packaging tape after it was dumped by unidentified men along a dark alley in Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 21, 2016 photo, a police investigator checks on the unidentified body of an alleged drug lord with his head, hands and feet wrapped in packaging tape and with a cardboard sign that reads "Kage Lao, Drug Lord of Mindanao, You will be next!" after it was dumped by unidentified men along a dark alley in Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 21, 2016 photo, the shadows of police investigators are reflected on a wall as they check an unidentified body of an alleged drug lord after it was dumped along a dark alley in Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 6, 2016 photo, two unidentified drug suspects lie on the ground after being shot by police as they tried to evade a checkpoint in Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 6, 2016 photo, policemen check the gun recovered from one of two unidentified drug suspects after they were shot dead by police as they tried to evade a checkpoint in Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 6, 2016 photo, police inspect one of two unidentified drug suspects after being shot by police as they tried to evade a checkpoint in Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 6, 2016 photo, police take out a bag of Marijuana from the pocket of one of two unidentified drug suspects after they were shot dead by police as they tried to evade a checkpoint in Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 12, 2016 photo, family and friends carry the coffin of alleged drug user Robert Manuel Jr. during funeral rites at Manila's North Cemetery, Philippines. Manuel and two other men were killed by police during a buy-bust operation. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) In this Sept. 12, 2016 photo, family and friends grieve as they pay their last respects to alleged drug user Robert Manuel Jr. during funeral rites at Manila's North Cemetery, Philippines. Manuel and two other men were killed by police during a buy-bust operation. Bodies had begun turning up in cities all over the Philippines ever since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial war on drugs this year. Drug dealers and drug addicts, were being shot by police or slain by unidentified gunmen in mysterious, gangland-style murders that were taking place at night. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) Germany: Officer dies after raid on anti-gov't extremist BERLIN (AP) A German police officer died early Thursday, a day after being shot by an anti-government extremist who had hoarded dozens of weapons at his home, officials said. The 32-year-old officer succumbed to his injuries in a hospital, said Elke Schoenwald, a spokeswoman for police in the Middle Franconia region. Three other officers were injured in the shootout one from gunfire and two others by flying glass. An armed response unit had been sent to the suspect's home in the Bavarian town of Georgensgmuend on Wednesday to confiscate more than 30 weapons he legally possessed for hunting. Local authorities had revoked the 49-year-old's license because he appeared increasingly unreliable, Schoenwald said. A policeman walks along the house in Georgensgmuend, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, where an anti-government extremist opened fire on police in southern Germany during a raid in the morning in which they had planned to confiscate his weapons, and four officers were wounded, authorities said. The 49-year-old German man had legally possessed more than 30 weapons for hunting, but local authorities had revoked his license because he appeared increasingly unreliable, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said. (Nicolas Armer/dpa via AP) The man, whom police didn't identify, had a history of defying authorities and refused to allow officials to conduct a check on the weapons over the summer, she said. The suspect, whom police didn't identify, was a supporter of the Reich Citizens' Movement, an extremist group that refuses to acknowledge the authority of the post-war Federal Republic of Germany. Germany's top security official said measures needed to be taken to ensure officers don't become victims of violence. "The increasing number of attacks by extremists is unbearable and unacceptable," Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. He didn't specify which measures would be taken, but his counterpart in the state of Bavaria, Joachim Herrmann, suggested that members of the Reich Citizens' Movement should be banned from owning weapons. A recent report by Berlin's state intelligence service describes the movement as "an extremely diverse range of small groups and individuals who believe in an ideological mixture of conspiracy theories, anti-Semitic and anti-democratic views, and who have been behaving increasingly aggressively for some time." It is mainly known for pursuing obscure legal claims against German authorities. In August, a member of the movement was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with officers in eastern Germany as he tried to prevent his eviction. A police vehicle stands in front of the house in Georgensgmuend, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, where an anti-government extremist opened fire on police in southern Germany during a raid in the morning in which they had planned to confiscate his weapons, and four officers were wounded, authorities said. The 49-year-old German man had legally possessed more than 30 weapons for hunting, but local authorities had revoked his license because he appeared increasingly unreliable, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said. (Nicolas Armer/dpa via AP) World diplomats seek post-battle plan for IS bastion Mosul PARIS (AP) Iraq's prime minister vowed Thursday to protect civilians fleeing the battle to oust Islamic State extremists from Mosul, as the offensive picked up speed and diplomats worked to ensure the gains are lasting and that jihadists don't escape. French President Francois Hollande, hosting a conference on stabilizing Mosul, urged the international community not to abandon the city once the multi-pronged military operation is over. Diplomats from the U.S., Iraq and some 20 other countries gathered in Paris to devise a plan to protect civilians, distribute aid and address questions about governing areas newly liberated from IS. The offensive for Mosul Iraq's second-largest city and the biggest IS-held city is expected to take weeks, if not months. There are fears it could unleash sectarian tensions, and threaten civilians in a region ravaged by years of violence. Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces advance near Mosul, Iraq, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by the Islamic State group, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said Thursday that Mosul may fall sooner than expected. "The fighting forces are currently pushing forward toward the town more quickly than we thought, and more quickly certainly than we established in our plan of campaign," he told the Paris conference via video transmission. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned that up to a million people might try to flee Mosul, and said authorities must check each one to make sure extremists aren't among them. Ayrault also said the international community must think about the next step notably, what do about the IS stronghold of Raqqa in Syria. As the Mosul fighting intensifies, Al-Abadi said the Iraqi government is "providing support for internally displaced people," and opening humanitarian corridors amid the ongoing military operations. "We will not allow any violations of human rights," he said. He stressed that the battle is led by Iraq and is not a foreign invasion, though it has military support from a broad U.S.-led coalition. He also praised the diverse nature of today's Iraqi forces, including Kurdish peshmerga, fighting IS. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, speaking in Paris, said his government will contribute 1 million euros ($1.1 million) to fund demining activities in Mosul once Islamic State fighters have been driven out. "By demining these areas, people who have fled can safely return to rebuild their lives," Koenders said in a statement. Koenders also stressed that Mosul should retain its multiethnic character once it is liberated. "So there needs to be a reconciliation process and everybody should be represented in the future government of the city," he said. Hollande echoed that. "We should not look at Mosul as a place on the map, a military objective. We should look at Mosul as a way to prepare the Iraq of tomorrow," he said. "If we are capable of showing this, we will not only have won the battle, we will have won the war." French authorities believe attacks on French soil in recent years have been plotted from IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. French warplanes and artillery are involved in the battle for Mosul, as part of the U.S.-led military coalition backing the Iraqi campaign. Hollande said France has 4,000 people deployed in the region, including those on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and support forces on the ground near Qayyarah. The talks Thursday come as Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town. Attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. IS captured Mosul during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014. It is the largest city controlled by the extremist group and its last major urban bastion in Iraq. Several aid groups said in a joint statement that safe escape routes should be established for the 1.2 million civilians, including "at least 600,000 children," trapped inside Mosul. Save the Children, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the International Rescue Committee said families risk "being killed by heavy weapons and used as human shields by ISIS" if they stay inside Mosul, or could be "caught in crossfire, shot by snipers or stepping on land mines if they try to flee." The organizations said reconciliation plans must be developed now to prevent "catastrophic consequences for Mosul's children and their families, as well as Iraq's future." ___ Mike Corder in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed. Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces advance towards the city of Mosul, Iraq, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by the Islamic State group, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) UNESCO urges halt to plan for Bangladesh coal plant in delta DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) The U.N. agency devoted to preserving world heritage has joined environmental groups urging Bangladesh to halt plans for a massive coal-fired power plant near ecologically sensitive mangrove forests on the coast. UNESCO says it poses a "serious threat" to a region that protects the nation from flooding and holds one of the world's last populations of wild tigers. Bangladesh countered on Thursday that the concerns were misplaced, and that it would continue with construction as the 1.3-gigawatt Rampal power station was crucial for expanding electricity capacity in a country where only six out of 10 people have access. It said the report released this week by UNESCO and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ignored government assurances that the plant would be safe. "They have prepared the report from their own point of view. Our concerns have not been included," said Nasrul Hamid, the country's junior power minister. FILE In this Aug. 20, 2016 file photo, Bangladeshi protesters hold placards and a tiger replica during a protest demanding the scrapping of the proposed Rampal power plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh. UNESCO and environmental groups are urging Bangladesh to halt plans for a massive coal plant near ecologically sensitive coastal forests. The UN body says the $1.8 billion project threatens the region and its endangered tigers and dolphin species. Bangladesh has dismissed the concerns as unfounded and says it will continue construction. Placards in Bangla read "Stop Rampal Project." (AP Photo/A.M.Ahad, File) The $1.8 billion project approved in 2012 under a joint venture between the Indian and Bangladeshi state power companies calls for building what would be Bangladesh's largest coal plant just 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the low-lying delta region called the Sundarbans, comprised of about 200 islands at the northern fringe of the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans, formed over millennia as rivers deposited silt carried down from the Himalayas, is teeming with wildlife including a few hundred endangered tigers and endangered species of river dolphins. It is also home to some 13 million impoverished Bangladeshis and Indians, who are mostly off the electricity grid and would not benefit directly from the project. Most of the Sundarbans region is located in Bangladesh, with a third falling within India. For both countries, the vast network of islands and mangrove forests acts as a barrier against cyclone winds, storm surges and fast-rising seas that threaten to swamp inland areas including the densely populated cities of Dhaka and Kolkata. For years, environmental groups have lambasted the plans as a threat to an ecosystem so unique it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a 35-page report , UNESCO and the IUCN agreed and called for the project to be scrapped immediately "and relocated to a more suitable location where it would not impact negatively on the Sundarbans." The report raised concerns about pollution, acid rain and potential damage from the dredging needed to make way for coal-carrying ships to reach the plant from the bay. It also said that the threat to the region's freshwater supply was of "utmost concern" and "required urgent, immediate attention." With upstream dams and heavy demand for agriculture, the amount of freshwater that reaches the bay and protects against saltwater incursion has already fallen drastically, experts say. Earlier this month, Bangladesh offered a response to UNESCO's preliminary report, saying it would continue construction with the latest technologies and following international guidelines to ensure it did not harm the Sundarbans. A report in June by a global energy research institute disputed that, saying the Rampal power plant is "fraught with unacceptable risk" including a location that falls within a cyclone corridor, heavy local opposition and a risk of higher taxes and energy prices to cover some $3 billion in planned subsidies. "The project is being designed around outdated supercritical technology and is being heavily subsidized by the Indian and Bangladeshi governments," the Ohio-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis said in the report , adding that it "suspects that the project is being promoted as a means to sell Indian coal to Bangladesh." The institute also questioned the effort to ramp up electricity by burning more coal, a significant source of carbon dioxide, at a time when the world is trying to curb the release of climate-warming emissions. Bangladesh insists, however, that the plant is key to reaching its target of 24 GW of electricity capacity by 2021. That's more than double the 10 GW capacity it logged in 2014, the vast majority of which is fueled by burning coal. Demand often outstrips supply, resulting in shortages and blackouts. ___ Daigle reported from New Delhi. Follow her at www.twitter.com/katydaigle US, SKorea detect 2nd failed NKorean missile launch in week SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The United States and South Korea said they detected a failed North Korean missile launch Wednesday, the country's second failed test in less than a week. The U.S. Strategic Command issued a statement late Wednesday saying it presumed the missile was a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the launch was attempted near an airport in North Korea's Pyongan province, where the North on Saturday unsuccessfully tried to launch what U.S. and South Korean military officials assessed as the same type of missile. Cho June-hyuck, spokesman of South Korea's Foreign Ministry, said the latest launches show North Korea's "fanatical obsession" with nuclear weapons and missile developments. A man watches a TV news program showing a file image of missile launch conducted by North Korea, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. The U.S. military says it detected a "failed" North Korean missile launch on Wednesday. The U.S. Strategic Command issued a statement late Wednesday saying it presumed the missile was a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) "Such repeated provocations only aggravate North Korea's isolation from the international community and economic hardship and further strengthen the international community's determination toward (adopting) a new resolution of strong sanctions," Cho said. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, said the U.S. condemns the attempted missile launch, calling it a provocation. He said the U.S. government intends to raise its concerns at the United Nations. Musudan missiles have a potential range of about 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles), which would put U.S. military bases in Guam within their striking distance. North Korea is also pushing to develop a nuclear-armed long-range missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, although U.S. and South Korean experts believe it doesn't currently have such a weapon. North Korea on Wednesday vowed to continue launching satellites as part of its "peaceful" space development plans, although outsiders see the country's space launches as a cover for banned tests of long-range missile technology. Experts say a militarized version of the rocket the North used to put its second satellite into orbit in February would potentially have the range to reach the U.S. mainland. An anchor from North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television said that the North Korea will launch more satellites to "conquer" space, even if rival South Korea "barks" at the launches like a "mad dog." Protesters carry a mock missile symbolizing an advanced U.S. missile defense system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, during a rally to oppose a plan to deploy the THAAD in front of the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. The U.S. military says it detected a "failed" North Korean missile launch on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) A mock North Korea's Scud-B missile, left, and South Korean missiles are displayed at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. The U.S. military says it detected a "failed" North Korean missile launch on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Protesters place the cards on the ground during a rally to oppose a plan to deploy an advanced U.S. missile defense system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, in front of the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. The U.S. military says it detected a "failed" North Korean missile launch on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Guam man denies biting off cousin's ear HAGATNA, Guam (AP) A 28-year-old Guam man has pleaded not guilty to biting off a piece of his cousin's ear during a fight. The Pacific Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/2evNK78 ) that Nena Ginn Nena entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to aggravated assault. He also waived his right to a speedy trial. Nena's cousin had reported to police that the two had been drinking together at a Toto apartment in September when Nena accused him of having an affair with his wife. The cousin says they began struggling before Nena bit his ear and spit a piece of it out. Minjee Lee leads Blue Bay LPGA, 2 days after Typhoon Sarika HAINAN, China (AP) Minjee Lee birdied the final three holes for a 7-under 65 and a two-stroke lead Thursday in the Blue Bay LPGA , playing in perfect conditions two days after Typhoon Sarika hit the resort. Lee hit a long flop shot to a foot from a difficult angle on the par-5 18th on Jian Lake's Blue Bay course, back in top shape after a large cleanup effort. The 20-year-old Australian was delayed traveling from the event that ended Sunday in South Korea and finally got to the resort Wednesday, limiting her to nine holes of practice. "Maybe it's better," Lee said. "I think it was pretty similar for a lot of the girls. I just took it as it is. It's OK. ... We have an amazing view from our hotel room and the course is in great condition. I think we're really lucky to be here." American Jessica Korda and Germany's Sandra Gal shot 67 on the long course with large rolling, tiered greens with small effective landing areas. "It's in great shape and we had no wind," Gal said. "There's lot of tiers and little pockets on the greens, so you really got to know where to pitch it and you got to be sharp with your wedges and distances." Lee hit to 6 inches to set up a birdie on the par-5 14th. She has two LPGA Tour victories, winning last year in Kingsmill and in April in Hawaii. "I just took it one shot at a time and didn't get ahead of myself," Lee said. "Just played my own game today and a lot of my putts dropped." Gal holed out from 89 yards for eagle on the par-4 second hole. She settled for par on 18 when her chip from light rough just off the green, hit the downslope, ticked the flagstick and ended up 12 feet away. "I think we're very lucky that the course is in such great shape and that we all got here safe and the typhoon didn't do too much damage," Gal said. "It's all good." Korda birdied three of the final four holes. Spain's Carlota Ciganda , coming off a playoff victory last week in Incheon for her first LPGA Tour title, was three strokes back at 68 along with South Korea's Chella Choi. Ciganda didn't practice after arriving late. "I thought it was better to rest," Ciganda said. "I knew the course and my caddie just went and walked the course. Just hit some chips and putts to try to get the speed of the greens. No practice. Just go and play. I like it. Keep it simple." Canada's Brooke Henderson birdied four of the last five to join Germany's Caroline Masson and American Austin Ernst at 69. The 19-year-old Henderson is playing for the fourth straight week in Asia and plans to make it six in a row with stops in Malaysia and Japan. South Korea's Sei Young Kim, the winner last year in the wind without shooting a round in the 60s, opened with a 71. Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn also shot 71. The Thai star leads the tour with five victories. Michelle Wie had a 72, playing alongside Gal and Na Yeon Choi. The slumping American got into the field on a sponsor exemption. "Just going to play out the rest of the season and then I'm going to go back home to Hawaii, take some time off and try to regroup for next year," Wie said. Chinese police, working with their Vietnamese counterparts, said on Wednesday that they had detained five suspected drug dealers, four of them Vietnamese, and seized 18.2 kilograms of heroin in their latest crackdown in border areas. The drug trade remains rampant in China's border areas despite enhanced supervision and the problem is especially pervasive in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region which borders Vietnam. It has become one of the main channels for drug trafficking to and from China, second only to neighboring Yunnan Province. "A lot of drugs from the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent areas flow to China via the border areas, while some new synthetic drugs are trafficked from China to Vietnam," said Qiu Yucheng, deputy head of Guangxi's anti-drug division. Earlier this year, police in Guangxi's Pingxiang were tipped off about Vietnamese trying to transport drugs to China via seafood. "We found that a seafood transfer station in Pingxiang often took live seafood from Vietnam," said Luo Shenghui, head of the city's anti-drug division. "The station's seafood was frequently transported to neighboring Guangdong Province, which is one of the major areas for heroin sales." On August 29, local police learned that several Vietnamese had brought a consignment of eels into China. One officer disguised himself as a driver and helped transport the eels from the transfer station to a seafood market in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province. There, police detained two Vietnamese women and a Guangxi woman who had been waiting for the eels. Among the eels, police found bags of heroin weighing 13.3 kilograms. Guangxi police contacted their Vietnamese counterparts via a "border contact mechanism" established in 2012 and, on September 1, five Vietnamese officers arrived to take part in the investigation. Based on the women's confessions, police seized dealers in Vietnam. After China stepped up efforts to control drug trafficking in Yunnan, Guangxi, which has many loosely supervised routes between China and Vietnam, has become a magnet for smugglers. Official statistics reveal that in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Guangxi police nabbed illegal substances weighing 181, 212 and 421 kilograms respectively in the border area. "We have not only found drug trafficking, but also gun and human trafficking," Qiu said. Border cities or counties including Dongxing, Pingxiang, Ningming and Daxin face particularly serious drug problems. Guangxi's border police said the locations usually act as a "transfer stop" for drugs sourced from Southeast Asia's "Golden Triangle." However, Chinese and Vietnamese police have been exchanging information and launching joint investigations since the "border contact mechanism" was established. In July, the anti-drug department of China's Ministry of Public Security signed a cooperation memorandum with its Vietnamese counterpart to launch their third joint border crackdown from September to December. By October 10, the crackdown had resulted in 1,036 suspects caught in 842 cases across 18 provinces, cities and regions in China. Of the suspects, 11 are Vietnamese nationals and two foreign nationals. Though the cooperation mechanism has had good results, challenges remain. Qiu said drug traders had taken to hiding drugs in fruit, seafood and other commodities, making discovery difficult. UK sends warships to watch Russian ships in English Channel LONDON (AP) Britain has deployed warships to monitor a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels Thursday as they sailed through the North Sea and the English Channel reportedly en route to Syria's coast. The frigate HMS Richmond escorted the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its task group in the Norwegian Sea north of the U.K. between Iceland and Norway. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan has sailed from Portsmouth to monitor the group as heads south toward the North Sea. The Royal Navy regularly shadows ships, and is being supported in this instance by the Royal Air Force. Russia is one the few countries which have the capability to deploy such a force an aircraft carrier and supporting warships. FILE - In this 2004 file photo, Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is seen in the Barents Sea. British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, that the U.K. military will monitor Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its task group as the vessels sail through the North Sea and the English Channel. (AP Photo, File) "It's a clear and military signal that Russia is back on the international stage," said Peter Roberts, a senior research fellow for sea power and maritime studies at the Royal United Services Institute. The ships are sailing in international waters, so NATO forces such as those of Norway, the Netherlands and Britain will watch them go past without challenge. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said alliance navies would monitor the Russian ships "in a responsible and measured way." "We are concerned that the Russian carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which will increase humanitarian and human suffering," Stoltenberg said in Brussels. The Russian navy deployment will increase its firepower in Syria, where it has conducted an air campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's army for more than a year. It comes amid an offensive by Assad's troops on Aleppo, backed by Russian warplanes, which has caused international outrage. British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged her European Union partners to unite in condemning Russia's role in Syria and bring an end to what she called Moscow's "sickening atrocities" there. Russia announced a break in fighting in Aleppo on Thursday, and the Syrian military, using loudspeakers, called on residents to evacuate. There was no sign of such a move. The pause to allow supplies into the besieged city comes even as a U.S.-backed offensive intensifies to recapture the city of Mosul in Iraq from Islamic State militants. With turmoil in the Middle East, Russia is keen to show that it is capable of expeditionary warfare in Syria. "They are off to conduct a mission. They are off to conduct it off Syria," Roberts said. "They are very focused on their mission." ___ Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed. This is a handout photo issued by Britain's Ministry of Defence and taken on Tuesday Oct 18, 2016 of a Royal Navy lookout onboard HMS Richmond, observing Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, rear second right, and Russian Battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy on the right, which are part of a Russian task group during its transit through the North Sea. Britain is sending warships to watch a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels as they sail through the North Sea and the English Channel. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon says that the military will watch the every step of the way. (PO(Phot) Dez Wade/MoD/Crown Copyright via AP) Officials: 9 high school rowers saved after vessel overturns PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (AP) Officials say nine members of a high school rowing team had to be rescued off the coast of Long Island after a powerboat with no lights passed them at a high rate of speed, causing their vessel to overturn. Newsday reports (http://nwsdy.li/2emd2Zw ) officials say Glen Cove Harbor Patrol officers pulled the members of the Manhasset (man-HA'-set) High School girls' rowing team out of Hempstead Harbor on Wednesday evening. They were about 200 yards from shore. Port Washington fire officials say the girls swam about 150 yards before being picked up by rescuers. Fire officials say it was dark at the time. No members of the team were hurt and all declined medical attention. ___ Spain's top court has overruled a controversial ban against bullfighting in Catalonia, saying it must preserve the country's heritage. The Constitutional Court ruled that any attempt by Catalonia to prevent bullfighting events from taking place in the region, would be illegal. Catalonia banned bullfighting in 2010. The decision was part of the growing movement against the traditional sport - but it was also seen as another step in the Catalan government's push to break away from Spain. Spanish bullfighter Mario Palacios performs with an Aguadulce ranch fighting bull during a bullfight at the Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, Spain Catalonia had only one functioning bullring located in its capital, Barcelona, and authorities could regulate such public spectacles, and even outlaw them But it seems the region is not going to keep waving it's red flag at the sport. Catalan Land Minister Josep Rulls said: 'There'll be no bullfights in Catalonia regardless of what the Constitutional Court says.' The World Animal Protection group described the decision as 'outrageous' adding that 'cultural heritage does not justify an activity that relies on animal torture and indefensible levels of suffering'. But the Fighting Bull Foundation of breeders, matadors, ring workers, aficionados (bullfighting fans) and event organizers welcomed the news, warning that attempts to prevent it would be against the law. Catalonia's last bullfight was in 2011 before the region's ban took effect. The court ruling followed a challenge to the ban by the conservative Popular Party headed by acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Bullfighter in action using the muleta (cape with stick) in Madrid, Spain. Catalonia said it banned bullfighting to protect the animals but it continues to allow popular events featuring the chasing and taunting of bulls with flaming balls of wax or fireworks affixed to their horns. Bullfighting and bull-related events in summer festivals remain immensely popular throughout Spain although animal rights groups have gained some ground in their campaigns. Catalonia, with a population of 7.5 million, is a wealthy region with its own language and a large degree of self-rule. Russian military holds missile exercise near western border MOSCOW (AP) The Russian military has conducted drills involving state-of-the art missiles near the nation's western border, amid tensions in relations with the West. The Defense Ministry said Thursday that the drills involved Iskander-M missiles. The war games were held at a shooting range near the city of Luga, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the border with Estonia. According to the military, the exercise featured the deployment of missiles and preparations for firing them, but didn't involve actual launches. Iskander has a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) and high precision, allowing it to target facilities in several NATO member nations neighboring Russia. It can be fitted with a conventional or a nuclear warhead. Moscow has complained strongly against the deployment of NATO's forces near Russia's borders and promised to take countermeasures. Earlier this month, the deployment of Iskander missiles to the westernmost Kaliningrad region has worried Russia's neighbors. The Russian military said the move was part of regular training. The military has increased the number and the scale of its drills amid Russia-West tensions fueled by the Ukrainian crisis and the Syrian war. Somalia releases 3 Al-Jazeera journalists MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) Somalia's government has released three Al-Jazeera journalists Thursday, two days after they were arrested along with their driver by security forces, the network confirmed. Hamza Mohamed, a Somali-British journalist for Al-Jazeera's English service, and members of his crew were arrested upon their return from areas held by the Islamic extremists of al-Shabab. Mohamed had been in Somalia for a week on a reporting assignment, Al-Jazeera said in a statement. The National Union of Somali Journalists welcomed the release of the journalists who were arrested near Somalia's capital Tuesday. The government earlier arrested and released another journalist, Abdi Aden Guled, the editor of Xog-Ogaal, one of Mogadishu's oldest daily newspapers. Guled was arrested on Sunday and released Wednesday and his newspaper was also closed during that period. Threats and intimidations against journalists often increase during the elections in Somalia, which is rated as one of the world's most dangerous countries for media workers, according to media groups. Journalists are targeted by both Islamic extremists and the government, say rights groups. Last month, gunmen shot dead Abdiaziz Mohamed Ali Haji, who was on his way home from work as a reporter for Shabelle radio, a radio station in Mogadishu. He was the second journalist killed in Somalia this year. Three journalists were killed in Somalia in 2015, including one in a bombing claimed by al-Shabab extremists. Pakistan imposed blanket ban on Indian content over Kashmir ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistan's media regulation authority said Thursday it was imposing a blanket ban on Bollywood films and other Indian content on its television networks and radio stations amid increasing tension between the two nuclear-armed rivals on the issue of the disputed region of Kashmir. The ban will be enforced from Friday and any TV and radio station found violating it will be shut down, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, or PEMRA, said in a statement. Indian movies are popular in Pakistan and Pakistani musicians and actors are extensively used and are well paid by Bollywood. PEMRA gave no reason for the move, but two government officials said the step was taken following reports that some Indian filmmakers were refusing to use Pakistani actors in movies. They said some Indian cinema owners also stopped screening films with Pakistani casts. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. India termed the move as "unfortunate." "It shows lack of self-confidence on Pakistan's part. It is an unfortunate development," Vikas Swarup, spokesman at Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters in New Delhi. He said there was no "blanket ban" on Pakistani artists performing in India. He added, however, that "in view of the prevailing atmosphere and taking into account security considerations as well and sentiments of local organizers, we will do so in a case to case basis," in an apparent reference to a demand for banning artists from Pakistan in the wake of an attack in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir last month which killed 18 Indian soldiers. Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations, and the media on both sides appears to have become the latest battleground. Some Pakistani cinemas have vowed to stop showing Indian films in response to reports that Indian directors are refusing to hire actors from Pakistan. The two government officials said certain parts of the Indian film industry had been asking Pakistani actors and singers to leave India since last month's attack. They said Indian media had also criticized Pakistan following the attacks. Pakistani authorities say Indian forces have been carrying out human rights violations in the area for months. India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Rebel groups have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. More than 68,000 people have been killed in the armed uprising and ensuing Indian military crackdown. The Bollywood ban means an end to a law introduced by former President Pervez Musharraf which permitted the screening of a daily maximum of 86 minutes of Indian content in Pakistan. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said earlier it had lodged a strong protest with New Delhi over the latest ceasefire violation in Kashmir that killed one Pakistani civilian and wounded another 12. The ministry said it had summoned a senior Indian diplomat and demanded an investigation into Wednesday's firing by Indian troops along the Line of Control. It said Pakistan asked India to "maintain peace and stability" in Kashmir. Pakistan returned fire in the incident. ____ South Sudan rebel leader says he could return next month JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar says he could return to the turbulent country as early as next month, even if he has to enter the way he fled on foot. He has begun speaking out again after a long silence, during which he trekked 40 days through the bush into neighboring Congo as South Sudan's capital erupted in renewed fighting. In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press in South Africa, Machar said his country's peace deal had "collapsed" and a new political process is needed to revive it. But he did not commit to rejoining the peace deal on the same terms. Under the agreement signed in 2015 that sought to end a bloody two-year civil war, he had been vice president in a fragile national unity government under his rival, President Salva Kiir. South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar speaks in an interview with The Associated Press in Johannesburg, on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Machar says a political process is needed to revive a peace deal that has collapsed in his country. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell) Machar says he has the right to be president, and that he has enough forces to "liberate" the capital, Juba. He called for his supporters to "wage a popular armed resistance against the authoritarian and racist regime" in his first public comments in exile last month. On Thursday he backed away from that call to arms, saying his statement was "resisting the war being forced on us." Machar fled South Sudan in July when fighting erupted among security forces, and he last spoke with Kiir on July 15, less than a week after the gunfire began. The government quickly replaced him as vice president. Fighting has continued in several parts of South Sudan since then. In one of his first interviews in exile, Machar on Thursday warned of coming atrocities by South Sudan's government, including possible genocide. On Wednesday, Kiir announced that tribalism had become a growing factor in the conflict and that the army supporting him was mostly his fellow Dinka. "What is that going to do?" asked Machar, an ethnic Nuer. He said he is afraid South Sudan will see more attacks like the one by South Sudanese soldiers in July on the Terrain compound popular with foreigners, where Americans were singled out and aid workers and others were raped, forced to watch a local journalist be shot dead and subjected to mock executions. If South Sudan's government can do that to foreigners from powerful countries, Machar asked, what does the world think it will do to its own people? Machar also described how he fled the country in July in a 500-mile (804-kilometer) march through the bush into Congo. There, he said, the United Nations peacekeeping force extracted him, even as South Sudanese helicopter gunships continued to target him beyond their border. "I went through an ordeal," Machar said, describing an epic, zig-zagging hike in which he and supporters were reduced to eating wild fruit and snails. Five of his soldiers died, he said, likely from poisoning after eating raw cassava. Now Machar is in a hit-and-miss pursuit of world leaders for talks on how to revive South Sudan's peace deal. After a stay in Sudan, where he failed to meet President Omar Bashir, he now hopes to meet South African President Jacob Zuma. During his time in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, Machar said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni requested a meeting to discuss a political process. Museveni asked if Machar would participate in a dialogue. "I said I would," the rebel leader said. South Sudan's government has given contradictory statements over whether it would allow Machar back or negotiate with him. On Thursday, government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said he would not be allowed in South Sudan "as a political leader," saying he has lost support among some in the opposition. Analysts say some diplomats have tried to get Machar to accept exile, but he rejected the idea "Why would I?" saying he had a responsibility to return home. And Machar said he would support a U.N.-imposed arms embargo on South Sudan, saying that "it is the government that is buying arms." He would not say whether his forces are getting arms from outside. ___ Lynch reported from Juba, South Sudan. Six months after eight members of an extended family were shot dead in their homes, surviving relatives are still waiting for an explanation and an arrest. 'I just want to know why,' said Tajianna Mead, of Waverly, Ohio, whose 44-year-old father, Kenneth Rhoden, was among the victims. When the slayings were discovered the morning of April 22, rural Pike County in the Appalachian foothills of southern Ohio was coming to life with the colors of greening hardwoods and the white petals of dogwood trees. Half a year later, colors are changing again as leaves turn to burnt yellow and red across the thickly wooded hills. A porch is all that remains of the home on Union Hill Road after investigators removed the trailer where the bodies of Clarence 'Frankie' Rhoden and Hannah Gilley were found on April 22, two of eight family members who were shot dead that day in a still-unsolved crime in Piketon A truck passes a sign for the election of Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader in Waverly, Ohio. The still-unsolved killing of eight members of the Rhoden family, an investigation overseen by Reader and the Ohio Attorney General's Office, has become an election issue for many voters in the rural southern Ohio county A private property sign guards the boarded up garage on property on Union Hill Road near the trailer where the bodies of Dana Rhoden and her children, Chris Rhoden Jr., and Hanna Rhoden, were found on April 22, three of eight family members found shot to death Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said this week that he now believes the killers were local. Union Hill Road, where seven of the victims were found on three properties, is open again to traffic. 'Private Property: No Trespassing' signs are posted at the end of the homes' driveways. Porches sit stranded in yards, their steps leading nowhere: In May, investigators moved the mobile homes where the killings occurred to a secure location as the investigation continued. Husband-to-be Frankie Rhoden, 20, and his fiancee Hannah Hazel Gilley, 20, were among those killed with a gunshots to the head - their six month old son was spared Kenneth Rhoden (left), 44, and Christopher Rhoden (right), 40, were both killed in the mysterious massacre in Piketon Leonard Manley, who lost his daughter, Dana Rhoden, and three grandchildren, lives on Union Hill Road near all the crime scenes. He spends his days tinkering after retiring two years ago from cutting timber. He doesn't know who committed the crime and questions whether it will be solved in his lifetime. Manley, 65, has long thought the killers knew the properties intimately, in part because Christopher Rhoden Sr. had a security system, as well as a pit bull and bulldog, that would have been hard for a stranger to get past. 'You wake up at night, and you wonder. I get up of a night, 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. Can't go back to sleep, thinking about things,' Manley said. People turning out at a funeral for one of the victims. Police are also examining claims that one of the victims had a long running feud with rivals involved in derby demolition car racing and had been in a fist fight with rivals Daily Mail Online revealed exclusively in the days after the murders that one of the bodies was left covered in dollar bills and video CCTV cameras had been taken by the assassins Christopher Rhoden Jr (left), 16, the youngest victim, and Hanna Rhoden (right), 19, were both killed Gary Rhoden, 38, was yet another victim of the terrible massacre that took place over three rural properties The victims were Kenneth Rhoden, 44; Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; his ex-wife, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; their three children, 20-year-old Clarence 'Frankie' Rhoden, 16-year-old Christopher Rhoden Jr. and 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden; a cousin, 38-year-old Gary Rhoden; and Frankie's fiancee, 20-year-old Hannah Gilley, whose six-month-old son with Frankie, who had been lying next to her, was unharmed. Two other children, Hanna's four-day-old daughter and Frankie's three-year-old son, were also were unharmed. Adding to the family's pain is a legal fight involving three family members seeking custody of the two youngest children. A Pike County judge is shielding public access to those court hearings and records. The second funeral of the eight murdered in Piketon, OH was held for Hannah Hazel Gilley, 20, finance of murdered Frankie Rhoden Most of the victims were shot multiple times in the head and, in the case of Christopher Rhoden Sr., in his upper body and torso, as well. Some bodies showed signs of bruising, as if they'd been beaten. Kenneth's body was found at his trailer a few miles away from the properties on Union Hill Road. Kendra Rhoden, Tajianna's sister, says her father, Kenneth, was a wise man who taught her lessons about dealing with life, heartbreak and all. The 19-year-old is studying to be a licensed practical nurse. Like others, she believes someone in the community knows what happened but is afraid to come forward. Regardless of the delays and the mystery surrounding the deaths, Kendra believes the case will be solved. 'My dad taught me to have hope,' Rhoden said. Early on, authorities disclosed a large-scale illegal marijuana growing operation at one of the crime scenes and said pot was being cultivated at some of the other homes, too, leading to suggestions Mexican cartels might have been involved. Large marijuana operations are common in southern Ohio. Investigators in 2012 said the seizure of about 1,200 plants in Pike County could be related to a Mexican drug cartel. Rumors have circulated that the massacre could have been sparked by a marijuana farm turf war. Daily Mail Online revealed exclusively in the days after the murders that one of the bodies was left covered in dollar bills and CCTV cameras had been taken by the assassins. In May, police were reportedly examining claims that one of the victims had a long running feud with rivals involved in derby demolition car racing and had been in a fist fight with rivals. Attorney General Mike DeWine, overseeing the investigation along with the sheriff, will say only that the killers had to be familiar with land around the properties, as well as the properties themselves. Though many residents of the rural county about 80 miles south of Columbus also believe the killers are local, most aren't worried about their safety. They believe the family members were specifically targeted. Romania urges automakers to build affordable electric cars BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Romania's environment minister is urging carmakers to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries. Cristina Pasca-Palmer said at the opening of the Bucharest annual motor show Thursday that 70 percent of pollution in Romanian cities comes from car fumes. She told The Associated Press that electric cars with low carbon emissions were too expensive for many Romanians and there was a lack of infrastructure for the cars and public awareness about their benefits. A hostess stands at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) She noted there are 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles. Norway has 30,000 electric cars. Constantin Stroe, chairman of Automobile Manufacturers in Romania, said second-hand imported cars, which pollute more, outnumber new cars by four-to-one. A woman walks by the Alfa Romeo stand at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) People look at a privately owned Tesla Model S electric vehicle on display at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A woman holds a baby while visiting the Mazda stand at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A hostess walks by a Jaguar Type F at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) An Alfa Romeo Giulia on display at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A boy plays at the wheel of a Mustang 5.0 at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A woman walks by a vintage Corvette at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A man and his dog stand next to the Maserati Levante SUV at the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A man uses a vacuum cleaner at the Volvo stand prior to the opening of the Bucharest Auto Show in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Romania's environment minister urged carmakers at the show opening to build models that reduce pollution but are also affordable for people in lower-income countries, noting that there are just 600 electric cars in Romania out of about 6.2 million vehicles while Norway has 30,000 electric cars. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Chinese manufacturer to open $20 million factory in Arkansas LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) A Chinese manufacturer that makes apparel under the Adidas, Reebok and Armani brands will open a factory in Arkansas, creating 400 jobs, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Thursday. The state has signed a memorandum of understanding with Suzhou Tianyuan Garments Company to invest $20 million in a location, most likely in Little Rock, and create 400 jobs paying an average of $14 per hour, said Hutchinson, who announced the news to reporters via Skype because he was on a trade mission in China. Tianyuan makes about 10 million articles of clothing annually and now supplies 90 percent of Adidas garments, the governor's office said. "What's fascinating is these are higher-paying jobs, in terms of the garment industry. It is more highly technical, including robotics," Hutchinson said. "So it'll be interesting to watch as to how the garment industry unfolds in the coming years and how Arkansas can participate in that." The Tianyuan agreement is the second major deal for Arkansas involving a Chinese company during Hutchinson's term as governor. Earlier this year, Sun Paper announced it would build a $1 billion pulp mill in Arkadelphia and create 250 jobs. The state's deal with Tianyuan Garments calls for Arkansas to provide a $1 million infrastructure assistance grant, $500,000 for training and an estimated $1.6 million in rebates based on the company's annual payroll, according to the memorandum of understanding released by the governor's office. It also calls for a 65 percent abatement on property tax and the state's assistance to obtain 20 work visas. A staff worker runs to the rescue of a panda cub falling off a platform at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in September. Twenty-three cubs born this year met the public. [Photo by Zhang Lei/China Daily] Dressed in clothing covered in cartoon pandas, from his T-shirt to his socks, William Burke flew all the way to Southwest China from Hawaii with his wife, Karom Burke, to see their adopted pandas. At the first Chinese International Panda Culture Communication Activity, which ended on Sunday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, more than 60 panda "parents" from around the world had a chance to visit the animals they have sponsored through donations. "I was so surprised that a giant panda cub could be as small as a stick of butter when I first saw Tai Shan at the National Zoo in Washington DC in 2005," Karom said. "Karom and I then decided to adopt a panda. Look, this one on my T-shirt is our first daughter, Bai Xue," William said. Since 2007, William and Karom have sponsored three pandas: Bai Xue, Bai Xue's son Jin Ke, and Bai Xue's granddaughter Lin Ping. The bears have become part of their family. "When Bai Xue died last year, we were so sad that we had lost a family member," Karom said. But William said that "there are happy moments too", adding: "We were so excited when pandas were upgraded from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List last month. My cousin sent me this watch with a panda cartoon on it to celebrate." Suzanne Braden, from the United States, has adopted four pandas. In 1999, she adopted her first panda and named it after her late father, Harvey. "On our way back home from seeing pandas in China, I thought we must do something to protect the cute species," Suzanne said. She and her friend Diane Rees cofounded Pandas International, an NGO devoted to protecting pandas, in 2000. So far, more than 5,000 people from over 20 countries have participated in Pandas International activities. EU leaders predict dire future if EU-Canada trade deal fails BRUSSELS (AP) Fearing final rejection by a small Belgian region, leaders of the European Union warned early Friday that if a free trade deal with a close partner like Canada fails it could mean the end of such agreements with any other country. The 28 EU member countries and Canada continued to push hard Friday to persuade Belgium's francophone Wallonia region to back the so-called CETA deal, which needs unanimity among all EU members. Belgium, in turn, can only back the deal if it has unanimity among all of its regions. Wallonia piled on more pressure late Thursday by dismissing the EU's latest offer, which included concessions on anything from social security to data protection. European Union Council President Donald Tusk speaks to media reporters as he arrives for the EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. British Prime Minister Theresa May will hold her first talks with European Union leaders and tell them that the U.K.s decision to leave the bloc is irreversible. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) "At this stage, the document is still insufficient," Wallonia President Paul Magnette told reporters in the regional capital Namur. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he had invited Canada's International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland to join in the talks with the EU and Belgium to make Magnette change his mind on Friday. "We need this trade arrangement with Canada," said Juncker. "It is the best one we ever concluded and if we will be unable to conclude a trade arrangement with Canada, I don't see how it would be possible to have trade agreements with other parts of this world." On Thursday, EU President Donald Tusk said that barring success "I am afraid, that CETA could be our last free trade agreement." To have the deal between more than 500 million EU citizens and 35 million Canadians fall apart over the objections of a region of 3.5 million after seven years of talks would undermine the credibility of the EU as a whole, said Tusk. Many others at the meeting joined in the astonishment that Wallonia could sway such clout in the face of nations like Germany and France. "Nobody would understand if it were not possible now, after so many efforts," an exasperated Martin Schulz, the EU Parliament chief, told the summit leaders. Even Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel would like to do nothing better than sign on instead of dragging the summit of leaders into the byzantine subtleties of Belgium's constitutional setup between its Dutch, French, and German-speaking language groups. Michel said he needed Wallonia's backing. "I have a lot of respect for the role of our parliaments and democracy. But democracy means that at one moment you need a decision." The official signing ceremony of the deal is set for next Thursday when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is supposed to attend an EU-Canada summit. Without the deal ready for signature, it will be canceled. Wallonia wants more guarantees to protect its farmers and Europe's high labor, environmental and consumer standards. It also fears the agreement will allow huge multinationals first from Canada, later from the United States, if a similar deal with Washington follows that would crush small Walloon enterprises and their way of life. Proponents say the deal would yield billions in added trade through tariff cuts and other measures to lower barriers to commerce. At the same time, the EU says it will keep in place the region's strong safeguards on social, environmental and labor issues. German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted EU trade policy had not fallen off a cliff yet. "I tell you: You can continue to trust Europe as a trading partner," she said. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel arrives for the EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. British Prime Minister Theresa May will hold her first talks with European Union leaders and tell them that the U.K.'s decision to leave the bloc is irreversible. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel arrives for the EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. British Prime Minister Theresa May will hold her first talks with European Union leaders and tell them that the U.K.'s decision to leave the bloc is irreversible. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) A do-ahead Thanksgiving side: Spiced cranberry chutney Although Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, some of my American friends and I celebrate it here in London every year. A few years back, after cooking a turkey curry, I learned the hard way never to mess with the traditional roasted turkey, the star of the show. Since then my contribution is always to spice up the sides, quite literally. This year I've narrowed my focus to cranberries. There are only a handful of cranberry farms in the UK partly because they can only grow under very special conditions, like acidic peat soil and fresh running water which are more commonly found in the U.S. So when I see them in London supermarkets, I get very excited. This September 2016 photo shows spiced cranberry chutney in London. This dish is from a recipe by Meera Sodha. (Meera Sodha via AP) My favorite thing to do with them, on the run up to our Thanksgiving dinner, is to turn them into a rich sticky chutney. A little sugar helps counter the extreme acidic sourness these fresh berries can have, while a few warming spices like cloves, black pepper and red chili add just enough heat and zing to perk up the turkey. Happily, this chutney is not just for Thanksgiving. It works really well in cheese sandwiches, and alongside ham and game meats. It can be prepared a few weeks in advance too, giving you more time to have a holiday on actual Thanksgiving. ____ SPICED CRANBERRY CHUTNEY Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 24 (Makes three 1-cup jars) 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 2 red onions, diced 5 cups cranberries, fresh or if frozen, thawed 2/3 cup superfine sugar 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Sterilize your jars by washing them in hot soapy water, then rinse them and let them dry in a cool (275 F) oven. Or use dishwasher-clean jars fresh from the machine. Heat the oil in a large deep pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and cinnamon stick. When the seeds pop, add the onion and cook for around 10 to 12 minutes or until the onion is translucent and turning golden. Add the cranberries to the pan along with the sugar, lemon juice, white wine vinegar and follow with cloves, pepper, cumin, chili and salt. Stir and bring to a boil before leaving to simmer for around 20 minutes until the chutney thickens. Bottle in sterilized jars and refrigerate. This chutney will keep for up to 3 weeks. Nutrition information per serving: 54 calories; 16 calories from fat; 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 43 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 0 g protein. ___ Official: Bridge case witness a 'cancer' on transit agency NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A New York official on the bistate agency that runs the George Washington Bridge on Thursday called the government's key witness in a politically motivated lane closing case a "dangerous character" at the agency. Outgoing Port Authority of New York and New Jersey board member Scott Rechler testified in federal court that former agency executive David Wildstein created a politicized culture that sent fear through the staff. Rechler, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top appointee to the agency's board, described Wildstein as a "cancer." "He created a culture that I think sends fear through a lot of the Port Authority's staff," Rechler said of Wildstein. "My view was that David Wildstein was a dangerous character within the Port Authority." Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty in the bridge scheme, has testified for the prosecution in the trial of two former aides to Republican Gov. Chris Christie. A key witness, Wildstein has suggested Christie knew about the bridge scheme as it was unfolding, an allegation the governor denies. Rechler also testified that Cuomo told him that he discussed political fallout from the lane closings with Christie in October 2013, a month after it happened. Rechler says Cuomo told him Christie said the board chairman complained about the agency's director getting involved with politics. "Governor Christie mentioned to him that David Samson was once again complaining about (Port Authority Executive Director) Pat Foye interfering, getting involved in politics," Rechler said. "He asked me what was going on and I relayed to him what was going on." Cuomo has denied discussing the creation of a false report to cover up the reasons for the lane closures. Christie has not been charged and has said he did not authorize the closures or play a role in covering them up. Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, said that Rechler's testimony "confirms what we have said all along and further disproves Mr. Wildstein's false hearsay testimony from earlier this month." Bill Baroni and Bridget Kelly are charged with orchestrating the lane closures at the bridge, which connects Fort Lee with New York City, to punish Fort Lee's Democratic mayor for not endorsing Christie's re-election bid. They have pleaded not guilty. Christie wasn't charged in the alleged scheme. Rechler, whose term as a board member ended Thursday, was called as a defense witness by Kelly. She is expected to take the stand Friday. Rechler also testified that Samson, the former board chairman and Christie confidante, worked to undermine the power of the New York side to gain leverage for New Jersey. Rechler testified that Samson told New York officials that they made a mistake by leaking the lane closings to reporters. Samson was not charged in the case, but pleaded guilty to bribery in a separate investigation related to getting a flight to his vacation home in South Carolina in exchange for agency help for United Airlines. Wildstein testified earlier this month that Samson told him Christie and Cuomo discussed issuing a report when the media began scrutinizing the lane closures. Cuomo denied that happened, calling it "gossip that he's passing on." No report was ever published. Man slits throat in California court after sex conviction SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) Moments after being convicted in a California courtroom of sexual assaulting a child, a former high school English teacher pulled out a razor blade and slashed his throat. Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, of Huntington Beach, slumped on a table in the courtroom and was rushed to a hospital Wednesday with non-life threatening injuries. "Right after the judge asked if we wanted jurors polled, both attorneys said no, and then he took a razor out of his left pocket and slashed his throat," prosecutor Heather Brown told City News Service. "His head hit the table, and I thought he fainted. But then I saw the blood and the razor on the table." This undated booking photo provided by the Orange County District Attorney's Office shows Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, of Huntington Beach. Jones, convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager pulled a razor blade and slashed his throat in an Orange County courtroom Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, moments after the verdict. (Orange County District Attorney's Office via AP) Defense attorney Ed Welbourn said he was sitting next to his client but did not see him cut his throat but became concerned when Jones' head hit the table they were sitting at. No one else was injured, the Orange County Superior Court said in a statement. Jones, who taught Advanced Placement English classes at the Libra Academy in Huntington Park, was accused of molesting and having sex with a teenage relative of his live-in girlfriend in 2012 and 2013. Prosecutors presented DNA evidence they said implicated Jones but his lawyer argued the DNA evidence was not conclusive and claimed the alleged teen victim lied to cover up her marijuana use. The jury deliberated about two hours before convicting Jones of continuous sexual abuse and aggravated sexual assault of a child, which carry a potential sentence of 66 years to life in prison. "It's very unfortunate, the whole thing," Welbourn said. "We respect the jury's decision, but we thought there was reasonable doubt as to what occurred ... It's just terrible. The good news is it looks like he will recover." Authorities will investigate how Jones, who had been free on bail, got the razor blade through court security, said sheriff's department Lt. Mark Stichter. Sheriff: Boy's truancy led to discovery of dead grandparents BEACH CITY, Texas (AP) Sheriff's officials discovered a couple fatally shot in their Houston-area home after a high school principal called the couple's 14-year-old grandson to ask why he wasn't in school. The teenager is being held on two counts of capital murder. Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said in a statement Wednesday that the boy indicated to the principal that his grandmother was having a medical emergency. The principal told his staff to call 911 and emergency responders found the couple Tuesday at their home in Beach City, 30 miles east of Houston. Investigators believe the couple was killed late Sunday or early Monday. The Associated Press is not naming the grandparents, both 72, because it could identify the juvenile suspect. Florida officer shoots man wielding shotgun, bottle of booze JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Authorities say a veteran police officer in Florida fatally shot a man carrying a shotgun and a bottle of liquor following an apparent home invasion. Undersheriff Pat Ivey tells news outlets officers were called to a mobile home in Jacksonsville early Thursday regarding a drunken disturbance. Before they arrived, the call was upgraded to an armed home invasion. Ivey says the suspect had some kind of history with the residents. He says the man fired his gun into the home, then tried to shoot the residents but his gun malfunctioned multiple times. When Officer Harold Smith arrived, he asked the gunman to drop his weapon. Ivey says the gunman raised the gun "pointing it at the officer." Smith fired two shots. Louisiana attorney general challenges LGBT-rights order BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana's Republican attorney general asked a judge Thursday to block the Democratic governor's order banning discrimination in state government against LGBT people, in an escalating dispute over the protection language. In his court challenge, Attorney General Jeff Landry says Gov. John Bel Edwards' anti-discrimination order violates state law and exceeds the governor's authority. He's seeking to have the order declared unconstitutional. Landry said he filed the petition "so the court may decide if the governor can circumvent the Legislature to create his own law." "The governor continues to violate his duty to faithfully execute the laws by legislating through executive fiat," the attorney general said in a statement. Edwards responded by accusing Landry of putting "his own political interests ahead of the needs of our state." "He maintains only businesses that reserve the right to discriminate are eligible for a state contract, and that's just wrong," the governor said in a statement. "New opportunities arise for our state every day because we will not discriminate, including having the 2017 NBA All-Star Game relocate to New Orleans." The NBA moved the game from North Carolina because that state has a law that restricts the rights of LGBT people. Louisiana's governor and attorney general have clashed repeatedly over the anti-discrimination order Edwards issued in April, which prohibits discrimination in government and state contracts based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The order includes an exception for contractors that are religious organizations. Landry's office issued an opinion in May saying the order has "no binding legal effect" because it seeks to establish a new protected class of people that doesn't exist in law and that lawmakers have refused to add. The attorney general has blocked dozens of contracts to let state agencies hire outside lawyers that contain the anti-discrimination clause. Edwards has said he won't rescind the order, and he sued Landry over the attorney general's refusal to approve the legal contracts containing the LGBT-rights language. A judge ruled against Edwards this week, suggesting the attorney general has discretion in how his office reviews the legal contracts. But the judge wasn't asked about and didn't rule on whether the governor's executive order is legal so Landry's seeking a decision on that, making the same arguments his office asserted in its previous opinion on the executive order. The order "unreasonably and unnecessarily exposes the state of Louisiana to liability" in employment relationships and contracting "by purporting to create a new protected class and requiring mandatory language in the award and execution of contracts," Landry's petition says. The attorney general is asking for a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the Edwards administration from enforcing the order, and ultimately for the order to be declared unconstitutional and voided. Edwards' anti-discrimination order is similar to orders enacted by two former Louisiana Democratic governors but he added language protecting against discrimination based on gender identity, a provision that protects transgender people. ___ Wisconsin man pleads guilty to trying to join extremists MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to trying to join the Islamic State group. Joshua Van Haften, formerly of Madison, pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal charge of attempting to give material support to a terrorist group. The U.S. Department of Justice says he faces up to 15 years in prison when he's sentenced Feb. 17. The 35-year-old was charged last year with trying to cross from Turkey to Syria in 2014 to join the Islamic State group. He was arrested in April 2015 after he returned to Chicago from Istanbul. Court documents said he was to meet a contact to take him into Syria but nobody appeared, and he returned to Istanbul. Van Haften has been in federal custody since his arrest. In court, Van Haften told U.S. District Judge James Peterson that he is a Muslim and wanted to "be a part of the caliphate," or Islamic State, "that is occurring or will be occurring" in the region where Syria is located, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. "So I attempted to cross the border and join," Van Haften said. Van Haften admitted that in 2014, he tried to provide material support to the Islamic State group, knowing that the organization was a designated terrorist organization, federal prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Van Haften posted online that he had taken an oath of allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group, and that "The only thing that matters to me is joining my brothers for the war against America(n) liars." Move along, Bozo: Mississippi county bans clowns for now DEKALB, Miss. (AP) A Mississippi county has had enough of the creepy clown craze, at least until after Halloween. Kemper County supervisors this week banned people from wearing any clown costume, mask or makeup in public. The local law carries a $150 penalty, and it will be lifted Nov. 1. The Kemper County Messenger reports (http://bit.ly/2epYioO ) that supervisors President Johnny Whitsett says it's a matter of public safety because people could react badly if they get scared by a clown in their yard. The county along the Alabama line has a population of about 10,000. Woman charged in unsolved 1989 killing in Kansas KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) A 48-year-old Missouri woman has been charged in the death of a woman whose body was found nearly 30 years ago in Kansas City, Kansas, authorities announced Thursday. Carolyn J. Heckert was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the December 29, 1989, death of Sarah DeLeon, Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said in a release. DeLeon, 18, was found stabbed to death along railroad tracks, police said. She had also suffered a head wound, police said. Heckert was arrested Wednesday in Smithville, Missouri, which is about 20 miles north of Kansas City, Kansas. She was being held Thursday in the Clay County jail on $1 million bond, awaiting extradition to Kansas. A lawyer for Heckert didn't immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday. Police said new DNA collection and testing technology prompted police to review the DeLeon case in July 2014. DeLeon's mother Gail Elieson said Thursday she was "quite pleased" with the announcement of charges in the case. "It just took a long time to get to this point," she said in a telephone interview from her Colorado home. "It will be 27 years in December" since her daughter was slain, she said. Her daughter was a "wonderful young woman," who was studying at a community college, Elieson said. She said she considered the attack on her daughter as "something very personal, with a lot of rage." "She had no enemies. Everybody loved her," Elieson said. "She did not live a high-risk lifestyle." In May, Kansas City, Kansas, detectives said the DeLeon homicide was also possibly linked to the unsolved 1994 slaying of 26-year-old Diana Marie Ault, who was shot to death in her Independence, Missouri, home, surrounded by her 4-year-old son and 6-month-old daughter, according to The Kansas City Star. Det. Scott Howard said in May that the suspect in the DeLeon case, who was not named at that time, "and an accomplice have been involved in other incidents involving the harassment and intimidation of romantic rivals." Detectives said then that they were also seeking information about a possible 1987 abduction that may have been related to the DeLeon case. Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman Officer Cameron Morgan said Thursday he couldn't comment further on the DeLeon investigation and any possible link to Ault's death or the alleged 1987 abduction, but said the suspect police were talking about in May was Heckert. Independence, Missouri, police spokesman Officer John Syme said Thursday that department hasn't had any contact with Kansas City, Kansas, police, regarding the Ault case and he could not comment on whether Heckert is a suspect in Ault's death, which he said remains an open investigation. Ault's father, Bill Laskey, said Thursday that his daughter was "murdered in front of her kids" after returning home from watching the Super Bowl. He said he didn't know Heckert, but was pleased at least that an arrest had been made in DeLeon's death, calling it "way overdue." He said he was still waiting for charges to be filed in his daughter's death. "We're not looking for just anybody, any warm body to be hung for the murders of either of these two girls," he said. "We're just looking for the right person to be held accountable." ____ History shows bitter campaigns typically end with acceptance When Congress denied Andrew Jackson the White House even though he'd won more votes than any other candidate, he blamed it on "bare faced corruption." When Rutherford B. Hayes won the presidency five decades later, supporters of his opponent, Samuel Tilden, offered to march on Washington and install him by force. For nearly as long as there has been a United States, presidential campaigns have periodically ended with bitter divisions over accusations of political trickery and reluctance by the losing side to accept the outcome. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Delaware County Fair, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, in Delaware, Ohio. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) And yet, for all that fiery history, there has never been a candidate quite like Donald Trump, whose assertions that the election is rigged and that he might not accept the result come well before most votes have even been cast. Presidential elections have largely followed a tradition of respectful, although sometimes pained, acceptance once results are finalized, with the loser making a point to cede the stage to the winner. Such peaceful transitions have become a constant in recent decades even as partisanship has turned increasingly rancorous and despite questionable outcomes. "I'm not aware of any episode where the strong presumption hasn't been that you accept the result, and I think that's been the practice really throughout our history," said Joel Goldstein, a professor of law at Saint Louis University who is an expert on the history of the vice presidency. That was evident in 1960 when Richard Nixon conceded to John F. Kennedy despite allegations of vote fraud in Illinois and Texas. "He accepted the result and wanted the country to move forward," said John D. Feerick, a professor of law at Fordham University who has studied presidential successions. In 2000, despite having won the national popular vote, Democrat Al Gore conceded the presidency to George W. Bush after the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to end recounts in Florida with Bush clinging to a lead there of just 537 votes. "While I strongly disagree with the court's position, I accept it," Gore said. Gore's acceptance came after legal battles that lasted more than a month, focusing on actual ballots cast. But Trump's refusal to say if he will accept the results of voting has stunned observers because it comes weeks before Election Day. "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense," Trump said Wednesday during his final debate with rival Hillary Clinton. In a speech Thursday, he said that he would accept the result of vote counting, "if I win." Presidential candidates have certainly disputed past elections but after the fact, when questions arose over actual votes and the circumstances under which they'd been cast. The 1800 election saw Thomas Jefferson finish with the most popular votes but tied with Aaron Burr in electoral votes, causing deadlock in the House of Representatives. When the party of the defeated John Adams backed Burr, Jefferson warned that his followers might use force, before the deadlock was broken. When Jackson lost the White House in 1824, his supporters accused House Speaker Henry Clay of making a "corrupt bargain" to back John Quincy Adams. But Jackson soon shook Adams' hand and wished him well, said Donald Ratcliffe, author of "The One-Party Presidential Contest: Adams, Jackson, and 1824's Five-Horse Race." Jackson and his followers did not oppose Adams' inauguration or stand in the way of his appointments. "The basis of a stable democracy is that people who lose elections are willing to accept their own defeat," Ratcliffe said. Concession was again the order in 1876 when Hayes was awarded the White House by a partisan commission set up to allot disputed electoral votes. Hayes had lost the popular vote amid widespread violence against black voters in Southern states, where white voters overwhelmingly backed his rival, Tilden. But Tilden worked to tamp down calls by his supporters to take the presidency by force, said Michael F. Holt, author of "By One Vote: The Disputed Presidential Election of 1876." The most glaring example of politicians' refusal to accept the outcome of an election came in 1860 when a number of Southern politicians rejected Abraham Lincoln's election in advance, setting the nation on course toward the Civil War. But for most of American history, rivals for the White House have been notable for their acceptance of defeat. For proof look no further than a note from 1993, on White House stationery, that circulated widely online in the hours after this week's debate. A 50-year-old grandmother who was on her way to get a flu shot when she died in a car crash is believed to be the 11th US victim of defective air bag inflators which prompted the largest product recall in US history. Delia Robles was killed in the collision in Riverside County, California. She was driving a 2001 Honda Civic, fitted with the defective air bag, which she had bought last year. Delia Robles, pictured with her son Jose Contreras, died in a crash in California. Her Honda Civic had a defective Takata Corp air bag It has emerged that up to five people have been killed by Takata Corp air bags in Malaysia, bringing the number of deaths globally up to 16. Faults found with the air bags prompted the biggest ever product recall in US history. Her son, Jose Contreras, said his mother was driving at 25mph when she died. Riverside police said in a statement that a man making a left turn in a Chevrolet pickup truck was hit head-on by the Civic. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she died from her injuries, the statement said. Honda said the Civic involved in the California crash had been included in multiple recalls since 2008. The company said it mailed more than 20 recall notices to the car's registered owners, but its records indicate the vehicle was never repaired. Jose says he plans to take legal action following the death of his mother Heartbroken: Jose Contreras has described his mother as a 'safe driver' and said she was traveling at 25mph when she crashed 'The left turn: that's what caused the collision,' police officer Ryan Railsback told the Riverside Press-Enterprise, adding that police continue to investigate with state and federal help. 'They're still working on whether the air bag system played any role in the death.' DANGEROUS AIR BAGS WHICH CAN SPEW SHRAPNEL Takata air bags can inflate with too much force, which causes a metal canister to rupture and spew shrapnel into the vehicle. Tokyo-based Takata, unlike other manufacturers, uses the chemical ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion that inflates air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate when exposed to prolonged high heat and humidity and can burn faster than designed. That can blow apart a metal canister designed to contain the explosion. The problem touched off what is now the largest auto recall in US history. More than 69million inflators have been recalled in the US and more than 100million worldwide. Takata faces billions in costs. Advertisement Honda said in a statement that its 'thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of the driver during this difficult time'. Roble's son, Jose Contreras, told KCAL-TV: 'My mom was a very safe driver. Seatbelt was on, always.' He said he is considering taking legal action. He said: 'It's not like she was sick and she had a terminal illness, and you knew this was coming. This happened from one minute to another.' Honda spokesman Chris Martin said 'multiple' notices were sent to the victim's address, but he did not know if she received them. She bought the car at the end of 2015, he said. In June, NHTSA urged owners of 313,000 older Hondas and Acuras to stop driving them and get them repaired, after new tests found that their Takata inflators are extremely dangerous. The agency said it had data showing that chances are as high as 50 per cent that the inflators can explode in a crash. Martin said about 300,000 have not been repaired, and that the owners have been difficult to reach. Just over a million Hondas originally had the risky type of inflators. More than 100million cars have been recalled worldwide because of the defective air bags, which have been linked to 16 deaths across the globe NHTSA's urgent advisory covers vehicles that are up to 16 years old including 2001 and 2002 Honda Civics and Accords, the 2002 and 2003 Acura TL, the 2002 Honda Odyssey and CR-V, and the 2003 Acura CL and Honda Pilot, NHTSA said. They were recalled from 2008 to 2011, and about 70 per cent of them already have been repaired, the agency said. Honda says it has sufficient supplies of replacement air bags for owners who still need them. The older the inflators are, and the more time they spend in heat and humidity, the more likely they are to malfunction. Policy chief warned Cameron over Heathrow air quality plan David Cameron was warned a year ago that the Government was "exposed on Heathrow" because it had no answers to concerns on air quality. A memo to the then PM by his Number 10 policy chief raised alarm about a Whitehall air quality plan, according to The Guardian. The note, written by senior adviser Camilla Cavendish, was dismissive about the first draft of a government air quality initiative from the department of environment which was then headed by Liz Truss. The Government is to choose whether to expand airport capacity at Heathrow or Gatwick The September 2015 memo said: "There are three problems with Liz's clean air plan as currently written: First it is still very much a draft which quotes initiatives that are likely to be abolished ... Second it both overclaims and underwhelms. "It says we want the cleanest air in the world but does not even begin to tackle the fundamental question of how we might help people to shift away from diesel cars. Third, it leaves us exposed on Heathrow where we don't yet have an answer on air quality." The revelation came after Theresa May defended her approach to expanding airport capacity after it emerged a final decision by Parliament would not be taken until the winter of 2017/18. The Prime Minister said a judgment would be made this month on whether to go ahead with a third runway at Heathrow, as the airport insisted there had been "no delay" over the plan. She said she would settle an issue that politicians had been wrangling over for decades, but the "formal process" would mean a further consultation before a vote by MPs. Mrs May told the Commons at Prime Minister's Questions: " This is a subject that has been debated, discussed, speculated on for 40 years. This Government will take a decision. "But there is then a formal process that has to be undertaken so that the Government will identify its preferred option of site. That will then go to a statutory consultation. "The Government will then consider the results of the statutory consultation and bring forward an airports national planning statement on which this House will vote." EU leaders vow to play hardball over Brexit European leaders have warned Theresa May they will play hardball over Britain's exit from the EU. The UK will face "hard" negotiations if it wants to make a clean break with the bloc, the French president said as the Prime Minister arrived in Brussels for a summit. And EU leaders were told to "stand firm" in their talks with Britain as Mrs May watched on. French president Francois Hollande arrives for the EU summit in Brussels (AP) The PM will attempt to ease the jitters Brexit is causing across the bloc by insisting the UK does not want to damage the EU when it quits. But Francois Hollande issued a firm warning that Britain is facing a rocky ride as he arrived for the European Council. "I say very firmly, (if) Mrs May wants a hard Brexit, the negotiations will be hard," he said. And in the first formal meeting the Prime Minister has attended in Brussels as premier, the president of the European Parliament made clear MEPs would not give the UK an easy ride. Martin Schulz said: "I refuse to imagine a Europe where lorries and hedge funds are free to cross borders but citizens are not." He added: "An overwhelming majority in the European Parliament expects you to stand firm when designing the EU's future relationship with the UK. "The fundamental freedoms are inseparable, i.e. no freedom of movement for goods, capital and services, without free movement of persons." A No 10 source said the meeting was "constructive" and Mrs May had received a "good reception". Mrs May arrived in Brussels declaring she had "very clear message, which is the UK is leaving the EU but will continue to play a full role until we leave and will be a strong, independent partner after we have left". She added: "It's in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together." The PM has indicated that her priority for a post-Brexit deal is control over immigration, which most observers believe will force the UK out of the Single Market. Mrs May held informal talks with Estonian prime minister Taavi Rovias and Romanian president Klaus Werner Iohannis. Standards Committee chairman breached MPs' code of conduct The chairman of the Commons Standards Committee breached the MPs' code of conduct by accepting payment for hosting events for a drug company in Parliament. But the committee recommended that no further action was required against Sir Kevin Barron following the "minor" and "inadvertent" breach. The fees received by Sir Kevin Barron after sponsoring three events in Parliament were donated to charity, and Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson concluded the breach of the rules was "at the least serious end of the spectrum" because the MP did not personally benefit. Sir Kevin did not personally benefit from hosting the events The report recommended that no further action was required against the Labour MP, who stood aside while the committee examined his case, and the inquiry had raised "no doubts over Kevin Barron's integrity and honesty". Sir Kevin referred himself to the independent commissioner after a Daily Telegraph report on his links to the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group (JPG). The Rother Valley MP entered into an agreement with JPG in 2011 and subsequently sponsored three events in Parliament. Money from the JPG was donated to the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in his constituency, and the committee's report found that three cheques to the charity, each for 3,000, were registered in Sir Kevin's entry in the Commons register of Members' interests as remuneration for his work for JPG. In her inquiry, the commissioner found that by hosting the events in Parliament, Sir Kevin breached the Commons "banqueting rules" that state that private dining rooms " are not to be used for the direct or indirect financial or material gain by a sponsor", even though the money went to charity. That error put Sir Kevin in breach of the MPs' code of conduct, which states that parliamentarians using Westminster's facilities must follow the rules. Ms Hudson said: " I consider this breach of the rules and the code to be at the least serious end of the spectrum. There was nothing untoward in Sir Kevin booking the dining room for the use of a third party. "Indeed, at the relevant time the banqueting regulations allowed third parties to book the dining facilities, only through the sponsorship of a named Member. "The breach of the rules arose because, in his agreement for the provision of services, Sir Kevin said that he might sponsor the occasional event in Parliament. This then became part of the remunerated agreement and thus breached the regulations." Sir Kevin told the commissioner he was "surprised" at the breach of banqueting rules because he had declared his interests when booking the rooms. "If I had breached any of these rules I would have expected to be contacted by the registrar," he said. In its conclusions, the committee agreed with the commissioner that Sir Kevin had "adhered fully to the rules on the disclosure of his relationship" with JPG. But "w e also agree with the commissioner's finding that Kevin Barron was in breach of the code in accepting payment of any kind linked to the use of House facilities". "Although he did not receive payment himself, he was able to direct that it be given to a particular charity as a result of the contractual relationship. "This means that the payment was a 'direct or indirect financial or material gain' to Kevin Barron as a sponsor of the events organised in the House on behalf of JPG." The committee added: " Kevin Barron has cooperated fully with the Commissioner's investigation and we agree with her conclusion that the inquiry has raised no doubts over Kevin Barron's integrity and honesty. We consider that no further action is required." But the panel, made up of MPs and lay members, raised concerns about the "multiplicity of rules" set by different bodies within the Commons and the "vagueness" of the wording. Sir Kevin said: "The report published today has found no serious breaches as I always maintained. The inquiry has found a 'minor' and 'inadvertent' breach of a banqueting rule. I felt that I had taken all the steps I could to check the rules, but acknowledge my mistake. "Just to make it absolutely clear, this arrangement led to no personal financial gain as payment was made, as a donation, to a local children's hospice in my constituency. "I would like to thank Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, for her very thorough investigation into this matter and the Committee on Standards for their judgment. Zoo's C-section baby gorilla meets fellow ape Romina for first time A baby gorilla born by Caesarian section eight months ago has begun meeting others in her troop. Afia, a Western lowland gorilla, has been cared for by keepers at Bristol Zoo since her birth in February. She has now met the Zoo's 36-year-old female, Romina, while her keepers watched on. Afia, at six months, with keeper Joanne Rudd at Bristol Zoo The pair are getting on well and are now spending 24 hours a day together. Lynsey Bugg, curator of mammals at the zoo, said: "Since day one of Afia's hand-rearing, we have been planning on introducing Afia into the group within her first year to avoid imprinting and a lack of knowledge of gorilla-specific behaviour later in life. "We had strong indications that both Romina and Afia were ready - Afia was physically and mentally strong enough and Romina was enjoying watching her through the mesh. "We are absolutely thrilled that they are now bonding and getting on so well. We could tell that both were unsure at first, but they have grown to trust and understand each other. "It is obviously a very emotional time for her keepers, who have dedicated so much of their time to raising her, but we are all very relieved. This is the exact outcome we were hoping for at this stage." Initial introductions began last week with the pair being separated by mesh. Romina's den was then opened just enough for Afia to get through while staff monitored closely. Over the past few months, keepers have separated Romina in an off-show den for increasing periods of time. This was to help Romina and the rest of the troop become used to being apart, reading for her to bond with Afia. During this time, keepers trained Romina to bring a cuddly toy gorilla to the mesh for feeding as well as to put it in a box and walk away if keepers needed to intervene. All training was successful and keepers were confident that Romina, who has shown maternal instincts towards Afia since birth, was ready to meet her. Afia was born by emergency Caesarian section on February 12 this year. Her mother, Kera, suffered complications following the birth and was not well enough to care for her. Because of this, zoo staff decided to hand-rear her behind the scenes. This involved feeding throughout the day and night, taking it in turns to take her home overnight and teaching natural gorilla behaviours. Now that Afia has bonded with Romina, further introductions with the rest of the troop will begin to take place. Paul Pogba scores twice in comfortable win for United Paul Pogba scored twice as Manchester United defeated Fenerbahce 4-1 to move to the top of Europa League Group A. After very little of note in the opening half an hour, Pogba and Anthony Martial netted penalties within three minutes of each other before Pogba scored a fine third in first-half injury time. Jesse Lingard added a fourth just after half-time and the United fans were on their feet again for Fenerbahce's consolation goal, scored late on by their popular former striker Robin van Persie. Paul Pogba, left, and Anthony Martial both scored penalties for Manchester United The Red Devils leapfrog Fenerbahce to the top of the group table and have repaired the damage done by their opening loss to Feyenoord, who also have six points. Jose Mourinho made seven changes to the side that drew with Liverpool on Monday and the incomers included captain Wayne Rooney, starting for the first time in a month. Fenerbahce were the opponents when Rooney so thrillingly announced his arrival at United with a debut hat-trick. But that was 12 years ago and this time the Turkish side offered the chance for Rooney to show he can offer more than just past glories. Pogba, another man with a point to prove, kept his place while Martial and Luke Shaw started but there was no place in the squad for either Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Morgan Schneiderlin. The Fenerbahce team featured two very familiar faces in Van Persie, who was warmly applauded throughout the match, and former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel. Van Persie probed without threatening during the opening stages and there not been a chance of note until Juan Mata skilfully controlled a long ball in the area. Simon Kjaer clumsily bundled into him and, after Rooney stepped aside to let Pogba take the penalty, he kept his cool while keeper Volkan Demirel dallied to give the hosts a 31st-minute lead. Three minutes later they were two up thanks to another penalty, this time won and converted by Martial, who ran onto a fine ball from Mata before being pushed in the back by Sener Ozbayrakli. Fenerbahce nearly pulled one back immediately but Souza was denied by a good save from David De Gea, and with the final action of the first half United grabbed a third. Rooney, who was playing as a striker but often dropped deep, picked up the ball on the right and sent in a cross. It was slightly behind Lingard but he laid it off for Pogba, who from 25 yards side-footed a wonderful shot into the top corner. It was another indication of what a hugely talented midfielder the Frenchman is, and he also had a hand in United's fourth three minutes after the break. Pogba played the ball to Rooney on the edge of the area and this time it was Lingard collecting the lay-off before drilling a 20-yard shot into the bottom corner. Van Persie had his first real sight of goal on the hour mark, and his curling effort from outside the box briefly looked like it might trouble De Gea before sailing harmlessly wide. Mata should have added a fifth but was denied by Demirel when one on one, and no one in Old Trafford apart from perhaps Mourinho minded when Van Persie got away from Shaw to grab an 83rd-minute consolation. Last Chance for child refugees as Government urged to act Actresses Carey Mulligan, Juliet Stevenson, Joely Richardson and her mother Vanessa Redgrave laid down the law in a rousing reading of asylum legislation in a last plea to the Government to help child refugees in Calais. The Young Vic theatre in London hosted the poignant performance of the Dublin III regulation, which sets out a child's right to claim asylum, in a production called Last Chance. It was standing room only as those keen to understand more about the intricacies of the law, and drawn by the big acting names, packed out the studio space. (left to right) Juliet Stevenson, Joely Richardson, Carey Mulligan and Vanessa Redgrave during a staged reading of the Dublin III regulation The performance covered articles of the regulation including guarantees for minors, family procedure and obligations of the member state responsible - and none of those taking part had read the legislation beforehand or rehearsed it. Mulligan, the 31-year-old Suffragette star who is married to Mumford and Sons frontman Marcus Mumford, captured the attention of the audience as she delivered a joint reading. Citing the definition of a child as set out in the legalisation, Mulligan said: "'Minor' means a third-country national or a stateless person below the age of 18 years." She continued : "The best interests of the child should be the primary consideration for member states." In a mock European Union bench, draped in the blue and gold starred flags, Mulligan planted an English flag alongside the Union Jack. The so-called Jungle camp - the sprawling site housing thousands of migrants in Calais - is set to be demolished in a matter of days, and the reading of the legislation was used as a last call to the Government to speed up the resettlement process of minors. It was staged by the charity Good Chance and saw actors Samuel West and John Pfumojena join Mulligan, Stevenson, Richardson and Redgrave for the performance, alongside refugees who now live in the UK. The event also included a replica of the camp made out of cardboard boxes, a virtual reality video tour of the French town and cut-outs from the Paper People Project. In a question and answer session before the delivery of the wording of the Dublin III regulation began, Stevenson said the situation for unaccompanied children in Calais has become "ever more urgent". Describing the camp, the 59-year-old Truly, Madly, Deeply star said: "It is a really, really toxic, anxious, aggressive place to be. People are leaving." Dismayed at the slow progress in bringing eligible children over to the UK, she said it is "terrific" the Government has finally "turned their attention to the issue". But she said the problem with the late response is obvious, giving the government "only a week" to undertake the "complicated business" of getting the children to one place and registered. Stevenson added: "The concern is because it is all very last minute, because they (the Government) don't have experience on the ground, the identifying of which children belong in which category is very difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of fear, panic and chaos." Founded by playwrights Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, Good Chance is a project which brings theatre and performance to the Calais camp through writing workshops, music and acting. Their theatre, which h osted visiting artists and staging refugee performances, was dismantled in March 2016. The pair had set up the creative space in the Jungle after they were overwhelmed by the number of unaccompanied children living there. "Let's imagine being alone and being a child. You haven't your parents, you haven't got any relatives or anybody to guide you," said Mr Murphy. "They are stuck in the most awful conditions you can imagine. We are so privileged, we don't know that we are born. These children are alone and having to deal with the worst that this world can throw at them." Mr Murphy and Mr Robertson, in a joint opening speech, said: "It is easy to talk about humanitarian crisis in a world when every other day something terrible happens. "But what is happening in Calais, right now, today, is a humanitarian crisis. A crisis particularly felt by the children. And it is 58 minutes away on the Eurostar. "Among the 10,000 residents over 1,000 are kids - totally on their own." They added: "The Government has a legal and moral obligation to help those children." Under Dublin III children can have their asylum claim transferred from their arrival point in Europe to another country if they have family members living there. Additionally the amendment to the Immigration Act 2016 made by Lord Alf Dubs requires the Government to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from Europe. Stevenson said to the audience before the reading that there are 387 children within Calais that fall into these two groups. Moscow vows to hit back in row over Russian TV channel's UK accounts MOSCOW, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Russia has promised to retaliate against Britain after a British state-owned bank said it was withdrawing its services from Kremlin-backed Russian broadcaster RT. RT said on Monday that NatWest, owned by Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), had given notice it intended to withdraw its banking services from the channel's British arm. RT accused the bank of attacking freedom of speech. RBS responded by saying it was reviewing the situation and would contact RT to discuss the matter, which caused a furore in Russia where the Russian Foreign Ministry said it looked like a politically-motivated move to silence an inconvenient outlet. Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, told reporters on Tuesday evening that Moscow would retaliate in kind if necessary. "Our stance is unambiguous. We never leave friends in the lurch. Tit-for-tat retaliation is always due," the TASS news agency cited Zakharova as saying. "Apparently, we need to reach a certain point to react and show the other side a mirror image of its own actions. To let them feel a similar situation. It works well. But this is not our choice." She did not say which British media outlet or outlets operating in Russia might be targeted for retaliation. U.S. health officials create color-coded Zika zones in Florida By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO, Oct 19 (Reuters) - U.S. health officials introduced a new color-coding system on Tuesday for Florida's Miami-Dade County to distinguish between areas of active transmission that present a significant risk of transmission and areas where there is a possible risk of being infected. The new system, announced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, casts all of Miami-Dade County as a yellow cautionary area with the exception of Miami Beach and a one square mile area of Miami known as the Little River neighborhood, which are high-risk red zones. Miami is a major tourist destination. Previously, the CDC had warned pregnant women to consider avoiding non-essential travel to Miami-Dade County to reduce their risk infection with Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that has been linked with severe birth defects. "Zika continues to pose a threat to pregnant women living in or traveling to Miami-Dade County," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases. "Our guidance today strengthens our travel advice and testing recommendations for pregnant women to further prevent the spread of the infection among those most vulnerable." Based on the new guidelines, the CDC said it recommends pregnant women consider postponing travel to yellow areas of Miami-Dade County, and they should specifically avoid red areas because they pose "a significant risk to pregnant women." A map of the Zika warning areas can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/zika/intheus/florida-maps.html. The CDC urged pregnant women who have lived in, traveled to, or had unprotected sex with someone who lived in or traveled to Miami-Dade County since August 1, 2016, to be tested for Zika. Four-way talks move ahead on Ukraine, scant progress on Syria By Andreas Rinke, Denis Pinchuk and Natalia Zinets BERLIN, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Germany and France pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria and halt the "criminal" bombardment of civilians, but said four-way talks aimed at ending violence in eastern Ukraine made some progress. "We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after what she described as a difficult discussion with Putin about the crisis in Syria. French President Francois Hollande used the phrase "war crimes," and both leaders criticised Russia for attacking the civilian population under the pretense of fighting terrorism. "We agree that terrorism must be combatted, but not at the price that 300,000 people there must lose their lives and suffer without all necessary supplies," Merkel said, reflecting growing concern in Europe and the United States about Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Merkel and Hollande will discuss the talks at an EU summit meeting on Thursday evening, with the bloc due to consider whether to impose new sanctions on Russians over the bombing in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. While there is no immediate consensus for more sanctions, Britain and France, with support from eastern and Nordic countries, said they could push for them in the coming weeks if Russia continues to bomb the rebel-held east of the city. Merkel said she could not rule out sanctions, but said Thursday's EU meeting would be focused on helping civilians. "We made it very, very clear tonight that Russia has a great responsibility that extends far beyond the bombardment," she said. "It will decide whether humanitarian supplies can be delivered (and) whether a political process can be begun." Putin told a separate news conference that Moscow had proposed to speed up adoption of a new constitution in Syria to facilitate future elections, and said Russia was ready to extend an eight-hour pause in air strikes in Syria. He underscored the importance of "eradicating terrorism" and called on the United States to separate Al Nusra Front militants from what he called "the healthy opposition" in Syria. Hollande acknowledged Putin's offer of extending the ceasefire, but said a longer pause in bombing was needed to bring in much-needed humanitarian supplies. "A respite of a few hours makes no sense," he told a joint news conference with Merkel after the talks. "The main point is that the population of Aleppo ... cannot continue to live in conditions that are unbearable." Merkel had insisted that Putin agree to discuss Syria on the sidelines of the so-called "Normandy Format" meeting on Ukraine. It was the Russian leader's first trip to Germany since 2013. The meeting took place hours after news emerged that Russian warships off the coast of Norway were preparing to reinforce a brutal assault on Aleppo. PROGRESS ON UKRAINE, HARD WORK AHEAD Merkel said a separate meeting with Hollande, Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko - their first in over a year - had resulted in agreement on a preliminary road map for implementing the Minsk peace deal reached in February 2015. Foreign ministers will work out details of the plan in November, but hard work remained ahead, Merkel said. Poroshenko said the sides agreed during the five-hour meeting to withdraw Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists from four new areas at the frontline of the fighting in the Donbass region. That follows the withdrawal of forces from three other key areas that began last month. They also agreed that monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) could be armed and that their activities in monitoring the so-called Minsk peace process would not be impeded. Local elections remained a matter of debate, with Ukraine insisting it would only hold elections in the Donbass region after foreign forces withdrew, Poroshenko told reporters. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far. Both Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of perpetuating the violence and violating the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. At Thursday's EU dinner, eastern and Baltic countries are also set to call for stronger EU defences against what they say is Russian disinformation campaigns to destabilise their governments or a possible cyber attack. MEDIA-Malaysia's bauxite mining ban could extend till 2018 - The Malaysian Reserve -- Malaysia's moratorium on bauxite mining may extend till 2018 as the stockpile for the aluminium ore continues to be high, The Malaysian Reserve reported on Thursday. -- Natural resources and environment minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar told the business daily that despite the moratorium, which began in January this year, bauxite stockpile remained sizeable at about 4.15 million metric tonnes. Failed North Korean ballistic missile launch detected -U.S. Strategic Command WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - A failed attempt by North Korea to launch a missile was detected at 5:00 p.m. CDT/2200 GMT on Wednesday from the northwestern city of Kusong, U.S. Strategic Command said. North Korea missile fails after launch, again -U.S., South Korea By Ju-min Park and Eric Walsh SEOUL/WASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - North Korea test-fired a missile that failed immediately after launch early on Thursday, the U.S. and South Korean militaries said, hours after the two countries agreed to step up efforts to counter the North's nuclear and missile threats. The missile, believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan, was launched from the western city of Kusong, from where the isolated state had attempted and failed to launch the same type of missile on Saturday, the U.S. Strategic Command and South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The launch comes after the United States and South Korea agreed in Washington on Wednesday to bolster military and diplomatic efforts to counter the North's nuclear and missile programs, which it is pursuing in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. After a meeting with South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said such launches threatened the stability of the Korean peninsula and the broader Asia-Pacific region. "We strongly condemn last night's attempt, that even in failing, violated several U.N. Security Council resolutions," he said at a news conference. "This latest provocation only strengthens our resolve to work together with our (South Korean) allies to maintain stability on the peninsula." The failed missile launch was the eighth attempt in seven months by the North to launch a weapon with a design range of 3,000 km (1,800 miles) that can be fired from road mobile launchers, the U.S. and South Korean militaries said. Han said North Korea was conducting its missile launches for "political purposes" and was showing its limitations through the failures. U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE News of the North's latest ballistic missile launch came during the third and final U.S. presidential debate, in which Republican candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, exchanged sharply contrasting views on U.S. alliances in Asia. Trump said U.S. defense treaties around the world, including with South Korea, had to be renegotiated because "we're being ripped off by everybody in the world." Clinton said Trump wanted to tear up alliances that keep nuclear proliferation in check, relationships that she believed make the world and the United States safer. Japan condemned the North Korean launch and said it would make a formal protest through its embassy in Beijing. North Korea has been pursuing its nuclear and missile programs at an unprecedented pace this year. In June, it launched a Musudan missile that flew about 400 km (250 miles), more than half the distance to Japan, a flight that was considered a success by officials and experts in South Korea and the United States. North Korea said on Thursday that it would continue to launch satellites despite its rival South's objections, in a statement by its space agency carried by official media. Pyongyang says it has a sovereign right to pursue a space program by launching rockets carrying satellites, most recently in February, although Washington and Seoul worry that such launches are long-range missile tests in disguise. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking before the failed missile launch, said the United States would do "whatever is necessary" to defend itself, South Korea and other allies against North Korea. Kerry and Carter reaffirmed that any attack by North Korea would be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons "met with an effective and overwhelming response," a joint statement said. As part of the military effort, Kerry said the United States would deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system to South Korea "as soon as possible." China strongly opposes deployment of the U.S. system, saying it would impinge on its own strategic deterrence. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, also speaking in Washington on Wednesday, said North Korea was nearing the "final stage of nuclear weaponisation" and the allies would mobilize "all tools in the toolkit" to defend themselves. Oil down 2 pct, strong dollar knocks U.S. crude off 15-month highs By Ethan Lou NEW YORK, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Oil prices settled down more than 2 percent on Thursday, as a resurgent dollar encouraged players to take profit on the previous day's rally that sent U.S. crude to 15-month highs. The dollar hit seven-month highs against a basket of currencies and a three-month peak versus the euro after the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged and U.S. data showed home resales surged in September. Benchmark Brent crude for December delivery settled down $1.29, or 2.5 percent, at $51.38 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude's November contract , which expired as the front-month, fell $1.17, or 2.3 percent, to finish at $50.43. WTI's December contract, which will be front-month from Friday, slid $1.19 to settle at $50.63. On Wednesday, oil rallied after the U.S. government reported an unexpected drawdown of more than 5 million barrels in weekly crude stockpiles that drove WTI's November contract to a 15-month high of $51.93. "This is predominately being driven by the dollar's strength," Matt Smith, director of commodity research New York's ClipperData said, referring to Thursday's retreat. "It's also to do with the dust settling on yesterday's report and the realization that it wasn't quite as bullish." Some market participants noted that despite the crude drawdown, the EIA also reported an unexpected build of 2.5 million barrels in gasoline stockpiles instead of the drop that was forecast. There was also growing skepticism about the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) upcoming plan to limit production, said Tariq Zahir, trader at Tyche Capital Advisors in New York. "The comments overnight, of (OPEC) talking with Russia about whether they can increase their production levels, is putting into doubt whether there is going to be an agreement," he said. The chief executive of Russia's Rosneft has said the state oil producer has potential to add as much as 200 million tonnes a year, or about 4 million barrels per day, to its output. Despite Thursday's drop, oil prices are still up about 13 percent since OPEC announced on Sept. 27 its first planned output cut in 8 years to rein in a global glut that halved prices from mid-2014 highs above $100 a barrel. French oil industry officials differed in their market outlook at a conference in Paris, with Total's CEO optimistic of OPEC's ability to balance the market with output cuts while Technip's head suggested the oil price crisis will last another two years. Mexico's peso firms to six week high after U.S. election debate MEXICO CITY, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Mexico's peso currency firmed to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the final U.S. presidential election debate on Wednesday night, with one snap poll judging it a victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. The peso was little changed during the fiery debate, in which Clinton's Republican opponent Donald Trump suggested he might reject the outcome of the November 8 election. But the currency began to appreciate after its conclusion to hit a session high of 18.455 per dollar in Asian trading, the currency's highest level since Sept. 8. Just before the debate started the peso was trading at around 18.53 per dollar. A snap opinion poll published by CNN showed 52 percent of debate watchers found that Democratic candidate Clinton had won the contest, with 39 percent giving the nod to Trump. Economists in Mexico said the debate suggested a Clinton victory was now likelier, though not all fears were dispelled. "The scenario of Trump winning is so bad that people are not removing their hedges," said Ernesto Revilla, an economist at Banamex, who said the peso would enjoy further relief if Clinton did clinch the presidency. "I think you will now see appreciation in the peso after the election," said Carlos Serrano, an economist at Bancomer. The peso hit record lows last month on concerns that if elected, Trump could carry out his threats to tear up a U.S. free trade deal with Mexico and block remittances sent home by Mexicans living in the United States to fund a border wall. But the peso has rallied over 7 percent from that record low as polls suggested Democratic candidate Clinton was gaining ground and that Trump's hopes of victory were fading. Data from Citigroup showed that hedge funds dived into the peso following the first two debates. The currency may not have much more ground to gain if the market has factored in a Clinton victory. However, some analysts think the peso could keep making up ground towards 18 per dollar, and even break past that level as convictions grow that Clinton will win. Suspected IS-inspired militant stabs three Indonesian police By Fransiska Nangoy and Fergus Jensen JAKARTA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A suspected supporter of Islamic State stabbed and wounded three Indonesian police on Thursday in what appeared to be the latest violence inspired by the militant group in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation. The man also threw a pipe bomb which failed to explode during the rush hour attack in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, police said. He was shot and died of his wounds, a police spokesman said, while the three victims were being treated in hospital. A second pipe bomb and a large IS sticker were found at the scene, police said. Indonesian authorities are increasingly worried about a resurgence in radicalism in Southeast Asia's largest economy, driven in part by a new generation of militants inspired by Islamic State. "Two of (the police) were stabbed in the arm and chest. Then the attacker walked around showing off his weapon, walking to the police post and shouting 'Allahu akbar' (God is greatest)," Mohammad Isa Ansori, deputy police chief of Tangerang district, told Reuters. The attacker, who was born in 1994 and unemployed, was believed to be a member of Indonesian militant group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which supports Islamic State. The umbrella organisation, formed last year through an alliance of splinter groups backing Islamic State, is led by jailed Islamist cleric Aman Abdurrahman, who is serving a nine-year prison sentence for aiding a militant training camp. Thursday's assault comes after a series of Islamic State-linked attacks beginning in January when four militants mounted a gun and bomb attack in Jakarta. Eight people were killed, including the militants. In July, a militant blew himself up at a police station in the town of Solo, injuring one officer. Police in August arrested Islamic State supporters plotting to launch a rocket at Singapore's Marina Bay casino resort area using a boat from the nearby Indonesian island of Batam. The vast majority of Indonesia's 250 million people practise a moderate form of Islam. Small militant groups that have periodically mounted attacks against the state and foreigners have been largely disbanded or driven underground. In Indonesia's most serious attack, militants set off explosives at a nightclub on Bali island in 2002 killing 202 people. Authorities believe Islamic State has more than 1,200 followers in Indonesia and nearly 400 Indonesians have left to join the group in Syria. Police are on the alert in case more Indonesians return home after Iraqi forces this week launched an offensive to take back the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul. Trump will not commit to accepting election result, shaking U.S. election campaign By Steve Holland and Emily Stephenson LAS VEGAS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would not commit on Wednesday to accepting the outcome of the Nov. 8 U.S. election if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy. Trump's refusal, which his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called "horrifying," was the standout remark of their third and final debate. It ratcheted up claims that Trump has made for weeks and has intensified in recent days that the election is being rigged against him. Asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he was not prepared to commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. OK?" Trump's statement might appeal to his anti-establishment followers, but was unlikely to reverse opinion polls showing him trailing, including in the narrowly divided "swing" states that are likely to decide the election. "That is not the way our democracy works," Clinton said during the debate. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election." A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought former Secretary of State Clinton won the debate and 39 percent said Trump, a former reality TV star making his first run at public office, was the victor. On Twitter, President Barack Obama, a fellow Democrat, said Clinton had scored an "Outstanding 3 for 3 debate sweep." Obama has been scathingly critical of Trump, describing him as unfit for the White House. The Mexican peso climbed to a six-week high against the dollar immediately after a debate the market saw as having given no clear boost to Trump's White House hopes, although later it was down on the day in European trade. The peso is seen as the main proxy for market pricing of Trump's chances of winning, in view of his promises to get tough on immigration. Millions of Americans watched the encounter. However, although the television audience for the final debate was larger than for their second matchup, it was below their record-setting first debate, according to early data cited by U.S. media. REPUBLICAN CONCERN Trump's comments made banner headlines across the country and increased Republican worries that his poor performance might also dim the party's chances of holding onto its majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives in next month's election. Some Republicans quickly denounced the remarks. Senator Lindsey Graham, a former Republican presidential candidate who has never backed Trump, said: "If he loses, it will not be because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate." Republican Senator Jeff Flake, another Trump critic, said on Twitter that the comment was "beyond the pale." Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on Thursday tried to defend Trump, saying in television interviews that he was "putting people on notice" about voting irregularities. "We'll have to see what happens," she told ABC News, adding that Trump "was willing to accept the election absent widespread fraud." With national opinion polls showing Clinton's lead over him increasing in recent days, Trump has stepped up allegations that the election is being rigged. He has not offered evidence and numerous studies have shown that the U.S. election system, which is decentralized and run by the states, is sound. Trump's running mate, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, said Trump "will accept the outcome" because he is going to win. But Republican strategist Ryan Williams said he found Trump's statement "deeply concerning," adding, "You have to accept the results of the election unless there are grounds for a recount and at this point it does not appear that we're heading for a close election." Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine, in a series of TV interviews on Thursday, blasted Trump's stance as "shocking" and a threat to American democracy. 'NASTY WOMAN' In a debate that for the first time focused more on policy than character, the two candidates nonetheless lashed out at each other. Trump called Clinton "such a nasty woman," and - without offering evidence - accused her campaign of orchestrating accusations by women against him of sexual misconduct and said both she and Obama had arranged disturbances at his rallies. Trump, 70, called her family's charity, the Clinton Foundation, a criminal enterprise and said that as a result Clinton should not have been allowed to seek the presidency. Clinton, 68, said Trump himself had incited violence, belittled women and posed a danger to the United States. She said mockingly that Trump had in the past complained that his TV show was unjustly denied a U.S. television Emmy award. "I should have gotten it," Trump retorted. Trump said all the stories of sexual misdeeds were "totally false." He called her campaign "sleazy" and said, "Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody." Clinton said the women came forward after Trump said in the last debate he had never made unwanted advances. In a 2005 video that emerged earlier this month, Trump was recorded bragging in lewd terms about groping women against their will. "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth and I don't think there is a woman anywhere who doesn't know what that feels like," said Clinton, the first woman to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party. The two candidates also had a spirited exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration. They exchanged sharp words over the influence of Vladimir Putin, with Clinton calling Trump the Russian president's puppet and Trump charging that Putin had repeatedly outsmarted Clinton. The two candidates are scheduled to meet again later on Thursday night at a charity dinner in New York. Australian bidders gatecrash deal for country's biggest landholding By Colin Packham SYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Four of Australia's wealthiest outback cattle families plan to make the first entirely domestic offer to buy S.Kidman and Co, the country's largest private land holding, paying more than a rival bid of A$365 million ($280 million), two of the quartet said. Kidman has already accepted a joint offer by Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart and Chinese developer Shanghai CRED Real Estate, but the A$365 million deal is still waiting government approval and the company's board is required to consider any higher offers. That is opening the door for the planned bid from the local BBHO consortium, which has the advantage of not requiring approval from Australia's foreign investment review board. The fate of Kidman, with its vast cattle and pastoral holdings, has been a lightning rod for concerns about the sale of Australian agriculture and other key assets to foreign investors. The Australian government has twice rejected foreign offers for Kidman, including a previous bid by Shanghai CRED and China's Hunan Dakang Pasture Farming Co Ltd that had a minority Australian interest. Domestic ownership of agriculture is seen as crucial for Australia to cash in on global food demand and to keep tax revenues onshore. "If I was pressed, I would say the new bid is favourite," said Robert Hermann, managing director at consultancy Agricultural Markets Analysts and Advice. Hermann said the Nationals political party, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, would be likely to switch its support from the Rinehart-CRED Shanghai offer to one that keeps Kidman 100-percent Australian owned. Sterling Buntine, one of the BBHO quartet, said the offer the group expected to lodge formally over the weekend would be "absolutely competitive". "It will be more than what the current bid is on the table and we would expect the Kidman board to treat it with due respect," Buntine told reporters, without confirming local media reports the consortium was offering A$385 million. Buntine is joined in the consortium by three private cattle ranchers, Tom Brinkworth, Malcolm Harris and Viv Oldfield. None are household names in Australia but each own millions of hectares of grazing land around Australia. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison told parliament he was pleased local bidders were coming forward. However, some analysts said the new deal had a couple of key weaknesses. The consortium plans to break up Kidman's 101,000 sq km (39,000 sq miles) holdings, which flies against Kidman's preference for the sale, and accepting it would cost the company more than A$3 million in break fees. "Any counter offer has to be judged by the Kidman board as to whether it is a superior offer of not," Kidman Chief Executive Greg Campbell told Reuters. He declined to comment further. Slovak Republic - Factors To Watch on Oct 20 BRATISLAVA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Thursday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview =========================NEWS================================== MOCHOVCE NUCLEAR PLANT: The cost of building two new units at Slovak nuclear power plant Mochovce will grow by at least another 500 million euros ($548.75 million) and the country's biggest investment faces further delays, a minister said on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: =====================PRESS DIGEST=============================== FDI: Slovakia is among five eastern European countries on the shortlist for German automotive parts producer Schaeffler's new factory, Schaeffler Slovakia CEO told weekly magazine Trend. The new plant would add about 4,000 employees to some 10,000 the firm already employs in its two Slovak factories. http://www.etrend.sk/firmy/vyse-4-tisic-miest-slovensko-bojuje-o-vyznamnu-investiciu.html (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jason Hovet on +420 224 190 476 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) Flash Iraqi security forces on Wednesday continued fighting against the Islamic State (IS) militants in their all-out offensive to free the city of Mosul, while the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an IS attack on the town of Sinjar and killed 47 militants, security sources said. In the third day of the offensive, the troops fought sporadic clashes with IS militants in several areas in northeast and east of Mosul, while the Peshmerga forces shelled IS positions with artillery and mortar rounds near the towns of Bashiqa and Butilla in northeast of Mosul, a security source from the Operations Command of Nineveh Liberation told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Iraqi army continued their clashes with IS militants at the edge of the town of Hamdaniyah, some 40 km southeast of Mosul, after repeated attempts to enter the town after the militants showed stiff resistance, the source said. In south of Mosul, the Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Sunni and Shiite Hashd Shaabi units recaptured the villages of al-Bakr, Siewah, Najma, Osmaniyah Rafla and Zawiya while moving north to the IS-held town of Shoura, some 30km south of Mosul, the source added. Separately, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces repelled an attack by dozens of IS militants with three suicide car bombs from three directions on the military positions outside the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of the IS-held city of Mosul, Brigadier General Luqman al-Khansouri, commander of the town's security forces, told Xinhua. The troops destroyed the three suicide car bombs and killed up to 47 extremist militants after several hours of fierce clashes, Khansouri said, adding that three Peshmerga members sustained serious wounds and were evacuated to the town hospital. Early on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake the country's second largest city from the extremist IS group. "Today I declare the launch of the operation of liberating Nineveh province. The time of victory has come, and the moment of the great victory is approaching," Abadi said in a brief address aired on Al Iraqiya. Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Thomas grabs share of lead to open CIMB Classic defence KUALA LUMPUR Oct 20 (Reuters) - Justin Thomas enjoyed a welcome return to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday when the American kicked off the defence of his CIMB Classic title by surging into a share of the lead at the $7 million co-sanctioned event. Thomas, who claimed his one and only PGA Tour title at the TPC Kuala Lumpur course last year when he edged out Adam Scott by a stroke, tallied nine birdies and a lone bogey in his first round this time to sign for an eight-under-par 64. "It was a good day, it was solid. If there's any such thing as an easy eight under, that was it," Thomas said in a post-round interview. Derek Fathauer, who was bogey-free for his round, and Keegan Bradley matched Thomas's total to move top of the leaderboard as the American trio opened a one-shot advantage over in-form Englishman Paul Casey in the second event on the 2017 PGA Tour. Anirban Lahiri sits alone in fifth place after bogeys on his last two holes prevented the Indian from grabbing a share of the lead, one clear of a quartet of players that includes Sergio Garcia and Brendan Steele, who won last week's Safeway Open. Thomas made a fast start with three birdies in five holes but a bogey on the par-four sixth stalled his progress and two more pars left the 23-year-old struggling for momentum as he approached the ninth tee on two-under for his round. After finding the middle of the fairway with his drive, a pinpoint approach shot to within five feet set up the first of six birdies in eight holes as he reacquainted himself with a course on which he seems to thrive. "I just kind of went along with my business today," Thomas added. "I hit it real close and made a few putts, it was a pretty low-stress day. "It was fun, I haven't had the opportunity to defend before so it's fun to be back and people know who I am. Hopefully an experience I will get to feel a lot." American Patrick Reed (68) and Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello (69), who faced each other at the recent Ryder Cup, made solid starts while Ian Poulter, vice-captain of the defeated European team, continued he return from injury with a one-under-par 71. PRESS DIGEST - Portugal - Oct 20 LISBON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Following are some of the main stories in Portuguese newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. * President criticizes high salaries at state-owned Caixa Geral de Depositos bank. (Jornal de Negocios). * Chinese owners of Club Med consider opportunities on Alentejo coast. (Jornal de Negocios). * Portugal to renegotiate European funds in 2017. (Publico) Jameson in US, Martell in China help boost Pernod sales By Dominique Vidalon and Pascale Denis PARIS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Pernod Ricard beat quarterly sales forecasts on Thursday as demand for its high-margin Martell cognac improved in China and sales of its Jameson Irish whiskey continued to surge in the United States, its top market. The owner of Mumm champagne and Absolut vodka, however flagged tougher trading conditions in Africa and the Middle East due to geopolitical tensions, and kept its forecast for a rise of 2-4 percent in full-year profit from recurring operations after last year's 2 percent growth. "We have had a good start to the financial year, consistent with our full-year guidance," Chief Executive Alexandre Ricard said in a statement. The world's No.2 spirits group behind Diageo also said it would raise prices in Britain on imported brands in the coming months to protect its margins from a slide in the pound after the country's vote to leave the European Union. "Consumption in Britain at this stage has not been impacted by Brexit, but the pound has declined and clearly our goal will be to protect our margins as much as we can," Finance Chief Gilles Bogaert told Reuters by phone. CHINA COGNAC IMPROVING For its first quarter ended Sept. 30, Pernod Ricard reported sales of 2.25 billion euros ($2.46 billion), a like-for-like rise of 4 percent, beating analysts' average estimate of 2.9 percent in a Thomson Reuters poll. At 0825 GMT, Pernod Ricard shares were up 1.52 percent at 110 euros, leading gainers on the CAC-40 of French blue chips. "Pernod has taken longer to recover from the slowdown in China than some of its peers, but it is now entering a period of smoother growth," said Liberum analysts, who have a "hold" rating on the stock. In China, the sales decline slowed to 1 percent in the quarter from a 9 percent fall in full-year 2015/16 and Bogaert told Reuters Chinese sales would "clearly" improve this year. The quarterly performance reflected improving demand for Martell cognac, whose sales rose 3 percent, boosted notably by the Cordon Bleu premium brand. Sales of spirits in stores and online in China were robust but continued to lag in bars and restaurants, Bogaert said. Hit like other spirits makers by a sales downturn in China sparked by a government clampdown on extravagant spending, Pernod Ricard has launched a sales drive there. It has set up two sales teams in the country, one focused on high-end brands such as Martell and the other on mid-range brands such as Noblige cognac or Ballantine's Finest whisky to better address demand from an emerging middle class. Its peers have confirmed China is returning to growth, with Remy Cointreau on Tuesday saying demand for cognac in was recovering faster than it had expected. China contributes about 9 percent of Pernod Ricard sales against 17 percent for the United States. Aluminium slides on oversupply fears By Eric Onstad LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Aluminium slid to its lowest in nearly a month on Thursday on worries about oversupply after a rise in output from top producer China and heavy flows into LME warehouses in Asia. Total Chinese production in September rose to 2.75 million tonnes, the highest in 15 months, while global average daily output touched a record, data from the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) showed. The London Metal Exchange also reported that 77,075 tonnes of aluminium had arrived at Asian warehouses over two days, largely in South Korea. Benchmark aluminium on the LME shed 1.2 percent to close at $1,612 a tonne, its weakest since Sept. 22. "That (output) data from China ... is fuelling some new fears about oversupply in China," said Gianclaudio Torlizzi, partner at consultancy T-Commodity in Milan. "Higher prices, especially in Shanghai, have been giving good incentives for smelters to restart production." Last year loss-making smelters in top aluminium producer China shut millions of tonnes of capacity, but prices surged nearly a fifth from a low in January to a 13-month peak in August. Paul Adkins, managing director of Beijing-based consultancy AZ-China, said there had already been 1.8 million tonnes of restarts so far this year. "Other than the restart volume, new (Chinese) capacity reached 2.9 million tonnes this year. Based on our record, there will be another 1.3 million tonnes of new capacity entering the market," Adkins told the Reuters Global Base Metals Forum. A stronger dollar index, which touched a seven-month high on Thursday, also weighed on metals priced in the greenback, making them more expensive for buyers using other currencies. Copper fell as steps by China to cool its real estate market, a key metals user, dampened buying interest. China's Guangzhou city will ramp up monitoring of irregular activities in its property market, while developers in the city of Wuhan will be scrutinised more closely. "Near term, the market remains worried about the negative impact of cooling measures on the property market," Helen Lau, of Argonaut Securities, said in a report. LME three-month copper fell 0.4 percent to end at $4,652 a tonne, but prices are holding above one-month lows of $4,623.25 hit last Friday. "We're now in a no-man's land for copper. The main trend is still down, but being close to such strong support, I cannot rule out a short-term move higher. We went long today betting on a rebound after the latest data from China was a bit better than expected," Torlizzi said. Zinc dropped 0.9 percent to close at $2,287 and nickel slid 1.8 percent to $10,130. Lead bucked the trend with a 0.9 percent gain to $2,014 while tin finished down 0.5 percent to $19,825. PRICES Three month LME copper Most active ShFE copper Three month LME aluminium Most active ShFE aluminium Three month LME zinc Most active ShFE zinc Three month LME lead Most active ShFE lead Three month LME nickel Most active ShFE nickel Three month LME tin PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - Oct 20 MOSCOW, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru Vitaly Mutko, minister of sport since 2008, has been removed from his position and appointed a deputy prime minister with extended powers instead, the daily reports. The Ministry of Economic Development believes that economic stagnation could last for the next 20 years. The economy will grow by an average of 2 percent a year till 2035, the newspaper cites the ministry as saying. Car production and sales will grow by approximately one third, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the daily reports. The Tinkoff Bank has become the most advertised brand on Russian TV in 2016, the newspaper writes. Vietnamese firm TH Group plans to invest $400 million in a dairy business in the Kaluga region, the daily reports. Gazprom has set a new daily record for its gas sales to Europe thanks to lower prices and cold weather, the paper says. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru The Ministry of Industry and Trade has suggested that the government get involved in regulating and organising car production to reduce costs, the newspaper writes. RBC www.rbc.ru The Ministry of Finance suggested to cancel obligatory annual wages indexation for government employees, the daily reports. ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA www.rg.ru The Deposit Insurance Agency plans to auction off bankrupt banks' property, the newspaper reports. According to Russia's Federal State Statistics Service the average salary in the country in the first half of 2016 was 35,707 roubles ($507,54), which was 7.8 percent more than the same period last year, the daily reports. Moldova IMF aid delayed until after presidential election - source By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund has delayed new aid to Moldova worth nearly $180 million for "technical reasons", meaning Chisinau will not get money until after an Oct. 30 presidential election, a government source told Reuters on Thursday. The IMF and the European Union had frozen aid after a billion dollar corruption scandal plunged the country into turmoil last year. Moldova won conditional approval for a new three-year loan programme from the IMF in July, and is counting on IMF and EU loans to fill gaps in its 2016 state budget. The ruling Democratic party, whose candidate trails in the election race, had touted the pending resumption of IMF aid as a vindication of its reform programme and a sign that Moldova was returning to stability on its watch. However, the IMF is still waiting for Moldova to complete certain "prior actions" relating to the financial sector before Moldova's programme can be approved. The delay "is not the fault of the Moldovan government", the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity, saying the government had tried to fulfil all conditions for securing the money, including passing contentious laws in parliament. The source added the IMF would likely decide next month. When asked about the delay at the opening ceremony of a pharmaceutical plant near Chisinau, Prime Minister Pavel Filip said: "Where did you get this information?" He added: "I tell you with all responsibility that this information does not correspond to reality." The new IMF programme would be the first to be approved since 2010, and aims to make swift improvements in financial sector governance and supervision. Once it gets the green light, it will unlock aid from the EU and the World Bank. "The question here is whether the board of directors of the IMF approves this important document for Moldova before the election of a new president, or whether the IMF wants to do it when the name of Moldova's new head of state will be known after the second round of the election on Nov. 13," the source said. Presenting his party's election manifesto alongside candidate Marian Lupu on Monday, Filip had said: "The government has done much in recent months. Nigeria's Arik plans $1 bln share offer, possible London listing By Chijioke Ohuocha LAGOS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Nigeria's largest airline Arik Air plans to raise as much as $1 billion through a private share placement next year and then a possible initial public offering (IPO) in Lagos and London, its managing director said. The airline wants to expand internationally both to bring in more hard currency, as well as to cushion the impact of the economic slowdown at home, and wants new investors to help it grow rather than using internally generated cash or debt. "What we plan to do is first a private placement which will bring in a few new shareholders, then one year or 18 months down the line we can do an initial public offer," Chris Ndulue told Reuters in an interview. He said Arik Air, which was founded a decade ago and is now west Africa's biggest carrier by passenger numbers, had appointed advisers for the share placement and potential IPO in Lagos, with a secondary listing in London. "We are looking at something in the neighbourhood of $1 billion for both private placement and IPO," Ndulue said late on Wednesday. The Lagos stock market, which is down 4 percent in local currency terms this year and at a 15-year low in dollar terms, has not had an IPO since 2009 due to sluggish appetite from foreign investors. Ndulue said Arik wanted to start daily flights to New York, up from three times a week, and also fly to Rome and Paris within 18 to 24 months. The carrier, which has a fleet of 28 aircraft, flies mainly within western and central Africa, as well as to London and Johannesburg. The new routes would help the company generate some foreign currency. Domestic and international carriers have struggled with the plunge in the naira that has made bills for imported jet fuel ever more expensive and also hurt profit margins as many passengers pay in naira. "The biggest problem now is the foreign exchange issues. A lot of things are imported, a lot of services are imported we depend so much on foreign exchange which means that our costs have increased, in some cases more than doubled," he said. ECB annuls Brussels appointment after complaints of favouritism By Francesco Canepa FRANKFURT, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has annulled the appointment of its new Brussels representative after staff complained Stephane Rottier, an advisor to chief economist Peter Praet, had been handpicked for the job, denying other candidates a chance. The ECB, which defended Rottier's appointment when news broke last summer that an appeal had been filed against it, told staff on Thursday the decision had been annulled, according to an intranet posting seen by Reuters. The appeal, filed by staff representatives Carlos Bowles and Johannes Priesemann, also made allegations about favouritism at the ECB. It cited, among other sources, an internal survey where 65 percent of respondents chose "knowing the 'right people'" as one of the typical ways of getting ahead at the ECB, a higher proportion than any other factor. The Brussels vacancy had never been advertised and the ECB raised the salary band for the job just two weeks before choosing Rottier on June 21 from a list of previously unsuccessful candidates to other roles. This meant that Rottier's basic annual salary was between 169,000 euros ($185,000) and 213,000 euros ($233,000). "The Executive Board decided today to annul its decision in June appointing a new head of the ECB's Brussels office by means of direct appointment from a reserve list," the ECB said in the posting. "This followed a partially successful special appeal to the Executive Board by members of staff in their personal capacity." It added Rottier would be the acting head of the Brussels office for six months while a recruitment campaign is launched and a vacancy notice published. An ECB spokesman would not comment further on the reasons for the annulment. Rottier did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment "It is a very good signal that the ECB decided to annul this appointment, that was not in line with a merit-based-recruitment process," appellant Carlos Bowles said. "Now the next step would be to change our recruitment process so that personal ties and favouritism are not allowed to play a role in promotions." One of the points made in the appeal is that staff rules dictate that a selection procedure, rather than direct appointment, must be used to choose candidates for positions that have been 'upgraded'. The ECB said at the time of Rottier's appointment that the salary for the job had been raised due to the "increasing role played by the ECB during and after the financial crisis and the additional responsibilities attributed to the ECB in the context of the progress towards banking union". Rottier had unsuccessfully applied for the job of ECB representative in Washington. His profile on networking site LinkedIn showed on Thursday he had taken over as the head of the Brussels office in September after working for Praet for almost four years. He had previously served in other roles as a counsellor to the ECB's Executive Board since 2011, after moving from the National Bank of Belgium. U.S. has few good options for response to Philippines' Duterte By Yeganeh Torbati and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The Obama administration has few good options and limited leverage as it struggles to craft a response to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's increasingly hostile rhetoric towards the United States and his warm embrace of China. For months, Washington has played down Duterte's anti-American insults and broadsides. But the flamboyant new leader raised the stakes to a new level on Thursday when he announced his "separation" from long-time ally the United States and realignment with Beijing and possibly even Moscow, America's two main strategic rivals. Duterte's latest outburst, less than three weeks before the U.S. presidential election, casts further doubt on the seven-decade U.S.-Philippine alliance and threatens to further undermine President Barack Obama's faltering "pivot" to Asia as a counterbalance to China's growing assertiveness. Potentially at stake is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, reached under Duterte's predecessor, allowing the United States to rotate ships, aircraft, and personnel through five Philippines bases, an arrangement seen as crucial to projecting U.S. military power on China's doorstep. Mindful of Duterte's volatile nature, the Obama administration has trod carefully so far, seeking to avoid provoking him even as it chides him over his deadly war on drugs, U.S. officials say. One U.S. official, who did not want to be identified, said there had been an active internal debate in recent months on how far to go in criticizing Duterte's government on human rights and that the measured tone adopted was not as strong as some aides would have liked. U.S. attempts to raise questions about Duterte's campaign against drugs, in which more than 3,000 people have been killed since he took office in June, have drawn angry denunciations by Duterte. He has derided Obama as a "a son of bitch" and said he should "go to hell." "It doesn't seem to help to say anything because the minute you say something, he just lets loose his barrage of obscenities," said Murray Hiebert, deputy director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "I think for the U.S. to just blast him constantly is probably not very effective." There is a suspicion in Washington that Duterte could swing back to the United States - if he decides it suits his interests. "There is no question that Duterte is...trying to play the well-worn game of playing us off against the Chinese," another U.S. official said, on condition of anonymity. State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday that the United States will seek an explanation from Duterte over his "separation" announcement, which he made during a visit to China. But he limited criticism to calling the remarks "baffling" and "inexplicably at odds" with close ties between Washington and Manila. CONCERN ABOUT DUTERTE'S UNPREDICTABILITY U.S. officials are concerned about Duterte's unpredictability, but say that despite his words the Philippines has not yet canceled military exercises or formally requested any tangible change in the security relationship. With relations souring further, the senior U.S. diplomat for Asia, Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, was due to visit Manila this weekend on what the State Department said was a previously scheduled trip. He would seek to clarify Duterte's comments, the State Department said. If it chose to respond more vigorously to human rights concerns, the United States could decide to cut military aid to the Philippines, or make it contingent upon an end to the drug killings or more careful judicial procedures. But Philippine officials have suggested their country could live without the U.S. assistance, and overtures to China and Russia suggest they might seek assistance elsewhere. Duterte's trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said $13.5 billion in deals would be signed during Duterte's China trip, though it was unclear how much of that amount was in the form of final deals rather than preliminary agreements. The White House said current U.S. direct investment to the Philippines is over $4.7 billion. Members of the U.S. Congress, including Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, a strong voice on foreign policy issues, have indicated they will consider conditions on U.S. aid to the Philippines if the killings continue apace. Washington has provided the Philippines with millions of dollars in extra military aid in the last two years as part of an effort to bolster allies to counter China's pursuit of expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea. Kurt Campbell, a former assistant secretary of state for East Asia under Obama who may have an administration role should Hillary Clinton win the U.S. election, has been among those urging a tougher line on the human rights issue. "What's happening in the Philippines is starting to raise larger questions and concern," he said. President Maithripala Sirisena and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members within the government are desperately engaged in a damage-control process after the Presidents October 12 outburst at the Sri Lanka Foundation that the governments own anti-corruption process was flawed and politicised. The President had stated in his speech that the three anti-corruption institutions, the CID, FCID and Bribery Commission, have been acting according to political agendas and that if these institutions continued to do so, he would have to take action. He had also berated the officials of these institutions for hauling up former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and three former navy commanders before courts. The speech was seen by his friends as well as foes as a U-turn by the President in the drive against corruption that was initiated after he was elected to power last year. The civil society organisations that were instrumental in shaping the public opinion in favour of Maithripala Sirisena, the common Presidential candidate of the then opposition in 2014, and continued to extend their support to him in his administration, became furious and launched a scathing attack on the President during a media briefing and in media interviews. The most ferocious reaction by his associates was boycotting a meeting with the President by civil society organisations on Friday. The situation was further complicated with Bribery Commission Director General Dilrukshi Wickramasinghe tending her resignation. Despite the fact that she had apparently not mentioned the Presidents outburst against the Bribery Commission in her resignation letter, the country firmly believes that it was the Presidents remarks on the Bribery Commission that led to her stepping down. After feeling the heat of the aftermath of this speech, the President and his friends in the SLFP now strive to save the situation by making various statements. The President has reportedly stated at a Cabinet meeting that he had also told at the end of his controversial speech that this government would be in power till 2020, but the media had not reported that part. The same point was brought forth by the Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne on Wednesday. What the President exactly said was that this government would not explode as expected by the joint opposition (JO), but the JO that attempted to make it happen would itself explode before long. He also said those who dreamt to remain in power until Nirvana even after they were rejected by the people twice, would not survive in politics any longer, Minister Senaratne said. The speech had been misinterpreted by the media, including the State media, and President Sirisena had been misquoted and the media removed certain parts of his speech. Thus, the end result was a totally distorted speech, he said. Needless to say that the situation might have been somewhat different had the media reported the Presidents remarks on the stability of his government and his attack on the group led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with his onslaught on the Bribery Commission and other institutions at a stretch. However, even if the media had brought to light those unreported points in its first story, the allegation by the President about the politicisation of independent commissions and the outburst on the hauling up of the former Defence Secretary and the former Navy commanders before the courts would anyway be a bombshell. The top officials of the respective bodies have a right and responsibility to inform me and the Defence Minister of these matters Those who are in these commissions should know their subject areas. Those who are unaware of national security, military administration and management are arriving at various false decisions without thinking Some people may say it should not be so as these are independent commissions. Even though commissioners were appointed by the Constitutional Council, it is I, the President, who appoints the Chairmen and the Directors General of these commissions, the President had stated in his controversial speech. True, he appointed the Chairmen and Directors General of the commissions, but does it warrant for the commissions to apprise the President of any action they intend to take? After all, they are independent commissions. If the law did not provide for any such intimation, nobody could expect that to happen voluntarily. However, there is a point in the Presidents claim. Since military matters are sensitive, especially since the ethnic conflict began and also there might be political repercussions if the things are mishandled, it would be advisable for the President as the Defence Minister to be enlightened about the important happenings that have anything to do with his ministry. Then again there should be a criterion for the authorities to decide that importance and all relevant institutions should also have been instructed to report the relevant concerns to the President. These things have to be resolved administratively. Nevertheless, the question about the politicisation of the CID, FCID and the independent commissions is a different concern altogether and it has to be substantiated. The CID, FCID and the Bribery Commission cannot function according to a political agenda. The law should be the same for everyone. If these institutions were acting according to some agenda, then I will have to take action. There are objectives and a policy in establishing independent commissions, the President had stated. It is a serious allegation as it naturally raises the question as to whose political agenda these institutions followed. The question was in fact raised by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa immediately after the Presidents outburst. Many people took it as pointing finger at the United National Party (UNP) led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, it was Nishantha Warnasinghe, the National Organiser of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), who first came to the rescue of the President with somewhat a sound argument. He contended that it was the lethargic and lenient attitude of these institutions towards major fraudsters that had infuriated the President. And now the governments official spokesman also echoes the same sentiment. However, this is what Minister Rajitha Senaratne had to tell the media on Wednesday: The President and ministers like Patali Champika Ranawaka and I were extremely disappointed over the pattern of investigation by the FCID, Bribery Commission and the CID, as only minor financial mismanagement had been probed and charges filed against perpetrators thus far. What about the billions of rupees and dollars swindled by the Rajapaksa family members, their acolytes and the inner circle of the Rajapaksa regime? But they have only been charged for importing a carom board, bat or a dart board. Nothing has been done on illegal ethanol import, pilfering of billions of dollars out of the country and their Dubai bank accounts. The Bribery Commission, FCID and CID are extremely inefficient, lethargic and sluggish on their investigations and bringing big fish before courts. This government came to do those things and people have now started to question the genuineness of the government in those financial crimes. Why only these sillara (retail) cases and not bulk ones? People like Basil, Namal, Johnston and Aluthgamage may be laughing in their beds over what is going on. This very face-saving effort, though desperate and not up to the mark, is an indication that the President has not let down his friends - the UNP and civil society organisations - in spite of the air being not cleared properly. Flash The Syrian army said Wednesday that a three-day "humanitarian truce" will enter into force in the northern city of Aleppo as of Thursday, according to the state news agency SANA. The general-command of the Syrian army said in a statement the truce will go into effect from 8 a.m. local time to 7 p.m. for three days. The statement urged the rebels to lay down their weapons and get advantage of the pardon issued by President Bashar al-Assad to all rebels who surrender themselves to the Syrian army. The general-command said it had detailed information on the whereabouts and positions of the rebels in the eastern part of Aleppo city, stressing that "any armed man who doesn't take the chance of the declared truce, will meet his doomed fate." The statement charged that the rebels in eastern Aleppo are holding hundreds of families hostages. Meanwhile, SANA said that rebels started evacuating the eastern part of Aleppo on Wednesday evening. A number of armed rebels as well as wounded, sick and aged people exited eastern Aleppo through the passages identified by the Syrian army and the Russian side, said the report. Evacuating the ultra-radical groups from Aleppo, mainly the terror-designated Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the Nusra Front, is a main demand of Russia and the Syrian government in order to loosen the military offensive against eastern Aleppo. Earlier in the day, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that units of the Syrian army have pulled back to allow the rebels to leave the eastern part of Aleppo. In a statement, the ministry said the military forces withdrew from certain areas, giving the rebels two roads to leave Aleppo toward the northwestern city of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo, as part of a truce recently declared by Russia. The truce will come to effect on Thursday and last for 11 hours, as declared by Russia. Meanwhile, the ministry stressed that arrangements for evacuating rebels and civilians from eastern Aleppo were finalized, stressing that rebels who surrender themselves will be covered under an amnesty from President Bashar al-Assad. The ministry also noted that it is exerting all possible efforts to secure the evacuation of civilians and rebels from eastern Aleppo, and deliver aid to the people who will stay inside that part of the city. The Syrian government and Russia have recently urged the rebels in Aleppo to leave, offering them safe passages. Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy to Syria, recently proposed the evacuation of the ultra-radical groups from eastern Aleppo, so that the Russian and the Syrian air forces could halt their airstrikes against that part of the city. Brexit would have a positive impact on Sri Lankas tourism industry, Colombo-based equities broker Bartleet Religare Securities (BRS) said yesterday, in opposition to a popular and growing view to the contrary. We anticipate a positive Brexit impact on Sri Lanka as a cheaper alternative for the British travellers, BRS said in a research report. In the same breath, BRS noted that Sri Lankan companies operating in the Maldives could face a tough proposition in the future, as the British, a major market in the high-end destination, would shy away from the archipelago due to a weakening pound. According to BRS, the full effect of Britain leaving the European Union (EU) on the tourism industry is likely to be witnessed in the 2018 financial year. This is likely, as British Prime Minister Theresa May has said that she will announce Article 50 to formally exit the EU and start negotiations to determine the level of association Britain will have with the EU in the future, at the end of March 2017. Currently, almost all the members of the EU are calling for Britain not to be allowed any special treatment in future access to the worlds second largest economic and third largest demographic single marketplace in the world. Even after the Britons voted to leave the EU this June, the pound sterling crashed to its lowest levels compared to the US dollar in over 35 years and a further flash crash was witnessed earlier this month. The terms of Brexit, May manages to negotiate, are expected to have an even bigger impact on the pound. The pound is now trading at around Rs.184, compared to Rs.221 prior to Brexit. Contrary to the view of BRS, other analysts have noted that even Sri Lanka would become more expensive for British tourists, since there are cheaper destinations in Asia with better service standards. Further, the cheaper and developing tourist destinations in Eastern Europe could also become a closer alternative for the British, instead of Sri Lanka, especially during the off season. The industry stakeholders are calling for more promotions in the UK to attract more British to Sri Lanka in the post-Brexit world. Global commentators are divided over how different levels of Brexit would affect the EU economy. Western Europe, which is the main region of the EU, made up 32 percent of Sri Lankas tourist arrivals for the first nine months of this year with 485,623 tourists, growing 17.5 percent year-on-year. The arrivals from the UK for the same period were 143,412 tourists, nearly 10 percent of the total tourism market, with a growth of 17.3 percent compared to 2015. In commemoration of International Childrens Day, in the month October, Kanrich Finance launched two projects aimed at the upliftment of the lives of children with little access to both clean water and educational supplies. The projects were focused in the Hambantota District, the Tangalle Educational Zone, Agunakolapalassa, Pahalagama. Children from Junior Schools were provided with equipment for extra-curricular musical activities, whilst a Clean Drinking Water project was inaugurated in Semmandaluwa Primary School in Puttalam. The resilient and creative children of the Pahalagama Junior School would play musical instruments created from recycled materials in order to sustain their musical education. In tribute to their spirit, Kanrich Finance provided the school with instruments and band equipment. For the first time, the teachers were allowed to see the children apply their learning on to professional equipment at the ceremonial hand-over. It was indeed a joyous and emotional occasion for the parents to see their children who once fashioned drums out of lids of various discarded items to play on brand new musical equipment. Puttalam is often considered an area where water is not ideal for consumption due to a significant amount of heavy metals in the water. These chemicals are often connected to the increase of Kidney Disease, Dental Fluorosis and Skeletal Fluorosis. Doctors recommend clean drinking water as the solution to these rising health issues. Due to this, the children in Semmandaluwa Primary School were provided with water purification equipment that will ensure the salt and fluoride in the water is controlled while adverse bacteria are destroyed. Kanrich Finances mandate towards their social responsibility takes on a targeted approach, aimed at seeking out areas that require immediate attention, much like the two projects launched this month. These causes are carried out under the patronage and guidance of the top management including the Chief Executive Office, Shiran Weerasinghe and with the active contribution of the staff of Kanrich. As a company privileged to win the hearts of Sri Lankans for 45 years, Kanrich Finance Limited has continued to gain the trust of more and more people by expanding its services offering. Kanrich Finance is a Central Bank approved financial company and continues to make its mark as a unique company in the industry. Indian Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar is to visit Sri Lanka with a business delegation this weekend, to promote Indian business and investment in the island nation in accordance with the Narendra Modi governments policy of using diplomacy to promote Indias trade and investment abroad. An unstated but important aim of the visit, which is to begin on Saturday, is to compete with China, which has a large economic footprint in Sri Lanka and other countries in Indias neighborhood. The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government in Sri Lanka has shed its initial reservations about Chinese investments and interests in Sri Lanka, and is going all out to woo Chinese investments in several big ticket infrastructure and industrial projects. Indian officials however made it clear that Jaishankar will not be discussing the proposed Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with Sri Lanka. ETCA, a controversial subject in Sri Lanka, is being negotiated by the Commerce Ministries of India and Sri Lanka and only two meetings have taken place so far. While the Sri Lankan government wants ETCA to be signed by December 2016, the Indians would like to proceed slower and are looking at May 2017 as the more realistic deadline for the conclusion of talks. Foreign Secretary Jaishankar and his team will interact with top Sri Lankan officials and businessmen over three days on possibilities of collaboration and cooperation in a wide range of fields. India has offered to construct a 500 MW Liquefied Natural Gas- fuelled power plant at Kerawelapitiya north of Colombo in place of the cancelled coal fired power plant of the same capacity at Sampur in Eastern Lanka. At Sampur, India proposes to set up solar energy plants and is awaiting the Sri Lankan government nod. Likewise, India will be building highways linking Jaffna with Mannar; Mannar with Trincomalee via Vavunia; and Vavuniya with Colombo via Kurunegala. China, on the other hand, will be setting up an Industrial Zone spread over 15,000 acres in Humbantota and running the now idle Humbantota Port and Mattla Airport as commercial ventures on the basis of Public-Private Sector Partnership. the more realistic deadline for the conclusion of talks. Foreign Secretary Jaishankar and his team will interact with top Sri Lankan officials and businessmen over three days on possibilities of collaboration and cooperation in a wide range of fields. India has offered to construct a 500 MW Liquefied Natural Gas- fuelled power plant at Kerawelapitiya north of Colombo in place of the cancelled coal fired power plant of the same capacity at Sampur in Eastern Lanka. At Sampur, India proposes to set up solar energy plants and is awaiting the Sri Lankan government nod. Likewise, India will be building highways linking Jaffna with Mannar; Mannar with Trincomalee via Vavunia; and Vavuniya with Colombo via Kurunegala. China, on the other hand, will be setting up an Industrial Zone spread over 15,000 acres in Humbantota and running the now idle Humbantota Port and Mattla Airport as commercial ventures on the basis of Public-Private Sector Partnership. (New Indian Express) Qatar Airways launches new mobile website in 12 languages making it easier for travellers to plan their journey while theyre on the move DOHA, Qatar For a limited time only Qatar Airways travellers from Sri Lanka 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 17 to 24 October 2016 travellers can book travel via Qatar Airways mobile site, for travel between 20 October 2016 and 14 June 2017, from weekend getaways to surprise visits to friends and family. 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 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 Sri Lanka 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 (USA), Birmingham (UK), Boston (USA), Helsinki (Finland), Los Angeles (USA), 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. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday said the forthcoming budget 2017 is focused on rapid economic development through employment generation and bringing about prosperity to the lives of the people. He also said that budget 2017 will receive a 2/3 majority in parliament. Minister Karunanayake expressed these views during a media conference held at the UNP Headquarters Sirikotha yesterday. Similar to the previous years budget, Karunanayake said the government included proposals of the people from the grassroots level as well as opinions of the scholars, professionals and other stake holders in preparing the budget 2017. However, key elements of the previous years budget have been either amended or unexecuted. Analysts and economists opine that budget 2017 is likely to contain some proposals to appease the International Monetary Fund. Some of these proposals, they say, will boost government revenue and hammer fiscal discipline but are at the risk of receiving public wrath. Sri Lanka is currently in a US $ 1.5 billion loan programme with the IMF to bolster the economys balance of payment (BoP) position. Meanwhile Karunanayake said to reduce the debt burden on the government, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had asked China to take over the Hambantota port in a manner that assists Sri Lanka to repay her massive debt obligations. In response, China has decided to take over 80 percent of the ports management, he said. He noted that the Hambantota port alone has cost Rs.189 billion to the countrys economy. The minister expressed confidence in regaining GSP Plus trade concession from the European Union, which Sri Lanka enjoyed from 2001 to 2009. The European Union withdrew the trade concession which were provided to Sri Lankan apparel to enter the European market with a duty advantage, due to the problems in the countrys human rights record during the latter part of the war. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was recently in Brussels to present Sri Lankas case to regain GSP Plus. Karunanayake said if the country practises good financial discipline, it will definitely get international assistance to go forward. Meanwhile, commenting on the recent outburst of President Maithripala Sirisena, Karunanayake accused certain media of blowing it out of proportion and assured that the coalition government between President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is strongly moving forward. The Chairman of SAITM and its Teaching Hospital in Malabe, Dr. Neville Fernando said that SAITM would no longer be responsible for the 26 human body parts recently confiscated by the CID from the SAITM laboratory during a search operation to locate the missing body parts of murdered ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen. Addressing a media conference at the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital today, Dr. Fernando said the CID had dispatched several boxes containing 26 human body parts without applying the coating of SAITM to make it impervious. He said he had made a statement to the CID last week and informed them about this incident. They sling mud at the SAITM saying we are keeping skeletal remains of the late ruggerite Thajudeen. I had requested the IGP and the CID to check the SAITM laboratory. One day, some CID officials came and taken off several boxes containing human body parts securely kept in the museum and were being used for teaching purposes only. They did not get our seal on the surface of the boxes. Since only the CID seal is there, they can put in any skeletal remains in and claim that they were Thajudeens and had been kept in the SAITM. We are not responsible for those 26 human body parts, Dr. Fernando stated. However, SAITM CEO Dr. Sameera Senarathne speaking to the Daily Mirror just after the media conference, confirmed that 15 boxes full of human bones were given for educational purposes by former SAITM Vice Chancellor Professor Ananda Samarasekara when he was serving as the former Colombo Chief JMO following a a request made by the SAITM . He also said Professor Samarasekara had informed the Health Ministry regarding the dispatching of human bones. (Piyumi Fonseka) Pix by Kushan Pathiraja Avant Garde Maritime Security Services Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi was granted permission by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today to travel to Singapore and Germany for medical treatments for a period of one year. The Court allowed him to travel abroad on additional three sureties of Rs. 5 million each. However, the Bribery Commission objected granting permission to the suspect to travel abroad for a period of one year. Earlier, court imposed a travel ban on the suspect over two cases filed against him by the Commission. (Shehan Chamika Silva) Sri Lanka will regain the GSP plus facility by early next year without a doubt, as the European Union authorities are ready to grant the facility by about that time, said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday. He told journalists in Brussels that Sri Lanka would get the concessionary facility of GSP plus, as the country had managed to ensure good governance and democracy. I have met three main leaders of the European Union and will meet three members of other parties later, he said. The European Commission, which is the executive body of the European Union, would first have to agree to our request. This is headed by Jean-Claude Juncker, and I have already had discussions with him, he said, adding that many issues had been resolved during the meeting. He said a few more issues remained to be resolved. He said the Sri Lankan delegation and he had had discussions with the European Council. This, he said, included a one to one meeting between him and its chief Donald Tusk. We also need to have discussions with all member states of the European Union separately, and President Maithripala Sirisena, I and the Minister of Foreign Affairs will undertake this task in the near future, he said. He said Sri Lanka would secure GSP+ status once the European Commission approves a resolution to grant it; as the other bodies in the European Union would approve it once that is done. In addition, he said, discussions would be held with Conservative and Reformist parties in January next year, and added that former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga would also participate in these talks. The United Nations Rapporteur on minority issues today recommended the government establish a fully empowered independent commission for minority issues is included in constitutional reforms to implement mandates and foster relations between communities. Concluding her ten day visit Rita Izsak- Ndiaye the UNs Rapporteur on Minority Issues urged the government to seize the momentum that still exists from its election, to establish a well coordinated reconciliation and accountability process. Izsak- Ndiaye said an in-depth report on her consultations will be submitted to the United Nations in 2017 but released a statement with shirt term and long term recommendations to the government. Stressing the need to implement the short term recommendations Izsak- Ndiaye said issues relating to the return of land, political detainees and military powers were short term solutions for the governments commitment towards reconciliation. As short-term recommendations in this regard, in which the visiting UN Rapporteur wanted to be implemented as soon as possible are to; begin taking necessary steps towards the establishment of an independent, dedicated minority rights mechanism in charge of coordinating minority issues, with the inclusion of representatives of minority communities. -Ensure that the imminent constitutional reform includes a strong minority rights regime including a fully empowered independent commission. -Extend full institutional cooperation to, and strengthen the existing independent intuitions and ensure sufficient human and financial resources are provided for the full implementation of their mandates, including the National Human Rights Commission, the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation and the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanism. Among her short term recommendations for Sri Lanka, the Rapporteur stated that even though the Prevention of Terrorism Act has been repealed its replacement needed to conform with international standards. Regarding political detainees, the Izsak- Ndiaye recommended that all cases connected to security-related detainees be reviewed and the government take measures to either release the detainees who could not be prosecuted or draw up chargers against those whom there was evidence of involvement in serious crimes. Finally, Izsak- Ndiaye stressed that the continued and gradual release or compensation for land under military control to the civilian population was vital in the reconciliation process. While the government was commended for taking steps towards inclusive public participation in the decision making process, more needed to be done for the voices of minority communities to be heard. The public condemnation of religious intolerance, holding perpetrators of hate crimes and violence accountable and considering the establishment of a system of community liaison officers, to be placed in every public institution, with the necessary resources required to fulfill their mandate. Izsak- Ndiaye further recommended the government step up measures and allocate a sufficient budget to ensure the implementation of language policy and also ensure that any future electoral reform ensures proportional representation for all minority groups on the basis of accurate data collection and disaggregation. Linguistic rights in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the freedom of religious belief and identity issues relating to the IDPs, smaller minority groups such as Bhurgers Malays, Sri Lankan Africans, Veddas and Telengus and issues relating to minority women were some issues touched on by the Rapporteur. (Nabeela Hussain) Pix by Kushan Pathiraja Flash According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the leaders of the so-called Normandy format group comprising Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France agreed on a new roadmap for peace solution in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday night, German media Focus Online reported. In addition, an armed police mission in Donbass should perform their work, Poroshenko was quoted as saying. The plan for peace solution should take the Minsk peace agreement as a basis. The foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany will work out the document by the end of November at the latest, Poroshenko said. According to Poroschenko, the details of the armed police mission will be discussed with the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Wednesday evening for talks over implementation of the Minsk Agreement for eastern Ukraine in Berlin. The leaders of the Normandy format group have undertaken repeatedly high-level phone contacts over the Ukraine conflict in recent days. The Minsk peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine was reached by the leaders of the Normandy group in February 2015 in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. However, the peace treaty has not been fully implemented. Israel is the next big destination for haute Indian cuisine. It started with an Israeli food critic having a meal at the Indian Accent a couple of years ago. The critic came in unannounced and unrecognised, had his meal, and went home to write a grand piece on how Indian cuisine had come of age - and how different it was from what's served by "Indian" restaurants in Israel. Indian Accent's guardian angel, the celebrated chef Manish Mehrotra, didn't even know that he had become a star in Israel - because the critic writes for the country's main Hebrew newspaper - till his restaurant started getting a steady trickle of Israeli tourists who knew exactly what to order and how to eat the food. Curious, Mehrotra asked them how they had came to know about him and that's when he learnt about the impact the critic had had. Before Indian food became the rage in Israel, Ben Neriah, a young chef (then only 27) in Tel Aviv, which is the country's nightlife capital as well, set off on a four-month tour across India, China, Thailand and Vietnam to discover the flavours of Asia to define the menu of the restaurant that he had planned to open. A dish from Israel's Taizu restaurant. (Photo courtesy: Bindella) Having worked in the kitchens of such iconic establishments as Arzac (San Sebastian, Spain) and Le Bernadin (New York City), the chef knew all about Michelin star dining, but he was driven by the idea of developing an "Asiaterranean" cuisine - Asian food with Mediterranean touches - and his dream translated into the restaurant named Taizu. Time Out magazine named it Israel's best new restaurant and not long thereafter, Neriah was honoured as best chef of the year (a hat he has now worn for three years in a row). Needless to say, Neriah is quite a celebrity in his country and, interestingly, the top-selling items on his menu are butter chicken and beef vindaloo presented in the Asiaterranean style. On Sundays, Taizu's menu is 100 per cent Indian (there's even Indian music - Bollywood numbers - accompanying it) and it ensures that the restaurant gets sold out. Neriah says it's the result of the review of Indian Accent by that influential critic. "Indian cuisine today is widely discussed in Israel today. People can't seem to have enough of it," he said to me in an interview during his recent visit to India. "Many new Indian restaurants have also come up," he added. Neriah had come here for what he said was a dream project - an opportunity to understand modern Indian cuisine with Mehrotra. "I couldn't miss the chance of working with a chef of his calibre," Neriah said. On November 8 to 12, Mehrotra will be at Taizu, working at its kitchen, to present his interpretation of Indian cuisine to Israeli diners. He is one of 13 top chefs from around the world who will be in Israel next month for an annual dining event called the Round Tables by American Express. For Mehrotra, it will be his first visit to Israel, but his $90-per-head dinners (without alcohol) are all sold out. "I was really excited when I first heard I had to go to Israel," Mehrotra said. He's going with a big bag full of ingredients such as jaggery (gur), amchoor (made from whole and dried green mangoes), different kinds of papad and mustard oil, which is one ingredient that Indian chefs miss when they are abroad because of the rich flavour it lends to food. Mehrotra uses mustard oil to make his favourite dishes such as Kashmiri haak with lobster (turnips, or gogji as the Kashmiris would call it, will replace the crustacean for those who consider lobster to be not kosher). In the hands of a master, Indian cuisine acquires the kind of variety and depth it needs to court the international palate without losing its authenticity. Four months ago, it was in the peak of summer that Kavita gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in Sambhal district of the Hindi hinterland. Far away, amid the high mountains of Jammu and Kashmir, her husband Lance Naik Sudheesh Kumar was ecstatic to hear the news over the phone. A few days later, he came home to firecrackers and laddus. The little angel was named Sudhi, after the father. The young soldier doted on his daughter and spent a month at home caring for her. Months later, it was time for yet another festive season but a day before Kavita could adorn the parting of her hair with vermillion and drape the red-coloured sari to celebrate Karva Chauth, a phone call robbed her of all the vibrant colours of life. Lance Naik Sudheesh Kumar was martyred during cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri sector on October 16. Hailing from a small village in UP's Sambhal district, the sepoy is survived by his wife and four-month-old daughter. Kavita hasn't recovered from the sheer shock of the news and little Sudhi is too young to know of the tragedy. Lance Naik Sudheesh was killed in cross-border firing in Rajouri. Sudheesh's frail mother spoke to him on the eventful day. Two days ago, hours before he went on duty, he told his mother that he would be coming home soon. "It's Karva Chauth. Give Kavita Rs 5,000 as a gift on my behalf and also buy some warm clothes for the little one," the soldier told his mother. Little did she know that fate would bring the coldest winter in their lives. Brampal, the martyr's 65-year-old father, is a shattered man. "Sudhish was a fighter. He fought against abject poverty and got through the Army. He always said the country came first and later the family," he says. In the sultry October afternoon, voices grew louder against the apathy of the state government. The family refused to perform the soldier's last rites. They were upset that the so-called ruling class had not even bothered to pay their last respects to a son of the soil. "I will not perform the last rites till the Uttar Pradesh chief minister comes here. Even if I have to wait a day or two, or months," adds Brahmpal. Sudheesh's mother asks, "Was my son not the son of this motherland? We are poor, is that the reason the chief minister has not bothered to see us even once?" The martyr's younger brother Manoj was more blunt and accused UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of discriminating between jawans: "Is it fair that he is discriminating us because we are Gujjars? Is our brother's blood not the same as the blood of other martyrs? Akhilesh chose to visit Etawah, Jaunpur, and even Mathura. Then why discriminate us?" The news of Lance Naik Sudheesh Kumar's family refusing to carry out his last rites had already flashed on TV screens when the mortal remains of the martyr arrived. Netas of all hue clamoured for their share of the footage. What followed is a story we have heard countless times before. Local SP leaders made tall promises of naming a gate, road and college after the martyr, while reassuring the family of a meeting with the chief minister as soon as possible. By this time, the family had at least a dozen well-wishers heckling them with their agendas. Finally, the young braveheart was cremated. As a witness to his last rites, I would request those who trivialise the most sombre moments to kindly stop their opportunistic charade. It's time politicians, TV crews and so-called public servants stopped using martyrdom to cash in on the sentiments of the people! Have a heart. Validus Holdings, Ltd. provides reinsurance coverage, insurance coverage, and insurance linked securities management services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Reinsurance, Insurance, and Asset Management. The Reinsurance segment underwrites property reinsurance products on a catastrophe excess of loss, per risk excess of loss and proportional basis; and aerospace and aviation, agriculture, composite, marine, technical lines, terrorism, trade credit, workers' compensation, and other specialty lines, as well as casualty and financial lines. The Insurance segment underwrites property, accident and health, agriculture, aviation, contingency, marine, and political lines insurance products; bankers blanket bond, commercial crime, computer crime, cyber- crime, professional indemnity, and directors' and officers' insurance products for various financial institutions and other companies; and commercial and institutional risks comprising general, professional, and product liability, as well as miscellaneous malpractice insurance products. This segment also underwrites marine and energy liability, and political risk insurance products, as well as insurance products for repair, maintenance, and upkeep of aircrafts and premises for small companies. The Asset Management segment manages capital for third parties through insurance-linked securities, and other property catastrophe and specialty reinsurance investments. Validus Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda. Equifax Inc. provides information solutions and human resources business process automation outsourcing services for businesses, governments, and consumers. The company operates through three segments: Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions (USIS), and International. The Workforce Solutions segment offers employment, income, criminal history, and social security number verification services, as well as payroll-based transaction, employment tax management, and identity theft protection products. 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The company serves customers in financial services, mortgage, employers, consumer, commercial, telecommunication, retail, automotive, utility, brokerage, healthcare, and insurance industries, as well as state, federal, and local governments. It operates in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Guilin Christian Church was originally Guilin Baptist Church and it was first built in May 1912. The church is located at No.37 (previously 185) Zhongshan Middle Road, Shizijie Square in Guilin. The old church was destroyed during the Anti-Japanese War and it was rebuilt after victory in the War. Before liberation, because of the denomination difference in Guilin Christianity, the main denominations were Christian and Missionary Alliance, Anglican Church, Baptists, Local Church, and Lutheranism. There were also Southwest Baptist University and Taidong Theological Seminary. There were two church hospitals: Anglican Church Daosheng Hospital (currently Guilin Women's and Children's Hospital) and Baptist Zion Hospital (currently Guilin Second People's Hospital). At the beginning of liberation, all the pastoral people from different denominations responded to the call of the TSPM and eliminated the denominational prejudices. They united together and worshiped in the same Baptist Church. During the Cultural Revolution in 1966, the church was occupied and the worship was forced to stop. On the Christmas of 1988, after the Cultural Revolution, the service officially resumed in Guilin Christian Church and continued until now. Around 1992, because of the urban reconstruction and under the unified planning of the municipal government, the old church was sold to City Commercial Corporation to build the NIKKO NIKKO PLAZA. The company bought another site at No.50 (previously 456) Zhongshan Road and built the current church. The new church finished in October 1994. The church is in the gothic style and covers an area of 1309.9 square meters. The floor area is 747.4 square meters and the building area is 1828.5 square meters. In November and December 2011 the church decorated the interior. On May 27, 2012, the church hosted its 100th anniversary. The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. 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Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. Read More AbbVie Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals in the worldwide. The company offers HUMIRA, a therapy administered as an injection for autoimmune and intestinal Behcet's diseases; SKYRIZI to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults; RINVOQ, a JAK inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients; IMBRUVICA to treat adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and VENCLEXTA, a BCL-2 inhibitor used to treat adults with CLL or SLL; and MAVYRET to treat patients with chronic HCV genotype 1-6 infection. It also provides CREON, a pancreatic enzyme therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; Synthroid used in the treatment of hypothyroidism; Linzess/Constella to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation; Lupron for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precocious puberty, and patients with anemia caused by uterine fibroids; and Botox therapeutic. In addition, the company offers ORILISSA, a nonpeptide small molecule gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist for women with moderate to severe endometriosis pain; Duopa and Duodopa, a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel to treat Parkinson's disease; Lumigan/Ganfort, a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension; Ubrelvy to treat migraine with or without aura in adults; Alphagan/ Combigan, an alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist for the reduction of IOP in patients with OAG; and Restasis, a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant to increase tear production, as well as other eye care products. AbbVie Inc. has a research collaboration with Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. The company was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. PulteGroup, Inc., through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the homebuilding business in the United States. It acquires and develops land primarily for residential purposes; and constructs housing on such land. The company also offers various home designs, including single-family detached, townhomes, condominiums, and duplexes under the Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, American West, and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods brand names. As of December 31, 2021, it controlled 228,296 lots, of which 109,078 were owned and 119,218 were under land option agreements. In addition, the company arranges financing through the origination of mortgage loans primarily for homebuyers; sells the servicing rights for the originated loans; and provides title insurance policies, and examination and closing services to homebuyers. PulteGroup, Inc. was formerly known as Pulte Homes, Inc. and changed its name to PulteGroup, Inc. in March 2010. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Electricity could become a reality for more homes in a city in northern Malawi, Africa, because of a University of Wisconsin-Stout professors research and resourceful students problem-solving skills. Tom Lacksonen, an operations and management professor, traveled to the mountainous city of Mzuzu in January with manufacturing engineering and computer engineering student Josh Miller. Their mission: to gauge whether a student-designed prototype for a minihydroelectric generator could be economically mass produced there with available resources. While the city receives some hydroelectric power from power stations on the Shire River, power cuts and rationing often affect the supply. Mzuzus rural settlements have little or no access to electricity. Streams winding through the mountains and jungles provide an ideal power source for hydroelectric generators, which use concentrated pressure and water flow to turn turbines or water wheels to drive an electric generator. Lacksonen and Miller discovered that the original prototype required parts that would be difficult to find and make on a large scale there. They werent able to manufacture our first design, so we were forced to redesign, Lacksonen said. For about a week, Lacksonen and Miller worked with Mzuzu resident Hastings Mkwandwire and his team to develop a simpler, more efficient model that would be easier and less expensive to produce. Lacksonen met Mkwandwire when the young scholar came to UW-Stout in summer 2014 for the Young African Leaders Initiative. Established by President Obama, YALI empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and support for activities in their communities. UW-Stout has been chosen to host YALI scholars for the past three summers. In a rented garage, Mkwandwire had been building hydroelectric generators out of available scrap parts. Three of his generators currently power up to 10 homes. Sandcasting, 3D printer refine model Since receiving the UW-Stout Andrew G. Schneider Professorship to bring global issues into the classroom, Lacksonen has been using student product and factory designs to enable YALI participants to mass produce products in their home countries. As part of an independent study, Millers task was to create a second prototype. He had to be prepared to make trade-offs when designing the hydroelectric generators and designing a manufacturing facility in Malawi versus the U.S.: whether it was possible to use available scrap material to create a consistent product and how to make necessary changes to create a safe work environment there. Solving the problems onsite was an invaluable way to see the challenges firsthand, Miller said. Someone could plan and design a system, machine, or product for weeks until it appeared perfect, but if the manufacturing constraints were not fully understood or laid out properly, it would not be a success, he said. This project had no shortages of challenges, Miller said. The hardest part was probably being away from UW-Stout and all of its resources. It is amazing how much the labs at UW-Stout aid in the rapid prototyping and development of ideas and how much a person can miss being in walking distance to it all. Back at UW-Stout after the trip, Miller designed a new working prototype using the universitys three-dimensional printer in its 3D printing lab. Sandcasting would produce key components with minimal resources. In sandcasting, a sample part is pressed into sand and removed, leaving behind an imprint of the part. Molten aluminum is poured into the cavity. The aluminum cools into the shape of the original part. Sandcasting of 3D printed forms allow precision manufacturing without any tools, Lacksonen said. The only parts they would purchase would be copper wire and bearings. Everything else would be scrap metal. The final generator would be about 1 foot long, wide and high, with a turbine on the end of the shaft. Water turns the turbine, which rotates the shaft containing a set of magnets. The magnets pass in front of a series of copper coils, which produce electric current in the coils. Most funding for their travel and expenses came from the professorship, funded through the Stout University Foundation, and a Student Research Grant through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. Since graduating in May, Miller, of New Richmond, has been a software developer for Marshfield Clinic Information Services. End result hinges on future help In order to finish the humanitarian project, undergraduate students will need to make and test sandcast parts and rewire the new prototype with electromagnets rather than expensive rare earth magnets, reducing the cost of one kilowatt unit from $80 to $40. A team of four engineering technology students will tackle those issues this semester. Alumni with expertise in specific areas would help move the project forward. Were hoping to get back to Malawi, Lacksonen said. We definitely need someone with sandcasting knowledge who can help them install and train them in a sandcasting facility, as well as an electrical engineer to look over our design. If the new prototype can be produced, a church in Mzuzu has offered to install and maintain the generators. Each would power about five homes. Support from multiple entities has been inspiring, Lacksonen said. This is a great project on many, many levels. Global Payments Inc. provides payment technology and software solutions for card, electronic, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through three segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions, and Business and Consumer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization services, settlement and funding services, customer support and help-desk functions, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security services, consolidated billing and statements, and on-line reporting services. This segment also provides an array of enterprise software solutions that streamline business operations of its customers in various vertical markets; and value-added services, such as point-of-sale solutions, and analytic and engagement tools, as well as payroll and human capital management services. The Issuer Solutions segment offers solutions that enable financial institutions and retailers to manage their card portfolios through a platform; and commercial payments and ePayables solutions for businesses and governments. The Business and Consumer Solutions segment provides general-purpose reloadable prepaid debit and payroll cards, demand deposit accounts, and other financial service solutions to the underbanked and other consumers, and businesses under the Netspend brand. It markets its products and services through direct sales force, trade associations, agent and enterprise software providers, referral arrangements with value-added resellers, and independent sales organizations. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewable generation, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It also engages in the wholesale of electricity to municipalities, electric cooperative utilities, and load-serving entities. This segment serves approximately 8.2 million customers in 6 states in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States covering a service territory of approximately 91,000 square miles; and owns approximately 50,259 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers; and owns, operates, and invests in pipeline transmission and natural gas storage facilities. It has approximately 1.6 million customers, including 1.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as 550,000 customers in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The Commercial Renewables segment acquires, owns, develops, builds, and operates wind and solar renewable generation projects, including nonregulated renewable energy and energy storage services to utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and corporate customers. It has 23 wind, 178 solar, and 2 battery storage facilities, as well as 71 fuel cell locations with a capacity of 3,554 MW across 22 states. The company was formerly known as Duke Energy Holding Corp. and changed its name to Duke Energy Corporation in April 2005. The company was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The following editorial appeared in the Oct. 13 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. President Barack Obamas call for a greater public-private partnership for space exploration in general and a Mars expedition in particular is just beginning to yield the kinds of technological breakthroughs necessary to convince ordinary people that this thing is possible by 2030. Last week, Obama attended the Frontiers Conference held jointly by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Of course, future missions to Mars and the development of the technology and international cooperation necessary to get humans there and back was high on the agenda, but wasnt the only subject of the conference. The conference also looked at community development, the potential of artificial intelligence in our civic and commercial life, the challenge of climate change and the burgeoning promise of precision health. This was a fundamentally optimistic gathering of some of the greatest minds in academia and the tech field and should generate even more cooperation across institutional lines. This is an exciting time to be a scientist contemplating big, world-changing moves in the coming decades. Like President John Kennedy, who inspired America to go to the moon after watching the Soviets put the first man-made satellite into space, Obama wants America, its international partners and the private sector to come up with ways of navigating the future despite slashed budgets and limited resources. Going to Mars and doing other things outlined in the Frontiers Conference will be hard. But the inspiration, will and intelligence is here to make it come about. The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hemmelrath International Trade (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Karl Woerwag Lack-und Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holdings Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, Milamar Coatings LLC, OOO Tikkurila, PPG A P Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc./PPG Revetements Architecturaux Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l, PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG Business Services S.A. de C.V., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cetelon Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG Finland Oy, PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Investment (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Refinish Distribution Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG Reunion SAS, PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Korlatolt FelelosseguTarasasag (PPG Trilak Kft.), PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Tikkurila Oyj, Tikkurila Sverige AB, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, VF Specialty Products LLC, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., VersaFlex Acquisition Corp., VersaFlex Inc., VersaFlex Intermediate Holdings LLC, Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, and Worwag Coatings. Read More National Bank Holdings Corporation operates as the bank holding company for NBH Bank that provides various banking products and financial services to commercial, business, and consumer clients in the United States. It offers deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate and fixed maturity time deposits. The company also provides commercial and industrial loans and leases, such as working capital loans, equipment loans, lender finance loans, food and agriculture loans, government and non-profit loans, owner occupied commercial real estate loans, and other commercial loans and leases; non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans consisting of loans on commercial properties, such as office buildings, warehouse/distribution buildings, multi-family, hospitality, and retail buildings; small business administration loans to support manufacturers, distributors, and service providers; term loans, line of credits, and real estate secured loans; residential real estate loans; and consumer loans. In addition, it offers treasury management solutions comprising online and mobile banking, commercial credit card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, electronic bill payment, lock box, remote deposit capture, merchant processing, cash vault, controlled disbursements, and fraud prevention services, as well as other auxiliary services, including account reconciliation, collections, repurchase accounts, zero balance accounts, and sweep accounts. As of January 20, 2022, the company operated through a network of 81 banking centers located in Colorado, the greater Kansas City region, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas. It also operates 121 ATMs. The company was formerly known as NBH Holdings Corp. and changed its name to National Bank Holdings Corporation in March 2012. National Bank Holdings Corporation was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. WABCO Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies electronic, mechanical, electro-mechanical, and aerodynamic products worldwide. The company engineers, develops, manufactures, and sells braking, stability, suspension, steering, transmission automation, and air management systems primarily for commercial vehicles. The company's products include pneumatic anti-lock braking systems, electronic braking systems, electronic stability control systems, brake controls, automated manual transmission systems, and air disc brakes; and various conventional mechanical products, such as actuators, air compressors, and air control valves for medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, and trailers. It also offers pneumatic and hydraulic braking and control systems for off-highway vehicles; conventional braking systems; electronic and conventional air suspension systems; steering technologies; and vehicle electronic stability control and roll stability support products, and advanced driver assistance systems. In addition, the company supplies electronic suspension controls and vacuum pumps to the passenger car and SUV markets, as well as provides remanufacturing services. Further, it offers replacement parts, fleet management solutions, diagnostic tools, training, and other expert services for commercial vehicle aftermarket distributors and service partners, and fleet operators. The company sells its products primarily to truck and bus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), trailer OEMs, and car manufacturers; and manufacturers of heavy duty and off-highway vehicles in agriculture, construction, mining, and other industries. WABCO Holdings Inc. was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. APR Requests Court to Unseal the Record Contact: Liberty Counsel, 800-671-1776, Media@LC.org, Press Kit MONTGOMERY, Ala., Oct. 20, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Alabama Political Reporter, LLC, just filed a Motion to Intervene and Unseal with the Alabama Supreme Court in Case No. 1150818, Ex parte Roy S. Moore (petition for relief case) seeking to have the entire record unsealed for public scrutiny. This motion was in response to Chief Justice Moore's statement, "I call upon the press to demand that the Alabama Supreme Court unseal Case No. 1150818 and, if necessary, to intervene in that case. The public has a right to know why I have requested that the justices, who participated in that case, be disqualified from playing any role in my appeal. The Court has refused my requests to unseal Case No. 1150818. I ask the Supreme Court and the media to act," said Moore. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore issued the statement urging the unsealing of the case that underlies his motion, which he filed last Monday, for recusal of certain current and former Supreme Court justices. Because that case is sealed, Chief Justice Moore had to put the facts that substantiate his motion into a sealed affidavit viewable only by his fellow justices. "I support the Alabama Political Reporter's request to unseal the Supreme Court record," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, who represents Chief Justice Moore. "The public has a right to know the truth behind these politically-motivated charges and actions from the justices and the Court of the Judiciary," said Staver. Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Knights of Columbus Urges Prayer in Run-Up to Election Novena will be addressed to Mary, the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the U.S. Contact: Joseph Cullen, 203-800-4923, joseph.cullen@kofc.org; Andrew Walther, 203-824-5412, andrew.walther@kofc.org; both with Knights of Columbus NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 20, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- As the election nears, the Knights of Columbus is urging its members and other Catholic Americans to pray. The prayer will be in the form of a novena nine consecutive days of prayer and will run from Oct. 30 to the eve of the election on Nov. 7. The prayer asks the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, under her title of the Immaculate Conception. Individuals, families, councils and parishes are all invited to participate. "The Church teaches that Catholics are called to form their consciences based on Church teaching and vote in accordance with that well-formed conscience," said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson. He added: "Pope Francis has said in reference to the U.S. election that we should 'study the proposals well, pray and choose with your conscience,' and this novena is designed to help Catholic Americans do that." The text of the novena reads: Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as your Spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as your Mother, in union with Mary we adore your majesty and acknowledge your supreme, eternal dominion and authority. Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy, born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the tempted, sinners on all who are in need. Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, Patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give ourselves to you. Protect us from every harm. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God. Amen. In 1791, America's first bishop, John Carroll, entrusted his diocese (which encompassed the entire country) to the Blessed Mother. In 1846, the bishops of the United States reaffirmed that dedication, declaring Mary as patroness of the United States under her title of the Immaculate Conception. The prayer was composed for the 1959 dedication of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception which includes the "Knights Tower." The prayer received its imprimatur that same year from Cardinal Patrick O'Boyle, who was then archbishop of Washington, where the basilica is located. More information is available at www.kofc.org/novena Sabrina Rubin Erdely vehemently defended some of her reporting choices and fell on her sword for others in more than eight hours of testimony with an attorney for Nicole Eramo, the University of Virginia administrator suing Erdely and Rolling Stone magazine for $7.5 million. Among her most striking statements were her final words, in which she said unequivocally that Eramo was not damaged by her reporting in A Rape on Campus and that her portrayal was fair and accurate as were many other aspects of the piece. I stand by everything I wrote except for anything that came from Jackie, Erdely said. Erdely penned the infamous November 2014 article that focused on what she presented as a climate of sexual assault at UVa through the lens of several student survivors, including Jackie, a then-student who claimed shed been gang-raped at a fraternity house during her freshman year at UVa. At the time of the articles publication, Eramo was the associate dean tasked with providing support for student survivors, mentoring Jackie and countless others. She now claims the article, retracted in April 2015 after a police investigation discredited Jackies story, portrayed her as a callous and indifferent administrator who sought to suppress Jackies claims and others like it. Thursday was the fourth day of whats expected to be a 12-day trial, in which Eramo is hoping to show that Erdely and the magazine acted with actual malice when they published their factually inaccurate story. Rolling Stone has thus far admitted to big mistakes in their reporting, but are insistent that they never made intentionally defamatory statements about Eramo. Erdely began her testimony on Wednesday, the same day that Eramo completed her own testimony, but on Thursday morning, Eramos attorney Libby Locke dug into the most glaring of Erdelys reporting mistakes. She pointed out that Jackie had claimed to have contracted syphilis from her gang rape but that Erdely never collected any medical records to support this claim. When Erdely first found out about Jackies purported syphilis, she asked to see those records. Jackie responded that her mother had the records but she had not yet told her mother of having contracted the disease. When asked further, Jackie changed her story, saying that she did have the records with her, and that she would scan and send them Erdelys way. Erdely still never received them. Erdely said that, instead of insisting, she chose to remove the syphilis detail from her final story, roughly two weeks before publication. She defended the move by saying the records wouldnt necessarily be corroborative of Jackies assault story. Later on Thursday morning, Erdely responded to questions about the three friends Jackie said came to her aid on the night she was allegedly assaulted. An infamous quote from the piece, said to have come from Jackies friend Cindy, inquired as to why Jackie didnt just have fun with her assault, being perpetrated by a bunch of hot fraternity guys. According to Erdelys own notes, Jackie had attributed that quote to a friend of a friend at a party, but later changed her story. This time, she attributed it to one of the oft-referenced three friends who had been with her on the night of the assault. Under questioning, Erdely said, I attributed [the inconsistency] to my own confusion. In her notes, Erdely had the real name of the friend purported to have said the quote, but never attempted to contact that friend. Erdely explained that she hadnt meant to overlook the name but simply forgot it was in her notes she writes quickly and sometimes thoughtlessly while taking notes, she said, and sometimes forgot what information she actually had. Its embarrassing to say, Erdely said. This is not an excuse, its an explanation. Erdely said she failed to contact either of the other three friends at the behest of Jackie, especially Ryan Duffin, whom Jackie said had declined on the strongest possible terms. Erdely didnt press, she said, out of respect for Jackies wishes. If I work around Jackie, Im going to drive her from the process, Erdely said in an email to her editor, a statement that Erdely authenticated Thursday. Erdely further defended her actions in other aspects, including the use of pseudonyms for people she hadnt contacted We thought we were protecting their identities, she said. She clarified certain statements in her notes that she alleges were mischaracterized by Locke in questioning. Locke went on to ask about why Erdely was so intent on including Jackies story in the article, and points to notes and emails from Erdely that appear to indicate she was pressuring Jackies involvement despite Jackies known mental instability. Erdely attempted to reframe those statements, and when asked whether it was a mistake to have used Jackie despite her state, Erdely tearfully responded, It was a mistake to rely on someone who was intent to deceive me. When the trial picked up in the afternoon, there was much back and forth between Erdely and Locke over their interpretations of Erdelys words in her notes, emails and recorded interviews. Erdely would defend many of her statements, often attempting to contextualize them to her thought process at the time. Speaking to questions that specifically pertained to Eramo, Erdely acknowledged the amount of support and love expressed for Eramo by the students she counseled, but noted that there was an oxymoronic dichotomy between students love for Eramo and the amount of actual reporting of their sexual assaults. In the final minutes of the questioning, Erdely fiercely asserted that the article was effectively retracted on Dec. 5, 2014, when an editors note was appended to the top of the article, stating that Jackies story was not factual and that the magazine was sorry for any damage done to anyone affected by the story. Locke countered that the appendage was only labeled an Editors Note, and that an official retraction came in April 2015, following a scathing review from the Columbia Journalism School of Erdelys reporting process and the magazines actions. She added that the note did not once apologize to Eramo directly, only indirectly as a member of UVas administration. While Erdely expressed that Eramo was included in that apology, Locke pointed out that Eramo was referenced by name in the article more than 30 times and was the focal point of the articles accompanying photo illustration. Locke then asked if Erdely believed Eramo to have been damaged by the articles publication. Erdely repeatedly deflected the question, never saying that Eramo had been damaged. She did state that she was sure [Eramos] feelings were hurt, and that she should not have had to endure the hate mail and death threats lobbed at her in the articles wake. When pressed to give a definitive answer, Erdely replied, I dont believe so, noting that Eramo had not lost her job, as feared, and had actually been given a pay raise since. This prompted Locke to ask whether Erdely thought her portrayal of Eramo had been fair and accurate, to which she assented. I stand by everything I wrote except for anything that came from Jackie, Erdely said. The magazine then began its own questioning of Erdely, which is expected to continue Friday morning in Charlottesvilles federal court. RICHMOND Lawyers contend DNA testing on recently discovered evidence proves the innocence of an Ivy man imprisoned for the vicious 1969 slaying of a 4-year-old Albemarle County boy. Sherman Brown, now 69, was 22 years old when he was convicted by an all-white male Albemarle County jury and sentenced to death in the electric chair for the death of Silas W. Barnes. He was convicted, in large part, due to testimony by the boys mother, who was beaten and stabbed and, perhaps, raped in the same attack. Brown is black and the victims are white. Other evidence include potentially flawed hair and fiber evidence and blood on Browns trousers that could not be definitively typed or even identified as human. Susan Friedman, a staff attorney with the Innocence Project, said Tuesday that the DNA testing is powerful evidence that he did not commit the crime. Sherman has now been in prison for more than four decades in part based on forensic evidence that would not be admissible in a court today, she said. Now an inmate at the Green Rock Correctional Center near Chatham, Brown was one of 12 men on Virginias death row in 1972 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down capital punishment as cruel and unusual. Brown had been resentenced to life in prison by the time the court allowed executions to resume in 1976. In a writ of actual innocence filed with the Virginia Supreme Court, Brown argues, Recent DNA testing demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence what I have maintained for over 45 years: that I am innocent of this crime. Last year, Innocence Project investigations found a slide made in 1969 at the University of Virginia Medical Center from a vaginal smear taken after the assault and sent to the hospitals department of pathology, which found that sperm was present. There had been no trial testimony about the department of pathologys findings at Browns trial and the report was not entered into evidence. A partial male DNA profile from the mothers vaginal swab is not Browns. With more than 98 percent certainty, it also is not from the now-deceased husband of the woman, the writ states. Because of the specialized DNA testing required on the 47-year-old evidence, the partial male DNA profile cannot be run through databanks to search for another suspect. Brown argues that the DNA came from an unidentified third man and is evidence of his innocence. Given all of the flaws in the evidence presented at trial to convict me, no rational juror, when presented with this recent DNA evidence, would find that I am guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the writ states. Browns lawyers also filed a civil appeal of his conviction on the grounds his constitutional rights were violated by scientifically invalid hair and fiber evidence. The attorney generals office will also have a chance to weigh in on the new evidence. Brown is represented by the Innocence Project in New York and Washington and locally by Steven Rosenfield. According to the filings in Browns case, the mother and son were attacked in their home by a man who knocked on their door on the afternoon of Oct. 1, 1969. Her youngest son was asleep and not harmed. But her 4-year-old son accompanied her to the door. She said that when she allowed the man inside for a drink of water, he asked to have sex with her. She refused and was knocked unconscious, remembering nothing else, including who struck her. Prior to losing consciousness, she had been wearing a housecoat and underwear. When she was discovered on a sofa by her sister-in-law not long after the attack, she was not wearing the underwear. Her oldest son was found dead in his bed and had been beaten and stabbed several times. She allegedly first identified the assailant as Browns father, but authorities later said that was an error. When she identified Brown, she said she had spoken to him once before on the telephone when he asked if he could do yard work for her and then again a month before when he smoked a cigarette and spoke with her in her yard. At his 1973 re-sentencing hearing, Brown denied ever meeting her but prosecutor Downing Smith argued that its very probable that Sherman Brown sexually assaulted [the woman]. We dont know for sure, but I point out the fact that she testified that when he arrived her underpants were on and when the people found her stabbed, her underpants were off. According to court filings, the woman recently said her only consensual sex partner at the time was her husband. If thats true, the presence of an unknown males DNA in a swab taken from her vagina shortly after the crime and stored at the University of Virginia shows she must have been sexually assaulted, contend Browns lawyers. The Virginia Supreme Court granted a 90-day stay in the writ petition proceedings for further DNA testing. Authorities are seeking a sample from the living son and searching a sample from the deceased husband to definitively to rule out the husband. Among other evidence, an FBI agent testified that hair found on a sweatshirt owned by Browns brother-in-law microscopically matched Browns hair. Fibers found on the sweatshirt microscopically matched fibers from the mothers robe, he testified. Browns appeal includes a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice about a recent audit of the testimony in Browns case that found the agent erroneously testified about a match on hair found on the sweatshirt. The fiber evidence was the only forensic evidence to directly tie Brown to the crime and lacked a scientific basis, his lawyers said. The fiber evidence has since been lost or destroyed and cannot be retested. Browns lawyers also questioned the womans identification of Brown. They said eyewitness/victim misidentification has played a role in 70 percent of the more than 300 DNA exonerations across the country. They note the woman did not identify him through a live or photo lineup that might have enhanced the reliability of the identification and did not recall being struck by her assailant, increased the unreliability of the identification. Then-Judge Lyttleton Waddell, however, rejected a defense request to set aside the verdict and sentence at the 1969 trial based on some of those arguments. I couldnt have found any other verdict if Id been on the jury, he said. The Innocence Project and Rosenfield began their efforts on Browns behalf in 2008 when they reached an agreement with the Albemarle County commonwealths attorneys office and won a sealed order from the Albemarle Circuit Court for DNA testing in the case. That testing, according to Browns lawyers, did not definitively exclude Brown as the assailant, but failed to connect him in any way to the crimes. Testing in 2012 failed to yield DNA results on evidence that included the knife believed to be the murder weapon, the paper cup from which the killer was given a drink of water and the mothers bathrobe. Last year, the slide was discovered at UVa Medical Center and the first round of DNA testing conducted by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, which was unable to develop a DNA profile. The Albemarle County Circuit Court then ordered the vaginal smear to be sent to a private laboratory, Bode Cellmark Forensics, for further testing, which discovered the DNA profile on which Brown has made his case. For all intents and purposes, the American people lost control of their government with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. With the exception of Ronald Reagan, every President since Kennedy has been completely controlled by the establishment elite that ordered Kennedys murder. A retired Air Force Brigadier General friend of mine (who, before he retired, probably flew every jet the Air Force had and who had been assigned to both the White House and Pentagon during his illustrious career) told me in no uncertain terms that he was convinced that President Kennedy was assassinated by government insiders (with the help of the mob, of course) for two reasons: 1) he intended to disband the CIA, and 2) he intended to dismantle the Federal Reserve. The assassination of President Kennedy and subsequent cover-up was much more than a killing; it was a coup. Every President since President Kennedy was selected by the power elite, not elected by the people. Oh, the people went to the polls and voted, but the election was already decided. The power elite completely controlled the mainstream media, and for the most part, the mainstream media rigged the election in favor of the desired candidate. Again, the only exception was Ronald Reagan. Reagan was such a tremendous orator and communicator (his dashing good looks and professional acting experience didnt hurt either) that he was singularly able to thwart the coercive power of the media elite. However, thanks to the so-called Religious Right, the elite were able to convince Reagan to pick the globalist Neocon G.H.W. Bush as his Vice President instead of the staunch anti-establishment senatorial icon Jesse Helms of North Carolina. I say thanks to the Religious Right because as the executive director of the Moral Majority of Florida from 1979 through 1989, I WAS THERE. I witnessed the despicable sellout firsthand. In my opinion, the leaders of the Religious Right sold their proverbial souls to the devil when they made the conscious decision to support George H.W. Bush as Reagans running mate. I seriously doubt that Reagan would have selected establishment insider G.H.W. Bush had Bush not obtained the support of the Religious Right. Ill say it outright: deep inside of me, I blame the Religious Right for all of the mess that has resulted from Reagans decision to pick Bush as his Vice President. Reagan was so popular, he could have picked Humpty Dumpty as his running mate, and he would have won. He didnt need Bush. But the establishment needed Bush. And with pressure from the power elite and with the surrender of the Religious Right, Reagan acquiesced. And Bush spent his entire eight years in the Reagan White House doing everything he could to undermine Reagans efforts. And, sadly, he often succeeded. Mark it down: ALL of the problems we have had since Reagan have stemmed directly from George H.W. Bush. Bush I gave us Bill Clinton, Bush II, Barack Obama, and now Hillary Clinton. It all goes back to Bush I. And Bush I goes back to the power elite surrounding the Kennedy assassination. (A CIA operative, what business did Bush have even being in Dallas the day Kennedy was killed?) Since the 1990s, I have tried to warn the American people that the Clintons and Bushes are ONE GIANT CRIME FAMILY. Why in the world do you think the entire Bush family is supporting Hillary Clintons bid for the White House today? Wake up, folks! When the power elite got away with killing President Kennedy, the American people lost their autonomy over their country. America has been largely in the hands of the power elite ever since. I truly believe that Reagan was the only President since Kennedy that was not controlled by the power elite. But put Bush in his White House and add the assassination attempt on Reagan soon after his election, and Reagans independence was sorely compromised. And please understand this: the way the power elite normally rigs the presidential election is by making sure that only their candidates make it to the general election. Thats why in most elections the bias and animus of the establishment was not as obvious as it is this year: because they owned both the Democrat and Republican presidential candidates. Therefore, it really didnt matter to a tinkers dam which one of them was elected. The globalist establishment agenda of the power elite would continue regardless of which one was elected. Enter 2016. Regular readers of this column know that I have not been timid in saying I believe that Donald Trump is a very flawed candidate. But I also believe that just as John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan were not controlled by the establishment elite, neither is Donald Trump. I truly believe Trump is outside the reins of the power elite--and, therefore, is a huge threat to the establishment. And the reaction of the establishment elite to Trumps nomination is further evidence that this is true. In my entire life--and Ive lived for more than a half-century and have been involved in national politics since 1979, as a Moral Majority director, as a successful national radio talk show host, as an independent candidate for President in 2008, and of course, as a nationally published columnist--I have NEVER seen anything like this presidential campaign. The national media and virtually everyone in the establishment elite have stripped off their masks and have cast aside their phony facade of fairness and objectivity and have swarmed on Trump like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Everyone in the country has now seen the political, media, and business establishments for who and what they are. The pretenses are gone. The establishment elite is determined to destroy Trumps candidacy and make sure that Hillary Clinton is put in the White House--even if they must rig the elections to do it. Can one imagine how the national media would have reacted had WikiLeaks released all of that damning information on Trump? Yet, since the information indicts Clinton, the media has a total blackout on the story. There is no doubt it my mind that the ONLY way Hillary Clinton could win this election is if the elections are rigged in her favor. There is NO OTHER WAY. While Donald Trumps supporters are filling up the largest stadiums in city after city, Hillary Clintons supporters are barely filling up phone booths. Heck! Hillary is BARELY campaigning at all. There is no doubt the woman is physically ill, but theres much more to it than that. Im certain Hillary has been told by the establishment elite that she doesnt need to campaign, because they are going to make sure she wins by hook or by crook. And please understand this: I am not talking about the candidacy of one evil person, Hillary Clinton. I think it is very sophomoric to make this election all about Hillary. Lyndon Johnson was evil; Richard Nixon was evil; the two Bushes are evil; Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are evil. Im talking about a giant cabal of evil people who are using these political puppets for their own nefarious purposes. And, yes, Hillary and the rest are WILLING to be used for evil; so in my opinion, the cabal and the individual are equally culpable. To use a scriptural analogy: it was Satan who manipulated Judas Iscariot to betray Christ, but that does not excuse Judas eager complicity one iota. And Jesus plainly said so. Plus, always remember that the conspiracy takes its time and is intelligent enough to work within the political winds of the country and natural machinations of their chosen servants to accomplish their diabolical purposes. Their work is almost always incremental, not spontaneous. My point is, it seems clear to me that what began with the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 may now be coming to fruition in 2016: the completion of the coup. What the cabal accomplished under cover of darkness in 1963, it is now doing in broad daylight: it is stealing a government from the American people in full view of the entire world. If my observation is remotely accurate, it means the establishment elite is finally prepared to bring down the curtain of their agenda to destroy the independence and liberty of the United States. And Hillary Clinton is the one (she has ALL of the character traits and skills they need) to finish what so many others have started and worked toward. If the elite succeed in putting Hillary Clinton in the White House, it is doubtful that America will survive intact. America will have no more national borders. In no time, the United States will look like a Third World country (in many communities, it already does). Barring divine intervention, we will never have real elections again; the Christian faith will be forced underground; the Constitution will be thoroughly expunged; and no principled adherent of the Constitution will be able to work as an employee of the government. Clintons very FIRST appointment to the Supreme Court will give anti-gun, anti-borders, anti-Christian globalists a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. In short, the American experiment will be over. And this is not to mention the very real possibility of impending nuclear war with Russia (that Vladimir Putin has said is almost inevitable if Hillary becomes President) that a Hillary Clinton presidency poses. See this column I wrote previously: A Threat To All Humanity And the VERY FIRST evidence of this new totalitarian America will be Hillarys attack against the Second Amendment. She will use unconstitutional executive orders to ban semi-automatic rifles and large capacity magazines. And she will illegally institute a national database of gun owners. Come on, folks, get real! Even if the Republicans remain in control of Congress, do you REALLY think Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan are going to mount ANY meaningful resistance to the globalist agenda? McConnell and Ryan are globalists themselves. They WANT Hillary to win. Even FBI Director James Comey is in on the conspiracy to protect Hillary. Of course, it is reported that Comey has also been on the receiving end of financial payments from the Clinton Foundation. Is it any surprise, therefore, why he refused to recommend charges be brought against Hillary for criminal acts that had any of the rest of us committed, we would surely be in prison? In the strongest terms, I urge readers to understand that if you want a firearm--especially a semi-automatic rifle or Glock-type pistol--you had better get one now. I mean NOW! And that goes for the large capacity magazines to fit those firearms also. The DAY after Hillary is selected (not elected) President, the price of all things gun will skyrocket, and availability will plummet. If you thought the rout on guns and ammo back in 2013 was rough, you aint seen nothin yet! Back on August 10 of this year, I wrote this on my Facebook page: Humanly speaking, the ONLY thing standing between us and tyranny is an armed U.S. citizenry. And when I say armed, I am referring mostly to the ownership of semi-automatic rifles. No other instrument is capable of defending the liberties of the American people. I'll say it plainly: people who do not possess a semi-automatic rifle are incapable of defending liberty. Should the American citizenry ever surrender their semi-automatic rifles, the entire Western world would be plunged into a new Dark Ages--lasting perhaps a thousand years. I repeat: the ONLY thing standing between freedom and oppression is an American citizenry armed with semi-automatic rifles. If Hillary Clinton is elected in November, the government attack on our semi-automatic rifles will be UNPRECEDENTED in U.S. history. In all likelihood, possession of semi-automatic rifles will be banned. Even if the Republicans hold onto the House and Senate, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell will sell out our Second Amendment liberties to a Clinton White House faster than you can Rumpelstiltskin. Right now, semi-automatic rifles are flying off the shelves and manufacturers are not able to keep up production to meet the demand. If you plan to purchase a semi-automatic rifle, the clock is ticking on how long you will have the opportunity to obtain one. And this brings up another very important point. If you plan on obtaining a semi-automatic rifle, you MUST be prepared to be an outlaw when that rifle is banned. There is NO reason to buy one only to then turn around and allow your government to take it away from you. So, if you are NOT prepared to be a lawbreaker in order to KEEP your semi-automatic rifle, don't even bother to buy one. It is of NO USE to you or to liberty. But you can believe this: there are millions of Americans (including yours truly) who are NEVER going to willingly surrender our semi-automatic rifles--LAWS OR NO LAWS. Every month sets a new record for the sale of "Black Guns" (AR-type semi-automatic rifles). And you can bet that most of these people are well aware of our government's intention to ban these rifles down the road and are completely prepared to defy any law that would attempt to do so. In fact, that is the very reason they are buying them. The clarion call "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country" was never truer. And the best way you can currently do that is to go out and buy a semi-automatic rifle (and as much ammunition as you can), practice with it, and determine to not let ANYONE take it away from you. And if you live in a State or community that denies your right to own a semi-automatic rifle, why in the name of liberty are you still there? See and Like my Facebook page here: Chuck Baldwins Facebook Page From a spiritual perspective, I believe all of this is divine judgment upon a careless, indifferent, prosperity-driven, statist, Zionist Israel-worshipping American Church. Modern Zionism and Talmudic Judaism are nothing more than the Phariseeism of the New Testament. And it is just as evil now as it was then; and never forget that Neoconism is mostly owned and operated by Zionism and Talmudic Judaism. By worshipping Zionist Israel, the modern Church is actually worshipping in the synagogue of Satan. (Rev. 2:9; 3:9) It is no coincidence that the Churchs indifference to the assault against religious liberty in 1962 and 63 happened simultaneous to its indifference to President Kennedys assassination. The Church has been mostly indifferent and cowardly ever since. Had the pulpits of America come alive with righteous resistance at any point since 1963, there would not even be a Hillary Clinton or an establishment elite to contend with today. I say again, the failure of America is the failure of Americas pulpits. And speaking of states, a Hillary Clinton presidency will doubtless demand that the only peaceful remedy to the assault against our liberties by this gaggle of grotesque and ghoulish gestapo will be SECESSION (yes, I believe it could be a peaceful separation). Its long overdue. Secession would mean that the states and the citizens within those states would no longer pay taxes to Washington, D.C. It would mean the National Guard in those states would become a State Guard. It would mean the citizen militia within the states would be reactivated (they should never have been deactivated). And it would mean that the political bands connecting the states to Washington, D.C., would be TOTALLY DISSOLVED. Secession is the one act that the globalists and establishment elite are counting on to NOT happen. They believe the Spirit of 76 is DEAD in America. They are convinced that Americans will do what the citizens of Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, etc., have done: peacefully surrender their weapons to the central government when ordered to do so. I am convinced that as soon as the first State declares independence from Washington, D.C., a domino effect will immediately ensue, and MANY states will do likewise. I am further convinced that when states begin seceding, an influx of freedom-loving American citizens into those states will take place like nothing this country has ever seen. All of this has been a LONG TIME in the making. From the establishment elites assassination of John F. Kennedy to Lyndon Johnsons Gun Control Act to G.H.W. Bushs installment of modern Neoconism to G.W. Bushs unconstitutional invasion of Iraq to Barack Obamas open invitation to illegal aliens to the overt rigging of a presidential election in favor of Hillary Clinton: the coup seems just about complete. P.S. Again, I strongly urge readers to obtain the book my attorney son and I wrote entitled To Keep Or Not To Keep: Why Christians Should Not Give Up Their Guns. The title of the book refers directly to Christians, but it applies to absolutely EVERYONE, Christian or not. Maintaining the means of self-defense is much more than a constitutional right (which it IS); it is a DIVINE DUTY. But since it is largely pastors and churches that are sheepishly going along with this its-Biblical-to-give-up-your-guns claptrap, somehow the truth of Natural and Revealed Law regarding the sacred duty of self-defense must be explained and disseminated. Truthfully, I dont know of another book like this one. There are plenty of books that deal with the right to keep and bear arms from a constitutional perspective but hardly any that deal with the subject from a scriptural perspective. If pastors and Christians do not awaken to this cardinal truth, our liberties are toast. Please order as many of these as you can and distribute them to as many people as you can, because it seems obvious that the power elite are going to put our allegiance to the sacred principles of self-defense to the ultimate test--perhaps sooner than you can imagine. To order To Keep Or Not To Keep: Why Christians Should Not Give Up Their Guns go here: To Keep Or Not To Keep: Why Christians Should Not Give Up Their Guns Chuck Baldwin *If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link: Chuck Baldwin Live Donate Form I also have many books and DVDs available for purchase online. Go here: Chuck Baldwin Live Store To subscribe to my weekly columns, click here: Subscribe to Chuck's Column Related Sabrina Rubin Erdely has taken the stand to defend her reporting in an article thats led to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against her and Rolling Stone magazine. Erdelys testimony closed out the third trial day for the $7.5 million defamation suit brought by University of Virginia administrator Nicole Eramo against Rolling Stone, its publisher and Erdely, the author of the now-retracted piece A Rape on Campus. The suit had previously sought $7.85 million, but in a motion filed Monday, Eramo dropped her claim for $350,000 in punitive damages. An attorney for Eramo declined to comment on the withdrawal when asked Wednesday. Eramo claims she was cast as the chief villain in Erdelys November 2014 article, which had been intended to showcase the culture of sexual assault on elite college campuses. The piece featured the now-debunked story of Jackie, a then-student who claimed she was gang-raped at a fraternity house during her freshman year at UVa. When it was published, Eramo served as an associate dean charged with aiding student survivors of sexual assault. She claims the article mischaracterizes her as callous and indifferent to the needs of her students, to the extent that she dissuaded them from reporting their assaults. Eramo finished her own testimony Wednesday morning when she fielded questions from an attorney for Rolling Stone. Unlike her testimony Tuesday, in which she tearfully recounted the events leading up to and following the articles publication, Wednesday saw Eramo defending the UVa administrations policies and procedure for handling sexual-assault allegations and helping student survivors. Liz McNamara, representing the magazine, asked Eramo about an interview with the UVa alumni-owned WUVA that took place weeks before the articles release. In the interview, which attracted more controversy in the articles wake, Eramo spoke about the fact that no student had been expelled for sexual misconduct since 1998, while students found guilty of cheating often did. McNamara pointed to that interview and two critical government reports as a foundation for Erdelys characterizations of Eramo and UVa. She specifically referenced a Title IX report that said Eramo had created a hostile environment at the university for student survivors. She then pressed Eramo about her career with UVa since A Rape on Campus. Eramo confirmed that she had in fact received a raise since the article and had not lost her job as she had feared she would after the article was released. Eramo pointed out that, nonetheless, she had been taken out of her role as dean and could no longer follow her passion of working directly with UVa students. After Eramos testimony came to a close, her attorneys played a deposition video of Emily Renda, a former UVa student who became an employee working at the universitys Sexual Misconduct Board. In that role, Renda maintained a close working relationship with Eramo and was the person who connected Jackie to Erdely when the latter was researching the article. In the video, dated March 2016, Renda called Eramo a mentor and became emotional while talking about the closeness of their relationship. Renda said in the video that not all of the student survivors at UVa were satisfied with the outcome of their sexual-assault claims, with some assigning partial blame to Eramo, but that group of people was in the minority. Renda also spoke about her experience testifying before a Senate committee about sexual assault, during which she shared portions of Jackies story. Under questioning, Renda said that she received no pushback from the administration in sharing Jackies story. The former UVa employee had a keen sense of the fallout from the articles release, given her relationship to both Jackie and Eramo, and said that Erdely had mischaracterized each of them in her reporting. She recalled Jackie complaining that Erdely had pressured her into naming the fraternity where her alleged assault took place, and she asserted that Jackies involvement was used to serve the narrative. Renda closed her testimony by telling attorneys that the article had undermined all of her sexual-assault advocacy work at UVa, to the extent that she left UVa and her career in the field. Wednesdays trial day closed with the first hour of what is expected to be a long testimony from Erdely. She first faced off with Eramos attorney Libby Locke, who asked Erdely about her body of work. Locke took the hour to highlight similarities between entries of Erdelys catalog. Each story Locke asked about involved sexual assault, as well as some form of negligence by a governing body, including the criminal justice system, the military and the Catholic Church. When asked about each story, Erdely defended her reporting, outlined nuances in each reporting process and, for some, equated the writing of the pieces as performing a public service. Nonetheless, Locke was stern in pointing out aspects of the stories that paralleled Eramos assertion that Erdely had a preconceived notion of what she wanted A Rape on Campus to be about. Erdely disagreed with the characterization more than once and unequivocally stated that she never sought out to find institutional indifference to sexual assault when writing what is currently her last published article. Erdelys testimony will pick back up on Thursday in the fourth of whats expected to be a 12-day trial in the matter. ALEXANDRIAA federal judge on Thursday ordered the immediate reopening of voter registration in Virginia, extending the states sign-up window until midnight Friday as a remedy for website crashes that blocked many would-be voters earlier this week. During a brief hearing in Alexandria, U.S. Eastern District Judge Claude M. Hilton refused to approve a longer extension favored by state officials and the civil rights group that brought the case. Hilton was asked to extend the registration period until midnight Monday. The judge agreed accommodations should be made to fix the problems with online registration, but said a five-day extension seemed needlessly long. I dont think it should be used to extend the period of time beyond what the legislature provided here just for the sake of extending something, Hilton said. Representatives from Attorney General Mark R. Herrings office and an attorney for the plaintiffs said a longer extension would reduce the chances of another website crash and additional court proceedings. The thinking is well provide ample time so it will spread the burden on the network over the weekend and into Monday, said John A. Freedman, an attorney with Arnold & Porter LLP representing the plaintiffs. If the system crashes again, well have to deal with it, Hilton said. Gov. Terry McAuliffe hailed the judges order and urged voters not to delay in trying to register. I am pleased that the court has agreed with the request to extend Virginias voter registration period after unprecedented web traffic prevented many people from completing their registrations online before the original deadline, he said in a statement. The commonwealth will fully comply with the courts order and extend our registration process online, in-person and through the mail. The Virginia Department of Elections and the Virginia Information Technology Agency have been working overtime since Monday night to expand the capacity of the system that allows Virginians to register to vote online, and I am confident that the steps we have taken will provide an improved experience to people who use it. However, I do want to urge Virginians who are interested in registering to vote to act as quickly as possible and, if they are able, to take advantage of all of the available ways to register to vote during this period, including visiting a local registrars office or a Department of Motor Vehicles office. McAuliffe said that in the event of further unexpected technology issues, he urges Virginians to contact the Department of Elections and indicate that they are trying to register, so that staff can follow up and ensure that they make it through the process. The suit was filed Tuesday night by the Washington-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The plaintiffs were two voter registration groups New Virginia Majority Education Fund and Virginia Civic Engagement Table and a Charlottesville couple who tried to register several times Sunday and Monday without success. Todays order means dedicated Virginians who were unable to register on Monday through no fault of their own will have a voice in this election, Julie Emery, executive director of the Virginia Civic Engagement Table, said in a news release praising the decision. The Virginia Department of Elections said the website problems were caused by an unprecedented traffic surge and online voting promotions by Facebook and Google. An unknown number of people who tried to register online ahead of Mondays deadline were met by a File not found error message. McAuliffe had said he had no power to extend the registration deadline because its set in state law. McAuliffe, a Democrat who has made expanding felon voting rights a key focus of his agenda this year, said he agreed with the lawsuits aims. Herrings office did not fight the case. In a statement, House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, said Republican leaders accept the courts order but added the entire episode was unfortunate, predictable and avoidable. Local registrars attempted to warn the McAuliffe administration this was going to happen, and the General Assemblys Privileges and Elections Committees attempted to bring these issues to light at a joint hearing last week, Howell said. In both cases the Department of Elections brushed aside legitimate concerns instead of taking the prompt action that was needed. Howell called on McAuliffe to consider a leadership shakeup at the elections agency and said the legislature should order a review when it reconvenes next year. As an employee who booked crime evidence in the property room for the Anaheim Police Department in 1986, Shannon Berkeley-Scott was told if she wanted to help catch the bad guy, she needed to collect the evidence. That spurred my interest in forensics, so I started riding along with the officers, Berkeley-Scott said. Now, a registered nurse who coordinates the forensic services program in Mary Washington Hospitals emergency department, the Locust Grove residents first priority these days is taking care of the patient. Berkeley-Scott served as Tuesdays guest speaker for the Culpeper Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Violences candlelight vigil. The county administration building was nearly filled to capacity with local law enforcement, surviving family members of those lost to domestic violence, community leaders, Services to Abused Families representatives and teenagers with the Options program, which guides at-risk youngsters into making the right decisions. During her emotional speech, Berkeley-Scott shared a moving story about a 20-year-old patient, who still touches her heart. The female victim was found under a tree, naked and unresponsive during the spring of 2015. When I arrived to the emergency department, she would verbalize to me, however, her sounds were incoherent, recalled Berkeley-Scott. Not knowing exactly what happened to her, I decided I would perform a complete forensic exam. But as Berkeley-Scott began the exam, the severely injured patient moaned in pain at every touch. She couldnt answer my questions so we had no idea what happened to her, Berkeley-Scott explained to the captivated crowd. The patients blood work showed that the young victim suffered from rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents into the bloodstream. Rhabdo [for short] is basically when someone has been down on the ground too long. Its a breakdown of the skeletal tissues, explained Berkeley-Scott. Its very painful. No one knew how long shed been underneath that tree. Thats when Berkeley-Scott said her priorities changed. It was no longer, I have to get the evidence. I still have to collect the evidence but I have to do it in the most careful way possible so I dont hurt her anymore, causing her more pain and suffering, said the forensics nurse. Several months later, Berkeley-Scott was able to meet that young victim at trial. According to Berkeley-Scott, three young men were charged with sexual assault of the victim. Waiting outside the courtroom, Berkeley-Scott said the female victim approached her. And the victims words are just as emotional for Berkeley-Scott more than a year after the alleged assault. You took care of me, Berkeley-Scotts voice quivered as she quoted the victim. You cared about me. Berkeley-Scott said that young woman told her she wanted to become nurse and take care of others like Berkeley-Scott took care of her. At that moment, I knew it wasnt all about the evidence. Its important, but not as important as taking care of the patient. What we say and do can completely change and help that victim with the healing process, Berkeley-Scott concluded. Culpeper Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, who also served as a guest speaker, said the one thing the state owes domestic violence victims is justice. We have to ensure that we never force a victim of sexual assault to have to go back and repeatedly relive everything theyve gone through in order to keep the person who has assaulted them in jail serving their time, said Freitas. Speaking directly to the men and young men in the audience, Freitas told them, Weve got to do better. I dont see a lot of fathers having to pick up the slack for mothers, but what I do see is a lot of mothers having to pick up the slack for absentee fathers, Freitas said. Mark Nowacki, director of Culpepers Victim/Witness program who organizes this annual program, told the crowd the reason for the ceremony is to recognize those who work so hard to end the violence and make a difference in peoples lives. Nowacki also invited local law enforcement to the front of the room to receive a round of applause, thanking them for their service in protecting the community. Nowacki also explained that the red silhouettes that appear around town and positioned behind him serve as a solemn reminder of local lives lost to domestic violence. These are troubling times across America, shared Nowacki, urging folks to listen to Pete Seegers song We Shall Overcome. It talks about overcoming adversity, and thats what we all do here. But in the end, I think the prevailing message is that we always overcome, he said. Before the program, Culpeper Police Department Capt. Tim Chilton handed out purple ribbons to attendees. The color purple symbolizes domestic violence awareness as October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month. At the ceremonys conclusion, Culpeper Police Department Chief Chris Jenkins, Virginia State Police Capt. Todd Taylor and Culpeper County Sheriffs Office Capt. Nick White lit candles from the main candle in the board room before lighting the candles of the attendees as they proceeded outside. Established in 1996, the Culpeper Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Violence was formed as a community partnership to promote a safe community by providing information about domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse through education and community activities. Task Force members include: the Culpeper Victim/Witness Program, Chrysalis Counseling Centers, Family Focus, Legal Aid Works, Services to Abused Families, Culpepers Commonwealths Attorneys Office, Culpeper County Criminal Justice Services, Culpeper County Sheriffs Office and Culpeper Town Police Department. When Weis Markets opens in both of the former Food Lions stores in Culpeper at 7 a.m. today, customers can expect a few improvements and enhancements, according to the family-owned companys chief operating officer. Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets chief operating officer, listed the following changes in an Oct. 13 news release: double coupons up to .99 cents; increased selection of organic, natural and gluten-free items; 300 additional produce items including fresh-cut fruit and organic produce; an upgraded loyalty program; private label products offering brand name quality for less; fresh, hand-rolled sushi prepared in-store; certified Angus Beef with available custom cutting and an expanded selection of deli salads and takeout meals. Food Lion stores closed last Friday to make the transition, re-opening today as Weis (pronounced Wise). Our store teams converted these locations in less than one week to minimize the inconvenience to our new customers. Our new stores will offer an enhanced shopping experience with a strong focus on service and freshness, promised Schertle. We are also pleased to welcome more than 300 former Food Lion associates to our company. In July, the Pennsylvania-based food retailer purchased both Food Lion stores in Culpeper as part of an agreement to acquire 38 Food Lion supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. This transaction provides us the opportunity to expand into markets that are contiguous to our current trade area, particularly in Maryland where we are adding 21 storesessentially doubling our store count in a state where we have steadily grown in recent years, Jonathan Weis, Weis Markets chairman, president and chief executive officer, said earlier this year. Were also looking forward to expanding our operations into two adjacent states with the addition of 13 stores in Virginia and four in Delaware. In March, the Culpeper Food Lion in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center on Madison Road and the one located in Culpeper Town Square off James Madison Highway went up for sale after the merger between Delhaize Group, Food Lions parent company; and Ahold USA, Giant/Martins parent company. The joint venture included the sale of 86 stores. Selling stores is a difficult part of any merger process, given the impact on our associates, customers and communities in which we operate, said Frans Muller, president and CEO of Delhaize Group. We believe we have made every effort to identify strong buyers for these locations, and we want to thank our loyal associates and customers who have shopped our stores and supported us for so many years. Upon the completion of the merger, we will continue to maintain our local Food Lion and Hannaford brands; however, our new company scale will enable us to accelerate our local market strategies to better serve our customers with nearly 2,000 stores along the East Coast in the United States. So far, the Culpeper Martins Grocery didnt make the for sale list. Martins opened its first and only Culpeper store on Montanus Drive on Aug. 26, 2009 with about 225 full- and part-time associates. The Food Lion located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center opened June 4, 1984 and the Culpeper Town Square location opened on Dec. 8, 1999. In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome! LONDON - England - The ridiculous nonsense being trotted out by Remoaner MPs like Hilary Benn where he says 'members of parliament should not be bystanders' to Brexit is null and void. Members of parliament throughout the breadth of the Commons and the Lords were fully instrumental in their viewpoints during the EU referendum. They were there on the streets canvassing, and they were there at the voting booths voting for their preference as were the rest of the nation. To say that MPs should scupper Brexit now through the use of their own divisive voting agenda is tantamount to treason. Hilary Benn, whose late father, was extremely anti-EU, is a disgrace to parliament and this country. He has no mandate to propose anything apart from sitting down on his little stool to continue that awful mewling sound that gravitates from his scrawny neck. You cant just continue having re-votes until you get the answer you want. That is not democracy, and the Remoaners who support the undemocratic EU obviously have no respect for British democracy or the voice of the people. The PM should allow discussion, but there should be no vote, because there has already been one. The Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords, the army, the health service, the pen pushers in Whitehall have all already voiced their opinion on June 23 when they all voted during the EU referendum. Something has to be done about this immediately. This page may be updated if the event is repeated Past Event - Saturday, May 7, 2022 This page may be updated if the event is repeated The cost (unless otherwise noted) is $5 members, $10 non-members in advance; all tickets at the door are $12. Join us on select Thursdays for sparkling conversation in the galleries, followed by a champagne toast, in this new series of talks. Sparkling conversation, followed by a champagne toast Members of The DAIs curatorial and education teams highlight works from the permanent collection or current special exhibitions in each Curatorial Conversations program. A reception follows each talk. Space is limited for each talk, and advance reservations are recommended. Upcoming Talks Curatorial Conversations - Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms in person talk at the museum: May 7 Reservations may be made by calling 937-223-4ART (4278) or in person at the museum's Guest Services Desk during regular hours. Audi launched its smallest sedan, the A3, in the Indian market two years earlier, and since then it hasn't received any update, apart from the introduction of a convertible variant. The facelifted version of the A3 has been introduced in the international market and the German automaker plans to bring it in the country by early 2017. The facelift is likely to be powered by a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The German carmaker has successfully mounted this powerplant on the latest iteration of its best-selling entry-level luxury sedan, the Audi A4, and will be looking to repeat it with its smaller sibling. Though considerably smaller than the 2.0-litre and 1.8-litre engines, the 1.4-litre motor on the A4 is still able to dish out a healthy 150PS of power and 250Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG transmission and the same set-up is expected to feature on the new A3. Currently, the petrol Audi A3 that is sold in India is powered by the 40TFSI 1.8-litre petrol motor that is good for 180PS and 250Nm. It comes mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox as the A3 Cabriolet also gets optional paddle shifters. The torque rating remains constant in both the mills but there is a straight 30PS loss in power, which could attract a family buyer but repel the enthusiast. Apart from the engine, the 2017 A3 is also set to receive cosmetic updates in line with Audis new design philosophy. This would include restyled bumpers, wider front grille, and revised taillights. Talking money, the prices are set to go south from the current Rs 27.1 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) because of the smaller engine. This would mean even better affordability for the Audi A3, and even tougher competition for the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLA. Source: CarDekho.com Singapore: The engineering design work for the construction of a 500-km route for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail which includes a number of tunnels and bridges, will start in December this year, its consulting engineers said. The route would include a 20-km sub-sea tunnel from Mumbai to Thane, said Tomoaki Sawano, manager for planning and sales at Japan International Consultants for Transport Co Ltd (JIC) last night. JIC has completed a feasibility study last year on the rail project which is to be operational by 2023. The project's engineering design work will include a number of tunnels and bridges, he added. It would take about four years to complete the engineering design for the entire route construction contracts, which would be awarded in several packages from about 2018, he said at the Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition being held October 19-21. Tokyo-headquartered JIC is an international project consultant and has worked on a number of high speed rail project in India including Hyderabad-Chennai- Thiruvananthapuram High Speed Rail. The US has entered into Totalisation Agreement with several nations. New Delhi: India today "strongly" urged the US to engage in negotiations for the Totalisation Agreement or Social Security pact as its absence is restricting the movement of domestic IT professionals in America. The issue of Totalisation Agreement was again taken up during a delegation-level meeting here between the two nations. US Trade Representative Michael Froman is leading the delegation for the 10th India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) meeting. "We very clearly identified this as one of the non-tariff measures...which is restricting the movement of IT professionals. "We have strongly urged the US to engage in negotiations for signing of a Totalisation Agreement. It is being heard and I hope there will be a positive response from their side," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters after the delegation-level meeting. India wants early conclusion of the social security agreement with the US. The US has entered into Totalisation Agreement with several nations for the purpose of avoiding double taxation of income with respect to social security taxes. Under this agreement, professionals of both the countries would be exempted from social security taxes when they go to work for a short period in the other country. On the issues related to intellectual property rights, Sitharaman said a lot of effort was put in to dispel the misconceptions of the US delegation on India's patent regime. There seems a much better appreciation of India's IPR regime by the US side, she added. On compulsory licensing (CL), she said India reminded the US delegation that so far it has issued only one CL and that too after following a due process. Under the CL, a government authorises a company other than the patent owner to produce the patented product or process, without the patent owner's consent. This is largely resorted to in the case of public health emergency to make an expensive patented drugs available. India issued CL in 2014 to NATCO for a cancer drug. US pharma companies have raised concerns over this. The Indian side also raised concerns over visa fee issue. "They heard us on this and I hope they will come to us on this," she said. Further the minister also flagged matters related to greater market access for agri goods like grapes and mangoes and pharma products. "We find that in the US administration new laws are brought up and new rules are made and they have different impact on our trading, particularly I am referring to in the case of food and drugs," she said. She said the Generic Drug User Fee Act (GDUFA) and Food Safety Modernisation Act of 2011 have started creating an elaborate system of inspection as well as inspection fees. New Delhi: Acknowledging that India's manufacturing sector is in "trouble", Union Minister Anant Geete today exhorted companies to counter the challenge posed by the growing Chinese clout by selling products at globally competitive prices. "India's manufacturing sector is in trouble for last many years. In the era of globalisation, competing in international markets has become a challenge for the country's private as well as state-owned firms," the Union heavy industries minister said at an Assocham conference. "If we fail to compete globally, we will get isolated. We have to compete with China, which has occupied a dominant place in markets worldwide. We need to accept this challenge." The Nikkei Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) a gauge of manufacturing performance fell to 52.1 in September from 52.6 in August, indicating that growth in the sector lost some momentum. "It is the government's responsibility to safeguard the interests of the country's private and public sector firms. We have to sell products in global markets at competitive prices," Geete said. Citing the example of India's steel industry, the minister said it had been facing problems for the last 2-3 years and a minimum import price (MIP) for steel had to be ascertained as finished goods from China started coming in at a price at par with India's raw material cost. The government had in February fixed an MIP of up to USD 752 per tonne on certain steel products to protect domestic players from cheap imports. In August, it extended the MIP on 66 steel products for two months as against 173 items earlier. There will be no strategic sale in any company (which falls under the department of heavy industry) during the current financial year. The government is taking all factors into account while taking a decision on strategic sale of a firm. The Cabinet in September cleared strategic disinvestment of Allahabad-based Bharat Pumps and Compressors Limited. It is the first PSU to be put up for strategic sale by the Narendra Modi government, setting in motion the process for privatisation of the PSU. Strategic disinvestment denotes sale of substantial portion of government shareholding in identified central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), up to 50 per cent or more, along with transfer of management control. The Centre has set a target of Rs 20,500 crore from strategic sale in loss-making and sick PSUs this fiscal. However, according to officials, it is unlikely that even the process of majority stake sale in Bharat Pumps will be completed in the current financial year. YES Bank says there has not been breaches with the bank. Mumbai: In wake of a system-wide securityscare triggered by a malware attack on systems of its vendor Hitachi Payment Systems, Yes Bank today sought to distance itself from the breach and stressed on need to police service providers in a better way. "There needs to be a lot more vigilance where there are outsourcing partners to make sure they don't endanger the delivery and system risk, and there's a fair amount of policing as far as outsourcing risks are concerned," its managing director and chief executive Rana Kapoor told reporters here. According to media reports, systems of Hitachi Payment Systems which counts on Yes Bank as one of its major customers, are suspected to have been breached. Asserting that there has not been breaches with the bank, Kapoor said there is a need for vigilance on the outsourced aspects because a bank does not do every function in-house. Kapoor also exuded confidence in the security architecture of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), calling it as the finest in the world. Following the discovery of the breach, he said the bank has initiated some cautionary measures to ensure that its customers do not get affected. A bank spokesperson said after the suspected breach came to light for the first time, it had advised all its customers to change their secret personal identification numbers (PINs). Also, to ensure that they indeed change the PINs and minimise the risk, it capped withdrawal at Rs 5,000 per transaction till the PIN gets changed. According to reports, over 32 lakh cards stand at risk following the suspected security breach and banks have taken a slew of actions to thwart any untoward possibilities by either replacing the cards or asking them to change the PINs. New Delhi: The government will extend full support to the gems and jewellery exports as it is recording healthy growth at a time when outbound shipments are facing challenges, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today. India has made a big difference in gems and jewellery trade at a time when "exports are facing many challenges but this sector has stood the headwinds, and therefore we need to give all support to the sector," she said here. She was speaking at the 37th 'Festival of Gold' being organised by state-run trading firm MMTC. In September, gems and jewellery exports grew by 22.42 per cent year-on-year to USD 4.46 billion. Since December 2014, exports fell for the straight 18 months till May 2016 due to weak global demand and slide in oil prices. Shipments witnessed growth only in June this year and again entered into negative zone in July and August. However, it turned positive in September. The minister also asked the MMTC to organise roadshows all over the country to popularise gold coins. When asked about the media reports of information leak of millions of ATM cards, she said: "On this, I will talk to the revenue (department)". There is also a need to discuss the matter with the finance ministry about its implication, she said, adding breach of data confidentiality is a security subject. New Delhi: The government's 15 per cent stake sale in construction company NBCC on bourses took off today, with over 50 per cent of the shares reserved for institutional investors getting subscribed in the first hour of trade. As much as 9 crore shares will be sold over two days, with institutional investors getting to bid on the first day and retail ones getting a chance tomorrow. The floor price has been fixed at Rs 246.50, which is at a discount to the prevailing market price of Rs 251 per share. As on 1035 hours, as against 7.20 crore shares offered to institutional buyers today, bids came in for over 3.88 crore, or 54 per cent of the shares on offer, as per data available on NSE. The share sale for today will continue till close of the market. In the secondary market, the NBCC scrip is trading at Rs 251, down 0.79 per cent, on BSE. Retail investors, who are defined as individual investors who place bids for sales of total value of not more than Rs 2 lakh in aggregate, will be allocated shares at a discount of 5 per cent of the cut-off price. Twenty per cent of the offer size has been reserved for the retail players. Any unsubscribed portion of the retail category after allotment will be allocated to the un-allotted bids of institutional buyers who have chosen to carry forward their bids to Friday. The government holds 90 per cent in the company, which has a market capitalisation of Rs 15,180 crore. The share sale will help the company meet Sebi norms that mandated PSUs to have a minimum public holding of 25 per cent. The Cabinet had in July this year cleared disinvestment in the project management consultancy and real estate development company. NBCC was listed on the bourses in 2012 when the government diluted 10 per cent stake to raise Rs 127 crore. The price band of the NBCC IPO was then fixed at Rs 90-106 per share. In May this year, shareholders had approved stock split to facilitate the FPO under the government's disinvestment programme. The company has split its share of Rs 10 each into five with a face value of Rs 2 each. The stake sale is part of the government's Rs 56,600 crore disinvestment programme for the current fiscal. So far this fiscal, the government has raised Rs 6,414 crore through OFS and buyback of equity. NBCC is the third disinvestment through offer for sale (OFS) route by the government in the current fiscal. It had sold 7 per cent stake in Hindustan Copper to raise Rs 400 crore in September and 11.36 per cent in NHPC in April to garner Rs 2,716 crore. Mumbai: A dozen workers of MNS were on Wednesday arrested for protesting against the upcoming release of filmmaker Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hai 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," 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 were sent to judicial custody till November 4. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had 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 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 yesterday 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." Mumbai: When Shyam Benegal first came to Mumbai looking for work in the film industry, he met his cousin legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt, who advised him to start off on his own rather than be an assistant to him. Bengal said having a director like Dutt in the family was a huge inspiration for him to leave Hyderabad, and come to Mumbai in the hope of making a film here. "Having Guru Dutt as a cousin was a great advantage. Not that he helped me, but it was a kind of goal. Because he was a film director, it meant I could also be a film director," Benegal told reporters here last evening. When he quit his job in Hyderabad, Benegal reached Mumbai and headed to meet the 'Pyaasa' helmer. "When I went to meet Guru Dutt, he said, 'Listen, what are you going to do with me? You will be an assistant and would get no opportunity to do anything else. You will just be a 'gofor'. "In film line, a 'gofor' is a 'go for this go for that' person. Which means you won't really get to do anything except run errands for me," the 81-year-old director said. Benegal was speaking at the National Institute of Industrial Engineering's special event 'Avartan'. The director was part of the celebrity talk show - Cita De La Prerana - which also included Piyush Mishra and Makrand Deshpande. In the quest to achieve his dream of making a film, the "Welcome to Sajjanpur" director followed Dutt's advice. "He (Dutt) said, he had started of as a dance director and made his way to directing... So eventually I also thought the best possible way would be to join an advertising agency, as I had a certain amount of ability to write.," Benegal said. After working for many years in advertising agency, he finally made his directorial debut in 1974 with 'Ankur'. The director, however, shared that he had approached a well-known advertising film distributor, asking him to produce the film, who in turn agreed to do so but had two conditions. "One was, I am going to give you a sum of money, which was actually very small, and I won't give you a penny more than that to make the film. Second was, you won't get any money after you've been paid your fee. "If the film makes money, I make money. But remember, you will make a name...I made a film called 'Ankur' which became very successful. It happened exactly the way he had said. He made the money, I made the name and so my career started," he said. Post that, Benegal went on to make films like 'Nishant', 'Bhumika', 'Mandi', 'Manthan' and 'Zubeidaa'. Jaipur: The Vasundhara Raje-led Rajasthan Government asked the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing challenging Salman Khans acquittal in the two chinkara poaching cases on Thursday. The government had approached the top court against the acquittal on Wednesday and even asking it to direct Salman Khan to surrender. They also claimed that his driver was deliberately not cross-examined by his lawyers. Two separate cases were lodged against Salman and seven others under section 51 of Wildlife Protection Act, one for killing two chinkaras in Jodhpurs Bhiwad village around 26-27 September 1998 and another chinkara in Mathania around 28-29 September 1998 when he was shooting for the film Hum Saath Saath Hain. He was convicted by the trial court (CJM) for one year and five years for the respective cases. However, the Rajasthan High Court had acquitted the actor of the poaching charges on 25 July. A young woman is on the edge of a cliff, at the bottom of which lies a deep lagoon surrounded by rock faces, set deep inside a virgin forest. She does not know the depth of the pool or what lurks in the rocky crevices and underbrush; all she knows is that she has to leap. There is fear drumming inside her chest but along with it is the determination that come what may, she has to jump. The lissome woman takes a deep breath and leaps and when she surfaces for air, she has not only executed a perfect shot for a film but has also submerged her fear of heights forever. The first time I saw the lagoon, I almost had a heart attack because I am petrified of heights. When you ultimately conquer what you fear the most, fear has no power over you. It is all in the mind and today I can fearlessly jump into that lagoon without a second thought. Its no motivational trainer speaking but actor Kamalinee Mukherjee, recalling her scene for the bumper hit Pulimurugan. Its no exaggeration to describe her as gutsy, determined and passionate about cinema. Not to forget intelligent, articulate and a trained classical dancer and stage artiste. Her role of the rustic yet strong and lovable wife Myna of Mohanlal is winning hearts. An actress who has proved her mettle across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi industries, Kamalinee has no doubt played a variety of roles in her 11-year career but she emphatically states that the role of Myna is a once in a life time role. The primary attraction was in challenging myself to shed my urban self and turn rural. Myna and me have nothing in common, be it the conditioning or even the way she walks. My convent school upbringing has taught me to sit, stand and talk in a particular way and I had to shed all that for Myna. Still from Pulimurugan The travel to the jungle locations was hazardous and the team used to travel an hour to get to the edge of the forest and then drive another 45 minutes through deep forests. We are not talking about flat ground here; it is undulating terrain that goes up and down. Sometimes we had to climb down steps that had been freshly cut for our convenience, she explains. Of course we also had nature playing havoc when we least expected it! It would rain at will. There is this scene of Mohanlal sir and me climbing the rock face from under the cave and we were tied to each other with ropes. It was drizzling when the shoot started but by the time we reached the middle it was pouring and we could not see anything in front of us! We could neither go up nor down because the force of the water was such and we had no option but to wait. Twenty minutes later when the rain stopped, the water was up to our knees. Kamalinee mentions how the crew ferried cranes up and down, balancing on precarious and slippery terrain. Besides the tiger in the film, did she get to see any wild animals for real? She laughs and answers, I saw a cobra up close and another day I saw a herd of elephants. There was a waterhole not far from where we were shooting and animals would come there by sunset but we were not allowed to shoot beyond a certain time. We did see evidence of animal visitations in our locations in the mornings. What about the man who caught the tiger by the tail - Mohanlal? Kamalinee answers, Working with Mohanlal sir was like an everyday shot of energy. He comes to the set with this huge glow of energy and infects everybody with it. He is a very happy soul and has a camaraderie with everybody. It just boggles your mind when he goes back to being Pulimurugan in the blink of an eye. The entire shoot was demanding but he just went with the vision. I was like a sponge soaking up everything. An actress who puts a high premium on her characters, Kamalinee has played some strong contemporary women roles. Talking about the rise of women-centric films she opines, When I have worked in Malayalam right from the Mammootty starrer Kutty Srank to Pulimurugan to some films I have watched, I find female characters to be well-defined! Even in Tamil, the female characters are getting fleshed out more realistically. Of course there is that fantasy element when female actors are concerned but there is an increasing trend to mould characters that we can identify with in real life. The quality of cinema improves when both leads have equal space even if it is a male-centric industry. Mumbai: Following much deliberation, the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-headed Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Wednesday decided to give 75 per cent concession on rent for the venue at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), where Global Citizen will organise the Coldplay concert on November 19. However, opposition leader and activists have slammed the governments decision to give the concession on rent. Confirming the development, Mr Fadnavis said, We have decided to support the social awareness campaign promoted by Global Citizen. We would give concession on the venues rent for the concert scheduled to be held next month. The concert organisers would have to pay only 25 per cent of the total rent amount for MMRDA ground at BKC, confirmed metropolitan commissioner (MMRDA) U.P.S. Madan. The development means the organisers would have to pay Rs 2 crore as rent instead of Rs 8 crore for conducting the event on 150-lakh square metre MMRDA ground. The ground has been booked for three days. The stage would be set up on November 18 and dismantled on November 20, informed a MMRDA official. According to the MMRDA, it charges rent of Rs 8 per sq m for a single day of any programme thats scheduled. In addition, it charges Rs 4.5 per sq m for each day that the organiser uses the ground to prepare for the event, which includes setting the stage and erecting or dismantling the stage before and after the programme. On October 15, we had earlier reported about Global Citizen and Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) writing a letter to MMRDA requesting to waive off the venues rent. Tickets for the Coldplay concert have been available on bookmyshow.com from September 12. The tickets range from Rs 25, 000 to Rs 5 lakh. This exorbitant price range, incidentally, resulted in people taking a dig at the organisers and kicking up a social media storm. However, anyone organising an event for social awareness, gets 70 per cent discount depending on the ticket prices. The MMRDA had earlier lost revenue of Rs 21 crore as rent after the MIDC refused to pay the same for using MMRDA ground during the Make in India Week. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, If the government is supporting international concerts and giving concession at the cost of revenue just because the organisers are promoting social awareness, it should also give concessions to Indian artists and support and motivate them to do social work. RTI activist Anil Galgali said, Why should the government lose revenue just because people are promoting social awareness. The revenue generated by renting out the MMRDA ground, is after all used for the betterment of public infrastructure. (This article first appeared in Asian Age) New York: It has already been seen that alcohol consumption, either by the victim or the perpetrator, is a key factor in more than half of sexual assaults on college campuses. A study by the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions have now found out that 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 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 said. "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." The study did not find that nonmedical use of opioid analgesics or stimulants was associated with negative sexual events. Parks continued saying, "NMUPD is an increasing public health concern, particularly among emerging and young adults." "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 researcher added. The study is available online and will appear in a special issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors in December. Singapore: Different people have different motivations when it comes to deciding a destination for their trip, but while Singapore is already a popular destination among travellers, it seems that there is one more reason for you to head there. Days after a blue eyed Pakistani tea vendor Arshad Khan mesmerised people across the world and also landed a modelling assignment, a hot airport security officer in Singapore is enchanting people with his boyish charm. The agency named Certis Cisco, for which 22-year-old Lee Minwei works as a corporal at the Changi Airport, posted a picture on Twitter and later on Facebook which had the internet drooling over Lee as the photographs received thousands of shares. Meet the famous CPL (APF) Lee Minwei at Changi Airport. Say hello to our good looking officer when you see him! https://t.co/bj5yFOEwUa pic.twitter.com/CMvmKqt7Wo Certis CISCO (@Certis_CISCO) October 14, 2016 As many users said they will travel to Singapore to find the security officer, Lee was overwhelmed and said that while he is used to tourists clicking pictures with him, this attention was unexpected. Humans living in South Africa more than 65,000 years ago sharpened rock into blades (Photo: AFP) Humans living in Africa used heat to break stones and make sharp blades tens of thousands of years before the technique was developed elsewhere, according to a study published Wednesday. The new evidence, in the journal Plos One, shows that humans living in South Africa more than 65,000 years ago sharpened rock into blades in the oldest known use of pyrotechnology to transform matter, researchers said. "This marks a leap in knowledge and skill to use fire in the transformation of matter, which represents a considerable step in the technological evolution of man that is unique to this region," Anne Delagnes, a lead researcher of the study from the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), told AFP. Conducted at the Klipdrift Shelter -- a recently discovered Middle Stone Age site southeast of Cape Town -- the researchers analyzed heating techniques used to produce blades from silcrete rock. The researchers found that 92 percent of the rock samples had traces of intentional heating -- a process that would harden and break open the rock, producing sharp pieces to make blades. "The fire breaks the stone and removes internal impurities, minimizing the risk of fracture during the process -- a fairly sophisticated technique," said Delagnes. Analysis suggested the stones were rapidly heated early in the process in open fireplaces at temperatures higher than 450 degrees Celsius (842 degrees Fahrenheit). The humans were apparently making small stone tools with short blades on handles. Some even had multiple blades on one handle -- an ancient ancestor of the Swiss Army knife. "It was an extremely innovative period in southern Africa," said Delagnes. Besides technological innovations including this form of pyrotechnology, she said there were already symbolic engravings of the first set of the elements on ostrich eggshells. This most recent finding indicates that the use of intentional heat treatments was used in Africa between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago. No traces of the technological innovation exist again until some 20,000 years ago when it was discovered in Siberia, and later on in Europe about 18,000 years ago, when heat was sometimes applied to finish tools. Fire was applied to create blades more systematically in Western Europe just 11,000 years ago during the Neolithic period, which marked the beginning of human civilization with the appearance of agriculture and livestock. New Delhi: A Delhi Police team will be visiting Mumbai to arrest national-level kabaddi player Rohit Kumar, whose wife Lalita had allegedly committed suicide on October 17 accusing her husband and in-laws for mental and physical harassment in west Delhi's Nangloi area. "Rohit is in the naval services in Mumbai. Two teams have been formed to arrest Rohit and his parents. One team is heading to Mumbai to arrest Rohit, who represents Bengaluru Bulls in the Pro-Kabaddi League, while the other team is conducting raids at places where his parents are likely to be found," a senior police officer said. During investigation, it was found that Rohit's father, Vijay Singh, had worked in the Delhi Police as a sub-inspector and was dismissed from his service, police said. 27-year-old Lalita had left behind a two-hour long audio message and a 25-minute long video in which she claimed that her in-laws "harrased" her for minor issues. "In the video and audio messages she left behind on her phone, she said that her in-laws were quite conservative and would often taunt her for her "modern" outlook and things like 'pallu' falling from her head and other minor things. She also said that while Rohit was away in Mumbai, they kept her in Delhi," the officer said. In her suicide note and messages, she alleged that on October 15, Rohit told her that if she "goes away" from his life, he would be very happy. He dropped her halfway to her home and left, she alleged. She said the act of Rohit was traumatic for her, police said. Police is likely to arrest Rohit and his family soon, the officer said. The police officer said the attackers have been identified and will be arrested soon. (Photo: Representational Image) New Delhi: A 24-year-old youth was stabbed to death near his house in Ambedkar Nagar area of south east Delhi on Wednesday by 2-3 youths, who fled leaving the knife plunged in the victim's chest, police said. The incident took place around 4.30 pm when Naresh, who used to live with his family at K Block of Dakshinpuri in Ambedkar Nagar, was outside his home. He was attacked and stabbed by the attackers. Naresh used to work with a private firm. He had some dispute with the youths in his neighbourhood, who stabbed him twice and left the knife plunged in his chest, said a police officer. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died during the treatment, he said. The police officer said the attackers have been identified and will be arrested soon. He said investigation is underway and the motive behind the murder will be revealed after arrest of the accused. Hyderabad: A Bengaluru-based man was arrested for duping a woman from Madhapur of around Rs 10 lakh promising marriage. The 43-year-old suspect uploaded a fake profile on a matrimonial site and lured the victim and her family. Cyberabad police arrested the suspect. The suspect, Sasidharan Kattiri, a resident of Rushtum Bagh in Bengaluru, who is an administration officer in Dreams Infra India Limited, told the victim that he was based in the United Kingdom, and took money from her promising to get a visa for her to the United Kingdom so that he can take her there after their marriage. The suspect had sent a request to her family through the matrimonial website expressing his willingness to marry her. They communicated further and scheduled the wedding. He then asked her for money to obtain a visa for the victim to United Kingdom. He had earlier told the family that he was a permanent resident in the United Kingdom. The victim first transferred `7.5 lakh into his account. He later took a gold chain and a high-end mobile phone from her in the name of upcoming marriage rituals, said a senior official from the cyber crime police station, Cyberabad. He then stopped talking to the victim. Later, after investigations she came to know that Sasidharan Kattiri was already married and had a family with two children. Police booked a case of cheating against him. He was arrested by the cops and produced in a local court. Mumbai: Former corporator Razzaq Khan's son Amjad Khan has claimed he shot dead RTI activist Bhupendra Vira but that his father was unaware of the murder plan, police said on Thursday. However, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Saxena told PTI, "We will verify the accused's claim, will not go by his version. We will investigate the role of the ex-corporator." A country-made pistol has been recovered from the residence of the accused in Vakola. "We will see whether the weapon was used in committing the crime," Saxena said. The 72-year-old activist, who had exposed encroachers and unauthorised constructions in and around Kalina area in the city, was shot dead at point blank range on the night of October 15 when he was watching TV at his residence in suburban Santacruz. Vakola police had on Monday arrested former corporator of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Razzaq Khan (78), and his son, Amjad Khan (53), in connection with the murder. The duo was arrested after Vira's family members named them in the complaint. Razzaq, an ex-corporator of Congress from Santacruz, had got an order from Lokayukta for demolishing four illegal properties in the area on Vira's complaint, hours before the activist's murder, sources had said. Amjad and Razzaq were spotted in the vicinity of Vira's residence by a witness after the killing. During investigation, it was established that only one bullet was fired from close range at the right temple of Vira, officials said. Vira had filed RTI applications seeking information about Razzq's illegal constructions and land grabbing issues. The Lokayukta had issued orders to demolish four structures which were built by Razzaq on last Saturday and both the accused were upset with it, the officials said. Vadodara: A couple was killed and their pregnant daughter was also assaulted on the suspicion that they practised black magic at Bhilva village in Garbada tehsil of Dahod district, about 150 km from here, police said. The incident took place yesterday. The accused, distant relations of the victim family, were on the run, said sub-inspector K B Katara, the investigating officer. The accused were identified as Bandiya Sangadia, Shailesh Sangadia and K Hatia. The trio allegedly attacked Kanubhai Sangadia, his wife Jenuben and their pregnant daughter Shardaben, Katara said. A case of murder was registered at the Garbada police station. The accused held the victim family responsible for the death of Kalubhai, Bandiya's grand-nephew, last month, suspecting that Jenuben had performed `black magic' on him. They allegedly thrashed the victims with sticks yesterday, killing the couple and injuring Shardaben grievously. Shardaben was admitted to a hospital at Dahod. She named the three accused in her statement to the police. Police are searching for the trio. Kochi: The managing partner of an international jewellery chain was arrested on Thursday for allegedly cheating a small-time jewellery storeowner in Perumbavoor and absconding with gold worth Rs 12 crore. The arrested was identified as U. Abdullah (51), a native of Thrithala in Palakkad and the owner of the Avatar Gold and Diamonds. According to cops, the accused entered into a deal with the jewellery store owner four months back and as per it, the victim was to hand over his gold ornaments towards the new outlet of Avatar Jewellery to be started in Perumbavoor. As per the deal, the victim handed over 33 kg of gold worth Rs 12 crore on the promise that he would add more gold ornaments and start the chain with 75 kg gold in total. However, the accused went underground with the gold and escaped to a foreign country, Perumbavoor Circle Inspector Baiju Paulose said. The accused was hiding at various locations abroad and also in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka during the period. Finally we got information that he was scheduled to arrive at Kozhikode. A trap was laid and managed to nab him, the officer said. The accused was produced before a local court which remanded him in 14-days judicial custody. Probe is on to recover the gold. We are also on the look out of more persons in connection with the case, including his son, the officer said. Abdullah was also facing cheating charges in Kalamassery and Thrissur police stations. Visakhapatnam: As the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) seeks comments for the commercial release of genetically modified seeds of mustard, agricultural scientists warn of both environmental and health hazards. Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, Delhi Universi-ty, had developed a tra-nsgenic crop Mustard DMH-11 and applied to Indias biotechnology regulator Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for environmental or commercial release. MoEF&CC recently sought comments by putting out a 120-page report, Assessment of Food and Environmen-tal Safety of GE Musta-rd, on GEACs website. Andhra Pradesh is among five states that allow field trials of GM food crops. It will be easy for seed firms in Andhra Pra-desh to conduct tests and release seeds in the market. Other states that allow these tests are Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Maharashtra. GEAC had approved at least 12 GM crop varieties for trials and mustard among them had reached the stage of en-vironmental clearance. Once the environmental release is clea-red, seed companies can conduct tests before releasing them in the market. Agriculture scientists say GM mustard variety is Herbicide-Tolerant (HT) and it will lead to indiscriminate use of herbicides for better yield. The harmful herbicide residue may be consumed by humans, leading to serious health hazards like cancers. They also point out that indiscriminate use of herbicides will lead to super-weeds which can't be destroyed by any chemical and render the field uncultivable. While BT cotton, a commercial crop, is being used in India, a moratorium has been put on efforts to introduce genetically modified brinjal. When GM brinjal issue came up the then government came out in the open and held public consultations. When the government was not convinced about safety, it put a moratorium on GM Brinjal in 2009. But, in the case of GM mustard no proper information is available in the public domain, said agricultu-re scientist at Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), Dr G.V. Ramanj-aneyulu. There is also the argument that introduction of genetically modified mustard would increase its production thereby reducing rapeseed or mustard oil imports which save foreign exchange. The current set of three mustard GMOs are all Herbicide-Tolerant (HT) crops. But the GMO application does not declare them so, or test them in the context of HT crops. The risk assessment has not taken into account this feature or the consequent increased use of herbicides, or any combined effects. The rapid emergence of super-weeds that cannot be killed by herbicides due to extensive use of herbicide tolerant GM crops is well-documented. So is the impact on beneficial non-target organisms like bees and butterflies and soil microbes. Use of herbicide-tolerant crops results in more herbicide use, higher toxic residues in food, prevention of mixed cropping and damage to crops in neighbouring farms, said, an IIT graduate, Kiran Vissa, part of a national alliance called Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), which is called Rythu Swarajya Vedika, in Telangana and AP. He added that introducing an HT GM crop that too without risk assessment, will pave the way for plundering by multinational companies which are waiting to introduce HT crops, to make money on both seeds and chemicals. GEAC warned against lack of transparency Indias biotechnology regulator, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), was warned by the Central Information Commission (CIC) as it did not furnish information sought on the biosafety dossier of GM mustard. The CIC issued show cause notices to the public information officers of the regulator. Coalition for GM-Free Indias national convener Kavitha Kuruganti wants GEAC share biosafety data related to transgenic mustard hybrid DMH 11 as well as the agenda of meetings of the regulator. The same has not been complied with, more than 50 days have passed. The regulators are dillydallying on a fairly straightforward matter. The Commission finds no reason to extend the time for another 90 days GEAC to give information which they should disclose on their own under Section 4(1)(b) of RTI Act. The information sought is of high public importance, concerning public health, said the order issued on Aug 12 by Information Commissioner, M. Sridhar Acharyulu. The information commissioner further observed that public authority is attempting to keep vital information out of public discussion. It amounts to the prevention of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and expression of the appellant, who is interested in discussing the pros and cons of GMO-related issues of GM Mustard, which if permitted would cause serious impact on the public health of consumers in large scale, he said. Patna: The Bihar government on Thursday decided to move the Supreme Court against the Patna High Court's decision to grant bail to former Janata Dal (United) MLC Manorama Devi's son Rocky Yadav, who was arrested in May for shooting a college student in Bihar in a case of road rage. Rocky Yadav, son of the suspended JD (U) MLC and 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. When Aditya and his friends overtook Rocky's SUV, an angry Rocky chased them and then gunned down Aditya. 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. Following the bail granted by the Patna High Court, Rocky is expected to be out of jail within one or two days. Rocky was granted bail by the Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari Wednesday evening. With the news of Rocky getting bail, the family members of Aditya are in a state of shock. His parents, who were also arrested in connection with the road rage case, had also been released on bail earlier. Bhubaneswar: SUM Hospital promoter Manoj Nayak was on Thursday morning arrested shortly after surrendering before Khandagiri police in Bhubaneswar. Nayak surrendered at 3.30 am in connection with the fire mishap at the privately-run hospital which claimed 21 lives on Monday evening. On Wednesday evening, the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate police had issued a lookout notice against Manoj Nayak and his wife Saswati Das after registering two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the Directorate of Fire Services (DFS) and Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET). Read: Odisha's tragedy-hit hospital had no fire clearance: J P Nadda The FIRs charged the Sum Hospital authorities with willful negligence, poor patient management and poor evacuation of patients. Manoj and his wife Saswati are trustees of Siksha O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs Sum Hospital. The police is also looking for Saswati to arrest her, source informed. The cops have seized many documents from the main corporate office. Sources said the Manoj was being interrogated by police with regard to the fire mishap and violations of several protocols and statutory norms by Sum Hospital. The circular was issued to prevent Manoj and his wife from moving out of country. Moreover, a letter was sent to the Union home ministry in this regard. On Wednesday night, the police had raided the office of Manoj and seized important documents. However, during the raid on his house at Dharma Vihar, police found the house locked and the mobile phone of Manoj switched off. Sources in the commissionerate police said special plans were made for investigation on the basis of seizure of important documents. Besides, investigation is on into the work and role of the some officials of Sum Hospital. Going by the sequence of events and the preliminary investigation, the number of arrests could increase, the sources added. Mumbai: Even as China has indicated its unwillingness to support India's attempt to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the country will still go ahead with its plans to have 63,000 MW of nuclear capacity by 2032. "We want to be a part of the NSG. We are in talks with the member countries as well as China. India believes there will be a positive outcome from its dialogue with China," Atomic Energy Commission of India member Ravi Grover told reporters on the sidelines of India Nuclear Energy Summit here on Thursday. When asked about country's stand if the talks with China do not go through, Grover said, "We are hopeful they will go through. But if they don't, we will continue with our plans in expanding our nuclear power capacities." At present, India has a total capacity of 6,000 MW and plans to reach 63,000 MW by 2032. Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. To prevent India's entry in the elite group, China has stated that NSG's rules disallow a member who has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India, however, has already made its position clear that it would not surrender its national interest by signing the accord, but its track record of non-proliferation should entitle it to join the NSG. India was granted an NSG waiver in 2008 that allows it to engage in nuclear commerce, but deprives it of a vote in the organisation's decision making. When asked about the progress in the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra, Grover said there was a consensus on all the parameters, including technical issues, but the crucial part of financing is yet to be decided on. "We are currently negotiating on the financing and cost aspect as we want to provide power from these plants at affordable tariffs. Once we come to a conclusion on this aspect, we will then go ahead with developing the plan for setting up of the project," Grover, also director of Homi Bhabha National Institute, said. State-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) is in talks with French Company EDF that has agreed to build six LWRs (light-water reactors) with a capacity of 1650 MW each. He said similar negotiations were on with the US-based WestingHouse Co which is expected to build another six units of 1,000 MW each in Andhra Pradesh. "Our intent is to arrive at mutual acceptable technical and commercial terms that enable a viable tariff regime," Grover added. Kolkata: A day after Trinamool lawmaker and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, was injured in a road mishap, a team of forensic experts visited the accident site near Singur on National Highway 2. The team collected broken glasses, examined the paints on the surface of the truck with which Abhishek Banerjee's car collided while returning to Kolkata after a public meeting in Murshidabad district. Police registered attempt to murder and conspiracy case against unknown persons in connection with the mishap involving Mr Banerjee, the All India Trinamool Youth Congress president. Sections under the Highways Act were also added in the case, a senior officer of the CID said. Though nobody was detained in the incident, a few persons, mainly eyewitnesses, were questioned by the CID, the officer said. Sources in the CID said reconstruction of the entire incident would be done to evaluate "who was responsible for the mishap". The Chief Minister visited the nursing home, where Mr Banerjee is undergoing treatment, towards the afternoon. Senior party leader Manas Bhuniya, who recently joined the Trinamool from the Congress was accompanying Abhishek Banerjee, said that his own vehicle was behind the Trinamool lawmaker's convoy. Gaya: A day after the Patna High Court granted bail to Rocky Yadav, the son of a suspended JD(U) MLC, in a case of killing Aditya Sachdeva in Gaya, the victim's parents on Thursday said it is a very bad day for Bihar and also questioned the basis for granting bail. "It is a very bad day for Bihar that a criminal got bail. This is very shocking news for the entire nation. In this case, everything was clear, yet he got bail and how he got it is a matter of investigation," late Aditya's father Shyam Sundar Sachdeva said. Expressing dissatisfaction over the judgment, Sachdeva said despite of having all evidences, we were denied justice, adding that "money and power has again silenced the truth." "I hope the government will fight for us," the father added. Read: Aditya Sachdeva murder: Rocky Yadav granted bail in road rage case "We need answers, high court gave decision in his (Rocky Yadav) favour without even opening the case," said Aditya's mother Chand Sachdeva said. "It is all about getting justice and the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar promised us that we would get justice. I hope the government will fight for us," Sachdeva told ANI. In the Gaya road rage case, accused Rocky Yadav, son of former JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi and 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. When Aditya and his friends overtook Rocky's SUV, an angry Rocky chased them and then gunned down Aditya. 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 Ahmed Ansari Wednesday evening. With the news of Rocky getting bail, the family members of Aditya Sachdeva are in a state of shock. In this high profile road rage case, Rocky Yadav's mother Manorama Devi and gangster father Bindi Yadav were also arrested, but were also released on bail earlier. Anand: An accused in a post-Godhra riots case in Ode village of Anand district of Gujarat was on Wednesday brought from London, where he was arrested, and produced before a local court, which remanded him in 14-day judicial custody. Samir Patel, who had escaped to UK after jumping bail, was brought to India in the wee hours of Wednesday by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the massacre. Patel became the first person to be sent back from Britain 24 years after India and the UK signed an extradition treaty. Later in the day, the 40-year-old was produced before Additional Sessions Judge R T Panchal, who sent him to judicial custody for two weeks. Patel has been lodged in Anand sub-jail. He was arrested in West London in August by Scotland Yard following a Red Corner Notice issued against him by Indian authorities in the case in which 23 people from the minority community were killed during the riots. Three members of the SIT had left for London on October 12 to bring him to India. His extradition order was signed by UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd on September 22 and the "surrender arrangements" were finalised for his departure. Two other accused in the case, Natu Patel and Rakesh Patel, still remain at large. The massacre at Ode took place on March 1, 2002, when 23 people, including nine women and as many children of the minority community were burnt to death in a house by a mob of over 1,500 following the Godhra train burning incident. The next day, four more persons were killed in a different locality in the same village. In its verdict delivered on April 9, 2012, a Special Court had convicted 23 people and acquitted as many in the Ode riots case. The Ode episode is one of the nine riots cases being investigated by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT. India and China on Wednesday carried out a joint army exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: PTI/Representational) New Delhi: In a first, India and China on Wednesday carried out a joint army exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, a move that comes amid hectic diplomatic manoeuvring between the two countries over a host of issues like Nuclear Suppliers Group and designation of Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the United Nations. During the day long 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 operations, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance. 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. The Indian team for the exercise was led by Brigadier R S 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 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 in New Delhi. 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. This year's edition of 'Hand in Hand' will be held at Aundh, near Pune in Maharashtra, from November 15 to 27. United Nations: The Indian government must immediately release a prominent Kashmiri human rights activist arrested last month on charges of involvement in activities against the public order, a group of United Nations experts urged on Wednesday. Khurram Parvez, 39, coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCSS) has long campaigned against alleged human rights violations committed by state forces in India's volatile Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement issued by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), four Special Rapporteurs said Parvez's detention appeared to be an attempt by the government to stop his work. "Mr. Parvez is a well-known and outspoken human rights defender who has had a long-standing and positive engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms," said the UN experts on arbitrary detention, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and enforced disappearances. "His continued detention following his arrest just a few days before his participation in the UN Human Rights Council, suggests a deliberate attempt to obstruct his legitimate human rights activism." Government and police officials in Kashmir declined to comment on the statement by the UN Special Rapporteurs Michel Forst, Setondji Adjovi, Maina Kiai and David Kaye. The JKCCS has published research into the role of Indian security forces in containing a separatist insurgency in India's Kashmir state that first flared a quarter of a century ago. At least 78 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in more than two months of clashes between protesters and security forces, sparked by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a joint army and police operation on July 8. The unrest is the worst in the Muslim-majority region for six years, and critics have accused Indian forces of heavy-handedness as they struggle to contain the protests. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir since independence in 1947. Parvez, who is also the chair of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), was stopped by authorities at New Delhi airport on Sept. 14 when he was on his way to Geneva to attend the UN Human Rights Council. He was detained on Sept. 16, released four days later and then detained again the same day. The experts said they were concerned Parvez was still in preventive detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, which allows for people to held for up to two years without judicial intervention. India had so far provided no clear details on the exact nature of the charges against Parvez, and the government's rationale relied "mainly on vague accusations of alleged 'anti-India' activities" to disturb public order, said the statement. "In a democratic society, the open criticism of Government is a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression of every person," the experts said. "We are seriously concerned that the arrest of Mr. Parvez may represent a direct retaliation for his legitimate activities as a human rights defender and the exercise of his fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of expression and association." Chennai: AIADMK on Thursday asserted that its hospitalised supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was "completely well" and will return home soon. "Amma (Jayalalithaa) has progressed very well under the daily monitoring of Apollo Hospital doctors and specialists and soon she will return home," AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathy told reporters here. She said Jayalalithaa, who had dedicated her life for public service, was "taking rest" as per doctors' advice. "Otherwise, she is completely well and will come home soon. God is by her side on her health," she said. A number of benefits were awaiting the people of Tamil Nadu, she said in an apparent reference to the many pro-people measures launched by the Jayalalithaa government and indicating that more were likely to be announced. 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. Meanwhile, former AIADMK minister and BJP leader H V Hande also expressed confidence that Jayalalithaa will return home soon. Hande visited Apollo Hospitals and said he met the doctors and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, M Thambidurai. He was informed that the passive physiotherapists were taking good care of Jayalalithaa, he said. "I am confident she will return home within a week or 10 days," Hande, who had served as Health Minister in the MG Ramachandran-led AIADMK government, said. Meanwhile, party workers and supporters of Jayalalithaa continued holding special prayers in temples, churches and mosques across the state, wishing for her speedy recovery. The unrest in the Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces, has taken 91 lives so far. (Photo: File) Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has sacked at least 12 employees for allegedly indulging in anti-national activities. According to reports, the sacked employees include an assistant registrar of Kashmir University, besides others from education, revenue, public health, engineering and food supplies. "Reports on their anti-national activities prepared by the state police were forwarded to the Chief Secretary, who then directed respective heads of departments to issue orders terminating their services," an official was quoted as saying. Read: Hizbul Mujahideen asks Kashmiri Pandits to return to Valley The state government invoked Article 126 of the state constitution to carry out the action, he added. Some of the sacked employees have already been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), while others have evaded arrest. The unrest in the Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces, has taken 91 lives so far, with over 12,000 injured, and has gone on for over 100 days. New Delhi: Film & Television Producers Guild of India president Mukesh Bhatt and Apoorva Mehta from Dharma Productions, which is behind "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", will meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday to discuss the smooth release of the upcoming film. Vijay Singh of Fox Star Studios will also accompany them during the afternoon meeting with Rajnath Singh. I have come here with tremendous hope that Government of India will understand us and provide us full security. Those who don't want to watch the film are free to not watch it,but they should not stop others, Mukesh Bhatt said. While earlier reports claimed that Karan Johar will also be part of the delegation, Mukesh Bhatt clarified that he would not. "Karan Johar will not be in the delegation, Dharma Productions's Apurva Mehta& Fox Star's Vijay Singh will be there," Mukesh Bhatt said. Director Karan Johar will skip the meeting as he is busy with the post-production of the film in Mumbai, sources added. The movie, which stars Fawad Khan, ran into trouble after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) said they won't let any movie featuring Pakistani artistes release in India. Johar had only recently broken his silence on the ongoing controversy over his movie, as it is facing a boycott by many theatres across the country, in the backdrop of growing tensions between India and Pakistan. In an emotional video statement released on Tuesday, Mr Johar said that he would not engage talent from neighbouring country given the circumstance but also made a public appeal for his film. Amid growing voices from a section of politicians and film bodies to stall the release of ADHM or erase sections that has Fawad in it, Mr Johar, said: I beseech you to know one thing...that over 300 Indian people in my crew have put their blood, sweat and tears in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and I dont think it's fair to them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians. After facing backlash on social media with abusing him and calling him anti-national, coward and Fawad Khans wife, Mr Johar said that he stayed silent because he felt a deep sense of hurt and pain to be questioned about his patriotism. Today I would like to clarify that the reason why I remained silent is because of the deep sense of hurt and pain that I felt. There are few people who actually believe that I am being anti-national. I need to say this and I say this with strength that for me my country comes first, the popular filmmaker said. 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 I-Pad 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. Given the rapid advance of US-led forces into ISIS bastions in Iraq and Syria, the terrorist group is now focusing on a new target Afghanistan. (Photo: AFP) New Delhi: Ever since the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested six men from Kerala this month for allegedly planning terror attacks in the country, the intelligence agencies of India, UAE and Afghanistan have been on the lookout for one man. According to a report in the Indian Express, the man is Sajeer Mangalachari Abdullah, a key Islamic State (IS) recruiter in Afghanistan. Given the rapid advance of US-led forces into ISIS bastions in Iraq and Syria, the terrorist group is now focusing on a new target Afghanistan. As part of this plan, Islamic State has been telling Indian volunteers keen for military training to make their way to Afghanistan. It has also been pushing them to stage attacks at home, providing detailed do-it-yourself instructions on manufacturing explosive devices. The volunteers are being routed to the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, which has its capital in Jalalabad. Nangarhar is about as close as you can get to a black hole, an Indian intelligence official was quoted as saying. Its the perfect place to go if you want to disappear. Even Afghanistans intelligence services have next to no on-ground reach there. The men alleged to have been recruited by Abdullah were all educated professionals. The key figure in the cell was Doha-based Manseed Bin Mohamed who moved to the Middle East from Panoor in Kerala five years ago. He researched extensively on Hindutva, being a member of the Popular Front of India (PFI), but then decided on direct action, and joined ISIS. NIA alleges that the men recruited by Abdullah were instructed to plan strikes against Israeli tourists in Kodaikanal, as well as attacks on leaders of the BJP and judges who had delivered anti-Muslim verdicts. Abdullah facilitated the travel of 21 Kerala residents, including eight minors, to Nangarhar, say NIA. 67 Indians are known to have joined ISIS so far, but NIA officials fear the number may be much greater. Meanwhile, Subhani Haja Moideen, a Tamil Nadu resident arrested this month on charges of planning attacks on instructions from key Islamic State operative Muhammad Sultan Armar, was plotting strikes on foreigners visiting south India, said the report. Moideen left for Turkey to join ISIS in 2015, but after a fatal attack on his comrades, he fled and was sentenced to 40 days in prison by ISIS. But they allowed him to go home after he paid a fine. Moideen got an emergency certificate allowing him to return home, from Indian consulate in Istanbul. He was not interrogated. After Moideen returned home to Tamil Nadu however, he re-established contact with Sultan Armar. The new group in Syria, led by Armar, is believed to include Indian Mujahideen operatives Abu Rashid, Shahnawaz Ahmad and Mirza Shadab Beig, said the report. New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday met Film & Television Producers Guild of India president Mukesh Bhatt and Apoorva Mehta from Dharma Productions, which is behind "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" and assured them support over the films release. Mukesh Bhatt and Apoorva Mehta led a film fraternity delegation and met Singh here to discuss the smooth release of the film. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bhatt said they decided to meet the Home Minister as there is a sense of "fear" and the law and order situation especially in Mumbai is going out of control. "We requested him to give us assurance along with the chief minister of the state that law and order will be intact and our movie 'ADHM' which is releasing on October 28 should not face any difficulty. "They have assured us whatever support we want he will provide to us. He said that he will talk to chief ministers of the states so that the law and order remains in place and violence does not take place near theatres. Full security will be given to all exhibitors. The way we celebrate Diwali, (We want) everyone get entertained and celebrate it with happiness," Bhatt added. Bhatt said that he is not worried about MNS threats after the Home Minister's assurance and he is confident that "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" will have a smooth release. "After Home Minister's assurance I have gained confidence that I'm safe. So, no matter how badly MNS tries, I know government is with me. Families too should not fear anymore. Theater exhibitors need not worry as well. Government has assured 100 per cent support to us." When asked what he thought of Pakistan's decision to ban Indian TV and radio content, Bhatt said, "How does it matter to us? We know how to entertain. Politics is something we don't know. For 25 years, films have not released in Pakistan. How does it matter. Our movie is a global release and we are happy with that." The movie, which stars Fawad Khan, ran into trouble after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) said they won't let any movie featuring Pakistani artistes release in India. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. During a separate meeting with the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, producer of the movie Karan Johar and a delegation of the film fraternity were assured that Maharashtra government will not allow anyone to disturb law and order. "The state government would like to reaffirm that the government will not allow anyone to disturb law and order and stern action will be taken. Democratic protest is fine but unlawful activity will not be tolerated," Fadnavis assured Johar, who called on him in Mumbai. Meanwhile, MNS continued their protests as the party rejected Johar's statement that he will not "engage with talent" from Pakistan in future. Union minister Babul Supriyo, who was also part of the delegation, said, "MNS is a party of goons. They should not be allowed to take law and order in their hands." The MNS workers also shifted the scene to Maharashtra's Nagpur city where some party workers this afternoon demonstrated in front of cinema hall at the main business locality in Sitabuldi against the release of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". They later submitted a memorandum to the theatre manager not to screen the film. New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh will flag the issue of Pakistan-sponsored cross border terrorism in India with top leadership of Bahrain and discuss with them on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation during his two-day visit to the Gulf kingdom beginning Sunday. Singh will meet Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa and will discuss with them various bilateral issues, official sources said. Pakistan's continuous support to cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be raised by the Home Minister in his meetings with the top leadership of Bahrain. There will be extensive discussions on how to enhance bilateral cooperation with regard to tackling terror and each other's fugitives, sources said. Bahrain is a key member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in which Pakistan is also a member. Singh will also address the Indian community in Bahrain during his trip. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked whether anyone can raise the issue of deaths along the border and seek votes for a particular party. The question was among several raised during a day-long hearing to revisit its two-decade-old 'Hindutva' judgement. Referring to the terms "national symbols" and "national emblem" in section 123(3) of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, a seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said nobody can be allowed to use them to garner votes in the elections. "Anybody can seek votes on the ground of national flag and national emblem and say that people are dying on the borders and so vote for a particular party. Can it be permitted," asked the bench. "This is specifically proscribed under this provision," senior advocate Shyam Divan said. The hearing also saw the bench observing that Parliament has consciously "widened" the scope of the term "corrupt practices" in the poll law to curb "separatist and communal" tendencies. "What is most significant in the present clause (of the RP Act) is that Parliament thought to widening the scope of 'corrupt practices' to curb separatist and communal tendencies during elections," the bench, which also comprised justices Madan B Lokur, S A Bobde, A K Goel, U U Lalit, D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao, said. The bench then raised a hypothetical question and asked if a 'Sikh granthi' seeks votes for a particular Hindu candidate, can it be said that this appeal "falls foul" of the provision in question. It may not amount to "corrupt practice" under the specific section of the RP Act, Divan responded. He also said that the term "his religion", used in the provision, means religion of the candidate and not that of the spiritual leader or cleric who seek votes. The court is examining the "scope and width" of section 123(3) of the RP Act which deals with electoral malpractices amounting to "corrupt practices", among other things. Meanwhile, three social activists -- Teesta Setalvad, Shamsul Islam and Dilip Mandal -- filed an application to intervene in the ongoing hearing to seek "de-linking of religion from politics". The fresh plea, filed by Setalvad and others, said that the issue could "potentially have far-reaching consequences on the purity of the electoral process". "The applicants are concerned about the electorate, the electoral process and the need to ensure that political parties and candidates for election do not use religion to appeal for votes. Sections 123(3) and (3A) were enacted to prevent the political parties from espousing religious sentiments for the purpose of garnering votes and get elected. "The Applicants are of the considered view that the interpretation given to Section 123(3) and (3A) of the Representation of the People Act,...has had the effect of encouraging political parties to use religious appeals for garnering votes under the color of the proposition that 'Hindutva' is not a religion but a 'way of life'." The relevant section of the RP Act deals with "corrupt practices" and reads: "The appeal by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for any person on the ground of his religion, race, caste, community or language or the use of, or appeal to religious symbols or the use of, or appeal to, national symbols..., for furtherance of the prospects of the election of that candidate or for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate" would amount to corrupt practices. On Wednesday, the apex court asked whether non-contesting spiritual leaders or clerics can be held accountable for "corrupt practices" under electoral law for asking voters to vote for a particular party or candidate. "How can a person, who himself has neither contested nor returned as a winning candidate, be tried for allegedly resorting to corrupt practices under the Representation of the People (RP) Act," it had asked. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Abhiram Singh whose election as an MLA in 1990 on BJP ticket from Santacruz assembly seat in Mumbai was set aside by the High Court, referred to section 123(3) of the Act and had said that corrupt practice can only be established if either the "candidate or his agent" seek votes on the name of religion. If any other person, like late Bal Thackeray and late Pramod Mahajan in the present case, sought votes on these grounds, referred to in the RP Act, then there has to be the "consent" of the candidate, he told the bench, which also comprised . The issue assumes significance as questions were raised on its 1995 verdict which held that vote in the name of "Hindutva/Hinduism" did not prejudicially affect any candidate, and since then three election petitions are pending on the subject in the apex court. The apex court's three-judge bench in 1995 had held that "Hindutva/Hinduism is a way of life of the people in the sub-continent" and "is a state of mind". The judgement was delivered in the case of Manohar Joshi versus N B Patil which was authored by Justice J S Verma who found that the statement by Joshi that the 'first Hindu State will be established in Maharashtra' did not amount to appeal on ground of religion". The issue of interpretation of section 123(3) again arose on January 30, 2014 before a five-judge which referred it for examination before a larger bench of seven judges. The seven judges is now dealing with the appeal filed in 1992 by Abhiram Singh. A three-judge bench on April 16, 1992 had referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench Singh's appeal in which the same question and interpretation of Section 123(3) was raised. While the five-judge bench was hearing this matter on January 30, 2014, it was informed that an identical issue was raised in an election petition filed by Narayan Singh against BJP leader Sunderlal Patwa and the another Constitution Bench of five judges of the apex court had referred it to a larger bench of seven judges. Thereafter, the five-judge bench had referred Singh's matter also to the Chief Justice for placing it before a seven-judge bench. New Delhi: Reacting to the cornering of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials by the varsity students protesting over a missing student Najeeb Ahmad, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said "It seems that some students go to JNU not for studying, but for doing politics only." "It is very wrong to confine the vice-chancellor and other officials of the university. JNU is a big institution. Students should concentrate on studies. They should carry all their activities within the frameworks of law and order," Rijiju told reporters. "I have spoken to Rajnath Singh about the incident," he added. Vice Chancellor Kumar in the meanwhile has issued an ultimatum to students to let the administration work and said that he is determined to conduct the scheduled academic council, the highest policy making body, meeting at 2.30 p m on Thursday at a different venue. Read: Confined by JNU students, VC says 'no food to eat, will take action' The top brass of JNU, including the VC, rectors and chief proctor have been "illegally confined" in the building for over 22 hours now. Kumar said that if they are stopped from performing their duty (attending the AC meeting) "law will take its own course." "We have been confined illegally in the administration building since 2.30pm yesterday (Wednesday). We had a series of meeting with the students explaining the number of steps that we have taken in search of the missing student. However the students are very adamant and not letting us go out of this building. They said they have several demands and the administration has to concede those," he said addressing a press conference. "One of the demands is that we should contact the police which we have already done. We have written several letters to the police and our officials are in regular touch with the police in search for Najeeb Ahmed. The other demand that was made is that the entire incident should be investigated. The chief proctorial office is already investigating and if anyone is found guilty we have assured the agitating students that they will be punished as per the university rules. Students also demanded from the administration to make an appeal to Najeeb to return which we already have done," he added. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma and asked him to submit a report on the whole episode. Meanwhile, Delhi Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on any information on the missing JNU student. Meanwhile, no trace of Najeeb Ahmad was found even on the sixth day after he went missing on October 15. Ahmad was allegedly assaulted by ABVP activists on October 14 during a mess election campaign at Mahi-Mandvi hostel. From the next day, he was nowhere to be found. According to students, he left the hostel without his wallet, mobile and even his footwear. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the preliminary issue relating to maintainability of the appeals filed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala challenging the 2007 final award of the Cauvery Water disputes Tribunal on allocation of water to the contesting states and Union Territory of Puducherry. A three-judge Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitav Roy and A.M. Kanwilkar reserved verdict after hearing Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi for the Centre, senior counsel Fali Nariman for Karnataka, Shekahr Naphade for Tamil Nadu, Jaideep Gupta for Kerala and Nambiar for Puducherry. The Bench asked Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of water to TN till the pronouncement of the verdict. The AG told the Bench that the apex court cannot touch the final award of the tribunal as it shall have the same force of a decree of the apex court. He contended that the award has to be implemented by the States concerned as there is no further appeal under Article 136 of the Constitution. Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has dubbed as "outrageous" Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement trying to credit "RSS teaching" for the decision to launch surgical strikes across the LoC. The AICC General Secretary agreed with the perception in some quarters that BJP is trying to "politically milk" the surgical strikes. "Obviously yes (BJP is trying to politically milk the surgical strikes). Do you have any doubt? Can you imagine a Defence Minister saying that the surgical strike is because of the teachings of RSS? What an outrageous statement," Singh said in an interview to PTI. He also charged the BJP-led government with having a strategy of engaging in "limited war" with Pakistan to win the next elections. Asked if the government is "taking things too far" in trying to isolate Pakistan internationally, he said, "Because they (BJP-led NDA government) have failed on every front, they know that they can't win the next elections without having some kind of a limited war with Pakistan. That's their strategy." The Rajya Sabha member did not clarify if he was referring to the elections to Uttar Pradesh Assembly due early next year, or to Lok Sabha polls in 2019. Singh favoured talks with Pakistan to de-escalate tension between the two countries as he invoked former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's statement that one can't choose neighbours. "As Atal Behari Vajpayee had rightly said we have no choice...we can't choose our neighbours. Pakistan is our neighbour. We have to sort of...there is no other option but to talk and discuss amicably," he said. He was responding to a question if he favoured talks with Islamabad to de-escalate the rising tension and whether it is the way forward. "That's (talks) the only way forward. Is war an option?" the two-time Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister asked. Asked if the Ram temple issue was going to dominate political discourse ahead of UP elections, Singh said, "People have become wiser now. Every time there is an election they (BJP) come out with Ram Mandir (issue). Even in 2007 and 2012 (elections in UP), they had come out with it but they did not get an advantage in those elections as well. So, I don't think that is an issue any more". Lord Ram looks set to occupy political centre stage in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh despite BJP's claim of the temple issue not being on its agenda, with Union Minister Mahesh Sharma having said that those who get to do "Ram Ka Kaam" (serve Ram) were fortunate. BJP hardliner Vinay Katiyar had demanded that a bill be brought in the Lok Sabha for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials said that it was illegal to sell food products with GE ingredients as they were still restricted. (Representational image) Hyderabad: From breakfast products to sauces, salad dressings to snack foods, certain imported products sold in city supermarkets were likely to contain Genetically Engineered (GE) food ingredients. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials said that it was illegal to sell food products with GE ingredients as they were still restricted. An investigation done by this newspaper in the citys supermarkets found that food products with GE ingredients like corn, soy bean, mustard seed and canola oil from the United States and Canada were sold widely in the city. Products of US-based companies like General Mills, including Cocoa Puffs, Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch and Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce were imported by Delhi-based companies and sold in supermarkets in several areas including Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Madhapur and Secunderabad. General Mills on its website said, In Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, some ingredients (generally less than 75 per cent of the product by weight) are from plants grown using GE seeds. It also revealed that Cocoa Puffs were produced with GE ingredients. Restrictions on GE food to continue According to Washington-based Environment Working Group (EWG), Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce, General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios, and Whole Grain Oat Cereal may contain genetically engineered or may be derived from GE crops like Modified Starch (Corn). How to Avoid Geneti-cally Engineered Food A Greenpeace Shoppers Guide has red-listed Honey Nut Cheerios and Red Enchilada Sauce as they are likely to contain GE or GE-derived ingredients. Interestingly, a company named SR International with a New Delhi address on the labels of the products of General Mills and Old El Paso has an FSSAI licence number. However, when the licence number was verified on FSSAIs website, it was found to be licensed to a Mumbai-based company. The customer care number on the label was not working. FSSAI deputy director Dr M. Kannan said, Two days back, FSSAI announced that restrictions on genetically mutant or modified foods would continue. No imports will be allowed. Consortium of Indian Farmers; Associations chief adviser P. Chengal Reddy, who also did a research on GE ingredients, said, In Khan Market of Delhi, Andheri of Mumbai, T. Nagar of Chennai, MG Road of Bengaluru, Jubilee Hills of Hyderabad, genetically engineered corn flakes, soy bean, corn, ready-to-eat foods are sold. Even GE pet food is sold. He added, According to International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications, 83 per cent of soy bean produced in the world is genetically engineered. Most soy bean, corn products from US and Canada contain GM ingredients. If an American food or beverage product lists corn, soy, canola, cottonseed or beet sugar as an ingredient, it is likely to contain GE ingredients. Traffic cops said they have not come across any motorist driving a vehicle after the licence was suspended. (Representational image) Hyderabad: Nearly 2,500 motorists may have their driving licences suspended for repeated traffic violations. The Traffic police has written to the Road Transport Authority (RTA) to suspend the driving licences of motorists violating traffic rules like signal jumping, drunken driving, cell phone driving, over-loading or over-speeding more than three times. The RTA has already suspended about 500 driving licences this year. The traffic police had announced in February that three-time offenders would be recommended for suspension, and the count of violations commenced from March 2016. Though over 6,000 cases of repeated violations of specified traffic rules have been found, traffic police could not establish whether it involved the same driver. For example, a large number of motorists were caught on camera at junctions for signal jumping and were sent e-challans. In several cases, those receiving e-challans said the vehicle was driven by another person like friend or family members, a senior traffic cop said. Traffic cops said they have not come across any motorist driving a vehicle after the licence was suspended. According to them, those caught driving vehicles during licence suspension period will be sent to jail. Joint transport commissioner T. Raghunath said traffic cops have sent a list of motorists whose driving licences should be suspended. The traffic police sends us the list (of the names) monthly or once in two months. We issue a showcause notice to the motorist based on the address available with the Transport department. After giving them time to explain why their driving licence should not be suspended, the local Road Transport Officer takes a decision and suspends it, he said, adding that this takes time. Joint transport commissioner B. Venkateshwarlu said the implementation of negative (penalty) points system for violation of rules would take time as they were busy with reorganisation of districts. Over one crore cases have been filed 1.6 crore cases were booked from 2011 to till date in 2016 and the total penalty amount is Rs 300 crore. 1 crore challans worth over Rs 200 crore have been paid by motorists from 2011 to 2016 so far. 60 lakh challans worth Rs 90 crore are pending payment. 60 lakh challans unpaid post-Lok Adalat The recently held Lok Adalat to collect pending challans was not a success. Only Rs 1.5 crore of pending arrears was collected, and another Rs 1.5 crore waived, leaving 60 lakh challans worth Rs 90 crore still to be paid. Experts faulted the traffic police for conducting the exercise at one place for a city of 625 sq.km. The venue was not easily accessible. For motorists outside GHMC limits, it takes 90 minutes to reach it and then they had to wait for two to three hours in queue. The Lok Adalat should have been arranged at more than one locations, said social activist B. Venugopal. Former director general of Engineering Staff College of India Dr S. Nagabhushan Rao said, There is a general feeling among motorists that cops wont be able to catch them even if they dont pay up. There is a need to put an end to this psyche. The best way to do so is to intensify checking and seize vehicles for pending challans. Motorists may be given a last chance with Lok Adalat counters at various locations. City criminal courts advocate S. Pradeep Kumar said, Those who paid their challans before the Lok Adalat might feel let down. Conducting the Lok Adalat at multiple jurisdictions would have been a good idea and a valid reason for traffic cops to seek permission for it from the judiciary, he said. Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) A.V. Ranganath said there was a huge demand for Lok Adalat counters to be set up in various parts of the city. Bhopal: In a heart-rending incident, an old man in a Madhya Pradesh village was forced to bury the body of his deceased wife in his courtyard owing to lack of money to perform her last rites, police said on Thursday. Acting on tip off, the police on Thursday raided the house of Narayan Tiwari (72) in Fatehpur village in Shadol district and exhumed the body of his wife Kuntibai (68), who died in July this year. We were shocked to learn from the old man that he was too poor to afford last funeral rites for his wife. Hence, he decided not to alert the villagers about his wifes death and quietly buried the body in the courtyard. It was raining very heavily that day, said Uma Shankar Yadav, in-charge of Singhpur police station. According to the police, the childless couple had to beg to make both ends meet. The old died of prolonged illness. Villagers got curious when they did not see her for a long time and therefore informed the police. For example, four of the seven Assembly constituencies in Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency in Medak district are in Nizamabad district. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: The Central government has sought a fresh list of nodal districts of Lok Sabha members under MP Local Area Development Scheme as the MPs will have to change their nodal districts following reorganisation of districts in TS. According to MPLADS guidelines, every MP has to inform the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the state government and the collector of the district concerned about his or her choice of the nodal district. If a Lok Sabha constituency is spread over more than one district, the MP can choose any one of the districts as the nodal district. For example, four of the seven Assembly constituencies in Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency in Medak district are in Nizamabad district. The MP can choose Medak or Nizamabad district as his/her nodal district, so that the Central government can release funds. These funds are released to collector of the district concerned and the MP can spend the funds in his or her Lok Sabha constituency. After the increase in the number of districts from 10 to 31 in TS, the scenario has changed. Nalgonda district had two Lok Sabha constituencies, and the MPs had selected Nalgonda as their nodal district. After reorganisation of districts, Bhuvanagiri is now part of Yadadri district. Accordingly, the Bhuvanagiri MP is expected to change his nodal district to Yadadri district. Adilabad had only one Lok Sabha constituency, but it is now split into four districts. Officials say that the MPs can continue with their old nodal districts or they can change them. Under MPLADS, a total of Rs 1,218.19 crore is available with the collectors of 10 old districts. If any MP changes his or her nodal district, the collector will have to transfer the funds to the collector of the district chosen. Hyderabad: After busting a ring that was planning to smuggle amphetamines worth Rs 45 crore in the city recently, the Narcotics Control Bureau has decided to keep a tab on the sales of all chemicals, including laughing gas, and intermediaries like ephedrine and amphetamine used in hospitals as well as in the pharma industry. The NCB has listed laughing gas as one of the commonly abused drugs. Laughing gas or nitrous oxide, which is also used in surgeries, is sold on a large scale in Hyderabad. Prolonged inhalation of laughing gas could cause death. An NCB source said, So far we havent found laughing gas during raids. It is misused abroad and we suspect that it is misused here too. It is on the list of most commonly abused drugs. Stimulants speed up the bodys nervous system. They are also called uppers and make people more awake. Laughing gas is an inhalant; when sniffed it gives immediate results but damages organs as the body is deprived of oxygen. It is known as laughing gas as it creates an euphoric feeling, said the source. It was widely reported in 2012 that Hollywood actor Demi Moore was addicted on nitrous oxide after splitting up with her husband. A wholesale dealer of nitrous oxide cylinders at Begum Bazaar said, We sell the cylinders to hospitals and dental clinics. Usually vigilance is less during sales. We do not check its ultimate use or misuse. New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that there was no conclusive evidence to establish any link between Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation and its effect on the health of citizens. The Centre filed this affidavit in response to the concerns expressed by the court on October 3 about the health hazards of radiation from the thousands of mobile towers. The report was filed with scientific study material. The court had asked the Centre to inform on the following points whether any scientific study was done by the government on the impact of radiation by mobile towers on human beings, birds and others and what is the result. The Centre told the court that extensive research studies had been carried out worldwide on the health effects of EMF radiation and the World Health Organisation had concluded that current evidence did not confirm the existence of any health consequence from exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields. Hyderabad: The TS government has identified 2,34,909 acres of land in the state that can be utilised for industrial purposes. The state government has categorised these lands in A, B and C groups Plain land, lands with boulders and lands with hillocks and plain lands. The TS government asked district collectors to reserve these lands for allotment to industries as and when required. These lands will be handed over to TS Industrial Infrastructure Corporation under Telangana BhuBank (Land Bank of Telangana). Infographic Land in Category A (plain lands) can be utilised for establishment of industries immediately, while that in Category B, with boulders and hillocks, while Category C has land situated at between of hills and non-plain land. Ranga Reddy district has the largest chunks of Category A lands, Khammam district has most Category B lands while Nizam has most Category C lands. At present, the total acreage covered in industrial parks is 28,458 acres and land available in these industrial parks for allotment is 5,430 acres. Hyderabad: Muslim elders from the various schools of thought, in one voice made it clear that the community will not tolerate any attempt to interfere in the Muslim Personal Law. Speaker after speaker who addressed the mammoth public meeting organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the MIM to oppose the Uniform Civil Code late on Wednesday criticised the Narendra Modi government for its stand on Triple Talaq and polygamy, and trying to impose a Uniform Civil Code in the country. Speakers, including Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and women members of the AIMPLB Dr Asma Zahara, Aquila Khamooshi, Sabiha Siddique, Jameelunnisa and Taheniyat Ather were among those who condemned the Central governments stand and the Modi governments attempts to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. Referring to certain paragraphs of the counter affidavit the Centre filed before the Supreme Court in the issue of Triple Talaq, Mr Owaisi said Prime Minister has insulted not only Indian Muslims but the entire country by comparing Indian Muslims with the Muslims of Pakistan and other countries. He said that the countries the counter affidavit says have banned Triple Talaq were not under democratic rule. We are unable to understand what the government is trying to say by citing Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Tunisia and Turkey as examples of countries where the dual marriage system is in existence, Mr Owaisi said. He said that by interfering in the Shariah, the Central government was trying to show that Muslims were second-class citizens. The MIM president wondered when the Constitution listed 16 Directive Principles, why the Central government was only bothered about UCC and cow slaughter. New Delhi: Retired Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, known for his strong views on several issues, targeted the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Wednesday for threatening to stop the release of Karan Johars upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. In posts on social media, Katju challenged MNS people to come to me if they wanted to attack someone, as he had a danda waiting for them. Read: ADHM row: Karan Johar breaks his silence, says wont cast Pak actors now Referring to the MNS as a group of goondas, Katju said he was an Allahabadi goonda who had drunk the water of the Sangam (river). MNS people are goondas who have drunk the salt water of the Arabian Sea. I am an Allahabadi goonda, who has drunk the water of the Sangam Markandey Katju (@mkatju) October 19, 2016 . So instead of showing your bravery on those helpless artists, come have a dangal with me, and let the world see who is a bigger goonda Markandey Katju (@mkatju) October 19, 2016 The MNS has issued threats to stop the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil because it stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. Following much drama, director Karan Johar issued an apology via a video on Wednesday, claiming he would not work with Pakistani actors in future. Markandey Katju for his part, is no stranger to controversy. He has made contentious remarks against the ban on cow slaughter, and recently landed in trouble for making 'jokes' about Biharis and Bihar, with a sedition case filed against him. The Supreme Court had earlier this week issued summons to Katju for stating that the top court had erred in not sentencing Govindachamy, the convict in the Soumya murder case, to death. New Delhi: Air India has suspended three of its crew members, including two airhostesses, after they allegedly allowed one of the company's employee to sleep on the floor of a flight from the US. The incident took place last week when Air India flight AI-102 was on way to New Delhi from New York. According to sources, the person was spotted sleeping on the floor of the gallery of first class of the Boeing 777-300 aircraft by some passengers, who later on arrival here brought it to the notice of the Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, who immediately ordered for grounding of the three crew members. "We have grounded all three crew members, pending enquiry, after it was brought to our notice that they allowed the company employee to sleep on the floor," a senior Air India official said. Air India employees get certain number of free passes for travel on its flight, subjected to seat availability. "In this case the aircraft had full load but the staffer managed to board the flight by telling them that he would not mind travelling on the jump seat, which are meant for crew rest," the official said. When contacted, a DGCA official said that Flight Standard Directorate was investigating the issue. "This (issue) is more to do with the Flight Standard Directorate. These are low-level violations more to do with the discipline, wherein they permitted first of all a person to travel on jump seat and then let him sleep on the floor, which is really bad," the official said. New Delhi: Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi helped a woman employee of a real estate company get her job back after she was sacked allegedly for seeking maternity leave. After receiving the complaint, she roped in National Commission for Women (NCW), which issued a notice to the real estate company telling it to reinstate the woman to her post and ensure facilities as per Maternity Benefits Act. Sharing the details on Twitter, Gandhi said, " Shipra (name changed), who was employed at Supertech Ltd Noida, reached out to me for help after she was terminated due to maternity." "The matter was forwarded to @NCWIndia for immediate action. The hearing of the case was held on 12th Sep at NCW," she tweeted. Ms Shipra (name changed), who was employed at Supertech Ltd Noida, reached out to me for help after she was terminated due to Maternity. 1/4 Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) October 20, 2016 The matter was forwarded to @NCWIndia for immediate action. The hearing of the case was held on 12th Sep at NCW. 2/4 Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) October 20, 2016 Following which, the HR Head of Supertech Ltd was served an Order Copy to reinstate Ms. Shipra to her job. 3/4 Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) October 20, 2016 She was also ensured all the benefits as applicable under the Maternity Benefits Act. 4/4 Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) October 20, 2016 "Following which, the HR Head of Supertech Ltd was served an Order Copy to reinstate Ms Shipra to her job. She was also ensured all the benefits as applicable under the Maternity Benefits Act," the Union Minister said is a series of tweets. The real estate company could not be contacted for their response. According to Maternity Benefits Act, 1961, a woman is entitled to maternity leave of 12 weeks. The government has, however, increased the duration of maternity leave to 26 weeks in the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session and is likely to be tabled before the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session. Chennai: MDMK leader Vaiko was acquitted on Thursday by local court of charges of sedition and supporting unlawful activities in connection with his 2008 speech in which he allegedly supported banned terror outfit LTTE. "Finally, no charges against the accused under Section 124 A IPC (Sedition) and 13 (1) (b) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (supporting unlawful activity) are proved," Third Additional Sessions Judge said here pronouncing the judgement. "This court acquits the accused," the Judge said in a jam packed court hall, where the staunch pro-Tamil leader had appeared in his trademark black shawl along with as battery of lawyers minutes before the ruling was read out. Moments after the judgement, Vaiko was greeted by his supporters and his lawyers. Firecrackers were burst to celebrate his acquittal in the case. The prosecution case was that on October 20 2008, Vaiko allegedly spoke in a manner which infringed Indian sovereignty and in support of LTTE, that was fighting for an independent Tamil Eelam (homeland) in Sri Lanka during the onset of final stages of the civil war between the Tamil Tigers and the island nation's Army. Addressing a public indoor meeting titled "Ilangaiyail Nadapathenna" (What is happening in Sri Lanka), he had allegedly spoken against the central government for aiding Sri Lanka in its efforts to decimate LTTE. During questioning under CrPC, Vaiko had deposed in the court that he did address the meeting, adding he had only spoken about the plight of Tamils and their travails in Sri Lanka and not against Indian sovereignty. The 'Q' branch wing of Tamil Nadu Police, which deals with internal security, had then filed a case of sedition and unlawful activity against Vaiko. During the trial, policemen who were prosecution witnesses stuck to their position against Vaiko, though several others had turned hostile. The MDMK general secretary's speech in CD form and its transcripts were submitted in the court as evidence. A posse of policemen was deployed in the court premises to bolster security in view of the judgement and entry, including for media persons, was highly restricted. Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram has been declared an ODF district, with construction of 14221 toilets being completed. Anchuthengu was the last grama panchayath where work was completed. Power and Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, pronouncing the capital an ODF district, remembered Siluvamma, the old woman who was mauled to death by street dogs. It happened because her house in Karimkulam Panchayath which stood on 0.75 cents sheltering three families had no space for toilets, he added. Paucity of space had delayed Thiruvananthapurams race to become ODF, with 150 families in Anchuthengu unable to make room for toilets, according to B Anish, District Coordinator. The government did not even have Puramboke land in this area, he added saying that in Anchuthengu, Azhoor and Amboori it was technically difficult to construct toilets. Kadakampally said that one should never forget how Thiruvananthapuram, despite its various progress indicators, still had people defecating in the open even two days ago. At an interstate ministers conference he attended recently, he had learnt that more than 12,000 villages in India were yet to be electrified. That showed where Kerala stood as compared to other Indian states. By March 2017, the state is about to achieve electrification of 100 percent households, 90 percent of which belong to the poorest of poor. District Panchayath President V K Madhu said that after the 100 percent ODF status, the capital district was moving forward on the mission for 100 percent housing and would also be a 100 percent ABC district by January 1, 2017. District Collector S Venkatesapathy shared Thiruvananthapurams ODF report. The function was held at Collectorate Conference Hall, Kudappanakunnu. New Delhi: Armed forest guards on Thursday shot dead a man-eating tiger in Uttarakhand, an official said, with villagers breaking into celebrations and parading with the dead animal's carcass. The three-year-old animal was blamed for killing three villagers and injuring three others since September, promoting authorities to launch a massive search operation in the dense forests of Uttarakhand. "There was resentment among the villagers, who were gripped with fear and panic after several attacks," Uttarakhand chief warden of forest and wildlife D V S Khatisaid. "Although she was a man eater, our priority was to tranquillise her but we had to fire bullets to kill her after many failed attempts to capture her," he added. Hunters and locals villagers jointly conducted the 44-day long operation to locate the tiger after a woman was killed outside Jim Corbett park in early September. Authorities used drones and helicopters along with elephants and hunting dogs to assist the scores of ground staff to track the evasive animal. Jubilant villagers paraded the carcass of the tiger for nearly three hours, celebrating the death of the predator that inspired fear from villagers and tourists. WATCH: Maneater tigress hunted by locals in Ramnagar, Uttarakhand. pic.twitter.com/jl1JtWW2C3 ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Media reports say 100 tigers have died in India so far in 2016, of which 36 were killed by poachers. India is home to more than half of the world's tiger population with some 2,226 of the animals roaming its reserves, according to the last count in 2014. Hyderabad: A video showing school students carrying trunks out from the Meerpet police station came out on Thursday. The students who allegedly fought at school were brought to the police station by the headmaster. However, the police said the students were taking school material out from the police station. Another video clip showing a traffic cop collecting money from motorists who were caught during a vehicle check in Autonagar on Thursday also came out. Rachakonda police ordered a probe into both the incidents. The Balala Hakkula Sangham said the police violated juvenile justice laws and demanded an inquiry into the incident. The video showed around four students carrying out trunks from the police station. The students belonged to the ZP High School of Jillelaguda. The students who were seen carrying the boxes said their PET teachers had took them to the police station. While carrying the boxes one teacher told us to stop and go back to the vehicle. Later, the teachers loaded the boxes, a student said. Headmaster P. Govardhan Reddy said they had shifted boxes containing previous year's SSC question papers to police custody. But since the boxes occupied too much space the inspector asked us to take the boxes back to school. As per his request our staffers went to the police station. Some students went with them and started helping the staff. I saw the kids carrying boxes and instructed my staff to stop the kids and told them to do their job, he said, adding that the allegations that the boys were brought to the school after a fight were baseless. Meanwhile, at Balapur X Roads, police driver Bhagavan was seeing taking money from motorists. In the video shot on Wednesday, Bhagavan is seen going behind the vehicle and taking money from the driver covering his body camera. Rachakonda police commissioner Bhagawat said the driver was identified and action will be taken. Hyderabad: The Japan International Cooperation Agency on Thursday said 30 graduates from IIT-H would be offered scholarships to pursue masters or PhD in renowned universities in Japan. The scholarships will cover tuition fees and logistics. This was announced as part of the sixth edition of the academic fair held under aegis of JICA-Friendship Project, with Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu in attendance. So far, 37 IIT-H graduates have been sent to nine universities in Japan. MALAPPURAM: A gang of miscreants tried to abduct Sub-Inspector A. Abhilash of Thenhipalam police station during a routine vehicle check on NH 66 at Kohinoor near the University of Calicut late on Wednesday night. Four men in the car, which carried weapons, including two iron rods, two swords and other locally made arms, dragged the officer into the car and drove off all of a sudden during the search. The other officers who were accompanying the SI chased the car in the police vehicle. However, the attackers disappeared after leaving the car and the officer on a road on the university campus, more than a km from the place they were stopped for inspection. We have launched an investigation to nab the gangsters, said Mr Abhilash. The Thiruvananthapuram registered car was taken into custody along with the weapons. ELURU: A 24-year-old medico, studying at a medical college at Eluru in West Godavari district, committed suicide by jumping from the third floor of the college late last night. Eluru rural police said Bhalabhadra Rithesh of Rajahmundry was studying MBBS at the college and was a house surgeon. His father Dr B. Venkata Raju, mother Dr Sujatha and his elder brother Dr Raghuveer are famous doctors in Danavaipet in the Rajahmundry town of East Godavari district in AP. Eluru rural sub-inspector Subhash said that since some months Rithish was found to be mentally troubled and was taking treatment from a psychologist. A case was registered by the police. Meanwhile, the incident shocked college students. They said that Rithesh was a good person and was doing well in his studies. They said that they do not know why he took the extreme step. On Wednesday a medico named Sravani of Nizamabad, committed suicide in Hyderabad by injecting an anaesthesia drug. She was a bright student and had leadership qualities, said her professor. Her family donated her eyes. Counselling must for all medicos Stress management and psychological counselling is required for medical students, experts said, as the suicide of Osmania Medical college post graduate student Dr B. Shravani sent shockwaves in the college and hospital. Senior doctors said that she was always very happy and there were no signs of any mood swings or depression in her. When she called her professors in Osmania General Hospital for leave it was a very normal call and did not arouse any suspicion. In the evening they were shocked to learn that she had committed suicide. Dr P. Naik, a senior doctor at the Osmania General Hospital said, "We are shocked that she didn't come forward and confide in any of the seniors. There is an induction ceremony at the beginning of the term but that deals mostly with introduction to senior professors and the groups that the students are going to be attached with. But beyond that for any problems there are no counsellors in the college who can be approached for problems. Dr G. Srinivas, president of Junior Doctors Association of OGH explained, "We want friends to be alert as their pro-active nature would have helped to save her. She was a very bold girl and it is very difficult to believe that she has taken this extreme step. Such cases are being seen in medical colleges and it is very important to have quarterly lectures by psychiatrists where the ability to cope with such problems can be discussed. A constant session will also give hope to those who are suffering from trauma to opt out and seek help." Increasing stress levels, hectic work schedules and very rigorous training is part of the doctor's professional life and if there is personal trauma it can act as a deadly cocktail. Guwahati: Forensic reports on Thursday said that the cause of death of former Arunachal Chief Minister Kalikho Pul was indeed, suicide. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the forensic department submitted the report to the state police earlier last week informing them that there was no foul play suspected. The 47-year-old Congress leader was found hanging from the ceiling of the chief ministers residence which he was yet to vacate. He was found dead by one of his three wives, and a suicide note was also found near the body. A case of unnatural death was registered and a magisterial probe was ordered. The Guwahati-based forensic laboratory, to which the viscera samples were sent, submitted its report to the Arunachal government last week. Police officers expressed confidence that the closure report could be filed soon. Puls family also hoped that the investigation would be completed soon. Pul, who took over the reins of the state on February 19 this year, served as Chief Minister for a brief time until the Supreme Court reinstated Nabam Tuki in July. Nabam Tuki was eventually forced to make way for Pema Khandu as the 10th Chief Minister of the state. Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising "religious" slogans, as he alleged that the BJP-led government's real intention was to "convert India into a Hindu rashtra". "He (Modi) is the first Prime Minister since independence to use 'religious' slogans during a public rally...India had seen so many PMs and will see many more, but no Prime Minister has ever raised a religious slogan," the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP said while referring to Modi's 'Jai Shri Ram' greeting on Dussehra in Lucknow. "All Indians think for a while, if anyone wearing a skull cap and sporting beard becomes PM and says 'Allah-o-Akbar', all channels will run (news) that India has become an Islamic country. (But) If Modi raises 'majahabi' (religious) slogan, no one will say anything," he said. Continuing his tirade, Owaisi said, "Aapka asal maksad ye hain ki Hindustan to Hindu Rashtra me tabdil kiya jaye. (Your real intention is to convert India into Hindu nation)." The leader was speaking at a protest meeting organised by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) at AIMIM party headquarters at Darussalam here, opposing the NDA government's stand on Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and triple talaq. Owaisi termed as a "joke" the affidavit filed by Union government on October 7 in the Supreme Court opposing the practice of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy among Muslims and favouring a relook on grounds of gender equality and secularism. "If you really believe in secularism...why did you Modi impose beef ban in Maharashtra and why does your government want to construct a museum in the name of Ram in Ayodhya? Then why do you (government) say state has no religion and the country has no religion?," he asked. "India is a secular democracy and the state has no religion. (But) your government is insulting Muslims of the country...your government has insulted the country by comparing Muslims of India with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Turkey, Indonesia (in the affidavit)," the AIMIM chief said. Taking a dig at RSS, he said, "After ninety years of wearing shorts, the kid has now grown up and wearing trousers. After ninety years, you realised now we will wear pants (trouser). Ok..you wore pants but you should have asked what the belt is made of? Is it buffalo's (meat)?" "I would like to tell the Prime Minister of India...If you really want to help Muslim women, please help Zakia Jafri whose husband (former Congress lawmaker) Ehsan Jafri was killed in front of her eyes, cut into pieces and set on fire. She is waiting for justice," Owaisi added. The agitating students, who have been accusing the JNU administration of not doing enough to trace missing student Najeeb Ahmed, said they have not softened their stand and allowed VC M Jagadesh Kumar and others to leave their offices only to attend a scheduled meeting of the Academic Council. (Photo: Video grab) New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday ordered Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing JNU student even as its Vice Chancellor and some other top officials were allowed to leave their offices after being under siege by agitating students for over 20 hours. The agitating students, who have been accusing the JNU administration of not doing enough to trace missing student Najeeb Ahmed, said they have not softened their stand and allowed VC M Jagadesh Kumar and others to leave their offices only to attend a scheduled meeting of the Academic Council. As the students' protest over the missing student entered the sixth day, the Home Minister directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace Najeeb who went missing on Saturday following a brawl with a group of ABVP supporters in a JNU hostel. Singh called up the Commissioner of Delhi Police and gave the instruction to set up the special team. The students did not allow the VC and around 12 other officials to come out of the administrative building since yesterday afternoon as part of their protest though mediapersons were allowed to go inside it. JNU teachers association, which have been supportive of the students on most of the issues, criticised the confinement of the VC and others. The VC had this morning warned the students of strict action over the "illegal confinement". Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC said several rounds of talks were held to convince the students about sincerity of the university authority to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their "illegal" activities". "This is a university run in a democratic manner. We value debate and discussion. That's why we had several rounds of discussions with the students to convince them that the university is sincerely working to locate Najeeb Ahmed. "We have tried by every possible means to convince the students that we are trying our best to locate Najeeb. However, they are not relenting and resorting to this kind of illegal means," Kumar said hours before he was allowed to go. He said, "We cannot be coerced by these illegal means. The university has to be run in a proper manner and the academic activities should not suffer. We again appeal to the students not to resort to this kind of illegal activities which will affect the university." Rejecting allegations of inaction, he said the administration had written to the police about the missing student and an inquiry by the university will be expedited and "guilty" punished. Later, Delhi Police said they have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to trace Najeeb. Commenting on the issue, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, said, "It is wrong to confine VC and other officials. Some students have come in JNU to do politics and not study. All activities should be done within the law." An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station after the police received a complaint from the student's guardians. Lucknow: With the spectre of bitter infighting looming large over it, the ruling Samajwadi Party has lined up back-to-back crucial meetings to gauge the mood of party workers at a time when Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are just a few months away. A meeting of all district presidents has been convened at the SP headquarters here tomorrow by state party chief Shivpal Yadav, while the party' state executive will meet here the next day. Besides Shivpal, party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and national general secretary Ramgopal Yadav are expected to be present. Mulayam, who has been seen standing with brother Shivpal, has also convened a meeting of party legislators and ministers on October 24 to "gauge the mood" of partymen and people of their area. "After the meeting, Mulayam might take some tough decisions in the run up to assembly polls. The objective behind the exercise is to show unity within the party but in the present circumstances, it did appear to be happening with Akhilesh and Shivpal supporters stiff on their stands," a senior SP leader said today. After the chief minister announced his decision to take out his solo 'Rath Yatra' on November 3, SP MLC Udayveer Singh wrote a letter to Mulayam demanding that Akhilesh Yadav be made the national president. Another party MLC Ashu Malik sent a missive in favour of Mulayam, saying he was peeved over fingers being pointed at the "great leader". "SP state president Shivpal Yadav and other members of his family have misled you (Mulayam) and hatched a conspiracy against CM Akhilesh who should be made party national president and given all the powers," Udayveer said in a four page letter to Mulayam. Defending expelled youth leaders, including MLCs, he said, "They were expelled on false grounds and it is against social justice." The MLC also attacked Shivpal for supporting gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal (QED) and making allegations that party leaders of Mainpuri were involved in land grabbing and illegal liquor business. He alleged that Mulayam was "motivating" Shivpal to make such allegations and not acting when an MLA and Mainpuri district unit chief issued a press notes making objectionable comments against SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav. "A conspiracy was hatched against Akhilesh in 2012 within the family and Shivpal contacted various leaders to stop Mulayam from making him the chief minister," he alleged. Udayveer also dubbed SP's RS member Amar Singh as "chatur and chaalbaaz" (cunning). Interestingly, during the feud between Shivpal and Akhilesh, Amar was seen as the one who had engineered it. "While leaders like Gayatri Prasad Prajapati are favoured, dedicated ones like SRS Yadav and Naresh Uttam are sidelined in a deliberate insult to Akhilesh," Udayveer alleged. His barb came in the wake of Shivpal nominating the controversial minister as the coordinator of the party's Silver Jubilee celebrations on November 5. Akhilesh will embark on his 'Vikas Rath Yatra' alone from November 3 which might make him skip the party's silver jubilee celebrations. Apart from reaching out to people and galvanising party workers, his yatra is being seen as a move to truncate the influence of Shivpal, who had been appointed the new state party president in his place. Advising Mulayam to declare Akhilesh as his "political heir and not an alternative", Udayveer said he (CM) should be given power to distribute tickets. However, soon after this letter, another MLC Ashu Malik came out in favour of Mulayam, stating that he was "peeved over people pointing accusing finger at the great leader". "...people insulting netaji (Mulayam) today will certainly do the same with Akhilesh tomorrow," he said in his Facebook post. "Those writing letters advising and insulting 'netaji' (Mulayam) in sycophancy did not have the capacity of getting even 500 votes," he said, adding he has seen love between father and son - Mulayam and Akhilesh. "Akhilesh is an ideal son and Mulayam has always performed his duties as a father. Both of them have clarified that there is no dispute in the party and those sycophants, who are writing letters are insulting both," Malik said. Meanwhile, as the letter-war heated up, the chief minister took exception to the missives and said workers need not write about him to his father and stop writing such letters altogether. As infighting continued unabated with Mulayam siding with Shivpal and his cousin Ram Gopal throwing his weight behind the chief minister, the distribution of tickets is likely to create more bad blood in the Mulayam clan. Chennai: Continuing his parleys with key political leaders in the state, TNCC president S. Thirunavukkarasar is expected to meet VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, a key constituent of the PWA. The Congress leader has been meeting several leaders after his visit to the Apollo Hospital, where Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa is being treated. Thirunavukkarasar met Vijayakanth, who is gearing up to contest in the bypolls to three constituencies. Thirumavalavan had already declared that his party is not interested in fielding candidates for the bypolls and would consider supporting other parties. But, it is not known if the Congress leader is seeking VCK's support for the DMK candidates, discussing about fielding common candidates or exploring an electoral arrangement for the local body elections. Thirumavalavan, has several times in the past, has favoured a tie up of the Congress and PWA too. The Congress needs to keep alternate arrangements in place, if it is preparing for a tough bargain with the DMK in the local body election seat negotiations. The meeting will come a day after Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan met the VCK leader and discussed the Cauvery issue. BJP President Amit Shah with former UP Congress President Rita Joshi at party headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday.(Photo: PTI) New Delhi: In a jolt to Congress in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, senior party leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the BJP and attacked Rahul Gandhi over the way he was running the party and his reaction to the armys surgical strikes. While the BJP is upbeat about the induction of a Brahmin face in the party, the Congress put up a brave front and described her as a spent force who has no support base. Rita Bahuguna Joshi is the seventh Congress MLA to have quit the Congress in the past four months. Her brother and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Mr Vijay Bahuguna had also recently defected to the BJP in Uttarakhand. Reacting to her shift to BJP, Congress state unit chief, Mr Raj Babbar quipped, BJP is now collecting a gang of traitors and perhaps in the next election Ritaji will contest from another party. Joshi, 67, daughter of late Congress veteran Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna joined BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah at the party headquarters here. A former UPCC president who resigned as a Congress MLA, Joshi said there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Joshi, who was said to be unhappy with the Congress leadership over projection of Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh, rued the present state of affairs in the party, alleging that it is in such a bad shape that it has contracted out its working to strategist Prashant Kishor. Slamming Rahul for his dalali barb at Modi over the surgical strikes, Joshi said she has been disheartened by the events which happened in the last few days. India is fighting terrorism and the Modi government has given the army a free hand. Besides valour of the army, the governments strong leadership was also behind the surgical strikes. Along with the nation, I too was happy. The whole world accepted Indias arguments beh-ind the strikes. Congress, however, behaved like a small party and went on to question it. The whole nation was upset with a phrase like khoon like dalali, she said attacking Gandhi. Noting that she had spent 24 years out of 27 years of her political career in Congress and only 10 months in Samajwadi Party, she said, The decision to quit Congress was not easy. However, I took it in the interest of the nation and the state (UP). Her joining BJP is expected to give a boost to the partys efforts to consolidate Brahmin voters as it looks to capture power in the state following a gap of over 15 years. Once Guru Nanak, during his visit to Patna, compared the seed of divine light within man to a precious stone. Mardana, his companion, asked him, If the divine light is within us, why everyone cant recognise it and acquire maximum benefit out of it? Guru Nanak picked up a small red stone and asked him to sell it to the highest bidder. Mardana took the stone to a vegetable seller and asked for two radishes but the shopkeeper would give only one. He went to a cloth merchant who offered him only a yard of coarse cloth in exchange of a stone. The sweetmeat seller was not ready to give a kilo of sweets. Mardana then went to a jeweller who examined the stone and asked him to go to Salis Rai, the richest jeweller of the area since he was the only person who could assess the stone of its real value and pay a price for it. Salis Rai was not only a businessman, but a poet with a religious bent of mind. Salis Rai was astonished to see such a rare ruby and confessed that he was not rich enough to pay its real price. He asked his assistant, Adhrika, to bring Rs 100. Salis Rai returned the ruby to Mardana and requested him to accept Rs 100 as well which was a big amount. Salis Rai said, This stone is invaluable and I cant pay the price. Rs 100 is an offering for having a glimpse of this rare thing. When Mardana refused to accept money, Salis Rai along with Adhrika, went to see Guru Nanak. While Mardana played on the rabab, Guru Nanak recited the following shabad: In the clear water of the pond, Resides the pure lotus flower; In the pond also grow slime and weed. The honey-laden lotus remains unsullied by the dirty slime of the pond. O frog, you can never realise, that you are so close to the nectar-laden lotus, And yet you eat slime and weeds while living in the clear water of the pond. The honey-bee resides not in the pond, yet it goes there to suck the honey of the lotus Therefore, Mardana was shown the value of a priceless gem, Nam, which can be realised with inner vision only. The recitation of the bani had a transforming effect on Salis Rai and Adhrika who became the devoted disciples of Guru Nanak. Salis Rai, who was also a poet, expressed his feelings as: The true Lord Guru Nanak has inspired me with divine name. And he has opened my inner eyes. I have traded in one precious thing, My wealth is now ever on the increase. Guru Nanak is the perfect Lord. His word is the law and truth... The divine name is the wealth I seek from the true Guru... Take away the colour of falsehood, Dye my soul in the fast colour of truth. Salis Rai turned his bungalow into a shrine commemorating the visit of Guru Nanak. The gurudwara, also the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, is known as Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib or simply Patna Sahib. Presently, the preparation for the 350th Guru Gobind Singh birth anniversary has been accelerated in Patna Sahib, to be celebrated on January 5, 2017. It is generally assumed that the subject of astronomy has grown to its present form by a systematic process of theorising by a few visionaries and finding by keen observers. The reality is otherwise. While astronomy has grown by systematic additions to its database, the most remarkable contributions have come from the realm of the unexpected. Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar expressed this aspect of astronomy in an interview where he narrated the episode of the press conference where two distinguished physicists, Arthur Stanley Eddington and Edwin Hubble, announced the approval for building the (then) biggest telescope on Palomar Mountain in southern California. Hubble played a major role in discovering the remarkable feature of the universe that it is expanding. Eddington provided the theoretical modelling of this finding based on Einsteins general theory of relativity. The media asked these doyens of astronomy what they expected to find with the proposed big telescope. They replied: If we knew the answer, there would be no need to build the instrument! Indeed, one can cite many examples of this aspect of astronomy. British astronomer William H. McCrea once said: The astronomers view of the cosmos may be influenced to a great and almost unknowable extent by a combination of lucky and unlucky circumstances... The example of the discovery of planet Neptune is a case in point. In the 19th century two young theoreticians had independently argued that the then observed discrepancy in the motion of planet Uranus indicated another, hitherto unknown planet not too far from Uranus was perturbing its orbit. The calculation was based on Newtons laws of motion and gravitation. Of these, the first to complete his calculation was John Couch Adams from Cambridge, England. He sent his calculations to the Astronomer Royal Airy and to Challis, director of Cambridge Observatory, with the request that they look in the direction indicated by the calculation and discover the new planet. But these senior astronomers took the suggestion (from a young theoretician) lightly, and didnt act. Later U.J.J. Le Verrier from Paris did the same calculations and sent his results to leading French astronomers. He too faced the same apathy. But being persistent, he sent his results to the Berlin Observatory too. As luck would have it, the observatorys director was away on leave, celebrating his birthday. In his absence a young astronomer, Galle, who was holding charge, saw the letter from Le Verrier. He took the result seriously and looked for the planet. It was there as predicted. This only tells us not to ignore young astronomers! However, it underscores the fortuitous circumstance that the director of the observatory wasnt on duty. Who knows? Had he been present, he may have ignored the letter from France. Some astronomical events also depend on the chance element in location and timing. Take the phenomenon of total solar eclipse. It is a spectacular event, that earlier led to many superstitious beliefs. But the eclipses scientific explanation is simple: it is a shadow-effect. When the Moon comes exactly between the Earth and the Sun, it blocks the view of the Sun as seen from certain regions of the Earth. But if we think a little deeper, we notice this blocking of the Sun by the Moon depends on a coincidence. The diameter of the Sun is around 400 times the diameter of the Moon. The reasons why the Moon is able to block a body 400 times its size is because it is closer to the Earth compared to the distance of the Moon from the Earth. (If we hold our thumb at arms length it can block the view to a tree trunk about a hundred metres away.) If we have not forgotten our school geometry we can say the Sun is within the angle subtended by the Moon at our eye. But the remarkable part of the story is that the Sun is just within that angle. This happens as the distance of the Sun is around 400 times the distance of the Moon from us. We thus encounter the same factor 400. What does this signify? It means the totality of the eclipse is only just achieved. Had the Sun been slightly bigger in size, say, 410 times the Moon, the latter would not have been able to block it out of our view. Had the Sun been slightly smaller, say 390 times the Moon, a total solar eclipse would have been more common and lasted longer. Thus it is a chance effect that makes the total solar eclipse just possible, but so rare. While the Sun, Moon, planets and stars are commonly seen, the cosmos contains so many other objects, far more intriguing than these. There are the pulsars which send out pulses of radiation with so much regularity that the best manmade clocks fail to match them. Then there are quasars, that are such powerful radiators that a typical one sends out energy equivalent to what is radiated by a galaxy containing a hundred billion stars, that too from a volume of the size of our solar system. There are huge radio sources extending to sizes of several million light years and very powerful but shortlived bursts of gamma rays. But the remarkable thing about each and every new discovery has been that it was unexpected! Usually it so happens that a new and more powerful observational facility results in the discovery of some new type of object. It very well justifies the statement by biologist J.B.S. Haldane that the universe isnt only queerer than we suppose, but it is queerer than what we can suppose. Detention Center The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Wednesday was 79, with 51 from Platte County and 28 from out of county. Police Sept. 28 1:27 a.m. At 2220 17th St., Cale Isaak, 19, 2220 17th St., was cited for criminal mischief. Oct. 5 4:23 p.m. At the intersection of 29th Avenue and 22nd Street, Luis Hernandez-Brotons, 51, 1356 35th Ave., was cited for a learners permit violation. Oct. 12 1:52 p.m. In the 2700 block of Air Vista Drive, Mayra Jimenez, 46, 2671 Seventh Ave., was cited for animal at-large, no proof of rabies vaccination and no city license. Oct. 14 6:48 p.m. In the 1800 block of 23rd Street, Cynthia Roberts, 42, 3018 Eighth St., was cited for no valid registration. Oct. 15 5:02 p.m. In the 4600 block of 38th Street, Daniel Greene, 21, homeless, was cited for a protection order violation. Oct. 16 12:07 p.m. In the 1300 block of 32nd Avenue, Sandrybert Rolon-Santiago, 26, 2521 11th St., No. 1, was cited for no operators license. 9:32 p.m. In the 3300 block of 14th Street, Miguel Tellez-Benitez, 49, Grand Island, was cited for driving the wrong way on a one-way and no operators license. Sheriff Oct. 10 9:23 a.m. On U.S. Highway 30, 1.5 miles east of Columbus, traffic accident. Drivers were Clyde Jenkinson, 82, 3055 E. 26th St., and Marcella Sklenar, 84, David City. Oct. 11 5:04 p.m. In the Lakeview High School parking lot, 3744 83rd St., an unknown vehicle struck a parked vehicle owned by Lizet Garza, 3951 E. 21st Ave., No. 32, and left the scene. Oct. 14 3:30 p.m. At the intersection of 23rd Street and 14th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Gary Gossman, 48, 8144 63rd Ave., and Michelle Wurdeman, 38, 1119 97th St. Oct. 18 4:29 a.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of Lost Creek Parkway and 63rd Avenue, Ryan Lockner of Columbus cited for engine braking. 10:04 p.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of 23rd Street and 26th Avenue, Jose Macario Osorio of Schuyler jailed for fourth-offense driving under the influence, driving under revocation, criminal impersonation and open container of alcohol. Fire Oct. 18 10:34 a.m. - In the 4700 block of 38th Street, medical. 11:23 a.m. - In the 4000 block of 36th Street, medical. 1:33 p.m. - In the 4500 block of 38th Street, medical. 6:15 p.m. - In the 2800 block of Cheyenne Street, medical. Automakers expressed opposition to the state proposal to require compliance with guidelines that federal regulators issued last month, but made voluntary. (Representational image) Alphabet Inc's Google unit and automakers objected on Wednesday to California proposals to set new, mandatory rules for testing self-driving cars in the state, which industry officials said could hobble their efforts in the home to much of self-driving vehicle testing and development. Automakers and Google raised a litany of concerns about California's proposal at a hearing in Sacramento on Wednesday. They expressed opposition to the state proposal to require compliance with guidelines that federal regulators issued last month, but made voluntary. They questioned why California would require a new autonomous vehicle data recorder and what data they would be required to test, and they objected to a proposal they said would force a 12-month delay between testing a vehicle and deploying it on public roads. Automakers also questioned whether police should be able to get any self-driving data within 24 hours without seeking a warrant or subpoena. California regulatory policy is important to automakers and technology companies because of its impact on operations in the state, and because the policies enacted in the most populous US state often influence what other states and other countries do. The proposed requirement that manufacturers generate a year of driverless testing data before applying for an operating permit drew objections from General Motors Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co, Ford Motor Co, and Google. The state's approach "could greatly delay the benefits that self-driving vehicles can bring to safety and mobility for individuals," said David Strickland, who heads the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets that includes Google, Ford, Lyft, Uber Technologies Inc and Volvo Car Group. Brian Soublet, deputy director of the California DMV, said Wednesday the department wants concrete suggestions to help improve its proposal. Soublet said the department will be considering potential changes over the next several months but he did not give a timetable for finalizing the rules. "The goal is making sure that we can get this life-saving technology out on the streets," Soublet said. California's proposal would allow for the absence of a human driver and a steering wheel in advanced self-driving cars. In December, California had proposed to require licensed drivers and controls in self-driving vehicles. Ron Medford, director of safety for Google's self-driving car project, said California's proposal to require manufacturers to obtain local approval is "unworkable." The rule could prevent manufacturers from testing a vehicle that can travel from one area to another. Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog urged California to prohibit autonomous vehicles without a human driver until federal regulators enact enforceable standards. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. After being heavily criticized for the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, Samsung is working hard on its next flagship, the Galaxy S8. The company plans to put the device under extensive testing and is expected to unveil it in February next year. The company is expected to fit in an iris scanner and a dual-camera setup for its next flagship device to win back its consumer base and recover losses caused by the discontinuation of Galaxy Note 7. The iris scanner was first seen on the Galaxy Note 7, a technology that Samsung said it took several years to pioneer. Samsung has also tied up with multiple banks and financial institutions in South Korea in order to provide iris scanning authentication methods for customers. This will also mark as the first time when Samsung will use a dual-camera setup on its flagship device. This will also help suppliers and module makers to increase their revenue or even double them. If rumors are to be believed, Samsung is creating the Galaxy S8 with Daydream in mind, since the smartphone is said to sport a 4K display, which would make it compatible with Google's VR platform. There isnt much information about other specifications of the Galaxy S8, apart from the 4K display. The company has already shown off a prototype of a 5.5-inch 4k AMOLED display with 806ppi, but it's unclear at this point if the prototype will be featured on the Galaxy S8. Some rumours say that the Galaxy S8 may be coming with Snapdragon 830 processor, which has yet to be released. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. He learned that he had an elder brother, Ramiro Menna, who looks just like him, and a long-lost Aunt Alba. (Photo: AFP) Buenos Aires: Maximiliano Ruiz was not expecting a call from Argentina's National Commission for the Right to Identity. He already knew his identity -- or so he thought. He was 40, the happy son of middle-class parents. The first person in his family to become a doctor. Then, in May, the call came. His parents, the commission suspected, were not his biological ones. His younger sister Marina was not his blood sister. His father was a Marxist guerrilla, murdered by military dictators. The governmental commission searches for people who were taken from their mothers as babies and adopted by other families under the 1976-1983 regime. "I was surprised by the call. But I was sure it wasn't me they were looking for," Ruiz said. "I had not suspected it. I did not even know that the parents who raised me were not my biological parents." Genetic tests were recommended. The call had sowed doubt in his mind, and he agreed. Last month the results confirmed that he was one of hundreds of so-called "stolen babies" born to left-wing dissident parents in custody. They call him "Grandson Number 121," the latest to be identified out of around 500 children thought to have been forcibly adopted under the regime. Ruiz learned the results of his DNA test on October 3 from the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a renowned rights group working for victims of the dictatorship. He learned he had an elder brother, Ramiro Menna, who looks just like him, and a long-lost Aunt Alba. "This is a happy experience for me. The strongest feeling I have is one of gratitude," Ruiz said. "I am grateful to have survived, despite being born in difficult circumstances -- to have had the family that raised me, and then to meet this family that was looking for me." Ramiro is a left-wing activist who worked as a missionary in Ethiopia. He was two when his mother was arrested and an aunt and uncle looked after him. He later spent decades trying to find the baby his mother had been carrying in her womb when she was imprisoned. "When I met Ramiro there was an immediate charge of affection -- a feeling of happiness, of overwhelming love. It was as if we had known each other all our lives," Ruiz said. "I am not replacing one family with another. I feel I am expanding my family." Ruiz has a wife, Maria, a lawyer, with whom he has two children: Mauricio, six, and Carmela, four. He has told his own children they may soon change their surname. "I told them I had not come out of Grandma Monica's tummy as they thought, but my mother had died and the grown-ups did not tell me, because they did not want me to be sad." Argentina's military dictators, backed by the United States in the midst of the Cold War, jailed, killed and "disappeared" tens of thousands of their opponents. Ruiz's biological parents, he learned, were Ana Maria Lanzillotto and Domingo Menna, a medical student and commander of a Marxist guerrilla group. They are just two of some 30,000 people that rights groups estimate were "disappeared" in Argentina, as did many more under right-wing dictatorships in various other Latin American countries. "Here in Argentina it was the worst dictatorship around. It used perverse methods," Ruiz said. "But I think on the left too, in those armed groups, things were also done." Numerous officers of the regime have been jailed for atrocities. Those convictions have been largely driven by the "Grandmothers." The "identity" commission, part of the Argentine justice ministry, formally investigates cases of babies born to women in custody under the regime. The commission stumbled on Ruiz's case while investigating a midwife accused of forging birth certificates during that period. Examining his birth record, it found inconsistencies that led his story to unravel. "My (adoptive) mother had been trying for years but had not managed to get pregnant," he said. She was referred to a clinic which proposed that she adopt a newborn baby delivered there. His adoptive parents did not know the truth about Maximiliano's parents. The clinic told them the baby had been born to a 15-year-old girl who did not want a child. "That had a strong effect on my mom and dad. It was a surprise for them too," he said. "Not the fact that I wasn't their biological son -- they knew that already -- but the truth about where I came from," Ruiz added. "I understand what they went through. I love them very much. I have nothing but gratitude for them." Las Vegas: Democrat Hillary Clinton warned on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is rooting for Donald Trump in the race for the White House because the Republican would be his "puppet." In a ferocious debate exchange, Clinton cited reports from US intelligence agencies that Russian cyber attacks had targeted her party and campaign, and demanded that Trump condemn it. "They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions," she declared. "Then they have given that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting it on the internet," she said. Trump dismissed the intelligence reports, declaring: "Our country has no idea." The property mogul said he might have better relations with Moscow than Clinton would, declaring: "Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person." Clinton's response was sharp: "Well, that's because he would rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump blustered back: "No puppet. You're the puppet." But Clinton was on a roll: "It is pretty clear you won't admit the Russians have engaged in cyber attacks against the United States of America. "That you encouraged espionage against our people. That you are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do." Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has won the third and final presidential debate with her Republican rival Donald Trump. (Photo: AP) Las Vegas: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has won the third and final presidential debate with her Republican rival Donald Trump by an impressive 13 percentage points after a feisty fight, according to a latest poll. Overall 52 per cent of those who watched the debate said Clinton did the best job, while 39 per cent said Trump was the winner, CNN said, releasing the results of its unscientific poll. As per CNN, Clinton has won all the three presidential debates. But it noted that the victory margin was narrowest for Clinton in the third and final debate in Las Vegas. Read: In last debate, Trump refuses to say he will accept election results She won the first debate in New York by 35 point margin and the second debate in St Louis with 23 points. Clinton also won the Breitbart online poll, according to which she had the support of 59.3 per cent of the respondents, while 40.65 backed Trump. This is interesting because Trump's campaign CEO is former Breitbart chairman Steve Bannon. Meanwhile, both the camps declared victory for themselves. "Tonight, Donald Trump succeeded in reminding the American people once again that Hillary Clinton's actions have disqualified her from being our Commander-In-Chief," said Congressman Bill Johnson in a statement issued by the Trump campaign. "During tonight's final debate, the American people again saw the stark contrast in this presidential election. Trump is an outsider businessman who is helping hard working Americans get from payday to payday," said Senator David Perdue from Georgia. "The third and final presidential debate has ended, and it can now be said: Clinton crushed Trump in the most effective series of debate performances in modern political history," Vox said. The Democratic National Committee interim Chair Donna Brazile said this was Trump's last real chance to give undecided voters a reason to vote for him. "Instead, he imploded, saying he might refuse to accept the results of the election if he loses, making a mockery of our democracy," she said. "He threw empty slogans at serious questions, made grossly false claims about his 'respect' for women, and sided with Vladimir Putin and the Russian government instead of accepting the facts as laid out by the American Intelligence Community. Trump is simply unfit for the presidency," Brazile alleged. Trump tweeted a Washington Times poll in which he won the debate. 'The Washington Times', which conducted an online poll, said 77 per cent supported Trump while just 17 per cent backed Clinton. Las Vegas: Slamming Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his refusal to commit that he will accept the results of the November 8 polls, top American newspapers on Thursday described his remarks as a "contempt" for democracy. "Trump's breathtaking repudiation of American democracy," screamed The Washington Post in its lead editorial, while The New York Times described this as a "contempt" for democracy. "Mr Trump's meltdown in the closing weeks could be dismissed as a sore loser's bizarre attempt at rationalising his likely defeat. But his trashing of the democratic process, in service of his own ego, risks lasting damage to the country, and politicians of both parties should recoil from him and his cynical example," The New York Times editorial board said. "The presidential debate was another exercise in narcissism, bombast and mendacity by Mr Trump. One could only hope that this might be the last grand display of his gross unfitness to be president," the major US daily said. In his third debate, Trump said he would "look at the time" when asked if he would accept the results of the November 8 presidential elections. The Washington Post said though Clinton made some gaffs during the debate, but "they fade to the status of trivia in the face of an opponent who will not accept the basic rules of American democracy. "Mr Trump's biggest mistake was his refusal to say he would accept the election results if he loses," The Wall Street Journal said. "Mr Trump made it worse by saying 'I will keep you in suspense'," the daily said. "Voters on the right and left want to have faith in the electoral system. Mr Trump's statement makes us wonder if Mr Trump and adviser Steve Bannon are planning to blame everyone else if he does lose," The Wall Street Journal said. Trump's vice presidential running mate Mike Pence said that he is taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding to accept the results of the elections. "He'll take a wait-and-see approach," he said. University spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said Wednesday the alarm that firefighters responded to was "unfounded." (Photo: Pixabay) Storrs, Connecticut: The University of Connecticut says a false fire alarm resulted in the death of a 19-year-old student who was run over and killed by a vehicle for the campus fire department. State police have said Jeffny Pally, of West Hartford, was sitting with her back against a garage door outside the department Sunday and was run over when the fire vehicle left for an emergency call. University spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said Wednesday the alarm that firefighters responded to was "unfounded." The school is reviewing what activated the alarm. Reitz says it wasn't a malfunction. She says the alarm was triggered automatically, not manually. The medical examiner's office says Pally's death was the result of blunt trauma to the head and torso and ruled an accident. Trump and Hillary face off in their final debate. (Photo: AP) Las Vegas: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off in the final debate of a caustic presidential race Wednesday, making familiar pitches to the Republican and Democratic bases in a final drive for votes. Hillary accused Donald Trump of being the most dangerous White House candidate in modern history, ending a sharp debate exchange about their fitness to serve as president. After Trump used statements by Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders and Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta against her, she retorted: "You should ask Bernie Sanders who he is supporting. He said you are the most dangerous person to run for president in the modern history of America. I think he's right." Following are highlights from the debate: Trump denied allegations that he has groped several women, saying at the debate with Hillary Clinton that the charges were drummed up by her campaign. "I believe," Trump said, "she got these people to step forward," accusing Clinton of running a "very sleazy campaign" and adding of the claims aired by several women dating back decades: "It was all fiction." Donald Trump doubled down on his claims that the US election is rigged, refusing to say he will respect the result no matter the outcome. "I'll look at it at the time," Trump said. "What I've seen is so bad." An angry Clinton responded saying, "I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of position." Clinton calls Trump's refusal to promise to accept results of the presidential election "horrifying." She said Trump has a history of calling things rigged. Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump's plan for forcible deportations of millions of illegal migrants would rip families and the country apart, in the final 2016 presidential debate Wednesday. "I don't want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about," Clinton said. "I think it is an idea that would rip our country apart." Trump defended his plans, saying there are some "bad hombres" in the country who should be sent to their home countries. Clinton warned on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is rooting for Donald Trump in the race for the White House because her Republican rival would be his "puppet." In an angry debate exchange, Trump said he would enjoy Putin's respect while Clinton declared: "That's because he would rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump -- perhaps the most controversial presidential candidate in half a century -- entered the 90-minute political slugfest in Las Vegas, expected to draw tens of millions of viewers, with his campaign in serious trouble. The 70-year-old Manhattan real estate mogul is behind his Democratic rival in national polls, behind in key swing states and is battling for parity in states like Arizona that should be solidly Republican. He has been exposed making sexually predatory remarks, accused of groping multiple women, of not paying any income taxes and of being in league with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In what has been a toxic campaign, the two White House hopefuls got off to a subdued and oddly substantive start to the debate, moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace. They were asked about their vision for the Supreme Court, prompting Clinton to argue the election was about "what kind of country are we going to be." She insisted gay rights and women's rights must not be rolled back. Trump echoed conservatives who believe "the Supreme Court is what it's all about," vowing to appoint anti-abortion justices who would also protect gun rights. "If you go with what Hillary is saying, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby," he said. "Using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate," Clinton responded. You should meet with the women I've met with," she said. "This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make." 'New Brexit' Pundits have declared the presidential race all but over. But Trump has shown a willingness to climb over bodies to emerge on top. The provocative billionaire has attacked leaders of his own party and obliterated the normal rules of political decorum. Nothing, it seems, is out of bounds. He has prompted anger and concern by questioning the legitimacy of the election. In response, President Barack Obama implored him to "stop whining" and Senator Elizabeth Warren, a darling of the Democratic left, told him to "put on your big boy pants." The White House is increasingly concerned that Trump and his supporters will not recognize the election's outcome, plunging the country into a political crisis. Trump predicts an electoral surprise, or "new Brexit," when Americans vote next month. But it remains an open question whether any of these stunts will have a positive impact with voters. Clinton leads by more than six points in an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics. Women especially have thrown their support to the 68-year-old former secretary of state, who is poised to become the first female president in American history. A Quinnipiac University poll showed she is winning women by 52 percent to Trump's 38 percent. India contributed to international efforts under UN and the OPCW for destruction of Syrian chemical weapons. United Nations: India voiced deep concern over terror groups acquiring chemical weapons, asserting that the international community must take urgent measures and decisive actions to prevent possibility of any future use of such weapons. "It has been our consistent position that the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at anytime by anybody under any circumstances cannot be justified and the perpetrators of such abhorrent acts must be held accountable," Ambassador D B Venkatesh Varma, Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva said at a debate on weapons of mass destruction on Wednesday. He said India is "deeply concerned with reports of acquisitions of chemical weapons and their delivery system by terrorist groups and continuing use of chemical weapons and toxic chemicals in Syria and Iraq by terrorists. "We believe that the international community must take urgent measures and decisive actions to prevent the possibility of any future use of chemical weapons," he said at the First Committee session of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Varma said India has a large and growing chemical industry and also has the second largest number of declared facilities and receives among the largest number of inspections from Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He underscored that India has a "flawless track record" of verification inspections and believes that the OPCW needs to evolve transparent and objective criteria and modalities for inspections. "The provisions of the Convention should be implemented in a manner that does not hinder legitimate activities, especially in countries like India with a large and growing chemical industry," he said. Varma told the committee, which deals with disarmament and international security, that India has strong and law-based national export controls consistent with the highest international standards with reference to control of nuclear, chemical, biological and toxin weapons and their means of delivery. India contributed to international efforts under UN and the OPCW for destruction of Syrian chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) and welcomed the progress made so far in their destruction. "We would encourage further consultations between Syria and the OPCW with an aim to fully resolve all the outstanding issues in the spirit of trust and cooperation," he said. He reiterated India's committment to improving the effectiveness of the Biological Weapons Convention and strengthening its implementation and its universalisation. A man who repeatedly raped his 12-year-old daughter will have to spend only 43 days in jail.(Representational image) Helena: An US man, who repeatedly raped his 12-year-old daughter, will have to spend only 43 days in jail, a sentencing that has resulted in a furore, with several people demanding to impeach the judge who passed the sentence. According to a report in The Washington Post, Montana Judge John McKeon awarded him a jail term of 60 days. But as the man, who pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping his minor daughter, was already in prison for 17 days, he will have to serve only 43 days of the jail term. McKeon gave him a 30-year suspended prison sentence that the convict from Glasgow, Montana, would serve only if he fails to abide by the conditions of his probation. Judge McKeon, who faced backlash for the lenient sentencing, defended himself, mentioning an exception to the mandatory 25-year prison sentence. He said a convict can avoid jail term if a psychosexual evaluation finds that psychiatric treatment affords a better opportunity for rehabilitation of the offender and for the ultimate protection of the victim and society. The sentencing in the case of the father was an attempt to encourage and provide opportunities for an offenders self-improvement, rehabilitation and reintegration back into a community," he said. The victims mother and grandmother had also written to McKeon, requesting to not sentence the man to jail as his children, especially his sons, will be devastated if their Dad is no longer part of their lives. The petition on change.org, seeking to impeach McKeon, continues to garner signatures despite the judges defence. The petition that requires 50,000 signatures has 38,665 supporters as of Thursday morning. The legislative race in District 23 has already gotten the attention of Gov. Pete Ricketts, who endorsed challenger Bruce Bostelman of Brainard for the seat. But incumbent Jerry Johnson of Wahoo isn't backing down in the contest to represent Butler County, Saunders County and most of Colfax County in the state Legislature. Johnson, 73, spent the past two years as chairman of the Legislatures Agriculture Committee, and hopes to retain that title if elected to a second term. His goals would be growing Nebraskas agricultural industry, by extension benefiting the state at large, and enacting tax reform with emphasis on rural property taxes, he said. An Air Force veteran and longtime farmer, the 54-year-old Bostelman says he would provide a consistent conservative voice in the Legislature. We need problem solvers that will work hard to reduce property taxes, eliminate wasteful spending and grow our rural economy," he said. Here's how the candidates, both Republicans, answered some key questions: Name three of your legislative priorities. Johnson: 1. Study the formula used in valuing agricultural land for tax purposes. 2. Growing the livestock industry and providing opportunities for young people to remain in Nebraska and work in the ag sector. 3. As a member of the special committee working on developmental disabilities, finding a way to lower the operating costs of the Beatrice State Developmental Center. Bostelman: Property tax relief, controlling spending, rural economic development. Do you believe a state senator should generally follow the lead of the governor and support his position on most issues, especially if you are a member of the governors political party? Why or why not? Johnson: If you are a member of the same party you should generally follow along party-line thinking. But as we serve the state, we need to listen to constituents, trying to follow the party as closely as possible. But I do not believe the governor should take a position against an incumbent senator who is running against a candidate of the same party. Bostelman: The Legislature is an independent branch of government. There are certainly opportunities for the executive branch and legislative branch to partner together on key priorities. The first duty of senators is to represent their district and the priorities of their constituents. Do you believe the 2017 legislative session should enact further tax cuts and, if so, in what form? Would lagging state revenue projections be a factor that you would consider in deciding whether to support tax cuts? Johnson: We need to look at our budget/expenses first to lower the cost of state government to balance the budget before we cut taxes. We shouldnt raise taxes but in order to balance the load between income, sales and property taxes we might see some tax shifts. Like LB610, a gas tax increase that in effect should lower the property tax burden. Bostelman: I support tax relief, but this must happen within the context of balancing the budget. We cannot spend money we do not have. Do you support additional funding for the Department of Correctional Services to address its ongoing issues and needs; would you support construction of a new prison to address overcrowding? Why or why not? Johnson: The Legislature did not focus enough on the correctional issues when the state was heading for overcrowding. Director Scott Frakes has looked at the issues, presented a solution and we must listen and provide whatever is needed. Additional funding is probably part of the solution and if building some type of prison is, now is a better time, not later. Bostelman: Reforming our Department of Corrections is a priority identified by many senators and also Gov. Pete Ricketts. Corrections reform should be a priority in the next biennial budget, but it must fit within the context of the overall budget. Would the University of Nebraska be a budget priority for you? Why or why not? Johnson: Education should be a priority, but I believe we need to look equally to our community college system to fulfill more of our education needs to fill the skilled operational jobs. Bostelman: The state continues to make significant investments in our university system, which is important to ensure great education opportunities. University funding makes up 14 percent of the states general fund budget. We must continue to prioritize the university. If state tax receipts continue to decline, all state agencies will have to demonstrate fiscal restraint to help balance the budget. Lucia Perez, a high school student, was allegedly raped and impaled by drug dealers on October 8. (Photo: Facebook) Buenos Aires, Argentina: 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. 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. (Representational image) 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 didn't 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., couldn't 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 couldn't 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. Washington: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump "choked" while meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto as he failed to press on his promise of making Mexico build a wall along the US' southern border, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton alleged on Thursday. "When it comes to the wall that Donald talks about building, he went to Mexico, had a meeting with the Mexican president but did not even raise it, he choked and then got into a Twitter war because the Mexican president said we are not paying for that wall," Clinton, 68, said during the third and final presidential debate here. Trump's plan to build a wall and a strong deportation policy would rip the country apart and is not in tune with the values of the nation, the former secretary of state said. "We are both a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws and that we can act accordingly. And that is why I am introducing comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days with the path to citizenship," Clinton said. Trump, 70, refuted Clinton's allegations, saying "I had a very good meeting with the President of Mexico. Very nice man. We will be doing very much better with Mexico on trade deals. The NAFTA deal signed by her husband is one of the worst deals ever made of any kind, signed by anybody. It is a disaster". "Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally the wall was not built. But Hillary Clinton wanted the wall," Trump claimed. He alleged that Clinton wants to give amnesty. "This is a disaster and very unfair to all of the people that are waiting on line for many, many years. We need strong borders. Illegal immigrants are coming to the country and many of them are engaged in criminal activities. They are coming in illegally. Drugs are pouring in through the border. We have no country if we have no border," the business tycoon said. "Hillary wants to give amnesty. She wants to have open borders. I want to build the wall. We need the wall. And the Border Patrol, ICE, they all want the wall. We stop the drugs. We shore up the border. One of my first acts will be to get all of the drug lords, all of the bad ones - we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out. We are going to get them out, we are going to secure the border. And once the border is secured, at a later date, we will make a determination as to the rest. But we have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out," Trump said. In July 2014, the appeals court threw out Bahlul's other convictions for providing material support for terrorism and solicitation of others to commit war crimes. (Representational Image) Washington: A US appeals court on Thursday upheld the last remaining conviction of a Yemeni man prosecuted in an American military court at the Guantanamo Bay US naval base in Cuba for serving as a publicist for al Qaeda. A nine-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 6-3 against Ali Hamza al Bahlul, who made videos for Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda organization, according to the court decision. The court's conclusion was the opposite of the one by a three-judge panel in June 2015. A ruling against the government could have limited its ability to prosecute people via special military tribunals for offenses not internationally recognized as war crimes. Judge Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion that if Bahlul had won, "the wartime decisions of Congress and the president to try unlawful enemy combatants before military commissions would be subject to the dictates of foreign nations and the international community." The United States has used military commissions, first created during the administration of President George W Bush, to put on trial a number of foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo for alleged war crimes rather than prosecuting them in regular military courts or civilian courts. Bahlul recorded recruiting videos and taped the wills of some of the hijackers who flew commercial jetliners into New York City's World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington and a Pennsylvania field on September 11, 2001. Three months after the attacks, Bahlul was captured in Pakistan and transferred to Guantanamo Bay A military commission convicted him of three crimes and sentenced him to life in prison at the detention centre there. In July 2014, the appeals court threw out Bahlul's other convictions for providing material support for terrorism and solicitation of others to commit war crimes. Authorities said the men expressed their wish to die as martyrs for the Islamic State. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP) California: A former California college student was sentenced on Thursday to 30 years in prison for trying to aid the Islamic State group. Muhanad Badawi, 25, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana, according to a report. Badawi was convicted earlier this year of conspiracy to aid a foreign terrorist organization and other crimes. Authorities say Badawi and now-25-year-old Nader Elhuzayel concocted a scheme for Elhuzayel to fly to the Middle East to fight for the 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. Authorities said the men shared their support for the Islamic State in conversation and on social media, sharing photos of "unbelievers" being beheaded and expressing wishes to die as martyrs. Both men were arrested last year. Federal authorities asked for a 30-year sentence for Badawi with lifetime supervised release the same sentence that Elhuzayel received last month from U.S. District Judge David O. Carter. Defense attorney Kate Corrigan, who has said Badawi never actually intended to fight for the Islamic State, said she requested half the amount of prison time and 20 years of supervision, citing his lack of criminal history and age. While in custody, Badawi stopped eating and dropped from 140 to 109 pounds before a judge ordered him force-fed last December. Washington: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said that Washington would deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea "as soon as possible." "We will deploy as soon as possible a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to our Korean ally", a report quoted Kerry, as saying on Wednesday at the start of two-day foreign and defense ministerial talks between the United States and South Korea. He vowed that United States would "do whatever is necessary" to defend its allies in the region. "The recent dramatic increase in North Korean nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches remind us of the grave threat it poses to our collective security," said US Defense Secretary Ash Carter at the start of the talks, reiterating the US commitment to provide "extended deterrence, guaranteed by the full spectrum of US defense capabilities". During the talks between the two sides reached an agreement to set up the "Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group." China and Russia have expressed strong opposition to the THAAD deployment saying the system far exceeds South Korea's actual defense needs and would directly threaten the strategic security of the two countries. Some analysts have also stressed that deploying missile defense systems may fuel a dangerous arms race in Northeast Asia, as China and Russia would probably take counter-measures that the US and South Korea cannot afford. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to the audience as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump puts his notes away after the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Las Vegas: Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would accept a clear election result next month if he wins, but reserved the right to challenge the outcome if he felt it was questionable. Earlier he had thrown hints that he may not accept defeat in the presidential polls which he has been saying is rigged, stunning the political scene threatening to overturn US democratic convention of a smooth transfer of power.His stance drew a sharp attack from Hillary Clinton as the two faced off in the feisty final presidential debate in which she was declared the winner. The controversial 70-year-old Republican candidate had maintained that he would keep the suspense about accepting the election result till November 8. I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now, he had said in response to a question whether he would accept the poll results, during the third presidential debate at the University of Nevada here. I will tell you at that time. I will keep you in suspense, he had said in the primetime debate that lasted for over 90 minutes, reiterating that the current elections are rigged. The media is so dishonest and so corrupt and the pile on is so amazing, The New York Times wrote an article about it. They dont even care, its so dishonest, theyve poisoned the minds of the voters, but unfortunately for them, I think the voters are seeing through it, he had said. Trumps comments at the Las Vegas showdown marked a stunning moment that has never been seen in the weeks before a modern US presidential election, CNN said. The stance threatens to cast doubt on one of the fundamental principles of American politics the peaceful, undisputed transfer of power from one president to a successor who is recognized as legitimate after winning an election, it had said. Trumps remarks had come after moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News said the peaceful transfer of power, a hallmark of American democracy, depends on the losing candidate accepting the validity of the electoral results. Clinton, described her rivals refusal to accept the outcome of the election as horrifying, and even went so far as to paint him as a puppet of Russian president Vladimir Putin. He is denigrating and he is talking down our democracy, said the former secretary of state, Clinton said. And I, for one, am appalled that someone who is the nominee of one of two major parties would take that position. Trump called Clinton such a nasty woman after she attacked his personal record on paying no income tax for years. Meanwhile, Trumps assertion that nobody has more respect for women than him evoked laughter from the audience. Police have often been the target of attacks by extremists in Indonesia, a country that has long struggled with Islamic militancy. (Photo: AP) Jakarta: Indonesian police shot dead a man carrying knives, suspected pipe bombs and a symbol of the Islamic State group after he launched a daylight assault on officers near Jakarta on Thursday, an official said. The man was shot three times as he stabbed wildly at officers on a busy intersection in Tangerang, a satellite city outside the capital, Jakarta police spokesman Awi Setiyono said. Setiyono said the perpetrator threw two suspected pipe bombs at the officers, but neither detonated, and displayed an IS symbol on a nearby traffic pole during the frenzied attack. "A man suddenly stuck an IS logo sticker on a traffic police post, took a machete from his bag and blindly attacked our personnel," he said. The attacker believed to be a member of a local hardline group - was also carrying a turban, along with knives and the suspected bombs, Setiyono added. The 21-year-old attacker later died from his wounds, the spokesman said. He said police investigating the case had discovered that two of the attacker's brothers were police officers in Tangerang. Three officers were injured and taken to hospital. Police have often been the target of attacks by extremists in Indonesia, a country that has long struggled with Islamic militancy. In January, police officers were targeted by gunmen and suicide bombers at a traffic post in central Jakarta. The IS-claimed attack left four civilians and four militants dead, and injured several police officers. Police and military personnel have also been killed in clashes with extremists in a remote part of Sulawesi, where for years a ragtag militant group has been waging a conflict against security forces from their jungle hideout. Indonesia suffered significant attacks in the 2000s including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists. A sustained crackdown weakened the most dangerous networks but IS has proved a potent new rallying cry for Indonesia's radicals, stoking fears that militants fighting with the group could seek to organise attacks back home. Colombo: A Sri Lankan court on Thursday ordered that an Interpol arrest warrant be issued for Udayanga Weeratunga, the country's former ambassador to Russia and a cousin of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Colombo Fort magistrate issued the order as the police's Financial Crime Investigation Division had requested the warrant in connection with the investigation into the alleged financial loss in purchasing Ukraine-built MiG-27 aircraft in 2006. Weeratunga has failed to appear in court as he is overseas. A cousin of Rajapaksa, he has dubbed the action as a political witch hunt. Several members of the Rajapaksa family have been arrested and granted bail in cases for corruption and wrongdoing during the decade-long Rajapaksa regime. She said nearly 6,000 acres of private land was still occupied by the military in the Northern Province and must be returned to their previous owners. (Photo: AP) Colombo: A UN rights expert on Thursday exhorted Sri Lanka to step up urgent and concrete reconciliation efforts and reduce the army's presence in the former war zones in the Tamil dominated northern areas. "The government must put in place some urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political will and commitment to better protect Sri Lanka's minorities," the visiting UN minority rights expert Rita Izsak-Ndiaye said at the end of her 10-day visit. She also asked the Lankan government to return military-occupied land and reduce the role of the army in northern areas, a long-pending demand of the ethnic Tamils since the end of the nearly three-decade-long separatist war led by the LTTE in 2009 in which thousands of civilians were killed. The UN rights expert also asked Colombo to free Tamil detainees held in custody for long periods without charge. Asking for stepping up of reconciliation efforts in the war-battered nation, Rita said: "The Sri Lankan identity and the notion of nationhood must be strengthened to foster a stronger sense of belongingness and togetherness of all Sri Lankans. "While the country is undergoing an important reconciliation process... the devastating impact of the war and violence on psychological well-being cannot continue to be ignored." She lamented that past acts of "repression of culture and expression, ethnic intolerance and discrimination" have severely damaged social and cultural norms in the country. "Truth-seeking, reconciliation and healing takes time and cannot be done overnight. "This includes continued return of land to their owners, charging or releasing all security-related detainees, making progress in finding disappeared persons and taking visible steps to gradually transfer military powers to civilian authorities," she added. She said nearly 6,000 acres of private land was still occupied by the military in the Northern Province and must be returned to their previous owners. The Hungarian human rights expert also met the foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera and other senior officials to assess the situation in the island seven years after the end of fighting. COLFAX COUNTY One person was killed and two were injured Thursday morning when two vehicles collided on U.S. Highway 30 between Schuyler and Richland. The accident was one of three serious crashes that occurred on Colfax County highways within a 14-hour span. According to the Colfax County Attorney's Office, 81-year-old Leopoldo Alvarado Adame of Columbus was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer east on the highway and attempting to pass another vehicle when, according to witnesses, an apparent mechanical issue caused him to lose control of the SUV. The Explorer crossed the highway median and collided with the driver's side of a westbound Toyota Corolla. The driver of the Corolla, 42-year-old Clemente Vasquez Carreto of Schuyler, was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger in that vehicle, 35-year-old Julio Laz Pol of Schuyler, was taken by ambulance to CHI Health Schuyler then transported by medical helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha with internal and spinal injuries. He is expected to survive. The men were on their way to work in Columbus when the accident occurred, according to the county attorney's office. Alvarado Adame was transported by ambulance to Columbus Community Hospital. His condition was unavailable Thursday evening. The accident, which occurred around 5:40 a.m. just east of Road 6 in Colfax County, caused both vehicles to come to rest in the north ditch. The Colfax County Sheriff's Office, Schuyler Fire and Rescue, Nebraska State Patrol, Schuyler Police Department and Nebraska Department of Roads assisted at the scene. The crash occurred about 2 miles from the scene of a Wednesday afternoon accident that injured two people. Clyde Jenkinson, 82, of Columbus was transported by medical helicopter to Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln after the semitrailer he was driving collided with a grain wagon being pulled by a tractor. According to the Colfax County Attorney's Office, the tractor pulled onto Highway 30 from a private driveway between roads 4 and 5 and was westbound when the wagon filled with corn was struck from behind by the westbound semitrailer. The collision caused the semitrailer to roll onto the highway median. Jenkinson had to be extricated from the semi by Schuyler Fire and Rescue before he was flown by medical helicopter to the Lincoln hospital in critical condition. The driver of the tractor, 62-year-old Daniel Wachal of rural Schuyler, was transported by ambulance to Columbus Community Hospital, where he was treated and released. Another accident occurred around 12:15 a.m. Thursday on Highway 15 just south of Schuyler. Samantha Weis, 24, of Schuyler was driving a 2003 Ford Escape when the vehicle left the highway and rolled. She was taken by ambulance to CHI Health Schuyler then transported by medical helicopter to a larger hospital. EU President Donald Tusk said they should "keep all options open, including sanctions". Brussels: European Union leaders warned Russia at a summit on Thursday that they will consider sanctions over its role in the Syrian conflict if Moscow does not stop "crimes" in the devastated city of Aleppo. As the bloc's 28 leaders met in Brussels for a crucial discussion on their future strategy to deal with Moscow, EU President Donald Tusk said they should "keep all options open, including sanctions". The leaders of France and Germany had given a similar sanctions warning after holding talks in Berlin with President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the Brussels summit. A draft summit statement said the EU was weighing sanctions against supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities, although it did not mention Russia by name. "The EU should should keep all options open, including sanctions if the crimes continue," Tusk said as he arrived for the summit. British Prime Minister Theresa May, arriving for her first EU summit since the June Brexit vote, called for a united European approach to "sickening atrocities" in Syria. "We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May told reporters. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." The EU leaders will discuss their long-term Russia policy over dinner but deep cracks over how tough to be with Moscow remained evident. Some warned there was no unity on adding sanctions over Syria to those that the EU has already imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. "One option is sanctions. I don't think there's unity but I think it should be on the table, that this should be an option for the future," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told reporters. 'Completely inhuman' Russia had upstaged the summit by announcing earlier in the week that it would halt hostilities over Aleppo on Thursday just as the 28 leaders were gathering in Brussels. It said Thursday it would extend the truce by 24 hours, without specifying when it would end. The UN had said earlier it had received a pledge from Moscow to extend it until Saturday. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel said only a permanent ceasefire was acceptable. "What is happening in Aleppo with Russian support is completely inhuman," she told reporters. "That is why we have to work as fast as possible to get a ceasefire in place -- and not only one over several hours a day and than again many hours of bombardment, but a lasting ceasefire." Moscow is Assad's strongest ally and came to his rescue last year when rebels appeared to be gaining ground. "The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue," the draft EU summit statement said. "The European Council strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo," it added. The EU is already embroiled in an angry standoff with Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine, complete with punishing economic sanctions on both sides. Relations with Russia were put on the agenda of the two-day summit in Brussels months ago amid expectations of progress on Ukraine. Since then, the deepening of the Syrian crisis has poisoned the atmosphere while the Berlin talks with Putin on Wednesday produced no real progress. After the Berlin meeting, Merkel and French President Francois Hollande refused to rule out sanctions. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said at a press conference, while Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option". Critics argued the ban was also politically-motivated in a region with its own language, a fierce sense of identity and a desire to seek independence from Spain. (Photo: AP) Madrid: Spain's Constitutional Court on Thursday cancelled a ban on bullfighting in the region of Catalonia, in what is likely to exacerbate tensions between animal activists and fans of the centuries-old tradition. In a statement, the court argued that bullfighting was classified as part of Spain's heritage, and therefore a decision whether to ban it pertained to the central government and not to semi-autonomous regions like Catalonia.It said it had declared the ban "unconstitutional and void." Catalonia's regional parliament voted in 2010 to ban bullfighting from January 1, 2012 after animal rights groups managed to garner 180,000 signatures for a petition demanding the debate. It was the first region in mainland Spain to ban the tradition, although the Canary Islands abolished bullfighting in 1991. Critics at the time argued that more than an animal rights issue, the ban was also politically-motivated in a region with its own language, a fierce sense of identity and a desire to seek independence from Spain. But the tradition has drawn increasing controversy and protests around Spain in recent years, with demonstrators turning up and taking to Twitter to denounce what they feel is a brutal, anachronistic event. London: The UK will send two major delegations to India this week to strengthen business links ahead of British Prime Minister Theresa May's visit next month. Alok Sharma, the Indian-origin minister for Asia and the Pacific in the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), will lead a team of 28 British businesses to the Global Investors Summit in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. The UK is a country partner for the summit, which takes place every two years to showcase the industrial strengths of the state. "Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in India and a great example of how the UK and India are working together for both of our benefit," said Sharma, who will make the opening speech at the summit and also hold talks with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "The UK has been a long-term supporter of the state, through aid and other partnerships, and it now has a vibrant economy. The Global Investors Summit will allow us to build and strengthen business links in thriving areas like tourism, urban development and a dynamic manufacturing and industrial sector," he added. Sharma's team will arrive in Indore soon after an infrastructure delegation comprising 11 British companies to Chandigarh on Thursday and Friday. The participating UK companies have expertise in infrastructure and urban planning, architectural design and heritage conservation, transport design, water and waste management, renewable energy and services including project and programme management and construction delivery. David Lelliott, the British Deputy High Commissioner Chandigarh, said: "We are aware how important infrastructure and urban development projects are for the people of this region, and have been engaging closely with governments at state and city level. "The UK has much to offer, so Im delighted that this delegation representing UK expertise across a wide range of relevant fields is visiting Chandigarh. The visit underlines the interest that UK companies have in doing more in this region." The delegation will hold roundtable meetings with the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana, as well as the Chandigarh administration, to discuss plans for upcoming infrastructure projects in the region. The British Deputy High Commission will also host an interactive session on Infrastructure and Urban Development in Chandigarh on Friday to provide an opportunity for representatives of state governments, municipalities and the private sector to learn more about the expertise and capabilities of the UK companies and to explore how best they might participate in projects in the region. The delegations follow an announcement by May recently that she will lead her own trade mission of small and medium sized businesses from all regions of the UK when she visits India between November 6 and 8. During her visit she will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the first India-UK Tech Summit, a showcase for partnership in technological industries, as well as hold bilateral talks. India has been named among the priority countries the UK wants to clinch trade deals with as it officially leaves the European Union (EU) after a referendum in favour of Brexit in June. Thousands of deceased people will also receive an automatic pardon. (Photo: Twitter) London: Thousands of British men convicted of homosexuality before its decriminalisation are to be pardoned under the "Turing Law", named after World War II hero Alan Turing, the government said Thursday. Anyone alive who was convicted of consensual same-sex acts before the law was abolished can already apply to have their names cleared through the "disregard process", and will now receive an automatic pardon. Thousands of deceased people will also receive an automatic pardon. "It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today," said Justice Minister Sam Gyimah. "Through pardons and the existing disregard process we will meet our manifesto commitment to put right these wrongs." Private homosexual acts between men aged over 21 were decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967, but the law was not changed in Scotland until 1980 and in Northern Ireland until 1982. Turing was a computer scientist, philosopher and cryptologist who played a crucial role in breaking the Nazi Enigma code at Britain's Bletchley Park, which was recently dramatised on the big screen in "The Imitation Game". He was prosecuted for homosexuality in 1952 and forced to undergo chemical castration. He killed himself in 1954 at the age of 41. Turing was officially pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, triggering calls for blanket pardons. Liberal Democrat lord John Sharkey, who introduced the bill to clear Turing, said the latest government announcement heralded "a momentous day for thousands of families up and down the UK". "It is a wonderful thing that we have been able to build on the pardon granted to Alan Turing," he told the BBC. According to estimates, as much as USD 21 billion a year dividend for developing countries can be unlocked if all 10-year-old girls complete secondary education. (Photo: PTI) London: India has seen "dramatic" improvements in the opportunities available to the girl child, a United Nations report said on Thursday while showcasing the country as an example to be replicated worldwide for bettering the condition of their youthful populations. However, 'The State of World Population 2016' report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned that practices that harm girls and violate their human rights, starting at age 10, prevent them from realising their full potential as adults and more needs to be done the world over. "Both India and China, which together are home to roughly one in three 10-year-olds alive today, are among the world's fastest growing economies and have seen dramatic improvements in the opportunities available to youth," the report said. It quoted the International Centre for Research on Women to estimate that India loses nearly USD 56 billion a year in potential earnings because of adolescent pregnancy, high secondary school dropout rates and joblessness among young women. It, however, also showcased India among the countries whose initiatives can be replicated for worldwide improvements. "But through a concerted effort by governments, civil society, communities and international institutions to learn from and replicate successful initiatives in places as diverse as India, the United States and Ethiopia, the world can transform every 10-year-old girl's future and ignite her full potential. "In India, there are more than 12 million 10-year-old girls, far more than in any other country. Based on secondary school-progression data, nearly 900,000 about 9 per cent of these 12 million girls, while already having access to basic education, are at risk of not continuing on to secondary school," the report said. According to estimates, as much as USD 21 billion a year dividend for developing countries can be unlocked if all 10-year-old girls complete secondary education. UNFPA warns that forced marriage, child labour, female genital mutilation and other practices undermining girls' health and rights threaten the world's ambitious development agenda. It noted that of the 125 million 10-year-olds today, 60 million are girls who are systematically disadvantaged at the global level as they move through adolescence into adulthood. Girls are less likely than boys to complete formal schooling at the secondary and university levels, are more likely to be in poorer physical and mental health, and will find it harder to get paid jobs. "The past two decades have also seen extremely rapid changes in the proportions of children attending school; dramatic declines in maternal, neonatal, and infant deaths; and a slow transition to greater gender equality. "If these improvements continue and we collectively invest in developing this cohort in ways that allow them to maximise their potential, 10-year-olds may well prove pivotal to transforming the world for the better," the report concluded. Rebels seized the east of the city in July 2012 and government forces have been battling to recapture it ever since then. (Photo: File/AFP) Beirut: Syria's one-time economic hub, Aleppo and the surrounding countryside have suffered some of the heaviest fighting of the five-year civil war that has now cost more than 300,000 lives. Rebels seized the east of the city in July 2012 and government forces have been battling to recapture it ever since with the front line carving through the heart of the city. On Thursday, the government and its ally Russia began a "humanitarian pause" in the latest devastating assault to allow civilians to flee, but it was immediately tested by clashes on the front line. Here are five facts about Aleppo: In April and May 2011, thousands of students demonstrated in the city, mirroring similar protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad which broke out in other parts of Syria in March. The protests were brutally crushed but rebel fighters took control of several areas of the countryside which they used as launchpads for their entry into the city in July 2012. The army fought back with tanks and retained control of western districts, leaving the city divided. The first air strikes on rebel areas followed shortly afterwards. Aleppo remains Syria's second most populous city, with more than 250,000 people living in rebel-held areas and more than 1.2 million living in the government-held west. It lies at the crossroads of key road routes, making it a strategic prize for both sides. The outcome of the battle for the city will also affect their relative bargaining power if UN-brokered peace negotiations ever resume. Since July 17, rebel districts have been under near-continuous siege by the army, after troops cut off the last supply route from other rebel-held territory. A ceasefire that went into effect from September 12 to 19 raised hopes of relief deliveries but they never materialised. On September 22, the army launched a new offensive and devastating Syrian and Russian air strikes pounded rebel areas, only halting on Tuesday. Around 400 people have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded since the assault began, according to the United Nations. Russia has said Thursday's unilateral ceasefire will last until at least 1600 GMT and could be extended. The Syrian army has said it will last three days. Much of the once-flourishing city has been reduced to a wasteland by the air and artillery bombardment. Since December 2013, the army has dropped hundreds of barrel bombs -- crude unguided explosive devices that cause indiscriminate damage, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The rebels have retaliated with rocket fire on government-held neighbourhoods. Doctors say that access to medical care in rebel areas has deteriorated sharply after several hospitals were hit. The UN Syria envoy has warned that without a halt to the bombing east Aleppo "may be totally destroyed." Aleppo is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities dating back to at least 4,000 BC. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986, Aleppo's citadel is a jewel of mediaeval Islamic architecture. It was damaged by a blast in July 2015. Two years earlier, fighting destroyed the 11th century minaret of the city's famed Ummayad mosque. There has also been extensive damage to the city's ancient covered market. Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed concern President Barack Obama may take action Israel opposes at the United Nations before leaving office as US criticism of its settlement building intensifies. Netanyahu's statement on late Wednesday comes after speculation Obama could break with recent US practice and support - or at least not veto - a UN Security Council resolution laying out parameters for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There has also been speculation he could give a speech before leaving office in January that would do the same. Israel fears such parameters would include elements it opposes, such as a timeframe for resolving the conflict and demands for action against settlements in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu said that "in the past, presidents at the end of their terms had promoted initiatives which were not in accordance with Israel's interests." "The prime minister added that he hoped this was not about to be repeated and that he expects the United States not to change what has historically been its policy for decades: to prevent anti-Israel resolutions in the UN Security Council." Netanyahu's office issued the statement in response to a report by an Israeli television channel. The report quoted him as saying in a private meeting that "the entire settlement enterprise is in existential danger" during the interim period between the US presidential election and when Obama leaves office. Netanyahu's statement denied he had said that during the meeting with a group of Israeli settlers. Earlier this month, Netanyahu spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State John Kerry in a bid to calm Washington's anger over new Israeli settlement plans. Settlements in the West Bank are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace efforts as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. The United States has warned that continued settlement building in the territory occupied by Israel in 1967 is eating away at the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Settlements are a key political issue within Israel, with those in favour advocating that Jews must return to their biblical homeland, including the West Bank. Netanyahu's government is seen as the most right-wing in the country's history and key members of his coalition openly oppose a Palestinian state. Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed concern President Barack Obama may take action Israel opposes at the United Nations before leaving office as US criticism of its settlement building intensifies. Netanyahu's statement late Wednesday comes after speculation Obama could break with recent US practice and support -- or at least not veto -- a UN Security Council resolution laying out parameters for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There has also been speculation he could give a speech before leaving office in January that would do the same. Israel fears such parameters would include elements it opposes, such as a timeframe for resolving the conflict and demands for action against settlements in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu said that "in the past, presidents at the end of their terms had promoted initiatives which were not in accordance with Israel's interests." "The prime minister added that he hoped this was not about to be repeated and that he expects the United States not to change what has historically been its policy for decades: to prevent anti-Israel resolutions in the UN Security Council." Netanyahu's office issued the statement in response to a report by Israel's Channel 2 television. The report quoted him as saying in a private meeting that "the entire settlement enterprise is in existential danger" during the interim period between the US presidential election and when Obama leaves office. Netanyahu's statement denied he had said that during the meeting with a group of Israeli settlers. Earlier this month, Netanyahu spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State John Kerry in a bid to calm Washington's anger over new Israeli settlement plans. Settlements in the West Bank are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace efforts as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. The United States has warned that continued settlement building in the territory occupied by Israel in 1967 is eating away at the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Settlements are a key political issue within Israel, with those in favour advocating that Jews must return to their biblical homeland, including the West Bank. Netanyahu's government is seen as the most right-wing in the country's history and key members of his coalition openly oppose a Palestinian state. A senior Pakistani intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to release the information, said he was aware of recent meetings in Doha between "mid-level Taliban and Afghan officials." (Photo: Representational Image/AP) Karachi, Pakistan: Taliban officials and the Afghan government have held new secret talks in Qatar aimed at restarting peace negotiations to end the country's war, three officials say, though questions remain over which faction of the insurgency is doing the talking. The Guardian newspaper of Britain first reported on the talks Tuesday, saying the first happened in September and second this month in Qatar. The Arabian Peninsula country hosts a Taliban political office. A senior Pakistani intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to release the information, said he was aware of recent meetings in Doha between "mid-level Taliban and Afghan officials." He said a U.S. official also attended the meetings, though he did not know specifics of what was discussed as Pakistan did not take part. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday warned of "appropriate action" if India violates the Indus Water Treaty and said it is closely monitoring the situation, amid reports that New Delhi may revisit the key water sharing accord. "Appropriate action will be taken in line with the Treaty in case of any violation by India," Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing. Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation; Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. Zakaria's remarks come amid reports that India may review the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty. He said that India is making "desperate attempts" to divert attention from the "atrocities and human right violations" being committed in Kashmir. He said Pakistan is highlighting Indian brutalities in Kashmir at world for a and there has been "very substantive outcome" of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that India violated ceasefire on the Line of Control for more than 90 times this year. The notion of isolating Pakistan is "ridiculous", Zakaria said, adding that India's "negative attitude" has been exposed which is the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also termed the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as "very disappointing and highly regrettable" as he deplored India's decision to "use SAARC for its political ambition", according to the report. Zakaria also referred to a media report quoting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a "very, very hot tinderbox" and offered to be "the mediator or arbitrator". Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," he said. "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," he added. COLUMBUS County election officials have been busy with early voting. Gone are the days when people needed an excuse for why they couldnt make it out on Election Day to obtain an absentee ballot or request to vote early. Platte County Election Commissioner Diane Olmer said that rule has changed over the years, and any registered voter can now cast their ballot early. You show up and you vote, said Olmer. Its just your preference. I hear a lot of people say, I just want to be done. With a few weeks left before the Nov. 8 general election, Olmer said 1,215 Platte County residents have requested early ballots, a number she expects to grow significantly before Election Day. We have a lot of early requests considering how many weeks it is before the election, Olmer said. It looks like itll be a big turnout. In 2012, another presidential election year, Olmer recalls there being about 3,000 early votes cast in Platte County. Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale says 41,938 ballots had been returned or filled out in person at county election offices as of Friday, based on totals reported to his office. One of the things were anxiously watching is how the percentage of early voting plays into the number of voters who turnout overall, Gale said in a release. He noted that voter registration in Nebraska has reached nearly 1.2 million, which far exceeded his expectations. Olmer said a good turnout for early voting usually translates to a good voter turnout overall. When we get a lot of early voters it means it will reduce lines at the polling places, she said. Gale said hes hoping for a turnout of around 1.19 million voters across the state. That would be a tremendous milestone in the history of Nebraska elections, he said. Online and mail-in voter registration ends Friday. Anyone looking to register after that date must do so at the county election office by 6 p.m. Oct. 28. Olmer also noted that two local polling places have changed locations, although they are in the same spots as during the primary election. Precinct 2C, previously a polling place at Rainbow Center, is now at the Eagles Club, and Precinct 3D, previously at Highland Park Church, now votes at Brookestone Acres. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday welcomed an offer by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to ease tensions with nuclear-armed rival India over ongoing unrest in Kashmir, which both claim as their own. In an interview with Indian newspaper Hindustan Times last week, Trump said he would be pleased to be a mediator between Pakistan and India. "Well, I would love to see Pakistan and India get along, because that's a very, very hot tinderbox.... That would be a very great thing. I hope they can do it," Trump said. Islamabad said it did not comment on media reports usually but in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria told a weekly briefing. "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," Zakaria said. The comment was a change of tack after Pakistan's interior minister launched a blistering attack on Trump's "ignorance" in May after the billionaire vowed that if he won office he would free a doctor jailed in 2011 after helping track down Osama bin Laden. Trump was being criticised in the US Thursday after he turned his final presidential debate appearance into an unprecedented assault on US political convention by refusing to say that he would respect a Hillary Clinton victory in November. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. India rejects any third party mediation and the rivals have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir. Tensions have soared in recent weeks as India blamed Pakistan for a raid on an army base in Indian Kashmir on September 18, which saw New Delhi respond with what it called "surgical strikes" across the border, infuriating Islamabad. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged BRICS leaders Sunday to take a strong united stand against the "mothership of terrorism" in the South Asian region, in a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan. A candid photo of Pakistani chai wala, Arshad Khan (centre), hit the internet, sparking debates on reverse sexism, class privileges, and objectification in Pakistan. (Photo: AFP) Islamabad: A Pakistani tea merchant with velvet eyes saw his life changed this week when his portrait spread around the internet, sparking ardent debates on class, objectification, and the place of ethnic Pashtuns in society. Arshad Khan had no idea he had set the Internet alight from Pakistan to India and beyond: he has no phone, and cannot read. "It was a real surprise," the young "chai wala", or tea seller, told AFP. "I was aware that I am handsome but you can't do anything when you are poor," he said, adding that the image has "changed the way I think." In the candid photograph, snapped by a passing photographer and posted on Instagram, Khan prepares Pakistan's ubiquitous milk tea, his blue green eyes looking frankly into the camera. It set social media users swooning, with the 18-year-old's image shared tens of thousands of times since October 14. By Tuesday, the Islamabad market where photographer Javeria Ali took the fateful shot was swarmed by dozens eager to gawk at the young worker. But in a country where women have long fought for rights and rarely express their feelings publicly, that fervour soon morphed into an intense debate on what it meant to reduce a poor man to a beautiful object. "We are more used to seeing this happen to women, it is still creepy when it happens to a boy," feminist columnist Bina Shah told AFP. "Just because people are bored does not mean you can play with someone's life." The ick factor Columnist Maria Amir concluded that "reverse sexism is still a form of sexism" on the website of Pakistan's biggest-selling English language newspaper, Dawn. But she also echoed many in noting that the true "ick factor" was in social class rather than gender. "The elite getting excited over a hot #ChaiWala reeks of class privilege and the objectification of working class men," tweeted @nidkirm, who described himself as a sociologist based in Lahore. And in a column in the Express Tribune Farahnaz Zahidi mocked the "surprise" that someone poor could be good-looking. "(T)he upper tier bourgeois of Pakistan have come to believe that even looks and God-gifted attributes are co-dependent on money and affluence?" she wrote. Indeed, in his first appearance on television, viewers laughed at Khan's awkward speech and the Western suit in which he appeared uncomfortable. "No girl would agree to marry him," wrote Twitter user @ItsMahah. Even the colour of Khan's cool gaze provoked discomfort in some like columnist Amir, who wrote "apparently there is no expiry date on our colonial baggage". Light skin and eyes are the attribute of many Pashtuns, tribal inhabitants of northwest Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, romanticised as warriors by the British. Others expressed concern about the risk of exploitation of a young man so little armed for success. A local brand was quick to publish pictures of him, but Khan said he has not signed any modelling contract. The third of 17 children, Khan has never been to school. He said he hoped his newfound fame would allow him to "move forward". Vegetable seller Saeed Ahmed worked in the market alongside Khan. "His eyes were so beautiful that we used to make fun of him and call him 'cat eyes'," he told AFP. "But we never even thought that he would one day become famous like this." Indian newspapers were the first to seize on the "Cinderella story", bringing frivolity to recent tensions between the rival neighbours with tweets calling Khan a "nuclear bomb". "I send a message of peace to my Indian fans," Khan said. Duterte is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijings sphere of influence -- and its deep pockets. (Photo: AP) Beijing: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared his separation from longstanding ally the United States in Beijing on Thursday, as he rebalances his countrys diplomacy towards China. I announce my separation from the United States, he said to applause at a meeting in the Chinese capital. His comments came after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, with the two men pledging to enhance trust and friendship, while playing down a maritime dispute. The two leaders -- Duterte donning a suit and tie for the occasion -- strode side-by-side down the red carpet inspecting an honour guard, with children cheering. Xi called the two countries neighbours across the sea with no reason for hostility or confrontation, the official Xinhua news agency said. Duterte is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijings sphere of influence -- and its deep pockets. Under Dutertes predecessor Benigno Aquino the two countries were at loggerheads over the South China Sea -- where Beijing has built a series of artificial islands -- but since taking office in June the new head of state has changed course. The two leaders held extensive and amicable official talks and oversaw the signing of 13 bilateral cooperation documents on business, infrastructure, and agriculture, among other fields, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, without giving details. In a statement, the foreign ministry cited Xi as telling Duterte their emotional foundation of friendly good neighbourliness was unchanged, and difficult topics of discussion could be shelved temporarily. Duterte called the meeting historic, it added. Dutertes visit to Beijing capped a series of recent declarations blasting the US and President Barack Obama. Addressing the Filipino community in Beijing Wednesday, the firebrand leader said the Philippines had gained little from its long alliance with the US, its former colonial ruler. Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend, he said, as if addressing the US. He also repeated his denunciation of Obama as a son of a whore. Candid and friendly China, he said earlier, was good. It has never invaded a piece of my country all these generations. Duterte has also suspended joint US-Philippine patrols in the strategically vital South China Sea, and has threatened an end to joint military exercises. The South China Sea is of intense interest to Washington and it has repeatedly spoken out on the various territorial disputes between China and its neighbours over the waters. Tensions have risen between the US and China over Washingtons so-called pivot to the Asia-Pacific, a move that Beijing says is intended to contain it. In 2012, China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground in the Philippines exclusive economic zone. In a case brought by Aquino, the Philippines won a resounding victory at an international tribunal earlier this year over Beijings extensive territorial maritime claims in the area, infuriating the Asian giant. But Duterte, who took office in June shortly before the tribunal ruling, has made a point of not flaunting the outcome. Asked whether the leaders had discussed the South China Sea, the foreign ministrys Hua said they had a candid and friendly exchange of views on how to resolve relevant disputes. Their meeting represented a return to the right track of dialogue and consultation she said, adding China was willing to make relevant arrangements to cooperate on fishery issues. The bodies of both Chinese engineers were pulled out late on Wednesday night. (Representational Image) Islamabad: Bodies of two Chinese engineers,who were killed after being trapped in a lead and zinc mine in southwestern province of Balochistan, have been retrieved by rescuers, nearly a month after the accident. The Chinese were employed at the MMC Huaye Dudder Mining Company in Dudder area of Lasbela district in southwestern province of Balochistan. The bodies of both Chinese engineers were pulled out late on Wednesday night, according to an official of the company. Officials said that a Pakistani worker was also trapped in the mine and rescuers are yet to find his body. Chinese are working in different projects in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. A foreign office statement said: The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called in by the Director General (SA & Saarc) on Thursday." (Photo: AFP/Representational image) Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner to protest against the alleged LoC violations resulting in one death. A foreign office statement said: The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called in by the Director General (SA & Saarc) on Thursday. A protest was lodged against the unprovoked ceasefire violations on October 19-20, by the Indian forces at the LoC in Karela sector, which resulted in martyrdom of one civilian, Abdul Rehman, 28. As many as 12 civilians including children and women were injured as a result of the fire. The official statement said the Pakistan administration conveyed to India that it must investigate the incident thoroughly and share the findings with Pakistan. 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 company's 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. "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. To help assess traffic volume on road and capture images of small objects causing obstructions on stretches, a proposal to install several high definition CCTV cameras in the city has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs by the Delhi Traffic Police. A pilot project of Intelligent Transportation Management System (ITMS) has been sent to the ministry by the traffic police and if gets approved, the cameras could be installed in one highway going through the capital and one arterial road in the city within a year or two. The Delhi Police will soon have high-definition CCTV cameras and traffic monitoring and management technologies installed at various important locations other than the existing ones, said Garima Bhatnagar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Delhi Traffic Police), at a conference on road safety organised by Assocham. It will connect the monitoring room at traffic headquarters through direct radio link with the help of directional transmitters, she said. The high quality video from the cameras will also help detect traffic violations at chosen locations, allowing the law enforcers to quickly dispatch a team of traffic cops at the spot of violation or capture the violators image so that he could be prosecuted later. It will instil traffic discipline among the motorists, said a senior Delhi Traffic Police officer. The mohalla clinic at Todapur village in west Delhi is not only a hit with the poor in the neighbourhood for its free service but the concept has also caught the attention of people abroad. It is because it offers cheap but quality medicines for over 200 ailments, including hypertension, diabetes and arthritis, said Dr R Pal, the general physician who is the only doctor working there. The clinic is open from 9 am to 1 pm. It has become the most talked about among the neighbourhood clinics established by the Aam Aadmi Party government. This is mostly because of its medicine vending machine which dispenses free medicines at just a click of the button. Nine other mohalla clinics in Delhi are in the process of getting similar vending machines, according to Dr Pal. The simplicity of the technology developed for the poor has been appreciated worldwide, he told Deccan Herald. Dr Pal writes and stores the patients medical history on a tablet computer. By clicking a button he can release the printout of the prescription. And with another click the medicines are dispensed from the machine installed in the same room. The machine used to be accessed by the patients independently as well, but currently that feature is not working, he said. He said he has become world famous after he joined the clinic. Over the past six months, people from Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States have visited the clinic to understand how it functions. He met people from Google in California on Tuesday in a discussion generated by Wish foundation, the knowledge partner working in coordination with mohalla clinics, he said. Dr Pal was inducted in the Delhi government clinic after his retirement from a New Delhi Municipal Council hospital. Here I can see the patients every day. I do their tests, I see the results and I do a further examination accordingly. I am not dependent on laboratory tests, he said. For the last two months the clinic was open till 5 pm because of the flow of dengue and chikungunya cases. It used to be packed with at least 60 to 90 patients with dengue or chikungunya fever, said Dr Pal. All the medicines stocked in the vending machine are generic. But they are better than proprietary medicines which are available in the market as they have less side effects, said the doctor. These medicines helped hundreds of dengue and chikungunya patients who came to this clinic this year, he said. Proprietary medicines are stronger medicines so people are psychologically satisfied after consuming them. Their one dose is equal to three doses of the generic ones. So people dont have to pop them as many times as the generic ones, said Dr Pal. The generic medicines are also very cheap, he said. When he told foreigners about their price, they were astonished, he said. In a bid to foil suicide attempts and catch pickpockets, the Delhi Metro has deployed ex-armymen at Rajiv Chowk and New Delhi stations. The ex-servicemen (ex-Non-Commissioned Officers and ex-Junior Commissioned Officers) will be engaged on a trial basis for one year at these two stations, said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Wednesday. "Their services might be extended to other stations, which receive heavy footfall, based on the feedback of the experiment," said an official. "Around 100 ex-servicemen have been deployed to facilitate passengers and perform duties related to other aspects of operations," he added. They will be on look out for "suspicious" commuters with an aim to "prevent or warn against suicide attempts". According to the Delhi Metro, these ex-servicemen have been deployed for "customer facilitation" and providing "watch and ward" services at Rajiv Chowk and New Delhi Metro stations. "Under 'customer facilitation', the ex-servicemen will assist commuters at platforms, near automatic fare collection (AFC) gates, galleries, ticketing areas, staircases and escalators," he said. "Under 'watch and ward' services, they will guard service buildings comprising ancillary building, DG room, chiller plant, cooling Tower as well as areas prone to theft," he added. These ex-servicemen have been trained to be customer-friendly while dealing with general public. Their main tasks include crowd management by ensuring smooth de-boarding and boarding of commuters and maintaining proper queuing of passengers on the platforms. They will also assist differently abled passengers and guide travellers on the queries related to their journey. The ex-armymen have been asked to help passengers in locating the correct entry point to the station as well as control the movement of commuters at the entry and exit points of the station. They have also been tasked with keeping the Metro premises clear of unauthorised vehicles and preventing encroachment by vendors and beggars at the entry and exit points of the station for the smooth movement of travellers. "The Army Welfare Placement Organisation, a registered society, is facilitating the services of these ex-servicemen to the DMRC through M/s Cyclops Security and Allied Services Pvt Ltd," said the Delhi Metro. At present, over 26 lakh passengers travel on the Delhi Metro's network every day to reach their destinations. LINCOLN The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska wants two Nebraska law enforcement agencies to suspend the use of facial recognition technology in their investigations until lawmakers and the public can weigh in on the practice. A recent report from Georgetown University about the technology's use included the Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol. The two agencies don't use their own technology, but do access the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles' system for facial recognition. The ACLU of Nebraska said more public vetting is needed to prevent misuse and abuse of the technology, because it has the potential to violate privacy rights. The union also said the report noted existing deficiencies are most likely to have a very different impact on African-Americans. "We still don't like the use of this technology because drivers don't know their picture is going to be used," ACLU of Nebraska legal director Amy Miller said. "We don't allow the government to search us or keep us under surveillance willy-nilly." Miller is also concerned about the low legal bar for Lincoln police, where investigators don't need to have reasonable suspicion to detain or run a search on someone. Lincoln public safety director Tom Casady said facial recognition technology is an efficient tool for identity theft investigations, and there are restrictions in place to allow its use by only a few investigators from each law enforcement agency. Casady said Lincoln police submitted 17 photos for analysis last year and had four actual identifications. If there is a need for photo analysis and review, the Lincoln Police Department must first internally initiate a formal request to have the photo processed. According to Casady, the program is rarely used. The State Patrol says it's reviewing the university's report. Casady noted that he is aware of privacy concerns related to the technology, however his priority concern is more the "non-governmental side of this than the governmental side" because it is more difficult for citizens to push for change in the "private world." A campaign to boycott Chinese goods in India due to differences over India's bid for NSG membership and UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar will not have much "political effect" and will fail to "fundamentally change the bilateral trade ties, state-run Chinese media said today. Quoting Indian media reports, an article in the state-run Global Times said that "some politicians and citizens in India have recently launched campaigns to boycott Chinese products". "They blame China for India's failure to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and for Beijing blocking India's UN bid on sanctioning a commander in Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based military group. "Beijing and New Delhi are currently negotiating about these two issues and it is believed that mutual understanding will be reached eventually," said the article written by Liu Xiaoxue, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said. India is seeking a UN ban on Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) which has been blamed for the January 2 Pathankot attack. Scuttling India's move, China has recently put a second technical hold on Azhar's UN ban issue. Underlining that Sino-Indian relationship has always been "haunted" by border disputes and China's ties with Pakistan, the article, said, "However, the two sides have long realised that setting aside divergences is beneficial for both sides' overall development than being hostile to each other." "...A boycott of Chinese goods will not only result in little of the political effect that people who initiated the movement would like to see, but will also fail to fundamentally change India's current trade ties with China. In the end, it will be nothing more than a tiny incident," it said. Referring to improvement in India-China political ties since the visit of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988, the daily said economic and trade ties have also been boosted following which China has become India's largest trading partner since 2013. "Of course, apart from political issues, some economic factors have also disrupted Sino-Indian trade development. Unresolved problems between the two nations sometimes influence their political mutual trust and have led to the non-tariff barriers in India against Chinese capital and products, such as security checks in major projects in the fields of defence, telecommunications, Internet and transportation," it said. On the growing trade deficit, the daily said, "Economically, India has unbalanced trade ties with China. The increasing trade deficit with China has been irritating New Delhi. India's trade deficit with China jumped to USD 51.45 billion in 2015." "As a country with a long-term account deficit which faces balance of payments problems, India is always vigilant against trade deficits. Chinese products can hence be easily turned into the target of India's anti-dumping sanctions," it said. "After Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started promoting the slogan 'Make in India', some of the country's media and citizens have tended to hype up the substantial quantities of made-in-China balloons, coloured lanterns and ribbons that always appear in the nation's Hindu spring festival by asking, 'should our valuable foreign currency be wasted on these products?' or 'Are Indian manufacturing industries too backward to produce those goods?" it said. "However, for consumers, attractive goods with a reasonable price are naturally their first option. Moreover, the merchandise, which is mentioned by Indian media all the time, is only a small part of Chinese exports to India," the daily said. "Being a major exporter of high-tech goods, today's China mainly exports high-tech products to India, including electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, train locomotives, computers and telephones. These are all necessary for India's economic development and its people's everyday lives," it said. "Will Indian people answer the call of boycott? How long can the campaign last? What specific influence will it have on Sino-Indian trade relations? Even the Indian media pushing for a ban does not have the answers," the daily said. "It is believed that after this round of patriotic passion, businessmen and consumers in India will make a rational choice," it said. CBI has again sent a reminder to Canadian authorities seeking questioning of Nazeer Karigar, a Canadian national who is a suspect in a case of alleged pay-off to an aide of a Union minister in UPA government in a USD 100-million Air India contract in 2007. CBI sources said the agency has registered the case and dispatched Letters Rogatory, judicial requests to facilitate provision of information. They said judicial requests were dispatched in 2013 but only processed in part. The sources said CBI is seeking examination of Karigar in the case which has not been possible even three years after the sending of judicial requests to Canada. It is alleged Karigar and unknown officials of Air India had entered a criminal conspiracy in the matter of floating and processing of tender for procurement of bio-metric passenger identification system for various airports of India for causing favour to a company CrypoMetrics during 2005-07. It is alleged that Karigar had also provided several crucial tender documents to the company even before it was floated by Air India. The contract was finally scrapped but CBI needs to question him to get to the bottom of the case, they said. The sources said agency sent the latest reminder in September this year. The case is likely to figure during talks of CBI Chief Anil Sinha and Bob Paulson of Royal Canadian Mounted Police who is visiting the country and will address annual D P Kohli memorial today. RCMP had approached the CBI through diplomatic channels informing them about the scandal and allegations made against Indo-Canadian businessman Nazir Karigar who claimed that he had paid a bribe of 250,000 dollars to an aide of a Minister in UPA government, official sources said. Air India had floated a tender in 2006 for computerised passenger face recognition biometrics system. Karigar had reportedly claimed that he had met the Minister through a senior police officer and allegedly paid the bribe amount to the minister's aide for pushing the contract in favour of his company. The Minister had rejected the allegations as baseless in his letter to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Minister had said the claims of bribery appeared to be "a perfect con job" by somebody trying to convince his company that he could deliver a contract if he is paid. As protests mounted against the proposed steel flyover here, Karnataka government today dismissed it as a "political gimmick", asserting that it had no vested interest and it had taken the decision after consultations with experts and "due diligence." "No, the government is not adamant on constructing the flyover. Neither is it a dictatorial decision as it is made out to be by the opposition. The decision to construct the flyover was taken after due diligence, after consulting technical and engineering experts," Bengaluru Development Minister K J George told reporters here. The Rs 1,761 crore steel flyover to link Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal to improve connectivity to Bengaluru international airport has come in for flak from civic groups and BJP and JDS on cost and environmental concerns. Former Chief Minister and State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa had likened Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to a dictator who had scant respect and utter contempt for public opinion. As many as 812 trees are feared to be chopped off, as per details made available by Bangalore Development Authority. George said the opposition by rival parties is nothing but a political gimmick as they might be afraid of the Congress hogging limelight by implementing it, which could work in their favour in the runup to the 2018 Assembly polls. "The opposition also is a political gimmick to cover up their failure to implement the project - the actual process of which began from 2014," George said. Siddaramaiah has defended the proposed construction of steel flyover calling it "totally transparent" and claimed the project was proposed in 2010 and announced in 2014-15 budget. Reacting to allegations that vested interest had driven the government to take up the project, George said "there is only one interest, and that is people's interest, nothing else. There is no vested interest involved in this project." Asked whether the whole of the flyover will be made of steel, George said the government will implement the project as per the advice of the technical experts. JDS State President H D Kumaraswamy had alleged that the project was being used to "raise party funds" for next years Uttar Pradesh assembly election. On October 16, the 'Citizens Against Steel Flyover had formed a human chain to intensify their protest against the flyover. BJP MP Varun Gandhi was at the centre of a controversy over allegations that he had leaked defence secrets to middleman Abhishek Verma and arms manufacturers after being "honey trapped", a charge he stoutly denied. At a press conference here, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav released a letter written by Edmonds Allen, a New York-based lawyer, to the PMO last month that Varun was honey trapped and compromised by Verma. He alleged that Verma "blackmailed" Varun, a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, into sharing sensitive information on crucial arms matters. Varun rejected these charges, saying he has not met Verma since 2004 and threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. "The entire information presented does not contain an iota of proof that either I had access or shared any communication regarding sensitive information to Verma," Varun said. Allen, who was a partner of Verma, fell out with him in 2012. Verma is facing trial in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case. Bhushan alleged that despite having all the details, BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it. India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft. "Any action against Thales may have jeopardised the Rafale deal. Moreover, contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircrafts, the government bought 36 aircrafts, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy," Bhushan said. However, Bhushan and Yadav did not take Varun's name during the press conference and instead asked journalists to refer to the letter. They claimed to have withheld photographic evidences pertaining to the matter. Allen wrote to the PM, Defence Minister, CBI and the NSA with all the details on August and September this year. Varun said that he last met Verma when he was a post graduate student in London at the age of 22 years. "I am going to turn 37 now. I have never met him since I entered public life in 2004. The only reason why I even know of him is because his parents were members of parliament and was a respected family. I knew them as many other leaders knew them," he said. Asked if he had come across any sensitive information during his tenure on the consultative committee on defence, he said, "Any MP who has been on that committee knows that not even 0.1 percentage of any confidential information is shared with the committee." Travelling it leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller. The first time I ever got to experience a picturesque sunrise while on a flight was on this small, early morning, pocket-friendly Air Serbia flight to Belgrade, Serbia. It was one of the most beautiful sights Ive seen till now. Somehow, in the weirdest possible way, the best thing that happened to us before we reached Belgrade were all the negative reviews and questions thrown at us by friends, family and lots of random fellow travellers we had the pleasure of meeting on our Euro trip. After holding on tightly through a lot of turbulence and a rather scary landing, we finally arrived at the small Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport with rock bottom expectations only to be welcomed by a few local friends (the people with whom my friend on the trip, Roshan Swamy, studied with in Spain). The next two days we spent there taught me never to judge a book by its cover. One thing thats common between Serbians and Indians is the highest level of hospitality shown to guests. And what better way to explore a new city than with Marko, Sanja and Slobo who practically lived all their lives in that magical place? After the amazing yet exhausting flight, we went straight to our fully furnished, spacious and affordable apartment which was located in the centre of the city to freshen up and take a quick power nap after which we were all set for our urban exploration. With empty bellies, we took a walking tour around the old city to further build our appetite. Our hosts took us to Zadarska Street which is the oldest street in the city with amazing restaurants serving authentic Serbian food. Starting off with a shot of Rajkiya, a locally made fruit brandy, my infamous binge eating skills were put to shame with the sheer size of the dishes being served in the old restaurant called Sesir Moj. It was after this satisfying meal that we started falling in love with everything Belgrade has to offer. The place somehow reminded us of Bengaluru as it had a lot of greenery and parks everywhere filled with beautiful people. We hit all the famous touristy spots such as St Michaels Cathedral, the National Assembly and finally, the Belgrade Fortress which is also home to the Military Museum. The fortress, which is located on top of a hill, shows off a spectacular view of both old and new Belgrade which is beautifully nested alongside the Danube River. This, in fact, was one of my favourite viewpoints in all of Europe. Once the sun set, the entire face of the city changed from being calm and relaxed to a colourful, neon-lit nightlife paradise with streets full of bars, nightclubs and pubs playing loud music and bustling with thousands of people thoroughly enjoying themselves. Our tour guides/friends/hosts took us straight to few of the best pubs and clubs in the city where we joyfully spent the rest of the night. The second day in Belgrade was anything but disappointing. We decided to go to the last on our list but the most interesting (in my personal view) tourist attraction in which is the Tesla Museum. After learning about Nikola Teslas life history, we were committed to experiencing what the locals would do on a day off and started driving towards the nearby forest. Interestingly, on our way to one of the best cafes located on top of a hill, in the middle of the forest, we stopped for a quick photo session outside a little piece of our country all the way in Serbia the Indian Embassy. Our next stop was for a sumptuous lunch at one of the many riverside restaurants at Ada Ciganlija which is a river island that has artificially been turned into a peninsula, located in the Sava rivers course. The place was so peaceful and calm that we spent the entire evening there just looking at the sunset. Thus ended our short urban adventure in this beautiful place and there we were hoping to travel back in time and do it all over again. How to get theren We took a Qatar Airways flight from Bengaluru to Paris and then back from Budapest to Bengaluru. The round trip cost for one was Rs 47,000. We took an Air Serbia flight from Munich to Belgrade which cost Rs 12,000 one way for one person. Places to stay We stayed in an Airbnb apartment in Belgrade. The tariff was Rs 5,000 per night. Kartik Raja (The author can be contacted on kartikraja@hotmail.com) China released another two captive- bred giant pandas into the wild today in southwest China's Sichuan Province, in an attempt to diversify the endangered species' genetic pool. Hua Yan and Zhang Meng, both females, were born at the semi-wild training center in Wolong Nature Reserve in August 2013 and July 2014, respectively. They were released into Liziping Nature Reserve this morning. They are the sixth and seventh giant pandas to have been released to the wild. Both of them were declared in good shape and ready for release after a thorough physical examination at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) on Tuesday. "The two pandas have learned the basic skills needed to survive in the wild, including foraging for food, distinguishing and hiding from predators, and adapting to harsh weather conditions," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Huang Yan, a panda reintroduction specialist as saying. Both have been fitted with ID chips to monitor their physical conditions and GPS collars. The best time to release pandas is late autumn or early winter, the time when wild young pandas usually leave their mothers. "Releasing them to the wild is just the beginning. We'll continue to monitor them and see whether they can survive in the wild," said Huang. "We hope they can mate and breed." China first released a captive-bred panda into the wild in 2006. Xiang Xiang, who was a five-year-old at the time, was released into Wolong National Nature Reserve. However, he died roughly a year later after fighting with other pandas over food and territory. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Tao Tao (male), Zhang Xiang (female) and Xue Xue (female) were released into Liziping reserve. Xue Xue died a month after her release in November 2014. The last panda to be released was Hua Jiao, a two-year-old female, in November 2015. The Supreme Court today asked whether anyone can raise the issue of deaths along the border and seek votes for a particular party. The question was among several raised during a day-long hearing to revisit its two-decade-old 'Hindutva' judgement. Referring to the terms "national symbols" and "national emblem" in section 123(3) of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, a seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said nobody can be allowed to use them to garner votes in the elections. "Anybody can seek votes on the ground of national flag and national emblem and say that people are dying on the borders and so vote for a particular party. Can it be permitted," asked the bench. "This is specifically proscribed under this provision," senior advocate Shyam Divan said. The hearing also saw the bench observing that Parliament has consciously "widened" the scope of the term "corrupt practices" in the poll law to curb "separatist and communal" tendencies. "What is most significant in the present clause (of the RP Act) is that Parliament thought to widening the scope of 'corrupt practices' to curb separatist and communal tendencies during elections," the bench, which also comprised justices Madan B Lokur, S A Bobde, A K Goel, U U Lalit, D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao, said. The bench then raised a hypothetical question and asked if a 'Sikh granthi' seeks votes for a particular Hindu candidate, can it be said that this appeal "falls foul" of the provision in question. It may not amount to "corrupt practice" under the specific section of the RP Act, Divan responded. He also said that the term "his religion", used in the provision, means religion of the candidate and not that of the spiritual leader or cleric who seek votes. The court is examining the "scope and width" of section 123(3) of the RP Act which deals with electoral malpractices amounting to "corrupt practices", among other things. Meanwhile, three social activists -- Teesta Setalvad, Shamsul Islam and Dilip Mandal -- filed an application to intervene in the ongoing hearing to seek "de-linking of religion from politics". The fresh plea, filed by Setalvad and others, said that the issue could "potentially have far-reaching consequences on the purity of the electoral process". "The applicants are concerned about the electorate, the electoral process and the need to ensure that political parties and candidates for election do not use religion to appeal for votes. Sections 123(3) and (3A) were enacted to prevent the political parties from espousing religious sentiments for the purpose of garnering votes and get elected. "The Applicants are of the considered view that the interpretation given to Section 123(3) and (3A) of the Representation of the People Act,...has had the effect of encouraging political parties to use religious appeals for garnering votes under the color of the proposition that 'Hindutva' is not a religion but a 'way of life'." The relevant section of the RP Act deals with "corrupt practices" and reads: "The appeal by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for any person on the ground of his religion, race, caste, community or language or the use of, or appeal to religious symbols or the use of, or appeal to, national symbols..., for furtherance of the prospects of the election of that candidate or for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate" would amount to corrupt practices. Yesterday, the apex court asked whether non-contesting spiritual leaders or clerics can be held accountable for "corrupt practices" under electoral law for asking voters to vote for a particular party or candidate. "How can a person, who himself has neither contested nor returned as a winning candidate, be tried for allegedly resorting to corrupt practices under the Representation of the People (RP) Act," it had asked. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Abhiram Singh whose election as an MLA in 1990 on BJP ticket from Santacruz assembly seat in Mumbai was set aside by the High Court, referred to section 123(3) of the Act and had said that corrupt practice can only be established if either the "candidate or his agent" seek votes on the name of religion. If any other person, like late Bal Thackeray and late Pramod Mahajan in the present case, sought votes on these grounds, referred to in the RP Act, then there has to be the "consent" of the candidate, he told the bench, which also comprised. The issue assumes significance as questions were raised on its 1995 verdict which held that vote in the name of "Hindutva/Hinduism" did not prejudicially affect any candidate, and since then three election petitions are pending on the subject in the apex court. The apex court's three-judge bench in 1995 had held that "Hindutva/Hinduism is a way of life of the people in the sub-continent" and "is a state of mind". The judgement was delivered in the case of Manohar Joshi versus N B Patil which was authored by Justice J S Verma who found that the statement by Joshi that the 'first Hindu State will be established in Maharashtra' did not amount to appeal on ground of religion". The issue of interpretation of section 123(3) again arose on January 30, 2014 before a five-judge which referred it for examination before a larger bench of seven judges. The seven judges is now dealing with the appeal filed in 1992 by Abhiram Singh. A three-judge bench on April 16, 1992 had referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench Singh's appeal in which the same question and interpretation of Section 123(3) was raised. While the five-judge bench was hearing this matter on January 30, 2014, it was informed that an identical issue was raised in an election petition filed by Narayan Singh against BJP leader Sunderlal Patwa and the another Constitution Bench of five judges of the apex court had referred it to a larger bench of seven judges. Thereafter, the five-judge bench had referred Singh's matter also to the Chief Justice for placing it before a seven-judge bench. LINCOLN Nebraskans looking at individual health insurance plans under the federal Affordable Care Act likely will be shocked at the price increases for next year an average 50 percent premium hike. The actual increase depends on where you live, whether you are a smoker and other factors. But the premiums have gone up significantly, said Martin Swanson, with the Nebraska Department of Insurance. The premiums for small-group insurance are rising much less, an average of 16 percent, he said Wednesday during a public forum sponsored by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry. For example, a silver plan under ACA will cost a 28-year-old about $337 a month in the group market next year, but about $425 in the individual market, said Chris McPike, a vice president of ComPro, a health insurance brokerage company. A family with two adults and three children will pay about $1,900 a month for an individual plan and less than $1,500 a month under a group plan, she said. A couple, both 63, who retired early, will pay around $1,000 a month for an individual plan next year, unless they qualify by income for some tax credit subsidy, she said. That is the reality of what we are looking at in the individual market, she said. The higher costs are being driven by several factors. Younger people are not purchasing health insurance, and the people who are are using services at a higher rate than predicted, thus driving up the costs on individual plans, said Swanson. Insurance companies have found "they are spending about $1.04 for every dollar they take in, and they cant make money on that, he said. The problem is not going to go away. And the people feeling the pain the most are folks who dont receive a subsidy. They are paying the full freight, Swanson said. About 89 percent of Nebraskans purchasing insurance on the individual market do receive at least some subsidy. Fortenberry said he believes health care cost containment will be achieved by consumers with high-deductible plans who look at prices of health care procedures and prescriptions and pressure health insurance companies for lower costs. For example, people can save money by shopping around for prescriptions, according to Matthew Leonard, director of sales for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. A prescription may cost $100 at one pharmacy and $210 at another, he said. With a move to plans with larger deductibles, people are not insulated from the costs as they were when they simply made co-payments, he said. But a consumer in the audience said getting full information about the costs of a health care procedure is impossible. Jill Jank said there are other charges beyond the basic hospital or doctor charge that the consumer doesnt know about until later. And even getting basic information is difficult because the insurance company and hospital pass you back and forth. "You get the runaround," she said. Others at the forum also pointed out that doctors often cant share cost information with patients, and pharmacies cant share details unless they are asked by the consumer. When ACA, or Obamacare, began three years ago, insurance leaders expected the small group market to dissipate. That first year, the group market did decline as employers dropped coverage, believing their employees would be better off with individual plans and tax subsidies. But now many small employers are looking at health insurance as part of a benefit package to keep and attract employees, said McPike. Designing and decorating a home has a lot to do with what and where you are influenced by. Cultural influences, tastes and preferences are largely reflected in the way you maintain your home. If youre an avid traveller, you surely pick up stuff from different parts of the world you visit. And they certainly hold a prized place in your home. However, over the years, if a lot of objet dart is stocked up, the home can end up looking like a museum. To avoid this, you can plan your interiors with mix and matches and rotation of elements to avoid any clashes of decor. The well-travelled lookSo, youve picked up knick-knacks, expensive Swarovski crystals, Murano glassware or Moroccan blue pottery and a lot of such priceless items that each tell a story and transport you back to the vacation, bringing peace, relaxation and may be even pride. But then, all of them cannot be displayed at one go. So, we give them their turns to come up on the centre stage and be in the limelight for a specific time, gelling with the rest of the decor elements, and then find them a new place. The shelf is one place where boundaries and cultures of countries dissolve and merge. So, an Asian elephant can stand peacefully with an African jumbo. Maps are an interesting way to go back to that road once travelled, or to depict civilisations and kingdoms from the past, says Gargi Bhattacharya, a Delhi-based artist. Old maps featuring the Egyptian or Harappan civilisation areas can be procured from curio shops. They dont just tell history, but also attract a lot of attention. For the French connection, say it in the baroque style, characterised by ornate carvings and details, like intricate toile wallpaper, gold tinted chandeliers, heavy brocades and plenty of gold. You can even create a Moorish magic with hanging lanterns and comfortable low seating, preferably in whites or pales and a lot of amethyst purple all over. My husbands work takes me all over the globe and I love it. But what I love the most is that I get to see and interact with many cultures and pick up art pieces that remind me of my visit. Africa and Asia have been my favourite destinations for purchasing art pieces. I particularly like to invest in art that is fading away. For instance, Suzani, a textile thats embroidered, and a decorative tribal textile made in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries have been one of my picks, adds Shama Faridi from Mumbai. Say it with flowers Flowers have the ability to change the atmosphere in your home in an instant. If marigold and lotus remind us of India, peace lily and daisies can create an instant Victorian look. Whats more, they also act as air purifiers and are easy to grow and maintain. Show off your green element by growing amaryllis, which is perfect to be grown in glass jars, says plant enthusiast Swapna Soni. In ancient Egypt, flowers were frequently arranged in stylised ways and used as table decorations or were placed in vases at strategic corners. Cut flowers in a tall glass signify simplicity and elegance. Japanese cherry blossoms are the prettiest thing in the world. Sadly, they come only once a year in spring time. But their beauty can definitely adorn your home all year round. Artificial flowers, if kept dusted and well arranged, can add beauty and charm to any space. Look for exquisite flower arrangements available locally and place them either on a basin top, corner table, hang them from the window sill or simply keep them on the bed side. Inspirations galore If your home style is contemporary, use modern materials such as laminate or designer woods. Devika Shastri from Mumbai, with a keen sense of design, has designed her space to reflect a Chinese zen temple. Even her not-so-small powder room has a small zen statue and small tapestry to gel with the rest of the house. We must experiment and go for different styles and shades as much as we can. Not only does this help one take stock of what is needed and what is not, but also brings in fresh energy each time you move objects and redesign, she says. A Mediterranean, Italian, French, Tuscan or Tudor look is not difficult to create. Look for the right elements be it furniture, upholstery, drapes, artefacts, colours, plants, or visual elements like water bodies, lighting etc. Thanks to globalisation, there is now an easier and wider availability of home decor products and designs for consumers. And online purchase is the fastest way to get your favourite design elements from anywhere in the world, says Delhi-based interior designer Saarika Sethi. Collectors shelf Many of us are collectors and we live our passion with a lot of dedication. However, storage and decor limitations shouldnt deter us from showing off our collection, no matter how massive it is. Arun Tewari from Haryana has a collection of hats from all over the world. Now this requires some patience and a lot of space to display. His wife has created a special display cabinet for him to arrange the various hats. The hat section has become quite a topic of discussion with our guests. The best part is that I can retell the stories behind each one of the hats to my friends, says Arun proudly. Passions need space and a creative display. Saarika says, I have had a client who wanted to position his collection of dinky cars from all over the world. So, I created a wall mounted shelf that could position the cars without any crowding. There was a lot of empty space created for newer ones to join the lot. Sourcing Its not always necessary to travel all the way to get your favourite decor element. Be a regular with art shops, curio exhibitions, flea markets, antiques shops, garage sales and auctions to spot your global beauty. Online sites too offer many options from around the globe. At a time when the Sino-Indian relationship is on a downswing, it is heartening that soldiers of the Indian and Chinese armies are engaging in joint military exercises in the icy heights of the Himalayas. Joint military exercises between the two countries are not new; the two neighbours have engaged in several rounds of such exercises as part of the Hand-in-Hand exercises since 2007. However, what makes the Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise significant is its venue. It is being held in territory where the two armies were locked in combat during the 1962 war and where some of the fiercest battles took place. In February this year, the first round of this exercise was held on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Controls (LAC) Chusul sector. The just-concluded sequel to that was on the Indian side of this sector. Importantly, it was in Ladakh making it the first time that Sino-Indian joint exercises are being held in Jammu and Kashmir. The relationship between border guards and patrolling personnel of the Indian and Chinese armies deployed along the LAC sometime turns tense over alleged incursions by the other. In a marked departure from that, India and Chinese soldiers are engaging in cooperative operations as part of the HADR exercise. It involved simulating joint rescue, evacuation and relief operations in the event of a natural disaster striking a village along the LAC. Besides building stronger bonds between soldiers of the two armies, the joint exercises would have contributed to the confidence of communities living in remote areas along the LAC. This is important especially in the context of the Himalayas having witnessed several natural disasters including quakes and avalanches in recent years and scientific predictions pointing to a major quake here in the coming years. China was willing to participate in Ladakh as it does not have territorial claims here; it is in control over Aksai Chin, territory that India claims. The question is whether the Chinese will agree to a joint military exercise next in Arunachal Pradesh? It would require them to shake off their rigid position of laying claim to territory in Arunachal. More than the joint exercise in Ladakh, it is an exercise in Arunachal that could prove a turning point in the Sino-Indian quest for a settlement of their disputed border. That would be a major milestone in the Sino-Indian conflict over the border. The ongoing judicial saga in Pakistan against the execution of Asia Bibi has taken a curious twist with one of the three judges, Justice Iqbal Hamid-ur-Rehman recusing himself from hearing the final appeal. This, ostensibly, since he had heard the linked case involving the former governor of Punjab state Salmaan Taseer. Asia Bibi, belonging to the minority Christian community, has been convicted under the notorious and dubious, blasphemy laws. In 2010, she was sentenced to death by hanging in a district court. This has since pricked the collective conscience of the progressive world and some educated quarters within Pakistan, like Salman Taseer, who stood up for her against the blasphemy laws, and paid the ultimate price of getting executed in cold blood by his own security guard. Blasphemy, like terror is an ambiguous and undecided issue for the Pakistani establishment. It is a political hot-potato that typifies the multitude of contradictions in the Pakistani narrative. Genealogically, Pakistan was born of the concept of two-nation theory that is premised on a separate state for Muslims yet, a powerful case for secularism was envisaged by the Qaid-e-Azam (father of the nation) Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in his policy speech on August 11, 1947: You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state. This contradictory ambiguity at birth has retained the opportunity for the rulers of Pakistan to twist the interpretation to suit the political expediency and necessities of the times that be. While the Pakistani military (which officially ruled for 35 out of the 70 years of independence) is institutionally inclined towards secularism (but for the reign of General Zia-ul-Haq, who sowed the seeds of overt Islamisation), the civilian politicians have invariably been susceptible to pander to the religious bigotry of the mullahs for electoral gratification and crowd-sourcing. Geographical contiguity to Afghanistan had led to the massive influx of monies to support themujahidin movement of the 1980s. The pumping of support by the western powers (on the last leg of the cold war) and by the generous doles of the Gulf monarchies resulted in debilitating infusion of militancy and puritanical strains of Islam within the Pakistani mainstream. Since then, the proliferation and regressive agenda of the Wahhabi-inspired madrasas in the Pakistani hinterland and frontiers has changed the societal fabric from a secular and inclusive approach, towards an aggressively intolerant framework that is at short fuse with the myriad minorities. The dangerous slide into religious extremism soon morphed into terror groups, which besides impacting the neighbourhood (India and Afghanistan) has earned Pakistan the notoriety as the hub of global terror. The current set of Pakistani blasphemy laws owe their form and content to Zias Islamisation drive that added multiple clauses and penalties (including death, or imprisonment for life to punish blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad as in the case of Asia Bibi, which if carried out, will be the first person to get executed for blasphemy, though over 50 people have been murdered by the restive populace even before the formal trial got over). A simple accusation of blasphemy is enough to make a case against the vulnerable minorities. Therefore, a disproportionately high number of minorities like the Christians, Hindus and evenAhmediyas (declared non-Muslim, since 1973) are the targets of blasphemy accusations. Basic electoral sensitivities have ensured that the political parties have not made any corrective or protective changes for the targeted minorities. Fundamentalist lobbies Pressure from the powerful fundamentalist lobbies, religious parties and wary citizenry has relegated the support for Asia Bibi to the very limited fringes of the educated classes. International support for her case is seen conspiratorially as yet another example of western interference, compromise of Pakistani sovereignty or as an affront to the Pakistani judicial system. No contrarian view to the blasphemy law is allowed to be expressed or tabled without an implied threat of accompanying violence. Soon after Taseers murder, Shahbaz Bhatti, the Minister for Religious Minorities (a Christian himself), was shot dead in broad daylight for espousing the case Asia Bibi. This case is reflective of the leadership paralysis that has gripped the Pakistani establishment and tests its resolve to effectively counter the implosive tendencies. Already, murmurs of judges getting apprehensive about their personal security is doing the rounds. Earlier, the upholding of the death sentence to Mumtaz Qadri, the guard who killed Salman Taseer, had forced the Supreme Court judges to retreat shamefully from the backdoor in order to escape the public wrath of punishing a man, seen to be supporting the spirit of the blasphemy laws. Given the current Pakistani background, the will of the lawmakers and the judiciary to take an unbiased stand in the Asia Bibi case is suspect. It is only the military establishment which can somehow step in and take an unpopular position of standing up to the blasphemy laws. For all its intrigues, complicities and murk, the Pakistani military is essentially against the mullahs/clergy in the battle for institutional supremacy in Pakistan. However, it is also a past-master in duality of approach (for example, it is firm on Pakistan-facing terror groups while being supportive of the India-facing and Afghanistan-facing terror groups). Often, the faultlines in Pakistan are genealogical and unfixable as they are a means of ensuring relevance to the said institutions. Tension and terror in the neighbourhood is an existential requirement for the Pakistani Army, sectarian violence and religious pandering is a tool of political relevance for the politicos and the retention of poverty and ignorance an invaluable hook for the clergy. India - often referred to as the pharmacy of the world supplies one third of the worlds medicines at cheapest prices. Many countries and international healthcare development agencies rely on India for their medicine supply. Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres') source as much as 80% of their HIV medicines supply from India. Therefore, it is surprising that India has failed to challenge the oligopoly in global trade in insulin. Even more puzzling is the fact that even a century after insulin was first used to treat diabetes, it remains inaccessible to millions globally. Studying the private sector insulin market in Delhi, Abhishek Sharma and Warren Kaplan of Boston University in a recent issue of BMJ Global Health concluded that India, despite having its own insulin production capabilities, performs dismally in making its own insulin available to Indian patients. Access to insulin in pharmacies in Delhi, for example, is poor. Insulin is sold at unaffordable prices when compared to the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark. Indian companies like Biocon and Wockhardt have been manufacturing insulin in India and even exporting insulin products. Only three pharma giants (Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Eli Lilly) control the bulk of global insulin production and supply. Denmark, France and Germany exported 85 to 96% of global retail insulin (by value) during 2004-2013, according to Insulin Trade Profile report by Sharma, Kaplan and their colleagues at Boston University. As the unmodified human insulin protein is no longer patentable, market leaders maintain their dominance by fashioning incremental changes to the insulin protein and obtaining patents. Further, the more expensive, tweaked versions of human insulin known as insulin analogues come in patented combinations that include a delivery device. I cant see how a newer valve or cap is a real biomedical innovation that is worthy of patent protection says Kaplan. Its just a ruse to extend market monopoly. The manufacturers assert that these analogues have the advantage of fewer, less painful injections per day, and greater convenience. Such insulin analogues, in patented delivery-device combinations, cost 5-9 times more (in Delhi) than human insulin. Are these insulin analogues better? There are papers claiming this but the US Food and Drugs Administration, the last word in pharma affairs, has formally declared that insulin analogues are not better in treating the disease. The WHO is of the same opinion. The cruel irony is that insulins manufactured by Indian companies have not yet earned the trust of Indian doctors and patients. This trust deficit is in sharp contrast with objective reality. Biocons insulin glargine (an insulin analogue) has already been launched in Japan, a country well known for its very strict policy on medicine imports. Biocon has also entered the Malaysian market. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) allows imported medicines a mark-up margin over manufacturing cost (35% if a local version exists, else 50%) to cover distribution/sale costs and profits. For years, foreign companies received 50% margins despite Indian insulin products already in the market. They claim that insulins are biologics (not small molecules) and cannot be treated as equivalent unlike small molecule generics. Further, for imported products, the NPPA calculates mark-up margins as percentage of the inflated landing prices. What makes it worse for Indian companies is that NPPA price controls are stricter for domestic insulins than their imported equivalents. Sub-optimal policy framework and lack of transparency in declaring production costs allow foreign companies to generate higher revenues, financing their aggressive marketing strategies, leading to oligopoly, says Sharma. Direct sales The problem does not end there. The BMJ Global Health study found that only 25% of the pharmacies in Delhi stocked human insulin manufactured by Indian companies. One wonders how the Make in India policy has overlooked this incongruity. This, Abhishek and Kaplan argue, could be a result of multinational companies supplying insulin directly to patients through doctors. This strategy works well because manufacturers can offer the patient a discount. Consequently, the retail pharmacies find it unprofitable to stock insulins, especially the less expensive brands. Having sidestepped the pharmacies, the supply chain becomes fragile, further strengthening the oligopoly. The oligopoly of insulin trade and the global dependence on imported insulin from three or four manufacturers, operating from very few countries, is in complete contrast with most of the other life-saving medicines like antibiotics. The global insulin supply chain is even more fragile for smaller and poorer economies which depend on imports from very few countries. Any disruption in imports would mean death to many. Despite having surmounted the regulatory rigors of Japan and Malaysia, it is unfortunate that Indian healthcare professionals ignore the affordable opportunity offered by these indigenous insulin products. Policy makers would do well to check for bioequivalence between standard insulin products. (The writer is a professor at Manipal University, Manipal) Despite claims by the West Bengal government that the land at Singur, where the Tata Motors factory previously stood, is cultivable again, farmers believe it will take at least two years to grow crops like potato on the land. The agricultural hamlet in Hooghly district has been traditionally known for its bumper potato harvest. A large section of farmers, who owe the repossession of their land to a Supreme Court verdict, believe the soil will need a lot of churning and tilling to regain its earlier fertility. True to their instincts, developed over years of farming, the land acquired to set up the proposed Nano factory can now grow only crops like mustard, sesame and pulses. Before the factory was set up, a large percentage of land at Singur produced as many as five crops, including potato, rice, cauliflower, jute and variety of pulses. While growing mustard and sesame was an afterthought for most farmers, the current state of the land forced them to grow these crops. On Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was present to hand over the physical possession of land, as she distributed the land deeds to farmers on September 14. She also spread mustard seeds as a symbolic measure to restart farming on 997 acres, which was stopped in 2006, when the erstwhile Left Front government acquired the land to help set up the Tata plant. Even though local Trinamool Congress MLA and former agriculture minister, Becharam Manna, claimed the state government is returning the land in a cultivable state, agriculture and soil experts express doubts that after lying fallow for a decade, the land is not likely to retain its fertility. While the plant stood on more than 250 acres of the total acquired land, since the area was low-lying, its height was increased by piling tonnes of sand, fly ash and solid waste. While this process itself would have rendered the land infertile, Manna claimed around 400 acres are ready for cultivation. Mamata handed over 23 plots spread over 6.71 acres on Thursday, with plans to hand over 50 to 60 land plots everyday. The government is also installing 50 mini-deep tube-wells for better irrigation, besides distributing free seeds, fertilisers, and providing a one-time grant of Rs 10,000 to each farmer. Farmers like Ganesh Koley, Naba Kumar Ghosh and Jugal Kishore Ghosh, however, did not seem to share the governments confidence over the lands renewed cultivability. Jugal said that the government decided to start with mustard because crops like mustard, sesame and pulses release nitrogen and help land gain fertility. Weve to grow such crops for a few years till the land regains nutrition. It could take as long as four years for the land to be properly cultivable so that we can grow potato or rice, he said. After unsuccessful attempts to sell the Kingfisher House in Mumbai, the brand Kingfisher and a jet, banks attempt to auction Kingfisher Villa in Goa has also failed. The banks, which lent money to Vijay Mallyas Kingfisher Airlines, are having a hard time in getting back their money.According to reports, SBICAP Trustee, which was auctioning the property, did not receive the earnest money from interested buyers for the bungalow of Mallya, who has been declared a proclaimed offender by a Mumbai special court. The reserve price for the property has been set at Rs 85.29 crore and interested buyers were required to submit 10% of the reserve price as earnest money, according to the bidding document. Lenders, led by State Bank of India, had taken possession of Kingfisher Villa in May after the business tycoon failed to repay principal and interest totalling to over Rs 9,000 crore. Some of the other banks which lent to Mallya include Bank of Baroda, Allahabad Bank, Federal Bank and Axis Bank. Lenders had earlier tried to auction Kingfisher House in Mumbai. The property found no takers due to a high reserve price, according to real estate experts. Mallya, 60, often referred to as King of Good Times, left India on March 2 using a diplomatic passport. The ED is also seeking to invoke the India-United Kingdom Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to extradite Mallya from Britain. The ED and the CBI are jointly investigating a bulk of cases against Mallya. It may be recalled, the ED and the CBI had requested Interpol to issue red corner notice against the businessman for evading law enforcement agencies in India. In the past too, the ED had asked around six lenders of Kingfisher Airlines to furnish details of the financial transactions conducted by the grounded air carrier and its top executives. NEHAWKA A family of six was killed in an early morning house fire northeast of Weeping Water, but the cause remained under investigation late Thursday. Nebraska State Fire Marshal investigators couldn't confirm the number of deaths in the rural Cass County home at 10014 McKelvie Road, according to a news release. But a family member said on Facebook that Mike and Michelle Speer and their four daughters, Elli, Adilynn, Emma and Anniston, were killed. Autopsies will be performed following recovery efforts, the release said. Late Thursday afternoon, investigators patrolled the property as fire crews sprayed water on the charred remains of the white two-story farmhouse, located in a grove of trees surrounded by soybeans along a gravel road. Part of the green-shingled roof lay on the pile of ashes with the chimney the only part of the house intact. Its basically a two-story house, and its completely on the ground, Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Matzner told Flood Communications. We dont have any walls standing. A neighbor called 911 reporting people were inside the burning home just after midnight Thursday, the release said. Fire and rescue crews from Weeping Water, Manley and Avoca along with sheriff's deputies arrived to find the two-story home engulfed in flames, the release said. But they couldn't get inside the blazing home, Matzner said. The State Fire Marshals Office is being assisted in the investigation by the Cass County Sheriff's Office and Cass County Attorneys Office. Investigators didnt release additional details Thursday and authorities said the investigation would likely continue into Friday. The Speers bought the house 6 miles northeast of Weeping Water in July, according to the Cass County Assessors Office. Family members couldn't be reached for comment Thursday evening. A few Muslim corporators of the Congress party are said to have threatened to resign for being sidelined. Their grouse is that none of them has been made chairperson of any standing committee of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The corporators called on Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Thursday evening and reportedly threatened to resign. Among those who complained were Abdul Rakeeb Zakir, Seema Altaf Khan, Mohammed Rizwan and Shakeel Ahmed. They were aggrieved that Venkatesh, a first-time corporator, has been made chairperson of the appeal standing committee, while Muslim corporators who have been elected several times were ignored. Khan is learnt to have threatened to resign on October 25 if she is not made chairperson of any standing committee. When contacted, Dinesh conceded that some Muslim corporators called on him and aired their grievances, but he insisted that none of them was resigning. BJP Lok Sabha member Varun Gandhi has been honey-trapped by a notorious arms dealer, a business insider has told the Prime Ministers Office. C Edmonds Allen, US-based lawyer and former partner of Delhi-based arms dealer Abhishek Verma, has made the sensational charge, backing it up with documentary and photographic evidence. He believes Varun revealed classified defence information to the dealer. Varun has denied the charges. Honey-trapping refers to the use of attractive women to elicit information from people in key positions. Verma, the arms dealer in question, has been named as an accused in the Navy War Room leak and Scorpene submarine deal case of 2005. He was arrested by the CBI, and is out on bail. Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan and Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav made the contents of Allens letter public at a press conference here on Thursday. Besides Varun, Verma has also trapped Air Marshal H Masand, according to the whistle-blower. Verma was looking for a big-ticket deal to sell, on behalf of his client, basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The contract was eventually bagged by a Swedish company, and not by the US firm for which Verma had roped in Masand as a deal-maker. Over the years, Allen has provided hundreds of documents and photographs to the investigating agencies. On September 16, he sent a detailed letter to the Prime Minister's Office on how Gandhi and Masand had been compromised by Verma. The dealer is said to have flaunted his links with the MP to executives of arms companies abroad. Gandhi was a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014). Verma was accused of playing middleman in the Rs 18,000 crore Scorpene submarine deal. Gandhi has denied the allegations. I met Abhishek Verma when I was 22 and studying in London. I have not met him since. The allegations are baseless. I will file a defamation suit against Prashant Bhushan, the 36-year-old MP from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh said. He also said no secret information worth leaking was shared at House panel meetings. He dismissed the photos as "not genuine". Allen's letter is said to be accompanied by a compact disc containing hundreds of intimate photos of Gandhi, collected since 2002. Copies of the letter, accompanied by the photos, were sent to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advsior Ajit Doval as well. The evidence submitted includes intimate photos of Masand and some others associated with Verma. We have hundreds of sleazy photographs, which we are not releasing. It's not a matter of sleaze but national security. We want to know why the government is sitting on this despite having all evidence. No fresh FIR was filed against Verma, despite the PMO having the evidence for the last two months, said Bhushan. Bhushan and Yadav claimed the NDA government had chosen to ignore the evidence because it has recently clinched the Rafale fighter jet deal, involving Thales, a French armament major and one of the key suppliers in the Scorpene submarine deal. It is said to have links with Verma. The police are trying to trace the persons with whom RSS worker Rudresh spent an hour before he was murdered on Kamaraj Road on October 16. He received a call after he returned home from the RSS event. He left the house again and reached the Shivajinagar circle after an hour. Rudresh met a few persons before reaching the circle. The police are trying to trace these persons for questioning, to get some leads, city police commissioner N S Megharikh said. A section of the electronic media telecast a picture of two men fleeing in a bike, claiming that the two were Rudreshs assailants. However, Megharikh clarified that the duo on the bike had nothing to do with those who murdered Rudresh. The police have so far not released any sketches oraphotos of the suspects, he said. They said that the investigation so far was based on the number plates of some bikes in the area. The suspects had used a wrong number plate to mislead the police, Megharikh said. Our teams are working on all angles. There is no clarity yet regarding the suspects and their motive, Additional Commissioner (East) P Harishekharan said. BJP writes to Centre, seeks NIA probe The state BJP has sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the murder of RSS worker Rudresh, in Bengaluru. In a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, state BJP General Secretary C T Ravi has stated that the state government and Bengaluru city police are trying to dilute the investigation by trying to blame a domestic dispute as the reason for the murder. The real reason behind the killing of Rudresh has to be found out since there has been a rise in the killing of Sangh and BJP volunteers in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala by radical Islamic groups, the letter stated. In a bizarre interpretation of law, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has denied information about the controversial steel flyover, saying it is private and not in the public interest. A Right to Information (RTI) Act activist Saidatta had sought details over the tender notification for the proposed Basaveshwara Circle-Hebbal steel bridge, the firms that took part in the tender process and the cost quoted by them. In its three-page reply on October 13, the BDA stated that the information sought did not meet the definition of information under the RTI Act. The civic agency stated that it cannot provide information as the documents sought will have to be created and the details come under the terms and conditions between the BDA and private companies. The reply also stated that the information sought was personal and its disclosure had no relationship to any public activity or public interest. Quoting Section 8 (1) (j) of the Act, the BDAs letter states that the information sought was about a third person and that it may have to create certain documents to provide information sought by the applicant. The agencys information officer has cited the Central Information Commissions order stating, As per Section 2 (j) of the Act, no public authority can create any document. Citing an order by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, BDA said information about any project in the initial stages may not be revealed. The steel flyover project is still in its initial stages, it stated. Besides, the information sought is bulky in nature and its disclosure would involve disproportionately large diversion of resources. This also means the section concerned will have to spend too much of time to elicit information, the letter stated. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday came down heavily on the intelligence wing of the state police for its failure to accurately predict various incidents of mass violence in Karnataka in the recent times. The protest by garment factory workers in Bengaluru turned violent. Then, there were violent protests over the Cauvery issue in Benglauru, Ramanagaram, Mandya and Mysuru. Such incidents indicate the failure of the states intelligence wing, he said after presenting various medals to police officers at the Raj Bhavan. The chief minister acknowledged that intelligence wing officers were using traditional methods and were hence unable to gather definite leads on incidents of violence. He said that the state government was planning to take several steps to strengthen the intelligence wing. Siddaramaiah also expressed his displeasure over incidents of indiscipline that had brought disrepute to the force. There was a time when the Karnataka police was known as a disciplined force in the country. But some officers with vested interests tarnished this image, he said. The government will not tolerate any kind of indiscipline. The chief minister was likely referring to the Akhila Karnataka Police Mahasanghas call to lower-rung personnel to go on mass leave on June 4, 2016, in protest against poor pay, harassment by senior officers and improper leave structure among other issues. He continued, Police personnel should be physically and mentally fit. Lack of mental fitness is driving some policemen to suicide. Suicide is not the only solution to all the problems. This was a likely reference to some DySPs committing suicide alleging harassment by the higher-ups. Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the government was considering changing the nature of training imparted to police personnel. Police should be people friendly. They should have the capability to detect crimes in a technology-driven society. The government is thinking of reforming the training given to police, he said. At the ceremony, three police officers received Gallantry Medal, eight Presidents Police Medal for Distinguished Service and 55 Police Medal for Meritorious Service. DG&IGP Om Prakash and other senior police officers were present on the occasion. JD(S) MLA N H Konaraddi on Thursday said the Mahadayi river water sharing issue of can be resolved through talks if the BJP leaders make up their mind. The BJP is in power in both Maharashtra and Goa. The party leaders in Karnataka can convince the Chief Ministers of the neighbouring states to cooperate with the state in implementing the Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project. They can also urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and resolve the issue, he added. Besides, he said none of the leaders of the BJP and the Congress was serious in discussing the issue at the all-party meeting held on Wednesday at Vidhana Soudha. Meanwhile, BJP leader Jagadish Shettar on Thursday said the meeting between the chief ministers of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa to resolve the Mahadayi river water dispute could now be held on November 3. The meeting, that was to be chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 21 in Mumbai, had to be postponed after Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar expressed his inability to attend it. Shettar said he spoke to the Goa chief ministers office and got an indication that Parsekar wanted the meeting to be held during the first week of next month, preferably November 3. To celebrate those who had found the can in cancer, Pink Hope cancer patient support group and Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG) Oncology launched the third edition of Self V survivor stories contest on Thursday. The initiative encourages survivors to talk about their fight against cancer so that others who have been diagnosed can draw inspiration and strength from their stories. These stories are in the form of one-minute videos which participants have to upload on the Self V website or Facebook page. A participant in the previous edition of Self V stories, Ruchi Dilbagi said, People think that once you are diagnosed with cancer, your life is over. But as a single mother, I continued to work even during my treatment for four years. I married another cancer survivor and I am cured and happy now. Talking about the impact of the Self V stories, she recollected, I was in a mall one day when a woman walked up to me and said that she had seen my video. Her sister had been diagnosed with cancer and my story helped her believe that she could live through it. Stigma Dr Ajaikumar, CEO of HCG explained, In India, there is a lot of stigma around cancer so people sometimes avoid treatment to hide it. Also, there is a notion that it is incurable. The video stories will help survivors break out of the stigma and others can see that it is possible to live a normal life after cancer. Besides the video stories, the Pink Hope support group provides a forum for cancer patients to interact with survivors and take advice on treatments, coping with the stress and to help family members. At 72, Uma Pai is still living it up. Her youngest son was only 10 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. A single mother with three children, she said, There was no way I could take a break and nurse myself back to health because I had to provide for my children, she said. An entrepreneur, one of the first women in the real estate business, Pai had already been toughened up on the job and this helped her face cancer with courage. The contest will run till the end of November and the winning stories will be awarded by an independent jury. The San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) denied the application for the proposed new SOUL Charter School in Encinitas in a 4-0 vote on Oct. 13. The board had a chance to deny or to approve the school with conditions but after conversations with their legal representative Procopio and the California Charter School Association, SOUL decided to decline the conditional approval option, leaving the board only the option to deny the application. There were a variety of reasons that went into this decision but essentially it would put us in a state of limbo without a clear path to opening, SOUL co-founder Michael Grimes said. The conditions were not measurable, quantifiable conditions that could be definitely met. The district could have easily drawn out the process through April, preventing us from opening in 2017. It was an incredibly difficult decision in which we gave great thought and consideration. After weighing all outcomes and possibilities, we are confident that we made the right choice, Grimes said. SOUL will now begin the appeal process with the San Diego County Board of Education, where a charter has not been approved in years. Grimes said a lot will depend on how the county board election turns out in November but he believes the board is finally on the verge of becoming pro-charter. If not approved at the county, Grimes still believes SOUL has a chance to be approved at the state level. SDUHSD Interim Superintendent Eric Dill said the districts findings and conditions were quite lengthy. Staff identified numerous areas of concern with the petition, particularly with respect to the educational program, the budget, lack of an appropriate facility, governance and other miscellaneous elements. As such they could not recommend an unconditional approval of the petition. Nobody at all, from one end to another at this table, would question your passion, your interest and your desire to get this school going. I dont think that is at question at all, Dill told the applicants. We did do a very thorough analysis of the petition and we feel that all of that is within the scope of what weve been asked to do. Per the districts report on the petition, SOUL presented an unrealistic financial and operational plan; noting: They appear to lack the necessary background in education administration and leadership that is critical to effectively operate a charter school. The district was looking for a more comprehensive and accurate list of start-up costs, competitive salaries and health benefits, costs of books and supplies and budgeted expenses that account for SOULs plan to provide musical instruments and cameras to students, after-school tutoring, monthly workshops for parent/guardians that are free of charge, such as yoga and cooking classes. In its curriculum offerings, the district wanted to see a more comprehensive description of the educational program. Concerns included how SOUL would address English learners and students with disabilities, key metrics used to monitor student progress, the extent to which the school would offer elective college prep courses such as world languages and visual-performing arts and an assurance that SOULs plan for course sequencing in math and science would be in alignment for students who may transfer from SOUL to a district school. Associate Superintendent of Educational Services Michael Grove said it was difficult to assess the educational component because he didnt feel there was enough information in the petition to confidently say it would work. When we read the findings, we were surprised, Grimes said, noting there were elements of the findings that they understood and respected, however, some seemed to be over-reaching. Miles Durfee, managing regional director for California Charter Schools Association, said he was concerned that SDUHSDs action of conditional approval is not consistent with the law. He encouraged the board to instead approve SOULs petition and resolve any issues through a memorandum of understanding. Conditional authorization is not something that we made up, Dill said, noting it is a structure used by other school districts and the districts opinion is that it is both legal and sound. We felt that there was enough there in our findings that it could warrant a denial, however, we thought that if we wanted to give SOUL an opportunity, a way to cure those deficiencies in the petition would be a conditional authorization. Co-founder Marisa Bruyneel argued that she believes their petition was well-thought out, sound and comprehensive. Bruyneel said they have not deviated from the Common Core State Standards and all students would graduate prepared for college. She said SOULs core sequences and math program mirror that of San Dieguitos to ensure transferability and that foreign language, visual arts and other college prep courses will be offered. With regard to special education and the needs of all learners, Bruyneel said that they have worked with experts in the field to create a program that thoroughly addresses the needs of all students. We have provided countless reasons to approve us, Bruyneel said. Saying yes to SOUL is saying yes to possibility, to opportunity, innovation and collaboration. It would be a great disservice to deny an entire community of their right to choose an amazing educational option. Tom Nichols, from the Charter School Management Corporation, the back-office service provider for charter schools, also responded to questions about the budget and said he was confident in SOULs ability to succeed. Besides the financial component, the board members largest concerns were the educational curriculum. They voted unanimously to deny (with trustee John Salazar absent) as it was their only option. Theres 10 pages of items that are concerning, said SDUHSD President Beth Hergesheimer. We heard from you things you think can solve but that leaves a lot of questions still for meIm not comfortable if we cant put conditions on (an approval). Despite the denial, the SOUL co-founders will carry on as Bruyneel said, it has become her lifes work to open a school that creates a new educational paradigm. With a team like ours that has heart, passion, discipline and extensive experience, we will succeed. That is a guarantee, she told the board. Next year, when we open our doors, we hope youll be standing with us in unity. Jody Sleppy, 53, of Bethel, AK, passed away suddenly on November 10, 2016, with his family by his side, in Anchorage, AK. Jody Greg Sleppy was born on August 12, 1963, in Denver Colorado to John and JoAnn Sleppy. His parents were missionaries and moved the family to Alaska in 1969. He attended and graduated from Bethel Regional High School in 1981. Jody majored in Music at Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in San Dimas, California. He graduated from PCBBC in 1985. It was at bible college that Jody met the love of his life, Sheri Johnston. They were married on August 15, 1987, in Oregon. Jody held many titles, including pastor, son, brother, husband, father, and friend. The things that interested him most were reading, traveling, spending time with his family, singing, and helping those in need. Jody is preceded in death by his dad, John Sleppy and grandparents, Jerome and Ruby Sleppy, and John and Anna Strausz. Jody is survived by his wife, Sheri; children, Karissa, Lauren, Michael, and Caleb; sisters, Joni Tingue, Jonda Sleppy and Joyce Sleppy; and mother, JoAnn. Memorial service for Jody was on Saturday November 26, 2016 at Gladys Jung Elementary School. The family of Jody wishes to extend their sincere thanks to all of those who have given of their heartfelt time, words, and gifts. Share this: Tweet Email The deadline to apply for a $5,000 Our Language grant from Doyon Foundation has been extended to Friday, March 12, at 5 p.m. AKST. In a continuing effort to revitalize the endangered Native languages of the Doyon region, Doyon Foundation will award grants of up to $5,000 to support language revitalization efforts. Eligible organizations with an idea for a language revitalization project focusing on the languages in the Doyon region are encouraged to apply for an Our Language grant. Online applications are preferred; interested applicants may apply here. Hard copy applications are available upon request; contact [email protected] or 907.459.2162. Doyon region tribal governments/tribal councils/communities; nonprofit Alaska Native organizations, societies and community groups; and Alaska Native cultural, educational and recreational organizations/centers are eligible to apply for an Our Language grant. Learn more about the grant program, eligibility and application requirements on our blog. The 10 ancestral languages of the Doyon region are all severely to critically endangered, and will be lost within the span of a few generations if no action is taken. These languages are Neeaaneegn (Upper Tanana), Dihthaad Xteen Iin Aandeeg (Tanacross), Han, Dinjii Zhuh Kyaa (Gwichin), Dinaki (Upper Kuskokwim), Denaakke (Koyukon), Deg Xinag, Benhti Kokhutana Kenaga (Lower Tanana), Holikachuk, and Inupiaq. Learn more about the Doyon region languages and what Doyon Foundation is doing to support them. To apply for an Our Language grant, complete the online application. For additional information, contact Doyon Foundations language revitalization program at [email protected] or 907.459.2162. Share this: Tweet Email by Tad Lindley The atheist confronted the Christian, Do you carry a gun with you when you are in bear country? Why of course, wouldnt you, answered the brother. Isnt that hypocritical, asked the atheist, since you believe that when its Gods time for you to die, then it is time for you to die and there is nothing you can do to stop it? I suppose thats true Then atheist interrupted him, And isnt it also true that if a bear does attack you, and God doesnt want you to die, because its not your time to die, that he would miraculously save you? Thats also true, said the Christian man, you see I carry a gun when Im out there, because I got to thinking, What if God has decided that its the bears time to die? (Heard this joke on the radio, but cant remember who said it.) Weapons of our welfare We live in one of the most heavily armed regions of our nation. Most local homes have multiple firearms on hand, and those who can afford it usually have a healthy cache of ammunition as well. I would add that our men know how to use their weapons. The coastal villages here probably have the highest per capita bird harvest of any place on planet earth. The same for seal the seal harvest. This may be hard for someone who lives in a large city and eats exclusively from the grocery store to understand, but here weapons are a way of life. Weapons are our welfare (not welfare in the food stamp sense of the word, but welfare in the original meaning of the word. We fare well or live better, because of guns). Weapons of our warfare Although in ancient times, the Hebrews advanced the cause of the kingdom through warfare (please read Joshua to verify this), the New Testament is quite clear that our guns are not to be used for the advancement of the kingdom of God. In spiritual warfare, we have entirely different weaponry. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:4-5) What are our weapons? The most common shotgun judging by ammunition sales, is definitely the 12 gauge. For rifles, the .223 is very popular, as is the .308, and the .30-06, as well as numerous other cartridges. And some still hunt with bow and arrow, although this takes tremendous patience and skill. But in the spiritual realm we all have a common set of weapons: prayer, fasting, reading/hearing, and worship. It is upon these weapons that I will focus. Prayer This is the time when we commune with God. We are calling out needs in prayer, we are bringing the sick, the lost, the grieving before God. We are calling for the downfall of the strongholds of addiction, perversion, and mental illness, not in our strength, but in the might of God. Prayer is so important that when God was manifest in the flesh as Jesus Christ, he prayed often. Notice that with the likely exception of mealtimes, Jesus did not use pre-recorded prayers. Nor did the disciples. They prayed from the heart. Fasting In Matthew 6:16, Jesus said, When ye fast He did not say if you fast, he said when, which means that he expects his followers to fast. Some strongholds in the spirit realm cannot be broken by prayer alone. Consider the demon possessed boy of Mark 9:17-29. Prayer alone was not enough: And Jesus said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29) Reading and hearing We need to be constantly exposed to the word of God. It builds our faith. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) We hear the word when we are in a Bible believing and Bible teaching church. When we read the word, it sharpens our skills so that we can be battle ready. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15) Worship In John 4:24 Jesus told the woman, God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth. Worship is a powerful weapon against defeat. Look at what Job did (and it must have just about destroyed the devil, who thought he had Job against the ropes). After losing everything he owned and learning of the simultaneous deaths of his 10 children, Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. (Job 1:20) Fight right Whether we are struggling with our own fears, or trying to come against the issues bringing another down, we do it with prayer, fasting, studying, and worship. Tad Lindley is a minister at the United Pentecostal Church in Bethel, AK. Share this: Tweet Email by Calista Corporation Staff Calista (cha-LIS-tuh) Corporation announces the winners of the 2019 Calista Stock Will Contest. Two Shareholders won $1,000 each. Eligible Calista Shareholders are those with Class A or Class B shares and are at least 18 years of age. The contest winners are as follows: Michael Mojin (Shareholder from Nunapitchuk) and Jennifer Andrew (Shareholder with Bethel ties). Nearly 7,000 entries qualified for the contest by having a valid Calista Corporation stock will on file. All properly completed Calista Stock Will Forms physically received by Calista by 5 p.m. on December 6, 2019, were entered into the drawing. Any Calista Shareholder that had a previously completed a Stock Will Form were also eligible. Stock Will Forms can be downloaded from Calistas corporate website Common Forms page, and available directly from Shareholder Services. Calista Shareholder Services can be reached at 1-800-277-5516 toll-free, 907-275-2801, or [email protected] Valid Stock Will Forms must be signed and dated in front of a Notary or Postmaster, signed and dated by two witnesses who are not beneficiaries, and certified by the Notary or Postmaster. Calistas Class A and Class B shares can be inherited or gifted. Class C and D shares are life-estate only, which means they expire when the Shareholder passes. Share this: Tweet Email The page may have moved, you may have mistyped the address, or followed a bad link. Visit our homepage, or search for whatever you were looking for 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Williston, VT October 20, 2016 -- asicNorth announced today they have created a complete development ecosystem specifically targeted toward custom Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The asicNorth IoT Design EcoSystem is formed by linking key partners in system design, semiconductor design and process technology areas. Joining asicNorth are SoC Solutions, Faraday Technology, Silicon Creations, and UMC. By bringing together the unique expertise of these companies, asicNorth is able to offer IoT customers a streamlined platform for the creation of fully integrated devices for the IoT chip marketplace. At the center of any successful IoT device is the integration of analog IP, processing core, sensors, and digital IP all woven into a silicon technology that is cost effective and allows for rapid time to market in a constantly evolving IoT landscape. Currently, IoT customers have to seek out individual technology service providers and integrate the various complex circuit blocks themselves. asicNorth recognized the challenge IoT developers faced and solved it by creating this new ecosystem. Now, asicNorth is able to harness the unique capabilities of each partner member to give our customers a truly end to end solution. Here is what this partnership provides to potential IoT device customers: asicNorth offers its Analog IP and 16 years of mixed-mode design experience to craft IoT devices which meet the most demanding applications. We bring together solutions which leverage our expertise, and that of our partners, to deliver new IoT devices to market on time and at the right price. SoC Solutions, as an official ARM approved design partner, has products that are ideally suited for Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine to Machine (M2M) devices. Their proven IP and Software are optimized for low power ARM Cortex-M series designs. Silicon Creations provides PLL and Serial Link IP. Ultra-Low power PLL blocks are available for the most demanding IoT applications. Faraday Technologies has over 20 years experience providing ASIC and SoC design services. They support the full range of ARM Cortex microcontrollers and Processors. Additionally, they offer a rich library of IP and a variety of tools which allow architecture exploration, RTL development assist, and Virtual Platform capability to allow concurrent software development UMC brings world class advanced semiconductor technology to the table. As one of the largest Pure Play semiconductor foundries, UMC offers high quality, competitive pricing, and outstanding production capability. UMCs advanced technologies enable the future of Low Power / Mixed-Signal IoT devices. noted Srila LaRochelle, AVP of business Development. Were pleased to be part of this initiative and believe that such collaborations will accelerate the deployment of ubiquitous devices Faraday Technology has a proud history developing a large array of custom digital ARM-based SoCs for our Customers commented George Wells, Director. We are excited to be part of this new ecosystem bringing compelling mixed-signal ARM-based solutions to IOT devices. SoC Solutions is very excited to become a partner of the asicNorth IoT Design EcoSystem, says Jim Bruister President/CEO. Our more than 25 years of experience developing ARM based subsystems and software combined with asicNorths excellence in producing quality mixed signal designs is perfect for servicing the IoT market. Silicon Creations is delighted to be joining asicNorths IoT Design EcoSystem, says Randy Caplan, VP of Business Development. We have provided hundreds of analog IPs based on our flexible and robust PLL architecture. This includes PLLs optimized for IOT with only a few microwatts of power, no external components, and capable of locking to a 32kHz reference clock from a watch crystal. We look forward to providing competitive IoT solutions together with asicNorths other ecosystem partners. asicNorth is pleased to offer this new capability to our customers says Steve Stratz, VP. By aligning ourselves with such strong players in the system design, semiconductor design and manufacturing community, we can collectively help our customers to bring better IoT device solutions to market. ARM TechCon 2016 Exhibiting Announcement In an effort to showcase the newly created asicNorths IoT Design EcoSystem, asicNorth will be joined by SoC Solutions at the ARM TechCon from October 25th through October 27th, 2016 in Santa Clara, CA. ARM TechCons conference program is built to ignite understanding and innovation across the embedded systems industry, connecting thought leaders and professionals from around the country in order to push tomorrows industry today. Its an unmatched opportunity to share ideas, gather insight, and discover inspiration for your next project. By offering three full days of technical tracks, demonstrations, and industry insight from broad and deep levels of industry-leading companies and innovative start-ups, ARM TechCon remains more than a tradeshow; it is a comprehensive learning environment for the entire embedded community, uniting the software and hardware communities. The conference also hosts a large commercial exhibition featuring over 100 companies. Come visit us at booth #917. About ASIC North: ASIC North, INC was founded in January 2000 with one purpose in mind; to deliver the highest quality design services possible. In an industry that can be quite volatile at times, it is important to have a design partner that you can depend upon to deliver the skills you need when you need them. Today, asicNorth is enabling high-tech industry leaders and startups alike with a combination of design services in digital, analog, mixed-signal, and RF design. These capabilities, along with our focus on IP Design, Circuit Characterization; Supply Chain Management; and Turnkey Products allow us to support the needs of our clients at any point in the IC product development cycle. asicNorth is Bringing Analog / Mixed-Signal to ASIC Design. To learn more about asicNorth, visit us at www.asicNorth.com. About Faraday Technology: Faraday Technology Corporation is a leading fabless ASIC / SoC and silicon IP (intellectual property) provider, ranking in top 50 fabless IC suppliers in the world and top 10 in Taiwan. Headquartered in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, Faraday has services and technical support offices around the world, including in US, Japan, Europe and China. Since established in 1993, Faraday has been acknowledged its expertise and capabilities with over thousands of successful designs in a wide range of application, covering consumer electronics, multimedia, display, communication, networking, and PC peripheral/storage, along with hundreds of million ASIC chips shipped annually worldwide. Faraday is one of the few leading ASIC / SoC vendors with a comprehensive self-developed IP portfolio. Accumulating thousands of valuable IPs, Faradays IPs are mostly silicon-proven, and includes cell library, memory compiler, processor cores, analog IP, peripheral IP, and complete interface IP solutions. These IPs help to greatly lower customers integration risk, IP licensing costs, and shorten the time-to-market. To learn more about Faraday Technology, visit us at http://www.faraday-tech.com/index.jsp About Silicon Creations: Silicon Creations provides world class silicon IP for precision and general purpose timing (PLLs), SerDes and high-speed differential IOs. We have a deep commitment to our customers success and to providing complete support. Our careful development procedures and strong QA result in robust and correct designs. And in our labs we comprehensively test all key blocks. As a result our IP has an excellent record of first silicon to mass production in over 300 chips for over 100 customers. Our IP is used in diverse applications including mobile phones, consumer devices, processors, network devices and medical devices and in technologies from 180nm to 7nm, and has earned best-of awards from TSMC and SMIC. Silicon Creations was founded in 2006, is self-funded and is growing. We have development centers in Atlanta, USA and Krakow, Poland and world-wide sales representation. To learn more about Silicon Creations, visit us at http://www.siliconcr.com/ About SoC Solutions: SoC Solutions was founded in March, 2000 and is a privately held company in the greater Atlanta, Georgia area. Our focus is to enable the next generation of IoT (Internet of Things) and M2M (Machine to Machine) silicon devices by supplying our IP Subsystems and following them with world class services to successfully build innovative connected products. Our experienced ASIC and Embedded Software designers have a rich history of designing SOCs with embedded microprocessors which are crucial to building small connected smart chips. Our pre-configured IP Subsystems have been used successfully in numerous ASICs, SOCs, FPGAs and Structured ASIC designs, many of which have been in production for years. We have supplied IP to major OEMs and Semiconductor companies alike. Our well established comprehensive development flows help us quickly produce high quality products that will jumpstart any SOC design effort, Our processes include extensive verification at both system-level and stand-alone IP core level. We have a complete commitment to our customer success which has built solid partnerships and repeat customers and has resulted in an excellent record of product success. To learn more about SoC Solutions, visit us at https://socsolutions.com/ About UMC: UMC is a leading global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced technology and manufacturing for applications spanning every major sector of the IC industry. UMCs robust foundry solutions allow chip designers to leverage the companys leading-edge processes, which include 28nm poly-SiON and gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, mixed signal/RFCMOS, and a wide range of specialty technologies. Production is supported through 10 wafer manufacturing facilities that include two advanced 300mm fabs; Fab 12A in Taiwan and Singapore-based Fab 12i. Fab 12A consists of Phases 1-4 which are in production for customer products down to 28nm. Construction has been completed for Phases 5&6, with future plans for Phases 7&8. The company employs over 17,000 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Europe, and the United States. To learn more about UMC, visit us at http://www.umc.com/English/ Seoul, Korea, 21 October, 2016 Chips&Media, Inc. a leading video codec IP provider today announced that it has joined the Alliance for Open Media. The Alliance for Open Media is a non-profit organization working to define and develop media technologies that address the need for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web. As a member of the Alliance, Chips&Media will collaborate with industry leaders in pursuit of an open and royalty-free AOMedia Video codec, AV1. Over the past decade, Chips&Media has been providing SoC makers with best-in-class video solutions based on advanced technology expertise and global experience as a leader of video IP industry. Chips&Medias large market share and business strategies will contribute greatly to the expansion of the new video standard AV1. The Alliance has made its AV1 codec source code publicly available as an open source project, and the group welcomes contributions from the broader developer community. We are very pleased to participate in AOMedia. It is now obvious that AV1 will be one of the major next-generation video standards in the future, especially for internet application and UHD content market. We expect AV1 to add more value through collaboration with Chips&Media's IP solution. We also hope this can positively affect our future IP business. It is our goal to come out with the worlds first hardware implementation of AV1, so we will actively participate in the open video codec development. Said Steve Kim, CEO of Chips&Media. The availability of AOMedia Video as an open source project is an important element in fulfilling the organizations promise to deliver a next-generation video format that is: Interoperable and open; Optimized for internet delivery; Scalable to any modern device at any bandwidth; Designed with a low computational footprint and optimized for hardware; Capable of consistent, highest-quality, real-time video delivery; and Flexible for both commercial and non-commercial content, including user-generated content. "Were pleased to welcome Chips&Media to the Alliance for Open Media, reflecting the importance of hardware video solutions which enable SoC platforms to achieve broad industry adoption," said Gabe Frost, Executive Director, the Alliance for Open Media. "We look forward to contributions from Chips&Media to this significant initiative, which will open the door to a new era of openness and interoperability for internet video." About the Alliance for Open Media The Alliance for Open Media is a project of the Joint Development Foundation, an independent non-profit organization that provides the corporate and legal infrastructure to enable groups to establish and operate standards and source code development collaborations. Launched in 2015, the Alliance for Open Media was formed to define and develop media technologies to address marketplace demand for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web. About Chips&Media, Inc. Chips&Media is a leading video IP provider based in Seoul, Korea(Republic of). Its advanced ultra-low power and high performance video technology has been chosen by more than 70 top-tiers based in US, Europe, Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan and has proven in silicon reaching 400 millions of units. For more information, please visit the companys web site at www.chipsnmedia.com] Healthcare professionals are being urged to pay close attention to the bone health of people with diabetes. A new review, Epidemiology of Fractures in Diabetes, has looked at the different factors involving fractures, diabetes and the risk of further complications. The review said the risk of hip fractures has grown because of the increase of diabetes and obesity in an aging population, however little is being done to deal with the problem. It examined current findings on the risk factors which might affect fractures in those with diabetes, such as age, gender, smoking and alcohol use. The authors say more work is needed to better understand the links between fractures and diabetes, and especially to develop better risk calculators for fracture. They say the current method, which involves using a bone mineral density test, may not correctly predict fractures in people with diabetes. Previous research has shown that people with type 2 diabetes are 1.3 times more likely to have a hip fracture, and the risk is seven times greater for those with type 1 diabetes. Despite those figures, people with either condition are not normally checked by doctors for osteoporosis. They are even less likely to receive treatment for the bone condition when compared to those without diabetes. Professor Bo Abrahamse, from the Department of Medicine at the Holbaek Hospital in Denmark, said: Given that the global burden of both diabetes (currently 400 million people) and osteoporosis (currently 250 million) is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years, it is important that effective screening and prevention strategies are developed to reduce the risk of potentially devastating fractures in people with diabetes. The authors of the review have called for more research to be done into diabetes and fractures. The review has been published in the Calcified Tissue International and Research journal. PepsiCo Inc has announced that at least two third of its drinks will have reduced added sugars by 2025. Food and drink manufacturers such as PepsiCo are under increasing pressure to limit the amount of added sugar in the drinks with obesity and type 2 diabetes rates at all-time high levels and PepsiCos new target is more ambitious than its previous one. Originally, the New York-based giant had aimed to reduce added sugar by 25 per cent in certain drinks by 2020. Now, it is planning on scaling back global production of beverages containing more than 100 calories from added sugars in a standard 330ml can. Currently, around 60 per cent of PepsiCos beverages contain more than 100 calories from added sugars; the aim is to reduce that figure down to 33 per cent by 2025. Pepsi, the companys flagship beverage, contains 135 calories and 36 grams of sugar (nine teaspoons) in a 330ml can. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that no more than 10 per cent of an adults daily energy should be from free sugar, which equates to roughly 12 teaspoons of sugar a day. A single can of regular Pepsi therefore contains 75 per cent of this figure. This month, the WHO backed the introduction of a sugar tax, which it believes would help save lives and reduce cases of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Work is being done in the UK to tackle sugary drinks the government announced the introduction of a voluntary target in August for the food and drink industry to reduce sugar in products by 20 per cent in 2018, or they would face a tax. PepsiCo has also set targets for lowering sodium and saturated fat in their other products, such as snacks and dips, by 2025. On the surface, it is a positive move that PepsiCo is looking to reduce the proportion of its drinks that are highly sugary. But it is important that consumers are aware that sugary drinks become harmful when consumed on a regular basis. People with diabetes, or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, are generally advised to avoid sugary drinks altogether unless treating a hypo. Samsung is warning employees and suppliers to not speak of the Galaxy S8, but it doesn't seem to be working. Samsung is looking for new partners for the batteries on the Galaxy S8. The batteries on the Galaxy S8 will be made by LG Chem, some executives from Samsung claimed. According to reports, the company is looking at other suppliers, apart from LG Chem, as well. Interestingly, another report suggests that Samsung employees and suppliers have been warned not to discuss business operations, especially related to the Galaxy S8. It seems that like the Note 7 batteries, the warning hasnt worked either. According to a report from the Korea Herald, an official from one of Samsungs parts suppliers has revealed that the Galaxy S8 will have a dual-camera setup, along with an iris scanner, similar to the Note 7. The leak also seems quite believable, given the sudden inflow of dual-camera smartphones. The iPhone 7 Plus, Huawei P9, Honor 8, Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro etc. have made it evident that dual-cameras will be the future of smartphone technology. The Samsung Galaxy S8( 38000 at amazon) is expected to launch on February 2017, around MWC 2017. The device is doubly important for Samsung this time, after the massive failure of the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung essentially doesnt have a flagship right now and needs to undo the damage done to its brand from the Note 7 recall. For the uninitiated, the Galaxy Note 7 was recalled when users devices started exploding spontaneously due to a battery issue. Samsung at first recalled sold units, but the issues occured on safe units sent later as well, which prompted the company to completely stop production of the smartphone. Samsung is currently offering people exchanges, and cash credits for the Note 7. Long Island Medium (Theresa Caputo) works for Satan Shes charming, shes whacky, and shes got funny hair and crazy fingernails- shes also working for the devil. Sound harsh? Good. ... Fr.Longenecker vs Michael Voris Quote: "If the faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public."-St. Thomas Aquinas ... Catholic Controversy over "Son of God" movie It is seldom that I disagree with Michael Voris from Church Militant TV , but today I do. It seems some of the more traditional leanin... Banning Children from Gay Pride Parades ** WARNING : Adult homosexual content GRAPHIC GAY PRIDE PARADE PHOTOS ** Should children be banned from gay pride parades? Ye... Saint Peter taught me to love Pope Francis Anyone who has been following my blog [along with family and friends] know that I have had serious issues with Pope Francis since Holy We... What's up with Life Teen Catholic Youth Ministry? So I'm on Twitter when I see Ryan Fitz retweet a Creaky tweet about Catholic Life Teen Youth Ministry that caught my eye. Someth... Lonely: I pray for someone I came across two stories on Twitter recently about lonely people. The first was about an elderly woman who sat alone in her house for ye... Archdiocese of New Orleans has a gay problem There is something seriously wrong with the Archdiocese of New Orleans . Namely, they speak with a forked tongue. How can any Cath... Fr James Martin says the Virgin Mary opposed Jesus Christ because Jesus was crazy Father James Martin strikes again, taking another shot at the Holy Mother of God on his Facebook page . Martin says... get this.... Public Power Corporation S.A. has paid 144.14m to compensate the owners of 862 properties in the relocation of Pontokomi village, Greece, as it further develops its Ptolemaida power station. The relocation is deemed necessary for the exploitation of the underlying lignite reserves, which would supply the new Ptolemais V unit at the power station. On receipt of the funds, residents of the village would be able to relocate to the designated area, which has been prepared by the Kozani Municipality and the Region of Western Macedonia. Non-invasive leak detection and remediation solutions provider Water Intelligence announced a partnership as an industrial affiliate of the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago on Thursday. The AIM-traded firm and IME plan to collaborate on the commercialisation of technology for potable and non-potable water applications. We are delighted to collaborate with IME and admire its global reach, said Water Intelligence executive chairman Dr Patrick DeSouza. We look forward to commercialising IME technologies to provide non-invasive solutions to problems of water loss from leakage and problems emerging from the increase in gray water because of our decaying infrastructure. DeSouza said customers for the companys American Leak Detection and NRW Utilities brands will welcome IME's innovation. Dr Matthew Tirrell, Dean and Founding Pritzker Director of the Institute for Molecular Engineering, said the opportunity to cooperate with Water Intelligence gives the institute a great avenue to bring laboratory developments into the realm of applied water technologies. We look forward to this partnership bringing value both to our students and to society. Jefferies downgraded Aberdeen Asset Management to underperform from hold on Thursday but raised its target price to 254p from 240p as it took a look at the sector. Aberdeen reported better-than-expected assets under management in its third quarter results and the company has benefitted from a weaker sterling. Jefferies therefore has raised its earnings per share estimate by 8% in 2017. However the impact of a weaker sterling is attenuated by Aberdeen's sizeable non-sterling cost base, the broker said. Furthermore, driven by sentiment towards the sector and emerging markets, the share price has more than priced in these benefits. Hence, despite our price target upgrade, we downgrade Aberdeen to Underperform. On the wider sector, Jefferies said it is unwinding much of its post Brexit bearishness for the traditional institutional asset managers. Immediately after the UK voted to leave the European Union, the broker downgraded estimates on worries a decision making hiatus would sap inflows. Indeed, the sharp sector rally since would have left little upside to our price targets but for strong Q3 flows, the bank said. Whilst such high inflows are unsustainable, the third quarter gives us confidence to upgrade our estimates and reverse the post Brexit vote bearishness. Jefferies said it prefers diversified high quality companies Schroders and Jupiter Fund Management, reiterating a buy rating for the stocks. The broker raised its target price on Schroders to 3,112p from 2,705p and increased the target price of Jupiter to 491p from 406p. In an environment where uncertainty is high; there is an ongoing competition review by the FCA and regulatory capital requirements are edging up for the sector, we prefer the safety and certainty that diversified high quality names like Jupiter and Schroders provide. Jefferies also considers Man Group a "value play" with "defensive qualities". While the performance of the groups investment manager business AHL remains a drag on sentiment, this is more than fully reflected in the share price, Jefferies said. Moreover, Man is making the right moves to diversify away from its reliance on AHL. In this context we particularly like the foray in to private markets (triggered by the acquisition of Aalto) which provide a more stable institutional source of funds under management. Jefferies added that Man's conservative approach to rising capital requirements with a $300m surplus provides it with a defensive angle. The bank reiterated a buy rating on Man and lifted its target price to 143p from 141p. Crude futures were lower Thursday afternoon as Nigeria slashed its oil prices in a bid to recover lost market share. At about 15:08 BST, Nymex-priced West Texas Intermediate was down 1.71% to $50.72 a barrel, while Intercontinental Exchange-traded Brent had retreated 1.8% to $51.72 a barrel. Nigeria National Petroleum Corp has cut its official selling prices by at least $1 a barrel for 20 of 26 grades monitored by Bloomberg. The price drops came amid a huge glut of crude cargoes, and have been interpreted as a Nigerian bid to regain market share. Crude futures received a boost on Wednesday after a surprise drop in US inventories, but comments by Saudi Arabia that many nations were willing to join the OPEC output cut were apparently discounted. "If the pattern of declining inventories and rising expectations of an output cut persists, then oil could enjoy a bull run ahead of the 30 November meeting (of OPEC)," said FXTM research analyst Lukman Otunuga. "The lingering question on the back of everyone's mind is if OPEC will really move forward with a production cut as most investors have been left empty handed on numerous occasions," he said in a statement. Meantime, Comex-quoted metals were mixed. Gold added 0.23% to $1272.8 an ounce, with silver up 0.01% to $17.67 an ounce. Copper retreated 0.48% to 209.35 cents a pound. Three-month industrial metals prices on London Metals Exchange were mixed; copper and aluminum tapered and zin and tin rose. Gold's rise this week was due US dollar weakness, slightly easing expectations the US Federal Reserve would hike rates in December and US elections jitters. This attracted gold bulls. "From a technical standpoint, although gold is bearish on the daily timeframe, the current relief rally could send prices towards the $1285 (an ounce) resistance before sellers jump back in," opined Otunuga. Among agricultural futures, Chicago Board of Trade-quoted corn was down 0.63% to 355.25 cents a bushel, while wheat lost 0.83% to 416.75 cents a bushel. ICE-listed cocoa shed 0.44% to $2712 a MT, while cotton No.2 fell 0.13% to 71.01 cents a pound. The price of live cattle was up 1.24% to 98.33 cents a pound. Members of parliament approved a call to have former BHS boss Philip Greens knighthood removed after a debate on his suitability for the honour. The motion is however not binding as final decisions will have to be taken by the Honours Forfeiture Committee. Green is scheduled to meet with the pensions regulator this week to try to secure a deal over the collapse of BHS pension fund. The firm shortly went bankrupt after Green sold BHS to former racing driver Dominic Chappell last year. The wake of the collapse led to the loss of 11,000 jobs and a 571m pension deficit. The MPs have launched a cross-party attack on the retail mogul, with Labour MP David Winnick branding Green a billionaire spiv who should never have received a knighthood and has shamed British capitalism. He was shocked that he was knighted in the first place given is tax avoidance tactic of registering his business in his wifes name, who is a resident of Monaco. Chairman of work and pensions committee Frank Field said that one of the main findings of his committees report was that "literally nothing happened in BHS or Arcadia without Sir Philip knowing directly" and drew a comparison between Green and Napoleon. Another MP, Dennis Skinner, said Green was more like Robert Maxwell because he has robbed his workers of their pensions. A report by MPs published in July found Green had extracted large sums and left the business on life support. Field said Green made no attempt to offer a modest part of his fortune to resolve the issue affecting 22,000 employees. "We are dealing with a man who has huge sums in wealth. He could have dealt with the pensions problem and walked away smelling of roses," he said. The Labour MP said Green was not the King of the High Street but a successful asset stripper. "Were the actions of Sir Philip honourable? That is pertinent, because he received his honour for services to retail," he added. He is pressing for the pension regulator to take legal action against Green to settle the deficit. Prime Minister Theresa May appeared to condemn Green herself during her conference speech saying: "a director who takes out massive dividends while knowing that the company pension is about to go bust". In June Green told MPs that his advisers were working on a resolvable and sortable solution but the pensions regulator said they have yet to receive a comprehensive written proposal. Labour MP Iain Wright said: "If he has the mind and the will to do something, it happens quickly. He came before us on the committee on the 15 June and said he'd sort it. We're discussing this on the 20 October. Is that really reflective of somebody who wants to sort this? He does need to get his cheque book out." In an interview with ITV he said he was in a very strong dialogue with the regulator to find a solution but would not specify the level of financial support he would give. US carrier American Airlines exceeded expectations in its third quarter profits released on Thursday, despite a decline compared with the same period last year. Earnings were at $1.76 per share, 7 cents better than the $1.69 average from analysts. The world's largest airline benefited from a rise in domestic fares, as well as an improvement on its Latin American routes. Sales fell 1.1% to $10.6bn, the Texas-based carrier said in a statement Thursday, having been predicted by analysts to be $10.5bn. "With integration successes like this behind us, we are even more excited about the future. We are investing in our people and our product and are well along the path to restoring American as the greatest airline in the world," said chairman and CEO Doug Parker. US airlines are said to be under pressure from investors to pull back from adding seats to tighten supply, as revenue per seat per mile has consistently declined over the last 18 months. Recently-elected leader of the Phillipines Rodrigo Duterte has given his strongest signal yet that the country will cut its ties with the US. Duterte met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday in Beijing, and said that he hopes to instigate a new era of close relations with the Asian powerhouse. "Even as we arrived in Beijing close to winter, this is the springtime of our relationship," Dutere told Xi at the meeting on Thursday. The new leader has consistently made jibes towards the US since he took office in the summer, above all due to the criticism he has received for the brutal manner in which he is approaching the country's drug problems. He referred to Barack Obama as a "son of a whore" for intervening in Filipino affairs, before later apologising for the remark. Speaking to a crowd of Filipinos in the Chinese capital, Duterte promised to sever relations with the US. "I will not go to America any more. We will just be insulted there. So time to say goodbye my friend," Duterte said. The leader has had a controversial beginning to his tenure, cracking down heavily on drug users and dealers. Xi and Duterte met to discuss relations pertaining to an ongoing dispute in the South China Sea. Duterte suggested he would be willing to overlook an international court decision to rule in favour of the Phillipines, in an attempt to foster a good relationship. European stocks finished the session with moderate gains after European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi hinted at a possible extension of quantitative easing. The benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index edged higher by 0.19%, Germanys DAX was up 0.52% and Frances CAC 40 was 0.44% stronger. Speaking after the ECB's policy meeting, Draghi said that an "abrupt ending" to QE was "unlikely" Commenting on Draghi's remarks, Philippe Gudin and Antonio Garcia Pascual at Barclays Research said: "we believe that members have a preference to wait until December, when they will have updated macroeconomic projections and the conclusions of relevant committees working on QE implementation. "Based on todays remarks by President Draghi, we continue to believe the ECB will eventually extend the asset purchase programme by 6-9 months, and announce the relaxation of some technical parameters of QE at its December meeting. The pace of future asset purchases may, however, not be decided at the same time, and could be announced only at the March meeting, depending on economic information available at that time." Meanwhile, oil prices retreated following a strong rally in the previous session after data from the US Energy Information Administration showed a surprise 5.2m drawdown in crude inventories to 468.7m barrels last week and amid growing expectations of an OPEC-led production cut. West Texas Intermediate was down 1.85% to $50.89 a barrel and Brent crude was off 2.1% at $51.60. By the closing bell, euro/dollar was down 0.36% to $1.0934. In corporate news, Deutsche Lufthansa flew higher after upping its profit target for the year on the back of better-than-expected business bookings. Switzerlands Roche nudged up a touch as it reported a 3% rise in third-quarter sales and confirmed its outlook for 2016. London Stock Exchange ticked up after it reported a rise in income and revenue for the three months to the end of September. Rio Tinto drifted lower after lowering its iron ore shipment guidance slightly after it fell 5% the third quarter, reduced by port and rail maintenance. Swiss food and drinks group Nestle fell after cutting its outlook for the year amid declining food prices. French advertising agency Publicis lost ground as its third-quarter sales growth missed analysts expectations. Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore slipped after announcing plans to sell its rail coal haulage business in the New South Wales Hunter Valley for $1.14bn to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. European stocks wavered in a tight range in early trade as investors sifted through earnings and looked to the latest policy announcement from the European Central Bank. At 0845 BST, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 0.2%, Germanys DAX was up 0.1% and Frances CAC 40 was flat. Meanwhile, oil prices retreated following a strong rally in the previous session after data from the US Energy Information Administration showed a surprise 5.2m drawdown in crude inventories to 468.7m barrels last week and amid growing expectations of an OPEC-led production cut. West Texas Intermediate was down 1% to $51.07 a barrel and Brent crude was off 0.8% at $52.25. In corporate news, Deutsche Lufthansa flew higher after upping its profit target for the year on the back of better-than-expected business bookings. Switzerlands Roche nudged a touch higher as it reported a 3% rise in third-quarter sales and confirmed its outlook for 2016. London Stock Exchange advanced after it reported a rise in income and revenue for the three months to the end of September. Rio Tinto edged up despite lowering its iron ore shipment guidance slightly after it fell 5% the third quarter, reduced by port and rail maintenance. Swiss food and drinks group Nestle fell after cutting its outlook for the year amid falling food prices. French advertising agency Publicis lost ground as its third-quarter sales growth missed analysts expectations. Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore ticked lower after announcing plans to sell its rail coal haulage business in the New South Wales Hunter Valley for $1.14bn to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. As far the ECB announcement is concerned, no change to policy is expected. However, investors will be looking to see if President Mario Draghi gives any hints about quantitative easing as the current programme is set to end in March next year and there have been reports of tapering. Societe Generale said: For todays ECB meeting, we expect no policy action, a dovish tone and lots of questions on tapering. While an extension of QE beyond March 2017 today cannot be ruled out, disagreement over an exit scenario will likely push decisions to December. As regards which purchase limit to soften, we maintain our view that raising the issue limit to 50% is the most likely option in December. The ECB rate announcement is at 1245 BST. In the US, initial jobless claims and the Philadelphia Fed survey are at 1330 BST, while leading indicators and existing home sales are at 1500 BST. Stocks in London nudged a touch lower in early trade as investors sifted through earnings ahead of UK retail sales data and the European Central Bank rate announcement. At 0830 BST, the FTSE 100 was down 0.2% to 7,007.89. Meanwhile, oil prices retreated following a strong rally in the previous session after data from the US Energy Information Administration showed a surprise 5.2m drawdown in crude inventories to 468.7m barrels last week and amid growing expectations of an OPEC-led production cut. West Texas Intermediate was down 0.8% to $51.17 a barrel and Brent crude was off 0.7% at $52.30. UK retail sales are due at 0930 BST, while the ECB rate announcement is at 1245 BST. In the US, initial jobless claims are at 1330 BST, along with the Philadelphia Fed survey. Leading indicators and existing home sales are at 1500 BST. CMC Markets Michael Hewson said the retail sales numbers should give us a good indication as to how Q3 has panned out in terms of the performance of the UK economy. July retail sales rose 1.9%, and though the August numbers showed a small decline of 0.2%, the September numbers, if they come in as expected are expected to point to a strong Q3 performance for the UK economy. Expectations are for a rise of 0.3%, which would translate into a fairly positive Q3. As far the ECB announcement is concerned, no change to policy is expected. However, president Mario Draghi is likely to face some questions about reports of a tapering programme. In corporate news, London Stock Exchange inched higher after it reported a rise in income and revenue for the three months to the end of September. Rio Tinto edged up despite lowering its iron ore shipment guidance slightly after it fell 5% the third quarter, reduced by port and rail maintenance. Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore ticked lower after announcing plans to sell its rail coal haulage business in the New South Wales Hunter Valley for $1.14bn to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. Engineering solutions group Senior tumbled after warning that its performance for the full year 2016 is likely to be lower than previously expected amid challenging market conditions in truck and off-highway and oil and gas markets. FTSE 250 ground engineering company Keller tanked as it cautioned that its full-year 2016 underlying results will be around 15% below current market expectations, mainly due to underperformance in the Asia Pacific division. Shares in cyber security and risk mitigation group NCC Group nosedived after it warned that profits growth will be hit by "a number of setbacks" in its assurance division that included the cancellation of three large contracts the deferral of another and delays with other contract renewals. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,012.73 -0.13% FTSE 250 (MCX) 17,974.55 -0.37% techMARK (TASX) 3,501.63 -0.72% FTSE 100 - Risers International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 403.90p 2.75% easyJet (EZJ) 944.00p 1.94% Barclays (BARC) 179.40p 1.13% Prudential (PRU) 1,398.00p 0.94% Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 181.20p 0.67% Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,640.50p 0.65% Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,178.50p 0.65% BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,224.50p 0.53% Anglo American (AAL) 1,060.00p 0.52% Standard Life (SL.) 332.20p 0.51% FTSE 100 - Fallers Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,386.00p -2.53% Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,445.00p -2.36% ITV (ITV) 175.70p -2.28% WPP (WPP) 1,780.00p -2.20% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 749.50p -2.15% Intu Properties (INTU) 290.40p -1.59% BAE Systems (BA.) 545.00p -1.54% Fresnillo (FRES) 1,627.00p -1.45% HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 616.20p -1.36% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 487.60p -1.20% FTSE 250 - Risers International Personal Finance (IPF) 279.80p 3.86% Homeserve (HSV) 624.00p 3.48% Laird (LRD) 161.60p 2.02% Barr (A.G.) (BAG) 498.00p 1.65% Zoopla Property Group (WI) (ZPLA) 333.70p 1.64% Dunelm Group (DNLM) 786.50p 1.61% DFS Furniture (DFS) 258.50p 1.57% Sports Direct International (SPD) 286.70p 1.38% Brown (N.) Group (BWNG) 194.10p 1.30% OneSavings Bank (OSB) 277.80p 1.24% FTSE 250 - Fallers NCC Group (NCC) 232.90p -32.63% Keller Group (KLR) 690.00p -22.08% Senior (SNR) 170.80p -16.36% Aggreko (AGK) 901.00p -4.15% Card Factory (CARD) 277.50p -3.34% PayPoint (PAY) 1,061.00p -2.84% IMI (IMI) 1,051.00p -2.14% Marshalls (MSLH) 276.00p -2.06% Meggitt (MGGT) 445.60p -1.66% Hill & Smith Holdings (HILS) 1,141.00p -1.55% Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier Those who habitually put items in their recycling bins that don't belong there are the target of the ordinance amendment, not those who make an occasional, accidental mistake, said Public Works Director Jeff Demers. Stocks in London were set to open little changed on Thursday as investors looked to the release of UK retail sales data and the European Central Bank rate announcement. The FTSE 100 was called to open three points higher than Wednesdays close at 7,025. UK retail sales are at 0930 BST, while the ECB rate announcement is at 1245 BST. In the US, initial jobless claims are at 1330 BST, along with the Philadelphia Fed survey. Leading indicators and existing home sales are at 1500 BST. CMC Markets Michael Hewson said the retail sales numbers should give us a good indication as to how Q3 has panned out in terms of the performance of the UK economy. July retail sales rose 1.9%, and though the August numbers showed a small decline of 0.2%, the September numbers, if they come in as expected are expected to point to a strong Q3 performance for the UK economy. Expectations are for a rise of 0.3%, which would translate into a fairly positive Q3. As far the ECB announcement is concerned, no change to policy is expected. However, president Mario Draghi is likely to face some questions about reports of a tapering programme. In corporate news, London Stock Exchange posted its interim management statement for the third quarter to 30 September on Thursday, with total income from continuing operations excluding assets sold and held for sale up 19% to 414.6m. The FTSE 100 firm said total income from continuing operations was up 14% year-to-date to 1.2bn. Q3 revenues from continuing operations were up 15% to 376.2m, and up 11% for 9 months year-to-date at 1.1bn. Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore is to sell its rail coal haulage business in the New South Wales Hunter Valley for $1.14bn to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. The company agreed to sell Glencore Rail, the third largest coal haulage business in Australia, to GWA, subject to approval from the foreign investment review board. Rio Tinto lowered its iron ore shipment guidance slightly after it fell 5% the third quarter, reduced by port and rail maintenance. Expectations for Pilbara iron ore shipments for the full year were revised to 325-330m tonnes from the previous 330m. The chancellor of Exchequer Philip Hammond said he could not see firms restricting the recruitment of high level workers such as computer programmers, brain surgeons, bankers. "I cannot conceive of any circumstances in which we would be using those migration controls to prevent banks, companies moving highly qualified, highly skilled people between different parts of their businesses," said Hammond. He said voters wanted restrictions on those migrants competing for entry level jobs. Hammond did not dismiss suggestions that he supported students being taken out of the target for reducing net migration when giving evidence to members of parliament on the Treasury Select Committee. His comments will however add to growing speculation that the government intends to introduce a work visa scheme aimed at low-skilled migrants. MPs on the Treasury select committee also questioned Hammond on the impact Brexit will have on the economy. Hammond said: "It's a challenge to our economy - there will be a period inevitably of uncertainty until we know the outcome of the negotiations." He said the retention of passporting rights for the financial services sector "would be the ideal outcome". "The reality is that financial services remains our single largest sector; it is responsible for a very large number of jobs straight across the United Kingdom, it's not a London-based industry," said Hammond. "The industry knows that we regard it as extremely important, the industry knows that we understand that it has a particular set of challenges as we go into this period of negotiation with the European Union. And I hope the industry knows - it certainly should know - that helping to address these challenges and taking account of these challenges will be a very high priority for the government," he added. Despite this, the chancellor admitted that some banks and financial firms were "looking at other options beyond passporting to protect their interests". He also highlighted that the Bank of Englands Monetary Policy committee would remain responsible for monetary policy. "There will be no change in monetary policy. Monetary policy is independently determined, that will continue to be the case," he said. This was called into question when Prime Minister Theresa May made targeted the bank in her speech at a Tory party conference saying a change has got to come. International Personal Finance posted a trading update for the third quarter on Thursday, with 9% growth in credit issued for the three months to 30 September. The FTSE 250 firm said that was driven by a return to growth in Mexico, a continued good performance in Southern Europe and a strong performance in IPF Digital. Poland-Lithuania returned to modest growth after contracting in the first half, while market conditions in the Czech Republic remained particularly challenging, the board said. Customer numbers increased year-on-year by 1% and collections performance was good overall, with impairment as a percentage of revenue at 26.1% being at the lower end of the boards target range of 25% to 30%. Our home credit businesses delivered a 5% increase in credit issued but challenging trading conditions, particularly in some of our European markets, impacted rates of customer growth which contracted 1% year-on-year to 2,468,000, the board said in its statement. As stated in our half-year announcement, we implemented a number of operational actions to improve the performance of our business in Mexico. The board said that those actions, together with growth flowing through from branch and channel expansion implemented in the first half of 2016, resulted in a year-on-year increase in credit issued of 10% and growth in customer numbers of 4% to 874,000. Annualised impairment is at a similar level to June 2016 and is likely to remain at an elevated level for the remainder of the year. We expect to deliver continued satisfactory growth in Q4 as we balance growth with maintaining credit quality. The company said its Poland-Lithuania business remained focused on mitigating the financial impact of the total cost of credit legislation which was introduced in Poland in March 2016. Competition remained intense, it said, with 'first loan for free' still being offered by most short-term lenders, and an ongoing trend towards longer term installment lending. Credit issued growth was 1%, an improvement on the contraction of 4% reported in H1 2016, and customer numbers contracted year-on-year by 7%. We continued our strategy of selectively offering longer-term and larger loans to qualifying customers. Customer response to the new regulations was broadly in line with our expectations and we continue to believe that we can mitigate up to half of the estimated 30m pa gross financial impact resulting from this legislative change. Southern Europe continued to perform well and delivered a 12% increase in credit issued and 4% growth in customer numbers. In contrast, intense competition in the Czech Republic continued to impact growth resulting in an 11% contraction in credit issued and a 17% reduction in customer numbers. Notwithstanding the elevated levels of impairment in Mexico, credit quality in our home credit business overall is good and annualised impairment as a percentage of revenue remains at the bottom end of our target range at 25.7%. We continue to focus on improving efficiencies within our European home credit businesses to partially offset yield compression in these markets. We are making good progress in Slovakia where we are winding down our home credit business and collections are significantly ahead of our original expectations. The companys IPF Digital division delivered strong growth in the third quarter of the year and increased credit issued by 44% and grew active customer numbers by 45% to 171,000. Its new digital markets of Poland, Australia and Spain were performing well and reported an acceleration in credit issued growth. We also commenced operations in Mexico - this country has great potential but we will manage our growth conservatively as we build knowledge of the local digital market. The established markets of Finland and the Baltics delivered credit issued growth of 7%. Credit quality is good and annualised impairment as a percentage of revenue is stable at 31.7%. The board said that, in line with previous guidance, it expected the total investment in IPF Digital for the full year to be around 8m to 10m. We are pleased to report an increase in credit issued growth in Q3 and expect to see continued growth and stable credit quality in Q4. SSP Group , a food and beverage operator in travel locations, has partnered with K Hospitality Group to create a joint venture in order to enter the Indian market. The company agreed to create a joint venture where it will buy a 49% stake for 57.9m in Travel Food Services, an operator of food and beverage concessions in travel locations in India, from the Kapur Family Trust, SNVK Properties and KAPCO Caterers, which are part of K Hospitality Group and subscribe for new shares in TFS. The FTSE 250 company will first buy a 33% stake for about 39m by the end of February 2017, and then buy further 16% stake for about 18.9m by the end of 2018, depending on the performance of the business which will be satisfied out of existing debt facilities. The joint venture, subject to conditions and regulatory approval, is expected to be earnings enhancing in the first full year of operation and to exceed the companys cost of capital by the third year following acquiring the first 33% stake. SSP chief executive Kate Swann said: "This partnership is in line with the strategy we set out at our initial public offering [in July 2014]. We have been looking for the right entry point into this exciting growth market and are delighted to have found an excellent partner in TFS. TFS brings a well-established business with a strong portfolio of brands. The combination of SSP's international expertise in the travel sector and TFS' strong local presence will provide an excellent platform for future growth in the Indian market." Revenue for TFS was 41.7m and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was 8.3m for the year ended 31 March, with net assets of 25.6m. In the year ending 31 March 2017, TFS is expected to benefit from the inclusion of the recent buyout of some joint venture partners, the contribution of new units opened in 2016 and ongoing growth in like-for-like sales, adding about 3m to EBITDA. Sunil Kapur, chairman of K Hospitality, added: "SSP's international experience and proven track record, coupled with our knowledge and position in the region, means that we have a winning partnership to create a strong proposition for growth." TFS operates about 170 food and beverage units in India including at six airports in domestic and international terminals, a number of airport lounges and railway stations, while also operating outlets at Muscat airport in Oman. Its brand portfolio includes as KFC, Krispy Kreme, Pizza Hut, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Shares in SSP Group were up 0.27% to 330.60p at 0815 BST. The FTSE 100 was just in the red in afternoon trading on Thursday, after the European Central Bank decided to keep policy measures unchanged on Thursday, in a move widely expected by analysts. Airline stocks were given a boost on a positive read-across from a surprise full-year profit target rise by Lufthansa. Both International Consolidated Airlines and easyJet rallied on the benchmark. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes for the nine months came in at 1.68bn for Deutsche Lufthansa, down a touch from 1.69bn in the same period a year ago but ahead of expectations of 1.53m. Lufthansa, which issued a profit warning back in July, said that compared to previous guidance, the difficult-to-forecast short-term bookings of business travellers in September have developed better than expected. The airline said it now expects full-year adjusted EBIT to be around the same as in 2015, versus previous guidance that it would come in below last year. Banking stocks were also higher as data showed UK gross mortgage lending reached its highest point in September since before the financial crisis hit in 2007. CML estimated that gross mortgage lending reached 20.5bn in September this year, the highest it has been since September 2007. Compared to September 2015 the figure is 2% higher but compared to the previous month it is 7% lower. Shares in Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland gained. Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore ticked lower after announcing plans to sell its rail coal haulage business in the New South Wales Hunter Valley for $1.14bn to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. The company agreed to sell Glencore Rail, the third largest coal haulage business in Australia, to GWA, subject to approval from the foreign investment review board, as part of its programme to reduce its debt. After the deal goes through GWA will service the majority of Glencore's coal haulage in the Hunter Valley for a 20-year contract to export coal to the Port of Newcastle. FTSE 100 - Risers Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 184.20p 2.33% Barclays (BARC) 181.25p 2.17% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 401.50p 2.14% easyJet (EZJ) 941.00p 1.62% Land Securities Group (LAND) 1,014.00p 1.30% Babcock International Group (BAB) 1,016.00p 1.20% Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 55.39p 0.95% Legal & General Group (LGEN) 209.90p 0.86% Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,333.00p 0.83% Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,509.00p 0.76% FTSE 100 - Fallers ITV (ITV) 173.00p -3.78% Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,434.00p -3.11% Sky (SKY) 831.00p -2.92% WPP (WPP) 1,773.00p -2.58% Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 146.70p -2.52% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 482.00p -2.33% BAE Systems (BA.) 542.00p -2.08% Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 1,943.00p -2.07% Intu Properties (INTU) 289.30p -1.97% Antofagasta (ANTO) 512.00p -1.73% Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Columbus man convicted of aggravated murder in bar shooting A Franklin County jury convicted a Columbus man for killing one man and wounding another in a 2020 shooting at a Far East Side pub. Subscriber content preview NEW YORK (AP) Starbucks is pushing ahead with its expansion into China and says it is on track to having 5,000 stores there by 2021, more than doubling the number of coffee shops it currently has in the country. The coffee chain is looking to China to fuel the company's growth. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has said that China could one day surpass the U.S. as its largest market. Starbucks Corp., which is based in Seattle, has about 13,000 stores in the U.S. . . . Subscriber content preview But, single-family home construction was up 8.1% and building permit applications were up 6.3%. By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON Homebuilders pulled back on construction for a second straight month in September, with a plunge in apartments offsetting gains in single-family homes. Building activity was weak in all parts of the country except the Midwest. Construction tumbled 9 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.05 million units, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. It was the slowest pace in 18 months. Construction had fallen 5.6 percent in August. . . . Subscriber content preview TUMWATER (AP) State officials say an asbestos removal contractor in suburban Seattle has been cited and fined $87,000 for health violations that put workers, contractors and homeowners at risk. The Department of Labor & Industries said in a news release Tuesday that American Disaster Services of Kirkland was cited for eight violations. The company allegedly exposed workers and others to cancer-causing asbestos during renovation work at several Seattle area jobsites. . . . J&K sacks 12 officials for allegedly fuelling unrest The Mehbooba Mufti government in Jammu and Kashmir has sacked 12 officials for their alleged role in fuelling unrest in the state. More than 100 others are being watched closely, and there could be more sackings, reports said. The dismissal from service of the 12 government employees for "anti-national activities" was ordered on Wednesday evening. Those sacked are mid-level officers from different government departments, including patwaris or land revenue record officials and teachers. Officials said the government acted on a report prepared by the state police's Crime Investigation Department. Several of those sacked have been charged under the Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows people to be jailed without trial for six months. More than 90 people have died and over 12,000 have been injured in violent clashes in Kashmir since 8 July, when Hizbul Mujahideen separatist Burhan Wani was killed by security forces. The government has said that the violent protests and stone throwing have been organised and encouraged by insurgents backed by Pakistan. The action against the government officials comes amid a massive crackdown by the state police in which more than 9,000 people have been arrested for disrupting peace and more than 450 have been detained under the or PSA. This is second time in 26 years of militancy in Kashmir that government officials have been sacked over allegations of anti-national activities in the state. In 1990, five officials were sacked for their pro-separatist stand, among them Naeem Akhtar who was then a deputy commissioner in the Excise Department. Akhtar is currently a top People's Democratic Party minister in the Mehbooba Mufti government. That dismissal had led to a three-month-long strike by government employees in Kashmir. A film by a Letterkenny director which was almost entirely filmed in Letterkenny and Donegal is to get its first screening in the town tonight. Night People, which was written and directed by Gerard Lough, will be screened at the Regional Cultural Centre at 8pm. The feature film was made with a local cast and crew and was shot at Donegal locations that included Fanad Lighthouse, Ardara, Grianan of Aileach, Barnesmore Gap and at Voodoo nightclub and Century Cinemas in Letterkenny. The film stars local actors include Aidan O' Sullivan, John D.Ruddy, Kieran Kelly, Michael McLaughlin, Geraldine Foy and Derek O' Sullivan. The film ,which was self-financed by the director, premiered at the Horrorthon film festival in Dublin's Irish Film Institute last October, and although it has had screenings in Lifford and Buncrana, the director says he is delighted to be screening the film in the town were it was born. There will be a question and answer session with the director after the screening of the film. Mr Lough describes the film as a mixture of horror and science fiction. The plot is based around a pair of criminals who break into a vacant house to carry out an insurance scam. Awkwardly thrown together with an hour to kill, they reluctantly start telling each other tall tales that involve everything from vampires to alien artifacts. As the night progress the line between reality and fiction starts to blur as the hidden agendas of both men are revealed. Although he has made seven short films and ten music videos, Night People was the Letterkenny mans debut feature. Its the first time to show it in Letterkenny which is really nice because it is a local film with a local cast and local crew, so it will be nice to show it on home turf, Mr Lough said. It is not is strictly speaking a horror film - there is science fiction as well. It is not a typical horror film by any means - it is not a blood bath. It is psychological and atmospheric. I was trying to do something original and different with the genre. Its going to be nice to show it on a big screen. I think it is very important that a film is seen on a big screen with an audience. I will be proud to show it to the local audience as the film is from here, was born here and I am from here. http://regionalculturalcentre.com/night-people/ A new collaboration to address environmental challenges facing northern European upland areas was launched today in the shadows of Errigal, one of the pilot sites in the initiative. "In working with our European partners, we can learn from each other in collectively exchanging knowledge and ideas, and in exploring new concepts for balancing tourism, cultural and economic interests associated with environmental needs," Donegal County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Terence Slowey, said in launching the initiative. Donegal County Council is the lead partner in Ascent (Apply Skills and Conserve our Environment with New Tools), working with Metsahallitus Park and Wildlife in Finland; Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and the Mourne Trust in Northern Ireland; Hordaland County Council in Norway; and the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland; and associated partners including Udaras na Gaeltachta, Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, Mossfellsbaer Municipality and Skaftarhreppur. "I am confident that this project will ensure the long-term sustainable management of our mountains and upland areas for future generations to come," the council cathaoirleach told the launch audience in the Dun Luiche community centre, at the base of Errigal. The pilot sites face challenges posed by unregulated access to upland sites and natural erosion, and the aim of the three-year Ascent programme is to develop management plans and implement measures to address future economic and environmental sustainability. Speakers from Donegal, Northern Ireland, Finland, Iceland and Norway addressed the particular challenges their areas face, and their shared hopes for the programme. In his remarks, Cllr. Slowey also acknowledged the active participation of the Dun Luiche community, "who are keen to ensure that the sustainable and balanced economic development does not hamper our iconic landmark". The EU-funded Ascent project is a 1.6 million initiative, with Donegal County Council receiving 568,580. Funding comes from from Interreg VB Northern Periphery & Arctic Programme (2014-2020) with support from the European Regional Development Fund. See Monday's Donegal Democrat/Donegal People's Press for more. A month-long creativity challenge spurred dozens of people from across Ireland and abroad to create more than 1,500 pieces of art. Now, a selection of the work that was created in the Art Dogs 30-day Creativity Challenge last month is on exhibit at ArtCo Gallery in Letterkenny. The Art Dogs 30-day Creativity Challenge exhibition runs at ArtCo until November 9th. The gallery is open weekdays from 10am to 5pm. More than 40 artists from around the country are showing work in the exhibit, just part of the huge body of work that the challenge generated. The challenge was the brainchild of Ineke Abbas of Gaoth Dobhair and Kierean Devlin of Letterkenny, who came up with the idea in April of this year. Kieran wanted to get better at drawing and Ineke suggested drawing every day. A few minutes later we had thought up the basic idea for a month-long art challenge, Kieran recalled. They decided to create an art work every day in April, based on a daily theme that a friend would provide them. The challenge was to create a piece of art within 24 hours and post it to Facebook, Kieran said. Once they involved Facebook, the challenge received so much attention that they decided to run a poetry challenge in May, this time inviting others. This is where the online magazine Art Dogs came in. Ineke contacted Art Dogs Layla Kuyper of Letterkenny, to show their work and explain what they had done. She was interested in including us in their magazine and to run another challenge for the month of September and to include all mediums, which we were psyched about, Ineke said. The newly formed online community that grew from the challenge soon saw people commenting on each others work and offering words of encouragement. It was nice to see how other people approached a common theme, Ineke said. Opening your browser in the morning was so exciting you never knew what to expect. ArtCo in Letterkenny offered to host the exhibition. The exhibition opened this past Sunday, giving artists a chance to meet each other after weeks of online communication. People brought food and drink to the event, adding to the community feeling. Joleen Kuyper, Anna Mae and Ciaran Cunningham gave readings of their poetry and the Ukulele Orchestra of Letterkenny played a few tunes. Art Dogs magazine has always been about bringing people together, and finding artists who may not have shared their work before, Layla Kuyper said. "It was a wonderful opportunity for all kinds of people from all walks of life to come together and share all kinds of art and make friends doing it. We look forward to running another challenge, she said. They are already talking about running the challenge again next year. Anyone looking for more information can contact them at artdogscreativitychallenge@gmail.com Art Dogs is available online, at www.facebook.com/artdogsmagazine. News of an increase in the mackerel quota for next year has been broadly welcomed in Donegal. It has been announced the mackerel quota for Ireland next year will be 86,429 tonnes, which equates to an increase of over 10,500 tonnes for 2016. The news has been welcomed by Minister Joe McHugh who said the increase is worth over 10million directly to the catching sector and adds further value to be added by local mackerel processing factories based in Killybegs. Welcoming the announcement Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher, Fianna Fails Marine spokesperson, stated the total value of the mackerel catch for Ireland will now exceed 85 million euro adding this is much welcomed news and a boost for the fishing sector and the coastal communities. Deputy Gallagher stated: It is very important that the Government position themselves for the 2017 renegotiation between our international partners who form part of the International Fisheries group, as the present framework of quota allocation is to expire in 2018. The best interests of the Irish fishing must be articulated and fought for in the months ahead in early 2017, so that we as a country will be in a strong position for the post 2017 new framework of quota allocation between our international fisheries partners. Kathleen Cannon, 22 Harbour View Drive, Killybegs The Death has taken place of Kathleen Cannon, 22 Harbour View Drive, Killybegs. Removal from her late residence tomorrow morning at 10.30am to St. Mary's Church Killybegs for 11am funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in the local cemetery Family time from 11pm. House private on the morning of the funeral please. Anna Begley, Fanad The death has occurred at her home of Anna Geley, late of Ballyhiernan, Fanavolty, Fanad. Requiem Mass will take place on Saturday, October 22nd, in St Mary's Church, Fanavolty with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. House private, family and friends welcome. House strictly private on the morning of the funeral. Family flowers only, donations if desired to The Irish Heart Foundation. Tommy Gallagher, Ardara The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Tommy Gallagher late of Common, Ardara. His remains will repose at Shovlin's Funeral Home, Sandfield evening from 5pm today with removal at 6.30pm to the Church of the Holy Family, Ardara arriving at 7pm. Funeral Mass tomorrow at 11am with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only, donations, if desired, to Killybegs Community Hospital. Brendan Byrne, Sligo and Letterkenny The death has taken place at University Hospital Galway of Brendan Byrne late of Tonaphubble, Sligo, and Letterkenny. House private. Funeral Mass tomorrow at 11am at St. Anne`s Church, Sligo. Funeral proceeding afterwards to Sligo Cemetery. For the first time in Eufaula, the city and Main Street Eufaula will hold a special Veterans Day Parade to honor and celebrate those who have served in the military. The 2016 Veterans Parade will be held downtown on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m. We feel it is time to honor those who have fought for our freedom, stated Mayor Jack Tibbs. The World War II veterans will be our grand marshals for the 2016 parade, but veterans of all wars and theaters will be honored. John Boley, Commander of the VFW Post 5850 here in Eufaula said they have been working closely with the city and Main Street to make this parade happen. I put the idea to the Mayor a few weeks ago and then they got the ball rolling, said Boley. Were all for it and looking forward to it. Post 5850 will have a float in the parade for their members to ride on. The Ladies Auxiliary will also have a member riding in the parade on a horse drawn carriage. Boley said hes also contacted the Dothan VFW Post and they are also planning to be represented in the parade. We think this is something great to honor all of our veterans and give them the recognition that is deserved, said Boley. Its a great opportunity for the city of Eufaula to show that we are proud of our veterans. I hope we can get a big turnout. The VFW has also ordered 200 handheld flags they plan to pass out during the parade. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, World War I known at the time as The Great War - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of the war to end all wars. As such, Veterans Day (once known as Armistice Day) is observed on Nov. 11 each year. Those wishing to participate in the parade as a veteran and would like to be placed in a vehicle can call 687-7099 or email asparks@mainstreeteufaula.com. To enter a float, truck, car or walk, please contact Ann Sparks at the same number and email. There is no charge to participate in the parade. Manage your notification subscription by clicking on the icon. To start receiving timely alerts, as shown below click on the Green lock icon next to the address bar Click it and Unblock the Notifications Click it and Unblock the Notifications Close X Index trend and stocks in action October 20, 2016 Indian benchmark indices started the session on a positive note, but Nifty was not able to sustain at higher levels after the opening. It later shifted into a sideways to negative bias. However, some recovery was witnessed in the second half, which failed to hold on. At the end Nifty ended with marginal losses. On the daily chart Nifty has formed a small negative candle; however, this candlestick pattern doesnt have any analytical value as its usual after a strong move of over 1.5 per cent. On Tuesday market took a breather. Nifty is facing resistance around October 13, 2016's opening downside gap. Going forward the zone of 8700-8730 will act as a stiff resistance for Nifty. On the downside, the zone of 8600-8630 will act as a support for Nifty. NBCC: The government will be looking to raise Rs.2200 crore through the sale of a 15% stake in state owned construction company, NBCC. The floor price of the issue has been set at Rs.246.50/- and the offer for sale (OFS) will be open on Thursday and Friday. Axis Bank: Axis Bank proposes to raise Rs.5000 crore through the issue of debentures. The money will be used to fund its expansions. Quess Corp: Business services provider Quess Corp said it has entered into agreements to acquire stakes in Singapore-based Comtel Solutions and two domestic firms - Terrier Security Services and Simpliance Technologies - for undisclosed sums. TVS Group: Canadian fund CDPQ, which has been lately very active in India, has picked up a minority stake in TVS Logistics for a consideration of Rs.1000 crore. CDPQ will be buying out the existing stake of Goldman Sachs and KKR in the logistics arm of the TVS group. Tata Coffee: Tata Coffee has reported a 62 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 44.65 crore for the quarter ended September 30. The companys net profit had stood at Rs 27.58 crore in corresponding period a year ago. NCC: Consortium of NCC and BGR has been awarded the Pachhwara North Coal Block Mine Developer and Operator Project. The rate of mining fee per ton of Coal is about Rs 890 and the total duration of project is about 30 years. Within the next decade, global trade and logistics could be virtually unrecognisable from what we see today. Digital and physical disruption will change the way customers and suppliers connect, and the way supply chains are managed. The barriers to entry to global trade are being torn down, and technological advances across the value chain are reducing the cost and risk of market entry for importers and exporters. By 2035, the WTO estimates continued technological progress in trade could potentially boost GDP by 9% in developed markets. The benefits of this disruption are potentially greater for SMEs and regionally-based businesses who until now have had to grapple with the tyranny of distance to connect with customers and service providers. Ultimately, however, technology is improving connectivity for all businesses, and in the process is helping level the playing field. Thanks to digital disruption the world is getting smaller and global customers more accessible. Global e-commerce sales are growing at 20% per annum and are forecast to reach US$2 trillion in 2016. This will double to US$4 trillion by 2020, accounting for almost 15% of total retail spending and the Australasian region is a hub for this activity, with China making up 40% of global digital sales. The distribution of these goods cross border is where the next major disruption looks likely to occur. Expectations of consumers are ever increasing with fast and free delivery increasingly driving online buying decisions. For this reason, companies like Amazon have evolved to become logistics companies rather than pure play e-tailers as they look to vertically integrate across the supply chain. The e-commerce behemoth recently secured an ocean freight licence and purchased 40 cargo planes to better service its 304 million active customers around the globe. Outside of digital disruption, technology is playing a massive part in shaking up the physical nuts and bolts logistics space as well. Rolls Royce are looking to deploy remotely controlled autonomous cargo vessels, operated from virtual decks by land-based crews by 2020. In theory, one captain could steer several boats and without the need for a bridge, living quarters or life boats, each vessel would have more room for cargo. And its not just happening on the high seas. Six convoys of semi-automated driverless trucks recently drove across Europe to Rotterdam in platoons of two to three vehicles. Estimates suggest this kind of automation could offer up to 25 times efficiency gains in labour costs, fuel efficiencies and around the clock operation. Meanwhile, Elon Musk of Tesla fame has renewed interest in a pneumatic tube transportation system with his concept dubbed Hyperloop. It is effectively a magnetic levitation train in a low pressure tube that runs parallel to major roads and has the potential to transport freight between major US cities at a speed of 700 miles per hour. Think of the benefits in terms of congestion and safety alone. Further efficiencies are becoming reality in the highly competitive courier space. It wont be long before autonomous trucks are driving to centralised nodes before releasing swarms of drones to complete last mile delivery. This would allow each vehicle to deliver dozens of parcels simultaneously rather than driving from house to house. Clearly, this all wont come without upheaval and consequence. There are some 280,000 people employed as truck drivers in Australia and approximately 3.5 million in the United States. These jobs would clearly be impacted by disruption as would the businesses that service the trucking industry including rest stops, roadhouses and motels. That said, the Disruption Revolution we are seeing may not be too dissimilar to the Industrial Revolution that ran from about 1760 to 1840 in terms of the opportunities and associated challenges it presents to industry and our society in general. Ultimately, history shows that there are winners and losers when industries are impacted by transformational change but there is no standing in the way of progress. As Charles Darwin so aptly put it: It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change, and this will most certainly be the case for all businesses involved in international trade and logistics. About the author Ian Smith is the CEO of CargoHound, an online marketplace for international freight that enables importers and exporters to source competitive freight pricing from community rated service providers. Since launch in July 2015, the Sydney-based company has signed up over 940 importers and exporters and received aggregate freight quotes totalling more than A$5 million. Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. State-of-the-art hospital complex to be built under public-private partnership scheme The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Governments development finance institution, are co-financing the development of a 769.6 million high-tech hospital in Izmir, Turkeys third largest city. The Izmir Bayrakli hospital will be designed, built, equipped and managed by the private developer Izmir Bayrakl Hastane Yatirim Ve Saglk Hizmetleri A.S, a joint venture between global industrial company GE and Turkish corporations GAMA Holding A.S. and Turkerler Insaat. The comprehensive long-term financing package which brought together six international financiers was signed today in Ankara in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. President Erdogan said: Progress in health care services will bring about the development of the health care industry in our country. With these investments, we aim to make our country one of the top five countries in the world for medical tourism. Faced with the need for large investments, the Turkish government is seeking to engage private sector resources and know-how to construct and manage infrastructure facilities more quickly and efficiently. The new health complex will span several buildings and have a total of 2,060 beds, providing better hospital facilities for the city and the region. Under a 28-year concession, the buildings will be leased to Turkeys Ministry of Health. The private developer will act as facilities manager, providing building maintenance and non-clinical services, while medical services will remain the remit of the Ministry of Health. The hospital is expected to become operational in 2019. As part of the financing package, the EBRD has arranged a 298.6 million syndicated loan under its A/B loan structure, with 85 million for the Banks own account and 213.6 million syndicated to UniCredit S.p.A., Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd Dubai Branch and Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. OPIC of the United States and EDC of Canada are providing parallel financing of US$ 250 million and 65 million, respectively. This is the first health care PPP project financing in Turkey to involve co-financing by these two institutions. Jean-Patrick Marquet, Director for EBRD operations in Turkey, said: Arranging this comprehensive long-term financial package for a new Izmir hospital is part of the EBRDs efforts to catalyse private sector involvement in critical infrastructure in Turkey which brings money and know-how, and ultimately benefits people's lives across the country. The hospital in Izmir is the fourth EBRD-financed project under a government programme to build or expand hospitals across the country in collaboration with the private sector. The Bank has also been working closely with the Turkish Ministry of Health over the past four years to enable greater private sector involvement in the hospital sector. Sven List, EDC Vice-President, Structured and Project Finance said: EDC is very pleased to have participated in arranging financing for this important PPP hospital project in Turkey while providing support to our global strategic client, GE. OPIC President and CEO Elizabeth L. Littlefield stated: OPIC is proud to provide financing that will contribute to the construction and management of new hospital campuses in Turkey. This Izmir transaction will significantly improve the well-being of Turkish residents by increasing their access to high-quality health care services. The GAMA Holding A.S., Turkerler Insaat and GE consortium is also developing the Kocaeli Hospital PPP in the Izmit District of Kocaeli Province. The EBRDs board of directors has approved financing for this project. Hakan Ozman, Deputy Chairman and CEO of GAMA Holding A.S. commented: Todays signing is a major milestone in our long-term commitment to the Kocaeli and Izmir Bayrakli projects. GE brings a strong track-record of health care PPPs around the world and our long-term participation as an equity investor and technology provider will be essential in realising the Ministry of Healths vision on these projects. With critical funding and project partners now in place the consortium will look to accelerate the construction and delivery of these projects. Kazm Turker, CEO of Turkerler Insaat A.S. said: In support of the governments Hedef 2023 health care development plan, the consortium is on a clear path to deliver its commitment to the Ministry of Health on the Kocaeli and Izmir Bayrakli projects. The commitment of our foreign partners underscores long-term confidence in Turkeys PPP strategy and in Turkeys development goals. John Flannery, President and CEO of GE Healthcare said: At GE Healthcare we believe that real health care transformation comes from a willingness to embrace innovation. To that end, the Izmir and Kocaeli Integrated Healthcare Campus Projects are among the largest and most complex PPP projects globally that GE Healthcare has invested in to date, and they demonstrate our commitment to developing new business models and risk-sharing to drive sustainable health care development. *** About EDC EDC is Canadas export credit agency, providing financial services for companies that buy from Canadian companies, or those that have Canadian supply and services in their corporate value chains. EDCs financing can be used for capex and/or project finance requirements, either through bilateral or syndicated corporate facilities. Operating on commercial principles, EDC has a partnership-preferred philosophy to collaborate with private sector financial institutions to share risk and create greater capacity for Canadian trade transactions. EDC is committed to corporate social responsibility, and it takes into account the environmental and social impacts of its transactions. For more information, visit www.edc.ca. About OPIC OPIC is the US governments development finance institution. It mobilises private capital to help address critical development challenges and in doing so, advances US foreign policy and national security priorities. Because OPIC works with the US private sector, it helps US businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalysing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds, when commercial funding cannot be obtained elsewhere. Established as an agency of the US government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers. All OPIC projects adhere to high environmental and social standards and respect human rights, including workers rights. By mandating high standards, OPIC aims to raise the industry and regional standards of the countries where it funds projects. OPIC services are available for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 160 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.opic.gov. About GAMA Holding A.S. GAMA, founded in 1959, builds power plants, refineries, cement, petro-chemical and gas plants, factories, high-rise buildings, water treatment plants and transmission lines, bridges, and other infrastructure projects along with funding various energy investments. GAMA is a leading international contractor that has successfully completed 400 projects in 25 countries extending from Ireland in the west to Russias Sakhalin Island in the east. GAMA Holding companies currently undertake projects valued US$ 4.5 billion in 10 countries. Besides serving as an EPC company and contractor, GAMA also invests in energy and health projects. For more information visit, www.gama.com.tr. About Turkerler Turkerler Insaat A.S. was established in Ankara-Turkey in 1993 by undertaking infrastructure and superstructure projects. Turkerlers main business scope includes the development and construction of large scale projects in electricity generation, distribution and trade, natural gas distribution, healthcare PPPs, real estate sectors among others. Turkerler has 49% shareholding in Ankara Etlik Integrated Health Campus PPP Project with a total bed capacity of 3,577 beds. About GE GE (NYSE: GE) is the worlds digital industrial company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organised around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. For more information, visit www.ge.com . About GE Healthcare GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable health care around the world. GE works on things that matter great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software and IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great health care to their patients. For more information, visit www.gehealthcare.com. Or, why its time for white men to start sending out some thank you cards Non-white non-males got it right away. Donald Trump is dangerous. At first, hes dangerous the way every boss who leans in too close and stares way too long is dangerous. Then when youre alone with him, he only gets worse. Theres a bittersweet gift to lacking institutional power. It makes you understand that a powerful man who chooses to scapegoat the least powerful people he can find will turn on you next. His being a birther, who got famous calling for the execution of innocent black teenagers and parading scantily clad teenage girls around sniffling old men, just clarified things. Black people were never going to vote for Trump. Latinos never bought the And some, I assume, are good people cop out that was supposed to excuse him smearing millions of their friends and family as criminals and rapists. And women would likely have rejected by historic margins, even if his opponent werent making history for their gender. But white men can be stubborn. I know. I have to look one in the mirror every day and try to convince him to shave. Perhaps being a non-practicing Jew put Martin Niemollers poem into my head a little quicker, especially when antisemitism became as common online as all the other old hatreds. My college degree helped. Statistically, it made me far less likely to back Trump. But white men have proven very reluctant to step off that unfortunate metaphor of a Trump Train. That may be changing, Bloomberg Politics finds in its latest national poll: Support for Trump among critical groups of voters, including men and the less educated, has weakened in the campaigns closing days, a trajectory that could translate into a landslide loss for Republicans in the Electoral College and setbacks in down-ballot races that will determine control of the House and Senate. What could it be? Was it Trumps admission he didnt pay taxes? The leak of a tape where he all but admitted he believes he should have first rights with every bride in America? A series of accusations of sexual assault, at least one corroborated by six people? Yeah, its all of that. The fiction that Trump is on your side, that he may be greedy and corrupt but now he wants to be greedy and corrupt for you, is collapsing. This is all about him. Hes been telling us that for a while. I alone and bullshit like that. And his fixation on his own plight his own conspiracies of being so important that the world is rigged against him despite enjoying ever privilege life can possibly offer does little to reassure anyone that hes thinking about anything but his own ego. And his increasingly embarrassing attempts to humiliate Hillary Clinton may please AM radio hosts and Breitbarts commenter Hall of Fame, but they also reveal a cruelty that even white men increasingly see could be focused, eventually, on them. There are many, tens of millions, who will ride that train till it goes off a cliff and Trump tries to tell them not to look down. They hate Clinton or Democrats enough to endure anything. And they obviously see something in Trump I never will. But that number will now, barring some shock, be less at least in percentage than any presidential candidate has received in at least 20 years, which is a very good thing. So were left trying to understand why white males were so ready to be taken for this ride. There has already been a great deal of effort made to try to understand mostly white, mostly male Trump voters, mostly to discern how much of their grievances are fed by race and culture and what share of it might be legitimate angst at the left. I, myself, have empathized with the plight of those caught in the Trump Trap of being faced with an economy due to globalization, the collapse of labor unions and other conservative victories that will likely leave their kids stuck at a lower rung of the economic ladder than they reached. Mostly its a good faith exercise in questioning biases, combined with a convenient way to cast shade on whoever you blame for the attrition of the middle class. But in addition to excusing Trump voters for being so vulnerable to a message that so-often fixated on scapegoating the powerless, we should spend a lot more time figuring out how non-white non-males got so damn perceptive. Hey! If you got this far, listen to our new podcast The Sit and Spin Room with Eclectablog and LOLGOP. Its the only podcast that tells you exactly how to think about politics. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have taken the industry by storm. Some say they will usher in a new age of better business processes and customer orientation, while others fret that automation will kill jobs. Both might be true. There definitely will be jobs that no longer make sense for humans to do, thanks to automation. Generally theyre entry level and not much fun, but that begs the question of what, then, becomes an entry-level job. I took a briefing last week with Conversica, a company that uses AI to do general-purpose triage for early stage sales leads. I am not affiliated with Conversica and I am simply reporting, but the technology seems pretty cool. Conversica is essentially a bot that responds to things like email with appropriate information and then follows up. When a customer indicates a need to interact with a human, the bot makes the transfer. The bot is tireless and can work 24/7, so theres a lot to like. This is a good example of automation replacing a human, but I am told the bot simply makes it possible to redeploy the human to another job that requires real human thinking. I am sure it can. Bots for Loyalty When I see something like this, its often a new technology applied to an old problem and truth be told, thats generally how new technology gets disseminated. For example, it has taken a long time for social media to establish a niche different from being a cheaper email platform. Some people havent made the leap in understanding, but generally were there. So I fully understand employing modern AI technology to support the sales effort; sales is one of the first stops for new technologies. However, Id like to divert your attention for a moment to some business processes that are nearly neglected where AI and ML could make real contributions. They likely would not replace anyone, because a job isnt being done in many cases. Customer loyalty is an area that could use some help even the help of bots. Loyalty always has been a passive thing customers are expected to do something that demonstrates loyalty in the moment rather than an active thing that businesses pursue. We expect customers to do something loyal, usually make another purchase, for which we then give out rewards. Thats OK, but it misses the point. Rewards are by their nature backward-looking, and loyalty ought to be something of the present and future. Say I advocate on behalf of a favorite product that may drive future business for the company. Often thats not part of a business idea of loyalty and so it goes unrewarded, even though it is a good loyalty indicator. Too bad. Wandering Off the Path Now imagine if you tuned some of your AI muscles toward loyalty. What if you had a bot that caught customers engaging in good behavior and then you rewarded them for it? The reward, not associated with a purchase, might inspire more loyal conduct, and all of this could be done without human intervention. So, this little exercise just 1) invented a job for a bot, 2) replaced no humans, but 3) improved business performance. My point is that there are lots of incremental improvements like this example waiting to be discovered as we contemplate using AI. Many of AIs early deployments will be like this not very sexy, but useful. Thats what happens on the far side of the hype cycle, after everyones tried applying the hot new technology to the oldest of problems. Its maybe even after a lot of people have become mildly disenchanted with the failed promises that the new category couldnt deliver. Ive seen this hype cycle movie before, and I am wondering if we might be able to speed up the process. Its really nothing more than imagining new processes rather than being happy pursuing a well-worn path. Three owners of Galaxy Note7 smartphones this week filed acomplaint in a federal court in Newark, New Jersey, that could become a class action lawsuit against Samsung. Plaintiffs and the Class have suffered injury in fact, incurred millions of dollars in fees, and have otherwise been harmed by Samsungs conduct, the complaint states. Samsung recalled the phones and stopped producing them after faulty batteries caused a number of the original products and their replacements to smoke and ignite. The Department of Transportation last week banned the defective Galaxy Note7s from all U.S. flights. Samsung on Friday warned that it would lose about $US3 billion during the current quarter and in the first quarter of 2017. The company earlier in the week had warned that it would take a hit of about $2.6 billion due to the recall impact. The DoT, which oversees federal government policy for all commercial travel in the U.S., announced the ban under an emergency order with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The extraordinary move by the agencies means that Galaxy Note7 owners no longer can transport the devices in checked baggage, in carry-on luggage or on their person, when boarding U.S. flights. The ban also eliminate the phones from air cargo, effectively making it almost impossible to use it on long-distance trips. Fire Hazard Continues Samsung last week expanded its product recall after several of the reissued phones exhibited the same overheating and fire hazards that were found in the original Galaxy Note7 devices. Samsungs recall allows for customers either to get a new Samsung phone of a different model or a full refund from the retail store or the mobile carrier that issued the phone. Samsung is offering up to $100 in bill credits for customers exhanging their Galaxy Note7 for another Samsung device, and up to $75 for customers who already exchanged their Note devices for another Samsung phone. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the federal agency that oversees products recalls, Samsung had received 96 reports of phones overheating in the U.S, including 23 since the original Sept.15 recall. The company received 13 reports of burns and 47 reports of property damage due to the overheating and fire risks. The DoT recognized the inconvenience of the move, but said that passenger safety must take priority, Secretary Anthony Foxx said. We are taking this additional step because even one fire incident inflight poses a high risk of severe injury and puts many lives at risk, he added. Passengers attempting to fly with a Galaxy Note7 phone will be denied boarding, and anyone attempting to evade the ban by placing a device inside checked luggage will be subject to criminal prosecution in addition to fines, the DoT noted. The PHMSA has issued a special permit to Samsung to ship the devices by ground in order to complete the product recall. Samsung last week said it would focus on improving product safety by making significant changes to its quality assurance process. Samsung had self-tested the lithium-ion batteries at a lab that it owns, The Wall Street Journal reported, noting that it is the only phone manufacturer with such a process. Brand Damage The second recall likely will do lasting damage to Samsung by pushing some of its longtime customers to other makers of Android devices or, if they are willing to learn a new OS, to a proven rival in Apple, the maker of the iPhone 7, which just launched last month. Because the switching time and pain of moving from Android to iOS is so high, they are more likely to lose these customers to Google if theyre on Verizon, or LG or Motorola if theyre on other carriers, observed Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Theyll want another top-end phone, he told the E-Commerce Times, its not likely theyll be willing to configure an iPhone from scratch. Samsung will suffer some short-term brand damage and lose a few customers to the iPhone, but a greater number to rival Android phone makers, said Jitesh Ubrani, a senior research analyst at IDC. However, over the long haul, he told the E-Commerce Times, Samsungs brand can survive the crisis. 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Beyond Green will bring together students, the textile industry and pioneering brands such as Mud jeans to debate the latest developments in the field of circular fashion. The event is now sold out, however, it will be live streamed on 28 October from 09.00 CET via the link HERE Within one week in May, a gorilla and two lions were killed after humans entered their zoo enclosures. Outrage continues to grow over these deaths. Yet these tragedies are not unique and in most cases are preventable. (Of course, the easiest way to prevent deaths like these would be by not keeping animals in zoos). Within one week in May, a gorilla and two lions were killed after humans entered their zoo enclosures. Photo credit: Youtube 1. Harambe the Gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo, May 2016 Western-lowland gorillas are critically endangered and now theres one less of them with the death of Harambe after a 4-year-old boy fell into his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. Experts like Jane Goodall believe Harambe was attempting to protect the boy, but nevertheless, zookeepers say they made the right decision in shooting and killing the gorilla. Tranquilizer darts would not have taken effect quickly enough, they said. Some argue that the death could have been prevented if the childs parent was paying closer attention to him (though whether thats fair is up for debate) and that if the enclosurewhich is expected to be reopenedhad a larger barrier. When the Gorilla World exhibit opened at the zoo in 1978, it was the first gorilla habitat without bars in the country. Although zoo officials said the exhibit is safe, they are now considering reinforcing the barriers, CBS News reports. 2. Two Lions at the Santiago Metropolitan Zoo, May 2016 Just six days before Harambe was killed, a male and female lion at this zoo in the capital of Chile were shot to death after a suicidal man entered their enclosure, removed his clothes and began taunting them. When the lions mauled him and began dragging him to their den, they were killed. In a statement, zoo officials said the incomprehensible action of killing the lions was profoundly painful for every single one of us, but they are thankful the man is expected to recover. The lions would still be alive if there were safer barriers, but based on the zoos troubling history, it should be shut down altogether. Lions and a puma have escaped from the facility, while poor wiring sparked a fire that killed four giraffes. This doesnt seem like a safe place for animals or humans. 3. African Painted Dog at the Pittsburgh Zoo, November 2012 Photo credit: Youtube When a mom perched her vision-impaired 2-year-old son on the wooden railing of an observation deck to get a better look at the African painted dogs, an endangered species, at the Pittsburgh Zoo, the boy slipped from her grasp and fell into the enclosure. Tragically, he was killed by a pack of the dogs. Most of the dogs cooperated with zookeepers and moved to a back building, but one was aggressive and shot to death. The boys mother, not charged since it was considered an accident, later settled a lawsuit against the zoo. The observation deck was removed and the remaining African painted dogs were transferred to other zoos. To prevent horrific accidents like these, children should never be allowed to sit or climb on zoo railings and zoos need to provide barriers that better protect their animals as well as visitors. 4. Tatiana the Siberian Tiger at the San Francisco Zoo, December 2007 Tatiana was a 4-year-old Siberian tiger, a species which, like the Western-lowland gorilla, is critically endangered. When a group of young men threw rocks and roared at her on Christmas Day 2007, Tatiana managed to leap out of her enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo and maul them, killing one of them. She was shot to death by police officers. An investigation found the tigers enclosure wall was four feet lower than the height required by federal safety standards. After being fined a rather paltry $1,875 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the zoo installed a new, 19-foot-tall wall made of tempered safety glass panels. 5. Two Polar Bears at the Prospect Park Zoo, May 1987 On a dare, after a group of boys sneaked into the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn one night in May 1987, an 11-year-old climbed over a tall spiked fence and entered the polar bear exhibit. He thought he could take a dip in the moat as the bears slept. Responding to a 911 call from a passerby who heard children screaming inside the zoo, police officers found two polar bears mauling the remains of the boy. The officers opened fire, killing the bears. Known as Teddy and Lucy, the bears had always been well-behaved, zoo superintendent Pat Spina told the New York Times. Rated as one of the 10 worst zoos in the country around that time, the Prospect Park Zoo closed the following year. Over the next five years, most of the zoo was demolished and rebuilt. It reopened in 1993 as the Prospect Park Wildlife Conservation Center, with childproof barriers to prevent future tragedies. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Help Save the Worlds Last Dinosaur 40 Dead Tiger Cubs Found in Freezer at Thai Buddhist Temple Whos to Blame for Harambes Death? Could Pixars Finding Dory Have an Adverse Effect on Coral Reefs? By Andrea Germanos The U.S Air Force said Tuesday that a Colorado base had released roughly 150,000 gallons of water containing elevated levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) into the Colorado Springs Utilities sewer system and a nearby creek. Officials at the Peterson Air Force Base, located in Colorado Springs, said an investigation was underway into the discharge from a retention tank, which was discovered Oct. 12. during a routine inspection. The spill happened at some point last week, they said. The Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, which discharged about 150,00 gallons of PFC-tainted into the local sewer system. Brian Bennett / Flickr PFCsfound in firefighting foam used by the militaryhave been linked to adverse health effects including liver damage and development harm. The Colorado Springs Utilities said the chemicals did not enter the drinking water system, but rather went directly to wastewater. Utilities spokesperson Steve Berry said that no wastewater plant in the country is equipped to remove PFCs. We would not have been able to remove that chemical before it was discharged back into the environment from our effluent, the Denver Post quotes him as saying. CBS News adds, The tainted water passed through a wastewater treatment plant, but the plant isnt set up to remove PFCs, so they were still in the water when it was discharged into Fountain Creek, Berry said. And that presents a potential problem for farmers like Jay Frost, whose land where organic crops are grown sits below the creek. His family uses the creek water for irrigation and he told local ABC affiliate KRDO that If we were not able to sell any product from this farm, we would go broke. Someone will have to answer to this, he added. The discharge of the chemical-laden water last week wouldnt be the first time Peterson Air Force Base is under scrutiny for water pollution in the state. The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that The bases use of the firefighting foam containing the chemical is a key suspect in the contamination of wells in Security, Widefield and Fountain that left thousands of residents scrambling for bottled water last summer after the chemical was found at levels that violated standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Further, the Denver Post reports that the discharge happened as the Air Force increasingly faces scrutiny as a source of groundwater contamination nationwide. Reposted with permission from our media associate Common Dreams. By Carey Gillam The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was slated to hold four days of public meetings, Oct. 18-21, focused on essentially one question: Is glyphosate, the worlds most widely used herbicide, safe? However, the EPA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) meetings were postponed, just four days before they were suppose to meet, after intense lobbying by the agrichemical industry, including Monsanto. The industry first fought to keep the meetings from being held at all, and argued that if they were held, several leading international experts should be excluded from participating, including any person who has publicly expressed an opinion regarding the carcinogenicity of glyphosate. As the meetings drew near, CropLife America, which represents the interests of Monsanto and other agribusinesses, specifically took issue with at least two scientists chosen for the panel, alleging the experts might be unfavorably biased against industry interests. On Oct. 12, the group sent a letter to the EPA calling for Dr. Kenneth Portier of the American Cancer Society to be more deeply scrutinized for any pre-formed conclusions about glyphosate. More notably, CropLife called for leading epidemiologist Dr. Peter Infante to be completely disqualified from panel participation. EPA should replace Dr. Infante with an epidemiologist without such patent bias, CropLife told the EPA. The chemical industry group said Infante was unlikely to give industry-sponsored research studies the credibility the industry believes they deserve. CropLife said Infante has testified in the past for plaintiffs in chemical exposure cases against Monsanto. Croplife also argued that because Infante was the only epidemiologist on the glyphosate SAP he would have enhanced influence in the evaluation of epidemiological data about glyphosate and cancer. The CropLife letter was dated Oct. 12 and by Oct. 14, the EPA announced it was looking for additional epidemiology expertise to ensure robust representation from that discipline. The EPA also said one panelist had voluntarily departed, though the agency refused to say who that panelist was. Challenging Infantes role is a gutsy move. After all, Infante spent 24 years working for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration helping determine cancer risks to workers during the development of standards for toxic substances, including asbestos, arsenic and formaldehyde. His resume includes a stint at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health where he conducted epidemiological studies related to carcinogens, and he has served as an expert consultant in epidemiology for several world bodies, including the EPA and the World Trade Organization. According to sources close to the situation, Infante remains a panelist as of this week, but there is no certainty when the meetings might be rescheduled, and what the panel membership might look like when they are rescheduled. The EPA has refused to discuss who remains on the panel, but some onlookers believe that the EPA was clearly bowing to agrichemical industry interests. This is outrageous. The industry wants to say that our own government scientists, the top ones in their fields, arent good enough for these panels, said Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist at the Consumers Union. If the EPA wants to add extra epidemiologists that is great but why didnt they do it before? They are doing this because of pressure from industry. The industry clearly has much at stake, as does the public. Glyphosate is the key ingredient in Monsantos branded Roundup herbicides as well as herbicides marketed by numerous agrichemical companies around the world. It is also the key to what has been 20 years of sales of genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops developed by Monsanto. The future sales of both the chemical and the crops are being jeopardized by the mounting concerns that glyphosate can cause cancer and other illnesses or disease. Scientists around the world have been raising red flags for years over worrisome research findings, and last year the International Agency of Research on Cancer, said glyphosate was a probable human carcinogen. More than three dozen lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto by people claiming Roundup gave them non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and both European and U.S. regulators are evaluating the chemical for continued use. 21 Plaintiffs Unite Cancer Cases Against Monsanto as EPA Forms Panel to Review Glyphosate EcoWatch https://t.co/3ioDbANPFH @NonGMOProject EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) July 29, 2016 Since the International Agency of Research on Cancer classification, Monsanto has asked the EPA to back industry assurances that glyphosate is safe, and so far, the EPA has done exactly that, issuing a series of reports and memos that dovetail with Monsantos position. Monsanto also has sought to bolster arguments for glyphosates safety by pointing to supportive research papers published in late September in Critical Reviews in Toxicology. Monsanto hired the group that arranged for the panel, and most of the 16 scientists involved are former Monsanto employees or Monsanto consultants. At least one, Gary Williams, has also consulted for Monsanto on litigation matters involving glyphosate. It seems more than a little hypocritical that those scientists are presented as credible by the industry, but scientists like Infante and Portier are said to be unfit to advise the EPA because of suspected bias. Like Infante, Portier has a long track record as an independent scientist. He is vice president of the Statistics & Evaluation Center at the American Cancer Society. He has participated in more than 60 other SAP meetings and has served on expert and advisory panels for the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization Food and Agriculture Organization. Portier also would not comment about the industry concerns about him, the postponement or changes to the makeup of the SAP, other than to say that as of today, he remains on the panel. EPA said it is working to reschedule as soon as possible. But the delay and the maneuvering by industry to influence panel participation does little to bolster consumer confidence for the likelihood of an objective outcome. Filmmaker Michael Moore is launching the national release of his new documentary today, which is said to be both his happiest and most subversive movie yet. In the film, Where to Invade Next, Moore travels to countries throughout Europe and also Tunisia to pry loose from them the tools theyve been using to make their countries happy, shiny places, he writes, with the goal of show[ing] millions of Americans what these countries have been hiding from us. Such tools range from eight weeks paid vacation in Italy to a year of paid maternity leave in Scandinavia to women with true equality and power in Tunisia to trusting prisons in Norway. Michael Moores newest documentary, Where to Invade Next, presents uncharacteristically optimistic outlook. Moore, who is known for such works as Bowling for Columbine and Capitalism: A Love Story, penned an open letter to supporters last week explaining how a recent bout of pneumonia and subsequent hospital stay forced him to cancel all television appearances promoting the film. I have to be honest, Moore writes. Im now worried about my films release. I cant fly, I have to recover and [on Feb. 12] this great movie Ive put so much of my life into is going to open in theaterswith little or no assistance from me. Then, in a direct appeal to his fans, Moore then calls for a cobbled-together army of grassroots foot soldiers to help spread the word about the new movie, which he says will inspire people to think about things in a different way. He continues: Last week, laying in the hospital, I watched one presidential candidate attack the candidate from Vermont for his ideas being unrealistic, pie in the sky and ideas that sound good on paper, but arent going to happen. The truth is, all these great ideasfree universal health care, free university, free day care, taxing and policing hedge fund millionaireshave already happened in nearly every other industrialized country in the world! And I have the evidenceand the filmto prove it! You are going to be seriously f***ed up by this film, Moore adds. Its unlike anything Ive ever done. Intercept columnist Jon Schwarz, who previously worked with Moore, argues that Where it Invade Next is the filmmakers most subversive movie yet. On its surface, Where to Invade Next seems to be a cheerful travelogue as Moore enjoys an extended vacation, invading a passel of European countries plus Tunisia to steal their best ideas and bring them back home to America, Schwarz writes. But, he adds, by the end of the film, after seeing working-class Italians with two months paid vacation, Finnish schools with no homework and the worlds best test scores, Slovenians going to college for free and women seizing unprecedented power in Tunisia and Icelandyou may realize that the entire movie is about how other countries have dismantled the prisons in which Americans live: prison-like schools and workplaces, debtors prisons in order to pay for college, prisons of social roles for women and the mental prison of refusing to face our own history. Schwarz continues: Youll also perceive clearly why weve built these prisons. Its because the core ideology of the United States isnt capitalism or American exceptionalism, but something even deeper: People are bad. People are so bad that they have to be constantly controlled and threatened with punishment and if they get a moment of freedom theyll go crazy and ruin everything. The secret message of Where to Invade Next is that Americas had it wrong all along about human beings. You and I arent bad. All the people around us arent bad. Its okay to get high or get sick or for teenagers to spend every waking moment trying to figure out how to bonk each other. If regular people get control over their own lives, theyll use it wisely rather than burning the country down in a festival of mindless debauchery. Tickets and showtime information are available here. Watch the trailer here: YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Gov. Browns Cozy Ties to Oil & Gas Is a Threat to Californias Coast and Democracy Noam Chomsky: The Biggest Problem We Face, Destruction of the Environment Michael Moore: 10 Things They Wont Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy, But I Will Poisoned Kids in Flint Are Just the Tip of the Toxic Iceberg [Editors note: So you want to watch Trumpland? You can now watch it via iTunes, by clicking here.] By Sydney Robinson On Tuesday, we shared that filmmaker and social commentator Michael Moore had just released a surprise film, Michael Moore in Trumpland. Coming on the tail of his exploration of U.S. foreign relations and our history of war, Moore released Where to Invade Next earlier this year. But apparently that wasnt enough to keep Moore busy, so he released this second film. The New Yorker has posted its amazing review of Michael Moore in TrumpLand. I'm really at a loss 4 words https://t.co/BsMmTMB9CB #TrumpLand Michael Moore (@MMFlint) October 20, 2016 When we first reported on this story, we didnt have any details as to how a regular Joe Schmo in any place other than New York City could see the film. With less than three weeks until the election, time is clearly running out for Americans to see the film and allow it to shape their political views before they head to the ballot box. But now, Moore has teased on his Twitter account Wednesday that the film will be accessible to everyone in the U.S. in 48 hours, meaning that by Friday, everyone should know the score. Here it is! Opens today in NY & LA but EVERYONE in the US will have access to it in the next 48 hrs. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/fQoeOCL7C6 Michael Moore (@MMFlint) October 19, 2016 Reposted with permission from our media associate The Ring of Fire. The House Science, Space and Technology Committee is questioning why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted and then suddenly pulled its highly anticipated risk assessment of glyphosate, the main ingredient in weedkillers such as Monsantos flagship herbicide Roundup. Sources told Sustainable Pulse that the EPA allegedly attempted to take the legal pressure off the pesticide industry and specifically large producers of glyphosate-based herbicides such as Monsanto, by releasing the Cancer Assessment Review Committee draft report. On April 29, the EPAs Cancer Assessment Review Committee published a report online about glyphosate concluding that the chemical is not likely carcinogenic to humans. However, even though it was marked Final and was signed by 13 members of CARC, the report disappeared from the website three days later. The EPA said that the report was inadvertently released. A spokeswoman said: Glyphosate documents were inadvertently posted to the Agencys docket. These documents have now been taken down because our assessment is not final. EPA has not completed our cancer review. We will look at the work of other governments as well as work by HHSs Agricultural Health Study as we move to make a decision on glyphosate. Our assessment will be peer reviewed and completed by end of 2016. Following the move, committee chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) sent a letter on March 4 to EPA administrator Gina McCarthy announcing that his committee is launching an investigation into the matter and is asking that the EPA provide all documents and communications related to the glyphosate study from Jan. 1, 2015 to present. He is giving the EPA until May 18 to provide this information. Chairman @LamarSmithTX21 sent a letter to #EPA Administrator McCarthy on CARC report https://t.co/EpFsZrqMvP Sci, Space, & Tech GOP (@housesciencegop) May 4, 2016 The EPAs backtracking on the finality of its own science review committees report raises concerns about the agencys willingness to provide a fair assessment on this matter, Smith said. That the EPA would remove a report, which was marked as a Final Report and signed by 13 scientists, appears to be yet another example of this agencys attempt to allow politics rather than science drive its decision making. Sound, transparent science should always be the basis for EPAs decisions. Furthermore, EPAs apparent mishandling of this report may shed light on larger systemic problems occurring at the agency, Smiths letter states. The EPA told DTN they were unsure why the report was posted, calling it a mistake. Glyphosate was infamously declared a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) last year. The classification has sparked a growing number of lawsuits over Monsantos widely used product, including a wrongful death lawsuit filed in March by the widow of a Cambria, California farmer alleging that the St. Louis-based company had known for years that exposure to glyphosate could cause cancer and other serious illnesses or injuries. The sudden yanking of the report has raised eyebrows over the EPAs relationship ties to the agricultural industry. Sources told Sustainable Pulse that the EPA allegedly attempted to take the legal pressure off the pesticide industry and specifically large producers of glyphosate-based herbicides such as Monsanto, by releasing the Cancer Assessment Review Committee draft report. According to Sustainable Pulse Director Henry Rowlands, The EPAs mistaken release of the main part of their report that is designed to protect the pesticide industry seems rather a strange coincidence. Glyphosate is now on the agenda for consumers and farmers across the World. The discovery of the herbicide in our bodies and our food at hormone hacking levels is very alarming, he added. The EPA should be protecting us all by providing a fully independent scientific analysis of the chemical. However, this is not what is happening and the EPA is again working against public health protection. The chemical has been detected in several products, from alcoholic beverages and even womens hygiene products. Last month, the Alliance for Natural Health-USA released the results of food safety testing conducted on an assortment of popular breakfast foods, revealing that glyphosate was found in 10 of the 24 food samples tested, including oatmeal, bagels, eggs (including the organic variety), potatoes and even non-GMO soy coffee creamer. The Center for Biological Diversity also issued a statement last week accusing the EPA of relying heavily on industry-funded studies that have not undergone public scrutiny for its draft analysis. EPAs determination that glyphosate is non-carcinogenic is disappointing, but not terribly surprisingindustry has been manipulating this process for years, Nathan Donley, a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity, said. The analysis done by the World Health Organization is more open and transparent and remains the gold standard. Monsanto has vehemently denied cancer claims of its blockbuster product and has demanded a retraction of the IARC report. Unsurprisingly, the company was pleased with the release of the EPAs report, telling Reuters after the documents had been removed that they were clearly labeled and signed as the final report of EPAs Cancer Assessment Review Committee. Monsantos chief technology officer Robb Fraley tweeted, EPA declares (again) that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is not a carcinogen. He added, This is the EPAs highest ranking for product safetythey also do nice job of explaining all of IARCs mistakes. https://twitter.com/MonsantoCo/status/727286585805393920 YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE How Widespread Is the Use of Glyphosate in Our Food Supply? Quaker Oats Accused of Being Deceptive and Misleading After Glyphosate Detected in Oatmeal Watch Susan Sarandon Share on Colbert Why She Broke Up With Hillary Clinton Nations Leading Yogurt Maker Will Remove GMO Ingredients and Source Milk From Non-GMO Fed Cows What Is Climate Change? Is It Different From Global Warming? Climate change is actually not a new phenomenon. Scientists have been studying the connection between human activity and the effect on the climate since the 1800s, although it took until the 1950s to find evidence suggesting a link. Since then, the amount of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) in the atmosphere have steadily increased, taking a sharp jump in the late 1980s when the summer of 1988 became the warmest on record. (There have been many records broken since then.) But climate change is not a synonym for global warming. The term global warming entered the lexicon in the 1950s, but didnt become a common buzzword until a few decades later when more people started taking notice of a warming climate. Except climate change encompasses a greater realm than just rising temperatures. Trapped gases also affect sea-level rise, animal habitats, biodiversity and weather patterns. For example, Texas severe winter storms in February 2021 demonstrate how the climate isnt merely warming. Related: What Are The Top States For Solar Incentives? Why Is Climate Change Important? Why Does It Matter? Marc Guitard / Moment / Getty Images Despite efforts from forward thinkers such as SpaceX Founder Elon Musk to colonize Mars, Earth remains our home for the foreseeable future, and the more human activity negatively impacts the climate, the less habitable it will become. Its estimated that Earth has already warmed about one degree Celsius, or two degrees Fahrenheit, since the start of the Industrial Revolution around the 1750s, although climate change tracking didnt start until the late 1800s. That warming number may not sound like much, but this increase has already resulted in more frequent and severe wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts and winter storms, to name some examples. Environmental Impacts Then theres biodiversity loss, another fallout of climate change thats threatening rainforests and coral reefs and accelerating species extinction. Take rainforests, which act as natural carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But as rampant deforestation is occurring everywhere from Brazils Amazon to Borneo, fewer trees mean that rainforests are becoming carbon sources, emitting more carbon than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, coral reefs are dying as warming ocean temperatures trigger bleaching events, which cause corals to reject algae, their main food and life source. Fewer trees, coral reefs and other habitats also equate to fewer species. Known as the sixth mass extinction, a 2019 UN report revealed that up to a million plant and animal species could become extinct within decades. Human Impact It can be easy to overlook climate change in day-to-day life, or even realize that climate change is behind it. Notice theres yet another romaine lettuce recall due to E. Coli? Research suggests that E. Coli bacteria are becoming more common in our food sources as it adapts to climate change. Cant find your favorite brand of coffee beans anymore? Or that the price has doubled? Climate change is affecting that too. Climate change is also worsening air quality and seasonal allergies, along with polluting tap water. Not least, many preliminary studies have also drawn a line between climate change and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that is still gripping much of the world. Future pandemics are likely to happen more frequently until the root causes, such as deforestation, are addressed. Speaking of larger-scale issues, global water scarcity is already happening more frequently. The Caribbean is facing water shortages due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall; Australias dams may run dry by 2022 as severe wildfires increase and Cape Town, South Africa has already faced running out of water. As touched upon earlier, its one thing to be inconvenienced by a lack of romaine lettuce for a couple of weeks or higher coffee bean prices, but reports warn how climate change will continue to threaten global food security, to the point of triggering a worldwide food crisis if temperatures surpass two degrees Celsius. Many of these factors are already contributing to climate migration, forcing large numbers of people to relocate to other parts of the world in search of better living conditions. Unless more immediate, drastic action is taken to combat climate change, future generations will have to contend with worst-case scenario projections by the end of the 21st century, not limited to coastal cities going underwater, including Miami; lethal heat levels from South Asia to Central Africa; and more frequent extreme weather events involving hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, droughts, floods, blizzards and more. Related: What Are The Best Solar Companies? Whats Happening and Why? Fiddlers Ferry power station in Warrington, UK. Chris Conway / Moment / Getty Images The Earths temperature has largely remained stable until industrial times and the introduction of greenhouse gases. These gases have forced the atmosphere to retain heat, as evidenced by rising global temperatures. As the planet grows warmer, glaciers melt faster, sea levels rise, severe flooding increases and droughts and extreme weather events become more deadly. The Greenhouse Effect In the late 1800s, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius studied the connection between the amount of atmospheric carbon and its ability to warm and cool the Earth, and while his initial calculations suggested extreme warming as carbon increased, researchers didnt start to take human-induced climate change seriously until the late 20th century. But proof of human-led climate change can be traced to the 1850s, and satellites are among the ways that scientists have been tracking increased greenhouse gases and their climate impact in more recent years. Climate researchers have also documented warmer oceans, ocean acidification, shrinking ice sheets, decreased snow amounts and extreme weather as among the events resulting from greenhouse gases heating the planet. Numerous factors contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, known as the greenhouse effect. One of the biggest causes involve burning fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, to power everything from cars to daily energy needs (electricity, heat). From 1970-2011, fossil fuels have comprised 78 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Big Ag is another greenhouse contributor, particularly beef production, with the industry adding 10 percent in 2019. This is attributed to clearing land for crops and grazing and growing feed, along with methane produced by cows themselves. In the U.S. alone, Americans consumed 27.3 billion pounds of beef in 2019. Then theres rampant deforestation occurring everywhere from the Amazon to Borneo. A 2021 study from Rainforest Foundation Norway found that two-thirds of the worlds rainforests have already been destroyed or degraded. In Brazil, deforestation reached a 12-year-high in 2020 under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. As it stands, reports predict that the Amazon rainforest will collapse by 2064. Rainforests are important carbon sinks, meaning the trees capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere. As rainforests collapse, the remaining trees will begin emitting more greenhouse gases than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, a recent study revealed that abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking more methane than previously believed, with U.S. wells contributing up to 20 percent of annual methane emissions. Not least is the cement industry. Cement is heavily used throughout the global construction industry, and accounts for around eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Natural Climate Change Granted, natural climate change exists as well, and can be traced throughout history, from solar radiation triggering the Ice Ages to the asteroid strike that rapidly raised global temperatures and eliminated dinosaurs and many other species in the process. Other sources of natural climate change impacts include volcano eruptions, ocean currents and orbital changes, but these sources generally have smaller and shorter-term environmental impacts. How We Can Combat Climate Change Participant holding a sign at the climate march on Sept. 20, 2020, in Manhattan. A coalition of climate, Indigenous and racial justice groups gathered at Columbus Circle to kick off Climate Week with the Climate Justice Through Racial Justice march. Erik McGregor / LightRocket / Getty Images While the latest studies and numbers can often feel discouraging about societys ability to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening, theres still time to take action. As a Society In 2015 at COP 21 in Paris, 197 countries came together to sign the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty agreeing to limit global warming in this century to two degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels; its believed that the planet has warmed one degree Celsius since 1750. Studies show that staying within the two-degree range will prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. Achieving this goal requires participating parties to drastically slash greenhouse gas emissions sooner rather than later. However, there have already been numerous setbacks since then, from former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing from the Paris Agreement in 2020 to world leaders, such as China, the worlds biggest polluter, failing to enact aggressive climate action plans. Yet many of the treaty participants have been slow to implement changes, putting the world on track to hit 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century even if the initial goals are met. However, its worth noting that U.S. President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021, and pledged to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2030. Then theres the Montreal Protocol, a 1987 global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals that were commonly used in air-conditioning, refrigeration and aerosols. Recent studies show that parts of the ozone are recovering, proving that a unified commitment to combatting climate change issues does make a difference. On a smaller scale, carbon offset initiatives allow companies and individuals to invest in environmental programs that offset the amount of carbon thats produced through work or lifestyle. For example, major companies (and carbon emitters) such as United Airlines and Shell have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in part by participating in carbon offset programs that remove carbon from the atmosphere. The problem is that these companies are still producing high levels of fossil fuel emissions. While individuals can make a small impact through carbon offsets, the greater responsibility lies with carbon-emitting corporations to find and implement greener energy alternatives. This translates to car companies producing electric instead of gas vehicles or airlines exploring alternative fuel sources. It also requires major companies to rely more on solar and wind energy for their energy needs. In Our Own Lives While its up to corporations to do the heavy lifting of carbon reduction, that doesnt mean individuals cant make a difference. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, using public transportation, switching to an electric car and becoming a more conscious consumer are all ways to help combat climate change. Veganism Consuming meat relies on clearing land for crops and animals, while raising and killing livestock contributes to about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization. By comparison, choosing a plant-based diet could reduce greenhouse gas footprints by as much as 70 percent, especially when choosing local produce and products. Public Transportation Riding public trains, subways, buses, trams, ferries and other types of public transportation is another easy way to lower your carbon footprint, considering that gas-powered vehicles contribute 95 percent of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Electric Vehicles Electric cars and trucks have come down in price as more manufacturers enter the field, and these produce far lower emissions than their gas counterparts. Hybrid vehicles are another good alternative for lowering individual emission contributions. Conscious Consumption Buying locally produced food and items is another way to maintain a lower carbon footprint, as the products arent shipped or driven long distances. Supporting small companies that are committed to sustainability is another option, especially when it comes to clothes. Fast fashion has become a popular option thanks to its price point, but often comes at the expense of the environment and can involve unethical overseas labor practices. Not least, plastic saturates every corner of the consumer market, but its possible to find non-plastic alternatives with a little research, from reusable produce bags to baby bottles. Climate Activism Those interested in becoming even more involved can join local climate action organizations. Popular groups include the Sunrise Movement, Fridays for Future, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, to name a few. Voting, volunteering, calling local representatives and participating in climate marches are additional ways to raise your voice. Takeaway Its taken centuries to reach a climate tipping point, with just a matter of decades left to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. But theres still hope of controlling a warming climate as long as individuals, companies and nations make an immediate concerted effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions. As the world already experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid unified response can make all the difference. Meredith Rosenberg is a senior editor at EcoWatch. She holds a Masters from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in NYC and a B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia. By Codi Kozacek On Tuesday, residents of Flint, Michigan were invited to bring their children to a local elementary school for a Lead Testing and Family Fun Night. Combining a school carnival with medical tests to check childrens blood for abnormally high levels of lead, the event was an example of the bizarre circumstances that families are contending with in Flint, Michigans seventh largest city. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is at the center of criticism over a public health crisis in Flint, where a state decision to switch the citys water source ended with lead-contaminated water. Here, he speaks to the Michigan Municipal League in 2011. Photo credit: Michigan Municipal League / Flickr A series of public decisions, driven by misguided management practices and ideological principles that backfired, converged during the past 20 months to poison the citys drinking water and cause one of the most severe public health threats in the U.S. The extent of the risk to Flints residents is not clear. Flints crisis is the third time during the administration of Republican Gov. Rick Snyder that decisions about water supply and water quality at the most senior levels of state government have put state residents in harms way. In 2014, again as a result of the governors decision to appoint an emergency manager in Detroit, drinking water services were cut off for thousands of city residents said to be in arrears on their water bills. But water services for many of the citys largest commercial water consumers, which owed the city water department millions of dollars in unpaid charges, were not halted. The Snyder administration, according to business owners and residents in northern Michigan, has been slow to respond to the threat of a major Great Lakes oil spill from two 63-year-old pipelines that transport 540,000 barrels of oil a day across the Straits of Mackinac at the top of Lake Michigan. An environmental law group in Traverse City, For the Love of Water, has argued that other existing onshore pipelines are available to transport oil to Great Lakes refineries and that Gov. Snyder has the legal authority to shut down Line 5 and prevent what the group called an imminent risk. Flints Water Unravels Flints water troubles began in April 2014, when the city of 102,000 residents in southeastern Michigan began sourcing its water from the nearby Flint River instead of receiving Lake Huron water from its longtime water supplier, the Detroit city water department. The move, made by emergency managers appointed by the state to bring an economically ailing Flint back to fiscal health, was estimated to save the city $US 5 million while it awaited the construction of a new pipeline to Lake Huron. The plan, which was strong on the value of cost-saving, but received scant evaluation for its technical feasibility, quickly unraveled. Over the next year and a half, a series of public announcements and troubling disclosures, many of them first reported by investigative journalist Curt Guyette, described Flints deteriorating water quality and growing public dismay. The water crisis in Flint has resulted in a U.S. EPA audit of Michigans state drinking water program, a federal investigation and the resignation of the director of Michigans Department of Environmental Quality. Photo credit: George Thomas / Flickr First, the city issued several boil water advisories in the summer of 2014. Then, in January 2015, Flint violated the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act because its water contained high levels of total trihalomethanes or THM, byproducts of the water treatment process that, over time, can increase the risk of cancer and cause health problems of the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Finally, two research studies in the fall of 2015 found that the new water source was corroding aging water pipes, leaching lead into the system and very likely causing a spike in lead levels in the blood of Flints children. Lead exposure can impair both mental and physical development in children, sometimes causing profound and permanent adverse health effects, according to the World Health Organization. State Slow to Respond Throughout the crisis, Gov. Snyder appeared indifferent while state officials defended the emergency managers actions and repeatedly rejected claims that there was anything wrong with Flints water. As evidence of serious contamination mounted, the Snyder administration insisted the citys water was safe to drink. Gov. Snyder did not acknowledge the unsafe condition of the citys water problems until Sept. 30, 2015. In terms of a mistake, we found there are probably things that werent as fully understood when that switch was made, Snyder told reporters, according to MLive. Again, were looking at making sure theyre within safe limits according to the federal government. The governor apologized to the city in December. I want the Flint community to know how very sorry I am that this has happened, Snyder said in a statement. And I want all Michigan citizens to know that we will learn from this experience, because Flint is not the only city that has an aging infrastructure. In 2014, a bloom of toxic algae in Lake Erie shut down drinking water supplies for half a million people in Toledo, Ohio. Photo credit: Codi Kozacek / Circle of Blue The same day, the governor accepted the resignation of Dan Wyant, the director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Both Snyders apology and Wyants resignation came on the heels of a letter to the governor from the state-appointed Flint Water Advisory Task Force. The task force blatantly blamed Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for Flints water problems, MLive reported, writing to the governor, We believe the primary responsibility for what happened in Flint rests with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Read page 1 In October, the state authorized Flint to switch back to the Detroit water system. The city also began adding phosphates to its water in December to help rebuild a protective coating inside pipes damaged by the corrosive Flint River. Meanwhile, state and city programs are providing residents with water filters, bottled water and lead testing to help ensure safe water. Cost-Saving Move Backfires Critics of the Snyder administrations management of Flints fiscal and public health turmoil note that the cost to the city and the state of the administrations cost-saving strategy is likely to be considerable. The state has allocated $US10 million to test the water, distribute water filters and help in other ways. The money comes on top of the $US6 million price tag to switch Flint back to the Detroit water system. Personal and class action lawsuits brought by plaintiffs seeking compensation for health damages could be inordinately expensive. The reasons: blood tests revealed elevated concentrations of lead in the tissues of many residents. And a bevy of documents uncovered by Guyette, other reporters and researchers indicate that state officials knew of serious problems much sooner, but failed to act. In their short-sighted effort to save a buck, the leaders who were supposed to be protecting Flints citizens instead left them exposed to dangerously high levels of lead contamination, Michael Steinberg, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, said in a November press release announcing an intent to sue state and city officials over the water crisis. Echoes of Flint Around the World Flints story of water dangers fostered by ideology, neglect and indifference is, in many ways, a central national and global challenge of the 21st century. Sao Paulo, Brazils largest city, nearly ran dry last year due to a severe drought and aging infrastructure. Photo credit: Martha Slivak / Flickr Governments are forgoing investments in critical infrastructure or failing to take changing markets and fast-changing environmental conditions into account. The result, in places like Flint or Sao Paulo, Johannesburg and Mumbai, is decrepit, inadequate water systems that leave residents with unsafe wateror no water at all. In the Midwest U.S. and in India, it is depleted aquifers that threaten food production. In Lake Erie and Lake Taihu, it is runaway nutrient pollution that fuels toxic algae blooms. On a global scale, the collective procrastination on climate action means countries must now make drastic cuts in their carbon emissions to avoid environmental collapse. The fallout when water systems break down is swift and unrelenting. A severe, two-year drought in Brazil nearly spelled disaster for Sao Paulo last year. The city contemplated the daunting prospect of 20 million residents without water. Inadequate, leaky infrastructure compounded the problem. Millions of people living in Wuxi, China could not use their tap water for days in 2007 due to a toxic algae bloom in Lake Taihu. And then there is Flint, which had no water problem until the state governor, driven by ideological principles of reducing taxes and administrative costs, appointed an emergency manager who decided to save $US5 million, a relative pittance in big city budgets, without carefully evaluating the consequences. That misguided and unnecessary decision affecting a major public service put people in danger and resulted in economic costs that already are three times higher than what the emergency manager expected to save. An Expensive Problem In the case of Flint and other cities with aging infrastructure and no source of revenue from a U.S. Congress devoted to the same principles of tax reduction and disinvestment, the outlook is disturbing. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that utilities in the U.S. need to spend $US633 billion over the next two decades to supply water and to treat sewage. A 2012 report by the American Water Works Association said restoring and expanding water systems over the next 25 years could cost $US1 trillion. Growing infrastructure repair bills and inadequate financial support from the federal government mean cities are raising water rates that inhibit the ability of some citizens to pay and could affect economic competitiveness. This shouldnt have to be Americans fate. Once upon a time, this country dreamed of big and ambitious interventions to help its residents live safe, secure and comfortable lives, Guyette wrote in The Nation in July 2015. He added, Getting Congress to come up with the cash is a decidedly tough task in an era when lawmakers eschew any form of tax hike, focusing instead on attempts to rein in the federal budget by hacking away at established programs. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Geologists: Humans Mark on the Earth Will Be Detectable Millions of Years From Now Note to Self: Dont Park Car Next to Lake Erie When Its Freezing Out Porter Ranch Is Only Tip of the Iceberg Exposing Catastrophic Impacts of Natural Gas Groundbreaking Study Says Asian Carp Could Make Up One-Third of Lake Erie Biomass (Photo: REUTERS / Ahmed Jadallah)A displaced woman from the minority Yazidi sect, who fled violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjar, worships at their main holy temple in Lalish in Shikhan September 20, 2014. Followers of an ancient religion derived from Zoroastrianism, the Yazidi fled their homeland in the Sinjar mountains as Islamic State militants, who see them as devil worshippers, seized towns and carried out mass killings in August. As the push to seize back Iraq's second biggest city from Islamist extremists pressed ahead a partnership of civil society groups have issued a call from Iraqi Kurdistan that "civilians must be protected in Mosul, regardless of their religion." U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Onct. 21 called for the protection of civilians to be at the forefront of military planning as the Iraqi Government and associated forces attempt to re-take Mosul. His statment ofllowed reports that fighters from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL, are using civilians as human shields. "We are gravely worried by reports that ISIL is using civilians in and around Mosul as human shields as the Iraqi forces advance, keeping civilians close to their offices or places where fighters are located, which may result in civilian casualties," said Zeid. "We therefore welcome the public statements by Iraq's leaders that the utmost efforts will be made to protect civilians, as required by international humanitarian law." Oct. 18, Geneva Call had in partnership with Un Ponte Per, Public Aid Organization and Norwegian People's Aid, organized a conference in Dohuk on the protection of civilians during the military operations in Mosul. "It is essential that civil society makes its voice heard to the armed actors and you have to disseminate the values of humanitarian norms within your community." declared E. Decrey Warner, Geneva Call's President. "The respect of civilians is important not only during military operations but also for the future. Reconciliation and reconstruction cannot be built on atrocities." Iraqi special forces reclaimed a strategically important town from the group that calls itself Islamic State, and is also known as Daesh, on Oct. 20 and joined Kurdish fighters in starting a new front in the assault to dislodge the group from Mosul. IRAQI SPECIAL FORCES The capture of Bartella, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) east of Mosul, by the U.S.-trained special forces puts militant positions in the city well within the range of government artillery, reported The Wall Street Journal. The attacking unit known as the Golden Division, specializes in urban warfare. It took part in the offensive to retake Iraq's second-largest city for the first time Oct. 20. The day before, Chaloka Beyani, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, expressed deep concerns about their plight following intensified fighting and its potential humanitarian consequences as Iraqi forces were launching their military campaign to retake Mosul. As many as 1.5 million women, men, girls and boys may be impacted by the military campaign, and 200,000 people are expected to be displaced in the first weeks, according to UN agencies. In a worst-case scenario, one million people could be displaced and 700,000 could be in need of emergency shelter. "While humanitarian agencies have put in place preparedness measures ahead of the offensive to ensure that protection needs are met and humanitarian assistance is ready to be distributed, arrangements for safe exit in dignity have not been given enough attention," Beyani said. At the Dohuk conference, more than 130 representatives from civil society organizations participated in the conference said Geneva Call in a statement. Geneva Call is Geneva Call is a neutral and impartial non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting respect by armed non-State actors for international humanitarian norms in armed conflict and other situations of violence Conference participants included the authorities of the Ninawa province, representatives from all religious and ethnic minorities present in Mosul, Yezidi, Christian, Sunni and Shia minorities as well as local and international nonprofit organizations working in the area. Together they adopted a joint declaration in which they called on all parties involved in the current military operations to protect civilian populations regardless of their religion or ethnicity. The recent military operations in the Ninawa province launched by a coalition of international and Iraqi armed actors could result in a dramatic humanitarian crisis as Mosul is still home to more than 1 million Iraqis. Recruitment of children, sexual violence, acts of revenge, summary executions as well as indiscriminate bombing are some of the violations that may affect civilians. Many participants stressed the need for accountability, as one attendee said: "it is important to respect humanitarian norms, but also to bring perpetrators of violations to justice". Since the beginning of 2016, Geneva Call has trained and sensitized more than 800 officers, fighters and members of armed actors and civil society organizations in Iraq on humanitarian norms, including members of the most important forces involved in the Mosul operations. It said it recently conducted a 10-day training of trainers on humanitarian norms for 21 Peshmerga officers, completed several training sessions for officers of the Shia Popular Mobilization Units in Baghdad and sensitized Sunni and Shia tribal leaders. It has also organized a training session for Shia fighters in Kerbala in collaboration with the Shia religious authorities. In addition, Geneva Call is running a video campaign on the rules of war - Fighter not Killer that has to date been viewed by more than 7 million Iraqis on Facebook and millions more on the main Arabic and Kurdish Iraqi television networks Date: 20/10/2016 Toy testing & certification by TUV Rheinland in its India labs When we talk about toy, though it is a toy, it is not a negligence market where safety is concerned. The safety is even quite important compared to many markets due to hazards they may cause to kids, if not properly designed and tested. The toy market is also a big market. There is enough market for toys in India. So, to make the toys safer, they need through testing. To make toys safer, TUV Rheinland India is providing testing, training, inspection, consulting & certification, for the toys. Mr. Charan Singh, Regional Director, Softlines at TUV Rheinland India had shared his views on toy safety and testing at a panel discussion in the recently concluded Kids India 2016 event held at Mumbai. Toys are an important and integral part of growing kids and have always been a challenging market for our manufacturers. We at TUV Rheinland ensure that these toys are safe to use for kids with our global experience and in-depth expertise, said Mr. Charan Singh. Compliance is a must with respect to International standards (for toys exporters to EU etc) and the same might be applicable with respect to standards which we might see in India in coming time. With our services, our customers can build consumer confidence in the quality and safety of their toys, protect children from contaminated and unsafe toys, decrease their risk of liability with documented safety standards and improve their standing in the market with our neutral mark of approval. Parents would love to watch their children play all day - but sometimes, that's just not possible. And as every parent knows, even playtime can have its hidden hazards. The goal of our toy safety testing is to minimize these hazards. We test and certify toys according to the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and European-wide standards, like EN 71 and EN 62115. From teddy bears to model trains, the "Toy Directive" applies to all playthings intended for children up to age 14. You can also get a TUV Rheinland GS mark in combination with your product certification, added Mr. Charan Singh. Tweet Follow @eeherald Ben-my-Chree captain recounts yacht rescue The Ben-my-Chree at the scene of the rescue (photo from Tony Radcliffe RNLI) A captain for the Steam Packet Company has been discussing the role one of the company's ferries played in a rescue in the Irish Sea. Chris Kelly, who is also part of the Peel lifeboat crew, was captaining the Ben-my-Chree from Douglas to Heysham earlier this year when he heard a mayday call and was asked to assist in a rescue by the coastguard. Speaking about the rescue to the RNLI's magazine, Captain Kelly described looking for the yacht as like searching for a needle in a haystack, eventually finding the crew nine miles north of their track. The Ben was the first vessel to make contact with the stricken yacht, providing those on board with water while a nearby lifeboat came to help. The yacht had been heading to the Island on a fishing trip, but had to seek assistance when two of the three-man crew fell ill. The supreme Jet Black model of Apple's new masterpiece iPhone 7 was truly suffering from a shortage of availability in the market since its release last month. Whatever the reason Whatever the reason for the shortage is, the variant has been a long-awaited device among Apple fans. Finally, five weeks following the release, stocks are available once more in several Apple stores. According to a recent report by MacRumors, iStockNow's live device tracker indicates the availability of the Jet Black variant of the iPhone 7 Plus in various Apple's retail stores located in different cities of the United States. As per the report, the variant is currently in stock in the Apple certified retail stores in major cities like Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and San Francisco, However, availability of the model may vary based on carrier, color, and storage capacity. In addition, the IStockNow app also uses Google Maps to provide the details of the exact locations of these retail stores. It's dedicated to fetch the real-time status check of the availability of the device. The app offers one to locate the closest store near him/her where he can buy the said variant in no time based on Apple's very own reservation system backend. However, it is highly recommended to book through online facilities or by calling your nearest retailer to get this extremely popular model before the stock ends again. According to a report by BGR, the availability of the most preferred variant of this model comprising 128GB of storage space is still at a low in comparison with the higher-end model which attributes a higher storage of 256 GB. However, as soon as the news of the availability of Jet Black Model broke out it is already seen the buyers are not even wasting a moment to order their much-desired variant of the iPhone 7 Plus. However, Apple hasn't specified much about the current stock of this wonderful model. But it is believed that the company will leave no stone unturned to cope up with their sales on the upcoming holiday shopping season. As expected by the experts, Apple will do all it can to ensure that it has sufficient supply of all various iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Following the lead of many newspapers and various other media outlets making their presidential endorsements public, Vogue has finally settled on a candidate worthy of the Vogue (and obviously, Anna Wintour) stamp of approval. For the first time ever, the magazine announced that they are supporting Hillary Clinton as the presidential choice in the upcoming election. The magazine has profiled HRC six times, and has also featured Trump and his family (specifically Ivana, Marla, Ivanka and Melania) countless times, but the Democratic endorsement feels genuine. The legacy magazine acknowledges that Hillary "wasn't always a perfect candidate" but insist that she is the best suited candidate to heal the deep divides in our country. They also insist that Hillary symbolizes hope, and want nothing more than to call her "Madam President." In a very Vogue-like move, however, the magazine chose to feature a photo of a young Hillary taken in 1993. Here's a hint, Vogue: There are thousands of more recent pics where she looks just as ready to kick butt as she does in the other photo. I didn't realize how bad this quote is playing among Democrats, environmentalists and others. From Fuse Washington: However, recent comments by Bauman compelled us to publicly endorse the Alliance and voice our opposition to I-732. Bauman's remarks were both offensive on their face and shined a light on some serious policy shortcomings of his initiative. On September 4, Bauman gave an interview to the New York Times about I-732 where he said this: "I am increasingly convinced that the path to climate action is through the Republican Party. Yes, there are challenges on the right -- skepticism about climate science and about tax reform -- but those are surmountable with time and effort. The same cannot be said of the challenges on the left: an unyielding desire to tie everything to bigger government, and a willingness to use race and class as political weapons in order to pursue that desire." New York Times, September 4, 2015 Ugh. Where do we even begin? From the Cascadia Advocate: Yesterday, during the middle day of its 2016 winter meeting, the Washington State Democratic Party went on record as opposed to CarbonWAs I-732, joining theWashington State Labor Council and IAMs District Lodge 751 in the no camp. I-732 is a complex tax swap proposal that would levy a carbon tax while also reducing sales and business & occupation taxes. To have even a prayer of winning, CarbonWA would need progressives and Democrats everywhere to unite behind I-732. But that is not happening, partly because CarbonWAs proposal is poorly written, and partly because CarbonWA has been needlessly alienating progressives with ridiculous commentary like this: When Jason Tan and Brandon Ballinger decided to launch a startup, they knew two things: They wanted to leverage their teams impressive engineering backgrounds, and they wanted to build something with machine learning. All they needed was to find the right problem to solve. In that exploration process, we talked to a bunch of our friends who worked at different companies and asked them, Hey what are problems that your business faces today that your business would rather have someone else solve for you?' said Tan, CEO of Sift Science. And fraud often came up as a problem that was a thorn in the side that none of these businesses wanted to solve themselves. Its something that needed to be solved but they didnt want to make it a core competency to figure out how to be world-class at fraud. That feedback indicated a strong opportunity to build a business, Tan said. Yet neither engineer had a background in fraud or risk or even payment. When we started the company, we literally did not know what a chargeback was, Tan said with a laugh. Their research, however, found the space was ripe for innovation. Machine Learning Meets Fraud Prevention Its been stuck in the dinosaur ages with these rules-based systems, and the improvement every year from these existing vendors is more like 10 percent every year rather than 10 times, he said. We now have the technology with machine learning to do 10 times better. The analogy I like to use is email spam filters. Twenty years ago, email spam filters were all primarily rules-based systems and they werent that effective. But today if you use Gmail or any kind of decently good email system, its spam filter is primarily powered by machine learning and its all fully automated. Tan and Ballinger had found their problem. So in 2011, with a small team of engineers with credentials including Facebook, Google, Amazon and Zillow, they launched Sift Science. Were Sift Science because we sift through Big Data using computer science, plus alliteration is always fun, Tan explained. While machine learning is more commonplace now, at the time it was on the cutting edge of fraud prevention. Tan recalled the first Merchant Council Risk Conference he attended in 2013. After seeing a sign in the Sift Science booth that read Fight fraud with machine learning, an executive from a Fortune 1000 company asked Tan, Whats machine learning? While Tan and Ballinger had the technology, they still had to show businesses how it could benefit them. That was a big wake up call, he said. What were trying to bring to the market is so cutting edge compared to what people are used to, so our work is cut out for us to educate and evangelize the benefits of machine learning systems. The company has an impressive, and varied, list of clients. While fraud detection technology vendors typically focus on financial services, Sift Sciences client list includes online giants such as Zillow, Twitter, Yelp, Indeed and Match.com. The company doesnt position itself as simply solving fraud. We are in the business of helping businesses decide who they can trust Tan said. Status quo solutions have traditionally been rules-based systems that are very reactive and unscalable and inefficient and basically inaccurate. Using machine learning allowed Sift Science to shift from preventing risk in a wholesale way to a more targeted approach. Tan compared traditional rules-based tools to airport security post 9/11; the assumption is that everyone is bad. If you think about airport security Most of us are not terrorists or have malicious intent, but we are treated as if we potentially are. We have to take our shoes off and do all this stuff unnecessarily, he said. How do we instead have a more intelligent system that is able to provide a TSA-free type of experience for the deserving population and weed out the truly suspicious people and do so based on data? A machine learning system learns dynamically what bad behavior looks like instead of relying on pre-programmed rules. In effect, it learns from the data. This also reduces false positives and false negatives, Tan said, noting that his companys false positive rate is usually less than one percent, compared to the traditional software industry rates of 10 percent or more. More than Fraud Prevention More significantly, the underlying machine learning means Sift Science offers more than fraud prevention. It can also make online experiences less annoying for customers, and that can lower cart abandonment a significant problem for online businesses. For instance, a rules-based system would require every customer to type in a captcha or include the three-digit security code on the back of a credit card to finish the transaction. Sift Science is able to eliminate that requirement except in cases that present greater risk. For the vast majority of customers, this removes a barrier that may have resulted in a lost sale. The more easy you can make it for them to complete the order, the less cart abandonment youre going to see, Tan said. So youre going to start capturing a small but meaningful percentage of customers that previously wouldve abandoned the cart but now arent. The startup also claims to save clients an average of $140 per fraudulent transaction prevention. Add the numbers up, and its not hard to see how Sift Science has expanded beyond the traditional financial services and retail industries into other verticals. The cost to customers is based on transactions, which means Sift Sciences charges align with their clients growth. Some customers pay as little as $10 a month while others pay as much as $40,000 a month or more, Tan said. Sift Sciences platform is already leveraged for payment fraud, account abuse, promo abuse and content abuse. Tan foresees more growth in fraud use cases such as account takeover or targeting friendly fraud, where buyers refute the charges to credit card companies as a way of avoiding payment. The company also is expanding internationally, and is looking at ways to make proactive investments to support that growth. Fast Facts about Sift Science Founded: 2011 Founders: Jason Tan, Brandon Ballinger HQ: San Francisco Product: Sift Science provides real-time machine learning solutions that help online businesses prevent fraud and abuse. Customers: AirBnB, OpenTable, Instacart, HotelTonight, Wayfair, Kickstarter, Twitter, Match.com Employees: 50 Funding: $53.6 million in four rounds Loraine Lawson is a freelance writer specializing in technology and business issues, including integration, healthcare IT, cloud and Big Data. The Delhi ODI was decided in the final over, the differentiating factor being which team could pull off the basics better under pressure. By the smallest margin, it was New Zealand New Zealand 242 for 9 (Williamson 118, Bumrah 3-35, Mishra 3-60) beat India 236 (Jadhav 41, Southee 3-52, Boult 2-25) by six runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball details India would not have expected a target of 243 to trouble them. But it did. Their top order tends to finish games off. Not this time. That left the job to MS Dhoni and a set of batsmen not accustomed to finishing an innings. New Zealand exploited that weakness to pull off a six-run victory and level the five-match series at 1-1. It was a chaotic scrap at the finish, which brought a noisy crowd at the Feroz Shah Kotla to their feet. India were 172 for 6 - and the man dismissed was the captain, who was also their best option against an equation of 71 runs in 63 balls. Then a goofy over from Martin Guptill - four wides, ten balls, and two wickets - brought Hardik Pandya front and centre for the second match in a row. In Dharamsala , he offered a glimpse at his utility as a new-ball bowler. In Delhi, he suggested he has promise as a man who could come in late and stay sensible under pressure. He wrestled an equation of 48 off 36 balls down to 11 off eight. India had two wickets left. In that time, New Zealand's disciplines were taking a beating. It was the final overs of the innings, but they did not look for the blockhole. Most of their success was a result of the fast bowlers hitting back of a length on a pitch that was slow and holding up, meaning neither using the pace nor forcing it was a good idea. The problem was, late into the night, the dew started to take effect. That meant it got a little easier to hit the ball through the line. It also meant New Zealand's fielders, who were simply remarkable, were suddenly slipping all over the place. It was the kind of situation - with things starting to turn at the worst possible time - that could have broken anyone's resolve. If only for the fact that the opposition's ninth-wicket partnership racked up 49 at a run-a-ball. But that's when the big players stand up. On came Trent Boult - back in the XI after a rest - and he conceded only six runs in the penultimate over and also got rid of Pandya. Tim Southee sealed India's fate with a yorker. Kane Williamson played a vital part to his team's revival as well, scoring New Zealand's first century on the tour. He came to the crease in the first over and did not budge until the 43rd. By that time he had 118 runs off 128 balls. It was the best innings of the day, and perhaps along the way he understood that runs on the board was not a bad place to be. Besides the fact that New Zealand has been unable to win a single match on tour - they have struggled to win tosses too - plenty of challenges came Williamson's way. Not least of which was his own body refusing to cooperate. He began cramping up in the Delhi heat - and it became contagious. His left forearm caught it first, then his right, and at one point he couldn't even lift a bottle to drink. But when play resumed, he smacked Pandya over his head to the long-on boundary. He picked 65 of his runs in the arc between backward square leg and wide mid-on, which in the early part of the innings, was usually only manned by one or two men. His first boundary came through midwicket which was left vacant, punishment for Umesh Yadav straying too straight with a 7-2 offside field. His first, and only, six of the innings exemplified how well he knew the field. Mid-on had been up. He danced down and lofted Patel over his head in the 13th over. When Patel was taken off and Mishra was brought on, Williamson cut and flicked the bowler for boundaries to make sure India's spinners couldn't threaten him or his team-mates. Tim Southee had Jasprit Bumrah bowled in the last over to seal New Zealand's win BCCI In the field, Williamson had to make sure India's batsmen didn't bully his bowlers. And he received some unexpected help in this regard. Rohit Sharma was caught behind for 15 off Boult, who had strung back-to-back maidens before the breakthrough. Four overs later, Virat Kohli was caught behind off a silly old delivery down leg. The chase had come alive for New Zealand. India's 40 for 2 became 73 for 4 after two grand fielding efforts. Corey Anderson, prowling on the long leg boundary, tracked down a pull from Ajinkya Rahane and dived forward to complete a low catch. India would have felt aggrieved at the decision though, because the on-field umpires referred it to the third umpire, and informed him via soft signal that they thought it was out. Despite plenty of replays - some angles suggesting the ball had bounced up into Anderson's hands, others indicated the fielder could have had his hands under the ball and it bounced on his fingers into his palm - there was no conclusive evidence to overrule that call. And so C Shamshuddin had to send Rahane on his way for 28 off 49. Manish Pandey was run out by the combination of a sharp throw from Mitchell Santner and a phenomenal collection from Luke Ronchi to break the stumps. Then came the coup de grace. Southee, coming back for a third spell, got a ball to stop on Dhoni. A push down the ground for a single became a catching opportunity. A very difficult one. Southee had to dive to his right - against the direction of his followthrough - and get low to have a chance. He kept his eyes on the ball, the slow motion pictures highlight his concentration as he stuck one hand out and came away with one of the biggest match-changing moments in the day. While these were spectacular displays, doing the little things right was equally beneficial for New Zealand. They bowled out their spinners in the middle overs; Santner, costing less than five runs an over, was done by the 39th and part-timer Anton Devcich, bowling left-arm sliders with the seam pointed upright more often than not, bowled nine overs for only 48 runs. Not a bad day's work after two years' absence from ODI cricket. Williamson was comfortable using them for three reasons - they were accurate, the dew took time to set in, and India couldn't attack either bowler. Their top order had failed and even with a set Dhoni at the crease, the target was too far away. India were 139 for 5 in the 32nd over. They tried to take it deep. They wanted to see if New Zealand would break at the end. But that was when the batsmen were worse off. India themselves had exploited that when they bowled, giving away only one boundary in the last 10 overs. It was early on that run-making was easy, as exemplified by the 120-run partnership between Williamson and Tom Latham, who made 46 in as many balls. On 6 December 2016 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the first UAE Synchrotron User Meeting. International synchrotron experts and UAE scientists will meet and discuss how the UAE can benefit from synchrotron light. The newly founded UAE Synchrotron User Association will work on facilitating synchrotron access to UAE scientists. This would help adressing and improving the seven primary national sectors identified by the UAE National Innovation Strategy (NIS): renewable and clean energy, transportation, technology, education, health, water, and space. While giant steps have been taken towards the infinitely big, analogous efforts are now being directed towards the infinitely small, by promoting synchrotron X-ray science. "We believe that direct access to synchrotron facilities would be highly beneficial for the UAE. In the pursuit of scientific and industrial excellence, it is important that findings, discoveries and achievements are led by UAE scientists. This will contribute in improving the scientific and industrial reputation of the UAE", Mejd Alsari Almheiri says. Mejd Alsari Almheiri (University of Cambridge) is the co-founder of the UAE Synchrotron User Association (www.aesua.org) with Prof. Dr. Faisal AlMarzooqi (UAE Council of scientists and Masdar Institute). Following the envisioned collaboration with the ESRF, Francesco Sette, Director General of the ESRF will give a talk at this event. The UAE are engaged in supporting science and supporting education. I look forward to meeting the young scientists and the decision makers to see whether the conditions exist to strengthen our collaboration in the future. Francesco Sette explains. More informations: http://www.aesua.org/ Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel Somaliland, a self-declared state internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia, is hoping that Brexit will mark a defining moment for Somalilands sovereignty. The government of Somaliland believes that once the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it will have free hands to internationally recognize the autonomous region. The government of Somaliland, which regards itself as the successor state to the former British Somaliland protectorate, has been seeking independence for more than 25 years. Dr Saad Ali Shire, Somalilands Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that he thinks that Brexit would simplify things and make the British government make up its mind. He added that Under the EU, all the members have to abide by the EU policy regarding Somaliland. Britain did not have much leeway to make up its own mind. Being out of the EU [means] they can do whatever they want. I think its good for us. I think they will have the flexibility in their foreign policy. Mr Shires comments come at a very strategic time for Somaliland and the wider east African region as DP World, a leading enabler of global trade and an integral part of the supply chain, announced a 30-year concession to develop Somalilands Berbera port. The deal is worth 403 million and the project will modernize the port and exploit its offer of a free trade zone around Berbera. Berbera Port is the official seaport of Berbera, Somalilands commercial capital, and it is classified as a major class port. The government of Somalia regards the project as pivotal for the development of the regions largely agricultural and pastoral economy. Ethiopia, Somalilands landlocked neighbor, will particularly benefit from the project as it gives the country an alternative to the Red Sea port in Djibouti. Written by ACM *Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- A firm "No" to more Ghettos and Radicalisation in European Cities, coupled to a Strong Wish for Education and Digital Democracy, for the Next 4 Years of the Period 2017-2020, right from the "Grassroots", at a Local/Regional Communities' level, were, in Substance, the main points of the Reply, by the New President of the PanEuropean CoE's Watchdog for Local and Regional Democracy (CLRAE), Mrs Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom, a Swedish-Austrian EU Integration live example, in Reply to 2 relevant Questions by "Eurofora", at her 1st Press Conference with Strasbourg's Journalists, earlier Today, just before Starting to Chair a series of Topical CLRAE Debates at its Plenary Session of Autumn 2016, (Comp. f.ex. Infra). ---------------- Elected with a Wide Majority of 183 Votes, against only 8, and 11 Abstentions, the New President of CLRAE is the First Woman to get the Top Job at the PanEuropean, 47 Member Countries and 850 Million Citizens - strong CoE's Watchdog for Local and Regional Democracy, after initial Studies in the USA (Alabama), Sweden (Stockholm), and Salzburg (Austria), worked in Big German Companies, such as Siemens and Mannesman, but had also an Experience as Self-Employed Consultant, Founder and Manager of the first Ergonomics Centre in Austria, (etc), while also being Mother of 3 Children, and Married to a Professor of Labour and Social Law, before Engaging in a career of Elected Politician, both in Local, Regional and European level, where she served Recently as President of the Socialist Group inside the CLRAE, but mainly as Chairwoman of CLRAE's powerful Chamber of Regions. Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom, had earlier stressed that, in her view, in the "Enlarged Horizon" of "a New Page due to be opened in CLRAE's History, CoE's core Values, on "Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law", are due to become "More Important than Ever", including in order to "Stabilize the Democratic Structures of our Societies", which, given also "the GeoPolitical situation", will have to Face more "Challenges" in the foreseable Future, as she Warned. - But, "Eurofora", pointed at her Personal initial University Background, dedicated to Digital Computers "Systems Analysis" and "Programming", and Asked her, mainly, about the potential role of "Digital Citizenship" Projects and Education, among various other Measures, also useful in order to Fight against Dangerous Socio-Cultural "Ghettos" and Radicalisation, which recently popped up in several Cities accross Europe, (even around Brussels, London, Rotterdam, Paris, etc.), in addition to their Importance for the Development of Local/Regional Democracy in itself. --------------------------- + EDUCATION AGAINST GHETTOS + RADICALISATION ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -"Let me Start with your Question on Ghettos, and so on" : "We (CLRAE) are doing a lot of Work about it, also about How to Help, f.ex. by putting some Instruments, some Tools in the Hands of our Municipalities, our Cities, our Communities, etc. to Work with it", President Mosler-Tornstrom practicaly reacted from the outset . - "Just Today, we (CLRAE) introduced a New Project: The "Toolkit", including on Inter-Religious, and/or Inter-Cultural, Inter-Community work", she pointed out, (See Details Infra). - "This is a Toolkit Translated in Many Languages, so that all our Member States can Work with it". + "And we have done a lot of Work on a series of "Guidelines" in order to Prevent this" (Radicalisation), she added. ------------ Indeed, during the Debate of a Report on a "Strategy to Combat Radicalisation at Grass-Roots Level", drafted by representatives from the Netherlands, Bert Bouwmeester (Liberal) and Germany/NRW Josef Neumann (Socialist), which was Adopted by a Large Majority Today by the CLRAE, the co-Rapporteurs stressed that "Local Authorities play a Key-Role in Preventing Radicalisation", "But are Not sufficiently Equiped" for that purpose. Therefore, they presented a "ToolKit" due to Help also "Strengthen the <> Feeling" of the People, whose Contents Focus mainly on "3 Points : (1) Guidelines for Preventing Radicalisation, (2) Twelve Principles on Inter-Faith Dialogue, and (3) a specific, CLRAE new Website, including on "Inter-Cultural Dialogue", as they said. ------------- In fact, among CLRAE's "Priorities for 2017-2020", (according to a Report drafted by Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom and Swedish ChristianDemocrat/EPP representative Anders Knape, and due to be Examined on Friday), this is closely related also with Wider Topical Issues, such as Promotion of "Ethics and Transparency" at Local/Regional levels, particularly by "Preventing Corruption", according to a Report drafted by Experienced, former Twice President of CLRAE, Dr. Herwig Van Staa, a Top ChristianDemocrat/EPP representative from Tyrol (Austria), which was Debated and Adopted Today. - "Population's Trust" in "Elected Politicians" requires "a High Level of Integrity", stress, indeed, the above mentioned "Priorities". Van Staa, (who is also CLRAE' "Mr. Anti-Corruption" since a long time), presented Today a "RoadMap" composed from 6 more specific Texts on the Fight against Corruption, including (1) Abuse of Administrative Resources, f.ex. in Elections, (2) Public Procurement issues, (3) Transparency, (4) Conflicts of Interest, (5) Cronyism, and (6) Protection of Whistle-Blowers". Moreover, an EU/CoE 1999 "Code of Conduct" should be "Reviewed and Extended to cover also Executive Staff and Officials in Local/Regional Government". Concerning Results in Real Practice, an "Evaluation Conference" is Planned for Next Autumn (2017), he anounced, while, however, Regretting the Fact that, still, "a European Prosecutor Office has not been established yet". But, at any case, "Transparency" and "Electronic Governance" (Comp. Infra) can become realy Helpful, he highlighted. -------------------------------- - But, "... where does a Ghetto Starts ?", Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom went on to add, in her Reply to the above-mentioned "Eurofora"s Question (Comp. Supra). -"In a Ghetto, often you don't have much Possibility for Education, for Social Life, and so on, (etc) and this is so Important : Education !", she stressed. - "So, there we (CoE) have to Start !", CLRAE's New President pointed out. Education is, indeed, by a Timely "Coincidence", at the Focus of CoE's Annual "World Democracy Forum"; November 2016 in Strasbourg, with UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, but also Norway's Prime Minister and various Top Experts throughout all Europe and other areas of the World. -------------------------------------------- - "Oh, it would be Wonderful if we could Invent an Instrument, put it inside, and then, wait for it to work"....It would be too Good!", she laughed. - "But No, it's not like this... So, we (CoE) have to Go On", she Urged. - At any case, it will remain true that "We (CLRAE) do a lot of Work to Prevent such situations (of Radicalisation), and do our Best". - "I'd be very Realistic" on that matter, she concluded Soberly, at least for the time being, (Comp. Supra). ---------------------- + DIGITALISATION and Local/Regional Democracy ----------------------------------------------- + On "the 2nd point" of "Eurofora"s Question : - "On Digitalisation : This not only for the People participating in our Meetings, (for Decision-Making process), etc". -------------------- Indeed, Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom had already stressed earlier that, more Widely speaking, Local/Regional "DeCentralisation gives More Possibilities for Citizens to Participate in the Decision-Making process by Public Authorities". In this regard, a 2009 Additional Protocol to CLRAE's Charter, which consecrates a Citizens' Right for Participation in Decision taken by Public Authorities at a Local/Regional level, will be actively Supported and its Signature by the remaining CoE Member States which have not yet done so, shall be "Encouraged", particularly in the run-up to the 2018 Anniversary for CLRAE's more than 30 Years of existence. While, precisely, "Digital Citizenship Education", was discussed by CoE's competent Ministers, recently in Brussels, while CoE's specialized Top Inter-Governemental body, its Steering Committee on Educational Policy and Practice (CDPPE) has just taken Decisions on that same matter, earlier Today in Strasbourg. By a Timely Coincidence, almost at the Same Moment that CDPPE was also Examining a Plan of the Incomming CoE's Presidency by Cyprus, for the Period of Novembert 2016 - May 2017, to organise an Important PanEuropean/International Conference on Education in March 2017, during Today's CLRAE Debate on Young Representative's Projects from all over Europe, a Young Cypriot Girl, Margarita Christodoulidou, naively but interestingly suggested that, "If there are WiFi Internet Access for People living from Cyprus' Villages up to the UK and throughout other European Countries, then, Youngsters could Use Social Media Platforms, and, through them, would Reach Out to CoE's Networks", including on Citizens' Participation, Fight against Radicalisation, Local and Regional Democracy, etc, as she evoked. ---------------------------------- => - In fact, "Digitalisation is a ...Issue in our (CLRAE) Priorities, Starting from 2017, and going on for the Next 4 Years, (i.e. up to 2020), the New President of CLRAE officialy Announced, in Reply to "Eurofora"'s Question. - "Because we see How Digitalisation is Influencing the whole Life we are in, of All of us :" - "I mean, just go to a Market-place, and see, Some People don't even Realize what is Happening around them, because they have the EarPhones, they Look at the Phone, and just Go Out". - But, "What does it Mean to our Social InterAction, for these matters. What does it mean on How we Deal with Each Other ? What does it Mean for Solidarity ? What does it mean for Democracy ?", she drove up to the main point... - "It's not only if we Work, Look and Talk to Each Other. But also what does it mean for Democracy ? And where do we get the Input from ?" - "From the Social Media ?", she wondered, (just to Aknowledge the Fact that, "I am Using Social Media by myself", as she went on to admit)... - "But, all those Questions, We (CLRAE) Have to Talk about it, and here, in the CoE", President Mosler-Tornstrom stressed, more widely. - "And those ones Who are First that are Confrontated with all that (i.e. Both those "Gheto" Risks, and the "Digitalisation" Questions and Potential, from Citizens' participation to Democratic Decision-Making, up to Economic and/or Social Dangers or, on the Contrary, Useful Projects, etc), are the Local and Regional Levels", (i.e. Towns, Regions, etc), she observed. => So, "They Have to Do that !", with "CoE's Congre's Help", she Concluded. ------------------------------- + CLRAE ELECTS A FRENCH GAULLIST TO ITS "GOVERNANCE" COMMITTEE ------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, later this Afternoon, the PanEuropean CLRAE, (in a move which obviously has also a Symbolic Value), decided to Elect a French Gaullist, Jean-Luis Testud, (a ChristianDemocrat/EPP Mayor of Suresnes, near Paris, who has served at Top Jobs at several Ministries or Big Companies, as "Air France", etc.) for President of its powerful "Governance" Committee, (who was, by coincidence, one amog the First to salute "Eurofora", earlier this Morning, just when we entered inside CoE). De Gaulle is known Both for his Strong Will and Convictions, (obvious also in President Testud's most interventions at CLRAE's Debates for Years), as well as for his Attempt to Adopt, by Popular Referendum, an Important Reform of the French Senate, which would be Composed just by those New Regions that he wanted to create, already as early as since 1969... ------------------------- In CLRAE's Mediatic "Current Affairs" Committee, it's Ms Gabriele Neff, a Liberal (FDP) from German Bavaria's Capital : Munich, who gets the Top Job. Last, but not least, the Crucial Importance CLRAE's Committee of "Monitoring", elected as President the Experienced Head of the Dutch Delegation, Leen Verbeck, (Socialist), who is reportedly due, inter alia, to Draft a Report on the difficult current Situation in Turkey on 2017. (../..) *** ("DraftNews") *** Editors note: The following was published in the New York Times on October 29, 1996. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of biochemist Michael Behes pathbreaking book Darwins Black Box and the release of the new documentary Revolutionary: Michael Behe and the Mystery of Molecular Machines, we are highlighting some of Behes greatest hits. Remember to get your copy of Revolutionary now! Pope John Paul IIs statement last week that evolution is more than just a theory is old news to a Roman Catholic scientist like myself. I grew up in a Catholic family and have always believed in God. But beginning in parochial school I was taught that He could use natural processes to produce life. Contrary to conventional wisdom, religion has made room for science for a long time. But as biology uncovers startling complexity in life, the question becomes, can science make room for religion? In his statement, the Pope was careful to point out that it is better to talk about theories of evolution rather than a single theory. The distinction is crucial. Indeed, until I completed my doctoral studies in biochemistry, I believed that Darwins mechanism random mutation paired with natural selection was the correct explanation for the diversity of life. Yet I now find that theory incomplete. In fact, the complex design of the cell has provoked me to stake out a distinctly minority view among scientists on the question of what caused evolution. I believe that Darwins mechanism for evolution doesnt explain much of what is seen under a microscope. Cells are simply too complex to have evolved randomly; intelligence was required to produce them. I want to be explicit about what I am, and am not, questioning. The word evolution carries many associations. Usually it means common descent the idea that all organisms living and dead are related by common ancestry. I have no quarrel with the idea of common descent, and continue to think it explains similarities among species. By itself, however, common descent doesnt explain the vast differences among species. Thats where Darwins mechanism comes in. Evolution also sometimes implies that random mutation and natural selection powered the changes in life. The idea is that just by chance an animal was born that was slightly faster or stronger than its siblings. Its descendants inherited the change and eventually won the contest of survival over the descendants of other members of the species. Over time, repetition of the process resulted in great changesand, indeed, wholly different animals. Thats the theory. A practical difficulty, however, is that one cant test the theory from fossils. To really test the theory, one has to observe contemporary change in the wild, in the laboratory or at least reconstruct a detailed pathway that might have led to a certain adaptation. Darwinian theory successfully accounts for a variety of modern changes. Scientists have shown that the average beak size of Galapagos finches changed in response to altered weather patterns. Likewise, the ratio of dark- to light-colored moths in England shifted when pollution made light-colored moths more visible to predators. Mutant bacteria survive when they become resistant to antibiotics. These are all clear examples of natural selection in action. But these examples involve only one or a few mutations, and the mutant organism is not much different from its ancestor. Yet to account for all of life, a series of mutations would have to produce very different types of creatures. That has not yet been demonstrated. Darwins theory encounters its greatest difficulties when it comes to explaining the development of the cell. Many cellular systems are what I term irreducibly complex. That means the system needs several components before it can work properly. An everyday example of irreducible complexity is a mousetrap, built of several pieces (platform, hammer, spring and so on). Such a system probably cannot be put together in a Darwinian manner, gradually improving its function. You cant catch a mouse with just the platform and then catch a few more by adding the spring. All the pieces have to be in place before you catch any mice. An example of an irreducibly complex cellular system is the bacterial flagellum: a rotary propeller, powered by a flow of acid, that bacteria use to swim. The flagellum requires a number of parts before it works a rotor, stator and motor. Furthermore, genetic studies have shown that about 40 different kinds of proteins are needed to produce a working flagellum. The intracellular transport system is also quite complex. Plant and animal cells are divided into many discrete compartments; supplies, including enzymes and proteins, have to be shipped between these compartments. Some supplies are packaged into molecular trucks, and each truck has a key that will fit only the lock of its particular cellular destination. Other proteins act as loading docks, opening the truck and letting the contents into the destination compartment. Many other examples could be cited. The bottom line is that the cell the very basis of life is staggeringly complex. But doesnt science already have answers, or partial answers, for how these systems originated? No. As James Shapiro, a biochemist at the University of Chicago, wrote, There are no detailed Darwinian accounts for the evolution of any fundamental biochemical or cellular system, only a variety of wishful speculations. A few scientists have suggested non-Darwinian theories to account for the cell, but I dont find them persuasive. Instead, I think that the complex systems were designedpurposely arranged by an intelligent agent. Whenever we see interactive systems (such as a mousetrap) in the everyday world, we assume that they are the products of intelligent activity. We should extend the reasoning to cellular systems. We know of no other mechanism, including Darwins, which produces such complexity. Only intelligence does. Of course, I could be proved wrong. If someone demonstrated that, say, a type of bacteria without a flagellum could gradually produce such a system, or produce any new, comparably complex structure, my idea would be neatly disproved. But I dont expect that to happen. Intelligent design may mean that the ultimate explanation for life is beyond scientific explanation. That assessment is premature. But even if it is true, I would not be troubled. I dont want the best scientific explanation for the origins of life; I want the correct explanation. Pope John Paul II spoke of theories of evolution. Right now it looks as if one of those theories involves intelligent design. Michael Behe is a Professor at Lehigh University and the author of the critically acclaimed Darwins Black Box. Image credit: PublicDomainPictures, via Pixabay. In a recent article for Inside Higher Ed, Colleen Flaherty makes the same harmful, erroneous statements about physicist Eric Hedin that she did back in May in a piece on Hedins earning tenure. She writes: Scientists arent always hostile to creationist colleagues Ball State University granted tenure earlier this year to Eric Hedin, a professor of physics previously accused of proselytizing creationism in a science seminar, for example. Hedin was not proselytizing. Neither was he promoting creationism. I noted the following after the publication of Flahertys May article: First, Inside Higher Ed reporter Colleen Flaherty gives credence to false claims that Hedin proselytized. She notes: Eric Hedin, the associate professor of astronomy and physics at Ball State University who was investigated in 2014 for allegedly teaching intelligent design, has earned tenure. Thats despite claims that he was proselytizing in a science class and the universitys strong affirmation of the scientific consensus around evolution in light of the allegations. The foundation said it did not object to the premise of the honors science seminar, described in the syllabus as an investigation of physical reality and the boundaries of science for any hidden wisdom within this reality which may illuminate the central questions of the purpose of our existence and the meaning of life. Rather, the organization said it objected to the course as taught, based on reports that Hedin was proselytizing and endorsing a Christian viewpoint over others presented. As a public university, Ball State could be in violation of its obligation to separate church and state, the foundation said. [Emphasis added.] In an article at the time, John G. West, the Center for Science & Cultures Associate Director, noted: [T]he complaint against Hedin did not identify any student who was willing to complain on the record against Hedin. Instead, it merely highlighted a few anonymous (and ambiguous) comments from RateMyProfessor.com, a website that doesnt even verify whether those posting comments are in fact college students, let alone whether they ever took courses from the professor in question. Furthermore, according to documents released by Ball State, students reported that the course was evenhanded: Im an agnostic and I find absolutely nothing wrong with [Professor Hedins] teachings; as far as intelligent and thought-provoking discussions go, [Hedins Boundaries of Science course] is one of the most INNOVATIVE classes I have had during my time at Ball State. I lean more towards scientific evidence than anything else, but being an intelligent, curious, and open-minded individual, I appreciate all of the discussions that this class has had and all of the new ideas I have come to understand. There is nothing wrong with this class, and I would recommend it to anyone, no matter what their religious beliefs are. I took the honors physics course taught by Dr. Hedin in the spring of 2011. While learning about scientific concepts such as quantum mechanics, black holes, the formation of stars, and other topics, Dr. Hedins instruction challenged me in a way that my other university classes did not. This course made me a better learner. It allowed me to become much more competent in these complex scientific areas of study and prompted me to become an individual who is committed to learning more about these topics in my own time. At times, in the classroom, students would pose questions which were related to spiritual concepts, but Dr. Hedin merely facilitated discussion giving EVERY single student an opportunity to provide input. Furthermore, Dr. Hedin goes above and beyond the actions of a typical college educator. Inside Higher Eds reporter puts unverified student reports, damaging to Hedins reputation, front and center in her article, while ignoring positive reviews. Of course, these are the typical mischaracterizations directed at those who set a foot outside the limits of rigid evolutionary dogmatism mislabeling the content Hedin taught as creationism (he only taught intelligent design (ID), which is not creationism, and ID was only one among several topics covered in the interdisciplinary honors not core science course), and then going the extra step and labeling Hedin himself as a creationist. Dr. Hedin, a responsible scientist and fine teacher, does not deserve this rehashing of false accusations. Photo: Ball State University campus, by Matt Ruddick [CC BY 1.0], via Wikimedia Commons. From time to time we point out illustrations of how scientists outside the ID movement use the design inference, demonstrating how natural and pervasive design reasoning is. Everyone, scientist or layman, uses such reasoning. Its both valid, when correctly applied, and inescapable. In Undeniable, Douglas Axe talks about the common science that even children engage in, employing what he calls a universal design intuition with which we are all born. Axe is careful not to take this too far, but he argues that its the default for human beings, even as materialists try to explain it away with question-begging Darwinian just-so stories. In past articles, weve looked at scientists trying to understand the origin of rock piles under the Sea of Galilee or on a mountainside. Weve talked about SETI. And we puzzled over curious lines of rocks in the Jordanian desert. We too have been careful not to jump to conclusions, as two examples failed the design filter, and perfectly natural things like sandstone arches can be quite symmetrical and artistic, but still explainable by natural law and chance. The examples show that one can infer design without knowing anything about the designer. Todays case study is a doozy. Its most likely a natural phenomenon, but to this day, scientists have been unable to explain it. Some are not ruling out intelligent design. Megan Gannon at Live Science introduces the phenomenon: Fairy circles are regular, repeating patches of dirt in remote grasslands that, when viewed from above, look like whimsical rings that were scattered across a landscape. Despite their fanciful appearance, the patterns have been a source of serious scientific debate for the last four decades. While some have argued that the geometric patterns are the work of termites, others have postulated that the circles form naturally as vegetation self-organizes in competition for scarce water and other nutrients. [Emphasis added.] Adding to the confusion is the fact that these orderly rings have been found in Namibia and in the Australian outback, but may or may not have the same cause. Heres a sampling of some recent literature on the subject. Notice the first articles premature celebration. Mystery of Desert Fairy Circles Solved, Creators Found ( Live Science ) Are Namibian Fairy Circles the Consequence of Self-Organizing Spatial Vegetation Patterning? ( PLOS ONE ) Mysterious Fairy Circles Not Explained by Termites, Study Suggests ( Live Science ) Gradual regime shifts in fairy circles ( PNAS ) Experiments Testing the Causes of Namibian Fairy Circles ( PLOS ONE , 10/28/15) Discovery of fairy circles in Australia supports self-organization theory ( PNAS ) Are Fairy Circles Just the Ghosts of Termite Nests? ( Live Science ) Fairy circles or ghosts of termitaria? Pavement termites as alternative causes of circular patterns in vegetation of desert Australia (PNAS) Its hard not to chuckle at the talk of fairies in the august Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, knowing as we do that Richard Dawkins has often ridiculed the religious as believing in fairies, goblins, hobgoblins, leprechauns and other mythical creatures. But obviously its just a figure of speech here. Unlike the crop-circle craze, which many suspected from the beginning involved human design (later proved by eyewitnesses and the increasing elaboration of the patterns), this one is not so obvious. The default explanation has been to infer something natural. But what? Until a natural cause is demonstrated, scientists were not able to rule out an intelligent cause. The last paper, from PNAS, appears to have nailed the solution, at least for the circles in Australia. They are the remains of active or abandoned nests from underground termites. It took years of careful observation to arrive at that conclusion, however, passing through theories of self-organization, tribal artwork or farming patterns, hydrocarbon seeps, or products of carnivorous ants. Its still not clear that termites explain the Namibian circles. Even now, not everyone is convinced about the termite theory. The point is that the problem has occupied the attention of scientists from around the world, rightly so, who have published in leading journals. And so design science marches on. No apologies needed. Photo: Fairy circles, Namibia, by Stephan Getzin (Own work) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons. That says it about as briefly as possible. Ahead of the release next month of our Discovery Institute colleague Richard Weikarts new book Hitlers Religion: The Twisted Beliefs that Drove the Third Reich, Dr. Weikart spoke with PJ Medias Tyler ONeil about his thesis. The book debunks the triad of misconceptions that Hitler was an atheist, a Christian, or an occultist. Instead, he identified a higher power with nature and its laws, especially the law of evolutionary struggle. Its an excellent brief discussion with Weikart, a historian at California State University, Stanislaus. The book is November 21. Im on Twitter. Follow me @d_klinghoffer. I'm applying for a settlement Visa from Dubai to join my wife in UK. Can anyone advise me that to whom the letter of Accommodation and Employment needs to be addressed ? Is it Entry Clearance Office or Immigration Officer (home Office) ? This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate While acknowledging a bumpy road for the Affordable Care Acts exchange, federal officials predict 13.8 million will still sign up for coverage when the fourth enrollment period opens Nov. 1. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell made her pitch during a national media call Wednesday, urging Americans to look forward as the law builds on its strengths and makes improvements where gaps have been found. The Health Insurance Marketplace is a necessary piece of a sensible, marketplace solution, Burwell said. And we cant look backwards in a hopeless search for alternatives that arent viable or just dont exist. She reminded the public that before the health care law passed, people could be denied coverage based on gender or pre-existing conditions and chronic illnesses. Since the roll-out of the exchanges in 2013, the national uninsured rate has fallen to a historic low of 8.6 percent in the first quarter of 2016 and more than 20 million people have gained coverage, according to HHS and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics. Before the laws implementation, the national uninsured rate was nearly 16 percent. In Texas, the uninsured rate hovered around 25 percent, or 1 in 4, HHS statistics showed. Today, the uninsured rate in Texas has dropped to about 17 percent, but the state continues to lead the nation in both the number and rate of uninsured. Deep concern about the future of the exchange swirls as many of the nations largest insurers have publicly abandoned it, citing losses because the people signing up were sicker than expected and therefore more costly to insure. In Texas, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Cigna have all said they will not offer plans on the federal exchange. Humana has not made its plans public yet, but acknowledged a reduced presence in the state. In addition, steep rate hikes are coming. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas was recently allowed its nearly 60 percent rate increase request on three individual plans for 2017, the Texas Department of Insurance has said. And while HHS officials have urged people to shop for the best coverage and price, even if it means changing plans, across Texas the choices are dwindling. With the exit of other carriers in the state, Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the only option on the exchange in about 1 in 3 counties. Still, the drumbeat of opposition to President Barrack Obamas health care law, often called Obamacare, seems not to have lessened but grown louder in some quarters, especially along party lines. Its clear that Obamacare continues to hurt more Americans than it has helped. This law has put Washington at the center of our health care system driving up costs, driving down quality, and driving out choice and competition, U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said Wednesday in a statement to Houston Chronicle. Burwell acknowledged the pushback, both politically and among some distressed consumers. The road, she said has not been perfectly smooth. Building a new market is never easy, she said. It hasnt helped that at nearly every turn weve had to overcome partisan attempts to repeal and undermine the law through legislation and litigation. She estimated that when enrollment ends on Jan. 31, 2017, 13.8 million will have signed up, an increase of roughly 1 million over those who signed up during 2016 open enrollment. The majority are expected to be re-enrolling but about 3.5 million are thought to be currently uninsured. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. Not everyone who signs up stays covered, some dropping out when their income changes, they get an employer-sponsored plan, or they fail to pay for their premium. HHS officials estimate between 11 million and 12 million people nationwide will use an exchange plan throughout the year. Burwell has sought to calm concerns about rate increases by explaining that under the law the vast majority 85 percent of people will be insulated from rate increases because of federal assistance that will lower the premium price. But customers who choose insurers that only offer individual plans off exchange will not qualify for subsidies and will have to pay the full amount. Another wild card in the upcoming ACA enrollment period is the presidential election, which will occur one week after the exchange opens. Republican Donald Trump has vowed to repeal and replace the ACA immediately. Democrat Hillary Clinton has said she hopes to expand and improve the law. jenny.deam@chron.com twitter.come/jenny_deam The University of Texas at San Antonio administration has advised the faculty of its biggest college that fiscal belt-tightening moves may stymie the rehiring of adjunct faculty next semester. While no official decision has been made yet, a loss of adjunct faculty members in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts could mean larger class sizes and heftier workloads for the remaining professors. Adjunct teachers make up more than one-third of the colleges total faculty. And because almost every student must take a core course within the college to graduate, few would be unaffected by any reduction. We are realigning our resources, said Joe Izbrand, chief communications officer for UTSA. He said any changes would come as part of the universitys new strategic plan called 2020 Blueprint, which aims to bring the university closer to Tier One status and emphasized the fate of the adjuncts cant be determined until student enrollment numbers for the spring semester solidify. Already, six of the nine faculty searches at the college have been halted, Izbrand said. Interim Provost Mauli Agrawal said in an email obtained by the San Antonio Express-News that UTSAs budget situation is very tight because it could not increase tuition and it pays about $12 million a year so veterans and their family can attend UTSA for free, as per the Hazlewood Act. Out of the about 337 faculty in the college, 123 more than one-third are adjuncts paid by the course, semester by semester. Since they are not tenured, tenure-track, or on multiyear contracts, these are the faculty that some professors fear would not get rehired. The remaining faculty in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts include 177 tenured or tenure-track professors and about 37 who are on multiyear contracts. Overall, the college enrollment is 6,650 students out of almost 29,000 who attend the university. President Ricardo Romo said in an email that UTSA hired 40 new faculty members across all colleges this year. Alistair Welchman, an associate professor of philosophy and a member of the Faculty Senate, said hes concerned for adjuncts, some of whom he says have taught at the college for as long as he has. I didnt really take it seriously until I heard my colleagues talking about being worried about not getting rehired, he said. One of them emailed me as a senator asking, What can you do to help me? One of them asked for a letter of recommendation because theyre considering applying at other places. Welchman first learned of these possible changes through an email from his chair Oct. 11. That email said up to 50 percent of adjunct faculty could be without a job next semester, he said. Walter Wilson, an assistant professor of political science and geography, also learned about the potential budget adjustments from his departments chair, Daniel Engster, via email that day. Engsters email indicated the college had typically exceeded its budget in the past and was allowed to do so under the previous provost. But now, Agrawal would not allow colleges to spend beyond their allocated budget which means millions of dollars less for the college. But Izbrand said that while the college had overspent on a few occasions in the past, he did not characterize the situation as a budget shortfall. The College of Liberal and Fine Arts has a budget allocation and theyre expected to live within it, he said. Theyre expected to keep their focus on student success, and the dean and the provost are very focused on promoting that. Thats the purpose of the university, to help these students. Wilson and Welchman said they were told tenured and tenure-track professors would have their workload agreement revisited which they surmised meant that if there are fewer adjunct faculty next semester, and student enrollment doesnt drop between semesters, theyll be expected to pick up the slack. We will evaluate similar to what weve done, similar to every semester well evaluate the needs of some of these adjuncts, and tenured or full-time professors may be asked to teach a core class, Izbrand said, adding the professors may have to stop teaching an elective to pick up one of these core classes. Wilson is worried that professors wont have as much time to do research if theyre taking on classes formerly taught by adjuncts, which in turn would affect UTSAs efforts at becoming Tier One, or a nationally ranked, research-focused institution. He said that if the hiring freezes and swelling faculty workloads come to pass, it would be sort of the second-class college within the institution. It would basically be faculty and students having two different kinds of experience at UTSA depending on which major they chose, he said. Engster, Wilson and Welchman all expressed frustration at a lack of clarity about what to expect from potential budgetary changes and believe faculty should have been notified earlier. Engster said one core class in the spring that was tentatively down to have 300 students could increase to up to 450 students under the changes. But Izbrand said significant increases in class sizes werent expected. It all sounds very sensational, he said. But everybody does business based on what their budget allows them to do, what economic times allow them to do, and a university is no different. sfosterfrau@express-news.net Hundreds of acres of shrubs and greenery line the miracle mile, the Texas A&M University-San Antonio road from its entrance, Torre de Esperanza, or Tower of Hope, to a new main building. The open space speaks to how much of the schools long-term plan has yet to be rolled out. But this fall, by accepting freshmen and sophomore students for the first time, the university passed a milestone, sending its overall enrollment up by 20 percent and changing its face and campus culture overnight. A&M-San Antonio has transformed itself from the scattered collection of classrooms at multiple locations when it opened in 2009 to a bustling, centralized university, its initial handful of landmark buildings already constructed and occupied. The university now has 518 sophomores and 505 freshmen almost all under age 20. I never knew about A&M-San Antonio until an adviser came by and told me, said Cassie Reyes, 17, a freshman from Pleasanton. I was like, Really, thats a school there? Because I always drove by and saw the big tower and thought Wow thats a nice neighborhood over there. More Information Texas A&M University-San Antonio President: Cynthia Teniente-Matson Mascot: Jaguar Enrollment: 5,511 students Undergraduate: 4,592 Graduate: 919 Tuition as of November 2015: $3,937 per semester, including fees, based on a full-time load based on a four-year rate See More Collapse So then I took a tour the day before Thanksgiving, and I just fell in love with the campus. On a recent Friday, students lounged on benches and couches, compared notes in hallways and knocked on professors office doors. They were looking to have this pathway for the underserved folks on the South Side to be able to actually have access to a four-year education. That was the vision from the very beginning, said Melissa Mahan, vice president for student affairs. The student culture will change even more when the first dormitory, now under construction, is ready next fall. Plans are underway to create a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) academic building and more residence halls on the campus 694 acres. Expansion is still the goal, and the sense of urgency is maintained by population projections that will add 1.1 million people to the citys 1.4 million population by 2040, aided by development on the South Side. The universitys student body is expected to grow from 5,511 today to 8,000 in four years. Just getting started The South Side could have been considered a degree desert. While students who needed to stay close to home could attend Palo Alto College to get an associate degree, transferring to the nearest public university to pursue a bachelors required a commute to the University of Texas at San Antonio. Some found the distance daunting. If something goes wrong and you break down, and youre far away, who are you going to call to come see you? Reyes said. Family is a big thing for me in general, I love being around family. I knew I wouldnt just want to see them on the weekends, Id want to see them during the week, to tell them how my day went. The need to transfer also raised concerns for university founders about graduation rates. Studies show that a stronger sense of community coupled with minimal interruptions in ones education increase the likelihood of student achievement. We know students that engage early with the campus community are more successful. So if they can feel like theyre part of our campus culture, part of our campus community, theyll feel comfortable reaching out to the resources we have here, Mahan said. Along with the new freshman and sophomore classes came 40 faculty appointments and a slew of new support programs, she said, including the Center of Teaching and Learning, the Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement, the First Year Experience Office and a parents program. The student-to-faculty ratio was and remains around 20-1, and the newest students, though younger than the juniors, seniors and graduate students, are similar in other ways. About 82 percent are Latino/Hispanic (campuswide, its 63 percent), three out of four reported that they were the first in their families to go to college (compared with about 60 percent collegewide), and 69 percent of freshmen are Pell Grant eligible. Three-fourths of the inaugural class are from Bexar County. When I saw freshmen were coming on here, it just got me really excited because I can help guide them and shape their futures and things like that. And the growth of the campus, to see it so lively and active, is the best thing in the world, said Christian Harmon, 22, a junior. After a bumpy two years at two other colleges, Harmon transferred to the university last fall, about a year and a half behind in credits. He has since become a top student here and a finalist for the annual Mr. TAMUSA honor. He finds that the freshmen and sophomores seem to linger on campus more, making it feel more close-knit as a community and less like a group of people just trying to get their academic credits, he said. Were still so new, and theres still so many things that can be established in terms of traditions and organizations and such. To add freshmen into that mix, well, as time goes by, new cultures (will be) developed. Its nice to have those several hundred fresh minds come up, he said. First of many Reyes, a full-time student who works 15 hours at the front desk of a school activities office, doesnt take going to a university lightly. She got pregnant in high school; her daughter Lylah now is almost 2. I was a slacker and then ended up being on the honor roll. Shes the reason why I wanted to apply to colleges, and why I continue to push myself to get accepted, Reyes said. And once I got accepted, it was amazing. It was the best thing ever, knowing I could be able to continue my education. Because not most girls my age, in my situation, would even think about going to college. She was nervous at first, especially on the first day of orientation when she got separated into a different group from the only other freshman she knew. But by the end of the program another new one, called Jag X, which started a week before the first day of classes in August Reyes had made a whole new group of friends. This is also the first year that every undergrad must take the Jaguar Tracks course, which helps students with issues pertaining to their specific grade levels. Reyes is pursuing a degree in psychology and considering picking up one in education as well, with an eye toward helping people change their lives for the better, as she did. Its always exciting to be first in something, she said. My daughter can come here, in years (to come), and know her mother was part of the first-year experience. And thats just exciting, knowing that you made history. sfosterfrau@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate This story has been updated with reaction from state officials. Subsidized child care in Texas which provides more than $500 million annually in state-funded assistance to low-income working families is falling short, an advocacy group says. The problems are mainly due to a lack of coordination between agencies and not enough transparency when it comes to data and how the money is being used, according to a year-long study released Wednesday by Children at Risk, a Houston-based research and advocacy organization whose officials stopped in San Antonio as part of a nine-city tour to discuss the findings. More than 100,000 children in the state are in subsidized child care every day and thats just a drop in the bucket, said Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk. That means child care becomes of utmost importance in Texas. More than 3.5 million children are classified as low-income in Texas, according to the report, which was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In San Antonio, about 60 percent of households with children under age 6 involve parents who both work outside the home, and many of them are low-income, the study found. Sanford identified the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Workforce Commission, the latter of which oversees the funding of early childhood education and child care programs, as the major culprits when it comes to the lack of coordination and communication. And he said too many early child care programs across Texas, especially those that cater to low-income children, arent using best practices when it comes to their curricula and programs. The stakes are high, Sanford said: Children who arrive in kindergarten unprepared often flounder as they continue on in grade school, jeopardizing their chances for a bright and productive future. The study found that only 62 percent of third-graders in the San Antonio Independent School District are able to read at grade level, for example. Not being able to read by third grade places children at increased risk of dropping out of school, studies have shown. Early childhood education isnt babysitting, Sanborn said during a news conference held at the Ella Austin Community Center on the East Side, which operates the type of child care facility that relies on state money. High quality pre-K narrows the gap of student achievement. Lisa Givens, a spokeswoman for the TWC, disputed the reports findings about the agencys performance. The Texas Workforce Commission, (its state partners) and the TEA are committed to improving access to prekindergarten for Texas children and their families, she wrote in an email. Our agencies have partnered extensively to work on addressing child care improvements in support of parents and child care providers. In fact, we recently jointly announced with the TEA a $7.8 million grant to expand access to quality prekindergarten. She noted her agency regularly reports data concerning quality initiatives and other issues to federal authorities, and has hosted training conferences for providers. Ana Acevedo, education policy administrator with the city of San Antonio, said great strides have been made locally in early childhood education, especially with the creation of the Pre-K 4 SA program, which this year serves 2,000 children at four centers. In San Antonio, she said, agencies, school districts and nonprofits cooperate and work closely together. But theres more left to do. The Pre-K 4 SA program has wait lists Acevedo couldnt provide a number and local child care programs need to expand what they offer, she said. Wed like to see all state-funded pre-K programs to be made full day, and we need to expand opportunities for before and after care at these programs, she said. Children at Risk will provide a host of policy recommendations to the Texas Legislature when it convenes in January, Sanborn said, including those that require the TEA and TWC to more closely work together and more readily release child care data, including exactly how subsidy dollars are being used. The recommendations also call for partnerships between schools districts and high-quality child care centers, as well as new training programs for early education teachers through third grade, and the formation of a parent education task force. mstoeltje@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON In a new television ad scheduled for airing in San Antonio today, a GOP-aligned super PAC paints Pete Gallego as an influence peddler whod rather spend time with political insiders than with Texans. We cant trust Pete Gallego to fight for us, a woman in the ad says. The commercial, sponsored by the Congressional Leadership Fund, is the newest in a negative ad barrage on San Antonio airwaves in the rematch between Gallego, of Alpine, and U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes. All told, more than $10 million is scheduled to be spent on advertising in the race, about half in the next three weeks. The ad to be aired today on television and digital media is part of the Congressional Leadership Funds $2 million spending allocation in the San Antonio-area congressional race, the second-biggest outside commitment to the contest. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is contributing more. Two years ago, when Hurd unseated Gallego, the GOP super PAC spent $1.6 million. Typical politicians like Pete Gallego are part of the problem in Washington and that is why Texans will reject him in November, again, contended Ruth Guerra, the Congressional Leadership Fund spokeswoman. The GOP super PAC aired its first negative ad in the race last week, linking Gallego to problems in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gallego spokeswoman Lyndsey Rodriguez asserted that the VA ad is a pretty baseless claim, pointing to legislation Gallego sponsored during his one term in the House. PolitiFact Texas refuted an ad sponsored by the Republican National Congressional Committee saying Gallego went and lobbied after leaving Congress in 2015. Both major parties are spending heavily on advertising in the 23rd Congressional District, among fewer than 20 U.S. House contests in the country rated as toss-ups. Democrats need 30 seats to retake control of the House, which would amount to a significant power shift in Washington if Hillary Clinton captures the White House. Most analysts regard a Democratic takeover of the House as unlikely, instead predicting a 10-15 seat Democratic pickup. But GOP presidential nominee Donald Trumps recent swoon in polls is raising new concerns about effects on down-ballot Republicans. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., set the tone for many Republicans when he declared last week that he would focus urgently on protecting the GOP House majority rather than campaigning in the last weeks for Trump. The Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC this week hiked its commitment to $40 million in 32 races. The PACs wherewithal for the stretch run increased markedly in late August when Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his family contributed $20 million. Guerra, the spokeswoman, noted that fundraising success has enabled the PAC to expand from the most competitive races, like Hurds, into second-tier contests. We are confident that Republicans will keep the House, but we want to make sure we maintain one of the biggest majorities that includes members like Will Hurd who can help the Speaker, she said. A report this week by the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracks advertising across the country, said more than 4,800 ads aired on broadcast television in the San Antonio-area race between Sept. 16 and Oct. 13, ranking the Hurd-Gallego contest seventh nationally in congressional contests. A House race in Maine led in ad frequency, with more than 9,300 airings. Many of the ads in San Antonio and elsewhere are distinctly negative, adhering to the political maxim that negative information is more memorable. Advertising tone is driven by competitiveness, so the more competitive the race, the more negative the ads, said Erika Fowler, an assistant government professor at Wesleyan and co-director of the project. In a world where citizens dont pay a lot of attention to politics, negative advertising can be an especially powerful tool to convey the message that theres an important race going on, she said. bill.lambrecht@hearstdc.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Four more people, including a 16-year-old girl, were arrested Wednesday in the shooting death of a 37-year-old man earlier this month during an attempted robbery, the Bexar County Sheriffs Office announced Wednesday. For teenagers to have taken these kinds of alleged actions will change their lives forever, Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said. Milton Miles was found dead of apparent gunshot wounds Oct. 9 at the PURE View at TPC apartment complex at 4092 block TPC Parkway, authorities said. A day after Miles death, Ethan Yoast and Jason Marino, both 18, were arrested on capital murder charges. They confessed to participating in an organized plan to rob people at the apartment, Pamerleau said. The teens were targeting the apartment in an attempt to steal drugs, she confirmed. On Wednesday, officials announced the arrests of three more teenagers in the case, Jai Taco Lynn Jamaal Arnold, 18, and Jamarr Yoshi or Yoda Harrison-McNeil, 22. A third suspect identified as Gabrielle Gabby Nicole Brightman, 18 was arrested later the same day by San Antonio Police Department officers. The last suspect to be arrested Wednesday was the 16-year-old teen. Pamerleau noted that the teens trial will be held in the juvenile court system. All of them, including the juvenile, are being charged with capital murder, authorities said. We want to get this done as quickly as possible because these are individuals that committed violent and serious crimes, Pamerleau said of the individuals prior to their arrest during a press conference Wednesday at the Bexar County Jail. Witnesses told authorities the home invasion began after a woman, identified in an affidavit as Brightman, knocked on Miles apartment door. When Miles opened the door, four men and one woman forced their way inside, officials said. Inside, shots were fired by one of the men hitting Miles. Afterward, everyone fled from the apartment complex, driving away in two separate vehicles, Pamerleau said. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office autopsy revealed Miles had gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen. Police used surveillance footage from the apartment complex and found the license plate numbers of the getaway vehicles before Yoast and Marino confessed Oct. 10 to participating in the crime. Detectives noted in an arrest warrant affidavit that the teens met at a location nearby the complex where they came up with a plan to enter the apartment wearing masks and holding guns to show force to steal the drugs. Both Arnold and Harrison-McNeil were identified by their nicknames, which detectives used to track them down via social media. During separate interviews, all the suspects except Arnold confessed their role in the operation to detectives, according to the affidavit. The unnamed juvenile confessed to detectives that she knew the phone number to some of the people who lived in the apartment. Both she and Brightman admitted to covering the surveillance cameras during the incident, according to the affidavit. Arnold was identified by witnesses and accomplices as the shooter, authorities said. You look at all of these young people ... theyre just starting their life, Pamerleau said. It has taken a dramatic turn from what Im sure any of their parents, any of their friends, or anybody would have predicted. Staff writer Tyler White contributed to this report. jbeltran@express-news.net Twitter: @JBfromSA Kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @Kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AL-HUD, Iraq - 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 that dot the plains and line the Tigris River leading to the city. This area has been under control of the militants since the summer of 2014. 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 said. ISIS 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," he said. Gasim Mohammed said his father was killed in the uprising against the militants. He kicked the head of one of the bodies. "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 head of the Iraqi military's 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 dead ISIS fighters. Residents fired celebratory rounds into the air, and cars along the main road still flew white flags of surrender. Chilly temperatures and shorter days mean its time to fill the bird feeders, so let me review the best foods to offer backyard birds Sunflower seeds (best feeder tubes) Black-oil sunflowers seeds are the single best and most economical food for wild birds. These small, thin-shelled seeds are easy to open, rich in fat and protein, and inexpensive. Virtually every seed-eating bird that visits backyard feeders eats black-oil seeds. A feeding station can be stocked solely with black-oil sunflower seeds, and birds will visit daily. Striped sunflower seeds are larger and have thicker shells than oil seeds. They are favorites of cardinals, jays, and woodpeckers, and can be cast on the ground or presented in tube or hopper style feeders. Hulled sunflower seeds, which are also called sunflower kernels or sunflower chips, are the best food for most birds because they are 100 percent food no waste, no mess, no germination. The extra step of removing the shells, however, increases the cost, so they are not cheap. Also, hulled sunflower seeds spoil quickly when wet, so they should be placed in a feeder that is weatherproof. Nyjer (best feeder finch tube) Nyjer is the tiny, black, oil-rich seed thats often erroneously called thistle. Finches love it, and doves and many native sparrows clean up what spills beneath finch feeders. Because its imported from Africa and Asia, its expensive. Millet (best feeder platform or hopper) Several varieties of millet include white proso, red, golden, German and Japanese. All are eaten by a variety of ground-feeding sparrows, game birds, and waterfowl, but white proso millet is preferred. One of millets best qualities is that its seed coat is hard enough to resist weathering, but not too hard for birds to crack. Corn (best feeder tray or hopper) Crows and game birds love whole corn. At backyard feeders whole corn also attracts jays and doves. Unfortunately, its also a favorite of pigeons, grackles, and squirrels. Cracked corn appeals to many backyard birds, but it carries some serious disadvantages. Its dusty, it spoils quickly when wet, and it attracts some undesirable birds. Pigeons, starlings, house sparrows, cowbirds, and grackles quickly find feeders filled with cracked corn, so use it sparingly if these birds are a problem. Pumpkin seeds (best feeder tray) Pumpkin seeds compare favorably to sunflower seeds in popularity with many birds. After carving jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, dry pumpkin seeds and offer them as occasional treats. Nuts (best feeder squirrel-proof tube) Walnuts, pecans, acorns, and almonds are natural, nutritious, high-energy foods for woodpeckers, jays, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches. Many seed packagers now offer mixes that include nuts, but theyre expensive. Peanuts are cheaper and provide an excellent source of protein and fat for nut lovers. Milo (or sorghum) is often used as a filler seed in cheaper seed mixes. The seed shell is too hard for most birds to crack. Wheat and oats are also common filler ingredients in cheap mixes. Read seed mix labels and avoid blends that contain cereal grains. Suet (best feeder suet basket) Suet is animal fat; woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches love it. I prefer buying pure suet cakes, but those mixed with sunflowers seeds and nuts are great, too. And for do-it-yourselfers, heres my favorite suet recipe, courtesy of Martha Sargent, an avid Alabama birder. Ive printed this recipe many times and get requests for it each fall. No-melt Peanut Butter Suet ingredients: One cup crunchy peanut butter, two cups quick cook oats, two cups cornmeal, one cup lard (no substitutes here), one cup white flour, and one-third cup sugar. Melt lard and peanut butter over low heat, then stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into square freezer containers about an inch-and-a-half thick. Chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes, then cut to size, separate blocks with wax paper, and store in freezer. Live food Finally, for a treat birds cannot resist, offer live mealworms, the larval stage of harmless darkling beetles, on a shallow tray. Woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and even cardinals love em. Mealworms are most economically purchased from online sources such as www.grubco.com. Better yet, buy a few thousand mealworms, then raise your own. My tractor costs more than your Beemer. spotted on a bumper sticker If you want to shock someone not at all connected to agriculture, just tell them the cost of a new combine, or even just a grain head that goes on that combine. I spotted a pickup truck with enough bumper stickers on its beaten and battered tailgate to know it was a farm truck even before reading any of the messages it carried. Aside from the Beemer sticker, another read, I farm, you eat. And If you complain about farmers, dont talk with your mouth full. It was Will Rodgers who said what the biggest bumper sticker on the truck read, A farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldnt still be a farmer. Beside that bumper sticker, someone had jotted in white marker, No joke! Optimistic There are few professions that require such diligence and hard-headed shoulder-to-the wheel grit, along with an enormous dose of optimism, just to stay in business, focused not only on the current balance sheet, but with an eye always on the next season. If the per-hour rate of pay could ever be figured for our nations farmers, I would bet minimum wage might look pretty dang good. A successful farmer once told me, We have to farm small but succeed big in order just to stay in business. Minute inputs He explained that he tries hard to keep every single one of his inputs as minute as possible, even in his personal daily living, because the margins are clearly tight, the possible income finite. You know how they say ya cant get blood out of a turnip well, you cant pay all the bills with a so-so producing herd. A farmer has to know how to optimize every single thing. He also said his family had not taken a vacation. Ever. While some might be shocked by that, those of us who grew up on dairy farms didnt find that point to be one bit surprising. Jim Fisher, a Texas rancher, is quoted along this same line of thought. Not a moment of life is wasted on a farm. Others have been more places, but havent outlived me. Determination I have thought in recent days that this time of year is filled with endless work, dirt and grain dust, maddening equipment challenges and very little rest, all of which could make a farmer throw in the towel. But, October and all that comes with it is the culmination of a year of planning, planting, tilling, cultivating, wondering and worrying. With all of the stressors, there is also an underlying determination to stay the course. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. The West Virginia University Extension Service is holding its third annual West Virginia Women in Agriculture conference Nov. 4-5, at the Glade Springs Resort, in Daniels. The conference is expected to draw more than 200 producers and agribusiness professionals and will include a blend of mentoring, networking and hands-on tours. Friday afternoon will include farm and agribusiness tours followed by a networking dinner, and Saturday will include educational sessions, exhibition booths, producer spotlights and hands-on workshops. Childrens activities and a youth conference track are also available. More information The event begins at noon, Nov. 4 and ends at 5 p.m., Nov. 5. Registration and more information can be found at West Virginia University Extension. Glade Springs Resort is offering special lodging rates for conference participants. For more information contact the resort at 866-562-8052 or visit www.gladesprings.com; Mention the conference to receive the preferred rates. Funding Scholarships to attend are available on a limited basis. Contact Doolarie Singh-Knights at 304-293-7606 or dosing-knights@mail.wvu.edu, or fill out the form at www.surveymonkey.com/r/WVWIA2016. Focus on Ag: What the worsening drought conditions really tell us Drought conditions in the Midwest have worsened over the last few months, but Kent Thiesse says the long-term impact of drought isn't always understood. Shropshire A Full-Time position is available for an assistant herdsperson on a family dairy farm in mid Shropshire. We have a 250 dairy herd rearing own replacements together with a b... It's that time of year again, fireworks will soon light up the night sky as Bonfire Night looms. But it is often a time of anxiety and stress some. Many farmers and rural organisations are calling on the public to have a happy but lantern-free and considerate bonfire night this November. Speaking ahead of bonfires and fireworks being lit around the country on 5 November, the UK farming unions would welcome dangerous sky lanterns, known also as Chinese lanterns, being banned for both personal use, and from being part of any display. Unions have written to councils across the UK asking for a ban on sky lanterns The unions are also urging those setting off fireworks to give some consideration to any livestock that may be in fields or sheds nearby. The lanterns, which are constructed from paper with a wire or wooden frame and contain a lighted candle, are a proven fire risk and can be a danger to animals. They pose a fire hazard to stacks of hay and straw, woodland and farm buildings. If they land within crops grown to feed livestock, the frames risk being ingested causing great harm to livestock. 29 councils in England, 8 councils in Scotland, 13 councils in Wales and 2 in Northern Ireland have already banned sky lanterns. Enjoy - but be considerate NFU Scotlands Animal Health and Welfare Policy Manager, Penny Johnston said: Bonfire night and fireworks are a long established part of celebrations at this time of year. We believe people can have a great evening while taking the needs of those who live and work in the countryside into consideration. Sky lanterns are seemingly innocent devices, and are beautiful to look at, but they can cause untold damage as there is no control over where these burning structures of paper, metal and wood decide to land. Across the UK, there have been many reports now of fires started by lanterns and harm to the health of livestock when lanterns have landed in farmers fields and been eaten. There is a further risk to stock when grass is cut and ensiled for winter feed, and the wire is chopped up and subsequently contained in hay or silage. We applaud the action already taken against sky lanterns by eight local authorities in Scotland and we urge other councils to take their responsibilities as seriously. We also ask members of the public to avoid the use of lanterns, and to understand the risks that these can pose. Given the noise and bright lights, it is unsurprising that each bonfire night also brings a few reports of cattle, sheep, horses and dogs being scared and traumatised when fireworks are set off irresponsibly. Although winter is approaching, the fantastic autumn weather means that many livestock can still be found in the fields around the UK's cities, towns and villages. Taking the time to inform their keepers of any planned or private firework displays may prevent any unnecessary suffering for animals. Similarly, where livestock have been housed for the winter in sheds that are close to public places, consideration should be given to the wellbeing of the animals before any fireworks are set off nearby. Taking the time to consider the impact of any display planned or otherwise will ensure that all can enjoy this traditional, colourful but noisy time of year, concluded Miss Johnston. The government has been urged to adopt policies that would make the UK more self-reliant as the future of Britain's post-Brexit farming system will come under the spotlight. An event from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) saw some of the UK's most innovative farmers in Parliament discussing the issues they face yesterday. The cross-party group of MPs and Peers is led by five co-Chairs: Daniel Zeichner MP, Jeremy Lefroy MP, Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer, Baroness Jenkin of Kennington and Countess of Mar, and Baroness Young of Old Scone. The Group works to encourage the adoption of agroecological principles and policies within all relevant departments of government. The APPG for Agroecology believes that Britains exit from the EU provides the opportunity to build a strategy for food and farming Hosted by Jeremy Lefroy MP for Stafford and APPG for Agroecology co-chair, the event and exhibition Farmers in Parliament Opportunity for Change took place on Wednesday. "The UK now has the opportunity to take an agenda setting approach to its food and farming legislation and governance," said Mr Lefroy. "It can adopt policies that would make us more self-reliant: enhance biodiversity, mitigate climate change, support small and family farmers, and encourage much-needed new entrants. We must make the most of this chance to craft a better framework and be wary of simply reinventing what we know." 'Food security one of the most pressing issues' Some common themes emerged which reflect some of the greatest issues facing our world today: food security, environmental protection, sustainable production, individual and sector-wide economic resilience, and the call for a beefed-up government department or a new independent agency with the expertise and ability to lead as we navigate our new path. Mr Lefroy said: "Food security is one of the most important, pressing issues facing the UK, particularly in a post-Brexit environment. Following agroecological principles is not inconsistent with this need, and should in fact enhance food security in the long term." "The adoption of agroecological principles, policies and practices across all relevant departments of government will be key to building a 21st century food and farming policy that is economically rich and robust, while operating sustainably in the truest sense of the word. "That is the discussion we hope to bring to the fore both with the APPG on Agroecologys post-Brexit food and farming briefing and our Farmers in Parliament event." Farmers in Parliament 2016 features farmers, and food and farming NGOs from a diverse assortment of farms around the UK. All sectors of the food industry are represented from dairy to traditional mixed farms, organic and community growing initiatives. Those present have been selected because they illustrate the variety of ways in which agroecological, sustainable farming and food production may achieve financial viability. British sheep farmers could find themselves at a huge competitive disadvantage if the EU implements increased CAP support for livestock farmers when the UK is withdrawing from the union. Speaking as a report was released by the European Commission which sets out a 13-point plan to help sheep farmers throughout the union, Joanne Briggs, National Sheep Association officer for England said payments coupled to livestock numbers is 'not something the UK government had an appetite for.' "Even before the EU referendum result, many UK livestock farmers had reservations. But if this is taken up across Europe at a time when out government is looking to replace existing agricultural support with a post-Brexit successor, we could find ourselves at a huge competitive disadvantage in the future," she said. 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. Huge potential "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" As part of the European Sheep Meat Forum a collection of cross-industry experts - NFU Cymru Deputy President, John Davies and colleagues have identified thirteen areas for action in the sheep meat sector. A key priority for Mr Davies is to ensure greater market transparency through price reporting based on standard dressing specification. Mr Davies and his colleagues also called on the Commission to recognise the contribution made to the wider economy, particularly in upland areas, by the sheep sector. Mr Davies said: "The sheep sector has huge potential; but the report recommends that the sector is protected from distorting trade imports and existing tariff rate quotas should not be extended. Europe has 900,000 sheep producers, creating an industry worth 5.5billion." Joanne Briggs, NSA Policy Officer for England, attended the four meetings in Brussels, she said about the report: "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. "NSA believes the UK Government should be aware of the EU report, not least because its very existence is a result of pan-EU concern about the fragility of the sheep sector and sensitivity of lamb as a product. This is as true in the UK as it is anywhere else in Europe. "NSA will be highlighting the report recommendations that are pertinent to the UK, but we also need to be aware of the recommendations that look likely to be taken up by other EU member states and could therefore affect sheep farmers here," Miss Briggs concluded. As the darker nights draw in and the clocks change for winter, a spate of high-value thefts has prompted warnings to review security measures on farms. Farmers and those working in the industry are urged to remain vigilant and take measures to protect their property. Farming union across the UK are asking those in the agricultural industry to take the time now to make sure their locks are secure, equipment is put away at the end of the working day, and to take simple measures to deter thieves. Quad bikes are the most common items which end up stolen, according to NFU Mutual The thefts have included a 70,000 tractor from a North-East farm, a high-value tractor and forklift stolen from a Fife farm, and various equipment and machinery stolen in the East Lothian area in Scotland. Unions have been working with the police over the last 18 months to encourage farmers to make their farms more secure and to report anything suspicious to police on 101. Various events have been held to assist the industry in deterring thieves, including ensuring padlocks are fit for purpose, CCTV is fully functional and floodlighting is working. Rural crime cost the British countryside 42m in 2015 Gemma Cooper, NFU Scotland Policy Manager commented: As the nights draw in, it can be all too easy for people to become complacent about security, making them the ideal target for opportunist thieves. According to NFU Mutual, last year alone rural crime cost the British countryside 42m, with the most commonly targeted items by thieves over the last 12 months being quad bikes, tools from farms and businesses and oil and diesel. Farmers are having to stay one step ahead of thieves and face a continual battle to protect their property. It is only by continually reviewing and improving their own practices and security features that will allow them to ward off thieves. Our key advice is to make sure security equipment is fully operational, all machinery, and equipment, including trailers, are locked away in sheds or buildings overnight and the keys stored away from windows and main doors in houses. By making time to take simple precautions now could save you a lot of time, money and hassle in the future, Miss Cooper concluded. A new action plan to grow exports and bring a 2.9 billion boost to the UK economy has been launched today by Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom at the worlds largest food trade fair in Paris. The new International Action Plan for Food and Drink will see the government and industry working together to boost food and drink exports over the next five years. The plan, launched today at SIAL, the worlds leading food and drink trade fair, identifies nine markets across 18 countries with the best potential for growth. SIAL is the worlds leading food and drink trade fair It sets out new ways to tap into these markets, including targeting an extra 185 million in exports to Japan through demand for classic British products like tea, jam and biscuits and new opportunities for British beef. An additional 293 million of exports to Australia and New Zealand, where theres a growing thirst for British beer and cider. And a 215 million export boost in Mexico and Latin America through growing demand for a wide range of British products, including whisky and gin. "The government has put trade at the heart of its agenda," said International Trade Minister, Mark Garnier 'We are open for Business' Speaking today at SIAL, the Environment Secretary said: "With over 10 billion worth of food and drink sold overseas in the last seven months and exports up almost six per cent compared to 2015, there is no doubt we are open for business and ready to trade. "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. Together over the next five years the government and industry will help exporters sell more overseas. 'Trade at the heart of the agenda' International Trade Minister, Mark Garnier, said: "The government has put trade at the heart of its agenda with the creation of the Department for International Trade and we are working hard to help UK companies take advantage of the global demand for British goods and services. "This ambitious new plan shows the strength of our commitment to boosting UK food and drink exports around the world. "Whether its helping our businesses to understand target markets, providing access to trade missions or advice on export finance, we are committed to helping budding exporters realise their dreams of building a global business. The plan will target additional markets including India, USA and Canada, China and the Gulf. Across these countries work is underway to secure new access notably, market access for beef and poultry to Japan, lamb and beef to the USA, and pork to China. The Great British Food Unit which was launched earlier this year to promote exports, support inward investment and champion the excellence of British food and drink at home and abroad will support industry to achieve the targets set out in the plan. A Dorset-based farm shop has turned its flock of 70+ sheep bright pink in tribute to breast cancer awareness month. The Udder Farm Shop near Gillingham will also be selling pink cakes and serving drinks in pink cups at their Deli counter throughout October, with a percentage of all proceeds going to the Breast Care Clinic at Salisbury Hospital. Farm shop owner Jane Down has a very personal reason for wanting to do her bit to help highlight the cause, as she is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The Udder Farm Shop is an award-winning farm shop, coffee shop, deli, fishmongers and butchery based on the edge of the Blackmore Vale near Gillingham in North Dorset Jane said: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK - 1 in 8 women will develop it in their lifetime, as I have. Its a horrible and frightening disease but the good news is that, thanks to things like Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the hard work of research organisations and treatment centres, people are catching it early and getting treatment and over 85% now survive breast cancer beyond 5 years. We are so grateful for all the support and care provided by the Breast Care Clinic in Salisbury that we wanted to do something to help raise awareness of the disease and to raise some money to support the fantastic work that they do at the hospital. If our pink sheep can help to encourage a few more women to check their breasts and if our pink cakes can raise a few pounds for the Clinic, then thats great. The pink sheep can be seen grazing in the fields alongside The Udder Farm Shop and Cafe. Staff will also be participating in Wear it Pink day on Friday 21st October. The Tenant Farmers Association has met with Defra Secretary Andrea Leadsom to discuss plans for a new three pillar agri-policy to replace the CAP. The TFA is pushing for a new, three pillar agricultural policy to replace the Common Agricultural Policy when the UK leave the EU. The first pillar would provide a comprehensive reward structure for active farmers delivering high standards of environmental management based on outcomes. The second pillar will encourage farmers to draw up and implement five year resilience plans and allowing them to access grant funding for infrastructural and other capital investment needed to make those plans a success. The third pillar is a properly funded marketing and promotion arm along with a clear strategy for public investment in near market, research, development and technology transfer. "We told the Secretary of State that the biggest risk was not taking full advantage of all of the flexibilities afforded to the UK once it leaves the European Union," said TFA Chairman Stephen Wyrill. "We assured the Secretary of State that we would work positively with her, other Government colleagues and civil servants in developing and implementing a post Brexit plan for food, farming and the environment. "We told the Secretary of State that this must go hand in hand with a range of other measures including improvements to the remit of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, requiring public food procurement to favour British food, requiring that all the food sold through retail and food service outlets should meet Red Tractor standards, developing a new framework for ensuring the sustainable development of upland areas and importantly, reforms to farm tenancies to create longer average lengths of tenancy term," concluded Mr Wyrill. A petition launched by tenants of the National Trust is aiming to prevent the charity's proposal to cut off their funding. Cristina George and Peter Bate are both officers of the tenant organisation Tenants of the National Trust (TANT), which is tabling the petition. "The National Trust have made a policy decision to cease funding the running costs of its tenant association from next year," they said. "The National Trust has around 5,000 tenanted properties, most of which have been gifted to them by well-meaning landowners over the last century. This means that over 10,000 people depend on the National Trust for the roof over their heads. "If TANT funding is removed we will no longer be able to help the tenants that currently rely on us to intervene on their behalf - often to keep a roof over their head." National Trust 'not a social housing provider' Last year the National Trust received 44 million in revenue from the let estate. TANT's running costs last year were under 5,000, costing the National Trust approximately 1 per household per year. "Until recently the Trust has been happy to work with TANT to improve its provision to tenants and to pay the expenses of the organisation," TANT said. "The Trust now plans to cease funding TANT in 2017, putting the group's existence at risk. Raising funds from tenants directly is not an option as the Trust refuses to share the addresses of its rented properties with TANT and TANT just does not have the infrastructure to divert to fund-raising." The National Trust's Board of Trustees said TANT is just one but not the only voice for National Trust tenants. The board said it was not right to support one association and not the others, which include the Tenant Farmers' Association and the NFU. "The National Trust is not a social housing provider, but we are clear in our ambition to be a fair and professional landlord, offering warm, comfortable homes and a good service to tenants in return for a market rent," the board said. The weakening of the pound's position is affecting the price of British potatoes compared to supplies from Belgium and the Netherlands. "Presently the ex-farm value of GB processing potatoes sits at 7080 per tonne lower than comparable Belgian and Dutch quotes an unusual position for the GB crop compared with previous years prices," said Arthur Marshall, Market Intelligence analyst for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). "Last season, ex-farm prices for Belgian and Dutch processing varieties were either fairly similar or the GB price point was higher. "The price gap has grown dramatically in the last couple of weeks due to Belgian and Dutch prices rising, alongside the falling value of sterling making GB prices lower in euro terms." Rapid weakening of the pound is creating unusual market dynamics in Northern-European potato trade An extremely tight supply situation on the continent is serving to bolster the price of processing varieties there. "Belgium is experiencing harvest delays, limiting the amount of nearby supplies available. Harvest reports week ending 14 October indicated the position as less than half complete with the ground often too dry," added Mr Marshall. Against the euro, the value of sterling has dropped 15 per cent since the vote for Brexit 'Rapid weakening of the pound' This rapid weakening of the pounds position has affected relative prices of GB and Belgian/Dutch processing potatoes, resulting in the GB price point falling below. "This situation may encourage enhanced export activity from the UK as GB-produced potatoes prove a comparatively cheaper option for Northern European buyers, even after accounting for haulage costs," said Mr Marshall. "However GB growers will be taking stock of their storage position at this point and judgments need to be made on pursuing exports in the short-term against being prepared to fulfil domestic markets in late spring." Domestic prices for GB processing potatoes have held firm this season with values higher than typical for this time of year, apart from the challenging supply situation of 2012. There are still several weeks of harvesting to go and AHDB will publish the 2016 GB production estimate in November, when crops have been fully harvested and final yield data is known. The market will also be keeping a close eye on Eastern Europe, where in Poland production levels are reported to be up 2m tonnes compared to last season. Bird flu: Poultry housing order to be introduced in England CBH looks forward to reading the issues paper and as one of the few users of the WA freight rail network to seek access under the code, is likely to make a submission to the process, the spokesperson said. The dinner, held in Northam two weeks ago, was for students from the first intake who are about to complete the three-year degree that started in February 2014 at Muresk campus in a unique partnership between CY OConnor Institute (now Central Regional TAFE) and Charles Sturt University. It is important that growers remain firmly focused on planning for a safe and successful harvest, especially after having to contend with numerous challenges during the 2016 growing season, from frosts in the west through to flooding and waterlogging in the southern and northern cropping regions, Mr Umbers said. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Cloudy this evening then becoming foggy and damp after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy this evening then becoming foggy and damp after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Gray's Creek neighborhood takes a hit as mom and pop restaurant closes Everybody eats at The Creek Bar & Grill, owner Casper Critchfield said but Nov. 13 is the restaurants last day in operation. Freshfields partner Dan BraunThe World Bank and other multilateral development banks (MDBs) fund more than $117 billion in projects each year. While not regulators, they have unique powers to investigate and punish companies for misconduct, like fraud and corruption, in the projects they finance. They also maintain close relationships with prosecutors worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Justice and UK Serious Fraud Office. At a recent event in Washington, DC, senior officials from the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) offered key insights into their priorities and approach. Companies with emerging and frontier market exposure should take note. Three main themes emerged: First, cooperation. MDBs are eager to work with companies when misconduct is uncovered. The World Bank prefers to settle disputes and add new partners to its anti-corruption fight. A three-year debarment from contracting is its default sanction for wrongdoing, but companies that self-report and cooperate start with a conditional non-debarment. This also avoids an automatic cross-debarment by the five largest MDBs, which can have financial and reputational consequences. One company that recently chose a different path was shut out from bidding for more than 25 years. The IDB just recently adopted a settlement mechanism, but requires that companies provide information about other misconduct in order to obtain this type of resolution. Leonard McCarthy, who has led the World Banks unit charged with investigating fraud and corruption since 2008, called on companies caught up in misconduct to cooperate, and get ahead of a problem, and take credit for the solutions. He also warned firms that those who stonewall will find that eventually, one way or another, things come to light. Second, the World Banks relationship with prosecutors around the world presents unique risks and potential benefits for companies. Bank staff enjoy powers and protections that national authorities do not possess and can investigate anywhere in the world. These protections were resoundingly affirmed in an April 2016 Supreme Court of Canada decision. The Bank also has information-sharing agreements with numerous regulators and often shares leads or findings. This has led to the criminal prosecution of more than 64 individuals. In response to an observation on the overlapping and sometimes conflicting demands that companies face in multi-jurisdictional investigations, current Director of Operations for the World Banks investigative unit Stephen Zimmerman noted that because of the Banks international role and relationships, it can play a helpful coordinating role among authorities from different nations. Third, development banks are still banks; while they have a larger, public purpose, they are not governments. It is important to keep in mind that they have broad powers to run their commercial affairs, as well as their investigations and debarment programs, in keeping with their own rules and policies. All of this is guided by their development mandates. As a result, companies facing a possible debarment action must contend with an enforcement process that differs substantially from what might be customary in national justice systems. It is thus critical for companies to engage knowledgeable counsel early on in the process. * * * Co-Chairman of Freshfields Global Investigations practice Geoff Nicholas, and Dan Braun who recently joined Freshfields from the U.S. Department of Justice, led the discussion with panelists Stephen Zimmerman, Director of Operations for the World Banks Integrity Vice Presidency; Maristella Aldana, Chief of the Office of Institutional Integrity, Inter-American Development Bank; and Adam Siegel, Co-Head of Freshfields Global Investigations Practice. Leonard McCarthy, Integrity Vice President of the World Bank, provided opening remarks. _____ Dan Braun is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, which has handled several World Bank investigations. He spent 15 years working for the U.S. Department of Justice as a prosecutor and most recently as Deputy Chief for Litigation in the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division, where he managed some of DOJs most significant cases. He represents companies in complex cross-border investigations and litigation. He can be contacted here. The author would like to thank Freshfields associates Jonathan Ware, Emily Holland, and John Warren for their contributions. It is a somewhat common refrain that while corporate executives and companies pressured into paying bribes overseas face prosecution under the FCPA, the foreign officials who solicit, demand, and even extort the bribes go scot-free. As with many refrains, however, the reality is more complex. Such corrupt officials are often prosecuted locally. Although countries around the world admittedly run the spectrum in terms of how aggressively they enforce such laws, it is universally a crime for domestic officials to solicit or receive bribes. The U.S. government encourages and supports other countries in their efforts to bring such officials to justice. In furtherance of this effort, the U.S. provides training to its law enforcement partners. The U.S. is also active in a number of international forums (e.g., the OECDs Working Group on Bribery), and has successfully encouraged other countries to ramp up enforcement efforts. U.S. law enforcement has prioritized the development of working relationships with its foreign counterparts and, where appropriate, coordinates and shares information to enable them to prosecute their corrupt officials. As just one of many examples, look at what Brazil has been doing on this front, both on its own and with the assistance of U.S. law enforcement. Moreover, the U.S. does not merely serve in a support role. Although Congress, weighing political sensitivities, enacted the FCPA not to include such a mechanism, the U.S. can and has criminally prosecuted foreign officials for violations of other offenses that arise out of the same facts being investigated in the respective FCPA matter (e.g., money laundering, Travel Act violations, wire fraud, and related conspiracies). In fact, of the seven individuals convicted in FCPA-related cases since August 2015, four were government officials. Through the Kleptocracy Initiative, the U.S. also seizes the assets of corrupt officials and, where appropriate, repatriates these corrupt proceeds. In early 2016, for example, the DOJ filed civil complaints seeking close to a billion dollars in forfeitures related to assets alleged to be those of a corrupt official. Although perhaps less satisfying for some, the U.S. further has the ability to revoke U.S. visas and deny entry to corrupt foreign officials. So, yes, although plenty of corrupt foreign officials havent been prosecuted, the same can be said about many bribe payers (and, frankly, violators of every crime). One might argue that the U.S. government could and should be doing more, but that could be said about almost everything. It cannot be said so simply, however, that bribe-takers are walking or that bribe-payers are unfairly singled out. The reality is far more complex and, indeed, cannot be fully covered in this short piece. For a more thorough discussion of these complexities, please attend Matts session with the FBI on this very topic at the FCPA Blog Conference in NYC on October 26. ____ Matthew Queler is a principal in the forensics and investigations practice of Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP (Deloitte FAS), having most recently served as an Assistant Chief in the DOJs FCPA Unit. Michael Won is a Manager in Deloitte FAS, having recently joined after serving as the Lead Analyst in the FBIs International Corruption Unit. Yesterday Techstars announced the launch of Techstars Kansas City. This is a city-based horizontal accelerator similar to the ones we have in Boulder, Boston, Seattle, Austin, New York City, London and Berlin. Applications open in January 2017 and the program will run in July 2017. I have a long history with Kansas City. I almost grew up in Kansas City, as the two cities my parents looked at when moving from Boston were Kansas City and Dallas (they chose Dallas.) In the mid to late 1990s, I was an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Kauffman Foundation working with Jana Matthews on learning programs for high growth entrepreneurs. During this time, Jana and I initiated a deep partnership between the Kauffman Foundation and YEO (the Young Entrepreneurs Organization). I spent about a day a month in Kansas City, during which time I developed a deep respect for the Kauffman Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman (Mr. K), and his value system around entrepreneurship and philanthropy. In 2013 when Google announced that Kansas City would be the first city in the country to have Google Fiber, I bought a house in the first neighborhood that was being wired up with Googles gigabit Internet. This was inspired by Ben Barreth, who was the first person to buy a house in the neighborhood and turn it into a hacker house. Lesa Mitchell, at that time at the Kauffman Foundation, found the house for me and did all the on the ground work for me. Later in 2013, Techstars and Sprint launched the Sprint Accelerator, which Techstars ran for three years. As a result of this activity, Kansas City has become an important startup city in Techstars network. Earlier this year we started talking more about our long term view for our involvement in the Kansas City Startup Community and recruited Lesa Mitchell to lead the effort for us as the Managing Director of Techstars Kansas City. I giggle with joy when I think about working with Lesa closely again. Theres a long list of things we did together when she was at the Kauffman Foundation, we share very similar visions for startup communities, and well shes just dynamite. Im going to be in Kansas City on Monday for the Kauffman Fellows Reunion VC Summit and the 20th anniversary of the Kauffman Fellows Program. I joined the Kauffman Fellows board last month (more on that in a post soon) and David Cohen (Techstars co-CEO) and I are doing an event Tuesday afternoon about what Techstars is doing next in Kansas City. Come join us if you are in town and interested. A woman performed a sex act on her boyfriend in public and begged the police not to interrupt her whilst she was in full throttle. Couple beg police to not interfere on their intimate moment A couple were caught on camera getting frisky in broad daylight in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Monday (17.10.16), and when the police tried to step in and detain the pair, who were half clothed and allegedly inebriated, they turned on the officers, according to the Mirror Online. It has been reported the couple - who were reportedly arrested for a public decency offence - cried: ''Don't stop us now.'' However, the girlfriend was adamant she would not stop entertaining her beau because of the police. When a policewoman asked her to stop, she replied: ''I'm not going to stop because I don't want to. ''It's my boyfriend and I do it where I want. If you want I'll do it in front of you. ''You're not going to take me away for this, you can't detain me for this.'' To love what I do. It sounds simplistic but I've learned the hard way that unless you constantly cultivate a love of writing - specifically a love of your writing - you just won't survive as a writer. Writing is hard! Once the initial buzz of a new idea fades it's just a lot of hard work to get to The End. Problems arise, blocks happen, the universal enemy of all writers known as The Fear sets in. The bottom line is that if you love and are passionate about the story you're battling to create you can overcome all of this. I make sure now I always have some projects on the go that make me laugh, remind me why I wanted to spend my life telling stories and fire me up to get back to the pesky book that I should be writing. I'll write about zombies, or Ninja grannies or alien-fighting Elvis impersonators - anything that makes me feel great about my writing again. It's what started my WriteFoxy writer events - I'm passionate about equipping writers with this vital tool and reignite passion for our writing. Miranda Dickinson To become a fighter. Before I became a published author it never occurred to me that I would have to fight for the stories I wanted to tell. But from the moment you share your work with someone - editor, publisher, other readers - you have to be ready to champion it. I'm not naturally combative as a person, so I found this incredibly hard in the beginning because I was always scared that I would be dropped like a hot stone if I dared disagree with my editor. But the only way I can describe it is like a primal protectiveness that develops for my story. And actually, the editors I've worked with by and large have wanted me to stand up for my work. Nobody knows the story you want to tell better than you, but sometimes you can know it in your head without it fully making it to the page. That's why I love working with editors and learning to pick my battles - that way the things that I'm most passionate about end up shining brightest in the finished book because together we've dragged them into the spotlight. To be my own biggest fan. Being British, this hasn't been an easy lesson to learn! We aren't used to pushing ourselves forward for fear of being seen as too proud or too full of ourselves. But over the years I've learned that being proud of what I do and not shrinking back about my writing has helped me to be a better, stronger and happier writer. Being a woman writing 'women's fiction' (a term I really hate because, honestly, what does it even mean?) I've had to learn how to ignore people who suggest that my genre of book is 'easy' or 'light', or who dismiss it as 'fluffy chick lit' (ugh, ugh, ugh!). I've learned that unless I love the story I've written, I can't expect anyone else to love it, either. I think no matter what stage of your writing career you're at, you have to learn to be your own cheerleader. Then at least if nobody else is cheering, you know there will always be one person waving pom-poms for you! To write for me, first. I see so much advice aimed at new writers that talks about studying the market and writing something that fits current trends. Personally, I think this is bad advice. Even if you write two books a year, it takes the best part of twelve months to take a book from initial idea to published book. By which point, the market can have moved in a totally different direction. The books that catch reader's imaginations are those that are different from every other book on the market. That means that the writes of those hugely successful, break-out books spent a year at least believing in a book they wanted to write, even though the market was chasing something else. That gives me hope! I have no control over the market, but what I can do is write the best book I can, telling the stories I would love to read. Because if I love the story, chances are other people will love it, too. To trust my gut. I think the biggest battle any writer will fight is to believe in themselves. And it's a constant battle. That old scoundrel The Fear is always lurking, ready to question your ability, your success, your right to even call yourself a writer. I have learned that deep down, underneath all the rubbish, I know what works. I just have to be brave enough to dig for it and trust myself. To write whenever, wherever I can. I read with envy about writers who have set hours during the day to write. It's never been like that for me. By the time I was finally able to become a full-time wwriter I had written five Sunday Times Bestsellers while working two day jobs. I've since become a mum, so fitting writing in whenever and wherever possible has been something I've had to learn to do. I always have a notebook with me and have been known to write my books in supermarket car parks and lay-bys while my daughter Flo naps in the back of the car! Even if I only manage five minute bursts of writing at a time, it all counts towards the a finished story. And I've learned not to beat myself up about it if I haven't been able to write - it just makes me more excited to write when the next opportunity arrives. To celebrate everything. This is the most obvious thing and you would think it would be the easiest, but it's taken me years to learn to celebrate my successes. My problem for a long time was that I only celebrated huge successes - and then when they did arrive I was too scared to celebrate because I felt I should be waiting for the next big thing. But doing that left me constantly dissatisfied, feeling like nothing I did was ever good enough. That's not sustainable! So now I celebrate everything - from writing fifty more words of my manuscript, to overcoming a sticky bit of the story, to completing a chapter, right up to seeing my books in book shops (which will always be a dream come true for me), to recently reaching one million books sold worldwide. It means I'm constantly appreciating my work, generally doing happy dances most days and being able to get through tough times because I believe in what I'm doing. I think it shows in the books I'm writing now. To step away from reviews. I realise this is controversial, but I don't read Amazon or Goodreads reviews, especially when I'm writing. It's generally lovely that people take the time to review my books, but reading reviews when I'm feeling a bit shaky about my writing only ends up with me finding and obsessing over dreadful one-star reviews where someone objects to the colour of the cover, declares my book 'the worst book I have ever read' or complaining that their book didn't arrive on time! I can't do anything about their response to my books - which is entirely valid and I would defend the reader's right to their own opinions to the end - so instead I concentrate on writing the absolute best stories I can. It's a far happier place to write from! To be brave. I don't ever want to get comfortable as a writer. I want to constantly push myself and the boundaries of my writing. I want to try new things and refuse to be boxed, like the writers I admire. I have learned that big, scary ideas are the ones worth pursuing. I think I'm becoming a better writer by taking risks and never settling for what feels comfortable or safe. To seek inspiration everywhere. Because it is everywhere. If I walk down a street I pass a thousand stories every day. So I listen to other people's stories, read articles and books that will spark my imagination and follow writers, artists and musicians who inspire me. My books are woven from the sparkly, interesting things I've picked up from places I've been, things I've read and heard and things that have inspired me. I intend to always be a magpie for inspiration - so that my writing is always fired by passion. Searching for the Silver Lining is out now. Queen Elizabeth will host the President of Colombia next month. Queen Elizabeth Juan Manuel Santos and his wife Maria Clemencia Rodriguez de Santos will stay with the 90-year-old monarch and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace when they travel to the UK for a three-day state visit from November 1-3. A statement on the Royal website said: "The President of the Republic of Colombia, His Excellency President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, accompanied by Mrs Maria Clemencia Rodriguez de Santos, has accepted an invitation from The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from 1st to 3rd November 2016. "The President and Mrs Santos will stay at Buckingham Palace." Santos will also travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, before heading back to Colombia. This comes after Santos won this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end Colombia's 52-year war with left-wing rebels. He recently revealed plans to donate more than 800,000 of his prize money to victims of the conflict. Speaking to some of them in Bojaya in western Colombia, he said: "You symbolise the suffering of the victims of 52 years of war and are at the centre of the solution to this conflict. "The victims have taught me that the capacity to forgive can overcome hatred and rancour." Replay, the iconic Germany based denim brand, is planning to get into new markets like South America and South East Asia by the beginning of the next year. The brand also plans to increase its presence in the US by mid-2017. The company aiming to be a global brand, already has a huge market in Europe, with Germany being its biggest market across the world. We are planning openings in new markets by the beginning of the next year. Two markets in which we are not yet present: South America and South East Asia. I believe by the middle of 2017 we will be present in the US with a decent approach. And I believe in my cooperation in China. China will grow very much, CEO of Replay Matteo Sinigaglia told Fibre2Fashion. Talking about the companys latest innovation, Sinigaglia said that they have disruptive new denim for women called Touch, which will be launched on November 15. It is super soft to touch and the company claims to move the denim sense to another level with it. Replay, the iconic Italy based denim brand, is planning to get into new markets like South America and South East Asia by the beginning of the next year. The brand also plans to increase its presence in the US by mid-2017. The company aiming to be a global brand, already has a huge market in Europe, with Germany being its biggest market across the world.# When asked about sustainability in the denim business, he said, There are two approaches to making more sustainable denim. One is consumption and the other is the use of water. So we were looking for a way to make no one pay for their rights. Everybody should have the right to clean water. We were one of the first to introduce technologies such as Laserblast in our process, with which we were able to reduce the use of water by almost 90 per cent. We substitute chemicals with technology. By using these refined industrial processes, we found a way not to make the end-consumer pay for the hidden costs of our production, he added. (KD) Read the complete interview here. Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The chairman of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) suggested that the government should facilitate partnerships between domestic industry and textile machinery manufacturers in India. Adi Sudrejat also said that this cooperation between Indonesia and India can be in form of offering credit facilities for purchasing Indian textile machinery.Ade Sudrajat expressed his opinion at an event in Bandung, to promote the India International Textile Machinery Exhibition (India ITME-2016) to be held in Mumbai in December 2016 among the Indonesian textile sector. The chairman of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) suggested that the government should facilitate partnerships between domestic industry and textile machinery manufacturers in India. Adi Sudrejat also said that this cooperation between Indonesia and India can be in form of offering credit facilities for purchasing Indian textile machinery.# One more reason to choose Indian machinery was because it was as competitively priced as Chinese ones, a leading Indonesian daily reported Sudrejat as saying.He also urged the domestic industry to keep on upgrading their machinery and equipment on a regular basis, so that products from the sector remain competitive in the worldwide market.Ade Sudrajat also said that industry was not upgrading production facilities mainly due to weakening global demand. (AR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Taiwanese manufacturer and supplier of textile materials Far Eastern New Century considers Vietnam as the best destination for diversifying its manufacturing base from China. Cheap yet quality labour as well as lower tariffs in Vietnam are some of the reasons why the manufacturing company is doubling production lines at its clothing factories in the country The company that is expecting a growth of 300 per cent in a year at its fabric dyeing and finishing plants will continue to build additional facilities such as fabric and yarn factories in the country, according to Taiwanese media reports. Eric Hu, president of Far Eastern New Century, said at a trade show that the company cannot think of a market better than Vietnam to build their new manufacturing base. Taiwanese manufacturer and supplier of textile materials Far Eastern New Century considers Vietnam as the best destination for diversifying its manufacturing base from China. Cheap yet quality labour as well as lower tariffs in Vietnam are some of the reasons why the manufacturing company is doubling production lines at its clothing factories in the country.# He said that Vietnam could also benefit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an agreement signed between 12 countries including Vietnam and the US to help create the largest free trade bloc in the world. It is yet to be approved by parliaments of the participating nations, though. The Taiwanese firm supplies materials to multiple global brands like Under Armour, Adidas, H&M, Columbia, J.Crew and more. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Mircoban International Ltd., global player in unique antimicrobial solution design for polymers, textiles, and coatings, has announced the expansion of its global textiles business team in Asia, Europe, and the US, to relaunch its global textile business, bringing in additional assets to strengthen and manage its customer relationships and product offerings.The company has appointed Thomas Case as director of business development for textiles, Zsolt Huszagh as head of textile business development in Europe, Dr. Lance Li as senior formulations chemist, Jerry Wang as regional director of Asia Textile Services, and Simon Zhao as senior technical engineer and business development specialist, to its global textiles team. Mircoban International Ltd., global player in unique antimicrobial solution design for polymers, textiles, and coatings, has announced the expansion of its global textiles business team in Asia, Europe, and the US, to relaunch its global textile business, bringing in additional assets to strengthen and manage its customer relationships and product offerings.# As the director of business development for textiles, Case is responsible for the Microban and Aegis brands in the Western US, Central America, and Mexico. He targets marketing and materials innovation executives of leading active wear, apparel and footwear brands, and coordinates programs globally with customer mill partners and Microban teams.With 20 years of experience in B2B industry sales, marketing and business development, combined with his knowledge of the textile industry, Huszagh will be responsible for leading business development in Europe.Collaborating with the R&D teams, engineering groups and testing laboratories, Dr. Li will develop technologies and protocols to assess the performance of surface treatments. He designs new, or improves existing, liquid base coating formulations that keep surfaces cleaner through the reduction of bacteria, odours and soils.Working with Asian textile mills, Microban R&D, Microban sales and distribution partners, Wang will leverage his expertise in textile processing through integration of Microban odour control solutions into customer textile products. He provides local technical support to Asian textile mills that apply Microban odour control finishes to fabrics, yarn, and fibres.Zhao has been with Microban since 2013, and will take on additional responsibilities in his new role, providing technical sales support to China based brands and manufacturers, while continuing to work technically with apparel customers throughout Asia. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India A bailout package of Rs 200 billion has been proposed by the Pakistan government to revive and modernise the textile sector of the country , said minister of commerce Khurram Dastgir. The special package is being considered on the direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for introducing technological and infrastructural improvements to the textile sector. Dastgir made this announcement at the Senate standing Committee on textile industry meeting recently held in Islamabad. The government is also keen on providing special incentives on taxes to enhance the value addition of the textile sector. The technological revival of the industry is being considered to help it compete with regional competitors that emerged in the last ten years, according to Pakistani media. A bailout package of Rs 200 billion has been proposed by the Pakistan government to revive and modernise the textile sector of the country, said minister of commerce Khurram Dastgir. The special package is being considered on the direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for introducing technological and infrastructural improvements to the textile sector.# A six-member committee has also been formed to review challenges faced by the countrys textile sector. It will soon come up with recommendations for the revival, said Dastgir. The committee also discussed the performance of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), which is not functional and unable to play its role in the industrial development of the sector. Addressing the committees concern, Dastgir stated that the government is seeking private-public partnership to enhance PCCCs capacity. Concerns over the decrease in cotton production due to farmers in South Punjab switching to crops like maize and sugarcane were also voiced by the committee. It said that good quality fertilisers and seeds need to be provided to farmers to avoid this. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Very recently it was reported that Salman Khan had a fight with director Kabir Khan on the sets of the movie Tubelight. Now, Salman has left the shooting of the movie midway and will return to Mumbai today. According to a report in Bollywood Life, ''Salman Khan has cut short the Manali schedule of Tubelight and is returning to Mumbai today. Salman was to film for Kabir's film until next week, however he will now return a week in advance to Mumbai. Salman does not want to stay in Manali even for a day after his fallout with Kabir. So he will be back today itself." Check out some on the sets pictures from Tubelight and also read about the movie below. Kabir Khan Posts Salman's Picture Even after Kabir Khan posted this picture of Salman Khan on his twitter account, the reports about their fight failed to die. And the recent report says that Salman will not shoot for Tubelight and will fly to Mumbai today. Salman-Zhu Zhu Salman Khan is working with Zhu Zhu in Tubelight. Zhu Zhu has already starred in movies such as What Women Want, Shanghai Calling, The Man with the Iron Fists and Last Flight. She was also seen in Netflix's Marco Polo. Zhu Zhu With Salman The actress started her career as a VJ and tasted fame after winning a local singing contest in Beijing. Here she can be seen with Salman Khan. Tubelight Story According to reports, Salman Khan's Tubelight is set in the backdrop of the 1962 war between China and India at the Sino-Indian border. Salman's Role In The Movie Rumour has it that in the film, Salman Khan allegedly will play the character of a man with special needs for the first time in his acting career. Tubelight Also Stars Salman's Brother Sohail Not many people know that Salman has been cast opposite his real-life brother Sohail Khan in the film. Salman-Kabir's Third Film Tubelight is the third film where Kabir Khan and Salman are working together after Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Ek Tha Tiger. Release Date Salman Khan and Kabir Khan's Tubelight is expected to release on Eid next year. Are you guys excited for it? As per reports that are doing the rounds, differences between Kabir Khan and Salman Khan started over small creative decisions on the sets of the movie. Also Read: Totally Unexpected! Aishwarya Rai Reveals Aaradhya Bachchan Thought Ranbir Kapoor Was Her Father! However, another report in a leading web portal said, "Salman has the habit of inviting crew members for a drink after pack-up. He enjoys their company over a drink and then goes to bed, but his guests tend to continue drinking till date. This hampered the work schedule as the crew was unable to report to the sets on time after their late night shenanigans. Kabir decided to pull them up for their tardiness but they went and complained about Kabir to Salman.'' On one hand reports about their fights are making news while on the other hand, Kabir Khan posted a picture recently on Twitter and wrote, "Next time the press does a story of @beingsalmankhan & me not talking... this is the photo they should use HaHa... #Tubelight #Eid2017". Well, only time will tell the truth now! When Shahrukh Was Asked This Question About Gauri A leading web portal asked Shahrukh Khan about Gauri Khan, ''Is it true when we say that after spending so many years together, a couple becomes a sort of sibling?'' Shahrukh's Reply The actor replied by saying, "No, I don't think so. My wife is anything but my sister. Yes I haven't had much time to spend with her over the years, because of my schedule, so the freshness of my marriage is still quite intact.'' SRK On Gauri Shahrukh Khan further added, ''We've never thought the same-about films, about life-and we've never tried to change that about each other.'' Both Of Us Have Become Very Focused About Kids: SRK The superstar also said in the same interview, ''The only thing we are completely aligned in thought about are the kids. Both of us have become very focused about them and that has become the center of our lives." Their Love Story Shahrukh Khan and Gauri Chibber met for the first time at a common friend's party in 1984, when he was only 18 years old. When Gauri Said No To SRK SRK saw her dancing with another boy. When SRK gathered the courage to ask her for a dance, Gauri turned him down by lying that she was waiting for her boyfriend. Madly In Love After days of wooing, Gauri Khan said 'Yes' to him. The two were so much in love that they decided to marry. Marriage But her parents did not approve of their relationship as Shahrukh Khan was a Muslim and Gauri Khan belonged to a Hindu family. Gauri On Marriage With SRK Once in an interview to a leading daily, Gauri Khan had said, ''Yes, my parents were obviously not for it because we were so young and then, to take a decision to get married to a person who was going to join films and also from a different religion." Happy Ending The couple convinced Gauri's parents somehow and finally got married on October 25, 1991. It was a Hindu marriage ceremony. Actress Shailene Woodley, who was arrested by the police last week on the charge of criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot, in a protest march about the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, says she is not guilty. The Fault in Our Stars star pleaded to the court via her attorney that she is not guilty of the charges pressed on her by the police, of criminal trespassing and also engaging in a riot. "I don't know if you guys just heard me, but I was walking back to my RV, which is right there so that we can go back to camp peacefully and they grabbed me by my jacket and said that I was not allowed to continue," Woodley said in a statement. "And they had giant guns and batons and zip ties and they're not letting me go." She added. Shailene continued saying, "Alright I'm being arrested, because I was trespassing like everyone else, but as soon as you guys asked me to leave, I l left. She was down there, everybody was down there. I'm being arrested. I was down there with everybody else." "I don't know what's going on? As soon as they came, I left... it's because I'm well known. It's because I have 40,000 people watching." The actress added further. Salim Kumar, the National award-winning actor is back into the acting field after a short hiatus. As we all know, Salim Kumar was suffering from a chronic disease and was on treatment for a long time. In the recent interview given to Manorama online, the actor revealed that he is living with the organ donated by another person. Salim Kumar was reacting to Sreenivasan's comment on organ donation. Recently, Sreenivasan had opined that organ donation is just a new method of cheating. Even though the actor-writer later apologised for his comments, he was heavily bashed by several eminent personalities. Salim Kumar, who dismissed Sreenivasan's allegations stated that it is extremely painful to hear such words from a person like him. He also stated that he is a strong supporter of donation. Even though the actor did not reveal about his disease, some close sources suggest that Salim Kumar was suffering from liver cirrhosis. The actor was undergoing treatment at Amritha hospital, Kochi. Shockingly, death hoaxes about the actor had also surfaced when he was admitted at the hospital. However, Salim Kumar made a comeback into the industry, with the Mammootty starrer Thoppil Joppan. Television actresses celebrated Karva Chauth yesterday (October 19). A few actresses like Divyanka Tripathi, Sanaya Irani, Hunar Hale were excited about their first Karva Chauth post marriage, while a few other actresses (Vinny Arora and Kavita Kaushik) observed fast for their would-be husbands. As we revealed earlier, Divyanka Tripathi was excited about her first Karva Chauth, post marriage. Although, Vivek Dahiya didn't want her to stay hungry, Divyanka followed the ritual and observed fast for her husband's long life. Divyanka Tripathi Posting a picture snapped with Ankita Bhargava's mother Kiran Bhargava, Divyanka wrote, "Love and devotion has no boundaries. #SuryaArchana on set. Thank you Kiran ma'am for including me in your rituals. #FirstKarvachauth #AsliMazaSabKeSathAataHai." Ankita & Karan Ankita had posted a few pictures from her Karva Chauth preparations. Showing off her mehendi, Ankita wrote, "#karwachauth Our 2nd Together I wanna be ur wife till my last breath babu @karan9198". Posting a picture snapped with Karan Patel, Ankita wrote, "And it was a very very Happy n Beautiful Karwachauth ." Ankita Lokhande Sushant Singh Rajput (ex) girlfriend Ankita Lokhande was also seen in a traditional wear. She wished everyone on the social media. She wrote, "Wishing everyone a very happy karwa chauth." Hunar Hale Posting a picture snapped with Mayank, Hunar wrote, "Broke our fast with Thumbs Up Extra smiles for my hubby deary who was fasting with me @mayankgandhi_therealone #anditends#instacute#picoftheday#hubbywifey#loveyou#myhubbyisthebest." Neha Swami Arjun Bijlani's wife Neha Swami wrote, "Awwwww love u baby... First time karvachauth on FaceTime.. Hahahaha missing missing missing you." Indraneil & Barkha Indraneil posted a picture snapped with his wife Barkha and wrote, "I don't know why she does this every year .... but I love the smile on her face when After all that she sees food @barkhasengupta #karwachauth." Nisha Rawal Karan Mehra's wife Nisha Rawal posted a picture and wrote, "Sending u wishes through the moon #happykarvachauth." Karan is in the Bigg Boss 10 and he had also observed fast for his wife in the Bigg Boss house. Raqesh & Ridhi Raqesh posted a picture snapped with his wife Ridhi and wrote, "Is it Happy karvachauth wen the stomach is roaring??.. wish u all strength and patience through the famished day." Sanaya Irani Sanaya Irani posted a collage and wrote, "Happy karvachauth everyone. can't wait to stuff my face ." Sanaya's husband, Mohit Sehgal also posted a collage and wrote, "Starved but still smiling " ." The Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actress said that she took tips from her mother-in-law to celebrate the festival. She was quoted by a leading daily as saying, "My husband really pampered me on the occasion. Most husbands also observe the fast these days, but I didn't let Vivek do so, as my man needs to be well-fed." The actress was seen celebrating festival with Ankita Bhargava's mother. Ankita too, observed fast for her husband Karan Patel. She had also posted a couple of pictures on the social media account. Karan was quoted by another leading daily as saying, "It's special and it has always been for us. I hope to get off from work early and come back home to my wife. All the ladies of my house are fasting and the puja will be followed by a good dinner." Hunar Hale, also celebrated her first Karva Chauth post marriage. She was quoted by a leading daily as saying, "My in-laws sent the sargi specially from Delhi. I am not at all used to fasting, but by God's grace, I married the man I have always desired to be with Mayank Gandhi." Vinny Arora, who is all set to marry Dheeraj Dhoopar, said, "I was nervous, as our wedding preparations are on in full swing. Dheeraj (Dhoopar) wanted to fast too, but I didn't allow him." SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 10/19/16 -- 2016 marks the 50th Anniversary of Singapore-Japan Diplomatic Relations (SJ50). Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia, a leader in print and enterprise content management, today announced its sponsorship of the golden jubilee as the Official Document Management Company in support of inclusiveness for the SJ50 public Mall Event held at The Paragon shopping centre from October 21 to 23, 2016. The autograph cards and postcards featuring a selection of iconic works by renowned calligraphy artist and Down syndrome advocate Shoko Kanazawa are produced with Konica Minolta technology. "Konica Minolta and Singapore have a longstanding relationship and we are proud to be part of the celebrations in support of inclusiveness. As a global company that creates new value to improve quality of life, we believe the power of inclusiveness and collaboration will drive innovation for the future and have a positive influence on the society and business we serve," said Tadayuki Funakura, Managing Director Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia. The SJ50 Mall Event will include calligraphy performance titled 'A Stroke of Genius' by Shoko Kanazawa and piano recital titled 'The Sound of Silence' by award-winning pianist Azariah Tan. Stroke of Genius by Shoko Kanazawa A self-advocate with Down syndrome, Kanazawa-san is one of the most noted young calligraphers today with many accomplishments. In 2013, she has transcribed a poem by the Japanese Emperor which was recognised as a Japanese monument and established the Shoko Kanazawa Museum in Ginza, Tokyo which displays a personal exhibition of her works. In 2015, Shoko conveyed an inspirational message of hope at the 'World Down Syndrome Day Conference' held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. The Sound of Silence by Azariah Tan Though diagnosed with a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, Azariah has scored distinctions at numerous piano examinations across the world. The pianist's performances have been broadcasted over the Yugoslavian National TV, and he has been featured over the Voice of America and on the Singapore Mediacorp TV Channels. Azariah holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance and a double Masters in Music degree at the University of Michigan. For more information about the SJ50 celebrations, please visit http://www.sj50astrokeofgenius.sg/ Company Logo http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/1128 Press Contacts: Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd. Celine Long Email Contact PR Contact: Huntington Communications Eugene Chuang Email Contact Carina Chan Email Contact Clark, Philippines, Oct 20, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Global Gateway Development Corporation (GGDC), the developer of Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC) in the Clark Freeport Zone, has celebrated the topping off of two commercial buildings in the 177-hectare city. GGLC is twice the size of Central, Hong Kong's business district.The completion of the buildings One West and Two West represents the first phase of the development of the 2.5-hectare West Aeropark located within GGLC. The two towers, to be opened in May 2017, comprise 47,000 sqm of Grade A office space and 10,000 sqm of retail space.West Aeropark will include a further three office towers with the five buildings delivering a combined gross floor area of 142,000 sqm. All five towers have attained pre-certified Gold status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Core & Shell certification. West Aeropark is one of four parks in GGLC's Aeropark Office Campus.GGLC is located at the heart of Southeast Asia in the central plains of Luzon, just 60 minutes north of Metro Manila, inside the Clark Freeport Zone. The city is directly adjacent to Clark International Airport and is situated at the interchange of the North Luzon Expressway with the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, which connect Manila and the deep-water port at Subic with Central and Northern Luzon."We foresee the Clark Freeport Zone emerging as a new office and logistics hub for the Philippines. Businesses operating from the site will benefit from high-quality office space located in a well-designed, master-planned precinct within the Clark Freeport Zone with significant government incentives and connectivity to the rest of Asia," says GGDC CEO Mark Williams."We are excited to bring world-class buildings and amenities to the Clark Freeport Zone, which we believe will be the next major urban growth center of the country. Pre-leasing is already in progress in advance of the much anticipated opening of our One West and Two West buildings in May 2017," says GGDC President Michael Russell."Our West Aeropark campus provides best-practice benchmarks in urban planning and design, including abundant green spaces consisting of meticulously landscaped linear and pocket parks, further complementing the many pedestrian networks which meander through the master planned retail corridors of the campus," he adds.The topping off ceremony, held on October 18, was attended by the officers of GGDC, Clark International Airport Corporation, Clark Development Corporation and other government officials as well as numerous business leaders and representatives of global investment firms. (Please see below for a list of key attendees.)For a future view of the city please click video link. http://ggdc.com/About GGDC and GGLC:GGDC was established in 2008, to develop and operate Global Gateway Logistics City. GGDC's investors include leading investment funds from the Middle East and Asia. GGDC is focused on developing a green and sustainable city to offer premium office and commercial properties for lease. GGLC will be a world-class environment for employees and visitors focused on creating a harmonious live-work-play neighborhood. GGLC is divided into four lifestyle zones consisting of its Aeropark Office Campus, Central Business District, Retail Center and Logistics Park. When completed the city will offer more than six million sqm of mixed-use development and will provide extensive employment for surrounding cities complementing the development of the Clark Freeport Zone.Media Contact:Martyn TaylorChief Operating Officer, GGDC+63 917 893 4463 | martyn.taylor@ggdc.com.Tel No.: +63 45 499 5560 x1010 | Fax No.: +63 45 499 5561For names of executives in the photograph (http://bit.ly/2doBto2), please see below (from left to right)* Noel Manankil - Office of the President, Officer in Charge (Clark Development Corporation)* Rick Santos - Chairman, Founder and CEO (CB Richard Ellis, Philippines)* Evan McBride - Chief Investment Officer (Global Gateway Development Corporation)* Michael V. Russell - President (Global Gateway Development Corporation)* Malcolm Lai - Managing Director (Baring Private Equity Asia)* Jamie Kim - Investment Manager (Asia Debt Management Hong Kong Limited)* Alex Cauguiran - President and CEO (Clark International Airport Corporation)* Mark Williams - CEO (Global Gateway Development Corporation)* Bobby Castillo - President and CEO (EEI Corporation)Source: GGDCCopyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Destatis is slated to release Germany's producer prices for September in the pre-European session at 2:00 am ET. Economists forecast the producer price index to drop 1.2 percent annually after easing 1.6 percent in August. Ahead of the data, the euro showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the euro rose against the yen and the pound, it fell against the U.S. dollar. Against the Swiss franc, the euro held steady. As of 1:55 am ET, the euro was trading at 0.8931 against the pound, 1.0854 against the Swiss franc, 1.0957 against the U.S. dollar and 113.68 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Switzerland's foreign trade data for September is due to be released in the pre-European session at 2:00 am ET. The trade surplus was CHF 3.02 billion in August. Ahead of the data, the Swiss franc showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the Swiss franc rose against the yen and the pound, it fell against the U.S. dollar. Against the euro, the franc held steady. As of 1:55 am ET, the Swiss franc was trading at 1.0854 against the euro, 1.2155 against the pound, 0.9905 against the U.S. dollar and 104.72 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Keller Group plc (KLR.L), a geotechnical contractor, reported Thursday that its third-quarter trading results were benefited by steady results from its two largest divisions, North America and EMEA. However, citing expected second-half loss in the APAC region with difficult trading, the company now expects the total full year 2016 underlying results to be around 15% below current market estimates. In the third quarter, order intake was good. With this, the like-for-like order book for work to be undertaken over the next 12 months is at an all-time high and 15% above this time last year. In its trading update for the third quarter, the company noted that trading in core markets of the US and Europe, which between them account for around 70% of the Group's revenue, remained strong with expectations for the full year unchanged. The results were somewhat disappointing in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa, where market conditions remain depressed. APAC division generated operating losses in the third quarter with the continuation of the very difficult market conditions in main markets. The division now expected to record a loss for the second half. The company further said the total second half results will include an exceptional restructuring charge in connection with further downsizing actions. This is expected to be around 10 million pounds, much of which will be non-cash. Looking further ahead, the strength of the order book and steadily growing construction markets in the US and Europe, together with the management actions we have taken, means that the Group continues to be well placed for 2017. Keller will announce its full year results on February 27. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - October 20, 2016) - Danal, Inc., a global leader in mobile identity and authentication solutions, today announced that it has added two prominent executives from the payments and eCommerce industries to its Board of Directors and Board of Advisors. Bill Gajda has become a member of the Danal Board of Directors. He currently serves as Visa, Inc.'s SVP, Global Head, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships and was previously Global Head, Visa Mobile. In Bill's current role, he is responsible for leading Visa's innovation and partner activities in CEMEA, and is responsible for the Visa Ready and Visa venture programs. He is also leading Visa's efforts to integrate the Innovation and Strategic Partner programs in Europe. Bill joined Visa, Inc. in 2010, subsequent to his roles as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at GSM Association (GSMA) and senior executive positions at LM Ericsson and Telus. "Mobile Identity and Authentication are becoming critical components to future proof mobile transactions -- whatever they may be. Danal's global partnership with Mobile Network Operators and leading data sources, combined with its proprietary platform, positions it as a leader in the space. It's a pleasure to serve on Danal's Board of Directors," said Bill Gajda. Peter Martin, Google's Head of Payments Risk Product, has recently joined Danal's Board of Advisors. Peter is a well-respected industry expert in the area of payments and online transaction risk management. At Google, he is responsible for Google Wallet/ Consumer, Play/Android and 50+ Google businesses payments risk management. Previous to his current position, Peter was Risk Product Director at Groupon, Director of Risk Product at PayPal and Risk Management Manager at Wells Fargo, responsible for all new DDA account risk mitigation. "Danal is a well-respected company and I look forward to collaborating with them -- mobile identity plays a critical role in combatting today's fraudulent activity and Danal has consistently proven their data and technology is superior to other existing solutions," commented Peter Martin. Jim Greenwell, Danal's President and CEO, said, "As Danal's mobile identity customer base and global mobile operator coverage continue to expand, we are fortunate to have these two leading experts in payments and risk management contributing their insights to our growth plans and strategies." Danal is trusted by top-tier US and EU MNOs to directly access mobile device, network location and subscriber account data in order to serve Danal enterprise clients, including Fortune 500 financial institutions and mCommerce brands. The company assists these clients with fraud prevention and risk mitigation, as well as meeting "Know Your Customer" and TCPA compliance requirements. Utilizing the MNO's real-time data, Danal also offers consent-driven consumer convenience services such as auto form-filling for account origination and guest check-out on input-constrained mobile screens. Mobile identity and authentication services based on real-time interaction with the mobile operator's network are impactful and have proven far more effective than traditional fraud management and government compliance offerings. Danal's unique mobile identity services provide enterprise customers confidence that online customers are who they say they are or that the right consumer is being reached during a customer contact event. About Danal Danal, Inc. is the premier provider of mobile identity and authentication solutions driven by unique real-time connections to mobile operator networks and data. Danal's Mobile Identity platform offers financial institutions and major retailers groundbreaking mobile transaction risk management services, and streamlined, customer conversion solutions that lower customer abandon rates during registration and checkout. Danal, Inc. is a privately held US company whose investors include Discover Financial Services, Morgenthaler Group and majority shareholder Danal Co, Ltd., a publicly traded company (KOSDAQ) based in South Korea with offices worldwide. BRUSSELS, Belgium, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovative fraud prevention service provides mobile operators with proactive control over fraud attempts within outbound roaming voice traffic BICS, a global wholesale carrier for voice, mobile data and capacity services, today announced the launch of its Voice Roaming Firewall solution, which automatically blocks incidents of voice fraud in roaming for its customers. The telecoms sector is behind the curve when it comes to managing and combatting fraud in roaming, such as IRSF (International Revenue Share Fraud). This is due in part to the inherent nature of roaming, which introduces delays in fraud detection ranging anywhere between a few hours and a few days. As a result, roaming has emerged as the biggest exploit within the industry, contributing significantly to the total 38.1 billion USD worth of fraud losses estimated by the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA). The Voice Roaming Firewall solution is the first of its kind in the industry. As an innovative roaming fraud 'prevention' service for mobile operators, it sits in line with BICS' roaming platform and provides customers with greater visibility and control on outbound roaming voice traffic. It also enables operators to proactively protect their bottom line by reducing overall instances of fraud. This around the clock, automated and fully managed service is helping BICS' roaming service customers block outbound roamer fraudulent voice call attempts in real time. This is achieved by harnessing the strategic position of BICS as a hub of roaming signalling traffic by automatically monitoring the subscriber's voice call attempts. The service taps into BICS' comprehensive and uniquely crowdsourced database, covering 50+ million fraudulent numbers around the world. "As more and more cases of fraud are reported by service providers, it is clear the industry is in need of a more proactive and reliable solution to help detect, prevent and eventually eliminate fraud," said Katia Gonzalez, Head of Fraud Prevention Operations & Services at BICS. "Our longstanding credentials in this space - 15 years of experience, carrying approximately 30 billion minutes per year from more than 1,000 customers - has enabled us to create a solution that will help mobile operators to combat fraud head on. By sharing knowledge and collaborating with our partners, our fraud intelligence database has already helped block 550+ million minutes of fraudulent traffic on our carrier platform and we anticipate our new Voice Roaming Firewall solution will achieve so much more for our customers." # # # About BICS BICS is recognized in the wholesale communications market as a top global voice carrier and the leading provider of mobile data services. We aim at bridging the telecom world with the new unconventional communication providers worldwide. Our innovative suite of solutions for Voice, Messaging, Data & Connectivity, Business Intelligence & Analytics, Fraud & Security, Roaming, MVNE and Asset Monetization are designed to bring value to our customers' businesses. BICS is headquartered in Brussels with regional offices in Bern, Dubai, Madrid, New York, San Francisco and Singapore. We also have a satellite office in Beijing and local representation in Accra, Cape Town, Miami, Montevideo, Quito, Nairobi and Toronto. For more information visit http://www.bics.com SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Zecotek Photonics Inc. (TSX VENTURE: ZMS)(FRANKFURT: W1I)(OTC PINK: ZMSPF), a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for healthcare, industrial and scientific markets, is pleased to announce that it has signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Creation Investment Management Company (SCI) to initiate a US$5 million financing into its wholly owned subsidiary, Zecotek Imaging Systems Pte Ltd. The agreement calls for a maximum equity position of 10% of Zecotek Imaging stake, with the final valuation contingent upon the execution of the previously announced MOU, with a Chinese PET manufacturer. The investment in Zecotek Imaging Systems will be used to build out the necessary organizational and operational infrastructure, and add China based management to deliver its patented imaging technologies to the Chinese medical PET industry. "The Shanghai Creation Investment Management Company is a highly respected medical technology fund that invests directly in or raises equity financing for medical technology companies operating in China," said Dr. A.F. Zerrouk, Chairman, President, and CEO of Zecotek Photonics Inc. "It has worked with over 30 international companies, including the major Chinese medical imaging company which recently ordered Zecotek's patented LFS crystals for their third high resolution PET medical scanner. The cooperation agreement is a great opportunity for us to gain a leading role in delivering our patented imaging technologies to the world's fastest growing medical imaging market. We look forward to working closely with SCI to expand our reputation and influence through their large network of partners and government support." SCI is one of the most active investment funds and IPO consulting companies in China and will undertake to: 1. Register and provide the articles of incorporation for Zecotek Imaging China; 2. Recruit local management to execute Company programs and sales; 3. Initiate a phased financing starting at US$5 million in Zecotek Imaging Systems, to be increased based on future valuations over the next two years; 4. Assist Zecotek Imaging Systems in promoting its imaging technologies in China through SCI's large network of partners and government organizations; 5. Lead fund raising and equity investment initiatives, and optimize exit strategies through merger/acquisition or initial public offerings. Further to the equity financing, SCI will work with Zecotek to secure a grant from the local Chinese government authority for up to US$3 million for Zecotek Imaging China. The grant monies will be used to set up a local manufacturing facility for Zecotek Imaging China to grow LFS scintillation crystals boules. This will form a second source of crystal supply for Zecotek ensuring stability in supply, quality, performance and cost. About the Shanghai Creation Investment Management Co, Ltd. The Shanghai Creation Investment Management Co, Ltd. (SCI) is one of the most active investment funds and IPO consulting companies in China. SCI provides well recognized consulting services for enterprises at different stages and under difference scenarios. Since its inception in 2006, SCI has successfully invested in medical domains and other sectors. SCI has expertise in many growth industries including medical and healthcare, advanced equipment, automobile, consumer goods and new material. SCI has successfully assisted more than 30 China and USA enterprises in private financing, M&A, or public listing with more than US$500 million of private equity financing. For more information visit http://www.scivc.com. About Zecotek Zecotek Photonics Inc. (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I) is a photonics technology company developing high-performance scintillation crystals, photo detectors, positron emission tomography scanning technologies, 3D auto-stereoscopic displays, 3D metal printing, and lasers for applications in medical, high-tech and industrial sectors. Founded in 2004, Zecotek operates three divisions: Imaging Systems, Optronics Systems and 3D Display Systems with labs located in Canada, Korea, Russia, Singapore and U.S.A. The management team is focused on building shareholder value by commercializing over 50 patented and patent pending novel photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Switzerland), Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. (China), NuCare Medical Systems (South Korea), the University of Washington (United States), and National NanoFab Center (South Korea). For more information visit www.zecotek.com and follow @zecotek on Twitter. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what may have been stated. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. If you would like to receive news from Zecotek in the future please visit the corporate website at www.zecotek.com. Contacts: Zecotek Photonics Inc. Michael Minder (604) 783-8291 ir@zecotek.com LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Barclays Plc's (BARC.L, BCS) Chief Executive Officer Jes Staley cast a positive light on the progress he's making in his turnaround program, as he reiterated his commitment to shedding lower-priority assets to bolster returns. The London-based bank's core consumer and investment-banking businesses are generating a return on tangible equity of about 11 percent, higher than the roughly 10 percent cost of capital most banks face, Bloomberg reported, citing an interview with the firm's Chief Executive Officer Jes Staley. Expense reductions will help the core business hit management's cost target of 13 billion pounds or $16 billion this year. Barclays is in the midst of a major restructuring as Staley and his revamped management team refocus the bank on its priority markets in the U.K. and U.S. to improve returns. The CEO is selling down the lender's century-old African business, has pulled the investment bank out of seven countries in Asia and has eliminated a net 13,600 jobs over the past nine months. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Espoo, Finland, 2016-10-20 09:30 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SRV GROUP PLC STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 20 OCTOBER 2016, AT 10.30Invitation to a press conference: SRV Group Plc's interim report for January-September 2016SRV Group Plc will publish its Q3 2016 interim report on Thursday, 3 November 2016, at 8.30 a.m. Helsinki time. The interim report will be available, for example, on the company's website www.srv.fi/en/investors.The interim report will be presented to the media and analysts at a joint press conference, which will take place on Thursday, 3 November at 11.00 a.m. at the Living Lab test environment, Suvilahti, address Kaasutehtaankatu 1, 00540 Helsinki.President & CEO Juha Pekka Ojala and CFO Ilkka Pitkanen will be present at the event.A live webcast of the press conference will be available on the company's website www.srv.fi/en/investors. The presentation material will be published in both Finnish and English on the company's website after the press conference.At the end of the event, you are invited to explore the Living Lab, a test environment that presents the new REDI project in Kalasatama, Helsinki, as well as the housing to be constructed at REDI.Arrival instructionsLiving Lab is located on the 3rd floor of Building 6, address Kaasutehtaankatu 1, 00540 Helsinki. The entrance is opposite the door of Restaurant Lampo. By car, the easiest route to Suvilahti is by Sornaisten Rantatie. Parking spaces can be found in front of Restaurant Lampo and Living Lab. Living Lab, moreover, is located right next to Kalasatama metro station.Please register for the press conference by Tuesday, 1 November 2016, by email to viestinta@srv.fiFurther information:Paivi Kauhanen, SVP, Communications, Tel. +358 50 598 9560, paivi.kauhanen@srv.fiTiina Niemi, Communications Manager, Tel. +358 40 502 7549, tiina.niemi@srv.fiwww.srv.fiYou can also find us in the social media:Facebook LinkedIn Twitter InstagramSRV - Building for life Acquisition of T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L, including its daughter companies in Morocco and Algeria, provides technical services and certifications required for the free circulation of industrial products ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 20,2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV Rheinland AG, a global leader in independent inspection services has announced the acquisition of T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L., a leading certification body in the Maghreb Region. The acquisition is part of TUV Rheinland's global strategy of expanding its network in over 69 countries and investing in other potential markets. According to Andreas Hofer, the Executive Vice President for India, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific at TUV Rheinland, this latest development will help customers in the Maghreb Region (AMU)-- a Pan-Arab trade region that includes Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia-- to export to lucrative European Union (EU) markets. It will enable them to conform to the standards required today and benefit in future from the know-how and expertise of the TUV Rheinland Group in Industrial Services, Products, Mobility and ICT and Business Solutions. "As our representative office in the Maghreb Region, T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L has been a valued partner for close to twenty years and enjoyed excellent connections with TUV Maghreb companies in and around Sub-Saharan Africa-- especially in French speaking countries. Now, as a fully integrated part of the TUV Rheinland global network, it is even better positioned to strengthen the range of services it offers and meet the expanding needs of customers in the Maghreb Region," said Mr. Hofer. The timing is ideal, as the Maghreb Region is increasingly leveraging on the Association Agreement between the AMU and the EU to tap the potential of European markets. The EU action plan for the free circulation of industrial products hinges on Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAAs)-- an area where TUV Rheinland's in-depth expertise and comprehensive service portfolio is extremely strong. As the leading certification body for management systems in the Region, T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L., with its daughter companies in Morocco and Algeria, already serves more than 600 customers in a wide variety of sectors. They range from mechanical, electronics and automotive to chemical and textiles, IT and communications as well as construction, oil and gas, and even food processing. Following the acquisition, TUV Rheinland is expanding its focus in management systems. It is also ramping up in conformity assessment, which is a critical component for companies seeking the ACAA certification required to do business in the EU. Other key targets for service enhancement and development include training and industrial services. "TUV Rheinland started our management systems business in Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, and we have seen tremendous success through the years. This acquisition will enable us to develop that fundamental capability further and faster, growing many fold in terms of volume and market share and serving more customers," said Michael Weppler, Executive Vice President for Systems at TUV Rheinland. Tarek Khelifi, the former General Manager of T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L, who has joined the newly acquired organization as Managing Director said, "This is a landmark development for the region, especially when it comes to professional training and personnel certification. With our Business Stream Academy and Life Care, we are already a leading provider of IRCA courses. Joining TUV Rheinland will give us greater depth to serve our clients and accelerate our growth in the region." TUV Rheinland AG TUV Rheinland AG is a global leader in independent inspection services, founded 140 years ago. The group employs 19,600 people around the globe. Annual turnover is nearly 1.9 billion. The independent experts stand for quality and safety for people, technology, and the environment in nearly all aspects of life. TUV Rheinland inspects technical equipment, products and services, and oversees projects and processes for companies. Its experts train people in a wide range of careers and industries. To this end, the company operates a global network of approved labs, testing and education centers. Since 2006, TUV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. www.tuv.com T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L T.U.V. Maghreb S.A.R.L with its daughter companies in Morocco and Algeria is the leading certification body and training centre for Management Systems in the Maghreb Region and has represented TUV Rheinland AG since 1998. It was the first accredited international certification body for Management Systems in the region. It serves more than 600 customers in 11 countries in a wide variety of sectors, ranging from mechanical, electronics and automotive to chemical and textiles, IT and communications as well as construction, oil and gas and food processing. The Most Innovative Project in Online Luxury Industry for 2016 SHANGHAI, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- After 10 years of market research and strategic preparation plus 5 years of in-depth communication with over 100 luxury brands, Yaok has taken the lead to build an official online reservation service for offline brand boutiques, which effectively tackles the existing online and offline conflict. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429656 In 2016, many luxury brands including Chanel and Dior have realized the importance of the Internet and embarked on the journey to join hands with online partners, though still having concerns in brand image and its negative effect on offline retail stores. Everyone is looking for an online solution, especially one that's appealing to Chinese consumers. Unfortunately current Chinese online players can't fulfill luxury brand needs due to false brand perception, unfit target audience, and lack of control on product authenticity.Some chose to set up their own e-commerce platforms, but found it difficult to attract traffic with one single brand. Yaok-- the most appraisable business model combining luxury and internet As brand's own official reservation platform, luxury brands will have absolute control in managing their image, product inventory, order status, and customer database through Yaok.It also allows instant communication between brand and its customers. According to the China's Fortune Character Institute, 73% of Chinese consumers have a shopping-list prior to overseas travel, 45% of which cannot be fulfilled due to lack of desired size, model and etc. Resulting in loss of sales and unsatisfying customer experience.Yaok allows customers to reserve products in advance and enjoy VIP services while in store, which helps to improve both operational efficiency and customer service in store. Currently, most of international top brands have reached global or regional collaboration intention with Yaok.CEO of a LVMH brand said that Yaok would be the inevitable trend of luxury retail. Steven Yao, Founder and CEO of Yaok said the platform's official launch to users will be at the end of November where 80% of top luxury brand products will be available and users can make VIP reservations in 9 countries and regions.In 2017, among it's over 3,000,000 users whose net wealth exceeds $2 million, 500,000 will use Yaok to purchase luxury goods globally. The prestige service provided by Yaok is either by invite only or available only to current brand VIPs. One can submit application via Yaok App or WeChat but acceptance is not guaranteed. Yaok aims to serve only luxury brands and core customers. Yaok has successfully completed two rounds of fundraising.Its angel investor Mr. Feng Ye said Yaok team's vast luxury brand experience and the promising future of Consumer Consumption Upgrade are key magnets to investors.Founder Steven Yao was the first CEO for Hurun Report. He has great insights on the ultra-riches in China. Other core members also have worked in brand houses like Luis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani for more than 10 years. This team knows luxury industry, knows what luxury brands want and how to work with them. Mr. Yao is thrilled to hear many media calling Yaok "The Most Innovative Project in Online Luxury Industry for 2016". Yaok can help luxury brands extend their offline store service to every corner of the world, and help brands provide best service to the most valuable customers, drive sales for luxury brands and provide best shopping experience for customers. Yaok, affiliated to Fortune Character group, China's largest group serving HNWIs life style. Founded in 2008, Fortune Character specializes in the research of luxury market, media, club and consumption. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yaok-the-worlds-first-official-online-reservation-platform-for-luxury-boutiques-300348126.html The HKTDC Tokyo Office Satoshi Yoneoka Tel: +81 3 5210 5850 Email: satoshi.yoneoka@hktdc.org The HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org HONG KONG, Oct 20, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Supported by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), three leading Hong Kong fashion designers participated in this week's celebrated Amazon Fashion Week TOKYO 2017 Spring/ Summer, the largest fashion event in Japan. The Fashion Hong Kong Group Show attracted a full-house attendance including buyers, media and fashionistas from Japan. Tokyo Fashion Week is one of the international fashion events throughout the year where the HKTDC organises Hong Kong designers to participate.The Fashion Hong Kong Group Show (17 October) took the stage on the first night of Tokyo Fashion Week, grabbing the attention of fashionistas and industry players alike. The show received overwhelming support from both the local and international fashion communities, highlights and photos uploaded by show attendees and media went viral on various social media channels. Fashionsnap.com, the top online fashion platform in Japan also ran a live stream of the show, allowing fashion lovers from all over the world to share the excitement beyond the show venue.The participating brands were Chailie Ho's eponymous label and LOOM LOOP by Polly Ho, both of which featured at the event last year, as well as first-time participant HOUSE OF V by Vickie Au. The designers aim to enter the Japanese fashion market and develop their business there. Many of the show attendees and media commented that the show demonstrated the versatility of Hong Kong fashion designs through different styles and the use of a variety of materials.Apart from staging the Fashion Hong Kong Group Show, a Fashion Hong Kong Gallery Pop-up Showroom was also set up (17-20 October) to facilitate networking and business opportunities. A total 27 Hong Kong designer brands were displayed in the gallery, including collections presented on the runway and other fashion accessories. 400 buyers, media, bloggers and fashion lovers visited the gallery during the first three days. The gallery format included elements of fashion, art and tastes, providing another occasion for in-depth exchange and networking. Participating accessories brands included celebrity Luisa Leitao's eponymous eyewear brand, Wingki Kwok Illustration and other wearable works of art such as handbag labels MASE, T A T, and handcraft accessories brand MIDOTI. Brands that are starting to establish their sales network in Japan, such as footwear label Franco Y. and socks label Fool's Day were also showcased at Fashion Hong Kong Gallery. Furthermore, K11 collaborated with Fashion Hong Kong for the first time, introducing various brands with artistic designs to the gallery, including SON OF A KING, Method Life & Style, THE DOT, MATTER MATTERS and 1234.93K. Visitors were thrilled by Hong Kong designs, with some choosing to try them on and make on-site purchases.The Fashion Hong Kong events are backed by a variety of Hong Kong companies. Canon Hongkong, Polytrade Paper, Chocolat-ier HK and Wingki Kwok Illustration lent support to activities involving photography, printing paper, chocolate and illustrations respectively.The HKTDC assists Hong Kong industries such as the fashion industry by creating marketing opportunities. In addition to Tokyo Fashion Week, the HKTDC will join hands with designers to explore other fashion markets, such as taking part at Copenhagen Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, as the next overseas stops. In Hong Kong, the HKTDC's Hong Kong Fashion Week for Fall/Winter will take place in January 2017. Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/ Summer will be held in July 2017 and CENTRESTAGE will be held in September (tentative) next year.Related websites:Fashion Hong Kong Group Show:https://amazonfashionweektokyo.com/en/brands/detail/fashion-hong-konghttp://www.fashionhongkong.com.hkFashion Hong Kong Gallery:http://www.hikarie8.com/cubehttp://www.hikarie8.com/courtAmazon Fashion Week TOKYO 2017 Spring/ Summer: http://amazonfashionweektokyo.comHKTDC Photo Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wj2ubkyusqu5ecy/AABjj2zG-2iLIOp0Q-JNjFEpa?dl=0(Photos provided by Canon Hongkong)Press releases in Chinese at http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc.About HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. LONDON, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Small British Firm, Applied Fusion Systems has its sights set on its own reactor and believes that the UK is a center for excellence of Nuclear Fusion Technology offering Small Enterprises an unparalleled opportunity for Research and Investment. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430514 ) In the 1950s scientists thought that fusion was easy. Things didn't go according to plan. Over the past two weeks' fusion research has seen more setbacks. Firstly, Princeton's NSTX reactor was shut down after a malfunctioning copper coil melted. The device will be offline for a year. This week the Alcator c-mod at MIT was powered up for the last time due to funding cuts. Fusion research has a problem and the problem is size. Years ago, the US agreed to join the ITER project, a vast multi-billion dollar consortium of countries building a huge test reactor in the south of France. Not scheduled to begin fusion reactions until 2027 and massively expensive, it took two years simply to decide to locate the project in Cadarache, Provence. The huge expense of ITER means that funds are tight for homegrown fusion research, hence the demise of Alcator at MIT. However, there has been an emergence of a new wave of fusion research. In recent years, a number of startups have appeared pursuing their own path to commercial fusion, conceptualising smaller, cheaper designs with lead times of years instead of decades. In the UK, Applied Fusion Systems is typical of this new breed: small, nimble and plugged into a world leading research community. Founded by Richard Dinan and Dr. James Lambert, Applied Fusion is in the process of privately financing the construction of its own British made Tokamak reactor, 'S.T.A.R.' (Small Toroidal Atomic Reactor). The designers behind STAR have compiled elements from some of the most successful reactors over the past 20 years and applied the very latest super computing technologies. This is combined with a cutting-edge understanding of Plasma Physics; a subject for which the UK is home to a wealth of world experts. Close by in Culham is CCFE, the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. JET and MAST are based here; world-leading fusion experiments with their researchers solely focused on bringing fusion to the grid. Fusion had been a tough sell for venture capitalists but a number of factors have combined to change that, making fusion particularly enticing to investors and graduates who might have gravitated towards investment banking a few years ago. Fusion research is a number crunching game and over the last decade the cost of supercomputing has collapsed. Instead of filling warehouses with computers, researchers can now hire time on a provider's cluster on the other side of the world. The financial crisis of 2008 has reversed a brain drain which saw many top physicists leave the lab for the city. Now, with Imperial College, Oxford, Cambridge, York and others carrying out world-class fusion research, the time has never been better for UK enterprises to get into fusion. To sign up to regular updates on Applied Fusion, register your interest. visit http://www.appliedfusionsystems.com. Contact Author APPLIED FUSION SYSTEMS UK info@appliedfusionsystems.com BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 4:30 am ET Thursday, the Office for National Statistics releases U.K. retail sales data for September. Sales are forecast to rise 0.3 percent on month after falling 0.2 percent in August. Ahead of the data, the pound held steady against its major rivals. As of 4:25 am ET, the pound was trading at 0.8938 against the euro, 1.2138 against the Swiss franc, 1.2273 against the U.S. dollar and 127.28 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Mitsubishi Motors Public Relations Department http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com +81-3-6852-4275 TOKYO, Oct 20, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announces that Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (Nissan) has become its largest shareholder after completing the purchase of 34% of MMC-issued stock for 237 billion JPY.- MMC to receive strategic, operational and management support from Nissan- Synergy benefits to enhance MMC profit margins and earnings per share- Carlos Ghosn, Nissan chairman and CEO, named chairman-elect of MMC- New role created of Director for Global Risk ControlAs part of Nissan's strategic investment, MMC will become a full member of the 17-year strong global alliance between Nissan and Renault - paving the way for synergies to enhance profit margins and earnings per share.Nissan Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn has been nominated to become chairman of the Board. Ghosn will be joined by three other Nissan nominated directors, including Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Nissan's former executive vice president of research and development, who joined MMC earlier this year as head of development. The other nominees are Hitoshi Kawaguchi, Nissan chief sustainability officer and head of global external affairs, and Hiroshi Karube, Nissan global controller and global asset manager.MMC President and Chief Executive Officer Osamu Masuko requested that Nissan also provide a senior executive to join the company's executive committee to bolster MMC's management. Trevor Mann, currently Chief Performance Officer of Nissan, will become Chief Operating Officer of MMC."I welcome Nissan's willingness to provide strategic, operational and management support as our new lead shareholder," said Masuko. "As part of our Board and management team, Nissan will help us to rebuild customer trust in our company and maximize potential future synergies through our deeper alliance."MMC will appoint a new role of director for global risk control to report directly to the chief executive officer, who will oversee compliance and risk control. This director will regularly report to the board on moves to enhance governance at MMC.The three largest institutional shareholders in MMC - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation and The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ - have welcomed Nissan's investment and pledged their support for its board nominees. Moving forward, these three Mitsubishi institutional shareholders together with Nissan will maintain a more than 51 percent of the share capital.Nissan and MMC will begin cooperating on a wide-ranging synergy program, building on a five-year alliance in minicars between the two companies.The two companies have identified a number of valuable synergies in areas including:- Joint purchasing cost-reduction- Deeper localization in operations around the world- Joint plant utilization- Common vehicle platforms- Technology sharing- Cooperation in emerging and developed markets; and- The use of the Nissan Sales Finance Company to serve MMC customers in any market where mutually beneficial.The partnership is expected to generate significant recurring synergies for MMC, equivalent to a 1 percentage point increase in operating profit margin in fiscal year 2017, 2 percentage points in fiscal year 2018, and more than 2 percentage points in fiscal year 2019. The projected synergies are also forecasted to enhance MMC earnings per share in fiscal year 2017 by 12 yen per share, and by 20 yen per share in fiscal year 2018.Ghosn said: "The expanded Alliance will be one of the largest automotive groups in the world, with annual sales of 10 million units in fiscal year 2016. The addition of Mitsubishi Motors will build on the entrepreneurial spirit and management cooperation that has characterized our alliance with Renault for 17 years. I am confident this will benefit all stakeholders."About Mitsubishi MotorsMitsubishi Motors Corporation is the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.Throughout its history it has courted alliances with foreign partners, a strategy pioneered by their first president Tomio Kubo to encourage expansion, and continued by his successors. A significant stake was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1971 which it held for 22 years, while DaimlerChrysler was a controlling shareholder between 2000 and 2005. Long term joint manufacturing and technology licencing deals with the Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea and Proton in Malaysia were also forged, while in Europe the company co-owned the largest automobile manufacturing plant in the Netherlands with Volvo for ten years in the 1990s, before taking sole ownership in 2001.Source: Mitsubishi MotorsContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Hsinchu, Taiwan--(Newsfile Corp. - October 20, 2016) - Neo Solar Power Corporation ("NSP", or "the Company", publicly listed on Taiwan Stock Exchange, Ticker: 3576 TT), a world-class leading integrated PV solution provider with expertise in high conversion efficiency products and global solar system development capabilities in Hsinchu, Taiwan priced its third Credit Enhanced Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds ("ECB") at 10:00pm on Oct.18th, Taipei Time and planned to issue on Oct. 27th. NSP received over two times subscriptions from investors with total expected gross proceeds of US$120 million (or about NT$3,804 million). NSP's ECB was priced at NT$18 per share with 10.4% premium based on the closing share price of NT$16.3 per share on Oct. 18th. According to the ECB offering circular, the maturity date will be October 27th, 2019, being 3 years from the issue date. NSP commented "This ECB Offering will bring overseas funding of USD 120 million for NSP. We are delighted that NSP's investment story is well recognized by international investors from Europe, America and Asia. In this offering, we have successfully met our fund raising objective, improved the visibility of our company to global investors, and enhanced our corporate profile. There've been noises about solar industry outlook recently and China government's new solar energy policy. However, in light of long-term development of renewable energy is the global trend, investors still show great confidence in NSP's future performance and placed over two times subscription orders for their recognition of NSP's strong position in the industry & future strategies" The Company's ECB will be listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange by the end of October. Daiwa Capital Markets Hong Kong Limited and ING Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch are Bookrunner and Joint Global Coordinators for the offering. The use of proceeds from this offering will include repayment of 2nd ECB and bank loans to accelerate NSP future development on global solar system projects and new business. About Neo Solar Power Corporation (3576 TT) (NSP) Founded in 2005 by Dr. Quincy Lin (former Senior VP of TSMC) and Dr. Sam Hong (former Director of ITRI Research Division), Neo Solar Power Corporation (NSP) is a leading manufacturer of high performance and high quality solar cells and modules. With core competitive advantages in quality, technology and customer service, NSP became the world's largest merchant solar cell manufacturer by volume in 2013. After selling DelSolar to NSP, Delta Electronics (2308, TT) became the biggest shareholder of NSP with a 19% holding. Leveraging current leading position in solar cell technology, NSP will further expand into the global solar systems businesses, aiming to become the leading solar system integrator in the world. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.nsp.com For further information, please contact: Ms. Shirley Chen Investor Relations Dept. Phone: +886-3-578-0011 ext. 20626 Email: shirley.chen@nsp.com OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Canada's unions are excited to be launching Rise Up!, a national human rights conference, with an opening night celebration featuring a DJ set by A Tribe Called Red, celebrity guest speakers including Daily Show Senior Correspondent Hasan Minhaj, author and MLA for Fort Rouge Wab Kinew, and Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, former president of the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC), a live performance art production, a scavenger hunt and interactive exhibits. The opening night performances are highlighting the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Canadian unions have supported and amplified the call for an inquiry, which was finally announced earlier this summer. The evening will celebrate the victories and contributions of Canadian unions, and highlighting some of their key human rights priorities. Other conference speakers include actor and human rights activist Danny Glover, journalist and community activist Desmond Cole, and Executive Director of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada Dr. Cindy Blackstock. Media are invited to attend the opening celebration and conference plenary sessions. What: Rise Up! CLC human rights conference opening celebration When: Thursday October 20, 2016 7:00 p.m. Where: Shaw Centre, 55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa Contacts: To organize an interview or to register for opening night, please contact: Chantal St-Denis National Representative, Media Relations 613-355-1962 cstdenis@clc-ctc.ca Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEW YORK, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Persistence Market Research delivers key insights on the globalchloroacetyl chloride marketin a new report titled "Chloroacetyl Chloride Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016-2024".Global sales of chloroacetyl chloride is estimated to be valued at US$ 403.1 Mn by 2016 end, witnessing a Y-o-Y growth of 5.3% over 2015. Asia Pacific is estimated to account for a market value share of 39.5% in the global chloroacetyl chloride market by 2016 end and is anticipated to remain dominant throughout the forecast period (2016 - 2024). Fixed arable land and shortage of agricultural workers is expected to increase the dependency on chemical fertilizers/pesticides to increase crop production and meet the rising global demand for food. Thus, the demand for herbicides to increase crop productivity is expected to drive the demand for chloroacetyl chloride over the forecast period and boost the growth of the global chloroacetyl chloride market. The use of chloroacetyl chloride in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and as an acylating agent in various reactions is expected to increase over the forecast period and fuel overall growth of the global chloroacetyl chloride market. However, adoption of substitutes of chloroacetyl chloride in herbicides and in active pharmaceutical ingredients can hamper the growth of the global chloroacetyl chloride market over the forecast period. Browse Full Report Analysis And Market Bytes:http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/chloroacetyl-chloride-market.asp On the basis of manufacturing process, the global chloroacetyl chloride market can be segmented into chlorination of acetyl chloride, oxidation of 1,1-dichloroethylene, and others. The others segment is expected to witness a significant growth over the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to the development of new processes. Reaction of chloroacetic acid with chlorinating agents such as phosgene and phosphoms trichloride is expected to augment the share of the others segment over the forecast period. On the basis of application, the global chloroacetyl chloride market can be segmented into herbicides, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and chemical production. The herbicides segment is expected to witness stagnant growth over the forecast period due to a ban in Europe as well as few other countries on the use of alachlor and butachlor herbicides that are made from chloroacetyl chloride. However, use of chloroacetyl chloride as an intermediate in other herbicides products is expected to increase 1.3X over the forecast period. The active pharmaceutical ingredients segment is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. Recent outbreaks and increasing life threatening diseases have increased the demand for active pharmaceutical ingredients with complex protein assembly. Thus, it is expected to increase the demand for chloroacetyl chloride as an intermediate over the forecast period. The active pharmaceutical ingredients segment is estimated to be valued at US$ 154.6 Mn by the end of 2016. Request for a Sample Report:http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4551 On the basis of region, the global chloroacetyl chloride market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Sales of chloroacetyl chloride in the APAC region is estimated to be valued at US$ 159.1 Mn by the end of 2016 and this region is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period. by the end of 2016 and this region is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period. Latin America is expected to witness a significant growth over the forecast period. This growth is mainly attributed to developing economies in Latin America that are investing in production facilities in agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. is expected to witness a significant growth over the forecast period. This growth is mainly attributed to developing economies in that are investing in production facilities in agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. Development in APIs due to increasing risk of life-threatening diseases is expected to fuel the demand for chloroacetyl chloride as a reaction intermediate in North America over the forecast period. Download Report Table of Contents, Figures, and Tables: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/chloroacetyl-chloride-market/toc The global chloroacetyl chloride market report features some of the leading companies operating in the global chloroacetyl chloride market. Companies profiled in the report include CABB GmbH, Daicel Corporation, Altivia Corporation, Shiv Pharmachem Ltd., Transpek Industry Limited, Taixing Shenlong Chemical Co. Ltd., and Chengwu Chenhui Environmental Protection Technology Co. Ltd. among others. About Us: Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes. Contact Persistence Market Research U.S. Sales Office: 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York City, NY 10007 United States USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Blog: https://pmrblog.com Scania is teaming up with McNeilus to showcase its first concrete mixer trucks for the Mexican market, at the Mexican Association of Concrete Industries' congress in Cancun from 19 to 22 October. The truck being displayed at the congress, one of the most important events in the concrete industry's calendar, is a P 310 C6x4HZ model. Scania is providing the chassis, while the vehicle has an eight cubic metre mixer drum that has been manufactured by McNeilus in Mexico. The mixer truck represents the first big collaboration between Scania Mexico and McNeilus, part of the Oshkosh group of companies. Several other collaborations between the two are planned, including 10 more mixers and a front loader for refuse collection. Sustainable solutions Joao Crema, Sales Director for Scania Mexico, sees the cooperation with McNeilus in Mexico as being an important step toward being able to offer Mexican customers and fleet owners sustainable solutions that are tailor-made for infrastructure or building projects, strengthening relationships with the big fleet companies in this sector. "The aim of this initiative is to continue our work towards integrating more energy-efficient vehicles onto our roads to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," says Crema. Strategic partnership "This is a very positive project, and it will definitely open the door to further initiatives. Scania is aiming to reduce emissions by using alternative fuels. At a global level this is a strategic partnership, and it will translate into excellent business for both companies," says Hakan Lionell, Key Account Manager, Scania. The unit, whose strengths include its fuel economy and its better turning radius, can be used to pour concrete in areas with harsh road conditions or the construction of new infrastructure projects. With there already being several customers in Mexico for the unit, Scania and McNeilus hope that the trucks could be used in projects like the one to develop the new Mexico City international airport. Scania is a part of Volkswagen Truck Bus GmbH and one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications. Scania is also leading provider of industrial and marine engines. Service-related products account for a growing proportion of the company's operations, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime. Scania also offers financial services. Employing some 44,000 people, the company operates in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in Sweden, while production takes place in Europe and South America, with facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. In 2015, net sales totalled SEK 95 billion and net income amounted to SEK 6.8 billion. Scania press releases are available on www.scania.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005676/en/ Contacts: Joao Crema, Sales Director, Scania Mexico Tel: + 52 442 227 30 00 E-mail: joao.crema@scania.com or Hakan Lionell, Key Account Manager, Scania CV AB Tel: + 46 8 553 836 01 E-mail: hakan.lionell@scania.com MADRID (dpa-AFX) - Spain's foreign trade deficit decreased in August from a year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from the Economy Ministry showed Thursday. The trade deficit fell to EUR 2.56 billion in August from EUR 3.19 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year. Exports surged 8.9 percent year-over-year to EUR 17.6 billion in August. Moreover, it was the highest August value since the beginning of the historical series. Imports climbed 4.2 percent to EUR 20.2 billion. During the first eight months of the year, total trade deficit of the country was EUR 10.9 billion, 31.6 percent lower than in same period of 2015. Exports totaled EUR 167.5 billion, up 1.3 percent from a year ago. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Nordic Nanovector (OSE: NANO) (OSE: NANOO) Reference is made to the extraordinary general meeting of Nordic Nanovector ASA's (the "Company") on 12 October 2016 (the "EGM") where Joanna Horobin was elected a new board member. At the ordinary general meeting of the Company the board of directors was authorised to issue restricted stock units ("RSUs") to the board members. The RSUs are non-transferable and each RSU gives the right and obligation to acquire one share in the Company at a price of NOK 0.20 per share (corresponding to the nominal value of the shares) subject to satisfaction of the applicable vesting conditions. Joanna Horobin has resolved to receive her full board remuneration, as determined by the Company's annual general meeting in 2016, in the form of RSU's and the board of directors has resolved to issue 2,678 RSU's to Joanna Horobin. The number of RSU's is calculated on the basis of a board remuneration of NOK 144,000 divided by the market price of the Company's shares calculated as the average share price for the 10 trading days prior to the EGM being NOK 53.77 per share. Joanna Horobin does not hold any other shares in the Company. This information is subject to duty of disclosure pursuant to section 4-2 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005694/en/ Contacts: Nordic Nanovector Tone Kvale, Chief Financial Officer Phone: +47 91 51 95 76 E-mail: ir@nordicnanovector.com PERTH, AUSTRALIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Mawson West Limited (TSX: MWE) ("Mawson" or the "Company") announces that it has been notified by Galena Private Equity Resources Fund LP ("Galena") that Galena intends to compulsorily acquire all of the remaining securities in the Company that it does not already own. The compulsory acquisition is being carried out pursuant to the procedure set out in Part 6A.2 of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the "Corporations Act") which is available to Galena as a result of its ownership of at least 90% by value of all of the securities in the Company that are either shares or convertible into shares. Under the compulsory acquisition, Galena proposes to compulsorily acquire all of the ordinary shares of the Company that it does own for consideration of Cdn$0.01 per share. In connection with the compulsory acquisition, Galena will be mailing to the Company's shareholders an explanatory letter, a notice of compulsory acquisition (ASIC Form 6024), an objection form and a copy of the independent expert's report of RSM Bird Cameron dated September 28, 2016 obtained pursuant to the procedure set out in Part 6A.2 of the Corporations Act and which concludes that C$0.01 per share gives a fair value for the ordinary shares on the basis that C$0.01 is higher than the assessed fair value of the ordinary shares of between C$nil and C$0.005 per share. Copies of the explanatory letter and objection form will be filed under Mawson's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Shareholders may object to the acquisition of their shares by completing and returning the objection form to be delivered by Galena within 1 month of receipt of the notice of compulsory acquisition. If less than 10% of the shareholders object to the acquisition of the ordinary shares, Galena will proceed with the acquisition of the ordinary shares and the shareholders will subsequently receive a letter from Galena setting out details for the payment of the consideration payable upon acquisition of the shares. None of the directors of the Company, in their capacities as individual security holders of the Company, intend to object to the compulsory acquisition of their securities of the Company. The Company will seek to delist from the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") once Galena gives the TSX notice that the objection period has ended and less than 10% of shareholders objected to the acquisition of the ordinary shares. The Company also wishes to announce that, as a separate matter, it has been notified by the TSX that the Continued Listings Committee of the TSX has determined to delist the Company's securities effective at the close of market on November 21, 2016 due to failure by the Company to meet the continued listing requirements of TSX. About Mawson West Mawson West is a copper and silver-focused resource company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) with operational and technical support based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Company's two key projects are the Dikulushi copper-silver mine and the Kapulo copper mine located in the South Eastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), both of which are currently on care and maintenance. Mawson West also has multiple prospective targets located within its significant land holding of approximately 7,300km2 in the DRC's rich copper belt. About Galena Private Equity Resources Fund Galena Private Equity Resources Fund LP is a US$400 million closed end Cayman Islands limited partnership designed to invest in the natural resources sector. Galena is managed by Galena Asset Management S.A., a Switzerland based fund manager operated by independent specialist management as part of the Trafigura Group. Galena seeks to draw on the commodity, metals and mining and technical expertise of the Trafigura Group, investing in late stage and producing assets in a variety of jurisdictions and commodities around the globe. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this press release. Contacts: Anthony Lloyd Chairman of the Board and Acting CEO +1 416 777 9582 alloyd@mawsonwest.com Dennis Wilkins Corporate Secretary and Non-Executive Director +61 8 9389 2111 dennis@dwcorporate.com Star violinist to perform the'Butterfly Lovers' popular with millions in China, but 'virtually unknown' in the West WHO: Internationally celebrated violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou WHAT: Live concert recording of Chinese classical music with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra WHERE: Cadogan Hall WHEN: Pre-concert interviews Oct.21-22 or attendance at Oct. 23 concert, 7pm LONDON, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- There will be a moment in her Oct. 23 concert when violinist superstar Yi-Jia Susanne Hou anticipates most Chinese in the audience will be teary -- the musical moment, when two lovers, in China's version of Romeo and Juliet, must part. "It is truly that powerful," said the Chinese-Canadian virtuoso. "Even I have to choke back the tears as I play it." The piece is 'Butterfly Lovers,' and Ms. Hou's solo violin is the voice of Yin, or "Juliet." She will record it live with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday night at Cadogan Hall. "Untold millions of people in China know and love this story and its music. It's arguably the most popular violin concerto in the world." Leading the orchestra will be grammy-winning conductor John Nelson: "The concert's significance is huge because we have the most famous Chinese violin concerto, virtually unknown in the West, being played by a Chinese virtuoso and one of the great western orchestras." Hou's last recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto was also made in the U.K. with the London Symphony Orchestra. Sunday's concert will be the start of a multi-country tour with Ms. Hou andthe Royal Philharmonic, including stops in Canada and China. The love story The Chinese concerto, written for a western orchestra but with many Chinese melodies, is based on a fourth-century ill-fated romantic tale written in the Jin dynasty. A teenage girl named Yin dresses up as a boy to go to school. She falls in love with her 'Romeo' classmate Bo, but does not reveal her true identify. And just like in the Shakespearean classic, this love tale turns sour. Yin's father promises her hand in marriage to a wealthy man's son. So she decides to tell Bo the truth about herself and her love, before she leaves him. Confused and heartbroken, Bo falls ill and dies. On the day of Yin's wedding, she visits Bo's grave, begging the heavens to take her too. A lighting strikes Bo's tomb, and she throws herself in to her death. Flying out of their tomb: two loving butterflies. Personal connection The love story was set to music in the early 1960s at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music where Ms. Hou's mother and father, Alec and Yvonne Hou, both elite violinists now in their seventies, met and fell in love. After Yi-Jia Susanne Hou was born, the family moved to Canada to raise and train her. She eventually schooled at the Juilliard, and now performs concerts worldwide. "It's a universally powerful story of forbidden love. It transcends time, cultures," said Ms. Hou. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's Managing Director, James Williams says the violinist has a "remarkable reputation which is sure to flourish in her performance of the mythical Chinese tale Butterfly Lovers." Tickets can be obtained fromCadogan Hall's website. The musician will also perform on a rare $8-million USD violin: a 1739 Guarneri del Gesu. Ms. Hou's tour comes with a global educational initiative to nurture young artists. EDITOR'S NOTES MEDIA AVAILABILITY Pre-concert: Oct.21-22. Concert: Oct.23, 7pm - request to attend: mychaylo@talentstory.ca VIDEO Broadcast HD video of rehearsal available Saturday on Dropbox. Sunday, Oct.23 concert footage available on a Dropbox late Sunday / Monday am. PHOTOS http://susannehou.com/?page_id=1174 Photo credit: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco Concert photos and audio available upon request. TICKETS http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/royal-philharmonic-orchestra-161023 MEDIA CONTACT Mychaylo Prystupa, Publicist, will take calls 24/7, Talent Story, www.talentstory.ca, mychaylo@talentstory.ca, UK cell: +44 7459 167300 BALLERUP, Denmark and ORLANDO, Florida, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LEO Pharma today announced positive results from a Phase 2b dose-ranging efficacy and safety study of tralokinumab in adult patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), a serious and chronic form of eczema. Tralokinumab is an investigational monoclonal antibody that specifically targets the cytokine IL-13[1],[2], which plays an important role in the development of moderate-to-severe AD[3],[4]. In the Phase 2b study, tralokinumab demonstrated efficacy in the primary and key secondary endpoints, and an adverse event profile comparable to placebo. It also demonstrated significant improvements in quality of life and itching, compared with placebo. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130221/595427 ) "These clinical results support that blocking IL-13 signalling is a promising new option for patients with atopic dermatitis," said Kim Kjoeller, Executive Vice President, Global Research and Development, LEO Pharma. "We are encouraged by these results and are planning to enter phase 3 of clinical development for tralokinumab in the first half of 2017." An E-Poster presenting Phase 2b results will be available at the ongoing annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) from Friday, 3 March 2017 (Poster #4496[5]). An oral presentation of the poster will take place on Friday, 3/3/2017, from 3:00:00 PM EST to 3:05:00 PM in the Dermatitis, Atopic Section. The double-blinded Phase 2b study included 204 adults who had moderate to severe AD despite a two week run-in with continuous mid-strength topical corticosteroids (TCS) treatment. Patients were randomized 1:1:1:1 to receive tralokinumab (45, 150, or 300 mg) or placebo by sub-cutaneous administration every second week for 12 weeks. Overall objective of the study was to evaluate whether tralokinumab provides therapeutic benefit to adults with moderate to severe AD despite treatment with mid-strength TCS. Co-primary endpoints were change from baseline in Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI) and percentage of patients with clear or almost clear Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA 0/1) at week 12. Further efficacy endpoints, patient-reported outcomes, serum biomarkers and safety endpoints were assessed. After treatment with tralokinumab for 12 weeks, 150 mg and 300 mg tralokinumab significantly reduced total EASI from baseline (adjusted mean difference of -4.4, p=0.027 and -4.9, p=0.011, respectively) compared with placebo. The number of patients achieving EASI 50 at week 12 in the tralokinumab 300 mg group was significantly higher compared with placebo (73.4% versus 51.9%, p=0.025). The number of patients with an IGA of 0 or 1 (clear or almost clear) was numerically higher but not statistically significantly superior to placebo (26.5% in the tralokinumab 300 mg versus 11.7% in the placebo group). Treatment with Class 3 TCS before, during, and after study drug treatment may have influenced the study results. The secondary endpoints showed significant reduction in Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in the tralokinumab arm (150mg and 300 mg) compared with placebo. Furthermore, reduction in pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) in the tralokinumab 300 mg group was also found to be greater than placebo. The most frequent adverse events in all groups (tralokinumab and placebo) were nasopharyngitis (~17%), upper respiratory tract infection (~9%), headache (~6%), and AD (~6%).[5] LEO Pharma is the world leader in topical psoriasis treatment and has significantly expanded its portfolio over recent years to cover several dermatology indications. In July 2016, LEO Pharma acquired the global licence to tralokinumab in skin diseases from AstraZeneca, as well as the exclusive licence to brodalumab in Europe. Brodalumab is an IL-17 receptor monoclonal antibody under regulatory review for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. In partnership with MorphoSys, LEO Pharma is now developing six biologic treatments for skin diseases. About Atopic Dermatitis AD is a serious and chronic form of eczema. It is the most common inflammatory skin disease with prevalence in western countries of 15-20% in children and 1-3% in adults[6],[7]. The severity of AD can be categorized into mild, moderate and severe. The moderate and severe forms constitute approximately 50% and 20%, respectively, of the AD patient pool in a US population-based survey[8]. AD is, in its moderate to severe form, a debilitating condition characterized by intense itching, painful skin lesions, and skin infections with significant impact on quality of life[9]. There is currently a high unmet need for long-term efficacious and well-tolerated treatment options in AD[10]. About LEO Pharma LEO Pharma helps people achieve healthy skin. By offering care solutions to patients in more than 100 countries globally, LEO Pharma supports people in managing their skin conditions. Founded in 1908 and owned by the LEO Foundation, the healthcare company has devoted decades of research and development to delivering products and solutions to people with skin conditions. LEO Pharma is headquartered in Denmark and employs around 5,000 people worldwide. Contact Henrik Heskjaer Kyndlev henrik.kyndlev@leo-pharma.com Tel +45-3140-6180 References 1.May RD, Monk PD, Cohen ES, Manuel D, Dempsey F, Davis NH et al. Preclinical development of CAT-354, an IL-13 neutralizing antibody, for the treatment of severe uncontrolled asthma. Br J Pharmacol 2012;166(1):177-193. 2.Popovic B, Breed J, Rees DG, Gardener MJ, Vinall LM, Kemp B et al. Structural Characterisation Reveals Mechanism of IL-13-Neutralising Monoclonal Antibody Tralokinumab as Inhibition of Binding to IL-13Ralpha1 and IL-13Ralpha2. J Mol Biol 2017;429(2):208-219. 3.Hamid Q, Naseer T, Minshall EM, Song YL, Boguniewicz M, Leung DY. In vivo expression of IL-12 and IL-13 in atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1996;98(1):225-231. 4.Brandt EB, Sivaprasad U. Th2 Cytokines and Atopic Dermatitis. J Clin Cell Immunol 2011;2(3). 5.Wollenberg A, Howell MD, Guttman E, Silverberg JI, Birrell C, Kell C et al. A Phase 2b Dose-Ranging Efficacy and Safety Study of Tralokinumab in Adult Patients with Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis (AD). Poster #4496 for the 75th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, Orlando, FL. 2017 6.Ring J, Alomar A, Bieber T, Deleuran M, Fink-Wagner A, Gelmetti C et al. Guidelines for treatment of atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) part I. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2012;26(8):1045-1060. 7.Wollenberg A, Oranje A, Deleuran M, Simon D, Szalai Z, Kunz B et al. ETFAD/EADV Eczema task force 2015 position paper on diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis in adult and paediatric patients. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2016;30(5):729-747. 8.Hanifin JM, Reed ML. A population-based survey of eczema prevalence in the United States. Dermatitis 2007;18(2):82-91. 9.Lifschitz C. The impact of atopic dermatitis on quality of life. Ann Nutr Metab 2015;66 Suppl 134-40. 10. Ask the Presenter - Q&A with Dr. Silverberg. AJMC 2016, Conference Report VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GSV)(NYSE MKT: GSV) ("Gold Standard" or the "Company") today announced assay results from this year's reverse circulation (RC) drill program within the Dark Star Corridor (DSC) on its 100%-owned/controlled Railroad-Pinion Project in Nevada's Carlin Trend. Unlike the core drilling program exploring the high grade North Dark Star discovery, the RC program is designed to expand the lower grade Main Dark Star Deposit and also look for new targets within the 6.7 km-long DSC west and south of the Main Dark Star maiden resource. Of 12 holes completed to date, six returned significant intercepts with gold values above the cut-off grade of 0.14 g Au/t established by APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Canada, in its Main Dark Star resource estimate announced on March 3, 2015 (see news release). Results including 47.3 meters of 0.64 grams per tonne (g Au/t), 29.0m of 0.67 g Au/t and 38.1m of 0.56 g Au/t in two holes completed west of the Main Dark Star maiden resource are consistent with the grades found in the Main Dark Star resource estimate. These new results support the potential for further expansion of the Main Dark Star mineralization to the west. Last year's program demonstrated that RC assay results closely approximate those from core drilling, The DSC is a north-trending horst defined by gravity, CSAMT, geologic mapping, and soil sampling. The corridor has been largely untested by drilling until this phase of RC drilling totaling 5,804.8 meters. (Please click the following link to view plan and section maps: https://goldstandardv.com/lp/main-dark-star-oct-map/). Jonathan Awde, CEO and Director of Gold Standard commented: "The Main Dark Star oxide deposit is a valuable asset in its own right and we are confident that we can grow its resource with inexpensive RC drilling at the same time that we explore the higher grade North Dark Star and North Bullion deposits. It is also important to note that we discovered North Dark Star by moving out into the Corridor from the Main Dark Star resource. We are confident that the DSC has further high grade occurrences to discover." Key Dark Star Corridor Highlights -- In a new target west of the Main Dark Star maiden resource, drill holes DS16-07, -10 and -19 intersected multiple, thick, significant zones of mixed oxide and reduced mineralization including intercepts of 47.3m of 0.64g Au/t, 29.0m of 0.67g Au/t and 38.1m of 0.56g Au/t. These intercepts are approximately 100 to 200m west of the maiden resource and are interpreted to be hosted in Tonka Formation conglomerate and Chainman Formation sandstone, both of which are newly-defined gold host units at Main Dark Star. These results confirm the expansion potential to the west of the maiden resource where mineralization is open in several directions. -- Within DS16-07, orpiment and realgar are associated with a 9.1 meter intercept of 1.08g Au/t. These minerals are common in the reduced, deeper portions of Carlin-type gold systems. -- Hole DS16-22, located approximately 130m northeast of the Main Dark Star maiden resource, returned narrow widths of gold mineralization in the footwall of the Dark Star fault. Importantly, this hole confirms that the gold system and the preferred debris flow conglomerate host section continue to be present at this location. -- Eight RC scout holes were drilled south of the Main Dark Star deposit along a 2 km. strike length of the DSC. These holes represent the first tests of new targets identified by the Company's gravity, CSAMT, soil geochemistry and geologic mapping programs. The southernmost hole, DS16- 16, intersected silicified, iron-oxide bearing debris flow conglomerate with elevated arsenic. These geologic features are similar to those observed at Main Dark Star and North Dark Star and represent a positive first-step in evaluating new early-stage targets within the DSC. Dark Star Corridor drill results are as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drill TD Intercept Thickness Grade Hole Method Azimuth Incl. (m) (m) (m) (g Au/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DS16-06 RC -90 391.8 118.9 - 122.0 3.1 0.17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DS16-07 RC -90 452.7 154.0 - 163.1 9.1 1.08 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 170.7 - 208.8 38.1 0.56 ------------------------------------ Including 187.5 - 195.1 7.6 1.08 ------------------------------------ 214.9 - 218.0 3.1 0.19 ------------------------------------ 225.6 - 254.6 29.0 0.67 ------------------------------------ 263.7 - 283.5 19.8 0.28 ------------------------------------ 298.8 - 318.6 19.8 0.54 ------------------------------------ 327.7 - 330.8 3.1 0.25 ------------------------------------ 335.4 - 341.5 6.1 0.15 ------------------------------------ 349.0 - 352.1 3.1 0.26 ------------------------------------ 356.7 - 364.3 7.6 0.56 ------------------------------------ 368.9 - 385.7 16.8 0.91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intercepts greater than 0.14 g DS16-09 RC 090 -70 440.5 Au/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DS16-10 RC 305 -70 397.9 39.6 - 44.2 4.6 0.17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 57.9 - 105.2 47.3 0.64 ------------------------------------ Including 67.1 - 74.7 7.6 1.22 ------------------------------------ 175.3 - 176.8 1.5 0.48 ------------------------------------ 182.9 - 189.0 6.1 0.14 ------------------------------------ 254.6 - 269.8 15.2 0.27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DS16-11 RC 090 -55 458.8 106.7 - 111.3 4.6 0.40 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intercepts greater than 0.14 g DS16-12 RC 260 -45 452.7 Au/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intercepts greater than 0.14 g DS16-13 RC 270 -70 583.8 Au/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intercepts greater than 0.14 g DS16-14 RC 090 -45 605.2 Au/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intercepts greater than 0.14 g DS16-15 RC -90 361.3 Au/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No intercepts greater than 0.14 g DS16-16 RC -90 606.7 Au/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DS16-19 RC -90 618.9 228.6 - 233.2 4.6 0.21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 236.3 - 237.8 1.5 0.53 ------------------------------------ 240.8 - 243.9 3.1 0.16 ------------------------------------ 272.9 - 282.0 9.1 0.21 ------------------------------------ 292.7 - 297.3 4.6 0.18 ------------------------------------ 306.4 - 307.9 1.5 0.24 ------------------------------------ 324.6 - 327.7 3.1 0.17 ------------------------------------ 330.8 - 338.4 7.6 0.21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DS16-22 RC 090 -55 434.5 6.1 - 7.6 1.5 0.70 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 102.1 - 106.7 4.6 0.16 ------------------------------------ 118.9 - 131.1 12.2 0.16 ------------------------------------ 149.4 - 150.9 1.5 0.17 ------------------------------------ 164.6 - 166.1 1.5 0.14 ------------------------------------ 173.8 - 178.4 4.6 0.15 ------------------------------------ 182.9 - 192.0 9.1 0.37 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) Gold intervals reported in this table were calculated using a 0.14 g Au/t cutoff. Weighted averaging has been used to calculate all reported intervals. True widths are estimated at 70-90% of drilled thicknesses. Mac Jackson, Gold Standard's Vice president of Exploration stated: "We are just starting to explore the 6.7 km. long Dark Star Corridor. The intercepts in DS16-07 and DS16-10 continue to add to the size of the Main Dark Star gold system. Based on the increasing size of the system and our discovery experience at North Dark Star, we expect to find other blind deposits within the large volume of altered rock along the DSC." Sampling Methodology, Chain of Custody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance: All sampling was conducted under the supervision of the Company's project geologists and the chain of custody from the project to the sample preparation facility was continuously monitored. A blank or certified reference material was inserted approximately every tenth sample. The Dark Star RC samples were delivered to Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories preparation facility in Elko, NV where they were crushed and pulverized. Resulting sample pulps were shipped to Bureau Veritas certified laboratory in Sparks, NV or Vancouver, BC. Pulps were digested and analyzed for gold using fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish on a 30 gram split. All other elements were determined by ICP analysis. Data verification of the analytical results included a statistical analysis of the standards and blanks that must pass certain parameters for acceptance to insure accurate and verifiable results. Drill hole deviation was measured by gyroscopic down hole surveys that were completed on all holes by International Directional Services of Elko, NV. Final collar locations were surveyed by differential GPS by Apex Surveying, LLC of Spring Creek, Nevada. The scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by Steven R. Koehler, Gold Standard's Manager of Projects, BSc. Geology and CPG-10216, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ABOUT GOLD STANDARD VENTURES - Gold Standard is an advanced stage gold exploration company focused on district scale discoveries on its Railroad-Pinion Gold Project, located within the prolific Carlin Trend. The 2014 Pinion and Dark Star gold deposit acquisitions offer Gold Standard a potential near-term development option and further consolidates the Company's premier land package on the Carlin Trend. The Pinion deposit now has an NI43-101 compliant resource estimate consisting of an Indicated Mineral Resource of 31.61 million tonnes grading 0.62 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au), totaling 630,300 ounces of gold and an Inferred Resource of 61.08 million tonnes grading 0.55 g/t Au, totaling 1,081,300 ounces of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au. The Dark Star deposit, 2.1 km to the east of Pinion, has a NI43-101 compliant resource estimate consisting of an Inferred Resource of 23.11 million tonnes grading 0.51 g/t Au, totaling 375,000 ounces of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au (announced March 3, 2015). The 2014 and 2015 definition and expansion of these two shallow, oxide deposits demonstrates their growth potential. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the NYSE MKT accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements about our proposed exploration programs are forward looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risk factors affecting the Company include, among others: the results from our exploration programs, global financial conditions and volatility of capital markets, uncertainty regarding the availability of additional capital, fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) and with the SEC on EDGAR (available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. CAUTIONARY NOTE FOR U.S. INVESTORS REGARDING RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES All resource estimates reported by the Company were calculated in accordance with the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Classification system. These standards differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for descriptions of mineral properties in SEC Industry Guide 7 under Regulation S-K of the U. S. Securities Act of 1933. In particular, under U. S. standards, mineral resources may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. Accordingly, information in this press release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral properties may not be comparable to similar information made public by US public reporting companies. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Gold Standard, Jonathan Awde, President and Director Contacts: Gold Standard Ventures Corp. Jonathan Awde President 604-669-5702 info@goldstandardv.com www.goldstandardv.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Tree Island Steel Ltd. ("Tree Island" or the "Company") (TSX: TSL) is pleased to announce that it will report its third quarter 2016 financial results for the period ended September 30, 2016, during market hours on November 3, 2016. The Company will host an analyst call on the same day at 4:30 pm ET. Dale MacLean, President and CEO, and Nancy Davies, CFO, will discuss the Company's financial performance for the period ended September 30, 2016. To access the call, please dial 1-877-741-4239 or 1-719-325-4849. A replay of the conference call will be available from 7:30 pm ET on November 3, 2016, until 11:59 pm ET, November 17, 2016. To access the replay, call 1-844-512-2921 or 1-412-317-6671, followed by passcode 6963287. About Tree Island Steel Tree Island Steel, headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, since 1964, through its five operating facilities in Canada and the United States, produces wire products for a diverse range of industrial, residential construction, commercial construction, agricultural, and specialty applications. Its products include galvanized wire, bright wire; a broad array of fasteners including packaged, collated and bulk nails; stucco reinforcing products; concrete reinforcing mesh; fencing and other fabricated wire products. The Company markets these products under the Tree Island, Halsteel, K-Lath, TI Wire, and Tough Strand brand names. The Company also maintains a presence in Beijing to assist with the international sourcing of products to Tree Island and its customers. Contacts: Nancy Davies Chief Financial Officer (604) 523-4587 ndavies@treeisland.com www.treeisland.com Ali Mahdavi Investor Relations & Capital Markets (416) 962-3300 amahdavi@treeisland.com HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org HONG KONG, Nov 10, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - The ninth HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair opened today and continues through 12 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). This morning's opening ceremony was officiated by Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Philip Yung, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) of the HKSAR Government.Speaking at the opening ceremony, Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), highlighted the diverse characteristics of the International Wine & Spirits Fair. "Featuring more than 1,060 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions, the Wine & Spirits Fair is an effective international promotion platform. The success of the fair is due to a variety of factors: Zero duties on Hong Kong wine imports since 2008, a large international exhibitor presence, international buyers especially wine importers from Asia, high value-added business opportunities and networking activities including grand tasting sessions, master classes, wine tastings, cocktail demonstrations as well as seminars," Mr Chau said.Strong international flavour at the fairSince the HKSAR Government scrapped import duties on wine in 2008, the wine industry has recorded tremendous growth, attracting industry players to start or expand their business in Hong Kong. The value of Hong Kong's wine imports rose from HK$1.6 billion in 2007 to HK$10.8 billion in 2015, a more than six-fold increase. Being a well-known wine trading and distributing hub, wine exporting countries are seeking to tap into the Asian market through Hong Kong. Besides Croatia, Finland and the Philippines exhibiting at the fair for the first time, wine producing regions, wine associations and trade commissions from around the world have formed 30 pavilions to promote their products. Among them, first-time group pavilion organisers include the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, Bulgarian Wine Export Association, Economic and Information Technology Commission of Guizhou Province from the Chinese mainland, Fukushima Prefectural Government and Kyushu Shochu Culture & Tourism from Japan, FENADEGAS from Portugal, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia.Located in South Central Europe, Slovenia is a wine producing country less familiar to consumers in Hong Kong and Asia. Slovenia's viniculture is characterised by the country's diverse geography and microclimates; its latitude aligns with many renowned and prolific wine-producing regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy and Northern Rhone. Around 70 per cent of Slovenian wines qualify as premium wine. Aiming to capture the attention of Asia's developing markets through Hong Kong, Dejan Zidan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, hosted today's presentation under the theme of "Discover Excellent Wines From Slovenia - Taste the Slovenian Identity".While Slovenia has a particularly high profile at the fair this year, a world of exquisite wines from around the world are also on show including:- Wine from Israel, a country with 5,000 years of wine-making history. Produced by Hevron Heights, Armagedon (Booth no.: 3E-D11) is brewed using traditional methods. Using grapes grown on the Judean Mountains at high altitude (950m) and aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, Armagedon is regarded as kosher wine, produced in accordance with Judaism's religious laws.- Bulgarian orange wine from Wine Cellar Villa Melnik Ltd (Booth no.: 3D-B26). Orange wine, in spite of its name, is not made from oranges. Its darker colour results from extended contact of white grape juice with grape skins over a longer period of time. Orange wine is intense with a dry, tannic taste and nuttiness derived from oxidation, and can be paired with a wide variety of dishes ranging from beef to fish.- Crown Royal's Northern Harvest Rye from Canada (Booth no.: 3CON-064). Crown Royal's Northern Harvest Rye stunned the whisky world as the first Canadian whisky to earn a title in the authoritative Jim Murray's Annual Whisky Bible with almost full marks and was named World Whisky of the Year 2016.In addition to zones such as Wine & Liquor Products, Whisky and Spirits and Friends of Wine, where the perfect food pairings are showcased, there are also dedicated zones promoting the industry's all-round developments, such as Wine Investment, Wine Education and Wine Storage & Logistics zones.Promoting industry interactionDuring the Wine & Spirits Fair, more than 70 special events are arranged to provide a comprehensive platform for trading and exchange. These include the Wine Industry Conference, gala dinner, tasting sessions, master classes and thematic seminars. Close to 50 wine tasting sessions are organised to spotlight wines from Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Guizhou (Chinese mainland), Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and the US.Today's Wine Industry Conference is titled "Uncover the Opportunities of the New Cool Climate Wine Trend". Meanwhile, the eighth edition of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition Award Presentation Ceremony will be held tonight. Following the cocktail reception, the Gala Dinner titled "I FEEL SLOVENIA" will feature a menu prepared by Janez Bratovz, head chef of celebrated Slovenian restaurant JB RESTAVRACIJA. The seminar "How to Reach the Right Customers in China" and the buyer forum "Uncovering Business Opportunities in Booming Markets of Wine and Spirits" will be held tomorrow afternoon for the industry to discuss hot topics.Public DayOn Saturday (12 November), the fair will be open to members of the public aged 18 or above, with tickets priced at HK$200*. Public visitors with full-priced tickets on that day will receive a Lucaris crystal wine glass valued at HK$110 on a first-come first-served basis while stocks last.Two master classes will be held on the public day including "Understanding Quality in Wines Currently Trending around the World with Jeannie Cho Lee MW" and "Sensory Experience of Wine by Debra Meiburg MW". The public are also welcome to join wine tasting sessions, cocktail, whisky and spirit demonstrations and seminars. These include "Gifu Sake and Pottery Appreciation", "Enjoy Shochu from Kyushu with Kumamon", "Choosing from a Wine List - Tips and Tricks" and "Hong Kong Inter-University Wine Challenge 2016".This year's fair once again headlines the Hong Kong Wine Journey citywide promotion, which encompasses a series of wine tastings, wine and food menu pairing, seminars, themed tours and Lan Kwai Fong carnival. More than 160 restaurants will feature promotions such as "Birthday Wine" and "Wine and Food Pairing Menu". For more details, please refer to the Hong Kong Wine Journey map or the website.Wine business keeps flowing through Hong KongIn the first nine months of 2016, Hong Kong's wine imports reached HK$9.1 billion, a 22 per cent year-on-year increase. As for the city's exports, they totalled HK$4.1 billion, up 25 per cent over the same period last year.*Tickets:Members of the public can purchase Public Day admission tickets on site priced at HK$200. Tickets for Public Day master classes are priced at HK$350 (including admission) and are available on a first-come first-served basis.Fair Website: www.hktdc.com/hkwinefairSocial Media Hashtag: HKWineandSpiritsPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2fA4drMMedia Registration:Media may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tcAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Regulatory News: Vattenfall's January-September interim report 2016 will be published Thursday 27 October at approximately 09.00 CET on corporate.vattenfall.com. A press conference for analysts and media will start at 10.30 CET and will be broadcasted live on the web. To join the press conference: Vattenfall's president and CEO Magnus Hall and CFO Ingrid Bonde will host the press conference at Vattenfall's head office, Evenemangsgatan 13, Solna, Sweden. The press conference will be held in English. Please bring a press or ID card. To join the live webcast: Vattenfall Q3 webcast (http://vattenfallwebcasts.creo.tv/161027). A recorded version will be available after the press conference on corporate.vattenfall.com. To join by telephone: Please dial one of the numbers a few minutes before 10.30 CET. +46 (0) 8 505 100 31 (Sweden) +44 (0) 203 059 58 62 (UK) Presentation slides will be available at approximately 09.00 CET on corporate.vattenfall.com. Vattenfall's Press Office, telephone: +46 (0) 8 739 50 10, press@vattenfall.com Facebook: facebook.com/vattenfallpressrum Twitter: twitter.com/Vattenfall_Se This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005765/en/ Contacts: Johan Sahlqvist, Head of Investor Relations, phone +46 (0) 8 739 72 51, cell +46 (0) 72 226 40 51 or Robert Pletzin, Media Relations Manager EU and Corporate, cell +46 (0) 72 516 86 06 Men's apparel brand expands e-commerce platform to accommodate growing international customer base KEY WEST, Florida, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Madda Fella, LLC, a men's clothing and lifestyle brand, today announced its products are available internationally through its e-commerce platform. Based in Key West, FL, the company launched in May 2015 out of a love of the town's beautiful surroundings and a lust for travel and adventure. The brand has since built a following in all 50 states and is experiencing growing demand from consumers in Australia, Europe and South America who are seeking the laid-back feel of Key West. Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/MaddaFella_Brand_Video_720.mp4 "We've been humbled by the tremendous reception we've received from consumers across the country since our launch last year," said CEO and Founder, Michael Louden. "In 2016, there has been a growing demand for our products from consumers beyond the U.S. who are looking for clothing that exudes the relaxed vibe of Key West. We are excited to extend our footprint overseas, reaching people all over the world with high-quality, island lifestyle clothing, and igniting them with the same adventurous spirit we, and the Keys, embody." Madda Fella experienced 300% annual growth since the brand's launch in May 2015. With the average five-year growth of the U.S. apparel market lying at under 3%, Madda Fella has established itself as one of the fastest-growing men's clothing companies in the U.S. and, as a result, is opening its platform to international sales due to growing demand from international consumers. About Madda Fella Named after Caribbean slang used to express surprise or astonishment, Madda Fella is a men's lifestyle brand for those who appreciate the unpredictable excitement of Key West adventure and a life full of sunshine, blue water and friends. Known primarily for its casual and island wear for men, Madda Fella designs its fabrics with a pattern unique to each piece of clothing and aligned with its Key West palette. The company launched in May 2015 and is available internationally via its website as well as at select retailers across the U.S. For more information, visit www.maddafella.com. EDMONTON, ALBERTA and NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- (TSX: STN)(NYSE: STN) Stantec will release its financial results for the third quarter of 2016 on Thursday, November 10, 2016. Bob Gomes, president and chief executive officer; and Dan Lefaivre, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will hold a conference call at 2:00 PM MST (4:00 PM EST) to discuss the third quarter results. The conference call and slideshow presentation will be broadcast live and archived in their entirety in the Investors section of www.stantec.com. Participants wishing to listen to the call via telephone may dial in toll free at 1-800-524-8950 (Canada and US) or 416-260-0113 (international). Please provide confirmation code 8288565 when prompted. About Stantec We're active members of the communities we serve. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. The Stantec community unites approximately 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across six continents. Our work - engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics, from initial project concept and planning through design, construction, and commissioning - begins at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. With a long-term commitment to the people and places we serve, Stantec has the unique ability to connect to projects on a personal level and advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN. Design with community in mind Contacts: Investor Contact Sonia Kirby Stantec Investor Relations (780) 616-2785 Sonia.Kirby@stantec.com www.stantec.com Harrington Cloud Joins Firm's London Office, Will Help Expand AXIS Insurance Client Service Offerings AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital") (NYSE:AXS) announced Tracy Harrington Cloud has joined AXIS Insurance as an SVP, International Distribution and Broker Management. Reflecting the company's client-centric focus, Ms. Harrington Cloud's role will include helping to further enhance distribution management services and offerings across AXIS' global network of offices. Based in London, she reports to Terry Wood, EVP AXIS Insurance, and will work with Ed Ashby, EVP Global Head of Distribution, AXIS Insurance. "Tracy is a proven leader with experience working in senior-level positions on both the broker and carrier sides of the business. Additionally, in her previous role at Marsh, Tracy was the dedicated relationship manager for AXIS, which gives her a strong understanding of our business and positions her to help shape our future strategy," said Mr. Wood. "The addition of Tracy to the AXIS team in this dedicated role is a significant step forward as we further grow our business." Added Mr. Ashby, "Tracy will play an instrumental role in helping to enhance our efforts and further empower our team to provide the highest level of service to our clients. Adding someone with Tracy's experience and capabilities directly reflects our commitment to advancing our global distribution strategy." Ms. Harrington Cloud brings 28 years of experience in the (re)insurance industry. Previously she worked for eight years at Marsh Ltd where, as Senior Executive, UK Insurer Consulting Group, she helped originate the function providing strategic services to global insurers. Prior to Marsh, she served as Client Relationship Manager at QBE insurance within its corporate division. Earlier in her career, Ms. Harrington Cloud held roles as a Senior Broker in the UK and North American reinsurance markets including positions at Cooper Gay Co Ltd., Aon Re and Swire Fraser. About AXIS Capital AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity at June 30, 2016 of $6.0 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Middle East, Canada and Latin America. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A+" ("Superior") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com. Please be sure to follow AXIS Capital on LinkedIn. About AXIS Insurance AXIS Insurance-a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS)-provides Property Casualty, Professional Lines, Terrorism, Marine, Energy, Aviation, Credit Political Risk, Environmental, Accident Health coverages and other customized insurance solutions. Our products are offered through our distribution partners, which include wholesale brokers, retail brokers and designated managing general agents/underwriters ("MGAs"/"MGUs") in the U.S. and abroad. Coverages are backed by the financial strength and security of the AXIS Insurance Companies, rated "A+" (Strong) by Standard Poor's and "A+" (Superior) XV by A.M. Best. For more information, visit our website at http://www.axiscapital.com/en-us/insurance. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005376/en/ Contacts: Investors AXIS Capital Holdings Limited Linda Ventresca, 441-405-2727 info@axiscapital.com or Media Kekst Michael Herley, 212-521-4897 michael.herley@kekst.com Enhances inhalation, small molecule and biopharmaceutical/large molecule analytical testing Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC (PPD), has expanded its good manufacturing practices (GMP) laboratory operations in Athlone, Ireland, as part of its ongoing efforts to meet clients' capacity needs and enhance its range of lab services offerings. The lab, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, has added 400 square meters (4,300 square feet) of new laboratory space for analytical testing of biopharmaceuticals and inhalation devices. The Athlone GMP facility now totals more than 3,800 square meters (41,500 square feet) of analytical testing and support space. "The expansion of the Athlone GMP lab represents our ongoing investment in the continued growth of our contract research operations in Ireland and around the world to provide our clients with best-in-class laboratory services and state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation," said David Johnston, Ph.D., executive vice president of global laboratory services for PPD Laboratories. "Our ability to deliver global scientific, technical and development expertise with expanded laboratory capacity enables us to meet the growing demand for these services in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific." The Athlone GMP lab provides fully integrated solutions for pharmaceutical product development, including analytical testing services, method development and validation, stability testing, and quality control and release testing. The operation also provides regulatory services, product licensing and marketed product support, including qualified person (QP) services for all drug dosage forms, with particular emphasis on inhalation and biopharmaceutical products. PPD Laboratories opened its Athlone laboratory in 2010 and, with the completion of this latest expansion, will employ nearly 200 people at the facility, including Ph.D.-level scientists, analytical laboratory staff and other clinical development professionals. PPD Laboratories maintains another GMP lab in Middleton, Wisconsin, that offers all the same services as the Athlone lab. In total, PPD employs more than 1,300 people in its global GMP operations. "PPD has been a valuable member of Ireland's business community, and particularly the Athlone region, since opening its world-class facility in 2010," said Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor of Ireland's Department of Jobs, Enterprise Innovation. "Through this facility and the people it employs here, PPD plays an important role in maintaining the economic vitality of our Midlands region and developing the scientific, analytical, clinical and logistical skills of the professionals who support the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors in the Midlands life sciences cluster." "PPD's expansion of its GMP operations in Athlone is warmly welcomed by IDA Ireland and adds to the continued growth of life sciences in the Midlands," said Barry Heavey, Ph.D., IDA Ireland's head of life sciences. "This is another important investment for a regional location, and IDA looks forward to working with PPD to ensure continued success and development." The Athlone lab is licensed by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to support both investigational medicinal products and marketed products. It also is certified for quality control of medicinal products, including cell-based assay services for biologics. In addition to the GMP labs in Athlone and Middleton, PPD Laboratories includes: central labs in Shanghai, China; Brussels, Belgium; Highland Heights, Kentucky; and Singapore; bioanalytical labs in Middleton and Richmond, Virginia; a vaccine sciences lab in Richmond; and biomarker labs in Richmond and Highland Heights. About PPD PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and lifecycle management services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 46 countries and more than 18,500 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a firm commitment to quality to help clients and partners bend the cost and time curve of drug development to deliver life-changing therapies that improve health. For more information, visit www.ppdi.com. PPD Forward-Looking Statement Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions, including statements, expectations and assumptions about the expansion of its GMP laboratory in Athlone, Ireland, contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based and could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Other important factors that could cause future results to differ materially include the following: the ability to attract, integrate, retain and train key personnel; competition in the outsourcing industry; rapid technological advances that make our services or capabilities less competitive; compliance with drug development regulations; changes in the regulation of the drug development process; PPD's ability to win new business; overall global economic conditions; economic conditions, research and development spending, and outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and government-sponsored research sectors; consolidation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; loss, delay or modification of large contracts; higher-than-expected cancellation rates; the rate of conversion of backlog into revenue; risks associated with and dependence on strategic relationships; actual operating performance; risks associated with acquisitions and investments; and the ability to control SG&A spending. PPD assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update these forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing PPD's estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005837/en/ Contacts: Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC Media: Randy Buckwalter, +1-919-456-4425 randy.buckwalter@ppdi.com or Investors: Nate Speicher, +1-910-558-6783 nate.speicher@ppdi.com Vilnius, Lithuania, 2016-10-20 15:09 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the initiative and decision of the Management board of AB INVL Baltic Real Estate (legal entity code 152105644, address of the registered office: Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania, hereinafter, the Company), the Company's extraordinary general meeting of shareholders is to be held on 10 November 2016 at 9:30 a.m.The extraordinary general meeting of shareholders will be held in the premises at Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius.Registration of the shareholders will start at 9:00 a.m.Only the persons who are the shareholders of the Company at the end of the accounting day of the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders are entitled to participate and to vote at the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders.The accounting day of the meeting is 3 November 2016.The total number of the shares issued by the Company, with the nominal value of EUR 0.29 each, and the number of votes carried by such shares in the general meeting of shareholders are the same - 65 750 000 shares. ISIN code of the Company's shares is LT0000127151.Agenda of the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders:1. Approval of the new wording of the Articles of Association of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.2. Approval of the Management Agreement of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management.3. Selection of the depository of the special closed-ended type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.4. Approval of the Depository Services Agreement of special closed-ended type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.5. Approval of the rules for formation and activities of the audit committee of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate, election of members of the audit committee and setting remuneration for the independent member of the audit committee.Draft resolutions of the Company's extraordinary general meeting of shareholders:1. Approval of the new wording of the Articles of Association of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.To approve new wording of the Articles of Association of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate, by replacing the text of the Articles of Association in full (enclosed).To authorise Egidijus Damulis (with the right to re-delegate the authority) to sign the Articles of Association of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.2. Approval of the Management Agreement of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management.To approve the Management Agreement with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management (legal entity code 126263073, address of the registered office: Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania) (enclosed).3. Selection of the depository of the special closed-ended type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.To select Swedbank, AB as a depository of the special closed-ended type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.4. Approval of the Depository Services Agreement of special closed-ended type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.To approve the Depository Services Agreement of special closed-ended type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate, prepared by the Management Board (enclosed).5. Approval of the rules for formation and activities of the audit committee of a special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate, election of members of the audit committee and setting remuneration for the independent member of the audit committee.To approve the rules for formation and activities of the audit committee of a special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate (enclosed).To elect Danute Kadanaite and Tomas Bubinas (independent member of the audit committee) as members of the audit committee of special closed-end type real estate investment company INVL Baltic Real Estate.To set remuneration for the independent member of the audit committee for his work in the audit committee at the hourly rate not higher than EUR 145. To instruct the management company UAB INVL Asset Management (legal entity code 126263073, address of the registered office: Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania) to determine the procedure of payment of the remuneration to the independent member of the audit committee after the issuance of the license for the closed-end type investment company.The shareholders may review the documents related to the agenda of the meeting, draft resolutions on every item of the agenda, documents which have to be submitted to the general meeting of shareholders and other information related to exercise of the shareholder's rights in the premises of AB INVL Baltic Real Estate at Gyneju str. 16, Vilnius, during working hours.The shareholders are entitled: (i) to propose to supplement the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders, submitting a draft resolution on every additional item of the agenda or, where there is no need to take a decision, of the shareholder's explanation (this right is granted to shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes). A proposal to supplement the agenda is to be submitted in writing by registered mail or delivered in person against signature. The agenda is supplemented if the proposal is received no later than 14 days before the general meeting of shareholders; (ii) to propose draft resolutions on the issues already included or to be included in the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders at any time prior to the date of the general meeting of shareholders (in writing, by registered mail or delivered in person against signature) or in writing during the general meeting of shareholders (this right is granted to shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes); (iii) to submit questions to the Company related to the issues on the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders in advance but no later than 3 business days prior to the general meeting of shareholders in writing by registered mail or delivered in person against signature.A shareholder participating at the general meeting of shareholders and having the right to vote, must present a personal identity document. Each shareholder may authorize either a natural or a legal person to participate and to vote on behalf of the shareholder at the general meeting of shareholders. The proxy has the same rights as the represented shareholder would have at the general meeting of shareholders. The authorized persons must have personal identity documents and a power of attorney approved in the manner specified by law, which must be submitted to the Company no later than before the commencement of registration for the general meeting of shareholders. A power of attorney issued abroad must be translated into the Lithuanian language and legalised in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law. The Company does not establish a special form of a power of attorney.A shareholder is entitled to issue a power of attorney by means of electronic communications to legal or natural persons for participation and voting on his behalf at the general meeting of shareholders. The shareholder must inform the Company about the power of attorney issued by means of electronic communications no later than before the commencement of registration for the general meeting of shareholders. The power of attorney issued by means of electronic communications and the notice about it must be written and may be submitted to the Company by means of electronic communications, if the security of transmitted information is ensured and the identity of the shareholder can be verified.A shareholder or his proxy may vote in writing by filling in a general ballot paper, in this case the requirement to present a personal identity document does not apply. The form of a general ballot paper is presented on the Company's website. Upon a shareholder's request, the Company shall send the general ballot paper to the requesting shareholder by registered mail or shall deliver it in person against signature no later than 10 days prior to the general meeting of shareholders free of charge. The shareholder or his authorized representative must sign a completed general ballot paper. The completed general ballot paper signed by the shareholder or other person having the right to vote and the document confirming the right to vote must be presented to the Company in writing no later than on the last working day preceding the meeting, sending them by registered mail to AB INVL Baltic Real Estate at Gyneju str. 14, LT-01109 Vilnius.The Company does not provide possibilities of participating and voting at the meeting by means of electronic communications. Information in connection with the convened general meeting of shareholders (notice on convocation of the general meeting of shareholders, information about the Company's shares, draft resolutions, etc.) is available on AB INVL Baltic Real Estate's website at www.invlbalticrealestate.lt.The person authorized to provide additional information: Egidijus Damulis CEO E-mail: Egidijus.damulis@invl.comAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=590392 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - While the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released a report on Thursday showing a slowdown in the pace of regional manufacturing growth in the month of October, the pace of growth slowed less than economists had expected. The Philly Fed said its index for current manufacturing activity in the region fell to 9.7 in October from 12.8 in September, but a positive reading indicates continued growth. Economists had expected the index to drop to 7.0. The drop by the Philly Fed Index came despite a significant acceleration in the pace of new order growth as well as a rebound in shipments. The new orders index jumped to 16.3 in October from 1.4 in September, while the shipments index surged up to a positive 15.3 from a negative 8.8. The Philly Fed said the delivery times, unfilled orders, and inventories indexes remained weak, however, with all registering negative readings. Firms also reported continued weakness in manufacturing employment, although the number of employees index edged up to a negative 4.0 in October from a negative 5.3 in September. The report also said the prices paid index tumbled to 7.0 in October from 20.6 in October, while the prices received index slumped to a negative 3.7 from a positive 9.7. Looking ahead, the Philly Fed said firms remain optimistic about business conditions over the next six months, and prospects for employment continue to be upbeat. The diffusion index for future activity fell to 32.6 in October from 37.5 in September but remains slightly above its average reading over the past 12 months. On Monday, the New York Fed released a separate report showing that regional manufacturing activity has unexpectedly seen a continued decline in October. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index slid to a negative 6.8 in October from a negative 2.0 in September. The drop by the general business conditions index came as a surprise to economists, who had expected the index to rise to a positive 1.0. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BEVERLY HILLS, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Broadside, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, has published COMMON SENSE FOR THE COMMON GOOD: Libertarianism as the End of Two-Party Tyranny by Libertarian Presidential candidate and former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson as an e-book original. In the spring of 2017, Broadside will also publish an expanded, hardcover edition. The deal was made with Gov. Johnson and Agent, Alan Morell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, THE CREATIVE MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Creative Management Partners LLC. With the contentious 2016 U.S. presidential election cycle heading into its final phases, only one thing seems clear: the American people are less than satisfied with the two major political parties' candidates. Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party candidate for president and former Republican governor of New Mexico, stakes his claim at the very center of the political spectrum. COMMON SENSE FOR THE COMMON GOOD offers a clearheaded approach to how a third party can restore sanity and functionality to the U.S. government. Johnson reveals how the two-party system is dysfunctional. How its binary approach to issues doesn't reflect the multiplicity of viewpoints inherent in our contemporary society. How the nasty divisiveness that rules public and private discourse is endemic to this flawed and outdated system. He takes on the task of explaining Libertarianism as a philosophy that espouses: Freedom of choice Limited government intrusion into our personal lives Free market capitalism Equalizing opportunity for all In this pragmatic and passionate e-book, Johnson describes his own personal and political evolution. He firmly believes that, if the rigged electoral polling and debate processes were fairer, the vast majority of Americans would come to understand that their beliefs and values are best represented by the Libertarian Party. Gary Johnson said, "In COMMON SENSE FOR THE COMMON GOOD, I examined the current state of affairs and look at the root causes that have brought the two-party system to crisis. I also want to share my political history and evolution. I was very impressed with the professional way Agent Alan Morell assembled such a prestigious list of publishers over 24 hours selecting HarperCollins Publishers." GARY JOHNSON Gary Johnson is the 2016 Libertarian Party Presidential nominee. A successful businessman before seeking elected office, Gary Johnson started a door-to-door handyman business to help pay his way through college. Twenty years later, he had grown that business into one of the largest construction companies in New Mexico, with more than 1,000 employees. In 1994, Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico, running as a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic state. Johnson financed his primary election campaign with his own funds, won the nomination, and was elected. He was reelected in 1998. An avid skier, adventurer and bicyclist, he has scaled the highest peak on each of the seven continents, including Mt. Everest. Governor Johnson has two grown children -- a daughter, Seah, and a son Erik, and recently became a grandfather. He currently resides in a house he built himself in Taos, New Mexico. ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS HarperCollins Publishers is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 18 countries. With nearly two hundred years of history and more than 65 unique imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year, in over 30 languages, and has a print and digital catalog of more than 200,000 titles. Writing across dozens of genres, HarperCollins authors include winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals and the Man Booker Prize. HarperCollins, headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of News Corp and can be visited online at corporate.HC.com Contact Information: THE CREATIVE MANAGEMENT AGENCY www.creativemanagementpartners.com 508-292-7900 Creative Management Partners LLC 433 North Camden Drive 6th Floor, Beverly Hills, Ca. 90210 Antitumor efficacy of NBTXR3 in different types of tumors in vivo preclinical data Antitumor efficacy of NBTXR3 when combined with chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo data Regulatory News: NANOBIOTIX (Paris:NANO) (Euronext: NANO ISIN: FR0011341205), a late clinical-stage nanomedicine company pioneering new approaches to the local treatment of cancer, today announced the presentation of NBTXR3 preclinical studies demonstrating 1) the antitumor efficacy of NBTXR3 in five different in vivo human cancer models and 2) the antitumor efficacy of NBTXR3 in combination with chemotherapy, in both in vitro and in vivo studies. These data will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2017 in Washington, D.C (April 1-5, 2017). A key part of the non-clinical development stands in building strategies to use NBTXR3 product across oncology as a single agent and in combination with other cancer treatments modalities. An increasing number of cancer models including patient's tumor fragments have been evaluated in vitro and in vivo, with NBTXR3 and radiotherapy, increasing evidence of transferability of antitumor effects within very diverse tumors. "These NBTXR3 preclinical data highlight the Nanobiotix' nanoparticles potential to treat different types of cancers" said Laurent Levy, CEO of Nanobiotix. "These results reinforce the rationale and level of scientific evidence to reach our long-term goal development of NBTXR3 in most cancer patients candidates to radiation treatment. "Hafnium oxide nanoparticles (NBTXR3), a novel radiation enhancer achieves marked antitumor efficacy across five tumor types" Abstract number :17-A-2547 Nanobiotix will present data illustrating the marked anti-tumor efficacy of NBTXR3 with radiotherapy, in in vivo conditions. NBTXR3 showed superiority when compared to the sole use of radiation in soft tissue sarcoma, prostate, head neck, colorectal and lung cancer models including patient's tumor fragment of prostate adenocarcinoma. These studies also showed NBTXR3 to have intratumor persistence of nanoparticles over time in all evaluated cancer types. In addition, animals tolerated the treatment very well. "The radioenhancer NBTXR3 brings anticancer efficacy to the cisplatin-based chemoradiation in vitro and in vivo" Abstract number17-A-1065 Nanobiotix will also present data highlighting the signs of NBTXR3's antitumor efficacy when combined with cisplatin-based chemoradiation both in vitro and in vivo. Cisplatin is a cytotoxic agent that inhibits DNA repair of sub-lethal damage from irradiation. Chemoradiation of this type is currently the primary treatment for patients with high-risk head and neck cancers, cervix and non-small cell lung cancers. Nanobiotix' in vivo and in vitro results revealed that adding NBTXR3 significantly improves the anticancer effect of the chemoradiation. This research was performed in collaboration with Professor Bo Lu, from the Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. About American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) www.aacr.org The AACR Annual Meeting is one of the main international oncology event highlighting the best cancer science and medicine from institutions all over the world. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2017 will take place in Washington, D.C (April 1-5, 2017). About NANOBIOTIX: www.nanobiotix.com Nanobiotix (Euronext: NANO ISIN: FR0011341205) is a late clinical-stage nanomedicine company pioneering novel approaches for the local treatment of cancer. The Company's first-in-class, proprietary technology, NanoXray, enhances radiotherapy energy with a view to provide a new, more efficient treatment for cancer patients. NanoXray products are compatible with current radiotherapy treatments and are meant to treat potentially a wide variety of solid tumors including soft tissue sarcoma, head and neck cancers, liver cancers, prostate cancer, breast cancer, glioblastoma, etc., via multiple routes of administration. NBTXR3 is being evaluated in: soft tissue sarcoma (STS), head and neck cancers, prostate cancer, and liver cancers (primary and metastases). Additionally, head and neck cancer and rectal cancer trials led by Nanobiotix's Taiwanese partner, PharmaEngine, are underway in the Asia Pacific region. The Company has filed in August 2016 for market approval (CE Marking) in Europe for its lead product NBTXR3. The Company started in 2016 a new preclinical research program in Immuno-oncology with its lead product NBTXR3, which could have the potential to bring a new dimension to cancer immunotherapies. Nanobiotix is listed on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris (ISIN: FR0011341205, Euronext ticker: NANO, Bloomberg: NANO: FP). The Company Headquarter is based in Paris, France. Affiliate in Cambridge, United States. Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Nanobiotix and its business, including its prospects. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Nanobiotix considers to be reasonable. However, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they relate to future events and are dependent on circumstances that may or may not materialize in the future, and on a variety of risks and uncertainties, including those set forth in the update of the reference document filed by Nanobiotix with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) under number D.16-0732-A01 on December 27, 2016 (a copy of which is available on www.nanobiotix.com) and on the development of economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Nanobiotix operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Nanobiotix or not currently considered material by Nanobiotix. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Nanobiotix to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. Nanobiotix disclaims any responsibility for updating any such forward-looking statements. This press release and the information that it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, Nanobiotix shares or other securities in any country. At the present time, NBTXR3 does not bear a CE mark and, consequently, may not be placed on the market or used until such time as a CE mark is obtained. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170306006507/en/ Contacts: Nanobiotix Sarah Gaubert, +33 (0)1 40 26 07 55 Director, Communication Public Affairs sarah.gaubert@nanobiotix.com contact@nanobiotix.com or Noel Kurdi, +1 (646) 241-4400 Director, Investor Relations noel.kurdi@nanobiotix.com investors@nanobiotix.com or Media relations France Springbok Consultants Marina Rosoff, +33 (0)6 71 58 00 34 marina@springbok.fr or United States RooneyPartners Marion Janic, +1 (212) 223-4017 mjanic@rooneyco.com New York City Start-Up wins 'Most Promising Company Award' at global industry event recognizing excellence in the next generation of cyber security solutions NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SecurityScorecard, the most accurate security rating and continuous risk monitoring platform, has received the 'Most Promising Company Award' for their sophisticated technology and strategic implementation during PwC's Inaugural Cyber Security Day, held on Tuesday, October 18 at Crystal Park in Luxembourg, Europe. The inaugural event, run by PwC's Accelerator team in Luxembourg, aims to foster technology company growth for businesses boasting a high potential for development across the world. The PwC Cyber Security Day gathered the most influential decision leaders in the cyber security industry and offered rising cyber security technology companies the opportunity to present their solutions to potential investors who can help expand their footprint globally. Following a strict selection process, SecurityScorecard was selected as one of the ten cyber security technology companies globally and was invited to compete in a 'Local to Global' pitching competition and strategic networking forum. Chris Meidinger, Senior Director Customer Success at SecurityScorecard presented to over 200 international investors and executives in Luxembourg. Through the rigorous competition SecurityScorecard competed against cyber security companies from Europe, Israel, and the United States but it was the company's ten critical security categories, such as Patching Cadence and Endpoint Security that assess the security of third-parties, and the collaborative capabilities of SecurityScorecard's continuous monitoring and rating platform, which includes the world's first and only security search engine ThreatMarket', that awarded them the 'Most Promising Company Award'. "This award is an honor to receive as the SecurityScorecard team has worked hard to make such an intelligent and comprehensive cyber risk monitoring platform," said Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy Co-Founder and CEO of SecurityScorecard. "As we look to next year and our momentum, the innovations we will be producing will help educate and further help industries assess their risk and their third-party risk." ABOUT SECURITYSCORECARD SecurityScorecard provides the most accurate rating of security risk for any organization worldwide. The proprietary SaaS platform helps enterprises gain operational command of the security posture for themselves and across all of their partners, and vendors. It provides continuous, non-intrusive monitoring for any organization including third and fourth parties. The platform offers a breadth and depth of critical data points not available from any other service provider including a broad range of risk categories such as Application Security, Malware, Patching Cadence, Network Security, Hacker Chatter, Social Engineering and Leaked Information. To receive a free SecurityScorecard assessment and consultation for your business, visit instant.securityscorecard.com. For further details on PwC's Inaugural Cyber Security Day visit here. RAMSEY, NJ--(Marketwired - October 20, 2016) - Comport Consulting Corp. today announced that it has been honored with CRN's esteemed 2016 Triple Crown Award. Fewer than 60 North American IT solution providers had the necessary revenue, growth and technical expertise to be recognized on three of CRN's pre-eminent solution provider lists, earning them the Triple Crown Award this year. The 2016 Triple Crown industry award is Comport's second Triple Crown in two years. This is extremely difficult to achieve, given IT industry dynamics and strict requirements across multiple dimensions. Comport is particularly proud of having earned the TechElite 250 award, one of the Triple Crown pillars, for the last 5 years since its inception, a strong endorsement of Comport's technical certifications and industry-leading expertise. CRN assembles lists and rankings each year to recognize solution providers who are setting the bar in the IT industry, including the Solution Provider 500, which lists the largest solution providers in North America by revenue; the Fast Growth 150, which ranks the fastest-growing solution providers; and the Tech Elite 250, which recognizes solution providers that have received the highest-level certifications from leading vendors. It is a considerable achievement for a solution provider to make any one of these lists; to make it onto all three, however -- as this year's Triple Crown Award winners have done -- is a big achievement. A company must simultaneously have enough revenue to be ranked on the Solution Provider 500 list, record double- or triple-digit growth for recognition on the Fast Growth 150, and invest heavily in top certifications to attain Tech Elite 250 status. Comport specializes in data center transformations and modernization for commercial and healthcare enterprises. "We are helping CIOs understand that the IT game has changed, and how to get a winning new hybrid IT game plan," stated Jack Margossian, President and CEO of Comport. "I want to recognize that this award is really about excellent partnerships with our customers, our dedicated employees, and third-party suppliers and vendors. We sincerely thank each and every person that is driving our success." "The solution provider organizations receiving CRN's 2016 Triple Crown Award have risen to the top of their class in not one or two, but three major categories: they are channel leaders in certification, revenue and growth," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "We commend the extraordinary series of achievements that earned each of them a spot on CRN's premier solution provider lists and look forward to their continued innovation and leadership." The 2016 Triple Crown Award winners will be featured in the October issue of CRN and can be viewed online at www.crn.com/triplecrown. About Comport Comport is a leading provider of advanced IT Infrastructure, professional, and managed services solutions. Our customers look to us as trusted advisors to support their Data Center Modernization, Hybrid IT, Security, and Mobility transformations. Since 1982, Comport has successfully partnered with commercial enterprises and healthcare organizations to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and compete to win in today's intense marketplace. Comport is an HPE Platinum Partner and an HPE Preferred Healthcare Partner, and brings the many benefits of our Elite status to our clients. For more information see www.comport.com. Follow Comport: Twitter and LinkedIn About the Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/10/18/11G118526/Images/triplecrown2016-b2b68e0a1e26a48c8180438f9b3b3736.jpg Contact: Kathleen Kinka Comport Consulting Corp. 609.883.2371 Email contact The Channel Company Contact: Melanie Turpin (508) 416-1195 Email contact CALGARY, AB--(Marketwired - October 20, 2016) - Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX: CVE) (NYSE: CVE) will release its third quarter 2016 results on Thursday, October 27, 2016. The news release will provide consolidated third quarter 2016 operating and financial information. Financial statements will be available on the company's website, cenovus.com. A conference call and webcast to discuss the results will be held for the investment community at 9 a.m. MT (11 a.m. ET). To participate, please dial 888-231-8191 (toll-free in North America) or 647-427-7450 approximately 10 minutes prior to the conference call. The webcast link will be available via Cenovus's website, cenovus.com or via the following URL: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1267476&s=1&k=56558021BDA05B7F63227CF7FB817D66 Cenovus Energy Inc. Cenovus Energy Inc. is a Canadian integrated oil company. It is committed to applying fresh, progressive thinking to safely and responsibly unlock energy resources the world needs. Operations include oil sands projects in northern Alberta which use specialized methods to drill and pump the oil to the surface and established natural gas and oil production in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The company also has 50% ownership in two U.S. refineries. Cenovus shares trade under the symbol CVE and are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. The company's enterprise value is approximately $19 billion. For more information, visit cenovus.com. Find Cenovus on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. CENOVUS CONTACTS: Investor Relations Kam Sandhar Vice-President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development 403-766-5883 Graham Ingram Manager, Investor Relations 403-766-2849 Media Brett Harris Media Lead 403-766-3420 Media Relations general line 403-766-7751 PUNE, India, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Wireless Connectivity Market by Connectivity Technology (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC, Cellular, Enocean), Application (Wearable Devices, Healthcare, Automotive & Transportation, Consumer Electronics), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market, in terms of value, is expected to grow from USD 14.84 Billion in 2015 to USD 24.69 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 7.6% between 2016 and 2022. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 68 market data Tables and 61 Figures spread through 189 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Wireless Connectivity Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/wireless-connectivity-market-192605963.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The increasing Internet of Things enabled devices, machine to machine communication, need for real-time computing for time-critical process and the rising demand for connected devices largely drive the wireless connectivity market. The increasing business demand for enhanced operation efficiency, faster decision-making capability, and cost savings would make wireless connectivity technologies a dominant model for organizations across verticals in the future. The market for Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth Smart combo technology is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period The market for Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth Smart technology is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. The growing market for consumer electronics and telecommunication is expected to drive the Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth Smart chips shipment in the coming years. The growing need for interoperability among different application is driving the market for combined technology that could support multiple devices and allow communication without any connectivity issues. Consumer Electronics application to witness the highest market in the wireless connectivity market during the forecast period The Wireless Connectivity Market for the consumer electronics application is expected to grow at the highest rate between 2016 and 2022. This is mainly because of the proliferation of Internet of Things and machine to machine communication which has created a huge market for IoT enabled devices in the market creating need for better connectivity technologies to support these devices. North America expected to witness the highest market during the forecast period The wireless connectivity market in the North America is expected to have highest market between 2016 and 2022. The market in the North America consists of developed economies such as the U.S. and Canada which have a huge potential for the applications of Internet of Things, which would create a market for wireless connectivity. The U.S. and Canada are among the most technically advanced countries in the world and are ahead in adopting new technologies, thus creating huge opportunities for the wireless connectivity in this region. Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=192605963 The major players in the wireless connectivity market are Intel Corporation (U.S.), Qualcomm Incorporated (U.S.), Atmel Corp. (U.S.), Texas Instruments (U.S.), NXP Semiconductor N.V (Netherlands), STMicroelectronics N.V (Switzerland), MediaTek Inc. (Taiwan) Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (U.S.), EnOcean Gmbh (Germany), and NEXCOM International Co. Ltd. (Taiwan). Browse Related Reports IoT Communication Protocol Market by Connectivity Technology (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Bluetooth Smart), End-Use Application (Consumer Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, Building Automation, Healthcare), Region - Global Forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/iot-communication-protocol-market-172564879.html Subscribe Reports from Semiconductor Domain @ 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 info graphics 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/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Accredited Analyst Firm Ranks ExaGrid in the Top Positions in 2016-17 Buyer's Guide Reports WESTBOROUGH, Massachusetts, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --ExaGrid, a leading provider of disk-based backup storage with data deduplication, today announced that independent analyst firm DCIG once again ranked the ExaGrid disk-based backup appliance as "Recommended" in its recently published 2016-17 Deduplicating Backup Appliance Buyer's Guides. This body of research assists organizations in matching their business and technical requirements for disk-based backup to best available products. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151117/288171LOGO Dominating the buyer's guide rankings, ExaGrid earned the top two positions in all four versions of the guide - the U.S. Enterprise, Sub-$100K, Sub-$75K, and Sub-$50K. According to DCIG's analysts, the report found that ExaGrid offers a unique architecture that combines a landing zone and full appliances in a scale-out GRID, differentiating the company from its competition. "This is the third consecutive year that ExaGrid has earned top-most positions in the DCIG Buyer's Guides, which underscores the value of our differentiated product architecture and the speed and reliability it delivers," said Bill Andrews, CEO of ExaGrid. "We're very proud of this continued distinction." "The availability of DCIG's body of research into backup appliances, coupled with the ability to quickly self-select the features that are 'must-haves' in an organization's environment, changes the dynamic of how organizations can make these important buying decisions," said DCIG's President and Lead Analyst, Jerome Wendt. "Organizations now have better, more comprehensive, and more objective information at their fingertips than the vendors with whom they routinely engage. This puts organizations in a better position to make an informed product selection and provides a solid foundation for negotiating product purchases." According to the report, ExaGrid's scale-out architecture, unique landing zone, and ongoing virtualization enhanceAmentshelped the EX40000E and EX32000E appliances place in the "Recommended"grouping. Since DCIG's last guide, ExaGrid added to its top-end capacity by introducing the EX40000E. The new offering includes a 33% increase in raw capacity per appliance, increases the maximum number of appliances in a single GRID from 14 to 25, and accommodates a full backup of up to 1PB at an ingest rate of 200TB/hr. About DCIG DCIG is a group of analysts with IT industry expertise who provide informed, insightful, third party analysis and commentary on IT hardware, software and services. DCIG independently develops and licenses access to DCIG Buyer's Guide Editions. DCIG Buyer's Guides provide actionable intelligence through comprehensive, in-depth analysis of data center infrastructure product features. DCIG also develops sponsored content in the form of blog entries, customer validations, product reviews, special reports and executive, standard and full-length white papers. DCIG's target audiences include C-level executives, IT managers, systems and storage engineers and architects, press/media, magazine and website editors, bloggers, financial and technical analysts, and cloud service providers. More information is available at http://www.dcig.com. About ExaGrid Organizations come to us because we are the only company that implemented deduplication in a way that fixed all the challenges of backup storage. ExaGrid's unique landing zone and scale-out architecture provides the fastest backup - resulting in the shortest fixed backup window, the fastest local restores, fastest offsite tape copies and instant VM recoveries while permanently fixing the backup window length, all with reduced cost up front and over time. Learn how to take the stress out of backup at www.exagrid.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. Read how ExaGrid customers fixed their backup forever. ExaGrid is a registered trademark of ExaGrid Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Media Contact: Christine Murphy ExaGrid cmurphy@exagrid.com 508-898-2872 x248 NEW YORK, NY and KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Southern Home Medical Inc. (OTC PINK: SHOM), a Holding Company focused on servicing the needs of the Healthcare Industry, announced today that George Chang, the Chairman of KC Holdings Inc., has accepted the position of CEO for SHOM, and has visited the Malaysia Minister of International Trade and Industry to explore possible opportunities for expansion. While in Malaysia, Mr. Chang met with the Minister of International Trade and Industry to discuss developing marketing and distribution channels in order for SHOM to expand into Malaysia's Healthcare Industry. Mr. Chang met with Kenny Lai in the health collaboration department to share industry knowledge in regards to the development and advancements of their healthcare software system. Mr. Chang was also able to visit with members of the health department and to examine their operations systems. Through these meetings and discussions, Mr. Chang ascertained that the Malaysian heath department was comparable to the US markets allowing for the possibility of a more streamlined integration. George Chang, Chief Executive Officer, remarked, "We had great success for future development projects by sharing some of our advancements as an American healthcare technology company." About Southern Home Medical, Inc.: Southern Home Medical, Inc. is a Holding Company with a focus on servicing the needs of the Healthcare Industry. SHOM will continue to leverage the success of their businesses in order to expand sales opportunities in other locations throughout the country with health, medical and equipment needs. Websites: www.southernhomemedical.com http://twitter.com/southernhomemed http://www.facebook.com/southernhomemedical www.homemedy.com Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of the Company. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors other than as required under the securities laws. The Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements. NEWS RELEASE DEPARTMENT 718-395-8706 corporate@southernhomemedical.com Regulatory News: Etam Developpement (Paris:TAM): m 2016-Q3 change change lfl 1 at 30 Sept. 2016 change change lfl 1 Group sales 290.5 -4.4% -6.0% 924.3 -2.6% -3.2% Europe 215.4 0.4% -3.3% 659.2 2.6% -1.1% China 75.1 -15.8% -15.5% 265.1 -13.5% -9.3% Europe by country France 2 188.5 0.4% -3.7% 582.7 2.7% -1.3% Other 26.9 0.4% -1.0% 76.5 1.1% 0.0% Europe by brands ETAM 3 182.1 1.5% -2.8% 542.2 2.9% -1.1% 1.2.3 33.3 -5.2% -6.3% 117.0 0.9% -1.5% 1 like-for-like and at constant exchange rates including internet sales 2 including export sales 3 including Undiz I. BUSINESS TRENDS In the third quarter of 2016, the Group net sales amounted to 290.5 million, including a negative currency effect of 4.9 million mainly due to the depreciation of the Yuan against Euro. Net sales decreased by 4.4 compared to the third quarter of 2015, and by 6.0 like-for-like and at constant exchange rates. Over the first nine months of 2016, the Group net sales amounted to 924.3 million, including a negative currency effect of 14.3 million mainly due to the depreciation of the Yuan against Euro. Net sales decreased by 2.6% compared with the first nine months of 2015, and by 3.2% like-for-like and at constant exchange rates. 1. In Europe In the third quarter of 2016, net sales were 215.4 million, up 0.4%. Like-for-like and at constant exchange rates, net sales decreased by 3.3%. Over the first nine months of 2016, net sales came to 659.2 million, rising by 2.6%. Like-for-like and at constant exchange rates, net sales decreased by 1.1%. Since the beginning of the year the decline in net sales like-for-like and at constant exchange rates is mainly due to the ready-to-wear business from Etam and 1.2.3, in sharply declining markets*. The growth in turnover and margin in Europe is due to the development of the lingerie businesses in Europe, e-commerce and export. *Source Institut Francais de la Mode and Eurostat 2. In China In the third quarter of 2016, net sales were 75.1 million, down 15.8% including a negative currency effect of 4.8 million due to the depreciation of the Yuan against Euro. Like-for-like and at constant exchange rates, net sales were down by 15.5%. Over the first nine months of 2016, net sales amounted to 265.1 million, up 13.5%, impacted by a negative currency effect of 13.9 million due to the depreciation of the Yuan against Euro. Like-for-like and at constant exchange rates, net sales decreased by 9.3%. These results can be primarily explained by the sharp decline in traffic and sales in, main distribution network of the Group. In front of an accelerating drop in consumption in department stores since the beginning of the year, the Group continues to implement its action plan in three directions: the repositioning of its brands, the evolution of its branch network and the development of E&Joy and the lingerie business in shopping malls. The Group's financial position and results at September 30, 2016 do not require specific comments. II. NETWORK DEVELOPMENT At 30 September 2016, the Group had 3,967 points of sales, of which 976 in Europe, 2,701 in China and 290 in international franchise. Since January 1, 2016 the Group opened 45 additional stores in its lingerie activities Etam and Undiz and in ready-to-wear with 1.2.3, in France and internationally. In China, 176 units were closed during this period. The Etam Group is an international retailer of women's lingerie, beauty, ready-to-wear clothing and accessories with 3,967 points of sales at 30 September 2016 Next releases: Q4 2016 and 2016 net sales, on 26 January 2017 after the market close in Paris Etam Developpement: ISIN code: FR0000035743 Reuters: TAM.PA Bloomberg: TAM FP Etam Developpement 10 961 739 R.C.S. PARIS 308 382 035 Registered office: 78, rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris France View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005956/en/ Contacts: Etam Developpement Information for analysts and investors Tel.: 01 55 90 72 79 www.etamdeveloppement.fr WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Donald Trump has claimed that he won the third and final US presidential debate. 'Just landed in Ohio. Thank you America- I am honored to win the final debate for our MOVEMENT. It is time to DrainTheSwamp & MAGA!,' the Republican nominee said in a Twitter post, along with a poster that lists the results of polls by some US media outlets. NJ.com quoted a number of political pundits who assessed how the candidates fared as they made their closing arguments with America's voters. Dave Carney, former senior adviser to Texas Governor Rick Perry, and former political director to President George H.W. Bush, said this was Trump's best debate by far. 'Amazingly, Clinton struggled to answer basic, obvious questions. Buckle up for a wild 19 days!,' he added. In terms of favorability, Frank Luntz, Republican pollster and CEO, LuntzGlobal, gave Trump 50 points on a scale of 100, and rated Hillary Clinton with 44 points. Robert Johnson, former chief strategist to Perry, said Trump turned in a better debate than anyone expected, until he said he may not accept the results. In reply to the moderator's question Wednesday night, Trump refused to commit if he will accept the election result if he loses. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. OAKVILLE, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. ("Saint Jean" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SJL), a carbon science company engaged in the exploration of natural graphite properties and related carbon products, is pleased to announce the Company has received the final airborne results of the summer work program and will use the comprehensive data for the fall work program now underway. That includes three bulk samples, beep mapping and drilling. Paul Ogilvie, CEO, commented: "As phase one is now completed, we are now into phase two of our property work program. The airborne results will help the Company by putting emphasis on the phase two surface work areas. We are pleased with the results and are encouraged to continue of four phase work program, and will continue to release the results as they become available." Link to view TDEM images of Bell and Walker Graphite Properties Additional preliminary results from the helicopter-borne magnetic and TDEM surveys were received from Prospectair Geoservices from Gatineau, Quebec. The survey covered 129 linear kilometres of lines, which were flown at 100 m line spacing with orthogonal tie lines at 1000 m spacing. Lines were oriented East-West and were perpendicular to the stratigraphy. The heli-borne magnetometer Geometrics G-822A was used. Both the ground and heliborne systems use a non-oriented (strap-down) optically-pumped Cesium split-beam sensor. These magnetometers have a sensitivity of 0.005 nT and a range of 15,000 to 100,000 nT with a sensor noise of less than 0.02 nT. The heliborne sensor is mounted in a bird made of non-magnetic material located 25 m below the helicopter when flying. Total magnetic field measurements are recorded at 10 Hz in the aircraft. The ground system is recording magnetic data at 1 sample every second. A GEM GSM-19 Overhauser magnetometer, a computer workstation and a complement of spare parts and test equipment serve as the base station. PROSPECTAIR established the base station in a secure location with low magnetic noise. The GSM-19 magnetometer has resolution of 0.01 nT, and 0.2 nT accuracy over its operating range of 20,000 to 100,000 nT. Its data output rate is 1 Hz. Prospectair Geosurveys developed the ProspecTEM. It is a powerful lightweight system adapted for small size helicopters and easy manoeuvrability enabling the system to be flown as close to the ground as safely possible and ensuring maximum data resolution. Advanced signal processing technique and a full processing package was developed in house to optimize the ProspecTEM data. ProspecTEM system employs a transient or time-domain electromagnetic transmitter that drives an alternating current through an insulated electrical coil system. The towing bridle is constructed from a Kevlar rope and multi-paired shielded cables which are attached to the helicopter by a weak link assembly. An onboard harness with outboard connectors mounted on a plate allows for quick disconnection or connection of the exterior elements. The system uses a 4 KW generator and a large condenser to transmit alternating 2.75-ms half sine pulses with intervening off-times of 13.916-ms electric pulse, 60 pulses per second. On the Bell Block of claims, two main corridors of more or less N-S oriented conductive lineaments are found and have been identified as prospective areas. The first area in the central part, hosts the past producing New Quebec Graphite Co mine while the past producing Bell Graphite mine stands in the second area. This prospective band runs parallel to the rock formation and is extending N-S over a distance of about 2 km in the eastern part of the property. This prospective band has never been drill tested and therefore represents a priority target. The southern half of this area is particularly interesting as it hosts the strongest and most continuous EM conductors believed to be found in the bedrock, and should therefore be investigated in priority. The northern part of area is ambiguous and it is difficult to confirm if the sources are part of the bedrock or not. This part corresponds to flat clayish lands with farming. On the Walker block of claims, three prospective areas have been defined. The first one is extending NE-SW over about one kilometre in the eastern part of the property. This area has been shown to contain several previously mined high-grade graphite veins. The second prospective zone corresponds to the location of the past producing Walker mine. Recent sampling made in part of this area by Saint-Jean Carbon, showed the extension to the SW of the graphite mineralization. The prospective area #3 consists in a wide corridor of N-S trending conductors usually sub-parallel to the magnetic grain, indicating that sources of interest may be present. However, this area is also mostly found in flat lowlands, where the background TDEM response is rather high, suggesting that conductive overburden is contributing to the response. Therefore, it is not clear if the conductive lineaments are rather related to bedrock conductors or to local thickening of Leda clay deposits. In fact, effects from both types of conductors may very well be present. As a consequence, it is recommended to perform a ground reconnaissance of the conductive area in search for outcrops that could help confirming the sources of anomalies. Christian Derosier, P.Geo., PhD., is the qualified person (QP) as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and, acting on behalf of Saint Jean Carbon, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release. About Saint Jean Carbon Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with interest in graphite mining claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jean's properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/ On behalf of the Board of Directors Saint Jean Carbon Inc. Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jean's business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "intends" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Transaction, including regulatory and shareholder approvals, if necessary, will be met. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Contacts: Information Contact: (905) 844-1200 info@saintjeancarbon.com http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/ WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - With Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump facing numerous charges of sexual misconduct, the results of a new Monmouth University poll show Democratic rival Hillary Clinton has pulled out to a commanding lead in the race for the White House. The poll found that 50 percent of likely voters support Clinton and 38 percent back Trump, with 5 percent favoring Libertarian Gary Johnson and 2 percent backing Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The twelve-point advantage for Clinton in the latest survey compares to the much narrower 46 percent to 42 percent lead she held just three weeks ago. Among all registered voters, Clinton leads Trump by 47 percent to 38 percent compared to the 45 percent to 40 percent advantage she had last month. Monmouth said Clinton has a larger likely voter lead because only 5 percent of her potential supporters are considered unlikely to vote, while 10 percent of possible Trump voters are unlikely to cast a ballot. The prior poll found that 10 percent of registered voters supporting Clinton and 7 percent of registered voters supporting Trump were unlikely to vote. 'The main difference between this month and last month is that her supporters have become more enthusiastic, and thus more likely to turn out while Trump backers have become less likely to vote,' said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute. The shift in enthusiasm may partly reflect the recent allegations of sexual assault against the real estate tycoon. Sixty-two percent of voters said the claims of unwanted sexual advances by Trump are credible, including 22 percent who believe the allegations are definitely true. While 87 percent of Clinton voters and 60 percent of undecided or third party voters put stock in the claims, just 29 percent of Trump voters find them credible. The poll also found that Trump voters are far more likely to say most men use language like the lewd remarks the GOP nominee was recorded making in an Access Hollywood video. 'This is a chicken and egg problem,' said Murray. 'Is Trump's base really comprised almost entirely of voters who engage in or condone the kind of sexually aggressive language he used?' 'Or are his voters constructing a post hoc defense of Trump to rationalize their continued support of him?' he added. 'It's really not clear, but either way it speaks to the divisiveness that has characterized this election.' The Monmouth survey of 805 registered voters was conducted October 14th through 16th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - In order to make Facebook more user-friendly, the social media giant introduced a few attractive new features. Recommendation tool, call-to-action buttons, and new section pages are expected to attract more users in a world where there are more mobiles than human beings. The company said the recommendation tool will help discover new places, events, and things-to-do in a city. It would be available in U.S. from today. You can get suggestions from your trustworthy friends about various services too. The recommendations will be appearing in news feeds and will be added to a map for easy browsing. When you are in search of a restaurant or a night club, you can initiate a query and there will be several suggestions from your friends. The feature might take on crowd-sourced reviews about local businesses in Yelp or Foursquare, it is observed. Call-to-action facilitates business to attract more customers. Businesses can add the new call to action buttons to their pages and thus clients can schedule, order or buy seamlessly on the page. According to Facebook, a few taps would be enough for ordering. With this button, one can review the menu, make their selection, and order directly. The company said customers can accept orders with delivery.com or slice and can book appointments with HomeAdvisor, MyTimes, and other services. Ticketmaster and Eventbrite will help sell tickets, while Fandango can be used for knowing show schedules and sell tickets. Facebook has also introduced Get Quote, Request Time and Shop Now call-to-action buttons, etc. with the latest update. Earlier on Tuesday, in view of the Presidential election in U.S., Facebook rolled out endorsement tab on political figure's Facebook pages. One can endorse a candidate for political office only when the category of their page is Political, Political Candidate or Government Official. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CORK, Ireland, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Connecticut-based United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) today announced an investment of 500,000 in cash and 1M in in-kind contribution in the Insight Centre for Data Analytics at University College Cork (UCC). Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140122/NE50390LOGO The research conducted at the Insight Centre as a result of this investment will focus on four key areas: artificial intelligence, data analytics and machine learning, human machine interaction, and optimisation in collaboration with United Technologies Research Center staff. UTRC is the research organisation and innovation engine of United Technologies Corporation (UTC), which provides high technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries and employs approximately 200,000 worldwide. UTRC researches and develops game-changing technologies, processes and services in areas such as, aircraft engines and systems and buildings technology. Having worked with researchers in Cork since 2010, UTRC's latest investment represents the company's largest in Ireland and the most valuable Targeted Project in Science Foundation Ireland's (SFI) Research Centres programme to date. UTRC's 500k cash commitment will be matched by the Irish government through the SFI Research Centre's programme. The Insight Centre for Data Analytics is the largest of 12 SFI Research Centres, and comprises 400 scientists working across a range of data fields. Insight director, professor Barry O'Sullivan, said, "Smart Enterprise is an area of strategic importance for the Insight Centre. With the investment that UTRC has announced today, researchers in Cork will be able to build on a decade of world-class artificial intelligence research. Our work here in Insight will play a key role in the delivery of smart services and supply chain management across a number of sectors." He continued, "Here is a company that places great value on investing in research collaboration and building up research capital, especially human capital. This investment will allow us to employ more researchers at a higher level to develop technologies that are in global demand. This is a serious vote of confidence in the Irish research community and demonstrates that the SFI strategy - to consolidate and support Irish research in targeted fields - is working. We are attracting investment of the highest calibre, moving Irish-based research up the value chain." Dr. David Parekh, corporate vice president, Research, and director, UTRC, said, "There is great value attached to university collaborations that promote research and curriculum development in our technology areas. By establishing relationships with the world's foremost engineering schools, such as UCC, we are accelerating developments within our technology portfolio and positioning ourselves to recruit the next generation of innovators who are already committed to topics of interest to UTC." Welcoming the announcement, director of Programmes of Science Foundation Ireland, Dr. Darrin Morrissey, said, "Industry-academic research collaborations, such as this new partnership between UTRC and the Insight SFI Research Centre, further enhance Ireland's reputation for research excellence while also delivering economic and social impact. This UTRC-Insight collaboration highlights the attractive research opportunities offered by the SFI Research Centres to industry partners, both on a national and international level. This announcement builds on the investment in research in the area of data analytics undertaken by Science Foundation Ireland over the past decade that have the potential to deliver real value in the growing area of artificial intelligence." On behalf of UCC, Anita Maguire, vice president for Research and Innovation, said, "We very much welcome this partnership between UCC and UTRC. Our research portfolio is enriched by engagement with innovative companies such as UTRC, especially as UTRC has an active R&D team in the region. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this research both in terms of knowledge generation but also in relation to inspiring early career researchers to aim high." The UTRC investment will be announced today at an event at University College Cork. For further information contact: Louise Holden FH Media Consulting Ltd louise@fhmediaconsulting.com 087 2423985 Notes to the Editor: About the Insight Centre for Data Analytics The Insight Centre for Data Analytics was established in 2013 by Science Foundation Ireland to bring together the significant data science expertise available in Ireland. Insight now comprises over 400 data researchers across a range of areas from data capture and storage to data mining, analysis and modelling. Since its establishment in 2013 the Centre has made significant advances in a range of data research areas from connected health to smart cities to decision making. The Centre has secured significant H2020 funding and Insight researchers are working with the global data community at the highest level. About United Technologies Research Center As the innovation hub of United Technologies Corp. (UTC), United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) supports the development of new technologies and capabilities across the company and collaborates with external research organizations, universities and government agencies globally to push the boundaries of science and technology. Further, UTRC leads the monetization of UTC's intellectual property through business model innovation. UTRC is headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, with additional operations at its affiliate in Berkeley, California, and its subsidiaries in Shanghai, China; Rome, Italy; and Cork, Ireland. United Technologies, based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. Find out what it means to Be Curious at www.utrc.utc.com. About United Technologies Corp. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high technology products 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. LEUVEN, Belgium, October 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - Diabetic Eye Disease clinical and pre-clinical programs on track - New Ophthalmic Research presented at EURETINA, EVER and AAO - Company Q3 2016 cash position at 88.2m Euro Highlights ThromboGenics continues to advance its attractive portfolio of novel medicines for the treatment of diabetic eye disease: 4 novel treatments for diabetic retinopathy (DR) - non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), in the presence or absence of diabetic macular edema (DME) ThromboGenics is conducting a Phase IIa clinical study (CIRCLE) evaluating THR-409 (ocriplasmin) to induce a complete posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). ThromboGenics is developing THR-317, an anti-PlGF inhibitor, for the treatment of DME. Program is on track to enter the clinic by end of 2016. Preclinical work with THR-149, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed to treat edema associated with diabetic retinopathy (DME), progressing as planned ThromboGenics signed a global and exclusive license agreement with Galapagos to develop and commercialize integrin antagonists for the treatment of diabetic eye disease. The Company has started to explore the potential of these compounds, including THR-687, for the treatment of NPDR and PDR ThromboGenics presented new preclinical and clinical data at several international ophthalmology expert meetings: The European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) The European Association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER) The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Cash and investments were 88.2 million as of the end of September 2016 , compared with 91.5 million at end of June 2016 and 101.4 million at the end of December 2015 ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a biotechnology company developing novel medicines for diabetic eye disease, today issues a business and financial update for the nine months period ending 30 September 2016. ThromboGenics is developing novel medicines for diabetic eye disease, particularly diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME). Diabetes is a major global healthcare problem with 9% of adults (18 years and older) suffering from this disease[1]. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of visual disability and blindness among professionally active adults[2]. More than one in three living with diabetes (35.4%) will develop some form of DR in their lifetime. One in five patients with DR presents with DME. DR progresses from mild, non-proliferative to more severe or even proliferative stages. As DR progresses, there is a gradual closure of retinal blood vessels leading to impaired perfusion and ischemia of the retina. When this progresses beyond certain thresholds, severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is diagnosed. The more advanced stage of DR, Proliferative DR (PDR), is characterized by the development of new blood vessels at the inner surface of the retina as a result of retinal ischemia. These new vessels are prone to bleed, resulting in vitreous hemorrhage. These new vessels may also undergo fibrosis and contraction, which may lead to epiretinal membrane formation, vitreoretinal traction bands, retinal tears and traction or retinal detachments. PDR is considered high risk when the new vessels are accompanied by vitreous hemorrhage, or when they cover a significant area of the optic disc. Patients who progress to PDR are at high risk of severe vision loss. ThromboGenics' strategy is focused on developing a strong pipeline of disease modifying drug candidates for diabetic eye diseases: THR-409 - an ongoing Phase IIa (CIRCLE) clinical study is evaluating the efficacy and safety of multiple doses of ocriplasmin in inducing total posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). THR-317 - a PlGF neutralizing monoclonal antibody is being developed for DME and/or for use in combination therapy with current anti-VEGF treatments. THR-317 is expected to enter clinical development by end 2016. THR-149 - a plasma kallikrein inhibitor is being developed to treat edema associated with diabetic retinopathy. (This compound has resulted from the Company's research collaboration with Bicycle Therapeutics) -------------------------------------------------- [1] World Health Organization (WHO). (2015). Diabetes. Fact sheet N312. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/ 21 May 2015. [2] (Cunha-Vaz, 1998; Fong et al., 1999) THR-687 - a small molecule integrin antagonist being developed to treat a broad range of patients with diabetic retinopathy, with or without DME (in-licensed from Galapagos NV in 2016). Dr. Patrik De Haes, ThromboGenics' CEO, said: "We are committed to achieving our goal of developing meaningful new treatments for patients suffering from diabetic eye diseases. With our current cash resources, we can support our activities for the foreseeable future, allowing us to demonstrate the value of our pipeline." Research & Development Activities Innovative Pipeline of Novel Medicines Targeting Diabetic Eye Disease such as Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema THR-409 for Non Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy In January 2016, the Company initiated its Phase IIa (CIRCLE) study. The CIRCLE study is evaluating the efficacy and safety of multiple doses of THR-409 (ocriplasmin) in inducing total posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Research has suggested that total PVD, a complete separation of vitreous and retina, prevents the progression of NPDR to PDR. This could be explained by total PVD leading to elimination of the scaffold needed for the development of new blood vessels and/or the improvement of oxygen supply to the retina, thereby reducing retinal ischemia, production of VEGF, vascular outgrowth and neovascularization. The CIRCLE study is a Phase II, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled, multi-center study that will evaluate the efficacy and safety of up to 3 intravitreal injections of either 0.125mg or half of the approved dose (0.0625mg) of THR-409 in subjects with moderately severe to very severe NPDR, to induce total PVD and reduce the risk of the patient progressing to sight-threatening PDR. The endpoint of the CIRCLE study is the percentage of patients with total PVD at the time of their visit one month after the 3rd injection, as confirmed by both B-scan ultrasound and SD-OCT. THR-317 - anti PIGF antibody to treat Diabetic Macular Edema THR-317 is a potential disease modifying, anti PlGF antibody that has the potential to treat a broad range of patients with late stage diabetic eye disease either alone or in combination with anti-VEGF treatments. ThromboGenics is currently developing THR-317 for the treatment of diabetic macular edema and expects to start the clinical development of this novel antibody towards the end of 2016. Oncurious NV - Developing TB-403 for Pediatric Brain Cancers Oncurious, a subsidiary controlled by ThromboGenics, is developing TB-403 for the treatment of pediatric tumors. TB-403 is a humanized monoclonal antibody against placental growth factor (PlGF). PlGF is expressed in several types of cancer, including medulloblastoma. High expression of the PlGF receptor neuropilin 1 has been shown to correlate with poor overall survival. Medulloblastoma is the most common pediatric malignant brain tumor, accounting for 20% of all brain tumors in children. Treatment with TB-403 in relevant animal models for medulloblastoma has demonstrated beneficial effects on tumor growth and survival. The favorable safety profile of TB-403 has already been demonstrated in clinical trials in patients with other diseases. In March 2016, Oncurious and its development partner BioInvent International signed a partnership agreement with the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Center (NMTRC) to accelerate the clinical development of TB-403 for the treatment of medulloblastoma in the US. The NMTRC is a non-profit organization with the mission to bring forward new effective therapies against neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. Headquartered at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI, NMTRC is a network of 18 leading university hospitals and pediatric clinics in the US. In May, a Phase I/IIa study was initiated with TB-403. The study, which is being conducted by NMTRC, aims to recruit 27 patients with Relapsed or Refractory Medulloblastoma. JETREA Update JETREA Regulatory & Markets Access ThromboGenics' first commercial drug JETREA is now approved in 54 countries and reimbursed in over 20 countries. Since its first introduction, around 25,000 patients have received a treatment with JETREA. The successful development of JETREA demonstrates ThromboGenics' pioneering role in developing pharmacological vitreolysis as a new drug class and the only pharmacological treatment option for symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion or vitreomacular traction. Ocriplasmin Research Findings Presented at EURETINA, EVER and AAO Ocriplasmin research findings were presented at the European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) in Copenhagen in September and in October at the European Association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER) 2016 in Nice and at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting in Chicago. 15 ocriplasmin-related presentations, abstracts and posters were delivered at EURETINA. These covered preclinical research findings, real-world clinical data, and further characterization of results from different studies, including OASIS, and OVIID-I conducted in the US and Europe. The data update confirmed the product's safety profile as described in the approved product label, with no new safety signals. Moreover, these new clinical studies and real-world data continued to confirm that appropriate patient selection leads to improved treatment outcomes. Ocriplasmin clinical data were also presented during the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Meeting which took place from October 15 to 18 in Chicago as well as the EVER meeting which took from the 5th to 8th October in Nice. Furthermore, the full report of the 2 year follow up of the OASIS study evaluating JETREA (ocriplasmin) for the treatment of Symptomatic VMA/VMT and Macular Hole (n=220) has been published in Ophthalmology, Journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. OASIS was designed to provide long term efficacy and safety data for JETREA in a randomized, double-masked study in patients being treated for symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion (sVMA). The study included 24 months follow up data which is the longest period patients have been monitored post treatment with this novel medicine. In its overall conclusion, Ophthalmology confirms 'the OASIS data demonstrates the long-term efficacy and safety of ocriplasmin, providing improved resolution of symptomatic VMA compared with previous phase 3 trials, with no additional safety signals identified'. The article 'Results of the 2-Year Ocriplasmin for Treatment for Symptomatic Vitreomacular Adhesion Including Macular Hole (OASIS) Randomized Trial' can be reviewed online here. OASIS data, and its conclusions, have also been shared through presentations and publications during the recent AAO meeting in Chicago, (Oct 15 -18, 2016). New 'Already-Diluted' Formulation of JETREA In June, ThromboGenics announced that the Office of Biotechnology Products of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved a new already-diluted formulation of JETREA (ocriplasmin). This new formulation of JETREA offers the additional benefit of eliminating the current preparatory dilution steps prior to injection. ThromboGenics Inc., which is commercializing JETREA in the US, plans to launch the already-diluted formulation of JETREA in the first half of 2017. Financial review At the end of September 2016, ThromboGenics had 88.2 million in cash and investments, compared to 91.5 million at the end of June 2016 and 101.4 at the end of December 2015. ENDS For further information please contact: ThromboGenics Citigate Dewe Rogerson Wouter Piepers, David Dible/Sylvie Berrebi Global Head of Corporate Communications & IR Tel: +44 20 7282 2867 +32 16 75 13 10 / +32 478 33 56 32 david.dible@citigatedr.co.uk wouter.piepers@thrombogenics.com Sylvie.berrebi@citigatedr.co.uk About ThromboGenics ThromboGenics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for diabetic eye disease. The company's attractive pipeline of disease modifying drug candidates is targeting the key segments of the diabetic eye disease market. ThromboGenics is conducting the CIRCLE study, a Phase II clinical trial to assess THR-409 (ocriplasmin) as a potential treatment to prevent the patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy progress to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. THR-317, a PIGF inhibitor being developed to treat diabetic macular edema, or as a combination therapy with anti-VEGF treatments, is expected to enter the clinic by year end 2016. In addition, THR-149, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, which has resulted from research collaboration with Bicycle Therapeutics, and THR-687, an integrin antagonist, which was in-licensed from Galapagos, are in late stage pre-clinical development. ThromboGenics pioneered a new drug category of pharmacological vitreolysis with JETREA (ocriplasmin) which is now approved for the treatment of vitreomacular traction in 54 countries worldwide. ThromboGenics is commercializing JETREA via its subsidiary ThromboGenics, Inc. in the US. Alcon (Novartis) commercializes JETREA outside the United States. ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the NYSE Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol THR. More information is available at http://www.thrombogenics.com Important information about forward-looking statements Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of ThromboGenics in any jurisdiction. No securities of ThromboGenics may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws. Boards to be more streamlined following sale of semiconductor business Regulatory News: Inside Secure (Paris:INSD), at the heart of security solutions for mobile and connected devices, announced today changes in the corporate governance following the completion of the company's transformation to a software and silicon IP licensing company. As part of this transformation, the Management Board will now be comprised of Mr. Amedeo D'Angelo, president and CEO, and Mr. Richard Vacher Detourniere, general manager and CFO. Mr. Pascal Didier, member of the Management Board and general manager and corporate secretary, will leave the company on December 30, 2016. Furthermore, given the new size and focus of the company, Mrs. Joelle Toledano and Mr. Glenn Collinson have offered to leave the Supervisory Board. Effective October 19, 2016, the Supervisory Board is comprised of five members, four of whom are independent: Mr. Pat Jones (Chairman); Mrs. Muriel Barneoud; Mr. Alex Brabers; Mr. Jean Schmitt; and Mr. Thierry Sommelet, representing Bpifrance Participations. Mr. D'Angelo and the Supervisory Board express their gratitude to Mrs. Toledano and Mr. Collinson for their contribution to the development of the company since they joined the board and their support in the company's transformation. They also warmly thank Mr. Didier for his dedication and contribution during his 14 years of tenure with the company. About INSIDE Secure Inside Secure (Euronext Paris INSD) is at the heart of security solutions for mobile and connected devices, providing software, silicon IP, tools and know-how needed to protect customers' transactions, content, applications, and communications. With its deep security expertise and experience, the company delivers products having advanced and differentiated technical capabilities that span the entire range of security requirement levels to serve the demanding markets of network security, IoT security, content application protection, mobile payment & banking. Inside Secure's technology protects solutions for a broad range of customers including service providers, content distributors, security system integrators, device makers and semiconductor manufacturers. For more information, visit www.insidesecure.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005651/en/ Contacts: Press and investor contacts Inside Secure Corporate communications Geraldine Sauniere, +33 (0) 4 42 905 905 Marcom Director gsauniere@insidesecure.com or Inside Secure Investor relations Richard Vacher Detourniere, +33 (0) 4 42 905 905 General Manager CFO rvacherdetourniere@insidesecure.com Pre- and post-operative times cut by 80% 100% availability: logistics incidents eliminated thanks to immediate availability Regulatory News: Safe Orthopaedics (Paris:SAFOR)(FR0012452746 SAFOR), a company offering innovative ranges of sterile implants combined with their single-use instruments for back surgery, is today announcing the presentation of a randomized study confirming the benefits of its single-use instruments for spine surgery. This 1:1 randomized study of 40 surgeries was conducted by teams at CHU Bicetre, one of France's leading teaching hospitals. It was led jointly by Dr. Sylvie Raspaud, who oversaw the pharmaceutical aspects, and Prof. Charles Court, orthopedic surgeon and Head of the Orthopedics service. The study ran from April 2014 to May 2015 following CHU Bicetre's adoption of Safe Orthopaedics' products and compared the operative and logistics times (pre- and post-operative) for traditional renewable instruments and Safe Orthopaedics' single-use instruments in lumbar spine fusion surgeries (lumbar arthrodesis). Pre-and post-operative times cut by 80% This study showed a spectacular reduction of 81% in average logistics times from 176 to 33 minutes on average by switching over to single-use instruments since the hospital and its staff no longer had to perform various procedural steps (transport, labor, sterilization). 100% availability: logistics incidents eliminated thanks to immediate availability At the same time, no logistical incidents were observed with Safe Orthopaedics' instruments. With reusable instruments, an incident rate of 15% was recorded (unavailability of instruments set, lack of screws and sterilization problems). Strictly defined operative times would have also been shortened by 14 minutes (from 190 to 176 minutes on average), even though the CHU Bicetre surgeons were novice users who had received guidance from a Safe Orthopaedics trainer only during their first surgery. Prof. Charles Court, orthopedic surgeon and Head of the CHU Bicetre Orthopedics service, said: "Our study brought to light the major savings achieved by using Safe Orthopaedics' products for scheduled vertebral fusion surgeries. I am tremendously proud of the work that our teams did." Pierre Dumouchel, Chief Executive Officer of Safe Orthopaedics, added: "The results of this study highlight the substantial efficiency improvements that can be harnessed by using our products. We now plan to add further weight to these findings by conducting a larger study to demonstrate that the gains achieved by a large hospital facility with integrated services, such as the Bicetre teaching hospital, could be even bigger in smaller institutions, with direct benefits for the hospital and its medical teams." Next Financial Release Fourth-quarter 2016 revenue: Thursday January 19, 2017 (after market close) Upcoming participations at financial conferences SFAF Sectoral Day, November 9, Paris Actionaria Retail Investor Show, November 18-19, Paris About Safe Orthopaedics Founded in 2010, Safe Orthopaedics is a French medical technology company that develops and markets an innovative range of sterile implants and associated single-use surgical instruments, with the aim of facilitating safer, optimized and lower-cost spinal surgery. By avoiding the reuse of surgical instruments, Safe Orthopaedics reduces the risk of infection, avoids the cumbersome and unreliable logistics of instrument sterilization, and limits hospital costs. Protected by 17 patent families, the SteriSpine Kits are CE-marked and FDA cleared. The company is based at Eragny-sur-Oise (France), and has 34 employees. For more information, visit: www.SafeOrtho.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006095/en/ Contacts: Safe Orthopaedics Thierry Lambert, Tel.: +33 (0)1 34 21 50 00 CFO investors@safeorthopaedics.com or NewCap Investor Relations Julien Perez Valentine Brouchot or Media Relations Nicolas Merigeau, Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 SafeOrtho@newcap.eu Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government's development finance institution, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Export Development Canada (EDC) to provide ~$668 million in financing for the development of the Izmir Bayrakli integrated health campus project (subject to FX); GE joins GAMA Holding A.S. and Turkerler Insaat A.S Joint Venture Company as minority stakeholder in the Izmir Bayrakli and Kocaeli Healthcare Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, together valued at ~ $ 1.3 billion (subject to FX); $ GE Healthcare awarded ~$128 million long-term contract for comprehensive technology and biomedical equipment maintenance services for the two health campuses that will add 3,240 new hospital beds to Turkey's public health system. In line with Turkey's strategic healthcare transformation program, GE Healthcare, GAMA Holding A.S. and Turkerler Insaat A.S., today reached a definitive agreement for the development of two strategic Ministry of Health (MoH) PPPs; the Izmir Kocaeli Integrated Healthcare Campus Projects. The partners also announced a commitment by OPIC, EBRD and EDC that together will serve as lenders providing financing of $668 million for the development of the Izmir Bayrakli health campus project, subject to terms and conditions and financial close. The partners are also expected to confirm financing arrangements for the Kocaeli health campus project (subject to the required approvals) by the end of 2016. The deal that sees GE become a minority investor in the PPPs and awarded a ~$128 million multi-vendor equipment and maintenance contract - is part of the Turkish Ministry of Health's $10 billion plan to deliver twenty-nine PPPs and 41,000 new hospital beds. The definitive agreement was signed in Ankara in the presence of His Excellency, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey and Prof. Dr. Recep Akdag, Minister of Health of the Republic of Turkey. "Together with our private partners, Turkey is delivering one of the world's largest healthcare modernizations in public healthcare, and indeed the biggest in Turkish history. This has been a significant undertaking, enabled by policy and regulatory reforms to attract foreign investment and an appetite to leverage both local and foreign private sector innovation, capabilities and financing to propel the Turkish health system into the future," said Prof. Dr. Recep Akdag. He added: "As of 2016, the Ministry has already awarded twenty-one projects, with eight of these projects achieving financial close with construction underway. We anticipate the Kocaeli and Izmir Bayrakli PPPs to begin services by 2020, bringing a range of world-leading medical technologies and services for the 5.8 million people in these two cities." As part of the Government's patient-focused 'Smart Hospitals' initiative aimed at introducing well designed modern facilities to improve the quality of healthcare in the region, both health campuses will offer a general hospital, oncology hospital, women's and children's hospital, cardiovascular diseases centre and physical therapy and rehabilitation units. Hakan Ozman, Deputy Chairman and CEO of GAMA Holding A.S. said: "Today's signing is a major milestone in our long-term commitment to the Kocaeli and Izmir Bayrakli projects. GE brings a strong track-record of healthcare PPPs around the world and their long-term participation as an equity investor and technology provider will be essential in realizing the Ministry of Health's vision on these projects. With critical funding and project partners now in place the Consortium will look to accelerate the construction and delivery of these projects." Kazim Turker, CEO of Turkerler Insaat A.S. said:"In support of the Government's Hedef 2023 healthcare development plan, the Consortium is on a clear path to deliver its commitment to the Ministry of Health on the Kocaeli and Izmir Bayrakli projects. The commitment of our foreign partners underscores long-term confidence in Turkey's PPP strategy and in Turkey's development goals." "OPIC is proud to provide financing that will contribute to the construction and management of new hospital campuses in Turkey," stated OPIC President and CEO, Elizabeth L. Littlefield. "This Izmir transaction will significantly improve the well-being of Turkish residents by increasing their access to high-quality healthcare services." Jean-Patrick Marquet, Director for EBRD operations in Turkey, said: "Arranging this comprehensive long-term financial package for a new Izmir hospital is part of the EBRD's efforts to catalyse private sector involvement in critical infrastructure in Turkey which brings money and know how, and ultimately benefit people's ylives across the country." "EDC is very pleased to have participated in arranging financing for this important PPP hospital project in Turkey while providing support to our global strategic client, GE," added Sven List, EDC Vice-President, Structured and Project Finance. As the key technology and solutions partner for the 25-year projects, GE will deliver a comprehensive 4-pillar technology and solutions package that will boost healthcare sector efficiencies, knowledge and technology sharing and is expected to add approximately 15% to GE Healthcare's workforce in Turkey. The deal, one of the largest to date in Turkish healthcare and subject to MoH approval, will include: 1. More than 2,000 units of high technology Imaging and Life Care Solutions equipment enabling the early detection and proper treatment of disease, including Magnetic Resonance (MR), Computed Tomography (CT), PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography), Angiography, Radiography and Nuclear Medicine, as well as clinical systems including anasthesia, ventilators, monitors, cardiology monitoring equipment, ultrasound systems and incubators for newborns; 2. Procurement consultancy of non-GE healthcare medical equipment to ensure the level of technology and completion of the entire project portfolio; 3. Procurement of non-Healthcare GE products such as lighting, co-generation and electrification units, to ensure the complete installation of the projects; 4. A 10-year biomedical services contract supported by a dedicated and local technical team that will provide long-term maintenance, fix, calibrations and the integration of non-GE equipment. John Flannery, President CEO for GE Healthcare said: "At GE Healthcare we believe that real healthcare transformation comes from a willingness to embrace innovation. To that end, the Izmir and Kocaeli Integrated Healthcare Campus Projects are among the largest and most complex PPP projects globally that GE Healthcare has invested in to date and demonstrates our commitment to developing new business models and risk-sharing to drive sustainable healthcare development." - Ends - About GAMA Holding A.S.: GAMA, founded in 1959, builds power plants, refineries, cement, petro-chemical and gas plants, factories, high-rise buildings, water treatment plants and transmission lines, bridges, and other infrastructural projects along with funding various energy investments. GAMA is a leading international contractor who have successfully completed 400 projects in 25 countries extending from Ireland in the west to Russia's Sakhalin Island in the east. GAMA Holding Companies currently undertake projects valued 4.5 billion USD in 10 countries. Besides serving as an EPC company and contractor, GAMA also invests in energy and health projects. For more information, please visit www.GAMA.com.tr. About GE: GE (NYSE: GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com About GE Healthcare: GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE works on things that matter great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients. About OPIC: OPIC is the U.S. Government's development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help address critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds, when commercial funding cannot be obtained elsewhere. Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers. All OPIC projects adhere to high environmental and social standards and respect human rights, including worker's rights. By mandating high standards, OPIC aims to raise the industry and regional standards of the countries where it funds projects. OPIC services are available for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 160 countries worldwide. For more information, visit website: www.opic.gov About EBRD: The EBRD is a multilateral bank committed to the development of market-oriented economies and the promotion of private and entrepreneurial initiative in more than 30 countries from Morocco to Mongolia and from Estonia to Egypt. The Bank is owned by 65 countries, the EU and the EIB. The EBRD's strategic plan for the countries where it invests for the period 2016-18 has three priorities: strengthening economic resilience, addressing global challenges and supporting regional integration. Follow us on the web, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. About EDC EDC is Canada's export credit agency, providing financial services for companies that buy from Canadian companies, or those that have Canadian supply and services in their corporate value chains. EDC's financing can be used for capex and/or project finance requirements, either through bilateral or syndicated corporate facilities. Operating on commercial principles, EDC has a partnership-preferred philosophy to collaborate with private-sector financial institutions to share risk and create greater capacity for Canadian trade transactions. EDC is committed to Corporate Social Responsibility, and it takes into account the environmental and social impacts of its transactions. For more information, visit www.edc.ca. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006211/en/ Contacts: GE Turkey Ozlem Aksoy ozlem.aksoy@ge.com +90 533 367 2722 or GE Healthcare Lisa Farrugia Lisa.Farrugia1@ge.com +90 530 387 1850 CONYERS, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. (OTC PINK: GOSY) (http://www.GeckoSystems.com) announced today that with OTCMarkets.com receipt, review and acceptance of their SEC attorney's opinion letter citing the Company satisfying all OTC Pink requirements, that the Company now has the designation of Current Information. For over nineteen years, GeckoSystems has dedicated itself to development of "AI Mobile Robot Solutions for Safety, Security and Service." "Many stock brokers decline to trade OTC Pink stocks except when designated Current Information. With our return to Current Information, it is reasonable to expect that with more brokers now trading GOSY shares, given that larger market, stock price appreciation may be expected," observed Martin Spencer, CEO, GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. Recently, an internationally renowned market research firm, Research and Markets, again named GeckoSystems as one of the key market players in the service robotics industry. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Mobile Robotics market for the period 2015-2019. Research and Markets stated in their report, that they: "...forecast the Global Mobile Robotics market to grow at a CAGR of nearly sixteen percent over the period 2015-2019." The report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts and covers the Americas, the APAC, and the EMEA regions. The report is entitled, Global Professional Service Robotics Market 2015-2019. "GeckoSystems has been recognized by Research and Markets for several years now and it is the most comprehensive report of the global service robotics industry to my knowledge. I am pleased that their experienced market researchers are sufficiently astute to accept that small service robot firms, such as GeckoSystems, can nonetheless develop advanced technologies and products as well, or better, as much larger, multi-billion dollar corporations such as AB Electrolux, etc. "It is an honor that they recognize the value of the over 100 man-years we have invested in our proprietary AI robotics Intellectual Properties and my full time work for nearly 20 years now. Our suite of AI mobile robot solutions is well tested, portable, and extensible. It is a reality that we could partner with any other company named in the report and provide them with high-level autonomy for collision free navigation at the lowest possible cost to manufacture," remarked Spencer. The new mobile robot concept is for better, lower cost public safety. All of those affiliated with the Company share the abject horror that most Americans are now still trying to process regarding the recent, indoor (and outdoor) mass shooting and murdering of tens of innocent victims. To better manage those 21st century mass shootings, the Company is offering to prototype and deploy the GeckoNED, a new type of mobile security robot that is a Non-violent Enforcement Device with a high level of independent mobile autonomy, sensor rich for enhanced situational awareness, and ease of teleoperation by designated public safety personnel. (See below for more information.) The joint venture with the NYC AI firm plans to address many of the same safety, morality and ethics issues of Google's advanced DeepMind artificial intelligence project from a different perspective. As a result of our past and present discussions with the senior, internationally recognized AI scientist, the NYC AI JV (the "JV") has decided to reveal the following benefits about the near term scope of its focused AI synergies. The JV envisions the design of pseudo-cognitive mobile robotic systems that can monitor and demonstrate understanding of some, not all, but many, specific forms of human activity, in order to "deduce" what should benefit the person. Numerous of those lower level, fundamental needs identified are within the capabilities of GeckoSystems' AI mobile service robot (MSR) solutions and with the cooperation of person receiving care. The goal for the pseudo-cognitive MSR is to provide context-adaptive active support to elderly care receivers and/or to individuals with specific forms of moderate to mild health issues, whether short term or chronic. The JV believes that integrating multiple forms of different environmental and human physiological and sensing systems will enable beneficially higher levels of proactive autonomy and adaptive interaction and therefore offer a much more compelling value proposition for caregivers and care receivers. This JV will deliver pseudo-cognitive AI engines that will be able to perform a set of advanced assistive actions currently not offered by present state-of-the-art approaches. Sensor rich MSR's produce big data requiring deep learning capabilities to achieve reliable predictive analytics to result in beneficial machine intelligence. This is much more difficult to achieve than business enterprise AI engines such as Watson, because the "answers" must be available in a "timely" fashion and in any circumstances encountered by the 7/24 caregiving MSR. Proactive-autonomy ambulatory required assistance tasks, that is, invoking automatically executed emergent robot behaviors, based on context-specific care monitoring and situational awareness, including AI initiated approaching of a patient, following them from room to room at a close, but safe, distance to provide timely cooperative assistance whenever and wherever needed (e.g. when fatigue is observed), or waiting in a stand-by mode nearby a care receiver to offer prompt support when and as needed. By this time, most readers will have realized that these tasks are much more challenging and difficult than those in alleged driverless or self-driving cars, drones, or fetch and/or delivery MSRs. Major scientific contributions of the JV are in, but not limited to, these areas: A multi-modal AI augmented and merged sensor data analysis/synthesis system that will capture, integrate, process and abstract: 1. Disparate sensor data clouds such as: Machine vision integration to interpret visible and non-visible light, Range finders i. LIDAR, ii. Ultrasonic, iii. Infrared (IR), passive and active iv. and time-of-flight (TOF) depth cameras (range finders), Haptic (touch and dead reckoning), Sound: speech tonality, cadence, etc., Odors such as gas, smoke, etc. Position and orientation i. MEMS accelerometer ii. Solid state compasses iii. GPS Human physiological sensors regarding human state and activity, i. Pulse rate, blood pressure, oxygenation level, blood sugar level, etc. ...in order to quickly detect, recognize and respond to not uncommon human health states with appropriate, timely semi-professional level like responses. The integration of the above paradigms and capabilities within a context-aware (machine awareness of the human dynamics and state) a pseudo-cognitive AI robot control architecture, which will incorporate contextual reasoning and planning regarding assistive robot actions and behavior, guiding the robot mechanism to deliver near optimal responses and to provide cost effective proactive, situation-adapted assistance, without necessitating immediate human personal intervention, to the care receiver is of significant benefit to millions of people. Obviously, implicit safety for all participants and users of such advanced machine sentience and autonomy must be ingrained. This is the primary task of the JV: Safety for human usage in all circumstances, foreseen and unforeseeable. "Had the devastating Hurricane Matthew not impacted the southeast US coast earlier this month, I believe we would have achieved Current Information status, as originally expected, a couple of weeks ago. We continue to have numerous ongoing joint venture and/or licensing discussions with those who share the same interest in using mobile service robots to help others. I am also pleased that as the Service Robotics industry begins to offer real products to eager markets our capabilities are being recognized. We remain completely committed to providing our 1300+ shareholders the ROI they deserve. They can continue to be confident that we expect to be signing numerous multi-million-dollar licensing agreements to further substantiate and delineate the reality that GeckoSystems will enjoy additional licensing revenues to further increase shareholder value," concluded Spencer. About Research and Markets: Research and Markets is the leading source for international market research and market data. They hold '000's of major research publications from most of the leading publishers, consultants and analysts. They provide their clients with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets Guinness Centre, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/ About GeckoSystems: GeckoSystems has been developing innovative robotic technologies for nineteen years. It is CEO Martin Spencer's dream to make people's lives better through AI robotic technologies. For example, all of those affiliated with the Company, as do most Americans, share the abject horror we are all still trying to process regarding the recent, indoor (and outdoor) mass shooting and murdering of dozens of innocent victims. To better manage those 21st century mass shootings, the Company is offering to prototype and deploy the GeckoNED, a new type of mobile security robot that is a Non-violent Enforcement Device with a high level of independent mobile autonomy, sensor rich for enhanced situational awareness, and ease of complete control under tele-operation by designated, vetted public safety personnel. The company is working closely with their recent joint venture with an advanced AI company in New York City to enable even greater independence and implicit common sense for more coverage at a lower cost to public safety organizations such as local police, county sheriff, state law enforcement organizations and/or the school's PTA. The following was written by Spencer shortly after the Sandy Hook mayhem, but not updated since the Pulse nightclub carnage. Safety for our children is a moral imperative for all enlightened civilizations. The present proliferation of lethal weaponry in the form of readily obtainable semi- and full automatic pistols and rifles has brought increased child safety to nearly blinding visibility that requires new thinking and solutions for this long overdue, poorly addressed need in our culture. Mobile robots could be the most proximate and final deterrent to those that would harm our children in public schools and other venues. GeckoSystems has named the mobile robot concept that would provide yet another barrier between our children and those immoral individuals intent on doing them significant harm the GeckoNEDa. "NED" stands for Non-violent (or non-lethal) Enforcement Device. Fundamentally, the GeckoNED (or "NED") is a new type of mobile sentry robot that would deter, detect, and contain those that would violently harm our children in their schools. The NED would be a new type of school mascot that could be customized by the children, teachers and staff to be a daily part of their school time lives. The NED would be able to automatically patrol all wheelchair accessible areas in any school without human oversight or intervention using GeckoSystems' proven SafePath mobile robot AI navigation software. What does it do? Deters, Detects, and Contains to provide better Protection - 1. Marquee deterrent video and audio surveillance systems with fully autonomous self-patrolling in loose crowds, etc. 2. Quick detection using AI augmented sensor fusion systems with fully autonomous auto-find/seek 3. Deployable, multiple non-lethal containment systems under direct human control only 4. Ready mobile detection, protection and containment systems that are fully tele-operable remotely The NED would be a marquee deterrent due to its robust audio and video surveillance systems employing WiFi LAN data communications to connect to the school's Internet access. The primary, high-resolution pan/tilt zoom video camera and professional quality microphones would be selected such that their features and benefits are appropriate for the expanses to be "sight and sound" monitored in the school. Further enhancing the marquee deterrence, the NED would be available for direct human tele-operation almost instantly when direct human control was appropriate and timely due to a clear and present danger to the children having been identified with a high level of confidence by the NED's AI enhanced sensor systems. In addition, cell phone and police band communication capability could be included using the voice synthesis ability of GeckoChata. The NED would: Enable prompt intruder detection using multiple, different sensor systems (sight, sound and smell) AI fused to produce a one plus one equals three synergy. This counter-intuitive metaphor describes a common benefit of GeckoSystems' advanced artificial intelligence and sensor fusion competencies. The NED's AI's would sensor fuse: Augmented Vision These would include machine vision, including that visible to the human eye, and that invisible, such as infra-red (IR) due to body heat, heat from fired weapons, etc. and AI software Extended Hearing Frequency response range widened beyond human hearing, into the ultrasonic using multiple microphones (omni directional and directional) and AI software Enhanced Smell Odor detection systems for appropriate gas detection, whether odorless to human sense of smell or not with intelligent inhalation system and AI software Singly, and in concert, the preceding systems would detect unwanted intruders by: Video surveillance enhanced by AI object recognition machine vision In both visible and invisible IR light spectrums Audio surveillance enhanced by AI expert systems Within and outside human hearing range, atypical sounds such as i. Gun shots ii. Breaking glass iii. Doors being broken down iv. Students and/or staff stressed voices; screams Odor and odorless gas surveillance Smoke, carbon monoxide, and natural gas Potentially odors from: i. Handguns, long guns, rifles ii. Guns in lockers iii. Explosives, gun ammunition in lockers The NED would pre-position ready mobile protection that is fully tele-operable remotely when atypical situations arise. It would immediately alert pre-designated parties for human intervention and direct human control of the NED and its various containment systems. 1. The NED's exterior size would be about thirty (30) inches in diameter and seventy-two (72) inches tall a. Cannot be readily disabled by small arms fire thus affording cover for students and staff when the NED places itself between the intruder and all others. b. The NED's shroud could be bulletproof covering using a combination of Kevlar, ceramic armor, and/or aluminum plates sufficient for absorbing small arms fire. 1. Immediate intervention after detection resulting from a top speed, in obstacle free hallways, of up to 20 mph a. SafePath technologies with obstacle avoidance five to six times faster than a person preclude NED hitting anything, even when under teleoperation (direct human) control. 1. Bull horns, sirens, high power speaker system and/or other sound projection systems capable of hitting the threshold of pain The NED would have readily deployed, multiple non-lethal containment systems solely under the control of a designated, responsible party such as a "watch commander" at the local police station. The non-violent and/or non-lethal containment capabilities would consist of: Targeted, high volume water spray Sleeping gas with directed discharge Irritant sprays, such as pepper spray, tear gas, etc. with directed discharge Acoustical stunners, flash-bangs, "stun bombs" Targeted net guns, "projectile nets" Targeted sticky foam, an extremely tacky material carried in compressed form with a propellant Targeted electrical stunners (Tasers) In addition to providing children and staff in schools a higher level of safety, the school would now have a new kind of school mascot, a NED. The covering could be painted in school colors, and designed like the school mascot, if desired. For an example, Huber U. Hunt Elementary School is a tiger. They could have a tiger design with verbal UX customized for a pleasing dialect for the students. The NED's battery recharging pads would be located at various desirable sentry positions throughout school. Literally the school's NED would be unique in its use and appearance in every school. The GeckoNED would be situationally aware and autonomous to provide a high level of safety for our school children and other "soft targets," such as movie theatres, night clubs, etc. This is completely congruent with GeckoSystems' strategic focus. Since literally tens of thousands of public venues deserving of greater safety with better, more timely surveillance, local schools and parents will ultimately decide if having a GeckoNED watching over their children by being able to see and hear what the NED reveals for only $10-12 per month per protected child would indicate several thousand NED's to be sold within only two to three years. Anticipated MSRP is only $49,950. The safety requirement for human quick WCET reflex time in all forms of mobile robots: In order to understand the importance of GeckoSystems' breakthrough, proprietary, and exclusive AI software and why another Japanese robotics company desires a business relationship with GeckoSystems, it's key to acknowledge some basic realities for all forms of automatic, non-human intervention, vehicular locomotion and steering. 1. Laws of Physics such as Conservation of Energy, inertia, and momentum, limit a vehicle's ability to stop or maneuver. If, for instance, a car's braking system design cannot generate enough friction for a given road surface to stop the car in 100 feet after brake application, that's a real limitation. If a car cannot corner at more than .9g due to a combination of suspension design and road conditions, that, also, is reality. Regardless how talented a NASCAR driver may be, if his race car is inadequate, he's not going to win races. 2. At the same time, if a car driver (or pilot) is tired, drugged, distracted, etc. their reflex time becomes too slow to react in a timely fashion to unexpected direction changes of moving obstacles, or the sudden appearance of fixed obstacles. Many car "accidents" result from drunk driving due to reflex time and/or judgment impairment. Average reflex time takes between 150 & 300ms. http://tinyurl.com/nsrx75n 3. In robotic systems, "human reflex time" is known as Worst Case Execution Time (WCET). Historically, in computer systems engineering, WCET of a computational task is the maximum length of time the task could take to execute on a specific hardware platform. In big data, this is the time to load up the data to be processed, processed, and then outputted into useful distillations, summaries, or common sense insights. GeckoSystems' basic AI self-guidance navigation system processes 147 megabytes of data per second using low cost, Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Single Board Computers (SBC's). 4. Highly trained and skilled jet fighter pilots have a reflex time (WCET) of less than 120ms. Their "eye to hand" coordination time is a fundamental criterion for them to be successful jet fighter pilots. The same holds true for all high performance forms of transportation that are sufficiently pushing the limits of the Laws of Physics to require the quickest possible reaction time for safe human control and/or usage. 5. GeckoSystems' WCET is less than 100ms, or as quick, or quicker than most gifted jet fighter pilots, NASCAR race car drivers, etc. while using low cost COTS and SBC's 6. In mobile robotic guidance systems, WCET has 3 fundamental components. a. Sufficient Field of View (FOV) with appropriate granularity, accuracy, and update rate. b. Rapid processing of that contextual data such that common sense responses are generated. c. Timely physical execution of those common sense responses. In order for any companion robot to be utilitarian for family care, it must be a "three legged milk stool." (1) Human quick reflex time to avoid moving and/or unmapped obstacles, (GeckoNav: http://tinyurl.com/le8a39r) (2) Verbal interaction (GeckoChat: http://tinyurl.com/nnupuw7) with a sense of date and time (GeckoScheduler: http://tinyurl.com/kojzgbx), and (3) Ability to automatically find and follow designated parties (GeckoTrak: http://tinyurl.com/mton9uh) such that verbal interaction can occur routinely with video and audio monitoring of the care receiver is uninterrupted. An earlier third party verification of GeckoSystems' AI centric, human quick sense and avoidance of moving and/or unmapped obstacles by one of their mobile robots can be viewed here: http://t.co/NqqM22TbKN An overview of GeckoSystems' progress containing over 700 pictures and 120 videos can be found at http://www.geckosystems.com/timeline/. These videos illustrate the development of the technology that makes GeckoSystems a world leader in Service Robotics development. Early CareBot prototypes were slower and frequently pivoted in order to avoid a static or dynamic obstacle; later prototypes avoided obstacles without pivoting. Current CareBots avoid obstacles with a graceful "bicycle smooth" motion. The latest videos also depict the CareBot's ability to automatically go faster or slower depending on the amount of clutter (number of obstacles) within its field of view. This is especially important when avoiding moving obstacles in "loose crowd" situations like a mall or an exhibit area. In addition to the timeline videos, GeckoSystems has numerous YouTube videos. The most popular of which are the ones showing room-to-room automatic self-navigation of the CareBot through narrow doorways and a hallway of an old 1954 home. You will see the CareBot slow down when going through the doorways because of their narrow width and then speed up as it goes across the relatively open kitchen area. There are also videos of the SafePath wheelchair, which is a migration of the CareBot AI centric navigation system to a standard power wheelchair, and recently developed cost effective depth cameras were used in this recent configuration. SafePath navigation is now available to OEM licensees and these videos show the versatility of GeckoSystems' fully autonomous navigation solution. GeckoSystems, Star Wars Technology http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYwQBUXXc3g The company has successfully completed an Alpha trial of its CareBot personal assistance robot for the elderly. It was tested in a home care setting and received enthusiastic support from both caregivers and care receivers. The company believes that the CareBot will increase the safety and well being of its elderly charges while decreasing stress on the caregiver and the family. GeckoSystems is preparing for Beta testing of the CareBot prior to full-scale production and marketing. CareBot has recently incorporated Microsoft Kinect depth cameras that result in a significant cost reduction. Kinect Enabled Personal Robot video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn93BS44Das Above, the CareBot demonstrates static and dynamic obstacle avoidance as it backs in and out of a narrow and cluttered alley. There is no joystick control or programmed path; movements are smoother that those achieved using a joystick control. GeckoNav creates three low levels of obstacle avoidance: reactive, proactive, and contemplative. Subsumptive AI behavior within GeckoNav enables the CareBot to reach its target destination after engaging in obstacle avoidance. More information on the CareBot personal assistance robot: http://www.geckosystems.com/markets/CareBot.php GeckoSystems stock is quoted in the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) markets under the ticker symbol GOSY. http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/GOSY/quote GeckoSystems uses http://www.LinkedIn.com as its primary social media site for investor updates. Here is Spencer's LinkedIn.com profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/martin-spencer/11/b2a/580 Safe Harbor: Statements regarding financial matters in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, technology efficacy and all other forward-looking statements be subject to the Safe Harbors created thereby. The Company is a development stage firm that continues to be dependent upon outside capital to sustain its existence. Since these statements (future operational results and sales) involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the Company's actual results may differ materially from expected results. GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. Main number: +1 678-413-9236 Fax: +1 678-413-9247 Website: http://www.geckosystems.com/ DETROIT, MI--(Marketwired - October 20, 2016) - JobFairGiant.com, the largest monthly career fair in Michigan, is in the community campaigning for the people in Metro Detroit cities that want great jobs that offers practical income. JobFairGiant.com is not concerned about who wins the election; instead, the opportunity to help thousands of displaced workers achieve their American Dream is their only campaign slogan. "The Presidential candidates missed a great opportunity last night to discuss job growth. Millions of companies throughout the United States are thriving with job growth opportunities exceeding the expectations of economist. A country that was once suffering from the unemployment crisis has returned to work. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump failed the viewing audience with a desire to live the American Dream; the topic of employment opportunities could sway millions of voters in either direction. But once again it was overlooked by gossip and slanderous comments. The American people would rather see the CEO's of hiring companies sitting in the audience supporting the candidates instead of victims personally attacked by either candidate. If the Presidential candidates want to Make America Great Again they should focus on telling voters what companies have immediate job openings now. We can be Stronger Together if American workers can earn a sustainable wage, and are provided educational opportunities to help them compete against global workers seeking jobs in America. Only twenty-days remain on the campaign trail perhaps talking about Who's Hiring in Michigan will encourage voters to run to the polls in records numbers," said CJ Eason, Community Outreach Director for JobFairGiant.com. JobFairGiant.com encourages Michigan employers and national employers with job openings to participate in the You're Hired Career Fair on Friday, October 28, 2016 located at the Marriott Hotel in Troy, Michigan. Last year, JobFairGiant.com successfully matched over 3,000 applicants with employers that participated in JobFairGiant.com's monthly career events. The You're Hired Career Fair is an excellent opportunity for experienced professionals, college alumni, military veterans and entry-level candidates to meet directly with employers to discuss long-term career opportunities, part-time jobs, internships, although there is a focus on full-time positions. Employers representing companies located in Wayne County, Oakland County and Macomb County will be onsite; the upcoming event is free for candidates to attend. People seeking employment should submit their resume online at JobFairGiant.com. Over 60 employers plan to attend with positions available in Engineering, Information Technology, Skilled Trades, Seasonal, Manufacturing, Production, Industrial, General Labor, Customer Services, Retail, Management, Restaurant, Accounting, Banking, Office Support, Clerical, Data Entry, Call Center, Installation, Technical, Machining, Electrical, Mortgage, Financial Planning, Insurance, Education, Truck Driving, Real Estate, Nursing, Rehabilitation, Human Services and more career fields. The You're Hired Career Fair is open to the general public. Bring plenty of resumes and dress for success. For information on the career fair or a list of participating employers visit www.jobfairgiant.com or call 734-956-4550. Event Recap: You're Hired Career Fair Friday, October 28, 2016 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Marriott Hotel |200 West Big Beaver Road, Troy, Michigan Free Admission and Open to the Public & Free Parking Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/10/20/11G118845/Images/October-28-31114b46d5fc9c0d9fd1aa20e17e0f5c.jpg Embedded Video Available: https://youtu.be/0zGLC_EgeAA Media Contact: CJ Eason JobFairGiant.com ceason@michiganexpoexperts.com 734-956-4550 X 1 Gecina is benefiting from its strategic repositioning and dynamic management of its debt Office rental income up +6% Cost of debt down -50 bp to 2.2% (1.7% for drawn debt) Recurrent net income (Group share) growth target revised upwards for 2016 Reported recurrent net income (Group share) expected to be stable in 2016 in line with expected growth of nearly +7%, excluding the impact of the healthcare portfolio's sale Strong confidence in the future with the pipeline up to 3.7 billion euros Offering strong visibility from 2018-2019 in terms of earnings growth and value creation, with 80 million euros of potential annualized rents expected through deliveries, primary scheduled for 2018 Regulatory News: Gecina (Paris:GFC): Key figures In million euros Sep 30, 15 Sep 30, 16 Change (%) Gross rentals 424.7 419.2 -1.3% (-0.7% like-for-like) EBITDA 354.3 345.3 -2.6% Recurrent net income (Group share) 265.4 273.0 +2.9% (+8.0% excluding impact of healthcare portfolio's sale) Per share (in euros) 4.28 4.34 +1.4% Unaudited figures All the figures presented in this document (excluding the appendices) exclude any impact of IFRS 5 and IFRIC 21. The results published at the end of September 2016 are in line with the operations carried out in 2015 and 2016. The +2.9% recurrent net income growth achieved has benefited from not only the rent generated by the acquisitions made in summer 2015 (particularly the T1&B buildings in La Defense and PSA's current headquarters in Paris' central business district), but also the continued optimization of financial expenses. This result also reflects the ongoing program to sell non-strategic assets, and particularly the finalization of the sale of the Group's healthcare portfolio on July 1, 2016, as well as sales of certain office assets, primarily during the first half of 2016. Building on an exceptional year for Gecina in 2015 in terms of portfolio rotation, the Group has maintained its opportunistic approach to investments, sales and redevelopments. Since the start of the year, Gecina has secured over 314 million euros of new investments through buildings to be redeveloped or developed, which will contribute to the Group's rental income by 2018-2019. In addition to the sale of its healthcare portfolio, finalized on July 1, 2016, Gecina has also completed 507 million euros of sales of non-strategic commercial and residential assets with a 15% premium versus their appraisal values. Lastly, to maximize the value extracted from the Group's portfolio and its earnings growth over the medium term, Gecina has capitalized on tenants vacating buildings with strong value creation potential to launch two new redevelopment programs in Levallois and Paris. As a result, Gecina's pipeline is up to 3.7 billion euros, with 1.2 billion euros of projects already committed to and expected to generate nearly 80 million euros of annualized rental income thanks to deliveries scheduled primarily for 2018. Gecina's preferred sectors are seeing positive rental market trends. Take-up, which had already shown strong growth since early 2015 for Paris City, has continued to improve (+11%) since the start of 2016, driving a further reduction in vacancy rates in central sectors (3.5% for Paris City), while immediate supply is down significantly (-23% for Paris City), dropping to its lowest level on record since 2007. These trends have further strengthened Gecina's confidence, particularly in terms of earning growth and value extraction through the deliveries expected mostly in 2018 of its development and redevelopment pipeline. Based on the results achieved for the third quarter, and despite the volume of sales already secured since the start of the year, Gecina is revising its ambition upwards for recurrent net income growth over 2016, which is now expected to reach nearly +7% excluding the impact of the healthcare portfolio's sale. Taking into account the impact of the healthcare sale, finalized at the start of the third quarter, reported recurrent net income is expected to be stable for 2016. Rental income in line with the Group's targets Gross rental income came to 419.2 million euros, with a slight contraction of -1.3% on a current basis and -0.7% like-for-like. In particular, this change reflects Gecina's ambition to reposition itself around urban offices in Paris. On a current basis, the slight -1.3% contraction factors in the Group's strategic repositioning around urban offices. Rental income is up +6.0% for office properties, while the diversification sectors are down nearly -14%, primarily due to the healthcare portfolio's sale, as well as the program to sell apartments on a unit basis when they become vacant (Hopper program). Over the period, rent generated by deliveries and acquisitions made in 2015 and 2016 represents 43.3 million euros (notably T1&B in La Defense, PSA-Grande Armee in Paris' CBD, City 2 in Boulogne- Billancourt), almost fully offsetting the loss of rent resulting from sales (-43.5 million euros) and redevelopments (-7.1 million euros) after tenants vacated assets with strong value creation potential (32 Guersant-Paris, Ville-l'Eveque-Paris, and Octant-Sextant in Levallois-Perret). Like-for-like, the moderate contraction of-0.7% at September 30 is also consistent with the Group's expectations. It factors in the level of indexation, which is still low (+0.1%), and the negative reversion resulting from renegotiations in 2015, some of which came into effect at the start of 2016. Gross rental income Sep 30, 15 Sep 30, 16 Change (%) In million euros Current basis Like-for-like Group total 424.7 419.2 -1.3% -0.7% Offices 267.8 283.8 +6.0% -0.9% Traditional residential 91.5 85.8 -6.3% 0.0% Student residences 8.2 10.3 +25.2% -1.6% Healthcare and other 57.2 39.4 -31.2% NA Offices: rental income up thanks to the Group's growing specialization On a current basis, rental income from offices is up +6.0%, thanks in particular to the impact of the acquisition of the T1&B buildings in La Defense and PSA's current headquarters in Paris' CBD, offsetting the impact of sales and redevelopments. Like-for-like, rental income is down slightly, with -0.9%, factoring in a particularly low level of indexation (+0.2%) and the latest impacts of the renewals and renegotiations granted in 2015 and early 2016 on suburban Paris assets in return for extending the maturity of their leases. Like-for-like growth has also been impacted by the departure of Oracle, which vacated part of the Crystalys building in Velizy (Outer Rim of the Paris region) at end-August 2015. Today, this space has been partially relet. Excluding this asset from the organic scope, like-for-like growth would be positive, with +0.1% for the first nine months of the year. Over the full year in 2016, office rental income is expected to contract slightly like-for-like by around -0.5%, reflecting the latest rental adjustments for the Group's portfolio against a backdrop of very low indexation. In view of the improvement in rental market conditions in the Paris Region's most central sectors, the like-for-like change in office rental income is expected to be positive from 2017. Positive market trends for the most central office sectors preferred by Gecina Immostat's statistics from the end of September 2016 support the Group's firm belief that the Paris Region's most central sectors and Paris' CBD in particular are picking up again. Take-up in the Paris Region is up +14% year-on-year to the end of September. The trends show a further significant increase for Paris City (+11%), which had already seen strong growth since the start of 2015. La Defense picked up again considerably over the first nine months of 2016, following three major deals signed for transactions over 30,000 sq.m. Alongside this, thelevel of immediate supply is down -10%, particularly in Paris City (-27%), La Defense (-26%) and the Western Crescent (-12%),while levels are stable or higher for the Inner and Outer Rims. As a result, the Paris Region office market continues to show very contrasting trends, with Central Paris still very dynamic and a significant improvement in the real estate balance for La Defense. The vacancy rate therefore shows a significant drop for Paris City to 3.5% (versus 5% at end-September 2015) and 9% for La Defense (12.1% at end-September 2015), where the shortage of quality properties available is driving up rents for new builds, as well as existing properties in Paris (source: Cushman Wakefield). Contrasting with this, vacancy levels are still virtually stable in more peripheral areas in the Inner and Outer Rims. These statistics support the Group's confidence in the outlook for its portfolio, with the vast majority of its properties located in the Region's most central sectors, where the trends observed confirm the improvement in market conditions. For reference, 91% of Gecina's office portfolio at end-June 2016 was located in Paris City, La Defense or the Western Crescent. These market trends also support the Group's confidence in the outlook thanks to progress made with its committed pipeline, with nearly 85% located in Paris City and the Western Crescent's best sectors (Neuilly/Levallois and the Southern Loop), while virtually all the other sites are in Lyon. Diversification portfolios: rental resilience and impact of sales programs For the traditional residential portfolio, rental income is stable at end-September 2016 on a like-for-like basis. On a current basis, the -6.3% contraction factors in the program to sell apartments on a unit basis when they become vacant as tenants naturally free up assets (Hopper program). The student residence portfolio shows +25.2% growth on a current basis, following the delivery of four residences during the third quarter of 2015 (Bagnolet Philia, Bordeaux Blanqui, Paris Lancon and Palaiseau Saclay). Like-for-like, rental income is down -1.6%, factoring in a temporary increase in the vacancy rate linked to work to overhaul the IT and operational systems in a residence in the Paris Region; excluding this residence, like-for-like growth comes out at +0.7%. Occupancy rate stable and still high The Group's average financial occupancy rate is still very high, with 96.0%, although with a slight contraction of 20 bp versus June 30, 2016 and 40 bp year-on-year, linked to the temporary reduction in the scope for student residences and the sale of the healthcare portfolio, which had an occupancy rate of 100%. The financial occupancy rate for office properties is stable, with the arrival of Henner in Neuilly and CREDIPAR in Gennevilliers in the "Pointe Metro 2" building, offsetting the vacancy recorded on the "Le Cristallin" building, which was delivered at the start of 2016 and is still to be let. Average financial occupancy rate Sep 30, 15 Dec 31, 15 Jun 30, 16 Sep 30, 16 Offices 95.6% 95.8% 95.4% 95.5% Diversification 98.1% 98.2% 97.6% 97.0% Group total 96.4% 96.6% 96.2% 96.0% Recurrent net income (Group share) up +2.9% at end-September 2016 Recurrent net income (Group share) is up +2.9% to 273 million euros at end-September 2016. This increase primarily factors in the acquisitions made during the second half of 2015, particularly the T1&B buildings in La Defense and the building occupied by the PSA Group in Paris' CBD, as well as the continued optimization of financial expenses. Considering the exceptional nature of the costs linked to the offer for Fonciere de Paris, representing 4.3 million euros, they are not included under recurrent net income. It is also important to note that Gecina continued to receive rental income from its healthcare portfolio over the first half of the year, with its sale completed on July 1, 2016. Excluding the impact of the sale of the non-strategic healthcare real estate portfolio, recurrent net income is up +8.0%. The office portfolio's rental margin is up 50 bp from September 30, 2015. This increase partly reflects the impact of the acquisitions made in 2015, fully let to single tenants, resulting in a higher than average margin. The rental margin has also been affected by the restatement of rental management fees previously recognized as revenue from "services and other income". For a scope excluding the healthcare portfolio, whose sale was finalized on July 1, the Group's rental margin comes out at 91.7%. Group Offices Residential Healthcare Rental margin at September 30, 2015 92.1% 94.4% 82.0% 99.1% Rental margin at September 30, 2016 92.4% 94.9% 82.0% 98.9% Net financial expenses are down -19.9% year-on-year to 69.1 million euros. This reduction is linked primarily to a significant reduction in the average cost of debt, particularly over the first half of 2016, benefiting from not only the optimization work carried out in 2015, but also the redemption of bonds that had reached maturity at the start of 2016, with a coupon of 4.25%. These bonds were refinanced with very short-term financing facilities based on particularly low costs, while waiting for the sale of the healthcare business to be completed, which was finalized on July 1, 2016. The average cost of debt over the first nine months came to 2.2%, compared with an average of 2.7% for 2015. 1.8 billion euros of sales secured or completed since the start of 2016, with 507 million euros excluding healthcare In line with the Group's ambition to accelerate its portfolio rotation, Gecina has completed or secured nearly 1.8 billion euros of sales since the start of the year (excluding duties, Group share), including the sale of the Group's healthcare portfolio, which was finalized on July 1. The amount of sales completed or secured, excluding the healthcare portfolio, represents 507 million euros, with 416 million euros finalized at end-September with a premium of around +13% versus the latest appraisal values, while the loss of rental income for Gecina represents approximately 4.4% based on expected rents for 2016. This amount includes the sale of a building on Rue de la Bourse in Paris as part of an asset exchange operation, which was finalized in September 2016. Healthcare portfolio's sale finalized on July 1 for 1.35 billion euros, with a premium of around 16% Gecina finalized the sale of its healthcare portfolio to Primonial Reim on July 1, 2016. The transaction represented a total of 1.35 billion euros (including commissions and fees), with a net yield of 5.9% and a premium of around 16% versus the latest appraisal values. For reference, the value retained in the accounts at end-2015 already reflected the price agreed on with the buyer. 312 million euros of office sales completed since the start of 2016 Since January 1, 2016, the Group has finalized 312 million euros of office sales, with an average premium of nearly +7.2% versus the end-2015 appraisals, while the loss of rental income represents around 4.9% based on expected rents for 2016, with around 15.3 million euros of annualized rental income. Gecina is continuing to capitalize on a positive market environment for opportunistic sales of assets that are non-strategic, mature or located in peripheral areas, in line with the strategy announced at the start of 2015. For instance, the Group has sold a building on Quai Marcel Dassault in Suresnes, an asset on Avenue Achille Peretti in Neuilly, and the final sites previously held by Gecina in Madrid. On April 1, 2016, Gecina finalized the sale of the building in Rueil-Malmaison occupied by the Vinci Group, whose lease is due to expire at the end of 2019. In September 2016, Gecina also finalized the sale of a mixed-use building on Rue de la Bourse in Paris (4,800 sq.m) as part of an asset exchange, enabling the Group to simultaneously acquire the building at 7 rue de Madrid (10,500 sq.m) in Paris' central business district. 194 million euros of residential sales completed or covered by preliminary agreements, with 157 million euros on a unit basis, achieving a premium of over 34% versus the appraisal values Since the start of the year, Gecina has carried out or secured 157 million euros of vacant unit-based sales, with 102 million euros already completed on, achieving a premium of nearly +35% compared with their appraisal values, and the remaining assets covered by preliminary sales agreements. In addition, more than 20 million euros of sales are subject to preliminary agreements that were being prepared at September 30 and could be finalized in 2017. The Group has also completed or secured 38 million euros of block-based residential sales, with 36 million euros still to be finalized, based on a premium of +24% versus the appraisal values. The conditions for the residential sales finalized over the first nine months of 2016 show an average premium of 34%, while the loss of rental income for Gecina represents 3.1%. Over 314 million euros of new investments secured since the start of the year Alongside these sales, Gecina has already secured over 314 million euros1 of new investments in assets for development or redevelopment that will be delivered in 2018 and 2019. This amount concerns the acquisition of three assets, including one off-plan in Issy-les-Moulineaux, while the other two assets 34 rue de Guersant and 7 rue de Madrid, at the heart of Paris will benefit from redevelopment programs. During the first half of the year, Gecina signed an agreement with the developer PRD Office to acquire the "BE ISSY" office building off-plan, with delivery in 2018. This asset, located in Issy-les-Moulineaux, in the Southern Loop of Paris' Western Crescent, will offer a gross leasable area of around 25,000 sq.m and 258 parking spaces. The transaction represents a total of 160 million euros including commissions and fees. Based on current market rents, Gecina expects this operation to achieve a net yield on delivery of 6.6%. On June 9, 2016, Gecina also signed a preliminary agreement to acquire a building at 34 rue Guersant (Paris 17th) for nearly 50 million euros. This building, currently occupied by CBRE under a lease running through to mid-2017, is adjacent to another asset already owned by Gecina at 32 rue Guersant, which has been redeveloped since the start of 2016. The two buildings will be able to represent a combined complex with 20,000 sq.m of space, which is rare at the heart of Paris, while potentially offering significant operational synergies. This operation was finalized at the start of the second half of 2016. Lastly, the Group announced on July 11, 2016 that it had signed a preliminary agreement to buy a 10,500 sq.m asset located at 7 rue de Madrid (Paris 8th), in Paris' CBD, for 63.3 million euros.This asset, which is nearly vacant, will be redeveloped, requiring a further investment of around 40 million euros, and is expected to achieve a net yield on delivery of almost 6.5%. Project pipeline up to 3.7 billion euros, with 1.2 billion euros of committed projects Including the latest investments secured during the third quarter of 2016 in Paris City (notably the Rue de Madrid building in Paris' CBD), as well as the two assets vacated by their tenants at the end of the first half of the year in Paris' CBD (Rue de la Ville-l'Eveque) and Levallois-Perret (Octant-Sextant), with their redevelopments underway, the Group's total project pipeline is up to 3.7 billion euros, with 1.2 billion euros of projects already committed to that will make it possible to generate over 80 million euros of additional potential rental income, through projects with deliveries expected for 2017, 2018 and, to a lesser extent, 2019. The pipeline will offer a yield at maturity of 6.7% for projects located in Gecina's preferred sectors, with nearly half concentrated in Paris City, and the rest primarily in Levallois, Issy-les-Moulineaux and Lyon. Over the medium term, Gecina also has a pipeline of controlled and certain projects, with redevelopment projects that will be launched as soon as tenant departures have been secured and will be delivered between 2018 and 2020. This "controlled and certain" pipeline represents 1.0 billion euros of projects, with 92% located at the heart of Paris City and predominantly the CBD. Thanks to the central locations of Gecina's projects, the Group is confident about letting them in markets that are showing positive trends, particularly at the heart of Paris. Gecina raises its targets for 2016 and confirms its confidence for the years ahead In line with its total return strategy, Gecina was particularly active over the first nine months of 2016 in terms of investments, sales and development projects, contributing to the prospects for recurrent net income growth over the medium and long term, as well as the drive to extract value. Since the start of the year, Gecina has secured over 314 million euros of new investments through buildings to be redeveloped or developed that will generate rental income by 2018-2019. In addition to the sale of its healthcare portfolio, finalized on July 1, 2016, Gecina has completed 507 million euros of sales of non-strategic commercial and residential assets, achieving a 15% premium versus their appraisal values. Lastly, to optimize value creation potential and maximize recurrent income growth over the medium term, Gecina has capitalized on tenants vacating buildings with strong value creation potential to launch two new redevelopment programs in Levallois and Paris' CBD. As a result, Gecina's pipeline is up to 3.7 billion euros, with 1.2 billion euros of projects already committed to and expected to generate nearly 80 million euros of annualized rental income by 2018-2019, offering strong visibility over the medium and long term. For 2016, despite the significant volume of sales carried out since the start of the year, in view of positive rental markets in the most central sectors and the effective management of the company's liabilities, the Group is able to revise its ambition upwards for recurrent net income growth over 2016, which is now expected to reach nearly +7% excluding the impact of the healthcare portfolio's sale. Including the impact of this portfolio's sale, which was finalized at the start of July 2016, as well as the impact of redevelopment operations launched and other sales carried out since the start of the year, reported recurrent net income (Group share) is expected to be stable for 2016 Gecina, a leading real estate group Gecina owns, manages and develops property holdings worth 11.7 billion euros at July 1, 2016, with 97% located in the Paris Region. The Group is building its business around France's leading office portfolio and a diversification division with residential assets and student residences. These data exclude the healthcare portfolio, which was sold for 1.35 billion euros on July 1, 2016. Gecina has put sustainable innovation at the heart of its strategy to create value, anticipate its customers' expectations and invest while respecting the environment, thanks to the dedication and expertise of its staff. Gecina is a French real estate investment trust (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris, and is part of the SBF 120, Euronext 100, FTSE4Good, DJSI Europe and World, Stoxx Global ESG Leaders and Vigeo indices. In line with its commitments to the community, Gecina has created a company foundation, which is focused on protecting the environment and supporting all forms of disability. www.gecina.fr APPENDICES Condensed income statement and recurrent income At the Board meeting on October 20, 2016, chaired by Bernard Michel, Gecina's Directors reviewed the financial statements at September 30, 2016, as appended. All the figures presented in this document (excluding the appendices) exclude any impact of IFRIC 21 and IFRS 5. IFRIC 21 relates to the recognition date for levies, which will no longer be able to be deferred in interim accounts, unless the obligating event occurs over a period of time. The impact of this standard primarily concerns the section of property taxes (taxe fonciere) that cannot be charged back to tenants. It will not have any impact on the annual financial statements, but will modify the schedule for recognizing the rental margin in interim publications. IFRS 5 relates to the recognition of discontinued operations, applied to the healthcare portfolio, which sale was finalized on July 1, 2016. Without IFRIC 21 and IFRS 5 With IFRIC 21 and IFRS 5 In million euros (Unaudited figures) Sep 30, 15 Sep 30, 16 Change Sep 30, 15 Sep 30, 16 Change (%) Gross rental income 424.7 419.2 -1.3% 368.1 379.9 +3.2% Expenses not billed to tenants (33.5) (31.9) -4.8% (36.1) (34.9) -3.4% Net rental income 391.2 387.3 -1.0% 331.9 344.9 +3.9% Services and other income (net) 6.2 2.4 -60.9% 5.5 2.4 -57.4% Salaries and management costs (43.1) (44.5) +3.2% (42.5) (44.2) +4.1% EBITDA 354.3 345.3 -2.6% 295.0 303.1 +2.7% Net financial expenses (86.2) (69.1) -19.9% (85.3) (68.3) -19.9% Recurrent tax (2.6) (2.8) +5.1% (2.4) (2.5) +7.5% Recurrent minority interests (0.1) (0.4) NA 0.0 (0.4) NA Recurrent net income (Group share) from continuing operations 207.3 231.8 +11.8% Recurrent net income (Group share) from discontinued operations 54.7 37.5 -31.3% Recurrent net income (Group share) 265.4 273.0 +2.9% 262.0 269.3 +2.8% Without IFRIC 21 and IFRS 5 With IFRIC 21 and IFRS 5 Sep 30, 15 Sep 30, 16 Change (%) Sep 30, 15 Sep 30, 16 Change (%) Average number of shares excl. treasury stock 62,019,147 62,912,605 +1.4% 62,019,147 62,912,605 +1.4% Recurrent net income (Group share) per share (in euros) 4.28 4.34 +1.4% 4.22 4.28 +1.4% 1 Total amount of investments secured including acquisition prices and outstanding capex through to project deliveries View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020006258/en/ Contacts: GECINA CONTACTS Financial communications Samuel Henry-Diesbach Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 52 22 samuelhenry-diesbach@gecina.fr or Virginie Sterling Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 62 48 virginiesterling@gecina.fr or Press relations Brigitte Cachon, Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 62 45 brigittecachon@gecina.fr or Armelle Miclo, Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 51 98 armellemiclo@gecina.fr TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Ghostly apparitions, spooky peals of laughter, things that go bump in the night: many hotel stays come with an extra thrill (or should that be chill?). Take one of the most notorious: the Stanley Hotel immortalized in Stephen King's "The Shining." According to many guests, a night here might include the sound of disembodied footsteps, doors mysteriously opening and closing, and lights turning on and off by themselves. Some of these haunted hotels were formerly hospitals, jails -- even an ocean liner -- with deaths occurring in the very rooms people stay in today. No surprise then that strange sightings and eerie interactions with ghostly former guests take place on a regular basis. For those looking to experience a spirited night at a ghost hunters-worthy hotel, the experts at Cheapflights.ca, the champions of simple travel search, have collected some of their favourites in their 10 haunted hotels where you can actually spend the night. Here are five hotels from around the world where you might very well spend a restless night: The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado, United States - The Stanley Hotel is over 100 years old and boasts a stunning location and beautiful architecture, but that's not all it's known for. Anyone who has read or seen the movie version of Stephen King's "The Shining" knows just how scary that story is. If you're curious as to what could have inspired such a spine-tingling tale, you might want to pay a visit to the Stanley Hotel. Rumour has it that King stayed in room 217 back in 1974 on a night when the hotel was nearly deserted as the property was just about to close for the winter. Though the entire hotel is known for paranormal occurrences, room 217 seems to see the most ghostly action. According to the hotel's history, countless guests have seen and heard strange things like lights turning on and off, doors opening and closing, strange laughter and footsteps, drafts and unexplained chills. The Marshall House, Savannah, Georgia, United States - One of Savannah's oldest hotels is also one of its best reviewed by travellers, lauded in part for its wine and cheese happy hour that often includes a lesson in the history of the town and the hotel. Tied to the hotel's long and storied past are the rumours about its haunted present, though the hotel's website assures potential guests that their ghosts are of the friendly variety. Wondering where these paranormal presences might have come from? Since opening in 1851, the hotel has been used as a hospital three times, which could have contributed to any ghostly inhabitants. Guests have reported seeing ghosts in the hallways, as well as things like taps turning on by themselves and the sound of children running in the halls. Russell Hotel, Sydney, Australia - Russell Hotel is located in The Rocks, the oldest area of Sydney and one of the most convenient for checking out many of the city's best-known attractions. The boutique property also has a reputation for being haunted, thanks to the area's storied and somewhat seedy past. Now a favourite location among visitors to Sydney, The Rocks was once known as a crime-filled area that attracted some shady characters, as well as sailors looking for adventure in port (with many getting more than they bargained for once they found themselves in the neighbourhood's dark alleys). One such seafarer is said to haunt the halls of the Russell Hotel, taking particular interest in room 8. Some guests have reported waking to find him staring at them from the foot of the bed. Chillingham Castle, Chillingham, England - If you've ever wanted to stay in a haunted medieval castle, you can get your chance in Chillingham, England. Given that Chillingham Castle dates back to 1344, when it was fully fortified, it's no surprise that ghosts are part of its history. There are ghost tours available for anyone interested in getting to know more about the castle's past and just what kind of presences might be waiting in the shadows. Some spooky sightings or happenings include a ghost in the pantry, voices in the chapel, ghosts in the courtyard and a ghostly presence in the torture chamber (go figure). For an especially chilling experience, stay in the Pink Room, said to be favoured by a ghost known as the "blue boy". Guests of the room have reported flashes of blue light and loud, wailing noises. Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - Winnipeg's Fort Garry Hotel is over 100 years old and, as such, you wouldn't be wrong for assuming there might be some haunting going on in the storied hotel's hallways. Guests have reported seeing and hearing a number of strange things, including the sighting of apparitions at the ends of beds, unexplained talking and crying and, in room 202, the ghost of a woman who is said to have hung herself in the closet after getting word that her husband had died. Thrill seekers travelling to Canada's capital can sleep in a former jail cell at the aptly named HI Ottawa Jail Hostel, said to be the most haunted building in the country. Ghosts come in groups at the Battery Carriage House Inn in Charleston, South Carolina, where sightings have also included a headless body. Guests at Ross Castle in County Meath, Ireland, might meet the young lady ghost who wanders the halls, her heart permanently broken. For extraordinary paranormal activity on a ship, check in to the dry-docked Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, California, where multiple ghosts are seen walking its decks, including the mysterious Lady in White. Finally, for less frightening fare, guests at the Nottingham Road hotel in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, might spot a lady ghost who prefers tidying up rooms to scaring people. For the entire list of spooky lodgings, visit Cheapflights.ca's 10 haunted hotel rooms where you can actually spend the night at www.cheapflights.ca/news/10-haunted-hotels-can-actually-spend-night. About Cheapflights.ca, part of the Momondo Group Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform dedicated to taking the complexity out of finding the best value flights through the application of innovative, intuitive technologies: Smart search. Made simple. It is now a market leader in the UK, US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating more than C$4 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from more than 120 travel businesses -- for whom it has driven more than C$80 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes. In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group. Follow us on: Twitter: twitter.com/cheapflights Facebook: facebook.com/cheapflights Instagram: instagram.com/cheapflights Pinterest: pinterest.com/cheapflights Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3070441 Contact Information: Cheapflights.ca Tel: +1 (416) 788-4573 E-mail: Email Contact Website: www.cheapflights.ca HILLSBOROUGH, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 03/01/17 -- During the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) 2016 Annual Meeting, John D. Beckwith, DMD was recognized as a Fellow of the prestigious organization. The Hillsborough dentist is one of 300 dentists who holds this distinguished level of membership and, as such, is considered one of the leading experts in surgical and prosthetic implant treatment. Dr. Beckwith is proud to have earned this advanced certification, noting that it provides a glimpse into his dedication to offering world-class dental implant care at his practice, Cornerstone Dental. To quality for Fellowship, Dr. Beckwith was reviewed by an expert panel of implant dentists in an evaluation that involved written and oral testing of cases. The process also included an assessment of his professional and leadership credentials, his commitment to excellence in implant dental practice, and his compliance with the Academy's standards for ethics and patient welfare. Dr. Beckwith was required to document that he provides both the surgical and restorative phases of implant treatment and currently holds the Diplomate status with the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry -- the certifying board that the Academy sponsors. Earning the prominent status of Fellow from the AAID offers a unique testament to a dental professional's expertise. This is due to the AAID being the only dental implant organization to provide legally recognized certifications. There are more than 5,000 members of the AAID, which spans a variety of dental professionals, including general dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists, and prosthodontists -- within the US and 60 other countries. Dr. Beckwith is proud to be part of the elite group of AAID Fellows, and he believes this distinction effectively portrays his commitment to providing exceptional dental implant care. About John D. Beckwith, DMD, FAGD, DABOI, FICOI Throughout his career in private dental practice, Dr. Beckwith has become a proficient implantologist, with 10,000 implants placed and restored over 30 years. In addition to his work with dental implants, he provides a variety of general, advanced, and cosmetic dentistry solutions at his practice, Cornerstone Dental. Dr. Beckwith completed dental school at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine and has since completed many continuing education courses, including his regular involvement with the Misch International Implant Institute surgical program. He remains active in the dental community through his memberships in a number of professional organizations, including being a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology and a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology, Academy of General Dentistry, and American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Dr. Beckwith is available for interview upon request. To learn more about the practice, please visit cornerstonedentalnj.com or facebook.com/NJCornerstoneDental. To view the original source of this press release, click here: https://www.cornerstonedentalnj.com/news-room/hillsborough-dentist-becomes-fellow-of-american-academy-of-implant-dentistry Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3114558 Cornerstone Dental 485 Amwell Road Hillsborough, NJ 08844 (908) 864-7297 Rosemont Media (858) 200-0044 www.rosemontmedia.com REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Viterra Inc. ("Viterra"), today hosted an official grand opening event at its new high throughput grain terminal at Ste. Agathe, Manitoba. Viterra customers, employees and local government officials gathered to commemorate the company's investment in southern Manitoba. "Viterra has been working side by side with Manitoba farmers for over 100 years, connecting them to markets around the world," said Kyle Jeworski, Viterra's President and CEO. "While we're very proud of our history, we're also firmly focused on the future. Our significant investment in this new grain terminal demonstrates our confidence that southern Manitoba will continue to play an important role in Canadian and global agriculture for many more years to come." The new facility has 30,000 tonnes of grain storage and a 134 railcar loading capacity, including a loop track with access to CN and BNSF rail lines. "We're very pleased with this highly efficient facility and what it will mean to farmers, suppliers and other stakeholders in this province and in this community," Jeworski added. "We also recognize that any success we have as a company is directly attributed to our customers, who choose to trust us, to support us, and to provide us with the quality products we need to meet our end users' expectations worldwide." About Viterra Viterra is Canada's grain industry leader, supported by the expertise of its people, a superior network of assets, and unrivalled connections to world markets. Headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, our commitment to agriculture goes back over 100 years, partnering with farmers to market and move their crops to areas of need around the world. Our continued focus on operational excellence throughout North America allows us to efficiently handle, process, distribute and transport grains and oilseeds. We provide further value to our partners through a wide variety of contracting and risk management tools to help them realize the full potential of their crops. For more information on Viterra in North America, please visit www.viterra.com. Viterra is part of the Agricultural Business Segment of Glencore. Contacts: Viterra Inc. Peter Flengeris (306) 569-4810 peter.flengeris@viterra.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A majority of likely voters agree with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's claim that the news media is biased against him, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll. Fifty-five percent of likely voters think the media is biased against Trump, while 42 percent disagreed. The results showed a significant partisan divide on the issue. The poll found that 88 percent of Republicans agreed that the media is biased against the GOP nominee, but 77 percent of Democrats said the media is not biased. Independent voters are more likely to say the media is biased against Trump, with 61 percent agreeing with the real estate tycoon's claims. 'Donald Trump made the charge, and American likely voters agree: There IS a media bias against the GOP contender,' said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. 'But does that explain his lackluster standing with his core base?' The national poll showed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton with a 47 percent to 40 percent lead over Trump, which compares to a 45 percent to 40 percent advantage for Clinton earlier this month. Clinton benefits from substantial leads among women and non-white voters, while men are divided and Trump has a moderate advantage among white voters. Trump has repeatedly suggested that media bias in favor of Clinton is part of an effort to rig the election for the Democratic nominee. The Quinnipiac survey of 1,007 likely voters was conducted October 17th through 18th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Potentially reflecting concerns Donald Trump's recent drop in the polls could hurt candidates down the ballot, House Republican leaders have reportedly urged their colleagues to pitch in to help the GOP maintain control of Congress. Reports said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., held a conference call with more than 80 Republican lawmakers on Wednesday. The GOP leaders asked their colleagues that represent safe districts to give money to their fellow Republicans facing tighter re-election races. Sources told Politico the call came just hours before the final presidential debate but said it was not meant as a sign of crisis in the party. The call comes as Trump has seen a notable drop in support in recent polls, raising concerns that Democrats could retake control of the House. A memo from the National Republican Congressional Committee obtained by the Washington Post warned members the GOP grip on the House is becoming increasingly precarious due to the 'volatile national environment.' 'Historically, we have shown that we don't need to match Democrat spending in order to be successful,' wrote NRCC executive director Rob Simms. 'But in this volatile environment, the current fundraising gap is unsustainable, and will negatively affect Republican electoral prospects if not addressed.' Simms said the unprecedented unfavorability of both presidential candidates has raised legitimate questions about the possibility for depressed turnout. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Darnley Bay Resources Limited ("Darnley Bay" or the "Company"), KSV Kofman Inc. ("KSV"), acting as court-appointed receiver of Tamerlane Ventures Inc. ("Tamerlane") and Pine Point Holding Corp. ("Pine Point"), have signed a binding letter of intent whereby the Company has agreed to purchase Tamerlane's Pine Point assets located 42 kilometers east of Hay River, N.W.T., subject to certain terms and conditions, including the execution of a definitive agreement (the "Transaction"). The former producing Pine Point assets contain 42 known zinc-lead deposits over a strike length of approximately 68 kilometres, 10 of which were subjected to an NI 43-101 technical report in 2014 prepared for Tamerlane (the "2014 Report"). Darnley Bay has agreed to pay an initial fee of $50,000 and issue 1,150,000 common shares to KSV for the option to purchase a 100% interest in the property under the following terms and conditions: -- An additional payment of $2,950,000 on or before January 22, 2017; and -- The issuance of an additional 23,850,000 common shares of Darnley Bay on or before January 22, 2017, on the condition KSV will re-distribute the common shares such that following the re-distribution and completion of the Financing (as defined below) no new shareholder in DBL will acquire more than 19.9% of the total amount of outstanding shares of DBL. As a condition to the completion of the Transaction, Darnley Bay intends to complete a financing in the minimum amount of $5,000,000. Part of the proceeds from the Financing will be used to make the Transaction payment as noted above. In the event that the Financing is completed at a price below $0.20 per common share, Darnley Bay will issue an additional 1.25 million shares to KSV for each $0.01 below $0.20, to a maximum additional consideration of 2.5 million common shares. The Transaction is subject to execution of a definitive agreement and certain closing conditions, including approval of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and of the TSX Venture Exchange. "This acquisition is a game-changer for Darnley Bay and puts us on a clear path towards production," said Jamie Levy, President and Chief Executive Officer. "It is rare in the mining business that the opportunity to acquire an entire mining district presents itself." Darnley Bay intends to begin a preliminary economic analysis immediately upon closing. The Pine Point property consists of a semi-contiguous group of 47 mineral claims and mining leases in the Pine Point District, about 10 kilometres south of Great Slave Lake and accessible from Hay River by all-weather year-round highway which parallels the mining lease block. Hay River in turn can be reached by 825 km of paved road north from Edmonton, Alberta. Hay River has all major services including an airport with scheduled jet service from Edmonton and Yellowknife, a rail terminal and a port from which all barge traffic go travels down the Mackenzie River. An airstrip suitable for small aircraft is also present 4 km SSE of the former Pine Point mill site and 2 km east of the former Pine Point town site. The property is subject to a 3% net smelter return royalty. The Pine Point property belongs to the class of carbonate hosted lead-zinc sulphide deposits known as Mississippi Valley Type ("MVT") deposits, and is probably the most famous and best known Canadian example of this type of deposit. Nanisivik, Polaris and the Grey River deposits are other Canadian examples of the same geological class. MVT deposits are among the most important sources of lead and zinc in the world, exhibiting moderate to high grades, non-complex metallurgy, and processing and beneficiation characteristics that yield high quality concentrates. Cominco Ltd. began exploration at Pine Point in 1929, with test-pitting, drilling and shaft sinking. In 1948, Cominco began major exploration work, using the Mississippi-Valley-type model to guide exploration. About 90 deposits were discovered by Cominco. By 1964, several deposits had been identified. Cominco commenced large-scale mine production in 1964 with reported reserves of 21.5 million tonnes averaging 4% lead and 7.2% zinc (a historical figure reported by Giroux and McCartney, 2001). The "Pine Point mine" was actually an assemblage of 46 separate open pits and two underground deposits, lying along a 35-kilometers trend including the concentrator at the Pine Point town site. Some 64 million tonnes of ore at a grade of 7.0% zinc and 3.1% lead was mined between 1964 and 1987. Previous drilling on the property totals approximately 1.3 million metres in 18,422 holes by Pine Point Mines (Cominco), Westmin and Tamerlane. The Pine Point property consists of 42 separate lead-zinc deposits of varying size and grade. The following, as per the 2014 Report, is the estimated historical reserves for 10 of these deposits: Deposit Category Type Tonnes Zinc Lead Combined Grade Grade Grade R-190 Proven U/G 647,000 12.4% 6.1% 18.5% R-190 Probable U/G 357,000 8.2% 5.2% 12.0% W-85 Proven O/P 2,326,514 4.5% 2.8% 7.4% W-85 Probable O/P 1,125,598 3.1% 1.4% 5.1% X-65 Proven O/P 2,510,448 3.6% 1.4% 5.1% J-68 Proven O/P 265,516 5.8% 2.6% 8.4% J-68 Probable O/P 2,780 2.3% 0.6% 2.9% HZ Proven O/P 911,600 3.6% 3.1% 6.7% HZ Probable O/P 773,796 3.6% 2.2% 5.8% M-67 Proven O/P 473,465 4.5% 1.3% 5.8% M-67 Probable O/P 210,419 5.2% 0.8% 6.0% K-68 Proven O/P 262,800 3.2% 1.0% 4.3% K-68 Probable O/P 769,126 2.6% 0.7% 3.3% M-62,63 Proven O/P 803,721 2.2% 1.0% 3.2% O-53 Probable O/P 274,812 2.7% 0.8% 3.5% N-204 Probable O/P 12,830,000 2.6% 0.7% 3.3% (Note the above information is presented solely to provide a historical frame of reference and as a guide to future exploration. The Company has not yet completed the work necessary to verify the past exploration results and no "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101 has done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Accordingly, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Further exploration will be required to assess and verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.) The property holds considerable potential to expand the life of the mine. As provided in the 2014 Report several of the remaining 32 deposits have historical grade and tonnage which make them potential additions to a long term mine plan. Below are five examples: Historical Estimates of Resources Deposit Category Type Tonnes Zinc Lead Combined Grade Grade Grade K-35 Indicated O/P 662,280 3.9 1.1 5.0% K-35 Inferred O/P 1,935,800 2.9% 1.1% 4.0% L-36 Indicated O/P 1,598,840 4.1% 1.5% 5.6% L-36 Inferred O/P 1,222,400 2.4% 0.8% 3.2% X-71 Indicated U/G 303,050 11.2% 7.1% 18.3% N-99 Inferred O/P 814,600 3.9% 1.2% 5.1% X-15 Inferred O/P 2,514,800 2.9% 0.9% 3.8% (Note the above information is presented solely to provide a historical frame of reference and as a guide to future exploration. The Company has not yet completed the work necessary to verify the past exploration results and no "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101 has done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Accordingly, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Further exploration will be required to assess and verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.) Also, despite the large amount of exploration done in the past, large portions of the property on the favorable trends, remain unexplored. A geophysical survey conducted by Tamerlane in 2005 outlined 36 untested anomalies, using EM and magnetic surveys, none of which have been drill tested (Tamerlane news release, September 8, 2005). Darnley Bay has retained the services of John Key, who has been managing the project for KSV, and is a former president and CEO of Tamerlane. A mining engineer, Mr. Key has held several senior management and executive positions, including the top position at the largest open pit zinc mine in the world during his 5 1/2 year tenure as General Manager of Red Dog Operations for Teck Cominco in Alaska. Mr. Key's numerous accomplishments during his time operating in the arctic environment at Red Dog are highlighted by two major mine expansion projects, which in aggregate required the oversight of a budget of some $300 million and increased the annual production rate from 500,000 tonnes of zinc concentrates to over 1 million tonnes of zinc concentrates. Mr. Key was also General Manager of Cominco's Polaris zinc mine in the Northwest Territories from 1993 to 1995. Darnley Bay looks forward to working with the various stakeholders in this project area to ensure that the project is mutually beneficial. The Company anticipates participating in an open public engagement process with the local communities, businesses, and interested citizens. Darnley Bay also wishes to work with local First Nations to address any concerns they may have, and to earn their trust and support. John Key, Mining Engineer and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information presented in this press release. Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that Darnley Bay expects are forward-looking statements. Although Darnley Bay believes the expectations expressed in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. These include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Darnley Bay, investors should review registered filings at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Jamie Levy President and CEO Telephone: (416) 567-2440 (416) 361-2515 (FAX) E-mail: jlevy@darnleybay.com Web site: www.darnleybay.com CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Veresen Inc. ("Veresen") (TSX: VSN) announces that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for October 2016 of $0.0833 per common share. The dividend will be paid on November 23, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 31, 2016. This dividend is designated an "eligible dividend" for Canadian income tax purposes. About Veresen Inc. Veresen is a publicly-traded dividend paying corporation based in Calgary, Alberta that owns and operates energy infrastructure assets across North America. Veresen is engaged in three principal businesses: a pipeline transportation business comprised of interests in the Alliance Pipeline, the Ruby Pipeline and the Alberta Ethane Gathering System; a midstream business which includes a partnership interest in Veresen Midstream Limited Partnership which owns assets in western Canada, and an ownership interest in Aux Sable which owns a world-class natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction facility near Chicago and other natural gas and NGL processing infrastructure; and a power business comprised of a portfolio of assets in Canada. Veresen is also working to advance Jordan Cove LNG, a six million tonne per annum natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be constructed in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. In the normal course of business, Veresen regularly evaluates and pursues acquisition and development opportunities. Veresen's Common Shares, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series A, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series C, and Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series E trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "VSN", "VSN.PR.A", "VSN.PR.C" and "VSN.PR.E", respectively. For further information, please visit www.vereseninc.com. Contacts: Veresen Inc. Mark Chyc-Cies Director, Corporate Planning & Investor Relations (403) 213-3633 investor-relations@vereseninc.com BELLEVUE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Esterline Technologies (NYSE: ESL) Members of the Investment Community, Esterline Technologies (NYSE: ESL) plans to announce financial results for its 4th quarter and fiscal 2016 on Thursday, November 10, 2016. Esterline will host a conference call featuring remarks by Curtis Reusser, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Bob George, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Following these remarks, there will be a question and answer session. The call is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) and will last approximately one hour. A news release announcing the earnings results will be issued at market close on the day of the call. To ensure that you are on the call when it begins, we suggest that you access the call approximately 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016 Start Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) U.S. Dial-In Number: 1-877-307-0078 Outside U.S. Dial-In Number: 1-531-289-2890 Passcode: 98000160 Conference Call Host: Julie Albrecht The conference call will be replayed for one week, starting approximately one hour after the call ends. For callers within the United States, the replay number is 1-855-859-2056. For callers outside the United States, the replay number is 1-404-537-3406. The passcode for both of these numbers is 98000160. A live webcast and replay of the conference call also will be available on the company website at www.esterline.com. If you have any questions, please call Investor Relations at Esterline Technologies at 425-519-1872. About Esterline: Esterline Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier to the aerospace and defense industry specializing in three core areas: Avionics & Controls, Sensors & Systems, and Advanced Materials. Operations within the Avionics & Controls segment focus on technology interface systems for commercial and military aircraft and similar devices for land- and sea-based military vehicles, cockpit displays and integration systems, flight training and simulation equipment, secure communications systems, specialized medical equipment, and other high-end industrial applications. The Sensors & Systems segment includes operations that produce high-precision temperature and pressure sensors, electrical power distribution equipment, harsh-environment connectors and other related systems principally for aerospace and defense customers. Operations within the Advanced Materials segment focus on technologies including high-temperature resistant materials and components used for a wide range of military and commercial aerospace purposes and combustible ordnance and electronic warfare countermeasure products. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- Corvus Gold Inc. ("Corvus" or the "Company") (TSX: KOR)(OTCQX: CORVF) announces that, at the 2016 AGM held October 20th in Vancouver, British Columbia, all resolutions put forward were approved by the shareholders. The following individuals were re-elected, by ballot, as directors of the Company: Steven Aaker, Anton Drescher, Catherine Gignac, Edward Yarrow, Rowland Perkins and the Company's CEO & President, Jeffrey Pontius. The detailed voting by ballot in respect of the election of directors was as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nominee Votes FOR Votes WITHHELD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steven Aaker 60,470,655 (99.63%) 223,006 (0.37%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anton Drescher 53,102,174 (87.49%) 7,591,487 (12.51%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catherine Gignac 60,467,805 (99.63%) 225,856 (0.37%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rowland Perkins 60,466,305 (99.63%) 227,356 (0.37%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeffrey Pontius 60,628,590 (99.89%) 65,071 (0.11%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edward Yarrow 60,475,155 (99.64%) 218,506 (0.36%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i)Shares represented by proxy but not voted: 9,066,180 shares ((i)Routine US broker-vote shares voted without beneficial owner instructions and therefore only eligible to vote for the appointment of auditors.) The detailed "Report of Voting Results" on all resolutions for the Company's 2016 AGM is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR, on the Company's website, in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission available under the Company's profile on EDGAR or upon request by contacting the Company's Corporate Secretary at (604) 638-3246. About Corvus Gold Inc. Corvus Gold Inc. is a North American gold exploration and development company, focused on its near-term gold-silver mining project at North Bullfrog, Nevada. In addition the Company controls a number of royalties on other North American exploration properties representing a spectrum of gold, silver and copper projects. Corvus is committed to building shareholder value through new discoveries and the expansion of those discoveries to maximize share price leverage in a recovering gold and silver market. On behalf of Corvus Gold Inc. Jeffrey A. Pontius, Chief Executive Officer & President Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the proposed use of the proceeds of the private placement by the Company are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. 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, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis filed with certain securities commissions in Canada and other information released by the Company and filed with the appropriate regulatory agencies. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. This news release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. Contacts: Corvus Gold Inc. Ryan Ko Investor Relations 1-844-638-3246 (toll free) or (604) 638-3246 (604) 408-7499 (FAX) info@corvusgold.com www.corvusgold.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 10/20/16 -- All amounts in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated Onex Corporation (TSX: OCX) will release its results for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 on November 11, 2016. A live broadcast of Onex' conference call to discuss the results will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on November 11, 2016. A link to the webcast and the 90-day on-line replay will be available under the shareholder section of Onex' website at www.onex.com. About Onex Onex is one of the oldest and most successful private equity firms. Through its Onex Partners and ONCAP private equity funds, Onex acquires and builds high-quality businesses in partnership with talented management teams. At Onex Credit, Onex manages and invests in leveraged loans, collateralized loan obligations and other credit securities. The Company has approximately $23 billion of assets under management, including $6 billion of Onex proprietary capital, in private equity and credit securities. With offices in Toronto, New York, New Jersey and London, Onex invests alongside its fund investors and is the largest limited partner in each of its private equity funds. Onex' businesses have assets of $36 billion, generate annual revenues of $23 billion and employ approximately 145,000 people worldwide. Onex shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the stock symbol OCX. For more information on Onex, visit its website at www.onex.com. The Company's security filings can also be accessed at www.sedar.com. This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management's current expectations and are subject to known and unknown uncertainties and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Onex is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein should material facts change due to new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: Onex Corporation Emilie Blouin Director, Investor Relations 416.362.7711 October 20, 2016 - Lundin Mining Corporation (TSX: LUN; OMX: LUMI) ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") announces that it has executed an amending agreement to its US$350 million revolving credit facility (the "Facility") that reduces the costs of borrowing and extends the term to June 2020, from October 2017. The amending agreement contains additional revisions, including amending certain mandatory prepayment clauses and provides for an increase in the leverage ratio for four quarters following a significant acquisition.Ms. Marie Inkster, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, commented, "We are grateful for the ongoing support of our lenders. This low-cost facility, combined with our favourable net debt position and cash flow from operations, offers Lundin Mining significant financial flexibility to pursue opportunities in the future".The Facility remains undrawn, other than a letter of credit issued in the amount of SEK 162 million ($18.8 million), and bears interest on US dollar denominated drawn funds at rates of LIBOR+2.5% to LIBOR+3.5%, depending upon the Company's leverage ratio.Scotiabank and ING Capital have acted as Lead Arrangers. The Bank of Nova Scotia continues as the Administrative Agent, ING Capital LLC as the Syndication Agent, and Bank of Montreal as the Documentation Agent, in the syndicate along with Export Development Canada, Bank of America, N.A., Societe Generale and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB.About Lundin MiningLundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the USA, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds an indirect 24% equity stake in the world-class Tenke Fungurume copper/cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland.On Behalf of the Board,Paul ConibearPresident and CEOThe information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Swedish Securities Market Act. This information was publicly communicated on October 20, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.For further information, please contact:Mark Turner Director, Business Valuations and Investor Relations +1-416-342-5565Sonia Tercas Senior Associate, Investor Relations +1-416-342-5583Robert Eriksson Investor Relations Sweden +46 8 545 015 50Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=590507 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 20, 2016) - TANQUERAY EXPLORATION LTD. (TSXV: TQY.H) ("Tanqueray") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a share exchange agreement dated October 20, 2016 (the "Definitive Agreement") with ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd. ("IPA") and the shareholders of IPA whereby Tanqueray has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of IPA (the "Transaction"). Tanqueray is currently listed on the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and, upon successful completion of the Transaction, will be a Tier 2 industrial issuer. About ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd. IPA was incorporated on May 9, 1995 under the laws of the province of British Columbia. IPA is a premier supplier of custom monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for a variety of species including rabbit, mice and rat for monoclonal hybridomas and for rabbit, rat, goat and sheep for polyclonal antibodies, custom peptide production services and cryopreservation services. Utilizing IPA's state of the art laboratory services, IPA supplies customized monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to customers worldwide. The target market for the IPA products and services are to academic, biotech and pharmaceutical industries. IPA is controlled by Katherine and Robert Beecroft. The following sets forth the selected annual financial information of IPA for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2016 and 2015. As at April 30, 2016 (audited) As at April 30, 2015 (audited) Total Assets 1,380,418 1,131,175 Total Liabilities 472,153 308,945 Net Income (Loss) 151,035 291,648 Terms and Conditions of Proposed Transaction On October 20, 2016, Tanqueray entered into the Definitive Agreement with IPA and the shareholders of IPA whereby Tanqueray has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of IPA. Under the terms of the Agreement, Tanqueray will (A) pay the principal shareholders $1,000,000 and (B) issue such number of shares to the shareholders of IPA such that they hold twenty five percent (25%) of the issued and outstanding shares of Tanqueray on closing of the Transaction and Financing (as defined below). Currently, Tanqueray anticipates that approximately 7,758,549 common shares of Tanqueray will be issued to the shareholders of IPA. In conjunction with closing of the Transaction, Tanqueray plans to change its name to "ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd." and the common shares of Tanqueray will be listed on the Exchange under a new trading symbol. Following closing of the Transaction and the Financing, Tanqueray anticipates that it will have approximately 31,034,198 common shares issued and outstanding. None of the Non-Arm's Length Parties to Tanqueray have any direct or indirect interest in IPA nor are they insiders of IPA. There is no relationship between or among the Non-Arm's Length Parties of Tanqueray and the Non-Arm's Length Parties of IPA. Non-Brokered Private Placement Financing In conjunction with closing the Transaction, Tanqueray will be completing a proposed private placement offering of 10,000,000 common shares of Tanqueray at a price of $0.30 per share for gross proceeds of $3,000,000 (the "Financing"). Subject to acceptance by the Exchange, Tanqueray may pay finders a fee in cash and/or warrants. The proceeds of the Financing will be used to fund the development and marketing of IPA's products and general working capital purposes. Conditions to Closing the Transaction The obligations of Tanqueray and IPA to complete the Transaction are subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions precedent including, but not limited to: (i) Exchange approval; (ii) the receipt of all necessary shareholder and board of director approvals; (iii) the completion of Financing; (iv) the absence of any material breach of the representations, warranties and covenants made by each party to the other; and (vii) other conditions which are customary for a transaction such as the Transaction. Proposed Directors and Officers of the Resulting Issuer On closing of the Transaction, Tanqueray anticipates the following persons will be directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer. Thomas D'Orazio, Chief Executive Officer and Director Thomas D'Orazio has served as Chief Executive Officer of IPA since August 28, 2016. Mr. D'Orazio is an experienced business executive with over 20 years in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries where he has a successful track record building teams to develop and implement strategic growth plans. Mr. D'Orazio has worked for notable industry companies such as such as Pfizer, Merck and QLT. Mr. D'Orazio is also an entrepreneur who has founded or co-founded multiple life-sciences related companies. Mr. D'Orazio has a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Loyola University of Chicago and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Robert Beecroft, President, Chief Technical Officer and Director Robert Beecroft is the President, former CEO and founder of IPA and has over 25 years experience in the development of innovative and proprietary methods for the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and peptides. Mr. Beecroft has a B.Sc in Microbiology from University of Victoria and has been involved in over 15 Research Projects over the course of the last 25 years and been an instructor for graduate students at the University of Victoria on the use and production of monoclonal antibodies for over 13 years. Natasha Tsai, Chief Financial Officer Ms. Tsai is a Chartered Professional Accountant with Malaspina Consultants Inc. Prior thereto, she was a senior accountant with Grant Thornton LLP. She has acted as CFO and/or controller of a number of listed companies, including Hello Pal International Inc. and Rockridge Capital Corp., and has corporate finance and listed company experience in a number of sectors. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Guy Champagne, Director Guy Champagne is an accomplished businessman and entrepreneur. Since August 2015, Mr. Champagne has served as a director of Seahawk Ventures. From January, 2014, actively involved involving the management and operation of a group of various privately-owned companies including: President of Aequitor Inc., Vice-President of Real Estate Webmasters Inc., Hardy Buoys Smoked Fish Inc., and Atlas Engineered Wood Products Inc. Mr. Champagne served as Managing Partner and Senior Partner of BDC Consulting between 2006 and 2013, retiring in December 2013. Mr. Champagne maintained designation as a Certified Management Consultant (Canadian Association of Certified Management Consultants) until 2016. During the late 1970's and 1980's and coincident with early success in business, he pursued education including the Canadian Securities Course, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators training program for the Chartered Business Valuator designation, and he has an Honours Mathematics degree from McGill University. Greg Smith, Director Greg Smith is a seasoned capital markets veteran who held senior positions in investment banking before recently transitioning to private equity with the acquisition of one of the largest HVAC companies in Western Canada. Mr. Smith also held the position of Portfolio Manager for Phillips, Hagar & North & Executive Director, Canadian Securitization Group, CIBC World Markets in Toronto for close to ten years. Mr. Smith, currently serves as President & Director of Broadway Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Co. Ltd. and Omega Mechanical Ltd. who collectively have over 150 employees. Mr. Smith earned an MBA from Dalhousie University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has served in advisory positions to multiple private and public ventures. He is currently serving as Chairman of Lite Access Technologies. Dr. James Kuo, Director Dr. James Kuo, MD, MBA is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Finnish biotechnology company FIT Biotech Ltd. James Kuo is an experienced biotech industry executive and investor, who brings a wealth of business and management experience to the company. During his impressive career, he has held executive positions in private as well as listed biotech companies in the US. His most recent assignments have been as a CEO with Biomicro Systems, Inc. and Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Prior to that, he was CEO of Discovery Laboratories, Inc. after having worked as Associate Director in corporate licensing and development at Pfizer Inc. James Kuo is presently Chairman of the Board at Athena Bioventures in La Jolla, CA. A physician by training, James Kuo got his MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In addition he holds a BA in Molecular Biology. Dawn Wattie, Corporate Secretary Dawn Wattie is a barrister and solicitor specializing in assisting companies involved in the advanced technology and the commercialization of intellectual property. Ms. Wattie holds a BA from University of Victoria and LLB from University of Windsor and was called to the BC Bar in 1989. Ms. Wattie has been in private practice since 1997. Ms. Wattie acted as corporate secretary for CB Gold Inc. from 2010 until 2015. Stock Options In conjunction with closing the Transaction, Tanqueray will grant 1,655,000 stock options to the officers, directors, employees and consultants of the Tanqueray. The options will be exercisable at a price of $0.30 per share, be subject to vesting provisions and be exercisable for a period of five years from the grant date. Sponsorship and Shareholder Approval Tanqueray will apply for a waiver of the requirement to engage a sponsor and obtain shareholder approval of the Transaction. Finder's Fee In conjunction with closing of the Transaction, Tanqueray will pay a finder's fee equal to 2.5% of the value of the acquisition by Tanqueray. About Tanqueray Tanqueray is a company continued under the laws of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). Tanqueray is listed on the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange and has been actively evaluating and seeking alternative business. For further information please contact: Tanqueray Exploration Ltd. Mark Wayne, President (403) 263-9055 Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Tanqueray cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Tanqueray's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Tanqueray's ability to complete the proposed Transaction; and other risks and uncertainties, including those to be described in the Filing Statement to be filed by Tanqueray on www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Tanqueray undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange Requirements, disinterested Shareholder approval. Where applicable, the transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Tanqueray should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. A halt in trading shall remain in place until after the Transaction is completed or such time that acceptable documentation is filed with the TSX Venture Exchange. 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. Contorion, a Berlin, Germany-based online industrial retailer, raised an additional funding as a part of a Series B round. In total, the company received a double digit million Euro sum in the round. Investment fund Endeit Capital, which joined kloeckner.v, the investment vehicle of Klockner & Co SE, and existing investors Project A Ventures and Bauer Venture Partners in July 2016. The company intends to use the funds for the continued expansion into new product groups, scale domestic sales and marketing activities, enhance customer segmentation and data analytics capabilities, as well as develop proprietary customer offers and other innovations. Launched in August 2014 by Tobias Tschotsch, Managing Director and co-founder, Contorion offers an online platform to sell maintenance, repair & operations (MRO) products to small and midsized manufacturing businesses and craftsmen. The assortment includes more than 300.000 industrial products in different categories, e.g. power & hand tools, work safety, fasteners and workshop equipment. The company is serving more than 150.000 customers in Germany and Austria and is employing about 100 team members. FinSMEs 20/10/2016 Vincross, a Beijing, China-based robotics startup company, raised $6m in Series A funding. The round was led by GGV Capital, with participation from ZhenFund. The company intends to use the funds for recruitment and R&D. Led by founder and CEO Sun Tianqi, Vincross is about to launch its first product, all-terrain robot HEXA, a six-legged robot-spider that can climb stairs in the market. It can walk, climb, and travel across rough terrain, which makes it suitable for scientific expeditions and can be also used in firefighting, rescue operations, and even Elon Musks Mars plan. Developers can create skills for HEXA using the SDK, which will be released soon, and sell their works in the companys Skill Store. At the beginning of 2015, The company raised $1m in angel funding from ZhenFund, which increased its stake in the latest round. Vincross also plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign for HEXA and start mass production later this year. FinSMEs 20/10/2016 New Delhi: 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. In a joint statement, Coca-Cola India said, "Salman Khan was committed to an existing relationship with a daily TV show, which this year happens to be sponsored by a brand that competes with the Coca-Cola India product portfolio." "In light of this, both parties have mutually decided not to renew the current contract," the joint statement by Salman Khan and the company said. A source said that the company is in talks with young star Ranveer Singh to replace Salman. The company's 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, the source said. "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. Trouble for Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil does not seem to be coming to an end. After MNS in Maharashtra, a BJP MLA T Raja Singh in Telangana has declared that he will stall the release of the film in the state. He has warned the managers of five cinema halls in Hyderabad to not screen the film starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in a cameo. In a letter written to theatre managers, Singh requests them to not screen the film in his constituency. He says, "As Pakistan terrorist and there army has killed some Brave soldiers of Our Indian Army and we don't want any anti India acted movie to be shown in our theatre's (sic)." Though the letter makes it sound like a gentle request, it is alleged that Singh also put out a video where he threatened theatre owners across Telangana of dire consequences if the film is released on their screens. Some theatres have decided to obey the ultimatum and not screen the film. According to Deccan Chronicle, N Sadanand Goud of Tarakarama theatre in Hyderabad has decided against screening the Karan Johar film and instead only screen Ajay Devgn's Shivaay, also releasing on 28 October. Singh said to The Times of India, "Except for the management of Inox, all others agreed not to screen the movie. If anyone screens the movie against public will, they will have to face the consequences." This is not the first time that the Goshamahal constituency MLA has indulged in this brand of politics. Earlier this year he released a video on Facebook praising the Gau Rakshaks who beat up Dalits in Una. He justified the assault and said, "Those Dalits who were taking the cow, the cow meat, those who were beaten, it was a very good thing to happen." However after Home Minister Rajnath Singh's assurance that the film will have a safe release across the country, one can hope that Raja Singh will not be able to indulge in any anti-social activities to disrupt the film's screening. In the light of the URI attacks, MNS and many other political groups have pledged, among many other things, not to screen Karan Johar's film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which stars Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan in a small but pivotal role. The fate of the film was further endangered when cinema owners pledged not to screen the film or any other film starring Pakistani artistes. In light of this current situation, here's a look at some previous films that were stalled or banned because of the political nature of their contents: Sikkim (1971) Satyajit Ray's documentary Sikkim was never allowed to air until September 2010. The film was commissioned by the Chogyal (King) of Sikkim at a time when he felt the sovereignty of Sikkim was under threat from both China and India. After Sikkim merged with India in 1975, the documentary was banned by Indian censor boards because the government feared a revolt in Sikkim because it showed the king in a positive light. Now it is freely available on Youtube. Garam Hawa (1973) This is a classic political drama that narrated the story of a Muslim family and difficulties they faced post the partition of India. Since the subject was sensitive, the censors feared communal outbreak. The film was put on embargo for 8 months; however, post its release it went on to become a critically acclaimed film. Aandhi (1975) Gulzar's film was a hotbed of controversies because it was based on the real life and times of Indira Gandhi. The film explored a woman politician's life and political reign, but as with all things Bollywood, has a romantic angle to it. It was banned because of the controversy it might create within Gandhi's group of supporters. Black Friday (2004) Adapted very 'loosely' from Black Friday - The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts by S Hussain Zaidi; Anurag Kashyap's film documents the 1993 Bombay blasts case. The faced a stay order from Bombay High Court, who filed a stay order because of the 1993 Bombay blasts case and remained slated-to-release until the trial got over. Parzania (2005) Anything relating to the Gujarat riots in 2002 has been deemed a touchy topic for the government by default. The synopsis of the film, as given by IMDB is as follows: A parsi family struggles to find thier son in a genocide carried out by vested interests outfits during 2002, commonly known as Gujarat riots, where more than 2000 Muslims died in the Indian state of Gujarat. The film has been completely banned in Gujarat and received limited releases in film festivals where critics lauded the performances of Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika; and praised Rahul Dholakia's storytelling abilities. New Delhi: Acknowledging that India's manufacturing sector is in "trouble", Union Minister Anant Geete today exhorted companies to counter the challenge posed by the growing Chinese clout by selling products at globally competitive prices. "India's manufacturing sector is in trouble for last many years. In the era of globalisation, competing in international markets has become a challenge for the country's private as well as state-owned firms," the Union heavy industries minister said at an Assocham conference. "If we fail to compete globally, we will get isolated. We have to compete with China, which has occupied a dominant place in markets worldwide. We need to accept this challenge." The Nikkei Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) -- a gauge of manufacturing performance -- fell to 52.1 in September from 52.6 in August, indicating that growth in the sector lost some momentum. "It is the government's responsibility to safeguard the interests of the country's private and public sector firms. We have to sell products in global markets at competitive prices," Geete said. Citing the example of India's steel industry, the minister said it had been facing problems for the last 2-3 years and a minimum import price (MIP) for steel had to be ascertained as finished goods from China started coming in at a price at par with India's raw material cost. The government had in February fixed an MIP of up to USD 752 per tonne on certain steel products to protect domestic players from cheap imports. In August, it extended the MIP on 66 steel products for two months as against 173 items earlier. There will be no strategic sale in any company (which falls under the department of heavy industry) during the current financial year. The government is taking all factors into account while taking a decision on strategic sale of a firm. The Cabinet in September cleared strategic disinvestment of Allahabad-based Bharat Pumps and Compressors Limited. It is the first PSU to be put up for strategic sale by the Narendra Modi government, setting in motion the process for privatisation of the PSU. Strategic disinvestment denotes sale of substantial portion of government shareholding in identified central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), up to 50 per cent or more, along with transfer of management control. The Centre has set a target of Rs 20,500 crore from strategic sale in loss-making and sick PSUs this fiscal. However, according to officials, it is unlikely that even the process of majority stake sale in Bharat Pumps will be completed in the current financial year. New Delhi: The steel ministry Thursday said it is not looking for a partner in the state-owned NMDC's 3-mtpa steel plant at Nagarnar for which the government is lining up around Rs 15,525 crore. Asked if the government is looking for a partner for the Nagarnar steel plant, Steel Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh told reporters here: "No, not at all." He further said: "But I feel that if something is there, it should be made operational at the earliest possible. I told them (NMDC) that you have the resources and this is a PSU where they are comfortable... I think NMDC has invested over Rs 12,000 crore in the plant." The country's largest iron ore miner, NMDC, is setting up a 3-mtpa integrated steel plant in Nagarnar in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. In June this year, an environment ministry panel gave clearance to a captive iron ore mine in Bastar for the plant. The plant is expected to start trial production by mid-2017. The Bailadila Deposit-4, which has mineable iron ore of around 108 mt, will entail an investment of around Rs 1,900 crore. The Chhattisgarh government and NMDC have inked an MoU for a slurry pipeline from Bailadila to Nagarnar, along with ore processing plants at Bailadila and a 2-mtpa pellet plant at Nagarnar with an investment of Rs 4,000 crore. By Joshua Franklin and Oliver Hirt | BERN BERN Switzerland urged U.S. officials to consider the global importance of UBS and Credit Suisse in a recent meeting ahead of potential fines for Switzerland's two big banks over claims they mis-sold mortgage-backed securities, a top Swiss diplomat said.Like with German rival Deutsche Bank, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into whether UBS and Credit Suisse mis-sold residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) in the run-up to the 2007-09 financial crisis.News broke last month the DOJ had demanded a $14 billion fine from Deutsche, far more than analysts had expected and raising fears UBS and Credit Suisse could also face stiffer penalties. Deutsche has said it will fight the size of the DOJ fine.In a meeting this month with representatives from U.S. regulators, the Federal Reserve and the banking sector, Joerg Gasser pointed out the significance of UBS and Credit Suisse to the banking system. "I emphasised to the officials the importance of the Swiss financial centre for the global financial architecture and the systemic relevance of both big Swiss banks and their international importance for financial stability," Gasser, head of the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, a branch of the finance ministry, told Reuters on Thursday.Moves by the Swiss government on behalf of its banks in the RMBS case follow steps by the German government to help Deutsche secure a swift settlement, according to sources in Berlin. Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer said it was looking increasingly unlikely there would be a resolution in the Swiss banks' RMBS cases, as well other legal issues facing Swiss institutions, before the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election. "We had once hoped that these things would be dealt with before the election," Maurer told Reuters. "But now we do not have the impression there is a lot of eagerness for this."Just prior to news of the possible $14 billion Deutsche fine in September, JP Morgan analysts estimated UBS and Credit Suisse faced fines of around $2 billion each. Credit Suisse's litigation provisions at the end of 2015 totalled 1.605 billion Swiss francs ($1.6 billion). As of the end of June, UBS had set aside $988 million in litigation provisions for the RMBS case.Earlier this month a French parliamentary report said Europe should challenge the United States over its increasingly aggressive use of extraterritorial laws that have cost European companies - especially banks - billions in fines and other settlements.France's biggest bank BNP Paribas had to pay a $9 billion fine to U.S. authorities over violations of American sanctions against other countries. The French government has criticised in recent years what it considers the over-reach of the U.S. legal system. ($1 = 0.9927 Swiss francs) (Editing by Alexandra Hudson) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) reported adjusted revenue and profit that blew past analysts' estimates on Thursday, as soaring sales from its cloud business pushed the technology giant's shares to an all-time high.Microsoft's shares rose 5.8 percent to $60.59 in after-hours trading.The Redmond, Washington-based company said revenue from its flagship cloud product Azure, which businesses can use to host their websites, apps or data, rose 116 percent."Theres a huge runway for them to show growth," said Trip Chowdhry, managing director of Global Equities Research, noting the market for cloud services will be controlled almost entirely by Microsoft and larger rival Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O).Revenue from Microsoft's overall "Intelligent Cloud" business, which sells computer services and storage to corporate customers, rose 8.3 percent to $6.38 billion.This beat analysts' average estimate of $6.27 billion, according to research firm FactSet StreetAccount. Cross Research analyst Shannon Cross said, "Microsoft is uniquely positioned for the hybrid cloud world... because they can move (from the) data centre all the way up into the public cloud with Azure."Under Chief Executive Satya Nadella, Microsoft has been focusing on cloud services and mobile applications as growth slows in its traditional software business.Nadella orchestrated Microsoft's biggest-ever deal, reaching an agreement in June to buy LinkedIn Corp (LNKD.N) for $26.2 billion. Worldwide PC shipments fell 3.9 percent in the quarter ended Sept. 30, according to research firm IDC, although that was much less than the 7.1 percent it had previously estimated.Revenue in the unit that includes Windows software and the company's struggling mobile business fell 1.8 percent to $9.29 billion. Net income fell to $4.69 billion, or 60 cents per share, from $4.90 billion, or 61 cents per share, a year earlier. (bit.ly/2eW79l4)Excluding items, Microsoft earned 76 cents per share, beating analysts' average estimate of 68 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.On an adjusted basis, Microsoft reported revenue of $22.33 billion, above the average estimate of $21.71 billion. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Don Sebastian, Bernard Orr) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Suspected cases of Avian influenza at the Delhi zoo prompted authorities to shut down its premises on Wednesday. "The zoo has been shut down until further notice. We have sent samples of a couple of dead ducks to Jalandhar and Mathura. We are awaiting the report," PTI quoted a zoo official as saying. According to a report in The Times of India, at least 10 birds have died since Friday (14 October) at the zoo, out of which three tested positive for bird flu. The National Zoological Park has been battling with a spate of animal deaths since earlier this year. The zoo houses around 40 pelicans and 20 ducks. Sources told PTI that around eight water birds and a few ducks and pelicans were reported to have been affected by bird flu last week. The zoo official claimed that the influenza will not affect humans and the shutting down of zoo premises was only a precautionary measure. Bird flu affects mainly the domestic poultry. The disease spreads from infected birds to other winged creatures through contact with nasal and respiratory secretions and also due to contamination of feed and water. But the official WHO website says that bird flu can cause subclinical infections in humans. The virus A(H5N1) has a higher fatality rate as compared to seasonal influenza and may cause fever, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chest pain, respiratory distress, sore throat and sometimes even death. The primary risk for human beings lies in exposure through bird markets. However, there is no evidence that the virus can transfer through poultry or eggs. According to India Today, the Delhi rural development minister Gopal Rai said that the situation was not very serious as the virus had affected only migratory birds. In a statement, the Centre had also emphasised the need for "continued surveillance especially in the vulnerable areas bordering infected countries and in areas visited by migratory birds". The India Today report also alleged irresponsibility from the part of the zoo officials. The report claims that workers from the veterinary department and animal section did not use gloves or face masks when handling dead birds. Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi also blamed the Delhi zoo director for negligence. Meanwhile, the report in The Times of India quoted Rai as saying that six rapid response teams reached Ghazipur chicken wholesale market and a few other birding sites in the city where they conducted inspections. Birding sites are being sanitised. The Indian Express report said authorities have raised an alert in six points in Delhi frequented by migratory birds Ghazipur murga mandi, Nizamuddin poultry market, Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Najafgarh drain and Delhi zoo. The Delhi government has launched a helpline number 23890318 on which citizens can inform the animal husbandry department about suspicious bird deaths. Rai and his department will interact with a Maharashtra team that handled the 2008 Bird flu outbreak, allegedly the biggest outbreak seen by the country. These cases come nearly a month after India declared itself free from the highly contagious avian influenza (H5N1) or bird flu, saying there had been no reports of an outbreak since May when more than 100,000 chickens were ordered to be culled in southern Karnataka state. With inputs from agencies Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the state and central governments on a PIL challenging the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) for increasing annual income limit for OBCs from Rs six lakh to Rs 12 lakh to avail quota benefits. A Division Bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice VM Pancholi also issued notices to NCBC on a petition by one Manibhai Patel who said the Commission's recommendation to include candidates with family income of Rs 12 lakh in urban areas and Rs 9 lakh in rural areas for availing quotas will affect benficiaries with lower family income. A candidate with Rs 1 lakh per month family income should not be given the benefit of reservation as this will adversely affect poorer candidates, he contended. In 2015, NCBC had recommended that the family income limit be raised to Rs 12 lakh for urban and Rs 9 lakh for rural OBC candidates seeking quota benefits in jobs and education. The NCBC has been revising annual family income slab limit for the creamy layer among OBCs at regular intervals, the PIL said. In 1993, OCBC candidates with family income limit of up to Rs 1 lakh could avail the quota benefits, which was revised upwards to Rs 2.5 lakh in 2004 and Rs 4.5 lakh in 2008, it said. In 2006, it was further revised upwards to Rs 6 lakh, it said. A massive fire has engulfed the country's largest paper mill, Khanna Paper Mill in Punjab, around 1pm today putting the entire 100-acre facility under flames. No casualties have been reported so far. Around 40 fire tenders are struggling to douse the fire. The army has been called in to help. The mill had 70,000 tonnes of newsprint, which is highly inflammable, when the fire started. The loss could be to the tune of Rs 250 crore, a NDTV report said. The mill came into limelight recently for exporting newsprint to Pakistan via the Wagah border. Fire officials said it may take two to three days to put out the fire completely. Is China launching a proxy war against India like Pakistan? This is a new question that has arisen after a leaked IB report stated that militant group United Liberation Front Of Assam (Ulfa) commander-in-chief, Paresh Barua, who is based in China, is planning to attack security forces along the north eastern border of India. The report published in Asomiya Pratidin, the largest circulated regional daily in the North East, says that the United National Liberation Front of West South East Asia, a conglomerate of militant organisations, has informed the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI that it is going to attack Indian security forces from six points along the border. The report also states that Ulfa is facing financial crunch, and is planning to kidnap two BJP MLAs, two IPS officers and four businessmen in Assam to meet its requirements. It said that Ulfa has set a target of Rs 50 crores to be made via kidnappings and extortions. All of this has raised questions on whether or not China is backing subversive attacks by terrorist groups in the north eastern frontier similar to what Pakistan has been doing in Kashmir. As per the report Ulfa and Nationalist Socialist Council Of Nagaland Khaplang (NSCN-K) may attack the Indian security forces along the Indo-Sino border in Arunachal Pradesh, whereas Ulfa, Peoples Liberation Army of Manipur (PLAM) and NSCN-K may carry subversive attacks along the India-Myanmar border in Manipur. The Ulfa, Garo National Liberation Army of Meghalaya (GNLAM) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland S (NDFB-S) may attack the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya while Ulfa, NDFB(S) and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) may attack security forces deployed in the Indo-Bangla and Indo-Bhutan border in Assam. The All Tripura Tiger Force and PLA may attack along the Indo-Bangla border in Tripura. Indias relationship with China has not been very different from that with Pakistan. And there have been allegations that the Communist country has been supporting terrorism in the North East for a long time. GM Srivastava, an expert on terrorism in North East, told Firstpost that Paresh Barua, commander in chief, Ulfa received his arms training in China in the mid '80s. Barua, who was earlier based in Bangladesh, now moves between Yunnan Province of China and the thick forests of Myanmar. Indian agencies suspect that terrorist camps based in the forests in Kachin, Myanmar, get support from China especially since the Myanmar government has hardly any control over this region. On the other hand, Chinese agencies share a cosy relationship with Kachin based terrorist groups. Last year nine terrorist groups in the North East formed a platform named United National Liberation Front of West South East Asia, and it is alleged that Chinese agencies had a role to play in the formation of the group. India has a century old border dispute with China, like it has with Pakistan. China has been claiming that India has occupied 90,000 square kilometers of its territory, and sees Arunachal Pradesh as a part of South Tibet. The Indo-Sino border dispute has been a concern for both the sides since 1914 when the Radcliffe line was drawn to define the frontiers. China had border disputes with 20 other countries and most of them have been resolved through dialogues even though China ended up losing more than 50% of its claimed territory, but repeated talks between India and China have yielded no results. The year 1962 saw the Indo-Sino war where Chinese troops entered the Indian territory as deep as Tezpur in Assam. However, experts say that similar incursions are less likely to take place in the near future given the fact that both countries are ridden with internal security issues. And given Chinas compulsion to refrain from war imposed by Tibetan separatists, it is not unlikely to indulge in a shadow war with India as a strategic pressure tactic, and that too at a time when the Kashmir issue has placed both the nations in opposite poles. While sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs admit that such IB report exists, sources in Border Security Force say that it has not received any input about possible subversive attacks by militant groups. 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. On Tuesday, 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 16 October, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice along LoC in Naushera and Rajouri sectors in which one jawan was martyred. In the fight between communist kutte and sanghi goons JNU is being haunted by a spectre: the intellectual edifice of this great institution seems to be crumbling. In the badlands of some of the north Indian states, where university campuses and hostels double as the dens for aspiring mafias and politicians; their dark corridors are lit by the tales of point-blank shootings and intense rivalries between two or more contending groups. JNU (which is majorly populated by the students of the same states), however, was always a campus where battles were fought on ideological turf, though with similar intensity. The curious case of Najeeb Ahmed, a student of MSc, who has been missing since 11 am on 15 October after an alleged altercation with students belonging to the ABVP at the Mahi-Mandavi hostel and the protest that followed, is indicative of all that has gone wrong with the campus. The incident is indicative of two things: (1) an impending tragedy which can completely transform the narrative of the campus if the allegations of kidnapping and physical harm to Ahmed by ABVP 'goons' come out to be true, (2) the convenient double standards of Left establishment in the campus and further decline of Right discourse represented by ABVP. In the first case, any mishap to the missing student and any proved culpability of ABVP coming to light, JNU would easily slip in the list of the universities where muscle power rules the roast. While this outcome will be ascertained in future, the second indication is reflective of a problem no less serious. Najeeb Ahmed is missing for six days which is a matter of utmost concern. But some of the demands made by the Left parties only reflect their double standards. Protesting students are demanding immediate action against the accused students who allegedly assaulted and kidnapped' Ahmed. According to a Times of India report Chintamani Mahapatra, rector -1, commenting upon the demand of making the students who allegedly assaulted Ahmed out of bound from hostels, said: "How can we take such as decision until the investigation is completed. We are expediting the process. In the first warden meeting Ahmed himself admitted that he assaulted and a decision was taken against him. But no action was taken and the second meeting deferred the decision. So there is a due process which needs to be followed for everything. Otherwise how can the administration run?" The reason provided by the rector holds ground. Just a few months ago, in the wake of then JNU Student Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar arrest and the large scale protest that ensued, high-level inquiry committee was formed to investigate the 9 February incident when allegedly anti-India slogans were raised. The inquiry committee recommended the rustication of Anirban Bhattacharya and Umar Khalid for a certain period and also imposed fine on some students including JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar. The committees findings and the decision were out rightly rejected by the Left parties as it was seen unfair and arbitrary. Protesting students then did not have any faith in the JNU administration. As reported by The Indian Express, Kanhaiya Kumar had said, We have rejected the so-called high-level enquiry committee right from the day it was set up as an undemocratic and biased one so there is no point accepting the punishment meted out to us on basis of its findings. Within six months the same authorities are being pressurised to punish some students without a proper investigation in the case. There seems to be a sudden emergence of faith in the JNU administration. Taking note of the protests, home minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday asked Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma for a detailed report on the issue. This will surely speed up the search operation of the missing student. But amid all this, the method of the protest by students is being criticised by many, including the JNU Teachers' Association. Now consider this: As reported by The Times of India, ABVP Delhi joint secretary and student at School of International Studies, Ravi Ranjan Chaudhary, when asked about the incident reportedly said that the hostel committee elections are on and four of their member had gone to Najeeb's room to campaign in Mahi hostel. He added that One of them, Vikrant, a third year BA student at School of Languages, had a red thread around his wrist. When Najeeb opened the door, he asked Vikrant why he was wearing the thread. He then slapped Vikrant without waiting for him to answer. This explanation given by Chaudhary is widely circulated in the university campus and have given the entire incident a communal hue. While talking to students, the plausibility of this claim becomes doubtful. It looks more like a hearsay spread by certain students, which is being established as truth by its constant repetition. While most of the protesting students and Left parties are trying to avoid communalising the issue, the communal angel is still being projected by certain students. On 16 October in a Facebook post about the incident, Anirban Bhattacharya's, who was one of the accused in 9 February incident said, Najeeb was beaten up by a group of sanghi goons around Friday midnight" and also stated that someone has written on a table in the guest room of the hostel that "Muslims are terrorists'. While ideological differences that result in fierce debates has been the norm of the JNU campus, the current allegations of criminal assault and communal profiling and targeting is something that has never come out in open, even if we assume that it had always existed silently at a subterranean level. However, what is bewildering and worrying for those who cherish any links with JNU is the fear of the university being branded as hub of criminals and communalist, after being tagged as anti-national. New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, where a section of students has been staging protest alleging inaction by authorities in the case. Singh called up the Commissioner of Delhi Police and gave the instruction to set up the special team to find the missing student, a Home Ministry official said. The student, Najeeb Ahmed, went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus the night before. Agitating JNU students have confined the Vice Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar, and about 12 other officials in the university's administrative building since Wednesday afternoon though students and media persons have been able to access it. Coming down heavily on protesting students, the VC warned of action against them. He said that several rounds of talks were held with the students to convince them regarding the sincerity of the university to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their "illegal" activity. "If all our efforts fail, if we continue to be confined like this and if we are prevented from doing our duty, we will have no other option but take suitable action. There is an important academic council meeting at 2:30 pm, and we have to leave this venue and go to another venue at around 2:15 pm," the VC told reporters this morning. Rejecting allegations of inaction, Kumar on Thursday said they had written to the police about the missing student and an inquiry by the university will be expedited and the "guilty" will be punished. Police have announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for anyone who can provide information about JNU student Najeeb's whereabouts. A public advertisement has also been issued in this regard, police said. New Delhi: JNU students angry over a student who went missing six days ago on Thursday continued their siege of Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, who has refrained from calling the police. Hundreds of students belonging to almost all student groups barring the ABVP laid siege to the administrative block at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), accusing Kumar of taking a negative attitude. Kumar, the Proctor, the Registrar and some other officials were forced to spend the night inside the building, student activists told IANS. "We are continuing the protest but have allowed other junior employees to move freely and carry on with their work," Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) President Bhupali Magare told IANS. The JNU has been in ferment ever since an undergraduate science student, Najeeb Ahmed, went missing on the night of 14 October, reportedly after a brawl with a few members of the ABVP. Police have been told that Ahmed may have been kidnapped or may be in illegal confinement. The students deny they have gheraoed the Vice Chancellor but he insists that he and other officials have been confined to the building. Reporters, however, have access to Kumar. Magare said the Vice Chancellor was not responding to their demands and had displayed a negative attitude. She said a few students from the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) went to meet Kumar around midnight on Wednesday but he immediately asked the security to video the discussion. "We walked out after that. He is dealing with the issue in a very negative manner," she said. The Vice Chancellor appealed to the students on Wednesday night to end the siege and discuss their concerns. On Thursday, Kumar again appealed to the students to end the siege and let him and other officials function freely. He said the university had already met with their demands. "They asked for a police complaint, which has been filed. Moreover, a proctorial inquiry has been initiated by the varsity," he said. He rubbished claims that the students had offered him and the other officials food during confinement. "We were not sent any food. We slept on the floor." Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday summoned beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya to appear before it on 24 November for allegedly violating an undertaking given by him and his companies not to transfer their equity shares in United Breweries to Diageo Plc. A division bench comprising justices Jayant Patel and Aravind Kumar gave the direction on petitions by a consortium of banks. The banks have accused Mallya of violating the undertaking given by him and his companies, including Kingfisher Airlines, not to transfer their equity shares in United Breweries Holdings Limited (UBHL) after Debt Recovery Tribunal had restrained Standard Chartered Bank, with which the shares had been pledged, from handing over the same to Diageo Plc. The DRT, in its order last year, had restrained Standard Chartered Bank from transferring to Diageo Plc or anyone else, the equity shares of United Breweries Holding Limited (UBHL) pledged by Mallya and his son Siddharth with the bank. In their pleas, the banks alleged that despite the earlier order by DRT, Standard Chartered Bank was in the process of transferring to Diageo Plc the equity shares. Diageo Plc, the world's largest spirits maker, which acquired control of United Spirits (USL) in 2012, had issued a guarantee to Standard Chartered Bank for a $135 million (around Rs 877 crore) loan to Watson Limited, a firm affiliated to Mallya, to release certain UBHL shares that were to be acquired as part of the deal. The company, in a statement earlier, had said the risk had arisen due to default by Watson in May and DRT preventing sale or any other transfer of such UBHL shares in June as part of the enforcement process pending further orders following the petition by bankers. The banks had also said that the very pledging of the shares by Mallya was illegal. Mallya, whose now-defunct group company Kingfisher Airlines owes over Rs 9,000 crore to 17 banks, had left the country on 2 March and is in the UK. He 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. Sivakasi : As many as eight people, including six women, were killed in a fire cracker mishap at the fireworks hub of Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district on Thursday. The mishap, which occurred when a fire broke out while crackers were being offloaded from a vehicle to a shop, comes days ahead of Diwali festival when fireworks units in the district are abuzz with activity to cater to the countrywide demand for crackers. "A total of eight people were killed and six of them were women," a senior police official told PTI in Sivakasi. Virudhunagar District Collector A Sivagnanam said a total of 22 persons were affected, of whom eight died. "The deaths occurred due to suffocation as result of excess fumes and not because of any blast," he said, adding those affected by smoke inhalation were admitted to a government hospital and a nearby private hospital. Some were also referred to Madurai hospitals for being administered with "breathing facility", he said. The incident occurred when a fire broke out while crackers were being offloaded from a van to a cracker shop, resulting in its spreading and affecting a nearby scan centre also. It also damaged parked vehicles, including two-wheelers, police said. They said the fire was caused due to mishandling of the consignment of crackers while being offloaded by the employees and that the fire had been brought under control by Fire and Rescue services. Describing it as an 'unfortunate accident', Sivagnanam asserted that the administration has been carrying out safety drills in the district, about 500 km from Chennai, to prevent any such mishaps. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, US-based lawyer C Edmonds Allen has reportedly claimed that BJP parliamentarian Varun Gandhi was honey trapped and leaked significant information about defence matters to arms manufacturers. The letter is also marked to the defence minister and the national security advisor to help them identify members who might have compromised on sensitive information. Gandhi was forced to compromise with the information after being blackmailed with pictures of him with foreign escorts and prostitutes, NDTV reported. The complaint is dated 16 September and alleges that arms dealer Abhishek Verma used Gandhi to disclose defence details to arms manufacturers looking to score contracts for India. Gandhi used to be a member of the high-profile Defence Consultative Committee. While speaking to India Today, Gandhi denied having a conversation with Verma since he joined politics and said, I know Abhishek Verma. His parents were Rajya Sabha MPs from the Congress. I even attended his wedding when I was young. But I have had no interaction with Abhishek Verma ever since I came into public life. He also commented on Allens letter and said that the lawyer does not have a shred of evidence to back his charges. Members of the Defence Committee do not have access to any sensitive information, he said while denying all charges levied against him. This was corroborated with statements by senior leaders in BJP carried by The Economic Times. They reiterated that documents or information of classified nature are not usually shared with members of the parliamentary committee. Allen has also provided a CD with several photographs to the PMO. The report also quoted Gandhi as saying that the charges are too ridiculous to comment on. Nevertheless, he also talked to NDTV as well and said that the allegations might be intended at preventing a role for him in the Uttar Pradesh election. According to reports, he is a favoured candidate for BJPs chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh. He said that he had only met Verma while studying in London to ANI. He also said that he will file a demation lawsuit against Prashant Bhushan. I met Abhishek Verma when I used to study in London at the age of 22; haven't met him since: Varun Gandhi on arms deal allegation ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Prashant Bhushan's allegations are baseless; will file a defamation lawsuit against him: Varun Gandhi ANI (@ANI_news) October 20, 2016 Interestingly, ex-AAP members and leaders of Swaraj Abhiyaan, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, alleged on Thursday that PMO was aware of the leak but took no action. They also said that despite having the information, the government of India went ahead and signed Rs 58,000 crore deal for procurement of 36 Rafale Aircrafts. Allen had earlier also provided evidence against Verma in several cases after their partnership fell through in 2012. Verma was arrested in the navy war room leak for trying to bribe defence officials but granted bail in 2008. Is Rita Bahuguna Joshi a big catch for the BJP? Not many familiar with Uttar Pradesh politics would say she is. Despite her rather impressive CV daughter of former chief minister late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna; state Congress president from 2007-2012; a long stint as president of All India Mahila Congress; the partys only prominent Brahmin face etc she is hardly considered a leader of great substance in a state full of political heavyweights. Perhaps it had to do a lot with the party she belonged to. All her sincere efforts could not have lifted the down in the dumps Congress from being the number four party in the politically critical state. Perhaps it had to do with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi who never allowed her the free hand she wanted to revive the party. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that the real political base of the Bahuguna family remained in Uttarakhand; in a divided UP the chances of her success was limited. Whatever the reason, despite the length of her career she never elevated herself to the club of political biggies. That is the reason the Congress had to import Sheila Dikshit from Delhi when it decided to focus on Brahmin votes. Rita was a Brahmin face alright but she did not pack the punch. In fact, Dikshits entry in the scene is believed to have pushed her to a position of irrelevance in the party, one of the reasons she decided to quit. Her switching loyalty may not be a big loss to the Congress or a big advantage for the BJP in electoral terms in the poll-bound state. But in the election season, perception matters more than substance. Her exit would send out the impression that things are going bad for the Congress and the BJP is the natural destination for leaders looking for political longevity. Her parting kick was sharp and clever. Like several leaders of the Congress who have left the party, she was guarded in her criticism of party president Sonia Gandhi and aggressive on Rahul. Since she was joining the BJP whats better than raking up the khoon ki dalali remark of the Congress vice-president. Coming from a leader who has served the party for more than two decades, it would carry certain heft during campaigning. It would also provide her a halo of patriotism, and maybe an assembly ticket of her choice. The BJP is likely to use her as a counterweight to Sheila Dikshit in its bid to blunt the Brahmin initiative of the Congress. Rita, sources say, did not have a comfortable relationship with Prashant Kishor, the Congresss poll strategist. In fact, several leaders of the old guard are unhappy with the prominence given to Kishor by Rahul Gandhi. She said partys election strategy being handed over to such managers reflected poorly on the leadership of the party. She also said old party hands with grassroots connect were being ignored in the partys election strategy. It is another matter that such leaders have failed to revive the party and deliver in elections despite being given a long rope by the leadership. A few other leaders may follow her to the BJP, but it makes little sense how the party is going to benefit from deadwood of a decaying Congress. As a psychological blow, it might hurt Congress a bit but it may also allow space for it to groom new leaders with more energy. It wont miss Rita Bahuguna Joshi much. Rita Bahuguna Joshi considered one of the most prominent faces in the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh till this morning is now a BJP member. On Wednesday afternoon, at 3 pm to be precise, she drove to the BJP headquarters 11 Ashoka Road to join the ruling BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah and other senior leaders. Her move, switching over from the Congress to the BJP is yet another pointer to the failure of Rahul Gandhi's leadership in Congress. Her exit, which is another one that the Congress suffered in the last couple of years, is essentially a food for thought for Rahul Gandhi as to why such important and popularly known faces are deserting the party and questioning his leadership. More so the list of leaders leaving the party raising questions on his style of functioning and his public utterances is getting longer and longer. At another level, Rita's entry into the ruling party at the Centre is yet another indicator that the BJP continues to be the biggest political magnet. A number of political leaders who have recently joined the party believe that it has realistic chances of coming to power in the February-March 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Following the surgical strikes by the Indian Army across the Line of Control on 29 September, she was all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. It's no brainer that her words and action obviously rattled her erstwhile party Congress. The Congress had its guns blazing against Rita Bahuguna Joshi and her family, completely unmindful of the fact that her father Hemwanti Nandan Bahuguna had been one of the most revered leaders in Indian political history and even today people of older generation hold him and his family in high esteem. Bahuguna senior and Kamlapati Tripathi had in fact been two of the tallest Brahmin leaders in Hindi heartland. Rita Bahuguna Joshi is a "traitor", thundered current Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar. "Betrayal has been a history of Rita Bahuguna and her family. Even her brother left the Congress and went to BJP," he said. He used the word dagabaj (traitor) repeatedly hoping that multiple uses of the term to describe her and the BJP would have the desired effect on the Congress supporters in Uttar Pradesh. It's ironic that "Rita a traitor" charge came from Raj Babbar. While making this rather piercing charge, he would have thought that public memory is short and people of would have conveniently forgotten his own political past. Babbar had joined politics in Janata Dal under VP Singh in 1989 but found virtues in Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party when the latter splintered. Babbar got name and fame and prominence after getting elected to Lok Sabha twice and also a Rajya Sabha term from the Samajwadi Party. But later he joined the Congress when it was ruling at the Centre and became an MP from the party, first in Lok Sabha and then in Rajya Sabha. In the 2014 parliamentary polls, he earned the dubious distinction of losing an election as Congress candidate to BJP's VK Singh from Ghaziabad with a huge margin of over 5.50 lakh votes. This, in fact, is the highest ever defeat margin since democracy came into play in India. He, however, draws his strength from his proximity to Rahul Gandhi and as such nothing succeeded for him as much his historic defeat. It is important to note what Rita said against Rahul while joining the BJP: "I was very upset over the Congress party's response on surgical strike and Rahul Gandhi's khoon ki dalali remarks...I have served the Congress for 24 years but I feel it has lost reputation. I have also resigned as an MLA from Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi's leadership is not acceptable to people. With Rahul at the helm, nobody listens to us. He has anyways outsourced the entire party to Prashant Kishor overnight." This writer had earlier noted that it is true that Rita does not have a mass base but the fact remains that she is still the most prominent face of the two dozen-odd Congress leaders who had won in the previous Assembly elections in 2012. In the upcoming elections in February-March 2017, she will face a formidable challenge from Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law, Aparna Yadav. The prospects of her retaining the seat as Congress candidate was actually pretty grim. She was also feeling marginalised by her party leadership. Despite all that, she still was an important Congress leader in the state who had steered the organisational set up from 2007 to 2012. Like Rahul and Congress' chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, Sheila Dikshit, she too has the 'right kind' of family legacy. In politics, symbolism is important and has its own implications. She may not bring some real value to the BJP but she would surely be of huge symbolic value to the BJP. She has been a talking point for the past few days since the news of imminent migration to BJP first broke. Her unequivocal opinions of late particularly on the surgical strikes brought bad publicity for Congress and worse, for Rahul Gandhi. She has been Congress' most prominent Brahmin face in India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh. Rita Joshi left Congress at a time when the party is driven by outsourced strategist Prashant Kishor's idea that the party should actively woo Brahmins. It was symbolism again why the Congress fielded a retired three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, someone who lost an election in her own constituency and brought Congress to zero in Delhi. What worked for Sheila was a symbolism that she (who had been a suave metropolitan face of the Congress all along) is the daughter-in-law of a veteran Brahmin UP Congress leader of yesteryears, Uma Shankar Dikshit. By hijacking Rita Joshi right ahead of the battle royale, the BJP checkmated the Congress in its own strategy of wooing the Brahmins. Same-sex marriage is now the law of the land, but there are other battlegrounds related to civil rights and nondiscrimination protections for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people. Two polarising questions: What sort of access should transgender people have to public bathrooms? And are the advances for LGBT rights infringing on the religious freedom of some Americans? Where they stand Hillary Clinton is a staunch supporter of LGBT rights; she has endorsed the Equality Act, a proposed federal law that would provide comprehensive protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Donald Trump says he would be a better president for gays than Clinton, yet major LGBT-rights groups strongly oppose him. Among the reasons: He has balked at endorsing same-sex marriage, his evangelical advisory board has included prominent opponents of advances in LGBT rights and running mate Mike Pence, Indiana's governor, last year signed a law that critics said would allow businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons. Why it matters Whoever wins the presidency can only do so much to influence national LGBT-rights policies, unless, perhaps, if the winner's party sweeps control of Congress. The proposed Equality Act is unlikely to advance through a Republican-controlled House, even if Clinton wins. And the nationwide legality of same-sex marriage is unlikely to be threatened, though some conservatives cling to hopes that a Supreme Court reconfigured by Trump appointees might reverse the 2015 ruling extending that right to all 50 states. On some fronts, however, the outcome of the presidential race could have a major impact for example, in how aggressively federal agencies work to expand LGBT rights. Clinton would probably maintain or intensify the Obama administration's efforts to bolster transgender rights. This could mean pressure on school districts to let transgender students use school bathrooms based on their gender identity. Some transgender students have become activists on this issue, saying they face harassment and discomfort if forced to use bathrooms on the basis of the sex on their birth certificate. There's also the matter of judicial appointments. Thus far, federal judges have generally been unsympathetic to arguments that certain types of anti-LGBT discrimination are permissible if in accordance with a person's religious beliefs. Trump has told conservatives he'd place a high priority on religious liberty and would seek to protect Christians from having to violate their beliefs. Among the types of cases in question: Whether wedding photographers or bakers who oppose same-sex marriage should be penalized for refusing to provide services for a same-sex wedding. At the state level, the election could have important repercussions for LGBT issues. In North Carolina, for example, the Democratic candidate for governor, Attorney General Roy Cooper, opposes a law curtailing LGBT rights that was signed by his election opponent, incumbent Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. That law which includes restrictions on transgender people's bathroom access has been the target of an expansive protest campaign. In Indiana, Pence's decision to forgo a second term to run for vice president boosts Democratic hopes of winning the race for governor. The Democratic candidate, former House Speaker John Gregg, has vowed to push for full LGBT civil rights if elected; at present Indiana is one of 28 states with no statewide nondiscrimination protections for gays and lesbians. In Kentucky, there's an intriguing US Senate race matching incumbent Republican Rand Paul, who failed in his presidential bid, against Democrat Jim Gray, the openly gay mayor of Lexington. Gray is an underdog in the race. Let's get somethings out of the way. Hillary Clinton is not the ideal candidate for the post of the President of United States of America. This has nothing to do with her gender, it has everything to do with her poor judgment with reference to Benghazi and using her family email server to conduct official White House communications. That said, right now, Hillary Clinton is the best choice (considering the main alternative is Donald Trump) for the post of the President of United States of America. She is the kind of leader of the free world who thinks that lesbians, gay, bisexuals and basically persons of any sexual orientation should be treated as equals under the law. She is also the kind of leader of the free world who thinks that women should have autonomy over their bodies. The right to make intimate personal decisions about terminating a pregnancy, even in a supposedly free country the West still comes under fire and abortion is 'almost illegal' in many states in the US. Idaho, Iowa, Utah, Louisiana, Kansas, Virginia, Missisippi, Indiana, Ohio and South Dakota to name a few. Anti-choice activists calls for arrests of abortion providers, women who seek abortions. A woman paid a man $150 to hit her in the stomach in Salt Lake City, Utah because she couldn't get a doctor to terminate her pregnancy. In Poland, women protested the ban on abortions and succeeded. Lawmakers said they learnt lessons in humility. Though, now a majority of women live in countries where they can get access to abortions for economic, social and personal reasons, of the approximately 50 million abortions carried out every year in the world, estimates place the number performed illegally at 40 percent. This is not a free world. This is certainly not a free world for women. Over the course of three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate, the pertinent issue of abortion was barely touched upon. It was properly articulated in the vice-presidential debate when Tim Kaine and Mike Pence were asked to talk about abortion. "Why doesnt Donald Trump trust women to make this choice for themselves? Thats what we ought to be doing in public life: living our lives of faith or motivation with enthusiasm and excitement, convincing each other, dialoguing with each other about important moral issues of the day. But on fundamental issues of morality, we should let women make their own decisions. (Tim Kaine) "A society can be judged by how it deals with its most vulnerable: The aged, the infirm, the disabled and the unborn... I believe it with all my heart, and I could not be more proud to be standing with a pro-life candidate in Donald Trump." (Mike Pence) While this election was high-jacked by personality driven drama and flaws Donald Trump's bad behaviour with women in the past, his arrogance, his racism, tax evasion, Clinton's corruption and over the top 'hawkish' reputation as a former Secretary of State, Thursday morning's debate (Wednesday night, Las Vegas time) steered the election towards the issues, especially abortion. And to hear Donald Trump say: "I think it's terrible if you go with what Hillary is saying in the ninth month you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. Now, you can say that that's okay, and Hillary can say that that's okay, but it's not okay with me. Because based on what she's saying and based on where she's going and where she's been, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, only the final day. And that's not acceptable." (As you hear this, you recover from a full 10 minutes of cringing and wondering if he even knows anything about abortion and then you realise that it's an ignorant man-child who is talking about life's phenomenon that he has little to no inkling about; you laugh all the way from your uterus for a good ten minutes.) The problem is that these issues are often sidelined as 'women's issues', a familiar pain in the neck that is generally ignored. "Human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human rights." Hillary in Beijing, 21 years ago today pic.twitter.com/T46TNfDikW Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 5, 2016 But this is where Hillary Clinton grabs the bull by its proverbial and describes something fundamental: Women's rights are human rights. When Hillary Clinton takes the stand to say: "I will defend Planned Parenthood. I will defend Roe v. Wade, and I will defend women's rights to make their own health care decisions." "I do not think the United States government should be stepping in and making those most personal of decisions." It sets the tone for her own womanhood, to say what she fervently believes and why it is important for the country and why her beliefs make her a better leader. It also sets the tone for the rest of the world, where other rights for women are consistently being crushed on a daily basis. Everywhere in the world, men are in charge of deciding what is good or bad for women. Take triple talaq for instance, all the decisions around it are being made by bodies with little to no representation of women and yet, it is a law that affects women. According to latest reports, as of today, various state governments passed 57 anti-abortion bills in the US last year and 45 out of the 50 states have provisions where healthcare providers can refuse to participate in abortion procedures, whereas 27 states ask women to compulsorily undergo a waiting period. If abortion laws matter, it is now, in 2016. Every woman in this entire world should have access to healthcare and control over her reproductive rights, especially in the United States of America which prides itself on being the 'greatest country in the world'. American exceptionalism cannot leave its women out. By Ben Blanchard | BEIJING BEIJING Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States on Thursday, declaring he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate."In this venue, your honours, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people, to applause, at a forum in the Great Hall of the People attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli."Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost."Duterte's efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30.His trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said $13.5 billion in deals would be signed during the China trip."I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way," Duterte told his Beijing audience.Duterte's remarks will prompt fresh concern in the United States, where the Obama administration has seen Manila as an important ally in its "rebalance" of resources to Asia in the face of a rising China.The administration agreed a deal with Duterte's predecessor granting U.S. forces rotational access to bases in the Philippines and further doubts will be raised about the future of this arrangement.In Washington, however, the White House stressed the traditional bonds between the United States and the Philippines in response to Duterte's comments and stuck to a U.S. approach of seeking to play down his repeated verbal attacks."The U.S.-Philippine alliance is built on a 70-year history, rich people to people ties and a long list of shared security concerns," White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters. "We have not received any official requests from Filipino officials to alter any of our many issues where we bilaterally cooperate."Schultz said the White House does not view Manila's relationship with China as a "zero sum game.""We believe that it's in our national security interests when our partners and allies in the region have strong relationships with China," he said. A few hours after Duterte's speech, his top economic policymakers released a statement saying that, while Asian economic integration was "long overdue", that did not mean the Philippines was turning its back on the West."We will maintain relations with the West but we desire stronger integration with our neighbours," said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a joint statement. "We share the culture and a better understanding with our region."RED CARPET WELCOME China has pulled out all the stops to welcome Duterte, including a marching band complete with baton-twirling band master at his official greeting ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People, which is not extended to most leaders.President Xi Jinping, meeting Duterte earlier in the day, called the visit a "milestone" in ties.Xi told Duterte that China and the Philippines were brothers and they could "appropriately handle disputes", though he did not mention the South China Sea in remarks made in front of reporters. "I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things," Xi said.Following their meeting, during which Duterte said relations with China had entered a new "springtime", Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said the South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations."The two sides agreed that they will do what they agreed five years ago, that is to pursue bilateral dialogue and consultation in seeking a proper settlement of the South China Sea issue," Liu said.China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.In 2012, China seized the disputed Scarborough Shoal and denied Philippine fishermen access to its fishing grounds.Liu said the shoal was not mentioned and he did not answer a question about whether Philippine fishermen would be allowed there. He said both countries had agreed on coastguard and fisheries cooperation, but did not give details. SEA DISPUTE TAKES 'BACK SEAT' Duterte's tone towards Beijing is in stark contrast to the language he has used against the United States, after being infuriated by U.S. criticism of his bloody war on drugs. He has called U.S. President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch" and told his to "go to hell", while alluding to severing ties with the old colonial power.On Wednesday, to the cheers of hundreds of Filipinos in Beijing, Duterte said Philippine foreign policy was veering towards China. "I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there," Duterte said. "So time to say goodbye my friend." The same day, about 1,000 anti-U.S. protesters gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Manila calling for the removal of U.S. troops from the southern island of Mindanao.Duterte's abrupt pivot from Washington to Beijing is unlikely to be universally popular at home, however. On Tuesday an opinion poll showed Filipinos still trust the United States far more than China.Duterte on Wednesday said the South China Sea arbitration case would "take the back seat" during talks, and that he would wait for the Chinese to bring up the issue rather than doing so himself.Xi said issues that could not be immediately be resolved should be set aside, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.China has welcomed the Philippines approaches, even as Duterte has vowed not to surrender any sovereignty to Beijing, which views the South China Sea Hague ruling as null and void.China has also expressed support for his drug war, which has raised concern in Western capitals about extrajudicial killing. (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Michael Martina and Ryan Woo; Editing by Nick Macfie and Alex Richardson, Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski | BRUSSELS BRUSSELS European Union leaders condemned Russia on Thursday for its bombing of civilians in Syria's besieged city of Aleppo and Britain, France and Germany backed a push to consider sanctions against Moscow if the atrocities continue.Arriving in Brussels after late-night talks on Wednesday in Berlin with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande said he was seeking maximum diplomatic pressure on Russia to prolong a cessation of bombings in Aleppo that have targeted hospitals and civilians."All the options are open as long as the truce is not respected and as long as there is a will to crush a city," Hollande said of Aleppo, where some 275,000 people are trapped and hundreds of people have been killed since a ceasefire agreed by Moscow and Washington broke down.Russia has told the United Nations it will stop bombing eastern Aleppo for 11 hours a day for four days, an announcement that EU officials speculated was timed to coincide with the EU summit in Brussels and as momentum was building to impose more crippling sanctions on the Kremlin.EU leaders were initially reluctant to put more Russians under travel bans and asset freezes as part of European efforts to force Moscow to consider a peace settlement for Syria, the main source of migrants fleeing war and heading to Europe.But Britain and France continued to push for the option, and a senior EU lawmaker close to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, David McAllister, told Reuters that while the EU had limited leverage over Russia "we can still impose new sanctions or increase existing sanctions."A draft of the leaders' final statement condemned Russia's role in the conflict and threatened new sanctions."The European Council strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo," the draft conclusions, seen by Reuters, read. "Those responsible for breaches of international humanitarian law and human rights law must be held accountable. The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue."The wording, which explicitly does not name Russia in the threat of more punitive measures, was designed to secure the backing of Moscow's allies in Europe, including Cyprus, Hungary, Italy and Greece, according to diplomats."It will be uncomfortable for the countries that are most friendly with the Russians," said a French diplomat.In a sign of the European anger at the Russian-backed campaign, Merkel denounced the air strikes on Aleppo as "completely inhuman." RUSSIAN WARSHIPS As the EU met to discuss their options over dinner, a fleet of Russian warships carrying fighter bombers made its way along Europe's western coast towards Syria. It is a naval operation that NATO believes is likely to intensify the assault on Aleppo, despite the Russian ceasefire pledge. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he was seriously concerned about the fleet, which includes Russia's only aircraft carrier. "This may be used to increase attacks on Aleppo ... to increase human suffering," Stoltenberg told reporters. The four-way meeting in Berlin on Wednesday night, which also included Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, was focused on ending the violence in eastern Ukraine. Later Merkel, Hollande and Putin had a discussion on Syria which lasted a little over an hour.Separately, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a pre-summit meeting of conservative European parties in Maastricht that he was not optimistic of reaching a deal over a partnership agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, which was rejected by Dutch voters in a referendum in April.Western efforts to pull the former Soviet nation out of Moscow's grasp with the free-trade deal have been complicated by the Dutch vote."A solution here would need a majority in the Dutch parliament," he said. (Additional reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek, Francesco Guarascio, Noah Barkin, Alastair Macdonald, Philip Bleninsop) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Hillary Clintons white Ralph Lauren curved-front jacket with oversize round buttons and matching pants she wore to the final presidential debate has swept up the internet on a wild ride to find instant parallels and discover deep meaning. If you peer at Clintons three debate appearances in one freeze frame, its unabashedly patriotic. Red in the first, blue in the second and arctic white in the third - Americas star spangled banner with the riff of Obamas unforgettable lines - We are not Red America or Blue America, Black America or White America, we are the United States of America - a allegorical feast for the global sisterhood of the desexualized uniform: a travelling pantsuit paired with polished, black footwear. Hillary Clinton's patriotism comes full circle in red, white and blue pantsuits https://t.co/nnR4yqk2TT pic.twitter.com/RyiUClbJiw Pret-a-Reporter (@pretareporter) October 20, 2016 For Hillary Clinton and fellow women politicians around the world, a single outfits style and cut often represents an awkward compromise between a natural sensuality they may possess and an acutely conscious knowledge of their outsize clout. If she wins, we all know what Hillary Clinton would be wearing to work most often on November 8 or all the days and years of her White House stay - the pantsuit is Hillary, its her work, her wonkery, mind over flesh, its what she wants to portray, its what she chooses to hide - its her persona and will become that conclusive image that women will take courage from, even in faraway lands where they wear salwar kameezes or burqhas. The US election is a global story, what Hillary Clintons career represents to women in difficult and different circumstances the world over is a story that will now be written. Clinton didnt always dress this way - check out Vogues lovely postcards on Hillarys style through the years. Linger for just a moment on the eighth photograph - Hillary in a deep purple Sarah Philips gown that is now immortalised in the National Museum of American History. Hillary-the-persons transformation from that young lady with blue eyes, blonde hair and stars overhead to this hard jaw Hillary in 2016 is as much a rebuke to the male gaze as it is about Hillarys carefully crafted persona - the non-Lewinsky. Vogue, a high powered magazine with no history of political endorsements has made an exception for Hillary Clinton and this has little to do with the fashion industrys natural backing for left of centre. For all of Hillary Clintons struggles with style, her dogged pursuit of power and the promise of success has brought the mighty to heel. She has now been co-opted as a style icon cum throwback queen. Now Rihanna wears a Hillary Clinton tee with micro denim shorts and weathered Timberland boots and its red meat for fashion rags. When asked what he likes about his opponent, it is precisely this non-place between sensuality and gender that Hillary occupies that pushes Donald Trump to say shes a fighter, she never quits rather than something with a softer feel. Just as other women who grew powerful in politics swaddled themselves self consciously while around a predominantly male club of colleagues, so did Hillary. She did it within her cultural context - for her a pantsuit is the Western facsimile of the Jayalalithaa feat - a saree that does not show an inch of skin. It was in July 2007 that Clinton un-sexed even the pantsuit to its limit - which intuitively seems a reaction to the rush of stories on a hint of her cleavage in an unremarkable CSPAN broadcast - where her statement was forgotten and the visual hit the headlines. The dance around that one dipping neckline probably proved to Clinton that even in America where off-shoulder dresses and bare arms are almost passe in public spaces, the line between attractive and slutty was not clear in this case - a woman politician aspiring to smash the highest glass ceiling. The Clinton collar went up and never came back down, discussion closed. The smallest risk that the suggestion of sensuality could torpedo her White House bid was enough for Clinton to go for the extreme cover-up that is now her signature: A jacket and a matching pant over a usually high-necked shell - the pantsuit as a paradox which makes a case by saying as little as possible. Fits well with that Margaret Thahtcher line - Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you arent. Incidentally, it was only as recently as 1993 that women were allowed to even wear pantsuits on the US Senate floor. Even after this permission, women wearing pants are now allowed in the Senate chamber only if theyre also wearing jackets - the political pantsuit. For Hillary, its not just about the clothes - she got that sorted over a decade of fine tuning. She got hounded as frumpy for using a scrunchie to tie back her hair which is how it got shorter every year. Its possible that Hillary Clintons hair worn long will look charming but from the time she was First Lady of Arkansas and Bill Clinton the rock star, Clinton has been been mocked for her dressing with which she experimented quite a bit before the complete U-turn. With the unmistakable whiff of victory within reach, a once frumpy First Lady is now a hot throwback star on Instagram. From uniform, Clintons pantsuits have gone on to embody the raw meaning of a woman who wears the pants. So, what will a 'President' Hillary Clinton wear to the inaugural ball? If you can keep tongue firmly in cheek and turn to page 39 of a French style bible called A guide to elegance - for every woman who wants to be well and properly dressed for all occasions, it informs us: "For formal occasions, the long evening gown may be as splendid as you wish. You should have the impression that you are undergoing a magical transformation the moment you put it on, it should make you feel like a princess. The plainest woman is always more beautiful in a long evening dress. Something extremely practical is not sensible at all. For Hillary Clinton, the 'magical transformation' is complete - a splendid ball gown is a mere distraction. Aleppo: A "humanitarian pause" began Thursday in the Syrian army's Russian-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo but clashes continued and there were no signs residents were heeding calls to leave. The unilateral ceasefire took effect at 8:00 am 0500 GMT and was to last at least 11 hours, with the aim of allowing civilians and fighters to evacuate the city's opposition-controlled east. Gunfire and artillery exchanges erupted around a crossing point near the rebel-controlled Bustan al-Qasr district shortly after the pause began, an AFP correspondent said. State news agency SANA said "terrorist groups" had targeted the area around the corridor with rocket, machinegun and sniper fire "in an attempt to hinder the humanitarian pause". Russia has said the pause will continue until at least 1600 GMT and could be extended. The Syrian army has said it will last three days and on Thursday soldiers were calling through loudspeakers for residents to "seize the chance" to evacuate. Russia announced the ceasefire earlier this week to allow civilians and rebels to quit the east of Aleppo, the divided northern city that has been devastated by Syria's five-year civil war. Moscow is backing President Bashar al-Assad's regime in the conflict and has faced increasing international pressure over the destruction and civilian deaths caused by Russian and Syrian air strikes. Russia has described the pause as a "goodwill gesture" but rebel groups have said they will not abandon their posts and, with Aleppo encircled by pro-government forces, many civilians fear falling into the hands of the regime. Western powers have also expressed scepticism. European Union leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels on Thursday were to strongly condemn Syria and Russia over Aleppo and were weighing sanctions. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped in the rebel-held east of the city under near-continuous siege since mid-July. Rebels reject leaving The Syrian army has said it is opening eight corridors for civilians to leave, two of which can also be used by rebel fighters provided they leave behind their weapons. The Russian defence ministry was streaming live video from several of the corridors, showing waiting ambulances and buses along empty roads. Yasser Youssef of the Nureddine al-Zinki rebel group said opposition fighters wanted "nothing to do" with the Russian initiative. "Who are they to decide to displace the Syrian people who rebelled against the dictator Assad?" he asked. "We will not abandon our right to defend our people and ourselves." Some civilians interviewed by AFP said they were eager to leave but wanted more reassurance they would be safe. "I don't want to risk my life or my family's by being among the first to leave," said Mohammed Shayah, an unemployed father of four. The United Nations has said the duration of the pause is not enough to provide any relief supplies. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce would be long enough to safely evacuate just 200 wounded. More than 2,000 people have been wounded since the army launched a new offensive last month aiming to take the entire city, according to the United Nations. Some 400 have been killed. EU weighs 'all options' The civilian casualty toll has drawn international condemnation, with Washington saying the bombardment could amount to a war crime. Moscow has dismissed the accusation as propaganda that ignores the reality of the presence of jihadist fighters blacklisted by the United Nations in rebel areas. It has repeatedly demanded that fighters of other rebel groups break ranks with the former Al-Qaeda affiliate, the Fateh al-Sham Front. Russian President Vladimir Putin held tough talks with the French and German leaders in Berlin on the eve of Thursday's EU summit. Francois Hollande condemned the bombing of Aleppo as "a war crime," while Angela Merkel described it as "inhumane and cruel". According to a draft summit statement obtained by AFP, EU leaders were weighing sanctions against supporters of Assad's regime if they fail to stop atrocities. "The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue," according to the draft. Though Russia is not mentioned explicitly regarding sanctions, the draft singles out Moscow for its actions in Aleppo. "The European Council strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo," it reads. A veteran journalist says that is mad at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's failure in incorporating the name of Pakistan in the joint declaration of the just concluded Brics summit in Goa. Under normal circumstances one would not have taken the comment of this journalist (who also happens to be a habitual Modi-baiter) seriously, but one can't ignore the fact that the inability of the Brics leaders in naming Pakistan as a source of global terror in the Goa declaration is being perceived by many in India as not only a failure of Modis foreign policy but also as a strong signal of Russia moving away from India, and towards China. But then perceptions are not necessarily true. As a student of international relations, I have rarely come across joint declarations of a multilateral summit mentioning any non-participating country specifically unless that country (in this case Pakistan) is at war or under some grave natural calamity. Therefore, in my considered view the perception that Russia is moving closer to China deserves more attention. It is a fact that Russia-China relations, particularly in the security sphere, have been in an upswing over the last few years. The two have been conducting many provocative joint military drills, including those in the disputed South China Sea. Russian arms sales to China have increased phenomenally. However, this does not mean that Russia is contemplating to ignore India for the sake of China. On the other hand, Russia has been systematically trying to promote what is called a strategic triangle of Russia, India and China. Though former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov was the first Russian leader to use the words trilateral cooperation among Russia, India and China, the concept has been spearheaded by President Vladimir Putin. The pattern was set during his first term as president when Putin held summit meetings with Indian and Chinese heads of government, in short intervals. The idea of Russia-India-China initiative was talked about on the eve of eve of Putins visit to India in October 2000. It followed Russia-China summit (between Putin and Chinese President Jiang Zemin) in July that year at Moscow. In 2002, the idea was again talked about during Putins visit to Delhi, which took place immediately after his trip to Beijing; in fact Putin had combined his China and India visits together and landed in Delhi straight from Beijing. It was at Putins behest that the first trilateral summit involving the three countries took place in St Petersburg in July 2006. It was argued that Beijing and New Delhi accepted Russia's proposal to hold trilateral summit because "it was beneficial to boosting the cooperation among the three countries as well as maintaining multipolarity in the world". Of course, it is to be remembered that the St Petersburg meeting took place on the sidelines of the G-8 summit, which Russia had hosted for the first time and former India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese president Hu Jintao had attended it as special invitees. However, since then Russia, India and China process" (RIC process) that is how India officially describes the development has also involved regular meetings of foreign ministers of the three countries, the last of which, incidentally the 14th in the series, was held in Moscow on April 18, 2016. The Moscow meet resolved that Russia, India and China (RIC), as countries with important influence at international and regional levels and emerging market economies, need to further strengthen practical coordination on global and regional issues in the spirit of openness, solidarity, mutual understanding and trust. They (the foreign ministers) emphasised that cooperation between their countries is conducive to maintaining international and regional peace and stability, and promoting global economic growth and prosperity". In promoting the RIC process, Russia seems to have been guided by three developments. First, Russia's inability to impede the eastward expansion of NATO. Its frustration over NATO's unilateral military action in Kosovo forced Moscow to seek closer strategic understanding with China and India. Russia also found commonality with India and China in the perceived US bid for global hegemony, which was in direct conflict with their preference for a "multipolar world." The second reason from Russian point of view is that the three countries have problems with Islamic militants. India fights border problems everyday against radical Islamic fighters infiltrating from Pakistan into Kashmir. Besides Pakistan, India sees Afghanistan as a breeding ground for Islamic militants, a view fully shared by Russia. Moscow is concerned about the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in the five Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union (which Russia still sees as its sphere of influence). China's problem with Islamic guerrillas focuses on the Muslim Uighar separatists in Xinjiang, an area of China rich in mineral resources. Beijing suspected that outside forces emanating from Afghanistan were feeding the disturbances, and Russian help on the border was needed to cut off that aid. Besides, as multi-ethnic states, Russia, China and India are concerned about the prospects of growing ethnic nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism in the region. The third common interest is the arms trade. China and India account for nearly 70 percent of Russia's arms exports. As it is, one of the important features of the Russian strategic and military blueprint is that Moscow will continue to assign the countrys military-industrial complex the responsibility of ensuring a considered presence in the world market of high technology Russian products and services. And, one of the goals of the military-industrial complex is to improve the system of intergovernmental cooperation in the military field. In this scheme of things, both India and China are extremely important, since both buy billions of dollars worth arms from Russia. But the problem is that at times both India and China demand the same weapon systems with the same features. Because of special circumstances, India has always enjoyed a special status as an importer of Russian arms. Russia sends weapons of more value and substance. These weapons are not only latest but also those which are not even commissioned into the Russian armed forces. Obviously, India will not like China to get the same features and facilities from the Russians. It is all the more so when there is a chance of some of those weapons finding their way to Pakistan. In that sense, by suggesting the concept of a Russia-China-India triangle, Moscow wants to appease the Indian sensitivities, with the hope that the idea will remove mutual suspicions between Delhi and Beijing. But will this Russian policy succeed? It is extremely doubtful that it will, and that, in turn, is the reason why one does not see great virtues in India showing enthusiasm about the triangle. From Indian point of view, for any triangular relationship, China has to vacate the countervailing strategic space in favour of Pakistan. Since China is part of the strategic nexus with Pakistan aimed at India, how can India be part of a coalition in which two of its potential antagonists are inter-twined? Secondly, given the anti-American overtone of the triangle concept, India may find it difficult to be associated with it, particularly when over the last few years Indo-US relations have witnessed unprecedented improvements, the Pakistan-factor notwithstanding. In fact, even China will not like any ganging up against the US for similar reasons. All told, the Chinese economy is crucially dependent on the American market. Whatever the ideologically oriented pro-China experts may say, the fact remains that China is excessively dependent on the international market both for resources and revenue generation. Just imagine what will happen if the Americans, particularly American-Chinese, stop investing in China and the US refuses to open its markets for Chinese goods. Even otherwise, though Moscow advocates a durable and long-term framework of shared interests with India and China, unlike Indo-Russian relationship, the Sino-Russian link is controversial among influential Russian policymaking elites. Russia shares a long border with China and a long history of often bitter and complex relations. Besieged with a growing problem of demographic decline, many Russian analysts fear that Siberia and its far east would soon be over-run by migrant Chinese labour. This fear is genuine as anybody familiar with Chinese history will admit that Chinese territorial claims all over Asia often followed its emigrants. Likewise, the Russians are not comfortable with the growing Chinese activities in Central Asia, which Moscow always considers to be falling under its sphere of vital interests. Besides, it is also felt in Russian strategic circles that China, with ex-Soviet Union scientists and engineers working in its defence facilities, is producing weapons by reverse-engineering the Russian products and exporting them in the international market, particularly in Pakistan and North Korea. Viewed thus, the RIC process, though a grand idea, has its obvious limitations. The conditions under which it was initiated are not exactly the same now for its real blossoming. Therefore, strategic partnerships among Russia , China and India are likely to remain strictly bilateral, that is, Russia-India, Russia-China and India-China. And when one comes to bilateral relations between India and Russia, the potentials are immense, to speak the least. By Patricia Zengerle and Emily Stephenson | WASHINGTON/DELAWARE, Ohio WASHINGTON/DELAWARE, Ohio Several prominent Republicans on Thursday denounced Donald Trump's refusal to commit to accepting the result of the presidential election, and some worried his stance might make it more difficult for his party to hold onto control of Congress.Trump's refusal, which Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called "horrifying," was the standout remark of their third and final debate on Wednesday night. It ratcheted up Trump's claims that the election was being rigged against him, and became the latest flashpoint in an unusually volatile race three weeks before voters go to the polls.The Republican candidate reinforced his comment at a rally in Delaware, Ohio, on Thursday, saying he would respect the result "if I win.""Of course I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result," he said.With Trump trailing in opinion polls, the focus ahead of the Nov. 8 vote is shifting to Congress, and whether Republicans will keep their narrow majority in the Senate or even their larger advantage in the House of Representatives.Senator John McCain of Arizona, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Democrat Barack Obama, said accepting the election result is "the American way.""I didnt like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance," McCain, who has opened a poll lead in his Senate re-election race, said in a statement. "A concession isn't just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leader's first responsibility."McCain has withdrawn his support for Trump.Asked on Wednesday night if he would commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. OK?" Trump's statement, the most controversial in a debate that at times descended into insults by both candidates, made banner headlines across the country and raised questions about whether he was committed to a peaceful transition of power, a cornerstone of American democracy.Democrats jumped to ask Republican candidates whether they agreed with Trump, who is making his first run for public office against Clinton, a former first lady, senator and secretary of state."Do you agree with Donald Trump to question the results of the election?" the Nevada Democratic Party asked in a release targeting Republican Representative Joe Heck. Heck is in a tight race with Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, a former Nevada attorney general, for the Senate seat held by retiring Democratic leader Harry Reid.DROWNING OUT POLICY Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak said down-ballot candidates would distance themselves from Trump's comment, but it was a problem that the issue had drowned out everything else that came up on Wednesday."The real cost is that the post-debate discussion has been consumed by this, and not by his overall very good debate performance and the problems Hillary created for herself on a range of issues," Mackowiak said.A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought Clinton won the debate, to 39 percent for Trump.Trump donor and energy investor Dan Eberhart thought Trump won, but disagreed with his rhetoric, although he is sticking with the candidate."I think Hillarys policies and track record are not what the country needs leading us forward for the next four years. And that backs me into supporting Trump," Eberhart said. Millions of Americans watched the debate in Las Vegas. However, the television audience was below Clinton and Trump's record-setting first debate, according to early data cited by U.S. media outlets.On Twitter, President Obama said Clinton had scored an "Outstanding 3 for 3 debate sweep." Obama has described Trump as unfit for the White House.Trump's words were considered jaw-dropping, but they are not illegal, especially given the strong guarantee of speech rights in the United States.Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on Thursday tried to defend Trump, saying in television interviews he was "putting people on notice" about voting irregularities.Trump has stepped up allegations that the election is being rigged. He has not offered specific evidence, and numerous studies have shown that the U.S. election system, which is run by the states, is sound.His comments about vote rigging have come against a backdrop of accusations that Trump had made improper sexual advances to women. A tenth woman came forward on Thursday at a news conference in midtown Manhattan with her attorney, Gloria Allred, a Clinton supporter who for years has specialised in representing women in cases of alleged assault.Trump campaign spokeswoman Jessica Ditto called the news conference a "coordinated, publicity-seeking attack" by Allred. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland in Las Vegas, Michelle Conlin and David Ingram in New York, and Richard Cowan and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Policing in the United States' minority communities has been a flashpoint since the deaths of Michael Brown in Missouri, Tamir Rice in Ohio, Sandra Bland in Texas and others. The increasing number of graphic photos and videos depicting the deaths of black men, women and children at the hands of police officers has sparked unrest around the nation. The perception that law enforcement officers are rarely, if ever, punished for what some consider unethical behavior, brutality and even criminal acts against black Americans has led to the rise of new social and civil rights movements like Black Lives Matter. Police in turn have complained of being unfairly stereotyped as the enemy by minority communities in which they serve. They have noted that they've increased monitoring of officer behavior through cameras placed in their vehicles and carried by officers during interactions with the public and increased training for officers and personnel. Where they stand Hillary Clinton has been criticised by activists for some of her positions she once, for example, supported "superpredator" laws that were meant to combat a supposed wave of lawless children. During the Democratic primary she used the phrase "All Lives Matter" words that some have invoked as pushback against the concerns of Black Lives Matter while others have uttered the phrase without intending to challenge the movement. She's also expressed regret for talking about superpredators in the past. Clinton has offered proposals, such as legislation that would help end racial profiling, provide federal matching funds for more police body cameras and overhaul mandatory minimum sentencing. Donald Trump has described himself as the "law and order" candidate. He has said some of the videos and photos depicting the deaths of people of color at the hands of police were "hard to witness," but has called police "the most mistreated people in this country." Trump endorsed a former New York City police policy called "stop and frisk" after unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina, over the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. A federal judge ruled the procedure violated the rights of minorities. Why it matters The relationship between minority communities and majority-white police forces is turning into one of the most visible civil rights issues of this age. The US has a long history of using law enforcement to enforce now-illegal actions like slavery and segregation, leading to distrust between law enforcement and some of the communities it serves. Increasing numbers of civilian video and photos showing questionable actions by police officers, sometimes contradicting the official account originally released by law enforcement, have eroded trust between law enforcement and parts of the growing diverse population of this country even more. In addition to sparking movements like Black Lives Matter, the debate over race and policing has helped usher in more monitoring of police through dash cams, body cameras and increased training for officers. Officials also have started pushing for more statistics about police shootings fatal and nonfatal in the United States, so the public can have an idea of the numbers involved instead of having to judge through anecdotal evidence. No matter which candidate wins the presidency, it is unlikely that there will be an immediate change in the relationship between people of color and the police. A president can only do little to bring about a quick change in police-community relationships, given that it's such a local issue. But police officers and the public might take their cues from an effective leader, who uses the president's bully pulpit to influence the mood of the country and shape whether the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color strengthens or weakens. Washington: Russia cannot be ignored. Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has never posed such a vexing problem to U.S. policymakers as it does now. From Eastern Europe to the Middle East and increasingly Asia and the Americas, Russia is making its voice heard and its presence felt. After a brief period of looking inward during much of President Barack Obama's first term, Russia has returned to the international stage with zeal under Vladimir Putin. Russia is militarily involved in Syria, supports separatists in eastern Ukraine and areas of Georgia and has even been accused of trying to meddle in the US presidential race. At the same time, the Obama administration has been forced to accept that working with Russia is probably the only way to achieve results on many complicated international issues. Thus, Russia was central in the Iran nuclear negotiations and is a player as well as negotiator in the Syria truce effort. Where they stand Republican Donald Trump advocates improved relations with Russia "Wouldn't it be nice if we actually got along with Russia?" has been a standard line in his campaign speeches and has been strikingly complimentary of Putin's strong leadership style, contrasting it favorably with that of Obama. Some of Trump's current and former top advisers have been criticized for being too close to Putin, and Democrats have accused the businessman of pandering for Russian praise. Trump, however, is not the first politician to champion better US ties with Russia. In fact, one of Hillary Clinton's first initiatives as secretary of state in 2009 was to "reset" relations with Moscow, an effort that produced decidedly mixed results. The "reset" policy had some successes while Putin was taking a break from the Russian presidency. On Putin's return, though, the reset began to unwind and Russia started to take positions directly opposed to the US, notably in support of President Bashar Assad in Syria and then in Ukraine. Clinton has had direct negotiating experience with Putin and his aides and that has left her wary of cooperating with Moscow. Her campaign says she will "stand up to Vladimir Putin," ''deter Russian aggression in Europe" and "increase the costs to Putin for his actions." Why it matters Relations between the former Cold War foes the owners of the most nuclear weapons on Earth are arguably some of the most important to leaders in both the White House and Kremlin. Animosity or cordial friendship can bring profound changes in international affairs and the next president will have to engage or confront Russia on a variety of matters, not least of which are allegations that Russia may have been behind the hacks of Democratic National Committee emails. The conflicts in Syria and Eastern Ukraine will not end without Russian buy-in, and Russia will have to be involved in any new effort to bring North Korea back to denuclearisation talks. In the meantime, Russia is a driving force behind the co-called Brics group of nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa that sees itself as a balance to the US superpower and may also present problems for the US. The Islamic State group seized swaths of land in Iraq and expanded its territory in Syria in a dramatic blitz in 2014, taking advantage of unrest in both countries. The militant group slaughtered civilians in its march to try to establish a radical caliphate, and has spawned a string of deadly attacks across Europe, the Middle East and the United States. In response, the US and a coalition of allies launched a sustained campaign of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in 2014, and have been training, advising and supporting local forces in both countries. Recently, the US added Libya to its airstrike targets to root out extremists at the request of the Libyan government. While still a potent force, IS militants have lost much of the territory they overran. Meantime. they've stepped up attempts to inspire followers abroad to strike on their own, with some devastating results. Where the candidates stand? Hillary Clinton, who was secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, has described a three-part strategy that involves crushing IS "on its home turf" in the Middle East, disrupting their infrastructure on the ground and online, and protecting America and its allies. All are current elements of the Obama administration's strategy, so it's not clear what would change or if she would accelerate any portions of it. She's vowed: "We are not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again. And we're not putting ground troops into Syria. We're going to defeat IS without committing American ground troops." Donald Trump promises to "bomb the hell" out of IS, and level the oil facilities it controls. He has provided no details, including whether he would increase US airstrikes or commit ground troops. And US airstrikes have already been doing precision bombing of oil facilities for some time. Trump has also said he believes in enhanced interrogation techniques, which can include waterboarding and other types of torture that are against the law and that many experts argue are ineffective. Why is it important? The Islamic State group has specifically targeted the US and the West, using its networks, online communications and social media to attract foreign fighters to the front lines and followers in other countries to take up the fight overseas. As the group comes under increasing pressure from the airstrikes and US-backed forces in Iraq and Syria, it has turned greater focus on inspiring lone-wolf attacks that are far more difficult to predict and prevent. In San Bernardino, for example, investigators found that Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militants before the December attack that left 14 dead. The group has also been linked as a possible inspiration, or claimed responsibility, for the November attacks in Paris; the subway and airport bombings in Brussels; the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shootings, the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, France, the knife attack at a mall in Minnesota, and more. There are signs that accused New York bomber Ahmad Khan Rahami was radicalized abroad by Islamic extremists, though any ties to IS are tenuous. President Barack Obama says IS militants have figured out that if they can persuade "a handful of people or even one person to carry out an attack on a subway, or at a parade or some other public venue, and kill scores of people as opposed to thousands of people, it still creates the kinds of fear and concern that elevates their profile." The administration, however, has been criticized by some for not moving more aggressively and quickly to drive the group from its strongholds in Iraq and Syria. Some members of Congress have called for a stronger US military response. And officials have expressed frustration over the slow-moving effort to disrupt the militant group's online presence. The right to bear arms is fundamental to the US, carved into the Constitution and seemingly embedded in the national DNA. But after a seemingly endless stretch of violence, Americans are confronting how far those rights extend, propelling gun issues to the forefront of this year's elections. Do Americans have the right to have AR-style firearms, the long guns with a military look used in the past year in several mass shootings? Should they be able to buy magazines that hold 10 or more bullets? Can those on a terrorist watchlist, but not charged with a crime, be allowed to buy a gun? Should every gun buyer have to pass a background check? Where the candidates stand? Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are like bookends marking the divide that exists in the US today on gun issues. Trump casts himself as an ardent protector of the Second Amendment and proclaims that if more "good guys" were armed with firearms there would be fewer gun tragedies. He even went a step further than the National Rifle Association after the Orlando nightclub shooting, suggesting that if it weren't a gun-free zone, a patron would have been able to stop the bloodshed. (The NRA, while supporting Trump, said it's not a good idea to allow firearms where alcohol is being served.) Trump also has vowed that on his first day as president he would end gun-free zones at schools and on military bases. He also supports reciprocity among all 50 states for concealed-carry permits. Clinton, whose husband as president successfully pushed for a 10-year ban on assault-type weapons, has advocated renewing that ban. She's also called for measures to ensure background checks are completed before a gun sale goes forward, mandating such checks for gun-show sales and repealing a law that shields gun manufacturers from liability. Why is it important? The next president will get to nominate at least one member of a Supreme Court that's closely divided on how to read the Second Amendment, and the next Congress will continue to confront gun-rights issues. Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February and will be replaced by a nominee from the next president, was the decisive vote in a Washington, DC, case in which the court on a 5-4 vote affirmed the right of individuals to own handguns for self-defense. Whatever gun policies a Clinton or Trump administration were to pursue would probably be challenged, and Scalia's replacement could be the pivotal vote. This year alone, for example, the court sided with gun control advocates to rule that people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes can be barred from owning weapons, and also rejected challenges to assault weapon bans in Connecticut and New York. A recent AP-GfK Poll found the highest levels of support for restrictions on guns since the question was first asked in 2013. That's a sharp departure from the past two presidential election years, when gun issues were largely absent from the campaigns. Much has happened to bring guns to the forefront again: Charleston. Orlando. Oregon. San Bernardino. There's even been a protest staged by members of Congress on the floor of the House. There are roughly 300 million firearms in the United States and tens of thousands of shootings each year. In a world that feels increasingly violent, whether at home or across the globe, America's cowboy culture and the Second Amendment are under the microscope. Voters are asking what will make them safer, more guns or fewer? An estimated 11 million people are living and in many cases working in the United States illegally. The questions of what to with them and how to curb future illegal immigration have been a campaign issue for more than a decade. Never more so than now. Illegal immigration goes to the heart of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. It's a source of his strength among supporters, contention among critics and confusion over what he really intends to do. The long debate over immigration in Congress has focused on which should come first: stiffer enforcement at the border and inside the country or a path to legal status for the millions of people who are already a part of their communities. Efforts to overhaul the country's immigration laws have routinely been defined by Republicans supporting an enforcement-first approach with Democrats preferring a path to legal status for those here while working on security efforts at the same time. The result? A standstill. Where the candidates stand? Trump vows to build a wall along the Mexican border complete with a "big beautiful door." He vows Mexico will pay for the wall; Mexico vows it won't. Trump had repeatedly pledged to deport all the people living in the country illegally. Now he'd focus on deporting people who have committed crimes beyond their immigration offences. As for the rest, he's proposing no path to legal status while they are in the US. Democrat Hillary Clinton has pledged to push for an overhaul that would enable citizenship not just legal status for many living in the country illegally. She has also said she would expand programs that protect some groups of immigrants from deportation, including those who arrived as children and the parents of US citizens and legal permanent residents. President Barack Obama's effort to shield parents from deportation is on hold after the Supreme Court deadlocked on a decision in a case challenging the president's authority to expand the deportation protection program. Why is it important? Illegal immigration has remained at nearly 40-year lows for the last several years and several estimates of the immigrants living in the country illegally suggest that Mexican migration trends have actually reversed, with more Mexican nationals leaving the United States than arriving. And billions of dollars have been spent in recent years to build fencing, improve technology used at the border and expand the Border Patrol. Nonetheless the Mexican border remains a focal point for those who argue that the country is not secure. As evidence that the border is not secure, many Republicans point to the illegal crossings of hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied children and people traveling as families in recent years. The surge of children and families from Central America in 2014 was described as a crisis at the border and the volume of people apprehended overwhelmed government resources. At the same time, the Obama administration has dramatically slowed the pace of deportations after setting a record by sending home more than 409,000 people in 2012. During the 2015 budget year, the administration removed 235,000 people. Multiple efforts to overhaul immigration policies have repeatedly ended in a legislative stalemate as Republicans and Democrats spar over how to approach both securing the border and dealing with those immigrants already here. Tepid income growth and shrinking opportunities for blue-collar workers have kept many Americans anxious about jobs and the economy, seven years after the Great Recession ended. The unemployment rate has fallen to a relatively low 4.9 percent. But many Americans are struggling to keep up with an economy that has been fundamentally transformed since the recession, and is very different from the one their parents experienced. Most jobs with decent pay require more education than in the past. And some of the best-paying, fastest-growing jobs are in newer fields such as data analytics, computer network security, and software development. Such jobs typically require very specific skills. Where the candidates stand Trump wants to spur more job creation by reducing regulations and cutting taxes to encourage businesses to expand and hire more. He also says badly negotiated free trade agreements have cost millions of manufacturing jobs. He promises to bring those jobs back by renegotiating the Nafta agreement with Canada and Mexico, withdrawing from a proposed Pacific trade pact with 11 other nations, and pushing China to let its currency float freely on international markets. Clinton has promised to spend $275 billion upgrading roads, tunnels and modern infrastructure such as broadband Internet, to create more construction and engineering jobs. Trump has said in interviews he would spend twice as much. Clinton also says she would make state colleges and universities tuition-free as well as community colleges. That would enable more Americans to qualify for higher-paying jobs. She plans to pay for these proposals by lifting taxes on wealthier Americans. Why is it important? For most Americans, the most obvious measure of the economy's health is whether they have a job, and whether their incomes are rising. By those measures, the verdict is mixed. Hiring, while initially sluggish, has picked up since the recession ended in June 2009. Job gains in 2014 and 2015 were the highest in any two-year period since 1998-99. Still, wages have been slower to recover. A typical household's annual income jumped in 2015 by the most in any year on records dating back to 1967, according to recent Census Bureau data. Yet incomes that year were still 1.6 percent below 2007 levels and 2.4 percent below the 1999 peak. Analysts at Sentier Research estimate that household income finally returned to pre-recession levels in July. Average hourly pay is slowly rising, but the growth rate is below levels that are consistent with a healthy economy. One factor probably fueling anxiety about jobs and pay has been the disproportionate growth of jobs in lower-paying industries, such as fast-food restaurants, and higher-paying sectors, such as information technology. Middle-income jobs in areas like manufacturing and administrative support barely recovered. Yet that trend appears to be reversing. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has found that middle-income job growth in areas such as trucking and construction outpaced growth in higher- and lower-paying work in the past two years. Still, sluggish pay may be one reason many Americans remain on the sidelines. The proportion of Americans working or looking for work has fallen sharply since the recession. It has leveled off in the past two years but remains near 40-year lows. About half that decline reflects increased retirements as the baby boomers age. Other choices have also played a role, such as the increasing likelihood that young people are in school. Yet the percentage of Americans in their prime working years 25 through 54 who are working or looking for work is about 1.5 percentage points below pre-recession levels. Many have become discouraged about their prospects for finding work and have given up looking. Others have joined the government's disability rolls. Neither group is counted in the unemployment rate. That is one reason the economy feels less healthy to many Americans than a 4.9 percent unemployment rate would suggest. Washington: Energy independence has been a goal of every president since Richard Nixon. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have very different ways to achieve it. How energy is produced and where it comes from affect jobs, the economy and the environment. Where they stand Clinton pledges that under her leadership, the US will be able to generate enough renewable energy to power every home in America within 10 years, with 500 million solar panels installed by the end of her first term. She also vows to reduce U.S. oil consumption by one-third through cleaner fuels such as biodiesel and natural gas and more fuel-efficient cars, boilers, ships and trucks. Clinton generally supports oil and gas drilling on federal lands, but would bar drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. After running as a champion of coal in 2008, Clinton now calls for protecting health benefits for coal miners and their families and helping retrain them for new jobs. She offers cautious support for nuclear power. Trump vows to "unleash American energy," allowing unfettered production of oil, coal, natural gas and other sources to push the U.S. toward energy independence and create jobs. Trump would sharply increase oil and gas drilling on federal lands and vows to revive the struggling U.S coal industry. He also would open up offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean and other areas where it is blocked. Trump calls for rescinding the Clean Power Plan, a key element of President Barack Obama's strategy to fight climate change, as well as a rule to protect small streams and wetlands from development. He also would cancel the 2015 Paris climate agreement and stop U.S. money going to U.N. global warming programs. Why it matters Although energy independence remains elusive, increases in US oil production have lowered reliance on imports. In 2015, the US relied on net imports for about 24 percent of petroleum use, the lowest level since 1970. Domestic production of all types of energy except coal has boomed in recent years, spurred by improved drilling techniques and discoveries of vast oil supplies in North Dakota and natural gas in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia. Production also is up in traditional energy states such as Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Prices at the gasoline pump have declined sharply, to an average of $2.21 per gallon for regular unleaded in September, according to the AAA auto club. That's down from $3.60 per gallon in 2012. Natural gas, cleaner than coal, has been embraced by politicians from both parties, including Clinton and Trump. Still, critics worry that popular gas drilling techniques such as hydraulic fracturing or fracking and horizontal drilling could be harming air, water and health. Clinton has said fracking should not take place where states and local communities oppose it, and she pledges to reduce methane emissions from all oil and gas production and protect local water supplies. On climate change, she vows to meet Obama's goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30 percent by 2025. Trump says restrictions supported by Clinton would hurt energy-producing states such as Colorado, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia battleground states in the election. While arguing that tax credits and other subsidies for wind and solar power "distort" the market, Trump says the US should "encourage all facets of the energy industry." Wind and solar power have grown in recent years, thanks in part to support from Obama, but renewable energy sources accounted for just 10 percent of total US energy consumption in 2015. Renewable energy is generally more expensive to produce and use than fossil fuels. Clouds impair solar energy and calm skies slow wind farms. Last year's nuclear deal has removed for now the threat of a US-Iranian military confrontation. But the deal rests on shaky ground. The accord curtailed Iran's nuclear program, pulling it back from atomic weapons capability in exchange for the end of various oil, trade and financial sanctions by the US and six other world powers. The sides fulfilled their pledges in January. Relations between the US and Iran have warmed since the agreement, to the dismay of US allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia. The once hostile foes are cooperating to end Syria's civil war. Each military is staying out of the other's way as they battle the Islamic State group in Iraq. Nuclear consultations occur daily. But the next president could have his or her hands' full. The Iranians are threatening to renege unless they receive greater economic benefits. In Congress, many Republicans and even some Democrats still want the deal's collapse. Even if the accord survives, its nuclear restrictions start ending in about seven years meaning the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran could re-emerge. Where they stand It's basically a question of continuity versus change. Hillary Clinton helped lay the groundwork for the nuclear deal. As secretary of state, she tasked two of her most senior aides to meet secretly with Iranian officials. Those talks set the framework for the larger negotiations. When the nuclear accord went into effect earlier this year, Clinton hailed it as "an important achievement of diplomacy backed by pressure." Still, the Democratic presidential candidate has staked out a tougher tone than President Barack Obama. In a speech last year, she spoke of confronting Iran "across the board" from its military activity in Syria to destabilization of the Middle East. Republican Donald Trump has called the Iran deal "stupid," a "lopsided disgrace" and worse. He says that unlike Obama's diplomats, he would have been prepared to walk away from negotiations. But Trump doesn't want to tear up the accord. Instead, he speaks of tougher enforcement and possible renegotiation. Trump has railed against several of the deal's particulars, such as the timespan of restrictions on Iran's enrichment of uranium and other nuclear activity. He says Iran got too much relief from economic sanctions. It's unclear, though, how he might persuade Iran to accept less favorable terms in a done deal. Why it matters Until nuclear diplomacy gained speed in 2013, a US-Iran war was a distinct possibility. Both Clinton and Trump say they would use force if necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring the bomb. If the deal unravels and Iran increases its enrichment of uranium toward weapons capability, a U.S. military intervention would be back in play. Any conflict risks broad consequences. Iran can retaliate by disrupting global fuel supplies from the Persian Gulf, through which a fifth of the world's oil flows. It can unleash its proxies Hezbollah and Hamas on U.S. ally Israel. Tehran can block attempts to end Syria's war or it can play a bigger spoiler role in Yemen, where it has backed rebels who've seized much of the country. If Iran sticks to the agreement, the next president may still face big decisions. By 2024, Iran can resume manufacturing and testing of advanced centrifuges for enriching uranium. A year later, it can start enriching more uranium. By the end of the decade, it can enrich closer to weapons-grade levels. Stockpile limits come off. Enhanced U.N. inspections start ending. All these changes will pose a familiar question for the United States: How to ensure Iran can't build a bomb? U.S. officials have vaguely spoken of a possible follow-up negotiation. But by then, many US sanctions on Iran will have been stricken from the books and they could have far less leverage. Persistent Republican-led efforts to restrict access to abortion and to curb government funding for Planned Parenthood have been hotly debated in Washington and in states, and will be shaped in some way by the next president. Where they stand Democrat Hillary Clinton supports access to abortion and is an outspoken defender of Planned Parenthood, which is the largest provider of abortions in the US and also offers other health services. Republican Donald Trump, who in the past was a supporter of abortion rights, now says he isn't, although he's been somewhat inconsistent in his campaign statements on abortion. Numerous anti-abortion leaders, initially wary of Trump, now support him because of his pledge to nominate Supreme Court justices who are open to curtailing abortions and his choice of Mike Pence, a staunch abortion foe, as his running mate. Why it matters The prime battleground over abortion is the Supreme Court, which regularly confronts legal challenges on the issue. The next president has one vacancy to fill on the high court and could have more. A Clinton victory could strengthen the court's current 5-3 majority that supports abortion rights. A Trump win could lead to a reconfigured court that would uphold tough state laws restricting abortion and possibly consider overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a nationwide right to abortion. Advocates on both sides have singled out the presidential election as the key to where the issue goes next. In June, the Supreme Court issued its most important abortion decision in many years, striking down restrictions in Texas that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like building standards. The court held that this placed an "undue burden" on women seeking abortion because it would force closure of many clinics. In the future, the court is likely to face the question of whether other types of abortion restrictions impose an undue burden. One example: laws adopted by numerous states that ban most abortions after 20 weeks of gestation on the disputed premise that a fetus can feel pain at that stage. Republicans in Congress voted to impose a 20-week ban nationwide, but it was blocked by Senate Democrats. If Democrats gain more Senate seats in November, that would make federal anti-abortion legislation even less likely. Congressional Republicans also have sought to halt federal money to Planned Parenthood. Most of that money goes to provide non-abortion services to low-income women. A Clinton presidency would be expected to carry on President Barack Obama's opposition to such defunding attempts, with veto power to back it up. Trump says he'd support the stripping of federal financing from Planned Parenthood, though he also has made positive comments in the past about the importance of the organization's non-abortion services. States, too, have sought to curtail public money for Planned Parenthood over the past year blocked by courts in some cases, but elsewhere forcing Planned Parenthood to curtail some contraceptive services, health screenings and other programs. Federal law, and the laws of most states, already prevent public money from paying for abortions except in rare circumstances. The recent defunding bills prohibit state money for any services by organizations that also provide abortions. Public opinion on abortion is sharply divided, and has barely shifted in recent decades. The latest Gallup poll on the topic finds 50 percent of Americans say abortion should be legal under certain circumstances, 29 percent want it legal in all cases and 19 percent want it outlawed in all cases roughly the same breakdown as in the 1970s. Washington: Politicians love trying to use the tax code to highlight their goals to voters. This year, it's a battlefield between Hillary Clinton, who wants to boost levies on the rich to pay for expanding social programs and Donald Trump, who says cutting taxes would gird the economy. The clash has consequences for the rich, poor and those in the middle. Where they stand Trump: The Republican trotted out an initial plan but has pared it back twice so far. He'd slice individual income taxes across the board: the current seven brackets, which peak at 39.6 percent, would collapse into three tiers with a maximum 33 percent rate. The corporate tax rate would fall from 35 percent which few companies pay because of deductions to a maximum 15 percent. There would be new tax breaks for some expenses for caring for children or the elderly. And he'd eliminate the estate tax, which hits inheritances exceeding $10.9 million this year for married couples. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center says the proposal would likely bestow "outsized benefits" to the wealthiest families, but it lacks sufficient detail to be too specific. Clinton: The Democrat's proposal is more detailed than Trump's and targets the rich big-time. She'd slap a 4 percent surtax on incomes over $5 million, impose a minimum 30 percent tax on those earning over $1 million and cap itemized deductions for higher earners. She'd impose the estate taxes on inheritances starting at $7 million for couples. Clinton would leave corporate tax rates alone, though she'd raise levies on U.S. companies shielding overseas income and would eliminate tax breaks for fossil fuel producers. She'd help some families pay for child care but without involving the tax code. The Tax Policy Center says the bottom 95 percent of taxpayers those earning under $300,000 would see little if any change in their tax bill. Why it matters One way or another, tax proposals by whoever becomes president will affect most Americans. Clinton would hit the wealthy hard and use the money to bolster public works, medical research and other domestic programs. The Policy Center says the top 1 percent of households, with annual incomes averaging $2.1 million, would pay over three-quarters of the $1.1 trillion extra federal revenue her proposal would raise over a decade. Her plans would have a "relatively modest" tax impact on everyone else, the Policy Center says. She'd help working families pay college costs and cut taxes for companies that share profits with workers. The Policy Center said last year that Trump's original plan would reduce revenue by $9.5 trillion over 10 years. His campaign says his newest, scaled-back version would cut taxes by $4.4 trillion over that same period. The Policy Center hasn't estimated the price tag of Trump's new proposal, citing a lack of detail, but says some of its estimates are unsubstantiated. Under Trump's earlier proposal, people from all income levels would enjoy tax cuts but the best-off would benefit most, the center said. The top 0.1 percent of earners with incomes exceeding $3.7 million would have gotten tax breaks averaging over $1.3 million, or 19 percent of after-tax earnings. Though lacking enough detail to be precise, the group said, Trump's new plan "is probably somewhat less regressive," meaning it's less tilted toward helping the rich. Major tax overhauls are enacted infrequently because they spark brutal battles over winners and losers, especially if Congress and the White House are controlled by opposite parties. Yet with Republicans expected to retain House control next year, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has already outlined plans to cut families' and businesses' taxes. He'd no doubt find it tougher to find common ground for reshaping the tax code if Clinton, not Trump, wins the White House. SANAA/ADEN, Yemen A 72-hour truce in Yemen came under pressure on Thursday when missiles fired from Yemen killed two civilians in Saudi Arabia, the United States said, while a Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes that Iran-allied Houthi fighters said killed three people.Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies have been embroiled in a conflict in Yemen since March 2015, fighting on behalf of an exiled Yemeni government against the Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa.A U.N.-brokered ceasefire took effect late on Wednesday, raising hopes of an end to a war that has devastated the Arab world's poorest country and left it on the verge of famine.That brought Sanaa its first night without air strikes in nearly three months, and the truce was generally holding across the Arabian Peninsula state, residents and officials said.However, rockets were fired by the Houthi group at Jazan and Najran in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led military coalition said in a statement. It said that "43 violations were committed along the border ... in which snipers and various weapons were used, including missiles."In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a plea for the Houthis to respect the ceasefire after he met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. Kerry said a rocket attack from Houthi territory killed two Saudi civilians, though it was not immediately clear where the deaths occurred. "It is essential that the Houthis, who have said they will support this ceasefire, live by it," Kerry told reporters."So any such breaches of this put at risk the entire possibility of getting back to talks," Kerry added, saying the ceasefire needed to be given time to take hold. Kerry said Saudi Arabia "has a right to be free from missiles being launched from Yemen" and he called on the Houthis to draw back their troops and missiles.The Houthis said they had launched attacks on Saudi military camps across the border over the past two days and that a coalition air strike on Thursday killed three civilians in northern Saada province.In the southern city of Zinjibar, al-Qaeda militants ambushed a checkpoint and killed five soldiers and injured several others, a local official told a sign of how the war has spiralled out of control. Coalition aircraft had bombed Sanaa every night since Aug. 7, residents said, starting after peace talks with the Houthis and forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh broke down.Several previous ceasefires have failed to pave the way for an end to the conflict, although they have significantly slowed fighting in a war that has killed at least 10,000 people. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in SANAA and Mohammed Mukashaf in ADEN; Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in WASHINGTON; Writing by Tom Finn and Katie Paul; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Potash stocks are hugely popular among fertilizer investors thanks to large companies like PotashCorp, which have grown to dominate the global potash industry today. Recent quarters, however, have been tough for PotashCorp and other producers, as steep price declines crushed profits, sending potash stocks plummeting. Potash stock One-year returns PotashCorp (POT) (27%) Mosaic Company (MOS 1.15%) (34%) Agrium Inc. (NYSE: AGU) (8%) Intrepid Potash (IPI -0.02%) (85%) Compass Minerals International (CMP -2.30%) (15%) Rio Tinto (RIO 0.98%) (19%) BHP Billiton (BHP 0.61%) (7%) Compass Minerals is largely into salt while BHP and Rio Tinto are focused on coal and iron ore and have little stake in potash, which is why these stocks haven't been hit as hard as PotashCorp or Mosaic. Intrepid, on the other hand, is a pure-potash play, but is facing severe liquidity crisis, making it a risky stock to own. Agrium has proven to be the most resilient potash stock, and it would've been my top pick if not for its impending merger with PotashCorp. While that's a story I'll leave for another day, the long-term story for potash -- it's among the top three nutrients applied to crops to boost yields -- is still intact, making each of these stocks (except maybe Intrepid) good bets. However, only two of them look particularly compelling today. PotashCorp: A top turnaround play PotashCorp has been in the news lately for its acquisitive approach to growth. After failing to acquire German-based potash producer K+S last year, PotashCorp is now merging with Agrium in a bid to create the world's largest publicly traded fertilizer company. The merger, if it goes through, will not only strengthen PotashCorp's position in the industry, but also give it access to Agrium's solid nitrogen assets and a high-margin retail business selling crop protection products and seeds. Exposure to the retail side should be PotashCorp's biggest win from the merger, as it'll reduce the volatility in its earnings from fertilizer price shifts. Meanwhile, PotashCorp is nearing completion of a multibillion-dollar expansion program that'll increase its capacity significantly. That includes ramping up its largest mine, at Rocanville, Saskatchewan, Canada, which is expected to produce potash at a cost as low as $45 to $50 per metric ton once it's operating at full capacity. Compare that with the company's cost of goods sold of over $100 per metric ton of potash during the first half of this year, and you can imagine the kind of savings that PotashCorp could generate in the near future, especially if potash prices remain subdued. Moreover, the wrap-up of major projects should also free up cash for PotashCorp, helping it sustain dividends. PotashCorp has slashed its dividends twice this year, but I don't think it'll get any worse, especially if it successfully merges with Agrium -- a company with relatively low leverage and a positive free cash flow. Based on its current dividend, PotashCorp's yield is 2.5%, which isn't bad given the weak state of fertilizer markets. Thanks to its solid foothold in each of the three key nutrient markets of potash, nitrogen, and phosphate, long-life assets, expansion moves, and focus on costs, I believe PotashCorp could prove a great turnaround play as fertilizer markets bottom. The recovery could be slow, but there's little to indicate further downside in PotashCorp stock. In fact, with the stock just bouncing off its 52-week lows and trading at price-to-earnings and price-to-book-value multiples below industry average, it's a good time to enter. Mosaic: Attractive yet undervalued Like PotashCorp, Mosaic is poised to benefit tremendously as fertilizer markets recover. While it's primarily focused on phosphate -- it is the world's largest phosphate producer by capacity -- it is also among the top three potash producers in the world, just behind PotashCorp and Uralkali. More important, potash has traditionally proven to be the more profitable nutrient for Mosaic: Its potash gross margin was 32% in 2015 versus its gross margin of 18% for phosphate. Needless to say, a recovery in potash markets would likely give a big boost to Mosaic's bottom line. In fact, Mosaic is also expanding its low-cost facilities -- a move that has helped the company bring down its potash production cost (per metric ton) by almost 25% since 2014. All of this sounds great, but there's a bigger reason that Mosaic is among my favorite potash stocks: its financial standing. Except in 2015, when it had a conversion rate of 81%, Mosaic has consistently generated greater free cash flow than net income over the past five years. That has encouraged the company to reward shareholders richly: Mosaic's annual dividend of $1.10 per share is 11 times its 2008 dividend per share. Given Mosaic's solid cash flows and tapering capital expenditures, I believe its dividends should continue to trend higher. The stock is currently yielding a solid 4.7%. The best part is that Mosaic is trading really cheaply today. Its P/E of 15 is way below industry average, as is its price-to-book value of 0.8. Mosaic is equally attractive on a price-to-cash flow basis of six times compared to 12 times P/CF that the industry currently commands. I think that's a steal of a deal if you're seeking exposure to potash, or even fertilizers, in the long run. One of the outcomes of the energy market downturn is that it forced Williams Companies (WMB 0.18%) and Williams Partners (NYSE: WPZ) to take a closer look at their combined risk profile. As a result, both companies have undertaken strategic transactions to mitigate risk by reducing their exposure to riskier customers and assets. That trend continued this week when Williams Partners announced another deal with leading natural gas producer Chesapeake Energy (CHKA.Q) to reduce its risks associated with that key customer going forward. Details on the latest deal In this latest transaction, Williams Partners and its joint venture partner Crestwood Equity (CEQP 0.20%) agreed to restructure Chesapeake Energy's gas gathering and processing servicing contracts in Wyoming's Powder River Basin. This particular contract restructuring relates to the Bucking Horse natural gas processing plant and the Jackalope Gas Gathering System, which are 50% owned by Williams Partners and Crestwood Equity. The restructured contract will replace their current cost-of-service agreements with a new long-term, fixed-fee contract, which will have minimum annual revenue guarantees. Restructuring the contract will strengthen Chesapeake Energy's economics in the region, which will allow it to accelerate its development plans. In a sense, Williams and Crestwood are trading higher income today for a greater reward in the future as Chesapeake Energy ramps production in the region. Further, it allows for the potential expansion of their joint venture should Chesapeake Energy need new gathering or processing capacity. Reducing risk one contract at a time This latest restructuring agreement is Williams' fifth with Chesapeake over the past year. Last September, for example, Williams and Chesapeake Energy agreed to expand their contract in the Utica shale while also consolidating contracts in the Haynesville shale. They did so by converting the cost-of-service contract in the Utica to a new fixed-fee contract with minimum volume commitments while combining two Haynesville contracts to one fixed-fee structure. In exchange, Williams benefits by enhancing Chesapeake's ability to grow production in both regions, which improves the volumes flowing through its assets. Meanwhile, earlier this summer, Williams and Chesapeake restructured their agreements in the Barnett shale and the Mid-Continent Region. The Barnett restructuring allowed Chesapeake to sell those assets to a third party. One of the significant benefits of that particular transaction is that it diversifies Williams' customer base away from Chesapeake, reducing it from 20% to 15% of Williams' revenue. That's worth noting because Chesapeake's financial situation remains stressed because of its elevated debt levels. In fact, one of Williams' credit rating agencies cited its outsized exposure to Chesapeake Energy as one of the concerns leading to it to downgrade the MLP's credit rating to the bottom rung of investment grade last year. It is exposure the company assumed when it acquired Chesapeake Energy's former pipeline subsidiary, Access Midstream. Because of that exposure, there were concerns that if Chesapeake filed for bankruptcy, Williams could be forced to accept as much as a 50% reduction in the fees it collects on gathering and processing contracts with the driller. If that were the case, the company could have lost $300 million in annual cash flow, which is a big chunk of its $4 billion in annual cash flow. That's why Williams has been diligently working with Chesapeake to restructure these contracts to support the financial health of its major customer. As a result of these efforts, as well as Chesapeake's ability to cut costs and reduce debt, the gas driller is in the position to deliver sustainable production growth of 5% to 15% annually while living within cash flow starting in 2018. Investor takeaway Williams' outsized exposure to Chesapeake Energy was a cause for concern. However, those concerns are easing with each step the company has taken to reduce its risk by strengthening their relationship. As a result, Williams is on much firmer footing going forward. 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. 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) In 2006, when busboys-turned-restaurateurs Benjamin Prelvukaj and Benjamin Sinanaj, affectionately known as athe Bens,a opened the doors to their NYC steak house they had no idea what they were in for. aWe love steak, we love seafood, we want to stick to what we know best,a Prelvukaj told Michael Tammero, a reporter for FOXBusiness.com. The Bens, both Peter Luger veterans, got a chance to see the cut-throat steak business from the inside, and needed a piece of that business for themselves. aWe look for the big picture,a says Sinanaj. Packed day and night, Benjamin Steak House has become a pillar for steak connoisseurs and a mecca for celebrities. Among Zac Efron, Kim Kardashian, Clive Davis, Bill Murray, Jamie Foxx, Evander Holyfield and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, you never know who will be sitting at the exclusive tables 54 or 55 on any given night. aPeople feel comfortable and we donat bother thema there is no unnecessary press so I think they feel at home,a says Prelvukaj. The kitchen is run by Chef Arturo McLeod, also a Peter Luger alum, who has developed special aging boxes that regulate temperature and humidity allowing the steaks to age properly. With more than 405,000 pounds of beef served across all of their restaurants, hungry customers simply canat get enough. aWe love what we do and we sell the best meat the city has to offer,a notes Prelvukaj. During the past ten successful years, the Bens opened a second Benjamin Steak house in White Plains, N.Y. to accommodate suburban restaurant-goers, in addition to another Manhattan locale, the Sea Fire Grill. The Bens are working on a fourth restaurant, Benjamin Prime, just a block away from Benjaminas to help accomodate its burgeoning customer base. Run like a family business, the Bens are looking to take their old-school New York charm global; their next stop? Tokyo. Also on deck is an e-commerce site to sell steak sauce and other products. aEvery guest that walks in we make sure they leave happy. Itas a family owned restaurant, we really care and put our heart and soul for this,a Prelvukaj adds. To get a better taste of the Bens' recipe for success, be sure to watch the full interview above. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Image Source: Motley Fool. If you haven't tried a Big Mac, you're not alone. According to a new survey, only one in five millennials has ever tried one. The fact that McDonald's(NYSE: MCD) trademark sandwich has been essentially ignored by the young adult generation is no small problem. The burger immortalized in TV ads as "two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame-seed bun" has even spawned its own economic index, but that's not enough to maintain its relevance. The Big Mac's waning popularity actually underscores a bigger problem for McDonald's: its burgers are falling behind. The better burger boom has swept the nation, bringing chains such asFive Guys, SmashBurger,Shake Shack, andHabit Restaurant, to prominence, with all of them are growing quickly, meaning McDonald's is losing the audience for the sandwich it helped popularize. In a 2014 survey,Consumer Reports ranked its burgers dead last among more than a dozen burger chains, rating McDonald's 5.8, several degrees below the next-worst batch at 6.6. McDonald's own results attest to those findings as well. Though same-store sales have rebounded in recent quarters on the strength of all-day breakfast, burger sales have been flat for the last few years, according to theWall Street Journal, and were only growing by 1-2% before that. Today, burgers only make up 20% of the company's sales. No easy fix When CEO Steve Easterbrook took the helm last March, he notably said McDonald's must be a "modern, progressive burger company" in order to succeed. But McDonald's hasn't exactly been ignoring the better burger boom. For years, the company has sought an upscale counterpart to the Big Mac. In the 1990s it introduced the Arch Deluxe, a burger slightly more expensive than the Big Mac with a different bun and sauce, but pulled it off the menu in 1998.Later came the Angus beef burgers and a sandwich made from a sirloin cut, both at a price around $5, which proved to be too high for most of its customers. Currently, the company is testing its Create Your Taste, which allows customers to choose from a selection of buns, toppings, and dressings, but that procedure has been met with resistance from franchisees since it slows down McDonald's operations. 70% of the company's orders in the U.S come through the drive-thru, meaning speed and efficiency are key for the company to meet customer expectations. It aims to complete all orders within 90 seconds. The quality conundrum McDonald's is at a disadvantage against fast-casual competitors who make food to order and don't operate drive-thrus. Customers come in to those restaurants expecting to wait a couple of extra minutes and pay a little extra for quality. Mickey D's, whose brand is built on speed, convenience, and affordability, doesn't have that luxury. As history has shown, its customers are not willing to pay upwards of $5 for a burger, and the ones that are have moved to Five Guys and the other new competitors. Perhaps the biggest challenge McDonald's faces is moving beyond frozen meat. Its current operating procedure, grilling frozen patties and then keeping them in hot holding units, cannot compete with fresh-grilled meat. The company has been experimenting with fresh patties at 54 Dallas locations where employees make quarter pounders using never-frozen, pre-formed patties.McDonald's hasn't given any word on results from the test, but the company has been using frozen beef since the 1970s, and converting to fresh beef in all its restaurants will not be easy -- it would require a different set of operating procedures and potentially new storage facilities. At a time when peers likeRestaurant Brands'Burger King are moving downscale with hot dogs, chicken fries, and other low-priced items, and fast casual chains are taking the more upscale customers, McDonald's seems to be stuck in a fast-food no-man's land. The company plans to introduce two new versions of the Big Mac next year, a larger one called the Grand Mac and a smaller called the Mac Jr.That could help restore some excitement for its trademark sandwich, but for now the question of how to grow burger sales remains an unsolved mystery. A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here. Jeremy Bowman owns shares of Habit Restaurants and Shake Shack. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. THE ISSUE: The Internal Revenue Service touches everyone, not just taxpayers but anyone who receives a government check, drives on roads made possible by tax revenue or sends a child to a school helped by Washington. It's a touch that can come with a heavy hand, in the eyes of critics who believe the agency's far-reaching powers are abused and need to be tamed. ___ WHERE THEY STAND Republican Donald Trump's most explicit views about the agency have been on the personal level he says he's been under a continuing multi-year IRS audit and that's why he won't release his tax returns, as other presidential candidates do. He's also boasted that his use of business losses to zero out his tax liability shows he's smart. Trump's tax plan reduces the number of tax brackets but does not envisage dismantling the IRS as its fiercest critics want. Democrat Hillary Clinton has said little about the powers of the IRS except to suggest Trump would use them to go after his opponents. She's sure to fight attempts by congressional Republicans to cut the agency's budget. ___ WHY IT MATTERS No one loves the IRS. Many Republicans, though, unlike most Democrats, talk of abolishing it. That idea never materializes. Even a smaller government could not function without an agency responsible for collecting revenue and going after tax cheats. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen says it's one thing to simplify the tax code a good idea, he offers but another to think the country can get by without tax collectors. "You could call them something other than the IRS if that made you feel better," he's said to the critics. With some 90,000 employees, a massive stockpile of information on citizens and powers to dig deep into the lives of those it decides to investigate, the IRS is in the face of Americans like no other agency. That's become even more so since it was handed the job of enforcing the mandate that people carry health insurance. The potential for abusing power is obvious, and it has happened most vividly at the hands of President Richard Nixon but also in the administrations of John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt and more, historians say. During the Obama administration, the IRS has acknowledged mistreatment of tea party groups by subjecting them to excessive scrutiny in their bid for tax-exempt status. But investigations by the Justice Department and the IRS' independent inspector general found no evidence that actions against the conservative groups were politically motivated. Koskinen took over after the IRS actions in question but has not been clear of the controversy. Conservative lawmakers pressed unsuccessfully to impeach him, accusing him of lying to Congress, not answering subpoenas and overseeing an agency that destroyed documents in the tea party case. He denied the accusations and told lawmakers that when he testified in June 2014 that no documents had been destroyed since congressional investigations began, he didn't know that IRS workers had mistakenly destroyed backup tapes bearing thousands of emails. As for getting rid of the IRS altogether, even libertarian-leaning analysts say that's a stretch. Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute, a former senior economist with Congress' Joint Economic Committee, says even the most simplified tax code would require 10,000 to 20,000 tax collectors. "If you're going to have federal taxes, you need an agency to collect them," he said. The Libertarian Party presidential candidate, Gary Johnson, says he'd like to eliminate the IRS and any other federal agency that Congress might vote to dismantle. But that, he has said, would take "a magic wand." ___ This story is part of AP's "Why It Matters" series, examining three dozen issues at stake in the presidential election. You can find the series at http://apne.ws/2bBG85a Colombia's government is seeking to raise taxes to offset a plunge in oil revenue and an ambitious spending program to end a half century conflict with leftist rebels. Low oil prices have been driving a hole in Colombia's public finances ever since the price of crude began collapsing in 2014. But President Juan Manuel Santos, winner of this year's Nobel Peace prize, had put off presenting his tax reform for months for fear of alienating voters ahead of a referendum on a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Voters narrowly rejected the deal this month anyway, delivering a major blow to Santos' efforts to bring an end to the bloody conflict. But even as the peace deal hangs by a thread the need for additional funding hasn't gone away. Facing a deadline to pass the tax hike for it to take effect next year, Santos presented his proposal Wednesday night to congress, where it was met with hostility even by lawmakers who are strong backers of the president's peace drive. Regular Colombians, who blame Santos for neglecting the economy while focusing squarely on peace, also expressed outrage. "It's a profoundly regressive tax reform intended to punish all the people, and the popular and middle classes, while favoring transnationals," said Senator Jorge Robledo of the leftist Democratic Pole party. The most controversial aspect is a 3 percentage point hike in sales tax to 19 percent, which taken together with the elimination of a wealth tax on the rich, has subjected Santos to criticism he's putting too big of a financial burden on the poor. Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas' plan also includes levies on soft drinks and lowering the income threshold for filing a tax return. Analysts say the polarized political environment will make passing the reform, at least in its current form, harder. Colombia, which saw oil production almost double over the past eight years, is one of the countries hardest hit by a plunge in oil prices from a high of over $100 per barrel in 2014 to as low as $35 earlier this year. In 2013, almost 20 percent of public spending was funded by taxes and dividends from state-run producer Ecopetrol but this year oil income will be nil, putting at risk the country's sterling investment-grade credit rating. In a story Oct. 19 about Core Laboratories NV's earnings, The Associated Press reported erroneously that earnings per share missed estimates. The company's net income met analyst estimates. A corrected version of the story is below: Core Laboratories meets Street 3Q forecasts Core Laboratories posts 3Q profit, results meet Wall Street estimates AMSTERDAM (AP) Core Laboratories NV (CLB) on Wednesday reported third-quarter profit of $16.7 million. On a per-share basis, the Amsterdam-based company said it had net income of 38 cents. The results met Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 38 cents per share. The energy services company posted revenue of $143.5 million in the period, which did not meet Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $147.2 million. For the current quarter ending in December, Core Laboratories said it expects revenue in the range of $143 million to $145 million. Core Laboratories shares have risen almost 6 percent since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $115.10, a climb of 2.5 percent in the last 12 months. _____ Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CLB at http://www.zacks.com/ap/CLB _____ Keywords: Core Laboratories, Earnings Report Republican candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday would not commit to accepting the outcome of the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy and sending shockwaves across the political spectrum. Trump's refusal, which his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called "horrifying," was the standout remark of the their third and final debate and ratcheted up claims he has made for weeks that the election was rigged against him. Asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether Trump would not commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. Ok?" Trump's statement may appeal to his anti-establishment followers, but it was unlikely to reverse opinion polls that show him losing, including in key states that will decide the election. "That is not the way our democracy works," Clinton said during the debate. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election." Later she told reporters: "What he said tonight is part of his whole effort to blame somebody else for where he is in his campaign." A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, won the debate while 39 percent said Trump, making his first run at public office, was the victor. Mexico's peso currency, seen as a measure of Trump's prospects, rose to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the debate, suggesting growing investor confidence of a Clinton victory. Trump has vowed to build a wall on the border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and has said he would make Mexico pay for it. REPUBLICANS VOICE CONCERN Mainstream Republicans were quick to denounce the comment. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a former Republican presidential candidate who has never warmed to Trump, said: "If he loses, it will not be because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate." Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who also ran for the Republican presidential nomination and now supports Trump, defended him. He said Trump's message was that "if there's some kind of obvious fraud going on, he's going to say something about it." "He didn't say he wouldn't accept it," Carson told Reuters. "He said he would evaluate it at the time." Trump's running mate, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, said Trump "will accept the outcome" because he is going to win. But Republican strategist Ryan Williams found Trump's statement "deeply concerning." "You have to accept the results of the election unless there are grounds for a recount and at this point it does not appear that we're heading for a close election," he said. 'A NASTY WOMAN' In a debate that for the first time focused more on policy than character, the two candidates nonetheless lashed out at each other. Trump, 70, called Clinton "such a nasty woman," accused her campaign of orchestrating a series of accusations by women who said the businessman made unwanted sexual advances and said that both she and President Barack Obama were behind disturbances at his rallies. He said the Clinton Foundation was a criminal enterprise and as a result she should not have been allowed to seek the presidency. Clinton, 68, said Trump himself had incited violence, belittled women and posed a danger to the United States. She said Trump, a former reality TV star, had in the past also complained that his show was unjustly denied a U.S. television Emmy award. "I should have gotten it," Trump retorted. Trump said all of the stories of sexual misdeeds were "totally false" and suggested Clinton was behind the charges. He called her campaign "sleazy" and said, "Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody." Clinton said the women came forward after Trump said in the last debate he had never made unwanted advances on women. In a 2005 video, Trump was recorded bragging about groping women against their will. "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth and I dont think there is a woman anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like," said Clinton, the first woman to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party. The two candidates also had a spirited exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration during the showdown. Clinton said she would raise taxes on the wealthy to help fund the U.S. government's Social Security retirement program. She said Trump, who Forbes says is worth $3.7 billion, would be paying higher taxes too unless he can get out of it. "Such a nasty woman," Trump said. Trump and Clinton battled sharply over the influence of Vladimir Putin, with Clinton calling Trump the Russian president's puppet and Trump charging Putin had repeatedly outsmarted Clinton. Clinton and Trump walked straight to their podiums when they were introduced at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, once again forgoing the traditional handshake as they did at the seconddebate last week in St. Louis, Missouri. This time they did not shake hands at the end of thedebate either. (Additional reporting by Amanda Becker in Las Vegas and Alana Wise and Ginger Gibson in Washington and Luciana Lopez in New York; Writing by Steve Holland and John Whitesides; Editing by Howard Goller) Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were more focused on the issues in their final debate matchup of 2016 Wednesday night. But while there was less mudslinging and a little more substance and policy discussion than usual, there was still plenty for the American public to talk about on social media. Throughout the night, Internet-users took to Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to fact check the candidates. According to the search giant, Trump garnered 70% of the search interest compared to Clintons 30%. The top-trending searches included Trumps stance on Iraq, his use of what sounded like the word bigly, the situation unfolding in Aleppo, second amendment issues, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In the final minutes of the debate, Google also reported a 330% spike in search interest for early voting, and lot of questions about the status of Trumps relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, interest in Wikileaks jumped above searches for emails when it came to questions surrounding Clintons scandals. Social Media Debate Engagement It wasnt just living-room televisions Americans were glued to on debate night. Second screens like tablets, notebooks, and cell phones helped social-media users engage in real time as they reacted to comments on the debate stage. As the conversation swelled on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR), so did the candidates follower counts. Clinton added more than 13,000 new followers on Wednesday night, while 6,000 users began tracking Trump. Early in the night, the candidates clashed on Trumps treatment of women; it became the most-tweeted moment of the evening. The topic has been a sore spot for the Trump campaign in the two weeks following a leaked audio tape of Trump lewdly describing how he interacts with women, in addition to allegations from women who have come forward saying they were mistreated or harassed by the Republican candidate. Twitter users were particularly interested in a moment in which moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump whether he would accept the outcome of the election, the candidate responded, I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now. Clinton responded by saying Trumps remarks were horrifying, and that every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is, is rigged against him. Trumps remarks came just hours after his daughter Ivanka told the media, during an appearance at a women's summit in Laguna Niguel, her father would support the elections outcome even if it meant conceding to the Democratic nominee. That exchange became the second-most talked about moment on Twitter, followed by comments from Clinton calling Trump Putins puppet. Over on Facebook, users focused on a clash between Wallace and Trump on the candidates comments in the second debate that Aleppo had basically fallen. After a lot of cross talk, Trump said that the situation is a disastera humanitarian nightmare, blaming Clinton for what he said was the nations alignment with Russia and Iran. Other notable moments included Trump telling his opponent she had terrible instincts and bad judgment, and calling the FBI and the Department of Justice disgraceful for their handling of the probe into Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State. While Trump seemed to dominate interest on both social platforms, data from the companies show the candidate split of the conversation overall were nearly even. On Facebook, Trump carried 56% of the chatter to Clintons 44%; on Twitter the split was 59% to 41% in favor of Trump. Facebook also noted that 17.8 million users generated 79.9 million likes, posts, comments, and shares throughout the night. Those figures were down from both the first and second general-election debates which garnered as many as 19.8 million people generating more than 92.4 million likes, posts, comments and shares. If you havent paid your parking tickets you may soon have a face-to-face with the Barnacle. The yellow monstrosity, which latches on to the windshield and blocks the drivers view, rendering the car undriveable, has already begun replacing the parking boot in cities like Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as part of a 60-day trial that began Sept. 23. The peculiar device is more effective than the boot at immobilizing cars and is easier to install, Kevin Dougherty, president of the New York-based Barnacle Parking Enforcement, told Philly.com. The Barnacle an opaque piece of plastic held in place by two suction cups and 750 pounds of force makes it nearly impossible for a driver to drive away, even if they think they can cleverly stick their head out of the window. If you ever actually try to drive that way, its physically very difficult, Dougherty said. The tech-savvy device is also sensitive to movement and will sound an alarm if it detects that a car is in use while its attached. While drivers may dread the Barnacle, its more convenient for motorists who once had to wait hours for their boot to be removed by a parking official. The device comes with a toll-free number so that the driver can pay fines over the phone. They are then given a code to release the device from their vehicle and then allotted 24 hours to take it to a drop-off location, according to the LA Times. The machine folds and can be easily stored in the trunk of a car. The Barnacle also makes being a traffic enforcer safer, freeing officials from lugging around the unwieldy parking boots, which typically weight 40 to 45 pounds, and putting themselves in a dangerous position to install them. Early models of the Barnacle weigh just 20 pounds and officials can attach it from the sidewalk instead of kneeling down in traffic to latch it on to the wheel. The Barnacle, which sells for $600, may replace the boot in even more cities if the trials in Pennsylvania and Florida prove that its cost effective and easier to use. John Haney of the Allentown Parking Authority told Philly.com that he wants to see how the Barnacle fares in winter, when snow on the windshield may make it less effective. Monique Damiano, public information specialist for Fort Lauderdale, told the LA Times that the Barnacle has thus far been met with puzzlement in the city. Most of the reaction that were getting from violators is more of a curiosity, she said. More from the New York Post Hilary Swank didnt hold back when discussing her pay in the industry. The actress sat down with Chelsea Handler, Connie Britton, Selma director Ava DuVernay and Miss USA 2016 Deshauna Barber for an episode of Chelsea. The group discussed how women are treated in Hollywood and the gender pay gap came up. Swank said she was offered a fraction of what a male was offered to work on a movie, even though she had already won multiple Oscars and the male was not acclaimed for his acting. I win my second Academy Award, and the next couple of movies later, I get offered a movie, but the male hadnt had any kind of critical success but had been in a movie where he was hot, and he got offered $10 million, and I got offered $500,000. The table responded with shock. Swank said she couldnt accept the low-paying gig. So, I said no, and then they went and found a newcomer that went and did it for $50,000, she said. The actress joked that the $450,000 the filmmakers saved was likely given to male actor as a bonus. Swank didnt name the film or say when it occurred. She won Oscars for 1993s Camp Wilder and 2004s Million Dollar Baby. She also said she was paid $3,000 for an earlier role even after she had an Oscar under her belt. When I did Boys Dont Cry, I was 24 years old. I made $3,000. In order to have health insurance you have to make $5,000 I had an Academy Award -- no health insurance. Two top lawmakers on Thursday demanded information from a drug company that has raised prices on a leukemia drug, calling increases of tens of thousands of dollars a sign the company puts profits before patients. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wrote ARIAD Pharmaceuticals and asked about price hikes for Iclusig, which is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia in some people. The company raised the cost of the drug four times in 2016 to an almost $200,000 yearly cost, an increase of more than $80,000 over the last several years. "These outrageous sales tactics indicate that ARIAD is more concerned with its profit than with its patients," Sanders and Cummings wrote. Sanders also tweeted about the company last week: "Drug corporations' greed is unbelievable. Ariad has raised the price of a leukemia drug to almost $199,000 a year." According to data from Truven Health Analytics, the list price for a year's supply of Iclusig tablets has increased from $114,960 in 2012 to $198,732 in October 2016. Sanders and Cummings also said they are investigating whether the company tried to boost profits by tweaking pill dosages and quantities to charge insurers and patients more for less medicine. The FDA approved Iclusig in 2012 as a treatment for two rare types of leukemia, but the company suspended sales the next October because of heightened concerns that patients could suffer from life-threatening blood clots. In December 2013, it relaunched with added warnings and to a smaller subset of patients. The inquiry comes as other pharmaceutical companies have come under fire from Congress for price hikes. Martin Shkreli, the brash former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, became the poster child of pharmaceutical-industry greed last fall for hiking the price of a life-saving drug, Daraprim, by more than 5,000 percent. He invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer any questions at a House hearing earlier this year. In September, a House panel grilled Mylan CEO Heather Bresch after the list price of the company's life-saving EpiPens grew to $608 for a two-pack, an increase of more than 500 percent since 2007. Mylan is paying $465 million to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicaid for the EpiPen. The settlement with the Justice Department followed the news that EpiPen has been incorrectly classified since late 1997 as a generic product under the Medicaid health program for the poor and disabled. On Sunday, Ileana Martinez went to the hospital for severe stomach cramps and, much to her surprise, left a new mom. When she arrived at the hospital, the Norton, Massachusetts, woman underwent an ultrasound, which revealed she was 15 weeks pregnant, Fox 25 reported. Then, a second ultrasound led to an even bigger surprise. "I get admitted to labor and delivery and she's like Oh yeah, so you're actually around 36 to 38 weeks. Right when she finished the sentence, my water just broke, Martinez told the news channel. The 23-year-olds son arrived shortly after that and his dad came to the hospital, needing to see his son to believe it. Martinez named the boy Jaxson Kenny Jean-Pierre. He weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces. Martinez told the news channel that she didnt have any signs of pregnancy; she was on birth control, getting her menstrual cycle and gained around 5 pounds. "Im guessing he was tucked under a rib," Martinez told Fox 25. Though Jaxson is small, hes healthy. Martinez said her son was a blessing and called the experience, surreal. Bottom line: in the third and final presidential debate, Trump had his best outing yet. He was calm, informed and reasonable, and managed to again put Hillary on the defensive. He will have shored up support among conservatives by taking strong stances against abortion and in favor of gun rights. But by pressing those positions, and by not addressing family or education issues, he probably gained no ground with women, and that could cost him the election. The drama of the debate, though, was that Donald Trump refused to guarantee that he will accept the outcome of the election. Instead, he said he would look at it at the time, suggesting that he might challenge the result should he suspect significant interference in the vote. Hillary Clinton excitedly denounced Trump for denigrating democracy and with breaking with our long-standing tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. Trumps position is in keeping with recent comments made to supporters that the election might be rigged, a refrain that concerns some party officials and voters. His running mate Mike Pence and his daughter Ivanka have both agreed to accept the outcome of the vote; why not The Donald? Trump is a very fast learner. The difference between his performance in the first head-to-head encounter with Hillary Clinton and the last was vast. Not only did he stay on message, but he clearly has amassed a great deal of information in a very short time. Trump may be trying to gin up turn-out amongst his supporters. In the face of a barrage of negative publicity and weaker polling, Trump may fear that his backers will be discouraged, and fail to show up at the polls. The release of the new Project Veritas tape identifying actual voter fraud, and the firing of two Democratic operatives engaged in cheating, has given the issue of a rigged election actual substance. Trump has called for people to act as poll watchers, expressly to look out for signs of foul play. What could better whip up his followers than suspicions that the Clinton camp, and the DNC, is trying to fix the vote? Its not a crazy strategy. The entire country is alert to what has become the most aggressive media onslaught ever waged against a presidential candidate. The incessant reporting of unfavorable news about Trump, much-hyped revelations about his business dealings, the resolute reluctance to report WikiLeaks emails damaging to Hillary, the revelations about cozy relations between reporters and the Clinton camp Trump can fairly claim that the media establishment is pitted against him. Add to that recent reports of Democratic operatives inciting violence at Trump rallies violence which became central to Hillarys theme that Trump was dangerous and could not be trusted with the nuclear code and there are reasons to be skeptical that the political playing field is level. Much of the recent assault on Trump, such as the great attention paid to the video of his lewd remarks about women or the days of coverage given to his contretemps with the former beauty queen, has appeared geared to depressing turnout by Trump voters. Hillarys operatives are extremely concerned that her voters wont show up because her unfavorables like Trumps are so high. They have sent one emissary after another including President and Mrs. Obama out to goad African-Americans, Hispanics and other members of the Obama coalition into going to the polls. Whats even more effective? Making sure that Trump backers dont show up either. So perhaps Trump is engaging in tit for tat. Sadly, because of the medias very real bias, Trumps comments will be portrayed as just more evidence of recklessness. Lost in the coverage will be mention of the Project Veritas recording or the firing of the Democrat apparatchiks. Pundits will be dismayed by Trumps whining as President Obama described it. Lost will be the other real news of debate: Trump is a very fast learner. The difference between his performance in the first head-to-head encounter with Hillary Clinton and the last was vast. Not only did he stay on message, but he clearly has amassed a great deal of information in a very short time. He spoke about Aleppo and ObamaCare, the economy and the Supreme Court with confidence. He will never match Hillarys mastery of policy detail; he doesnt need to. He just needs to sound competent, and he did. Moreover, Hillary was not in command. She failed to answer a question about apparent pay to play while she was Secretary of State, instead ranting on about the virtues of the Clinton Foundation that was finally interrupted by Chris Wallace. No one was fooled. Republicans cheered; finally, a moderator brought up the unholy history of the Clinton Foundation. Trump went after Hillary on the failures of policies towards Syria, Iraq and Libya. He again noted that she has been near the center of power for thirty years time to have made some of the changes she has now promised to undertake. He again accused her and other Democrats of reaching out to blacks and Hispanics only every four years, when they need their votes. And, of course, he hit her over and over on trade, associating her with husband Bills disastrous NAFTA deal. For her part, Hillary repeated worn lines denigrating Trump, accusing him of shipping jobs to Mexico and China by buying cheap imports for his projects (at least he created some jobs along the way), of belittling women, minorities and the disabled, of wanting to cut taxes for the wealthy, of suggesting we sunder our relations with staunch allies and of being in league with Putin. Trump was more successful in deflecting such charges than in the past, partly because he is better informed. When Hillary was confronted with WikiLeaked comments about her dream of open trade and open borders she immediately revisited her meme about Putin and Trump being in cahoots. Trump noted drily That was quite a pivot, and indeed it was. Will Trumps better performance close Hillarys lead in the polls? It may help. Summing up, he said the country cannot afford four more years of Obama. That is the truth, and the most powerful message in Trumps arsenal. In terms of individual rights, there has probably never been so much at stake in a presidential election. If Hillary Clinton wins, Americans will soon lose the right of self-defense in their own homes. Wednesday night in Las Vegas moderator Chris Wallace quickly started off the debate by asking Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton about the Second Amendment. Hillary was asked about her claim: "the Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment. The 2008 Heller decision struck down Washington, D.C.s complete ban on handguns. Before the decision, people in the District could own a rifle or a shotgun, it was a felony to load the gun. This amounted to a complete ban on guns, and the Supreme Court said that Washington went too far. But then, on Wednesday night, Clinton suggested that Wallace had misunderstood her statement. She explained: "I support the Second Amendment . . . I disagreed with the way the court applied the Second Amendment in that case because what the District of Columbia was trying to do was to protect toddlers from guns. And so they wanted people with guns to safely store them." But the Supreme Court did nothing at all to stop safe-storage laws. And the Justices that Clinton promises to appoint to the High Court will, in all likelihood, again make it possible for the government to ban guns. As to the storage laws, the Heller decision couldnt have been clearer: "Nor, correspondingly, does our analysis suggest the invalidity of laws regulating the storage of firearms to prevent accidents. If the ruling contributed to the problem that Clinton describes, one would think that there would have been a lot of accidental gun deaths involving toddlers. But there doesnt appear to have been a single accidental gun death of any kind in the District, let alone for toddlers, during the eight years since the Heller decision was announced. The only gun laws that the Supreme Court has struck down have been complete bans on guns. Let me repeat this: If Clintons judicial appointments vote to overturn Heller, governments will again be able to ban guns. And this is a real possibility. Heller can be overturned with just one more appointment to the court. The Supreme Court is currently tied 4-4 on the meaning of the Second Amendment. Right now, all four liberal justices have made it clear that they believe in the governments right to completely ban guns. In 2010, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote: "I can find nothing in the Second Amendments text, history, or underlying rationale that could warrant characterizing it as fundamental' insofar as it seeks to protect the keeping and bearing of arms for private self-defense purposes. This decision will ensure that many Americans will face gun bans. With the change in the Supreme Court, the District of Columbia and some cities will quickly move to ban guns. California has already banned over 12,000 models of handguns since 2001, with only a dozen that can still be sold in the state and even those likely banned within a few years. If Clinton becomes president, all handguns in California will likely soon be banned. Clinton continued to talk about gun control later in the Las Vegas debate, saying: If you are too dangerous to fly, you are too dangerous to buy a gun. Of course, such a law wouldnt have prevented a single one of the mass public shootings that have occurred in the United States. And the ban would do nothing to stop terrorism. About 40 percent of the people on the No Fly watch list are considered to be under reasonable suspicion even though they have absolutely no affiliation with known terrorist groups. As of 2014, about 50,000 people were on the No Fly list. This is a ten-fold increase since Barack Obama became president. Between February 2004 and December 2014, over 2,000 people on the list purchased guns. Yet, not one of these people has been identified as using a gun in a crime. The debate isnt over about whether dangerous people should be able to buy guns. The question is whether, without any oversight, a faceless bureaucrat should be able to put someones name on a list. Clinton and other Democrats dont believe that the Department of Justice should have to make its case to a judge. They dont believe in requiring reasonable evidence that the person is a danger. Republicans, such as Trump, believe that some evidence has to be provided. That Hillary Clinton wont honestly tell Americans what she intends to do if she becomes president, shows that she is concerned that many Americans do support gun ownership. But regardless of whether or not she openly acknowledges her plans, the threat that she poses is still very real. If you believe the pundits, Donald Trump is going to wage a one-man revolution if he loses the 2016 presidential election. That was the medias big takeaway from the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas between Trump and Hillary Clinton. At issue was a question posed by moderator Chris Wallace regarding whether Trump would accept the election results. "I will tell you at the time," Trump replied. "I'll keep you in suspense. OK?" Click here to join Todds American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives! The mainstream media went apoplectic. They want you to believe that Trump is going to gallop down 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on a white stallion leading a battalion of Minute Men armed with muskets and waving the Gadsden flag. The MSM is advancing this outrageous narrative to avoid covering legitimate scandals like the James OKeefe videos exposing DNC thuggery and the WikiLeaks emails that reveal media collusion with the Clinton campaign. Hillary Clinton and her minions have attacked Catholics, Evangelicals, Republicans, Rednecks and Southern beauty queens as a bunch of irredeemable deplorable bigots. Her outright contempt for everyday Americans and our values should disqualify her from being the next leader of the free world. I have no doubt a Clinton presidency would soil the U.S. Constitution much like that DNC tour bus did on the streets of Lawrenceville, Georgia. So here are my top 10 takeaways: 1. Mr. Trump needs to stay focused on the issues. The American people dont care about the alleged sex scandal and I doubt they care about his remarks on whether he will concede the election if he loses. Voters do care about jobs, securing the border, protecting the Second Amendment and preventing radical leftists from commandeering the Supreme Court. The American people do not care about phony crises and scandals manufactured by Hillary Clintons fanboys in the Mainstream Media. 2. Unborn lives matter. Christians who are still undecided about voting should reflect on Clintons and Trumps comments regarding late-term, partial birth abortions. If you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of a baby, Trump said. Clinton did not deny the charge. Instead, she called it scare rhetoric. 3. Hillary's basket of dirty tricks. Thanks to the fine undercover work of James OKeefe we know that the Democrats were allegedly involved in a dirty tricks campaign. They disrupted Trump campaign events leaving innocent Americans bloodied and battered. WikiLeaks revealed that her campaigns goal was to portray Republicans as bigots and extremists. Mrs. Clinton and the Democrats must be held accountable. 4. Add gun-toting toddlers to Hillarys "basket of deplorables." Mrs. Clinton offered a bizarre theory for why she wants to crack down on the Second Amendment. Dozens of toddlers injure themselves, even kill people with guns, because, not everyone who has loaded guns in their homes takes appropriate precautions, she said. 5. Liberals accused me of being sexist. A motley crew of leftists slammed me on social media last night for calling the Democratic nominee Miss Hillary. Upon deep personal reflection, Id like to offer a public apology to Mrs. Bill Clinton. 6. Chris Wallace was the winner of last nights debate. My colleague at Fox News delivered a fair and balanced debate to the nation. He kept the candidates and the crowd on point. It was a tremendous job. How refreshing to have a moderator instead of someone auditioning to be Hillary Clintons press secretary. Well done, Mr. Wallace! 7. The Case of the hanging chad. The mainstream media are once again is predicting Trumps demise they are furious over his refusal to say whether he will concede the election if he loses. CNN called it a death blow. One well-known pundit said it was political suicide. Mrs. Clinton said she was horrified. I wonder if she was horrified when Al Gore challenged the 2000 presidential election. The MSM seems to have come down with a sudden case of amnesia. 8. It depends on what "open borders" means. Clinton was asked to explain a quote from a speech divulged by WikiLeaks on her dream for open borders. She dodged the question. But Ill be glad to answer for her. She wants to sacrifice American sovereignty. Under President Hillary Clinton our nation will be overrun by illegals as well as Islamic radicals disguised as refugees. 9. Mrs. Clinton should consider purchasing a lovely American flag pin. Its a must-have, patriotic fashion accessory especially for presidential candidates. And it goes well with anything including pantsuits. 10. Lets keep things in perspective. No matter what happens on Election Day, remember that God is still in control so let not your heart be troubled, America. Since Hollywood is revisiting Bill Murray movies (if youre lucky, you missed the Ghostbusters reboot), why not another run at Groundhog Day? With this plot twist: instead of a weatherman trapped in Punxsutawney, its some unfortunate soul stuck in Trump Tower and charged with debate prep. With every day the same: advise Donald Trump to stick to the economy, wrong-track America and a corrupt and compromised political system as embodied by Hillary Clinton without making it overly snide, disparaging or unwarranted. Only, each and every time, Trump fails to deliver the goods. Anyone who was three credits shy of their college degree and took one last course pass/fail recognized Clintons approach in Las Vegas: do as little as possible to avoid flunking. Wednesdays presidential debate in Las Vegas: need you ask? Here are some observations about the final live, nationally televised encounter between Clinton and Trump. Third Time Wasnt The Charm. Thrice now, Trump has had 90 minutes to make his argument for his brand of change over Democratic status quo, with tens of millions of voters tuned in. Thrice now, hes failed to seal the deal. I base this on one standard: sound bites. Trump didnt generate positive ones about his vision. To the extent the debate is rehashed over the next few days, the video will be of Trump refusing to say hell accept the elections results if hes on the losing end, or calling Clinton a nasty woman. Consider the findings from Tuesdays Fox News Poll: On the economy the paramount issue in this election Trump tops Clinton by six points. In 2012, Mitt Romney led President Obama by 9 points. On foreign policy, Clinton has an 18-point lead. In 2012, Obama led by only 8 points. Now, the number that speaks to why Trump trails in this contest: asked with candidate can change the country for the better, Clinton leads by three points. Three months after the GOP national convention, Trump has failed to convert his outsider status to an advantage. If he goes on to lose the race, then that failure should be in the lead paragraph of his political obituary. Medicated? Try Premeditated. Anyone who was three credits shy of their college degree and took one last course pass/fail recognized Clintons approach: do as little as possible to avoid flunking. The forced smile, rehearsed sound bites, eyes constantly looking down at her notepad to make sure she didnt forget what she studied in debate prep? All the stuff of a candidate playing out the string. About those eyes looking south: its the stuff of a pedestrian debater. Hillarys only new twist tonight: repeatedly mentioning that she was serving the public when he was hosting Celebrity Apprentice. The cynical Clinton calculation: she could get away with the same empty calories about adding jobs, fighting ISIS, the evils of Trumponomics and bringing together the nation for a group hug because she doesnt fear her opponent exploiting her weakness. Though she was clad in a white pant suit tonight, Clinton has a fondness for yellow attire bright yellow a personality color associated with cheerfulness and creativity, plus a tendency to over-analyze and engage in methodical thinking. That latter trait would be an understatement as far as Hillary Clinton goes. According to the WikiLeaks dispatches, she selected her running mate a year before she received the Democratic nomination. Her campaign mulled over no less than 85 campaign slogans last year. Chris Wallace. The Fox News Sunday anchor led off with an adult question about the Supreme Court and interpreting the Constitution and didnt let up. The directness was refreshing: was Trump okay with Russian meddling in elections; how does the $275 billion Clinton infrastructure proposal differ from Obamas $800 billion lemon of a stimulus plan? Fifty minutes into the debate came Wallaces telling moment, when the dialogue shifted to temperament. Here, Wallace let each candidate have their two minutes; he didnt step in mid-answer, as have previous moderators, which is what prompts the bias talk. When Clinton tried to sidestep his question about the Clinton Foundation, Wallace pulled her back on course just as he pushed Trump on his foundations choices. My only criticisms: Wallace didnt bring up the horror that is the $20 trillion national debt until a few minutes remained in the debate; entitlement spending was relegated to the very end (how many viewers had switched to the Cubs-Dodgers game?). The penultimate question perfectly captured this election: Trump didnt have an answer as to how to safeguard Social Security and Medicare. Clinton wants to protect benefits even enhance benefits with no details on how shell pay for it. Ugh. Must We Suffer Again? What to make of the presidential debate process now that its (mercifully) concluded? Every four years, it starts with the best of intentions. Yet, the end product disappoints. In 2016, a troubled America didnt get the policy dialogue it deserved. Too many times, the question of the moderators role clouded what should be a clean celebration of democracy. This isnt to suggest that the Commission on Presidential Debates should be put out to pasture, but I would like to suggest two reforms. First, ditch the lone moderator and go back to how presidential debates worked from 1960-1988 a moderator backed up by a panel of three or more journalists. Spreading the questioning might help with the bias question. Second, lower the bar for who gets on the stage. At preset, the Commission allows only candidates who are on the ballot in enough states to earn 270 electoral votes as long as theyre polling at 15 percent or higher in a composite of national surveys. Why not lower the latter number to 10 percent and give the third-party candidates a fairer chance at prime-time exposure? The good thing about pondering debate reforms for 2020 and beyond: it means this elections end finally is in sight. Iran is seeking many billions of dollars in payments from the United States in exchange for the release of several U.S. hostages still being detained in Iran, according to reports by Irans state-controlled press that are reigniting debate over the Obama administrations decision earlier this year to pay Iran $1.7 billion in cash. Senior Iranian officials, including the countrys president, have been floating the possibility of further payments from the United States for months. Since the White House agreed to pay Tehran $1.7 billion in cash earlier this year as part of a deal bound up in the release of American hostages, Iran has captured several more U.S. citizens. Future payments to Iran could reach as much as $2 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter, who said that Iran is detaining U.S. citizens in Irans notorious Evin prison where inmates are routinely tortured and abused. Iranian news sources close to the countrys Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, which has been handling prisoner swaps with the United States, reported on Tuesday that Iran expects many billions of dollars to release those U.S. citizens still being detained. We should wait and see, the U.S. will offer many billions of dollars to release American businessman Siamak Namazi and his father Baquer, who was abducted by Iran after the United States paid Iran the $1.7 billion, according to the countrys Mashregh News outlet, which has close ties to the IRGCs intelligence apparatus. The Persian language news report was independently translated for the Washington Free Beacon. Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon. Donald Trump would not commit Wednesday night to accepting the results of the presidential election if he loses on Nov. 8, in a striking moment during his final debate with Hillary Clinton that underscored the deepening tensions in the race as the bitter rivals defined the choice for voters on an array of issues not three weeks from Election Day. The debate in Las Vegas, moderated by Fox News Chris Wallace, started with a measured discussion on policy disputes ranging from gun rights to abortion to immigration. But it ended with the candidates hurling a grab-bag of accusations and insults at each other. Trump called Clinton a nasty woman. Clinton called Trump the most dangerous person to run for president in modern history. The most pointed moment came when Trump who for weeks has warned of a rigged election was asked whether he will commit to accept the results of the election. I will look at it at the time, Trump said, citing his concerns about voter registration fraud, a corrupt media and an opponent he claimed shouldnt be allowed to run because she committed a very serious crime with her emails. Pressed again whether hes prepared to concede if he loses, Trump again said: I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Clinton delivered a sharp rejoinder: Thats horrifying. That is not the way our democracy works, she said. He is denigrating, hes talking down our democracy and I for one am appalled. Trump responded by calling the Justice Departments handling of her email probe disgraceful. The exchange was among many contentious moments at Wednesdays debate, which covered several issues including the national debt that have gotten little attention in the race so far but flared with arguments between the candidates over WikiLeaks, over Russia, over the Clinton Foundation and over womens allegations of groping against Trump. Through the thicket of accusations and personal animus they never shook hands on stage the candidates tried generally to mount a closing debate-stage argument about experience. For 30 years, youve been in a position to help. The problem is you talk, but you dont get anything done, Hillary, Trump said. If you become president, this country is going to be in some mess, believe me. Clinton countered by contrasting some of her experiences against Trumps. She said when she was monitoring the Usama bin Laden raid in the Situation Room, He was hosting The Celebrity Apprentice. Im happy to compare my 30 years of experience with your 30 years, and I will let the American people make that decision, Clinton said. Trump, meanwhile, again disputed the multiple allegations of groping that women have leveled against him since the candidates last encounter. He also said he thinks the Clinton campaign is behind the claims, charging, They either want fame or her campaign did it. Clinton said, Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. Trump repeated that nobody has more respect for women than him. Trump then shifted to blast the Clinton Foundation as a criminal enterprise. He pointed to donations from countries like Saudi Arabia to question Clintons commitment to womens rights. He asked her if she would return money from countries that treat certain groups of people horribly, which she did not answer directly. The candidates third and final debate now sets a bitter tone for the homestretch of the 2016 presidential campaign a race that already stands out as arguably the most personal, caustic and unpredictable White House battle in modern politics. Trump, slipping in the polls amid various campaign controversies, said at the last debate that Clinton should be in jail. Clinton has blasted Trump all along as temperamentally unfit for office. Since the second debate, numerous women have come forward to accuse Trump of groping them, allegations he denies. WikiLeaks also has embarrassed the Clinton campaign by releasing thousands of hacked emails purportedly from her campaign chairmans account. FBI files alleging a State Department official sought a quid pro quo to alter the classification on a Clinton server email added to the campaigns and Obama administrations woes. The WikiLeaks controversy came up Wednesday night when Clinton asked if Trump would condemn Russian espionage. He denied knowing Vladimir Putin but said the issue is the Russian president has no respect for her. Thats because hed rather have a puppet, Clinton shot back. Trump responded, Nope. youre the puppet. Trump later said he condemns any interference by Russia in the election. The candidates also sparred over gun rights, with the Republican nominee charging that the Second Amendment is under absolute siege and would be eroded if his opponent wins. We will have a Second Amendment which will be a very, very small replica of what we have now if Clinton wins, Trump said. The Democratic nominee countered, I support the Second Amendment. In a graphic exchange, Trump said Clintons position on abortion is nearing a point where one could rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month. Clinton accused him of scare rhetoric. They also clashed on immigration, with Trump saying they need to deport drug lords and deal with bad hombres in the country. Clinton said violent offenders should be deported but then mocked Trump for not pushing his controversial border wall proposal during his high-profile meeting with the Mexican president. He choked, she said. Trump said Clinton wanted a wall when she voted for an immigration overhaul a decade ago and now wants open borders, which she denied. To date, the mounting controversies facing both campaigns have appeared to hurt Trump more than Clinton, who gradually has expanded her lead over the GOP nominee in recent polls. A Fox News national poll released on the eve of the Las Vegas debate showed Clinton with a 6-point, 45-39 percent lead over Trump in a match-up that includes Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Trump, in the final three weeks, is thought to be zeroing in on several key battlegrounds including Florida, Ohio and North Carolina but the polls suggest his path to the presidency remains narrow, as even once-reliably red states like Texas are being contested by the Clinton campaign. Just hours after Hillary Clinton dodged a question at the final presidential debate about charges of "pay to play" at the Clinton Foundation, a new batch of WikiLeaks emails surfaced with stunning charges that the candidate herself was at the center of negotiating a $12 million commitment from King Mohammed VI of Morocco. One of the more remarkable parts of the charge is that the allegation came from Clinton's loyal aide, Huma Abedin, who described the connection in a January 2015 email exchange with two top advisers to the candidate, John Podesta and Robby Mook. Abedin wrote that "this was HRC's idea" for her to speak at a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in Morocco in May 2015 as an explicit condition for the $12 million commitment from the king. "She created this mess and she knows it," Abedin wrote to Podesta and Mook. The "mess" refers in part to the fact that the three Clinton advisers were discussing the possibility of the former secretary of state pulling out of speaking at the May 2015 event because it was happening one month after the official launch of her presidential campaign and could raise more questions about her role at the foundation. In April 2015, Politico reported the Clinton Foundation was accepting a "major donation" of at least $1 million from a Moroccan government-owned company, OCP, a phosphate exporter. Politico added that an official at the foundation said it was "unlikely" Hillary would attend the May 2015 event, just weeks after the April launch of her campaign. It turns out the amount was far bigger -- $12 million -- and there was a far bigger struggle over whether Clinton would attend because she had a much more extensive role in lining up the money than the public ever knew. In January 2015, Mook indicated Clinton was still considering whether to attend the event, even though her advisers clearly seemed to be concerned about the appearance of such heavy involvement in the foundation amid questions about its fundraising. With the subject line, "FYI CGI Africa," Mook sent an email to Podesta and Abedin on January 18, 2015. "Came up on our call with HRC," wrote Mook. "John flagged the same issues we discussed, Huma. HRC said she's sitll(sic)considering." Abedin wrote back later that day, and suggested the King would be furious if Clinton pulled out of the event. "Just to give you some context, the condition upon which the Moroccans agreed to host the meeting was her participation," Abedin wrote. "If hrc was not part if(sic) it, meeting was a non-starter." Abedin added that CGI had not even come up with the idea to hold the event in Morocco, instead it was generated by Clinton herself. "This was HRC's idea, our office approached the Moroccans and they 100 percent believe they are doing this at her request," wrote Abedin. "The King has personally committed approx $12 million both for the endowment and to support the meeting." Since Abedin was writing this in January 2015, after Clinton had already left the State Department, it is unclear if "our office" is a reference to this meeting being something that was set up years earlier while Clinton was still secretary or something that was put together by her personal office after she left the Obama administration. "What did these donors get in return?" Charles Ortel, a philanthropy expert who has been critical of the Clinton Foundation's practices, said in an interview with Fox News. "We are scratching the surface now." While Clinton was secretary of state, her department in 2011 charged that the Moroccan government was behind "arbitrary arrests and corruption in all branches of government." At the final presidential debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, Republican nominee Donald Trump demanded Clinton give back large contributions to the foundation from countries with questionable human rights records. "It's a criminal enterprise," Trump said. "Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all of these countries. You talk about women and women's rights? So these are people that push gays off business -- off buildings. These are people that kill women and treat women horribly. And yet you take their money." Clinton did not directly answer Trump's attack, instead focusing on her own questions about Trump's foundation as well as what she billed as positive parts of the work of the Clinton Foundation. "But I am happy, in fact I'm thrilled to talk about the Clinton Foundation, because it is a world-renowned charity and I am so proud of the work that it does," said Clinton, adding it had made it possible for 11 million people around the world with HIV-AIDS to afford treatment. The moderator of the debate, Chris Wallace of Fox News, also pressed Clinton on the issue of donors getting favors for major contributions. "Why isn't what happened and what went on between you and the Clinton Foundation, why isn't it what Mr. Trump calls pay to play?" asked Wallace. "Well, everything I did as secretary of state was in furtherance of our country's interests and our values," said Clinton. "The State Department has said that. I think that's been proven." Though in the email exchange revealed by Wikileaks, Abedin suggested Clinton initiated the solicitation of the $12 million commitment, and the aide made it clear it was going to cause a major issue with the Moroccan government if the candidate pulled out of the CGI event that ran from May 5-7 of 2015. "It will break a lot of china to back out now when we had so many opportunities to do it in the past few months," Abedin wrote in January 2015. "She created this mess and she knows it." Hillary Clinton did not end up attending the event, though Bill and Chelsea Clinton did go to Morocco and moderated various panel discussions. Lanny Davis, a longtime adviser to the Clinton family, told Fox News that the Clinton Foundation helped 11 million people with AIDS, fed hungry children and said the focus should be on the fact that the Obama administration has said there are indications the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the hack of Podesta's emails. "This is the first time we've allowed a foreign power, much less Putin, to interfere," Davis said. Davis added that he knows that when it comes to the people who have worked at the foundation, "their hearts were in the right place." He acknowledged that any time emails like this leak, there will be "optics" problems. "When you're in the sausage factory, it doesn't always look so good," Davis said. The email at the heart of a "quid pro quo" controversy involving a senior State Department executive and the FBI contained intelligence about suspects in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, two government sources told Fox News. Heavily redacted FBI interview summaries, known as 302s, state that Patrick Kennedy, a top lieutenant to Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state, wanted to deep-six the email which was one of two on her personal server that kick-started the FBI investigation into the mishandling of classified information on her unsecured system. The Nov. 18, 2012 email sent to then-Secretary Clinton by aide Jake Sullivan contains the subject line "Fw:FYI - Report of arrests -- possible Benghazi connection." It contains B1 redactions for classified information and B1.4D redactions for "Foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources" -- as well as B7 redactions covering "law enforcement" activities. The FBI files say Kennedy offered a quid pro quo allowing the FBI more agents in countries where theyre forbidden, in exchange for changing the emails SECRET classification. According to the documents, Kennedy wanted the record declassified and marked with a code that would shield it from public scrutiny. The State Department confirmed Kennedy was discussing the Benghazi email in question. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Republican lawmakers believe Kennedy was going to the mat over the Benghazi email in an effort to kill the FBI investigation. "It demands deep investigation. It's going to take months to try to untangle this. But when you have the FBI themselves say that there was a quid pro quo negotiation that was going on to manipulate the classification of documents, that goes to the highest degree," House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said this week. "And that's why I feel so strongly that Patrick Kennedy should immediately be relieved of his position." Fox News first reported in August 2015 that the Sullivan email -- along with a record from Clinton aide Huma Abedin -- both containing classified information were the catalysts for the FBI probe. The records were identified in nearly 300 Benghazi emails provided to Congress. The Intelligence Community inspector general referred the matter to the bureau due to the classified intelligence from multiple agencies including the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency and FBI. The FBI interview summary with a senior official at the bureau's records management division in Winchester, Va., says he was contacted by the agent working with Kennedy. "[Redacted] indicated he had been contacted by PATRICK KENNEDY, Undersecretary of State, who had asked his assistance in altering the email's classification in exchange for a 'quid pro quo,'" the 302 states. "[Redacted] advised that in exchange for marking the email unclassified, STATE would reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more Agents in countries where they are presently forbidden." A second summary states Kennedy wanted an obscure B9 code applied to the email, allowing Kennedy to "archive the document in the basement of DoS (Department of State) never to be seen again." B9 is an exemption for "geological and geophysical information and data." In a written statement Wednesday, the State Department questioned the competency of FBI investigators and the accuracy of the interview summaries that report Kennedy wanted a backroom deal on the record. "Speaking to what actually did occur -- Under Secretary Kennedy sought to understand the FBI's process for withholding certain information from public release. Reference to a b9 exemption is mistaken," the State Department spokesperson said. "Under Secretary Kennedy explained that State's preference would be to use a b7 law enforcement redaction. In any case, the document still would have been released on our FOIA website." In a written statement, Kennedy also denied bargaining. But seasoned national security defense attorneys said an FBI 302 is a document of record. "An FBI 302 does not contain opinion work by the FBI," defense lawyer Edward MacMahon Jr. said. "If somebody said that somebody offered me for something else, and that's in a 302, that agent is going to say Im sure that that's exactly what happened." Pressing for changes to the email classification after a congressional subpoena and preservation order were issued in March 2015 would have the effect of changing evidence, according to Republicans pursuing the matter. "The FBI thought this information was not relevant and that is just stunning to me because this is some of the most unbelievable set of documents that we've seen to date," Chaffetz said. "It really goes to the core of why we're so concerned. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that while redactions are made to protect exempt information from public release, That does not affect whether a document has been preserved for purposes of a congressional subpoena. The FBI and State Department both emphasize that no "quid pro quo" took place. The email classification was not changed in the end, and no additional FBI agents were assigned overseas. In a Washington Post interview Tuesday, the now-retired FBI agent who dealt with Kennedy confirmed they discussed doing a favor for one another, but when the agent discovered a classified Benghazi email was involved, he turned Kennedy down. But one of the FBI agent's colleagues told investigators the agent in fact pressured him to change the email to unclassified, and relayed the conversation with Kennedy as a quid pro quo. The retired agent disputes that description. Hillary Clintons latest mishandling of sensitive information may have occurred before an audience of 70 million. Speaking at the presidential debate Wednesday night, Clinton noted that it takes four minutes from the time the president makes the call to use nuclear weapons to their actual launch. The remark came amid questions about the fitness of Clinton and GOP candidate Donald Trump to hold the nations nuclear codes, but critics, including former intelligence operatives, told Fox News that level of detail about nuclear response times is protected information. The bottom line on nuclear weapons is that when the president gives the order, it must be followed, Clinton said. Theres about four minutes between the order being given and the people responsible for launching nuclear weapons to do so. Did Hillary just leak TS information on national TV regarding nuclear response time? #debatenight The Libertarian Prof (@TLProfessor) October 20, 2016 "Whether the four minutes is accurate or not, anything having to do with response capability is generally classified," Dan Maguire, a former strategic planner with Africom, and with 46 years combined service, told Fox News. "She has a tendency to use previous access and her position as secretary (of state) to give an appearance of knowledge to show she has the answers, rather than protect the information." The reference to a four-minute timeline between the order and the launch was seen by former intelligence officers and military operatives as a possible violation of operational security, known as OPSEC. A former Navy SEAL officer said the statement appears to be a "direct violation of US national security protocols and governing law. Our country has no greater secrets than those that protect our strategic nuclear deterrence capability." Clinton, who was investigated by the FBI for a year for careless handling of sensitive and even top secret emails on her private server, went on to say that 10 people who have had the responsibility of carrying out such a presidential order are backing her. A senior official in the Clinton campaign rejected claims the former secretary of state revealed any secret information, and provided Fox News with multiple published reports detailing the response time. In one Bloomberg News article, Bruce Blair, a former Minuteman missile-launch officer and research scholar at Princeton Universitys Program on Science and Global Security, spelled out the step-by-step procedure that follows an order from the president. The procedures include conferring with military and civilian advisers in Washington and around the world including the head of all U.S. strategic nuclear forces at Strategic Command in Omaha. That meeting can be as deliberative and lengthy as the president wants, but if the decision is prompted by the knowledge that a hostile nation has launched nuclear weapons at the U.S., it could last a matter of seconds, according to Blair. About five minutes may elapse from the presidents decision until intercontinental ballistic missiles blast out of their silos, and about fifteen minutes until submarine missiles shoot out of their tubes, the news article stated. Once fired, the missiles and their warheads cannot be called back. Intelligence experts, including the former Navy SEAL and a former senior intelligence official told Fox News that the mere fact the response time has been reported in academic documents does not authorize government officials who hold a security clearance, or had previous access to classified information, to discuss it publicly. Clintons statement "now validates with specificity something of great sensitivity that has long been speculated by our adversaries and others in the national arena, including academics and think tanks, " the former SEAL officer said. At a Pentagon press conference with South Korean defense minister Han Min-Koo, Defense Secretary Ash Carter avoided the issue when asked about this by CNNs Barbara Starr. "Im sorry but Im not gonna answer your first part because it is cast in terms of the ongoing presidential campaign," Carter said. "Ive said repeatedly Im not going to not answer questions in that context." Two senior defense officials reached by Fox News highly doubt Clinton was read into any nuclear response plans as secretary of state and think the four-minute comment was an estimation on her part, not a classified number she revealed. "While the excuse has been given that there has been previous 'talk' in the media and in academia regarding the 4 minute response time, it was just that talk it was informed speculation or assumption it was not confirmed or stated by any official U.S. government official or stated as policy," Tony Shaffer, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Operations at the London Center for Policy Research, told Fox News. "There is uncertainty - for a reason maintained by the Department of Defense- so that adversaries do not know what our capability is or what to expect that has been blown here by Ms. Clinton," Shaffer added. The Justice Department is facing new allegations of a double-standard in the wake of a retired four-star general pleading guilty to misleading FBI investigators in a leak probe -- after the bureau opted not to pursue charges against Hillary Clinton over her email controversy. The cases are not related, though both pertain to the handling of classified information. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump invoked the plea entered by retired Gen. James Cartwright during Wednesday night's debate to suggest Clinton enjoyed different treatment. We have a great general, four-star general, today you read it in all of the papers, going to potentially serve five years in jail for lying to the FBI. One lie. She's lied hundreds of times to the people, to Congress, and to the FBI. He's going to probably go to jail. This is a four-star general, Trump said. On Monday, the retired four-star Marine Corps general pleaded guilty to misleading FBI investigators in a probe involving a leak of classified information about a covert U.S.-Israeli cyberattack on Iran's nuclear facilities and the use of a computer virus called Stuxnet. It was revealed in 2013 by U.S. officials that Justice Department investigators were targeting Cartwright in its probe of a leak to New York Times reporter David E. Sanger. Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin noted after his plea that, unlike Clinton and retired General David Petraeus, Cartwright is the only one facing a felony conviction and possible jail time. The FBIs handling of the case stands in stark contrast to its treatment of Hillary Clinton and retired General David Petraeus and it reeks of political considerations, Rogin asserted. Cartwright did not leak information but did admit to making false statements to the FBI and could receive a maximum sentence of five years in prison. "It was wrong for me to mislead the FBI [in a voluntary interview] on Nov. 2, 2012, and I accept full responsibility," said Cartwright in a written statement. According to the Daily Beast, the Obama administration has prosecuted more government and military personnel in cases involving the handling of classified material than all previous administrations. Earlier this year, the Justice Department decided not to pursue charges over Clinton's use of a personal server while secretary of state. Details about that case continue to emerge. Just before the retired generals plea was entered, the FBI released documents asserting State Department official Patrick F. Kennedy offered the FBI a quid pro quo if they changed the classification on one particular email. Kennedy and the State Department have challenged that portrayal. According to the editorial board of the San Diego Union Tribune, in comparing the cases, Trump has never been more effective in casting Clinton as duplicitous and corrupt. Republican lawmakers have long claimed Clinton received preferred prosecutorial treatment. I think there is a legitimate concern that there is a double standard. If your name isnt Clinton or youre not part of the powerful elite, that Lady Justice will act differently. Its a concern that Lady Justice will take off that blindfold and come to a different conclusion, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz said during his questioning of FBI Director James Comey in July. The FBI denied any involvement in a quid pro quo. Indianas secretary of state clarified the voter registration fraud investigation on Wednesday, acknowledging that the thousands of flagged registration records could just be residents trying to correct names or birth dates adding that the changes could be legitimate. Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson said she wanted to ensure that there was no widespread fraud in the election cycle. "It's very possible that because of heightened activity this year that many of those changes are changes that the individual made," Lawson told the Associated Press, "... That should give Indiana voters the comfort that we are vigilant and we are protecting their rights and the elections here are not rigged." Officials have reassured residents that their database has not been compromised. They continued to say the flagged records could be used as evidence in another case it is pursuing for potential voter fraud. "We stated that there were thousands of changes and we are not going to make any assumptions that they are all legitimate or all fraudulent," Lawson said. Voter fraud has been a controversial topic this year heading into the November election. Republican nominee Donald Trump recently has made comments suggesting the election could be rigged. Indiana is the home state of the Republican vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence. Pence recently spoke about protecting voting integrity. "Voter fraud cannot be tolerated by anyone in this nation," Pence said, "So I encourage you, demand that our public officials are upholding the integrity of the vote." Julia Vaughn, policy director for the nonpartisan government watchdog group Common Cause Indiana said Lawson should make sure voter records havent had software altercations or errors made by officials before making allegations of potential fraud. "There is almost no history of this kind of fraud here so her response helps to fuel irrational claims by Donald Trump and others that the election will be stolen through voter fraud," Vaughn said. Other state elections officials have said voter registration changes are common. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Despite rate and deductible increases, President Obama on Thursday defended his namesake health care program and said millions of Americans now know the financial security of health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act. His remarks came as ObamaCare sticker shock is getting even worse in some parts of the country, as more and more states are approving soaring rate increases for next year- with one Arizona town seeing a 75 percent hike and another in Minnesota seeing a 190 percent increase in deductibles over the course of four years. Its absolutely unaffordable, Minnesota Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt told FoxNews.com. I dont even consider that health coverage. With some families forced to shell out $2,000 a month for insurance that comes with a whopping $13,000 deductible, Daudt said for some the only option is to pull their coverage and pay a fee for not having insurance, which in 2016 came out to $695 per adult and $347.50 per child (up to a maximum of $2085.) Its catastrophic, Daudt said, adding that hes talked to Minnesotans who are being forced to financially drop their coverage, pay the fine and save money on the side for medical emergencies. However Obama, speaking in Miami, maintained Its worked, but admitted the program wasn't perfect. No law is. Obama was in south Florida to trump up support for the ACA before the Nov. 1 start of the enrollment period. Problems with rising premiums in many parts of the country as well as major insurers calling it quits have left consumers with few or in some cases no choices next year. The hikes are fueling criticism of the law, though the White House is now openly pushing the possibility of a public option. The troubles have bolstered arguments of Republicans and added some top Democratic allies to the crowd of critics, including former President Bill Clinton, who called ObamaCare the craziest thing in the world, while Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton said its no longer affordable. In Arizona, after months of health insurer exits from the Affordable Care Act marketplace, state regulators have approved plans from two companies that will be the only marketplace insurance providers in 2017. Maricopa County residents' only health care option will be Centene Corp., which said it will sell its Ambetter plans at a 74.5 percent increase next year. The amount people pay will vary on their age, coverage levels and income, which in turn will determine whether an individual qualifies for subsidies that help offset the cost of monthy premiums. Nearly 70 percent of Arizonans with a marketplace plan get subsidized coverage. Jumps in finalized rates for big health insurance plans around the country illustrate the challenge the Obama administration faces as it seeks to stabilize the presidents landmark health care legislation before he leaves office. According to a roundup by The Wall Street Journal, market leaders continuing to sell coverage through HealthCare.gov or a state equivalent are seeking premium increases of 30 percent of more in Delaware, Hawaii, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas and Texas. In Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, the approved rate increases for the market leader top 50 percent. Blue Cross Blue Shield in New Mexico agreed to start selling plans through the online exchanges after pulling out last year. They agreed to return to the state only if they would be allowed to increase rates 93 percent of their 2015 level. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Donald Trump on Thursday defended his reluctance at the final presidential debate to declare hed accept the results of the Nov. 8 election no matter what, saying he reserves the right to contest a questionable result while clarifying that he would accept a clear election result. The Republican nominee touched off a firestorm with his comments on the issue at Wednesdays debate in Las Vegas. In a response Hillary Clinton called horrifying, Trump said he would have to look at the vote results before pledging hed accept them. Ill keep you in suspense, he said Wednesday. Amid bipartisan backlash, Trump razzed his critics as he kicked off a post-debate rally in Delaware, Ohio, on Thursday. Saying he wanted to make a major announcement, Trump said: I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win. The line drew huge applause from his enthusiastic crowd of supporters. Trump went on to outline his concerns about voter fraud and that Clinton is truly capable of anything. He called the question about accepting the election results from Fox News Chris Wallace, who moderated Wednesdays debate, unprecedented and invoked the contested 2000 election results in explaining why he answered the way he did. If Al Gore and George Bush had agreed three weeks before the election to concede the results and waive their right to a legal challenge or a recount, then there would be no Supreme Court case, he said. Im being asked to waive centuries of legal precedent designed to protect the voters. Trump added: Of course I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. I will follow and abide by all of the rules and traditions of all of the many candidates who have come before me. Trump, though, maintained that he would win so big anyway. Its unclear whether Trumps comments will ease or aggravate the controversy over his debate response. Democrats, and some Republicans, hammered him over leaving the door open on accepting the results. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., issued a statement saying he didnt like the outcome of his 2008 race against then-Sen. Barack Obama, But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance. Clinton said at the debate of Trumps response, That is not the way our democracy works. The exchange was among many contentious moments at Wednesdays debate, which covered several issues including the national debt that have gotten little attention in the race so far but flared with arguments between the candidates over WikiLeaks, over Russia, over the Clinton Foundation and over womens allegations of groping against Trump. Through the thicket of accusations and personal animus they never shook hands on stage the candidates tried generally to mount a closing debate-stage argument about experience. For 30 years, youve been in a position to help. The problem is you talk, but you dont get anything done, Hillary, Trump said. If you become president, this country is going to be in some mess, believe me. Clinton countered by contrasting some of her experiences against Trumps. She said when she was monitoring the Usama bin Laden raid in the Situation Room, He was hosting The Celebrity Apprentice. Im happy to compare my 30 years of experience with your 30 years, and I will let the American people make that decision, Clinton said. Its unclear if Donald Trump has ever heard of Thucydides let alone read his 400 BC tome The History of the Peloponnesian War. But Thucydides certainly said something that would resonate with Trump should Hillary Clinton defeat the GOP nominee in November. Someone who fails to get elected to office can always console himself with the thought that there was something not quite fair about it, proclaimed Thucydides. I will look at it at the time, said Trump when asked by Fox News Chris Wallace if he could accept the election results. Ill keep you in suspense. Thats horrifying, countered Clinton. He is denigrating hes talking down our democracy. Clinton countered Trump about his own bellyaching when he failed to capture an Emmy for The Apprentice. Should have gotten it, Trump snapped. Youd think the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board was involved in the perceived snub. Good thing Wallace didnt ask Trump if the Dodgers Adrian Gonzalez was safe or out at home in last nights playoff game. Peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 20? Exercise in democracy? Transition of government? Those days are SO Bush v. Gore. Will Trump respect the outcome of the election? The countrys future hangs in the balance to say nothing of the chads. To Trump, election corruption is so rampant youd need a big, red Ken Bone sweater to cover it up. Its hard to imagine how Trump could possibly make things more challenging for Republican House and Senate candidates prior to the final debate. But his remark undermining the electoral system did just that. Republicans are fighting to maintain control of the Senate. Even the House may be in play. Trumps wait and see approach automatically puts all GOPers on the defensive. Reporters will hound GOP candidates to determine if they support Trumps suggestion. This contorts Republican candidates already waging nip-and-tuck campaigns to address conspiracy theories. That deprives those Republicans of precious opportunities to discuss bread and butter issues in the waning days of the campaign. Does Trumps stance present an opening for other candidates to argue the results are a sham? Will sitting members of Congress dispute the results? And if voters believe it is a sham, well, the whole shooting match is over Or, ominously, perhaps just beginning. This spells another headache for House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Just days ago, Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong declared that the American system relies on confidence in election results and the Speaker is fully confident the states will carry out this election with integrity. Voters may have their say on Nov. 8. But even when done by the book, this election is far from over. Trump has an opportunity to build suspense as he ponders the results. Electors for the candidate who carried each state will huddle in early December to cast electoral votes. Results of that tally compose the Electoral College. Each secretary of state then certifies the results and ships multiple Certificates of Vote via registered mail to the U.S. Senate, the Archivist of the U.S. and the local federal court. In early January, the House and Senate convene a Joint Session of Congress to tabulate the Electoral College. This is far from a fait accompli. All it takes is a sole House member and a sole senator to mutually contest a states electoral choice. The House and Senate then dissolve into their individual bodies to settle whether those electoral votes are valid. Following the 2000 Florida election dispute, multiple members of the Congressional Black Caucus petitioned the Joint Session to challenge the Sunshine States electoral slate. But no senator joined the entreaty. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., protested that she didnt care that no senator advocated a deeper review. Vice President Al Gore who ironically presided over the Joint Session in his role as president of the Senate famously chastised the California Democrat. The chair would advise that the rules do care, Gore lectured Waters. In January 2005, the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, teamed with Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to contest Ohios electoral slate. But the House and Senate certified Ohios vote after a short debate. This is why the integrity of all elections are crucial. The House and Senate are the ultimate arbiters of which candidate secures the presidency. Which party controls the House and Senate is already a coin flip. Imagine questions about the votes integrity if people dont accept that one party holds the House or Senate by a handful of seats exacerbated by Trumps potential take on the outcome. There are lots of opportunities for someone to create doubt at any of these stages, regardless of the Nov. 8 result. Theres a real problem if people dont sign on. These days, Trump orchestrates suspense. As Thucydides said, a candidate can console himself with the thought there was something not quite fair about an election. But what Thucydides didnt say is that a candidate has the ability to stoke public opinion that the system is rigged. Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there. The Obama administration and the Clinton campaign were under mounting pressure Thursday, following the release of damning undercover video showing Democratic operatives - one of whom was a frequent visitor to the White House - discussing plots to commit voter fraud and incite violence at Republican rallies. The undercover Rigging the Election videos, produced by activist James OKeefe, were released in two, edited portions on Monday and Tuesday. They captured Scott Foval, the national field director of Americans United for Change, and Democracy Partners head Robert Creamer speaking on hidden camera, and caused immediate outrage. A report on the Weasel Zippers blog found that White House logs show Creamer visited the White House 342 times since 2009; and met with the President some 47 times including as recently as June, prompted top Republicans to call for a criminal investigation. "Voter fraud operative: 45 meetings w/Obama this merits a serious criminal investigation," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted. Voter fraud operative: 45 meetings w/ Obama--this merits a serious criminal investigation (not a James Comey "friends and family" cover-up). https://t.co/o1CFnt0KRr Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 19, 2016 Foval was fired Monday, and Creamer, a convicted felon and husband of a Democratic congresswoman, announced on Tuesday he was stepping back from efforts to elect Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. 2 DEM OPERATIVES LOSE JOBS AFTER UNDERCOVER VIDEO COMMENTS The 32 minutes of video show an undercover filmmaker posing as a donor is seen attempting to engage Foval and Creamer in discussions of voter fraud and other schemes. Creamer doesnt bite, but Foval fills the filmmaker in on supposed plots and implicates Creamer. Its a very easy thing for Republicans to say, Well, theyre busing people in. Weve been busing people in to deal with you f----- a------- for fifty years and were not going to stop now, were just going to find a different way to do it, says Foval, who indicates using personal vehicles for each voter arouses less suspicion than busing in a large number of people from out of state at once. Foval also discusses planting people at rallies for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Those chosen are sent to incite violence and are even given scripts and training, according to Foval. Creamer who is married to Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., is shown on video being asked about circumventing voter registration laws for Hispanics, though he later said in a statement that none of the schemes described in the conversation on video ever took place. White House officials pushed back Thursday, noting that of the visits with the president, 12 of those had more than 1,000 attendees, and only six had fewer than 100. White House press spokesman Josh Earnest urged reporters to take the tapes with a whole package of salt, and said that violence is entirely inconsistent with the President's view about community organizing and waging a vigorous campaign; that we should attempt and we should have so much confidence in the power of our persuasion and in our arguments that we shouldn't have to resort to violence. Meanwhile Republican nominee Donald Trump used the videos to attack Clinton for allegedly being part of the scheme to cause trouble at Republican rallies. I saw what they did, which is a criminal act by the way, where theyre telling people to go out and start fistfights and start violence and I'll tell you what. In particular in Chicago, people were hurt and people could have been killed in that riot. And that was now, all on tape, started by her, Trump said at Wednesday nights debate. Trump doubled down on his linking of the videos to Clintons campaign Thursday, saying A campaign that will incite violence is a campaign that will do anything to win. But on Clinton press secretary Brian Fallon pushed back against a connection Wednesday saying that there was enough troubling material in the video that they are glad the DNC acted as it did. He called James OKeefe a discredited source, and noted that neither Foval nor Creamer ever worked for the campaign. The DNC also dismissed the video, referring to OKeefe as a convicted criminal in an interview with Fox News Megyn Kelly and accusing OKeefe of doctoring tapes. OKeefe has previously come under fire for heavily editing and manipulating his recordings. His tactics have also been questioned. OKeefe was arrested while trying to gain access to Sen. Mary Landrieus office in Louisiana in 2010. He was later charged with a misdemeanor and sentenced to three years probation. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Kevin Corke and Serafin Gomez contributed to this report. The third and final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas, Nev. on Wednesday night had people flocking to search engines and social media to share their favorite moments, research terms and organizations, and fact check the candidates on everything from Iraq to the Clinton Foundation. Trump came out swinging, pointing a finger at Democrats for causing violence at his rallies and saying: Just like if you look at what came out today on the clips, where I was wondering, what happened with my rally in Chicago and other rallies where we had such violence? Shes the one, and Obama, that caused the violence." That was a reference to recordings by activist James O'Keefe, president of the Project Veritas organization, who took to Twitter to point out the connection. The discussion between the two candidates also touched on WikiLeaks and Russian hacking, and Clinton also asked viewers to turn to Google regarding Trumps views on Iraq. Google Analytics published its analysis of search trends after the debate. According to the search engine giant, the top two fact-check questions asked about Trump, the Republican nominee for president, were: Did Donald Trump support the invasion of Iraq? and What did Justice Ginsburg say about Trump? As for Clinton, the top two fact-check questions about the Democratic nominee for president were: What is Roe vs Wade? and What happened at the Clinton foundation? Google also reported that Trump won the battle in search tonight. As for social media, Twitter reported via its Twitter Government account that the biggest three tweeted moments from the debate were regarding women, Trump not promising to accept the election results, and Russia and nuclear weapons. Top 3 Tweeted Moments of the US presidential #debate: pic.twitter.com/tl7dO9MmDT Twitter Government (@gov) October 20, 2016 According to Twitter, Clinton gained more followers during the debate than Trump did by a margin of about 7,000, but Trump had a bigger share of Twitter conversation. Largest Twitter follower growth for candidates during the #debate: 1. @HillaryClinton - 13k 2. @realDonaldTrump - 6k Twitter Government (@gov) October 20, 2016 And a tweet by Trump about Putin was the most retweeted tweet of the night, according to Twitter. This is the top RT'd Tweet during the final US presidential #debate: https://t.co/dOmN2l97wy Twitter Government (@gov) October 20, 2016 Nearly 18 million people turned to Facebook to share their feelings about the debate, generating almost 80 million "likes, posts, comments and shares related to the third and final presidential debate," according to data shared with FoxNews.com by a Facebook spokesman. The top topic on Facebook related to the debate touched on Iraq, Syria, and ISIS, followed by Russia and Ukraine, and then abortion, immigration, and WikiLeaks. According to Facebook, Trump's share of the conversation on the social network was 56 percent, compared to Clinton's 44 percent. In California, the public essentially has the right to access the portion of the beach that gets wet. But with a great deal of coastal development, how one gets to this public strip of land can be far murkier, as a new lawsuit involving a private property near Half Moon Bay demonstrates. In 2008, Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla, who co-founded Sun Microsystems, bought 53 acres of Martins Beach, which sits just south of San Francisco; two years later, he decided to close the gate and paint over the billboard that had directed beachgoers (it's a popular surfing spot) to a for-a-fee parking area the previous owners had set up, reports the Guardian. In other words, the former owners played nice, and Khosla didn't want to play at all. In his lawsuit filed Sept. 30, Khosla accuses the California Coastal Commission, State Lands Commission, and San Mateo County of unfairly targeting him. The San Jose Mercury News explains that the latter two bodies informed Khosla that what he did in revoking the beach access fits the Coastal Act's definition of development, which means he needs to apply for a coastal development permit. Khosla says the agencies are trying "to harass, coerce, and single [him] out" and says they never interfered when the prior owners locked the gate during winter months or private events. More from Newser The legal director for the Surfrider Foundation, which has filed its own lawsuit to restore public access to the beach, calls it "almost laughable" that Khosla would claim "state agencies could harass and coerce such a powerful man." (Check out the nation's best beaches.) This article originally appeared on Newser: Drama After Calif. Billionaire Puts End to Public Beach Access A Los Angeles woman was shocked to find an expletive message addressed to her from Expedia and that the flight she booked through the website for New Years was canceled without her permission. Cara Viramontes told CBS Los Angeles Tuesday that she thought was she got was a joke. She went to check her itinerary last week and there was a message from Expedia that read F--- you! and that her travel plans were canceled abruptly. Everyone I show, they laugh and think its a joke, Viramontes said. No one can believe a company as credible as Expedia would ever do something like this. Viramontes believes she received the crude message after she complained about being charged for travel insurance for her 8-month-old son even though the child doesnt need an airline ticket to sit on her lap. After the call, she filled out an online survey sent to her by the travel website. I was honest, she said. I said, You know what, the lady wasnt helpful. I asked to speak to a supervisor and she wouldnt let me speak to a supervisor.' A couple of days later, Viramontes discovered the foul message and the canceled trip. Viramontes told the station that she called customer service and was told that she was to blame for the canceled reservation. She then sent a screenshot of the message to the supervisor , but hasnt heard back from anyone at Expedia. We take this matter very seriously and have opened up an investigation analyzing every click and action made by our customer service agents, the company said in a statement to CBS Los Angeles. Expedia said it would re-book Viramontes flight and refund her money in addition to giving her a $500 voucher. Click for more from CBS Los Angeles. Dinosaurs have roared into Montana's race for governor with a renowned paleontologist who consulted with Steven Spielberg on the "Jurassic Park" movies saying the Republican candidate would spend taxpayer money on private schools that teach creationism and mislead children about how old the Earth is. A new television ad features former Montana State University paleontologist Jack Horner saying candidate Greg Gianforte thinks the Earth is only a few thousand years old. Horner says Gianforte supports using taxpayer money to fund "private schools that obscure the truth about dinosaurs and the age of the Earth." "He'll say I'm attacking his religion I'm not," Horner says in the ad. "We just need to make sure that our kids learn the truth. I'd think twice about voting for Greg Gianforte." Gianforte, a Bozeman technology entrepreneur who is making his first run for political office, is in a tight race against incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Gianforte campaign spokesman Aaron Flint on Wednesday called the ad silly and said it misrepresents Gianforte's strong support of public schools and teachers. "From his personal support of CodeMontana, computer science in every high school, support for more trades education and more Greg is proposing increasing investments in our public schools once he's elected governor," Flint said. Gianforte does not have an opinion on the Earth's age, Flint said. Regarding Gianforte's views on evolution, Flint forwarded a comment made last year by Gianforte in which he said, "I believe young people should be taught how to think, not what to think, and a diversity of views are what should be presented." The ad is funded by a newly formed political action committee called Montanans for Truth in Public Schools. It aired over the weekend on broadcast and cable news channels in the Billings, Bozeman and Missoula markets. The committee's treasurer, Adrian Cohea, said the group is concerned that Gianforte would promote teaching creationism and intelligent design alongside evolution. "The purpose of the group is to educate the public about Ginaforte's desire to use public dollars to fund private schools that may be teaching methodologies in evolution that are at odds with scientific consensus," Cohea said. Documents obtained by The Associated Press show the group is funded by 12 donors. Its two largest donors are Billings television broadcasting pioneer Joe Sample and Helena real estate developer Alan Nicholson. Gianforte has steadfastly refused to talk about his religion, and it has not emerged as a major issue in the campaign. He attends and helped build an expansion to Grace Bible Church in Bozeman and has donated millions of dollars to religious organizations in the U.S. and in Africa, according to tax records released by Gianforte last year. He also funded an expansion to the Christian school his children attended, Petra Academy, and his foundation has donated at least $2.3 million to help students afford tuition at Montana private schools. The tax records show Gianforte's foundation also donated $290,000 to a museum that holds the creationist view that humans and dinosaurs coexisted. Horner, one of the world's best-known dinosaur researchers, left Montana State University's Museum of the Rockies over the summer. Michael Crichton based the character Alan Grant on Horner in the 1990 book "Jurassic Park," and Steven Spielberg brought Horner on as a technical adviser on all of the "Jurassic Park" movies. Horner declined to comment Wednesday, saying the ad speaks for itself. In an interview with The Associated Press in May, Horner dismissed creationism as "pseudo-science." "A lot of times people say creation science is a science and of course we know it isn't because science is a process, not a product," Horner said then. "We find physical evidence for something and we test it, we test to see whether we can demonstrate that it's wrong. And creation science, or pseudo-science, does exactly the opposite." Five people were injured Wednesday when scaffolding fell from a high-rise in downtown Miami, while a sixth person died of a heart attack while fleeing the falling debris, authorities said. The collapse occurred Wednesday afternoon at the Echo Brickell building, a 60-floor condominium tower. UPDATE: It appears scaffolding fell from construction site. Traffic closed from 14-15 Street on Brickell Ave. @CityofMiamiFire on scene. pic.twitter.com/PCmO0nJ7bu Miami PD (@MiamiPD) October 19, 2016 Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado told reporters that injuries related to the collapse were minor. "Some woman was driving a car that was smashed," Regalado said. "Some people were injured as they were walking in Brickell [Avenue] and trying to get away." The building's developer released a statement saying that a section of formwork fell from the top of the structure and offering thoughts and prayers to the victims. The debris forced police to close nearby streets to traffic. "We were just working at our computers, and all of a sudden heard a very large crash," witness Rudy Tomarchio, who works across the street, told WSVN. "We looked up, and in front of our eyes, we just see all this debris just crashing down ... We saw a couple construction workers in the crosswalk. It looked like they were trying to get out of the falling debris." Family members identified one of the injured construction workers as 34-year-old Quincy Williams, who suffered a gash on his head. There was no immediate word on what caused the scaffolding to fall. An attorney for a 13-year-old Georgia student said Wednesday that his right left was amputated below the knee stemming from an incident with a former school contract worker. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the student was injured in a September incident when he was allegedly thrown to the floor multiple times by an employee at the Edgewood Student Services Center, where the boy was enrolled in an alternative program for children with behavior issues. Renee Tucker, the boys attorney, said that the boy will likely stay at the Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, where the amputation took place, for at least another month. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the alleged incident happen when the boy was leaving his classroom to go to the main office so he could call his mom to pick him up, Tucker said. The contract worker stopped the boy and slammed him to the floor. The student said he was thrown to the floor a second time when he tried to leave again. Tucker told The Ledger-Enquirer that the boys leg was severely injured, but no medical aid was given to her client. He said the school was initially going to call for an ambulance, but decided against it. The worker then carried him to the school bus and sent him home without notifying his family of what took place, Tucker said. They placed an injured student on the school bus, Tucker said. We dont know the extent that the injuries were worsened by the failure to render aid and certainly by picking him up and seating him on the school bus. Then they had him ride in that same school bus home without any support or stabilization of that leg. She added that the teen told officials that he felt his leg was numb. 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 Muscogee County School 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. The school said the person doesnt work for the district anymore. Tucker said she was told by an inside source that there was footage of the incident and that she submitted an open records request to the school board to obtain the video and 50 other documents. Click for more from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Click for more form The Ledger-Enquirer. A man accused of shooting his girlfriend in the back in their San Diego apartment as she was shielding their baby in her arms and standing near her 5-year-old son pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and child abuse charges. Roderick Lamar Harris, 32, was ordered held on $3 million bail in the Oct. 12 death of 29-year-old Vanessa Bobo. Deputy District Attorney Lindsey Carinci had asked Judge Frederick Maguire to set bail at $4 million for the defendant, who faces life in prison if convicted. I think it sends a message that if you do such a callous and (kind of) heartless crime such as this murder, and you do so in front of two small children, some of your own, that the people are going to be aggressively pursuing high bail, so you dont pose a risk to the community, as well as your own family members, the prosecutor said outside court. Carinci said Harris and Bobo who had been in a dating relationship for about four years argued before he allegedly shot her just after midnight. Carinci alleged that Harris retrieved a .357 Magnum and followed the victim into her 5-year-old sons bedroom. Bobo tried to shield their 11-month-old son from the defendant, but Harris fired two shots, with one striking her in the back, severing her spinal cord and causing her to drop the baby, Carinci said. Click for more from Fox 5. As an organization that supports the growth of entrepreneurship across America, we have heard one question over and over again from policymakers and community leaders: How can I make [insert city name] the next Silicon Valley? Over the past half-century, Silicon Valley has emerged as the archetypal startup ecosystem, producing thousands of successful companies and reaping the benefits of the resulting economic development and job creation. Its no wonder that government leaders are interested in cultivating that kind of growth and creativity in their own back yard. While there is a growing understanding that the answer to the above question is: Silicon Valley cant be perfectly replicated (and thats a good thing!), there is still an important conversation to be had around what local leaders and elected officials can be doing to foster thriving startup communities. Related: Succeeding Outside of Silicon Valley: How the Rest Will Rise Over the last two years, weve logged more than 5,000 miles and visited 24 cities as partners on Revolutions Rise of the Rest tour. Weve learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way, including some of the key ways policymakers can encourage and build entrepreneurial ecosystems. Just last week we wrapped up the fifth tour, where we saw how the cities we visited apply certain lessons to their communitities: 1. Focus on talent Access to a diverse pipeline of well-rounded and highly trained individuals is vital to startup success. State and local leaders should strive to train and attract top talent, whether through investments in higher education, K-12 STEM education or workforce development programs. For instance, Utahs investments in talent have played a huge role in Salt Lake Citys growth as a startup hub. In 2000, the governor launched an initiative to double the number of engineers graduating from Utah colleges and universities. More recently, the state launched a STEM education initiative. These efforts to build a skilled workforce continue to pay off, serving as a bedrock of SLCs growing startup scene. 2. Foster connections Another key element of nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem is building networks among entrepreneurs, investors and the organizations that support them. Social capital is often as important as financial capital. Community leaders can play an integral role in convening stakeholders and investing in mentorship and support networks. When Omaha leaders realized that they had a lot of promising young startups but no formal network for those companies, they formed the Startup Collaborative, an organization that provides programming like Startup Weekend and 1 Million Cups and gives early-stage startups access to a network of over 400 mentors, which companies can leverage to develop new ideas, collaborate and learn about how to best run their businesses. Related: 3 Ways Startup Communities Can Attract and Keep the Right Talent 3. Create a hospitable regulatory environment Policymakers should pursue a regulatory strategy that encourages, rather than hampers, innovation. This might mean eliminating complex tax structures, reducing occupational licensing requirements, opening up city data or creating incentive programs that encourage investment in startups. In recent years, Phoenix has seen an increase in the availability of capital for startups. Much of this boost in investment is attributable to Arizonas Angel Tax Credit, which has enabled hundreds of millions of dollars to go to Arizona startups. 4. Invest in the community Whether through direct investment or public-private partnerships, buy-in from state and local governments signals to entrepreneurs that their city will be supportive as they grow their companies. In Albuquerque, the city has backed ABQid, a business accelerator that provides resources for entrepreneurs and helps high-growth startups launch. The citys $1.8 million partnership with the program sends a message that " the City is firmly behind its entrepreneurs. 5. Improve quality of life When determining where to start a company, many entrepreneurs take quality of life into account (weather, cost of living, public transportation, and other factors). Denver is a great example of a city with a thriving startup ecosystem that is also known for its quality of life. While some of this is unique to Denver (you cant duplicate 300 days of sunshine), the city has also made deliberate investments in improving quality of life, like building a new, multi-billion dollar rail system called FasTracks, which is continuing to expand. Related: 4 Ways to Thrive as an Entrepreneur Outside the Valley 6. Be an ally Finally, policymakers should be allies to the startups in their communities. Engage with and listen to entrepreneurs. Use the bully pulpit to champion and celebrate the innovation ecosystem growing in your region and the individuals driving that growth. And one day, leaders in towns and cities around the country will be asking how their community can learn from your efforts to build their own startup ecosystems. Theres been a lot of talk lately about the future of work. Much of the time, these conversations are fueled by the anxiety many of us share as we try to understand the impact new technologies will have on our industries. We tend to reduce these discussions to binary arguments -- how smart machines will do extraordinary things to improve our lives, or how this or that innovation will make human labor obsolete, creating a jobless dystopia. Both conclusions strike me as somewhat specious. Its not that these concerns arent valid, but they oversimplify a more complex phenomenon. Why do entrepreneurship and innovation fuel economic growth? On the surface, the answer seems intuitive: entrepreneurs create businesses and new businesses create jobs, strengthen market competition and increase productivity. Here in the United States, entrepreneurism is part of our American identity and self-image. Its non-partisan, too; both sides of the political spectrum celebrate entrepreneurial small business as a fount of innovation and growth. Entrepreneurism is seen as a route to upward mobility -- a way for average people to build wealth. Lets take a closer look. 1. Investing in products and services people need. What motivates a person to start a new business? According to traditional models, entrepreneurs create new businesses in response to unmet needs and demands in the market. That is, there is an opportunity to provide a product or service that is not currently in existence, or otherwise available. Economists refer to these business-starters as opportunity entrepreneurs in order to distinguish these individuals from those who start businesses for lack of better work opportunities. So-called opportunity entrepreneurs, who launch new enterprises in response to market needs, are key players when it comes to fostering economic growth in a region. They enable access to goods and services that populations require in order to be productive. This is not to ignore necessity entrepreneurs that launch enterprises because they have no other options. Both can and do contribute to economic growth. Related: 5 Key Ingredients for Corporate Innovation 2. Providing employment opportunities. New businesses need to hire employees. They create jobs and these economic opportunities uplift and support communities through increasing the quality of life and overall standard of living. 3. Commerce and regional economic integration. Technology has made it possible for small, entrepreneur-led businesses to expand into regional and global markets. When new businesses export goods and services to nearby regions, these enterprises contribute directly to a regions productivity and earnings. This increase in revenue strengthens an economy and promotes the overall welfare of a population. Economies that trade with one another are almost always better off. Politics aside, engaging in regional and international trade promotes investment in regional transportation and infrastructure, which also strengthens economies. This has never been more true than it is today, as we live in an increasingly interconnected global economy. Even for a large and advanced economy like the United States, foreign markets have a significant role. Foreign trade, according to some estimates, is responsible for over 90 percent of our economic growth. What exactly is innovation and how does it promote economic development? Under what conditions, do entrepreneurs innovate? A widely-accepted definition measures innovation using a set of criteria including how many new products are invented, the percentage of high-tech jobs, and the size of the talent pool available to tech industry employers. More recently and increasingly, our definition of innovation has expanded to include the development of new service offerings, business models, pricing plans, and routes to market. While the role that startups and young tech companies play in job creation is well documented, their contribution to overall productivity is less intuitive and not discussed as often. To better understand how innovation contributes to economic development, Ive unpacked a few examples below. Related: How to Build Innovation Into Your Business Without Creating Chaos 4. New technologies promote efficiency. The ability to turn ideas into new products and services that people need is the fount of prosperity for any developed country. Economic growth, generally speaking, is driven by new technologies and their creative applications. Periods of rapid innovation historically have been accompanied by periods of strong economic growth. The impetus of innovation is the greatest natural resource of all: the human mind. Creating innovative products and solutions requires an educated population and an environment where collaborative work can take place. In addition to being good for business, education increases workforce creativity and quality of life. 5. Addressing environmental challenges. Innovation is (and will continue to be) crucial when it comes to addressing the enormous environmental challenges we face today: combating climate change, lowering global greenhouse gas emissions, and preserving biodiversity in the environment. Without power for extended periods of time, commerce comes to a halt. Without water, we cannot live. Reliable access to these innovations (such as irrigation technology, electricity, and urban infrastructure) increases productivity and enhances economic development. 6. Innovation impacts socio-economic objectives. Innovative business practices create efficiency and conserve resources. Innovation in agriculture is especially relevant for addressing socioeconomic challenges (in addition to encouraging economic growth). In the U.S., for instance, we waste billions of dollars annually due to inefficiencies and uncompetitive practices in our healthcare system. Hopefully, new ideas and innovations in the future will address these problems, resulting in further reforms. When this occurs, Americans overall health and quality of life will benefit, and so will our economy if our wasteful healthcare costs also decrease. 7. Innovation happens where there is competition. In essence, there is a positive feedback loop among innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. New and growing businesses represent the principal sources of job creation and innovative activity in an economy, two factors that generally result in the rising standards of living for all. Related: We've Become So Obsessed With 'Innovation' That It's Now Meaningless However, its important to understand that entrepreneurship and innovation are dependent on access and participation. For entrepreneurs to bring new ideas to life, they need access to education and a level-playing field on which to compete. In this vein, the role of government leaders and public policy is to create conditions that allow more entrepreneurs to start businesses by implementing policies which nurture that environment so those businesses can grow. Economic growth suffers when entrepreneurial activity is unevenly spread socio-economically, demographically, and geographically. Under the right conditions, entrepreneurs have an incredible power: they help regional areas prosper economically, and they also serve society as they help engineer innovative solutions to problems and challenges. A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld the conspiracy conviction of a Guantanamo Bay detainee who once served as Osama bin Laden's personal assistant. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 6-3 that a military tribunal was authorized to convict Ali Hamza al-Bahlul of conspiracy charges. Bahlul was tried and convicted before a military commission under a system created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A divided three-judge panel of the same court threw out the conviction last year, but that decision was set aside after the Obama administration asked the full appeals court to reconsider the case. The previous ruling could have limited the government's ability to prosecute terror suspects outside of the civilian justice system. But in the latest ruling, a majority of judges did not agree on the reasons for the outcome. At issue is whether the Constitution allows Congress to make conspiracy to commit war crimes an offense triable by military commissions, even though conspiracy is not recognized as an international war crime. Four judges said the Constitution does permit Congress to make such a determination. Judge Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the four, said foreign nations, through international law or otherwise, cannot have "a de facto veto power" over Congress' determination of which war crimes a military tribunal may consider. Kavanaugh also cited historical precedent going back more than 150 years. "The two most important military commission precedents in U.S. history the trials of the Lincoln conspirators and the Nazi saboteurs were trials for the offense of conspiracy," he said. Two other judges voted to uphold the conviction, but did so for different reasons. In dissent, three judges said "although the government might well be entitled to detain al-Bahlul as an enemy belligerent, it does not have the power to switch the Constitution on and off at will." They said Bahlul's prosecution on conspiracy charges "exceeded the scope" of what is allowed for military tribunals under the Constitution. Steven Vladeck, a University of Texas School of Law professor specializing in national security, said the lack of a majority ruling means military commissions will continue to try similar conspiracy cases "even though uncertainty will persist over the validity of doing so." Bahlul was arrested by local officials in Pakistan after the Sept. 11 attacks and turned over to the U.S. military, which transferred him to Guantanamo Bay. The Pentagon said he produced propaganda videos glorifying al-Qaida and assisted with preparations for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist strikes. In 2008, a military commission convicted him of soliciting others to commit war crimes, providing material support to a terrorist organization and conspiracy. The appeals court threw out the first two convictions in 2014 and gave Bahlul another chance to contest the conspiracy charge. He continues to be held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Charges have been dropped against the headmaster of a prep school in an affluent Philadelphia suburb who was accused of assaulting his teen son in a dispute over a cellphone and marijuana. The Delaware County prosecutor's office tells The Philadelphia Inquirer (http://bit.ly/2eVgUzM) police had probable cause to arrest Haverford headmaster John Nagl but had "insufficient evidence" to pursue a prosecution. It's unclear what the decision means for Nagl's employment. He was placed on administrative leave after the Oct. 10 altercation. Police say Nagl told officers he had taken his son's cellphone and marijuana and a physical altercation broke out when he heard his son speaking on the phone. Police say Nagl admitted putting his son in a chokehold. Nagl's attorney has said parents can use force to protect their child's welfare. ___ Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com Authorities in Michigan were still investigating what led to the death of a young couple after they were found unresponsive in their apartment right before they were set to eat dinner. Cameron Hulet, 28, and his wife Courtney Hulet, 20, were discovered in their Dundee apartment Tuesday night. Police said they were about to eat their fast food dinner when they suddenly died, according to the Monroe News. Its really a puzzle, Dave Uhl, their apartment manager, told the paper. There is no indication as to what happened. Its a mystery. Dundee Police Chief Todd Opperman said that Child Protective Services had recently removed two young children from their home. Police also discovered about a pound of marijuana on the kitchen table nearby where the couple was found dead. Officials believe marijuana may have played a part in their deaths. Uhl said it appeared the drugs were in the process of being divided for sale. Police said that neither victim had any signs of trauma, and there were no signs that a third person was involved in their deaths. Police said a neighbor was stopping by to visit the couple when the two on the floor. The neighbor thought they were just sleeping and decided to come back later. Upon their return, the neighbor found the two in the same spot and decided to call police. Cameron Hulet had a criminal history dating back 10 years, including charges of possession of marijuana, assault and other driving offenses. The paper reported that the county medical examiner will determine the cause of death when the autopsy is finished and the toxicology results are made available. Click for more from the Monroe News. A sheriffs deputy was shot and killed Wednesday while he was responding to a civil disturbance call in Northern California. Officials said a suspect was detained in the shooting death of 31-year-old deputy Jack Hopkins. A video titled, "Deputy Jack Hopkins Procession was posted to the Modoc County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page showing patrol cars riding down a street with their emergency lights. Hopkins was recently transferred from Alturas Police Department. "He was probably the nicest man. When he pulled you over for a headlight, or something you did, he always was courteous and had a smile on his face. He didn't have a mean bone in his body, just a great guy. He is missed by all of us," Alturas Municipal Airport said in a Facebook post. Officials were investigating the shooting of the deputy who joined the force last year. This incident is the fourth death of a police officer in California to die in the line of duty in the last two weeks. This shooting follows two Palm Springs officers who were shot and killed during a domestic disturbance and a Los Angeles County sheriffs sergeant was killed while answering a burglary call in Lancaster. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Hawaiian officials met on Wednesday to discuss working conditions for fishermen living on the boats. The meeting was in response to an Associated Press probe that investigating what it was like for some fishermen. The probe found that some fishermen have been confined to the boats for years. The investigation was an initiative looking at labor abuses in the fishing industry on a global scale. A loophole allows foreign fishermen to work but denies them certain labor protections. The foreign fishermen are forced to stay on the vessels because they are not legally allowed to enter the US. "It's hard to sleep, because every day we don't do something is another night that some folks are suffering," state Rep. Kaniela Ing said, "It's very frustrating to just hear people just kind of punt or say maybe over time we can find a solution." State lawmakers pressed fishing industry representatives about what can be done to improve conditions for the fishermen. The Associated Press reported that some of these conditions included men living in squalor on some boats, forced to use buckets instead of toilets, suffering running sores from bed bugs and sometimes lacking sufficient food. The Hawaii Longline Association, created a universal crew contract that must be on boats wanting to sell fish in the state's seafood auction. Officials estimated less than 60 boat owners have returned the contract. "I think the universal contract is a good first step, but it's far from sufficient," Ing said. Prior to the meeting, Hawaii residents demanded an end to these unacceptable conditions. Federal law requires 75 percent of the crew on almost all US commercial fishing vessels be American citizens. Hawaii has an exemption formed years ago. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Hoodies are now off-limits inside class for students at a school district in Connecticut, local media reported this week. Students at the New Britain Consolidated School Districts elementary and middle schools can wear hooded sweatshirts during recess or so-called dress down days, but otherwise they need to stay off, WVIT reported. Officials say it doesnt matter whether kids wear the hoods up or down they cant wear the hoodies at all. The ban took effect this school year, and Superintendent Nancy Sarra said it was part of an effort to prepare students for their future professional careers. We want our students to compete with every other student for those jobs 15 years from now. And so its working with our families to define-well, what does that look like? Sarra told WVIT. Elementary and middle school students already wear uniforms and can also throw on long-sleeve shirts and sweaters as long as theyre hoodless. School officials say the ban also has a more practical purpose: Students currently wear name tags, which hoodies could hide. The students seemed unsure about what to make of the new embargo. Im not sure how itif its bad or good. I dont even really know, middle school student Joaquim Bahebura told the news station. His father feels much differently. I think its a good thing to get the young generation ready for the next step, Fenias Bahebura said. Anthony Russell allegedly violated a no-contact order and was due to appear in court in Indiana on a felony charge of stalking his estranged wife, Laura. Laura, 44, had reported to police multiple instances of finding Anthony, 51, waiting for her and following her, CBS reports. Community members have been pointing fingers at Judge Michael Hensley, saying he didn't do enough to protect Laura @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/3OxlYJOWmp Shay McAlister (@WHAS11Shay) October 18, 2016 Prosecutors requested that a warrant be issued for his arrest, but on Oct. 6 Judge Michael Hensley declined to do so, choosing instead to simply issue a summons for Anthony Russell to appear in court days later, after a long holiday weekend. The day after that ruling, authorities found Anthony Russell dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound; when they went to the Russell home to inform Laura, they found her dead of multiple stab wounds. They believe Anthony killed her and then himself. On Monday, Hensley issued a statement acknowledging that "the most tragic result possible" came of his ruling, and explained why he made it, the Madison Courier reports. "My role is not to simply grant all warrants without review," Hensley said. "Certain legal standards must be met before I can issue a warrant. The reason I did not issue a warrant in this case is that there was not sufficient probable cause. Without probable cause I do not have the power to issue a warrant. I made what I thought to be the correct legal decision." Click for more from Newser. A Milwaukee police officer who fatally shot a black man in August, sparking several nights of unrest on the city's north side, has been arrested on a sexual assault charge in an unrelated case, police said Thursday. Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown was arrested Wednesday, according to a statement released by the Milwaukee Police Department. The unidentified victim told police on Aug. 15 that Heaggan-Brown had sexually assaulted him while off duty, according to the statement. The complaint was made two days after Heaggan-Brown fatally shot 23-year-old Sylville Smith, who police said was holding a gun when he was shot after a brief chase. The department said an investigation found "additional allegations" that led to the charges against Heaggan-Brown. The criminal complaint wasn't publicly available Thursday morning, but the Milwaukee County Attorney's Office said it would be released later in the day. Police said Heaggan-Brown is suspended and in custody, and they have launched an internal investigation. A police spokesman and the head of the Milwaukee police union didn't immediately return messages from the Associated Press seeking comment about the case. Heaggan-Brown, 24, joined the police department in July 2010 as an aide. Like Smith, Heaggan-Brown is black. He was assigned to patrol the city's heavily minority north side. Police Chief Edward Flynn has said that Smith was fleeing from a traffic stop when he was shot. Heaggan-Brown's body camera showed that Smith was shot after he turned toward an officer with a gun in his hand, according to investigators. Smith's death sparked two nights of violence in the area's Sherman Park neighborhood, with several businesses burned. It also ramped up long-festering racial tension in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Justice investigated Smith's death and has turned the case over to Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm for a charging decision. It's not clear when a decision in that case will be made. An online petition calling for the impeachment of a Montana judge over the sentencing of a 40-year-old man to 60 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to raping his 12-year-old daughter has more than 30,000 signatures. Judge Sentences Montana Father Who Repeatedly Raped Pre-Teen Daughter to 60 Days in Jail https://t.co/v2iUaVTdS0 pic.twitter.com/fK4R27RebN KTLA (@KTLA) October 20, 2016 The man was sentenced to the jail time, plus a 30-year suspended prison term last week as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. District Judge John McKeon gave the man credit for time served, meaning he would spend only an additional 43 days in jail as long as he met the conditions of his probation. The plea agreement had recommended a 25-year sentence. The case drew parallels to the case of the Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner, who was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced in June. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky drew outcry when he sentenced Turner to six months in jail and ordered him to register as a sex offender for life. Prosecutors had asked for a six-year sentence. The author of the Change.org petition against McKeon said it was sent to Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and other officials. Bullock's office and at least one other official said Tuesday they had not received it. McKeon defended himself against criticism, saying the plea deal allowed for a lesser sentence depending on the results of a psychosexual evaluation. He said that evaluation found the defendant could be safely treated and supervised in the community. McKeon also notes the victim's mother and grandmother asked that the defendant not be sentenced to prison. The Associated Press chose not to identify the defendant, in order to avoid identifying the victim. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Police say a 13-year-old boy was hit by a stray bullet while he was lying in bed inside a Massachusetts apartment. Chelsea police say the boy was in a third-floor apartment Wednesday night when he was struck in the shoulder by a stray bullet fired from the street. The boy was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not released his name. The shooting happened near Bunker Hill Community College's Chelsea Campus. The school says on Twitter that the campus was on lockdown for about 30 minutes due to the incident. Police say they're looking for two suspects who fled the scene in an SUV. No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing. Records show a 20-year-old man charged with fatally shooting a teenage sandwich shop employee outside of Cleveland has an extensive juvenile criminal record, starting when he was 11. Daveion Perry was charged Wednesday in Cleveland Heights on aggravated murder, kidnapping, aggravated robbery and felonious assault charges. Police say Perry entered a Mr. Hero store Oct. 14 and fired a shot toward the kitchen, striking 15-year-old Sunny Ravi Patel in the back of the head before fleeing with money from a cash drawer. Police say Perry was arrested two nights later after an attempted robbery in Cleveland Heights. Records show Perry was released from a state juvenile facility last year after being found delinquent in 2012 of aggravated robbery and gun charges. His attorney didn't return telephone calls seeking comment Thursday. Reports from the State Department reveal that nearly 80 percent of the 11,000 Syrian refugees arriving in the U.S. over the past year were children. Officials say that is a larger figure than most groups because most of the Syrian families, who mostly have large families, have stayed together despite the possibility displacement. Many of the children refugees are being enrolled into public schools throughout the country. The cities include Chicago, Illinois; Austin, Texas; New Haven, Connecticut and San Diego, California. El Cajon, a city outside San Diego, has received 76 new Syrian students during the first week of school. The city has become a melting pot of refugees. The first Middle Eastern Chaldean Christians fleeing persecution in Iraq arrived in the 1970s. Officials say these Syrian refugees face challenges from limited English, interrupted education and share a distinct level of trauma. Syrian children face many of the same challenges as other young refugees limited English, an interrupted education but they are somewhat distinct in the level of trauma they have experienced, school leaders and resettlement workers said. "The truth is, a lot of them have seen some pretty nasty stuff," said Eyal Bergman, a family and community engagement officer for the Cajon Valley Union School District. "But I also see incredible resilience." In response to the influx, school districts are beefing up English instruction and making extra efforts to reach out to parents unfamiliar with the U.S. school system. In El Cajon, one-on-one orientations introduce families to the school's teachers and staff and show them basics like how to read the district's academic-year calendar. Some refugee students are enrolled in "newcomer" classes where they are provided intense English instruction before being placed in mainstream classrooms. Others go directly into classes with English-fluent peers but are assigned to smaller groups for individual instruction. Teachers are trained in identifying trauma, and on-site counselors help students who need extra attention. "I've had students tell me that maybe some of their family members passed away," said Juanita Chavez, a second-grade teacher. "But I think a lot of them just want to focus on here, on learning. A lot of them don't focus on the negative things that have happened to them." At night, Arabic-speaking staff and teachers hold a "parent academy" where newly arrived moms and dads are given bilingual children's books in English and Arabic and guided on how to help improve literacy at home. The rising number of Syrian refugee students comes amid a heated presidential campaign. During the second debate, Donald Trump called Hillary Clinton's plan to expand the Obama administration's refugee program and accept 65,000 Syrian refugees the "great Trojan horse of all time." The Associated Press contributed to this report. More than 25 years after a college student's body was found stabbed to death near railroad tracks in Kansas City, Kansas, police arrested a 48-year-old woman in connection with the case. The U.S. Marshals Service took Carolyn Heckert into custody Wednesday in Clay County, Missouri, police told Fox 4. Heckert was held on $1 million bond in the killing of 19-year-old Sarah DeLeon shortly after Christmas in 1989. Investigators gave few details about Heckert, but they previously said they believed the suspect had some kind of relationship with DeLeon's boyfriend, KMBC reported. Police have said DeLeon was on her way home after seeing her boyfriend. Police also said in May there may have been a link between DeLeon's killing, the unsolved 1994 slaying of Diana Marie Ault in Independence, Missouri, and an abduction in 1987. They did not explain why they'd reached that conclusion. New DNA collection and testing technology prompted police to reopen the DeLeon case in July 2014. A train crew spotted her body with stabbing injuries ad a head wound near Interstate 435 in Kansas City. Investigators found her car earlier in the day with a door open and its emergency flashers on, The Kansas City Star reported, Sarah DeLeon "was outgoing. She was friends with everybody. She didn't have any enemies and she was a lot of fun to be around," her brother, Matt, told Fox 4 during a vigil in 2014. The woman was a Kansas City Kansas Community College student and worked as a racetrack usher at the time of her death, the newspaper added. Click for more from Fox 4. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A woman has been charged in the death of a 19-year-old woman whose body was found nearly 30 years ago in Kansas City, Kansas. The Wyandotte County District Attorney's office said in a release Thursday that 48-year-old Carolyn J. Heckert is charged with first-degree murder in the December 1989 death of Sarah DeLeon, who was found stabbed to death along some railroad tracks. Heckert is being held on $1 million bond following her arrest Wednesday in Smithville, Missouri, which is about 20 miles east of Kansas City, Kansas. Police have said new DNA collection and testing technology prompted investigators to reopen the DeLeon case in July 2014. A lawyer for Heckert didn't immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday. A Florida youth pastor has been arrested and charged with forcing four teenage boys into prostitution by telling them that they could make money modeling and threatening them if they didn't agree to have sex with male clients he met on the internet. Miami man accused of luring male teens in prostitution. https://t.co/ZhpNYrE9qY pic.twitter.com/dzgMT2vXzV CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami) October 19, 2016 COPS HUNT FAMILY FRIEND SUSPECTED OF KILLING PASTOR, GRANDCHILDREN According to a Miami police report, Ron Cooper, who goes by the nickname "Romeo," sex trafficked four boys aged 16 to 18, who were forced to have sex for money at three different Miami-Dade County hotels and at an adult bookstore in Miami. According to the Miami Herald, the four victims told the police that they met Cooper through a friend and he allegedly offered to pay them for modeling. INDIANA PASTOR ACCUSED OF THREATENING CHILDREN WITH GUN When the boys met with the photographer in a hotel room, they were instructed that they needed to engage in sex to get paid. All of the victims said that they had not engaged in sexual activities with other men before meeting Cooper. Cooper appeared before Judge Mindy Glazer in court on Wednesday for a bond hearing, as he faces charges of human trafficking, having sex with a minor and false imprisonment, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office Human Tracking Unit. "We have four victims in this case that have come forward. They have all made similar statements, stating that Ron has forced them to engage in sexual activity with other males against their will," a prosecutor told Glazer in court. Cooper has also been accused of placing the boys photos on websites like Craigslist and Backpage.com and Badoo.com in order to obtain more clients. Cooper arranged for the boys to meet them at motels and the Miami Playground, an "adult mega store." According to the police report, Cooper often met the victims at the store. The Herald reports that the boys were not only threatened and blackmailed but also drugged before they took part in the sex acts. The victims told police that Cooper even threatened to kill them. Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com Jeffery Woodke, 55, the U.S. missionary who was kidnapped by armed men from his home in Niger, West Africa, on Friday after they killed his two guards, is now believed to be in the hands of a drug-trafficking jihadist group called The Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO). Update: American missionary kidnapped in Niger believed to be taken by drug-traffickers https://t.co/0xBzSQcQ4O The Christian Post (@ChristianPost) October 18, 2016 AMERICAN PASTOR FACES FINES, END OF MINISTRY UNDER NEW RUSSIAN LAW "We think this is the MUJAO," Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum told the AFP. "We followed the kidnappers when they crossed the Malian border. They headed to the Menaka region (eastern Mali), near the Niger border, an area controlled by the Mujao." According to the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium, the MUJAO is a splinter group of the Organization of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which formally announced its existence following its abduction of three humanitarian workers from a Saharan refugee camp in Tindouf on Oct. 23, 2011. MUJAO's leaders are known to be drug traffickers involved in the drug trade in the Sahel and southern Algeria. GUNMEN ATTACK NIGER PRISON HOLDING EXTREMISTS A Paris Match report suggests that Woodke's kidnapping could be the result of a dispute concerning a stolen drug shipment which implicates a local government official. Woodke, who is affectionately known as the "white wolf," is being used as collateral. The missionary, who is from McKinlyville, California, is a longtime aid worker with The Youth With A Mission charity and has been living in Niger since 1992. As recently as Sept. 17, he was also listed as an instructor at Redwood Coast School of Missions which is operated by the Arcata First Baptist Church. Although he is a proud believer in Christ, a Le Monde report said Woodke never proselytized while he was in Niger with his wife and two sons. The sons reportedly returned to the U.S. with their mother in 2006 to pursue graduate studies while Woodke split his time between the U.S. and his work in Niger. The Christian Post reached out to YWAM for comment on the investigation into Woodke's kidnapping on Tuesday but no one was available. A representative from Arcata First Baptist Church said the organization is expected to release a statement on the kidnapping soon. Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com The Russian military announced Thursday it was conducting drills involving state-of-the art missiles near the nation's western border, one day after NATO warned Vladimir Putin's regime had launched its largest naval deployment since the Cold War. Russia's entire Northern Fleet and some of its Baltic Fleet were preparing to engage in a final bombardment of Syria's war-torn city of Aleppo, Western intelligence sources told the U.K. Telegraph. The assault on Syrian rebels was set to begin in about two weeks, in the run-up to Election Day in the U.S., the newspaper reported. Russia and U.S. relations have been a major focal point of the presidential campaigns. In Wednesday nights debate, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton blamed Moscow for its alleged role in releasing emails to Wikileaks. We have 17 intelligence agencies, civilian and military, who have all concluded that these espionage attacks, these cyberattacks, come from the highest levels of the Kremlin, and they are designed to influence our election, she said. Republican nominee Donald Trump said there was no proof Moscow was behind the leaks. He said a world where Washington and Moscow worked together could help in the fight against terrorism. Moscow has complained strongly against the deployment of NATO's forces near Russia's borders and promised to take countermeasures. Russia's Defense Ministry said Thursday its drills involved Iskander-M missiles. The war games were held at a shooting range near the city of Luga, about 60 miles east of the border with Estonia. According to the military, the exercise featured the deployment of missiles and preparations for firing them, but didn't involve actual launches. Iskander has a range of up to 310 miles and high precision, allowing it to target facilities in several NATO member nations neighboring Russia. Moscow and Syria moved ahead unilaterally with evacuation arrangements in Aleppo without making any promises for an extended cease-fire or self-administration, although Russian President Vladimir Putin has held out the hope of an indefinite halt to his country's airstrikes after meeting with the French and German leaders, who condemned Moscow's actions in the Syrian city. A U.N. aid official for Syria said Russia agreed to extend daily pauses in military action against eastern Aleppo for four more days. Jan Egeland has told The Associated Press that the U.N. on Thursday received verbal assurances for the extension by a day, from three days previously, both from Russia's diplomatic mission in Geneva and in writing from Russian military officials in Syria. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes. We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo," Putin said after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande in Berlin. The Associated Press contributed to this report An Austrian court has found a police officer guilty of contravening anti-Nazi laws by saying "Heil Hitler" while on duty at the border to Hungary and sentenced him to a suspended 9-month prison term. The 29-year old was found guilty Thursday on the basis of testimony from fellow officers. One said he heard him speak the words, while the other testified that he was present when he later apologized for saying them. Prosecutor Christian Peto told the court in the eastern city of Eisenstadt that after stopping a car on the border with Hungarian license plates earlier this year "the accused began official duties with the words 'Heil Hitler.'" The officer, who was not identified in line with Austrian confidentiality laws, denied uttering the phrase. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 European Union leaders lashed out at Russia Thursday, criticizing its backing for the Syrian regime and accusing it of atrocities in the besieged city of Aleppo. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities, in Syria," British Prime Minister Theresa May told reporters as she arrived for a summit of European heads of state and government in Brussels. Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas also took a hard line against Moscow and its backing for President Bashar Assad. "They have the ambition of turning Aleppo into a new Grozny. This is absolutely unacceptable," he said, referring to the destruction of the Chechen capital in 1999-2000 by Russian troops. The EU has imposed sanctions on Syrian officials, but unanimity is lacking within the 28-nation bloc about extending the measures to Russia. The leaders are set to discuss their tense relations with Russia over dinner later Thursday. They had hoped to do so without the issue of sanctions weighing on their talks. However, the siege of Aleppo and increasing civilian casualties in Syria means punitive measures are being considered once again. And as they gathered, Britain was sending warships to monitor a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels as they sail through the North Sea and the English Channel on their way to Syria via the Mediterranean Sea. "I hope that we as the European Council are in a position to make clear that what is happening in Aleppo, with Russian support, is completely inhuman," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "So there must be work as soon as possible on achieving a cease-fire not just one over several hours per day, followed by many hours of bombing, but a lasting cease-fire. And above all getting humanitarian aid to people." People in Aleppo, she said, "need a cease-fire, need an end to the war, and in their overwhelming majority have nothing in common with the terrorists." EU Council President Donald Tusk, who is chairing the summit, said "the EU should keep all options open, including sanctions, if the crimes continue." Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Loefven said "we probably also have witnessed war crimes, and that needs to be dealt with." On sanctions, he noted that "I don't think there is unity now ... but I think it should be on the table, that this is an option for the future." Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said it's important to keep up the sanctions pressure over Ukraine, particularly because of Russia's annexation of Crimea. "Russia, contrary to all international rules, is still in Crimea, also in eastern Ukraine, and still causes major instability in the region," Rutte said. ___ Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 A German police officer has died a day after being shot by an anti-government extremist during a raid. Police in Bavaria say the officer died in a hospital early Thursday as a result of his injuries. The 49-year-old shooter was arrested Wednesday by an armed response unit that had been sent to his home in the Bavarian town of Georgensgmuend to confiscate more than 30 weapons he legally possessed for hunting. Local authorities had revoked his license because he appeared increasingly unreliable. The man, whom they didn't identify, was a supporter of the Reich Citizens' Movement, an extremist group that refuses to acknowledge the authority of the post-war Federal Republic of Germany. Three other officers were injured in the shootout one from gunfire and two others by flying glass. A Syrian man charged with war crimes for allegedly participating in the 2013 kidnapping of a United Nations observer has gone on trial in Germany. The 25-year-old, who came to Germany as a refugee in 2014, is accused of helping guard the observer for the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's branch in Syria. The suspect has been identified only as Suliman Al-S. in line with German privacy rules. Prosecutors haven't identified the observer but the facts released correspond with those of the kidnapping of Canadian lawyer Carl Campeau, who was abducted from a Damascus suburb. He escaped after eight months. The Syrian's charges include war crimes, aggravated deprivation of liberty and membership in a foreign terrorist organization. The trial opened Thursday at the Stuttgart state court and will last into next year. An Israeli court has indicted a couple for joining the extremist Islamic State group with their three young children. The charge sheet released Thursday says Wissam, 41, and Sabrine Zbeidat, 30, of the Arab city Sakhnin slipped into Syria via Turkey while on a family vacation in Romania in 2015. The indictment says IS militants brought the new recruits to the Iraqi city of Mosul, an IS stronghold. The Shin Bet security service says Wissam Zbeidat was injured while fighting in the ranks of IS. The family eventually tried to leave IS because of the danger of life in Mosul and the lack of schools. They repeatedly attempted to cross into Turkey, and were arrested there after they finally succeeded. Turkish authorities sent them to Israel in September. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 9:40 a.m. The Syrian military is calling on residents of besieged rebel-held districts in the city of Aleppo to evacuate and for gunmen to lay down their weapons as the humanitarian pause announced by Russia takes effect. Moscow says the three-day pause is to allow civilians and militants safe passage out of the eastern districts of the city under a tight siege since July and a punishing bombing campaign since mid-September. Al-Mayadeen TV, a Beirut-based pro-Syrian channel, broadcast Thursday an hour after the pause began from near one of the designated passages. Loudspeakers blared with military calls for residents to let the sick and wounded out first, and urging fighters to lay down their guns. The message: "The battle for returning Aleppo to the nation's fold is in its last phases. There is no point in continuing the fight." ___ 9 a.m. Turkey's state-run news agency says Turkish jets have struck 18 Syrian Kurdish militia targets north of the Syrian city of the embattled city of Aleppo, killing as many as 200. Anadolu Agency says Thursday the raids targeted the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria. The agency said between 160 and 200 militia fighters were killed in the raid. It says the air strikes took place late Wednesday night. The United States considers the militia group, known as the People's Protection Units or YPG, to be the most effect force in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria. Turkey says the group is an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out a series of deadly attacks in Turkey over the past year. Pakistan says it has encouraged Kabul to hold peace talks with the Taliban, saying a recent peace deal between Afghanistan and key militant leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar can serve as a model for talks with the main insurgent group. Foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters Thursday that Pakistan has always encouraged a politically negotiated settlement to end violence in Afghanistan. His comments came a day after reports suggested the Taliban and Kabul have held secret talks in Qatar. Pakistan, which is believed to wield influence over the Taliban, hosted the first talks between Kabul and the Taliban in July 2015. But the peace process broke down when Kabul revealed Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had been dead for years. Pakistan has said news about Omar's death scuttled the peace process. The controversial president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, announced what he called his separation from the U.S. Thursday in his latest speech aimed at rankling Washington. I announce my separation from the United States both in military and economics also, Duterte announced to a cheering crowd in Beijing. He added, "America does not control our lives. Enough bulls---," according to AFP. Duterte has previously said the Philippines would stop joint military exercises with the U.S., and he opposes joint patrols with the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea. But U.S. officials say its commitment to the treaty alliance with the Philippines remains "ironclad." "We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the U.S.," said State Department spokesman John Kirby. "It's not clear to us exactly what that means in all its ramifications." President Duterte is currently in China on a four day trip, in an effort not only to improve relations with the Philippines powerful neighbor, but also to further distance itself from the United States. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin. Liu went onto say both parties would resume bilateral talks on the issue. Economically, it was announced by the Philippines Trade Secretary, Ramon Lopez, that the two nations would be signing $13.5 billion worth of economic cooperation this week. Separately, the Philippines Presidential Communications Office said President Jinping committed more than $9 billion in low-interest loans to the country, with about a third of the loan offer coming from private banks. About $15 million in loans will go toward drug rehabilitation projects. In addition to investing in infrastructure, China agreed to end a damaging embargo on 27 fruit export companies in the Philippines, AFP added. This ban was originally part of Chinese retaliation for the South China Sea dispute. The two sides came to a head in 2012 when China seized the Scarborough Shoal, an important fishing zone off the northern island of Luzon. Dialogue ceased between the two nations and an arbitration process was started by Dutertes predecessor. The Philippines has maintained that the ruling form the basis for any negotiations, while Beijing has insisted the opposite. The Hague-based tribunal ruled that both sides have jurisdiction over the area. It was not discussed, however, whether fishermen from the Philippines would be able to return to the area, likely disappointing Manila. Duterte, in his Beijing address, emphasized the bonds of the two neighbors and the direction he would like to see their relationship go. "China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed," he said. "Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship." The visit is of keen interest to the United States who has had an important military alliance with the Philippines for years. Duterte, who has shown no love toward the U.S., even going so far as to call Obama a son of a whore, is trying to improve relations with his much larger and more powerful neighbor while at the same time, maintaining the dignity and sovereignty of his own country. "This is an interesting courtship between China and the Philippines," Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, responded. "It remains to be seen whether China will seek Manila's respect for Chinese sovereignty. That would likely be a deal breaker." When asked recently about the president's apparent plans to disengage with the U.S. militarily, the Philippines defense secretary told senators that Duterte sometimes makes remarks on military relations without consulting Cabinet officials. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Russian military says it has conducted drills involving state-of-the art missiles near the nation's western border, amid tensions in relations with the West. The Defense Ministry said Thursday that the drills involved Iskander-M missiles. The war games were held at a shooting range near the city of Luga, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the border with Estonia. According to the military, the exercise featured the deployment of missiles and preparations for firing them, but didn't involve actual launches. Iskander has a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) and high precision, allowing it to target facilities in several NATO member nations neighboring Russia. Moscow has complained strongly against the deployment of NATO's forces near Russia's borders and promised to take countermeasures. Spain's top court has overruled a local ban against bullfighting in the powerful northeastern region of Catalonia, saying it goes against a national law protecting the spectacle. The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that Catalan authorities generally could regulate such public spectacles, and even ban them, but in this case the national parliament's ruling that bullfighting is part of Spain's heritage must prevail. Catalonia stirred controversy when it banned bullfighting in 2010, becoming Spain's second region to do so after the Canary Islands in 1991. The decision was part of the growing movement against bullfighting but it was also seen as another step in the Catalan government's push to break away from Spain. The ban had little practical effect as Catalonia had only one functioning bullring, in its capital, Barcelona. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 British Prime Minister Theresa May will hold her first talks with European Union leaders and will tell them that the U.K.'s decision to leave the bloc is irreversible. May will make a short address to the 27 other EU leaders over dinner Thursday night, affirming that she will trigger the two-year exit process before the end of March. European Council President Donald Tusk, chairing the two-day EU summit in Brussels, won't invite debate over the move. It's the first time a member state has ever signaled it will leave the bloc. The summit starts with talks on migration. The leaders will also discuss thorny relations with Russia. Friday's talks will focus on trade, notably the roadblock on agreeing an EU-Canada trade pact. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Britain is sending warships to watch a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels as they sail through the North Sea and the English Channel. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said Thursday that the military will watch the vessels "every step of the way." The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its task group are heading south from the Norwegian Sea toward the North Sea. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth to monitor the group. The Royal Navy regularly shadows ships, and is being supported in this instance by the Royal Air Force. Meanwhile, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon is due to sail to meet two Russian corvettes traveling toward Britain from the direction of Portugal. A U.S. service member embedded with Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq was killed Thursday when his all-terrain vehicle ran over a bomb north of Mosul, two U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News. It marked the first death of a U.S. service member in Iraq since the start of the operation to retake Mosul from Islamic State fighters earlier this week. At the request of the military, Fox News is withholding the service members branch of the military. He was the fourth service member to die in combat fighting ISIS in Iraq. It also marked the third combat death for the U.S. military in October. There are upwards of 300 special operations forces embedded with Iraqi and Kurdish troops in the fight to take back Mosul. In all, around 5,000 American troops are currently stationed in Iraq. On Wednesday, a U.S. Army soldier was killed outside Kabul after he was shot by someone wearing an Afghan Army uniform. Earlier this month, a Green Beret embedded with Afghan forces during an anti-ISIS mission was killed in eastern Afghanistan during a foot patrol when a roadside bomb exploded. A day later, two Army soldiers were wounded when another roadside bomb detonated under their vehicle in Nangarhar Province. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, speaking by video link to diplomats meeting in Paris, said the Mosul offensive was moving "more quickly than we thought." He also vowed to protect civilians fleeing the fighting and said the government "will not allow any violations of human rights." He said most residents of the region have welcomed the advancing forces. ISIS captured Mosul and the surrounding area during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremists and their last major urban bastion in Iraq. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Diplomats from the U.S., Iraq and some 20 other countries are meeting to make a stabilization plan for Mosul, as the international military operation to free the Iraqi city from Islamic State extremists intensifies. French President Francois Hollande is hosting Thursday's talks in Paris, aimed at coming up with a plan to protect civilians, distribute aid and address questions about governing areas newly liberated from IS. The offensive for Mosul Iraq's second-largest city and a bastion for IS is expected to take weeks, if not months, and some fear it could unleash sectarian tensions. French authorities believe attacks on French soil in recent years have been plotted from IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. French warplanes and artillery are involved in the multi-pronged battle for Mosul. Palm Beach Fast Home Sale Water Damage Property Tax Lien Services Launched Home Solutions Fla has announced the launch of their Sell Your House Fast service in Palm Beach, Florida. The 'homevestor' company helps homeowners sell their homes quickly for cash regardless of conditions. They focus on seller satisfaction with the sale process. -- Home Solutions Fla, a 'homevestor' company, has announced the launch of their Sell Any Home Fast solutions service now serving Palm Beach, Florida. The company helps homeowners sell their homes quickly for cash regardless of the condition and whether there are needed repairs, water damage or a tax lien on the property. More information on Home Solutions Fla and their Sell Any Home Fast service is available at: http://homesolutionsfla.com/sell-my-house-fast-palm-beach. Palm Beach has a population of about 9,000 citizens who make the area their year-round home, and about 20,000 people have seasonal homes in Palm Beach. Currently there are more than 8,800 homes foreclosed on or in foreclosure on the market in Palm Beach County. According to RealtyTrac, home sales for August 2016 in Palm Beach County were down 25 percent compared with the previous month with the median sale price of a foreclosure home at about $177,000. This is 26 percent lower than the median sale price of a non-distressed home. Home Solutions Fla offers a solution for people who want to sell their homes quickly regardless their reason or the home's condition. The company's goal is to help owners sell their homes fast for cash at the best price while making the process stress free. Benefits the company lists for those who chose to sell their house with them include the fact that they buy houses in any condition regardless of how much repair work needs to be done, they buy without the use of real estate agents which means no commissions or showings costs and the company appoints a personal consultant to be available 24/7 to home sellers to make the complete process smooth. Home Solutions Fla focuses on making the cash buyout procedures operate efficiently and strives to have cash in the hand of their clients within 2 days. Clients do not have to make repairs to their home before the sale; the company takes care of repairs that need to be done. The company is in excellent standing with the Better Business Bureau with an A Rating. Its funding partners have been listed with the BBB as well for many years. 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For more information, please visit http://www.homesolutionsfla.com/sell-my-house-fast-palm-beach/ Contact Info: Name: Robert Weglewski Organization: Home Solutions Fla LLC Address: 12482 Sawgrass Court, West Palm Beach Florida Phone: (561) 370-8335 Release ID: 139413 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) New Sudoku Puzzle EBook Written For Senior Citizens Launches October 20, 2016 Gary Meier is launching his brand new book, "Spiffy Sudoku", this large print, easy level puzzles is targeted at Puzzle lovers especially over 50 years old. More information is available at the website: http://OverTheHill.Life -- Puzzle enthusiast Gary Meier is launching his brand new book, "Spiffy Sudoku". The book is set to go live October 20, 2016, available from OverTheHill.Life and is expected to become a big hit with fans of the Puzzle lovers world. More information on the book can be found here: http://OverTheHill.Life The book was written with the aim in mind to provide mental exercise for the over 50 crowd. From WebMD.com, "A recent study shows that increased participation in activities that stimulate the brain may delay onset of dementia-related memory decline in older seniors." There's particular excitement about this launch, people who have difficulty seeing or writing can still solve these puzzles. Spiffy Sudoku has one puzzle on each page. The Sudoku grid fills the entire page and has large, easy to see numbers. The Author said "Some people like to write all the possible numbers in the open boxes. The large amount of space allows plenty of room for this without needing to erase the possibles." When asked about why he wrote the book, Meier said: "Never completed all the puzzles in a puzzle book because they were too hard or just awkward to fill in. This book has only easy Sudoku puzzles." Gary Meier has been solving puzzles for many years. This helped shaped the creation of the book Inspired by the many people who enjoy solving puzzles. Meier has hopes that the book will be help for senior citizens to remain mentally active. From a Newsmax article Jan 8, 2014. "A study on 294 adults ages 55 and older was published in the journal Neurology. This suggested that frequent cognitive activities could help in slowing down declining cognitive abilities. Brain stimulating activities like playing brain games can improve connections between brain cells. This can help generate new nerve cells. Crossword puzzles, chess, and games such as Sudoku are some brain games that can help prevent Alzheimer's." Meier also added "The large easy puzzles are perfect for anyone who has wondered what Sudoku is all about. but has not yet tried it." Spiffy Sudoku is an EBook available for immediate download. Those interested in learning more about the book can visit here: http://OverTheHill.Life For more information, please visit http://OverTheHill.Life Contact Info: Name: Gary Meier Organization: Over The Hill Life Address: 1000 Char-Don, Raymore, MO Release ID: 138801 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Testing, Inspection And Certification Market Introduces More Extensive Guidelines For High Growth Potential Industries Testing inspection and certification market is driven due to rising imports and exports in international market, Europe dominates testing inspection and certification market, oil and gas industry emerged as most promising end use destination for testing inspection and certification market -- To participate in international trade, manufacturers have to undergo strict inspections, quality tests, and also obtain universally accepted certifications. The recent times have seen an increase in the import and export between countries. This has fueled the need for testing, inspection, and certification. The rising awareness among global consumers regarding safety standards is driving the global testing, inspection, and certification market. The heightened awareness among consumers will particularly stimulate the adoption of testing, inspection, and certification services in the food and beverages, automotive, and aerospace industries. According to a report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global market opportunity in testing, inspection, and certification is expected to rise from US$178.65 bn in 2015 to US$285.34 bn by 2024 expanding at a CAGR of 5.7% between 2016 and 2024. TMR analysts shed light on three important questions that companies operating in the testing, inspection, and certification market have: Q. What is the biggest challenge faced by players operating in the testing, inspection, and certification market? Disparities in internationally accepted standards is the biggest problem faced by players in this field. Not only different countries have their own sets of testing, inspection, and certification standards, but also the standards vary for different product types or industries. This discrepancy may make a product excellent in terms of quality in one country and mediocre in another. It is particularly hard for players in the pharmaceutical industry - a drug approved in one country may not necessarily be approved in another. Q. Which application segment is expected to hold lucrative opportunities in the market? The growing demand for oil and gas is greatly benefitting the testing, inspection, and certification market. The heightened demand for oil and gas has led to an increase in exploration activities both in the onshore and offshore sites. Since oil and gas are extensively imported and exported, the demand for effective testing, inspection, and certification services will continue to remain high. Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with PDF Brochure: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=5669 Q. What are the recent developments by key players in the industry? In July 2016, Bureau Veritas launched a new digital service, SAFEOPS that offers restauranteurs and food retailers to manage their food safety and operations effectively and cost-efficiently. This service allows retailers and restaurant chains to carry out all the daily checks necessary to deliver high quality, safe food to their customers. Intertek has signed a contract with the Agence des Normes et de la Qualite (ANOR) in Cameroon Central Africa in August 2016, to support its new Conformity Assessment Programme (PECAE). This will help the company to provide certification services to exporters in Cameroon. Such developments are expected to increase the adoption of testing, inspection, and certification services and continue to drive the market in the coming years. Q. How are developing nations expected to drive the market? The developing countries across Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to hold immense prospects of growth in the testing, inspection, and certification market. This is because developing countries are experiencing a surge in the industrial sector and also witnessing a rise in the number of affluent consumers demanding goods that need to be imported. The thriving food and beverage industry in Asia Pacific and the growing awareness among consumers regarding the use of certified, quality products that are tested for safety are aiding the growth of the market. For more information, please visit http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Contact Info: Name: Rohit Bhisey Organization: Transparency Market Research Address: 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Phone: +1-518-618-1030 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/testing-inspection-and-certification-market-introduces-more-extensive-guidelines-for-high-growth-potential-industries/139672 Release ID: 139672 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Nuclear Power Market In Belgium, Industry Outlook To 2030, Update 2016 - Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations The report provides in depth analysis on Belgium nuclear power market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in Belgium (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewables) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. -- Belgium Nuclear Power Market Try Sample Report @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/693895-nuclear-power-in-belgium-and-company-profiles "Nuclear Power in Belgium, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2016 - Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles" is the latest report from , the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the nuclear power market in Belgium. The report provides in depth analysis on Belgium nuclear power market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in Belgium (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewables) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. The research details nuclear power market outlook in the country and provides forecasts up to 2030. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2006 to 2030 in Belgium nuclear power market. A detailed coverage of nuclear energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to nuclear is provided in the report. The research also provides details of active nuclear reactors in the country, market size of major equipment and company snapshot of some of the major market participants. The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, secondary research and in-house analysis by team of industry experts. Buy this report @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=693895 Scope - A brief introduction on Belgium carbon emissions and Belgium primary energy consumption. - Historical period is during 2006-2015 (unless specified) and forecast period is for 2015-2030. - Overview on the Belgium nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by region in 2015, installed capacity split by major nuclear power countries in 2015 and investment trends. - Power market scenario in Belgium provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewables) with forecasts up to 2030. - Details of Belgium nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity by reactor type, installed capacity share by contractor/owner and information on major active and upcoming projects. - Key policies and regulatory framework supporting nuclear power development. - Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country. For Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/693895-nuclear-power-in-belgium-and-company-profiles Reasons to buy - The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner. - Identify key growth and investment opportunities in Belgium nuclear power market. - Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for nuclear power market. - Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industry's growth potential. - Identify key partners and business development avenues. - Understand and respond to your competitors' business structure, strategy and prospects. For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.com About Us Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. 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Contact Us: Norah Trent +1 646 845 9349 / +44 208 133 9349 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym For more information, please visit https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/693895-nuclear-power-in-belgium-and-company-profiles Contact Info: Name: NORAH TRENT Organization: WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTD Source: http://marketersmedia.com/nuclear-power-market-in-belgium-industry-outlook-to-2030-update-2016-capacity-generation-investment-trends-regulations/139656 Release ID: 139656 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. A fascinating report via The New York Times: A Haitian Warlord Meets His Match: Hurricane Matthew. Excerpt: PESTEL, Haiti Guy Philippe is among the most feared men in Haiti, a nation with a rich history of men worthy of fear. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration wants him for narcotics trafficking; the Haitian government for killing police officers. He led an armed rebellion that ousted a president and has survived, by his count, seven attempts on his life. From his redoubt on the rocky shoreline of southwest Haiti, he has evaded capture for nearly a decade. Now, Hurricane Matthew has done what neither government nor armed forces have managed to accomplish: bring the outlaw commander to his knees. I dont like to beg, but this time I have to, Mr. Philippe said, touring the devastation wrought on his hometown, Pestel, an area of some 80,000 people ensconced in a natural fortress of rugged mountains. Its the first time in my life I feel I can do nothing for my people. They are starving. Like much of the countrys southern peninsula, Mr. Philippes hometown is writhing beneath the weight of disaster. Hardly a home is free of damage on the hourslong ride into town, nor a tree unflayed by the wind. The hurricane raked nearly every farm folded in the curtained mountains under his control, robbing 80 percent of the population of its main food source. Villagers walk for hours to the nearest town in search of basic staples. Prices have risen sharply, emptying the pockets of those who can least afford it, forcing some into banditry to tend to their needs. How can we live like this? said Mr. Philippe, who looks at least a decade younger than his 48 years. We cannot have a country like this, where 80 percent of the people are living in poverty. While aid has already reached many areas in southern Haiti, especially the big cities, the remote corners have found little support from the convoys of trucks laden with food and medicine that groan up and down the highway. This, experts say, is how it often goes at first with recovery efforts. But Mr. Philippe has another theory for why his town has been excluded from government and international aid, despite its being the second-largest population center in the Grand Anse department. They are punishing the people because of me, he said in perfect English, one of four languages he speaks. But hunger, he said, should be beyond politics. If it would make a difference, if it would make the aid groups and others feel safer, he said, he would leave the area. If it will help, I will go to jail so that people can eat here, he said. Or I will leave for however long it takes. Just bring food here, he said. On the night of October 20, 2010, I posted this: Haiti: A mysterious outbreak. Via Treyfish at Pandemic Information News, an AP report: Officials probe possible outbreak in rural Haiti. Excerpt: Health officials in rural Haiti are investigating a possible disease outbreak that could be responsible for dozens of deaths and a surge in hospital patients, U.N. aid workers said Wednesday. Haitian government officials say at least 19 people have died after suffering brief bouts of fever, vomiting and severe diarrhea, with dozens of more deaths suspected. Most are reportedly children. Hundreds of patients reporting those symptoms have overwhelmed a hospital in the seaside town of St. Marc, some 45 miles (about 70 kilometers) north of the capital of Port-au-Prince, Catherine Huck, country deputy for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told The Associated Press. This is the first report on disease in Haiti that I've seen in a long time, so it deserves some follow-up. I don't find anything about it on OCHA's website, but I'll look for more details in the morning. The details soon began pouring in. Six years and almost 800,000 cases later, they keep coming. If I recall correctly, the first cholera case came to the attention of a Cuban doctor on October 14; by the time the world heard about it, the disaster was unstoppable. I try to commemorate this anniversary every year. Following Haiti has been a major part of my self-education in the politics of public health, and it's taught me that politics dominates public health when it should be the other way around. Sheep lameness prevalence is recorded at below 5% in the UK, but the focus has switched to meeting the Stamp Out Lameness campaigns next target of 2% by 2021. Ruth Clements, head of vet programmes at FAI Farms a supporter of the campaign launched by Farmers Weekly in 2012 is calling on the British sheep sector to build on the momentum of the campaigns success. See also: More information on tackling sheep lameness Launched in association with MSD Animal Health and supported by FAI Farms and the National Sheep Association (NSA), the Stamp Out Lameness campaign sought to help the British sheep industry meet recommendations to cut lameness within flocks to 5% or less by 2016 and 2% or less by 2021. Four years since the launch of the campaign, prevalence is falling and is on course to meet the 2021 target. There is some data on prevalence, says Ms Clements. It has some limitations, but it shows we are currently at about 4.9%. The five-point lameness plan Culling badly or repeatedly infected animals Quarantining incoming animals Prompt treatment of clinical cases Avoid spread at handling and gathering Vaccination We have achieved this first target. But at 5%, we still dont have control. We will only have real control when we achieve 1% or less, she says. Ms Clements says the key to tackling the disease is to implement all the actions of the five-point plan (see right). The really innovative farmers have taken it on, but we are always going to have those farmers that need extra help to do that, she says. Industry support is also crucial to the continued success of the campaign. We want this to be an industry initiative. Support hasnt waned; the problem with delivering research at farm level is that there arent many funding streams, adds Ms Clements. Government support as has been seen in Wales is important if the industry is to hit its 2021 target. The Welsh programme, based on the five-point plan, is the first national lameness initiative, explains Ms Clements. Hopefully, we can use that as a springboard to set up initiatives in England and Scotland. If we can develop an industry-wide control plan, we are likely to have a good chance of tackling this. Story Highlights Percentage who say justice system "not tough enough" shrinks to 45% 38% say drug crime sentencing guidelines are "too tough" WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' views of how the criminal justice system is handling crime have shifted considerably over the past decade. Currently, 45% say the justice system is "not tough enough" -- down from 65% in 2003 and even higher majorities before then. Americans are now more likely than they have been in three prior polls to describe the justice system's approach as "about right" (35%) or "too tough" (14%). Incarceration rates in the U.S. have soared over the past few decades, and political leaders, justice officials and reform advocates have sought criminal justice reform as a result. With this, Americans' views of the criminal justice system have shifted with the national conversation, with less than a majority now saying the system is "not tough enough." Although considerably higher than in the past, relatively few believe the system is "too tough." Views of the justice system's toughness vary across racial and political party lines. The majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say it is "not tough enough" (65%), with most of the rest describing it as "about right" (30%). Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, on the other hand, are most likely to say the system is "about right" (42%), with the rest dividing about evenly between saying it is "too tough" (22%) or "not tough enough" (29%). A majority of whites (53%) say the system's handling of crime is "not tough enough," while a third (32%) say it is "about right." One in 10 whites say the system is "too tough." Nonwhites -- who as a group make up a disproportionate percentage of the U.S. incarcerated population -- are more than twice as likely as whites to say the system is "too tough" (23%). They are also more likely than whites to say it is "about right" (40%). Meanwhile, 30% of nonwhites say the system's handling of crime is "not tough enough." Americans' Views of the U.S. Justice System's Handling of Crime, by Group In general, do you think the criminal justice system in this country is too tough, not tough enough or about right in its handling of crime? Too tough Not tough enough About right % % % Republicans/Republican leaners Oct. 5-9, 2016 2 65 30 Oct. 6-8, 2003 2 72 25 Aug. 29-Sept. 5, 2000 1 79 16 Democrats/Democratic leaners Oct. 5-9, 2016 22 29 42 Oct. 6-8, 2003 9 58 29 Aug. 29-Sept. 5, 2000 6 62 27 Whites Oct. 5-9, 2016 10 53 32 Oct. 6-8, 2003 6 67 25 Aug. 29-Sept. 5, 2000 3 72 21 Nonwhites Oct. 5-9, 2016 23 30 40 Oct. 6-8, 2003 8 57 28 Aug. 29-Sept. 5, 2000 7 57 28 2000-2016 Gallup Americans More Likely to Describe Drug Crime Sentencing as "Too Tough" Against a backdrop of bipartisan efforts in Congress to reform drug sentencing in 2016, 38% of U.S. adults describe guidelines for sentencing of people convicted of routine drug crimes as "too tough." A slightly smaller percentage say they are "not tough enough" (34%), while a quarter say they are "about right" (25%). Fifty percent of Democrats say drug crime sentencing guidelines are "too tough" -- twice as high as the percentage of Republicans (26%) who say the same. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to describe drug crime sentencing as "not tough enough" (47%). Differences in views between whites and nonwhites are less pronounced on drug crime sentencing guidelines compared with their views of the criminal justice system's handling of crime more generally. Both whites and nonwhites have sizable percentages, ranging from 21% to 39%, of those who describe drug crime sentencing guidelines as "too tough," "not tough enough" or "about right." Americans' Views of Drug Crime Sentencing Guidelines, by Race and Party Leanings In general, do you think the current sentencing guidelines for people convicted of routine drug crimes are too tough, not tough enough or about right? Too tough Not tough enough About right No opinion % % % % National adults 38 34 25 4 Whites 39 35 21 4 Nonwhites 36 28 33 3 Republicans/Republican leaners 26 47 22 6 Democrats/Democratic leaners 50 22 26 3 Oct. 5-9, 2016 Gallup Bottom Line Americans' views about the toughness of the criminal justice system have clearly shifted in recent decades, with less than a majority now saying the system is "not tough enough" and more Americans describing it as "about right" or "too tough." Although more than in the past believe the system is overly tough, this view is still held by a relatively small minority. U.S. adults are much more likely, however, to describe drug crime sentencing guidelines as "too tough" compared with their opinions of the system's handling of overall crime, and this is the case among both racial and political party groups. Reform of drug-related sentencing may be a more agreeable point for larger discussions of criminal justice reform, and this topic seems to have gained some degree of bipartisan traction in the House of Representatives recently. These data are available in Gallup Analytics. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Oct. 5-9, 2016, on the Gallup U.S. Daily tracking survey, with a random sample of 520 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult Split: 'X-Men' Stars Reuniting For Movie? J-Law, 'Warm Bodies' Actor Caught Flirting On Set? Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult was once one of Hollywood's most coveted couple. The romantic relationship of Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult was considered as "relationship goals" - young, famous, and inlove. Unfortunately, things ended on a sour note between Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult, as sources say that the estranged couple remain civil towards each other. Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult Reunion After Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult broke up, the two had their fair share of new relationships. Jennifer Lawrence and Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, got in a romantic relationship months after "The Hunger Games" actress split with Nicholas Hoult. The "Warm Bodies" actor has also played the "moving-on" game quite well, as he was seen with another blonde beauty, Diana Agron, months after his split with Jennifer Lawrence. The estranged "X-men" stars turned into ex-lovers seemed to have no plans of staying friends which made fans believe that a reunion between Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult is impossible. However, the world of Hollywood is small when it comes to seeing a former lover. Whether it be on the red carpet, an endorsement shoot or a movie, estranged lovers in Hollywood will really have a chance to see each other again. As for Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult, reports say that the two ex-lovers might have a chance to reunite for another movie project. Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult - Preparing For An 'X-Men' Movie? While it is still unconfirmed if Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult will be reuniting for an "X-Men" movie, or if there will really be an "X-Men" movie, the fans are getting excited with the possible reunion. A love story between Mystique and Beast is highly impossible so the fans will just have to be content with the possibility of Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult working together again. As of writing, reps for Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult have yet to issue a statement regarding the possible reunion of the "X-Men" stars. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult news and updates! 'Mafia 3' Latest News & Update: Gripping Storyline Makes up for Tons of Glitches & Mediocre 'Mafia 3' Gameplay There are quite a lot of negative impressions about "Mafia 3" in the gaming community but it is also worthwhile to look at awesome storyline that this title provides. So here is anti-hero Lincoln Clay's trip down New Bordeaux - or now New Orleans way back in the late 60's. To start with, "Mafia 3" banks on the time-proven element of revenge against all odds plot. African-American Clay is coming off fresh from his Vietnam War tour but tangled against Marcano Crime Family when they killed his adopted family. Needless to say, Clay should take part of the blame because he jumped into life of crime after being discharged from the army. His family was collateral damage when dark karma caught him. "Mafia 3" created a persona who needs to battle not just an organized crime syndicate but corrupt system backing the thugs as well. This theme made the title a gripping storyline which can nail gamers at their playing couch. Come to think of it, "Mafia 3" has an excellent foundation but lacks in other elements like gameplay and limited open world, Venture Beat said. Now for the fun part, it was a given that "Mafia 3" anti-hero Clay will ultimately vanquish the Marcano Crime Family. He amassed great wealth after building his own criminal empire in New Bordeaux but still, a proper closure is needed to call the title truly finished. There are 2 possible scenarios that the character could take, MafiaWiki narrated. First good option for "Mafia 3" players is to continue a criminal life and take over Marcano's syndicate. Clay will cover his tracks through various charitable activities. However, this path will lead to either Clay losing an important person in his life or him being assassinated in the end. Lastly, golden-hearted "Mafia 3" gamers can choose to make Clay leave New Bordeaux. This option provides a good retirement with stash of money sufficient to evade anyone in his tail and travel around the globe. What do you think? Pick your option come endgame. 'Quantico' Season 2 Air Date, Spoilers, News & Updates: Ryan Nearly Gets Alex Killed on Episode 3; Spoilers for Episode 4, 'Kubark' "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 3, "Stescalade," saw Alex Parrish (Priyanka Chopra) successfully infiltrating the Citizens' Liberation Front, even as Ryan Booth (Jake McLaughlin) nearly got her killed. Still, her infiltration attempt goes slightly more successfully than expected, though it still left a window of doubt on where Miranda Shaw's (Aunjanue Ellis) loyalty really lay. Recap of 'Quantico' Season 2 Episode 3: 'Stescalade' In the future timeline, Alex Parrish was trying to gather intel on the terrorists as per Miranda's instructions in "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 3, "Stescalade." She donned one of the terrorists' uniforms, each with a suicide pill, and attempted to blend in with the terrorists. Meanwhile, Miranda got a text message from her inside contact, saying "We will find her." Things took a turn for the worse in "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 3 when Ryan Booth, who was getting tired of captivity, decided to unmask a terrorist during a staged fistfight with Harry Doyle (Russel Tovey). Unfortunately, he'd unmasked Alex during the melee, which led to her subsequent captivity and capture by the terrorists. Alex Parrish then fought to the death with her terrorist captor, whom she also unmasked and recognized as one of her CIA mentors, in "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 3. Later on, a body is dropped from the ceiling where the hostages are held. A note saying "2 Down" is attached to the body. Meanwhile, in the past timeline on "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 3, Alex and Ryan were making little headway on the alleged rogue faction inside The Farm. After being egged on by Shelby Wyatt (Johanna Brady) and Nimah Amin (Yasmine Al Massri), the two lovebirds eventually decided to bug photojournalist Leon Velez, before discovering that they've been beaten to the punch--he was already bugged. Spoilers for 'Quantico' Season 2 Episode 4: 'Kubark' Meanwhile, spoilers are out for "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 4. Titled "Kubark," the official synopsis for the episode revealed that a tradeoff between the CIA and the terrorists may take place. The promotional photos largely suggested that this trade could involve Nimah Amin. Could they be switching out Alex Parrish for her? "Quantico" Season 2 Episode 4 will air on Oct. 23, Sunday, on ABC Television Network. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more "Quantico" Season 2 spoilers, news and updates! SpaceX Falcon 9 News & Update: SpaceX Founder Musk Denied Sabotage Theory; Facebook CEO Zuckerberg Devastated Ever since the tragic explosion of Falcon 9 in September 1, speculations on the possible sabotage have greatly affected the Aerospace company. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk had released a statement denying this atrocious act. The Falcon 9 exploded during its scheduled test at 9:07am, and that the explosion did not result to public injury, Fox News reports. Although no one was harmed during the accident, Falcon 9 had also damaged the Amos-6, an Israeli satellite built by the Israeli Aerospace Industries. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was disappointed upon hearing the destruction of Amos-6 as he will use the satellite to bring the internet into the developing countries. Zuckerberg who is now in Africa aired out his disappointment on the Amos-6's wreckage. CEO Musk explains that the explosion was due to the formation of solid oxygen in one of the helium bottles located at the upper portion of the rocket's stage tanks. Other reports claimed that the explosion was due to a strut failure. First development tank for Mars ship pic.twitter.com/dF5tZkldUb SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 27, 2016 Speculations about the strut failure have surfaced due to a previous explosion of Falcon 9 just after it was launched, as conveyed by The Space Reporter. The incident which happened back in June 2015 has garnered different opinions on the company's ability to mitigate such problems. However, SpaceX assured the public that this explosion is not a problem with strut failure. Investigation of the recent explosion has confirmed that problem in the struts was not the cause. SpaceX assures for further investigation on the tragic incident. It is undeniable that SpaceX has baffled the tech world with its latest achievements and its innovations, and now that the hurdles are blocking its path, many are wondering on how SpaceX would overcome the challenges and soar above the level of mediocrity. 'Madam Secretary' Season 3 Spoilers, News & Update: Stars Law and Order, SVUs MacKenzie; Tea Leoni Tackles South China Sea Stalemate "Madam Secretary" Season 3 has invaded the air channels with great episodes and casting of big stars. No less than J.C. MacKenzie, Law and Order SVU actor will appear as Governor Sam Evans, while Tea Leoni is on the South China Sea stalemate. The recent streaming of "Madam Secretary" Season 3 brought in the gruelling negotiations that Elizabeth McCord (Tea Leoni) has to go through in the Algerian crisis. According to Gamenguide, the unconventionally brilliant US Secretary did a powerful execution of a change in the Algerian political regime to institute a peaceful conflict resolution. In the midst of this political turmoil and the death of the US Ambassador to Algeria, Elizabeth McCord has to settle issues at home. Her son and the whole McCord family are threatened by the hacking incident of Jason's computer. More thrills await "Madam Secretary" Season 3. "Madam Secretary" Season 3 will continue with the unveiling of the next episode titled "South China Sea" as reported by TVguide. This time, Elizabeth McCord will have a different kind of challenge as she lobbies in behalf of environmental activists who were apprehended by China for espionage. "Madam Secretary" Season 3 also depicts Elizabeth McCord's biggest disappointment in foreign relations as she face a stalemate with the Chinese Foreign Minister. Meanwhile, Henry McCord (Tim Daly) has to continue with the investigation of the cyber hacking incident with the help of the FBI. There will never be a stop to the manoeuvring in the political affairs for "Madam Secretary" Season 3. A sneak peek into the next episode will present another side of the storyline unfolding as The Dissent Memo is sent to the Secretary of State. President Dalton will have the biggest crunch in his presidency in the Angolan Election. "Madam Secretary" is being shown every Sunday on the CBS network with million viewers waiting for its chilling political drama adventures. Pretty Little Liars Season 7B Latest News & Update: Torrey Devito To Return As Melissa Hastings; No Happy Family Reunion? After being suspiciously missing in season 7A, one character will be returning to the show and this could mean a lot for the show's plot. It has been reported that Torrey Devitto, who plays Melissa Hastings on "Pretty Little Liars," will be returning to the show for Season 7B. This news was first revealed on The Hollywood Reporter, which said that the "Chicago Med" star will be reprising her role as Melissa in the Freeform the final season of "Pretty Little Liars." It is also said that this can mean that a family reunion could be seen in the show's final season, but it might not be a happy one. Melissa Hastings was last sighted on "Pretty Little Liars" in the second half of Season 6 as a suspect in the murder of Charlotte (Vanessa Ray). Although her participation in the crime had never been confirmed, she immediately fled Rosewood because of some alleged threats that she had been receiving from the villain and has not been seen on the show since then. Her former flame, Wren Kingston (Julian Morris), will also be seen again in the show as confirmed by executive producer Charlie Craig. His participation will be part of what Craig called as the final twist in the final episode of "Pretty Little Liars." Bustle reports that viewers would get to see Wren, Jenna, Paige, Lucas, Charlotte and Melissa all reunite for season 7B. Although Charlotte is already dead by the timeline, Vanessa Ray who plays the character, has already confirmed that she will be reappearing in "Pretty Little Liars" probably in a flashback scene or some other manner. The announcement of Melissa's return in "Pretty Little Liars" Season 7B, however, could mean something as there could be a bigger reason for her comeback after her sudden disappearance. She probably has something to do with the "ultimate final twist" which Craig had talked about earlier. Since Wren has been confirmed to return to "Pretty Little Liars," this could mean that Melissa could have something big to do with that final twist, too. At one point, both were heavily involved with one another. Whatever the production team has in store and, however, events in the show unfold can only be known by viewers once the episode airs. Michelle Obama Net Worth and News: US First Lady Wears Atelier Versace for President Barack Obama's Final State Dinner ( For the last state dinner of President Barack Obama, the First Lady came in a stunning rose-gold dress that captured the attention of many. Her choice of attire also spoke a lot about who she represented as the wife of the head of state. Michelle Obama looked ravishing with her shimmering dress as she walked hand in hand with the President during the gathering at the White House on Tuesday. Italian designer Donatella Versace expressed in a statement how it was working with the First Lady. Versace thanks Michelle "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," the designer added in a statement. The choice of dress seemed logical as the state dinner of Obama honored Matteo Renzi, the prime minister of Italy. Aside from this, the design of her outfit also reflected that she is a strong woman who stands by what she believes in. Its as if the stories of both Versace and Michelle were mirrored on the dress. The Italian designer had to continue the business of her brother after the latter was killed in Miami. Women empowerment Versace has also spoken greatly about liberating women and fighting for their rights. She launched a collection of wardrobe which she said represented freedom of expression for women. As for Michelle, it was not a surprise to the public seeing her in a captivating dress. She has done so in previous appearances and gatherings with the President and has been known for her strong fashion sense. Michelle Obama's net worth How she presents herself to the public reflects the kind of woman she has grown to become. It was reported that the First Lady's net worth has reached $11.8 million, mostly from her legal practice. She is a lawyer by profession. Before becoming the First Lady of the United States, Michelle worked for the University of Chicago Hospitals. In 2012, the worth of assets of the couple combined has reached $6.8 million. Rotary got started in Long Beach in 1917 when seven local businessmen met with a New York Rotarian who talked about his club there. Gov. Kate Brown offered elaboration this week regarding her position on capital punishment, saying that she would continue a moratorium on the death penalty through her two-year term if she's elected in November. To her credit, Brown made these comments before the Nov. 8 election; it's an extra piece of information voters can use as they weigh the gubernatorial race. When she assumed office last year after the resignation of John Kitzhaber, Brown said she was personally against the death penalty and planned to continue the moratorium Kitzhaber had put in place. But she also said then that she planned to study the issue in more detail. Well, apparently that study is over, according to a story this week in The Oregonian. A spokesman for Brown, Bryan Hockaday, told the newspaper in an email that "Gov. Brown will continue the death penalty moratorium, because after thoroughly researching the issues, serious concerns remain about the constitutionality and workability of Oregon's capital punishment law." Hockaday said that reasons for Brown's decision include the "uncertainty of Oregon's ability to acquire the necessary execution drugs required by statute." (Hockaday declined to immediately release to the newspaper any of the studies or other information the governor relied upon to make her decision, but she should take pains to do that now and not wait for the inevitable records request.) Hockaday added this note: "Looking nationally, America is on the verge of a sea change both by legislation and, more profoundly, through court decisions. The past few years have already seen a major shift in the landscape on capital punishment law, and Gov. Brown expects more changes are on the horizon." That's probably a fair assessment. But it leaves work undone in Oregon, and if Brown is serious about this issue, she could help to lead that sea change. The fact remains that the death penalty still is part of Oregon law. (Brown's opponent, Bud Pierce, has said he would follow the law and presumably would allow executions.) Oregon voters haven't weighed in on the issue since 1984, when they approved the death penalty. Brown is right that a lot has changed in the three decades since then. It's possible that the state's voters might have a different view of the measure now. But we won't know for sure until we ask them. Kitzhaber, for whatever reason, was reluctant to use any of his political capital to pursue the issue. But Brown should, assuming she wins on Election Day (and recent polls show her with a comfortable lead): She could push the 2017 Legislature to refer the issue to voters. Failing that, she could help drive an effort to use the initiative process to place the issue on a future ballot. Even though Oregon still has 34 prisoners on death row, it's conducted only two executions in the last 50 years, and both of those occurred in the 1990s. No executions appear to be imminent in the state. All that means that this would be an excellent time for Brown to show real leadership on the issue, instead of just hoping that she won't have the occasion to explain again to Oregon voters why she's unwilling to enforce what remains the law of the state. I settle, but admit no wrongdoing." Not long ago, a real estate tycoon would not rent to black families. To avoid an embarrassing lawsuit, he settled, but admitted no wrongdoing. Even now, he bragged it was a good business practice, no apology needed. This month, a company which increased the price of a common, lifesaving drug by more than 400 percent settled to avoid a lawsuit for cheating Medicaid. Its CEO smirked in front of our elected representatives, but admitted no wrongdoing. Ten years ago, I asked a Centers for Disease Control public health colleague why the United States has done nothing to help the victims of Agent Orange. The answer: We did not apologize, nor pay reparations for Hiroshima, why should we for Agent Orange? But in his recent visit to Laos, President Obama admitted mistakes done in that lost, forgotten land, where millions of bombs were dropped in a secret war some 50 years ago, and he promised funding to help clear unexploded bombs. It takes courage, empathy and humility, those core ingredients of a moral conscience, to admit that one has done wrong. Unfortunately they are not common virtues of the powerful. Despite being a nation supposedly founded on Christian morality, we turn our eyes away from the poor and disfranchised who rot in jail for petty crimes; we burst in outrage when scandals surface, then allow profiteers with highly paid lawyers to trump our justice system and walk away, proudly admitting no wrongdoing." "God Bless America! Which America?" Chinh Le Corvallis (Oct. 9) Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Eurowings arbitration fails : Strikes after fall vacation period FRANKFURT/DUSSELDORF In the pay dispute with cabin personnel from Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings, the situation has escalated. The union announced work stoppages as of Monday. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The labor dispute with cabin crew at Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings in Germany has escalated. The flight attendants union Ufo announced that there will be work stoppages beginning Monday next week. Union chief Nicoley Baublies communicated through a video message that strikes could take place at any time during the two week period beginning on Monday. Article Protecting the worlds oceans an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs. 'Feels Like Home Season 2' offers something real and tangible to think about; takes home a pertinent point - if your intentions are good, there is nothing in life that isn't achievable. HANOVER A private equity firm has invested more than $146 million in Pennsylvania snack food company Utz. The Wall Street Journal reports Metropoulos and Company announced their investment Wednesday. The Rice family, which owns and operates 95-year-old Utz, will remain majority shareholders. Utz, based in Hanover, has made a number of acquisitions in the past five years, including Good Health pretzels and veggie straws and Zapps potato chips. Daren Metropoulos, a principal of Metropoulos, tells the newspaper that the combination of growth potential and heritage made Utz appealing to his firm, which focuses on expanding and reviving well-known brands. Metropoulos brought Hostess Brands out of liquidation three years ago. Utz says it will use the new investment to fund its recent acquisition of Alabama-based snack maker Golden Enterprises. U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Admiral Kurt Tidd, commander, U.S. Southern Command October 18, 2016 Department of Defense Press Briefing by Adm. Tidd on Joint Task Force-Matthew Relief Efforts in Haiti STAFF: Hi, everybody. Pleased to welcome here the head of Southern Command, Admiral Kurt Tidd, who is going to give us an update on efforts that Southern Command have been making with regard to Hurricane Matthew down in Haiti and elsewhere. And without further ado, admiral, we appreciate very much you taking the time to talk with us. I know there are a lot of other things going on, but this is important -- our commitment to this and the efforts of your team and so thanks again for joining us. Take your questions when the admiral is done -- (inaudible). ADMIRAL KURT TIDD: All right. Thanks very much. I don't have prepared opening remarks. I think, as you know, we were in the process of preparing for Hurricane Matthew on the 4th of October. By the fifth, we had helicopters in on the ground and had a build -- built up fairly rapidly the ability to provide a critical and unique military enabler, which was to -- to move humanitarian assistance, stores, food, shelter materials, medical materials out to the hardest hit area on the southwest corner of Haiti. We've been doing that now for almost two weeks. Over a period of time the civil authorities and the nongovernmental officials organizations have been able to be out there, clear the roads, get the surface traffic moving again, and so as the amount of -- of the materials moving over the road has increased, the number of requests for us to move things has now gradually begun to decrease. And so I -- I expect that as -- we're coming up on the point where there will no longer be a requirement for us to be able to move -- to have to move things by air as is appropriate, obviously at that point, and we'll begin to -- to pack up and redeploy our forces and have them recocked and ready to go in the -- in the event another emergency were to arise. So the basic facts and figures on the ground at Port-au-Prince Airport, we built up from about 200 people up to a maximum of a little over 400 and that gave us the full capability to be able to download aircraft with relief supplies, breakdown the shipments into loads that would go on to the helicopters, load up the helicopters and move them out. Also to maintain liaison with all of the various NGOs. Obviously, all of this was done in direct support of the USAID DART Teams. They were the lead -- the people on the ground, identifying what the demands were. They gave us our daily tasking that we then turn around and execute it. We -- we're now -- we're drawing down that 400 pretty rapidly with the arrival of the USS Iwo Jima on scene. We have moved all of the air operations now from Port-au-Prince Airport out to -- to a float onboard Iwo Jima and so the number of people who were -- who -- (inaudible) -- will decrease pretty quickly until we no longer need them to -- to download aircraft or to prepare to redeploy any of the equipment. So our footprint there will -- will disappear pretty quickly. And then when she's finished, Iwo Jima will then detach and sail back north again and she's -- will get back into her workup cycle. So with that, let me -- let me just open the floor. I'll take questions and then we'll go from there. STAFF: (off mic.) Q: You made two personal trips to Haiti? ADM. TIDD: Yes. I went down there twice. First time right after we started flight operations and then I was there again this past Saturday in discussions with our Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance regional director Jeremy Konyndyk, and with our ambassador, Mulrean, on the ground to discuss, OK, where are we in this process and are we on a glide slope? At that point, it was pretty clear that the civil authorities were moving enough commodities over -- over ground so that we would be able to -- to transition the mission. STAFF: (off mic.) Q: This is -- (inaudible). You have mentioned that the U.S. military effort is going to decrease. Do you have a timeline? Can you -- can you give a sort of timeline to -- to -- ADM. TIDD: Sure. We were told to prepare for a two-week mission and I -- I think that that looks like it is going to be a pretty accurate timeline. So I -- I would expect that we will -- we're just about at the point now where we will have no further request for us to move things and at that point then we will -- we'll pack up and redeploy. Q: That means, for instance, that you could leave tomorrow or today even -- ADM. TIDD: I think -- we have already begun, as the demand for -- for helicopter lift has decreased, those helicopters that -- that we flew in, that we self-deployed out of -- out of Honduras, we -- we are now redeploying them. The Army helicopters that were in that first package on scene, they have now returned to Honduras. The Marine helicopters are packing up and they are -- they're leaving as well so that all of that -- the flights are being conducted by the helicopters, the Marine and Navy helicopters that are embarked on Iwo Jima. But I would say literally the next couple of days I think -- I think we'll be finished. STAFF: Richard Sisk Q: Admiral do you have an estimate of when Iwo Jima will start pulling out? ADM. TIDD: Literally, I think, within the next few days. So we'll- -- you know, we'll put that information out once it's happened. I'm just waiting for the -- the commander and the final check that he will do with the embassy to make sure that -- that we are in fact at that point. Q: Richard Sisk, military.com, can you give us any numbers on the -- the amounts of medical supplies, food, water -- ADM. TIDD: I can give you -- not the individual breakdown of -- of loads, but as of the end of yesterday we had moved, let's see, over 255,000 pounds. So over 250 metric tons was the -- was the figure that we're working right now. And let's see -- I'm sorry -- over 559,000 pounds, over 250 metric tons of -- of -- and mixture of supplies from (inaudible). It was food, water, shelter material, you know, plastic sheeting, that sort of thing, but also cholera kits, medical facilities treatment, you know, IV bags, that kind of thing. Critical treatment of -- some things. Cleaning supplies that -- required to -- to help deal with the aftermath. Q: And -- how to put this -- the ability of the Iwo Jima -- the ability of your air assets to -- to get to areas that can't be reached by road still and with the -- the U.N. estimating that well above a million Haitians -- 1.4 million I think is their estimate -- still in need of urgent assistance, how can you possibly pull the Iwo out? ADM. TIDD: I think what's critical to remember is the role that we play is to provide a unique capability that no one else can provide during a specific period in time. What -- where we did was we -- we did the big jump start to be able to surge that initial volume of -- of -- of critical life -- life saving materials forward to get it on the ground, get it in the hands of the -- of the NGOs and the distribution networks that are the people actually out there that have been there, that will continue to be there long after. And then to basically buy time until the roads could be opened up and those -- those supplies could now begin to move over land. But we're at the point now where -- where literally almost all of the supplies are now moving by road out to those sites. And so, it -- it -- it really is -- it's the time. And there's the -- there the -- the recognition that this civilian authorities, the U.N., and the various other NGOs that are out there, they also have capability to -- to move things to -- by air. But there's just not a demand for things to go by air at this point, so it's appropriate for us to -- to -- to withdraw that and -- and -- and to -- to allow the organizations that are in there, and in there for the long haul, to -- to take over the responsibility. STAFF: Andrew? Q: Hey, admiral. Andrew Tillman with Military Times. Just want to make sure I have a picture of -- at the peak of this operation, how many aircraft, fixed-wing rudder wing, did you have in the mix there? ADM. TIDD: There was a transition period, and so there were initial deployment of 12 that came from -- from Honduras that was a mixture of Army and Marine aviation that -- that were deployed to Honduras that self-deployed out. And then as Iwo Jima rolled in -- and actually some of the initial aircraft came in on -- some of the initial second wave if you will came in on U.S.S. Mesa Verde, who came in, dropped them off, and then -- and turned them over to -- to Iwo Jima when she arrived. And so we are now at the point of about the same number of -- but it's a -- instead of Marine and Army aviation now, it's -- it's Marine CH-53s, Marine MV-22s and Navy H-60s all flying off of -- off of Iwo Jima. Q: And any -- (inaudible) -- need for fixed-wing? Or is it all -- (CROSSTALK) ADM. TIDD: I mean I -- I would -- I guess the -- the strat lifter you know capability that brought in -- that deployed in some of those -- the initial port-opening people, the Air Force folks who -- who were the -- I mean the -- the real critical unsung heroes that come in, that bring in the -- the -- the heavy equipment to download aircraft and to be able to break down those loads to do the critical liaison with the -- the air traffic control tower there at Port-au-Prince and to work side-by-side with them to be able to -- to control all of these helicopters around an airfield, which typically they're not -- they're not accustomed to dealing with that volume. And so the -- the Air Force folks coming in -- and just -- they -- they bring a lot of those critical enablers that -- that -- that make a relief disaster response mission work. And they're -- in many cases they're the first ones in. They arrive on a -- on a -- on a couple of C-17s, and they'll probably be the very last ones out, packing up the -- you know all that heavy lift equipment and -- as they head back out again. STAFF: Carla? Q: Thank you, sir. Carla Babb with Voice of America. I know you're here to talk about Hurricane Matthew, but with the fight for Mosul going on, Islamic State is on all of our minds. And I'd like to get an update if you can to tell us what Islamic State is doing in your part of the world. We've heard about -- ADM. TIDD: Yeah. Q: -- extremist groups claiming loyalty to ISIS in Brazil. What's it like now? And are you concerned that with the fall of Mosul, there could be even more coming into your region of the world? ADM. TIDD: You know, I -- it -- it's probably worth observing, one of -- the reasons that I'm in -- in town today, I came in for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dunford had a -- a conference yesterday that he hosted for over 40 chiefs of defense from all around the world and specifically to look at the -- the global possibility of what happens after Mosul; what happens after the physical caliphate is reduced. And for us to all be thinking about what are the steps that we should be taking in advance to make sure that we don't have -- that they don't squeeze out of there and go to other places. So, it literally was to put in place a global network, to be able to be mindful, watchful, talking to our regional security partners that we work with more closely. And so to be able to share that information so that they've got a good idea of exactly what the -- what the potential threat might be. And so that's why I was here to be able to participate in that conference. Q: Also, what -- what's your outlook? ADM. TIDD: I think -- I think we must all be mindful of the fact that there is this -- this ideology that is -- has proven to be so damaging and destructive and created so much -- let me just say, enormous security problem in the Middle East. It's obviously, as it continues to morph and metastasize, I think all around the world we must all, you know, be mindful of where might it pop up. And by working with our security partners around the world, take steps to prevent that from happening. Q: And if I may just ask one follow-up. Your predecessor would kind of update us on some of the countries -- the hot spots of Islamic state. Where are you seeing the hot spots at this point? ADM. TIDD: I think, as you recall, he -- he would talk about it, and then he got in real trouble. But -- and so, probably it's worth saying that many of our partners around the region now recognize that in the aftermath of attacks by self-radicalized individuals from -- from Brussels to Paris to Nice to Ankara, Turkey, to -- to Orlando and San Bernardino, that phenomena can pop up almost anywhere and with very, very little advance warning. And so it is incumbent on literally all countries to recognize what the -- how that can happen, and then to be able to share information as effectively as possible, so that as we learn of potential sources of radicalization, that we take the steps that are consistent. You know, each country has different laws, but the things that we can do within -- consistent within our own legal systems to be able to keep that from happening. Because, you know, I don't think it's -- I don't think it's safe for anybody to now say that, well, it would never happen here; it can't happen here. Because we've seen that it's a -- it's a phenomena that we're just going to have to wrestle with. Q: Would you-- sorry, one more. Would you add Brazil to that list of -- (inaudible)? ADM. TIDD: I'm not going to put any names, because I think, you know, I'll let each of the countries, you know, decide for themselves whether they want to talk about it. But I would just say that we all recognize it's a phenomena that we have to -- we have to coordinate and cooperate and talk about and share information about. So, thanks. Q: Yes, sir, Carlo Munoz, Washington Times. I wanted to follow up with Carla's line of questioning on that. The last time you took the podium, you mentioned that roughly 100 to 150 either actually affiliated Daesh members or those being influenced by the group were -- were moving around in your area of operations. Now, has that -- ADM. TIDD: I think we used that number as -- that was the number of foreign fighters that had left the area to go over. Q: Is there an update? Has there been -- have you seen an uptick of fighters coming into -- (CROSSTALK) ADM. TIDD: I think as -- as the coalition has had significant success in Iraq and Syria, I think the outflow has been significantly curtailed. And that's just from talking with my -- my counterparts on what they are seeing arriving over there. So I think that the outflow has probably been curtailed. But as we've seen, you know, just from reading Daesh's publication, "Dabiq," they are -- they are advocating, if you can't come over here, conduct attacks at home. And so you know, I think that -- that trying to maintain a - you know, a very, very clear, accurate number is going to be enormously challenging for -- for any country. So that is just something that we -- you know, we got to take into consideration. Q: And then just a quick follow-up. Some of your predecessors have also mentioned other extremist groups, particularly Hezbollah, Hamas, using countries in your area of operation sort of as a base for fund-raising, some recruiting, that sort of thing. Are you still seeing that -- ADM. TIDD: That hasn't changed. Q: Hey, sir. Megan -- (inaudible) -- with the Naval Institute for the second time today. ADM. TIDD: I was going to say, wait a minute, didn't we just see each other? Yeah. OK. Q: I was wondering, back on the Haiti response, if you could kind of in practical terms talk about the command and control that you had. I know there was a task force commander which yesterday turned over to the ESG commander. ADM. TIDD: Right. Q: And then what was the difference there, then who will that command go to after Iwo leaves? ADM. TIDD: Sure. We -- we stood up joint task force Matthew as soon as we began to move forces to the -- to Haiti. The first Joint Task Force Haiti -- a Joint Task Force Matthew Commander was Rear Admiral Cedric Pringle. His normal job, he's the Deputy Commander at Joint Interagency Task Force South up in Key West, Florida. So what -- why Admiral Pringle as opposed to -- any one of a number of other potential commanders. First and foremost, he immediately volunteered and -- and that obviously is -- is important. He has got experience. He's a former commanding officer of one of the large tech amphibs with prior experience doing humanitarian assistance disaster response. So -- so he had the background to be able to walk into a situation that was going to be somewhat unusual working with Army and Marine aviation. The Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force that has been deployed for about six months at Sotakato the -- the commanding officer of that unit, Marine Colonel Tom Prentice, actually led the -- the aviation unit. There was a mixed Marine Army aviation unit. And again, this is -- you know, I kind of highlight this that as a -- as a, you know, a paragon of joint operations. The fact that you fly a -- a mixed aviation detachment of Army and Marine helicopters to self-deploy all the way from Honduras to Haiti, to do it safely, literally, as they were hopscotching from -- from Honduras to Grand Cayman Island to Jamaica and then on to -- to Port-au-Prince, Admiral Pringle flew to Jamaica, joined them there and flew in by helicopter and was able to do some of the initial discussion about how they would -- would organize their initial operations on the flight with Colonel Prentice as they were helicoptering over to Port-au-Prince. And at the same time that was happening, we had the Joint Task Force port opening, which is an element that belongs to U.S. transportation command and they are rapidly deployable, they bring with them a lot of the capability that -- again, to do that kind of -- you know, heavy airfield work that is required. We also brought a slice also from TRANSCOM, of the -- of a core of staff officers, communications capability, JPASE people that you are familiar with from the -- to provide a strategic communications and public affairs slice. So that when everybody arrived, they literally arrived on the ground together at Port-au-Prince, got themselves organized and -- and got right to work and -- and began to fly the next day a round of -- basically reconnaissance missions to go out and try and spot where the helo landing zones way out on the -- on the far western tip, what kind of condition were they in, would we be able to bring supplies in, what kind of shape were the -- the NGOs on the ground to be able to take those supplies and then be able to -- to redistribute 'em. So, Admiral Pringle commanded that joint task force from a -- a facility on the -- on the airport until the arrival ultimately of Iwo Jima. And we knew -- we knew that we kind of have this -- this quick, out-the-door capability to stand up a joint task force out of hide -- out of our -- our SOUTHCOM forces. And that's to buy time until the arrival of -- of -- of larger, other forces that are -- that are -- that are formed, and trained, and equipped to -- to -- to take on a longer term mission should that have been required. And that's why the expedition strike group two staff under Rear Admiral Roy Kitchener -- this was a -- again, just a -- you know a -- a -- a terrific decision made by Admiral Phil Davidson, the commander in the fleet forces command before the hurricane began moving up the coast, recognized that if this -- if this hurricane tracked on up the East Coast on towards Norfolk, we could reach a point where we wouldn't be able to sort any ships out of -- out of Norfolk. And -- and so he got ships underway with a -- a -- a load out of humanitarian assistance disaster response kit that -- on -- on board the Mesa Verde and the Iwo Jima, and started them you know way out, outside of the track of the hurricane, and started them heading south. And at that point in time, we weren't really sure would they be required, where might they be required. We were looking literally at -- at a potential disaster response from Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas, and on up the -- the -- the East Coast, the southern East Coast of the United States. And so the decision was made here at the Joint Staff, as we got a better sense of where the real damage was, where the asks were coming from various countries via the ambassadors in those countries, where might we best supply those forces. And so as they were added in, then we were able to take a look at okay what's the -- is there a -- a -- a logical way to transition the mission from one commander to another commander. And it obviously Admiral Kitchener came in with a -- with a -- a much more robust headquarters, much more robust command and control that's organic to the -- to the Iwo Jima. He had a -- the -- the whole 24th U headquarters, the commander, and their headquarters, and elements and pieces that could then go in ashore and take over some of the responsibility for the initial opening stuff that we had -- we had sent out. So, it was -- that would have been a -- you know if -- had -- had we been required to -- you know to run this thing for a -- a longer period of time, that would've been a more sustainable posture to be in. As it is now -- as I -- I -- I was checked before coming down here. And Admiral Pringle should be on a plane leaving Haiti today and heading back to Key West and getting back to work at his -- his -- his job at Joint Interagency Task Force South. Sorry, kind of a long-winded answer to a question. But that was -- that's how it played out. STAFF: One more? Admiral Tidd, thank you very much. Appreciate it. ADM. TIDD: Thanks very much, everybody. Appreciate the opportunity. Thanks for -- for coming in and caring about SOUTHCOM. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/978188/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US drone attack kills eight in southern Yemen Iran Press TV Tue Oct 18, 2016 9:17PM At least eight people have lost their lives in an airstrike by a US unmanned aerial vehicle in southern Yemen, security sources say. According to the sources, the drone hit two vehicles carrying the eight, who were claimed to be suspected al-Qaeda militants in Yemen's southern province of Shabwah late on Tuesday. Reports said six of the militants had been killed instantly while two died of their wounds later A second airstrike missed two other cars in the same area. The US carries out drone attacks in Yemen and several other countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. Washington claims its drones target al-Qaeda militants, but local sources say civilians have been the main victims of the attacks. The drone attacks in Yemen have continued alongside the Saudi military aggression against the Arab country. Yemen has seen almost daily military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March 2015, with the UN putting the toll at 10,000. The offensive was launched to crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement and its allies and reinstate the resigned president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Jamie McGoldrick said in August that the death toll from the Saudi military aggression could rise even further as some areas had no medical facilities, and that people were often buried without any official record being made. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Coalition Targets ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 19, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted eight strikes in Syria: -- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed two oil tanker trucks and an oil pumpjack. -- Near Shadaddi, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed four vehicles and a fighting position. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed eight oil tanker trailers and an oil wellhead. -- Near Mara, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit. -- Near Washiyah, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed two vehicles. Strikes in Iraq Attack, bomber, fighter, remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Haditha, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles, two weapons caches, an artillery system and an ISIL-held building. -- Near Mosul, two strikes destroyed an ISIL-held building and a command and control node. -- Near Qayyarah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building and a vehicle. -- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position. -- Near Tal Afar, a strike suppressed ISIL small arms fire. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Department Seeks to Expand Infrastructure Privatization By Karen Parrish DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2016 The Defense Department is pulling out of the landlord business and is looking at areas beyond housing where public-private partnerships could shore up defense infrastructure, according to a senior defense official. Peter Potochney, acting assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations and environment, took part in a panel discussion about such partnerships yesterday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies here. Learning from Experience Given the success of privatizing military housing, Potochney said, "We're looking at other functions [and asking] what did we learn from that?" Military family housing privatization has been under way since 1996. The defense acquisitions website reports that at the beginning of the program, the department had an inventory of approximately 257,000 family housing units. Current plans are to privatize about 75 percent of existing family housing units worldwide. "Why did it take us so long to implement housing privatization?" Potochney asked. "I don't think there's anybody who doesn't think it's a great thing, and it's worked well, and it's saved us money, and it's gotten soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines better housing than they had before." Expanding the Role of the Private Sector Resistance to privatization, Potochney said, comes primarily from what he called "the war fighters." Potochney said he thinks the view of these detractors has been, "We can't give up our housing because it's a core element of the department, and if we turn it over to the private sector we've lost something here." "What we have to learn from that," he said, "is how do we look at new opportunities in ways that our leadership, our war fighting leadership, will understand, so that they will accept new private-sector ventures?" Privatization has proven itself in the housing area, he said, and to a limited extent in utilities, with the private sector supplying about 20 percent of the department's utility demand. A fresh approach to privatization should focus on understanding leaders' perspectives, he said, "Otherwise we're just fighting about why this is goodness." He added, "If we do that in the way we've done it in the past, we're not understanding how the war fighter is looking at it, and we need to do a better job." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO and the United Arab Emirates reinforce partnership with new cooperation programme NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 19 Oct. 2016 NATO and the United Arab Emirates reinforced their partnership and set out their priorities for future cooperation by signing an Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme (IPCP) on Wednesday (19 October 2016). During a signing ceremony with Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, the Secretary General stressed the importance of NATO's cooperation with the UAE. He praised the UAE for its role as a valuable NATO partner in projecting international security and stability: from Kosovo, to Afghanistan to Libya. The Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme takes NATO-UAE political and practical cooperation further, setting out in detail more areas for enhanced bilateral engagement, including through political dialogue and practical cooperation in NATO-led operations and missions, enhanced interoperability, crisis management, civil emergency planning, capacity building, counter-terrorism, education and training. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Essex Receives High-Flying Upgrade Navy News Service Story Number: NNS161019-14 Release Date: 10/19/2016 1:04:00 PM By Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean P. Gallagher, USS Essex (LHD 2) Public Affairs SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) is currently undergoing upgrades that will allow it to field the latest weapon in avionic warfare, the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Scheduled to be completed in March 2017, Essex will be the third big-deck platform to institute the upgrades and will be the first to do a set of work-ups and deploy with them. The F-35B is the world's first supersonic short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) fighter and will become the new standard across the amphibious fleet. A Marine Corps aircraft, the JSF will be the next big step in Navy/Marine Corps integration. "Whenever you bring new tech to the warfighter, it's always exciting," said Cmdr. Rob Hawthorne, Essex air boss. "It's a fifth-generation strike fighter that incorporates fifth-generation technology. This will give the JSF a huge air superiority capability over legacy fixed-wing aircraft." Developmental testing on the JSF upgrades began Oct. 3, 2011, aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) and continued supplemental testing aboard USS America (LHA 6). The upgrades will allow Essex to bring new capabilities to combatant commanders and enhance the limited ability to a critical capability while forward deployed. "I think the main idea here is that this allows the amphibious force to remain relevant with this new technology being implemented," said Hawthorne. "It is a key piece to becoming the preeminent maritime force." The F-35B is one of three Joint Strike Fighter variants. The "B" was designed for use by the U.S. Marine Corps and is capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to provide air power to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The F-35B will replace the AV-8B Harrier and will continue test and evaluation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet. Essex is currently conducting a Planned Maintenance Availability at Naval Base San Diego to upgrade and modernize the ship and its systems. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK Commences Mine Countermeasures Exercise 17-1 in Arabian Gulf Navy News Service Story Number: NNS161019-11 Release Date: 10/19/2016 11:26:00 AM By Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Thompson, CTF 56.1 Public Affairs ARABIAN GULF (NNS) -- Commander, Task Force (CTF) 52 with the UK Mine Countermeasures Force (COMUKMCMFOR) commenced the UK-U.S. Mine Countermeasures Exercise 17-1 with a photographic exercise (PHOTOEX) formation in the Arabian Gulf, Oct. 19. The bilateral exercise encompassed the full spectrum of mine countermeasures (MCM) from mine detection and identification to mine clearance in order to assure operational readiness of U.S. and UK MCM forces. Encompassing surface and subsurface MCM operations, the exercise demonstrates the cooperative skill and will of the U.S. Navy and Royal navy to work together in ensuring security and freedom of navigation throughout the Arabian Gulf and adjoining seas. "Mine countermeasure capabilities are critical to providing unfettered access to strategic and economically important waterways, for both naval vessels and commercial shipping," said Capt. Eric Wirstrom, commander of CTF 52. "We are exercising well-develop mutual capabilities which address threats to freedom of navigation and international commerce." The PHOTOEX, planned to follow the start of the UK portion of the exercise on Oct. 10, involved bringing all participating ships and helicopters into formation. Participating ships included USS Devastator (MCM 6), USS Gladiator (MCM 11), USS Dextrous (MCM 13), RFA Lyme Bay (L 3007), HMS Middleton (M34), HMS Chiddingfold (M37), HMS Penzance (M106) and HMS Bangor (M109) as well as MH-53 helicopters from HM-15 Detachment Two. Each past year, U.S. and UK MCM forces executed a series of MCM exercises in the Arabian Gulf as part of a cooperative strategy to develop mutual capabilities in addressing threats to international commerce. With three of seven critical maritime chokepoints located in the region and forty percent of the energy vital to the global economy passing through these chokepoints every day, closure of any strategic waterway will have worldwide economic and national security consequences. "UK-U.S. MCM Exercise 17-1 is one of several annual bilateral MCM exercises which allow the coalition forces stationed in The Gulf to hone our skills and be able to respond to any mine threats," said Royal navy Cmdr. David Morgan, Commander, RFA Lyme Bay and head of the coalition task group for the exercise. "By continually training together the MCM component of the Combined Maritime Forces can help to safeguard the free flow of commerce in and out of The Gulf." Due to the global implications of any mining of sea lanes, the conduct of UK-U.S. MCM Exercise 17, wholly defensive in nature, had stabilizing effects in ensuring freedom of navigation that reach well beyond these waters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Region EURAFSWA Focuses on Cyber Security Navy News Service Story Number: NNS161019-10 Release Date: 10/19/2016 10:39:00 AM By Petty Officer 2nd Class Joe Bishop, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia Public Affairs NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Navy Region Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia (EURAFSWA) continues to stay vigilant regarding cyber security throughout its expansive area of operations by educating personnel to be information-conscious and knowledgeable computer users. Protection from cyber threats is a critical aspect of one of EURAFSWA's eight lines of operations -- security. By using the latest technology and procedures, Region EURAFSWA protects its information systems and data, the information contained within those systems from cyber attacks, which are deliberate attempts to obtain and exploit that information. "The cyber security triad is known as 'CIA' -- confidentiality, integrity, and availability," said Julie Weinstein, information systems security manager with Navy Region EURAFSWA. "Confidentiality is who has access to the data, integrity is monitoring or controlling who can change the data, and availability is having the data available when needed by authorized users." Regardless of where one works, cyber security is important, said Weinstein. Security is not only about protecting mission-critical information, but also protecting one's cyber identity. A person's cyber identity is comprised of information particularly attributed to himself or herself such as date of birth, social security number, and medical history. Most people have online identities, whether or not they are aware of it. Cyber security is therefore a part of personal security, installation security, and force protection. Cyber security involves more than just computer passwords and anti-virus tools. It is also about operational, physical, and personnel security, said Jessica Boldig, information systems security manager with the Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center in Naples, Italy. "Cyber security has become so important because we no longer operate in a paper-based Navy," said Boldig. "Our information is now almost always stored and transmitted digitally. Furthermore, everything we use in the modern age can be or already is controlled by a computer, and is therefore vulnerable to malicious attack by our adversaries." To ensure defense in the cyber domain, EURAFSWA Sailors and civilians need to take precautionary measures necessary to prevent unauthorized disclosures of information, added Boldig. Security also requires a certain level of information awareness. "General precautions include knowing your computer and your information," said Weinstein. "Check email sources and double check website URLs before going to them. Make sure that your home computer is up-to-date on all patches and anti-viruses. At work, make sure that you are aware of the Department of the Navy's acceptable use policy." The capability of the shore enterprise at Navy installations allows U.S. and allied forces in the region to maintain knowledgeable and information-aware computer users wherever and whenever they are needed. Cyber security is a key aspect of the security line of operation. "Our adversaries are very clever and very patient," said Boldig. "For example, it only takes the metadata from one photo snapped from a smartphone and shared with friends while on deployment to give our adversaries important details about the location of our personnel." Weinstein offers a few basic tips that ensure a heightened cyber security posture: 1. Ensure that all your annual cyber security training is up to date. 2. Stop and think before you open emails or click on hyperlinks. Verify the authenticity of the source. 3. Log off your workstation at night, reboot on a weekly basis to ensure all security patches can be properly applied. 4. Maintain awareness of your command's cyber security policies. 5. Open a dialogue with your Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) and, when in doubt, ask questions. Sailors and civilians are welcomed to voluntarily participate in any additional training offered through https://fedvte.usalearning.gov/, NKO, or IASE http://iase.disa.mil/Pages/index.aspx/. A key line of operation for Region EURAFSWA is security. Security, along with the seven other lines of operations of air operations, port operations, safety, housing, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR), Fleet and Fleet and Family services, and the core are what enable the installations to ensure U.S. and allied forces are able to conduct the full spectrum of operations throughout the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Unmanned, Autonomous Technologies Tested During First Unmanned Warrior Exercise Navy News Service Story Number: NNS161019-19 Release Date: 10/19/2016 3:09:00 PM By Petty Officer 1st Class Grant Ammon and Petty Officer 2nd Class Darby Dillon BENBECULA, United Kingdom (NNS) -- Luckily, the skies above the island of Benbecula, a remote Scottish outpost in the Outer Hebrides, have been clear and calm so far this October. While the systems they are here to test may be unmanned or autonomous, the various projects have brought together in Scotland several dozens of the world's foremost experts in unmanned technology for the two-week exercise. They appeared to outnumber the local population when representatives from the U.S. Navy, led by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), joined colleagues from the Royal Navy and various industry and research organizations at Benbecula's West Camp and Range Head to test unmanned aerial vehicles as part of the first-ever Unmanned Warrior exercise beginning Oct. 8. Unmanned Warrior is part of Joint Warrior, a semiannual United Kingdom-led training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment in which to prepare for global operations. Capt. Beth Creighton, the U.S. team lead and command element for the exercise, said the various participants are examining unmanned capabilities in five mission areas: geospatial intelligence collection; mine countermeasures; intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance; anti-submarine warfare; and command and control. "The exercise accelerates learning by providing an opportunity for world-class innovators from U.S. and allied navies to collaborate with the private sector and academia in a challenging real-world environment," Creighton said. "Data products from the remote unmanned systems testing locations are fed into exercise Joint Warrior to enhance naval coalition training." The ONR team is partnering with an international contingent of more than 40 participating groups to conduct a broad range of tests and demonstrations on the latest in autonomous and unmanned naval technologies. In so doing, they are simultaneously strengthening international interoperability and partnerships that amplify the efforts to design advanced warfare systems that began decades ago. "Unmanned Warrior directly supports our Navy's Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority by leveraging this high-velocity learning environment to experiment and demonstrate autonomous capabilities side-by-side with the fleet," said Rear Adm. Mat Winter, the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Research. "Scientific collaboration with allied navies has historically expanded and strengthened partnerships foundational to future coalition operations. This is especially important in the new frontier of naval autonomy, which improves war fighting effectiveness and accelerates the delivery of breakthrough capabilities to our Sailors and Marines in the battle space." Lt. Cmdr. Rollie Wicks, a member of the Secretary of the Navy's Naval Innovation Advisory Council (NIAC), is in Benbecula working closely with the Royal Navy and demonstrating the Airborne Computer Vision (ACV), an ONR-funded semi-autonomous targeting system aboard a Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Wicks said the systems he's operating will "affect future naval operations significantly." In just a few days after arriving in Benbecula, the U.S. and U.K. navies successfully enabled interoperability between coalition systems to share blue force tracking data and intelligence. The ACV system accurately detected and reported more than twice the number of vessels at sea than the human-only operated missions. "This capability, with its rapid processing of imagery on board, should increase the speed of warfare significantly," Wicks said. "The image is processed in seconds, rather than minutes after collection, and we're generating all the information that is required to target a potential enemy combatant at sea. That's a real game changer for the U.S. Navy." For Bronson Ignasio, of Boeing's unmanned systems subsidiary, Insitu, the advances made during Unmanned Warrior are the result of years of learning the best practices for implementing unmanned and autonomous platforms on the battlefield, such as the Scan Eagle UAV. "It all started in 2003, after the invasion," Ignasio said. "Scan Eagle deployed with the Marines to Fallujah, Iraq where it played a critical role providing air support for troops on the ground and giving ground commanders real-time intelligence to make calls at the same time." "At first, Scan Eagle was a more tactical asset," he said. "We were providing cover for squad-based elements going down the road knocking on doors and providing expanded situational awareness for the guys on the ground. Now, we're looking for targets or conducting search and rescue operations, conducting simulated man overboard scenarios or looking for potential targets or threats to the battle group. For smaller companies, the exercise enables them to demonstrate technologies and capabilities in a larger setting alongside defense industry giants. AutoNaut Ltd. is a micro company with only 10 employees. Dan Aldis, currently demonstrating the AutoNaut unmanned surface vehicle (USV), said it is designed to deliver persistent offshore data capture in support of anti-submarine warfare using a unique wave propulsion system. "Participation in Unmanned Warrior gives us the opportunity to work alongside larger partners in industry such as Boeing and QinetiQ," Aldis said. Unmanned Warrior is providing opportunities for collaboration across the board, which the exercise leads agree will strengthen coalition capability for future operations. Cmdr. Peter Pipkin, the Royal Navy's fleet robotics officer and the UK's driving force for planning and coordination of Unmanned Warrior, said the unique gathering of international naval warfighters with unmanned system experts has been an environment conducive to considerable synergy. "Where else can you harvest the diversity of technology and problem-solving approaches that each team brings to the maritime autonomy challenge?" Pipkin asked. "I witnessed the rapid evolution of unmanned systems in real-time as needs flowed from the fleet to scientists, to software engineers and back again, in days instead of months or even years. Our partnership with the U.S. Navy and ONR remains a cornerstone for the path ahead of us." The Unmanned Warrior exercise concludes Oct. 20. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign interference in South China Sea won't bring prosperity to region: Duterte People's Daily Online (People's Daily Online) 11:27, October 19, 2016 Philippines President Rodrigo 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. Even though countries like the U.S. say all nations are by the Philippines' side, I say we are close to a third world war, said Duterte during an interview with CCTV on Oct. 13. Duterte believes that stubborn insistence on territorial claims does not help with economic development. Though the South China Sea issue has dampened the two countries' relations, Duterte said he still has faith that China and the Philippines can "totally erase these dark spots," adding that he wants to establish a more cohesive and stronger bond with China. "In one word, I would say it is a defining moment of my presidency to open the frontiers of friendship and cooperation, and enhance [the] relationship between our two countries," Duterte said. Discussing the balance of the Philippines' diplomatic ties with the U.S. and China, the president noted that his country "should not be too constrained [by] the dictates of any other country." He also stressed that China and the Philippines are neighbors, while the U.S. is thousands of miles away. "I am not breaking away from the U.S. - I just want to be friendly with everybody. So you do not restrain me from doing [the same thing to] China. Why should we be afraid? Why should we stick to a certain country?" Duterte said, As for his expectations for his state visit to China, the president said he hopes that better Sino-Philippines relations can benefit his country's sluggish domestic economy, adding that China is the only hope for the Philippines' economy. China is the first non-ASEAN country that Duterte has visited as a president. The visit, which kicked off on Oct. 18, will continue until Oct. 21. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address JUNEAU, Alaska A small group of people are working with the U.S. Army to bring home the remains of 15 Alaska Natives who attended the Carlisle Industrial Indian School more than a century ago. The Carlisle Industrial Indian School was founded in 1879 by Richard Henry Pratt. The Army officer created the military-style school on the belief that Native Americans needed to be civilized and that the federal government was holding them back by segregating them. Its goal was to assimilate Native Americans into the European-American culture, KTOO-FM reported. A resolution to bring back the Carlisle students remains will be presented Saturday at this years annual Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Fairbanks. The remains are buried in a cemetery housed at Carlisle Barracks that includes 227 graves; 186 are graves of Native Americans who attended the Indian Industrial School between 1879 and 1918. After the Army assumed control of the post in 1918, the cemetery became a military cemetery, according to Zimmerman. Bob Sam, one of the people working on the project, said the Army will cover the costs associated with the repatriation and that the process should take less than a year. This is just the tip of the iceberg, the Carlisle school is just the beginning, Sam said. In May, the U.S. Army promised to pay to move and re-bury the remains of at least 10 Native American children to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The children died more than a century ago at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Jim LaBelle Sr., who is helping Sam, was once a boarding school student at the Wrangell Institute. He described the 10 years he spent at the southeast Alaska boarding school as traumatic. In the days when I went, we had no choice. If you protested or objected, parents were sent to jail, LaBelle said. LaBelle thinks there will be more pressure to consolidate schools in Alaska and increase support for residential schools in the future. Should this happen, there needs to be a process where communities and families participate at all levels of this discussion, LaBelle said. If there is eventually going to be a return to boarding schools in some parts of Alaska, at least it will be done in the way that respects the culture, respects the language, doesnt provide for an institutional setting. UN concerned about continuing rise in Afghan child casualties Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 4:27PM The United Nations has expressed deep concerns over the continuing rise in the number of children killed or wounded in Afghanistan, renewing calls for the protection of Afghan children. In a new report released Wednesday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said child casualties saw a marked increase between January and September 2016 even though the overall number of conflict-related civilian casualties in Afghanistan fell by one percent in the nine-month period compared to the same period in 2015. The UN report said that it had documented a total of 639 deaths and 1,822 injuries among kids, noting that children casualties have risen every year since 2013. According to the UN mission, there is a 15-percent increase in casualties among Afghan children from January to September this year, compared to the same period last year. "Eighty-four percent of victims from unexploded ordnance were children," said the UN human rights director, Danielle Bell, stressing the need to "protect current and future generations of children from harm." Taliban was removed from power following a US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, but they have stepped up their activities in recent months, attempting to overrun several provinces. Afghan forces have engaged in fierce clashes with Taliban militants to contain the insurgency. The rising violence in Afghanistan comes despite the presence of thousands of foreign troops in the war-ravaged country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gunman in Afghan army uniform kills two Americans Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 4:12PM A gunman wearing Afghan military uniform has shot dead at least two Americans and wounded three others at a base in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, the US military says. The shooting occurred as NATO service members were inspecting the base on Wednesday morning. The US military command in Kabul confirmed in a statement that the American deaths included one soldier and one civilian. Another soldier and two civilians were also injured. The statement added that the shooter was killed. "The two individuals were killed during an attack near a coalition base by an unknown assailant, who was later killed," the statement said, adding, "They were conducting duties as part of the larger NATO mission to train, advise, and assist the Afghan security services." A spokesman for the Western military alliance earlier said officials were investigating the incident. NATO also said in a statement, "One US service member and one US civilian died as a result of wounds sustained in Kabul today." In a similar attack in August last year, a man wearing an Afghan military uniform shot dead two US soldiers in the southern province of Helmand. Also in April last year, an American soldier was killed in a firefight between US and Afghan troops in eastern Afghanistan. Several NATO soldiers have been killed by their local colleagues in the so-called green-on-blue attacks over the past few years in various parts of Afghanistan. Senior officials in Kabul describe the green-on-blue attacks, in which Afghans turn their weapons on their foreign allies, as a new tactic of Taliban to create distrust and hatred between Afghan and US-led coalition forces. Afghanistan faces security challenges years after the US and its allies invaded the country in 2001 as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Burundi's president signs decree to launch withdrawal from ICC Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:27AM Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has signed a decree effectuating a parliamentary law that had called for the country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Nkurunziza signed off on the law on Tuesday, a week after lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to remove the county from The Hugue-based court's jurisdiction. The decree, published on the presidency's website, said the decision would "come into immediate effect." Observers say a withdrawal from the ICC takes effect a year after the day the UN secretary-general is formally notified of a country's intention to quit. Burundi's decision to quit the ICC follows a bitter dispute with the international community over the human rights situation in the East African country. Burundi has been gripped in chaos since April 2015 when Nkurunziza decided to run for a third term in office, which he went on to win. A vicious government crackdown on protesters and widespread violence followed, which some rights organizations estimate, has left more than 1,000 people dead. In April, the ICC opened a preliminary investigation into reports of killings, imprisonment, torture, rape and other sexual violence, as well as enforced disappearances, by Burundian government forces. Bujumbura was also infuriated by a damning UN report in September that detailed gross human rights abuses such as torture and sexual violence. In reaction, Bujumbura barred three UN experts from conducting a probe into the country's human rights violations inside Burundi. The International Criminal Court was set up in 2002 to try war criminals and perpetrators of genocide. The ICC has opened probes involving eight countries, all of them African, namely Kenya, the Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Uganda and Mali. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address All parties must respect Yemen ceasefire: Russia, UN Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 7:3AM Russia and the United Nations have emphasized the need for all concerned parties in Yemen to abide by a UN-brokered ceasefire, which is scheduled to take effect as of Thursday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, made the comments in a Tuesday meeting in Moscow, the TASS news agency quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying. The two sides also called for efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen and facilitate the resumption of negotiations on the conflict. Previous talks did not bring about any more than agreements on prisoner exchange. "The two diplomats discussed in detail the prospects for a political and diplomatic settlement in Yemen and the role of the UN and its Security Council in supporting peace efforts in light of the ceasefire announced by the special envoy the day before, which comes into effect overnight to October 20." The UN envoy announced the truce on Monday, saying it would take effect at 23:59 local time on Wednesday. The official noted that assurances had been received from all Yemeni parties engaged in the conflict, and that the given time period was subject to renewal. On Wednesday, Yemen's Supreme Political Council, the top governing body, welcomed the ceasefire, while demanding that the Saudi invaders end military attacks and lift the curbs on air, sea and land transport. The Houthi-run council announced "positive engagement" with the ceasefire plan, saying Yemen needed an immediate, lasting and comprehensive truce without conditions. Heavily backed by Saudi airpower, gunmen loyal to Yemen's former government, have been fighting against the Houthi Ansarullah and allied army forces to restore ex-president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. The Saudi military campaign, which started in March 2015, has killed at least 10,100 people. The regime has a long record of truce violations during the war. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN to monitor Colombia-FARC ceasefire despite rejection of deal Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 5:38AM The United Nations (UN) has set up a new mission to monitor a ceasefire under a landmark peace deal between the main rebel group in Colombia and the Bogota government despite the rejection of the deal by a tiny margin in a referendum. The UN Security Council agreed on Tuesday that the new mission would continue "to monitor and verify the bilateral ceasefire" after it received a request from Bogota as well as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group, according to Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who holds the council's presidency for October. The members of the council "encourage the parties and all political actors to continue momentum in the peace effort," he said. French Ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre has also said that despite the result of the referendum, the UN, FARC and Colombia's government could work together "to put an end to the war and create the conditions of a lasting peace." Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed the deal with FARC leader Rodrigo Londono in Cartagena on September 26 after four years of negotiations that had been going on in the Cuban capital of Havana. The deal was put to a referendum for a final approval earlier this month, but was rejected by 50.2 percent of the voters. Despite the shocking "no" vote, President Santos last week extended a ceasefire under the deal until December 31, saying he hoped to have a new agreement for peace before that date. The ceasefire would have been permanent had the deal not been rejected. Santos, whose term will end in mid-2018, has vowed to salvage the deal and continue seeking peace "until the last minute" of his term. He launched negotiations with the rebel group after taking office in 2010. The FARC has also said it would "remain faithful" to the deal. The Colombian government and the rebels have started renegotiating the terms of the deal to meet the demands of its opponents. The group's estimated 7,000 fighters were scheduled to begin handing over their weapons to UN observers during six months and reintegrate into civilian life after the deal. The FARC, which took up weapons in 1964 to fight against deep economic and social inequalities, now controls large swathes of Latin America's third most-populous country. As many as 220,000 Colombians have been killed and more than five million people displaced in the conflict. Meanwhile, the Colombian government and the country's second biggest rebel group have announced the start of their own peace talks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fight Against Islamic State Is A Land Grab That Will Resonate For Years To Come James Miller October 19, 2016 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 One. 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 frontlines. 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. Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/fight-against-islamic-state- land-grab/28062799.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pro-Western Moldovan Presidential Hopeful Warns Of 'Massive Fraud' In Looming Vote RFE/RL October 19, 2016 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 Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/moldova- presidential-candidate-warns-eu-massive- election-fraud/28063659.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Update: air strikes against Daesh 19 October 2016 British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh Latest update - Monday 17 October A Reaper destroyed an armed truck and three terrorist heavy weapons teams south-east of Mosul, while a Typhoon dealt with a large truck bomb to the south. - Tuesday 18 October Typhoons attacked a cluster of improvised explosive devices, a weapons stockpile and a strong-point to the north-east of Mosul. A Reaper struck an armed truck and two groups of terrorists to the south-east of the city. Detail Royal Air Force Typhoons and Reaper remotely piloted aircraft have continued to provide close air support to the Iraqi and Kurdish forces advancing on Mosul, while Tornado, Sentinel and Airseeker aircraft have also been flying reconnaissance missions in support of the operation. On Monday 17 October, a Reaper kept close watch on Daesh positions near Qaraqosh to the south-east of Mosul. Our aircraft provided surveillance support to a coalition fast jet attack on a terrorist mortar team. The Reaper then conducted attacks using its own weapons on four targets. These attacks included a GBU-12 guided bomb, which accounted for a mortar. Hellfire missiles also destroyed an armed truck and two heavy weapons teams, including one armed with a recoilless anti-tank gun which had opened fire on the advancing Iraqis. To the south of the city, a Typhoon flight was able to use a Paveway IV guided bomb to dispose safely of a large truck-bomb before it could be used. A Reaper was again in action south-east of Mosul on Tuesday 18 October. A Hellfire missile killed a group of terrorists engaged in combat with Iraqi troops. A second Hellfire also accounted for another group of extremists as they moved between positions, and a third destroyed an armed truck. North-east of the city, a pair of Typhoons used Paveway IVs to destroy a number of improvised explosive devices laid in a defensive belt, as well as a weapons stockpile and a Daesh strong-point. Previous air strikes Saturday 1 October: A Reaper provided surveillance support to a coalition air strike north-west of Mosul. It then used one of its own Hellfires to attack a Daesh position. Sunday 2 October: A Reaper was again active north of Mosul, near Tall Kayf. A Hellfire destroyed a digger which was being used by the terrorists to construct a defensive position. To the east of Mosul, Tornados used an Enhanced Paveway II bomb and a Paveway IV to attack a headquarters building and a group of Daesh extremists. The same day, to the south-east of Mosul, near Qaraqosh, Typhoons used Paveway IVs in a simultaneous attack on three Daesh-held buildings where a large group of fighters had assembled, including local commanders. A second Typhoon pair meanwhile operated over a large swathe of Iraqi territory. North of Ramadi, they destroyed a mortar team. They then headed north to the Bayji area where further Paveway attacks dealt with a terrorist strongpoint and transport vehicle. Monday 3 October: Royal Air Force Typhoons provided close air support to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), attacking Daesh positions in eastern Syria. A group of terrorists were identified holding a building in a rural area. The SDF held back while the Typhoons conducted a successful strike, demolishing the target with Paveway IV guided bombs. Across the border in northern Iraq, Tornados provided support to Iraqi forces clearing Daesh from the Tigris valley south of Mosul. The aircraft used another Paveway IV to destroy a terrorist communications installation north of Al Hawd. Tuesday 4 October: A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance north of Mosul. The Reaper's crew located a large fuel tanker dug-in as part of the defensive positions constructed by Daesh near Batnay. The tanker was burning oil to create a smoke screen in order to shield Daesh fighters against attacking ground forces. The Reaper scored a direct hit with a GBU-12 guided bomb. The Reaper then provided surveillance support to a coalition air strike against nearby positions. Wednesday 5 October: Tornados were again in action south of Mosul, where they bombed an armed truck. In central Iraq, Typhoons attacked a small group of terrorists who had been spotted north of Taji. Working in close concert with a coalition surveillance aircraft, the Typhoons successfully killed the extremists with two Paveway IV attacks. Thursday 6 October: With Iraqi operations to isolate Mosul continuing, Royal Air Force aircraft continued to provide close air support on. To the north and west of the city, a Reaper successfully engaged with Hellfire missiles both a mortar team and a group of terrorists caught in the open. The same day, a Tornado mission used an Enhanced Paveway II guided bomb against the entrance to a Daesh tunnel network. In eastern Syria, Typhoons used a Paveway IV guided bomb in a successful attack on a Daesh command post. Friday 7 October: Typhoons patrolled over western Iraq, where they used Paveway IVs to destroy two trucks carrying Daesh extremists as they drove along a desert track. In the Tigris valley south of Mosul, two Tornado flights supported Iraqi troops near Al Hawd and Sharqat. A Brimstone missile attack from one Tornado pair eliminated a mortar position, while the second pair used two Paveway IVs and a Brimstone in three attacks which accounted for a large, dispersed group of terrorists on the river bank. Sunday 9 October: Tornados continued their work over the Tigris, when they destroyed a mortar team and a nearby ammunition stockpile near Qayyarah, with a pair of Paveway IVs. North of Mosul, a Reaper worked alongside two Typhoons. The Reaper provided surveillance support to a highly effective artillery bombardment that destroyed a Daesh training camp. It then tracked two terrorists as they moved to a rocket launching position, where they were seen working under the cover of some trees. A Hellfire missile killed the terrorists and the Typhoons then followed up with a Paveway IV attack to destroy the rockets. Coalition aircraft have been providing intensive air support to Iraqi ground forces as they work to isolate Daesh terrorists holding Mosul. The Royal Air Force has been heavily committed to this operation, with Tornado, Typhoon and Reaper aircraft providing close air support, and Airseeker and Sentinel strategic surveillance aircraft gathering intelligence. On the ground British military instructors are, with coalition colleagues, helping train, mentor and equip many of the forces engaged in the Mosul operation. Welcoming the start of operations to liberate Mosul, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: Daesh are on the back foot. The beginning of the encirclement of Mosul today is a big moment in our efforts to rid Iraq of Daesh. Mosul is a large and complex city and operations there will be tough but with Coalition support Iraqi forces will prevail. Alongside our Coalition partners, the UK will continue to play a leading role in the air and on the ground, including through our strike missions, specialised surveillance, humanitarian support and the mentoring and training of Iraqi forces. Monday 10 October: A pair of Typhoons from RAF Akrotiri used two Paveway IV guided bombs to destroy the entrances to tunnels beneath an embankment near Qaraqosh. They then flew to the north-west of Mosul where they used another Paveway to silence a mortar team on the northern bank of the Tigris, which had been firing on the advancing Kurdish forces. To the north-east of the city, two Tornados used an Enhanced Paveway II to destroy a terrorist anti-tank missile position. They then followed up with a Paveway IV to ensure the destruction of an associated ammunition supply point. Tuesday 11 October: Tornados conducted another successful attack north-west of Mosul on a tunnel, which had been identified as a weapons cache. Wednesday 12 October: An intensive series of strikes in northern Iraq. North of Mosul, near Tall Kayf, a Reaper scored a direct hit with a Hellfire missile on an artillery piece hidden beneath a tarpaulin. A Tornado pair used a Brimstone missile to destroy a rocket-armed truck in the Qayyarah region, while Typhoons bombed a mortar team north-east of Mosul. The Tornado and Typhoon flights then combined for a joint attack near Qaraqosh on a set of workshops manufacturing explosives. Seven Enhanced Paveway II and Paveway IV bombs, plus a Brimstone, were used to destroy the facility and a number of Daesh vehicles at the site. A second combined Tornado and Typhoon flight meanwhile headed to the south-west of Kirkuk, where they destroyed a truck-bomb facility with Enhanced Paveway II and Paveway IV weapons. Friday 14 October: North-west of Mosul, Paveway IV-armed Typhoons successfully bombed five rocket launchers. They then moved to support a Reaper which had located a terrorist mortar position and ammunition stockpile. The Reaper attacked the mortar with a GBU-12 guided bomb, and the Typhoons followed up with a strike on the munitions stockpile. Sunday 16 October: A Reaper again patrolled to the north-west of Mosul, where it engaged an artillery piece with a Hellfire, then provided targeting support to three attacks by coalition fast jets on terrorist mortar positions. One flight of Typhoons operated to the west of Mosul, using Paveway IVs to destroy two Daesh-held buildings, while a second flight operated to the east, attacking four terrorist positions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNAMA releases civilian casualty data for third quarter of 2016 United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan [UNAMA] 19 Oct 2016 KABUL - The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) renews its call for all parties to refocus their efforts on preventing harm to civilians, as latest figures released today by UNAMA for the first three quarters of 2016 show continuing high numbers of civilian casualties from the armed conflict. Between 1 January and 30 September, UNAMA documented 8,397 conflict-related civilian casualties (2,562 deaths and 5,835 injured) representing a one per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2015. Ground engagements remained the leading cause of civilian casualties, followed by suicide and complex attacks, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). "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 Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan. Anti-Government Elements caused 61 per cent of civilian casualties 1,569 civilian deaths and 3,574 injured (5,143 total civilian casualties). While this represents a 12 per cent 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. UNAMA attributed 23 per cent of all civilian casualties to Pro-Government Forces, documenting 1,897 civilian casualties (623 deaths and 1,274 injured), representing a 42 per cent increase compared to last year primarily due to casualties from the use of indirect and explosive weapons and aerial attacks. Eleven per cent of civilian casualties resulted from ground fighting between Anti-Government Elements and Pro-Government Forces where the responsible party could not be identified. Unattributed unexploded ordnance caused the majority of the remaining civilian casualties (five per cent). "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, who is also the head of UNAMA. UNAMA is deeply concerned by the continuing increase in child casualties, which have risen year-on-year since 2013. In the first nine months of 2016, UNAMA documented 2,461 child casualties (639 deaths and 1,822 injured), a 15 per cent increase on the same period in 2015. Ground engagements caused more than half of all child casualties in 2016. The Mission documented 877 women civilian casualties (240 deaths and 637 injured), a 12 per cent decrease which is primarily due to fewer women casualties from suicide and complex attacks, as well as from IEDs. Ground engagements between Pro-Government Forces and Anti-Government Elements caused 3,254 civilian casualties (829 deaths and 2,425 injured), accounting for 39 per cent of all civilian casualties. This marks an 18 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2015. The intensification of ground fighting is directly related to the increase in civilian casualties from ERW, or unexploded ordnance. UNAMA documented 510 civilian casualties (160 deaths and 350 injured), a 67 per cent increase from the same period in 2015. "Eighty-four per cent of victims from unexploded ordnance were children", said Danielle Bell, UNAMA Human Rights Director. "All parties must systematically track, mark and clear unexploded ordinance in order protect current and future generations of children from harm." UNAMA identified notable decreases in civilian casualties caused by IEDs 1,514 civilian casualties (496 deaths and 1,018 injured) amounting to a decrease of 22 per cent and targeted killings 835 civilian casualties (445 deaths and 390 injured) amounting to a decrease of 30 per cent. Notwithstanding these decreases, attacks conducted by Anti-Government Elements directly targeting civilians or in areas with a large civilian presence continued. UNAMA recorded attacks intentionally targeting peaceful civilian demonstrators, educational facilities, judicial and media workers, as well as attacks conducted in civilian-populated urban areas including bazaars and religious facilities. On 23 July, Anti-Government Elements carried out a suicide attack in Kabul against a crowd of peaceful demonstrators, mainly of Hazara ethnicity, killing 85 and injuring 413. This was the deadliest single incident recorded by the United Nations in Afghanistan since 2001. Daesh (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) claimed responsibility for the attack. UNAMA reiterates that attacks directly targeting civilians may constitute war crimes and calls on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law. UNAMA also documented numerous conflict-related incidents targeting health-care and educational facilities, as well as humanitarian de-miners, polio vaccinators, and those providing humanitarian aid. Since 1 January 2016, UNAMA documented 75 incidents of attacks deliberately targeting education, including targeted killings, abduction of and threats against education personnel, and a suicide attack at the American University of Afghanistan on 24 August, which killed 13 civilians and injured 48. UNAMA calls on Anti-Government Elements to cease the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian locations and to apply a definition of 'civilians' that is consistent with international humanitarian law. UNAMA documented 1,897 civilian casualties (623 deaths and 1,274 injured) caused by Pro-Government Forces in the first nine months of 2016, a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2015. The majority of civilian casualties caused by Pro-Government Forces occurred in the context of ground fighting with Anti-Government Elements. UNAMA is similarly concerned by the rise in civilian casualties caused by aerial strikes by Pro-Government Forces, which accounted for 292 civilian casualties (133 deaths and 159 injured) between 1 January and 30 September 2016 - a 72 per cent increase from the same period in 2015. One third of these casualties were caused by international military forces. UNAMA welcomes the Government's continued efforts to strengthen the protection of civilians in the conduct of hostilities, including its approval of a national policy on civilian casualty mitigation. UNAMA reiterates its call to the Government to prioritize the execution of this policy, commencing with the completion of an action plan containing measurable objectives for its implementation. For more detailed information, please consult the UNAMA annual and midyear reports on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict that document the impact of the conflict on civilians in Afghanistan and include recommendations to protect civilians and civilian communities (available at: http://unama.unmissions.org/protection-of-civilians-reports). The next full report is expected in January 2017 and will cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2016. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN mission in Afghanistan reports 'worrying' rise in child casualties 19 October 2016 Even though overall conflict-related civilian casualty numbers in Afghanistan fell by one per cent in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, child casualties saw a marked increase of 15 per cent, the United Nations mission in the country said today. According to the latest figures released by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), of the total 8,397 casualties (2,562 deaths and 5,835 injured), 29.3 per cent or 2,461 casualties were children (639 deaths and 1,822 injured). "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," the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said today in a news release issued by the mission. Of particular concern, UNAMA noted in the release, was the continued rise in child casualties. In the first nine months of this year, 2,461 child casualties (639 deaths and 1,822 injured) were document, a 15 per cent increase over the same period in 2015. Ground engagements caused more than half of all child casualties in 2016 and some 84 per cent victims of unexploded ordnance were children. Emphasizing the need to protect children, UNAMA Human Rights Director Danielle Belle stressed: "All parties must systematically track, mark and clear unexploded ordinance in order protect current and future generations of children from harm." The mission also noted a total of 877 women civilian casualties (240 deaths and 637 injured). This number had dropped 12 per cent from last year, primarily due to fewer women casualties from suicide and complex attacks, as well as from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). In terms of actors causing the casualties, the mission said that anti-Government elements caused about 61 per cent (5,143) of the total casualties, including 1,569 deaths and 3,574 injured. About 23 per cent (1,897; 623 deaths and 1,274 injured) of all casualties were attributed to pro-Government forces. 11 per cent of civilian casualties resulted from ground fighting between anti-Government elements and pro-Government forces where the responsible party could not be identified and unattributed unexploded ordnance caused the majority of the remaining civilian casualties (5 per cent). While UNAMA noted significant decreases in civilian casualties caused by IEDs (by 22 per cent) and targeted killings (by 30 per cent), it also found that ground engagements between pro-Government forces and anti-Government elements (accounting for 39 per cent of all civilian casualties) had increased by 18 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. Notwithstanding these decreases, attacks conducted by anti-Government elements directly targeting civilians or in areas with a large civilian presence also continued. One sobering incident was the 23 July suicide attack against a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in Kabul that killed 85 persons and injured more than 400. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da'esh) had claimed responsibility for the attack. The mission also documented a number of conflict-related incidents targeting health-care and educational facilities, as well as humanitarian de-miners, polio vaccinators, and those providing humanitarian aid. Since 1 January, there have been 75 such attacks including a suicide attack at the American University of Afghanistan on 24 August, which killed 13 civilians and injured 48. In the news release today, UNAMA underscored that attacks directly targeting civilians may constitute war crimes and called on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law. During the reporting period, UNAMA also documented 1,897 civilian casualties (623 deaths and 1,274 injured) caused by pro-Government forces, a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2015. The majority of these occurred in the context of ground fighting between pro-Government forces and anti-Government elements. Furthermore, civilian casualties caused by aerial strikes by pro-Government forces (292 civilian casualties, including 133 deaths and 159 injured) rose by almost 72 per cent. One third of these casualties were caused by international military forces, said the mission. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address One hundred years after he was shot and killed by a vagabond named Archie Miller, Pennsylvania Railroad Officer John L. Beisser is finally getting the recognition he deserves. On Wednesday morning the Cumberland County Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation held a ceremony honoring Beisser, and his official end of watch on Oct. 20, 1916. A century later, his story will be told, and his sacrifices memorialized, said Lt. Michael McLaughlin of the Upper Allen Police Department. And thats what happened Wednesday, when police from across Pennsylvania attended the ceremony at the Law Enforcement Memorial at the Cumberland County Public Safety Building, 1 Public Safety Drive. The memorial honors 12 officers killed in the line of duty while serving county residents. Representing the Railroad Police at the ceremony, David McCann spoke about Beisser and how his efforts and the things he stood for embody police from all walks. Its that sort of courage, commitment and sacrifice that weve seen demonstrated by John Beisser and people before him, and people after him, that really, in my essence, captures what it means to be an American, he said. Beissers name had been missing until his death was brought to the attention of CCLEMF by local historian Randy Watts, due to never being listed on previous Line of Duty Death records in the county. Watts told the story of Beissers death a tale of unfortunate events. The following summary is reconstructed from newspaper accounts and included outtakes of trial testimony, he said of the information surrounding Beissers death known to him. According to Watts, Beisser, 36 years old at the time of his death, was murdered just west of Wormleysburg while attempting to arrest two people for trespassing: Miller and Jasper Fletcher. Watts said that when attempting to question the pair, Miller opened fire, shooting Beisser twice in the chest. He died almost instantly. Harry Chub, his partner, was also shot, but survived his injuries. Miller was convicted of first degree murder and executed in 1917 at Rockview Penitentiary. When you think about police officers and those who serve, they know what theyre getting into when they take their oath and when they put their uniform on, and I think it must be, like many, that they want to make a difference in their community and their worlds, said Congressman Scott Perry. We are here today to honor officer Beisser and the great sacrifice he made. McLaughlin said that a headstone memorializing Beisser will be placed among the others at a later date. UN relief wing and partners ready to rush in aid once pause in Yemen fighting begins 19 October 2016 Following a month that saw civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the conflict in Yemen, a 72-hour halt to fighting set to take effect later today is welcome, but not nearly enough time, according to a senior United Nations relief official, who appealed for more predictable access to be able deliver aid to hard-to-reach communities caught up in the crisis. "By having just access for 72 hours you interrupt your planning by diverting attention somewhere else. But if we can have those areas open at all times and we can plan differently and we can supply better," said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, speaking to UN Radio by phone from the Yemeni capital, Sana'a. This past Monday, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, announced a plan for the resumption of a comprehensive cessation of hostilities in the war-torn Gulf nation. According to his Office, the Special Envoy has received assurances from all Yemeni parties of their recommitment to the Terms and Conditions of the Cessation of Hostilities of 10 April 2016, which will re-enter into force at midnight tonight Yemen time, for an initial period of 72 hours, "subject to renewal." Yemen is one of the poorest countries on earth and the 18-month-old conflict has had a terrible effect on its people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which estimates that nearly half the population or just over 12 million people are now in need of some form of assistance. The UN-facilitated peace talks between a Yemeni Government delegation and a delegation of the General People's Congress and Ansar Allah ended on 6 August. The pause in the fighting cannot come soon enough for the people of the country and Mr. McGoldrick stressed today that one of the key priorities will be to getting aid to people in the city of Taiz, which has been hard-hit amid clashes between Government forces and Houthi rebels. Some 600,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in the central Yemeni city, the UN says, in a plea for funding from the international community. Other places that need urgent help include Marad and the capital Sana'a, where airstrikes were reported on Wednesday. Getting that aid into Yemen continues to be a huge challenge, with one of the country's main ports, Hodeidah, still crippled from airstrikes that damaged its huge cranes that used to offload ships. "What that means is that many ships spend a lot of time trying to offload [] and we've seen reports of goods being kept on the open sea for too long and by the time they get to shore the foodstuffs have actually been spoiled," explained Mr. McGoldrick. The lack of food coming into Yemen is insufficient to satisfy the needs of the population, and this has led to widespread malnutrition. According to the UN, nearly three million people mainly children under five need food aid and 1.3 million youngsters are acutely malnourished. To help counter this, the UN has called for $1.63 billion from the international community. To date, this appeal is less than 47 per cent funded. In addition to the violence, Yemen now faces the threat of cholera, with the country's Health Ministry on 6 October, having confirmed 15 cases 11 cases in Sana'a and four cases in Al Bayda, according to OCHA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In turbulent Middle East, UN envoy warns against 'sleep-walking into another violent conflict' 19 October 2016 The absence of progress towards a two-state solution has led to growing anger and frustration among Palestinians and profound disillusionment among Israelis, the top United Nations Middle East envoy warned today: "We must all avoid the risk of sleep-walking into another violent conflict at a time when the region as a whole needs moderate forces" to stand up to rising radicalization. "Allow me to also be abundantly clear to those who build tunnels, fire rockets, smuggle military materiel, profit from the black market or seek to create confrontation: their actions are dangerous and irresponsible," the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, told the Council via videoconference. Expressing concern at recent violence in East Jerusalem and the ensuing "glorification" of the attack by Hamas and other groups, the Special Coordinator further noted that a long-term solution to the issues in the region could only be reached through negotiations, not violence. He reported that Israel continues its settlement planning, including recent promotion of an initial 98 out of 300 housing units in Shilo, located deep in the occupied West Bank, noting that if implemented, this plan would "drive a wedge" between north and south in the West Bank and jeopardize the contiguity of a future Palestinian state. Mr. Mladenov also reiterated the position of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the two-state solution. The Special Coordinator also expressed concern at postponement of local council elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, noting that the resulting political disputes, accusations, legal challenges and counter-challenges have left the people of the two enclaves feeling more apart. He also expressed concern at recent calls by Hamas legislators in Gaza for the Hamas-led government to resume its work in Gaza. "Such a step would seriously undermine the Palestinian Government of National Consensus and would also make the reconciliation almost impossible," Mr. Mladenov warned. Further reiterating the joint position of Russia, the United States, the European Union (EU) and the UN Secretary-General, as stated in the recent report issued by the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East peace process, that the illicit arms build-up and militant activity in Gaza must be terminated, Mr. Mladenov cautioned that such actions increase the risk of a new escalation of hostilities and keep thousands of people on both sides of the border under a constant threat of attack. He further added that the militant threat, however, should not serve as "an excuse" for Israel to indiscriminately harm civilians in Gaza. "In addition to the continuing severely restrictive closures, I am concerned by persistent incursions and the almost daily firing and shelling by Israeli forces into Gaza along the fence and at sea," said the UN official. He also informed the 15-member body of his recent visit to Gaza and the significant slowdown of reconstruction projects due to import limitations and revoking of projects and urged all parties to the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism to recommit to ensuring its smooth operation. "Failing to do that will put in question the viability of the mechanism and undermine the precarious calm in Gaza today," he said. Concluding his briefing, Mr. Mladenov reminded the Security Council that Gaza's future is intricately linked to the future of the Palestinian people. He added: "The longer its population continues to suffer under the intolerable weight of Gaza's current dynamics, the further Palestinians are from realizing that objective, and the closer we are to the next major escalation." For his part, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien highlighted that humanitarian needs continue to be high and that nearly every resident in the occupied Palestinian territory is recognized as being affected by the protection crisis. A 10-year-old child today has already experienced three rounds of conflict in her short lifeUN Emergency Relief Coordinator O'Brien "In Gaza, humanitarian needs stem from nearly 10 years of closures and restrictions imposed by Israel following the military takeover by Hamas," said Mr. O'Brien, adding that the situation has been exasperated by successive rounds of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, internal Palestinian political divisions and Egypt's near complete closure of its border crossing with Gaza. He added that such events had left half of Gaza's households with severe food insecurity, and lacking clean water and reliable electricity. The worst sufferers, Mr. O'Brien said, were the children. "A 10-year-old child today has already experienced three rounds of conflict in her short life. Nearly 230,000 children continue to be in need of psychosocial support and an estimated 250,000 children require mine risk awareness, due to the prevalence of explosive remnants of war. Israeli children along the Gaza border have been impacted as well and continue to live in fear." Recalling his earlier briefing this year to the Council, Mr. O'Brien, also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the head of UN humanitarian wing (OCHA), underlined the need for collective action address the humanitarian needs. "We must move towards decisive action that will reduce humanitarian needs, secure respect for international law and bring to Palestinians and Israelis alike the hope and reality of a stable, peaceful and prosperous future," he said. Mosul: Though no large-scale displacement, concerns remain for 1.5 million civilians Further in his briefing, the UN humanitarian chief updated Council members on the humanitarian situation in Iraq, particularly in light of the military operation to recapture Mosul. He reported that military activities remain concentrated in less populated areas, with no large-scale civilian displacement recorded at this stage. However, he expressed deep concerns over the safety of up to 1.5 million people living in the city as hostilities intensify and progress towards densely populated areas. "We believe families in Mosul will be at great risk during this operation, of getting caught in cross-fire or directly targeted by snipers as they foraged for food," he said, expressing worry that civilians may be used as human shields or be forcibly expelled and become trapped between front lines. "The elderly, the disabled, and pregnant women, may be unable to move to safety without assistance and on past evidence the so called Islamic State's practices cause the greatest concern for protection issues," he added. According to OHCA estimates, some 200,000 people may be displaced over the coming weeks, with up to one million displaced in the course of the operation in a worst-case scenario. Of these, it is estimated that 700,000 will require shelter and emergency assistance. Shelter has so far been prepared for 60,000 people in camps and emergency sites, and preparation of sites for a further 250,000 people is accelerating. Emergency supplies are being pre-positioned close to displacement sites; mobile clinics, health, and protection teams are prepared; and food trucks are on standby. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Afghan War Caused Over 8,000 Civilian Casualties This Year By Ayaz Gul October 19, 2016 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Using Ecological Protection to Boost Claims in Disputed Waters By Ralph Jennings October 19, 2016 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 China's 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 don't 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." "They're 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 China's human activities, so the Chinese need to implement a public diplomacy initiative," he said. Ecological protection The city's order to keep out is meant to "help protect" the hole and a nearby coral reef ecosystem, Beijing's 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 China's 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, that's a way to show the other countries and show the world that it's really ours, not because we took it by force from the Vietnamese but also because 'hey we're 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen Cease-fire Provides Slim Window for UN to Distribute Aid By Lisa Schlein October 19, 2016 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, Sana'a, 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 Sana'a, 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 Yemen's 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 Yemen's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Somalia Faces Election Challenges By Jill Craig October 19, 2016 America's presidential elections may be getting much of the world's attention right now, but in the Horn of Africa, another country's 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 it's 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. "I'm cautiously optimistic that this is going to go well, even though it's 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 Somalia's 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, it's 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 it's 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 Somalia's 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 it's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DRC Capital Quiet During Anti-government Strike By William Clowes October 19, 2016 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 population's 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. Kinshasa's 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 country's 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. Kabila's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Second California Man Who Participated in Conspiracy to Provide Support to ISIL Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Muhanad Elfatih M.A. Badawi, 25, of Anaheim, California, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring with another man to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker of the Central District of California and Assistant Director in Charge Deirdre Fike of the FBI's Los Angeles Office. The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter. At the conclusion of a trial in June, Badawi was found guilty of conspiring with another man to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, as well as aiding and abetting his codefendant's attempt to provide support to ISIL, and for federal financial aid fraud designed to generate funds for the scheme. Three weeks ago, Judge Carter sentenced Badawi's codefendant Nader Elhuzayel, 25, also of Anaheim, California to 30 years in prison. "Defendant Badawi was a radicalizer, recruiter and facilitator, and like codefendant Elhuzauyel, defendant Badawi aspired to die a martyr fighting jihad for ISIL," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court. "With this sentence, Muhanad Badawi is being held accountable for conspiring to provide material support to ISIL and other federal offenses," said Acting Assistant Attorney General McCord. "The National Security Division's highest priority is countering terrorist threats, and we will continue to work to stem the flow of foreign fighters abroad and bring to justice those who conspire to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations." "The lengthy sentence imposed today results from the defendant's acceptance of ISIL's murderous ideology and his participation in a scheme designed to betray the United States," said U.S. Attorney Decker. "Badawi and Elhuzayel wanted to fight for ISIL, desired to become so-called martyrs, and supported ISIL's terrorist activities. Prosecutions such as this are critically important to our national security." "The defendant, like his co-conspirator, pledged his allegiance to a terrorist organization instead of the United States, as he attempted to recruit and radicalize others to support the group, which calls for the murder of Americans," said Assistant Director in Charge Fike. "The investigative efforts by Joint Terrorism Task Force partners are commendable and the significant sentence the defendant received illustrates the gravity of this crime and the threat the defendants posed to the United States." The evidence at trial showed Elhuzayel and Badawi used social media to discuss ISIL and terrorist attacks, repeatedly expressed support for ISIL and made arrangements for Elhuzayel to leave the U.S. to join the terrorist organization. In recorded conversations, Elhuzayel and Badawi discussed how "it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and to die in the battlefield," and they referred to ISIL as "we." Badawi maintained a Facebook account on which he made posts that supported ISIL and violence aimed at non-Muslims. Badawi used social media to communicate with ISIL supporters to distribute pro-ISIL propaganda. According to the trial exhibits, on Oct. 21, 2014, Badawi made a video of Elhuzayel swearing allegiance to the leader of ISIS and pledging to travel to join ISIS to be a fighter for the organization. Badawi and Elhuzayel were arrested on May 21, 2015, as Elhuzayel attempted to board a plane at Los Angeles International Airport in California to travel to Turkey to join ISIL. Badawi purchased Elhuzayel's one-way ticket on Turkish Airlines for Elhuzayel to travel to Israel, with a layover in Istanbul, Turkey. In an interview with the FBI, Elhuzayel admitted that he intended to deplane in Turkey and seek contacts to facilitate joining ISIL. Badawi and Elhuzayel have been held in federal custody without bond since their arrests. The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in Orange County, which includes the Anaheim Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, the City of Orange Police Department, the Irvine Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Orange County Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI. The Department of Education's Office of Inspector General provided significant assistance in the investigation and at trial. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judith A. Heinz and Deirdre Z. Eliot of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, and Julius J. Nam of the General Crimes Section. Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section provided substantial assistance. 16-1226 National Security Division (NSD) USAO - California, Central Topic: National Security NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prague Police Detain Russian Suspected Of Hacking By U.S. RFE/RL October 19, 2016 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). 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. Czech courts will decide whether he will be extradited. 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." The U.S. government has accused Russia of a campaign of cyberattacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the November 8 presidential election. On October 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Washington's threats to retaliate, saying that the hacking allegations were mainly campaign rhetoric by the White House. With reporting by Reuters and Interfax Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/czech- police-detain-russian-hacker- suspect-fbi/28062592.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Shenzhou-11 spacecraft docks with Tiangong-2 space lab People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 07:15, October 19, 2016 BEIJING, Oct. 19 -- The Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft successfully completed its automated docking with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab at 3:31 a.m. Wednesday Beijing Time, according to Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC). Shenzhou-11, which was launched Monday morning from northwest China's Gobi Desert, began to approach Tiangong-2 automatically at 1:11 a.m. Wednesday and made contact with the space lab at 3:24 a.m.. The rendezvous took place in the orbit about 393 kilometers above Earth. The two astronauts aboard Shenzhou-11, Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, monitored and reported on the docking operation, relaying their findings to the control center. According to the mission schedule, once they enter the space module, the astronauts will stay there for 30 days. Shenzhou-11, China's sixth manned spacecraft, will undertake the longest-ever space mission in the country. The two astronauts will spend a total of 33 days in space. Sun Jun, deputy chief engineer of BACC, told Xinhua that the precision needed for the orbit prediction and automated docking calculation was much higher than previous docking missions. China is the third country, after the United States and Russia, to complete successfully space rendezvous and docking procedures. Tiangong-2 was sent into space on Sept. 15. It is hailed as China's first space lab "in the strict sense" and a key step in building a permanent space station, which the country aims to accomplish by 2020. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed and Carlisle Police will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. Thursday to make an announcement about the June shooting death of Daniel Harris at the Haines Stackfield American Legion on West Penn Street in Carlisle. Officials have not said what the announcement would be, stating the news conference was to discuss developments in the investigation into the case. Harris, 30, was shot and killed on June 11 inside the American Legion in what police have referred to an assassination. At approximately 12:45 a.m., Harris was sitting at a table inside the American Legion at the time and police said the currently unidentified gunman fled after the shooting. Police said there were nearly 20 people inside the building at the time of the shooting. Failed Missile Launch Detected in North Korea By VOA News October 20, 2016 U.S. and South Korean military officials say they have detected a failed ballistic missile launch in North Korea near the northwestern city of Kusong. In a statement, The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said North Korea likely launched a Musudan intermediate-range missile early Thursday. U.S. and South Korean monitors say the missile appeared to have exploded shortly after take-off and thus posed no threat. "We strongly condemn the North's continued illegal acts of provocation and are fully prepared to counter any further provocations," the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement Thursday. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference Thursday Japan was aware of the missile launch and expects more missiles out of North Korea as the country expands its development program. "The [Japanese] government, through diplomatic routes via the Embassy in Beijing, has officially protested this and condemns this launch," he said. This was the second launch in less than a week of a Musudan missile with a range that could easily reach Japan or South Korea and is also believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam. The previous launch, Saturday, also ended in failure, with the missile exploding shortly after take-off. There have been eight Musudan missiles fired off this year by North Korea. Of the eight, a missile launched on June 22 flew 400 km into the Sea of Japan and reached an altitude of more than 1,400 km. Others exploded shortly after being launched, an indication the North has not yet fully mastered the technology. Thursday's launch comes as U.S. and South Korean officials meet in Washington for their annual security and alliance talks, which are expected to include discussions on measures to counter nuclear and missile threats from Pyongyang. 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. The missile test also comes as the United States and China are trying to find agreement on a new United Nations sanctions resolution after the North's September nuclear test. The U.N. Security Council condemned Saturday's failed missile launch and threatened additional measures to deter North Korea's missile ambitions. In a statement released Monday, the council said it held an emergency closed-door meeting to discuss the failed launch. It said Saturday's launch was in "great violation" of several past resolutions and North Korea must refrain from further testing of ballistic missiles and nuclear devices. Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Deploys Improved Fast Attack Craft for Surveillance Amid Terror Threat Sputnik News 18:22 19.10.2016(updated 18:34 19.10.2016) Indian strategic establishments located in coastal areas received a high level threat from different terrorist groups. New Delhi (Sputnik) The Indian Navy commissioned the highly maneuverable fast attack craft INS Tihayu at the Eastern Naval Command. INS Tihayu is the second ship of the four follow-on water jet fast attack craft that can operate in shallow waters at high speeds and are equipped with enhanced fire power. INS Tihayu will be deployed for coastal patrols and surveillance operations along the eastern coast. The 320 ton ship can achieve speeds in excess of 35 knots. "The ship's armament consists of a 30 mm Close Range Naval 91 gun, two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns and multiple medium machine guns, besides shoulder-launched Igla surface-to-air missiles to combat aerial threats," reads a statement issued by Indian Navy. "Conceived, designed and built indigenously, the commissioning of this ship completes the addition of another chapter to the nation's 'Make in India' initiative and indigenisation efforts in the field of warship design and construction." Last week reports submitted by the Intelligence Bureau to the Indian government warned that terrorists were planning attacks on oil refineries located in coastal areas. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Conducts Joint Military Exercise With China Sputnik News 18:08 19.10.2016(updated 18:26 19.10.2016) Armies of both nations conducted joint military exercise in the region where a few months ago news reports suggested that India had stationed around 100 battle tanks to counter China. New Delhi (Sputnik) Amid stark contrast of opinion between India and China over terrorism cooperation, both countries held the second "Sino-India Cooperation 2016" in the Eastern Ladakh region near the Line of Actual Control (de facto border). "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 held Second Joint Exercise 'Sino India Cooperation 2016' today, as a sequel to the first Joint Exercise held on February 06, 2016 in the area of the Border Personnel Meeting Hut at the Chushul Garrison in Eastern Ladakh, along with Chinese troops of Moldo Garrison," reads an Indian Army statement. The Indian Army stated that the day long exercise was focused on humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Joint teams carried out rescue operations, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance in a fictitious situation of an earthquake striking an Indian border village. India believes that the exercise increased the level of trust and cooperation between the two border guard forces along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. This is the region that witnessed a number of incursions or transgressions recently. The first joint exercise of the Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army were held last year on the Chinese side of the border. This year, India proposed to expand the area of the exercise. Last year, 30 troops of the Indian Army participated in the joint exercises. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian air force fighters target hypothetical enemies during war game IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Isfahan, Oct 19, IRNA -- Iranian air force jet fighters targeted hypothetical enemies with Maverick missiles and intelligent rockets during a war game in this central Iran province on Wednesday. According to the spokesman of the drills code-named 'Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Velayat-6' Brigadier General Masoud Rouzkhosh, Iranian Air Force's F-4 bombers hit all the pre-planned targets successfully with the missiles. The Iranian air force's military drills codenamed 'Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Velayat-6' kicked off in the province of Isfahan in central Iran on Monday. The Brigadier General had said earlier that a variety of air force fighter jets, fighter bombers, transport planes, reconnaissance aircraft and refueling planes would take part in the military maneuvers. Reconnaissance drones are also taking part in identifying the region and enemy targets. In August 2015, a senior Iranian Air Force commander announced that Iran had attained self-sufficiency in overhauling military aircraft despite the sanctions imposed by the Western countries. 'Thanks God and thanks to the Iranian Air Force experts and engineers, we have become self-sufficient in airplane overhauling, pilot training and many other fields,' Head of Shahid Sattari Aviation Science and Technology University Brigadier General Mehdi Hadiyan announced. In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in the defense sector and gained self-sufficiency in manufacturing essential military hardware and defense systems. Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country. 1424**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 2,000-pound munitions used in Iran drills Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:40AM The Iranian Air Force has used 2,000-pound laser-guided munitions and precision-guided missiles against mock targets on the last day of a major aerial drill in central Iran. The munitions were used on Wednesday, which was the third and last day of the drills code-named Fada'eeyan-e Harim-e Velayat 6 (The Devotees of the Velayat Sanctuary 6), in the central province of Isfahan's Anarak district. Brigadier General Massoud Rouzkhosh, the spokesman for the maneuvers, said the day saw fighter planes taking on predetermined mock targets. The heavy bombs, he said, used Computer Control Group (CCG) laser homing guidance units, adding that F-7 fighters had separately dropped other optimized bombs against preset mock targets. Also during the day, F-4 military aircraft used tactical air-to-surface Maverick missiles and conducted surgical attacks using smart rockets, while ultra-light and unmanned aircraft were used to enable communication as well as reconnaissance and the destruction of the targets. On Tuesday, the Air Force successfully conducted electronic warfare as part of the maneuvers, using advanced communications systems and secure wireless or wire-connected networks, flight apparatus systems, and tactical systems. The day also witnessed the application of deceptive jamming methods against mock enemy radars. The attack aircraft used over the three days also included domestically-built Sa'eqeh as well as F-5, F-14, Sukhoi Su-24 and MiG-29 planes. Rouzkhosh said earlier that among the maneuvers' points of strength were the amplification of the force's firepower and the enhancement of its precision targeting capabilities. Iran says its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi Forces Have Momentum in Fight for Mosul, Says OIR Commander By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2016 Iraqi forces have momentum in the fight to retake Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the U.S. commander of Operation Inherent Resolve's ground troops said today. "I am confident that the Iraqis are up to this task," Army Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky, commander of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Operation Inherent Resolve and the 101st Airborne Division, told reporters at the Pentagon today via teleconference from Baghdad. In the next 72 hours, Iraqi forces are expected to continue toward Mosul and conduct more operations with the Kurds to clear territory in the push for the northern city, Volesky said. "Tomorrow we'll be a lot closer to Mosul than we are today," he said, noting the concern is not on the speed of getting to the city, but on ensuring the Iraqi forces have the sustained combat power for the fight. The Iraqi forces need to sustain their momentum and continue to put "unrelenting pressure on the enemy and then the enemy's going to break," Volesky said. Iraqi forces launched the counterattack for Mosul Oct. 17. Tough Fight Ahead Volesky said he expects the fight will be harder the closer Iraqi forces get to the city, noting Mosul is a complex urban environment where ISIL has been for two years. There are indications, he said, of obstacles such as T-walls, concrete walls, trenches and berms. He expects ISIL to give up territory around Mosul, but launch defensive attacks the closer Iraqi forces get to the city itself. "I expect that they're going to go into an insurgency mode and they'll try to do these high-profile, spectacular attacks to draw attention away from the losses that they're suffering," Volesky said. But, he said, ISIL leaders have been moving out of Mosul. "There are fewer [ISIL] fighters today than there were yesterday and there'll be fewer tomorrow than there are today," the general said. Volesky said ISIL is expected to fight inside the city to counter the technological advantages held by the Iraqi forces and the coalition. But, the Iraqi forces and the coalition supporting them have been successful in striking ISIL, he said. US, Coalition Support Efforts The general highlighted the role of the U.S. military in the coalition supporting Iraqi forces, noting that U.S. military advisers are at the division level and the operational command level in the tactical assembly areas. Advisers could also go out to the brigade level, but that probably won't be needed at this time, he said. "This is an Iraqi-led operation, the Iraqis are in the lead and they're the ones fighting it," Volesky said. "We are here enabling, we're providing capabilities." Those capabilities, he explained, include Apache helicopters that are flying at night supporting Iraqi forces' nighttime operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran not interfering in Iraq affairs: Leader advisor Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 2:34PM A senior Iranian official says only Iraqi forces have the right to participate in the ongoing operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul, Daesh's last major stronghold in the Arab country. "No country has the right to interfere in [the internal affairs of] Iraq," Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, told reporters on Wednesday. "There are some countries which have deployed forces to the country without obtaining the approval of the Iraqi government. The move is in contravention of international law," he added. Velayati also rejected claims about Iran's direct intervention in the neighboring country and said Tehran only provides Baghdad with military consultation at the request of the Arab country's government. On Monday, the Iraqi army and pro-government forces launched a long-awaited offensive to drive Daesh from the northern city of Mosul, Iraq's second-biggest city and the Nineveh provincial capital, which fell into the hands of Daesh terrorists in the summer of 2014. The operation to retake Mosul is underway amid tensions between Iraq and Turkey over Ankara's deployment of troops to a base near Mosul. Turkey, which seems determined to join the Mosul battle, claims the troops are training Iraqi fighters to help retake the city, and that they are there with the permission of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government denies that it has granted the permission, saying the presence of the Turkish troops on the Arab country's soil is a breach of Iraq's sovereignty. Ankara has ignored Iraq's calls on Turkey to withdraw its forces, saying its troops will remain there until Mosul is liberated. Velayati also criticized as "unconstructive" and "unwarranted" the interference of both regional and extra-regional countries in Iraq. Some regional and extra-regional countries started to interfere in Iraq as soon as they found out that the Baghdad government was capable of pushing terrorists out of Mosul, he said, adding that the interference is aimed at obtaining concessions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UPDATES: Day 3 of operations to liberate Daesh-held Mosul Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 5:37AM The long-awaited battle for Mosul enters its third day, in a push which has seen the Iraqi army join forces with various military groups in the country, including Shia, Sunni and Kurdish forces, to drive out Daesh terrorists from their last stronghold in Iraq. Mosul slipped into the hands of Daesh in the summer of 2014. It took months for the army and pro-government volunteer forces to prepare for the decisive offensive to liberate the strategic northern city. The Iraqi army advances towards Qayyara district as part of the battle for the liberation of Mosul with an Iraqi army soldier telling Reuters: "Spirits are high, the army is advancing. Daesh were killed, their bodies are left behind. Their bodies line the street. They are broken, defeated. The families (in the villages) are happy and relaxed. God willing a few days and Mosul will be in our hands." Iraqi forces are ready to retake several key areas around Mosul, including Qaraqosh, the country's largest Christian town. "We are surrounding Hamdaniyah now," Lieutenant General Riyadh Tawfiq, commander of Iraq's ground forces, said on Wednesday, adding, "There are some pockets (of resistance), some clashes, they send car bombs -- but it will not help them." Almost 1,500 refugees have so far arrived at the Debaga refugee camp since the operation to liberate Mosul began. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati, a senior Iraqi general on Wednesday called on militants present in Mosul to surrender to government forces, telling reporters that about 6,000 Daesh terrorists were inside the city. A large explosion is seen south of Mosul as Peshmerga forces clash with Daesh terrorists during the operation lunched to free Mosul from terrorist elements. President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani takes part in news conference to announce that Peshmerga forces have so far seized 200 square kilometers of land around the city of Mosul, adding, "Up to now, 200 square kilometers have been liberated. This is the first phase of the Mosul operation. It has started from the east and from the southeast of Mosul and it is a joint operation between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army." Arabic-language al-Sumaria television reports that US-led military aircraft have pounded a restaurant, frequently visited by Daesh militants, in Baaj village west of Mosul. Nine terrorists were killed in the aerial attack. Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) says the armed forces have seized control of the villages of Shami, Kharbat al-Hadid and al-Baydhah west of Mosul. Five Daesh Takfiris have been killed when Iraqi fighter jets struck two vehicles travelling along a road in Anah town in the western province of Anbar. The US-led coalition's fighter jets also hit Daesh positions in Rawa town, located approximately 20 kilometers from Anah, killing and injuring an unspecified number of terrorists, Iraq's Alsumaria television reported. Mahma Xelil, the Kurdish-appointed mayor of Sinjar, says Peshmerga forces have thwarted a Daesh attack on the town. Two Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers have suffered injuries during the gun battles with the militants, he added. In August 2014, Daesh terrorists overran Sinjar and systematically massacred, captured and enslaved thousands of Izadis. A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, says Daesh has detonated Mosul governor's office on the central al-Jomhouri Street by means of trinitrotoluene (TNT) blocks. Iraqi forces have seized control of Kani al-Haramiyah village, southeast of Mosul, following fierce exchanges of gunfire with Daesh militants. Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) say they have established control over the road linking Baghdad to Mosul. Iraq's Joint Operations Command says the army's fighter jets have carried out an airstrike against Bartalah district east of Mosul, killing the self-proclaimed Daesh Nineveh provincial governor, Waed Younis, and 32 of his aides. The JOC added that 25 Daesh members were killed as Iraqi forces wrested control over Hamdaniya district. The remaining terrorists fled the area to save their lives. Iraqi forces have discovered a network of tunnels linking different areas controlled by Daesh. Daesh terrorists have carried out two car bombings against Iraqi forces in Hamdaniya district, located 35 kilometers southeast of Mosul, as the Takfiri group goes on the defensive ahead of the ground operations due to start later in the day. The Iraqi army and fighters of the Popular Mobilization Units, known as Hashed al-Sha'abi, are the main forces to take part in the Wednesday battles. Since the early hours of Wednesday, Daesh positions south of Mosul have been hit by airstrikes. The Popular Mobilization Units has announced in a statement that its forces would not march into Mosul, located some 400 kilometers north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, and would instead keep its positions on the western flank of the city, where they will work to thwart foreign plots aimed at impeding the operation. The statement underlined that only Iraqi army soldiers and security personnel would enter Mosul, while pro-government forces would fight for the liberation of the city of Tal Afar, situated 63 kilometers west of Mosul. Commander of Federal Police Forces Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat says Iraqi security forces have managed to cleanse an expanse of 352 square kilometers from Daesh terrorists since the Mosul operation got underway on Monday. Iraqi Christians celebrated on Tuesday the recapture of the town of Qaraqosh, 32 kilometers southeast of Mosul, and Hamdaniya district, from the grip of Daesh extremists. They gathered at a Catholic church in the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, Erbil, to rejoice the liberation and pray for the full retaking of Mosul. Thousands of Christians fled Qaraqosh when Daesh Takfiris overran it two years ago. US officials have warned that Daesh may resort to launching chemical attacks to hold its grip on Iraq's second largest city. Warnings against redeployment of Daesh to eastern Syria Iraq and Russia have both warned against the possible relocation of Daesh terrorists from Mosul to Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said that it is the responsibility of the US-led coalition, which is providing air-support in the Mosul battle, to prevent Daesh terrorists from escaping and relocating in neighboring Syria. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also warned that Daesh may find a corridor to move to Syria as Mosul is not "fully encircled," saying Moscow would take the appropriate military and political decisions if the terrorists are allowed to flee. 'Iraq resolute to get rid of terrorists' Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani has hailed the Iraqis' strong determination to cleanse their country of Takfiri terrorists with the help of allies. It is up to the Iraqi people to decide the time frame of the liberation operations as well as the type of the military advice they receive, adding that media propaganda cannot affect the Arab nation's will. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daesh may launch chemical attacks during Mosul op: US officials Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:18AM American officials say the Daesh Takfiri group may resort to launching chemical attacks in the fight to hold its grip on Iraq's second largest city, Mosul. Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, multiple American sources said Tuesday that attacks involving chemical agents are possible, given the terror group's previous record of such attempts. Tuesday marked the second day of military operations by the Iraqi army, volunteer Shia and Sunni fighters as well as Kurdish Peshmerga forces to liberate the city of Mosul, the last stronghold of Daesh Takfiri terrorists in Iraq, which they overran in June 2014. US forces are also taking part in the operation, where they remain in the "harm's way," as put by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on Monday. The unnamed US officials cautioned of possible use of chemical weapons by Daesh, yet arguing that the group has limited capability in this regard. "Given ISIL's reprehensible behavior and flagrant disregard for international standards and norms, this event is not surprising," one official told Reuters. The official added that the US forces found a sulfur mustard agent on Daesh munitions fragments on October 5. According to the US officials, The Takfiri group has so far failed to reach the know-how to build chemical weapons with significantly lethal effects. The remarks came one day after the Iraqi forces launched the long-anticipated battle. Out of the 5,000 American military forces present in Iraq, more than 100 of them are taking part in the operation supposedly as advisors. Apart from that, the United States and some its allies have been carrying out air strikes in Iraq since June 2014 allegedly targeting Daesh terrorists in the northern and western parts of the conflict-plagued Arab country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands Of Civilians Flee Mosul Amid Military Operation October 19, 2016 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. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, Interfax and the BBC Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/iraq -mosul-offensive-civilians-flee- islamic-state/28063108.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A federal grand jury has indicted a Pennsylvania woman after authorities say she used the identity of a licensed physician to perform physicals on holders of commercial drivers licenses. Federal prosecutors said Wednesday that 58-year-old Joann Wingate of Carlisle was indicted last month on charges of wire fraud, submitting false documents and aggravated identify theft. Authorities say Wingate lost her chiropractors license in 2014 and began using a doctors identity. Prosecutors say she offered her services at rest stops and gas stations in 2013 and 2014. Authorities say Wingate also entered an agreement to handle a trucking companys driver drug and alcohol testing program, collected urine samples and sent them to medical labs, and sent bogus documents to state transportation officials. Wingate was charged by Pennsylvania State Police for the same behavior in 2014. One truck driver told state police that Wingate picked him up in a blue Ford Tempo and took him to her office at her home for the physical after he saw a sign she had posted at a local truck stop, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The driver said it was odd that the office was inside a home, but Dr. Wingate did everything that a doctor would normally do during a physical, including having the driver provide a urine specimen and conducting a protein test on the sample, according to state police. That case has undergone numerous continuances and is currently listed as active, according to court records. Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said his office will be ending prosecution on the state charges to allow for Wingate to be prosecuted in federal court. Mosul Liberation Offensive Moves Faster Than Expected - Baghdad Sputnik News 19:51 19.10.2016(updated 19:52 19.10.2016) The Iraqi forces are making an unexpectedly fast progress toward the Iraqi city of Mosul to free it from Daesh terrorists, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi's spokesman said Wednesday. CAIRO (Sputnik) On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from Daesh. According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation, backed by airstrikes carried out by the US-led coalition. "The speed at which the Iraqi forces are moving forward exceeds the expectations of the commanders," Saad Hadithi told RIA Novosti. According to the spokesman, the Iraqi government took all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of civilians in Mosul during the anti-terrorism operation. "Long before the beginning of the operation, the government took military and humanitarian measures so that the civilians would not suffer in the military operation in Mosul," Hadithi said. He added that the government has worked out a plan of action to protect civilians and their property. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Daesh Ranks Panicking, Commanders Fleeing' From Mosul to Syria Amid Offensive Sputnik News 19:43 19.10.2016 Said Mamuzini, the representative of the Arab Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP), spoke to Sputnik about the military operation underway in Mosul, saying that amid the military offensive, Daesh terrorists are fleeing the region with their families. "The main military operations are ongoing on the front line in Hazyr. The Peshmerga forces managed to liberate an area of 200 square km and a dozen of villages in the Mosul area from Daesh," Mamuzini told Sputnik Turkiye in an interview. The representative further said that the terrorists suffered considerable losses when the coalition aircraft carried out bombing campaign on the positions of jihadists and destroyed a significant number of artillery belonging to Daesh. "In the ranks of Daesh there is panic right now. The jihadi commanders ordered the execution of militants who refuse to participate in the battles. Meanwhile, over the past few days since the operation many Daesh commanders fled from Mosul to Syria with their families," Mamuzini said. The representative added that it is assumed that the Mosul operation will soon be expanded by opening new fronts, including in Ba`shiqah. On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from Daesh militants. According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation, backed by airstrikes carried out by the US-led international coalition. On Saturday, aircraft of the Iraqi Air Force dropped leaflets on Mosul to warn the residents of the upcoming offensive. The government called on the residents not to panic and stay at their homes. Earlier, Iraqi artillery and warplanes of the US-led international coalition conducted strikes on Mosul. An Iraqi military source said that the shelling was aimed to destroy certain targets prior to the main offensive. The Iraqi military estimates that the liberation of Mosul would take one to two weeks. Mosul, the second biggest Iraqi city, as well as a number of other northern and western Iraqi cities and towns, was seized in 2014 during an offensive of Daesh terrorists. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Apache Helicopters Begin Supporting Counter-Daesh Operation in Mosul Sputnik News 17:45 19.10.2016(updated 17:46 19.10.2016) Apache ground-support helicopters have joined the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul from Daesh terrorists. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led coalition has started using Apache ground-support helicopters during the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul form Daesh, Operation Inherent Resolve commander Gen. Gary Volesky said in a briefing on Wednesday. "They [Apaches] have been flying at night supporting any night-time operations that the Iraqi Security Forces are doing," Volesky told reporters. On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from Daesh militants. According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation, backed by airstrikes carried out by the US-led international coalition. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Aid Group: Thousands Have Fled Mosul By Jamie Dettmer, Carla Babb October 19, 2016 The international charity Save the Children says thousands of people have fled the Mosul area in order to escape the unfolding offensive by Iraqi and Kurdish forces to retake the city from Islamic State militants. The aid group said about 5,000 people have arrived in the past 10 days at a refugee camp over the border in Syria, which risks being overwhelmed as more people flee. "These families arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs and find almost nothing to help them," said Tarik Kadir, who heads the charity's Mosul response. Alarm is rising about the prospects for civilians caught in the middle of the likely weeks-long, if not months, battle to retake the Islamic State's last major urban stronghold in Iraq. On Tuesday, Iraqi and Kurdish leaders told Filippo Grandi, the U.N.'s refugee commissioner, that they would do their best to protect civilians. "The protection of the civilians in Mosul cannot be just the responsibility of a few humanitarian organizations," Grandi told reporters in the Kurdistan capital of Irbil. He added: "We hope that not many people will leave Mosul but we have to plan for large numbers. He said the United Nations and the government have sufficient materials, especially shelter materials like tents for example, for hundreds of thousands of people, maybe up to 400,000." At least a million civilians are estimated to be in Mosul. In the city, which IS fighters have controlled for two years, the militants have fanned out and residents contacted by phone say the center is eerily quiet with most people hunkered down waiting for the full storm to hit. They hope the food and supplies they stored up will last the battle. U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi warplanes have been avoiding launching airstrikes in residential areas in a bid to reduce civilian casualties. Residents say they are fearful to venture out and that IS fighters have become more brutal and unpredictable in their behavior. "There have been two public executions in my neighborhood since Sunday," said Salim, a shopkeeper and father-of-two. The militants don't mass in large numbers and move around in small groups, mainly on motorbikes. IS preparing to defend city center The jihadists are also continuing with preparations to defend the city center, blocking roads with mounds of dirt and erecting makeshift barriers. IS fighters bombed two buildings inside Mosul, Kurdish officials reported. Tuesday, the terror group's propagandists posted online two videos one seeking to depict a city unaffected by war with locals shopping in bustling streets using old footage and another showing armed jihadists patrolling streets and a masked militant threatening America. "As for you, America, we promise you ... America will be defeated in Iraq and will leave, God willing, again, humiliated, wretched, dragging its tail in defeat," in the video posted late Tuesday by the IS-linked Amaq news agency. On the battlefield, though, the taunts would seem to be misplaced. The terror group has lost more than two dozen villages on the outskirts of Mosul, the Islamic State's last major urban stronghold in Iraq, since Iraqi security forces in the south and Kurdish peshmerga fighters in the east launched Monday their long-awaited offensive. The going has been quicker than Iraqi and U.S. commanders claim they expected, and morale on the ground remains high. Even so, officials are tamping down expectations of a speedy defeat of the terror group as Iraqi and Kurdish forces contend with roadside bombs, snipers, suicide bombers and hit-and-run attacks by the extremists. US role More than 500 American troops are accompanying Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the Mosul operation. U.S. officials have stressed that embedded American forces will remain with Iraqi and Peshmerga counterparts who are involved in coordinating and decision making, rather than at the front lines of combat. But U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said U.S. troops are still in harm's way. Estimates of IS fighters in Mosul range from about 3,000 to 5,000 fighters, but U.S. officials say Mosul is home to zealous and battle-hardened IS fighters. Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters Tuesday the Americans are assisting about 10,000 Kurds, 18,000 Iraqi Security Forces and another couple thousand Iraqi police as they face an Islamic State force that has been hunkered down in the the second-largest Iraqi city for more than two years. Much of the west is still controlled by Islamic State, prompting U.S. officials to suggest the IS leadership may look to flee west to Deir Ezzor and Raqqa in Syria should Mosul start to fall. These officials say they have seen some IS family members flee west, but they have not seen foreign fighters coming in or out of the city recently. The fighting has remained on the outskirts of Mosul. The Kurdish peshmerga have been slowing or pausing their advance to allow ISF units to leap-frog ahead of them. Iraqi officials say only ISF forces will enter the mainly Sunni Muslim city. But some Shi'ite militiamen insist they, too, will enter the city center. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address With Sights Set on Mosul, Trouble Lurks on the Horizon By Jeff Seldin October 19, 2016 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US General Urges Iraqis 'Not to Rush' Mosul Fight By Carla Babb, Jamie Dettmer October 19, 2016 The general running the coalition's ground campaign in Iraq is urging Iraqi forces fighting for Mosul not to "go so fast that they start to give opportunity to the enemy." "I'm not telling the Iraqis not to rush to Mosul. I'm telling them, 'You've got the momentum sustain the momentum. Continue to put unrelenting pressure on the enemy, and then the enemy is going to break," Major General Gary Volesky told reporters Wednesday via teleconference from Baghdad. The general said he expected Islamic State fighters to fight with a "full-fledged conventional defense in Mosul" until they lose the city. After that, he said, IS will turn into more of an insurgent force, using unconventional methods to make harassing attacks on Iraqis forces and civilians. The U.S. has provided intelligence, logistics support, thousands of airstrikes, artillery fire and Apache helicopters to support the fight for Mosul. However, that fight is not the general's sole focus. Volesky said some of his American forces were intentionally placed in other areas of Iraq to prevent any potential Islamic State efforts to shift the Iraqi government's interest to the country's south. "We have our advise-and-assist teams with those units who are back in the Euphrates River Valley and those key 'hold' areas to make sure the enemy can't come back and do something that will prevent the Iraqis from focusing on Mosul," he said. Refugee crisis Meanwhile, the international charity Save the Children said thousands of people had fled the Mosul area in order to escape the unfolding offensive by Iraqi and Kurdish forces to retake the city from IS. The aid group said about 5,000 people had arrived in the past 10 days at a refugee camp over the border in Syria, which risks being overwhelmed as more people flee. "These families arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs and find almost nothing to help them," said Tarik Kadir, who heads the charity's Mosul response. Alarm is rising about the prospects for civilians caught in the middle of the battle to retake the Islamic State's last major urban stronghold in Iraq. It's likely to take weeks, if not months. On Tuesday, Iraqi and Kurdish leaders told Filippo Grandi, the U.N.'s refugee commissioner, that they would do their best to protect civilians. "The protection of the civilians in Mosul cannot be just the responsibility of a few humanitarian organizations," Grandi told reporters in the Kurdistan capital of Irbil. The United Nations and the government have support materials for up to 400,000 displaced in the fight for Mosul. At least 1 million civilians are estimated to be in the city. Meanwhile, Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund, said he was deeply concerned about the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis in Mosul, and the heightened threat to the health and lives of pregnant women who may be cut off from lifesaving emergency obstetric care. Osotimehin said that among the 200,000 people likely to be displaced during the initial weeks of military operations in Mosul, an estimated 46,000 are women and girls of reproductive age; about 8,000 are pregnant, and some are about to give birth. He added that lifesaving health services must be maintained and accessible to all who require them. Unpredictable IS fighters Militants have fanned out in Mosul, and residents contacted by phone said the center was eerily quiet, with most people hunkered down and waiting for the full storm to hit. U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi warplanes have been avoiding launching airstrikes in residential areas in a bid to reduce civilian casualties. Residents said they were afraid to venture out and that IS fighters had become more brutal and unpredictable in their behavior. "There have been two public executions in my neighborhood since Sunday," said Salim, a shopkeeper and father of two. The militants don't mass in large numbers; they move around in small groups, mainly on motorbikes. The jihadists also are continuing with preparations to defend the city center, blocking roads with mounds of dirt and erecting makeshift barriers. IS fighters bombed two buildings inside Mosul, Kurdish officials reported. Tuesday, the terror group's propagandists posted online two videos one seeking to depict a city unaffected by war, using old footage of locals shopping in bustling streets, and another showing armed jihadists patrolling streets and a masked militant threatening America. "As for you, America, we promise you ... America will be defeated in Iraq and will leave, God willing, again, humiliated, wretched, dragging its tail in defeat," the video posted late Tuesday by the IS-linked Amaq news agency said. On the battlefield, though, the taunts would seem to be misplaced. Popular mobilization force The terror group has lost more than two dozen villages on the outskirts of Mosul since Iraqi security forces in the south and Kurdish peshmerga fighters in the east launched their long-awaited offensive Monday. The going has been quicker than Iraqi and U.S. commanders claimed they expected, and morale on the ground reportedly was remaining high. Even so, officials sought to tamp down expectations of a speedy defeat of the terror group as Iraqi and Kurdish forces contend with roadside bombs, snipers, suicide bombers, and hit-and-run attacks by the extremists. U.S. officials have stressed that the more than 100 embedded American forces will remain with Iraqi and peshmerga counterparts who are involved in coordinating and decision-making, rather than at the front lines of combat. But U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said U.S. troops are still in harm's way. Estimates of IS fighters in Mosul range from about 3,000 to 5,000. The fighting has remained on the outskirts of Mosul. The Kurdish peshmerga have been slowing or pausing their advance to allow units of the Iraqi security forces to leapfrog ahead of them. Iraqi officials say only ISF forces will enter the mainly Sunni Muslim city, but some Shi'ite popular mobilization force (PMF) members insist they, too, will enter the city center. Volesky stressed Wednesday that the U.S.-led coalition was not supporting the Shi'ite PMF. VOA U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N. Korean Rights Controversy Could Shape Presidential Election in South By Brian Padden October 19, 2016 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 Park's 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 Moon's 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 Moon's 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 administration's 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. Park's 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 Un's threatening rhetoric and his military's 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. Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, South Korea Tightening Alliance to Counter Nuclear Threat from North By Steve Herman October 19, 2016 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian lawmakers back suspension of nuclear deal with US Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 4:10PM Members of the Russian parliament have unanimously approved a decision by President Vladimir Putin to suspend cooperation with the United States on a nuclear deal. During a Wednesday session, lawmakers in the lower house of the parliament, known as the State Duma, endorsed the move that would see Moscow suspend the deal with Washington on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium. During the parliamentary meeting, officials from the Kremlin said the suspension was only a beginning and Russia could adopt more "painful" measures in response to the United States' hostile policies. Putin said earlier this month that Russia would no longer stick to the deal, which was once a symbol of US-Russia rapprochement. The Russian president said the suspension was necessary due to the "emerging threat to strategic stability as a result of US unfriendly actions." Washington and Moscow were supposed to each dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium, enough material for about 17,000 nuclear warheads. Tensions between Russia and the US escalated in 2014 over the crisis in Ukraine. Russia has accused the US of deliberately using the conflict to heap pressure on Moscow. Washington and its European allies have imposed economic and military sanctions on Russia since Crimea opted in a referendum to rejoin the Russian Federation in March 2014. Russia and the United States have also clashed over the situation in northern Syria, where the West accuses Moscow of committing war crimes. The Kremlin rejects the allegation. Putin has vowed that he will restore the nuclear cooperation with Washington once the United States revokes its sanctions and withdraws its forces deployed near Russia's borders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia to Keep Arms Exports at $15Bln Annually for Next Three Years Sputnik News 16:54 19.10.2016(updated 16:58 19.10.2016) Russia will export annually weaponry and military equipment worth some $15 billion for the next three years, Anatoly Punchuk, the deputy director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), said Wednesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) He reaffirmed that Russia's portfolio of arms export orders currently totals about $52 billion. "The export volume for the next three years from 2016 to 2018 is expected to stay at $15 billion annually," Punchuk said. Earlier this week, he said that Russia is expected to sell about $15 billion worth in weaponry, both in 2016 and 2017. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Data from Pennsylvanias official health care analysis agency, released yesterday, indicates that rates of mortality and readmission for a number of serious conditions have generally declined statewide for 2015. Local exceptions abound, however, as certain conditions become more common, and others less so, across the state. Carlisle Regional Medical Center saw higher-than-anticipated rates of mortality in cases of congestive heart failure, pneumonia, and septicemia. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4), which is publicly funded, compiled data from dozens of hospitals across the commonwealth, logging individual patients conditions and outcomes over a sample period in 2015. The report looked for the rate at which hospitalizations ended either in death or in a readmission within 30 days, broken down by 17 categories of disease. For Pennsylvania as a whole, most of these rates were lower than they were in previous years. Admissions for kidney failure, for instance, saw a mortality rate of 2.6 percent and a readmission rate of 20.1 percent in 2015 an improvement over 2014s rates of 2.9 and 21.7 percent, respectively, and a significant decrease from 2009s rates of 4.9 and 23.8 percent. However, PHC4 also looked at each hospitals number of deaths and readmissions compared to what would have been expected for that specific pool of patients. The determination of expected outcomes was made using mathematical calculation of patients ages and prior medical histories. Results on this rubric were mixed between hospitals. Locally, CRMC saw higher than expected rates of mortality for three conditions congestive heart failure, pneumonia and septicemia. In the latter category, for instance, PHC4 identified 176 qualifying cases of septicemia at CRMC over the 2015 sample period. The agencys algorithm calculated that, given the condition of those 176 patients at admission, 14.6 would die. In actual experience, 29 died. CRMC spokesperson Jill Groody Musselman said the hospital, while performing well overall, has faced challenges with the Midstates concentration of elderly patients, many of whom have had poor treatment histories prior to coming to CRMC. Our mortality rate is well within the national averages, Musselman said. But people with extremely serious illness and multiple co-morbidities make up a lot of this population, particularly with the elderly population. Septicemia which occurs when an infection spreads into the bloodstream is on the rise statewide, with the number of cases having more than doubled since 2010, a much larger increase than any other condition. PHC4 Executive Director Joe Martin described the rise as a troubling trend for which there was no immediate explanation. Other local hospitals also saw a large number of septicemia cases, although a lower ratio of deaths compared to Carlisle. PHC4 looked at 1,252 cases at Pinnacle Health, which saw 123 deaths, and 569 at Holy Spirit, which saw 53 deaths. The 2015 report also notes that Medicare is by far Pennsylvanias largest payer of health care 38.1 percent of costs for the cases recorded in the PCH4 report, roughly $992.5 million, were compensated by Medicare. Assad, Putin discuss anti-terror fight in Syria Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:6PM Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, have discussed the latest developments regarding the battle against terrorism in Syria. During the phone conversation on Wednesday, the two leaders underlined the need for political efforts to resolve the foreign-sponsored crisis in Syria that began in March 2011. Putin stressed that Moscow's stance on Syria has not changed as it remains committed to keeping up the fight against terrorism and preserving the unity of the Middle Eastern country. Assad, for his part, appreciated Russia's efforts to end the war in Syria despite pressures by some countries to discourage Moscow from continuing to adhere to international law and respect the sovereignty of states. He also expressed Syria's determination to fight terrorism and activate the political track to resolve the conflict gripping the country. Syrian army withdraws from war-torn Aleppo Additionally on Wednesday, the Syrian military pulled back in Aleppo in a bid to allow Takfiri militants to leave the war-stricken city through two designated corridors. In a statement carried by state television and news agencies, Syria's Foreign Ministry announced that the army was observing temporary ceasefires in Aleppo to ease the humanitarian situation there. "The government will use all means to stabilize the situation in Aleppo and transfer civilians without restrictions and bring in humanitarian aid," the statement read. Meanwhile, the Russian military, which is supporting the Syrian army in its anti-terror fight in Aleppo, said that Russian and Syrian jets were still observing a halt to airstrikes in Aleppo, which took effect on Tuesday. Syrian army makes gains in NE Aleppo In another development on Wednesday, Syrian army officials announced that government forces managed to retake Babdin Square in northeastern Aleppo after killing several militants in clashes there. A newly released footage shows fierce battles in Aleppo's northeast as the Syrian forces continue to target militant-held areas. Russian, Syrian planes stay away from Aleppo Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian military official, said that Russian and Syrian warplanes kept at least 10 kilometers away from the city. The remarks came ahead of an 11-hour "humanitarian pause" in the battered city scheduled for Thursday. Elsewhere in his comments, Rudskoi stressed that the break in hostilities in Aleppo should allow both civilians and militants safe exit out of the city. He further noted that two of eight humanitarian corridors out of Aleppo were reserved for militants, with one leading to Turkey and the other to Idlib province. EU not credible to talk about Aleppo situation On Monday, European Union foreign ministers hit out at the Russian and Syrian anti-terror campaign in Aleppo, claiming that their strikes "may amount to war crimes" and should be referred to the International Criminal Court. In a statement released following a meeting in Luxembourg, the 28 ministers vowed to impose more sanctions on the government of President Bashar al-Assad. In response, Syrian state media quoted an unnamed official source at the Foreign Ministry as saying that the EU is not credible to speak about the conflict in Syria. "The European Union lacks the lowest degree of credibility when it talks about the humanitarian situation in Syria, because it is, through its support of terrorism, an accomplice in the suffering of Syrians," the official said. He also called on the EU to avoid portraying itself as a defender of terrorist groups and shedding crocodile tears over the suffering of civilians in Aleppo at a time when the Syrian army and its allies are working to protect civilians and restore stability to the city. Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, remains divided between government forces in the west and foreign-backed terrorists in the east, making it a frontline battleground. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, US officials exchange views on situation in Syria's Aleppo Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:21PM Senior Russian and US officials have held talks aimed at agreeing on a way to separate al-Qaeda-linked terrorists from other militants fighting against the Damascus government in Aleppo, in a bid to break the deadlock in the embattled Syrian city. The meeting took place at the UN headquarters in the Swiss city of Geneva on Wednesday between Moscow's delegation, comprising unidentified military experts, and that of Washington, led by US Special Envoy for Syria Michael Ratney. An unnamed Western diplomat said that officials from other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar also joined the Geneva talks. However, Iran and Syria's warring sides were not invited to the Wednesday's meeting, the diplomat added. "The idea is to engage the Russians in a discussion on the issue," the diplomat said before the discussions. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov raised the possibility of continuing the negotiations for another day, adding, "Our delegation is ready to stay there as long as necessary to achieve results." Making a distinction between the so-called moderate opposition that is enjoying Washington's support and the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, seems to be a complicated task as the militants are intermingled in Aleppo. The UN and diplomatic sources also put the number of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorists in eastern Aleppo at up to 900 and probably a maximum of 200, respectively. "They are calling the shots in Aleppo," one unnamed aid official told Reuters. Russia extends Aleppo truce to 11 hours Also on Wednesday, Russia said that it was extending an upcoming eight-hour ceasefire in Aleppo to 11 hours to allow civilians and militants to leave the city's eastern parts. Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian military official, said at a briefing at the Defense Ministry's headquarters in Moscow that the humanitarian pause, which was to run from 0500 GMT to 1300 GMT on Thursday, has been prolonged "by three hours" until 1600 GMT. Rudskoi also stressed that the extension came after "numerous requests" from the representatives of international aid groups. The extra time "will allow representatives of the United Nations and the Syrian Red Crescent to carry out all their operations to ensure the evacuation of the sick and wounded, and also to allow peaceful civilians out of the city," he added. One million Syrians could leave Aleppo for Turkey: Erdogan In a relevant development on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan estimated that at least one million Syrian citizens could flee to Turkey in case of an exodus from Aleppo. "I am sorry but we cannot pay the price for this. Those who are triggering this on purpose must sit at the table with Turkey to discuss this," Erdogan told a meeting with local administrators in Ankara. The Turkish president further noted that he had discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin the issue of removing Jabhat Fatah al Sham militants from Aleppo on Tuesday. "We have issued the necessary instructions to our colleagues. We discussed an agreement on carrying out this study, removing al-Nusra Front from Aleppo and achieving peace for people in Aleppo," he said. Aleppo has been divided between the government troops and foreign-backed terrorists since 2012. On September 22, the Syrian army launched operations with Russian air cover to reunite the government-held western part and the militant-held eastern section of the city. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN says needs serious commitment to Aleppo truce for aid deliveries Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 2:51PM The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says all sides of the conflict in Syria's Aleppo have to back an extended ceasefire in order for the UN body to provide assistance for the besieged civilians in the city. Jens Laerke, the OCHA spokesman, said in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday that a time-bound deal would not be sufficient for the UN teams to mobilize to deliver aid to the militant-held eastern part of Aleppo. "Before we can do something really meaningful... we need assurances from all parties," Laerke said, adding, "We need a minimum of 48 hours." UN and Red Cross trucks packed with aid for eastern Aleppo are waiting near the Turkish border for guarantees that they can safely make deliveries of humanitarian aid. On Tuesday, the Syrian government and Russia halted airstrikes on Aleppo for eight hours to allow civilians and militants not affiliated with terrorists to leave the city. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the halt should help pave the way for foreign-backed militants to leave the eastern parts of the city. The Syrian government says groups linked to al-Qaeda or inspired by it have massive presence in Aleppo. 'Constitutional mission to protect civilians' Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in a recent interview with a Swiss TV station that his government had a constitutional responsibility to clear Aleppo of terrorists. "That's our mission, according to the constitution and the law, that we have to protect people; that we have to get rid of those terrorists from Aleppo. This is how we can protect the civilians," President Assad stated. Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, has been divided between the government forces and foreign-backed militants since 2012. The Syrian army launched operations to reunite the government-held western part and the militant-held eastern section of Aleppo on September 22, with the support of the Russian air force. The conflict in Syria, which began in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people, according to an estimate by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. Russia said on Tuesday that an airstrike by the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in Syria had killed six civilians. The Russian military's Reconciliation Center in Syria said the airstrike targeted the village of Hassajek in Aleppo province. Russia says its military surveillance means spotted two Belgian F16 warplanes over the area at the time of the airstrike. Belgium denies that its aircraft struck the village. Moscow says Russian and Syrian fighter jets are not flying over the area, in accordance with the decision to halt airstrikes on Aleppo. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria's anti-terror fight in Aleppo aimed at defending civilians: Assad Iran Press TV Wed Oct 19, 2016 1:28PM Syria's President Bashar al-Assad says purging terrorists from the northwestern city of Aleppo is the only lawful way for the Syrian government to protect the civilian population in the embattled city. Assad made the remarks in an interview with Swiss SRF 1 TV channel which was conducted on Tuesday and posted on its website on Wednesday. "That's our mission, according to the constitution and the law, that we have to protect people, that we have to get rid of those terrorists from Aleppo. This is how we can protect the civilians," he said. President Assad further noted that it is not possible to protect civilians while they are being killed and remain under the full control of Takfiri militants. "How can you protect them while they are under the control of terrorists?... Is it our role to sit aside and watch if that's how we can protect the Syrian people? We need to attack the terrorists, that's self-evident," he added. Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, remains divided between government forces in the west and foreign-backed terrorists in the east, making it a frontline battleground. On September 22, Syria announced the start of a new military operation in Aleppo aimed at driving out the terrorists occupying the eastern part of the strategic city. The Syrian army campaign came three days after a week-long truce, brokered by Russia and the US, came to an end across the Arab country. Damascus refused to extend the deal after an airstrike by a US-led coalition targeted Syrian troops, killing over 80 of them near the eastern city of Dayr al-Zawr. On Tuesday, Moscow announced that the Syrian and Russian air forces had stopped their anti-terror air raids in Aleppo ahead of an eight-hour "humanitarian pause" in Aleppo scheduled for October 20. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the halt as a "manifestation of goodwill by the Russian military." Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011. Moscow has been conducting airstrikes against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria at the Damascus government's request since last September. The US-led coalition has also been purporting to hit Daesh positions in Syria since September 2014, but is has failed to accomplish its announced objectives. The bombing campaign has neither a UN mandate nor the permission of the Syrian government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French, German Leaders Lambaste Putin, Eye Sanctions Over Syria RFE/RL October 19, 2016 The leaders of France and Germany after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin lambasted Moscow for its bombardment of Syria and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Russia. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime. One of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its [Russian] backers must end," French President Francois Hollande said after an hour-long meeting between the three leaders in Berlin on October 20 that occurred after a five-hour meeting on pushing for peace in Ukraine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the air raids on Syria's largest city as "inhumane and cruel." She described the talks with Putin on Syria as "very hard." "We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians," Merkel said. Both leaders warned that they would not rule out imposing sanctions on Russia, hours ahead of an European Union summit where Russia's role in Syria is set to be discussed. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said, while Merkel added that "we cannot remove this option" though she said the EU Turning to a planned cease-fire Russia and Syria announced for the city of Aleppo on October 20, Hollande said that Putin appeared to be ready to extend the truce, set to last for 11 hours. "We came out of the meeting with the impression that there could be an extension of the truce, but it's up to the Syrian regime and Russia to show it," he said. A truce of just a few hours would not be enough to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and allow civilians to leave the area, Hollande said. Putin said after the meeting that Russia is willing to halt air strikes on Aleppo indefinitely. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes. We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo." The Syrian army separately said that the cease-fire would last three days. Putin said he also offered to speed up work on a new constitution for Syria under which elections would be held to possibly replace the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The European leaders did not appear to pick up on the proposal. Aleppo, held by rebels determined to oust Assad, has come under heavy bombardment since a tentative cease-fire deal set to cover the city broke down earlier this month. Air strikes there have flattened numerous residential buildings and civilian facilities, and caused hundreds of deaths. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/leader- france-germany-lambaste-russian-president-putin-eye- sanctions-over-bombing-syria-aleppo/28064310.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Central Command Dismisses Claims of Belgian Airstrike on Northern Aleppo Sputnik News 21:02 19.10.2016(updated 21:14 19.10.2016) The US-led coalition against the Islamic State has seen no evidence of alleged airstrikes by Belgian F-16 fighter jets in northern Aleppo, US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Tuesday, the Russian military said that Belgian Air Force F-16s were suspected of killing at least six in an airstrike on the northern Syrian village of Hassajek. "Contrary to what Russian media reported, there is no evidence of this incident, nor were any Belgian aircraft conducting kinetic operations at the time," the spokesperson said. "Our Coalition aircrews go through a rigorous targeting process to ensure any airstrike is precise and mitigates risk to civilians." Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput dismissed the allegations. On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry called on the US-led counterterrorist coalition to condemn the deadly airstrike. The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State, which is outlawed in many countries, such as Russia and the United States, in Syria and Iraq since 2014. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Foreign Ministry Not Taking Seriously EU Criticism of Actions in Aleppo Sputnik News 19:38 19.10.2016 Damascus does not take seriously the recent joint statement of the European Union foreign ministers saying that the Syrian army's actions in Aleppo could amount to war crimes, state media reported Wednesday citing a foreign ministry source. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Monday, the European Union accused the Syrian government and Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Syria's eastern Aleppo, as well as using banned weapons, which could amount to a war crime. "Syria watched disparagingly the statement issued by the European Union foreign ministers, and that Syria believes that misguiding public opinion and twisting fact isn't becoming of some EU states which expressed more than once and on several occasions the ineffectiveness of the course followed by the EU regarding Syria," the source told the SANA news agency. Aleppo has been engulfed in a heavy fighting since the government forces began a major offensive on the rebel-held eastern districts of the city following the collapse of the ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States in early September. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Building Force to Retake Syria's Raqqa From Daesh - Reports Sputnik News 16:46 19.10.2016(updated 16:53 19.10.2016) The United States is working with its coalition partners to prepare an offensive on de-facto Daesh's capital Raqqa in Syria, the Wall Street Journal reported. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Top US officials have recently held a meeting with their partners to work out an agreement for the operation, the media reported. Due to the limited role of the US ground forces in Syria, Washington has to rely on cooperation between Turkey, the Kurdish fighters and Arab Sunni forces to retake Raqqa, according to media reports. The reports of the prepared offensive on Raqqa have surfaced after the beginning of an operation to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from Daesh. Mosul is the last large Daesh's stronghold in Iraq. On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter will visit Turkey on Friday to discuss operations against Daesh terror group with local officials. US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said Monday the Pentagon expects to see success in Mosul and Raqqa "in the coming months." On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from Daesh terrorists. The US-led coalition is supporting the Iraqi Security Forces with air support, artillery, intelligence, advisers and forward air controllers, according to the Central Command. Daesh seized Mosul in 2014 and Raqqa in 2013 along with a number of other cities and towns in the two countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Army Destroys 64 Daesh Facilities in Northern Syria Sputnik News 12:54 19.10.2016(updated 12:55 19.10.2016) The Turkish operation in northern Syria destroyed 64 Daesh facilities in the past 24 hours, Ankara's general staff said. ANKARA (Sputnik) Turkish forces have destroyed 64 Daesh facilities in the past 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria, the Turkish General Staff said Wednesday. "Our Armed Forces, have hit 64 Daesh targets using Firtina howitzers, multiple rocket launchers, tanks and mortars. The Free Syrian Army (FSA), supported by the Turkish Armed Forces, has gained control over five more settlements between Azaz and al Rai. During the operation, three FSA soldiers have been killed and six injured," the General Staff said in a statement. Overall, a total of 155 settlements in northern Syria have been liberated from terrorists since the beginning of the operation in late August, it added. On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian border town of Jarablus and the surrounding area of Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. As Jarablus was retaken, the joint forces of Ankara, the coalition and Syrian rebels continued the offensive southwest. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Declares Russia's Truce Extension in Aleppo Inadequate By VOA News October 19, 2016 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dear Editor: The value of voting Nov. 8 cannot be overemphasized because so many vital issues are at stake for women of all ages, racial, ethnic and educational backgrounds. AAUW (American Association of University Women) is at the forefront in encouraging all women to recognize the importance of their votes. Politicians and policy makers at all levels of government routinely make decisions about issues that directly affect us and our families but more often than not, the conversation lacks womens voices. Unmarried women, people of color and millennials collectively known as the rising American electorate make up the majority of voting-eligible citizens in the U.S. This same group was under registered and underrepresented in 2014. Candidates cant win without the votes of women, so lets hold them accountable and ask them the tough questions about pay equity, work-life balance policies, campus sexual assault, higher education and other issues affecting women. If candidates want our votes, they need to speak to our issues. As members of the Carlisle and Harrisburg branches of AAUW, we have worked tirelessly to advocate on issues affecting women and girls. We, along with every member of AAUW in Pennsylvania, plan to make our voices heard on Nov. 8 and beyond. Linkey Green, AAUW-Carlisle President Ann Pehle, AAUW-Carlisle Public Policy Chair Ankara to submit proposals for constitutional changes 'very soon' Iran Press TV Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:35PM The Turkish government says it will "very soon" submit proposals to the parliament for constitutional changes that will bolster the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a controversial move that has drawn criticism. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Tuesday that the changes were needed to "eliminate confusion from the system." "The necessary constitutional changes offered by the AKP will be offered to parliament very soon," Yildirim said. The AKP, which currently has 317 seats in the parliament, needs a majority of 330 out of the 550 seats to call a referendum. Chances of such a majority increased on Tuesday, when Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, also known as the MHP, whose party has 40 seats, gave his strongest signal yet that he could back such a referendum. The support by the MHP, the fourth party in the parliament by seats, would be enough to allow the referendum to go ahead even if it is opposed by the secular Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). The ruling party needs to gain 367 seats, or two-thirds of the parliament, to easily push for constitutional changes to increase the powers of the president without popular vote. President Erdogan, who was elected in August 2014 after over 11 years of serving as prime minister, was confident before the election that he could transform Turkey into a presidential republic. AKP officials say the constitutional changes are needed to legalize the president becoming the country's number one executive figure. Critics say giving sweeping powers to the president could push the country into an autocracy under Erdogan. Erdogan has also ridiculed complaints that the changes will make him a dictator, saying presidential systems exist in France and the United States. The Turkish government has sought a presidential system more seriously since July 15, when the country crushed a coup attempt, consolidating Erdogan's power and popularity. The coup has been followed by mass suspensions and dismissals from the public sector of people speculated to have had a role in the coup attempt. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, Ukraine Agree To Draft New Road Map Carrying Out Peace Deal RFE/RL October 19, 2016 The leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France, and Russia agreed to draw up a road map by the end of next month to carry out the Minsk peace agreement for eastern Ukraine. After six hours of talks on the wars in Ukraine and Syria in Berlin on October 20, German Chancellor Angela Merkel emerged to say the leaders "didn't achieve miracles," but the road map would enable all sides to keep pushing ahead with the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. The leaders also discussed creating zones of disengagement between the warring parties in eastern Ukraine, as well as measures to improve the humanitarian situation there, she said. "It's urgently necessary to keep having such talks in order not to lose momentum," she said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the road map "should have the sequence of the implementation of the Minsk agreements and guarantee their implementation." He also said they agreed to withdrawals of Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists in four new areas at the frontline of the fighting in the Donbass region. The leaders also agreed on deploying an armed police mission in eastern Ukraine, allowing monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to be armed and given unimpeded access in the region. OSCE said in May that it would consider sending an armed mission to help conduct elections in separatist- held areas. Poroshenko said that Germany, the current chair of the OSCE, would present the mission proposal to the organization. But he said elections in Donbass would not occur until all foreign forces are withdrawn. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far despite the Minsk cease-fire deal. With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and TASS Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine- germany-france-agree-draft-new-road-map-carrying out-minsk-peace-deal/28064303.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany Hosts Meeting to Review Minsk Agreements on Ukraine By VOA News October 19, 2016 Leaders of Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France have gathered in Berlin for four-way talks in efforts to revive the stalled Minsk peace agreement aimed at reaching a political settlement in eastern Ukraine. Amid escalating tensions between the West and Russia, Merkel invited Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and French President Francois Hollande to assess the implementation of the Minsk agreement since the last meeting and discuss further steps, but prospects of significant progress have not been optimistic. Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Berlin, Merkel said "things are stalled in many areas such as the cease-fire, political issues and humanitarian issues," adding it is worth every effort to seize every chance for progress. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin is not expecting a breakthrough on Ukraine. "The goal of the meeting is to see where we stand and identify the obstacles to fulfilling the Minsk agreements,'' he said. "Russia has shown a constructive flexibility, but it cannot be the only one doing so.'' This is Putin's first visit to Berlin since the beginning of Ukraine conflict in 2014 and comes one day before the 28 leaders of the Europan Union are due to convene to discuss relations with Russia, including sanctions related to its involvement in Ukraine, which are due for renewal at the end of the year. The four leaders have held sporadic meetings to discuss the implementation of the Minsk accord, the last of them in Paris on October 2, 2015. The 2015 Minsk agreement mediated by France and Germany has contributed to reduce the intensity of large-scale battles between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine, but clashes have 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Agreement to Send Armed European Police Force to Eastern Ukraine By VOA News October 19, 2016 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 Putin's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four Malaysian mobile operators say they have agreed to use the governments state-owned 5G network, paving the way for an increased rollout in the country. Finnish English Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release October 20, 2016 at 9:00 (CET +1) Nokia to publish third quarter 2016 and January-September 2016 interim report on October 27, 2016 Espoo, Finland - Nokia will publish its third quarter 2016 and January-September 2016 interim report on October 27, 2016 at approximately 8 a.m. Finnish time (CET +1). The interim report will be made available on the Nokia website immediately after publication. Nokia only publishes a summary of its interim reports in stock exchange releases. The summary focuses on Nokia Group's financial information as well as on Nokia's outlook. The detailed segment level discussion will be available in the complete third quarter 2016 and January-September 2016 interim report available at http://company.nokia.com/financials. Investors should not rely solely on summaries of Nokia's reports, but should also review the complete reports with tables. Nokia's analyst conference call will begin on October 27 at 3 p.m. Finnish time. A link to the webcast of the conference call will be available at http://company.nokia.com/financials. Media representatives can listen in via the link on that website, or alternatively call +1 412 317 6760. About Nokia Nokia is a global leader in the technologies that connect people and things. Powered by the innovation of Nokia Bell Labs and Nokia Technologies, the company is at the forefront of creating and licensing the technologies that are increasingly at the heart of our connected lives. With state-of-the-art software, hardware and services for any type of network, Nokia is uniquely positioned to help communication service providers, governments, and large enterprises deliver on the promise of 5G, the Cloud and the Internet of Things. www.nokia.com Media Enquiries: Nokia Communications Tel. +358 (0) 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com India, Algeria mull fertilizer Joint Venture Published: October 20, 2016 India has shown keen desire to initiate a joint venture (JV) arrangement with Algeria for a multi-billion dollar fertilizer plant located in the North African country. The proposal in this regard has moved to front burner following a meeting between Algerian Minister for Industry and Mining and Indian Minister of State for Chemicals in Algiers. However no specific agreements were signed between both courtiers at the end of Vice-President Hamid Ansaris three-day visit to Algeria. Why India is forming JV with Algeria? Phosphorus is one of three important elements in the chemical fertilizers that are most important in plant nutrition along with nitrogen and potassium. India, which has up to 96% phosphate dependency. Currently, India imports raw phosphate resources from a number of African countries including Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Syria and also from Russia, Canada and Israel among others. For India, forming JV Algeria will have major favourable food security implications and also could ease the fertilizer subsidy burden. India-Algeria Indias bilateral trade with Algeria currently stands at 1.5 billion dollars a year with the trade balance in Algerias favour given Indias import of oil and gas. The major item of exports from India to Algeria has been automobiles. India-Hungary Earlier, Vice-President Hamid Ansari had visited Hungary on as part of this two-nation trip (Hungary and Algeria). Both countries had signed two agreements including in the field of water management. Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016 Topics: Agriculture Fertilizer Sector India-Algeria Internatioal Latest E-Books Concise letters 250 words or fewer on topics of local interest will receive first consideration for publication. All letters are subject to editing for language and clarity. Mailing Address: Letters to the Editor, The Register & Bee, 700 Monument St., Danville, VA 24541 Letters submitted by mail must include the writer's name, signature, address and a daytime phone number. Fax: (434) 799-0595 Email: letters@registerbee.com Or submit a letter via our online form: Submit a letter Brian Snyder was doing his part last week to contribute to the Halloween spending bonanza. Snyder, who lives in the Richmond area, was shopping for decorations at the Spirit Halloween store in The Shops at Willow Lawn. I have a permanent campsite down at Greys Point by the Rappahannock River on the Chesapeake Bay. Every year, they have a Halloween theme park and things like that, said Snyder, looking through a display of masks, zombie babies and fake body parts. Im getting stuff together to head there and decorate my site, he said. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to shell out $8.4 billion this year on costumes, sugary treats, decorations and greeting cards, to have a little ghoulish fun. By product category, $3.1 billion will be spent on costumes, $2.5 billion on candy, $2.4 billion on decorations and $390 million on greeting cards. Thats a lot of fake vampire teeth, superhero and princess costumes, and gimmicky decor, such as fake tombstones, spider webs and fog-making machines. Still, its not as much as the $17.3 billion estimated to be spent on Easter for food, clothing, gifts, candy and flowers, and pales in comparison to the $626.1 billion spent last year on the winter holidays. The Halloween spending projections average out to about $82.93 per shopper, up from last year when spending averaged $74.34 per consumer. The 2016 figures are based on a survey of 6,791 consumers conducted in early September by Prosper Insights and Analytics for the National Retail Federation. The survey estimates that about 171 million Americans will celebrate Halloween in one way or another. For every person who spends minimal dollars on Halloween, a day dedicated to remembering the dead, there are folks like Snyder who said he will probably spend about $200 to fix up his campsite for the three weekends of fun at Greys Point. Last weekend was focused on fun for the kids, he said. Then the next two weekends they have the haunted pavilion where it gets a little more intense, he said. In addition to seasonal pop-up stores like Spirit Halloween, which is a part of Spencer Spirit Holdings Inc., various types of retailers stock Halloween treats, decorations and costumes. This year, some of the make-believe creepiness has turned into real creepiness, with reports of scary clown sightings that are anything but funny. Some of the sinister clown reports are hoaxes, but others are disturbing. This month in Hampton, police arrested a 13-year-old girl after she allegedly contacted a person on social media who had a clown face as a profile photo to ask about hiring the clown to kill one of her teachers. Henrico County police in September arrested an 18-year-old man accused of chasing children while wearing a clown mask, and a 17-year-old accomplice was facing similar charges. Target made news recently when the company decided to pull scary clown masks off shelves and off its online store, citing the recent spate of reports of frightening events perpetrated by people dressed in clown costumes or associated with clown characters. Given the current environment, we have made the decision to remove a variety of clown masks from our assortment, both in stores and online, a Target spokeswoman confirmed in an email. Other retailers do not appear to be following Targets lead. As for the clown costumes, at Spirit Halloween, we do not encourage or associate with the recent clown sightings, and we dont comment on ongoing police investigations, a Spirit Halloween corporate spokeswoman said. The chain has more than 1,200 pop-up stores across the U.S., including nine stores in the Richmond area. The pop-ups are temporary stores that sell merchandise around the holiday season. Party City and Walmart, also big Halloween products retailers, had sinister clown costumes for sale online Tuesday. Psycho clown, scary clown, bloody clown, killer clown and killjoy clown were just some of the costumes available. There are enough other scary costumes to fill the scary clown void. And clowns do not make the top 10 lists of most popular child and adult costumes, according to the National Retail Federation. Most popular with children are action figures, superheroes and princesses. Topping the list for adults are Batman characters (Batman, Harley Quinn, The Joker, etc.) Superheroes in general are always a real popular one, said Mackenzie Farmer, store manager at Spirit Halloweens Willow Lawn store. We had some military (costumes) going out. ... Then everybody is buying the Donald Trump and Hillary (Clinton) masks, though I dont think they are using them for costumes, Farmer said. The store had racks of costumes based on Nick Jr.s Shimmer and Shine characters and the Disney Channels PJ Masks series about pajama-wearing 6-year-old superheroes. At Premiere Costumes in Carytown, manager Chelee Lattimore said the store carries wigs, clothing and accessories that are popular year-round for such themed events as 70s parties or Roaring 20s parties and also can be used for Halloween dress-up. People are pretty much finding things they think are cute and going with that, Lattimore said. We do superheroes and princesses, all the regular things, too, she said. Lattimore said she has gotten a few calls for costumes based on Five Nights at Freddys, a horror video game. She has referred them elsewhere. I will leave that for the pop-up stores and Party City, she said. Weve tried to make a jump from doing all the same things others are carrying. WA: Drive carefully. Its not only cars that can be recalled by their makers. Vancouver, October 20, 2016 - Equitorial Exploration Corp. (TSX Venture Exchange: EXX, Frankfurt: EE1) ("Equitorial") is pleased to announce specimen sample results from its 2016 exploration program on the company's 100-per-cent-owned Li lithium property, which hosts the Little Nahanni pegmatite group (LNPG). The Li property lies 30 km northwest of the Cantung Mine Site in the Northwest Territories, immediately east of the Yukon Territory border (Figure 1).In addition to the 81 channel samples that were collected during the 2016 field program (see News Release dated September 6, 2016), three specimen samples were taken from parts of the lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatite dyke swarms. These specimens returned:- 2.85 % Li2O, 28.1 g/t Ta2O5 and 0.05% SnO2;- 1.85% Li2O, 53.4 g/t Ta2O5 and 0.05% SnO2; and,- 1.36% Li2O, 55.8 g/t Ta2O5 and 0.11% SnO2.Lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatite dyke swarms on the Li property have been traced over a combined length of 13 km in mountainous terrain that is deeply incised by several east- or west-facing cirques. The sampled portions of the dyke swarms are up to 52.60 m wide. Each dyke swarm contains multiple dykes that range from 0.2 to 10 m in width. The dykes strike northerly and have near vertical dips. They are well exposed on cirque walls, but most of these areas are too steep to sample. Fortunately, relatively continuous bedrock exposures are accessible at the base of cliffs on the north and south side of cirques. Cirque floors are covered by overburden.Equatorial is in the process of acquiring high resolution satellite images for the Li property. These images will assist with mapping the dyke swarms on surface and will allow for a greater degree of certainty when creating a three dimensional model based on surface and drill hole structural measurements.In spring 2017, Equatorial will be retrieving the diamond drill core from the 2007 program from its current storage location in southeast Yukon and transporting it back to Whitehorse for re-logging and re-processing.In summer 2017, Equatorial is anticipating a field program comprising diamond drilling, channel sampling, geological mapping and prospecting on the Li property.Analytical work was done by ALS Minerals, with sample preparation and geochemical analyses in North Vancouver, British Columbia. All rock samples were analyzed for 38 elements by lithium metaborate fusion and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ME-MS81). All elements are reported as parts per million (ppm). The conversion factor from tantalum (Ta) to tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) is 1.2211, while the conversion factor from tin (Sn) to tin dioxide (SnO2) is 1.2696. Because the tin values were reported in ppm, the values had to be divided by 10,000 to give the tin value in percent.Ore grade lithium analysis was done by sodium peroxide fusion digestion and inductively coupled plasma -atomic emission spectrometry finish (ME-ICP82b). This technique reports in percent lithium and has a lower detection limit of 0.02% and an upper detection limit of 10%. The conversion factor from lithium (Li) to lithium oxide (Li2O) is 2.153.The 2016 field program on the Li property was managed by Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Limited (Archer Cathro). Technical information in this news release has been approved by Heather Burrell, P. Geo., a senior geologist with Archer Cathro and a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101.In addition, Greg Campbell has resigned from the board of Equitorial to pursue other business opportunities. The company wishes to thank Greg Campbell for his valuable services as member of the board of directors.On behalf of the Board of Directors, EQUITORIAL EXPLORATION CORP.Jack BalPresident and DirectorJack Balat 604-306-5285Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES - 46.3 metres of 9.7% zinc and 0.5% copper - including 11.5 metres of 15.8% zinc and 6.0 metres of 17.3 % zinc MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Oct 20, 2016) - Yorbeau Resources Inc. (TSX:YRB.A) (the "Company" or "Yorbeau") is pleased to report on recent diamond drilling results at its 100% owned Scott Lake project in Quebec. Drill hole SC-87W2 intersected a 46.3 metre long massive sulphide interval zone in the course of the follow-up program to test the eastern extension of the Gap Lens. This follow-up program was initiated based on recent drilling and on borehole geophysics as explained in the June 13, 2016 press release. Assays were also received for other mineralized intervals along the Gap Lens in holes SC-86 and SC-87W. These mineralized intervals, as were all previous intercepts released by the Company on the Gap Lens, are located outside of the mineral resources as currently estimated at the Scott project (see attached Figure 1). Assay results are shown below: DDH SC-87W2 Section 1800W (weighted averages) From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu % Zn % Au g/t Ag g/t Remarks 938.3 984.6 46.3 0.5 9.7 0.5 29.1 massive sulphides (Gap Lens) with minor mafic dykes including 955.0 961.0 6.0 0.6 17.3 0.2 38.3 massive sulphides and 973.1 984.6 11.5 0.3 15.8 0.2 25.5 massive sulphides As this is still preliminary drilling on the above mineralization, the exact shape and true width cannot be determined with certainty and the core lengths displayed in the above table do not represent the true thickness of the mineralization. However, at the depth of the massive sulphide zone, the dip of the hole was at 31 degrees; assuming a sub-vertical dip for the massive sulphide zones, and taking into account the 31 degree dip of the hole, the core length may represent over 90% of the horizontal thickness. Assays were received also for two other holes, SC-86 and SC-87W, while hole SC-87 did not hit massive sulphides and instead ended in intrusive rocks of the Chibougamau Pluton (see attached Figure 1). Assays for holes SC-86 and SC-87W are shown below: DDH SC-86 Section 1950W (weighted averages) From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu % Zn % Au g/t Ag g/t Remarks 859.7 871.5 11.8 0.3 4.3 0.1 20.3 massive sulphides and mafic dykes including 859.7 862.6 2.9 0.7 6.5 0.2 45.6 massive sulphides and 868.1 871.5 3.4 0.3 9.2 0.1 23.5 massive sulphides The core lengths obtained may not reflect the true width of the mineralization. The mineralized zone in SC-86 consists of an initial 2.9 metre long interval of massive sulphides, followed by a complex combination of high grade massive sulphides bands entangled with mafic dykes that act as internal dilution of the overall mineralized interval. SC-86 is interpreted as being close to the west limit of the Gap Lens (see attached Figure 1). DDH SC-87W Section 1800W (weighted averages) From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu % Zn % Au g/t Ag g/t Remarks 980.0 983.1 3.1 0.3 4.9 0.2 33.9 stringer sulphides Hole SC-87W was a wedge-cut above original hole SC-87 which did not intersect mineralization and ended in barren intrusive rocks of the Chibougamau Pluton at the expected position of the Gap Lens horizon. Company president Gerald Riverin stated: "We were very pleasantly surprised by the spectacular 46 metre length of the massive sulphides interval in SC-87W2, which probably is one of the best holes ever drilled in the Chibougamau mining camp. The hole was designed largely based on geophysical vectors as well as computer modelling of the data in surrounding holes, but was also approved in part to close-off the Gap Lens to the east. However, instead of closing-off mineralization, it may have opened up a significant new sector along Gap Lens horizon. As a result, drilling will continue to test for possible extensions of the thick massive sulphides up-dip and to the east. We are looking forward to pursuing drilling in this sector." While additional follow-up drilling is still in progress, the Company has just commissioned Roscoe Postle Associates (RPA) to initiate a revised resource estimate and a Technical Report in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") on the whole property, including the newly discovered Gap Lens and also the historical Selco deposit which has never been subject to a NI 43-101 resource estimate. The Scott Lake property, 100% owned by Yorbeau, already hosts a number of polymetallic massive sulphide lenses. A resource estimate on Scott Lake was commissioned by Cogitore Resources and prepared by RPA in 2011. The RPA estimate showed combined inferred resources of 5.45 million tonnes grading 1.2% copper, 4.6% zinc, 0.2 g/t gold and 34 g/t silver, using an NSR cut-off of $80 per tonne (Technical Report prepared by Roscoe Postle Associates and filed by Cogitore Resources in 2011). All drill core discussed in this press release was logged and marked up for assay at the Company's secure facility in Chibougamau, Quebec. Drill core for assay was split in half. Half of the core was shipped in sample bags with appropriate standards, duplicates and replicates used for quality control purposes. The other half of the core is retained for future reference. For holes SC-86 and SC-87W, samples were shipped to Techni-Lab S.G.B. Abitibi Inc. (ACTLABS) of Ste-Germaine-Boule, Quebec. For hole SC-87W2, samples were shipped to Laboratoire ALS Chemex of Val d'Or. Work is carried out by the personnel of Yorbeau, under the supervision of Gerald Riverin, PhD, P. Geo. He is a qualified person (as defined by NI 43-101) and has reviewed and approved the content of this release. About Yorbeau Resources Inc. The Company's 100% controlled Rouyn Property contains four known gold deposits in the 6-km-long Augmitto-Astoria corridor situated on the western half of the property. Two of the four deposits, Astoria and Augmitto, have substantial underground infrastructure and have been the subject of NI 43-101 technical reports that include resource estimates. The Company recently announced signing a Letter of Intent with Kinross Gold Corp. to pursue exploration on the Rouyn Property. In 2015, the Company expanded its exploration property portfolio by acquiring strategic base metal properties in prospective areas of the Abitibi Belt of Quebec and Ontario that also feature infrastructure favourable for mining development. The newly acquired base metal properties include Scott Lake which hosts important mineral resources. The Company also owns the Beschefer project immediately adjacent to SOQUEM's B-26 deposit and where, regionally, exploration interest has been increasing. More information on the Company may be found on the Company's website at www.yorbeauresources.com. Forward-looking statements: Except for statement of historical fact, all statements in this news release, without limitation, regarding new projects, acquisitions, future plans and objectives are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. VANCOUVER, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - eCobalt Solutions Inc. (TSX: ECS; OTCQB: ECSIF) (the "Company" or "eCobalt") announces that it has filed and obtained a receipt for a preliminary short form base shelf prospectus with the Securities Commissions in each of the provinces of Canada except Quebec. Upon a final short form base shelf prospectus (the "Shelf Prospectus") becoming effective, these filings will, subject to securities regulatory requirements, allow the Company to make offerings of up to $100,000,000 of common shares, preference shares, debt securities, warrants, subscription receipts, units, or any combination of such securities (all of the foregoing, collectively, the "Securities") during the 25-month period that the Shelf Prospectus is effective. The Securities may be offered separately or together, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined based on market conditions at the time of sale and set forth in an accompanying shelf prospectus supplement ("Prospectus Supplement") and, subject to applicable regulations, may include 'at-the-market' transactions, private placements, public offerings or strategic investments. Unless otherwise specified in a Prospectus Supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of Securities for cash will be used to complete the development of the Idaho Cobalt Project for commercial production and general corporate purposes including working capital, funding ongoing operation and/or capital requirements, reducing the level of indebtedness outstanding from time to time, discretionary capital programs, exploration and development of additional properties or interests (direct or indirect) therein, and potential future acquisitions. Each Prospectus Supplement will contain specific information, if any, concerning the use of proceeds from that sale of Securities. "The filing of this Shelf Prospectus provides flexibility for future securities based financings and this will enhance the Company's access to the capital markets. This allows the Company to take advantage of opportunities as they arise to increase value for all of our stakeholders", commented Paul Farquharson, President & CEO of eCobalt. He continued, "This will offer management the ability to act quickly on all aspects of business development as we move the Idaho Cobalt Project through feasibility and ultimately, production." This news release shall not in any circumstances constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the applicable securities laws of any such jurisdiction. A copy of the Shelf Prospectus can be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About eCobalt Solutions Inc. (www.ecobalt.com) eCobalt Solutions is a well-established Toronto Stock Exchange listed company committed to providing a unique opportunity for consumers to acquire an ethically sourced, environmentally sound, transparent supply of battery grade cobalt salts, essential for the rapidly growing rechargeable battery and renewable energy sectors, produced safely and responsibly in the United States. eCobalt Solutions Inc. "J. Paul Farquharson" J. Paul Farquharson President & CEO Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking Statements Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Statements in this news release pertaining to expected financings, filings, uses of proceeds or project completion dates are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such projections are and will inevitably always be dependent on assumptions about future mineral prices and development costs which will be subject to fluctuation due to global and local economic and industry conditions. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties which may cause results to differ from those contained in forward-looking statements is included in filings by the Company with securities regulatory authorities and is available at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Although the Company has disclosed that the Idaho Cobalt Project remains the sole, near term, environmentally permitted, primary cobalt deposit in the United States and offers a unique potential for North American consumers to secure an ethically sourced, environmentally sound supply of battery grade cobalt chemicals, there is no guarantee that the Company will attain commercial production of such cobalt chemicals for use in the rechargeable battery sector. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The statements contained in this news release in regard to eCobalt Solutions Inc. that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including eCobalt Inc.'s beliefs, expectations, hopes or intentions regarding the future. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and are based on information available to eCobalt Solutions Inc. as of such date. It is important to note that actual outcome and the actual results could differ from those in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as technological, legislative, corporate, commodity price and marketplace changes. SOURCE eCobalt Solutions Inc. TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Orefinders Resources Inc. ("Orefinders" or the "Company") (TSX.V: ORX) Orefinders Resources Inc. (the "Company") is pleased to announce it has received subscriptions for a non-brokered private placement of 3,112,145 units, at a price of $0.07 per unit, to raise proceeds of $217,850. Each unit consists of one common share and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder to purchase one additional common share, at $0.10 per share, until October 21, 2018. The Company anticipates closing its private placement on October 21, 2016. The proceeds from the private placement will be used for working capital purposes and for the advancement of the Mirado Mine's Phase Two Preliminary Economic Assessment. "We are working towards the PEA report on Phase Two of the Mirado Mine project, which is the evaluation of putting the existing open pit back into production on a long term tolling milling basis. It is important that we start this work prior to the snow season in Kirkland Lake, and it was necessary to complete this financing in order to initiate this work," said Stephen Stewart Orefinders CEO. All of the shares, warrants and any shares issued upon exercise of the warrants comprising the units are subject to a hold period until February 22, 2018, except as permitted by applicable Canadian securities laws and the TSX Venture Exchange. No finder's fee or commission will be paid in connection with the private placement. 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. Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Orefinders' assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Orefinders. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by Orefinders with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available under Orefinders' profile at www.sedar.com. For the latest updates please contact or follow us on Twitter @OrefindersR SOURCE Orefinders Resources Inc. India, China conduct second Joint tactical Exercise in Ladakh Published: October 20, 2016 India and China have conducted second joint military exercise Sino India Cooperation 2016 in Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The exercise compliments Hand in Hand series of India-China joint military exercises that aims to enhance cooperation and maintain peace and tranquility along border areas of both countries. Key Facts The theme of the day long joint exercise was based on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR). In it a fictitious situation of earthquake striking an Indian Border village was painted. Thereafter joint teams of both countries carried out rescue operations, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance. The exercise 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 border guarding forces of both countries along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Background The second edition of the exercise was conducted as part of ongoing initiative between both countries to enhance interaction and cooperation under provisions of Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA), 2013. The first Joint Exercise under BDCA, 2013 was held in February 2016 in the area of Border Personnel Meeting Hut at Chushul Garrison of Eastern Ladakh, along with Chinese troops of Moldo Garrison. Comment This is for first time both countries have conducted military exercises in state of Jammu and Kashmir in Eastern Ladakh amidst growing uneasiness in the bilateral relationship. The exercise also comes in the backdrop of stalemate over Indias multilateral disagreements with China over blacklisting of Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar at the United Nations and membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016 Topics: Defence Disaster Management India China Indian Military Exercises Military Exercises National Latest E-Books SHARE Foreign market could surpass U.S. By Rami Grunbaum, The Seattle Times (TNS) SEATTLE Starbucks is raising its sights in China and aims to have 5,000 stores by 2021 in a market that Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz says "will be larger than the U.S. over time." "There's no doubt at some point China will exceed the U.S.," Schultz said in an interview. The Seattle-based company now has more than 2,300 stores in China, up from 400 in 2011. It had previously outlined plans to reach 3,400 by the end of 2019. Overseeing plans to double the store count will be Belinda Wong, who has been promoted from president to CEO of Starbucks China. At an investor conference last month, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Scott Maw said U.S. stores bring in average revenue of $1.6?million, and "it's about $1.2 million in Japan and approaching $900,000 in China," according to an S&P Capital IQ transcript. But "China (is) leading the way in overall return," he said, with a 64?percent return on investment for new stores, compared with 55?percent in Japan and 61 percent in the U.S. Schultz noted that Starbucks will open its first high-end Roastery outside Seattle next year in Shanghai. But Schultz said Starbucks won't export to China its tendency to be outspoken on societal issues such as race relations, the treatment of veterans or same-sex marriage. Farmer SHARE By Staff Report San Angelo City Councilwoman Charlotte Farmer has been selected as a winner of the Elected Women of Excellence Award for 2016 by the National Foundation for Women Legislators. She will be recognized as a distinguished elected woman at the group's annual conference in Orlando, Florida, Nov. 16-20. "I am truly humbled and honored to have been nominated and to receive such a prestigious award," Farmer said. "The far greater satisfaction comes from the opportunity the past 11 years to serve our community. Saying 'thank you' to the citizens of San Angelo for their confidence and their support seems somehow insufficient. But I am forever grateful." Farmer expressed regret she cannot attend the conference to accept the award. Farmer has represented Single-Member District 6 on the City Council since 2005, winning election six times. She has lived in San Angelo since 1977. During that span, she has compiled an array of public and civic service that includes two terms each on the Civic Events board and on the Public Housing Authority board. She also has served on a multitude of city committees dedicated to concerns such as investments, renovations of the municipal swimming pool and of the Concho River, the half-cent sales tax, budgets and park revitalization. She continues to serve on the board of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance. Farmer spent 25 years in commercial banking, mortgage lending, regulations and compliance. She also worked 16 years in property management. She served 12 years as the San Angelo Apartments Association's board president and education director. She has earned a number of professional certifications and studied at Angelo State University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Texas. Farmer has been affiliated with San Angelo's homebuilders and Realtors associations, the Girls Fast Pitch Association and the San Angelo Bowling Association. In 2010, the Girl Scouts of Central Texas named her a Woman of Distinction. Farmer has two grown children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is a member of Glen Meadows Baptist Church. Founded in 1938, the National Foundation for Women Legislators seeks to empower and inspire elected women to become thought leaders who shape America's future. It does so by providing strategic resources to elected women for leadership development, exchange of diverse legislative ideas and effective governance through conferences, state outreach, educational materials, professional and personal relationships and networking. It is the oldest organization for elected women in the United States and the only one that includes women on the city, county and state levels. SHARE By Staff Report San Angelo Elks Lodge #1880 will serve a free meal to all military veterans and their families from noon - 3 p.m. Nov. 5 at 2121 S. Chadbourne St. The meal will follow the Veterans Day parade downtown. Weather permitting, expanded seating will be available in the newly completed patio area. Residents who would like to thank the veterans are encouraged to attend. Call 325-227-6920 or 325-374-4443 for more information. SHARE By Staff Report The Friends of Fairmount Cemetery invites volunteers to join in preparing the historic San Angelo burial ground for Veterans Day. Flags will be placed on more than 1,400 veterans' gravesites throughout the 57-acre cemetery, some dating back to the Texas War of Independence. Preparations begin at 2 p.m. Nov. 6 at 1120 W. Ave. N. A Veterans Day ceremony is planned at 11 a.m. Nov. 11. Col. Michael L. Downs, commander of Goodfellow Air Force Base's 17th Training Wing, will be the featured speaker, and several local dignitaries and representatives will attend. Call 325-374-7422 for more information. SHARE By Staff Report State Sen. Charles Perry will appear at a series of town hall forums in District 28, joined by state Rep. Drew Darby on his first stop in Mertzon. The lawmakers will be at the Irion County Courthouse at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 1 to speak with residents about legislative matters, answer questions and hear feedback from constituents. Perry and Darby, who represent the San Angelo area, are preparing for the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 10. This will be Perry's second session in the Texas Senate after serving two terms in the Texas House. He serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs. Darby is chairman of the House Committee on Energy Resources, and this will be his sixth legislative session. The event is open to the public in the Irion County Courthouse, 209 N. Park View St. Call 325-481-0028 for more information. SHARE The following editorial was written by Bloomberg View editors: The latest U.S. easing of regulations on commerce with Cuba is good news, not least for fans of rum and cigars. But it's also a sign that President Barack Obama's drive to normalize relations is approaching the limits of his authority. With this new initiative, Obama has done about as much as he can to lighten the burden of a pointless and outdated embargo. Moving policy on Cuba any further in the right direction will require action by Congress. This sixth round of easing will allow joint medical research and imports of Cuban pharmaceuticals approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As a result, U.S. clinical trials of a promising Cuban lung-cancer vaccine, for example, will be able to go forward. Cubans will be eligible for grants and scholarships for scientific and religious research in the U.S. It will be easier for U.S. businesses to trade by air and ship, and for Americans to work on improving Cuba's infrastructure. The president says his new directive makes the U.S. opening to Cuba "irreversible." Maybe so, but much of the embargo, codified over the last half-century into a thicket of laws, remains and it will take legislation to lift it. There's movement in that direction. U.S. public opinion on this has shifted including among Cuban-Americans presenting a new electoral challenge to some of the embargo's most die-hard proponents. A half-dozen bipartisan bills chipping away at the embargo have been put forward since 2015. Among the most significant is a bill to let Americans travel freely to Cuba as tourists, instead of under one of 12 categories of "authorized travel." The number of U.S. travelers to Cuba already rose by 75 percent between 2014 and 2015. This summer's start of direct flights from the U.S. will drive that higher still. Defenders of what's left of the embargo say these new visitors will just put hard currency in the pockets of Cuba's repressive regime. But in many ways, the surge is already outstripping the state's ability to capture the proceeds. An embryonic private sector is growing of self-employed Cubans renting out rooms, running restaurants, or driving taxis. Airbnb already has about 10,000 listings across the island; meanwhile, state-owned restaurants complain that they're losing customers to gasp! competition. The success of these entrepreneurs will fuel a revolution of rising expectations. The influx of visitors' dollars is also putting pressure on Cuba's government to junk its dual-currency regime, one of the biggest impediments to foreign investment and economic reform. Notwithstanding the occasional ugly American, most U.S. tourists are walking, talking spokesmen for the capitalist freedoms championed, to less effect, by the embargo's remaining defenders. By the way, one of those visitors ought to be the newly nominated U.S. ambassador. His posting requires congressional action as well: He awaits a confirmation hearing. Over to you, Capitol Hill. In Texas, 185 out of 254 counties do not have a single working psychiatrist. That's more than 70 percent. Across the state, there are 4.1 psychiatrists for every 1,000 patients, the fourth worst rate in the nation. Thinkstock SHARE By Gregory Rowe We've seen a lot of progress around the country and right here in Texas when it comes to improving mental health. Slowly but surely, people are recognizing that mental illnesses just like cancer or diabetes are health problems that need treatment, not judgement. More and more Texans understand that mental illness is pervasive in our communities one in five of us will have a mental health crisis in any given year. And more and more Texans are seeking the help they need and deserve. But with that progress comes a new challenge. All across Texas, there's way more demand for mental health services than there is supply. This challenge looks a little different depending on where you are in Texas. In rural areas, there may not be care providers within 100 miles. Big cities have more local providers, but the population is booming. And as anyone from Houston or Dallas can tell you, a trip across the city is as bad as driving a hundred miles into the country. Over the past 50 years, our approach to mental health care has shifted from institutionalization to community-based, outpatient treatment. In Texas, our network of 39 Community Centers has ensured that every resident in every county has a local option for mental health services. Community Centers offer a variety of services to address needs such as help with early childhood intervention, intellectual developmental disabilities, substance use, mental and behavioral health, veterans' services, crisis services and more. In Texas, 185 of our 254 counties do not have a single working psychiatrist. That's more than 70 percent. Across the state, there are 4.1 psychiatrists for every 1,000 patients, the fourth worst rate in the nation. There is a shortage of other mental health professionals, such as counselors and nurse practitioners, as well. The bottom line is simple: We need more health care providers, and making that happen will require creativity and determination. Some rural areas are getting creative with technology, employing video conferencing equipment that connects psychiatrists in cities to the rural clinics. This approach has made an incredible difference for Texans whose diagnoses require a licensed physician rather than a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. The state also has gotten creative with incentives for psychiatrists. Gov. Greg Abbott has proposed extending loan forgiveness programs to mental health professionals (including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors and advanced practice nurses) practicing in underserved areas such as rural communities. Qualifying practitioners who agree to work where they're needed most could receive up to $160,000 in student loan forgiveness over four years. The 84th Texas Legislature appropriated more than $2 million to the program for the next two years. The loan forgiveness program is a step in the right direction for rural counties and the Texas Legislature should be commended for seeking new and creative ideas. But we will need more more money for loan forgiveness programs and more ideas like it in rural and urban areas if we are to keep up with the growing mental health care needs of our fellow Texans. All of us, whether we're urban or rural Texans, need to let our state and federal officials know we need their help. Whether by phone call, letter or email, it is our responsibility to make sure our elected officials understand what we want them to prioritize. Our voice does matter, and for issues that enjoy bipartisan support in Austin and Washington such as mental health care our voice is critical. Write your legislators or call their local offices. Thank them for their good work on mental health care and ask them for more. Gregory Rowe is executive director of MHMR Services for the Concho Valley. SHARE By Cathy Norris According to historian Clay Jenkinson, President Teddy Roosevelt realized "if government doesn't protect the weakest elements of humanity and the weakest elements of nature, the whole game is lost. Roosevelt understood that we can only have economic development and the beauty of our land if we severely restrained our acquisitive energies for some part of this continent. That is the key." As John Muir found his purpose, we found a purpose for our travels this year, after watching Ken Burns' Documentary "100th Anniversary of the National Parks." In 1864, Muir began a journey to discover America, and three years later he suffered an accident that threatened his eyesight. According to a biography, his sight came back and he "saw the world and his purpose in a new light." As he said, "sometimes God has to hit you in head to get your attention." In the late 1860s, he found his way to California and lived in Yosemite for the next three years. He said he would rather worship in cathedrals created by God than the temples built by man. Niagara Falls, the oldest state park, would be the inspiration for Muir and others to save and protect these wonderful natural areas. What happened at Niagara Falls was referred to "as capitalism at its worst" shoddy buildings and exorbitant fees for lodging and activities. Not until 2008 did Congress designate it a National Heritage Area. Muir saw the same things happening in Yosemite. The logging industry used clear-cutting, which means everything goes. Businessman James Hutchings was turning Yosemite into another Niagara Falls. He built a fence barrier to block access and charged fees for entrance to land he did not own. In 1890, Muir petitioned Congress for the National Park Bill establishing Yosemite National Park. With his dedication and work to preserve large natural areas, he is referred to as the "Father of the National Parks." In 1892, Muri was elected president of the newly formed Sierra Club, a position he would hold for 22 years until his death. By the 1900s, the U.S. government had acquired national parks, national monuments and Civil War battlefields that were being managed by the Army. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service and chose wealthy Borax magnate Stephen Mather to run the agency, and he was the perfect advocate for preserving America's natural areas. Many thought the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias should be part of Yosemite. When Congress didn't want to spend the money to acquire Mariposa, Mather paid for it out of his pocket. He spent his own money to bring people for a day, a week or longer to spend time in all the natural beauty. They saw the need for saving natural areas and went home to share with others the need to help in this effort. Mather's deputy Horace Albright played a major role in the Grand Teton area. The Teton Mountain range had become part of the park system, but the surrounding lands had not been included. Albright brought that to Nelson Rockefeller Jr.'s attention and Rockefeller quietly bought lands that he would later donate for the park. People of the area were not having any part of it and for two decades the battle continued. Rockefeller tired of the protests and in a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt said if the federal government didn't accept his gift, he would sell it to the highest bidder. His bluff worked. FDR designated Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943. Ralph Henry Cameron was a prospector who saw the Grand Canyon as his way to wealth. He filed thousands of mining claims in strategic locations in the canyon and on its rim. He fought the creation of a national park all the way to the Supreme Court and lost. In 1920, he was elected to the Senate from Arizona and he used his office to continue the fight for control of Grand Canyon. He planned to build dams on the river. Mather and Albright were ever vigilant to keep that from happening. Cameron was defeated for re-election in 1926, finally giving up control of his Grand Canyon ventures. In the 1920s, Horace Kephart, a writer, and George Masa, a Japanese immigrant, started a campaign to protect the last of the virgin forest in the Smoky Mountains. The logging industry was using the same clear-cutting in the Smoky Mountains as used in Yosemite. Tennessee and North Carolina legislatures appropriated $2 million each. Money was raised and even children pledged their pennies. By 1928, $5 million had been raised. The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund matched what had been raised and donated another $5 million. By 1934, Tennessee and North Carolina transferred deeds for 300,000 acres to the federal government and in 1940 FDR dedicated the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. George Dorr, heir to a New England textile fortune, literally gave it all, his health and fortune. He was a Harvard graduate, a conservationist and would be known as the Father of Arcadia National Park. He worked tirelessly for conservation of land and habitat for public use on the East Coast. My husband and I visited Acadia National Park several years ago, and had I known Cadillac Mountain there was the first place to see the early morning sunrise in the United States, I'd have set my alarm and been there to say: Good morning, sunrise! Cathy Norris lives in San Angelo. In this photo released early Monday, Oct. 17, 2016 and provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, rescue workers trying to remove a boy stuck in the debris of a building in the neighborhood of Qaterji in rebel-held east Aleppo following an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria. Syrian activists are reporting that airstrikes on a rebel-held, eastern neighborhood in the city of Aleppo have killed at least 13 people, including children. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the airstrikes hit the Marjeh neighborhood. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) SHARE This 4-year-old boy sitting in an ambulance is one of the many children whose lives have been uprooted due to fighting. Aleppo Media Center/DPA/ZUMA Press file By Gloria Johns The Syrian civil war is a complicated and very dangerous situation. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia, while trying to manage a fickle relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, share the same dislike of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, not that the U.S. and the Saudis have much in common in the way of human rights. Meanwhile, Iran has allowed Russia to use its air force bases to launch attacks against Syrian rebels. Even ISIL, taking advantage of the chaos and the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Iraq, has entered the fray on the side of the Syrian rebels. All of this is in response to Al-Assad's brutal retaliation against pro-democracy Syrian rebels. It makes sense that the United States has been conservative in its strategy; conservative, yes. Irresolute and partially paralyzed, no. The U.S.'s plan to train a few thousand Syrian rebels never really got off the ground. Secretary of State John Kerry, who along with Hillary Clinton advocated for a more robust response, has plodded along through one negotiation after another with no real progress to show for it. And it was an embarrassment to the U.S. as President Obama's line in the sand was crossed when in 2014 inspectors from the U.N. Human Rights Council confirmed that sarin gas and other chemical weapons had been used by Syrian forces against ISIL in a city near Damascus, killing 1,400 people some of whom were members of ISIL, some of whom were innocent. Other major players having taken strong positions, the U.S. now has the dubious distinction of being the most powerful voice in an empty room. If it were only that America had lost face, it could pick itself up and move more wisely forward, but in its wake a civilization has been laid to waste. Under Assad's bombardment, more than 4 million people have fled Syria, and in Aleppo one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, a thriving metropolis, a tourist destination filled with medieval architecture some 2 million have fled the western part of the city, with those in the east, about a quarter of a million people, trapped with nowhere to go. They are an easy target. And of the fortunate who have managed to escape, few are allowed refuge in the U.S. The quality of mercy is quite strained. What's left for the people remaining in Aleppo is this: constant bombardment; homes, buildings and roads destroyed. No food, no water, and no medical or humanitarian aid. Of the 250,000 remaining in the east, 100,000 are children and we've all seen the pictures: The photo of a child frozen in fear in the back of an ambulance; a wounded girl hysterically searching for her father. Children no different than yours or mine. What would you do to save them? What would you want others to do? And this is not the first time in U.S. history that reticence has pointed the way toward human tragedy. In "Why We Watched: Europe, America and the Holocaust," Theodor Hamerow says that rescuing Jews was not a priority for the U.S. government during World War II, and it wasn't clear what a rescue plan would look like anyway. Quotas were imposed, making it difficult for Jewish refugees to get entry visas to the U.S. And in spite of the pleadings of American Jewish organizations and the War Refugee Board, the U.S. War Department refused to bomb Nazi concentration camps or roads leading to the camps. Countless numbers of lives might have been saved through these efforts. Does any of this sound familiar? It could be that for quite a while the U.S. has had an internal struggle between exceptionalism and isolationism. It imagines itself the greatest country in the world and at the same time the country that would seal its borders and build walls. Whether Nazi Germany or Syria, the U.S. should decide whether the appearance of a split personality on the world stage is to its benefit. I'm guessing it's not, and it can only lead to inner turmoil as well. A lot is riding on the U.S. resolving its identity crisis: national security, respect, and the value it places on all human life. Gloria Johns lives in San Angelo. India, Myanmar signed 3 MoUs including Cooperation in field of Power Sector Published: October 20, 2016 India and Myanmar have signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to boost bilateral relations between two neighbouring nations. These MoUs were signed in New Delhi after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the visiting State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi. Signed MoUs are MoU for designing an academic and professional building programme for insurance industry of Myanmar. MoU on Cooperation in the field of Power Sector. Under it India has offered to enhance power supply from Moreh in Manipur to Tamu in Myanmar. MoU on Banking Supervision. It was signed between Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bank of Myanmar. Besides, India extended support to Myanmar for a better connected future. Both countries agreed to cooperate in security and strategic issues. They also agreed to enhance engagement in several areas including to develop a mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses. Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016 Topics: Aung San Suu Kyi Border Security India-Myanmar National Power Sector Latest E-Books India signs pact with Russia to lease second nuclear submarine Published: October 20, 2016 India has signed agreement with Russia to lease second Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine (SSN). The deal is believed to be worth about $2 billion. The lease to transfer a multipurpose Project 971 nuclear submarine to India from the Russian Navy was signed in Goa on the sidelines of 8th BRICS Summit. The second nuclear submarine is expected to arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21. Background India had earlier leased first Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine (SSN) for a period of 10 years from Russia. It was inducted into service as INS Chakra (formerly known as K-152 Nerpa) in April 2012. Its lease expires in 2021. (formerly known as K-152 Nerpa) in April 2012. Its lease expires in 2021. Since then, India had expressed interest in leasing at least one more submarine to train Navy crew in complex submarine operations to have a large fleet of nuclear submarines. Akula-class submarines Akula-class submarines of Project 97 (NATO name Akula-II) weigh around 8,140 tonnes. They are considered one of the most silent SSNs in service and are capable of sailing at speeds up to 35 knots. They are nuclear powered but are armed with conventional land attack missiles. INS Arihant Earlier in August 2016, India had quietly inducted its first indigenously built nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Arihant into service completing its nuclear triad. Besides, follow-on submarines are also planned and at least two are in various stages of construction which will give India strategic foothold in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The second indigenous nuclear submarine of the same class, INS Aridhaman, will be commissioned in 2018. Comment Pakistan does not have a nuclear submarine and lacks a nuclear triad. China has four nuclear-powered submarines in operation and in a couple of years this number that will go up to six. Chinas Nuclear-submarines carry a version of the Dong Feng nuclear missile that has a range of up to 7,000 km. Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016 Topics: Defence India-Russia INS Chakra Nuclear Submarines Latest E-Books Standing together Wednesday in Pasco where police last year shot to death a Mexican man who was throwing rocks neither of Washingtons candidates for governor would commit to changing how state law treats police shootings.Facing each other in their third and final debate, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee and his GOP challenger, former Port of Seattle Commissioner Bill Bryant, by and large spent an hour reciting their campaign pitches.With falling unemployment, Inslee touted his optimism for the state and described education-funding increases, help for homelessness and the $16 billion transportation package that passed during his first term.Were making progress on jobs, were making progress on education, were making progress on transportation, Inslee said.Bryant once again hammered the governor over the states problems with homelessness and traffic, as well as Washingtons troubled mental-health system.Fixing such problems, is going to take an activist, engaged, forward-thinking governor, Bryant said. Whether the injunction applies to investigations under Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act, which protects against discrimination in public facilities and public education, "particularly as it applies to workplaces where school teachers or school staff may or must use the same intimate facilities as students." Whether the injunction also applies to rules set by the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Whether any part of the federal transgender guidelines can be reinstated if offending passages are removed. Clarifying an earlier ruling, a federal judge in Fort Worth said Wednesday that his injunction barring the Obama administration from enforcing its school directive on transgender bathrooms applied to every state in the nation.Lawyers for the federal government, seeking to limit the injunction to Texas and 12 other states that challenged the directive, had asked for the clarification to be issued before Thursday, when it faced a deadline to appeal the injunction.That appeal is still expected.U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor also clarified that his temporary injunction, issued Aug. 21, applied only to the federal directive that public schools allow transgender students to use the bathroom and locker room that conforms with their gender identity. It didn't otherwise affect the government's "core missions to combat discrimination based on race, national origin or disability," he said.O'Connor, however, said he needed additional information to address three points of contention on his injunction:The judge gave the Obama administration, which insists that federal officials had the legal authority to issue the transgender guidance, until Monday to address the remaining issues.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is leading the 13-state coalition that challenged the transgender directive, has until Oct. 28 to submit a reply brief.Paxton said the clarification affirms the principle that Congress, not the president, writes the nation's laws."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," Paxton said in a statement.Chuck Smith, head of Equality Texas, said he hoped O'Connor's ruling will be overturned on appeal. In the meantime, he said, school districts are free to provide access to bathrooms and locker rooms that meet a student's gender identity, regardless of the status of the federal directive."Transgender children deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and not be subject to bullying and harassment for being their authentic selves. It is the duty of school districts to protect every child," Smith said. On Wednesday, in the evening, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted a reception in support of the 2017 Queensland Music Festival where the Governor addressed guests. Description GIS 20 October, 2016: The African Union Commission would hold a Conference in Mauritius in November 2016 in the context of the celebration of the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) Week 2016. The theme chosen for the Week 2016 is Celebrating progress in implementing CARMMA in the Island States: No Woman Should Die while Giving Life. The main objectives of the Conference would be to showcase and celebrate the success achieved in reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths by Island States and across the continent and the launching of the Maputo Plan of Action 2016-2030 and the African Health Strategy 2016-2030. Participants would share experience on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Issues. The Conference would also champion for the prioritisation of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights in the sustainable development period. Some 35 foreign delegates and 20 local participants would attend the Conference. World Bank pledges $2 billion aid to Bangladesh to tackle climate change Published: October 20, 2016 The World Bank has pledged 2 billion US dollars aid package to Bangladesh to tackle climate change over the next three years. The aid package is part of the World Banks fund for the poorest countries. Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate change and accounts for almost 70% of all storm surges in the world. The aid package aims to further develop the resilience of the people at a time when climate change is putting their lives and livelihoods at greater risk. Background This is the second large investment announcement made by the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim during his 2-day visit to Bangladesh. Earlier he had announced to provide US $1 billion aid to Bangladesh over the next three years to fight child malnutrition. Comment The World Bank has provided Bangladesh more than $24 billion in financing in the last 45 years. Bangladesh is the largest recipient of International Development Association (IDA) assistance, having received over 24 billion US dollars since Independence. About World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programs. It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the International Development Association (IDA). Formation: July 1944. July 1944. Headquarters: Washington DC, United States. Washington DC, United States. Motto: Working for a World Free of Poverty. Working for a World Free of Poverty. Membership: 189 countries (IBRD), 173 countries (IDA) 189 countries (IBRD), 173 countries (IDA) The World Bank is one of the five components of the World Bank Group, which is part of the United Nations system. Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016 Topics: Bangladesh Climate change International World Bank Latest E-Books Description GIS - 20 October, 2016: The Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, met the newly elevated Cardinal, Mgr Maurice Piat, yesterday afternoon at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. : The Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, met the newly elevated Cardinal, Mgr Maurice Piat, yesterday afternoon at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. Mgr Piat who has been elevated to Cardinal by the Pope Francis on 9 October 2016 expressed his gratitude and appreciation with regard to the congratulations message conveyed to him by Sir Anerood Jugnauth upon his elevation to Cardinal. He further spoke of the cordial and friendly meeting with the Prime Minister during which several issues were discussed namely, the interest expressed by Sir Anerood Jugnauth to send an official request to invite the Pope for an official visit to Mauritius as well as the necessary arrangements for the newly elevated Cardinal to attend the consistory ceremony to elevate the prelates, to be held on November 19 at the St Peters Basilica in Rome. According to Mgr Piat, the elevation is more of a responsibility conferred upon him as a counsellor to the Pope and he reassured the Mauritian population that he will fulfill this responsibility bestowed upon him with humility and dignity. Mgr Maurice Piat, is the second Cardinal nominated by the Pope after Mgr Jean Margeot, who was elevated to Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 1988. Mgr Maurice Piat resigned as Archbishop this year when he turned 75, as dictated by church policy. Pope Francis has promoted 17 Roman Catholic prelates from around the world to the high rank of Cardinal. Cardinals, who wear red hats and are known as "princes of the Church," are the most senior members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy after the Pope. They serve as the Popes principal advisers around the world and in the Vatican. 1. Data-Sharing 2. Municipal Permits 3. Mandatory 15-Point Safety Checklist Federal Safety Self-Checklist Data Recording and Sharing Privacy System Safety Vehicle Cybersecurity Human Machine Interface Crashworthiness Consumer Education and Training Registration and Certification Post-Crash Behavior Federal, State and Local Laws Ethical Considerations Operational Design Domain Object and Event Detection and Response Fall Back (Minimal Risk Condition) Validation Methods SACRAMENTO, Calif. Nearly 200 local government officials, federal transportation policymakers and private industry representatives gathered in the California Capitol building on Oct. 19 to comment on and share concerns about recent revisions, released in late September, to the California Department of Motor Vehicles' (DMV) draft guidelines for the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the state.The goal is to get this type of life-saving technology on the streets as soon it can be, said DMV Chief Counsel Brian Soublet. But also, to make sure that it is done in a safe manner.Over the last several years, the DMV has taken a collaborative approach, working with manufacturers, consumers, public interest groups, the disabled community, local agencies, academic/research institutions and other stakeholders.However, many at the hearing were still not pleased with the latest revisions. The concerns generate primarily from the discrepancies between the federal policy released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the DMV draft regulation. Also at issue is that the revisions would require companies to self-certify that their vehicles meet both federal vehicle safety standards and NHTSAs guidelines for autonomous vehicles.Many of the speakers who addressed the panel represented automakers and trade groups, and their concerns with the DMV's guidelines generally fell within three particular areas.A lot of confusion surrounds how much data and what type of data must be disclosed.The federal policy states that a data-recording and data-sharing policy should be worked out with relevant standards-creating bodies in order to hasten the process of deployment. California's draft regulations, however, require manufacturers to equip the vehicles with data recorders and release the data within 24 hours to law enforcement agencies.The primary understanding is that sharing data will help manufacturers to understand mistakes made by other developers. By sharing information on collisions, sudden braking and acceleration, for instance, there will be a reduction in errors that cause such mistakes.Data sharing is an essential component, said Jennifer Cohen of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Crash and disengagement data must be shared with local municipalities and with the state.But a potential fear among AV developers is that this data could become public record and reveal information about how to operate and program a self-driving vehicle. This could create competitive disadvantages for California manufacturers.Regulations that require manufacturers to describe how they achieve their results is tantamount to forced disclosure of intellectual property and trade secrets, said Peter Leroe-Munoz, vice president for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, whose sentiments were echoed by representatives from General Motors and Audi.Another point of contention was the requirement that any AV testing must receive municipal permits or specific ordinances allowing the experiment. The draft regulations maintain that any testing of vehicles without a human driver present can only be done with the explicit consent of the local community in the form of an ordinance or resolution.But this creates an unnecessary amount of red tape that hinders the deployment of autonomous vehicles, explained Ron Medford, safety director for Google's self-driving car.Having three layers of government overseeing the testing of self-driving cars, he said, could create a patchwork of regulations.Perhaps the most common concern voiced was fear that the DMV has effectively mandated the U.S. Department of Transportations 15-step safety self-checklist. The NHTSA policy clearly states that the checklist, which the administration refers to as the "Guidance," is not mandatory, "and is not intended for States to codify as legal requirements for the development, design, manufacture, testing, and operation of automated vehicles.The federal policy suggests that manufacturers submit a "self-check" letter to state and federal agencies signaling that it passed all of the tests, but does not require this.The DMV drafted rules, however, state that the manufacturerssubmit a safety assessment letter explaining how it performs in relation to the aforementioned test. By requiring this letter, many automotive representatives argue that the DMV has effectively mandated the voluntary guidelines. If adopted in its current form, the DMV regulations run contrary to the NHTSA goal of having its policy and rules be a flexible, living document.The panel committed to taking concerns raised into consideration before releasing finalized regulations, and DMV Director Jean Shiomoto said that together, through collaboration, the department will be able to get the final guidelines right the first time around.The CA DMV draft regulations can be viewed here (PDF). The NHTSA AV policy can be viewed here (PDF). (TNS) -- After failing in previous years to pass significant legislation to boost broadband internet in New Mexico, lawmakers will meet Thursday to try to jump-start efforts for the 2017 legislative session.A legislative committee is scheduled to meet all day Thursday at the Capitol and will hear testimony from a variety of experts on how high-speed internet can gain a more robust footprint in New Mexicos rural communities.New Mexicos broadband access and expansion strategies have a direct impact on our job creation and economic future, said Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, the committee chairman, in a statement about the hearing. Improving our broadband infrastructure will improve education and New Mexicos position to compete for high-wage jobs.Padilla and Rep. Larry Larranaga, R-Albuquerque, co-sponsored a measure in the 2016 session that would have appropriated $950,000 to pay for a study to determine the technical and financial options for extending broadband in the state.The measure passed one committee in the House and then died.In an interview, Padilla said there are lots of groups working in broadband from state and local governments to telecommunication companies, nonprofits, the national labs and universities. His goal over the next two months is to get all the parties together and chart a path forward.Were trying to get everybody in the same room and craft legislation to tie it all together, he said. I want to hear directly from those who are living it. I want to hear what the real needs are.The Federal Communications Commission defines broadband internet as a technology that moves information from internet providers through satellites, cable modems or fiber-optic connections into homes or businesses. It is faster and can carry more information than dial-up services that push information through telephone lines, which have limited capacity.The cost of extending service is expensive, but broadband is readily available in metropolitan areas, such as Santa Fe and Albuquerque, where there are enough customers to cover the costs of the technology.Nationally, 39 percent of internet users do not have access to broadband, while that number rises to 68 percent in many rural areas of New Mexico and on tribal land, according to Padilla.On Thursday morning, the hearing will feature public school officials and telehealth experts, who will speak on the need for better internet. Cable and internet providers will speak in the afternoon on plans to expand their networks and what the state can do to help.The U.S. Agriculture Department also is set to speak about how the federal government can help with broadband expansion in New Mexico.The 2017 legislative session will convene Jan. 17. The government organization charged with building the nations first high-speed data network for first responders says it will make its first contract award soon. It will likely happen in November, although no firm date is set.With an award on the $7 billion First Responder Network Authority ( FirstNet ) program potentially just weeks away, first responders say that despite years of planning, they still have more questions than answers when it comes to the future LTE communications backbone.How will this thing be deployed? What are the subscriber fees going to be? What will be the impact will be on the local budget? How will the network be controlled? said Yucel Ors, federal advocacy program director for public safety at the National League of Cities. There are a lot of unknowns still.Officially no one even knows who is in the running. FirstNet wont release the names of bidders, under the rules of the federal procurement process. Unofficially, three groups say they have put their hat in the ring: AT&T, Rivada Mercury and pdvWireless.This alone is noteworthy. When the FCC auctioned public safety spectrum in 2008 it failed to receive a single viable proposal. Many wondered whether the 2016 procurement effort would draw credible attention from potential network builders. It has.FirstNet wont comment on the pending award. Officials wont say whether they are considering a multi-vendor play or if they plan to give the project to a single team. What theytalk about is the process that has been going on during the evaluation period a process of relationship-building with the states and emergency response agencies who will eventually implement FirstNet.The consultation and outreach this year has been really intense," said Teri Takai, a member of the FirstNet Board of Directors and senior adviser at the Center for Digital Government (a division ofparent company, e.Republic). "Initially it was very much focused on state and tribal agencies, but this year there has also been more activity to involve local first responders."Conversations have been especially active in Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Kansas City, Mo., and Los Angeles, as well as in other cities where FirstNet officials have solicited direction on the eventual form and function of the network. We have been diligent about collecting input from first responders, Takai added. The genesis of FirstNet was from the public safety community. They were the ones who came together as the catalyst for the original legislation.Members of the public safety community say they remain eager to see FirstNet implemented. Despite what feels to some like a prolonged process, they say the need for such a network is greater than ever.Every incident that public safety responds to can be shown to have benefited from a reliable, public safety network like FirstNet, said Ray Lehr, former assistant chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department and Marylands former designated FirstNet single point of contact (SPOC), who noted that the recent flooding in the southeast brought many first responders from as far away as New York to assist in rescue and recovery. "Communications were a challenge because commercial networks are not reliable. To communicate, first responders needed to bring their own network equipment and determine the best way to connect with local agencies.Born in the wake of 9/11, when interoperability problems hampered first responders, FirstNet was conceived to address just these kinds of issues. Early efforts have shown that the vision of first responders who can readily share data even during times of high-volume communication can be achieved.FirstNet designated several early builder cities to demonstrate the potential for high-speed, interoperable data networks.The Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS), for example, pulled off a successful demonstration at the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. During the course of an event that drew hundreds of thousands of spectators, LA-RICS forged a communications network across more than 120 law enforcement, security, crowd control and emergency response personnel.New Jerseys emergency broadband authority, called JerseyNet, scored a similar win, delivering critical communications capabilities during a Papal visit to Philadelphia in September 2015. That network delivered secure communications and live streaming security video via two system-on-wheels (SOW) trailers positioned in the upper levels of parking garages. JerseyNet also helped the Atlantic City Police Department provide video, voice and radio communications for two major concerts Maroon 5 and Rascal Flatts with a combined audience of nearly 100,000 fans.Such undertakings suggest the principles behind FirstNet are sound, and yet there has been skepticism raised, most notably in, which published a highly critical article that referred to the proposed FirstNet architecture as obsolete.Experts take issue with that characterization. I expect the network to provide first responders with better coverage, capacity, priority and preemption all at a better cost, said Robert LeGrande, founder of The Digital Decision consulting firm, referring to the mechanism whereby it can be assured that emergency traffics takes precedence on the new network. Its a major concern among the emergency community and, until the award is made, no one knows for sure how FirstNet plans to get there.But LeGrand consulted early on in the legislation that created FirstNet, and in his mind, "the probability of achieving these goals has increased substantially, he said.LeGrand points to the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) as solid evidence that FirstNet remains on track. Through that program, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has doled out $116.5 million in grants to 54 U.S. states and territories to help identify needs, gaps and priorities for public safety wireless broadband.Minnesota, for instance, received $2.3 million in SLIGP funding to update its Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan. Nebraska got $1.5 million toward that same task and Louisiana drew $1.9 million. Such funding has helped ensure FirstNet will respond to the practical needs of the emergency community, LeGrande said.As may be expected, the bidders likewise decryarticle. Declan Ganley calls it ridiculous. Hes CEO of Rivada Networks and co-CEO of the Rivada Mercury coalition, which includes Ericsson, Nokia and Intel Security, along with IT contractor Harris Corp., backhaul provider Fujitsu Network Communications and telecom construction firm Black & Veatch.The suggestion that public safety has better alternatives with existing solutions is patent nonsense," he said. "In terms of coverage and capability and speed, the reliability and the resilience of the network, all of those things are addressed very well in that [FirstNet bid solicitation]."The devil is in the details, of course, and so far those details have not been forthcoming. While public safety wont get the answers it wants until the award is announced, FirstNet officials do want to be clear that at least they have heard the questions.They are concerned about what the cost is going to be to them. They want to know we are making sure there is consistent coverage around the country," Takai said. "Those things have been there from the very beginning."Once award is made, FirstNet will deliver state plans to the governors. The states (specifically the governors) will either accept the FirstNet plan for deployment, or opt out and plan their radio access network that is interoperable with the nationwide network. Either way, state officials will face a massive undertaking, and success will require broad buy-in.It is important that all the decision-makers be engaged, and that includes legislators and the governors offices. On the local level that includes commissioners and councilors," said Takai. "Everyone needs to be part of the education process." Establish a Secure Funding Stream Hire and Retain Cybersecurity Talent Set Up Strong Ties with the Private Sector to Spur Innovation Collaborate with Open Data Program to Ensure Citywide Compliance Build an Exhaustive Response Policy Pre-established relationships with third party vendors. In-depth scenario planning that trains staff for responding to all types of cyber threats. Employee security awareness and education programming. Business continuity and process playbook which outlines how staff will continue performing job duties in case of attack (e.g., communicating with the mayor through an alternative email exchange if the network email goes down). A systems restoration plan that lays out how to get systems up and running without disrupting the business continuity. A thorough investigation of the nature of the breach and an immediate investment in addressing the vulnerability. Manage Risk by Improving Training and Culture Cybersecurity isnt a new priority for government, but investment in technologies and responsive policies that protect against attacks has lagged in recent years. Cyberattacks have evolved to become more sophisticated and complex, making it imperative that governments invest in technical and policy solutions that address the dynamic nature of these threats. Indeed, according to the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, cybersecurity was ranked as the number one strategic IT priority in 2015 for state and local agencies.While experts in information security recognize the dire need for more attention on cybersecurity, it can be challenging to make it a priority throughout an organization. The key is recognizing the prolific threat of cyberattacks. Living with risk is the new normal, and managing it is as an essential part of achieving optimal performance in digital government, explains William Eggers , executive director of Deloittes Center for Government Insights. To stay ahead, government should evolve and build strong capabilities for detection, response, reconnaissance, and recovery.Cities face challenges in protecting government data, yet investments in cybersecurity vary due to local priorities and strapped resources. Los Angeles, CA, the second largest city in the country, is investing in new technology and partnering with the private sector to spur innovation. The policies Los Angeles implemented can be scaled up or down depending on a citys size and capacity. Mission Viejo, CA, a suburban city with a population nearing 100,000, serves as a model for how cities can execute a robust cybersecurity plan on a smaller scale.The chief information security officer (CISO) of Los Angeles, Tim Lee, and the mayor of Mission Viejo, Frank Ury, represent cities that stand out in their efforts to make cybersecurity a top priority in California, a state facing the most network attacks of any other state in the United States, according to Akamais a real-time web monitor . Here are the key takeaways from these two very different cities that are both leveraging resources and instituting comprehensive response policies to be cyber resilient.As government becomes more connected and data-driven, it is crucial that agencies prioritize cybersecurity as a key expense in their IT budget.Cities can use recent trends on the federal level to justify an increase in cybersecurity investment. A federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2017 revealed that the White House plans to increase its cybersecurity budget by 35 percent . Mayor Ury and CISO Lee encourage local governments to devote 15 percent of their IT budget to cybersecurity.There is a local push to spend more money on cybersecurity to bolster two key technical efforts: situational awareness and threat intelligence. Situational awareness is a broad term used to describe the internal review process that allows an agency to evaluate the risk associated with all data assets and identify systems that require advanced security measures. Threat intelligence helps agencies understand the complexity and frequency of the different types of cyberattacks. A greater investment in cybersecurity will allow cities to be proactive about protecting government data. This investment also helps keep government running properly. Cities do not expect to function with their network down for a few days, so they should not expect their whole enterprise to be down for that amount of time, either. This scenario is entirely possible if cities undervalue the importance of cybersecurity.Government has always struggled to attract and retain tech talent, so it comes as no surprise that this trend persists in such a technical field as cybersecurity.Bringing in a cybersecurity expert is expensive and many decision makers are unable to see the return of investment on having these experts on retainer. With tight municipal budgets, it can be difficult to plan for low-probability, high-risk scenarios. However, attacks are increasing in frequency and are more likely to penetrate a system that is poorly protected.Mayor Ury and CISO Lee encourage cities to find room in their budgets for these specialists. Often the best way to do this is to hire a CISO who will work to protect the agencys information by addressing the significant disconnect between policy and tech and prioritizing cybersecurity. Smaller cities that lack the capacity for a CISO could contract out or hire a part-time specialist.A third alternative would be to coordinate a joint powers authority with other cities in the region. A shared services model would allow smaller cities to share resources and aggregate their spending to help buy cybersecurity services. In fact, Mayor Ury is working with other cities in Orange County to build a shared services network to support cybersecurity investment.The private sector is largely leading the way in cybersecurity innovation; therefore, it is essential that cities build partnerships with the sector.Los Angeles is planning a citywide public-private partnership initiative for cybersecurity. The initiative, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security and a number of businesses from different industries, will facilitate information, data, and threat intelligence sharing so that the public and private sectors can develop best practices relating to new threats and cybersecurity technologies. The initiative will also provide partners with remote access to the citys integrated Security Operations Center (ISOC), a centralized system that provides real-time situational awareness and threat intelligence across all city departments.Open data and digital services teams interact regularly with municipal departments to support departmental efforts in pushing data to open data portals and in using data to measure outcomes and performance. These partnerships are excellent opportunities to discuss all available data and how it is housed to ensure that critical data assets are stored according to the citys cybersecurity protocols. Cybersecurity and open data teams can collaborate to release data while being proactive in protecting vulnerable source systems that require additional security.According to Los Angeles Chief Data Officer Lilian Coral, open data is the other side of the coin of cybersecurity. The more that we work in concert with cybersecurity, the more we can prevent future attacks.To be effective in protecting a citys information, an elected official should understand the strategic value in putting robust response policies in place.When it comes to cybersecurity, not every approach is equally effective. According to Mayor Ury and CISO Lee, resilient cities have a pre and post-attack plan in place. Prior to a cyberattack, cities must set up a response policy that includes:Post-attack resiliency should include:Cities can spend large amounts of money on technical solutions and create detailed response plans, but without knowledgeable employees, one wrong click can have detrimental consequences. A Ponemon Institute survey of over 600 privacy and data protection training professionals found that 60 percent of employees are unaware of their organizations security risks. In addition to this knowledge gap, many employees exhibit poor digital practices, making their organizations more vulnerable to future attacks.According to the Ponemon Institute, organizations can alleviate risk through effective training and a proactive culture. Changing culture involves both leadership and behavioral incentives to nudge employees to be more cognizant of their choices. The report encourages executives to set the tone for the rest of the organization by requiring cybersecurity training for all employees without exception. Cities can also gamify their trainings to make them more engaging for employees.Finally, the Ponemon Institute recommends cities use data breaches as an educational opportunity to affirm through training the importance of being conscientious when handling sensitive and confidential information as well as having a real example of the consequences of a data breach.Los Angeles and Mission Viejo demonstrate that there is no perfect formula for protecting against future attacks, but there are a number of effective tools cities can use to reduce the likelihood and the potential damage. Cities should share practices to collectively strengthen the security of government information. Making sense (and, sometimes, nonsense) out of Current News, Issues, Politics : , 10 5 SGL Group, a leading manufacturer of carbon-based products and materials, will sell its graphite electrode (GE) business to Showa Denko (Japan). The two parties have agreed on an enterprise value (cash and debt free) of 350 million (US$384 million), which, after deduction of standard debt-like items (mainly pension and restructuring provisions) results in cash proceeds of at least 200 million. The final proceeds will be determined based on the balance sheets at closing. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, relating in particular to antitrust approvals. Closing is expected in the first half of 2017. The transaction is an important milestone for our strategic realignment. We will now be focusing our resources fully on our growth areas Composites - Fibers & Materials (CFM) and Graphite Materials & Systems (GMS) taking advantage of three megatrends mobility, energy supply, and digitization. Dr. Jurgen Kohler, CEO of SGL Group Following the closing of the transaction, approximately 900 employees and six production sites in Germany, Austria, Spain, USA, and Malaysia will be transferred from SGL Group to their new owner. To maximize proceeds, the cathodes, furnace linings, and carbon electrode (CFL/CE) business, which is also part of the business unit Performance Products (PP), will be sold separately, with the sales process to be continued in early 2017. Given the outcome of the GE sale, SGL Group is now confident to achieve more than the book value of the former business unit PP in the aggregated transactions. SGL Group is convinced that the proceeds of the GE sale and the expected proceeds of the CFL/CE sale will contribute to a significant reduction of the Groups net debt position and thereby improve the balance sheet ratios. In addition, the company is currently evaluating the merits and viability of a potential near term rights issue utilizing the existing authorized capital framework to further improve the capital structure and restore key financial metrics to create a solid foundation for the growth businesses CFM and GMS. A 640-acre solar-energy project, which would be located 11 miles northwest of Green River, is attempting to get off the ground in Sweetwater County. The project is being fronted by Sweetwater Solar, LLC., a subsidiary of the Hanwha Group, a company that manufactures solar cells and develops solar energy projects. Betsey Biesty, a representative of the Hanwha Group, said the company is from South Korea and has been involved in more than 35 utility-scale projects. The company works primarily in petrochemicals and operates a number of hotels and shopping malls in South Korea as well. The comp... Recently, the Wyoming Association of Municipalities produced its first Municipal Finance Report in an effort to address Wyomings economic downturn and potential solutions for the long-term financial health of cities and towns. This report was compiled by a team of Wyoming municipal leaders forming a Municipal Finance Task Force that met throughout the summer. Representatives from Casper, Cheyenne, Jackson, Lander, Laramie, Sheridan, Cody, Upton, and Green River, along with the WAM staff were tasked to come up with an action plan to review, analyze, and develop recommendations related... Stained glass windows in churches has always been something special. One can tell a lot about what the members of a church believe by simply looking at the churchs stained-glass windows. Residents are invited by members of a dual-parish church to look at their new stained-glass windows this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. St. Johns Episcopal Church and Union Congregational United Church of Christ are the two congregations that share the church building at 350 Mansface Street. Rev. Jenny Boteler of the Union Congregational United Church of Christ, said the members had discussed purcha... A St. Francois County 4-H club has brought some historic greenery to the grounds of a local VFW post with the recent planting of a Liberty Tree in recognition of American war veterans. Members of the Bear Creek Kids 4-H Club planted the symbolic tree Oct. 1 on the grounds of Farmington VFW Post 5896, located at 814 E. Karsch Blvd. in Farmington. Through the Missouri Foundation, in partnership with Crader Distributing and local STIHL dealers, Missouri 4-H clubs were given the opportunity to plant Liberty trees in communities throughout the state. Bear Creek Kids Leader Alisha Carrow explained that the idea for the project began when her club received literature about the program through the St. Francois County Extension Office. "Our club president, Alex Hawkins, filled out the application and submitted it," she said. "They asked us to come up with something for a community service project. Our 4-H YCLS (Youth Civic Leaders in St. Francois County) Team, made up of Alex Hawkins, Jordan Carrow, Dale Huffman and Maggie Hull, had handed out care packages to local veterans several months ago. They thought it would be a great idea to show more dedication to our veterans by planting a tree in honor of our veterans." According to Chris Willow of the Missouri 4-H Foundation, the original Liberty Tree was an elm tree that stood near Boston Common during the Revolutionary era. "In 1765, the Sons of Liberty, a group of American colonists, staged the first act of defiance against British rule under the tree," he said. "This spawned the resistance that eventually led to the American Revolutionary War. During the way, several other towns designated their own Liberty Trees as support for the resistance spread throughout the colonies. These trees became symbols of American independence. "The last original Liberty Tree, a Tulip Poplar, stood on the grounds of St. John's College in Maryland until 1999 when it died during Hurricane Floyd. Prior to its death, 14 seedlings were successfully germinated from the tree through a project spearheaded by the nonprofit conservation organization American Forests. These seedlings were planted throughout the original 13 colonies." Approximately 30 bud-grafted 3-4 foot tall Tulip Poplar trees from one of the 14 seedlings germinated from the original tree in Maryland were donated to Missouri 4-H clubs to be planted in public spaces throughout Missouri. According to Carrow, the Farmington VFW was enthusiastic when they received the offer of having a Liberty Tree planted at their post. "Senior Vice Commander Tom Rector and the other members were very open to us," she said. "When we planted the tree and presented them with a certificate of authenticity last Saturday, they told us they were very happy that we were able to do that for them. We intend to keep in contact with the post to monitor the tree's progress and make sure it's watered and stays healthy." A band of severe weather is making its way through Southeast Missouri. At 6:28 p.m. it was reported that the Fredericktown area had received some hail, and power was out for some customers. Earlier the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Iron, Madison, Reynolds, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties in Missouri, and portions of southern Illinois. We will have more information as details are available. Keep up with the latest weather at http://dailyjournalonline.com/weather. For more specific conditions and forecasts add your zip code where prompted on the weather page. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gold pumps with Hermes-like wings, red flaming heels and bejeweled boots set the tone for opening night of Saks Fifth Avenues first shoes-only store, branded as 10022-SHOE. Nestled in a corner retail space on East Elm Street, a short strut from Saks original Greenwich Avenue location, the new store welcomed 300 guests Wednesday evening with a fresh flower-laden wall and line of tuxedo-clad greeters. The store celebrated its grand opening Thursday. The event marked the first of three Saks shops opening in less than a year which, added to its others on The Avenue, comprise The Saks Shops At Greenwich. The Collective for modern designer fashion will open in February, followed by The Vault for jewelry in May. A renovation of the main store will bookend Saks activity on Greenwich Avenue later next year. Saks Fifth Avenue President Marc Metrick said Saks spate of stores in Greenwich is part of the companys decision several years ago to expand its metro New York City footprint. Saks also opened a shop in Huntington, N.Y., Thursday. Connecticut, and Greenwich specifically, is a key part of this overall investment, Metrick said, calling the move opportunistic. Greenwich is one of our most productive stores on a sales-per-square-foot basis, he said. The methodology for opening its set of distinct stores revolves around crafting a certain aesthetic for Saks. Were not just opening a bunch of stores. It wouldnt look right to have a 150,000-square-foot store, Metrick said. We want to maintain personality while still being dominant. Joe Gambino, Saks Shops at Greenwich general manager and vice president, is a Connecticut native and returned to his home state to lead the shops after managing other Saks stores across the country. Wednesday night he gave guests a tour of the 14,000-square-foot space and emphasized the prominence of its residential feel, saying the atmosphere is meant to be warm and inviting. Greenwich customers like the intimacy of the shopping experience, he said A variety of plush seats and couches are sprinkled throughout the shop to reinforce the desired boutique feel and encourage customers to linger and lounge. Soft tones in paint choices and furniture along with modern art and architecture are meant to give the space a fusion between industrial and femininity, Gambino said. Chief merchant Tracy Margolies directed inventory choices for the shop and said this location adds more categories than Saks previously offered and it provides customers with all-life styles. Some new offerings include actives shoes and sneakers. The shop also added increased back-stock and 18 vendors, bringing the total to 30, including a handful that are exclusive to the Greenwich store such as Miu Miu and Gianvito Rossi. Gambino said this assortment is important because shoes are an emotional purchase and the store now has the capability to offer shoes in any season a customer wants to purchase them. Gambino and Margolies said they hope the wide selection and atmosphere encourage people to hold events at the shop. Other perks include a VIP fitting room, personal styling services available by appointment and a complimentary delivery service to destinations in town and some nearby areas. With its 61,500 square feet of space downtown, all within a two-minute walk, Saks is the largest retailer in Greenwichs main business corridor. Restoration Hardware and Richards are the second- and third-largest retailers on Greenwich Avenue. This story has been edited to correct the planned opening dates for The Vault and The Collective. MBennett@hearstmediact. com, 203-625-4411; follow on Twitter @Macaela_ This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The third and final presidential debate aired for millions of Americans' viewing pleasure on Wednesday night. As Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump faced off over various issues in Las Vegas, Twitter users were quick to express their opinions in funny memes. READ MORE: Trump once tweeted about Putin possibly becoming his 'new best friend' The candidates spoke on border control; foreign relations, specifically Russia; abortion and the national debt. With every topic they discussed, Twitter seemed to have a cheeky response. The moment that flared the most tweets was when Trump said "hombres," Spanish for "men," while speaking about border control. RELATED: Editorial writer 'live sketches' the final presidential debate "We have some bad hombres here and we've got to get them out," Trump said. An instance that prompted laughter in the crowd was when Trump said "no one treats women as well as he does." The laughs were so loud, Fox News moderator Chris Wallace had to hush the crowd. At the beginning of the debate, the audience was asked to remain silent throughout the entire 90 minutes. CONTROVERSY? Trump refuses to say he will accept election results Before voting, get a laugh with some funny debate memes in the gallery above. No doubt Starbucks will keep wringing Pumpkin Spice Lattes for all theyre worth, but expect the coffee giants future to be a lot more single-origin-y: CEO Howard Schultz says today that theyve decided to double the number of fancier Reserve cafes planned for 2017 basically in an effort to be taken more seriously. Instead of 500, there will now be 1,000 of the chains over-the-top Reserve bars that serve the rarest coffees by the end of next year. Schultz has been fixated on these upscale cafes since at least 2014, but apparently hes really seen the line in the sand as the chain continues to lose customers to Blue Bottle, Stumptown, and the raft of even-better third-wave indie shops out there. Starbucks tells Reuters a few of these stores are already open in New York. The idea is for them to serve the pricier Reserve-brand coffees, wow customers with siphons and other cool brewing methods, and serve artisanal pastries made by Princi, an Italian bakery the company bought this summer. Theyll essentially be smaller versions of the Reserve Roasteries the company is also rolling out in hip urban areas. The first one of these opened in Seattle in 2014, and is a 15,000-square-foot behemoth that Reuters says Schultz sometimes calls a magical coffee ride. You can pay $50 for 8 ounces of beans here, order from baristas in custom aprons, and think for a minute that you maybe walked into a trendy third-wave cafe by mistake. The second of these roasteries is expected to open in Shanghai next year, and then New Yorks and Tokyos will follow in 2018. A while back, we reported about the Pixel launcher along with a method for installing it. In order to be able to use the wallpaper choose, we were also required to install a second APK which would bring the wallpaper choosers own functions. Today, you can download Googles own Wallpapers app which brings the same functionality to any other Android smartphone. You can choose from different categories like: Earth, Landscapes, Cityscapes, Life, and Textures. You can find a large variety of wallpapers on any of these categories, and you can also set a category to display a new wallpaper every day. You can also choose between a few live wallpapers, as well as browse through your photos to choose as a wallpaper. Likewise, if you really like one of the wallpapers that was assigned to your screen, you can refer back to the same Wallpapers app and read up about what you found in the wallpaper. This reminds us much of the Chromecast and how you can lookup whatever is being displayed between shows or movies. It looks like theres a pre-defined number of wallpapers per category. These wallpapers are definitely being downloaded from a server somewhere, as well. With that being said, I hope Google will maintain this app well and provide new wallpaper categories as well as seasonal ones. Despite only having a few thousand downloads right now, the Wallpapers app carries a 4.8-star rating on the Google Play Store. It looks like many users are loving the fact that the wallpaper changes every day, something that we havent really seen phone makers do, other than Huawei with its Magazine unlock. The lock screen changes every time you wake the phone. The screenshots do say the app will only work with Android Nougat. However, the app is working just fine on our Moto Z. Source | Via These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Tomorrow Samsung will make the Galaxy C9 official in China. At least that's what we thought so far. However, it turns out that the device we've been referring to as the C9 is actually going to be called C9 Pro. We now know this because a lot of official-looking Samsung promo materials for the Galaxy C9 Pro have been leaked in China today ahead of tomorrow's grand event. These contain a few press renders of the handset, which you can see in all its glory below. There are also quite a few specs detailed, so let's go through those. The Galaxy C9 Pro will have a 6-inch touchscreen and will be powered either by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 or the new 653 chipset - the two Chinese sources for these leaks couldn't agree on which one. In any case, the phone will have 6GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, a 16 MP camera on the back (with f/1.9 aperture) and a 16 MP unit on the front, NFC, a USB Type-C port, and support for Samsung Pay (including through MST). It's just 6.9mm thick. It will be priced at CNY 3,199 ($474 or 434 at the current exchange rates), which makes it a very capable competitor for Oppo's just announced R9s Plus. The Galaxy C9 Pro even features pretty much the same antenna line design on the back as that handset. Most importantly, however, it's going to be CNY 300 cheaper than the R9s Plus, while coming with similar specs. According to past leaks, rumors, and various regulatory certifications, the Galaxy C9 Pro will have 1080p screen resolution, 4G LTE support, and a 4,000 mAh battery. It should run Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. The phone's release may unfortunately be limited to the Chinese market. We'll find out more in less than 24 hours. Thanks for the tip, Samsung leaker! 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Note that the Court of Cassation t is not the only entity to take a public position in this matter, the National Association of Haitian Magistrates (ANAMAH), union body responsible for bringing the claims of judges, acknowledged in a statement of Judge Durin Duret, President of ANAMAH, "the right of the Court of Cassation to demand the replacement of de facto President Jocelerme Privert. Privert leading only by force." CSPJ letter to the judges of the Court of Cassation : "[...] Having learned with astonishment, through the press, the press note and the resolution signed by the Honourable Judges of the Court of Cassation of the Republic, the members of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, the signatories of this, believe it is imperative for the respect the principles of ethics and professional conduct, to fix their position. The signatories of this letter, members of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, administrative body, of control, discipline and deliberation of the Judicial Power, declare that the Judges of the Court of Cassation by publicly taking such a position deviated of the sacrosanct principles of neutrality, of impartiality and independence that characterizes the exercise of the function of magistrate. Consequently, the signatories of this position of the Superior Council of the Judiciary are entitled to recall and, in fact, they remind the Judges of the Court of Cassation to recover and avoid ending up in such a situation prejudicial to the smooth functioning of the judiciary in its entirety. Signatures : President of the Bar Liez Edouard representative of the Federation of Bar Associations of Haiti (FBH) Dilia Lemaire representative of civil society Jean Etienne Mercier Representative of Justices of the Peace Rene Sylvestre Government Commissioner at the Court of Cassation" HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - DR : Border under preventive epidemiological alert In a new report Dr. Jean-Luc Poncelet, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Haiti indicates that the number of reported cases of cholera have increased considerably after the passage of Hurricane Matthew to settle in October 15 (October 9 to 15) to 773 cases (464 cases in the South department, 167 cases in the department of Grand'Anse, the other cases in the rest of the country, Ministry source.) Recall that the latest report of the Ministry of Health (October 9 to 12) reported 510 cases. https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-18959-haiti-cholera-over-500-cases-of-cholera-post-matthew.html This is therefore an increase of nearly 100 cases per day, up... Given these alarming figures, the Ministry of Public Health of the Dominican Republic declared Wednesday the y preventive epidemiological alert on the border with Haiti. Altagracia Guzman Marcelino, Minister of Health, visited the border province of Dajabon and after a meeting with representatives of its ministry and other local sectors, announced a preventive epidemiological alert in the region. According to the Minister in the wake of natural hazards that cause floods, weeks after there is a risk that arise from disease outbreaks such as cholera, leptospirosis, dengue and malaria. She explained that as part of preventive actions to be taken at the border (other than those in place, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18958-haiti-cholera-dr-strengthens-its-sanitary-safety-at-borders.html ) spraying operations will be conducted in the border towns and the disinfecting of vehicles entering the country from Haiti. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18958-haiti-cholera-dr-strengthens-its-sanitary-safety-at-borders.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Humanitarian : Australia is helping Haiti Following the passage of Hurricane Matthew on Haiti, Australia announces $2.5 million to the international effort to help Haiti. The Australian Government will provide $1.5 million to UNICEF to improve access to clean water and sanitation to help combat the cholera epidemic and threat of other water-borne diseases. This follows an international appeal by the United Nations to intensify efforts to reduce the transmission of cholera and provide support to Haitians most affected by the disease. Australia will also contribute $1 million to the International Organization for Migration to provide shelter to people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. In addition to this support, Australias High Commission in Port of Spain is distributing hygiene kits and clean water to 800 affected families through the local arm of Plan International. RedR Australia will provide additional Australian humanitarian experts on the ground in Haiti to support the international effort. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Economy : ADIH concerned about the situation in the Great South Georges B. Sassine, President of the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) is "very concerned" about the extent of damage caused by the passage of Matthew hurricane in the Great South the North West and all other areas of the country and presents his sympathies on behalf of himself and ADIH, parents of hurricane victims and to the people whose property was destroyed. ADIH thank "friendly countries, particularly the Dominican Republic, NGOs and charitable institutions for assistance to victims [...] and the private sector and the State that allowed the delivery of aid to victims [ ...] [...] ADIH urges the State to ensure that aid is not diverted by malicious and that the smugglers do not use this pretext to increase their illicit trafficking. It hopes that the State will do everything for that lost jobs, following the destruction of agricultural infrastructure, agro-industrial, industrial and commercial, can be recovered as soon as possible; for that a massive supply of seeds and other agricultural inputs will be needed." To keep existing jobs, the Association recommends that institutions and individuals who help are sourcing locally and "appeal to the wisdom of institutions and politicians to unite to face the great challenges following this massive destruction of the Great South the North West of Haiti and all other areas of Haiti." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : New distribution strategies of humanitarian aid The Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities, from the National Emergency Operations Centre (COUN) informs that it has strengthened its distribution strategy of aid to those affected by the passage of the Hurricane Matthew. Thus, since 48 hours humanitarian aid consisting currently mainly of tarpaulins, food, water and medicine is carried by sea and air through the communal sections of Nippes, South and Grand Anse. This operation under the supervision the Haitian State is realized with the support of international organizations, which form a support unit to the departmental coordination of humanitarian assistance. Maritime and terrestrial coordination is ensured by a joint team, which distributes the aid following a disaster mapping of departments to determine the communal sections to reach in priority depending on the vulnerability of the population, difficult access by roads and the level of impact of the hurricane on the area. A fleet of two ships (the Pelican and Holland), 10 speedboats of the Dutch navy; 1 vessel (ARC7 AGOSTO), 1 helicopter of the Colombian Navy and 2 other helicopters are available to embark cargo and make deliveries in communal sections. Operations security in targeted communities is ensured by the National Police of Haiti (PNH), supported by MINUSTAH and ship security forces. On board each boat, two government representatives take part in the expedition to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian goods in different areas and, with the involvement of Mayors, the Boards of Communal Sections (CASEC) and Administration of Communal Sections (ASEC). HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : No special treatment in Canada for Haitians... Following the devastating passage of Hurricane Matthew on Haiti, immigrant support organizations ask Ottawa to expedite the processing of applications for family reunification for Haitians, whose deadlines are almost 40 months [already reduced this delay was 6 years previously]... These organizations also want the return of the special program of humanitarian sponsorship, however, Ottawa and Quebec have said they did not intend to renew the program for now. Tuesday, Marjorie Villefranche, the Director of the Maison d'Haiti, publicly reminded both levels of government (federal and provincial) the urgency to respond faster to the demands of Haitians, stressing that the current delays were unacceptable. For her part Janet Dench, Director of the Canadian Council of Refugees, which abounds in the same direction, urged Governments to find solutions to this delay issue. However, despite the voices raised, at the Canadian Immigration Department, one ndicates that there are no special measures in place for Haitians, but "one promise" that requests of Haitians having been affected in a personal way and significantly by Hurricane Matthew, will be handled case by case, "for expedited processing..." Regarding family reunification, Ottawa recognizes that the number of applications for many years exceeded the initial quota, which is one of the causes of the delay, stating that an additional budget was foreseen in the budget 2016 to accelerate the processing of applications for this program, the quota should be increased according to our information. TB/ HaitiLibre Published on 2016/10/20 | Source Fans gather at an autograph-signing event by the cast of the TV series "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" in front of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul on Wednesday. Kim Yoo-jung and Park Bo-gum Advertisement Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. 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State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Caldwell Wrong on Taxes Again News Release from www.Djou.com, October 19, 2016 Honolulu, HI - Mayor Kirk Caldwell created the Residential A tax classification to charge higher taxes on homes valued at $1 mil. or more. Charles Djou opposes this Caldwell money grab and a court has now ruled against Caldwell in favor of Djou's position. "Caldwell's universal solution for all of his administration's mismanagement from rail to homelessness is to just grab more and more money from the people," stated Djou. "The court ruling against Caldwell's Residential A tax class money grab just reaffirms what we already know - the mayor simply doesn't care about the law or the people. Nothing will change unless we elect new leadership at Honolulu Hale. I support eliminating the unconstitutional Caldwell Residential A tax class and working toward simplifying the real property tax code." In 2003, Djou worked with then-Mayor Jeremy Harris on a sweeping tax reform plan that dramatically simplified the City's real property tax code. Since the enactment of Djou's reforms, however, the City property tax code has become increasingly complex and is again in need of simplification and reform. ---30--- Charles Djou is running for Mayor of Honolulu. He represented Hawaii's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House and previously served on the Honolulu City Council and Hawaii State House. Djou is an Army Reservist and Afghanistan war veteran. He is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children. Oct 15, 2016: Djou: Cut Property Taxes, Eliminate Residential A * * * * * Residential A Property Tax Classification Ruled Unconstitutional News Release from Chun Kerr LLP Honolulu, Hawaii, October 18, 2016 - Honolulu law firm Chun Kerr LLP is pleased to announce that Tax Appeal Court Judge Gary W.B. Chang ruled in favor of Residential A property tax owners yesterday, holding that the Residential A tax classification is illegal and unconstitutional. Concerned property owners earlier this year appealed their 2016-2017 real property tax assessments on their Residential A property tax classification. Yesterday's ruling calls into question whether the County is able to collect taxes for properties under this classification. With this ruling, the County will now be required to address the status of approximately 8,700 owners of Residential A properties being taxed at the higher $6 rate per $t,000 of assessed value instead of the lower $3.50 rate per S1,000 of assessed value for standard Residential properties. The County may need to consider reclassifying these properties back to Residential and issue revised assessment notices. Of immediate concern is the status of February's property tax installment, and whether the County will be refunding tax payments already made by these owners. This may also prompt the County Council to consider amending the ordinance that established the Residential A classification. "The Residential A classification was enacted in 2013 to set up a significantly higher tax rate of 56 per S1,000 of assessed value for owners of residences valued at S1 mllon or more without a homeowners exemption," said Ray K. Kamikawa, Partner, Chun Kerr LLP. "The 56 rate operates as a cliff, not graduated, imposing significant tax burdens on local property owners as well as nonresidents." ---30--- About Chun Kerr LLP Founded in 1970, Chun Kerr LLP is an award-winning Honolulu-based law firm specializing in real estate, finance, business transactions and taxation. Chun Kerr's attorneys have been widely recognized for their expertise in local, national and international legal issues. For more, visit www.chunkerr.com. Big Q: Do you agree with a courts rejection of the Residential A property tax category? chairman and CEO of Starbucks Howard Schultz was once quoted as saying: When you're surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.Now, new research indicates that placing a high value on purpose is becoming increasingly popular.In particular, Australian employees yearn for a sense of purpose at work and they desire to know how their contribution makes a difference, according to the recruiting firm Hays.Indeed, the value in employee engagement of a competitive salary and perks has reduced and been replaced by a desire to work with purpose and make a difference, according to findings in the latest Hays Journal. Nick Deligiannis , Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand, said employee engagement was traditionally driven by a good salary and attractive benefits, but today most people see these as a given.Instead they look at what an organisation is working towards and known for, he said.Crucially, they want to know that, as an employee, they will understand what they are working towards and how they make a difference, which gives them a greater sense of purpose.This shared sense of purpose was also identified as important to employee engagement in Hays report, Staff Engagement: Ideas for action.It found that 94% of employees said a clear understanding of how their role helps the organisation achieve its objectives is a very important or important engagement factor for them.Moreover, 26% said they would look for another job if they did not have this understanding, while 51% might look elsewhere.Sixty-five per cent would go above and beyond if they understood how their role helps the organisation achieve its objectives and a further 29% would maybe do the same.Employees who understand what they are working towards feel a greater sense of purpose and thats a powerful driver of engagement, said Deligiannis.They feel they are making a difference and are working towards something that matters. Theyre also far more likely to support the organisations objectives because they understand them.Deligiannis added that employees are given ownership in the organisations success since they know what is expected of them and what their part is in achieving the desired outcome.In contrast, organisations that dont communicate employees role in achieving organisational goals create an atmosphere of uncertainty where senior managers and executives are seen to rule from above. A them and us culture is created, said Deligiannis.Meanwhile, a study this year by researchers at Cornell University found that having a sense of purpose allows people to "navigate virtual feedback with more rigidity and persistence.The researchers also found that having a purpose keeps you emotionally steady which is essential for successful academic and work performance.The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. t are employees putting off doing right now?Common answers might include starting that major project, replying to an email or having a difficult conversation.But have you ever wondered why it can be so hard to shake off the shackles of inertia and get moving?If you are caught in the procrastination trap right now, theres no need to beat yourself up, saidbusiness strategist, speaker and best-selling author.Building positive momentum in life is as simple as being realistic, choosing not to be emotion-controlled, and knowing the goal youre working towards.McQueen outlined three common reasons why people procrastinate:You might have never thought of procrastination as a by-product of ambition. However, often a key reason we get stuck in life is because we aim to accomplish tasks that are too overwhelming, intimidating and downright complex from a standing start.Mark Twain said it best: The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, then starting with the first one.So rather than trying to achieve the audacious, start with the simple and even the fun items on your to-do list.Accomplishing these simple things isnt necessarily about getting those things done, as much as it is about getting yourself moving.As Newtons First Law of Motion states, tendency of a body at rest is to stay motionless and the tendency of a body in motion is to keep moving.Motivation is often overrated. Sure, it feels good to be inspired, but sometimes weve simply got to summon up our willpower, set out in a positive direction and let our fickle emotions catch up. Nikes slogan really ought to be a motto for life: Just do it.Waiting for inspiration to kick in before you get started is a bit like saying to a fireplace, You give me heat and Ill feed you some wood. Relying on emotion to spur action is also profoundly disempowering because it puts you at the mercy of the fickle whims of emotion and sentiment. While relegating responsibility to your mood may be tempting, it puts you in the passenger seat of life.As founder of Habitat for Humanity Millard Fuller suggests: You dont think yourself into a new way of acting, you act yourself into a new way of thinking.The simple message is this: while its great to be inspired, dont make inspiration a prerequisite for getting started.Remember, motion precedes emotion. Just get started doing something and let the feelings catch up.Paul J. Meyer said it best: If you are not making the progress that you would like to make and are capable of making, it is simply because your goals are not clearly defined.Very few of us lack the knowledge of what to do or how to build success and momentum in our lives, we lack a clear enough sense of why to do it.The best way to stay inspired and on track is to have a clear and conceivable vision to be focusing on. Whats the realistic, possible and inspiring goal youre working towards?Do you know what it is and have you got it clearly set out in front of you? If not, even the smallest amount of effort seems too high a price to pay.On the contrary, where there is a will, there is a way and youll only have the will if you have a strong and clear why. The following information is provided by local law enforcement agencies. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Compiled by Jessica Isaacs The following were provided by the Watauga County Sheriffs Office. Oct. 7 ARREST: A male suspect, 27, of 446 Seven Devils Road in Banner Elk, was charged with DWI, no insurance and revoked license for DWI offense. Oct. 11 INCIDENT: Simple physical assault and assault on a female were reported at 11036 N.C. Highway 105 S in Banner Elk. INCIDENT: Breaking and entering motor vehicle and larceny from motor vehicle were reported at D&B Mini Mart, 12087 U.S. Highway 421 N Unit 1 in Zionville. INCIDENT: False imprisonment and assault with a deadly weapon were reported at 1121 Bamboo Road Unit 1 in Boone. INCIDENT: Trespassing and breaking and entering were reported at 290 Lonnie Henson Road in Vilas. ARREST: A male suspect, 56, of 2894 Old U.S. Highway 421 S in Boone, was charged with contempt of court, perjury, court violations. Trial date: Nov. 21. Oct. 12 INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 1055 Fallview Lane Apt. 2 in Boone. ARREST: A male suspect, 53, of 141 Canter Lane in Zionville, was charged with OFA/non-support. Bond: $956. Trial date: Nov. 1. ARREST: A male suspect, 35, of 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone, was charged with felony probation violation out of state fugitive. Secured bond: $15,000. Trial date: Nov. 22. ARREST: A male suspect, 30, of 150 Hillandale Drive of Boone, was charged with felony murder and non-negligent manslaughter and aggravated assault. Trial date: Nov. 22. ARREST: A male suspect, 40, of 211 Powell St. in Mountain City, was charged with carrying conceal weapon. Secured bond: $550. Trial date: Nov. 8. Oct. 13 INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 243 Cloudrise Lane in Banner Elk. INCIDENT: Domestic dispute was reported at 287 Smith St. in Sugar Grove. ARREST: A male suspect, 43, of 261 Pinnacle Woods Drive in Boone, was charged with FTA for DWLR. Secured bond: $2,500. Trial date: Nov. 10. ARREST: A male suspect, 22, of 1846 Forest Grove Road in Boone, was charged with felony DVPO violation poss of firearm and misdemeanor DVPO violation attempt to contact. ARREST: A male suspect, 31, of 762 James St. in Fleetwood, was charged with DWI. Trial date: Nov. 22. Oct. 14 INCIDENT: Breaking and entering and larceny from buildings were reported at 228 Winebarger Road in Deep Gap. INCIDENT: Larceny from buildings was reported at 119 Bluebonnet Drive in Boone. ARREST: A female suspect, 23, of 343 Heyes Wellborne Road in Deep Gap, was charged with felony probation violation. Secured bond: $15,000. Trial date: Nov. 7. Oct. 15 INCIDENT: Drug violations and gambling were reported at Dollar General in Deep Gap, 146 Yuma Lane. INCIDENT: Larceny from buildings and fraud were reported at 206 Alderly Circle in Blowing Rock. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at Valle Crucis Community Park, 2892 Broadstone Road. INCIDENT: Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle was reported at 220 Sunrise Ridge in Vilas. ARREST: A male suspect, 34, of 220 Sunrise Ridge in Vilas. Secured bond: $2,000. Trial date: Nov. 15. ARREST: A male suspect, 43, of 129 Merkee Road in Deep Gap, was charged with felony drug violations poss methamphetamine and drug violations. Secured bond: $2,000. Trial date: Nov. 10. Oct. 16 INCIDENT: Simple physical assault was reported at 998 Snaggy Mountain Blvd. in Boone. INCIDENT: Harassment was reported at 203 Courtney Taylor Lane Unit B in Boone. ARREST: A male suspect, 24, of 113 E 17th St. in Richmond, Virginia, was charged with fictitious information to officer. Secured bond: $500. Trial date: Nov. 10. ARREST: A male suspect, 29, of 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone, was charged with DWLR. Trial date: Nov. 10. Oct. 17 INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 1776 N.C. Highway 194 N in Boone. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 750 Blackberry Road in Boone. INCIDENT: Vandalism was reported at Freedom Storage Unit, 421 U.S. Highway 321 N. ARREST: A female suspect, 23, of 136 Ivy Drive in Boone, was charged with nonsupport/nonpayment of alimony. Bond: $3,849. Trial date: Nov. 1. By Emily Willis Photos by Jesse Wood Participating in the electoral process is a civic duty that some take too lightly these days, but not Nora Percival. She recently celebrated her 102nd birthday and was more than excited to hit the polls for early voting Thursday, as shes waited an entire lifetime to vote for a female presidential candidate. Percival, a local author and member of the High Country Writers organization, has written three memoirs on her own life experiences. As a Russian immigrant, the stories of her early life serve as a precious reminder that the civic duties in the United States are truly a blessing. Her first memoir spans the first eight years of her life. Born in 1914, she was only a baby when the first world war began. I can remember eating fish for almost every meal, because the crops had all burnt up from lack of water, Percival explains. I was born two blocks from the Volga River right in the middle of Russia. Her father eventually led the family out of their home country to exchange Vladimir Lenins plans for communism in Russia for a lifetime of freedom and promise abroad. We left behind my grandparents and two aunts and their children. Ive never seen any of them since then, she said. My mother died a year after we moved to America, because we had just lived through a terrible famine in Russia; but, I am very blessed to have all these children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, because I started out with no relatives. Taught by her mother in her earlier years, Percival pursued higher education after moving to the States. She met her first husband while attending Barnard College in New York City, a liberal arts college for women affiliated with Columbia University. Her second memoir contains letters written and shared between her and her first husband during the Great Depression. The third and most recent memoir recounts World War II and the societal impacts of war on women in the United States. Although shes experienced firsthand some of the worlds most noteworthy historical events over the past century the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression and two world wars Percival insists that voting in the 2016 presidential election is perhaps the most remarkable. This election is a historical event, because we have a female candidate, she said. I am very excited for this moment to be happening during my life! Personal experience has taught her to value her right to vote as an important responsibility, and its one that she takes very seriously. Ive voted every year since 1936, when I voted for FDR for his second term. I wasnt old enough to vote for his first term in 1932, she said. Since then, Ive voted every time that weve had a national election, except once, because I was having a baby. Im an immigrant. I wasnt born here, so the right of the ballot means a great deal to me, because the first time I had it was in America. I consider voting a duty. Its one of the things that gives me the right to live in America, which I much prefer from living in Russia. After waiting an entire lifetime to participate in this watershed in American history, Percival continues to take great pride in her citizenship and in duty to her country. Aside from there being a female candidate, the voting itself is the most direct feeling of freedom. Deciding who should represent our country is very important, she said. Its our responsibility that we do what we can to be well served as citizens. We have all these people growing up now my grandchildren are becoming of age to vote and they need to get out and vote! A lot of young people say, I dont like him, or, I dont want to vote for her, or they dont want to vote at all. If you dont vote, then youre just throwing away your civic duty. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket The corporate responsibility watchdog has published a report examining the working conditions at coffee farms and plantations in Brazil, India and Honduras that have been used as a supplier by at least one major coffee roaster in the Nordics. The cup of coffee you are drinking while reading this may have been produced by 56-year-old children or debt slaves working in forced labour-like conditions, reports Finnwatch. A living wage appears still a distant dream to most coffee farm workers; child labour, discrimination and high recruitment fees are other examples of some of the key field research findings, it states in a press release. Child labour was found to be a widespread problem particularly in Honduras, reveals Anu Kultalahti, a researcher at Finnwatch. Child labour was found at all investigated farms in Honduras, including certified farms. The youngest interviewees for our report were just five to six years old, she reveals. The main problem at one of the plantations examined in India, in turn, was high recruitment fees. Finnwatch reports that seasonal migrant workers at the plantation had to pay up to one-third of their earnings to labour brokers. Finnwatch notes that extortionate recruitment fees can lead to debt bondage, a form of forced labour, it says in the report. The working conditions were the best, although not entirely free of problems, in the farms and plantations investigated in Brazil. The recruitment practices at one of the plantations investigated, for example, were systematically discriminatory toward women, according to the corporate responsibility watchdog. Finnwatch urges companies sourcing coffee from the country to use caution despite improvements in working conditions in the coffee sector of Brazil. Local authorities, it points out, have reported that working conditions at several companies and co-operatives supplying roasters in Europe, such as Gustav Paulig and Meira, are analogous to slavery. Spokespersons for both Gustav Paulig and Meira have denied some of the problems, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Forced labour is absolutely in violation of our operating principles, and it cannot be tolerated. It is particularly unfortunate that one of these farms has supplied certified coffee also to us, Katariina Aho, the head of procurements at Gustav Paulig, tells to the daily. The farm in question, she adds, has not supplied coffee to Gustav Paulig since 2013. Raimo Sinisalo, the managing director of Meira, underlines in a press release that the distributor of coffee and spices monitors the working conditions of workers employed by its suppliers regularly. Meira has invested considerably in developing and monitoring its responsibility criteria in recent years, he states. Meira's procurement company does not acquire coffee from the so-called blacklist companies nor is the green coffee they produce used in the products of Meira. Finnwatch also acknowledges that members of the coffee industry have notably increased the proportion of social sustainability standard-compliant green coffee of their procurements. Arvid Nordquist and Kesko stand out in a comparison of coffee industry operators in Finland, as all of their own brand coffee products are already certified. Lidl, on the other hand, has adopted considerably less ambitious sustainability targets, whereas Meira and Tuko Logistics have no sustainability targets whatsoever for their green coffee purchases, the watchdog says. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Orlando Sierra AFP/Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi LONG LINE FORMS AS ONE-STOP VOTING STARTS Sylvia Angel votes during the first hour of one-stop voting in Henderson County on Thursday. The intense interest in the 2016 election was dramatically displayed this morning when early voters negotiated a traffic jam, a parking shortage and a wait of more than an hour to cast ballots. Related Stories When Henderson County opened its first one-stop voting site at 8:30 a.m. a line had already formed and voters continued to stream in. At 9:15 a.m. 117 voters stood in a line that snaked around two sides of the Board of Elections headquarters at 75 East Central St. I like to do it and get it over with, said Sylvia Angel, who drove from Mills River to the Hendersonville site. After last nights debate you better believe I was ready to vote. Three more one-stop voting sites open Monday. Elections Director Beverly Cunningham said the crowd today was bigger than years past, signaling a huge interest in this years contentious election at the top of the ticket and down ballot. Polls show the presidential, gubernatorial and U.S. Senate race all within the margin of error and North Carolina is among a handful swing states where Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are fighting the hardest. Last time we didnt open one-stop voting until a week from today, Cunningham said. The Board of Elections expanded the total number of hours in response to a federal appeals court ruling that struck down an effort by the Republican-controlled Legislature to shrink early voting. "We hope to have 30,000 voting" in all forms available before Election day one-stop and absentee, Cunningham said. That would be 38 percent of the county's 79,000 registered voters. Voters quickly filled the limited parking at the elections office and dozens of cars parked along East Central Street and at OReilly Auto Parts. Its kind of crowded, store manager Troy Green said. We knew it was election time, early voting. Well probably tape off a spot for our customers but we have a big parking lot. One-stop voting takes place at the Henderson County Board of Elections office, 75 East Central St., off Spartanburg Highway. Other one-stop voting starts Monday, Oct. 24, and is available at Etowah Library, 101 Brickyard Road, Etowah; Flat Rock Village Hall, 110 Village Center Drive, Flat Rock; and Fletcher Library, 120 Library Road, Fletcher. One-stop voting hours at the Henderson County Board of Elections office: Oct. 20-21: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 24-28: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 21-Nov. 4: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday: Nov. 5: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. One-stop voting hours at Etowah Library, Flat Rock Village Hall and Fletcher Library: Oct. 24-28: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 31-Nov. 4: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. 'The victim's right front tooth was completely knocked out along with half of the left' (stock photo) A worker in a Dublin nightclub was glassed in the face and lost two front teeth when he tried to stop an assault on a woman. Silviu Voivod (31) will be sentenced later after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Robert McMickan at Dandelion Bar & Nightclub, St Stephen's Green, on October 12, 2014. He has no previous convictions. The prosecution told the court that Mr McMickan was a first-year college student who was working part-time as a lounge boy in Dandelion. On the night in question, he entered the VIP section of the club when he felt a knock on his shoulder. He turned around to see a woman being "gripped" around the neck by the accused. He tried to intervene to help her, but saw a glass "coming straight for his face". Voivod then "came at him" with punches to his back, side and head, the court heard. Gda Mary O'Hara agreed with counsel that Voivod got away and Mr McMickan was taken to Tallaght Hospital. The victim's right front tooth was completely knocked out along with half of the left. He also had cuts to his upper lip and his face was scarred, the court heard. Mr McMickan had to attend the emergency department at Dublin Dental University Hospital to get substitute teeth put in as the nerves were exposed. He later got both teeth replaced and as a result missed two weeks of college. The court heard that Mr McMickan has been left with scars on his face and felt he was the victim of an "unprovoked attack". His medical bills amounted to more than 5,000. The defence told the court that Voivod was in a relationship and had a young son. Remorse He said his client had made no effort to flee the country and had brought 500 to court with him to give to Mr McMickan as an expression of his remorse. "He apologises and he feels very bad for what he has done," said the barrister. Voivod, of Littlepace, Clonee, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at the earliest possible stage and did not seek a trial, the court heard. Judge Melanie Greally said the accused was facing a custodial sentence. These types of "glassing incidents" could not be tolerated and were "becoming far too frequent an occurrence", she said. She added that "a very strong message" needed to be sent out and she would impose a custodial sentence on December 6. Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media. Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates. Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications. A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission. He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups. Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association. He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV. Reading Louise Miller's The City Baker's Guide to Country Living makes me hungry. That's how "into the moment" I am when reading it. Some books do that to you. There is a certain pleasure factor to reading generally, of course. But it takes on a whole new dimension when a writer is particularly adept at describing food. This made me think of other good books that have meals in them that I have enjoyed or have on my bookshelves for future enjoyment. You know what that means . . . nothing like a good book list to have at hand. So, in honor of a good meal, here are a baker's dozen (of course) novels that might make your mouth water. Chocolat by Joanne Harris -- "In tiny Lansquenet, where nothing much has changed in a hundred years, beautiful newcomer Vianne Rocher and her exquisite chocolate shop arrive and instantly begin to play havoc with Lenten vows. Each box of luscious bonbons comes with a free gift: Vianne's uncanny perception of its buyer's private discontents and a clever, caring cure for them. Is she a witch? Soon the parish no longer cares, as it abandons itself to temptation, happiness, and a dramatic face-off between Easter solemnity and the pagan gaiety of a chocolate festival." **One of my all-time favorite books** Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival -- "Like Water For Chocolate, a poignant love story told from a woman's point of view, takes place on the De la Garza ranch in turn-of-the-century Mexico. Cooking and eating play a central role in the tale. The heroine, Tita, a master chef, was literally born in the kitchen. Following tradition, her tyrannical mother decrees that Tita as the youngest must not marry but must instead care for her mother in old age. Unable to communicate freely, Tita concocts recipes so magically potent as to convey her emotions to all who eat her creations- even the chickens-with often hilarious results." Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal -- "When Lars Thorvalds wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wineand a dashing sommelierhes left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. Hes determined to pass on his love of food to his daughterstarting with pureed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Evas journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast thats a testament to her spirit and resilience." The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert -- "Set in the lovely, quirky heart of Wisconsin, The Coincidence of Coconut Cake is a charming love story of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and the power of food to bring two people together." The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe by Mary Simses -- " This charming, tender first novel emphasizes the power of simple pleasures, comfort food, and undeniable chemistry." Delicious! by Ruth Reichl -- "When Billie Breslin abandons college to work as assistant to the editor of Delicious! magazine, shes immediately known for her superhuman palate: she can taste any dish and list its ingredients and suggest the flavors it needs. Shes known for another trait, too: Billie does not cook. When Delicious! is unceremoniously folded by its parent publisher, Billie is the sole employee kept on to honor the magazines guarantee: Your money back if the recipe doesnt work. Between phone calls from wacky subscribers, alone in the yawning old mansion headquarters, Billie discovers a hidden room and a cache of quirkily cataloged letters from a young girl to Delicious! writer James Beard during WWII. In the search for each letter and the young letter writer herself, Billie finds a purpose and a heroine, and gathers the courage to face the past shes running from." (Booklist) Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks -- "The life of 31-year-old trophy wife Wynter Morrison suddenly changes course when her husband announces one evening that their marriage is over. Emotionally devastated and desperate for a change of scenery, Wyn moves to Seattle where she spends aimless hours at a local bakery, sipping coffee and inhaling the sweet aromas of freshly-made bread. These visits bring back memories of her long-ago apprenticeship at a French boulangerie, and when offered a position at the bakery, Wyn quickly accepts -- hoping that the rituals of baking will help her move on." Babette's Feast by Isak Dineson -- "It tells the story of a French cook working in a puritanical Norwegian community, who treats her employers to the decadent feast of a lifetime." The Emperor of Paris by C.S. Richardson -- "Like his father before him, Octavio runs the Notre-Dame bakery, and knows the secret recipe for the perfect Parisian baguette. But, also like his father, Octavio has never mastered the art of reading and his only knowledge of the world beyond the bakery door comes from his own imagination. Just a few streets away, Isabeau works out of sight in the basement of the Louvre, trying to forget her disfigured beauty by losing herself in the paintings she restores and the stories she reads. The two might never have met, but for a curious chain of coincidences involving a mysterious traveller, an impoverished painter, a jaded bookseller, and a book of fairytales, lost and found . . ." The Discovery of Chocolate by James Runcie -- "Diego de Godoy sets off for South America in 1518 with Cortes and the Conquistadors. During his travels he falls in love with Ignacia, a native woman who introduces him to the secrets of the most delicious drink he has ever tasted: chocolate. Tragically, their passionate affair is cut short by the chaotic conquest of Mexico. Diego later discovers that his lover had secretly added the elixir of life to his chocolate. Unable to die, he lives on through history -- Paris during the time of the Revolution, Vienna in the 19th century, late Victorian England, and Hershey, Pennsylvania -- accompanied by his trusty greyhound, Pedro. All the while, he searches to recapture the magic of Ignacia's chocolate -- and to learn to love life just as fully." The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood -- "Ever since her engagement, the strangest thing has been happening to Marian McAlpin: she can't eat. First meat. Then eggs, vegetables, cake, pumpkin seeds--everything! Worse yet, she has the crazy feeling that she's being eaten. Marian ought to feel consumed with passion, but she really just feels...consumed. A brilliant and powerful work rich in irony and metaphor." (Reverse treatment in this one . . .). Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran -- "Beneath the holy mountain Croagh Patrick, in damp and lovely County Mayo, sits the small, sheltered village of Ballinacroagh. To the exotic Aminpour sisters, Ireland looks like a much-needed safe haven. It has been seven years since Marjan Aminpour fled Iran with her younger sisters, Bahar and Layla, and she hopes that in Ballinacroagh, a land of 'crazed sheep and dizzying roads,' they might finally find a home." The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni -- "Magical, tantalizing, and sensual, The Mistress of Spices is the story of Tilo, a young woman born in another time, in a faraway place, who is trained in the ancient art of spices and ordained as a mistress charged with special powers. Once fully initiated in a rite of fire, the now immortal Tilo--in the gnarled and arthritic body of an old woman--travels through time to Oakland, California, where she opens a shop from which she administers spices as curatives to her customers. An unexpected romance with a handsome stranger eventually forces her to choose between the supernatural life of an immortal and the vicissitudes of modern life." (This is one of my most recent acquisitions!). Well, this list should keep us all busy (and full!) for a while. Do you have a favorite "delicious meal" of a read? Comings and goings: Boot Barn in the works; Clorox plant opens New store could be the third to move into Valley Plaza this year. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. HICKORY In a statewide effort to prevent underage drinking, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABC) worked in partnership with Governor Pat McCrory to launch the Talk it Out campaign. Safe Kids Catawba County brought ABC Coalitions Director Kat Haney to Hickory to offer residents a chance to learn how alcohol affects the adolescent brain, what the ABC Commission does, the history of the Talk it Out campaign and tips for talking about the dangers of underage drinking with children. North Carolina is one only 17 states requiring a state regulated ABC, Haney said. The purpose of the ABC is to regulate alcohol sales in the state and provide quality control, Haney said. Currently there are over 18,000 state approved retailers with over 2,000 listed products sold, Haney said. There are 425 ABC retail stores and 166 local ABC board, she said. The dangers of underage drinking and uncontrolled alcohol sales can be observed in places such as the United Kingdom, Haney said. Many people believe there is less alcohol abuse and consequences due to the prevalence of alcohol in the U.K., but cirrhosis of the liver and other alcohol related issues are on the rise, Haney said. Research shows children in North Carolina are -- on average -- taking their first drink at the age of 14. In an effort to combat underage drinking, Gov. McCrory signed two executive orders, 52 and 74. Order 52 established The North Carolina Governors Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force, referred to simply as Task Force. The Task Force consists of 20 members appointed by the Governor and in 2015; Executive Order 74 amended the Task Force and their mission. The amendment reads, The Task Force shall prepare and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly by May l, 2016 a comprehensive plan for effectively addressing (1) the underage sale and use of alcohol and drugs, risky behaviors and substance abuse among collegians, and the provision of treatment and recovery services for individuals struggling with substance abuse. Researchers from Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and Wake Forest have collaborated to publish, Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain: Immediate Impairment, Long-Term Consequences. The report shows how adolescent brains are affected differently than adult brains by alcohol. The report lists both short-term and long-term consequences from underage drinking. The study shows the adolescent brain is less sedated by alcohol than an adult brain, allowing younger people to drink longer than adults normally would. That leads to more binge drinking, the report says, which leads to more negative consequences in adolescents who drink. Long-term consequences include brain developmental issues and a greater risk for alcohol abuse or addiction problems in the future. Haney encourages parents and anyone acting as a role model for children to talk to them about the dangers of underage drinking. The Talk it Out program offers many ideas for parents or guardians to start the often difficult or awkward conversation. For more information, visit www.talkitoutnc.org This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ Non-communicable diseases including cancer are on the rise and some like cervical cancer adversely affects half the Indian population its women. Every year, over 120,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 67,000 die from the disease. This leaves India in the unenviable position of accounting for one-fourth of the global burden. The major cause of cervical cancer is infection with the human papillomavirus, making this one of the few preventable cancers. However, the already disadvantaged position women face in various settings often exposes them to greater risk. Factors such as marriage at early age, multiple pregnancies, multiple sexual partners, repeated infections and poor hygiene exacerbate the incidence of disease. Recent data from the Indian Council of Medical Researchs national cancer registry programme shows that between 2012 and 2014, Arunachal Pradeshs Papumpare district had the highest levels of cervical cancer. Although there has been a rapid decline in the cervical cancer in urban areas, the decline is much slower in rural areas. Given Indias scale, the management of cancers requires a comprehensive approach. Simple measures like regular screening can help detect pre-cancerous lesions and even get treated during the same visit to the health facility. Read | What do cancer patients need most after their surgery? Your affection The ministry of health and family welfare recently developed and disseminated guidelines for screening of common cancers. Although cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable, the majority of cases in India are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease. For this, the government is simultaneously working to enhance tertiary care cancer facilities while ensuring treatment is provided through central government hospitals/institutions in different parts of the country. Nonetheless, treatment for cancer is expensive and imposes a huge financial burden on families and the health system, affirming again that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Vaccines exist against HPV infections and the World Health Organization recommends them as part of the basket of comprehensive interventions for cervical cancer control worldwide. The vaccines can prevent 70% of all cervical cancer and are given to pre-pubertal girls in the age group of 9 to 13 years in either two or three doses. These are included in the immunisation programmes of over 65 countries around the world. While the cost of the vaccine had been a major challenge, a decline in costs and contributions from donors have enabled governments to procure at affordable prices. Several low- and middle-income countries now use the HPV vaccine nationally. There is enough evidence on HPV vaccine safety and efficacy globally. Lessons from countries like Malaysia demonstrate successful HPV programmes where a school-based approach covers more than 90% of eligible girls. Read | Anxiety-relieving molecule found that could help develop new therapy Given Indias robust immunisation programme, a swift introduction of HPV vaccines could give a further push to the natural reduction in cervical cancer rates. Soumya Swaminathan is director-general, Indian Council of Medical Research The views expressed are personal Trump showed yet again that he cannot focus on a policy issue for more than 30 seconds. He senses defeat and plans on continuing to be a nuisance to America and the world. It is not clear if the US presidential debates play a decisive role when it comes to persuading voters since American democracy is so polarised. Independent voters will have, in any case, made up their minds about Donald Trump by now, particularly after accusations of his treatment of women that have emerged in recent days. Analysts like NBCs Chuck Todd have, nonetheless, maintained that the third debate on October 19 between Hillary Clinton and Trump was still important because the Republican Party needed the latter to do well in view of the 34 Senate and the 435 House of Representatives seats that are up for grabs along with the Presidency. From that vantage, Clinton did the Democrats a huge favour by putting up her best in Wednesdays debate and easily trouncing Trump. The following factors worked in her favour: First, Fox News Chris Wallace was an exceptionally good anchor who set the tone for the debate. He picked sound policy-oriented topics, asked strong follow-up questions to challenge the position of candidates; he kept a firm lid on audience reactions to prevent TV viewers from being swayed as they would by canned laughter in sitcoms, and Wallace made sure candidates did not interrupt each other (much). This tight control worked well for Clinton; Trump could not strut around the stage, mock and point fingers at Clinton and generally draw attention to himself as he did in the second debate. This format allowed Clinton to hold forth on policy matters, her area of strength. Of course, she went into the debate with the confidence of being ahead in the polls and did most things right: She was more emphatic about her claims, she stood by Barack Obamas record and did not shy away from sharp retorts. She articulated her positions clearly; she would pick a Supreme Court nominee who would protect womens rights, she stoutly defended the Roe v Wade decision on abortion, pledged to increase minimum wage, tax the rich, create 10 million jobs and said Trumps trickle-down economics dont work. Read: Putins puppet to sleazy campaign: Trump, Clinton trade barbs in last debate As said, she landed more telling blows than Donald did through the debate. When Trump challenged her about her 30 year record in public life and called it bad experience, she drew a striking contrast with the challenger. She said when she was working with the Childrens Defense Fund, so that African-American kids would not face discrimination in schools, Trump was being sued by the justice department for racial discrimination in his apartment buildings. In the 1980s while she was working to reform schools in Arkansas, Trump was borrowing $14 million from his father to start his business. In the 1990s, while Clinton went to Beijing (for the UNs Fourth World Congress on Women in 1995) to say womens rights were human rights, Trump was insulting former Miss Universe Alicia Machado calling her an eating machine. And on the day when she was in the situation room monitoring the raid on Osama bin Laden, he was hosting Celebrity Apprentice. Likewise, she said Trumps immigration policy would subject every undocumented person to deportation and that would entail a massive law enforcement presence that involved moving people out in trains and buses a plan that would rip America apart. When her Wikileaked correspondence was brought up, she said 17 US intelligence agencies agreed that the hacking was done at the behest of those at the top in the Kremlin and said Putin has a clear favourite in the US presidential race and that Trump was willing to spout the Russian presidents line. Trump had, she claimed, built his hotels on Chinese steel and given jobs to Chinese steel workers, not Americans. Donald also whined a lot; he has, at various points, suggested that many American institutions were rigged, including the FBI, Republican primaries, the courts and even the Emmys. When Trump called the Clinton Foundation a criminal enterprise, she contrasted the latters work in health and education with the Trump Foundation which bought a six-foot portrait of the tycoon with the money. When Trump mentioned that Bernie Sanders had questioned Clintons judgment in the past, the latter pointed out that Sanders endorsed her as a candidate and had, in fact, called Trump the most dangerous candidate to run for president in the modern history of this country. Read: Trump or Clinton? Many young Americans prefer giant meteor, poll finds Trump showed yet again that he cannot focus his mind on a policy issue for more than 30 seconds; he generally veers off in a random direction or boils a complex topic to a single point or sound byte or simply pronounces that the opponents policy is a disaster. A question about the principle when picking a Supreme Court nominee produced a formulaic answer on the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms. A question on the need for a grand bargain between tax increases and cuts in spending to manage an impending crisis in social security led to a rant on Obama care. All that Trump seemed capable of doing on every issue was to simply remember his position without being able to think aloud, reflect on an issue and offer detail on his policy. Trump also repeated a lot of lines he has used during the campaign and in previous debates. Iran got $150 billion from a flawed deal (not true), Clinton backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (true), nobody has greater respect for women than me (!!), her friends Warren Buffet and George Soros took bigger tax deductions than him (false), and that George Patton and Douglas MacArthur would be spinning in their graves about US policy in the Middle East. Trump is clearly out of his depth on policy issues and his smug bravado did not get him very far in the debate. He senses defeat but wants an extension of airtime which is why he was non-committal about accepting the outcome of the election, saying he will look at it at the time. Trump is, unfortunately, planning to be a nuisance to America and the world long after November 8. The views expressed are personal. Twitter: @SushilAaron SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Selected fans can revisit the movies characters journeys in London or Paris, including local recommendations from the stars such as Ranbir Kapoors favourite restaurant and the films director Karan Johars preferred cafes and insider shopping spots. Airbnb, a community driven hospitality company, on Thursday announced the launch of a social media contest The Ae Dil Lets Airbnb to celebrate the forthcoming release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which also stars Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Fawad Khan. Karan said in a statement, Londons grandeur and the romance of Paris have always enticed Bollywood buffs from every generation. The contest is a great way for travellers and Bollywood aficionados to relive the romance of film. To participate, people have to create a dream Wishlist of five of the companys properties in London or Paris on its website or app. Participants can make as many Wishlists as desired and title them under a cinematic name to increase their chances of winning. Two lucky winners will be selected based on the most creative name for their Wishlist and will get the chance to travel to either London or Paris with a guest. The contest opens on Thursday and closes on October 30. The film will release on October 28. Filmmaker Anurag Basu made a hearing impaired dancer Harsh Dhara meet actor Ranbir Kapoor, when the actor came to promote his upcoming film on dance reality show Super Dancer. Dhara had given a heartwarming performance during the audition of the show but could not make it to the competing rounds. However, when Kapoor came on the show where Basu is the judge, the latter invited the child dancer to meet the actor, who played a hearing impaired boy in the film Barfi! It was a big moment for Harsh. We went inside Ranbirs van and I kept looking at Harsh to see his reaction. I turned to Ranbir and his face has more shine in his eyes than Harsh. He was looking at Harshs video with such joy.Ranbirs character in the film Barfi! was similar to Harshs, a hearing impaired person who is full of life. Ranbir met him and it was a great moment for me, says Basu. Actor Ranbir Kapoor with Harsh Dhara. Dharas performance left an impact on the judges mind even after he left the show. When Ranbir came, Basu really wanted Harsh to meet Ranbir and vice versa, says a source. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Filmmaker Karan Johar was among the first voices of dissent against the demands of banning Pakistan artists in Bollywood in the wake of last months militant attacks in Uri that killed 19 Indian soldiers. Ever since, several threats have been issued in the country, with right-wing groups seeking a ban on Karans Ae Dil Hai Mushkil as it features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. Almost a month after saying that banning artists in films is not solution to the problem, Karan Johar has now said he wont engage with talent from the neighbouring country: For me, my country comes first When I shot Ae Dil Hai Mushkil from September to December last year, the (political) climate was completely different. There were efforts made by our government for peaceful relationships with the neighbouring country. Going forward, I would like to say that of course I wouldnt engage with talent from the neighbouring country given the circumstance. Nothing comes first for me, but my country. Of course I wont engage with talent from the neighbouring country given the situation, Karan says in the video message issued on Tuesday. While the ban on Pakistani artists and technicians in Indian cinema makes sense given the tense environment between the two countries, stopping the release of films that have already been made makes little sense. So, it would be logical to allow Ae Dil Hai Mushkil to release on the due date. However, KJos sharp U-turn is a matter of concern. Let us take a close look at the filmmakers comments immediately after the demands for ban on Pakistani artists started rising. There is nothing that can justify this terrible feeling of terror. (But) then you are faced in a situation such as this (asking for ban on Pak artistes). If this was truly a solution, one would take it. But this is not a solution. I dont believe it is. The larger forces have to come together and sort the situation and this cannot be banning talent or art, Johar had said. After having maintained his stand that banning actors is not a solution to solving the issue, Johar suddenly comes up with a video where he says, Obviously, I wont engage with artists from the neighbouring country. And his explanation for a month-long silence? He was too hurt, he claims. Read |What are the next five steps youl take: Anurag Kashyap on demands of banning Pak artists in Bollywood What lies beneath the tears and hurt feelings is pure business. When he thought public support for the stars in his movie will be able to win over the demands of ban, he felt sorry for the soldiers but added that banning artists is not the solution. However, with just a few days left for the films release ( October 28), Karan Johar suddenly wants everyone to know that his heart bleeds for the Indian army and he wont work with Pakistani artists given the situation between the two countries. The 44-year-old also added that he wouldnt want his crew to suffer. Over 300 Indian people in my crew have put their blood, sweat and tears into my film. I dont think it is fair for them to face turbulence on account of other fellow Indians. I respect the Army ... I condemn any form of terrorism, Johar said in the recent video. And that is where the crux of the sudden , nothing else matters to me but my country statement lies : All the money riding on the fate of the release. While the associations that have announced stalling of screening Ae Dil Hai Mushkil are not effective nationwide, they do cover a major section of the Hindi cinema belt (including Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat). A big budget film from a big production house rides as much on the pre-release deals (satellite rights and endorsements contracts), as it does on the large number of screens it manages to be screened on. If it does not release on time, Johar -- who is also a producer -- will face the financial losses. That is not fair, given the fact that Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (made on an estimated budget of Rs 55 crore) was made when India-Pakistan relations were not as tense as today. However, for a man who claims to spread love through his films, Johars recent statements expose him. If you loved him for his candid statements and remarks, it is time you rethink - it might all have been well-calculated, pre-planned candidness to win hearts and sell romance onscreen. Follow the author @swetakaushal Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Millions of people across India are worried about the security of their accounts after a slew of banks said they will either replace or change the security codes of debit cards for fear of potential breach of customer data. The countrys largest bank, State Bank of India, has already blocked 600,000 cards and others HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank and Axis Bank are to follow, reports say. But this isnt the first time credit or debit cards have come under the shadow of potential fraud. Several customers across India have faced incidents where sums of money have been withdrawn from their accounts without their knowledge or their card details siphoned off using hoax calls. In most of these cases, recourse has either been lengthy or absent. Rupsi, HR Professional, New Delhi Three months ago on July 15, Rupsi, a Delhi-based professional and customer of the State Bank of Hyderabad, lost Rs 10,000 to a fraud ATM transaction. I went to withdraw Rs 2,000 at a Central Bank ATM in east Delhi, Krishna nagar. After entering the PIN, abruptly an advertisement started appearing and I thought it is not working. I withdrew my money from another ATM close by. And immediately I got a message saying withdrawal of Rs 12,000, she said. On approaching her banks branch manager, he alerted Rupsi of many similar incidents. He said the bank could not return the money as it wasnt a transactional error but an ATM machine malware. Till date, neither her card has been blocked nor has she got back her money. Read| SBI blocks 6.25 lakh debit cards after suspicious transactions spike Sukanya Mishra, Research Student at JNU, New Delhi Earlier this year, Sukanya Mishra discovered that money was being withdrawn from her account using her ATM card. She realised about the fraud since she got SMS alerts about the withdrawals from her SBI savings account. Several trips to the bank and police stations did not yield anything. The branch manager told me to register an FIR, whereas the police station asked me to get a CD of the security camera recording at the ATM where my card was being used to withdraw money, said Sukanya. After a month of back and forth between the cops and the bank officials, Sukanya decided to forget about the money. She was cheated of Rs 30,000. Read| Banks rush to replace debit cards, protect customers on fears of security breach SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After banning almost 350 fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, government is evaluating a ban on 300 more such drugs. FDC drug formulations contain two or more active drugs in a fixed ratio and are generally available only in a single dosage form. They minimise pill burden and reducing treatment costs. For instance, popular medicines such as Saridon, DCold Total and Vicks Action 500 Extra are FDCs. We are now in process of filtering 300 FDCs which require further proofs and deliberations. We are asking individual firms to furnish details before banning the drugs, an official at the Drug Controller General of Indias office said. DCGI, the countrys apex drug regulator, which is the has also warned pharma firms of action if they cannot produce evidence of the safety of their FDC drug within the stipulated deadline. The drug regulator, GN Singh has sent letters to nearly 250 companies that sought marketing approvals for drugs. Some of the firms have been issued show-cause notices and asked to conduct a post-marketing study -- called phase IV clinical trials -- to prove the efficacy and safety of their drugs. Phase IV clinical trials involve testing drugs in the real-world scenario. On June 17, this year, government requested pharma firms to submit phase IV trial protocol based on the recommendations of an expert committee chaired by Prof CK Kokate. The expert committee was set up by the health ministry to frame guidelines for the approval and use of over 6,220 fixed drugs combinations (FDCs) across the country. It is observed that hardly any firm has submitted trial protocol and same has been viewed very seriously...This may be treated as regulatory reminder for further necessary action, said GN Singh in a notice marked to health ministry and all drug makers lobby. However, companies said the notice received lukewarm response as there was lack of clarity on several criteria. The (government) notice presumes that some FDCs were marketed without due approval from the DCGI. It is not true in all cases. Secondly, the subject of the notice itself questions the powers delegated to the state Food and Drug Administrations without having withdrawn those powers, said DG Shah, secretary general of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, a drugmakers lobby that represents companies such as Cipla and Dr. Reddys. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amid fears of security breach of as many as 3.25 million debit cards, Mastercard said on Thursday its own systems have not been breached. We are aware of the data compromise event. To be clear, Mastercards own systems have not been breached, a Mastercard spokesperson said in an email statement. Read: This is how an ATM virus compromised 3.2 million debit cards in India Stating that safety and security of payments is a top priority for it, Mastercard said it is working on the investigations with the regulators, issuers, acquirers, global and local law enforcement agencies and third party payment networks to assess the current situation. Mastercard is committed to implementing best practices and technologies to protect its customers financial institutions, consumers and merchants from fraud while ensuring their privacy is respected, the statement said. It said any concerned consumer should review their account statements and activity. If they suspect fraudulent or unusual transactions, we encourage them to contact the bank that issues their card for assistance and more information, it added. Software services exporter Wipro on Thursday announced it has signed an agreement to acquire US-based Appirio, a global cloud services company, for $500 million. The 10-year-old Indianapolis company, which has 1,250 employees worldwide and has an office in Jaipur, brings on board marquee customers like Coca-Cola, eBay, Facebook, Home Depot, and Sony PlayStation. Wipro said the acquisition will create one of the worlds largest cloud transformation practices, a game changer in todays digital economy. Appirio also brings to Wipro, Topcoder, a leading crowdsourcing marketplace connecting over a million designers, developers, and data scientists with customers. Wipro also said it will consolidate its existing cloud applications practices of Salesforce and Workday under the Appirio brand and structure. Chris Barbin, chief executive officer of Appirio, will lead the expanded business. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to be closed in the quarter ending December 31. The Bengaluru-based IT major will announce its second-quarter results late Friday evening after the stock market shuts down. With civic bodies across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), going to polls next year, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday rolled out an infrastructure bonanza for the region. Fadnavis announced two new Metro lines Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg and Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan and sanctioned Rs194 crore for the first phase of the WiFi project. Elections for the municipal corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Mira-Bhayander and Ulhasnagar are scheduled for early 2017. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aggressively competing against its ally, Shiv Sena, to expand its presence across all civic bodies, especially those in Mumbai and Thane. While the Sena and BJP are in an alliance in Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar and Mira-Bhayander, Uddhav Thackerays party has more seats in most of these civic bodies. In the Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal corporation, the Congress is the single-largest party. In their battle for supremacy in the BMC, BJP and Sena leaders have already been sparring openly, and the announcements made by the Fadnavis-led Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Wednesday will only add more spice to the fight. The two new Metro lines will be part of the 173.9-km-long Metro network planned across the MMR by the Fadnavis government. The 14.5-km Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg line will have 13 stations and is expected to be built for Rs6,672 crore. The 24-km elevated Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan, meanwhile, will have 17 stations and is set to cost Rs8,416 crore. Besides, Fadnavis sanctioned Rs194 crore for the first phase of Mumbais WiFi project, which will witness 500 hotspots installed across the city. Incidentally, making Mumbai a WiFi zone has been one of Shiv Senas promises, with Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray advocating it. A state government official said the chief minister was keen on showing progress on the Metro projects front before the BMC polls. With Wednesdays announcement, the chief minister has shown that there is a concrete plan for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with a lions share of it for Mumbai, said the official. While the first metro line, Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar, was built during the Congress-NCP regime, the BJP-led government is taking up construction of five metro lines. For Thane, Fadnavis approved widening of a crucial rail over bridge at Kopri in Thane East, promising to spend Rs259 crore for the project. Besides, he also attempted to woo Thane and Bhiwandi voters by approving plans for a Metro line to connect the two satellite cities to Kalyan, a project that was conceived nearly a decade ago, originally as a monorail. The chief minister has also proposed metro connectivity between Dahisar and Mira-Bhayander. Besides, the MMRDA also approved Rs1,978 crore to strengthen water supply in Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar through the much-delayed Surya water supply scheme, aimed at augmenting water supply to the parched towns from the Surya dam. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Humko iska badla chahiye and aur hum iska badla le kar rahenge. Hinduon ne chudiyan nahi pahan rakhi hain. In mullon ko jad se ukhaad phenke ge hum...We want revenge and we will achieve this vengeance. Hindus have not worn bangles. We will uproot these mullahs (Muslims) from the roots and throw them away. Nothing about this hate speech, its setting and what happened after Kapil Bhati delivered it is now unusual in India. In the video, recorded on October 5, Bhati, who seeks a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, tried to rouse a quiet crowd gathered to honour Ravin Sisodia, a suspect in the lynching death of Mohammed Ikhlaq, a retired ironsmith of a village near Delhi. After dying from either chikungunya or dengue, Sisodias body lay in an air-conditioned coffin draped with the national flag: In a nation setting new normals, giving a murder suspect a farewell worthy of a soldier might soon be par for the course. Read | Bisada witnesses the disrespect of the National Flag In normal times it is hard to say today what such normality might be Bhati would have been charged with incitement and detained. Instead, Mohammed Ali, a Hindu reporter who released Bhatis hate speech, got a call from a police inspector of Uttar Pradeshs cyber security cell. The inspector, Ali told me, asked him to delete the video. I told them, file an FIR (first information report, against Bhati), send me a copy and then I will remove the video, said Ali, who covers restive, western UP and is writing a biography of violence-torn Muzaffarnagar. No FIR was filed; the video remains on Alis twitter timeline. When Ikhlaq father of an Indian Air Force corporal was killed a year ago, the local Samajwadi Party government and the BJP called it an isolated incident, although it appeared clear that it was a particularly violent manifestation of Indias march towards a Hindu rashtra. Three years ago, I wrote that whether in Delhi or the states, driven by the Congress or BJP, secular India was gradually coming apart. The nation was being remade. After Ikhlaqs death and the justifications for it by the Hindu Right the police have now said there was no evidence of cow slaughter, not that it justified his murder in any way it was evident that the process of creating a Hindu mirror image of radical Islam was underway. With the BJP gaining confidence, its satellite organisations the VHP, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Mahasabha (which for the first time has installed a commemorative bust of Mahatma Gandhis assassin, Nathuram Godse) are accelerating that process. Read | Dadri lynching case: Police probing letter threatening to kill accused in jail Assiduously seeded with majoritarianism and regularly watered with prejudice, Indias social and political ground is ripe to be harvested by those who believe to use Nelson Mandelas words the oppression of one by another is the natural order of things. So it is that incidents worthy of front pages and prime time until a year ago are mostly ignored, flaring briefly on social media before fading into the spreading dark. The fundamental characteristic of the emerging republic is a majoritarian tone and tenor. The justice system is learning to gloss over hate speech and violent assertions of Hinduism. That is evident nationwide, as police side with attackers, especially with self-proclaimed gau rakshaks (cow defenders) and victimise victims, almost all Muslim. Read | Shameless beef politics eclipses teen rape-survivors plight in Uttar Pradesh Others crafting the new republic use the majoritarian tone to make quiet, enabling changes or float ideas that can be translated into reality. So, Ajay Bhardwaj, a new member of the law commission the governments adviser on legal reform suggests that the colonial-era Indian Evidence Act should be changed. There is nothing inherently wrong with this suggestion, except that Bhardwaj a self-declared RSS swayamsevak and the lawyer who defended the Hindu men who massacred 65 Muslims at Ahmedabads Gulberg housing society in 2002 suggests that reforms that draw on Hindu religious texts, the Vedas and shastras to usher in an era of positivity in judiciary. While the process of attempting to Hinduise the underpinnings of secular India gains momentum, prejudice against minorities has crept into everyday life, as the attack on a Hindu woman and Muslim man travelling on a bus earlier this month in Karnataka illustrated. Hindu vigilante groups waylaid the bus after comrades alerted them. Was the couple eloping? No, they did not know each other; they only happened to board the bus from the same stop. Read | RSS support for cow vigilantes will only embolden them further Nothing is more disturbing than the wilful undermining of the law to protect Hindus, particularly in the cow belt, the backward but electorally crucial states of the Hindi heartland. There are numerous instances of new normals in subverting the law, but I refer in particular to the contrasting fates of Minhaj Ansari in Jharkhand and Suresh Yadav in Madhya Pradesh. Last week, Ansari was arrested on charges of incitement for an allegedly anti-Hindu WhatsApp message and died in police custody. The post-mortem report found that Ansari had been tortured. A sub inspector was suspended after his death. Now consider what happened when police in Madhya Pradesh arrested RSS pracharak Suresh Yadav last month for similar incitement over WhatsApp, allegedly against Muslims in this case. A violent mob of the RSS and BJP workers, according to various media reports, attacked the police station and tried to grab the officers who arrested Yadav. Soon, a constable was forced to register an FIR against eight of his own colleagues, who are now suspended and charged with attempt to murder. Read | The payment of compensation to Bisada accuseds kin sets a dangerous precedent No action was taken against Yadav or the mob, listed as unknown assailants. The eight suspended officers are in hiding, fearing for more than their careers their lives. The name of the inspector who led the team? Zia Ul Haq. As he remains in hiding, Haq will have time to contemplate his place in the new republic. Samar Halarnkar is editor, Indiaspend.org, a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Development and general administration minister, Gopal Rai, has called a meeting at 2pm to review the current bird flu scare in Delhi. A plan of action to contain any possible outbreak is expected to be announced by 3pm. The national capital has been gripped by fears of its first possible avian flu outbreak, after the death of 10 birds at the citys zoo. The migratory birds that died were found to be infected with the H5N1 virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this type of influenza virus causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds, and can be very fatal to humans, with a mortality rate of 60%. The minister is meeting the officials concerned to chart out a plan of action to contain the possible outbreak. Rai said that a close 10 member monitoring team is reviewing the condition to ensure that the infection does not spread to other birds and humans. Officials will presumably work closely with poultry farm owners, ornithologists, medical professionals and other avian experts to ensure the best course of action. Rai said that they have been receiving reports from everywhere. The virus has spread from birds coming from abroad, explained Rai. The zoo has been closed for three days as a precautionary measure. We have decided to check entire Delhi. We have asked the department to check possible places where birds are likely to come. We have sent a team to the Okhla sanctuary and Nizamuddin, where birds are sold, Yamuna Diversity Park in Wazirpur, Najafgarh drain and Ghazipur apart from deploying a 10-member team at the zoo, said Rai, on Wednesday. Though Rai has warned that people may get infected from contaminated chicken, the WHO reassures that the chances of infection from well prepared and properly cooked poultry is slim. Person to person spread of the disease has also been deemed unusual. There is a higher chance of infection if people interact closely with dead or alive infected birds. Zoo officials said that they have procured around 200 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, to ensure that any personnel or official entering the zoo premises is not infected. There have been no reported cases of people dying because of bird flu in India yet; however, reports of avian flu keep resurfacing from time to time. Many birds have been culled periodically, since the first reports of an outbreak in 2006, to contain the situation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi: A local BJP worker was shot dead in outer Delhis Pravesh Nagar in Mubarakpur village, on Wednesday evening. Asharam Gautam (44), a property dealer, was watching TV with his son Dori Lal (7) and daughter Laxmi (4) at his residence, which also served as his office, when the crime occurred. A man entered the room and asked for Asharam. When Asharam responded, the man shot him and escaped on a bike, driven by another man. I was observing Karva Chauth fast for my husband. I had gone outside to check if the moon was visible, so I could break my fast. A few minutes later, I heard a gunshot. My son began shouting- Papa ko koi goli maar diya (someone has shot father). So I rushed inside, said Sunita, Asharams 26-year-old wife. Asharam was shot in the heart, she added. Her mother, who was visiting her, alerted the neighbours. Locals informed police and Asharam was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi hospital in Mangolpuri where he was declared dead on arrival. A case under section 302 (murder) of the IPC has been registered against unknown persons, at Aman Vihar police station. Mehrooddin Saifi (35), who knew Asharam for 15 years, alleged that Asharam could have been murdered because he was an eyewitness in the murder of Ghanshyam, one of his neighbours, who was allegedly shot dead by four men during last years Diwali. Ghanshyam was playing cards with his neighbours when he was shot dead by men who had come in a car. Asharam was also present there at that time. He was an eyewitness in this case. It is possible that he has been shot dead because of it, said Saini. DCP (outer) MN Tiwari said investigations were on and all allegations will be verified. Ram Bharose, Asharams elder brother, said Sunita saw a man getting out of the house. But she failed to recognise him as it was dark in the street. Sunita told us that the man was tall, well-built and had long hair. He sat pillion on a bike, which was being driven by another man. Both of them went away before the neighbours could reach the spot. It happened very quickly, said Bharose. Locals alleged that the street lights had been deliberately switched off. Neighbours said that the only the street lights in block D had gone out, where Asharam lived, while lights in the other blocks were functioning. Asharams office was on the ground floor, while he lived with his wife and three children on the first floor. He had three brothers who lived nearby in the neighbourhood. Asharam had no enemies, Saifi said. He liked making others laugh and was ready with advise for those who sought his help. He was a good man and humble by nature. He liked helping people and did a lot of social work. He resolved conflicts among locals in the colony. He was also very funny. He liked making others laugh, he said. The decomposed body of a 27-year-old woman was recovered from a sack at her rented house in west Delhis Ranhola on Thursday morning. The body was spotted by the womans landlord, who entered the house after a foul smell started emanating from the womans room. Police said the womans husband is absconding and their 3-year-old daughter was also missing for the last three days. The woman, identified as Suhana, had been living with her mother and daughter in another house, while her husband Sunil, 29, lived in the two-room rented house where the body was found. Suhana had gone to her village in Bihar and stayed there for almost two months. The couple had tied the knot seven years ago and had recently had a fight after which Suhana had moved to her mothers house. Family members said Suhanas husband works as a labourer in a manufacturing unit and had called her to his house three days ago on the pretext of sorting out their marital dispute. When Suhana returned to Delhi along with her daughter she started staying with her mother. Her parents said that Sunil had told them that he wants to take Suhana and their daughter to meet his parents in Uttar Pradesh. Suhana had told us she would come back soon. When she didnt return, her brother went to see her three days ago but Sunil didnt allow him to enter the house. We didnt know that she had been murdered, Suhanas brother Muzamil Islam said. Around 11.30 am on Thursday, the couples landlord sensed a foul smell emanating from the house and informed her family, after which they broke open the door and found her body. The police was immediately informed . Police have sent the body for post-mortem and have registered a case of murder. A Delhi-based lawyer has surrendered unaccounted wealth worth Rs 125 crore to the Income Tax department after searches were carried out against him. Official sources said taxmen conducted raids against the lawyer, based in a posh south Delhi locality, few days back based on some actionable inputs about alleged tax evasion by him and his business entities. They said the trigger of the case included a high value transaction done by the lawyer few years back when he purchased a costly bungalow in the Lutyens Zone area in Jor Bagh and had allegedly under-reported the deal following which the IT department built up a case against him. Officials added that few more crores of unpaid taxes could also come to the revenue kitty as the department is still scrutinising the documents seized from his premises. IT sources said the department also found that the lawyer had not disclosed this alleged illegal income under the one-time black money window, also called the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS), that concluded recently and hence the department has decided to slap regular penalties as applicable under regular IT laws in the case. The department, as per officials, is in the process of preparing a comprehensive report post the search operations so that the case can be taken to its logical conclusion and demands could be raised, if any. Jawaharlal Nehru University is doing its best to locate a Muslim student missing for five days, the institutions vice-chancellor said on Thursday, appealing to students to call off an ongoing protest that has confined officials, allegedly without food or water, on the campus. Speaking to reporters, V-C M Jagadesh Kumar alleged that many of his colleagues had fallen ill because of a student-enforced blockade of the administrative building that is in its 16th hour. Students have become relentless and adamant and think that we are not doing our best, he was quoted as saying by ANI. The protests were triggered by the disappearance of biotechnology student Najeeb Ahmed on Saturday, allegedly after being thrashed by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Since then, tensions have mounted on campus with the Left-controlled students union saying the university has been lax in trying to find Ahmed and book ABVP members. Others say Ahmed slapped a student. Sources said the officials will come out of the building at 2.30pm for an academic council meeting and may take a call on calling police inside campus as a last resort to lift the blockade. But students say they havent illegally confined anyone and blocked food or water. You all know the proctor was outside and he freely walked into the building. Electricity and supplies are here. We have also sent food for all people, Mohit Pandey, president JNUSU, said. . Students protesting outside the admin block at JNU on Thursday. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT Photo) We want the university to declare those students out of bound who indulged in violence on that night. There should be an FIR from JNUs side, Pandey added. JNU is ranked among Indias top educational institutions but has been rocked by protests and an ugly row over nationalism after a controversial event commemorating 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in February. Classes in the university were suspended for days and students went on strike against the governments move to arrest and charge top student union leaders with sedition. The current crisis began on Friday, when violence was reported from the Mahi-Mandvi hostel on campus where one faction says ABVP beat up Ahmed and another that the Muslim student slapped a hostel resident. At least 12 students have been asked to depose before the proctorial committee in this regard, officials said. Ahmeds family lodged a complaint at Vasant Kunj North police station on Tuesday and an FIR has been registered for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person. On Tuesday, JNU authorities requested the central agencies, including National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and CBI for help. We have asked students and teachers to give any information regarding Najeeb, registrar Pramod Kumar said. JNU teachers union and JNUSU have criticised the administration for calling Ahmed an accused in an official press release. Rather than criminalising the student, the administration needs to send a signal that there will be an impartial inquiry in the incident, Ajay Patnaik, president JNUTA, said. JNUSU said it will be meeting the lieutenant-governor and President in connection with the case. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) called off a blockade of the vice-chancellor and top officials inside a building on Thursday after 20 hours over a students disappearance five days ago. They dispersed after Union home minister Rajnath Singh asked Delhi police to set up a special team in addition to the 10 squads already searching for missing biotechnology student Najeeb Ahmed in the national capital and neighbouring states. Spoke to CP Delhi regarding the incident of JNU student gone missing. I have instructed him to constitute a special team to look out for him, Singh tweeted. Ahmed disappeared after an alleged altercation with members of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). We have some leads and these are being explored to ensure a safe rescue. Details cannot be shared now, additional DCP (South) Nupur Prasad said. A cash reward of Rs 50,000 has been announced for information about him. Vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, who was detained allegedly without food and water along with his colleagues, termed the blockade illegal confinement and warned that the law will takes its course if officials are not allowed to work. The protesters countered Kumars no-food, no-water accusation, saying no one was confined illegally and food was sent to the officials. You all know the proctor was outside and he freely walked into the building, student union president Mohit Pandey said. For his part, the vice-chancellor said the union was blatantly lying. They laid a siege to the gate. How could we walk over them? We had little option but to go back to our rooms. There was no food and we slept on the floor. The crisis in one of Indias top educational institutions began on Friday, when violence was reported from the Mahi-Mandvi hostel on the campus. A faction of students says ABVP members thrashed Ahmed, while another group alleges that the Muslim youth slapped a fellow hostel ward. The situation worsened after he disappeared on Saturday and his family lodged a police complaint on Tuesday. An FIR was registered for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person. Let me see the face of my child once. I am from a very small place ... I want to see my child safe, a sobbing Fatima, Ahmeds mother, said. She rushed from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh after receiving her sons frantic call on the night of October 14. The Left-controlled JNU student union alleged the university was doing little to trace Ahmed and punish members of the ABVP. The union said the protest would continue till he is found. The mode of the protest has changed. We will protest tomorrow at the home ministry. We want action against those who beat up Najeeb. There should be a fair inquiry, said Rama Naga, former JNUSU general secretary. JNU has been rocked by protests and an ugly row over nationalism after a controversial event commemorating 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in February. Classes in the university were suspended for days and students went on strike against the governments move to arrest and charge top student union leaders with sedition. (With inputs from Karn Pratap Singh in Delhi) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday a special Delhi Police team will look for a Jawaharlal Nehru University student whose disappearance five days ago triggered campus protests and an overnight blockade of the vice-chancellor inside a building. Singhs comment came as students hold V-C M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials inside a building for more than 20 hours allegedly without food or water --demanding a probe to trace Najeeb Ahmed, who apparently disappeared after a thrashing by members of a student group linked to the BJP. Spoke to CP Delhi regarding the incident of JNU student gone missing. I have instructed him to constitute a special team to look out for him Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 20, 2016 Delhi Police say they have formed 10 teams to find Ahmed in the Capital and neighbouring states, and have announced a cash award of Rs 50,000 for anyone with information about the student. We have some leads and it being developed to ensure a safe rescue of Ahmed. Not much related to investigation can be shared at this moment, as it may hamper our efforts, Nupur Prasad, additional DCP, South, said. V-C M Jagadesh Kumar also warned that if protesting students didnt let him out for a meeting at 2.30pm, police may be called. We would like to get the issue resolved without any outside intervention, Kumar told the media. However, I am determined to leave for the meeting and if they stop me, law will take its own course, he added. Since Ahmeds disappearance on Friday, tensions have mounted on campus with the Left-controlled students union saying the university has been lax in trying to find Ahmed and book members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the youth wing of the RSS. Others say Ahmed slapped a student. JNU vice-chnacellor M Jagdeesh Kumar addresses a press Conference in universitys admin block in New Delhi. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT Photo) JNU is ranked among Indias top educational institutions but has been rocked by protests and an ugly row over nationalism after a controversial event commemorating 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in February. Classes in the university were suspended for days and students went on strike against the governments move to arrest and charge top student union leaders with sedition. The students say they havent illegally confined anyone and blocked food or water. You all know the proctor was outside and he freely walked into the building. Electricity and supplies are here. We have also sent food for all people, Mohit Pandey, president of the JNUSU, said. But the V-C says the union is blatantly lying and that he was effectively stopped when he tried to step out at 2.20am on Thursday. They lay in front of the gate. How could we walk over them? So I said to them that we had no option but to go back to our rooms. There was no food and we slept on the floor, he said. The V-C also said they met several students and informed them about the steps the university took to locate Ahmed. He said the university has already written to the police in the matter. However, the police have not been asked for assistance yet to end the ongoing standoff. Prasad said no police deployment had been done on campus. A senior police officer said the JNU administration has not asked for any police deployment or assistance. The current crisis began on Friday, when violence was reported from the Mahi-Mandvi hostel on campus where one faction says ABVP beat up Ahmed and another that the Muslim student slapped a hostel resident. At least 12 students have been asked to depose before the proctorial committee in this regard, officials said. Ahmeds family lodged a complaint at Vasant Kunj North police station on Tuesday and an FIR has been registered for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person. I am what I am.. and I love it! and Why fit in when you were born to stand out? were some slogans raised by students from colleges of Delhi as they took over the streets of North Campus in an LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) pride parade. Lets Stand With Pride was organised by IIT Delhi as a part its annual fest Rendezvous on Monday. Students chanted, danced and even participated in a flash mob, which a few opponents tried to stall. Keeping in mind the theme this year Pehchaan- Finding your identity, the procession commenced from St. Stephens College, accompanied by the infectious beating of dhols, and proceeded towards Hansraj College. The speakers for the day included Anwesh Sahoo (Mr. Gay World India 2016) and Sharif D Rangnekar, lyricist and LGBT Activist. Some people tried to stall the pride parade but the parade went on quite nicely. (Amal KS/HT Photo) People are rude and taunt us Aman Sinha, a student from Ramjas College said, People need to embrace their individuality, talk about it, and not make fun. Events like these marches are a good way to encourage people to come out of the closet. Kshitij, a computer science student studying in Hansraj College narrated an incident, Once I reached my class with my fingernail painted. The students started laughing and said that the next time I should wear a bindi to go with the painted nail. The stigma attached to homosexuality needs to be dealt with. Students carried posters, raised slogans and participated in a flashmob to express solidarity with the cause. (Amal KS/HT PHoto) Delhi is growing up Gaurav Kumar, an MA English student from Delhi University, was happy about the increasing acceptance of the LGBT community in the city. Thanks to so much of activism and media coverage, the city has become more accommodating and the acceptance levels have risen drastically, he said. In the end, Sharif addressed the students, Colleges having gender forums and taking such initiatives is really wonderful. The real issue is the violence the society inflicts on those who have the strength to break away from the norm. Many such incidents are not reported, but the ones coming to light weaken the resolve of others who want to come out, but cant. Societal pressure gets to them. Anwesh Sahoo appreciated the Capitals rising acceptance levels. People in my college have been really cool about my identity and my pageant win. The fact that we can now organise such parades and declare our sexualities fearlessly proves that Delhi, at some level, has grown up, he said. National kabaddi player Rohit Kumars house in northwest Delhis Nizampur village has been locked since Tuesday morning when the news broke about his wifes suicide. The narrow street that leads to the famous Chhatri temple here has suddenly become busy. Groups of men and women, some neighbours, are busy discussing the life of Lalita, the modern daughter-in-law. Twenty eight -year-old Lalita Dabas, who married Rohit in March, hanged herself from a ceiling fan at her parents home in west Delhis Nangloi on Monday night, alleging dowry harassment in a suicide note and a two-and-half-hour long voice messages. DCP(west) Vijay Kumar said the police are searching for Rohit and his family. Kumar said Rohits cellphone is also switched off. In this village located on the outskirts of the Delhi-Haryana border, around 40 kilometres from India Gate, most villagers support Rohit and blame Lalita for her death. Seema Chhillar, 38, a neighbour, recalls that Lalita had refused to adjust in the family after marriage. This strained her relations with Rohit and her in-laws. She would not cook and did not follow the purdah system in front of the elders, she said. Others , too, blame her and support their local hero, who played for Bengaluru Bulls in the recently concluded Pro Kabaddi League. Satnarayan Chhillar, who lives nearby said the allegations against Rohit are false. Rohit is a good man. He made us proud by becoming a great kabaddi player. He made a mistake when he married Lalita. She was modern and did as she liked, he said. Neighbours said that around two months ago, Lalita had slashed her wrist after a fight with Rohit and her in-laws. Sunita Dabas, Lalitas aunt, also confirmed it. Sunita alleged that Lalita cut her wrist because she was being tortured by Rohit. Lalita was tortured so much that she had cut her wrist in frustration. This is also true that she was not following the purdah system. But Lalita had tried to adjust in the family. This was her second marriage. She was trying her best to mingle with everyone, like any newly wedded bride would do, said Sunita. Rohits kabaddi mates refuse to believe that Rohit had harassed Lalita as alleged in her suicide note and voice message. I have known Rohit since childhood. Every village kid has grown up watching him practise hard at Jangli Ram Pehelwan stadium in the village. I had even gone to his wedding in March. Rohit was very happy with Lalita, said Pankaj Chhillar, a Kabaddi player and Rohits friend. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A new prison complex, first proposed by the government 35 years ago to decongest Tihar Jail, started functioning in northeast Delhis Mandoli on Thursday afternoon. The new prison has a capacity of holding 3,777 prisoners, 61 of whom were shifted to the jail complex on Thursday. Jail sources said because of security reasons, prisoners to the new jail would be transferred in small groups every day for the first few weeks. The prison was to be completed and handed over to the Tihar jail authorities in 2010 but the public works department engaged in carrying out the construction missed multiple deadlines. Director general (prisons) Sudhir Yadav told HT that the first batch of prisoners consisted mostly of those men who had been convicted but had good conduct. We shifted prisoners who do not have court hearings to attend and are serving their sentences. They are also the ones with good conduct inside the prison. Within the next two months we hope to make the jail fully functional ad running at its maximum strength. With over 14,469 prisoners currently highest to date Tihar jail has more than twice the number of prisoners against its sanctioned strength of 6250. NEW JAIL VANS NEXT WEEK Meanwhile the Delhi police purchased 12 new vans to ferry prisoners from jails to the court complex. The vans are likely to be handed over to the police on October 28. Sources said that earlier this year, top brass decided to invest in new buses, instead of maintaining the old ones. The maintenance bill of the buses ran over Rs 1 crore, police said, which was the highest bill furnished by any department within Delhi Police. Eyebrows were raised when the department reportedly submitted a maintenance bill of around Rs 1.2 lakh for old motorcycle that cost less than a lakh. Police said that because of many murders reported inside jail vans while the prisoners are taken for their court hearing, the new vans will have small but different cells (chambers) within the bus. The prisoners will be kept inside separate cells. Presently most of our vans have just one cell, with a very few vans having two cells. The new vans will have multiples cells to ensure that prisoners do not get into scuffles, an officer said. The officer also said that pinhole cameras would be installed inside the van. The tenders for the cameras have already been floated. The cameras, an officer said, would be tamper-proof and hidden from the view of prisoners. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The disappearance of biotechnology student Najeeb Ahmed -- allegedly after being thrashed by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad -- has triggered protestsat the Jawaharlal Nehru University, forcing officials to stay put in their offices. The university is doing its best to locate a Muslim student missing for five days, the institutions vice-chancellor said on Thursday, appealing to students to call off an ongoing protest. Here are five controversies that surrounded the university in the past: Sedition charge against student leader (2016) Kanhaiya Kumar, who was then Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president, was arrested on sedition charges for taking part in a controversial event on Kashmir, held at the university campus on February 9. Authorities said the event was held to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of Mohammad Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri separatist for his role in an attack on Parliament in 2001. The case became a rallying point for Opposition parties and free speech activists, who said the country had become increasingly intolerant since Prime Minister Narendra Modis government was elected two years ago. Row over Kashmir stalls at International Food Festival (2016) The universitys International Food Festival , which is held every Republic Day, was mired in controversy this year when the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad objected to a few students setting up a Kashmir stall, saying only other countries should be allowed to set up counters. The booking for the Kashmiri food stall was cancelled and international students organising the event were threatened with legal action, The Hindu reported. Occupy UGC protest (2015) Students of the JNU and a few other universities camped outside the University Grants Commission office weeks in protest against the scrapping of non-NET fellowships, which was provided to those undertaking research in central universities across India. Hundreds of Occupy UGC protesters faced lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons when they tried to march to Parliament. Protesters were beaten up by policemen and some of them were seriously injured. Mahishasur Diwas (2014) Student groups engaged in a fist-fight at the university campus in 2014 over the All India Backward Students Forums plan to Mahishasura Shahadat Diwas. Mahishasuras slaying by Goddess Durga is celebrated as Dussehra. The AIBSF distributed pamphlets that allegedly had objectionable pictures and text related to Durga. The JNU had witnessed clashes in 2011, too, over the hosting of the event. Beef and pork festival (2012) The JNU administration suspended one student and served show-cause notices to three others for planning to hold a beef and pork festival and for allegedly causing unrest in the campus. The beef and pork festival was being planned on the JNU campus in September, 2014. The Delhi high court, however, ruled that no such festival should be allowed as per the Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act, 1994. The plan to hold the event also triggered protests from the ABVP and other student groups. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tamil Nadus statewide rail blockade on the Cauvery issue, which has now ended, has brought Karnatakas role in the dispute into intense focus yet again. Karnatakas initial refusal to abide by the Supreme Courts order to release Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu may have been not only contemptible, many legal experts believe that it amounted to a breakdown of its internal constitutional machinery. What is distressing, however, is that the chief minister and his Cabinet sought to conceal their omissions behind a resolution of the assembly, wrongly assuming that the writ of the Supreme Court would not run there. Strangely, Karnatakas legal team attempted to renegotiate the courts orders instead of abiding by them, virtually bargaining with the Supreme Court. Read: Cauvery dispute: Tamil Nadu opposition parties stage rail roko Unfortunately, the states controversial approach in respect of acquiring water does not end with Tamil Nadu. The Mahadayi river dispute, between Karnataka and Goa, is another disturbing example of Karnatakas water policy. While the state is desperately looking to divert river water away from the Mahadayi river, called Mandovi in Goa, it has faced legal hurdles because the river sustains nearly all of Goas drinking water and navigational needs. The Mandovi also feeds the fragile but ecologically rich Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary. For the time being, mercifully, Karnataka has been restrained by a specially constituted tribunal to not divert any water from the Mandovi to the Malaprabha river basin. Karnataka has claimed that it needs the excess water to meet its drinking water needs, although it is yet to substantiate this demand. In the midst of this dispute, which is currently being heard by a tribunal headed by an eminent former Supreme Court judge, Karnataka moved an interlocutory application, seeking an interim release of seven TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water to tide over what it claims is a drought. Read: Continue giving water to TN: SC asks Karnataka What was unexpected, however, was Karnatakas suppression of information in its application about its allocation of existing water resources. It was only later during the course of heated arguments between Goas advocate general Atmaram Nadkarni and Karnataka counsel Fali Nariman that it emerged that Karnataka had not disclosed that it was diverting enormous quantities of water to a Cola bottling plant in Dharwad and also to water-guzzling sugarcane plantations. If the requirement was genuine, the right approach for the state would have been to first commission an Environmental Impact Assessment. What shocked many neutral observers was the states insistence before the tribunal that it be allowed to lift water without first considering its environmental impact which is a statutory requirement. Karnataka ought to now listen to expert environmentalists and hydrologists, and scrap the proposed diversion. Being the upper riparian state, it also owes a duty to its lower riparian neighbour to not act unilaterally. Jai Dehadrai is an advocate in the Supreme Court The views expressed are personal This is just the tip of the iceberg. A woman who trafficked 10,000 minors into the labour market in Delhi from places like Chhattisgarh has been convicted by a court. They were employed largely through illegal placement agencies. The children were bought for sums as small as 12,000 and used for domestic work. Many, especially minors, are trafficked and forced into commercial sex work each year. The draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016 provides for special courts to expedite trafficking cases. It also provides for more shelters and a rehabilitation fund for victims to rebuild their lives. Read | Delhis trafficking queen jailed for 10 years for forcing minors into labour According to reports, from 2008 to 2014, there was a 90% increase in trafficking. The trafficked are promised jobs and then pushed into commercial sex trade or sweat shops and literally held in bondage. There has to be much greater co-ordination among the states on this and a mechanism to reimburse the victims. The fact that there are so many illegal placement agencies suggests that there is collusion with the local police. Read | Six-year-old girl missing from Noida found in Delhi after 20 days The issue also has to be addressed at the source. It is extreme poverty and deprivation that make people vulnerable to predatory traffickers. The tribal areas are the most preferred catchment area for traffickers. This should be the focus for the authorities. In many cases, especially those who have been rescued from commercial sex work, the families do not accept them back. They must be rehabilitated and provided the skills to become gainfully employed. Bonded labour, which is also the result of a form of trafficking, should be dealt with although the draft Bill does not touch this issue. Read | Anti-trafficking law may be presented in winter session The trafficking law has to work in conjunction with others such as the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, the Juvenile Justice Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act to make it more effective. For most states today, providing food, shelter and housing is seen as a greater priority than tackling traffickers. It is only if the cost to the trafficker is made severe and certain can we even begin to deal with this problem which really amounts to modern day slavery. The American voter and, vicariously, the rest of the world have at last been presented a clear policy choice in the US presidential elections. The third presidential debate saw Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton spend most of their time clashing on how they would address specific problems from immigration to Iraq. Read: Rigged polls? Nasty woman? Trumps scorched earth tactics may backfire on him What did the world learn from the debate? There was a spirited debate on immigration policy. More than anything other issue, this has been the engine in the Trump campaign motor. Clinton called for an amnesty for illegal migrants in the US. This was a politically brave decision. While Americans remain largely favourable to immigration, that support drops sharply on the issue of illegal aliens. The Moscow connection led to one memorable exchange with Clinton saying Putin would prefer a puppet as president of the United States and Trump riposting youre the puppet. Inevitably, there was an argument about what to do about West Asia. But Trump failed to discuss the merits of Clintons no-fly-zone over Syria at any length and remained as hazy about his secret plan to handle the Islamic State as he has before. Instead, it became a fruitless argument about who had and who had not supported the US invasion of Iraq. Read: Hillary Clinton lands telling blows and easily wins third debate with Trump Trump positioned himself a true conservative on touchstone domestic issues like gun control, abortion and the like. He wasnt always convincing on them probably because he doesnt believe in many of them. After all, this is a native of New York, one of the most liberal locales in the world, and Trump was a registered Democrat for much of his life. The obvious question to ask is why Trump felt it necessary to sound almost presidential. There seem to be two reasons for this. His hell-for-leather style in the second debate, coupled with the cascade of sexual harassment accusations that followed, has helped propel Clinton to an average six to seven percentage point lead in the polls. Surveys show Trump has held on to the same level of support throughout roughly between 38 and 40 percentage points. But through October, undecided voters have been turning towards Clinton, helping her surge in the polls. Trump has an additional problem: About a fifth to a quarter of Republicans continue to be wary of him. Clinton is now ahead in Republican strongholds in the south like Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. Trump is struggling to hold on to Texas, South Carolina, Georgia and Missouri states that have been deep red for decades. Hence, one suspects, his attempts to talk about value and identity politics in a relatively clear fashion. This debate reminded the world that this race is not about Donald the Cad and Hillary the Cynic. It is about who runs the worlds most powerful nation and how. Bihar is planning to double the cadre strength of its administrative service to enable more field postings of officers, given an increasing workload for the bureaucracy. There are chances of creating 850 posts, thus increasing the sanctioned cadre strength to 1,701. An empowered committee of the finance department is considering the proposal for additional posts in the Bihar Administrative Service (BAS), sources said. Once cleared, the proposal would be put up to the cabinet for approval, they added. The state had, five years ago, restructured the provincial civil services. Of late, Bihars middle tier of bureaucracy is perceived to be short of officers in ranks from deputy secretary to additional secretary. .Read more | IAS exam 2015: Bihar throws up good performance The official machinery, though, denied moves to strengthen the BAS. Chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said there was no move to restructure the cadre or increase posts in the state civil services. There is no such proposal as of now, he said, when HT reached him. The government had earlier once mulled the option of increasing the strength of the civil-service officers. In 2010, it designed the BAS to be the second tier of administration after the IAS by restructuring the cadre posts under which the entry-level BAS officers could become SDO or equivalent rank officers in the basic grade of Rs 8000-Rs 13,500. Currently, the sanctioned cadre strength in basic grade is 273, while there are 176 posts in the deputy secretary or equivalent ranks, 159 in ADM or equivalent and 131 posts in the joint secretary rank. The others are 48 additional secretary or equivalent, 24 special secretary and 40 training (probation) ranks. A third tier of the bureaucracy was created with a separate cadre of block development officer and circle officers under the rural development and revenue department, exempting the BAS officers from getting posted in the field to head blocks and circles. Read more | PCS exam: Give unlimited shots, cut age limit, dont add CSAT marks Bihar Administrative Service Association general secretary Sushil Kumar termed the proposal a welcome step, saying it will open new promotional avenue for officers. Once the panel clears the proposal, we will get a clear picture as to how many posts would be created, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The optional class 10 board exam is likely to become mandatory again. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) may set the questions for the Class 10 final exam for all its affiliated schools, reverting to a system that was in place till six years ago. The Union human resource development minister will discuss the Class 10 board exam with the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the highest advisory body for the Centre and state governments on education, at a meeting on Tuesday. We have representation from a number of states and other representatives because the board exam is still optional in CBSE schools. A broad consensus on it already exists, but a final decision will be taken in the CABE meeting, said Mahendra Nath Pandey, junior minister in the HRD ministry. The CBSE, which runs more than 18,000 schools, offered in 2011 a choice to students to opt for the board examination or school assessment. Approximately 13,000 private schools across the country are affiliated to the board. Many students preferred the second option for their class 10 finals as the general perception is that schools set easier questions for better overall results. Making the board exam optional has been a subject of debate as the class 10 final is often considered the stepping stone to higher education. Every student had to sit for the class 10 board exam before the school-based system was introduced. A little less than 1.5 million students registered for either the boards or school-based class 10 finals in 2016, of whom 1.4 million passed, CBSE data reveal. The HRD ministry could also take up a debate over the no-detention policy, in which students up to class 8 are not detained in the same class even if they dont do well. States are concerned over the quality and a decision is likely over this, too, minister Pandey said. The ministry might offer each state the option to decide on the no-detention policy. A CABE sub-committee has been deliberating on this policy. The advisory board, comprising education ministers of all states and central ministers, will discuss the issue on October 25. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to stay the appointment of primary school teachers in West Bengal, the process for which has already started for thousands of selected candidates. Hearing a PIL filed by a few candidates who claimed that the appointment process was illegal, a division bench comprising justices Dipankar Dutta and S Chatterjee, however, held that the appointments would depend on the outcome of the petition. Refusing to entertain a prayer for injunction on the appointment of candidates in the post of primary teachers, the division bench directed that the state education department may go ahead with the process. The PIL would be heard by the court in due course of time and the appointments would depend on the outcome of the petitions and everyone would abide by the outcome of the final order, the court directed. Read more: WBBPE primary TET results: 1.23 lakh qualify Around 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the Teachers Eligibity Test (TET), results of which were declared by the state education department in September following disposal of petitions challenging the examination process in the high court. The interview of candidates is on at present following the declaration of results of the written examination. Read more | West Bengal Primary TET results: Trained teachers to get jobs first Researchers in Norway have found that pregnant women who are dissatisfied in their relationship may be at an increased risk of developing infectious diseases, which may in turn, also affect their children. The risk of pregnant women with the lowest satisfaction in their relationship becoming ill is more than twice than those who are satisfied. The study does not prove that the first thing leads to the second. But those who report that they are dissatisfied in their relationship more often report illnesses during pregnancy. Their children are also reported ill more often during their first year, said Roger Ekeberg Henriksen from the University of Bergen in Norway. Infections during pregnancy may lead to complications and diseases later in life, Henriksen said, adding dissatisfaction with your partner during pregnancy should be considered a risk factor for reproductive health. Relationship researchers have been usually interested in psychological factors such as depression and life quality. But social isolation and loneliness can also directly affect the physiology. During stressed condition our immune system may be given lower priority, and we thus become less resistant towards infectious diseases from bacteria and viruses, the researchers said. If we look at brain research and other research on physiological mechanisms, we see that having a partner who is predictable and supportive may be decisive for our ability to handle stress. On the opposite side, stress responses may occur with the absence of social support, Henriksen stated. In the study, Henriksen looked at the occurrence of eight different infectious diseases, from the common cold to stomach flu and inflammation of the ear. With children up to six months, the occurrence of all eight infections was higher when the mothers were dissatisfied in their relationship. If theres a lot of stress in your life and you have few good relations, this should be given particular attention. It might be a good idea to talk to your midwife or your general practitioner about this, Henriksen suggested. For the study, the team collected data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) -- a health study on mothers and their children since 1999. The study of pregnant womens infectious diseases includes more than 67,000 women. The study of childrens infectious diseases includes nearly 91,000 women and more than 100,000 children. Actor-filmmaker Angelina Jolie was spotted on Sunday for the first time since filing for divorce from Brad Pitt last month, in California, touring a new rental property. Jolie was with her older brother, James Haven, as well as five of her kids -- Shiloh, Zahara, Pax, and twins Knox and Vivienne. Maddox was not present at the family outing, reported ET Online. Jolie wore a long, tan robe and was barefoot as she walked up a flight of stairs, her children following after her. PICTURED: Angelina Jolie emerges with her children for the first time since Brad split https://t.co/c0fzOoVtjf pic.twitter.com/LAVe7HJ7PK Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) October 18, 2016 A source said that Haven and the kids were also at the beach before they toured the rental property, and spent over an hour at the house. The family was accompanied by security guards as well as the childrens nannies. The 41-year-old actor looked very happy and relaxed as she walked around barefoot after being on the beach, the insider said. Jolie and Pitts children also appear to be doing as well as they can be since the split, playing by the water. The kids were running around and they seemed happy and to be doing well. Zahara ran out to the beach by the water. The kids were playing on the beach, the source said. Pitt, 52, has yet to be spotted since the divorce announcement. Follow @htshowbiz for more The Congress dubbed Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, as a betrayer on Thursday, alleging that she has a family history of switching sides. The party also insisted that BJP president Amit Shah will not be able to gain anything in Uttar Pradesh by amassing an army of traitors. The 67-year-old Joshi, daughter of late Congress veteran Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, joined the BJP in the presence of Shah at the party headquarters in New Delhi. She attacked Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis handling of the grand, old party as well as his reaction to the armys surgical strikes. Joshis move, which came months ahead of the state elections, is widely seen as a big jolt to the Congress, with which she was associated for 24 years. The Congress UP unit chief, Raj Babbar, dismissed Joshis criticism of Gandhi, saying leaders like her who pursued selfish politics were afraid that the Congress vice-president was ushering in democracy into the party. He asserted that Joshis exit will have no bearing on Congress and its prospects in the poll-bound state. Rita Bahuguna Joshi has exhibited betrayal as the party leadership had entrusted full faith in her. Joshi has been a teacher of history and probably thats why she is repeating her family history of switching sides, he told reporters. Read: For the Bahugunas blood is thicker than party ties Launching an attack on the BJP, he said the party was showing that it had no faith left in its own leaders. In its quest for victory in UP polls, BJP is amassing an army of traitors from other parties. It seems the BJP, which has 71 MPs in the poll-bound state, does not have faith in its own leaders and that is why it is importing party leaders from outside, he said. Reacting to Joshis exit, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the party general secretary and in-charge of party affairs in UP, said: Opportunist leaders do not stick to one place. The real thing was that she is unlikely to win from her seat as the contest was tough. Asked about Joshis attack on Gandhis leadership qualities, Babbar said all such leaders who acted as satraps were feeling insecure as the kingdoms of various godfathers were being demolished by the Congress vice-president. People who are doing politics for their selfish interest and gains are feeling insecure in Congress as Rahul Gandhi is doing such politics which is harming the interests of such satraps. Rahul Gandhi is fighting for democracy within the party, he said. To a question on whether there is any need for introspection within the Congress in the wake of some leaders quitting the party in recent past, Babbar said: Introspection has started within the party. That is why satraps are falling apart and leading the party. BJP workers clashed with the police on Thursday at Kalighat in south Kolkata when they were stopped from marching towards the residence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to register protest against the attack on Union minister Babul Supriyo. The police set up barricades to stop them from marching towards Banerjees residence, which was a short distance away. Supriyo claimed he was attacked on Wednesday at Asansol. The BJP workers, who tried to break the barricades, clashed with the police who chased them wielding lathis. Police sources said nine persons were arrested in this connection. Senior BJP leaders, including partys national secretary Rahul Sinha, Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly were present on the spot among others. Ganguly alleged that some women policemen hit them from behind and said, We have the right to hold protest. She also denied that BJP workers hurled stones at the policemen. Rahul Sinha claimed that they were holding a peaceful agitation when the police started the lathicharge. There is no democracy in the state, he alleged. Former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, dealing a potential blow to the Congress ahead of state elections due by early next year. Joshi, 67, slammed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, saying people had rejected his leadership and that the nation was upset over his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the armys surgical strike on militant camps inside Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir last month. The whole nation was upset with a phrase like khoon ki dalali, Joshi, who had been the Congress state chief between 2007 and 2012, said referring to Rahuls comment. Besides the valour of the army, the governments strong leadership was also behind the surgical strikes. The whole world accepted Indias arguments behind the strikes. The Congress, however, behaved like a small party and went on to question it. A long-time Congress loyalist, Joshi became upset after the Congress decided to project former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, a Brahmin like herself, as the chief ministerial candidate. Her arrival is expected to boost the BJPs efforts to consolidate Brahmin votes as the party looks to return to power after more than 15 years. Joshis exit comes at a time when the Congress is seeking to build up a credible campaign to revive itself in a bellwether state it dominated before regional parties, built along caste lines, displaced it from power 27 years ago and left it a marginal player. Read: Rita Bahuguna Joshi a betrayer, Shah amassing army of traitors: Cong But Congress leaders said Joshis departure was of little consequence given the fact that in the two decades she spent with the party she had failed to emerge as a credible leader with any significant appeal, even among the upper castes. Party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad called her an opportunist leader who left the party for a safe seat. Opportunist leaders dont stick to one place, he said. Partys new Uttar Pradesh chief Raj Babbar also taunted BJP chief Amit Shah of amassing an army of dagabaaz (betrayers), referring to various leaders who deserted their parties to join the BJP. In May, Joshis elder brother Vijay Bahuguna joined the BJP after a failed coup to topple the Harish Rawat-led Congress government in Uttarakhand. Their father Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, had also quit the Congress to float his own party and was famously defeated by Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan in Allahabad in the 1984 parliament polls. Joshi, who spent 24 of her 27 years in politics with the Congress, also attacked Congresspoll strategist Prashant Kishor, saying he can be a poll manager but not the poll director. People have rejected Rahul Gandhis leadership, she said at a press conference with BJP president Amit Shah by her side. Only BJP, PM Modi can help the country. Joshi lost the 2014 parliamentary polls to BJPs Rajnath Singh, who went on to become the Union home minister. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi has named his younger son MK Stalin as his political heir in an interview to a Tamil magazine, potentially settling the long-standing succession battle in one of the most powerful political families in India. The announcement, contained in his answer to one of the questions by Tamil Magazine Ananda Vikatan that hit the stands on Thursday, could also widen the rift between Stalin and his elder brother MK Alagiri. Stalin has served as an apprentice under his father for over four decades. It would be apt that Stalin is my successor because of his hard work, dedication and sense of purpose. Stalin has proved himself that he is the future of the DMK, Karunanidhi, a former chief minister, said. Asked how he viewed son Stalins performance as a political leader, Karunanidhi said he was extremely happy that he was carrying on the task admirably well. Read | Stalin trumps elder brother in battle for political supremacy within DMK Even as a youth activist in the party, Stalin has caught the imagination of the masses and particularly the youth, Karunanidhi said and added his son was very experienced in the rough and tumble of politics and had risen steadily, fighting every inch of his journey upwards. That Stalin was his political heir was an open secret among DMK cadres, much to the chagrin of Alagiri, who periodically threw tantrums over this importance given to his younger brother, but could nothing against the skillful political maneuvering by his sibling who spent more time in politics, starting out as a young volunteer in his teens. Asked if Alagiris absence would weaken the party, Karunanidhi downplayed this aspect and said that it was not prudent to think about something that is not there and carry with what is present and build upon it. The succession battle played out ugly in the open some six years ago when Karunanidhi had hosted a world Tamil meet at Coimbatore, where Alagiri and his supporters raised slogans and left the venue abruptly. Alagiri, a Union minister then, was expelled from the party. His repeated efforts to enter the party failed to materialise as Stalin quickly took a firm grip over the party apparatus and is in-charge of its affairs. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On a cold night few years, Vijay Bahuguna met a Congress leader with a unique proposal: As Rita (Bahuguna Joshi) is the UP Congress chief, make me the Uttarakhand unit chief and give a Rajya Sabha seat to Shekhar (Bahuguna). The Congress strategist and a confidante of Rahul Gandhi had only one answer: I will lose my job if I even say this to him. For the Bahugunas, the loyalty to the party has never come in the way of kinship. Vijay, the elder brother and former Uttarakhand chief minister has always remained thick with sister Rita and their youngest sibling, Shekhar. In a way, the siblings have followed the path of their more famous father Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, who quit the Congress to float his own party and was famously defeated by Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan at Allahabad in the 1984 parliamentary polls. On Thursday, Rita Bahuguna Joshi left the Congress to join the BJP, just five months after her elder brother led a failed coup to topple the Uttarakhand government. In March, Vijay Bahuguna voted against the annual budget of the Congress-led government in the hilly state, prompting the Centre to impose Presidents rule in the state. Two months later, Bahuguna along with some loyalists, joined the BJP. He hopes to be projected as the chief minister candidate for the BJP in the state poll in 2017, said a Congress leader considered close to the family. The low-profile Sekhar, however, remains with the Congress. Rita Bahuguna Joshi was the Congress state unit president in the countrys most populous state from 2007 to 2012. During her leadership, the Congress could improve its Lok Sabha tally from UP and she had emerged as the upper caste, Brahmin face of the party. But now, after the Congress brought in Shiela Dikshit, another Brahmin woman as the chief ministerial candidate in UP, Rita Bahuguna Joshi was completely isolated. With brother Vijay already in the BJP, she didnt find it difficult to find her new political home. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A forensic report into the cause of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Puls death ten weeks ago has confirmed the initial suspicion that it was a case of suicide, police said on Thursday. The report the state police received last week said there was no suspicion of foul play into the ex-CMS death, state inspector general of police N Payeng told Hindustan Times. The 47-year-old leaders body was found hanging in his official residence in Itanagar on August 9 less than a month after he had to quit as CM following a Supreme Court verdict. The sudden death caused a stir in the northeastern states fluctuating politics and led hundreds of Pul supporters to take to the streets, alleging foul play and demanding a CBI inquiry. Adding to the air of mystery was a handwritten note seen near the body. Titled My Thoughts, the 60-page document was sealed by the police. While a case of unnatural death was registered, the state government ordered a magisterial inquiry to probe the exact cause of death. Read: Depression, financial crisis: Rumours abound over Kalikho Puls death Puls viscera were sent to the Guwahati-based forensic science laboratory, which gave its report to the Arunachal Pradesh government last week. Now that we have the forensic report, we will investigate the case further, IG Payeng said. We should be able file a closure report within a month. The former CMS family, which was busy with Puls final rites till last week, isnt happy with the slow pace of investigation. The process is taking time, Puls third wife Dasanglu Pul told HT. Since the final rites are over, we will be able to pursue the matter further and see that the investigation ends soon. Politics in Arunachal Pradesh took another major turn last month with chief minister Pema Khandu leaving the Congress along with 43 MLAs and joining the Peoples Party of Arunachal. Read: Kalikho Pul: Congressman who became Arunachal CM with BJP support The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has 11 MLAs in the state, joined Khandus government earlier this month. Election Commission announced this week that by-election to the Hayuliang (ST) assembly constituency, which got vacant after Puls death, will be held on November 19. The PPA and the BJP are planning to announce a joint candidate for the seat. Puls third wife Dasanglu is a frontrunner. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that the Modi government is trying to convert India into Hindu rashtra with its attempt to impose a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The MP from Hyderabad said that by interfering in the Muslim Personal Law, the government was trying to show that Muslims were second class citizens. Stating that pluralism and diversity were the strengths and beauty of India, he said any attempt to destroy secularism would weaken the country. Owaisi was addressing a public meeting organized by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to oppose UCC. The meeting began at 8 pm on Wednesday and continued well past midnight. Leaders of all sects of Muslims and various schools of Islamic thought addressed the meeting attended by thousands of people including women. Read: RSS Muslim wing to discuss triple talaq, UCC next month The speakers made it clear that Muslims would never tolerate any attempt to interfere in Muslim Personal Law. Owaisi ridiculed the affidavit filed by the central government in the Supreme Court and said that by comparing Indian Muslims with the Muslims of Pakistan and other countries, the government had insulted not just Indian Muslims but the entire country. He pointed out that Pakistan was not a functional democracy while other countries mentioned in the affidavit have either monarchies or were no comparison to India. The MP dared the government to scrap the special status enjoyed by states like Mizoram and Nagaland and abolish the marriage laws of Goa. He wanted to know if the government, by bringing the UCC, would extend tax rebate enjoyed by Hindu undivided families to Muslims. Read: Uniform civil code: Anatomy of the politics of distrust, acerbity and grievance Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising religious slogans during the Dussehra programme, the MP said no Indian Prime Minister in the past had raised such a slogan. Stating that there were 16 Directive Principles of the Constitution, he wondered why the government was bothered only about the UCC and cow slaughter. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that the government has no hidden agenda of imposing uniform civil code or behind the opposition to the triple talaq among Muslims, rejecting allegations by religious bodies and opposition parties as completely baseless. He also asserted that while India respects freedom of religion and faith, unreasonable or discriminatory practices cannot be held integral to it and protected. This whole apprehension that we are bringing uniform civil code or it is an agenda is completely baseless. The two need not be linked at all. The Law Commission is examining it and let there be a widest consultation possible by all the stakeholders, Prasad told PTI in an interview. He said the people opposing the common civil code should tell so to the law panel which has sought public opinion on the subject. Say your opposition also. But the government presently has nothing to say. Let the Law Commission take a view. The entire argument of any hidden agenda is something which I deny with all the authority at my command, he said. Prasad cited the practice of untouchability to assert that religious practices need to be in accord with constitutional values and emphasised that gender justice, gender equality and gender dignity were at the core of the Narendra Modi governments priority. ... we respect freedom of religion and freedom of faith which are protected by the fundamental rights. But every unreasonable or discriminatory practice cannot be held integral to faith.... For instance, can anyone claim that untouchability against Dalits flows from my faith and I can practice it. Therefore, religious practices also need to be in accord with the constitutional values, he said. The government had on October 7 opposed in the Supreme Court the practice of triple talaq among Muslims, maintaining that it cannot be regarded as an essential part of religion. Responding to questions on the issue of triple talaq, the senior BJP leader said a set of women cannot lose their rights for being from a particular religion. Can in a secular country like India a big chunk of women be forced to live in a state of vulnerability only on the ground that they belong to a particular religion? he questioned. Noting that gender equality stands embedded right from the day the Constitution came into existence, the minister said development and empowerment of women were also among governments priorities. The Law Minister said some people are calling end of the practice of triple talaq a violation of Sharia or personal law. It is only in response to their apprehension that we have raised this issue, also listed in our affidavit, that a large number of Muslim countries have regulated triple talaq. They have provided for arbitration, mediation, conciliation as a first step, he said. Many countries have abolished the practice all together by law, including Iran, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Now the straight question I am raising is, if declared Islamic or predominantly Muslim countries have regulated triple talaq, which has not been found to be violative of personal law or sharia, how can the same argument be relevant in a declared secular country like India?, he said. The minister recalled that Article 44 which talks of a common code was made a part of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly which consisted of towering leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad, B R Ambedkar, Maulana Azad and many others. Controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi pulled off an exit from India despite a look-out notice against him because he created confusion using an unrelated court order to fool immigration officials who let him go, fearing legal trouble if he missed his flight. When Qureshi wanted by the enforcement directorate for alleged money laundering and hawala deals -- was stopped en-route to Dubai at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday, he told immigration officials that he had a court order in his favour, sources said. Airport officials were worried that he will miss his flight and they would get a rap from the court and hence let him board the Dubai-bound plane, sources said. Immigration authorities have now told the home ministry that letting Qureshi go was a bonafide mistake. The immigration officials should have checked with the ED officials about the court order rather than taking a call on their own, a home ministry official said. The Immigration department had initiated an inquiry. The ED is now keeping its fingers crossed as it anxiously waits for Qureshi to return to India on October 22. The ED had issued a look-out circular (LOC) against Qureshi asking the immigration authorities to stop him and inform whenever Qureshi tries to leave the country. Sources said the immigration authorities informed the home ministry that as soon as Qureshi arrived at the airport, he was stopped and the ED was informed. But, Qureshi told them he had a court order on the basis of which he can leave the country. He got the order faxed at the airport as well for the perusal of the immigration authorities. But that court order pertained to a separate case lodged by the income tax department against Qureshi, said a home ministry official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. After reviewing the court order, the immigration officials at the airport allowed him to leave the country because his flight was about to depart. Sources said in the case initiated by the IT authorities, Qureshi was mandated to inform the court before leaving the country, which he did. The ED is probing a money laundering case against Qureshi. The home ministry will review the report and decide on further course of action in this regard. The ED had registered a case against Qureshi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) last year. He is under the scanner of probe agencies for alleged tax evasion and hawala-like dealings. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Commenting on the seriousness of contemporary politics, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said humour and satire, which have a place in most democracies, are losing their space in the Indian political discourse. There was a lot of place for humour and satire in Indian politics, which slowly has come to an endIf it comes back, some will make the most of it, he said at the release of a compendium of his writings Andhere Se Ujale ki Aur. The book is a Hindi translation of his previously published posts on his blog. Describing it as a phase of democracy, Jaitley reflected on the use of humour and satire by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and parliamentarian Piloo Mody, and what was visible in the writings of former finance minister Madhu Dandavate. Referring to his book, Jaitley said his writings touched on the issues related to everyday concerns of the masses and gave him an opportunity to put across his thoughts. He remarked on the tendency of the mainstream media to set the agenda for the discourse that does not allow space to alternate viewpoints. I found a way outI would dictate a few paras and put it out on social media, he said. The finance minister, who is credited with shaping the BJPs electoral strategy, was praised by BJP president Amit Shah for his role as a spokesperson and a key strategist of the party. Shah, who released the book, said Jaitley has made significant contribution to the achievements made by the Narendra Modi-led government in the past two-and-a-half years of its tenure. He specifically mentioned the passing of the GST Bill and the black money declaration as successes that Jaitley could be credited for. An ongoing call to boycott Chinese goods in India over diplomatic disputes will fizzle and fail to change the current nature of bilateral trade ties that is heavily tilted in Beijings favour, state media has argued. In the end, consumers will opt for reasonably priced goods from the East Asian country, it has forecast. One reason why the boycott call will not work in changing trade ties in Indias favour is that the Chinese consumer goods to be shunned forms only small part of what China exports to India, Liu Xiaoxue from the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the prestigious Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) wrote for the nationalistic tabloid, the Global Times. In fact, a chunk of imports from China comprises essential hi-tech goods that India need for development and people need for essential use, Liu said. Moreover, the merchandise, which is mentioned by Indian media all the time, is only a small part of Chinese exports to India, the CASS researcher said. Being a major exporter of hi-tech goods, todays China mainly exports hi-tech products to India, including electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, train locomotives, computers and telephones. These are all necessary for Indias economic development and its peoples everyday lives. Liu added that for consumers, attractive goods with a reasonable price are naturally their first choice. That said, a boycott of Chinese goods will not only result in little of the political effect that people who initiated the movement would like to see, but will also fail to fundamentally change Indias current trade ties with China. In the end, it will be nothing more than a tiny incident, she wrote. According to Liu, after PM Narendra Modi started promoting the slogan Make in India, some of the countrys media and citizens have tended to hype up the substantial quantities of made-in-China balloons, coloured lanterns and ribbons that always appear in the nations Hindu spring festival by asking, Should our valuable foreign currency be wasted on these products? or Are Indian manufacturing industries too backward to produce those goods? Economically, India has unbalanced trade ties with China. The increasing trade deficit with China has been irritating New Delhi. Indias trade deficit with China jumped to $51.45 billion in 2015, Liu wrote. She added that India as a country with a long-term account deficit which faces balance of payments problems is always vigilant against trade deficits. Chinese products can hence be easily turned into the target of Indias anti-dumping sanctions. Unresolved problems between the two nations sometimes influence their political mutual trust and have led to the non-tariff barriers in India against Chinese capital and products, such as security checks in major projects in the fields of defense, telecommunications, Internet and transportation, Liu wrote. Devesh Kapur is the director of the Centre for Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-author of a new book The Other One Percent: Indians in America, which will be released in New York this week. The book has been hailed as the most authoritative, data-driven, research based work on Indian-Americans. In the backdrop of a heated debate on immigration in the election season, public events organised by Indians for Donald Trump, and the third and final presidential debate, Kapur spoke to HT about the Indian immigrant story: Immigration has been a contentious issue in the US election. What has been the experience of Indians in America? As we write in the introduction of the book, in work on immigration, there has been little attention on Indians because they are not a problem. Groups with challenges poverty, education gaps tend to get more attention. Indians have by and large done well. They have not been a problem group. The only place when issues related to Indian-Americans come up is with regard to the H1B visa and whether there has been an impact of their larger numbers on native IT workers. Trump has mentioned the H1B visas once or twice, but thats it. Indians have to wait the longest to get these visas converted to green cards to become permanent residents, and there was hope that a reformed immigration bill would pass. But I think those hopes may now lie thwarted. You mention that Indians in American constitute the most educated, highest income group of all immigrants. How did you arrive at this conclusion? We really wanted to do a book that was based on unimpeachable sources of data. One core source of it has been the US Census Bureau. The American Community Survey gives the place of birth of the individual. Unlike the Indian census bureau, which hardly gives any data to anyone, they make it available to researchers and with short lags. It allows us to see the birth-place, and a host of socio-economic data from their education and income, to language spoken at home. What explains this stunning rise of Indians in US? The central factor is the selection story. You are drawing from a group which is from the top few percentage of a population in India, and comparing it to the median in America. Higher education in India till quite recently was a privilege of the few, of the upper castes and upper classes. This group had social and cultural capital. You were selected by birth, by higher education exams, by the American visa system. You are filtered through this triple selection process. That is the core reason. But there are other reasons too. One, relative to other immigrant groups from Latin America and Asia, Indians are more fluent in English. Two, Indias paradoxical failures in manufacturing meant many people went into the IT/service sector. So you came into a sector that was rapidly expanding. Imagine if most people had come in as civil engineers, they may have had to climb stairs for upward mobility. But this new group got into an elevator because the IT sector was growing. This was pure luck. The third reason is Indians are relatively politically liberal, but socially conservative. They have among the lowest divorce rates of all Asian groups. Family incomes are even higher than even personal incomes. You get two income families, which gives you a certain advantage. And the fourth is that unlike other immigrants, an unusually large fraction has come through work visas. The normal story of immigration in US be it the late 19th or early 20th century immigration of Italians and Irish was that you were less educated than the average American and there was gradual upward mobility through generations. But you can get H1B only if your salary is higher than median salary. So you come not on the ground floor, but the second or third floor. Your entry into labour markets was assured. So it is not just who comes, but how you come even as a legal immigrant makes a considerable difference in the wages you get. Last week, an Indian-American group organised an event for Donald Trump. There has also been impression that the Indian right derives a lot of support from the diaspora in the US. What do we know about the political preferences of Indian-Americans? There is no doubt about this. Indians are more liberal than most immigrant groups. The perception that Indians in US are right-wing is much more to do with the laziness of Indian journalists and academics. It is based on conclusions from a vocal minority. Among the immigrant groups, Indians are much more pro Democrat. Attitudes on so-called right-wing issues like Muslims or affirmative action are much more liberal than say that of the Chinese. They are way more liberal than the average Americans. We also found that the longer they stay in US, the more pro-Democrat they become in political orientation. The only issue where their view is more conservative than average American is on gay marriage. And that supports my contention that they are socially conservative. In April 2016, a survey of Asian-American groups said 10% of Indians had a very favourable view of Trump. That 10% likes Trump can be very vocal. But 10% is just 10%. It is a distinct minority. Are there reactionary Indian-Americans who are bigoted and prejudiced? Yes, of course. But is that a minority or median? They are a minority. A large number dont know or particularly care. Many do not come from elite families. A lower middle class Telugu-speaker has paid his way through engineering and come here. Their priority is making it economically in the US. This is interesting because one would assume that with higher incomes, Indians would support the Republican platform with its promise of lower taxes. Precisely. One would think they will be more Republicans because of their income. But Republicans lost them for two reasons. In the early 2000s, they moved towards evangelical Christianity; and the recent moves towards anti-immigrant, anti-minority positions alienated Indians further. Indians could have been a natural constituency for the socially and fiscally conservative Republican platform. They did not leave the Republican Party, but Republicans left them. We are discussing the Indian vote, but in the big picture, does it matter? No. If you look at the Congressmen who attended the Narendra Modi event at MSG, they are from constituencies where Indians are more than half percent. In the aggregate, they will not matter; in specific seats, they may matter. There is a decent probability that at least 3, maybe 4 Indian-Americans, could win seats in the Congress. But their influence is growing. The second generation of Indians here is on the staff of Congressmen, they do law degrees which is the pathway to politics, and they are in the news media all the discourse shapers. The second generation is more liberal because they go to better colleges and are more exposed to the socialisation effects of American higher education. The political views of native-Americans are often shaped by the political preferences of their parents a sort of trickle-down effect. In the case of immigrants and Indian-Americans the political views are often shaped in a trickle-up manner. Children help shape the political views of parents. How do Indians compare with, say, Chinese in terms of the politics? In a survey of six major Asian immigrant groups Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Indians, Chinese and Filipino in April 2016 we got a sense of the voting attitudes. Indians have the highest support for Democrats; especially for Obama, much higher than the Chinese. Indians are also more deeply opposed to anti-Muslim politics, and are more committed to affirmative action proposals than the Chinese. Is it the case they may be liberal in US, but support the right back in India? One way to think about this is that more than half the Indians in the US have come after 2000 this is the H1B visa. Many have come from South India. There is hardly much support for the BJP in south India. So they dont quite have a record of supporting the right wing in India. People take events like support for Modi as support for the BJP. Many may support the leadership of Modi, but not necessarily the reactionary agenda of elements of the RSS. You end on a cautious note. Is the high point of the Indian immigration story over? We are going to see much more growth is the second generation. Most of them are very young. Most surveys are done on adults. Majority of the second generation are below 18. Whether these large flows will continue is an open question some of course will. But in the last couple of years, worldwide, attitudes on immigration have hardened, as we saw with Brexit too. I would be somewhat cautious in making any firm projections of the future. Intelligence agencies will not have free access to Aadhaar data, a top government official said on Thursday, looking to assuage fears of abuse of personal information. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which issued identity cards to 1.07 billion Indians, last month decided to retain data related to the verification of Aadhaar-enabled transactions for seven years, leading to security concerns over data safety. As reported by HT on Monday, privacy experts expressed concerns that transaction data retained for so long could be accessed by the security establishment for surveillance on individuals without sufficient grounds. This fear is completely misplaced, ABP Pandey, UIDAIs chief executive officer told HT in an interview. Security agencies can access the data only in case of national security after they get the nod of an oversight committee headed by the cabinet secretary. This committee has to clear every order made by the designated joint secretary-level officer before the information is shared, he said. You cannot have any legal protection stronger than this, Pandey added. Aadhaar transaction data is not only protected by the most powerful, contemporary law to restrict access but also by strong cryptography. Even if someone attempts, the 2048-bit encryption is so strong that it will take them millions of computers and billions of years to decrypt the data, he said. A vocal critic of Aadhaars design, Sunil Abraham of the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) suggested he wouldnt rely too much on the legal framework. You cannot put a legal band-aid on a broken technological solution. You need to get privacy and security right by design, the director of the Bengaluru-based research body said. Abraham said the problem could have been averted if the UIDAI did not store the data in a centralised form. Instead, it could have used its digital signature to sign proof of authentication that could be stored by the authenticating agency and the citizen on a smart card. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Twelve employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government have been dismissed over charges of spearheading and participating in anti-India protests during the ongoing civil unrest in the Valley since July, and violating the code of conduct for government employees, sources said. The employees, who were dismissed from government service, belong to various departments including revenue, public health engineering, rural development and education department, a senior government official said. The state government invoked Article 126 of Jammu and Kashmir Constitution for dismissing these employees, the official said. He said some of these employees have been arrested and booked under Public Safety Act while others are either out on bail or evading arrest. The termination comes after news broke earlier this month that the police are in the process of booking more than 130 state government employees under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on charges of directly and indirectly instigating the present unrest in the Valley. According to reports, the intelligence wing of the state police last month had prepared a dossier against 36 employees for fomenting trouble in Kashmir and inciting youth to violence. The dossier was sent to chief secretarys office for further action. Sources also say that the termination order says that no inquiry will be held into the allegations against the officials since the charged atmosphere in Kashmir is not conducive for holding inquires considering threat perception to witnesses in the cases. The government and top bureaucrats are tight-lipped about the termination order. Chief secretary BR Sharma did not pick up his phone and principal secretary, home department, RK Goyal did not respond saying he was in a meeting. Read: Kashmir limps back to normalcy as more people defy separatist-sponsored strike Leading English daily, Greater Kashmir reported on Thursday that the termination order states that the acts of these employees are not only aimed at questioning sovereignty and integrity of India but also violate Rule 14 and 20 of the J&K Government Employees Conduct Rules 1971. Their continuation in service will not only set a bad precedent but would tantamount to putting a premium on indulging in misconduct, subversion and anti-national activities, the dismissal order reportedly says. Observers say such terminations had occurred in the 1990s when armed militancy and separatism was at its peak in Kashmir. Education minister Naeem Akhtar was among five government employees dismissed from service by the state government in 1990 for his alleged involvement in anti-national activities. Their services were later restored after employees went on a mass strike for nearly three months. Prominent political scientist Professor Noor Ahmad Baba said that such action from the state will not improve the situation and can further deteriorate it by causing government employees to protest against such measures. Employees are not going to take such action lying down. Thats what I can say, the professor added. Kashmir Valley has been witnessing unrest for the past over 100 days. The violence was triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani. (With PTI inputs) The AIADMK said on Thursday Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa is completely well and will return home soon. Amma (Jayalalithaa) has progressed very well under the daily monitoring of Apollo Hospital doctors and specialists and soon she will return home, AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathy told reporters. She said Jayalalithaa, who had dedicated her life for public service, was taking rest as per doctors advice. Otherwise, she is completely well and will come home soon. God is by her side on her health, she said. Jayalalithaa (68) was admitted to the Apollo Hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. A specialist from London, besides a three-member team of doctors from AIIMS, Delhi, had also examined Jayalalithaa, who is being treated for infection with respiratory support. Meanwhile, former AIADMK minister and BJP leader HV Hande also expressed confidence that Jayalalithaa will return home soon. Hande visited Apollo Hospitals and said he met the doctors and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, M Thambidurai. He was informed that the passive physiotherapists were taking good care to Jayalalithaa, he said. I am confident she will return home within a week or 10 days, Hande, who had served as Health Minister in the MG Ramachandran-led AIADMK government, said. Meanwhile, party workers and supporters of Jayalalithaa continued holding special prayers in temples, churches and mosques across the state, wishing for her speedy recovery. Over the past couple of years, one Indian state after another has been on the boil because of caste-based agitations. An analysis of a number of socio-economic indicators suggest that while caste continues to remain an important fault line in Indias economy and polity, there are huge variations in the socio-economic status and clout of different backward classes and caste groups. Data from the latest Economic Census shows that while the percentage share of firms and enterprises owned by OBCs is almost proportionate with their share in the total worker population, SCs have the lowest relative share among all social groups. There is reason to believe that discrimination, in addition to lack of access of capital might also be hindering the entry of Dalits in certain businesses. Read the full story on Livemint here SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The owner of an Odisha hospital, where 21 people died and more than 100 injured in a massive blaze, was arrested on Thursday amid growing outrage over flouted safety norms that likely increased the death toll. Manoj Ranjan Nayak who rose from a humble computer science teacher to a successful entrepreneur turned himself in amid growing calls for the sacking of the health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, a confidante of chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Atanu is under pressure because of allegations repeated by Union health minister JP Nadda on Wednesday that SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar didnt have fire safety clearances and violated guidelines that aggravated injuries and deaths during Mondays fire. Atanu is also said to have close ties with Manoj, whose meteoric rise is said to be because of his proximity to the ruling Biju Janata Dal. We have arrested him (Manoj) under sections 304, 308, 285 and 34 of Indian Penal Code and would forward him to a court in a few hours, said Bhubaneswar police commissioner YB Khurania. Nayak is to be sent to jail as most of the sections under which he was arrested are non-bailable. But opposition leaders say the blame for the states biggest hospital disaster should rest with the chief minister. They say the blaze occurred because of poor fire-safety guidelines and lax implementation a responsibility of the fire department, which reports to the home ministry headed by Naveen. The director general of fire services that inspected the hospital after the mishap found the premises deficient on several counts of fire safety precautions, including a lack of a sprinkler system, fire detection system, fire hydrant point and terrace water tank all of which were recommended by the fire services wing in 2013. The CM has to answer what prevented him from taking action against the hospital for last three years, said senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra. Sources allege that despite the lack of a mandatory fire safety certificate, the hospitals licence to operate under the Odisha Clincal Establishments (Control and Regulation) Act, 2012 was renewed in April for two years. But the rot within the fire-safety system extends far beyond SUM hospital, experts say. Government data shows only four of the 572 registered private hospitals and nursing homes in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri have mandatory fire safety certificates. The opposition is also gunning for Naveen over his governments failure in framing the rules of Odisha Fire Service Act, 23 years after the law was passed by his late father Biju Patnaik. The rules would help specify norms and empower fire service authorities to act against violators. The CM has a lot to answer why as home minister he did not take action against the hospital over fire safety violation. He should resign on moral grounds for the biggest hospital disaster of Odisha, said Sameer Mohanty, a BJP spokesperson. Meanwhile, the Odisha government on Thursday issued a show cause notice to SUM Hospital asking it to explain as to why its clinical licence will not be cancelled in the wake of the fire mishap. Pakistan on Thursday said the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has backed its stance over Kashmir by adopting a resolution upholding Kashmiris right to self-determination. OIC foreign ministers met in Tashkent on October 18-19 for the 43rd session and adopted a very strong resolution on the grave human rights situation in Kashmir, Pakistan foreign office said. While upholding Kashmiris right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN security council resolutions, the grouping reaffirmed its unwavering support to the just cause of Kashmiri people, expressed deep concern and condemned in strongest possible terms the unabated killing of defenceless Kashmiris. The grouping said that demonstrations by unarmed Kashmiris, despite curfew in the wake of Hizbul commander Burhan Wanis death is a referendum against India, it said. It also rejected Indian attempts to equate the indigenous freedom movement of Kashmiris in Kashmir with terrorism. Stressing that Jammu and Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India, the grouping said its resolution is indispensable for realisation of the dream for peace in South Asia. Condemning in strongest possible terms the unabated killing and brutality let loose in Kashmir, the grouping expressed shock at the deadly silence of world community. They also condemned prolonged detentions of Kashmiri leaders by India and violations of freedom of movement and expression. Acknowledging that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are the party principle to the dispute, the resolution said they should be included in Pakistan-India dialogue process. The grouping regretted that India is not allowing OIC fact finding Mission to visit Kashmir or responded favourably to the offers of the Good Offices Mission by the OIC. They called upon India to implement numerous UN security council resolutions on Kashmir which declare that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people, to join India or Pakistan, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. They reminded the international community of its obligations to ensure the implementation of UN security council resolutions on Kashmir and fulfil the promises made by it with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan on Thursday summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner here over the killing of a civilian in Indias unprovoked ceasefire violation across the LoC and sought an immediate probe. Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that 28-year-old villager Abdul Rehman was killed in unprovoked firing by India in Karela sector of the Line of Control (LoC) late last night. 12 others, including women and children, were injured in the incident, the FO said in a press release. The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called in by the Director General (South Asia & SAARC) today over unprovoked ceasefire violations on the LoC by Indian forces, it said. It was conveyed that the Indian side must investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, India must instruct its troops to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace and stability on the LoC, the release said. It further added that Pakistan notes with deep concern that during the last couple of months, there have been a number of ceasefire violations from the Indian side on the LoC and the Working Boundary. Separately in Rawalpindi, the Pakistani military handed over a protest letter to the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) representative. UNMOGIP representative was handed protest by GHQ (Pakistans General Headquarters) regarding targeting of civilians by Indian Army and use of heavy calibre mortars, Zakaria said in a tweet. UNMOGIP has been requested to immediately investigate the matter, he added. Pakistan and India have been accusing each other of violating the ceasefire of 2003 in Kashmir since the Uri terror attack last month. India has maintained that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the LoC. India has always stated that it has no role to play whatsoever. Pakistan on Thursday warned of appropriate action if India violates the Indus Waters Treaty and said it is closely monitoring the situation, amid reports that New Delhi may revisit the key water sharing accord. Appropriate action will be taken in line with the Treaty in case of any violation by India, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing. Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation, Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. Zakarias remarks come amid reports that India may review the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty. He said that India is making desperate attempts to divert attention from the atrocities and human right violations being committed in Kashmir. He said Pakistan is highlighting Indian brutalities in Kashmir at world fora and there has been very substantive outcome of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that India violated ceasefire on the Line of Control for more than 90 times this year. The notion of isolating Pakistan is ridiculous, Zakaria said, adding that Indias negative attitude has been exposed which is the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also termed the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as very disappointing and highly regrettable as he deplored Indias decision to use SAARC for its political ambition, according to the report. Zakaria also referred to a media report quoting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a very, very hot tinderbox and offered to be the mediator or arbitrator. Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute, he said. And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers, he added. The disappearance of biotechnology student Najeeb Ahmed -- allegedly after being thrashed by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad -- has triggered protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, forcing officials to stay put in their offices. The university is doing its best to locate a Muslim student missing for five days, the institutions vice-chancellor said on Thursday, appealing to students to call off an ongoing protest. Here are five controversies that surrounded the university in the past: Sedition charge against student leader (2016) Kanhaiya Kumar, who was then Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president, was arrested on sedition charges for taking part in a controversial event on Kashmir, held at the university campus on February 9. Authorities said the event was held to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of Mohammad Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri separatist for his role in an attack on Parliament in 2001. The case became a rallying point for Opposition parties and free speech activists, who said the country had become increasingly intolerant since Prime Minister Narendra Modis government was elected two years ago. Row over Kashmir stalls at International Food Festival (2016) The universitys International Food Festival, which is held every Republic Day, was mired in controversy this year when the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad objected to a few students setting up a Kashmir stall, saying only other countries should be allowed to set up counters. The booking for the Kashmiri food stall was cancelled and international students organising the event were threatened with legal action, The Hindu reported. Occupy UGC protest (2015) Students of the JNU and a few other universities camped outside the University Grants Commission office weeks in protest against the scrapping of non-NET fellowships, which was provided to those undertaking research in central universities across India. JNU Students during protest at JNU Campus against JNU Presidents Kanhaiya arrest by Delhi Police in New Delhi on February 12, 2016. (Arun Sharma/HT File Photo) Hundreds of Occupy UGC protesters faced lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons when they tried to march to Parliament. Protesters were beaten up by policemen and some of them were seriously injured. Mahishasur Diwas (2014) Student groups engaged in a fist-fight at the university campus in 2014 over the All India Backward Students Forums plan to Mahishasura Shahadat Diwas. Mahishasuras slaying by Goddess Durga is celebrated as Dussehra. The AIBSF distributed pamphlets that allegedly had objectionable pictures and text related to Durga. The JNU had witnessed clashes in 2011, too, over the hosting of the event. Beef and pork festival (2012) The JNU administration suspended one student and served show-cause notices to three others for planning to hold a beef and pork festival and for allegedly causing unrest in the campus. The beef and pork festival was being planned on the JNU campus in September, 2014. The Delhi high court, however, ruled that no such festival should be allowed as per the Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act, 1994. The plan to hold the event also triggered protests from the ABVP and other student groups. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nearly 500 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu were forced to return on Thursday without a catch after Sri Lankan Naval personnel allegedly snapped the fishing nets of 20 mechanised boats near Katchatheevu. The fishermen had put out to sea in 100 mechanised boats Wednesday evening and were fishing near Katchatheevu, when the naval men rounded up nearly 20 boats and snapped the fishing nets and asked all the fishermen to return, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja said. They also warned them against fishing near Katchatheevu, following which all of them returned to the shores Thursday morning, he said. Eighteen fishermen from this town were arrested on Wednesday and taken to the island nation by Sri Lankan navy on charges of fishing in their territorial waters. They were later released by the authorities there. Meanwhile, the fisheries department officials on Thursday seized 49 boats here, following complaints about using banned fishing nets by the fishermen causing damage to marine environment and marine lives, Fisheries Department Deputy Director KT Gopinath said. Cases have been registered against the boat owners for using banned fishing nets, he added. Read| Seven TN fishermen injured in attack by Sri Lankan Navy Two brothers MK Stalin and MK Alagiri and their ageing father were locked in a battle for supremacy that had all the ingredients of a political potboiler. But the younger, more politically active and experienced Stalin trumped his elder brother when it came to winning the trust of their father, as also of the party rank and file. Read | DMK chief Karunanidhi names younger son Stalin as his political heir The sibling rivalry, always simmering, came to the fore about six years ago, when chief minister Karunanidhi hosted an international Tamil meet. Supporters of then Union minister Alagiri shouted slogans and stormed out of the meeting. Alagiri also boycotted the meeting as he was incensed for not being given the pride of place within the party. It gained fresh momentum in 2013, when Alagiri insisted the DMK continue in the United Progressive Alliance government, but Stalin wanted to pull out. Smarting over this, Alagiri badmouthed his brother in front of his father, who was enraged enough to oust him from the party. Read | Stalins accession in DMK: Not a matter of if, but when But even before all this played out, Alalgiri was itching for a fight. He had badmouthed DMDK chief Vijayakanth, whom Stalin and Karunanidhi were trying to lure for an alliance for the general elections. Meanwhile, Alagiri charged Stalin with irregularities in ticket distribution and alleged large-scale corruption. Alagiri supporters also launched a poster war, declaring rival DMK general council meetings after boycotting the official one. All this was taking place in early 2014. But Alagiris outburst against Stalin in front of Karunanidhi was the last straw. Since he was ousted, he stayed outside, despite his best efforts to regain entry into his fathers good books and the party. Stalin had used the small window of opportunity after his brother was dismissed from the party and captured the party apparatus and filled in his loyalists in all posts that were earlier controlled by Alagiri and his men in southern Tamil Nadu. Read | Struck hard: Why its not going to be an easy ride for Stalin SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A man-eater tigress that had terrorised people across a vast swathe of land in Uttarakhands Nainital district was shot dead on Thursday after a 44-day hunt involving several hunters and hundreds of forest department workers besides a helicopter and drones. Forest department officials said the tigress, blamed for two human deaths, was shot dead at a village around 250 km from Dehradun, where it was hiding in a sugarcane field and nursing bullet wounds she suffered on Wednesday during a failed bid to kill it. Said to be one of the biggest such operations in the state, the government spent an estimated Rs 75 lakh to kill the tigress and demands to tackle it had become a political issue in poll-bound Uttarakhand. The opposition BJP had accused the Congress government of not doing enough to solve the peoples problems. As villagers and the forest department rejoiced at the killing of the predator, experts warned that eliminating one man-eater was unlikely to solve the bigger problem of the state, which is battling growing man-animal conflict. Increasing encroachment of wildlife habitats was leading to a severe lack of space and prey base for the big cats, experts say, forcing them to kill humans to survive. People carry the dead body of the tigress that was shot dead by forest department officials. (HT photo) Though instances of tigers taking to human kills are rare in the state, there are more than a 100 leopards officially classified as man-eaters, as per a 2015 estimate. Officials said the killed big cat, nicknamed the sugarcane tigress for its habit of hiding in plantations, was around five to six years old. On Wednesday evening, hunters had fired at least 15 rounds in the same area but it managed to escape. One of the hunters Joy Hukil said one bullet had hit the big cat. After forest department teams spotted blood trails on sugarcane leaves, a search operation was launched at night with the help of a hi-tech thermal imager which can scan for heat signatures of living beings from the air. However, the tigress continued to elude the hunters. On Thursday afternoon, the tigress was finally killed after it was spotted by hunting dogs, officials said. The people of the area will feel safe now, said Parag Madhukar Dhakate, the western division conservator of forests. As news of the tigress death spread, people danced in joy and rushed to pose for photographs with the carcass. We have to evolve effective methods of wildlife management. Problems like this exist in high density wildlife areas. I think that rescue teams must be set up at the divisional level so that such conflicts can be solved at the earliest. The corridors of tigers and other animals are under threat and we must give proper attention to their conservation, said conservationist AG Ansari. Qamar Qureshi, senior tiger expert at the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) defended the killing of the tigress, Its important to conserve the specie than saving an individual. We cannot risk the life of people to safeguard one animal. So, problem animal needs to be removed. More than 350 people have been killed by big cats since the formation of the state, official data show. (With inputs from Nihi Sahani) A 30-year-old convict facing life imprisonment for killing her husband, two children and wounding another seven people four years ago in Madhya Pradesh wants the Supreme Court to set her free because she committed the crime under the delusion that she was a goddess. Rajwa Kol, who was convicted by the lower court as well as high court, said she had no motive to kill her family members, but attacked them with a pincer when a tantric was treating her of a mental illness. A bench headed by justice SA Bobde agreed to hear Kols appeal, despite two concurrent decisions holding her guilty. It issued a notice to the state government after Kols lawyer Dushyant Parashar contended she suffered from delusions of grandeur. He said the courts before ignored the doctors report confirming Kols condition. An expert had examined her immediately after her crime. When the patient was brought to the hospital she was in an aggressive mood and was talking too much. She was in an abnormal state. She used to call herself devi (goddess) and it seemed to her that she could punish any enemy, the doctor said in his report. Lawyer Parashar argued that the woman is entitled to immunity under law as Section 85 of the Indian Penal Code protects a person from prosecution if the offender is of unsound mind and is incapable of knowing the nature of the act committed. But the lawyer told Hindustan Times that Kol never suffered any perennial illness. A resident of Sidhi district in Madhya Pradesh, Kol went on a macabre killing spree on March 3, 2012, murdering her family members first and then assaulting seven people in a 12-hour act of madness before locals overpowered her. In November 2015, the trial court convicted Kol and sentenced her to death. However, on February 2 this year, the high court commuted her punishment to life imprisonment, saying the case did not fall in the rarest-of-the-rare category. Both courts dismissed Kols plea for immunity. The mere fact that she was under treatment for some delusions and occasionally been subject to some treatment per se insufficient to bring her case within the exemption laid down by the IPC, the high court said in its verdict. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The focus of the Law Commissions deliberations on family law reforms in India will be on womens rights and not religious rights or political debates, commission chairman Justice BS Chauhan has said in a communication addressed to all chief ministers as it seeks wider consultations on the viability of enforcing a Uniform Civil Code across the country. The commissions stance is in consonance with the position taken by the government on the issue of Triple Talaq and polygamy in the Supreme Court earlier this month and has sparked off another debate. This is clearly a government-backed effort, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat told HT. Commission sources said they will invite political parties and religious groups before firming up the report on uniform personal laws. Commission chairman Justice BS Chauhan wrote a letter to chief ministers of all states last week, asking them to encourage stake holders including religious and minority groups, social groups, NGOs, political parties civil society initiatives and even government departments and agencies to share their views and interact with us. While deliberating on family law reforms in India, the commission would like to stress on womens rights rather than dwelling on constitutional provisions, religious rights and political debates etc, Justice Chauhan wrote. Accusing the commission of trying to give the effort a majoritarian push, Karat added, If law commission members are RSS-compliant, there is nothing more you can expect. HT had earlier reported, of the two-part time members appointed to the commission, Satya Pal Jain is a former BJP MP and Rajkot-based lawyer Abhay Bhardwaj has RSS links. The commissions four-page questionnaire to stake-holders, released on October 7, had sparked a controversy with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board deciding to boycott the commissions process to gather feedback on UCC. The CPM politburo had issued a statement on Tuesday saying the effort would be counterproductive to the rights of women. With the offensive of the communal forces on the very identity of minority communities, any move to push the agenda of Uniform Civil Code as is being done by the Government directly and through its institutions is counterproductive for the rights of women. Uniformity is not the guarantee for equality, it said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON From union finance minister Arun Jaitley to Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, the Global Investors Summit will witness a number of ministers, prominent industrialists and ambassadors from India as well as five partner countries Japan, UAE, Singapore, UK and South Korea. As of now, the final list also includes union textile minister Smriti Irani, union minister of law and justice Ravi Shankar Prasad, senior BJP leader Narendra Singh Tomar, among others. Confirmation of most of the leaders, ambassadors and foreign delegates is yet to arrive. The final list is expected to arrive by Thursday, said Sanjay Dubey, divisional commissioner. A detailed programme list, shared by the district administration of the two-day international event, briefed that a total of three sessions will be held on the first day of the summit with over 3,000 people expected to be present. A Business to Business (B to B) and Business to Government session will also be held in which investors will discuss the prospects of investment in Madhya Pradesh. In the presence of ministers and chief executive officers, presentations and discussions on government policies and planning for the departments (themes) of textile, ESDM and tourism will begin from 2pm on Saturday. Sectors like agri-business, food processing, pharmaceuticals and automobile & engineering will be the sole focus of the session. A cultural program will be held showcasing the art and cultural diversity of Malwa region. The second day will witness representatives of partner countries discussing the application of Make in India, renewable energy, urban development and MPs export strategy in the context of investments. A valedictory session will also be held on the second day in which a brief review will be held. Saffron body protests invitation to Chinese firms RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Wednesday burnt the effigies of state finance and industries ministers to protest invitations to Chinese companies for the Global Investors Summit to be held in the BJP-ruled state on October 22-23. The SJM workers set fire to the effigies of state finance minister Jayant Mallaiya and Industries Minister Rajendra Shukla at the historic Rajbada in the city, saying they were opposed to the invitation to Chinese firms as the country is providing financial support to Pakistan. We are totally against inviting Chinese representatives to the Global Investors Summit (GIS) to be held here as China is continuously extending financial support to Pakistan which is involved in anti-India activities, coordinator of Swadeshi Jagran Manchs Indore-Ujjain division, Suresh Bijolia said. Terming China as an anti-India country, he demanded that no Chinese company be allotted even an inch of land for setting up any industry in the state. Mallaiya had clarified on October 15 that since the invitation to Chinese representatives was sent quite earlier, it was not wise to prevent them from taking part in the GIS at the last moment. Shukla, too, in his statement on October 10, said, In our country only those Chinese goods are opposed which are made in China. But if a company of that nation sets up its plant here then it will not only generate employment for the people but also earn revenue for the state. Foresters on Tuesday night seized one AK-47 rifle along with 46 live cartridges and one rhino horn from North Mendabari area of Jaldapara National Park in Alipurduar district and arrested four persons. Acting on a tip off that some wildlife articles were kept in the house of one Sanjay Rava, forest officials led by Bimal Debnath, assistant wildlife warden of Jaldapara National Park (JNP), conducted raid at Bimals house. They seized one rhino horn weighing 340 gms. After his interrogation, we recovered one AK-47 rifle from another house along with 46 live cartridges, said Debnath. Twenty-six of the cartridges were loaded in the magazine, Debnath told HT. This is the first time such a sophisticated weapon was seized from alleged wildlife poachers and smugglers from North Bengal where poaching of wildlife and smuggling of articles are rampant. Among those arrested are Sanjay, Laichu Rava, Subal Rava and Arjun Rava, all residents of North Mendabari and Bong Busty beside JNP under Kalchini police station. One person managed to flee. Read: Ivory worth Rs 8 lakh seized in Jalpaiguri Debnath said the rhino horn and AK-47 rifle could be seized because of improved relation of the forest department with the local people. It was the local people who helped the forest department in its fight against the wildlife poaching and smuggling, said Debnath. Officials who were involved in last nights operation said it was beyond their imagination that the smugglers would be using AK-47 rifles. It was only after the recovery of the rifle, we realised that the operation could have turned fatal for the foresters, said another officer involved in the operation. Read:Hunters become the hunted: Elephant poachers fall prey to their phone calls Sources said those arrested last night were trackers of rhinos movement while the shooters were supposed to come again during Kali puja from Assam. The shooters from Assam were on shooting spree of rhinos and they had a plan to shoot at least four rhinos during festive season, said forest sources. A forest official told HT, As we had reliable sources, the seizures were done last night. The AK-47 rifle, wrapped in a cloth and plastic, was hidden under the mud. It was left behind by the shooters from Assam and the same weapon was supposed to be used during the rhino killing spree during Diwali time, said the forest official. Among the arrested, Sanjay was the recruiter for rhino poaching, officials said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Groups supporting the abolition of triple talaq among the Muslim community have called the Union governments bid to examine the issue of uniform civil code (UCC) a political game. Triple talaq is a form of divorce in which a Muslim man can divorce his wife simply by repeating talaq three times in one go. Womens rights activists want to end the practice. At a press conference in the city on Wednesday, the activists from Muslims for Gender Justice sought to distance their efforts towards gender justice within the community on the issue. They argued that the Law Commission of Indias questionnaire seeking public opinion on various aspects of the UCC was an attempt to communalise and politicise gender-related issues. The activists made it clear that, as of now, they are not in favour of a uniform civil law for the country. While the issue of gender justice is our core demand, we are not in favour of the UCC. It will be a long process since it is going to come for the entire country. We doubt the intention of the state when it talks about the UCC. We need a separate legislation, which is based on the Quran to resolve the problem of Muslim women, said Noorjehan Safiya Niaz of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, which has been campaigning for reformation of Muslim marriage and divorce, including its codification. We dont know what the UCC looks like. We would be interested to see a draft of the same before taking a stand, said Javed Anand, an activist and writer. The activists also raised doubts over the BJP governments intentions behind reviving the UCC debate. The stated objective [of the Law Commissions questionnaire] to endeavour to harmonise the various cultural practices ominously sounds like the one nation, one culture mantra of the Sangh Parivar, read a statement by Muslims for Gender Justice. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Citizens will soon have access to real-time noise readings, recorded by the state pollution control board, from 10 locations in Mumbai and five other cities across Maharashtra. Stations installed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2015 between Churchgate and Mulund will provide hourly and weekly decibel (dB) data to citizens, made available on the pollution watchdogs website. Additionally, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) commissioned setting up of 10 real-time noise monitoring stations across the state with two stations across five cities Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and Kohlapur. Similar to the air quality monitoring network, which was developed across the state, we have now replicated the same network for noise, said VM Motghare, joint director, MPCB. The board gave its approval for the noise monitoring stations for the state last month. Real-time noise data for Mumbai is currently live. However, owing to server issues it will take some time to be reflected on our website. The 10 locations across Mumbai have been divided into commercial, industrial, residential and silence zones depending on developmental activities, type of buildings and busy traffic junctions. The idea is to identify the noisiest parts of the city through citizens complaints and develop an action plan to tackle the menace, said Motghare. The move comes months after a CPCB analysis found Mumbai to be the noisiest city in India after a series of regular ambient noise monitoring from 2011 to 2014. Noise monitored at five stations at Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane saw four out five stations exceeding decibel levels as per noise standards laid down in Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. Our main aim is to create mass awareness to incite public pressure on the implementing authority by giving citizens the access to noise levels around them. Once there is force from citizens, it will automatically lead to a policy through complaints or public-interest-litigations, said Sanjay Bhuskute, public relations officer, MPCB. HT had reported on September 25 that an on-going study by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has so far measured noise levels at 740 out of 1,200 locations across the city and found noise levels at most lcoations above permissible limits for residential and silence zones. Anti-noise activists said that the noise monitoring network will help but needs to be used for noise mitigation measures. There will be constant dissemination of information to citizens not in only in Mumbai but across the state regarding any noise violations from now on. Moreover, this is the first time there is an expansion of the seven city noise network proposed by the centre in 2010, said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. Map that noise: HC A Bombay high court order from August makes it mandatory for all authorities to carry out noise mapping and take into account all aspects of noise pollution as a parameter of quality of life. The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Sayed said noise mapping should be carried out in all major cities of Maharashtra and integrated into the Development Plan. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Maharashtra is headed for a showdown between two major communities, the Other Backward Classes and the Marathas, with the OBCs mobilising numbers for a mega rally in the city in December. Around 40-odd OBC organisations will come together to set up a state-wide platform, Maharashtra OBC Mahasangh or the Maharashtra OBC Parishad, to ensure their 27% reservation is not reduced to accommodate the Marathas demand for a quota in jobs and education. Dalits, Muslims and other OBCs from Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi will also lend support to the December rally. Two other demands of the OBCs, who are estimated to constitute 52% of Maharashtras population, colour their protest as distinctly anti-Maratha. These include a call for a more stringent implementation of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with a condition that OBCs also be given protection under this law and a drive against giving bogus caste certificates to Marathas. Our central demand is that the 27% reservation for OBCs should not be impacted when reservation is given to Marathas. We are setting up an umbrella organisation of all OBC organisations and an 11-member committee has been constituted too. While there is a district-level rally in Beed on Thursday and another in Nagpur, our main goal is the Mumbai rally in the first week of December, said Anil Mahajan, president of the Mali Samaj Mahasangh. In Maharashtras Vidarbha region, the National OBC Federation, an organisation led by educationist Babanrao Tayade, is looking at bringing together all OBC voices on one platform. We are talking to all organisations, including Mali Mahasangh, to draw up a final road map for our protests. This is not aimed against any community; it is a bid to increase awareness about our constitutional rights as guaranteed by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, said Dr Kushelchandra Bopche, former BJP MP and MLA and political convenor for the National OBC Federation. Political observers said that in the absence of a central OBC leadership in Maharashtra after the death of senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde and with NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in jail, the mobilisation of OBCs is being carried out through varied groups and the leadership is up for grabs. There is also speculation that the BJP is using the OBC mobilisation to defuse the Maratha protests. In Maharashtra politics, OBCs are the second-most influential group after Marathas. They are more in number but divided into various castes that support different political parties. Two major OBC castesVanjari and Maliare most active in the current mobilisation. On Thursday, a district-level rally by OBCs will be held in Beed. The final show of strength rally will be in Mumbai but a lot will depend on how these protests play against the Maratha protests and what role is played by the state . For now, the state is likely to just wait and watch. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Shiv Sena sent out strong signals on Thursday that the party might end its 20-year-old alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the countrys richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray told senior party leaders to prepare to contest all polls on their own strength, instead of being dependent on others. Sources said Thackerays message to the Sena leaders, in a meeting at his residence Matoshree was that the Shiv Senas final battle is with its own friend, and if it wins this one, the party will emerge all-powerful. He further said that in the partys 50-year history, the Sena has always fought against everyone, be it the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), or its allies and traitors a veiled reference to the BJP and is capable of securing a win all by itself. Uddhavsaheb cited examples of regional parties headed by Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu, Lalu Prasad in Bihar and Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and pointed out how they could win their states contesting solo. He even cited the example of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who snapped ties with the BJP and led his party to victory in the Assembly elections there, said a senior Sena leader. Although there is no definitive decision yet about an alliance for the Mumbai civic elections, he has told us to be prepared to fight it out alone. He made it clear that if the BJP wants an alliance for Mumbai, the party should approach us. We wont go with a begging bowl. To test the waters, Sena has already drawn up its election strategy and is planning to contest elections to 212 municipal councils and nagar panchayats scheduled from November 27 to December 8 alone without a tie-up with the BJP, Sena leaders said. The polls for 4,750 seats, followed by elections to ten municipal corporations, including the cash-rich BMC, are expected to present a clear picture of where every party currently stands in Maharashtra. The elections will also give an inkling of whether the BJP, which came to power in the state with a resounding majority, still enjoys the same popularity. Another Shiv Sena leader said, All party leaders present at the meeting agreed that the BJP is trying to overpower regional parties at the local level, and does not treat the Shiv Sena as an equal partner. He added that Thackeray also expressed his displeasure about the BJP not consulting the Shiv Sena for nominations to the state legislative council, for which biennial elections are scheduled for six seats in November. This entire week, the Sena chief has been visiting the partys shakhas, its local administrative units, across Mumbai, speaking to its foot-soldiers and among other things, reviewing the partys preparedness to fight the BMC elections solo. At the partys annual Dussehra rally, too, Thackeray hinted that the Sena will concede to an alliance only if it gets the upper hand. Senior BJP leaders, however, dismissed the Sena chiefs missive to the partys senior leaders as a bargaining tactic. The Sena-BJP alliance has been at the helm of BMC for the past 20 years, with the Shiv Sena being the senior partner. However, future of the alliance is now under question with the BJP looking to aggressively expand in Mumbai, the Senas home turf. Local Sena and BJP leaders have been sparring in the open, with the latter accusing the Shiv Sena of massive corruption in the BMC, and BJP MP Kirit Somaiya going as far as saying that his party will contest all 227 seats in the civic polls. A rupture in the Sena-BJP alliance may have a direct effect on the citys administration, as the two parties, which were until now working in unison in the civic body, will take different political stands in decision-making. If the relations between the allies keep worsening, it will even affect the stability of the Devendra Fadnavis-led government in the state. Besides, it will also clearly demarcate boundaries of voters and redefine the two parties strongholds in Mumbai. Pure BJP voters were never happy with the Shiv Sena. It was a political compulsion for them to vote for the Shiv Sena until now, with the two parties being in alliance. A split will force a clear deliberation in the boundaries of their voters, said Surendra Jondhale, who heads the Mumbai Universitys department of civics and politics. He added that Uddhav Thackeray is playing assertive politics, trying to establish that in Mumbai, it is the Shiv Sena that dictates terms, with an eye on the 2019 state Assembly elections. At the state level, the Shiv Sena has been reduced to playing the second fiddle. It is important for Thackeray to establish Shiv Senas control to show that it is still a force to reckon with, Jondhale said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The release of Gaya road rage accused Rocky Yadav from jail has put on the backfoot the Grand Alliance government, which on Thursday said it would challenge the bail in the Supreme Court. Government of Bihar is going to appeal against bail granted to Rocky Yadav by honourable Patna High Court in Gaya road rage case Janata Dal (United) (@janatadalu) October 20, 2016 Yadav, who was arrested in May for shooting a college student in Bihar in a case of road rage, was granted bail by the Patna high court on Wednesday. The way it has gone with several such cases, it seems the government is in cahoots with criminals. If not, will it demonstrate the rule of the law, which they claim exists in Bihar, said Sundar Sachdeva, the father of the victim. Read | Aditya murder: Justice will be served, Nitish tells grieving parents On the day of the incident, Yadav was driving his SUV in Gaya, 110 km from capital Patna, when it was overtaken by 19-year-old Aditya Sachdeva, who was with his friends in a Maruti Swift. Yadav gave chase and fired a warning shot before reportedly beating up and shooting Aditya. It is once again a case of governments laxity or else how could Rocky Yadav secure bail? asked former Bihar chief minister and NDA leader Jitan Ram Manjhi. Rockys mother is a suspended MLC of JD(U) and his father, Bindeshwari Prasad Yadav alias Bindi Yadav, is an RJD leader. Read | Four weapon licences of Manorama Devi, husband Bindi Yadav cancelled Rocky Yadav,the son of a powerful Leader,murder accused;granted bail,police failed 2 produce evidences; Jai Ho System.Politicians own Nation RajendranathMehrotra (@mehrotra001) October 19, 2016 This is the third time the state has failed to make good on its promise to crack down on lawbreakers over weak prosecution. Earlier, despite the governments attempts to bring the culprits to book, Siwan RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, who was arrested for his alleged role in the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, and Nawada RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav, who is accused of raping a teenager, walked free after being granted bail. The people of Bihar are helpless in a system where law and order is of abysmal standard, said BJP leader and Union minister state (independent charge) for skill development and entrepreneurship, Rajiv Pratap Rudy. The government has once again assured the people that it will move the Supreme Court against the high court decision. It had also petitioned the apex court after public outcry over the release of Shahabuddin and Raj Ballabh Yadav. But the opposition has seized on the opportunity to take the Nitish Kumar-led government to task. This state sponsors and supports people who are into criminal activities, especially those who are big and strong, powerful and close to the seat of power. It is very unfortunate, Rudy was quoted as saying by news agencies. It is a clear case where prosecution is not logically worked out and bail for such offenders is a rule. The state hardly moves for a prosecution, neither do counsellors work hard, as a result of which such criminals go scot free. The JD(U) immediately jumped into damage-control mode. Rocky Yadav was arrested promptly. If the Bihar HC has granted him bail the govt is appealing to SC. What is the hysterical criticism about? Pavan K. Varma (@PavanK_Varma) October 20, 2016 We will go to the last step to assure justice to Aditya Sachdevas family. We are studying the court order and exploring the options, said JD(U) spokesperson and MLC, Neeraj Kumar. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Despite their significant involvement in the propaganda, publicity, perception-building and raising funds for candidates, the non-resident Punjabis seem not interested in the online facility to get themselves registered as voters. Most of them want online voting facility for actual involvement in the poll process back home. If we can vote online, you will see the difference. Almost every Punjabi who has not accepted a foreign citizenship will vote, said Yadinder Singh Sidhu from Sangrur, currently living in Surrey, Canada. The election commissions online campaign launched two months ago to get registered NRIs (who have not surrendered Indias citizenship and passport) as voters could attract only 95 individuals till now. Before that, in all 178 had registered themselves as voters online. 273 non-resident voters is not an encouraging number when there are lakhs of Punjabis living in foreign countries, said a functionary in the chief electoral office, Punjab. Maximum number (23) of NRIs from a district who got themselves registered belong to Nawanshahr. Majority of districts have negligible registrations and some are yet to open an account. Non-resident Punjabis could register as voter online on national voter service portal by filling Form 6-A by posting copies of passport and a visa. Many living in foreign countries are not willing to come to Punjab just to cast vote. Even if we dont vote, non residents are still will play vital role in the elections. We build perception in favour of the good candidates and parties, said Hardeep Singh from Brampton (Canada), demanding online voting rights. An officer of election commission said, We have given an option to get registered and want more and more people to avail the benefit. On the facility to casting a vote online, he said Supreme Court had issued a directive in 2015, but it was yet to be cleared by Parliament. We are ready with our system, and after the bill for amendment in Peoples Representation Act is cleared by the Parliament, the voters living outside India will get the right to vote online, said Punjab chief electoral officer VK Singh. The expenditure on assembly polls in state is expected to touch Rs 200 crore this time against about Rs 140 crore in 2012. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chetna Yatra led by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) general secretary Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary reached village Bir Bansian in Phillaur on Wednesday. The farmers from the village handed over their unsigned cheques for damaged crops issued by Badal-led Punjab government. The amount for the damaged crop offered by the government is hard to believe, said Chaudhary. Paying Rs 1000 as compensation is a big joke on peasants, he said. The government should not at least ignore people who voted for them twice, he said. To top it the cheques are not even signed, he charged. He met widows who have not got pension. In two cases the poor widows are living in small rooms with roofs that can collapse any time. The Akali Sarpanch of the village is not willing to recommend them for government help as they are not Akali supporters, he said. Once the Congress forms government, we will form a policy for farmers in this regard, he said. He alleged that farmers had sown wheat on more than five acres land and spent lakhs but unseasonal rain ruined the crop. First, nature brought cruelty on them and now government is doing the same, he said. Terming the growing rift between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as the proverbial last nail in the Badal regimes coffin, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday said even the BJP has realised the futility of standing by the Akalis in the run-up to the state assembly elections. Amarinder said the BJPs alienation of the SAD was evident in Prime Minister Narendra Modi shunning chief minister Parkash Singh Badals pleas for central support to the state during his Ludhiana visit on Tuesday. The SAD is nothing more than a sinking ship, which the BJP has clearly decided to desert, Amarinder said, adding that the BJP did not want to drown with the Akalis in the forthcoming assembly polls. The BJP seemed to have realised that it would be politically suicidal for it to continue to hold Akalis hands, said the Punjab Congress chief, adding that in any case, the alliance between the two parties was never based on principles but was an opportunistic partnership entered for political gains. It is the festival season and residents are facing inconvenience at city railway station as trains are running late by over 20 hours. This season lakhs of migrants to the financial capital of the state plan to go back to their hometowns in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but non-punctual trains are causing trouble for them. The train 15209 Jan Sewa Express (Saharsa, Bihar to Amritsar) is running late by 23 hours and 50 minutes and train 15212 Jan Nayak Express (Amritsar to Darbhanga, Bihar) is late by 24 hours.These two are the unreserved trains and maximum migrants travel through these trains. Along with these two 13006 Amritsar-Howrah train is running late by 7 hours and 12459 New Delhi-Amritsar Inter City is running late around 5 hours. Manoj Kumar, a passenger was waiting for the Jan Nayak Express along with his family at railway overbridge. His family with his wife and two children (both around 5-year-old) were sitting on a blanket since last night. We are going to Moradabad and waiting here since Tuesday night, the train was schedule to arrive at 9.30pm on Tuesday but it has not yet arrived. We will wait here for the train whenever it arrives,he said.Another passenger, Shreeraj, who wanted to go to his hometown Patna was also waiting since last night claimed that the trains to Bihar were running late from their schedule timings. Railways should put effort to solve the issues of punctuality of train arrival and departure. It is causing harassment to us as we have no other way to travel long distance which is as convenient,he added.Divisional traffic manager SP Bhatia said that the trains were running late from Bihar side. There is some disturbance at the eastern railways side. However, we are sorry for the inconvenience and trying the best to serve the passengers,he said. With Diwali around the corner, inspection of food outlets by the District Health Office (DHO) may have picked up pace but their own officials seem to have forgotten the basic norms of hygiene while carrying out these inspections. This is clearly evident from the inspection photographs along with communiques daily sent by the DHO to the media. In these pictures none of the officials is seen wearing either caps or gloves while inspecting food and eatables in the kitchens of sweetmeat shops and several other food outlets. In some pictures, they can also be been seen smelling or holding food items with their uncovered hands. When HT interacted with some employees and owners of these eateries, they shared that when the health officials turn up for inspection they keep stressing on the importance of using caps, aprons and gloves and several other directions regarding hygiene but when it comes to them, they fail to practice what they preach. The officials themselves maintain no hygiene standards during inspections. If they were genuinely concerned, they would never come for inspection without caps and gloves. In many cases, before entering the kitchen, they dont care to wash their hands and with same hands pick up different food items and then put them back,lamented one of the sweet shop owners requesting anonymity. Ironically, in different communiques of DHO as well, officials do not forget to mention that other than conducting inspections, they have directed employees working in the kitchens to maintain utmost hygiene by wearing caps to prevent hair falling in the food and by using aprons and hand gloves to avoid food contamination. EXPERTS QUESTION AUTHENTICITY OF INSPECTIONS With reports and pictures of these inspections being carried by many newspapers since the last few weeks, food experts and doctors have questioned the unhygienic manner in which these food inspections are conducted by the health officials concerned. I have been taking note of the food inspection pictures being published in newspapers but it is shocking to note that health officials have turned a blind eye to all basic principles of hygiene. They seem to be unaware of the fact that when head is uncovered, hair strands can fall into the food and without gloves, different kind of infections and viruses can spread within minutes. In this way, we are ensuring contamination of food. Also, food that is picked and smelled once has to be discarded right away,said Anureet Kaur Gill, doctor, SPS Hospital. Similarly, Anita Kochar, department head of food and nutrition at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), said, It is not that caps and hand gloves are meant just for chefs in the kitchen but for officials who conduct food inspection. Even first year students of food and nutrition would know this, but it is unfortunate that health officials in the city have ignored the basic hygiene. Third year hotel management student from Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE) who did not to reveal his identity commented that health officials seem to have skipped the chapter on basic hygiene during their education. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Harjinder Kaur, a four-time Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) councillor from ward 15 of Chandigarh, calls herself a reluctant politician. Kaur, who has been representing the ward comprising Sectors 34, 35 and 44 since the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) elections began in 1996, was elected city mayor twice in 2001 and 2007. I am a reluctant politician even today since I always believed in social service, she says. Kaur, who has a knack for taking up challenges, is likely to take the poll plunge for the fifth time. Her ward has been reserved for women this time. She has played a proactive role in the civic bodys general House meetings and was always vocal about issues concerning her ward. Several residents of her ward, especially of Sector 35 where she resides, say she has been largely accessible to them and credit her with a slew of development works. But many feel that her main focus has been on Sector 35. She, however, managed to bring some important projects to Sector 34. But the picture is not all rosy. Residents of Sector 44-D contend that hardly any work was done in their localities be it re-carpeting of roads or maintenance of green belts. She could not get a safai sehaj kendra in Sector 34, as a result of which the market area remains dotted with garbage. She could not resolve the long-standing issue of parking chaos in Sector 34 and 35 markets. The back lane of the Sector 35 hotel market has been ill-maintained and it was only by the fag end of her tenure that work to improve sanitation scenario started in the area. Parking chaos still remains a headache for visitors at the market. (Keshav Singh/HT Photo) Counting her achievements, the councillor says she introduced some skill development programmes and got removed encroachments from the Sector 35-A green belt. The green belt is being reconstructed after she got small government offices violations removed from there. It was the first chief commissioner of Chandigarh, MS Randhawa, who had laid the foundation stone of the green belt decades back, but it was never maintained. I am not satisfied the way things function in Chandigarh. The implementation system is inefficient and it is difficult to bring about change, Kaur says. She says the green belt is being developed aesthetically with themes like four seasons. It has artistic murals and fountains. Kaur, who hails from Kapurthala in Punjab, shifted to Chandigarh after she got married to Manmohan Singh, an educationist. During her first stint as councillor, the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in-charge of the local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Kaur contested elections on BJP-SAD alliance ticket. She says, I emulated Modi then for his firm passion for work. Kaur says when she contested for the first time, she was a familiar name in the social-work circle and it was residents who pushed her to contest the councillors elections during a meeting ahead of the MC poll. Kaur says she walked out of the meeting as she was not keen on contesting. But it was her father-in-law who encouraged her enter the fray. My father-in-law told me if everyone is suggesting your name, take it as if you have to serve them and I took the plunge, Kaur says. As mayor she conceived the idea of food street, mahila bhawan and organised a national conference of mayors in Chandigarh. She also represented the country in the World Congress of Local Bodies in South Korea. Tomorrow: Ward 16 Rajesh Kumar Gupta The people, especially children and senior citizens, suffering from respiratory problems, are most affected due to the burning of paddy stubble in the fields by farmers, feel doctors. The administration has banned stubble burning in fields but the farmers continue with the practice in most areas of the district. People with respiratory disorders tend to develop major problems due to continuous burning of stubble due to the smoke emanating from it. Dr Prahlad Duggal, an ENT specialist, said, People, especially kids, tend to face the burnt as soot particles tend to get accumulated in the lower environment, and aggravates the respiratory problems. These days, respiratory disorders and allergies have become very common, and stubble burning plays an important part, even the festival season contributes to the aggravation of these problems, added Dr Duggal. The administration as well the government must take stern steps to change the situation and implement the laws properly, added Duggal. Stubble burning produces soot and it affects lungs, leading to a number of respiratory diseases, he said. There has always been a rise in the number of people suffering from asthma and other disorders during the months of stubble burning, said district TB (tuberculosis) officer Dr Naresh Chawla. Dr Ranbir Singh Pannu, an eye specialist, said, There are many allergies that occur in these stubble burning months, people tend to develop eye problems as well. Agriculture development officer Gurdip Singh said that the agriculture department is already taking measures to curb the problem and creating awareness regarding the dire consequences of the practice. Besides, we are advising the farmers to dispose of the paddy stubble through recommended techniques. But, still some farmers continue to burn it and they needed to be stopped. The Mansa police claimed to have resolved the case of a traders abduction by arresting Kalyan Singh, a Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leader, and son of SGPC member Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, after raiding his residence on Thursday morning. In August, one 55-year-old Chiman Lal was abducted from the Budhlada-Bareta road while he was returning home. After staying in captivity for around 15 days, Chiman Lal was released after a ransom of Rs 1 crore was allegedly paid by the family. Later, the case took a new turn, when a DSP rank officer was transferred for allegedly assisting the family in paying the ransom. Fom left: Kalyan Singh, his father and SGPC member Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, and deputy CM and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. (Photo: Facebook, as uploaded by Kalyan earlier this month ) Despite all this, till Thursday morning, the district police seemed to be clueless about the accused. The district police raided the residence of SGPC member Sukhchain Singh and arrested his son Kalyan Singh and one of his accomplices from Dharampura village. The early morning raid took Sukhchain Singh by surprise and he also contacted the CM, but to no avail, claimed a source within the department. Sukhchain Singh, SGPC member and general secretary of the Sant Samaj, is under constant watch of the district police because he is suspected to have provided hideouts to Sikh militants. His son Kalyan Singh is on the bad character list compiled by the district police. He has been booked under cases of the arms Act and robbery in the past. Cops said that the details provided by the trader after his release hinted towards the involvement of Kalyan Singh, who was under the police scanner. After an hour-long raid, the police seized four motorcyles and 30 lakh in cash from the house. The cops also took away the cellphone of Sukhchain Singh and, despite repeated attempts, he could not be reached for comments. Plot of abduction, car purchase gave the clue Senior superintendent of (SSP), Mansa, Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar, said that Kalyan Singh and his cousin Gurpreet Singh Chahal had planned the abduction as the trader Chiman Lal ran a rice mill in Dharampura village. The accused duo knew that the trader usually travelled alone in his car. The accused stole a car from Ratia town from neighbouring Haryana, which was used in the crime. The trader was abducted and kept in a basement of a school run by Kalyans father Sukhchain Singh in his native village Dharampura. Mansa SSP Mukhwinder Singh briefing about the arrest of Kalyan Singh, son of SGPC member Sukhchain Singh, in a trader's kidnapping@HTPunjab pic.twitter.com/gubkH9qRP2 Mohammad Ghazali (@ghazalimohammad) October 20, 2016 After the trader was released, he told the cops that he was kept at a location close to the railway crossing. We zeroed in on three suspects, but our investigation pointed towards the involvement of Kalyan Singh due to his previous criminal record. Immediately after the traders release, Kalyan bought a car from New Delhi. We started assimilating more evidence against him, said the SSP. On Thursday morning, the police raided his residence and arrested Kalyan Singh and his cousin Gurpreet Singh. The cops recovered around Rs 22 lakh in cash which includes Foreign currency to the tune of 5.62 lakh. Kalyan Singh was acquitted in a bank robbery case which took place in 2002 in Bareta town after the bank officials turned hostile. Later, he also managed to claim the money which was recovered during that bank robbery. He also faces three other cases of robbery and under the arms Act . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Three days after a Punjab National Bank ATM containing Rs 18 lakh at Dappar village, 20 km from the city, on national highway-21 near Lalru, was uprooted and carried off in a mini-crane (recovery van), the SAS Nagar Crime Investigating Agency (CIA) has arrested a 31-year-old Mauli Jagran resident, Dharminder Singh, for involvement in the crime. Police have also named four others Ranjit Singh, Dharam Raj alias Dhamma, Krishan Kumar alias Ballu and Pittal all residents of Mauli Jagran. Ranjit is allegedly the kingpin and is facing around 150 cases of theft and loot in Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The police claim the gang is the infamous Shutter Gang that had broken into 50 shops to steal cash boxes from Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Panchkula, Mohali, Solan, Ambala etc, over the past two months. The Maruti Esteem and the recovery van used in the October 16 crime has been recovered, but the police are yet to recover the ATM and the money. During interrogation, Dharminder has claimed that the money and the ATM machine had been taken away by Dharam Raj and Ranjit Singh. The case was registered on a statement from PNB manager Navtej Singh and CCTV footage was also checked. FAMILY OF ACCUSED PELTS POLICE WITH STONES SAS Nagar SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said when a team of SAS Nagar and the Chandigarh Police went to Mauli Jagran to arrest the accused in the wee hours of Wednesday, family members pelted stones at the cops. The mob even threw LPG cylinders and taking advantage of the chaos, Dharminder fled from the spot and was later arrested from Baltana in Zirakpur. Eight members of the accuseds family were booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC. We will soon recover the machine and the money as well, said Bhullar. MASTERMIND RELEASED ON BAIL FROM AMBALA JAIL IN JULY Later, Dharminder confessed that they were five members in the gang that had come to be called the shutter gang with their mastermind as Ranjit. I and Ranjit were released on bail from Ambala in July this year. We used to steal cars from one city and use these in another city to break open shutters of a shops and steal cash. Over the past two months, we have stolen over five cars and broke into 50 shops to steal cash box from Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Panchkula, Mohali, Solan, Ambala etc, Dharminder has told the police. The buildings they targeted were mostly abandoned houses, chemist, hardware and confectionery shops. A day before the heist, they had stolen the Esteem and the recovery van from Kharar for use in the crime. The Punjab government on Wednesday gave its nod to the Centre for conduct of polls to elect new office-bearers of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on November 5. A notification by the Union home ministry is expected within this week. Sources in the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said the state government has recommended the date. After a formal notification, as per provisions of the Gurdwaras Act 1925, the Union government will depute a representative likely to be the deputy commissioner of Amritsar to start the process. The general house of 170 elected members will choose the 15-member executive body to further elect a president, general secretary and other office-bearers. SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh said the process has begun as the state government has given its concurrence. It may lead to removal of current SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, further leading to a race among different SGPC members for the coveted post. Functioning of the SGPC was in limbo since 2011 because of a stay by the Supreme Court over a procedural discrepancy. It started when voting rights of Sehajdhari Sikhs to elect SGPC members were taken away in 2003, by way of a notification by the Union home ministry. Sehajdharis moved the Punjab and Haryana high court that stayed the SGPC functioning in 2011 just after the election of members was held. Then, the SGPC moved the SC, which asked the executive body working before 2011 to continue to manage day-to-day functioning as an interim arrangement. The SC wanted that procedure given in the act of 1925 be followed and the said Act be amended by both the houses of Parliament if the voting rights of Sehajdharis were to be taken away. After that was done, last month the SC reinstated the board of members of the SGPC elected in 2011. The SAD that runs the Punjab government and also controls the SGPC seen as the mini-parliament of Sikhs is behind the amendment to the Act. The move, the SAD belives, can help woo back religious-minded, panthic voters who were feeling alienated after a series of sacrilege incidents since last year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Gregory Paul Lawler Georgia on Wednesday executed a man who opened fire on Atlanta police with an AR-15 rifle in 1997, killing one officer and critically wounding another after they had given his intoxicated girlfriend a ride home. Gregory Paul Lawler, 63, was scheduled to be executed by injection at 7 p.m. EDT at a state prison in Jackson. A request was made to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his execution and hear his appeal shortly before his execution was set to go forward, after the Georgia Supreme Court denied his request for a stay. Georgia opposed the request. About 11 p.m., the Supreme Court announced it had denied his request for a stay of execution. There were no noted dissents. Gregory Lawler was pronounced dead at 11:49 p.m., after he was injected with a fatal dose of the sedative pentobarbital. The execution is the seventh this year in Georgia, matching Texas for the most death sentences carried out in a state in 2016, according to data from the non-profit Death Penalty Information Center. Lawler was sentenced to death in 2000 after being found guilty in the murder of officer John Sowa, 28. A second officer, Patricia Cocciolone, survived the shooting with a shattered pelvis, damaged intestines and permanent brain injury. She testified at Lawler's trial, according to a Georgia Supreme Court summary of the case. The synopsis said Lawler and his girlfriend had been drinking at a bar near their Atlanta apartment the night of the October 1997 shooting. Police were summoned by a witness who thought he saw Lawler hit the woman with a bag as they walked home. Lawler fled when officers arrived. The officers decided to help the girlfriend get home. At the apartment, they were met by Lawler, who fired at the officers 15 times, the case summary said. Both Sowa and Cocciolone still had their pistols strapped into their holsters when backup arrived. Lawler surrendered after a six-hour standoff, according to court records. At his trial, a coworker testified Lawler had talked about having an extreme dislike of police and that if they ever tried to enter his home he would be "ready for them," court records said. Georgia's State Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Lawler's request for clemency on Tuesday. In their petition to the board, his attorneys said Lawler had recently been diagnosed with autism, a disorder that had prevented him from explaining the murder to jurors. "Instead, he could only offer his confused and angry insistence that he had acted within his rights, which provoked his jury further and alarmed even his defense counsel," according to the petition, which sought to have Lawler's sentence commuted to life in prison without parole. Lawler spent much of the day Wednesday visiting his brother, Gerald, at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison near Jackson. At 3 p.m. he was given a physical and was served his last meal. Lawler becomes the 7th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Georgia, and the 67th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1983. The 7th execution in Georgia is the most carried out in a single year in that state since the death penalty was re-instated by the US Supreme Court on July 2, 1976. Lawler becomes the 17th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1439th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977. | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; send a submission; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! Sources: Reuters, AJC, Twitter live feed, Rick Halperin, October 19, 2016 To contain the re-circulation of seized drugs from police maalkhanas and other storage places, the state will soon have centralised maalkhanas with well-equipped security features and under the supervision of SP Investigation. This was announced by Punjab director general of police (DGP ) Suresh Arora on Thursday, who was here to supervise the disposal of 2300 kgs of seized drugs. There is a perception that seized drugs which are kept at the police stations are being misused by the cops but I must say that all policemen are not corrupt, he said. But because of the accusations being raised, it has been decided that there would be centralised drug maalkhanas at important districts of the state. These warehouses would be under the supervision of SP Investigation, he said. This disposal drive which is being carried out for past ten days is being monitored by the drug disposal committee of the Punjab Police and poppy husk, heroin, smack, ganja, charas and various pills and capsules have been burnt at the Khanna Paper mill incinerators. As per the Supreme Court directions, the disposal of narcotic drugs, psychotropic and controlled substances has to be done under the supervision of the drug disposal committee, DGP Arora told mediapersons. The heads have to supervise the process of destruction to the extent that these seized drugs do not get into re-circulation in the market. The disposal of the stocks will definitely reduce the availability of these drugs in the market, he said. Talking about revamping Punjab police structure after the terrorists attacks in Punjab, he said, In Pathankot, AIG counter intelligence post and SP operation post have been created. High tech nakas are being laid there and also CCTV cameras have been installed at sensitive locations. In Amritsar, IG counter intelligence post has been created. Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday said a proposal had been sent to the Union government to set up a special task force (STF) for keeping vigil on the borders to stop inflow of the drugs. We have sent the proposal to the Centre: Sukhbir said while speaking on the sidelines of a function here. The opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have made drug menace an issue in Punjab ahead of the assembly polls in the state, which are due early next year. Also read | Punjab assembly polls: Sports fraternity made to take sides on drugs Sukhbir set the tone for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Punjabi Suba. A book Dhart Punjab was also released which chronicles the cultural, economic and social traditions and environment of Punjab. Sukhbir also eulogised the role played by Punjabis in the countrys freedom struggle. He said Punjabi Suba was formed after enormous struggles and sacrifices but even at that time the state was discriminated against allegedly by then Congress government at the Centre. He said despite this, Punjab marched ahead on the road to prosperity, especially under the SAD-BJP government. Lashing out at Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, Sukhbir said the opposition leader was misleading people by making false promises of waiving farmers debt. He said Amarinder should give an affidavit in the court that he would sell his property, including the Patiala palace, if he fails to waive the debt in case his party comes to power. Claiming that the Punjab government would continue to fight to get Chandigarh and some Punjabi-specking areas back, he said the Union government should accede to the genuine demand of the Punjabis. (with PTI inputs) The core committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday authorised party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also Punjab deputy chief minister, to decide candidates for the 2017 assembly polls. The meeting of the committee, which was chaired by Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, also discussed the holding of different religious and political functions in the run up to the polls. According to party spokesperson Harcharan Bains, Sukhbir briefed about a series of functions scheduled to be held in the near future, which include inauguration of a war memorial in Amritsar on October 23, in which top defence officers will also take part. It will be followed by a big event in Amritsar for inauguration of the heritage walk (Virasat Darshan) around the Golden Temple complex on October 25. A public rally to pay homage to warriors of the Punjabi Suba movement will follow the inauguration of the heritage walk. The rally will also be attended by top BJP leaders. The Jang-e-Azadi memorial, first of its kind monument in the country to pay tributes to the warriors of the freedom movement, will be inaugurated on November 6. The meeting also decided to celebrate 350th Parkash Utsav of Guru Gobind Singh on November 27 and the party has planned a huge public gathering at Anandpur Sahib the same day. The committee decided to organise a rally at Moga on December 6, birthday of CM Badal. The rally, according to an Akali leader, will mark the beginning of the partys poll campaign. In a rare honour, New York City declared October 19, 2016, as Waris Ahluwalia Day in recognition of the Sikh-American actor and designer for his powerful message of countering ignorance and advocating religious understanding and tolerance. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio honoured Ahluwalia at a special reception at his official residence Gracie Mansion here on Wednesday to celebrate Diwali. Blasio presented Ahluwalia a proclamation that declared October 19 in New York City as Waris Ahluwalia Day. Also read | Turban flight: Waris Ahluwalia not allowed to board flight Lauding Ahluwalias talents of being a fashion designer, writer, actor and model, Blasio said as a Sikh, Ahluwalia proudly wears his dastar (turban) wherever he goes and sends a powerful message to our city and country of countering ignorance, celebrating inclusion and advocating for religious understanding and tolerance in everything he does. Waris Ahluwalia at the New York Fashion Week in September 2016. (AFP Photo) Addressing a gathering of over 300-400 Indian-Americans and other people from the South Asian community, Blasio extended a special greeting to his Sikh brothers and sisters and underscored that an attack on any community and individual because of their faith was an attack on all of us. Dont miss | US programme The Daily Show raises the issue of Sikhs harassment Joined by his wife Chirlane McCray, Ahluwalia and others members of his administration on a stage in the sprawling lawns of the Gracie Mansion, Blasio said whenever any community is affronted, the New York police department is present to protect that community. Whenever there is a hate crime, we will call it a hate crime and act on it as a hate crime, protect the people and say it is unacceptable in the city of New York to act in any bias fashion against any people of the city, he said. Amid loud cheers and applause, the mayor said a special Diwali guide will be distributed to New York teachers through the department of education to help them educate students in the city about the meaning of the Indian festival of lights. Ahluwalia thanked the mayor for the incredible honour and said while Diwali has been celebrated for centuries, this year its message of triumph of good over evil is more important and relevant than ever. He said while he has called New York City home ever since he moved here from India as a child, after the 9/11 terror attacks, people would glare at me with anger and hate as I walked down my own streets, in my own hometown. That was very confusing for me, he said, adding that six months after the 9/11 attacks, he was assaulted and nearly lost vision in his right eye. A Marathi film industry body on Wednesday backed calls for ban on Pakistani film artistes working in India and opposed release of films featuring them. In a statement here, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal said it opposed release of films featuring Pakistani artistes till relation between the two countries improved. If such films are released, there would be tension during the festive season and people would not be able to properly celebrate Diwali, said the Mahamandal, which is affiliated to the Film Federation of India. The organisation said it supports the ban on Pakistani artistes and technicians imposed by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association and Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India, which has said it will not screen films featuring actors from the neighbouring country. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Suhel Seth is always a delight to talk to. His sense of humour makes interviewing him all the more interesting. The columnist, author and socialite, who is presently in Kolkata to shoot for his debut Bengali film, Senapati, says that the people of America have shown their unintelligence by even getting Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, this far. I hope he doesnt become the president. He will be a disaster, says Seth, who has acted in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Guzaarish and Zoya Akhtars Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Seth will be seen playing Max Wheeler, an undercover FBI agent, in director Riingos gangster film. The filmmaker informs that he couldnt think of a better person than Seth to play this pivotal character in the film. I needed someone who had the attitude and swag. I have incorporated Suhels traits in the character too, says Riingo. The film tracks the rise and fall of a gangster family. Seth, who played a character inspired by tycoon Vijay Mallya in Madhur Bhandarkars Calendar Girls, informs that he was always interested in doing Bengali films but nobody ever approached him. I have never worked with Riingo. I have also not worked in a Bengali film and I thought it will be an important milestone for me. The plot is interesting, says Seth, who considers Kolkata, his birthplace, as the best city. That said, Seth doesnt keep track of Bengali and Bollywood releases. He has watched quite a few the old Bengali classics but doesnt watch the new films. Making a candid confession, he cheekily says, I havent even watched the films I have acted in. Seth, who shares that theatre is his first love, says that acting in films is his hobby. Ask him about the recent debate on banning of Pakistani actors working in India, and he says, I dont want to get involved in this. People are ultra sensitive about things like nationalism and religion. To each his own. I have nothing to say. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON David Oyelowo, who has been vocal in his plight to include more diversity in film and television, says there is absolutely no excuse for a hit series like Game of Thrones to only use ethnic minorities in minor and secondary roles. The Golden Globe nominee criticised the fantasy series while speaking to Radio Times, reports Dailymail.co.uk. Oyelowo said: The fact that they put any ethnic minorities in that means that there should be space for bigger characters because you are not just saying Okay, this is purely a white world, and here are very story-driven reasons why that is the case. Jacob Anderson as Greyworm, Nonso Anozie as Xaro Xhoan Daxos and Lucian Msamati as Salladhor Saan. (HBO) He added: So for me, there is absolutely no excuse in a show like that why there arent more prominent characters of colour. Whilst the HBO series has featured several people of colour in its history, the British Nigerian actor chastised the show for not bringing them to the forefront in its five-year history. Game of Thrones has featured some ethnic minorities in its ever-changing cast, including English actor of Indian descent Indira Varma. (HBO) He said that the lack of diversity was an issue across all types of TV and film as asserted that we can all, I think, hope that our future is going be more colourful than what our past has been, certainly in terms of cinematic depictions. Game of Thrones has featured some ethnic minorities in its ever-changing cast, including English actor of Indian descent Indira Varma. The seventh season of the show will air in the summer of 2017. Follow @htshowbiz for more Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday night participated in the third and last presidential debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This was the last chance of either candidate to make a closing argument before millions of voters. Twitter users watching the debate reacted with wit, exasperation, disbelief and support for the candidate of their choice, and finally, celebrated the end of this years debates. Users also praised Chris Wallace, a Fox news host for his moderation of the debate. Here are some of the most interesting tweets from the night: Trump critics tearing apart his comments in the debate... Trump doesn't want to "rip a baby" but he will "grab a pussy" so I guess he's pro-woman #debatenight Grace Parra (@GraceParra360) October 20, 2016 'I've developed so many friends.' Humans 'make' friends, Donald. They 'make' them.#debate J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 20, 2016 BLACK PEOPLE EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE INNER CITY YOU MORONIC RACIST. #debates amy jacobowitz (@amyjacobowitz) October 20, 2016 Time and again Trump shows us he can't see women as equal. Watching Donald defend his behavior makes me sick to my stomach. #DebateNight Senator Tim Kaine (@timkaine) October 20, 2016 Ahhh yes, the media. The reality tv "star" now hates the media He is the poison #Debate #NeverTrump https://t.co/qGax5OKJJ4 (@Swish_AndFlick) October 20, 2016 He called her a nasty woman. To her face. You know, like someone who respects women. #ImWithHer #debate Jason Shellen (@shellen) October 20, 2016 Read: Putins puppet to sleazy campaign: Trump, Clinton trade barbs in last debate ... while expressing their support for Clinton. I choose an experienced, positive leader over an angry, ranting demagogue. #ImWithHer Christian Slater (@ChristianSlater) October 20, 2016 And as I watch more. Could not be more impressed w/the way @HillaryClinton is handling his constant childish acting out. #ImWithHer Arjun Gupta (@ArjunGuptaBK) October 20, 2016 On the other hand, angry Trump fans sided with their candidate of choice, attacking Clinton over a variety of issues. Crooked Hillary has never created 1 job in her 30 years of public service. We would be a fool to give her 4 years to do nothing again. pic.twitter.com/UL4ENnFwvl Diamond and Silk (@DiamondandSilk) October 20, 2016 @realDonaldTrump We cannot let #CrookedHillary win. It would be devastating to our economy. pic.twitter.com/88ZNbnIaJZ Neil Turner (@NeilTurner_) October 20, 2016 Crooked Hillary has been spotted! Should be at tonight's debate. pic.twitter.com/R17wpb9q28 RAMZPAUL (@ramzpaul) October 19, 2016 Twitter users reacted with characteristic humour and outrage over Trumps comments on abortion. Replying to a question, the Republican candidate had said, If you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month you can take the baby, and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. Based on what shes saying, and based on where shes going and where shes been, you can take the baby, and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, only the final day. And thats not acceptable. Twitter blew up, responding with sarcasm over Trumps lack of understanding of the abortion process. WHEN YOU RIP OUT A BABY ON THE LAST DAY OF PREGNANCY IT'S JUST CALLED CHILDBIRTH #debate ((( Jenny Lester ))) (@TheJennyLester) October 20, 2016 "You can rip the baby out of the womb" does trump have literally any idea how doctors do surgery? They don't rip ur tonsils out bud Sam Escobar (@myhairisblue) October 20, 2016 I just figured out where Trump got his childbirth info from- Breaking Dawn #debatenight #debate #nastywoman, phd (@ppyajunebug) October 20, 2016 Trump on "partial birth" abortion : "rip the baby out of the womb" Clinton: "that's not what happens in those cases"#debate Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) October 20, 2016 Play the US Presidential Debate Tambola Several users came out in praise of Chris Wallace, the host of a Sunday show on Fox news, who was the moderator of the debate. #ChrisWallace did a great job tonight - best moderated debate by far. #debatenight Allison Keating (@allisonkeating) October 20, 2016 #ChrisWallace did a fantastic job in moderating this debate. Where was he the previous two? #debatenight Quaterrius Manuel (@gopquay) October 20, 2016 Chris Wallace, I applaud you on doing the best job as a moderator. Thank you for remaining as impartial as possible. #ChrisWallace Audra LaRay (@audralaray) October 20, 2016 Thank you #ChrisWallace for restoring my faith that real journalists still exist. #debatenight bishjim (@bishjim) October 20, 2016 Who won the debate? Chris Wallace. Matt Viser (@mviser) October 20, 2016 And finally, everybody seemed relieved that the 90-minute debate was finally over. "This brings to an end this year's debates." THANK GOODNESS Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) October 20, 2016 You can see the relief in Hillary's eyes. THIS IS ALMOST OVER #debatenight Liza Sweeney (@lizasayshello) October 20, 2016 And with that said and done, the debates are FREAKING OVER! #debatenight Chris Donaldson (@c_trueleader) October 20, 2016 Read: Such a nasty woman: Trump takes jibes at Clinton during presidential debate Donald Trump painted an inaccurately dark portrait of manufacturing in America while Hillary Clinton stretched credulity in boasting that her spending plans wont add to the countrys debt. As well, both struggled in the presidential final debate to explain comments from their past. A look at some of the claims in the debate and how they compare with the facts: Rigged polls What was said: Trump has launched a tirade over rigging of polls before the US presidential election. The Republican said: If you look at your voter rolls you will see millions of people that are registered to vote, millions this isnt coming from me, this is coming from Pew report and other places millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldnt be registered to vote. The facts: Trump correctly cited the Pew report, although the finding does not prove his point that the presidential election is rigged. A 2012 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that 24 million voter registrations on the books were either no longer valid or inaccurate in some way. Some were failures to remove names of people who had died or moved, blamed on antiquated state registration systems. But the report didnt find or even discuss any evidence of voting fraud. Immigration/border security 1) What was said: Clinton on whether she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: I was talking about energy. The facts: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said in the speech that my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere. The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Trump suggested. 2) What was said: Hillary Clinton wanted the (border) wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts. Now, she never gets anything done, so naturally it wasnt built, Trump said on Wednesday. Read | Putins puppet to sleazy campaign: Trump, Clinton trade barbs in last debate The facts: Hes partly right. As a senator from New York, Clinton did support the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which authorised the construction of hundreds of miles of fencing along the US-Mexico border. But it was built, contrary to Trumps assertion. Nearly 700 miles of fencing was put in place during President George W Bushs second term and the beginning of President Barack Obamas first term. The fencing is placed largely in urban areas along the nearly 2,000-mile frontier. It is not the type of solid wall that Trump has pledged to construct at Mexicos expense. The fence has miles-long gaps and gates built in to allow landowners access to their property on the south side of the fencing. Immigrants have been known to go over and around the fence. Sexual harassment claims What was said: Clinton claimed: He held a number of big rallies where he said that he could not possibly have done those things to those women because they were not attractive enough. Trump rejected Clintons claim, saying: I did not say that. I did not say that. The facts: He did say that. At an October 13 rally, Trump criticized the physical attractiveness of People magazine reporter Natasha Stoynoff, who has said that Trump forced himself on her at Mar-a-Lago while she was interviewing him for a story. Trump said: Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words, you tell me what you think. I dont think so. National debt What was said: On her policies, Clinton said, I dont add a penny to the national debt. The facts: Not true, according to the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It estimates her increased spending in areas such as infrastructure, more financial aid for college and early childhood education, would increase the national debt by $200 billion over 10 years. That is far less than their estimate for Trump, who they predict would add $5.3 trillion over 10 years. But its plenty more than a penny. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third and final debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. (AFP Photo) Tax policies What was said: Trump accused Clintons tax policies and said, Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes. The facts: Clintons plan wouldnt raise taxes at all for 95% of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The very wealthiest would take the greatest hit, though a doubling is highly questionable. Two-thirds of her proposed increases would hit the top 0.1% of richest Americans, the centre estimates. The main components of her tax plan -- a minimum 30% tax on those earning at least $1 million a year, and a 4% tax surcharge for those earning more than $5 million a year. She would also cap the value of tax deductions and exclusions for wealthier taxpayers. Obama: Deporter-in-chief What was said: Trump claimed that President Obama has moved millions of people out ... millions of people have been moved out of this country. The facts: Thats true. Obama has overseen the deportation of more than 2.5 million immigrants since taking office in January 2009. During Obamas first term hundreds of thousands of immigrants were deported annually, following a trend of increasing deportations started under President George W Bush. The administration set a record in 2014 when more than 409,000 people were sent home. During his second term, deportations have steadily declined as he has opted to focus immigration enforcement on deporting serious criminals and those who pose a threat to national security or public safety. Trump also claims that nobody knows about it, nobody talks about it but thats not so. Obama has been dubbed the deporter in chief by immigration advocates and opponents of his immigration enforcement policies. Russian role in hacking What was said: Trump said his rival has no idea whether its Russia, China or anybody else behind recent hacks of Democratic organisations and individuals. Our country has no idea. The facts: Trumps refusal to point the finger at Moscow is at odds with the prevailing position of the US intelligence community. We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russias senior-most officials could have authorized these activities, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said recently in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security. Russia has denied accusations that it was behind the effort. Debt-free college What was said: In the third and final debate, Clinton said: I want to make college debt free. The facts: Clinton might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room and board can lead students to borrow. Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Trump is correct that government would shoulder higher costs with Clintons plan. Her plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. Trans-Pacific Partnership What was said: Clinton on her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: It didnt meet my test. The facts: It met her test when she was secretary of state and she promoted it worldwide. Hacked emails from Clintons campaign, released on Wednesday by WikiLeaks, showed that Jake Sullivan, her top foreign policy adviser, called her a big champion of the deal and worried about how to handle the issue in the face of Senator Bernie Sanders opposition. She later flip-flopped into opposition during the Democratic primaries against Sanders. Clinton says she no longer backs the proposed trade deal as written because it does not provide enough protections for US workers on wages, jobs and the countrys national security. Yet the final deal also includes some of the strongest labour protections of any US trade agreement. India, China economies What was said: In the US presidential debate, Trump said: So I just left some high representatives of India. Theyre growing at 8%. China is growing at 7%. And that for them is a catastrophically low number. We are growing, our last report came out and its right around the 1% level and I think its going down. The facts: China and India are growing faster in large part because theyre playing catch-up to the United States, the worlds largest economy. Those two Asian countries are starting from a much lower baseline with a much larger population than the United States, meaning that by definition they should be growing faster. Economists would warn of a dangerous bubble if the United States grew that quickly and financial markets would fear a devastating recession to follow. Click here for full coverage on US presidential election But China and India arent any better off than the US, said former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke in an analysis released on Wednesday. On a per-capita basis, China has just 10% of the United States income. India has about 6%. Factoring in life expectancy, inequality and leisure, Bernanke notes that the United States comes off even better. Missing money What was said: Trump said that under Hillary Clinton, $6 billion went missing at the State Department. The facts: Not exactly. That figure is a distortion about a legitimate record-keeping concern. In 2014, the State Departments inspector general released an alert warning that the documentation for $6 billion in State Department contracts was incomplete. But theres no reason to think that all occurred under Clinton. The inspector general, Steve Linnick, specifically disavowed the conclusion that the money went missing. The bitterly divisive 2016 race for the White House appears headed for an even more bitterly divided ending, with Donald Trump refusing to say at the third and final debate on Wednesday if he will accept the election outcome. I will tell you at the time, the Republican told moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News when asked whether he will accept the outcome if he lost. I will keep you in suspense. Thats horrifying, Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee replied, catching her opponent on perhaps his worst moment of a night he was supposed to try and turn around his campaign. That is not the way our democracy works. If the Republican nominees intention was to leave the stage with the headline of the night, he succeeded. Almost every news platform print, TV and online was leading with his refusal to commit himself to accepting the election results. The New York Times called it the most stunning statement from a major party candidate. The Washington Post described it as a startling break from American democratic tradition and explosive. The Wall Street Journal said it was stunning. The question came up in the context of recent complaints from the Republican nominee about election frauds and rigging and that the elections could be stolen from a possibility that has been summarily dismissed by all but some Trump surrogates. Trump, 70, had needed a good, solid debate to stanch the bleeding in his campaign, plunging poll numbers, allegations of sexual assault on women, a 2005 tape on which he had boasted of groping women and sexually assaulting them. And for the first few minutes of the Wednesday debate, Trump looked he might be able to deliver. He seemed even-tempered, went toe-to-toe with Clinton on Supreme Court appointments, gun control, without insults or interruptions. They disagreed, but stayed civil. Final US presidential debate: Click here for Live updates Then Clinton poked him on immigration, saying he choked when he failed to bring up the wall, his campaigns central promise, in his highly publicised meeting with the Mexican president in August. Trump, the counterpuncher, took the bait and soon turned into the snippy, easily-riled man he is known to be. He interrupted Clinton time and again, just saying, Wrong. He called her liar accused her of running a sleazy campaign. Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton keep their distance at the start of the their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate. (Reuters Photo) During a discussion on entitlements social security and medicare benefits Clinton poked him on his taxes, and he called her a nasty woman, which soon popped up as a hashtag on twitter to reanimate his troubles with woman voters. Clinton, who went into the date with a 7.5-point lead in the RealClearPolitics average of national polls, looked and behaved in complete control of her answers. She defended her positions and policies, and attacked with tightly framed formulations. And she had her zingers. Talking about Trumps open admiration for Vladimir Putin she said he would be a puppet of the Russian president. She challenged the Republican to condemn Russia, which has been blamed by the US intelligence community for a string of recent hackings of the Democratic Party network and her campaign chairs emails. She has no idea whether its Russia, China, or anybody else, Trump replied. And when reminded by Clinton that 17 intelligence agencies had pointed to Russia, Trump added, Hillary, you have no idea. Our country has no idea. Trump went to declare himself the winner as he has after every debate, citing some stray snap-polls in support. But Clinton had done decidedly better, and some pundits, including those on the right, grave her not only the third, but also the two before. Trump and high representatives from India Was Donald Trump still thinking about the Republican Hindu Coalition rally from last weekend when he spoke about some high representatives of India at the debate when making a point about his economic plans? I just met some high representatives of Indiathey are growing at 8 percent, Trump said. Trump attended a rally last weekend in Edison, New Jersey organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition, at which he met the bodys founder Shalli Kumar and others. They may have spoken about the state of Indias economy, but it wasnt immediately clear if he was referring to those interactions or any other he may have had since. Play the US Presidential Debate Tambola Public execution in Saudi Arabia (file photo) DAMMAM A man convicted of kidnapping and raping a minor girl was executed in Qatif on Tuesday. A source from the Ministry of Interior said 33-year-old Saad Al-Shimrani, a Saudi national, was charged with kidnapping and raping the 14-year-old girl. His death sentence was approved by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. A royal decree was issued to execute the man for his crimes, said the source. Al-Shimrani was arrested in connection with a previous kidnap case but was released on bail. Six years ago, the man was convicted of kidnapping and raping a girl aged between 12 to 14 years old. The man was from an area outside of Qatif Governorate. He is the father of two children. He kidnapped his first victim on her way back from school, said the source. The source said the man took the victim to an apartment near Dammam. The man assaulted her in the apartment but he did not rape her. He took pictures of her body and threatened to post them online if she does not submit to his wishes the next time. He took her back to an area near her home in the evening. The girl walked back home crying, said the source. The source added the girl told her parents of the incident the minute she got home. The girls parents reported the incident to the police. The police told the parents that they need to trap the man and catch him red-handed. The man called the girl the next day and the family of the girl lured him in. Police located the man and attempted to arrest him, said the source. The man escaped but he was later arrested near the apartment where he had held the girl captive, the source added. The man was released on bail after his arrest over kidnap charges. But he went on to commit a second crime. He kidnapped a 14-year-old girl from the street. The girl managed to call her parents while she was kidnapped and inform them that she was kidnapped and being taken to either Dhahran or Dammam, said the source. The source said the parents of the girl reported the incident to the police and the girl was found in Dammam. The man was initially sentenced to four years in prison and 1,500 lashes. The sentence was later increased to six years in prison and 1,600 lashes. During an appeal hearing, the public prosecutor demanded that the man receives capital punishment for his horrid crimes. The Qatif General Court then sentenced the man to death and he was executed in the governorate on Tuesday, said the source. Most people put to death in Saudi Arabia are beheaded with a sword. Saudi Arabia has a strict Islamic legal code (Sharia) under which murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape, homosexuality and apostasy are all punishable by death. Amnesty International says the kingdom carried out at least 159 death sentences in 2015, making it the third most prolific executioner after Iran and Pakistan. Related content: | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; send a submission; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! Sources: Saudi Gazette, Agence France-Presse, October 20, 2016 While most of the film festivals decided not to showcase Pakistan-based artists and their work, Lyari Notes, a documentary set in Karachi, Pakistan was recently screened at Peace Builders International Film Festival in the Capital. Directed by Pakistani filmmaker Maheen Zia and Indian documentary maker, Miriam Chandy Menacherry, the films highlights the story of four women in Karachi. It is quite unfortunate that festivals are not screening Pak-based documentaries. Building peace is of paramount importance in these times. The organisers of Peace Builders festival have moral courage and Ive respect and admiration for them, says Zia. Talking of many similarities between the two countries, she says, We are both grappling with modernity. Due to the ongoing dispute between the two countries, Zia was unable to visit the Capital for the screening, but still has a fondness for the city. During my first visit to Delhi, I had a feeling of familiarity and connection with the city... now there is definitely a bit of my dil in Dilli, she says. Zia has roots in the city as well.My father was born in Delhi, and my paternal grandparents are buried there. My mothers family was also from Delhi. I grew up hearing about the city through the stories of my fathers boyhood. I visited in 2007 to connect with his roots and look for his home and felt a sense of familiarity, adds Zia. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON One of the classics at Cannes Film Festival in May was AJ Kardars 1959 black and white movie, Jago Hua Savera (Day Shall Dawn). The film, which was to be screened as part of the Restored Classics Section of Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival starting October 20, has been dropped. Made in 1959 in what was then East Bengal, Kardars work was to have screened at Mumbai. But the prevailing political climate has not allowed this. In a section titled, Restored Classics -- which has become quite a hit at Cannes since it was introduced some years ago and which has seen the works of some Indian masters like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen figuring -- Jago Hua Savera was described as a gem. Be that as it may, Jago Hua Savera is a haunting piece of celluloid that was also Pakistans first ever submission to the Foreign Language Oscars. The year was 1960. A moving story of fishermen in East Pakistan, the movie traces their weaknesses and strengths -- clearly underlying their never-say-die spirit in the face of a hostile nature and prowling man-eating tigers. A Cannes brochure said: By many standards, life in these far flung tiny villages is dull and monotonous, yet, for the people who live there, life is full of trials and turbulence. This is the story of the people of the river to hunt for fish. This is the story of one such man, of many such men, each aspiring to own their own boat. The simple folk had a simple aspiration - to own a fishing boat, but caught in a web of loans, they lost even before they began their fight. The big sharks were too powerful for these small fish. After all these years, what strikes as truly remarkable about Jago Hua Savera was its truly international crew and cast. The revolutionary Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmad, wrote the screenplay and even penned lyrics for this quasi-documentary fiction, while a German-born British cameraman, Walter Lassally, caught the fantastic rural scenes with a kind of unforgettable magic. He used the Arriflex camera with superb dexterity to capture a set of rank amateur actors as they went about their mundane lives on the banks of Meghna. The style was true realism. The original story came from West Bengals Manik Bandhopadhyay, the lead actor, Tripti Mitra, too. She was a member of the Indian Peoples Theatre Association. And Indian music director, Timir Baran, co-composed along with Pakistans producer-composer Nauman Taseer. Shanti Chatterjee, an assistant of Satyajit, was also part of the crew. And one can see Rays influence in Kardars work. Cut to present. The movie was restored with the help of the Nauman Taseer Foundation. Picture and the Deluxe Restoration in London. Taseer had been the financial backbone of Jago Hua Savera in its original avatar. Now his son, Anjum, took it upon himself to reconstruct a long-forgotten classic. He dug up the prints from France, London and Karachi, screened them at festivals like the Three Continents at Nantes (France) and New York, before he got restoration teams to work on the film, a painstaking job. When the digitally-remastered movie was shown at Cannes, Faizs daughter and celebrated poet now living in Lahore, Salima Hashmi, had tears welling up, and she called the experience emotional. Understandably so. For, her father was in jail -- as part of the anti-Communist crackdown by Pakistans General Ayub Khan -- when Jago Hua Savera premiered in London. The movie went on to win a Gold at the 1959 Moscow Film Festival, and nothing was heard of it after that. Till it re-emerged as a brand new print at Cannes. And Kardars life like that of the fishermen in the film ran parallel to the sea and the surf and the sand. He initially worked as a sailor and then went to London to study cinema. His first dabble with the megaphone was Jago Hua Savera. In an important way, Kardars brilliant piece of creativity was a turning point in not only the cinematic fortunes of East Bengal -- which really had no money for the arts and was always subjugated culturally by the rich and powerful West Pakistan -- but also that of the country as a whole. After the 1947 partition of the Indian sub-continent, the thriving film industry in Lahore shifted to what was then Bombay. Talent migrated, and Bombay became Maya Nagari, while the movie industry in Lahore floundered and perished. Jago Hua Savera came as a whiff of fresh air, injecting oxygen into Pakistans business of cinema. But the glory was not allowed to last by Pakistans military rulers, who saw a threat -- real or imagined -- in the emergence of cinema in their eastern wing, which boasted of several men of letters. It is, therefore, not surprising that the number of films produced annually in Pakistan is well under 20, while India churns out about 1300. After, Jago Hua Savera, Pakistan did not submit anything for the Oscars till 1963 (Ghunghat). It was a long gap after that -- till 2013, when the country sent Zinda Bhag. Jago Hua Savera was a landmark work all right, and it is a pity that it will not be screened at Mumbai Film Festival. (Gautaman Bhaskaran has covered the Cannes Film Festival for 27 years.) ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop A humanitarian pause announced by Russia went into effect on Thursday in the Syrian armys devastating Moscow-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo to allow civilians and fighters who want to leave. Russia has said the pause will continue until at least 1600 GMT and could be extended. The Syrian army has said it will last three days. Syrian and Russian warplanes already halted strikes on rebel districts from 0700 GMT on Tuesday. The Syrian army has said it is opening eight corridors to provide safe passage for the more than 250,000 civilians trapped in rebel areas to leave the city. It has said two of them can also be used by rebel fighters but called on them to leave behind their weapons. The United Nations has said the duration of the pause is not long enough to provide any relief supplies to residents of rebel districts who have been under near-continuous siege since mid-July. Read: Talks move ahead on Ukraine, Russia criticised for Syria war crimes UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce would be long enough to safely evacuate just 200 wounded from the devastated east of the city. The Syrian regime and its ally Russia launched an offensive on September 22 aimed at recapturing the east, held by rebels since 2012. The accompanying air and artillery bombardments have left some 400 people dead and more than 2,000 wounded, according to the UN. Donald Trumps allies are struggling to defend his refusal at the final presidential debate to say he will honor the results of the November election should he lose, with condemnation arriving from both Republicans and Democrats alike. Sean Spicer, the chief strategist of the Republican National Committee, which is supplying much of the Trump campaigns get out the vote and voter outreach efforts, said the national party would respect the will of the people. I cannot speak for what he thinks, Spicer said. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement that Mr. Trump is doing the party and the country a great disservice by suggesting the election is rigged, while Arionza Sen. Jeff Flake called the New York billionaires statements beyond the pale. After spending the past few weeks claiming without evidence that the November election will be rigged in favor of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Trump was asked directly by Fox News anchor and debate moderator Chris Wallace if he would concede should he lose to Clinton. I will look at it at the time, Trump said. When pressed moments later, Trump added simply: What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense. Clinton called Trumps comments horrifying. Billionaire Mark Cuban, one of Clintons top supporters, called Trumps words a slap in the face of every American in the history of this country, the Constitution and our democracy. Thats what were proud of, he said. So, for him to question that, thats disqualifying. Trumps remarkable comments came just hours after his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, said on CNN that well certainly accept the outcome of this election. And Trumps daughter Ivanka, arguably his most influential adviser, said earlier Wednesday that her father would do the right thing when she was asked if he would concede after a defeat in November. The debate answer left his own team scrambling in the aftermath of the debate. Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, at first responded to questions about the comment by saying he would accept the results, because hell win the election. So, you know, absent widespread fraud and irregularities, then, well see, Conway said. What hes saying is we have to see what happens. She later rejected the outcry over Trumps comment, saying its not fair to suggest Trump is undermining the prospects of a peaceful transfer of power. Youve got to listen to everything he said, she argued. Al Gore did not accept the results of the elections and he said he would. He actually conceded to George W. Bush on election night in 2000 and then called and retracted his concession. Gore pulled back his concession only after updated vote count results in Florida showed the state too close to call, throwing the outcome of the election into doubt. When the U.S. Supreme Court later halted a recount, leaving Bush ahead in Florida and giving him the election, Gore conceded and asked the country to accept Bush as the nations next leader. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another of Trumps top allies, said the Republican nominee had good reason to be suspicious about potential fraud. There are indications of a lot of fraud around by the Clintons, Giuliani said. In fact, there is no proof that voter fraud is a widespread problem in the United States. A study by a Loyola Law School professor found that out of 1 billion votes cast in all American elections between 2000 and 2014, there were only 31 known cases of impersonation fraud. A British television presenter, who was criticised by a columnist in a tabloid for wearing a hijab while reporting the July terror attack in Nice, has flayed a media watchdog for clearing the writer of the controversial column. The Independent Press Standards organisation (IPSO) ruled the column on Fatima Manji by the former editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, did not include a prejudicial or pejorative reference to the complainant on the grounds of religion. In the column, which attracted many complaints to IPSO and communications regulator Ofcom, MacKenzie wrote that he could hardly believe (his) eyes when he saw Manji on Channel 4 News and added: Was it appropriate for her to be on camera when there had been yet another shocking slaughter by a Muslim? He added, Was it done to stick one in the eye of the ordinary viewer who looks at the hijab as a sign of the slavery of Muslim women by a male-dominated and clearly violent religion? A body lies on the ground after the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France. In a controversial column, a writer in tabloid The Sun questioned if hijab-wearing TV presenter Fatima Manji should have appeared on camera after the attack when there had been yet another shocking slaughter by a Muslim. (Reuters) Calling the ruling frightening, Manji told BBC that IPSO had condoned abuse. I am happy for people to ridicule me or offend me. Im not happy for people to incite hatred against me, and thats what happened here. What IPSO has done is effectively send out the green light for newspapers to attack minorities and Muslims in particular. To knowthat it is effectively open season on Muslims and minorities in particular is frightening, she said. The fact that Kelvin MacKenzie can write a column and suggest that I am somehow sympathetic to a perpetrator of a terrorist attack, and that somehow I am not like the rest of us, that Im the other, means that other people are open to attack. IPSO ruled that in the context of the attack, MacKenzie had a right to question Manjis head dress under free speech, and added: While the columnists opinion was undoubtedly offensive to the complainant, and to others, these were views he had been entitled to express. It added: The article did not include a prejudicial or pejorative reference to the complainant on the grounds of religion. The article did refer to the complainant but it did so to explain what triggered the discussion about a legitimate subject of debate: whether newsreaders should be allowed to wear religious symbols. In the committees view, the columnist was permitted to identify what prompted his discussion, rather than merely raising it in the abstract. Furthermore, he was entitled to express his view that, in the context of a terrorist act which had been carried out ostensibly in the name of Islam, it was inappropriate for a person wearing Islamic dress to present coverage of the story. A total of 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display in Nice to mark the Bastille Day holiday. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The most famous gun in French literature, the revolver with which poet Paul Verlaine tried to kill his lover Arthur Rimbaud, is going under the hammer, Christies said Wednesday. Verlaine bought the 7mm six-shooter in Brussels on the morning of July 10, 1873, determined to put an end to his torrid two-year affair with his teenage lover. The 29-year-old poet had abandoned his young wife and child to be with Rimbaud, who would later become the symbol of rebellious youth. But after an opium and absinthe-soaked stay in London, which would inspire Rimbauds A Season in Hell, Verlaine wanted to go back to his wife. He fled to the Belgian capital to get away from Rimbaud only for the younger man to follow him. It was in a hotel room there at two in the afternoon where, after the lovers had rowed, cried and got drunk according to Rimbaud that the suicidal Verlaine raised the pistol. Heres how I will teach you how to leave, he shouted before firing twice at Rimbaud. One bullet hit him in the wrist while the other bullet struck the wall and then ricocheted into the chimney. But Rimbaud still wouldnt take no for an answer. Having been bandaged up in hospital, he again begged the author of Poemes saturniens not to leave him. Verlaine who was to be dogged by drink and drug addiction all his life pulled out the revolver again and threatened him with it in the street. He was arrested by a passing police officer and sentenced to two years in jail with hard labour, where much to Rimbauds fury he converted to Catholicism. In prison, he wrote 32 poems that would later appear in some of his best-known collections, Sagesse, Jadis et naguere and Invectives. Rimbaud who would inspire the 1960s counter-culture movement and rock rebels like Jim Morrison moved back in with his domineering mother and finished A Season in Hell. The gun was confiscated and finally fell into the hands of a private owner, Christies said. They estimate it could make up to 60,000 euros (about Rs 43.8 lakh) at an auction in Paris on November 30. An Indian advance team comprising security, protocol and foreign ministry officials arrived in Nepal on Thursday to prepare for President Pranab Mukherjees visit beginning on November 2. Mukherjees visit will be the first by an Indian president in almost two decades. Then President KR Narayanan had visited Nepal in 1997. Mukherjee is considered an old Nepal hand with extensive political contacts in Kathmandu, which were developed when he served as external affairs minister while Nepal was undergoing a major transition from monarchy to a republic. He has visited Nepal many times in different capacities and enjoys very cordial relations with the countrys political leadership. Once the Indian team, headed by the chief of protocol of the external affairs ministry, returns home, a formal announcement regarding the visit will be made, said Nepali and Indian officials. Mukherjee is expected to make a three-day visit at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Bidhya Devi Bhandari. He will visit Kathmandu, Janakpur, Pokhara and Lumbini during the trip. Janakpur and Lumbini are famous religious sites for Hindus and Buddhists and Pokhara is a scenic city known for its lakes. Mukherjee will be accorded a civic reception in Janakpur at the famous Ram-Janaki temple. He is also scheduled to lay the foundation for a portion of the Hulaki Road ( Postal Road) in Janakpur, which is part of a flagship project to build more than 1,700 km of roads in Nepals Terai region. President Bhandari will visit Janakpur to oversee preparations for the civic reception, said chief district officer Dilip Kumar Chapagain. We have formed many local committees in order to give a rousing welcome to the Indian president, he said. In Kathmandu, Mukherjee will meet Bhandari and other senior political leaders. He will also address a function at Kathmandu University and another event organised by India Foundation, a think tank initiated by BJP leader Ram Madhav. The government of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli abruptly cancelled Bhandaris scheduled visit to India in May, citing lack of preparations and pressing domestic issues. As a result, there was uncertainty over the Indian presidents visit to Nepal. Kathmandu witnessed a change of regime in August and Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda replaced Oli as the prime minister. Immediately after taking office, Prachanda sent two envoys to New Delhi and Beijing and extended invitations to the heads of state of both countries to visit Nepal. Iran has stepped up weapons transfers to the Houthis, the militia fighting the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, US, Western and Iranian officials told Reuters, a development that threatens to prolong and intensify the 19-month-old war. The increased pace of transfers in recent months, which officials said include missiles and small arms, could exacerbate a security headache for the United States, which last week struck Houthi targets with cruise missiles in retaliation for failed missile attacks on a US Navy destroyer. Much of the recent smuggling activity has been through Oman, which neighbours Yemen, including via overland routes that take advantage of porous borders between the two countries, the officials said. That raises a further quandary for Washington, which views the tiny Gulf state as a strategic interlocutor and ally in the conflict-ridden region. A senior US administration official said that Washington had informed Oman of its concerns, without specifying when. We have been concerned about the recent flow of weapons from Iran into Yemen and have conveyed those concerns to those who maintain relations with the Houthis, including the Omani government, the official told Reuters. Oman denies any weapons smuggling across its border, and its officials could not be reached for comment. Yemeni and senior regional officials say the Omanis are not actively involved with the transfers, but rather turning a blind eye and failing to aggressively crack down on the flow. In an interview with Saudi newspaper Okaz last week, Omani foreign minister Yousef bin Alwi said: There is no truth to this. No weapons have crossed our border and we are ready to clarify any suspicions if they arise. The Iran-allied Houthis gained a trove of weapons when whole divisions allied to former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh sided with them at the start of the war last year. But Saudi Arabia and Yemens exiled government say they also receive substantial amounts of weapons and ammunition from Iran. Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons. Some Western officials have been more sceptical of the view that the Houthis are receiving large-scale support from Iran. The US and Western officials who spoke to Reuters about the recent trend in arms transfers said it was based on intelligence they had seen but did not elaborate on its nature. They said the frequency of transfers on known overland smuggling routes had increased notably, though the scale of the shipments was unclear. Even US officials warning of Irans support for the Houthis acknowledged intelligence gaps in Yemen, where the US posture has been sharply reduced since the start of the conflict. The sources all declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. We are aware of a recent increased frequency of weapons shipments supplied by Iran, which are reaching the Houthis via the Omani border, a Western diplomat familiar with the conflict told Reuters. Three US officials confirmed that assertion. One of those officials, who is familiar with Yemen, said that in the past few months there had been a noticeable increase in weapons-smuggling activity. What theyre bringing in via Oman are anti-ship missiles, explosives..., money and personnel, the official said. Another regional security source said the transfers included surface-to-surface short-range missiles and small arms. A senior Iranian diplomat confirmed there had been a sharp surge in Irans help to the Houthis in Yemen since May, referring to weapons, training and money. The nuclear deal gave Iran an upper hand in its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, but it needs to be preserved, the diplomat said. Washingtons Gulf allies have warned that US President Barack Obamas rapprochement with Tehran through the landmark nuclear deal signed last year will only embolden Iran in conflicts in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere. US probing missile origin The increase in transfers comes as the civil war drags on and threatens to pull the United States deeper into a conflict that has killed 10,000 people and which pits two regional powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, against each other. A UN-brokered 72-hour ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday. Since the beginning of the war, the Houthis have used short-range Scud missiles, and the United Nations says they have also used surface-to-air missiles, improvised to operate as surface-to-surface rockets against Saudi Arabia. But a suspected Houthi missile attack against a United Arab Emirates vessel in a strategic Red Sea shipping lane this month, as well as the attempted strikes against the US warship, raise worries about the rebels capability to launch bolder attacks. The Houthis have denied attacking the USS Mason. Two officials said the United States was looking into whether components of the missiles, including the warhead, might have benefited from Iranian parts or come from Iran but acknowledged the assessment was so far inconclusive. General Joseph Votel, the commander of the US militarys Central Command, said he suspected an Iranian role in arming the Houthis and noted that Iran was one of the possible suppliers of the kinds of shore-based missile technology seen in Yemen. I do think Iran is playing a role in some of this. They do have a relationship with the Houthis, he told a forum in Washington. A senior Western diplomat told Reuters that Irans role in helping the Houthis had increased substantially since March 2015, when the Saudis intervened to restore President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to office. The diplomat said there was concern that Oman had not tackled Iranian smuggling as strongly as it should have done. In my mind, the level of Iranian arms smuggling probably doesnt get the attention it deserves. Washington has generally shied away from being too publicly critical of Muscat, especially as it played a historic role in brokering the nuclear deal. A senior Yemeni official told Reuters there had been an increase in smuggled weapons reaching the Houthis via Oman but could not say definitively whether the weapons were Iranian. Yemens army chief of staff, Mohammed al-Maqdishi, said in a recent interview on state television that Oman should be a lot stricter on smuggling. We are now in the process of heavily guarding the border points more and more. A senior Yemeni military source told Reuters that one of the smuggling routes is through Shehen, a sort of no-mans land and entry point in Mahra province along the 288-km (179-mile) long Yemeni-Omani border. Although formally under government control, the region is a well known haven for smuggling and central authority is weak. In addition to smuggling via secondary ports along Yemens coastline, the source said the frequency had also increased because Iran feels the Houthis are in a difficult situation and want to show them theyre with them till the end. Iraqs elite counter-terrorism service (CTS) on Thursday retook full control of Bartalla, a small Christian town to the east of Mosul which the Islamic State group seized two years ago. CTS commander Taleb Sheghati al-Kenani announced the jihadists defeat in Bartalla on television from the town, which lies less than 15 kilometres from the eastern edge of Mosul. I announce to the people of Bartalla and Mosul we have complete control over Bartalla. Its residents, its churches and all of its infrastructure are now under the control of CTS, he said. He stressed that control of Bartalla, which is now one of the spots where Iraqi forces are closest to Mosul, was key to the major offensive launched four days earlier. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who visited the front line on Wednesday, announced the launch of a broad offensive on Mosul early Monday. The operation is Iraqs biggest in years and aims to wrest back Mosul, the countrys second city and the last major IS stronghold in Iraq. We tell the people of Mosul that we are coming to retake Mosul, Kenani said. Bartalla is a predominantly Christian town that had a population of just under 10,000 people before IS swept across the Nineveh plain in August 2014, forcing everyone to flee. Iraqi forces moving along several fronts have already retaken many villages -- mostly east and south of Mosul -- and hundreds of square kilometres of territory. A million people or more are thought to be trapped in IS-held Mosul and surrounding areas. Most are unable to leave, prompting fears the jihadists seek to use civilians as human shields, as they have done during previous assaults on their bastions. Jihadist leaders are fleeing Mosul, a top US general in the coalition battling the Islamic State group said Wednesday as Iraqi forces closed in on the northern city. Mosul was where IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his caliphate two years ago but is now the groups last major stronghold in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who announced the launch of a broad offensive to retake the city on Monday, visited the front line on Wednesday. In the biggest Iraqi military operation in years, forces have retaken dozens of villages, mostly south and east of Mosul, and are planning multiple assaults for Thursday. We are telling Daesh (IS) that their leaders are abandoning them. Weve seen a movement out of Mosul, said Major General Gary Volesky, who heads the anti-IS coalitions land component. He told reporters in a video briefing that the many foreigners among the 3,000 to 4,500 IS fighters would likely end up forming the core of the holdout jihadist force. Volesky noted that the Iraqis would screen anyone leaving Mosul, and attempts by foreign fighters to blend in to an expected exodus of displaced people would be thwarted. Its difficult for them to blend into the local population based on the number of different types of foreign fighters that there are, he said. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were still trapped in the city with dwindling supplies, many sheltering in basements as air strikes intensified on IS targets. A still image taken from an Islamic State (IS) video released through the group's Amaq news agency shows an unidentified militant addressing the camera. Video said to be shot in Mosul, Iraq, on October 18, 2016. (REUTERS) Cut off from world We couldnt sleep last night because of the air strikes. The explosions were huge, said Abu Saif, a 47-year-old resident contacted by AFP. Many families are starting to run out of some basic food goods, there is no commercial activity in Mosul -- the city is cut off from the world, he said. So far only a trickle of civilians have fled the fighting but aid organisations fear being overwhelmed by what could be Iraqs biggest wave of displacement yet in nearly three years of violence. On the third day of operations, reports indicate that military activities remain concentrated in less populated areas, with no large-scale civilian displacement recorded at this stage, UN aid chief Stephen OBrien said. East of Mosul, forces were poised for an assault on Qaraqosh, which lies about 15 kilometres (10 miles) away and was once Iraqs largest Christian town. News of the move to recapture Qaraqosh sparked jubilation among Christians who had fled the town, with many dancing and singing in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil on Tuesday night. Units from Iraqs elite counter-terrorism service, which has done the heavy lifting in most recent operations against IS, were poised to flush jihadists out of the town, officers said. We are surrounding Hamdaniya now, Lieutenant General Riyadh Tawfiq, commander of Iraqs 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. A man stands in front of a fire from oil that has been set ablaze in the Qayyarah area, some 60 kilometres south of Mosul. (AFP) 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 Iraqs already dwindling Christian minority, sending most into the neighbouring Kurdish region. Qaraqosh was home to around 50,000 people in 2014 and has at least seven churches, making it a key hub for the more than 300,000 Christians still in Iraq. Kurdish peshmerga forces prepared to attack IS positions on several fronts north of Mosul while federal forces worked their way up the Tigris Valley. The caliphate Baghdadi proclaimed in Mosuls Great Mosque in June 2014 once covered more than a third of Iraq and parts of Syria. But it has been shrinking steadily for more than a year and retaking Mosul would be a major setback for IS, all but ending its experiment in statehood. IS simply has too many enemies with the world arrayed against it, said Aymenn al-Tamimi, a jihadism expert at the Middle East Forum. No safe exit Tens of thousands of personnel are involved in the operation to retake Mosul, far outnumbering IS fighters. World leaders and military commanders warned that -- despite signs that early progress in the Mosul offensive was faster than predicted -- the battle could be long and difficult. Mosul will be a difficult fight. There will be advances and there will be setbacks, Obama said on Tuesday. After clearing towns and villages on the outskirts of Mosul with air support from the US-led coalition, Iraqi forces are expected to besiege the city before entering it. Iraqi forces may allow fleeing IS fighters an exit to the west in a bid to minimise human and material losses. But the chief of Russias general staff, Valery Gerasimov, argued it was necessary not to drive terrorists from one country to the other but to destroy them on the spot. Displaced people who are fleeing from clashes sit at a military vehicle in Qayyarah, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul. (REUTERS) Russia, he said, was focusing on possible attempts by fighters to break out of Mosul and freely leave the city in the direction of Syria. Many civilians have been able to flee the wider Mosul region to safer areas, with some desperate enough to seek refuge over the border in war-torn Syria. Thousands of desperate Iraqis are fleeing to a filthy and overcrowded Syrian refugee camp in an effort to escape the Mosul offensive, Save The Children aid group said. It said about 5,000 of them had reached the Al-Hol camp inside Syria near the Iraqi border in the past 10 days. A Pakistani tea merchant with velvet eyes saw his life changed this week when his portrait spread around the internet, sparking ardent debates on class, objectification, and the place of ethnic Pashtuns in society. Arshad Khan had no idea he had set the Internet alight from Pakistan to India and beyond: he has no phone, and cannot read. It was a real surprise, the young chai wala, or tea seller, told AFP. I was aware that I am handsome but you cant do anything when you are poor, he said, adding that the image has changed the way I think. Arshad khan making me some tea ;) #chaiwala A photo posted by Jiah Ali (@jiah_ali) on Oct 18, 2016 at 12:03am PDT In the candid photograph, snapped by a passing photographer and posted on Instagram, Khan prepares Pakistans ubiquitous milk tea, his blue green eyes looking frankly into the camera. It set social media users swooning, with the 18-year-olds image shared tens of thousands of times since October 14. By Tuesday, the Islamabad market where photographer Javeria Ali took the fateful shot was swarmed by dozens eager to gawk at the young worker. But in a country where women have long fought for rights and rarely express their feelings publicly, that fervour soon morphed into an intense debate on what it meant to reduce a poor man to a beautiful object. We are more used to seeing this happen to women, it is still creepy when it happens to a boy, feminist columnist Bina Shah told AFP. Just because people are bored does not mean you can play with someones life. The ick factor Columnist Maria Amir concluded that reverse sexism is still a form of sexism on the website of Pakistans biggest-selling English language newspaper, Dawn. But she also echoed many in noting that the true ick factor was in social class rather than gender. The elite getting excited over a hot #ChaiWala reeks of class privilege and the objectification of working class men, tweeted @nidkirm, who described herself as a sociologist based in Lahore. And in a column in the Express Tribune Farahnaz Zahidi mocked the surprise that someone poor could be good-looking. (T)he upper tier bourgeois of Pakistan have come to believe that even looks and God-gifted attributes are co-dependent on money and affluence? she wrote. Indeed, in his first appearance on television, viewers laughed at Khans awkward speech and the Western suit in which he appeared uncomfortable. No girl would agree to marry him, wrote Twitter user @ItsMahah. Even the colour of Khans cool gaze provoked discomfort in some like columnist Amir, who wrote apparently there is no expiry date on our colonial baggage. Light skin and eyes are the attribute of many Pashtuns, tribal inhabitants of northwest Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, romanticised as warriors by the British. Others expressed concern about the risk of exploitation of a young man so little armed for success. A local brand was quick to publish pictures of him, but Khan said he has not signed any modelling contract despite reports. The third of 17 children, Khan has never been to school. He said he hoped his newfound fame would allow him to move forward. Vegetable seller Saeed Ahmed worked in the market alongside Khan. His eyes were so beautiful that we used to make fun of him and call him cat eyes, he told AFP. But we never even thought that he would one day become famous like this. Indian newspapers were the first to seize on the Cinderella story, bringing frivolity to recent tensions between the rival neighbours with tweets calling Khan a nuclear bomb. I send a message of peace to my Indian fans, Khan said. Kurdish forces launched a fresh push against areas held by the Islamic State group around Mosul on Thursday, pressing an offensive to retake the jihadists last major stronghold in Iraq. AFP reporters said peshmerga forces from Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region, backed by US-led coalition air strikes, attacked villages near Bashiqa at dawn. In the village of Nawaran, Iranian Kurdish rebels from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) were also involved in the assault, some of them at the very front of the fighting. The peshmerga command issued a statement saying the large-scale operation was launched at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) north and northeast of Mosul. The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISILs movements, it said, using an alternative acronym for IS. It said the operation had three different fronts and was designed to tighten the noose around IS in Mosul following recent gains by peshmerga and Iraqi federal forces east and south of the city. Peshmerga forces brought down two drones IS was attempting to fly above the battlefield, presumably to gather information about the Kurdish deployment. An AFP reporter saw one of them after it was brought down. The Raven RQ-11B drone, a small unmanned aircraft originally developed for the US military, was apparently not rigged with explosives. These drones belong to IS... So we shot this drone and brought it down, as you can see the peshmerga destroyed it, said General Aziz Weysi, commander of the peshmergas elite Zaravani task force. - IS drones - These drones can do observation and can explode. They sent this one but it did not explode, he said. The commander said it was similar to a booby-trapped drone that killed two peshmerga and wounded two French soldiers in the Kurdish region last week. Amid growing concern IS is seeking to increase its use of weaponised drones, US defence officials said the military was deploying additional anti-drone technologies to the theatre, including systems that provide electronic jamming. Peshmerga commanders said the immediate aim of the operation launched on Thursday morning was to cut Bashiqa off from Mosul and attack the town later in the day or on Friday. Iraqi Kurdish and federal forces launched their much-awaited offensive against Mosul on Monday, seeking to recapture the northern metropolis which has been held by the Islamic State group since June 2014. It was where IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed a caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria that month. Its loss is widely predicted to deal a death blow to the groups ambitions as a land-holding force in Iraq but senior commanders have warned the battle could last months. Bashiqa is the area where Turkey controversially has several hundred troops stationed. Ankara, a key ally of the ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan, has said it wants to take part in operations against IS but Baghdad is under huge public pressure to reject Turkish military presence on Iraqi soil. A Mexican judge rejected on Thursday drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzmans bid to block his extradition to the United States, authorities said. The attorney generals office said in a statement that a court in Mexico City ruled against Guzman, but his lawyer immediately told AFP he would appeal the ruling to a higher court. The foreign ministry had approved the Sinaloa drug cartel chiefs extradition in May, but his lawyers fought the decision in district court. The tribunal in the capital decided to reject the protection sought by Guzman, the attorney generals office said. The national security chief, Renato Sales, said last week that the government hopes to extradite Guzman by January or February. One of Guzmans lawyers, Andres Granados, said he would pick up court documents on Tuesday and that from there he would have 10 business days to appeal to a college of judges. He also vowed to seek a Supreme Court hearing. We are not defeated, Granados told AFP, adding that he could still take the case to a regional human rights body. Guzman was recaptured in January, six months after his brazen escape from a maximum-security prison through a 1.5-kilometer (one-mile) tunnel that opened into his cells shower. Pakistans Supreme Court on Thursday sought a response from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to petitions seeking his disqualification over allegations that his children were involved in a financial scandal. The court issued notices to Sharif and others in response to constitutional petitions filed by Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party seeking action against the premier and members of his family. Sharifs aides said the court gave him two weeks to submit his reply. Sharif has been pressured by Khans party since leaked financial documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca revealed the premiers three children owned offshore assets worth millions of dollars. In a related development, the ruling PML-N party rejected reports that the government was planning to detain Khan and other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to thwart their campaign to blockade Islamabad through a protest beginning on November 2. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali refused to pass an order restraining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from holding a protest in Islamabad. Jamali observed that when the executive fails to protect the fundamental rights of citizens, the top court will intervene to protect their rights. Sharif welcomed the Supreme Courts decision and said in a brief statement that he had nothing to hide and would be happy to appear before the court. Earlier, Sharif and his aides discussed legal options the government could exercise in its defence at judicial and constitutional forums to counter the allegations made following the Panama Papers leaks. Media reports said notes were exchanged between Sharif and his legal aides, including attorney general Ashtar Ausaf, law minister Zahid Hamid and former attorney general Salman Aslam Butt. Their deliberations were kept low-key, apparently to avoid media attention. The government is also framing a strategy to defend itself in cases involving the Panama Papers leaks in the Election Commission and the Lahore high court, sources said. Reacting to reports that Imran Khan would be detained before the protest on November 2, Punjab home minister Rana Sanaullah, a senior leader of the PML-N, said that while the government is capable of putting Khan behind bars, it was not advisable to do so at this stage. The News daily had reported on Thursday that the government planned to detain Khan and other leaders of his party to thwart their campaign to lockdown Islamabad. Khan and the other could be placed under house arrest, the daily quoted its sources as saying. The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf has announced it will mobilise thousands of supporters for the protest aimed at ousting the prime minister. Khan told his supporters on Thursday that he welcomed the Supreme Courts decision. He said his protest in the federal capital on November 2 would not end until Sharif stepped down or returned looted money to the state exchequer. The main opposition Pakistan Peoples Party also launched a two-pronged attack, accusing Sharif of accentuating the crisis by refusing to probe the Panama Papers leaks and condemning Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for indulging in a criminal act by threatening to blockade the capital. PPP leader Syed Khurshid Shah, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament, told a news conference that his party was neither with the government nor with Khans protest. Sealing Islamabad is like sealing Pakistan. This is not a protest, but a criminal act, Shah said. I dont know who has advised Imran Khan to say it on record. . Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared his separation from longstanding ally the United States in Beijing on Thursday, as he rebalances his countrys diplomacy towards China. I announce my separation from the United States, he said to applause at a meeting in the Chinese capital. His comments came after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, with the two men pledging to enhance trust and friendship, while playing down a maritime dispute. The two leaders -- Duterte donning a suit and tie for the occasion -- strode side-by-side down the red carpet inspecting an honour guard, with children cheering. Xi called the two countries neighbours across the sea with no reason for hostility or confrontation, the official Xinhua news agency said. Duterte is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijings sphere of influence -- and its deep pockets. Under Dutertes predecessor Benigno Aquino the two countries were at loggerheads over the South China Sea -- where Beijing has built a series of artificial islands -- but since taking office in June the new head of state has changed course. The two leaders held extensive and amicable official talks and oversaw the signing of 13 bilateral cooperation documents on business, infrastructure, and agriculture, among other fields, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, without giving details. In a statement, the foreign ministry cited Xi as telling Duterte their emotional foundation of friendly good neighbourliness was unchanged, and difficult topics of discussion could be shelved temporarily. Duterte called the meeting historic, it added. Dutertes visit to Beijing capped a series of recent declarations blasting the US and President Barack Obama. Addressing the Filipino community in Beijing Wednesday, the firebrand leader said the Philippines had gained little from its long alliance with the US, its former colonial ruler. Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend, he said, as if addressing the US. He also repeated his denunciation of Obama as a son of a whore. Candid and friendly China, he said earlier, was good. It has never invaded a piece of my country all these generations. Duterte has also suspended joint US-Philippine patrols in the strategically vital South China Sea, and has threatened an end to joint military exercises. The South China Sea is of intense interest to Washington and it has repeatedly spoken out on the various territorial disputes between China and its neighbours over the waters. Tensions have risen between the US and China over Washingtons so-called pivot to the Asia-Pacific, a move that Beijing says is intended to contain it. In 2012, China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground in the Philippines exclusive economic zone. In a case brought by Aquino, the Philippines won a resounding victory at an international tribunal earlier this year over Beijings extensive territorial maritime claims in the area, infuriating the Asian giant. But Duterte, who took office in June shortly before the tribunal ruling, has made a point of not flaunting the outcome. Asked whether the leaders had discussed the South China Sea, the foreign ministrys Hua said they had a candid and friendly exchange of views on how to resolve relevant disputes. Their meeting represented a return to the right track of dialogue and consultation she said, adding China was willing to make relevant arrangements to cooperate on fishery issues. Lokman Singh Karki, the powerful head of Nepals constitutional anti-graft watchdog, was suspended from his position following the registration of an impeachment motion against him in Parliament. Karki, considered one of the most powerful and influential figures in Nepals state mechanism, was accused by lawmakers of running a parallel government and abusing his powers as chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). Deep Basnyat, the senior-most commissioner of the CIAA, took charge as acting chief of the body on Thursday, CIAA spokesperson Ganesh Raj Karki said. After 157 lawmakers jointly registered the impeachment motion on Wednesday, Karki was automatically suspended from his position. Karki had just returned from a month-long holiday in Canada. The impeachment motion was supported by the three major political parties the Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Center and main opposition CPN-UML. According to the Constitution, one-fourth of the total number of members of the House of Representatives can move an impeachment motion against the head of a constitutional body on the ground of serious violation of the constitution and law. Karki was appointed head of the CIAA in 2013 by the then technocrat government on the recommendation of the three major political parties. The position is considered one of the most important among constitutional bodies as the CIAA has sweeping powers to control corruption. Though Karki was considered a controversial and tainted bureaucrat, media reports at the time had suggested that the political parties had recommended him under pressure from some foreign forces. The process of impeachment was expedited after Karki, who was one of the top civil servants under the former royal regime until 2006, expedited corruption cases against top Maoist leaders. Political parties and lawmakers accused Karki of abusing his powers, harassing top politicians, bureaucrats and others in the name of investigating corruption, running a parallel government through the CIAA, and refusing to attend the meetings of parliamentary panels. After a case was registered in the Supreme Court challenging Karkis qualification to head the CIAA, he refused to receive a notice issued by the court. The court described this as a serious violation of the code of conduct and an offence against the court. A humanitarian pause took effect on Thursday in the Syrian armys Russian-backed assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo but it was quickly tested by fighting on a corridor opened for civilians to flee. The army said it was opening eight corridors to provide safe passage for those leaving but the unilateral ceasefire suffered an early blow when clashes broke out at one of them, an AFP correspondent said. Artillery exchanges erupted around the crossing point on the front line in the city centre, the photographer said. The state SANA news agency blamed terrorist groups. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped in the rebel-held east of the city under near-continuous siege since mid-July and under devastating bombardment by Russian and Syrian government aircraft which only halted on Tuesday. Russia has said the pause in a Syrian army offensive launched on September 22 will continue until at least 1600 GMT and could be extended. The Syrian army has said it will last three days. Syrian and Russian warplanes already halted strikes on rebel districts from 0700 GMT on Tuesday. The Syrian army has said it is opening eight corridors for civilians to leave, two of which can also be used by rebel fighters provided they leave behind their weapons. Residents interviewed by AFP said they were eager to leave but wanted more reassurance they would be safe. Even though I need to leave because of the deteriorating living conditions caused by the siege and the lack of food or work, I dont want to risk my life or my familys by being among the first to leave, said Mohammed Shayah, an unemployed father of four. Tough talks in Berlin The United Nations has said the duration of the pause is not long enough to provide any relief supplies. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce would be long enough to safely evacuate just 200 wounded. More than 2,000 people have been wounded since the army launched its offensive, according to the United Nations. Some 400 have been killed. The civilian casualty toll has drawn international condemnation with Washington saying the bombardment could amount to a war crime. Moscow has dismissed the accusation saying that it is propaganda that ignores the reality of the presence of jihadist fighters blacklisted by the United Nations in rebel areas. It has repeatedly demanded that fighters of other rebel groups break ranks with those of former Al-Qaeda affiliate, the Fateh al-Sham Front. The United Nations has urged the groups fighters to leave Aleppo and its envoy even offered to accompany them. But both the jihadists and other rebels have insisted they will fight on. Russian President Vladimir Putin held tough talks with the French and German leaders in Berlin on Wednesday about the crisis after which he raised the possibility of extending the unilateral ceasefire. French President Francois Hollande condemned the bombing of the city as a war crime. German Chancellor Angela Merkel described it as inhumane and cruel. Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to German Chancellor Angela Merkel after their talks at a summit with the leaders of Russia, Germany and France about the situations in Syria at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo) 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. Five years of efforts to put an end to the conflict in Syria have all failed, but over the past week world powers have made new efforts to broker a lasting truce. Besides the Berlin summit, talks were held on Wednesday in Geneva between Russian and US officials and representatives of key rebel backers Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on distancing other opposition groups from the jihadists. Read| Government must rid Aleppo of terrorists to protect civilians: Assad The Scottish National Party (SNP) government in Scotland on Thursday published a draft bill for a second independence referendum, to be held if Scottish interests are not protected in the London-directed process to leave the European Union. Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had promised the bill during last weeks party conference, amid apprehensions in Scotland that it will lose access to the European single market after Brexit along with the rest of the United Kingdom. Scotland voted 62% to 38% in favour of remaining in the EU in the June 23 referendum. The SNP government insists it will do all that is necessary to protect its economic and other interests in the Brexit situation, including holding the second independence referendum. The 2014 referendum saw voters reject independence by 55% to 45%, but SNP believes the Brexit vote will prompt greater support for independence. The draft bill is now open for public consultation. The British parliament in London and the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh will need to approve another independence referendum before it is held. Some senior SNP figures have reportedly cautioned Sturgeon against rushing into the second referendum. Sturgeon said in the consultation documents foreword: We will put forward constructive proposals that will both protect Scotlands interests and give an opportunity for the UK government to demonstrate that Scotland is indeed an equal partner. But if it becomes clear that it is only through independence that Scotlands interests can be protected, then the people of Scotland must have the ability to reconsider that question, and to do so before the UK leaves the EU. The planned second referendum is opposed by the Conservative and Labour parties in Scotland. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said her party will fight proposals for the second referendum every step of the way. She said: Instead of using Brexit to further her own political ambitions, Nicola Sturgeon should be working closely with the UK government to address the risks and explore the opportunities this decision creates for industries and sectors across Scotland. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Scattered clashes between rebels and pro-government forces undermined a fragile ceasefire in Yemen Thursday as global pressure intensified for a lasting truce in a country where millions are homeless and hungry. The ceasefire, for an initial period of three days, took effect shortly before midnight on Wednesday under a United Nations plan which aims to allow sorely needed aid to reach suffering civilians. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after rebels overran much of Yemen. Saudi Arabia and Washington accuse Iran of arming the insurgents, charges Tehran denies. Coalition spokesman Major General Ahmed Assiri told Al-Ekhbariya state television that there had been a certain number of violations of the ceasefire. If they continue, he said, the coalition will take appropriate measures. Yemeni residents said they have had enough of failed truces. We want a lasting ceasefire, said Sadok Abdullah, 28, a resident of rebel-held Sanaa. Theyre 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. Shortly after the truce began, the coalition said it will abide by the ceasefire, which aims for distribution of the greatest possible humanitarian and medical assistance to Yemens people, especially besieged third city Taez. It said it will continue an air and maritime embargo, to prevent weapons shipments to the rebels, and will maintain airborne reconnaissance. The rebels military spokesman, General Sharaf Lokman, said his forces will respect the ceasefire as long as the enemy also abides by it. However, he urged his fighters to be ready to retaliate against all aggression. A spokesman for pro-government forces also declared respect for the truce but reserved the right to respond to violations. Pro-Hadi forces said in a statement they recorded nine violations by the rebel Huthis and their allies after midnight in Nahm, northeast of Sanaa. Three pro-government fighters were killed near the Red Sea in Hajja province when rebels, after midnight, began a counter-offensive to retake positions lost before the truce, a loyalist officer, Colonel Abdel Ghani al-Chebli, told AFP. The rebels didnt respect earlier truces and we have orders to retaliate. We are in a defensive position, he said. Military sources and residents said there had also been fighting around Taez, and pro-Hadi positions came under fire in Sarwah, east of Sanaa. In the immediate aftermath of a ceasefire, it can be difficult to silence every single weapon. - Civilians pay the price - Civilians have paid the highest price in the war. Almost 6,900 people have been killed -- more than half of them civilians -- while another three million are displaced and millions more need food aid. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini late Wednesday said the truce should be a first step towards resuming UN-led peace talks. The ceasefire must be respected by all sides and its duration extended so as to create the necessary conditions for such negotiations, she said. Mogherini added the ceasefire will allow urgent humanitarian assistance to reach large parts of the population that have suffered drastic shortages. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the truce requires all parties to implement a full and comprehensive halt to military activities of any kind, and help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The last ceasefire attempt began in April and later collapsed alongside UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait. Fighting escalated after those talks ended unsuccessfully in August, 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. The United States announced an immediate review of its intelligence and refuelling assistance to the coalition, whose investigative team then released unusually quick findings from a probe of the incident saying the funeral was wrongly targeted. In another major development, the US Navy for the first time targeted rebels directly. On October 13 it hit radar sites which, the US said, were involved in missile launches against a US warship and other vessels. Yemens Huthi rebels are allied with members of forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The UNs humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, on Wednesday told reporters he hoped the truce will provide a chance for aid workers to reach areas isolated by the fighting. Were seeing very high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity, he said. The truce does not apply to jihadists who have exploited the conflict to gain ground in the south. Suspected Al-Qaeda militants on Thursday attacked a loyalist security checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan, killing four soldiers and wounding two, a security official said. One of the attackers was killed and another wounded in ensuing clashes. Read- Warring parties in Yemen agree to a 72-hour-long truce One of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit the Philippines destroyed houses, tore roofs off schools and ripped giant trees out of the ground on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of deaths. Super Typhoon Haima hit the northern province of Cagayan late on Wednesday night with winds almost on a par with catastrophic Haiyan, which was then the strongest storm to strike the disaster-prone Southeast Asian archipelago and claimed more than 7,350 lives in 2013. Haima roared across mountain and farming communities of the northern regions of the main island of Luzon overnight, and by morning a picture was emerging of widescale destruction. Rice and corn plants as far as the eye can see are flattened, Villamor Visaya, a university teacher in Ilagan, one of the main northern cities with a population of 130,000 people, told AFP by telephone. Haima hit coastal towns facing the Pacific Ocean with sustained winds of 225 kilometres (140 miles) an hour, and wind gusts of up to 315 kilometres. It weakened overnight as it rammed into giant mountain ranges and by 9:00 am (0100 GMT) on Thursday was leaving the western edge of Luzon, heading towards southern China. Jefferson Soriano, mayor of Tuguegarao, the capital of Cagayan where Haima made landfall, reported badly damaged schools and gymnasiums where people had sought shelter. They are calling for help because the roofs have been torn off. The problem is, our rescuers here are unable to go out and help, Soriana told DZMM radio before dawn while the storm was still raging. President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday night all possible preparations had been made for Haima, with tens of thousands of people evacuated, but he still struck an ominous tone. We only pray we be spared the destruction such as the previous times, which brought agony and suffering, Duterte said in Beijing, where he was on a state visit. But we are ready. Everything has been deployed. About 10 million people across the northern parts of Luzon were at risk, the governments disaster risk management agency said on Wednesday. Haima was the second typhoon to hit the northern Philippines in a week, after Sarika struck on Sunday claiming at least one life and leaving three people missing. Germany and France pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria and halt the criminal bombardment of civilians, but said four-way talks aimed at ending violence in eastern Ukraine made some progress. We are talking here about criminal activities, about crimes against the civilians, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after what she described as a difficult discussion with Putin about the crisis in Syria. French President Francois Hollande used the phrase war crimes, and both leaders criticised Russia for attacking the civilian population under the pretence of fighting terrorism. We agree that terrorism must be combatted, but not at the price that 300,000 people there must lose their lives and suffer without all necessary supplies, Merkel said, reflecting growing concern in Europe and the United States about Russias support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Merkel and Hollande will discuss the talks at an EU summit meeting on Thursday evening, with the bloc due to consider whether to impose new sanctions on Russians over the bombing in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. While there is no immediate consensus for more sanctions, Britain and France, with support from eastern and Nordic countries, said they could push for them in the coming weeks if Russia continues to bomb the rebel-held east of the city. Merkel said she could not rule out sanctions, but said on Thursdays EU meeting would be focused on helping civilians. We made it very, very clear tonight that Russia has a great responsibility that extends far beyond the bombardment, she said. It will decide whether humanitarian supplies can be delivered (and) whether a political process can be begun. Putin told a separate news conference that Moscow had proposed to speed up adoption of a new constitution in Syria to facilitate future elections, and said Russia was ready to extend an eight-hour pause in air strikes in Syria. He underscored the importance of eradicating terrorism and called on the United States to separate al Nusra Front militants from what he called the healthy opposition in Syria. Hollande acknowledged Putins offer of extending the ceasefire, but said a longer pause in bombing was needed to bring in much-needed humanitarian supplies. A respite of a few hours makes no sense, he told a joint news conference with Merkel after the talks. The main point is that the population of Aleppo ... cannot continue to live in conditions that are unbearable. Merkel had insisted that Putin agree to discuss Syria on the sidelines of the so-called Normandy Format meeting on Ukraine. It was the Russian leaders first trip to Germany since 2013. The meeting took place hours after news emerged that Russian warships off the coast of Norway were preparing to reinforce a brutal assault on Aleppo. Progress on Ukraine, hard work ahead Merkel said a separate meeting with Hollande, Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko - their first in over a year - had resulted in agreement on a preliminary road map for implementing the Minsk peace deal reached in February 2015. Foreign ministers will work out details of the plan in November, but hard work remained ahead, Merkel said. Poroshenko said the sides agreed during the five-hour meeting to withdraw Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists from four new areas at the frontline of the fighting in the Donbass region. That follows the withdrawal of forces from three other key areas that began last month. They also agreed that monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) could be armed and that their activities in monitoring the so-called Minsk peace process would not be impeded. Local elections remained a matter of debate, with Ukraine insisting it would only hold elections in the Donbass region after foreign forces withdrew, Poroshenko told reporters. Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far. Both Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of perpetuating the violence and violating the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. At Thursdays EU dinner, eastern and Baltic countries are also set to call for stronger EU defences against what they say is Russian disinformation campaigns to destabilise their governments or a possible cyber attack. The mood is hardening, said a senior EU diplomat. Russia used to be seen as a strategic partner. Now it is a strategic problem. A 16-year-old girl went on trial in Germany on Thursday for stabbing a police officer, an assault allegedly ordered by the Islamic State organisation but which was not claimed by the jihadist group. The court in the northern city of Celle ruled at the start of the proceedings against Safia S. that they would take place behind closed doors because she is a minor. The defendant must be protected from further exposure and the accompanying stigmatisation, presiding judge Frank Rosenow said. The German-Moroccan national risks 10 years in prison for attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and support for a foreign terrorist organisation. She entered the courtroom wearing a beige headscarf and fashionable eyeglasses and spoke clearly and confidently to the judge. Prosecutors said the teenager, who is believed to have been radicalised as a young girl, had sought to catch the attention of police officers by following them around at the main train station in the northern city of Hanover. As the officers called her over for an identity check, Safia S allegedly stabbed one of them in the neck with a vegetable knife before being overpowered by another officer. The teenager was already known to police before the February 26 attack as she had sought to travel to Syria to join IS fighters a month earlier. Her mother flew to Istanbul to bring her home and as they landed back in Germany, Safia S. was taken away by police and interrogated over her botched attempt to reach the war zone. Her mobile phone was also seized, but it was not until after the stabbing assault that investigators translated the Arabic messages on the phone -- which had instructed her to commit an act of martyrdom. A German-Syrian man, 20, Mohamed Hasan Kharsa, went on trial with Safia S. for failing to report her plans to police, even though he was aware that she was plotting to attack a police officer. The young man had sought to flee Germany but was arrested in Greece and extradited on Tuesday. Radicalised as a child Safia S. was apparently already radicalised as early as 2008. At that time, when she was just seven or eight years old, she had appeared in an online video by Pierre Vogel -- a notorious Salafist preacher in Germany. But it was only in November 2015 that she pledged allegiance to the IS, investigators said. Her brother had also sought to join the jihadist group in Syria but was arrested and jailed in Turkey, according to news agency DPA. Meanwhile on Thursday, a Syrian man went on trial in the southwestern city of Stuttgart accused of being among jihadists who kidnapped a UN peacekeeper in Damascus in 2013 in what prosecutors call a war crime. The 25-year-old accused, named only as Suliman A.-S., is believed to be a member of a branch of the Al-Nusra Front jihadist group. He allegedly participated in the abduction on February 17, 2013 and was involved in guarding the kidnapped victim between March and June 2013. He is suspected of an attack during Syrias civil war against a person, who was involved in a peacekeeping mission under the United Nations Charter, and was therefore entitled to protection, the federal prosecutors office said when he was arrested in January. A verdict is not expected before April 2017. Germany has so far been spared large-scale jihadist attacks. But Europes biggest economic power has been shaken by two assaults claimed by the IS and carried out by Syrian asylum seekers -- an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg that injured five, and a suicide bombing in Ansbach in which 15 people were hurt. Police last week said they had foiled an alleged plot by a Syrian refugee to bomb one of Berlins airports. The cases have fuelled anxiety over Germanys record influx of nearly 900,000 refugees and migrants in 2015. Thailand said on Thursday it would inform the world about the royal succession following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej after false foreign media coverage created misunderstanding and hurt the feelings of its people. The death of the revered king a week ago after seven decades on the throne plunged the country into mourning and heightened sensitivity about the monarchy. The government has said Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will succeed his father soon, after an unspecified period of mourning. The princes formal coronation will take place after the kings cremation, following a year-long official mourning period. The 96-year-old president of the royal Privy Council, Prem Tinsulanonda, has been made regent during the interregnum. The delay in the prince becoming king has raised speculation among Thailand scholars and analysts that the succession may not be as smooth as the government has said it will be. The prince has made no public statement since the death of his father but he has paid homage every day at Bangkoks gilded Grand Palace where the late king is lying in state. The foreign ministry did not refer to specific news reports or outlets, but said coverage had created misunderstanding and it wanted to prevent further false coverage. We have instructed our ambassadors, consulates and representatives around the world to inform relevant state agencies and governments regarding the succession and that it is proceeding according to the constitution and royal laws and traditions, it said. Insulting the monarch, the regent or the heir, known by the French-language term lese-majeste, is a crime in Thailand that carries a jail sentence of up to 15 years for each offence. King Bhumibol, who was the worlds longest-reigning monarch, was revered as a father figure and symbol of unity in a country riven by political crises over the years, most recently by a struggle between the military-led establishment and populist political forces. Many Thais worry about a future without him. People are dressing in black around the country, and huge numbers have streamed to the Grand Palace to pay their respects. Anger Government spokesperson Weerachon Sukondhapatipak called for an end to foreign media speculation because everything is already quite clear. Please dont use your imagination to report stories without thinking, he told Reuters. Prince Vajiralongkorn does not enjoy the same adoration his father earned over a lifetime on the throne. He has married and divorced three times, and has spent much of his life outside Thailand, often in Germany. Though the king designated his only son crown prince in 1972, shortly afterwards he also raised the possibility of the eligibility of a princess becoming the monarch. The junta has stepped up prosecution of lese-majeste cases since the king died, with police investigating 12 cases. Some angry mourners have attacked people they deemed disrespectful but Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha urged people not to take matters into their own hands. The prime minister has a good understanding of the feelings of people who are completely loyal to the monarchy. Everyone should be reminded not to drag the institution down into various conflicts and disagreements, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told reporters. Though the country is in mourning, shopping malls, markets, cinemas and even some bars have been open. The government said overseas tourism would not be affected and industry targets were unchanged. We are confident that we will still hit the mark we set of 32 million overseas tourists, a deputy prime minister, Tanasak Patimapragorn, told reporters. Department of Tourism data showed foreign arrivals at Thailands five main airports fell by 2.59 percent in the week after the king died compared with the previous week. Donald Trumps utterance of bad hombres during Wednesday nights presidential debate echoed across both sides of the US-Mexico border. Within minutes, the Republican nominee was getting a lashing about his mangling of English and Spanish. Trump whose proposal for a wall at the US-Mexico border helped fuel his rise to the party nomination blamed some bad hombres here for drug epidemics around the country, and promised to kick them out. Bad hombres quickly began trending on Twitter. The only good thing that came out of the #Debate#badhombres2016 Count Minkula (@Posh_Pandaren) October 20, 2016 At a Mexico City barbecue restaurant, an assortment of Mexicans and expats guffawed at bad hombres. I think the way that Trump has talked about Mexicans from the start of the campaign is to call them rapists, criminals, he hasnt changed, Santiago Betancourt said at Pinche Gringo BBQ, where about 200 people gathered to watch the debate. Trump maybe echoes or uses arguments that exist among an American class that hes betting can make him president. I dont think its a presidential discourse. Political commentator Ana Navarro, a Republican who often criticizes Trump, offered a Spanish lesson via Twitter. To some, it sounded like Trump said bad hambres. Trump said some stupidity re Bad hombres: Spanish lesson 101: hombre=man; hambre=hunger; hombro=shoulder; ombre=Kardashian hair color, Navarro said. For others, bad hombres was just confusing. Hussein Kazwini, a 22-year-old college student and first-generation American, watched at his parents home in Toledo, Ohio. His parents came to the United States 30 years ago. What does that even mean? Kazwini said. I guess hes trying to send them a direct message. Read| Putins puppet to sleazy campaign: Trump, Clinton trade barbs in last debate Britain has placed a temporary bar on the export of a rare tapestry by 17th century weaver Michael Mazarind, described as being inspired by Indian, Chinese and Japanese designs and woven in the Indian manner. Culture minister Matt Hancock placed the export bar, effective till January 19, 2017, on the tapestry considered at risk of being exported unless a buyer can be found to match the asking price of 67,500, officials said on Thursday. The tapestry is the only surviving one to feature the workshop mark of Mazarind, said to have been based in Portugal Street, London, between 1696 and 1702. Mazarind was relatively unknown but is said to have links to the better known Soho-based weaver John Vanderbank. The tapestry includes small groups of oriental figures, buildings, exotic creatures and plants. This combination of elements was described as being in the Indian manner, and was one of the most popular decorative fashions of the period, the officials said. Hancock said: This intricate design provides us with a unique opportunity to explore the tapestry workshops of 1600s London. I hope we are able to keep it in the country so we can learn more about our nations textile industry, and of the decorative fashions of the time. The decision to defer an export licence followed a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA), administered by The Arts Council. The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds of significance for the study of Mazarinds work, English tapestry of the period, and Londons history. RCEWA member Christopher Rowell said: This beautiful blue ground tapestry, with an equally unusual border of Chinese inspiration, dates from the late 1600s and is the only one to bear the woven signature of the mysterious Michael Mazarind, who was a rival of the more well-known London tapestry weaver, John Vanderbank. This type of Indian tapestry depicting a Chinoiserie fantasy paradise in Cathay, with courtly and hunting scenes, was devised for the court, but soon became more broadly popular. Saving the tapestry for the nation will allow specialists to study it in detail and help to reconstruct Mazarinds contribution to tapestry production in early-Georgian London. The decision on the export licence application may be extended until April 19, 2017 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase the tapestry is made at the recommended price of 67,500, the officials said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following on from the 2013 exoneration of celebrated World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, Britain will pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men who were convicted of crimes under sexual offence laws which have now been abolished. Homosexual acts were not decriminalised in England until 1967 and it was not until 2001 that the age of consent for homosexuals was reduced to 16, bringing it into line with the law governing heterosexuals. Lord John Sharkey, who has been pushing the government to issue pardons, said some 65,000 men had been convicted under the now-repealed laws, of which 15,000 were still alive. The government said anyone who had been found guilty of consensual homosexual sex would have their names cleared, and for those still living, the offences would be removed from any criminal record checks via a disregard process. It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today, said justice minister Sam Gyimah. The pardon plan has been dubbed Turings Law in reference to the brilliant wartime mathematician who cracked Nazi Germanys unbreakable Enigma code. He was stripped of his job and chemically castrated after being convicted of gross indecency in 1952 for having sex with a man, and killed himself two years later, aged 41. After years of campaigning by supporters including physicist Stephen Hawking, Turing was granted a rare royal pardon from Queen Elizabeth in 2013. What about Oscar Wilde? Alan Turing just so, so deserves this, his niece Rachel Barnes told BBC radio. To think that this is the man who cracked the enigma code and saved countless of millions of lives during World War II and to think of the treatments that he went through at the hands of the government in 1952 is still unbelievable to us. Another of those prosecuted under the legislation used against Turing was Irish playwright Oscar Wilde in 1895 during a Victorian clampdown on homosexuality. He was sentenced to two years labour. However, the Guardian newspaper said it was not clear whether Wilde would be included in those pardoned as the ministry of justice has said that no new individuals would be named or singled out. No comment from the ministry was immediately available. One man who was convicted of gross indecency in 1974, said he would not accept a pardon and wanted an apology. To accept a pardon means you accept that you were guilty. I was not guilty of anything. I was only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, George Montague told BBC TV. Lord Sharkey said a pardon was probably the best way of acknowledging the real harm done by the unjust and cruel homophobic laws. I hope that a lot of people will feel exactly the same way, he told BBC radio. Britain will continue to play a full role in the European Union until its exit and will be a reliable partner afterwards, Prime Minister Theresa May said on arrival at her first EU summit on Thursday. The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and well be a strong and dependable partner after we have left, she told reporters in Brussels. Highlighting her will to work with other Europeans despite the shock vote in June to quit the bloc, May said EU leaders should show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression, adding that Britain had put a discussion of Russian actions in Syria on the agenda of the EU summit. We must continue to work together and its vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria, she said. The United States and Saudi Arabia on Thursday imposed sanctions on alleged Hezbollah members and financial backers, accusing them of funnelling money to the Lebanese militant group or engaging in terrorism. The US Treasury Department said it targeted four individuals and one company, effectively freezing their US assets and blocking any transactions with them, while also announcing related action by Saudi Arabia. In a related action, the US State Department also blacklisted alleged Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, alias Abu Ali al-Tabatabai, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The State Department declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 1997 and long-standing US efforts have sought to disrupt the organizations funding. Founded in the 1980s in Lebanon, the Shiite militant organization and political party has provided military support to President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian conflict, and American officials blame it for attacks stretching back to the 1980s. Hezbollah continues to plan, coordinate and execute terrorist attacks around the world, and Treasury will continue to aggressively target Hezbollah and those supporting its terrorist activities, Adam Szubin, acting Treasury under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. The US designations were imposed under an executive order issued by former president George W. Bush in the immediate aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. The men blacklisted by the Treasury included Muhammad al-Mukhtar Kallas and Hasan Jamal-al-Din, purported accountants for Hezbollah financier Adham Husayn Tabaja, as well as Yosef Ayad and Muhammad Ghaleb Hamdar, described as members of Hezbollahs External Security Organization who were accused of plotting attacks in Thailand and Peru. Kallas and al-Din worked with Tabaja to move bulk cash shipments between Lebanon and Iraq and had assisted other Hezbollah members who were already blacklisted, according to the Treasury. The Treasury also blacklisted the Tabaja-controlled company Global Cleaners, which it said had won sanitation services contracts in Baghdad. Saudi Arabia designated Kallas, al-Din and Global Cleaners under a local counterterrorism law, freezing their assets and prohibiting any commercial licenses for the men in the kingdom. A member of the US military was killed in a bomb blast in northern Iraq on Thursday, officials said, as Iraqi forces in the region continued their push on Mosul. A US service member died from wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device blast in northern Iraq, Pentagon officials and the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group said. They did not immediately identify the service member, or say whether he or she was one of the more than 100 US troops advising Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga as they push toward the IS-held city of Mosul on multiple fronts. The death is at least the fourth time a US military member has been killed in combat in Iraq since operations against IS began there in 2014. Iraqs prime minister vowed Thursday to protect civilians fleeing the battle to oust Islamic State extremists from Mosul, as the offensive picked up speed and diplomats worked to ensure the gains are lasting and that jihadists dont escape. French President Francois Hollande, hosting a conference on stabilizing Mosul, urged the international community not to abandon the city once the multi-pronged military operation is over. Diplomats from the US, Iraq and some 20 other countries gathered in Paris to devise a plan to protect civilians, distribute aid and address questions about governing areas newly liberated from IS. The offensive for Mosul Iraqs second-largest city and the biggest IS-held city is expected to take weeks, if not months. There are fears it could unleash sectarian tensions, and threaten civilians in a region ravaged by years of violence. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said Thursday that Mosul may fall sooner than expected. The fighting forces are currently pushing forward toward the town more quickly than we thought, and more quickly certainly than we established in our plan of campaign, he told the Paris conference via video transmission. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned that up to a million people might try to flee Mosul, and said authorities must check each one to make sure extremists arent among them. Ayrault also said the international community must think about the next step notably, what do about the IS stronghold of Raqqa in Syria. As the Mosul fighting intensifies, Al-Abadi said the Iraqi government is providing support for internally displaced people, and opening humanitarian corridors amid the ongoing military operations. We will not allow any violations of human rights, he said. He stressed that the battle is led by Iraq and is not a foreign invasion, though it has military support from a broad US-led coalition. He also praised the diverse nature of todays Iraqi forces, including Kurdish peshmerga, fighting IS. Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, speaking in Paris, said his government will contribute 1 million euros ($1.1 million) to fund demining activities in Mosul once Islamic State fighters have been driven out. By demining these areas, people who have fled can safely return to rebuild their lives, Koenders said in a statement. Koenders also stressed that Mosul should retain its multiethnic character once it is liberated. So there needs to be a reconciliation process and everybody should be represented in the future government of the city, he said. Hollande echoed that. We should not look at Mosul as a place on the map, a military objective. We should look at Mosul as a way to prepare the Iraq of tomorrow, he said. If we are capable of showing this, we will not only have won the battle, we will have won the war. French authorities believe attacks on French soil in recent years have been plotted from IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. French warplanes and artillery are involved in the battle for Mosul, as part of the U.S.-led military coalition backing the Iraqi campaign. Hollande said France has 4,000 people deployed in the region, including those on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and support forces on the ground near Qayyarah. The talks Thursday come as Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town. Attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. IS captured Mosul during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014. It is the largest city controlled by the extremist group and its last major urban bastion in Iraq. Several aid groups said in a joint statement that safe escape routes should be established for the 1.2 million civilians, including at least 600,000 children, trapped inside Mosul. Save the Children, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the International Rescue Committee said families risk being killed by heavy weapons and used as human shields by ISIS if they stay inside Mosul, or could be caught in crossfire, shot by snipers or stepping on land mines if they try to flee. The organizations said reconciliation plans must be developed now to prevent catastrophic consequences for Mosuls children and their families, as well as Iraqs future. Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today Mostly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 51F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 51F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. China planned to launch its own space station in 2023. As a preparation, it successfully sent two of its astronauts into space to run series of experiments on Monday, Oct. 17. The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre blasted off the Long March-2F rocket at 11:30 p.m. GMT on the country's Gobi Desert. General Zhang Youxia, China's space program commander, announced the success of the launch 16 minutes after blast-off. President Xi Jinping then sent a congratulatory message through Defense Minister Fan Changlong telling their astronauts to explore and examine space "more deeply and more broadly". The astronauts launched into space were Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong. Jing Haipeng, 49, a veteran, has been to space two times before commanding the Shenzou-11 mission in 2008 and 2012 with the Shenzou-7 and Shenzou-9 missions respectively. Chen Dong, his crewmate, is a pilot in the air force of China. These two astronauts will test different machines and perform experiments in medicine as preparation for the launch in 2018 of China's station core module. They are scheduled to stay for 30 days in space - the longest duration Chinese astronauts would have been. China Enters Space Race In two days, it is expected that a small precursor space station, either the Tiangong-2 or the Heavenly Palace-2, will let the rocket dock. Following USA and Russia, China is the third country to send astronauts into space and is adding more effort to explore space. Chinese astronauts are not permitted to set foot in the International Space Station because of Obama's fear of China's drive for space exploration bearing military purposes. This resulted in China scheduling to launch its own floating laboratory in space in six years. China National Space Administration (CNSA) sees the launch of their own space station as a stepping stone to someday send their own astronauts to the Moon and Mars. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is a first since 1975. Saudi Arabia is changing the course of its laws involving members of the royal family. Charged with murder after shooting a young man during a desert camp brawl in 2012, Prince Turki Bin Saud Al-Kabeer has been executed. No less than King Salman has confirmed the decree of beheading his distant cousin. The execution approach may have surprised everyone, considering that criminal activities done by Saudi royals remain under wraps and censorship is immediately pursued. In this case, however, the state media has been widely vocal. In a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, the death of the Prince signifies the government's pledge to impose the rules of Allah against anybody who commits murderous acts everywhere. According to the Saudi media, Prince Turki was arrested in December 2012 following the killing of Abdul Karim Mohaimeed. Reports reveal that the beheaded royal got engaged in an argument. After proceeding to his car, he returned with a gun in hand and fired at Mohaimeed. Another man has also been wounded during the shooting. The Arab News has reported that Prince Turki informed the police after finding out that the victim was a friend. He later pleaded guilty to the crime. The location of the incident is a camp where young Saudis usually go when they want to get away from their homes. In an unconfirmed video shown on Iranian television, a group of Saudi garb-clad men are observed to be moving around before a dark clothed-figure started firing shots. A few weeks prior to the beheading, King Salman declares that he and the rest of the royal family are not exempted from prosecution in civil courts. The last time a royal has been executed happened around 40 years ago when Prince Faisal Bin Musaid assassinated his Uncle King Faisal inside a palace. The murderous Prince has been later beheaded in Riyadh with a crowd in attendance. According to Akbaar 24 News, several hundred thousand pounds in reparation have been offered to the father of the victim who refused the compensation. Prince Turki's own father is among those who watched the execution. The young royal becomes the 134th individual to be beheaded in the Kingdom for 2016. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Honda revealed the first images and information on the all-new CR-V. The fifth-generation Honda CR-V is a bit larger than its predecessor. Also for the first time, the Honda car is getting a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The monster SUV gets its styling inspiration from the latest Honda Civic. The new 2017 CR-V will come with a longer hood, wide muscular fenders, and crisper lines on its front end. The new grille of the car is capable of automatically opening and closing to minimize the drag, reports Science World Report. According to Chicago Tribune, the redesigned body and chassis will give new CR-V more confident handling and the additional ground clearance with greater refinement. The latest SUV will get its power from the turbocharged 1.5-litre engine. All Entry-level models are expected to carry a 2.4-litre tank and a four-cylinder petrol engine. The new Honda SUV CR-V is reported to have a CVT automatic transmission. With that customers will choose from front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive footing. The fifth gen SUV is also coming with top class technology that includes a powered tailgate, which is based on a foot-operated sensor. The latest CR-V is having 7-inch touch screen featuring Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto connectivity. The autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assistance and active cruise control are some of its key features. The new Honda CR-V is likely to be offered in both 5-seater and 7-seater options. The latest model is expected to get a stretched wheelbase by 80mm in order to accommodate third row seat to be offered on the top end versions. Honda has also added a class production capacity to its Greensburg, Ind., plant to stay ahead of its competitors. The Company has even stopped the production of CR-V at its plant in Mexico. While the Honda is expected to sell more than 365,000 CR-Vs in the U.S. in 2017 The price for the fifth generation SUV, CR-V has not been disclosed. But a report on Auto Week shows that car will be costing you at $23,595; however customers are still waiting for the official price release. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Iraqi forces are ahead of schedule as they advance in the battle to retake Mosul from the terrorist group Islamic State. In a presser at Washington, U.S. spokesperson Peter Cook said, "Early indications are that Iraqi forces have met their objectives so far, and that they are ahead of schedule for this first day." But he warned that the campaign would be a "difficult fight" and "could take some time" as it remained to be seen how the jihadists respond to the strike. A coalition of about 30,000 Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters, Sunni Arab tribesman and Shia forces with support from the US military formed parts of the battle to take control of the jihadists' last stronghold in Iraq. Forces advanced at night time and took control of most villages in the first few hours of the operation. They were also able to secure an additional stretch of road from Kurdish city Irbil to Mosul. It has also been reported that the forces are yet to retake around 70 villages before they reach to the outskirts of the town. As the fighting gets closer, concerns are been raised over the safety of the civilians trapped in the area. Reports from AFP stated that the civilian are happy. Hazem Diedio Cardomi, a civilian in Irbil, said that he had gone through a lot of suffering and now they look forward to returning to their region soon. Reports from BBC stated that people have a mix feeling of happiness and fear about how IS would treat them and the danger of being caught in air strikes or crossfire. Cook has said that as many of seven million leaflets have been dropped over Mosul explaining to residents "the safest way to conduct themselves as this fighting plays out". IS militants took control of Mosul in June 2014 and their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi chose a mosque to proclaim the establishment of a "caliphate" and taking over Mosul would be significant. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. At the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Nicosia key hospitality and tech decision makers are gathered today for the Digi.travel Cyprus Conference & Expo 2016. Organized for the first time with the collaboration of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agent s ACTA, the summit puts leading technology providers alongside travel and hospitality professionals in the region. Director of E-Commerce & Distribution for Plateno Group in Europe, Tomasz Janczak Photo by Travel Media Applications (traveldailynews.com) This Cyprus meet-up not only affords attendees networking and information uptake opportunities, it also provides industry executives outside the venue a rare look into today's most pressing hospitality and tourism initiatives. One example of this aspect comes to us in the form of a Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) stated goal of attracting Chinese tourists to the island. The Chairman of the organization, Angelos Loizou told reporters this week of plans to rapidly boost efforts to attract Chinese visitors, and the CTO's recent delegation to China. At Digi.travel Cyprus, an interesting convergence of noted hotel business experts, newsworthy technology-business entities, and local level industry players bear mentioning here. Earlier today I spoke with the Director of E-Commerce & Distribution for Plateno Group in Europe, Tomasz Janczak (image above), about his work creating a China-connective called Plateno Connect. Janczak, who is in Nicosia to address the crowd at Digi.travel Cyprus, had this to offer about Plateno Connect's value proposition: "Plateno was always focused on brand, marketing and distribution. Our expertise was always hospitality, that's why we see a great opportunity in collaboration with Cyprus' hoteliers in promoting this beautiful destination on the Chinese market. As the Cyprus Tourism Organization suggests, there are plans to bring 400,000 Chinese travelers to Cyprus, and our Plateno Connect platform is one definitive tool for achieving this goal." Source: Travel Media Applications (traveldailynews.com) At the crux of this "proposition" is Plateno's 80 million-plus strong loyalty community, of Chinese travelers largely dependent on the network the Chinese company leverages for them. The short version here is, PAI Hotels, Plateno Connect, and all of Plateno Groups brands and tools arrived at Digi.travel Cyprus today. Taking this aspect one step further, enter a company also represented in Cyprus, that assists hoteliers in delivering personalized service. Revinate is essentially a guest intelligence service that helps convert and retain guests. We caught up with Revinate's Marketing Manager EMEA, Thomas Landen (speaking above), just after his presentation to the crowd at Digi.travel Cyprus. We asked him about satisfying every guest experience to increase the bottom line. Landen told us: "Define the key moments in the guest journey, both online and offline, and make sure you communicate with your guest in a personal and relevant matter." So, right there in Nicosia the key facets of a new marketing paradigm come together. Digi.travel Cyprus reveals ideas and strategies this author first discussed on Tnooz in 2011 with Patrick Landman of Xotels, and concepts later refined by hotel marketing legend Martin Soler, and my old friend, digital business celebrity Brian Solis hashed out in Paris in 2015. In short, the upcoming Digi.travel conferences will provide even more stunning convergence. Next month independent hotel legend, Thomas Magnuson joins this author, Pamil Visions Travel PR founder (my partner) Mihaela Lica, and Hospitality Net's founder, Henri Roelings in Athens for the next iteration. I was fortunate to catch Magnuson this afternoon, and got this take from him: "Independent hotel owners everywhere can win the loyalty of the next world's biggest market movement, the emerging Chinese middle class travel explosion westward. While satisfying this segment may seem hard, we really just need to make logical changes to welcome Chinese travellers, by offering; free Wi-Fi, slippers, a tea kettle, translated materials, Chinese food, Mandarin speaking staff, and smoking rooms." Along with other special guests, Digi.travel will hammer out in gold, many of the real strategies the industry has long awaited. Many of the needed services and tools are right in front of us, as Magnuson suggests. His "old school" approach to new age marketing is something I've covered before too. Beyond the self promotion there, news some of the world's most fabulous destinations are tuned in is a big positive for not just me, but for hard pressed hoteliers looking for hard answers. Phil Butler Volunteers are still needed for the annual Fish of Albany Food Drive, scheduled for Saturday morning. Volunteers will meet for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at Albany First Christian Church, 432 Ferry St. S.W., then fan out at shortly after 9 to collect food in Albany, Millersburg and Tangent. This food will be sorted later in the morning at the United Presbyterian Church, 330 Fifth Ave. S.W. Any other food donations may be dropped off there between 9 and 11:30 a.m. Anyone interested in helping should call Jeanie Mowery, food drive coordinator, at 541-928-1442. Saturdays drive will provide food for an estimated 1,500 food boxes for people in need during the winter months, said Holly Ryan, Fish of Albany executive director. The fall drive brings in 25 to 30 percent of the pantry's needs for the year, Ryan said. The timing is critical to stock the warehouse for the winter. "The food drive really gets us over the hump," she said. All nonperishable goods are needed, but especially proteins such as canned or dry beans, tuna, stews and peanut butter, she said. Food Pantry Manager Tim Hobbs said cereals and oatmeal are also in short supply. Ryan said she's seeing a spike in requests, some coming in from families who haven't asked for help in years. "Even as long as five, six years, they're coming back," she said. New families are still steady, she added. "We had a family of 16 come in yesterday, all living together: eight adults and eight kids." Fish feeds approximately 350 families per month and filled about 4,100 boxes in all last year, Ryan said. The nonprofit organization is funded by local churches, the United Way of Linn County, private contributions and grants. In addition to food and utility assistance, Fish helps with clothing, transportation, baby items, medicine, school supplies and shelter. Food drive participants are welcome to leave donations on their front porches for collection during the drive, or can bring food or cash donations to the Fish office, 1880 Hill St. S.E, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information about the food drive and Fish of Albany, call 541-928-4460 or see www.fishofalbany.com. The two and a half day event held in Los Angeles, will address the industry's most relevant topics, crucial to the success of boutique lifestyle properties in this rapidly growing industry sector. Hoteliers are drawn to the event because of the content, network with independent upscale hoteliers and specialty vendors, take advantage of the opportunities to promote their properties and announce new projects and renovations through press coverage of the Symposium. This conference, powered by BLLA, has become an annual epicenter for independent boutique, lifestyle and luxury hotel owners and operators, hotel executives and vendors, as well as other professionals desiring to better understand the industry. New this year is a full day of education in collaboration with UCLA. The strategic relationship with UCLA Extension will allow for executives and students to attend a full extra day of informative learning on October 26th immediately following the Leadership Symposium. The one-day program titled 'Converting Assets into Boutique Properties', jointly designed by BLLA and UCLA Extension, will include top-notch educational sessions, presentations and information including hotel concept, designing for a specific community and location, operating standards, sales and marketing, raising capital, the process of conversion and more. Registration for the one-day program will be an add-on item to the BLLA Symposium and may also be purchased separately; participants will earn .6 CEU's (Continuing Education Units). It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home The Interactive Media Awards have recognized HeBS Digital, the firm that helps hoteliers drastically increase direct bookings and lower overall distribution costs by deploying industry best-of-breed digital technology, consulting and marketing, with eight Interactive Media Awards (IMA). This includes two Best-in-Class awards which is the highest honor bestowed by the Interactive Media Council. These awards recognize excellence in web design and development and showcases HeBS Digitals commitment to the highest standards among hospitality digital technology and marketing initiatives. To adapt to the unique needs of hoteliers, each of the winning websites was built using HeBS Digitals proprietary content management system technology, the smartCMS. Paired with one-to-one marketing capabilities, reservation abandonment technologies and unrivaled merchandising functionality, hoteliers are uniquely equipped to compete within a digital marketing landscape by featuring their product, promotional offers and packages in innovative ways. The winner of the Best-in-Class award has excelled in all areas of the judging criteria and achieved a perfect, or near perfect, overall score. HeBS Digital took home the following Best-in-Class IMA Awards in the Hotel/Resort category: Tsogo Sun: A brand website for South Africas largest hotel company with over 100 hotels, 14 casinos, 35 restaurants and major convention centers. Running Y Ranch: an all-season, independent resort in Oregon near Crater Lake, offering a series of outdoor adventures throughout the year. HeBS Digital was also honored with five IMA Outstanding Achievement awards in the Hotel/Resort category, including: Our dedicated team is committed to delivering its clients direct booking-generating hotel websites by pairing striking design, creative visual and textual content, and unrivaled website CMS technology, the award-winning smartCMS v7 said Max Starkov, President & CEO of HeBS Digital. Our programmers, developers, designers and other talented team members work tirelessly behind the scenes to develop websites that help our clients generate more direct online bookings and lower their distribution costs even more critical than usual this year and next with occupancies flat and even projected to decline in 2017. We are proud to share this success with all of our clients whose partnership has made this achievement possible. The IMA Awards are based on standards of excellence in design and usability, innovation among technical features, standards compliance and content. This recognition granted by the Interactive Media Awards recognizes that each of the aforementioned projects met and surpassed recognized standards of excellence for professional work on the web. View HeBS Digitals award gallery on the Interactive Media Awards website and click here to learn more about the firms website design packages. About HeBS Digital Founded in 2001, HeBS Digital helps hoteliers drastically increase direct bookings and lower overall distribution costs by deploying industry best-of-breed digital technology, consulting and marketing. The firm has won more than 400 prestigious industry awards for its digital technology, website design and marketing services, including numerous Adrian Awards, Stevie Award in the American Business Awards, W3 Awards, WebAwards, Magellan Awards, Summit International Awards, Interactive Media Awards, and IAC Awards. A diverse client portfolio of top-tier major luxury and boutique hotel chains, independent hotels, resorts and casinos, franchised properties and hotel management companies, convention centers, spas, restaurants and bars, DMO and CVBs are all benefiting from HeBS Digitals direct online channel strategy and digital marketing expertise. Contact HeBS Digitals consultants at (212) 752-8186 or success@hebsdigital.com. Editorial Contact: Mariana Mechoso Safer HeBS Digital Phone: 212-752-8186 Email: mariana@hebsdigital.com Web: http://www.hebsdigital.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hebsdigital Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeBS_NYC LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hebs-digital Google+: https://plus.google.com/107562536911518066194/posts Compared with September 2015, the U.S. hotel industry's occupancy increased 1.6% to 68.8%. Average daily rate (ADR) for the month was up 3.9% to US$127.07. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew 5.6% to US$87.40, marking the 79th consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in the metric. The U.S. hotel industry recorded positive results in the three key performance metrics during September 2016, according to data from STR. Compared with September 2015, the U.S. hotel industry's occupancy increased 1.6% to 68.8%. Average daily rate (ADR) for the month was up 3.9% to US$127.07. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew 5.6% to US$87.40, marking the 79th consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in the metric. "September was the best month of 2016 in terms of RevPAR growth rate. In fact, September was only the second month this year where growth hit 5% or higher," said Jan Freitag, STR's senior VP for lodging insights. "It is important to note that growth was boosted by a favorable calendar shift with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (September 2015 to October 2016). We'll see the reverse of that calendar shift in October results, which will fall more in line with the overall slowdown the industry is experiencing. "Nonetheless, the absolute RevPAR and demand levels were the highest for any September on record. Because of the strong performance this month, September year-to-date occupancy was the highest we have ever benchmarked (67.1%)." Among the Top 25 Markets, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin, posted the largest year-over-year increases in ADR (+15.7% to US$136.28) and RevPAR (+21.5% to US$109.28). Occupancy in the market rose 5.1% to 80.2%. Seven additional markets saw a double-digit lift in RevPAR: New Orleans, Louisiana (+18.8% to US$92.97); Orlando, Florida (+16.9% to US$67.83); Phoenix, Arizona (+16.5% to US$66.11); Los Angeles/Long Beach, California (+14.3% to US$140.88); Atlanta, Georgia (+13.0% to US$80.15); Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia (+11.7% to US$124.76); and San Diego, California (+11.2% to US$122.17). After Minneapolis/St. Paul, one other market recorded a double-digit rise in ADR: Los Angeles/Long Beach (+10.0% to US$169.93). New Orleans experienced the only double-digit increase in occupancy (+13.1% to 68.6%). Houston, Texas, reported the largest declines across the three key performance metrics. Occupancy in the market fell 9.3% to 59.8%; ADR was down 4.2% to US$102.06; and RevPAR dropped 13.1% to US$61.02. No other Top 25 Market reported a double-digit decrease in any of the metrics. "The major markets grew RevPAR at the same level as all other markets (+5.5%), but the other markets were able to raise rates at a higher percentage," Freitag said. "That is a function of higher supply growth and less pricing power in the Top 25 Markets." View monthly U.S. hotel performance review STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. In year-over-year comparisons, the industry's occupancy decreased 1.4% to 70.7%. Average daily rate (ADR) was nearly flat (-0.2% to US$123.84). Revenue per available room (RevPAR) fell 1.6% to US$87.57. The U.S. hotel industry reported negative results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 9-15 October 2016, according to data from STR. In year-over-year comparisons, the industry's occupancy decreased 1.4% to 70.7%. Average daily rate (ADR) was nearly flat (-0.2% to US$123.84). Revenue per available room (RevPAR) fell 1.6% to US$87.57. STR analysts note that overall performance for the week was affected by the Yom Kippur calendar shift from 23 September 2015 to 12 October 2016. Among the Top 25 Markets, Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, saw the week's only double-digit increase in occupancy (+16.1% to 65.9%) and the largest lift in RevPAR (+20.7% to US$60.22). ADR in the market rose 4.0% to US$91.45. Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida, posted the only double-digit increase in ADR (+10.6% to US$120.24) along with the only other double-digit rise in RevPAR (+10.9% to US$85.89). Houston, Texas, reported the steepest declines across the three key performance metrics. Occupancy in the market dropped 19.4% to 62.1%; ADR was down 14.7% to US$102.57; and RevPAR fell 31.3% to US$63.71. Five additional markets experienced a double-digit decrease in RevPAR: Miami/Hialeah, Florida (-17.9% to US$105.33); San Francisco/San Mateo, California (-15.9% to US$194.12); Dallas, Texas (-15.0% to US$76.40); Boston, Massachusetts (-13.8% to US$168.42); and New York, New York (-12.7% to US$250.24). After Houston, two markets reported a double-digit decrease in ADR: San Francisco/San Mateo (-12.6% to US$224.78) and New York (-10.2% to US$284.08). Two other markets saw a double-digit decline in occupancy as well: Miami/Hialeah (-12.7% to 66.4%) and Dallas, Texas (-11.2% to 72.0%). View weekly U.S. hotel performance review STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. In the wake of The New York Times' recent expose of presidential candidate Donald J. Trump's tax evasion and bankruptcy scandal, Lorraine Abelow, Founder and President of the boutique PR agency Abelow PR, reveals her experiences with the real estate mogul. "Working with him was like being in a reality distortion field," says Ms. Abelow. Right before Mr. Trump's first bankruptcy went public, Ms. Abelow worked with "the Donald" in promoting the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City during a seven-day grand opening extravaganza in 1990. "Even then, Trump existed in his own reality distortion field," recalls Ms. Abelow. "He was trying to suppress the news of his bankruptcy." She continues, saying, "He told me point blank, 'Keep that story out of the Wall Street Journal.'" Although Ms. Abelow was aware that the Freedom of the Press is a First Amendment right of the Constitution, she knew that telling him this would only fall on completely deaf ears. Luckily, Trump couldn't stop the story from running. Or, as he put it, he couldn't "kill it." The article became front page news in The Wall Street Journal, written by a reporter whom Ms. Abelow is now friends with. "At the time, Trump was receiving a monthly allowance of $450,000, which seemed astounding to me," says Ms. Abelow. PR Firm Expert Recalls Trump's Unprofessional Grand Opening During the Trump Taj Mahal's week-long press event, Ms. Abelow describes its press party as something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on LSD, except with caviar and crayfish. "It was all piled high on a table," she remembers. "And because I have a smaller frame, I couldn't reach it." It was there where she and other members of the press were, as Ms. Abelow describes it, "locked" inside, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for seven days. "I only got out of the building once in those seven days for 15 minutes to breathe some fresh air on Atlantic City's boardwalk," says Ms. Abelow, making sure to note that, at the time, was terribly run down. Trump also kept the press at complete arm's length. There was little to no interaction. Ms. Abelow relates that he only came into the press room once to ask "Does everybody have enough to eat?" The one time Trump walked through the lobby, there was the "flying wedge" of the press behind him. "They went after him with cameras and microphones, trying to get a couple of words," states Ms. Abelow. But since they never got the chance to speak to Trump, she and her team could only write statements out of the blue and from talks with members of the Trump Organization. A Bizarre First Impression And A Shady Fundraiser Abelow can trace her first encounter with Mr. Trump to her nascent years as a PR professional in 1980. She was 26. "We were sitting on the stoop opposite the Grand Hyatt New York when it was still under construction," explains Ms. Abelow. "We were waiting for Paul Goldberger of The New York Times to arrive for a walk through of the site. Mr. Trump, then 29, turned to her and said "I need somebody like you." Ms. Abelow says: "the comment just didn't register. He seemed unimpressive at the time and, quite frankly, I thought the building was tacky-looking." In 1993, Ms. Abelow began establishing her own boutique PR firm. Her first project just so happened to be the opening of the Trump International Hotel & Tower on Columbus Circle in New York City. "That was a relatively easy launch because the lobby in the building only had room for 20 journalists and camera crews," she explains. Trump had a fundraiser after the launch at Lincoln Center with Aretha Franklin. "It was nice," comments Ms. Abelow. "But after the recent news regarding the Donald J. Trump Foundation not being properly filed as a non-profit with the State of New York, God knows where the money really went." Experience With Four Seasons Hotels Was Polar Opposite In the intervening years with Trump, Ms. Abelow had the opportunity to work directly with the founder of the Four Seasons Hotels, Isadore Sharp, whom she found to be the complete opposite of Donald Trump. "He had no airs, conducted himself in accordance to 'The Golden Rule,' had the highest moral standards and knew everyone by name," she says. When Ms. Abelow started representing the now-renowned hotel group, there were only two properties in the United States. Under Mr. Sharp's leadership, the company grew and Ms. Abelow had the privilege of promoting over 27 of their properties, including the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and the Four Seasons Tokyo. She was also the point person for the opening of the Four Seasons Hotel in New York. To Ms. Abelow, Mr. Sharp was a stunning contrast to Mr. Trump. On one hand, there was a renowned hotelier, and on the other, there was a tasteless individual who created the Trump Taj Mahal, which, Ms. Abelow describes as, "a bad dream of Indian architecture going crazy" and "a kid drawing in a coloring book with colors that don't match." In retrospect, Ms. Abelow realizes that she did get her start in public relations due in part to that first project with Trump on 42nd Street. Because of this, Ms. Abelow believes she does owe him something. "However, I still find Trump to be an egomaniac and a narcissist of untold proportions," she says. "Just as I did then, I think he treats everything, including his candidacy, like the Me, Myself, and I Show starring, who else? But me!" Global Travel Trends Report for December Holidays Already Starting to Surprise Our latest Global Travel Insights report is out and in it we look forward to Q4 and the December holidays therein. This is an especially busy travel season, with so many global travelers looking to head home or getaway for the holidays. A few of our most interesting planning patterns include: 1. North American travelers are looking for trips later in December. Our 2015 report indicated that the most popular days to depart for Christmas were, in order, December 23, 19, and 18. This year, December 23, 22, and 26 are the most popular days, meaning travelers are looking for later departures than last year. 2. North American travelers look to travel farther in December than in any other month. In August 2016,US travelers searched for flights averaging 2,000 miles, but in December, that average jumps to 3,177 miles, an increase of 37%. Early searches are looking to travel farther in December, well see if that holds as more people plan their holiday getaways. 3. Middle Eastern & African are looking to leave the earliest. The most popular December days for travel in North America and Europe are later in the month, closer to the Christmas holiday. Middle Eastern and African travelers, on the other hand, are looking for departures on December 15, 16, and 22, nearly a week ahead of Europe and North America. 4. Asia-Pacific planning shows lots of divergence for departures. Singaporean travelers look to leave on December 23, 1, and 16. Japanese travelers, on the other hand, are most interested in departures at the end of the month: December 28, 29, and 30. 5. Mexican travelers are headed to the beach early. The most popular days in December for departures to the beach are December 9, 8 and 1, in that order. Once there, 37% of Mexican travelers are looking to spend roughly a week (4-7 days) at the beach and 24% are looking for beach getaways for 12 days or more. Want to learn more? Get the report. About Catlyn Catlyn is Sojern's Content Marketing Manager. She loves playing video games and hiking with her dog, Dottie. Her favorite part of travel is the food, preferring street food to fine dining. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Noted sneaker connoisseur Fat Joe is finally opening up his own sneaker store called UP NYC and today we have information about the when and the where. According to Joe Crack and his partner in crime, Scotty Spina, the grand opening of UP NYC is going down on November 5th. The shop is located on 3806 Broadway New York, NY 10032, and you can expect to see a ton of retro Jordans on the shelves of UP NYC when the doors open to the public in a few weeks. For instance, the iconic Black Toe Air Jordan 1 is scheduled to release alongside the Chicago Air Jordan 31 on November 5th but there will likely be a restock of some sort for the grand opening of this new sneaker spot. Additionally, Fat Joe has said that UP NYC is going to be a store within a store with limited edition deadstock sneakers on display, like a museum that no ones ever done before; this is one of one. Fat Joe Sneaker Shop The Cleveland Indians are headed to the World Series for the first time since 1997 after completing a gentlemans sweep of Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to last nights series-clinching win, Bautista expressed confidence in the veteran Blue Jays while taking a jab at the Indians Game 5 pitcher, Ryan Merritt, who was scheduled to make just the second start of his career. With our experience in our lineup, Bautista said, Im pretty sure hes going to be shaking in his boots more than we are. The Indians took that shaking in his boots line and ran with it, especially when the rookie Merritt blanked the Blue Jays through 4.1 innings. After beating the Blue Jays 3-0 last night, a couple of Indians players tossed some well-deserved boot-inspired shade Bautistas way while they celebrated their AL pennant with champagne showers and cowboy boots. Indians Detroit's favourite son is back taking aim at Republicans Eminem is no stranger to making the odd diss song. In 2004, he put out the protest song 'Mosh' denouncing George W. Bush. Twelve years later and the rapper still hasn't lost his rage for the system. The latest diss track 'Campaign Speech', rips into the next potential leader of the free world, Donald Trump. The eight minute tune features the typical punchy delivery, aggressive bars, and political and socially themed bars we've become accustomed to over the past two decades. "Consider me a dangerous man, but you should be afraid of this dang candidate," Eminem raps. "You say Trump don't kiss ass like a puppet? 'cause he runs his campaign with his own cash for the funding? Advertisement Adding, "And that's what you wanted? A fuckin' loose cannon who's blunt with his hand on the button, who doesn't have to answer to no one? Great idea!" The Courteeners burgeoning fan club includes high profile Labour MP Andy Turnham, who has left Jeremy Corbyns shadow cabinet to concentrate on running for the job of Mayor of Greater Manchester. These Mancunians originally filled the vacuum left by Oasis with a derivative blend of meat and two veg, landfill indie, but on this, their fifth studio album, they show the strongest signs yet of blossoming into a band who can be taken as seriously as their illustrious musical forefathers. Inspired by Sebastian Schippers film Victoria, about the adventures over a single night of a girl in Berlin, and frontman Liam Frays writing sojourn in Paris, Mapping the Rendezvous takes a while to get going. It hits its stride with the brass and string-laden De La Salle. Throughout the record, Fray maps the disintegration of relationships and the ubiquity of social media. He is a keen lyricist, who has attracted high praise from Manchester titans Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Certainly, when the band break out of their indie-pop straitjacket, the results can be riveting. That's Wolverine for you non-nerds. Wow. Wolverine, or Logan, isn't looking too great. The world doesn't look too great. The mutants are gone. Professor Xavier looks absolutely ragged. If there's something this trailer is looking to sell you on, it's the bleakness of it all, reinforced by Johnny Cash's legendary cover of Hurt. But if there's one glimmer of hope, it's the young girl that Logan is seen with. Logan is the last time we'll get Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who, for many people, is the definitive take on the character. There's something sad about saying goodbye to this film character who has remained a fixture of nearly all the X-Men movies. The story is a loose adaptation of the limited series comic Old Man Logan, which sees an aged Logan who has retired the Wolverine mantle after the supervillains won. Advertisement The film will have a US release date of 3 March 2017, with an Irish release date expected around that time. The U.S. energy sector on Wednesday showed signs that the effects of the two-year oil bust are beginning to fade as industry bellwether Halliburton reported a relatively small profit for the first time this year. The Houston oil field services company kicked off the third-quarter earnings season with a surprise $6 million profit - any profit at all is considered good news in this environment - while equipment maker FMC Technologies reported a $32 million gain. However, Halliburton's chief executive, Dave Lesar, said he expects the impact of the extended downturn to linger through the rest of the year, before improvement in 2017. That outlook was perhaps illustrated by Houston pipeline company Kinder Morgan, which reported its first quarterly loss of the year as ripples from the bust reached its business. Kinder Morgan said it lost $227 million for the third quarter, compared with a $186 million profit during the same time last year. Still, many analysts believe no energy company better sets the tone for the U.S. oil and gas sector than Halliburton, which is the market leader for energy services in North America. Globally, it is the second-largest energy services company after Schlumberger, which reports its earnings Thursday. More Information Third-quarter earnings for Halliburton and others Halliburton Q3: Net profit - $6 million; revenue - $3.83 billion Q2: Net loss - $3.2 billion; revenue - $3.83 billion Q3 2015: Net loss - $53 million; revenue - $5.58 billion Kinder Morgan Q3: Net loss - $227 million; revenue - $3.33 billion Q2: Net profit - $333 million; revenue - $3.14 billion Q3 2015: Net profit - $186 million; revenue - $3.71 billion FMC Technologies Q3: Net profit - $32 million; revenue - $1.09 billion Q2: Net profit - $2.2 million; revenue - $1.15 billion Q3 2015: Net profit - $82 million; revenue - $1.55 billion See More Collapse Halliburton said it maintained its worldwide employment at some 50,000 workers, about the same as three months ago, ending the mass layoffs that swept through the company over the past several quarters. Halliburton has cut about 35,000 jobs in less than two years. "I never thought I'd be so satisfied with barely making a profit," Lesar said in a call with analysts. The company lost $3.2 billion in the second quarter and $54 million in the third quarter of 2015. Halliburton's stock jumped more than 4 percent, to $49.07 a share, the highest close in almost 18 months. Lesar said the worst is over but emphasized the recovery is getting underway slowly, and won't be more visible until next year. He said sustained pricing of more than $50 is needed for production companies, Halliburton's customers, to significantly increase drilling activities. U.S. oil prices settled Wednesday at their highest level in 15 months - $51.60 per barrel, up $1.31 on the day. Rising prices have led companies to return rigs to operation in U.S. oil fields over the past few months, and Halliburton's North American revenues increased 9 percent in the third quarter from the previous three months. Those gains, however were largely offset by continuing declines internationally and offshore. Even though Halliburton's revenue, about $3.8 billion, remained flat, the small profit proved "much better than expected," said Bill Herbert, a senior energy analyst at investment research firm Piper Jaffray & Co. James West, an analyst at investment bank Evercore-ISI, said he expects the recovery to proceed slowly over the next few months before picking up in February. "I think we have turned the corner in North America, " West said. "I think hiring will pick up early next year." But Stewart Glickman, an stock analyst with CFRA Research, warned about becoming too optimistic. He said the industry still faces a long slog to recover from the bust - the worst in 30 years. "People are reacting to the confirmation of the trajectory but not thinking about how long it will take to get there," Glickman said. "I'm wary about the pace of recovery." In other earnings reports, FMC said it is well positioned to grow after making significant cutbacks leading up to its pending merger with Paris-based Technip. The two energy giants agreed to a $13 billion merger of equals in May that is expected to close early next year. Likewise, Kinder Morgan's co-founder and executive chairman, Rich Kinder, said the pipeline company is poised to grow after using its cash - some freed up from asset sales and after the company in December cut its dividend by nearly 75 percent - to pay down much of its debt. Kinder said the tentative plan is to "substantially" increase the dividend again, but he did not provide a timetable. Kinder Morgan is getting into the business of exporting liquefied natural gas, and construction is slated to begin Nov. 1 on the company's $2 billion Elba Liquefaction Project at the Elba Island LNG terminal in Georgia. Liquefaction is the process used to turn natural gas into a liquid. Also, a final decision is expected in December on Kinder's $5.4 billion Trans Mountain crude oil pipeline expansion project in Canada. Both Kinder Morgan and FMC reported earnings after markets closed. Kinder Morgan's stock gained 53 cents, or 2.6 percent, to close at $20.71 a share Wednesday. FMC's shares rose 34 cents, or 1 percent, to $31.49. Collin Eaton contributed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Saudi Arabia is trying to take the wind out of the sails of every other oil producer. Wind, in this case, is a metaphor for capital. Saudi Arabia announced a $17.5 billion bond sale on Wednesday, the largest issuance ever from an emerging market. "The kingdom raised $5.5 billion in each of the five and 10-year bonds and $6.5 billion in 30-year debt," Bloomberg News reported. "People with knowledge of the offering earlier said investors submitted $67 billion in bids." The Saudi government needs the cash following the collapse of global oil prices from $109 a barrel in June 2014 to $52.54 on Wednesday for Brent, the international benchmark. Saudi produces oil for $10 a barrel, but since the nation's entire economy relies on oil sales, the government needs at least $60 to cover expenses. The Saudi bond issuance follows the government's announcement in April that it plans an initial public offering of stock in Aramco, the national oil company. The government hopes to raise $2 trillion in 2018, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser told CNN Money. The question is how much money do global investors actually have to bet on the oil and gas business? After all, there is only so much wealth available for investment, and every investor knows to maintain a diverse portfolio. So how much money is available to go into oil, a highly volatile industry with a dubious future? That's an important question, because just as the Saudis are protecting market share by keeping prices low, they are also soaking up a lot of available capital, keeping competitors off balance. This allows the Saudis to capture foreign cash to finance energy operations and increase wealth at home, while taking away opportunities for Saudi Arabia's competitors to access that capital. Iran is desperately looking for cash right now as it attempts to rebuild its infrastructure to export 5 million barrels a day by 2020. U.S. shale companies, who crashed the market by adding 1 million barrels of excess crude to the market, rely on stocks and bonds to raise funds for drilling because banks just aren't interested right now. Investors are embarrassed for choice. They can put their money into one of the largest, and lowest-cost, oil fields on the planet operated by a government-owned oil company, or they can invest in more unpredictable nations and cash-strapped companies that will never produce petroleum as cheaply as Saudi Arabia. The smart money that wants safety will go to Saudi Arabia. Saudi's competitors will have to sweeten their offerings to attract investment, which means higher capital costs for them. Saudi Arabia won the price war on the global market by forcing 1 million barrels of American crude off the market. Now they are going to battle in the financial markets to keep those competitors from coming back. The oil and gas business just got more expensive. Cody Duty/Staff When law professor Matthew Festa tells his counterparts in other cities that he teaches land use in Houston, the largest city in the country without zoning, they laugh. "What's to teach?" they ask. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate IBM CEO Ginni Rometty stood in the Toyota Center with thousands of other female technologists and highlighted women's contributions to the industry's past, present and future. At the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, she paid homage to Rear Adm. Grace Murray Hopper, who created the compiler that translates English instructions into information a computer understands, and other pioneers such as Ada Lovelace, cited as the world's first computer programmer. Then she turned toward the younger attendees and talked of opportunities to be seized and lessons that can help them. "Women have helped drive every era of technology," she said. Women hold 21.7 percent of technical roles at 60 companies employing more than 1.4 million U.S. employees, according to a report released Wednesday by the Palo Alto, Calif.-based Anita Borg Institute. That's up 0.9 percent from last year. More women held jobs at every level - entry, mid, senior and executive - but representation in the higher positions continues lagging entry level. "There are a lot of challenges that women run into in terms of rising up in their careers," said Elizabeth Ames, senior vice president of marketing, alliances and programs for the Anita Borg Institute, which co-presented the event with the Association for Computing Machinery. Ames said companies address this promotion gap in different ways. Google is reminding women to nominate themselves for promotions. Intel gave managers a list of employees that consistently were highly rated but not promoted. This list was predominantly women and has led to more promotions. Increased attendance at the three-day Grace Hopper Celebration filled many speakers with hope. The first event in 1994 had 500 people. This year, it's expected to attract more than 15,000. "You know and I know that something is happening around the world," said Telle Whitney, president and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute. "You are proof that organizations today value and recognize the power and value of having women at the table creating technology." As more people attend the conference, Ames said, there are only so many cities and convention centers that can house it. Houston has hosted the event two years in a row, but the conference will move next year. Latanya Sweeney was excited by the turnout Wednesday morning. Professor of government and technology in residence at Harvard University and director of the Data Privacy Lab at Harvard, Sweeney recalled being the only African-American and the only woman in her computer science classes. Her comments during the keynote presentation largely centered on data privacy and how technology is dictating the civic future. "We live in a technocracy," she said. "That is, the technology design is really going to determine how we live our lives." She gave a few examples. With the creation of the first cameras came a debate on photographing people in public without their permission. The first phones prompted a discussion on recording phone calls without consent. And camcorders, originally designed with a mute button, brought up the legality of recording video and audio of public officials. People were once arrested for recording law enforcement officers. Now, such videos are legal and commonplace, and smartphones don't have a mute button for video. "Technology design is the new policymaker," Sweeney said. A large part of her focus is helping students use technology to improve society, and she teaches a class called Data Science to Save the World. "I told them I'm very serious about the 'Save the World' part," she said. Helping students and entry-level technologists is an important part of the Grace Hopper Celebration. An expo at the George R. Brown Convention Center has booths with representatives from major companies including Fitbit, Facebook, Pinterest, Cisco and Disney. These companies displayed new technologies and met with students seeking internships or entry-level jobs. Mick Slattery said diversity among employees provides a variety of thoughts and experiences. He is president of the North America division of Avanade, a joint venture between Microsoft Corp. and Accenture that provides digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences. "Our clients want to get all the ideas they can," he said. Allyson Young, a 20-year-old studying computer science at Northeastern University in Boston, had an internship interview with Apple during the convention. She was excited to be attending an event alongside so many passionate technologists. "I think computer science is a form of art and expressing yourself," she said. Five years ago, when the state of Texas passed new rules governing the use of eminent domain the power that allows governments and corporations to take private land for public use it had no idea how many entities had the authority to exercise it. Turns out it's a lot, and growing fast. The same legislative overhaul, known as Senate Bill 18, also required any entities that claim that authority to register with the state, or risk losing it. On top of that, a 2015 bill required the whole list to be made public. Now, the results are in: A database released last month by Comptroller Glenn Hegar shows that just over 5,000 local governments and private companies say they were granted the power to use eminent domain sometime over the last two centuries. And the power is spreading rapidly. Five hundred and two entities have been granted eminent domain authority since 2011, putting this decade on track to beat the 2000s, which saw an all-time high of 902 entities gaining the power to take land. That means a greater likelihood that someone could take your land, if it happens to have what the government decides is a higher public use. Cody Duty/Staff The database doesn't tell us how much that power has been exercised. Only 211 out of the 5,042 entities say they filed an eminent domain petition in 2015, for projects that could include everything from pipelines to new schools to wider roads. But the database is a window into how that power is geographically distributed, and what has been fueling its rise. One clear takeaway: Harris County appears to be the epicenter of eminent domain, both for entities claiming the authority to use it and for law firms that serve such entities. In total, 1,227 entities claiming eminent domain authority are registered in Harris County far outstripping the county with the next highest number, Dallas County, which has 239. So why is the Houston area so dominant? One reason is something the Houston Chronicle has reported on extensively: The use of Municipal Utility Districts, tiny elected governments that have the power to raise taxes, issue bonds, and take private land for public infrastructure projects. Statewide, nearly 30 percent of the entities with the power to use eminent domain are Municipal Utility or Water Districts, and two-thirds of those are registered in Harris County. As the Chronicle's James Drew and John Harden have shown, the creation of MUDs has been driven in part by the participation of law firms that earn fees by handling the MUDs' legal work. As it turns out, not all of the entities with the power to use eminent domain registered in Harris County are physically located in Harris County. Many are MUDs in neighboring counties, registered to the address of the Houston law firms that represent them. For example, 284 entities are registered at 3200 Southwest Freeway, the offices of Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP. There are other reasons why Harris County seems to have more entities empowered to use eminent domain. Other cities just have different ways of handling growth, without needing to take land outright, according to eminent domain lawyer Charles McFarland. In Dallas, for example, properties within towns typically carry easements that allow for public utility construction, no eminent domain required. Of course, as ongoing debates around the use of eminent domain shows, that can be a matter of very divided opinion. Despite Fox News host Chris Wallace's valiant attempts, we didn't learn much that was new about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's economic platforms at last night's final presidential debate. But a few things are worthy of note let's deal with them one at a time. Clinton's "open trade and open borders" remark The Trump camp has been making a lot of hay out of a piece of one of Clinton's speeches to private banks, released by Wikileaks, in which she said that she wished for "open trade and open borders." Here's the full quote: "My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." Conservative pundits have taken that to mean that Clinton would throw open the doors to anybody who wants to come in, and let trade relations go back to a state of nature, with no rules or restrictions. It's hard to know at the moment what she actually meant, since the rest of the speech wasn't leaked, so context is missing. At the debate, however, Clinton said that she was talking about energy. "You know, we trade more energy with our neighbors than we trade with the rest of the world combined," she said, answering Wallace's question. "And I do want us to have an electric grid, an energy system that crosses borders." That's true, if you're including all kinds of energy products: Mexico and Canada are by far our largest trade partners. Cross-border flows in electricity has been a little slower to follow the trade in oil and gas, but it's been happening on a small scale between the United States and Mexico since 1905, and is expected to accelerate after Mexico's energy reforms in 2013. The grid is much more integrated on our northern border, with American customers able to buy cheap hydropower from Canada. The U.S. Department of Energy has described the benefits of those connections and endorsed more, which will require construction of new transmission lines across both borders. North American leaders have also committed to ramp up renewable energy development, which will be aided by access to each others' electricity markets. It's not a hemispheric common market yet, but it's certainly not the sinister world government that Trump and his allies have made it out to be. The trouble with tax cuts When asked about their economic plans, Trump responded with his usual confidence that tax cuts would create jobs. "We're going to cut business taxes massively," he said. "They're going to start hiring people." But it's increasingly evident that companies won't just start hiring people if they suddenly had more cash, because it needs to be clear that enough customers are out there to buy what they're selling. Economist call this a "lack of demand," and it's plagued countries all over the world since the end of Great Recession seven years ago. When regular people aren't making enough to buy new houses and nicer cars, it's hard to keep the economy running in top gear. Realizing that problem represents a shift in the field of macroeconomics. Former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke identified it in 2012. Last week, his successor Janet Yellen gave a speech discussing the emerging consensus that anemic demand has dragged down supply, i.e. the stuff companies and workers produce. Here's what she said about how increased demand could help: Increased business sales would almost certainly raise the productive capacity of the economy by encouraging additional capital spending, especially if accompanied by reduced uncertainty about future prospects. In addition, a tight labor market might draw in potential workers who would otherwise sit on the sidelines and encourage job-to-job transitions that could also lead to more-efficient and, hence, more-productive job matches. Finally, albeit more speculatively, strong demand could potentially yield significant productivity gains by, among other things, prompting higher levels of research and development spending and increasing the incentives to start new, innovative businesses. That's why Clinton has emphasized investments in infrastructure and education and an increase in the minimum wage, arguing that these measures would create more jobs directly and put more cash in the pockets of those most likely to spend it, generating demand from the bottom up rather than the top down. Outstanding question: What trade agreements would pass the candidates' muster? Throughout this entire campaign cycle, while there has been much discussion of the ravages of international trade which is, of course, just one side of the story nobody has pressed the candidates on what they would do to make it work for Americans. Both candidates say they're not opposed to trade, per se, but that trade agreements have put Americans at a disadvantage. Donald Trump has vowed to "negotiate much better deals," and talked about increasing tariffs on imports. Hillary Clinton has said the 13-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership doesn't meet her standards for creating American jobs, raising wages, and protecting U.S. national security. She's also said a couple things about worrying that currency manipulation wasn't part of the deal, and that protections for pharmaceutical patents are too strong, which are legitimate concerns. That still leaves a whole lot of details completely blank. Should companies not get the investment protections the TPP promises for setting up factories in parties to the deal? Should countries not be pushed to harmonize their regulations to allow for smoother cross-border commerce? Should labor side agreements have stronger and swifter enforcement mechanisms? Should the U.S. impose its own food sanitation standards on other countries? Should a trade agreement even deal with these issues at all? That sounds wonky, I know. But for the amount of time we've spent discussing this issue, it would have been nice to get a more concrete sense of what trade policies a Clinton or Trump administration would actually pursue. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Bravo's upcoming "Married to Medicine Houston" is a different kind of medical drama. The network will air two back-to-back episodes of the reality show starring local doctors and doctors' wives starting at 8 p.m. Nov. 11. The network describes its five Houston cast members as educated, attractive, polished and professional women "who have it all." From the looks of the trailer that began airing this week, they possess another trait: drama. Dr. Erika Sato, who works at Houston Plastic Craniofacial and Sinus Surgery, says she "never wanted to be a trophy wife," and acknowledges that she struggles with medical problems of her own. Aware that her biological clock is ticking, Sato wrestles with whether she wants a child after discovering cysts on her ovaries. Dr. Monica Patel aspires to be a wife and mother - like, now. The cardiologist asks a love interest over dinner if he's ready to get married and have kids, and isn't happy with his response. "It's been a good time for self-reflection," she said Wednesday of her experience. Cindi Rose, billed as supporting cast, accuses Rachel Suliburk, a self-professed sassy Southern belle, of being anti-Semitic in a tense scene. In another, the wife of Dr. Franklin Rose and mother of ABC's "The Bachelor" alumna Erica Rose tells African-American dental surgeon Dr. Ashandra Batiste that she, too, is part African-American. And that's just in the trailer. It's likely audiologist Elly Pourasef will spend the majority of the season explaining whether she's a medical doctor and pursuing her dreams of having both the "big giant house" and thriving career. That, Cindi Rose says, is the Houston way. At first glance, "Hamilton's America" may look like an infomercial to hawk tickets to the musical no one can get into. But the "Great Performances" film is actually a well-crafted effort to both summarize "Hamilton's" road from inspiration to Broadway history, and to give us historical perspective on the man who created the nation's banking and economic system. The film kicks off the fourth annual PBS Fall Arts Festival Friday. "Hamilton" mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda shares the screen with several cast members from the show (Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., Christopher Jackson, Phillipa Soo, Jonathan Groff) as he tells the story of how he picked up Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton and was struck by inspiration. He hadn't made much progress in 2009 when he was invited to the White House to perform for the Obamas, but he did have one rap tune written which became the title song "Alexander Hamilton." The video of the performance went viral, which meant Miranda had to pursue his crazy idea. What was it about the very patrician first U.S. treasury secretary that struck a chord in Miranda? Hamilton was born an illegitimate child on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean. With little hope for a bright future, he made his way to the American colonies where he attended King's College (later Columbia University), fought with the colonists in the American Revolution, and became a trusted adviser to the nation's first president, George Washington (played by Jackson). More Information 'Hamilton's America' When: 9 p.m. Friday Where: PBS Four stars out of five 'Hamilton's America' When: 9 p.m. Friday Where: PBS xxx See More Collapse From a dramatic point of view, Miranda saw a parallel between Hamilton's drive to rise above his humble beginnings and the lives of immigrants and people of color in our own time. He also saw the competitive relationship with future Vice President Aaron Burr (played by Odom) as the most important relationship in the musical. At the start of the show, Burr tells the audience outright that "I'm the damn fool that shot him." The reason for the early revelation, Miranda says, is to ensure that the drama of their relationship wasn't eclipsed by the audience waiting for fatal duel at the end. Miranda wanted the focus to be on the show's operative parallel to contemporary life, Burr representing the establishment, holding fast against allowing "outsiders" to share social status with them. Miranda wrote some of the music for the show in Burr's actual bedroom, and, with new footage, takes us with several cast members to points of historical interest, including Valley Forge and Mt. Vernon. Jackson still feels conflicted about seeing the slave quarters at Washington's sprawling home on a hill overlooking the Potomac. He cannot "forgive" Washington being a slave owner just because it was legal during his time, but the information adds to the complexity of the character Jackson built to earn a Tony nomination for himself. (He lost to Odom). As we learn about the real Hamilton and his kind, we are treated to sections of several numbers from the musical itself, enabling us to understand why Miranda was inspired by Hamilton's story and how he saw a way to use it to tell stories of the United States in our own times. "Hamilton's America" is far from just an inside show-biz documentary. Commentary from former Treasury Secretaries Timothy Geithner and Hank Paulson, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Presidents Obama and George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others help us understand Hamilton's importance in the founding of the nation, while Questlove, Black Thought, John Weidman, Nas and Stephen Sondheim help us understand the artistic roots of the show. Perhaps the most important contributor is Oskar Eustis, the artistic director of the Public Theater where "Hamilton" tried out before moving the Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theater. Eustis unabashedly compares Miranda to Shakespeare, specifically, on the subject of "taking the voice of the people and elevating it to poetry," as Shakespeare did in his history plays. Eustis says Miranda is the first person since Shakespeare to take that approach and that the process "ennobles" everyday people. It's fascinating to think of Will Shakespeare applauding in the audience of the Richard Rodgers Theater, but of course that would only happen if he could rise from the grave. That might be easier than getting tickets to "Hamilton." dwiegand@sfchronicle.comtwitter.com/WaitWhat_TV Representative democracies do not simply impose the will of the people. They over-perform, producing better policies than the people actually want because elites keep the masses in check (and vice versa). But the new wave of populism through Europe and North America threatens to upset the balance. We are witnessing a rising tide of nationalist populism. The end of the Cold War was supposed to bring about a cosmopolitan, globalized, liberal world. But now larger and larger segments of voters in Western democracies want to close borders, cut trade, and kick out the brown and yellow people, especially the brown people who practice scary religions. Incentives, rewards, and power Whether you use "populist" as a compliment or an insult depends a great deal on what you think makes "populism" tick. If you think populist movements are about the disaffected and left-behind forcing their governments to help them, you'll like populism. But if you thinkas I dothat populist movements consist of misinformed people pushing for counterproductive policies, policies that will hurt them rather than help themthen you'll sigh with relief when such movements fail, as they usually do in the end. Politics are often thought of as apocalyptic battles of good and evil, of the good guys versus the bad guys. But economists prefer to think in terms of incentives. In particular, people behave (and misbehave) as they do because they're incentivized to do so by the way we distribute political power. When we concentrate power in the hands of an elite few, such as kings, oligarchs, or a band of aristocrats, they have every incentive to use it for their own interests at the expense of others. When we spread power out widely, as in a democracy, no individual voter has significant power. This removes the incentive to vote selfishly, but it also removes the incentive to vote wisely. Individual voters aren't rewarded for being knowledgeable or thinking carefully about their votes; they aren't punished for being misinformed or indulging delusions. Averaging ignorance (the Brexit vote?) To illustrate, imagine you were in a 1,000-student class and the professor announced a final exam. But suppose she adds, "I'll grade each of you, but instead of being awarded your own grade, I'll average all the grades together, and you'll each receive the class average." The other students and you probably wouldn't study much, or might not bother to focus on the more challenging material presented in lectures. The class average could easily wind up being an F. Democratic politics faces the same problem. The American National Election Studies and other surveys of voter knowledge routinely find that most voters are uninformed. Voters know who the president is and not much else. They can't estimate the unemployment rate within five percentage points. They don't know how much money the government spends on different programs, or what the government did last year. After the Brexit vote, we discovered that "leave" voters who wished to flee the European Union greatly overestimated the number of immigrants in the U.K. and greatly underestimated how much foreign investment comes from the E.U. Voters not only lack the background in the social sciences needed to evaluate or make sense of the relevant facts. They lack knowledge of the relevant facts themselves. Non-voters tend to know even less. It's not stupidity It's not that citizens are stupid; it's that they just don't care and that's a rational response to the incentives democracy creates. Since none of our individual votes matter except as part of the collective majority, it's easy to conclude that we can afford to remain ignorant, or indulge irrational and false political beliefs. In fact, understanding how to vote wellwhether politicians deserve to be kicked out and replacedrequires tremendous knowledge. One needs to know: 1) who has been in power, 2) what they had the power to do, 3) what their options were, and 4) what the likely effects of different policies would have been. It's tempting to view populist movements as the people "taking back" their government, rebelling against corrupt and incompetent leaders. But this gives the movements more credit than they deserve. Populist waves tend to be made up of low information voters. Consider a stereotypical early Donald Trump supporter. He might look around his rural hometown and have a vague sense that white people in the fancy suburbs are richer, happier, have healthier children, and hold better jobs. He might know that 50 years ago his hometown held a small factory, which disappeared when he was a child. He might vaguely be aware that poor Chinese people have gotten richer, and wonder if somehow that happened at his expense. But being aware of these conditions does not magically transform him into a good voter. To know which policies would help his hometown, he'd need significant knowledge of economics, sociology, and related disciplines. If you have felt ill for the past month that does not magically enable you to self-diagnose that you have cancer, nor does it magically imbue you with the medical knowledge to treat your cancer. Elitism vs. Populism Representative democracy tries to split the difference between elitism and populism. To win elections, politicians have incentives to cater to the policy preferences of the median voter. But politicians and bureaucrats also retain significant independence. They sometimes override or ignore what voters want. They can use this independence for good or ill. Recently, political scientist Martin Gilens measured how responsive presidents have been to different groups of voters. Gilens found that when voters at the 90th, 50th, and 10th percentiles of income disagree about policy, presidents are about six times more responsive to the policy preferences of the rich than those of the poor. As a committed "small-d democrat," Gilens is upset by these findings. But he admits there's a positive twist: Voters at the 90th percentile of income tend to be significantly better informed than voters at the 50th or 10th percentiles. Gilens found that poor Democrats approved more strongly of invading Iraq in 2003. They more strongly favor the Patriot Act, invasions of civil liberty, torture, economic protectionism, and restricting abortion rights and access to birth control. They are more opposed to gay rights. In contrast, high information Democratssuch as party elitesare more strongly in favor of free trade and the strong protection of civil rights, and are less interventionist. I read Gilens's work as showing us an uncomfortable truth: Democracy works because it doesn't quite work. If politicians just did exactly what the median voter wanted, we would have worse policies policies people support because they are ignorant or misinformed. Democracies work because politicians and bureaucrats can to some extent override most voters' preferences. Often they make better choices aligned with what better-informed elites would like to see. Political elites are far from perfect. They often cater to special interest groups in ways that undermine the common good. For instance, economists of all ideological persuasions despise agricultural subsidies. Yet the federal government grants subsidies and protective tariffs to the corn lobbythat's why your Coke has corn syrup rather than sugar in it. Limited benefits are concentrated for a select few (companies like ADM) and steep costs diffused among the many (taxpayers and consumers). This kind of "rent seeking" is pervasive in representative democracy because politicians have every incentive to indulge it while voters have no incentive to learn about it, let alone fight it. No workable solution, but... These problemsvoter ignorance and misinformation, populism, rent seekingare endemic to representative democracy. It's not because bad people sabotage the system. Rather, the system incentivizes these behaviors. No one has yet come up with a workable solution. The good news is that representative democracy still performs better than the other political systems we've tried. In general, people living in representative democracies are more prosperous, happier, and healthier than people living elsewhere. Representative democracies do a consistently better job of protecting civil and economic liberty. They allow popular movements and educated, powerful elites to serve as checks against each other. Overall, representative democracies work quite welland that's true whether you prefer railing against elitist cosmopolitanism or pitchfork nativist populism. But there's no guarantee that the system will continue to work. Democracies do sometimes collapse when populist demagogues rise to power. It looks like we'll dodge that bullet this election, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't worry about the future. *** Jason Brennan is the Flanagan Family Chair of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy at Georgetown University, and the author of Against Democracy. Brennan wrote this for Zocalo Public Square. My first royalty check got lost in the mail. I only learned about it because my brother Rod called me after returning from a long vacation and said his mail backlog had included a bunch of documents from the oil company and a check. I had received the papers but no money. The omission was not a big deal. Rod's check, representing about six months of earnings, was for $58. We owned a tiny royalty interest in a tiny piece of land. But still. Yet this check provided a measure of closure to a small story that eventually opened up a bigger one. The small story had begun a year earlier, in July 2015, with a message I noticed on my Facebook account. "Good morning Mr. Snyder," the message began. (It was evening when I read it, but never mind.) "My name is Samantha Semlinger. I represent Percheron Energy. We are trying to locate the heirs of Mary A. Calvert, aka Mary Snyder. She reserved a nonparticipating royalty interest in a few town lots in Karnes County Texas in 1945. Please email or call me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss this matter further." I suspected a scam. My correspondent had correctly identified my mother, who grew up in Karnes County, a rural area southeast of San Antonio. But Mom, who died in 1980, had never mentioned owning property there, and the idea seemed preposterous. In 1945 my mother was 25 years old; she had moved to Corpus Christi, where my brother Rod and I would grow up, and was soon to marry my father. She had been raised in poverty by a widow with a third-grade education and five kids. My mother, the youngest, was the only one who graduated from high school. It was unimaginable to me that as a young woman she had possessed the means, or the sophistication, to buy or sell property. But the story checked out. Some quick online research informed me that Percheron Energy was a real company, and Samantha Semlinger was a landman an apparently gender-neutral job title for someone who does property research for oil companies. She sent me the records of the purchase and sale of two small lots in the tiny town of Runge (pronounced RUNG-ee.) According to these documents, my mother paid $300 for the property in 1937 the equivalent of about $5,000 today when she was 17. Seventeen! I doubted if she had even written a check at that age. Americans were standing in soup lines when my mother bought this property. When she sold it eight years later for a $500 profit, they were celebrating the defeat of the Nazis in Europe. The warranty deed for the sale, dated October 13, 1945, included this language: "Grantor reserves for herself, her heirs and assigns an undivided one-sixteenth non-participating oil royalty in and to the above-described land forever." Seventy years later, forever had arrived. Through the magic of hydraulic fracturing, drillers had started squeezing oil and gas masses of the stuff out of the rocks beneath Karnes County's soil. A company was preparing to drill on the speck of land my mom once owned. Rod and I are her "heirs and assigns." Visions of a Jed Clampett-style windfall may have flitted through my mind, but they soon gave way to reality. Considering the tiny share Rod and I could claim 1/32 each and the plunge in oil prices, I quickly put away thoughts of an early retirement. But the news of this baffling chapter in my family history left me reeling. Neither my mother nor my aunts or uncles had ever mentioned it to me or to my brother. The questions were endless: What prompted my Mom, at the tender age of 17, to buy this land? Where did she get the money? Who guided her through the transaction? Did she buy it as an investment, or did she plan to build and live on it? Why did she sell it eight years later, and who advised her to retain a royalty interest at a time when the notion of an oil boom in Karnes County would have been laughable? As Rod and I talked it over, we soon realized that all the people who might have been able to answer these questions were dead. "TURN LEFT at the Catholic cemetery." This was the final step in the directions I got to Runge Well No. 2, the site that included the land my mother had purchased and sold before I was born. On a cool, sunny Saturday last December, Rod and I made the three-hour drive from Houston to check it out. We turned left as instructed off Texas 81 and immediately saw a yellow-and-black crane piercing the South Texas sky. "That must be it," I said. We turned onto a caliche road, drove through an open gate, parked and got out of the car. As we walked toward the site, a man wearing a hard hat and carrying a clipboard emerged from a portable building and greeted us. I explained our mission, and he told us some site preparation and environmental work were going on, but drilling had not commenced. We asked if we could walk up for a closer look, but after checking with his boss, he politely said no. We chatted with him a few more moments and left. We spent another hour or so driving around Runge, Karnes City and the other little towns in the area. As kids we had been here often, visiting great-aunts and great-uncles and second and third cousins, but neither of us had been back since perhaps the '70s. I remembered big, rambling old country houses where we consumed chicken and dumplings, yellow cornbread cooked on the stove in an iron skillet, red beans seasoned with salt pork and chili powder. Women chatted as they cooked or cleaned up in the kitchen. Men stood smoking on the front porch. Dogs and small children ran underfoot. I played outside with my cousins, climbing trees or hiding in ravines. Fifty or so years later, as Rod and I drove around the area, we struggled to get our bearings. I have a first cousin who lives in Karnes City we've been out of touch for years but she didn't answer when I called the number I had obtained for her. The landscape was little changed from our childhood flat and dusty, with a smattering of runty trees and clumps of cattle grazing here and there. But whatever rural charms Karnes County may have held for two young boys were no longer apparent to two guys in their 60s who had lived in a big city for decades. The streets of the towns were lined with tidy bungalows, decrepit shacks, small businesses and churches. The only people we saw were two kids on skateboards on a sidewalk. "Was it always this . . . desolate?" Rod asked me. "I think it was." We did see vestiges of the frenzy that had buzzed through the area a year or so earlier. Karnes County lies in the Eagle Ford Shale, which had been one of the biggest shale plays in the country starting around 2010. It transformed these little towns, creating hundreds of new jobs and generating fat royalty checks that turned paupers into millionaires, before prices hit the skids and activity slowed to a trickle. Rod and I saw oil and gas rigs, mostly idle; we saw trailer parks and manufactured housing developments, mostly empty. A few big trucks rumbled around, but there was no sign of the kind of traffic that had led county officials to seek help from the state in maintaining roads designed for pickups rather than massive tractor-trailers. JOHN DAVENPORT/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS We had lunch at a barbecue joint that served cheap, mediocre chopped-beef sandwiches and beans straight out of a can. I bought a sad little chunk of pecan pie entombed in plastic, where it should have remained. We got back into my car, covered with dust from the roads, and headed back toward Interstate 10 and home. THE CONVICTION that our children will enjoy a better standard of living than ours is deeply embedded in the American narrative, and sometimes it even works out that way. Rod and I, for example, grew up in a three-bedroom, wood-frame house on the south side of Corpus Christi, a tidy bay-front city of about 200,000 people when we were kids in the 1950s and '60s. My parents bought the house brand-new in August 1954, a month before I was born, for $10,850. My father left our household when I was 6 and died when I was 10; I barely remember him. But even with Mom on her own, we did OK. We walked to neighborhood public schools, watched "Bonanza" and "My Three Sons" on a black-and-white TV in the evenings, and piled into the family car with Mom on weekends to go to the drive-in movie, eating popcorn and drinking lemonade she had made at home. We saw a doctor when we got sick. We never missed a meal, although my grandmother, who took care of us when Mom was at work and we were out of school, often served us a lunch of canned corn and peas (canned vegetables seemed miraculous to her) or a "butter sandwich." Mom moved from one bookkeeping gig to another: A hardware store. A medical supply store. A company that provided portable toilets. I can picture her, sitting at a desk, a cigarette smoldering in her left hand while her right pulled the handle on one of those adding machines the size of a typewriter that represented the standard office technology of the era. She spoke to co-workers about accounts receivable and getting this or that statement reconciled. She was good at her job. Her longest-lasting employment was at a funeral home, where she earned extra money on weekends by styling the hair of deceased women so they would look nice during open-casket funerals. (Lacking money for a babysitter, she sometimes took me along. I tried not to look at the corpses.) Money was always tight. Employers in those days discriminated against women without apology or much thought; a boss once told my mother, with a straight face, that a less experienced man had been promoted over her because he "had a family to support." She seethed at this injustice but was helpless to do anything about it. Rod and I grew up. We did well enough in school and dealt with our insecurities in different ways he by acting out, me by retreating inward. As teenagers we got part-time jobs sacking groceries (me) or delivering telegrams on a bike (Rod) and bought old cars and occasionally mustered the courage to ask a girl to the movies. We both graduated from state universities and lived middle-class lives as adults. The childhood experience of my mother, her two brothers and two sisters was so different from ours that it seemed the events should be separated by centuries rather than decades. We heard the stories frequently as we were growing up, and of course we knew they were true, but it all seemed like a movie, a tale of frontier life in the pioneer days. The foundational story was the one about the man from the orphanage. My maternal grandmother's husband it's hard to think of him as my grandfather, since he died more than 30 years before I was born was named Frank R. Calvert. My mother's birth certificate lists his occupation as "farmer," but I don't know if this meant he owned a farm or worked as a farmhand; I suspect the latter. He was 24 years older than my grandmother, Minerva Calvert (nee Morgan). According to my mother, his wife addressed him, at least around others, as "Mr. Calvert." He died in 1920, at 56, a few months after my mother was born. He must not have left any money or property. Not long after my grandfather's death, a man from whatever agency provided social services in rural Texas in 1920 came to the family home and suggested that my grandmother should give her children over to public care. After all, her lack of property, education or job skills made her prospects bleak. She asked if she could come and work in the place where the children would be, and was told this was not possible. Being separated from her children, it seems, was not an option she was willing to consider. "With the Lord's help, I'll raise them," she said. If we had had a family crest, these words would have been emblazoned on it. My mother and aunts regularly invoked them as an emblem of the world's most powerful force, maternal love. It turns out that my uncle Ralph, the eldest child, didn't buy into this narrative. He only made it through the second grade, and when he grew up he supported his family doing shift work in Corpus Christi's chemical plants. Uncle Ralph, I was told, resented his mother's decision, believing it robbed him of an education and the chance at a more comfortable life. In any event, my grandmother supported the family by working on a cotton farm in exchange for a house to live in. It was more or less a shack, based on the descriptions Rod and I heard over the years. Lighting came from kerosene lamps, heat and cooking from wood fires, water from a well. The toilet was an outhouse. Baths involved heating water over a fire and pouring it into a metal tub. The Calverts grew their own vegetables and had meat when they slaughtered one of the few pigs or cows they owned. They made their own soap. They washed clothes by hand. They swept the dirt yard. From time to time the family got a bale of cotton as compensation for its labors. They would sell it and use part of the proceeds to buy ice, an incredible luxury during South Texas summers. (To me, as a kid, ice was about as exotic as toilet paper. It was something you got by pulling back the lever on a metal tray and dumping the cold blocks into the sink.) My mom recalled not having the few pennies she needed to buy notebook paper for school, her face burning with shame when she had to borrow from classmates who lived in town and had two parents. One by one, my mother's older siblings quit school to work on the farm and keep the family afloat. (One of her brothers, known as "Little Buster," died at age 2.) Picture it: a woman in her 30s or 40s, wearing a worn house dress, joined by children of assorted sizes, picking or chopping cotton in the hot Texas sun, fingers bleeding, throats parched. The sight of a dark cloud in the distance would lift their spirits rain would make it cooler and perhaps give them a respite. More often than not, the cloud would drift away. My Mom, the youngest, had the softer job of keeping the house clean "my little fairy," my grandmother called her when she came in from the fields to find everything tidy. When my mother was a teenager, a car she was riding in collided with a commercial truck on a country highway. Her pelvis was crushed and she spent a year in a body cast. (One can only imagine the quality of orthopedic care available to poor people in rural Texas in the 1930s.) After her recovery she finished high school, which extended through only 11 grades in those days, and then she went to some sort of business or trade school to learn bookkeeping. This is how she earned a living while Rod and I were growing up. As a result of her accident, she walked with a limp for the rest of her life. Rod, who is six years older than I, knew something I didn't: Mom got a financial settlement as a result of the accident, and this is how she paid for the trade school. We realized this windfall must also have been the source of the money she used to buy the land where an oil rig now stands. It seems remarkable, as I consider these matters today, that I didn't learn about this important event in my mother's life a financial settlement that provided the means for her career training -- until I was 60 years old, 35 years after her death. I was a journalist, for God's sake. Why didn't I ask more questions, make notes, record interviews, when she and her brothers and sisters were still with us? Where, exactly, did the accident that injured her happen? Who was driving the car? Who owned the truck? Was anyone else injured? What was the name of the trade school she attended? Where was it? Does it still exist? I never knew. I never asked. IT'S NOT uncommon, I suppose, for young people to be incurious about their origins, only to ache for answers when they grow older. But my sense of disconnection from my childhood, and by extension from my Mom's generation, seems particularly acute. My life changed dramatically when I left home in 1974 to finish college in Houston. It got better. I was a bookish, introverted child, an un-cool teenager, but in college I learned I could do something well write newspaper articles and achieve recognition for it. I discovered I could make friends and attract women. That timid kid in Corpus Christi seemed like a different person. Moreover, my mother died just a few years after I left home, and in the ensuing years my aunts and uncles gradually died as well. I had little reason to return to the town where I grew up, or even to think much about it. Over the years I have managed to hang onto a small metal strongbox that belonged to Mom. It contains an incomplete assortment of family birth, death and marriage certificates and some letters. Except for preparing this essay, I have rarely examined these artifacts. In the fall of 1979, my Mom came to Houston to be treated for cancer at M.D. Anderson. I was 25, a year into my job as a reporter at the Houston Chronicle, and Mom moved into my small apartment in the Heights. We leased a hospital bed and set it up in my living room. I was working nights, and Rod was living in Galveston. My Aunt Frankie came and stayed with me as well, to take care of Mom. I don't remember where everyone slept. Aunt Frankie cooked in my tiny, poorly equipped kitchen, and I ate better meals in those few months than I had since I left home. Mom never had a chance. After arriving in Houston, she experienced a succession of medical complications and never started treatment for the cancer that would kill her. She wasn't sleeping much, and every night around midnight, when I got home from work, I would pull up a chair next to the hospital bed and we would talk. JERRY LARA/Staff In the movie version of this story, I would have used these moments to fill in all those gaps in my knowledge of my family history. But I squandered the opportunity. Instead, we talked about our mutual favorite subject: me. I told Mom about my struggles in a relationship with a woman, about what I was doing at work and where I wanted my career to go. It all seemed so important at the time. Mom died in January 1980. She was 59, the same age as my father at his death. When Rod and I dismantled the hospital bed to return it, we found the crushed remains of dozens of cigarettes, my mother's only vice, on a window ledge. She had sneaked them late at night, while Aunt Frankie and I were asleep. A YOUNG woman without means or worldly experience is badly injured in a car crash and acquires some money. She uses the money to learn a trade and to buy some land; when she sells the land, she somehow has the foresight to retain a share of the mineral rights. Rod and I benefit from these investments. The skills our mother learned at the trade school, along with years of hard work and sacrifice, enable us to grow up comfortably and to educate ourselves. The land purchase well, that's still playing out. Yet whatever happens with the price of oil, those 70-year-old property records represent something precious. Even if it's too late to get the answers to my questions, I find some value simply in asking them. I was foolish to imagine that my life somehow started over, like a computer getting a new operating system, when I left home at age 20. Rod and I may not have experienced the deprivation our mother and her family endured, but those years on the cotton farm left their mark on us just the same. It took a Facebook message from a stranger for me to see this. My mother's final bequest to her sons, acquired years before their birth and bestowed long after her death, was the gift of reconnection. EPILOGUE: Rod and I have decided to use our royalties, meager as they are, in a way that will honor our mother. When I thought about what would be most meaningful to her, I decided the money should support the cause of equal pay for women. We're still looking for the right beneficiary. Bookmark Gray Matters. It's always been this desolate. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Brene Brown had a bit of a breakdown. Then she became larger than life. In 2010, Brown had a solid career as a research professor at the University of Houston. A social worker, she'd published a couple of books about vulnerability and shame. Then she was invited to give a TEDx talk in Houston. TEDx events are an offshoot of the TED conference - independent local programs with smaller audiences - and Brown was a researcher sharing her conclusions about shame. Her 20-minute talk was not exactly the kind of material you'd expect to hit the zeitgeist. But it did. Brown's talk went viral, racking up millions of views right away, and it launched her onto a national, even international, platform. Almost overnight, she started getting requests to speak everywhere. The fifth-generation Texan's books became New York Times bestsellers. Not long after, Oprah declared Brown a "soulmate." "It just happened so fast, I felt like I had to strap myself in," said Brown, now 50. More Information Reading Brene Brown's books examine vulnerability and shame, courage and authenticity. "I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy and Power" (2007) "The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are" (2010) "Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead" (2012) "Rising Strong: The Reckoning, The Rumble, The Revolution" (2015) Find Brown's TED talks, "The Power of Vulnerability" (2010) and "Listening to Shame" (2012), at ted.com/speakers/brene_brown. See More Collapse Like her books, Brown's TEDx talk was candid and straightforward, shared with a matter-of-fact humor. And her message required some stripping bare, by Brown and by each of her listeners. In the talk, she described her research, which required hundreds of interviews; she'd asked people probing questions about their own sense of worthiness. The data surprised her. Brown identified a small portion of the population she described as "wholehearted" - people who have a sense of innate worthiness. "What they had in common," she told her audience, "was a sense of courage." This meant an embrace of vulnerability: "They were willing to let go of who they thought they should be to be who they were." These people believed that "what made them vulnerable made them beautiful." They lived without walls of self-protection. "In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen," Brown said. At that point, her TEDx talk became a confession: Though her research showed that vulnerability was crucial, she wasn't living that way. "This led to a little breakdown," Brown admitted to her audience, who laughed knowingly. "My therapist called it a spiritual awakening." Brown spent more than a year in therapy, getting to a place where she could show vulnerability. Shared with that vulnerable spirit, her TEDx talk took wing: It's now one of the five most-watched videos in the history of TED talks. More than 26 million people have viewed it, and it is offered with subtitles in 52 languages. It was the combination of Brown's message and her demeanor that made that talk so powerful: Her own willingness to be vulnerable underscores the power of living wholeheartedly. It's the same thing Alan Dettlaff, dean of the UH Graduate School of Social Work, discovered when he arrived on campus last year. "When I met Brene, the first thing that I realized is that in person, she's exactly the person she is when you watch her TED video or when you see her speak," he said. "She's an incredibly authentic person." At the same time, she's not merely a motivational speaker spouting feel-good lines about love and acceptance. Her work is based on interviews and data, Dettlaff pointed out: "It has such an impact on people because of the years and years of research that she's done." "We live in a society where there are many injustices that we as social workers are trying to address," he said. "Brene's message is to dare greatly, to make a difference and, when you're not successful, to get back up and try again." After her talk went viral, Brown said, the velocity of change almost overwhelmed her. She and her husband started spending hours every weekend mailing signed books and responding to requests. She had to put together a team to handle all the requests. And she was hesitant to say no. "I was anywhere between keenly and painfully aware," she said, "that I had a platform and an ability to talk about what I think is really important in the world right now." Her goal was not to squander that opportunity, "to be responsible for it while not losing my mind." It's not in her nature to be the center of attention, Brown said. Her new high-profile career has been "a challenge to my deeply ingrained introversion." Eventually she found a better balance. Today, she says yes to only 4 to 6 percent of the hundreds of invitations she receives each year. As much as life has changed, said Brown, a mother of two, "the thing that hasn't changed at all is driving carpool, packing lunches, unloading the dishwasher." And that's a deliberate choice. Everyday life with her family "is what tethers me to what's most important to me and what I love the most about my life." Brown, who was nearly 30 when she finished her bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Austin, earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in social work at the University of Houston. She's still there in the Graduate School of Social Work, doing research on vulnerability and shame, courage and authenticity. She's received plenty of offers to go elsewhere, but "I have a total love affair with Houston," she said, citing the city's diversity and openness. The University of Houston, she points out, is one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. "That makes for very difficult conversations about race and class and gender," Brown said. "But it's also a privilege to have those conversations with students every day. The world could learn something from what we're doing here." She still teaches graduate classes. Her course this spring will be offered online and opened up to a few graduate social work students at other universities. For the general public, Brown's website offers opportunities to interact with her work. COURAGEWorks is a series of e-courses, some of which confer professional credit for social workers and counselors. She also offers an art journaling course through the Oprah Winfrey Network. And she still receives thousands of letters and emails a month. "This is when we know we're in the right place," Brown said: when the notes she receives from people line up with the message she's trying to spread. When people tell her, "You've given me the language to understand that complex world of emotion and behavior and thinking, and that language allows me to be braver with my life and know I'm not alone." "That's what we hear," Brown said. "And that's our mission." Another bunch of mallards materialized above the low berm of grass-carpeted hills to the northeast, the birds' shape, size, wing beat and flock form identifying them long before they closed the distance and we could see the drakes' green heads glisten in a crystalline sky. The birds braked, the flock clumped, lost altitude, swung downwind and we could hear the excited quacking of a garrulous hen answering our calls. Then they were there, out front, 50 yards and closing, orange legs down, wobbling, drafting and slide-slipping on locked wings toward the open water we'd left between the two groups of decoys. There was no calling the shot. No need. When you and your hunting partner have shared hundreds of such moments over two decades, you develop a subconscious synchronicity that makes verbal communication unnecessary. At the unspoken moment, with the birds at 20 yards, we uncoiled from our layout blinds. Three shotguns barked. Three drakes splashed onto cold water, orange legs up. Bella, the veteran Labrador with nine years experience under her collar, and Riley, the young Gordon setter just beginning his second waterfowl season, whined and trembled with excitement and anticipation until the command "Back!" sent them bolting toward the downed ducks. "Morning like this are why, if you're a waterfowl hunter, you come to North Dakota," I babbled to my two companions, Michael Furtman and Debbie Petersen, as we watched their dogs work. And they are. At least the prospect of days like this one, with a constant stream of the flocks of fat mallards, swarms of graceful pintails, squadrons of bull-necked canvasbacks, groups of huge Canada geese and all manner of assorted other waterfowl trading across a sky that seems to extend forever over a landscape of softly rolling prairie that undulates like a grass sea, are what originally attracted me to North Dakota. All kinds of access That, and the idea that a visiting waterfowler could choose from an almost unlimited number of potential hunting spots in a state holding hundreds of thousands of natural wetlands and some of the most hunter-friendly access in the nation. Between state and federal lands open to hunting, private lands enrolled in the state's public hunting program and the liberal (to a Texan, certainly) stance state law and private landowners have toward hunters accessing private tracts that aren't posted against trespassing, North Dakota offers almost unlimited affordable opportunities for freelancing waterfowlers. And, for the 20 consecutive autumns Furtman, his dog and I have spent wandering and hunting the North Dakota prairie the first week of October it has never disappointed. It certainly didn't this year. But, as during each of those 20 previous years, the week proved there's much more to savor than simply fast shooting. The place - the lands and the wildlife - and the moments and experiences and people and dogs tied to them are what endure. This year's trip certainly left its marks. Furtman, a writer/photographer from Duluth, Minn., and I were joined for the first three days of our hunt by Petersen, a wildlife scientist and science teacher from Walker, Minn. Petersen brought along Riley, her Gordon setter, a sporting breed almost wholly associated with hunting upland game birds such as grouse and woodcock and not thought of as a waterfowl dog. But both Petersen and Riley are smitten with wetlands and waterfowl, and they got the chance to indulge those passions. More than waterfowl Our first morning was a great one, hunting an island on a sprawling prairie wetland. Reaching it was a challenge, requiring launching and paddling a pair of canoes loaded with dogs and gear - decoys, layout blinds, shotguns and the assorted gear waterfowling requires - across open water in a stiff wind. But the effort was worth it. A steady stream of birds - mallards and canvasbacks, pintails, wigeon, scaup, redheads, gadwall - worked the decoys, and we had the rare opportunity to pick our birds, concentrating on the colorful drakes. But there were other wildlife, too. From our hides in grassed layout blinds, we watched northern harriers course the prairie sky for gophers and other prey. A pair of white-tailed deer fed along the shoreline. Great egrets and phalaropes and yellowlegs traded low, sometimes landing and hunting along the gravel shoreline of "our" island. Muskrats swam through the thick beds of sago pondweed, aquatic vegetation whose seeds are irresistible to waterfowl. And Canada geese. Big Canada geese. North Dakota's produces the most ducks of any state, its prairie potholes and grasslands serving as the nation's premier nesting area. But it also is home to a booming population of a large subspecies of Canada geese, birds weighing 9-12 pounds. Early on, a flock of big Canadas decoyed to the silhouettes we'd placed on the gravel point off the island, coming in on Mike's side. He dropped a pair, one of which was banded. When a second flock of Canadas decoyed, it was Debbie's turn to shoot, and she dropped a huge bird in the water. Without hesitation, Riley, the upland dog that had never handled anything larger than a big mallard, hit the water, chugged to the bird, somehow managed to get a good hold on the 10-pound beast and gamely hauled it to Debbie's hand. Even Bella was impressed. Mission accomplished Bella had her moments, too, making some spectacularly long or impressive retrieves. In one of the most impressive, the 9-year-old Lab swam down a wing-tipped redhead that repeatedly dove on her. Finally, in a fit of frustration at the disappearing duck, Bella dove completely under the water, coming up seconds later with the bird in her mouth. This occurred on the same piece of water where, perhaps 15 Octobers ago, we watched the late Wigeon - Mike's spectacular Lab we now refer to as "Saint Wigeon" - exhibit one of the most incredible feats of endurance and determination, swimming full bore for almost a half-hour, successfully chasing down a wing-tipped bird. On Swan Lake, the name we've given a nameless piece of "big water," Mike and I hunted on a day when anyone else would have stayed in bed. Rough conditions Temperature was freezing at daylight, and wind screamed out of the west at a solid 25 mph with gusts to 40 or more. How we managed to safely paddle a loaded canoe to the far side of the lake and back in "Victory at Sea" conditions is a credit Mike's paddling skills. The day was so windy, we could take only shots at birds that were just feet off the water, over the decoys. With the wind at our backs gusting to near tropical storm velocity, any bird taken higher than that would be carried 30 or 40 yards downwind before it hit the water, and swept into a maelstrom of 3- to 4-foot waves that not even Saint Wigeon could have managed. There were good days and great days and days when we struggled to get a half-dozen birds between us. That's duck hunting, even in North Dakota. It has been a wonderful two decades of making an annual pilgrimage to prairie. And if this year turns out to be the final time I make that journey, I'll consider myself greatly blessed. Because I have been. Authorities have arrested and charged a Houston man in the September slaying of Spring chef Michael Kusuma, who was gunned down by intruders to his north Harris County home. John Wesley Baldwin III, 28, is charged with capital murder. He was apprehended on Tuesday, according to Harris County district clerk records, and had been released in February from a six-year stint in state prison. Kusuma, a beloved 33-year-old culinarian, was killed Sept. 18 when armed assailants stormed into his house on Canvasback Glen Court around 9:30 p.m. and demanded money. His younger brother, Sebastian, was injured in the attack. The Kusumas immigrated from Indonesia. Michael originally moved stateside for college, and relatives eventually settled in Texas. A few years ago, the brothers' uncle, Tony, opened popular breakfast hot spot Sunny Side of the Street in a Spring shopping center. Since the killing, the restaurant has shut its doors for good. Baldwin was released from parole in February after serving six years of a seven-year prison sentence on an aggravated robbery charge from Harris County, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His community supervision ended on Aug. 30, less than three weeks before the crime at the Kusuma residence. The brazen killing was cited by leaders in Houston's Chinatown who have called on city officials for extra law enforcement support in southwest Houston while pinpointing other recent crimes that they believe resulted from criminals targeting Asians. A related protest on Saturday in the Galleria area was organized to highlight what demonstrators describe as an uptick in the robberies of Asian people in the greater Houston area - particularly business owners who are perceived to have a higher likelihood of cash in their vehicles or in their homes. Nick Rama, a regular customer at Sunny Side, said he wants the person responsible for shooting Michael Kusuma to pay for the crime. "I hope justice is served and he gets the maximum punishment," Rama said Wednesday. "This guy ruined an entire family's livelihood and the lives of hardworking employees all for a little bit of money." Rama got to know the Kusumas well through their eatery, and at one point he featured Michael and Sebastian in an article for Public News. Now, he wants answers. "I want to know why he targeted Michael and his brother," Rama said of the killer. "I also hope this will bring some type of closure for Michael's family." Baldwin ran afoul of the law after the killing and was temporarily in custody following an arrest on Sept. 27. He was charged with one count of misdemeanor marijuana possession and pleaded guilty the next day in exchange for a five-day sentence in the Harris County Jail. Baldwin's criminal history in Harris County dates back to 2007 with a sprinkling of misdemeanor drug and theft charges. His first felony in Harris County was the aggravated robbery charge in 2009. He is scheduled for a court appearance on Thursday morning. Pam Morren is used to fidgeting fourth-graders, but the 17-year teaching veteran was worried about her new class before school started in August. Teachers at Turner Elementary in Pasadena deemed it the most hyperactive group ever to set foot on campus. From the time the current fourth-graders entered kindergarten, they were running circles around teachers and roughhousing in the halls. To give them an outlet for their energy, Morren and Turner physical education teacher Jackie Caver introduced standing desks and foot boards that students could fidget with under their desks. "It's 10,000 times better," Morren said. "If you're more free to move around, your grades will be better - especially the kids who would tend to get in trouble." Efforts to provide so-called kinesthetic furniture reflect a national emphasis on trying to find new ways to physically engage students, especially after the high-stakes testing introduced by No Child Left Behind in 2001 squeezed out recess and physical education at many schools. Fewer students are getting the one hour of exercise or physical activity that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends. In the Houston region, Alief ISD now has active-based learning equipment at 15 campuses, including under-the-desk foot pedals, standing desks and balance boards. Pasadena ISD just won a grant to put standing desks and fidgeting footboards in Morren's classroom and applied for another that will require teachers to take physical activity breaks every 20 minutes. Spring ISD uses standing desks and other strategies to keep energetic students active at its alternative school. And teachers at some Houston ISD schools have turned to crowdfunding to outfit their classrooms with wobble cushions and yoga balls. "The bottom line with any furniture is that it has to be flexible, adaptable and tailored to meet various needs that students have in order to help them stay focused and learn in a personalized environment," said Jenny McGown, Klein ISD's associate superintendent of teaching and learning. "Teachers are transforming their classrooms to create a culture of innovation and collaboration and adaptability to meet all students' needs." Getting the blood flowing Several Klein ISD campuses have one or two standing desks for every classroom. Other schools provide tables and chairs with wheels, bean bags, ball chairs, tables that can be lowered and raised and tables with whiteboard surfaces. Morren's classroom in Pasadena has only three standing desks, but her kids clamor to be among the lucky few to use them each day. Students at their regular desks can use Spooner boards, which lie on the ground but have curved edges similar to a skateboard. They help kids keep their legs still. But it's not just the equipment Morren uses to channel her students' energy. Every 20 minutes, the class takes a physical activity break. Sometimes they'll dance to a song. Other times they'll try to cross their arms and touch parts of their faces with the opposite hand. Caver, the physical education teacher at Turner, said keeping kids active in class does more than rid them of some of their extra energy. "It wakes them up, gets their blood flowing and gets their brains ready to learn more," Caver said. "Research shows if you're moving when you're storing information to your long-term memory, it's easier to recall later." It's made a difference at Best Elementary in Alief ISD, which ranks among the district's lowest performing schools. More than 90 percent of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Better engagement Renee Canales, principal at Best, said she was brought in three years ago to try to turn the school around. After her first year, a district wellness coordinator asked if she'd be interested incorporating an active-based learning model, which assumes that the more physically engaged students are in a lesson, the more they'll retain. Canales jumped at the chance. Now, at least half of the school's classrooms are outfitted with kinesthetic furniture - everything from ellipticals-turned-desks, seats that let students bounce, desks with bike pedals underneath and balance boards. The school also features two labs. The lab designed for older students looks more like a combination of an arcade and gym with a 64-inch TV and workout equipment. Before the school brought in active-based learning in 2014, only about 69 percent of kindergarten students passed a math assessment, compared with the district average of 82 percent. In 2015, 89 percent of Best kindergartners passed the test, compared with 80 percent of students districtwide. The gains were even more striking among Best's second-graders, jumping from a 5 percent passage rate in math test in 2014 to 32 percent in 2015. "We always used to be the worst in the district," Canales said. "Kids that didn't want to come to school are now the first ones outside their classrooms, so they can pick out which piece of equipment they're going to use that day." Jessica Barron, a third-grade teacher new to Best, said at first she worried that taking physical activity breaks in between subjects or taking students to the lab would cut into her teaching time. But the opposite has happened. "It gives me more time for them to learn because when you take two minutes to do something physical, they're engaged for 20 minutes," Barron said. "There's no 'stop that' or 'quit kicking your desk,' it's just learning." Canales said the physical activity has been so successful with students that she now begins each staff meeting with music and movement. One meeting, teachers had to pop balloons tied to each other's ankles. "When you're moving, you can't help but have fun," Canales said. "You can't help but smile." Two operatives who were working with the Democratic National Committee to help elect Hillary Clinton are no longer working in that role after an undercover video appeared to show them plotting to incite violence at Donald Trump's rallies. The creatively edited video (which contains profane language) was the work of James O'Keefe's Project Veritas Action, a right-wing organization that sends researchers around the country to spy on the inner workings of Democratic campaigns. The footage showed Robert Creamer, of Democracy Partners, and Scott Foval, formerly of People for the American Way and Americans United for Change, appearing to talk about plans to plant people outside of Trump rallies and instigate fights. "It doesn't matter what the friggin' legal and ethics people say, we need to win this," Foval said in one clip of the video that describes how to get Trump's supporters to start punching the people that they plant in line at his rallies. Violence at Trump's rallies was widespread over the summer, as Trump was widely blamed for riling up his fans with bombastic language. At one point, he promised to pay the legal fees of supporters who roughed up protesters. The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that it contracted Creamer in June to do counterprogramming in cities where the Trump campaign was holding events. While the committee said it opposed the incitement of violence of any kind, it was also investigating any potential illegal activity by O'Keefe. "The practices described in the video by this temporary regional subcontractor do not in any way comport with our longstanding policies on organizing events, and those statements and sentiments do not represent the values that the committee holds dear," Donna Brazile, interim DNC chairwoman, said in a statement. "We do not believe, or have any evidence to suggest, that the activities articulated in the video actually occurred." Creamer, who was portrayed by the narrator in the video as the "diabolical" mastermind of a team of Democratic consultants, said that Foval was no longer working with him and that he was stepping away from the campaign to avoid being a distraction. "We regret the unprofessional and careless hypothetical conversations that were captured on hidden cameras of a temporary regional contractor for our firm, and he is no longer working with us," said Creamer, who is not seen on tape endorsing the plans to create chaos. "While none of the schemes described in the conversations ever took place, these conversations do not at all reflect the values of Democracy Partners." Foval could not be reached for comment. The Clinton campaign denounced the tactics discussed in the video while expressing doubts about the measures employed by O'Keefe. "While Project Veritas has been known to offer misleading video out of context, some of the language and tactics referenced in the video are troubling even as a theory or proposal never executed," said Zac Petkanas, a spokesman for Clinton. "We support the Democratic National Committee's appropriate action addressing this matter and look forward to continue waging a campaign of ideas worthy of our democratic process." O'Keefe's organization put campaigns on notice last year that his investigators, who he considers to be journalists, would be aggressively working to infiltrate their operations this election cycle. While O'Keefe has been a thorn in the side of campaigns over the years, he has also had legal problems of his own. In 2010, O'Keefe pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and was fined for posing as a repairman to gain access to the office of former Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. Three years ago, O'Keefe paid $100,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former ACORN member after he posed as a pimp during an investigation of the activist group. In his latest video, O'Keefe said that he planned to release more damaging evidence of wrongdoing before the election. PRAGUE - A man identified as a Russian hacker suspected of pursuing targets in the United States has been arrested in the Czech Republic, police announced. The suspect was captured in a raid at a hotel in central Prague on Oct. 5, about 12 hours after authorities heard that he was in the country, where he drove around in a luxury car with his girlfriend, according to police. The man did not resist arrest, but he had medical problems and was briefly hospitalized, police said in a statement. When State Rep. Ron Reynolds learned he would face Democratic primary opposition this year for the first time since he won his seat, he called it "the biggest challenge of my political career." Reynolds went on to battle three candidates from the party who sought to serve House District 27, an area Reynolds has represented since 2010. Victory did not come in a landslide: a close finish forced him into a run-off, which he won by a slim but safe margin. Reynolds, after all, was not entering the primary untarnished. Late last year, a Montgomery County jury convicted him on five counts of misdemeanor barratry, the illegal solicitation of legal clients known as "ambulance chasing." He represented himself in the trial, fighting allegations that he unlawfully paid someone to solicit clients involved in accidents. He lost and subsequently received a year-long jail sentence, a conclusion he deemed racially motivated and "a modern-day lynching." He has appealed the conviction. The 43-year-old incumbent now faces one last barrier to victory in November: a Republican and fellow lawyer named Ken Bryant. More Information Ken Bryant Age: 63 Party: Republican Occupation: lawyer Campaign website: N/A Ron Reynolds (incumbent) Age: 43 Party: Democrat Occupation: lawyer Campaign website: www.ronreynolds.org See More Collapse Reynolds, the House Democratic whip, said he expects to be re-elected. Bryant, who has served as a Fort Bend ISD trustee, declined to comment for this story without knowing who the Houston Chronicle was going to endorse. The Chronicle news division and editorial page are separate divisions and the editorial board ultimately made no endorsement in the November race because Bryant did not meet with them. A Reynolds loss in November would represent a "huge upset," said Jay Aiyer, assistant professor of political science at Texas Southern University. District for Dems House District 27 includes the cities of Stafford and Meadows Place, plus parts of Sugar Land, Missouri City and Arcola. It was drawn to elect a Democrat, Aiyer said. "We've run someone every year for the last 20 years and not won the seat," acknowledged Mike Gibson, chairman of the Republican Party in Fort Bend County. Gibson said the "core constituency" that supported Reynolds in the runoff is likely to support him again in the general election. A number of notable political figures, including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congress members Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee, endorsed Reynolds in the primary. Aiyer attributed this success so far to what he called a "disconnect" in voters' minds between the criminal allegations Reynolds faces and his ability as a legislator. Reynolds has been well-liked and respected by leadership and peers in the House, Aiyer said, opinions that seem to have been strong enough to overcome personal allegations some may find troubling, and on which his Democratic primary contenders had sought to capitalize. "I think voters, by and large, stood by me because of my strong record and my advocacy for them in my three terms in office," Reynolds said. "I believe that we've weathered the storm and we haven't missed a beat." Personal problems Still, the criminal case has taken its toll. Reynolds was suspended from practicing law starting in May, pending the barratry case's resolution. In July, Reynolds filed for bankruptcy, listing more than $1.3 million in liabilities. In the bankruptcy filings, Reynolds listed outstanding payments that included $3,000 for unpaid Houston-area tolls, $15,000 for fines imposed by the Texas Ethics Commission, and more than $500,000 for damages that a judge in April ordered him to pay a former client. The judge ruled that Reynolds failed to pay the client her share of a settlement related to her daughter's death in a car crash. Ahead of the March primary, Bryant, 63, said in a phone interview that we was running "to be a public servant for the district." He noted that he had neither been charged nor convicted in a criminal case. Among the issues important to him, he listed improving finances and infrastructure in the area, reducing the high school drop-out rate and ensuring police have what they need to protect citizens. Reynolds, meanwhile, has retained an attorney to work on his appeal in the barratry case. His top issues, as listed on his website, include: criminal justice reform, protection of civil liberties and access to affordable health care. Reynolds said the experience of the last year have proved his ability to handle adversity. "You don't know how strong you are until your strength is tested," he said. GALVESTON A Bernie Sanders' liberal is taking on one of the most conservative members of the Texas House of Representatives in District 29 in Brazoria County, presenting voters with, perhaps, the starkest contrast between candidates of any race in Texas. Democrat John T. Floyd, 48, who was a Bernie Sanders' state delegate, is challenging Republican Ed Thompson, 65, who earned a 98 percent rating from the ultra conservative Eagle Forum. The candidates may offer the most radically different visions of government of any race in Texas, said Elizabeth McLane, chairwoman of the government and economics department at Alvin Community College. Floyd is making an audacious challenge in the most conservative of Texas's 21 largest urban counties, McLane said. Even so, Democrats' chances are better than ever and are likely to keep improving as the district becomes more urbanized. District 29 stretches roughly from Beltway 8 south to FM 2004, with the city of Pearland covering the north end of the district, Manvel and Iowa Colony in the northeast, Alvin in the east central and Liverpool farther south. Nearly half the district's population of 176,000 is in Pearland. More Information Meet the candidates: Ed Thompson (incumbent) Age: 65 Party: Republican Occupation: insurance business owner Campaign websie: edthompson29.com John T. Floyd Age: 48 Party: Democrat Occupation: lawyer Campaign website: floydfortexas.com See More Collapse Nearly all the district's growth is in west Pearland, which is trending Democrat. East Pearland is the oldest part of the city and dominated by traditional conservatives, as are the two other largest cities, Manvel and Alvin. The rest of the district is largely rural. The expanding and increasingly diverse population in Pearland could make Republican control of the district difficult within five to 10 years, McLane said. Floyd is a knowledgeable and articulate lawyer who could benefit from the population boom, making him the strongest candidate the Democrats have fielded for the house seat in more than a decade, she said. Despite Floyd's strengths, incumbency, name recognition and money tilt election chances toward Thompson, an insurance agent. Thompson is backed by the political action group Friends of Ed Thompson that reported $325,000 cash on hand in July while Floyd reported zero. Floyd said he had raised about $5,000 in addition to the $4,500 loan he made to the campaign; he said he expected to raise about $15,000. Thompson also is well known, having been president of the Pearland Economic Development Corp. and a member of the Pearland City Council from 2010 to 2012. He won a special election in 2012 to fill the seat vacated by Republican Randy Weber, who resigned to make a successful run for the 14th congressional district seat. Despite his advantage, Thompson said he is taking Floyd's challenge seriously. "I never take any opponent for granted," he said. Floyd has no illusions about his chances of winning: "I've realized this is an uphill battle from the beginning." He is counting on the growing number of minority voters and disenchantment with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump among white voters. He hopes that distaste for Trump among moderate Republicans and Independents will influence elections like his farther down the ballot. Thompson, a Trump supporter, says his past experience in government gives him an insight that Floyd lacks. "It's pretty easy to stand back and say the district is changing, but it's hard to stand back and say that unless you know what the district is like," Thompson said. Thompson is well liked in the business community and Floyd believes that is why he is having difficulty getting permission to put out campaign signs to compete with Thompson's, which have sprung up all over the district. Floyd said he hopes to counter Thompson with a grass-roots campaign relying on canvassing and get-out-the vote efforts by volunteers. Thompson sees the election as a contest between two competing visions of government rather than particular issues. Floyd agreed that he is Thompson's polar opposite, but said that one issue in particular helped draw him into the race. "The thing that really drew my attention to Ed Thompson other than his very right-wing, intolerant Republican ideology, is that he really stood in the way of grand jury reform," Floyd said. Thompson's opposition failed to halt legislative approval of a bill to change the way grand jurors are picked. The bill was signed into law during the 2015 legislative session. Other issues for Floyd include fulling funding public education, abortion rights, updates to public infrastructure, reversing what he called the militarization of police, and top-to-bottom reform of Texas' criminal justice system, including personal recognizance bonds for first-time offenders. Thompson's website lists border security, Second Amendment rights and job creation as his top issues. Despite Thompson's cash advantage, McLane said it could be a close race if Floyd can put his oratorical skills to use in a debate. Floyd said Sept. 19 that he was waiting for a reply from Thompson to a debate invitation. Thompson said, "I'm talking to voters every day in House District 29, but I'd be happy to consider any debate invitation from an objective organization." Even if Floyd can make a strong showing, his chances for victory remain slim, McLean said. If he loses, Floyd said, he will be back in the next election to try again. AUSTIN -- State Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Canton, is redoubling his efforts to convince state officials investigate Harmony Public Schools following the Texas Education Agency's decision to dismiss a politically-charged complaint against the charter school operator. The state department of education threw out the complaint filed by an agent of the Republic of Turkey last week after finding allegations the agency had jurisdiction over had no merit. We don't know how you say "big league" in Farsi, but the people of Iran were saying it Wednesday night. The Persian theocracy's censors allowed state-run television to air the third U.S. presidential debate. The network also aired the second showdown between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton two weeks ago - the first full coverage of a U.S. presidential debate in Iran, according to the Washington Post. There was a time, not too long ago, when this news would be celebrated as a sign of growing political freedom in the notoriously repressive state. What a better beacon of liberty than democracy in action on the TV screen? But this year, we'd almost prefer that Iranian censors stick with Ayatollah Knows Best. Tehran, Moscow and plenty of other unfriendly governments are using coverage of our presidential election as anti-American propaganda. Iranian television pundits discussed at length Trump's reaction to his hot-mic recording from 2005 in which he bragged to Billy Bush about grabbing women without their consent. Iranian media has also extensively covered Trump's claims that the U.S. election is "rigged." It even used the opportunity to quote a writer who argued that our elections have been manipulated for "nearly 200 years." From his preemptive claims of a fraudulent election to bizarre speeches about "international banks," Trump has dragged the final weeks of our presidential campaign into territory unfamiliar in the American political system. To say that Trump deals in conspiracy theories is an insult to the honest, hardworking Americans who think that aliens crash-landed in Roswell. But it got worse Wednesday night in Las Vegas. After being asked by moderator Chris Wallace, Trump refused to say whether he would accept the result of the presidential election. "I will look at it at the time," he said. The words alone work to undermine our republic. Bret Stephens, a Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign-affairs columnist for the Wall Street Journal, said that Trump's answer was "the most disgraceful statement by a presidential candidate in 160 years." Since the end of Reconstruction, the United States has never had to question whether federal elections would end with a peaceful transition of power. Now this one man, apparently putting his ego ahead of the good of the nation, brings all that into question before a worldwide audience. After this year's unprecedented campaign, it was surprising to see Wallace open the debate like this was any other election, asking questions about the Supreme Court, gun ownership and abortion. For a few minutes, you could pretend that it was just politics as usual - for better or worse. However, those moments did give Clinton the opportunity to raise the issue of women's rights - specifically calling out China and Bulgaria. We hope it was something that the people of Iran heard loud and clear. We bet the censors weren't happy about that one. Anything goes Regarding "911 operator's tale reminds us to make some time for empathy" (Page A3, Wednesday), thanks to Lisa Falkenberg for another frank view of our society. A 911 operator hangs up on someone in distress. A presidential contender uses unfit and degrading language. Yes, we do model the behavior of our young, and right now, we're teaching them laziness, incompetence, intolerance and disrespect. We're teaching that "Christians" worship God but pour hatred on their neighbors, that it's acceptable to scorn needy people but OK for the wealthy to cheat on their taxes. We carry weapons, not for protection, but to show bravado we clearly do not possess. It's unacceptable to remain seated for playing of a song, but patriotic to show blatant disrespect for the president of our nation or the female population. We're fascinated with the biggest, baddest, and most wicked. Our children are technology savvy, but can't spell "cat." When it comes to math, we order half-a-dozen chicken nuggets and are told they only come on orders of three, six, or twelve. Our music, and I use that term loosely, aggrandizes violence and depravity. "Anything goes" has replaced "be kind to one another." Yes, we've lost empathy, along with pride, dignity, intelligence and respect. We yell "make America great again" while applauding behavior that exemplifies lack of everything greatness represents. God help us all. Joan Early, Lumberton Bad actors I really think you are overthinking the Crenshanda Williams debacle. Do you really think that what she did can be explained away by societal lack of empathy? Just because voters pick conservative candidates in Texas and these candidates don't govern as you see fit doesn't mean there is a societal lack of empathy. I have known people like Williams who take a job that requires a certain amount of responsibility and they have no intention of fulfilling their responsibility. They are slackers who do just enough to get by, but as they become more comfortable with forsaking their duties, they become more derelict in performing their job. There is no defense for this woman's actions, but it does show a complete lack of training and auditing by the 911 officials. As much as you would like to lay this horror story at the feet of conservative lawmakers and explain away the dereliction of this operator. I think there are just evil people in this world, and this one didn't use a club, knife or gun to do her evil work but a phone and a total lack of compassion. James Connealy, Baytown This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate United States Representative, District 14: Randy Weber We agree with Randy Weber on one thing: There may be no congressman in the Texas delegation who has a more important district. His territory, which stretches from the Louisiana border to an area just west of Freeport, covers a mix of precious but vulnerable wetlands in addition to five key ports. The affable Republican incumbent has an underwhelming record after two terms in Congress, and seems to focus more on blocking bills he doesn't like than promoting the issues key to his district. But given that his Democratic opponent Michael Cole - a former teacher's aide and perennial candidate - lacks the depth of experience necessary to assume this important office, we encourage voters to send Weber back to Washington with a to-do list: Weber needs to make a case for the Ike Dike and other hurricane protection infrastructure at the federal level, deliver funding for port dredging, support NASA and help in the fight against Zika. More for you U.S. Congress, part 1 United States Representative, District 29: Gene Green Gene Green is frustrated with the Affordable Care Act. More specifically, the 12-term Democratic congressman is frustrated that Congress won't try to improve it. "Any law that you ever pass, you typically go back to it and fix it," Green told the editorial board. "We haven't had that opportunity. In the last six years, they've tried to repeal it 60-plus times." Representing a largely Hispanic and blue-collar district that circles from north Houston around through Pasadena and east Houston, Green puts his focus on those meat-and-potato issues that help keep his constituents healthy and the Port of Houston humming. Even after a particularly contentious Congress, Green can point to a list of accomplishments as the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health: improved Medicare reimbursement for doctors, reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and moving forward bipartisan bill packages on opioid addiction and mental health. On the energy side, Green has also worked across the aisle on a pipeline safety bill and reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act. His Republican opponent and restaurateur, Julio Garza, says that Green can't adequately represent Hispanic voters - an argument that didn't work too well for former sheriff Adrian Garcia in the Democratic primary. United States Representative, District 18: Sheila Jackson Lee "Sheila Jackson Lee is stalking me." Those are the words of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, courtesy of Wikileaks. He was complaining that Houston's own Jackson Lee wanted to be "involved in everything" and wouldn't stop hounding him about Clinton accepting the Barbara Jordan Medallion for Service at Texas Southern University. Whether you call it tenacity or stalking, it worked: Clinton showed up in person at TSU to receive the award. After 11 terms in Congress, the former city councilwoman has learned how to pull levers of power in Washington to deliver for the city and her district, which circles from northeast Houston through downtown, Midtown and the Third Ward, and back up toward Acres Homes and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Lee's Republican challenger, Lori Bartley, has an inspiring personal story of overcoming poverty and finding success in life. However, her focus on issues like homelessness, crime and community empowerment would be a better fit for City Council or the state Legislature. United States Representative, District 22: Pete Olson Incumbent Pete Olson did not meet with the Houston Chronicle editorial board, but he nonetheless earned our endorsement over his Democratic challenger, Mark Gibson. As the Republican vice chairman of the House Energy and Power Subcommittee, Olson is a key advocate in Washington for Houston's important oil and gas industry. He even tried to get ethanol from natural gas certified as a biofuel so that it could compete with corn-based ethanol. Representing most of Brazoria and Fort Bend counties, including Sugar Land, and part of Harris County, the four-term congressman and former Navy pilot has also been at the forefront of bringing Gulf Coast storm surge concerns to Washington. Gibson, a retired Army colonel with 30-years service, has a passion for veterans issues. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump met for the third and final presidential debate of 2016, in the wake of Trumps baseless claims of a rigged election and the release of hacked emails from Clintons campaign manager. Trump declined to say whether he would accept the result of the Nov. 8 presidential election. "I will look at it at the time," he said. "I will keep you in suspense." Clinton, who called Trumps remarks "horrifying," defended her familys foundation and the contents of the emails released by Wikileaks. Beyond sparring over personal issues, Clinton and Trump also disagreed on foreign policy, immigration and domestic policy. So just how accurate were their claims? Here are 36 claims from the two candidates, fact-checked. Clinton: "I have major disagreements" with Trump on issues like marriage equality, abortion and Citizens United. Trump is against gay marriage and is currently pro-life. He has been critical of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision in the past. Trump: "I believe if my opponent should win this race, which I truly don't think will happen, we will have a Second Amendment which will be a very, very small replica of what it is right now." This is a more tempered and more accurate version of Trumps previous claim that Clinton "wants to abolish the Second Amendment." (We rated that claim False.) Clinton has said and continues to say she supports the right to bear arms, but with stronger gun control. Clinton: "What the District of Columbia was trying to do was to protect toddlers from guns and so they wanted people with guns to safely store them." Trump criticized Clinton for not agreeing with the District of Columbia. vs. Heller decision, in which the Supreme Court upheld the individual right to bear arms. Clinton says she supports this decision but her defense of her opposition is Half True. City leaders did specifically cite the danger posed to children in trying to keep in place gun regulations, but child safety wasnt the sole topic cited by defenders of the citys gun control ordinance. The Heller decision dealt with a much broader issue than protecting toddlers from firearm deaths or injuries. Clinton: "We have 33,000 people a year who die from guns." We rated this claim Mostly True. The number is accurate, but it leaves unsaid that the two-thirds of these deaths are suicides, not homicides. Clinton: "Indeed, he said women should be punished, that there should be some form of punishment for women who obtain abortions." A similar claim from Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer rates Half True. Trump did say something to this effect, but within a matter of hours, his campaign retracted that statement. Trump said he meant doctors should be punished for providing abortions, not women who undergo the procedure. Theres no evidence this was a long-held position. Trump: "Hillary wants to give amnesty. She wants to have open borders." While her plan would make it easier for undocumented to avoid deportation, she has repeatedly said she supports border security. In a brief speech expert from 2013, Clinton purportedly says, "My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable." But we dont have more context about what Clinton meant by "open borders" because she has not released the full speech. Her campaign has said she was talking about clean energy across the hemisphere. We rated Trumps claim Mostly False. Trump: "The single-biggest problem is heroin that pours across our southern borders, just pouring, and destroying their youth and is poisoning the blood of their youth and plenty of other people." Trumps claim that heroin "pours across our southern borders" is True. The vast majority of heroin in the United States comes from Mexico and South America. Clinton: "He said as recently as a few weeks ago in Phoenix that every undocumented person would be subject to deportation." Trump said Aug. 31 that anyone in the country illegally who wants lawful status has to go back home and apply for re-entry, and that those who came illegally are subject to deportation. But Trump also said "then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those individuals who remain." That suggests he doesnt intend to deport literally every undocumented person. We rated Clintons claim Mostly True. Trump: "Hillary Clinton wanted the wall. Hillary Clinton fought for the wall in 2006 or thereabouts." Clinton voted in 2006 for 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, but not for the taller, longer concrete wall that he vows to build. We rated this claim Half True. Clinton: "He used undocumented labor to build the Trump Tower." This is True. Between 1979 and 1980, Trump hired a contractor to demolish a Manhattan building to make way for the eventual Trump Tower. That contractor in turn hired local union workers as well as 200 undocumented Polish workers to meet the tight deadlines. Trump: "She wants 550 percent more people than Barack Obama, and he has thousands and thousands of people." We rated this claim True. Clinton supported allowing in 65,000 refugees when President Obama supported a 10,000 figure. (The refugees would be screened.) Thats a 550 percent increase. Trump: "I dont know Putin." We gave Trump a Full Flop on whether he has a relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2013, he said, "I do have a relationship." In 2014 he said, "I spoke, indirectly and directly, with President Putin" and said the Russian leader had sent him a present. In 2015, he said, "I got to know him very well" due to their joint appearance on 60 Minutes. More recently, though, Trump has said, "I never met Putin -- I don't know who Putin is" and "I have no relationship with him." Clinton: "You encouraged espionage against our people." Trump said at a press conference in South Florida that he hoped Russia was able to find "the 30,000 emails that are missing." That was a reference to Clintons emails, not Americans emails more broadly. We rate this claim Half True. Clinton: "We have 17 intelligence agencies, civilian and military, who have all concluded that these espionage attacks, these cyberattacks, come from the highest levels of the Kremlin and they are designed to influence our election." This is True. The Director of National Intelligence, which speaks for the countrys 17 federal intelligence agencies, released a joint statement saying the intelligence community at large is confident that Russia is behind recent hacks into political organizations emails. Clinton: "Hes advocated more countries getting them, Japan, Korea, even Saudi Arabia." Trump has said some countries, namely Japan and South Korea, might be "better off" if they were to develop nuclear weapons." In the same interview, he said he opposes nuclear proliferation. Clinton: "I want us to have the biggest jobs program since World War II, jobs in infrastructure and advanced manufacturing." Using rough estimates of public investment in several sectors, the size of Clintons proposals at least $900 billion over 10 years appears larger than any other 10-year investment since World War II. Its worth keeping in mind, though, that when we look at the size of the historical public investments as a share of GDP, there have been 12 years since World War II with larger public investments. In terms of whether these investments will result in new, good-paying jobs, thats all a matter of prediction. We rated her claim Half True. Clinton: "His whole plan is to cut taxes, to give the biggest tax breaks ever to the wealthy and to corporations." Trumps tax plan would deliver more tax cuts to the top 1 percent (equivalent to 1.32 percent of GDP) than the Bush tax cuts (0.66 percent of GDP). Trump: "Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes." This is Mostly False. The vast majority of taxpayers would see no change to their tax bill or even tax cuts. The richest payers would see increases, but not even the typical richest taxpayer would see their taxes double. Trump: "She did call (the Trans Pacific Partnership) the gold standard. And they actually fact checked, and they said I was right. I was so honored." We rated his claim at the first presidential debate Mostly True. Clinton did use that language in 2012 when discussing TPP in Australia. Its worth noting that at this point the deal was still under negotiation and because that was done behind closed doors, theres no way to know how much it changed. Trump: "Just like when you ran the State Department, $6 billion was missing. How do you miss $6 billion? You ran the State Department, $6 billion was either stolen. They don't know. It's gone, $6 billion." Pants on Fire! In March 2014, a State Department Inspector General alert looked at previous audits and warned that files for over $6 billion worth of contracts from 2008 to 2014 spanning the entirety of Clintons tenure as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 "were incomplete or could not be located at all." The paperwork was missing, but the $6 billion itself was not missing or stolen. It had been doled out in contracts. Clinton: In the 1970s, Trump was "getting sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination in his apartment buildings." In the 1980s, "he was borrowing $14 million from his father to start his businesses." In the 1990s, "he insulted a former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, called her an eating machine." These charges are accurate. The Justice Department sued Trump, his father and their company under the Civil Rights Act in 1973. In many instances, the government said, prospective black tenants were blocked from renting in his buildings. The Wall Street Journal reported that a 1985 casino-license disclosure form shows that Trumps father lent him $14 million between in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when Trump was launching his real estate career. Machado, then 19 and Miss Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe in May 1996, the first year the organization was owned by Trump. Three months into her reign, Machado's weight became a storyline and Trump called Machedo an "eating machine," according to various news reports. Trump: "She gave us ISIS, because her and Obama created this huge vacuum, and a small group came out of that huge vacuum because when -- we should never have been in Iraq, but once we were there, we should have never got out the way they wanted to get out. She gave us ISIS as sure as you are sitting there." This is a more nuanced and more accurate version of Trumps previous False claim that Clinton "invented ISIS with her stupid policies." ISIS roots predate Clintons tenure at the state department. The terrorist group can be traced back to 2004, when George W. Bush was president. Experts told us its possible that Clinton-backed policies like voting for the war in Iraq (an action supported by many at the time) and intervening in Libya contributed to the power of ISIS. Trump: The allegations of sexual assault against him "have been largely debunked." False. Some of the womens stories have been questioned, but none have been conclusively debunked. Five of the nine accounts have not been disputed. Four have been corroborated by the womens family, friends or colleagues. Trump: "I will tell you what isn't fictionalized are her e-mails, where she destroyed 33,000 e-mails criminally, criminally, after getting a subpoena from the United States Congress." Clintons staff received a subpoena for Benghazi-related emails March 4. An employee managing her server deleted 33,000 of Clintons emails three weeks later. But the FBI found no evidence that the emails were deleted deliberately to avoid the subpoena or other requests. Clintons team requested for the emails to be deleted months before the subpoena came. We rated this claim Half True. Clinton: "He also went after a disabled reporter, mocked and mimicked him on national television." Trump: "Wrong." We rated Trumps denial False. There is video evidence showing that Tump did mimic the mans oddly angled right hand while flailing his arms and shouting in a strange voice. Clinton: "The Clinton Foundation made it possible for 11 million people around the world with HIV-AIDS to afford treatment." Nine million people have lower-cost HIV/AIDS medicine thanks to the efforts of the Clinton Foundation. Costs have fallen dramatically and the initiative remains a key global player in maintaining a steady supply of affordable drugs. Trump: "Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all of these countries. You talk about women and women's rights? So these are people that push gays off business -- off buildings. These are people that kill women and treat women horribly. And yet you take their money." This is accurate. Several countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with harsh rules for women and kill gays have contributed to the Clinton FOundation. Clinton: The Trump Foundation "took money from other people and bought a six- foot portrait of Donald." Clinton is borrowing a line from President Barack Obama. Based on reporting from the Washington Posts David Fahrenthold, this is True. Clinton: "He is the first candidate ever to run for president in the last 40-plus years who has not released his tax returns." Mostly True. Every other major nominee for the past 40 years have released their tax returns, except Gerald Ford. Trump: "Buffett took hundreds of millions of dollars, Soros, George Soros, took hundreds of millions of dollars...Most of her donors have done the same thing as I do." Trump previously invoked Clinton backers Warren Buffett and George Soros as a defense of his allegedly not paying federal income taxes for 18 years, but this is misleading. Trumps $916 million loss could have allowed him to have a $50 million personal deduction each year for 18 years. As for Buffet and Soros, their situations are not that similar. Buffets company, not himself, took a $514 million deduction in 2013. Soros has runs a hedge fund that suffered losses, but this deduction would have similarly not appeared on Soros personal tax returns. Trump: "This is coming from Pew report and other places -- millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldn't be registered to vote." When asked about his claims that the election is rigged, Trump offered a 2012 study from the Pew research center. The Pew report, which estimates 24 million invalid or inaccurate voter registrations, does not say there is voter fraud. In fact, the centers director of election initiatives said, "These bad records are not leading to fraud but could lead to the perception of fraud." Trumps claims of widespread voter fraud are Pants on Fire. Clinton: "There was even a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged against him." We found several instances of Trump whining about not winning the Emmys for the Apprentice between 2012 and 2014. Though he called the Emmys unfair and political, he never directly says the system is rigged against he. We rate Clintons claim Half True. Clinton: "Once again, Donald is implying that he didn't support the invasion of Iraq. I said it was a mistake. I've said that years ago. He has consistently denied what is a very clear fact." Trump: "Wrong." Actually, Trump is wrong. In 2002, when asked if America should ago to war, he said, "I guess so." He didnt voice full-throated opposition until almost a year and a half after the invasion. Trump: "We gave them $150 billion back." Trump added the word "back" to his previous claim that the United States is giving Iran $150 billion, making it much more accurate. He is referring to the amount of previously frozen Iranian assets the Iran nuclear deal releases. (To be clear, this is money that already belongs to Iran.) The $150 billion is a high estimate, and most experts say the real figure is closer to $100 billion, while Iran is probably only able to access a fraction of that. Trump: Obamacare "premiums are going up 60 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent. Next year they're going to go up over 100 percent." Last year, Trump floated rates of 35 to 55 percent. Some insurance plans in the federal exchange will see price hikes at the levels that Trump is suggesting. But he was cherry-picking the high end of premium changes to come. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the standard insurance plan will increase by an average of 9 percent in 2017, with some cities seeing decreases of 13 percent while others see 25 percent. Trump: "We take care of illegal immigrants, people that come into the country illegally, better than we take care of our vets." This is False. Veterans are entitled to several more benefits that are not offered to civilians, much less undocumented immigrants, who arent eligible for Medicaid, Obamacare and Social Security and are barred from enrolling in colleges in some states. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. 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OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. quo;Consider the simple fact that hiring is essentially a prediction problem [and] statistical algorithms are built for prediction problems, wrote Oren Danieli, Andrew Hillis and Michael Luca at Harvard Business Review.They argued that when HR practitioner looks through resumes, they are essentially predicting which candidates would perform well at the job and those that wont.Algorithms have the potential to improve hiring and promotion decisions, they said.With more and more organisations embracing the use of data analytics, the authors argued that the question is no longer whether or not to use algorithms for hiring. Instead, companies should be asking how to get the most of it.They listed down five principles organisations should abide by in using statistical algorithms in the recruitment process.Algorithms are ruthless in pursuing the objective you give them they will optimise for that, and nothing else, they said. Thus, companies need to be very clear on their definition of success. It could be a combination of characteristics, they said. They cited an example of hiring for a sales position where HR may want to look at balancing the likelihood of turnover, projected close rate [with] their impact on relationships with clients.To be effective, algorithms require human intuition, experimentation, and iteration, they said. Decide which characteristics on an applicants resume need to be measured i.e. college GPA, previous jobs held, interests outside of work and use that to help predict the performance metric that matter to the organisation.Once hired, keep tracking an employees performance and use the data to help in future hiring. The more data points you keep, the better the prediction will be, they said.The right performance metric will need to adjust for the underlying difficulty of the task, they explained. Dont disregard the level of difficulty of different tasks assigned to different employees. Going back to the example of a salesperson, they said that if the best salesperson took on the hardest clients, they might have the lowest closing rates.Some applicants or employees may be tempted to gamify the metrics by acting ways that superficially increase the score, but do not accurately reflect their talent to gain more incentives, the authors warned. Anticipating this will allow you to create sufficiently broad metrics, and to take strategic behaviour into account, they said. Canada had a record number of international visitors this summer. But it could still be doing better in terms of the overall tourism picture. July and August were the strongest and second strongest months for overseas visits from countries other than the United States since Statistics Canada started keeping records in 1972, said a Wednesday data release. Advertisement Seasonally-adjusted data shows that Canada had just over 539,000 overseas visitors in July, and just under 537,000 in August. Those numbers represent year-over-year growth of 17 and 18 per cent, respectively. The U.K. made up the highest proportion of visitors, with 155,297, followed by China (103,670), France (96,560), Australia (62,342) and South Korea (44,672). Advertisement Canada saw an influx of overseas travellers amid a summer tourist season that was strong overall, but still didn't reach the heights it hit in 2001, The Globe and Mail reported. The first eight months of 2016 saw Canada bring in 14 million visitors from other countries, 10 per cent more than the Great White North received in 2015. In 2001, however, Canada brought in 14.8 million visitors. But the Globe noted that the mix of people was different this time. Back then, 12 million Americans made up those visitors, with the balance made up by almost three million from other countries. This year, there have been 9.8 million American tourists from January to August, compared to 4.2 million overseas visitors. Advertisement These trends come in a year in which a low Canadian dollar was expected to boost tourism. And Canadians appear to be adjusting their travel plans when it comes to the United States; that's less true of other destinations. More than 3.2 million Canadians returned from trips to the U.S. in July and August. That was down from about 3.4 million last year and around 3.8 million in 2014. Travel to other countries has been stable over the last two years. About 2 million Canadians returned from visits to overseas countries this year and last, up from around 1.8 million in 2014. Also on HuffPost Best Destinations For Solo Travel See Gallery The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has recovered over $240 million from tax audits focused on real estate in B.C. and Ontario. Over $210 million was collected from cases probed in Ontario between April 2015 and September 2016. Another $30.3 million was recovered in B.C., according to data posted on the agency's website. Advertisement The CRA investigates five central areas of concern when it comes to real estate: Questionable fund source House flipping Unreported income Unreported capital gains and unreported taxes Tax rebates claimed on home sales In Ontario, most of the money was recovered from audits related to rebates. The rest came from GST/HST cases and income tax audits. In B.C., money was recovered differently most of the cash was collected after over 300 GST/HST audits. Meanwhile, $7.1 million was recovered each from income tax and rebate probes. People from both provinces were slapped with $12.5 million in penalties after they knowingly made false statements when filing their tax returns over the past year and a half. The highest individual penalty was $2.5 million. Advertisement Lax enforcement The CRA disclosed the figures months after it faced mounting criticism over a lack of attention to tax fraud in real estate, and as prices have climbed in hot markets like Toronto and Vancouver. Concerns over enforcement of tax cheating in B.C. real estate were heightened this summer following a South China Morning Post report showing that federal auditors were aware of Metro Vancouver's problem for over 20 years. Auditors found that immigrants declaring average income of $23,000 in 1996 had bought up 90 per cent of homes worth more than $600,000 in the Vancouver suburbs of Burnaby and Coquitlam. Buyers could be identified in all the cases. The feds found "similar demographic results" for sales in Vancouver but their work was "ignored," an unnamed source told the newspaper. The Globe and Mail later published a story showing that housing speculators were taking advantage of loopholes and lax oversight by understating their income. Advertisement The CRA subsequently announced it would take a closer look at tax evasion in Canadian real estate, CBC News reported. The numbers reflect an effort to increase scrutiny of tax cheats, but they also show there's more work to be done in B.C., The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday. Almost six times more files were audited in Ontario than on the West Coast, despite its population being only three times bigger, the newspaper said. "We are making a clear effort in British Columbia and our goal is to recover as much money [as in Ontario], if not more," Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthilier told the Globe. Advertisement Also on HuffPost A northern Alberta school board has banned students from wearing clown costumes this Halloween in an effort to curb any anxietes brought on by a rash of recent creepy clown sightings. The Fort McMurray Public School District has outlawed any such outfits as it does "not want any uneasiness and additional stress" from costume choices this year, it said in a memo tweeted Thursday. Advertisement The memo was signed by superintendent Doug Nicholls. The ban was put into place after similar decisions at other schools in Canada and the U.S. A Winnipeg School Division spokesman told CBC News that people wearing creepy clown costumes seem like they want to "deliberately scare people." The New Haven Public School district in New Haven, Conn. banned clown costumes earlier this month, amid a police investigation into an Instagram account that used photos of creepy clowns to make threats of "watch out" and "wait and see" against several schools, reported Global News. Advertisement Police in Airdrie, Alta., told reporters earlier this week that they are investigating several complaints about suspicious people wearing clown costumes and masks. However, Cst. Jennifer Weedmark told the Calgary Sun that as long as the clowns are not harassing or intimidating the public, it is not illegal to dress in a clown costume. Also on HuffPost Donald Trump might not be waiting for the presidential race to end before he launches his next business venture. "Trump TV," a network designed to capitalize on the mounds of supporters he has drawn in the U.S. election, appears to have test-launched Wednesday night, as the Republican presidential candidate sparred with Hillary Clinton in a debate he is widely reported to have lost. Advertisement Only minutes before the debate started, Trump posted a link to a Facebook Live session that featured Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and members of the Trump family in what was called a test run for a Trump-centered news station, BuzzFeed reported. The broadcast was announced with a status reading, "If you're tired of biased, mainstream media reporting (otherwise known as Crooked Hillary's super PAC), tune into my Facebook Live broadcast." It drew as many as 200,000 viewers at one point, but the audience eventually fell to 120,000, BuzzFeed added. Advertisement But that wasn't the only indication that "Trump TV" could become a reality. The "Video" section on Trump's public Facebook account also has a playlist with the hashtag "#TrumpTV." It features video interviews with Trump supporters such as his children Ivanka and Donald Jr., as well as ex-U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich. "Trump TV" is being talked up after Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, met with top media dealmaker Aryeh Bourkoff about creating a channel around Donald's brand. The two met but there has been no follow-up, the Financial Times reported. Vanity Fair reported over the summer that Trump was looking into establishing a network; his campaign manager Stephen Bannon denied it was happening. But Bannon struck a different tone on Wednesday. He didn't answer directly when asked whether Trump is looking to start the network; his only response was, "Trump is an entrepreneur," CNN reported. Advertisement "Trump is an entrepreneur." "Trump TV" could run into an advertising problem if the network is realized, ex-Fox TV chair Sandy Grushow told CNBC. "Most big brand advertisers would avoid it like the plague," he said. "The last thing anyone is looking for is controversy for fear of being boycotted." Also on HuffPost ASSOCIATED PRESS A service dog named Sam rests during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Companions for Life Training Academy, a Veterans Service Dog Training Program & Facility, at the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter in Harahan, La., Friday, Sept. 25, 2015. Veterans will learn to train service dogs and to teach other military veterans suffering from PTSD, brain injury or other medical problems how to train their own pets to meet their medical or psychological needs. They will be among the first participants in the program to teach veterans, including those whoave never worked with canines, to train their own service dogs: animals coming from shelters. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) By Vjosa Isai "I've had veterans who have called me and said, 'I just wanted to let you know my dog just saved my life. I had my gun out. I was going to end my life, and my dog got between me and my gun, so I'm still here'." Advertisement It's calls like this one, from a veteran suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), that make Elizabeth Baker's job as director of the Thames Centre Service Dogs impossibly gratifying. "The rewards are infinite," she says. Baker's centre provides dog services for people with varying medical issues, particularly those suffering from psychiatric disorders. While physical disabilities like blindness more obviously demonstrate the need for a service dog, the animals can be trained to serve a host of people with invisible illnesses as well. These service dogs learn how to respond to mental health issues including PTSD and social anxiety; detect silent conditions like irregular heartbeats or blood sugar levels; and provide emotional support for victims of sexual abuse. Advertisement However, given that many of these conditions do not have the characteristics of a physical disability, owners are sometimes left feeling discriminated against (Get Leashed Magazine readers may already be familiar with Diane's story). In 2014, Alberta soldier, Sgt. Shirley Jew, was asked to pay the pet fee upon boarding an Air Canada flight with her pug-schnauzer-terrier. An airline staff member told Jew that her condition, PTSD, was not counted among its disabilities requiring a service dog. "I never thought I would be treated like a third-class citizen like I was with them. It was a slap in the face," Jew told the Canadian Press. She boarded a different flight for her trip. Air Canada later refunded Jew's ticket and issued a statement in apology for what they called a "misunderstanding." Capt. Jason Haag, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, experienced a similar incident in 2015 with his dog, Axel. Haag, his wife, and Axel were trying to board an American Airlines flight to return home after attending the 2015 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, where Axel won the top prize in the service dog category. Advertisement Despite the fact that Haag had registered his dog with the airline's disabilities department and had no issues on the flight to Los Angeles, his dog was denied boarding on the way back and the trio were stranded for another night. The airline questioned the veteran's medical needs. Haag told ABC News that an airline representative's first question to him was "Is that a real service dog?" "He can take me out of anxiety attacks, he can pull me out of flashbacks...my dog is my lifeline," Haag told ABC News. And it's a feeling shared by many, Baker said. "The dog also negates the need for first responders to have to respond when someone who's having a PTSD break or social anxiety disassociate episode...because the rescue's already right there," Baker explained. People may also be tempted to judge service dogs by the cookie-cutter idea of their size and breed, but not all service dogs are large black Labradors. Advertisement Baker explains that certain breeds cater towards specific needs. Large breed dogs can assist with mobility for owners suffering from things like dizzy spells from their medication, and of course those with eyesight issues. "The small breeds can be just as much of a service dog as the large ones. I have two small breed dogs that are trained for medical alert rescue," she said. The dogs are trained to alert the owner prior to an episode for conditions like diabetes and epilepsy. And service animals aren't limited to just dogs. Equine Facilitated Counselling, or horse therapy, is another form of therapy serving a host of mental health issues. One of the most common ways that these animals serve their clients is through deep pressure therapy, Baker said. "Whether it's the dog leaning against the person, or lying across their lap, or lying across their feet...as long as there's pressure being provided against some part of the client's body, that helps the client feel grounded and comforted," she said. Advertisement Service dogs can also wake clients up during a nightmare or climb into their beds to provide comfort when they sense their owner is going into a night terror episode. For people with anxiety issues the dogs are trained to turn on lights and clear a room of any strangers. Victims of sexual abuse, including children who are testifying of their assault in court, can be helped by the presence of a service dog. In fact, Baker said that it often makes it easier for children giving disclosure of their assault to police because they focus on the dog's presence. Baker has also seen a teenage client grow from being someone whose anxiety got in the way of going to school, into a university graduate who walked their service dog across the stage when receiving their diploma. No matter what the animal or disability, visible or invisible, Baker stresses one thing for anyone approaching a service animal: Do. Not. Pet. It. "You can distract the dog from doing its job by asking to pet the dog...That could cost the individual their life." Advertisement And that's what it comes down to. No matter the breed, or how big they are, or how much someone thinks they "look" like a service dog, we ought to respect the fact that these dog are there to help their owners get on with day-to-day life. In the same vein, you should not question a service dog on the leash of a person with an invisible condition. There is a spectrum of dogs out there trained to serve a spectrum of serious illnesses and these owners should not have to disclose details of their medical condition just to satisfy skeptics and the narrow expectation of what a service dog looks like. pogrebkov via Getty Images Makeup products to even skin tone and complexion on aged paper. Corrector, loose and compact powders, concealer pencil, liquid foundation with brushes and cosmetic sponges. Retro style processing Fall is officially here and I believe there's always a sense of a new beginning in the cool air. If you've been curious about cruelty-free cosmetics, now is the perfect time to try new beauty products and discover your next must-haves. With the increased awareness that Canada still allows the practice of cosmetic animal testing which results in pointless suffering by innocent animals, the following Canadian companies prove that beauty products can be colourful, effective, and cruelty-free. I provide brief summaries of each company below along with my personal beauty favourites. Happy cruelty-free beauty shopping! A photo posted by Lippy Girl Makeup (@lippygirlmakeup) on Oct 9, 2016 at 1:42pm PDT Advertisement Lippy Girl Makeup Located in Vancouver, British Columbia and created by Darcey Diehl, Lippy Girl offers natural and organic makeup products ranging from lipsticks, blushes, powder foundations, and eyeshadows. The majority of Lippy Girl products are vegan, with the exception of a couple of items that contain beeswax. Lippy Girl recently added a new line of organic and vegan lipsticks called Vego-Maniac which includes five new gorgeous shades in recyclable aluminum packaging. Not only is this Canadian company certified cruelty-free by Logical Harmony and PETA, Lippy Girl supports the Humane Society International's Be Cruelty-Free Campaign which works towards ending cosmetic animal testing. My personal favourites from Lippy Girl are the Extra Virgin Lip Gloss for a non-sticky shine, Vegocentric Lipsticks in Surf Betty and Ski Bunny for pretty nudes, and recently the new Vego-Maniac Organic Lipstick in Totes for a pop of bright coral-pink, even in cooler temperatures. Advertisement A photo posted by TrustFundBeauty (@trustfundbeauty) on Oct 10, 2016 at 3:33pm PDT Trust Fund Beauty Located in Montreal, Quebec and created by Samara Granofsy, Trust Fund Beauty offers nail and makeup products ranging from beautiful nail polishes with creative and snarky names, nail polish removers, liquid lipsticks, and lip glosses. Their acetone-free nail polish removers are effective and have a pleasant scent because of the mint and orange essential oil blends. Trust Fund Beauty recently added several new shades of their liquid lipsticks, including two ultra dark and rich shades called Man Hunt and Rude Dude. Also available is a really adorable Puppy Pack that will surely please dog lovers. It includes four dog toys in the shapes of a martini glass, ice cream cone, and two nail polishes, plus it includes the matching nail polishes in the shades Do You Know Who My Father Is? and Rich Bitch. If you would like to try smaller versions of their nail polishes, the different mini sets with six nail polishes is a great option. Not only does Trust Fund Beauty offer 100% vegan products, but they are certified cruelty-free by Logical Harmony and Leaping Bunny. Advertisement It is important to note that although Trust Fund Beauty is a Canadian company, prices on the website are displayed in U.S. dollars and products are shipped from the U.S. My personal favourites are the mint-scented nail polish remover and the nail polishes Do You Know Who My Father Is?, a pretty light pink and Dirty Rich, a medium mocha shade. A photo posted by Marnie Cipriani (@pellebeauty) on Aug 31, 2016 at 7:47am PDT Pelle Beauty Located in Toronto, Ontario and created by Marnie Cipriani, Pelle Beauty offers natural, luxurious, and artisanal skincare products ranging from facial serums and balms, blemish and aroma oils, cleansers and mists, lip balms, and perfumes. Known for highly concentrated and waterless formulas, Pelle Beauty products are created in small batches which ensures the use of the finest natural ingredients. Pelle Beauty has recently added new products to their skincare line; a Face+Body Balm, Beauty Mask, and a Cleansing Oil+Makeup Remover. Also available is a Cleanse+Hydrate Kit which includes all three of the recently launched products and the extremely soft Shoo-Foo washcloths. All of Pelle Beauty products are 100% vegan and certified cruelty-free by Logical Harmony. My personal favourites are the Vegan Lip Balm, Luxe Beauty Oil, and Luxe Beauty Balm. Both Luxe products keep your complexion glowing and are effective in adding moisture and eliminating dryness. Advertisement A photo posted by routine. (@routinecream) on Sep 15, 2016 at 5:21pm PDT Routine Located in Calgary, Alberta and created by sisters, Neige and Pippa Blair, Routine offers natural cream deodorants in three formulas and various scents. Routine prides itself on creating effective deodorants that don't cause harm to the body by only using natural and clean ingredients. Routine recently launched The Curator, a new deodorant formula made without baking soda for extra-sensitive skin. They also made available a sample kit of all their deodorants, which is really great way to try Routine products and to find your favourite formula and scent. Routine is certified cruelty-free by Logical Harmony and offers three scents in their vegan formula; Sexy Sadie, Johnny's Cash, and Lucy In The Sky. My personal favourite is Sexy Sadie, not only because there's a bird on it, but for its effectiveness and ylang ylang scent. I would love to hear if you've tried any of the products mentioned and which products you're curious about -- Let's talk cruelty-free beauty below! Advertisement Visit Humane Society International to learn more about the Be Cruelty-Free Canada campaign to ban cosmetic animal testing in Canada. The five things you need to know on Thursday, October 20 1) PUTIN HIS FOOT IN IT Well, that was a helluva bitter and joyless Presidential TV debate. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were heading for a shared points victory after a very personal slugfest - until he blurted out that he wouldnt necessarily accept the result of the election. Advertisement That makes him the first Republican or Democrat candidate in living memory to suggest he would actually reject the outcome. Trump is used to breaking the rules, thats his whole USP. But while his words will galvanise his base, they may well deter the very people he needs to win: the independent and wavering voters in the middle, who already suspect hes just too unstatesmanlike for the White House. Trumps line that I will look at it [the election result] at the timeI will keep you in suspense also risks making him sound like a tinpot dictator. And the resemblance to Vladimir Putin, who has long been accused of not exactly adhering to Western-style democracy, was unhelpful too. Especially as Clinton hammered home her line that Trump was a puppet of the Kremlin. One of the worst moments for Trump (apart from his 'bad hombres' soundbite) was when he actually suggested US intelligence agencies were wrong to assume Russia was cyberhacking the US election through Wikileaks and other methods: our country has no idea of what Russia was upto, the Donald claimed. Theres a lesson too here, perhaps, for a British audience. Trump was not ready to accept the election result because the media is so corrupt.it poisoned the minds of the voters.I think the voters are seeing through it. Advertisement That sounds precisely like some of the more avid Corbynistas, who are ready to say that even a Labour hammering in a general election would not be Jeremy Corbyns fault, it would be the fault of the mainstream media (and the PLP). Trumps talk of rigged elections also had echoes of John McDonnells talk of a rigged purge of Labour members this summer. And Farages claims that the Oldham by-election was rigged too last year. Not great company to be in, some Labour MPs mutter. Corbyn had a good PMQs on health spending yesterday, but after that MORI poll giving the Tories another record lead (as UKIP collapse), talk of a spring election is growing again among Government backbenchers. 2) A SMOOTH BOUCHE Tonight is Theresa Mays first EU summit as PM and the overnight brief from Government officials is that she will tell fellow leaders there will be no second referendum. As usual, the Brussels working dinner has several courses of discussion, with the main course set to be the EUs relations with Russia. Government sources couldnt tell us yesterday if Brexit would be the starter, pudding or cheese course. Something tells me its unlikely to be the amuse bouche, thats for sure. In our briefing we also learned that May will tell colleagues she wants a smooth, constructive, orderly exit for the UK. So, its not soft or hard, its smooth Brexit. Sir Humphrey Appleby would be proud of that one. Philip Hammond however seems pretty determined not to have a hard landing. In his evidence to the Treasury Select Committee, the most striking moment was his warning to Brexiteer Cabinet ministers not to box the PM in. Those that are undermining the effort are those that are seeking to close down that negotiating stance, seeking to arrive at hard decisions that we dont need at this stage. The Sun confirms from sources close to Hammond that he was talking specifically about Liam Fox - and customs unions. Advertisement The Chancellor also rather boldly appeared to take aim at Mays own decision to include students in the net migration target. He said the key question was not what politicians thought, but what does the public understand should be included within that definition?. Its Brexit Questions in the House at 9.30am, with DD v Keir Starmer, which is shaping up to be the best Commons telly since Osborne v Balls. They may well want to discuss the Lords EU Committee, which today has a report stating that Parliamentary scrutiny should start before Article 50 is triggered, with the Government asking Parliament to approve the negotiating guidelines. Former No.10 aide Daniel Korski, who is loathed by Eurosceptics, has written a long piece for Politico explaining why he felt Brexit won the day. He points out that in 2014 Cameron said I will not take no for an answer and when it comes to free movement I will get what Britain needs. Those hoping for soft Brexit will be praying the EUs answers on this are a bit more helpful from now on. 3) THE BORN IDENTITY Theres a couple of new twists on the vexed issue of identifying the ages of child refugees arriving in the UK from The Jungle in Calais. First, Jack Straw makes the Mail splash for supporting the idea of dental checks to ascertain age. But second, and this is more speculative but potentially very embarrassing for some, is this new claim that one of the young men (with crows feet) photographed was actually the interpreter for the youths from the camp. Gary Lineker, who came out strongly in support of the child refugees, may relish that one, if it turns out to be true. David Davies, who told the BBC that UK asylum centres have men turning up with grey hair who claim to be 17, not that anyone believes it, may not. Advertisement Meanwhile, Citizens UK, a charity operating in the Calais refugee camp, is threatening to launch legal action against the British government unless it intervenes in the cases of 30 of the most vulnerable children stranded there. BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR Watch Donald Trump deny that he said what hed said about Iraq. 4) PHIL YER BOOTS Its the long-awaited Commons backbench debate on BHS today, with the added kicker of an amendment to strip Sir Philip Green of his knighthood. The amendment, tabled by Tory MP Richard Fuller, has already stripped him of his honour, at least in print on the Order Paper. It says this House notes that: Philip Green received his knighthood for his services for the retail industry, believes his actions raise the question of whether he should be allowed to continue to be a holder of the honour and calls on the Honours Forfeiture Committee to recommend his knighthood be cancelled and annulled. The big question is whether Speaker Bercow will allow a non-binding vote on the motion to allow MPs to put on record their wishes (which can only be delivered by the non-political Forfeiture Committee). The BBC says Sir Philip is meeting the pensions regulator either today or tomorrow to hammer out a payment. No wonder some MPs say that smells of cash for (keeping your) honours 5) RE-WILDEING? An historic injustice is set to be righted with the news that the Government is to grant posthumous pardons to thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted of now-abolished offences. Justice Minister Sam Gyimah said the "hugely important move honours a government commitment made after World War Two code-breaker Alan Turing was pardoned in 2013. Advertisement The so-called "Turing law" will take the form of a new Goverment clause to the Policing and Crime Bill, which the MoJ says will be based on an amendment from Lib Dem peer Lord Sharkey. The change raises the prospect that Oscar Wilde could get a posthumous pardon, a move long advocated by Stonewall, although the complexity of the evidence that led to his conviction in 1895 for gross indecency may make that difficult. The government has declined to support a private members bill on the subject, brought forward by the SNPs John Nicolson, which is due to be debated tomorrow. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. ChristianChan via Getty Images Improving diversity of political representation The Equalities Committee and Organisational Committee discussed various proposals to increase diversity of elected representatives. This including discussions on extending the use of All Women Shortlists in local government selections to help Labour Councillors reach a 50-50 gender balance. Jeremy Corbyn voiced his support for gender balance in both national and local government. It is not currently possible to use AWS for Metro Mayor selections as this isn't including in the current legislation, but Labour will continue to campaign to amend and strengthen this legislation and look at other methods of encouraging more woman, BAME, disabled, working class, LBGT and disabled candidates to stand for elections. With this in mind Labour has launched the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Programme to help train women for leadership roles and a Bursary Scheme to encourage more working class candidates. Advertisement Metro Mayor selections Elections for Metro Mayors will take place across the country in May 2017. Negotiations continue in various regions to agree new devolution deals. Possible Combined Authorities due to elect Metro Mayors include Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West of England, Sheffield City Region, Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority and Tees Valley. The NEC agreed the timetable and process for these elections. Applications for candidates opens on 19 October and closes on 2 November. In line with the NEC work on gender representation and increasing diversity, the selections panels want to give consideration to the widest range of possible applications. We strongly encourage qualified candidates to apply, particularly if they are female or from under-represented groups. Having run Metro Mayor selections for the first time this summer, we have adjusted the process based on feedback from members in the North West and West Midlands. Thank you to everyone who passed on their feedback. I proposed an amendment to allow Council Labour Groups to make supporting nominations, which the NEC agreed to trial. We increased the spending limits slightly to allow candidates to send mailings to members, while still keeping these limits lower than contests like the London Mayoral election in the hope that this will allow a more diverse range of people to contest the selections. We also change the process for nominations so that CLPs and affiliates can either nominate one or two people. If they nominate two people, at least one must be female. Maternity and Paternity Leave for Councillors In the Equalities Committee I raised the topic of Maternity and Paternity Leave for Councillors. Councillors are not paid employees so do not have the same rights as workers, but a number of Councils have formal or informal arrangements to allow Councillors to take parental leave. I am collecting and sharing Council policies - you can view the policies from Islington, Camden and Manchester on my blog. Please do send me your Council's policy - I am working with the LGA and Leader's Office to share best practice. Boundary Review Update New Chief Whip Nick Brown gave an update on the Boundary Review as the Chair of the Steering Group. He and the NEC thanked Rosie Winterton for all her hard work on this. The NEC Steering Group is in the process of agreeing proposals following regional consultations. We agreed that Labour's strategic ambition during the Boundary Review process should be to maximise the number of winnable seats available on the kind of national swing required for Labour to form a government. I have written a Boundary Review FAQs which goes into more details. Advertisement NPF Elections Elections to Labour's National Policy Forum were due to take place next year. The NPF hasn't actually had a chance to meet yet so with that in mind we agreed to push next year's internal elections back until 2018. Leadership election, suspensions, investigations and appeals The Disputes Committee had a lengthy discussion about the process for administering the Leadership election. This included discussions around the suspension of members and registered supporters, resolving ongoing issues and improving the process for next time (which we obviously hope won't be for a long, long time!) A paper with recommendations will be brought to the next relevant meeting. Tackling antisemitism, racism, sexism, islamaphobia, homophobia and other forms of abuse Paulo Fridman via Getty Images There has been vocal and widespread condemnation of the news that Classical Civilisation, History of Art and Archaeology are to be scrapped by the examinations board AQA. The reasons given seemed at first glance somewhat pathetic. It's not financially motivated say AQA (mmmmmm..... As the psychoanalysts say, watch out for the "Cautionary Tale"; the examination board doth protest too much, methinks). Advertisement No, the reason is this: "Our number one priority is making sure every student gets the result they deserve - and unfortunately the number of very specialist options we have to offer in this [Classical Studies] subject's exams creates too many risks on that front. That's why we've taken the difficult decision not to continue our work creating a new AS and A-level." Um. I'd like to set you an exam question. What does that statement actually mean? The arguments against scrapping these subjects have been well rehearsed by eminent Classicists, Archaeologists and Art Historians. Critics might argue that they have an emotional and intellectual vested interest. Of course they have, that makes them experts. Importantly they have witnessed over the years the success of these subjects in getting articulate, well rounded intelligent people into the workforce. For me (yes, in case you ask, I read Classics) this news came soon after I'd enjoyed a lively dinner debate about whether Philosophy should be added to the school curriculum. The point being that the conventional subjects are not wide enough to help us think our way through the accelerating number of complex problems that we face today. When I were a lad, Classical Civilisation, History of Art and Archaeology were NOT an A level option. It was simply Latin, Greek and Ancient History. History of Art and Archaeology were degree courses and Classical Civilisation was being mooted as a subject to open up Greece and Rome to more people without struggling through the Accidence and Syntax of two complex languages. Advertisement The doors into Greek and Roman Civilisation can be hard to open and to navigate. The newer subjects opened up intellectual and creative opportunity that was previously never available unless you were rich and idle enough to take The Grand Tour in the nineteenth century. This latest scholastic rumpus simply highlights the inadequacies of our educational system in a post digital, post global, post linear and, yes, post-truth, world. Our times push urgent and important questions and invite serious reassessment. Maths is essential. But does very child need to run the same course to GSCE? Our 11 year old is asking me to help with algebraic problems that I have never witnessed nor needed in forty years of work. We need top-level mathematicians, obviously, but at this stage they're already standing out and should be hugely supported. Yet when I hear Marcus De Sautoy, the Oxford Professor whose job is to popularise mathematics, talk more widely about the wonders of maths, I am compelled to wonder whether the Theory of Maths wouldn't be a more useful GSCE. De Sautoy, in August of 2013 explained why the fusion of science and theatre is proving an explosive combination. That's more like it. History, Geography, Physics, (all of which can become fused into Archaeology quicker than we think) can all be questioned. Is learning about the Stuarts more important than learning about the Persians? Personally I am sure there would be greater understanding of, and less confusion over, current affairs if the developments of the Middle East were studied in History. Brexit, after all, has thrown us pleading onto the thresholds of every country in the world. The history of Great Britain is indeed fascinating, but might just be a niche subject. As for languages, Spanish is surely more useful than French, which has held its cornerstone foreign language position since time immemorial. If you can't decide on the French v Spanish debate just stick to Latin, it covers both. And Italian. And Romanian. And Portuguese. And much of English. Oh, and Catalan. That's a billion people, in round numbers. Advertisement Wider choice seems to be the mantra of the day in education. It is translated into wider choice of school type (by adding Grammar Schools). Yet we seem to be narrowing options at the same time. Beyond Poldarkland there's a wider world. Across the Channel in France heads are rolling: Louis XVI has been executed. 'Cause it's the French Revolution and the gentry are at risk. Snake-in-the-grass George Warleggan exploits this to his advantage. He has plans for the Warleggan empire, which include razing peasant cottages to build a bank, and making Elizabeth his wife. Ever the romantic, he reckons that the best way to achieve this is through fear. "Urge her to be vigilant, warn her to be on her guard," he tells the oleaginous Tankard. Even he looks askance at George's plans. Advertisement Elizabeth writes to Ross for assistance. However, after Prudie forgets to pass the note on to Ross or Demelza, it goes unacknowledged. Not that Ross would have seen it anyway - he's away on a dodgy booze cruise to France with Trencrom, Henshawe and Mark Daniel's brother, Paul. The outing is top-secret and the worry of that - along with Ross' deal with Trencrom to stash smuggled goods under the library at Nampara - is getting to Demelza. Not to be put off, Elizabeth rides to Nampara looking for Ross. Aware of the on-going frisson between Ross and Elizabeth, Demelza is unforthcoming. "He's from here," says she. "Then I expect he was too busy to reply," says Elizabeth. "Yes," replies Demelza. "I expect he was." That tells her. It is a frosty encounter. Wrapped up in her own affairs, Elizabeth is unaware of the pressure Demelza is under. Little does she know too that Demelza would offer more protection than Ross right now: angrily hacking wood in the back yard with a saw that calls to mind a guillotine, Demelza is not to be messed with. It all calls for some sea-staring: Demelza stands on the cliff edge as if hoping to catch sight of Ross on the horizon. Advertisement Things really are serious. After Caroline cleared his 1,400 Wonga loan, Ross encounters yet more hurdles. With only two weeks of coal left, no money for the pumping engine and still no sign of the Treworgie copper lode whether they approach it from Leisure or Grace, it's all rather desperate for Ross and his shareholders. Ross must find Mark Daniel, who swore he knew where to find copper. En route to France on the booze cruise, Trencrom stops off at St Mary's, where they are to meet Mark Daniel. Wild-eyed and driven mad with guilt and rage, Mark is barely recognisable. His nonsensical replies to Ross and Henshawe's leading questions show he knows nothing. Poor Mark Daniel. It's a good job there's a stretch of ocean between him and Enys, with whom he has previous. Although Karen the actress' death was not Enys' fault, it is on his conscience. Reluctant to leave Cornwall and his patients, Enys doesn't want a life of subterfuge or to compromise his honour, but agrees to start afresh with Caroline in Bath, where his history with Karen is unknown. To do this, he and Caroline will have to elope, as Uncle Ray would never agree to their marriage. They agree to leave in the night. Sounds like a plan? It is. Perhaps it was inevitable that it should be scuppered by pretty but gormless Rosina, who has a bit of a 'thing' for dishy Doctor Enys (and who can blame her?). After slipping on cobbles she injures her leg again (with a name like Hoblyn, is she destined to do anything else?). Demelza goes to find Enys for help. Enys is due to meet Caroline very soon, but unable to bear the thought of leaving Rosina to Doctor Choake, who will undo all Enys' good work, he decides there's time to treat Rosina's leg. But why does Rosina's dad say that Enys had told Charlie to take to his bed? Enys did no such thing. Advertisement The informer is still at large - could Charlie be trying to throw everyone off the scent? As Enys points out, Charlie has some awfully fancy curtains and candlesticks for a sailmaker. Miracle worker and now supersleuth, Enys puts two and two together when he spies the coloured-in Infant Number Book that belongs to law enforcer Jim Vercoe's son, Hubert, on Charlie's sideboard. While Enys and Charlie fight, Vercoe's soldiers swarm the district and prepare to ambush Nampara cove, in anticipation of Ross' return with a drop from France. Enys rides to the cove to warn the smugglers. "Wait until everything's off the boat," says Vercoe to his men. Oh, the tension! Amid the ensuing commotion when Ross sees Enys' flare, Ross escapes for Nampara. Caught up in events to save Ross, Enys is knocked out. There's no chance of meeting Caroline on time now. As Caroline waits, she realises that Enys has stood her up, so goes to London with Uncle Ray. Oh, poor Enys! And poor Caroline! I hope that's not the last we've seen of her. As for Charlie, his dead body lies on the beach. "Was he killed or did he do the job himself?" asks Jud. No one knows, but I for one won't miss his sanctimonious and patronising manner. Gormless Rosina can do better. Advertisement And Ross? At Nampara soldiers are stationed outside the front door, but he is nowhere to be found. Little does everyone know that he's right under their noses. Beneath the false floor under which Trencrom stashes his smuggled goods there is another secret compartment. Ross has hidden himself in it and, when all is quiet, out he emerges, like a chick from a shell. It's quite a magic trick. I'd quite like to know how he got himself in there, replacing the false floor, rug and table - did I miss that bit? And what about his pumping engine? Will he keep that running? Who knows? There was a conspicuous lack of vigorous riding in this episode, too. Sadly, the only pistol pulled out was Aunt Agatha's. "Better to rely on one's own reserves," says she, whipping it from her shawl. Well, a woman has needs, you know. I want to be like her when I'm 95. Perceptions of Birmingham can be oppositional when it comes to Muslims and Islam. On the one hand, Birmingham has been somewhat infamously referred to by a Fox News 'expert' as a place that is "totally Muslim where non-Muslims just simply don't go". On the other, it is the "best place in Europe to be pure Muslim". Despite such a glowing commendation, Birmingham might not have been the 'best place' to be Muslim in recent years. From being securitised by the 220-plus CCTV and ANPR cameras that were positioned around two of the most densely populated Muslim areas of the city under the moniker of the now defunct 'Project Champion' to being implicated by Operation Trojan Horse's hoax allegations of an 'Islamist takeover' of a number of the city's council-run schools, the detrimental impact on Muslims and their communities both inside and outside the city cannot be underestimated. What we do know however is that outside of London, Birmingham is Britain's most multicultural city. While the concept of multiculturalism has been attacked in recent years, Birmingham's multiculturalism is what the former city-based sociologist Paul Gilroy refers to as convivial: ordinary, taken-for-granted and to some extent, unexceptional. Significant within that convivial multiculturalism are the city's Muslim communities. The most populous outside of London, the 2011 Census states that Birmingham is home to 233,923 people identifying as Muslim. At around 22% of the city's population, this is significantly higher than the 4.8% of the population Muslims make up in England and Wales. Most striking however is that of those who identified as Muslim, 97,099 - or 41.5% - were under 16 years of age. Advertisement As with other minority communities, Birmingham's Muslims disproportionately experience high levels of deprivation. So much so that 71.7% of the city's Muslim population live in seven of the city's most deprived wards: Sparkbrook (19,372); Bordesley Green (18,629); Washwood Heath (16,847); Springfield (13,461); Lozells and East Handsworth (10,853); and Nechells (8,822). Of these, Bordesley Green, Washwood Heath and Nechells are in the top 1% of most deprived Super Output Areas in the country. This is important because we know from research that those who live in deprivation typically experience poor health, low family income and educational underachievement. Unsurprisingly, Birmingham's Muslims experience higher rates of unemployment and economic inactivity than others in the city. While so, this is not the experience of all Muslims in the city. So while Birmingham is home to the highest number (44,687) of Muslim 'low achievers' (Never Worked and Long-term Unemployed Population) in Britain, it's also home to the highest number (6,033) of Muslim 'high achievers' (Higher Managerial, Administrative and Professional Occupations). Advertisement When it comes to the impact of deprivation, there are many potential challenges facing Birmingham's young Muslim population. Not least of these are housing, employment and education. Education presents a particularly pertinent challenge not least because in a number of wards across the city, Muslims account for more than 80% of the school age population. In Washwood Heath this figure is even higher where around 86% of all children aged between 5 to 15 years are Muslim. While this raises a number of questions about how best to meet the educational needs more widely, the fact that Washwood Heath was one of the wards directly affected by the Trojan Horse allegations so the challenges that we will need to face in the short term future has the very real potential to attract further adverse political intervention and greater media scrutiny. In fact the same is true of many of the socio-economic issues that the city is likely to face in the short and medium futures. While it is likely that some will be incorrectly represented as 'Muslim issues', the reality will be that they are indeed anything but: issues that are instead rather more about 'us' as a whole rather than 'them' as an 'other'. For this reason, it is desperate that we do not allow political intervention or media scrutiny to deflect the attention away from the challenges facing all of Birmingham's communities and onto its Muslim communities, further problematizing and vilifying them in the process. It is for this reason that on Friday 21 October 2016, I will be facilitating a day-long event at the University of Birmingham where it is hoped that a much needed space can be created where new conversations about the challenges facing both Birmingham's Muslim and non-Muslim communities can begin. As necessarily frank as indeed necessarily honest, these conversations will seek to confront the challenges facing Birmingham's Muslims as indeed the opportunities available. If successful, it is hoped that these conversations - which will undoubtedly need to be ongoing - will go some way to contributing towards making Birmingham an even more successful and cohesive city for all. NUS With the release of the Home Affairs Select Committee's (HASC) much publicised report concerning antisemitism in the UK, campus tensions facing Jewish students have once more become a pressing issue of public discourse. Amid the general rise of antisemitic incidents in the UK, the British press has notably covered alleged antisemitic behaviour within the National Union of Students (NUS) and Oxford University's Labour Club. Advertisement These problems have only been exacerbated in the months since February and March - and the HASC report is a welcome step towards combatting antisemitism within the student movement. Unsurprisingly, the HASC report's section on campus antisemitism refers to the well-known comments of NUS President Malia Bouattia, in which she described the University of Birmingham as a "Zionist Outpost." The committee's MPs have concluded that such behaviour - among many other incidents - smacks of outright racism. This is not to mention the scathing conclusion that Bouatia appeared not to have taken campus antisemitism "sufficiently seriously." Of course, this is a long-held view, particularly among many Jewish students and was most notably expressed by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) Campaign Officer, Josh Nagli, in a strong statement in response to comments made by Bouattia in the Guardian in September. While the report has admirably tried to draw attention to a generally ignored issue, the response to it among the student movement has not been encouraging. One open letter to the Home Affairs Select Committee in support of Malia Bouattia - signed by over 150 student leaders - encapsulates the problem of antisemitism among the student left. Advertisement Despite the HASC report making recommendations that the NUS leadership and UJS should seek to repair relations and welcome moves towards dialogue, this conciliatory approach was completely rejected by the signatories to the open letter. The letter even goes so far as to say that "all false statements should be retracted, along with an apology to those who have been vilified by the inaccuracies and partisan biases it contains." The final paragraph in particular has enraged Jewish students, who feel that their concerns and oppression has not been taken seriously. In this, the open letter states that those signing it (a significant faction within the student movement) "believe the report's selective and partisan approach seeks to discredit Malia Bouattia as President. An attack on NUS is an attack on the student and union movement." This is appalling reasoning. Implying that highlighting antisemitism is a political tool used only to discredit individuals is utterly self-absorbed and risks drawing attention away from the wider ranging consequences that this poisonous ideology has on society. Just as the report claims Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour party has allowed for safe spaces for vile anti-Jewish hatred to emerge, the same can be said for the student movement. Unfortunately, it has shown disregard for UJS officers, Jewish students and other student leaders who have stood up to antisemitism, and in the words of one UJS officer, is riddled with people who seek to deny anti-Semitism and the legitimate concerns of Jewish students. Advertisement The outrage that has followed legitimate criticism over a failure to deal with antisemitism can only strengthen these feelings, and demonstrates the rank hypocrisy of a student movement which zealously claims to be anti-racist. The lack of trust which has now developed between the NUS and UJS - two organisations which have historically shared a proud record in combatting racism - is a sad state of affairs, and I do not have the confidence that this relationship can be repaired while Malia Bouattia is NUS President. While she refuses to accept any of her past comments have been problematic, her supporters seem blind to the problem, more intent on suggesting that highlighting incidents of antisemitism is done to demonise their leadership than dealing with the problem itself. Mary Turner via Getty Images A weekend in Calais. Recently Lily Allen made a trip to Calais with Help Refugees/Calais Kitchens to shine a media coloured flash light on what's happening there. This weekend, we made the same trip to work in the Calais Kitchens, which is part of L'Auberge des Migrants, who are under the same umbrella of charities such as Help Refugees. For those of you not up to date with current World news, there are around 10,000 desperate refugees in the 'camp', which has been nicknamed the "jungle". Occupants of the camp at the time included 1022 unaccompanied minors and a reportedly 200 or so women. Advertisement Just so you know, this is not meant to be a political blog. Although I somewhat agreed with Lily Allen, and was more than happy to let her apologise on behalf of me. Does apologising mean we take all the blame? Isn't that what the English do? Apologise when someone is sad? "My cat died," "Oh, I'm sorry." Doesn't mean I killed it. I am not qualified or anywhere near as informed to discuss this but I will today as its about the lives of 10,000 refugees. People who are brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers, someone's child - Fellow human beings. Although, from what I see, not being treated as such. Most of these refugees want to come to the UK. A lot have family over here. We are better at offering asylum over France who rejects around 3/4 of its applicants. For anyone "lucky" enough to have their application taken seriously, they are placed in a detention centre - a jail if you like - despite committing no crime, while they wait months to have their fate decided. From the little I saw, they wouldn't want to stay in France, and I do not blame any of them. The police are reported to intimidate the camp, throw tear gas at them and steal the shoes off of the men when they have annoyed them. Advertisement FYI: This is why the charities set up are often desperate for shoes. Shocking isn't it? The camp is a mixture (mostly of men) from Sudan, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran and Iraq - all fleeing war torn countries, desperate for safety, work and to be reunited with family. Desperate to be treated as people, desperate for basic human rights. Why is it mostly men? Well, its men who are asked to fight with terrorist organisations. It's also an incredibly dangerous journey to undertake, but these men hope, that by reaching the UK they can arrange for any children back home to be sent to join them. There's more in this piece from The Guardian. A lot of these men are skilled engineers, mechanics, builders. Some are still studying and want to continue doing so when, or if they make it. These people are fleeing their home to take dangerous trips across Europe in desperation, traipsing through 7 or 8 countries sometimes, so they can try and have something that resembles a life. They are running away from dictators, terrorism, poverty and death. One friend of Isabel's, the comedy writer and tireless fundraiser who I went with, was from South Sudan. He refused to join the militia, so was made to watch his wife and child be executed in front of him, beaten, he was then forced to join - but ran away to make the horrid journey, country hopping to Calais. I'm sure if he ever makes it here the press will advertise he was in the militia once. He told my friend it was the first time he had done anything 'illegal'. He is desperate to get asylum in the UK so he can get his only remaining child over to join him. I for one, want them here. Knowing people want to come to our shores makes me proud. I am proud to be British with all our mixed up heritage. This weekend, I wasn't so proud. I was fundraising like some kind of fundraising addict all last week, in the hope to take 7,000 to the Calais Kitchens (we did BTW *tiny cheer*), money they desperately need to send food parcels into the camp that will allow the refugees to cook for themselves with a semblance of dignity. It takes roughly 21,000 a week to feed everyone seeking refuge. I work in comedy, so luckily a few well known comedians shared my link on Twitter. Christian O'Connell and Jason Manford. (Cheers lads). It was with Christian's tweet that Pointless legend Richard Osman kindly retweeted, but I certainly didn't expect to see the replies I got. I have no care for these fuckwits, so I will happily attach them here. Strap in. (PS: Sorry for language) Advertisement Where is the humanity in any of this? Yes they are mostly men. Yes, perhaps it shouldn't be "our problem" to fix. Yes, maybe some of them are doing illegal things, probably for the first time in their life, in a desperate attempt just to get a better one. When did we become a country of Katie Hopkins? I thought we all laughed at her? Was that just me? Did we change the joke? Genuinely, all I first tweeted was a link to our JustGiving page. That's it. We had read in the run up to going to Calais that the mood in camp was incredibly tense. The French prime minister, Manuel Valls had come out and said he was demolishing the site. 10,000 people can't vanish away with some washed up tents, so this would only mean more chaos. What I now know, through various volunteers, that on Friday officials asked for all children to come to the meeting area to speak to someone from the UK - only to be turned away and told to come back Monday. Advertisement I know that restaurants made by the campers to cook and make money from people visiting the camp were given eviction notices by the french police in the most distressing manner. I know that I was grilled entering and leaving France by the borders and had my car searched for 10 minutes. I know that France said they would turn away aid workers for 'posing a threat to public order.' Making out volunteers were heading to Calais to protest not fundraise. I know that 120 full time volunteers who go to camp daily to deliver food and supplies say the mood has changed and people are starting to run away due to fear of being put in to detention or worse, being deported back home. I know that the police have stopped the Calais Wood Yard taking in pieces of wood unless they're chopped up into tiny piece in a cruel attempt to prevent the camp from building any structures. Heaven forbid they want something sturdier than a friggin' tent. Advertisement I know that a life, regardless of the colour of their passport, their sex, gender or age; is a life and this cannot and should not continue. My heart breaks for the people living in the Calais camp, the people living in the dangerous countries and the people who have lost their families and loved ones to war. My heart breaks for those people lonely and scared, desperate to live in a country that accepts them and allows them to work. My heart breaks for the volunteers who take cold showers daily and live in caravans, working 8 hour days, 6/7 day weeks to try and help someone have some dignity in an undignified situation. But my heart also breaks for the people who comment online, stating that we should sink the boats, complaining that this isn't our problem and moaning about the UK taking in people. My heart breaks for these people because they are no longer looking at those living in the camp as people, and that's the worst thing anyone can do. Advertisement To anyone thinking you are above this, that your life is worth more, that you don't want or need to help anyone in this world, I pity you. This is one world, just the one. And we're breaking it. Now, I know I can only talk for myself on this one. I know I don't have all the answers on what we can do to stop all this, but to to all the refugees in the world, I am sorry too. Tram-stops in Nottingham aren't often a place of high theatre. I once saw a Jeremy Corbyn supporter and a Jehovah's Witness have a verbal set-to on who had more right to evangelise their respective good word, but that's about it (neither had convincing arguments). So when last week I was repeatedly heckled and called 'a dirty gay' and told by my scruffy accuser that 'fags' make him sick, I knew that I had set a benchmark in public transport melodrama. As he sat on the tram a few seats away, tutting to himself, giving me looks which only a mass murderer would consider flirtatious, I began to create a little tally in my head. Of the homophobic nonsense I have incurred in Britain over the years, all has been perpetrated by British-born Asian men. This particular fool was no different. I was just glad that he was alone. Groups have, in the past, led to violence. I'm terrible in brawls - I'm a dresser not a fighter. Attitudes in Britain's south Asian diaspora towards homosexuality have not evolved in step with mainstream British attitudes. Britain's hands-off approach to integration has meant that the community has been largely immune to the social change Britain has experienced over the last fifty years. Old attitudes, and at times, newly imported prejudices, have largely been left unquestioned. We have a tendency to leave immigrant communities alone to evolve organically. But there is a danger of them developing 'other' to British values and sensibilities. A parallel Britain, with its own value eco-system, sensibilities and tolerances could result. First-generation immigrants can be forgiven for their attitudes, but for the prejudice not to have been largely weaned out by the third generation is a cause for concern. Homophobia exists in other communities, and in mainstream British society, but it is fading and not being reinforced as generation yields to generation Advertisement The government has recent good form on coaxing immigrant communities away from mind sets and practises considered dangerous - its actions on FGM and forced marriages have been successful. It's time for another intervention. There are few community voices urging tolerance and contemplation, the religious leaders - the de-facto moral guides of the South Asian immigrant community - are at best, silent, and at worst, stokers-in-chief of hate. My immediate family has been wonderfully accepting, but we have always been considered a little too liberal by others in the community. The closest I have been to family intolerance is a distant Aunt who suggested that I be admitted to a correctional facility. But I did not take offence, as this is a woman who wears beige, open-toe, orthopaedic sandals with evening wear: she is obviously not of sound mind. But away from my family's safe haven things are very different. Thanks to brave political leadership and a liberal public, the progress in attitude change over the last thirty years has been phenomenal. So much so, that it could almost be believed that he sunlit uplands of true acceptance are just a few paces away. But there are a substantial body of Britons who are far behind on the climb, they are still milling around at the bottom, chattering to themselves. Advertisement I laugh-off the stupidity of the squat little man at the tram stop. I am battled-hardened to intolerance. But I do not rely on the British Indian community for identity and nor do I look to it for approval or support. Others do, and for them, he represents attitudes which they will have to fight daily. Many therefore, choose lives in the shadows. danielfela via Getty Images What if I told you, as you most likely have just recovered from watching two of the worst Presidential candidates in history argue over who has the right to devolve more power and wealth to the Elite, that you don't have to reluctantly place a cross in either of their boxes come November the 8th? That there are other options that may fit your views more closely? That a vote for Jill Stein doesn't add up to a vote for Trump? You certainly wouldn't know it from the two puppets on stage. At the time of writing, the third and final debate has just ended, with both candidates giving statements that reflect the antithesis of their political positions. Donald Trump wants to "run America like a company", talking as if the corporatist shade of free market capitalism isn't already encompassing America, while his counterpart, Hillary Clinton, promised to "stand up to corporations", after taking donations from companies and Big Banks for most of her career. Advertisement In my previous article I mused how America, as a democracy, managed to stumble into a situation with two of the most hated candidates in History. We now do know; according to Wikileaks, Hillary and the DNC colluded to a great extent to push Bernie Sanders out of the running for the nomination, while Donald Trump simply took advantage of a rising tide of nationalism that stems out of failed neoliberalism. (it's interesting to note that Bernie was the antithesis of this - millions flocked to the Vermont Senator for similar reasons, in terms of policies failing working people - and perhaps a Trump vs Sanders race would have more appropriately reflected the electorate). The debates themselves were unruly, full of lies, and presented weak and fractured policy from both parties. (And of course, the candidate that you support won all three!) Whether it be Hillary Clinton becoming visibly rattled over Wikileaks's revelation that she rigged the DNC election, gave shocking speeches to Big Banks or took money from several 'controversial' countries before appearing to lay the foundations for another Cold War, or whether it be Trump incarcerating himself through alienating whole groups of people from his possible vote, this kind of discussion, if we can dignify it with that, is not what the American people need. Through all three debates there was very little on what needs to be done in order to transform the lives of millions of working people (failed by Establishment policies) so they are able to live their lives to an acceptable standard - perhaps the 'vote winner' in a day and age where inequality has risen to an unacceptable degree. Instead, we have Trump somehow gaining blue collar votes by proposing trickle down economics, and Hillary changing her stance (dare I say lying?) about the TPP amongst other issues. Advertisement Foreign policy was also extremely disappointing - and it's telling it took a man like The Donald to say the most sensible thing on Syria. "You funded rebels, we don't know who the rebels are!" - of course, referring to the Obama policy that funded anti-Assad insurgents who would later merge into/align with ISIS. It's clear both candidates, but primarily Clinton, are still pushing for regime change in the region - Trump for his 'Strongman' image, and Hillary to carry on US tradition. (Another aside here - it was interesting when Wallace, who was sound throughout, called for the confirmation of 'peaceful transition' from one government to another - ever heard of Pinochet, Batista, the Shah of Iran?) Still, where were the questions on Hillary's donations from the Saudi regime? Or her disaster in Haiti? Whatever your view, it's in the interest of democracy that both candidates be treated the same on their past. The three debates reflected a microcosm of American media - frame a narrow spectrum to them all their lives, and people will rarely think outside of it. Ask yourself this, especially if you will vote on November 8th - does America need a new brand of alt right nationalism? A rise in anger towards the immigrants who only work to benefit the countries that house them? Or does it need more of the same? More flawed foreign policy, more bowing to the corporate and banking worlds? Getty Few CEOs and senior executives will be unaware of the various initiatives and targets to increase diversity at board level and senior management. Early this year the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills1 announced a new independent review on increasing the representation of women in corporate leadership positions. Similarly, there is an increased awareness of the need to address ethnicity in leadership roles. Whilst ethnic minority board members lag behind their female counterparts, efforts are being made by many companies to redress the white, male bias. But what about LGBT+ executives? With the current focus on smashing the glass ceiling - affecting women and ethnic minorities - not many companies are even aware of the rainbow ceiling. Advertisement LGBT+ people face a high risk of discrimination in the workplace. According to research2 by OUTstanding, 47% of FSTE 100 companies in their survey make no reference to non-discrimination policies for gay, lesbian or bisexual employees in their annual reports. It is no surprise that a recent survey3 uncovered that over half of LGBT+ employees hide their sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, and 23% remain closeted because they believe they will not be considered for promotion or other development opportunities. With a few notable exceptions, there is an absence of visible LGBT+ execs in UK corporates and LGBT+ inclusion is not even on the board agenda. In fact with no official benchmark of LGBT+ inclusion at board level, it could argued that the LGBT+ community is unsupported by business and government. To be even more provocative, is positive discrimination actually putting LGBT+ people, particularly gay white men, at a disadvantage in the boardroom? The Business Case For LGBT+ Inclusion Promoting LGBT+ inclusivity is an opportunity for business. It has positive benefits for consumers, employees, and financial performance. Being able to be 'authentic' at work improves productivity; employees who feel closeted at work are 30% less productive3 than those that are able to be themselves. Organisational cultures that are supportive of LGBT+ people get the best out of their teams. Advertisement There are also advantages for talent recruitment by increasing the sourcing talent pool through positive messaging around LGBT+ inclusion. Skills shortages are a challenge for many UK companies and may well be compounded when we leave the EU. This is a particular issue for the financial services sector, and one that a more diverse and inclusive environment could go some way to address. As well as helping to attract and retain employees, a supportive LGBT+ employer brand can also help companies do business. Clients are attracted to companies that demonstrate their values and inclusivity; not just paying lip service to it but actually living it through company values and culture. The LGBT+ community is a market that should not be ignored; it has a global spending power of $3.7 trillion USD and is very loyal and supportive of LGBT+ friendly brands. However, if a company is not clear about LGBT+ inclusivity then the automatic presumption is that the company is not supportive. Awareness is also a key issue and organisations like Open For Business - a coalition of businesses, including PwC, that share a deep-rooted commitment to diversity and inclusion in their own workplace - are making the business and economic case for LGBT inclusion. LGBT+ representation in senior roles is the key to this opportunity. The boardroom is where significant decisions that affect employees' lives are made, and also where the values, culture and ethos of the company are formed. LGBT+ people need to help shape these decisions and communicate these to the workforce and the wider business community. Business leaders also need to have a better understanding of the challenges and motivations of their LGBT+ employees. What Should Businesses Be Doing? While there are no official benchmarks for LGBT+ inclusion there are plenty of LGBT+ 'power lists' and role model awards. While these provide some incentives for companies to promote LGBT+ inclusion, it is not a message that is getting through to everyone. Out At Work's Top 50 LGBT Executives and OUTstanding's Leading 100 LGBT Executives list, may celebrate those people who have broken the "rainbow" ceiling but there is still poor representation at board level and in more senior roles. Advertisement In my view change must come from the top and this means corporate leadership making it clear that it is OK to LGBT+, to set targets and to promote LGBT+ leaders to ensure representation in the boardroom. Visible senior executives make a big difference in getting this message across, but if historically a company has not promoted LGBT+ inclusion those senior execs may be hard to find. This is why incentives like Quorum - a programme from Out Leadership that proactively identifies and places senior LGBT+ executives on corporate boards - are needed. The focus on smashing the glass ceiling, whilst commendable, has resulted in other minorities being side-lined. Now it is time to smash the rainbow ceiling too. Mark Gossington is a Partner and Global LGBT+ Board Member at PwC UK. He advises clients on risk management and inclusive business issues in the Financial Services sector. He established the first social media PowerList for LGBT+ professionals. 1. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-chair-and-deputy-chair-of-women-on-boards-review-will-champion-female-executives 2. FTSE 100's 2014 Annual Reports by OUTstanding Mr Ush/Flickr The House of Commons will debate what has been labelled the Turing Bill tomorrow, a bill proposed by John Nicholson MP. But ahead of this, the UK Government announced a general posthumous pardon to all gay and bi men who were prosecuted during the 20th Century by unjust and discriminatory sexual offences laws, just as Alan Turing received an individual pardon in 2013. These laws like gross indecency were used by the criminal justice system to prosecute men for having or suggesting consensual sex with other men right the way up to 2003 when Advertisement We welcome this move. But we don't think it goes far enough. As well as issuing a blanket pardon, John Nicholson MP's proposed bill, closes a loophole which means some gay and bi men who are still alive and living with those convictions still can't have them deleted, despite them being unjust and not illegal today. We urge the government to look at bringing this into their proposal. We also don't agree with the Government's interpretation of John Nicolson MP's Bill that a pardon that also includes people still living today is not possible because people who committed crimes that would still be illegal today would think they had been pardoned - John Nicolson's Bill explicitly excludes pardoning anyone convicted of offences that would still be illegal today, including non-consensual sex and sex with someone under 16. And we think it is the right time for the Government to combine this pardon with an apology to all those affected by these unjust laws. The Private Members Bill sponsored by John Nicholson MP (SNP) and supported by MPs from all parties will enable the Government to fulfil its election manifesto pledge to issue a pardon to everyone convicted under old offences like gross indecency that were used by the criminal justice system to prosecute men for having or suggesting consensual sex with other men. Advertisement The persecution of gay and bi men under these laws was at its worst in the early and middle of the 20th century, but continued in many cases right up until the laws were repealed in 2003. It is estimated that around 50,000 men were prosecuted, many are still alive today, while many have since died without them or their loved ones ever receiving an official acknowledgement that the state was wrong to prosecute them for being who they are. The Bill cleans up unfinished business from the last Parliament, where the coalition took two important steps forward in righting these past wrongs. In 2012 they introduced the Protection of Freedoms Act which put in place a mechanism for people still living to apply to have a conviction or caution for a number of key discriminatory offences related to men having consensual sex with other men to be disregarded, that is physically deleted from the criminal record. And in 2013, the Government issued the pardon to Alan Turing, acknowledging that it was wrong for the state to persecute him for being gay, and recognising the huge debt the nation owes him for his role in code-breaking in the Second World War and as one of the founding fathers of computing. Alan Turing was an extraordinary man, whose life was cruelly cut short by the way he was treated for being gay. But his story is just one of many thousands of men who were similarly persecuted for their sexual orientation, and it is time that the Government officially acknowledges that every single prosecution was unjust. Advertisement John Nicolson MP's Bill also closes an important loophole in the Protection of Freedoms Act which meant that men arrested under one section of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 called Section 32 (Soliciting by Men) cannot have their conviction physically removed from the criminal records (disregarded). This law was often used in a discriminatory way right through to the 1980s and 1990s, allowing the police to arrest men who simply chatted up other men (in many cases the unfortunate victims of this law found themselves chatting up plain clothes police officers stationed near a gay pub or other location where gay and bi men socialised). The law was repealed in 2003 with the others on the basis that it was used in a discriminatory way, but the Protection of Freedoms Act did not allow men persecuted under this particular law to have their crimes disregarded. That is wrong, and this Bill will ensure that those people who want to can apply in future to have an unjust conviction under Section 32 to be physical removed from the records. This Bill is the right thing to do. It's important that it is passed and doesn't face the fate of many Private Members Bills in Parliament of running out of time. We are urging MPs to support the Bill and urge you to contact your MP to ask them to take part in the debate on Friday and help ensure the Bill gets to the next stage on its journey into law so that we finally draw a line under the terrible persecution many gay and bi men faced in the UK in last century. Newsletter sign-up HuffPost UK Daily Brief Sign up and we will email you daily with the best of our political and news coverage while also giving you a taste of our most-popular lifestyle, opinion and personal blogs. Recently the UK Science & Technology Select Committee published a long awaited report into robotics and AI, and their implications for society. "Artificial intelligence has some way to go before we see systems and robots as portrayed in the creative arts such as Star Wars," said Dr Tania Mathis, the committee chair. Whilst she is, of course, right, that isn't to say that ground isn't being made in AI applications in the military. A good example of this is the recently prototyped product from Roke Manor Research as part of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). Advertisement AI at sea The device, known as STARTLE, utilizes a range of AI techniques to monitor and evaluate threats at sea. The system, which has been inspired by the fear response mechanism in the mammalian brain to detect and assess potential threats incredibly quickly, thus giving existing operators valuable support in complex and challenging situations. If such a system finds its way into the sensor suites currently deployed on navel vessels, it would provide invaluable support to the staff on board, as it would be capable of processing several sources of information simultaneously, providing staff with a swift and accurate assessment of the environment. "This is an exciting project for us. Traditional methods of processing data can be inefficient so we have looked at the human brain's tried and tested means of detecting and assessing threats to help us design a better way to do it. The techniques have the potential to benefit the Royal Navy," the Roke team say. The system has already been tested out in a virtual environment, with STARTLE capable of redistributing resources to examine the potential threat in more detail, all in the blink of an eye. Advertisement "The project draws upon every element of Roke's 60 years of experience in sensors, data science, communications and cyber security. Innovations such as these build real momentum for our clients, enabling the pull through of research into operational capability," Roke continue. The project will be integrated into the Open Architecture Combat System, which is a demonstrator facility designed to showcase research ideas in a representative combat environment. Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trumpspeaks as Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton listens during their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 19, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Ralston/Pool During the third presidential debate Donald Trump continued his vicious campaign denouncing women who charge him with sexual assault. He assaults them once again by calling them horrible, liars, and fame seekers. He also dismisses media that report their accusations as corrupt and part of a vast conspiracy to undermine his presidential campaign. Trump has threatened to pursue legal action against both his accusers and the media outlets that report their accusations. As of October 17, ten women have publicly accused Trump of inappropriate and unwanted sexual aggression. Trump continues to call Hillary Clinton a criminal even though she has been investigated by numerous government agencies and has never been brought up on charges. According to the United States Justice Department, rape is defined as "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." By this definition, the accusation by at least one of the women who denounced Trump's actions might legally constitute rape. Advertisement Unfortunately Trump is not the only prominent figure or company that feels it is okay to dismiss allegations, coddle sexual assault, or blame the victims of aggression for allowing it to happen. Fox News fired former CEO Roger Ailes after he was accused of sexual harassment by twelve women, but gave him a $40 million severance package. After being fired, Ailes became a major advisor to the Trump presidential campaign. The British newspaper The Guardian recently reported that Pearson Education, which boasts that it is the world's largest education publisher, distributes a textbook in South Africa that teaches secondary school students that at least some rape victims are responsible for being raped. The textbook, published by Pearson's South African subsidiary, Maskew Miller Longman, has been used since 2011. According to The Guardian, "The textbook - aimed at children aged 15 and 16 - includes a question based on a girl's account of being raped at a party. In the example, a girl named Angie explains that she went to the party without her parents' permission, got drunk and was locked in a room with a boy, who raped her. Pupils are then asked to answer three questions, the first of which reads: "List two ways in which Angie's behaviour led to sexual intercourse." Ben Phillips, the director of policy at Action Aid International, called it appalling "that in a Pearson school textbook schoolchildren have to blame rape survivors to pass the test." Lisa Vetten, a research associate at Witwatersrand University in South Africa highlighted the question's use of the phrase "sexual intercourse." "To use 'rape' and 'sexual intercourse' interchangeably is to fundamentally misunderstand the nature and effects of rape." Advertisement The Pearson subsidy has submitted corrections to South Africa's education officials and plans to print a new edition. In a letter to John Fallon, Pearson CEO, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and South African Democratic Teachers Union General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke called on Pearson, as a partial corrective measure, to make "significant financial contribution to organizations combating gender violence in South Africa." That is a reasonable request. According to the United Nations, South Africa has the highest rate of rape in the world. Police report 147 sexual offenses a day. Diwali is the Hindu festival of light, and we pray each year to be led from untruth to truth (asato ma sad gamaya), from darkness to light (tamaso ma jyotir gamaya), and from the transient to that which has ultimate value (mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya). The truth that we pray for on Diwali is the truth of goodness and righteousness. It is truth that challenges us to search into our minds, hearts and traditions for the ethical values that guide our daily choices. To reflect on Diwali this year, while disregarding the elections that are only days away, is irresponsible. It makes a major Hindu festival irrelevant to one of the most important choices that we must make as citizens of a democratic nation. How may this Hindu festival provide illumination for us in what is an especially turbulent time when we yearn for light and wisdom? An election should be a time when a nation engages in a process of deep discernment. As in the Upanishad prayer that I just mentioned, that discernment must be guided by the light of knowledge (jyotih) and not ignorance, by a passionate concern for seeking truth (sat) and not falsehood, and by a commitment to what ultimately matters (amrta) and not the trivial. Sadly, what we see today is a reckless indifference to truth and an appeal to narrow self-interest. Untruths that demean others, and that stir hate and fears are peddled daily. The attainment of power, and not truth and wisdom, has become the object of ultimate value. Truth is equated with expediency and convenience and redefined as that which ensures electoral victory; the means justifies the end. Advertisement More specifically, what is the truth that matters in the voting booth? The Hindu tradition answers with an explicit moral criterion. The Bhagavadgita advises us, twice, that all choices must be exercised with a concern for the universal common good. Consideration for the universal common good is equated with wisdom and virtue; it is what distinguishes the unselfish and wise person from the one who is selfish and unwise. The Hindu tradition requires that we make the public good the purpose of public policy. The Sanskrit expression, lokasangraha, which I translate here, as "universal common good," is inclusive. It includes all human beings, but also the world of nature. One who is concerned about the universal common good values and respects all beings and is devoted to their flourishing. Such a person does not privilege unjustly the interests of a particular race, religion, nation, or gender. Concern for lokasangraha does not exclude the pursuit of personal or national interests. What it does exclude is the pursuit of such interests in ways that impede the flourishing of other beings or nations. It excludes trying to lift oneself or one's nation by crushing others. Commitment to the universal common good is not just an abstract or "feel good" response to the world. Policies and actions that aim to overcome suffering are a necessary concomitant to a commitment to lokasangraha. Human beings do not flourish when they are the victims of injustice and violence and when they lack opportunities to attain life's necessities that include health care, housing, education, good work and leisure. Women do not flourish when they are denigrated, and disrespected and reduced to sexual objects. No one flourishes in a culture that is obsessed with national greatness and not the overcoming of suffering. Lokasangraha requires thoughtful and compassionate consideration about the implications of our choices for the interrelated fabric of life. The ripple effects of our actions go deep and far. The Hindu teaching on karma reminds us that the consequences of our actions reach into the future and even beyond the span of our own lives. Through our choices today, we are shaping the world for future generations, and determining the quality of their lives. Our freedom to choose comes with a profound responsibility, but this must not deter us from exercising it. Advertisement The Hindu tradition also makes a very specific moral demand on those who aspire to leadership. The Bhagavadgita (3:21) reminds us that leaders significantly influence the moral character of a society by their words and actions. The text repeats the word, "whatsoever,' to emphasize that everything a leader says and does is important. The moral significance of words should never be trivialized, especially when words demean and strip others of dignity. The Hindu tradition does not sanction moral compartmentalization in a leader's life to permit double standards and hypocrisy. It demands sincerity and moral consistency for the sake of a nation's moral health. Regard for the universal common good requires that we carefully examine the morality of a leader's words and actions in evaluating competency for office. Is it too much to hope that lokasangraha can become the central moral criteria by which we evaluate the qualification of those who run for office and the relevance of the policies that they offer? Admittedly, lokasangraha, if present at all in today's political discourse, is on the remote margins. The prevailing rhetoric arrogantly champions narrowly construed national interests, divides communities, and ignorantly dismisses the real threats to the fragility of our life-supporting ecological system. Our political discourse is not grounded in an understanding of the unity of life and of the flourishing of the whole. It is fragmented, fractured and partisan. Sadly, even the religious voices that we hear most at this time do not rise above the fray to offer us an alternative vision of the good life for all. These voices show little concern for justice and moral values in public life. At a Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) event in New Jersey on October 15th for example, the organizing committee seemed more concerned about Green Cards than lokasangraha. There was an uncritical equation of Hindu with India leading Donald Trump to declare, "I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India." It was difficult to identify any elements of the Hindu worldview that informed the organization's philosophy. On the contrary, being an RHC "Hindu" appeared to be little more than a mere marker of socio-political identity. The lights of Diwali, however, are the lights of hope. These are meant to remind us of our responsibility to transform our world by a passionate commitment to the overcoming of suffering and to truth and knowledge. Diwali is traditionally celebrated on the darkest night of the year to show us that even a tiny flame in a small clay vessel can dispel the gloom. Every additional flame widens the circle of light. Placing lokasangraha at the center of our political life will not happen overnight, but every compassionate moral choice for truth, wisdom and the overcoming of suffering makes a difference. Advertisement This is the fourth in my series of "Letters to a Trump Supporter," from correspondence with a family friend who supports Mr. Trump. Continuing our conversation about Christianity, he sent me a chain email accusing President Obama of silencing Christians and promoting Islam. Below is my response. ~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Mr. ----, Thanks for passing along this email on America's relationship with prayer. Some of it is true, but not all of it. Advertisement President Obama did not encourage schools to teach the Quran for extra credit, for example, and the so-called "Muslim Prayer Day" was not an official event hosted by either Congress or the President, but rather an unaffiliated group of Muslims exercising their right to peaceful assembly. Actually, I would expect most Americans to be thrilled at the news of Muslims gathering peacefully, since that's exactly what we've been wanting them to do, rather than turning toward violent extremism. "We need to change the face of Islam," said one of the event organizers, "because we love America." That sounds to me like something a Republican politician would say. Similarly, there's only a grain of truth in the claim that President Obama dismissed the National Day of Prayer ceremony. He never said anything about "not wanting to offend anyone." George W. Bush is the only president who consistently held a ceremony at the White House. George H. W. Bush only did it once in four years, and Ronald Reagan only did it once in eight years. So they "dismissed" it too. I have to say, I'm continually shocked at how Christian Americans can accuse President Obama of being anti-Christian, when he has spoken more eloquently about his Christian faith than any president since Lincoln. Advertisement I don't know if you've ever read either of his memoirs, but he writes about his conversion to Christianity in great depth and vulnerability. "I felt God's spirit beckoning me," he says. "I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth." Contrary to accusations that he's against public prayer, he talks about his desire for it when he first joined a church, "I thought being part of a community and affirming my faith in a public fashion was important." He openly admits that his Christian beliefs shape his political decisions, "It's hard for me to imagine being true to my faith -- and not thinking beyond myself, and not thinking about what's good for other people, and not acting in a moral and ethical way." He quotes Saint Augustine and the great theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, showing a rich understanding of the religion that few politicians can equal. In fact, arguably the most memorable speech of the Obama presidency was his eulogy at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, where he wove together the American experience and the Christian experience, tracing our Christian values from the Declaration of Independence through Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. to today. Advertisement If you haven't seen it, you really owe it to yourself. Not only is his oratory masterful, but he sings "Amazing Grace," a testament to his Christian beliefs more powerful than anything I've ever seen from an American politician. But the thing that Republicans should love about this speech, especially in this heated time of racial debate and protests, is how he argues that Christianity teaches us to forgive the white murderer who killed the innocent black Americans whom he's eulogizing. "The essence of what is right about Christianity is embedded here," he told his staff before the funeral. "They welcomed the stranger. They forgave the worst violence." Those words came from the heart. His speechwriter drafted different words for much of that speech, but the president scratched them out and wrote his own. He explained to the young speechwriter that he knew what he wanted to say because he'd been "thinking about this stuff for 30 years." This is a man who has dedicated himself to a lifetime of faith with impressive study and contemplation. It's not difficult to understand why so many myths have been promulgated about Barack Obama's faith. He doesn't look like what many Americans think a Christian looks like, and he takes the freedom of religion enshrined in our Constitution seriously. But it is difficult to watch him be persecuted for his heritage and his tolerance. At least we can say that, in these experiences, he is following in the steps of many great Christians who have come before him, paving the way toward a kinder, more peaceful future against all the odds. Advertisement [The Niigata gubernatorial election was carried out on October 16. The photo shows the residents of Niigata after casting a vote./ Photographed by Um Soo-ah] By Um Soo-ah, Tokyo correspondent, AsiaToday - Japan's Niigata prefecture has recently received national attention due to its governor election on Oct. 16. The 49 year-old independent and anti-nuclear candidate Ryuichi Yoneyama has been elected as the governor of the Japan's Niigata prefecture. Yoneyama has had the support of the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, and won with 53.2 percent of the vote against rival 67-year-old Tamio Mori, who was backed by Abe's ruling coalition. This is the first time in this region for a candidate backed by opposition parties such as the Communist Party to be elected governor. Four candidates ran for the poll, but eventually Yoneyama emerged victorious in a virtual one-on-one contest against Mori, a former mayor of Nagaoka in the prefecture. Both candidates confronted with each other over restarting the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, which was shut down after the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. Advertisement If Mori were elected, there was a high possibility of restarting the nuclear plant. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party were seeking to have Japan's idled nuclear reactors brought back online, and Tokyo Electric Power Co. expressed its will to restart. [Local newspaper Niigata Daily News covered the news of new Niigata governor on the front page on Monday, a day after the Niigata prefecture gubernatorial election.] The outcome is a manifestation of the strong anxiety that Niigata prefecture residents have concerning nuclear power. A resident that I met near Tsubame Sanjo Station said, "I voted for Yoneyama, but I never thought he'd be really elected. We still feel uncertain and anxious about nuclear power after 3/11 earthquake." Some 460,000 people live within 30 kilometers of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant. The approval rating for the ruling party candidate was slightly higher because the region where nuclear plants are restarted would receive various benefits. However, most residents of Niigata prefecture responded that safety and their lives are more important than restarting a nuclear plant. Initially, the Niigata election would have been an easy one. Hirohiko Izumida, former governor who has been in office for 12 years, was willing to seek another term. However, things turned completely different as his mistake in the process of Niigata prefecture buying used ships made him an object of criticism. According to local newspaper Niigata Daily News, the used ship was owned by Chongjaejin Marine Company, a South Korean shipping company that operated the ferry MV Sewol that sank in 2014. Then Izumida decided to drop out of the race. Advertisement New York, NY USA - July 16, 2016: Donald Trump speaks during introduction Governor Mike Pence as running for vice president at Hilton hotel Midtown Manhattan Donald Trump is criticized and lambasted every day in almost all languages because of his controversial racist sexist statements. His comments forced The president of the United States Barrack Obama to publicly denounce Trump in many occasions, and made a prestigious publication like the Foreign Policy feel the necessity to make an endorsement of Hillary Clinton because "A Donald Trump presidency is among the greatest threats facing America, and the Republican standard-bearer is the worst major-party candidate for the job in U.S. history". Everyone is blaming Trump for fear-mongering but is he really responsible for the hate circus we are witnessing? Trump is speaking the mind of millions of Americans who share his ideas and thoughts. Their top concern is immigration, which even topped the issue of terrorism according to PEW research center. 79% of Trump supporters favor building a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border and 59% associate unauthorized immigrants with serious criminal behavior. Trump did not plant these ideas in the heads of Americans, he is simply using them for his own advantage. Advertisement The world has been suffering from terrorism for quite some time now and it is only logical that people feel scared for their lives, but stereotyping the innocent and putting them in the same group with the terrorists only serves in breeding more terrorists. 3 Kansas men who called themselves "The crusaders" were plotting a bomb attack targeting an apartment complex home to a mosque and many Muslim immigrants. One of the men believed that "The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim". I think those 3 men are victims of faulty media propaganda like the ones Fox News made. Fox used old footage of Muslims chanting on a train as an evidence in the refugees crisis (2015) although the video dated back to 2010 which was long before the crisis even began. Moreover they used a title "Terrorists inbound?" though nothing in the video indicates anything linking people in the video to terrorism! We have to stop blaming Trump, the real culprits here are media outlets and politicians who kept trumpeting over many years that immigrants were stealing jobs, Mexicans were rapists and Muslims were terrorists. Americans were fed poisonous racist rhetoric every day, till they became so filled with fear of the other. Now we see stories that were to be considered silly or even insane not so long ago but now they became our everyday norm. A woman detained for reading an Arabic book, an Emirati man was arrested because he was dressed in traditional clothes, a UK student was stabbed in neck for speaking Polish and the list goes on. This is what fear does to people. Brexit is a proof of what the inflammatory false stereotyping can lead to. The former British Prime Minister David Cameron who was criticized for dehumanizing immigrants was the same person who was shocked by the result of the referendum. Advertisement For this hate and xenophobic rhetoric to stop there must be a moment of truth. Those media outlets and politicians who spent years sowing this in the minds of people must take their responsibility for making someone like Trump a candidate in the American presidential elections. Media must learn that publishing sensational stories for the sake of distribution is not only unethical but also harmful to the present and future of nations. "Fear makes people do terrible things" - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As a new business owner, it can be tempting to say "yes" to opportunity that comes your way. But once you have a better sense of what the right opportunities are, you'll feel more comfortable turning down those that don't suit your business. A. Offer Alternatives If you demonstrate that there are better solutions to the prospect's needs, it becomes very easy to turn down their business. If the alternatives happen to be more compelling than what you would deliver in that situation, you don't actually need to say "no." In one case, I explained how the prospect could accomplish their goals without me, and even do it themselves to save some money. - John Arroyo, Arroyo Labs, Inc. A. Refer Them to a Friend Sometimes the client just isn't the right fit for your company. In that case, don't just say, "sorry, can't help you." Instead, actively seek to find them the right partner to get the job done. I've found time and time again that referring people to other capable, vetted partners establishes trust and ultimately wins you more business. - Ben Maitland-Lewis, Pretty Instant Advertisement A. Remember That It's Business, Not a Marriage Every business opportunity isn't always the right fit for both parties. In that case, be transparent and offer solutions, alternatives, advice or referrals to help their trajectory and goals. At my previous company, we sourced many vendors for a new product launch. If they weren't right for the job, they simply let us know and offered help to get us there. Honesty and goodwill always win. - Angela Delmedico, Elev8 Consulting Group A. Be Transparent Be transparent, but also be respectful. Apologize for not being able to work with the prospect, speak to the positives of working with them, and then explain why you can't do it. Make sure they understand why you're turning down their offer, and that they come to that understanding without getting offended. - Steven Buchwald, The E2 Visa Lawyer A. Have a Good Reason In today's networking world, you need to be able to explain why you turned down a business opportunity and be tactful about it. Didn't like the deal? Try explaining. Too occupied? Also explain. This is honestly the best solution to a majority of problems. - Ajmal Saleem, Suprex Learning A. Be Smart About It Make sure you tell the truth so that you don't burn any bridges. We had a medical transcription client that was demanding a lot of our resources a few years ago: Instead of just letting them go, we offered them time to find a suitable replacement and worked with them until they were able to do so. It took three months, and we still help them once in awhile when they need it. - Ben Walker, Transcription Outsourcing, LLC Advertisement It is altogether fitting and proper that, in this period of heightened racial tensions and resurgence of white privilege, it is a university, a seat of higher learning and a religious-based one at that, which seeks to atone for America's Original Sin---slavery. Georgetown University, the Roman Catholic-affiliated institution in Washington, D.C., falling on straitened times, in 1838 kept its doors open with the sale of 272 slaves---men, women, and children---from its plantations in nearby Maryland to plantations in Louisiana. The sale was worth $3.3 million in today's dollars. Doing the right thing---making recompense---Georgetown, one of America's elite universities, recently announced it will take a series of historically unprecedented steps, including granting preference in admission to the descendants of those 272 slaves who were sold, as well as to the descendants of those slaves who remained indentured to Georgetown and labored to its benefit. Advertisement Additionally, Georgetown will issue a formal apology for its part in this ugly chapter in American history, erect a monument to its slaves, rename two buildings that honor Jesuit priests who facilitated the sale of the 272, and establish an institute for the study of slavery. Last year it launched the Georgetown Memory Project, to track these descendants. While slaves elsewhere were lost in anonymity, in Georgetown's case descendants could be identified, thanks to meticulous record-keeping. Along with doing the right thing, Georgetown is saying the right thing---things that could usefully be repeated across the nation at this moment. University president John J. DeGioia, the major force behind this reconciliation effort, has been eloquent in finding the words to face elemental truth. He speaks of the "two evils" of slavery: the enslavement of human beings itself and the rupture of slave families upon sale. He speaks of the early Georgetown Jesuits' "failure of moral imagination." Declaring that "our moral agency must be channeled to un-do this damage," Dr. DeGioia on Sept. 1 addressed a formal gathering of slave descendants along with faculty and students, saying: "This community participated in the institution of slavery. This original evil that shaped the early years of the Republic was present here. We have been able to hide from this truth, bury this truth, ignore and deny this truth..... As a community and as individuals, we cannot do our best work if we refuse to take ownership of such a critical part of our history. We must acknowledge it." Indeed: How can our "best work" go forward when "this original evil" goes unaccounted for? How can conscience square with the enslavement of fellow human beings? How have we and ours benefited---unknowingly or, worse, knowingly---from slave labor, both current and in the distant past? These are the hard questions any number of universities, museums, corporations and whole industries, municipalities and states, even individual families, might ask themselves. Advertisement Pointing the way, Georgetown University last year began to examine its origins, issuing a 102-page report titled "Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation." Especially compelling is the discussion of the university's original business model: From its Maryland plantations established in 1700 to the founding of the university in 1789 and beyond, slavery was central, built-in. As the report outlines: "Plantation profits and proceeds from the sale of slaves on those plantations were seen as a source of funding for the school. Bequests and other charitable gifts were also a significant part of the funding model.... Given a regional economy that was largely agricultural, this benefaction can also be in large part linked to the U.S. slave economy. A recruitment strategy oriented to the South deepened the school's links to slavery, and the general attitude of Jesuit faculty and students favored slavery as at least a necessary evil. Into the nineteenth century, as tensions between pro- and anti-slavery opinion grew, the mood at the College was pro-slavery and ultimately pro-Confederacy." Thus a business model based on "original evil" becomes institutionalized and is reinforced over time and by culture to become a given, a norm, not to be re-examined. How many other institutions, notably those dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, will have the courage to undertake such examination of their business model or origins story? Still, it is astonishing that Jesuit priests, putative men of God, could ever have accepted slavery as a "necessary evil." The Vatican urged emancipation and keeping the slave families intact, but these stipulations went unfulfilled. According to the report, among Jesuits on the East Coast three factions formed around the sale of the 272: One faction, the smallest in number, opposed the sale on moral principle and favored emancipation; another, the largest, favored keeping the slaves as (curiously) a "religious obligation"; and the third, which included the most powerful figures, argued for sale. (Sadly, this disposition of priestly morality, rather than model, would match that of "the flock" at most any time in human history.) Other elite universities with a long history---Harvard, Brown, Columbia, University of Virginia---have likewise acknowledged the ignominy of their early involvement with slavery, often, it should be noted, under pressure from student protests (also here). But Georgetown is the first to take affirmative action on behalf of the injured parties, its slave descendants. Craig Steven Wilder of M.I.T., a scholar of universities and slavery, gives credit to Georgetown: "It's taking steps that a lot of universities have been hesitant to take." Wilder also credits Georgetown for dealing with "the humanity of the problem," not just as public relations (also here). Much depends, though, on the thoroughness of Georgetown's outreach. Advertisement Georgetown might do even more: In addition to preferential admissions treatment---the kind of preference given generations of children of white alumni---Georgetown might offer financial assistance to those slave descendants admitted. Going further, it might, as The New York Times editorializes, establish a scholarship fund "specifically for descendants who are poor and generationally disadvantaged by the legacy of slavery from which Georgetown profited." The University's endowment of $1.45 billion suggests its financial recompense could include this broader category of the "generationally disadvantaged." Additionally, these elite universities might form a consortium---to coordinate best practices of institutional re-examination and also, importantly, guide the general population in a re-examination long overdue and now heated to the boiling point. Which is why Georgetown's act of recompense for the "original evil" of slavery comes at a propitious time. Certainly for African-Americans and Georgetown's slave descendants, it could have come earlier---much, much earlier. But in another context, it is timely: With the racist and xenophobic "presidential" candidacy of Donald J. Trump, with the sudden rise to prominence of the white supremacist "alt-right" movement, and with the forceful white pushback at the Black Lives Matter movement ("All lives matter"), the morally weak cause of white supremacy has never been in such a loud and angry, unfettered and unapologetic voice ("Apologize? Why apologize?"). Nuance is gone, making calm reconsideration of white power and privilege difficult. But perhaps Georgetown's reminder that human enslavement is America's "original evil" and racism our abiding sin will penetrate. Martin Luther King, Jr. promised that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Now is the time for all good people to lend their weight and bend that arc. Advertisement See "Georgetown Slavery Archive" here. Sandra, an undocumented immigrant, arrived in the United States in 2012 and has been in an abusive relationship for the last three years. After learning about resources for domestic violence survivors in New York City, Sandra finally sought help at an NYC Family Justice Center and learned about an immigration remedy called a U-visa. With the help of a Family Justice Center attorney, she submitted her application and received a temporary immigration status that allows her to receive benefits. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and in a city of 3 million immigrants including many others like Sandra, we want to highlight some of the ways in which New York City and our community partners have worked together to address the needs of immigrant survivors of violence. Under the leadership of Mayor de Blasio, the City has prioritized developing resources for immigrant victims of crime, regardless of immigration status, because we know that doing so supports public safety and strengthens our communities. As Commissioners of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence (OCDV), we have worked together to increase access to U and T visas. These federal immigration visas protect immigrant victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, and other serious crimes, who are helpful to a law enforcement investigation or prosecution. Each visa has several eligibility requirements and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, is the only agency with the authority to provide either immigration status. Advertisement Receiving a U or T visa can be life-changing for immigrant survivors of domestic violence because it protects them from deportation, and allows them to work lawfully in the U.S. and apply for many public benefits. These visas also strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute serious crimes. Immigrants can report abuse and work with law enforcement without the threat of deportation which too often keeps immigrants in the shadows. Unfortunately, for many immigrants, navigating the process of applying for a U or T visa can be challenging. For U visas, victims must obtain a certification from a law enforcement agency confirming that the immigrant was a victim of a specific crime, has knowledge about the crime, and was, is, or likely to be helpful at any stage of the criminal justice process. After receiving law enforcement certification, the immigrant must then submit an application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and wait for a response. If the application is approved, many immigrants are placed on a waitlist of up to three years before they are finally granted a visa. While the City cannot change the federal immigration visa backlog, the de Blasio administration has set out to address challenges for victims in getting the certifications they need to start the U or T visa application process. In February 2016, Mayor de Blasio announced that the NYC Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) will serve as the first and only anti-discrimination agency in a major U.S. city to provide certifications for U and T visas. CCHR joins the list of certifiers in New York City which includes the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Administration for Children's Services and the District Attorney's Offices in all five counties of New York City. MOIA and OCDV work with the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice to regularly convene these certifying agencies to participate in a working group aimed at improving coordination among certifying agencies and increasing communication with local advocates. In addition, the NYPD published guidelines for victims and advocates requesting U visa certifications, which includes allowing immigrants to submit requests in their preferred language, and has established processes to streamline and expedite its review process. Advertisement The City has also invested significantly in programs for immigrant victims of crime, like ActionNYC, which provides free, safe legal screenings to help immigrants learn about their eligibility for immigration programs like the U and T visas, and the Family Justice Centers, which provide criminal justice, civil legal, and social services all in one location for victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, and sex trafficking. These accomplishments highlight the efforts of this administration to support immigrant survivors and help them to rebuild their lives. Immigrants help make New York City great and expanding access to services for all immigrants includes ensuring that we provide the support needed for immigrant survivors of violence to reach their fullest potential and contribute to the well-being of our communities. Democracy, which is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike. Plato, The Republic At first reading I thought it was probably one of the many whimsical ideas that is going around the internet during this election season. Instead, it was a serious move to make women feel better. And it was almost certainly a resounding success. It was announced shortly after Antonio Guterres was named the new Secretary General of the United Nations. The process of selecting a new Secretary General has been underway for several months and was made necessary because the term of Ban Ki-moon of South Korea comes to an end on December 31 of this year, His retirement gave rise to the pressing question of who would replace him. On October 5 it was announced that the unanimous choice to be his successor was the former Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres. It turns out that his selection was not without controversy but not for the reasons one might have expected. It was because of his sex. He is a man. Mr. Guterres was chosen from among the 13 candidates who were finalists and hoped to get the position. Of the thirteen, seven were women, all of whom who were considered to be highly qualified to hold that position. Their supporters hoped that at long last the United Nations, an organization that has promoted gender equality around the world for many years, would take the advice it had given others and choose a woman as its leader. Among the seven female contenders were a woman who heads the U.N.'s cultural organization, a foreign minister from Argentina, a woman who runs the U.N.'s development program and a woman who led successful international climate negotiations. For a variety of reasons, however, none of the seven women was able to gather enough support from those making the selection to prevail in the contest. And the result was the selection of Mr. Guterres. Advertisement Women must now wait until Mr. Guterres, who has an initial 5-year term, retires. The powers that be at the United Nations knew that this selection would come as a disappointment to the many women in the world who had hoped that the gender barrier had been broken. Sensitive to the feelings of the distaff side of the United Nations, those in charge were determined to address their disappointment in a meaningful way. Accordingly, they named a woman to be the U.N. Ambassador of Gender Equality. As the name suggests, it is designed to address the situation that seems to have been overlooked in the selection of the new Secretary General and it is a post that is singularly appropriate to be occupied by a woman. The woman who has been selected to serve as the United Nations' honorary ambassador for "the empowerment of women and girls" is not a real woman, but a comic book character who was born in 1941-Wonder Woman. Her appointment struck a blow not only for gender equality around the world and against gender-based violence, but served as a lesson to employers who frequently discriminate against women in the hiring process because of their ages. EB,an organization that has evaluated all the comic book super heroes of the past, says that Wonder Woman is "bigger than Spider-Man or Batman. She's an inspiration for every little girl who would like to imagine herself saving the world. . .. she's an enduring powerhouse." The Mary Sue Comics site that owns Wonder Woman is pleased with the selection. It said that: "Wonder Woman is a great, easily recognizable symbol of what women can become once freed from a patriarchal society." Advertisement Wonder Woman will be officially appointed October 21. According to Maher Nasser, the director of the United Nations' Department of Public Information: "Wonder Woman's character is the most iconic and well known female comic book superhero in the world, known for her strength, fairness and compassion, and her commitment to justice, peace and equality." He said it would mark the beginning of the U.N.'s sustainable development goal 5 which states that the U.N. will work to "achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls." Mr. Nasser is quoted in the New York Times as saying that Wonder Woman "will be used on social media platforms to promote important messages about women's empowerment, including on gender-based violence and the fuller participation of women in public life." Donald Trump speaking at CPAC 2015 in Washington, DC. Photo by Gage Skidmore. Last night's historic presidential debate was alarming, if not at all surprising. Beyond all the other, older, preexisting debates about Hillary Clinton's corruption and unlikeability versus Donald Trump's corruption and unlikeability, today there's a lot of post-traumatic debate discussion of a couple of points made by Clinton, and admissions and nonadmissions by Trump. Last night, Hillary Clinton said "maybe he doesn't want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he has paid nothing in federal taxes because the only years that anybody's ever seen were a couple of years that he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license, and they showed he didn't pay any federal income tax." Advertisement Trump nodded. Trump said, "that makes me smart." One of Trump's supporters told me this morning on Twitter that I need to "wake up" and realize that my interpretation of Trump is the result of my buying into supposedly liberal "media narrative." My opinion of Trump, which is not favorable, is based on the words that come out of Trump's mouth. To be clear, that doesn't mean that I interpret Donald Trump proclaiming that he is smart as evidence that he is smart. I interpret that proclamation to mean that Donald Trump A) believes himself to be exceptional enough to both lead the country and skip out on his obligations to pay into it as everyone else has to; B) that he believes no one should ever have to pay taxes again; or C) both. What if everyone lived like Donald Trump? Of course, this is not a realistic scenario--if we opted out of paying taxes, we would be imprisoned for tax evasion. Donald Trump is, unlike the vast majority of Americans, smart enough to be unthinkably wealthy and to know how to work the very system he says he is broken. Advertisement Yet, let's imagine: What if all of us lived like Donald Trump and stopped paying taxes? How is federal income tax used, anyway? According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Social Security Social Security in practice is a non-partisan issue. Nearly everyone in the country pays into the Social Security system, nearly everyone--rich or poor--who reaches the age eligible to withdraw Social Security does so, and most of us are counting on Social Security to keep us out of the gutter when we reach retirement age. Twenty-four percent of federal income taxes went to Social Security last year. It's almost a guarantee that you paid a lot of your earned income into the system. If Donald Trump didn't, that makes him "smart" in his opinion. But then, he is wealthy enough not to need the income. If everyone lived as Donald Trump does, almost all of us would be homeless and starving, disposable citizens, when we reach retirement age. Which makes it so puzzling that most of Trump's supporters are those who will be among the most dependent on Social Security income. Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Subsidies Trump supporters are expected not to support the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare," for either or both political partisanship or informed opposition. Those supporters nevertheless--just as is the case with Social Security--will depend on Medicare when they are old enough to qualify for it. My grandmothers were working-class, and while they often struggled financially, neither ever would have considered taking welfare or similar subsidies, I'm certain. Both depended, as we are supposed to depend, on Social Security and Medicare benefits as they were fortunate and strong enough to live well into their 70s, 80s, and one into her 90s. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, nearly 25 percent of federal taxes went to this category, and nearly two thirds paid for Medicare. If we all lived like Donald Trump, elderly and infirmed people would have no social support. Even to those who loathe and fear the adjective "socialized," Social Security and Medicare are public benefits that nearly all Americans will need to survive old age, and they are paid for by federal taxes that Donald Trump said he is or would be too smart to pay. National Defense and International Security Assistance Trump wants to "bomb the shit out of ISIS" and has said that he would consider using nuclear weapons. Although some of us are--to put it super-mildly--wary of the fallout of nuclear war (Trump clearly is not concerned about this.), the federal taxes that he is "smart" not to pay are paid for in part by our federal taxes--to the tune of $602 billion. So if Trump wants to bring our country and potentially our planet to the brink, if we all lived the way he does, he would need to use his YOOGE personal wealth (which is not liquid) to bomb the shit out of other countries. To some of us, this makes the scenario appealing, but for him it certainly would take away some of the fun of being president of the United States. Safety Net Programs About 10 percent of federal taxes cover so-called "safety net programs," which include those dreaded benefits to those dreaded poor people. I won't try to make any case for those because one can reasonably assume that to a great number of Donald Trump supporters, this is exactly the sort of income-tax spending that they oppose. However, it is worth noting that if we all skipped out on our federal taxes, all those whose livelihoods are supported by Social Security and Medicare would fall into the current category of poverty for whom safety net programs exist. Interest on National Debt According to the CBPP, six percent or $223 billion, of federal income taxes are applied to our national debt. Trump has been outspoken about the national debt and blamed Democrats and especially Barack Obama for this debt; however, according to the Fiscal Times, his proposals would double the national debt. According to Fortune, he would "explode the national debt with more spending." According to Fox Business, his plans would increase the national debt by $11.5 billion. Trump likely would say that all these "mainstream media" are lying because they're all conspiring against him. What Trump could not do is declare national bankruptcy and have the national debt erased. No amount of protests could do that. And if we all lived like Trump, loopholing our ways out of federal tax obligations, there'd be a whole lot less money to apply to interest on the national debt. We would be consumed by interest. Even the "unbelievable" wealth that he claimed last night to possess couldn't protect Trump and his family from the unbelievable, huge, incredible, terrific weight of such debt and its interest. The economy could collapse because of it, which would be really wonderful news for Putin, who Donald Trump so admires, and for ISIL and anyone else who already regards this country as an enemy and is awaiting our great moment of vulnerability. ISIL and similarly minded groups are salivating at the prospects of a Donald Trump presidency, and they have patience that he does not have and will wait as long as it takes for him to dismantle the country from the inside. Of course, if Trump actually engages in a nuclear war, money may not matter at all. Donald Trump said last night that he doesn't like how the government spends tax dollars and therefore, presumably, he doesn't think he or others should have to pay taxes. Advertisement Donald Trump has cited the Clinton Foundation as corrupt because of how it allocates its spending. Aside from multiple bankruptcies, conning countless students with his fraudulent university, an unprecedented 3,500 criminal lawsuits levied against him (ironic given that last night he said, in answer to how he would improve race relations, that [black] criminals should be sent to prison), Donald Trump used $10,000 of funds from his supposedly charitable donations to purchase an overpriced portraits of himself to hang in a private resort patronized by other wealthy people. Donald Trump is a modern-day Marie Antoinette, except that modern-day people are not half as aware that their would-be leader is totally satisfied exploiting them for his own gain. Antoinette has been maligned by history books as being so out of touch with the reality of people's lives that she couldn't relate to their suffering or understand how her gains contributed to their suffering. The people of France realized it and revolted. If we are to believe polls, about half of American people, including those whose livelihoods not to mention deeply held values are supported by federal taxes, don't seem to get it. What would France be like if everyone in France lived like Marie Antoinette? Faith is a funny thing. Merriam-Webster Dictionary I have "faith" that everyone has a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. Of course, I have no proof of this statement! So without any proof at all, I believe that we all live in glass houses. We all have our secrets, our shame, and our embarrassments that we will often hide, and for many of us, project on to others. The old saying, "People who live in glass houses, should not throw stones," is mostly ignored, as so many people are hiding behind their faith, their belief in traditional doctrines of a religion, to separate from, and discriminate against various "others" without question, and without any action to get to know them and what they are all about. Advertisement I have faith, something I believe with strong conviction, that separation based on doctrine is just plain wrong, and misrepresents all that allows us to live the lives of personal freedom that allows us to be the very best person we can be. I believe with strong conviction, that any form of discrimination that is based on religious doctrine, or what these days is being mistakenly argued as the rights of religious freedom, is completely missing the point of both religious and secular freedom. ... In my heart, I know this is wrong. I am frustrated and angry when I hear about the various religious freedom laws that allow discrimination. I want to yell and scream, but I know that would not be effective in changing anything. As a transgender woman, I know that many of these bills and laws single me and people like me out as the "other," all while my deepest desire is to blend in as just another woman, just another person trying to make my way through this life being the most authentic person I can be. Even though I may not always be successful in all my relationships, I try as hard as I can to follow the suggestions of the Dalia Lama to do no harm! To me, that means accepting people as they are without judgment. In fact, that is all I ask from others. Feel free to be curious, but accept me for who I am, not who you want me to be or think I should be. Oh, and I am happy to do the same for you! Advertisement ... I live in Massachusetts and it has been exciting that as of October 1, 2016 a new law took effect that adds gender identity and expression as protected classes for public accommodations. This includes restaurants and hospitals and many other public spaces. The forces against the passage of the law have, as many transphobic groups, labeled it as the "bathroom bill," and it is unfortunate that so many people think of it as this, rather than the civil rights bill it truly is. Now that the law exists, a number of churches have filed suit against the state saying that they, as a church have a right to discriminate again allowing trans people to use their bathrooms. In addition another group has successfully filed a petition to have this law become a ballot question to repeal in 2018. Clearly the battle for our civil rights is not over. ... I have been thinking about how to change hearts and minds of people. How do people get to see us and know us? How do people learn not to fear the unknown, the different, whether it is LGBT or another religion or race? How do they learn that freedom is to accept not to reject others, and allow each person to be who they are, believe what they want as long as they do no harm? How do we get everyone to honor the idea of Live and Let Live? I think this has to come from the grass roots of our society. I think that it has to come from the grass roots of those who have faith, those who realize that their doctrines of belief include Live and Let Live. The Reverend Martin Luther King proclaimed that he had a dream. I am no Reverend King, but I am also a dreamer. Advertisement I dream that communities of faith will stand up tall and on a regular basis take part in active conversations on acceptance and openness and willingness to learn about whoever they may see or think about as "others." I dream that perhaps once each month, these communities invite someone who is an "other" to share their story, and affirm their being to live authentically. I dream that this just arises from the ground, from the roots of their faith, their belief that we are each unique and all have the same and equal rights as each other. I dream that we are accepted first, as people learn to understand us, and that we are really no different than they are I dream that discrimination will be a thing of the past. I dream that families will stay together and love will conquer fear. I dream the people everywhere will learn to Live and Let Live. ... It may not be so bad living in a glass house and being seen. Especially when the grass is green and the roots are strong. Advertisement ### Grace Anne Stevens inspires people to find their truth and live their authentic life! She is the author of No! Maybe? Yes! Living My Truth, and Musings on Living Authentically. Grace is available for speaking to all groups who would like to learn the values of, and how to live authentically. Visit her website at: http://www.graceannestevens.com/. Follow Grace on Twitter: www.twitter.com/graceonboard . By, Jacob Smith A recent Gallup poll showed that only 47% of U.S. adults, ages 18 to 35, would "definitely vote in the upcoming presidential election. This number has fallen from 58% in 2012 presidential election when Barak Obama was elected for his second term. Advertisement Kamwe Jackson, the founder of Kamwe Inc. and past contestant on the hit reality show The Apprentice, voices his concern on the low voter turnout for millennials. "This is your time to make a difference," said Jackson. "I know you guys talk about epic fail, #epicfail. Not showing up to the ballot box is the biggest #epicfail." Donald Trump has recently taken shots at the upcoming election bringing into question fairness within the system. "Nov. 8, we'd better be careful, because that election is going to be rigged," said Trump during a rally in Columbus, Ohio earlier this year. Advertisement While some argue the case of a wasted ballot on third party candidates such as Gary Johnson or Jill Stein, others have taken the opportunity to deny their option to vote as a form of protest. Jackson argues that the upcoming election is millennials opportunity to take control of the changes they hope to see in the world. Located strategically on top of a mound, to protect itself from the annual flooding of the Sutlej river, is the ancient city of Kasur - now a vast graveyard. Here, several Sufis over the years found abode and then constructed their religious shrines. Legend has it that in the 18th Century, when the mystic Sufi poet Bulleh Shah, who belonged to the city, passed away after harassing the religious clergy for decades through his poetry, the clerics took their final revenge by refusing to offer his namaz-e-janaza, or final prayer - an extreme form of disrespect. They also disallowed Bulleh Shah's followers to bury him in the city. While the clergy believed they were finally rid of their opponent, the fame of Bulleh Shah was only just beginning to spread. People from across Punjab - the land of five rivers - began traveling to his final resting place to pay homage to the poet. Slowly, a bazaar came up around his shrine. Gradually, as the fame of the shrine spread far and wide, the city of Kasur, too, eventually shifted around the shrine, turning the former city into a graveyard. It is not just the ghost of Bulleh Shah or the abandoned city of Kasur that haunts the contemporary city. Just a little outside of it are the remains of the mighty Sutlej, once the city's lifeline and now reduced to a swamp with wild, overgrown grass. Besides the old residents, no one even knows a river once flowed here. Advertisement Further east, across the India-Pakistan border, is the smadhi of Bhagat Singh, the 23-year-old revolutionary from Punjab who gave up his life for a nationalistic cause. Hanged at Lahore Jail in the darkness of the night in 1931, his body, along with those of his comrades, was taken to the banks of the Sutlej and cremated there. The Indus Water Treaty of 1960 defines the water-sharing arrangement for six rivers of the Indus basin that flow through both India and Pakistan, giving the waters of the eastern rivers - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi - to India and the western rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - to Pakistan. Thirteen years earlier, the Radcliffe Award marked the border between the two sides, dividing the history of the country. That is when Bhagat Singh becoming an Indian hero, forgotten in his homeland. The story of the Sutlej is the story of conflict between India and Pakistan over the rivers. It is the story of Bulleh Shah and the religious orthodoxy. It is the story of Bhagat Singh and his homeland. Ramayana connect Flowing at the edge of the walled city of Lahore is the river Ravi. There still stand a few massive bridges that connect this part of the country to the other side, symbolic of the mighty river that once flowed under them. But the river itself is a sad reminder of what it used to be only a few decades ago. It flows but like a meagre stream today, having lost its massive river bed to land grabbers. Many millennia ago, it was on the banks of this river that Lord Valmiki gave refuge to the exiled queen Sita. It was at his abode that Lav and Kush were born and later educated. Further south, near Kabirwala tehsil, are the remains of a temple called Sita Gund. It is believed that Ram asked Sita to wait for him at this spot as he took a dip in the river. Where he emerged, his devotees later built another temple called Ram Chauntra. Across the river, on the other side of the bank, is Laxman Chauntra, where Laxman emerged from the river. Advertisement Slowly, as the water from the Ravi dries up, it takes away with it thousands of years of memories. Like the waters of the river, the stories of Valmiki, Sita, Lav, Kush, Ram and Laxman no longer flow through this land. River of love Every time I drive over the Chenab, I am reminded of a hapless Sohni caught in the waves of the river, holding on to dear life, to an earthen pot. This is the river of love, which Sohni crossed every day for a rendezvous with her lover Mahiwal. It is here that Heer first laid eyes on Ranjha and was mesmerised by his flute. Mirza and Sahiban took their first lessons in love at a madrassa on the banks of this river. However, this is also a river of tragedy. It is the same river that drowned Sohni. That wept quietly as it witnessed Heer lose her life after consuming poison, her eyes longing for her Ranjha. The mighty waves of the Chenab could not come to the rescue of Mirza as he was beaten to death by Sahiban's brother. These stories still flow through these lands, sung and performed by various performers and artists through different mediums. The people of Punjab have not forgotten the sacrifices of these legendary lovers, just like the Chenab which has not forgotten its people and continues to flow through this land. Blood in Jhelum It is not water but blood that flows through the Jhelum. At the edge of the city of Muzaffarabad, the capital of what is called Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan, the rivers of the Neelum and Jhelum merge. This was a sacred spot in pre-Partition Kashmir, where Hindu and Sikh devotees cremated their lost ones. Only a few months after the creation of India and Pakistan, the tribals, instilled with religious passion, collected hundreds of Hindus and Sikhs on the banks of the Jhelum and killed them, throwing their bodies in the river. The blood of those people still flows through the veins of Pakistan. Their cries continue to echo through the valley of Kashmir. Advertisement The mighty Indus Forming the western boundary of Punjab is the mightiest river of them all, the Indus, the fountain from which the Indian identity emerges. It is this river that every migrant into India - the Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Huns, Mongols, Mughals, and Afghans - has had to cross first, giving this land its unique identity. The first seeds of contemporary Indian civilisation were sown here and it is for this reason that the earliest Hindu temples in the region can be found on the banks of this river. Perched on the top of a mountain, across the city of Mianwali, is the ancient town of Kafirkot, from the pre-Christ era. Local myths state that some of these temples were raised by the Pandava brothers. There are similar complexes further south, next to the river, paying testimony to the ancient civilisations of India that eventually paved the way for what came to be known as the Indian civilisation. New York, NY USA - July 16, 2016: Donald Trump speaks during introduction Governor Mike Pence as running for vice president at Hilton hotel Midtown Manhattan Donald Trump's latest scandal involving the release of comments made to Billy Bush during a 2005 taping of a segment for Access Hollywood have once again landed the candidate in hot water. Trump has been roundly criticized for his lewd language and description of what sounds like sexual assault, including by members of his own party. Such criticism from rank-and-file members of the GOP is not entirely surprising, given the uneasy relationship between Trump and many party insiders. But the recent revelations, which have resulted in a number of new allegations of sexual assault, appear to have pushed matters over the line, at least for some. Advertisement Speaker Paul Ryan, for instance, has said that he will no longer defend Trump, although he didn't pull his endorsement. Senator John McCain went a step further, indicating that he will note vote for his party's nominee. "When Mr. Trump attacks women and demeans the women in our nation and our society, that is a point where I just have to part company," McCain said. "I have daughters, I have friends, I have so many wonderful people on my staff. They cannot be degraded and demeaned in that fashion." Trump's comments would seem to spell the end for evangelical support of Trump as well. Conservative theologian Wayne Grudem, who had previously supported Trump, drew back after Trump's statements became public. "I previously called Donald Trump a 'good candidate with flaws' and a 'flawed candidate' but I now regret that I did not more strongly condemn his moral character. I cannot commend Trump's moral character, and I strongly urge him to withdraw from the election." Grudem's regret, however, hasn't been passed on to other evangelical leaders. Indeed, Trump's comments have caused many to dig in even further with their support. For instance, Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University, denounced Trump's remarks but doubled-down on his support for the candidate by appealing to the notions of "sin" and "forgiveness." "We're all sinners, every one of us. We've all done things we wish we hadn't," he said. "It was just a horrible thing. He apologized. He was contrite about it." Indeed, for Falwell, at the end of the day we have to make do with such imperfection, because "We're never going to have a perfect candidate unless Jesus Christ is on the ballot." James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, took a similar approach. "First, I do not condone nor defend Donald Trump's terrible comments made 11 years ago," Dobson said. "They are indefensible and awful. I'm sure there are other misdeeds in his past, although as Jesus said, 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.'" Advertisement The examples could be multiplied, but that evangelical leaders would be so quick to dig their heels in in their support for Trump over claims that seem to obviously contrast with stated evangelical values has led to numerous charges of hypocrisy. Writing for The New York Times, Peter Wehner, for instance, blasted a host of evangelical leaders, including Gary Bauer, Tony Perkins, the Rev. Robert Jeffress and Ralph Reed, and Eric Metaxas, for their continued support of Trump. They are examples of the "heavenly heights of evangelical hypocrisy," Wehner suggested. Likewise, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah weighed in with a bit in which he discusses evangelical support for Trump with God. To emphasize the apparent hypocrisy, "God" tells Noah, "You see, my child, many use My name when it suits them. But come election time, they change positions faster than my Son changes water into wine." It's no doubt an easy criticism to make, and I'd be the last to say that conservative evangelical leaders represent an ideal of moral virtue. But such charges do more to give voice to our own sense of outrage rather than change the minds of the criticized. This is not because conservative evangelical leaders who continue to back Trump are somehow uniquely impervious to criticism. It is, rather, that they don't see themselves as hypocrites at all. It's this latter point that begs for explanation, and this is where pointing out the various contradictions within evangelicalism when it comes to the gap between their stated values and the politics in which they engage falls short. Specifically, what such criticisms of conservative evangelicalism ignore is the striking consistency in how some evangelical leaders have justified their support of Trump. Again, this is not to legitimate their views. Rather, it's to say that those views have remained relatively constant, even before this latest scandal, whether we like those views or not. Evangelicals have, on the whole, never claimed that their support for Trump has to do with him as an individual; they have never treated him, that is, as an example of moral virtue. The opposite has been more the case: evangelical leaders have emphasized his flaws as a means of garnering support for his bid. When news of Donald Trump's supposed "conversion" to evangelical Christianity broke back in June, for instance, James Dobson said, "Yeah, you got to cut him some slack. He didn't grow up like we did. I think there's hope for him, and I think there's hope for us. I have great concerns about the next election." Advertisement All of us, according to the evangelical worldview, are sinners, just like Trump. But unfortunately all of us don't get cut the same "slack," especially in the public sphere. Not all, in other words, are worthy of "forgiveness" in the same way, especially when what is at issue is political support. Forgiveness, although ostensibly universal in scope, isn't applied to those on the other side of the aisle, to those who hold positions that contradict or outright oppose the positions that constitute the conservative evangelical playbook. Otherwise put, the notion of "forgiveness" functions politically as a means of dividing the acceptable from the unacceptable, the elect from the damned. This explains the very clear difference in the way evangelicals treat Trump and Clinton. When understood in individualistic, moral terms, Trump certainly throws a wrench into evangelical mores, but those aren't the terms in which many evangelicals understand his candidacy. Rather, their focus is issue-based, which they see as vital to the future of the nation and, by extension, Christianity. Falwell, for instance, justified his continuing support in precisely such terms, noting that although Trump's comments were "deplorable," he finds "Hillary Clinton's support of partial birth abortion criminal and her opinion of evangelicals to be bigoted. There really is only one difference between the two. Mr. Trump promises to support religious liberty and the dignity of the unborn. Mrs. Clinton promises she will not." Dobson took a virtually similar line, saying, "Donald Trump hasn't vetoed bills that would have outlawed the procedure known as partial-birth abortion. Bill Clinton alone is responsible for the brains being sucked out of unanesthetized babies during delivery. That naziesque procedure continued for years until the Supreme Court declared it illegal. Donald Trump is pro-life. Clinton and his wife disrespect the Constitution of the United States, although Trump has promised to protect it, especially the First Amendment. Shall I go on?" Advertisement And he could go on, because at the end of the day, it's all about politics. That Clinton isn't extended the same sort of "grace" as Trump is not because evangelical leaders are somehow going against their own self-understanding in an act of hypocrisy. Rather, they already work with a limited understanding of "forgiveness" and the like, one that extends it to those whose political views line up with their own self-understanding. By Wendy Dechambeau, InternationalLiving.com "Within four blocks of where we live on a quiet, hillside neighborhood of condo-lined streets, there are at least a dozen of the best restaurants in the city," says expat Wayne Bustle, 73. Landscape of Quito, Ecuador "There's Asian right down the street, there's seafood, there's a great pasta restaurant, a hamburger place up on the hill, sushi places ... the restaurants are so varied that it is hard to describe them all. This past month we found a new one in the Mariscal district we didn't know was there. It was like a gentlemen's club in England--the food was outstanding." This abundance of restaurants is par for the course when you live in Quito, Ecuador's capital city, which Wayne and his wife Mary Riley, 69, have chosen as their retirement home. The city has the largest colonial quarter in Latin America. Advertisement "The museums, especially the art museums, change their exhibits monthly or bimonthly, so we have no problem having at least one cultural event per week," says Wayne. "And it is so inexpensive to travel, we make trips to other cities in Ecuador to see other cultural events." "We've been twice to the exhibition center, and just this past weekend they had a big thing on chocolate commerce," says Mary. "We ate our way through that," says Wayne. La Ronda in Old Town in Quito, Ecuador "We've also made the commitment now to go to a different museum every week," says Mary. "I also go to the library once a week and volunteer. The person we rent from has an Ecuadorian literary guild. He's trying to introduce expats to Ecuadorian literature, and once every six weeks or so he'll have an event. It's a book club, so we all read the book and then talk about it, and then he brings the author in so we can talk to them." With temperatures from the 50s F to the 70s F year-round, enjoying the city's green spaces is also easy. "We find parks all over the city," says Wayne. "Some are as small as a few hundred square feet, some are large and great for hiking. Parque Metropolitano is over twice the size of Central Park in New York City and has a great variety of activities and hiking routes. Sunday is family day, and they all turn out and fill the parks. It is a very pleasant way to fill a Sunday." Advertisement The couple rents a 3,100-square-foot, four-bedroom condo in the Gonzalez Suarez neighborhood, overlooking the city proper. Wayne estimates a similar space in the Las Vegas metropolitan area would cost "between $3,000 and $4,500 a month." But Wayne and Mary pay just $950, plus a $500 condo fee (which covers normal building maintenance, plus two guards and a full-time maintenance man). This is definitely on the high end for rentals in the area. But it's within their budget and is just what they were looking for: plenty of windows for natural light and lots of wall space for displaying Wayne's extensive art collection. In Quito they not only save on rent, but on utilities, as well. For electric, water, internet, and cable TV, their monthly expenses are just $181, compared to the $610 they were paying in Las Vegas. While Wayne and Mary can visit large U.S.-style grocery stores, they also enjoy fresh produce from local suppliers. They've been very fortunate, Mary says, to "get hooked up with somebody who comes every Monday and delivers organic fruits, vegetables, and eggs from her farm." "We looked at Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and France, and 18 countries in total," says Wayne of their search for the perfect retirement spot. "We listed our priorities, and at our age, healthcare is top of the list." This is another advantage to living in Quito; the city's Hospital Metropolitano is among the best in Latin America. But it's not the only place with great healthcare in Quito. When Wayne developed a rash, he went to a local clinic. "Within 10 minutes I was seen by a doctor who understood English just fine. She gave me three prescriptions, an injection, antibiotics, and a salve. The doctor's appointment cost me $30 and the medicine cost me $35. When I ran out of salve, I took the tube back to the pharmacy and I didn't even need a prescription; they just gave me another tube." Advertisement Wayne and Mary made their permanent move from Las Vegas to Quito in February 2015. Wayne has spent all his adult life in large cities, so Quito appealed to him. But, as it turns out, the best thing about living in Quito wasn't on their list. "The greatest part of the city is the friendliness of the Ecuadorian people. They are genuinely nice and extremely interested in 'gringos' and their life in the U.S." Medical Tourism Abroad See Gallery Earlier on Huff/Post50: Of utmost importance to those of us really concerned with the welfare of Cetaceans, are the current sanctions approved by NMFS that allow for the massive killing, harassment and enslavement of hundreds of thousands of Cetaceans every year. - NMFS permits the yearly wholesale by-catch slaughter of thousands of Spinner dolphins by the Tuna Industry while still maintaining "Dolphin Safe" labeling on products. - NMFS has sanctioned "takes" of millions of Cetaceans by the US Military in weapons testing and use and subsequent slavery of certain varieties of dolphins being used as actual live weaponry. - NMFS allows the unbridled onslaught by the Oil industry using piercingly loud seismic equipment (louder than LFAS) and explosives with little or no regard to surrounding sea life and creating oil spill disasters that destroy entire cetacean and sea life habitats. - NMFS still issues permits to the captive dolphin industry that would allow them to hunt down dolphins in the wild in US waters and once captured releases all responsibility for their wellbeing to the Dept. of Agriculture. - NMFS allows the shipping industry to flood the oceans with noise pollution known to disturb and potentially harm the cetaceans. - NMFS has looked the other way while chemical toxins are leaching into multiple shoreline areas. NMFS should examine its own role in these, by far, more critical issues facing Cetaceans and their survival from the unbridled assault by this military/industrial complex. If the intention truly is to protect the cetaceans, you need to look at these current practices under your jurisdiction. These need to be reviewed immediately and steps need to be taken to cease these horrific sanctions. This is more life-giving than suggesting a relative handful of humans that float among free swimming wild dolphins presents a serious threat as it's something the dolphins either choose to do or do not. This especially in light of recent stock assessment over these past 5 years that show NO REDUCTION IN LOCAL STOCK. And testimony from local professionals going out every day on dive and snorkel boats, that the numbers of Spinner dolphins on the Kona coast is actually going up. There are far more affective ways that we can combat real dolphin abuse than the creation of such regulations that prevent all interaction in the wild. It is my experience that separation breeds apathy and ignorance, paving the way for the cetaceans' continued abuse by stupid people with no one responsible around to deter such activity. Everyone that I know who live and play in these waters are very concerned and protective of the dolphins. Dolphins and whales are a valued resource of the ocean and our world and have every right to living free of harassment and infringement of their lifestyle. It is our experience that, with a few exceptions, encounters are conducted in a respectful manner. I offer these suggestions, allowing safe human/dolphin interaction. If the NMFS agency is sincerely interested in addressing the problem, consider some of the following as noteworthy examples of how to enlighten, as opposed to intimidate, potential offenders who may carelessly be placing dolphins at risk: - Clear and factual information flow through public forums and media. - Dolphin-swim Certification programs approved by a non-governmental agency such as those with the Humane Society, the Sierra Club or PADI scuba certification. - Professional Associations of guides, boat operators and rental companies empowered to self-regulate such programs. - Physical outposts distributing real, non-intimidating, factual information in problem areas where the public has been shown to be reckless in their interaction with dolphins. - Promotion of positive information about the nature of dolphins and their behavior that will serve to encourage respect for their environment and domain. - A public accessible database fully supported with government funding that will act to proliferate positive and factual information rather than the current system of negative press and police intimidation being used by this NMFS administration. These are but a few of many constructive ideas that are already available and will serve the greater need for understanding and respect of the Cetacean race by humans and more importantly may help to preserve the most precious resource known to us: Planet Ocean. -D.W. Webster Close up of Vote 2016 election buttons, with red, white, blue and stars and stripes. Read more fake news at The Political Garbage Chute. LAKE AMNESIA, FLORIDA -- During an interview with a Florida newspaper, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson reportedly couldn't name the Libertarian Party candidate. Johnson, who has been fairly roundly mocked for his recent problems identifying where in the world Aleppo is, and being unable to name a single world leader, Johnson was asked by a reporter if he thought the Libertarian Party had a problem seeming legitimate on foreign policy. "You'd have to ask the Libertarian Party candidate, man," Johnson told Helen McMackie, reporter for The South Florida Sun, "that's a question they'd have to answer." Advertisement According to McMackie's reporting, she first asked Johnson if he was "pulling [her] leg." When the former governor blinked back at her and said he wasn't kidding, she asked him for his driver's license, to verify she was speaking to the real Gary Johnson. Mr. Johnson handed his driver's license to McMackie, who confirmed she was indeed speaking to that Gary Johnson. "So, you, Gary Johnson, are telling me that if I want to ask a question about the Libertarian Party, I have to ask their candidate," McMackie asked confusedly. "Um, yes, that's what I'm telling you," Johnson said, "he'd be the one to answer such a question." "But, you're Gary Johnson," McMackie repeated again. "Yes, of course, I am," Johnson replied. "And you're a part of the Libertarian Party," McMackie asked. "Abso-toot-ly I am," Johnson answered, "proud, card carrying member of the Libertarian Party, actually." Undeterred, McMackie's piece says she was "bound and determined" to get Johnson to "snap into reality." Advertisement "Okay, so if you're Gary Johnson," McMackie started, "and you're a member of the Libertarian Party, and I ask you a question about the Libertarian Party's foreign policy goals...you really want me to ask the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate? Am I getting that right?" "Yes," Johnson said jovially, "that's completely correct. You gotta go straight to the horse's mouth, I always say." Ms. McMackie said she took a moment or two, and finally came up with a question that could help cut the tension and resolve the issue at hand. "Mr. Johnson," McMackie tenderly began, "um, do you even know who the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate is, by chance?" "No clue," Johnson shot back, almost immediately. Sensing that subtlety was a lost cause, McMackie brought out her smart phone. She says she opened her web browser and pointed it to the Libertarian Party's website. She showed him the front page, which features his picture and name. When she handed the phone to Mr. Johnson, he reportedly took one look, nodded up and down, and smiled. Advertisement "Good looking guy," Johnson said, "who's he?" When New Jersey Congressman Scott Garrett (above) refused to pay dues to the National Republican Congressional Committee because, he said, it recruited and supported gay candidates, he made national headlines. Garrett has also co-sponsored a House billtitled the First Amendment Defense Actthat lets companies deny service to same-sex weddings due to religious objections. Advertisement This May, the seven-term incumbent voted against an amendment, to an appropriations bill, that would have protected LGBT employees of government contractors from discrimination, while he also voted to defend the Confederate flag. Such actions have come back to haunt Garrett as he campaigns for an eighth termin a district within shouting distance of New York City. The Newark Star Ledger has called him a bigot. His big corporate supporters such as PSE&G, PNC Bank, and Goldman Sachs have withdrawn their support because of his anti-gay stance. Now, in the heat of this year's campaign, his Democratic challenger Josh Gottheimer, along with other opponents, are running ads like these: In a class by himself Garrett's Tea Party-style views are often more extreme than those of most other Republicans: Advertisement Just as disturbing, this month Garrett organized by an official for New Jersey Oath Keepers, an anti-government group that New Jersey's Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness . That prompted New Jersey's Senate Majority leader, Loretta Weinberg, to to conduct an investigation into whether Garrett's participation violated New Jersey law. Sweet home Alabama With such a track record, Garretta Bergen County nativeseems an ideal fit for some redneck district in Alabama. So how did he manage to get elected seven times to a Congressional district that includes such racially and ethnically diverse suburbs of New York City as Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, and Paramus? The answer shows how unrepresentative the U.S. House of Representatives can beeven in a district within shouting distance of New York City. In 2002, Marge Roukema, a moderate, longtime Republican Congresswoman, retired from her New Jersey district after the increasingly conservative GOP House leadership snubbed her for an important committee post. Meanwhile, her district became heavily gerrymandered to favor Republicans by pairing suburban Bergen County with rural and extremely conservative Warren and Sussex Counties. In the 2002 GOP primary that year, Scott Garrett won his party's nomination with just 45 percent of the vote because his four opponents split the other 55 percent. In suburban Bergen County, Garrett drew just 25 percent of the GOP vote. But rural Sussex and Warren Counties gave Garrett a whopping 72 percent of their vote, more than overcoming his massive Bergen County deficit. Job security As my chart of Garrett's performance in his last seven elections shows, that same formula has kept him in office for seven terms, through thick (the 2010 "Tea Party" midterms) and thin (the 2006 "Democratic wave" midterms). He has continued to draw 65 to 70 percent of the rural vote, even when his margins in suburban Bergen became razor thin (2012 and 2014). That structural advantage has so far discouraged the Democratic Party and its supporters from investing much money in his opponents. Advertisement Things changed, though, when Garrett's 5th Congressional District was redrawn in 2012, following the 2010 census. Bergen County's share of the total vote has increased from 64 percent to 70 percent, making it easier for a Democratic opponent to topple Garrett. A poll taken in early October (commissioned by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) showed Democrat Josh Gottheimer leading Scott Garrett 49 to 42 percent. While a poll conducted for a political party should be taken with a grain of salt, there seems little doubt that Scott Garrett is facing his strongest challenge ever. In mid-October a desperate Garrett began running ads falsely accusing Gottheimer of "assaulting" and "violating" a woman. by Adrian D. Pantoja, Ph.D. The 2016 presidential election marks a turning in the history of Latino politics in Florida. According to the latest battleground poll by the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) and Latino Decisions, the majority of Florida's Latino voters are backing the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, by wide margins. In the poll, Latinos were asked if they planned to vote for Clinton, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, or someone else. Nearly two-thirds of Latino voters (63 percent) said they planned to cast a vote for Clinton, while a mere 23 percent said they were voting for Trump. About 14 percent were undecided or voting for someone else. These results are remarkable given that majorities of Florida Latinos have historically voted for Republican presidential candidates. The shift in support from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party is a result of changes in the composition of the Latino electorate in the state. Latino politics in Florida has long been synonymous with Cuban Americans. However, Puerto Rican and South American migration has slowly altered the political landscape and orientation of the Latino electorate over the last few decades. Today, the Latino electorate is 31 percent Cuban American, while traditionally Democratic-leaning Latino groups have become the majority, with Puerto Ricans at 27 percent, Mexican Americans at 9 percent and Latinos of some other origin at 32 percent of the electorate. Advertisement Although demographic changes are significant, they are only part of the story. In this election, Donald Trump is performing dismally across all segments of the Latino electorate. In the figure below, respondents are classified into various socio-demographic characteristics to analyze how well or poorly each of the candidates is doing across each of these segments. Hillary Clinton is decisively winning across all segments of Florida Latinos. Among her strongest supporters are, millennials, immigrants, and women. Across these voters, 70 percent or more will vote for Clinton. The segments least supportive of Clinton include men (55 percent voting for Clinton) and persons over the age of 40 years (54 percent). Yet, even among these groups, there is at least a 20-point gap in their support for Clinton relative to Trump. In other words, Hillary Clinton is performing strongly even among her most dispassionate supporters. The data also show the existence of a gender, age, and nativity gaps that favor Hillary Clinton. For example, while almost three quarters of female Hispanics will vote for Clinton, only slightly more than half of male Hispanics plan to vote for the Democratic nominee. Millennials support Clinton by 71 percent compared to 54 percent of the respondents over 40 years of age, a gap of 17 points. Finally, foreign-born persons back Clinton by 70 percent compared to 58 percent among native-born persons, a gap of 12 points. Although Hillary Clinton is winning among all segments of the Hispanic electorate, her performance varies across different groups. Specifically, she is doing significantly better among women, millennials and immigrants. The political landscape in Florida has evolved as a result of changes in the demographic and political composition of the Hispanic electorate in the state. Once a Republican and Cuban American stronghold, today Latino politics in Florida is diverse and leans toward the Democratic Party. No doubt, Trump's inflammatory campaign has alienated broad segments of the Latino electorate. Perhaps more importantly, the damage done by Trump's campaign will be long-lasting given that the future of the Latino electorate lies with millennials, immigrants, and women--all of whom are backing Hillary Clinton by the widest of margins. Advertisement Adrian D. Pantoja, Ph.D. is Senior Analyst at Latino Decisions, Professor of Politics at Pitzer College. Flags Lightbox: Diplomats sometimes refer to an especially dangerous and intractable situation as "a problem from hell." Syria, where a civil war has frustrated all attempts at resolution, qualifies in all respects. No one can be satisfied with the situation in Syria today. The killing goes on, with the death toll in the 5-year-old conflict estimated at 400,000. Five million refugees have fled Syria because of the fighting; the largest number is in Turkey, but many are seeking safety in Europe and elsewhere in the West, unsettling these regions. Advertisement Syria is beset by an exceedingly complex array of conflicts. President Bashar al-Assad is fighting a panoply of rebel forces that have competing programs and interests. Kurds have fought to carve out a mini-state on the border with Iraq and Turkey. Then there is the fight against ISIS, which is based in Syria and controls territory there. ISIS, which has no allies, is battling many actors, including the United States. A tangled web of alliances and the involvement of outside powers make this confrontation all the more intractable. Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Turkey are all engaged in the conflict. The Syrian state is feeble and unstable, bolstered by Russian and Iranian support. Assad's forces are worn down by five years of continuous fighting. Hundreds of militias with a wide range of ideologies operate in Syria: Some are terrorist groups, some are nationalists and some are Islamists. It is all but impossible to sort them out and evaluate which could serve as American allies. No power seems strong enough to win the field militarily, and multiple cease-fire agreements have failed. A tragedy of historic scale is unfolding before our eyes. Advertisement Against this backdrop, the United States has pursued a policy of caution and restraint. Our leaders have decided not to intervene with major force in Syria; they have been reluctant to engage U.S. forces in direct combat. They have insisted that a negotiated settlement is required; but, despite sustained and vigorous diplomacy, they have not been able to achieve it. U.S. policy in Syria has many critics. They point to the horrendous violence and the failure to achieve a political solution, and they suggest alternative approaches. Some critics call for establishing and expanding "safe zones" where civilians would be protected from attacks. President Barack Obama, with U.S. military assent, has rejected this idea because of its high cost, the risk of inadvertent escalation and the large commitment of troops that would be required to ensure the zones are truly safe. Others advocate "no-fly zones" where Assad's forces would be prevented from bombing civilians and rebel-held areas. Other suggestions are to increase air drops to alleviate the shortage of food and medical supplies in areas that are under siege, to ratchet up economic sanctions against Russia and to provide more and better arms to the Syrian opposition, ill-defined as it is. Critics say America's policy of nonintervention in Syria has allowed Assad to escalate the violence. They insist we must act; we must do something -- anything -- to prevent more killing. But no one seems to have a solution to this deadly tragedy. Advertisement The steps that some critics have advocated, such as imposing safe zones and no-fly zones, would be seen as an escalation of the conflict on the part of the United States. If we decide to go that route, we will need to be prepared to back up our decision with force. And experience suggests that these steps, as risky as they are, may not fundamentally change the current facts on the ground. The question becomes: If safe zones, no-fly zones and air drops don't achieve their purpose, what do we do next? Our objectives in Syria should be to reduce the violence, defeat ISIS and advance a political solution. But all of these are proving to be difficult to accomplish. The challenges in Syria bring us face to face with perennial questions about American foreign policy: What should our role be in international affairs? Do we have the capacity to intervene decisively in the world's trouble spots? If we have the capacity, do we have the will? Figuring out what to do about Syria is not something we should decide in the overheated forum of the current political campaign. It simply is not clear what the next steps should be for the United States. The decisions have to be reached carefully, based on thorough assessments of the complex situation and made in consultation with the military and foreign policy experts and, to the extent possible, with the support of the American people. Advertisement Almost certainly, this problem from hell is one that President Obama will hand to his successor unresolved. There has never been a more propitious time than the present to promote, teach, and engage with media and information literacy (MIL) in all its permutations across the Middle East/North Africa region, notably the Arab states that are undergoing tectonic changes. The very notion of MIL is nascent in most of the countries surveyed herein and the application of programs falling under the MIL umbrella varies from almost non-existent to relatively dynamic, albeit on a limited scale. That is due, in great measure, to the variety of educational systems across the Arab world, although there is also common ground in that the top-down imparting of information (not always knowledge) has been the rule rather than the exception and can still be seen in schools and universities. Advertisement Critical thinking has yet to take root across the board. There are examples of educational institutions where it has been encouraged but various factors come into play in its application. MENA MIL book (Abu-Fadil) Religious and social traditions in the region have dictated norms where certain figures such as parents and teachers are treated with respect and high regard and whose views and knowledge should not be questioned. Religious figures sometimes also double as educators and are supposed to be held in high esteem, so their approach to media and information literacy is likely colored by their moralistic and more conservative slant on the topic. Then there is the matter of the different educational systems that exist in the region. There are public, private, and religious schools (that could be either publicly funded or privately subsidized) and learning is acquired mostly in Arabic (the common language in the Arab countries), French (where the French colonized), and English (where the British Empire spread its influence). Advertisement This has also been complemented by the influence of the American entry into the educational and religious panorama through missionaries establishing their foothold in several countries, as well as teaching in local and/or ethnic languages like Amazigh in North African states, Kurdish in some parts of the Middle East, and Armenian in Lebanon and Syria where an Armenian minority has lived for over a century. All of these elements have become part of the intertwined, integrated and multimedia content, interaction, and audiences/producers in the region. Since media and information literacy as a field of study is relatively new, it continues to be explored and built upon worldwide, and is still taking baby steps in the Middle East and North Africa region. Quite often media literacy and information literacy are used interchangeably. For those with more academic backgrounds, information literacy takes precedence, with media literacy acting as an appendage. Those more in tune with the media landscape tend to focus on that aspect of the literacy spectrum. Ideally, those who have worked in media and have been involved in academia and are familiar with the latter's structures, tend to better straddle those two cultures through their comprehension of what exists and what needs to be done, provided, they, too, keep up with the fast changing technologies and priorities. Advertisement The book's authors shed light on this promising landscape with the hope that their enterprising work will provide the building blocks on which to erect a solid, yet flexible, structure. International experts launch MENA MIL book in Amman (courtesy JMI) They group scholars and journalists from Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, Oman, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Sweden (working in Tunisia), and, international organization experts representing the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. They shed light on different national, local and individual efforts to create more awareness, show the existing shortcomings, and expand the circle of stakeholders involved in MIL. Of the many foreign policy pots and pans left neglected on the next President's stove, the one marked "Ukraine" may be ready to boil over. It is a goulash of bribery, theft, official corruption and even murder - and nothing is as it first appears. Ukraine has faded from our national consciousness as other, even more spectacular recent foreign policy fiascos - Syria, Libya and ISIS - overwhelm our capacity to catalog them Most Americans have all but forgotten Russia's invasion of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and at least one U.S. Presidential candidate seems willing to pardon it altogether. Nevertheless, Russians still occupy Crimean Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels control much of the country's eastern half. Advertisement The Obama administration's reaction to Putin's aggression has been tepid. President Obama rejected Congressional demands to provide military support to the Ukrainian government, preferring a cautious combination of economic sanctions against Russia and economic support for the Ukrainian government in Kiev. Mr. Obama's delicate carrot-and-stick approach hasn't worked. While the war in the east of Ukraine rages on, Putin has shown no inclination to withdraw a single troop, and the long-simmering Ukrainian kettle threatens to boil into the worst crisis in relations between Moscow and Washington since the Cold War. Despite all the best efforts of the West since its independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine is a kleptocracy. Its political history is non-stop perp-walk, with one popularly elected leader kicked out of the country in a popular uprising, another suspected of murder, and the third - blamed for the weakened institutions and lost opportunities. The optimism created by the 2013-2014 "EuroMaidan" street demonstrations (which forced the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in favor of the cabinet led by Arseniy Yatsenyuk and eventually election of Poroshenko), was short-lived. Yatsenyuk himself was in turn forced to resign against a backdrop of permanent political crisis and high-profile charges of corruption. Advertisement The Russian invasion and the war that followed have killed thousands of Ukrainians and displaced a million more, but when asked which is more urgent - the war against the pro-Russian rebels or the war against corruption - Ukrainians believe corruption is more important, by a margin of more than two-to-one. The so-called "Panama Papers" - the millions of leaked documents from the Panamanian corporate law firm Mossack Fonseca last April also proved that the current President, Petro Poroshenko, was busily registering offshore accounts even as his own troops were retreating from one of the bloodiest defeats of the war. Poroshenko is Europe's richest leader according to Forbes, and despite his promises to "embed new traditions" by selling off his assets, he has sold nothing. In fact, he was the only one of Ukraine's wealthy businessmen to see his net worth actually increase in 2015, to $858 million. Like his predecessor Yanukovich, he has erased whatever thin line once existed between business and politics in Ukraine and he is profiting richly, even as his country struggles through the worst economic and political crisis since the country's independence in 1991. Perhaps most dispiriting of all, even those Ukrainian activists, politicians and journalists who are portrayed as true reformers appear likewise unable to resist the temptation to engage in the systemic looting of the Ukrainian economy. The New Yorker magazine, for instance, dedicated several thousand words to three citizen-journalists who now serve in the Ukrainian Parliament. Like other western media outlets, the New Yorker portrayed Sergei Leshchenko, Svitlana Zalishchuk and Mustafa Nayem as dedicated journalists - new faces who sought election to Parliament as part of President Poroshenko's bloc in the wake of the Maidan street protests, which Nayem helped organize. Advertisement Now, however, Leshchenko's post-election acquisition of high-end housing has attracted the attention of the Anti-Corruption Agency of Ukraine, an investigatory body that was established at the urging of the United States. Last week, the Anti-Corruption Agency forwarded the Leshchenko file to the special prosecutor's office tasked with corruption fighting. Leshchenko could not explain the source of the income that allowed him to buy the residence, loan documents are missing, and the purchase price was allegedly below market. The owner of the building, according to Ukrainian media accounts, is Ivan Fursin, the partner of mega-oligarch Dmytro Firtash It has also been revealed that Leshchenko's expenses for attending international forums were paid for by the oligarch Viktor Pinchuk, who also contributed $8.6 million to the Clinton Foundation While Leshchenko remains the toast of the western media and Washington think tanks, back at home, his fellow reformers in the Parliament are calling on him to resign until his name is cleared. Advertisement Meanwhile, the next President will find Ukraine besieged on all sides: Russian troops and pro-Russian rebels at its throat and corruption destroying it from within - and as the Leshchenko scandal suggests, not all in Ukraine is what it appears to be. The new President must learn to discern Ukraine's true reformers from those who made anti-corruption crusades into a lucrative business, and be able to distinguish real action from empty words. Prison Tensions have peaked as the public awaits the final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The debates thus far have covered, and uncovered, multiple issues that must be addressed before choosing a new Commander and Chief. One topic that was lightly touched upon in the first debate was Hillary Clinton's use of the term "superpredator" in the late 90s. The issue with the term superpredator goes back to escalating rates of violent crimes which spawned moral panics about youth in the 70s and 80s; the term was popularized in the early 90s by John J. Dilulio, but was subsequently retired in the late 90s when the idea of the superpredator never came into fruition. Though the term has fallen out of favor with politicians and criminologists, its effects are still evident when examining juveniles within contemporary politics. To examine this larger issue, it is necessary to see how this ideology has led to the inappropriate labeling of juvenile subgroups as "deviant" and "criminal." Advertisement The ideology of increased violence has been applied to different youth subgroups, such as straight edge. Straight edge stems from 80s punk/hardcore movements emphasizing abstention from drugs, alcohol, and sex as a new form of rebellion. This description provides a foundation for the understanding of this group, but is limited by its superficial qualities and does not fully address the group's countercultural goals of rebelling against a system plagued with substance abuse and excessive alcohol abuse. Abstaining from drugs and alcohol might be seen as beneficial, but the group is also judged by increased acts of violence promoted by its hyper-masculine atmosphere; the group's inappropriate label of "deviant" has transitioned into a "criminal" label due to violence within the group. Rather than exploring the group as a counterculture, deviant and criminal labels are progressed and reinforced. The topic of straight edge received increased attention in the late 90s as it increased in popularity; it was perceived as one of the most rapid growing trends in American youth. A large portion of contemporary articles that addressed straight edge were dedicated to developing members as participants of "gangs" rather than a counterculture. Wolfgang and Ferracuti's research in A Subculture of Violence and Anderson's research in The Code of the Streets addressed youth gangs and how they were prone to violence in order to gain respect; these ideas became prominent when discussing juvenile delinquency, perpetuating the idea that juveniles were becoming more violent. The article, The Twisted World of a "Straight Edge" Gang, published by the Los Angeles Times in 1998, is an example of how straight edge has been addressed in the past. During the 90s, writers vilified juvenile "crews" and "gangs" in order to perpetuate a narrative of increased violence from youth. The author, Louis Sahagun, provided a rudimentary insight to the foundation of straight edge, but also limited his evaluation by not addressing fundamental axioms within the group. Alternative social movements from the 70s and 80s promoted the idea of rebelling through sex, drugs, and rock n' roll; these values were seen as sentiments of rebellion for past generations, but for contemporary groups such as straight edge, these are staples of the status quo. Sahagun's article's primary example of the increased violence in straight edge populations was the Ellerman brothers; Clinton Ellerman was sentenced to two years in prison for a raid on a local milk farm while his younger brother, Joshua Ellerman, was awaiting a trial on federal charges for connection to the bombing of a fur breeder's cooperative. Sahagun uses the brothers as an example of straight edge as a collective and fails to introduce their extremist views on animal rights as an intersectionality; extremist views on animal rights caused their violence, not being straight edge. Violence within straight edge groups is predominantly limited to concerts which provide an outlet for the group; this becomes their space for rebellion and to develop meaning as a collective. Advertisement The fear of juveniles and groups like straight edge in the 90s influenced the public's state of panic, and focused on the idea that violent crime rates were rising due to youth who were transitioning into superpredators. Scholars from the 70s and 80s produced voluminous research depicting increased violence from youth. We can see evidence of the effects of this research on outlets like the media when reporting events like the British youth conflicts between the mods and the rockers. Because researchers and tabloids kept reporting how violence was increasing, our nation's greatest crime decline went unnoticed until the early years of the 21st century. Zimmring's The Great American Crime Decline addresses the reasons, such as the legalization of abortions and stabilizing of the crack market, why the purposed increased levels of violence never came to fruition. In recent years much literature has been dedicated to explaining the massive national crime decline that occurred during the 90s and the adverse effect it had on legislation aimed at juveniles. There is no clear answer to why crime declined; part of the reason is that researchers spent so much time saying how things were getting worse, they did not notice when they got better. Amidst the bleak news we are getting these days, let's put the spotlight on something positive to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In the history of humankind, levels of extreme poverty have never been this low. There has been a lot of progress. Between 1990 and 2015 the number of people living in extreme poverty dropped by over 50% - from 1.9 billion people to 836 million. That's really good news but we are not there yet. We all need to better understand why we still have poverty around us and what we can do about it. Poverty is not only about no money in our pocket. Although many measures of poverty focus on income, it is much more than that. This means that when you are born poor, not only are you struggling with money to buy things but everything is uphill. Getting a decent education, access to healthcare and affordable goods and services at fair prices. Did you know that the people that pay the most for clean drinking water are people living in slums? Or did you know that the people that pay the highest interest on their loans are the poorest? When you are poor you end up living in low-income neighbourhoods where good public transport, decent schools, shops and proper internet and cell phone coverage is not a given. This translates into a series of negative economic and social consequences. School drop-outs, segregation, limited goods and services to choose from and long commutes that take away from quality family time, education or even payable working hours. Advertisement This is not a problem that we can fix with money alone. We need to build societies so that every single person on the planet has a decent chance at a good and fair life. Every year, the UN commemorates the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It should be a day like no other. The global fight against poverty is a collective effort that draws on our humanity. It shows our respect for human rights and human dignity. The good news is that we can all contribute. It's not just about charity or philanthropy; it is about building societies where people have the chance to reach their full potential. It's about empowering people to be able to make their own life choices and ultimately have real opportunities. Courage. In the past few weeks, I've seen more evidence of this amongst global corporations than I could ever have imagined. When I launched the Thomson Reuters Foundation Stop Slavery Award last year, an initiative to reward businesses that have excelled in efforts to try to eradicate forced labour from their supply chains, I could not have predicted the response. Would companies be brave enough to subject themselves to a level of scrutiny that might publically expose significant issues in their supply chains? Would they wish to be associated with an award connected to 'slavery' in any way? Advertisement The response to our Stop Slavery Award has far surpassed all expectations. Global, heavyweight brands have thrown their hats into the ring alongside smaller, independent companies. All voluntarily took on the task of completing a very detailed questionnaire. Our shortlist of ten have gone through rigorous assessment by an independent third party, using specific criteria based on existing standards and best practices. These companies have tried to eradicate slavery from their supply chains attempting different approaches, and then trying harder when some of them didn't work. The transparency that has emerged through their submissions is quite remarkable. Technology giants such as Apple - with a large and complex supply chain - and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are shortlisted, along with Dutch manufacturing company NXP Semiconductors. Big retailers like Tesco compete with Thai Union, the world's largest producer of seafood. Interestingly, the two companies are at odds over the environmental standards of John West Tuna, a Thai Union brand that Tesco has currently removed from its shelves. Australian iron ore mining company Fortescue Metals Group, hospitality and travel company Carlson, food producers ABP UK, Twining teas and Gildan Activewear complete the shortlist. Advertisement These businesses now face an authoritative and independent judging board to decide on a winner. The jury comprises Nobel Peace Prize Kailash Satyarthi, global human rights and business expert John Ruggie, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus H. Vance Jr, Britain's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland, International Criminal Prosecutor Patricia Sellers; Edelman President and CEO Richard Edelman, and myself. The winner (or winners) will be announced at the Foundation's Trust Women conference on November 30 and receive a sculpture created by Anish Kapoor for this initiative. Clearly, the nominations will lead to further press scrutiny for these companies. Nevertheless, they have put themselves forward. In contrast, look at the disappointing response to the UK's Modern Slavery Act. Passed last year, the bill requires all companies with a turnover of more than 36 million operating in the United Kingdom to report on the steps they are taking to clean their supply chains of the risk of forced labour. So far, only 27 FTSE of the 100 companies have complied. Among them, just two - Marks and Spencer, and SABMiller (now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev)- have been independently rated as 'best performers' by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. It was widely hoped that many more would set a precedent for the 12,000 businesses globally who are required to comply with the Act. The fight against modern slavery is complex. According to the Walk Free Foundation, there are currently 45.8million slaves worldwide. Advertisement Today, the growing slave industry is worth US$ 150 billion a year, according to the ILO, meanwhile the combined response by international governments amounts to less than $1 billion a year. We are fighting an organized crime in a totally disorganized manner. But if businesses are ready to take on their share of the fight, things could change rapidly. A new global ranking, the Modern Slavery Index, says companies are exposed to slavery in their supply chains in 115 countries - almost 60% of the world's nations. India and China are among the big export economies where the risk is highest. Modern-day slavery is a silent crime. Victims cannot stand up and speak out. Perpetrators act in almost total impunity. Yet a growing global thirst for cheap products and fast fashion ensures the most vulnerable will continue to be enslaved, often hidden so far down the supply chain of a multinational corporation that those running the business will not know of this if they don't specifically look out for it. The complexity of today's global supply chains means that today no corporation can confidently declare it is slave-free. But when businesses start to think of human rights as an imperative, there is a glimmer of hope. "I couldn't expect that my dream would be designed, given or created for me. I had to learn to create my own path outside of expectations, assumptions, and prejudices." - Fadil Cantave Hailing from Boston with beats finer than your grandmother's China is the 28-year-old emerging artist, HiFadility, a cosmic composer and crafter of soulful sounds. Fadil Cantave, born of Bernadette and Alix Cantave, has been honing in on his gift of manipulating sound for 24 years. Both raised in Haiti, Fadil's parents share a diverse background of Haitian and Dominican as well as Arawak, an indigenous people from the Caribbean. "My parents introduced me to various types of music and believed that studying world cultures promoted a healthy, well-rounded life," Fadil reflects. "They were adamant about cultural education and commitment to values which had a great impact on me and my process of creativity." Cantave's new album Memoirs of a Traveling Soul fuses elements of Haitian folk music, afrobeat, hip hop, trip hop, Latin jazz, soul and electronica to create 10 velvety-smooth songs that are flawlessly mastered. Cantave explores inter-sonic dimensions and experimental soundscapes reminiscent of artists such as Flying Lotus and the late, J Dilla. Though comparable to these artists, HiFadility is truly one-of-a-kind as his album tells the tale of various cultures, from the oppressed to the liberated, from becoming enlightened to being enlightened, and the many challenges we face not as separated races, but as one human race. Advertisement "Racine" starts off the album with a spicy Latin melody that immediately raises the pulse until it smoothly transforms into a sexy hip hop beat. Meanwhile, a sampled speech punctuates the track with passionate statements about the people of Haiti, one of the many powerful messages this album conveys. The next track, "Boukman," showcases Cantave's skill at transforming old sounds into something new as he mixes classic voices with sensual trip top dynamics but then suddenly awakens the listeners with a fast-paced cumbia interlude. With every track, you travel without moving, see without looking, and feel without touching. You are taken on a sonic voyage through a timeless place where all cultures come together under one cohesive umbrella that is Memoirs of a Traveling Soul. In the song "I Can," Cantave continues the journey through exotic percussion paired with an encouraging hip hop mantra stating "you can be anything in the world," a smooth retake on Nas' 2002 track "I Can." He not only pays tribute to the world music his parents shared with him but also the music of his generation. In the track "Favela Mundiale," he samples an emotive speech from the chairman of the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton, whose words resonate deep within the mind as a soft crackling and sweet marimba guide his voice through the song. Combining a modern sound with a slice of our civil right's history is just one of the many evocative composition techniques that Cantave utilizes on Memoirs of a Traveling Soul. The track "This Is Love," a clever homage to Bob Marley's "Is This Love," stands out to me the most, not necessarily being my favorite, but rather being the one that first caught my ear with its undulating bass tones. As he elegantly samples Bob Marley's voice, its heavy dub beat and ethereal melodies reminiscent of a harp arpeggio, shook my sacral chakra. Sampling Bob Marley can often sound trite but Cantave created the perfect balance by delicately blending Marley's voice with his own, euphoric composition. "This exposure to world music and its people really impacted my style as I sought to discover a sort of universal language, a language, whether it be sign or symbol, that when communicated could connect all people regardless of race, creed, politics, or gender. It was beautiful to see on my travels to places like Haiti, the ways in which instruments were produced from nature and also performed in nature; the idea of harmony and how our creations, creative methods, impact the world around us." The album art, created by Nadia Westcott, features an abstract portrait of a man with the world inside of him and the universe all around him. "The cover art represents a personal journey, a map of the internal dimensions that one may navigate to understand the depth of their potential and capacity as a human being," Cantave describes. "I reached out to artist Nadia Westcott, I had seen her work before and met her in person and appreciated her philosophies. I shared a mood board containing symbols surrounding themes of masculinity, black identity, natural cycles. It was great to be able to apply the concept of co-creativity. Communication through symbols and how two people can perceive certain symbols and ideas differently yet in harmony." Each track on Memoirs of a Traveling Soul speaks from a different facet of Cantave's mind, from the sultry sounds of Latin jazz to the Haitian folk of his heritage. However, as unique as each track is, a steady hip hop pulse seems to be the common thread that weaves this album together. "Hip hop offers such a diverse array of experiences and opens access to personal narrative and the subjective inspiration qualities," Cantave describes. "Truly there is deep creativity from hip hop, not just selfish greed." Because he utilizes this idea of diversity within unity, every song is as distinct as it is cohesive. Harmony in all of its forms seems to be the motif of this album. Harmony between humans as well as harmony between sounds. So effortlessly does Cantave weave together the music of the world, blending his skills as a producer as well as a jazz pianist. The result is a rich tapestry of sound full of deep colors and textures. Eloquent are his samples that create a poetic narrative with each passing song, taking the words of others and rewriting them into a modern story. Memoirs of a Traveling Soul is one entity, something that should always be listened to from beginning to end, just like a great book. "Music to me is a practice of harmony. It's a science and art --- it has helped me through so much in regards to emotionally connecting with myself and learning about how to communicate the abstract qualities of myself. It is the space I come to learn about life. I am presented so many obstacles in the process of creating. From developing patience to learning how to let go of my work and share it with others, all of this offers me the opportunity to grow as a person. I create music to connect." "Why aren't headphones, or personal audio for that matter, actually personal? Why aren't they more like prescription glasses, where each and every person gets her or his own custom sound-fit based on a hearing profile?" This is what Danny Aronson asked himself when his good friend Ofer Raz asked him to recommend a good pair of headphones three years ago. Realizing he could not name a pair of headphones that he felt were worthy of his close friend's ears, he decided to create his own. As a classically trained composer and sound designer, Aronson has dedicated 20 years of his life to the art of sound. He plays the flute, piano and guitar and has a degree in music composition from the University of Tel Aviv. Aronson studied score-writing as well as avant-garde and modern music which guided him towards his career in sound design where he led Israel's largest audio post-production facility. As is the natural progression of human anatomy, our senses tend to weaken with age. With a profession in music, Aronson refused to let his hearing become an impairment. Even headphones are a one-of-a-kind, personal sonic experience. Their slick design, ergonomic fit, and walnut wood ear pieces make each pair unique, just as each person's hearing is unique. The entire audio industry has been based upon the assumption that "one sound fits all," as stated by Aronson. "We know that this assumption is simply untrue," he explains in an interview. "Just like eyesight or any other physical attribute, people each hear differently and our left ear hears differently from the right." Advertisement Even's core crew consists of Danny Aronson (CEO), Ofer Raz (CTO), Mosi Shuchman (VP of Operations), Ronen Hillel (head of sound design), Pam Kramer (consumer marketing), Christian Riley (CMO), Kevin Leong (chief manufacturer) as well as a team of software, firmware, sound and acoustic engineers. They have been working on these headphones for two and a half years and launched their first batch of earbuds in June of 2016 which sold out within 48 hours. Their newest creation, the H1 over-ear pair, launched October 19th. Before you use these headphones, you must first tailor them to your ears through a 90 second test administered by a mysterious woman named "Sarah." After plugging in your headphones, you press the Even button and Sarah tests your reactions to a series of frequencies ranging from 125hz (very low bass) to 14KHZ (very high) and several pitches in between. The result is a perfectly balanced and customized listening experience where the headphones are actually tuned into the exact frequencies that your ears hear. "The first time I heard music with my own EarPrint, the experience took me back 30 years," reflects Aronson. "It was an emotional, moving moment for me. I was blown away." The benefits of Even EarPrint technology include a uniquely rich and detailed sound that compensates for frequencies you may have lost over time or have always had issues with, creating a feeling of surround-sound - the sense of being engulfed by the music. The technology behind the unique EarPrint sound is based on a complex algorithm that was perfected over the span of two years and developed by professional music mastering engineers, sound designers and software engineers. The sensation these headphones produce is clean lows, thick mids and crisp highs. "Imagine, for example, that you don't hear 8KHZ frequencies in your right ear as well as you do in your left. What do you do?" Aronson asks. "You crank up the volume, affecting all frequencies, in both ears. This can really muddy the sound. Once you hear music set to your unique EarPrint, you simply hear what you've been missing. People often turn down the volume!" Advertisement The concept of EarPrint technology is also ideal for musicians, producers and DJs who are frequently exposed to loud music. It provides a safe haven for their ears as well as a clear differentiation between frequencies for a better understanding of sound. The better one hears, the better music one can create. Those who rely on their ears for their careers will especially appreciate these headphones. Mark was found on the side of a busy road. He was unaltered and looked like he had been on his own for a bit. My husband and I took him to Dekalb County Animal Services, a local Atlanta shelter, in case anyone was looking for him. When no one came for Mark, we decided to foster him. His goofy face and long, awkward legs were definitely selling points. But what really made us fall in love with him was his demeanor. Loving, friendly and unbreakably happy. He fit in perfectly with our family. From the day we got him, we could tell he was happiest around other dogs. So once we properly assessed his temperament and gave him time to decompress from the shelter, we began taking him to our local dog park. Advertisement We smiled as his goofy legs tried to keep up with his body; he would crash into the fence if he wasn't careful. He greeted everyone - dogs and people - with such a friendly, outgoing disposition. And his happiness rubbed off. Mark possessed so much love and was eager to share it with the world. I just wanted to stay in his blissful, but naive world forever. About a month after we got Mark, I took him to a dog park across the street from our house. I remember the huge smile that was plastered across my face as I saw him clumsily dart across the park. I noticed a man and a small, fluffy dog standing in the corner and I watched as Mark eagerly approached him. He playfully jumped on the man and I heard the man scream. As I walked over to figure out what happened, the man began yelling about his shirt being dirty. Then he took my dog by the neck and began hitting him in the face - multiple times. Advertisement I quickly grabbed Mark and tried to get him out of the situation as fast as I could. And that's when I heard it. The man shouted, 'That's what you get for owning a pit bull.' The reality of the situation slapped me in the face and jolted me backward. I turned around and looked at a man that wasn't upset a dog had jumped on him. He was upset a pit bull had. For pit bull owners, these harsh reminders happen often. It's why we purchase shorter leashes. It's why we are always on guard. It's why we ask vets to lie on our vet records. It's why we call ahead before bringing our dogs to sit on patios. It's why we avoid dog parks. Sometimes I forget how these dogs are perceived in the outside world. And then Montreal bans pit bulls. And then PETA supports them. And then a man hits my dog. The fight over this breed is not over. And in its wake are thousands and thousands of dogs who were killed just because of the way they look. Advertisement Audience with hands raised at a music festival and lights streaming down from above the stage. Soft focus, blurred movement. Whenever I get the chance to highlight something or someone from the Caribbean making an impact, I fully embrace the opportunity. Since migrating to North America from the southern Caribbean island of Grenada, I have learned how important it is to help shape the narrative of the Caribbean. As nationals and members of the diaspora, we shouldn't allow the media in larger countries to dictate how our Caribbean Islands are seen. Therefore, I believe we need take up the mantle to give actual accounts of what the Caribbean is like, which is one of the reasons my business partner Trisha Mitchell-Darius and I started #IamGrenadian, a movement centered on illuminating Grenada. However, others are also leading the charge to help propel the Caribbean, and one such person is Julien Thompson also known as Julien Believe from the Bahamas. Advertisement I had a chat with Julien, and after hearing his story, I felt it was my duty to talk about what he is doing to help bring the Caribbean together and shape the Caribbean narrative. Julien is a top Bahamian artist with several notable accolades. His eclectic mix of island infused pop landed him the Bahamian Icon Award for "Most Popular Song" for his viral hit "The Caribbean Slide" in 2014. In 2015, Believe performed at the Miss World competition in Sanya, China and was nominated for the Cacique Award for "Song of the Year". Julien's writing skills and smooth vocals propelled him to even collaborate with nine-time Grammy Award winner John Legend for his hit song, "Winner". In 2015, Julien released the #1 most requested song in the Bahamas, "Live and Wine" with soca superstar Bunji Garlin. I was very impressed with what Julien has accomplished thus far, and from his new single and music video, it is clear that he isn't slowing down one bit. The song is called "Party Ambassador" and features Ricardo Drue, Beenie Man, and Fadda Fox. Julien said when he saw what DJ Khaled did with Chris Brown, Jeremiah, and August Alsina, he just knew he had to do the same in the Caribbean. Julien's aim is to showcase the Caribbean through his music and personal brand. His message certainly resonated with me. It felt similar to the conversation I had with Destra Garcia a few months ago when she was launching her new song. I am always so impressed when Caribbean artists proudly wave the Caribbean flag and put the Islands at the forefront of everything they do. As a digital marketer, I am always an advocate of using Social Media to build brands, and I recently wrote a piece on how Caribbean artists should use Social Media to build theirs. One of the questions I asked Julien during our conversation was whether or not he manages his own Social Media. He was very proud to announce that he is the man behind the brand. Every tweet, photo on Instagram, response, and post on Facebook are all done by him. I asked Julien, what is one thing that you want people to know about you? He said he never gives up, even when the odds are against him. He believes that in life anything you want is attainable, but you just have to be ready to fight for it while remaining focused. Julien proves that it is possible to realize your dreams no matter what life throw at us. We just have to be prepared to keep our heads down and make the necessary sacrifices to see it through. Advertisement The Gift of Connections / By Pranay Gupte It is now nearly 50 years since, very early on a cool September morning, I said farewell to my father and mother and boarded a plane for America. I was a few months past my 17th birthday and had never been abroad. I had won a scholarship to Brandeis University near Boston and had only to pay for my transportation from India, an expense that my father agreed to undertake. He felt that it would do me good to get away from my protected environment in Bombay (known as Mumbai since 1995). He had not the slightest doubt that I would return home after my graduation from Brandeis. My mother had vigorously resisted the trip; she viewed my departure as a rebellion against her and against my relatively conservative upbringing. The scholar and professor in her argued that a college education in Bombay was as good as anywhere abroad. My father prevailed, and I was off to America. But to pacify my mother, I said that I would be back soon. She told me that she thought it was unlikely that I would keep my word because the world outside the womb was so large that it would take me a lifetime to explore. I have often thought about her remark as the years slipped by. My mother never again directly brought up the subject of my returning to India. I like to think that the professional in her recognized her son's need to establish himself independently. Much as it must have anguished her, my mother herself cut the umbilical cord to her only child that September morning in 1967 when I boarded a jetliner to America. Advertisement My mother and father have been gone since 1985. My mother was right: the world outside the womb is very large, but the connections are extremely important. These are matters that one doesn't think about ordinarily, but when faced with the death of both parents, the sense of loss is so complete that one is compelled to reach out for the connections. My mother died on December 31, 1985, barely 10 months after my father passed away. Since my father's death, she had become increasingly depressed. Still, the writer in her did not dry up. She continued turning out articles for magazines and newspapers in Bombay. She published a new novel, her 40th in Marathi, a major Indian language. But the death of a spouse can be devastating. My parents had been married for 48 years and had known each other since childhood. When they decided that they wanted to get married, their respective parents denied them permission; in the traditional Indian style of arranged marriages, each set of parents had chosen another partner for them. So my parents eloped. My mother told me that marrying my father was the bravest thing she did, and that the second bravest thing was to suspend her opposition to my going away to America. Since my father's death, notwithstanding her literary productivity, my mother's will to live diminished. I traveled several times to India in 1985 to research a new book, and I was startled each time to see how she had aged rapidly. I was also alarmed at how inconsolable my mother had become. Her great fear was that something tragic would happen to her while I was away in some remote part of the world on a writing assignment, not an unlikely possibility. Advertisement In the event, I happened to be in Bombay in connection with a job offer by an Indian industrialist; he wanted to start a weekly newspaper. This time my former wife Jayanti and our six-year-old son Jaidev were with me. My mother delightedly organized a lunch for us, and she played with my son with great joy. My mother and I took photographs of each other, I with my camera, she with her eyes. The next day, she was dead. The doctors said that she died of a cardiac arrest in her sleep. I think she died of a broken heart that would not mend. A close family friend, who helped with the funeral arrangements, asked me what my mother's life meant to me. He said that perhaps I should explain to my son the nexus between my mother and myself because it was important that children understand what went into the making of their parents, what the threads and seams knitting the generations were. During the funeral, sitting by myself on a bench in a crematorium watching the flames from my mother's pyre blaze into the clear blue December sky, I grasped for the connections between her life and mine. As I watched my mother's body crumble into ashes, it occurred to me how many questions I still needed to ask her about herself and about the extraordinary time she lived through: What made her a writer? What gave her that energy to put herself through university and acquire a doctorate, a rarity for women of her time? What explained her literary bent? What passion caused her to commit her life to helping the needy and dispossessed? What urged her to want to become a teacher? The questions cascaded. I realized that by the time I had left Bombay on that first journey to America, I hadn't been sufficiently mature to ask my mother all those questions; and the next 20 years were busily spent growing up abroad and there was no time to pose the queries. And now she was dead. It occurred to me during my mother's funeral that there were perhaps many of my generation who, in their anxiety to develop nuclear families and escape the smothering traditionalism of their parents' societies, fled so fast from their backgrounds that they failed to comprehend where they had come from. In my mother's case, she never forgot her roots. She was born a Hindu in the village of Chauk in Maharashtra, a state in the western region of India. The daughter of an obscure Indian army sergeant, Ramchandra Pradhan, she had an older brother and sister. Of Ramchandra Pradhan I know very little beyond the fact that he served in the Middle East and died destitute. Advertisement My mother, even as a schoolgirl in Chauk, gave tutorials to pay for family provisions. I am not clear when my mother, and her mother, moved to Bombay, but I do know that she received her bachelor's degree there from St. Xavier's College. During her college years, my mother won several local beauty contests. She was not a tall woman, perhaps just over five feet, her face was lean, her eyes were large and her black hair was shiny; she was dainty in those days, slim as a sylph. My mother then taught at a number of schools around Bombay. Among her students were men and women who later distinguished themselves in the arts and in politics. Among them were Govind Talwalkar, who became editor of the Maharashtra Times in Bombay; Mohan Sukhtankar, a noted actor of the Marathi state; and Bal Thackeray, a leading political cartoonist, who later founded the Shiv Sena, a major political party. (The Shiv Sena argued that "Bombay" was a corrupted English version of "Mumbai," and an unwanted legacy of British colonial rule.) In fact, my mother and Mr. Thackeray had a private joke that went on between them for decades: according to my mother's version, she had once rapped Mr. Thackeray on the head when he was a little boy at school for failing to memorize a poem. Ever since then, whenever they met or talked with each other by telephone, Mr. Thackeray would begin the conversation by reciting a stanza from that poem. My mother once told me that early in her life she resolved to get away from the degrading poverty of her childhood. Often there was no food, and seldom new clothing in the Pradhan family. The three Pradhan children, after the death of their father, were trundled from one relative's home to another. My mother told me that she and her siblings were frequently made to work as servants, cleaning toilets and scrubbing floors. I told my mother that she could well have been a character in a Horatio Alger novel, where poor people rose in life by dint of hard work and true grit. Her response to me then was that her life was no fiction, it was all too real. The early years of my mother's marriage to my father were hard. My father was a struggling lawyer, and my mother taught school and also worked on her doctoral thesis on Marathi comedy. My parents' first child, a boy, was stillborn. I was born in 1948, almost a year after India obtained independence from Britain. From my hazy memories I can recall how frenetic the 1950s and 1960s were for my mother. She was a leading activist in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, which resulted in the carving of the new Maharashtra and Gujarat states out of the old unified Bombay State. Advertisement My mother formed a number of cultural organizations, such as Anandban and Kalatarang, which assisted talented youths from deprived communities to develop their skills as writers and artists. She established specialized women's organizations such as the Vangmaya Vikas Mahila Mandal, which promoted the development of literary skills among women. Additionally, my mother served for a dozen years on the central government's Central Board of Film Censors. She was also a member of the prohibition panel, the Bombay Telephone Advisory Committee and the Maharashtra Government's social welfare commission. One of my childhood memories is of the night my mother was elected from the Dadar constituency to the Bombay Municipal Corporation. I remember being in an old German-made Opel car that was part of a procession. Drums rolled and conch shells were sounded. The music of shenai, an Indian flute, was in the air. Sweetmeats were distributed. I remember my father patiently explaining to me the electoral process, and I can still remember my mother's tears of joy. Political life was less fulfilling for my mother than she would have liked. Although she was active in the Congress Party (the political party of Gandhi and Nehru), she never realized her dream of being asked to run for the State Assembly. I remember how crushed she was when two of her students successively became education ministers in the state cabinet -- she was crushed, not out of envy, but because she felt that the ascension of the new generation was a sure sign that her own generation's usefulness in public service was viewed as pretty much over. It was a perception born out of bitterness, to be sure, but there was some truth in it. The men and women who studied under my mother, the generation that grew up in the 1940s when India was achieving her independence from Britain, catapulted into leadership positions in Bombay and Maharashtra with breathtaking speed as they poured their unshackled energies into political ambitions. My mother found her catharsis in work. She churned out more than a hundred novels, plays, travellogues and short story volumes. She wrote radio scripts and film documentaries. Her comic plays were translated into Hindi and Gujarati. She lectured widely throughout Maharashtra on social topics such as the emancipation of women. Her message to poor women always was: nothing is preordained, it is possible to free oneself from poverty, it can be done. Advertisement My mother would occasionally spring wonderful surprises on me. She knew that I enjoyed humor. One evening she suggested that I accompany her and my father to a Marathi play. I must have been 11 or 12 years old at the time. I remember how hard I laughed throughout that play. It was only at the end, when someone came by and said "congratulations" to my mother, that I found out it had been her own play I had just seen. On another occasion, my mother asked me to accompany her to Jai Hind College, an adjunct of the University of Bombay, where she taught Marathi and Sanskrit. She said that I was to watch a skit being performed by college students. I was left to myself in the front row; my mother explained that she had some work to do in her faculty office upstairs. The play started off with some very funny scenes depicting life in a Bombay middle class neighborhood, and I thought that it was too bad that my mother had missed the opening. But then it occurred to me that one of the players seemed very familiar. It was my mother, who had a role in that enactment. It was my mother who fired in me the ambition to write. Growing up as a son of a woman of letters, I remember always being surrounded by books and literary people. Giants of Marathi literature such as V. S. Khandekar, P. L. Deshpande, Vrinda Karandikar, Ramesh Mantri, Vijay Tendulkar, Dyaneshwar Nadkami and Shanta Shelke were frequently guests at our home. And often my mother would take me to the homes of these writers. Our drawing rooms crackled with intellectual ferment and creative tension as these stalwarts split literary hairs. And there was also the political two-way traffic. Among my childhood memories are regular visits by Maharashtra politicians such as Yeshwantrao Chavan, who went on to become India's deputy prime minister; S. K. Patil, the head of the Bombay Congress Party; and Vasantrao P. Naik, the head of the Maharashtra state cabinet. In fact, one of my mother's enduring friendships was with Vatsalabai Naik, Chief Minister Naik's widow. It was my mother who edited and published a book of poems and essays by the Naiks' deceased daughter, Arundhati. I know I sometimes felt during my early years that my mother was harsh on me, that she was too demanding that I do well at school. But her admonitions flowed from her love for me: my mother felt that a life without achievement was not a life well spent. Implicit in her exhortations was a simple, central point: that an only child had no one but himself to rely on for support, and that if he was to extract the most out of life, then he damn well first extract the most out of the stuff between his ears. This emphasis on self-reliance ran counter to the way many middle class Indian parents brought up their children; for the most part, these parents tried to shelter their progeny from the vicissitudes of life even after the children had become adults. Advertisement These are some of the facts of my mother's 70-year-long life, as I can recollect them. I have no recollection, beyond the superficial ones, of what internal effects these facts had on my mother. I can think now of so many questions about her life and her experiences that I would like to ask her, and I myself possess answers to questions about my own adult life that I am certain she held in her mind. A rich personal source of family traditions, history and ethos has disappeared for me. There is one gift that I will never be able to give to my own son, the gift of the remembered connections between the generations. It was a gift that my parents themselves did not fully bequeath to me, not because they weren't ready to give, but because I was away and because I never bothered to stop and seek answers. I make my home in the United States now, and as does my estranged son, Jaidev. With the flight of the years to come, our connections to my personal history are bound to become thinner. And there is no one from our families left in Bombay who can reconstruct the past for us, and there is no one who can tell us about the real texture of these connections. One of the cruelest hopes we may experience in life is the irrational thought that a loved one who is dead may one day return. When your guard is down, in defiance of reality, you fantasize that that person will reappear, as real as anything. That's a little what it's like to have someone away in prison, and imagine their eventual return. Meanwhile, the bitterest dream for the prisoner -- that one day the gates will be unlocked and he will walk, live, and breathe outside those walls -- is the slender thread of hope running through the days and years of his sentence. Until, that day arrives! He leaves the prison garb behind and suddenly sets forth to walk free in this world, and you'd think he would be excited and energized... But instead, he falls into a deep, long sleep! So went the first hours of freedom for Daniel Holden, the protagonist of Rectify, SundanceTV's critically acclaimed fictional series about a man released from prison after 18 years. And now, as the fourth and final season of "Rectify" comes out, Daniel has come to Nashville, where he - like so many others - struggles against the odds to forge a new beginning. He comes to an agency called "New Canaan Project". It's remarkably similar to Project Return. Like at Project Return, the focus at New Canaan is on employment, and the core values are honesty, encouragement, and perseverance. Advertisement Daniel resembles more than anything an exile who has returned to life. Each person we convict and sentence to prison becomes an exile, banished from our sight and our collective consideration. Each prisoner who returns from exile - as almost all eventually do - has to start his life over, usually from nothing. For the majority, it's about what they don't have: no ID documentation, no clothing, no food, no housing, no employment, no transportation, no money. The fortunate ones have some family or friend who extends some degree of welcome. Either way, the returned exile, upon getting out of prison, finds there's no place for them, really, to fit in. Life has moved on without them. More than that, though, it's just moving! So fast. Motion sickness is common on the ride away from prison. Falling into a deep sleep, like Daniel did, is also common. In exile, nothing moved fast, and much didn't move at all, but paradoxically amidst all that slowness there's no such thing as a good night's sleep. Meanwhile, return they do, every day, uncounted on and uncounted, and unaccounted for. It's always difficult to know who's getting out and when, but as many as 2,000 prisoners are being released today, and every day, from state and federal prisons across the US. About 300 a week in Tennessee. Each day, exiles return to the streets of Nashville. The lucky ones live initially in halfway houses, with curfews and chores and roommates. For each of them, like for Daniel, the job's the thing: gaining and keeping employment is the linchpin for new life. Make no mistake: none of this is meant to diminish harm inflicted and damage undone. People have been convicted of terrible things. The time does eventually come, though, when the sentence is deemed served, and the debt is stamped "paid". The exile returns, emerging from prison like Daniel with both the heavy, lifelong regret for wrongs they can never make right, and the slenderest of hope for a new beginning. Advertisement Part of the Rectify story has been the question of Daniel's innocence or guilt. But the real suspense of Season 4 of Rectify centers on two unknowns: can he find himself, and can he find his place in this world. The good news is, people returning from incarceration are getting jobs, fitting in, and starting over. I had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of the new movie "Denial" last week. It was the night before Erev Yom Kippur and my wife tried to convince me to stay home and finish writing my Yom Kippur sermons. However, knowing my Kol Nidrei sermon was on the topic of bullying, and being familiar with the story of how Professor Deborah Lipstadt was bullied by a menacing, Holocaust denier, it seemed like a wise idea to see the film. And I was correct. There aren't many Hollywood feature movies that are made about college professors. The best of them can be counted on one hand: "Dead Poet's Society," "Good Will Hunting" and "A Beautiful Mind." In "Denial," Rachel Weisz brilliantly plays Emory University Holocaust historian and author Deborah Lipstadt. The film is based on Lipstadt's book and focuses on her legal defense against a noted Holocaust denier, David Irving. I first encountered Professor Lipstadt during my undergraduate years when I took several Holocaust courses as part of my minor in Jewish Studies when I read her book and scholarly articles. I also had the chance to attend a lecture she gave at a Rabbinical Assembly convention, where I first met her in person. This was following her long trial in London after she had published History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier -- her memoir of the experience defending herself against this libel charge from the Holocaust denier. I've since had the chance to talk with her on a few occasions and each time I feel blessed just to be in her presence. She's brilliant, charismatic and has arguably done more than any other Holocaust historian to ensure the Nazis don't get a posthumous victory. Advertisement "Denial" a very well done film and even though we already know the outcome, there's a good deal of suspense throughout. The acting is excellent and Rachel Weisz, herself Jewish, does an Oscar-worthy job as Lipstadt. Believe it or not, Prof. Lipstadt had an uphill battle in defending herself against this libel charge. I know that seems ludicrous since the man who brought the suit is a well-known fraud, but because the case was brought in London the burden of proof was on the defense. Fortunately, there were enough generous donors who stood up and supported her legal defense including Steven Spielberg and Ohio's well known philanthropist Leslie Wexner, who was the first donor to step up and offered to fund her legal team in total. Wexner's right hand man, Bruce Soll, flew to London for the opening and closing of the trial (both men were congregants at my former synagogue in Columbus). Watching this film, it was clear that this wasn't a story in which the Holocaust was on trial. It was simply a case of bullying -- one that took place in quasi-academic articles and books written by Irving, a Holocaust denier and a self-admitted fan of Adolf Hitler. Irvin bullied Lipstadt throughout the entire process forcing her to prove she didn't break the law in trying to defend herself against the bully. The film begins after she published her book about Holocaust denial and debunks the theories of this British historian, who surmised in several books and articles that there was no systematic murder of Jews during the second World War and specifically that Auschwitz wasn't a death camp with gas chambers. Advertisement Irving surreptitiously attends one of Prof. Lipstadt's lectures and challenges her on why she refuses to debate any Holocaust deniers. For the record, she cares deeply about free speech, but will not engage with someone who lies. She equates it to arguing with someone who says that Elvis is still alive. The Holocaust denier has someone record the exchange in which he completely catches her off guard and bullies her with name calling and threats. When Lipstadt is informed that he's filed a libel suit against her and the book's publisher Penguin in London, she chooses to take the more difficult road and defend herself against this bully rather than settle as some advised her to do. She could have easily backed down and allowed the bully to continue stomping on the graves of the six million Jews who perished in the Shoah, but she couldn't do that. She refused to settle and chose to defeat the bully using history and facts. Bullying is a serious problem and it's only getting worse. We see it in our political system, in the current election for president, and it's become an increasingly frightening situation with teens online. Judaism teaches us that words have significance. They are not merely words. Words do harm. We need to be rodfei shalom, pursuers of peace. We need to go out of our way for the sake of peace. We also can't be afraid to stand up against hurtful words -- the destructive language that tears down people. Have you noticed the scary number of Halloween pop-up stores that are mystically appearing in your local mall this year? Halloween is big business! This pagan ritual is growing. It's estimated that around 170 million people in the U.S. will celebrate All Hallows' Eve this year. This will beat the more than 157 million Americans that celebrated Halloween in 2015. The recent National Retail Federation's annual survey highlighted that total spending for Halloween is expected to reach $8.4 billion, an all-time high in the survey's 11-year history. U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average of $82.93 on candy, costumes, decorations, and other items - up from last year's $74.34. Advertisement What tricks and treats top the list? According to the survey, consumers plan to spend $3.1 billion on costumes (purchased by 67% of Halloween shoppers), $2.5 billion on candy (94.3%), $2.4 billion on decorations (70%), and $390 million on greeting cards (35.4%). When it comes to preparation, 71% of consumers plan to hand out candy, decorate their home or yard (49%), dress in a costume (47%), carve a pumpkin (46%), throw or attend a party (34%), take their children trick-or-treating (30%), visit a haunted house (21%), or dress their pet(s) in a costume (16%). Don't fear these supply chain challenges Halloween will present myriad challenges for supply chain organizations, be it manufacturers, retailers, or third-party logistics providers. These include: 1. Meeting consumers' needs both online and in-store: Social media is the fastest-growing influencer for the perfect costume, particularly Pinterest (17%), which has seen 133% growth since 2012. Others find inspiration from Facebook (17%), friends/family (19%), and pop culture (16%), which all beat traditional print media (14%). Searching for the perfect witch, superhero, or ghoul costume will lead consumers to sources online (35%) as well as in-store (29%). Meeting your consumers' needs will likely require having both an Internet and physical presence of some sort. Advertisement 2. Ensuring you have the proper amount of supplies: According to the National Confectioners Association, chocolate is people's favorite Halloween candy, followed closely by candy corn (more than 35 million pounds are produced each year). It's estimated that approximately 90 million pounds of chocolate flies off the shelves during the week leading up to Halloween. This is great news for the world's chocolate manufacturers, such as the Ferrero Group, which is using cutting-edge business software to sweeten its aggressive business goals. But imagine if there was a poor cocoa crop, a natural disaster, or a health scare like Ebola leading up to the big holiday season. That would be a true Halloween horror story for manufacturers, and it highlights the need for global supply chains to be more robust, with backup for critical suppliers. 3. Overcoming human asset nightmares: An estimated 800,000 seasonal workers will be hired this year, many in pop-up stores. With this comes the bone-chilling proposition of onboarding and training new staff. Your organization needs to have an answer for quickly getting these temporary employees up to speed. And be warned: Once the calendar turns to November, the Halloween pop-up stores will mysteriously disappear and soon transform into Christmas shops. Make Halloween a scream for consumers Why, you may understandably ask, do I discuss Karla Faye Tucker, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump in the same article? I do so because I want to share how the life and death of Karla Faye Tucker propelled me toward what I see as a professional responsibility -- doing all I can to underscore the importance of a mature "emotional sense of direction" in the decisions that each of us face in order to safeguard all we hold dear. Please stay with me as I explain. Perhaps you do not know, or do not remember who Karla Faye Tucker was. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karla_Faye_Tucker Born on November 18, 1959 into a deeply troubled marriage, and illegitimate, Karla Faye followed her mother into prostitution at the age of 14. During this period, on June 13, 1983, after a drug-fuelled weekend, she participated in a horrid murder of two and was jailed the following September, awaiting trail. Soon after her imprisonment, Karla Faye took a bible from the prison ministry program. After reading it for the first time in her life, the 24-year-old fell to the floor to ask God's forgiveness. She became a Christian in October of that year and later, in 1995, married her prison minister in a wedding ceremony inside the prison. Karla Faye was killed by lethal injection in Houston, Texas on February 3, 1998 at the age of 38. Many, including the Pope John Paul II and Ronald Carlson, the brother of Tucker's female murder victim, wrote letters on her behalf, asking that her wish be granted -- to stay in prison for the rest of her life, offering hope and counsel to young women who, like she, committed horrific crimes when they did not know what they were doing, The parole board refused to meet with her and rejected her appeal on January 28, 1998. Her last words were to thank all those, including the warden, who testified she was a model prisoner whom he saw as reformed. The first kindness ever showed to Karla Faye had been in prison. She was the first woman executed in the state of Texas in 135 years. Advertisement Now, I totally agree with the following: Those of us who have the privilege and responsibility of being therapists have no right diagnosing anyone we have not spent crucial time with. However, I must tell you that the killing of Karla Faye Tucker, who was born into the most loathsome of homes, without one iota of love or kindness, confirmed something important for me. After Karla Faye was put to death I saw that we in my field do have a responsibility to educate and inform about why some people make grave mistakes, and in her case and others, why many turn to sex as outlet and expression, and some semblance of control over overwhelming anxieties. In Karla Faye's case, sex offered the only connection, release of inner torment, and anxiety control she had ever known in her life, that is, until she found love, purpose, and a sound emotional sense of direction in prison. I will spare you repeated details (that unfortunately you already know all too well) regarding sexual accusations involving Bill Clinton and Donald Trump; their impact in this seemingly endless campaign; and how jolting the statements have been to so very many citizens. However, I believe it important to shed some psychological light on the distressing incidents that have consumed news coverage. There are numerous reasons why men with loving, committed wives chose to have extra-marital liaisons, relationships, and one-night stands. One of the major ones involve a boy becoming a man without the benefit of a stable, reliable father or father figure, whose presence offers confidence and self-assuredness during complex years when one goes from boy to man. In such cases, especially if there are not close relatives, family friends, or reliable religious leaders to help fill the gap, many men feel the need repeatedly to prove their manliness through sex. After these actions, they are usually riddled with guilt about pain they have caused a loyal wife and children. Through counseling their awareness can grow; an "emotional sense of direction" can develop; and their behavior can change. Advertisement A second common reason occurs when a boy is the apple of his parents' eye, and is raised to believe that he is so special that anything he wishes to do, or say, no matter how degrading or vulgar, and any way he wishes to act toward others in a sexual situation (or any situation for that matter) is completely acceptable, and is even something to brag about. In situations like these, one strongly believes that any question about behavior shows unfairness and prejudice of the one who dares to question. Although a mature "emotional sense of direction" in basically nonexistent, rarely does one with this pattern of behavior seek therapy. Nurse talking to patient in hospital room By Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu Over the past few days, social media has been on fire with the story of Dr. Tamika Cross, who was flying on Delta when a flight attendant asked for a doctor to help a passenger in medical distress. Cross tried to jump in, but the flight attendant dismissed her, not believing the young black woman offering to help was a physician. Cross posted the ordeal to Facebook: "She said to me: 'Oh no, sweetie put [your] hand down; we are looking for actual physicians or nurses or some type of medical personnel. We don't have time to talk to you.'" Advertisement Actual physicians. After a decade of schooling, after finishing medical school and starting my residency, it's maddening when people misunderstand the role I play in the clinical setting -- even when I've introduced myself, I'm wearing my credentials, and I'm wearing my long white coat. I've been in Cross's shoes. Many black doctors have. Two days before Cross's ordeal, I was performing a neurological exam on a patient, testing her strength and her reflexes in her arms and legs. In the middle of the physical, a food services employee walked into the room and interrupted the exam to take the patient's meal order. "What would she like for lunch?" the man said, clearly not seeing that I was in the middle of treating the patient. Not again, I thought. In her post, which has been shared tens of thousands of times and has spawned an investigation by Delta, Cross pointed out a reality I live every day: "I'm sure many of my fellow young, corporate America working women of color can all understand my frustration when I say I'm sick of being disrespected." Advertisement That day, I wasn't in the mood to deal with racist nonsense while trying to take care of my patient. I wasn't in the mood to smile or be congenial when this man not only disrespected me, but disrupted my work. I stopped my exam and stood up straight. "I don't know," I said, waiting for the man to realize who this person was, standing before him with a stethoscope around her neck and reflex hammer in her hand. "Fish or chicken?" he asked. I could have told him that I was a doctor, but why? Why do I need to keep explaining who I am in a space I have earned, and where I know I belong? That day I had no interest in shouldering the double burden of oppression. As writer Audre Lorde says, "black and Third World people are expected to educate white people as to our humanity. ... There is a constant drain of energy which might be better used in redefining ourselves and devising realistic scenarios for altering the present and constructing the future." All this time I spend explaining who I am is time I'm not spending being who I am. "Don't you know what she likes?" the man asked, growing more annoyed. "No, I don't." I took a deep breath and blinked at him a few times, slow and hard, trying to maintain my composure. "I just met her five minutes ago," I said, holding up the hospital ID that says "doctor." "I'm trying to examine her." Advertisement "Oh, sorry," he said, "I thought you were her family. I'll come back." My patient was black, so maybe a fleeting glimpse might have led him to the conclusion we were family. Yet, despite watching what I was doing and seeing what I was wearing, this man couldn't see that being a doctor was a logical explanation for who I was. Just like when my mother, also a doctor, tried to park her car in a physicians-only parking lot and security refused to let her in. Just like when Cross tried to live up to her oath as a doctor and was shot down because she didn't look doctorly enough. I threw my frustration out to Twitter, much as Cross threw hers into Facebook. In the days since Cross's posting, #whatadoctorlookslike has started trending. Black female health professionals have told their stories, shared their pictures in scrubs and white coats, and tried to break the stereotype of what a doctor looks like. It's inspirational that there are so many of us, doing so many wonderful things. But it's also sad, because here we are, once again, forced into explaining why we belong in the space we've earned. By Jes Ellis In September, the U.S. House of Representatives debated a contentious provision within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Known as "Supplement, Not Supplant" (SNS), this provision requires states to use Title I funding to provide additional resources for low-income students. SNS has existed since 1970 and is central to the law's promise of equity. More than two-thirds of our low-income children and children of color attend schools that receive federal Title I funding. These schools often receive less state and local funding than the non-Title I in the same district. On average, Title I schools are shortchanged by $440,000 per year. For decades school districts have been allowed to supplement the shortfall in state and local funds with Title I grants, using federal money to pay for qualified teachers, facility improvements and other necessities. The U.S. Department of Education, led by Secretary John King, has proposed an interpretation of ESSA that unequivocally prohibits school districts from using Title I moneys to supplant the shortfall in their budgets. I have been teaching in Title I schools across New England and the DC area since 2001. I currently live and teach in a small town in Prince George's County right across the District line. In my Title I school, 87 percent of our students qualify for free and reduced price meals. Nearly 95 percent of our students identify as African American or Hispanic. I am also the mother of two white, middle class children who speak English as a first language. Let me demonstrate the critical intent of Title I funding by comparing two children, My Son and My Student. Advertisement My Son was born into a family riddled with college graduates. We have been talking about college with him since he was old enough to say, "Go Bears." (Or "Go Wildcats," or "Go Tarheels.") My Student, now a 5th grader, will most likely be the first person in his family to go to college. His mother left formal education in her native country after the third grade, and his father dropped out after the sixth. Title I funds should pay for his additional college counseling, mentor programs, and field trips to college campuses. My Son grew up in a house filled with books. We started reading to him the day he came home from the hospital. We go to the library every other weekend and return with tote bags filled with books. The only book in My Student's home is the Bible. Title I funds should pay for reading enrichment programs, classroom libraries, books for the home, field trips to libraries, and online reading opportunities to overwhelm My Student with high quality print. By age three, My Son had heard nearly 50 million words. We have dinner together almost every night and discuss politics, our professions, and the news. My Student grew up with parents who did more than discussed. His mother taught him to help around the house at an early age and brought him on errands or to work, but their conversation focused on the spheres of their practical lives. The family's television is always on in the living room, but the programming is limited. By age three, My Student had heard about 20 million words. Title I funds should pay for rich language experiences to make up for this "word gap," such as field trips to see plays, audio books for his classroom, and outreach to families. My Son had his first personal computer at age eight. He now completes much of his homework online. He types stories, researches topics of interest, and communicates with families and friends on the internet. My Student has a smart phone so he can text with his parents and friends, but he has no Wi-Fi or data plan. There is no computer in the house. Title I funds should pay for a laptop computer for My Student so he can have access to the same technological experiences and resources as My Son. Advertisement Of course, both My Son and My Student need and deserve experienced teachers and safe, functional school buildings. However, these are fundamental elements of education in a developed society. Our school funding structures need to ensure that all students, regardless of class or geography, have access to them. Title I was never intended to provide the basics. It is meant to address the drastic discrepancy in social collateral between rich and poor children in America. Horace Mann predicted American public education to be "the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery." In a well-run system, Title I funds are the hub that achieves this balance. Supplement Not Supplant helps ensure the machine is working for everyone. Note to Readers: During the six years of this blog, I have never stated a preference for any candidate for office. My focus instead has been on how we can use our reason and emotions to understand and think about the issues that make up our public and private lives. Given the magnitude of what seems, to me, at stake in the forthcoming election, however, I divert from that policy in this post. As always, I try to approach the topic with reason and balance. During the first presidential debate, Hillary Clinton said: "I prepared to be president." In an MSNBC interview earlier this year, asked what advisors he consults, Donald Trump said: "I'm speaking with myself, No. 1, because I have a very good brain . . . My primary consultant is myself." Clearly, both candidates consider themselves ready to take the Oath of Office. Soon, the voters will weigh in. What should we look for in judging the capability of a presidential candidate? There are at least four critical presidential competencies: executive experience, political savvy, expertise in domestic and foreign affairs, and prudential judgment. A president is the "CEO" of a complex workforce of millions and a budget of trillions. Knowing how to lead a large organization matters. The presidency requires political "smarts" - to transform election promises into enacted programs. This means the ability to generate political support, work with Congress, and navigate the political shoals of dealing with state, local and international governments. A president must also understand the complexity and inter-relatedness of domestic and foreign issues, the strategic challenges they pose. A Commander in Chief must have foresight. Finally, a president must make carefully considered decisions amidst intense pressure and often unpalatable but necessary tradeoffs - and understand the implications of alternative courses of action and how they further or damage long-term national interests. Clearly, some competence comes with growth in the presidency, but it helps to have a head start. Advertisement Hillary Clinton has seen both state government and the White House from the inside as First Lady, served as a Senator, and worked on Congressional committees dealing with issues as varied as the budget, armed services, the environment, public works, health, education, labor, and aging. As Secretary of State, she had wide exposure in international affairs and negotiations, traveled extensively, and championed women's rights in the developing world. While in the White House, she led the Clinton health care initiative. In the current campaign, her policy and program prescriptions, even if we disagree with them, show a depth of understanding of a wide range of domestic and international challenges. At the same time, she has never led anything larger than a White House or Senate office staff. Experience, of course, does not always equate to competence. Her health care effort failed, in part due to the inability to generate political support. Some of her decisions as Secretary of State - such as her support of the use of force in Libya without adequate preparation for the post-Gadaffi era - were poorly made or executed. Her judgments, such as support for the Iraq war, which she later publicly regretted, have sometimes seemed predicated more on political calculations than national interests, including her flip from support to opposition in regard to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Donald Trump has considerable executive experience, given the widespread and varied nature of his business enterprises. He has not held public office, though he clearly has engaged with the political system on behalf of his businesses and in the current campaign. His grasp of domestic and international affairs seems mostly informed by his political views and business experience. It is neither wide nor deep, eschewing as he has the need to read, travel to meet foreign leaders, or study deeply. Though he leads a large organization, that enterprise has had significant failures - multiple bankruptcies, legal challenges and lawsuits. His effort to define domestic policies has suffered from frequent confusion and flip-flops, such as on the subject of immigration, where has gone from insisting that eleven million illegal immigrants be rounded up and deported to claiming that he only wants to do that with the criminals among them. His one foray into international affairs, in Mexico, resulted in angering the Mexican president and people, especially when he took a dramatically different and negative tone domestically the same night he returned from his trip. His suggestions that he may withhold support for NATO if nations don't pay their fair share and encourage Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea to considering acquiring nuclear weapons evidence a tendency to shoot from the hip without careful consideration of long-term consequences in those regions or to the national interest. Advertisement Trump prides himself on intuition. While intuition has a place in strategic leadership, he seems to lack the same respect for factual objectivity and prudence. His political skills certainly demonstrate the ability to go from reality TV to the pinnacle of national power, but he has shown a tendency to burn as many political bridges as he has built, even with those in his own party who disagree with him. Intolerance of dissent can be disastrous in the formulation and execution of national policy, as Kennedy learned at the Bay of Pigs, Johnson in Vietnam, and Nixon during Watergate. Further, while a president can hire brilliant people to craft and manage policy and programs, those people will often disagree, forcing the decision to presidential judgment, which cannot be delegated. There is an urgent need to put together a coherent goal-readiness plan to drive the sustainable development goals related to health. To succeed it needs to address three critical elements: how the goals will be financed, what health systems need to be established and how new skills, new thinking, and new ways of working together across systems can be developed. Nine months after the United Nations' sustainable development goals came into force implementation is still at the starting blocks. Most of the world still needs to learn about the goals and understand exactly why they matter. Advertisement The goals have been on the agenda of world leaders. At the recent Global Fund for Development meeting in Canada governments of both poor and wealthy countries committed to funding the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. These are epidemics that the sustainable development goal for health seeks to eliminate. But a much more comprehensive approach needs to be developed to achieve the sustainable development goals in totality and to meet the 2030 deadline. aHe millennium development goals were laudable. But the top-down approach that was often taken to reach programmes did not result in the intended success it aimed for. For the sustainable development goals to be successful, they need to be owned by everyone. A hierarchical approach will not serve these ends. Global leaders need to take a different approach to the one taken with the millennium development goals. Learning from previous mistakes There were some notable successes in meeting the millennium development goals. These included increased gender parity in primary education enrolment. There were also some notable failures, such as winning the fight against HIV. Advertisement Overall the goals were criticised for being too focused on achieving specific measurable targets, without considering the context in which these needed to be achieved. Take for example the target to reduce the number of deaths of children younger than five. This target gave no consideration to the contexts and systems in countries that affect child mortality - such as conflict and insecurity. These conditions render children vulnerable despite frontline workers' best efforts. Focusing on disease specific measurable targets is considered a vertical approach. All resources are directed or funnelled towards fixing only one specific problem. But this is problematic. It takes resources away from other needs. It does not strengthen the overall health system and does not address the context in which the problem occurs. This approach may fix problems in the short term. But in the long term the broader contextual factors that remain in place are likely to result in the problem reoccurring. Unlike the millennium development goals the sustainable development goals place greater emphasis on the relationship between individual health and its social determinants. Advertisement For example, the success of goal three - which looks broadly at good health and well being - is dependent on the other 16 goals being achieved. And collectively the goals and their targets address the key social determinants underlying poor health. The goals realise that good health is dependent on food security, which in turn is affected if all the sustainable development goals are not achieved. Put another way, the sustainable development goals are more integrated. This is an improvement on the limitations of the millennium development goals' vertical approach. The clear shift from a disease or condition-specific focus to overall well-being is very important. Better health systems The World Health Organisation defines a health system as all organisations, people and actions whose primary interest is to promote, restore or maintain health. There are many components to this system and all need to work together. This includes: financing, information systems, supply mechanisms, human resources, physical infrastructure, appropriate training, and governance. If one of these components is weak, all of the rest of the components are at risk. Establishing better health systems is therefore critical to ensure that all the components operate effectively. Advertisement The only way to enable better health systems is through policy and implementation. But policy needs to be more than a well-articulated wish list. Written policies mean nothing if they do not substantially and positively change everyday people's lived reality. For this to happen, careful consideration is needed to translate decisions made at a macro-level to fit the reality at the coalface of implementation. This means focusing on those at the frontline. Health workers, educators, engineers and an array of other development workers - and not only government leaders - will ultimately be responsible for delivering the sustainable development goals. But how well are these workers being prepared to meet these goals? Do they know about the agenda? Have they heard of the goals, and do they understand their role in fulfilling them? Frontline workers need to be engaged during this foundational phase to use the sustainable development goals to build resilient and responsive health systems that are interconnected with other service delivery systems. And it means that policymakers and managers will need to have a more creative and innovative approach: less top-down, allowing greater discretion at local level. Advertisement It is important to invest in these workers' buy-in. Their opinions on how to make the goals possible in their own contexts must be heard and considered. The diversity of their perspective and approach also needs to be embraced rather than controlled or dismissed. Changing the approach From our perspective the individual goals work together as part of a complex whole. The old system of control through vertical programme targets needs to be relinquished. A system of integration where the global goals are owned as part of the every day workings of communities and in government's service delivery. Unlike in the past governments, frontline workers and communities should not be expected to deliver on targets that are unrealistic because of constraints outside their control. This includes financial, material, human resource and time constraints as well as a constrained way of thinking. Instead, the success of the sustainable development goals requires a vision for integration that includes a clear plan, and contingencies for the plan. This will ensure ownership and accountability to the people - not only within health systems but within all global systems. Advertisement At a time when decolonisation, part of which involves changing the content of what's taught, is dominating debate at many universities, the discipline of mathematics presents an interesting case. But it's not obvious how mathematics can be decolonised at the level of content. This means that those within the discipline must consider other aspects: curriculum processes, such as critical thinking and problem solving; pedagogy - how the subject is taught and, as a number of people have argued, addressing the issue of identity. Students' mathematical identities - how they see themselves as learners of mathematics and the extent to which mathematics is meaningful to them - are important when thinking about teaching and learning in mathematics. Advertisement In his book Leading for change, South African educationist Jonathan Jansen suggests that transforming university campuses into deracialised spaces requires attention to both the academic and the human project. I take the human project to mean how students see themselves. What might this mean for mathematics? So what is mathematics? For starters, it's important to explore what mathematics actually is. Mathematician and academic Jo Boaler points out that mathematics is the only subject where students and mathematicians give very different answers to this question. Mathematicians view the subject as an exciting, creative endeavour in which problem solving, curiosity, excitement, intuition and perseverance play important roles - albeit in relation to abstract objects of study. For school and even undergraduate mathematics students, these aspects of mathematics are often not experienced and remain opaque. Students tend to believe that mathematics is a set of procedures to be followed. They think only particularly gifted people can do and understand these procedures. This suggests that the way mathematics is usually taught doesn't provide opportunities for accessing mathematical knowledge. It doesn't allow students to identify with mathematics, nor make them aspire to become mathematicians. Advertisement As a result, mathematics has a problem with diversity. All over the world, black and women mathematicians remain rare. They simply don't take mathematics at higher academic levels as much as their white and male peers. One reason for this is given by a study in the US, which showed that the more a field attributes success to giftedness rather than effort, the fewer female and black academics are in that field. This is because the field perpetuates stereotypes about who belongs in the field. The same study found that mathematics professors hold the most fixed ideas about giftedness. But this view of giftedness versus effort is not borne out by research. A number of scholars have argued that all people are capable of learning mathematics, to high levels. This suggests that a lot of the "bad press" around mathematics as a subject and discipline lies with how it is taught and learned. What is learning? When scholars theorise learning, the thinking always happens in two directions: to the past, and to the future. Advertisement Some see learning as building on current knowledge in a step-wise linear way. Some see it as working in a spiral -- coming back to old ideas in new ways. Still others view learning as disrupting or transforming current knowledge. For teachers, working with current knowledge means finding ways to ascertain, predict, anticipate and think about students' ideas - and finding ways to engage with these. An important part of students' ideas about mathematics is how they see themselves in relation to mathematics. Research in schools has shown that one of the key factors in students' mathematics achievement is a teacher who believes that they can do mathematics. The future is important because universities must produce future thinkers, leaders, professionals and citizens. These institutions are the bridge between the past and the future. Educational theorist Etienne Wenger argues that learning is fundamentally about becoming a certain kind of person. At universities, students are inducted into disciplines, fields and professions that require them to be certain kinds of people with certain orientations to the world, to knowledge, to other people and to practice. Traditionally universities have focused on knowledge and hoped that identity will follow. This hasn't been entirely unsuccessful. But to genuinely transform the academic project, universities must do explicit identity work with their students. Academics must engage in the human project, thinking about who their students are and what their previous experiences of mathematics and of learning mathematics have been. Advertisement Towards genuine change There have been attempts to transform the content of school mathematics curricula. These include ethnomathematics, which excavates the mathematics in cultural objects, artefacts and practices; and critical mathematics, where mathematics is used to critique aspects of society and where students critique mathematics, for example, how algorithms structure our lives in ways which reproduce inequality. However, not all of mathematics can be accessed in these ways. For true epistemological access to mathematics, students need to study it systematically, as a body of knowledge in and of itself. This can be both empowering or disempowering. Much, though certainly not all, of mathematics was created by dead white men. But maths should and does belong to everybody. Everybody deserves access to its beauty and its power - and everybody should be able to push back when the discipline is used to destroy and oppress. To transform mathematics teaching and learning in ways that empower students, universities need to give students the theoretical grounding they need to access the subject and support them to identify with it -- to want to learn it, to become the mathematicians of the future, to enjoy and critique mathematics and its applications. This means that as teachers, my colleagues and I need to believe - to know - that all students can do mathematics. This knowledge must be transmitted to them. They must be shown that mathematics is a human enterprise: it belongs to all, and it can be taken forward to transform society. Advertisement Karin Brodie, Professor of Education and Mathematics Education, University of the Witwatersrand As the United States debates on who to choose as the next President, the students of Harvard Business School (HBS) have a clear favorite: Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 82% in the student population, according to The Harbus' pioneering electoral poll. Clinton tops Trump with 85% to his 3% support among HBS first-year students. Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson has 10% support, followed by Green Party nominee Jill Stein at 2% support. American and international students did not show a statistically significant difference in their preferences. These results stand in stark contrast against the national mood, where 45% of U.S. voters would vote for Clinton and 40% for Trump. Four key factors contribute to Clinton's lead. First, Obama has a very high approval rating among HBS students (88%) relative to U.S. voters (52%). Second, the Democratic Party holds more affinity with HBS students (53%) relative to U.S. voters (36%). Third, a greater percentage of HBS Democrats support Clinton (94%) than HBS Republicans support Trump (52%). Fourth, independent students overwhelmingly break for Clinton (80%) rather than Trump (0%). HBS students are more socially liberal than U.S. voters. The majority of students support stricter gun controls (93%, compared with 56% of U.S. voters) and believe that women do not have the same opportunities for achievement that men have (83%, compared with 55% of U.S. voters). Furthermore, HBS students are thrice as likely to support increased immigration (63%, compared with 21% of U.S. voters). American and international students did not show a statistically significant difference in their preferences. HBS students are also more optimistic than U.S. voters. HBS students are over twice as likely to believe that life will be better for the next generation of Americans (43%, compared with 21% of U.S. voters). A lower proportion of students think that U.S. race relations are getting worse (43%, compared with 65% of U.S. voters). American students are more optimistic about America's future and race relations than international students. HBS students, like most U.S. voters, believe in fairer wealth distribution but not through taxes. 62% of HBS students believe that wealth should be more evenly distributed, similar to 63% of U.S. voters. However, only 41% of students support heavy taxes on the rich to redistribute wealth, similar to 45% of U.S. voters. International students were significantly more likely to support the use of taxation than American students. Overall, these poll results could be attributed to three factors. HBS students have higher levels of education, higher levels of household income, and are younger than the general U.S. population. Most HBS students have work experience in the private sector, and are thus more exposed to workplace issues, international markets, and diverse work teams. First-year HBS students have also undergone 2 months of daily interactions within 90-student sections, which are sorted for high diversity in nationalities, ethnicities, and experiences. The Harbus Presidential Election poll was conducted from September 19 to October 3. 236 first-year HBS students were surveyed across multiple sections via in-class voting with privacy screens. The data was weighted for nationality and gender. For results based on the total sample of HBS students, the margin of error is 5.5% at the 95% confidence level. Credit goes to NBC, Gallup, SurveyMonkey, Steven Shephard of Politico, Josh Lerner, & Ulrike Malmendier for survey design, benchmarks and descriptions. View survey methodology, complete question responses and weightage here: http://bit.ly/harbuspoll By Adam Sanchez and Jesse Hagopian Fifty years ago this month, the Black Panther Party was born. Its history holds vital lessons for today's movement to confront racism and police violence, yet textbooks either misrepresent or minimize the significance of the Black Panthers. The first issue of the Black Panther newspaper, which at its height had a weekly circulation of 140,000 copies, asked, "WHY WAS DENZIL DOWELL KILLED?" Helping Dowell's family demand justice in Richmond, California, was one of the first major organizing campaigns of the Black Panther Party. Anyone reading the story of Denzil Dowell today can't help but draw parallels to the unarmed Black men and women regularly murdered by the police. The disparity between the police's story and the victim's family's, the police harassment Dowell endured before his murder, the jury letting off Dowell's killer, even the reports that Dowell had his hands raised while he was gunned down, eerily echo the police killings today that have led to the explosion of the Black Lives Matter movement. Yet when we learn about the early years of the Panthers, the organizing they did in Richmondconducting their own investigation into Dowell's death, confronting police who harassed Dowell's family, helping mothers in the community organize against abuse at the local school, organizing armed street rallies in which hundreds filled out applications to join the partyis almost always absent. Armed with a revolutionary socialist ideology, as the Panthers grew, so did what they organized around. They fought in Black communities across the nation for giving the poor access to decent housing, health care, education, and much more. Advertisement This local organizing that Panthers engaged in has been erased in the textbooks, yet it is precisely what won them such widespread support. By 1970, a Market Dynamics/ABC poll found that Black people judged the Panthers to be the organization "most likely" to increase the effectiveness of the Black liberation struggle, and two-thirds showed admiration for the party. Coming in the midst of an all-out assault on the Panthers from the white press and law enforcement, including FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's claim that the Panthers were "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country," this support is remarkable. The Textbook Version of the BPP A few of the major textbooks don't even mention the Black Panthers, while most give the organization only a sentence or two. Even the small number that do devote a few paragraphs to the party, give little context for their actions and distort their ideology. Textbooks often associate the Panthers with violence and racial separatism. For example, Teacher Curriculum Institute's History Alive! The United States reads, Black Power groups formed that embraced militant strategies and the use of violence. Organizations such as the Black Panthers rejected all things white and talked of building a separate black nation. While ignoring that the Panthers believed in using violence only in self-defense, this passage also attempts to divide the Panthers from "nonviolent" civil rights groups. The Panthers didn't develop out of thin air, however, but evolved from their relationships with other civil rights organizations, especially the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). The name and symbol of the Panthers were adopted from the Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO), an independent political organization SNCC helped organize in Alabama, also called the "Black Panther Party." Furthermore, SNCC allied with the Panthers in 1968 and while the alliance only lasted five months, it was a crucial time for the growth of the Panthers. Advertisement The passage from History Alive! also incorrectly paints the Panthers as anti-white, erasing their important work building multiracial coalitions. Most famously, Chicago Panther leader Fred Hampton organized the Rainbow Coalition including the Puerto Rican Young Lords and the Young Patriotsa group of poor Southern white migrants. The Black Panthers helped the Patriots set up their own community service programs. In California, the Panthers made an important alliance with the mostly white Peace and Freedom Party. The Peace and Freedom Party ran Eldridge Cleaver for President in 1968 in an attempt to provide an antiwar, anti-racist alternative to the Democratic Party. An editorial in the Black Panther explained: "The increasing isolation of the black radical movement from the white radical movement was a dangerous thing, playing into the power structure's game of divide and conquer." Some textbooks erase the socialist character of the Black Panther Party. Holt McDougal's The Americans, reads, "Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded a political party known as the Black Panthers to fight police brutality in the ghetto." While the textbook later acknowledges other things the Panthers advocated, by reducing the reason for their founding to fighting police brutality, The Americans profoundly diminishes the important ideological basis of the party. More clearly than any other national civil rights organization, the Panthers linked the fight against racism with the fight against capitalism. As Newton explained in The Black Panther, "We realize that this country became very rich upon slavery and that slavery is capitalism in the extreme. We have two evils to fight, capitalism and racism. We must destroy both." The Panthers understood that Black people could not achieve socialism on their own and their work building multiracial anti-capitalist coalitions flowed from that analysis. In fact, the Panthers developed an education requirement for joining the party that consisted of reading 10 books relating to Black liberation and socialism. Several textbooks also blame the Panthers for the end of the Civil Rights Movement, while ignoring or downplaying the role the FBI played in destroying the party. In a later section in The Americans, the authors write, "Public support for the civil rights movement declined because some whites were frightened by the urban riots and the Black Panthers." What textbooks like this fail to mention, is the decline in public support was a result of the counterintelligence program (COINTELPRO) of the FBI. According to scholar Ward Churchill in Agents of Repression: Advertisement . . . the Black Panther Party was savaged by a campaign of political repression, which in terms of its sheer viciousness has few parallels in American history. Coordinated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation . . . and enlisting dozens of local police departments around the country, the assault left at least 30 Panthers dead, scores of others imprisoned after dubious convictions, and hundreds more suffering permanent physical or psychological damage. Simultaneously, the party was infiltrated at every level by agents provocateurs, all of them harnessed to the task of disrupting its internal functioning. Completing the package was a torrent of "disinformation" planted in the media to discredit the Panthers before the public, both personally and organizationally, thus isolating them from potential support. With minimal and problematic coverage in the history textbooks, there is little curriculum for teachers hoping to provide students with the crucial history of the Black Panther Party. Teaching the Panthers Through Role Play To try to give students a fuller picture of the party's history, we wrote a mixer activity in which each student takes on a role of someone who was in or connected to the Black Panthers. The roles give students a thumbnail sketch of that person's biography along with details that help illuminate aspects of the party. We tried to emphasize why people joined the Black Panther Party. For example, the role of Kathleen Cleaver begins: As a young Black woman growing up in Alabama in the 1950s, you wanted to challenge injustice. You were inspired by powerful women leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). . . . These women were creating a social revolution in the Deep South and all worked with SNCC. . . . In 1966, you went to organize in SNCC's New York office and then to Atlanta. You had joined SNCC at the time it took up the slogan "Black Power," and you saw the Black Panther Party as taking the positions SNCC was headed toward. . . . You decided to move to San Francisco and join the Panthers. Students also meet Ruby Dowell, Denzil Dowell's sister who joined the party after the organizing the Panthers did in Richmond. Advertisement We also tried to highlight the repression the Panthers faced along with some of the lesser known, but important stories of Panther community organizing. The role for Lumumba Shakur, founder of the New York Black Panther Party chapter, explains how the entire New York Panther leadership was arrested on flimsy evidence. The role continues: . . . you spent two years in prison while the trial proceeded. You organized prisoners to fight for better living conditions and at one point took control of the jail from the prison guards. You demanded and received bail hearings for every prisoner. Hundreds of prisoners were released as a result of the new hearings. Students also encounter Panther allies in the Young Patriots, the American Indian Movement, the Brown Berets, and the Young Lords. They also meet Panther "enemies" like FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and Los Angeles police officer Pat McKinley. One of the most overlooked aspects of the Panthers we tried to highlight was their role in the struggle for anti-racist education. In Living for the City: Migration, Education, and the Rise of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, historian Donna Murch details how the Panthers had their origins in "Agitation for Black Studies courses and debates about the 'relevance' of education," and describes the membership of Panthers as "Composed largely of Southern migrants under 25, including many students recruited from local high schools and community colleges. . . ." The Panthers were formed out of a study group at Oakland's Merritt College. The Panthers' belief in the need for an education beyond what was being taught in the school system led them to develop a network of liberation schools for youth. In the mixer, the role of Ericka Huggins highlights the Panthers' flagship liberation school in Oakland. Other roles highlight the Panthers' fight for ethnic studies and their Free Breakfast Program that fed hundreds of hungry children before school and was eventually adopted by the U.S. education systemone of the party's most meaningful and lasting reforms. Advertisement Students are often blown away by the stories presented. "My character's a badass!" one student exclaimed after reading about Bobby Seale's acts of defiance in the courtroom when he was put on trial after participating in the 1968 antiwar demonstration at the Democratic National Convention. Students are often eager to learn the stories in the room and a buzz fills the air as they grab one another and share their roles. We hope the mixer we wrote, Wayne Au's lesson on the Panthers' Ten Point Program, and Ursula Wolfe-Rocca's lesson on COINTELPRO, can be starting points for educators who hope to arm a new generation with the story of the Panthers. As the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party draws new attention to the organization, these lessons should be just a few of many to come that help teachers and students explore this richand too often ignoredhistory. 2016 The Zinn Education Project, a project of Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change. Since the Korean War ended six decades ago, the United States and South Korea have built an enduring alliance founded on mutual interests and shared principles. As the Republic of Korea grew into an economic powerhouse in Asia and a mature democracy, the two countries became true partners. But that partnership is sometimes mischaracterized. Here are five important facts to keep in mind when you hear or read about this crucial alliance: 1) The U.S. and South Korea share the costs of their mutually beneficial military responsibilities The U.S.-South Korean military alliance shares goals - and shares costs. The idea that the ROK, and Japan for that matter, "do not pay us," as was stated during the first presidential debate, is simply not true. Seoul now pays 52% of the local, non-personnel costs of basing American soldiers on South Korean soil - $845 million in 2016 - a 38.8% increase since 2005, according to Professor Jaechun Kim of Sogang University. Moreover, South Korea receives zero foreign military aid from U.S. taxpayers while its own taxpayers spent more on the purchase of U.S. military equipment - $641 million - than either Japan or Germany in 2014. Need more? An April 2015 tally from U.S. Pacific Command, revealed that Seoul is providing more than $10 billion (93%) of the nearly $11 billion needed to expand the new base, Camp Humphreys, that will house all U.S. forces in Korea by 2017. Advertisement 2) South Korea is a fast-growing source of Foreign Direct Investment in the U.S. You would never know it from the ongoing negative debate about foreign trade but the U.S. is the world's No. 1 country destination for investment by foreign companies. Among those countries sharply increasing their FDI in the U.S. in recent years, especially following the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement in 2012, is South Korea. The ROK in 2015 had a record $40.1 billion invested in companies in the United States, representing an increase of 101.5% (a doubling!) since 2011. By comparison, total global foreign investment in U.S. increased 29% over same period, according to a Korea International Trade Association (KITA) study based on U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. And South Korea is not only one of the top 15 sources of foreign investment in this country but also the fifth fastest growing source of FDI with a compounded annual growth rate exceeding 17 percent, according to the Korea Economic Institute of America. 3) U.S. workers for South Korean companies are not only growing quickly in number but also make more on average than workers for other foreign companies - and far more than the average U.S. wage According to the Department of Commerce, U.S. subsidiaries of South Korean firms employed 45,100 Americans and contributed more than $24.9 billion to U.S. exports in 2014. Commerce estimates that the annual compensation of those U.S. employees resulted in an estimated $4.1 billion in direct benefit to the U.S. workforce. Perhaps most dramatically, according to KITA, U.S. workers employed by Korean companies were paid an annual average wage of $91,700 in 2014, far more than the $80,000 average wage for foreign companies overall. The Social Security Administration calculates that the U.S. average wage in 2014 was $44,569. Advertisement 4) South Korea is one of the most friendly countries to America The long friendship and shared values of the two countries have forged a strong bond not just among governments but also among peoples. According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 58% of South Koreans view the United States' influence positively (28% view negatively) and 55% of Americans views South Korea's influence positively (34% view negatively), making these among the most mutually admiring populations in the word. The Asan Institute for Policy Studies reported that 72.4% of Koreans positively valued U.S. leadership in global affairs while 52.1% said the same about China in 2015. In a head-to-head competition for global leadership, South Koreans preferred the U.S. (58.7%) over China (30.5%) as South Korea's future partner. In addition, people-to-people ties between the United States and South Korea have never been stronger. For instance, South Korea, on a per capita basis, sends the highest number of students to the United States to study of any industrialized country, according to the U.S. State Department. And South Korea is the only government among the more than 60 countries that have hosted Peace Corps volunteers to sponsor reunion programs in Korea for former volunteers. 5) South Korea is one of the most important U.S. partners in battling cybercrime South Korea is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world - by some measures the most. Earlier this year the U.S. and ROK announced closer bilateral cooperation to combat the growing menace of cybertheft, especially given the threats in this area coming from the ROK's neighbor to the North, which has targeted the international banking system and makes constant hacking attempts on the U.S. Department of Defense. Specifically the countries are focusing on joint development of cyber security technology, sharing of information on cyber threats and policy coordination in the field. To this end, the cyber emergency response teams (CERTs) of both countries agreed to further develop their information sharing systems so that they can better cope with fast-evolving cyber threats in advance. A year ago, during President Park Geun-hye's visit to Washington, both countries decided to establish a White House-Blue House cyber coordination channel and, importantly, deepen "military to military cyber coordination." US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016. / AFP / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) In the last formal debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, here are a few things I heard: 1. Hillary thinks Trump is unqualified to be president. Trump thinks Hillary should be locked up as a criminal. 2. Trump thinks Hillary is a nasty woman. Hillary thinks Trump is a Russian puppet. 3. Hillary thinks Trump may start a nuclear war. Trump thinks Hillary is a loser who will make America vulnerable to foreign powers. Advertisement 4. Trump thinks the election is rigged and that the media is firmly in Hillary's corner. Hillary thinks Trump is encouraging Russia to hack and manipulate the election. 5. Trump thinks Hillary supports the ripping of babies from the wombs of mothers (late-term abortions). Hillary thinks Trump is a serial assaulter of women. 6. Trump says all nine women who accused him of unwanted sexual advances/assaults are either opportunists seeking a few minutes of fame, or stooges in the employ of the Clinton campaign. Clinton says Trump is a tax dodger, an exploiter of immigrant labor, and an enthusiast for cheap Chinese steel at the expense of American workers. 7. Trump says Clinton is all talk and no action. Clinton says Trump is a man who never apologizes and who never takes responsibility for his actions. Advertisement Yes, it was that bad. Usually the question is "Who won the debate?" and the answer is clear: We, the American people, lost. Put on the spot, I'd say that Hillary won because of Trump's refusal to say whether he'd accept the result of the election. That refusal to accept the will of the voters is fundamentally undemocratic. To me, it made Trump look like a sore loser even before he's lost. I can't imagine Trump or Hillary supporters had their minds changed while watching this debate. But I can guess that Hillary picked up more undecided or fence-straddling voters. Why? Because Trump's message (as well as his demeanor) was so relentlessly negative. My wife could hardly stand being in the same room with Trump on the TV: he was, in a literal sense, giving her the creeps. Something tells me many other women across America were similarly repulsed by Trump. He was more than combative toward Hillary: he was sneering, condescending, and insulting. Image is important in debates, and Hillary came across as the fresher of the two, the more likable, the more positive, the more focused. As I watched Trump rant, I told my wife that he reminded me of the Grinch who stole Christmas, with his snarl and his hate and his withered heart. Will the Grinch steal the election? From the Grinch's perspective, the election has already been stolen from him. That's my takeaway from the debate: that Trump is a sore loser even before he's lost. My post-debate prediction: welcome to four more years of the Clintons, America. See you in 2020. Two Hutchinson teams headed to playoffs Central Christian and the Hutchinson Salthawks in Class 5A will represent Reno County in the second round of the Kansas state high school playoffs. Transcription 1 MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY'S STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM AT LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY London, United Kingdom APPLICATION GUIDELINES Before completing the application, be sure to review the following website as you are responsible for being familiar with the general information for this study abroad program. Review the Application Checklist for instructions on how to complete your application and for all required documents. Faxed or ed applications will not be accepted. Print and submit the completed application to: Office of Global Education and Partnerships Cumberland House Millersville University P. O. Box 1002 Millersville, PA ELIGIBILITY You may only apply for ONE program per semester. Requirements: 1. Complete 24 credits prior to study abroad. 2. Maintain a minimum of a 2.7 cumulative GPA through the semester before departure. 3. Only Millersville University students are eligible to apply for this program. 4. Meet all deadlines and application/paperwork requirements. NEXT STEPS IN STUDY ABROAD PROCESS Once you submit your completed study abroad application, please be aware that: 1. All applications will be reviewed after the application deadline. 2. You will be notified of your application status via an ed letter approximately two weeks after the application deadline. 3. If accepted, you will be required to complete your program s pre-departure paperwork. Failure to complete these forms will jeopardize your participation in the study abroad program. 4. Participation in a pre-departure orientation is required of all students accepted into an MU study abroad program. The orientation date and time will be included in your acceptance letter. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Office of Global Education and Partnerships: Tel: (717) 2 APPLICATION FOR MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY'S STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM AT LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY London, United Kingdom How to complete your Study Abroad Application - Before starting this document, refer to your study abroad application checklist regarding detailed information for completing your application. Handwritten applications will not be accepted. Term of Study Abroad September December 20 (Fall Semester) January June 20 (Spring Semester) September 20 June 20 (Academic Year) Personal Information Last Name First Name MI M Number for MU students or Social Security # for Non-MU students Local Street Address Address (Communication is primarily by . Please check regularly.) City State Zip Cell Phone # Birthdate: / / Age: Permanent/Home Telephone # Check here if your permanent/home contact information is the same as above Permanent/Home Street Address City State Zip Academic Information Declared Major 1: Academic Advisor: Declared Major 2: Academic Advisor: Declared Minor 1: Academic Advisor: Declared Minor 2: Academic Advisor: Year of study while studying abroad: Expected Graduation Date (MM/YYYY): / G.P.A: (minimum 2.7 cumulative G.P.A. required) Have you previously transferred credits to Millersville? If yes, how many? Non-Millersville University students indicate your current school/location: 3 Citizenship Information Legal Pennsylvania Resident: U.S. Citizen? Do you have a Passport? Date of Birth (MM/DD/YY): Gender: If no, country of citizenship: Passport Number: Passport Expiration Date (MM/YYYY): (Some countries and/or airlines require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip; therefore, the U.S. State Department suggests that, if possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires.) If you have not received your passport by the time you submit this application but have already applied for it, please provide information below. Date of Passport Application: Expected Date of Passport Arrival: Additional Information How did you find out about study abroad opportunities at MU? If you selected Other, please list how: Were there any other ways you heard about study abroad opportunities at MU? Please list: Financial Aid Financial aid can be applied to approved study abroad programs. However, you will need to check with the Financial Aid Office and your specific lender to verify. If you intend to apply financial aid to a study abroad program, Global Education will submit a program-specific cost worksheet which will include estimated costs for the duration of your study abroad following acceptance into the program. For non-millersville students, Global Education will provide you with a cost worksheet for you to submit to your home institution s Financial Aid Office as you will need to work directly with them for any financial aid needs/concerns. Please check one of the following options: Yes, I intend to apply some form of financial aid towards my study abroad program. (You should still complete your FAFSA form as if you were studying at Millersville University.) No, I will NOT be applying any form of financial aid towards my study abroad program. If you currently receive financial aid and plan to apply it to your international internship program, Global Education will submit a programspecific cost worksheet which will include estimated costs for the duration of your internship abroad following acceptance. For summer study abroad experiences, most financial aid requires that a student be registered for a minimum of 6 credits throughout the summer sessions in order to be eligible for financial aid. Any aid received during the summer will detract from the amount of aid available to you for the following academic year. For semester study abroad experiences, most financial aid requires that a student be registered for a minimum of 12 credits in order to be eligible for financial aid. Please Note: If you decide to change your above indication regarding your financial aid intentions, you must notify Global Education in writing. Reference Information Contact Information of Two Faculty References: (These should be the two professors who have agreed to complete your Recommendation Forms, if required by your program.) 1. Name Department Address College/University (for non-mu professors only) 2. Name Department Address College/University (for non-mu professors only) 4 Citizenship Information Legal Pennsylvania Resident: U.S. Citizen? Do you have a Passport? Date of Birth (MM/DD/YY): Gender: If no, country of citizenship: Passport Number: Passport Expiration Date (MM/YYYY): (Some countries and/or airlines require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip; therefore, the U.S. State Department suggests that, if possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires.) If you have not received your passport by the time you submit this application but have already applied for it, please provide information below. Date of Passport Application: Expected Date of Passport Arrival: Additional Information How did you find out about study abroad opportunities at MU? If you selected Other, please list how: Were there any other ways you heard about study abroad opportunities at MU? Please list: Financial Aid Financial aid can be applied to approved study abroad programs. However, you will need to check with the Financial Aid Office and your specific lender to verify. If you intend to apply financial aid to a study abroad program, Global Education will submit a program-specific cost worksheet which will include estimated costs for the duration of your study abroad following acceptance into the program. For non-millersville students, Global Education will provide you with a cost worksheet for you to submit to your home institution s Financial Aid Office as you will need to work directly with them for any financial aid needs/concerns. Please check one of the following options: Yes, I intend to apply some form of financial aid towards my study abroad program. (You should still complete your FAFSA form as if you were studying at Millersville University.) No, I will NOT be applying any form of financial aid towards my study abroad program. If you currently receive financial aid and plan to apply it to your international internship program, Global Education will submit a programspecific cost worksheet which will include estimated costs for the duration of your internship abroad following acceptance. For summer study abroad experiences, most financial aid requires that a student be registered for a minimum of 6 credits throughout the summer sessions in order to be eligible for financial aid. Any aid received during the summer will detract from the amount of aid available to you for the following academic year. For semester study abroad experiences, most financial aid requires that a student be registered for a minimum of 12 credits in order to be eligible for financial aid. Please Note: If you decide to change your above indication regarding your financial aid intentions, you must notify Global Education in writing. Reference Information Contact Information of Two Faculty References: (These should be the two professors who have agreed to complete your Recommendation Forms, if required by your program.) 1. Name Department Address College/University (for non-mu professors only) 2. Name Department Address College/University (for non-mu professors only) 5 Application Questions Global Education would like to learn more about you to determine if you will be a suitable candidate for study abroad, as well as an ambassador of MU. The following questions will assist us in learning more about your background and your goals for studying abroad. Please devote time and attention to these questions as they are the primary means of determining study abroad suitability. *** Incomplete or vague answers may jeopardize your program acceptance. *** NOTE: In the event that you exceed the space provided below, please attach a Word document to your application and indicate which question(s) you are elaborating upon. 1. What are your reasons for choosing the London Metropolitan University (London Met)? Why is this program the right choice for you at this time? 2. Some of our partners may have a limited number of students that they will accept, resulting in a competitive selection process. What qualities do you possess that make you a good representative of Millersville University during your experience abroad? 3. Have you been out of the country before? If so, where, for how long, and for what reason? If not, please describe your travel experience within the U.S. 6 4. How would you characterize your emotional, cross-cultural, and other coping skills necessary for responding to high-stress situations like those found in study abroad experiences? 5. Have you spoken with your family or any other relevant party regarding this decision? If anyone else is involved in the decisionmaking process, are they fully supportive? Have they expressed any anxieties, concerns, or questions related to the current international environment or studying in the U.K.? For current information on the political/economic climate in the U.K., visit the US Department of State Background Notes at or the CIA World Factbook at Select a region (or continent), then choose your specific country. 6. Although classes are taught in English, the academic atmosphere in the U.K. is quite different. Students have a greater level of independence. The responsibility of the coursework and progress will rest with the student. Typically there is only one assessment for each class that is administered at the end of the semester. Depending on learning style and level of self-motivation, the U.K. academic system can be challenging. Are you comfortable with the academic structure? 7 7. The Office of Global Education cannot provide academic advisement, neither pre-departure nor once you are abroad. Academic advice MUST come from your major/minor departments. Have you spoken with your major and minor academic advisor(s) about this decision? Yes No (If no, why not?) 8. What are your academic goals for your study abroad experience (major/minor/gen Ed)? Have you researched whether London Met will have courses during your time period of study that will allow you to make academic progress? If not, do you accept responsibility if you fall behind schedule in terms of completing your academic program at MU? 9. What are your non-academic goals for your experience abroad? In other words, what else do you hope to gain from your time in London and the U.K.? 8 10. What is your understanding of your host country? In other words, identify and discuss at least three (3) important aspects of its history, culture and/or politics. 11. Studying at London Met involves specific time periods of study (September-December/January-June). Are you aware of the required time commitment needed to participate in this program? Are you comfortable with this time commitment? 12. Studying at London Met involves specific financial arrangements including MU tuition, MU fees, an accommodation charge, and a London Met program charge paid directly to Millersville. You should also take into account the cost of living which will be significantly higher than in the U.S. Are you comfortable with the costs associated with this program? Is this program financially feasible for you? Follow this link ( and click on Cost Worksheet under the Costs section for detailed program expenses. 9 13 a. Is another party partially or fully responsible for the coverage of the above-mentioned costs? Yes No If Yes, please identify the name(s) and your relationship(s) to the party/parties: 13 b. If the answer is yes to 13 a., have you discussed these costs with them? Yes No (If no, why not?) Not Applicable (I am solely responsible.) 14. Accommodations for students are arranged by London Met. Currently London Met is contracted with a student resident community called Nido. Nido is conveniently located near the underground train station and is a short ride to the London Met campus. These accommodations are contemporary and secure with many amenities, including a bathroom in each room and shared kitchen facilities on each floor. These accommodations are double occupancy rooms and are regarded as VERY small by U.S. student standards. Each academic year, London Met researches housing facilities in London and may choose to contract with a different student resident community. However, they strive to provide students the most affordable, convenient and most importantly safe accommodations in London as possible, with comparable amenities and costs as Nido. Is this type of lodging a good fit for you? Do you have any questions or concerns? 10 15. Depending on your length of study in the U.K. you may or may not need a student visa for entry into the country. For one semester only (less than 6 months): Students are not required to apply for a student visa. Students will need an acceptance letter from London Met and proof of sufficient funds for the duration of stay. For academic year and/or part-time employment, internship, or volunteer work, a student visa is required. As part of the visa application process, possession of your passport for up to three months prior to your scheduled departure is required. Please be aware of how this will restrict your possible travel plans prior to your study abroad departure date. Online visa application for U.S. Residents see: The information provided here is subject to change without notice and the Office of Global Education will assume no responsibility should this occur. After reading the information in the above link, describe the visa requirement and the process of obtaining it. No visa is required I must obtain some form of entry requirement (Explain in detail) 16. Do you have any concerns about your study abroad experience? Please elaborate. I certify that the information submitted on this application is correct. I agree to be subject to the academic and financial policies of Millersville University. I am in good academic standing and agree to notify the Office of Global Education and Partnerships if my status changes. I authorize Millersville University to release my application and other records to the cooperating institution(s) and program officials overseas. My signature on this application form indicates my understanding and acceptance of the above statements and following waiver. Millersville University and its affiliated institutions, in making arrangements for the program, act only as agents. Neither Millersville University nor any of its employees nor any other persons, parties, organizations, or agencies collaborating with them is or shall be responsible for or liable for injury, loss, damage, deviation, delay or curtailment, however caused, or the consequences thereof which may occur during any of the travel or program. Millersville University reserves the right to cancel, alter, or amend any part of the program or to increase fees should unforeseen circumstances make these actions advisable or necessary. Printed Name: Signature: Date: John Oates, Berklee Students Write and Record Smoke And Mirrors, Offer Song And Stems Free This piece examines the creation of a new song recorded by multi-platinum songwriter John Hall and a crew of Berklee College of Music students, before later being released free to the public. __________________________ Guest post via Music Marketing Review Multi-platinum Songwriters and Rock Hall of Fame inductee John Oates (Hall & Oates) co-wrote and recorded a new pop song live on stage in two hours with a crew of students from Berklee College of Music recently as a collaborative experiment. Vocals and keyboard were later added at The Record Company, a Boston-based non-profit studio, where the song was also mixed and mastered. The documentary-style video was premiered by Billboard calling the song a thoroughly coherent and impressively alluring mid-tempo soul-pop ballad. By releasing the song royalty-free in the public domain, Oates and team welcome anyone interested to remix the song and upload to YouTube or Soundcloud using #smokeandmirrorsremix in the title so a master playlist can be compiled. Oates detailed, Pop songwriting today is largely done by committee. We had two writers on beats, two on chords, two on melody, and two on lyrics. Each duo had a laptop, midi controller, and headphones, and sent their .wav files to a cloud service. The files were downloaded to the engineers master laptop running ProTools and mixed on the fly so everyone could hear each other. It worked remarkably well. The free track and stems for remixing can be downloaded at Music Marketing Review. Share on: They are five of the biggest insurance companies in the world yet despite being competitors they have found a reason to join forces.Aegon, Zurich Allianz and Swiss Re have formed a group attempting to put blockchain through its paces and to make an assessment on whether the technology can truly make the insurance industry more efficient.According to a Financial Times report, the technology has been slow to take off in the insurance sector but smart contracts may be the answer as they put terms and conditions into code so they can be put into action automatically when specific trigger points are reached.Speaking to the publication, Alessandro Sapdoni, who is part of the project for Zurich, noted that there are a number of potential uses for blockchain.The first is for reinsurance, he said. Were looking at the use of smart contracts to streamline the selling of reinsurance and the processing of claims.We should be able to provide more efficient and streamlined services to our customers.The formation of the group comes on the back of a Capgemini report which outlined that financial services companies could potentially generate huge savings with blockchain with the idea that insurers could potentially reduce operating and claims costs by as much as 13% with smart contracts.However, it is likely that major insurers will take their time before implementing blockchain, making a full assessment of the benefits it can deliver first. New Jersey authorities nabbed a fugitive sought for insurance fraud charges in Arizona, according to the county prosecutors office.Brian D. Mc Farland, 43, was arrested in Gloucester County this week as he faces multiple counts of fraud and theft in Arizona, where he is accused of taking nearly $500,000 from almost 90 insurance clients, authorities reported.Officers from the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office Fugitive Investigations Unit nabbed McFarland in his Swedesboro residence in New Jersey after tracking him down. He did not resist arrest.The defendant agreed to return to Arizona in lieu of an extradition hearing, the prosecutor said in a statement. Global businesses spent more than $2 billion on cyber insurance in 2014 - an already impressive figure that could multiply by three to five times through 2020, according to estimates from insurance broker Marsh & McLennan. But the broker community is not particularly poised to take advantage of this growth, says Christine Marciano, president of Cyber Data Risk Managers.The broker community is still so far behind in understanding what theyre selling that I get a lot of calls from brokers asking very basic questions about coverage, said Marciano, who will be a speaker at Insurance Businesss Cyber Risk 2016 on November 2. These projected volumes are impressive, but brokers wont be able to get there unless they understand and feel comfortable with what are sometimes very complicated coverages.Marciano, who works with more than 50 carriers in her business, estimates there are roughly 50 to 60 insurance policies on the market currently, all of which differ greatly. Even for thoroughly experienced brokers, the changing and expanding coverages can be tricky to navigate. Differing appetites, regional data breach notification laws and partnerships with security companies cause products to vary.But whether or not brokers are interested in the extra income, understanding the market is becoming a necessity. Contractual clauses requiring businesses to purchase cyber coverage are becoming more common, and the chances of a broker encountering a client with such a need are high.Id say contractual obligations are driving business even more than proactive buyers, Marciano said. Its about a 60/40 split.Required limits are high, too. For small to mid-size businesses, minimum requirements usually start at $10 million. Because the buyers have limited revenue, Marciano says many carriers are not willing to write the entire amount. In that case, brokers must find two or even three policies from different insurers to satisfy the requirement.A few years ago, carriers were more willing to take the risk, but now they are becoming much more conservative, said Marciano. Claims are starting to come in, and companies need to make sure theyre collecting enough in premium to survive.And with larger firms, desired limits may not even exist on the market.However, as insurance firms grow more confident and begin partnering with the security industry see Aon s acquisition of Stroz Friedberg they will be able to fine-tune their risk management and underwriting and begin to offer even better coverage for a growing market.Brokers just need to be there, willing to learn and understand, when it happens.Learn more on the state of cyber risk and cyber insurance at Cyber Risk 2016 , a global live virtual event on November 2. Transcription 1 THE E-BUSINESS RESEARCH NETWORK SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF THE DUTCH PILOT SURVEY TON VAN DER WIELE, ROGER WILLIAMS, JOS VAN IWAARDEN, MELANIE WILSON, BARRIE DALE ERIM REPORT SERIES RESEARCH IN MANAGEMENT ERIM Report Series reference number ERS ORG Publication October 2001 Number of pages 13 address corresponding author URL (Electronic version) Address Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) Rotterdam School of Management / Faculteit Bedrijfskunde Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam P.O.Box DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands Phone: Fax: Internet: Bibliographic data and classifications of all the ERIM reports are also available on the ERIM website: 2 ERASMUS RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT REPORT SERIES RESEARCH IN MANAGEMENT BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA AND CLASSIFICATIONS Abstract A project has been started with the intention to develop an E-Business Research Network on E- business related research in business and management. The initiative has been taken in cooperation between Erasmus University and UMIST to develop a project in which the first stage concerns the development of a database of researchers and their activities in e-business related research in business and management. The next stage will be to investigate the needs in companies in relation to e-business. It is hoped that an Internet-based database will stimulate interaction and communication between the supply and demand sides of e-business related research. This assumption is based on our previous research in Quality Management conducted in the early to mid 1990's. This paper describes the project and also summarises the results of the first pilot questionnaire based on responses from researchers at universities in The Netherlands. Library of Congress Business Classification Office Organization and Management (LCC) Industrial Psychology HF Electronic Commerce Journal of Economic M Business Administration and Business Economics Literature M 10 Business Administration: general (JEL) L 2 Firm Objectives, Organization and Behaviour M 19 Business Administration: Other European Business Schools 85 A Business General Library Group 100B Organization Theory (general) (EBSLG) 240 B Information Systems Management 75 D University s and MBA s Gemeenschappelijke Onderwerpsontsluiting (GOO) Classification GOO Bedrijfskunde, Organisatiekunde: algemeen Management organisatie: algemeen Organisatiesociologie, organisatiepsychologie Onderwijs, beroepsuitoefening organisatie: Bedrijfswetenschappen Keywords GOO Bedrijfskunde / Bedrijfseconomie Organisatieleer, informatietechnologie, prestatiebeoordeling E-commerce, Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Universiteiten, Netwerken Free keywords E-Business; Research Network; Business and Management; Pilot survey 3 The E-Business Research Network Summary of the results of the Dutch pilot survey Ton van der Wiele, Roger Williams, Jos van Iwaarden Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam School of Economics, The Netherlands, Melanie Wilson, Barrie Dale University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, United Kingdom Abstract A project has been started with the intention to develop an E-Business Research Network on E-business related research in business and management. The initiative has been taken in cooperation between Erasmus University and UMIST to develop a project in which the first stage concerns the development of a database of researchers and their activities in e-business related research in business and management. The next stage will be to investigate the needs in companies in relation to e-business. It is hoped that an Internet-based database will stimulate interaction and communication between the supply and demand sides of e-business related research. This assumption is based on our previous research in Quality Management conducted in the early to mid 1990's. This paper describes the project and also summarises the results of the first pilot questionnaire based on responses from researchers at universities in The Netherlands. Introduction E-Business is often presented as an all embracing phenomenon [e.g. Symonds, 1999; Deise et al, 2000]. Its influence on Business and Management research is expected by some [e.g. Gammack and Poon, 2001; Harmon et al, 2001, p.203] to spread across traditional academic disciplines. Therefore, we believe that there is a need to develop a community of researchers interested in aspects of this field and are willing to take part in the cross fertilisation of ideas and experiences across disciplines. 1 4 The methodology involves those researchers interested in the possible influence of E- Business on their specialism completing a 19-question questionnaire. By so doing they will help establish this interactive network of like-minded scholars from many different basic disciplines. The questionnaire is available on the Internet: < The E-Business Research Network will consist initially of all those who have completed the questionnaire. Each respondent will have open access to the survey results, which will be made available via the Internet. In this way they will be able to identify other teachers and researchers whose work may be of particular interest to them. Firstly, directly from the database. Secondly, through access to our analysis showing which items in relation to e- business related research in business and management cluster together- and which respondents score high on which particular cluster. Once colleagues have been identified who may be of potential interest, it is possible to study their work in some detail since respondents are asked to include details of their relevant publications. We have rejected all offers of commercial sponsorship for this project. From our discussions it is clear that potential sponsors would not have allowed open access to the results. We feel this is essential to our aims. So far, we are supporting this survey from our own funds. The paper opens by describing the methodology and organisation of the project and its proposed stages of activities. It then goes on to outline the main findings from the pilot study of 30 respondents in The Netherlands. E-Business Research Network project The project is organised in the following way. There is a project team, which is responsible for the operational aspects. This consists of two researchers [Van der Wiele and Wilson] and a research assistant [Van Iwaarden] who is supporting the activities. There is an advisory board, which currently consists of Professor Williams [EUR] and Professor Dale [MSM] which monitors the progress and provides advice to the project team. There is also the 2 5 intention to set up a steering group which comprises members of the project team and the advisory board, and others selected as contact persons and co-ordinators for specific regions in Europe or other areas [Australia, USA etc]. The project team meets on a regular basis to develop and follow the activities that are put in place and the advisory board meets at least twice a year with the project team. It is also planned the complete steering group should meet twice per year. Project stages The project will have a lifetime of at least 4 years. Three main areas have to be developed: [a] description of the researchers at universities and their research activities, [b] description of the needs of companies in relation to e-business related research, and [c] building an internet based database that stimulates interaction and communication in the area of e- business related research in business and management The following stages have so far been identified in the project: 1. Development of a questionnaire aimed at researchers at universities. The questionnaire has been developed and a pilot study conducted in the period June/August 2001 in The Netherlands. The results of the pilot study have been analysed, and improvements made to the questionnaire. It is the pilot study, which is the focus of this paper. 2. Commencing in October 2001, the questionnaire will be distributed to researchers at universities in other European countries. 3. Expanding the mailing list for researchers in e-business research in business and management to Australia and North America [2002/2003]. In this way we hope to build up a global network of interested parties. 4. Development of a questionnaire aimed at companies interested in e-business related research in business and management, and conduct a pilot study [February to June 2002]. Evaluation of the results and make improvements to the questionnaire. 5. Distributing the company questionnaire to companies in Europe [2003]. 6. Expanding the mailing list of companies to Australia and North America [2003/2004]. 7. Development of the Internet-based database. Starting with the information of the pilot on researchers at Dutch universities a database has been constructed. This will be expanded when more information becomes available. Information on the needs of companies will 3 6 then be added to the Internet-based database, first using the pilot data, and later using data that will come available from the larger scale survey. The information on which the database has been constructed is derived from the questionnaire data. The database covers qualitative information [names of researchers, their publications, the type of their research activities, best publications, best conferences in the field etc] and also quantitative information [extent to which specific aspects of e-business related research are part of their activities; and the extent to which specific e-business aspects form part of researchers activities]. Pilot questionnaire on e-business related research at universities in The Netherlands Development of the questionnaire A questionnaire has been developed covering the following items: - Information about the researcher [name, addresses, university] - Information about the researchers research [publications, guidance of master and Ph.D. thesis, conference presentations] - Information about the type of research activities. A list of 77 items [e.g. covering as much as possible areas like finance, marketing, organisation & management, cost accounting, information management] related to e-business research in business and management has been included without any preliminary structuring or ordering. The intention is to develop a typology based on factor analysis on the scores that indicate the extent to which each item is part of the researcher s e-business related research. - Perceptions of the researchers on e-business related research developments in the future. - Perceptions of the researchers in relation to the importance and relevance of an e-business research network. - The views of researchers on the most important publications, conferences, and web sites in relation to e-business related research in business and management. The questionnaire has been tested and discussed with experts in the field from various disciplines [marketing, business and management, finance, accounting, operational research, information management, information technology] in order to cover the items that are relevant to all disciplines involved in e-business related research. 4 7 Mailing list The first version of the questionnaire was distributed to 168 researchers in The Netherlands. The mailing list has been built up by making use of various information sources: - Names of academic researchers through publications in Organisation & Management journals or in E-business related journals or available books; - Names of researchers through conference programmes; - Through internet web sites of universities [some universities provide overviews of academic researchers and their research activities or interests]; - By asking colleagues who are active in the field of e-business related research to identify academics - By contacting the Deans of faculties, and asking them to forward invitations to researchers of whom they know that they are active in this area. The questionnaire was first sent out electronically and a few days later also in hard copy; three weeks later a reminder was posted. The non-responses were followed up through telephone contact in order to identify what were the major reasons for non-response. These include e.g. no interest; not involved in e-business related research; questionnaire too long; no time to fill out the questionnaire. Table 1 summarises the data on the response. Table 1: Questionnaires mailing and responses N % Total sample [mailing list] Received electronically Received in hard copy format Received after reminder Total response [measured at 4 September 2001] It has been concluded from the pilot that with the expansion of the project to Europe and further, only electronically questionnaires will be used. Hard copies make the project more expensive and only provoke a small additional response. 5 8 Qualitative data The questionnaire covers a number of issues related to: [a] important conferences in the field of e-business related research in business and management [e.g. ICIS, USA; ECIS, Europe; Bled Electronic Commerce Conferences, Slovenia]; [b] important journals, books, and other information resources [e.g. Cox et al, 2001; Barnes and Hunt, 2001]; and [c] information about masters thesis and dissertations supervised by the respondent which are related to e- business research. This information will be made available to the participants of the network through the Internet based database, and will be updated every time new respondents add their information to the database. This will give a ranking of conferences and available sources, but it will also highlight material and sources that otherwise might have been missed. Quantitative information/descriptives of the pilot data The main part of the questionnaire is a list of 77 aspects of Business and Management. The list is deliberately not structured into pre-determined categories in order to allow the structure to emerge from statistical analysis. Respondents have been asked to indicate to what degree they think that the aspects of Business and Management are currently or, in the future, will be influenced by the Internet. In Table 2 the top ten aspects of Business and Management are given with the score on a five point scale from no influence [=1] to totally changed [=5]. In Table 3, the bottom ten aspects are given. Table 2: Top 10 aspects of Business and Management that are or will be strongest influenced by the Internet. N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation One to one marketing Virtual organisations Media choice Globalisation Customer relationship marketing Marketing management Sharing of information Market research Information processing technologies Networks and communities =strongest influence by the Internet 1= weakest influence by the Internet 6 9 Table 3: Bottom 10 aspects of Business and Management that will only weakly be influenced by the Internet. N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Capital asset pricing Corporate social responsibility Return on opportunity Human resources management Asset optimisation Capital acquisition Environmental management Leadership Debt management Physical capital =strongest influence by the Internet 1= weakest influence by the Internet From Tables 2 and 3 it can be seen that aspects related to marketing and to information are or are expected to be influenced by the Internet most strongly, whilst the Internet is only expected to have a minimum influence on financial and leadership issues. This might have been biased because of the small sample size of the sample. In the large-scale survey it will be important to ensure there are researchers in these areas to check out this finding. Overall the scores for the 77 aspects of Business and Management are relatively high, indicating that respondents expect the Internet to exert a strong influence on their research in Business and Management. The same list of aspects of Business and Management was used to investigate the research fields of the respondents. Respondents were asked to indicate to what degree the aspects directly or indirectly formed part of their current research activities, on a five point scale from no part of research activities [=1] to all research activities [=5]. The top ten and bottom ten aspects are summarised in Tables 4 and 5. Overall the scores are rather low, indicating that respondents don't specialise on specific issues but have a broader research focus. In the top ten aspects we find: organisational design, virtual organisations and information management; in the bottom ten we find: financial issues, accounting and budgeting issues. The same comments made above on the small sample size also apply to this data. 7 10 Table 4: Top 10 aspects of Business and Management that are part of respondents research activities N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Organisational design & structure Virtual organisations Management information systems Sharing of information Knowledge management Business models Networks and communities Strategic management Marketing management Innovation management Table 5: Bottom 10 aspects of Business and Management that are part of respondents research activities N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Physical capital Asset management Accounting systems Risk management Capital acquisition Budgeting Debt management Initial public offerings Capital asset pricing Taxation issues Respondents were also asked to indicate to what degree 26 pre defined specific e-business aspects formed part of their current research activities. The full list of e-business aspects is ranked in Table 6 according to scores on a five point scale from no part of research activities [=1] to all research activities [=5]. Overall we see relatively low scores for all specific e- business aspects, indicating that at this moment many researchers in business and management are not yet intensively involved in e-business research. However, respondents also indicate that at this point in time they spend on average 57% of their time on e-business related research; and they expect this percentage will grow to 62% in five years time. At the top of the list we see aspects like e-marketing, B2B, B2C, e-business models and e- learning, whilst at the bottom there are aspects of portals, operating systems architecture, e- HRM and B2E. 8 11 Table 6: Ranking of specific E-business aspects to the extent that they are part of research activities in the area of business and management N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Electronic marketing B2C [business to consumer] B2B [business to business] e-business models e-learning Web site design/usability Information and data management Intelligent agents B2B marketplaces e-procurement Data warehousing Corporate intranets Data mining Enterprise information portals Internet start ups Intermediation Multi dimensional databases Enterprise application portals B2G [business to government] Business integration portals Trusted third parties Client server infrastructure Operating systems architecture e-hrm B2E [business to employee] Personal/workspace portals Respondents strongly support the development of an Internet based database on formal resources and informal resources, and support the set up of the E-Business Research Network and the development of social networks between people in academia and in business who are interested in e-business related research. On a five point scale from not at all interested [=1] to extensively interested [=5] the responses were respectively 4.08 [database with formal resources]; 4.04 [database with not yet formally published resources]; and 3.84 [social network amongst academics and business people in the area]. 9 12 Statistical analysis The intention is to develop a typology of e-business related research areas in business and management. The data related to the list of 77 aspects of business and management is used as a starting point. At this point in time it is difficult to effectively employ factor analysis, because of the small sample. However, it was difficult to resist the temptation and an analysis was run and the factor solution that comes out of the analysis is based on the following procedure: - With the total database a 13 factor solution, with eigenvalues >1, emerge; - Testing out various factor solutions with 7-13 factors gives little changes in the overall solution; a 9 factor solution seems the most stable; - The next step was to delete all aspects of the list with factor loadings less than.600; - A factor analysis is repeated on the reduced list and the results are presented in Table 7 with the following factors revealed. It should be noted that there is a complete lack of clarity to the last three factors. - F1: management - F2: marketing - F3: financial/risk management - F4: value chain/logistics - F5: knowledge/information management - F6: ethics, environment and culture - F7: legislation - F8: accounting - F9: negotiating 10 13 Table 7: Factor solution with the factor loadings of the items contributing to the nine-factor solution [rotated component matrix] Operations management 0.89 Management control 0.86 Total quality management 0.85 Human resources management 0.84 Asset management 0.82 Leadership 0.75 Inventory management 0.67 Process improvement 0.67 Branding 0.90 One to one marketing 0.84 Marketing management 0.80 Market research 0.79 Customer relationship marketing 0.77 Consumer behaviour 0.74 Mass customisation 0.69 Debt management 0.97 Initial public offerings 0.97 Asset optimisation 0.88 Valuation of businesses 0.79 Capital acquisition 0.72 Risk management 0.66 Financial management 0.62 Value based management 0.85 Make or buy decisions 0.82 Reverse logistics 0.81 Supply chain management 0.76 Switching costs 0.68 Globalisation 0.64 First mover advantage 0.63 Creating/sharing knowledge assets 0.85 Extranets 0.77 Intrapreneurs 0.74 Customer participation in design 0.72 Sharing of information 0.71 Management information systems 0.67 Knowledge management 0.65 Environmental management 0.89 Managerial ethics 0.86 Corporate social responsibility 0.81 Multi cultural management 0.80 Legislation and legal issues 0.86 Financial transactions & payment 0.77 procurement 0.62 Accounting systems 0.89 Privacy 0.79 Negotiation 0.82 Econ. of info. ownership/control 0.76 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis; Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalisation. Rotation converged in 8 iterations; All factor loadings <.600 have been deleted; missing values have been replaced by the mean value for these items 11 14 These results however, have to be taken with care, because the factor solution does not seem to be very stable yet and the factor matrix is not positively defined. Conclusions Some general remarks can be made in relation to the analysis of the Dutch pilot study. - Few items were added by the respondents to those questions consisting of lists of items. This indicates that the questionnaire is sound. - Most respondents fill out all the questions, providing evidence on the soundness of the questionnaire. - Respondents answered questions about their networks in which they operate, indicating a willingness to share information. - In the main there is a full response to questions about respondent's publications and other outputs in the area of e-business related research. This will deliver a recent/current overview of publications and masters and Ph.D. thesis, which will be useful for other researchers in the field. - Respondents are providing sufficient information to develop a good and recent/current overview of conferences and interesting web pages. - Because of the small sample size factor analysis is difficult and does not yet deliver strong stable solutions. Some of the wider issues include: - We have to move forward with the questionnaire to Europe and further, and thus developing the mailing list is one of the major priorities. - We have to develop the web-based database. In the first instance priority will be given to the qualitative information. As soon as more information becomes available the factor analysis will deliver stronger ideas for the typology and this will allow linkages to the quantitative data in the database. - We have to develop ideas on the business community and how to approach them. If the web based database is in place, this can be offered to them to gain their interest and to test out how contacts can be made between researchers and practitioners. 12 15 Acknowledgement This project has been supported by the Foundation 'Vereniging Trustfonds Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam' in The Netherlands, through the Rotating Chair for Research in Business and Management. References Cox A., Chicksand L., Ireland P., Day M., The E-Business Report 2001, Earlsgate Press, Bath, April Barnes S., Hunt B., E-Commerce and V-Business: Business Models for Global Success, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, Deise M.V., Nowikow C., King P., Wright A., Executive's Guide to E-Business, From tactics to strategy, John Wiley & Sons, New York, Gammack J. and Poon S., Knowledge and teamwork in the virtual organisation, In: Barnes S., and Hunt B., E-Commerce and V-Business: Business Models for Global Success, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, chapter 12, Harmon P., Rosen M., Guttman M., Developing E-Business Systems and Architectures, Academic Press, San Diego, Symonds M., Business and the Internet: survey, Economist, 26 June, 1999, 16 Publications in the ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERIM Research Program: Organizing for Performance 2001 Employee Perception on Commitment Oriented Work Systems: Effects ontrust and Perceived Job Security Paul Boselie, Martijn Hesselink, Jaap Paauwe & Ton van der Wiele ERS ORG The Emergence of a Private Business Sector in China: The Case of Zhejiang Barbara Krug & Hans Hendrischke ERS ORG Contingent Employment in the Netherlands Ferrie Pot, Bas Koene & Jaap Paauwe ERS ORG Under Construction. (Idendities, Communities and Visual Overkill) Slawomir Magala ERS ORG The Dutch Banking Chipcard Game: Understanding a Battle between Two Standards Henk J. de Vries & George W.J. Hendrikse ERS ORG Empirical Evidence for the relation between customer satisfaction and business performance? Ton van der Wiele, Paul Boselie & Martijn Hesselink ERS ORG On the emergence of growers associations: self-selection versus market power G.W.J. Hendrikse & W.J.J. Bijman ERS ORG Employee perceptions of HRM and TQM and the effects on satisfaction and intention to leave Paul Boselie & Ton van der Wiele ERS ORG Project Contract Management and a Theory of Organization J. Rodney Turner & Stephen J. Simister ERS ORG The Geography of International Strategy: A multi-level framework Douglas van den Berghe ERS ORG The E-Business Research Network. Summary of the results of the Dutch pilot survey ERS ORG Ton van der Wiele, Roger Williams, Jos van Iwaarden, Melanie Wilson & Barrie Dale A complete overview of the ERIM Report Series Research in Management: ERIM Research Programs: LIS Business Processes, Logistics and Information Systems ORG Organizing for Performance MKT Marketing F&A Finance and Accounting STR Strategy and Entrepreneurship 17 2000 Critical Complexities, from marginal paradigms to learning networks Slawomir Magala ERS ORG Marketing Cooperatives and Financial Structure: a Transaction Costs Economics Analysis George W.J. Hendrikse & Cees P. Veerman ERS ORG A Marketing Co-operative as a System of Attributes: A case study of VTN/The Greenery International BV, Jos Bijman, George Hendrikse & Cees Veerman ERS ORG Marketing Co-operatives: An Incomplete Contracting Perspective George W.J. Hendrikse & Cees P. Veerman ERS ORG Ownership Structure in Agrifood Chains: The Marketing Cooperative George W.J. Hendrikse & W.J.J. (Jos) Bijman ERS ORG Organizational Change and Vested Interests George W.J. Hendrikse ERS ORG Is Polder-Type Governance Good for You? Laissez-Faire Intervention, Wage Restraint, And Dutch Steel Hans Schenk ERS ORG Foundations of a Theory of Social Forms Laszlo Polos, Michael T. Hannan & Glenn R. Carroll ERS ORG Reasoning with partial Knowledge Laszlo Polos & Michael T. Hannan ERS ORG The Strawberry Growth Underneath the Nettle: The Emergence of Entrepreneurs in China Barbara Krug & Laszlo Polos ERS ORG Trading Virtual Legacies Slawomir Magala ERS ORG The Interdependence between Political and Economic Entrepeneurship Barbara Krug ERS ORG Ties that bind: The Emergence of Entrepreneurs in China Barbara Krug ERS ORG Human Resource Management and Performance: Lessons from the Netherlands Paul Boselie, Jaap Paauwe & Paul Jansen ERS ORG ii 18 Possible futures for the HR function in different market Roger Williams, Jaap Paauwe & Anne Keegan ERS ORG Quantity versus Quality in Project Based Learning Practices Anne Keegan & J. Rodney Turner ERS ORG The Management of Innovation in Project Based Firms Anne Keegan and J. Rodney Turner ERS ORG Learning by Experience in the Project-Based Organization J. Rodney Turner, Anne Keegan & Lynn Crawford ERS ORG iii Lanesborough Elementary School has repeatedly hit the Level 1 ranking. Lanesborough Elementary Retains Level 1 Ranking LANESBOROUGH, Mass. The elementary school has again scored a top level ranking from the state. The scores from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers have placed the school as Level 1. While the school has consistently ranked Level 1 in recent years, what stands out about this year's results is that PARCC was a pilot program that had a clause allowing schools to be held harmless in state accountability. "This is the first time we took the PARCC. It is more rigorous and aligned with the common core than the old MCAS," Principal Martin McEvoy said. "Our students did so well, we didn't need to invoke that held harmless clause." Schools had the option to take the PARCC, which McEvoy said had many differences including timing and the types of questions, as the state looked to revamp its accountability standards. Next year, the state is launching another Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test which incorporates pieces from the PARCC and mixes it with the old MCAS test. McEvoy said PARCC included more critical thinking focused questions, so by having that experience with PARCC students had gotten a taste of the types of questions being incorporated into what is known as MCAS 2.0. The schools are assessed by the standardized testing scores by a scoring mechanism focused on how well the school is closing proficiency gaps. This year the target for Lanesborough was a score of 75 out 100 and all students scored a 97 while students with high needs scored 100. McEvoy said the success of high-needs students shows the school's focus on performing timely interventions with students who may be falling behind is working. "It says we are pointing in the right direction as far as individualized instruction," McEvoy said. The scores were fairly consistent in both math and English, the two tests taken for PARCC. McEvoy said the results not only show administration overarching trends but also allows for closer looks at individual students data, as deep as even showing which standards a particular student is struggling with. From there, the teachers hope to provide the additional support each student's needs. "There are other measures we take serious as well, it is not all about this one test. But we are happy with the results," McEvoy said. The state's assessments are weighted toward schools making improvements in testing scores, so those at the top of the rankings have less wiggle room to improve, thus making it more difficult for a school to retain the Level 1 ranking. "It gets harder every year," McEvoy said. While McEvoy celebrated the results, he said the work is far from complete and the school will continue to look at ways to improve. "The aggregate looks good but we are going to drill down to a more personal level for the kids," McEvoy said. Julia Bowen is leaving Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School after leading if for 13 years. Founding Director Bowen Leaving BArT at End of School Year ADAMS, Mass. The founding director of Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School will leave at the end of the school year. Julia Bowen informed the BArT community by email on Wednesday afternoon that she was departing after 13 years guiding the region's first and only charter school. "I feel confident that this work will continue long after my departure," she wrote. "Over the years, we have built a team that has the intelligence to take on new challenges, the wisdom to focus on the most important work and the moral clarity to do this with integrity and respect, always with students' best interests at heart. I couldn't have imagined we would have such a team back in 2003, when our founding group sat in an office in North Adams, dreaming up this school." Bowen gave a desire to explore new career directions as the reason for her decision to resign effective June 30, 2017. In a statement, the Board of Trustees said is accepted her decision "reluctantly." "We wish Julia well as she seeks a new venue in which to deploy her excellent and multifaceted skills as a leader," said Trustees Chairman Charles Swabey. "At the same time, we are sad that BArT will no longer benefit from Julia's exceptionally talented leadership." Swabey said a search committee comprised of several trustees and representatives of faculty, staff, and parents will conduct a national search for Bowen's replacement, giving time for her to help the new director to transition in the role. The search committee will first solicit input from the BArT community on preferred aspects for the new directory, interview preliminary candidates and put forward the best two or three finalists to the trustes. Adams-Cheshire Holds Public Input Meetings This Weekend CHESHIRE, Mass. The public is invited to Hoosac Valley High School this weekend to participate in a study to identify and analyze cost-saving alternatives for the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District. "It's to learn, to listen, to provide background, to receive information and to share," School Committee member," Edmund St. John IV said. "It is a chance to partake in the conversation about the future of the district." This Saturday at 10 a.m., the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston will ask Adams and Cheshire residents to join in on a "World Cafe" style discussion to gather community values and aspirations, particularly as they relate to municipal finances and education. Interim Superintendent Robert Putnam suggested anyone concerned about the school district or who is interested in the future of the district should attend the event "Participatory politics is a small-town American tradition and if you don't go you can't participate," he said. The town of Adams was able to hire the Collins Center through its Community Compact grant to identify and analyze alternatives to reduce costs for Adams-Cheshire Regional School District. The district, which has been hit year after year with rising costs and shrinking financial resources, has been seeking opportunities to shrink costs. This includes possibly closing a school. The study began earlier this year and both the towns and the school district provided information and historical trends to aid in the study. At Saturday's meeting attendees will split into groups of six to eight in which they will discuss what they value in the school district and in the community, what they fear about the process and what some good alternatives would look like. The groups will shift around and the Collins Center will record and synthesize the community input. There will be a second meeting Thursday, Nov. 3, in the evening. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria and child care will be provided. Mount Greylock teacher Lyndon Moors asks the School Committee to pass a resolution against a ballot question that seeks to raise the cap on the number of charter schools in the state. Mount Greylock School Committee Passes Anti-Charter School Resolution WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A divided Mount Greylock Regional School Committee voted Tuesday to join a long list of school committees around the commonwealth voicing opposition to a November ballot initiative that seeks to raise the cap on charter schools. Teacher Lyndon Moors asked the committee to endorse a resolution drafted by the Save Our Public Schools campaign that urges voters to vote no on Question 2 on Nov. 8 or when early voting gets under way in their town. Moors told the the committee that the pro Question 2 effort is heavily funded and driven by out-of-state interests. "There is unending stream of TV ads in favor of question No. 2," Moors said, referring to the Boston, Worcester and Springfield television markets. "They're put on mostly by the same organization that put on the swift-boat ads in the John Kerry campaign, which raises questions about their veracity." Moors said the group in favor of raising the charter school cap is spending $20 million on the campaign. In May, the Boston Globe reported that the state's largest teachers union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, "approved more than $9 million to fight" Question 2. Moors emphasized to the committee members that unlike the body he was addressing, charter school boards of directors do not answer to local taxpayers. "The first issue is local control," he said. "Looking around, you're all parents. As you know, most charter school boards are not locally elected. They're appointed. There's a different governance system." as drafted, Updated on Oct. 20 at 7:30 a.m. to reflect the fact that the committee did approve changes to the resolution to delete some of the "whereas" passages. iciHaiti - Humanitarian : Donation of the Mexican Government The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) of Mexico informs that in support to the Haitian population, the Mexican Ambassador Jose Luis Alvarado handed to authorities Sunday a humanitarian assistance of the Mexican government, intended to southern towns devastated by the passage of Matthew hurricane. This first assistance, consisting of 31.700 gallons of water and water purification tablets to prevent cholera transmission was delivered to Mrs. Alta Jean Baptiste, Director of Civil Protection of Haiti and to Remy Junior Mauvais, Official Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and of the civil-military component of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The Government of Mexico will continue to support the Haitian people by providing essential assistance. IH/ iciHaiti We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Transcription 1 ACCA Student Guide 2016 2 Welcome to the ACCA Programme! Dear ACCA Students, The PwC s Academy is pleased to offer a full ACCA qualification for Lithuania. Whether you are new to ACCA or a returning student, we are excited to present our courses, tutors, and study options for Our ACCA vision is simple to provide a premium teaching and support service that establishes the highest possible levels of quality and leverages our knowledge and experience as a leading professional services firm. The ACCA Student Guidebook covers your participation in the ACCA programme at the Academy. All of our support services are listed within these pages, and are designed to help you achieve your goals in relation to ACCA. If there is anything that may concern you, you are welcome to meet with any of our dedicated ACCA support team. PwC Academy Good luck in 2016 and study hard! PricewaterhouseCoopers UAB, J. Jasinskio str. 16B, LT-o3163 Vilnius, Lithuania T: +370 (5) , F:+370 (5) , 3 Page Welcome to the ACCA Programme The Academy Study scheme 4 Computer Based Exam (CBE) Centre 4 ACCA Examinations 5 The ACCA Work Experience Requirements 6 Approved Employers 7 The ACCA Ethics Module 7 Examination Resources 8 ACCA Programme Contact Details 9 Important Dates for the ACCA Qualification 10 Formal Complaints Procedure 11 Student Feedback 12 The Academy Student Regulations and Code of Conduct 13 First Aid and Emergency Procedures 14 Term and Conditions 15 Appendix: Student Suggestion Form 16 4 The Academy Study Scheme Our study programme for the ACCA qualification at the Academy is based on years of experience in ACCA training at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Central and Eastern Europe. It is designed to give our students the best possible chances of passing all of their examinations on the first attempt. Our training for the Fundamental papers F1-F3 is based on a future success model all future papers are based on a basic understanding of the syllabus of these foundation setting examinations. We therefore encourage all students to take tuition courses to link their understanding of key syllabus components to future examinations, even if they are exempted from these papers. These papers can be sat at anytime at PwC with the use of our CBE facility. All of our tuition courses includes mock examinations to test your knowledge and show you just how much you need to study before the real exam and what to focus on. It is also an opportunity to practice under examination conditions. Our tutors provide constructive feedback summaries and individual analysis within eight days of mock completion. The following study and exam scheme is provided for illustration: ACCA Study Year Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Papers Papers F1, F2, F3, Papers F4, F5 Papers F6, F7, F8 Paper F9, Papers P1, P2, Ethics Module Paper P3, Papers P5, P7 Computer Based Exam (CBE) Centre The Academy is an ACCA Approved Computer Based Examination Centre (CBE). Students have the ability to sit computer based exams for papers F1- F4. The main advantage of the CBE system is flexibility you can sit these examinations at any time of the year. In addition, you may resit the exams as often as necessary. Students also receive their exam results on screen immediately after completion and they are uploaded to your ACCA account within 72 hours. The examination fee for papers F1-F3 is 59 GBP; F4-71 GBP; facility and administration fee charged by PwC is 43 EUR; plus VAT. PwC will provide the use of the facility and administration of the examinations Free of Charge for any students who have attended the courses with The Academy. For more information on The Academy CBE centre in Vilnius please refer our website 4 5 ACCA Examinations Knowledge Module Paper F1 Accountant in Business (AB) Paper F2 Management Accounting (MA) Paper F3 Financial Accounting (FA) Skills Module Paper F4 Corporate and Business Law (CL UK, INT) Paper F5 Performance Management (PM) Paper F6 Taxation (TX - UK) Paper F7 Financial Reporting (FR) Paper F8 Audit and Assurance (AA) Paper F9 Financial Management (FM) Essentials Paper P1 Governance, Risk and Ethics Paper P2 Corporate Reporting (CR) Paper P3 Business Analysis (BA) Options Paper P4 Advanced Financial Management (AFM) Paper P5 Advanced Performance Management (APM) Paper P7 Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA) 5 6 The ACCA Work Experience Requirements Gaining the relevant practice experience is a key component to the ACCA qualification. In the demanding accounting and business professions it is essential to link your theoretical knowledge from the examinations to practical applications in the workplace. The ACCA Practical Experience Requirements (PER) are closely linked to the exam syllabus to further develop your skills in the workplace. The framework of the PER enables you to achieve a high level of knowledge, ability, and ethics in the workplace, demonstrating to employers that you are the right person for the job. ACCA students are required to achieve a set of objectives over a three year period working in an accounting or finance-related role and record the completion of the PER through the Trainee Development matrix (TDM). There is no time limit to complete the PER though it is necessary to complete it before applying for ACCA membership. You will need to seek your employer s assistance to gain your PER, so it is up to you to choose the right employer to meet your requirements. To meet the ACCA qualification PER you will need to complete all nine Essential performance objectives and four Options. ESSENTIALS Professionalism, ethics and governance Personal effectiveness Business management OPTIONS Financial accounting and reporting Performance measurement and management accounting Finance and financial management Audit and assurance Taxation 1. Demonstrate the application of professional ethics, values and judgement 2. Contribute to the effective governance of an organisation 3. Raise awareness of non-financial risk 4. Manage self 5. Communicate effectively 6. Use information and communications technology 7. Manage on-going activities in your area of responsibility 8. Improve departmental performance 9. Manage an assignment 10. Prepare financial statements for external purposes 11. Interpret financial transactions and financial statements 12. Prepare financial information for management 13. Contribute to budget planning and production 14. Monitor and control budgets 15. Evaluate potential business/investment opportunities and the required finance options 16. Manage cash using active cash management and treasury systems 17. Prepare for and collect evidence for audit 18. Evaluate and report on audit 19. Evaluate and compute taxes payable 20. Assist with tax planning For more information on the PER see your The Academy representative or visit the ACCA website at 6 7 Approved Employers If you work for an ACCA Approved Employer at the Gold or Platinum level, students and members are not required to submit a Training Development Matrix at the end of every calendar year to confirm that they have met their ACCA Work Experience Requirements objectives. Instead, students and Member must submit an Annual ACCA Return, stating that they are employed by in a company holding this accreditation. The annual return should be submitted by December 31 st. PricewaterhouseCoopers is has the Approved employer s status. For more information on Approved employers and your work experience requirements, please visit the ACCA website: or contact the administrative team at the Academy. The ACCA Ethics Module Ethics is an integral component of the ACCA qualification, directly appearing in 11 of the 14 examination papers and in all of the essential work experience performance objectives. The Ethics Module is an online training course with the aim of exposing student to a range of ethical perspectives in business. Students have access to the module in the examination session they are eligible to sit paper P1 Professional Accountant. The ethics module is a key component to P1 training at The Academy. All students are required to sit the module in conjunction with the tuition courses, and completion is mandatory before applying for ACCA membership. In addition, statistics show that completion of this module before the P1 tuition course greatly increases a student understanding of the syllabus and results in higher examination pass rates for all Professional Level examination papers. More information on the Ethics module can be found at: 7 8 Examination Resources With years of experience in audit and taxation, we use the knowledge and skills of our own auditors and tax specialists to teach variant papers. The Academy Course Notes The Academy develops our own course notes for each paper. The course notes contain relevant technical articles, study guides with suggestions for home study, examination techniques and full information on syllabus. Students can contact their tutors by for any study advice. Kaplan Engage The Kaplan engage study system provides electronic resources for each paper. To register, follow the instructions on the blue Kaplan information sheet located at the back of your study systems or visit ACCA Student Accountant Magazine Every month ACCA publishes the SA magazine containing technical articles, study advice, and a range of accounting and business stories. Pick up a copy at The Academy information stands or visit Additional material request Need a specific book for your paper? Contact The Academy with your suggestions on material to add to our library! 8 9 ACCA Programme Contact Details ACCA Connect 2 Central Quay, 89 Hyde Park St., Glasgow Scotland G3 9DH, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) Website: For information regarding ACCA Ethics and Policy: Steve Willis PricewaterhouseCoopers ACCA Leader Central & Eastern Europe tel.: ACCA Poland & Baltic States ACCA Poland PLAC UNII Puawska 2 (bud. A, pietro 8) Warsaw Poland Tel: Fax: Web: ACCA Academy Contacts in Lithuania Eleonora Caikovskaja The Academy Leader Tel: (+370 5) Igne Sadauskaite The Academy Administration Tel: (+370 5) The Academy Tutors Ben Harvey Prior to starting his own business, Growing Talent, in 2005, Ben spent thirteen years with PwC. He first worked for the firm in London, and in 1997 moved to join the office in Vilnius. Ben began his professional career as a chartered accountant and later moved into training and development. Today he brings his knowledge and experience from both of these roles to his work with the PwC Academy. 9 10 From 2016 ACCA will be running four exam sessions a year at all exam centres in March, June, September and December. Only exams F4-P7 (limited variants) will be available during the March and September exam sessions. All variants will be available during the June and December exam sessions. 10 11 Formal Complaints Procedure The Academy is committed to building strong relationships with our clients, which includes following the PwC Code of Conduct, regulating all of our business and training activities. A copy of our Code of Conduct can be viewed on the Academy website. If you have any concerns about The Academy operations, administration, or quality of service please write a letter to The Academy Leader Eleonora Caikovskaja or an anonymous statement on our Suggestion Forms located at the Academy or at the back of the Student Handbook. Formal complaints and suggestions should describe any concerns and state the action or outcome desired. Trainees will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 3 working days, and a resolution to the nature of the feedback, where necessary, within 21 working days. All formal complaints and suggestions are dealt with according to the following flow chart: Trainee Complaint or Suggestion Trainees explore options (informal or formal) Formal Letter to Business Academy Leader Approach PwC Academy Staff and tutors Resolution Formal investigation by Academy Leader No Resolution Recommended solution by Academy Leader Trainee Satisfaction with Solution Yes Educational and Administrative staff updated complaint database No Discuss with the trainee and agree on alternative solution Close file and amend policies, procedures, and course structures for improvement 11 12 Student Feedback In order to assist the Academy in providing continued excellent service and education, clients are encouraged to provide feedback on their training, either informally with any member of the Academy, through our Trainee Feedback System, or by filling in a suggestion form located in the reception area of the Academy. At the end of each course, trainees have the opportunity to express their opinions in a satisfaction questionnaire, providing feedback on lectures, administration staff, course materials, and facilities. The completed evaluation questionnaires will be submitted to an independent staff member and the identity of all trainees and their comments we be treated confidentially. Opinions and information obtained from the forms will be used in the development of course procedures and course committee meetings. Teaching staff meet quarterly with The Academy leader at course committee meetings to discuss: Course evaluations Trainee performance Evaluation of lecturers Trainee complaints Examination rates (if applicable) Course Syllabus 12 13 The Academy Student Regulations and Code of Conduct 1. Clients attending seminars at the The Academy must ensure that they bring the personal identification and will be required to sign in at the reception desk. Failure to provide identification may result in clients or students being refused entry into the Academy. 2. The Company will not be held responsible for loss of any personal items left in any training room or on The Academy premises. All you need is the motivation to make a significant investment in time to achieve success. 3. All Customers undertaking any training with the Company are required to adhere to any notices or instructions given to them by any member of the company's staff. 4. Smoking is not permitted on Course premises except in designated areas. Customers who are considered to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will have their course terminated immediately and all course fees forfeited. 5. Course participants are expected to exhibit professional behaviour while attending lectures and seminars. Any action that generally interferes with the quality of tuition a class is receiving, which includes the use of mobile telephones or other electronic devices, or any form of abusive verbal or written communication may result in the breech of this service agreement and the removal of clients from the courses. 6. Full course attendance is required of all students at The Academy. Repeated failure to attend tuition courses may result in the termination of the services Agreement. Students who are not able to attend a course should contact their Academy representative in advance of courses. All effort will be made for a student to join alternative course dates if available. 13 14 First Aid and Emergency Procedures First Aid In situations where an employee is suddenly taken ill in The Academy and needs immediate medical assistance, the following steps should be taken: 1. Call the ambulance on 103, 112 or call PwC reception on Advise The Academy staff immediately. If no staff is readily available, advise PwC reception at the main entrance to the Academy. 3. Stay with the person who is ill and provide first aid, according to the best of your knowledge. 4. Ensure that everyone leaves the immediate area, so that the person who is ill is in a quiet place and privacy is maintained. Fire & Evacuation Procedures 1. Any person who discovers a fire shall be liable to report it without any delay at the designated fire alarm reporting station, or ensure it is reported by pressing the fire alarm button. 2. The following information shall be reported the name of the person, telephone number, area in which the fire was discovered and the extent of the fire. 3. If fire extinguishing means are available and no people are in imminent danger, an attempt should be made to get the fire under control. Persons who are not necessary to extinguish the fire shall immediately leave by fire staircases to the Emergency Evacuation Assembly area. Details of the assembly areas are posted on all floors of PricewaterhouseCoopers or you should follow your designated Academy representative out of the building. 4. Take your personal belongings with you only if this does not inflict any difficulty or delay to you or other exiting the building. 5. Do not leave the assembly area or enter the building unless permitted by reception and PwC security. 14 15 Terms and Conditions All clients are informed of our terms and conditions which are readily available from our website and The Academy facility. All Customers are deemed to have read them before requesting our services or products. These terms and conditions together with the registration form comprise the Agreement pursuant to which The Academy provides training programmes to the client/student 1. Payment Terms After initial registration for a course, you will receive confirmation of receipt and an invoice for services. 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Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at 18 Transcription 1 Mobility Funding Guides Funding Opportunities for International Cultural Exchange in Europe 2014 edition download at funding/europe/ GUIDE to Hungary An initiative of: Supported by: Through its programme: 2 Guide to funding opportunities for the international mobility of artists and culture professionals This guide is a partially updated document from the Guide to funding opportunities for the international mobility of artists and culture professionals in Europe 1 produced by the Foundation Interarts, On the Move and PRACTICS and published online in September This present guide specifically focused on Hungary includes: - Mobility funding opportunities open to Hungarian nationals and residents in most artistic and cultural disciplines > Outgoing mobility (OM); - Mobility funding opportunities open to nationals from other countries than Hungary in most artistic and cultural disciplines > Incoming mobility (IM) The guide lists national, local and international resources, be they public or private. Only regular opportunities accessible online are listed; funds for which information is only available offline, not based on open calls, and ad hoc or short-term funding are not included. For a full overview of the methodology and scope of the research, please refer to the introduction of the Guide to funding opportunities for the international mobility of artists and culture professionals in Europe 2. Overall, the main objectives of such mobility funding guides are to make available online, in a transparent way, the existing information on funding for the international mobility of artists and cultural operators and to give input to funders on how to fill in the existing gaps in funding for international cultural exchange in order to ensure a sustainable support to cultural mobility in Europe and in the world. This guide, updated by On the Move thanks to the support of the Asia-Europe Foundation, is an attempt to gather all the resources in one document, and is by no means complete. You can send your comments, suggestions and corrections to: For regular and one-off calls for projects, collaborations and other opportunities to fund international cultural exchange, we invite you to subscribe for free to the monthly newsletter of on-the-move.org. For regional or other international sources of funding, we may suggest you to consult: - The Guide to funding opportunities for the international mobility of artists and culture professionals in Europe 3 and the sections related to European Union, Council of Europe, Regional funds, Relations with third countries (pages ). - The guide Open to any nationality under the Mobility Funding Guides - Funding opportunities for international cultural exchange in Asia, commissioned by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) through its portal culture360.org 4. Web-links last checked in August 2014 The mentions of Public (Pub.), Private (Pri.) and Public/Private (PP.) have been added to highlight the sources of funding See above web-link. 3 See above web-link (pages ) 4 3 and Culture als TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Public foundations / agencies p Agency for contemporary art exchange - ACAX - Nemzetkozi Kortars Kepzomuveszeti Iroda 1.1. Residency programmes (OM) 1.2. Check-in Budapest Visitors programme (IM) 1.3. Participation support of Hungarian artists in foreign biennials (OM) II. Private foundations/ organisations p Balassi Institute - Hungarian Scholarship Board Office - Balassi Intezet - Magyar Osztondij Bizottsag (MOB) 2.1. Scholarships for summer courses (IM) 3. Approach Art Association - Kozelites Muveszeti Egyesule 3.1. Residences programme (IM / OM) 4. Studio of Young Artists Association - Studio C3 - Fiatal Kepzomuveszek Studioja Egyesulet (FKSE) 4.1. Residences and International Exchanges (IM / OM) 5. Hungarian Translators House Foundation - Magyar Forditohaz Alapitvany 5.1. Residences (IM) 6. Austria - Hungary Action Foundation - Osztrak-Magyar AKCIO Alapitvany 6.1. Scholarships (IM / OM) 7. Carpathian Foundation - Karpatok Alapitvany - Magyarorszag szervezet 7.1. NGO Fund of the EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism - Cultural Heritage (OM) 2 4 and Culture als I. Public foundations / agencies 1. Funding organisation Agency for contemporary art exchange - ACAX - Nemzetkozi Kortars Kepzomuveszeti Iroda 1.1. Residency programmes Artists/writers in residence (Pub.) Visual arts Hungary; European Union Hungarian/ EU citizenship or permanent residence in Hungary/ EU Artists and in some cases also curators Incoming: Budapest (Hungary) Outgoing: Gasworks Studios, London (United Kingdom), A.I.R. laboratory, Warsaw (Poland), Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart (Germany), Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (Germany) Worldwide: ISCP, New York (USA), CIC - Contemporary Image Collective, Cairo (Egypt) Not specified: ACAX makes sure the availability of the scholarships and necessary funds for artists Check-in Budapest Visitors programme "Go and see" or short-term exploration grants Visual arts Hungary; European Union EU citizenship or permanent residence in EU Experts and curators Only by invitation; guests provide lectures and workshops Introduce the Hungarian art scene and its protagonists to renowned foreign art experts in order to promote and support the international appearance and integration of Hungarian institutions and artists. Not specified 3 5 and Culture als 1.3. Participation support of Hungarian artists in foreign biennials Event participation grants Visual arts European Union; Worldwide Hungarian citizenship or permanent residence in Hungary Visual artists and galleries Outgoing: Murcia (Spain), Liverpool (United Kingdom), Iasi (Rumania), Istanbul (Turkey), Sydney (Australia), Puglia (Italy), Berlin and Kassel (Denmark) Not specified II. Private foundations/ organisations 2. Funding organisation Balassi Institute - Hungarian Scholarship Board Office - Balassi Intezet - Magyar Osztondij Bizottsag (MOB) 2.1. Scholarships for summer courses Scholarships/postgraduate training courses Research grants (Pri.) Visual arts painting, applied arts Music Hungary EU citizenship or permanent residence in EU Researchers and students These scholarships allow for study or research in any field of arts and sciences during the granted period at an accredited Hungarian higher education or research institution to be determined in advance Incoming: Hungary Applicants for music-arts scholarships have to attach the following documents in addition: For painters, graphic artists and sculptors: photographs of three (3) works of art or sketches (with date). For performing artists (musicians) and conductors: high-quality recordings of three (3) different styles of music, conductors have to submit three (3) original scores. Most courses demand command of Hungarian language. Postgraduate: HUF 79,200 stipend per month and HUF 70,000 accommodation allowance per month. For scholarships of 21 days or shorter, accommodation allowance and a stipend of HUF 3,000 per day Phd: HUF 93,000 per month, paid by the host institution, and student hostel accommodation in a university residence hall paid by the scholarship-holder. Summer courses: tuition-free courses, free accommodation and meals. Postdoctoral studies and research: HUF 118,800 per month and HUF 80,000 accommodation allowance per month. 4 6 and Culture als Research stays: HUF 118,800 per month, and HUF 80,000 accommodation allowance per month. For scholarships lasting 21 days or shorter, accommodation allowance and a stipend of HUF 3,000 per day. US/Default.aspx 3. Funding organisation Approach Art Association - Kozelites Muveszeti Egyesule 3.1. Residences programme Artists/writers in residence (Pri.) Visual arts installation Audiovisual and media electronic art, new media, web Hungary EU citizenship or permanent residence in EU Artists and curators, students Knowledge of English or the host country s language Incoming: Pecs (Hungary) Outgoing: various countries Active collaboration with the Approach Art Association team and local environment is expected. The Association offers an exhibition after residency. Selected artists may receive EUR 1,000 monthly stipendium (EUR 2,000 for two months), up to EUR 300 for travel expenses and rent-free accommodation for 2 months 4. Funding organisation Studio of Young Artists Association - Studio C3 - Fiatal Kepzomuveszek Studioja Egyesulet (FKSE) 4.1. Residences and International Exchanges Artists/writers in residence (Pri.) Visual arts painting, sculpture Audiovisual and media new media Hungary; European Union Hungarian/ EU citizenship or permanent residence in Hungary/ EU Individual artists Open to free applications that may or not lead to an invitation Incoming: Budapest (Hungary) Outgoing: European Union 5 7 Guide to Funding Opportunities for the International Mobility of Artists and Culture als Not specified: 1-2 months grants including studio and exhibition space and materials 5. Funding organisation Hungarian Translators House Foundation - Magyar Forditohaz Alapitvany 5.1. Residences Artists/writers in residence (Pri.) Literature translation Hungary EU citizenship or permanent residence in EU Translators Translators from abroad who render works of Hungarian literature, the social sciences and other humanities into their respective languages. Incoming: Balatonfured (Hungary) Depending on the length of the work or works to be translated, residencies are awarded for two, four, six, or eight weeks Grants of max. HUF 120,000 to cover living expenses during the residency, to fund participation in cultural events and the purchase of materials (including books) that can enrich the translator's knowledge of Hungarian language and culture. May partly defray travel expenses Funding organisation Austria - Hungary Action Foundation - Osztrak-Magyar AKCIO Alapitvany 6.1. Scholarships Scholarships/postgraduate training courses Research grants (Pri.) Heritage Research Austria; Hungary Hungarian/Austrian citizenship or permanent residence in Austria/Hungary Students, graduates and doctorates Incoming: Hungary Outgoing: Austria Supporting Hungarian bands to perform on the Feast of Music in different Hungarian Cultural Centres in foreign capitals. For Austria offers monthly grants for graduates and students of EUR 940 and for 6 8 and Culture als graduates over 30 years old and doctorates of EUR 1, Funding organisation Carpathian Foundation - Karpatok Alapitvany - Magyarorszag szervezet 7.1. NGO Fund of the EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism - Cultural Heritage Project and production grants (Pri.) Heritage European Union; EEA countries; Euro-region Carpathian Hungarian citizenship or permanent residence in Hungary; Hungary-based organisations Non-governamental organisations Outgoing: EEA, European Union, Euro-region Carpathian Offers 80% co-funding: micro and macro grants up to EUR 80,000 and small-scale grants up to EUR 25, This Guide is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It may be used, copied, distributed, transmitted and adapted freely, however never for commercial purposes and only provided the source is credited. For any reuse or distribution, users must make clear to others the license terms of this work. If users alter, transform, or build upon this work, they may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one. For more information about the creative commons licence of this publication, see: For more information please contact Reference to On the Move should be made if information from this Guide is published elsewhere. Suggested citation format: On the Move, Guide to Funding Opportunities for the International Mobility of Artists and Culture als - Hungary (2014). 7 The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Imperial Valley News Center United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras Convene High Level Dialogue Washington, DC - Building on the commitments made by Vice President Biden and Northern Triangle leaders in February 2016, the United States and the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras will meet today at the U.S. Department of State for a High-Level Dialogue. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon and National Security Council Deputy Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy Assistant to the President Amy Pope will lead the U.S. delegation. The governments will discuss ongoing progress under the Northern Triangle governments Alliance for Prosperity. A delegation from the Inter-American Development Bank will also participate. California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones Honored by USDA Washington, DC - California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones has been honored for her extensive contributions to animal health and animal agriculture with a 2016 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrators Award, recently bestowed by APHIS administrator Kevin Shea at the annual meeting of the United States Animal Health Association (USAHA). Dr. Jones, who serves as treasurer of USAHA, was honored for a long list of accomplishments in public service, including directing the state and federal partnership to eradicate an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease; successfully directing the response to detections of avian influenza; and consistently demonstrating an ability to work cooperatively with other government agencies, the public, and industry in emergency animal disease planning efforts at the local, state, and federal levels. This is a very prestigious award at USDA, and no one is more deserving than Dr. Jones, said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. Dr. Jones is a dedicated public servant and an outstanding leader on the many complex issues affecting Californias farmers and ranchers. Dr, Jones began her career at CDFA in 2001, was named director of the agencys Division of Animal Health and Food Safety Services in 2004, and was named State Veterinarian in 2010. Trade investigators lifted tariffs against one steel pipe manufacturer in southern Vietnam and reinforced tariffs against another. The U.S. will lift a 24.22 percent anti-dumping tax currently in place on steel pipes manufactured by a company in Binh Duong Provice. Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce declared an end to its investigation of SeAH Steel VINA Corporation (SSV) from Dong Nai Province. Government investigators determined that the Vietnamese firm did not sell merchandise in the U.S. at abnormally undervalued prices between February 2014 and August 2015. SSV provided timely response to inquiries between November 2015 and June 2016, the government agency said. A preliminary memorandum detailing the company's findings called for an end to the anti-dumping tariff. The U.S. imposed the tariff in August 2014 following a grand investigation into dumping allegations against steel companies from Vietnam, India, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine. Nine companies in the U.S. had requested the inquiry. Hot Rolling Pipe Ltd., also in Dong Nai, received a 111.47 percent tariff for not responding to agency inquiries. Related news: > Vietnam slaps high anti-dumping tariffs on imported galvanized steel > Anti-dumping measures could turn into a double-edged steel sword > U.S. finishes first round of Vietnamese steel anti-dumping investigation San Diego State University Introduces New Online Undergraduate Business Degree Program San Diego, California - The College of Business Administration at San Diego State University (SDSU) announced that it is launching a fully online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program. This is the first-ever undergraduate online degree program offered at SDSU. The fully-accredited program will begin in fall 2017 and applications are now being accepted through November 30. SDSUs undergraduate business program is ranked among the nations best according to the latest issue of U.S. News & World Reports Americas Best Colleges. Every course in the online program is taught by SDSU faculty who have demonstrated an ability to excel in their regular on-campus teaching assignments, said Dr. George Belch, interim dean of the College of Business Administration. The goal of the program is to deliver the same rigor and content that students find in the on-campus degree program. The general business program is designed for students who have at least 60 units of lower division coursework, which includes both general education and a defined set of prerequisite business courses. Students enrolled in the program will take courses in core business concepts including accounting, ethics, finance, information systems, leadership, management, marketing, operations and supply chain management, and strategy. This is a significant milestone for the university as we strive to make high-quality online education widely available to students locally and at distant locations, said Chukuka S. Enwemeka, provost and senior vice president. Distance learners can expect to have similar outstanding educational experience with the flexibility of an online program. The new online degree program is structured to be flexible and convenient. Courses run in eight-week blocks, so a full-time student can take four courses each term, but focus at any given time on just two in a block (two eight week blocks make up a term). For students who want to take courses on a part-time basis, the program is entirely self-paced to afford students the option of slowing down by taking a lighter course load. The program was specifically designed to serve those with work and/or family responsibilities and for transfer students who may not have the ability to attend campus on a regular basis. Upon completion, students will earn the same degree as those enrolled in the on-campus general business major. In addition, upon admission to the program a student becomes eligible to apply for financial aid from SDSU. The online degree program is being offered in partnership with the SDSU College of Extended Studies. Students seeking additional information on the program can go to business.sdsu.edu. European School Administrators Collaborate With Americans To Support Refugee and Immigrant Youth Washington, DC - From October 23 to November 3, 20 European school principals, vice principals, and district and regional educators will travel to the United States to discuss strategies to support the integration of refugee and immigrant youth in schools and communities. The education leaders from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom will meet with representatives of schools, community organizations, U.S. government agencies, policy institutes, and non-governmental organizations in Washington, DC. The participants will then split into two groups, with one traveling to Denver, Colorado, and the other to Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. In Colorado and Minnesota, the groups will tour schools and service organizations, meet with local government representatives, participate in roundtable discussions, and share expertise and discuss challenges with American peers. The education leaders will then reconvene in Washington, DC, where they will discuss their experiences and develop action plans for use in their schools and districts upon returning home. State Department Terrorist Designation Washington, DC - The Department of State has designated Haytham Ali Tabatabai also known as Abu Ali Al-Tabatabai, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. As a result of this designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Haytham Ali Tabatabai has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Haytham Ali Tabatabai. Haytham Ali Tabatabai aka Abu Ali Al-Tabatabai is a Hizballah commander from Beirut, Lebanon who has commanded Hizballahs special forces, has operated in Syria, and has been reported to be in Yemen. Tabatabais actions in Syria and Yemen are part of a larger Hizballah effort to provide training, materiel, and personnel in support of its destabilizing regional activities. In addition to the sanctions issued against Tabatabai, today the Treasury Department designated four individuals and one entity working on behalf of or supporting Hizballah. The imposition of sanctions by the United States against terrorists is a powerful tool. Todays actions by the U.S. government notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Haytham Ali Tabatabai and the individuals and entities designated by Treasury are actively engaged in terrorism. Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist or complement the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and other governments. A list of State Department-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and SDGTs is available here: http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/index.htm . Sentencing of Siamak and Baquer Namazi Washington, DC - We are deeply concerned about reports that U.S. citizens Siamak Namazi and Baquer Namazi have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Siamak Namazi has been unjustly detained in Iran for over a year. His father, Baquer Namazi, whom the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has called a respected former employee, was also reportedly unjustly detained at the end of February 2016. We remain especially concerned by reports of his declining health and well-being. We join recent calls by international organizations and UN human rights experts for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran, including Siamak and Baquer Namazi, so that they can return to their families. We also respectfully underscore the importance of Iran cooperating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Mr. Robert Levinson, who went missing on Irans Kish Island in March 2007. As President Obama stated last January, we will not rest until the Levinson family is whole again. Cessation of Hostilities in Yemen Washington, DC - The United States welcomes today the announcement of a renewable 72-hour Cessation of Hostilities agreed upon by all Yemeni parties and the Saudi-led Coalition, which the UN Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has said will take effect today. This cessation requires all parties to implement a full and comprehensive halt to military activities of any kind and help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis across the country. It will also enable the Special Envoy to continue his consultations and renew the peace negotiations as soon as possible. We ask the parties to take all steps necessary to advance the implementation of this cessation, call on them to sustain it, and strongly encourage its unconditional renewal. We reiterate the Special Envoys request to allow free and unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel to all parts of Yemen, in addition to a full and comprehensive halt to military activities of any kind." The people of Yemen are depending on the full cooperation of all parties with the Special Envoys request. We note again that peaceful resolution of this conflict requires compromises and commitments by everyone. The United States, alongside the international community, is ready to provide assistance and will continue to work with all parties to conclude a negotiated settlement that will bring a permanent and lasting end to the conflict. United States - Republic of Korea Foreign and Defense Ministers' Meeting Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter convened a 2+2 meeting with Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Minister of National Defense Han Min-koo in Washington, D.C. on October 19, 2016. The U.S.-ROK 2+2 session, the fourth of its kind since 2010, preceded the 48th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between Secretary Carter and Minister Han on October 20, 2016, at the Pentagon. The Secretaries and Ministers reiterated the commitment of the U.S.-ROK Alliance to counter the grave security threats posed by North Korea and together meet regional and global challenges based on the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, as set forth in the 2013 Joint Declaration in Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and the 2015 U.S.-ROK Joint Statement on North Korea. The Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed that todays comprehensive and strategic U.S.-ROK Alliance serves as a linchpin of peace and security not just on Korean Peninsula, but across the Asia-Pacific region, promoting regional and global stability, security, and prosperity. They welcomed the continuing evolution of the Alliance into a deepening global partnership, embodying the spirit of the 2015 Joint Fact Sheet Republic of Korea-United States Alliance: Shared Values, New Frontiers to meet challenges that affect the world, including climate change and the refugee crisis. U.S.-ROK Alliance The Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed the mutual commitment of the U.S.-ROK Alliance to defend the ROK through a robust combined defense posture and the enhancement of mutual security, as based on the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty. Secretaries Kerry and Carter reiterated the ironclad and unwavering U.S. commitment to draw on the full range of its military capabilities, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella, conventional strike, and missile defense capabilities, to provide extended deterrence for the ROK. The U.S. Secretaries also reaffirmed the longstanding U.S. policy that any attack on the United States or its allies will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. The officials collectively decided that robust deterrence against North Korea required leveraging the full breadth of national power including diplomacy, information, military coordination, and economic elements. To that end, the Secretaries and Ministers decided to establish a high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) to be co-chaired by representatives from the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State, with participation from other relevant agencies. Through this dialogue, the two sides plan to work closely on policy issues related to extended deterrence. To continue demonstrating Alliance readiness, resolve, and determination across our governments, the officials underscored the importance of appropriate planning and combined exercises related to a range of crisis situations on the Korean Peninsula. The Secretaries and Ministers affirmed that preparation for the Conditions-based Operational Control (OPCON) transition is progressing according to the Conditions-based OPCON Transition Plan (COT-P). They pledged to continue implementing the COT-P faithfully in order to ensure a stable wartime OPCON transition at a proper time. The Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed the Alliance commitment to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to U.S. Forces Korea on the Korean Peninsula as an effective and necessary self-defense measure against North Koreas evolving missile threats. They re-emphasized the system would be deployed solely for the purpose of defending against North Korean missile threats and would not impact the strategic deterrent of other nations in the region. The officials pledged to take appropriate measures to ensure the THAAD deployment process continues to move forward without delay, and they reiterated that the United States and the ROK remained open to constructive engagement on THAADs mission on the Korean Peninsula. The Secretaries and Ministers highlighted the importance of our longstanding, mutually beneficial cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. To this end, they reaffirmed both countries commitment to strengthen strategic and future-oriented civil nuclear cooperation by actively engaging in the U.S.-ROK High Level Bilateral Commission, a key mechanism for implementing the recently renewed U.S.-ROK Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, which serves as a milestone for bilateral nuclear cooperation. They welcomed the two countries shared commitment to and partnership in nuclear safety and security, as well as their cooperation for the strengthening of the global nonproliferation regime. They welcomed the success of the 4th Nuclear Security Summit held in March 2016 in Washington, D.C., and the United States expressed appreciation for ROK leadership as Chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime 2016-2017. The officials are committed to working for the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to realize the vision of a world without nuclear weapons. The Secretaries and Ministers praised the inaugural meeting of the Defense Technology Strategy and Cooperation Group (DTSCG) in July. The DTSCG enables the two sides to work together to advance policy and strategic discussion on technology security, foreign policy, and defense technology cooperation in support of the ROK-U.S. Alliance. They recognized the value of the U.S.-ROK partnerships advancement into New Frontiers of cooperation such as cyber security, space, and global health. They reaffirmed the two countries mutual commitment to increase cyber cooperation, including with respect to North Korean cyber-attacks, and highlighted plans to enhance space cooperation to address challenges to space security. The officials recognized the KORUS-FTA enhanced mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. North Korea The Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed the Alliances commitment to countering the accelerating threat to peace and security posed by North Koreas repeated and flagrant violations of its international obligations and commitments. They condemned in the strongest possible terms North Koreas unprecedented level of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in 2016, including its fourth and fifth nuclear tests; its 23 short-range, medium-range, intermediate-range, long-range, and submarine-launched ballistic missile launches; and its admission it is producing fissile material including highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. These actions are destabilizing to the region and clear violations of numerous UN Security Council resolutions. The officials believe the international community must be united in seeking all necessary measures with utmost urgency and determination to urge North Korea to fulfill its international obligations and commitments, cease all activities related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs immediately, and abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, as well as other existing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner. They shared the view that the rapid advancement of North Koreas nuclear and missile capabilities constitute a direct threat to both countries and other countries in the region. Based on the common understanding of the gravity and urgency of the North Korean threat, they discussed concrete measures the United States and the ROK can take to counter those threats. The Secretaries and Ministers reiterated their commitment to impose real costs and consequences on the North Korean regime for its provocative and destabilizing actions through multilateral, cooperative, bilateral, and national measures aimed at stopping North Koreas advancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities, and compelling the regime to return to authentic and credible negotiations on denuclearization. They recalled the commitments set forth in the 2015 Republic of Korea and United States of America Joint Statement on North Korea. The Secretaries and the Ministers reaffirmed that the United States and the ROK would continue to work closely to implement fully UN Security Council Resolution 2270, which imposed the strongest sanctions yet on North Korea. They stressed the importance of increased international pressure to compel North Korea to cease its destabilizing behavior that threatens regional security and the global nonproliferation regime. They also highlighted the importance of swift Security Council action to adopt a new resolution to further strengthen our international response to North Koreas unlawful September 9 nuclear test. The officials discussed efforts to encourage third countries to review the full scope of their ties and relationships with North Korea and noted countries which host North Korean laborers have a responsibility to ensure their wages will not support North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missiles programs. The Secretaries and the Ministers underscored their concern for the well-being of the North Korean people due to the regimes many human rights abuses. They noted the diversion of North Koreas resources to nuclear and missile development were further deepening its isolation and aggravating the hardship of the people suffering under Kim Jong Un and his regime. They also welcomed international efforts to draw attention to North Koreas systematic, widespread, and gross violations of human rights. The officials discussed ways to highlight further the deplorable human rights situation in North Korea, including the activities of the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Seoul, the implementation of the recently enacted North Korea Human Rights Act, the recent appointment of the ROK Ambassador for North Korean Human Rights, and the launch of the bilateral North Korean Human Rights Consultation held October 4 in Washington D.C. They decided to work further on issues such as holding leadership accountable in North Korea. The Secretaries and Ministers exchanged their views on the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula, and Secretaries Kerry and Carter reaffirmed their strong support for President Parks vision of a peacefully unified Korean Peninsula, as envisaged in her Dresden address and noted in the 2015 Republic of Korea and United States of America Joint Statement on North Korea. In that regard, the Secretaries and the Ministers decided to continue high-level strategic consultations to create a favorable environment for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula. Regional Issues The United States and the ROK reiterated their shared resolve to promote regional peace and security. As part of those efforts, the Secretaries and the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation through wide-ranging and close consultations. They recognized the importance of maintaining strong trilateral relations and discussed the positive role each must play to reinforce regional stability. They highlighted the March 2016 trilateral summit among President Barack Obama, President Park Geun-hye, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the September Trilateral Ministerial Meeting in New York on the margins of the 71st United Nations General Assembly, and decided to seek ways to sustain the momentum. The Secretaries and Ministers shared the view that enhancing U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation strengthens deterrence against the North Korean threat. In this regard, they lauded the successful trilateral missile warning exercise conducted in June 2016 and anticipated further strides to improve trilateral defense cooperation, using established trilateral defense consultations such as the Defense Trilateral Talks. The officials praised the trilateral diplomatic and defense coordination that took place following North Koreas multiple provocations, including the January and September 2016 nuclear tests. The officials also acknowledged advancements in global cooperation through trilateral consultation mechanisms such as the Vice-Ministerial Trilateral, the Trilateral Discussion on Development Policy, the Womens Empowerment Trilateral Forum, and the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response Working Group. The Secretaries and the Ministers emphasized the importance of constructive cooperation with China through various forms of dialogue to further shared goals of peace, stability, and prosperity. The United States welcomed the ROK governments efforts to build on the vision of ROK-Japan-China cooperation as expressed through the 2015 Joint Declaration for Peace and Cooperation in Northeast Asia and to enhance bilateral cooperation with Japan. The ROK government expressed support of U.S. efforts to advance a comprehensive and constructive bilateral relationship with China. Highlighting the importance of guaranteeing freedom of navigation and overflight, the officials emphasized that all countries have the right to fly, sail, and operate in the South China Sea in accordance with international law. Secretary Kerry also acknowledged the ROK contribution in addressing regional challenges through the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative, which President Park launched in 2013. The Secretaries and Ministers noted the 3rd High-level Intergovernmental Meeting (HIM) co-hosted by the ROK and the U.S. on October 6-7 in Washington D.C., as well as the 2016 Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Forum held concurrently with the HIM, while looking forward to additional trust-building dialogues in the future. Global Partnership The Secretaries and the Ministers recognized the impact of the Alliance beyond the region, emphasizing the two nations collaboration on a wide range of issues requiring a global response. Acknowledging the diverse array of unconventional threats in todays interconnected world, the officials reaffirmed their commitment to tackle issues ranging from climate change to terrorism. As partners in the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, the Secretaries and the Ministers condemned the suffering ISILs violent extremism has caused for the people in Iraq, Syria, and around the world. In response to an unprecedented refugee crisis, the ROK pledged to maintain its current level of annual humanitarian assistance at $44 million every year for the next three years and also committed an additional $100 million beyond that level, subject to domestic procedures, within the next three years at the U.S. co-hosted Leaders Summit on Refugees. Secretaries Kerry and Carter praised the ROK government for its generous contribution and continued promotion of peacekeeping activities, as well as the ROKs $255 million pledge, subject to domestic procedures, in security and development assistance to Afghanistan. Building upon the 2015 Conference of the Parties in Paris, both sides reaffirmed the importance of alleviating and adapting to climate change. Secretaries Kerry and Carter expressed appreciation for ROK support of the amendment to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons under the Montreal Protocol. Additionally, both sides conveyed their dedication to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing through the ratification of the Port State Measures Agreement. In light of the September 2016 Our Ocean Conference, Secretary Kerry lauded the decision to renew a Joint Project Agreement to collaborate on marine research from 2017-2021. The Secretaries and Ministers acknowledged the positive strides made to advance the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), including through the ROKs upcoming 2017 chairmanship of the GHSA Steering Group. They highlighted the successful collaboration among the United States, the ROK, and Japan affirmed at the September 2016 trilateral meeting of health ministers on the Cancer Moonshot. The officials praised U.S., ROK, and Japanese commitment to womens political and economic empowerment within the respective countries through the Equal Futures Partnership Initiative, which was reinforced at the inaugural U.S.-ROK-Japan Womens Empowerment Trilateral Forum in September. The Forums expanded agenda included global coordination on adolescent girls education. Conclusion Built on mutual trust, shared values, and tested through more than six decades of commitment, the U.S.-ROK partnership has never been stronger. The scope and range of cooperation between our two countries is evident from strengthening our Alliance, to deepening our trade and economic relationship, building strong regional relations, and expanding our global partnership. The Secretaries and Ministers conveyed their common vision for security and stability in the region, as well as their shared ideals for global peace and prosperity. Guided by mutual values that have opened new frontiers for collaboration, and encouraged by the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance, they reaffirmed their commitment to continue to deepen, develop, and advance the partnership to its full potential. Ed Madden, BL, looks at a recent England and Wales High Court case in which a doctor facing criminal charges of assault and false imprisonment sought to terminate an interim order of suspension imposed by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service In September 2016, the England and Wales High Court gave its judgment in a case in which a trainee doctor facing criminal charges of assault and false imprisonment sought to terminate an interim order of suspension of 18 months imposed by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service. The doctor applied for an order of anonymity, which was granted by the Court. When the matter came on for hearing, the Court was told that Dr NHs younger sister was the complainant in the criminal proceedings; the trial is due to commence in January 2017. It is alleged that he and eight members of his family held her against her will for a number of days, during the course of which she was assaulted. The case for the prosecution is one of joint enterprise, in which a number of members of the family are said to have played different roles. No direct accusation of assault was made against NH. Rather, he is alleged to have lent support to his sisters detention and assault by other members of the family. It is further alleged that his role involved providing the morning-after pill to his sister without prescription and ordering her to take the medication. She was a minor at the time of the alleged incidents. Family dishonour The Court heard that the motivation behind the alleged conduct was the familys view that the girls relationship with her boyfriend was inappropriate and was bringing dishonour to the family. The sisters account of what occurred was video recorded and will constitute her evidence in chief at the trial. She is said to have sent a text or email during the course of her detention in which she named NH as being involved. When interviewed by police, he declined to answer questions. The Court was told that the High Court had made a Forced Marriage Protection Order in July 2015 in respect of the girl; this was continued in September 2015 with the agreement of NH and the other eight members of his family. There had been no alleged breach of that order at the date of the hearing. Highly regarded The Court heard evidence that the doctor was highly regarded by his colleagues and superiors, and that a number of positive references had been provided on his behalf. There was no issue as to his competence and there had been no other complaints about either his conduct or his professionalism. Counsel for NH submitted that the decision to suspend his client was wrong. There was no real risk to members of the public and no public interest in his being suspended. In the circumstances, the decision to suspend was unnecessary, disproportionate and flawed. Counsel for the General Medical Council did not contend that NH presented any real risk to members of the public. The only ground advanced in support of the continued suspension was that it was necessary in the public interest to maintain confidence in the profession. Giving her judgment in the case, Mrs Justice McGowan said that NH had been legally represented at the Interim Orders Tribunal hearing where the question of his suspension was fully argued on his behalf. In an application of the present kind, it was open to the Court to terminate an order made by the Tribunal if, and only if, it was considered that the order was wrong. In reaching its decision, the Court was obliged to give appropriate weight to the assessment of the Tribunal. Public shock The allegations made against NH involved serious criminal offences. The question at issue in the present proceedings could be stated as follows: if there was a conviction when the case came to trial, would an average member of the public be shocked or troubled to learn that the doctor had continued to practise while on bail awaiting trial? In the judges view the answer to that question would be in the affirmative. It was necessary, therefore, that the interim order of suspension remain in place. The judge observed that the interim suspension was due to be reviewed by the Interim Orders Tribunal before the end of September 2016. She suggested that the doctor might have been better advised not to have taken the present proceedings, and instead argued in the course of the review that his suspension was no longer necessary. The Court went on to uphold the interim suspension and awarded costs against the doctor. Reference: [2016] EWHC 2348 (Admin). Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A White House reporter unwittingly landed a music journalism holy grail at the weekend: an interview with Frank Ocean. The musician, who generally shies away from the spotlight and hasnt given an interview in nearly three years, wound up in an awkward, very reluctant Q&A with a lady covering Obamas last White House state dinner, answering a string of questions before hurrying back to join his guest for the evening, his mother. He was quizzed on his choice of footwear for the formal occasion (checkered Vans), whether he would consider endorsing a candidate (probably not) and what he was looking forward to most about the evening ahead (ugh, that classic red carpet question). To this, Frank quite adorably responded: Asking Obama if he had fun these last eight years. I sincerely hope he found a second to ask the POTUS this, and that Obama grabbed him the shoulder, misty eyed, and told him hed had a ball. Chance the Rapper also attended the dinner, but surprisingly not Kendrick Lamar, who has performed at the White House before and is one of the presidents favourite artists. 84 kids hospitalized with food poisoning after lunch at Vietnam kindergarten Nine of the kids were put on drips to help them recover. Children receive treatment for food poisoning at a hospital in Vinh Long Province on Wednesday. Scores of young children from a nursery school in the southern province of Vinh Long were hospitalized with food poisoning after having lunch at school on Wednesday. The children started vomiting and experienced stomachaches and diarrhea. The school called parents to pick their children up but the situation quickly worsened with dozens of them falling sick. A public hospital in the area had to arrange extra beds to receive 84 children between three and five years old, nearly a third of the schools 273 students. Doctors at the hospital said nine serious cases were put on drips. More than half of the children had been discharged by Thursday afternoon, and the rest are stable. Authorities in Vinh Long have taken food samples and are investigating the cause of the problem. Mass food poisoning occurs multiple times every year in Vietnam, mostly due to poor management of canteens and quality, but legal action is not often taken. In March, Ho Chi Minh City fined South Korean fast food chain Lotteria Vietnam VND146 million ($6,500) for a mass poisoning case that put 60 workers from a Danish company in hospital. The city also fined Tam Tam Company, a local lunch provider, VND48 million ($2,200) after its food poisoned 44 primary school students in the city. Related news: > 70 tourists suffer food poisoning at popular Vietnamese beach resort > Dozens of tourists hospitalized due to suspected food poisoning in Vietnam's resort town Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In the spring of 2014, Vietnams state-controlled news media reported that dozens of children had died after turning up at hospitals in the capital, Hanoi, with rashes and high fevers. Doctors said the cause was a measles outbreak the worst in Vietnamese history. Parents of victims rushed onto Facebook to share their grief and outrage. So did their friends and neighbours, who wanted to know how the outbreak was spreading, and whether it was even safe to take children to hospitals. The authorities distributed information about the measles deaths via leaflets, loudspeaker bulletins and updates on the health ministrys website, recalls a nurse at a state-run hospital in Hanoi, who requested anonymity in order to speak frankly. But there was so much information online that some people became panicked. Vietnam is a one-party state that has responded efficiently to many natural disasters and health emergencies. During a 2005 outbreak of avian flu, for example, the Vietnamese agriculture minister famously ate chicken on national television in an effort to calm public fears about widespread poultry infections. But when the 2014 measles scandal broke, millions of Vietnamese were using Facebook, compared to almost none just a few years earlier. And the government, which sporadically blocks the network, was unable to extinguish a Facebook-fuelled bushfire of fear, anger and recrimination that swept the nation. Much of the criticism landed at the feet of the health minister, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, who refused to call the deaths an outbreak even as the child death toll approached 130. Even before the measles crisis the health ministry had been on the defensive, following a string of previous scandals at public hospitals that had included mistaken diagnoses, faulty vaccinations and cases of bribery in surgery wards. So when Tien said that only 25 deaths were directly attributable to measles while doctors at a Hanoi hospital said scores had died from measles-related complications many ordinary Vietnamese viewed her comments as brazen obfuscation. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vietnams health minister, has been highly criticised for her approach to disease scares (Getty) The public saw a lot of people dying, recalls Dinh Duc Hoang, a contributing editor at VnExpress, a Vietnamese online newspaper. Ministry officials, he says, did publicly explain their epidemiological rationale for not declaring an outbreak, but not enough, especially on social media, he says. People didnt understand and thought the ministry was trying to hide the outbreak. Since the turn of this century, the rise of online search engines and social media applications has allowed ordinary people around the world to find information during public health scares at an ever-faster pace. The change has been especially dramatic in the Asia Pacific region, a global epicentre of internet users, smartphone sales and infectious-disease outbreaks. This new environment presents a complex mix of opportunities and challenges for health officials. On one hand, increased public engagement during a health crisis can allow officials to communicate more directly with citizens. But every new online platform is also a conduit for spreading criticism or misinformation. The rise of social media makes it harder for governments to shut down the flow of information, but the information itself may be unreliable, says Crawford Kilian, a Vancouver-based writer who covers the politics of public health. Health officials are increasingly aware that online rumours and criticism during a health scare can fuel panic, undercut their credibility and weaken public confidence in the very healthcare systems that are meant to fight disease. And some of them are trying to close the digital gap by engaging their citizens and critics on social media. During the measles crisis in Vietnam, for example, senior health officials asked Hoang and around eight other well-known journalists to help improve the health ministrys social media presence and disseminate official updates to the public during health emergencies. Because of my job, Im famous, and I know a lot of celebrities, Hoang explains. I can contact people to get them to post correct information for people to read. Men gather to read news from a smartphone in downtown Hanoi in 2014 (Getty) The premise helping the ministry distribute correct information through social media was simple enough. But could, or should, a group of journalists and celebrities really help a one-party government restore public faith in a beleaguered health bureaucracy? And why did the ministry need their help in the first place? Social media is only the latest digital disrupter to change the public conversation around health scares; the first was the internet itself. And the first major health scare in which the internet played a decisive role in shaping public opinion was the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. Sars appeared in southern China in 2002 and created an international crisis in February 2003, after a 64-year-old medical professor from the Chinese city of Guangzhou checked into a Hong Kong hospital with respiratory failure. A guest staying at the same hotel as the professor then unwittingly infected more than 100 medical and nursing staff at a second Hong Kong hospital, and six other guests unknowingly spread Sars to Vietnam, Singapore and Canada. This was just the first phase of an outbreak that would spread to more than two dozen countries, infect 8,098 people and kill 774. Within months of the first Sars infection, hundreds of thousands of Sars searches had popped up on a newish platform called Google. Baidu, a popular Chinese search engine, also reported during the epidemic that Sars was its top search item. Both sites were allowing ordinary people in China and beyond to instantly find information about the disease, rather than wait for updates from a local newspaper or television anchor. Back then, it was Web 1.0, where people go to a site and download information, and theres no sort of participation, says Randall N Hyer, a risk-communications specialist who worked on a World Health Organisation (WHO) risk-response team during the Sars crisis. But not all the information that turned up in the search engines was accurate, and false rumours quickly went viral faster, in fact, than the virus itself. One of the most damaging came from an unlikely source: a 14-year-old Hong Kong boy, who announced online that the city would soon be placed under quarantine and designated an infected port. His prank post gained attention and credibility because it mimicked a local newspapers website. It sparked a frenzy of panicked grocery shopping, which fed perceptions that Hong Kong was under siege. According to At the Epicentre, a 2004 book co-edited by Christine Loh (who is now Hong Kongs undersecretary for the environment), the mood in the city felt eerie, in part because there was widespread confusion around how the disease was spreading. Even a public disavowal of the teenagers prank by Hong Kongs then health director, the book states, did little to quell the eeriness. An eerie atmosphere fell over Hong Kong during the 2003 Sars outbreak (Getty) But the internet wasnt an entirely bad influence during Sars. For example, as infections piled up in Hong Kong, a group of concerned residents created a crowd-sourced website, sosick.org, showing a list of buildings with suspected or diagnosed Sars cases. Two weeks after the site appeared, the Hong Kong government began publishing the same information on its official website. The internet proved to be an invaluable tool for concerned citizens to use in challenging government secrecy, Loh and her co-authors wrote. Gabriel Leung, Hong Kongs former undersecretary for food and health, says the Sars experience helped convince Hong Kong authorities of the need to be transparent with the public about the knowns and unknowns of an outbreak as it unfolds well before a website such as sosick.org might challenge the governments credibility. He applied the lesson during the citys response to its next major public health emergency: an outbreak of H1N1, a deadly respiratory virus known as swine flu. Swine flu was discovered in April 2009 in the USA, and at the time outbreaks had not been known to occur among humans. But as H1N1 quickly spread to Canada and Mexico, WHO declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and health officials on other continents braced themselves for its arrival. It landed in Hong Kong in May 2009, when a 25-year-old Mexican tourist fell ill with swine flu in his hotel. Within hours, health officials had quarantined all of the hotels guests and deployed Leung to television stations to explain the rationale for a decision that was certain to make Hong Kong residents deeply anxious. Internet-fuelled rumours about the disease proliferated, but Leung says he mostly stayed ahead of them by explaining the knowns and unknowns of the disease at daily press briefings, and by promising to show up every afternoon at the same time for as long as reporters had questions. So long as you keep your promise, people will not be susceptible, or as susceptible, to the rumour mill, because they know the maximum time they have to wait is 24 hours before you will come out and give the facts again, he says. A daily press conference might have kept rumours and medical misinformation at bay during a health scare in the mid-2000s. But today, when fresh social media trends go viral every few minutes, a 24-hour information cycle can feel like an eternity. It can also challenge any official narrative that a health ministry tries to promote. Rumour mills will always be there and social media by and large fuels that, says Leung, now the dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kongs School of Public Health. Its not all negative, but social media is fast, its furious. Swine flu, which killed between 150,000 and 575,000 people, was according to a 2010 study in the journal PLOS ONE the first global pandemic to occur in the age of Web 2.0, an era defined by participatory web and social media. Since then, the dominance of social media has only increased, which has intensified the need for health officials to develop rapid online responses during health scares. The challenge is now especially stark in countries, like Vietnam, where millions of people are flocking to Facebook or Twitter for the first time but health authorities are only just developing an online presence. As late as the early 2000s, most Vietnamese found information about public health issues through state-controlled newspapers, television channels or a national network of public loudspeakers that broadcasts state-curated news in most towns and villages at daily intervals. All of those channels still exist, and the government still promotes them aggressively. The difference is that many urban Vietnamese people now prefer to find information about health issues on health blogs or Facebook threads and that some now hardly consult official news sources at all. The new environment can feel liberating, but also scary, for Vietnamese people who go online seeking authoritative information during a health crisis. Vietnam, 10 years ago, was very poor, says Nguyen Dieu Huong, an academic administrator in Hanoi and a member of Vietnams rising middle class. We didnt have the internet or ways to update people about, for example, epidemics. So people didnt really feel anxious or afraid of epidemics, like they do now. During the 2014 measles outbreak, the anxiety bubbled up in a Facebook campaign called Health minister, resign! that earned more than 100,000 likes a rare outpouring of public dissatisfaction in a one-party state that imprisons political dissidents. Thousands more Vietnamese logged on to discussion threads on Facebook and Webtretho, a popular web forum for parents. Among other questions, they debated whether the health benefits of bringing children to paediatric hospitals for vaccinations outweighed the apparent risks. Children suffering from measles at a state-run hospital in Hanoi during the 2014 outbreak (Getty) We were scared to vaccinate our kids, and, at the same time, to not vaccinate them. So we were scared of everything, says Thai Lan Anh, a Hanoi yoga teacher who participated in those discussion threads. Lan Anh says her first child, who was born in 2011, had already been fully vaccinated by the time the measles crisis hit. But she decided not to vaccinate her second child, who was born in 2014, out of an abundance of caution and still hasnt. I dont think the Ministry of Health has been totally honest [about the risks of diseases and vaccinations], she tells me between sips of fruit juice at a Hanoi cafe. I dont believe what they say. Even before the measles outbreak, health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien was among Vietnams most reviled public servants. An easy way to tell was the extensive focus on healthcare in Meeting Each Other at Years End, a hugely popular television satire that is performed once a year on Vietnamese state television. A 2013 skit, for example, showed a patient going to a Vietnamese hospital for a kidney operation, only to find that a doctor had removed the wrong kidney. A year later, a skit showed a health minister widely assumed to be Tien being placed on a machine that tested her ethical integrity. She failed miserably. Against that backdrop, the health ministry quietly reached out to Hoang and other journalists in 2014 to solicit their ideas on improving the ministers image and social media presence, according to Hoang. A ministry spokesman, when reached for comment by telephone, asked for questions by email but did not answer them. Hoang, whose mother is a doctor, says he felt a duty to help. Ms Tien wanted to build an image of the doctors and herself as friendly and close to the public, he says of his early exchanges with the ministry, which he insisted were informal and entirely pro bono. Tien was setting up a Facebook page, and she asked if the journalists would mind ghost-writing some posts for her, according to Hoang. The journalists refused because they were too busy, he says. But, as a false rumour about Ebola spreading in Vietnam circulated on Facebook, they agreed to help staunch the flow of misinformation by using their Facebook pages to publicise the ministrys Ebola updates. Hoang says he also personally helped the minister improve her online image. First, he advised her to post a more friendly looking photo on her Facebook page. He also recommended that she interact more with ordinary people. He saw an opportunity when a Vietnamese cancer patient wrote to a local newspaper to complain that a state-funded insurance programme was expiring, thus threatening to deprive her and other cancer patients of live-saving healthcare benefits. Hoang forwarded the patients letter to the minister, who drafted a reply that empathised with the patients predicament and explained the ministrys insurance policy in accessible language. Hoang then publicised the exchange on the VnExpress website and his Facebook account, which has more than 30,000 followers. But even then, the exact effect of the intervention was unclear. I made the two letters a campaign for the awareness of cancer and the image of the minister, he says. The campaign helped people understand the policy, but I cant tell if it helped her image or not. This problem of how to use social media effectively to benefit public health spreads beyond Vietnam. Careful study of health-related social media trends could eventually help scientists and health authorities better understand person-to-person disease transmission, in part because social media tends to be highly contextual and increasingly hyperlocal, says Marcel Salathe, a researcher at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a specialist in an emerging field science called digital epidemiology. But for now, he says, they are still struggling to understand whether social media chatter about health problems actually mirrors epidemiological trends or not. There have been some successes, but many failures, says Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, a digital epidemiologist at Georgia Southern University in the USA. An early, and humbling, experiment in digital epidemiology occurred at Google, where engineers launched the disease-forecasting tool Google Flu Trends (GFT) in 2008. The company planned to analyse Google search data for mentions of symptoms and other telltale words. It would then, it was hoped, crunch the data to accurately nowcast the likely contours of flu and dengue outbreaks, two weeks earlier than the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the gold standard of epidemiological research could. That never happened. In 2009, when panic spread across the globe during the swine flu outbreak, GFT underestimated the outbreaks impact. One potential cause of the error, according to a study in the academic journal PLOS ONE, was that the pandemic occurred in summer rather than winter, the traditional flu season. Google shrugged off the mistake as a correctable glitch. But in December 2012, GFTs estimate of the percentage of Americans who had influenza-like illnesses was over 10 per cent a prediction that the scientific journal Nature said had drastically overestimated CDC surveillance data, which put the actual figure at around 6 per cent. Experts concluded that internet search algorithms were not yet a reliable replacement for the CDCs traditional epidemiological surveillance data. GFT was quietly shelved in 2014, and Google said in a note to the public that it was still early days for digital applications that track the spread of infectious diseases. An internet cafe in Hanoi, in 2007. Ten years after the technology went live in Vietnam (Getty) Other projects have picked up where GFT left off, with some success. Models built using Google search data from between 2005 and 2010 in Thailand were able to adequately estimate malaria trends in the country, for example, according to a 2013 study in Malaria Journal. Another study that year noted that an algorithm built to track health trends on Baidu, Chinas primary search engine, successfully predicted the contours of seasonal influenza infections over an eight-month period. But social media is still a relatively recent phenomenon in human history, Fung says. There are still a lot of unknowns here, both in terms of whether we can invent an algorithm to make better estimates or understand what people really are communicating. Even so, health officials are still attempting to engage social media chatter in a way that keeps citizens informed about health scares in real time and tamps down misinformation, all without appearing to silence critics in a heavy-handed way or losing the publics trust. That balance can be hard to strike, even in a rich country with a high rate of smartphone penetration and the highest internet speeds on earth. That was clear in the spring of 2015, when the South Korean capital, Seoul, became ground zero for the largest outbreak outside the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or Mers. The syndrome, which was discovered in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, was bound to cause anxiety wherever it landed because it kills 30 to 40 per cent of its victims. Moreover, because the diseases inner workings are still poorly understood, it can be hard to detect if a doctor isnt looking for it. South Koreas first patient was not diagnosed until he showed up at Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul with Mers symptoms nine days after first showing signs of infection, and after visiting a few other hospitals. That was bad enough. But for more than two weeks after South Koreas initial Mers case was diagnosed, the government declined to publish the names of Mers-affected hospitals just as the Hong Kong government had declined to publish basic information about Sars infections in 2003. And as health officials stalled, the outbreak spread to other hospitals. Korean social media erupted with criticism, and on 4 June, a South Korean journalist published the list of affected hospitals on Pressian.com, an online news portal. The government, now in full damage-control mode, quickly followed suit, and a Samsung official later apologised for the hospitals handling of the outbreak. But the governments and the hospitals credibility was already tarnished. It didnt help that, on the same day Pressian.com published the hospital list, South Koreas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention made its Twitter account private, prompting a backlash from the scientific community and fuelling speculation that the government had something to hide even if it didnt. I visited Seoul during the crisis, and the city did not feel panicked. Perhaps the biggest visual reminders of the Mers virus, at least for non-native speakers, were the public health posters with images of a camel the animals were the origin of the disease that I saw in Seouls Incheon International Airport. The camel didnt look very scary. Yet on the streets and in the metros, many people were wearing face masks, reflecting the widespread public unease about the virus that was bubbling up on social media. Over the course of a week, I asked South Korean journalists about the Mers situation, and many of them were highly critical of their governments response to the outbreak. Officials should have released the names of affected hospitals more quickly, they said. Lee Won-jae, a high school student, had a similar complaint. Time has passed since the first Mers infection, Lee told me, standing a few blocks from Samsung Medical Centre in suburban Seoul on 12 June, at the height of the governments Mers-news blackout. Things should be wrapped up, but everything is still ongoing. At the time, President Park Geun-hye was still recovering from handling a ferry accident in April 2014, in which 304 South Koreans mostly teenage students were killed. The government had faced criticism over its rescue efforts. Because of the Mers scandal, Lee said, theres a bigger distrust of the government now than before. A few months later, as South Koreas Mers epidemic was tapering off, a team of researchers from Hong Kong and the USA published a briefing about it in the Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal. The South Korean governments response to Mers, they concluded, was reminiscent of the Chinese governments response to Sars in 2003. Gabriel Leung, the former Hong Kong official, agrees. He says one lesson may be that having a prosperous economy does not necessarily prepare health officials to respond smoothly to a 21st-century outbreak in real time and in a way that doesnt damage the governments credibility. Despite the high-income nature of the setting, despite excellent medical care, there are some lessons that societies generally need to learn experientially rather than just from a theoretical perspective, he says of the Mers crisis. In Vietnam, another public health scare bubbled up this spring, when WHO reported that an Australian tourist had been diagnosed with Zika virus after vacationing in the country. But as Facebook rumours began to swirl, the health ministrys information chief, Nguyen Dinh Anh, began posting the international news stories on his Facebook page and explaining what Vietnam was doing to prepare for a possible outbreak. Hoang, of VnExpress, says the health ministers Facebook page is still relatively sparse, and should be updated and managed by a professional. But the information chiefs response to Zika, he adds, seems to show that the ministry has at least recognised the importance of being transparent about public health risks and engaging the Vietnamese public on social media. This time around, theyre posting on their own, without our help, Hoang tells me between drags of a cigarette in a Hanoi cafe. They wont have the type of crisis they had with the measles outbreak. Ultimately, he adds, it would be difficult if not impossible for the health ministry to win the publics complete trust, for the simple reason that Vietnamese bureaucracy is notoriously corrupt. But he says the ministry could perhaps work to become a more reliable conduit of information during future health crises. The people still need it, and thats the only source. This is article was first published on mosaicscience.com. It is republished here under a Creative Commons licence For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Brazilian politician who orchestrated the impeachment of the countrys first female president, Dilma Rousseff, has been arrested as part of a major corruption probe. Eduardo Cunha, the former speaker of Brazil's lower house, 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. Mr Cunha was arrested in the capital, Brasilia, and taken to the southern city of Curitiba, where the probe into a sprawling embezzlement and bribery ring at flagship state oil company Petrobras is based. Prosecutors said in a statement they had requested Mr Cunha's detention on the grounds 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 to be frozen. A police spokesman told AFP: "We can confirm that [Mr Cunha] was detained in Brasilia." Mr Cunha, 58, denies all the charges. "This is an absurd decision, without motive," he said in a Facebook post. Part of Brazil's growing conservative evangelical movement, Mr Cunha spearheaded Rousseff's removal from office in August on charges that she broke government budget laws. Recommended Read more Brazil prison violence leaves at least 18 inmates dead Rousseff, from the leftist Workers' Party, lost her effort to stay in power after a year-long struggle as senators voted 61-20 to remove her. She was replaced by Michel Temer from Cunha's own center-right PMDB party. Following corruption allegations Mr Cunha was stripped of his congressional seat in September, losing his parliamentary legal privileges. Anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro said he had ordered the arrest because there was "a real possibility of [Mr Cunha] fleeing the country as he has resources hidden abroad". The fact that he has dual Brazilian and Italian citizenship also increased the risk of him trying to evade justice, added Mr Moro. Mr Cunha has been detained for an indeterminate period. Mr Cunha's arrest signals that the Petrobras corruption probe is set to continue. Eduardo Cunha, former Speaker of the house (Getty Images) Dozens of politicians - from the Workers' Party but also numerous political figures on the right - as well as business executives have already been charged or convicted in the embezzlement and bribery scheme. Ms 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. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The great Brexit price war could be about to enter round two, after Nestle said it could follow Unilever and raise its prices in the UK to deal with the collapse in the value of the pound. Chief executive Paul Bulcke said the Swiss food giant is considering all options, including efficiency savings and price rises, as it comes under pressure from soaring costs. Nestle, which makes KitKats, Shredded Wheat and dozens more famous brands, also said it would consider its investments in the UK in the light of Brexit but would wait to see what kind of Brexit deal the UK secures before deciding whether to scale back or not. Recommended Read more How Marmite conspiracy theories exposed the ignorance of Brexiteers Let's first let the dust settle, Mr Bulcke told a press conference on Thursday, adding that investments in the country were for the long term. The Swiss food giant cut its annual growth forecast to 3.5 per cent, from 4.2 per cent, dragging its shares down 1.5 per cent in early trading. Sales for the past nine months hit SFr65.5bn (53.9bn). Nestle shares dropped 1.5 per cent in early trading. Rising raw material costs have added to Nestles woes. It has already been forced to increase prices in emerging markets such as Brazil, a move that has hit sales. The news comes as Nestles rival, Unilever, increased prices on all of its products, blaming the collapse in the value of the pound. The hike led to a short-lived dispute with Tesco after the supermarket chain refused to accept the increases, resulting in Marmite and other products being removed from Tescos website. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty Britains retailers and their suppliers have come under increasing pressure from the dual effects of a price war that has held prices down, and an increase in import costs due to the pounds fall. Food import prices jumped 10.9 per cent in the year to September, the Office of National Statistics reported this week. The amount must either be absorbed by suppliers through lower profits and efficiency savings or passed on to supermarkets and ultimately consumers. Pricing is one of the biggest problems, Alain Oberhuber, an analyst at MainFirst Bank told Bloomberg. The problem presents itself in Europe, in Brazil, in the UK. Everything is softer, and they dont seem to expects things to get much better. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Three former Tesco executives will stand trial in September next year in relation to the 326m accounting scandal at Britains biggest supermarket. Carl Rogberg, Christopher Bus and John Scouler, who respectively held the positions of finance director, former managing director and former commercial director, have been charged with one count of fraud by abuse of position and one count of false accounting. The trio could face up to 10 years in jail if found guilty of the fraud charge and seven years for false accounting. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges, which have been brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) following a two-year investigation. The trio allegedly failed to correct inaccurately inflated income figures for the supermarket, which were then published to auditors, other Tesco employees and the wider market. The SFO has said its investigation into the accounting practices at Tesco is ongoing. Tesco has said it continues to cooperate with the investigation. In a statement, the retailer said: The last two years have seen an extensive programme of change at Tesco, but given this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to provide any further comment at this time. Biggest business scandals in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Biggest business scandals in pictures Biggest business scandals in pictures Volkswagen emissions scandal VW admitted to rigging its US emission tests so that diesel-powered cars would looks like they were emitting less nitrous oxide, which can damage the ozone layer and contribute to respiratory diseases. Around 11 million cars worldwide were affected. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Martin Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli became known as the most hated man in the world after his drug company, Turing, increased the price of a 62-year-old drug that treated HIV patients by 5,000% to $750 a pill. He was charged with illegally taking stock from Retrophin, a biotechnology firm he started in 2011, and using it pay off debts from unrelated business dealings. Shkreli, who maintains he is innocent, and says there is little evidence of fraud because his investors didn't lose money. Biggest business scandals in pictures Panama Papers: Millions of leaked documents expose how worlds rich and powerful hid money - April 2016 Millions of confidential documents have been leaked from one of the worlds most secretive law firms, exposing how the rich and powerful have hidden their money. Dictators and other heads of state have been accused of laundering money, avoiding sanctions and evading tax, according to the unprecedented cache of papers that show the inner workings of the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which is based in Panama. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Google's tax avoidance Google reached a deal with the HM Revenue and Customs to pay back 130 million in so-called back-taxes that have been due since 2005. George Osborne championed the deal as a major success. But European MEPs have since called for the Chancellor to appear in front of the committee on tax rulings to explain the tax deal. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Rogue trader A French court cut the damages owed by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel from 4.9bn (4.2bn) to just 1m (860,000). The court ruled on that Kerviel was partly responsible for massive losses suffered in 2008 by his former employer Societe Generale through his reckless trades. Kerviel has consistently maintained that bosses at the French bank knew what he was doing all along. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Barclays CEO under investigation for trying to identify whistleblower - Monday Paril 10 Authorities have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive officer Jes Staley for trying to identify a whistleblower, the bank said on Monday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are both investigating Mr Staley after the bank notified them that Mr Staley had tried to identify the author of two anonymous letters, which were sent to the board and a senior executive in June 2016. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures UK to crack down on bank money laundering after reports of 65bn Russian scam, City minister says - March 2017 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has vowed that the Government will crack down on money laundering practices, after several of the UK's biggest banks were accused of processing money from a Russian scam, believed to involve up to $80bn (65bn). Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former HBOS bankers convicted of bribery and fraud over 245m loan scam - February 2017 Two former HBOS bankers were among six people found guilty of bribery and fraud that cost customers and shareholders hundreds of millions of pounds, the BBC reports. Lynden Scourfield, 54, a manager at HBOS, forced struggling clients to use the services of his friends David Mills, 60, and Michael Bancroft, 73. In return, the two businessmen arranged sex parties, cash and lavish gifts. On Monday, the three were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on accounts including bribery, fraud and money laundering. Mark Dobson, another manager at HBOS, Alison Mills, and John Cartwright were also convicted. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Lloyds chief apologises for damage caused by affair allegations - August 2016 Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Lloyds Bank, has broken his silence over allegations about his private life admitting he regrets any "damage done to the group's reputation". In a message sent to the bank's 75,000 employees, the banker said that anyone can make mistakes while insisting that staff had to maintain the highest professional standards. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Christine Lagarde faces court over 340m Bernard Tapie payment - July 2016 The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, must stand trial in France over a payment of 403 million (now 340m, then 290m) to tycoon Bernard Tapie, a France's highest appeals court has ruled. The court rejected Ms Lagarde's appeal against a judge's order in December for her to stand trial over allegations of negligence in her handling of the affair. Ms Lagarde could risk a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if convicted. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures HSBC senior manager arrested in FX rigging investigation at JFK airport in New York - July 2016 A senior executive at HSBC has been arrested at New York's JFK airport for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig currency benchmarks, according to reports. Mark Johnson, global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London, was reportedly arrested on Tuesday. He will appear before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bloomberg said. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Former PwC employees found guilty in 'Luxleaks' tax scandal - June 2016 Two ex- PricewaterhouseCoopers staffers were found guilty in Luxembourg of stealing confidential tax files that helped unleash a global scandal over generous fiscal deals for hundreds of international companies. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet face suspended sentences of 12 months and 9 months and were ordered to pay fines of 1,500 (1,230) and 1,000 (822) for their role in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. Despite the minimal sentences, the ruling was described by Deltours lawyer as shocking and a terrible anomaly. The ruling puts on guard future whistle-blowers, Deltour told reporters.The LuxLeaks revelations sped beyond Luxembourg, causing European Union regulators to expand a tax-subsidy probe and propose new laws to fight corporate tax dodging, while EU lawmakers created a special committee to probe fiscal deals across the 28-nation bloc. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Goldman Sachs dealmakers lavished Libyan officials with prostitutes to win contract - June 2016 A former Goldman Sachs dealmaker trying to persuade Gadaffi-era Libya to invest $1 billion with the investment bank procured prostitutes and invited Libyan officials to lavish parties in the hope of winning the business, the High Court heard on Monday June 13.The Libyan Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund is suing Goldman Sachs for inappropriately coercing its naive staff into giving its sovereign wealth fund cash to the bank to invest in products they did not understand. The products were designed to generate big profits for Goldman, the LIA claims.Goldman denies wrongdoing and says the LIA was treated as an arms-length customer Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former boss of BHS said his life was threatened - June 2016 Darren Topp, the former boss of BHS, has said former owner Dominic Chappell threatened to kill him when he challenged him over a 1.5 million transfer out of the business. MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee asked Mr Topp about a 1.5 million transfer Mr Chappell made from BHS to a company called BHS Sweden. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley admits paying workers below the minimum wage - June 2016 Mike Ashley admitted paying Sports Direct employees below the minimum wage at a hearing in front of MPs. The company founder said that workers were paid less than the statutory minimum because of bottlenecks at security in an admission that could result in sanctions from HMRC. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Mitsubishi admits improper fuel tests - April 2016 Mitsubishi has admitted to using false fuel methods dating back to 1991. The scale of the scandal is only just coming to light after it was revealed in April that data was falsified in the testing of four types of cars, including two Nissan cars. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Quindell, the scandal-ridden insurance firm Quindell was once a darling of AIM but its share price fell in April 2014 when its accounting practices were attacked in a stinging research note by US short seller Gotham City. In August the group was forced to disclose that the 107 million pre-tax profit it had reported for 2013 was incorrect, and it had in fact suffered a 64million loss. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Toshiba Accounting Scandal The boss of Toshiba, the Japanese technology giant, resigned in disgrace in the wake of one of the countrys biggest ever accounting scandals. His exit came two months after the company revealed that it was investigating accounting irregularities. An independent investigatory panel said that Toshibas management had inflated its reported profits by up to 152 billion yen (780m) between 2008 and 2014. Biggest business scandals in pictures FIFA Corruption Scandal Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since the summer of 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is ongoing. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Libor fraudster City trader Tom Hayes, 35, has become the first person to be convicted of rigging Libor rates following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court. Hayes worked as a trader in yen derivatives at UBS before joining the American bank Citigroup in Tokyo. He was fired from Citigroup following an investigation into his trading methods. He returned to the UK in December 2012 and was arrested following a two-and-a-half year criminal investigation by the SFO. Getty Earlier this month, Tesco's former chief financial officer Laurie McIlwee was cleared by the accountancy watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), over his role in the scandal. Mr McIlwee resigned as chief financial officer of Britain's biggest supermarket in April 2014, and the FRC said it had ended the investigation because there was no realistic prospect that a tribunal would make an adverse finding in relation to his conduct. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} British graduates are falling behind their Japanese, and European counterparts, a new analysis of student performances from across the world has revealed. England and the United States may have dominated this years top university rankings, but test results published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests their graduates literacy skills do not match up. Taking into account a range of factors, including reputation and research output, the QS World University Rankings for 2016-17 named the Massachusettes Institute of Technology, Stanford and Harvard and as the best institutions worldwide. In a list of 35 OECD countries, however, the US comes in ninth place, behind England in eighth place for advanced literary skills. According to the analysis, published in the OECDs Education at a Glance report, Japan is host to the most high-flying graduates, with Finland in second place. Australia and New Zealand also top England and the US in terms of ability. Finland and Japan also come top in the OECDs PISA rankings, compare secondary school standards around the globe. Scotland and Wales are not included in the table, but Northern Ireland is marked at 14th place. (OECD 2016 (OECD 2016) South Korea and Singapore, both known for their high-achieving schools, also fall below average in the OECD graduate rankings. The figures suggest that university reputation may not necessarily reflect student ability or graduate prospects. Andreas Schleicher, the OECD's education director, says the results show ability levels can vary hugely among people with similar qualifications. They might all have degrees, but there are major differences in the quality of higher education. When it comes to advanced literacy skills, you might be better off getting a high school degree in Japan, Finland or the Netherlands than getting a tertiary degree in Italy, Spain or Greece, he told the BBC. According to the report, only 12 out of 35 OECD countries with available data meet the benchmark for half of the Sustainable Development Goal targets for education. Finland and Japan also come top in the OECDs PISA rankings, compare secondary school standards around the globe. Some 36 per cent of todays young adults are expected to graduate before the age of 30, but only 41 per cent of full-time bachelor students graduate within the theoretical duration. The OECD list of top 10 highest performing graduates 1. Japan 2. Finland 3. Netherlands 4. Australia 5. Norway 6. Belgium 7. New Zealand 8. England 9. United States 10. Czech Republic For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Fatima Manji has claimed members of staff at The Sun told her they were embarrassed and ashamed by comments made by Kelvin MacKenzie in a controversial column about the presenter wearing a hijab while reporting on the Nice terror attack. The Channel 4 reporter warned the press regulator's decision not to uphold a complaint over comments by the former editor of The Sun signals open season on minorities. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) ruled the column published in the newspaper he once ran did not amount to religious discrimination. Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Show all 8 1 /8 Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Features Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Features Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Features Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Features Muslim fashion designer features hijabs at New York Fashion Week Anniesa Hasibuan show, runway, Spring Summer 2017, New York Fashion Week Rex Features But Manji said MacKenzies othering of her is particularly dangerous because of the precedent it could set for the treatment of others. Appearing on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Manji said individuals at the newspaper and from News UK contacted her privately to say they were embarrassed and ashamed that MacKenzie was allowed to peddle such hatred. She added: I think the fact that Kelvin MacKenzie can write a column and suggest that I am somehow sympathetic to a perpetrator of a terrorist attack, that somehow I am not like the rest of us, that I am the other, means that other people are now open to attack. MacKenzie, pictured in 2011, edited The Sun from 1981 to 1994 (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (Getty) It was upsetting enough to find myself the latest victim to Kelvin Mackenzie's tirade. But now to know that he has been given the green light by the press regulator and that effectively it is open season on minorities, and Muslims in particular, is frightening. In a statement after Ipso published its ruling, MacKenzie said there should be space for legitimate debate about whether it is appropriate for journalists to wear prominent symbols of their faith on air, particularly when reporting on stories with a religious angle. Ben De Pear, the editor of Channel 4 News, said the broadcaster is dismayed by Ipsos decision not to uphold the complaint. A spokesperson for The Sun declined to comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A leading Iranian actress has backed mounting calls for the release of a prominent anti-death penalty activist who has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for campaigning against the death penalty. Narges Mohammadi is currently serving sentences for three charges related to her activism in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. Human rights groups and campaigners say she is critically ill with an unidentified illness. Her condition has been likened to epilepsy in a report by The Guardian and is said to affect her muscle control. Mohammadi, a mother of two from Zanjan, was arrested in May 2015 and convicted of establishing and running the illegal splinter group Legam, a campaign against the death penalty in Iran. Her longest sentence of the three charges is 10 years, and it is this sentence that is related to her campaigning against the death penalty. In 2009 Mohammadi was arrested and sentenced to 11 years in prison, which was reduced to six years. She began serving the sentence in 2012 and was then released on bail in 2013, whereafter she continued her activism up until her arrest. Hundreds of women have shared images of their hand with 'free Narges' written across their palms in a social media movement launched after her detention. About 300 women have sent similar pictures into the My Stealthy Freedom campaign led by anti-enforced hijab campaigner Masih Alinejad. On Tuesday, the campaign was bolstered when Iranian theatre actress Roya Mirelmi shared a picture of her own palm on Instagram with the hashtag #freenarges written across it. Tara Sepehri Far, a researcher for the Middle East and North Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, told The Independent Mohammadi was served an unjust sentence because of her human rights activism and part in a campaign dedicated to reducing the alarming number of executions in Iran, which Amnesty International put at 977 just in 2015. Where most executions were carried out in 2014 Show all 10 1 /10 Where most executions were carried out in 2014 Where most executions were carried out in 2014 1. China (1000+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 2. Iran (289+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 3. Saudi Arabia (90+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 4. Iraq (61+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 5. USA (35+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 6. Sudan (23+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 7. Yemen (22+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 8. Egypt (15+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 9. Somalia (14+) Getty Where most executions were carried out in 2014 10. Jordan (11+) Getty She said her health is being jeopardized by prison conditions. Mohammadi suffers from a serious neurological disease that makes the prison environment extremely dangerous for her. In 2012, when she was in prison for a different sentence related to her activism, authorities determined that she was not capable of serving the sentence due to her health and released her." Philip Luther, Amnesty's Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, condemned the decision to uphold her sentence following an appeal in September. By insisting that this harsh and appalling sentence is imposed for her peaceful human rights work, the authorities have laid bare their intent to silence human rights defenders at all costs. Narges Mohammadis conviction and sentence must be quashed and the authorities must order her immediate and unconditional release. We urge the EU to make these calls, too, and put the heightened repression of human rights defenders in Iran at the heart of their dialogue. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Malala Yousafzai has highlighted how many of the victims of the terror attacks and conflict in the increasingly turbulent Middle East are Muslim as part of a call for peace through unity. The campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner gave a powerful address at the Investing in the Future MENA Conference on Wednesday evening in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, about the need to empower women through access to education. Duirng her speech, Malala also called upon Muslims to follow the true message of Islam, peace, and urged people to unify and join hands in the struggle for peace. Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Show all 11 1 /11 Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Time100.jpg Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Malala-Yousafzai-pa.jpg PA Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Mario-Draghi-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Hilary-Mantel-sandison.jpg David Sandison Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people lena-dunham-gt.jpg Getty Images Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people mario-balotelli-gt.jpg Getty Images Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Sheryl-Sandberg-EPA.jpg Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, EPA Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people barack-obama-joe-biden-afp.jpg AFP/Getty Images Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people beyonce-jay-z-ap.jpg AP Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people kate-middleton-pa.jpg PA Time 100: Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Kim Jong-un and Jay-Z all make magazine's list of world's most influential people Lebron-James-rt.jpg Reuters We cannot talk about investing in our future in this region without calling for an end to these bombings and these attacks, she said. We must not forget that the majority of those suffering because of these conflicts and wars are Muslims." The 'Building the Resilience of Women and Girls in the Arab Region two-day conference was jointly held with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Malala survived being shot in the head by the Taliban at the age of 15 after being targeted for campaigning for the right to education in Pakistan. She has pushed for education for young women globally and in her address called on men to help engender female independence. Quality education for girls is not just learning books, passing exams and getting jobs. It is empowerment, freedom and nourishment," she continued. "It is independence, giving them the ability to stand on their own two feet, making them resilient. Womens emancipation and empowerment is not complete without mens participation, which is what we need right now. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Her husband is known for undertaking outlandish roles and continuously pushing the boundaries both in film and what is acceptable in society. Now, Isla Fisher has told how the various alter-egos of Sacha Baron Cohen have at times crept into her personal life too. Fisher and Baron Cohen have been married for six years and together for 14, meaning Fisher has been by his side while he has played a middle-class white man from Staines who speaks Patois, a Pamela Anderson-obsessed Kazakhstani journalist and a dictator. Unsurprisingly, these roles have not come without their stories and awkward consequenes. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Show all 11 1 /11 Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Jay Z and Beyonce Affair rumours a-plenty there may have been, but after almost a decade of dating, Beyonce and Jay Z got married in secret in 2008, welcoming baby Blue Ivy in January 2012. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Tom met Rita on the set of Volunteers in the 80s. By 1985, they were married. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell Goldie and Kurt met on the set of Swing Shift in 1983. They've now been together for 31 years. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Jada met Will when she auditioned to be his girlfriend on The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air in 1990. She didn't get the part, but she did get herself a boyfriend, who became a husband and a father to their two children. Rumour has it the secret to their success lies in their 'open' approach to marriage. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan They met on the set of Family Ties, married in 1988, have stayed together throughout thick and thin and welcomed four children. Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan's relationship has definitely stood the test of time. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Denzel Washington and Pauletta Pearson Washington Dating since 1977, married since 1983. Four children. Respect where its due to Denzel Washington and Pauletta Pearson Washington, who met on the set of TV biopic Wilma. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick This pair have been married since 1988. That's 26 years. And two children. And they're both in the business. Their success? Keeping their private lives private and balancing work and family life. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick These two were introduced by Sarah's brother at the Naked Angeles theatre company in 1995. They wed in 1997, and have three cherubic children together. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Victoria and David Beckham Brand Beckham first became one in 1997, after the former Manchester United footballer player met VB at a charity football game. They married in 1999 and still fawn over each other in interviews today... Four children later. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule Sir Elton John & David Furnish Sir Elton met David at a dinner party in 1993. They began dating, and entered into a civil partnership in 2005. The pair will also become husband and husband when gay marriage is legalised in the UK. Does anyone stay together in Hollywood? The couples who disprove the rule John Travolta and Kelly Preston They were rocked by divorce rumours, and struggled to come to terms with the tragic death of their 16-year-old son Jet, but Travolta and Preston are as strong as ever, even though they first married in 1991. My dad and stepmum flew out to Cape Town, as they really wanted to see Sacha working, but I neglected to check the call sheet, Fisher told Square Mile magazine. I took them over to set and all I could see were two animatronic elephants surrounded by the film crew. We got closer, and we couldnt see Sacha anywhere. Then suddenly my husband popped his head out of the elephants vagina and proceeded to fight against the other elephants erect penis. I saw my stepmums face - and my mouth was just opening and closing like a goldfish, but no words came out. (Square Mile (Square Mile) She also said their evening catch-ups about their day are far from normal, recalling the time he once came home drenched in blood as the result of an apparent scene with a six-foot-four dominatrix. Once, Sacha came back from work while he was shooting Bruno and he had red welts and blood all over his back, and his thumb was broken. It was the result of a scene with a real six-foot-four dominatrix who had tried to force him to have sex with her. When I asked him what had happened, he just said it was a workplace injury. One of Baron Cohens most controversial roles was Borat which saw him cause a ripple of anger across an entire country and the film banned in several others. The Australian native says during that time their conversation topics often ventured towards any potential legal issues rather than mundane, household chores. Instead of asking: Are you going to pick up the dry cleaning? Id ask, Are we getting sued by somebody? or Is there a warrant out for your arrest?, she said. But luckily when he started to make fictional films like The Dictator, we didnt have to have those kinds of conversations, because there were no legal implications The couple has three children together. The Great Gatsby actress said it was not uncommon for her husband to come home in character and confuse the children. To read the full interview and subscribe to the magazine, head to squaremile.com. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The European Space Agency appears to have determined that its Schiaparelli probe has landed on Mars. Scientists had feared that the crucial robot which was intended as a demonstration of the technology used for landing, as well as to test theories about the potential of life on Mars was lost, because it did not send back an initial message to say that it was safe. But the ESA now says it has received a signal back about the probe from Mars Express, a craft orbiting the red planet. But the scientists said that it was too soon to confirm that this meant the lander had arrived on the planet safely. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region There were celebrations at ESA headquarters when the message came through, indicating that the mothership had successfully inserted itself into orbit after a 139-minute engine burn. But there was still no news on whether Schiaparelli had made it safely to the ground, as efforts continued to process the data from Mars Express. The important moment will come when Schiaparelli tries to make contact with Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. If it is able to, then the orbiter will be able to send a message back to Earth indicating the status of the lander, potentially allowing it to start communicating with Earth. Don McCoy, the manager of the ExoMars project of which the two craft are part, said some data had been received from the lander confirming its entry and the deployment of its parachute. More information was expected later on Wednesday. We can't conclude the real status [of Schiaparelli] at the moment but indeed it did enter the atmosphere, Mr McCoy said at mission control in Darmstadt, Germany. Landing a spacecraft on Mars is notoriously difficult and several past missions have failed, including the ESA's previous attempt in 2003 with the rover Beagle 2. It made it to Mars but its solar panels did not unfold properly, preventing it from communicating. The Schiaparelli probe left its mothership on Sunday and has been making its way to the surface of the planet ever since. Although the probe has some instruments on board and will use one of them to test a potential signal of life on the planet its main job is as a test of the landing system for a much bigger ExoMars mission that's expected to launch in 2020. That landing system sees it initially slow down as a result of the friction from the heat shield. It then deploys a parachute about seven miles above the planet to slow it down even more, and fires rockets soon after that. Once the landing maneuvres are all complete the rockets switch off and the probe drops all of the rest of the way to the surface. A still from the video clip that shows two male passengers attack a female Vietnam Airlines employee at Noi Bai International Airport on Tuesday. The Prime Minister has demanded a full investigation into the incident. Two male passengers who assaulted a female Vietnam Airlines employee at Noi Bai International Airport on Tuesday have been temporarily banned from domestic and international flights. On Tuesday, Dao Vinh Thuan, 37, an inspector at Hanoi Department of Transport, and his friend Tran Duong Tung, 32, caused a scene after they missed their Vietnam Airlines flight to Ho Chi Minh City. As Nguyen Le Quynh Anh, an employee of Vietnam Airlines who manages a service team at the airport, filmed the incident with her mobile phone, Thuan grabbed her shirt and Tung hit her on the head. Tung has been banned by all carriers for the next 12 months while Thuan has been given a six-month ban, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam said in a statement released on Thursday afternoon. The administration has asked domestic and foreign carriers to fully implement the bans, which are effective from Friday. Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc directed Hanoi's municipal government to investigate the incident and report back to him by the end of this month. Thuan said he and his friend, Tung, showed up at Noi Bai at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday to check-in for a flight departing at 1:55 p.m. to Ho Chi Minh City the same day. Airport staff at the check-in counter directed them to go to boarding gate number 5 but then other staff told them to queue at boarding gate number 3. The two passengers were informed they had missed their flight when they reached boarding gate number 3 at 1:45 p.m., Thuan said, adding that they returned to the check-in counter to demand an explanation. Seeing that Quynh Anh, who was not wearing a uniform, was filming the exchanges between Thuan, Tung and airport staff, Thuan asked her to stop and delete the video clip. Thuan then grabbed her shirt after she refused to delete the clip and was about to run away, according to Thuan. Thuan said he did not attack Quynh Anh and did not know that his friend had assaulted her. Tung has admitted to hitting the woman. He said he lost his temper after they missed the flight and when Quynh Anh refused to remove the video clip. Quynh Anh said she hid her mobile phone behind her back when the two passengers asked her to remove the video clip. The man in the white shirt (Thuan) grabbed her shirt and held her around the throat while the other in a black shirt (Tung) hit her on the head from behind, Quynh Anh said, adding that she is currently taking a rest at home. In a statement released late on Wednesday, Vietnam Airlines said the two passengers had insulted and attacked a member of staff, and asked authorities to investigate the incident and punish the violent acts. The carrier said Anh had been sent home after health checks at a local hospital. Related news: > Passengers assault employee at Hanoi airport after missing flight Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} North Greenwich station has been closed due to a security alert after a suspicious package was found on a train near The O2. A spokeswoman for British Transport Police told The Independent they were called to the station at 11.07am and said specialist officers are examining the "item". Metropolitan Police officers are assisting the British Transport Police, a spokesman said. A controlled detonation was used "to ensure the item was safe". Metropolitan police and British Transport Police are investigating. Jubilee Line trains are being held, causing delays on the line. Commuters have been asked to avoid the area. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty The O2 has not been evacuated, but those waiting to climb the dome have been told their climbs will be rescheduled. Police are asking anyone who saw anything suspicoius on the eastbound train to call the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789321. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted under outdated gross indecency laws are to be posthumously pardoned, the Government has announced, in a momentous victory for campaigners. Announcing what has been dubbed as the Alan Turing law justice minister Sam Gyimah said the Government would seek to implement the change through an amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill. It will effectively act as an apology to those convicted for consensual same-sex relationships before homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967. Last month sources close to Theresa May confirmed to The Independent that the Prime Minister was committed to introducing the legislation. The Ministry of Justice believes this amendment is the quickest possible way to deliver on the commitment. It comes after decades of campaigning from the LGBT community and after the family of the enigma codebreaker Alan Turing delivered a petition to Downing Street before the 2015 general election. Public pressure led to the major political parties pledging to introduce the Alan Turing law in memory to the man Winston Churchill described as making the single biggest contribution to the allied victory in World War II. Speaking to The Independent today, Rachel Barnes, the great niece of Mr Turing, who has long campaigned on the issue, hailed the decision as absolutely tremendous. She said: This is a momentous day for all those who have been convicted under the historic laws, and for their families. The gross indecency law ruined peoples lives. As Alan Turing received a pardon, it is absolutely right that those who were similarly convicted should receive a pardon as well. It is great news for all those who have worked so hard for years to bring about this new legislation. Mr Turing, the Enigma code breaker responsible for decrypting Nazi messages, was granted a posthumous royal pardon in 2013 61 years after he was charged at Manchester police station over homosexual activity. The pioneering mathematician, whose code-breaking skills are said to have shortened World War Two by two to four years, lost his job with the secret service following a conviction for gross indecency and was forced to undergo chemical castration by a series of injections of female hormones. Two years later Mr Turing took his own life and it is estimated that around 49,000 were convicted under similar outdated laws until homosexuality was decriminalised. The family of Alan Turing delivered a change.org petition to Downing Street signed by almost half a million people calling for more than 49,000 British gay men to be officially pardoned The amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill now supported by the Government was put forward by the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Sharkey, who said today is a momentous day for thousands of families up and down the UK who have been campaigning on this issue for decades. He added: I am very grateful for the Governments support and the support of many of my colleagues in Parliament. It is a wonderful thing that we have been able to build on the pardon granted to Alan Turing during Coalition by extending it to the thousands of men convicted of sexual offences that existed before homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967 and which would not be crimes today. In another step, the Government is also announcing that it will introduce a new statutory pardon for the living in cases where offences have been successfully deleted through the disregard process. Mr Gyimah added: It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today. Through pardons and the existing disregard process we will meet our manifesto commitment to put right these wrongs. However, anyone living who has been convicted of the now abolished offences can currently apply through the Home Office to have their names cleared through the disregard process. This removes any mention of an offence from criminal record checks. The Government said it will not support a separate Private Member's Bill on the subject, which is set to be debated on Friday and proposes a blanket pardon for the living without the need to go through the disregard process. A blanket pardon, without the detailed investigations carried out by the Home Office under the disregard process, could see people guilty of an offence which is still a crime today claiming to be pardoned, Mr Gyimah added. This would cause an extraordinary and unnecessary amount of distress to victims and for this reason the Government cannot support the Private Member's Bill. Our way forward will be both faster and fairer. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Alex Salmond has condemned the Government for planning to let bankers stay in Britain after Brexit but not other hard-working EU nationals. The SNP leader spoke out in the House of Commons after Chancellor Philip Hammond hinted that workers in financial services would be offered a special deal, to protect the City. At the same time, the Government has refused to guarantee that all 3.6 million EU nationals currently living in the UK will have the right to stay after Brexit. Recommended Read more Philip Hammond signals split with Theresa May over foreign students And Theresa May has made ending freedom of movement for EU citizens a red line in her withdrawal negotiations. During Brexit questions, Mr Salmond said: Why was the Chancellor yesterday, in front of the Treasury Committee, able to give an unambiguous guarantee about the travel and residential rights of bankers that he is not prepared to give to our hard-working fellow European citizens? In response, Robin Walker, a minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, said Mr Hammond had only acknowledged the he would advocate on this in the policy discussions to come. The Chancellor said Brexit had not been a vote to limit highly-skilled staff such as computer programmers, brain surgeons, banker, senior managers. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit Secretary David Davis has admitted businesses face a damaging cliff edge if the Government misses its two-year deadline for striking a fresh EU trade deal. Quizzed in the Commons, Mr Davis agreed with a Labour MP who outlined the dangers if companies are forced to fall back on WTO rules in 2019. Earlier this month, business leaders including the CBI and manufacturers body the EEF wrote an open letter to ministers, making a plea for barrier-free trade with Europe to be preserved. It warned defaulting to trading by World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules would leave 90 per cent of UK goods trade with the EU subject to new tariffs. Recommended Read more Business leaders warn Treasury documents show folly of hard Brexit That would mean 20 per cent in extra costs for the UKs food and drink industry and 10 per cent for car producers, the letter said. During Brexit questions, Labour backbencher Emma Reynolds pointed out that other EU members had yet to agree to trade talks alongside the two-year Article 50 exit negotiations. She said: The truth is that business are concerned that we are going to have to fall back on WTO rules. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty What, therefore, is the Government and the Secretary of State going to do to avoid the cliff edge in March 2019, when we leave the European Union, possibly falling out of the EU single market and falling back on WTO rules? In reply, a bullish Mr Davis insisted that some of the other 27 EU nations were coming around to the idea of parallel negotiations, from early next year. But he added: Shes quite right that we need to conclude this within the two years to avoid any cliff edge. It is the first time a Cabinet minister has acknowledged the cliff edge threat if Britain is unable to reach agreement on new trading arrangements before Brexit is concluded. The most likely way out is for Britain to negotiate transitional arrangements, possibly on a sector-by-sector basis, starting with financial services. However, such an outcome would anger arch-Brexiteers, because it would involve paying billions into the EUs budget for many years to come and possibly some continued freedom of movement for EU citizens. In the Commons today, Mr Davis signalled that transitional arrangements are under discussion to protect the City, telling MPs that all possible options are being explored. Several times, the Brexit Secretary refused to say whether payments to the EU would continue after 2019 or whether Britain would also leave its customs union. The calls for transitional arrangements for the City were led by the former Conservative Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers a prominent Leave campaigner. Stephen Metcalfe, another Tory Leave campaigner, urged Mr Davis to allow an element of free movement, to protect science. Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit secretary, demanded to know when the Government will publish its negotiating plans, but Mr Davis again refused to give a specific date. Instead, he said: Over the course of the coming period before the triggering of Article 50, much information will be put out about this and I think the House will be in no doubt what our aims and strategic objectives are. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The number of British people seeking citizenship in EU countries has surged following Junes EU referendum, it was claimed. Member states including Denmark, Italy, Ireland and Sweden have all seen an increase in applications from Britons eager to secure their right to live and work in Europe. Over 2,800 Britons applied for citizenship in 18 European countries in the first eight months of 2016, according to The Guardian, which equates to a 250% rise on 2015s figures. Because of the Brexit vote and the probable changes this will mean to European citizenship I decided it was time to apply for German citizenship so that my status as a European will not change when the UK leaves, 51-year-old Matthew Langham, who lives in Paderborn, told The Independent. As long as the UK stays in the EU I will have dual citizenship - but it remains to be seen what will happen after we leave. 18 countries replied to a Guardian request for data on figures of applications made by British nationals. It found application numbers to be highest in Sweden, with more than 1,100 applications received from British nationals in the first eight months of the year. The data showed applications peaked in the week of the Brexit vote on 23 June (129 applications) continuing into the week after (150 applications). Denmark saw the highest leap in application rates, from 30 during the same period last year to 300 in the first eight months of 2016. Before the Brexit vote, having dual citizenship with another EU country didnt bring many concrete benefits UK citizens already had full rights to travel and work in other EU countries. With the prospect of these rights being lost, its not surprising that British citizens are investigating their options to get a different EU citizenship, Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, told The Independent. After decades of high mobility around Europe, many British people have a potential claim on citizenship elsewhere because of their ancestry and family, or based on the amount of time they have spent there. Ireland saw a particularly high spike in applicants with 351 applications, up from 51 last year. 22-year-old James Flanagan from Manchester is in the process of applying for Irish citizenship as a back-up to avoid any economic repercussions Britain may suffer as a result of leaving the bloc. With the talk of 'Hard Brexit', I fear losing the rights of an EU citizen such as free movement. I had intended to live and work on the continent within the next 10 years, and I don't want to see Brexit damage my ability to do that, he told The Independent. I definitely identify with 'Britishness' less since Brexit, and I'm far less sentimental about trading in some of it. Brigid Laffan, Director at Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies in Migration said the evidence clearly shows Britons want to guarantee their freedom to live and work in Europe. There is clear evidence of a surge in the number of UK citizens seeking EU member state passports, she told The Independent. Recommended Read more A parliamentary vote at the end of Brexit talks is not good enough The surge in interest for Irish passports is related to the retention of the right to free movement within the EU following Brexit. Just how Irish society will react to this very instrumental use of Irish citizenship remains to be seen given that Brexit has already had an adverse impact on the Irish economy and employment. Germany is home to 100,000 British expats, and figures show its 10 largest cities seem to follow this trend. 230 British nationals applied for citizenship in Berlin in the first eight months of the year, with only 45 applications being processed during the same period of 2015. Edward Wood has lived and worked in Germany since 2008 and will be applying for German citizenship. I've carved out an existence here which I like and am keen to protect, and the only way I can really be sure that I maintain it is to obtain citizenship, he told The Independent. It is, of course, very unlikely that hundreds of thousands of Brits in the EU will be forced to move back to the UK, but it is very likely that we'll be tied up in much more red tape; work permits, visas and visa extensions, and maybe even seemingly trivial things like driving licenses. Spain, France and a number of other European member states didnt reply to the request for data, and some eastern European countries reported no evidence of a surge. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ministers were accused of piling more pressure on overcrowded GP surgeries and A&E departments after announcing cuts to pharmacies. Opposition parties attacked the announcement that more than seven per cent will be slashed from funding for community pharmacies over the next two years, after weeks of speculation. They said the reductions could trigger the closure of hundreds, if not thousands, of badly-needed high street pharmacies and were a false economy. There was also anger that health minister David Mowat was unable to say how many would be sent to the wall even claiming it was possible that none would shut. Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said: The Governments belief that cutting funding for community pharmacies will improve efficiency in the NHS is a complete false economy. These myopic plans will further increase pressure on GP surgeries and hospitals that are already buckling under the strain of limited resources and unprecedented demand for services. More people will be forced to take unnecessary trips to their GP and even A&E, which is completely counter to NHS Englands vision. The Government has previously suggested that up to 3,000 pharmacies could close as a result of funding cuts. But, today, Mr Mowat accused critics of scaremongering, saying: It's possible that none will close, I do not believe 3,000 will close. "But I would say this - the average operating margin that a pharmacy makes is 15 per cent. That is after salaries and after rent. The cuts we're making, or the efficiencies we're asking for, is significantly lower than that. The announcement will see chemists will lose four per cent of their funding in 2016-17 and a further 3.4 per cent in 2017-18. Former Conservative minister Michael Gove said: Can I congratulate the minister for recognising what Labour failed to - that NHS money is taxpayers' money and the priority should always be patient care, not the profits of private equity firms. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Royal Navy destroyers have been sent to 'man-mark' Russian warships that are on course to pass through the English Channel, reportedly heading towards Syria to support the final assault on Aleppo. Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday to monitor a task force that includes the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, as it heads south from the Norwegian Sea towards the North Sea. Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond has also escorted the Russian fleet in the Norwegian Sea, north of the UK between Iceland and Norway. Two Russian corvettes, which are travelling north towards the UK from the direction of Portugal, are also set to be watched by the Navy, which is sending the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon to meet them, A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." The northern fleet passed the Norwegian city of Bergen on Wednesday and will sail through the English Channel, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea towards the Syrian coast, according to a senior Nato diplomat quoted by Reuters. The anonymous source said the Russian warships are carrying fighter bombers likely to bolster the attack on the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis The diplomat said: "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. "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. "With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive." A photo taken from a Norwegian surveillance aircraft shows Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in international waters off the coast of Northern Norway on October 17, 2016. (Reuters) It is understood that shadowing ships is regular business for the Royal Navy, being supported by RAF surveillance aircraft on this occasion. Navy ships will continue to escort the Russian task group and provide a visible presence south through the North Sea and English Channel as the Russian fleet sails through, the MoD said. The UK is working alongside Nato partners to monitor the warships. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Russian warships including an aircraft carrier are due to enter UK territorial waters some time on Friday morning. The Independent has been told that if the Russian task force including the aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov maintains its current speed, it should leave the North Sea and enter the Channel before noon on Friday. If the Russian warships stick to normal navigation rules for passing through the Dover Strait which is likely since it is the worlds busiest seaway they will use the shipping lane for south-west bound vessels, which is in UK territorial waters. This will entail what one Russian newspaper has described as the most powerful Russian naval task force to sail in northern Europe since 2014 passing within about 10 nautical miles (11.5 miles) of the British coast, allegedly on its way to support the assault on rebels in Aleppo, Syria. The warships will pass close to the British shore less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Theresa May demanded a "robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression", and said: "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop these sickening atrocities in Syria." Russia Today has UK bank accounts closed by NatWest The Royal Navy has already sent one of its most advanced warships, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, along with the Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond to track the Russian vessels and man-mark them every step of the way. At the same time the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon has been sent south to shadow two Russian corvettes understood to be heading from the Atlantic near Portugal to link up with the Admiral Kuznetsov group. A Ministry of Defence spokesman has promised: When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." A lookout on board HMS Richmond monitors the Russian warships in the North Sea (PO(Phot) Dez Wade/MoD/Crown Copy) Before heading south west through the Dover Strait, most vessels are legally obliged to report to the UKs Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Dover, which works with the French authorities to monitor ships going through the Channel and to report any traffic violations. The Russian warships, however, will not have to formally notify the UK authorities of their intended movements, because naval vessels, whatever their nationality, are exempted from the reporting requirements. As matter of courtesy, however, most navies report to either Britain or France when their warships pass through the Channel. The Admiral Kuznetsov, a 55,000-ton Soviet-era aircraft carrier, and seven other vessels are currently in international waters in the North Sea, having been seen off the coast of the Norwegian city of Bergen on Wednesday. Photos taken by Royal Navy photographers on board HMS Richmond suggest that they are already being closely shadowed. HMS Duncan is thought to have left Portsmouth on Wednesday night in order to link up with HMS Richmond. In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis The Russian flotilla also includes the Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) nuclear-powered battlecruiser and the anti-submarine vessel Severomorsk. A senior Nato diplomat told Reuters that the Russian warships are expected to sail through the English Channel, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean to arrive off the Syrian coast in about two weeks time. The diplomat also suggested that the flotilla about to enter the Channel was part of a much bigger naval effort to reinforce Russias campaign to support the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. The diplomat said: 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. "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. "With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive." The Russia Today website, which is strongly supportive of President Vladimir Putin, has criticised what it claimed was military, media hysteria in Europe, and said the Russian Navy has not confirmed whether the warships are being sent to bolster the Syria operation. A spokesperson for the Royal Navy said British forces and Nato routinely monitor foreign warships nearing territorial waters. This time, however, some defence experts are saying that the flotillas expected presence in the Channel, on an operational footing, provides a rare intelligence gathering opportunity. This allows the Royal Navy and Nato to watch a Russian carrier battle group actually in operation, said Peter Felstead, the editor of Janes Defence Weekly. Its a very interesting opportunity to answer all kinds of questions, to see the strengths and weaknesses: for example, does that carrier battle group have submarines deployed with it? I am sure our submarines are out there trying to find that out right now. When they finally get to the Med its going to be very interesting, because they will be conducting wartime operations and we will be able to have eyes on and see how good they are. In 2011 the Admiral Kuznetsov and other Russian warships sheltered from winter storms about 30 miles off the Moray Firth. Reports that the aircraft carrier was dumping waste while sheltering off the Scottish coast led to Angus Robertson, then the SNPs defence spokesman, accusing the Admiral Kuznetsov's crew of "marine fly-tipping" and "bad manners". Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A second independence referendum in Scotland could ask voters a variation of the question that was put to them in 2014, according to a consultation document published by the Scottish government. It comes after Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, announced at the SNP conference in Glasgow last week, to a standing ovation, that she would publish the draft legislation and lead the fight against the Conservatives plans for a so-called hard Brexit. The draft legislation, which was formally unveiled by the constitution secretary, Derek Mackay, says that while it is expected the same question would be used again Should Scotland be an independent country? there could be a variation. Recommended Read more Scotland to publish plans for second independence referendum It says: At this stage, it is expected that the same question would be used again but if as a result of consultation the Scottish Government is minded to propose a variation on that question it would submit the proposal to the Electoral Commission for independent testing in the usual way. The move does not, however, mean another referendum will definitely be held. A spokesperson for Theresa May also dismissed the need for another independence vote, adding: The Prime Minister and the Government does not believe that there is a mandate for one. There was one only two years ago. There was an extremely high turnout and there was a resounding result in favour of Scotland remaining in the UK. David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, said that the issue of whether Scotland should leave the UK was settled conclusively in 2014. The people of Scotland said no decisively then and there is no public attitude for a second referendum now, he added. People in Scotland need a Scottish Government that is focused on the day job not obsessed with pushing their ideological agenda at any cost. The UK is the vital union for Scotland and my clear priority is to get the best possible deal as we leave the EU. To do that we need to take this distracting and divisive issue of independence off the table. Describing the draft bill as "irresponsible economic vandalism", Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: "Our economy is in trouble following David Cameron's reckless Brexit gamble, and the very last thing we need is more uncertainty for employers. "This publication confirms that the SNP's top priority is to divide our country. My message to the First Minister is this: we are divided enough - do not divide us again. "Instead of seeking fresh divisions, the SNP should be prioritising our public services such as education and healthcare. This is a referendum that Scotland does not need or want." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has launched a scathing attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing the Russian military of "sickening atrocities" in Aleppo, just hours before Moscows warships are due to pass through British waters. The Prime Minister highlighted the "appalling" acts which have occurred during a sustained Russian bombing campaign that has pummelled the northern Syrian city. As she spoke on arrival at her first EU summit as leader, a huge Russian naval taskforce was being shadowed by the Royal Navy as it headed towards the Mediterranean coast of Syria. Recommended Read more Francoise Hollande accuses Russia of war crimes The Independent has been told the flotilla including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov maintains current speed, it should enter the Channel before noon on Friday. The EU is now considering threatening Moscow with sanctions over air strikes in Aleppo, according to a draft EU summit communique seen by the Guardian. "The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue," the draft reportedly says. The heightened tension comes after a week of hand-wringing by Western powers about how to address the plight of Syrian civilians trapped in besieged Aleppo. In Brussels, Ms May demanded a "robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression". She added: "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop these appalling atrocities, these sickening atrocities, in Syria." Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, have agreed a temporary humanitarian truce in Aleppo. Mr Putin has held out the prospect of extending it following a meeting with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nato has said the prospect of Russia's fleet heading to the region does not "inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syrian crisis. An official for the alliance said: "Russia has the right to operate in international waters. There are plans in place for Nato navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean." If the Russian warships stick to normal navigation rules for passing through the Dover Strait which is likely since it is the worlds busiest seaway they will use the shipping lane for south-west bound vessels, which is in UK territorial waters. This will entail what one Russian newspaper has described as "the most powerful Russian naval task force to sail in northern Europe since 2014" passing within about 10 nautical miles (11.5 miles) of the British coast. The Royal Navy has already sent one of its most advanced warships, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, along with the Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond to track the Russian vessels and "man-mark them every step of the way". John Kerry says Russia and Syria should be probed for war crimes In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis At the same time the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon has been sent south to shadow two Russian corvettes understood to be heading from the Atlantic near Portugal to link up with the Admiral Kuznetsov task force, which is said to be en route to support the assault on rebels in Aleppo. A Ministry of Defence spokesman has promised: "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." Before heading south west through the Dover Strait, most vessels are legally obliged to report to the UKs Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Dover, which works with the French authorities to monitor ships going through the Channel and to report any traffic violations. The Russian warships, however, will not have to formally notify the UK authorities of their intended movements, because naval vessels, whatever their nationality, are exempted from the reporting requirements. As matter of courtesy, however, most navies report to either Britain or France when their warships pass through the Channel. Family buries children killed in Aleppo airstrike The Admiral Kuznetsov, a 55,000-ton Soviet-era aircraft carrier, and seven other vessels are currently in international waters in the North Sea, having been seen off the coast of the Norwegian city of Bergen on Wednesday. Photos taken by Royal Navy photographers on board HMS Richmond suggest that they are already being closely shadowed. HMS Duncan is thought to have left Portsmouth on Wednesday night in order to link up with HMS Richmond. The Russian flotilla also includes the Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) battlecruiser and the anti-submarine vessel Severomorsk. A senior Nato diplomat told Reuters that the Russian warships are expected to sail through the English Channel, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean to arrive off the Syrian coast in about two weeks time. Drone footage of Aleppo The diplomat also suggested that the flotilla about to enter the Channel was part of a much bigger naval effort to reinforce Russias campaign to support the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. The diplomat said: "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. "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. With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive." By the dawn of October 20, the crew succeeded in clearing the tracks. We've only managed to remove the wreckage. We will have to wait until traffic stops before we can haul everything back for repairs, said Le Anh Dung, Vice director of Da Nang Train Company. At around 6:40 a.m., the North-South railway resumed operations. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May will today tell other EU leaders to forget any notion that Britain will change its mind about Brexit, as she meets them all face-to-face for the first time. The Prime Minister will use her first European Council summit to kill off any suggestions of a second referendum, after the idea of a dramatic rethink was floated by its President. Addressing all 27 other EU leaders over dinner in Brussels, Ms May will attempt to build bridges, by promising to make Britain a strong partner of a strong Europe, a No.10 source said. That statement alone will disappoint some hard-line Brexiteers in her own party, who have made no secret of their desire for Brexit to be followed by a wider crumbling of the EU bloc. But the Prime Minister will also urge the rest of the EU to get down to the urgent business of building a new, but close, trading and security partnership with Britain on the outside. Earlier this month, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, dangled the prospect of the British public backing out of Brexit, once they realised the painful reality of it. And, yesterday, the pound rose on the back of Downing Street acknowledging it was very likely that Parliament would have the right to reject the final Brexit deal. However, the source said Ms Mays message to the other 27 would be that the referendum result must be honoured and that there will be no second referendum. There has been a sense that there is still some debate in certain quarters of the European Union and I wouldnt point to any specifics, but generally about whether that might be still a possibility, the source said. The prime minister has been absolutely clear many times that is not the case, but it is an opportunity for her to say that directly to all the leaders. We do need now to all be facing to the future which is the UK outside the European Union. The two-day summit is expected to be a frosty affair, after EU leaders reacted badly to the Prime Ministers conference pledge to deliver a so-called hard Brexit. The backlash was immediate, with both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande vowing to ensure harsh consequences for that stance. The united message of the other 27 EU nations will be that Britain will not enjoy the trade benefits of the single market without agreeing to play by its rules, on free migration and the authority of EU court rulings. EU leaders have also insisted there will be no "pre-negotiation" before Ms May writes to Brussels to formally trigger Article 50, early next year, and specify Britain's demands. For that reason, the Prime Ministers words, over dinner tonight, may not be followed by a lengthy discussion of how Brexit will take place. But, the source said: From our perspective, the main aim is to have that first opportunity to address all 27 - Donald Tusk has agreed that she should do that. Ms May will also hold bilateral talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, and with the leaders of Estonia and Romania. In addition, the summit will discuss a long-term solution to the summer migration crisis, action against Chinese dumping of goods and the threat posed by Russia in both Syria and Eastern Ukraine. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tension between Theresa May and her Chancellor Philip Hammond has heightened after Downing Street dismissed the idea of removing foreign students from immigration statistics. Mr Hammond had indicated support for the reform of how immigrant numbers are recorded, despite Ms May having doggedly fought it for years. Recommended Read more Philip Hammond signals split with Theresa May over foreign students But Downing Street was forced to categorically rule out any such change, after a government spokesman initially suggested it might happen as part of a wider rethink of immigration policy. The issue now threatens to become a flashpoint in the struggle within cabinet to determine the nature of the UKs withdrawal from the European Union. A No10 spokesman said: "The government objective is to reduce annual net migration to the tens of thousands, and in order to deliver this we are keeping all visa routes under review. "Our position on who is included in the figures has not changed, and we are categorically not reviewing whether or not students are included." Hours earlier another spokesperson had explained that the issue of migration, migrant numbers, who enters the country and under what terms, is very much subject for review during Brexit negotiations. Theresa May on immigration in conference speech Asked specifically if the issue of foreign students being counted as immigrants is being reviewed, the spokesperson answered: The whole issue of migration is subject to review, yes. Yesterday, Mr Hammond also indicated that he thought students should not be counted in net migration figures at a Select Committee hearing in Westminster. The Chancellor said it is essential that immigration controls are introduced in a way that protects our economy. When asked if students should still be counted among immigrant numbers, he said: My view is this is a question of public perception and the publics view. Clearly immigration and the level of net migration is an issue of concern. The question we should be asking is, what does the public understand should be included within that definition?. Its not whether politicians think one thing or another, its whether the public believe it. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty When committee chair Andrew Tyrie cited research showing only a fifth of people think students count as immigrants and that 59 per cent are opposed to efforts to reduce their number, Mr Hammond said: I think thats very interesting information. As Home Secretary, Ms May fought and won a battle with the then-Chancellor George Osborne to keep the number of foreign students counted within net migration statistics. At the Conservative conference earlier this month, her new Home Secretary Amber Rudd also announced a broad crackdown on immigration with student visas particularly targeted. But many ministers and universities have consistently argued that students should not be classified as immigrants. Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson John Pugh said: Theresa Mays stubborn refusal to change tack risks doing serious damage to Britains economy and global reputation. Stopping talented overseas students coming to study in the UK does nothing to address concerns over migration, it just undermines our world-leading universities. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A small-town sculptors attempt to restore the beatific visage of the Christ Child to a vandalised statue outside a Canadian church has left parishioners unimpressed and the Internet amused. Local artist Heather Wise was walking in the grounds of St Anne des Pins church in Sudbury, northern Ontario, when she noticed the head was missing from a white stone statue of the Infant Jesus and his mother Mary. Wise was sad to learn that the artwork had been beheaded by vandals, and volunteered to craft a replacement, she told Sudbury.com. I am privileged to be able to do this, she said, calling it the honour of [her] entire art career. Yet Father Gerard Lajeunesse, who accepted her offer, said the new clay head, which resembles Lisa Simpson with a Donald Trump tan, had left churchgoers disappointed. It really is shocking to the eyes because of the big contrast in colour, the priest told CBC News, adding: Its a first try. The statue has stood outside St Anne des Pins for almost a decade and been vandalised several times. Its always Jesus head that goes missing, said Lajeunesse. Normally, it was left nearby, but when it was last sliced off a year ago, We looked high and low. No head. No Jesus. A custom-made stone replacement could cost up to C$10,000 (6,200), Lajeunesse said. Either way, he may have to remove Wises clay head, he told the Toronto Star. I have noticed that, with the rain, the clay is eroding, he said. Many have likened Wises efforts to an elderly womans botched touch-up of a 19th century fresco at the church of Santuario de Misericodia in Spain, which became an unlikely viral sensation in 2012. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two black men have filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump's campaign and an affiliated venue after they were allegedly beaten up at his rally. The lawsuit comes the same week that the Republican nominee accused Hillary Clinton of paying people to protest at his events. Last November in Birmingham, Alabama, Mr Trump saw the protester and said to the crowd: Get him the hell out of here, will you please? Activist Carlos Chaverst was allegedly then pushed from the venue by other attendees, chanting all lives matter. At the same event, fellow activist Mercutio Southall called out black lives matter from the back of the room, and he was pushed to the ground and beaten on camera. It is shocking to see that at a rally at ... a publicly funded facility, black residents were brutally attacked by a white mob, the lawsuit read. The two men, who are suing the Trump campaign and the Birmingham convention centre for $1 million worth of damages for negligence and premises liability, said the incident reminded them of the racial violence of the 1960s. Southall was then kicked, choked, shoved, punched, scratched and referred to as nearly every racial slur known, the suit against Trump and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center claims. [Southall] pushed the mob back but he was substantially outnumbered. The Trump campaign could not be immediately reached for comment. Cindy Crawford, a spokesperson for the convention center, told AL.com that they do not comment on pending litigation. According to the legal document which was filed in federal court by Birmingham attorney Richard Rice, Mr Southall suffered severe personal injuries including lacerations to his face, head and neck, concussion, bruises to his back and torso areas. Only the beating was captured on camera as Mr Chaverst was using his phone to film Mr Southall. The lawsuit lists other incitements of violence from Mr Trump at his rallies, including: Knock the crap out of him, would you? Seriously; Id like to punch them in the face, I tell you; and I love the old days. Do you know what they used to do to guys like that in a place like this? Theyd be carried out on a stretcher, folks. Mr Trump once promised to pay legal fees for anyone at his rallies who attacked a protester. His accusations against Ms Clinton at the third debate were in reference to an edited video from undercover reported James OKeeffe, who claimed that a Clinton campaign member was discussing violence at Trump rallies, bussing people in and orchestrating trouble for decades. Mr Trump previously blamed protesters on Bernie Sanders' campaign. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump said he would accept the result of the 2016 election - but only if he wins. Speaking at a rally in Ohio, he attempted to clarify his remarks he made at the third presidential debate the previous evening where he said he would keep voters in suspense as to his acceptance of the results on 8 November. "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all the people of the United States that I would totally accept the results of this geat and historic presidential election if I win," he said, to loud applause. Were not going to lose, he added. He added that he would accept a "clear result" but reserve his right to "contest" the outcome in case of a "questionable result". The Republican nominee added he would "abide by the rules and conditions for candidates that came before him". His campaign released an alternative punchline for his so-called "major announcement" at the Delaware rally. It read: I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters, and to all of the people of the United States, that when the results come in on election night, I will accept without delay or hesitation the concession speech of Hillary Rodham Clinton." At the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, he was asked if he would accept the results on 8 November. He told moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace: Ill look at it at the time. Ms Clinton responded that Mr Trump's view on the US democracy - in place for 240 years - was "horrifying". Arizona senator John McCain, who lost the 2008 presidential race to Barack Obama, condemned Mr Trumps comments. I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance, he said in a statement. A concession isnt just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leaders first responsibility. He was also rebuked by Republican senators Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, as well as Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Maine governor Paul LePage. He and his allies have claimed over the last week that there was widespread voter fraud and the election was rigged against him, a theme he started months ago, mirroring Bernie Sanders' speeches which claimed the economy and the election was fixed to benefit "those at the top". He continued to peddle the concept of Crooked Hillary at the rally on Thursday and said she should not be able to run for president. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has accused Hillary Clinton of "playing chicken" with Russia and suggested her presidency would risk starting a nuclear war. Speaking about Russian President Vladimir Putin during the third Presidential debate, Mr Trump said: He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president." Ms Clinton has taken a strong stance on Russia in recent weeks following an escalation of Moscow-supported strikes on Aleppo and amid accusations that Russia hacked into the computers of the Democratic National Committee. And Ill tell you what shed in very serious trouble, because we have a country [Russia] with a tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads. 18,000, by the way, where they [Russia] expanded and we didnt. 18,000 nuclear warheads and shes playing chicken. "Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person." Ms Clinton responded: "Thats because hed rather have a puppet as the president of the United States. Its pretty clear." She said Trump was willing to "spout the Putin line". Vladimir Putin and the people Show all 11 1 /11 Vladimir Putin and the people Vladimir Putin and the people 561608.bin Vladimir Putin and the people 561611.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561614.bin EPA Vladimir Putin and the people 561615.bin REUTERS Vladimir Putin and the people 561617.bin AP Vladimir Putin and the people 561618.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561620.bin PA Vladimir Putin and the people 561621.bin AP Vladimir Putin and the people 561622.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561624.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561625.bin EPA Mr Trump has taken a number of pro-Moscow positions, especially in his repeated criticism of Nato. The property tycoon has been criticised for ignoring intelligence that Russia was behind the attacks on DNC computers. During the debate, Trump said "I don't know Putin," but acknoweldged he "has said nice things" about him. Later he said: "Our country is so outplayed by Putin [...] nobody can believe how stupid our leader is." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Carlos Rodriguez was 17 when he first entered the US. In those days, at the spot close to the city of Tecate where he chose to cross, the border was marked by a simple chain-link fence. It was 2ft high, says Rodriguez, now 64. I just stepped across and hitch-hiked to town. Today, Rodriguez waits in the shade outside Tucsons Southside Presbyterian Church, hoping to be hired as a day-labourer. Over the decades, he has acquired a wife, a son and a green card that allows him to live and work in America indefinitely. Meanwhile, the border has become a militarised zone, fenced and patrolled around the clock by guards and drones. Recommended Read more How Donald Trump is helping Latino activists turn Arizona purple The other men waiting with him in the sweltering afternoon are significantly younger than Rodriguez. The majority are undocumented, he says, and many of them trekked through the remote desert for days to dodge the Border Patrol on their way to America. They escaped death and deportation, which makes them the lucky ones. Its much harder to cross the border now but for some people its even harder to be in Mexico or El Salvador or Honduras, he says. It doesnt matter what the border looks like, whether theres a wall or not. People will find a way to cross. Before his presidential campaign dissolved into a pungent stew of bigotry and paranoia, Donald Trump entered the electoral arena with a simple, implausible promise: he would build a big, beautiful wall on Americas 2,000-mile southern border, and Mexico would pay for it. The wall was seen by many not as a practical policy proposal, but as a symbol of Trumps particular brand of chest-beating nationalism. Heres the irony: if and when the property developer loses the election in November, the wall will exist anyway because it already exists, and has done for more than 20 years. Its not beautiful, but it sure is big. As of now, around 700 miles of the US-Mexican frontier is fenced. The barrier cuts through the landscape south of major border cities such as San Diego, El Paso and Nogales, 70 miles south of Tucson, where a 20ft-high slatted steel fence is augmented by surveillance towers and by the Border Patrol SUVs that roam back and forth. Since 1992, the US Border Patrol has proliferated, from around 4,000 agents to more than 21,000, part of an expansion that burgeoned under Bill Clinton and ballooned under George W Bush. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the biggest federal law enforcement agency in the US, with a budget greater than every other agency combined. The prevention through deterrence approach to border control was introduced by the Clinton administration, which erected the first stretches of the fence as a facet of the War on Drugs. Its intent was to build up border protections and surveillance at traditional urban crossing points, thus funnelling illicit border-crossers into more remote areas such as southern Arizonas Sonora Desert, where at points the border is blocked by little more than a barbed-wire fence strung between concrete posts. The official logic was that the desert would act as a natural barrier, because its so dangerous and isolated, says Todd Miller, author of the book Border Patrol Nation. It can take days to walk through, so they believed only people who were out of their minds would attempt it. And then, from about 1995 to 2006, you had record-breaking immigration from Mexico. Since the turn of the century, some 2,000 people have died trying to make the crossing from Mexico to Arizona in the harsh desert conditions. The number of deaths for every border crosser apprehended alive by the authorities in the borders Tucson Sector has increased five-fold over the past decade, according to the Arizona Daily Star. People come to the US for work, to reunite with their families, to escape violence, says Robin Reineke, executive director of the Colibri Centre for Human Rights, a Tucson-based non-profit organisation devoted to identifying missing and deceased migrants. Theyll try to make it across, whatever obstacles are in the way, because theyre already in a life-or-death situation. Building the wall of Trumps imagination would not prevent migration, only make it more perilous. The drug cartels that already control much of the human traffic moving north through Mexico to the US have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to outflank American walls, smuggling drugs through tunnels, on boats or using unmanned drones. A wall is only as effective as the people enforcing it, and corruptible Border Patrol agents have been caught abetting the smuggling of drugs and people. A 2015 report by the Department of Homeland Security found that corruption arrests among CBP personnel far exceed, on a per-capita basis, such arrests at other federal law-enforcement agencies. This month, around 2,000 activists descended on Nogales to protest against the militarisation of the border, tying crosses to the fence and chanting Walls cost lives. Humanitarian groups have tried to reduce the number of migrant deaths by setting up desert camps to offer medical assistance and leaving caches of drinking water on well-trodden migrant trails. In the past, those water stashes have often been slashed by anti-immigrant vandals, but last summer, the vandalism took a really disturbing twist, according to Maryada Vallet, a volunteer with the group No More Deaths. Normally we will write messages on the water bottles in Spanish saying, Pure water, God bless you and so on. But the vandals drew things like a skull and crossbones or horrible, racist messages, she says. They put some kind of colouring in the water to make it look untrustworthy. That vigilantism is legitimised by an increasing climate of racism and xenophobia towards immigrants. And the things Trump has said during the campaign have fuelled that climate. For Reineke, the debate around the border wall is a distraction from the broader issue of immigration, its causes and its benefits. The tragedy is that focusing on the wall as a national security issue really prevents a broader policy conversation about real solutions for deaths in the desert, for workers rights, for visa reform, she says. Much of the existing barrier was built after the passage of the 2006 Secure Fence Act, a Republican Bill that was supported by 27 Democratic Senators, one of whom was Hillary Clinton. The most recent comprehensive immigration reform efforts to be discussed in Congress included yet more stringent border enforcement measures, including thousands of extra CBP agents. Yet a new poll for the Arizona Republic found that more than half of voters here in the Grand Canyon state opposed the construction of a complete border wall - and 42 per cent of them were "strongly" against the idea. Our response to Trump saying more walls is to scream: Weve been there, weve done that! Its a waste of money and its not the answer, says Vallet. But its not just about Trump. The policy of deterrence by death was introduced under Bill Clinton. So were bracing ourselves for whoever wins the presidential election. Whether its Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, we know that well have a lot of work to do. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump called Hillary Clinton a liar during the final presidential debate after she brought up comments he made on television in April. The Republican presidential candidate accused his rival of misquoting him when she said Mr Trump had claimed Japan should be able to defend itself with nuclear weapons. This is a person who has been very cavalier, even casual, about the use of nuclear weapons. said Ms Clinton. Hes advocated more countries getting them: Japan, Korea, even Saudi Arabia. Mr Trump shook his head and called the claims just another lie at the debate on Wednesday, the third and last stand-off before the US election on 8 November. Look, shes been proven to be a liar in so many different ways. This is just another lie, he said. Theres no quote. Youre not going to find a quote from me. But in a televised interview with debate moderator Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday in early April, Mr Trump had indeed said just that. North Korea has nukes. Japan has a problem with that. I mean, they have a big problem with that. Maybe they would in fact be better off if they defend themselves from North Korea, he said. With nukes? asked Mr Wallace, to which Mr Trump replied:Including with nukes, yes, including with nukes." And in March, during another interview broadcast on CNN, Mr Trump said: At some point we have to say, you know what, were better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in north Korea.' Recommended Read more Audience urged to stop laughing when Trump said he respects women Japan has had a pacifist constitution and non-nuclear policy since the end of the Second World War, when two nuclear bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima by America. It's going to happen anyway. It's only a question of time, he said. They're going to start having them or we have to get rid of them entirely. At the time, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responded to Mr Trumps comments. Whoever will become the next president of the United States, the Japan-US alliance is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy, he said. Japans Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida added: It is impossible that Japan will arm itself with nuclear weapons," according to CNN. Democratic candidate Ms Clinton expressed her concern over Mr Trumps attitude to nuclear weapons at Wednesday's debate. Third and final presidential debate in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Third and final presidential debate in pictures Third and final presidential debate in pictures Debate watching party in a California bar Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Brothers: Stephen Baldwin and Malik Obama Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty He said: If we have them, why dont we use them? which I think is terrifying, she said. But heres the deal. The bottom line on nuclear weapons is, when the president gives the order, it must be followed. Theres about four minutes between the order being given and the people responsible for launching nuclear weapons to do so. Thats why ten people who have had that awesome responsibility have come out in an unprecedented way and said they would not trust Donald Trump with the nuclear codes or to have his finger on the nuclear button." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trumps eldest son said that his fathers run for the presidency was a step down from his business career. Speaking to Fox News after the third presidential debate on Wednesday night, Donald Trump Jr, he emphasised that his father was effectively giving up a successful job already. Unlike Hillary Clinton, who's gotten very rich being a politician, peddling American influence, he hasn't this is only a step down, Mr Trump said in Las Vegas. He added that his father has spent his whole career creating jobs and helping American workers, and that if he had spent his whole life as a career politician, he would be the greatest politician in the history of the world. The Trump campaign member was praised for a rousing and passionate speech about his father at the Republican National Convention in July, but has caused controversy in more recent weeks. The businessmans son and Trump Organisation executive was strongly criticised for sharing images on social media which compared Syrian refugees to Skittles sweets. If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, he tweeted. Would you take a handful? That's our Syrian refugee problem. He also shared the image of Pepe the green Frog with Mr Trumps face, a meme which has recently become associated with the white supremacist movement. During an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune Review about why his father has not released his tax returns, Mr Trump did not toe the party line - that the tax returns would be released once they had been audited. He replied: Because he's got a 12,000-page tax return that would create... financial auditors out of every person in the country asking questions that would distract from (his father's) main message. After the second debate, younger brother Eric Trump insisted to CNN that his father had paid millions of dollars in tax, and that he had personally seen his fathers tax returns. Mr Trump Jr was sat in the front row of the third presidential debate at the University of Nevada, alongside his sisters, brothers and mother-in-law, Melania Trump. They did not shake hands with the Clinton family. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump denied meeting Vladimir Putin during the final presidential debate, despite having claimed several times in the past to have met the Russian president. "I dont know Putin. I have no idea," Mr Trump said. "I never met Putin. This is not my best friend." When Hillary Clinton said it was "pretty clear" Mr Putin would "rather have a puppet as president of the United States," the Republican replied: Youre the puppet. Youre the puppet. She doesnt like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way. At another point in the debate, he said: "I have nothing to do with Putin. I've never spoken to him. "I don't know anything about him other than he will respect me." However, Mr Trump has boasted several times in the past of his relationship with Mr Putin, according to PolitiFact. What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? Show all 8 1 /8 What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On the leaked tape from 2005 where he talks about sexually assaulting women I'm very embarrassed by it, I hate it, but it's locker room talk. It's one of those things. I will knock the hell out of Isis Getty What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On Hillary Clinton I hate to say it but if I win I'm going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation. There has never been so many lies, so much deception. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Rex What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On Bill Clinton What he's done to women, there's never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation that's been so abusive to women. AP What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On whether his alleged opposition to Iraq War had been disproven "Its not debunked. Its not debunked." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On exploiting tax loopholes "I absolutely used it, and so did Warren Buffett, and so did George Soros and so did many people who Hillary is getting money from." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On claims he's sexist I have great respect for women. Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Reuters What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On what he respects about Hillary Clinton I will say this about Hillary - she doesn't quit, she doesn't give up. I tell it like it is. She's a fighter. Reuters What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On his controversial immigration policies "Its called extreme vetting. Were going to areas like Syria, where they are coming in by the tens of thousands because of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton wanting to allow a 550 per cent increase [of refugees] over Obama. People are coming into this country. We have no idea who they are, where they are from and what their feelings are about this country." Getty When asked in an MSNBC interview in November 2013 if he had a relationship with Mr Putin, Mr Trump replied: "I do have a relationship, and I can tell you that he's very interested in what we're doing here today. "He's probably very interested in what you and I am saying today, and I'm sure he's going to be seeing it in some form." Addressing the CPAC conference in March 2014, he said: "You know, I was in Moscow a couple of months ago. I own the Miss Universe Pageant and they treated me so great. Putin even sent me a present, a beautiful present." He also told the National Press Club in May 2014: "I own Miss Universe, I was in Russia, I was in Moscow recently and I spoke, indirectly and directly, with President Putin, who could not have been nicer, and we had a tremendous success." When asked what he would do in response to Russia invading Ukraine at the Fox Business News debate in November 2015, Mr Trump said: "As far as the Ukraine is concerned if Putin wants to go in, and I got to know him very well because we were both on 60 Minutes, we were stablemates, and we did very well that night." Time Magazine debunked Mr Trump's claim to have appeared on the show with Mr Putin, writing: "In fact, they werent even on the same continent." In their fact check of the debate, the Washington Post concluded the Republican candidate has never met the Russian president. In 2013, Mr Trump tweeted: "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?" Travel companies say the shows need to be more fun and contemporary. Ho Chi Minh City's arts scene is seriously lacking performances that can entertain the increasing number of tourists visiting the southern hub, travel companies said at a conference on Wednesday. Surveys by art program organizers in Ho Chi Minh City showed that only 4 percent of tourists who visit the city go to arts performances, and some of them fall asleep midway through. Among the common performances in the city are traditional music, puppet shows and wedding shows, which according to travel companies, are not exciting at all. Traditional music may sound nice to Vietnamese people, but it does not interest foreigners, Phan Xuan Anh from a tourism company said. Ive seen a group of tourists falling asleep listening to southern folk songs, Anh added. He said many traditional music shows are too scholastic and unsuitable for foreign visitors. Other travel companies at the conference also said that performances aimed at tourists need to be more lively and colorful. The Khmer dance or contemporary dance would be a good choice, they said. A O show, which debuted in the city in 2013, remains one of the most popular choices for foreigners in the country by offering a rare mix of bamboo cirque, contemporary dance, acrobatics and live music with folk instruments. They also said that each show takes around an hour, but that is too long and will discourage tourists who want to have time to explore the night market or the backpackers streets. A show of 30 minutes is more feasible, they said. No love for arts Ho Chi Minh City drew 2.43 million foreign tourists in the first six months of this year, up 12.2 percent from the same time last year. As Vietnams most crowded and modern city, it has become known more as a commercial hub rather than a cultural center, unlike other big cities such as Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue and Da Nang. Huu Luan, director of HCMCs Center of Performance and Cinema, said the city does not even have a proper theater for arts yet. Most big events are held at the city's Opera House, but that is not used exclusively for the arts. Luan said a Japanese arts troupe recently signed a contract with the center for an opera performance at the venue, but the city revoked the booking for a different program. Vo Thanh Trung, head of Square Group that produces A O Show which is hosted at the Opera House, said he does not have any say over the show's schedule, and has to rely on when the venue is not booked. Trung said funding is also another challenge as his program has yet to make a profit. Tickets to the show cost around $30 apiece, but Trung said he spends VND20 billion ($900,000) on each show, and has to refresh it every three months to draw audiences. Huynh Anh Tuan, producer of Rong Vang, or Golden Dragon, which is a popular water puppet show in the city, said that creating interesting programs for tourists should not be a difficult thing to do. The culture and tourism departments just need to ask the city to build a modern theater and invest in good programs, Tuan said. Related news: > Art uncovered: the saga of Saigon Artbook > Hanoi, Saigon among fastest-growing tourist cities in the world Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mexico is now one-step closer to extraditing drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman to the United States, the countrys attorney general announced on Wednesday. A federal judge has denied Mr Guzmans appeal but his lawyer Andres Granados vowed to immediately appeal the ruling. It will be the slippery kingpins last chance to avoid an American jail cell. Mexicos government is hoping to move El Chapo to the US by February. His extradition was approved by The Foreign Ministry in May but Mr Guzmans legal team has fought to push back the date. Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Show all 4 1 /4 Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Pictures reveal how the Mexican drug lord had been living since his escape Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout The inside of a house searched by marine special forces where Guzman was hiding Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Inside a house searched by marine special forces during the military operation to recapture Guzman Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout El Chapo's attempted escape A marine stands guard next to a manhole of the sewer system through which drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman tried to escape Getty "We are not defeated," Mr Granados told the AFP, suggesting that the government is violating his clients rights by speeding up the extradition. He could be tried in Chicago, Brooklyn or Manhattan. Mr Guzman, who leads the infamous Sinaloa cartel, was re-captured six months after he broke free from a maximum-security prison. Hes currently facing extradition bids in California and Texas on murder, drug distribution, and money laundering charges Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A petition has been launched condemning a judge's decision to sentence a father who repeatedly raped his 12-year-old daughter to two months in prison. The 40-year-old man from Montana, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to 60 days and probation after he pleaded guilty to raping his daughter multiple times. Judge John McKeon is reported to have made the decision despite the prosecutor recommending a 100-year prison sentence with 75 years suspended, in keeping with state law. Following the verdict, a petition was launched to "impeach Judge McKeon", stating that he "did what he thought was best for the rapist instead of the victim". The petition, which asks that the Judicial Standards Commission review the case and states that the judge should not "retire and collect a paycheck from taxpayers" because he "failed to fulfill his duty", has so far collected more than 40,000 signatures. It states: "Judge McKeon did not uphold the responsibility of ensuring justice as he is required to in his elected position. The judge provided a number of reasons his horrible decision. None of them justify the sentence that was handed down. "He is just one of many judges who have been caught handing down light sentences to rapists. This must stop and we can only do that by sending a message. It is time to start punishing the judges who let these monsters walk our streets." Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas Mr McKeon has reportedly defended his verdict, stating that a psychosexual evaluation found the man could be safely treated and supervised in the community. In a written response to the public outcry following the sentencing, Mr McKeon wrote that he would "encourage and provide opportunities for an offender's self-improvement, rehabilitation and reintegration back into a community," according to TIME. It comes several months after a US judge faced the wrath of the public when he sentenced Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to six months in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A man who is widely regarded as the most tortured prisoner in the history of Guantanamo Bay has been released without charge after nearly 14 years. Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian national who wrote a best-selling memoir about life in the detention centre, was reunited with his family after US officials ruled he did not pose a strong enough threat to national security to continue his detention. The Guantanamo Bay Diaries, published in January 2015, provided the first in-depth account of ritual humiliation and mistreatment suffered by inmates in the controversial American military prison. In his memoir, Mr Slahi describes being shackled, blindfolded, made to stand for long periods, stripped naked, denied water and subjected to sleep deprivation, loud noise and threats of violence. In one passage he describes being sexually abused by female interrogators. In another, he wrote that he was transported out to sea, forced to drink salt water until he vomited and then beaten in the face and ribs while immersed in ice to hide the bruising. At the end of his tether in 2004, Slahi wrote that he resorted to making false confessions to keep his interrogators happy. In Mr Slahi's first public comments after his release, he thanked the Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz for his efforts to bring him home, according to Middle East Eye. Mr Slahi was arrested by US forces in Mauritania following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, accused of travelling to Afghanistan in 1991 and 1992 to join al-Qaedas fight against the communist-led government. He was then taken to Amman by Jordanian armed forces where he was held in solitary confinement for seven months, before being flown to Guantanamo Bay in August 2003 on suspicion of involvement in a plot to bomb Los Angeles in 1999. Mr Slahi's book, in which he also wrote about longing to be reunited with his children and starting a small business, made him the highest-profile Guantanamo detainee unconnected to the 9/11 plot. He has reportedly been open about his actions in Afghanistan but publicly stated he had never been an enemy combatant against the US. Guantanamo Bay - President Obama's shame: The forgotten prisoners of America's own Gulag Show all 3 1 /3 Guantanamo Bay - President Obama's shame: The forgotten prisoners of America's own Gulag Guantanamo Bay - President Obama's shame: The forgotten prisoners of America's own Gulag 02-guantanemo-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Guantanamo Bay - President Obama's shame: The forgotten prisoners of America's own Gulag 02-guantanemo3-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Guantanamo Bay - President Obama's shame: The forgotten prisoners of America's own Gulag 02-guantanemo2-gt.jpg Getty Images A US intelligence threat assessment of Mr Slahi in February 2016 said that throughout his detention he had maintained his support for jihad, but clarifies that his notion of jihad neither condones the killing of innocent people nor supports [Osama] Bin Ladens version of justice. The Pentagon announced the decision to release Mr Slahi after a parole-like review panel of six agencies recommended his transfer in July, citing his highly compliant behavior in detention and clear indications of a change in the detainees mind-set. Nancy Hollander, one of his attorneys, said at the time: We are thrilled that the PRB has cleared our client. We will now work toward his quick release and return to the waiting arms of his loving family. This is long overdue. There are currently 61 prisoners remaining in Guantanamo Bay, 30 of whom have been cleared for release. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A mother has been arrested on suspicion of prostituting her own teenage daughters online, and renting her sons room to a registered sex offender. Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, caught Paula Whittaker, 55, as part of a sting operation, and charged her with advertising her two daughters, aged 16 and 17, for paid sex. The children were recovered from their Racine home by agents from the FBIs Milwaukee office during Operation Cross Country X, a nationwide crackdown on the illegal exploitation of children. "It's very sad, I'm glad she got busted," local store owner Mahmood Hassan told FOX6 News. "I kinda figured something wasn't right cause I noticed a lot of activity upstairs." Nine other children - three from Wauwatosa, three from Glendale and one from Milwaukee - were also rescued during the operation, and 23 suspects arrested. Meanwhile, a registered sex offender was said to be using the room belonging to Whittaker's son. This operation was successful due to the outstanding partnerships we have with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, said Investigator Neal Lofy, who specializes in human trafficking cases for the Racine Police Department. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty As a task force, we continue to focus on recovering sex-trafficking victims and providing them with advocacy and services that they may need as well as bringing those that exploit them to justice. About 20 law enforcement agencies from around the state participated in the operation, including five in Racine County. The programme involves providing victims with resources to get them on a path to rehabilitation, the police said Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Daniel Covarrubias, Christina Tahhahwah, Loreal Tsingine, Rexdale Henry. These names, along with many others, are likely to be unfamiliar to most people in the US, but they are all Native Americans who were killed by law enforcement. As reported by In These Times, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 47 states between 1999 and 2011 found that Native Americans were even more likely than African Americans to be killed in the hands of law enforcement. CDC data from 1999 to 2014 found that the group was more than three times more likely to be killed than white Americans. Media coverage in the US is rare. There were 29 Native Americans killed between 1 May 2014 and 31 October 2015, yet only one death received significant coverage within the circle of the top 10 US newspapers. That case was Paul Castaway, a Rosebud Sioux man from Denver who was shot dead after he threatened suicide. Another man was incorrectly defined as Latino. 27 of those deaths received no coverage. A Native American tribe's fight to preserve its language Native Americans, similar to African Americans, are more likely to receive discrimination and be treated as second class citizens. They are also more likely to be harassed or refused service in restaurants, wrongly fined and forced to work to pay of the debt. There is also evidence of police refusing to investigate murders, echoing civil rights struggles of the deep south decades ago. Experts have also highlighted a lack of mental health services for Native Americans. A quarter of all people killed by police in the first three months of 2016 suffered from mental health problems or had threatened suicide, which made up about half of the Native American deaths. Native Lives Matter, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, started in late 2014 and aims to put the spotlight on oppression and injustice faced by Native Americans, and has spread its message on Facebook and twitter. Native American tribe takes oil fight to the UN In Tacoma, Washington, residents were horrified to learn of the death of Native American woman, 32-year-old Jacqueline Salyers of the Puyallup Tribe, on 28 January. Salyers, who was pregnant, was sitting behind the wheel of a parked car while her boyfriend - wanted criminal Kenneth Wright - was in the passenger seat. She was shot in the head by police, and Wright clambered over her body, armed with a rifle, and escaped. The shooting was ruled as justified as police claimed that Salyers had tried to run them over, but her family disputed the account. There was no video footage to verify the police claims. Residents of the town now meet to support each other, pursue justice for Salyers, and to share their experiences of police brutality. Everyone is welcome [at the meeting], said Silvia Sabon, a tribal woman whose Latino family friend Oscar Perez-Giron was killed by police over a bus ticket. It doesnt matter what color you are. We are all going through the same thing. James Rideout, a member of the group Justice For Jackie, told Democracy Now!, Jacqueline Salyers was a very, very loving, caring, considerate person that didnt deserve to die. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ever since he launched his campaign more than a year ago, Donald Trump has promised to build a wall along the border between the United States and Mexico. But hours before the debate, protesters built a different type of wall around one of Mr Trumps lavish hotels in Las Vegas a wall made of taco trucks. A motorcade of taco trucks parked in front of the real estate magnates Trump International Las Vegas hotel Wednesday afternoon to protest the potential presidency of the Republican nominee, CNN reported. Organised by the Culinary Workers Union, about 100 people gathered outside the hotel chanting Dump Trump and other anti-Trump slogans. If you dont get out and vote, this clown could be president, one worker yelled. Mr Trump has campaigned on a hardline anti-immigrant stance, calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals since day one of his candidacy. He has also vowed to build new wall along the 1,989 mile Mexican boundary and forcing the Mexican government foot the bill. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A former teacher slit his own throat in a California courtroom, moments after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl. Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, cut himself with a standard razor blade as the jurys verdict was read at a court in Huntington Beach on Wednesday morning. The defendants head reportedly slumped to the table as blood started to pour from his neck. Sheriffs deputies quickly administered first aid, but a screaming Jones refused to cooperate and was handcuffed. He was finally transported to a nearby hospital by paramedics, with non-life threatening injuries. His lawyer, Ed Welbourn, said he was sitting next to his client when the incident occurred but did not see it happen. My attention was on the jury, Mr Welbourn told the Orange County Register, but from what people tell me he had a blade somewhere in his clothing and he pulled it out when the verdicts were read. Authorities are reportedly investigating how Jones was able to bring the razor through the security checkpoint at the entrance to the court building. Jones was a teacher for 27 years and most recently taught English at Libra Academy in Huntington Park near Los Angeles. He sexually assaulted his victim multiple times between September 2012 and April 2013. Twice in May 2013, Jones raped the victim, stating that he would ruin her life if she told anyone what he was doing, prosecutors said in a statement. The teenager, who has not been publicly named, was not one of Joness pupils. The 56-year-old was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of continuous sexual abuse. He is set to be sentenced in November and could face life in prison. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has indicated he could reject the result of the US election. Speaking during the final televised debate, Mr Trump, who has previously said the election has been rigged against him, raised the possibility he could launch a challenge to the results. Asked directly if he would accept the results, Mr Trump said: I will look at it at the time, what Ive seen is so bad. Mr Trump blamed the media and voter fraud before turning his fire on Hillary Clinton. He said: The media is so bad... the pile-on is so amazing, they've poisoned the minds of the voters, but unfortunately for them the voters have seen through them. He added that millions of people are registered to vote in the US who shouldnt be. Speaking about Ms Clintons email controversy, he added: Hillary should not be allowed to run. Just in that sense its rigged. She should not be allowed to run given what she did. Pressed again if he would accept the results in November, Mr Trump replied: Ill tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Ms Clinton described Mr Trumps comments as horrifying. Let's be clear about what he is saying and what that means, she said. He is denigrating, he is talking down our democracy and I for one am appalled that someone who is the nominee for one of our two major parties would take that position. Ms Clinton accused Mr Trump of always saying things are rigged against him, including the Iowa primaries, various lawsuits and the TV awards The Emmys. Should have got that, Mr Trump interjected. It just shows youre not up to doing the job, Ms Clinton replied. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its the campaign event no-one is talking about, yet may provide one of the strangest, most uncomfortable nights of the 2016 US election. On Thursday night Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will be attending the 71st Alfred E Smith dinner, an annual fundraising event organised by a Catholic charity for poor children. Its no ordinary meal however theyre also expected to light-heartedly roast each other. But how? Their hatred for one another could not be clearer. Trump has called Clinton a nasty woman who should be in jail, and even seemed to call for her assasination. Meanwhile, Clinton has called Trump horrific, sexist and unfit for office. The dinners organisers have called for civility. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will deliver the evenings keynote speeches in the spirit of collegiality and good-humor that has become a hallmark of the gala, they have said. The dinner honors a cause that transcends the polarizing political rhetoric of the day. Trump v Clinton: Highlights from the third and final presidential debate This may have worked in previous election seasons, but how it will pan out this time is anyones guess. How can the two candidates take part in a good-natured roast when theyre engaged in the ugliest election campaigns in American history? In previous years, candidates have used the Alfred E Smith Dinner to made light of their opponents gaffes and shortcomings. In 2008, Barack Obama ribbed John McCain by making fun of how many homes he owned. While the collapse of the housing market has been tough on every single homeowner, he said, we have to recognise that this crisis has been eight times harder for John McCain. When the US president then faced Mitt Romney in 2012, he continued to lampoon his rivals wealth. Earlier today, I went shopping at some stores in Midtown, he said. I understand Gov Romney went shopping for some stores in Midtown. What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Show all 9 1 /9 What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump denying claims from a number of women that he sexually assaulted them This is all fiction, all fictionalised, probably or possibly started by her and her very sleazy campaign. I didn't even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't even do anything Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump claiming the Russian leader had no respect for Mrs Clinton She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her every step of the way. He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our President." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump interrupting Mrs Clinton with one of his most scathing personal attacks yet as she explained her policy on social security Such a nasty woman Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump claiming Mrs Clinton shouldn't have been allowed to run for presidency and that the election is rigged She should never have been allowed to run. Shes guilty of a very very serious crime. She should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect, I say its rigged. Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump voicing his pro-life stance during the abortion debate Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton suggesting this is not the first time Mr Trump has claimed results against him have been rigged There was even a time when Trump didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton responding to Mr Trump's lewd comments about women Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton implying Mr Trump is a puppet of Russian president Vladimir Putin He'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton comparing her political experience to Mr Trump's former television role On the day I was in the situation room monitoring the raid that brought Osama Bin Laden to justice he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice Getty Presidential candidates have always attacked each other and swung below the belt, yet this year the political climate seems to have swung into a place unprecedented in its toxicity. Among a long list of wild accusations including that the election will be rigged Trump has called Clinton the devil, and brushed off sexually assault claims by accusing her husband Bill of rape. Its hard to see how the candidates could ever see eye to eye again, and embrace the ethos of the Alfred E Smith dinner. McCain accused Obama of palling around with terrorists during the 2008 campaign, yet both men were able to come together in a show of unity at the event. I am especially honoured to be here tonight with my distinguished opponent Senator John McCain, Obama said at the time. It is a tribute to American democracy that the two of us could come together and sit down at the same dinner table without preconditions. (A running theme of McCains campaign was that Obama was naively willing to meet Iranian leaders without preconditions.) There is a chance that Trump and Clinton may grit their teeth and get on with it, delivering genial and tightly scripted speeches. But Trump cannot stay on script, and doesnt seem to have an even vaguely acceptable sense of humour. He once decided it was funny to mock a disabled reporter. Clinton on the other hand is in a very tricky position. She is perfect for the format, and would easily be able to deliver a roast during any other election campaign. But when your opponent is so toxic, racist, rude and dangerous, what can you say? Were about to find out. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Despite heated exchanges on subjects including womens rights, Russian hacks and the fairness of the electoral process, against all odds the final presidential debate in Las Vegas was the most substantive policy discussion so far between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Yet in what is likely to prove the evenings most enduring and controversial moment, Mr Trump declined to say whether he would accept the results of the election, saying he would look at it at the time, but that until then he planned to keep voters in suspense. Ms Clinton said she was appalled by the property developers unprecedented refusal to commit to concede the election should he lose, calling it horrifying and saying: That is not the way our democracy works. What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Show all 9 1 /9 What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump denying claims from a number of women that he sexually assaulted them This is all fiction, all fictionalised, probably or possibly started by her and her very sleazy campaign. I didn't even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't even do anything Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump claiming the Russian leader had no respect for Mrs Clinton She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her every step of the way. He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our President." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump interrupting Mrs Clinton with one of his most scathing personal attacks yet as she explained her policy on social security Such a nasty woman Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump claiming Mrs Clinton shouldn't have been allowed to run for presidency and that the election is rigged She should never have been allowed to run. Shes guilty of a very very serious crime. She should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect, I say its rigged. Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump voicing his pro-life stance during the abortion debate Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton suggesting this is not the first time Mr Trump has claimed results against him have been rigged There was even a time when Trump didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton responding to Mr Trump's lewd comments about women Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton implying Mr Trump is a puppet of Russian president Vladimir Putin He'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton comparing her political experience to Mr Trump's former television role On the day I was in the situation room monitoring the raid that brought Osama Bin Laden to justice he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice Getty With his poll numbers sliding precipitously less than three weeks from election day, the head-to-head provided Mr Trump with perhaps his last, best chance to make the case for himself and, more to the point, the case against Ms Clinton to a primetime television audience. For the former Secretary of State, the three debates have been an exercise in forbearance, as she strove to present a positive vision for the country while facing increasingly intense attacks from her opponent amid the most acrimonious presidential campaign in memory. Mr Trump kept his temper in check for the evenings first act, but as the debate wore on he showed flashes of anger, describing Ms Clinton as a nasty woman running a sleazy campaign and accusing the media of poisoning the minds of voters. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News had the unenviable task of keeping the debate at the University of Nevada on track, and with his early questions he succeeded in guiding the candidates towards policy and away from personal attacks. On the subject of their prospective appointments to the Supreme Court, for example, the two candidates expressed stark differences of opinion in particular on abortion rights, which Mr Trump suggested would be rolled back under his presidency. An impassioned Ms Clinton, by contrast, pledged to defend a womans right to choose and to support Planned Parenthood. I will defend womens rights to make their own healthcare decisions. We have come too far to have that turned back now, she said. For long periods, though, the debate descended again into an argument over the character and integrity of the two nominees. Asked about the content of campaign emails recently released by Wikileaks, Ms Clinton pivoted instead to the question of Russian involvement. Suggesting the leaks were part of a plot by Vladimir Putin to disrupt the US election, Ms Clinton said her opponent was the Russian Presidents clear favourite and that Mr Trump would be a puppet for Mr Putin should he be elected. The property developer said he condemned any attempt by a foreign power to disrupt the electoral process, but declined to accept the conclusion of multiple US intelligence services that Russia was responsible for the hack, and insisted that Mr Putin was not [his] best friend. Mr Wallace also raised the allegations of sexual assault that have been levelled at the Republican by nine women in the days since the second debate. Mr Trump said the stories were totally false, claiming the women were either attention seekers looking for 10 minutes of fame or that they had been put up to it by the Democrats campaign. I didnt even apologise to my wife, because I didnt do anything, he added. A CNN snap poll conducted immediately afterwards found that it had been a closer contest than the previous two debates, but that once again Clinton was considered the winner, by 52 per cent to 39 per cent. The two candidates traded barbs about their charitable foundations, with Ms Clinton trumpeting the work of the Clinton Foundation on AIDS treatment and in Haiti, while Mr Trump decried the organisation as a criminal enterprise. Mr Trump continued to argue that the ongoing assault on Mosul, the Islamic States last stronghold in Iraq, ought to have been a sneak attack, while accusing Ms Clinton of helping to create the conditions that allowed Isis to thrive during her tenure at the State Department. The Republican and the Democrat also offered their rival visions for the economy, with Mr Trump promising to cut taxes massively, while Ms Clinton said she would raise taxes, but only on those earning more than $250,000. On immigration, Mr Trump returned to his familiar rhetoric, arguing for strong borders and insisting that drugs and criminals were pouring into the US from Mexico. We have some bad hombres here, and weve got to get them out, he said. Ms Clinton promised to introduce a new comprehensive immigration reform package within her first 100 days in the Oval Office. She also said that when Mr Trump met with Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto in August and had the chance to press his signature policy a border wall funded solely by Mexican taxpayers he choked. The increasing number of vape users around the world causes many entrepreneurs to venture into this field. You can Read more here about many of these. There have been many vape shops being built to accommodate these massive audiences of vaping. However, some people who want to make their own vape shops do not have experience creating the business. So, here are some of the things that you should consider if youre going to indulge in the world of vaping through vape shops. Look for the Right Location Starting a business has its challenges Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have clashed over the rights of women to have abortions as the candidates locked horns in Las Vegas in the final US presidential debate. The two candidates did not shake hands as they entered the stage at the University of Nevada for their third election clash. Mr Trump said he planned to appoint "pro-life judges" to the Supreme Court and allow individual states to determine whether to allow abortion. The Republican nominee said: "If you go with what Hillary is saying you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby. "You can can say that's OK, and Hillary can say that's OK, but that's not OK with me. "Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable." Mrs Clinton responded: "That's not what happens in these cases and just using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate." "This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make and I do not believe the government should be making it," Clinton said. Clinton vowed to appoint justices who would uphold the ruling legalizing abortion. Both Republican and Democratic candidates said they supported the second amendment - the right to bear arms - in a discussion on gun control. Fox News host Chris Wallace is moderating the third election clash, which covers six topics - debt and entitlements, immigration, economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hotspots and fitness to be president. Mr Trump is facing a battle to win over undecided voters ahead of the November 8 election, with multiple polls showing Democrat Mrs Clinton is leading the race to the White House. US president Barack Obama's half brother Malik was in the debate audience as a guest of Mr Trump, after he told the New York Post the Republican "can make America great again". Hours before the debate, several taco vans lined up outside the Trump Hotel near the Las Vegas Strip in a protest over the Republican candidate. PA Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A biased crowd? Of course. Scorn when Hillary Clinton spoke, and loud applause when it was the turn of Donald Trump? You better believe it. Laughter at his interruptions and jokes. Most definitely. Ohio is one of the elections most important battleground states; no candidate of either party has won the White House without carrying it since John F Kennedy in 1960. An average of polls collated by news website Real Clear Politics, currently puts Trump half-a-point ahead of his Democratic rival in Ohio. And the Trump supporters who piled into the Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant in the town of Cortland on Wednesday, were determined to ensure that that their man goes all the way. Trump accused the Clinton campaign of fabricating the sexual assault claims against him at the final debate on Wednesday (Getty) (Getty Images) As if to bring about good luck, one supporter of Trump even asked the restaurant to switch over the channel from CNN apparently considered too liberal to the more conservative Fox News just before the debate got going. Craig Bonar and his wife Wendy arrived having already cast their ballot for the property magnate, something permitted under Ohios early voting rules. I was not going to vote for Trump but then he started acting more presidential, said Wendy Bonar. Large swathes of Ohio are prime territory for Trumps message. The state has lost jobs to outsourcing overseas, seen its young ravaged by heroin and watched as inequality has grown. Frustration with mainstream politicians is high, and the 70-year-old tycoon has attracted voters with his his promise of a ready fix. Donald Trump suggests to Hillary Clinton Roe v Wade will be reversed if he becomes president They have lost jobs, nobody is doing anything, said Mickey Fox, 68, who was among the first to arrive at the debate watch party. People feel disgusted. When you see it over and over again. The politicians keep saying things. Fox, who worked for three decades delivering soft drinks in eastern Ohio, said he believed Trump could win the state, and with it, the White House. Do debates really change anything? A single sentence summary of the night would be that Trumps supporters had no time for Clintons answers, and that they accepted the tycoons responses readily. Nobody needed to be won over. And when Trump was asked about the many women who have accused him of sexual assault, they accepted his response that they were all made up for whatever reason. People were also happy when Clinton was pressed about her deleted emails. I dont think theyre true. Why have these women waited 30 years, Regina McManus said of the sexual assault charges. She said that Clinton had been a politician for decades and done nothing. There was no reason to expect she would do any better if she were to become president. She has had all that time and shes done nothing, she added. Randy Law was the chairman of the Trumbull County Republican Party and was responsible for organising the event. Donald Trump is very popular in this county, he said. Hes a candidate who will bring back jobs and help people. People like a straight talker. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nigel Farage, the acting leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, offered Donald Trump a bit advice just hours ahead of the third and final presidential debate. [Donald Trump] must talk about the issues tonight: America's place in the world, strong border controls and helping small business owners, Mr Farage, a vocal supporter of the Trump campaign, tweeted on Wednesday. His comments come shortly after an appearance on CNN where he suggested that the Republican nominee avoids addressing the women who have accused him of sexual assault. I think whether its Washington or Brussels or London, what weve seen over the last 25 years is an emergence of a political class that is out of touch with mainstream public opinion, he told CNN. Hillary [Clinton] is the epitome of that establishment. Mr Farage helped spearhead the effort behind the UKs exit from the European Union. His political movement has been compared to Mr Trumps campaign for its tough views on immigration and trade policy. He also downplayed the impact of Ms Clintons double-digit lead in recent national polls. Maybe also people arent telling pollsters the truth, he said in the interview. Thinking, I dont want to tell a pollster Im voting for Trump, but in private, thats how I feel and thats what Im going to do. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The candidates for president of the United States faced off for the third and final time, but only one could come out on top. So, who won? Donald Trump has had some trouble over the past few weeks staying on message in his debates, instead resorting to jabs and insults at his opponent. All the while, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came to each debate prepared and seemingly immune to Mr Trumps attacks. During this final debate in Las Vegas, Mr Trump did appear somewhat more prepared than he had in previous debates although, expectations for the real estate magnate were low and a behavioural adjustment would appear to improve. Trump calls Clinton 'such a nasty woman' But viewers do not appear to have bought Mr Trumps toned down performance, which was still rife with racist dog whistles when he referred to Mexican criminals as bad hombres, sexism when he called Ms Clinton a nasty woman, and despotic undertones when he suggested he would not accept the results of the election if he lost. But according to the latest YouGov poll, Hillary Clinton won the debate hands down. Third and final presidential debate in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Third and final presidential debate in pictures Third and final presidential debate in pictures Debate watching party in a California bar Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Brothers: Stephen Baldwin and Malik Obama Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Third and final presidential debate in pictures Getty Of the 1503 registered voters who watched the debate, 49 per cent found that Ms Clinton won; while 39 per cent thought Mr Trump won. Only 12 per cent thought the debate ended in a tie. A large majority, 68 per cent, of those surveyed said that the candidates should pledge to accept the result of the election which included 51 Republicans. Only 14 per cent opposed such a pledge, while 18 per cent did not know. When it came to temperament and fitness, Ms Clinton dominated. Sixty-nine per cent said that Ms Clinton demonstrated excellent or good knowledge of policies, as opposed to Mr Trumps 40. Some 59 per cent of viewers surveyed also found Ms Clinton presidential, while Mr Trump only earned 40 on this point. On the issues, the candidates were basically tied. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a different election year, it might have been a deal-breaker: over the past fortnight, Wikileaks has steadily released close to 19,000 messages hacked from the email account of Hillary Clintons presidential campaign chairman, John Podesta. For the most part, they paint a fascinating but largely unsurprising picture of the inner workings of a modern campaign: lists of potential VP picks, aides and allies griping privately about bothersome commentators and a spoiled Chelsea Clinton. Recommended Read more 5 things to expect at the third US presidential debate But there are a few unflattering nuggets some shorn of crucial context that Donald Trump could use against Clinton at tonight's third presidential debate. It is unclear whether the Podesta emails have had any significant effect on the polls, which show Clinton pulling away from Trump amid the Republican nominees own travails. But that hasnt stopped Trump using them on the stump, to bolster his claims that the Clinton campaign, its donors, the media and the big banks are all part of a global conspiracy to deny him the White House. The Wall Street speech transcripts During the Democratic primary, Clintons more progressive rival Bernie Sanders made repeated reference to the paid speeches she had given to Wall Street firms including Goldman Sachs, citing them as evidence of her cosiness with the big banks before and since the financial crisis. Now that the transcripts of those speeches have leaked among Podestas emails, its clear why the Clinton campaign declined to release them. While there is nothing specifically incriminating in her remarks, they do suggest a candidate who takes a more forgiving stance to Wall Street than does Sanders, the Democratic base or, indeed, the wider public. Clintons attitude to Wall Street is something her campaign aides agonised over in emails. The subject came up at the second debate, when the Democrat was asked about a section of one speech, in which she suggested politicians needed both a public and a private position on certain issues when negotiating policy. On the stump, Trump has wildly mischaracterised the Wikileaks disclosures, claiming they reveal that Clinton meets in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers. What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? Show all 8 1 /8 What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On the leaked tape from 2005 where he talks about sexually assaulting women I'm very embarrassed by it, I hate it, but it's locker room talk. It's one of those things. I will knock the hell out of Isis Getty What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On Hillary Clinton I hate to say it but if I win I'm going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation. There has never been so many lies, so much deception. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Rex What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On Bill Clinton What he's done to women, there's never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation that's been so abusive to women. AP What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On whether his alleged opposition to Iraq War had been disproven "Its not debunked. Its not debunked." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On exploiting tax loopholes "I absolutely used it, and so did Warren Buffett, and so did George Soros and so did many people who Hillary is getting money from." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On claims he's sexist I have great respect for women. Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Reuters What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On what he respects about Hillary Clinton I will say this about Hillary - she doesn't quit, she doesn't give up. I tell it like it is. She's a fighter. Reuters What did Donald Trump say during the second presidential debate? On his controversial immigration policies "Its called extreme vetting. Were going to areas like Syria, where they are coming in by the tens of thousands because of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton wanting to allow a 550 per cent increase [of refugees] over Obama. People are coming into this country. We have no idea who they are, where they are from and what their feelings are about this country." Getty Donna Braziles death penalty question Back in March, Democratic grandee and CNN contributor Donna Brazile sent the Clinton campaign an email entitled From time to time I get the questions in advance, which contained an in-depth question about the death penalty that closely resembled a question Clinton was asked the following evening at a CNN town hall event. The Trump campaign pounced on the exchange after it appeared in a batch of Wikileaks documents, presenting it as proof not only that the media and the Clinton campaign were colluding, but that the Democratic establishment had rigged the primary process against Sanders, in this case by leaking difficult questions to Clinton in advance. At the time, Brazile was vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which is ostensibly neutral during the primary. She has since become the acting DNC chair, after Debbie Wasserman Schultz was forced to step down amid a separate leak of internal DNC emails, which appeared to show DNC staffers favouring Clinton over the Vermont Senator. Brazile and CNN have both denied she had access to the town hall questions in advance, with Brazile adding in a statement that she would never have shared them with the candidates if I did. A Democratic official claimed Brazile raised the death penalty question in her email because she expected to be asked about it herself as a panellist on ABC News the following day, and had wanted to check each Democratic candidates position on the issue. Flip-flopping on trade and Keystone XL Both Trump and Sanders have attacked Clinton for her past support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, which she now claims to oppose. The Podesta emails suggest just how enthusiastic she was about TPP, until she wasnt. In one leaked 2013 speech to New York business leaders, Clinton said that as Secretary of State she had led the way on an Obama administration decision to be a major presence in Asia, with TPP the economic core of the so-called pivot. The US, she added, was in a competition for the future and we need more partners and fewer adversaries. During the primaries, Clinton was cagey about whether she would support the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, an issue that pitted two prospective Democratic constituencies environmentalists and labour unions against each other. President Obama eventually rejected the planned pipeline, but emails show that Clintons campaign deliberated at length over her support for Mr Obamas decision, how to frame her position and whether to have Clinton announce it herself, or simply leak it to the press. Their back-and-forth could be seen to betray a campaign more concerned with the optics of such issues than with the issues themselves. Media relations Clintons critics have leapt on some of her campaigns email exchanges with journalists as evidence of media bias, which chimes with Trumps repeated claim that the media is helping to rig the election against him. The New York Times and Washington Post have done more than most to doom the property developers presidential chances, so its little surprise that online commentators have focused on an email in which the Posts Juliet Eilperin gave Podesta a heads up about a story she was about to publish, and another in which New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich asked permission to use off-the-record quotes from an interview with Clinton. What many of those commentators omit from their criticism is that this is precisely how journalism works: campaign sources are cultivated; quotes and confirmation are sought for stories. The emails in question are utterly routine but that wont necessarily prevent Trump from wielding them as part of his pet conspiracy theory. Russian interference? The Clinton campaign has refused to authenticate the leaked Podesta emails. In a statement, a campaign spokesman said Wikileaks was proving they are nothing but a propaganda arm of the Kremlin with a political agenda doing Putins dirty work to help elect Donald Trump. While the leaked emails may be fodder for Clintons opponents, they also feed a narrative thats less helpful for Trump. The FBI suspects Russian intelligence services were behind the hack, which looks like part of a concerted Kremlin campaign to undermine the US democratic process to the benefit of the Republican nominee. Ecuador appears to agree, cutting off Wikileaks founder Julian Assanges Internet access at its London embassy, over concerns that he was attempting to interfere in the election. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tens of thousands of Argentines marched in the capital of Buenos Aires on Wednesday to condemn violence against women, the latest public outcry following the brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl who was drugged, raped and tortured. Lucia Perez was killed in the coastal city of Mar del Plata earlier this month. Authorities say she was forced to consume cocaine, and was later raped and impaled by two men who have been arrested. The prosecutor investigating the crime called the attack an act of inhuman sexual aggression. The demonstrators, including schoolchildren and women with children in strollers, braved the heavy rain to gather at the iconic Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires. Chanting slogans and carrying banners and flags, they marched to the pink presidential palace at the Plaza de Mayo square. I'm here to demand justice for my grandchildren, said Helga Scumlitz, 74, who was moved to join the march after she heard about the gruesome killing of Lucia Perez in the news. What's happening is horrible. And it's happening every day. The demonstration, which is being echoed across Argentina and in other Latin American countries, was organized on social media by women's groups under the slogans NiUnaMenos, meaning Not one less and Black Wednesday. I heard about this girl who was raped to death. It's so unfair and it should never happen again, said Malena Resino, a 14-year-old student who joined the march with her classmates after school. I'm very proud that so many people joined because together we can achieve something. There were 275 gender-based killings of Argentine women in the past year, according to Casa del Encuentro, a women's rights group and shelter. In 40 of those cases, women had reported attacks by men, and some even had restraining orders. How many more like Lucia are out there and nothing has been done? Marta Montero, the mother of Lucia Perez asked during an interview with local radio Vorterix. Demonstrators, who dressed in black to mourn Perez and other victims, also staged a brief work stoppage earlier in the day as a sign of protest. It's important that not only women but also men join this movement. Our husbands are here wearing black and are supporting the protest, said Monica Pavicich, 59, who demonstrated with her work colleagues in downtown Buenos Aires. Similar marches against gender-based violence also took place in Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. A large banner carried by protesters in one of the main avenues of the Chilean capital read: Furious and in mourning. More than 25,000 people were estimated to have demonstrated in Santiago and more than 20 other cities throughout the country. Hundreds of people gathered at Mexico City's Angel of Independence monument. Many of them had purple and black handprints painted on their bodies to protest gender violence. Diana Echeverria, a 23-year-old student, said she was forced to flee her home state of San Luis Potosi after she was sexually abused a year ago. The authorities refused to help me, she said. They told me that this is what life is like. Associated Press For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said 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. Ms 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 conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The crisis deepened earlier 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. Ms Suu Kyi said on 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. Ms Suu Kyi met with US President Barack Obama in Washington last month, as he worked to remove remaining economic sanctions on Burma (AP) We are of course determined to contain the situation and to make sure that we restore peace and harmony as soon as possible, she said. We are not going to allow either the security or stability or the integrity of our country to be threatened. Ms 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 country's 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 remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. In August, Ms Suu Kyi appointed former UN 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 neighbours in 2012. They have little access to health care and 30,000 of their children do not have proper schools, according to a UN 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, Ms 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. Ms Suu Kyi told the UN investigator that the government would avoid using the term Rohingya, which many Burmese citizens consider incendiary. Many Burmese citizens call Rohingya Bengali, a reference to the fact that some migrated from Bangladesh years earlier. This is inflammatory, Ms 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. Ms Suu Kyi brushed aside the frequent criticism that, as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, she has not done more to speak out about the Rohingyass 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 don't like the way I talk about it because I don't 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. I've 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 Ms Suu Kyi had made strides in addressing the issue after her government took over, including the appointment of Mr Annan. But the spate of violence may change that, he said. These recent attacks have completely changed the landscape here and what's possible to do right now, Horsey said. It has a huge potential to make the situation much, much worse and much harder to fix. Ms Suu Kyi, whose official title is state counsellor, spoke in a hall 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 Delhi while her mother was ambassador here. Ms 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 election, Burmas generals retain a tight grip on power, reserving 25 per cent 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 defence. Tacitly neither will challenge the other much, Horsey said. Shes not challenging military on security issues and not pushing for changes in the constitution, and theyre not showing signs of actively undermining her civilian government. When Ms Suu Kyi visited Washington and met with US President Barack Obama last month, he worked to 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 US entities. This final move should spur foreign investment from the United States, which remains a fraction of the estimated $9bn (7.3bn) foreign investment in the country this year, experts said. We've depended on sanctions long enough, Ms Suu Kyi said. Sanctions were put into place at a time we most needed a little leverage. I think it's time that we moved on to a different phase. Washington Post For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Pakistans highest court has ruled that schizophrenia does not qualify as a mental disorder under the country's legal definition, paving the way for a mentally ill mans execution. The United Nations warned it would be against international law to hang Imdad Ali, who was sentenced to death over the murder of a religious scholar in 2002. In 2012, the 50-year-old was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and psychosis that doctors said impaired Mr Alis rational thinking and decision-making capabilities, and was declared clinically insane in a medical report the following year. But he lost his final appeal last year and has since had his execution stayed by a last-minute appeal lodged by his wife at the Supreme Court. On Thursday, judges ruled that the execution can go ahead, after finding that Mr Ali's schizophrenia is not a permanent condition and varies according to the level of stress. Reprieve, a UK-based legal charity, said the court claimed that it is, therefore, a recoverable disease, which, in all the cases, does not fall within the definition of mental disorder as defined in the Mental Health Ordinance, 2001. The decision Mr Ali could be executed as early as 26 October, despite a medical assessment in September concluding his illness appeared to be treatment resistant. Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of national security. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be against the interests of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images Previously, the same court said a large proportion of prisoners in Pakistan suffer from mental illness and that authorities cannot let everyone go. Maya Foa, a director of Reprieve, said: It is outrageous for Pakistans Supreme Court to claim that schizophrenia is not a mental illness, and flies in the face of accepted medical knowledge, including Pakistans own mental health laws. It is terrifying to think that a mentally ill man like Imdad Ali could now hang because judges are pretending that schizophrenia is not a serious condition. "Pakistans President needs to urgently intervene to stop this sickening attempt to hang Imdad. The UNs human rights office has called on the government to halt Mr Alis execution and to launch a re-trial in compliance with international standards. It is a violation of death penalty safeguards to impose capital punishment on individuals with a psychosocial disability, said a panel of experts from the Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR). The courts have disregarded medical reports asserting that the defendant has a psychosocial disability and have not conducted an independent evaluation of his mental health status. Implementing the death penalty under these conditions is unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution, as well as a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. The body said Mr Ali was referred for mental health treatment a year before the alleged murder but that the illness was not mentioned in the court ruling sentencing him to death. In September, the first secretary of Pakistans permanent mission to the UN said the government was examining the countrys penal code to determine whether the death penalty could be narrowed amid criticism over Mr Alis case. More than 400 people have been executed since the government lifted a four-year moratorium on the death penalty in 2014, following the Talibans massacre at a school in Peshawar. Capital punishment was initially only restored for terror offences but later reinstated for kidnapping, murder, blasphemy and other capital crimes, leaving more than 8,000 prisoners on death row For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has announced his separation from the United States. He made the comment at a business forum in the presence of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli at Beijings Great Hall of the People during a four-day state visit to China. It follows Mr Dutertes admission that a close economic partnership with China is his nations only hope following a cooling of relations with the US. Maybe because I am Chinese, I believe in sincerity, he said in an extended interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, when asked why the Philippines had changed its policy towards China. Since 2012, the two countries have been locked in a fierce territorial dispute involving islands in the South China sea, ever since China denied Philippine fishermen access to crucial waters around Huangyan Island. Duterte said the South China Sea arbitration case would take the back seat during talks, and that he would wait for the Chinese to bring up the dispute rather than doing so himself. It is not the time to go to war with China, he said, referring to the disagreement. The only hope of the Philippines economically, Ill be frank with you, is China, he continued. This visit [to China] is the defining moment of my presidency. I would say that China deserves the kind of respect that China now enjoys. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who Mr Duterte is due to hold talks with on Thursday, described the official visit as a milestone which could push relations between the two countries back on a friendly footing, calling the Philippines brothers to China. Mr Duterte pointed out that a quarter of the Philippine population is of Chinese descent, including his own grandfather who hailed from the city of Xiamen, and said that at a recent business forum, everybody [was] shouting to accompany him to China. The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, dont go into that, even if youre a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, Kill me AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life I was separated from my wife. Im not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA This is the start of a souring of relations with America, he added, before retracting his comment and saying he was not breaking away from the US but merely wanted to be friends with everybody. Meanwhile, Beijing has vowed to restore Philippine agricultural exports to China and provide financing for Philippine infrastructure. Mr Duterte publicly implored President Xi to provide the funds to build a major railroad in the Philippines, if you can find it in your heart to give it to us. In early October, Mr Duterte effectively severed 65 years of military ties between the US and the Philippines by ordering US troops out of the country. The president, who has been in power since June, has attracted condemnation from the US and EU for encouraging a violent and protracted war on drugs, in which 3,600 have been killed prompting Mr Duterte to issue expletive-filled dismissals of all who opposed his policies. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Australian man accused of murdering a woman he met on a Tinder date has been found not guilty. Gable Tostee has been cleared of both the murder and manslaughter of Warriena Wright, who died when she fell from his 14th floor balcony. Although prosecutors did not allege Mr Tostee, 30, had thrown Ms Wright, 26, to her death, they argued she was so scared of him she fell while trying to escape from his apartment balcony in the city of Gold Coast. Ms Wright, from New Zealand, had been on holiday in Australia when she arranged to meet Mr Tostee in a local pub in 7 August, 2014, before heading to his home. The pair spent the night together before Ms Wright fell from the balcony in the early hours of the morning. An audio recording by Mr Tostee played to the court appeared to show the pair fighting, with Ms Wright heard threatening to "destroy [Mr Tostee's] jaw". Recording heard in court of girl's final screams before falling to her death She is later heard to scream: "Let me go home." I would, but youve been a bad girl, he replied. Youre lucky I havent chucked you off my balcony. I should have never given you so much to drink. Im gonna walk you out of this apartment just the way you are, youre not going to collect any belongings. If you try to pull anything, Ill knock you out." Ms Wright then appears to scream no repeatedly before falling and screaming. Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder Show all 6 1 /6 Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile The initial picture looks like a typical Tinder profile picture Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile Another "normal" Tinder profile picture Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile As users swipe through, suddenly the woman in the picture looks much younger Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile The woman in the profile picture looks unhappy and child-like and become less like typical Tinder profiles Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile As users continue to swipe through they will reach the message of the campaign Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile The fake profile ends with this image During the trial, prosecutor Glen Cash said Mr Tostee intimidated and threatened Ms Wright so much that she felt her only escape was to climb down from his balcony. Cash alleged that Tostee became angry after Wright threw ornamental rocks at him and hit him with a telescope. The prosecutor also said that Tostee choked and restrained her before locking her out of his apartment on the balcony. Defence lawyer Saul Holt denied Mr Tostee was responsible for Ms Wright's death, saying she had become erratic and aggressive toward Mr Tostee after a night of drinking. After four days of deliberations, the jury of six men and six women found Mr Tostee not guilty of murder or manslaughter. He faced a life sentence if convicted. When friends from out of town come to visit me where I live in Bethesda, Maryland, there are two ways in which I can accommodate them. First, I can host them at my apartment. Second, I can pay taxes to the State of Maryland to subsidize the construction of a new $600 million Marriott International corporate campus and hotel, where they can stay. State and county officials evidently did not get the memo that I would prefer the first option. On Tuesday, the Maryland Department of Commerce announced that hotel chain Marriott International would relocate its corporate headquarters from the current location in northern Bethesda to a new site in downtown Bethesda. Marriott will also build a 200-room hotel on the new site. The price taxpayers will pay for the privilege of having Marriott five miles further south? Sixty-two million dollars, according to a Washington Post report. As the lease on its current headquarters expires in 2022, Marriott intimated that it would move its campus to another locality in the D.C. area. To keep the company in Bethesdas Montgomery County, the state and county governments offered Marriott an incentive package funded by taxpayers. It was not the first time: in 1999, Marriott scrapped a plan to relocate to Fairfax County after Maryland and Montgomery County officials put up an incentive package worth up to $58 million. The latest installment in the subsidy saga involves $44 million in grants, to be divided equally between Montgomery County and the Maryland state government. In addition, Marriott will receive $18 million in tax benefits, $12 million of which will come from the county. The bill for county taxpayers (myself included) amounts to $34 million, and the bill for state taxpayers totals $28 million. My taxes will be higher so that Marriotts can be lower. Specifically, the bill equates to $49 for every adult resident of Montgomery County and $6 for every adult resident of Maryland. That might seem manageable, but does real damage to taxpayers when combined with Marylands other tax breaks and corporate subsidies. Marylands Department of Commerce argues that the incentives will keep 3,500 jobs in Maryland. But these are not new jobs Marriott as a company will not cease to exist because Maryland refused to offer incentives. Subsidies do not create new wealth; they merely redistribute it. It is true that Marylands government is diverting economic activity from Virginia (or wherever else Marriott would have built its new campus) to Bethesda. But Maryland officials should consider whether they really want to spend taxpayer money on an arms race with neighboring states. That is the sort of game that can get very expensive, very quickly. In addition, the government may still fail to boost the local economy through such subsidy schemes. The tax incentives may cause Marriott to buy a property in Bethesda to build its new campus. That is a property that now cannot be sold to someone elsewho might have built an apartment building or group of restaurants without tax incentives. Marriott will hire construction workers to build its new campus, but those are construction workers who could have been employed by another developer. The economic activity Marriott generates through the construction of its new corporate headquarters may be offset by reduced economic activity elsewhere. Policymakers must not only consider visible economic activity Marriotts new campus but the invisible losses dispersed throughout the economy. When Marriott uses up finite resources on the taxpayer dime, those resources cannot be put to other, more productive uses. The free market generally determines the optimal allocation of resources through the price system. If a certain property is more valuable to Marriott than anyone else, it will be willing to pay the highest price. If construction workers are more valuable working for Marriott than elsewhere, Marriott will be willing to pay the highest wages. Introduce subsidies, though, and the system breaks down. If the subsidies give Marriott an undeserved edge over competing bidders for land and labor, societys resources will flow to less valuable and less efficient uses. Add that to all the other distortions caused by government policy, and it is easy to see why Marylands economy grew at a rate of just 1.5 percent in 2015 (the national figure was 2.4 percent). Maryland and Montgomery County officials should free people and businesses to determine the best way to use societys resources, rather than meddling with the economy on the backs of taxpayers. Preston Cooper is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. You can follow him on Twitter here. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning Ebrief. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Spains highest court has overturned a parliamentary ban on bullfighting in Catalonia. The Constitutional Court has ruled that the 2010 ban of the sport in the autonomous region encroached on state cultural powers, after bullfighting was granted protected cultural heritage status in 2013. Spains governing political party, Partido Popular, argued that the ban harmed freedom of artistic creation, education rights and cultural heritage, and prevented the development of business in Catalonia. A statement from the court said the unconstitutional ban had been declared void. Catalonia has regional powers to regulate public affairs and uphold animal welfare rules, but the Spanish Government argued that in this case an annulment of the ban would protect the countrys cultural heritage, according to El Pais. The court ruled in favour of this argument, which also took into account an appeal lodged by Partido Popular in 2010. The national government issued two laws in 2013 and again in 2015, to give bullfighting cultural heritage status in the country, aiding the main argument that the ban encroached on regional state powers. Alyx Elliott, Head of Campaigns UK at World Animal Protection, strongly condemned the ruling. The news that such a significant ban to prevent animal cruelty has been overturned is outrageous. The bullfighting ban in 2010 was overwhelmingly supported by the Catalonian people and thousands more around the globe. There is nothing that can justify an activity that relies on animal torture and indefensible levels of suffering as of cultural heritage or importance, she told The Independent. This is an incredibly sad day for all of those who welcomed the ban in 2010 and have fought for it to remain: it represents a huge step backwards into a less compassionate time and there should be no place in the 21st Century for such a deplorable sport. The ban is likely to cause an escalation in Catalonias increasing efforts to achieve independence. The regions separatist movement is campaigning for sovereignty of the region, and has called an independence referendum for September 2017. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A crew member on a Disney cruise ship has been arrested after allegedly raping another member of staff. The incident is said to have taken place on Saturday while the cruise liner was docked in Cadiz, a port city in south west Spain. The two colleagues were staying on board a smaller boat called Rhapsody while the main liner was refurbished, according to local newspaper La Voz de Cadiz. It is said that the pair had consensual sex before the alleged attack, in which the victim is believed to have refused anal sex with her co-worker the following morning. A 28-year-old man is being held in custody and has appeared before a local court after the incident was reported to the police. The Spanish national police has now taken over the investigation, according to Diario de Cadiz. The cruise liner, which has around 900 members of staff, is docked in the town from early September to late October. Inside Disney Shanghai park Show all 14 1 /14 Inside Disney Shanghai park Inside Disney Shanghai park Castle Worm's eye view of the crystal chandelier in the castle of the Shanghai Disney Resort Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Restaurant Restaurant of the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Shop People visit the souvenir shop at Shanghai Disneyland Hotel Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Treasure Cove 'Treasure Cove' - the Pirates of the Caribbean themed attraction Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Disney-themed subway train Cartoon images are pictured in a Disney-themed subway train of the Shanghai Metro Line 11 linking the Luoshan Road Station and the Disney Resort Station Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Shanghai Disneyland Hotel Guest room of the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel Inside Disney Shanghai park Toy Story Hotel Corridor of Toy Story Hotel Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Toy Story Hotel The inside of a guest room is seen at Toy Story Hotel Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Disney Shanghai by night Tourists visit the Shanghai Disney Resort in Shanghai Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Alice in Wonderland maze Aerial view of the "Alice in Wonderland" maze in the Shanghai Disneyland Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Tomorrowland at night Aerial view of the illuminated Tomorrowland in the Shanghai Disneyland during the trial operation at the Shanghai Disney Resort Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Opening ceremony preparations at Shanghai Disney Resort Firework and light show rehearsal at the Shanghai Disneyland Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Official opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, Aerial view of disney resort Rex Features Inside Disney Shanghai park Entrance Tourists exit from the Shanghai Disneyland Rex Features In September, another employee of the Disney cruise liner was arrested and later released for alleged indecent exposure in front of two children in a Cadiz shopping centre, reported La Vox de Cadiz. Rebecca Coriam, a Disney cruise worker from Chester, disappeared in 2011 less than 24 hours after the ship she was working on set off from Los Angeles. MP Chris Matheson, who is involved in the investigation into the 24-year-old's disappearance, has said there is a "real possibility" she was murdered, according to The Chester Standard. A Disney Cruise Line spokesperson told The Independent the alleged attacker is no longer with the company. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An anti-domestic violence foundation has opened in Spain to provide women with specially-trained guard dogs to protect them from abusive partners. Security Dogs, a non-profit organisation, is run by veteran dog handler Angel Mariscal and gives 'protection dogs' to abused women, a scheme that counts on the natural instinct of canines to defend their owners. Seven years ago, Mr Mariscal realised dogs could be used to protect victims from harm and today 20 women use the service, with a further 16 on the waiting list. The purchase and training of each dog costs up to 8,000 but is provided free of charge by the foundation, paid for out of the profits from Mr Mariscal's private security firm. The project currently receives no funding from the Spanish government or local authorities. Both the animal and their new owner must undergo a course of up to 200 hours before they are allowed to leave together and women who approach the foundation are first assessed by a psychologist. The woman's home environment must be deemed suitable, followed by a further 20-hour course under police supervision to match the adoptee with a dog that suits them. These dogs do not bite and they dont go in for the kill. They are not aggressive, because we need animals that are very sociable, able to live in homes with children and behave perfectly normally until they are given a specific command to protect their owner, Mr Mariscal told El Pais. "We prefer it if the courts have already issued a restraining order against the womans partner, but we will look at cases where women are too frightened to report their aggressor to the authorities. "We soon realised that these dogs do so much more than just protect their new owners. They give women a new sense of self-confidence: women feel empowered, they get their lives back, they start going out and meeting new people." Mr Mariscal said the head of psychiatry at a leading hospital in Madrid told him "the dogs achieve in seven days what takes him seven years in terms of recovery therapy". World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty America, one of the women now using a protection dog provided by Mariscal, said her dog helped her confidence far more than any group therapy sessions previously had. "We want legislation that will allow women to take these dogs with us wherever we go, like guide dogs," she said. Mr Mariscal said he had been contacted by the authorities in Mexico, with a view to establishing a similar scheme there. According to a UN report last year, 13 per cent of Spanish women were physically or sexually abused by a partner or ex-partner, compared to 26 per cent in France, 29 per cent in Britain and 32 per cent in Denmark or Latvia. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The European Union is bracing itself for years of complex trade negotiations, free movement talks and numerous legal headaches as Britain prepares to leave the bloc. But first, one very important question must be resolved: how do you say Brexit? Many European languages use different genders for nouns, and in Germany, France and Spain, the word Brexit is masculine. In these countries, der Brexit, le Brexit, and el Brexit are commonplace but cross the Italian border, and the term for Britains EU departure becomes feminine. In Italy, news reports on European affairs and Ryanair price wars all refer to la Brexit after a discursive 1,800-word directive was published by national language institute Accademia Della Crusca. According to the guidelines written by linguistic professor Anna Thornton, as the Italian word for exit, uscita, is feminine, Brexit should be too. Brexit could mean end of fresh British fruit and vegetables If Grexit and Brexit are both 'exits', then in Italian they should be given the feminine gender, according to one of the principles that we apply when assigning a gender to a noun taken from a foreign language, she wrote. That exit should sound like the equivalent of uscita in Italian seems indisputable. It appears that Italian is an anomaly in this regard, as Brexit is also masculine in Polish, Flemish, Catalan and Welsh. I personally would keep it masculine as I would do with any term that doesn't originate from the Welsh language, Welsh translator Gwen Saunders Jones told The Independent. It also avoids the issues of mutation that would occur if it were feminine. A quick glance at the Welsh Assembly's minutes online tend to keep it masculine too. Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters Brexit is known as le Brexit in French and el Brexit in Spanish for the same reason because new words are almost always masculine, according to The Guardian. The newspaper also pointed out that most French nouns ending in t, with a few exceptions, are masculine, although the Academie Francaise has not yet made an official decision on the matter. And while a number of German nouns ending in it are neuter instead of masculine or feminine, der Brexit might also be influenced by the fact that the German word for exit, der Austritt, is masculine. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Vladimir Putin gave hope that Russia would halt air strikes on Aleppo indefinitely following a meeting with the French and German leaders, who both condemned Russia's bombardment of the city. During talks, French President Francois Hollande said: "What is happening in Aleppo is truly a war crime". Russia had promised that the Syrian government strikes, which are supported by Moscow, would be suspended for eight hours on Thursday to allow civilians to leave the besieged city and for rebels to flee. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes," Mr Putin said after meeting the leaders in Berlin "We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo." Mr Hollande, speaking separately after the meeting, said: "I can't put myself in [Mr Putin's] place but what I understood was that he would go beyond the eight hours announced. Ms Merkel called the air raids on Syria's second city as "inhumane and cruel". She described the talks on Aleppo as "very hard." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Both leaders warned they could not exclude imposing sanctions on Russia, just ahead of an EU summit where Russia's actions in Syria were to be discussed. "We can't deny ourselves the option but the priority has to be to help people," Ms Merkel said. "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said. Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} French President Francois Hollande has warned Theresa May that if she wants a hard Brexit, negotiations over leaving the bloc will not be easy for her. I say very firmly; if Madame Theresa May wants a hard Brexit, then talks will be hard too, said Mr Hollande as he arrived for the EU leaders summit on Thursday. The summit is the Prime Minster's first since the June referendum. Earlier this month, Ms May said she aimed to trigger Article 50, starting the two year countdown to Britain's exit from the bloc, in March. Her speech at a conference of her Conservatives in Birmingham eariler this month suggested she is leaning towards a hard Brexit, in which Britain would place limits on immigration and lose access to Europe's lucrative single market. Over recent weeks however, Ms May and her ministers have sent out different signals, deepening the sense of confusion about her intentions. Arriving for the summit in Brussels, she insisted Britain would play a full part in the EU until it left. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty This is my first European Council and I'm here with a very clear message: the UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we have left, Ms May said. The Prime Minister also said she would like to hold preparatory talks with EU governments before invoking Article 50, but the EU has stuck firmly to its line that there will be no early negotiations before Article 50 is invoked. European Parliament President Martin Schulz said on Thursday that the EU would be running into a trap if it began substantive talks with Britain before London had formally notified its partners in writing that it intends to leave. Ms May was excluded from last month's summit of EU leaders in Bratislava, but EU President Donald Tusk quashed speculation the two-day meeting in Brussels would be tumultuous. Some media described her first meeting in the European Council as entering the lion's den. It's not true. It's more like a nest of doves, he told reporters. She'll be absolutely safe with us. And I hope that she will also realise that the European Union is simply the best company in the world. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A police officer has died of his injuries after being shot by an anti-government extremist in Germany in what officials condemned as a brutal crime. The unnamed man was part of an armed response unit sent to confiscate legally-owned hunting weapons from an unreliable resident in Georgensgmund, who had refused mandatory checks. When the team entered the 49-year-old mans home early on Wednesday morning, he opened fire from behind a door, shooting two police officers and leaving two others with serious injuries from flying glass. Police officers gather in front of a house where a man opened fire on police in Georgensgmuend, Germany, 19 October 2016. (EPA) A 32-year-old officer was taken to hospital in a critical condition after bullets struck his helmet, elbow and edge of his protective vest. He died from his injuries in the early hours of Thursday morning, a spokesperson for Central Franconia Police said. Joachim Herrmann, the Bavarian interior minister, said he was deeply saddened by the officers death. This brutal crime has left us all stunned, he added. This is a difficult time for the Bavarian police and a terrible loss. We will all do our utmost to ensure the perpetrator receives his just punishment. Our great sympathies and full solidarity go out to his parents, relatives and colleagues. All police forces in the state of Bavaria are putting marks of mourning on their vehicles until the officers funeral. The killing has provoked calls for greater protection for German police (Getty Images) The man, who was part of a Spezialeinsatzkommandos (SEK) unit, was the 65th Bavarian police officer to be killed since 1945. His alleged murderer identifies as a Reichsburger, part of a far-right movement that claims the current German state is illegitimate and is alleged to have neo-Nazi links. He was injured and taken into custody during the raid, which uncovered an arsenal of at least 30 weapons. Reichsburgers adhere to their own self-declared government, known as the KRR, which issue their own version of official documents such as driving licences, while followers frequently spurn federal taxes or fines. They are mainly known for aggravating German authorities by pursuing obscure legal claims rather than violence, but a member was wounded during a gun battle as he was evicted from his home in August. A recent report by Berlin's state intelligence service describes the Reichsburgers as an extremely diverse range of small groups and individuals who believe in an ideological mixture of conspiracy theories, anti-Semitic and anti-democratic views, and who have been behaving increasingly aggressively for some time". The Georgensgmund shooter, who is unemployed and previously operated a martial arts school, had reportedly written scurrilous letters on the movement after joining in the summer. He remains in police custody. Mr Herrmann vowed to increase surveillance of the Reichsburgerbewegung (Reich Citziens Movement), which has already been under intensive observation by state intelligence services because of some members far-right aims. Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Show all 13 1 /13 Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism outside Cologne Cathedral on 5 January after the assaults Oliver Berg/EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism in Cologne following the rash of sex attacks on New Year's Eve Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police initially failed to mention the assaults in report the following morning EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police officers patrol in front of the main station of Cologne, Germany AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks German far-right supporters demonstrate at Cologne`s train station (Reuters) Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police used pepper spray to control supporters of Pegida, Hogesa (Hooligans against Salafists) and other right-wing populist groups as they protested against the New Year's Eve sex attacks on 9 January, 2016 in Cologne, Germany Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use a water cannon during a protest march by supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016 Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use pepper spray against supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida, in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Artist Mira Moire protests naked in Cologne against the mass sex attacks on New Year's Eve AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks A demonstrator holds a sign in German that reads 'No violence against women' during a demonstration in the wake of the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve, outside the cathedeal in Cologne, Germany, 09 January 2016. EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Counter demonstrators hold up a sign reading "Against sexism, against racism" as they protest against a demonstration of the islamophobic movement PEGIDA at the train station in Cologne, Germany, on January 9, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Demonstration by a womens group on Saturday (AP) AP The minister said there would be careful assessment of their ability to own firearms, announcing a goal to deprive all Reichsburgers who legally own a weapon of their licenses. To be part of the Reichsburger movement is to be a right-wing extremist, Mr Herrmann added. Anyone who rejects the German rule of law can offer no guarantee that they will handle weapons in accordance with regulations. The federal interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, also called for new measures to be taken to protect police officers after condemning the horrific death. Police officers are giving everything for the safety of our country, he added. The increasing number of attacks by extremists is unbearable and unacceptable. Germany remains on a state of high alert following a series of terror attacks by Isis supporters, including a suicide bombing in Ansbach and axe attack on a train. But there is also growing concern over far-right movements, which have been gathering increasing support during tensions over the refugee crisis and sexual assaults in Cologne. Centres for asylum seekers have been the target of arson attacks and racist graffiti, while police uncovered a neo-Nazi plot to attack refugee accommodation with explosives last year. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} More than a dozen refugees have been found packed inside a refrigerated minivan after a high-speed police chase at the French border. A video filmed from an Italian police car showed the white vehicle speeding towards a checkpoint near the town of Ventimiglia and being stopped at a gate before entering France. Plain clothes officers carrying guns surrounded the van before arresting the driver, a 39-year-old Italian man. When police opened the back doors, they found 17 migrants packed inside, with one telling officers he feared he was going to suffocate to death. Italys border police force (Polizia di Frontiera) said he paid 50 (45) to a smuggler of Arab origin, who had contacted him with instructions on the clandestine passage to France. The vans driver was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting illegal immigration, aggravated for making profit, and the inhumane and degrading treatment of people. The operation was announced on Thursday, after taking place earlier this week. Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily. The border between Italy's Ventimiglia and Menton in southern France has been dubbed Mini Calais as migrants try to cross by foot or by hiding in vehicles. Each night people set out from refugee camps on the Italian side in the hope that they can negotiate three miles of mountain passes and tunnels and enter France unnoticed. The vast majority travel to the border from Sicily and southern Italy, where almost 145,000 asylum seekers have arrived so far this year after being rescued from smugglers boats in the Mediterranean. Under EU law, they must register and apply for asylum in the country where they first enter the union, but the vast majority aim to travel onwards from Italy. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Finlands government says it is becoming increasingly concerned about a campaign of destabilising propaganda attacks from its former overseer Russia. Ministers told the Reuters news agency they were monitoring Kremlin-controlled media coverage that was designed to question the validity of Finlands independence. The EU member will celebrate 100 years since its declaration of independence from Russia in December next year, and government communications chief Markku Mantila said his officials had observed a barrage of state-sponsored media attacks. He said: We believe this aggressive influencing from Russia aims at creating distrust between leaders and citizens, and to have us make decisions harmful to ourselves. It also aims to make citizens suspicious about the European Union, and to warn Finland over not joining NATO. Finland says it has reasons to be alarmed at Russias apparent attempts to destabilise it. Russia has moved nuclear-capable missiles into Kaliningrad on the border with Poland and Lithuania. Both Estonia and Finland accused Russian fighter jets of violating their airspace earlier this month. And the country looked on with alarm as Russia waged a propaganda war before and during the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Reports recently began emerging in the Russian media to suggest Lenin's Bolshevik administration had no right to accept Finland's independence. In St Petersburg, a plaque commemorating a Finnish independence hero, the former military officer and president Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, has become a target for protesters calling him a murderer and Nazi collaborator. The plaque's been shot at, hit with an axe and doused in red paint several times, Mantila told Reuters. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Finland says it has documented 20 occasions in the last few years where negative Russian media coverage has come from the Kremlin, and another 30 where reports were very likely to involve state-sponsored information operations. And some have involved more subtle attempts to undermine confidence in the Finnish government, Mantila said. Last month, Russian media reported on cold-blooded Finnish authorities taking custody of children from a Russian family living in Finland due to their nationality. Finland denied the reports, while declining to comment on an individual case due to the legal procedure. However, the story has been replicated hundreds of times in Russia over the past few weeks. A report by Kremlin-led NTV said even the locals call Finland a land of ruthless and irrational child terror. There is a systematic lying campaign going on... It is not a question of bad journalism, I believe it is controlled from the centre, Mantila said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister has warned the US of a painful response if further sanctions are imposed on the country. Both the US and EU are considering stepping up measures against Russia in response to the countrys role in Syria, particularly the heavy bombing of Aleppo. Sanctions have already been imposed by western nations on Russia in response to the countrys annexation of Crimea. But on Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said: If the US opts to further toughen sanctions in defiance of common sense and in disregard of its experience that has already been quite painful for them, then we will find measures in our toolbox that will have a painful impact, particularly in terms of Americas positioning in the world. Russia has long complained of US aggression and expressed concerns over perceived encirclement by US-backed Nato allies. This rhetoric has been stepped up in recent months in response to increasing tensions. Earlier in October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said ideological aggressive Russiophobia was at the heart of US policy towards the country. Both Nato and Russia have conducted mass military drills close to border areas, though Russia caused further unrest by transferring nuclear capable missiles to the eastern European enclave of Kaliningrad, also in October. In pictures: Aleppo bombing Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Aleppo bombing In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Smoke rises after airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family runs for cover amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Fardous district, Syria, April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damage of the airstrikes in the rebel-held area of Aleppo on April 28 Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damaged the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed al-Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes, in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians evacuate an injured man amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on a rebel-held of Aleppo on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo People inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes, in the rebel-held area of Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man leads a woman in tears and child out of the scene after airstrikes hit Aleppo AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Civil defence members search for survivors after an airstrike at a field hospital in the rebel held area of al-Sukari district of Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian boy is comforted as he cries next to the body of a relative who died in a reported air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Soukour in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers and rescuers remove a baby from under the rubble of a destroyed building following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians help a wounded youth following an air strike on the Fardous rebel held neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building following a reported airstrike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo Mr Ryabkov told MPs that Russias moves were strictly proportionate and adequate and not guided by emotions, according to state media service RT. However, Mr Ryabkov warned that asymmetrical measures could be used to up the stakes with the US and Nato if deemed necessary. The deputy foreign minister blamed the Obama administration for its more arrogant, forceful and focused on the attempts to impose its will on other countries. European leaders have refused to rule out sanctions against Moscow, as both French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the Russian campaign in Syria. In a visit to Berlin by Russian president Vladmir Putin the first since the 2014 annexation of Crimea talks centred around the bombing of Aleppo. Ms Merkel said the discussions "gave Germany the clear chance to define what constitutes a war crime. Bombardments are inhumane and a cruel experience for the people," AFP reported. Mr Hollande went further, telling Mr Putin bluntly that "what is happening in Aleppo is a war crime, one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its [Russian] backers must end". Of sanctions, Mr Hollande said: "Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful." Ms Merkel added: "we cannot remove this option". For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A graveyard free of any religious symbols has been opened in Sweden to cater to the countrys growing number of atheists. Josef Erdem, a teacher from Borlange in central Sweden, first proposed the idea because he wanted people to decide for themselves what their graves should look like. He said he had grown up in Kurdistan and as a result his worldview had been shaped by having friends from all walks of life. He sent in the formal application for the ground after negotiating with local representatives of the Church of Sweden. The church will maintain the graveyard but that will be the extent of their involvement with the cemetery. Mr Erdem told The Local: People can decide for themselves what their graves should look like, but the cemetery will be free of all religious and nationalist symbols. Ive spoken to a lot of people about this, many of them religious, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive, he said. World's most popular religions Show all 7 1 /7 World's most popular religions World's most popular religions Christians Source: Pewforum Getty Images World's most popular religions Muslims Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Hindus Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Buddhists Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Folk Religions Source: Pewforum Getty Images World's most popular religions Other religions Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Jews Source: Pewforum Getty In fact the reaction has been positive from religious and non-religious people alike across the country. He stressed that people of faith were welcome to be buried there as well so long as they accepted that they could not have the marks of their religion on their headstone. The cemetery, which is close to the local church, is currently empty but several locals have expressed an interest in being buried there. Recommended Read more The countries that think religion is important to them Local teacher Gunnar Lindgren told broadcaster SVT: I dont want a burial place with a stone that needs to be cared for. I also dont want a church burial because Im not a believer so this suits me. Sweden has the second-highest number of non-religious people as a percentage of its population of any country in the world, according to a 2015 survey by Gallup International and the WI Network of Market Research. The study found that 76 percent of Swedish respondents said they were either not religious or a convinced atheists. The only country to score higher was Communist-controlled China, where religion is officially frowned upon. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A programme to rehabilitate former Isis fighters and other extremists with housing, employment, education and financial support is being trialled in Sweden. Local authorities in the city of Lund say the controversial measures aim to reintegrate returned jihadis into society and prevent them reverting to their former networks. Anna Sjostrand, the municipal coordinator against violent extremism, acknowledged the proposals were controversial but argued that the same approach should be taken to Isis defectors as to those leaving organised crime and neo-Nazi groups. When this subject came up we thought: Oh god, how should we handle this, she told national broadcaster Sveriges Radio. Germany and UK jail jihadist fighters returning from Syria Pretty quickly we realized that we should deal with this in the same way. If you have committed a criminal act should take responsibility for it, but there are many aspects - one could for example look at it in terms of cost. It is much cheaper to reintegrate a person into society than to abandon them, for example. Christoffer Carlsson, a criminologist, said he supported the plans after conducting a report on extremist defectors for the Swedish government. He told Sveriges Radio people attempting to leave a group such as Isis need a way to break out of their networks and to avoid regression, adding: You need resources, you need to reintegrate into the job market, you need a license, you need a roof over your head. I fail to see why you should treat people who leave violent extremism differently (to young criminals). A recent report found that the majority of European Isis fighters have a criminal background, with the groups propaganda deliberately attempting to attract young men searching for redemption. Timeline: The emergence of Isis Show all 40 1 /40 Timeline: The emergence of Isis Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2000 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (pictured here) forms an al-Qaeda splinter group in Iraq, al-Qaeda in Iraq. Its brutality from the beginning alienates Iraqis and many al-Qaeda leaders. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2006 Al-Zarqawi is killed in a U.S. strike. Al-Zarqawis successor, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, announces the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2009 Still al-Qaeda-linked ISI claims responsibility for suicide bombings that killed 155 in Baghdad, as well as attacks in August and October killing 240, as President Obama announces troop withdrawal from Iraq in March. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2010 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi becomes head of ISI, at lowest ebb of Islamist militancy in Iraq, which sees last U.S. combat brigade depart. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2012 In Syria, protests (pictured here starting in Daree) have morphed into what president Assad labelled a real war with emergence of a coalition of forces opposed to Assads regime. Syria group Jabhat al-Nusra are among rebel groups who refuse to join, denouncing it as a conspiracy. Bombings targeting Shia areas, killing more than 500 people, spark fears of new sectarian conflict. Sunni Muslims stage protests across country against what they see as increasingly marginalisation by Shia-led government. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2013 Al-Baghdadi renames ISI as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or Isis, as the group absorbs Syrian al-Nusra, gaining a foothold in Syria. In response, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri (Bin Ladens successor) concerned about Isis expansion orders that Isis be dissolved and ISI operations should be confined to Iraq. This order is rejected by al-Baghdadi. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - January Isis fighters capture the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, giving them base to launch slew of attacks further south. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis declares itself the Caliphate, calling itself Islamic State (IS). The group captures Mosul, Iraqs second largest city; Tal Afar, just 93 miles from Syrian border; and the central Iraqi city of Tikrit. These advances sent shockwaves around the world. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Around the same time Isis releases a video calling for western Muslims to join the Caliphate and fight, prompting new evaluations of extremists groups social media understanding. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis take Baiji oil fields in Iraq - giving them access to huge amounts of possible revenue. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August James Foley is executed by the group as concerns grow for second American prisoner, fellow reporter Steven Sotloff. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August Obama authorises U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, helping to stall Isis along with action by Kurdish forces following the deaths of hundreds of Yazidi people on Mount Sinjar. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release video showing Steven Sotloffs murder prompting Western speculation his executioner is same man who killed Mr Foley. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Obama tells us that America will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release a video appearing to show David Haines, who was captured by militants in Syria in 2013, wearing an orange jumpsuit and kneeling in the desert while he reads a pre-prepared script. It later shows what appears to be the aid worker's body. Rex Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Peshmerga fighters scrabble to hold positions in the Diyala province (a gateway to Baghdad) as Isis fighters continue to advance on Iraqi capital. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Aid worker Alan Henning is killed. Self-imposed media blackout refuses to show images of him in final moments, instead focuses upon humanitarian care. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Isis raise their flag in Kobani, which had been strongly defended by Kurdish troops. The victory goes against hopeful western analysis Isis had overextended itself, while alienating much of the Muslim population through the murder of Henning. Victory causes fresh waves of Kurdish refugees arriving in Turkey. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - November American hostage, who embarced values of Islam, Peter Kassig and 14 Syrian soldiers are shown meeting the same fate as other captives. But intelligence agencies will be poring over the apparently significant discrepancies between this and previous films. Seramedig.org.uk Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis has released a video revealing the murder by burning to death of a Jordanian pilot held by the group since the end of December 2014. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have released videos which appear to show the beheading of Japanese hostages Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February American aid worker, Kayla Mueller was the last American hostage known to be held by Isis. She died, according to her captors, in an airstrike by the Jordanian air force on the city of Raqqa in Syria, though US authorities disputed this. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have posted a gruesome video online in which they force 21 Egyptian Coptic Christian hostages to kneel on a beach in Libya before beheading them. Egypt vowed to avenge the beheading and launched air strikes on Isis positions. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February The British Isis militant suspected of appearing in videos showing the beheading of Western hostages has been named in reports as Mohammed Emwazi from London. Rex Features Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - March Isis triple suicide attack has killed more than 100 worshippers and hundreds of others were injured after the group members targeted two mosques in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Iraqi forces have claimed victory over Isis in battle for Tikrit and raised the flag in the city. EPA/STR Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed at least 35 people queuing to collect their wages and injured 100 more. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis media arm released a 29-minute video purporting to show militants executing Ethiopian Christians captives. The footage bore the extremist groups al-Furqan media logo and showed the destruction of churches and desecration of religious symbols. A masked fighter made a statement threatening Christians who did not convert to Islam or pay a special tax. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis has been "incapacitated" by a spinal injuries sustained in a US air strike in Iraq. He is being treated in a hideout by two doctors from Isis stronghold of Mosul who are said to be "strong ideological supporters of the group". Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis has also claimed responsibility for killing 300 of Yazidi captives, including women, children and elderly people in Iraq AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis attack on Prophet Mohamed cartoon contest in Texas was its first action on US soil. Two gunmen were shot and killed after launching the attack at the exhibition. Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi have been named as the attackers at the Curtis Culwell Centre arena in Garland. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isiss deputy leader, Abu Alaa Afri, a former physics teacher who was thought to have taken charge of the deadly terrorist group, has been killed in a US-led coalition airstrike. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May US special forces have killed a senior Isis leader named as Abu Sayyaf in an operation aiming to capture him and his wife in Syria. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Iran-backed militias are sent to Ramadi by the Iraqi government to fight Isis militants who completed their capture of the city. Government soldiers and civilians were reportedly massacred by extremists as they took control and the army fled. Charred bodies were left littering the city streets as troops clung on to trucks speeding away from the city. Ramadi is the latest government stronghold to fall to the so-called Islamic State, despite air strikes by a US-led international coalition aiming to stop its advance in Iraq and Syria. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis rounded up civilians trapped in Palmyra and forced them to watch 20 people being executed in the historic citys ancient amphitheatre. The Unesco World Heritage site was overrun by militants, threatening the future of 2,000 year-old monuments and ruins. Thousands of Palmyras residents fled but many are still living within the city walls, while the UN human rights office in Geneva said it had received reports of Syrian government forces preventing people from leaving until they retreated from the city. Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May A group of Isis-affiliated fighters have captured a key airport in central Libya. The militants took control of the al-Qardabiya airbase in Sirte after a local militia tasked with defending the facility withdrew from their positions. Affiliates of Isis, already control large parts of Sirte, the birthplace of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and a former stronghold of his supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June The US Air Force has destroyed an Isis stronghold after an extremist let slip their location on social media. According the Air Force Times, General Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, said that Airmen at Hulburt Field, Florida, used images shared by jihadists to track the location of their headquarters before destroying it in an airstrike. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Kurdish forces captured a key military base in a significant victory in Raqqa as well as town of Tell Abyad. YPG fighters, backed by US-led airstrikes and other rebels, consolidated their gains, when they seized the key town on the Syria-Turkey border. They are now just 30 miles to the north of Raqqa and have cut off a major supply route deep inside Isis-held territory. Ahmet Silk/Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has released gruesome footage claiming to show the murder of more than a dozen men by drowning, decapitation and using a rocket-propelled grenade as it seeks to boost morale among its fanatical supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has begun carrying out its threat to destroy structures in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, blowing up at least two monuments at the Unesco-protected site as Syrian government troops made advances on the Islamists positions. AFP The approach pioneered in Lund is also reportedly being considered in the Swedish cities of Malmo, Borlange and Orebro. Around 140 Swedish foreign fighters are believed to have returned from Syria and Iraq, out of at least 300 who travelled to the region to join Islamist groups. The country is believed to have one of the highest Isis fighters per capita in Europe, although it sits far behind France, the UK, Belgium and Germany in terms of numbers. Methods of dealing with returning jihadis are a subject of fierce debate across Europe as the terrorist group continues to lose territory across Syria and Iraq, with fears of an influx of militants fleeing a major offensive in Iraq. The retaking of Isiss northern Iraqi stronghold, Mosul, may lead to the return to Europe of violent Isis fighters, said Julian King, Commissioner for the (European) Security Union. Around one fifth of the groups militants 3,700 people are residents or nationals of Western Europe, a Kings College London study estimated last year. More than 800 jihadists are believed to have travelled from the UK to join other Isis and other Islamist groups in Syria and Iraq, with about half having returned. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Teddy bears and other toys wearing bloodied bandages have been piled outside the Reichstag in Berlin as a protest against visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose support for air strikes in Syria has killed approximately 500 people in besieged east Aleppo. The bears lay in the rain next to rocks and gravel symbolising rubble, while several hundred demonstrators from protest group Avaaz held banners reading Stop Putin and Stop bombing Aleppos children and chanted anti-war slogans after marching through the city centre to the Reichstag at the same time the Russian president arrived in Berlin on Wednesday evening. Mr Putin visited German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a meeting of the Normandy Four - Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany - to discuss the Minsk Protocol, a peace plan aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine after Russia annexed the peninsula of Crimea in 2014. (Getty Images (Getty Images) Ms Merkel and French President Francois Hollande said during a media conference that Moscow had been warned that the European Union is considering further sanctions on Russia over the countrys assistance to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in bombing rebel-held areas of Syria. Talks continued in Brussels on Thursday. Air strikes over the last month on east Aleppo, where 250,000 civilians are trapped, constitute war crimes, several governments and international bodies have said. Moscow and Damascus maintain that strikes only target terrorists, who use the citys population as human shields. Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful, Mr Hollande said late on Wednesday. Drone footage shows Aleppo brought to the ground The two leaders did say that there had been progress on implementing the Minsk Protocol in Ukraine. The US had threatened to renew sanctions on Russia if action was not taken in coming months. Before the escalation of Russian involvement in Syria and the crisis in Aleppo, EU officials had been considering easing the wide-ranging sanctions Russia has suffered for its conquest of Crimea. Such an option is now very unlikely, as several countries have called for tougher economic penalties. Recommended Read more Shadows of Trump and Putin loom over Ukraine Thursday also saw the start of a three-day-long ceasefire in Aleppo which Russia said would allow medical evacuations and an amnesty for any rebels or civilians who wished to leave the siege barricades for neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province. The EU strongly condemned Moscow regardless, calling for a permanent cessation to air strikes. Russia used its veto as a permanent member of the Security Council to block action on Aleppo at the United Nations last week. Member states will also discuss the refugee crisis, considering aid deals with African countries designed to stem the flow of people from Libya and Egypt across the Mediterranean, a deadly journey which has killed 2,500 people in the first half of 2016 alone. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied claims made by Isis it had shot down one of its warplanes. The terror group's Amaq news agency claimed Isis shot down a US A-10 Thunderbolt "Warthog" in Syria. The agency said "there is no informaiton about the fate of the pilot" and claimed jets were bombing the wreckage near Markadah, south of Hasakah. "At this time there is no reporting of downed coalition aircraft of any kind," a spokesman for CENTCOM told The Independent. British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Show all 10 1 /10 British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Tornado jet takes off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, as RAF Tornado jets carried out the first British bombing runs over Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Pilots and ground crew prepare combat aircraft Panavia Tornados at RAF Marham at RAF Marham, UK Getty British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Eurofighter Typhoon jet takes off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, as RAF Tornado jets carried out the first British bombing runs over Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A RAF Tornado arrives at RAF Akrotiri to begin operations in Akrotiri British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Tornado jet ahead of taking off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, as RAF Tornado jets carried out the first British bombing runs over Syria, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The air strikes were carried out within hours of a vote by MPs in the Commons to back extending operations against Isis from neighbouring Iraq British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Personnel work on a British Tornado after it returned from a mission at RAF Akrotiri in southern Cyprus British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Two RAF Tornado GR4's, both with remaining weapons ordnance, approach RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, as they return to the base after carrying out some of the first British bombing runs over Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A RAF Tornado takes off from RAF Akrotiri, on the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Tornado jet leaving RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria AKA RAF Tornado arrives at RAF Akrotiri to begin operations in Akrotiri, Cyprus. The RAF has sent two further Tornado aircraft and six Typhoons to bolster aircraft now flying sorties to both Iraq and Syria The US-led coalition have been providing air support for anti-Isis forces in Iraq and Syria since 2014. Isis have previously shot down a Russian military helicopter in Idlib province, killing three crew and two officers. It was the deadliest single incident for the Russian military since it entered Syria's civil war. In July, two Russian airmen were killed in the central Homs province when their Mi-25 helicopter was shot down by what the defence ministry said were Isis fighters. Isis also claimed to have shot down a Syrian military jet near Damascus and another Syrian Air Force plane near the city of Deir Ezzor. It was one of several attacks on Syrian jets claimed by Isis, including an attack in July where they later hung a pilot's corpse on display in the streets. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Senior Isis leaders have been forced to accept that they will lose their caliphate in Syria and Iraq and see terrorist attacks in the West as the way forward for jihad, according to foreign fighters who are abandoning the Islamist group as it faces an onslaught in Mosul and an impending attack on Raqqa. The killings of some of their best commanders, divisions and fear of treachery have contributed to Isis steadily losing territory, according to two Belgian Muslims who recently deserted and fled to Turkey. At the same time, destruction of munitions has led to the group depending more and more on light weapons, suicide bomb cars and IEDs (improvised explosive devices) to try and stem the offensives being launched against it. When Daesh [Isis] went into Iraq and took the armour and Humvees from the Iraqi army, it was a big success because it allowed them to move forward very fast. But once the bombing started by the Americans a lot of these armoured cars and Humvees just got smashed; moving around in them just made you a big target, said Rachid, 27, who used to work as a mechanic in Belgium before his journey to Syria. Recommended Read more Isis leaders fear group has been infiltrated by British spies Now the Daesh leaders talk about ribat, which means defending territory, not going forward, so it is a different kind of warfare. Daesh have [surface-to-air] missiles, sure. They have even built their own but how many planes have they brought down? Very few, it is not so easy with modern planes, he continued. They still have very good bombmakers and suicide cars are very good because they are effective and really make the enemy afraid. But when the Americans and the Russians started their air strikes these cars were getting blown up before they got to the enemy, so not so effective now and also numbers of people volunteering to be suicide bombers has fallen. But you can get people prepared to be suicide bombers in Europe and they can cause much more damage. So, the leaders of Daesh are saying that is where the struggle should take place. A lot of the brothers now feel Mosul cannot be held, Raqqa cannot be held. So, the fight is moving to Europe. Mosul battle: Civilians flee ahead of fighting Despite Belgium appearing to become a base in Europe for Islamist terrorism, with fighters returning from Syria being responsible for murders in Paris and Brussels, Rachid and his Belgian companion, Yasin, claimed to have no knowledge of those attacks and hardly knew those who carried them out. They did not hold a majlis [council] to discuss what they were doing. Of course we were not in the rooms with these people when they were deciding what to do, Yasin wanted to stress. And you must know that a lot of these attacks have been planned in Europe, in America, with people carrying them out just giving bayah [allegiance] to the Sheikh [Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of Isis]. They are not asking for instructions from Raqaa. Both the men, who are of Moroccan descent, said they had gone to Syria after being angered by violent suppression of protests by President Bashar al-Assads regime. They had been in contact with other European nationals who were already in the country and found it relatively easy to cross the border from Turkey. At the time they were not doing anything much to stop people going to Syria from Belgium. I think that was the case with most of the other European countries as well, said Rachid. The European governments were against Bashar, so why would they stop us? I know its much more difficult now, but there has been a big drop in foreign volunteers anyway. The men had joined Isis, they claimed, after trying other jihadi groups because it was the best at fighting the regime. For Yasin, it was also because it was the most pure and dedicated. They claimed disillusionment had set in after witnessing excesses committed by Isis and confessed they were frightened of being killed if they had stayed in Syria. The accounts given by Rachid, slim and talkative, and Yasin, short, muscular and taciturn, were, at times, self-serving. They had fought on various frontlines such as at the capture of the towns of Manbij, Qalamun and Aleppo but had not, they insisted, taken part in executions and the violent punishments meted out by Isis. Yasin wanted to qualify: most people approved of what the Hisbah [the religious police] were doing, because they are Muslim and they believe in sharia. The punishments were harsh, but they made people keep to the law. That was the way it was at the beginning Rachid interjected: But then it became more and more harsh and if people complained they were accused of being apostates, even traitors. They would be punished severely if they protested. The two men and a number of other opposition fighters from different groups claim that the Isis leadership feared that the group had been infiltrated by Western intelligence agencies, led by the British. The suspicion and paranoia, they said, stretched to military planning. If you disagreed with something a commander was saying, making bad decisions, then there was always the risk someone will say, why are you disrupting, are you a spy? said Rachid. Those of us who had volunteered from other countries had to be extra careful. That was not the situation before, but they became more paranoid. Yet it was the death of a foreign commander which has been a major loss to Isis, said the two men. Omar al-Shishani, a Georgian-Chechen whose real name was Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvilli, was reported killed outside Mosul in an air strike last summer. I know that some people think he may not be dead, but there was real disappointment in Daesh over this when the news came because he was so experienced and was such a brave leader, said Yasin. But other commanders have been killed as well, it is a big problem for Daesh. Isis is also suffering from loss of revenues as it loses territory, in particular the oil fields it used to control. The group has also made considerable sums from ransoms paid by Western governments for hostages. It has been claimed that the French and Spanish governments paid sizeable sums for the release of their nationals held by jailers led by Mohammed Emwazi, the British jihadist who became known as Jihadi John. The US and UK governments have a policy of refusing to pay ransom and American and British hostages, including the photojournalist James Foley and aid workers David Haines and Alan Hemming were beheaded by Emwazi. First of all, we do not approve of those killings; we had nothing to do with it. But they would have been probably freed if money had been paid. Other governments had paid money, everyone knows that, I think a German woman was freed recently, how much was paid for her, Rachid asked Yasin, who said he had heard that 10m had been paid to an Islamist group linked to Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate which recently changed its name to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. That is a lot less than before, we heard the Spanish paid 30m, said Rachid. But the ordinary volunteers do not know what happens to the money. We just got paid, thats all. The two men said they received around $60 a month and free housing. Those with families had food and other essentials paid for. In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty Rachid and Yasin would face criminal charges and the prospect of lengthy prison sentences if they return to Belgium. The leaders of Isis, they maintained, have their own escape plan and would evade capture or being killed in Mosul and Raqaa. Look how long it took them to get to Osama bin Laden, Rashid reminded. But that was because the al-Qaeda leader had found refuge in Pakistan with allies in the countrys military and intelligence service, when he had to flee Afghanistan, I pointed out. You will be surprised at what countries may want to hide Daesh leaders and give them protection, declared Rachid. The capture of Raqaa will not mean everything is finished. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Heavy resistance from Isis suicide car bombers, snipers, roadside explosives and mortar fire slowed the clearance of the town of Bartella east of Mosul on Thursday, although Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed the operation was moving more quickly than we thought. Iraqi Special Forces joined the offensive to push Isis out of Mosul, its last Iraqi stronghold, by looking to clear the jihadis out of the Christian town of Bartella about 10 minutes drive from Mosul. The aim would then to push on towards the city. Despite Mr Abadis positive remarks, it was obvious that Isis fighters were make things as difficult as possible. Ten Isis car bombs made their way toward the Iraqi forces, with one going on to hit the convoy, according to General Maan Saad who is commanding the Iraqi Special Forces in the area. Recommended Read more Mosul braces itself for next bloody chapter after 13 years of war He said that 80 of the more than 100 Isis fighters left in the town had been killed by Thursday afternoon, although progress was slow with each building needing to be checked, and buried improvised explosive devices (IEDs) a constant danger. The troops are being supported air strikes from the US-led coalition. Gen Saad spoke to The Independent on the roof of a small warehouse on the edge of Bartella that was occupied by Isis fighters just hours before. The US trained Special Forces have been key to winning back territory from Isis in Anbar province further south, after the Iraqi army buckled under the pressure of the Isis advance in the summer of 2014 when the terror group seized Mosul. In August of that year Isis pushed toward Iraqs northern Kurdistan region, attacking villages across the religiously and ethnically mixed Ninewa plains. In nearby Qaragosh, 50,000 Christians fled east and have still not been able to return home. In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty The assault to retake Bartella began at dawn and also included three tanks from the Iraqi armys 9th division. From his roof-top perch, Gen Saad used a radio to coordinate soldiers to meet each other inside the town seeking to throttle the last stand by Isis as an Iraqi army helicopter thundered fire into Bartella from above, and the din of incoming mortars could be heard. Elsewhere, Kurdish Peshmerga began a three-pronged assault that could be seen in the distance from a vantage point used to track the mission by the Iraqi Special Forces. The Peshmerga have launched a series of offensives to strengthen their hold on three sides of the city, today aiming to capture areas north of Bartella from the towns of Bashiqa, Nawaran and Tel Isqof, but coming up against stiff resistance, especially in Bashiqa, with multiple casualties and ambulance coming and going from the field hospital, according to witnesses there casualty numbers are not known. Not far away from Bartella, another set of Iraqi troops surrounded the Christian town of Qaragosh with predictions that it too would soon be under the control of Iraqi government forces. Meanwhile, displaced Iraqis from villages along the Mosul road that had already been recaptured returned to collect their belongings. They quickly piled trucks high with salvaged bedding and furniture, but not hanging around amid the danger of the ongoing battle and heading for displacement camps. Mosul battle: Civilians flee ahead of fighting Outside Bartella, with smoke plumed up from the fight in the town, three Special Forces soldiers and a member of the Kurdish Peshmerga slouched together chatting under the shade of a black Humvee which was adorned with a fluttering Iraqi flag, and topped with piles of colourful blankets. Muhammed Taqi an Iraqi soldier from Baghdad said he pulled back from the fight after three of their men were injured, but there had been no fatalities. Cracks of gunfire sounded in the background, and to the right and left, the grass was burnt orange and sewed with IEDs. In the centre of town, the men still had to de-mine the streets and building. There are still some fighters in the houses but all the streets are blocked so they should die said Mr Taqi. There were a lot of car bombs. Its still not 100 per cent safe. He said Isis also used snipers and mortars despite the overwhelming pressure of the Iraqi ground and coalition air campaign. An Iraqi special forces soldier fires an RPG during clashes with Isis fighters in Bartella, east of Mosul (Reuters) Mustafa Jabour, a Kurdish Peshmerga soldier from Bartella, stood beside Taqi as he talked. Jabour said he wished he had been able to take part in the assault to retake his home town, but said, I am proud of them [the Iraqi forces]...There is no difference between us. Coordination between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces bodes well for retaking Mosul: the fight in the city is expected to be lead by the Iraqi Special Forces. The Iraqi army is better than before and more professional said Peshmerga General Shahab Muhammed. Speaking from his base south of Bartella, he said that internally displaced persons (IDPs) from villages close to Mosul had been arriving recently and were being sent for screenings by the Kurdish security. Gen Saad praised the coordination between himself, his Iraqi troops and the Peshmerga, but refused to predict a timeline for when his forces would enter Mosul. He said that the morale of the Isis fighters was affected when they saw the power of his force's attack. It is perhaps this type of cooperation that Iraqs Prime Minister Mr Abadi had in mind in addressing an anti-Isis coalition meeting in Paris on Thursday. Mr Abadi said the Mosul advance demonstrated that Iraqis from all groups could fight in common cause, noting that it was the first time in 25 years that troops from the Baghdad government had entered territory controlled by the Kurdish region to fight alongside the Peshmerga. Our war today in Mosul is an Iraqi war conducted by Iraqis for Iraqis and for the defence of Iraq's territory, he said. Full Iraqi unity is shining through and more than ever showing the unity to vanquish terrorism. Back outside Bartella, Taher Saeed, 54 a former resident of the town gazed out over the town with tears in his eyes. His family fled their home one Sunday more than two years ago when the jihadis of Isis came. Isis chased the last remaining Christians from their historical home in Mosul after giving the community the option to convert to Islam, pay a tax or die by the sword: they fled. I cant stop the tears, he said, crying while watching the smoke rise above his hometown. A Syriac Catholic, he remembered attending the St Gorgis church when he was younger. He described the idea of returning to Bartella once Isis had been driven out, as being like a rebirth. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Isis is developing weaponised drones to attack enemy fighters and foreign troops, researchers have warned after discovering a secret workshop in Iraq. On 2 October, militants used a drone rigged with explosives to kill two Kurdish fighters after flying it towards Peshmerga troops and French soldiers in Iraqi Kurdistan. It was the first known incident of the group using an unmanned aerial vehicle previously utilised for surveillance and propaganda videos as a deadly weapon, but a discovery made by researchers in a former Isis stronghold suggests the attack could be part of a wider programme. A plywood drone fuselage discovered at an Isis workshop in Ramadi, Iraq, in February 2016 (Conflict Armament Research) After the so-called Islamic State was driven out of the city of Ramadi in December last year, a field investigation team from the UK-based Conflict Armament Research (CAR) group discovered a specialist workshop. Entering the building on 21 February, they found what appeared to be an abandoned drone production line, with fuselages, wings, camera controllers and gyro sensors. Investigators also discovered deconstructed shoulder-launched missile systems (Manpads), including a warhead and steering unit. Photographic evidence from the workshop shows attempts to manufacture much larger drones from scratch, CARs report said. The co-discovery of drone construction and attempts to repurpose missile components plausibly suggests attempts by Islamic State (Isis) forces to develop some form of weaponised drone. Fuselage and wing parts seen at an Isis drone workshop in Ramadi, Iraq, February 2016 (Conflict Armament Research) Militants had also left bulk supplies of resistors, transistors and signal relays, of a type previously used in Isis manufacture of radio-controlled improvised explosive devices. The use of drones by terrorist and insurgent forces is a growing issue of international concern, said James Bevan, executive director of CAR. The capacity to weaponise these remotely operated vehicles would be a significant addition to Islamic State's growing arsenal of improvised weapons." Another improvised drone documented by CAR in Daquq was constructed using polystyrene, model aircraft components and a commercial video camera, and was too light to carry explosives. But the plans in Ramadi appeared to be on a larger scale, with one polystyrene wing measuring 145cm in length. Marcus Wilson, managing director of CAR, said Isis attempts at a drone programme were inevitable following its use of home-made bombs and chemical weapons. The 9N15M warhead section of a Soviet 9M32M missile, discovered at an Isis drone workshop in Ramadi, Iraq, February 2016 (Conflict Armament Research) All of those things are alarming but one of the things that holds them back is that they are rudimentary designs, he told The Independent. Theyre not going to be as effective as military-grade weapons, but as with most systems they will become more effective. Isis and other rebel groups in Syria and Iraq have made prolific use of drones, believed to be shop-brought camera models, in propaganda videos to film battles, suicide bombings or executions. Analysts say they are also frequently deployed for surveillance, for which Isis is known to have constructed its own aircraft. A report released on Thursday by the US militarys Combating Terrorism Centre (CTC) concluded that the drones so far flown by Isis were not that advanced. Timeline: The emergence of Isis Show all 40 1 /40 Timeline: The emergence of Isis Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2000 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (pictured here) forms an al-Qaeda splinter group in Iraq, al-Qaeda in Iraq. Its brutality from the beginning alienates Iraqis and many al-Qaeda leaders. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2006 Al-Zarqawi is killed in a U.S. strike. Al-Zarqawis successor, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, announces the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2009 Still al-Qaeda-linked ISI claims responsibility for suicide bombings that killed 155 in Baghdad, as well as attacks in August and October killing 240, as President Obama announces troop withdrawal from Iraq in March. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2010 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi becomes head of ISI, at lowest ebb of Islamist militancy in Iraq, which sees last U.S. combat brigade depart. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2012 In Syria, protests (pictured here starting in Daree) have morphed into what president Assad labelled a real war with emergence of a coalition of forces opposed to Assads regime. Syria group Jabhat al-Nusra are among rebel groups who refuse to join, denouncing it as a conspiracy. Bombings targeting Shia areas, killing more than 500 people, spark fears of new sectarian conflict. Sunni Muslims stage protests across country against what they see as increasingly marginalisation by Shia-led government. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2013 Al-Baghdadi renames ISI as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or Isis, as the group absorbs Syrian al-Nusra, gaining a foothold in Syria. In response, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri (Bin Ladens successor) concerned about Isis expansion orders that Isis be dissolved and ISI operations should be confined to Iraq. This order is rejected by al-Baghdadi. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - January Isis fighters capture the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, giving them base to launch slew of attacks further south. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis declares itself the Caliphate, calling itself Islamic State (IS). The group captures Mosul, Iraqs second largest city; Tal Afar, just 93 miles from Syrian border; and the central Iraqi city of Tikrit. These advances sent shockwaves around the world. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Around the same time Isis releases a video calling for western Muslims to join the Caliphate and fight, prompting new evaluations of extremists groups social media understanding. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis take Baiji oil fields in Iraq - giving them access to huge amounts of possible revenue. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August James Foley is executed by the group as concerns grow for second American prisoner, fellow reporter Steven Sotloff. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August Obama authorises U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, helping to stall Isis along with action by Kurdish forces following the deaths of hundreds of Yazidi people on Mount Sinjar. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release video showing Steven Sotloffs murder prompting Western speculation his executioner is same man who killed Mr Foley. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Obama tells us that America will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release a video appearing to show David Haines, who was captured by militants in Syria in 2013, wearing an orange jumpsuit and kneeling in the desert while he reads a pre-prepared script. It later shows what appears to be the aid worker's body. Rex Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Peshmerga fighters scrabble to hold positions in the Diyala province (a gateway to Baghdad) as Isis fighters continue to advance on Iraqi capital. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Aid worker Alan Henning is killed. Self-imposed media blackout refuses to show images of him in final moments, instead focuses upon humanitarian care. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Isis raise their flag in Kobani, which had been strongly defended by Kurdish troops. The victory goes against hopeful western analysis Isis had overextended itself, while alienating much of the Muslim population through the murder of Henning. Victory causes fresh waves of Kurdish refugees arriving in Turkey. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - November American hostage, who embarced values of Islam, Peter Kassig and 14 Syrian soldiers are shown meeting the same fate as other captives. But intelligence agencies will be poring over the apparently significant discrepancies between this and previous films. Seramedig.org.uk Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis has released a video revealing the murder by burning to death of a Jordanian pilot held by the group since the end of December 2014. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have released videos which appear to show the beheading of Japanese hostages Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February American aid worker, Kayla Mueller was the last American hostage known to be held by Isis. She died, according to her captors, in an airstrike by the Jordanian air force on the city of Raqqa in Syria, though US authorities disputed this. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have posted a gruesome video online in which they force 21 Egyptian Coptic Christian hostages to kneel on a beach in Libya before beheading them. Egypt vowed to avenge the beheading and launched air strikes on Isis positions. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February The British Isis militant suspected of appearing in videos showing the beheading of Western hostages has been named in reports as Mohammed Emwazi from London. Rex Features Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - March Isis triple suicide attack has killed more than 100 worshippers and hundreds of others were injured after the group members targeted two mosques in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Iraqi forces have claimed victory over Isis in battle for Tikrit and raised the flag in the city. EPA/STR Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed at least 35 people queuing to collect their wages and injured 100 more. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis media arm released a 29-minute video purporting to show militants executing Ethiopian Christians captives. The footage bore the extremist groups al-Furqan media logo and showed the destruction of churches and desecration of religious symbols. A masked fighter made a statement threatening Christians who did not convert to Islam or pay a special tax. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis has been "incapacitated" by a spinal injuries sustained in a US air strike in Iraq. He is being treated in a hideout by two doctors from Isis stronghold of Mosul who are said to be "strong ideological supporters of the group". Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis has also claimed responsibility for killing 300 of Yazidi captives, including women, children and elderly people in Iraq AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis attack on Prophet Mohamed cartoon contest in Texas was its first action on US soil. Two gunmen were shot and killed after launching the attack at the exhibition. Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi have been named as the attackers at the Curtis Culwell Centre arena in Garland. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isiss deputy leader, Abu Alaa Afri, a former physics teacher who was thought to have taken charge of the deadly terrorist group, has been killed in a US-led coalition airstrike. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May US special forces have killed a senior Isis leader named as Abu Sayyaf in an operation aiming to capture him and his wife in Syria. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Iran-backed militias are sent to Ramadi by the Iraqi government to fight Isis militants who completed their capture of the city. Government soldiers and civilians were reportedly massacred by extremists as they took control and the army fled. Charred bodies were left littering the city streets as troops clung on to trucks speeding away from the city. Ramadi is the latest government stronghold to fall to the so-called Islamic State, despite air strikes by a US-led international coalition aiming to stop its advance in Iraq and Syria. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis rounded up civilians trapped in Palmyra and forced them to watch 20 people being executed in the historic citys ancient amphitheatre. The Unesco World Heritage site was overrun by militants, threatening the future of 2,000 year-old monuments and ruins. Thousands of Palmyras residents fled but many are still living within the city walls, while the UN human rights office in Geneva said it had received reports of Syrian government forces preventing people from leaving until they retreated from the city. Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May A group of Isis-affiliated fighters have captured a key airport in central Libya. The militants took control of the al-Qardabiya airbase in Sirte after a local militia tasked with defending the facility withdrew from their positions. Affiliates of Isis, already control large parts of Sirte, the birthplace of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and a former stronghold of his supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June The US Air Force has destroyed an Isis stronghold after an extremist let slip their location on social media. According the Air Force Times, General Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, said that Airmen at Hulburt Field, Florida, used images shared by jihadists to track the location of their headquarters before destroying it in an airstrike. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Kurdish forces captured a key military base in a significant victory in Raqqa as well as town of Tell Abyad. YPG fighters, backed by US-led airstrikes and other rebels, consolidated their gains, when they seized the key town on the Syria-Turkey border. They are now just 30 miles to the north of Raqqa and have cut off a major supply route deep inside Isis-held territory. Ahmet Silk/Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has released gruesome footage claiming to show the murder of more than a dozen men by drowning, decapitation and using a rocket-propelled grenade as it seeks to boost morale among its fanatical supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has begun carrying out its threat to destroy structures in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, blowing up at least two monuments at the Unesco-protected site as Syrian government troops made advances on the Islamists positions. AFP Researchers said the group had created homemade devices and weaponised several commercial drones, flying them on at least three occasions between September and October this year. The first two incidents had little impact, the report said, but the most recent known attack killed two Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and seriously injured two French special forces soldiers. Recommended Read more Isis making deadly suicide bombs and IEDs using civilian components To inflict these causalities, the Islamic State used deception, as it is believed that the explosive device inside [the UAV] was disguised as a battery, the CTC said. And so after Kurdish forces shot down the drone, the two fighters who were inspecting it received a nasty, and lethal surprise. It is not known if the deceased Kurdish fighters set of the explosive accidently or if the device was detonated remotely by Islamic State fighters operating nearby. This incident is noteworthy as it is the first confirmed case of a weaponised drone operated by a terrorist group contributing to actual deaths. Isis and other militant groups have been using and adapting commercial drones (Getty Images) The report concluded that the threat from drones operated by Isis and other militant groups remains low, with successful attacks being the exception rather than the rule, and largely aimed to garner publicity. But it cautioned that drones could still be used effectively for surveillance, approach and endanger military aircraft, drop bombs and carry explosives or mounted guns, with the number of sophistication of such attempts increasing over time. Mr Wilson said commercial drones are lightweight and designed only to carry small digital cameras, making any adaptation to deliver explosives an enormous step. The designs we stumbled across in Iraq are much larger than something you would find off the shelf, he added. They were bigger, heavier, more capable of carrying explosives. If Isis are using them there, that tends to be the trial ground for devices used elsewhere. It is not the only terrorist group attempting to weaponise UAVs, with several extremist organisations conducting their own experiments. In Syria, the al-Qaeda linked Jund al-Aqsa group released footage claiming to show small bombs being dropped from a drone in September. The video appeared to show the aircraft hovering over a building used by Syrian government forces in Hama province before dropping two small bombs. The devices fell into open areas and could be seen exploding on impact, but did not appear to cause any casualties, with troops running for cover. The CTCs report concluded that the threat from drones operated by Isis and other militant groups remains low, with successful attacks being the exception rather than the rule, and largely aimed to garner publicity. But it cautioned that drones could still be used effectively for surveillance, approach and endanger military aircraft, drop bombs and carry explosives or mounted guns, with the number of sophistication of such attempts increasing over time. Other groups known to operate drones include Hezbollah, Hamas, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra), the Turkistan Islamic Party and Mujahideen Shura Council of Derna, in Libya. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The long-anticipated offensive to free the city of Mosul from Isis is going faster than planned, Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi has said, as the country's elite special forces were deployed in the fight for the first time. The forces are pushing towards the town more quickly than we thought and more quickly than we had programmed, Mr al-Abadi said via satlink to representatives of several Middle Eastern and Western countries gathered in Paris on Thursday to discuss Iraqs future. As day four of the offensive dawned, the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) drove black Humvees mounted with machine guns towards the deserted town of Bartella, east of the city, one of the main bases from which the multi-sided attack will be launched. Think plumes of black smoke rose into the air above the Ninevah plains, likely from oil fires started by Isis to make targeting more difficult. Isis used suicide car bombers, as well as mortar fire, snipers and roadside mines to try and slow the advance, in a move a US military official in Baghdad said showed the groups desperation. Suicide bombers used in retreat reinforces the point that they are completely on the defensive and are just trying to hold on, Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky said. Bartella is the eastern gate of Mosul, a CTS spokesperson said. The elite US-trained force planned to capitalise on the experience gained in spearheading most of the successful advances against Isis so far, including freeing the southern city of Fallujah, he added. The CTS units are deployed on a Kurdish front line, marking the first joint military operation between the government of Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdish Regional Government based in Irbil in the north of the country. In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Women and children celebrating after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A man cuts the beard of a civilian who was freed from Isis by the SDF in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Women carry newborn babies while running after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman freed from Isis hugs an SDF fighter in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman adding her veil to a pile of niqabs burning in Manbij, Syria, after being freed from Isis on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Children celebrating on top of a lorry after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A man and child freed from Isis by the SDF in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman carrying her children walks towards SDF fighters after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman and child freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij An SDF fighter kisses a crying man who was freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Hundreds of civilians freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters Several highly trained army units also moved to a position to the north of the city on Wednesday night. The Iraqi army and allied Kurdish forces have made steady gains to the south and east clearing villages of Isis militants since Mondays announcement the start of the operation to retake the city - ruled by Isis for two years - had begun. In some places, the frontline is now just four miles (nine kilometres) away. Mosul is Isis last stronghold in Iraq, but they are unwilling to surrender it without a fight. Over the last two years, the group has dug an extensive network of tunnels to transport equipment and fighters, and prepared for battle by rigging roads and bridges with bombs and digging trenches to be filled with burning oil to impede the Iraqi forces movements. The citys estimated population of 1.5 million people is in danger of being caught in the crossfire, several aid agencies have warned, or being used as human shields. The UN and several other charities are also woefully ill-prepared to deal with an expected exodus of 200,000 - 700,000 people when fighting reaches the city proper because of major funding shortages. Mosul battle: Civilians flee ahead of fighting The battle is expected to last weeks or months, marking the biggest military operation in Iraq since the US invasion of 2003 - 2011. The future of the multi-ethnic city has implications for wider Iraq, as Shia militia, Sunni tribal fighters, Kurdish peshmerga forces and the army - all with complex and conflicting interests - are expected to struggle for control in the aftermath of the fighting. How to govern Mosul sustainably while avoiding any opportunities for violence along sectarian lines is on the agenda for the Iraqi officials and world leaders meeting in Paris on Thursday. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has claimed the photo of the five-year-old boy which became a haunting symbol of the suffering of civilians in Aleppo, was faked. Mr Assad alleged the images were "manipulated" and said the viral picture was "forged" by the volunteer rescue group known as the White Helmets. In an interview with German-language broadcaster SRF, he said: "I want you to go back after my interview and go to the internet to see the same picture of the same child, with his sister." Recommended Read more Injured Syrian boy photographed in Aleppo survives air strike "They were rescued twice, each one in different incidents, just as part of the publicity of those White Helmets." The White Helmets, which were nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, are made up of around 3,000 people and operate in rebel-held areas of Syria. The group estimates to have pulled more than 40,000 people from the rubble of locations hit by regime, and later Russian, air strikes since 2013. The majority of their funding comes from UK and Dutch sources. In the interview, Mr Assad also accuses the group of being a "facelift" of Islamist rebel-group Jabhat al-Nusra, which recently rebranded itself Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. A statement on the group's website insists they "do not pledge allegiance to any political party or group". The video which shows the suffering of the children of Aleppo Video shot by media activists showed five-year-old Omran Daqneesh being lifted from the ruins of a house by a White Helmets volunteer, who placed him on a seat in an ambulance. In the footage, Omran appears dazed as he sits alone in the chair, staring blankly ahead before wiping blood from his forehead. The Syrian regime denied responsibility for the air strike, which killed nine people including Omran's 10-year-old brother. In the interview, Mr Assad claimed: "None of those incidents were true. You can have it manipulated and it is manipulated. "I'm going to send you those two pictures. Just to see that this is a forged picture, not a real one." In pictures: Aleppo bombing Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Aleppo bombing In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Smoke rises after airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family runs for cover amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Fardous district, Syria, April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damage of the airstrikes in the rebel-held area of Aleppo on April 28 Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damaged the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed al-Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes, in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians evacuate an injured man amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on a rebel-held of Aleppo on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo People inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes, in the rebel-held area of Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man leads a woman in tears and child out of the scene after airstrikes hit Aleppo AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Civil defence members search for survivors after an airstrike at a field hospital in the rebel held area of al-Sukari district of Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian boy is comforted as he cries next to the body of a relative who died in a reported air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Soukour in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers and rescuers remove a baby from under the rubble of a destroyed building following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians help a wounded youth following an air strike on the Fardous rebel held neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building following a reported airstrike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo He added: "We have real pictures of children being harmed. But this one is a forged one." Mr Assad's claim the single viral image of Omran is faked comes as air strikes kill dozens of civilians in the besieged city of Aleppo each day. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 640 people, including 128 children, have been killed in rebel-held parts of Aleppo and the surrounding rural areas since a truce brokered by the US and Russia collapsed on 19 September. It also said 88 people, including 14 children, were killed in retaliatory shelling on government-held Aleppo. Chinese state media have previously suggested images of Omran were faked as part of a "propaganda war" to enable Western intervention in Syria. The United States has responded to a series of missile attacks aimed at U.S. Navy ships sailing in international waters off the coast of Yemen. Missiles from an area in Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels were launched toward these ships on October 9, 12, and 15. On October 13, the U.S. targeted three radar sites along the coast, and sent cruise missiles from the U.S. destroyer Nitze to degrade the ability of the sites to track and target ships in the future. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said the U.S. strikes were a matter of self-defense, a response to threats to our vessels and to freedom of navigation, which is a core U.S. national security interest: More than 4 million barrels of oil a day pass through the Bab-el Mandeb. This narrow passage is a vital link connecting Asia and Europe. Safe navigation through the strait is vitally important to economies in the region and to global commerce. The current military conflict in Yemen started in March 2015 when rebels from the minority Houthi community, backed by Iran, took over large swaths of territory and forced the elected president, Abed Mansour Hadi, to flee the country. At the request of President Hadi, a Saudi Arabian-led military coalition began airstrikes against Houthi positions. The U.S. has been aiding the coalition with intelligence and logistical support, but has also expressed serious concern over the loss of civilian life, including the recent airstrike on a funeral in Yemen that killed more than 140 mourners and wounded hundreds more. UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced earlier this week a cessation of hostilities agreed by all sides, which will de-escalate tensions and lead to a resumption of negotiations that could bring an end to the fighting. . At the Pentagon, Press Secretary Cook added that those who might threaten U.S. forces should recognize that we will not tolerate threats to our people. We will respond if our forces come under fire. We have taken swift action in this case, and should we see a repeat, we will be prepared to take appropriate action again at the appropriate time. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has accused Russia of committing "sickening atrocities" during a bombing campaign that has pummelled the Syrian city of Aleppo. The Prime Minister made her comments as she arrived for her first European summit, demanding EU leaders take a firm line with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also comes as a Russian naval taskforce, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, was being shadowed by the Royal Navy while it headed towards the eastern Mediterranean and on to Syria. Ms May demanded a "robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression". She added: "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop these appalling atrocities, these sickening atrocities, in Syria." Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, have agreed a temporary humanitarian truce in Aleppo. Mr Putin has held out the prospect of extending it following a meeting with French president Francois Hollande and German chancellor Angela Merkel. But Nato has said the prospect of Russia's only aircraft carrier heading to the region does not "inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syrian crisis. An official for the alliance said: "Russia has the right to operate in international waters. There are plans in place for Nato navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean." Family buries children killed in Aleppo airstrike Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday to "man-mark" the Kuznetsov group, as it travelled south through the North Sea and English Channel. The Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond escorted the group from the Norwegian Sea as it steamed south. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said in September that the Admiral Kuznetsov-led Northern Fleet would be joining a taskforce in the Mediterranean. Drone footage of Aleppo According to the Russian news agency Tass, he told a defence board meeting that the plan was to bolster the Mediterranean fleet's "combat capabilities". A statement from the fleet to the agency on October 15 said the group also consisted of the Pyotr Velikiy battlecruiser, the Severomorsk anti-submarine ship, the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer and other support vessels. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Turkey says it has struck several Syrian Kurdish militia targets in the north of the country, killing up to 200 soldiers. The air strikes overnight on Wednesday attacked 18 targets in Maarraat Umm Hawsh near Aleppo, state media reported, quoting military officials, and hit nine headquarter buildings, arms depots and vehicles. Kurdish sources disputed the number of dead. The move is likely to inflame already tense relations between Ankara and the US over the role of Kurdish troops in the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts. In Syria, the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and Kurdish-majority coalition Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been two of the most effective forces in limiting the expansion of Islamist movement Isis, and have been supplied with logistic and military support by the US. Some YPG fighters, as well as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces, are currently leading an offensive to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from Isis. Turkey, however, views the separatist Kurdish movement as an extension of the Turkey-focused Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been involved in armed struggle against the state for decades. 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood Show all 7 1 /7 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656727_1.jpg AFP/Getty Images 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656731_1.jpg Sam Tarling 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656729_1.jpg Sam Tarling 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656730_1.jpg Sam Tarling 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656728_1.jpg Sam Tarling 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656732.jpg Richard Hall 'We have been here longer than a thousand years': Kurdistan's fight for nationhood 5656733.jpg Sam Tarling The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Turkey and many other Western nations, including the US and other Nato allies. Ankara mounted a huge operation to oust Isis forces from the Syrian border in August and curb the Syrian Kurdish administration in Rojavas growing appetite for territorial expansion. The hit targets were all in areas that the Syrian forces have recently taken over as they manage to drive Isis militants back towards their de facto capital, Raqqa. The attack came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would act rather than wait for terrorists to come and attack. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Why go now? Swedens second city, a civilised, stylish port on the south-west coast, is worth visiting at any time of year but comes alive in autumn with festivals and Halloween excess. Hem, Villa & Bostadstratt (goteborg.hemochvilla.se), 28-30 October a sort of Scandinavian Ideal Home Exhibition showcases the best of interior design, encompassing Mitt Kok, an immersive food fair with cookery demonstrations. For fright-seekers young and old, Halloween events at the expansive Liseberg amusement park (liseberg.com) draw over 200,000 visitors in search of ghoulish fun. Head to zombie-prone District Z for a night of the living dead. Get your bearings Gothenburg is situated at the mouth of the Gota River on Swedens south-west coast, with most of the points of interest conveniently located within the compact heart of the city, with the port to the north. Trams are a great way of getting around the city (Dick Gillberg/Goteborg & Co) (Dick Gillberg/Goteborg & Co) The main tourist centre (1) can be found at Kungsportsplatsen 2 (00 46 31 368 4200; gothenburg.com). It opens Monday 9.30am-5pm Monday-Friday, 10am-2pm Saturday, closed Sunday; opening hours change after 1 May. There is very little traffic in the city centre, although trams (Gothenberg has the largest system in Scandinavia) and buses slice through the streets with precise regularity. Its wise to invest in a Goteborg card (335 krona/40 for 48 hours, October-April; 525 krona/63 May-September) for unlimited rides on all public transport (including ferries), free entry to museums, art galleries and the Liseburg amusement park. Cards can be purchased online (gothenburg.com) or at Gothenburg Tourist Offices. Single transport tickets cost 25 krona (3) and are valid for any number of interchanges within 90 minutes. Day One Take a hike Start at Stenpiren terminal (2) and catch the criss-cross ferry west down Gota alv, taking in the brutish Goteborgs Energi plant and by contrast the elegant south bank, lined by handsome history and centuries of architecture. Unboard at the Alvsborg bridge (3) and visit art space Roda Sten Konsthall (4) (rodastenkonsthall.se; 40 krona, under-26 free) for bold, contemporary work, and coffee on its harbour-front terrace. Roda Sten Konsthall (Dick Gillberg/Goteborg & Co) (Dick Gillberg/Goteborg & Co) Walk the short distance up Mariaplan to Majorna, a working class district on the rise, where, along Mariagatan, youll find vintage treasures at Fabriken (5) (fabrikengbg.se), alfresco beers at Olstugen Tullen (6) (olstugen.se), and Tapasbaren (7) (tapasbaren.se), purportedly the best tapas in the city. Lunch on the run Take Tram 9 back to Central Station (8) and head for the herd of food trucks that converge in the small square off Magasinsgaten. Strommingsluckan (9) (strommingsluckan.se) offers hearty local food, such as local fried herring with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. For delicate pizza, freshly baked sourdough, and pour-over coffee, adjacent hipster bolthole, Da Matteo (10) (damatteo.se), is hard to beat; while Gabriel (11) (restauranggabriel.se), housed in the charming Feskekorka (Fish Church) market hall, at Rosenlundsvagen 411 25, is the go-to place for catch of the day. Da Matteo (Beatrice Tornros/Goteborg & Co) (Beatrice Tornros/Goteborg & Co) Window shopping On and around Magasinsgaten independent retailers rub shoulders with hip bars and off-beat restaurants. Highlights include Acne (12) the pricy but oh-so-stylish Swedish fashion label that has a store at No 19 (acnestudios.com), and another local brand, Nudie Jeans (13), which has its repair station around the corner at Vallhaten 15 (nudiejeans.com) you can have alterations done here, or pick up recycled denim. Vallgaten 12 (14) at (of course) Vallgaten 12 (vallgaten12.se) houses furniture, food and art all under one stylish roof. An aperitif The opulent Puta Madre (15) at Magasinsgatan 3 (putamadre.se) is a wonderful hybrid: a tequila bar dressed in fin-de-siecle brothel style, brought to life by a ragtime soundtrack and dapper-looking waiting staff. Sip on mescal cocktails in the amber glow, or kick back with gum-singeing Swedish vodka shots. Dine with the locals Slip through Puta Madres secret door to Basque (basque.se), a buzzing, tiled bar serving perfectly curated pintxos, quality wines and ice-cold cava. Familjen (restaurangfamiljen.se) For local flavour and larger portions - head to the award-winning Familjen (16) at Arkivgatan 7 (restaurangfamiljen.se) for slow west Swedish dining in an unpretentious setting. Day Two Sunday morning: out to brunch Le Petit Cafe (17) at Haga Nygata 2 (lepetitcafe.se), in the fashionable district of Haga, is a multicultural gem, run by Iranians and styled in candle-lit, hygge style. Choose from two main dishes (normally roast chicken or seasonal pasta), with a good salad bar, free bread and mountains of butter. On brighter days there are rickety iron tables lining the building outside, and Sunday opening hours are a generous 8am-8pm. A walk in the park Slottsskogen park (18) is a green oasis in the Linne district, where locals converge to stroll and socialise around its well-kept lawns. A small zoo is home to a variety of animals and birds, including Nordic species of elk and moose, and there are ancient trees, forest paths and waterways to discover at every turn. Slottsskogen is Gothenburgs main park (Per Pixel Petersson/Goteborg & Co) (Per Pixel Petersson/Goteborg & Co) Take a ride Bikes loom large here, and the relatively flat landscape makes it easy to traverse the city. The Styr & Stall cycle-share scheme (styrochstall.se) is available at more than 50 sites, and bikes are free with a Goteborg card. Take a short ride along the river and cross Gota alv bridge (19) to the regenerating harbour district of Frihamnen. The oncoming chill at this time of year makes a sauna particularly inviting, and the public one, Almanna Badet (20), is among the worlds most spectacular, rising from the bank of the river with its obtuse angles and corrugated steel exterior (timecenter.se; free, but online booking is essential). Allmanna Badet (Beatrice Tornros/Goteborg & Co) (Beatrice Tornros/Goteborg & Co) Cultural afternoon For superlative Nordic painting, the Gothenburg Museum of Art (21) on Gotaplatsen (goteborgskonstmuseum.se) is world class. Open from 11am Tuesday-Sunday with various closing times between 5pm and 8pm, closed Mondays. Or head to the nearby Rohsska Museum (22) at Vasagaten 39 (rohsska.se) for design and decorative arts, from contemporary Scandinavian fashion to ancient Chinese ceramics. Open 12pm-8pm Wednesday, to 5pm Thursday-Friday, 11am-5pm Saturday-Sunday, closed Monday-Tuesday. Rhosska Museum (Beatrice Tornros/Goteborg & Co) (Beatrice Tornros/Goteborg & Co) The icing on the cake No trip to Gothenburg is complete without sailing to the citys impressive archipelago a constellation of car-free islands and fishing communities offering wild nature and postcard good looks. Take the ferry from Saltholmen (22) to Styrso (23), considered the hub of the southern part, for fishing, swimming and seal watching. Travel Essentials Getting there The writer flew with Norwegian (norwegian.com), which operates six flights a week to Gothenburg from Gatwick. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted and Edinburgh, while British Airways (ba.com) flies from Heathrow. All flights from the UK serve Landvetter airport (24), 30km east of the city centre. Buses from Landvetter leave about every 12 minutes from 4.15am-9pm and take half an hour. A return ticket from the airport to Nils Ericson Terminal (25) costs 185 krone (22) when booked online in advance (flygbussarna.se), or an extra 10 krone on the day. A one-way taxi will set you back 400 krone (48). Staying there For basic accomodation, the STF Goteborg City Hostel (26) at Drottninggaten 63-65 (swedishtouristassociation.com) has double rooms starting at 1,046 krona (125) including breakfast, or 946 (113) krona if you dont mind making your own bed on arrival. A welcoming lobby strewn with old tin lanterns and fireplaces elevates the place from budget to boho. Hotel Riverton (27) at Stora Badhusgatan 26 (riverton.se) is crisp, modern and well located, and its Sky Bar and restaurant on the 12th floor offers one of the best views in the city. A Superior Queen Room starts at 1,295 krona (155), including breakfast and use of the spa. Hotel Riverton (riverton.se) Hotel Pigalle (28) at Sodra Hamngatan 2 (hotelpigalle.se) evokes La Belle Epoque with its rich, decorative rooms and charming bar and restaurant. Double rooms start at 2,954 krona (354) including breakfast. The exchange rate used in this feature is 8.34 krone to the pound Click here to view our latest travel offers with Independent Holidays Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} British Airways is returning to New Orleans, with a four-times weekly service from Heathrow to Louisianas largest city, starting on 26 March 2017. The restored link leaves some key American locations still unserved from the UK. Here are those that BA, Virgin Atlantic should really consider... Jacksonville, Florida You can already fly to four gateways in the Sunshine State (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando), but they are all in the south or centre of the Florida peninsula. Jacksonville, population 850,000, is set in the north-east corner of the state astride the broad St Johns River Floridas longest. It is mainly a business city, which will appeal to airlines; from a travellers perspective, it provides access to the nations oldest continuously occupied European settlement, St Augustine, as well as a string of beaches. And it is the starting point for I-10, the freeway along the Florida Panhandle. Jacksonville (Shutterstock) Nashville, Tennessee The world capital of Country music boasts a full-size replica of the Parthenon in Athens, and furthermore its version is in far better condition than the Greek original. More pertinently for route planning, Nashville is an important hub for BAs partner, American Airlines which indeed tried flights from Heathrow to the city in the 1990s. With more efficient aircraft such as the 787, it could now be viable. Memphis, Tennessee The birthplace of the Blues would make a natural destination for Virgin Atlantic, given the airlines rocknroll credentials. Elviss former home, Graceland, is the main attraction, and the citys location on the Mississippi makes it a good place to begin or end a trip along the river. It is also a hub for Virgins partner, Delta. Albuquerque, New Mexico A link to New Mexicos largest city would usefully fill a gap between Phoenix and Dallas. Some Breaking Bad fans will want to explore the series locations, and provide access to a state that has much to offer in terms of history and culture both Native American and Hispanic. Santa Fe, just to the north-east, is a centre for counter-culture, while Roswell to the south-east is home to the International UFO Museum And Research Center. Honolulu, Hawaii The main hub for the islands of the 50th State is currently a pain to reach, requiring at least one change of plane in the US or Canada and demanding a journey of 17 hours or more. The long legs of modern aircraft mean that the 7,230-mile non-stop distance is quite manageable indeed it is slightly shorter then BAs impending Heathrow-Santiago link. With rules on Polar flights relaxed, a direct flight would allow British travellers easy access to surfing beaches such as Waikiki, and the lesser-known islands of the archipelago. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Well that cleared things up bigly. Hillary Clinton is wrong about everything. Wrong, wrong, wrong, her prickly opponent, Donald Trump, said repeatedly, leaning as menacingly into the microphone on stage as he allegedly used to do with women he wanted to humiliate. Wrong, what we have heard from the dozen women who have publicly asserted that they have been victims of Mr Trumps unwanted approaches since that Access Hollywood tape was released in which he spoke about grabbing womens genitals. Those stories have been largely debunked, said the always defiant one. "Those people, I dont know those people. Actually, I believe it was her campaign that did it. That is to say Ms Clinton put them up to saying those things. If we are meant to believe that we were also meant to believe another of his claims, that moments of violence at his rallies, notably in Chicago last spring, was the same. Her campaign did it. I have to interrupt myself here for this: Such a nasty woman. Just like that. Ms Clinton was detailing what she thinks should happen to President Barack Obamas healthcare reforms, when so-respectful Mr Trump almost spat it. Obamacare is increasingly a mess. But Mr Trump had a better way to debate the point. Anyway. Lets talk Russia, because considering what Vladimir Putin may or not be trying to do to influence the US election is less distasteful than, well, such a nasty woman". And it provided a nice John Le Carre patina to the affair. Is Mr Putin really responsible for ordering the hacking of emails pertaining to the US election? Ms Clinton said so. And she showed moral outrage, really for the first time on the stage in Nevada, if you dont count not shaking hands with Mr Trump at the very start as an expression of moral outrage. (And again at its end.) Seventeen US intelligence agencies have concluded that it is indeed Russia that has been ransacking the email accounts of the Democratic Party and of Ms Clintons campaign manager, John Podesta, she asserted. That leaves no doubt, does it? (Except for those of us suspicious that even a country as big as this one cant really have seventeen intelligence agencies). Moreover, Mr Trump has been encouraging them, she said, calling him a puppet. This is when things started to get slightly exhausting after a relatively composed, even sleepy, first half an hour. Nope, youre the puppet, he said in another menace-the-microphone moment. Youre the puppet. Who was meant to be pulling her strings, we never learned. As for those agencies and their findings, he told us not to believe a word they were saying. It really is so confusing. Pity the American voter. We are even in a muddle over whether or not he should have won the Emmy those three times the Emmy was denied his Apprentice franchise he had with NBC. He apparently said when he lost those years that the Emmys were rigged. He didnt deny it. (Watch out microphone, hes coming again.) I should have gotten it, Mr Sulkypants says under his breath. We will get back to the rigging business in a moment. Because that is where Trump removes the orange and replaces it with the noir. What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Show all 9 1 /9 What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump denying claims from a number of women that he sexually assaulted them This is all fiction, all fictionalised, probably or possibly started by her and her very sleazy campaign. I didn't even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't even do anything Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump claiming the Russian leader had no respect for Mrs Clinton She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her every step of the way. He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our President." Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump interrupting Mrs Clinton with one of his most scathing personal attacks yet as she explained her policy on social security Such a nasty woman Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump claiming Mrs Clinton shouldn't have been allowed to run for presidency and that the election is rigged She should never have been allowed to run. Shes guilty of a very very serious crime. She should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect, I say its rigged. Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mr Trump voicing his pro-life stance during the abortion debate Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton suggesting this is not the first time Mr Trump has claimed results against him have been rigged There was even a time when Trump didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton responding to Mr Trump's lewd comments about women Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton implying Mr Trump is a puppet of Russian president Vladimir Putin He'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States Getty What did Donald Trump say during the third presidential debate? Mrs Clinton comparing her political experience to Mr Trump's former television role On the day I was in the situation room monitoring the raid that brought Osama Bin Laden to justice he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice Getty But first lets argue that this third debate did actually provide some clarity, certainly more than the last one that gave the lie to all that stirring propoganda about American being a beacon of democracy for the world. For some of the time on Wednesday night, it was possible to set the personalities of the candidates to one side and clearly see how far apart they are on vital issues. Mostly, it should be said, because Ms Clinton came to the stage totally in command of what she wants for the country. Yes, she is committed to defending the abortion laws of the nation as they stand and prevent the slow erosion of a womens right to choose. (He predicted that Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision of 1973 that set the current standards would be overturned, if he is president.) Yes, she wants to give illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. Yes, she wants tougher guns laws and no, Donald, she does not want to overturn the second amendment. Hers was a vision of a progressive future, protecting progress on gay equality and healthcare for all, against the assaults of the right. And it was a message of inclusion. His was one of fear. Thanks to Ms Clinton and Mr Obama, Syrians were pouring into the United States. And Russia? They have 1,800 nuclear warheads ready to go. Fear and loathing. Indeed his opposing outlook of dystopia demanding a tough Trump to straighten it all out was etched more clearly than ever before. He will build the wall on the Mexican border and deport illegals. What did he call them? Oh yes, bad hombres. Pause again. (Its hard to get nasty woman out of your head.) For sure, the vision he was presenting also had some coherence, in that those Americans already determined to vote for him will like and recognise it. Conservatives will celebrate his pitch on abortion and guns. Mr Trump was perhaps most effective on trade and economy, evoking the broken-down factories he has seen in the country and lives that have been ruined as jobs have gone overseas. He would rip up the Nafta trade agreement - the word rip was also deployed gruesomely in the abortion segment of the night - unless he can get it renegotiated. His words were a reminder of how far American trade policy has fallen into peril. Even without him being elected, it has received body wounds. Ms Clinton vowed more convincingly than ever that she wont sign the new Trans-Pacific Partnership. (Mr Obama, youd better get it through before you leave.) But Mr Trump, really? Nasty woman? The best he had apparently taken from the leaked emails written by Mr Podesta is that he allegedly doesnt care for her very much. John Pedesta said some horrible things about you and boy he was right. Imagine an Oval Office address after a failed nuclear deal with, say, Mr Putin. His armpits smelled, awful tailoring, nasty Vlad. Ms Clinton, by contrast, warmed up slowly and deliberately and then let loose, still in composed fashion (though there was a small Im-enjoying-myself smile too), with a lethal fusillade of reasons why Mr Trump shouldnt be president, starting, of course, with the women and their stories of his sordid behaviour. But she hardly stopped there. His comments about allowing other countries to gain nuclear weapons were terrifying, so were his attacks onso many people. The Khan Gold Star family with the dead son who spoke at the Democratic Convention, John McCain the POW in Vietman, who, in his mind shouldnt have been captured, the judge who shouldnt be presiding over his Trump University lawsuit case because of his Mexican heritage (actually born in Indiana). But let's end with the contention of Mr Trump that this election - like those Emmy nights - is rigged against him. Chris Wallace the Fox News moderator, gave him the chance to state clearly that he will accept the results of the election on 8 November if he is defeated like a man. You know what he said already, I am sure. I will look at it at the time, he said. Because he is not a man. Which should mean he isnt as scary as he sometimes seems. Except Trump is scary if he does what we think he might do when America awakes to the results on 9 November and he finds he has lost and then cries foul. America the great Democracy, and Pennsylvania Avenue will be clogged for days - maybe months - with Trump forces trying to stop Ms Clinton from entering the gates of the White House. Which she will have won, fairly. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Maybe its because I live in Lebanon, and return to Beirut from Aleppo and Damascus, that the place seems so normal. While all around this little jewel, the Middle East burns Syria, the occupied West Bank, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, increasingly Egypt and, alas, Turkish Kurdistan Lebanon glistens brightly in the darkness, largely untarnished by the horrors on the other side of its borders. Or so it seems. We might be forgiven for believing that this little paradise still exists in the Arab world. True, Lebanon has no president, no functioning government and constant power cuts (I currently have three electricity outages a day, sometimes totalling six hours, without a generator). Reading by candlelight might seem as romantic as Milton preferably without its physical effect on him but it gets a little boring after a while. True, the Syrian war has stained Lebanon. Mosque bombings, the attempted destruction of the Iranian embassy by suicide killers, the brief capture of the Lebanese town of Ersal by Isis and the beheading of Lebanese soldiers who were seized there, seemed to foreshadow a replay of the countrys old civil war. Hezbollah fighters from southern Lebanon receive military funerals when they are driven home by the dozen from the Syrian battlefields. Sunni and Alawite (Shia) gunmen have fought in the northern city of Tripoli. But the new Lebanese war didnt happen. Recommended Read more Saudi Arabia cannot throw every decent person who speaks out into jail I have a few pet theories about Lebanons survival. It has the most educated population in the Arab world and the most talented (in the literal sense of the word) people. Its own civil war, with its 150,000 dead a little common grave compared to Syria today taught the Lebanese that no one wins, although the Christian minority continued to hold the presidency and the Shia Hezbollah continued to keep their guns. For their own safety, tens of thousands of Lebanese children offspring of the middle classes and the elite, of course were sent abroad by their parents during the 1976-90 war. They lived in Geneva, Paris, London, New York. They studied at Oxford, Harvard and the Sorbonne. They grew into adulthood in Western nations where dignity and freedom were natural rights rather than privileges. Dramatic footage shows Elite Iraq forces battle on road to Bartella in fight for Mosul They returned to their country appalled at its sectarianism, its corruption, the hatreds of the family zoama, the seigneurs who believe they have a blood-right to power. The returning children loathed the stigma of mixed marriages and their self-righteous priests. Good on them, I used to say. Theyve even forced the government to accept civil marriages to the meddlesome fury of both Muslim and Christian prelates. Yet the old traditions persist. I recall a Muslim friend whose son attended a British university and whom I would meet in the UK from time to time. He enjoyed his freedoms beer, girlfriends, the freedom to speak his mind but in his final term he asked his mother back in Beirut to find him a Muslim bride. I was saddened. He enjoyed the good life, and then wanted mummy to find him a teenage bride of the right religion. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Almost every six months I encounter a Muslim or Christian friend whose parents threaten to disown them if they marry a man or woman from a different religion. Up in the Chouf mountains at Beit Eddine, I attended a conference on sectarianism at which a worthy Western academic suggested that the youth of Lebanon must be encouraged to marry whomever they love, whatever their religion. No, I said. Its their parents to whom they should preach. And what do you do about corruption? Its a cancer in the Middle East (and a lot of Western countries, I might add). I regularly meet with men and women who have dodgy backgrounds. Its part of my job as a journalist. They defrauded a bank, or have civil war blood on their hands, or are trying to smear a rival politician. I used to frequent a vegetable shop whose owner had murdered another man in a family feud. He kept a rifle beside the cauliflower stall. Last week, an internal security force officer used his service pistol to shoot his neighbours in the Kesrouan region over a dispute about their pit bull dogs. Banks which levy outrageous charges on current accounts threaten their customers. My own bank in Beirut (its charges are not outrageous and its owned by former prime minister Saad Hariri, of whom more later) used to send me a letter in which I was supposed to promise not to break US federal banking laws. The bank was so frightened of US money-laundering threats if a bank cant deal in dollars, its out of business that it went on sending me this wretched note year after year until I sent them a lawyers letter which told them that they had no legal right to make this demand of a British citizen. At which point, the whole fandango immediately came to an end. Every few years, the government commences an anti-corruption drive in which civil servants immediately refuse to take bribes (for a few weeks) to avoid being fired. But then what happens? Quite a while back, my landlord captured this nonsense rather well. When his phone line was cut in the past, the PTT man came right away. He received a few Lebanese pounds for his work and the line was fixed. Now when my phone line is cut, my landlord moaned, the PTT man wont fix the line because hes not allowed to take a gift. How do I get my phone back? Corruption, even small scale, oils the wheels. But what is Lebanon to do with Sister Syria next door? Its calculated that $10bn of Syrian money lies in Lebanese banks, apartment blocks, investments and cash. You can imagine how the Americans whove put around 80 Syrians on their economic blacklist might roar with outrage at this statement. But its true. Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Show all 10 1 /10 Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Graffiti on the ancient stones reads in Arabic Shooting without the permission of the chief is prohibited Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Damaged artefacts lay inside the museum of the historic city of Palmyra Reuters Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Syrian pro-government forces rest by Palmyra Citadel as they take control of the city from the hands of Isis Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The UNESCO world heritage site appears surprisingly intact after its recapture from the militant group Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Many had feared the ancient city would be destroyed following its capture by Isis in May Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Smoke billows from the Palmyra Citadel as Assads forces drive the Jihadist group from the city Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Palmyra is one of the most important cultural centers of the world Unesco says Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Pro-government forces play football in the streets following the recapture of the city Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The extent of the destruction caused by Isis 10 month occupation of the city has yet to be fully realised Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The City Council of Palmyra building in ruins Reuters And thanks to the Middle Easts former colonial masters (French, of course) who broke Lebanon off from Syria, many Lebanese families are also Syrian families this might apply to about a third of the population of Tripoli, Lebanons northern city and many of these Lebanese also hold US citizenship and are, of course, perfectly entitled to hold accounts in Lebanese banks. And if they withdraw it and spend the money in Damascus, who is to know? There is thank God, say all the Lebanese the army. Reconstructed after the civil war, its the only totally non-sectarian force in the country. Its also the only institution that still works. Without it, that civil war may yet have reignited Lebanon. The Saudis were going to pay for its rearmament three billion dollars worth, the weapons to come from King Salmans chum Francois Hollande. But when the Saudis were angered by the Shia Hezbollahs attacks on the Kingdom, they pulled the plug and so Lebanese soldiers are still protecting their nation with old British SLR rifles once used in Belfast and outdated Humvees and even more outdated Huey helicopters of Vietnam vintage. In the absence of a president, the most powerful man in Lebanon is General Abbas Ibrahim, head of the countrys internal security, a Shiite who is a good friend of Qatar he has helped to negotiate the release of soldiers and nuns who were held captive by the Islamist Nusrah group and a brave (some might say foolhardy) man. Whenever I see him (the last time was in Qatar) I always tell him to take care of his life because I fear he is the most endangered species in Lebanon: a very brave man whom an awful lot of people would like to kill. If he is vain (as his critics claim), he is also courageous. When he was the senior army intelligence officer in southern Lebanon, it was his duty to maintain contact with all armed groups in the area. He would walk, at night, alone and unarmed, into the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian camp to talk to members of Osama bin Ladens al-Qaeda. He deserves to survive. So does Lebanon. But in the very latest bit of roguery to appal the Lebanese, it looks as if ex-General Michel Aoun might at last achieve his ambition of becoming president of Lebanon. Aoun was the Lebanese army general who in 1990 thought he was the president and went to war with the Syrian army. After hundreds of his soldiers were martyred by the Syrian army (and quite a few hundred Syrians martyred in a minefield by the Lebanese army), Aoun fled to the French embassy, set off to Paris in self-exile and then returned triumphantly to Lebanon to become (wait for it) a friend of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and his Hezbollah allies. Quite a lot of Lebanese thought he was completely crackers. None was more infuriated than Saad Hariri (yes, the owner of my bank), the former Sunni prime minister whose own ex-prime minister father Rafiq was assassinated so Saad believed by Syrian security personnel in 2005. Saad could not stand the sight of Aoun. He raged at his words. But now, to the shock of Lebanese Sunnis, Hariri is declaring himself (after visits to France and Saudi Arabia) in favour of Aouns presidency. Girl cries out for father after Syrian airstrike In other words, Hariri is cosying up to support a man who is an ally of the regime which he believes murdered his father. Could this possibly be because Saad wants to become prime minister again even Aouns prime minister? In Lebanon, the president must be a Christian Maronite, the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker of parliament a Shia. But the Shia speaker of parliament is Nabih Berri who says he will not tolerate Aoun as president. So do at least 13 of Hariris own top party supporters. Its sectarianism again; the system in which every Lebanese Christian and Sunni and Shia Muslim lives in mutual love, suspicion and fear of each other, love always trumping fear if the people dont want another civil war. Politely, this is called the National Pact. And thats why Lebanon will always be a nation-in-waiting. To be a modern state, Lebanon must de-confessionalise so that anyone, whatever his religion, can be president or prime minister. But if you de-sectarianise Lebanon, it ceases to exist. For the identity of Lebanon is sectarian. Its a Rolls Royce with leather seats, flat screen TV in the back, a cocktail cabinet but square wheels. Beautiful, luxurious, coveted, it doesnt work. But thank God its got the Lebanese people. Which is why Lebanon will survive. Its people have what so few Arabs enjoy: relative freedom, education, a love of books (real books outnumbered e-books at the last Beirut book fair) and an abiding belief in their history: Roman ruins, Crusader castles, ancient mosques, the Phoenician love of travel and adventure (which is why the national airline is always packed, even if does show advertisements for medical facelifts). The Lebanese are their own heroes. Britain's departure from the EU will have to change the Border arrangements in Ireland between North and South, EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan, has said. Mr Hogan said the view among EU leaders in Brussels was that Britain cannot have its cake and eat it remaining half-in and half-out of the EU. The United Kingdom's choice is between Hard Brexit and No Brexit. And, its only No Brexit that can give us the border we have now, Mr Hogan said. The Irish Commissioner said the EU and the other member states were now well aware of Irelands concerns about the north-south relations, and the strong Ireland-UK relationship, including the common travel area. He had discussed these matters with the EUs Brexit chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, and he believed Irish politicians and diplomats were busy informing other member states. Mr Hogan said the Leave campaign had canvassed on half-truths and wrong assumptions. The upcoming leave negotiations to frame a new EU-UK relationship, due to begin next March, would be tough. Any deal, by its nature, will be inferior to the deal that the UK currently enjoys due to its membership of the EU. The UK is going to learn a hard lesson, it's not going to have its cake and eat it. The posturing and fancy talk of Brexit is already beginning to collide with reality, Mr Hogan told the Oireachtas EU affairs committee. Mr Hogan also said that the EU had its problems and shortcomings - but ultimately these were also problems and failings for member governments and the citizens of every member state. It's high time we stopped blaming the Union for everything that goes wrong while taking credit nationally for everything that goes right, the Commissioner said. Ireland will enter the battle for more than 1,000 medical and financial jobs that will have to relocate from London as a result of Brexit. Stock Image: PA Ireland will enter the battle for more than 1,000 medical and financial jobs that will have to relocate from London as a result of Brexit. The Irish Independent has learned the Cabinet will next week give Health Minister Simon Harris and Finance Minister Michael Noonan approval to embark on a "political and diplomatic offensive". It marks a significant change in tack from the Government which has to date been careful not to be seen to be actively 'stealing jobs' from the UK on the back of Brexit. The ministers will formally campaign for Dublin to become the new headquarters of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA). Both are currently based in London, but a decision on where they will relocate is expected to be taken shortly after Britain triggers Article 50 next year. The EMA, which has almost 900 employees, is the largest EU body in Britain. It is charged with fostering "scientific excellence" in the supervision of medicines, while the EBA works to ensure prudent regulation and supervision across the European banking sector. Both bodies are seen as among the most prestigious EU authorities, with the EBA employing 159 staff from 25 different countries. Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Germany have already declared an interest in becoming home to the EMA, while Paris and Frankfurt are seen as frontrunners for the EBA. The Irish Government is set to argue that as Britain's closest neighbour and the only English-speaking country remaining in the EU, Ireland is best placed to facilitate a "smooth transition". "Their best chance of having no disruption to service would be a move to Dublin," a government source said. "Dublin has a city airport so workers with families could commute from London. We have the office space and the workforce." Ireland is also home to nine out of 10 of the world's top pharmaceutical companies. Read more: Brexit 'could spark race to bottom for workers' rights' The European Commission will set the criteria for the choice of new location with Member States to make the final decision. An inter-agency working group involving a number of government departments and bodies like the IDA have been secretly working on the plan for several weeks. Fine Gael ministers are also expected to lobby their colleagues in the European People's Party (EPP). Meanwhile, Martin McGuinness has said he doesn't trust Northern Ireland's Secretary of State to deliver a good deal from Brexit. The Deputy First Minister made his remarks at a summit which brought business and political leaders to Derry, including former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Mr McGuinness said the British government does not have the interests of the North at heart. "Despite what James Brokenshire may say, he will not be my representative at those negotiations. That is the responsibility of elected representatives here," he said. Mr Ahern said an open border and common trading area between Ireland and Britain must be maintained. "People must be able to move freely between Britain and Ireland without restriction and in an unencumbered manner," he said. First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon speaks as the SNPs biggest-ever conference began in Glasgow. Photo: John Linton/PA A draft Bill for a second referendum on Scottish independence has been published for consultation by the Scottish Government. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Scots should have the ability to reconsider the issue in light of the vote for Brexit and to do so before the UK leaves the European Union (EU). Under the proposals it is expected that Scots would be asked the same question posed in 2014: "Should Scotland be an independent country? The document, published online, also sets out plans for a second poll to be decided by a simple majority as was the case two years ago when 55pc of Scots voted to stay in the United Kingdom and 45% opted for independence. The consultation also proposes the same franchise as in 2014, which would see EU citizens living in Scotland and 16 and 17-year-olds able to vote. It states that an order similar to that drawn up by Westminster and the Scottish Parliament that allowed the 2014 vote take place "would be sought and agreed". The consultation says: "The decision on Scotland's future should be taken through a process that is beyond reproach. "The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the highest standards of fairness, transparency and propriety are maintained." In the foreword to the consultation, Ms Sturgeon said: "The UK Government's recent statements on its approach to leaving the EU raise serious concerns for the Scottish Government. "We face unacceptable risks to our democratic, economic and social interests and to the right of the Scottish Parliament to have its say." She added: "Protecting Scotland's interests is the most important job of this Government. We must have every option available to do this and it is for that reason we are now publishing the draft referendum Bill for consultation. "In 2014, our objective was for the conduct of the referendum to meet the highest standards of fairness, transparency and propriety. "That objective was achieved then, and remains crucial for any future referendum. "The consultation and draft Bill propose that the approach should be broadly the same as in 2014, with some technical adjustments to reflect recent changes in elections law and procedures such as individual registration. "As in 2014, the proposed franchise for the referendum will match that for Scottish Parliament elections. "That will mean that two important groups of people would have a voice that was denied to them in the recent referendum on EU membership: 16 and 17-year-olds and citizens of EU countries who have made Scotland their home." Ms Sturgeon, who is due to meet Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Monday, has said efforts to protect Scotland's place in Europe would intensify over the coming weeks in light of a majority of Scots voting to remain in June's EU referendum. The First Minister has said she will put forward specific proposals aimed at keeping Scotland in the single market even if the rest of the UK leaves, as well as for ''substantial additional powers'' for Holyrood as part of the UK's Article 50 negotiations, including over international deals with other nations and immigration. But she has stressed that the Scottish Parliament must be able to consider the option of an independence referendum "if it becomes clear that it is the best or only way of safeguarding Scotland's interests". The consultation says the Government will reach a conclusion on whether to ask the Scottish Parliament to approve a Bill "in the light of developments over the coming months". ELKO Members of the Ruby Mountain Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution are currently displaying American Revolution era memorabilia from their personal collections at the Elko County Library. According to Ruby Mountain Chapter Regent Londa Manteufel the display will be up through the end of October. It includes playing cards, games, a pewter dining set, and books encompassing a wide variety of subjects including biographies, cookbooks, the history of the American flag, and how to read early American handwriting. A beautiful example of Colonial overshot weaving a technique popular during the time period is a very special item that has been included in the display. Ellie Cline, a 30-year Army veteran, completed the piece and donated it to our chapter, said Jacque Orr, Ruby Mountain Chapter treasurer. It is a beautiful treasure for our organization. The collection is very interesting and I encourage everyone to come and look at the unique items on display, said Annette Robinson, circulation supervisor for the Elko County Library. Looking at the collection encouraged me to go check out my lineage, and it looks like I may have an American patriot or two in my family history. Beginning in November, the organization plans to change the display to showcase items from its members personal collections from the American Revolutionary War to our present military battles in honor of Veterans Day. We would like to encourage community members to bring in copies of photos of loved ones past and present who have or are serving our country to the library so that we may display them on the wall across from the circulation desk during the month of November, said Manteufel. Anyone interested in displaying a collection at the Elko County Library should contact Annette Robinson at 738-3066, extension 226. Theresa May will today tell other EU leaders to forget any notion that Britain will change its mind about Brexit, as she meets them all face-to-face for the first time. The Prime Minister will use her first European Council summit to kill off any suggestions of a second referendum, after the idea of a dramatic rethink was floated by its President. Addressing all 27 other EU leaders over dinner in Brussels, Ms May will attempt to build bridges, by promising to make Britain a strong partner of a strong Europe, a No.10 source said. That statement alone will disappoint some hard-line Brexiteers in her own party, who have made no secret of their desire for Brexit to be followed by a wider crumbling of the EU bloc. But the Prime Minister will also urge the rest of the EU to get down to the urgent business of building a new, but close, trading and security partnership with Britain on the outside. Earlier this month, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, dangled the prospect of the British public backing out of Brexit, once they realised the painful reality of it. And, yesterday, the pound rose on the back of Downing Street acknowledging it was very likely that Parliament would have the right to reject the final Brexit deal. However, the source said Ms Mays message to the other 27 would be that the referendum result must be honoured and that there will be no second referendum. There has been a sense that there is still some debate in certain quarters of the European Union and I wouldnt point to any specifics, but generally about whether that might be still a possibility, the source said. The prime minister has been absolutely clear many times that is not the case, but it is an opportunity for her to say that directly to all the leaders. We do need now to all be facing to the future which is the UK outside the European Union. The two-day summit is expected to be a frosty affair, after EU leaders reacted badly to the Prime Ministers conference pledge to deliver a so-called hard Brexit. The backlash was immediate, with both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande vowing to ensure harsh consequences for that stance. The united message of the other 27 EU nations will be that Britain will not enjoy the trade benefits of the single market without agreeing to play by its rules, on free migration and the authority of EU court rulings. EU leaders have also insisted there will be no "pre-negotiation" before Ms May writes to Brussels to formally trigger Article 50, early next year, and specify Britain's demands. For that reason, the Prime Ministers words, over dinner tonight, may not be followed by a lengthy discussion of how Brexit will take place. But, the source said: From our perspective, the main aim is to have that first opportunity to address all 27 - Donald Tusk has agreed that she should do that. Ms May will also hold bilateral talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, and with the leaders of Estonia and Romania. In addition, the summit will discuss a long-term solution to the summer migration crisis, action against Chinese dumping of goods and the threat posed by Russia in both Syria and Eastern Ukraine. On the back of both political and industry pressure, ministers are preparing a series of changes to the Help-To-Buy scheme, one of the key planks of Budget 2017. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire The Government looks set to significantly cut the upper threshold on its controversial first-time buyers' package after it was labelled a "mansion grant" by Fianna Fail. On the back of both political and industry pressure, ministers are preparing a series of changes to the Help-To-Buy scheme, one of the key planks of Budget 2017. Sources said the 600,000 threshold will be cut to between 450,000-500,000 in a move that will be labelled a climbdown by Housing Minister Simon Coveney. However, this is unlikely to happen today when the Government publishes the Finance Bill - which contains the taxation measures as part of the Budget. Read more: FF: 600,000 limit means Help-to-Buy plan is an 'off-the-wall mansion grant' Fianna Fail's housing spokesperson Barry Cowen reiterated last night that his party would reserve judgement on elements of the Finance Bill until changes are introduced. The Offaly TD has called for the threshold to be capped at 400,000. One source said Mr Coveney has indicated privately that he would be willing to introduce changes. "It looks like they will let the 600,000 threshold go. It may be reduced to low as 450,000," the source told the Irish Independent. Such a move is likely to gain significant political support. Meanwhile, the Irish Independent understands Finance Minister Michael Noonan will announce changes to the rules surrounding the loan-to-value ratio (LVR). This refers to the percentage of the price of your home that you are borrowing from a financial institution. Rebate Under current arrangements, those buying a house for 200,000 are required to take out a mortgage of 160,000, or 80pc of the value of the property, before they qualify for a tax rebate under the new scheme. However, the Government will reduce this to 70pc following a recommendation from the Central Bank. Government sources said the Central Bank's research showed the average first-time buyer has a LVR of 78.7pc, meaning they would not qualify for the rebate. Central Bank officials are believed to have warned that the previous 80pc rule was encouraging first-time buyers to take out a larger mortgage than they needed. This created the fear that couples were taking on more debt than necessary. It is hoped that by changing the thresholds, more first-time buyers will avail of the scheme, while at the same time addressing debt levels. Read more: Coveney's scheme to help house hunters is full of holes and will only push up prices The first-time buyers' scheme itself is based on home-buyers being eligible for a tax rebate at a rate of 5pc. The relief is capped at 20,000 and will be based on income tax paid over the previous four tax years. Meanwhile, today's Finance Bill will also contain a series of measures in relation private equity firms, more commonly known as vulture funds. TDs, such as Wicklow's Stephen Donnelly, have claimed in the Dail that these funds are avoiding paying tax by using so-called Section 110 status. Mr Noonan will today announce further plans to restrict the activity of vulture funds. New Generation Homes chief Greg Kavanagh has secured a massive payment in a deal understood to be valued in excess of 150m from his companys financial backers, London-based M&G Investments, in a deal which will see him exit the business. The Irish Independent understands the agreement between the parties was reached yesterday afternoon following what a source familiar with the matter termed a period of intense but amicable negotiations. While Kavanagh was unavailable for comment on the multimillion euro payment he is now in line for or on the precise terms of the deal which sources described as amicable, it is understood M&G Investments will acquire all of New Generations assets. Those assets - a portfolio of Dublin development sites are to be transferred into the ownership of a new company to be formed and headed up by Kavanaghs current co-director, the CEO of New Generation Homes, Pat Crean. While it is understood Greg Kavanagh will retain and develop a number of development sites in Dublin, these are assets which he acquired in a personal capacity, and as such will not be captured as part of M&Gs buyout of the New Generation portfolio. Kavanagh, for his part, is understood to be considering fresh opportunities in the property sector in London and possibly in New York. Independent.ie is currently awaiting a statement from New Generation Homes on the deal. A relative unknown in the property scene up until 2012, the now 31-year-old Kavanagh entered the sector at dramatic speed as the country began to inch its way out of the recession. He started making money, while still in school, as a day trader. Armed with some 2m in cash by his mid-20s he rolled the dice on Irish property at a time while the market was still on its knees and the countrys financial management was being directed by the EU/IMF/ECB troika. Kavanaghs company, New Generation Homes, spent about 300m snapping up land in Dublin and its commuter hinterland as prices were only just beginning to recover, securing finance entirely from private equity rather than loans. In the course of his brief career in the property industry, the Wicklow natives backers backers have included e-learning tycoon Pat McDonagh, US real estate giants Starwood Capital and the Pacific investment vehicle of British investor Sir John Beckwith. Up until yesterdays agreement, New Generation's sole backer had been M&G, the investment fund owned by insurance giant Prudential. While the company recently moved to take advantage of the acute shortage of development sites in Dublin through the disposal of a range of New Generations sites, the process dubbed Project Firefly failed to secure a buyer willing to stump up the 250m being sought. The portfolio offered is understood to have contained sites in Foxrock, Cabinteely, Blackrock, Dundrum, Killiney, Rathmichael, Harold's Cross, Cabra, Saggart, Howth, Baldoyle, Coolock and Finglas. The Historic La Touche Hotel in Greystones is also thought to have been offered as part of the proposed sale. Included in those believed to have run the rule over the Project Firefly portfolio are former Treasury Holdings chief Richard Barretts Bartra Capital, Lone Star, and the Cork-based developer, Michael OFlynn. Hibernia Reit, Johnny Ronan's Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), developer Eamonn Duignan and the UK property group U+I are among a number of parties understood to have submitted offers to acquire the Central Bank's Dame Street headquarters by the close of bidding yesterday. The Irish Independent understands that other parties who had expressed an interest in the building and its associated portfolio decided not to follow through with an offer, having formed the view that the indicative pricing of 65m given to the Stephenson 'Tower' by selling agents, Lisney, was excessive. With the sale of the Central Bank's Dame Street headquarters being conducted on a 'best bids' basis, yesterday's process represented the one and only opportunity for potential purchasers to make an offer. It is understood the detail of the individual bids will be presented to the board of the Central Bank, with the identity of the successful purchaser of the portfolio announced shortly thereafter. Lisney expects bidding to be in the region of 2m and 14m for Lots 2 and 3 in the Central Bank portfolio. The second lot consists of five-storey over basement period building at 9 College Green which extends to 5,236 sq ft, while the final lot is 6/8 College Green, which sits on the site of the original Jury's Hotel. Quite apart from the requirement to submit the highest offer and be in a position to complete the purchase of the Central Bank's Dame Street headquarters, its new owners will have to comply with a number of conditions of sale set down by the Central Bank. One rather unusual stipulation requires the purchaser of the Central Bank Tower to seek permission from the Central Bank should they wish to remove the famous Crann an Oir sculpture from its present position on the bank's main plaza. The Central Bank made the decision not to move the Eamon Doherty designed 'tree of gold' sculpture after taking external advice and carrying out an internal assessment prior to putting its headquarters on the market. Should they wish to move the sculpture, the Dame Street building's new owners will also have to apply to Dublin City Council for planning permission as part of the conditions set down by the Central Bank. It will also remain open to the Central Bank to exercise an option to acquire the sculpture from the Dame Street building's new owners for a nominal sum at any point, the Irish Independent understands. While there has been speculation that the Central Bank headquarters could be converted for hotel use, sources familiar with the matter said this was unlikely given the estimate that the building could accommodate just 108 hotel rooms. That esimate was contained in the master plan drawn up for the Central Bank portfolio by Henry J Lyons architects. Based on a 65m price tag, any buyer proposing to redevelop the Stephenson-designed building as a hotel would be paying an effective 601,000 per room before the commencement of any conversion or refurbishment. To put that figure in context, the German company Deka-Bank paid the equivalent of 360,000 per room with its recent 180m purchase of the four-star, former Burlington Hotel from US private equity giant, Blackstone. Rain batters homes as the eye of Hurricane Matthew passes Daytona Beach, Florida. The event also caused movement in stock prices of property funds. Photo: Reuters Today sees the publication of the first stage of The Finance Bill, implementing the measures announced in the Budget to solve Ireland's housing crisis. Unless the Government has had an epiphany, the new strategy will be a collection of well-meaning side issues, all of which miss the main point: the supply of new homes is being killed by taxes. The fundamental issue is the State is taking far too much money out of the development of new homes, making them unaffordable for working people in Dublin, and in other locations too. The irony is the State, by making development unviable, is taking in very little money. Slashing taxes would re-ignite the market, help to solve the housing crisis and greatly increase overall tax revenues. It's infuriating that the Government can't see this, and even more so that its chief solution is a 'help-to-buy' incentive for first-time buyers, with a 20,000 tax break, that will go straight on to the price of new homes. Yes, everyone likes the lure of 'something for nothing' and we will see a cohort of buyers who have been sitting on the fence moving now to make their purchase. But surely it would be better for the consumer if the price of houses goes down, and not up? VAT and development levies are strangling supply and it's amazing that the Government didn't replicate the success in rebooting the hotel and tourism industry by reducing VAT on new homes. (There is no VAT on new homes in Northern Ireland and the UK.) Isn't it astonishing that a government which understands that high taxes reduce consumption of alcohol and cigarettes, can't grasp that high taxes are also killing economic activity in housing? Development levies, all of which are passed on to the first-time buyer, remain too high and unfair, despite moves to reduce their impact. Why should first-time buyers, already stretched to the limit to save a deposit from heavily-taxed income, also be expected to pay for the State's social housing policy? Oh, and of course they'll have to pay an annual property tax too. Buyers of secondhand homes don't have to pay these charges, which amount to double taxation. Social housing should be paid for by everyone, not just first-time buyers. Exorbitant levies are preventing development. For example, in Carrickmines, Co. Dublin, several sites have been sold since the crash, but no-one is building. That's because a levy of 50-75,000 per unit is part of making building unviable. As one builder told me: "If I was to start building based on the known costs and likely sale prices, I could be prosecuted for reckless trading. It just doesn't stack up." Across the country, levies are payable to the local parks department (whether they provide a park or not), a road levy (whether there's a new road or not) and for sewer and water connections. On top of that will often be a special levy for the past or proposed provision of public transport - for example, a Luas line or other transport schemes. The supply of new homes will improve as the economy strengthens, but much of that would have happened anyway. Increased expenditure on infrastructure, 'rent a room' and 'living city' initiatives and competitions to encourage innovation in construction are all worthy, but they are side issues. The 'vacant site levy', more controls on landlords and the 'help to buy' scheme, will all make matters worse. Estate agency is increasingly global Florida was a dramatic place to be last week, dodging hurricanes. It was interesting to learn that threatened hurricanes cause movement in the stock prices of property funds, with holdings in the State and share values moving according to the latest predictions from The Weather Channel. I was interested to find that Roger Hobkinson, a director of Colliers International's Dublin office, is actively involved in the city of St Petersburg's 'New Pier District', a catalyst for the city's regeneration. Hobkinson, whose speciality is 'destination consulting' is part of the Colliers International team that won the contract to advise on the content of the scheme, its branding, marketing, leasing and management. Hobkinson told me that he is also working on schemes in Seoul and Shanghai. Funds that own billions of euro of Irish property and loan assets are likely to be hit with a new withholding tax in a measure to be spelled out in Michael Noonan's Finance Bill today. The prospect of a tougher tax regime has been seen by some in the property sector as leading to a decline in investor appetite. However, a long list of bidders for Nama's so-called Project Gem suggests demand for Irish assets remains robust. Three US funds, Apollo, Cerberus and Oaktree are understood to be among a longer list of prospective buyers that have submitted bids ahead of an October 18 deadline for 3bn of loans being sold by Nama in its Project Gem disposal. It is a portfolio of predominantly commercial mortgage loans and is secured by 392 properties, mostly in Ireland. First round bids are now in for the loans, which have a face value of 3bn, but are likely to sell for well below that level. Even so, the bids coming ahead of the new tax regime for funds suggests investors remain interested in assets here. The idea is to levy the tax on Irish income generated by the assets regardless of where the owners are domiciled. The move to beef up taxes on property income follows public disquiet at the tax-free profits being generated by mostly big US funds that bought assets here at knockdown prices in the Crash. The new tax regime is expected to apply to structures used by those investors to cut their taxes, in some cases to nothing, including qualifying investor alternative investment funds (QIAIFs), Irish collective asset management vehicles (Icavs) as well as so-called Section 110 companies. Unsurprisingly, funds that relied on the then tax-free structures when they bought Irish assets, including to calculate how much they would pay, are pushing hard to minimise the impact of the taxes, with intensive lobbying reported in recent weeks. In the Budget earlier this month, the minister indicated that the new tax treatment could generate 50m a year in additional taxes for the State, but that's seen by many as a very conservative assessment given the scale of assets held by funds. It's unlikely the new taxes can be applied to profits already generated and repatriated by the investors, but future profits on assets bought since the Crash are set to be hit. Introducing a withholding tax would bring the tax treatment for owners of property through structured investment vehicles in line with investors. Following competition approval of his high-profile takeover of Slaney Foods in recent weeks, ABP owner Larry Goodman has signalled that further consolidation is necessary in the Irish beef sector. Speaking to the Farming Independent, at the giant trade fair SIAL in France this week, Goodman said that further consolidation was still required in the Irish meat processing sector. He believes that close to 60pc of the capacity of Irish slaughter plants remains unutilised. "We're still very small, relatively speaking, and it's not going to leave more money in farmers' pockets having a plant at every crossroads," he said. ABP this week announced another significant acquisition further expanding its meat processing facilities in Poland, which will help the company build throughput by another 100,000 head to 250,000 over the next three years. "There are lots of places to invest all over the world with better returns than Ireland, all in the agri-sector," noted Mr Goodman. Brexit Larry Goodman also raised concerns in regard to the impact of Brexit on the UK beef sector. He said that axing UK farm supports would have a disastrous effect on beef farmer numbers in the country where he has concentrated his largest investments. "If state supports go, UK beef farmers would be wiped out in 10 years," Mr Goodman said. However, he believes that the British government will want to ensure some security of supply by continuing to support its farmers. "We would like to see a support system similar to the deficiency payments what existed in Britain before it joined the EU where the producer price did not fall below a certain agreed level. "That ensures that Britain doesn't become totally reliant on food imports and that tax-payers' support for the farmer benefits the housewife in the form of cheaper prices at the other end," he said. He contrasted this with the intervention system, which he said only benefitted oil-producing countries that were able to buy food cheaply out of EU storage. "We wouldn't sell into intervention for the first nine months because it penalises the good customer and gives nothing back to the taxpayer. The British had it right long before they ever entered the EU," he said. Brexit informs every waking moment - Minister Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed admitted that the fall-out from the June referendum had become the biggest challenge of his brief to-date. "Brexit informs every waking moment. We are more knowledgable than most, but we are still in the dark," he told the Farming Independent at the Paris trade show. He is travelling to London this week to "love-bomb" major retailer Sainsburys, and hopes to meet the Agriculture Secretary, Andrea Leadsom in late November. "We can't turn our back on the UK because it's still our most lucrative market, so the status quo is our objective," said Mr Creed. The IFA criticised the Government this week for not providing exceptional support for the worst affected businesses in the sector, despite the Department of Agriculture's special marketing fund of up to 0.75m for small food businesses that have been seriously affected by Brexit. The farmers claim their total crop losses were valued at over 300,000 An action for damages by two Co Wicklow potato farmers against Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has been dismissed on grounds the department was entitled to sovereign immunity as an agent of the British Crown. The action was brought by Paul and John Brady, of Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, who claimed in 2012 they had bought 88,000 worth of potato seed, sourced in Co Down, which had failed. As part of their claim to recover total crop losses of 332,000, they have sued a number of parties including NI's Department of Agriculture, and Rural Development. They alleged the department was negligent in certifying two batches of Premier Elite seed potatoes as fit for purpose. As a result of alleged shortcomings in examination of the seed by inspectors in Northern Ireland, the Bradys claimed their 2012 crop, which was intended for sale in shops, had failed and turned out to be suitable only for animal feed. In a pretrial motion, the Department opposed the action arguing the Dublin High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the claim against it on grounds that it enjoys sovereign immunity. The proceedings against it should be set aside, the department argued. When the proceedings were launched, Sinn Fein's MLA Michelle O'Neill was NI's Minister for Agriculture. She has since been replaced as Minister for Agriculture by DUP MLA Michelle McIlveen. Lawyers for the Bradys had opposed the motion and argued their claim should be heard before the Republic's High Court. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan ruled the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development was entitled to sovereign immunity as an agent of the British Crown. The Minister had stated the Department had statutory powers under the Northern Ireland Act of 1998, he said. These include Section 22 of the Act which provides that the Executives power shall continue to be vested in Her Majesty and accordingly departments such as Agriculture exercised their executive powers conferred under Statute on behalf of the British Crown. The judge accepted that legal authorities in the Republic placed the Northern Ireland Executive, the Minister and the NI Department of Agriculture as agents of the Crown. He said the courts in the Republic were not competent to adjudicate upon the validity of administrative and executive acts by the agent of a foreign sovereign acting solely within its own jurisdiction. He struck out the statement of claim against the NI Department which had brought a motion asking that the case against it be dismissed. The Wicklow growers' damages claim remains against other defendants remains live. A parcel of 42ac of 'top class' Kilkenny land is coming to auction before the end of the month. The tillage grounds, which include a registered quarry, are brought to market with a guide price of 10,000 to 12,000/ac. Located at Goresbridge, the lands are 6km from Gowran and 20km from Kilkenny City. Auctioneer Ed Donohoe describes the ground as "the best land you'll ever walk". The farm is on a vein of limestone land and, in testament to its quality, the property includes a limestone quarry reputed to have 2m tons of a limestone deposit. According to Ed Donohoe, the quarry is still registered and could be reactivated. With access to a cul-de-sac and a lane, the lands are laid out in four fields of tillage and are in the best of heart. Mr Donohoe is expecting huge interest in the parcel when it comes to auction at the Clubhouse Hotel, Kilkenny at 3pm on Friday, October 28. Mr Donohoe is also handling the sale of a 14.5ac parcel of ground at Garryhill, located off the Garryhill to Bagenalstown road. The parcel of grazing ground is in four fields with plenty of road frontage and is described by Mr Donohoe as "real good ground". Coming with a guide price of 8,000 to 10,000/ac, the place will be sold at public auction at The Clubhouse Hotel, Kilkenny at 3pm on Thursday, November 3. Kildare and Laois Further north, a parcel of a 42ac at Corrig near Portarlington in Co Laois is to be sold by auction at the end of October. The non-residential lands are guided at 10,000/ac. Situated 1km from Portarlington on the R419 Portlaoise to Portarlington Road, and 5km from Ballybrittas, the lands are in four fields and are all in tillage. The ground is described by Ronan O'Connor, of selling agents CME auctioneers, as the best of ground with 500m of road frontage and ideal for the construction of a residence, subject to planning permission. "This is as good a piece of ground as you are likely to get," Mr O'Connor said. The property is in two divisions, a 4.5ac parcel and a 37.5ac piece. It will be sold at auction at the Hotel Keadeen, Newbridge at 3pm on Wednesday, October 26. Tomorrow, the same auctioneers will handle the sale of a property much closer to Dublin and with great potential. Located at Oldmill, Kill in Co Kildare, the residential 16ac holding is coming to auction in lots with a guide price of 500,000. Situated 2km from the N7, 10 minutes from Citywest Business Park and 15 minutes from Newlands Cross, the property consists of a structurally sound bungalow, a farmyard with a series of old sheds and 16ac of land with road frontage on to two roads. According to Ronan O'Connor the place will be offered for auction in lots, with the bungalow on 0.5ac guided at 225,000, the farmyard on 2.57ac guided at 95,000, while the remaining 12.7ac is guided at 180,000. A guide in excess of 500,000 is on the entire. The auction takes place tomorrow, October 19, at 3pm at Lawlor's Hotel, Naas. Farmers in the market for land are not attracted by residential farms, "tis the ground they're after". Very often the house is seen as a complete burden. In many ways, these are missed investment opportunities and farmers should look at renovation to rent or sell. They have a range of skill sets and access to a variety of tools and machinery that their non-farming peers do not have, which would reduce the cost of renovation considerably. This house, on 2ac at Scurlogstown on the outskirts of Trim in Co Meath, illustrates the possibilities. I visited it last year while walking the 43ac farm that came with it. The dwelling needed a lot of attention and when the place was bought, it was clear the purchaser was just interested in the land. However, he decided to invest in the house and has now turned it into a tasty modern dwelling with some lovely features and a modern extension. It has all new windows, high-spec insulation, wooden floors in some of the downstairs rooms, an ensuite bedroom and a new bathroom. A kitchen needs to be fitted and some of the floor coverings and finishings are left to be done to the new owner's taste. The house is set on 2ac with an old two-column haybarn in the haggard, and a traditional farmyard in courtyard style to the rear with a lofted barn. There are two loose boxes and an original cow byre that has been carefully restored to create space for an outside studio or recreational room. The original property, the house on 43ac, was sold at auction by Thomas Potterton last year for 700,000. The residence on 2ac is now on the market to be sold at auction for between 350,000 and 400,000. The auction will be held at the Property Exchange, Trim at 3pm on Tuesday, November 1. 'Satisfactory' deal done on Dublin farm Jim O'Brien Balbriggan auctioneer John Cumisky had a busy week with auctions on four of the five working days. On Tuesday, he sold Bird Field Farm, a 44ac holding at Ballyboughal. It was withdrawn from auction at 490,000 and sold afterwards for a figure believed to be around 14,000/ac. Located just outside the village of Ballyboughal in North County Dublin, the farm is laid out in nine fields, ranging in size from 2ac to 6.6ac. The holding is all in one block and serviced by an internal roadway. The fields are all under grass at the moment. A substantial yard on the holding has a wide range of farming and equestrian facilities that include an all-weather exercise and lunging area. The yard is located at the centre of the farm and includes an 'A' roofed open barn with seven loose box stables, a tack room, plenty of storage areas, a caretaker's quarters and various staff accommodations. Included on the site is a three-bed mobile home and a large glasshouse extending to c 0.4ac. A small portion of land sown down to a seed crop for wild birds now provides cover for a variety of wild animals. The farm also has a 1ac bamboo plantation . At auction, Bird Field farm attracted three bidders when Mr Cumisky opened proceedings, accepting a bid of 350,000. After 11 bids, the price reached 490,000, at which point the property was withdrawn. Negotiations opened immediately with the highest bidder and, according to the auctioneer, "a satisfactory deal was done with a local customer from a farming background". It is believed the price agreed equates to about 14,000/ac. On Wednesday, Mr Cumisky was back in the auction room for the sale of a 36.9ac tillage farm at Knocknagin, Gormanstown with direct access to the beach. A drawn-out auction opened with a 'legal scrap' with various lawyers looking for clarification on a range of issues. Core business got under way with an opening bid of 150,000 - five bidders showed an interest. After 38 bids, it was bought under the hammer at 570,000 by a local buyer not engaged in active farming. On Thursday, Mr Cumisky was in action again when a 17ac farm at Kingstown, Effelstown, Lusk came for auction. The property includes a 1.13ac site with full planning permission for a dwelling house and no 'local need' requirement. Located walking distance from Lusk the remaining 15.8ac is in tillage. On the day the entire opened at 300,000 and, with two bidders in action, climbed to 430,000 at which point it was withdrawn. Mr Cumiskey is now in active negotiations to close a deal. A longtime resident, Manuel Vega worked for the City of Elko for nearly 40 years. His company Vega Construction & Trucking continues to donate services to many community projects and help those in need. Manuel Vega was born October 25, 1926 in Elko and raised on the Vega Ranch in North Fork, attending Island Mountain School. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and served in the Military Police until his discharge in 1945. Returning home he married Amy Cook, his wife of 65 years. They raised four children, Mike, Linda, Jerry and Enos and started Vega Construction & Trucking in 1958. Amy worked as bookkeeper. Manuel also worked for the city in the water department for 38 years, retiring as Superintendent in 1992. At his retirement, he was cited as the only one who knew where all of the citys water lines were located throughout Elko. Manuels family and friends always remained a priority, as he and Amy passed down a legacy of hard work, faith and generosity to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Amys care for those in need led her to start the Love Center in the 1980s. A forerunner to FISH, she provided a safe location that fed and clothed the homeless. Vega Construction later expanded to Vega Humboldt with their contributions to the community both publicly and privately known. The companies have participated with other businesses to give time and materials to projects such as Habitat for Humanity and the SnoBowl. A lot of people in Elkos first home was made possible because of Manuel and Amy, one way or another, said friend Antonio Mendive. The company also donated materials to build ball fields and other parks around the city. They also aided the building of the Crystal Theater, Project Lifesaver, the Train Park, the state park at Wildhorse Reservoir, and the Christian Center of Elko. Over the years, Vega was hired with other companies to bring down landmark buildings throughout the years such as the Ranch Inn Casino, Grammar No. 1 and Elko General Hospital. Recently, they helped clear structures in Osino to prepare for the Northeastern Nevada Regional Railport. Today, Manuels family includes nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and a large extended family who are preparing to celebrate Manuels 90th birthday. Amy died in 2014. The initial flurry of activity on the part of solar power companies acquiring options on suitable lands to lease has finally died down and much of the land adjacent to ESB sub-stations has been mopped up. However, this 'calm after the storm' period has given landowners more time to ponder the broader tax and succession implications of the deals they have entered into. Certainly, there was no time for contemplation during that frenetic period last spring when landowners were being bombarded with tempting offers of future land leases that would leave them awash with money for the rest of their days - or so it seemed. 1. Income Tax Position The tax relief provided by section 664 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which exempts income derived from certain leases of farm land, was introduced to encourage more landowners to lease out land on a long-term basis to active farmers, thereby encouraging more productive use of the land. However, this relief does not apply where farm land is leased out to a solar energy company for the purpose of solar energy development on the land. This is because the lessee is required to use the farm land leased from the lessor on a commercial basis and with a view to the realisation of profits. Thus, in line with the intention of the legislation to increase the access to land for active farmers who wish to enlarge their farm holdings, relief under section 664 is only intended to apply to lessors who enter into leases of farm land with genuine farmers. Income received by a lessor from a solar energy company is not income received relating to farm land used for the purpose of a trade of farming, notwithstanding that the solar energy company may agree to occupy some of the land around the solar panels for the purposes of husbandry. Therefore, unless the lessee can demonstrate that they are carrying on two distinct commercial activities - ie, the solar panel activity and a farming activity - and that the farm land is wholly or mainly occupied for the purpose of husbandry (which in reality it won't be), a lessor who leases out their land to a solar energy company would not be entitled to the tax relief. The net effect of this for most lessors is that half of the rent will go to the tax man. 2. Capital Acquisition Tax issues Where land is rented for a solar farm it is no longer an agricultural asset and becomes a commercial asset. This means that it won't qualify for Agricultural Relief -- the effect of which would be to reduce the transfer value of the asset by 90pc, subject to meeting certain conditions. Neither will the deal qualify for Business Relief which, for qualifying recipients, also attracts the 90pc reduction. This could have a bearing for both the land owner and/or their successors. Succession planning and making a will in such instances will have an added dimension and will require expert assistance. 3. Capital Gains Tax issues A farmer who has not owned and farmed the land for a 10-year period prior to entering into the lease or who is under 55 years of age may have a significant exposure to Capital Gains Tax if they were to transfer the wind farm site to a child. The capital value of a site will be a multiple of the rent being generated and could amount to a substantial value as compared to the value of the land when they acquired it. Again farmers should seek specialised tax advice where they are contemplating such a move. 4. Basic Payment Considerations The Department of Agriculture has said that cases concerning lands occupied by solar panels will be examined on an individual basis, in line with its ruling on land eligibility. This states that if 70pc or more of a parcel of land is covered by solar panels, that parcel will be wholly ineligible for tax relief. However, if less than 70pc is covered by solar panels and the agricultural activity is not hampered by the presence of the solar panels, the area not covered by solar panels may be eligible. This approach is in line with the European Commission's advice that the area covered by the solar panels will be deemed ineligible for the purposes of claiming BPS. 5. Means Test Issues for State Supports The support that immediately springs to mind is the Nursing Home Support Scheme. Solar farm leases are typically of 25 years duration, so while you may only be in your 60s with little thought being given towards nursing home care, this lease may still be current when you are in your eighties and nursing home care becomes an issue. The income from a lease agreement will be taken into account in determining your means, which ultimately will determine the amount of support you will receive. For example, in the case of single persons all of the rent received may go towards nursing home care in the event that the need arises. Again, this aspect may require consideration, planning and expert guidance in terms of whose name the land should be in at commencement of the lease or whether transferring the leased land during the course of the lease is feasible. It should be noted that as a general rule, divesting oneself of one's assets for the purpose of gaining entitlement to State supports is generally not legally acceptable, unless it occurs at least five years prior to the need for support arising. Trade volumes at Dublin port are set to hit record highs this year, according to the Dublin Port Company. Newly-released figures show there was an increase of 6.8pc in the amount of goods passing through the port in the first nine months of this year. Imports grew by a total of 6.7pc between January and September, while exports were up by 7pc. There were 10.6 million tonnes exported from Ireland during the period, with more than 15 million tonnes imported. In addition, there were in excess of 77,000 cars imported, which was a rise of 9.8pc on the same period for 2015. Over 400,000 tourist vehicles also used the port in the first three quarters. The figures also revealed there were 103 cruise visits to Dublin, bringing in a total of 152,000 travellers to Irish shores. In roll on/roll off cargo, almost 700,000 units arrived in the country - an increase of 7.6pc, while lift on/lift off cargo rose by 9pc to 495,304. "The pace of growth is so strong that if current growth levels were to continue into the future, Dublin Port's volumes would double over the 12 years to 2025," said Dublin Port ceo Eamonn O'Reilly. "Our challenge now is how best to create additional port capacity in sufficient time to stay ahead of this growth. "As part of our plans to maximise capacity at Dublin Port, we have purchased 44 hectares of motorway-connected lands 14 km from the port and we will develop these as an External Port Logistics Zone over the next five years to increase the capacity of the port to cater for future growth." The rate of growth will come as a relief to policymakers who are attempting to formulate a plan for Ireland's trade sector which is already being hit by the effects of Brexit. Exports to the UK were almost 10bn in the first three quarters, accounting for around 17pc of the total. The price of groceries after the fall in the value of the pound made headlines in recent days as Anglo-Dutch giant Unilever were involved in spats with Tesco and Musgrave's SuperValu. So it was timely Target McConnells boss Gary Brown should ask UCD economist Dr Kevin Denny to speak about price at the agency's first Noodle seminar. Denny began his 'When a Dollar Isn't Worth a Dollar' talk by saying that 90pc of the time the age-old law of supply and demand works. But along the way, there are anomalies. Take 'female' products. Razors for men and women are essentially identical, yet women pay more for razors. The same applies to backpacks. Why? Denny says one explanation for the discrepancies is that women tend to be less elastic spenders than men. Airlines get in on the price game too. They know all about frequent flyers, who goes economy and who travels business or first class. Even relatively low cost brands know the value of price. Belgian beer Stella Artois thrives on its 'Reassuringly expensive' ad slogan. People don't always know what they want, Denny claims. If a product costs more, it stands to reason it must be better quality. There's also snob value in being seen with the 'the right brand'. Back in 1976, blind tastings of French and New World wines attracted little interest until Californian wines won and it became known as the Judgement of Paris. Denny says if they had known the price of Chateau Latour, the result may have been different. The blind tastings even proved that some people couldn't tell red and white wine apart. The irrational phenomenon known as 'priming' works simply by changing people's reference points, while 'anchoring' suggests people are influenced by the first price they see. When exposed to a higher number, they pay more. The decoy effect is where one price point is intentionally included to entice consumers to choose the most expensive option. The Economist ran an ad for subscription packages. There were three offers: online for $59, print for $125 and online and print for $125. People could get the print-only sub for the same price as the online and print sub. When all three options were there, people chose the combo sub, thinking it was the best deal. But when the 'useless' option - print sub for $125 - was included, people went for the cheapest option. Turns out the middle option wasn't that useless after all. It gave people a point of reference for how 'good' the combo deal was and enticed them to pay more for it. Pricing something at 29 rather than 30 works psychologically too, as does 19.99 rather than 20. While most people love a bargain, they will sacrifice money to achieve fairness or punish wide boy practices. Price context matters, as does culture. What succeeds in Dublin may not necessarily work in New York. Consumers struggle with risk. It's why Paddy Power make so much money from conjunction bets - like, for instance, 4/1 on Chelsea beating Manchester United 3-2 at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, with Diego Costa being sent off in the 65th minute and Eden Hazard scoring the winner in stoppage time. Bookies have data analysts who know about form and can calculate the risks they run. * Fashion photographer Barry McCall shot the new Connacht Gold TV ad fronted by former model and blogger Pippa O'Connor. The butter brand comes from the same Aurivo stable as Kerrygold, with communications and brand manager Karen McGarty in charge. Bloom came up with the idea and OMD handles media buying. Research suggests most consumers believe butter comes wrapped in foil, unlike Connacht Gold, which is in a tub. Most consumers associate a tub with spreads, prompting the line 'there are some things you don't expect to find in a tub'. The TV ad was produced by Maxine Brady's Pull the Trigger. Connacht Gold is is also the subject of a Magazines Ireland campaign to show the power of print. It will run across 17 titles between now and Christmas. The purpose of the initiative is to collect measurable data in support of a case study into the effectiveness of Irish magazines. * The shortlist for this year's Marketer of the Year award has been confirmed. The three finalists are Largo Foods' head of marketing Alina Ui Chaollai, Adam Bacon, VHI's head of marketing and Dervila McGarry of Aer Lingus. The next stage of the competition sees the three marketers attend interview presentations with the judges. The winner will be announced at a lunch in Fade St Social on November 17. Michael Cullen is editor of Marketing.ie; cullen@marketing.ie The portfolio included about 1,300 borrower groups, and over 6,200 loans with 5,400 properties An Irish unit of US fund giant Cerberus has appointed a receiver to a company that planned a 100m redevelopment of an iconic industrial site in Cork. Rothbury Estates had intended to develop a huge scheme at the former Sunbeam business park in Blackpool in the city. It would have included a mixed-use retail and office scheme, as well as a new pedestrian bridge. The site of the Reffond textile factory, the Sunbeam complex was accidentally destroyed by fire in 2003. Adjoining businesses were also gutted in the biggest fire in Cork in three decades. Rothbury initially planned to build an 18-storey office block, as well as 260 apartments. Rothbury Estates is owned by local businessman Martin Buckley and his wife. He also co-owned the textile business. But Promontoria (Aran) has just had a receiver appointed to Rothbury Estates. Promontoria (Aran), owned by Cerberus, was the winning bidder for 4.8bn of loans that were sold by Ulster Bank in 2014. Those loans had a carrying value of about 1bn when they were offloaded. The portfolio included about 1,300 borrower groups, and over 6,200 loans with 5,400 properties. More than three-quarters of the portfolio was secured against Irish assets, and a chunk of the remainder in Northern Ireland. When they were acquired, over 90pc of the loans were in default. Cerberus saw off competition from US firms LoneStar and CarVal for the Aran loans. New company filings show that Promontoria (Aran) had a receiver appointed to Rothbury Estates within the past three weeks. The receiver is Paul McCleary of Grant Thornton. The latest set of publicly-available accounts for Rothbury Estates - for the 2015 financial year - maintain that the firm's immediate parent firm is Rothbury Trust. However, Rothbury Trust had been dissolved in 2009. The Rothbury Estates accounts show that it had a deficiency of assets totalling 544,000 at the end of June last year, and that it was dependent on the continuing support of its lenders for its ongoing ability to meet its obligations. Although Cork City Council approved the Sunbeam redevelopment plan in 2009, it was referred to An Bord Pleanala. The planning watchdog then approved the scheme in 2010. The developers said at the time that the project would result in significant economic, employment and social gains for Cork. It was hoped that financial and technology firms would have been particularly interested in the office space. The developers said that they already had potential tenants interested in the scheme and expected to quickly go to tender on the project. But the plans came as the economy was collapsing and the country was bailed out. The EU has launched a fresh assault on the tax regime in Ireland, and other countries with rules favoured by large multinationals. Radical plans to be unveiled next week include a proposal to ban transfer pricing - a practice that allows big companies like Apple to cut bills by shifting profits through low-tax countries, especially Ireland. The Government and others have vetoed all previous attempts from Brussels to impose common tax rules. But a string of scandals including the so-called LuxLeaks, and Britain's imminent departure from the Union, are seen by officials as clearing the way for the more radical common tax plans. In proposals to be unveiled next week, the European Commission will say that large companies should calculate their corporate taxes in the same way across the bloc. The idea is known in EU jargon as a common tax base, and would introduce common rules on taxable revenues, deductions and reliefs. In a second step, the EU will force firms in the group to consolidate those calculations and share out where they pay tax based on their sales, employees and assets in each EU country. The rule changes would end the practice used by US tech giant Apple of booking all of its European sales through its Irish subsidiaries and paying most of its taxes here. Under the new EU rules, all revenues would be taxable, except for a portion of dividend payments. The rules will outlaw the practice of transfer pricing, where companies buy and sell from each other and book the profits and losses where they get the best tax deals. The rules would only apply to large groups whose combined annual revenue exceeds 750m. The EU is not setting common corporate tax rates, which remain a matter for national governments. Expenses A spokesperson for Commission tax chief Pierre Moscovici said the rules would make it simpler for large businesses - as they will only have to file one tax return based on a single set of rules. Businesses will still be able to write off expenses, including research and development costs - which will enjoy a super-deduction of 50pc, and 100pc for start-ups, up to a certain threshold. However, tax deductions on loan interest payments will be restricted to deter profit shifting to lower-tax countries, while new deductions will be introduced for equity. Companies will be allowed to carry losses forward indefinitely, without restrictions on the deductible amount per year, and they will enjoy temporary tax relief on losses made by their subsidiaries. The system will also include rules against tax avoidance similar to those proposed last year by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The EU tried to introduce similar rules in 2011 - but even though they were not mandatory for companies, they failed to garner the requisite support from EU governments. The Government strongly opposed the previous draft, believing it to infringe on tax sovereignty. But the EU thinks it can get the proposals through on this occasion - following recent offshore tax scandals in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Panama and the Bahamas, which it said has increased the pressure for change. Here are the main business stories from this morning's papers: Irish Independent * Rolling out the Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) carries a risk of "re-monopolisation" of infrastructure if not handled correctly, the chief executive of fibre network Enet has warned. Irish company Enet is one of three bidders, along with Eir and the ESB Vodafone tie-up Siro, still in the running for a tender to roll out the project. * Ireland's biggest media buying agency, Core Media, is looking at acquiring a public relations firm here as part of its push to become the first full-service agency in the country, according to chief executive Alan Cox. That move could put a number of independent PR firms in its sights. * Close to half a million people, mostly self-employed, who are due to file a tax return by the end of this month have been warned they face penalties if they are late. Those filing online get extra time to make a return, but Revenue said they need to check that they can still log into the system. The Irish Times * Finance minister Michael Noonan is to make changes to the help-to-buy scheme after the Central Bank warned it could encourage taxpayers to take on too much debt. Mr Noonan is due to publish the Finance Bill later today as he comes under pressure from Fianna Fail over the upper limit of the scheme. * The Government is to introduce a new 20pc levy on overseas investors holding Irish property in funds with the aim of clamping down on a tax-minimisation device. The tax is due to be published later today in Minister Noonan's Finance Bill despite lobbying from property investors, corporate lawyers, and accountancy companies. * Building materials group CRH is to spend 900m on investing in new plants and facilities. The spend will mark the company's biggest outlay into infrastructure since before the global financial crisis. Irish Examiner * Accumulated profits at the UK arm of concert promoters Aiken Promotions last year jumped to 1.6m (1.74m). New accounts recently filed by Aiken Promotions Ltd with Companies House in the UK show that accumulated profits at the firm jumped from 1.37m to 1.64m in the 12 months to the end of December last. * Circle Oil has come under pressure after one of its main lenders is about to call in $20m debt due to be repaid next month. The firm, which has an operational focus on Northern Africa, already has total debt on its books of $77.5m. There's no such thing as immunity to ransomware. While public sector attacks, such as those made on Government websites this year, tend to occupy headlines, surveys indicate that almost a quarter of Irish SMEs have also been targeted with ransomware. The publication in 2015 of a National Cyber Security Strategy and the launch of the National Cyber Security Centre are promising steps but - with new hacks developed every day - how can Irish businesses defend themselves? "There's a whole economic model behind ransomware now," said Conor Flynn, managing director of Information Security Assurance Services (ISAS), an independent information security consultancy working with public and private sector companies. "There's what we call a drive-by attack, where a website gives out malicious software, unbeknownst to its owners and its visitors. The site will look absolutely fine, but on certain pages javascript will place a 'dropper' on your machine. "This is like a person parachuted in behind enemy lines - it's a very small and stealthy piece of software. The dropper sits on your machine for a period of time and evades detection while doing reconnaissance." Another method is to hide the malware in an unsolicited email attachment - something made to look 'official', which won't raise the victim's suspicions until the damage is done. Once installed, the dropper maps its location, connecting to a command-and-control server which profiles the victim and decides on a mode of attack. If the dropper is embedded in a server with a large amount of bandwidth, they might use it as a botnet-a network of infected computers. On a corporate or public sector network, a ransomware attack might prove more lucrative. Commercial products such as CryptoWall, CryptoLocker and TeslaCrypt have given rise to a malware economy, where ransomware can be bought on the dark web and implemented with minimal skill. Investigations point to criminal gangs as perpetrators: groups traditionally linked to gunrunning, drugs and human trafficking who have embraced cybercrime as lower-risk and potentially more rewarding. In recent years, 'crimeware as a service' has evolved to mirror conventional business software. In return for their cut, the ransomware author will maintain a help desk, often 24/7 and operating in multiple languages.Each campaign is monitored with software akin to Google Analytics-a kind of CRM system for crime-which tracks profit margins and the number of email attachments opened, links clicked and computers infected. For victims, meanwhile, once the malicious link has been clicked or the email attachment opened, malware spreads through their network encrypting files one by one. With no visible signal, the user only discovers something is wrong once the malware has reached as many files as possible, whereupon it displays a pop-up message with a countdown (usually 48 to 72 hours) and instructions for the user to pay up or risk losing access to their files forever. "That's the 'screen of terror' people report," said Flynn. "The hackers will give you all the information you need to make the payment. "They will even give a helpline number, so that if you don't have a bitcoin wallet already they can talk you through setting one up." Successfully extorting hundreds of millions of euro per year, ransomware's perpetrators can prove impossible to trace, hidden behind their tools-bitcoin and PKI (public key infrastructure). Add to this a startling rate of evolution-ransomware servers are now capable of generating thousands of new variants per hour-and traditional protection like antivirus and firewalls are essentially rendered useless. But there are still measures a business can take. Human error is inevitable, but education is a worthwhile investment. "User awareness is hugely important," said Flynn. "Don't open unsolicited email attachments, and be careful of websites which seem slightly 'off'. "It's about being aware of your environment the way you would be in the real world. On holiday, you wouldn't walk down a dark lane in an unfamiliar city with your wallet about to fall out of your pocket. You're more aware of your situation in the real world, but people are far too trusting of what they see online." Flynn advises that preparation is the best defence. By anticipating ransomware and backing up data frequently, you can minimize the damage. You'll also be in compliance with Privacy Shield, the EU's new framework for data exchange, which demands that companies hold less customer data for shorter amounts of time. With consistent backups and a strong business continuity plan, SMEs can successfully survive a ransomware attack without having to pay the fine. Flynn said of his work with ISAS, "As security professionals we're working towards helping people with their resilience. "It's worth asking, how long will it take to restore your data? How much data are you potentially prepared to lose? "This might sound like a defeatist attitude, but people need to be pragmatic in terms of understanding that technology cannot entirely defend them." Flynn advises talking through options with your IT manager or IT provider, agreeing on a feasible amount of downtime and a plan to restore operations as quickly as possible. Rather than taking on the Sisyphean task of prevention, the best option is to assess the risk, prepare for attacks and limit your losses. "There's no silver bullet for guarding against attacks," said Flynn. "With ransomware, there's no such thing as '100 per cent safe'." I think of Ben Affleck as a hit or miss actor. Sometimes he picks good projects such as Argo and other times he makes horrible mistakes like Gigli. Fortunately for him, I think he made a great choice with The Accountant. He plays Christian Wolff, a math savant who is military trained and very proficient with weapons, but feels at his best when he is buried in numbers. Because of his gift with figures, he works as an accountant for everyday customers but also for some of the worlds most dangerous criminals. Since he works for people who are potentially hazardous to his health he has safeguards in place and his favorite hobby is shooting guns. His work for criminal organizations also puts him on the radar of the U.S. Treasury Department and one of its top investigators, Ray King, portrayed by J.K. Simmons. King asks a budding analyst, Marybeth Medina, to go into the field and find Wolff. Medina is played by Cynthia Addai-Robinson. While Wolff is being hunted by the Treasury Department, he takes a job to look at the books of an up-and-coming robotics company. One of the young employees at the business, Dana Cummings, played by Anna Kendrick, thinks she found some oddities in the accounts. Of course this job is the one that puts Wolffs and Cummings lives on the line. Wolff also is put up against his biggest challenge, a mercenary named Brax, portrayed by Jon Bernthal. All of the actors are wonderful to watch and keep the plot moving along at a good pace. The movie does jump around in time, showing how Wolff gained his fighting abilities and why he doesnt really connect with people in a normal way. John Lithgow also does well as Lamar Black, the owner of the robotics company. However, I was surprised how small his role was in the film. The movie is exciting from beginning to end, but I wasnt really surprised how it ended. The film has some twists and turns and they were executed well. Overall it was entertaining and it definitely ends in a way that allows Hollywood to make sequels. The Accountant is rated R for violence and language throughout. The movie is 128 minutes long. Rating for The Accountant: 3 popcorns out of 5 A political weather map of America would show Wall Street under a cloud, and Silicon Valley bathed in sunshine. Over the Obama administration's eight years, the technology industry has embedded itself in Washington. The president hung out with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and hired the government's first chief tech officer. 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: it's not easy for the government to police an industry from which it poaches talent and solicits help with writing laws. "If you're trying to influence government policy on behalf of a corporate sector, it's not better that you do it for the tech industry than for Goldman," said Jeff Hauser from the Centre for Economic Policy and Research in Washington. Hauser heads the Revolving Door Project, which scrutinises 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 what's good for Goldman Sachs is good for America - but it might just work for Google. The five biggest US tech companies are now the five biggest companies - at least as measured by market value - and they're flexing that muscle. Tech firms spent $49m on Washington lobbyists last year, while the five largest banks shelled out $19.7m, data shows. On the personnel front, the Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit group, studied the to-and-fro between government and Google. It found 183 people who worked under 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," it said. Facebook's goals in the capital include protecting customers, "explaining how our service works, and maintaining an open internet and a culture of innovation". There have been other high-profile moves out of Washington: former Attorney General Eric Holder took a job at Airbnb, and David Plouffe, Obama's one-time campaign manager, started at Uber in 2014. Persistent rumours have linked Facebook ceo Sheryl Sandberg with the post of Treasury secretary in a Hillary Clinton administration. The 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 staff, while data scientists work across federal agencies to mine the archives and help improve transportation projects. 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 Amazon or Dropbox. Collaboration with tech companies pre-dates Obama's creation of a 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. "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, that's the thing they're most scared of," said Barry Lynn, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. "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." Clinton has talked about tougher antitrust laws. She's also taken aim at shifting profits overseas to avoid taxes. Hauser, who previously worked at the Justice Department's antitrust division, 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 J Lew's support for Apple, after it was ordered to pay back-taxes in Ireland, is an unprecedented stance for a Democratic administration. Her Republican rival Donald Trump proposed a tax cut for companies that repatriate profits. Then there's the labour market. Trump has taken aim at Apple and others that have shifted jobs overseas. "We're going to get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country," he said. 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. 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 arm's length, it helps to get close to it first. (Bloomberg) Three former Tesco executives will appear in court in relation to the 326m (365m) accounting scandal at the supermarket. Carl Rogberg, 49, Chris Bush, 50, and John Scouler, 48, are charged with fraud by abuse of position and false accounting. Lawyers acting for the three men indicated not guilty pleas to the two charges they each face when they appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a preliminary hearing last month. The supermarket's former finance chief, managing director and food commercial head were investigated for their alleged role in an accounting scandal in which Tesco was found to have inflated its profits by 326 million in 2014. They allegedly failed to correct inaccurately inflated income figures for the supermarket, which were published to auditors, other Tesco employees and the wider market. The Serious Fraud Office said the investigation into Tesco "remains ongoing". Rogberg, of Chiselhampton, Oxfordshire; Bush, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire; and Scouler, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, who are all on bail, will appear at Southwark Crown Court for a plea hearing. A selection of the Mr Men and Little Miss stamps. Photograph: Royal Mail/PA Stamp collectors of a certain age will be very happy, or even grumpy, after news that a special set of Mr Men and Little Miss stamps will be issued. The Royal Mail will feature Mr Bump, Mr Tickle, Little Miss Sunshine, and of course Mr Happy and Mr Grumpy, on a special run of 10 stamps - which mark the 45th anniversary of the books by Roger Hargreaves. Since 1971, 50 Mr Men and 36 Little Miss books have been published. After Roger died suddenly of a stroke in 1988, his son Adam took over the series, the first book illustrated by Adam is 2003's Mr Cool. Read More Roger created the first book after Adam asked him what a tickle looked like, inspiring a copywriter to visualise a small orange man with long arms. Adam said of the stamps: I think my father would have been chuffed. Its a real accolade for the Mr Men and Little Miss characters to be on a Royal Mail stamp. Philip Parker, of Royal Mail, said: The Mr Men and Little Miss characters are a worldwide phenomenon. People identify with the different character traits, and we hope these stamps will brighten up sending and receiving mail. Ruth Negga arrives on the red carpet for the film "Loving" during the 41st Toronto International Film Festival Ruth Negga arrives on the red carpet for the film "Loving" during the 41st Toronto International Film Festival Ruth Negga has said she drew on her experiences growing up in Ireland for her new movie role. The Limerick actress is being tipped for an Oscar nod for her role in Loving. Expand Close Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga in Loving / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga in Loving The film is based on the landmark civil rights case Loving v. Virginia, which was brought by Mildred Loving (Negga), a black woman, and Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton), a white man, who had been sentenced to a year in prison in Virginia for their illegal interracial marriage. Speaking to Vogue magazine, the Love/Hate star said she drew from her experiences in Ireland for the role of Mildred. Expand Close Ruth Negga arrives on the red carpet for the film "Loving" during the 41st Toronto International Film Festival / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruth Negga arrives on the red carpet for the film "Loving" during the 41st Toronto International Film Festival "Virginia isn't that different from Ireland," she said. "Land and home and community are super important. When I was playing her, I tried to imagine I couldn't go home again because of whom I married. It must have drained the lifeblood from her." The star, who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Limerick, said she didn't experience racism growing up in Ireland. "When I was a kid in Ireland, there were not very many black people. I was very much like the strange brown thing, intriguing and cute," she said. "I didn't experience racism there. The first time I did was in London. It was that moment that you realize you're black. A kind of lifting of the veil." Expand Close Actor Ruth Negga attends the Cartier Fifth Avenue Grand Reopening Event at the Cartier Mansion on September 7, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Cartier) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Actor Ruth Negga attends the Cartier Fifth Avenue Grand Reopening Event at the Cartier Mansion on September 7, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Cartier) Katie Hopkins has praised Donald Trump for exploiting the US tax system Katie Hopkins has praised Donald Trump for his ability to exploit the US tax system. "For me, I've always been very positive about tax avoidance," she told Pat Kenny on Newstalk. "If they've got their rules wrong, if they can't work out their own rule books, if they can't tighten the rules to stop people avoiding tax then I say avoid as much as you can. "He simply played a very smart game with his business tax affairs. He's worked the system perfectly." Since The New York Times published Trump's 1995 tax filings that showed his business losses were so large that they allowed him to avoid paying income taxes for as many as 18 years, there has been a huge public backlash. However, Hopkins insisted the Republican nominee's presidential rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, is more "dubious". "He's paid a great deal of tax," she argued. "He's employed a vast number of people, far more than Hillary Clinton has ever done. If you look at the amount she's taken from the Clinton Foundation and, indeed, from the media in support of her campaign, I think it's her financial affairs that are more dubious." If Donald Trump wins the race to the White House I'm moving to America. Daring to bare what some people really think. #DonaldTrump Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) December 4, 2015 The Daily Mail contributor said that Donald Trump is her "all-time hero" and believes he came out of Wednesday night's debate looking quite "presidential". "I love Donald Trump, he's like my all-time hero," she told Newstalk listeners. The British television personality also defended Trump's recently leaked Access Hollywood tapes in which he made lewd comments about women. "It was a quiet chat with someone off camera with someone else. I don't have a problem with it. It was a bit of boasting. He would never do that now." The two DEA agents who were tasked with taking down Pablo Escobar are coming to Dublin. Javier Pena and Steve Murphy will be in Dublin in December to discuss their role in taking down the Colombian drug lord. In the popular Netflix's series, the two US Drug Enforcement Agents (DEA) are played by Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook , but the real-life versions will be in Vicar Street on December 14. They'll discuss the long, murderous manhunt for Escobar, the world's first "narco-terrorist" who killed thousands of people through bombings and assassinations to protect his billion-dollar cocaine empire. They'll also discuss the rise and fall of the Medellin Cartell in detail and engage in a Q&A with audience members afterwards. Mark Jacobs, Director at Outset Agency, who organised the event said This event will give Narcos fans and those interested in Pablo Escobar the opportunity to hear first hand information from the two men who were instrumental in his takedown, and provide what we are sure will be a very insightful and unique evening. Tickets cost 33.50 go on sale this Friday 21st October at 9am from ticketmaster.ie & usual outlets. Its the wonderful circle of life: just as boxer Tyson Fury announces his retirement and everyone starts to get a bit bored with Conor McGregor, fight-fans are saved by the return of Cutting Edge. Last night saw Brendan OConnors talk-show return to RTE One. Which meant, of course, that it was going toe-to-toe with TV3s offering, Pat Kenny Tonight. (Fun fact: technically, the show is registered with the Broadcasting Commission as Pat Kenny* and Colette Fitzpatrick But For Some Odd Reason That Nobody Seems to Understand Were Not Going to Mention Her in the Actual Title As In Like the One That Goes to Air Every WeekTonight.) Two heavyweights (three, including Colette) of Irish broadcasting, facing off against each other in the brutal, vicious, merciless death-cage that is midweek television. So who came out on top? Here using our patented and needlessly complicated scoring system is the tale of the tape: Cutting Edge Expand Close boc / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp boc 1. Guests George Hook, Norah Casey and Stefanie Preissner in the roundtable discussion, plus David Coleman for a monologue on (mainly teenage) drinking. All three panellists were excellent. Better yet, all were different, but their differences sparked off each other really nicely. Score: 9/10 2. Topics Kim Kardashian, a Dublin tourist board slogan, last nights American Presidential debate and associated issues, the Ched Evans rape case, breastfeeding, death, burials, dying the Holy Trinity of Irish conversation and being driven and obsessive in work and in life. Score: 6/10 3. Humour Expand Close Stephanie Preissner on RTE's Cutting Edge / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stephanie Preissner on RTE's Cutting Edge Yeah, lot of fun. OConnor is mischievous and funny anyway, but his three main panellists all got on board and had some craic along with the more reflective moments. And Stefanie Preissners facial expressions at some of Hookys rants already internet memes all on their on - were priceless. Score: 8/10 4. Gaffes Nobody seemed to realise that Ched Evans career hasnt, in fact, been finished by his court case he currently plays for Chesterfield. Score: 5/10 Video of the Day 5. Theme music Rockin! Like the lead-in riff to the best song by an otherwise only alright late-1990s post-grunge band. Thats actually more of a compliment than it probably sounds. Score: 7/10 6. Best bit The way Cutting Edge feels like an authentic chat between a small group of smart, interesting people. Theyre doing something quite different from the norm here: brisk-paced but not rushed, leisurely but not ponderous. The show doesnt have the irritating, forced-antagonistic bear-pit ambience of traditional current affairs telly. But neither is it po-faced or self-regarding, like say an arts discussion show can be. Its justauthentic. Which makes it really rather good. Score: 9/10 7. Worst bit Im still not sure about the different sections this is divided into: On the Slab and so on. I dont think the programme needs any kind of gimmickry, its good enough on talk alone. Score: -3/10 Total: 41/70 Pat Kenny (*And Colette Fitzpatrick) Tonight Expand Close Pat Kenny and TV3s Colette Fitzpatrick. Pic: Brian McEvoy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pat Kenny and TV3s Colette Fitzpatrick. Pic: Brian McEvoy 1. Guests The General Secretary of the Garda Retired Members Association, the President of the Garda Retired Members Association, Justin Moran of the charity Age Action, Robert OShea from Save Our Local Communities, retired Garda inspector Brian Sherry, journalist Cormac OKeeffe, Dr Gerard McMahon who lectures in industrial relations at DIT, Minister of State Eoghan Murphy, secondary teacher Madeleine Ni Gallchoir, another teacher called Sean, a primary teacher called Emily, school principal Gerry, Rebecca from the National Parents Council (some of these peoples surnames not given, this isnt just me being lazy/sloppy), Ed Byrne the President of TUI at this point we still werent halfway through the show and I stopped counting. Score: 11 (yes, really) for quantity, 7 for quality. So 9/10 on balance. 2. Topics Impending industrial action from gardai, teachers and doctors, in that order shudder. The kind of thing to give multiple orgasms to a certain class of current affairs nerd, but give a headache and/or minor nervous breakdown to a certain class of me. Score: 6/10 3. Humour Very little. You read the topics bit, yes? Score: -3/10 4. Gaffes Nothing major springs to mind, though Donegal teacher Eimear Dorans diatribe probably came closest, especially her claim that 6,000 (of an increase over two years) is not enough. Huh? Score: -2/10 5. Theme music Fairly standard den-den-den-DEN-den de-DEN-den current affairs-y type thing. You know what I mean, you could probably make a decent fist at humming the melody even if youd never heard it before. Score: 4/10 6. Best bit Pat and Colettes command of their brief is impressive. Personally I find the format of this show fairly predictable and unexciting, but theyre both fine broadcasters, especially Kenny: the Big Dog of Irish current affairs TV. People slag him off as being wooden which he can be but the guy is excellent when the subject matter is serious. Score: 8/10 7. Worst bit The sheer number of people involved. Too many interviewees becomes something of a cacophony eventually. Score: -3/10 Total: 19/70 Champion: By a late-round knockout, Cutting Edge is the new undisputed heavyweight champion. The show may now proceed to thank its trainer, mother, fans and the Lord Jesus, in whom all things are possible. Former OCI president Patrick Hickey remained silent as he arrived at a court in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to register as part of his bail conditions. Former OCI president Patrick Hickey remained silent as he arrived at a court in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to register as part of his bail conditions. Former OCI president Patrick Hickey remained silent as he arrived at a court in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to register as part of his bail conditions. Former OCI president Patrick Hickey remained silent as he arrived at a court in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to register as part of his bail conditions. The 71-year-old must report to the authorities on the 20th day of every month to justify his activities while he responds to charges relating to the Olympic ticket touting scandal. No court hearing has been set for the case against him and fellow Irishman Kevin Mallon, both of whom were first arrested by police during the Olympic Games in August. He and THG director Kevin Mallon are facing charges of ticket-touting, illicit marketing and money-laundering in Brazil. Both deny all allegations made against them in relation to ticketing at the event. The 71-year-old previously said in a statement to the Irish Independent that he is completely innocent of all charges formally laid against him in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and intends to fight "each and every one of them". "I have just received formal notification from the Brazilian authorities of the charges laid against me," he said. "For clarity, I am not under house arrest as - like with so many things with this case - has been misreported by the media. "I intend to face all the charges and to fight each and every one of them. "I am completely innocent of all such charges and I will also vigorously defend my good name and character that I have spent my lifetime building through voluntary service for numerous sporting bodies. Expand Close Former OCI president Patrick Hickey remained silent as he arrived at a court in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to register as part of his bail conditions. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former OCI president Patrick Hickey remained silent as he arrived at a court in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to register as part of his bail conditions. "This has been a life-changing experience for me, my wife, my four children and my five grandchildren and my priority is to recover my health and see my family as soon as possible. "I have been very heartened and humbled by the outpouring of support, letters, texts and emails from the thousands of people in Ireland and from the international sporting world." A Nigerian man who has an Irish citizen son has lost his appeal aimed at overturning a refusal to grant him residency here. The Court of Appeal upheld a High Court finding the man, whose Nigerian-born wife is now a naturalised Irish citizen, had not shown an arguable case entitling him to have the refusal judicially reviewed. His appeal against the High Court decision centred on whether EU law prevented him being refused residency by reason of his being the father of an Irish citizen child. He particularly relied on what Mr Justice Gerard Hogan described as the "ground-breaking" European Court of Justice (ECJ) Zambrano decision. That ruling said the right of EU citizens to live in EU territory might be jeopardised if third country national parents of young dependent EU citizen children were refused a right of residence. Giving the appeal court's judgment, Mr Justice Hogan said, from this familys perspective, and in the best interests of the children, it would be "desirable" the man continue to live with them. It was impossible not to have considerable sympathy for the mans wife, who had to choose between going with him to Nigeria or raising her children in an advanced Western economy like Ireland, he said. However, such considerations were not in themselves "decisive". The core issue, as the ECJ had made clear in the Zambrano case, was whether refusing residency to the man would effectively mean his Irish citizen child would have to leave EU territory. The evidence suggested there was no "appreciable risk" of that here, the judge found. The man was previously deported in 2009 before re-entering illegally in 2014 and his wife did not follow him in 2009 to Nigeria, the judge noted. His wife is a naturalised Irish citizen working here and their two children (only one of whom is an Irish citizen) were "even more integrated" into the Irish school system now than in 2009. The wife has access to high-quality healthcare here to address her mental health issues which appear to be "successfully managed" and there was no evidence she would be unable to look after her children without her husbands presence here, he said. The Minister's refusal of residency also represented the exercise of the sovereign power of the State to control and regulate the rights of third country nationals, the judge said. That meant the State was not "implementing" EU law for the purposes of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the Charter did not apply to this case. ELKO Following the November election, the City of Elko could potentially see the two open seats filed by both incumbents, or one incumbent and a newcomer not to the campaign scene but to the council. Tuesdays City Council candidate forum at the Elko Conference Center included questions from the public concerning marijuana, needed road work, the possible county fuel index, how to aid and attract businesses, enhanced 911 versus helping to fund the Centennial Tower, diversity and Hispanic representation. Enhanced 911 was a topic current council members Robert Schmidtlein and Mandy Simons, as well as challenger Pedro Marin Jr., were passionate about. Schmidtlein said E911 is very necessary to the City and the County of Elko, explaining an upgrade would help save the lives of people in shorter periods of time. I am 100 percent in favor of the enhanced 911, he said, stating it may not have been the councils best decision to make a $50,000 donation to the commemorative tower, but at the same time he voted in favor of supporting it. Marin said the upgrade should happen and be a top priority. He said various forms of funding should be evaluated. Simons admonished the County. It is a shame and an embarrassment that we are one of the last counties in this nation to have enhanced 911, she said. This is something the County should have been on years and years ago. Simons explained this is not a per-city decision and she would be thrilled if the City could contribute. She agreed with the Citys decision to support the Centennial Tower, saying it is not an if-or proposition. Simons said public art is criticized, but doing something for Elkos 100 year anniversary is appropriate. Marijuana The questions on the topic of marijuana concerned repealing the Citys moratorium on the sale of medical marijuana if Question 2 on the State ballot were to pass, and if the federal government legalized the drug, would the moratoriums also be impacted. Question 2 would make specified amounts of recreational marijuana legal in Nevada for those 21 and up. Im not in favor of recreational marijuana, said Schmidtlein. There are pros and cons for it, theres people that may need the medical marijuana but at the same time, Im not really sure its the best thing to introduce recreational marijuana. Simons said she does not want a dispensary in Elko. It is against the federal law, which is something she has sworn to uphold, and if it is truly a medicine, lets get it regulated so that if you need medicine you can go to a pharmacy. Focusing on the proposed ballot question she cited issues in Colorado, including the schools not seeing the money promised to them and marijuana-related traffic deaths going up 48 percent in three years. Other traffic deaths are up by 11 percent, she said. Simons wants the public to research it and vote against Question 2. Marin said dispensaries are heavily regulated. He said he would move to repeal it, but he thinks it can be looked at because it does have its advantages, citing the benefit to cancer patients. As far as recreational if the majority of the state votes that they want recreational marijuana thats what public officials are elected to do is the majority of the state, thats what they want, so thats what they voted on, said Marin, explaining it is the job of the lawmakers to place good regulations on it. Both Schmidtlein and Simons brought up the issue of the drug in conjunction with the mining industry. Diversity Given the diverse makeup of the City of Elko, is more diversity needed on the city council? asked moderator Matt McCarty of the Elko Area Chambers Government Affairs Committee. Schmidtlein and Simons said there was already quite a bit on the council, with both stating various professions, traits, stages and walks of life are represented and brought to the council. I feel with the current council we have quite a bit of diversity on there: you have a mother with four children, you have a plumber, you have a general contractor a professor and you have another business owner, said Schmidtlein. I feel we have a very strong council. Simons said unfortunately when diversity is discussed it is only what you can see with your eyes. Ive heard the terms pale, male and stale tossed around, she said. Im pale, but I will not accept the other two. I think diversity goes much deeper than that ... it doesnt matter what color your skin is or whether you look amazing in a skirt, or really hideous ... Marin, on the other hand, conceded there is diversity, but there is not enough and more is needed, considering close to one-third of the population of Elko County is Hispanic. There is not one Hispanic representative in this area. What goes with it is whats going on within the Hispanic community theres certain issues that affect the Hispanic community and only the Hispanic community, he said, explaining diversity is more than skin deep. More than 50 student gardai have taken part in a large-scale operation with other national units which has led to the arrest of 41 people. The raids and arrests were carried out under the auspice of Operation Thor in the Carlow/Kilkenny garda division, which focused on the Thomastown area in Co Kilkenny. Of the approximate 140 gardai involved, 50 were students currently placed in the Garda Training College in Templemore, while officers from regular units, national units and the Regional Support Unit (RSU) were also deployed. The operation may be seen as valuable experience for the student gardai, who may be required to carry out frontline policing duties should proposed strikes by AGSI and GRA members go ahead next month. It is the ninth such operation in the South-East Region and in the last month has led to the arrest of over 100 people and several charges in relation to various criminal offences. Of the 41 people arrested yesterday, 12 have been detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 for misuse of drugs, burglary, and theft offences, and 28 have been arrested in relation to outstanding warrants. One man appeared before Carlow District Court in relation to theft offences. A total of 15 premises have been searched under the Misuse of Drugs and Theft legislation. Cannabis with an estimated street value of 2,000 was seized during a search of a house. Fireworks, pepper spray and small amounts of illegal drugs have also been seized. "The objective of today's operation is to disrupt criminals living in and travelling through Kilkenny/Carlow Division and deter criminal activity and promote community engagement. This operation will also assist in the detection of criminal offences through proactive policing activities," Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes, who is in charge of the Garda Division, said. A total of 64 people were arrested in a similar operation earlier this month in the garda division. More than 130 gardai were involved, along with 50 students from the Garda College. A visiting group of 30 European police officers attended a briefing at Kilkenny Garda Station and were present at some of the checkpoints as observers. More than 10,000 students marched through Dublin to urge the Government not to impose a student loans scheme. More than twice as many students than expected took part in a huge demonstration in the capital yesterday. Union of Students in Ireland (USI) President Annie Hoey told the Irish Independent third-level education had as much right to be funded by the State as other public services. "Debt is debt. Young people don't want to be straddled with extra debt when they start making a living," she said. "Graduates will end up paying taxes like everyone else...we don't believe college fees will be kept down if loans are introduced. Students in Britain were promised fees would be kept down but when loans were introduced they ended up rising from 1,000 a year to 9,000 a year," she said. A student loan scheme, contingent on income levels earned after graduation, was one of the options in the recent Cassells Report which looked at funding options for the sector. The family of the late Cathriona White say they are not involved in any legal action against her former boyfriend, the Hollywood actor Jim Carrey. Ms White's mother Brigid Sweetman is suing Mr Carrey for her daughter's wrongful death. However, a statement issued by the White family say they have no involvement in this or any other legal action. "The White family would like to clarify the public record in relation to recent media reporting concerning their beloved, Cathriona White. "Contrary to recent media reports, no member of the White family is involved in any legal action with any party in relation to the untimely passing of Cathriona. "The White family remember their beautiful Cathriona as a wonderful, caring and compassionate person. The continuous media intrusion and speculation only continues to cause hurt and upset to the family. "The family request that Cathriona is allowed to rest in peace with the dignity that she deserves," the statement added. Make-up artist Cathriona, originally from Cappawhite in Co Tipperary, took her own life in September of last year. Read more: Jim Carrey accuses Cathriona White's mother of asking him to buy her a house in response to wrongful death suit She had been involved in a relationship with actor Mr Carrey and they split in the months before her death. The actor flew to Ireland and carried her coffin at her funeral, and was embraced by the Whites. A year later, Cathriona's estranged husband Mark Burton filed a lawsuit against Mr Carrey claiming he was responsible for his wife's death. Mr Carrey is being sued by his late girlfriend's mother Brigid Sweetman and her estranged husband Mr Burton, alleging he provided Ms White with prescription drugs involved in her suicide. Documents lodged with the court in Los Angeles also contains a number of allegations against the actor. Mr Carrey has strenuously denied the allegations against him and has promised to fight the claims in court. The business premises of Beulah Print on Fair Street in Drogheda. Photo: Drogheda A printing company has refused to print wedding invitations for a same-sex couple for the second time, citing their Christian beliefs. Beulah Print last year hit headlines when it declined an order from Jonathon Brennan for his civil partnership ceremony. Despite the fallout, the Drogheda firm has again refused to print invitations for a woman who is getting married. She took to Facebook and said: "Went into a wedding shop to get invitations done, so excited going in! I was giving details to the guy and then he soon realised I was gay. He said sorry you can't get invitations done here as I have my own beliefs. WOW. I thought this country had moved on from that." Yesterday, co-owner Noel Tuite confirmed that a woman had called into the office and asked about printing the wedding invites. "It is true. We declined to print the invitations," said Mr Tuite. Asked was the refusal based on religious grounds, he said: "We are Christians. It was on grounds of our faith." Giving your teeth a thorough brush to remove plaque can help prevent heart attacks and strokes by reducing inflammation in the body. GETTY Giving your teeth a thorough brush to remove plaque can help prevent heart attacks and strokes by reducing inflammation in the body, according to new research. The study by scientists in Florida Atlantic University in the US found it has almost the same effect as taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. The added benefits of good tooth-brushing were backed yesterday by dentists in the Irish Dental Association. President of the Irish Dental Association, Dr PJ Byrne, said that improving oral hygiene by better, more efficient brushing and cleaning between the teeth is likely to have a systemic health benefit. He said: "Current research also indicates that this benefit is not just confined to cardiac disease but is also relevant to many other 'inflammatory conditions' or diseases that commonly affect patients, such as diabetes, arthritis and Crohn's disease. "Periodontal disease is very prevalent and gets more common with age. "It has been linked to coronary heart disease and shares a number of risk factors with cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases," he added. "The risk factors include age, gender, socio-economic status, chronic inflammatory diseases, obesity and smoking. "Dental professionals have the potential to influence modifiable risk factors and lifestyle choices and therefore reduce the burden of not just oral disease but, importantly, improve general health. "It is important to stress that maintaining good oral health is an integral part of achieving a more holistic, healthy lifestyle," he said. He was commenting after the study from Florida Atlantic University recommended that the effects should now be researched in a larger number of people. These include individuals who already have heart disease and need to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Lisa Talty (inset) from Co Clare was left on maximum life support after her flight to Sydney A young Irish woman spent three weeks in intensive care after her lungs shut down following a long-haul flight. Lisa Talty (25), from Miltown Malbay in Co Clare, ended up in intensive care in Sydney after travelling to Australia with her boyfriend earlier this year. Ms Talty, who has cystic fibrosis (CF), started experiencing respiratory failure after her flight landed in Sydney. She claimed this was due to being stuck on the plane for "over two hours" before take-off. "I travelled here with my partner, Noel, on July 20, and by the morning of the July 23 I was in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital here in Sydney on maximum life support," she said. "While I do have cystic fibrosis, I was cleared by my medical team in Limerick to travel here and I passed all medical tests. "I was as healthy as possible before I travelled here, yet when on arrival in Sydney I was beginning to go into complete respiratory failure. "(The cause of) this has since been linked to the flight my partner and I took from Abu Dhabi to Sydney. The flight was delayed and remained at the gate, with the doors closed and the engine not running for over two hours. "My lungs failed to cope with the massive influx of CO2 they were taking in and I got hypoxia. Essentially, I was poisoned with CO2. "I have no memory of almost two weeks. I have been told that I spent those next two weeks on maximum life support in an induced coma. "It took over 13 hours to stabilise me, during which time my partner Noel was told to inform my parents at home in Ireland of the seriousness of the situation." The Clare woman added that the event affected her family greatly and she has to stay in Australia until further notice. "I am still receiving follow-up care that is essential," she said. "I am medically and legally unable to fly, which means I have to stay in Sydney indefinitely." She added: "If it happened on the return leg of the journey, I would be dead. "We just don't have the same facilities as readily available in Ireland." The airline said that it is checking flight records for recorded incidents. A woman has spoken out after a printing company refused to print her wedding invitations because she is gay. Julianne Grant said that she couldnt stop smiling going into Beulah Print because she was so excited, but that the mood changed when the printer realised she is gay. Read More I said my fiancee and then I said she and his whole behaviour changed. He distanced himself from the conversation and didnt give me eye contact anymore, Julianne told Classic Hits 4fm. He gathered himself and said Im sorry Julianne, I have my own beliefs; Im a Christian man and Im not able to do your invitations. I respect everyones beliefs, but I really felt that he shouldve kept it separate. Business is business, Julianne continued. Since her story broke, many people have questioned whether Julianne knew she would be refused service, since Beulah Print was in the news last year for the same reason. Julianne said she had no idea that the printers had this policy. I had no idea; I would never have put myself through that if I had known. If Id heard about it I wouldnt have given my energy and time to go there, she stated. I was in the area, there were a few printer shops and that was the first one I went into. A statement from Beulah Print to the radio station said: At Beulah Print we are happy to serve all members of the community irrespective of religion, colour, sexual orientation etc. However, we cannot employ our creative ability to design and print materials which come into conflict with our Christian faith. The Garda Inspectorate has delivered a devastating assessment of the running of An Garda Siochana. Serious concerns about the non-recording of crime, "woefully" out-of-date technology, and a two-tier system of community policing, were raised at the Oireachtas Justice Committee. Expand Close Clare Daly at Leinster House. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clare Daly at Leinster House. Photo: Tom Burke TDs and Senators were also told there is a "lack of visibility" by gardai in communities and that at least 1,500 members in non-operational roles could be released for patrols and investigations. Deputy Chief Inspector Mark Toland - a former chief superintendent in London's Metropolitan Police - delivered a stark presentation at the committee. He outlined various Inspectorate reports, saying that the agency "found deficiencies in governance, accountability, leadership and supervision". Mr Toland said the current garda culture "is inhibiting change" and that while staff have a can-do attitude and sense of duty, many "described the organisation as insular, defensive, with a blame culture where many leaders are reluctant to make decisions and to speak up". "We believe that front-line services are not prioritised and protected," Mr Toland said. He added that feedback from communities the inspectorate visited "highlights the lack of a visible garda presence". Mr Toland said that An Garda Siochana has "broadly accepted the vast majority" of 574 Inspectorate recommendations made in 11 reports over the last nine years. Read more: Frontline policing is not prioritised in An Garda Siochana - Garda Inspectorate Read more: Negotiations underway to keep airports open on days of garda industrial action However, he said the organisation doesn't have the authority to oversee their implementation and it's "frustrating" that recommendations have now been repeated without gardai putting them into action. Eimear Fisher, an acting deputy chief inspector, acknowledged that Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan has published a modernisation and reform plan, but said that the Inspectorate would like to see "more energetic implementation" of their reports. Mr Toland said some recent inquiries into controversies in the force may not have happened if previous recommendations had been implemented. He also mentioned that the Inspectorate's 2014 report on crime investigation noted the non-recording and misclassification of crime and that these findings have been echoed in three Central Statistics Office (CSO) reports since. He said it is "most disappointing" a member of the public can approach a garda on the street or call a station to report a crime and it's not always recorded on the Garda's Pulse system. Mr Toland said this makes it "impossible" for management to know how busy officers are and therefore "difficult to decide how many guards you actually need". He also said that gardai are nearly 30 years behind other police services when it comes to technology. He acknowledged that the Government has put aside 200m to invest in technology and that improvements in the Pulse system have taken place. Mr Toland also said: "A two-tier community policing system exists, with high numbers of gardai in Dublin, but significantly less in other areas, particularly rural Ireland." Mr Toland said one power the Inspectorate would like is to be able to make unannounced inspection visits to garda stations. A Garda spokesperson said that the reform plan takes on-board the recommendations in all 11 Garda Inspectorate reports. He said changes will include advanced IT systems and hiring civilians to free up gardai for frontline duties, while the Commissioner has recognised the need to "renew Garda culture" so it's more open to dissent. A 22-year-old Irish man was abducted while on his way to visit his seriously ill father in hospital before being shot in the legs and dumped on a Derry roadside. A walker found the victim crawling along the Hass Road in Dungiven in a bloodied state at around 8pm last night. He had a gunshot wound to his leg which is not thought to be life threatening. Sinn Fein councillor Sean McGlinchey said: I was on the way to see an constituent and I saw an ambulance, so I stopped and asked the paramedic what was happening. He informed me there was a young lad in the back of the ambulance that was shot in the legs and dumped here. I asked if I could speak to him and I asked him what type of help he would need. He told me he was abducted in Derry out of his home going to visit his ill father in hospital he (the father) is critically ill on the life support machine. He was taken out here in a car and just abducted and shot in the leg and left there. It is the second shooting incident in Dungiven recently. On Wednesday night of last week, a mother and her two young children were left terrified after gunmen fired a number of shots at their house in a quiet residential area. The woman was inside her home at Ard na Smoll when she answered a knock on the door, only to be confronted by up to four masked gunmen. She was threatened by the gang before they fired a number of shots into the air. The womans two young children were inside at the time, although neither the woman nor the youngsters were harmed. They have since fled the house. Police investigating the abduction and shooting are appealing for information. The body representing more than half of the country's second-level schools has said it is hard to see how any of them can reopen after mid-term if teachers withdraw from supervision and substitution work. The Joint Managerial Body (JMB) speaks for the 380 schools in the voluntary secondary sector, generally those traditionally under the control of religious orders. There are about 730 second-level schools nationwide. As school bosses examine their limited options, a fuller picture is emerging of the chaos that lies ahead in the face of two threats of industrial action by the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) in their row over pay. Earlier this week, JMB general secretary John Curtis predicted widespread closure of JMB schools if ASTI members stopped supervision and supervisory work from November 7. Last night, he went further and said "we are of the view that, by and large, our schools will not be able to reopen after mid-term". The Department of Education is overseeing a contingency plan to enable schools to recruit external supervisors to replace ASTI members on this work from November 7. But the lack of time to make alternative arrangements, coupled with a refusal to allow principals who are members of the ASTI to co-operate with putting a supervisory structure in place, is hitting JMB schools particularly hard. This is because the ASTI represents teachers in these schools. About 96 community and comprehensive schools and 62 community colleges, known as dual-union schools, where both the ASTI and the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) have members, may also be forced to close. Scores of these schools are now advertising for external supervisors. The ASTI is also threatening a series of one-day strikes, starting next Thursday, which is causing separate difficulties. The 380 JMB schools are facing closure on the strike days, but there is much confusion about how the one-day strikes may impact dual-union schools. If a school decides that it can open, even in the absence of ASTI members, other staff, including TUI members and special needs assistants, members of Impact, would have to cross picket lines. The TUI is likely to advise members that if they do not cross picket lines they are at risk of losing a day's pay and may not be protected under industrial relations legislation. However, TUI general secretary John MacGabhann said the union would "absolutely protect" members who chose not to pass the picket from disciplinary action. The TUI executive will clarify its position after a meeting tomorrow. There are about 210 schools in the Education and Training Boards sector, where the TUI is the sole representative of teachers, which are expected to be unaffected by both sets of action. ASTI representatives met with Department of Education officials yesterday and another meeting is arranged for Monday, but there is no expectation, at this point, that next Thursday's stoppage will be averted. ELKO The Elko County District Attorneys office has filed criminal complaints against three Utah residents in the poaching of a bull and a cow elk in northeastern Elko County in October 2015. The charges resulted from a year-long investigation by Nevada Department of Wildlife and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources game wardens and investigators. NDOW game wardens witnessed the killing of a large bull elk at a time when there were no mature bull elk seasons open in the area. Wardens later contacted Amy Jo Summers, who had the Nevada elk, but she only held a Utah bull elk tag. Portions of the large 6 x 6 bull elk were seized at property owned by Bedkes K-Savy Ranch Inc. in Utah. Parts of a cow elk were later seized in Utah during the ensuing investigation. Summers, of Tremonton, was charged with killing or possessing animals outside of a prescribed season, and without a valid tag, a category E felony. She was also charged with obstructing, hindering, delaying or interfering with a game warden and unlawful hunting during a prohibited time of day or night; both misdemeanors. Steven Frank Bennett of West Valley was charged with killing or possessing certain animals outside of a prescribed season, and without a valid tag, which is a category E felony. Bennett was also charged with obstructing, hindering, delaying or interfering with a game warden and possession of wildlife outside of the open season; both misdemeanors. Bart Lewis Summers was charged with obstructing, delaying or interfering with a game warden, which is a misdemeanor He also has other charges pending in Utah for other alleged illegal elk hunting related incidents. NDOW Game Warden Nick Brunson stated, With all of the maps and technology available these days, its expected that you know which state youre hunting in, especially when you know youre close to a border. Individuals charged with crimes are not convicted until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Sportsmen and the public who witness wildlife crime are urged to contact the Operation game Thief hotline at 800-992-3030. To get the latest news about Nevada game wardens, follow Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed on Twitter @Chief_GW_NV. The staff member was assaulted in the Emergency Department of the hospital (stock photo) A nurse was treated for a fractured knee cap after an assault in a busy hospital. Gardai have confirmed that officers from the Bridewell station are investigating the attack which took place at the Mercy University Hospital in Cork last Friday morning. The nurse, who is in his mid 40s, suffered the injury after he fell during a struggle with a patient. He was part of a hospital emergency response team, which included porters and security officers, and was injured as he attempted to restrain "an agitated patient" at approximately 8.50am. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have criticised this latest attack and demanded prison terms for those who assault its members. The INMOs spokesman in Cork, Michael Dineen told the Irish Examiner: The kind of behaviour that would not be tolerated on a public street on a Saturday night is becoming the norm in emergency departments." Not alone are they working in a difficult environment, but they are facing the daily reality of being assaulted, or of being subjected to verbal abuse." A hospital spokesman told the paper that the MUHs security arrangements, which include staff and static security systems and alarms, are under constant review, and were recently commended following a HSE national review of Emergency Department security measures. No arrests have been made in connection with this incident. A teenage girl has been rushed to hospital after an early morning road collision in North Dublin. The youth, believed to be in her early teens, suffered serious injuries after she was hit by a car on the Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock, North Dublin at 7.45am. Dublin: Expect delays Oscar Traynor Rd due to traffic incident. Contraflow system in place. Emergency services at scene. An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) October 20, 2016 Oscar Traynor Rd westbound is back to the Cadbury factory due to the incident on Coolock Lane eastbound. Live Drive (@LiveDrive) October 20, 2016 Independent.ie understands that the girl was on her way to school when the collision occurred. Emergency services rushed to the scene and the teenager was brought to Temple Street Children's Hospital where her condition has been described as "serious". A spokesman said: "Gardai at Santry are investigating a collision that occurred on the Oscar Traynor Road at approximately 7.45 am this morning." A small section of road, between a bus stop and a pedestrian crossing on Oscar Traynor Road has been sealed off by gardai. The collision occurred on the Coolock end of the busy roadway, just off the M50. Officers are currently waiting for Forensic Collision Investigators of the Garda Technical Bureau to carry out an examination of the scene. A black Volkswagen saloon, understood to be involved in the collision remained on the road and will also be examined by gardai. The vehicle's front wing mirror was broken but it is not yet known if this was as a result of the incident. Four gardai are currently dealing with traffic congestion on the busy roadway, with the collision having caused major tailbacks throughout the morning. Gardai in Santry are investigating the incident and are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision this morning to contact them. The roadway would have been busy with commuters as well as schoolchildren using vehicles and buses on their morning commute. Despite the warning of possible industrial action, the doctors union has given no timetable for any possible ballot. (Stock photo) Junior doctors taking court action next week to get back a "living-out allowance" of 61.20 per week have warned they will consider industrial action if the matter is not resolved. Dr Paddy Hillary, chairman of the committee representing junior doctors in the Irish Medical Organisation, said the payment - worth 3,182 a year - was "unilaterally removed" in 2012 to all new entrants. Existing doctors held on to the allowance - but full restoration would cost about 15m a year. The allowance was meant as a support to help with the accommodation costs of junior doctors, who move from hospital to hospital every six months for training. Dr Hillary said it had remained in the signed contract between the employer and junior doctor. Despite the warning of possible industrial action, the doctors' union has given no timetable for any possible ballot. The indications are that the chance of disruption by this group, who tend to be conservative because of the need not to interrupt their training, remains a somewhat distant threat at this stage. Dr Hillary said that "it appears this Government do not want to deal fairly with doctors. Our members' core duty is to their patients and while we have endeavoured to explore all avenues to have this resolved, we will now have to consider industrial action up to and including strike action. "As late as last week we wrote to the Minister for Health to enter talks to resolve the matter, but we have received no response. "Doctors are demoralised with their working environments. "It seems that this Government is happy to preside over the growing emigration of our highly trained doctors to countries that value them and honour legally binding contracts." Allowances The IMO sought the restoration of the allowance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, following a deal reached last May with firefighters, which restored rent allowances worth 4,500. The doctors have stepped up the fight in the wake of a successful bid by teachers in the INTO and TUI, who have got back their honours primary degree allowance, worth 4,918. Gardai were also promised their rent allowance of 4,017, leaving the junior doctors with a sense of grievance, given they must change jobs so often. An on-duty garda has been hospitalised after the motorbike he was driving was involved in a collision with a car. The incident happened on Churchtown Road Upper, Dublin, beside the entrance to Notre Dame School, at around 3.00pm today. Debris from the crash could be seen strewn across the road. The front of them car was badly damaged in the accident. A baby seat was taken out of the car and left on the footpath as the area was cleared. The 2016-registered Nissan Qashqai and the Garda bike were taken from the scene at around 4pm. Expand Close The incident happened on Churchtown Road Upper, Dublin. Photo: Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The incident happened on Churchtown Road Upper, Dublin. Photo: Steve Humphreys The male garda motorcyclist was taken to St Vincent's Hospital. His injuries were described as non-life threatening. The driver of the car was un-injured and there were no reports of other injuries in the crash. Gardai from Dundrum have launched an investigation into the incident. Sinn Fein Vice President, Mary Lou McDonald, speaks to the media on the Plinth at Leinster House ahead of t Budget announcement. Photo: Laura Hutton/Collins Photo Agency Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has accused Sinn Fein of being terrified of the facts when it comes to the partys record in Government in North Ireland. During a heated debate in the Dail, Mr Varadkar said Sinn Fein voted to transfer a series of powers over to Westminster because it was afraid of making decisions over social welfare. The row erupted after Sinn Feins deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald hit out at the salaries paid to TDs and ministers. The Dublin Central TD said her party will introduce a motion on the matter, adding that there is no public tolerance for pay increases at a time when the pension was increased by 5 and the dole to under 25s increased by 2.70. Ms McDonald said the public are sick of what she described as the political brass neck being displayed by Government. Mr Varadkar hit back and insisted that ministers will forego all pay restoration. He added that the Government believes strongly that TDs pay should remain linked to the principal officers grade in the civil service. We dont want to go back to what you want to do which is politicians deciding what they are paid, the Dublin West TD said. But there were heated exchanges after Mr Varadkar raised Sinn Feins record in the North, where it shares power with the DUP. You tell pensioners and people who are unemployed, and carers, and people with disabilities, that they are worth less than 100 per week, Mr Varadkar said. He said Sinn Fein voted to hand over responsibility for social welfare cuts to Westminster. And he called on the party to spell out what it does with the money paid to its TDs given its policy is for them to take the average industrial wage. Sinn Fein is terrified of the facts and they really hate the truth being spoken about them in this chamber, he said. Also during leaders' questions, Mr Varadkar was pressed on his vision for childcare by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Making the jibe that Mr Varadkar sees himself as a contender for the Fine Gael leadership, Mr Ryan asked why stay at home parents are being discriminated as a result of the childcare package. Mr Varadkar joked that there may not be a leadership contest for another two years. Earlier, Fianna Fail called on the Government to set up a special fund to help exporting businesses deal with the uncertainty caused by Brexit. The partys Transport spokesperson Robert Troy said businesses are very worried and that the Government must do more to shield them from potential shocks. We are told the Budget was Brexit-proof, thats not the case, Mr Troy said. In response, Mr Varadkar said he could not commit to the proposal for a new fund off the hoof. He outlined various measures contained in the Budget in response to Brexit, such as the hiring of 50 additional staff in the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. A community is in mourning after the tragic death of an irreplaceable father-of-three. Jim Duffy died yesterday in a workplace accident after he fell from a wall in Portarlington. Mr Duffy of Walsh Island, who was in his 50s, was a father of three sons and survived by his wife Catherine. Councillor Eddie Fitzpatrick of Portarlington said that Mr Duffy was well-liked by everyone in the community". He produced a CD in aid of the childrens cancer unit in Crumlin Hospital; that should give you an idea of the kind of person he was, he said. Mr Duffy was very involved in the local community, especially through the GAA club where he was a committee member. Walsh Island GAA Chairman Martin Carty described Mr Duffy as "irreplaceable" to the community while speaking on Midlands 103. His sense of community, everything was built around the community and his family. Hed done so much great work around the village, he was our caretaker up the GAA fields; he had the place looking absolutely fantastic. The Walsh Island GAA Club posted this statement on Facebook today: Jim was a valued committee member and played a huge role in the development of the GAA grounds in the last number of years. He always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. To his wife Catherine, his sons Martin, Kieran & Joseph. His brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and extended family, our heartfelt condolences go out to you at this time. Heaven has gained another angel. Comments on the clubs post described Mr Duffy as a people person, a lovely man and a character. One person said Mr Duffy was always chatty and smiling, so trustworthy, a man with all the old qualities hard to find nowadays, your loss will truly be felt around the village. Jim Duffy fell from a height of two metres after a roof section and walls collapsed in the building where he was working around 10.30am yesterday. He was rushed to the Midland Regional Hospital and pronounced dead there later. The Health and Safety Authority are investigating the incident. Vehicle fires caused massive rush hour delays in both Galway and Cork this morning. In Cork, there was a truck on fire on the the N40 westbound near J10 Mahon. CORK: Truck on fire on N40 westbound near J10 Mahon causing delays from Dunkettle Int. Smoke may affect visibility. https://t.co/qvBPcgxUj8 AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) October 20, 2016 AA indicated that the smoke was affecting visibility in the area. The N8 Dublin Road also experienced 4km tailbacks heading towards the Dunkettle Interchange as a result of the incident. Truck on fire in cork this morning. pic.twitter.com/DyW88QQlW6 Dave Lyons (@LyonsDave14) October 20, 2016 There is also severe delays in Galway, as a car is on fire on the N6 dual-carriageway at Ballybrit. Traffic is down to one lane. A man has claimed that his 95-year-old mothers pension was withheld by the nursing home in a Dublin hospital. Mike Fagan told Liveline this afternoon that the nursing home had always kept the majority of his mothers pension and left her 48 a week until they became concerned about her keeping large amount of money in her room. My mum liked keeping it and accumulating it, and she tended to drop it, so the staff said theyd appreciate it if she didnt keep it because if something happened it could reflect on the hospital, Mike told Liveline today. In July I was summoned to a meeting with the hospital where they said they felt they should keep most of it in the office. We came to an agreement where they would give her at least five and at most ten every week and when she accumulated a large amount, Id take it home. "The following Friday, the hospital kept the whole lot and didn't explain why," he continued. When Mike asked staff members, he was informed that they had been told not to discuss it with him. I just want to know: why are they going against her wishes? Mike asked. If they had any suspicions, why would they not discuss it with her? She is fully alert; she has all her faculties. Mike has had to give his mother money every week to avoid causing her worry over the situation: I bring in 5 for her every week and tell her that Ive just been into the accounts office. Its not about the money; its about at what stage a hospital can decide that they can act on someones behalf? My mother is completely aware, she has all her faculties, and I just want to know what gives someone the ability to decide what her best interests are. The hospital informed the programme that they could not make a statement on the matter, since this was an ongoing complaints procedure. A woman has been killed after she was attacked by cattle on a family farm in Co Derry. The pensioner, who has been named locally as Brigid McKeefry and is aged in her 70s, was rushed to the Causeway Hospital for treatment. However she later died from her injuries and a post-mortem is taking place. The tragic incident happened on the family farm off Carhill Road in Garvagh at about 2.30pm when the woman was attacked by cattle. It is understood Mrs McKeefry had been working with livestock at the time. DUP east Londonderry MLA Adrian McQuillan expressed his sympathies to the elderly woman's family. Mr McQuillan said late last night: "This news is very shocking to the entire close-knit community of Garvagh and the surrounding areas. "The family were well-known in the farming community and I understand the woman in her 70s was killed by cattle on the family farm, this evening. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family during this deeply distressing time. "The HSENI (Health and Safety Executive) will be carrying out investigations. "Yesterday evening's incident serves as a reminder that there are many dangers that surround us on our farms. "It is important that those working on farms take caution and follow all safety procedures." A spokesman from the Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) said: "The HSENI can confirm it is currently investigating a serious incident on a farm in the Garvagh area, but is not in a position to make any further comment at this stage." The Ambulance Service said that emergency services were called to the scene at around 2.30pm. "A patient was taken from the scene to Causeway Hospital," a spokesman added. It's the third farm tragedy to hit Northern Ireland in the last few weeks. Yesterday's tragedy comes after the deaths of 30-year-old Co Tyrone farmer James Irwin -who was killed after becoming trapped in farm machinery - and Alastair Sloss, who died in a slurry accident last Friday. And it comes just a month after another woman suffered horrific injuries after she was attacked by a cow in Co Fermanagh. Caroline Somerville from south Belfast had been visiting Devenish Island when she was attacked by the farm animal. Her dog was also injured and later died. Nevadans will vote in coming days on legalizing the recreational use of marijuana here, as four other states have already done. Both advocates and opponents have made strident cases to support their views. However, the two camps cite data that appears to conflict. We have mixed views on this initiative, but we are interested in informational clarity. So, we were delighted recently to read an analysis of the objective trends by Harvard economics professor Jeffrey Miron and his co-authors. They use recent data from Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska to dispel many myths propagated by both sides. They examine how drug use patterns have changed in states following legalization of marijuana. For data, they rely on the federally funded National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It shows the proportion of respondents who report having used marijuana in the past year has remained basically stable since 2002, at 55 to 60 percent in each state. Although there are few data points since the first legalizations in 2012, there has been no observable increase in use. In their words: The data do not show dramatic changes in use rates corresponding to either the expansion of medical marijuana or legalization. Similarly, cocaine exhibits a mild downward trend over the time period but shows no obvious change after marijuana policy changes. Alcohol use shows a pattern similar to marijuana: a gradual upward trend but no obvious evidence of a response to marijuana policy. Miron and company suggest that a long-running trend of increasing exposure to marijuana among the adult population has reduced its stigma and generated the cultural acceptance that leads to legalization in the first place. In essence, they say, rising marijuana use may not be a consequence of legalization, but a cause of it. They also address the impact of legalization on measures of public health, crime, road safety, educational outcomes, the economy, and state fiscal health. In each area, the claims of proponents and critics are wildly contradictory. Proponents argue that marijuana can treat or prevent many diseases and that legalization will lead to improved public health. Opponents believe marijuana causes depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and other disorders. But the data shows no observable trends in public health following legalization. Critics believe legalization would cause a spike in crime while proponents believe that black markets are the true cause of drug-related crime and that legalization makes everyone safer. But records from the Denver police department show no change in overall crime rates following legalization. In Seattle, crime has neither soared nor plummeted in the wake of legalization. A particular concern of critics is that children could face greater exposure to marijuana through a legal and regulated market than a black market. As parents, were sensitive to this concern, but Mirons team finds no discernable changes in teen use or academic performance following legalization. Proponents tell us that legalization would create a whole new industry, boost economic growth, and create a huge source of tax revenues for state and local coffers. These claims are overblown, too. Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show little evidence of significant Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increases after legalization in any state. In all, Miron and company conclude, state marijuana legalizations have had minimal effect on marijuana use and related outcomes. We cannot rule out small effects of legalization, and insufficient time has elapsed since the four initial legalizations to allow strong inference. On the basis of available data, however, we find little support for the stronger claims made by either opponents or advocates of legalization. Ultimately, legalization has many complex, mixed and uncertain effects, and which side the balance favors depends also on peoples values. But the choice also greatly depends on details of an initiative. And initiatives dont present the pure question as it might be discussed in a Saturday night college dorm bull session. Instead, because major economic interests are involved on both sides, such measures are always freighted with particulars that favor the hidden interests of proponents. And many opponents have hidden special interests too. So, folks should make their own reasoned decisions knowing that many claims they hear from both sides are all huff and puff with no empirical support. We doubt your local pub will be stocking these any time soon. A Swedish brewery called St. Erik's has created what they call the "the world's most exclusive potato chips." The crisps are priced at 51 for a box of five. There are only 100 boxes of these crisps available. So what is in these pricey-potatoes? They are made with Ammarnas potatoes mixed with matsutake (a mushroom that tastes similar to mature cheese), truffle seaweed, crown dill, leksand onion, and India pale ale. The brewer has insisted that all money raised by the sale of the crisps will go to charity. A B&B or not a B&B? That was the question - first for Dublin City Council and latterly for an Bord Pleanala. The council and now the appeals board have both conferred commercial status of sorts for planning on a privately owned Temple Bar apartment which has been operating successfully as a short-let under the online global Airbnb umbrella. So is a private home in Airbnb use a home or a commercial business? Before yesterday the answer was: "It's a private residence being used for short lets of course!" Today that answer has changed to: "If you and your neighbours don't know then we can bring in the local planning regime to decide." Like any truly new and (more importantly) genuinely disruptive concept - it was only a matter of time before vested and injured parties started to complain, and regulations started to impinge on the Airbnb party. Airbnb landed among us with a bang - it came from nowhere - and instantly transformed our world. It has revolutionised both global travel and the earning power of ordinary homeowners. Overnight, every residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse (not to mention tree house) became a potential short let earner. On the other hand, tourists have also been empowered by the smart phone availability of accommodation which is increasingly within their control, genuinely vernacular and generally much cheaper than hotels. The Airbnb impact in Ireland, where tourism is strong, was always going to be greater than in other countries and thousands have become involved in letting spaces. The losers are the hotel and regular B&B sectors which have lost business; and renters who are increasingly finding it tough to source rooms in private houses because they are increasingly being Airbnb'ed. So first came the decision to tax Airbnb earnings at normal rates, now comes the stipulation that frequent Airbnb usage might entail planning permission - as determined by the local authority. Gradually we are defining an Airbnb premises under a commercial regimen. Next, expect the health and safety brigade looking for fire escape points and perhaps disabled access. And if your back room is deemed to be a "business" rather than a bit of pin money, then comes commercial rates, insurance requirements and eventually fully commercial tax rates. So from Airbnb right back to, erm ... B&B anybody? (left to right) Juliet Stevenson, Joely Richardson, Carey Mulligan and Vanessa Redgrave during a staged reading of the Dublin III regulation Actresses Carey Mulligan, Juliet Stevenson, Joely Richardson and her mother Vanessa Redgrave laid down the law in a rousing reading of asylum legislation in a last plea to the Government to help child refugees in Calais. The Young Vic theatre in London hosted the poignant performance of the Dublin III regulation, which sets out a child's right to claim asylum, in a production called Last Chance. It was standing room only as those keen to understand more about the intricacies of the law, and drawn by the big acting names, packed out the studio space. Covering articles of the regulation including guarantees for minors, family procedure and obligations of the member state responsible - none of those taking part had read the legislation beforehand or rehearsed it. Mulligan, the 31-year-old Suffragette star who is married to Mumford and Sons frontman Marcus Mumford, captured the attention of the audience as she delivered a joint reading. Citing the definition of a child as set out in the legalisation, Mulligan said: "'Minor' means a third-country national or a stateless person below the age of 18 years." Adding: "The best interests of the child should be the primary consideration for member states." In a mock European Union bench, draped in the blue and gold starred flags, Mulligan planted an English flag alongside the Union Jack. With the so-called Jungle camp - the sprawling site housing thousands of migrants in Calais set to be demolished in a matter of days - the reading of the legislation was used as a last call to the Government to speed up the resettlement process of minors. It was staged by the charity Good Chance and saw actors Samuel West and John Pfumojena join Mulligan, Stevenson, Richardson and Redgrave, for the performance, alongside refugees who now live in the UK. Video of the Day The event also included a replica of the camp made out of cardboard boxes, a virtual reality video tour of the French town and cut-outs from the Paper People Project. In a question and answer session before the delivery of the wording of the Dublin III regulation began, Stevenson said the situation for unaccompanied children in Calais has become "ever more urgent". Describing the camp, the 59-year-old Truly, Madly, Deeply star said: "It is a really, really toxic, anxious, aggressive place to be. People are leaving." Dismayed at the slow progress to bring eligible children over to the UK, she said it is "terrific" the Government has finally "turned their attention to the issue". But she said the problem with their late response is obvious, giving them "only a week" to undertake the "complicated business" of getting the children to one place and registered. Stevenson added: "The concern is because it is all very last minute, because they (the Government) don't have experience on the ground, the identifying of which children belong in which category is very difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of fear, panic and chaos." Founded by playwrights, Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, Good Chance is a project which brings theatre and performance to the Calais camp through writing workshops, music and acting. Hosting visiting artists and staging refugee performances, their theatre was dismantled in March 2016. The pair had set up the creative space in the Jungle after they were overwhelmed by the number of unaccompanied children living there. "Let's imagine being alone and being a child. You haven't your parents, you haven't got any relatives or anybody to guide you," said Mr Murphy. "They are stuck in the most awful conditions you can imagine. We are so privileged, we don't know that we are born. These children are alone and having to deal with the worst that this world can throw at them." Mr Murphy and Mr Robertson, in a joint opening speech, said: "It is easy to talk about humanitarian crisis in a world when every other day something terrible happens. "But what is happening in Calais, right now, today, is a humanitarian crisis. A crisis particularly felt by the children. And it is 58 minutes away on the Eurostar. "Among the 10,000 residents over 1,000 are kids - totally on their own." They added: "The Government has a legal and moral obligation to help those children." Under Dublin III children can have their asylum claim transferred from their arrival point in Europe to another country if they have family members living there. Additionally the amendment to the Immigration Act 2016 made by Lord Alf Dubs requires the Government to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from Europe. Stevenson said to the audience before the reading that there are 387 children within Calais that fall into these two groups. Those watching heard how that since Monday, 36 unaccompanied children have been brought to the UK from Calais, which Mr Murphy and Mr Robertson said was not "fast enough". The Schemes attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Kat Shoob attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Kimberley Garner attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Cobie Smulders and Tom Cruise attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Linzi Stoppard attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Craig Revel Horwood (left) attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Michelle Heaton attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Danika Yarosh attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Claudia Fragapane and Alex Joseph "AJ" Pritchard attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. (left-right) Don Granger, Cobie Smulders, Tom Cruise, Danika Yarosh, Edward Zwick and Lee Child attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Crowds of screaming fans braced the cold and packed into London's Leicester Square on Thursday to catch a glimpse of Tom Cruise as he premiered his film "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back", which he described as a "classic action" film filled with suspense. The film sees Cruise reprise his role in the sequel to the 2012 film "Jack Reacher" playing a former U.S. military officer turned fugitive, on a mission to uncover a conspiracy that has accused his colleague, Major Susan Turner, of espionage. Turner is played by Cobie Smulders - the "How I Met Your Mother" actress - who was also at the European premiere. "He's just got such a unique wit," Cruise said about Reacher, a character based on books written by British author Lee Child, who also makes a cameo appearance in the film. Expand Close Kat Shoob attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kat Shoob attending the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square, London. Cruise said he was busy working on his sixth Mission Impossible film and also hinted that he was in talks about taking up his popular role as daring pilot "Maverick" in a Top Gun sequel, although he stopped short of making promises to fans. "We've been talking about it, it's just the right script ... it's got to be right," he told Reuters. "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back", was directed by Edward Zwick who worked with Cruise on the 2003 film "The Last Samurai" and said that the two had developed a trust and simply "took up where we left off." A Brussels summit today will endorse pilot projects to pressure African governments via aid budgets to slow an exodus of people north across the Sahara and Mediterranean. It also wants swift results from an EU campaign to deport large numbers who reach Italy. "By the end of the year, we need to see results," one senior EU diplomat said yesterday. Arrivals in Italy so far this year are nearly 6pc higher than the same period of 2015. Italy received 154,000 migrants last year and this year's figure will be similar or slightly higher. Italy is sheltering 165,000 asylum seekers, almost three times as many as in 2014. The build-up has accelerated since Italy's northern neighbours clamped down on border controls. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has told EU allies that Rome can cope for now but is worried about the future. EU officials want to put in place tougher measures to identify illegal migrants and fly them back to Africa before next year's migration season, when thousands are expected to take to precarious boats from Libya. "We need to clean this up and have migration compacts with African countries in place before next spring," a senior EU official said. That will depend on persuading African states - initially a group of five - to take back their own citizens. The EU is already bringing African officials to Italy to identify citizens who may try to conceal their identity to avoid being sent home. At their summit, European Union leaders will agree to use money and trade to force African countries to curb emigration, in a shift towards a more hard-nosed joint foreign policy. African leaders may be persuaded to agree with the new policy by the fact that the EU is the continent's biggest aid donor. The EU has turned a wary eye on Africa, a young continent where millions live in poverty, after last year's uncontrolled influx of refugees and migrants from the Middle East thrust the bloc into a deep political crisis. It wants fewer to come and it wants to deport more. EU leaders will therefore decide today that they want to get "measurable results in terms of preventing illegal migration and returning irregular migrants", according to a draft summit statement seen by Reuters. It said they would also agree to "create and apply the necessary leverage, by using all relevant EU policies, instruments and tools, including development and trade". Behind the diplomatic language lies a threat of cutting development aid and restricting trade with those African countries that do not co-operate before the next migration season starts in the spring. Apart from the stick, there is also the carrot, which comes in the form of promises of more aid and preferential trade treatment under what Brussels calls migration "compacts". The new approach - aimed at keeping people away from Europe - was first proposed by Italy, the main disembarkation point for Africa migrants. It is initially aimed at Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Ethiopia and Mali. "We need to clean this up and have migration compacts with African countries in place before next spring," a senior EU official said. US Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton arrives in Las Vegas, Nevada, ahead of the third presidential debate with her rival, Republican Donald Trump, which was due to take place in the early hours of this morning. Photo: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson At the start of the month, Donald Trump led Hillary Clinton by 56-31pc among white Catholics. According to the latest poll, in the wake of the lewd video and sexual assault allegations against Mr Trump, Mrs Clinton has taken a 46-42pc lead. Overall, the Catholic vote is 61-34 in her favour. What ever happened in last night's final debate in Las Vegas, this is a major blow to Mr Trump's chances of pulling off a victory in three weeks' time - in fact it could even be fatal. White Catholic support has been crucial to Republican presidential hopefuls for decades and helped the party make sweeping gains in the midterm elections of 2010 and 2014. Mitt Romney secured 59pc of the white Catholic vote in 2012. "That's not where Trump wants to be in the homestretch, particularly with a core constituency in Mid Western battleground states," Robert Jones, a Public Religion Research Institute pollster, told the 'New York Times'. Aside from the disclosures this month about Mr Trump's sexually aggressive language towards women and alleged history of assault, which the candidate denies, his spat with Pope Francis is unlikely to have helped his popularity among the demographic. In February, the Pope claimed the Republican "is not a Christian" in response to a question about the billionaire's plans to deport 11 million illegal immigrants and build a wall on the US-Mexico border. Mr Trump responded by calling the pontiff's attack on him "disgraceful". It's not all plain sailing for the Clinton camp's hopes of sweeping up the white Catholic vote, however. Emails released earlier this week showed senior campaign officials discussing Republican Catholics in offensive terms. John Halpin, a senior fellow at the Centre for American Progress, a Democratic think-tank with close ties to the Clinton campaign and the Obama White House, wrote in 2011 that "the most powerful elements of the conservative movement are all Catholic" and described their positions as "an amazing bastardisation of the faith". He added: "They must be attracted to the systematic thought and severely backwards gender relations and must be totally unaware of Christian democracy." Republicans claimed that the emails highlighted the Clinton campaign's "breathtaking anti-Catholic bigotry". Moreover, Tim Kaine's vocal support for abortion rights - despite his own Catholic faith - may put off some Catholic voters. "Senator Kaine has said, 'My faith is central to everything I do'. But apparently, and unfortunately, his faith isn't central to his public, political life," Bishop Thomas Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence, said. Mr Trump's problem with white Catholics mirrors his declining support among evangelical Christians following the release of the video in which he is filmed making sexually aggressive comments and talks about "grabbing (women) by the p****". According to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll last week, Mr Trump had only a one-point edge over Mrs Clinton among people who identified as evangelicals, which was down from a massive 12-point advantage that the Republican held in July. 'Christianity Today', a leading evangelical magazine, said in an editorial that Christians should not support a man whose life is based around "idolatry, greed, and sexual immorality". Bolstered by several opinion polls that have her leading in the key swing states, Mrs Clinton's campaign spoke bullishly earlier this week about making Democrat gains in traditional Republican states. And last night she launched a historic bid to win the deeply Republican state of Texas. Mrs Clinton committed $1.5m to start running television advertisements in the Lone Star state, which is usually ignored by Democratic presidential nominees. It followed a poll by the University of Houston which put Mr Trump on 41pc support in the state, with Mrs Clinton at 38pc. Aides also said that Mrs Clinton would be "dramatically expanding" her campaigning in Arizona. Michelle Obama, who has been a key weapon for the Clinton camp at both the convention and subsequent events, will speak in Phoenix today. "Donald Trump is becoming more unhinged by the day, and that is increasing prospects for Democrats further down the ballot," Robby Mook, campaign manager said. Indiana and Missouri - which have voted Republican for decades - are also being targeted as states where Democrats could make gains. ( Daily Telegraph London) Kellyann Conway said Mr Trump has pulled off comebacks several times before. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's campaign manager has acknowledged that the Republican presidential nominee needs a "comeback" in the final weeks of the race to the White House. Kellyann Conway said Mr Trump has pulled off comebacks several times before, but it was a rare acknowledgement by the billionaire's campaign that he could ultimately fall short. She was speaking to Fox News ahead of the third and final presidential debate and as a string of battleground state polls showed Hillary Clinton ahead. Ms Conway said she does not understand why Mrs Clinton has not been able to "put him away" given her experience and her campaign's "endless amounts of money". She said: "What is her problem, already?" The ugly and acrimonious battle for the White House is barrelling toward the end, with the candidates taking the debate stage last night for one final prime time showdown. For Mr Trump, the debate was his last opportunity to turn around a race that appears to be slipping away from him. Mrs Clinton was facing challenges of her own. While the electoral map currently leans in her favour, the Democrat was facing a new round of questions about her authenticity and trustworthiness, concerns that have trailed her throughout the campaign. Trump has leaned on an increasingly brazen strategy in the campaign's closing weeks, including peddling charges the election will be rigged, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud in US presidential contests. He has also claimed that Mrs 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. A suspected supporter of Islamic State attacked police in Indonesia with a knife on Thursday and wounded three of them in what appeared to be the latest violence inspired by the militant group in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation. Indonesian authorities are increasingly worried about a resurgence in radicalism in Southeast Asia's largest economy, driven in part by a new generation of militants inspired by Islamic State (IS). Police shot and wounded the attacker after he stabbed three traffic police officers during the rush hour in Tangerang, on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta. An unexploded pipe bomb and a large IS sticker were found near the scene, police said. "All of a sudden a man brutally attacked our officers with a sharp weapon. The perpetrator was shot in the thigh and leg," police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar told reporters. "We suspect the perpetrator is an ISIS sympathizer," he added, referring to Islamic State. The police officers and the attacker, who was born in 1994 and unemployed, were being treated in hospital. The assault comes after a series of Islamic State-linked attacks beginning in January when four militants mounted a gun and bomb attack in Jakarta. Eight people were killed, including the militants. In July, a militant blew himself up at a police station in the town of Solo, injuring one officer. Police in August arrested IS supporters plotting to launch a rocket at Singapore's Marina Bay casino resort area using a boat from the nearby Indonesian island of Batam. A knife-wielding teen "obsessed" with IS attempted to attack a priest at a church in August. The vast majority of Indonesia's 250 million people practise a moderate form of Islam. Small militant groups that have periodically mounted attacks against the state and foreigners have been largely disbanded or driven underground. In Indonesia's most serious attack, militants set of explosives at a nightclub on Bali island in 2002 killing 202 people. Authorities believe Islamic State has more than 1,200 followers in Indonesia and nearly 400 Indonesians have left to join the group in Syria. Police are on alert in case more Indonesians return home after Iraqi forces this week launched an offensive to take back the IS stronghold of Mosul. "The war there is affecting our youth here," Amar said. "We have to be vigilant about parties that are changing the mindset of our youth." Authorities are monitoring about 40 returnees, concerned they could be linking up with existing networks, police chief Tito Karnavian told Reuters on Monday. Gable Tostee and Warriena Wright in his apartment just hours before she fell to her death. Picture:Supplied by Queensland Supreme CourtSource An Australian man has been found not guilty of murder, following the death of a New Zealand tourist who fell from his apartment balcony. Gable Tostee (30) was accused of intimidating Warriena Wright so much as to cause here to scale his balcony to escape after the pair met on dating app Tinder Prosecutors claimed she fell 14 floors while trying to escape an argument in the city of Gold Coast in 2014. During a week-long trial, the defence described this as nonsense, arguing Mr Tostee, who declined to give evidence, had merely tried to stop further attacks from his erratic and violent house guest by locking her outside. Expand Close When Warriena Wright, right, first issued the cry, Gable Tostee, left, responded: 'I would, but you have been a bad girl' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp When Warriena Wright, right, first issued the cry, Gable Tostee, left, responded: 'I would, but you have been a bad girl' Jurors rejected the crown's case and agreed with Mr Tostee. Mr Tostee's parents gasped and cried when the not guilty verdict was delivered. ABC Australia is reporting that outside court, Mr Tostee's lawyer Nick Dore said his client was very happy with the result. "He's relieved this matter is now behind him and he's looking forward to moving on with his life," Mr Dore said as Mr Tostee stood silently by his side. "He thanks all those people who have supported him through this and realises just how tragic this has been for many people. "At this stage, he's looking forward to putting it behind him and considering his future from here." Chinese protesters demonstrate outside the University of Milan-Bicocca where the Dalai Lama will be made honorary citizen (AP) The Dalai Lama acknowledges the crowd at the Arcimboldi Theatre, where he was conferred with the honorary citizenship of Milan (AP) Milan city council has bestowed honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama despite the objections of the Chinese embassy, which said the gesture would have a negative impact on bilateral relations and regional co-operation. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate accepted the honour inside a theatre at the University of Milan-Bicocca campus before an audience of mostly students. "I want to know what my right is, and what is my duty," the Dalai Lama said, getting a laugh when he quipped that he preferred rights to duties. On the eve of his arrival, the Chinese embassy in Rome issued a statement saying that honouring the Dalai Lama "has seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people" and expressing its "strong protest and firm opposition". Outside the theatre, several dozen Chinese residents voiced their displeasure with the award, saying it was a slap against their contributions to the Italian economy. They waved Italian and Chinese flags and stood behind banners proclaiming Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. Tensions arose when a handful of Tibetan protesters approached the Chinese contingent, but police separated the two groups without incident, the news agency ANSA reported. China accuses the Dalai Lama of leading a campaign to split Tibet from the rest of China. The exiled spiritual leader says he simply wants Tibet to have a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. Italy has been the favourite country in Europe for Chinese firms looking for acquisitions. Chinese firms bought 14 Italian companies last year for a combined total of 10.6 billion dollars (8.6 billion), according to KPMG, led by the 7.7 billion dollar (6.3 billion) acquisition of tyre maker Pirelli. China has also invested billions in Italian electrical grid operators, carmakers, telecom firms and luxury brands in recent years. In Milan alone, the number of Chinese residents has doubled over the past decade to nearly 29,000, doubling also the number of businesses, according to Francesco Wu, who leads an organisation of Chinese entrepreneurs in Milan and joined Thursday's protest. The Dalai Lama also met privately with the archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Angelo Scola, as well as with Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala on the first day of a three-day visit that includes a series of spiritual talks. He is also to receive honorary citizenship of the Milan suburb of Rho, home to the fairgrounds where several of his talks will take place. In Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman told reporters that China opposes any official meeting with the Dalai Lama and asked that countries respect "China's grave concerns". The Dalai Lama said in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica that the climate in Tibet "remains extremely grim and repressive, characterised by constant controls of Tibetans, who are denied many basic human rights". "Whether they admit it or not, Tibet remains a thorn for China, which wants to play an important role in the world," he was quoted as saying. AP Donald Trump has threatened to challenge the result of the US presidential election if it is "questionable" - although he teasingly promised to embrace the outcome "if I win". The Republican presidential nominee said he would accept "a clear election result" but was reserving his right to "contest or file a legal challenge" if he loses. It was his first attempt to explain his stunning warning a day earlier in the final debate that he might not accept the results. Mr Trump brushed off the likelihood of that happening with a confident prediction that "we're not going to lose". Speaking at a rally in Delaware, Ohio, he said: "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election." But he added: "If I win." Mr Trump's musings about hypothetical Election Day scenarios came as his campaign was reeling from widespread astonishment over his refusal to commit to the time-honoured American tradition of the election's loser acceding gracefully to the winner. Mr Trump has warned repeatedly of impending, widespread voter fraud, despite no evidence to support him and plenty of evidence to the contrary. Asked at the debate whether he would accept the outcome, Mr Trump said: "I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense." That sent immediate shockwaves through the campaign, as Mr Trump's supporters tried to soften his remarks and fellow Republicans sought more distance from their nominee. The distraction deprived Mr Trump of the comeback moment he sorely needed, despite a sometimes more measured and poised performance in Wednesday's third and final debate. The Republican National Committee, whose chief mission is to get the GOP nominee elected, was put in the remarkable position of disputing its own candidate, with a spokesman saying the party would "respect the will of the people". Even some of Mr Trump's most ardent supporters felt it was a step over the line. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said it was "imperative that Donald Trump clearly state" he will accept the results. Mr Trump's running mate Mike Pence and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, both of whom had previously insisted Mr Trump would accept the election's results, were left trying to assert that Trump would contest the results only under extraordinary circumstances. As he entered the campaign's final stretch on Thursday, Mr Trump tried to turn the tables on Hillary Clinton by accusing her of "cheating" and suggesting she should "resign from the race". He cited a hacked email that showed Mrs Clinton's campaign was tipped off about a question she had be asked in a CNN town hall meeting during the Democratic primary. "Can you imagine if I got the questions? They would call for the re-establishment of the electric chair, do you agree?" Mr Trump asked supporters. Mr Trump's effort to shift the conversation back to Mrs Clinton centred on an email from long-time Democratic Party operative Donna Brazile to Mrs Clinton's campaign in March with the subject line "From time to time I get the questions in advance". It contained the wording of a death penalty question that Ms Brazile suggested Mrs Clinton would be asked. Ms Brazile, now the acting Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairwoman, was a CNN contributor at the time she sent the email, one of thousands disclosed publicly by WikiLeaks after Mrs Clinton's campaign chairman's emails were hacked. Mrs Clinton's campaign has said Russia was behind the hack. "She used these questions, studied the questions, got the perfect answer for the questions and never said that she did something that was totally wrong and inappropriate," Mr Trump said of Mrs Clinton. He said that Ms Brazile should resign as the head of the DNC. All that was overshadowed by Mr Trump's comments about the election results, which marked the culmination of weeks of escalating assertions that "this election is rigged" against him and that Mrs Clinton was trying "to steal it". Meanwhile, ratings group Nielsen said the third presidential debate is likely to land between the record-setting first match between Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump and the second in terms of the number of Americans who tuned in on TV. For the major commercial broadcast and cable news networks, Nielsen estimated there were some 63.7 million viewers. When estimates for other networks that aired the debate, including PBS, are added in, the final viewership tally should approach 70 million viewers. The first debate reached 84 million people, the most ever for a presidential debate, and the second had 66.5 million. AP A US businessman has admitted strangling a British woman in a hotel room after meeting her on a dating site. Sammy Almahri, 44, pleaded guilty to murdering Nadine Aburas, 28, at the Future Inn, Cardiff Bay, on New Year's Eve 2014, before placing a "do not disturb" sign on the room door, South Wales Police said Almahri initially admitted manslaughter, but denied murder saying he was suffering a mental disorder and carried out the killing after hearing the "voice of God". In a statement issued following the new plea, the family of Ms Aburas said: "Justice has been done for Nadine. The right verdict has been returned. We wish to thank everyone who has assisted us throughout this tragic period in our lives. Expand Close Nadine Aburas, 28. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nadine Aburas, 28. "We ask now that we are given time to grieve and remember our beautiful girl. We will give a full statement after sentence." Kumbuka the gorilla managed to escape from his enclosure at London Zoo A gorilla that sparked an emergency after breaking out of its enclosure at London Zoo opened and drank five litres of undiluted blackcurrant squash during his escape, the Zoological Society of London has revealed. Members of the public and staff at the zoo were locked into buildings and ordered not to leave certain areas after Kumbuka, an adult silverback gorilla, made his escape on Thursday. Now an investigation by the zoo has revealed what Kumbuka did in his short time of freedom, including exploring the zookeepers' area and drinking a large quantity of squash. "As the first part of our investigation concludes, Im keen to use this opportunity to clarify some things," a statement from ZSL's Zoological Director, Professor David Field, said. "Kumbuka was called into his private night quarters for his dinner at around 5.10pm on Thursday 13th October. As a big silverback male with a matching appetite, he eats separately from the females - otherwise they wouldn't get a look in. "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. "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." Professor Field said Kumbuka was immediately contained in the non-public area after the incident where he was tranquilised and moved back into his den. "Within two hours Kumbuka was back with his family, snacking on treats, and probably wondering what all the fuss was about," he added. The investigation established that London Zoo's gorilla dens are "fit for purpose", the statements says. "There were no broken locks, Kumbuka did not smash any windows, he was never on the loose, and his normal gorilla posturing reported by visitors earlier in the day was unrelated to the incident," it added. On Friday, a leading wildlife group called for an inquiry into the gorilla's escape from its enclosure, with the Born Free Foundation saying the incident "could have ended very differently". It is the second high profile case involving a gorilla in captivity after Harambe, a gorilla from Cincinnati Zoo, was fatally shot after a toddler climbed into his enclosure. A Breaking Bad-obsessed sado-masochist strangled a police officer, then copied a plot from the hit American drama by dissolving his body in an acid bath, a court has heard. Pc Gordon Semple, 59, was on duty when he arranged to meet his alleged killer, Stefano Brizzi, via Grindr for "hot, dirty, sleazy" sex on the afternoon of April 1. The 50-year-old Italian was allegedly in the middle of throttling him when he turned away another man who had arrived for a drug-fuelled sex party. Over the next few days, neighbours on the Peabody Estate in south London noticed a "revolting smell" coming from Brizzi's flat. When one complained, Brizzi put it down to cooking for a friend, jurors at the Old Bailey were told. By April 7, a resident alerted police, who visited the flat and found Brizzi wearing only sunglasses and underpants. They also found a bath full of acid with "globules of flesh" floating in it, the court heard. Brizzi allegedly told an officer: "I've tried to dissolve the body ... I've killed a police officer. I killed him last week. I met him on Grindr and I killed him. Satan told me to." However, jurors were told that the defendant was not claiming a psychiatric defence and now says Pc Semple died accidentally during a "sex game gone wrong". Opening the trial, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors the case called for "broad minds and strong stomachs". Pc Semple had been in a relationship but was "sexually promiscuous" and used Grindr for "extreme" encounters of "domination, bondage and much else besides", he said. On the day of the killing, Pc Semple and Brizzi had invited more men on Grindr to join them for a sex party with drugs available but only one man - referred to as CD - turned up, jurors were told. Mr Aylett told jurors: "When CD pressed the entry buzzer, someone who can only have been the defendant replied over the intercom 'We are having a situation here. Someone fell ill but we're taking care of it. So our party is cancelled'. CD turned around and went home." The prosecutor told jurors that CD must have arrived at the very point Pc Semple was meeting his death inside the flat. Brizzi later told police that Pc Semple had invited a number of people to the flat "but they didn't arrive and, when one did arrive, I was right in the middle of strangling Gordon and I said to - he was right there at the door - and I said to him 'Look, this is not the right time now, people are falling ill and it's a mess'." After Pc Semple's partner failed to get hold of him on his mobile phone, he reported him missing. The court heard that Brizzi had been a user of crystal meth - referred to as Nutella - which had cost him his job at financial giant Morgan Stanley. He allegedly told a support group that he believed in the Devil, and liked "satanic rituals" which involved having sex over the sign of the pentagon. He liked to boast of his sexual exploits and told one meeting he had once tied a man up, treated him like a dog and made him go into a cage, jurors heard. Brizzi was said to be "obsessed" with the American show Breaking Bad, jurors were told. Mr Aylett said the main character, chemistry teacher Walter White, produced crystal meth and, after poisoning a rival, dissolved the body in acid. Brizzi denies murder but has admitted obstructing a coroner by dismembering and disposing of the body. A photo taken from a Norwegian surveillance aircraft shows a group of Russian navy ships in international waters off the coast of Northern Norway on October 17, 2016. 333 Squadron, Norwegian Royal Airforce/NTB Scanpix/Handout via Reuters Handout photo issued by the Mininstry of Defence of a Royal Navy lookout onboard HMS Richmond, a Type 23 Duke Class frigate, observing a Russian task group during transit through the North Sea Credit: PO(Phot) Dez Wade/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA Wire Two Royal Navy destroyers have been sent to meet Russian warships that are reportedly planning to take part in a final assault on Aleppo, Syria. It is understood a Russian taskforce, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, is on a course to sail through the North Sea and then the English Channel. Two Russian corvettes, which are travelling north towards the UK from the direction of Portugal, are also set to be watched by the Navy. The northern fleet passed the Norwegian city of Bergen on Wednesday and will sail through the English Channel, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea towards the Syrian coast, according to a senior Nato diplomat quoted by Reuters. The anonymous source said the Russian warships are carrying fighter bombers likely to bolster the attack on the besieged Syrian city. The diplomat said: "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. "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. "With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive." Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday to monitor the Kuznetsov task group, which is heading south from the Norwegian Sea towards the North Sea. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond has also escorted the group in the Norwegian Sea, north of the UK between Iceland and Norway. Another Type 45 destroyer, HMS Dragon, is also due to sail to meet the two Russian corvettes travelling north towards the UK from the direction of Portugal. It is understood that shadowing ships is regular business for the Royal Navy, being supported by RAF surveillance aircraft on this occasion. Navy ships will continue to escort the Russian task group and provide a visible presence south through the North Sea and English Channel as the Russian fleet sails through, the MoD said. The UK is working alongside Nato partners to monitor the warships. A suspect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence who is wanted for drug dealing is among 10 British criminals thought to be hiding in Spain. Jamie Acourt, 40, from south-east London, was allegedly part of a cannabis-dealing gang between January 2014 and February 2016. He previously achieved notoriety after he was named as one of the suspects in the investigation into the racist murder of 18-year-old Stephen. The teenager was killed by up to six attackers in 1993, two of whom, David Norris and Gary Dobson, were convicted and are serving life sentences. Another suspect on the list is Shane O'Brien, 28, accused of murdering 21-year-old Josh Hanson in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon, west London in October 2015. Expand Close Undated picture of Jamie Acourt, taken from a new appeal issued by Crimestoppers, who is among 10 most wanted British criminals thought to be hiding in Spain Credit: Crimestoppers/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Undated picture of Jamie Acourt, taken from a new appeal issued by Crimestoppers, who is among 10 most wanted British criminals thought to be hiding in Spain Credit: Crimestoppers/PA Wire Police believe he has "strong links" to Spain, and uses a false identity to evade capture. A second line of investigation is that he may be in Dubai. The "most wanted" gallery also includes suspected fraudster Mark Acklom, 43, from London, who allegedly posed as a Swiss banker and an MI6 agent as he fleeced a woman, whom he said he would marry, out of 850,000. Read More Accused conman Acklom convinced her that he needed money to renovate a property, which she later found out that he did not own. The alleged victim, Carolyn Woods, 55, told Sky News: "I was completely devastated, he left me destitute and destroyed my life." Investigators are also hunting convicted fraudster Sarah Panitzke, 42, from Fulford, North Yorkshire, who laundered 1 billion as part of a massive tax scam and is due to serve an eight-year jail term for conspiracy to acquire criminal property. Steve Reynolds, Head of International Operations for the National Crime Agency, said: "The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice. We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets." The list was unveiled by British and Spanish authorities at a joint press conference in Malaga on Thursday. It features Jonathan Kelly, 36, from Glasgow, who is wanted for a string of violent crimes including a machete attack that left his victim paralysed; and alleged drugs kingpin Dominic McInally, 25, from Liverpool, who is accused of leading a cocaine-dealing gang that made 1.25 million per month. Chairman of Crimestoppers Lord Ashcroft said: "These people have managed to evade arrest and avoid justice. We know that with the help of Spanish authorities, along with the public in Spain and the UK, we can find these people." British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing calls to "come clean" about what she knew about the problems at the troubled inquiry into child sex abuse after she disclosed she had been aware of concerns about its former chair. Mrs May - who, as home secretary, set up the inquiry - told MPs there had been "stories" circulating about Lowell Goddard but said she could not have intervened on the basis of "suspicion, rumour or hearsay". She insisted the home office was not officially notified of concerns about the New Zealand high court judge until late July - less than a week before she finally resigned - by which time Mrs May was in Downing Street. On Tuesday, the commons home affairs committee was told a member of the inquiry panel had privately raised concerns with a director-general in the home office in April when Mrs May was still home secretary. However, Mrs May told MPs: "That conversation was asked to be confidential and it was, as far as I am aware, treated as such. "I think it is important for us to recognise that, when the home office was officially informed of issues, the home office acted. It's now for the inquiry to get on and deliver for victims and survivors." Labour MP Lisa Nandy, who raised the question with Mrs May at prime minister's questions yesterday, said: "Theresa May set up the abuse inquiry and appointed its chair. She was the home secretary when serious concerns were raised with her department, and only she had the power to act on them. "Today she suggested that she did know of problems but did nothing at all. For this investigation to regain the trust of survivors, the prime minister must now come clean about what she knew when, and why she failed to intervene." Some MPs remain angry that when current home secretary Amber Rudd appeared before committee last month she made no mention of the issues that had been raised. The home office finally issued a statement last week following press reports about the conduct of Ms Lowell, disclosing that it had been formally contacted by the inquiry on July 29. Six days later the judge resigned. Ms Lowell has strongly denied allegations against her - including claims she used racist language - describing them as "falsities" and part of a "vicious campaign" against her. At the committee hearing, MPs were told by members of the inquiry panel there had been "challenges" working with Ms Lowell. The new inquiry chairwoman, Professor Alexis Jay, said: "It was clear from the beginning that Lowell Goddard really would have preferred to sit on her own without the assistance of a panel." The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France have agreed on a "road map" aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in eastern Ukraine. But 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. "I'm convinced it was right to reopen the channel of talks at this level again," Mrs Merkel said after the meeting. She conceded that the four "didn't 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, Mrs Merkel said. Ukraine's president said an agreement had been reached that the road map should be adopted by the end of November. Mr Poroshenko was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying it would include all security issues, including restoration of Ukraine's control of its entire border with Russia. The road map is part of an effort to implement the so-called Minsk agreement of February 2015 on ending the conflict, in which more than 9,600 people have been killed. Mr 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 Mrs Merkel told reporters that such a step would first require Ukraine to pass laws for local elections in the disputed territory, something Kiev has not yet done. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation 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. Outside the German chancellery, hundreds of demonstrators staged competing rallies as the four leaders arrived, including a group of about 30 people waving Russian and Soviet flags chanting "Thank you Putin". Nearby, larger groups of Ukrainian and Syrian protesters demonstrated against the Russian president. AP Iraqi forces deploy in Bajwaniyah, about 30km south of Mosul after they liberated the village from Isil. Photo: Ahmad al-rubaye/Getty Images "The final authority must be in the hands of the Sunnis," wrote the British intelligence official. "Otherwise you will have a theocratic state, which is the very devil." The official in question was Gertrude Bell, the explorer and civil servant who, in 1921, sat down at her desk in Baghdad to draw the border of what is now modern-day Iraq. Ms Bell's remarkable life story - the subject of a Werner Herzog film last year - was told again last week in 'Letters From Baghdad', an excellent documentary screened as part of the British Film Festival. But while her admiring biographers dwell on her erudition and foresight, they gloss over her big misjudgement: the idea that handing power to Iraq's minority Sunni sect instead of the Shia majority would keep the peace. And Ms Bell's story is being revisited on screen just as the West faces the question of whether it will tear up the map she drew. For the past few months, the Western-backed Iraqi military has been preparing for its biggest battle yet against Isil - the retaking of Mosul, a city of 1.5 million captured by the terrorist group in 2014. Now it is in motion, but trouble has been brewing. Against Baghdad's wishes, Turkey has tried to step up its involvement in the offensive, setting off a row between Baghdad and Ankara. The US, whose planes are backing up the offensive, insisted that the plan to take Mosul would not change. But even as it begins, no one knows what might happen to the city afterwards. This might seem very far away from the desert adventures and political dinner parties of Ms Bell's Baghdad. But behind the effort to take Mosul lies a crucial question for western policy: are the US and its allies still committed to defending those lines Ms Bell drew on a map decades ago, which placed Mosul, a Sunni-majority town, inside a Shia-dominated Iraq? Or will they abandon them in favour of a new map populated by sectarian nations like "Sunni-stan" and "Shiite-stan"? The creation of Iraq was a typical British attempt at nation-building. Having promised its inhabitants independence and seized Iraq from the Ottoman Empire in World War I, Britain first made a disastrous and bloody attempt to rule directly (against Ms Bell's advice) and then (on her recommendation) imported a friendly Sunni from Arabia and installed him as king. The Sunni elites, in Ms Bell's view, would build a sophisticated, pro-British and non-theocratic state. Ms Bell was speaking with some authority, having spent years travelling and making contacts among Sunni Arab tribes, but also hubris. She had had limited contact with Shiite groups, whom she dismissed as backwards, and misplaced faith in King Faisal, whom she helped to crown. The West has spent decades defending the European-made borders of the Middle East. But since Syria fell apart and Isil stormed across the region, support for the creation of a new Sunni-ruled, Sunni-inhabited state, dubbed "Sunni-stan", has been growing on the American Right. Debate Late last year, John Bolton, George W Bush's ambassador to the UN, penned a 'New York Times' article arguing that Nato should support a 'Sunni-stan' because "Iraq and Syria as we have known them are gone". A piece published in the influential US magazine 'Foreign Affairs' made a similar case, as did an article this week by former USAID official Joshua Cohen. If an anti-Isil coalition succeeds in retaking Mosul, these musings could move from theory to live debate. Mosul and its residents are pawns in this power struggle. Iraq's Shia militias see an opportunity to depopulate the city of its mostly Sunni population and gain territory. Mr Erdogan, on the other hand, says he wants to protect Sunni Turkmen in the region, but also sees a chance to create a pro-Turkish Sunni sphere of influence in Iraq, giving him greater room for manoeuvre. ( Daily Telegraph London) Last night, a senior Iraqi general called on Iraqis fighting for Isil in Mosul to surrender as a wide-scale operation to retake the militant-held city entered its third day. Photo: Yasin Akgul/Getty Images The head of Russia's General Staff has said Moscow was concerned that Isil militants holed up in the Iraqi city of Mosul might escape to Syria, and said they should be killed on the spot instead. "It's essential not to chase the terrorists from one country to another, but to destroy them on the spot," Valery Gerasimov said. Iraqi government forces and Kurdish peshmerga fighters are approaching Mosul as part of a plan to take back the city that has been controlled by radical Sunni group Isil since 2014. Last night, a senior Iraqi general called on Iraqis fighting for Isil in Mosul to surrender as a wide-scale operation to retake the militant-held city entered its third day. Lt Gen Talib Shaghati told reporters at a military base that up to 6,000 Isil fighters are inside the city. He did not say how many of them are foreigners. Isil captured Mosul, Iraq's 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. So far, the militants have put up fierce resistance in villages surrounding the city, where most of the fighting has been concentrated. Isil has sent trucks loaded with explosives towards the front lines and fired mortars to slow the Iraqi forces' advance. An Iraqi officer from the 9th Division said his troops were now around 1km away from Hamdaniyah, a historically Christian town also known as Bakhdida, to the east of Mosul. Over the past day, Isil 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. The operation to retake Mosul is the largest launched by the Iraqi army since the 2003 US-led invasion. Some 25,000 troops, including Sunni tribal fighters, Kurdish forces known as the peshmerga, and state-sanctioned Shiite militias known as the Popular Mobilisation Units are approaching the city from different directions. The participation of the Shiite militias has raised concerns that the campaign could inflame sectarian tensions. Rights groups have accused the Shiite militias of abuses in past campaigns against Isil-held areas. In a bid to alleviate those concerns, Shiite militia leaders announced that they will only focus on capturing the mostly Shiite town of Tal Afar to the west of Mosul, and not enter the city itself. "The only troops who will enter Mosul are the army and police, not the Popular Mobilisation Units or the peshmerga," said Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Brigade, one of the largest Shiite militias. Amnesty International said in a report that Iraqi government and paramilitary forces detained, tortured or killed hundreds of Sunni Arab civilians fleeing Isil-held areas during the operation to retake the Sunni city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, earlier this year. Meanwhile, an aid group has said thousands of Iraqis are fleeing to Syria in order to escape the fighting around Mosul. Save the Children said that 5,000 people have arrived at the al-Hol camp in north-eastern Syria from the area in the last 10 days, with 1,000 more waiting to enter at the border. The group said the camp was ill-equipped to receive the refugees, and said it was "littered with waste and faeces, with a looming risk of outbreaks of disease". It said there were just 16 latrines shared by more than 9,000 people. Tarik Kadir, head of Save the Children's response to the Mosul crisis, said that "conditions there are among the worst we've seen, and we expect thousands more people to be on their way soon". The death sentence was handed down by a court in 2014 and confirmed by a royal decree from King Salman. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Saudi Arabia has executed one of its own young princes in what is believed to be the first time in decades that a member of the royal family has been put to death. Prince Turki bin Saud al-Kabeer was executed on Tuesday for shooting dead another young man during a brawl at a desert camp in 2012. The Saudi Interior Ministry did not say how he was killed, but most of the 134 executions carried out in Saudi Arabia this year have been beheadings. The death sentence was handed down by a court in 2014 and confirmed by a royal decree from King Salman (inset), who is a distant cousin of the executed man. The ministry of the interior said the execution was proof of the Saudi government's commitment to "implement the rules of Allah everywhere and against anyone who kills civilians and commits bloodshed". The last execution of a royal is believed to have been in 1975 when a prince was killed for assassinating King Faisal, his uncle. The prince, Faisal bin Musaid, shot the monarch inside his own palace and was later beheaded in front of a crowd in Riyadh. It remains unclear whether the 27-year-old assassin was mentally unstable or had a grudge against the king. Prince Turki was arrested after killing Abdul Karim Mohaimeed in 2012, according to Saudi media reports. The two young men were involved in a fight at a desert camp where many young Saudis go to drive their cars and get away from their parents. According to one report, the prince became enraged after an argument and went to his Lexus and returned with a Glock pistol. He killed Mr Mohaimeed and injured another man. The execution comes as the Saudi government is grappling with how to reduce its country's generous welfare payments in response to the falling price of oil. The Arab kingdom has for decades kept its population in line with salaries and subsidies but a reforming new deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has cut those back. The execution may be a way of signalling to the public at a time of austerity that the royal family is not above the law, even though the royals are often able to flout the country's strict morality codes. Amnesty International said the kingdom carried out at least 158 death sentences in 2015. Turkish jets have struck the US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia north of the embattled city of Aleppo, killing as many as 200 fighters, according to Turkey's state-run news agency. The Anadolu Agency, quoting military officials, said the raids were carried out late on Wednesday, attacking 18 targets in the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria, and killing between 160 and 200 fighters. Syrian Kurdish leaders disputed the figures, claiming no more than 10 fighters had been killed so far. The targets were in areas that Syrian forces had recently taken over as they pressed ahead with the campaign to drive Islamic State militants from areas north of Aleppo. The Syrian Kurdish force has been a source of tension between Nato allies Turkey and the US. The US considers the militia group, known as the People's Protection Units or YPG, to be the most effective force in the fight against IS in Syria. Turkey says the group is an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out a series of deadly attacks in Turkey over the past year, and considers it to be a terrorist organisation. Ankara has become increasingly wary as the YPG secured large areas of territory along the Syrian-Turkish border. In August, Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria to help opposition forces drive IS away from an area bordering Turkey and to curb the Syrian Kurdish forces' territorial expansion. The Turkish attack came after president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would not "wait for terrorists to come and attack" but would go after them before they have the chance to strike. Anadolu said the 18 Syrian Kurdish targets included nine buildings used as headquarters, meetings points, shelters or arms depots as well as five vehicles. A Madonna and Christ carving on display at the CaixaForum exhibition. Carlos Rosillo Visitors to Madrids CaixaForum center can take a step back in time to a world where knights ruled, royalty reigned and a continental legacy was born at Medieval Power: Power and Legacy. This exhibition brings many of the British Museums medieval treasures to Spain for the first time, giving visitors a chance to get up-close with these antiquities from the Middle Ages. We hope to show visitors a map of Europe they will recognize today, with its different people, over time Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum Covering the period from 400 to 1500 the collection traces the main events that shaped this important and still largely misunderstood period. The monarchs of that era and court life are analyzed, as are the wars, the birth of kingdoms, daily life in the cities, the role of religion and the Middle Ages legacy today. Featured at the exhibition are more than 270 artifacts from the British Museums world-class collection, spanning the period 400, shortly after the collapse of the Roman empire, to 1500, when the modern era begins. The exhibition explores the role of the monarchy in the Middle Ages. Carlos Rosillo Among the more than 250 objects on display are examples from courtly life, including jewelry made of precious metals and embellished with gem stones, as well as examples of everyday objects such as pottery, coins and candlesticks. Other cornerstones of medieval life are revealed through the tools of war, including knights helmets and swords, as well as objects of religious significance such as stained glass, papal rings, devotional figures and plaques. Present at the opening on Tuesday were Hartwig Fischer, the British Museums director, as well as Naomi Speakman, the exhibitions curator, both of whom highlighted the importance of the European dimension to the show. They were also keen to dispel the commonly held view that the Middle Ages were an unenlightened period in the continents history. English statue of a knight dated between 1375 and 1425. This was not a time of rupture, but a moment of continuity, one that was rich in cultural, social, and trading exchanges. We hope to show visitors a map of Europe they will recognize today, with its different people, over time, said Hartwig Fischer. Ignasi Miro Borras, director of the cultural section of the La Caixa Foundation, said that for him, one of the most valuable pieces the British Museum has included in the exhibition is a king from the Lewis chess set. The board game set, which was found on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, but is believed to be of Scandinavian origin, is the most complete board game in a museum and dates back to the 12th century. The exhibition runs until February 5, 2017 at the Caixa Forum in Madrid, and then transfers to Barcelona. English version by Nick Lyne. Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Here are some of the memorable quotes from the final US presidential debate ahead of next month's election. 1. "I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense" - Donald Trump refuses to confirm if he will accept the election result after claiming it will be rigged in favour of Hillary Clinton. 2. "There was even a time when Trump didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged" - Mrs Clinton suggests Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed results against him have been rigged. 3. "We have some bad hombres here and we're going to get them out" - Mr Trump on his plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border if he is elected president. 4. "He'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States" - Mrs Clinton brands Mr Trump a "puppet" of Russian president Vladimir Putin. 5. "She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her every step of the way" - Mr Trump claimed the Russian leader had "no respect" for Mrs Clinton. 6. "I didn't even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't even do anything" - Mr Trump denies claims from a number of women that he sexually assaulted them, 7. "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth" - Mr Clinton responds to Mr Trump's lewd comments about women. 8. "Such a nasty woman" - Mr Trump launches a personal attack on Mrs Clinton during the third debate. 9. "On the day I was in the situation room monitoring the raid that brought Osama Bin Laden to justice he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice" - Mrs Clinton compares her political experience to Mr Trump's former television role. 10. "Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable" - Mr Trump voices his "pro-life" stance during the abortion debate. A man convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager slashed his throat with a razor blade in a US courtroom. The incident occurred in an Orange County courtroom in California on Wednesday afternoon. Jeffrey Scott Jones (56) was rushed to hospital after the shocking incident, New York Post reports. The Huntington Beach native and English teacher was accused of molesting and having sex with a teenage relative of his girlfriend in 2012 and 2013. The defence had argued that the girl had lied to cover up the fact that she used marijuana. However, the prosecution argued that the DNA evidence was conclusive. The crime carries a potential sentence of 66 years to life in prison. Right after the judge asked if we wanted jurors polled, both attorneys said no, and then he took a razor out of his left pocket and slashed his throat, prosecutor Heather Brown told City News Service. His head hit the table, and I thought he fainted. But then I saw the blood and the razor on the table. The defence attorney said they respect the jury's decision, but they believed there was reasonable doubt as to what occurred. Authorities are now investigating how the man managed to bring a blade into the courtroom. He may not be winning in the polls that matter, but Donald Trump did dominate one area during last night's debate: Twitter mentions. Figures released by the social media giant revealed that Trump dominated the Twitter polls: Some 59% of Twitter debate conversation about the two candidates was related to Mr Trump. The top tweeted moments of the debate were Mr Trump and Mrs Clinton discussing the treatment of women; Mr Trump refusing to say he will accept the election results; and the discussion about Russia and nuclear weapons, with Mrs Clinton calling Mr Trump a "puppet" of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Mrs Clinton gained 13,000 followers during the debate while Mr Trump gained 6,000 followers. The top retweeted tweet was from Donald Trump's account, which read: "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?" The tweet had gained more than 43,900 retweets an hour after the debate. The most tweeted-about policies during the debate were, in order, foreign affairs, the economy, reproductive rights, terrorism and immigration. Hillary Clinton speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Ben Carson (C) attends the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Melania Trump (C) and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence attend the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Former US president Bill Clinton (R) and daughter Chelsea Clinton arrive for the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Ivanka Trump (L) and Tiffany Trump (2L) attend the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Melania Trump (L) and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence listen to the candidates speak during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Donald Trump speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Donald Trump has mocked his much-derided comment at the US presidential debate that he might not accept the result of the election. Mr Trump kicked off a rally in Delaware, Ohio, by saying that he "would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election". But he added: "If I win." Mr Trump is continuing to raise concerns about the integrity of the election, despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in the country. Mr Trump said he will not commit to honouring the result of November's election because he wants to reserve his right to file a legal challenge "in the case of a questionable result". He said "of course I would accept a clear election result" but stressed that he was not sure he would receive one, citing misleading statistics on voter fraud. Mr Trump alleged without evidence that Hillary Clinton's campaign was trying to "rig" the election. He made the unprecedented assertion during the final presidential debate on Wednesday. Asked if he would concede if he loses the election, Mr Trump said: "I will look at it at the time." Republican Senator John McCain, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Barack Obama, said he had conceded defeat "without reluctance" even though he did not like the outcome. Mr McCain said he did not know who would win this presidential election. But he said the loser has always congratulated the winner and called him "my president". Mr McCain said: "That's not just the Republican way or the Democratic way. It's the American way. This election must not be any different." Mr McCain did not mention Mr Trump by name. Hillary Clinton speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump. Photo: AFP/Getty Images US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump listens as Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at the UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada. REUTERS/Mark Ralston/Pool Fight night in Las Vegas and the final round of the Clinton versus Trump debates didnt disappoint. Both sides landed blows but Donald Trumps refusal to commit to accepting election results is sure to spark a debate all of its own. For her part Hillary Clinton faced more questions about her emails and the work of the Clinton Foundation. For those who didnt stay up late, here are nine takeaways from Independent.ies Political Editor Kevin Doyle: Expand Expand Previous Next Close Ivanka Trump (L) and Tiffany Trump (2L) attend the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the third presidential debate (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ivanka Trump (L) and Tiffany Trump (2L) attend the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The standout moment of suspense even the Emmys are rigged Every debate has a moment of suspense and this was it in every sense of the word. In a statement that is likely to be the next big talking point of the election, Trump said he would not necessarily accept the outcome of the vote on November 8. He continued to claim that the election is rigged with millions on the register who shouldnt be there and he alleged the media is corrupt and has poisoned the minds of the voters. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Melania Trump (C) and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence attend the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton speaks during the third and final US presidential debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Former US President Bill Clinton (R) talks with his daughter Chelsea Clinton prior to the third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump (C) and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence attend the third and final presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Pressed repeatedly on whether he would accept Clinton as President if people vote that way, he replied: Ill look at it at the time. "I'll keep you in suspense, okay?" Trump told moderator Chris Wallace. Clinton responded: Thats horrifying. She went on to roll out a list of other things Trump has claimed were rigged in the past. Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is, is rigged against him..., he said, referring to the FBI investigation into her email, the Republican primaries and the court system. There was even a time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged, Clinton said. Trump responded: "Should have gotten it." Expand Close Melania Trump (L) and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence listen to the candidates speak during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump (L) and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence listen to the candidates speak during the third U.S. presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on October 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Read More Putin wants a puppet for a President Clinton didnt come up with this one off the top of her head but it was probably one of her strongest lines of the night. Under pressure from Trump over her immigration policy, she shifted the debate completely off topic to argue that speeches she made about open borders were given to Wikileaks by Russia. The Democrat said it was an unprecedented situation that was encouraged by her opponent and called on him to condemn foreign espionage and cyber attacks from the highest levels in the Kremlin. In response Trump said he doesnt know Vladamir Putin but added that it would be a good thing if the United States and Russia got along. She doesnt like Putin because Putin has out-smarted her in every way, he said, adding that the Russian President doesnt respect her or Barack Obama. She swung back: Thats because hed rather a puppet for a president. Both have tried Enda Kennys old debating trick of I met a woman It seems the two candidates have met very different kinds of immigrants. Trump brought four mothers to the debate whose children had been brutally killed by people who came into the country illegally. Clinton met a girl who was born in the US but whose parents could face deportation under Trumps plan. I dont want to rip families apart, she said. She went on to claim that Trump idea could see 15 million pushed out of the country. She said he wants a massive law enforcement presence going school to school, home to home, business to business rounding up people and putting them on trains and buses to get them out of our country. Its an idea that would rip our country apart, she said. For his part Trump claimed: We have no country if we have no border. He said drugs were pouring across Americas southern border. Right now were getting the drugs, they are getting the cash. We need the wall, he said. Trump doesnt like bad hombres and nasty women Two of notable quotes from Trump involved bad hombres and nasty women. Early in the debate as both sides traded blows over immigration, Trump said he would clampdown on criminal immigrants. We have some bad hombres here and were gonna get them out, he said. Later he called Clinton such a nasty woman after she suggested he would find away of avoid taxes on the wealthy that her campaign plan to introduce. Clinton could get a job writing listicles Its clear the Clinton campaign has been working on a lot of lists. When Trump said that the one thing she has over him is bad experience, she was armed with one such list. She said in the 1970s, she was taking on racial discrimination while Trump was being sued for racial discrimination. In the 1980s, she was trying to improve education, he borrowed $14m from his father. In the 1990s, she was in Bejing saying that women's rights are human rights", he was calling Miss Universe an eating machine. And she claimed that while she was in the situation room monitoring the capture of Osama Bin Laden he was hosting Celebrity Apprentice. At another stage she listed out the people he has insulted during the campaign including women, a disabled report, the family of a dead solider and a federal judge. She said he was a pattern of divisiveness, adding he has a very dark and dangerous vision of our country. He said: If you become president, this country will be some mess. Believe me. Guns and abortion On domestic law these were the two big issues to split the candidates. Trump unashamedly backs the second amendment and the right to bear arms. He attempted to paint her as extremely angry and extremely upset about a case which maintained the status quo on guns. He claimed Chicago has more violence than any other city even though it has stricter gun laws than most of America. Clinton attempted to put forward a middle-ground with responsible regulation. She said there should be no conflict between saving peoples lives and respecting the second amendment. I was upset because dozens of toddlers injure themselves, she added. On abortion, Trump said he would appoint pro-life judges. He used graphic language to claim she wanted a situation that would allow doctors to rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth. Clinton said the constitution should guarantee the rights of women to make the most intimate decision about her health. Trumps women problems Trump claimed that the sleazy Clinton team had incited violence at some of his campaign rallies and prompted women to make allegations of sexual assault against him. He said he didnt even apologise to his wife in the wake of the recent controversy because I didnt do anything. Of the nine women who have gone public with claims against him, he said: I think they either want fame or her campaign did it. I believe she got these people to step forward. It was lies and it was fiction. Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Clinton sought to use his own words against him, describing a number of big rallies where he said he could not possibly have done those things to women because they were not attractive enough. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger, she said. Economy and Foreign Policy In any normal debate these would have been the two big features but they only got a brief look in. Clinton attacked his plan for triple down economics on steroids that would probably lead to another great recession. She claimed he has shifted jobs to 12 countries including Mexico and built the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas with Chinese steel. Trump said her plan would double taxes. Jobs are being sucked out of our economy, he said, asking why she hasnt done any of the things she talks about over the past 30 years. I started with a $1m loan but I built a phenomenal business, he said. The reality TV star said that Clinton gave us Isis because her and Obama created this huge vacuum. She said she would push for a no fly zone and safe havens in Syria and that America should accept refugees who are properly vetted. I will defeat Isis, she said. Trump said she would take in Syrian refugees who are aligned to Isis. Nobody can believe our stupid our leadership is, he said. And thats all folks The two candidates were asked to give a one minute unscripted closing statement before embarking on the final three weeks of the campaign. Clinton went for a plea to middle America of all political persuasions and none. Im reaching out to all Americans, she said, while noting that she understands the awesome responsibility of being president. Her final words: I hope you will give me a chance to serve as your president. Trump went back to his campaign slogan make America great again. He said the US takes better care of illegal immigrants than war veterans. Our inner cities are a disaster. You get shot walking to the shops, she said. His final words: We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama and thats what you get if you vote for her. A Syrian woman cooks outside her tent at Ritsona refugee camp north of Athens (AP) Many European Union countries oppose obligatory quotas that would force them to take in refugees from other overwhelmed member states, European Council president Donald Tusk has said. Mr Tusk said: "There is no enthusiasm for obligatory quotas. But we should all show solidarity and do what we can to help." EU members voted last year to share responsibility for an estimated 160,000 asylum seekers who have flowed into Europe, concentrating primarily in Italy and Greece. More than a year later, just over 6,000 refugees have been relocated to other countries. Hungary, which voted against the sharing plan, has challenged the scheme in court. Mr Tusk's home country, Poland, also has opposed it. Earlier, international aid group Doctors Without Borders said r efugees at camps in Greece were still living in mostly "appalling conditions". In a report, the agency commonly known by its French name, Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF), argued that the EU and Greece had "collectively failed to establish humane and dignified reception conditions". Around 14,000 migrants are confined to islands in the eastern Aegean Sea where they are being processed for potential deportation back to nearby Turkey. At the rubbish-strewn refugee camp of Ritsona, 50 miles north of Athens, children walk barefoot and families in tents use wooden pallets for flooring, to stay above the mud and try to stay warm. "It's very bad. How can I explain: I mean very bad," Syrian refugee Yousef Hanash said. "Can you imagine living in a tent with six persons and, if you have a newborn baby, how the situation will be?" Mr Hanash said he came to Europe as a last resort, unable to keep his family safe after his cheese factory was destroyed in the war and he moved around Syria. MSF said people at risk included pregnant women and people with mobility problems, while it described conditions facing mental health patients as "dire". "For vulnerable people, the lack of appropriate accommodation and specialised care is directly contributing to their worsening health status and could well be life-threatening," the group said. "For the victims of violence or other forms of ill-treatment and people with psychiatric disorders, inadequate living conditions further undermine people's efforts to re-establish a sense of normality and safety and to engage in a therapeutic process." The group urged the government to seek alternatives to the refugee camp system and improve a screening process to identify vulnerable migrants, while it said the EU needed to provide emergency financial support to the state health system. AP Donald Trump has refused to say if he will accept the result of the US presidential election if he loses, as he clashed with Hillary Clinton in their final head-to-head debate. The candidates squared off at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas for the last time before Americans go to the polls on November 8. Republican Mr Trump was questioned about claims he made ahead of the third debate that the election will be rigged in favour of his Democratic rival. Asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he would accept the election result, Mr Trump replied: "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." Mrs Clinton described Mr Trump's remarks as "horrifying", while the Republican National Committee said the national party would "respect the will of the people". "Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction, he claims whatever it is is rigged against him," Mrs Clinton said. "There was even at time when he didn't get an Emmy for his TV programme three years in a row and he started tweeting the Emmys were rigged against him." In another tense exchange, Mrs Clinton branded Mr Trump a "puppet" of Russian president Vladimir Putin and challenged him to condemn Russia's suspected involvement in the hacking of emails during the election campaign. "I don't know Putin," Mr Trump said. "He said nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good. "He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president. "We're in very serious trouble. We have a country with tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads ... 1,800 nuclear warheads and she's playing chicken." Mr Clinton responded: "That's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States". Mr Trump replied: "No, you're the puppet." The billionaire tycoon also addressed claims he sexually assaulted a number of women, accusing Mrs Clinton's campaign team of creating the "totally false" allegations. "I didn't even apologise to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't even do anything," he added. "These women ... I think they either want fame or her campaign did it. And I think it's her campaign." Mrs Clinton said: "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth." In a repeat of the bitter tone of the first two debates, Mr Trump called Mrs Clinton a "nasty woman" and claimed America would be in "some mess" if she is elected. "The only thing you have over me is experience but it's bad experience," he added. In a discussion on immigration, Mr Trump said his desire to build a wall on the US-Mexico border was to keep out "bad hombres". He said: "One of my first acts will be to get all of the drug lords - we have some bad, bad people in this country that have to go out ... We have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out." The two candidates also clashed over the rights of women to have abortion. Mr Trump said he planned to appoint "pro-life judges" to the Supreme Court and allow individual states to determine whether abortion should be legal. Referring to Mrs Clinton, he said: " Based on what she's saying ... you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day, and that's unacceptable." Mrs Clinton responded: "That's not what happens in these cases and just using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate." Among the debate audience was US president Barack Obama's half brother Malik, who was a guest of Mr Trump. He had previously told the New York Post be believed the Republican "can make America great again". Conservative US commentator Ann Coulter told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it was "refreshing" the debate had focused on the issues rather than on Mr Trump's "personal baggage". "On issue after issue, he is taking the popular side," Ms Coulter told Today. "No war, end the job-killing trade bills, bring back manufacturing, build a wall, extreme vetting for Muslim immigrants. "A lot of that came out in the debate, which was kind of novel compared to the first two debates." Ms Coulter said she did not believe voters would make their choice based on Mr Trump's controversial character. "No-one is voting for Donald Trump because of his personality or his character," she said. "It is all about his issues. "It's not like Americans looked around the country and said 'Let's run this gauche lout reality TV star'. He was the only one who would talk about these issues." Ms Coulter argued that Mr Trump would not necessarily lose a personality battle against Mrs Clinton, who she described as a "congenital liar and a crook" who was taking an excessively belligerent stance towards Russia. "What makes my blood run cold is Hillary wanting to start World War Three," she said. Ms Coulter said she did not "fully trust" polls which have indicated Mrs Clinton is on track for a clear victory. Pollsters found it difficult to take account of people who have not voted in previous elections, millions of whom she expected to turn out to vote for Mr Trump, she said. Cayo Sanz, Jorge El Busto, Maria Lopez and Jon Otaegui at their school in San Sebastian. JAVIER HERNANDEZ For many young people in the Basque Country, ETA is a relic from the distant past, and the violence it perpetrated for four decades is still a taboo subject. But not for Maria Lopez, Jon Otaegui, Jorge El Busto and Cayo Sanz, who were aged just 12 when the armed group brought an end to its campaign of terror on October 20, 2011. Like most of their generation, they had little idea of the importance of the announcement of ETAs definitive ceasefire. But five years on, they have decided to explore the past and find some answers. The four students, from San Sebastian, have just made a full-length documentary called Zauriak (Wounds) based on interviews with 17 people who, to varying degrees, have been involved with or impacted by terrorism. Most people of my age are not interested in this topic, something that I find deeply worrying Maria Lopez Most people of my age are simply not interested in this topic, something that I find deeply worrying, says Maria. Young people just dont talk about it; its been forgotten about. The problems in Syria or the terrorism of ISIS seems to concern young people more, as though international issues were more important than what is happening here, adds Cayo. Jorge says he remembers the day the ETA ceasefire was announced. He had turned on the news to look at the sports, and scrolling through teletext, saw: ETA ends campaign of violence. I dont really remember my first reaction, but if I saw that news today it would have a much bigger impact on me, says Jorge, whose family was directly affected by the violence: a friend of his father was murdered by ETA for refusing to pay the organizations so-called revolutionary tax, while his grandfather still remembers the climate of fear in the Basque Country in the 1980s. Many young people cannot empathize with the ETAs victims The four students describe themselves as young people who are looking for knowledge, who want to understand and above all not forget what happened. Jon admits that until recently he didnt fully understand the importance of the ceasefire. For us, ETA was a bunch of terrorists who had killed a lot of people, and that was it, he says. Maria is highly critical of her generation, describing its attitude to ETA as totally passive. By distancing themselves from what ETA did, says Cayo, young people are unable to empathize with the victims of the violence. People of our age dont talk about what happened, and if they do, its in a superficial way. Its important to be informed, to try to understand what happened, to listen to the people who were there, and to form an opinion about the past, he concludes. The four are also critical of the way that the Basque Countrys recent history is taught in schools. ETA is part of the history of the Basque Country, but it isnt included as such, says Jorge. Cayo points out that the Basque regional government has launched an initiative to teach schoolchildren about the impact of the violence. If we study Felipe II or the Franco era, then why not ETAs terrorism? asks Jon, adding: Over time, you realize that October 20, 2011 really was a milestone in our history. English version by Nick Lyne. Turkey said the air raid took place north of Aleppo Turkish jets and artillery have struck US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, killing as many as 200 fighters, according to Turkey's state-run news agency. A senior commander with the main Syria Kurdish militia confirmed that Turkish jets and artillery were still attacking his forces north of Aleppo, but disputed the casualty count, saying no more than 10 fighters had been killed so far. Further south, a humanitarian pause announced by Russia for the besieged rebel-held city of Aleppo took effect, and the Syrian military, using loudspeakers, called on residents to evacuate and for gunmen to lay down their weapons. But there was no sign of residents leaving the bombed-out districts. The bombardment was a major escalation by Turkey just as the offensive to recapture the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants in Iraq was intensifying. Iraqi Kurdish forces have carried the brunt of the fighting so far in the Mosul offensive. Turkish troops in Iraq have trained fighters involved in the Mosul offensive, which has been a source of tension with the Iraqi government in recent days. Kurdish forces in Syria have also carried out most of the fighting against IS and made significant territorial gains, including advances in the last few days against IS militants in Aleppo province, much to Ankara's fury in recent months. Turkey, which is dealing with a homegrown Kurdish insurgency, has been trying to prevent an expansion of Kurdish influence in Syria. Commander Mahmoud Barkhadan, of the People's Protection Units, said Turkish tanks have been shelling the Kurdish-led forces in the area since early on Wednesday. He said jets joined overnight and continue to pound his forces. He said more than 30 aerial attacks had taken place so far and that early reports suggest no more than 10 fighters were killed and 20 were wounded. There was no word on civilian casualties yet. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 11 Kurdish fighters were killed and four are missing following the air raids in northern Aleppo. "We will not back down," Barkhadan said. He accused Turkey of aiding IS militants by diverting the fight into a Turkish-Kurdish one. "We are fighting Daesh, why are they striking at us?" he asked, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Barkhadan, a senior commander who led the fight against IS in Kobani in 2015, said Turkish artillery also shelled an area near Afrin, a Kurdish enclave in north-western Syria. He said his forces have not retreated from newly held territories, but that the Turkish attack allowed IS fighters to wage a counter-offensive. Clashes continued on Thursday, the Observatory and Barkhadan said. Also on Thursday, a humanitarian pause announced by Russia for the besieged rebel-held Aleppo city took effect. The Syrian military used loudspeakers to urge residents to evacuate and for gunmen to lay down their weapons. Al-Mayadeen TV, a Beirut-based pro-Syrian channel, broadcast on Thursday an hour after the pause began from near one of the designated passages. Loudspeakers blared military calls for residents to let the sick and wounded out first, and urging fighters to lay down their guns. The message said: "The battle for returning Aleppo to the nation's fold is in its last phases. There is no point in continuing the fight." Gunfire was heard in the background and soldiers were seen ducking from bullets before buses, parked on the government-side of Aleppo city, started their engines and left. Moscow said the pause is to allow civilians and militants safe passage out of the eastern districts of the city - which have been subjected to a tight siege since July and a punishing bombing campaign since mid-September. The Anadolu Agency, quoting military officials, said the raids were carried out late on Wednesday night, attacking 18 targets in the Maarraat Umm Hawsh region in northern Syria. The agency claimed that between 160 and 200 militia fighters were killed in the raids. The targets hit were in areas that the Syrian forces recently took over as they pressed ahead with their campaign to drive IS militants from areas north of Aleppo. The Syrian Kurdish force has been an ongoing source of tension between Nato allies Turkey and the United States. The US considers the militia group, known as the People's Protection Units or YPG, to be the most effective force in the fight against IS in Syria. Turkey says the group is an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish militants who have carried out a series of deadly attacks in Turkey over the past year and considers it to be a terrorist organisation. Ankara has grown increasingly wary as the YPG succeeded in securing large portions of territory along the Syrian-Turkish border. In August, Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria to help Syrian opposition forces drive IS away from an area bordering Turkey, and to curb the Syrian Kurdish forces' territorial expansion. A senior Syrian Kurdish official said the Turkish attack was an aggression on her people's aspiration for self-administration of a contiguous territory in the country's north as well as a threat to the US-led anti-terrorism fight there. Ilham Ahmed said Turkish manoeuvring threatens a possible campaign against IS in the group's de-facto capital in Raqqa in eastern Syria. Kurdish forces are the main partner in such a fight, but Ankara has recently said it is ready to take part without Kurdish participation. She said Ankara is taking advantage of Washington's preoccupation with its elections to impose their plans in Syria, pushing back the Kurds and advancing in Aleppo. The US is "asked to put a stop and take a clear and direct position regarding this Turkish aggression. Otherwise the project of combating terrorism may be delayed or totally fail in Syria", she said. The Turkish attack came after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would not "wait for terrorists to come and attack" but would go after them before they have the chance to strike. Anadolu said the 18 Syrian Kurdish targets hit included nine buildings used as headquarters, meetings points, shelters or arms depots as well as five vehicles. AP A member of police bomb squad inspects the site where police officers were attacked earlier, in Tangerang, Indonesia (AP Photo) A suspected militant has attacked police with a machete and pipe bombs on the outskirts of the Indonesian capital before being shot and killed. Jakarta police said three officers including a local chief were injured. The attacker was shot several times and died on the way to hospital due to blood loss from wounds to his legs and stomach, a spokesman said. Footage broadcast on TVOne showed the man limping around a busy city road carrying weapons including what appeared to be a pipe bomb. At one point, the footage showed him running towards an officer. Police said the injured officers have stab wounds and are being treated in hospital, but were unaffected by explosives thrown by the attacker. Officers were monitoring a protest when the attack occurred in the satellite city of Tangerang. The attacker, named as Sultan Azianzah, 21, was unemployed and a member of Daulah Islam, a hardline group in Ciamis in West Java province, said a police spokesman. Radical Islamic groups in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, have been weakened by a sustained security crackdown since the 2002 bombings on the tourist island of Bali. But IS's high-profile attacks in the Middle East and Europe and the group's online propaganda have helped to recruit a tiny minority of Indonesians to their cause, mostly teenagers and young adults. Experts say their capacity to mount successful attacks is still limited. An attack in central Jakarta in January killed eight people including four militants. Subsequent attacks have failed completely, including a would-be bombing of a church in Medan, Sumatra, and an attack on a police complex in Solo, Java, that killed only the suicide bomber. Police seized sharp weapons, pipe bombs and an IS sticker as evidence in the Tangerang attack. They believe Azianzah travelled to greater Jakarta with the intention of attacking police, a frequent target of Islamic militants in Indonesia. Local media reported that the attack unfolded after police intervened when the man tried to put an IS symbol on a police post. Law enforcement agencies across North Carolina took part in a two day national initiative to address commercial child sex trafficking. Operation Cross Country X included enforcement actions in Cabarrus County, Charlotte and Cherokee. Eighteen state and federal law enforcement agencies participated. As a result of the operation, one minor victim was recovered and is now receiving assistance from the FBIs Office of Victim Assistance. One pimp was arrested on gun-related charges. The operations in North Carolina took place Oct. 13-15 as part of the coordinated national and international FBI-led initiative. For the first time, Operation Cross Country also took place in several countries around the world including Cambodia, Canada, The Philippines and Thailand. In total, 82 minors were rescued and 239 traffickers and their associates were arrested. Operation Cross Country aims to shine a spotlight into the darkest corners of our society that seeks to prey on the most vulnerable of our population, FBI Director James Comey said. As part of this effort, we are not only looking to root out those who engage in the trafficking of minors, but, through our Office of Victim Assistance, we offer a lifeline to minors to help them escape a from a virtual prison no person ever deserves. The Cabarrus County Sheriffs Office, Charlotte Division of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Gastonia Police Department, Cherokee Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Asheville Police Department, Jackson County Sheriffs Office, Swain County Sheriffs Office, Cherokee County Sheriffs Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were part of the operation as well as the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Western and Middle Districts of North Carolina, Mecklenburg and Cabarrus County District Attorneys Offices, the Tribal Prosecutors Office and the 30th Prosecutorial District of North Carolina. The FBIs efforts to combat human trafficking is expanding in Charlotte. A new task force will focus on uncovering the crime, rescuing victims, and holding those responsible for this heinous crime accountable. The Cabarrus County Sheriffs Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have dedicated investigators full-time to work alongside FBI agents and HSI agents. For more information on human trafficking investigations go to https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/human-trafficking. A Charlotte man was shot near China Grove last week in an incident with possible gang-related ties. On Saturday, Oct. 15, at about 2:45 a.m., the Rowan County Sheriffs Office began investigating a shooting incident in the 4000 block of Old Beatty Ford Road near China Grove. The victim is a 26-year-old male from Charlotte who told law enforcement he rode with another person, identified as the suspect, to this location for the purpose of visiting a friend of the suspect, according to a press release from the sheriff's office. The victim got out of the car, according to a report, after which the suspect produced a handgun and began shooting the victim as the victim ran. The suspect shot multiple times, striking the victim five times, law enforcement said. The victim was transported to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment. Detectives with the Rowan County Sheriffs Office CID responded and processed the scene and later met with the victim. The suspect was identified as 31-year-old black male Keith Alexzander Harley. Harley is also a resident of Charlotte and known to be in the area of Independence Boulevard. Harley has ties to the Folk Nation street gang. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police were notified and are assisting in the investigation. Keith Harley has been added to the Rowan County Sheriffs Most Wanted List and should be considered armed and dangerous. Felony warrants have been obtained for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. Anyone with information can contact Lt. Chad Moose at 704-216-8687, Detective Ollie Greene at 704-216-8686 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245. Five years after the Basque separatist group ETA announced a definitive end to four decades of terrorist violence, Spains major political parties still disagree as to how much involvement politicians should have in the peace process. Both the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the emerging center-right party Ciudadanos believe law enforcement agencies and the judicial system should oversee the dissolution of the group and the handover of its arms. We need more victims of ETA going to schools and talking about their experiences Socialist Party The Socialist Party (PSOE), meanwhile, has asked the PP to reactivate a prisoner benefits program for ETA convicts known as the Nanclares Way, after the penitentiary in the Basque Country where repentant ETA inmates were transferred. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), the left-wing Podemos and the radical Basque independence party Bildu, which includes former members of Batasuna considered the political wing of ETA before it was banned want politicians to consolidate the peace. None of the political parties defend negotiation with a group that killed 829 people over 43 years, but they all have different approaches to what the next step should be. PP: There must be winners and losers We are very aware that the story of the end of ETA will include winners and losers, says PP spokesperson Pablo Casado, who believes there is no room for politics when it comes to dissolving the group. The PP blocked the Nanclares Way and has defended its decision to ban the political party Batasuna. We cant sign a peace deal because there is no war only terrorists who killed innocent people, says Casado, who says it is not up to politicians to make changes in favor of the peace process. The story of the end of ETA will include winners and losers Popular Party ETA has been defeated by a relentless fight carried out on the international, financial, political and judicial stage. But there is no proof yet that it is extinct. We wont talk about a group which has gone out of existence until they hand over all their weapons, tell us where their arms caches are and issue a declaration stating they are dissolving. PSOE Relaxation in prison policy Socialist deputy Eduardo Madina, who lost a leg in a car bomb placed by ETA, says Spains central government could reactivate the Nanclares Way, which created spaces where imprisoned ETA terrorists and their victims could talk. This program was a catalyst for positive changes in the Basque Country, according to Madina. Madina also believes the Basque parliaments peace committee could make more efforts when it comes to raising awareness about ETAs reign of terror, so that history doesnt repeat itself. I would also do more to get victims out to schools to talk about their experiences, he says. One of the great lessons of the [pacifist organization] Gesto por la paz (Gesture for Peace) was the idea of the separation of violence and politics. There was no political purpose behind the ETA assassinations. It was totalitarian violence in a democratic society. I would push that line, adds Madina. Podemos: We have to promote disarmament It is up to ETA to disarm but governments have to promote the idea that this should take place in as ordered a fashion as possible, and with the greatest possible level of dialogue between different administrations, says Eduardo Maura, a deputy for the left-wing, anti-austerity party. The Spanish Congress and the Basque parliament should take the lead in finalizing armed conflicts, he adds. Ciudadanos: Legal pressure and social isolation" Jose Manuel Villegas, Deputy Secretary-General of Ciudadanos, believes ETA members should be treated like criminals and argues there is no political work to be done. For him, the judicial route is the way forward, and that applies to the disarmament process as well. We have to push ahead with the strategy that forced ETA to give up the armed struggle: legal pressure and social isolation, says Villegas. This is not a war with peace commissions and international observers this is a band of criminals. And criminals go to prison in states where the rule of law applies. PNV: We have create the right legislative framework There is still work for politicians to do: we have to consolidate the existing peace. There is work to do in terms of seeking consensus among all parties so that this doesnt happen again in our country, says Joseba Aurrekoetxea, member of the the PNVs executive committee. The Spanish Congress and the Basque parliament should lead the peace process Podemos Aurrekoetxea also notes the legislative framework needs to be developed in terms of rules for the foundation of political parties, as well as laws relating to the exclusion of ETA from civil society and the recognition of victims rights. The PNV politician also dismisses the PP idea of winners and losers saying this is not the way forward. EH-Bildu: There needs to be a mechanism for disarmament The radical pro-independence EH-Bildu calls for political involvement on the part of ETA and the Spanish and French governments, saying they should allow for a definitive and verifiable end to terrorist violence. There needs to be a mechanism which allows for a successful disarmament, says regional EH-Bildu deputy Julen Arzuaga. I am not saying there needs to be negotiation but we need to look at how to create a system with the participation of a mediator, he says. The disarmament of ETA is still ahed of us. We still have to solve the prisoner situation, sort of compensation for all victims, and tackle the demilitarization of the Basque Country, which is the most heavily armed in Western Europe, adds Arzuaga. English version by George Mills. By Melissa Cyrill The eighth annual BRICS summit was held from October 15 to 16 this year in Goa, India. BRICS, the acronym, refers to the formal grouping of five nations Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa; their annual conference is attended by the executive heads of these respective states. As a collective, BRICS brings together the five major emerging economies of the world, comprising 43 percent of the worlds population, contributing to 30 percent of the world GDP, and holding a 17 percent share in world trade. While the BRICS have ordinarily focused on economic issues of mutual interest, their agenda has widened of late to encompass various topical global issues. This is why the 2016 summit was an unusually sensitive gathering for the international grouping, as matters related to border security and international terrorism some divided members, according to their respective national foreign policy interests. Nevertheless, the 2016 summit ended on an optimistic note with a call for stronger business, trade, and energy relationships. Takeaways from the Eighth Summit Agreement over the importance of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec): This bloc, comprising of seven countries from South Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka) and two from Southeast Asia (Thailand and Myanmar) collectively holds great importance for the emerging powers in the BRICS collective. Currently, the rate of growth observed in the Bimstec region averages to about 6.5 percent and represents a booming consumer market, with tremendous scope for expanding trade and energy partnerships, building better business relations, and infrastructure investments and development. Growing Trade Commitment: As stated by Indias Prime Minister Modi, intra-BRICS trade stood at US$ 250 billion in 2015. This accounts for barely 5 percent of the global trade. However, while a free trade pact among these countries is not a working consideration, a fresh boost comes from this years acceptance of a tax and custom cooperation framework to facilitate trade among members. Alluding to this positive development, Modi called for the BRICS nations to target the doubling of the current trade volume to US$ 500 billion in the next five years. Finally, the first BRICS Trade Fair took place this year, shortly before the summit, in New Delhi. Along with the BRICS Business Council, the BRICS Trade Fair can work to strengthen mutual trade, enhance business opportunities, establish key investment linkages, and promote ease of commerce in the intra-BRICS region. Nevertheless, the success of such trade aspirations will not be achieved without sufficient trade liberalization a commitment that is losing appeal worldwide as populism and protectionism underline state policies. General Cooperation with the New Development Bank (NDB): The BRICS nations established the New Development Bank (NDB) in July 2014 with an initial authorized capital of US$ 100 billion and the bank was officially launched a year later. At this years BRICS summit, India signed an MoU on General Cooperation with New Development Bank (NDB) through the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism. (Five banks from the BRIC nations had established the BRICS Interbank Co-operation Mechanism to enhance trade and economic relations amongst the BRICS nations and enterprises.) Moreover, the president of the development bank, KV Kamath, stated that the NDB would lend up to US$ 2.5 billion next year, including loans backing green projects. The NDB has thus far approved US$ 900 million in loans to green projects in each of the BRICS states. A renminbi-dominated borrowing program has also begun. India Brazil Ties: A key development on the sidelines of this years BRICS summit has been greater business and economic engagement between India and Brazil, even as relationships with China and Russia entered more testy waters due to contradicting political interests. India and Brazil exchanged four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) last week, which included an Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Treaty; an MoU on Genetic Resources, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Natural Resources and Fisheries; an MoU on Pharmaceutical Products Regulation; and an MoU on Cattle Genomics and Assisted Reproductive Technologies. At present, Brazil accounts for only 1.21 percent of Indias total trade at US$ 6.69 billion in 2015-2016. Hoping to accelerate this relationship, the Brazilian Ambassador to India, Tovara Da Silva Nunes, highlighted the important sectors that show scope for growth in their bilateral trade medical equipment and medicines, aerospace, aeronautics, oil and natural gas, chemicals, fertilizers, and processed food. Additionally, market opportunities exist in the areas of food and drinks (coffee, tea, fruits, cocoa, and confectionary products), home and building (woods), machinery and equipment (vehicles and auto parts), and mineral products. RELATED: Industry Spotlight: Indias Dynamic Solar Energy Sector Challenges Ahead Many challenges lie ahead for the BRICS. Each of these emerging economies are presently on divergent growth paths, which in turn translate into differing priorities and the lack of a unified agenda. Nevertheless, since these five countries cumulatively hold considerable weight in global economics and politics, their continuing engagement serves well for stable growth prospects in the regions they encompass. This is why overcoming individual ambitions is a prerequisite if the trends toward deepening through institutionalization (via the year-old New Development Bank and the proposed ratings agency) are to actually materialize. In that sense, it makes more sense for the BRICS quintet to subscribe to a well-defined economic scope to avoid getting caught in the quagmire of geopolitical rhetoric. Though such a mandate would be necessarily limited, seeking exclusively to promote investments and commercial collaboration, they would also invariably reflect the dynamism of these five powerful economies. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email india@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2016 Doing Business in India 2016 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes. Pre-Investment Due Diligence in India In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we examine issues related to pre-investment due diligence in India. We highlight the different regulatory, tax, and socio-economic issues that a company should be aware of before entering the Indian market. We also detail some of the topics related to entry structures while investing in the Indian market, as well as cultural and HR due diligence, which may differ from state to state. Strategies for Repatriating Funds from India In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we look at issues related to repatriating funds from India. We highlight the unique regulations for sending funds back from India, examine the various strategies companies can make use of while repatriating, and look at remittance procedures for different types of Indian entities. Finally, we give some tips on how expats can remit their Indian money to their home countries. Catalan bullfighter Serafin Marin. EFE Spains Constitutional Court has overturned a ban on bullfighting in Catalonia introduced by the northeastern regions parliament in 2010, calling it unconstitutional. In a ruling that saw judges voting 8 to 3 in favor of overturning the measure, the court said that while Catalonia had the power to regulate bullfighting, it could not prohibit the activity outright. The Catalan law fell foul of the tribunal because it didnt regulate bullfighting but prohibited it point-blank The Catalan ban is unconstitutional, the court argued, because bullfighting had been declared part of Spains cultural heritage in national laws introduced in 2013 and 2015 by the conservative Popular Party (PP) government of Mariano Rajoy. In the ruling, which was made public on Thursday, the Constitutional Court upheld the arguments outlined in an appeal lodged against the ban by the PP in 2010. In the appeal, the PP argued that Spains regions did not have the power to prohibit bullfights, which are protected by national and European laws, and that the Catalonia ban contravened five articles of the Spanish Constitution. The PP appeal also saw the party defend bullfighting as a cultural, historic, social, economic and industrial activity and said that its legislative framework was a matter for the central government. The problem was that the Catalan law does not limit itself to regulating bullfighting in terms of its practice and development, but rather prohibits it point-blank. From 2007 to 2014, the number of bullfights held in Spain each year dropped from 953 to 398 Pressure from nationalist, pro-independence forces was mostly behind the ban in the region, along with an increasing lack of interest from the public. Interestingly, the ban did not affect the correbous, a bull running when flares or flaming torches are attached to a bulls horn a long-standing tradition in Catalonia. Bullfighting remains deeply controversial in Spain, with many saying the spectacle is antiquated and pointing to its declining popularity. From 2007 to 2014, the number of bullfights held in Spain each year dropped from 953 to 398, according to the Culture Ministry. The bullfighting sector plays down the 60% drop, largely blaming the long economic slump: Just like other cultural activities, we have been affected by the crisis, said Carlos Nunez, president of the Union of Fighting Bull Breeders (UCTL) in 2015. In August 2015, San Sebastian hosted its first bullfight after a three-year gap, making the Basque city one of the few to reinstate the tradition. The industry has pointed to a slight uptick in the number of events since 2014. But animal-rights groups say the decline is terminal: We are seeing the beginning of the end of corridas, said Jose Enrique Zaldivar, president of Avatma, an organization that represents vets opposed to bullfighting. English version by George Mills. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. More information Venezuela libera a dos presos politicos The chavista regime led by President Nicolas Maduro has freed Manuel Rosales, a former presidential candidate and ex-governor of the oil-rich Zulia state. Before his release on Tuesday, Rosales had been held for a year at Sebin, the headquarters of Venezuelas intelligence services, for alleged illicit enrichment during his time in office. The announcement spread like wildfire on social media and stoked fears within the most radical sector in the opposition, which considers the release of the head of the social democratic Un Nuevo Tiempo (A New Time) part of a sinister plot that would see leaders accepting a recall referendum on Maduros leadership to take place in the first quarter of 2017. My release from prison did not give me freedom but a forced exile Francisco Marquez The opposition, which has organized the recall referendum, wanted the vote to take place before January 10, 2017. Under Venezuelas Constitution, this would have meant fresh elections if Maduro were to lose the plebiscite. But the National Electoral Council (CNE), which answers to the Maduro administration, announced last month that there will be no recall referendum until February 2017, thus preventing any possibility of the countrys opposition taking power until the next elections are due, in 2019. Back-to-back releases Rosales release from prison comes the day after authorities freed Francisco Marquez, an activist who was arrested just before the movement for the recall vote reached its climax. Both releases come after former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, of the Socialist Party, made a surprise visit to Caracas last week. Manuel Rosales. AP These gestures may be seen as a sign that the regime wants to honor the dialogue with the opposition or at least lend credibility to the talks Zapatero has been mediating between the two sides since May. UNASUR Secretary General Ernesto Samper, who strongly favors dialogue, said on his Twitter profile: Welcome home Manuel Rosales. This step strengthens dialogue between Venezuelans. A court order has put Rosales on house arrest in Caracas. Marquez, meanwhile, left the country immediately after his release from Sebin following his deal with authorities. My release from prison did not give me freedom but forced exile, he wrote in an open letter. Rosales, who was elected mayor of Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia, left Venezuela in 2009 as the government mounted a criminal case against him. The attorney generals office accused him of illicit enrichment and a judge issued an arrest warrant for him after President Hugo Chavez accused him of graft. The announcement of the release spread like wildfire on social media During the 2008 local elections, the late Venezuelan leader said he was determined to arrest Rosales, who soon came under an audit investigation. Rosales lived in exile between Lima and Panama until he decided to return on the eve of the 2015 elections that delivered a parliamentary majority to the opposition. His party invited journalists to join him on the plane that brought him back to Venezuela. Sebin was waiting for him at the airport where he was detained and imprisoned until this Wednesday. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. A day that was all green Indian equity markets ended the day strongly in green today. Nifty 50 ended the day, up by 225.4 points. Sensex ended the day, up by 786.74 points. Top Gainers today were Ultratech Cement, Eich... October 31, 2022 | 31-10-2022 4:12 pm Daesung Eltec and Minda corporation tie up for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems technology On Monday, the manufacturer of automotive components Minda Corporation announced a partnership with the South Korean company Daesung Eltec to provide India's next-generation solutions for advan... October 31, 2022 | 31-10-2022 3:20 pm Ramkrishna Forgings stock jumps 3% on winning Rs113 crore worth export order Ramkrishna Forgings Limited, one of the leading suppliers of rolled, forged and machined products announced that a major Tier 1 manufacturer of Rear & Front axles has awarded a 4-year contr... October 31, 2022 | 31-10-2022 3:01 pm Markets in a super rally with Nifty above 17,950; Sensex climbs 600 pts Domestic benchmark indices in a super rally today led by IT and Auto stocks outperforming. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks were higher 1% each amid positive global cues gleaming all over t... October 31, 2022 | 31-10-2022 2:00 pm Vedanta shares tanks ~4% on subdued numbers in Q2FY23 Vedanta Limited shares fell as much as 4% to Rs274 in intraday trade on Monday after the company reported a 60.8% yoy drop in consolidated net profit at Rs1,808 crore for the quarter ended... October 31, 2022 | 31-10-2022 1:54 pm State and federal agencies have been called to investigate potential attempts at voter fraud and accusations of voter suppression in Indiana, and the voting rights of tens of thousands of Hoosiers could hang in the balance. The controversy surrounds voter registration efforts by a group called the Indiana Voter Registration Project, ever-growing accusations of fraudulent activity, a major Indiana State Police investigation, allegations of attempted racially targeted mass disenfranchisement by the State of Indiana, and a plea for the United States Department of Justice to intervene. The months-long saga began with an Indiana State Police investigation launched in late August, during which ISP detectives confirmed several instances of fraudulent voter registration forms with missing, incomplete or incorrect information submitted to voting officials in Hendricks and Marion counties by the Indiana Voter Registration Project, which has registered more than 45,000 (mostly Black) voters in Indiana since May. The investigation prompted Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson to issue a warning to voters on Sept. 15 to be on high alert to potential fraud. The statement from Lawsons office said: A group by the name of the Indiana Voter Registration Project has turned in forged voter registration applications. The group was altering already registered voters (sic) information. The group would change the voters (sic) address to an address not associated with the voter without the voters knowledge. Patriot Majority USA, which runs the Indiana Voter Registration Project, decried Lawsons accusations made in the statement as defamatory and partisan. Then, on Oct. 3, Patriot Majority USA filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in Washington, D.C., regarding ISP First Sgt. William Stoney Vann, who is currently campaigning for sheriff of Johnson County. Stoney Vann has been accused of deliberately obstructing the Projects registration efforts. Patriot Majority President Craig Varoga accused Stoney Vann of literally using his badge and gun to go door-to-door, going to the homes of primarily African-Americans and trying to intimidate them from engaging in the political process. The day after that complaint was filed, ISP expanded the investigation to include nine Indiana counties and executed a search warrant at the Indiana Voter Registration Project office located at 2425 N. Meridian St. ISP didnt release specific details about the search warrant, and the document will be sealed until 30 days after it was issued, ISP spokesman Capt. Dave Bursten said. Varoga said investigators seized at least 259 voter registrations, but Bursten said investigators only made copies and left the originals with the registration office staff. In a complaint filed Oct. 6 with the Voting Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Patriot Majority USA requested a federal investigation into tactics reportedly used during the raid. In conducting their partisan raid, these so-called investigators violated numerous legal standards, a statement from Varoga said. The alleged infractions include denying staff the opportunity to contact an attorney and denying the Projects attorney access to the office and staff. In the wake of the raid, Varoga has expressed concern about what will become of the Projects 45,000-plus registrations, but a statement from Bursten says that, in accordance with state law, all voter registration applications would be processed according to established policies. Patriot Majority USA has also launched a national advertising campaign linking the entire investigation back to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who is the Republican vice presidential candidate. The Recorder reached out to the DOJ for details about whether the department would be pursuing an investigation into Patriot Majority USAs complaint and, if so, what that investigation would entail. A spokesman said the department will decline to comment. The investigation took a different turn when, on Oct. 18, Lawsons office announced that many Hoosier voters had been contacting the Secretary of States office after being unable to confirm their voter registration online. Lawson said she found thousands of voters dates of birth and first names had been changed on paper forms, at the BMV and online. At this time, my office is not sure why these records were changed, but we have evaluated the Statewide Voter Registration System and have found no indication it has been compromised, the office said. Valerie Warycha, a spokeswoman for Lawsons office, told the Recorder that, to her knowledge, this type of issue had not been seen before. Warycha said they contacted ISP for further investigation. The Recorder reached out to ISP for details about the latest arm of the investigation and whether it could be related to the ongoing case involving the Indiana Voter Registration Project. The Recorder did not receive a response, but Bursten told the Associated Press, the changing of a first name and/or date of birth is consistent with what we are seeing on a number of voter registration applications submitted by the Indiana Voter Registration Project. A statement issued the afternoon of Oct. 19 from ISP Supt. Doug Carter confirmed that ISP investigators are looking into possible connections between the two cases. Given the fact that the Statewide Voter Registration System has not been compromised, we believe the reports may serve as evidence of forgery by representatives associated with the Indiana Voter Registration Project, Carters statement said. Timeline of the investigation Late August: Indiana State Police begin investigation in Hendricks, Marion counties. Sept. 15: Lawson issues a statement urging voters to be on high alert and check their voter registrations for accuracy. Oct. 3: Patriot Majority USA files complaint with U.S. Office of Special Counsel in Washington, D.C., regarding ISP First Sgt. William Stoney Vann. Oct. 4: ISP investigation expands to nine total counties; search warrant served at Indiana Voter Registration Project office located at 2425 N. Meridian St. Oct. 6: ISP investigation expands to 56 counties; Patriot Majority USA asks DOJ to launch investigation. Oct. 15: ISP issues statement calling Patriot Majority USA allegations completely false. Oct. 18: Lawson issues statement saying thousands of voter registration records on paper forms, at the BMV and online had been changed, and voter fraud was suspected. The case was turned over to ISP. Oct. 19: ISP Supt. Doug Carter issues a statement saying the case announced on Oct. 18 may be related to the existing Indiana Voter Registration Project case. Are you registered? All Indiana voters are encouraged to check their registration as soon as possible. Visit Indianavoters.com to find confirmation of your eligibility to vote. Voters who cast a ballot in May who can no longer find their registration should call their countys election office. All voters should consider voting early to ensure they will not encounter issues on Election Day. Voters with questions can call the Hoosier Voter Hotline at (866)-IN-1-VOTE. PMs instructions in connection with transport and JACE issues Before passing to the agenda of Governments session, Prime Minister today has given a few instructions to the ministries. He instructed the Ministry of Transport, Communication and IT Development to examine the issue of transport in communities by cooperating with the governors, The issue of operation of transport remains actual in communities. Examine the issue, present the list of the communities, where the transport doesnt operate, note the reason and how it can be solved, said the PM, urging the representatives of the ministry not to limit the transportation service to the communities close to Yerevan. According to another instruction, Karen Karapetyan requested that the bodies providing license examine the possibilities of providing license via electronic option. PM instructed the Ministry of Justice to examine the JACE activities, For a long period people have been displeased with the JACE activities, which relate to the compulsory enforcement of administrative penalties by Road Police. For example, a person isnt informed about his administrative violation, but his property is sequestered. I instruct you to initiate a mechanism, so that a person be informed about the violation before sequestering his property. It can be in the form of sms or via mail, said PM. Dr. Muhammad Shafiq, executive director of the Brian and Jean Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, will be sharing his wisdom with Indianapolis at the Indiana Council on World Affairs (ICWA) Distinguished Speakers Program on Oct. 20. ICWA is the local chapter of the World Affairs Council Of America, which exists to make sure people know about the world and are educated about issues that are important to U.S. foreign policy and that affect policy in the United States, said Larry Cimino, vice president for programs at ICWA. Cimino is the one who extends invitations to speakers for the organizations dinner program, which brings national speakers to the Hoosier state each month September through May. Cimino said he has had several requests for speakers addressing various aspects of Islam, which is one reason he invited Shafiq for this months event. Cimino said the topic is particularly relevant given recent attempts by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to close off Indiana to Syrian refugees, and calls from some politicians for an all-out ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S. It certainly has to do with some of the hardline perspectives that have been espoused by certain (political) candidates, he said. Cimino said he chose Shafiq for his ability to bring people together to talk about different religions and to foster understanding and tolerance. I think hell be able to put Islam in perspective, Cimino said, adding the discussion will give people a chance to ask difficult questions. In addition to leading the Hickey Center, Shafiq teaches courses on world religions, including a course on the civil rights movement; he has led leadership training workshops in America and at least seven other countries; and he has organized a series of symposiums, the most recent of which brought 150 scholars from around the world to present their work. The focus of his address in Indianapolis will be Historic and Political Streams of Islam: Intra-faith and inter-faith challenges and opportunities. Shafiq said he aims to share a Muslim perspective on the history of Islam, the division between the Shia and Sunni, the reasons behind the creation of ISIS and the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Theres a lot of confusion, a lot of misunderstanding about Muslims in America. Americans are pretty divided, Shafiq said. When you look deeply, especially at what is happening in the Middle East, thats also very challenging for Americans to understand. Shafiq said he will address times throughout history when Christians, Jews and Muslims have successfully worked together in interfaith cooperation, as well as current roadblocks to interfaith dialogue and cooperation. The contemporary crisis is, to some extent, that Muslims have lost interfaith cooperation. Why they lost it and what happened, I will also be elaborating on that. Among the barriers to interfaith dialogue, Shafiq says, is political turmoil. People are caught up in hunger, exploitation of the poor, and other issues There needs to be political reform in the area of social justice, and I think that will pave the way for interfaith dialogue, he said. Shafiq will also touch on extremism, both where he thinks it stems from and ways in which it can be addressed. Extremism is part of human existence in all societies, ethnicities, cultures and religions, from the very beginning of human life, he said. To handle extremism, you need economic justice. When people are hungry and their rights are violated, thats when they take the law into their own hands. Cimino said attendees at Shafiqs address can come for a reception and dinner before the speech, but theyre also welcome to come only for the talk. We encourage people to come if theyre interested in the topic, but more generally if theyre interested in what goes on around the world and the impact it has on policy. For more information about ICWA and its programs, visit indianaworld.org. Lynette Two Bulls (Oglala Lakota) and Phillip Whiteman Jr. (Northern Cheyenne) are among the 2016 recipients of the Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award. The award is given to Native Americans who have positively impacted their communities. Photo courtesy First Peoples Fund Outbreak Run Founders: Spirit Award Recipients By Jim KentLakota Country Times Correspondent Lame Deer, Montana -- Im sitting in a small field on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation near the village of Lame Deer. Surrounded by huge Ponderosa Pine trees and with several horses nearby Lynette Two Bulls tells me about her early life on the Pine Ridge Reservation. I was raised there by my grandparentsMatthew and Nellie Two Bulls, recalled Two Bulls. You knowbeing raised by grandparentsbecause of the values and thethe knowledgeand the teachings that were passed down to me.now as an adult I value that. Two Bulls found that spending time in the investment industry required her to use a different part of the brain than her Lakota culture taught her. But she always followed her grandfathers advice. He saidYou knowgranddaughtertakoja, Two Bulls noted, Whatever you do in your lifealways do it for the people. And so that was always in my mind. Doing it for the people has ranged from assisting tribal colleges and casino tribes with investment training to establishing programs that assist Native youth and communities to move out of the historical trauma that she says effects so many. Two Bulls is especially proud of what she and Phillip Whiteman, Jr. have been able to accomplish with the Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run. Jesse Short Bull on YouTube: 20th Annual Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run The annual 400-mile journey is geared toward Native youth. It commemorates the 1879 escape by Cheyenne from Fort Robinson Nebraska to their homelands in Montana. We reconnect to that resilience, Two Bulls explained. And we understand what our ancestors went through. The ultimate sacrifice that many of them made. You knowtheir liveswas for the futurethe future generations. Learning this, said Two Bulls, helps Cheyenne youth connect with their past, have hope and value everything life has to offer. The Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run completed its 20th year in 2016. Lynette Two Bulls noted that its gratifying to see the children of early run participants now taking part in the event. Phillip Whiteman Jr. is Two Bulls husband. Hes spent most of his life on the rodeo circuit. Phillip was a 2-time world champion bronc rider2-time Open Rodeos champion.attended the World Rodeo Finals in El Paso, Texas 7 times and the Indian National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas 26 times. Phillip credits his success to his family and to another. The Creator blessed me with the understanding of ability, explained Phillip. With a mother and father and grandparents. I was blessed with a strong heritage. That strong heritage is rooted in the culture of his people and began on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. I didnt know I was poor, Phillip recalled. I didnt know hatred. I didnt know what my ancestors went through. I wasI was lovedrespected and taught a way of life that I thought everybody knew. The reality that everyone didnt know about his culture arrived when Philip attended public school. Discovering that he was dyslexic only made life more difficult. Visit the Lakota Country Times and subscribe today I started being taught and treated different by the public school system, advised Phillip. Andits been a journey to get to the understanding of where Im at today. As a traditional leader in his community, Phillip Whiteman, Jr. considers the difficulties he went through in his life as a blessing he can use to teach others how to survive. The key, Phillip suggested, is to change your life from one of things happening TO me to things happening FOR me. (Jim Kent is a freelance writer and radio producer who lives in Hot Springs. He is a contributing columnist to the Lakota Country Times and former editor of The New Lakota Times. He can be heard on South Dakota Public Radio, National Public Radio and National Native News Radio. Jim can be reached at kentvfte@gwtc.net) Join the Conversation With Diwali around the corner, our excitement is at an all-time high. This year, however, it has little to do with the festival and a lot more to do with B-town heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor romancing diva Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Karan Johars upcoming directorial venture Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. The trailer of this love saga got us drooling over the scenic shoot locations in Europe. One can trust Karan to scout the most romantic locations across the globe to bring them alive on the big screen. These on-location pictures will make you rewrite your travel bucket list and give you brand new #travelgoals. 1. It all started in London. The first on-location of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' took place in London where director Karan Johar managed time between shoots to strike a pose for his social handles. #autumn #london #shoot #aedilhaimushkil A photo posted by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) on Oct 30, 2015 at 6:16am PDT London is definitely going to make its way to everyones bucket-list, thanks to Karans brilliant storytelling. Once you make it to London, don't forget to tick off places like the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, the Big Ben and the Tower Bridge from your list. Good morning, London! Happy #friyay from @shardview Thanks to @bodzofficial for bringing us this spectacular photo. Tag somebody you'd love to share this view with #visitlondon A photo posted by Visit London (@visitlondonofficial) on Sep 30, 2016 at 2:02am PDT 2. Next stop, Paris. Ranbir & Anushka painted the streets of Paris with some quirky poses. Visiting the Eiffel Tower was an exciting experience for Anushka. Twinkle twinkle #Paris #AeDilHaiMushkil A video posted by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Sep 30, 2015 at 11:51am PDT Karan and Anushka couldnt stop goofing around the 'Love Lock' bridge in Paris. Love lock bridge in Paris ... Spread love guys .. Check your hate A photo posted by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Oct 2, 2015 at 4:28am PDT Yo Karan so fit !!! Khatron ke khiladi hope you are watching this ! @karanjohar #AeDilHaiMushkil A photo posted by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Oct 2, 2015 at 1:26am PDT Along with the Eiffel Tower and the Love Lock bridge, don't forget to add the famous Louvre Museum to your bucket list. Also, spend a lazy weekday afternoon by visiting these beautiful French cafes across Paris. Spring... almost summer! #PARISmoments #PGheartsPARIS A photo posted by Madame de Passy (@patriciagajo) on May 3, 2016 at 3:27am PDT 3. Exploring Austria. The 'Ae Dil Hain Mushkil' team had a field time exploring the beautiful cities and landscapes of Austria. One of the destinations was Innsbruck, where KJO got his muse Anushka draped in a signature Manish Malhotra saree. All the most beautiful looks of mine in #aedilhaimushkil courtesy the one & only . Most amazing @manishmalhotra05 #aedilkidiwali A photo posted by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Oct 7, 2016 at 7:04am PDT They then took off to Vienna, Austria, where the shoot continued. Romancing Kjo while Ranbir watches #AeDilKiDiwali A photo posted by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Oct 7, 2016 at 1:42am PDT If you love beautiful landscapes, then Austria should be on your travel list for this year. Vienna and Innsbruck are just two of the numerous cities this stunning country boasts of! Add Salzburg to your itinerary if you wish to visit Mozart's birthplace or the captivating Wachau Valley in Southern Austria. #wachau#austria#winetime#oberloiben#bestweather#loibenberg#smaragd#wine#vino#time#bluesky#winelover#wein A photo posted by Fb :Wachau_in_Perfection (@wachau_in_perfection) on Oct 18, 2016 at 10:48am PDT Bonus Picture: Ranbir Kapoor made a quick stopover at Munich to enjoy Oktoberfest. Twitter Living the Euro dream is pretty much on everyones bucket list. Thanks to our friends at Airbnb, this dream can come true for a few lucky people. To live Ayans aka Ranbir Kapoors journey to London and Paris, all you have to do is visit the Airbnb site or download their app to create your wish list of 5 Airbnb properties in London or Paris that you would like to visit. Don't forget to use a filmi name! Two lucky winners will get a chance to visit Ranbir, Anushka and Karans favorite locations, cafes, shops and stores across London and Paris. Are you up for the challenge? Get set to turn your travel goals into reality with #AeDilLetsAirbnb. A 2015 National Nutrition Survey revealed that although 98 per cent of households in Bhutan have access to food, 88 per cent of children between the ages of six and 23 months are not receiving the nutrition that they need. The report further claimed that in Bhutan, one in five children is stunted. UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador Aamir Khan visited Bhutan and praised the countrys progress to end malnutrition and recognized young mothers efforts to safeguard their childrens health despite high levels of stunting. Aamir said, Un.org While Bhutan has made amazing progress in areas of health and nutrition, theres still work to be done and every child is yet to be reached." In a video release on the UNICEF South Asia Facebook page, Khan said, Yahoo "Today, I heard many remarkable stories about how young mothers have been able to deliver healthy babies despite complications and challenges. This says a lot about the importance of having an efficient health care system with trained health workers in place, which ultimately plays a crucial role in saving many children's lives." Expressing the purpose behind his Bhutan visit, here's what Khan said: Do you often feel lonely? Well, your genes are to blamed for that. Scientists have found that loneliness, a trait linked to poor health and early death, is partially heritable. According to them, around 37 to 55 percent of loneliness is determined by genetics. media.licdn.com Loneliness is mostly related to poor physical and mental health, and is a more accurate forecaster of early death than obesity, researchers said. To better understand who is at risk, researchers at University of California San Diego conducted the first genome-wide association study for loneliness as a life-long trait, not a temporary state. They discovered that risk for feeling lonely is partially due to genetics, but environment plays a bigger role. The study of more than 10,000 people also found that genetic risk for loneliness is associated with neuroticism and depressive symptoms. sixtypull.sixtyandmellc.netdna-cdn.com Evidence suggested links between heritable loneliness and schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. For two people with the same number of close friends and family, one might see their social structure as adequate while the other doesnt, said Abraham Palmer, professor at UC San Diego, who led the study. As part of this study, participants answered three questions that measure loneliness. The study accounted for gender, age and marital status, as married people tend to be less lonely than unmarried people. Researchers found that loneliness the tendency to feel lonely over a lifetime, rather than just occasionally due to circumstance is a modestly heritable trait. everystudent.com It is 14 to 27 percent genetic, as compared to the previous estimates of 37 to 55 percent. This new estimate of the genetic contribution to loneliness could be lower than previous estimates because the team relied on chip heritability, a method that only captures common genetic variations and not rare genetic variation. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. In the last decade or so, weve witnessed an explosion of healing therapies and channels of spirituality that we can connect with. Reiki, theta healing, and angel guidance are just some of them. But there is one philosophy which is one of the oldest belief systems in the world dating back to almost 30,000 years and is still prevalent in a few cultures around the world. Shamanism is a traditional spiritual practice known to have started in Siberia and Mongolia. In ancient times, its practitioners were referred to as witch doctors or priests of the devil, since shamans have the power to enter trance at will. To understand correctly, shamans are healers who can move into altered states of consciousness, connect with the spirit world to bring back information for healing purposes and help individuals diagnose their problem using the knowledge they gather. crystallinks.com Shamans use elaborate techniques and tools to carry out their rituals. These may vary, but the main essence remains the same. For instance, drums and rattles are essential elements. However, in certain parts of the world, they may not be required at all. The main focus is on how effectively the shaman can connect with the energies required for healing. Detachment from ego and pride are the main lessons that a shaman strives to master. Compassion and empathy are necessary skills to be a successful shaman. Some of the techniques used include soul retrieval, spirit channelling, stone healing and sacred pipe. In each of these processes, the shaman journeys to other worlds. However, he/she retains control over their physical body. In soul retrieval, the shaman enters a state of trance to bring back missing parts of a clients soul. In stone healing, stones are used to create power bands around the individual, for protection. These serve as shields. Spirit channelling is one of the most common techniques. It involves making a direct connection with the spirit world and the clients body. The spirits send their healing through compassionate songs. The sacred pipe is used mostly by shamans in North America. The consumption of alcohol, magic mushrooms and hallucinogenic brews is common for attainment of ecstasy to perform their rituals. Shamans are dressed in robes made from animal skin, accompanied by an elaborate headgear and a percussion drum (or tambourine). The headgear is made up of bird feathers, and these give the shaman strength and versatility. In some traditions, the headdress is made of deer antlers. pinterest.com Shamans around the world The earliest references of shamanism in Siberia are around the 14th century. It involved a reverence for all spirits since it was believed that everything in the natural world was governed by spirit force. Shamans in those days were not just limited to being healers, but they also took on other roles such as curing diseases, interpreting dreams, blessing new born babies, overseeing burials and even serving as midwives. Yes, women could be shamans, too. They are referred to as Shamankas. Initiation was either a hereditary process through either of the parents, or when the individual felt a strong calling towards the cult and left mainstream society to dabble in the practice. Often times, these initiations included episodes of rebirth, journeys to the underworld, or out-of-body experiences. shamanicrituals.com Research shows that the shamans from Siberia travelled across the Bering land bridge which connected Siberia to Alaska, and this is how shamanism reached parts of North America, South America and Africa. The Bering Bridge disappeared 12,000 years ago due to the melting of the Artic glaciers. Today, these regions have several tribes and communities, which continue to persevere in the practice, each with its own variations and adaptations. Our forces on the border caught a Pakistan-Trained Falcon near Anupgarh area adjoining international border near Bikaner. #ModiMinistry BSF catches Pakistan trained falcon from Anupgadh near International Border - Business Standard https://t.co/i41bt9sLQa #ModiMinistry (@iVoteForBest) October 20, 2016 The poor falcon who was injured because of the instruments being tied to it has been handed over to the forest department in Anupgarh. Upon close investigation, the jawans found nothing on the body and are assuming that the antenna must have fallen. The sources say that the falcon was caught flying from the Pakistan border before it entered the Indian terrain. It then sat down in Anupgarh area in Bikaner sector. Sources say that the falcon may also belong to the Arab family who these days for hunting of Houbara bird are in Pakistan border opposite Bikaner and Jaisalmer border. Border Security Force (BSF) are already watching over the area very closing. Keeping in mind the fragile state of affairs in India and Pakistan, the jawans at border cant ignore anything. On October 1, the forces at the border in Pathankot arrested a pigeon for its suspected links with Pakistan. The pigeon has a note written on its wings in Urdu, which read Modi Ji we are not the same as were in 71 Jaish-e-Mohammad. Also, the Jammu & Kashmir Police has seized more than 150 pigeons allegedly being smuggled for the purpose of espionage and a probe has been ordered into the issue. Aurora Humanitarian Initiative announces second grant to Matenadaran 10 guides will travel to Germany for an international training as a result of the cooperation of Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and the Matenadaran. On October 8, the Feast of the Holy Translators, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has decided to grant US $20,000 to the Yerevan Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, the Matenadaran, to facilitate making Armenian culture more accessible to foreign visitors. The grant will fund the training of ten Matenadaran guides. They will travel to Germany to visit museums and cultural centers in Germany to identify and learn the newest principles of museum management and presentation, and to develop skills necessary for museum guides who work in foreign languages. Matenadaran has always valued the importance of sharing information. We pay huge attention to professional competence of our guides. This project is enormously important and we are pleased that this partnership grows and is becoming strategic, said Ara Khzmalyan, Advisor to the Director of Matenadaran. The Yerevan Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts has the biggest flow of foreign visitors in Armenia as a research and cultural institution. Deciding on this grant on the feast of Holy Translators is not just symbolic. With this grant, we are proud to continue in the tradition of the 5th century translators who were instrumental in integrating Armenia and Armenians into world culture. Better representation of Armenian culture through better-trained guides is very important, and an appropriate fit within the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, said Ruben Vardanyan, Co-Founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. This is the second instance of cooperation between the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and the Matenadaran as a project of the Armenian Memory Act. In 2015, the Matenadaran received US $25 000 grant to purchase a special scanner to digitize manuscripts making them more accessible for researchers and the wider public. 700 manuscripts and rare archive documents have been digitalized since the beginning of the project. The process of digitization is ongoing. The Armenian Memory Act, subproject of Aurora Initiative, is committed to enhancing the preservation and use of archives and documentation of the Armenian experience. About the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is committed to building a broad, global humanitarian movement. The initiative is rooted in inspiring stories of courage and survival that emerged during the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million Armenians perished. Those fortunate few who survived were saved also by the courageous and heroic acts of intervening institutions and individuals. A century later, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative seeks to express gratitude, share remarkable stories of survivors and their saviors, and celebrate the strength of the human spirit. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative instigates, includes and supports projects designed to raise public awareness and address some of the worlds most pressing humanitarian issues. These projects include the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Dialogues, the Aurora Humanitarian Index, the Aurora Gratitude Projects and the 100 LIVES initiative. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is an enterprise of the IDeA Foundation (Initiatives for Development of Armenia). About Matenadaran Established in 1959, the Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts - Matenadaran is a repository of ancient manuscripts, research institute and museum in Yerevan, Armenia. It is one of the world's richest depositories of medieval manuscripts and books which span a broad range of subjects, including history, philosophy, medicine, literature, art history and cosmology in many languages. Air India has grounded three crew members, including two airhostesses, for letting a colleague from some other department sleep on the floor of the galley (the food service area of the aircraft) in first class while the aircraft was winging its way from New York to Delhi last week. AFP Some first class passengers noticed the man sleeping in the galley of the roomy Boeing 777 for quite some time when they went to the lavatory. On arrival in Delhi, they complained to the airline chief Ashwani Lohani who then took prompt disciplinary action. "The episode happened sometime last week on AI 102. The flight was completely full and there was not a single vacant seat in economy, business or first class. One of our employees was on leave and travelling on staff ticket back to Delhi. Staff is given seats on flights only subject to availability and not by denying seat to a revenue passenger," said an AI official. The employee then managed to convince airline check-in staff on ground that he will be happy doing the 15-hour flight from JFK to Delhi on the crew jump seat in the front end of the plane, who acceded to his request. These seats are occupied by cabin crew during take-off and landing. BCCL The flight took off in the afternoon and the employee obviously got tired sitting on the cramped jump seat it has to be kept pressed with the legs to prevent it from folding up. "A few hours into the flight when the first round of service was over and cabin lights were dimmed to let guests rest, the tired employee lay down on the floor in the front end to stretch his legs (the place where crew prepares meals service trays). But soon he fell fast asleep. A few first-class guests noticed this while going to the loo," said the source. Unfortunately for the crew on board, some of these passengers knew AI chairman Ashwani Lohani, a veteran of the tourism and hospitality industry of India who is famous for turning around sick public sector units. AFP "When Lohani was informed of this, he was furious and asked the crew to be grounded immediately. Two airhostesses and one other crew member were grounded," said sources. On Wednesday, Lohani summoned the entire crew of this flight to his office. Adopting his carrot-and-stick policy that has endeared him to employees, Lohani asked them never to repeat this mistake and accepted their apology following which they were put back on flying duty. "The cabin crew is not supposed to allow such things (letting anyone sleep on floor). We are investigating this issue to ensure that such a thing is never repeated," Lohani said. The Delhi government apparently has not chalked out any plans as yet to implement the odd-even scheme as an emergency measure this winter. Though officials remained tight lipped and no one was available for comment, sources said nothing concrete had been discussed as yet. No alternative action plan to deal with air pollution, which is likely to worsen in the coming days, is on the anvil either. BCCL The World Health Organisation had recently highlighted how toxic air is responsible for more than 6 lakh premature deaths nationally. Most cities across the globe have a response plan for severe smog episodes. BCCL In line with this practice, the Beijing environmental authorities issued a yellow alert on Tuesday, directing industries and construction sites to reduce emissions and advising citizens to reduce exposure to smog. They have also completely prohibited straw burning besides announcing other interventions. Yellow alert is the third highest warning level in Beijing. On the contrary, in Delhi where the air quality index (AQI) has already started recording "poor" levels, the government doesn't yet have an emergency response plan or a health advisory for its citizens. BCCL Government sources said that due to multiplicity of stakeholders, "organising odd-even is a logistical nightmare". They added that no long-term impact would be seen unless the neighbouring states, which contribute to Delhi's air pollution, take "corrective measures". BCCL A senior environment department official said: "The National Green Tribunal had asked us to find out whether the odd-even scheme had any significant impact on air quality. It's difficult to explain that it did have an impact but not significant enough. If the courts do not approve of the idea, I don't see how it can be implemented again." However, government officials confirmed there is no specific strategy yet to address high air pollution phases. "We have written to neighbouring statesHaryana, UP and Punjababout a complete ban on agricultural waste burning. We have also started a campaign to control cracker use this Diwali. As of now, this is our plan," said another official. Reuters Experts believe this lack of preparedness will mean another bad winter and poor health for the vulnerable population in the city. "We will certainly need emergency action when the air quality starts deteriorating. We don't need just odd-even but other actions to address all sources like shutting down of Badarpur power plant, restriction on firecrackers, penalty for open burning of waste and no-emission norm for construction projects," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, head of CSE's clean air programme. BCCL Confirming that the odd-even strategy slowed down the peaking of air pollution, she said it also reduced exposure of people to toxic emissions on severe smog days. "But the Delhi government should have worked on garnering public support by making buses available and improving last-mile connectivity. Bus numbers are declining now due to old buses going out of operation," Roy Chowdhury added. BCCL The SC-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority had submitted that pollution peaks did come down during the odd-even phases in January and April 2016. The CPCB, however, told NGT that there was no air quality benefit from the scheme and that, in fact, pollution levels had increased during Phase II of the odd-even scheme. NGT recently directed the Delhi government to convene a meeting in order to prepare a plan to counter high pollution levels. BCCL Nandikesh Sivalingam, senior campaigner at Greenpeace India, said the emergency action plan should be for the entire Indo-Gangetic plains. "Scientific studies have highlighted that a large portion of Delhi's pollution comes from outside the city. The IIT Kanpur report has already highlighted the 20 different sources of emissions. So, the emergency action plan should cover the region and all these sources," he said. Sivalingam said there were six coal-fired power plants within a 100-km radius of Delhi, which are major sources of pollution. IIT Kanpur's source apportionment study had concluded that nearly one-third of PM pollution can be attributed to emissions from sources outside Delhi. Speaking on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's threat to block the release of Karan Johar's upcoming "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", retired Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju took on the party on Twitter. MNS people are goondas who have drunk the salt water of the Arabian Sea. I am an Allahabadi goonda, who has drunk the water of the Sangam Markandey Katju (@mkatju) October 19, 2016 bccl He may have unknowingly name-dropped another upcoming film, Aamir Khan's Dangal in a following tweet. . So instead of showing your bravery on those helpless artists, come have a dangal with me, and let the world see who is a bigger goonda Markandey Katju (@mkatju) October 19, 2016 Karan Johar recenly broke his silence on the bans and the controversies surrounding his upcoming Diwali release ADHM in form of a video statement that was winning the internet. While KJo clearly mentioned that he won't work with Pakistani artists in the future, he also mentioned that apart from Fawad Khan, there were more than 300 artists who worked hard for the film and it surely is unfair to them. However, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena said that it will continue to oppose the release of his movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. There were many reports that claimed how Raj Thackeray-led MNS has threatened multiplex owners with vandalism if they released ADHM. Questioning KJo's 'sudden change of behaviour', Shalini Thackeray, general secretary of Chitrapat Karmachari Sena told Express, This is the same Karan Johar who once said Pakistani actors should not be banned. Why this sudden change in heart? Its come a little too late in the day for him. Better Luck Next Time Karan Johar This Diwali It Will Be A Revolution Jai Hind#PakStarsDebate Raj Thackeray (@MNSRajThackeray) October 18, 2016 Katju frequently pretty much takes on anyone on his Facebook and Twitte profile, and his blog. Here are some of his most recent hits. You Are Selfish And Unpatriotic For Leaving India And Working Abroad, Katju Tells IIT Bombay Justice Katju Tears Into BCCI, Says Indian Cricket Bosses Should Be Lashed Justice Katju Feels Keralites Are Real Indians, Believes They Have 'Quintessential Qualities Of Indians' After Calling Him A Man With 'Nothing In His Head', Justice Markandey Katju Slams Big B In A Fb Post! Justice Katju Wants Katrina Kaif To Be India's President Justice Katju Is Up To His Old Blog Tricks Again! This Time He's Calling Gandhi A 'British Agent!' Katju Tells The World Why He May Be A 'Lunatic' Just recently, he had invited the ire of the Supreme Court when he criticized a legal judgement acquitting the man accused of raping and murdering 23 year old Soumya, a shopping mall employee. Angered by not doing anything substantial to trace Najeeb Ahmad, a first year M.Sc. student of biotechnology at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) who has been missing in mysterious circumstances from his hostel since October 15 following a brawl, a large number of students blocked all entry and exit gates of the administrative block not letting the vice chancellor, registrar, rector and proctor to leave their offices since 6:30 pm on Wednesday. Indiatimes The varsity officials tried twice last to move out, but the agitating students lied down on the floor blocking the exit doors. They are still camping there forcing the authorities to stay inside. Vice Chancellor M Jagdeesh Kumar termed the blockade of the administrative building unlawful and appealed protesting students to end their gherao. We appeal to you with folded hands to immediately end end the gherao. Some of us are blood pressure and diabetic patients and are not able to take medicines. Your continued confinement may lead to deterioration of their health, he told the students on the intervening night of Monday and Thursday. But the students are not ready to budge. They demand an FIR be filed by the university in Najeebs disappearance case, a time-bound enquiry be set to probe the brutal assault on the 27-year-old in Mahi Mandavi Hostel on October 14 night allegedly by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists and the attackers named by the eye witnesses be expelled from the university with immediate effect. Indiatimes Responding to the demands put forward by the students, the vice chancellor said, The administration has taken all necessary steps to trace Najeeb Ahmad. A fair enquiry has been initiated in the chief proctors office on the alleged violence during the election campaign for membership in the Mess Committee in the hostel. The inquiry process will follow the due process and efforts will be made to expedite it and the recommendation of the inquiry committee will be submitted to a provost committee for a final recommendation. Those found guilty will face disciplinary action as per the university rules. Kumar also appealed the missing student Najeeb through the media and the varsitys website to return to the campus and resume academic activities without any fear. Not getting any pin-pointed reply to their main demand on filing an FIR and expulsion of the alleged culprits, the students began chanted slogans against the vice chancellor and the rest of the university administration forcing them to go back to their offices to spend the entire night and till filing this copy. Indiatimes After all his attempts to reach reconciliation with the protesting students failed, the vice chancellor said, They have wrongfully confined us for such a long time with unreasonable demands like bring Najeeb immediately. We cannot do this; it is the responsibility of the police who are being cooperated by us in their investigation. We are also concerned and want his safe return. But they (students) have not even listened to our plea. However, JNU Students Union (JNUSU) President Mohit Kumar Pandey rubbished the allegation of illegal confinement denying blocking the administrative building. We have not confined or held them hostage at all. We are lying outside the administrative block and have informed them if they want to leave, they can go do walking over us. They are free, he told Indiatimes. They (the varsity officials), he said, is spreading rumour that there is no electricity and food in the administrative block to misguide people and scuttle our protest. There is round the clock electricity supply as you can see. We have also sent them food for people, he added. Indiatimes JNU Rector Chintamani Mahapatra and the VC had earlier tweeted there was no electricity because of which they were felling suffocated. Mohit further said the students are protesting just because the administration is acting insensitively. A student in JNU is missing for five days and the VC does not want to file an FIR. I wonder where this innocence was when JNU students were subjected to witch hunt and languishing in jail in February this year, he added. Najeebs family were called for identifying an unclaimed mutilated body Though the JNU students kin are receiving without fail each and every phone call for the past five days hoping to get a good news, but they are certainly not expecting any such call they received on Wednesday that was extremely traumatic. Najeebs younger brother Mujeeb Ahmad got a call yesterday morning from the Ranhola police station in West Delhi. The caller asked him to come to identify a dead body. Disturbed and nervous, Mujeeb along with his cousin Aqdas Musharraf went to the police station. The Station House Officer (SHO) took them to the mortuary of Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital at Mangolpuri to identify the body in a black T-shirt and gray pant. Najeeb was last seen wearing similar cloth of the same colour. Indiatimes The body was mutilated and decomposed. There were worms everywhere. It was beyond identification. I somehow managed the courage to touch it to ascertain if it was my brother, Mujeeb told Indiatimes. Sensing that the body was not slightly matching the dressing sense of bhai (brother), I called up my mother and told her that the body is in round-neck T-shirt. It gave us a big relief when she told me bhai always wears shirts and T-shirts having a collar, he said. The sister-brother duo still spent some time to figure out whether it was Najeebs body. We checked several things like fingers (Najeebs finger are long but the bodys werent) and height (he was around 5 feet 10 inch high which the body was not). But what convinced us finally was the body was not circumcised, he further added. Cops offer Rs 50,000 prize money to trace the missing boy Indiatimes The police have announced that whosoever traces Najeeb will be rewarded Rs 50,000 as prize money. A poster in this regard with Najeebs photo and full information about his physical appearance has been pasted at every nook and corner of the city. A woman sub-inspector who was trying to rescue an abducted minor girl was herself kidnapped in Chambal. BCCL/representational image The kidnappers took the cop more than 10 kilometres in their vehicle before throwing her out of it. The incident took place on Tuesday. Sub-inspector Rubi Tomar, posted at Civil Lines police station of Morena town, was returning from the office of the superintendent of police at 5.30pm in civil dress when the incident happened. thebetterindia/representational image Near Dak Bungalows, she saw two men in a car quarrelling with an auto-driver. When Rubi came close, she saw a girl in the car. When she tried to enquire about her, the men dragged her inside and sped off towards Jaura town, said police. BCCL/representational image "The sub-inspector struggled with them and ultimately, they threw her out of the car. They kidnapped her around 5.45pm and dumped her in 15 minutes. In another 15 minutes, the duo was arrested, as we cordoned off all major roads. The minor who was abducted from Gwalior was also rescued," Morena SP Vineet Khanna said. The parents of the girl took her home on Wednesday. The accused duo - Vivek Jadaun and Sajjan Singh Bhadoria - have been arrested and charged with kidnap, said police. Yoga businessman Baba Ramdev recently asked for a boycott of Chinese products, citing China's reported loyalties to Pakistan instead of India. epa In an interview to the Indian Express. this week, he has explained it further. "China makes money out of India and helps Pakistan". He still didn't turn down the proposition of yoga camps, as well as a Patanjali unit in Pakistan. This, despite publicly stating that Hafiz Saeed, a foremost Pakistani leader in Kashmir's separatist struggles, should be eliminated in surgical strikes on Pakistani soil. Surprisingly, the Swadeshi obsession seems missing from the life of Acharya Balkrishna, Ramdev's most trusted'aid and CEO of Patanjali. Balkrishna, valued at 25,000 crore Rupees travels in a black and white Range Rover and uses an iPhone. iPhones are manufactured in China, and talks of India manufacturing plants will use the input of Chinese tech maker Foxconn. Meanwhile, this screenshot raises a question. Who is going to break the news to him re iPhones... pic.twitter.com/8DEFnmKHZ3 Tanvi Madan (@tanvi_madan) October 20, 2016 The 'iPhone' bit doesn't show up on the Twitter web app, but we verified it using Tweetdeck, a social media dashboard for Twitter. A 'rogue nuclear state', a 'sanctum sanctorum of global terror', a 'corrupt and beggar state' and many other names have been attributed to Pakistan by its critics around the world. Though it is debatable how true any of these attributions is, it is true that once, well on its way to become a state with considerable power and respect, Pakistan seems to have done it all wrong. But is there a need to rush for a conclusion? Is there no hope left for redemption? It is not well known that Pakistan wasn't this chaotic, mildewed and broken when it began its journey after partition with India on August 14, 1947. Reuters A series of arguably catastrophic decisions made by its rulers turned this once upon a time supposedly 'Asian Tiger' into labyrinth so complex that any audacious attempt now to correct it would die an announced death. But what were those decisions and who took them? Here are 9 such decisions which undid an idea called Pakistan: 1. Became US ally, thus couldn't became self dependent Right from the day 1, Pakistan chose to became an ally to US when it's President Liaqat Ali Khan accepted aid from the US. The US indeed gave lots of money which Pakistan used to build military capability to threaten India. Freebies from US did come at a price and price was so colossal that Pakistan got derailed from the idea of self dependence and development. pakistantoday On the contrary, India chose to be neutral from both American as well as the Soviet blocks, it founded Non Align Movement (NAM) and sought assistance from both blocks to became self dependent through policies like Green Revolution, ISRO, White revolution etc. Pakistan chose to be with US, which made it enemy of eastern block, therefore, it never got acknowledgement from nearly half of the world. And the money it got from US was spent in trivial issues and other pressing concerns like hunger, industrialization and employment which should have been addressed with that money took a backseat. 2. 'Law of Necessity' which legitimized the Coups On October 24, 1954 the Governor-General of Pakistan, Ghulam Mohammad, dissolved the Constituent Assembly and appointed a new Council of Ministers on the grounds that the existing one no longer represented the people of Pakistan. Reuters The President of the Constituent Assembly, Maulvi Tamizuddin, appealed to the Chief Court of Sindh at Karachi to restrain the new Council of Ministers from implementing the dissolution. In response, members of the new Council of Ministers appealed to the court saying that it had no jurisdiction to approve the request of the President to overturn the dissolution and appointments. But the court ruled in favour of Tamizuddin. But now the new council of ministers, approached Federal Court aka Supreme Court of Pakistan where Chief Justice Muhammad Munir, ruled against the decision of Sindh Court and said that Governor-General's assent was necessary for all legislation to become law. Therefore, the Chief Court of Sind had no jurisdiction to overturn the Governor General's dissolution and it was held as valid. This was called the 'Law of Necessity' which rested power in one man's hand and legitimize the coups that followed. In his book, From Jinnah to Zia, Chief Justice Munnir had admitted that his decision changed the destiny of Pakistan. 3- One Unit policies and end of provinces' autonomy In 1954, Prime Minister, Muhammad Ali Boghra brought One Unit Policy which ended the autonomy of all four provinces in the then West Pakistam by ending their federal rights. Similar strategy was implemented in the East Pakistan, which resulted in the rise of discontent among the masses, Urdu was imposed on everybody including Bengali people who were so proud of their culture. wikipedia As a results both Baluchistan and Pakhtunkhawan movement started because their autonomy and federal rights which guarded their identity and culture were compromised in pursuit of strong centre. Later, when Ayub Khan in early 1960s, too further strengthened this policy to create a strong centre of power to take quick decision against India. 4. 1970 election, denial in transfer to East Pakistan and creation of Bangladesh Mujeebur Rahman has seized a landslide victory in 1970 elections and it was time to transfer power from West Pakistan to East Pakistan to the end of Bengalis. But West Pakistan's military an political elite including Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who had won majority in West Pakistan never wanted to see Bengalis running the show from East Pakistan. AFP Thus, Rahman was denied power and instead a massive crackdown was unleashed by Pakistan army in East Pakistan, which created a refugee crisis in East Indian states, especially West Bengal and Assam. Bengalis consolidated themselves in one force known as Mukti Vahini and with the help of Indian army defeated Pakistan armed forces in East Pakistan. As a result a new natin-Bangladesh came into being. 5-Judicial Killing of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq after seizing power from Zulfikar Ali Bhutto via coup hanged him after staging a fake show of judicial trial in 1977. As a result, the era of Martyr Politics began in Pakistan where Pakistan People Party (PPP) became a personal property of Bhuttos, which paved way for the dynasty politics in the country. wikipedia Shahadat-sympathy politics became vote bank of all major parties and political dynasties which emerged based on families contested elections on emotion and not on real issues like development. 6. Afghan Jihad which made Pakistan breeding ground of terrorism When former Soviet Union entered Afganistan in 1979, Pakistan who was a US Ally was asked by its master to wage a war against Russian by aiding and training terrorist. Thus, the Haqqani network in Peshawar and several other terrorist organisation came into being got nourished under the tender care of Pakistan army. tribune General Zia exploited religious passion of Pakistan and did Islamization for only jihad in Afghanistan. In the name of Islam, so-called he tried to show his legitimacy. Kalashnikov culture, drug culture, violence, Islamic sectarianism and sects and Jihad were propagated. The extent of radical Islam increased to such levels that Peshawar, the biggest city in Pakistan's frontier province was called 'The University of Jihad'. Pakistan got huge money from US in the name of aid, but it didn't use that money for developing the country, but instead bought weapons to increase its military strength. Majority of its nuclear programme had got completed in this era only when even despite allegedly knowing that Pakistan is building the bomb didn't object because it wanted to defeat USSR in Afghanistan which wasn't possible without Pakistan. Pakistan also fueled insurgency in Kashmir in this era while using the same Jihadist it had created for Afghan Jihad. 7. Kargil war With Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's bus diplomacy in February 1999, India and Pakistan were getting closer and even the solution of Kashmir was in sight. But Pakistan army, the de-facto ruler of Pakistan seized heights in Kargil without giving their civilian government led by Nawaz Sharif a hint. AFP The move resulted in Kargil war where Pakistan got exposed globally and the US had to intervene to salvage its crumbling reputation. Post war, the depleting relations between army and government resulted in coup and General Pervez Musharraf seizing the powers for next eight years or so. 8. 9/11 and Pakistan's attempt to fool US Post 9/11, Osama Bin Laden sought refuge in Afghanistan under Talibar ruler Mullah Omer. The US told Pakistan to tell Omar who was Pakistan's stooge, because only three countries Saudi Arabia, UAE and Pakistan had recognised Taliban rule in Afghanistan. But Pakistan played smart as it wanted to cash on the opportunity to seek long term cash and other benefits from US just like it had done during Afghan Jihad. Reuters It told Omar not to throw Bin Laden out. Thus, the US attacked Afghanistan and Pakistan once again started reaping fruits of war. But unlike Afghan Jihad, this time Pakistan had to strike balance between the US wanting Pakistan army to act against terror hideout and terror groups who are Pakistan army's own babies. Reuters Here Pakistan failed and both the US and fringe terrorist groups thought that Pakistan is cheating on them. Ever since the inception of Afghan war in 2001, Pakistan has lost 35,000 citizens, 4,000 army officials, roughly USD 65 million which has taken a massive toll on its economy. 9. Osama Bin Laden's assassination in Abbottabad In 2011, American Navy Seal assassinated perpetrator of 9/11, Osama Bin Laden which Pakistan had given refuge too while claiming that they are US' ally in war against terrorism. This exposed Pakistan globally and the West which till date was supporting Pakistan on several issues including Kashmir started alienating itself from it. Reuters The Bin Laden episode exposed Pakistan to such levels that the world starting perceiving it as hub for the global terror and the stigma of being a rogue nuclear power became Pakistan's destiny. We all have been watching how Bollywood has become the most volatile battleground for India and Pakistan. As the stress between the two nations is rising by the day, the hapless people and local authorities aren't left with much to do. Amid tensions with India, Pakistan's media regulatory authority on Wednesday decided to enforce a complete ban on Indian TV and radio contents from Friday and warned that the licences of those found guilty of violating the ban will be suspended. Reuters/Representative Image Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) decided to ban airing of Indian content from October 21 at the request of the federal government, it said. "The ban will come into effect at 3pm on October 21, and radio and television stations which violate the ban will have their licences suspended without a prior show cause notice," PEMRA said in a statement. The ban extends to all Indian content on cable and radio being aired in Pakistan. Reuters/Representative Image The authority also decided to cancel one-sided rights given to Indian media by the government of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in 2006. PEMRA has already decided to get tough with Indian contents after complaints that most of the local channels were using more than five per cent foreign contents as allowed by it. The regulator on August 31 said that strict action would be taken against the channels airing foreign content more than the prescribed limit and traders selling illegal DTH sets. The decision was implemented from October 16 as PEMRA launched crackdown on those channels using foreign contents illegally. ALSO READ: After Bollywood Movies, All Indian Television Channels Now Banned In Pakistan Reuters/Representative Image Earlier in October, PEMRA granted its chairman Absar Alam final authority to revoke or suspend licences of companies illegally using Indian content. Tensions have ran high between India and Pakistan since the terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18. Later, India carried out "surgical strikes" across the LoC and destroyed terrorist launchpads on September 28. Pakistan has denied any surgical strikes took place, but said two of their soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by the Indian Army. 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. AP/representational image 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. China's continued opposition to India's effort to declare Pakistan-based militants as international terrorists has angered many Indians who have called for a boycott of Chinese products. It described Prime Minster Narendra Modi's pet project "Make in India" as "impractical". AP 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. "Worst of all, corruption is highly prevalent from top to bottom in every single government department." Also Read: Small Time Retailers Bear The Brunt Of 'Boycott Chinese' Call As Customers Buy Indian Goods During Diwali Sales 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. AP/representational image "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. Also Read: Delhi Govt Braces For Diwali, Bans Chinese Fireworks BCCL/representational image 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. "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? Also Read: Now Haryana Khap Joins The Chorus Of 'Boycotts Chinese Products' This Diwali Ground controllers waited anxiously for news on the status of a tiny European craft which touched down on Mars as part of a daring quest for life on the Red Planet, but may not have survived the impact. AP The paddling pool-sized "Schiaparelli" lander, a trial-run for a Mars rover to follow, was scheduled to land at 1448 GMT on Wednesday after a scorching, supersonic dash through Mars' thin atmosphere. The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the craft had touched down, but said it was emitting no signal. "The lander touched down, that is certain," ESA's Schiaparelli manager Thierry Blancquaert told AFP. "Whether it landed intact, whether it hit a rock or a crater or whether it simply cannot communicate, that I don't know," he said from mission control in Darmstadt, Germany. AP This would be Europe's second failed Mars landing in a row, joining a string of other unsuccessful attempts by global powers to explore our planetary neighbour's hostile surface. The British-built Beagle 2 robot lab disappeared without trace after separating from its mothership, Mars Express, in 2003. Its remains were finally spotted in a NASA photograph last year. Schiaparelli had travelled seven months and 496 million kilometres (308 million miles) onboard the European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to come within a million kilometres from Mars on Sunday, when it set off on its own mission to reach the surface. AP The pair comprised phase one of the ExoMars mission through which Europe and Russia seek to join the United States in probing the alien Martian surface. The TGO was successfully placed in Mars orbit on yesterday, to cheers and applause from ground controllers some 170 million kilometres away. "It's a good spacecraft in the right place, and we have a mission around Mars," flight operations manager Michel Denis announced. Schiaparelli's silence put a damper on the celebrations, though ESA officials tried to look on the bright side. Reuters Schiaparelli's landing was designed to inform technology for a much bigger and more expensive rover scheduled for launch in 2020 the second phase and high point of ExoMars. Garo Yegnukian turns to US Ambassador: statement (video) The political persecution against me by the authorities has been going on for almost five years and has deep roots. It all started when I decided to provide my three-story building, on Alek Manukyan Street, to be freely used by Founding Parliament and other civil society activities that needed the space. In addition I started becoming active in a number of civil initiatives, which naturally did not please the authorities. The real persecutions against my family and myself began after my active participation for the preservation of Mashtots Park and Tzatzkatz Shuka. Within a few days, there were two attacks on my two vehicles. In one instance the four tires of one vehicle were slashed and in the second instance the hood of my car and the mirrors were violently broken. For my participation in the Founding Parliament, my third vehicle was set on fire furthermore, during the terrorizing attacks perpetrated by the authorities in Berdzor, all three of my vehicles were badly damaged. For over a month, a large poster depicting my picture and containing statements which were discriminatory; and incited violence and hatred, was hang in the front of Tzatzkatz Shuka. Despite my many protests, not a single action was taken by the authorities to stop this criminal act. During the same period my family members and I were followed and intimidated to create an atmosphere of fear. All of the above terrorizing feats were realized and sponsored by the authorities. More recently many friends and people in the know were trying to persuade me to sell all of my assets in Armenia and go back to the US before something happens to my family or my property is taken from me. They kept telling me to think about my four daughters! Naturally some of these people genuinely wished me well however most were sending me a message. As the saying goes where there is smoke there is fire. This line of activity is well known and common in Armenia as many diaspora Armenians who have attempted various investments in Armenia have been treated similarly. The authorities for some time have been trying to find an excuse to get rid of me on the thesis that if the individual does not exist then the problem is gone. Because I did not engage in businesses and so-called dark financial enterprises, the authorities did not have the levers to isolate me or limit my activities. Sasna Tsrer incident finally provided the authorities the excuse to isolate and punish me by false accusations. Since I had committed no criminal acts, I was accused on trumped up charges of dissemination of information, organizing the free assembly of people and aspiring to provide radio communication. Despite the accusations, to date no evidence whatsoever has been provided. I am charged with assisting in keeping police members hostage however no one is actually charged in keeping police members hostage. I am charged with assisting in the illegal occupation of buildings but no one is charged with the illegal occupation of buildings. Effectively there are no criminals but I am charged in assisting to these not existing criminals! The courts have ordered pre-trial detention of two months and now have extended it by another two months without any basis. When my lawyer has asked on what basis is the assumption that I may impede on the investigation, the judge has not mentioned the basis but has stated that it is still in investigation. Even the prosecutor did not bring any evidence except to say that they are under investigation and that they are secret and cannot be presented to the courts. The courts also rejected precedent setting high bail amount and ignored letters of recommendations and motions from over thirty individuals including members of parliament, previous human rights ombudsmen and prominent members of Armenian society. Recently, the President of RA, in some circles, while discussing my case has mentioned that I am a national security threat! If there is even the slightest evidence to make such an assertion it should be made public. If not, then my only conclusion is that the President is on a personal vendetta. Furthermore, such a statement by the President preempts the assumption that I am innocent until proven guilty. In addition he is also avenging my brother who had the audacity to criticise the president on the issue of political prisoners in Armenia during one of Presidents appearances at Columbia University in New York. During the same appearance the President had also stated that Shant Harutyunyan has committed a criminal act; thus preempting his guilt prior to being proven guilty in court. What is most incomprehensible is the position of the US ambassador in Armenia, who represents the US government. On numerous occasions I have asked and even pleaded with the ambassador to make a statement regarding the systematic abuse of the pre-trial detention system in Armenia and in particular for my case. I have never asked the ambassador to make a statement regarding my guilt or innocence, but only regarding the abuse of the pre-trial detention, something that the US State Department has already done in its annual report. During my detention, my only direct contact with the US Embassy has been Adam Colvin, Vice Consul, who last visited me on the fifth day of my hunger strike. He did not even have the decency to ask how I was feeling, but insisted and repeated that the Embassy is in no position to make any statements. His position was not fact based and incomprehensible since the ambassador himself, in letters to us, has stated that the Embassy will make a statement if any one of the following three conditions exists: If there is evidence that I am being politically persecuted; If there is violation of due process as prescribed by Armenian Laws and International Treaties; and If I am being discriminated based on my US Citizenship I and many other individuals and organizations have written numerous letters proving that all three conditions are in play. To date we have received no response that disputes our assertions except for the case of Mr. Mironov, as proof of discrimination, for which we have been told that the cases are not comparable. The US ambassador has discussed my case with the President of RA who apparently has told the ambassador that any statement by the ambassador will be counterproductive and in fact may hurt my case. In addition the ambassador in one of his letters has shared with me that he has discussed the issue of making a statement with his team as well as members of the Armenian government. The fact that there were discussions whether to make or not to make a statement further illustrates that the ambassador was in a position to make a statement but has refused to do so. If he was not in a position to make a statement, then why were there discussions particularly with the members of the Armenian government? Since when does the ambassador of the only super power in the world, request permission from local authorities to make a statement about one of its citizens? Nevertheless, for unknown reasons, the ambassador with his team has decided that a statement regarding me will be counterproductive and in fact may hurt my case, as Serzh Sarkisyan has advised. To date, it is not clear to me the nature of the discussions with the authorities, what was told to the ambassador and on what basis the ambassador, trying to protect me has not made a public statement. Although in his letter the ambassador mentions that he has met with the Chief Prosecutor, Chief of Investigative Unit, Minister of Justice and the Human Rights Ombudsman regarding my case; unfortunately he fails to inform me about what they have told him. In effect, everybody has been discussing my case however I am kept in the dark regarding those discussions. Since there was no public statement forthcoming on the issue of illegality of my pre-trial detention, I pleaded with the ambassador to come forward on a humanitarian basis and write a letter to the court asking for my release on bail. Since the initial decision to implement pre-trial detention against me was based on the premise that Sasna Tsrer still occupied the buildings; the situation has now changed and releasing me on bail would have been substantiated. Therefore a letter from the ambassador would have been purely a humanitarian act with no legal or political intervention. Unfortunately the ambassador did not even take that step and again without an explanation. I am certain that the ambassador realizes that the authorities are on a road of vengeance and reckoning with me and will keep me locked up for as long as they can or wish. It can extend to a minimum of three years even if I am found innocent by the courts (one year pre-trial detention and two year during trial) or in worst-case scenario up to 20 years if found guilty. I see only two options to stop this great injustice, (the third option of political prisoners going through the legal system has over the years been proven to be futile) the first is that the ambassador (meaning US Government) makes a public statement regarding the abuse of pre-trial detention and refusal of bail is unjustified while at the same time pressuring the authorities to release me and the second is regime change and consequently the release of all political prisoners. The fact that the ambassador, knowing well the situation, is doing nothing is telling me that there is a sinister political collusion. I am hopeful the Embassy will review its stand and will take the just position in line with US history of fighting for the principles of justice, liberty and equality. God bless these guys! Mark and Sharon Starmer from Canada adopted 46 rescue dogs to give them a loving, forever home. They brought home these lovely pooches because they simply couldn't resist it! Now, that's kindness not many people possess. Hotspot Media via Metro UK The dogs were often rejected by potential owners due to old age or illness. But for Mark and Shanon, that didn't come in their way of adopting the pooches. The dogs live with the couple in their family home, and not in some pens. Because they too are family. And they are loved and cared for. Hotspot Media via Metro UK The couple and their son were initially forced out of their previous home due to restrictions on the dogs they could keep. They searched and finally found the perfect place where all their 46 pets could move in. They now have a four-acre space where the dogs can roam freely and play to their heart's content. Hotspot Media via Metro UK Feeding and taking care of the dogs takes a financial toll on the family, yes, but when it comes to a choice between the humans and the animals, it's always the latter!!! The couple also never takes holidays because they miss the dogs too much to leave them behind. And the feeling is reciprocated manifold by their 46 friends. STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces Google Ad There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Google Ad Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. A Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has sentenced 20-year-old Abeeb Wasiu to three months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle from the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo. The convict was, however, given the option to pay a fine of N10,000. A police prosecutor, Mr. Mereti Wilson, had told the court when the suspect was arraigned that Wasiu stole a motorcycle, marked, SGB 767 QB, belonging to one Wodi Michael from the police headquarters on August 23, 2016, at about 11am. The prosecutor told the court that the offence contravened Section 303 and was punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, volume II, Law of Osun State, Nigeria. The charge read, That you, Abeeb Wasiu, on August 23, 2016, at about 11am, at the Osun State Police Command Headquarters, Osogbo, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did steal one Boxer Bajaj motorcycle, with number plate, SGB 767QB; chassis no, MD 218AZ6DWM64355; and engine no DUZYWDM93608, property of one Wodi Michael, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 383 (1) and punishable under Section 390 ( 10A) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 11, Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. Waisu, who had no counsel, pleaded guilty to the offence and begged for clemency. The magistrate, Mrs. A. Bashiru, sentenced him to three months imprisonment or a fine of N10,000. Source: Punch A 37-year-old man, Rasak Adekoya, who allegedly beat his 10-year-old son, Wariz, to death, has said he beat his son on Tuesday, October 11, because he stole mobile phones at a party. Adekoya, who said he never intended to kill his son, explained that the boy brought him shame by stealing the mobile phones at a party, as well as money belonging to his stepmother. Adekoya, who was arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command, is currently being detained at the homicide department at the state police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, had said the suspect was nabbed by policemen attached to the Ago Iwoye Division following a tip-off from members of the community. He said preliminary investigation revealed several marks on the body of the victim as a result of series of torture from the suspect. Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said, The corpse has been deposited at St. Joseph Catholic Hospital Mortuary, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, for autopsy. As soon as investigation is concluded, the suspect will be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction. Source: Punch A 37-year-old man, Rasak Adekoya, who allegedly beat his 10-year-old son, Wariz, to death, has said he beat his son on Tuesday, October 11, because he stole mobile phones at a party. Adekoya, who said he never intended to kill his son, explained that the boy brought him shame by stealing the mobile phones at a party, as well as money belonging to his stepmother. Adekoya, who was arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command, is currently being detained at the homicide department at the state police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, had said the suspect was nabbed by policemen attached to the Ago Iwoye Division following a tip-off from members of the community. He said preliminary investigation revealed several marks on the body of the victim as a result of series of torture from the suspect. Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said, The corpse has been deposited at St. Joseph Catholic Hospital Mortuary, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, for autopsy. As soon as investigation is concluded, the suspect will be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction. Source: Punch Widow of late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and former Ambassador to Spain, Bianca Ojukwu joined other Anambra indigenes to celebrate Her Excellency Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano as she becomes WASH ambassador for the European Union and UNICEF. Bianca, who has kept a low profile since she returned from her foreign assignment looked stunning in her Ankara outfit. President Muhamadu Buhari and Nigerias Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo hosted 21 of the recently released Chibok girls in Abuja on Wednesday. SEE ALSO: FG Negotiators Say Some Chibok Girls Do Not Want To Leave Boko Haram Camp The girls were released following negotiations between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram. The negotiations were brokered by the Swiss government as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross. Photo Credit: @novoisioro Donald Trumps campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, spent time with President Obamas half-brother, before the final Presidential debate yesterday. Kellyanne shared a photo with Malik Obama on social media and wrote; Malik Obama and I hanging post-debate prep today. He told me why he is a Republican and voting for @realDonalTrump. President Obamas Kenyan-born, estranged brother was invited as a guest of Trump after voicing his support for the controversial Republican candidate. ExxonMobil has sold its 60% stake in Mobil Oil Nigeria to Nipco, an indigenous oil and gas company, divesting its entire Nigerian downstream oil investment. Nipco confirmed that a sales and purchase agreement had been reached with ExxonMobil in the latest trend of International Oil Companies divesting their downstream interests. French oil giants, Total now remains the sole international player in Nigerias downstream oil sector. In a message to the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Wednesday, the management of Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc said the Nigerian entity has been informed by its majority shareholder, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, that it has agreed, subject to regulatory approvals, to sell its shares representing 60 per cent of Mobil Oil Nigerias shares to Nipco Investments Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nipco Plc. The value of the deal was not disclosed but it is believed to be in the region of N45 billion. The viral killer clown craze which has swept the US and gradually spreading all over the world has had its tragic moment in the Asian country of Cambodia. According to reports, a man wearing a killer clown mask died after stepping on a landmine. The man was said to have dressed up as a clown and scared residents of Samraong, a town in northwestern Cambodia, in an aggressive manner. Times of Cambodia reported that local residents chased the killer clown into the jungle where they then heard a blast and realised the man must have stepped on a landmine. The incident was reported to the police, while some residents went to investigate. The man was badly injured that he could not be identified, local police said. He is however believed to be a 25-year-old local man who had returned to Cambodia to visit relatives from the US, where he was studying. Police told the Times that there is little doubt that the dead man was a local 25-year-old who was reported missing by his family on the day of the incident. Cambodia has a major problem with landmines, especially in rural areas. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) estimates that there may be as many as four to six million mines and other pieces of unexploded artillery in the country. SEE ALSO: Groom Surprises Bride By Showing Up To Wedding Dressed As Clown Real changes or pre-election steps? (video) Armenia, which doesnt have natural resources, is condemned to have small and medium-sized enterprises. The Government promises to achieve reductions in the price of natural gas for the SMEs until the end of the year. But this is not enough for the development of the sector. Generally in the absence of free competition, the small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have hardly existed. The development of the small and medium-sized businesses forms a middle class, a certain level of income and the public complaints are automatically pushed backside, tells economist Vardan Bostanjyan. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyans Government program has been written for six months which is not a realistic deadline for the system changes. Mr. Bostanjyan notes, The only step in this situation is to ensure a free competition, to create attractive investment conditions and generally set free and not put pressure on businesses. The economist appreciates the idea of creating an investment fund by the Government program. It will be realized in 2017. Such kind of structure can stimulate the Armenian investments. Without these programs we will start to wander what to do in this field. Legally there must be insurance to assure the investor that he will not have any capital loss, explains the economist. Some changes are planned also in the spheres of the tax and customs. But will the time come, when Armenian tax inspector stops taking bribes? If the rules of law as well as the factor of responsibility are created then how can they continue taking bribes? Though our respondents havent read the Government program, they have positive expectations. They link it to the personality of PM. By the way, the Government program will be discussed in the extraordinary session of the National Assembly. Details in the video! The Nigerian Senate screened President Buharis nominees for the governing board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The nominees appeared before the Senate Committee on Communications, chaired by Sen. Gilbert Nnaji. The nominee representing the North East, Alhaji Aliyu Saidu Abubakar caused quite a furore after his submitted Curriculum Vitae showed his highest qualification to be a Diploma in Computer from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. The diploma was only obtained after he was nominated in September. When asked by the committee if his lack of stellar educational track record would affect his performance, he said he did not bother to go for the credentials. He explained further that he only went to school merely for knowledge having been self-employed prior to the nomination. Aliyu Abubakar criticized the Senate and insisted it was only an avenue for wastage to the public purse and suggested that Nigeria adopt a unicameral legislature. Nigerian newspaper headlines October 20 Guardian The Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), has provided no fewer than 61 indigent rural dweller free surgical operations during her Community Health Outreach, where a total of 1314 patients in its medical care outreach progamme have so far undergone various medical screening, test and others diagnosed of various ailments. Punch In its bid to remove obstacles to the supply of affordable housing units across the country, the Federal Government has commenced the pilot phase of the National Housing Programme with the sum of N35bn. Thisday The trial of former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, for the N2.1billion the allegedly collected from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd), commenced yesterday before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja with the prosecution calling on its first witness to give evidence in the case. Vanguard ExxonMobil, United States-based international oil company has divested its downstream operations in Nigeria, following the acquisition of 60 percent equity at Mobil Oil Nigeria (MON) Plc, by Nipco Plc, an indigenous downstream oil and gas company. Premium Times The Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, has denied any involvement in the alleged illegal repatriation of over $13 billion by telecom giant, MTN. Leadership In a move to diversify the economy, the federal government yesterday approved N30 billion intervention funds for the mining sector which will be focused on exploration. The Nation Detained former Minister of State (Defence) Musiliu Obanikoro yesterday made more revelations on how the N4.745billion wired to a company linked to him by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was shared. The Sun Nine days after an emergency meeting on the arrests of some of its judges nationwide, the National Judicial Council (NJC) has said although judges have no immunity from arrests, the judiciary is still an independent arm of government that should be accorded respect and Due Process. National Mirror A Federal High Court judge, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, has again spurned the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Ofili-Ajumogobia, who was expected to honour the EFCC invitation in respect to the ongoing probe into the alleged corrupt practices in the judiciary failed to appear yesterday. A Nigerian soldier has been sentenced to three years in a jail by a court-martial sitting for mutilating a ten-year-old boy in Maiduguri. Staff Sergeant Umar Sule tied ten-year-old Sale Mohammed to a pole and then bound his hands after the boy stole N2,000 from him. He went on to flog the boy for over seven hours. Sale Mohammed lost the use of one hand while the other was amputated by doctors. Staff Sergeant Umar Sule has also been stripped of all rank. The court-martial was petitioned by the National Human Rights Commission, which is also pursuing monetary compensation for the family. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has been sued by Patience Jonathan over using online, print and electronic media to publish unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15 million. According to the organisation, the wife of the former President of Nigeria has sued for alleged campaign of calumny . The Executive Director of SERAP, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, revealed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday. Mumuni disclosed that on Tuesday, SERAP received court papers from a court bailiff dated Oct. 6. He said the papers indicated that Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance sued for themselves and on behalf of Mrs Jonathan. He said the plaintiffs want a court order to restrain SERAP from taking any further steps in using the media to condemn and convict Patience Jonathan. The suit was filed FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 in a Federal High Court, Lagos, against the human rights group. Mumuni also said SERAP was served a separate application to be joined in suit FHC/L/CS/1318/2016 earlier filed by SERAP against the Attorney General of the Federation over allegations of $15 million unexplained wealth against Mrs Johnathan. Mumuni, who rejected accusations said, At no time did SERAP suggest or even hint that Patience was guilty of the allegations against her. SERAP will never, in the discharge of its mandates, succumb to any intimidation, harassment and attacks in any way, shape or form. On the contrary, what SERAP has said is that the fact that the 15 million U.S. dollar found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source of the money. Mumuni stated further that SERAP had not engaged in any campaign against Mrs Johnathan or any other politically exposed persons for that matter. He said SERAPs suit was filed against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami. Its a joke to accuse SERAP of trying to coerce the Attorney General to perform his constitutional duty as this is for the court to decide, he said. SEE ALSO: Patience wont go scot-free if found guilty EFCC A student has been reported to have jumped from a high school window at the second floor in order to skip a test. The incident involving a female student in Asbury Park High School happened on Wednesday in New Jersey, USA. Officer Michael Casey, spokesman for the Asbury Park Police Department, said the 15-year-old student leaped from a second-floor window at the high school at 8:44 a.m. local time because she didnt want to take a test. The teen was taken to the hospital for treatment for a broken ankle and for an evaluation, he added. School officials said the high school was conducting PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test) on Wednesday for freshman, sophomores and juniors, and that there was a delayed opening for seniors. The student who jumped is a sophomore who arrived at school around before 7:47 a.m. and reported to homeroom, according to school officials. They said that rather than go to her assigned testing location, she went to the second-floor ladies bathroom on the buildings east side and climbed out of the window in an effort to leave the building. The student fell to the ground, and yelled for help, the officials added. Nurses from the school and a neighbouring school were said to have attended to her until emergency services arrived. The student was later transported to a medical centre for treatment and evaluation. Its unfortunate that one of our students took extreme measures to exit the building, which resulted in her being injured, Superintendent Lamont Repollet said. Our priority is to have a safe learning environment where we take the safety and security of all of our students very seriously. He also added that counsellors would be made available to staff and students who may have been affected. Here are our top stories for today, October 20, 2016: Talk about a low blow! As rumours run wild that Funke Akindele deliberately shunned the wedding of her once close friend, Femi Adebayo last weekend, sources close to the actress have reportedly revealed why she didnt attend the nuptials. Read for the shocking reason. It doesnt get any more Eminem than this as the rapper dropped a seven-minute track titled Campaign speech in which he took Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump to the cleaners. Trumps supporters were not spared either! Read to know contents of the track. Republican candidate, Donald Trump faced off with his Democratic Party candidate, Hillary Clinton in the third and final U.S Presidential debate. Read to know the biggest takeaways from the debate. Barack and Michelle Obama hosted their final state dinner at the White House on Tuesday night. The First Lady dazzled the crowd in a floor-length rose gold Atelier Versace gown as she joined her husband to welcome guests. Read to see pictures of the glamorous event. It is now four games without a win for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola and questions will be asked. Manchester City travelled to Camp Nou hoping to get a respectable result against Barcelona but ultimately, they were well beaten. Read to know the match details. Google saw a surge in searches of the term Donald Trump Iraq during the third and final presidential debate yesterday, when Donald Trump once again denied that he supported the invasion of Iraq in 2003. His rival in the debate, Hillary Clinton wanted everyone to know thats not the case and begged voters to Google Donald Trump Iraq for fact-checkingand they listened. Google it. Youll see dozens of sources verifying that he supported the invasion of Iraq, and you can hear the audio of him saying it, the Democratic nominee said. The audio the former Secretary of State was referring to is from a 2002 interview Trump did with Howard Stern, six months before the Iraq invasion. When the radio show host asked Donald if he was in favor of the Iraq war, he responded, Yeah, I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly. Still, during yesterdays debate, Donald continued to deny ever saying this. I opposed going in, he said. And I did oppose it, despite the media saying no, yes, no. I opposed going in. Firmenich honoured by Indonesia Firmenich has received the PRIMADUTA Presidential Award which recognises international companies which contribute to the Indonesian economy and practice the most outstanding local business leadership. Firmenich has received the PRIMADUTA Presidential Award from the President of the Republic of Indonesia. This annual award recognises international companies which contribute to the Indonesian economy and practice the most outstanding local business leadership. With a presence in this strategic market since 1974, Firmenich says it was recognised for its longstanding business excellence in Indonesia, grounded in strong local business ties and commitment to responsible and sustainable growth. I am proud to bestow this award on Firmenich for their excellence in business and their historical commitment to making a positive impact in the region, says Mr. Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of Trade of Indonesia, speaking on behalf of President Joko Widodo. Not only has Firmenich been creating economic opportunities in the region for over four decades and investing in manufacturing facilities, but the company has also brought significant social value through its responsible sourcing programs, in particular working with patchouli smallholder farming communities in Java to ensure their sustainable livelihoods. We are very humbled and grateful to the President of Indonesia for honoring Firmenich with this prestigious business distinction, says Gilbert Ghostine, CEO, Firmenich. It recognizes 42 years of consistent investments in Indonesia to build stronger relationships with our local customers and winning solutions for their consumers. Building on Firmenichs legacy of responsible business, I am proud that our responsible sourcing of patchouli, in close collaboration with our partner Indesso is making such a difference in the region. Noting its commitment to the sustainable sourcing of its natural ingredients, Firmenich leads a local responsible sourcing project for patchouli in Indonesia alongside its partner Indesso. As part of its Naturals Together initiative, this project is working to shape the future of patchouli in the region as well as secure sustainable livelihoods for the local smallholder farmers at source. Through Naturals Together, Firmenich sources 150 natural ingredients and says it positively contributes to the lives of 250,000 farming families around the world. In 2013, Firmenich inaugurated a flavours manufacturing site, near Jakarta. The facility is dedicated to the production of the companys proprietary encapsulation technology, Durarome and supports the needs of its flavors customers in Indonesia and across South East Asia. Supporting Firmenichs global strategy to invest in high-growth markets, this facility has, says the company, allowed it increased intimacy with its customers in Indonesia and the broader region. Cotton Settles Red on Monday Barchart - Mon Oct 31, 4:45PM CDT A wide ranged session from +133 points to -168 points ultimately settled with Dec cotton 11 points in the red at 72 c/lb flat. The other front months traded similarly, but closed weaker with losses of... CTZ22 : 72.00s (-0.15%) CTH23 : 71.64s (-0.60%) CTK23 : 71.85s (-0.62%) Cattle Close Weaker on Monday Barchart - Mon Oct 31, 4:45PM CDT October fat cattle futures dropped $3.60 on Monday to expire at $146.77. The other front months closed firmer with losses limited to 52 cents. Feeder cattle closed Monday down by 25 cents to $1 in the... LEV22 : 146.775s (-2.39%) LEZ22 : 152.475s (-0.34%) LEG23 : 155.825s (-0.32%) GFX22 : 177.625s (-0.14%) GFF23 : 179.450s (-0.51%) Mixed Monday for Hog Market Barchart - Mon Oct 31, 4:45PM CDT Lean hog futures ended the Monday round of trading with a 40 cent loss in Feb and a $1.17 loss for December. The other front months closed with $0.85 to $1.02 gains. That widened Aprils premium to Dec... HEZ22 : 84.925s (-1.36%) HEJ23 : 93.600s (+0.97%) KMZ22 : 95.475s (-0.68%) Double Digit Gains for Corn Barchart - Mon Oct 31, 4:45PM CDT Corn futures worked lower off their initial strength out of the weekend to close the gaps. July futures met their objective but the nearby contracts left just a little room on their daily charts. The afternoon... ZCZ22 : 689-0 (-0.36%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.8247 (+1.57%) ZCH23 : 693-6 (-0.43%) ZCK23 : 692-6 (-0.43%) Soy Futures Gain on Monday Barchart - Mon Oct 31, 4:45PM CDT Beans closed the first trade day of the week with double digit gains of at least 1% in the front months. November got above its $14/bu mark for the closing bell on a 1.39% gain. Meal futures faded back... ZSX22 : 1404-2 (-0.20%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.7181 (+1.75%) ZSF23 : 1418-0 (-0.11%) ZSH23 : 1425-4 (-0.14%) Livestock Report Walsh Trading - Mon Oct 31, 4:15PM CDT Hogs retreat UIC: Quick Rise of Tensions in Relations between the USA and Azerbaijan The United States position on Nagorno Karabakh conflict has recently resulted in some tensions in the relations between the USA and Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh In his letter to Barack Obama on the occasion of US Independence Day back on July 4 of 2016, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev expressed his hope that the efforts of the United States in the settlement of Nagorno Karabagh conflict will bring positive results. However, already in October, Aliev put into doubt the mediation role of the United States as a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group. Such a change in attitude towards Washington is probably related to the statement the US Secretary of State John Kerry made in October. In particular, the Secretary of State claimed that currently there are no proper conditions for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict as the leaders of the conflict parties are not ready for that. Aliev gave an extremely harsh response to this statement during a Government session: This statement is surprising, to say the least. It is unfair to blame Azerbaijan for the unresolved conflict. We do not accept such statements. We believe that in the nearest future, such expressions should be changed on the highest level. Otherwise, the mediation mission may be put into doubt, Aliev said, mentioning that pressure is being exerted on Azerbaijan in the negotiation process in order to recognize Nagorno Karabakhs status. In fact, such a response to US Secretary of State John Kerrys statement testifies that a new stage of tensions in Washington-Baku relations may start. Human Rights Currently, the main controversies between Azerbaijan and the USA concern the human rights and freedom of speech limitations in Azerbaijan. The tensions between the sides reached the culminating point at the end of 2014, when the office of Radio Liberty in Baku was closed after the arrest of a famous journalist Khadija Ismayilova. Then US President Barack Obama stated that there are serious issues in Azerbaijan related to human rights and freedom of speech. It is not a coincidence that a few famous political prisoners were released in Azerbaijan in spring of 2016, after April war and before Alievs departure to participate in the Nuclear Security Summit held in the USA. In that way, Azerbaijan wished to get Washingtons positive position in order to use it later in the negotiations over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. However, the unfavorable course of negotiations made Azerbaijan withhold from that strategy. At the end of summer and especially in September, on the eve of the Constitutional referendum, Bakus authorities restarted political pressures, which have brought to renewed tensions in the Azerbaijani-American relations. Against this backdrop, of crucial importance is the interview given by the American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick to the Russian Interfax agency, in which the diplomat reminds about the ban by the US Congress on selling arms to Azerbaijan. And, in fact, he states that the United States do not provide arms to the conflicting sides. It is also worth noting that the Azerbaijan US relations are currently in such a critical condition that US President Barack Obama did not congratulate Aliev on the 25th anniversary of Azerbaijans independence on October 18. Instead, the US Embassy in Baku issued a statement on October 19, in which it congratulated Azerbaijan on the anniversary of its independence and reminded Azerbaijans authorities about human rights, freedom of speech and peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Vahe Ghukasyan Union of Informed Citizens Willard McLane, head of corporate and investment banking at Citigroups Asia operations, was recently reminiscing at a major gathering of Asian investors in Shanghai. A decade ago, he recalled, most of his clients were global multinationals and asset owners. Not today. Many of my clients and partners today are Asian institutional investors, which was not the case ten years ago, McLane said, adding that the rapid growth of the Asian economy over the past 30 years has only lately given rise to a new generation of homegrown investors who are making their weight felt globally. Among Asian investors, according to research firm Dealogic, the Chinese stand out with the most global impact in recent years. During the first nine months of 2016, Chinese deal makers announced 601 outbound mergers and acquisitions worth a total of $173.9 billion, surpassing rivals from the U.S. who have for years led the M&A league tables. The milestone also came with a record number of withdrawals, however, as 42 of the Chinese-initiated deals, collectively worth $35.8 billion, fell through after many hit regulatory hurdles. Many of the failures occurred in the U.S., where members of the Congressional-linked Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, use national security concerns to reject the sale of sensitive high-technology assets to foreign buyers. The increasing number of obstacles that many Asian investors face was a key factor in the formation of the Asia Institutional Investors Alliance, which drew more than 200 Asian deal makers to its first summit, on October 12 through 14. Held at Shanghais famous Xijiao State Guest Hotel, the three-day event was packed with panel discussions and deal making on the sidelines. Rising economic and political uncertainty combined with populism, extremism, and xenophobia are issues that concern Asian deal makers the most, announced Kevin Lee, executive vice chair of Shanghai-based China Minsheng Investment Group (CMIG), during the opening proceedings, which were hosted by Lee and other top CMIG executives. Affiliated with China Minsheng Bank, the countrys leading private sector retail bank, CMIG is known for a number of its offshore deals. Its recent actions include the $2.6 billion acquisition this year of European reinsurer Sirius International Insurance Group. Just last month CMIG bought the London office tower of Societe Generale for $112 million. We feel there are significant opportunities for cooperation and communication among Asian investors, said Lee, adding that Asian deal makers can be far more effective when they cooperate, rather than compete, in global markets. Effective dialogue can be achieved among all investors in Asia in this alliance, including co-development and investments and sharing resources. Asian investors aggressive outward march is happening at a time of mounting geopolitical and economic risks, says Roland Berger, founder of the eponymous Munich-based consulting firm. Many people today are worried about Chinas slowdown, but Chinas slowdown is really connected to the outbreak of the global financial crisis, notes Berger, who is an adviser to the newly formed alliance. He cautions that the crisis is not really yet over. We see several crises that are still ongoing, including the crisis in Europe today. The alliance will hold regular summits around the region, says Calvin Choi, president of CMIGs operations in Hong Kong, as part of an ongoing effort among major Asia-based private equity firms and fund houses to share mutual resources, especially knowledge, insight, and experience. Many Asian deal makers certainly need more instructional advice in their offshore ventures, says Xu Weichuan, head of Washington-based International Finance Corp.s China and Mongolia office. Xu notes that the IFC whose primary focus as recently as a decade ago was on helping global investors with their Asian market entry strategies is today concentrating its Asia operations on assisting local entrepreneurs with their global acquisition strategies. Most Asian enterprises, especially those in China, are under 30 years old, and theyre run by young entrepreneurs who have not experienced too many economic downturns, as they all grew in an environment of fast growth and got used to it, Xu explains. Many have gone overseas and made acquisitions, but many lack understanding of local laws, environmental regulations, labor laws, the political environment. In other words, he says, many Asian deal makers need help sharpening their skills. The Asia Institutional Investors Alliance will play a key role in providing just that in particular by hosting regular seminars in which Asian deal makers can learn from a wide range of global M&A experts, says CMIGs Lee. The alliance will offer roundtable discussions throughout the region, Lee says. We will build effective communication among all Asian investors. Our goal ultimately is connecting global capital with Asian capital. STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Google Ad Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens Clyde & Co, a global law firm that focuses on the core sectors of insurance, aviation, energy, infrastructure, marine, and trade, has announced the uncontested election of Simon Konsta to the role of senior partner, effective 1 November 2016.In his new role, Konsta will serve as chairman of the firms global management board, and will work closely with its regional boards in MEA, APAC, Americas, and UK and Europe, the global management team, and Clyde & Co CEO Peter Hasson."One of the great strengths of this firm is that it has long been committed to a clear sector based growth strategy. My primary focus will be on maintaining that while broadening out our client programme across all sectors and regions so that we are ready for the next phase of our growth," Konsta said.Konsta was with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert since 1993, and was a key part of its successful merger with Clyde & Co in 2011. He joined the global management board in 2011 and was made global head of insurance in 2013. He has overseen the development of the firms client key account programme and was a key player in its expansion to a number of markets, including most recently, Scotland and Germany.Konsta maintains a legal practice focusing on commercial dispute resolution and professional liability, and has acted on a number of landmark professional negligence actions for technology, property, accounting, and consulting firms.Hasson acknowledged Kostas leadership experience with the firm, saying: "Simon has been at the heart of the leadership of Clyde & Co for a number of years and, as global head of insurance, has led the development of our largest global sector group.He has been appointed senior partner on the back of unanimous support from the global board as well as strong backing from across our regions and practice areas. Having Simon as senior partner working with our global board and our increasingly important regional management teams provides us with a strong framework for future growth."His predecessor, James Burns, who will take on a new role as head of the Americas, also on 1 November, added: "Simon and I have worked together on the board over recent years. He will make an excellent senior partner and I look forward to continuing to work with him." Construction and contractors plant specialist MECON Insurance has announced its expansion to the New Zealand market to offer Kiwis a flexible range of construction-sector insurance products. Glenn Ross , CEO of MECON and a Kiwi, has expressed delight in the opening of MECONs first New Zealand office in Auckland, saying: The plan was always to export our successful business model, now in its fourteenth year, back to my first home.With common risk profiles in construction globally, the business is relatively straightforward to implement in New Zealand. Having built the business to its current size in Australia, we now have the capability to work in the New Zealand market at all risk levels.MECONs tie-up with AIG has enabled the underwriter to provide insurance for virtually any kind of construction risk.Mike Raines, CEO of AIG New Zealand, commented: AIG has great respect for MECON. We are very excited about the possibilities and look forward to building a successful partnership with Glenn and his team.Ross also commented on the partnership, saying: The synergy with AIG in New Zealand and Australia has exceeded expectations. AIGs support of MECON into the New Zealand market will achieve several long term goals for both companies. Beginning Dec. 1, New Yorks oldest insurance producers group will be under the leadership of a new state executive for the first time in 20 years. Lisa K. Lounsbury has been named interim President and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. (IIABNY). Lounsbury, who currently serves as IIABNY Senior Vice President, will officially assume the organizations top staff position. Lisa has been a key part of IIABNYs success since she first joined the association 17 years ago, said Richard A. Poppa, IIABNYs retiring President and CEO, in a press release issued by the group. Our members can expect a smooth transition since Lisa has had day-to-day management of the associations operations since she arrived in 1999. During her tenure, Lounsbury also oversaw the activities and revenue generation of IAAC, Inc., the associations service corporation. Previously, Lounsbury was employed as a product specialist in the specialty division for Great American Insurance in Cincinnati, Ohio. She started her career at Great American as an agency operations representative for the insurers commercial lines division, developing an agency plant in Pittsburgh, Penn., and underwriting new business. Lounsbury then moved back to Great Americans home office in Cincinnati and assumed the role of implementation coordinator for the companys national commercial lines interface initiative. In 2005, Lounsbury served a one-year term on the Professional Liability Committee for the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. She was also a member of several sub-committees for IIABA including: alternative markets subcommittee, loss control working group, minimum audit standards committee and authorized markets working group. She currently serves on the board of directors of IIABAs Big I Reinsurance Co. and Agency Administrative Services, Inc. Source: IIABNY Topics Agencies Third Point Reinsurance Ltd., co-founded by hedge-fund manager Dan Loeb, likened the risk of mergers and acquisitions to picking a spouse without being aware of how much can go wrong. Just like marriage, in M&A the 20 percent that work are so beautiful it inspires us all in the industry about the possible benefits of finding a partner, Chief Executive Officer John Berger said Wednesday at a conference. However, 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Third Point Re has resisted the temptation to pursue a deal as insurers have increasingly been seeking acquisitions or selling themselves to rivals in combinations that add scale and diversify risks. Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. acquired Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. last year and then agreed this month to sell itself to Japans Sompo Holdings Inc. Berger and Loeb, who oversees investments for the reinsurer, are under pressure to improve shareholder returns. Third Point Re slipped 5 cents to $12.30 at 10:45 a.m. in New York [on Oct. 19], trailing the $12.50 price from the 2013 initial public offering. The company doesnt pay a dividend. Fact of Life Bergers remarks build on comments he made last year about the risks of M&A for Bermuda-based Third Point Re. Potential merger partners in the U.S. and Europe typically face more restrictions on investment portfolios, which could detract from the strategy of allowing Loeb to use his hedge-fund approach, Berger said at a 2015 conference. Berger said its still too early to evaluate the prospects for Chubb Ltd., which was formed in January when Evan Greenbergs Ace Ltd. acquired Chubb Corp. for more than $29 billion. But he predicted more deals in the industry. Consolidation is a fact of life, Berger said Wednesday at an event held by S&P Global Inc. in New York. The stars are aligned well for more activity in the near future. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Asta, the third party managing agent at Lloyds, announced it has received in principle approval from the Lloyds Franchise Board to establish and manage Verto Quota Share Syndicate 2689. Initially, Verto Syndicate 2689 plans to underwrite proportional reinsurance of Lloyds syndicates and related parties attaching from Jan. 1, 2017. The new syndicate is 100 percent capitalized by private and institutional investors advised by Hampden Agencies, which represents more than 50 percent of private capital at Lloyds and will operate via an innovative structure that allows private capital a more flexible and commercial way to participate at Lloyds than has been previously available. Peter Mills will be the syndicates active underwriter. He has more than 30 years of industry experience and successful track record. Mills was most recently head of Global Specialty Reinsurance & EMEA P&C for Endurance Re in Switzerland. Previously he held senior roles at respected industry businesses including Tokio Millennium Re, Cologne Re and XL. It is a privilege to be working with Hampden Capital on this pioneering syndicate that marks a real step change in the way private capital is able to access the market, said Asta CEO Julian Tighe. Astas track record of launching underwriting businesses, combined with our expertise and best practice approach, means Verto Syndicate 2689 and its private investors will have all the necessary support and management needed to succeed, he added. Verto Syndicate 2689 is an important strategic initiative by Hampden to broaden access to underwriting opportunities for Hampdens clients, said Hampden Agencies CEO Neil Smith. The new syndicate transforms the provision of private capital by expanding the range of options to include the Verto syndicate which will underwrite a diversified portfolio of proportional reinsurance contracts, Smith continued. We believe that Syndicate 2689 is a natural evolution of how Hampden supplies capital to the Lloyds market and will be attractive to syndicates not previously supported by private capital. About Asta Asta Capital Ltd. is the parent company of Asta Insurance Markets Ltd., Asta Managing Agency Ltd., Asta Insurance Services Ltd., Asta Management Services Ltd., and Asta Underwriting Management Ltd. As a leading third party managing agent at Lloyds, Asta Managing Agency Ltd. is responsible for eight syndicates with capacity under management in 2016 of approximately 1 billion ($1.2 billion). Source: Asta Capital Ltd. Topics Excess Surplus Underwriting Lloyd's Human Resources U.S. Sen. John Thune is requesting federal disaster aid for ranchers affected by a large prairie fire in western South Dakota that has destroyed buildings and killed livestock. Thune wrote to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, asking for immediate aid to ranchers affected by the Cottonwood Fire. Thune notes that many of the ranchers were hit by a winter storm three years ago. The fire started Sunday afternoon east of Wall and is now estimated to have burned 65 square miles. The Rapid City Journal reports that officials used GPS mapping to make the estimate, which is up substantially from an earlier figure of 48 square miles. Authorities say the blaze was human-caused but theyre still investigating how it started. It has scorched private land and part of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. About 300 firefighters from 10 western counties fought the blaze at its peak. The fire destroyed numerous rural buildings, though no homes. It also killed 137 farm animals and injured even more. There were no reports of people being injured. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Agribusiness The state of Kansas plans to appeal a jurys ruling that ordered it to pay $120,000 to the family of a 2007 car crash victim who died after a state trooper demanded she be sent to Missouri hospitals rather than a closer one in Kansas. The Kansas Court of Appeals earlier this month upheld the 2014 jury award related to Kristin Saragusas death, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported. The Kansas Attorney Generals Office will ask the Kansas Supreme Court to review the case, spokeswoman Jennifer Rapp Montgomery said. Authorities said Charles Barker was fleeing a trooper after an attempted traffic stop when his car crossed into oncoming lanes and collided with a car occupied by Saragusa. An ambulance carrying Saragusa initially was sent to a Kansas hospital four minutes away. But it was rerouted at another troopers behest, eventually to two Missouri hospitals, keeping her in an ambulance for 16 minutes. Saragusa died three minutes before arriving at the second Missouri trauma center, the newspaper reported. Saragusas family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. During the trial, jurors awarded $1.2 million to the womans children and estate. and assessed the states blame at 10 percent, putting its liability at $120,000. Jurors cleared the trooper who gave chase to Barker of wrongdoing. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, which oversees the paramedics who treated Saragusa, agreed to a settlement that is to pay Saragusas children $325,000 over 30 years. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Missouri Kansas Insurers in the U.S. are increasingly willing to disclose their risk management practices related to climate change, and that in part may be attributable to last years global accord in Paris and shifting attitudes in the business world on the topic of sustainability, according to the author of a report out today. Sustainability leadership advocate Ceres assessed insurer disclosures on climate change risks in a report that the group said provides clear evidence of industry improvement, especially among property/casualty and life and annuity insurers. The report, Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey Report and Scorecard, evaluates and benchmarks the quality of responses from insurance companies in the annual National Association of Insurance Commissioners Climate Risk Disclosure Survey. While the majority disclosures from P/C insurers were rates to be of at least Moderate Quality, the report suggests there is still room for improvement. Only 22 of all insurers studied including 13 based in the U.S. earned the High Quality rating. In the last report, only two U.S. insurers got that high rating. However, overall the results showed marked improvement from responses analyzed in a report issued two years ago, according to Max Messervy, one of the authors of the report and the insurance program manager at Ceres. We are seeing that generally insurers, particularly in the property/casualty and life and annuity segments, improved their disclosure of climate risk and we welcome that, Messervy said. Insurers largely improved across the board from the last report, he said, adding two years ago the results were pretty underwhelming. Scoring Insurers In 2014, insurance regulators in California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington required insurers writing in excess of $100 million in premiums to fill out the NAIC survey. Those responses are collected each year and placed on the California Department of Insurance website for the public to see. Every other year Ceres assimilates the responses and analyzes them to create its report. This years report analyzes responses by 148 insurance companies, which in total represent nearly three-quarters of the U.S. insurance market in terms of direct premiums written as of 2014. A total of 375 insurance companies submitted surveys, but Ceres chose to examine data from insurers that comprised the vast majority of the market and to remove responses from smaller carriers that may not have had the resources to put into giving adequate replies to the survey. NAICs survey asks insurers questions about governance structures in place to address climate risk, climate risk management programs instituted across their enterprises, how they are using modeling tools to manage climate risks, how they are engaging with stakeholders on climate risk and how they are measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the improvements from two years ago, the report shows that most of the 148 insurers evaluated still lack focus in addressing climate risks and related opportunities. From their disclosures what we could tell was that theyre not really addressing climate risk in any sort of comprehensive way, Messervy said. Many responses lacked information about the impact climate change is expected to have across insurers lines of business, investments at risk because of climate change, underwriting practices and modeling, he said. What that usually means is that perhaps senior leadership and maybe the boards of directors are just not engaging this topic, he added. There was also a continued gap between the quality of disclosures made by U.S.-based insurers and European insurers writing business in the U.S., however domestic insurers made some improvement in the last two years, the report shows. Largest Insurers The largest insurers, those with more than $5 billion in direct written premiums, showed the most improvement, especially in terms of governance practices related to climate risk management, according to the report. Many life and annuity insurers also showed significant improvement. Health insurers, however, showed a continued general lack of understanding about climate risks, despite mounting scientific evidence that links climate change to increased morbidity and mortality impacts, the report states. P/C insurers and reinsurers face the most direct exposure to climate risks through the policies for homeowners, vehicles and businesses, so it stands to reason they performed the best in the report. As one would expect, especially as climate impacts worsen, the P&C segment is taking stronger action to manage both the risks and opportunities, the report states. Ceres scored companies on their responses using a 100-point scale. High Quality was the classification for disclosures earning 75 points or higher, Medium Quality was given for between 50 to 75 points, Low Quality disclosures were 25 to 50 points, and a Minimal Quality mantle was slapped on disclosures earning 25 points or lower. Overall, 25 percent of P/C insurers earned a High Quality rating and 27 percent earned the Medium Quality rating. Only 14 of the 64 P/C insurers in the survey earned a High Quality rating. Most insurers in the survey (64 percent) earned Low Quality or Minimal Quality ratings. Top-Rated Insurers The report breaks down aspects of reporting into several categories. One category is enterprise-wide climate risk management. The report assesses insurer climate risk responses across three aspects of the value chain: products and services, liquidity/capital management and investments. Insurers with leading practices identified in the report include Allianz and Swiss Re, which are engaging their boards of directors, allowing boards some oversight to address climate risk and giving them some mechanism where they get a climate risk report from a senior employee within the company at least annually. Other insurers identified to have leading practices include Erie, Nationwide and Munich Re. Munich Re is using the companys expertise in risk assessment to evaluate climate risks and opportunities of the companies it invests in, including establishing a special sustainability investment fund, the report shows. Nationwide conducts formal assessments of risk posed by climate change to its businesses and it examines what can be done and what capabilities the carrier has to respond, according to the report. Erie has an emerging risk program in which a number of climate-related risks were identified and prioritized. More than half of P/C insurers disclosed positive actions in the category of climate change modeling and analytics, with 34 percent earning a High Quality rating and 20 percent earning a Medium Quality rating. These companies are ensuring that the modelers are really engaging with climate change science and are going out and talking to climate change scientists, Messervy said. USAA and Liberty Mutual in their disclosures described how their catastrophe modeling units use the latest climate science research to inform their physical impact models. Fewer than one-in-five P/C insurers earned a High Quality rating in the stakeholder engagement category, which explores how insurers encourage policyholders to reduce climate-related risks, and whether companies are engaging constituencies on climate change. Several P/C insurers were cited for showing improvement over the last report. Chubb Group went from Low Quality in the last survey to High Quality in the most recent survey, as did FM Global. Several more insurers saw their rankings rise from Medium Quality to High Quality. They are: AIG, AXA, Nationwide, Tokio Marine, Travelers and WR Berkley. Insurers with more than $5 billion in direct written premium that earned Minimal Quality overall ratings include: American Financial Group, AMTrust Financial Services Inc., Assurant Inc. and Old Republic. Tide Is Turning I would say that the tide is beginning to turn with a number of U.S. based insurers across both property/casualty and life and annuities segments, Messervy said. Messervy gave some credit to the widely publicized run-up to the COP21 meeting in Paris at the end of last year for the greater disclosure among insurers of their climate risks. I would say that is certainly one of the influences I could see, he said. Messervy reasoned that the publicity surrounding the meeting promoted greater climate-related disclosure from companies because the meeting put the topic climate change at the forefront of the minds of executives, who realized there is a growing public interest for transparency and information on climate change risks. The buzz around the Paris agreement was likely compounded by noisy debate around the Obama administrations pursuit of the Clean Power Plan and other related greenhouse gas reducing measures, he added. So those sorts of things probably helped provide insurers the impetus to think further about the risk and start to address it and talk about it in the disclosure surveys, he said. Generally, the sentiments about sustainability have become far more mainstream in the business world. Recommendations Among the suggestions the authors make in the report are appointing a specific board committee responsible for overseeing climate risks, recruiting corporate directors with expertise in climate change-related topics and appointing a senior executive to oversee the companys climate risk management program. The reports authors also suggest companies consider carbon asset risk in their investment portfolios. One key recommendation for P/C insurers in the report states: P&C insurers have many key risk intermediaries that they work with on a regular basis, including reinsurers, brokers and catastrophe modelers. Primary insurers seeking additional expertise regarding their potential climate risk exposures can gain useful insights by engaging with these experts regarding advancements in climate science and climate risk modeling. Insurers can also form climate research partnerships with various academic and public institutions to better inform their underwriting strategies and modeling work. Related: Topics Carriers USA Property Casualty Climate Change Risk Management Max Messervy took a decidedly positive tack when pried again and again to reveal any negative reaction to a report he puts together every so often. Messervy, the insurance program manager at sustainability leadership advocate Ceres, is one of the authors of a biennial report that assesses insurer disclosures on climate change risks. The report more than likely rankles at least a few people Boston, Mass.-based Ceres works with insurers to open dialogues about preparing for and dealing with climate change, but their reports dont always portray all insurers in a great light especially U.S.-based insurers, which in the past two reports have shown to be lagging behind their European counterparts. Though U.S.-based insurers have improved report to report. Asked to discuss the responses he gets following a report, Messervy at first offered a few PRish replies, clearly sensitive to the fact the corporate world is being asked to give up information that is often closely held. Then, after repeated questions aimed at wearing him down, he relented. A bit. I would say that we get questions from skeptical people certainly, Messervy said. They dont necessarily believe that the science is as conclusive as the evidence that climate scientists have put forth. Beyond that, he said hes never been cussed out or sued over the reports, each of which evaluates and benchmarks the quality of responses from insurance companies in the annual National Association of Insurance Commissioners Climate Risk Disclosure Survey. The NAIC survey, which is required for insurers writing in excess of $100 million in premiums by regulators in California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington, asks several questions about business practices and lines of business. The challenge in the work that we try to do is that theyre difficult questions, and theyre difficult questions for companies to respond to, and we recognize that and we recognize that theyre often sensitive topics, Messervy said. The report covers 148 top insurers representing more than 70 percent of the U.S. market. Those carriers are among the largest insurers from the 375 that took the NAIC survey. Ceres weeded out smaller carriers, which dont tend to have the resources bigger carriers do to dedicate to the survey. Messervy believes even more large insurers may at some point be required to participate in the NAIC survey, and because of that the Ceres report will cover an even larger portion of the nations insurance market. More state regulators are said to be considering joining the six state insurance commissioners that require carriers to participate in the climate change disclosure survey. We have heard that there are at least a couple of states that are considering joining, he said. But he wasnt offering details on which states. The responses from the NAIC survey are collected each year and placed on the California Department of Insurance website for the public to see. Ceres assimilates those responses every two years and puts out a report. This years report, Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey Report and Scorecard, bodes better for insurers than the last report, which Messervy called pretty underwhelming. The latest report shows that insurers are increasingly willing to disclose their risk management practices related to climate change. And unlike the last report, in which only two U.S.-based insurers earned a High Quality rating, the current report shows 13 insurers based in the U.S. got that rating. Read an Insurance Journal story detailing findings in the report Messervy believes the run up to last years global meeting in Paris on climate change and shifting attitudes in the business world on the topic of sustainability have helped raise awareness among U.S.-based insurers for the need to deliver more information about what they are doing to be proactive about climate change. He also thinks companies are beginning to realize that this can be a valuable tool to attract quality employees, especially socially conscious millennials. Employees like to know that the company they work for is behaving well and ethically and thinking ahead into future and being good corporate citizens, Messervy said. The report calls out a response in the NAIC survey from The Hartford in which the carrier states that its branding as a green company plays an important part in employee recruitment and retention: Competition in property casualty insurance is intense. Companies are constantly looking for ways to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. We believe that companies that themselves demonstrate a strong, comprehensive and sustained approach to environmental stewardship and offer appropriate products at the appropriate price can build a green insurance brand. Also, in the war for talent, companies that can demonstrate a serious commitment to environmental stewardship are better positioned to attract and engage talented employees. While insurer responses improved from the last report, some were quick to point out that well over half of those in the report received low grades. Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, who has pushed for greater insurer disclosure on climate risk in the past, issued a statement earlier today following the Ceres report. Kreidler note that most of the insurers evaluated 64 percent of the companies earned Low Quality or Minimal Quality ratings are neither addressing climate risks, nor focusing on investment opportunities related to climate change. The changing climate affects consumers homes, transportation, their health and in some cases can be life-threatening, Kreidler said in the statement. I want to find out what insurance companies among the largest economic sectors in our nation are doing to prepare for the potential damage they are poised to pay for and if their assets will be stranded in carbon-based investments. Its Messervys hopes that the report opens up further dialogue between groups like his and the insurance community. We are hopefully going to be able to talk with key insurance industry groups and companies and figure out how we can help them address these risks and seize the opportunities that climate change presents to the insurance sector, Messervy said. After the previous report was released, Ceres had a number of conversations with carriers about the findings, and held a webinar attended by various insurers to discuss good disclosure practices. The thing that we are always open to is certainly conversations, he said. We are not just trying to wag fingers at industry, we are trying to share information. Past columns: Topics Carriers USA Climate Change Landowners in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, have filed a lawsuit against a railroad company over a chemical spill caused by a train derailment two decades ago. The Journal Record reported that public documents indicate a railcar spilled about 3,300 gallons of carbon tetrachloride in April 1995. The Federal Railroad Administration reported that several cars containing the hazardous materials derailed. Union Pacific Railroad Co. performed a voluntary cleanup and monitoring of the area, but Gary and Geraldine Mueggenborg said the company hasnt adequately remediated the spill site. The Mueggenborgs said the spill migrated to their land, causing a decrease in property value. They also said the spill has impaired their use of the property and caused agricultural losses. Union Pacific initially installed air sparging to remediate the groundwater, said an engineering report prepared last year. However, the wells did not go deep enough and the plume was wider than first thought, so they removed the system. Union Pacific is now working on two pilot studies to remedy the situation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the spilled chemical known as carbon tetrachloride is now banned from use in consumer products, but has been previously used as a pesticide, cleaning agent and in production of refrigerant and aerosol propellant. The claims against the company include public and private nuisance, trespass, negligence and unjust enrichment. The Mueggenborgs have asked for at least $75,000 in damages. A Union Pacific spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said the company continues to work with Oklahoma to remediate the spill. Topics Lawsuits Pollution Oklahoma Chemicals A federal jury in Houston has convicted three executives from a physical therapy chain for their roles in submitting about $9.6 million in false and fraudulent claims for healthcare services that werent provided to patients. U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson in Houston says the officials with Team Work Ready were convicted on conspiracy, health care fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. The Houston-based company has clinics in five states, including Texas and Louisiana. Company officials convicted on Oct. 17 were: CEO Jeffrey Eugene Rose Sr.; chief financial officer Pamela Annette Rose; and vice president of operations Frankie Lee Sanders. Sanders and Jeffrey Rose will remain in custody while Pamela Rose will remain free on bond. Each faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced in January. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Officials say a new pool of mosquitoes taken from Miami Beach has tested positive for Zika. A Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control news release says officials learned about the new pool Monday. The insects had been collected from a trap Oct. 5. The new pool is in the previously designated Zika transmission zone. A large portion of Miami Beach remains an active Zika infection zone. Officials announced last week that several people had been infected with Zika in a 1-square-mile area of Miami just north of the Little Haiti neighborhood. Last month, another transmission zone in Miamis Wynwood district had been cleared. As of Tuesday, Zika infections had been reported in 1,040 people in Florida. Most caught the virus while traveling outside the U.S., but 163 cases arent travel related. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine will join forces with the San Diego Police Department to reduce alcohol-impaired driving among San Diego youth between the ages of 15 to 20. Helped by funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the UC San Diego Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety Program will contribute to SDPDs Teen Alcohol Awareness Program by implementing an evaluation component and delivering sessions to parents about how to most effectively communicate with their kids about drinking and driving. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 74 percent of youth under age 18 identify their parents as the leading influence in their decisions about drinking. Classes hosted at the SDPD headquarters educate teenagers and parents about the dangers of driving under the influence, as well as the responsibilities of social hosting and the penalties for violating current local ordinances. Aditionally, SDPD and Social Advocates for Youth San Diego will collaborate with UC San Diego School of Medicine to deliver sober driving education at local high schools and implement a social media campaign focusing on prevention and intervention strategies. October 16 through 22 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. Topics Education Training Development Universities Steven Zimmerman has joined XL Catlins broker and client management team as client distribution leader in Los Angeles, Calif. He reports to Mike Soper, XL Catlins U.S. West regional broker and client management leader. Zimmerman has more than 20 years of business development and broker. He was most senior vice president of Gallagher Bassett Services. XL Catlin is the global brand used by XL Group Ltd. insurance and reinsurance companies, which provide property/casualty, professional and specialty products. Topics California Leadership AXA XL The increased focus on digitalization in insurance means talented technologists have lots of opportunities to apply their innovations. Thats something that makes Esurance such a great fit for Nandini Easwar, the companys director of quality assurance and IT compliance. The changes and the innovation in this industry are really groundbreaking, she says. Its really been very attractive to me to ride along with that and stay ahead of the curve. Easwars entry into the insurance industry follows a familiar pattern: She was working in financial services in her home town of Philadelphia, for the Susquehanna International Group investing firm. She eventually left that job to relocate to the Bay Area, where she worked in human resources technology. In 2006, she joined Esurance because she wanted to return to the financial services sector. Esurances unique position both as an insurance carrier, and as one of the Valleys many dot-com companies, made it a leading indicator of the coming focus on changing the way insurance is sold to reflect the e-commerce age. Just until a few a years ago, when you thought of insurance, you thought of a lot of paperwork, she says. Esurance has been a pioneer on that front in how weve switched from traditionally buying from an agent and [doing] it all online. Over her time with the company, Easwar has made many contributions to that transformation. After Esurance was acquired by Allstate in 2011, the company benefited from an infusion of cash but pressure mounted to deliver results. In order to improve speed to market for new homeowners and renters lines of business that Allstate wanted Esurance to offer, Easwar developed a parallel releases technique to leverage work that was being done across projects more efficiently. We had to precede the launches by building out the core apps to be able to support that kind of product line, she explains. The idea was to split it and go forward. She gave the business units and the larger IT organization several vehicles to launch projects, allowing them to be nimble by breaking them down into smaller units for greater efficiency and quality. Easwar also developed a testing center of excellence, which is credited with improving the alignment between the business units and QA testers while reducing costs. She also is leading the construction of a new test automation framework, with the goal of not only testing faster, but also help navigate the state-based insurance regulation system in an automated way, so that Esurance can get products to market faster without hitting localized snags. Easwar is a champion of professional development within Esurance. She is a founding member of the companys Womens Innovative Network employee resource group, but notes that its charter is to help women and men prepare for their jobs and compete in the workforce. When you think about something like return to work, we want to help all associates, she says. Though long absences are generally associated with pregnancy and childbirth, there are a lot of men who may be out for leave of absence or surgery, and it can be difficult for them too. Today, the Womens Innovative Network has several chapters across Esurances many local offices. Since the Allstate acquisition, the parent company has been very supportive of the networks efforts. Allstate also has a resource group to help out with employee development, thats a very similar model to ours, she says. Easwar also cites Six Degrees of Esurance, a TED Talk-style series, as fostering unification within the company. A few executives have participated in creating content about our strategies, she explains. It fosters a sense of inclusion in the organization. As a child, Jayne Olsen gained an early appreciation for the insurance industry after witnessing her home badly flood, thanks to a malfunctioning pipe. Our insurance company played an important role in rebuilding most of the walls and floors, she says. It was hard to endure the process of rebuilding, but I was thankful my family did not have to worry about the financial burden. So when Olsen had the chance to leave management consultanting firm Ernst & Young in 2004 for an IT management role at Swiss Re, she jumped at the opportunity. Now, as the reinsurers head of analytics in North America, Olsen is charged with turning Swiss Re from a data-supported organization into a data-driven one. Under her leadership, Swiss Re has turned to an outside-in approach to build out its global analytics strategy: That is, the goal is to identify analytics best practices from other industries that fit Swiss Res business model. Olsen leveraged a partnership with IBM to bring in outside speakers to educate Swiss Re staff on topics impacting the industry. Additionally, she has embedded in-house data scientists within different business units, serving the same purpose. Many industries have embraced tech in unique ways and I think there are important lessons we can learn from sectors like retail, for example, Olsen says. Our normal processes might work, but it doesnt mean it is the best way to do it over time. Recruiting additional talent is also on the agenda for University of Albany graduate; who currently leads a growing group of 45 data scientists spread across the reinsurers global and U.S. analytics business units. Olsen recently launched a hiring campaign in search of individuals familiar with machine learning, natural language processing and cognitive computing, she said. Initial recruitment began in December 2015 with Swiss Res Hackathon event in New York Cityan initiative Olsen spearheaded with IBM. It was a first of its kind event and a great starting point to kick-off the recruiting process, says Olsen. Swiss Re is not a brand technologists may think of. Many were not aware of insurance in general as a tech career. The Swiss company has gone on to host two additional Hackathon events, including HackZurich in September. However, recruitment is still not over. Developing Swiss Res analytics capabilities is very much a long-term play. Olsen and her colleagues frequently visit universities to meet students graduating in data science. Like many other large carriers, Swiss Re is working to harness the insurance industrys large amount of data through predictive underwriting, predictive modelling the Internet of Things. Olsen and her team also want to properly leverage emerging technologies; particularly, artificial intelligence and blockchain. The technologies have the potential to change the way Swiss Re assesses risk and engages with customers and other financial services companies, she says. Olsen formally mentors two Swiss Re employees, as part of the reinsurers diversity and inclusion (D&I) program. The network is comprised of 35 D&I Championssenior managers from different business areas, according to the company. Upon becoming D&I champion of IT, Olsen helped create a mentoring network within the unit itself, alongside Swiss Res executive IT management team. Olsen says that the insurance industry has improved a lot in the last decade in offering mentorships and growth opportunities to a wide range of workers. Navigating a career while balancing family and personal values is difficult, she says. But insurers now looks at mentoring from a diversity point of view, she adds. Employees come from different backgrounds and are each diverse in their own way. Insurance isnt the only industry thats been rocked by changing customer appetites and attitudes. The media world was arguably one of the first to see major changes in how its product was consumed. It was in that world where Farmers head of digital, Amanda Reierson, honed skills that she brought to the insurer. Before coming to the insurance industry, Reierson worked for the Los Angeles Times, DirecTV, and Yahoo in b-to-b and b-to-c marketing roles. At Farmers, she is responsible for all the companys digital assets, as well as its CRM strategy and customer experience. She says that theres lots of opportunity to improve insurances reputation. Weve moved to a real on-demand, 24/7 environment for all kinds of brands, Reierson says. Customers are used to having what they want when they want it its a self-serve world. That doesnt mean that Reierson came into Farmers like a whirlwind upending the established agent channel. A major part of her job, she says, is enabling agents to focus on what theyre best at, and let corporate pick up other tasks. Our agents really thrive on the one-on-one engagements with customers, she says. Were answering customers needs as far as self-service, but the beauty of digital is that it takes some of the simple tasks off an agents desk. Throughout Reiersons tenure, Farmers has recorded an increase in leads generated online. From there, she says, its about the handoff to agents and making sure that they have the materials they need to succeed in the digital world. Reierson recently launched an initiative to deliver new, standardized websites for 14,000 Farmers agents, and has guided a unified social media strategy from the brand down to the agent over the course of her four-year Farmers career. If Im doing my job right, Im getting all those digital tools out there so agents can do whats right for them, she explains. We find that social media really humanizes our agents, and we have a program around it where we publish content that agents can use to push out to their own customers. When were really delivering on that brand promise and trying to give customers added value, that is a whole movement bigger than just social. Digital transformation isnt just about new technologies, Reierson says. Its also about culture, and she is working to develop an innovative one at Farmers. Through that culture of innovation not only are we moving into more agile delivery models, but also looking at the startup community and where we see potential technology innovators we can bring in to help achieve our goals, Reierson says. We always want to be one of the first movers. The great thing about digital is that its a great test-and-learn platform On the professional development side, Reierson is part of Farmers Womens Inclusion Network of mentors and role models, and is one of the groups most sought- after mentors. Recently, she created and led a workshop on building a personal brand and provided women at Farmers with her perspective on how to build the confidence to push their careers forward. Im really impressed by the investment in not just womens careers, but everyones careers, for that matter, she says. If I look at my staff, I have a good hybrid of folks that have been at the company for a long time, and new fresh talent that youre bringing into. The company really invests in its employees. Despite the fact that her job technically falls under the marketing umbrella, Reierson is aware of the impact of its initiatives on the larger tech environment and works closely with Farmers IT department. If youre going to be a good marketer, you need to understand your systems, she says. We are all driving toward shared goals. VANCOUVER, British Columbia - October 20, 2016 (Investorideas.com Newswire) SilverCrest Metals Inc. (TSXV: $SIL.V) ("SilverCrest" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the receipt of the underground drilling permit, including the permission to mine a 100,000-tonne bulk sample for testing and processing off-site. With these permits in hand, the Company is preparing to commence an extensive Phase II exploration program at the Las Chispas Project ("Las Chispas"). SilverCrest Metals Inc. Sonora, Mexico - Las Chispas Project - Figure 1 Las Chispas Wide Discovery Map N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, CEO and President commented, "We are very encouraged with the early success from our initial drilling campaign at Las Chispas, which has confirmed continuity of high grades over potential mineable thicknesses. With the underground drilling permit, we will start drill-defining resources and preparing for a broader Phase II exploration program. Our current focus is to systematically drill the Las Chispas and William Tell veins in a grid pattern for resource estimation, test vein extensions and to further explore the Babicanora area. SilverCrest's schedule is to establish a maiden resource estimation in the first half of 2017. We see further upside in this historic silver-gold mining district with prospective discoveries of multiple unidentified veins, and drill testing Babicanora which is considered the largest target in the district." Summary of Phase I Exploration Program SilverCrest's recently completed Phase I exploration work consisted of approximately 6,400 metres of drilling in 22 core holes. Details of the Phase I drilling results were previously announced on the Company's news releases dated August 2, September 7 and September 14, 2016. In summary, 19 core holes have been drilled in the Las Chispas and William Tell veins. All drill holes intercepted quartz stockwork veinlets, veining and/or breccia. The drilling has defined several discoveries and confirmed high grade continuity with resultant multiple drill intercepts of greater than 2,000 grams per tonne ("gpt") silver equivalent ("AgEq", based on 75:1 Ag:Au and 100% metallurgical recovery). The remaining 3 holes, of the 22 drilled, targeted the La Victoria area which is approximately one kilometre southwest of the historic Babicanora Mine. The Las Chispas discoveries may be influenced by a controlling, cross-cutting, high-grade structural corridor that extends from the Las Chispas Vein through the William Tell Vein and southwest beyond Babicanora. This corridor is potentially 750 metres wide (Figure 1), and high grade mineralization appears to extend to a depth of at least 300 metres from the surface. Some of the more significant core drilling results for the Las Chispas Vein include 4.6 metres in true width of 4.56 gpt gold and 621.5 gpt silver, or 963 gpt AgEq, including 0.8 metres grading 18.55 gpt gold and 2,460.0 gpt silver, or 3,851 gpt AgEq in hole LC16-05. Drill hole LC16-08 showed 7.2 metres in true width grading 2.41 gpt gold and 311.5 gpt silver, or 492 gpt AgEq, and a more recently announced drill assay from hole LC16-18 drilled 1.0 metre grading 1.55 gpt gold and 706.0 gpt silver, or 822 gpt AgEq (Figure 2). The William Tell Vein runs parallel to the Las Chispas Vein and is about 120 metres to the west. The Company discovered what appears to be an unmined faulted southern extension of the William Tell Vein. Four of seven drill holes at William Tell intersected high-grade mineralization. The most notable core drilling results are 2.3 metres in true width grading 1.63 gpt gold and 583.6 gpt silver, or 705 gpt AgEq, including 0.8 metre of 3.81 gpt gold and 1,102.0 gpt silver, or 1,388 gpt AgEq in hole LC16-03 (Figure 3). Hole LC16-03 has been reinterpreted, and true thickness has been changed from 1.5 metres, as previously announced on September 7, 2016, to 2.3 metres. Drill hole LC16-15 showed 1.3 metres in true width grading 1.94 gpt gold and 352.0 gpt silver, or 494 gpt AgEq. Two new vein discoveries were made with drill holes LC16-13 and LC16-16 near the William Tell vein. Reported grades of these new veins were 4.79 gpt gold and 364.0 gpt silver, or 723 gpt AgEq and 6.57 gpt gold and 395.0 gpt silver, or 888 gpt AgEq over estimated true widths of 0.8 metres and 0.9 metres, respectively. Of the 14 historically identified veins near the Las Chispas and William Tell veins, 12 have been located by the Company. In the Babicanora area, five historically identified veins plus two additional veins have been located by the Company (see Figure 1). As of September 15, 2016, approximately 6 kilometres of 11.5 kilometres of underground workings have been rehabilitated by the Company, with rehabilitation work continuing over the remainder of 2016. To date, an estimated 2,055 underground rock chip/channel samples have been collected and assayed, with 301 sample results grading above a cutoff grade of 150 gpt AgEq; averaging 4.35 gpt gold and 331.6 gpt silver or 658 gpt AgEq. In addition to chip/channel sampling, underground backfill sampling is being completed while removing material to gain access to the workings. Average backfill sample results show 2.45 gpt gold and 226.3 gpt silver, or 410 gpt AgEq for the Las Chispas Vein, 1.24 gpt gold and 212.1 gpt silver, or 305 gpt AgEq for the William Tell Vein, and 1.88 gpt gold and 126.1 gpt silver, or 267 gpt AgEq for the Babicanora Vein. Backfill material will be considered in the upcoming resource estimation. Surface dump trenching and sampling is ongoing in easily accessible areas. Results as of September 15, 2016 from 493 samples show potential economic material immediately available for possible processing. Average dump grades are 1.04 gpt gold and 78.1 gpt silver, or 156 gpt AgEq with select grades up to 4,548 gpt AgEq. Dumps will be considered in the upcoming resource estimation. Approximately 1.2 square kilometres of surface area have been geologically mapped with select sampling. Surface rock sampling results range from trace to 15.05 gpt gold and 1340.0 gpt silver or 2,469 gpt AgEq. Further expanding surface mapping and sampling is ongoing. Phase II Exploration Program Outlook The Company is preparing an underground core drilling program of 2,000 metres and a minimum surface core drill program of 6,000 metres. Phase II will commence in November 2016 and will test potential near-surface resource areas, as well as extensional targets along trend and below the historic workings. Underground drilling is planned to start at Babicanora with approximately 5 to 10 core holes to initially test the historic mine area and multiple parallel veins. Drill access to the historic mine is provided by a 4 metre by 4 metre portal and a 230 metre drift which intersects the Babicanora Vein. Subsequent Phase II surface drilling is planned for Babicanora to initially evaluate its estimated 2.5 kilometre strike length with multiple parallel veins, stockwork and breccias (Figure 1). As with the Las Chispas and William Tell veins, Babicanora has not been previously drilled. Additional surface and underground drilling will be conducted at the Las Chispas and William Tell veins where the Company recently completed the successful Phase I program. The focus will be on infill drilling for resource estimation and step out drilling to test the possible southern and northern vein extensions of the Las Chispas and William Tell veins. Phase II drilling will also include initial drilling of other targets on the Company's concessions including the historic Varela Mine, Espiritu Santo Mine, and Granaditas Mine (Figure 1). The Company anticipates that this Phase II campaign will be completed by early Q2 2017, with the results to be incorporated into a maiden resource estimate for the Las Chispas project in late Q2 2017. As previously reported, the underground drill program will also focus on the delineation of a large bulk sample. A bulk sample is a large sample, in many cases hundreds or thousands of tonnes, and is generally a composite of material from development drifts and raises. It is also used to define metallurgical characteristics. With continued success, the Company expects to begin with its bulk sample in late 2017. Arrangements for processing the bulk sample off site are required. Other Developments As previously reported, the first Las Chispas NI 43-101 technical report (non-resource) is currently being completed and will be available before the end of October 2016. The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, CEO and President, who has reviewed and approved its contents. ABOUT THE LAS CHISPAS PROJECT The Las Chispas Project is located in Sonora State, Mexico, and is in a historic silver-gold mining district which presently hosts two nearby precious metal producers. Historic information indicates that of the nineteen historically reported veins in the Las Chispas district, only three veins, the Las Chispas, William Tell and Babicanora, had documented high grade production, which occurred between 1880 and 1930. SilverCrest's initial focus is on these three veins. To the Company's knowledge, none of the historic known veins has been drilled prior to the Company's recently completed Phase I drill campaign. For more information, please refer to our website at www.silvercrestmetals.com. ABOUT SILVERCREST METALS INC. SilverCrest is a Canadian precious metals exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that is focused on new discoveries, value-added acquisitions and targeting production in Mexico's historic precious metal districts. The Company is led by a proven management team in all aspects of the precious metal mining sector, including the pioneering of a responsible "phased approach" business model taking projects through discovery, finance, on time and on budget construction, and production with subsequent increased value to shareholders. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. These include, without limitation, statements with respect to: the strategic plans, timing and expectations for the Company's exploration, rehabilitation and drilling programs of the Las Chispas Project, including initial extraction program for bulk sample testing and preparation of an initial resource estimate; information with respect to high grade areas and size of veins projected from underground sampling results and drilling results; and the accessibility of future mining at the Las Chispas Project. Such forwardlooking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the conditions in general economic and financial markets; precious metals prices; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of expenditures related to rehabilitation and drilling programs; and effects of regulation by governmental agencies. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; precious metal prices and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng. CEO and President SilverCrest Metals Inc. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For Further Information: SilverCrest Metals Inc. Contact: Fred Cooper, Investor Relations Telephone: +1 (604) 694-1730 Fax: +1 (604) 694-1761 Toll Free: 1-866-691-1730 (Canada & USA) Email: info@silvercrestmetals.com Website: www.silvercrestmetals.com 570 Granville Street, Suite 501, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3P1 Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. More disclaimer info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp. Disclosure: Investorideas.com is compensated by SilverCrest Metals Inc for annual news publishing effective January 2016. Additional info regarding BC Residents and global Investors: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Press Release IPU Secretary General calls for ongoing efforts to strengthen democracy in Benin Geneva, 20 October 2016 Martin Changing speaking to the National Assembly of Benin Benoit Koffi IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong was invited to address the opening ceremony of the second regular session of the National Assembly of Benin by the Speaker, Mr. Houngbedji, who is committed to strengthening cooperation between the Parliament and the IPU. Mr. Chungong commended Benins vibrant democracy and called upon the countrys parliamentarians to build a stronger, more effective parliament working in partnership with the Executive. Mr. Chungong said that freedom of expression, alternation of power, good governance, greater political representation of women, the smooth functioning of institutions in accordance with the rule of law, accountability, and a dynamic civil society are all essential for democracy to take root and flourish and are finding fertile ground in Benin through the efforts of political actors driven by a sense of responsibility and working for the common good. This is the secret to the vitality of democracy in Benin; the success of recent electoral consultations is a good example of this, he added. However, Mr. Chungong expressed the need for ongoing efforts to strengthen democracy in Benin. This is consistent with the very principle of democracy and will enable it to respond appropriately to the manifold challenges that are reflected in the many and pressing expectations of your voters, he said. In his speech, the IPU Secretary General emphasized the crucial role parliamentarians play in addressing some of the key issues at the forefront of the international agenda, such as human rights, gender equality, terrorism, the new sustainable development agenda and youth involvement in political life. He specifically highlighted the necessity to promote womens rights and called for increasing the proportion of women MPs in the National Assembly, which currently stands at 7 per cent. Mr. Chungong paid a courtesy visit to the Head of State, Mr. Patrice Talon, who appealed for IPU support for building the capacity of Beninese parliamentarians so they could successfully carry out their functions. The IPU Head pledged his support. On the IPU Secretary Generals request to garner support of the executive related to issues like gender equality, combating terrorism and promoting democracy and development through the implementation of the new development agenda, Mr. Talon assured him of his full support, namely on gender equality where Benin is not doing quite well, he acknowledged. During his visit to Cotonou, Mr. Chungong also met with Benins Ombudsan and former MP, Mr. Joseph Gnonlonfoun, who has been actively involved in IPUs activities over the years. The IPU Secretary General stressed the IPUs desire for Mr. Gnonlonfoun to continue to participate in the work of the Organization, particularly in terms of his expertise in conflict resolution. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. It works to safeguard peace and drives positive democratic change through political dialogue and concrete action. Claims by Finance Minister Michael Noonan that a Fianna Fail bill caused a 10% drop in bank share prices were described as nonsense at an Oireachtas committee this morning, writes Daniel McConnell of the Irish Examiner. Mr Noonan made his comments after the bill, which seeks to help people with their mortgage repayments, was published. However, Opposition TDs rounded on Mr Noonan, but he insisted that he stood over his comments. Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath said a Permanent TSB report at the time made no mention of the bill in its risk assessment and he said Mr Noonan's comments make no sense and are nonsense. The minister also locked horns with Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy. At the committee, Mr Noonan raised serious concerns over the Fianna Fail bill. For the first time ever, the Oireachtas finance committee engaged in scrutiny of an Opposition bill in a hearing which heard from Mr Noonan. Mr McGrath's bill has already passed second stage in the Dail, but Mr Noonan insisted the Government has a number of strong concerns with the bill. Mr McGrath said banks in Ireland are being allowed by the Central Bank to charge up to 5% to customers to borrow money when they themselves are accessing the money at close to 0% rates. Primarily, Mr Noonan argued the bill gives powers to Central Bank that it doesn't want and he also suggested parts of the bill may be unconstitutional. The minister said that he understood that the intention behind this Bill is to help people with their mortgage repayments. However, in the second stage debate, the Government outlined a number of significant concerns it had with the Bill as proposed, he added. These concerns remain and it is considered that it would be of benefit to the legislative process if the Committee would consider these, the minister added. Real constitutional issues will need to be considered as this Bill is further progressed by the Oireachtas. As it is drafted, the Bill will clearly impact on the existing property rights of some creditors, Mr Noonan said. Likewise, there are concerns about the process and decision-making procedures set out in the Bill and whether they provide for fair procedures and a fair appeals process to any affected parties, he added. One of the points I raised was the requirement, under the EU framework, to consult the European Central Bank on the content of the Bill. However, it is unfortunate that neither this Committee nor the House has yet had the benefit of that ECB opinion before it further considers this Bill, he told Committee members. Such an opinion, when it is to hand, will obviously be a very important contribution to the pre-legislative scrutiny work that members of this Committee are now undertaking. Also, depending on the content of the ECB opinion, the Bills proposer may wish to consider if amendments are required to the Bill as it currently stands. Despite the concerns, Mr Noonan said he and his department are happy to work with the committee further to progress the Bill. Let Me Tell You is a new bespoke podcast series from Hosts Daniel McConnell and Paul Hosford take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments in recent Irish political history from the unique perspective of one of the key players involved. Police in England have released CCTV footage of a "savage" attack on a homeless man which left him with possible life-changing injuries. The assailant felled the 58-year-old victim with a swinging blow to the head with a crutch and then kicked and stamped on him. The incident in Manchester city centre took place when the offender became involved in an argument with the homeless man. Footage of the altercation in Market Street near Tesco at about 6.30am on Saturday also saw the offender swing the crutch at a passer-by who apparently attempted to intervene. Detective Constable Paul Wilde, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This was a savage attack on a vulnerable man that has left him with possible life-changing injuries. "This happened in the early hours of the morning in the city centre when people would have been going to work and seen something. "I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time or saw anything that can help our investigation to contact us." Anyone with information should call police in England on 101, quoting incident number 558 of 15/10/16, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. The chain will have 5,000 stores in mainland China within five years, up from about 2,300 now, the Seattle-based company said. Starbucks, which currently gets about 13% of its revenue from the Asia-Pacific region, also is promoting Belinda Wong to chief executive of Starbucks China. Noel Murphy, then chairman of the Irish selectors and team manager, managed to catch up with Anthony at Shannon to break the news every player dreams of. Speaking from his hospital bed in Cork, Noel said: The young back row was waiting to catch a flight from Shannon to Dublin for a training session. It was January 1995. Noel, who is recovering from knee surgery in the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork, said his sadness is made deeper as he cannot make it to the funeral. Noel said yesterday: That phone call back in 1995 was the first of many occasions when Anthony was named to play for Ireland. I remember Anthony as a young kid when I brought him into the Irish side. He was raring to go at such a young age. Its so sad really that he has passed away so young. Two-year-old Joe Hayes, nephew of John Hayes, paying tribute outside Limericks Thomond Park as Anthony Foleys remains returned. Picture: Eamon Ward In his autobiography, Anthony Foley wrote about the same phone call from Noel Murphy: Naturally at first I thought it [phone call] was a wind-up by Gaillimh [Mick Galwey] when I heard the announcement at the airport for Anthony Foley to pick up the nearest courtesy phone this was in the days before everyone had mobiles. I found a phone just in case and the voice at the other end of the line wasnt Gaillimhs. It was Noisy [Noel Murphy], a man for whom I will always have enormous affection, and not just because of what he had to tell me then. Id be making my Ireland debut against England at Lansdowne Road the following week, a blind-side flanker. Holy God. Ring home. Quick. Members of Shannon Rugby Club form a guard of honour. Noel, who will be 80 next February, said yesterday: There have been so many great words written and spoken about Anthony in recent days and his contribution to Irish rugby and Munster rugby, I dont know if many more can be spoken by me. A tribute at Shannon Airport. Picture: Press 22 But something I will always remember Anthony for was that through all of his career, he never forgot his club, Shannon, and his school, St Munchins. He always remembered his club and school, and what it meant to him to play for Shannon and St Munchins and the vast contribution they made to him as a player. That is my memory of Anthony. garda salutes as the hearse stops outside Thomond Park in Limerick last night. Picture: Brian Arthur When many people move to the top, they can often forget who brought them there, but Anthony never forgot. Anthonys father, Brendan is such a lovely man, a thorough gentleman; a great Shannon man, great Munster man and great Irish man. Its so sad. Thats life. Political and Irish language activist Diarmaid O Cadhla invited people to attend a public meeting on the issue tonight with a view to forming a committee to drive the campaign forward. Mr O Cadhla said he cant understand why certain streets are named after people like the Duke of Marlborough (Marlboro St), who in 1690 led 9,000 soldiers of the Williamite army as they laid siege to Cork City. He said Marlborough directed canon fire over the citys inhabitants before his army proceeded to sack the city, indiscriminately murdering and pillaging as they went. We have streets in Cork named after such criminals and aristocrats. We even have streets named after those who committed genocide against our ancestors for example Victoria, he said. A modern nation should have self-respect and put in places to honour our own values. Cork has no shortage of heroes in every field, including sport, science, medicine, and also in our patriotic traditions. Where have we a street named after General Tom Barry? How have we honoured patriot Tadhg Barry he received the biggest ever funeral in the history of Cork but he is virtually unknown? We must never forget the past or our history under British conquest but we should do so in a fitting way, not by honouring past horrors. Historian Tom Spalding, who charted the history of Cork street name changes over the last 250 years in his 2013 book, Layers: the design, history and meaning of public street signage in Cork and other Irish cities, welcomed the debate. He said his research has found that 16% of Cork City street or place names have a British connection 12% named after British figures and 4% after British places. He said people have a right to debate the issue and said maybe some street names should be changed. But he cautioned against any attempts to try and rewrite, or whitewash, history. Its part of who we are, part of our contested history, he said. If we erase the name of the Duke of Marlborough, or the Duke of Grafton, the illegitimate son of Charles II who was killed during the siege by a snipers bullet, then people who have a view on the siege, for example, cant point to that place and say: do you know that story?, he said. And then the question arises about what name do you replace it with. Who has a spotless record? A spokesman for City Hall said a formal process is in place to govern the naming of new streets or bridges, and the renaming of existing ones, and that it is a function of elected members to sanction the decision to name or rename. Mr O Cadhla invited people to attend a discussion on the campaign at 7.30pm tonight at Ionad an Phobail, 99 Douglas St. Leon Wright, aged 28, of Donore Avenue, Dublin 8, remained handcuffed and flanked by five prison staff wearing riot gear for his district court trial on Wednesday. Wright, who said he was beaten by prison officers, was supported in court by Independent TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, who took notes of the proceedings from the public gallery. After the defence raised questions over the credibility of prosecution witnesses and evidence, Judge Alan Mitchell said that having viewed the CCTV evidence in particular, he was dismissing the case. He also said he was going to direct that the Court Service would prepare a copy of the digital audio recording of the hearing and that it would be offered to the inspector of prisons, Judge Michael Reilly, in the event he would like to take further action. I certainly have concerns in relation to this matter, the judge added. In 2014, Wright, who has 84 previous convictions, including 30 assaults, four Garda assaults, robberies and firearms offences, received a six-year sentence with the final two suspended for stabbing two people in random attacks. However, in his Dublin District Court trial yesterday he pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting prison officer Michael Kerr at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin on October 7, 2013. Officer Kerr alleged Wright produced an object from his back passage and stabbed him in the face cutting his lip. He and two other prison officers said Wright became aggressive when told he was about to be searched. They denied that the defendant was beaten by several officers. Emmet Nolan, defending, put it to prosecution witnesses that Wright was stripped and given a hiding which was denied. He asked the judge to note that CCTV footage showed four prison officers in riot gear outside the cell while four others dealt with Wright inside. He argued it was not believable that they would remain outside the cell while their colleagues were being attacked. The court also heard that Wright was exonerated of having a weapon or attempting to stab the prison officer during an internal investigation by the governor. After Wright was cleared of the charge he gave two thumbs up to the two TDs, who had spoken to him before the trial. He was then taken out of the courtroom by prison officers. The unions 18,000 members are due to picket more than 500 second-level schools next Thursday in a campaign for equal pay for younger teachers. However, schools could remain shut for weeks after the mid-term break when a separate industrial action will see ASTI members stop supervising students outside class times, or substituting for absent colleagues from Monday, November 7. As Education Minister Richard Bruton began a trade mission to China, returning tomorrow four days earlier than planned, his officials met ASTI leaders yesterday. But the talks had ended by lunchtime with the only agreement being to reconvene three days before the first strike date, and both sides remained tight-lipped about any progress . Discussions are to continue with a further meeting arranged for Monday next, a Department of Education statement said. At the same time, applications opened through the department for posts as supervisors at some of the schools likely to be affected and at risk of lengthy closure, including more than 40 community colleges run by education and training boards where ASTI and Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) members work side by side. TUI members will be in a difficult position if strikes go ahead, as the absence of Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) sanction for the action means they do not have the same protections as they might have if they refuse to pass ASTI pickets. We cant instruct a member not to pass a picket because we would not be in compliance with legislation. In order to secure a days pay, you have to be available for a days work, but if [you are not], you risk losing a days pay. But we will absolutely protect members from disciplinary action [that might arise], TUI general secretary John MacGabhann said. The list of schools on the Department of Education website was restricted to those in the ETB sector, but is being regularly updated and intending applicants must send the completed forms to a school or schools of their choice. With concerns that the required vetting clearance from the Garda National Vetting Bureau may mean no supervisors can begin the work until early December, the department has notified ASTI that members whose schools are forced to close will not be paid for those days, even if they are available for their normal teaching duties. ASTI told the Irish Examiner this week that such a step would have to be considered by its 23-members standing committee. Successful applicants will be trained for the duties involved in supervision students in classroom and during break periods, with pay rates of a minimum 38.36 a day for two hours work and 19.18 for each extra hour. One of the guards told of a most terrifying incident last Saturday when a group of men broke down shuttering and doors on the house before driving out the security men with weapons. The court granted an injunction preventing Patricia McLeish, who owned the bungalow at Coolisteague, Clonlara, Tulla, Co Clare, from interfering with the security company employed by Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank to repossess the house. The interim injunction also applies to her two sons Shane and Mark McLeish and any other persons with knowledge of the order. The bank says Ms McLeish and her estranged husband Thomas failed to repay the morgage and a repossession order was first granted as far back as 2004. Since then, there have been various legal proceedings and postponements of the execution of the possession order. The execution of the repossession was finally ordered this month when members of what the bank calls self-professed anti-repossession groups attended the circuit court hearing when the McLeishs final legal case was rejected. The bank says matters turned sour and ultimately violent after the bailiffs obtained vacant possession on October 11 and personnel from Secure Management Solutions (SMS), a company appointed by the bank to secure the property, moved in. John Moynihan, supervisor for the SMS security team sent in on October 14/15, said in an affidavit that when he arrived 15-20 people had gathered outside. Mr Moynihan got inside without incident but said a colleague who had gone out to get hot water for tea had to get Garda protection to come back in. There was some banging in the early hours on steel shuttering which had ben put up by the security company to protect the house, with sporadic shouting and name calling. At around 3pm the next day, the crowd outside had begun to grow and about 15 adult males attempted to smash out internal doors using hammers, clubs, and bars, Mr Moynihan said. He and his colleagues attempted to stop them breaking through an internal door into the sitting room, which the security people were in, but the men managed to break through. They included Shane McLeish who punched at the security men and struck them with clubs or bars, Mr Moynihan said. The crowd poured through, shouting and jostling the security men, he said. I barely managed to gather some of our belongings from the sitting room before we were pushed out the front door which the invading crowd had opened from the outside.. He said he and colleagues were assaulted outside. Mr Moynihan has worked over 25 years in security. However, this was, without doubt, one of the most terrifying incidents to which I have been subjected, he said. Apart from the incident, several of his colleagues have been subjected to vicious and threatening intimidation on social media and their pictures and addresses have been published, he said. The messages include where is the IRA and refer to a non-national security guard as a foreign c***, and also make references to a female security guard as the dirty blond c***. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered notices and papers of the injunction order be left at the nearest Garda station for Ms McLeish and her two sons to collect and for eight other copies be left at the property itself. The case returns to court next week. The Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) and the Special Crime Task Force (SCTF) are also the primary units tasked with targeting and monitoring the Kinahan-Hutch feud. As it stands, neither of these units have been exempted by the two garda staff associations, whose 12,500 members are due to withdraw their labour on November 4, 11, 18 and 25. The Garda Representative Association, representing 10,500 frontline gardai, has already given a pardon to members of the elite Emergency Response Unit and the countrys five armed Regional Support Units from taking part in the strikes. This also extends to members of the Garda Technical Bureau, who have been asked to remain on call to examine evidence from serious crimes. But this exemption is not extended to other key units, including the DOCB or the SCTF. In a statement, a GRA spokesperson said: The GRA has respectfully suggested that the rostered members of the ERU and the RSUs report for duty rather than take part in the planned industrial action. At this point, no other suggestions are made in respect of other units. The total strength of the DCOB and the SCTF is understood to be in excess of 140 staff, including around 120 at garda rank, 20 sergeants, four inspectors, three superintendents and one chief superintendent. As it stands, only the four senior officers will be on duty on strike days. The SCTF, which operates under the DCOB, was set up earlier this year to target the middle and lower levels of Dublins criminal gangs, with a particular focus on the Kinahan-Hutch gangs. The DCOB has a national brief and combats organised crime and drug trafficking and leads the charge against the feud. Between these units and local gardai and detectives, up to 400 gardai are involved in the 24-hour Operation Hybrid, tasked with combating the Kinahan-Hutch feud. A security source said: Obviously, there is an opportunity on the day for a gang to carry out a shooting and we wont be forgiven. But GRA sources have indicated it is up to Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan to draw up a contingency plan and request emergency cover for the likes of the DCOB and the SDU. The AGSI has not yet issued exemptions and said it was up to Ms OSullivan to publish a contingency plan. News: 5 The Irish Examiner has confirmed Finance Minister Michael Noonan secured cabinet approval to reduce the threshold from its budget day limit of homes to the value of 600,000. The original threshold had been criticised as a mansion grant by Fianna Fail. The concerns raised by the Central Bank, including that that the scheme could encourage buyers to take on too much mortgage debt, will be addressed in the Finance Bill, to be published today . However, any changes to the thresholds are likely to be made at a future date, expected to be when the bill is at committee stage. The help-to-buy plans propose a rebate of income tax paid over the previous four years. The rebate will be worth up to 5% o f the price of a home to a value of 400,000, allowing for a maximum rebate of 20,000. However, the initial plans outlined that first-time buyers of homes up to 600,000 would also be entitled to the rebate, although it would be capped at 20,000. Fianna Fails housing spokesman Barry Cowen wants the entire scheme capped at 400,000 Meanwhile, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has called for Sinn Fein TDs to relinquish large portions of their Dail salaries back to the taxpayer, rather than keeping it for the party. He locked horns with opposition members in the Dail over pay for TDs. In one key exchange with Waterford TD David Cullinane, the minister defended the pay rises for TDs due to kick in next year while informing the Dail that ministers are to forgo their increases. You will be aware that yesterday the Cabinet made a decision that officers would forfeit the restoration that is due under Lansdowne Road. That was made to reaffirm the decision of the last government in recognition of the challenges facing this country, he said. Anyone who is privileged to be in government is acutely aware, and we made the decision and [it] is the right decision, he added. Addressing Mr Cullinane, he said: I might ask the deputy to clarify the policy of Sinn Fein. For a time I have heard his party say you should only be paid the average industrial wage. Would you clarify is that still the case and if it is and what is the amount of money? Will you sign a waiver form and relinquish your wages back to the exchequer? Mr Cullinane described Mr Donohoes question as a red-herring, saying there was no legitimate reason for TDs pay to be increased. I take the average industrial wage and I employ someone. I pay them 300 a week, I have taken them off the Live Register. That comes out of my salary. I welcome that office holders have forgone increases, but logic follows the same should happen to TDs. Why then should TDs get pay restoration? he said. We are very well paid I am sure you will accept that. Those under 65,000 are not seeing pay restoration. This is an issue of fairness. Mr Cullinane said a public sector worker on an average salary of between 35,000 and 40,000 per annum will receive a 1,000 increase or restoration, yet those who are on over 65,000, including Members of the House, will receive a minimum of 8%, which is a total of 5,400. That is an increase of over 100 per week, he said. Mr Donohoe engaged in robust criticism of Anti-Austerity Alliance TDs Paul Murphy and Brid Smith. It is on the deputys ideological agenda never to acknowledge progress on any matter, let alone that this is happening through constructive and progressive engagement between reasonable leaders in the union movement and a Government that is doing its best to make progress on areas with the resources available to it, he said to Mr Murphy. Mathematician Peter Fennells pioneering work on how information, behaviour, and trends spread through social networks could ultimately help influence positive human behaviour. Mr Fennell, from Ballincollig, in Co Cork, was recently granted a prestigious fellowship, giving him the opportunity to work in any institution in the US. There were nine recipients of the $200,000 fellowship, only three of which went to applicants from outside of the US. He was the only successful Irish applicant. During his PhD, Mr Fennell studied mathematically how phenomena spread through networks or groups of interconnected units using tools such as mathematical modelling, calculus, statistics, and linear algebra. Now I am applying these methodologies to study different types of spreading behaviour in social networks, he said. Just weeks into his fellowship, he has found interesting applications for his work. I had a meeting last week with people involved in social work. The reason their work is relevant to me, and vice versa, is because they are working with networks of homeless people here. The people are interconnected through friendship and peer relationships, and the challenge for the social workers is how can they influence these networks? Many of the people in this network have addiction problems, so the social workers want to spread a good behaviour, like rehabilitation. We have to examine how to do that in the most effective way. People are influenced by their connections, so if you can spread a behaviour in a social network it can be more effective than trying to introduce it from the outside. The Coalition looks set to announce the establishment of a formal inquiry into the allegations of sex abuse in a Waterford foster home in the coming days. Following reports in the Irish Examiner earlier this year, the previous government committed to establishing such an inquiry, pending the outcome of a review by senior counsel Conor Dignam. That report has been received by Minister of State for Disability Issues Finian McGrath, who is under mounting pressure to announce the inquiry. In the Dail yesterday, Waterford TD John Deasy challenged Taoiseach Enda Kenny on the issue. In February of this year, an inquiry was announced into alleged abuse in a foster home in the south-east of this country. What is the delay in commencing this inquiry? he asked Mr Kenny. I will have to come back to Deputy Deasy with... Mr Kenny tried to say, but Mr Deasy interjected sharply. I will tell you what, I will ask the same question next week and the Taoiseach can have a response, he said. The Taoiseach relied: No. I will be back to Deputy Deasy today. He will not have to ask it next week. Speaking to the Irish Examiner after the exchange, Mr Deasy was critical of Mr McGraths failure to progress the inquiry quicker. We have already waited too long and yet we still have no result. Any further delays are unacceptable, Mr Deasy said. Mr Deasy and his former Public Accounts Committee chairman John McGuinness were to the fore of raising the case of Grace and the abuse suffered by her at the foster home last year. It is understood that neither man was interviewed by Mr Dignam in his review process, despite their role. Grace was allowed to linger in the foster home for more than 14 years after officials initially decided to remove her amid allegations of sex abuse. Since then, some of the most horrific allegations about what went on in the foster home have surfaced and on foot of our reports in February, the Fine Gael- Labour government committed to establish an inquiry. While the new Government has repeatedly committed to carrying out that promise, the delays in establishing the commission has led some of those involved to believe the impetus for an inquiry has lessened. Patrick OBrien, aged 76, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 48 sample counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault of the boys between 1977 and 2010. OBrien, with an address at Knocklyon Rd, Templeogue, Dublin, has one previous conviction for a sex assault of another boy in 1989, for which he got a one-year suspended sentence. One of OBriens youngest victims, who was raped as a nine-year-old boy, described himself in his victim impact report as a lion without a roar. He said he developed a shield and like a tortoise, a shell, to bury this violent secret inside. One victim cycled to his local Garda station to report OBrien a day after the man tried to rape him. When he arrived he got cold feet and felt intimidated. He was worried about the consequences for him if he reported it and decided to put the abuse to the back of his mind. OBrien continued to abuse the boy in the months afterwards until the boy threatened to report or kill him. The court heard OBrien was first arrested in March 2014. In April 2014, OBrien made a voluntary statement in which he agreed with the statements of his victims. Sean Guerin, defending, told Judge Melanie Greally that his client had written a letter in which he said he wanted to apologise unreservedly for the breach of trust and the suffering the victims and their families endured. He acknowledged his deep heartfelt regret and shame. Judge Melanie Greally remanded OBrien in continuing custody to November 10, for sentence. First, Thomond Park, where as a child he laced his boots to do battle with Shannon under-age teams, and then St Munchins College, where he grew to international schoolboy stature. From the diocesan college, he proceeded to win acclaim in the hemispheres, never forgetting the Limerick rugby nurseries, the workbench of his skills. As the hearse came by the front gates of Thomond Park, a great silence descended among the crowd of over 1,000 people. Shannon Club president Noel Healy came forward, opening the night sky with a rendition of the Shannon RFC anthem There Is An Isle. The crowd joined in, as though launching a cry to the gods: Look after our great fallen hero. Boys and girls in the Shannon colours stood in awe as the club hierarchy took the final salute. Noel Healy, holding back tears, said: He was my best friend. We are a big rugby family and we have lost one of our sons. Anthony was known for Munster and Ireland, but he was always a Shannon man with a huge heart, both on and off the field. When I was 15 years older than Anthony, I played with him in the pack. You always knew he was there, brave and strong. The cortege with garda motorcycle outriders then crept along silent streets to Corbally and St Munchins College, where over 600 teachers, students and past pupils applauded in tribute. The tributes still pile up on the front gates of Thomond Park. One had the lines Up stood Axel Foley The captain at the gate Saying everyman must upon this earth One day meet his fate What better way to die Than to fight against the odds For the ashes of our fathers And the temple of our gods. Late last night Anthony Foley was back home in Killaloe. Anthony Foleys career in pictures Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said there was nothing sinister about the actions of Mariusz Jakubowicz, aged 39, on September 19 at Highbury, Carrigaline, Co Cork, but he could understand that the defendants ex-wife became concerned. The defendants wife had a protection order and contacted Garda James Landers as soon as she got the call from her ex-husband when she was at work on the day. It emerged last night that the man was attacked by a patient in the emergency department (ED) of Corks Mercy University Hospital (MUH) last Friday morning, and suffered a fractured knee cap. He is expected to be out of work for some time. It is the second serious assault on a nurse at MUH in the last two years. Hospital management said the nurse was part of a hospital emergency response team, which included porters and security officers, and was injured while restraining an agitated patient. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said this kind of assault is a constant risk faced by nurses and other hospital staff across the country. The kind of behaviour that would not be tolerated on a public street on a Saturday night is becoming the norm in emergency departments, said the INMOs spokesman in Cork, Michael Dineen. Not alone are they working in a difficult environment, but they are facing the daily reality of being assaulted, or of being subjected to verbal abuse. The hospital spokesman said MUHs security arrangements, which include staff and static security systems and alarms, are under constant review, and were recently commended following a HSE national review of ED security measures. Meanwhile, the hospital appealed yesterday for non emergency cases to avoid the ED following a surge in patient presentations. The hospital has implemented its escalation policy to deal with the exceptionally high number of attendees at the ED and while the ED remains open 24/7 it is regrettable that some patients will experience long delays, the spokesman said. Teachers and gardai have already set a number of days of industrial action, while non-consultant hospital doctors have threatened to strike over pay and conditions. But Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe remains adamant that no additional funds can be made available to restore pay. If we get to a point where An Garda Siochana take industrial action and go on strike, of course it is going to have very serious consequences for all who are involved, he told RTEs News at One. He said he couldnt go down the path of introducing a wage change that we cant afford now that ends up being a savage wage cut down the line. The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) and the Garda Representative Association (GRA) have announced four days of industrial action in November. Garda sergeants and inspectors will also refuse to sign on to the PULSE garda system tomorrow. Members of Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) will strike over seven days beginning next week. The union yesterday met with Department of Education officials and will be meeting again on Monday. Mr Donohoe said the two other teaching unions had been able to reach agreement with Government, which has resulted in improvements for new teachers. The inconclusive outcome to the ASTI meeting is in contrast to the agreements reached between the two departments concerned and the TUI and the INTO on new entrant pay, this agreement will result in increases of up to 2,000 per year for teachers at the start of their careers, Mr Donohoe said. Professor Tom Keane, who headed the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), also believes people could be persuaded to pay more in taxes for healthcare. But he said there must be political will and an educated public who understood the issues and the changes needed. I think there is a sense out there that faced with a choice if Irish people were asked to pay more in taxes to fund healthcare, compared to some other alternative, they could be persuaded to do so, he said. However, Prof Keane warned against taking on the whole system during a meeting of the committee on the future of healthcare because such a move was unlikely to be successful. He believed the best way to build trust was with an innovative five to 10-year strategy that had key milestones to be reached in sequence. Earlier, Prof Keane said that he believed the successful implementation of the NCCP provided valuable lessons for attempts at major healthcare reform in other areas. The chairwoman of the committee, Roisin Shortall, said the NCCP was seen as one of the most successful examples of reform in the health service in recent years. Prof Keane said it was gratifying for him to see latest cancer figures showed that patients diagnosed with cancer between 2008 and 2012 had a 60% chance of surviving five years, compared to 45% for those diagnosed between 1994 and 1999. A key element of the NCCP included the consolidation of all cancer surgery within eight designated cancer services. Prof Keane said the NCCP was the pet project of former minister for health Mary Harney, who invited him to come to Ireland on secondment from his position at the British Columbia Cancer Agency and the University of British Columbia. When he took up his post as director of the NCCP in November 2007, it was apparent that the implementation of the plan to reform cancer control in Ireland was proceeding very slowly and that not everyone supported it. Prof Keane said it was impossible to force change in the medical environment unless it was rational, supported by evidence, and there was a willingness to talk to the parties involved. However, he regarded the cancer strategy as sacrosanct and refused to reopen it. He was intent on implementing the plan and did not want to spend all his time in Ireland talking about it. Prof Keane had also made it clear to Ms Harney that when he came to Ireland, he would refuse to engage in discussions about issues that occurred before his arrival. I focussed entirely on the future, saying that if we had a better system, these things would not arise, said Prof Keane. Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that money is available to hire an additional consultant to deal with the rising number of patients attending the Mater with adult congenital heart defects but that nobody has applied. Cardiologists at the Mater have warned that more resources are urgently needed. The two consultants working in the service say they are dealing with around 4,000 patients, without adequate resources, staffing levels or laboratories. Around 400 patients every year are transferred from paediatric services to the adult service dealing with congenital heart defects. Speaking during Leaders Questions in the Dail yesterday, the Taoiseach said a post, to be split between the Mater and Crumlin Childrens Hospital, has been advertised worldwide but no applications have been received. Mr Kenny said the post would be re-advertised shortly and he appealed for anyone interested to contact the Mater Hospital. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said 350 people are dying each year because of overcrowding and he accused the Taoiseach of failing to provide the necessary resources because of his vision for a private rather than public healthcare system. Mr Kenny rejected this claim and said that the money was there to fill the post. According to consultant cardiologist Professor Kevin Walsh, lives are being put at risk due to a lack of resources. Speaking on RTEs Morning Ireland, Prof Walsh said NHS recommendations state that there should be four full-time consultants and five full-time nurses at the Mater Hospital. However, he said there are just two part-time consultants and two nurses filling those essential roles. In addition there is a shortage of administration staff while access to the catheter laboratory is very limited, he added. There was a pressing and urgent need to sort the situation out, he said adding: Theres people who arent getting any care at all Theyre only coming when theyre ill. He said: We are waiting for a new consultant since 2007 and again last year when it was meant to be advertised and a person appointed, they put it back and moved the job around. While the paediatric service is considered world class, the consultants running the adult service say they are dealing with an unsustainable burden caused by poor resources. The consultants say they are only able to provide three patient sessions each week to run a clinic and carry out procedures, while services in the UK dealing with an equivalent number of patients would provide 50-55 sessions a week. Cedric Simpson, aged 50, was previously released on bail at Cork District Court having lodged 10,000 cash and yesterdays brief hearing saw him further remanded on bail to return to court in February 2017. Defence solicitor, Henry McCourt, said it was his understanding that a book of evidence would be served on Mr Simpson on that occasion. Aideen Doyle, otherwise Clodagh White, of Coliemore Rd, Dalkey, Dublin, has brought the claim against Niamh and Derval White, both of Mount Anville Rd, Goatstown, Dublin, as administrators of the estate of their mother, Emily G White. They are all members of the family of Kevin and Emily White, who lived at Chimes, Mount Anville Rd, with their seven children. Emily White died in April 2001 and the other children include retired High Court judge Barry White. Ms Doyle claims she had been told by a number of people she had been fostered to the Whites and was treated as a member of the family but she says she was not the natural daughter of Emily and Kevin White. She claims when part of Emily Whites family home property, Chimes on Mount Anville Rd, was sold by tender in March 2007 by Niamh and Derval White, they accepted a 16.1m offer when 19m was on offer from developer Niall Mellon. A number of other major developers had expressed an interest in buying the prime south Dublin lands, the court heard. Ms Doyle says that she sustained a loss of 414,285 which she would have got as her share of the 2.9m extra that should have been obtained had the administrators accepted the Mellon offer. She claims the defendants negligently managed the disposal of the family property or to take expert advice retained by them as to the acceptance or rejection of the 19m. The claims are denied. The defendants say Ms Doyle is the daughter of Emily and Kevin White but deny her claim she was paid 1.2m from the estate in 2002. The court heard there had been no contact between Ms Doyle and the rest of the family for years. The sisters deny they rejected advice on the sale and say the eventual agreed price was in fact 16.45m. They deny a 19m offer was received or that Ms Doyle suffered a loss over the difference with the alleged higher price. Ms Doyle, under cross examination, told the court she had copyright to a work of fiction called A Web of Deceit using a pseudonym and which she got some bookshops to stock a small number of copies. She agreed it was about six siblings, including a fictional High Court judge who was involved in fraud. She insisted it was a work of fiction. She also agreed she had a blog called Nemesis 1 in which she asked certain questions of Derval and Barry White. The case was adjourned by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys until next week for mention. Sung from the perspective of one of Irelands famine orphans, on the eve of her inspection, which would decide whether she could travel to Australia, to escape the workhouse which had become her life. Orphan Girl was written by Brendan Graham for a the Annual Great Famine Commemoration ceremony held in 2012 at Sydneys Hyde Park Barracks to commemorate the relocation of over four thousand female orphans who, between 1848 and 1850, were brought from Ireland during the Great Famine of the 1840s. THE first lesson Roger Nagle learned when their family went plastic-free was that Porridge is inedible without raisins. And raisins mostly come packaged in plastic. Roger and Angie Nagle of Ballyclough stopped buying plastic for a month, meaning no purchases containing plastic no coffee cups with plastic lids, no water bottles, no wrapped biscuits. Even worse, no cereals, no pasta, no bagged bread and veg, and no sultanas. The challenge was to get rid of single-use plastic, the stuff thats used once and then tossed. It might sound simple enough, but once they started, the Nagles shopping and eating habits changed, dramatically. While plastic is an obvious burden on the environment, for Roger and Angie the wake-up call came with the birth of their third child. With two still in diapers, their garbage heap was growing and they felt disgusted by their contribution to the problem. Theyd seen some documentaries on the prevalence of single-use plastic, did more research, and for them it felt like a crisis, says Roger. When you have kids, you sort of get freaked out by the state of the world, adds Angie. Already environmentally aware, the moment seemed right to try and live even more responsibly. They set a goal to begin June 1, then found out about a plastic-free July initiative (plasticfreejuly.org). Using this as their start date gave them much-needed time for preparation. They first assessed their own use, lining up two weeks worth of waste and taking stock. Nappies aside they shifted to cloth diapers and tried early potty training the main offenders were wrappings from cereals, pasta, bread, and produce. Angie did an initial June test shop at Lidl. Standing paralysed in the aisle, unable to imagine shopping differently, it was Emma, 5, their oldest, who spotted unwrapped items. Angie brought a coffee mug and tupperware everywhere, using her own containers at the fish and cheese counters and supermarkets. She got some strange glances but, I did it kind of publicly, she explains, not afraid to raise awareness about the sheer excess of single-use plastic. Meanwhile, on lunch breaks in the city, Roger did dry food recon, exploring some specialty shops in Cork, like Asian markets. Mostly finding wrapping everywhere, his best discovery was Mr. Bells, at the English Market. They carry loose dry goods in bulk rice, lentils, and beans theyd never tried before. Even with prep time, the first week without plastic was like a long, uninspiring French picnic, falling back on meals of bread and cheese because they couldnt think of what else to eat. They often got things backwards wed go shopping then plan our meals. Dinners tended to be a bit eclectic, Angie says, saved by the hens, some omelettes getting them through, and admittedly living on leftovers from their previous plastic life. But the cupboards were soon cleaned out. Then we slickened up, Angie explains. They started to get quantities right, planned in advance, and knew where to get what. But some friends visited mid-month and thought Roger and Angie looked thinner. We were hungry a lot, Angie admits. There were times when youd go snacking and not find anything. Rogers love of browsing the supermarket shelves for new treats dwindled, as he couldnt buy much. And he missed his evening snack of a bowl of Fruit n Fibre. High drama came during the ritual of Friday home movie and popcorn night. Relying on Tescos brand, in plastic, Roger found some loose corn at Mr. Bells, but I didnt buy enough! They ran out, popcorn-less, children in tears, but resisted the urge to go plastic. Of supermarkets, Super Valu was where they often found the same produce both wrapped and unwrapped. John Curran, head of sustainability at Musgrave Group explains that customers very much determine what they carry. If more people want unwrapped items, thats what theyll find, to a point. Packaging, he says, is complicated, and often needed for protection and preservation of shelf-life in long supply chains. But its not always needed. Supervalu seeks to minimise and optimise packaging, Curran explains. At the local level, if customers opt for unpackaged goods, it saves for the seller. Its a cost for me if I put everything in plastic bags, says Richard Hooton, of Richards Little Farm at the Mallow market, one of the Nagles favorite Friday morning stops. I dont find it necessary for most things, he adds. Some delicate salads stay better, but much of what they carry does well on its own. Bagging also takes time and effort, says Hooton. He would gladly cut down if the customers didnt demand it. Going plastic free often means shopping more locally, and more frequently. The Nagles ran out of things faster and relied on outposts which arent always accessible. Market trips might also sound like a splurge, but their budget didnt change. Youd buy what you need, really high quality things, and waste less of it, Angie explains. Everything was very precious. And less processed. Having to get creative for sorely lacking snacks, Angie made granola and yogurt, neither of which Roger really warmed to, but the kids loved it. They also had to bend some rules they went from plastic milk containers to Tetra-paks, which are recyclable paper, with some plastic. They searched for glass bottles, but unsuccessfully. And traveling was near impossible. The moment they hit the road for a trip to Dungarvan, Angie broke down, picking up some disposable nappies. Friends were mostly supportive and inspired, but they faced some dismissiveness from a certain generation who remembered life without plastic. They often heard, Youre just a drop in the bucket, youre not going to make any difference. Angie disagrees. She feels even more committed. Admittedly, going totally plastic-free was, too hard, Roger says. While their dream of a zero-waste life is on hold until the world meets them half-way, their habits have changed for the better. Their new norm is somewhere in between what was going on during the month and what we did before, says Roger. Theyll stick with Mr. Bells and keep looking for milk. The education was very good, Roger explains. but there were things we had to do without that I just didnt want to live without. Frozen foods were missed. And, I want raisins in my porridge, dammit! Keeping up their quest, theyve just found a shop carrying raisins in cardboard boxes. How to cut down on your use of plastic 1. Bring reusable bags and containers to shops. It will also save the shop on costs. 2. Local farmers markets like Mallows on Friday mornings have more unwrapped fruit and vegetables. Mr Bells in the English Market was the Nagles favourite for dry goods. Supervalu has a wide local selection and Lidl carries loose nuts. 3. Go for unwrapped when given the option at supermarkets. Eat what you buy and store it well at home. As Curran says, homes are among the worst offenders for food waste. 4. Buying better quality isnt always bad for the budget and can create less waste. 5. Lush and the Quay Co-op carry unpackaged soaps. 6. Plan and prepare. Meal planning made it easier for the Nagles to buy and use fresher items. 7. Be patient. Finding convenient shops for your own needs takes time. The Nagles often felt plastic-free fatigue but soon their habits shifted. THIS country is beginning to feel more and more like the rogue European state where US companies have more of a say than people. We are seventh from the bottom of the OECD league when it comes to spending on maternity and parental leave, with only Greece, Israel, Chile, New Zealand, Korea, and Turkey behind us, while the US doesnt feature at all. Countries at the top of the league, Luxembourg, Norway, Estonia, Finland, and Sweden spend six or seven times as much as we do. The European countries which offer three years of parental leave include Austria, France, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Spain, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Norway (if each parent takes a year). Even the UK offers a legal right to part-time work after a years maternity leave. But the only paid option in Ireland for the care of your baby from six months to three years is a place in one of Katherine Zappones creches. Were just not European. Were designing our childcare system to suit American multi-nationals. America is the only country in the OECD which has no statutory maternity leave at all and American employers dont like those long parental leaves one little bit. Nor does the OECD which did lots of tut-tutting about Austrian womens slow pace of return to the workforce after their three years off in their study, Babies and Bosses (2005). The terrible effects of all this slouching around are there to be seen in Austrias child poverty rate of 8.7%, something of a contrast with the US rate of 23.1%. The European Commission isnt too happy about long parental leave either, if you can judge from their pronouncement under the Lisbon Strategy that one third of the under-threes should be in out-of-home childcare a target arrived at without any reference to any child psychology of any kind. Clearly, Europe wanted to compete with China and India and the US, all places where maternity and parental leave rights are much poorer, and the only way of growing the workforce without letting in people with black faces was to order European mothers out of their homes. But the European Commission does not determine what Europe is. You can see other values at work in the European countries which have long parental leaves. You can certainly see pro-natalism born of an insecurity about low birth rates. You can see the relics of old Communist social systems. But you can also see the understanding that a child under three requires the kind of intense one-to-one care which is often best provided at home and cant be provided more cheaply anywhere else. Nearly all the European countries with three-year leaves pay the parent who stays home. In Norway you get about 670 per month until your child is two if you dont use State childcare. In Germany you get 390.50 per month until your youngest is three if you have more than one child and you dont use State childcare. You can use the leave part-time with a reduction in your allowance or share part-time home care leave with your partner. You can work part-time with your allowance reduced. Even in Spain where there is no payment you get your job or an equivalent job back at the end of the three years. Your vital work in caring for that tiny child registers on government computer systems. Unlike here where the parents who care full-time for more than 60% of the nations under-threes do not officially exist. Some of these parental leave regimes long predate the recent wave of international research which stresses the vital importance of that one-to-one care while the brain is forming. The finding that young babies and toddlers who start in large creches early and for long hours tend to engage more in anti-social behaviour than home-reared kids in wide-ranging research studies such as EPPE and FCCA (UK) and NICHD (US) made headlines. But million-selling child psychologist Steve Biddulph is among the few who have tried to explain to the average mutt why this might be in his 2006 book Raising Babies. Babies are not born with developed brains and those brains only develop optimally in the constant presence of a loving care-giver, it seems. During the first year the babys brain doubles in size and the Prefrontal Cortex which regulates behaviour is installed. During the equally crucial second year the baby learns to store the disapproving face of the loving care-giver and bring it to mind if necessary to stop himself acting on impulse. Or acting anti-socially, if you will. In Ireland we are building our childcare infrastructure in the context of these new research findings and could avoid the mistakes other countries have made. But were intent on making those mistakes anyway. Were determined to build a vast creche system long after more civilised European countries long ago started funding parental care and supporting well-resourced childminders for babies and toddlers. No, sorry, we have already built the creche care system and it is has failed the market test so we are going to massively incentivise it. During the Celtic Tiger years, from 2000 to 2010, we spent 1 billion on developing creches, of which over half went to the building industry. We got a structure which is not sitting comfortably with the Irish people, centre-based care which a lot of people dont want, childcare expert Professor Noirin Hayes told me in an interview for my 2010 book, Mother Ireland. In 2001 planning guidelines aimed to force builders to create a childcare place for every 75 houses to facilitate their parents to work. Creches were to be built in the vicinity of concentrations of workplaces such as industrial estates, business parks or any other locations where there are significant numbers working. The site location and layout of facilities should optimise the opportunities for safe and efficient journeys to and from the workplace of parents/guardians. This may be achieved by locating the facility close to the entrance to the business park/industrial estate so that parents/guardians would not have to detour past their workplace in order to drop off children. Irish parents had different priorities and have continued to favour home care, childminder care or the small, local creches which are just maxed-out childminders. The Intergovernmental Panels report to Government says two-thirds of creches nationwide have vacancies, amounting to nearly 20,000 cots and tubby chairs which need to be filled. Zappones Single Affordable Childcare Scheme is a massive incentive to a failing industry. Most of the savings young parents make will end up in the pockets of landlords and house-builders, not the builders of babies brains. Business New Investment Law Enacted State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at the launch of the governments economic policy outlines at the Myanmar International Convention Center in July in Naypyidaw. / Aung Htet / The Irrawaddy RANGOON The long-awaited Myanmar Investment Law was signed into being by President U Htin Kyaw on Tuesday after both houses approved the bill earlier this month The local business community is now waiting for State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to reveal the governments more detailed investment policies this coming Saturday. The release of vague policy outlines in late July had failed to satisfy investors and businessmen craving detail and substance. The new law combines the Myanmar Citizens Investment Law and the Foreign Investment Law, and was made public on Wednesday. However, some rules and regulations still await approval, observers have said. Rules and regulations including clear dos and donts for the business community are expected to be announced within a month of the new law, Dr Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UMCCI), told the Irrawaddy. Before the rules and regulations are revealed, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Ministry of National Planning and Finance will make government policy clear, he said. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will deliver a speech on government investment policies and meet with local businessmen, ambassadors, government and private bankers, government officials and international and local non-governmental organizations on Saturday in Naypyidaw. The newly enacted Myanmar Investment Law was tentatively welcomed by Dr Soe Tun, vice chairman of the Myanmar Rice Federation. He claimed that the law gives equal rights for local and foreign investors and that he is waiting to see how the government manages foreign investment. If government policy places both foreign and local investors on an equal footing, it means local investors could struggle, he said. According to the agenda for Saturdays meeting the National Planning and Finance Minister U Kyaw Win will deliver the governments future plans for releasing economic policies as well as detailed investment policies and processes. The meeting will be attended by the governor of Burmas Central Bank U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, Singapores ambassador to Burma Robert Chu, president of the UMCCI U Win Aung, chairman of CB Bank U Khin Maung Aye, Ma Nang Lai Kham of the KBZ group of companies, Nick Cumpston of the Australian Embassy, and Nobuyasu Akagi of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Features Can Rangoons Traffic Woes be Solved? Rangoon gridlock, seen on Tuesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Dr. Maung Aung has the ambition to ease a shared source of suffering for Rangoon residents since 2011traffic congestionby the end of the year, implementing a series of changes from a computerized traffic control system to a drastically streamlined bus network. Dr. Maung Aung is the secretary of the Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA), formed by the new government installed in April to modernize the transport sector in Burmas rapidly growing commercial capital of 5.2 million people, which has boomed since the launch of political and economic reforms in 2011. The YRTA is headed by Rangoon Divisions Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, and includes other government ministers alongside technical experts. Dr. Maung Aung, who is also a senior economist, is not new to Rangoons transport scene. He chairs the Yangon Bus Public Company, which in February this year launched Burmas first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in partnership with the government, now operating on a limited number of lines in central Rangoon. Against an existing bus network notorious for poor maintenance standards and a weak adherence to traffic rules, the publicly lauded BRT system offers sleek new buses equipped with air conditioning that are less prone to crowding and generally cost passengers only slightly more than other bus lines. The YRTA secretary said that, through an improved bus network and a new computerized traffic control system, he expected they could ease current traffic congestion by 40 percent. Too Many Cars on the Road For the new government, traffic sits alongside a roster of other Rangoon problems: power blackouts, inadequate drainage, a shortage of affordable housing and a related growth in squatter settlements. Rangoon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein vowed soon after assuming office in April to alleviate the traffic situation for millions of frustrated commuters. The former government made similar pledges, butbesides the introduction of the BRT system in Februarylargely focused its efforts on the construction of seven flyover bridges at the cost of 130 billion kyats (more than US$100 million). The flyovers were criticized for being ineffectivesimply displacing congestion from major junctions to other stretches of roadand for offering poor value for money. The new Rangoon Division parliament in April cancelled the previous administrations plans to build two new flyovers in Rangoon. After the government lifted car import restrictions in Oct. 2011, the number of vehicles plying Rangoons previously sleepy streets rocketed year-on-yearfrom 214,000 in Aug. 2011 to more than 500,000 by Oct. 2015, according to figures from the Rangoon Division governmentprompting concerns that Rangoon may follow the way of Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila, cities notorious for their unwieldy traffic. Before 2011, traffic standstills were rare, only taking place in the cases of accidents or malfunctioning traffic lights. The city center could be reached from the rural fringes in less than an hour at any time of day. But those days are gone. U Yan Aung Min, a member of the Rangoon Division parliament representing Shwepyithar Township in the northwest of Rangoon, said he leaves his house every morning at 6 a.m., taking about two hours to reach parliamenta journey that took 45 minutes back in 2010. Bad Parking and Overlapping Buses Beyond burgeoning car ownership, the failure to enforce traffic rules and an inefficient bus network are other factors behind the gridlock. An estimated 2.6 million people rely on buses for their daily travel to and from work in Rangoon, making up 70 percent of all the citys commuters. Meanwhile, trains on the citys antiquated Circle Line ferry around 100,000 daily, according to 2014 data. Despite upgrades in recent years, including air-conditioned carriages, it offers travel to only a limited number of destinations, burdening bus lines with most commuter journeys. Ko Myat Min Thu, a member of the Rangoon Division parliament representing Hlaing Tharyar Township on the citys northwestern outskirts, claimed he spends five hours a day on buses. Daw Sandar Min, another lawmaker in the Rangoon parliament, blamed worsening traffic jams on a lack of proper parking places and ill-disciplined parking practices, with cars parked two or three abreast on some roads, clogging the passage of vehicles. She also cited some 60,000 taxis now plying the streets, another phenomenon of recent years. There is also the heavy fragmentation of Rangoons bus network, in which vehicles are operated by hundreds of small private companies, competing to cram passengers onto old Japanese Hino Motors buses, among other outdated models, with no air conditioning and uncomfortable seating. According to the Yangon Division Motor Vehicles Supervisory Committee, popularly known by the Burmese-language acronym Ma Hta Tha, over 7,800 buses are registered in Rangoon, of which between 4,500 and 4,800 run on any given day. Buses owned by individuals and small companies are rented out to teams of drivers and conductors, whose income purely depends on the number of passengers. This induces them to race dangerously with other buses to compete for passengers, overload vehicles, and make unscheduled stopsincluding stops of several minutes till a desired number of passengers alight. U Hla Aung, chairman of Ma Hta Tha, said half of around 200 complaints received per month on average relate to conductors overcharging passengers. Other complaints included dangerous driving and buses arbitrarily changing their routes. According to Rangoon Divisions No.2 Traffic Unit, 953 road accidents over the first four months of 2016 killed 233 people and injured 1,293. Of the accidents, 484 were attributed to reckless driving. Since last year, traffic police have been accepting reports of traffic violations via the Viber smartphone app, but inadequate staffing and the absence of a comprehensive monitoring system have prevented action being taken in most cases. Traffic Light and Bus Reform YRTA secretary Dr. Maung Aung said that construction of a computerized traffic light system for the city, with a centralized command center, would be completed next month, three months behind schedule. Once up and running, he said that swift action could be taken against those breaking traffic rules, thanks to a comprehensive surveillance system. Traffic light signals could also be modulated based on the relative number of vehicles passing through different parts of the city. Besides traffic lights, the YRTA is upgrading and streamlining the bus network, alongside upgrades to the Circle train line. It is also considering the introduction of new water taxis on Rangoons rivers. If we have better public transport services [] private vehicle owners will use it and traffic congestion will improve, Dr. Maung Aung said. Under the YRTAs plans, the bus lines currently owned by individuals and small companies will be merged into a handful of public companies, which can be more easily regulated and coordinated. Buses under the new system will ensure the safety and comfort of commuters, Dr. Maung Aung said. Similar to the current BRT system, new buses will use a standardized pre-purchase ticketing system, conductors will be abolished, drivers will be paid set monthly salaries, and older vehicles will be banned from key routes. Buses operating in the outer neighborhoods will not be allowed to travel to the city center; shuttle buses will connect them with the central bus network. Dr. Maung Aung said the YRTA would work to alleviate any negative short-term impact on drivers, and would provide them with training in the coming months. He also suggested that the government would meet 50 percent of the funds required to establish the new bus companies. So far, applications to form 21 such companies have been received. Dr. Maung Aung said attempts to improve the transport system under the previous government largely failed due to weak collaboration between ministries. He said that the YRTA enjoys stronger support from than current government than the previous government gave to its own initiatives. The YRTA has the additional advantage of only having to work with one ministry. We have strong political will now. With the new elected civilian government, we will try to satisfy the publics longing for better public transport, he said. With ruined and neglected buildings across the town, Mai Ja Yang on the Sino-Burma border has a lifeless appearance. Previously, the border towns main livelihood was poppy cultivation. But after the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)the political wing of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)granted 25-year casino licenses to Chinese businessmen in 2002, the village developed and was later dubbed little Hong Kong by visitors and gamblers. As the casino industry thrived, crime increased and attracted the attention of Burmas central government. Under pressure from the Burmese authorities, China got out of the industry in 2008. The KIO is currently opening colleges in Mai Ja Yang, which houses a population of around 8,000. The KIO plans to establish universities, in the hope that the area will become an important seat of education on the border. The once crime-ridden Mai Ja Yang recently earned its place in history as host to a milestone in Burmas peace process when ethnic armed groups gathered there in July to work toward lasting peace. News Burma Army Blocks Food Supplies to Kachin IDPs Members of the Green Land environmentalist group wait at the Lawa security gate in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, where the Burma Army halted their relief consignment. / Naung Latt The Burma Army has stopped a local environmentalist group from sending food relief to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kachin States Hpakant Township on suspicion that the supplies were intended for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Fifteen members of Green Land, an environmentalist civil society group based in jade-rich Hpakant, were in the process of transporting 130 bags of rice, 40 jerry cans of oil and six bags of salt to IDPs in Jahtu Zup village on Tuesday afternoon, when they were stopped outside of Hpakant town by soldiers at the Lawa security gate in the area of Kar Mai, Green Land director U Naung Latt told The Irrawaddy. A captain called Aung Thu Hein stopped us and said we had to seek approval from higher authorities. So, we phoned the brigade commander, and he said we would have to ask for permission from Northern Command [based in the state capital Myitkyina]. Next, we called the Kachin State chief minister and he told us to ask permission from the security and border affairs minister [for Kachin State], said U Naung Latt. Army officers justified the blocking of the food relief by stating that some organizations have been sending food supplies to the KIA, according to U Naung Latt. Since mid September, the Burma Army has stepped up offensives against the KIA, using air strikes and artillery bombardment. Soldiers at the Lawa security gate have since taken charge of the food supplies. Four senior members of Green Land, leaving behind 11 members to remain near the supplies, traveled to Myitkyina to meet with the Kachin State security and border affairs ministera serving military officerbut failed to obtain permission. He said he would report [the matter] to Northern Command and asked us to continue waiting. What else can we do? said U Naung Latt. The food relief was intended for more than 200 IDPs taking shelter at a monastery, two churches and a primary school, said U Naung Latt, and permission had successfully being sought from the Hpakant Township administrator, in line with apparent procedure. [The soldiers] implicitly accused us of sending food supplies to the KIA, and so did the security and border affairs minister. If so, then is the World Food Programme, which is helping war victims, violating Article 17(1) [of the Unlawful Associations Act]? he said, referring to a colonial-era law used to criminalize contact with Burmas ethnic armed groups. We are providing food supplies on humanitarian grounds. This is no political trick. It is just because they [IDPs] are extremely short on food, he added. U Naung Latt said he would wait at the Lawa security gate until permission is obtained. The Irrawaddy contacted an officer at the police station in Kar Mai, where the security gate is located, but he said he was not authorized to comment on matters related to the military. However, he said that the Burma Army had tightened security on roads since clashes in August, when their soldiers fell prey to KIA landmines. The Irrawaddy also phoned the Kachin State chief minister and the security and border affairs minister but was unable to obtain comment. Htwel Awng, a pastor with the Kachin Baptist Convention in Jahtu Zup village, where the IDPs are sheltering, told The Irrawaddy, Yes, it is true that those food supplies are for us. And we heard that the military has taken hold of them. But, we dont know the latest developments. In Jahtu Zup village, the World Food Programme provides 14,000 kyats (US$10.85) per month for each IDP, which is simply not enough, he said. Some 214 IDPs have been sheltering at four locations in the area since July 31, after fleeing clashes between the KIA and the Burma Army, prompted by alleged Burma Army encroachment on KIA outposts while attempting to seize control of illegal gold mines in Tanai Township, north of Hpakant. Since the breakdown of a 17-year ceasefire between the Burma Army and the KIA in 2011, more than 100,000 civilians have been displaced. Most still remain in camps or temporary shelters, in both government and KIA-controlled areas. The World Food Programme, in cooperation with local civil society organizations, has been providing food to IDPs since 2011, but rations were cut by more than 50 percent at the end of 2015. IDPs have since faced shortages. The Kachin State government issued a notice in September, requiring groups to seek its permission before supplying food to IDPs. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko News Dalai Lama Calls for Narrowing the Gap Between Buddhists and Muslims in Burma Tibets exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama gestures during his visit to Prague, Czech Republic, on Monday. / David W. Cerny / Reuters PRAGUE, Czech Republic Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel peace laureate the Dalai Lama has urged Burmas State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to bridge the gap between Buddhist and Muslim communities in the country. The Dalai Lama conveyed the message while being interviewed by The Irrawaddy on the sidelines of a panel discussion entitled The World and Its Current Challenges at the 20th Forum 2000 Conference in the Czech capital of Prague on Tuesday. Now, shes got the opportunity to work. And I think she should pay some attention to reduc[ing] some gaps [between] the Buddhist community and the Muslim community, the Dalai Lama told The Irrawaddy, in reference to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The Buddhist monk highlighted the importance of inner peace as a means to end conflicts between different communities. If we can develop inner peace, we can build on it to create world peace. What we require is a more universal approach to human values that can appeal to everyone. There are grounds for optimism, said the 81-year-old. Buddhist and Muslim communities in Arakan State remain largely segregated since anti-Muslim violence swept the region in 2012 and 2013, which killed scores and displaced around 140,000 people, the majority of them self-identifying Muslim Rohingyaa group that the government labels as Bengali. Most recently, fatal attacks against police border outposts allegedly committed by Muslim militants have led to a joint police and Burma Army manhunt in the area, displacing many. When questioned on the topic of terrorism, the Dalai Lama warned against associating such acts with any religion. Extremists have no religion, he said. While on an official visit to India, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was quoted in the Hindustan Times discussing a similar issue. Terrorism is rife all over the world, so I think it is terrorism we need to isolate and to eliminate. I do not like to think in terms of individuals or organizations or countries, although these come into the equation as well, said the state counselor. News DKBA Splinter Group Clashes with Burma Army, Casualties Reported A Border Guard Force soldier loads a machine gun on the front line of clashes in the Mae Tha Waw area of Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Casualties were reported in fighting between a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and a joint force of the Burma Army and the allied Border Guard Force (BGF) on Wednesday in Kawkareik Township of Karen State. During the attack, four of our soldiers died, Maj Saw San Aung, a leader of the DKBA splinter groupwhich calls itself the Democratic Karen Buddhist Armytold The Irrawaddy on Thursday. The fighting lasted over 30 minutes and we heard that one civilian was injured. He said there was fighting yesterday between his troops and the joint force but that that no civilians fled their homes because the fighting broke out far from local villages. The Burma Army and the BGF launched joint offensives against the DKBA breakaway group in Myaing Gyi Ngu and Mae Tha Waw areas of Hlaingbwe Township in Karen State in September. About 5,000 civilians remain displaced after fleeing the conflict. After the September offensive, the Burma Army gained full control of Myaing Gyi Ngu and Mae Tha Waw, where the DKBA splinter group was previously based. The DKBA splinter group switched to guerrilla tactics: basing themselves in remote jungle mountain areas and launching surprise attacks on their opponents. The largest ethnic Karen armed organization the Karen National Union (KNU), which signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the Burmese government last year, recently invited the DKBA splinter group to rejoin them under its military wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Maj Saw San Aung told The Irrawaddy that he appreciated the offer by the KNU but his group is not ready to rejoin the organization because they remain engaged in battle in remote areas. We are happy that they made this generous offer, said Maj San Aung. But its difficult to rejoin as KNLA members. We would prefer for a common name such as the Kawthoolei Armed Force. Kawthoolei is a Karen language name for their ethnic homeland. Maj Saw San Aungs DKBA splinter group is estimated to have 200 troops. It broke away from the main DKBA last year after DKBA leaders agreed to sign the NCA, along with the KNU, in October of last year. News Termination of Myitsone Dam the Only Option, Say Local Kachin The entrance to the Myitsone Dam project. / Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint / The Irrawaddy RANGOON It has now been five years since the Myitsone Dam project was suspended, but local ethnic Kachin Mung Ra is still not satisfied. He wishes that the project had been entirely terminated. He frequently laments the loss of his farm and bamboo plantationhe had to leave these behind when he was forcefully relocated for the project. Mung Ra used to live in Dawn Ban, one of over 20 villages that were relocated to make space for the Myitsone Dam. He and his fellow villagers had to leave Dawn Ban behind in 2011 because the village lies in an area designated for a sluice gate. Bamboo trees are not useful to urban residents, but to people like Mung Rawho live alongside the Myitsone confluence of the Mali and Nmai rivers, which forms the Irrawaddy River 26 miles north of the Kachin State capital Myitkyinabamboo is a crucial source of income. Bamboo is the source of our livelihood. We sell bamboo in towns to producers of bamboo matting. And we use this money for our household expenses, said Mung Ra. In 2011, locals were ordered to move as farmlands and bamboo trees were cleared for the dam project. Each household only received 100,000 kyats (about US$78) for moving expenses, and the authorities compensated villagers 5,000 kyats ($4) for each cluster of bamboo plants cleared. No compensation was given for the actual farmland left behind. A bamboo plant is sold for at least 1,500 kyats [US$1.18] in town [Myitkyina]. But the compensation we receive is only 5,000 kyats for the entire cluster of bamboo plants. On my bamboo plantation, the smallest cluster has at least 50 bamboo plants, and the largest cluster has about 300 plants, Mung Ra said. Dawn Ban villagers were relocated to new homes in Mali Yang village, where new spaces were created by clearing farms and bamboo plantationswhich of course had been a source of income and indeed livelihood for the villagers of Mali Yang. Moreover, Mali Yang locals had to give up their farms in order for roads, also part of the project, to be constructed. Brang Mai of Mali Yang village recounted his experiences: Ill never forget the day when Chinese men came to check terrain conditions for road construction in December 2011. We were drying paddy on the embankment, and because they didnt want to walk in the mud, they stepped on the paddy with their shoes. Since then, Mali Yang residents have reclaimed bushes for farming, but even so, those lands are not fertile enough. Farms were previously close to the Mali Yang village, and it only took approximately three months to farm for the year. But now, the new farming site is some 10 miles away from the village, presenting a great inconvenience to villagers. This story is not unique. About 3,000 people from some 20 other villages face hardships similar to those of Mung Ra and Brang Mai. An agreement on the China-backed $3.6 billion-dollar Myitsone Dam was signed under the military regime of former Snr-Gen Than Shwe, and construction of the project started in 2009. The China Power Investment Corporation is the developer. Under the agreement, China would receive about 90 percent of the power generated. Yet in the face of opposition from local ethnic Kachin and environmental and political activists, former president Thein Sein suspended the project in Sept. 2011. The previous government, however, granted licenses to gold mining companies along the confluence after the relocation process. The Irrawaddy visited this area earlier this month and found that some companies are still digging for gold, despite an official ban. The previous government built two new villages in Waingmaw Township, east of Myitkyina, for those 3,000 people who were relocated from over 20 villages. They had no choice but to start new yet difficult lives with the small houses given by the governmentand without proper compensation. In some cases, locals were even coerced by authorities to move. Lu Ra, a villager from Tang Phare village who is now living in the newly constructed Aungmyintha village, said: We didnt want to move, and we decided to stay, no matter what came. But police and Chinese men came and said that even if we didnt move, we wouldnt be allowed to live in the village, and that we wouldnt be given a new place. I have children and a family, [so] I agreed to move. Some Tang Phare villagers, because they could not immediately find a source of income in the resettlement area, continued to grow crops on their farms in their old village. But they were quickly arrested, though the authorities later released them. Locals who have been affected by the dam said that they voted for the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the Nov. 2015 general election because they believe that the party will listen to their voices and ultimately terminate the project. If the dam breaks, it will sweep away the people to the south of it [downstream of the Irrawaddy River]. This isnt a wild guess, but an actual possibility, said Dr. Manam Tu Ja, chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP). Ethnic Kachin oppose the dam not only because it puts lives at risk, but also because it endangers the historically valuable Irrawaddy River, the KSDP chairman said. Weighing the pros and cons, the dam has more disadvantages than advantages. Thats why were calling for its termination. Even President U Thein Seins government listened to the wishes of the people; the new government shouldnt continue it, he added, saying that the NLD government should take decisive steps toward terminating the project. In March, Chinas Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told the Chinese media that the Myitsone Dam deal is still in force, and that the project is crucial for China. China is upset that the project has been suspended and has urged for its continuation. At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Burmas de facto leader, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, visited Beijing in August. In a joint statement, the two leaders vowed to enhance cooperation between their governments and promote neighborly ties. The statement only mentioned cooperation in vague terms regarding the economy, trade, agriculture, water resources, and power generation; it did not touch on the Myitsone Dam. However, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that she would like to work out a solution to the project that is acceptable to both sides without negatively affecting their mutual interests. A 20-member commission was formed by presidential order in August, ahead of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis visit to Beijing, to review proposed hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River, assessing the potential benefit to Burmese citizens and making recommendations on whether they should proceed. The first report is due by Nov. 11. Promising to listen to locals, the commission conducted a field survey in September. The Irrawaddy made phone calls for three consecutive days to Kachin State Chief Minister Dr. Khet Aung, who is a member of the commission, to ask about the bodys findings but was unable to obtain comment. Dr. Manam Tu Ja of the KSDP said the commission should take the peoples opinions into serious consideration. While conducting the survey, however, commission members only met with a few locals and failed to meet most of the ethnic Kachin displaced by the dam project, said La Awng of Hkan Bu village. Mung Ra, Lu Ra, and La Awng were among those who voted for the NLD, believing that it would not ignore their wishes. But now they are not so sure. Wed like to tell [NLD] lawmakers what we face on the ground. But they no longer come to us, said Mung Ra. Lu Ra said that she, along with her fellow villagers, had asked to meet Kachin States chief minister in September to talk about the dam projectbut he refused their request, saying that he had no time. Looking to the future, La Awng called the project a big weapon that threatens locals every day. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Commentary All Unquiet on the Western Front Burmas army and police force combine to comb northern Arakan State for suspected militants behind recent attacks on border guard posts. / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy RANGOON The border attacks in northern Arakan State were troubling. And there is no doubt that the attacks will only generate more fear, insecurity, and suspicion among Burmas general population. Also certain is that, if the attacks continue, the Muslim population in the state will face a government crackdown and, in turn, a murky future. We can only hope that these well-coordinated, ostensibly terrorist attacks wont fuel more violence and a repeat of communal violence that, in the past, has spread to other parts of Burma. Indeed, the authorities must restore calmand must themselves keep a cool head while trying to extinguish the thorny issues in northern Arakan State that have since convinced observers both within and beyond Burmas borders that there is some sort of radical element afoot. A curfew has been extended in affected areas, and Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe, minister of home affairs, has warned locals to abide by the law, asking them not to leave the area. Buddhist Arakanese there have also reportedly asked security forces to provide them with arms and to form a local militia. The attacks appear to have been well planned and coordinated. According to some Asian intelligence sources, military training was provided near the Burma-Bangladeshi border area; similar information was released during the governments press briefing, based on the confessions of those arrested so far in northern Arakan State. Ten days before the attacks, militants, looking to join groups in Arakan State, allegedly crossed the Naf River that marks the Burma-Bangladeshi border. Aqa Mul Mujahidin, a group unknown previously, carried out the attacks, the Presidents Office said, and has links to the Rohingya Solidarity Organization, a group that has seemingly been defunct for some 20 years but which is often invoked in Burma by those fearful of Islamic extremism. Indeed, the government is under the impression that the organization receives financial backing from global Islamic terrorist networks and is led by a 45-year-old living in Maungdaw Townships Kyauk Pyin Seik village who attended a six-month Taliban training course in Pakistan, according to the press release. However, Burmas de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, currently in India, told the Hindustan Times: We dont know the full details. We dont know when those six months were. And we are also told he had been receiving funding from various Islamic countries. That is information from just one source. We cant take it for granted that its absolutely correct. The government has asked for cooperation from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said Bangladesh has been very cooperativethey have given us information when there was an attack looming and we were able to make necessary preparations. When questioned on the the issue of terrorism, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate treaded carefully while talking about new challenges facing her country. Basically what were trying to get rid of is terrorism, the use of terror to achieve ones ends Im certainly not in favor of violence, let alone terrorism and I think we all need to work together to find the answer to why people resort to terrorism. What is it about, its not as easy as some people think it is, people resort to terror because they like terrorno, its not like that, she said. The Rohingyathe countrys oft-persecuted Muslim grouphas swiftly been caught up in the hunt for suspects. Richard Horsey, a political analyst, told the Brussels-based International Crisis Group last week that there is clear evidence that many of the attacks were from the Rohingya community, who make up 90 per cent of the population in this area of [Arakan] State. But it is not clear how they were organized. The Rohingya are not an officially recognized ethnicity in Burma. Indeed, even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, We think that saying Muslims in the [Arakan] State is a factual [position]. Soon after the attacks, the military sent troops to the area, and Burmas Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing reportedly gave the green-light to use air assistance to evacuate Buddhist Arakanese locals and civil servants who had been trapped by the unrest, as well as to deploy more troops, a decision backed by a majority of Burmas overwhelmingly Buddhist population. Given the countrys past experience with Mujahideen separatist outfits, the attacks have alarmed many Buddhist Burmese and more moderate Muslims. In 1948, Mujahideen violence erupted in Arakan State soon after Burma regained its independence; the rebellion received support in parts of Eastern Pakistan (what is today Bangladesh). Some Muslim leaders in northern Arakan State who had served under the British took part in the rebellion. In April of 1942, when Japanese troops occupied Burma, British soldiers who had retreated to India set up the V Force to gather intelligence, in the process recruiting Muslims to work on the frontline. There were Arakanese Muslims who played key roles in reconnaissance missions, the rescuing of downed aviators, and raids on Japanese collaborators. British officers serving in V Force provided assistance, particularly medical aid, to the Muslim populations, wrote Moshe Yegar, author of the book Muslims of Burma. It took years to quell Mujahideen movements in the course of the 1950s under late Prime Minister U Nus government. In 1961, the Burma Army finally forced Mujahideen forces to surrender. In any case, news of alleged militant attacks and security forces response has taken center stage in the media, siphoning away attention from Burmas north, where skirmishes between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army have flared up over the past several weeks. The recent attacks in Arakan State have no doubt provided more authority to armed forces and to police to tighten security, set up checkpoints, send more troops to seal the border area, and even prevent humanitarian assistance from reaching refugee camps along the border. Also of note is that the attacks took place only one month after former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annans controversial visit to Arakan State. Before her official visit to the United States and prior to delivering her first speech at the United Nations in her capacity as foreign minister, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave the go-ahead to establish an advisory commissionheaded by Annanthat would look for solutions to conflict in Arakan State. Local Arakanese strongly opposed the Annan-led commission and staged protests during his visit. In light of the attacks, there is now fear among diplomats, some Burmese, and the international community that the commission is in jeopardy. Last week, President Htin Kyaw, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing held a meeting at the presidential residence in Naypyidaw. Deputy Army Chief Gen Soe Win, Defense Minister Gen Sein Win, and Minister of Home Affairs Lt Gen Kyaw Swe also attended. They discussed overall security issues, including the recent attacks, clashes in Kachin and northern Shan states, the actions of National Ceasefire Agreement signatory the Restoration Council of Shan State, the conditions in the Wa and Mongla autonomous regions, and plans for improving the combat-readiness of the Myanmar Police Force. But the issue in Arakan State is different, and it received special attention. The security forces seemed to have information to feed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President Htin Kyaw. The meeting was itself an interesting development, as the country has the National Defense and Security Council, a powerful body comprised of 11 members including the two vice presidents, the two speakers of the Parliament, and the foreign affairs minister. But the two vice presidents and the parliamentary speakers were not at the meeting. According to the constitution, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President Htin Kyaw are members of the council, in addition to Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Gen Soe Win, and Gen Sein Win. This meeting took place as Burmas government struggles to transform the old system and steer the country in a new direction, and as a new security crisis unfurls on the countrys western flank, in northern Arakan State, a situation made precarious by the competing sympathies of Arakanese and the international community when it comes to the plight of Rohingya Muslims. Looking ahead, Burmas six-month-old government will need the full cooperation of the security forces and as much reliable information on the ground as possible if it wants to contain a perfect storm of events that could muddy the countrys much-lauded democratic rebirth. Opinion The Dilemma of Ceasefires Without Peace Thousands demonstrated in the Kachin State capital Myitkyina at the beginning of this month against continued conflict between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army. / Nang Lwin Hnin Pwint / The Irrawaddy Do not put your trust in man. Rather, trust the constitution that we will be drafting. These were the very words that Bogyoke Aung San used to address the deep mistrust expressed by Shan, Kachin and Chin representatives about certain ethnic Bamar leaders when he persuaded them to sign the historic Panglong Agreement in February 1947. With such agreement, it was hoped that the independence generation of national leaders would resolve the deep political and ethnic challenges facing the new union without armed struggles breaking out. But, looking back at the continuing state of conflict in our country, it needs to be asked whether there was really a sincere opportunity for political solutions by peaceful means at that time? And if so, what does it warn of now when military operations are expanding again under a new incarnation of central government when peace hopes have recently been so high? To understand our sense of concern, the Kachin experience is sadly poignant. Kachin leaders have always been in the forefront of initiatives to give peace and reconciliation a chance in our country. It was Kachin representatives who encouraged other nationality leaders at Panglong to reject a British offer of Home Rule and rally behind the national independence movement led by Aung San. The Panglong Agreement, however, was never honored and, in the rush to independence, armed struggle rapidly spread across the country. Since this time, the Kachin people have never wavered in their search for peace. At every change of government in the post-independence era, Kachin organizationsarmed and unarmed together with faith-based and community groupshave never failed to support peace negotiations in the hope that they will lead to political solutions. Such desire has continued through every political era, whether military, quasi-civilian or elected government. Hopes were especially high in 1994 when a bilateral ceasefire agreement was reached with the military government of the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Many Kachins for the first time felt that there was political light at the end of the tunnel, and the Kachin Independence Organisation subsequently participated in the National Convention to draw up the countrys new constitution. Expectations, however, of national peace and inclusion were ultimately dashed. So it is important to stress that the failure of the 17 years of ceasefire was not for a want of local efforts. Within the confines of military rule, Kachin organizations sought every avenue to address the dire needs of the conflict-affected after decades of civil war. Community-based activities multiplied and the KIO, along with other peace groups, promoted regional development while advocating constitutional reform and a new general election to institute peace and a representative system of government in the country. In pursuit of these aims, the KIOtogether with 12 other peace groupssubmitted a joint vision to the National Convention for a federal system of government to guarantee the equality and autonomy promised by Aung San and the Unions founders at Panglong in 1947. Their proposals, however, were ignored, with only a promise that they would be put on file. Meanwhile new forms of exploitation and corruption emerged, including environmental destruction, land-grabbing and other human rights abuses. Equally concerning, the efforts by Kachin people to form representative parties to stand in the 2010 general election were blocked. In consequence, few citizens saw improvement in the security or quality of their lives, causing many Kachins to ask: War or Peace: whats the difference? The 17-year ceasefire was broken immediately after President U Thein Sein took the helm of a quasi-civilian government under the aegis of the 2008 Constitution. The unprecedented use of sophisticated weaponry, including fighter jets, helicopter gunships and heavy artillery, has since caused over 100,000 Kachins to flee from government troops. Most continue to languish in internally-displaced persons camps until this very day. At the same time, despite President Thein Seins suspension of the Myitsone Dam, the exploitation of natural resources such as jade and timber has only increased. Such ill-treatment and oppression have only furthered a new generation of grievances, and many Kachins are now firmly entrenched in the opinion that they should not abandon armed struggle unless there is a real political solution in sight. Kachin leaders have nevertheless continued to engage in peace negotiations at every opportunity. From the time of renewed hostilities in 2011, they entered into new peace talks with the government of President Thein Sein, and a breakthrough of sorts appeared to be reached during meetings in Oct. 2013. A new agreement offered the KIO opportunity to get together with other ethnic armed organizations to collectively negotiate with the central government for a political settlement. Divisive trends, however, in national politics quickly began to emerge; first, the political reform process was separated between parliament and ethnic peace talks; and second, a division developed between the eight ethnic armed organizations that signed a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the Thein Sein government last October and a majority of nationality forces, including the KIO, that want to wait until the national peace process is truly inclusive. Despite these differences, hopes really grew that a new era of peace and reconciliation could be at hand when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy came into government office last March. Optimism developed in spite of the fact that the form of national government remains a centralized, unitary system and the 2008 Constitution is still in place. The reality is that, since 1962, there has been only one party in power, the national armed forces or Tatmadaw, and its presence in government is pervasive and indomitable. Nevertheless hopes of peaceful change further increased at the recent 21st Century Panglong Conference which the KIO also attended. For a brief moment, it appeared that the parliamentary and ethnic peace processes would finally be brought together on the same track in the interest of all peoples. The potential for peace, however, presently appears short-lived. Tatmadaw operations have once again increased around the holding of peace talks, with offensives escalating from mid-Septemberincluding air strikes and artillery shellingduring attacks on KIO positions. On Oct. 14, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen OBrien, expressed concern that humanitarian aid was being blocked by the authorities in some areas. I spoke with people who fled violence more than five years ago and who are simply waiting for the guns to go silent before they can go home, said Mr OBrien. This only serves to highlight the long-standing conundrum for the Kachin people: they know only too well that, if the government and Tatmadaw truly wanted, a halt to military offensives would have been achieved a long time ago. This was amply demonstrated during the 17 years of ceasefire and previous times of peace talks. But for over five years now, every peace announcement or initiative has seen no let-up in Tatmadaw operations and build-up. It is almost as if peace talks and ceasefires are being used as a stratagem of war. Worries, too, are now being felt over the apparent silence and ambivalent position towards the Tatmadaws operations by the new NLD government. Fears over the NLDs lack of understanding or ability to confront these issues increased this week at the first anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signing at Naypyidaw when State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi seemed to suggest that, as long as the NCA is signed, the ethnic conflicts will be over. But if this is the governments belief, it disregards the fact that neither is the NCA open to all groups nor does the Tatmadaw appear to be bound by it. Recent Tatmadaw operations in the Karen state, an area supposedly covered by the NCA, as well as attacks on the Restoration Council of Shan State, an NCA signatory, further underline this point. Of course, political transition in Burma was always likely to be a formidable task after decades of conflict and military government. It is also recognized that all countries in the world face difficult challenges in achieving democratic political systems that represent the people. Such institutions as the European Union, for example, have problems with centralism and disparity between member states. But while the context might be different, the challenge of such inequalities reflects the experiences in our country where the Tatmadaw has become an inherently authoritarian political and economic structure and successive governments, whether military or elected, support this by positioning themselves close to the status quo. For the Kachins, who are co-founders of the Union, it is a challenge to overcome this unrepresentative system on their own. But no matter how their actions are viewed by others, the Kachins will continue to defend their rights and repel military aggression wherever it occurs. As experience since independence has long shown, it is a matter of survival. And such sufferings, which afflict many nationalities in our country, cause real harm to inter-community relations. As a new government, once again led by ethnic Bamars, now seeks to resolve the countrys challenges, it is sad to say that a prevalent view among many Kachins about the Bamar elites is: When there is discord within their ranks they will try to sow division amongst us and exploit the situation; and when they are united, they will direct their energies to annihilating us. Burmas future could still be bright. But as military offensives continue, it is vital to recognize that the recourse to armed tactics is not just a Kachin issue but a national issue as well. If there is a reversion to military rule, it might not make much difference for the Kachins who have been living under this reality for many decades, but it must give real cause for concern to everyone who supports democracy. Political solutions will never be achieved on the battlefield. Under such a scenario, there will be no winners but just losers. Military-first tactics will never end, and the present political landscape will not mark a step in transition towards peace and democratic change. Rather, the country will remain enmeshed in the unending cycles of conflict, ceasefires and broken promises that underpin state failure and national under-achievement. The task of finding peaceful solutions thus falls to us all: political parties, ethnic armed organizations, community and civil society groups, media, faith-based groups, individual activists for peace, and coalitions of interest groups. It is time to say that enough is enough to military offensives. At a time of critical national change, the attitude of waiting until armed conflict is over to settle things will not work. Popular momentum is building. What is now needed is to forge a national movement in the same way as the Save the Irrawaddy campaign that halted the construction of the Myitsone Dam under the Thein Sein government. People of all ethnic, political, religious and geographical backgrounds need to come together in one voice to stop the war before it is too late. In the meantime, tens of thousands of Kachin civilians have come out in protest against the war in recent days. Their protests were echoed in an appeal letter sent to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by the NLDs Ethnic Affairs Committee Chairperson for the Kachin state, Sheila Nang Tawng, and signed by her fellow MPs. Protests against the Kachin war are also being carried out in Hakha, Yangon and Mandalay by other ethnic brethren, including the Bamar. Thus this is a call for all civilians, political parties, faith-based and civil society organizations across the country, as well as those abroad in their adopted nations, to come together in solidarity with the Kachin and other nationality peoples in their suffering and demand: an immediate stop to military offensives in the ethnic regions initiation of a comprehensive peace process provision of unhindered access to humanitarian aid a halt to large-scale mega development projects until a political solution is achieved.It would be a tragedy if our silence brought only suffering for our children, and posterity came to see us as the tacit enablers of military aggression in our lands.Lahpai Seng Raw is a 2013 Ramon Magsaysay Award winner and co-founder of the Metta Development Foundation and Airavati. She was also a delegate at the recent 21st Century Panglong Conference. Article republished with the kind permission of the Transnational Institute. See the original here. The fun part about thinking about artificial intelligences (AI) especially for folks with a dark sense of humor is that it is possible to assess its impact in the short term, the medium term and the very long term. The humor springs from the fact that the long-term view refers to the end of civilization. Overriding the conversation is the idea that the sophistication and capabilities of AI are growing at a very rapid clip. It was mostly discussed by futurists and screenwriters just a few years ago. Now, it is at the center of many corporate and business functions. The nature of the growth is startling. Indeed, the first thing to ask about Googles DeepMind is which science fiction movies and short stories are brought to mind by the recent news that the platform can now teach itself based on information it already possesses. In other words, people are no longer a necessary part of the platform growing more knowledgeable or sophisticated. DeepMind, according to The Next Web, uses a hybrid system called differential neural computer. With the storage capacity of a conventional computer, the platform combines smart artificial intelligence (AI) with a neural network capable of quickly parsing it, according to the story. The piece offers two examples of DeepMind thinking on its own. One focuses on relationships in a family tree and the other on the London Underground. The short-term and parochial view of the impact of AI on business is illustrated by Einstein, which is Salesforces AI initiative. TechCrunch says that it isnt a product so much as a set of intelligence functionality that buttresses the companys platform: Today, Einstein can provide information like predictive lead scoring and opportunity insights, which alert a rep how a deal is trending the kinds of information many CRM applications have been offering for some time but as the technology develops, the company sees a much bigger role for it. The mid-level view of the dangers of AI is captured in an ITWorld piece on AI by Galen Gruman. He recounts questions asked of Microsoft and IBM executives at the recent SoCal and Gartner ITExpo conferences about whether these systems will spy deeply on our work lives. Gruman points out that platforms such as IBM Watson, Microsoft Cortana, LinkedIn, DeepMind, Apples Siri and others can provide analysis based on information gathered and crunched as only a supercomputer can. He got it right with a one-word paragraph after his description: Scary! A main point of the story is that it may be very difficult to deduce when a sophisticated AI platform is making a subjective judgement about a person. The bit of data upon which that judgement is based, such as bounced checks or traffic tickets, may permanently influence the subjective analysis that influences the persons fate. Gruman makes some suggestions about use and treatment of data. They seem sensible, but unlikely to permanently change things especially when the machines start writing the rules. The longer-term view is that we all may be doomed. It was voiced this week by cosmologist, theoretical physicist and Jaguar pitchman Stephen Hawking, who offered a dire warning as he addressed the opening of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge. AI, he was quoted by The Independent as saying, could lead to the creation of powerful autonomous weapons and new and novel ways to oppress and control the masses. The potential impact is decidedly non-trivial: Hawking suggested AI could be the last event in the history of our civilisation if humanity did not learn to cope with the risks it posed. The past decade has proven not only that AI is real, but that the scariest scenarios thought up in Hollywood are quite reasonable. Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk. A couple of Chinese astronauts carried by Shenzhou 11 have docked on board the Tiangong 2 Space Station today. They will stay for 30 days aboard the space lab marking the country's longest space mission ever. The Shenzhou 11 was launched last October 16 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. The two Chinese astronauts or "taikonauts" spent two days travelling through space before reaching Tiangong 2 which is 244 miles above Earth. The spacecraft docked on the space lab, which was launched last month, at 19:24 GMT on Tuesday (03:24 Beijing time). The duo will spend a total of 33 days in space, according to a report. Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong will conduct numerous tests on board Tiangong 2 in preparation for the launching of the Tianhe 1, China's more permanent space station. Aside from scientific experiments, the pair will also do some necessary repairs on the space lab. China has plans for a long-duration space flight and this mission is just one of the steps to achieve that goal. Some reports say that China will be sending another manned mission in 2017. The rumoured mission will have three Chinese astronauts. In 2018, the Tianhe 1 will be launched if everything goes as planned. Reports say that the country also has plans to probe Mars using an unmanned rover by 2020 and to send a taikonaut to the moon by 2025. Jing is a veteran of three space missions including this one. The 50-year old fighter pilot was also part of the Shenzhou 7 and Shenzhou 9 missions. The 38-year old Chen, meanwhile, is on his first mission in space. China is only the third country in the world to send manned missions to space after the United States and Russia. They launched their first crewed space mission in 2003. Shenzhou 11 is their sixth. The recent disclosure of a huge data breach may affect Verizon Communication's acquisition of Yahoo for $4.8 billion. Last month, Yahoo revealed that a massive hack had affected around 500 million of its users. In its aftermath, Yahoo president and CEO Marissa Mayer and her team drew scrutiny over the unfortunate incident, which CNET says may be the biggest hack and theft of personal account info to date. Yahoo has also been criticized for allegedly helping the U.S. government spy on its users in a bid to track down criminals and terrorists. According to reports, Verizon general manager Craig Siliman said that the company is evaluating the impact of the security breach. Many believe it could have a "material impact" on negotiations for Verizon's takeover of the multinational tech company. But a significant increase in Yahoo's profits may help swing things back in the company's favor. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Yahoo released its third quarter 2016 financial report, which indicated profits exceeding Wall Street's expectations. Based on the report, Yahoo's profits grew by more than double in the last three months, rising to $163 million from $76.3 million in the same period last year. Revenues are up 6.5% to $1.3 billion and shares are up less than 1% to $41.95 in after-hours trading. Revenues from mobile operations alone grew from $271 million in the same quarter last year to $396 million this year. This was the first financial update from Yahoo since the deal between the tech giant and Verizon was announced. "We remain very confident, not only in the value of our business, but also in the value Yahoo products bring to our users' lives," Mayer said in a statement. The Yahoo chief executive also addressed the recent security breach, saying: "We take deep responsibility in protecting our users and the security of their information. We're working hard to retain their trust and are heartened by their continued loyalty as seen in our user engagement trends." CNET reports that Yahoo has decided, for the first time, to skip its regular analysts call, which is standard operating procedure for public companies following the announcement of quarterly financial reports. According to a Yahoo spokesperson, the call was cancelled due to the impending sale to Verizon. Hi-tech company Facebook released on Tuesday a new feature in which its users can endorse the U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Also, it allows users to endorse third-party candidates such as Gary Johnson or Jill Stein. Hillary Clinton Or Donald Trump? According to CNET, Facebook's endorsement feature asks users to chose their favorite American candidate by clicking the endorsement button. The feature also allows them to decide whom they want to tell about their political choice. A rather annoying fact about this bizarre new feature, however, is that users also have to add a few words explaining their decision. However, the strangest detail about Facebooks new option is that if users make that endorsement public, the candidate in question can use it on his or her own page. This means that the politicians use of its voters is going to be more intense than ever, and that users' arguments might be watched by millions, regardless if it was well written or not. Consequences Of Facebooks Endorsement Feature Although this might be seen as something that could end in an uncomfortable situation, such as being bullied by many people if users make a mistake or if they support the opposite candidate, the flip side is that users can also watch if some of their friends endorsed a candidate and see their arguments. According to many specialists, people have to be aware of the consequences of using this new feature. "Anyone that is going to endorse knows that they're probably going to end up with an argument with someone on the other side of the political spectrum, but I think that's not necessarily a bad thing.It does ask people to say why they believe this candidate is the best one for them. That might actually start some useful conversation. I do think its better than just those graphical overlays that we saw on avatars," Curtain University senior lecturer in internet studies Tamar Leaver told to ABC. In addition to the fact-check feature released by Google, the Facebooks endorsement option might also determine the U.S. presidential elections, with the difference that users will be the one to decide if this feature will be successful or not. In the small business market, Amazon's cloud business is crushing top rivals like Microsoft and Google. Amazon Cloud Business' Success According to Business Insider, Amazon Web Services has become now a massive business with annual revenue of $10 billion. Amazon's cloud business has customers in all sectors, including the highly-regulated financial and public sectors. But according to a new survey published by Pacific Crest, Amazon Web Services is most successful in the small and medium-sized cloud app service market. Instead of building their own data centers, Amazon's cloud business offers smaller startups an easy option to rent cloud servers. This is significantly helping to reduce the cost of starting a new service. Among 300 companies surveyed with a 2015 median revenue of $5 million, 50 percent of the respondents have Amazon Web Services as their choice of cloud service provider. That compares to Salesforce's 2 percent share and Microsoft's 4 percent share this year. Around 10 percent of the respondents have chosen the "Other Third Party" category including Google's cloud service. Amazon's cloud business accounted for only 40 percent of the market in last year's survey. Market analysts expect that in the next three years Amazon Web Services will further widen its lead to 64 percent. One of the ways of increasing its small business market share is through acquisitions of other specialized cloud service companies. Amazon Web Services Acquisition Strategy According to Tech Target, Amazon Web Services' acquisitions of Cloud 9, Elemental Technologies and NICE show a pattern of purchases oriented toward small, service-focused companies. Each acquisition in the cloud business field aims at tactical but less expensive companies to fill up any gaps Amazon may have in the market. And its strategy works, now there are not many gaps left. Amazon acquired Elemental Technologies in September of 2015, for $500 million. Amazon Web Services used the back-end mobile video service to strengthen its own cloud infrastructure services. NICE was purchased in February 2016. The Italian software as a service company is specialized in developing products to help customers centralize visualization workloads and high-performance computing. Market analysts predict that Amazon Web Services will continue in the near future to expand its portfolio through various acquisitions. These tactical acquisitions are helping the company to build most of the cloud services offered. For instance, Amazon Web Services acquired San Francisco-based startup Cloud 9 that provides an integrated development environment (IDE) as a collaboration platform for mobile and web developers. Cloud 9's technology will likely be integrated in Amazon Web Services into its infrastructure as a service offering without replacing or adding any other major services. This demonstrates that Amazon Web Services' purchase strategy aims to add value to its customers through small changes. These are small purchases and this strategy contrasts with that of IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle, all of them choosing larger players for their purchases. Amazon Web Services will likely continue to purchase various specialized companies that can help it move it into underutilized or new markets. Among potential purchase targets are included IoT startups, cloud management companies, DevOps, and developer productivity companies, Less than a minute before Schiaparelli lands on mars, signals began to dissipate leaving the European Space Agency (ESA) clueless about the spacecraft's condition. Two Space Rovers Sent to Locate Schiaparelli After its descent through the martian atmosphere, scientists from Germany had problems acquiring signals from the 1,272-pound probe signifying if it safely landed on the surface. Two Satellites positioned in Mars attempted to catch the probe's status, but to no avail. One American satellite called out to the European Schiaparelli to get it to respond, but it showed no signs. There are growing fears that Schiaparelli may have crashed. However, ESA quickly dismissed the issue saying that its engineers are running through "fault trees" seeking to find out why communications was lost and what they can do to retrieve the situation. An update is expected to be made Thursday after analyzing data sent to track the Schiaparelli spacecraft in orbit around mars. ESA Explains 'European Schiaparelli' According to CNN, the probe is equipped with a heat shield to protect it from intense heat as it plunges towards the Mar's surface at more than 1,000 mph. A parachute deploys at 150 mph and then for about 30 seconds, nine thrusters activate to ease it upon landing. A crumple zone similar to those in cars was designed to help moderate the landing. Even if it successfully landed, Europe's Schiaparelli is allowed to operate for three to ten days before its batteries run out. Humans to Live On Mars In 2030 Aside from ESA's ExoMars Mission, NASA has already revealed its plans to get humans living on mars in the next few decades. The space agency has set out a three-part plan which opens doors to humans living on mars on 2030. U.S. President Barrack Obama backed this up through his statement in CNN. Two NASA rovers, Curiosity and Opportunity has been reporting from mars for more than 12 years. Now private companies are also into launching missions in the red planet including, Elon Musk's SpaceX and Mars One. It's been a very long time since Apple has updated their MacBook lineup. But not until next week, October 27. The company is finally updating their laptop series and that makes all Apple MacBook enthusiasts excited about! Bloomberg reported recently that a thinner, faster MacBook Pro will be the star of the show. The big event will be held the company's campus in Cupertino, California. According to Wired, it wont be Apples splashiest event of the year, which is probably why its at the companys small on-campus event center rather than at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, a literal rock concert venue. Rumors on the MacBook is spreading like boom! According to Engadget, the soon-to-be-released and redesigned laptop has a touch-capable OLED strip on the keyboard above the number row that can adapt to whatever app you're using. Touch ID might be making its way to the Mac for the first time, as well. The computers will likely be thinner and lighter compared to the released MacBook in 2015. The butterfly keyboard mechanism tiered battery design and reliance on USB-C all seem likely to come on board at this point. We're hoping the MacBook Pro will be available in a variety of colors for the first time, too. Beyond that, specifications of the iMac and MacBook Air seem like good bets. Looking beyond the usual style of Apple, it's also possible that iPad will get some love. It wouldn't surprise us to see if iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro will get some updates. For now, let us all mark our calendars. See you on October 27! Reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases drastically increased in 2015, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 1.5 million cases of chlamydia, 400,000 cases of gonorrhea and 24,000 cases of primary and secondary syphilis were recorded by the agency. Which Majority is Severely Affected? Syphilis grew to 19%, gonorrhea 12.9% and Chlamydia by 5.9%. Americans age 15-24 years old accounted for most chlamydia and gonorrhea cases while men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for the majority of new gonorrhea and primary and secondary Syphilis cases. CDC also reported the troubling increase in Syphilis among newborns after its rate hiked by 6 percent with 27 percent accounting to women. "We're very concerned about the unprecedented high number of cases of STIs in the United States," Gail Bolan, the director of the CDC's Division of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention, told The Verge. "These new numbers are making it really clear that many Americans are not getting the preventive services they need." Less Access to STD Centers Account to Higher STD Rates The agency said that the budget cuts for local STI programs left fewer people with access to testing and treatment. Sexually transmitted infections cost the U.S. healthcare system nearly $16 billion each year which prompted the foreclosure of 20 STD Centers. "Those are among the primary places where we actually diagnose and treat S.T.D.s as well as H.I.V.," said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, the director of the agency's National Center for H.I.V./AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, S.T.D. and TB Prevention. Public health officials score out that this might probably be one of the reasons why STD rates continue to soar high. Locals Urged To Participate in Fight Against STD Epidemic To lessen the ever-increasing risk of sexually transmitted disease, health care providers, state, and local health departments including the majority of the public are urged to contribute and play a role in spreading STD awareness. "We should all learn to talk more openly about STDs - with our partners, parents, and providers," Bolan said. "People who are sexually active should talk to their medical providers about getting tested and reducing their risk by using condoms or practicing mutual monogamy. It is critical that providers ask about their patients' sexual history and ensure STD screening is a standard part of medical care." Peruvian authorities are now investigating the mysterious death linked to thousands of Titicaca water frogs in South America. The Giant Amphibians scientifically known as Telmatobius Coleus weigh more than 2 pounds and contain excessive skin folds. "Their wrinkly skin folds is an adaptation to help them absorb more oxygen from the water, possibly because they live at such high altitudes,Ph.D.,"says Jonathan Kolby,Ph.D.student in Southern America. Thousands Of Endangered Frogs Poisoned The frogs have grown common in Peru's lake. But over the past years, their population immensely declined by 80 percent, making it critically endangered. Yesterday, an even major blow hit the species as more 10,000 were spotted lifelessly floating on the surface of the Coata River in Southern Peru. The alert was made by an environmental group called the Committee Against Pollution of the Coata River. Maruja Inquilla Sucasaca, a representative from the Committee said that "The authorities don't realize how we're living. The pollution here is maddening, how could the state act so apathetic?" "We need a sewage plan now." She added. Among the causes of death were human sewage from the town of Juliaca and heavy metal pollution, The Guardian reported. Government Turns Blind Eye On Pollution Issues According to the environmental group, they have long been protesting about the massive pollution happening in the area but the government seems to turn a blind eye on the issue. CNN reports that residents living near the Coata River held a demonstration bringing 100 dead frogs to the attention of environmental authorities. During the initial investigation, authorities witnessed seagulls feeding off dead frogs. Peruvian authorities are now working with Denver Zoo specialists, Roberto Elias and Enrique Ramos to test the samples of the water and determine the detailed reason behind the deaths of the Titicaca Water Frogs. Microsoft has announced that their speech recognition technology has reached human parity. In other words, their system is more human than ever. The word error rate of Microsoft's speech recognition tech is now at a low 5.9 percent, according to the company's researchers. That figure puts the tech almost at par with professional transcribers who participated in the tests. The transcribers and the system were asked to transcribe the same recordings. The results were not too far from each other. Their findings led Xuedong Huang, the company's chief speech scientist, to declare that the speech recognition system has "reached human parity". He further described the feat as "a historic achievement". The tech utilizes neural language models according to The Verge. These models group words that are similar together to allow a more efficient generalization. Microsoft's Speech and Dialog research group did admit that the technology is still far from having the ability to understand semantics and contextual awareness. They also indicated that the real test for the speech recognition tech is for it to understand conversations in real-life situations. This will likely include the ability to recognize facial expressions and understanding different languages. It also needs to work well when faced with a wider selection of voices. Microsoft is planning to use this technology in their personal voice assistant, Cortana. The company's first foray to speech recognition involved Skype. With the release of Skype Translator in 2015, users have been able to talk to other people who speak a different language. Skype Translator recognizes the conversation and translates them from another language. In describing their work, Microsoft AI Research head Harry Shum said that "We are moving away from to world where people must understand computers in a world in which computers must understand us." Shum also said, as MacRumors reported, that "true artificial intelligence is still on the distant horizon." Following the release of names of 10 Hollywood actresses potentially to star in "Deadpool 2" as Domino alongside Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson, latest updates available point to Ruby Rose as the forerunner in the race. Rose might have tweeted a hint to confirm her participation in the upcoming anti-hero film. Ruby Rose is currently leading the rumors to play in "Deadpool 2" as Neena Thurman, also known as Domino, a former mercenary who eventually became an X-men member. A fan account on Twitter for Ruby Rose tweeted the Australian thespian a photo grid of a screen cap from her movie "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" and an animated version of Rose as Domino herself, saying "This has to happen. @Rubyrose as Domino in #Deadpool2..." This needs to happen. @RubyRose as Domino in #Deadpool2 Ruby Rose: "I Am Smiling" In response, the actress tweeted: "I am smiling!! I just, like many have deep concerns for mankind right now." This sparked speculations that Rose's camp might be in closed-door meeting with FOX as the hinted starrer is under negotiation to play the role. However, there is no confirmation as of now from Rose's manager regarding the rumors. Potential Domino Actors In the race to becoming Wade Wilson's partner in "Deadpool 2," nine more actresses were initially teased in the run for the lead role, including Sienna Miller (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Lizzy Caplan (Now You See Me 2), Stephanie Sigman (Spectre), Sofia Boutella (Tiger Raid), Maria Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Sylvia Hoeks (The Best Offer). As of the latest, other names have already surfaced that include Mackenzie Davis (The Martian), Eve Hewson (Bridge of Spies) and Kelly Rohrbach (Cafe Society). Domino is known for her hand-to-hand skills and marksmanship. Part of her ability as a mutant is to alter powers which she uses as a mercenary. As for the release date, there has been no confirmation if "Deadpool 2" will be pushed for 2018 premiere. However, movie production was already announced to kick off early 2017. Warner Bros. is starting to plan a new film that centers on Willy Wonka, the main character of the 1970s movie taken from two books written by Roald Dahl. The studio succeeded in fall in acquiring the rights to the Willy Wonka intellectual property from the Roald Dahl Estate. The studio has been pursuing the rights since the start of 2016. Willy Wonka was in two of Dahls books -- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. But he never wrote anything specific on Willy Wonka, as E!r News noted. Two Movie Versions Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was twice adopted as a movie. The first, shown in 1971 and directed by Mel Stuart, starred Gene Wilder who died in late August at 83 years old. The second, shown in 2005 and directed by Tim Burton, starred Johnny Depp. Before he agreed to play Willy Wonka, Wilder made a very specific request on how the eccentric character would first appear in the movie. In a letter to the director, Wilder specified, When I make my first entrance, Id like to come out of the door carrying a cane and then walk toward the crowd with a limp. Actors Get Residuals When 1971 Movie Airs On Network TV Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee), one of the 10 Oompa Loompas in the 1971 version, said he was paid $500 weekly and was sent on a trip to Germany with his family. The movie was shot for nine weeks in Germany. Until now, he still receives residuals whenever the movie is shown on network TV, but not for cable, DVD or VHS sales. According to Variety, the upcoming movie would not be an original tale but a standalone film which focuses on Willy Wonka and his early adventures. David Heyman, who produced Harry Potter, would produce the upcoming movie. Co-producer is Michael Siegel from the Roald Dahl Estate. The scriptwriter would be Simon Rich who wrote The Secret Life of Pets. So far, there is no cast nor release date announced yet. The new Google-branded smartphones Pixel and Pixel XL launched with a warm welcome from fans and industry observers. Expectations were high but somehow the new handsets were able to meet them based on glowing product reviews coming from various tech sites. Alphabet Inc, Google's parent company, reported a record high achievement in shares value due to the overwhelming response of the Pixel Phones' initial introduction, a record that is expected to be broken again in the coming months as Pixel and Pixel XL finally start shipments to customers. Alphabet Shares Value Hit An All-Time Record Bloomberg reported that Alphabet Inc. shares' price gained 2.5 percent to close at $826.85 after reaching as high as $828, a record increase since Google's shares were publicly traded on Aug. 19, 2004. This performance was attributed to the great reviews earned by the recently unveiled Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. The Google Pixel Phones Overwhelming Positive Response Reviews across different tech websites for the Pixel phones have been fairly positive. It even resulted to carriers and various retailers to announce that their initial inventories have been completely sold out. This kind of unprecedented market performance paints a positive future for the Pixel phones, which Google has vowed to produce annually. Google Pixel Phones' Hardware And Software Combination The post-nexus offering of Google boasts of carefully designed software and hardware combination. The base model Pixel offers a 1920 x 1080 display in smaller 5-inch screen with a density of 441 pixels per inch (ppi) and 2,700 mAh of battery power while the bigger sibling Pixel XL offers a bumped-up display of 2560 x 1440 for a higher 534 ppi and a beefed-up 3,450 mAh battery. Both Pixel phones come with the latest Snapdragon 821 SoC onboard, 12 MP and 8 MP camera combo and the new Pixel-exclusive Google Assistant baked inside the latest Android Nougat 7.1 software. In our day to day activities, sweat is an inevitable factor that we will meet. A never-ending sweat especially from the armpits and forehead, are, well, embarrassing. However, more than the discomfort, a dermatology expert says that it can sometimes be a signal of having other skin problems. Recently, Dr. Jenny Eileen Murase, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center said that a lot of people who normally secretes sweat excessively do not realize the fact that they might already be having a treatable medical condition known as hyperhidrosis; thinking that it is just normal bodily activity. According to CBS News, Murase revealed in the American Academy of Dermatology news release that if a person sweats too much, then considering a board-certified dermatologist's advice won't hurt. Dermatologists are one of the few experts fully equipped with the knowledge and expertise in the diagnosis and the best treatment for the said condition. The International Hyperhidrosis Society claims that the first line of defense to fight against excessive underarm sweating is to use antiperspirants. When asked, most physicians suggest the mildest formulations to begin with. These are usually bought over the counter, but if desired relief is not obtained, you can work your way up to the stronger clinical components and if still not working, seek an expert's advice. The recent rise to fame of certain clinical strength antiperspirants have been found to provide the same consistency when it comes to sweat management but one good thing about it is that it can lead to a much less irritation as compared to its counterparts. Furthermore, Murase has added that if you're feeling anxious and uncomfortable, it is just as important to talk to a dermatologist so that proper treatment could be given as soon as possible to control the sweating and improve the quality of life. Based on the official synopsis, it has been confirmed that Leonard Snart/Captain Cold will be returning in the next episode of "The Flash" season three. However, the greatest question is to how he is able return when he was already killed off in "Legends of Tomorrow." Also, another speedster joins Barry in saving Central City. Barry Trains Jesse In Upcoming Episode Of "The Flash Season 3 After Becoming A Speedster As a recap from the previous episode of "The Flash," it has been featured that Harry Wells and her daughter Jesse from Earth Two returns to their Earth and reveals that the Jesse has now acquired the powers of a speedster. It came as a surprise to everyone, but Barry was willing to help Jesse amidst the transformation and is willing to train her as well. The upcoming episode will feature the effect of that training. It has been reported that Jesse won't be so fond of Barry's rules in becoming a speedster and might even be on rogue. This may result to her being in danger as she stirs away from Barry's offer to help her. Nevertheless, she will be of great help as Captain Cold returns to Central City in the next episode of "The Flash" and he is not alone. Along with him are the two new villains that team Flash will encounter, Mirror Master and Top. Together, she and Barry will save the city from these three villains. Captain Cold Returns To Central City, But How Could He Be Possibly Alive? Captain Cold's return will come as a surprise since his character has been killed off already in the previous season of "Legends of Tomorrow." However, since Barry has shifted the timeline countless of times during the first two episodes of "The Flash," this may have resulted to a change of events in relation to Captain Cold's death. Thus, this depicts another consequence to the action of Barry in continuously altering the timeline. "The Flash" season three airs every Thursday on CW. Australia's industry regulatory organization has released it's cautionary advice last Thursday about the recent outbreaks of preventable disease. Thus, nurses and midwives promoting antivaccination messages all over Australia face the threat of being punished. According to reports of Asia One Health, a"no job, no pay" policy has been reportedly carried out which will disable parents from availing some of the government's benefits who refuse to get their child be vaccinated. The said movement has been fulfilled as a response to the growing concern about anti-vaccination movements in Canberra last year. The campaign was then followed by a massive outbreak of measles in Europe and as well as parts of the United States and local whooping cough and has also reported measle cases in Australia. Although it was already clarified by a number of previous studies, those who had rejected the vaccination are still allegedly living in fear that a triple dose of vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella viruses could cause autism. After the reports of having a "small number" of practitioners promoting the anti-vaccination statements to various patients and through social media, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) said that it has then issued its warning since it creates confusion against the best available scientific evidence. As per Medical Express, in one of their statements, the regulator claims that when it comes to their responsibilities and public protection, the NMBA and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) are very serious and will take whatever necessary actions on nurses and midwives if found guilty of promoting anti-vaccination to the public. However, Belinda Henkel, an Australian midwife told Sydney's Daily Telegraph that despite the regulator's warning, she doesn't have any plans of removing the anti-vaccination messages that she has already posted before. Additionally, Henkel said that although she is not going to remove anything that she has posted, she claims that she has agreed to be in a state of reluctantly being receptive to AHPRA's request.Furthermore, she will also give her undying support to the vaccination regime that they have. Tom Cruise has been one of the most iconic faces in Hollywood, having been in the business for around 30 years now, and he just doesn't seem to get any older. Recently, he re-enacts his famous scenes on some of his films with host, James Corden. Tom Cruise And James Corden Re-Enact Former's Famous Movie Scenes On "The Late Late Show" Last Wednesday night, action star Tom Cruise appeared on James Corden's "The Late Late Show" and they seem to have paid tribute to Tom's famous movies on the big screen. The actor has been well known in the industry for his iconic roles as an action star for over 30 years now. As a tribute, they re-enacted some of the famous scenes of Tom's movies over the past years. The duo began with the re-enactment of "Top Gun," wherein they wore aviators and olive bomber jackets while they said its most famous line that goes "I feel the need; the need for speed." Thus, they began to transition from one movie to another; changing costumes, hairstyles in a very rapid pace, while doing it all seamlessly. Though they had so little time to re-enact so many of Tom Cruise's movies, they were able to deliver it with such poise and awe. They went through three decades worth of famous action films that made breakthrough in cinemas. Cuba Gooding Jr. Makes Cameo Appearance As The Duo Go Through With The Re-Enactment They also went through all the "Mission Impossible" movies that Tom has ever made, both pretending to hang from a ceiling, racing motorcycles, pulling off face masks, climbing the side of a building and even boarding a moving plane. They were definitely able to pull it off, along with his other movies such as "Days of Thunder," "Rain Man," Tropic Thunder," The Last Samurai," and "Interview with the Vampire." They also made it through one of the "Show me the Money scenes wherein Cuba Gooding Jr. made a cameo appearance, telling Corden "If you're gonna do it, let me do it right." This then got the audience all the more entertained with the re-enactments. This tribute to Tom Cruise's old movies serves as a way to promote his upcoming film "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" which will hit the theatres this Friday, October 21, 2016. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended on Wednesay the political stance of the company board member and Paypal Co-founder Peter Thiel, who, in the last days, made a massive donation for the Republican nominee Donald Trump. Thiel's actions created a strong discomfort in Silicon Valley, where many technology leaders have overwhelmingly supported the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Zuckerberg Defends Ideological Diversity Through a Facebook post which was only visible to its employees, Zuckerberg explained the futility of not accepting a different point of view, and invoked the importance of diversity for the social media company, explaining that it is possible for many people to support Trump without embracing any kind of racism, xenophobia or sexism. "We care deeply about diversity. That's easy to say when it means standing up for ideas you agree with. It's a lot harder when it means standing up for the rights of people with different viewpoints to say what they care about. We can't create a culture that says it cares about diversity and then excludes almost half the country because they back a political candidate, there are many reasons a person might support Trump that do not involve racism, sexism, xenophobia or accepting sexual assault," wrote Zuckerberg in the post, as reported by The Guardian. Peter Thiels Political Stance, Silicon Valleys Fury These statements close the speculations about what could happen with Peter Thiels position in the social media company, after his support for Donald Trump and the donation of $1.25 million to his campaign, which sparked intense criticism in Silicon Valley, considering that it came in one of worst moments of the Republican nominee, after numerous woman made allegations of sexual assault against him. In fact, the former CEO of Reddit, Ellen Pao, announced on Monday that Project Include, an organization that promotes diversity in the tech industry, cut ties with Y Combinator since the startup accelerator didn't fire Peter Thiel, according to Forbes. "Thiel's actions are in direct conflict with our values at Project Include. We agree that people shouldn't be fired for their political views, but this isn't a disagreement on tax policy; this is advocating hatred and violence. And donating $1.25 million is a lot more than speech," Pao wrote on Monday. Just last February, the Sony Xperia Ear digital assistant exploded in the tech world scene (metaphorically of course, not like the Note 7). Now, it is hot and wanted in Ireland. Read more to know why you should have one too. According to the Irish Examiner, the Sony Xperia Ear digital assistant is now ready to make its pre-order debut in Ireland. You can just pop over to a nearby Sony Mobile Store where you can nab it for 199 that comes with a 50 voucher to spend anything else in the store. The Sony Xperia Ear is an in-ear personal assistant that helps you with almost everything you need is easily done though voice without having the need to glance at your phone. Through the device, you can just talk to start a phone call or reply to a message with your voice. It can also keep tabs and keep you up to date with the latest news, weather reports and scheduled events in your phone's calendar. Here are the Sony Xperia Ear specifications as stated by Sony Mobile. Languages - English (UK), English (US), German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese Compatibility - Host application compatibility: Android version 4.4 KitKat or later. Bluetooth profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP Battery - Core unit 65 mAh, charging case 300mAh Weight - Core unit 6.8g, Charging Case 39g Dimensions - Core unit 15.2 x 29.3 x 24.3 mm, charging case 29 x 41 x 60mm Color- Graphite Black Controls - Assistant/Call key, Head Gestures Sensors - Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Connectivity - Bluetooth 4.1, NFC Connectors -Standard Micro USB (on charging case, for charging) Sound - Dual microphone, Noise suppression, Echo cancellation, Balance Armature driver Talk Time - Up to 4.0 hours (values are for when the Battery Care function is off. Values may vary depending on temperature, humidity and operating condition). Talk Time with Charging Case - Up to 16 hours (values are for when the Battery Care function is off. Values may vary depending on temperature, humidity and operating condition). Standby Time - Up to 80 hours Indian banks have asked customers to change the PINs, and in some cases blocked access, to 3.2 million debit cards after concerns about a security breach. The issue surfaced in September when some banks complained that their customers' cards were used fraudulently mainly in China and the U.S. while the account holders were in India, the National Payments Corporation of India said late Thursday. India's top government-controlled bank, the State Bank of India, said earlier this week that after card network companies like Visa and MasterCard had informed various banks of a potential risk to some cards because of a data breach, it had taken the precautionary measure of blocking the cards identified by the networks. The bank said it was in the process of issuing new cards and assured its customers that its own systems were not compromised. A spokeswoman for Indias central bank, the Reserve Bank of India, did not deny the issue but said the RBI has not yet decided to discuss it publicly. Initial reports suggested that hackers had accessed the data through malware on automated teller machines. "Apprehending that this could be a case of card data compromise, all the ATMs / PoS terminals in India and three card networks RuPay, Visa and MasterCard worked in a collaborative manner in the month of September 2016," NPCI said in a statement. It was subsequently established that there was a possible compromise at one bank's payment switch that ran the back end of ATMs. The name of the bank or the payment switch provider have not been disclosed. Some 640 customers of 19 banks were found to have been directly affected, and about 13 million rupees (US$194,800) were defrauded. Banks have advised their customers to change their debit card PIN. In cases where customers could not be contacted, the cards have been blocked and fresh cards are being issued by member banks. NPCI said it would issue further recommendations to banks soon as investigations continue. Necessary corrective actions already have been taken and hence there is no reason for bank customers to panic," said A.P. Hota, CEO of NPCI. The advisory issued by NPCI to banks for "re-cardification is more as a preventive exercise, he added. Town sued over denied water service The town council met in executive session last week to discuss its defense after a lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court by a Jamestown homeowner who was denied permission... Scout earns Eagle rank with boardwalk work A local Boy Scout is the latest member of Troop 1 Jamestown to lead an environmental project at a wildlife sanctuary in his mission to attain the Eagle rank. Alex... State: Steer clear while deer breeding As deer begin mating during the rut, public safety officials are urging drivers to be cautious on the roads because herds tend to move around more frequently during this time.... Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. MADISON, Wis. Walking around Madison, Wis., I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my leg. What was poking me? Turned out my pocket was full of toothpicks from all the cheese curds Id sampled at the farmers market. It was one of several Welcome to Wisconsin! moments, starting with a display of orange cheesehead gear worn by fans of the Green Bay Packers that greeted me at Milwaukees airport. Later in my trip, I got these directions to a cheese store: Take a right and look for the cow. Milawaukee museum I spent as much time admiring the Milwaukee Art Museum outside as I did looking at the art inside. From one angle, the white, winged Santiago Calatrava-designed building on Lake Michigan looks like a bird in flight. From another angle, its a ship setting sail. Inside, white ribs form a futuristic tunnel with a lake view. But dont forget the art: the spooky hooded figure of Saint Francis of Assisi in His Tomb; an excellent Georgia OKeeffe collection; and a suitcase propped open on the floor, an untitled work by Robert Gober that reveals an entire subterranean world. I bookended my museum visit with two terrific meals: lunch at The National cafe and an outstanding dinner of farm-to-table small plates at Braise, owned by chef Dave Swanson, a James Beard Award nominee. Madison farmers market Its so crowded at the Dane County Farmers Market that you cant choose which way to walk. You can only flow with the sea of humanity in one direction past tables overflowing with fruit, veggies, flowers, baked goods and of course, cheese curds, those squeaky bits of fresh cheese goodness, in flavors ranging from dill to Sriracha. The market runs Saturdays through Nov. 5 around the state Capitol, then moves indoors to Madisons Monona Terrace, Saturdays Nov. 12-Dec. 17. I peeked inside the Capitol at its beautiful dome, then walked down State Street to the University of Wisconsin campus, stopping at Babcock Hall for ice cream, climbing Bascom Hill and hanging out with the beer-and-bratwurst crowd at the lakeside Memorial Union Terrace. I drove to nearby Middleton for a quick stop at the National Mustard Museum (free admission, goofy mustard-inspired art and every type of mustard imaginable). Then, with a credit card and app, I rented a bike from a Madison BCycle kiosk and biked 12 miles around Lake Monona. The lake trail often detours from the waterfront. But the exercise felt good after eating all that cheese. Spring green Americas most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, spent his teenage summers working on his uncles Wisconsin farm. You can see how that landscape of farms and rolling hills influenced Wrights style and aesthetics at Taliesin. Taliesin was a lab for his ideas: open floor plans rather than walled-off rooms, large windows with expansive views and a structure built to suit the terrain. House tours are offered daily through Oct. 31 and Friday-Sunday through November. Taliesin was also the site of a shocking crime: A house employee murdered Wrights mistress and six others in 1914 and set fire to the house. But Wright was resilient. He rebuilt and kept going. Near Taliesin is the quirky attraction House on the Rock. Its creator, Alex Jordan Jr., amassed a collection of strange artifacts weird carousel animals, machines that play creepy music and theyre displayed in a series of odd rooms and buildings, some ornate, some musty and dark. An hour was enough for me, but if you go, dont miss the infinity room, a disorienting cantilevered structure lined with windows, 154 feet off the ground. New Glarus and Monroe I caught the tail end of Oktoberfest in New Glarus, a town so proud of its Swiss heritage that street signs are in German and storefronts are decorated with Swiss flags and cowbells. I downed a Spotted Cow, a popular beer from the New Glarus Brewing Co., and dined at the Glarner Stube restaurant, which serves fondue, raclette, schnitzel and sauerbraten. The Chalet Landhaus Inn provided a good nights sleep, nice breakfast and complimentary Swiss chocolates. In Monroe, I went hunting for the Emmi-Roth Kase cheese factory. But I couldnt find it. I asked a local for directions and was told: Take a right and look for the cow. There was a cow though not a real one outside the Alp and Dell Cheese Store, which is connected to the factory. I bought seven types of cheese from the shops overflowing coolers and bins, including cheese curds, chipotle gouda, Emmi-Roths award-winning grand cru cheese and a butterscotchy cheese called Prairie Sunset. GREENSBORO As detectives were interviewing a 16-year-old in an early October slaying Tuesday evening, dispatchers called officers to another fatal shooting. Within 13 hours, they were dealing with yet another killing. In October alone, seven people have been killed in the city. On Wednesday afternoon, police, probation officers and elected officials went door-to-door in five neighborhoods to find witnesses to six of the crimes and reassure residents they are working to make their neighborhoods safer. Victims had been shot while in cars or walking along streets. Fifty-one-year-old Anthony Charles Smith died Oct. 8 after being shot in the head while working as a security guard at the Food Lion at 2316 E. Market St. Officers on Tuesday arrested 16-year-old Nature Maurice Williams of 1151 Langston Drive in Greensboro in connection with Smiths death, according to Detective Tony Hinson. Williams, a sophomore at Eastern Guilford High, faces a charge of first-degree murder. During his first court appearance Wednesday, a judge said he could face the death penalty. Hinson said he was interviewing Williams about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when officers were called to a fatal shooting on Phillips Avenue. They found 26-year-old Kwamane Devon Barnard shot in the head. Sakwane Alah Wray, 27, of 408 Gillespie St. in Greensboro was shot and killed about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Its been a long night, Hinson said Wednesday afternoon as more than 100 officers from multiple agencies gathered outside the grocery store where police say Williams shot Smith. Police, probation officers and several elected officials left the parking lot and went door-to-door in five neighborhoods Wednesday, canvassing communities to find witnesses to October shootings that have left six people dead in those neighborhoods. The knock-and-talks are also intended to reassure residents that police are trying to make their communities safe. Police hoped to gather information about Smiths death and the fatal Oct. 2 shootings of N.C. A&T students Alisia Dieudonne, 19, of Homewood Ill., and Ahmad Cambell, 21, of Kitrell; the Oct. 11 killing of Jahed Nasir Brailey, 18, of Greensboro; Tuesdays fatal shooting of Barnard; and Wednesdays death of Wray. The seventh death this month happened Oct. 16, when Raheem Samad Heading of Greensboro was shot while sitting in a car in the 800 block of Rugby Street. Police said tips led to Williams arrest in the Food Lion shooting. He is accused of shooting Smith, a security guard with Guard-One Security who lived in Winston-Salem, in the back of the head with a 9 mm Glock and taking his handgun. I recovered the suspects weapon and the officers weapon, Hinson said Wednesday night during the knock-and-talk. (Williams) did provide a statement. He said police are expected to release a motive for the killing later this week. Williams could face the death penalty, a judge ruled Wednesday. On Gant Street on Wednesday, Detective Brian Pilcher led a score of officers and public officials through the neighborhood around the 300 block, where Wray was killed. Witnesses said Wray, who was known as Say Say, was seen interacting with people in a silver-color Mercedes SUV or white Buick, police said. It was on Gant and a little bit south of there, Pilcher said. He was seen walking through that neighborhood. He came into contact with a silver Mercedes and got shot. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds, police said. Paramedics took Wray to the hospital, where he died. A large blood stain still marks the street where Wray was shot. On Wednesday afternoon, dozens of people along Gant Street worked in their yards, walked along the street or sat talking on their porches. Shirley McLean and her boyfriend live a few houses away from where the shooting happened. Theyve only been there two months. McLean, who was at work at the time of the shooting, said she wasnt entirely surprised by it. She pointed out that 59-year-old Sharon Kay Little of 762 Chestnut St. was fatally shot Aug. 22 at Peachtree and York streets, just a few blocks away. I think its got a whole lot to do with drugs, she said. I see a lot of traffic. With the traffic, theres got to be something illegal going on. She said her boyfriend, C. Tyler, was at home when Wray was shot. Tyler, a former Marine, said he feels unsafe walking through the neighborhood at night. Ministers where he goes for Bible study wont even come to the neighborhood to pick him up. Im hearing bullet shots all night long, Tyler said. Im ready to get out. Several people in the neighborhood said they thought highly of Wray. He was a good guy, said 17-year-old Jaisiah Scott. He dont mess with nobody. Hes chill. City Councilwoman Sharon Hightower joined police going door-to-door in the neighborhood. The community wants to see things change, she said. They dont like seeing these things happen so close to home. Tyler said he lived in New York and the gunfire wasnt as bad as his Greensboro neighborhood. Im tired of it, he said. Right now my nerves are so bad, Im rolling a cigarette and drinking my Miller. Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Areas of patchy fog early. Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 73F. Winds light and variable. Summerville, SC (29483) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. We were an Amazon Associate for over 15 years, but soon after we published a If you shop at Amazon, you can shop via this link. And we also now have an Amazon.UK affiliation. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Stephanie Dornschneider | (Informed Comment) | As a child, Najeh Ibrahim, who founded one of the most violent groups in recent Egyptian history, loved his president. We all loved Nasser, he recalls. However, Ibrahims positive attitude toward the leader of his country changed. Observing waves of arrests in which Muslim Brothers and other political opponents came out of prison with marks of torture, he began to resent the state. When he was 17, he founded a small opposition group, called al-Jamaa al-Islamiyya. The group grew quickly and spread across Egypt, soon posing a serious threat to the state. In 1981, it changed the history of the country: It participated in the assassination of President Sadat. Ibrahim was among those individuals who decided to kill the President. He says that the decision was made in response to state repression, particularly a military round-up in September 1981. Sadat arrested thousands of us. This was exactly what the government did in 1954. We saw the similarity, Ibrahim says. We believed that the repression would never stop. We thought that this was an eternal state. It was at this point that we decided to kill him. Had the state not engaged in repression, Ibrahim believes Sadat would not have been dead. Today, Egypt remains a very repressive state, which is involved in mass killings of protestors,[1] large numbers of enforced disappearances[2], systematic torture[3] and systematic persecution of political opponents[4]. However, numerous states, including the US, the UK, France or Germany, are supplying Egypt with weapons. The US recently approved 1.3 billion dollars in military aid to Egypt,[5] while licenses for military equipment totaling 6.77 billion dollars were authorized in European states in 2014.[6] The main argument justifying these sales is security policy. In the words of President Obama the U.S.-Egyptian relationship has been an important cornerstone of our security policy and our policy in the Middle East for a very long time.[7] In the words of David Cameron: Egypt is a vital partner for us both in terms of our economic and our security ties. We will continue our close security cooperation, including on tackling the scourge of violent Islamist extremism.[8] Stephanie Dornschneider is author of Whether to Kill: Cognitive Maps of Violent and Nonviolent Individuals Can supporting repressive rulers with weapons help defeat violent Islamist extremism? My research in Egypt suggests that the opposite is true.[9] Based on dozens of interviews with individuals who engaged in violence between the 1970s and 1990s, I find that the primary motivation for their behavior is state repression not an Islamist ideology. Like Najeh Ibrahim, each individual I met had a story of state repression some were brutally tortured, others lost a family member through state violence; some were incarcerated for long periods of time, others received threats that their children would be killed; a few individuals said they heard about others experiences of being tortured, killed or incarcerated. These findings suggest that as long as state repression in the Middle East continues, new individuals are likely to pick up arms against their rulers. These individuals could join local ISIS-related groups, such as the Egyptian version, which has claimed various attacks, including the killing of numerous policemen and soldiers, or the bombing of a passenger jet in Sinai. They could also form new violent networks that, in time, could become much more powerful actors than ISIS or al-Qaeda have ever been. Many in the West argue that ISIS poses a major security threat, while the threat of more people picking up arms can be contained by military support for Middle Eastern rulers that are known to use violence against their citizens. This could be a gross underestimation of an emerging security threat, as happened in the case of bin Laden in the early 1990s.[10] It also ignores the security threat that violent rulers pose to the large number of peaceful people living in the Middle East. In Egypt, about 1,000 people were murdered or tortured by the security forces,[11] while hundreds were made disappear in 2015,[12] and 41,000 were detained, charged or sentenced between July 2013 May 2014.[13] In Syria, the government killed 12,044 civilians in 2015,[14] continuing a war that started when peaceful protestors called for reforms[15] of a state that had been repressing its citizens for many years.[16] And Saudi Arabia, a state known for cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment as well as mass executions,[17] is leading a coalition that killed 2,000 civilians in Yemen between March 2015 and July 2016.[18] Including numerous other Arab states and decades of state repression, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Arab civilians have died through the hands of violent rulers. How many people have called these killings a major security threat? How many would have called them a major security threat, had the victims been American or European? How many would have picked up arms themselves, had they lived in a repressive Middle Eastern state, and personally been tortured or threatened with the death of their children? Responding to security threats in the Middle East requires more than defeating ISIS. It requires stopping support for violent rulers. [1] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/05/eu-halt-arms-transfers-to-egypt-to-stop-fuelling-killings-and-torture/ [2] https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde12/4368/2016/en/ [3] http://www.alnadeem.org/en/content/torture-archive-1st-100-days-sisis-rule [4] https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2016/egypt [5] http://time.com/3766224/united-states-weapons-ban-lifted-egypt/ [6] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/05/eu-halt-arms-transfers-to-egypt-to-stop-fuelling-killings-and-torture/ [7] http://www.egyptembassy.net/egypt-us-relations/ [8] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/joint-press-conference-david-cameron-and-president-sisi [9] http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/15415.html [10] http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/17/world/asia/state-dept-says-it-warned-about-bin-laden-in-1996.html [11] https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-QqOchi4gFN004cXBxUjBQSnc/view [12] http://www.icmp.int/news/enforced-disappearances-in-egypt/ [13] https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/06/08/egypt-year-abuses-under-al-sisi [14] http://www.iamsyria.org/death-tolls.html [15] https://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/reports/pdf/SR011/FINAL_LSE_IDEAS__SyriasBloodyArabSpring_Phillips.pdf [16] https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2011-05-03/structure-syrias-repression https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/16/syria-decade-repression-bashar-al-assad [17] https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/saudi-arabia/report-saudi-arabia/ [18] https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/10/bombing-businesses/saudi-coalition-airstrikes-yemens-civilian-economic-structures Stephanie Dornschneider is Assistant Professor at University College Dublin She is author of Whether to Kill: Cognitive Maps of Violent and Nonviolent Individuals JURIST Guest Columnist Michael T. Morley of Barry University School of Law discusses the recent Newby case in regard to the necessity of proof-of-citizenship required by Alabama, Georgia and Kansas Citizenship, a time-honored concept that traces back to the worlds earliest republics, is generally accepted as a legitimate requirement for membership in a political community. Most people agree that only US citizens should be permitted to participate in federal, state and local elections in the US. Despite broad agreement about this seemingly uncontroversial premise, deep rifts exist over whether states should be permitted to take meaningful action to ensure that non-citizens do not inadvertently or deliberately register to vote or go on to cast ballots. In its recent ruling in League of Women Voters of the United States v. Newby [PDF], the DC Circuit continued the trend of invalidating reasonable, narrowly tailored measures aimed at limiting the vote to US citizens on the grounds they were purportedly not necessary. A. The National Voter Registration Act Requires States to Accept the Federal Voter Registration Form Created by the US Election Assistance Commission As I have explained at greater length elsewhere, the Constitution grants Congress power to regulate federal elections, but not to determine voter qualifications for those elections. Rather, states have the constitutional prerogative to determine the requirements a person must satisfy to be eligible to vote, though a person cannot be denied the right to vote based on race, gender or age, for those who are at least 18 years old. Every state in the nation has exercised this power to limit the right to vote in state and federal elections to US citizens. In 1993, Congress enacted the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to increase voter participation. It requires states to accept and use the federal voter registration form created by the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to register people to vote in federal elections. The EACs federal registration form [PDF] does not require a person to provide proof of citizenship in order to register. Rather, a person need only check a box confirming his or her citizenship. Concerned that this parchment barrier is insufficient to deter or prevent non-citizen voting, the State of Arizona required people who registered using the form to provide documentary proof of citizenshipsuch as a copy of a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papersbefore their registration was deemed complete. In Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. [PDF], the Supreme Court held that the NVRA requires states to accept the EACs federal registration form as sufficient, on its own, to register people to vote in federal elections. States may not require people to submit documentation in addition to the form to confirm their eligibility to vote. The Court recognized, however, that it would raise serious constitutional doubts if a federal statute precluded a State from obtaining the information necessary to enforce its voter qualifications. It noted that the NVRA allows a state to ask the EAC to alter the Federal Form to include information the State deems necessary to determine eligibility. If the EAC refuses, the state may sue to demonstrate that the EAC is under a nondiscretionary duty to include [the states] concrete evidence requirement on the Federal Form because a mere oath will not suffice to effectuate its citizenship requirement. The court emphasized that a state could also assert that it would be arbitrary for the EAC to refuse to include [its] instruction when it has accepted a similar instruction requested by Louisiana. Thus, the court laid out a compromise: states had to accept the federal registration form, but the EAC could be required to amend the form to require proof of citizenship. B. Newby Undermines State Citizenship Requirements for Voting Initially, the EAC did not take the hint. It rejected requests from three states to include state-specific instructions with the federal registration form that directed applicants from those states to provide documentary proof of citizenship with their applications. The EAC held that such a requirement was not necessaryin the sense of being absolutely, unavoidably essentialto prevent non-citizens from voting, because states could instead take applicants at their word when they claim to be citizens on the form, or threaten to prosecute non-citizens who vote. The EAC held [PDF] that the small numbers ofnoncitizens who had successfully registered in those states was insufficient to establish a need for additional safeguards. The Tenth Circuit upheld these determinations, and the Supreme Court denied review. Shortly after certiorari was denied, Georgia, Kansas and Alabama submitted new requests to the EAC to have the federal registration forms instructions changed. Due to vacancies on the commission, Executive Director Brian Newby considered the requests and, as contemplated by Inter Tribal Council, granted them. The League of Women Voters and several other left-wing groups immediately sued, seeking a temporary restraining order to prohibit the EAC from changing the instructions. Remarkably, the Obama Administrations Justice Department (DOJ) refused to even attempt to defend Newbys actions. Instead, the DOJ not only joined in the plaintiffs reques, but went even further and asked the court to enter a preliminary injunction against the revisions. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, as well as the Public Interest Legal Foundation, were permitted to intervene to defend Newbys actions. The district court refused to issue a preliminary injunction on the grounds that the plaintiffs had failed to show that including the revised instructions on the federal form would cause irreparable injury. The DC Circuit reversed [PDF] in a 2-1 decision. Chief Judge Judith W. Rogers and Senior Judge Williams held that the revised instructions, requiring people to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, inflicted irreparable injury on the plaintiff organizations by making it more difficult for them to register people. The court made this ruling in a single conclusory paragraph, without citing any authorities for the dubious proposition that additional administrative or paperwork burdens constitute the sort of irreparable harm for which interim injunctive relief is available. The heart of the courts opinion was its conclusion that Newbys actions were likely to be held invalid because he did not expressly consider whether changing the instructions was necessary to prevent non-citizen voting. Again, the court construed the word necessary to mean absolutely, unavoidably required, without considering the legislative history of the term, precedents construing that term in other statutes more liberally, or its use in other, comparable laws. Senior Judge A. Raymond Randolph dissented, recognizing that having to spend more time and money in their registration drives does not constitute irreparable injury entitling the plaintiffs to a preliminary injunction. Moreover, he held that the Constitution prohibited the EAC from preventing states from enforcing their voter qualification laws by refusing to direct voters to provide proof of citizenship with their federal registration forms. C. Necessity, Non-Citizen Voting and the NVRA One major issue at the heart of Newby and other litigation concerning the EACs federal voter registration form is what a state must prove in order to have the forms instructions changed. The NVRA provides that the form may require only such information . . . as is necessary to enable the appropriate State election official to assess the eligibility of the applicant. The EAC and the courts [PDF] that have sided with it have construed the term necessary strictly, to mean absolutely, indispensably required. The alternatives that the EAC and courts have been willing to accept as sufficient to defeat any such claimed necessitysimply asking applicants to check a box on the registration form to confirm their citizenship, threatening to prosecute non-citizens who can be shown to have willfully broken the laware unsatisfactory and ineffective alternatives to a simple, objective, ex ante proof-of-citizenship requirement. As far back as McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court has recognized that the term necessaryespecially when devoid of modifiers such as absolutelyoften does not mean indispensable when used in the legal context, but rather reasonably useful. As the court explained: If reference be had to its use, in the common affairs of the worldwe find that [the word necessary] frequently imports no more than that one thing is convenient, or useful, or essential to another. To employ the means necessary to an end, is generally understood as employing any means calculated to produce the end, and not as being confined to those single means, without which the end would be entirely unattainable. The word necessaryadmits of all degrees of comparison; and is often connected with other words, which increase or diminish the impression the mind receives of the urgency it imports. A thing may be necessary, very necessary, absolutely or indispensably necessary. Courts often interpret the word necessary in federal statutes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act in this more flexible sense [PDF]. Nothing in the NVRAs legislative history supports the extreme interpretation that the EAC and Newby have adopted. Opponents of proof-of-citizenship requirements frequently contend that proof-of-citizenship requirements are unnecessary because non-citizens are too scared to draw attention to themselves by registering to vote, and have little to gain by doing so. Such theoretical arguments ring hollow in light of the fact that hundreds of non-citizens have been found registered to vote in states such as Florida and Arizona. Moreover, non-citizens have repeatedly been willing to publicly identify themselves as undocumented immigrants in political protests or when making highly publicized political speeches at graduation ceremonies, before congressional committees, and even at the internationally televised Democratic National Convention. Indeed, First Lady Michelle Obama invited an undocumented immigrant to sit in her box at the 2013 State of the Union address. In light of President Barack Obamas general reluctance to enforce federal immigration lawas exemplified by his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) programsas well as the numerous sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate in the enforcement of immigration laws, at least some undocumented immigrants do not appear concerned with drawing public attention to themselves and may not believe they face a realistic threat of deportation. Particularly if energized by prevailing notions on the left that immigration laws and voting restrictions are unjust, it is quite conceivable that undocumented immigrants or other non-citizens may be inspired to register and vote. Much greater than the threat of deliberate fraud, however, is the perpetual possibility of ordinary bureaucratic mistakes. Non-citizens may inadvertently be encouraged to vote by overzealous participants in voter registration drivesparticularly if those conducting the drives are required to meet registration quotas or are paid based on the number of completed registration forms they submit. Non-citizens who do not read English well or are simply not paying close attention reasonably may misunderstand the federal registration forms question concerning citizenship or answer it incorrectly. And such errors are highly unlikely to be caught and corrected afterwards. The NVRA imposes strict limits on when states may update their voter registration lists, the circumstances under which they may correct mistakes, and even the process they must use to do so. Thus, as interpreted in cases such as Newby, the NVRA not only requires states to register people to vote in federal elections without confirming their eligibility, but also makes it difficult for them to remove ineligible non-citizens from their voter rolls. In short, requiring applicants to provide proof-of-citizenship is a common-sense backstop to help prevent the types of routine errors that inevitably arise when millions of people are filling out a particular form. In that sense, a proof-of-citizenship requirement is necessary to enable the appropriate State election official to assess the eligibility of the applicant. Newby (Brian) got it right; Newby (DC Circuit) got it wrong. Michael T. Morley is an Assistant Professor of Law at Barry University School of Law. He teaches Contracts, Remedies and Election Law. His work has been quoted by the Supreme Court and he was counsel of record in the Court for Shaun McCutcheon in the landmark First Amendment case McCutcheon v. FEC . Suggested citation: Michael T. Morley, Newby and Necessity, JURIST Forum, Oct. 4, 2016, http://jurist.org/dateline/2016/10/Michael-Morley-Newby-Necessity.php This article was prepared for publication by Yuxin Jiang, a Senior Editor for JURIST Commentary service. Please direct any questions or comments to her at commentary@jurist.org JURIST Guest Columnist Mark Johnson Roberts, Chair of the American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, responds that the new anti-discrimination ABA Model Rule is not an attack on free speech On August 17, JURIST published a Professional Commentary from attorney Brad Abramson entitled, American Bar Association Attacks Attorney Speech Rights concerning the ABAs August adoption of a new model rule for possible use by state courts that regulate lawyer behavior. The new Rule 8.4(g), if enacted in a state, would prohibit a lawyer from engaging in conduct, related to the practice of law, that the lawyer knows or reasonably should know is bias or discrimination based upon certain categories of persons historically subjected to such treatment in our profession and our society. The terms related to the practice of law, knows, reasonably should know, bias, and discrimination are all defined within Rule 8.4 or elsewhere in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. ABA members undertook an effort to revise the rules in response to specific concerns about the justice system experiences of underserved citizens who are members of minority groups. The legal profession, notwithstanding 30 years of efforts to diversify itself, stubbornly remains one of the least diverse of American professions. It was also, until this rule was adopted, one of the few without a bias and discrimination provision within its conduct rules. Mr. Abramson, as he notes, was one of 52 ABA Members who submitted a joint written commentary opposing an early draft of the rule. A similar comment came from the Christian Legal Society (CLS). In total, some 70 percent of the comments that were received came from the 52 Members, the CLS, and their allies; 494 comments, by the way, represent about 0.125 percent of the ABAs membership. Many of those comments simply adopted either the 52 Members or the CLS commentary without further discussion. The ABA, perhaps unsurprisingly, is not in a position to ignore almost 500 comments received about any proposal it considers. On the contrary, that early draft of the rule was modified substantially in response to the comments that were received. For example, the Professional Discipline Committee, and the Business Law Section of the ABA, both mentioned as opponents in the Abramson article, withdrew their opposition in response to the subsequent amendments. Professional Discipline supported the revised rule. The ABA has built its reputation on the quality of its work. To call the group, histrionically, a political organizationwilling to blatantly assault the constitutional rights of its own constituency in order to advance its ideological agenda is to mispercieve the organizations internal processes as well as its role in writing model codes. The ABA is a broadly diverse membership organization; it is paralyzed without the support of its constituents. Over 50 constituent entities, each with its own agenda and concerns, must be consulted before a rule like this one is adopted. None opposed the rule in its final form. In other words, people with legitimate constitutional concerns about the rule were consulted in this process, and their concerns were addressed. That fact is reflected in the debate that took place at the ABA House of Delegates when it adopted the rule. Ordinarily, each side lines up their best arguments and their best speakers, just as Mr. Abramson suggests, and the pro and con sides take turns debating the relative merits of a proposal. Any ABA member may speak. In this case, no one spoke against the proposal. If widespread opposition to the rule remained after the extensive revisions that took place in response to the concerns that were expressed, the ABA House was unaware of it. Relatedly, it is important to note that the ABA is not a governmental body. The drafting of model rules and statutes is one of its primary functions as a membership service organization, but it does not impose its rules on anyone. That duty falls to the state courts as regulators of lawyer conduct. The ABA would lose its reputation quickly if it started publishing model rules that state courts would view as unconstitutional. It is fair also to note that the ABA, as is often the case, is not leading this charge. No fewer than 25 American jurisdictions had adopted similar rules before the ABA acted. It is not clear, and Mr. Abramson does not elaborate, what behavior he wishes to engage in that would be a violation of the rule as it was adopted. Certainly nothing in the rule applies to private religious practice, to being a member of his or any other organization, or to representing its positions whether a lawyer agrees with them or not. It appears instead that he is criticizing the rule as a way of advancing a political agenda which the rule, perhaps ironically, protects his right to do. Mark Johnson Roberts is Chair of the American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and a is member of the House of Delegates by appointment of former ABA President Paulette Brown. Suggested citation: Mark Johnson Roberts, New Anti-Discrimination ABA Model Rule is Not an Attack on Speech Rights, JURIST Professional Commentary, October 19, 2016, http://jurist.org/hotline/2016/10/Mark-Roberts-ABA-Anti-Discrimination.php [JURIST] The European Court of Justice (ECJ) [official website] ruled [judgment] Wednesday that Germanys price floor for prescription drugs violates free trade. Germany currently has a statutory scheme for medical insurance in which patients pay some out of pocket for prescriptions. However, foreign medical providers, such as Dutch pharmacies, found loopholes around the statutory scheme in order to pay additional costs for patients going around the price minimum. Germany, seeking to stop such practices, attempted to pass the price floor, but the EU, unconvinced that the price floor would accomplish such a goal, struck it down as unfair to fair trade in particular with foreign governments. Germany related that the government would review the holding and its implications. The case was brought [DW report] by German non-profit Deutsche Parkinson Vereinigung [advocacy website, in German], which advocates for Parkinsons Disease patients. They had struck a deal with the Dutch pharmacies, but a German group accused them of unfair competition. A lower court ruled against the organization, and their appeal was referred to the ECJ. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) [official website] ruled [judgment] Wednesday that a website operator is legally permitted to store visitors Internet protocol addresses (IP addresses) because they have a legitimate interest in protecting themselves against cyber attacks. Under EU law, personal information can be processed [EU press release] if it is necessary to accomplish a legitimate objective and if it does not override the persons fundamental freedoms. The ruling is also applicable to some dynamic IP addresses, which are IP addresses that change with every change in Internet connection. The court found that a dynamic IP address is personal data if the website operator is also able to obtain additional information from the visitor through the internet service provider. Surveillance and data collection have been a worldwide topic of discussion, particularly after Edward Snowden leaked [JURIST report] top-secret US NSA documents in 2013. In December China passed a new anti-terrorism law [JURIST report] that requires technology companies to provide information to the government obtained from their products and make information systems secure and controllable. Last October the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied [JURIST report] a motion by the American Civil Liberties Union to halt the bulk collection of phone records by the NSA. The court ruled that Congress intended for the agency to continue its data collection over the transition period, and the new legislation was to take effect November 29. In August 2015 the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed [JURIST report] a ruling that had blocked the NSA from obtaining call detail records from US citizens. In July 2015, MIT scientists published [JURIST report] a paper criticizing the US and UK governments for seeking the redesign of Internet systems to allow governments to access information even if encrypted. [JURIST] A court in Iran on Tuesday sentenced two US citizens to 10 years in prison following convictions on charges that they spied and cooperated with the US. Siamak Namazi, a businessman, and his elderly father, Baquer Namazi, both have dual citizenship with Iran. The New York Times reported [NYT report] on Monday that the businessman was seized in Iran nearly a year ago and had not been seen publicly since this week when he was shown in a video holding his passport along with images of other United Citizens who had been detained on espionage claims. It is believed that this is the continuation of a Iranian crackdown on those who cooperate with the US following the nuclear deal [Reuters report] reached last year. Earlier this year an Iranian judiciary spokesman announced [JURIST report] that a nuclear scientist was executed for providing the US with state secrets. Shahram Amir previously went missing [CNN report] in 2009 while embarking on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Amir reemerged in the US in 2010 and returned to Tehran, claiming that he had been abducted by the CIA to release secrets about Irans nuclear program. US officials argued that Amir had willingly defected, and Amir was soon after detained and charged with treason and espionage. After lower courts sentenced Amir to death, the Iranian High Court reviewed Amirs case and affirmed the conviction. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Drinks Daily News The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Drinks Weekly News A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Drinks Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter Track product launches by FMCG companies to get an understanding of the product-level strategies including geographic concentrations, innovation types, product claim, category focus and more Monitoring the advertising strategies of various brands and gain insights into channel focus, regional focus, and more Perform company-level analysis to understand business model, size, and geographic focus Unilever product advertising is mainly through mainstream TV channels. Out of the products advertised so far at least 50% (over 850) of ads have been run on TV, while print media comes second with 496 ads. Unilever also utilizes social media platforms for advertisement. Unilever products are categorized by innovation ratings and tags in our product launch database. The North American region consists of almost 74 products with innovations related to the formulation of the product. Europe and other regions also have more products categorized under formulation-related innovation, followed by the packaging and positioning of the products. Most Unilever products are tagged with High Vitamins, Recyclable, and Natural tags to understand what the product differentiator is from other products available in the market. The majority of products belong to the personal care industry with a total of 5,788 products to date. This report, through the Unilever Example, illustrates how GlobalData Explorer enables you to:Dont miss out on key market insights that can help optimize your next investment read the report now. Photo Credit: Roy Cheung While were all familiar with the LVMH luxury goods conglomerate (whats up Marc Jacobs), its the latter half of the acronym the MH (Moet Hennessy) who are making some bold moves into the land of the red dragon hoping to capitalize on the Chinese penchant for French wine and collectors looking for an exotic but decent bottle. With ripe climactic conditions and a foresight of being the first in the region, theyre no dummies either: Moet Hennessy sourced out Argentina in 1959 and was the first French company to invest in Napa in 73. With international hits such as Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Cloudy Bay, Cape Mentelle, Terrazas de los Andes, Numanthia, Newton and Clos des Lambrays under their control, it should come as no surprise that when LVMH is onto something, theyre onto something good: introducing Ao Yun 2013. Photo Credit: secharoth/Flckr Where: Deqin, Yunnan Province, China Straddling the border between China and Tibet, Deqin isnt the most accessible place on earth. In fact, the easiest way to get to this newfound vintners valley is flying Shanghai Kunming, Kunming Shangri-La (one of the highest altitude airports in the world), and then driving anywhere between four to eleven hours through the treacherous, yet stunning mountain passes to reach the winery and lodge in the village of Adong at 2,600m above sea level. Photo Credit: secharoth/Flckr Although on the Chinese side of the Tibetan border (34 km away to be exact), in Deqin county things are very much Buddhist and very much Tibetan (something the Chinese government probably doesnt want you to know) with Monks, prayer flags and pagodas filling the villages and speckling the landscape with crimson and gold. Photo Credit: Roy Cheung At an elevation around 20 times higher than the highest vineyard in Bordeaux, LVMH wasnt, however, the first to discover Deqins potential as a wine growing region; That foresight belongs to French Jesuit missionaries who brought vines to the region in the 19th century. In 2002, the local Chinese government persuaded farmers in 25 or so villages in the area to divest from traditional barley wine production and plant Cabernet vines instead as a way to diversify their crops. It was only in 2009 that Moet Hennessy came to the region selecting four villages, two on each side of the river, for their grape potential. Photo Credit: LuxeNomad.com What: Ao Yun 2013 a 90 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc blend Roughly translating to a roam in the clouds, the 2013 Ao Yun debuted at VinExpo Hong Kong in May and in Europe, Singapore and China in June, with an American release set for September. With only 24,000 bottles in existence, it will run you around 200 a bottle that is if you can manage to get your hands on one (LVMH has already received offers to buy the whole lot). The reviews? More than positive, with Elin McCoy at Bloomberg describing the vino as ripely fruity, dark, and powerful, with a spicy tang, a hint of licorice, and a silky smooth texturesomething like a combo of a Spanish Ribera del Duero and a Napa cult cab. Photo Credit: Banyan Tree Ringha Visit: For the adventurous oenophile, you could be one of the first to visit (what could be) Chinas answer to the more well known Old World valleys; It certainly makes for a worthwhile destination if Tibet is in the plans. Theres no need to rough it however. In close proximity to the Shangri-La airport, The Banyan Tree Ringha is considered one of the most secluded hideaways in the world and makes for the perfect pit-stop before or after tackling the mountainous roads to Adong. Sampling some yak-butter tea, and/or relaxing with a Himalayan Gui Shi Hot Stone massage should make this trip one of the most exotic winery tours out there. Things take a turn for the romantic in episode eight of "Shopping King Louis" as our leads return to their not-so-cozy apartment following the successful capturing of the local serial killer. Louis/Ji-seong starts climbing up the ladder of life and makes some money, which gives him the confidence to approach Bok-sil. With the drama now at its eighth episode, dark times will be ahead, but perhaps this one can manage them. It is a big step we get in the romantic department and its arrival is timely, given we have hit the half way mark. Ji-seong's (Seo In-guk) revelation that he is trying to improve himself before telling Bok-sil (Nam Ji-hyeon) how he feels is a surprising one. His feelings had not previously been made clear to us as self-aware ones. I am not sure if this sudden confession to In-seong (Oh Dae-hwan) is a planned one or if it has been added to push the romance forward more quickly, but it is a sweet one nonetheless. The episode also marks the first kiss between our main couple and the date leading up to it is a really nice sequence. I do love the music choices in this series, because they are diverse and clearly well thought-out for each situation and segment of this story. Ji-seong and Bok-sil might not be the most dramatically hefty couple and I imagine few things will change in their daily life and interactions after their romantic involvement, but this is what makes them so rewarding and human. They are friends, they are a makeshift family and now they are in love. Since we are at the midpoint, things will inevitably start becoming darker in the story and it is a big moment for the series to prove its devotion to its tone and writing approach. A dark patch before the resolution is part of storytelling structure, but a lot of dramas make the mistake of piling on repetitive and forced conflict to drag that dark patch out. They place melodramatic value above consistency in tone and pacing, quality and story coherence. I hope and believe that "Shopping King Louis" will avoid this. We have plenty of things to deal with here. Ji-seong's memory, Seon-goo (Kim Gyoo-cheol) and Ma-ri's (Lim Se-mi) greed for power, Joong-won's (Yoon Sang-hyeon) feelings and of course Ji-seong's status and possible survival due to a dead Bok-nam (Ryoo Ee-hyeon). The last part will probably be hard on Bok-sil if true, although I believe it might prove a false worry by the end. There is plenty to deal with, but it can be dealt with well. "Shopping King Louis" is a series which has me torn between what I know as a reviewer and what I feel as a viewer. It is sweet, endearing, lovable and gives me moments of genuine glee and fangirling, which is rare for me. As a reviewer, I can see its faults and virtues clearly. Most importantly, however, both sides of me want this to keep doing well. Let us see what the second half offers. "Shopping King Louis" is directed by Lee Sang-yeob-I, written by Oh Ji-yeong-I and features Seo In-guk, Nam Ji-yeon, Yoon Sang-hyeon and Lim Se-mi. Source:HanCinema KEARNEY - An Elm Creek man admitted threatening family members in July. Dustin Hedrick, 33, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Buffalo County District Court to attempted terroristic threats and third-degree assault, both misdemeanors. In exchange for his pleas, a charge of using a weapon to commit a felony and criminal mischief between $200 and $500 was dismissed. Court records outline the July 2 incident: A Buffalo County deputy sheriff was called to Elm Creek after Hedrick assaulted his brother, threw him to the ground and threatened him. Hedrick also kicked his mother's car and damaged it. During the incident, Hedrick got a knife, held it to himself, then pointed it at family members and threatened to kill them. Hedrick returned to his Elm Creek home where a deputy noted he appeared to be intoxicated and under the influence of drugs. Police later talked Hedrick out of his home, and he was taken into custody without further incident. Hedrick remains free on bond, and sentencing is scheduled for December. He faces up to one year in jail on each count. e-mail to: Scuderia Toro Rosso's chief race engineer Phil Charles is reportedly set to leave the team, according to reports from Italy. Charles has not travelled with the team to the US for this weekend's Grand Prix at the circuit of the Americas, reports Formula One commentator James Allen. It's understood that Charles' decision to leave is not due to any differences with the team, but rather that his young family no longer wish to live in Italy and would prefer to move back to Britain. Charles was coming to the end of a three-year contract with the team. He works closely with the team's technical director James Key, who himself has been under sustained speculation this season that he's being courted by other teams in the paddock including Red Bull, Renault, McLaren and Williams. There have also been rumours that McLarens chief engineer Ciaron Pilbeam might be tempted to move to Renault in 2017, with Fernando Alonsos senior engineer Andrea Stella tipped to take over Pilbeam's current position. TECHNICAL - Turbulent Jet Ignition: In the antechamber of F1 power FEATURE: Where and why has Williams been caught out F1i Classic - Masten Gregory - The 'Kansas City flash' Silbermann investigates the potential EU threat to F1's Liberty Media deal 2017 F1 driver line-ups so far Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter BEATRICE (AP) A quick-thinking dispatcher helped police in southeastern Nebraska find a stricken woman who couldnt speak but could knock. Beatrice dispatcher Chandra Crooks took the 911 call Friday evening, The Daily Sun reported. Crooks could hear only what sounded like muffled crying and a banging noise. Soon, the line went dead. Calls from children playing with phones or phantom calls from a cell phone in someones pocket are common at the 911 center, but this call was different somehow, Crooks told the newspaper. She called the cell phone number captured by caller ID. Someone answered but didnt say anything. Once again, Crooks heard the muffled crying and the knocking or banging noise. The person didnt respond to questions until Crooks said, If you can hear me, knock twice. Two knocks came in response. Crooks asked more questions to narrow down the persons location: Are you in a house? A car? Outside? The person knocked twice when Crooks asked whether the person was in an apartment. As the person knocked twice to answer affirmatively to more questions, another dispatcher analyzed maps, and police Sgt. Brian Carver relayed information to officers. Crooks had been on the phone a total of 13 minutes with the original caller when officers found her. The middle-age woman appeared to have suffered a stroke. She was taken to a hospital in Beatrice and then transferred to one in Lincoln. It was unusual, but basically the system worked like its supposed to, said Carver, who added that the dispatchers are trained to think on their feet. Its very rewarding to know it was somebody unable to speak and we were able to work to get her the help she needed, Crooks said. OMAHA -- The power of DNA is in its ability to implicate or exonerate or exclude. It rarely is this explosive. On Wednesday, Anthony Garcias attorneys opened his defense in a quadruple-murder trial by taking dead aim at DNA tests on skin cells that were left at the home of Creighton Dr. Chhanda Bewtra on the same day that prosecutors say her colleague, Dr. Roger Brumback and his wife, Mary, were killed. A prosecution expert had said that Garcia couldnt be ruled out as the person who left the skin cells on the Bewtras back door handles. The defense countered with its first witness: A DNA expert ready to state that, in his opinion, there was no way to connect Garcia to the door handles. Garcia is excluded as a contributor to this sample on the Bewtras door knobs, said Karl Reich, an Illinois DNA analyst hired by the defense. There is no other possible conclusion. Jurors never got to hear that testimony. The reason? Judge Gary Randall warned Garcias defense team that if their expert made any grand conclusions that Garcia did not leave his DNA on the Bewtras house, it would open the door for prosecutors to attempt to introduce an advanced DNA analysis indicating that he likely did. This summer, prosecutors had given notice of their intent to introduce a Pittsburgh companys analysis that placed staggering odds on Garcia being the source of the skin cells on the Bewtras door. However, at the defenses request, Randall barred prosecutors from doing so, in part because, he said, it risked delaying Garcias trial for a fourth time. But the judges ban on prosecutors using the analysis came with a catch: He warned the defense to tread lightly in any claims debunking the DNA tests. He reissued that warning during a Wednesday afternoon recess and Garcias team erupted. In court, attorney Robert Motta Jr., blasted the judge, claiming that he was muzzling the defenses expert. Co-counsel Jeremy Jorgenson told the judge that he was setting himself up for reversal on appeal, should Garcia be convicted in the March 2008 killings of Thomas Hunter, 11, and Shirlee Sherman, 57, and the May 2013 deaths of the Brumbacks. If the judge cuts the defendant off at the knees, Jorgenson said, the case ought to be and probably will be reversed on appeal. Randall turned beet red. Thank you for the threat, he said, glaring at Jorgenson. Outside court, Motta and Jorgenson were beside themselves. Give me a break, Jorgenson said. We cant have our scientific expert come in and say what the science is? Motta said their expert is a brilliant guy, like a true scientist. And we couldnt have him say what we wanted him to say, Motta said. Jorgenson interrupted. Not what we wanted him to say. What the science says. In court, Randall said he wasnt precluding the defense from presenting any testimony. You seem to misunderstand what Im telling you, Randall told Jorgenson. You need to be prepared for prosecutors to present rebuttal evidence. The state would have disputed the defense experts conclusion. Reichs study of the DNA tests and the difference between whats known as peak heights on the tests led him to conclude that there were two peoples DNA profiles on the door handles. The states expert University of Nebraska Medical Center DNA analyst Mellissa Helligso said she didnt believe that there were two peoples DNA profiles on the handles. She instead attributed any differences in peak heights to the fact that it was a very small DNA sample. Wednesdays dust-up didnt address what the state considers more convincing DNA evidence: a different form of DNA testing that likely links the skin cells on the door to Garcia or a male member of his family. The defense expert was never asked about that conclusion. Afterward, Motta and Jorgenson were sorting their options. Once the judge excused jurors for the day, the defense had Reich issue his opinion in order to preserve the record for appellate review, Jorgenson said. But it wasnt heard by the people who will decide Garcias fate: the six men and six women of the jury. It puts us in a very tough spot, Motta said at days end. Before the state closed its case midday, prosecutors presented evidence of the tough spot that Garcia was in, in the days before his arrest. Their final two witnesses offered more insight into the life and mind of Garcia. Of the hundreds of papers that Omaha police officers found in a chemical bath in the kitchen sink of Garcias Terre Haute, Indiana, home, at least a dozen were highlighted by prosecutor Brenda Beadle. Omaha Police Detective Ryan Davis had collected the papers, dried them and made copies in case the originals would further fade. A few papers were ink-stained, others were partially waterlogged and damaged. Some were printed documents: the termination letter from Creighton University with Drs. Roger Brumback and William Hunters names listed at the bottom and a letter from the New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct regarding an administrative warning. Several were applications for medical jobs or licenses. In at least three instances, Garcia lied while answering questions about professional conduct: Have you ever been disciplined by a hospital staff, internship or residency program? Garcia checked no. Has any medical license been denied or revoked? Garcia answered no. On one application for a license, Garcia wrote that he was a resident at Creighton University and marked that he didnt complete the program. The reason? Left due to illness/Migraines, he wrote. (Garcia was fired because of multiple unprofessional instances, the last being that he tried to sabotage a fellow resident who was taking an important exam.) When he was challenged about the claims on his application, Garcia often would become forthright. He would fess up and explain that he was fired from residency programs at Creighton, Bassett-St. Elizabeth and Louisiana State University. In a letter to a Chicago doctor, Garcia asked for help to apply to for a medical license in Kentucky. Unfortunately I do not have very many friends and colleagues that can help me fill out the Reference Form they require, Garcia wrote on June 2, 2011. But most eye-opening were the many cryptic and handwritten notes in Garcias familiar fourth-grader scrawl (and spelling). The scratchings were somewhat meticulous but at the same time, random and disjointed to-do lists of sorts, with many items crossed out. It seemed Garcia was trying to get his affairs in order with mentions of selling his cars, refinancing his mortgage and possibly canceling insurance policies. One page starts as a grocery list: Brocholi (sic), Butter, Shrimp Scampi, Steak- Rib Eye. Then the list jumps to strange items: common shoes, Sears Black, Disposable and Band Aids on tips of fingers (Door Bell), (Black Gloves). Another note references odd actions: Tie knees. Tie Arms to sides. Blindfold - Teeshirt Torso. Yet another contains a reminder to call the Omaha Police Department on July 1, 2013. It was unclear why. He also listed his penchant for Shrek movies listed three times on various notes. Many writings referenced a fake drivers license and a plot to steal someones identity: Apply or get a credit card in someone elses name. Motta questioned the relevance of the notes, which he sarcastically called this devastating list of horrible things. Motta asked Davis if he found evidence that Garcia had obtained any fake drivers licenses, or if police had investigated identity theft crimes. No, Davis responded. You didnt find any of those things in real life? Motta asked. Some of the documents, Motta argued, showed that Garcia told the truth. He was actually pretty honest, in the affidavit; didnt it appear that way? Motta asked, referencing when Garcia admitted his residency troubles. About a dozen handwritten notes found in an LSU bag in Garcias Mercedes Benz by Omaha police forensic technician Amanda Miller referenced apparent plans to rent a boat, buy fishing gear to look like a Fisherman and travel to New Orleans, Canada or the Gulf of Mexico. He planned exactly what would be in his hands. In his right hand? A hidden gun. His left? His phone, passport and other documents. And Poison (Hidden). Also in the bag: a letter to his parents Estella and Frederick in Walnut, California, dated July 13, 2013 two days before Garcia was arrested. Please hold these documents in case of an Emergency. Your son, Anthony Garcia. During much of the testimony and lawyer bantering Wednesday, Garcia wrote in tiny print on the top half of a piece of paper. At the end of the day, he folded up the paper and held it in his right hand. He looked back to the gallery. His parents werent there. They had attended the first five days. They havent been back for nearly two weeks. Name: Tim Higgins Age: 53 Occupation: Managing Partner Runza Restaurants Which race are you a candidate in? Kearney Board of Education Do you currently hold a political office? If so, which position? Kearney Board of Education How long have you held this position? 16 years What other elected or appointed offices have you held? Chairman, Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce; Kearney Park and Recreation Board; past president Dobytown Kiwanis; board member, Nebraska Association of School Boards; current co-president Greater Nebraska Schools Association Why are you running for office? I have seen the quality of the education that students get in the Kearney Public School system. My two oldest children went through the KPS system and that continues with my youngest son, an eighth-grader at Sunrise Middle School. I enjoy serving and giving back to the Kearney community by being a member of the KPS Board of Education. What do you believe is the most important issue facing your office? School funding continues to be the biggest issue we face each and every year. The question remains at the state level is how can funds be provided to each district that are equally and fairly distributed. At the district level, we must be fiscally responsible with our expenditures to make each penny count. How would you balance the needs of government versus taxpayers interests? The responsibility of the board is to balance the needs of the students and staff with the funds/taxpayer dollars that are received. The priority needs to be to have reasonable uses of the resources that we receive as they are not unlimited. I am distressed that Gov. Pete Ricketts is attempting to control the nonpartisan Legislature by publicly opposing senators who disagreed with him on issues he deemed important. Such intrusion into the membership of the Legislature the peoples branch of government runs counter to the constitution of Nebraska and the concept that nonpartisanship is a desirable governmental goal. Ricketts is the head of his party and has the right to seek enactment of his programs and budget. But he does not have the right to determine the makeup of the Legislature. Because Republican Sens. Les Seiler of Hastings and Jerry Johnson exercised independent judgment, Ricketts has questioned their Republicanism and has endorsed their opponents. Nebraska U.S. Sen. George Norris, the father of the unicameral Legislature, insisted that the members be elected on a nonpartisan basis because he had experienced the evils of partisanship in Congress. Non-partisanship has worked well for Nebraska for nearly 80 years. As we approach our sesquicentennial in 2017, Ricketts should stop trying to control two of the three branches of government by insisting that senators who are members of his party should mindlessly follow his lead. Stan Matzke Jr., Lincoln FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2011 file photo, Betsy Bloomingdale arrives at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Opening Night Gala in Los Angeles. Personal belongings of the late fashion icon, socialite and philanthropist Betsy Bloomingdale will be auctioned by Christie's in New York later this year and in the Spring of 2017. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) FILE - In this Tuesday, April 12, 2016, file photo, Giraldo Carratala, an inspector with the Miami Dade County mosquito control unit, peers over a fence into the backyard of a home in Miami, Fla. The government on Wednesday, Oct. 19, recommended Zika testing for all pregnant women who recently spent time anywhere in Florida's Miami-Dade County. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Fliss Cramman is shown in her hospital bed in Dartmouth, N.S., Thursday, Oct.20, 2016. Cramman, a 33-year-old woman facing deportation to the U.K., pleaded Thursday to be allowed to stay in the country she considers home, a day before a hearing that may shed light on her fate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alison Auld 140 Shares Share A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com. It made the rounds on social media this winter: a photo of a coffee mug with the words Please Do Not Confuse Your Google Search With My Medical Degree. Colleagues shared and retweeted it, feeling a sense of vindication. I have to admit that I had a chuckle over it as well. It was the focus of a post on KevinMD.com by patient advocate Dave deBronkart, a.k.a. e-Patient Dave. The response from the physician community reflected the widespread feeling that the Internet introduces another barrier to physicians doing their jobs: patients who dont know what they dont know thinking that they know it, adding to the growing list of challenges to physicians standing, the demands on their time, and the frustrations of practice. What made the photo resonate was the sense that our jobs are hard enough without having to respond to stuff that patients download from the Internet, much of which is wrong or not applicable to the person who brings in the printouts. As amusing as I found the photo, as I thought more about it, I realized that of my many positive and rewarding patient interactions, a significant number are with patients who take the time to learn about their conditions, come to their visits with challenging questions, and want to know what I think. Several times a week, I receive secure messages via my electronic health record (EHR) patient portal where patients ask questions about something they read or that a friend told them, asking for my opinion and grateful that I took the time to reply. Or they come to their visit with printouts and questions that are opportunities to educate and motivate. Its not like physicians arent guilty of doing the same sort of do it yourself work outside their area of expertise. How many of us Google squeaking when the brakes are applied or hesitates when the engine is cold before going to the mechanic? How about takes long to start up computer or crashes when I try to save file before calling IT? That is not to say that when we drive our car to the mechanic or the IT person stops by our desk that we tell them how to do their work, but we feel better knowing something about what may be going on so that we can judge the advice that we receive. Why shouldnt our patients be able to do the same? For that matter, isnt a patient who is interested enough in their well-being to research their conditions and come to their visit prepared to discuss their treatment more likely to be an active participant in their care, which should make our lives easier, not more difficult? Some patients have taken to heart the message conveyed on the coffee mug. Theyll come with their online research-generated questions but ask them apologetically, often starting with I know you wont like this, but I suspect many are afraid to ask at all. Is that what we want? Why not instead refer patients to websites that we know to be good sources of reliable information (rather than fronts for modern-day snake oil salespersons or soapboxes for the misinformed)? For example, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has a library of patient education resources for specific conditions as well as high value care. The National Library of Medicines Medline Plus is a searchable site with vetted information for patients. If youre worried about all of that taking more time, consider that it may, but there are ways to manage that time more effectively. If your patients are online doing research, they can also be online using your EHR patient portals secure messaging to discuss their findings, or even send you their questions in advance of the visit so you can plan ahead. When you start your visits, make sure you solicit questions generated by online research when you set the agenda for the visit with your patient. If the extra work results in a more engaged patient who has better outcomes, why would we resist? Plus, as future payment models value outcomes over volume, welcoming this type of patient participation can help the bottom line. Its not like well be replaced by Dr. Google. As much as patients can get to just about all the medical knowledge that we can access, what we bring to the relationship are the ability to interpret that information, to filter the garbage from the valuable, and to put some pretty scary stuff into the proper perspective. Our years of training go beyond book knowledge. Our patients know that and appreciate it. Yul Ejnes is an internal medicine physician and a past chair, board of regents, American College of Physicians. His statements do not necessarily reflect official policies of ACP. Image credit:Twin Design / Shutterstock.com 55 Shares Share It is hard, perhaps impossible, to take the measure of a man in thirty minutes. However, there is still much that can be learned. After enjoying an evening meal in Tampa with friends to celebrate my birthday, my wife and I summoned a Lyft to get home. The ride would be about a half an hour. As is characteristic of the new ride share companies, notably Uber and Lyft, I was texted by my driver, Gabriel. He said he was waiting for us in his silver Toyota Camry at the appointed pick-up address, and my wife and I entered the back seat. To our surprise, a young child sat in the front passenger seat playing games on a smartphone. Is that your co-pilot? my wife asked. Yes, Gabriel said. Whats his name? Gregory. Hello Gregory, she said. The young boy said nothing. Since we had time to kill crossing Tampa Bay to our home in St. Petersburg, we began to chat with our driver, and as usual, we asked how he got into this line of work. It turns out this was only his third day on the job. My wife asked about Gregory, and Gabriel said he was a single dad. I steeled myself for the usual story of a marriage gone awry, and starting making mental judgments about dragging a five-year-old child along for this kind of work, particularly on a school night. As it turns out, I could not have been more wrong in my assumption. As he began to tell his story, my wife and I sat in rapt silence, finding it difficult to believe what had happened to him. After he shared his history, I had more respect for him than most people I had ever encountered. You see Gabriel was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He married young and had two children who were now grown. He had worked for FedEx. Despite an operation to prevent further pregnancies, there was a surprise baby later in their lives: Gregory. Four years ago, on their way back from Las Vegas to Denver, on a stretch of I-70 East, a car came into their path. His wife, who was driving, over-corrected and the car flipped several times. His wife and his mother, who were seated in the front, died. He broke his back and Gregory, who was 17 months old, broke his femur. Gabriel spent over four years in rehab. He needed to go back to work to support himself and his child, and decided a move would help; hence Florida. He relocated to Tampa and took a part-time job with FedEx without benefits. He routinely lifted packages of over 100 pounds. He drove around the bay area for a few weeks to get familiar with the roads, and then decided to work part-time for Lyft to help pay his bills. He hoped to be able to move to another division of FedEx that would require less lifting and have benefits. Gregory had just started school, and was a model child; well behaved and obedient. Gabriel said it wasnt easy, and at times he fell into bed at the end of the day exhausted. Gregory said very little as he played on his mobile device. We arrived at home and thanked him for the ride. Neither one of us could put his story out of our minds. I wondered how he had managed not to become a pain-pill addict or homeless. I wondered how someone could retell this story without a hint of bitterness or anger. I wondered why he did not portray himself as a victim. And I wondered why he wasnt asking for a handout. But then I realized, not everyone is Gabriel. He is the kind of person who makes this country great and restores my faith in mankind. It is people like him who ask for little, despite a mountain of adversity, and seek any and all opportunities just to survive and offer his son the best upbringing he can, even in the face of impossible odds. I am not sure that if faced with similar hardships that I could have responded with this grace and fortitude. I only hope that Gabriel will get benefits and an easier job. I hope that some day Gregory will realize just how lucky he is to have had a father like this. Finally, I wish there were more people in our country, and world, like Gabriel. David Mokotoff is a cardiologist who blogs at his self-titled site, David Mokotoff. He is the author of The Mooses Children: A Memoir of Betrayal, Death, and Survival and can be reached on Twitter @FreeMarketdoc. Image credit: Shutterstock.com A lot hangs for the GOP in this general election. Not only are they hoping to take the presidential seat, they are also fighting to keep control of the Senate. "It's important to also look at who's in charge of Congress, the House and the Senate. I just want people that are able to be bipartisan and work with the president," says Congressman Henry Cuellar. Democrats need only to win four to five seats to take control of the Senate. Republicans have a majority in Congress, with 246 seats out of 435. A new Irish DNA project has been launched - hoping to find local people who have all four grandparents born locally to donate their DNA for a new database. The exciting new DNA projec twill help map the genetic history of Ireland. The Irish DNA Research Project, led by British ancestry firm Living DNA, is appealing for individuals with four Irish grandparents all born within 80 kilometres (50 miles) of each other to join this pioneering project by taking a simple DNA test. By focusing on people whose grandparents were all born in close proximity, the team aim to build up the most detailed and accurate regional map of Irelands genetic history prior to the mass migrations of the 20th Century. In particular, the team is keen to find qualifying people from the 13 regions of Ireland in particular Kilkenny in Leinster. To encourage suitable people to come forward, the first 10 qualifying individuals from each of these regions to register will receive a free ancestry DNA test and lifetime membership to Living DNA worth 159. Any subsequent qualifying participants will be able to claim a 30% discount off the test and lifetime membership. Qualifying people who have already had their DNA tested can transfer their results to the project free of charge and receive a complimentary lifetime membership to Living DNA. You can check out their stand at the Back to Our Past at RDS, Dublin this weekend . To find out more about the project, visit: https://www.livingdna.com/irishdna How Much More Retirement Income Can You Get? Each investor is unique, so the answer to that isn't as simple as it sounds. Let's take a look at a few different scenarios to see the outcomes. J. Menno Harms will speak about challenges on the way towards the digital era. (Photo: Private) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Karlsruhe University Society (KUG) confer the 2016 Heinrich Hertz Guest Professorship on J. Menno Harms. In two public presentations, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hewlett-Packard GmbH will speak about Consequences of Digital Networking and Governance on the Way towards the Digital Era. These presentations will take place on October 19 and November 3, 2016, 17.30 hrs, in the Tulla-Horsaal on Campus South of KIT (building 11.40, Englerstrae 11, Karlsruhe). In a seminar for KIT students, Harms will report about his work at a global IT company. The presentations and the seminar will be in German. The first presentation Konsequenzen der digitalen Vernetzung Ein Blick in den Maschinenraum der digitalen Wirtschaft (October 19) (Consequences of Digital Networking A View into the Machine Hall of Digital Economy), J. Menno Harms will describe the increasingly interconnected digital world and present selected economic strategies of digital companies. Then, he will speak about the development of IT-relevant disruptive technologies, i.e. innovations having the potential of replacing existing technologies. The second presentation Fuhrung auf dem Weg ins digitale Zeitalter Anspruch und Wirklichkeit (November 3) (Governance on the Way towards the Digital Era Goals and Reality) will focus on changes caused by digitization in companies and organizations of civil society. J. Menno Harms will highlight governance and management cultures required by the digital world and will compare them with reality. In the seminar Arbeit in einem globalen IT Unternehmen - Erfahrungen (Work at a Global IT Company Experience) for students of KIT, J. Menno Harms will speak about the start of his career and his further development. He will give concrete recommendations for students and graduates. With the Heinrich Hertz Guest Professorship, the Karlsruhe University Society (KUG) and KIT honor outstanding personalities of science, industry, politics, and culture for their achievements in and contributions to research and society. The KUG, an association supporting KITs academic education activities, endowed the guest professorship in 1987, one hundred years after the detection of electromagnetic waves by physicist Heinrich Hertz at Karlsruhe Technical University, a predecessor institution of KIT. About the Person Jorg Menno Harms was born in 1939 in Plon (Holstein) and studied electrical engineering/communication technology at TH Stuttgart. In 1967, he completed his studies by an engineering diploma. Since 2001, he has been working as a Honorarprofessor at the Institute of Business Administration of Stuttgart University. In 1968, Harms started to work as a development engineer at Hewlett-Packard GmbH in Boblingen, the German subsidiary of the American information technology company HP. Until 1980, Harms held various positions in the areas of development, manufacture, marketing, and sales. From 1981 to 1985, he was Division General Manager of Boblingen Medical Division, from 1986 to 1992, he worked as General Manager of the Medical Products Group Europe. In 1993, Harms was appointed Chairman of the Management Board of Hewlett-Packard GmbH. He chaired the board until 2000 and from 2002 to 2004. Since 2005, he has been Managing Director of Menno Harms GmbH International Management Services, Stuttgart. J. Menno Harms presently chairs the Supervisory Board of Hewlett-Packard GmbH Boblingen and, among others, he also is Chairman of the Supervisory Boards of Alcatel Lucent Deutschland AG as well as of Alcatel Lucent Holding GmbH, Chairman of the Initiative Zukunftsfahige Fuhrung (IZF) e.V. (Initiative of Future-oriented Governance), and Member of the Central Committee of the Bitkom digital association. In the past, he exercised a number of mandates in companies, associations, and institutions. In 2000, J. Menno Harms was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. In 2004, he received the Medal of Merit of the State of Baden-Wurttemberg. Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence. (Kitco News) - Former Fed chair Ben Bernanke thinks Americans are better off today than they were a decade ago. Since 2007, economic welfare in the U.S. has continued to improve, according to our calculation, the former central bank head said in his latest Brookings Institute blog post, which he co-wrote with one of the nonprofits research analysts Peter Olson. Bernanke explained that current methodology used to measure economic welfare may not be taking into account all the necessary variables, and is inherently incomplete. Instead, he alluded to research done by two Stanford University economists Charles Jones & Peter Klenow, who proposed a more comprehensive way to measure economic welfare: by not only looking at growth in per capita consumption, but also changes in working time, life expectancy, and inequality. However, even if the data shows the American public is better off today, Bernanke found that the pace at which economic welfare is improving has slowed down considerably, especially in the last couple of years. The pace of improvement has slowed markedly relative to the pre-crisis era, reflecting slower economic growth, some slowdown in the rate of improvement in life expectancy, and continuing increases in inequality, he said. The data showed that the biggest reason behind this slowdown has been the decline in the growth rate of per capita consumption to about 0.4% per year since 2007 about the same as the growth rate of per capita GDP. In other words, disappointing economic growth, including the slow improvement in consumer spending power, is the dominant reason for the decline in the pace of welfare gains, even by this broader measure, he noted. Meanwhile, life expectancy continues to improve since 2007, adding about 0.5% per year to welfare growth. As for inequality, the spread has intensified slightly since 2007, Bernanke continued. However, Americans shouldnt be too worried as Bernanke noted that longer-term trends in economic welfare are mostly positive. According to our extension of the Jones-Klenow analysis, U.S. economic welfare has increased at about 2.3 percent per year since 1995, for a cumulative gain in two decades of 60 percent, he said. Gains in income and consumption per capita and in life expectancy are the major reasons for improved welfare. Increased inequality of consumption has subtracted about 0.2 percentage points a year from the welfare measure since 1995. By Sarah Benali of Kitco News; sbenali@kitco.com Follow @SdBenali * PKN lifts Warsaw stocks on Q3 earnings surge * Croatian parliament elects government, kuna flat By Sandor Peto BUDAPEST, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A rise in oil refiner PKN Orlen's shares lifted Warsaw's stock index on Thursday, while other regional markets were mixed as investors waited to see if the European Central Bank will signal any change in its asset purchase programme. The ECB is expected to keep policy unchanged but any indication about a change in its bond buying programme could affect demand in euro zone markets as well as indirectly in eastern EU members which still use their own currencies. PKN shares rose by 1.7 percent and helped Warsaw's bluechip index firm 0.2 percent by 0846 GMT, after the refiner reported a bigger than expected 92-percent rise in its third quarter net profit. A 3.9 percent retreat of Czech mobile operator O2 helped push down Prague's main index by 0.4 percent Regional assets were mixed and mostly rangebound ahead of the ECB's meeting. The bank's news conference, due at 1230 GMT, could reinforce expectations that it could extend its asset buys beyond the scheduled end next March even though there has been some rumours that it may slow down the pace of buying. Euro zone member Slovenia unveiled a plan on Wednesday to re-profile its debt to take advantage from the ECB's asset buying and buy back old dollar debt that is not eligible for the ECB programme and replace it with euro debt. The yield on Slovenian 10-year government bonds was bid flat at 0.611 percent, near record lows touched last week at 0.547 percent. Ljubljana shares rose by 0.6 percent Poland's 10-year bond yield dropped by 3 basis points to 2.938 percent. Hungary's corresponding yield dropped 4 basis points from Wednesday's fixing to 2.9 percent. Hungary's central bank is expected to keep its rates on hold at its meeting on Tuesday. But it boosts forint liquidity and demand for government debt by limiting the funds commercial banks can place with its 3-month deposits and through swap tenders. The forint firmed 0.1 percent against the euro, while the leu and the zloty eased 0.1 percent. "A potential driver for the leu... might be the ECB's monetary policy meeting, with a focus on whether it will talk up or down the idea of tapering (the pace of its asset buying)," analysts at ING Bank in Bucharest said in a note. The kuna was steady. Croatia's 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 EU economies. CEE SNAP AT 1046 MARKETS SHOT CET CURRENCIES Late Prev Dail Chan st ious y ge bid clos chan in e ge 2016 Czech 200 235 01% 8% Hungary 0000 2150 07% % Polish 90 32 4% 1% Romanian 50 93 3% % Croatian 30 75 06% % Serbian 9900 1000 09% 4% Note: calcula prev clos 1800 daily ted ious e at CET change from STOC KS Late Prev Dail Chan st ious y ge clos chan in e ge 2016 Prague 919. 922. -0.3 -3.8 11 50 7% 9% Budapest 2918 2916 +0. +22 2.55 8.00 05% .00% Warsaw <.WIG20 1748 1744 +0. -5.9 > .14 .53 21% 7% Buchares 6873 6878 -0.0 -1.8 t .77 .00 6% 6% Ljubljan <.SBITO 734. 730. +0. +5. a P> 66 37 59% 53% Zagreb <.CRBEX 1978 1981 -0.1 +17 > .55 .71 6% .10% Belgrade <.BELEX 657. 649. +1. +2. 15> 42 02 29% 07% Sofia <.SOFIX 506. 506. +0. +9. > 82 31 10% 96% BOND S Yiel Yiel Spre Dail d d ad y (bid chan vs chan ) ge Bund ge in Czech spre Republic ad 2-year 67 28 bps s 5-year 43 19 4bps s 6 8 8bps ps Poland 2-year 3 03 2bps s 5-year 1 08 0bps s 6 3 1bps s FORWARD RATE AGREEMENT 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M inte rban k Czech Hungary Poland Note: are for FRA ask quotes prices ***************************************** ********************* (Additional reporting by Radu Marinas in Bucharest; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) (Kitco News) - Gold prices are modestly higher in early U.S. trading Thursday. A slightly downbeat U.S. weekly jobless claims report that showed a rise in claims is helping out the precious metals bulls. Some more chart-based buying is also seen as prices have scored an upside breakout from a near-term trading range on the daily chart. December Comex gold was last up $2.70 an ounce at $1,272.60. December Comex silver was last up $0.033 at $17.635 an ounce. Gold is also benefitting from likely better consumer demand coming from India in the coming weeks due to Indias festival season. The European Central Bank left its monetary policy unchanged at Thursdays meeting, which was what the marketplace expected. ECB President Mario Draghi will hold a press conference following the ECM meeting. The marketplace does look for the ECB to make monetary policy changes in December. Gains in the precious metals are being limited Thursday by crude oil prices that are under a bit of profit-taking pressure from recent gains that saw prices hit a three-month high in Nymex futures Wednesday. The other key outside market sees the U.S. dollar index slightly weaker today. U.S. economic data due for release Thursday includes the weekly jobless claims report, the Philadelphia Fed business survey, leading economic indicators, and existing home sales. (Note: Follow me on Twitter--@jimwyckoff--for breaking market news.) Wyckoffs Daily Risk Rating: 2.5 (Trader and investor market risk aversion is not elevated today.) (Wyckoffs Daily Risk Rating is your way to quickly gauge investor risk appetite in the world market place each day. Each day I assess the risk-on or risk-off trader mentality in the market place with a numerical reading of 1 to 5, with 1 being least risk-averse (most risk-on) and 5 being the most risk-averse (risk-off). Technically, December gold futures bears have the overall near-term technical advantage but bulls are having a good week. Bulls next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close above solid technical resistance at $1,300.00. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is closing prices below solid technical support at the October low of $1,243.20. First resistance is seen at $1,275.00 and then at $1,280.00. First support is seen at the overnight low of $1,268.70 and then at Wednesdays low of $1,261.10. Wyckoffs Market Rating: 4.0 December silver bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls next upside price breakout objective is closing futures prices above solid technical resistance at $18.46 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $17.00. First resistance is at last weeks high of $17.855 and then at $18.04. Next support is seen at $17.45 and then at last weeks low of $17.315. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.5. By Jim Wyckoff, contributing to Kitco News; jwyckoff@kitco.com Follow @KitcoNewsNOW HANOI, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0401 GMT. Oct 20 Oct 19 USD/VND mid-point 22,005 22,011 USD/VND interbank 22,306/22,307 22,306/22,310 USD/VND unofficial 22,330/22,345 22,330/22,345 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 35.52/35.77 35.43/35.68 Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.3-0.9 0.3-0.9 1 week 0.35-0.9 0.3-0.9 1 month 1.3-2.2 1.3-2.2 3 months 3.2-4.2 3.2-4.2 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources. One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co. For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on . For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) Ugandan shilling firm as banks unwind dollar positions KAMPALA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The Ugandan shilling was firm on Thursday, supported by commercial banks unwinding long dollar positions, which boosted demand for the local currency. At 0900 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,430/3,440, stronger than Wednesday's close of 3,440/3,450. UGX Spot Rate..... Ugandan Shilling Money Guide.... Calculated Cross Rates.......... Deposits..................... Deposits & Forwards............. Uganda Equities Guide....... Uganda All Share Index........ Shilling background ..... Ugandan Debt Guide............ All Uganda Bonds............. Uganda T-Bills.............. Uganda Benchmark............. Central Bank ................ Ugandan Contributor Index.... Uganda Coffee Prices....... (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Edmund Blair) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. kitco news (Adds closing prices) BOGOTA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Colombian financial markets fell on Thursday, a day after the government sent a tax reform bill to Congress that left out key proposals anticipated by investors. The reform, seen as key to maintaining the country's BBB investment-grade credit rating and making up for lost oil income, would raise value added tax to 19 percent, widen the tax base and lower taxes on companies, but does not include an expected cut to taxes on foreign investor earnings. The Colombian peso closed at 2,926.20 pesos to the U.S. dollar, a drop of 0.34 percent after declining 0.82 percent in the first minutes of trading. The yield on local Treasury bonds, called TES, coming due in July 2024 rose to 6.91 percent from 6.86 percent on Wednesday. The yield had risen to 6.98 percent in earlier trading. Prices for oil, a key source of income for the country before the global decrease in crude prices, were also down more than 2 percent. The principal stock index, COLCAP , fell 0.21 percent to 1,361.15 points. The tax proposal would bolster revenue by 0.8 percent of gross domestic product, or $2.4 billion, in 2017, and by 3.2 percent of GDP by 2022, the government said on Wednesday evening. Analysts said the reform, which the government originally said would increase tax revenue to 1 to 2 percentage points of GDP in 2017, did not go far enough. "The feeling is that the reform fell short of what was expected, and we don't know if the ratings agencies will be flexible for a time," said Catalina Guevara, analyst at Alianza brokerage. The reform, which will now be debated by lawmakers, does not include an anticipated reduction in the 14 percent taxes that foreigners pay on profits from portfolio investment like shares, local Treasury bonds and corporate bonds. "We expect international funds to start to reduce their portfolio investment here because they expected that reduction, especially because they are the top holders of TES," said another analyst. (Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Jonathan Oatis) (Adds details on scope of increase, background) MEXICO CITY, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Mexico's peso currency firmed to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the final U.S. presidential election debate on Wednesday night, with one snap poll judging it a victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. The peso was little changed during the fiery debate, in which Clinton's Republican opponent Donald Trump suggested he might reject the outcome of the November 8 election. But the currency began to appreciate after its conclusion to hit a session high of 18.455 per dollar in Asian trading, the currency's highest level since Sept. 8. Just before the debate started the peso was trading at around 18.53 per dollar. A snap opinion poll published by CNN showed 52 percent of debate watchers found that Democratic candidate Clinton had won the contest, with 39 percent giving the nod to Trump. Economists in Mexico said the debate suggested a Clinton victory was now likelier, though not all fears were dispelled. "The scenario of Trump winning is so bad that people are not removing their hedges," said Ernesto Revilla, an economist at Banamex, who said the peso would enjoy further relief if Clinton did clinch the presidency. "I think you will now see appreciation in the peso after the election," said Carlos Serrano, an economist at Bancomer. The peso hit record lows last month on concerns that if elected, Trump could carry out his threats to tear up a U.S. free trade deal with Mexico and block remittances sent home by Mexicans living in the United States to fund a border wall. But the peso has rallied over 7 percent from that record low as polls suggested Democratic candidate Clinton was gaining ground and that Trump's hopes of victory were fading. Data from Citigroup showed that hedge funds dived into the peso following the first two debates. The currency may not have much more ground to gain if the market has factored in a Clinton victory. However, some analysts think the peso could keep making up ground towards 18 per dollar, and even break past that level as convictions grow that Clinton will win. Concerns about sluggish growth in Mexico, the local impact of weak oil prices on public finances, and an increase in government debt could limit further peso gains. (Reporting by Michael O'Boyle and Jean Luis Arce; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) (Adds quotes) By Ben Blanchard BEIJING, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that he hoped Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "milestone" visit to China could help "fully improve" ties between the two countries, which have suffered over disputes in the South China Sea. Duterte arrived in Beijing on Tuesday with at least 200 top business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance, amid deteriorating relations with longtime ally the United States. The effort to engage China, months after a ruling in the Hague over South China Sea disputes in favour of the Philippines, marks a reversal in Philippine foreign policy since Duterte took office on June 30. Xi told Duterte during a meeting at Beijing's Great Hall of the People that China and the Philippines were brothers and that the two sides could "appropriately handle disputes", though he did not specifically mention the South China Sea row. "I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things," he said. Duterte pressed his message that he wished to strengthen cooperation with China, calling his visit "very significant" and an indication of a "springtime" in relations. "Stretching back centuries, China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are deep and not easily severed," Duterte told Xi. "Even as we arrived in Beijing close to winter, this is the springtime of our relationship." Duterte's congenial tone in Beijing is in contrast to the language he has used with long-time ally Washington, having called U.S. President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch", and railed against U.S. criticism of his war on drugs, which has led to the deaths of 2,300 people. His hardline drug war tactics have raised concerns in Western capitals about extrajudicial killings, but China has expressed support for the campaign. China has welcomed the Philippines' new efforts to embrace China, even as Duterte has vowed not to surrender any sovereignty to Beijing, which views the South China Sea maritime ruling as null and void. Duterte on Wednesday said the South China Sea arbitration case would "take the back seat" during talks, and that he would wait for the Chinese to bring up the dispute rather than doing so himself. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Writing by Michael Martina; Editing by Nick Macfie) The San Francisco Bay ferries Bay Breeze and Scorpion on a warm summer day in August. The Bay Area's ferry system's ridership has been growing rapidly because of a hot economy. JOSH FARLEY / KITSAP SUN By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun BREMERTON Boats can't be built fast enough to keep up with riders' rush to Bay Area fast ferries. What might success there indicate for Kitsap Transit's fast ferry proposal? San Francisco Bay Ferry which runs among Vallejo, Oakland, Alameda, San Francisco and South San Francisco has watched ridership spike 7, 17, 4 and 11 percent the past four years. Growth finally stalled when it ran out of boats. Seven 400-plus-passenger vessels have been ordered at Northwest shipyards to expand existing routes and start new ones. "There's been a great economic recovery and revitalization of San Francisco," said Marty Robbins, general manager of North Bay routes for San Francisco Bay Ferry. "It's all about jobs in San Francisco." The cost of living in San Francisco has spiked along with employment. Many new hires are finding it too expensive to live in the city and are buying homes in bedroom communities ringing the bay. The alternatives to ferries are driving Interstate 80, which is crammed and includes two toll bridges, or taking BART trains, which aren't convenient to many communities and are equally packed. Like San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Ferry has done nothing but grow under such conditions. It operates routes that sail out of Larkspur, Sausalito and San Francisco. "Looking at our growth over the past 10 years, it would appear that population density, along with increased traffic congestion, availability and cost of parking in the city, time of crossing and convenience and quality of service, along with the cost of the service, played a significant role in our success," said Jim Swindler, Golden Gate Ferry Division manager. "Fifteen or 20 minutes saved in one direction is significant for a commuter traveling five days a week." Seattle mirrors San Francisco with its revitalization, job growth, high costs and congestion. It also sits on a large body of water. San Francisco, with a population of 4.7 million, is the nation's 10th largest metropolitan area. Seattle is 15th, at 3.7 million. The TomTom Traffic Index ranks San Francisco as the second most-congested city. Seattle is No. 4. Results of Kitsap Transit's ballot measure Nov. 8 will indicate whether circumstances are as ripe here for fast ferries as they are in the Bay Area. Proposition 1 asks voters for a sales tax increase of 3 cents on a $10 purchase to fund service between Bremerton, Kingston, Southworth and downtown Seattle. A few major differences exist between the Puget Sound region and the Bay Area. San Francisco Bay is hugged by millions of existing and potential ferry riders. Kitsap, though the state's third most-densely populated county, is home to just 254,183 people. In San Francisco, fast ferries compete with congested highways, bridges and trains. Here, they'd be up against the state's car ferries, which are getting more crowded but normally not prohibitively so. The boats are packed with vehicles during commuter hours and on getaway Fridays and return-home Sundays. Drivers can wait an hour or two to board. Except in rare cases, passengers can walk right on. There's a car ferry route from each of Kitsap Transit's proposed fast ferry ports. Fast ferries, however, would be faster and more convenient. The Bremerton fast ferry would follow the car ferry route, but travel it in 28 minutes instead of an hour. Kingston and Southworth car ferries don't go to downtown Seattle. They must be used in combination with a bus, train or water taxi to get there, which would not only be slower but more costly than fast ferries. Washington State Ferries isn't opposing the Kitsap Transit plan, which would pluck some of its riders, but it isn't helping, either. It's hard to compete against the state's $8.20 walk-on tickets from Seattle that are kept low by high vehicle prices and a 30 percent state subsidy (the fast ferries round-trip tickets would cost $12 and be held down by a 70 percent local subsidy). Bay Area ferries don't have to deal with that. They can charge $13.80 for a one-way ticket between Vallejo and San Francisco and riders lap them up. "They set that model up to be noncompetitive," Robbins said of state ferries. "If everyone had to drive on Highway 16 and go over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and go up I-5, this would be a totally different scenario." San Francisco Bay Ferry is overseen by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, a five-person board of marine experts appointed by the governor. A similar group should be set up for all Puget Sound passenger-only services, said Robbins, who helped the Port of Kingston and King County get programs off the ground. Officials from port commissioners to state lawmakers to the Department of Transportation meddle in ferry operations and mess things up. "I would start from Square 1," he said. "I've been working in the Bay Area for 19 years and seen it run, and it runs beautifully, so I know it can be done. Through good luck and circumstances, it just developed the way it developed. The Puget Sound is such a messy political landscape." King County Marine Division has shown that fast ferry service can succeed. It transported 515,000 riders last year from West Seattle and Vashon Island to downtown Seattle. Ridership has jumped 72 percent since it began in 2008 and is on pace to break last year's record with two months to go, division director Paul Brodeur said. According to the Kitsap Transit plan, its boats would be operated by King County crews. The King County program initially relied on a 5 -cent property tax increase approved by voters in 2007. Since the rate was reduced to one-third of a cent in 2010, the ferries division has been living on savings. A sustaining rate of 1 cents has been proposed in the upcoming budget. Brodeur cites the Bay Area as prime fast ferry territory, but his water taxis are doing fine in Puget Sound. "San Francisco is the best example, where you have dense population and lots of congestion on the highways, so waterways become an alternative way of commuting," he said. "You need to have a population that needs to get somewhere." The King County water taxis helped themselves by completing 99.3 percent of their scheduled trips last year and being on time 99.1 percent of the time. "I think we deliver a darn good product, which is why people come back and use it," Brodeur said. Robbins wouldn't be deterred by the competition from state car ferries and unfavorable political setting he described. "Kingston and Bremerton are gold mines," he said. "I would do it." POPCORN & ISSUES: FAST FERRIES AND OUR FUTURE What: The Kitsap Sun hosts a discussion on the role of fast ferries in Kitsap County's mass transit strategy. Who: Experts in transportation policy, fast ferry operation, demographics, economics and regional planning discuss the peninsula's growth and mass transit. When: 6 p.m. Tuesday Where: SEEfilm Bremerton Cinema, 655 Fourth St. RSVP: pugetsoundblogs.com/brews-and-issues/#fastferries Photo taken several days ago of the protesters who were arrested Monday for breaking into Naval Base Kitsap at Bangor. From left are Susan Crane, 65, of Baltimore MD;Lynne Greenwald, 60, of Bremerton; Anne Montgomery, 83, of New York; Steve Kelly, 60, of Oakland, Calif.; Bill aBixa Bischel, 81, of Tacoma. SHARE By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun Five protestors associated with an international peace movement were arrested Monday after cutting through three security fences to reach an area where nuclear missiles are stored at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. Cited on suspicion of trespassing and destruction of government property were Bill Bischel, 81, a Catholic priest from Tacoma; Anne Montgomery, 83, a nun from New York; Susan Crane, 65, of Baltimore; Lynne Greenwald, 60, of Bremerton; and Steve Kelly, 60, of Oakland, Calif. The nuclear weapons opponents were "apprehended in accordance with standing security procedures for incidents of this nature," according to a Navy press release. They were turned over to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, cited and released at about 4 p.m. "At no time was the safety of Navy personnel, property, or the public threatened in any way," according to a Navy press release. The protestors said Tuesday that they used bolt cutters to infiltrate the perimeter fence at around 2 a.m. Monday and slipped onto the base under a full moon. They walked along the ridge above Delta Pier and the weapons-handling wharf, then followed a road east to their destination ? the weapons storage bunkers. "We were hidden in plain sight the whole time," Greenwald said. Another pair of fences stood between the group and Strategic Weapons Facility-Pacific, where nuclear missiles for the base's Trident submarines are stored. The protestors cut through them, setting off an alarm at around 6:30 a.m. They were quickly swarmed by Marines. The protestors held up a banner that read "Disarm Now Plowshares: Trident: Illegal + Immoral." They put their arms out, gave peace signs and tried to look as non-threatening as possible to keep from being shot, Greenwald said. Plowshares is an international anti-nuclear weapons movement that gets its name based on scriptures in the Bible that encourage beating "swords into plowshares." The protestors complained about being handcuffed, hooded and kept on the ground for four hours. "We had some intruders in a very strict-security place, and for them to be treated like criminals probably was the right thing for our security forces to do for awhile until they understood who they were, what they were doing there and what we needed to do to maintain our security," said Navy Region Northwest spokesman Chris Haley. Deadly force is authorized in SWFPAC, Haley said. There have been dozens of protests at the base's gates, and people have been arrested for walking a short distance onto federal property. But nobody has tried to cut through the fence before. Security measures worked, Haley said. "We had a breach, we found the breach, we responded and everybody walked away healthy," he said. "I don't think we have any more concerns today than we had before." Security forces didn't know how many people were involved or whether intruders might have driven onto the base, so the identification of everybody leaving the base was checked after the incident. That backed up traffic, but there was not a lockdown on Monday, Haley said. The protestors said they wanted to bring to light the number of nuclear weapons in the community. The protestors say they believe the weapons are instruments of death that prevent peace in the world and waste money that could be put to better uses. Greenwald and Bischel have participated in protests at the base organized by Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, but this action was on their own, acting in the Plowshares tradition, they said. Plowshares has staged about 100 nuclear resistance actions worldwide since 1980. The group wasn't trying to make a point that base security could be broken but wanted to get as close as possible to weapons they despise, they said. "Our intent in talking to any media is not to emphasize how we broke through security or were treated but the real terror of the Trident nuclear weapons system," Greenwald said. Both trespassing and destruction of government property are misdemeanors, said Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle. The maximum penalty for trespassing is six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. It's a year in jail and a $100,000 fine for destroying property. The tickets will be processed in San Antonio, which takes about 40 days. Letters will then be sent to the protestors to appear before a judge in Tacoma, Langlie said. BELFAIR Finding local health care can be a struggle for North Mason residents covered by Medicaid. 'Like most rural communities, we have a desperate need for primary care providers in general and especially those that take Medicaid,' Mason County Commission Chairwoman Terri Jeffreys said. The challenge is even greater for Medicaid-covered adults needing dental or mental health care, she said. Finding local care could become easier for those residents in 2017. Bremerton-based Peninsula Community Health Services plans to open an integrated primary and dental health care clinic early next year on Highway 300, in a new two-story building near Scott McLendon Hardware. The majority of the community health center's patients are enrolled in Medicaid, called Apple Health in Washington. Peninsula Community Health CEO Jennifer Kreidler-Moss said the 7,000-square-foot Belfair clinic will include seven dental chairs, six exam rooms and a small pharmacy. The staff of 30 will include up to three primary care providers. Mental health and substance-use treatment also will be offered. Kreidler-Moss said Belfair was a natural extension of the community health center's service area. More than 1,000 North Mason residents already use Peninsula Community Health clinics in Kitsap County. 'It makes sense for us to meet them closer to their homes,' Kreidler-Moss said. In addition to serving existing patients, the Belfair location is expected to draw 3,250 new patients by the end of 2018, she said. Peninsula Community Health's clinic will be located just up the highway from CHI Franciscan Health's Harrison Belfair Urgent Care campus, which opened in 2009 with support from Mason County Public Hospital District 2. Hospital District 2 Superintendent Sandra Robertson said Harrison Belfair serves many Medicaid patients but that more providers are needed and that the shortage of dentists who accept Medicaid is acute. 'We welcome (Peninsula Community Health),' Robertson said. 'They'll definitely fill a need in this area of the county.' Peninsula Community Health is experimenting with an integrated model at its Belfair clinic. Rather than splitting primary, dental and behavioral health care into different offices, patients in Belfair will share the same entrance and waiting room, and providers of all types will share work space. Kreidler-Moss said the goal of the integrated model is to encourage providers to collaborate on patient care and to create a more welcoming setting for patients seeking mental health and substance use services. 'This is the model we hope to stick with,' she said. For information on Peninsula Community Health Services, go to www.pchsweb.org. SHARE 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. Clarence Page is a member of the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. Readers may send him email at cpage@tribune.com. SHARE You want a list of stuff that has people castigating Donald Trump? Here we go. He keeps talking about making America great again as if it is not great right now. He has called Hillary Clinton hateful. He has been accused of sexual abuse. Trump University is said to have been a scam. He has said the media is rigged against him. On top of the above, he thinks Saddam Hussein should have stayed in power in Iraq. He did not pay taxes he did not owe. He said the inner cities in this country are hell holes. He is against gun control. He wants to build a wall on the Mexican border. He once talked of punching protesters at a rally. The thing about all of the above is that there are equivalents on the other side, the Democratic side, the leftist side. Let's review them. In his first campaign, Bill Clinton also said let's make America great again. He didn't say it as often, but he said it and, as far as I know, went unscathed, maybe because a Republican was president. The sexual abuse allegations are serious stuff, but not as serious as Bill Clinton being accused of the vicious rape of a woman who talked to a friend soon afterward about the horror she had endured. He is accused of groping another woman in the White House. He ended up paying $850,000 to settle a suit from still another woman who said he had exposed himself to her while encouraging sex. The Monica Lewinsky affair was not just about sex, as even feminists often said on his behalf, although he did take advantage of this subordinate half his age by enjoying oral sex in the Oval Office. The affair was also about lying, obstruction of justice, perjury and disgracing the presidency. Clinton is charming and smart and a moral mess who is now his wife's top surrogate on the campaign trail and will play an important role in the administration if she is elected. Trump has accused the press of prejudice and has threatened libel suits against newspapers. Some news outlets are in fact discarding normal standards to finish him off, and President Barack Obama has never been shy about taking on Fox News or talk radio. His administration has spied on The Associated Press, and one New York Times reporter has called him "the greatest enemy of press freedom in a generation." Hillary Clinton is so against free speech as interpreted by the Supreme Court that she wants to rewrite the First Amendment. Saddam Hussein would have done more to quell terrorism than the U.S. war on Iraq if he had stayed in power, Trump says, to the anger of quivering critics. Don't almost all liberals say the same? Trump's remarks about blacks in the inner cities living in hell holes have the left crucifying him even though that has been a leftist message for some time and still is in some quarters. He wants a wall on the Mexican border, which is far from as crazy as what Hillary Clinton once said about wanting open borders. Trump has been thoroughly castigated for not paying taxes he did not owe, thereby enabling him to rebuild his businesses, while the Clintons once claimed deductions for old underwear. Which speaks loudest about being cheap and cheesy? Clinton is for extending background checks for gun purchases. It would do no harm but the evidence is minimal it would do any good. She is against Trump's advocacy of stop-and-frisk, which took 34,000 guns off the streets of New York and, by the reckoning of some top analysts, helped save thousands of lives. Trump once said something at a rally about punching protesters in the face. Hillary Clinton once said something in a meeting about droning Julian Assange of WikiLeaks fame. Those present say she did not seem to be joking. None of this means Trump should be president, but if it is Hillary Clinton, we need a Republican Congress to check her. A Russia's demand to recognize Ukraine's $3 billion debt as sovereign and not commercial announced by Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov as a preliminary condition for the negotiations between the sides to settle this dispute show that Russia is not ready to the negotiations, Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk has said. "As for statements of the finance minister [of Russia], in general it shows that Russia is not ready to the negotiations: they put forward additional conditions. It is their right [to do so]," Danyliuk said on Channel 5 TV late on Wednesday. Danyliuk recalled that Ukraine has a liability under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program to hold consultations on the possibility of settling this debt, and Ukraine will stick to its liability. He said that the issue was not to be discussed at a meeting of Normandy Four leaders. "This is discussed between the finance ministries of the two countries," he said. Asked if there is a possibility of declaring this debt a bribe given to disgraced former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych for the refusal to sign the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and not to pay the debt, Danyliuk said that this is not simply a possibility, this is Ukraine's clear position in court. "We are proving it. We focus on defending our position in court," he said. Experts have started a public debate on the bill 4117 on the use of the tablet like a cash register Expert groups are actively finalizing the bill 4117 on the liberalization of the market of cash registers to its adoption in the second reading. Industry discussions held in office of Resuscitation package of reforms (RPR), and in the Verkhovna Rada on 17 and 18 of October. During the discussion, the idea of innovation positively assessed by experts and the public, pointing to prospects for completion of the document. It is worth noting that 4117 was one of the few bills that received widespread support as the majority of industrial business associations, experts, MPs, and as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Development, the NBU and the public councils GFS. The bill provides for the introduction of a new type of RPT (registrar of payment transactions). It will be digital. The principal difference from the existing system is that the new system can be connected not only to the cash registers, but also to the laptops, tablets, computers and even smartphones. On 17 of October at the office of RPR was held discussion of the bill 4117 by experts and the related liberalization of the market of payment transactions recorders. RPR experts presented their analysis of the world experience, perspective and new ways of solving problems in the market PPO people's deputies, representatives of the Ministry of Finance, business associations and relevant non-governmental organizations. According to the intensive care team of the reform package, constructive revision of the draft law will substantially change the document, and its appearance liberalize RPT market and create conditions for unshadowing economy of the country. During the discussion of the main expert of the "tax reform" Ilya Neskhodovsky said that a digital RPT would significantly minimize the cost of maintenance of the workplace, where the use of PPO necessarily cancel the purchase of special equipment, its registration and re-registration in the fiscal authorities. It may also be significantly reduced running costs such as purchase of a cash tape and payment service. "It is necessary to remove the administrative functions of the State Fiscal Service and make the process as simple as cash transactions for entrepreneurs. Fiscalization should take place at the level of GFS software which is easy to download by the entrepreneur ". It was the philosophy of innovation by Ukrainian MP and co-author of the bill Andrei Zhurzhy. October 18 at the round table "Distributed Computer-cash system as an effective tool of cash payments liberalization" in the Verkhovna Rada was discussed the mechanisms of implementing a new system through departmental instructions, introducing regulations governing the technical side of the issue. Oleg Kryshin, MP, co-author of the bill number 4117 appointed, "Digital RPT is a voluntary opportunity to give the entrepreneur and the buyer to receive a check, printed, for example, a tablet, and still be able to work with a classic cash register".. The philosophy of innovation supported by most of the participants of the round table: representatives of the NBU, GPNS, and representatives of regional public councils GFS, relevant professional associations (manufacturers, IT companies), RPR experts, representatives of the Chamber of Tax Consultants. Experts pointed out that of detailed regulatory framework will need to fix on the legislative level, a number of technical nuances such as implementation of cloud PPO, secure data transmission systems, the use of technology of blockchain etc. Discussion of experts and representatives of business will continue in the coming days in the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which will host a roundtable "PPO liberalization is not far off - discussing the bill number 4117" and the European Business Association. Let us recall that on October 4 in the Verkhovna Rada adopted the first reading of a law on the development of the sys Construction is underway at a nuclear power plant in Barakah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) signed a $49.4 billion deal Thursday to operate the facility for the next 60 years. Since 2009, KEPCO has been undertaking a $20 billion project to build four reactors in the Middle Eastern nation, in cooperation with local builders and other contractors. It plans to complete the construction by May 2020. / Courtesy of KEPCO By Lee Hyo-sik The Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said Thursday it has won a $49.4 billion contract to operate a nuclear power plant in Barakah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the next 60 years. The state-run utility company said the latest deal will help facilitate its campaign to secure additional projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, which seek to generate electricity in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective manner in the post-oil era. Since December 2009, KEPCO has been undertaking a $20 billion project to build the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in the UAE, in cooperation with local builders and other contractors. KEPCO CEO Cho Hwan-eik signed the $49.4 billion deal with his UAE counterpart Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC), in Abu Dhabi, Thursday. Under the agreement, the utility firm has secured exclusive rights to manage and operate four nuclear reactors, which are currently under construction. BNPP's No. 1 reactor will be operational by May 2017 and the remaining three will go online step by step by May 2020. The reactors are the model 1400, which is the same as the Shin-Gori reactors 3 and 4 in Korea. "KEPCO will fulfill its obligations by operating BNPP as the most safely managed nuclear power plant in the world," Cho said. "We are glad that KEPCO and its business partners can also take part in managing the four nuclear reactors. We cherish the strong partnership with our UAE partners and seek more ways to strengthen our cooperation." The CEO said the $49.4 billion contract has raised KEPCO's profile in the global nuclear industry, stressing that it will make inroads into other markets. "We are happy to see that KEPCO, the world's No. 1 utility company, will manage and operate BNPP for the next 60 years. We will continue to strengthen our partnership with KEPCO and our other Korean business partners," ENEC CEO Hammadi was quoted as saying. In addition, KEPCO and the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corp. (KHNP) expect to sign a separate contract with ENEC in the near future to dispatch nearly 1,000 nuclear engineers and technicians to the UAE, who will oversee the operation of BNPP, for the next 10 years. "Operating BNPP for 60 years will be a huge plus for KEPCO when bidding for other nuclear plant projects," a KEPCO official said. "The deal will reenergize Korea's nuclear industry, creating lucrative business opportunities for nuclear plant equipment makers and other businesses." When completed, BNPP will account for 25 percent of the UAE's power demand, according to KEPCO. Two local builders Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Samsung Construction & Trade have been constructing the reactors and other facilities, employing more than 17,000 laborers from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and other developing countries. Including 520 from KEPCO and KHNP, more than 3,000 Koreans have been dispatched to the plant site, located in the desert. Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud's son Khalid bin Al-Waleed. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul By Jhoo Dong-chan Khalid bin Al-Waleed, chairman of Saudi Arabia-based investment company KBW Investments, is set to become the largest shareholder of Korea's auto parts and energy storage system (ESS) maker Suncore. Khalid bin Al-Waleed agreed to invest in the KOSDAQ-listed company during a signing ceremony with Suncore Chairman Choi Kyu-sun at the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) headquarters on Yeouido, southern Seoul, Thursday. Khalid bin Al-Waleed is the only son of Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud, making this the first time for a Saudi royal family member to invest in a KOSDAQ-listed company. "It is such an honor and pleasure for me that Khalid bin Al-Waleed decided to become the company's largest shareholder," said Choi. "Suncore will contribute greatly to help Korea's ever-worsening economy through the partnership with the Saudi royal family." Suncore Chairman Choi Kyu-sun, right, poses with Khalid bin Al-Waleed during an investment signing ceremony at the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) headquarters on Yeouido, southern Seoul, Thursday. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul Under the deal, Khalid bin Al-Waleed said he will invest in Suncore through buying $10 million worth of new stocks. He and Choi also said they will work in cooperation for both companies' various ongoing and future business projects. "Khalid bin Al-Waleed's decision is expected to bring positive effects in expanding our presence not only in Saudi Arabia but also in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries where he exercises strong influence in business," said a Suncore official. Khalid bin Al-Waleed's father Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud is a Saudi business magnate, investor and philanthropist who was listed in 2008 on Time Magazine's Time 100, an annual list of the world's 100 most influential people. Born in 1955 and graduating from Menlo College in California, Al-Waleed bin Talal is also Citigroup's largest individual shareholder, the second-largest voting shareholder in 21st Century Fox and owner of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and part of the Plaza Hotel. He visited Korea when the country was struck by the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, and made bold investments in Hyundai Motor and Daewoo. For his massive investments in such tough times, the Korean government honored him with a Medal of the Distinguished Order of Diplomatic Service in 1999. His business and commercial acumen along with excellence in entrepreneurship were acknowledged by Time, which labeled the prince the "Arabian Warren Buffett." The U.S.-based business media Forbes listed him as the 41st richest man in the world, with estimated net assets worth 19.5 trillion won ($17.3 billion). He is also the founder, CEO and 95 percent share-owner of the Kingdom Holding Company, one of the Forbes Global 2000 companies with a market capitalization of over $18 billion in 2013. His son Khalid bin Al-Waleed is a vice chairman of the company's board. According to a Suncore official, Choi first met Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, in summer 1995 through a chance introduction by the late pop legend Michael Jackson. The then-hotel owner Al-Waleed bin Talal was familiar with Korea for its construction workers' diligence in the Middle East, and further welcomed Choi by inviting him to see Jackson's performance. Through such friendship, Choi played a crucial role in Al-Waleed bin Talal's 1998 Korea visit, drawing $100 million and $150 million investments for Daewoo and Hyundai Motor, respectively, from the prince. Al-Waleed bin Talal also visited Korea this May for the first time in nearly 20 years to meet Choi. Choi then joined the prince on a trip to Beijing for discussions with Chinese leaders on the Jeddah Project, a massive construction plan to build a gigantic city in Jeddah centered on Jeddah Tower, which will rise to 1,008 meters to become the tallest building in the world. His only son Khalid bin Al-Waleed's five-day visit to Korea was believed to not only be a follow-up measure for the Jeddah Project but also to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two parties. Under the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, Saudi Arabia aims to reduce its dependence on the oil industry and diversify economic alternatives by developing the industrial and services sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism. The Jeddah Project is known to symbolize the country's efforts toward its massive infrastructure operation, for which Suncore and other Korean companies seek to secure a bridgehead for their business operations in Saudi Arabia. By Kim Tae-gyu While Samsung Electronics is trying to leave no stone unturned, this time to discern the root causes of the faulty Galaxy Note 7 defect, the guessing game is intensifying and a new suspect has surfaced the company's battery-testing lab. Experts, however, point out that it is inappropriate to take issue with the practice of the world's largest smartphone manufacturer in checking the safety of its mobile phone batteries. Samsung tests phone batteries at its own facility, unlike its peers in the United States including Apple, that ask third-party players certified by the U.S. wireless industry trade group of the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA) to carry out the job. "Those who are not familiar with the details would jump to the conclusion that Samsung's practice is responsible for the Note 7 debacle," said a Seoul analyst who asked not to be named. "But that is not the case. Samsung's internal lab is also certified by the CTIA. In fact, the Samsung test center is far better than other independent labs in terms of equipment and workforce." He added that it is practically impossible for Samsung to cut corners because its in-house lab is also closely monitored by the CTIA through periodic audits. Kim Jang-kyung, a senior official at Korea's independent technology standard-setting body Telecommunications Technology Association, concurred. "Some accuse Samsung testers of failing to pinpoint the risks of Note 7 batteries catching fire. But I believe that third-party labs would not be able to do so either," Kim said. "The CTIA certification is about ensuring compliance with the speculations set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). I think that the certification does not guarantee 100 percent safety of batteries." Against this backdrop, experts demand that the IEEE standards on mobile phone batteries be strengthened to assure user safety. An industry source said that Samsung has become the only smartphone maker with a CTIA-accredited testing lab because previous powerhouses like Motorola and Nokia sold their handsets and Apple mostly outsourced production. "There is a suspicion that the CTIA talks about Samsung's in-house testing lab as part of efforts to shirk responsibility. I don't think so, but I think it is time to delve into battery standards," he said. Controversy on Samsung's internal test lab started after Samsung pulled the plug on the Galaxy Note 7 in early October, less than two months after the global launch of its flagship device. Then, negative news articles ignited more debates as they said Samsung is the only smartphone producer in the world that depends on internal battery-testing facilities for CTIA certification. When contacted, a Samsung official did not comment. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has looked into the cases of Note 7 products having caught fire but has yet to produce any results. "We were able to achieve a cooperative and official recall announcement with Samsung that expanded the original recall to include the replacement Note 7 phones. This was a key step to protect consumer safety," a CPSC representative said. "We are continuing to conduct a technical investigation that is intended to look for a root cause of the incidents. I do not have a timeframe for when that work will be completed." SK Telecom's product marketing office Senior Vice President Joo Ji-won, center, poses with YBM Net Executive Director Kim Jong-ik, left, and StudyMax CEO Sim Yeo-lynn after signing an agreement for the T Master English education business at the telecom company's headquarters in Euljiro, central Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of SK Telecom By Yoon Sung-won SK Telecom said Thursday it will start pushing its English education content business for mobile devices. The nation's largest mobile carrier said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with English education companies YBM Net and StudyMax to secure content for its mobile English education platform service T Master. Starting from English education content, T Master will expand to provide more diverse educational content such as certificate exam lectures and other foreign language lessons, the company said. "The agreement will enable us to combine our information and communication technologies with the foreign language education content of YBM and SpeakingMax," SK Telecom's product marketing office senior vice president Joo Ji-won said in a statement. "Based on T Master, we will continue to lead the mobile education content market by releasing more services such as lessons and certificate exam lectures in other foreign languages." SK Telecom said T Master provides lecture content for the TOEFL and TOEIC Speaking exams as well as for conversational English skills. Additionally, the company rolled out a telecom service plan package that includes YBM Net's English education content and SpeakingMax conversational English lectures by StudyMax. The plan also offers a 1GB data package every day exclusively provided for the educational content of T Master. This package will be sold for 22,000 won per month, it said. By Yoon Ja-young There are nearly 1 million foreigners working in Korea and their wages are rising. According to the 2016 foreign employment survey released by Statistics Korea, Thursday, there are 1.43 million foreigners aged 15 or over residing in Korea, up 3.7 percent from a year ago. Among them, 962,000 have jobs. The employment rate of foreigners recorded 67.6 percent, while 4.2 percent were jobless. When considering that the number of the employed totaled 26.5 million, three or four out of 100 workers in Korea are foreigners. The ratio has been rising each year for the past few years. Economically active foreigners, which combine both the employed and the jobless, surpassed 1 million for the first time. When asked about salaries, 48.7 percent said they were paid between 1 and 2 million won a month, while 37.9 percent earned between 2 and 3 million won. Those who earn over 3 million won took 8.9 percent. Those earning less than 2 million won totaled 53 percent, down from 58 percent last year. Those earning over 2 million won, meanwhile, rose to 47 percent from 42 percent. By Nam Hyun-woo About 200 retail investors will file a collective action suit against Hanmi Pharmaceutical, calling for the drug maker to compensate them for losses from alleged insider trading and a belated regulatory filing of information on the collapse of a major deal. Lawyer Yoon Jae-sun of law firm Jeha, representing the retail investors, said, "We are going to file a damages suit with the Seoul Central District Court this Friday after figuring out the exact amount of losses the 200 individual investors sustained." He said the number of investors joining the suit will likely increase as there are more yet to join who are now sending their data to the law firm. "Even though an activity is an accident, it constitutes a civil damage suit," he said. "Hanmi was able to expect a rise in its shares, and belatedly posted the termination of its key deal. If there was any insider trading, it is more serious." The suit comes as the prosecution said that it is investigating a Hanmi Pharmaceutical employee and her boyfriend on suspicion that they leaked the company's inside information. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office said that it has booked the Hanmi employee, surnamed Kim, 27, and her boyfriend, 27, surnamed Jeong, on charges of violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. Prosecutors raided more than 10 brokerage houses Wednesday. During the investigation, the prosecutors also raided Jeong's house. Kim works at Hanmi's contract division and Jeong is an office worker. The prosecution will focus on whether Kim was involved in unfair trading through non-public information or provided the information to those who engaged in a massive volume of short selling before Hanmi posted a related notice. Short selling refers to a trading strategy in which an investor sells borrowed shares in anticipation of a price decline. After the decline, the investor can buy the shares at a lower price and gain from the margin. Hanmi's shares caused a huge stir in the local stock market last month, as the company posted both favorable and unfavorable announcements within two days. On Sept. 29, the company posted news of a big drug deal after the day's session. The company's shares soared as soon as the following session opened, but quickly plunged after the company posted the news of the termination of an 850 billion won drug cancer license just 30 minutes after the opening. Financial authorities found that there was a massive volume of short selling during the 30 minute period and they requested that the prosecution investigate the case. An official at the prosecutors' office told reporters, "Nothing has been confirmed yet, but Kim and Jeong are the target of an investigation because there is a chance that they were involved in the potential information leak." The official said the prosecution has yet to confirm whether Jeong handed over the information to short sellers. In Wednesday's raid, prosecutors seized computer hardware, internal documents and mobile phones of employees at securities firms, including NH Investment & Securities and Shinhan Investment. Classical Concerts SAC 11am Concert' Seoul Arts Center* Until Dec. 8 On every second Thursday of each month, an "11am Concert" will be performed at the Seoul Arts Center. Chong Park will host the shows with commentary, and coffee will be provided for free. With distinct soloists for each concert, the Korean Symphony Orchestra will perform at all of the concerts. Tickets cost 20,000 to 25,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1300. La Traviata' Sejong Center for Performing Arts Nov. 8 to 13 "La Traviata" directed by Henning Brockhaus and conducted by Sebastiano De Filippi will be performed at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from Nov. 8 to 13. "La Traviata" is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, and is known as one of opera's greatest romances. The November performances will feature baritone Carlo Guelfi as Giorgio Germont, tenor Luciano Ganci as Alfredo Germont and soprano Gladys Rossi as Violetta Valery. Tickets cost 30,000 to 280,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 587-1950. Yang Sung-won's Chamber Story' Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Nov. 16 On Nov. 16, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will hold a chamber music concert. The center's chamber music series featuring Yang Sung-won is offered six times with four themes on a yearly basis along with top artists from Korea and abroad, such as Trio Owon, Enrico Pace and the Modigliani Quartet. The program includes Liszt's "Romance Oublie" and "La Lugubre Gondola," Chopin's Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor and Rachmaninoff's Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor. Tickets cost 40,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, visit sejongpac.or.kr or call (02) 399-1000. Big Tickets Dorian Gray Until Oct. 29 Seongnam Arts Center The musical "Dorian Gray" is performed at the Opera House of Seongnam Arts Center until Oct. 29. "Dorian Gray" is a musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 19th century novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray," featuring K-pop star Kim Jun-su in the title role of Gray, a young British aristocrat who achieves everlasting youth through an enchanted painting. The musical is scripted by Cho Yong-shin and directed by Lee Gi-na, with music composed by Kim Moon-jeong. Park Eun-tae, Choi Jae-woong and Hong Seo-yong also star. Tickets cost 50,000 to 140,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1577-3363. Pop & Jazz Grand Mint Festival 2016 Olympic Park Oct. 22 to 23 This year's Grand Mint Festival (GMF) will be held at Olympic Park Oct. 22 to 23. GMF is one of Korea's music festivals introducing a wide range of popular domestic music. Marking its 10th anniversary, the festival will present its widest and biggest lineup yet, with acts like Sweet Sorrow, Kwak Jin-eon, Kim Sa-wol, No Reply, 10cm, Urban Zakapa, Jung Jae-hyung, Toy, Lucid Paul, Peppertones, Lee Jin-ah, Daybreak, ZionT, Nell, Broccoli You Too, Kingston Rudieska, Kiha & the Faces and Clazziquai Project. A one-day pass costs 99,000 won, and a two-day pass costs 158,000 won. For more information, visit mintpaper.co.kr or call 1544-1555. Plays & Musicals Phantom' Blue Square Nov. 26 to Feb. 26, 2017 "Phantom" starring Park Hyo-shin will be performed at Blue Square Samsung Electronics Hall. / Courtesy of EMK Musical Company "Phantom," a musical adaptation of Gaston Leroux's novel "Phantom of the Opera," will be performed at Blue Square Samsung Electronics Hall from Nov. 26 to Feb. 26. "Phantom" is about Erik, a mysterious man living in the dark cellar of a Paris opera house. One day he hears someone singing and is enchanted by her heavenly voice. Discovering that the voice was of Christine Daee, he decides to make her the new diva of the Opera Theatre and begins to give her secret lessons every night. With the help of Erik, Christine has her debut, but it is ruined by Carlotta. Erik seeks revenge on her. Park Hyo-shin, Park Eun-tae and Jeon Dong-suk star as Erik, the Phantom. Kim So-hyun, Kim Soon-young and Lee Ji-hye share the role of Christine Daee, and Jeong Young-ju and Shin Young-sook will alternate for Carlotta. Tickets cost 60,000 to 140,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1577-6478. Kinky Boots Blue Square Until Nov. 13 The Broadway musical "Kinky Boots" returns to Seoul after its Korean premiere in 2014. It will be held at Blue Square Samsung Electronics Hall Sept. 2 to Nov. 13. Based on the book by Harvey Fierstein and with music and lyrics by Tony, Emmy and Grammy-winner Cyndi Lauper, the musical tells the true story of Charlie Price who goes to oddly extreme ends to save his father's shoe factory. This year's local rendition of "Kinky Boots" features Lee Ji-hoon and Kim Ho-young as Charlie, Jung Sung-hwa and Kang Hong-suk as Lola, Kim Ji-woo as Lauren, Ko Chang-suk and Shim Jae-hyun as Don. Shin Ui-jung, Lee Woo-seung, Kwon Yong-kook, Song Yoo-taekand Jang Ye-won also star. Tickets cost 60,000 to 140,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Two Rooms' Seoul Arts Center Until Nov. 13 Lee Blessing's play "Two Rooms" will be performed at Seoul Arts Center's Jayu Theater. / Courtesy of Seoul Arts Center Lee Blessing's play "Two Rooms" will be performed at Seoul Arts Center's Jayu Theater until Nov. 13. The play is a love story of a separated couple. The two rooms of the title are a windowless cubicle in Beirut where an American hostage is being held by Arab terrorists and a room in his home in the United States, which his wife has stripped of furniture. Tickets cost 30,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (070) 4141-7708. Pericles' Seoul Arts Center Nov. 10 to Dec. 4 Shakespeare's "Pericles" will be staged at Seoul Arts Center from Nov. 10 to Dec. 4. / Courtesy of Seoul Arts Center Shakespeare's "Pericles" will be staged at Seoul Arts Center from Nov. 10 to Dec. 4. Set in the ancient kingdom of Antioch, the Jacobean play tells the riveting tale of King Antiochus and his daughter secretly engaging in an incestuous relationship following her mother's death. Antiochus has kept suitors from marrying his daughter by requiring that they answer a riddle correctly or face death. Pericles, Prince of Tyre, solves the riddle but discovers that its answer reveals the incestuous relationship between father and daughter. While Pericles decides not to reveal the truth, Antiochus gives him 50 days before his death sentence. The play features a veteran stage actor and former culture minister Yoo In-chon as the play's narrator John Gower and the elder Pericles. The role of young Pericles is filled by Nam Yoon-ho and daughter Marina by Chun Sung-min. Tickets cost 30,000 to 60,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1300. Dance Sleeping Beauty Seoul Arts Center Nov. 3 to 6 "Sleeping Beauty" will be performed by Korean National Ballet at Seoul Arts Center's Opera House Nov. 3 to 6. The Korean National Ballet performed Rudolf Nureyev's rendition of "Sleeping Beauty" in 2004, and it is back with a different take on the classic fairy tale. This year's performance is choreographed by Marcia Haydee who is a former prima ballerina of Stuttgart Ballet. Tickets cost 5,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (02) 587-6181. Romeo and Juliet Seoul Arts Center Until Oct. 29 Universal Ballet performs Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet" at Seoul Arts Center's Opera Theater. One of the most celebrated ballerinas of recent decades, Alessandra Ferri, will dance the role of Juliet with Universal Ballet. Ferri has been a legendary dancer with both American Ballet Theater and the Royal Ballet. She was with the Royal Ballet when Kenneth MacMillan was still alive, and was his muse for many years. Ferri and her partner, Herman Cornejo, will give two performances in Korea with Universal Ballet. MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet is a signature work of the Royal Ballet's repertoire, and the best-known version of the Prokofiev ballet in Britain and the United States. During his lifetime, MacMillan mounted it for the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1971, American Ballet Theatre in 1985 and Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1992. Tickets cost 10,000 to 120,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (070) 7124-1734. Clubs Club Octagon Nonhyeon Near the New Hilltop Hotel in Nonhyeon, this club is notable for its stylish interior and elite clientele. The club offers a stage, lounge bar and dining area to satisfy any night out after work or on the weekend. It is near exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. For more information, call (02) 516-8847. Club Globe Lounge Itaewon Club Globe Lounge is famous among women looking for a place to throw birthday parties or enjoy a light dinner. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., it serves as a bar, changing into a club after 10 p.m. Every Thursday, Club Globe Lounge has a Happy Hour buffet for guests. Club Globe Lounge is located near the Hamilton Hotel by exit 2 of Itaewon Station, subway line 6. For more information, call (02) 792-1127. Club Evans Hongik University Club Evans is a live jazz club that has served as a platform for emerging jazz artists for a decade. It operates jazz recording studios and a jazz academy as well, producing albums for many local jazz artists. Club Evans provides jazz concerts and leads music sessions every Monday and Tuesday. Club Evans is located near exit 1 of Sangsu Station, subway line 6. It opens at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit clubevans.com or call (02) 337-8361. Once in a Blue Moon Apgujeong Once in a Blue Moon is one of the best-known and well-established jazz clubs in the city. It features live jazz sets from two different bands every night, usually starting at 7:30 p.m. It is located between the Hakdong Intersection and Galleria Department Store in the posh district of Apgujeong. For more information, visit onceinabluemoon.co.kr or call (02) 549-5490. Club Answer Cheongdam Club Answer, chosen as one of the five hottest clubs in Seoul by CNN, provides a spacious interior and brilliant lighting system with entertaining DJs on stage nightly. Club Answer is in the classy area of Cheongdam, a district known to lead the party culture of Seoul. It is located near exit 13 of Cheongdam Station on subway line 7. For more information, call (02) 514-4311. Club Double Eight Sinsa Opened in 2010, Club Double Eight takes clubbing to its heights. Located in Gangnam, it provides diverse hotel promotions and features weekend lineups with exuberant DJs. It is located near exit 1 of Sinsa Station on Line 3. For more information, call (02) 543-8803. KBS TV drama "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" has received a warning from Korea's censorship authority for airing a scene featuring an underage kiss. / Screen capture from KBS By Lee Jin-a KBS TV hit drama "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" has received a warning for airing "inappropriate" scenes for minors, one featuring an underage kiss. The Korea Communications Standards Commission said Wednesday that two scenes aired in August and on Sept. 22 received complaints for being unsuitable for minors. The first had Kim Yoo-jung, 17, wrapping her chest with gauze. The second showed Kim kissing Park Bo-gum, 21. The scenes were criticized because Kim is an underage actress. A commission official said the drama violated a law on the protection of underage actors and actresses. According to the law, a TV program should not portray in a positive way inappropriate actions committed by minors. Despite the controversy, "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" ended on Tuesday with a viewer rating of 22.9 percent. On Wednesday, about 5,000 fans gathered at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul to meet the drama's cast. The event was originally planned as a fan meeting with about 200 people, but thousands turned up. Centrenergo to import about 280,000 tonnes of steam coal from South Africa in Oct-Dec - Nasalyk Energy generating company PJSC Centrenergo in October-December 2016 will import 280,000 tonnes of anthracite coal from South Africa, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Ihor Nasalyk has said. "Centrenergo has chartered five vessels, namely 350,000 tonnes of anthracite coal, the first of which came in September with 72,000 tonnes. Another four ships, each with 72,000 tonnes, have been chartered for the nearest period: two in October and one in November and December," he said. As reported, in late August-early September Centrenergo supplied to its plants 71,700 tonnes of coal imported from South Africa on a contract for the supply of imported steam coal with international trader Alchar Services SA (Switzerland). At the same time, Centrenergo plans from October 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017 to import 960,000 tonnes of coal through seaports. In particular, it plans to import 640,000 tonnes of coal through Yuzhny seaport and 320,000 tonnes via the TIS terminal. The gala dinner poster By Kim Se-jeong Ambassador Group is featuring award-winning chef William Ledeuil at gala dinners at Grand Ambassador Seoul on Nov. 9 and Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam on Nov. 11. The dinners are in celebration of the 130th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, and Ledeuil's overarching theme will showcase French cuisine using Korean ingredients. At Grand Ambassador Seoul, he will present sea scallops and crab with Jeju mandarin; steamed fresh lobster with lemongrass and red curry sauce; seabream and abalone with seaweed butter and citrus-flavor bouillabaisse sauce; and Korean beef tenderloin steamed in low temperature with grilled tamarind and "umeboshi," or Japanese apricot. The dessert will be white chocolate and wasabi ice cream, passion fruit and banana and crystallized apple with "umeshu," of Japanese apricot liquor and caramel ice cream with caramelized pecan nuts served with coffee or tea. At Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam, the chef will feature fresh herb tempura with mushroom cappuccino; sea scallops and sea urchins with wasabi and oyster cream; lobster stew with shellfish and "shiso" butter and Korean black rice; seabream fillet with lemongrass stick, clam juice and green curry; grilled hanwoo beef with mostardo sesame kimchi; and crystallized Shingo pear with Jeju mandarin and white chocolate and wasabi ice cream for dessert, served with coffee or tea. Each meal will be served with a couple of prominent wines. At Novotel, guest will find Billecart Salmon Extra Brut, Francois Mikulski Meursault Cru Les Charmes, 2015 Chpoutier Hermitage Chante Alouette, Chateau Haut Batailley and Kressmann Grande Reserve Sauternes 2014. At Grand Ambassador, guests can order Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut NV; Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Sec, Loire; Vacqueyras UN Sang Blanc 2010, Domaine le Sang des Cailloux Rhone; Rasteau 2007, Domaine Gourt de Mautens, Rhone; and Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2013, Domaine des Bernardin, Rohne. Chef Ledeuil graduated from the prestigious cooking school, Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise, and received a Michelin star in 2008. He was named Cook of the Year in 2010 by global dining guide Gault&Millau. He also took care of the state dinner hosted by French President Francois Hollande during his visit to Korea in 2015. The gala dinners will be at the Grand Ballroom in Grand Ambassador Seoul and Campagne Hall in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam. The dinner costs 250,000 won, including tax. For more information and reservations, visit grand.ambatel.com and novotel.ambatel.com/gangnam. Gloom of migrant seafarers on Korean vessels in the spotlight By Ko Dong-hwan For months they were forced by their Korean superiors to haul in fish during shifts lasting up to 20 hours. The Koreans provided little in the way of daily necessities to help them endure another hard day on the high seas. These migrant workers had to make do with filtered sea water to drink and to wash with. Their food was limited to kimchi and fish they caught. They had to share a single washroom while the Koreans had their own that was nominally reserved for senior staff. Physical and verbal abuse occurred so often the workers considered it the norm on a Korean-operated vessel. Some say the Koreans even raped them. Fed up with the inhumane working conditions, some escaped the vessel on a ship that periodically came to deliver supplies. They got onboard behind their superiors' backs or told the "gangmasters" they wanted to disembark leaving behind the wages the Koreans were illegally holding until their contract finished. An Indonesian sailor, who worked for six years until 2012 in New Zealand waters on a Korean fishing vessel owned by Dong Won Fisheries, injured his ankle after stepping on a conveyer belt while unloading fish at a warehouse and fell unconscious. The accident occurred because of fatigue and pressure from his boss. In July, the Korea Coast Guard booked two Vietnamese sailors 10 days after they allegedly stabbed their Korean superiors a captain and a chief engineer to death on the Kwang Hyun 803, a 138-ton deep-sea fishing vessel, in June on the Indian Ocean. The Busan District Prosecutors' Office found the suspects had a grudge against the victims, who often abused them by saying they were clumsy and slow workers. The office said 15 stab wounds on the captain and eight on the engineer indicated the murders were premeditated. The poor working conditions of migrant seafarers on Korean fishing vessels and the violation of their human rights were discussed at the recent "East Asia/Southeast Asia Regional Conference on Ethical Recruitment and Policy Harmonization in the Fishing Industry." The conference, held at the National Assembly in Seoul on Aug. 25-26, was hosted by Saenuri Party Rep. Hong Il-pyo from the National Assembly Human Rights Forum, Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Seoul. The U.S. Department of State sponsored the event. The conference came after Korea's National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives revealed in July that 109 migrant seafarers from Korean vessels died between 2007 and 2015. Excluding those who died of disease or in traffic accidents, 88 lost their lives while fishing. The figure includes an Indonesian man who died in February 2014 after two Koreans beat him to death for "not doing his job well." Others died after being entangled in fishing nets, caught between machines or drawn under the sea. "Fishing vessels can stay in remote areas of the sea for several years at a time," Max Pottler, Project Officer from the Labor Migration Unit of IOM, said at the conference. "Fishers aboard these vessels will find it difficult to report abuse, injuries, deaths and request protection. In some fisheries, written employment contracts are scarce, so fishers frequently have to surrender their identity documents. Their movements in foreign ports could be restricted." The German inspector has been working on migration and counter-trafficking issues over the past four years in Geneva, Bangladesh and Cambodia. He said more international migrant workers on fishing vessels are low-skilled, illiterate and desperate for money, so they have to take junior positions at the bottom of the rigid hierarchy among fishers. And the language barrier between workers and superiors fuels conflict and abuse onboard. The workers' irregular status also prevents them from seeking help or protection, or forming unions. "Currently, there is no international definition of ethical/fair recruitment,'" Pottler said. By Lee Kyung-min Trevor Hill The prosecution questioned a key executive of Volkswagen from Germany, Thursday, over the carmaker's emissions cheating scandal. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office questioned Trevor Hill, 54. He served as Audi Volkswagen Korea's managing director from 2007 to 2012, in charge of importing and marketing vehicles under the Euro 5 emissions standard and was involved in the emissions-cheating scandal. Hill was the second figure from the carmaker's headquarters in Germany to be questioned, following the Sept. 21 summons of Detlef Stendel who was in charge of emissions certification. Before entering the office, Hill told journalists that he was there to cooperate with the prosecution as an official of the headquarters, adding that he would provide further explanation to the prosecutors. Hill said he was not aware of software manipulation of the vehicles to cheat emissions tests, denying an allegation that the head office was involved in manipulating the certification process. The prosecution questioned him over the headquarters' role in cheating the pollution emissions tests on vehicles exported to Korea, as well as manipulation of test certificates on noise, emissions and fuel economy. He was also grilled over the firm's failure to submit requested data to the Ministry of Environment. In 2011, the ministry failed to clarify why Volkswagen Euro 5 vehicles emitted excessive amounts of harmful nitrogen gas, because the carmaker's Korean unit rejected the ministry's request to submit related materials. Following Hill's questioning, the prosecution is likely to conclude its 10-month investigation of the emissions scandal. Earlier, the prosecution indicted a Volkswagen Korea executive in charge of certifications surnamed Yoon, who was allegedly involved in falsifying test results. Former CEO Park Dong-hoon was also questioned over his alleged involvement in the scandal. Also interrogated was Audi Volkswagen Korea chief Johannes Thammer and Volkswagen Korea CEO Thomas Kuehl, for whom the prosecution is considering indictment. In September last year, soon after the scandal emerged in the U.S., the German carmaker admitted to installing the so-called deceit device in its vehicles to detect and deceive emissions tests. By Kang Seung-woo South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to make joint efforts to hold North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accountable for human rights abuses. The agreement was reached during high-level talks in Washington, D.C. among Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Defense Minister Han Min-koo and their U.S. counterparts John Kerry and Ash Carter. "The secretaries and the ministers noted the diversion of North Korea's resources to nuclear and missile development was further aggravating the hardship of the people suffering under Kim Jong-un and his regime," a joint statement, released after the meeting said. "They decided to work further on issues such as holding the leadership in North Korea accountable." According to the statement, such efforts include the promotion of international discussions on the issue; ensuring accountability, including against the highest leadership in Pyongyang; and increasing information access for the North Korean people. The international community has attempted to have the North Korean dictator stand trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague since the United Nations (U.N.) Committee of Inquiry issued a report in February 2014 that the North's leadership was committing crimes against humanity on an unprecedented scale. The report also recommended that the U.N. have those responsible, including Kim, prosecuted. As a result, the U.N. adopted resolutions on the issue in 2014 and 2015. In order to focus on the issue, the two nations launched the bilateral North Korean Human Rights Consultation, Oct. 4. "The recent launch of the ROK-U.S. consultation on North Korean human rights should serve as a useful locomotive in deploying a holistic approach to address North Korean issues in an effective manner," said Kerry. "With this new mechanism at the center, South Korea and the United States will lead concrete efforts of the international community to address the dire human rights situation in North Korea." The allies have discussed the issue of human rights in the North, but the consultative body carries extra weight given that they have formed an official channel on the matter which is expected to help draw attention to the country's systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights. "South Korea and the United States have focused on the North Korean human rights abuses more than ever and the consultative organization will play a leading role whenever we have issues related with these," said a government official. Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power visited Seoul and said the international community will seek to "shine the world spotlight on the worst crimes" with no parallel in the world. In addition, in July, the U.S. government slapped sanctions on the North Korean leader over human rights violations for the first time another move that highlights Washington's determination to put pressure on the North. South Korea, the United States and Japan are also said to be working together to have the issue of the North's overseas workers included in a U.N. human rights resolution in December for the first time. A police officer shows firecrackers which Seong Byeong-dae, who shot a policeman to death Wednesday, used to collect gunpowder to make firearms, at Gangbuk Police Station in northeastern Seoul, Thursday. Police found 17 homemade guns in his bag. / Yonhap 17 improvised guns found in cop killer suspect's bag By Jung Min-ho The firearm used to kill a police officer in Seoul Wednesday evening was an improvised gun, but it proved powerful enough to be deadly. Police believe the suspect, Seong Byeong-dae, 46, who killed police officer Kim Chang-ho, 54, in northern Seoul, made his weapons based on information available online. In his bag, police found 17 handmade guns and an explosive device along with sharp objects. Buying and selling firearms is illegal in Korea. Yet information on how to make them can be easily found online with a simple Google search. Under the law, those who upload such information online can face a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine of 500,000 won ($450). However, the information is mostly available on foreign-based websites, over which Korean law enforcement has little control. Seong's firearms were made of wood, rubber bands, sticky tape, iron pipes, steel balls and gunpowder. All the materials can be bought legally, and how to turn them into a deadly weapon can also be learned from thousands of online videos. The current laws are powerless to prevent such crimes, and the killing of the police officer was not the first one to highlight this issue. In 2013, a man wounded three people with a handmade gun as he attempted to kill his ex-girlfriend. In 2010, a high school student was apprehended for making a lethal weapon which police said was as powerful as a military rifle; during a police interrogation, the student said he relied on online information to make it. According to police, Seong was released from prison in 2012 for raping a teenage girl and ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor until January 2017. His motive is still unclear. Seong cut off the monitor, which alerted the police, then hit his former landlord, surnamed Lee, with a hammer. When police arrived at the scene, Seong started shooting at them, killing officer Kim. With the help of other people on the scene, police apprehended Seong near Mount Opae Tunnel in Gangbuk-gu, northeastern Seoul. People living in his neighborhood said Seong and Lee were often at odds with each other until Seong moved out of Lee's building recently. Messages posted on his Facebook page also suggest that Seong might have harbored grudges against the police after spending many years in prison. On Oct. 11, he said, "I will come into conflict with the police in the next couple of days. I want to kill as many police officers as possible." After the exchange of gunfire with police officers, Seong also suffered from bullet wounds but has so far refused treatment, police said. In addition to those engaged in the gunfight, a civilian, 71, was accidently shot and has been hospitalized. Police said they carried out an autopsy on Kim, who started his career in 1989 and was six years away from retirement. He body will be buried at the National Cemetery in Daejeon. Defense Minister Han Min-koo, left, speaks as Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, second from left, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, third from left, and Defense Secretary Ash Carter listen during a meeting at the State Department in Washington, Wednesday. / AP-Yonhap Seoul, Washington to discuss permanent allocation of nuclear-capable bombers By Jun Ji-hye South Korea and the United States have officially begun discussions on the permanent deployment of strategic weapons such as nuclear-capable bombers on the Korean Peninsula. This was at the top of the agenda in the "two plus two" high-level security talks among Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Defense Minister Han Min-koo, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter in Washington, Thursday. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told reporters after the meeting that the two defense chiefs will discuss details about how to deploy U.S. strategic assets in South Korea during the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM). "The permanent deployment of U.S. strategic assets will be discussed at the defense chiefs' talks," he said. U.S. strategic assets include nuclear-capable B-52 and B-1B bombers, F-22 stealth fighter jets, nuclear-powered attack submarines and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Military sources here said that working-level officials of the two nations have already been talking on permanently deploying B-1B Lancers or Aegis destroyers to South Korea. Washington has dispatched various assets including strategic bombers and aircraft carriers to the peninsula in a show of force in response to North Korea's major provocations including a nuclear test. In the wake of the fifth test on Sept. 9, B-1B Lancers stationed on Guam flew over South Korea, while the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), home-ported at Yokosuka in Japan, sailed to the East Sea to participate in a joint naval exercise. Pyongyang has reacted sensitively to the U.S. weapons dispatched, but skepticism has also been abounding that their simple flyover or participation in a drill just for a few days is insufficient to effectively deter provocations from the isolated state. During the two plus two meeting, Seoul and Washington also agreed to begin high-level dialogue to discuss how to carry out the U.S. "extended deterrence" protection of its Asian ally against nuclear and missile threats from the North. Extended deterrence refers to Washington's stated commitment to defend its ally by mobilizing all military capabilities nuclear and conventional to cope with the North's aggression and provocations. The U.S. has provided extended deterrence or a "nuclear umbrella" to South Korea after withdrawing nuclear weapons from the peninsula following the 1991 inter-Korean denuclearization declaration. The agreement to establish the "Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group" (EDSCG) represented a firmer commitment from Washington to defend its ally amid heightened security concerns in Seoul in the wake of the North's latest nuclear test and a series ballistic missile launches in recent months, officials noted. "I assured the minister of our commitment, the United States' commitment, to defend South Korea through a robust combined defensive posture and through extended deterrence, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella, conventional strike and missile defense capabilities," Kerry said during a joint news conference with Yun. "Let me be clear. Any attack on the United States or its allies will be defeated and any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. To that end, I'm pleased that we agreed to establish this dialogue on extended deterrence," he said. Kerry said the vice-minister-level dialogue will comprise of the foreign and defense ministries of the two countries. "This step we're taking on extended deterrence is further evidence of our readiness, our resolve and our determination across governments to protect ourselves from threats from North Korea," Kerry said. He also said North Korea should be a key focus of the next administration. According to the joint statement issued after the talks, the secretaries and ministers also agreed to take appropriate measures to ensure the process for the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery continues to move forward without delay. The allies announced in July that the battery will be deployed here by the end of next year as an effective and necessary measure of self-defense against the North's evolving missile threats. Meanwhile, Yun downplayed calls from some politicians here for the nation to be armed with nuclear weapons, saying that South Korea is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that the government ratified in 1975 and has remained formally committed to since then. By Jun Ji-hye North Korea launched what was presumed to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), Thursday, which exploded soon after liftoff, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The launch took place at 7 a.m. near an airbase in Kusong, North Pyongan Province, soon after top defense and foreign affairs officials from South Korea and the United States wrapped up their high-level talks in Washington. Experts say that the North was apparently attempting to show off its capability of striking U.S. military bases in Guam, though this failed, in response to the allies' agreement to strengthen the U.S. "extended deterrence" protection of South Korea. "The latest launch was seen as the North's armed protest to show its willingness not to lose out to the allies' plan to enhance extended deterrence," said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University. Extended deterrence refers to Washington's stated commitment to defend its ally by mobilizing all military capabilities nuclear and conventional to cope with the North's aggression and provocations. The Musudan, which can be fired from a mobile launcher, is believed to have a range of 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers and is in theory capable of reaching U.S. naval and air bases in Guam. The U.S. Strategic Command also confirmed that it detected what it assessed was a failed North Korean missile launch, noting that the missile was presumed to be a Musudan. It was the North's eighth launch of an IRBM the seventh took place on Oct. 17 near the airbase as well, while six previous launches were conducted near the eastern port city of Wonsan. Among them, only the sixth launch conducted on June 22 was considered successful. The Korean Central News Agency at the time claimed that the missile reached a maximum altitude of 1,413.6 kilometers and fell precisely onto a designated target 400 kilometers away at sea. "We assess that the North pushed ahead with the additional provocation in a bid to recover from its failed launch on Oct. 15," a JCS official said on condition of anonymity. The repressive state deployed the Musudan missiles in 2007 without testing them. The continuous failed launches have cast serious doubts over the quality of the missiles. But observers note that the North's aggressive launch schedule despite repeated failures and further sanctions clearly shows its determination to achieve its stated goal of developing a nuclear-armed, long-range ballistic missile that could hit the U.S. mainland. "The North is highly likely to launch more IRBMs as they are the only weapons the regime has at the moment that could threaten the U.S.," said the official. Meanwhile, Pyongyang indicated it would test a long-range rocket in the not-too-distant future, saying Thursday that it will continue to launch satellites into space. The North claims that the launching of satellites is part of a peaceful space program, but the international community views it as a cover to test technologies used in the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, believed to have a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, which are capable of striking targets on the U.S. mainland. On Feb. 7, the isolated state launched what it claimed was an Earth observation satellite, Kwangmyongsong-4, into orbit. By Yi Whan-woo China has accepted South Korea's demand to punish the Chinese fishermen who are responsible for sinking a Coast Guard patrol boat cracking down on illegal fishing in the West Sea, sources said Thursday. After the incident, Beijing urged Seoul to be "calm and rational" in dealing with the illegal operation of the Chinese trawlers in South Korean territorial waters. It also denounced Seoul's plan to use force actively in future crackdowns as "legally unconvincing." However, China is apparently changing its stance. Analysts said Thursday that China has decided to placate South Korea to avoid any diplomatic conflicts following their dispute over the planned deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in North Gyeongsang Province next year. Kong Xuanyou, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs, held talks with Kim Hyoung-zhin, the deputy minister for political affairs at the South Korean foreign ministry, Wednesday. Xuanyou, who is on a three-day visit to Seoul until Friday, promised to "deal accordingly under Chinese law" concerning the crew whose fishing vessel rammed the Coast Guard's speed boat and sank it in the waters southwest of Socheong Island on Oct. 7. Xuanyou also said the crews are under investigation. The Seoul government said Xuanyou expressed regret over the Oct. 7 incident and that the Chinese government "will not avoid taking responsibility." The Chinese government previously held South Korea responsible for the sinking, saying that it took place in the Exclusive Fisheries Zone, where both countries are allowed to fish in line with a bilateral fishing agreement. "I speculate Chinese President Xi Jinping or other top-ranked officials are behind Beijing's sudden shift from its hard-line stance to placatory gesture toward Seoul," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. "The Chinese leaders may have thought that this incident could fray bilateral relations despite their need to continue dialogues over THAAD, North Korea's nuclear programs and other pending geopolitical issues." Park assessed China's gesture as "the best it could offer," pointing out that Xuanyou is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit South Korea since Seoul and Washington jointly announced a plan to deploy a THAAD battery here in July. Xuanyou met Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam, Thursday. He assessed that his visit so far has been "very good" and that he discussed "every bilateral issue" with South Korean officials. The issues discussed included ways to bolster dialogue channels on fishing partnerships in the West Sea. "China has so many conflicting issues concerning the region, and it seems the country is trying to ensure that the illegal operation of the Chinese fishing boats does not get in its way," a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) said, asking not to be named. The experts, however, speculated that the Chinese government will still not be able to prevent its fishing boats from trespassing into South Korean territorial waters. "Like I said, China has many issues that it should take care of and illegal fishing is not on its diplomatic priority list," the KNDA professor said. "In that sense, Xuanyou's visit should be seen as efforts to prevent any further diplomatic conflict with Seoul, not rooting out such operations ultimately." By Frank Ching Last Tuesday, the British Government issued its long-awaited six-monthly report on Hong Kong something it has done regularly since the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, and which the UK government promised parliament that it would do for 50 years. The chaos of Brexit and the change in prime minister may well have contributed to the delay in the report on the January-June 2016 period but the report, when it came, did not disappoint. The new British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, instead of attempting to get rid of Hong Kong as an irritant in the UK's attempt to expand economic relations with China, voiced concerns expressed by his predecessor, Philip Hammond, about the integrity of Hong Kong's law enforcement, citing the Hong Kong booksellers case, who specialized in sensitive books on Chinese leaders. Speaking of one of the five booksellers, Lee Bo, a British citizen, Mr. Johnson said, "Mr. Lee's involuntary removal from Hong Kong to the mainland constituted a serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration by undermining the one country, two systems' principle." However, on the whole, the report took the view that the "one country, two systems" principle "has served Hong Kong well in the 19 years since the handover" and provides confidence that it is "fit to continue far into the future." As expected, the Chinese government condemned the report. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said it contained "unwarranted accusations against China." "No country has the right to interfere," the spokesman said. "We require the British side to be discreet in word and deed and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs." Actually, the Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed in 1984, says specifically that the United Kingdom and China "agree to implement" both the declaration and its annexes until 2047, seemingly giving Britain the right to speak up if things go wrong or right in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong administration, too, issued a statement, insisting that all was well. It asserted that Hong Kong was, indeed, exercising the high degree of autonomy it had been promised, and, as for the booksellers case, the Hong Kong police "have not discovered any evidence indicating there was law enforcement across the boundary.'" Of course, not being able to discover evidence doesn't mean the abduction of a bookseller did not occur. It would be more comforting for Hong Kong's people if their government was to publicly remind the mainland authorities not to violate the Joint Declaration and Basic Law. Instead, the Hong Kong government reinforced the Chinese Foreign Ministry warning to Britain by saying that foreign governments should not interfere in the internal affairs of Hong Kong. It is odd that Hong Kong should ask well-meaning governments to shut up when they try to ensure that China keeps its promises about allowing a high degree of autonomy. Clearly, this is being done at the bidding of Beijing. Article 3(2) of the Joint Declaration says: "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government." Similarly, Article 13 of the Basic Law says, "The Central People's Government shall be responsible for the foreign affairs relating to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region." Clearly, Beijing is responsible for foreign affairs, not Hong Kong. Beijing, therefore, should not ask Hong Kong to publicly oppose countries that wish to ensure its autonomy and its welfare and Hong Kong should not acquiesce in such requests. In recent years, the opposite has occurred. Increasingly, Beijing has used Hong Kong as its shield and, whenever it comes under criticism, the Hong Kong administration has been deployed to defend Beijing. This is contrary to the word and spirit of both the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration. As a result, the Hong Kong administration hasbeen turned into an arm of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Hong Kong's offices overseas the Economic and Trade Offices have undergone a similar transformation, writing letters to foreign governments and parliaments in defense of the Chinese government. The Hong Kong government, when asked to perform functions that are outside its remit, should point out to the central authorities that it is their legal responsibility, not that of Hong Kong. By agreeing to do Beijing's work, the Hong Kong government is criticizing the very countries that have Hong Kong's interests at heart. And, to put it bluntly, this is likely to create the impression that the Hong Kong administration is little more than a puppet government. Female chimpanzee "Dallae" smokes a cigarette at Pyongyang Zoo in North Korea on Wednesday. / Yonhap By Hong Dam-young A chain-smoking chimpanzee has become a star attraction at North Korea's newly reopened Pyongyang Zoo, but animal rights activists say the act is "cruel" and "exploitative." The 19-year-old female chimp "Dallae" meaning Azalea puffs through about a pack a day and knows how to use a lighter. Dallae's habit was reported through several Western media outlets Wednesday after reporters from the AP news agency went to the zoo as a part of monthly visits to North Korea. The reporters said zoo visitors cheered and laughed at the chimp's smoking show. Under her trainer's instruction, Dallae also performed tricks like touching her nose and bowing to the audience. The trainer said Dallae did not inhale the smoke. But animal rights activists called the act "exploitative" and said it could harm the chimp. TIME magazine said the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an American animal rights organization, criticized the zoo, saying: "How cruel to willfully addict a chimpanzee to tobacco for human amusement." The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), another American animal rights group, also condemned the zoo for exploiting animals to attract "gawkers," according to Britain's Telegraph. "This exemplifies the problem with any captive wildlife displayed for profit," said Carter Dillard, ALDF's Director of Litigation. "They are made to do unnatural and freakish things to attract gawkers." Built in 1959, Pyongyang Zoo -- also known as Korea Central Zoo -- had been under renovation since 2014 and reopened in July. The renovation was part of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's plan to build additional leisure centers around the capital. DCH Group owner and president Oleksandr Yaroslavsky plans to resume the work of Kharkiv Tractor Plant from the beginning of 2017. "I cannot now voice the exact timing of the resumption of the plant's operations... We have all the levers for this. We have only to finish all our court cases... I hope next year we will launch the plant," Yaroslavsky said at a briefing in Kharkiv. As reported, complex reorganization measures are being held at the plant to resume its work. A number of services have started work, economic ties with suppliers and partners are being resumed. As reported, Yaroslavsky will become virtually the sole owner of Kharkiv Tractor Plant after he buys a stake of around 29%, which the Austrian investor refused, and concentrates 91.76% of the shares. According Yaroslavsky, the remaining 8% of the shares is owned by about 20,000 minority shareholders. South Korea's foreign and defense ministers arrived in Washington on Tuesday for security and alliance talks with their U.S. counterparts that are expected to focus on how to counter ever-growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Defense Minister Han Min-koo will join U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter in Wednesday's "two plus two" talks, a biennial gathering designed mainly to demonstrate the firmness of the alliance and discuss strategies to deal with the North. The meeting comes just a few days after the communist nation carried out a banned test Saturday of a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam, about a month after its fifth nuclear test. The test was unsuccessful as the missile exploded shortly after take-off, but the launch still showed how committed the North is to developing nuclear-armed, long-range missiles. Officials and experts have warned Pyongyang could keep conducting nuclear and missile tests in coming months. Wednesday's talks are expected to focus on ways to strengthen the U.S. "extended deterrence" protection of South Korea and to ramp up pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang. "Extended deterrence" refers to the threat of nuclear retaliation to deter attacks on allies. The U.S. has provided extended deterrence or a "nuclear umbrella" to South Korea after withdrawing nuclear warheads from the country in the early 1990s. "The ministers will explore opportunities to further coordinate our response to the growing threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the wake of its September 9 nuclear test and discuss ways to strengthen the U.S.-ROK Alliance, including through extended deterrence," the State Department said last week. On Thursday, the two sides are scheduled to hold annual defense ministers talks, known as the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), where Han and Carter are expected to discuss detailed "extended deterrence" measures, possibly including permanently deploying U.S. "strategic assets" in the South, such as nuclear-capable B-52 and B-1B bombers, F-22 stealth fighter jets and nuclear-powered submarines. The U.S. has temporarily sent such assets to South Korea as a show of force in the wake of the North's two nuclear tests in January and September, but perceptions have grown among South Koreans that such one-off missions are not enough at a time of unprecedented threats from the North. Permanent deployment of such military hardware is expected to reassure South Koreans of the U.S. defense commitment amid heightened security jitters that sparked calls for developing the country's own nuclear weapons or bringing U.S. nuclear bombs back into the country. Such sophisticated weapons would also serve as a strong warning against the North. In the SCM talks, the two sides are also expected to check on progress in efforts to deploy the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in the South, while reaffirming that the deployment is aimed only at defending against North Korean threats and poses no threats to China and other countries. (Yonhap) Four South Korean firms including a mid-sized steelmaker have received government approval to carry out voluntary corporate restructuring through fast-track legal and administrative procedures, the trade ministry said Wednesday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said a government panel chose four firms -- Histeel, Leejin, Bokwang and Shinsung Solar Energy -- to endorse their proposed restructuring efforts to boost competitiveness. Just a few weeks ago, the Seoul government vowed to encourage local steel and petrochemical manufacturers to reduce the supply glut as part of its efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of local companies. Histeel, a mid-sized steelmaker which posted 130 billion won ($146.2 million) in sales last year, is planning to sell its steel-tube manufacturing factory and transform one of its lines into higher value-added steel products, according to the ministry. Leejin, a shipbuilding equipment and materials firm, will dispose of its facilities to deal with a worldwide slump in the shipbuilding sector, while Bokwang and Shinsung Solar Energy also submitted plans to downsize and reorganize their business portfolios. The government will give legal and administrative support to help the four firms fulfill the restructuring process in accordance with the Special Act on the Corporate Revitalization, dubbed the "one-shot act." The act came into effect in August to help businesses conduct intra-corporate mergers and spin-offs through simplified procedures including exemptions from strict antitrust laws and financial market regulations. They will also be given tax benefits and subsidies for research and development on corporate restructuring. Under the new law, the companies that want to benefit from the fast-track corporate restructuring procedures are required to win government approval. Last month, the government panel approved voluntary corporate restructuring of three companies including Hanwha Chemical, a leading chemicals manufacturer, as the first "one-shot act" beneficiaries. (Yonhap) By Nam Sang-so The earth does not have enough resources to feed its entire population; so it seems that every country is desperate to cater for its own people. That essence of international politics shows a scrambling among the nations for a larger share of the wealth. Human history clearly shows this as such and disputes among nations continuously erupt. A war usually cleans up, like a typhoon washes out dirty air, the cumulated evils, crimes and sins in a degenerate society and provides a new chance to share resources among the rival countries. Having a Korean national as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the organization's 1950 decision to dispatch military forces to check the communist invasion, we have a tendency to believe that the U.N. would help South Korea if it's attacked again. Few countries expect the U.N. could simply come to an agreement to solve worldly issue, as we have experienced in the past that it has practically been unable to solve most international conflicts. Each U.N. member represents only the interests of its own country, which in general differs from the others. What is trustworthy is the strength of our own military power. It's ironic that the North Koreans know this principle more clearly than people in the South. Neither the South nor North would yield to the other in their rivalry. And the situation appears to be too late to foster a compromise. Then there is only one last solution; to go to war. When two nations fight one must surrender to end the exchange of bullets. And war shouldn't be ended in a draw like we did in 1953, but must kept being fought until one side gets knocked out. It's a war, and in order to achieve this goal many soldiers and civilians, in both countries, must be prepared to sacrifice. Making a surprise attack always gives a better chance of victory. At the end of the war, the winner, and the loser too, could find new fresh ground that is clear of accumulated old political sludge to start anew. God forbid, the greater the number of war casualties, the better, as the result of the World War II verified. Many people, in enough numbers, must die in order to achieve a complete victory. Chapter VII of the United Nations stipulates; "The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken" Yet history shows that the Security Council's recommendations have mostly failed. Cases of fraud or theft which do not involve violence occur daily in most societies, and cannot be stopped by just giving recommendations. An armed police force must be mobilized to quell the social disturbances. A country should not expect to able to check an aggressor crossing its border without using the arms. A nation should not hesitate in employing military power when talks at desks do not produce a satisfactory result usually they don't. If politicians are afraid to go to war to create change because they are more concerned about their own fate, they are abandoning their people and country. The 31 year old leader in the North somehow knows this eternal truth and without ado he puts force into action, and this is working well. And Kim Jong-un, who seems not to be insane, knows that a pre-emptive strike works too. His grandfather almost succeeded with this once. The writer is a Korean War veteran. His email address is sangsonam@gmail.com. For the first time ever, an appeals court has handed down a "not-guilty'' verdict to three conscientious objectors for refusing to perform their obligatory military service. The ruling came as a surprise because many conscientious objectors have been acquitted in initial trials but were eventually convicted by appellate courts. In its ruling Tuesday, the appeals court in the southwestern city of Gwangju said, "The state must not force conscientious objectors to serve in the military without offering an alternative form of service." Under the Military Conscription Law, any male person who fails to comply with his draft notice without justifiable reasons is subject to imprisonment of up to three years. The Constitutional Court also ruled in 2004 and 2011 that punishing conscientious objectors under the law was constitutional. Granted, the first acquittals at the high court might serve to shake our established legal system and arouse concerns about national security. Also, chances are slim that the verdict will be upheld in the Supreme Court as it has consistently ruled against conscientious objectors. Nonetheless, it's about time to collect opinions across the board about the alternative service option for them, mostly Jehova's Witnesses. More than anything, it's worthwhile to listen to the ruling that "religious and personal conscience is guaranteed by the Constitution and cannot be restrained by criminal punishment." The need for an alternative service can be recognized, given the verdict that said, "They are not demanding special treatment such as exemption from military service. They said they want to serve alternative duties." In fact, conscientious objection is accepted widely around the world. On several occasions, the United Nations Human Rights Committee has taken issue with our imprisonment of objectors, saying it is in violation of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Since 2006, more than 5,700 people have been put on trial for refusing the call-up for religious reasons. The current reality hundreds of conscientious objectors end up being labeled as criminals every year must not be left as it is. Of course, it's imperative to map out strong measures to prevent the possible abuse of alternatives as a way of avoiding mandatory military service. The measures could include making the service period of objectors far longer than that applied to active soldiers and making eligibility requirements for alternative service rigorous. Adopting the alternative option may not be easy, considering that the majority of people are against legalizing conscientious objection as shown in a recent survey. But it will be necessary to give serious thought to the issue in order to protect the rights of minorities in our society. By Donald Kirk We hear so much about China and Japan competing on and for the Korean peninsula, now and historically, that we overlook one other great Northeast Asian power. That would be Russia, which has a 17-kilometer border with North Korea as the Tumen River flows into the sea. In the old days of the Soviet Union, trains crossed the river almost every day shipping oil into North Korea for almost nothing that is, paid for in near worthless North Korean won. North Korean free-loading off Soviet largesse ended with the demise of Soviet rule in 1991, a happenstance that led to the famine that devastated the North in the 1990's. Bereft of cheap oil, North Korea did not have enough to power industry, operate motor vehicles or heat homes, offices and factories. For North Korea, the only hope was China, which supplies virtually all the North's oil enough for survival but not enough to build a strong industrial base. These days, while fretting over North Korea, Russians worry about the fast-rising behemoth with which their vast country shares a frontier stretching 4,209 kilometers. For all the hype about the Rason special economic zone just below their Tumen River border with North Korea, business between Russia and the North is not good. "They have nothing to sell," a Russian economist, Sergey Lukonin of the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told me after a conference in Seoul of economic policies of neighboring countries toward the Korean peninsula after unification. How could that be, I wondered, considering all we hear about the Rason zone and Russia's interest in a rail route from Busan up the east coast through South and North Korea and on to Siberia and Europe. "There is nothing," Lukonin repeated. What about trade by sea between Rason and Vladivostok? "Nothing is moving," he said. Talking about "Russia's strategy for economic cooperation with unified Korea, Lukonin gave a bleak picture. First there would have to be "regime change" an argument that most analysts hesitate to consider. Sure, in a list of scenarios, you have to include the possibility that the Kim dynasty may end with the demise of its third dynastic leader, Kim Jong-un, but forecasts of his downfall are too risky to take seriously. How seriously, then, should we regard Russia's stake in North Korea? That's a question that a long-time friend, Rensselaer Lee, with whom I've been in touch since college days, weighs with a Russian economist, Artyom Lukin, at the School of Regional and International Studies at Russia's Far Eastern Federal University. In a ground-breaking book, "Russia's Far East: New Dynamics in Asia Pacific & Beyond," they lay out the prospects. "Moscow's commitment to North Korea should not be overestimated," they caution. "It is quite likely that Moscow will eventually conclude that continuation of the North Korean regime benefits China much more than Russia." That said, they argue that a reunified Korean peninsula under South Korean rule, supported by the U.S., might be what Russia needs. Their view: "Major projects that are now stalled due to the inter-Korean conflict, such as oil and gas pipelines from Russia to Korea and the linking of Korean railways to the Russian trans-Siberian Railway would go ahead if the North Korean problem was finally resolved." To which they add: "Moscow is not happy with North Korea's steady progress in the development of nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles." What the authors say next may come as a surprise: "Such considerations might lead Moscow to a tougher stance on Pyongyang and acceptance of a swift Korean reunification in the future even if" here's where their message will shock some observers "it should be carried out as absorption of North Korea by a pro-U.S. South Korea precisely the scenario that Washington wishes for." Regardless of how that scenario appeals to strategists in Washington, Russia's history points to renewed engagement. Japan thoroughly trounced the Russians in a war in 1905 that sank the Russian fleet and opened up the Russian far east to Japanese inroads, but Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin exacted revenge when his Red Army regained all its lost territory from Japan after entering the war in the Pacific a week before the Japanese surrender. Then, responding to pleas from Kim Il-Sung, Stalin provided arms and air support for North Korea in the Korean War. Nowadays, Russians and Americans must balance Russia's role in Northeast Asia with tensions in eastern Europe and the middle east. "Moscow's willingness to cooperate with the United States will be directly linked to the general condition of Russian-U.S. relations," write Lee and Lukin. "If they remain tense, or become even more contentious, Russia would rather obstruct Washington's Korean policies and instead choose to play second fiddle to China on the Korean affairs." Considering the history, U.S. leaders cannot help but look with suspicion on Moscow. It's all part of the modern Great Game a battle of wills and resources whose outcome is totally unclear but in which Russia counts as a leading contender. Donald Kirk, www.donaldkirk.com, has been covering war and peace in the region for decades. He's at kirkdon4343@gmail.com. For those who are keeping track of the actress, you all probably know that Han Ye Seul is known to play all kinds of roles. She had played a fortune teller, a wealthy amnesiac, and even a North Korean spy. While those are incredible roles from amazing shows, it's safe to say that they're not the roles that people would be able to relate to that much. However, if things go well, this may in fact be the first time that Han would play a lawyer, a common professional in today's society. It seems that actress Han Ye Seul is gearing up for a small screen comeback. As reported by Soompi, the actress has been in talks to appear in the upcoming legal drama Defendant. Now in this new series, it is said that Han Ye Seul will likely be playing the role of a high spirited lawyer who tries her best to stay cool and calm but ultimately ends up fighting with the prosecutor and even lashing out at a judge. For all her spirit, feistiness and ferocity she can't seem to win a case though. Defendant will tell the story of a renowned prosecutor who one day wakes up in prison without recollection whatsoever of the crime that had put him there. What's worse is that he has been put on death row. As a prosecutor, he had tackled violent crimes and has been known for his ever so clean record, winning countless of cases and putting numerous criminals behind bars. This time however, he is forced to become the defendant and then prove his innocence to save his life. The story itself sounds like something people would watch while actor Ji Sung (Secret Love, Entertainer) is still in talks for the lead. It surely is a fresh role for Han Ye Seul and people love watch underdogs overcoming great challenges. Nothing has been confirmed yet but Defendant will definitely replace Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim this coming January. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted the draft national budget for 2017 at first reading on the last day foreseen for this in the Budget Code. Some 230 MPs supported the decision at a plenary session on October 20, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. According to the Budget Code, the adoption in general of the parliament's conclusions and proposals to the draft budget is the adoption of the draft budget at first reading. The parliament passes its conclusions to the Cabinet of Ministers, while the latter considers them when preparing the draft national budget for 2017 and then files it to the Rada within two weeks for second reading (until November 3). Before making this decision, Head of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine Roman Mahuta noted a number of risks contained in the document. "When calculating the figures of the draft national budget, a 3% growth of real GDP was taken into account, which in the conditions of a low purchasing power of the population, the reduction of lending to the economy, the unfavorable investment climate in the country and the deterioration of conditions in international commodity markets is too optimistic," he said. Normandy Four leaders have agreed in Berlin that an armed police mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will be deployed in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, to ensure preparations for local elections there, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said. "Agreement has been reached that there will be no interference in the OSCE's activity. And to facilitate preparations for local elections in future, when security conditions let us hold those elections, we'll now make an attempt to deploy an armed or as we call it police mission of the OSCE, which will ensure security amid both the voting process and the transition period," he said at a press conference after a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France, Russia in Berlin in the early hours of Thursday. The Ukrainian president confirmed the Russian side had agreed with the need to send the OSCE's armed police force to Donbas. "I can particularly stress that the Russian side has also supported the necessity to deploy an armed police mission of the OSCE," Poroshenko said. Normandy Four leaders have agreed at talks in Berlin that after disengagement in the three pilot areas along the contact line in Donbas is over, this process will continue in other four areas, including the occupied town of Debaltseve in Donetsk region, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said. "We've agreed that after the troops are disengaged at three preliminarily selected areas --these are Zolote, Petrovske and Stanytsia Luhanska, monitoring posts of the OSCE should be set up there to work 24/7. After that, we'll start talks on four other areas for disengagement," he said at a press conference after a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France, and Russia in Berlin on Wednesday. The Ukrainian president said that the Ukrainian side had insisted that Debaltseve should be among the next four areas for disengagement. Poroshenko explained that Debaltseve should be included in the list of the zones for disengagement, because "under the September 19 memorandum [signed on September 19, 2014, when the Minsk agreements were concluded, so-called Minsk I], this territory was under control of the Ukrainian armed forces as of February 12 [in 2015 when the Normandy Four leaders in Minsk endorsed a complex of measures to implement the Minsk agreements, so-called Minsk II]." "And we think this will be a significant contribution to de-escalation," he said. The participants in the Berlin talks reiterated the need for a full and immediate ceasefire in Donbas, Poroshenko added. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that she does not rule out the discussion of anti-Russian sanctions at the EU summit. "No options, including that of sanctions, can be taken off the table" Merkel said at a joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande in Berlin after a meeting of Normandy Four leaders (Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia) and trilateral talks (Germany, France and Russia) on the situation in Syria. Merkel said that trilateral talks on Syria were tough. Merkel said that she believes that it is unlikely that there would be any step forward in the ceasefire issue in Syria in the near term. Merkel condemned the air raids on Syrias Aleppo as "inhumane and cruel." She said that ceasefire is needed to supply humanitarian aid to Aleppo and foreign ministers will work on the issue. The German chancellor said that Russia must press on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to guarantee safety for civilian population in Aleppo. She said that Russia is responsible for the start of the political settlement of the situation in Syria. Everything that can constitute a threat can be useful," Hollande said at a press conference, commenting on the possibility of discussing sanctions against Russia. "What is happening in Aleppo is a war crime; one of the first demands is that the bombardments by the regime and its [Russian] backers must end," he said. He said that international pressure on the Syrian regime and those who support it would continue. OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) reiterates that they have limited access to the withdrawal zone of forces and equipment in Petrivske/Bohdanivka on the demarcation line in Donbas due to the absence of security guarantees. "Today we come across with the restricted access of the OSCE SMM to the demarcation line of Petrivske/Bohdanivka. The Armed Forces of Ukraine and the DPR (self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic) were not able to guarantee the security to SMM due to possible mines. SMM is ready/can make observations, but it needs access," the statement reads posted on the official Facebook page of OSCE on Thursday morning. According to the press service of the SMM, the representative of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) is present at Bohdanivka site, but can not guarantee observer safety. There is no representative of the Russian Armed Forces at the JCCC in Petrivske. "JCCC should help to ensure safe and unhindered access and to coordinate mine lifting," the mission said. OSCE SMM observers face such difficulties at the demarcation line of forces and equipment on a daily basis for over a week period. Activities marking the coronation of a new monarch of the Benin Kingdom are currently ongoing in the Edo State capital. The ancient city is agog with ceremonies which are steeped in ancient tradition. The crown prince, Eheneden Erediauwa is being coronated as the 39th monarch of the kingdom. The event is attended by prominent Nigerians and first class traditional rulers from across the country. Among them are the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano, the Olu of Warri, the Ooni of Ife and the Obi of Onitsha. The chairman of the Coronation Planning Committee prof. Greg Akenzua told Channels Television that everything necessary had been done to make the ceremony as memorable as possible. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates The director of the Israel Antiquities Authority on Wednesday slammed UNESCO for its resolution on Jerusalem holy sites, comparing the UN cultural body to Islamic State jihadists. Speaking at the opening of the new IAA headquarters in Jerusalem, director Yisrael Hasson said the resolution adopted last week and confirmed on Tuesday put the UN organization in the same league as IS jihadists who have destroyed and looted hundreds of archaeological sites in Syria and Iraq to fund their caliphate. Around us, world heritage treasures are being destroyed They murdered Syrian archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, who tried to protect heritage, Hasson said recalling the 82-year-old retired head of antiquities in Palmyra who was beheaded by IS militants last year. IS overran Palmyra a UNESCO world heritage site known as the Pearl of the Desert in May 2015 and used its ancient amphitheater for public executions. The extremist group blew up temples and tower tombs as part of it campaign against pre-Islamic monuments it considers blasphemous. And recently UNESCO in essence joined this system of destruction by diplomatic means. This is essentially the same action by a diplomatic course, Hasson said. Kadima MK Yisrael Hasson, at the Knesset. (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90) File: Israel Antiquities Authority head and former MK Yisrael Hasson, at the Knesset. (Miriam Alster/Flash90) Damascus-born Hasson, a former Knesset member and deputy director of the Shin Bet, is the latest in a string of Israeli officials to slam the UNESCO decision, which Israel says ignores Jewish and Christian historical ties to Jerusalems holiest sites. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates 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. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates During Normandy format talks held in Berlin, the Ukrainian side upheld its position on ensuring security and expanding the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Donbas. This can be considered a diplomatic success for Ukraine, but the question of whether the agreements will be honored remains open, Penta Political Studies Director Volodmyr Fesenko has said. "German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered the most accurate appraisal of the talks: she said certain progress had been made. That means there was no miracle. Indeed, a miracle could not have happened, because there were no precursors for one. But there is progress," Fesenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday. The political expert said results of the talks in Berlin are notable in that Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin delayed commenting on them for several hours. "[Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko met with journalists immediately after the talks, but Putin waited until Merkel and Poroshenko had commented on them. I think Putin had nothing to say. If you have something to say, you come right out with it. Putin is bluffing, behaving like a smart alec, and keeps silent when he has nothing to say. They waited to formulate their line, their version [of the talks]," Fesenko said. Reaching agreement on expanding the OSCE mission was another achievement in the talks. "This can be considered a diplomatic victory. It is what Ukraine has called for: ensuring security and expanding the OSCE mission. The sides even agreed and this was included in official communiques from Berlin to establish 200 OSCE stations But how this will be done, unfortunately, we can already guess, based on bitter experience," the political expert said. Fesenko said political issues were also discussed. He noted comments by German officials, who are usually more reserved in their statements than emotional French diplomats, mentioned no breakthrough on holding elections in occupied areas in eastern Ukraine. The La Jolla Open Aire Farmers Market celebrates coming into adulthood this week with the 18th anniversary of its formation on Oct. 23 and boy has it grown! Starting with 14 vendors to pay for a library and a librarian for La Jolla Elementary School (LJES) in 1998, the Market has since grown to more than 150 vendors. Proceeds pay for programming and personnel at La Jolla Elementary to the tune of $200,000 a year. Held every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the LJES campus at 1111 Marine St. (off Pearl and Genter streets) the market will mark its anniversary with a day full of seasonal festivities on Sunday. We are going to host a free harvest festival celebration, including a variety of games and dancing for prizes and for fun. Well have a few stations for art projects as well. The field will be decorated with hay bales and pumpkins, so it will be an overall festive environment, said PTA president Colleen Royal. This year we celebrate the 18th anniversary, which makes us one of the longest running markets in San Diego. She added the festival is intended to provide an overall fun experience to thank longtime and new patrons. The market has grown a little bit every year said founder Sherry Ahern, and has changed with the times. For example, early on, organizers established a website that culled data from the San Diego Farm Bureau to list whats in season month to month. As agricultural practices evolved, so did the produce that became available. When we first started, you could buy apricots and you could buy plums, now we have a farmer that breeds the two to make a pluot, Ahern said. And there are probably 10 varieties of pluots you could buy, from sour to sweet. The Market also launched the Farmer for a Day program, through which children could assist farmers with unloading their trucks and interact with them to hear about what it takes to become a farmer from crop selection to agricultural practices and more. Its a lot of work to be a farmer, and shoppers say their produce costs more at the Farmers Market, but this stuff is fresh and these farmers work twice as hard to get the work done, so maybe its a little more money, but you get what you pay for, Ahern said. Its important that children have the opportunity to learn that. The 92037 market also helped grow would-be brick-and-mortar eateries. Craig Sewall, co-owner of Promiscuous Fork, which has a location in La Jolla and Pacific Beach, said they started as a small stand at the Market. We operated under the title Romaine Empire, doing a grilled Caesar salad concept, Sewall said. Its such a great Market, but we were a lunch concept, so we didnt get busy until later in the day. But from the beginning, it was very laid back with a great mix of people. I went there the other day and am amazed at how much its grown. Further, Green Door catering has had a stand there for five years, and at the end of this month, will open the Green Door Cafe. (Read more on this next week!) But as for what really makes the La Jolla Open Aire Market different, Royal said, We provide an experience where families can not only pick up fresh produce, but stay and enjoy a meal, listen to music, play on our playground and have an enjoyable Sunday together. In early 2013, La Jolla resident Jonathan Clarks garage was broken into and surfboards bearing both sentimental and monetary value ($5,000) were taken while he and his wife slept. Clark immediately reached out to La Jolla Light for a story to get the word out and hopefully track them down. Although it took three years, having that story printed eventually paid off. A few months ago, Clark said he got a phone call indicating that one of his boards a rare Greek Surfboard, which was the first one he ever purchased when he was teenager had been located by Bill Deneff of Huntington Beach, an avid collector of vintage surf and skateboards. Clark explained, Bill loves Greek Surfboards, but hadnt seen one like mine. He was really happy to have his hands on it. He looks into the background of every board he buys, including its history. In the course of his online research, Deneff stumbled upon the Light article that detailed the theft. He immediately and reluctantly, got in touch with its former owner. It was huge that Bill was such a good person to call me, Clark said. I offered to pay for it, but he declined the money. Anxious to follow the trail of where the board might have been before making its way home, Clark ascertained that Deneff bought the board on eBay from Kristopher Tom, a vendor who sells surfboards online and at swap meet-style events. I received the surfboard from someone I know who buys and sells boards on Craigslist, Tom said. He was in the South Bay of Los Angeles and said he bought about 65 boards from a garage sale and to come check them out. I saw a half-dozen I liked, including the Greek, and bought the lot. I brought them home, and realized I could make a little money off of them, so I put them on eBay. Clark later learned that its a thiefs practice to take stolen goods, especially if they are rare or easily identifiable, and move them away from where they were stolen, which is how the boards went from La Jolla to Los Angeles. I assume thieves take the boards and go to a different city that might not be looking out for them and sell them there. The police suggested to me that there are a lot of people who come from other areas to the coast and steal stuff, then sell it at garage sales or sell it at a swap meet where someone wouldnt recognize the stuff, Clark said. Although rare, Tom said he has occasionally come across stolen boards. Any collector group is going to look out for one another, and no one one wants to sell stolen boards, he said. When it happens, you do the right thing. In retrieving the board in Huntington Beach, Clark said he went to the Topanga area of Los Angeles where Tom sells boards at a board swap. Clark showed pictures and distributed fliers of the remaining missing boards to the various vendors so they could keep an eye out for them, optimistic his remaining boards might be found. Further, he said he regularly checks Craigslist and eBay listings and has re-committed to the search. It was a needle-in-a-haystack situation to find my board, he added. Its so hard to find stolen boards, and everyone Ive spoken with is just shocked that it was returned. So while I would like to get them all back, Im so happy to have this one, my first surfboard, back. An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... Chamber retreat helps discover strengths in communication The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce has proved that networking can come in many ways. It doesnt have to come at a luncheon or happy hour or Christmas party, but... President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has discussed with European Parliament President Martin Schulz the possibility of strengthening sanctions against Russia in the context of human rights violations in Crimea. During Thursday meeting in Brussels, the sides discussed the need to maintain the policy of sanctions against Russia before restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the press-service of the Ukrainian president said. "They were also discussing the possibility of strengthening the restrictive measures against Russia in the context of human rights violations in Crimea," the report says. The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more European Parliament has stable majority for introduction visa-free regime with Ukraine European Parliament President Martin Schulz has assured President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko that the European parliament has the majority for introducing visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens. During the meeting with Schulz in Brussels on Thursday, Poroshenko urged the European Parliament to provide visa-free regime to Ukrainians as soon as possible, the press-service of the Ukrainian president said. "The European Parliament has a stable majority for the introduction of a visa-free regime with Ukraine," Schulz said in his turn. The two sides also agreed that the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union should be immediately ratified. In addition, Poroshenko and Schulz discussed the progress of reforms in Ukraine. "The Ukrainian president urged the European Parliament to speed up the adoption of additional autonomous trade preferences for Ukraine," the message says. Last month guest blogger Stephen Sachs wrote for LA Observed about paying a last visit to the former Casa de Petrol station where actor James Dean filled up the day he died in his Porsche Spyder in 1955. Sachs knew well the history of the place, and when he saw the the station at Ventura Boulevard and Beverly Glen in Sherman Oaks being torn down he stopped in to take some final photos. Now comes word from Curbed LA that plans have been field with the city planning department for development of a "specialty grocery store" and "ancillary restaurant" on the site. Details are scant, but there are plans for the sale of "a full line of alcoholic beverages" for on-site consumption and "instructional tastings." This is the corner just east of Casa de Cadillac where a short spur of Tyrone Avenue steers westbound Moorpark Street traffic onto Beverly Glen or Ventura. There won't be any messy fumbling this time. The LA Times announced today that all of the money from the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of last year's San Bernardino terrorist shootings will be donated to support student journalism at Cal State San Bernardino. The gift will be presented Thursday at noon at the Cal State student union. Editor-in-chief and publisher Davan Maharaj will be at a Times-sponsored public forum. Metro desk editor Bob Sipchen will moderate the forum with reporters Joe Mozingo and Paloma Esquivel. The Pulitzer Prize for breaking news was awarded to the Times staff for coverage of the December 2015 shootings and aftermath. Top editors and selected staffers picked up the prize at a Pulitzer banquet in New York City last week. The Pulitzers come with a $10,000 prize except in the public service category, where there is no cash award. The last time the Times staff won a big journalism prize, there was some controversy over the eventual use of $35,000 from the Selden Ring Award at USC. The prize in 2011 was for the paper's investigation into official corruption in the city of Bell. One of the reporters, Jeff Gottlieb, began complaining in 2013 that the cash was being mishandled by Times editors, and when he sued the Times this August for age discrimination he cited the prize money as one of his grievances. The Times replied then that the suit was without merit. Speaking of prizes, the Pulitzer Prizes organization announced Wednesday that all journalism categories of the prizes will now be open to magazine entries. Once restricted just to newspaper work, the Pulitzers have recently allowed entries from websites and, in selected categories, magazines. "We decided that the time had come to open all categories to magazines, said Joyce Dehli, co-chair of the Pulitzer board. The broad expansion of digital journalism has led to a growing overlap in the work and roles of newspapers, digital-only news sites, and magazines. The basic eligibility requirements now will be journalism from "regularly published United States newspapers, magazines, and news websites that 'adhere to the highest journalistic principles.'" Broadcast outlets and their websites are still out. And in case you wondered, the pronunciation of "Pulitzer" is butchered roughly half the time you hear it. The Pulitzer Prizes FAQ page states very clearly: The correct pronunciation is "PULL it sir." Thursday afternoon update: The Times issued a press release that adds Cajon High School in San Bernardino as a recipient of some help as well. Here's the flackage: PRESS RELEASE German Linke Party: Confrontationism against Russia Leads to World War Oct. 19, 2016 (EIRNS)Sahra Wagenknecht, parliamentary group chairwoman of the German Linke party, welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putins arrival in Berlin for the Normandy Four meeting this evening, calling this a good opportunity to have a serious discussion between him and the German Chancellor. Resuming the dialogue is most appropriate in this precarious situation, Wagenknecht urged, because PRESS RELEASE Putin and Erdogan Discuss Syria and Mosul Operations, Ash Carter Deployed To Run Interference Oct. 19, 2016 (EIRNS)In a telephone call initiated by the Turks, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanged views on the Syrian settlement and discussed the operations to capture Mosul, Iraq, from the terrorists. The Russian side stressed the importance of efficient separation of moderate opposition groups from militants of Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist groups affiliated with it, the Kremlin said according to TASS. It was agreed to continue contacts on bilateral and regional problems at various levels. Speaking to a group of Ankara neighborhood chiefs on Oct. 19, Erdogan said of his phone discussion with Putin, We talked about Aleppo in the [phone] conversation. They expressed that they [had] halted air strikes there as of 10 p.m. They requested the exclusion of al-Nusra from there. We have given the necessary instructions to our friends on the issue. We discussed such a consensus in an effort to exclude al-Nusra from Aleppo and provide the peace of the Aleppo people. The Turkish daily Yeni Safik, citing a Turkish Presidential source late Tuesday, added that Putin also congratulated Turkey for its success against Daesh in Syria. Erdogan thanked Putin for his presence at the Oct. 10 Istanbul energy conference, the source said. The two also discussed Syria, ending the conflict in Aleppo and delivering humanitarian aid to the northern city. In a commentary in Hurriyet, Serkan Demirtas wrote that the recent reconciliation of ties with Russia paved the way for Ankara to return to the Syrian theater, both politically and militarily. In return Turkey has been doing two things since ties have been mended with Russia. First, its no longer vocal against the continuation of the Bashar al-Assad regime and no longer the champion in bringing up the brutal attacks of the regime against civilian targets in and around Aleppo. Second, Turkey seems ready to ignore the Russia-Syria duos attacks to break the resistance of the moderate rebels in eastern Aleppo which would eventually lead to Damascus gaining control of one of the countrys largest cities. Commenting on this report, Lyndon LaRouche termed this very important, since it demonstrates that Russia and Turkey are coordinating their operations in Syria. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama, who has been busy double-crossing everyone over Southwest Asia, has deployed Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to Turkey on Oct. 19. This follows talks in Washington between Turkeys military commanders and the U.S. Defense Department on operations in Syria and Iraq. Turkey has expressed concern that the U.S.-led operation to recapture the Iraqi city of Mosul from Daesh could lead to sectarian warfare and create huge refugee flows that would head to Turkey. While Carter will be meeting Turkish leaders, he will only be staying a few hours, after which he will head to the United Arab Emirates and then Europe for counter-ISIS coalition meetings with U.S.-led coalition defense ministers in Paris on Oct. 25. PRESS RELEASE Shenzhou-11 Docks Successfully with Space Lab Oct. 19, 2016 (EIRNS)The Shenzhou-11 docked successfully today with the Tiangong-2 space lab, and the two Chinese astronauts floated into the lab for a 30-day stay, twice as long as the previous Chinese astronauts. "During the docking process, a series of crucial events occurred in real time and our system needed to respond and act precisely and rapidly. I am very glad that our system has completed all the tasks perfectly," said Cui Xiaofeng, assistant chief engineer of Beijing Aerospace Control Center. The astronauts have with them 14 different payloads, including payloads provide by other countries, on which they will conduct 40 different experiments during their month in space. The two astronauts are 49-year-old Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong. This is the younger Chens (in his early 40s) first mission and Jings third time in spacea first for a Chinese astronaut as well as his first mission as commander. Jing Haipeng will be celebrating his 50th birthday during his stay on the Tiangong-2. Jing came from a peasant background and failed his first attempt at becoming an astronaut. When he applied the second time, against the recommendations of his rather impoverished family, the family could only celebrate his achievement with a watermelon, since they were unable to afford more for the occasion. The Chinese made this into a major television event, including a press interview with the astronauts themselves and ongoing coverage of the preparations, discussion of the nature of the experiments and the characteristics of the launch vehicle, with visual footage of the launch, including cameras in the capsule as the astronauts made their way into space. This is a real move away from the more restrained arrangements made during previous launches. The China National Space Administration has also announced that they will be conducting space launches several times a year rather than every few years, as has previously been the case, marking a qualitatively new stage in Chinas space exploration. According to Elon Musk, driverless car technology is a problem thats pretty much solved. As hes made clear numerous times, the regulators need to catch up. And they might want to start moving faster, because Musk isnt slowing down. The chief executive of electric car maker Tesla said Wednesday that all the cars the company produces going forward will be equipped with the hardware needed to transform them into self-driving cars, as soon as the software and road rules are ready. Advertisement On Thursday, the company posted a video with a Rolling Stones soundtrack that shows a Tesla Model S driving itself around highways and streets in Silicon Valley, pulling into a Tesla parking lot, searching for a spot and parking itself. It even spins its front wheels to the left so the passenger-side tire properly kisses the curb. Musk said he aims to dispatch a driverless vehicle from Los Angeles to New York by the end of next year. This is going to have a big impact forcing the hands of regulators, said Mike Ramsey of market researcher Gartner. And on other automakers, too: If [Tesla] is successful the others will be saying we are so far behind! Automakers have said driverless cars could be ready for sale within three to five years, but Tesla appears to be moving faster. Kelley Blue Book analyst Karl Brauer called the Tesla news a big upfront commitment to self-driving technology that other automakers may not be willing to make at this point. The National Highway and Safety Administration issued loose guidelines for driverless car regulation last month, urging states and cities to coordinate new rules so a mishmash of regulations doesnt impede the development of driverless cars. The federal government believes the technology will dramatically reduce traffic crashes and deaths. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has produced draft regulations and is seeking public comment before theyre made final. The automotive industry generally welcomes rules that provide certainty but opposes those that it believes will impede the progress of driverless technology. In the U.S., the individual states set the driving rules. Its possible, Gartners Ramsey said, that drivers will be able to turn tasks completely over to the robot in some states, but have to retake the wheel when the car crosses state lines. The new Tesla hardware includes eight cameras that provide 360-degree visibility, 12 ultrasonic sensors with added sensitivity, and a forward-facing radar the company says will see through heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead. The newly equipped vehicles will be nearly indistinguishable from existing models and wont look anything like the experimental driverless cars whose rooftops are loaded with obtrusive technology that makes them look like mobile radar stations. There is nothing sticking out, Musk told reporters. This in no way makes the car ugly. The new sensor and processor package, which Musk referred to as Hardware 2, will be equipped with a new onboard computer with more than 40 times the computing power of the previous generation, the company said. Musk identified Nvidia as the maker of the new computer board, which will use the companys Titan processor. Nvidia is a video game and graphics processing powerhouse thats making a big leap into the automotive market. Nvidia is working on demonstration projects with most major automakers and this year formed a development partnership with BMW and Israeli vision software company Mobileye. Musk, however, said vision processing for the Hardware 2 suite is being developed in-house at Tesla. Tesla and Mobileye were once partners but ended their relationship in July. The U.S. Department of Transportation released long-awaited guidelines Tuesday for the testing and deployment of self-driving vehicles. Current Tesla owners wont be able to upgrade to the new driverless hardware. Its not realistic, Musk said. It would be like giving the cars a spinal cord transplant. The new package, he said, will add $8,000 to the cost of each car, although how that will affect consumer pricing is yet to be determined. The current hardware suite adds $3,000 in cost, he said. Although the cars wont make full use of the new hardware for some time, Musk said it wont sit there useless. It will add capabilities to the companys existing Autopilot driver-assist technology, including lane keeping and collision avoidance. Driverless software will operate in shadow mode behind the scenes, to be used by Teslas software developers to perfect autonomous technology. The companys cars are connected to a cloud computing system that Tesla takes feedback from the cars and sends back improved software. The company calls it fleet learning. The upgrade adds yet another project to Musks ever-rising stack of ambitions. Hes already producing two cars at Tesla, models S and X, and delivered 50,000 of them last year. By the end of 2017, if Musks schedule is met, the first Model 3 mid-market sedan will pop off the assembly line. Musk has vowed to pump out 500,000 vehicles in 2018. Hes intent on creating an alternative energy powerhouse. Tesla already makes car batteries and Powerwall-brand home storage batteries. The company is constructing a gigantic $5-billion structure it calls the Gigafactory outside Reno to turn out batteries in large numbers, and opened a piece of it over the summer. The alternative-energy plan depends on completing a $2.3-billion stock deal that would fold solar energy company SolarCity into Tesla. Musk is the largest shareholder at each company. The other shareholders are set to vote on the deal in November. And, of course, Musks ambitions extend beyond Earth. His Hawthorne-based rocket-and-capsule company, SpaceX, launches satellites and cargo, with future plans to carry humans to the International Space Station in a contract with NASA. Eventually, Musk plans to colonize Mars. russ.mitchell@latimes.com ALSO Driverless-car makers worry that Californias proposed rules will slow their progress New Teslas will have all the hardware to be driverless cars, Elon Musk says Beverly Hills, land of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, seeks status as driverless-car innovator A Los Angeles ballot measure pitched as a way to provide good jobs and less expensive housing would instead worsen the citys affordability crisis, according to an economic analysis released Thursday by the measures critics. The study targets Measure JJJ, which is backed by labor and tenant advocates. If passed by voters on Nov. 8, it would impose new hiring and affordability requirements on developers if they want city approval to build apartment and condo projects larger than zoning currently allows. Proponents of the measure, also known as Build Better L.A., see it as a way to ensure that the city gets tangible benefits for relaxing development standards that when waived can make projects denser and more valuable. Advertisement But business groups say the new rules would simply be overly burdensome and make it too expensive to build many projects, given that the citys outdated planning and zoning code often doesnt allow for the kinds of projects developers see as economically viable. Developers last year requested changes from the planning department in order to build nearly 9,100 units. If Measure JJJ passes, the number of homes built is likely to decrease and housing would become more expensive as home buyers and renters vie for fewer available units, Los Angeles consulting firm Beacon Economics said in its report. If you dont have the housing, people are going to continue to outbid each other, said Adam J. Fowler, manager of Beacons public policy research team. Its one of the very few issues that economists look at that is really straightforward what we are looking at is really a supply problem. Measure JJJ applies to projects of 10 units or more where developers get a zoning change, general plan amendment or height-district change to build higher density projects than currently allowed, or to build homes where current zoning doesnt allow them. Those projects would then have to include a certain number of below-market units or their builders would pay an off-set fee to the citys affordable-housing trust fund. That requirement would cause market-rate units in such projects to increase in price as developers pass along the cost of subsidizing affordable units, Beacon said. Perhaps more onerous, business groups argue, are hiring requirements. The majority of construction workers would need years of experience or at least be enrolled in apprenticeship programs, so as to discourage the hiring of cheap casual labor. Developers also would have to pay wages set by the city government and hire a certain number of local and disadvantaged workers. The measure doesnt detail what the wages would be besides that they will be area standard wages set by a city agency. Business groups say they are likely to be so-called prevailing wages that public projects require. Under that scenario, project costs would jump 46% because those rates are almost double typical wages, according to Beacon. In response, Rusty Hicks, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, said it would be up to the citys Bureau of Contract Administration to decide how to set area standard wages. Such additional burdens are easier for developers of large projects to absorb because they can spread costs over a bigger budget and many already use union labor. That has prompted business groups, like the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, to focus their concerns on smaller projects they say would be stifled by the new requirements. According to the Beacon analysis, over the last decade. about half of permitted multifamily projects that sought changes targeted by JJJ had 11 to 50 units. Another 17% were for projects between one and 10 units, while 36% were for projects with more than 50 units. When looking at smaller or midrange housing developments, they no longer pencil out, said Ruben Gonzalez, a senior advisor with the Chamber of Commerce, which along with a coalition of business groups funded the Beacon study. Economists have long said the failure of housing production to keep up with population and job growth is the main factor in todays affordability crisis. They argue that construction beyond even todays development boom is needed to make Los Angeles affordable again. But measure proponents argue that adding more supply is an overly simplistic answer to the crisis. They note that the current development boom is heavily focused on luxury housing and hasnt brought down rents. We have a housing crisis and a good jobs crisis in the city of Los Angeles, Hicks said. The measure requires developers to give construction jobs to Angelenos who need it the most and to build housing people can actually afford. Hicks estimated that if JJJ had been in place over the last three years, 5,500 market-rate units would instead have been designated affordable. He said business groups claims about reduced housing construction mirror arguments against the minimum wage increase and other efforts to move this city forward and increase the quality of life. There is always [the argument that] the sky is going to fall, that this change is going to crash the industry. And you know, the facts have always gotten in the way of that argument, Hicks said. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter ALSO Laguna Seca raceway management may be poised to change hands In yet another giant media merger, AT&T may be trying to buy Time Warner Inc. Verizon says itll take a while to figure out how the Yahoo hack affects their deal The Head of the National Police of Ukraine Khatia Dekanoidze has informed about the opening of 900 criminal proceedings on the facts of illegal actions performed by the police officers within a few months. "The police should really be cleaned up, so we have manually set up an efficient structure within the police forces involving internal security. I want to note that within a few months we have opened about 900 criminal proceedings on police misconduct," she said during the board meeting of the Internal Ministry in Kyiv on Thursday. The National Police head of Ukraine said the statistic testifies the police departments ambition to be self-cleaning. Two U.S. senators are pressing Wells Fargo & Co. about how much new Chief Executive Timothy Sloan knew about the unauthorized-accounts scandal that led to his appointment. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), outspoken critics of Wells Fargo, also want to know more about how much money former Chief Executive John Stumpf will get after resigning last week in the wake of the controversy. Given the scope of wrongdoing on his watch, Mr. Stumpfs resignation is entirely appropriate, the senators wrote in a letter Thursday to Stephen Sanger, who is the new chairman of Wells Fargos board of directors. Advertisement But a resignation alone is not enough to assure proper accountability at Wells Fargo, they said. Instead, it raises additional questions. The letter is another signal that Stumpfs resignation didnt end the problems stemming from the revelations last month in a $185-million settlement with Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer and federal regulators that bank employees created as many as 2 million accounts without customer authorization. The California Justice Department is investigating allegations of criminal identity theft in the creation of the accounts, according to a search warrant and related documents sent to Wells Fargo that were obtained this week by the Los Angeles Times through a public records request. U.S. attorneys in San Francisco, New York and Charlotte, N.C., also have opened investigations, as have two congressional committees. And lawmakers continue to pound Wells Fargo. On Tuesday, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) wrote to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency requesting more information about the banks compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that includes fair lending and consumer compliance regulations. Wells Fargo also has yet to respond to questions put to the bank last month by Warren, Menendez and other Democratic members of the Senate Banking Committee. Warren and Menendez in their new request Thursday asked how the board decided to choose Sloan, a longtime Wells Fargo executive; whether he was questioned about his knowledge of the creation of unauthorized customer accounts; and any actions he might have taken in response. The senators also asked if the board conducted an independent investigation of whether Mr. Sloan knew about or took appropriate actions to prevent this scandal and if so, what that investigation showed. Quick breakdown of the Wells Fargo scandal. In announcing Sloans promotion Oct. 12, Wells Fargo said he had been with the bank for 29 years and knows Wells Fargos operations deeply, but that was unsettling to the senators. It is difficult to believe that he had no knowledge of or bears no responsibility for the actions of thousands of Wells Fargo employees creating fake accounts under his and other top executives watch, Warren and Menendez wrote. Sloan, who became president and chief operating officer in November, has said he was aware of the scandal as early as late 2013, when a Los Angeles Times investigation first publicly revealed the problems. In a statement, the boards independent directors said Thursday they have great confidence in Tim Sloans leadership. We appreciate the senators concerns, take these issues seriously and are deeply concerned about what has come to light, the directors said, noting they had previously announced the board was conducting an independent investigation of the unauthorized accounts matter. The company has taken immediate initial actions to make our customers whole, to understand the full extent of the problems and to fix them, to hold executives accountable through compensation actions and to begin to restore the trust our customers have placed in our institution for 164 years, the board said. The senators also raised questions about Stumpfs retirement compensation. Stumpf will not receive any severance, according to public filings. But he will retain more than $100 million in vested stock, plus accumulated pension and 401(k) benefits exceeding $24 million, despite the loss of other significant compensation, the filings said. Wells Fargos board announced last month that Stumpf would forfeit about $41 million in unvested stock awards and eligibility for an annual bonus, which had totaled $4 million for several years. But Warren and Menendez asked whether the board would attempt to claw back more of Stumps compensation and if he would serve as a consultant or in any other capacity for Wells Fargo or the board. The senators requested answers to their questions by Oct. 27 and a briefing by Nov. 3. The directors said Thursday they were prepared to take additional actions, including of compensation already paid out to Stumpf if warranted by its investigations findings. After Stumpfs Sept. 20 appearance before the committee, senators sent the bank dozens of questions, including whether unauthorized accounts might have been created earlier than 2009 and whether fraudulent sales practices took place in the banks other business units. The Sept. 28 letter also targeted Stumpf and former community banking executive Carrie Tolstedt, demanding emails and other communications between those two related to unauthorized accounts. Bank spokesman Mark Folk said Wednesday the bank is working to respond to the inquiries weve received from senators and members of Congress. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter Times staff writer James Rufus Koren contributed to this report. MORE BUSINESS NEWS Verizon says itll take a while to figure out how the Yahoo hack affects their deal Amazon shows will stop hogging the spotlight on Fire TVs home screen Look, no hands: A Tesla drives through Silicon Valley and finds a parking spot on its own UPDATES: 3:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comment from Wells Fargo. 12:00 p.m.: This article was updated with details about a prior letter sent to Wells Fargo by the Senate Banking Committee. This article was originally published at 9:50 a.m. In the absence of election-year artwork as ubiquitous as Shepard Faireys 2008 Hope poster, political memes have become dominant images this political season. But that doesnt mean the art world has been silent. Activist street artists have been especially busy creating some of the presidential campaigns most provocative political statements. Their bold approach inherits a long tradition. Were not talking about sanctioned public art, says veteran L.A. art agitator Robbie Conal. His posters depicting Donald Trump framed by the words Bully Culprit have been pasted all over the city. In my case, its a minor form of civil disobedience. Artist Robbie Conals Trump Bully Culprit. (Robbie Conal) (Test) Conal gained popularity in the 1980s for his anti-Reagan Contra Diction posters and other responses to the Iran-Contra affair. But while Republican lawmakers have been the subjects of some of his most striking images, hes targeted Democrats as well. One of his most memorable posters was an image of Bill Clinton juxtaposed with the words Dough Nation. For this election, Conal says, "with Trump, theres no way I couldnt do anything. At 72, the artist continues to lead an army of volunteers that placards Los Angeles streets with his anti-Trump posters. Thousands and thousands of people see the posters whether they are looking for them or not, Conal says. That's a level of engagement in a much more public sphere than a clean white box an art gallery or a museum. Artist Daniel Gonzalez, who made a series of Viva Bernie! signs earlier this year in his Highland Park print shop, credits Conals early Reagan posters as one of his main career inspirations. We bother the status quo, Gonzalez says of street artists. We get people to stop and look. Eric Yahnkers Trillary Clinton (Eric Yahnker) (Test) Eric Yahnkers Pierced Piety. (Eric Yahnker) (Test) Its not only liberal artists who are trying to shake things up with political images. Republican artists are harder to find, but L.A.-based graphic artist SABO has gotten attention by waging a poster campaign against what he calls the leftist establishment. After George W. Bush was elected, I couldnt turn around anywhere and not hear someone define me for being a Republican for being a racist, being a homophobe, being rich, says SABO. But Im none of those things. I noticed there were no artists pleading my case or standing up for me as a Republican. And I kind of figured, screw it, Ill do it. One of SABOs recent stunts targeted the Refugee exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City. The artist manipulated bus stop posters promoting the exhibit by substituting the original photographs with images of the Islamic State fighters. I dont think my work is meant to offend, SABO says. I think I challenge people to such a degree that maybe I scare them. A bus stop sign manipulated by the artist SABO. (SABO) (Test) For many artists, its Trumps stances on immigration and national security that have spurred them to address the public directly. The artist known as Plastic Jesus responded to Trumps pledge to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. by constructing a miniature wall around the Republican candidates Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Plastic Jesus is also responsible for the No Trump Anytime parking signs that have cropped up in Los Angeles and other cities across the country. I have become more and more frustrated with the mainstream media ignoring issues that really affect most people, the artist says. The art installation No Trump Anytime disguised as a parking sign in Hollywood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) (Test) INDECLINE, an underground collective of anonymous artists, feels a similar compulsion to speak directly to the public. We want to redirect attention, says an INDECLINE spokesperson who would not give his name. The group brings a punk-rock ethos to ambitious street installations that are filmed and disseminated on social media to ensure their messages last beyond the arts removal. Last summer, after Trump made comments about Mexico sending rapists to the U.S., members of the group traveled to Tijuana to paint a mural that said Rape Trump on the wall separating the U.S.-Mexico border. And in Californias Mojave Desert, the group created what it claims is the largest illegal graffiti piece in the world by painting the words This Land Was Our Land, visible from the air, on an old runway. The INDECLINE piece thats gotten the biggest attention by far, however, is the groups life-sized naked Trump statues, which were unveiled simultaneously in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, Seattle and New York on Aug. 18. The statues were quickly taken down by city workers in each location, but not before generating a social media storm. We end up hijacking the media by getting our own stories put out based on our work, the INDECLINE spokesperson says of the groups actions. Painters, cartoonists and multimedia fine artists may not receive the same levels of viral attention as street artists, but many are using their work to voice their election concerns. It seems as though many more people have the compulsion to make art about this presidential primary and election season than I saw in 2012 and 2008 and 2004, says artist Dan Mills, whose digital-montage pieces satirized the unconventional turns of the GOP primary race. Eric Yahnkers Hill Yeah! (Eric Yahnker) (Test) Los Angeles artist Eric Yahnker, who told Paper magazine that he turned to art after I got kicked out of USC journalism school for majoring in partying, calls himself a glorified political cartoonist. But his meticulous pencil drawings of political and pop culture figures including Hillary Clinton smoking a cigarette, Trump wearing earrings, Gollum from Lord of the Rings in a Make America Great Again hat have been seen in galleries and social media platforms around the world. Artist Deborah Kass, whose work is shown internationally, made a commemorative print for Clinton (offered by the campaign as a fundraiser) with the message Vote Hillary under an image of a scowling Trump. It's based on Andy Warhols Vote McGovern piece from 1972, Kass says. Its actually a piece I wanted to make for Bush, but this seemed like a better time to do it. Like Faireys Hope poster, the Warhol print has been used as a template by numerous artists. Gallerist and artist Robert Berman, of his eponymous gallery in Santa Monica, has made a series of election-year works based on Vote McGovern (which curator Helen Molesworth has put on view this election season at L.A.s Museum of Contemporary Art). In 2008, he used an image of George W. Bush for a Vote Obama print in collaboration with artist John Colao; in 2012, Berman chose to depict Mitt Romneys dog Seamus for his second Vote Obama. This year, like Kass, Berman chose a Trump image, but the Hillary in Vote Hillary is written above a crossed-out Bernie. David Gleeson, who with Mary Mihelic forms the art duo called t.Rutt, cites the late dissident and Czech President Vaclev Havel as part of his inspiration for purchasing the first campaign bus used by Trump for a traveling performance art series in which he and Mihelic interact with voters. He said if we are to change our worldview, images must change, Gleeson says of Havel. Artists have a very important job to do. Theyre not just out there entertaining rich people. They really matter. I dont pretend for one minute that my work will change anything or much at all in society, says Plastic Jesus. But if I can change one persons opinion or even consider other ways of looking at the issues in the news, then Ive done my job. This story is based on a project reported and produced by USC Annenberg School of Journalism graduate students Hannah Deitch, Stefanie De Leon Tzic Brian Marks and Ethan Varian. The story was written by Deitch. View the original project here. Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter WATCH: Get an inside look at the Los Angeles workshop of the innovative printmaker Mixografia ALSO Call it the LOLcat effect: Memes are the digital folklore of the 2016 election How Shepard Fairey's arrest provides a new look at an old question: Is it art or is it vandalism? Spray-paint revolution: The OutsideIn exhibition and how street art has bled into pop culture Yarn Bombing L.A. challenges ideas of street art Everyone agreed: Andy Warhol would have approved. Maurice Tuchman, 79, wound his way through a maze of darkened rooms inside Young Projects Gallery in West Hollywood as torrents of digital rain wooshed down around him. Embracing the virtual storm, Tuchman planted himself in the center of one room, arms outstretched as if to catch the falling water in his open palms. Classical piano music and the cacophony of rushing rain echoed throughout the gallery, as the sparkly droplets of light danced around him. They bounced off his silvery hair, his squared shoulders, the tips of his leather shoes, glinting as they cascaded from the ceiling. Tuchman was founding curator of modern art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where, in the 1960s, he was a pioneer of experimentation in art and technology. On this walk-through of the immersive rain installation, he was speechless. The only thoughts that came to mind as he surveyed the room, eyes wide like an amazed child, were of his former collaborator, Warhol. Wow, Andy would have loved this, Tuchman said in a New York accent reminiscent of Billy Crystal in its cadence. He woulda gone nuts. Advertisement In 1967 Tuchman created LACMAs groundbreaking Art + Technology program, which during its four-year run paired contemporary artists with corporations innovating in technology to create boundary-pushing installations. As part of that initiative, Tuchman worked with Warhol and Cowles Communications on the artists then-cutting edge installation, Rain Machine (Daisy Waterfall), a wall of 3D lenticular panels with a daisy print in front of real water coursing from suspended spray nozzles. The piece debuted in the United States Pavilion at Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan. An updated version one giant daisy per panel instead of four, accentuating the 3D effect had its U.S. premiere at LACMA in 1971. Its been exhibited extensively over the decades, most recently at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo in 2014, but Rain Machine hasnt been shown in L.A. in 45 years. Tuchman and his wife, Adlin De Domingo, own Rain Machine and decided it was time to exhibit it in L.A. again but with a twist. They collaborated with L.A.-based Turkish artist Refik Anadol, who re-imagined the piece with digital rain. Artist Refik Anadol and his digital rain at Young Projects. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times ) After working with Anadol remotely for months on the installation, which will be on view at Young Projects in the Pacific Design Center through February, Tuchman and De Domingo recently saw the finished piece for the first time during a late-night test run. Its beautiful. Ive always had a fascination with immersiveness in art, with the feeling of being in it, De Domingo said. Refiks work is amazing. The way he does the rain he really achieves it. Tuchman is more succinct: Fan-tastic, he said, surveying the room. Andy woulda been blown away. Blown. Away. Warhol created four versions of Rain Machine. The first, from Expo 70, and the updated incarnation, which showed at LACMA, were destroyed by the artworks falling water, which splashed on the 3D panels for the roughly six-month period each piece was exhibited. No one, including me, was intelligent enough to put Plexiglas up, Tuchman said. There was no water protection at all. At the end of six months, it was scissored and trashed. In 1983, Tuchman purchased the remaining two Rain Machines identical to what showed at LACMA from Warhol. He donated one to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh for its 1994 opening, but the piece was damaged in storage in the mid-90s and no longer exists. The version now showing at Young Projects is the only Rain Machine left. Except for the digital augmentation, the piece has been reinstalled almost to a T, complete with a front-facing trough to catch falling water. Anadols immersive rainstorm, however, covers more than just the immediate space in front of the 3D panels, per the original. It fills the entire 3,000-square-foot exhibition space. The viewer must walk through multiple rooms of roaring rain, and down a long, mirrored hallway flanked by raging storms, to get to the Warhol piece, which sits at the far end of the last room, bathed in ethereal light behind a transparent wall of simulated cascading water. Warhol was looking for a ghostly effect, he was thinking a lot about light, Anadol said. Were projecting onto pitch darkness, this nonspace. Weve achieved ghostly. Theres also a small, self-contained Rain Room inside the installation. Its 12 feet by 12 feet and mirrored on three sides. Much as it begs the nickname the other Rain Room, its not a nod to the British art collective Random Internationals Rain Room at LACMA, which uses real, recycled water. If anything, its the counter version to it, Anadol said. I saw it in New York at MOMA, it was beautiful, Anadol said. They used real water. Its more interesting, personally to me, using light as a material. Its more magical and probably more the sense of what they were trying to do in the 70s. Collaborating, posthumously, with Warhol, is like a dream, Anadol said. Its super meaningful. Hes one of those artists who [shapes] peoples minds and changes perceptions of contemporary art. De Domingo, a fan of virtual reality and digital augmentation in art, discovered Anadols work through a friend. She felt he was a natural fit for the project. With Rain Machine, Warhol was pairing photographic technology with organic matter. Anadols work, which has appeared in Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hammer Museum in L.A., among other places, often merges digital art and the natural or architectural environment in which its staged. The beauty of this is its totally artificial, augmented reality. But it feels real. Artist Refik Anadol After De Domingo watched Anadols 2014 Disney Hall multimedia presentation Visions of America: Ameriques online, she and Tuchman visited his L.A. studio. Anadol, whose work debuted in the U.S. at Young Projects in 2013, brought the gallery in, which specializes in staging elaborate digital installations. Paul Young totally reconfigured his gallery for the exhibition, removing walls and building new ones so that Anadol could use the physical space as his canvas, painting with light and computer code. His rainstorms arent on a loop; instead, Anadol created algorithms, with turbulence embedded into them, resulting in an infinite variety of computer-generated weather patterns. The five synchronized projections in the piece play on multipaneled scrims, walls and mirrors around the gallery, creating visual depth and an infinity effect. A multi-channel soundscape of rain, wind and music plays on 14 speakers throughout the gallery. None of the drops fall in exactly the same way, Anadol said. The installations especially precise laser projectors, donated by Epson America for the project, were key to realizing his vision, which is a history-meets-the-future gesture, Anadol said. Not only is the piece a digital update of Warhols 20th century work, its an ode to LACMAs Art + Technology program itself, which the museum revived three years ago and which is considered a touchstone for new media artists today, Anadol said. So many artists who use technology in the media arts scene were inspired by that movement, Anadol said. Replacing real water with light is meant to be a statement about water conservation and to further the environmental dialogue Warhol broached with the piece. We really need the rain, the water is so precious, Anadol said. The beauty of this is its totally artificial, augmented reality. But it feels real. As the test run of Rain Machine wrapped up, Tuchman paused at the gallerys exit, taking one last long look at the storm of light and shadows. Oh my goodness gracious. He woulda been happy, Tuchman said of Warhol, shaking his head. Really? Thats so meaningful to hear, Anadol said. No question, Tuchman said. Andy woulda looked at this and just said: Wow. ------------ Rain Machine Where: Young Projects Gallery, Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave. #B230, West Hollywood When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Friday, by appointment Saturdays and Mondays, through February Information: (323) 377-1102, www.youngprojectsgallery.com deborah.vankin@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @debvankin Laurie Anderson and Todd Haynes are honored at Hammer Museum gala, where the talk turns political Ode to an avant-garde Japanese dance legend, performed with body and soul Zoot Suits Luis Valdez on how Gordon Davidson brought civil rights to the American theater Tacita Deans remarkable hand-drawn cloud prints at Gemini G.E.L. Art and citizenship. Cuban posters. Vintage photos of travel through China. Plus: a new wing at the Huntington Library and a line-up of new shows at the California African American Museum. Here are nine exhibitions and events to check out in the coming week: S/Election, at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery. Because too much election is never enough, the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery has put together a broad group show that examines issues of citizenship, identity, immigration and criminal justice. The show includes work by such socially and politically minded artists such as Jennifer Moon, Charles Gaines, Olga Koumoundouros and Ruben Ortiz-Torres. Opens today and runs through Jan. 8. 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, lamag.org. A view of one of the Huntington Librarys new American art galleries. (The Huntington Library) (Test) Becoming America: Highlights from the Jonathan and Karin Fielding Collection, at the Huntington Library. The Huntington has just redone its American art galleries and now features a new expansion by architects at Frederick Fisher and Partners that adds eight rooms for display. Up first will be an exhibition devoted to the Fielding Collection, featuring more than 200 works of 18th and early 19th century American art, including paintings, furnishings and decorative art. While youre at the museum, pop in to see the show Real American Places: Edward Weston & Leaves of Grass, which features the portfolio of photographs that Weston made to accompany Walt Whitmans seminal poem. Becoming America opens on Saturday and runs indefinitely; Weston runs through March 20. 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, huntington.org. Black With a Drop of Red: Contemporary Cuban Poster Work, at the Fowler Museum. A group show brings together poster designs by 18 graphic artists who have created broadsides for everything from Cuban cultural happenings to U.S. movies all in stark shades of white, black and red. Through Jan. 22. 308 Charles E. Young Dr. N., Westwood, Los Angeles, fowler.ucla.edu. Kindred, 2014, by ruby onyinyechi amanze at the California African American Museum. (ruby onyinyechi amanze / Tiwani Contemporary) (Test) Ease of Fiction, at the California African American Museum. The museum is debuting an entire slate of new shows, which seems to include a little bit of something for everyone starting with Ease of Fiction, a group exhibition that features work by four African artists exploring the fine line between the invented and the real. Also on view is the debut museum exhibition of Los Angeles artist Genevieve Gagnard, whose photographs question notions of blackness and whiteness, and a beguiling room-sized installation by Hank Willis Thomas that recasts the symbols of the Confederate flag in the colors of black nationalism and projects them in tune with a soundtrack of spoken-word audio. Through Feb. 19. 600 State Dr., Exposition Park, Los Angeles, caamuseum.org. Jason Revok, Systems, at Library Street Collective. The graffiti artist known as Revok is exhibiting his first ever works on canvas in a pop-up exhibition in Mid-City that brings together 17 pieces informed by his work on the street. Opens Saturday and runs through Nov. 12. 5428 W. Washington Blvd., lscgallery.com. China: Through the Lens of John Thompson, at CSUN Art Galleries. In the late 19th century, photographer and travel writer John Thomson traveled through China, taking plenty of pictures along the way. These are now the subject of an exhibition that showcases his eye as an astute travel photographer. Opens Saturday and runs through Oct. 24. Cal State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, csun.edu. In Conversation: Mark Bradford and Naima J. Keith, at the California African American Museum. The L.A. painter, who will be representing the U.S. at the upcoming Venice Biennale, is joining CAAMs new deputy director for a discussion about the role of artists in cultural development, among other topics. Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. 600 State Dr., Exposition Park, Los Angeles, facebook.com and caamuseum.org. Conversations: Eileen Myles & Jill Soloway, at the Hammer Museum. Poet, novelist and performer Eileen Myles joins the creator of Amazons Transparent for a discussion about ways of representing queerness in literature and mass media. Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood, Los Angeles, hammer.ucla.edu. In Real Life: 100 Days of Film and Performance, at the Hammer Museum. This 4 1/2-month program is bringing a series of screenings, performances, film and video to the museum during a remodel. This weekends program includes a performance by Dan Levenson which will consist of a three-hour class of his Swiss modernist academy, an institution of his own invention. Through Jan. 25. Check the schedule for events and times. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood, hammer.ucla.edu. LAST CHANCE Installations by Abraham Cruzvillegas at Regen Projects. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times ) Abraham Cruzvillegas, Autoconcancion, at Regen Projects. In his work, the Mexican artist has long riffed on the improvised nature of Latin American informal architecture so-called autoconstrucciones. For his second show at Regen, Cruzvillegas is exploring similar territory, though on this occasion, he is employing the backseat of every car he has ever used (a nod to SoCal car culture). These will be affixed to planters bearing plantings from our region. Through Saturday. 6750 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, regenprojects.com. James Richards, Hack the Analog, at Shoshana Wayne Gallery. A series of new paintings play with their structure in pieces that function partially as sculpture and partially as weaving. Through Saturday. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., B1, Santa Monica, shoshanawayne.com. Edith Beaucage, Sequencer, Spectrum, Reverb, at Luis De Jesus Los Angeles. In loose, wild brush strokes, the L.A. artist captures figures in hallucinatory landscapes that evoke a painted rave. Also on view will be an exhibition of photographs and large-scale video by Bryan Zanisnik, a New York-based artist preoccupied by the architecture of monuments and theatrical sets. Through Saturday. 2685 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, luisdejesus.com. A detail from Overland 18, by Fran Siegel, part of a series of multimedia drawings that map the Los Angeles environment, at ACME in Los Angeles. (Fran Siegel / ACME) (Fran Siegel / ACME ) Fran Siegel, Reconstruction, at ACME. The artist creates elaborate pieces that integrate drawing, cut-outs and collaging to capture the urban environment on a massive scale. In a new series of works going on view at the gallery, Siegel sets her sights on Los Angeles, capturing patterns of migration, settlement and evolution. A new way to see the city that surrounds us. Through Saturday. 6150 Wilshire Blvd., Carthay, Los Angeles, acemlosangeles.com. Clint Woodside, Under Cover Cars, at These Days L.A. The artists first solo exhibitions gathers five years worth of images chronicling SoCal cars draped in all manner of plastics and tarps. Through Sunday. 118 Winston St., 2nd Floor, downtown Los Angeles, thesedaysla.com. ONGOING EXHIBITIONS An installation view of the Hanne Darboven exhibition at Sprth Magers in Los Angeles (Joshua White / Spruth Magers) (Joshua White / Sprth Magers ) Hanne Darboven, at Spruth Magers. The first solo exhibition devoted to the German conceptualists work in half a dozen years contains three installations that riff on the nature of time and other concepts through monumental pieces laden with obsessively detailed charts and calendars. This includes work dating to the 1970s (Darboven died in 2009). Through Oct. 29. 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, spruethmagers.com. Michelle Kingdom, at bG Gallery. Kingdom takes embroidery and gives it a surreal twist, using it to create scenes a figure hovering over a crowd of faceless women, for example that are as strange as they are fantastical. Through Oct. 29. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., G8A, Santa Monica, santamonica.bgartdealings.com. Fort Greene, at Venus. Organized by Adrianne Rubenstein, director of the Canada gallery in New York, the exhibition charts the web of visual and other connections among a group of New York artists. Of particular interest are the enigmatic geometric assemblages of Sarah Braman, the slightly magical paintings of Alex Chaves, the vibrant domestic settings of Bella Foster and a sculpture of John Waters head by John De Fazio that also doubles as a bong. Heady all around. Through Oct. 29. 601 S. Anderson St., Boyle Heights, venusovermanhattan.com. Tom Knechtel, Astrolabe, at Marc Selwyn Fine Art. The artist, known for theatrical pieces that often border on the surreal (think: wrestlers in skirts and humans with bird heads) is unveiling three new paintings as well as a series of intimate new drawings consisting largely of portraiture and self-portraiture areas that this master draftsman had not previously explored. Through Oct. 29. 9953 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, marcselwynfineart.com. Mira Schor, War Frieze (1991-1994) and Power Frieze (2016), at CB1 Gallery. Schor, the New York-based feminist artist who first made her name in the 70s at the California Institute of the Arts, is back in L.A. with a new selection of paintings that riff on art world politics and the body. A separate space features her historic work War Frieze, created between 1991 and 1994, a series of panels that, when presented together, run more than 200 feet. Through Oct. 30. 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, cb1gallery.com. Shift and Fade, at BLAM. A group show features a series of large-scale installations as well as 21 small sculptures, made by artists who often dont work in that medium. The show includes Kio Griffiths intriguing mappings related to a World War II-era battle in the Pacific in which her ancestors fought on opposing sides, as well as the intricate, woven drawings of San Pedro-based artist Fran Siegel. Through Oct. 30. There will be an artist talk with Shana Nys Dambrot on Oct. 30. 1950 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, blamprojects.com. Tom Knechtel, The Reader of His Own Self, at CB1 Gallery. The Los Angeles artist renowned for rendering fantastically detailed paintings that seem to channel William Blake and Hieronymus Bosch in equal parts is displaying a selection of prints and drawings produced throughout his career including new works that riff on the personal, such as two prints created especially for the show. The exhibition also serves as a prelude to a show of the artists paintings that will open at Marc Selwyn in Beverly Hills next week. Opens Saturday at 3 p.m. and runs through Oct. 30. 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, cb1gallery.com. Henry Taylor paintings installed in a stage set of an urban vacant lot. (Henry Taylor / Blum & Poe) (Blum & Poe) Henry Taylor, at Blum & Poe. The artists latest solo exhibition features a series of new paintings and sculptures displayed in three unique environments that tackle ideas of class including a dirt lot and a grassy lawn. As part of the exhibition, he will also be screening a film by friend and collaborator Kahlil Joseph, who last year hypnotized with his installation Double Conscience at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles. The gallery will also be having a concurrent show of the early sign paintings of Mark Grotjahn. Through Nov. 5. 2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, blumandpoe.com. Marnie Weber, Chapel of the Moon, at Gavlak Gallery. The Los Angeles artist has created a cast of mythical characters employed in her first feature film a modern-day fairy tale titled The Day of Forevermore, which recently screened at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel and these serve as the source of a new series of multimedia works at the gallery. Expect works that play with fantasy, reality and the mildly satanic. Through Nov. 5. 1034 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, gavlakgallery.com. Wu Tsang, The Luscious Land of God Is Sinking, at 356 Mission. The L.A.-based filmmaker and performer is screening her recent film, Duilian, about a Chinese feminist revolutionary who was executed for attempting to foment revolution in the early 20th century. She will also be showing new sculptures, photographs and a limestone plaque that will be embedded in the sidewalk out front. Through Nov. 6. 356 S. Mission Road, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, 356mission.com. Dissent: What They Fear Is the Light, at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions. A group show explores issues of privacy, control and surveillance in our hyper-connected, always-logged-on digital world. Through Nov. 6. 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, welcometolace.org. Karon Davis, Pain Management, at Wilding Cran Gallery. Employing plaster casts and shredded medicine bills, the artist has re-created the hospital environment that her husband, artist Noah Davis, was forced to inhabit as the result of a fatal illness. (He died last summer.) These are used to create a series of figurative sculptures that conjure notions of preservation and mummification. Through Nov. 12. 939 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, wildingcran.com. An installation view of photographer Lewis Baltzs monumental work, Docile Bodies. (Gallery Luisotti) (Gallery Luisotti ) Lewis Baltz, Docile Bodies, at Gallery Luisotti. In 1994, the renowned California photographer created a monumental photographic installation titled Docile Bodies, which combined images of surveillance with fragments of human bodies. The work has not been shown in the U.S. since 1998, when the Museum of Contemporary Art displayed it. Now, Gallery Luisotti has reassembled it and placed it on view. Through Nov. 12. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Building A2, Santa Monica, galleryluisotti.com. He/She/They, at Rosegallery. A group exhibition gathers works by photographers whose subjects go beyond the simple gender binary of male and female. Included is a range of imagery produced by a diverse group of artists that includes Diane Arbus, Antonio Caballero, Yasumasa Morimura and Jo Ann Callis depicting the fluid nature of gender, from drag queens to female impersonators to androgyny of all kinds. Through Nov. 12. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., G-5, Santa Monica, rosegallery.net. London Calling, at the Getty Museum. Drawn primarily from the collection of the Tate in London, this exhibition brings together six of the leading British painters of the 20th century, figures who resisted trends toward abstraction to focus on the figure, revolutionizing the act of painting in the process. Through Nov. 13. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Deborah Remington, Life Drawing: A Life in Drawing, 1950-2006, at Parrasch Heijnen. A hard-edge abstractionist who came to prominence in the 1960s in San Francisco, Remington studied with the likes of Clyfford Still, David Park and Elmer Bischoff at the California School of Fine Arts (later the San Francisco Art Institute). Her intensive drawings feature floating, shield-like shapes images that speak to Surrealism as much as they do to the machine age. The new show gathers more than 30 works from 56 years of practice. Through Nov. 26. 1326 S. Boyle Ave., Boyle Heights, parrasch-heijnen.com. Guillermo del Toro: At Home With Monsters, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The filmmakers work which includes movies such as Pans Labyrinth, Hellboy and Pacific Rim all play with notions of the fantastical. This exhibition looks at the directors artistic process, including plenty of drawings and maquettes, along with the objects that inspire him (including some truly odd and macabre works from LACMAs permanent collection). These are presented in a series of thematic rooms that explore magic, occultism, death and monsters. A totally wild ride. Through Nov. 27. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, lacma.org. Marcos Ramirez ERRE and David Taylor, Delimitations: A Survey of the 1821 United States-Mexico Border, at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. In 2014, Ramirez and Taylor set out on a more than 3,000-mile journey to mark the 1821 border between the U.S. and Mexico, which took them to unlikely places such as Medicine Bow, Wyo., and Dodge City, Kan. This exhibition presents photography and other documentation from that journey, one that looks at the fragile nature of political borders. Also on view will be the wild urban architecture-inspired sculptures of L.A. artist Ruben Ochoa rising like monsters from the gallery floor. A pair of shows not to miss. Through Nov. 27. Jacobs Building, 1100 Kettner Blvd., downtown San Diego, mcasd.org. Maggie Lee, Gigis Underground, at 356 Mission. Constructed out of the artists personal archive, this debut film consists of a portrait of the artist before and after her mothers sudden death. Through Nov. 27. 356 S. Mission Road, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, 356mission.com. Kemerovo, Soviet Russia, March 16, 1991, from Keizo Kitajimas Soviet Union photographs at Little Big Man Gallery. (Keizo Kitajima / Little Big Man) (Test) Keizo Kitajima, New Street History, at Little Big Man Gallery. A new exhibition devoted to the Japanese photographer gathers 25 modern and vintage prints from the esteemed artists series devoted to Tokyo and New York, shot in the late 70s and early 80s which included gritty shots taken in nightclubs and on the street. There are also images from later projects completed in the Soviet Union and one that focused on people and architecture. Through Nov. 27. 1427 E. Fourth St., Boyle Heights, littlebigmangallery.com. A Generosity of Spirit: Celebrating the Gift of Eugene Rogolsky, at the Fisher Museum. The Angeleno acquired an eclectic range of works over the course of his years as a patron, including photography and paintings. One of the highlights: The significant number of works by prominent Chicano painter Carlos Almaraz. Through Dec. 3. USC, 823 W. Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park, Los Angeles, fisher.usc.edu. American Mosaic: Picturing Modern Art Through the Eye of Duncan Phillips, at the Orange County Museum of Art. In the early 20th century, at a time when many U.S. moguls were focusing on amassing European masters, banking and steel scion Duncan Phillips focused his collecting efforts on American art, acquiring canvases by now venerated painters such as Thomas Eakins, Marsden Hartley, Winslow Homer, Georgia OKeeffe and Helen Frankenthaler. This exhibition brings together more than five dozen works from his collection. Through Dec. 4. 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, ocma.net. The Spun Universe: Wixarika (Huichol) Yarn Paintings, at the Fowler Museum. A new show gathers the brightly woven yarn paintings of Wixarika artist Ramon Medina Silva, known for his elaborate compositions depicting astral figures, holy plants and important ritual objects, all crafted with brilliant threads. Through Dec. 4. UCLA, 308 Charles E. Young Drive N., Westwood, Los Angeles, fowler.ucla.edu. Jud Fine and Barbara McCarren, AND/OR, at the University Art Museum. A survey exhibition includes works old and new by the L.A.-based art-making couple. This features a number of pieces related to such topics as offshore banking and the nature of currency, and a new installation, Continental Edge Dwellers (CED), that explores the coast that blurry line between land and water. Its a good subject to marinate in at a time when Californias coast is subject to struggles over development. Through Dec. 11. Cal State Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, web.csulb.edu/org/uam. Yulya Dukhovny, Fishermans Dream: The World in Miniature, at Grand Central Art Center. Inspired by the traditional paper theaters of 19th century Europe, the artist has created her own version of the form, but uses it to stage narratives with a contemporary twists. The installation includes sets and video as well as regular theatrical performances that feature unique musical compositions. Through Dec. 11. 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, grandcentralartcenter.com. Betye Saar, Black White, at Roberts & Tilton. The grand dame of L.A. assemblage art (who is about to open a one-woman show at the Prada Foundation in Milan) is showing four decades worth of sculptures and wall pieces in the gallerys project space transformed to reflect both the colors and politics of black and white. Also on view will be the abstract paintings of Evan Nesbit. Through Dec. 17. 5801 Washington Blvd., Culver City, robertsandtilton.com. Thomas Hirschhorn: Stand-alone, at the Mistake Room. In his first solo installation in L.A., the Swiss artist has transformed the gallery into a chaotic, immersive environment crafted from cardboard, old armchairs and sofas and stocked with a carefully chosen selection of books. The artist is known for re-conceiving the idea of monuments into often humbly crafted installations (think: duct tape) that require the participation of a viewer to complete. Through Dec. 17. 1811 E. 20th St., downtown Los Angeles, tmr.la. Sleep, David Adamo: Untitled and Devin Farrand: Heft, at Ibid Gallery. The gallery debuts its new space in Boyle Heights this weekend with several new exhibitions, including a group show that riffs on the idea of sleep, as well as a pair of solos devoted to the work of sculptor David Adamo and the abstractions of Devin Farrand. Through Oct. 29. Adamos exhibition and Sleep are on view through Dec. 17. 670 S. Anderson St., Boyle Heights, ibidgallery.com. Paul Sietsema, at Matthew Marks Gallery. The artists first solo exhibition in L.A. in more than a dozen years includes new paintings and drawings, as well as two recent films. The show is partly built around the color green, featuring one work of pure abstraction and another made with euro banknotes. The film Abstract composition, in the meantime, animates phrases from online auction sites. Through Dec. 23. 1062 N. Orange Grove, West Hollywood, matthewmarks.com. Maria Lassnig, A Painting Survey, 1950-2007, at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel. This is the first Los Angeles solo exhibition for the late Austrian artist, known for her inventively weird figurative paintings. The show traces the artists journey over a nearly six-decade period, from her early abstractions to the mildly distorted, even cartoonish, paintings of people and settings that are more about capturing psychological states of being than rendering exact figures. Through Dec. 31. 901 E. 3rd St., downtown Los Angeles, hauserwirthschimmel.com. Schauspieler (Actor), 2016, by Isa Genzken. (Isa Genzken / Hauser & Wirth and Galerie Buchholz Cologne / ARS) (Test) Isa Genzken, I Love Michael Asher, at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel. This is the German artists first solo exhibition in California featuring a new body of work (teetering assemblages crafted from bits of architectural and other detritus). It also pays tribute to an artist by whom she was moved and inspired: California-born conceptualist Michael Asher, who was known for architectural interventions that reconfigured physical and social ideas of space. The gallery also has a traveling exhibition titled Schwitters Miro Arp, that brings together works by renowned European Dadaists Kurt Schwitters, Joan Miro and Hans Arp. Sounds pretty boss. Through Dec. 31. 901 E. Third St., downtown Los Angeles, hauserwirthschimmel.com. MOLAA at Twenty: 1996-2016, at the Museum of Latin American Art. The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach is celebrating two decades in existence with a show that draws from the museums permanent collection of more than 1,600 objects. These include works by renowned Modernists Joaqiun Torres-Garcia and Wifredo Lam, Argentine conceptualist Len Ferrari as well as contemporary figures such as Alexandre Arrechea and Patssi Valdez. Through Jan. 1. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, molaa.org. The Art of Alchemy, at the Getty Museum. An exhibition at the Getty examines the art of alchemy an area of study described as science tinged with spirituality and infused with a spritz of artistic spirit dating from its origins in Greco-Roman antiquity to the Industrial Age. Alchemy was also closely tied to the production of pigments and colored inks, serving an important role in the production of art. Thats the subject of the related show: The Alchemy of Color on Medieval Manuscripts, takes on. Through Jan. 1. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Drawing: The Art of Change, at the Getty Museum. An exhibition of drawings from the Gettys permanent collection looks at the ways in which artists employ revision and change in their works. Through Jan. 1. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Ernesto Yerena Montejano, Espejismo/Cicatriz, at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes. A series of intensely detailed, layered collages by the Los Angeles-based artist explore issues of identity in the Latino community. Through Jan. 1. 501 N. Main St., downtown Los Angeles, lapca.org. Senses of Time: Video and Film-Based Works of Africa, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. For one of its long-term installations, the museum has gathered works of video or film by contemporary African artists that explore the body and the looping nature of time. This includes pieces by figures such as Yinka Shonibare, Sammy Baloji, Berni Searle, Moatax Nasr and Theo Eshetu. Through Jan. 2. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, lacma.org. An installation view of Jasper Johns Black Numeral Series (09), 1968/70 at the Gemini G.E.L. show at LACMA. (Museum Associates / Jasper Johns & Gemini G.E.L. / VAGA) (Museum Associates / Jasper Johns & Gemini G.E.L. / VAGA) The Serial Impulse at Gemini G.E.L., at LACMA. Over the course of five decades, the innovative Los Angeles print studio has produced historic limited edition works for renowned artists such as Richard Serra, Claes Oldenburg, Vija Celmins, David Hockney and Robert Rauschenberg. Now the museum, in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, brings together some of the most exquisite examples of work produced at the famed West Hollywood shop, including Rauschenbergs 1967 print, Booster, a 6-foot-tall print that in its day was the largest art print ever made. Do not miss Oldenburgs pieces, which ruminate on the nature of Los Angeles.Through Jan. 2. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, lacma.org. The Rat Bastard Protective Association, at the Landing. The Rat Bastard Protective Association was a close-knit group of now well-known California artists including Bruce Conner, Jay DeFeo, Wallace Berman and Joan Brown that worked together in a building dubbed Painterland in San Francisco. Anastasia Aukeman, who wrote a book on the group Welcome to Painterland: Bruce Conner and the Rat Bastard Protective Association has organized an exhibition that brings the groups works together for the first time since the late 1950s. Through Jan. 7. 5118 W. Jefferson Blvd., West Adams, thelandinggallery.com. Kay Sekimachi, Simple Complexity, at the Craft & Folk Art Museum. The museum has gathered a lifetimes worth of work from the 1960s to today of this innovative Bay Area fiber artist. Through Jan. 8. 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, cafam.org. The Drawing Show, at the A+D Architecture and Design Museum. A new exhibition gathers drawings by architects who use the medium as an exploratory tool in their design practices. This includes images that channel everything from geometric abstraction to the weirdly biomorphic. Architects featured include figures such as Pritzker Prize-winner Thom Mayne, as well as Kyle Miller, Anthony Morey and Bryan Cantley. Through Jan. 8. 900 E. Fourth St., downtown Los Angeles, aplusd.org. Radio Imagination: Artists in the Archive of Octavia E. Butler, at the Armory Center for the Arts. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the death of sci-fi writer Octavia Butler. As part of this exhibition, which is organized by Clockshop, seven contemporary artists have created work inspired by the items in Butlers archive, held by the Huntington Library. The new pieces include drawings, a sound installation, sculpture and even a musical work, which will premiere at the exhibitions opening. Also on view will be an exhibition of sculptures and video by Harry Dodge making this a most excellent two-fer. This evening at 7:30 p.m., the museum will bring together writer Lynell George and artist Connie Samaras for a conversation about the authors life and legacy. Through Jan. 8. 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, armoryarts.org. Doug Aitken, Electric Earth, at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The L.A. artists first North American museum survey features an array of collage, photographic and video installation works from throughout his career including the cinematic Song 1, from 2012, screening on a massive circular screen, and Electric Earth, the 1999 video installation that earned him the International Prize at the Venice Biennale.Through Jan. 15. Geffen Contemporary, 152 N. Central Ave., downtown Los Angeles, moca.org. Truc Anh: Vacuphilia, at Varola. The first exhibition by the Vietnamese-French artist features paintings and installations that feature bodies and body parts inhabiting an abstracted world of black and white. Through Jan. 20. Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., Ste. B256, West Hollywood, helenvarola.com. Beatriz Cortez, Nomad World, at the Vincent Price Art Museum. The L.A.-based artist and cultural critic has transformed the gallery space at the museum into an arcade that picks apart global capitalism. A fortune-telling booth, a pinball machine and a jukebox have been pulled apart and put back together, in ways that grapple with issues such as migration, economics and identity. Through Jan. 28. East Los Angeles College, 1301 Cesar Chavez Ave., Monterey Park, vincentpriceartmuseum.org. An exvoto created by an unknown artist in the late 19th century, part of an exhibition of art work inspired by the Virgin of Guadalupe at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. (Museo de la Baslica de Guadalupe) (Test) Virgin of Guadalupe: Images in Colonial Mexico, at the Bowers Museum. This exhibition looks at the extraordinary impact of the Virgin of Guadalupe on Mexican culture, history and iconography through more than 60 artworks, including objects from the virgins basilica in Mexico City, as well as a sacred reliquary that contains a portion of the garment worn by Juan Diego, the indigenous peasant who first saw the virgin in an apparition. Through Jan. 29. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, bowers.org California Wood Artists, at the Maloof Foundation. A group show gathers wooden objects created by nearly 40 California wood artists, from one-of-a-kind furnishing to elaborate marquetry inspired by Google searches. Through Feb. 11. 5131 Carnelian St., Alta Loma, malooffoundation.org. Nkame: A Retrospective of Cuban Printmaker Belkis Ayon, at the Fowler Museum. The Cuban visual artist was known for powerful pieces inspired by the visual iconography of the founding myths of Abakua, an Afro-Cuban fraternal society. Over her short life (she died at age 32 in 1999), she produced a voluminous number of prints and collages in shades of black and white that convey scenes that are both magical and enigmatic. Through Feb. 12. UCLA, 308 Charles Young Drive North, Westwood, Los Angeles, fowler.ucla.edu. States of Mind: Picasso Lithographs, 1945-1960, at the Norton Simon Museum. Drawn from the museums holdings of more than 700 Picasso prints, this exhibition gathers works made in the immediate postwar years, many of which sequentially depict the artists process as he made changes and revisions. Moreover, many of the works are being seen for the first time in 40 years. Through Feb. 13. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, nortonsimon.org. In the Land of Sunshine: Imaging the California Coast World, at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. Covering a period that begins in the mid-19th century and spans to today, this exhibition covers beach culture up and down our states more than 800-mile coast from playful abstractions of the shoreline to expressive watercolors that will make you practically taste the salt air. Through Feb. 19. 490 E. Union St., Pasadena, pmcaonline.org. Tastemakers and Earthshakers: Notes on Los Angeles Youth Culture, 1943-2016, at Vincent Price Art Museum. A multimedia exhibition organized by the museums new director, Pilar Tompkins Rivas, looks at eight decades of youth culture from the pachucos and pachucas of the 40s, to the connections between Los Angeles and British youth culture, to the emergence of social spaces geared at youth. In addition to work by more than 35 area artists, the exhibition also features documentary photography, video and other cultural ephemera. Through Feb. 25. East Los Angeles College, 1301 Cesar Chavez Ave., Monterey Park, vincentpriceartmuseum.org. Pop for the People: Roy Lichtenstein in Los Angeles, at the Skirball Cultural Center. A new exhibition of the pop artist looks at more than 70 works spanning four decades, many of which are connected to Los Angeles and the artists collaboration with important print studios here including Gemini G.E.L. and Tamarind Lithography Workshop. Through March 12. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Brentwood, Los Angeles, skirball.org. Toba Khedoori, Untitled (doors), 1995. (LACMA) (LACMA ) Toba Khedoori, at the L.A. County Museum of Art. This is the first major museum survey of the L.A.-based artist, known for her painstaking draftsmanship and enigmatic drawings and paintings. Her works often feature architectural elements, landscape, smoke and flame in ways that play with negative space and toy with meaning. Through Mar. 19. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, lacma.org. Non Fiction at the Underground Museum. An emotionally charged exhibition curated by the late Noah Davis, in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles brings together works that explore issues of race and violence. This includes important works from MOCAs permanent collection by artists such as Robert Gober, Kara Walker, Henry Taylor and David Hammons. Through March. 3508 W. Washington Blvd., Arlington Heights, Los Angeles, theunderground-museum.org. Islamic Art Now: Part 2 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Contemporary works from LACMAs permanent collection by 20 artists who live in or have roots in the Middle East look at questions of society, gender and identity. Runs indefinitely. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, lacma.org. Loris Greaud, Sculpt, at the L.A. County Museum of Art. The entire theater has been taken over by the European artist for a film that screens to only one person at a time. The nonlinear picture follows a man about whom we know very little, who seems to be constantly developing the concept of what experiencing beauty, thought, or obsession can be, according the write-up. Times critic Christopher Knight describes it as pretentious and uninvolving. A good hate-watch, maybe? On view through a yet to be determined date. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, lacma.org. Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter Find me on Twitter @cmonstah. Cable network SundanceTV was founded two decades ago as a place where viewers could experience the films shown at Robert Redfords famous festival in Park City, Utah. Starting Nov. 7, it will also be the home of such TV icons as Mary Tyler Moore, Archie Bunker and Hawkeye Pierce. Some film buffs will cringe at the idea of mass-market network hits including M*A*S*H, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show and The Andy Griffith Show appearing in the daytime lineup of a channel named after an institute that supports independent storytellers. Advertisement But for SundanceTV, its the latest move in a long-term strategy to convert from a premium niche movie channel to an ad-supported service with its own distinctive brand of programming the chosen route for many networks fighting the growing number of viewing alternatives online such as Netflix and Amazon. AMC Networks President and General Manager Charlie Collier, who added SundanceTV to his portfolio last year, said hes hoping that viewers who tune in for TV comfort food during the day (curated under the indie-ish moniker The Set) will come back for the one of the channels more adventurous original series, such as Rectify, which is entering its fourth and final season. Unabashedly, one of the reasons for this daytime strategy is to bring more people into Sundance to see the promotions for shows they do not know about, Collier said. SundanceTV, formerly known as the Sundance Channel, has slowly built a lineup of original shows since 2013, when it became an ad-supported network. This year the total is up to seven new original series, with plans to exceed that number in 2017. Collier has a track record with the formula, taking AMC from a vintage movie channel to a destination for distinctive award-winning series such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Tom Sepanski, North American director of naming and verbal identity for Landor, a brand consulting firm, said original programs are what define networks in todays crowded TV landscape of 200-plus cable channels and new streaming platforms by the day. As people get at their content in so many different ways, its becoming more program specific and less network specific, Sepanski said. Even HBO their viewers want their content a la carte. The Game of Thrones brand is gaining in strength and HBO is getting a lift from that. While SundanceTV adds original series, it has successfully built up its audience by programming Hollywood studio hits such as Air Force One and Jumanji along with the smaller, less well-known, independent films associated with the Sundance name. The channel has seen its target audience of 25-to-54-year-olds grow 27% in 2016 over the same period a year earlier, according to Nielsen data. SNL Kagan estimates that SundanceTVs revenue has gone from $84.2 million in 2012 the last year it was an ad-free premium channel to $151 million in 2015. SNL Kagan expects the channel to grow 21% this year to $174 million. (AMC does not break out SundanceTVs earnings and will not comment on whether its profitable). The move toward multiplex fare may rankle some of the art-house crowd who fondly remember SundanceTVs roots as a commercial-free haven for small-budget films. But Sundance needed to adapt in order to thrive in a rapidly changing TV industry. A purist who wants to bemoan that it has nothing to do with Sundance anymore thats their right, said Larry Aidem, who ran the network when it was called Sundance Channel and is now head of the film-streaming service Fandor. When it was sold for a gob-smacking multiple, it became AMCs asset and they can do what they want. Even as a fan of the original format, Aidem acknowledges that the future was not promising before the channel was acquired by AMC (then called Rainbow Media Holdings) in 2008 for nearly $500 million. Cable- and satellite-TV operators have become much tougher when negotiating how much theyll pay in fees to carry channels. If SundanceTV had remained a small niche player, it could have been forced off their systems. Over the last year under AMCs stewardship, SundanceTV has gained 1.2 million subscribers it now has 61 million while other cable channels have seen declines as a result of cord-cutting and a move by consumers to smaller and cheaper video subscription packages. AMC Network executives say the business improvement is going hand in hand with a concerted effort to preserve the Sundance brand. They are striving to make the SundanceTV originals with the kind of risk-taking creativity that an independent film audience would demand. They believe that viewers are catching on to their approach. Overwhelmingly weve heard from people who love our originals and thats where we connect with our audience, said Jan Diedrichsen, executive director of SundanceTV. Although Rectify has drawn modest ratings, it was lavished with critical acclaim and a Peabody Award over its first three seasons. (Robert Redford was a big supporter, Collier noted). The quiet, brooding series starring Aden Young as a man readjusting to society after spending 19 years in prison helped define the kind of programming the network was seeking. The channel has also taken some chances in its international co-productions. Deutschland 83, another Peabody Award winner, was shown in its original German with English subtitles. The program co-produced with RTL Television will return with another six-episode season. The channel is also moving into the true-crime genre with Murder in the Heartland: In Cold Blood Revisited. The four-part documentary examines the 1959 killing of a Kansas family that was depicted in the Academy Award-nominated 1967 film In Cold Blood, which will be presented in conjunction with the series. Such event programming can benefit from having the Sundance imprimatur. Its smart for them to be thinking about how to imbue some of the brand ethos into that content, Landors Sepanski said. They can do it by running things uncut or remastering the picture. Diedrichsen believes that the Sundance name has the power to elevate the classic TV reruns being added in daytime. Were not showcasing these shows as a nostalgia factor, Diedrichsen said. Were going to be celebrating what influences they had on television today. Each series will run in a block of episodes each day in their original lengths. Actors, writers, directors and producers will appear in segments to talk about how the shows broke barriers in their time and paved the way for current groundbreaking TV series. Although the classic shows were seen by millions of viewers in another age of television, Collier points out that show creators such as Norman Lear were considered mavericks in their time, a status that he believes will be appreciated by the SundanceTV audience. One of my favorite moments of the Sundance film festival last year was when Robert Redford and Norman Lear were on stage together talking about a documentary about Norman Lears life, Collier said. A groundbreaking show like All in the Family speaks to the core of the type of storytelling were trying to create. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio Fox News anchor Chris Wallace landed a permanent place on the presidential debate highlight reel when Republican nominee Donald Trump said he would not commit to accepting the results of the election. Wallace told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that he wasnt shocked by the answer when he queried Trump during Wednesdays event at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I have been covering Trump for a year and half, Wallace said Thursday. Ive learned to not be surprised by anything. But the veteran Washington journalist and first-time presidential debate moderator knew that the magnitude of the response required him to frame the question a second time. Advertisement I thought, You need to put this in historical context, which is why I asked a follow-up question about one of the long traditions of democracy the idea of the peaceful transfer of power and that we accept the results of the election, said Wallace. I wanted to put it in context so that it was clear that whatever Trump said, folks understood how unprecedented this would be. For Wallace, it was one of the debate highlights that earned him near unanimous kudos on social media, which have become digital versions of ancient Rome for moderators during this highly polarized presidential campaign season. (Ask Today co-anchor Matt Lauer, who was pilloried for his handling of the candidates at NBCs Commander-in-Chief Forum last month). Wallace, praised for driving Trump and his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, toward substantive discussion of issues, even got a thumbs up from Oprah Winfrey on Twitter. Wallace, 69, kept away from the Internet in the days leading up to the third, and final, presidential debate and had not yet surveyed the reviews before his return to Washington on Thursday morning. After the debate, he spent the rest of Wednesday evening at dinner with friends and family at the Sinatra restaurant in the Encore Resort. For the first time in two weeks, I allowed myself a glass of wine, and it was more than one glass, he said. Over that period, Wallace was immersed in preparation for the event watched by 71 million viewers making it the third-largest TV audience ever for a presidential debate. Aside from being a pivotal contest for Trump against Clinton, who has widened her lead in the polls, the event was an important milestone for Fox News. I take the line that somebody said from Vince Lombardi, He doesnt discriminate he treats us all like dogs. Thats my view on all politicians. Chris Wallace Wallace is the first Fox News anchor to moderate a presidential debate, even though the Fox News Channel has been the most-watched cable news network since 2002. I was not just representing myself and my show, but my news organization in a way that I suspect that most of my colleagues at the other debates networks didnt necessarily feel, he said. I had to do the job that I do and that a lot of my colleagues do everyday, to show people who take the easy way out and just dismiss Fox News and that they dont understand what we do everyday and the kind of journalism we practice. Wallace, the son of legendary 60 Minutes correspondent Mike Wallace, started covering Washington for the networks in the 1980s. After stints at NBC and ABC, he became one of the most high profile names to join Fox News in 2003. His weekly program Fox News Sunday, which also airs on the Fox broadcast network, ranks behind the other public affairs shows in the national ratings, but is occassionally No. 1 in the Washington, D.C., market, where the countrys movers and shakers are watching. While Fox News has built itself into a ratings and revenue monster by adding an ample serving of conservative commentary into its programming, Wallace has always worked hard to represent the straight-news gathering presented on the channel. Liberal critics and comedians often take shots at Fox & Friends and Sean Hannity for giving a free ride to Trump and other conservative political figures. But Republican politicians who believe they are entering friendly territory when they appear on Fox News Sunday have often been met with tough interrogations by Wallace. I take the line that somebody said from Vince Lombardi, He doesnt discriminate he treats us all like dogs, he said. Thats my view on all politicians. When former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, a former media consultant for Republican candidates, was running the division, Wallace said he was never told which guests to book or what questions to ask on Fox News Sunday. Im disappointed in Roger going to work for the Trump campaign. ... I havent talked to him since he left, and I wont talk to him. Chris Wallace But Wallace believes the reputation of Fox News was not helped by reports that Ailes was advising Trump on his campaign soon after leaving the company in July. Im disappointed in Roger going to work for the Trump campaign, he said. We have had to fight back for a lot of years against claims that were an arm of the Republican Party. We arent. Anybody who watches me on Fox News Sunday knows that Im not. I think it has given people who dont like Fox News in the first place something to talk about. It allows people to say, I told you so, when its not really true. When Wallace was first named as a moderator for the third debate, some pundits speculated it would somehow give Trump an advantage because of Ailes involvement. But Wallace has not had any contact with Ailes since he left. I havent talked to him since he left, and I wont talk to him, he said. Wallace said Fox News has not approached the news any differently since the departure of Ailes. Fox News Co-Presidents Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy were on hand in Las Vegas to show their support for Wallace. Wallace also got a congratulatory email message from Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox News parent 21st Century Fox, who has taken an active role in the news operation. Hes really a newsman at heart, Wallace said. More than any other owners of these conglomerates that Ive ever met, he really breathes the news. Fox News staffers found that out last month after a terrorist bombing in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. Rupert, who lives in that neighborhood, called one of the news managers and said, Ive just heard an explosion. I think we need to get on this, and then proceeded to guide our coverage the rest of the evening, because he was actively following this, Wallace recalled. That was the cub reporter in him. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio ALSO Its not just women and minorities. Donald Trump has a Mormon problem and heres how it could cost him Five things you may not know about debate moderator Chris Wallace After all three debates, our analysts say Clinton emerged victorious Outbid, outhustled, outmuscled: Trump has never been able to conquer Southern California Philip Roths sweeping 1997 novel American Pastoral is about many things: the breaking apart of a family, the political schisms of the 60s and 70s, the meaning and mutability of Jewish identity. But at its heart, the book is about how we routinely fail to understand one another on a fundamental human level. The fact remains that getting people right is not what living is all about anyway, Roth writes in one of the books most famous passages. Its getting them wrong that is living, getting them wrong and wrong and wrong and then, on careful reconsideration, getting them wrong again. On Friday, an adaptation of Roths novel hits theaters, with Scottish actor Ewan McGregor starring and making his directorial debut. And if that seems surprising if a foray into Rothian literary territory doesnt totally square with our image of an actor who dove into a toilet as a heroin-addicted slacker in 1996s Trainspotting, sang and danced in the lavish 2001 musical Moulin Rouge and wielded a lightsaber in the Star Wars prequels it may be because weve gotten McGregor wrong all this time. Advertisement In American Pastoral, McGregor plays Seymour Swede Levov, a successful businessman and former star high school athlete whose world is upended when his teenage daughter Merry (Dakota Fanning) becomes politically radicalized amid the turmoil of the 1960s. After Merry sets off a bomb to protest the Vietnam War and goes into hiding, Levov and his wife, Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), find their once-happy, upper-middle-class lives tragically unraveling. On paper, McGregor, 45, seems a rather unlikely candidate to take on Roths story. He had never directed a feature before (two previous projects he had hoped to helm over the years both fell through), let alone an adaptation of a celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning novel with an epic historical sweep. Nor, though he has lived in Los Angeles for roughly a decade with his wife and four daughters, is he American and American Pastoral, as the title suggests, is very much about America. But over breakfast on a recent morning in Beverly Hills, McGregor radiating the infectious positivity and restless curiosity that helped win him the job of directing the film shrugged off the idea that the project was outside of his wheelhouse. Im asked about it all the time, but I really dont think so, he said. Ive spent my working life imagining characters who, like, 80% of them are not Scottish. Its sort of my job as a creative person to learn. Ultimately I was telling the story of a dad and a husband and a wife and a daughter, and I know an awful lot about that. I think those topics are quite universal. McGregor was initially attached simply to star in American Pastoral. But when director Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger) departed the project months before shooting was set to begin, McGregors wife, production designer Eve Mavrakis, encouraged him to throw his hat in the ring to direct it himself. I had wanted to direct for 20 years, said McGregor, whose only previous directing credit is a short film that was included in a 1999 collection of stories about London Underground passengers called Tube Tales. Ive always been a very busy actor and I like it that way, but I always felt like a filmmaker. I recently saw a clip of me on [a British talk show] just after Trainspotting and he asked me, Where will you be in 20 years time? I said, Ill be directing and acting. I was right! If McGregor felt daunted by taking on such a monumental novel, he didnt show it on the set. I dont think Ewan was approaching it from a place of fear and trepidation, Connelly said. He was just coming at it with great enthusiasm and admiration for the novel and excitement about telling that story. Throughout the process, McGregor never met or spoke with Roth, whose books have long been considered difficult to translate to the screen. (An adaptation of his 2008 novel Indignation released earlier this year, directed by James Schamus, earned strong reviews.) But, after seeing a screening of American Pastoral, the author relayed positive feedback through his representative. I felt hugely relieved, said McGregor. If that hadnt been the case, I would have felt like Id failed in some way. Its been 20 years since McGregor first burst to international fame, showcasing his irrepressible charisma and leading-man looks in the cult hits Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, both directed by Danny Boyle. In 1997, Empire magazine placed him at No. 36 on its list of the top 100 movie stars of all time, despite the fact that at that point, he had only made a handful of movies. Ive always been a very busy actor and I like it that way, but I always felt like a filmmaker. Ewan McGregor But movie stardom for its own sake was never a part of McGregors calculus. I didnt want to come to Hollywood for ages, he said. I felt like I was involved in something British that changed things to an extent with Shallow Grave and then Trainspotting, and I felt like it defined me a bit as an actor. Even when [Boyle, screenwriter John Hodge and I] came as a filmmaking team and we did A Life Less Ordinary, which was an American romantic comedy, I felt like it was us almost trying to beat the Americans at their own game. In 1997, McGregor signed on to play a younger version of Alec Guinness Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas highly anticipated Star Wars prequels, 1999s The Phantom Menace, 2002s Attack of the Clones and 2005s Revenge of the Sith an opportunity that most actors would have leapt at but one he settled on only after much deliberation. It didnt really feel right to me in a way, he said. I was terribly arrogant about my work and felt absolutely assured of what I was about. At the time I just felt, Thats not me. I thought about it long and hard and spoke to lots of people. The closer I got to the part, the more I wanted to do it and Ill always be glad I did, he continued. But I didnt indulge in the afterglow of it... Its funny I just think of them as being three films I did among all the others. It didnt become anything else to me. Indeed, whereas some actors might have used such a massive franchise as a jumping-off point for more glittery blockbusters, McGregor continued to chart an unpredictable course, zigzagging between lead roles and supporting parts, theater work and film, bigger movies like Moulin Rouge and the sci-fi film The Island and smaller ones like the romantic dramedy Beginners and the wrenching tsunami drama The Impossible. At perhaps his moment of peak fame, as the Star Wars prequels were coming to a conclusion, McGregor literally dropped off the Hollywood radar, embarking on a 19,000-mile, 115-day global motorcycle trek with his friend Charley Boorman, the son of Deliverance director John Boorman, a journey chronicled in the British documentary series Long Way Round. Ewan is a great actor who is not content with just being a movie star, said Tom Rosenberg, who produced American Pastoral along with Gary Lucchesi. He wants to be challenged, he has a great appetite for difficult roles and hes not precious about what he does. The fact is, McGregor says he wouldnt even know how to chart a career in a more conventional fashion if he wanted to. Im not very clever with it, he said with a laugh. I dont really think that way. I made this brilliant film last year called Last Days in the Desert, where I play Jesus and the Devil. None of my agents were that enthusiastic about me doing it because its the kind of film that I guess no one is really going to go see. But it was an amazing experience and I just wanted to do it so badly. Im not thinking beyond, Ive got to play this part. That said, high-profile movies still regularly come McGregors way. He recently wrapped work on a live-action reworking of Disneys animated Beauty and the Beast, playing Lumiere, and also will reprise his role as Mark Renton in an upcoming sequel to Trainspotting. And while he has avoided the Star Wars convention circuit over the years, he says hed be up for another crack at playing Kenobi in the now-revived franchise should the chance ever arise. Ive always thought there would be a good film between the last one that I made and Alec Guinness, he said. Theres got to be some story about Obi-Wan in the desert when hes lost his way. He laughed wryly. Theres probably even a trilogy who knows? It could be cool. But theres nothing on the table at the moment. Having been deeply immersed in American Pastoral for the past few years, while also acting in numerous other projects, the ever-busy McGregor is now preparing to start work on another deep dive into American life, albeit a more darkly comic one, in the third season of FXs acclaimed crime series Fargo. I play two parts theyre brothers but theyre not twins, he said. I was given the directive Ive been waiting for for 24 years, which was to get fat, so Ive been eating like a pig. And I have to learn the [Minnesota] accent, which is difficult. Ill get there, but at the moment its a bit scary, he added after a pause, sounding less scared than excited at the prospect. He smiled. Oooh, yaah. josh.rottenberg@latimes.com josh.rottenberg@latimes.com Twitter: @joshrottenberg American Pastoral, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1997 novel by Philip Roth, proves a haunting, engrossing, often eerily timely adaptation. Its a movie that makes you think and feel and then think some more. Star and first-time director Ewan McGregor, working with screenwriter John Romano, has skillfully reshaped Roths tale for more urgent cinematic telling, covering a host of profound themes with disquieting power, reflection and grace. The story is told via a framing device that finds frequent Roth alter ego, author Nathan Zuckerman (David Strathairn), at his 45th high school reunion. In short order, Nathan learns from old friend Jerry Levov (Rupert Evans) that Jerrys older brother, Seymour, once the schools popular golden-boy athlete, has died. Advertisement Flashbacks take us to post-World War II New Jersey where a young Seymour (McGregor), following a stint in the Marines, is working with his warmly blunt father, Lou (Peter Riegert), a thriving Newark glove manufacturer. Seymour a.k.a. the Swede, for his blonde and blue-eyed good looks, uncharacteristic of Jewish men of his generation is also about to marry shiksa and ex-beauty queen Dawn (Jennifer Connelly). All begins idyllically enough for Seymour and Dawn: They move out to bucolic, upscale Old Rimrock, buy a gorgeous country home and raise a daughter, Merry (played at age 8 by Ocean James and at 12 by Hannah Nordberg), a luminous, precocious child with an agonizing stutter and perhaps nascent daddy issues. Seymour also inherits his fathers company after Lou steps down. Notably and somewhat pivotally its an equal-opportunity workplace with fairly paid, mainly black employees, including indispensable forewoman Vicky (Uzo Aduba). But as the 1960s wear on and the nation, under then-President Lyndon Johnson, becomes dreadfully embroiled in the Vietnam War, social and racial unrest seizes the headlines, and Seymours world like that of many Americans at the time begins to shift beneath his feet. Most strikingly, the now-16-year-old Merry (Dakota Fanning) has morphed into a hostile, anti-war crusader, with little use for the father she once adored and the mother she may have always secretly resented. At a loss with the unreachable Merry, Seymour misguidedly suggests she stage a war protest in their hometown, never imagining the lengths his daughter will go to follow his advice. Did Merry, now vanished, plant the bomb in the local post office that killed its proprietor? As Seymour attempts to answer that question and track down his fugitive child, Dawn drifts away from him and faces her own demons. McGregor, as both an actor and filmmaker, effectively immerses us into the well-deep pain thats plaguing Seymour and his family as well as a country that once held so much promise for him. That Seymour is a good, honorable and caring man means little in a world gone mad. This is especially evident when Seymour encounters the one person who may be able to lead him to Merry, a snarly activist and provocateur named Rita (Valorie Curry), who cruelly exploits Seymours anguish. Although this tragic and compelling story is very much a product of its incendiary era, its hard not to connect the dots to Americas current scorched earth political climate, one that has proven rife with intractability and a precarious kind of tunnel vision. Pastoral is filled with a string of quietly devastating scenes in which characters speak their truths in ways that cut to the bone and spookily lay the groundwork for events to follow. Fortunately, the film treads lightly around several potentially melodramatic or overheated moments. However, it should be said that its time for filmmakers to retire the Buffalo Springfield tune For What Its Worth as a counterculture anthem. Under McGregors measured hand, the cast, which includes Molly Parker, Mark Hildreth and Samantha Mathis, is tops all around, with special kudos to Riegert for his evocative portrait of the loyal, discerning and enduring Jewish patriarch. The well-shot and designed film (Pittsburgh subs for New Jersey), which also features strong bits of period archival footage, vividly captures the look and feel of the times. A stirring score by Alexandre Desplat adds much to the films enveloping mood. ------------- American Pastoral MPAA rating: R, for some strong sexual material, language and brief violent images Running time: 1 hours, 48 minutes Playing: In limited release See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Mistaking moody poses for storytelling, the Iceland-set Autumn Lights gathers an international assortment of insufferable ciphers in a remote coastal town. American writer-director Angad Aulakh tries to agitate the pensive set-up with sex and a supposed mystery that never raises the pulse. The Bergman-esque posturing falls so far short of the Swedish master that it wouldnt even qualify as accidental parody. Aulakhs first feature stars Guy Kent as David, an American photographer whose girlfriend leaves him, and their rented cabin, as the story opens. His plans to vacate the striking setting of their intended idyll are put on hold after he discovers a womans body on the beach, an apparent suicide, and the local detective asks him to stick around until the investigation is complete. That allows David time to hear the cops self-consciously existential musings, as well as the mind-numbing ruminations that pass for party chatter at the stylish home of neighbors Marie (Marta Gastini) and Johann (Sveinn Olafur Gunnarsson). Shes Italian, broody and unfaithful to her Icelandic husband, who conveniently departs to visit a dying friend. It would be hard to care less about the various couplings that ensue. The elegance of the films score and design elements, and the fine gray light of its midnight-sun locale, cant begin to make anything matter in a story where suicide has all the emotional impact of a badly corked Barolo. Advertisement ------------- Autumn Lights In English, Italian and Icelandic with English subtitles Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes Playing: Laemmles Music Hall, Beverly Hills See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Lynne Alana Delaney should have simply taken story credit for The Remake and handed over her roles as writer, director and star to more competent folks. As it stands, this abysmal romantic comedy serves as an abject lesson against vanity filmmaking. The movie is based on a not-bad idea: Actors and ex-lovers Sheridan (Delaney) and Riccardo (Ruben Roberto Gomez), who co-starred in a hit film more than 30 years ago, are reunited by that pictures director (Timothy Carhart) to shoot an updated version. But Sheridans been angry at Riccardo since their romance abruptly ended back in the day and wants nothing to do with him. Can sparks fly again? Two guesses. Unfortunately, real-life marrieds Delaney and Gomez seem a good decade too old for their characters timeline, the entire depiction of Hollywood and filmmaking appears to exist in some alternate or at least terribly dated universe, a key plot twist is nearly spelled out in neon midway, and the script, along with its penchant for rehashing story points, is filled with scads of expository, stilted or cliched dialogue. Advertisement The acting, especially by the leads, is often awkward or one-note; even such veterans as Sally Kellerman, June Lockhart, Robert Romanus and Patrika Darbo underwhelm. The movie is also poorly shot and edited and the sound is uneven. This Remake needs a remake. ------------- The Remake MPAA Rating: PG-13, for brief language. Running time: 1 hour, 37 minutes Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour A roadmap for implementing the Minsk agreements for Ukraine was outlined during the 'Normandy Four' meeting in Berlin, but this document requires further coordination, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference after the talks. "We discussed the working process, which is of a multilateral nature. It should become a starting point for further work on issues such as ensuring security, a political process and the drafting of plans to put these steps into practice," she said. The Minsk deal itself does not add certainty to these issues, a circumstance that stands behind "differences in political understanding," she said. Merkel also called an agreement to draw up a more detailed roadmap a success of the meeting. French President Francois Hollande, for his part, said that the foreign ministers of the 'Normandy Four' countries had been instructed to draft a more detailed roadmap for a settlement process in Ukraine. The "main task" will be preparations for the elections in Donbas, he said. I committed suicide but Im still alive those were the thoughts of American journalist Theo Padnos when in 2012 he crossed the border from Turkey into Syria to investigate the civil war, only to be set up by his contacts and kidnapped by the local branch of Al Qaeda. In David Schisgalls involving documentary, Theo Who Lived, Padnos revisits the country where he was held, in various locations, for 22 months, and reenacts his experiences in such torture chambers as the room of death. Hes a gifted storyteller relating horrendous events and managing always to connect with whats human, and even sometimes humorous, in the direst of circumstances. A postscript attests to the depths of his compassion for Syrias refugees. The documentarys title is no boast, but more a statement of empirical fact built on people skills and complicated luck especially in light of the brutal execution of another journalist kidnapped around the same time, James Foley, and the role his widely reported murder played in Padnos ultimate release. Advertisement Padnos doesnt directly address his psychic scars as a survivor, but he repeatedly refers to the foolish risks he took. At the time of his capture he was a struggling freelancer with a facility for language and a taste for danger, his rock climbing a particular source of anguish for his mother, who lost her brother to the sport. Schisgalls interviews with her enrich the portrait of Padnos, but its the journos open gaze and natural inquisitiveness, his refusal to merely demonize his abusers, that give the film its discomforting power. ------------ Theo Who Lived In English and Arabic with English subtitles Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 26 minutes Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour A film that revels in giving modern day Los Angeles the feeling of a classic Hollywood musical is coming to one of the citys classic venues: La La Land will screen at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Nov. 15 as a Centerpiece Gala during AFI Fest. Directed by Whiplash filmmaker Damien Chazelle, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and featuring music by Justin Hurwitz, the movie tells the story of an aspiring actress and struggling jazz pianist both trying to make a go of it in the big city. Its this weird movie that needs to be both a fantastical musical at a certain scale and yet this realistic love story, Chazelle recently told The Times Rebecca Keegan. Advertisement The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before moving on to the Telluride Film Festival and then picking up the Peoples Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. (Seven of the last eight Peoples Choice Award winners have gone on to be nominated for the Oscar for best picture.) Ryan Gosling says La La Land was an opportunity to show an old but enduring Los Angeles, one that highlights local treasures like Grand Central Market, Angels Flight, and Watts Towers, AFI Fest also announced this week its world cinema showcase program of 33 films from 28 countries, including seven of the official entries for the Academy Award for foreign language film. Among the titles in the section will be Pedro Almodovars Julieta, Xavier Dolans Its Only the End of the World, Pablo Larrains Neruda, Asghar Farhadis Salesman, Ken Loachs I, Daniel Blake, Joao Pedro Rodrigues The Ornithologist, Michael Dudoks The Red Turtle and Bertrand Bonellos Nocturama. The festival also announced the Cinemas Legacy section showing nine classic movies. Along with the previously announced screenings of Carmen Jones, The Hitch-Hiker and Piccadilly, among the films showing in the section will be Orson Welles Citizen Kane, David O. Russells Flirting With Disaster, Dino Risis Il Sorpasso and Julie Dashs Daughters of the Dust. AFI Fest runs Nov. 10-17. As previously announced, the festival will open with the world premiere of Warren Beattys Rules Dont Apply. Paul Verhoevens Elle and Mike Mills 20th Century Women will also pay as Centerpiece Galas along with a special screening of Taylor Hackfords The Comedian. For more information, go to afifest.com SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter Mark.Olsen@latimes.com Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus ALSO AFI Fest to open with Warren Beattys Howard Hughes picture Rrules Dont Apply Annette Bening to receive tribute from AFI Fest Toronto 2016: the hypnotic urgency of Bertrand Bonellos Nocturama If your photographs arent good enough, celebrated war photographer Robert Capa famously said, youre not close enough. And no one got closer to the action in World War II than Tony Vaccaro. As detailed in the engrossing, unexpectedly moving documentary Underfire: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro, that happened because Vaccaro was not a photographer assigned to a combat unit. Rather he was a front-line combat infantryman who fought across Europe with the Armys 83rd Infantry Division from the Normandy invasion to the wars end, invariably with a camera hung around his neck. Advertisement Vaccaro didnt just snap the occasional image; over the course of nearly a year in combat he took some 8,000 photographs. Standing out in an era when staged photographs were acceptable, his vivid, candid work showed the war as it was actually experienced by the men who were doing the fighting. I was determined to record everything, is how he describes his motives, and he just about did. Still an active and focused observer at age 93, with a remarkable memory for details, Vaccaro in person is at the documentarys center, taking director Max Lewkowicz with him as he retraces his footsteps across Europe. More than that, the photographer offers both poignant reminiscences of his 272 days in combat and thoughtful observations about the nature of war and what it does to human beings, including this comment about what it took to take the toughest of those pictures: You have to be cold-blooded, you have to be a son of a bitch. Orphaned at age 6, Vaccaro says he learned about the importance of survival at an early age. Raised by an uncle who was a great hunter, he learned as well the importance of timing, of the decisive moment: a little longer, there is no picture anymore, half a second later the picture is gone. Drafted into the Army two months after his high school graduation, Vaccaro, already a budding photographer, wanted to join the Signal Corps, only to be turned down for being too young. Incensed that he was old enough to kill but too young to take photographs, Vaccaro determined to take pictures himself, to show them I could do it better. And he pretty much did. As New York Times photographer James Estrin points out, Vaccaro had an advantage that extended beyond the entree his combat status gave him. The camera he used for the entire war, an Argus C3 he purchased for $47.50, was smaller than the unwieldy Speed Graphic models the Signal Corps shooters employed. And because it was a 35-mlllimeter range-finder camera, Estrin says, Vaccaro could react very quickly and shoot what he was seeing. Young and naive enough to believe he could find a functioning camera shop on the European front to develop his negatives, Vaccaro was fortunate in discovering a shop that had been badly shelled. Picking through the ruins, he found the chemicals he needed and developed the film himself in four Army helmets, hanging the negatives on nearby trees. The strongest moments in Underfire come when Vaccaro tells the stories behind some of his best known photographs, like The Last Step of Pvt. Jack Rose, praised by curator Anne Wilkes Tucker as one of the very few war photographs to capture the actual moment of death. Suddenly, life comes to an end and gravity takes you, Vaccaro says, remembering what he saw more than once. Regrettably giving up life, we all go down to earth again, all of us. By the time the war ended, Vaccaro had seen more than enough of the brutality of combat. He became a professional photographer, but he never shot another war photo, giving all his negatives to his sister to store and not dealing with them for decades. It makes you a beast, I became a killer, thats a terrible thing for a human being to have on his shoulders he says movingly of his combat time. The faces of people you killed, the friends who died, they dont leave you alone. It took me years to overcome that. It was necessary for me to be evil for 272 days, but not forever. No MPAA rating. Running time: 1 hour, 21 minutes. Playing Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour When R&B fans heard Donald Trumps remark about Hillary Clinton being such a nasty woman, they immediately knew where to turn. That is, of course, to Janet Jacksons 1986 hit Nasty, which quickly emerged as the meme du jour of Wednesdays presidential debate. The song, which spiked 250% on Spotify after the debate, extolls the virtues of being up-front and assertive about ones desires a counterpoint to the groping allegations against Trump. An enterprising re-mixer spliced Trumps comment into the track, from Jacksons 1986 album, Control, and it fits with uncanny perfection. Advertisement That record broke ground with its S&M fashion flair and commanding lyrical lasciviousness, traits that led the LP to be embraced as a feminist pop classic. Representatives for Jackson did not immediately return a request for comment about the meme. Jackson, 50, has taken a break from touring because of her pregnancy. Her most recent album was 2015s excellent Unbreakable, and she was just nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not that anyone wants to hear Trumps voice on the P.A. when they go out at night, but perhaps this will give Jacksons catalog a little dance-floor boost over the weekend. For breaking music news, follow @augustbrown on Twitter. ALSO: Reporters Notebook: Janet Jacksons Control at 30: A look back Tupac Shakur, Pearl Jam and Kraftwerk are among the 19 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame UPDATES: 11:02 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details. When Elijah Wood took on the role of the hobbit Frodo Baggins in the famed Lord of the Rings trilogy, he was plunged into the world of Middle-earth where he had to contend with dragons, Orcs, Ents and a Gollum. Woods new project, BBC Americas Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency, finds him in the real world, but its weirdness could rival Middle-earth. He plays Todd Brotzman, an unlucky hotel bellhop who is suddenly thrust into a sci-fi flavored mystery populated by an assortment of bizarre characters, including Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett), an eccentric, fast-talking sleuth who believes in the fundamental interconnectedness of all things and sees Brotzman as the Watson to his Sherlock. Gently, based on a popular novel by Douglas Adams (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy), marks a return to series television for Wood, who spent four seasons starring in FXs Wilfred, about a young man who has a unique friendship with his neighbors dog, played by Jason Gann in a furry dog costume. Advertisement In recent years, Wood has put much of his focus on offbeat fare. His extensive gallery of characters includes a technician who erases memories (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), a concert pianist terrorized by a sniper (Grand Piano), a horrific murderer who scalps his victims (Maniac) and the voice of Mumble the dance-happy penguin in Happy Feet. His other activities include heading up a production company specializing in genre fare (The Greasy Strangler) and DJing as half of the duo Wooden Wisdom. Wood sat down last week to talk about choosing roles on gut instinct, life after Frodo and his new series, which premieres Oct. 22. Elijah Wood of Dirk Gentleys Holistic Detective Agency. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times ) What attracted you to Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency? Were you familiar with the novel? No. In fact, Ive not read any Douglas Adams. Im certainly familiar with him as a pop culture reference. My entry point was quite literally the pilot script that [creator] Max Landis had written. I had never read anything like it certainly not seen anything like it on television that resembled it.. Were you looking for another series? No. In fact, initially there was a little reluctance. I had an amazing time making Wilfred for four years, but it was not on the list of priorities to do another series. But this was just one of those things I couldnt deny. What was the element that most appealed to you? How funny and surprising it was. The thing I was most impressed with was thinking about how youre constantly being thrust in different directions. I thought that it would be a distraction. But I didnt find it irritating or overwhelmingly confusing. I just found it exhilarating and I wanted to know where it was going to go. You could see a parallel with your situation in Wilfred, where you were dealing with very strong forces. Yes, Todd is kind of like my character in Wilfred, where Im having to combat a dominant force of nature. That dynamic shifts over the next two episodes on Dirk Gently, but yeah, I can see that parallel. Those are some of the best experiences Ive ever had making films, and Ill never have another experience like it. Elijah Wood How much of your choosing roles over the last few years has had to do with wanting to do something different after being part of one of the most popular film phenomena of all time? Not at all anymore. Closer to the proximity of the release of those films, that occupied more of my mind in the sense that those films loomed so large, and I just wanted to continue in things that were very different, particularly smaller films. But its been over 15 years since the first one came out, so it doesnt occupy my mind anymore. Do people still approach you about those movies? (Laughs) All the time! They will be a part of me for the rest of my life. Theyre part of pop culture, and they are people who watch them over and over again. There are new fans all the time. Whats your feeling about the impact of those movies? Its extraordinary. Those are some of the best experiences Ive ever had making films, and Ill never have another experience like it. At the time we shot them, it was with the spirit of an independent film. We were in New Zealand, so far away from the industry and Hollywood. There was an intimacy that felt very special that seems even more extraordinary looking back on it now. Since then, youve done basically every type of movie. Its not entirely my intention to be un-peggable, but my taste is broad and varied. Often what I do reflects the kinds of movies I want to see. I have a production company called SpectreVision, and were working on any number of projects at the same time. We just released The Greasy Strangler a week ago Its not entirely my intention to be un-peggable, but my taste is broad and varied. Elijah Wood Im a little scared to see it. It depends on what your standards are for disgusting midnight fare. Its really not that bad, its really more of a comedy, a twisted father-son tale. I like supporting interesting, sometimes bizarre, genre fare. It divides people and I really like that, movies that elicit a strong reaction either way. And then you find time to do your music thing. Whenever I get some free time, I DJ with my friend Zach Cowie. Were going to Europe in November for 10 days and play records. The nice thing is that it really doesnt relate to anything else, its just playing records. Did you know that Autograph Collector Magazine once named you as the seventh best autograph signer? Its probably because I rarely refuse. I dont even say no to the people who will sell them, which is something Im morally against. I will still do it because I hate to say no I like to be accommodating. greg.braxton@latimes.com Twitter:@GeBraxton ALSO When truth is stranger than fiction: TV writers weigh in on the presidential campaign After swearing them off, David E. Kelley returns to law shows with Goliath but not for a network Working on the latest Documentary Now! episode is like SNL all over again for Armisen and Hader With the third and final presidential debate happening tonight in Las Vegas, the election season is entering the home stretch. So too are Hollywoods multiple efforts to encourage voter participation and, for some celebrities, to show their stance against embattled Republican nominee Donald Trump. On Tuesday night on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Laura Benanti reprised her impersonation of Melania Trump in the wake of an interview defending her husbands vulgar behavior in the much-discussed 2005 Access Hollywood recording with Billy Bush. Advertisement Speaking to Colbert, Benanti echoed Melanias defense on CNN, saying, Women know its boy talk. Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do? Another video posted by a collective called Humanity for Hillary arrived on YouTube on Tuesday. Springboarding off the Twitter hashtag used by writer Kelly Oxford to compile first-person stories of sexual assault after the Trump recording was released, a powerful video, dubbed Its Not Okay, also features women recounting their experiences. It includes appearances by Rose McGowan, Amber Tamblyn, Meryl Streep, Amy Schumer, Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Gyllenhaal and was directed by multiple Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus. Joss Whedons Save the Day PAC also remains active in releasing videos with a message that both encourages voter participation while also knocking Trump. On Monday, Key & Peele star Keegan-Michael Key starred as a weatherman giving a particularly apocalyptic weather report in the wake of a Trump presidency (available here, with a single NSFW curse), and today brings a clip that introduces the Fraud Squad. Featuring Friday Night Lights star Minka Kelly along with Anders Holm from Workaholics and character actor Luis Guzman, the video centers on an elite law enforcement unit focusing on voter fraud. The Whedon-directed clip boasts plenty of exploding car action in the opening credits, but after that, the clip features the crack team enduring a whole lot of down time the joke being, as cited in the clip, only some 31 incidents of in-person voter fraud have occurred from 2000 to 2014 out of a billion votes cast. In more conventional political efforts, stars of Hollywood and Broadway also came together earlier this week at a Clinton fundraiser in New York City. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Dubbed Stronger Together, the event was hosted by Billy Crystal and included the likes of Julia Roberts, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Neil Patrick Harris, Helen Mirren and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who performed the hit musicals The World Was Wide Enough with his costar Renee Elise Goldsberry and lyrics modified in support of Clinton. In a bit of verbal acrobatics only Miranda could land, the reworked song featured a nod to Cypress Hill with the line Tim Kaine in the membrane, Tim Kaine in the brain! Staying with the hip-hop theme, Eminem also entered the fray with the just-released single Campaign Speech. A sparse production that features Eminems free-associating, rapid-fire flow (and usual level of adult language), the eight-minute track also references George Zimmerman and Colin Kaepernick while saving enough vitriol for Trump as well. You should be afraid of this dang candidate, he raps midway through the track. [T]hats what you wanted? A loose cannon whos blunt with his hand on the button/ Who doesnt have to answer to no one? Great idea! And in an October Surprise from the agitprop filmmaking perspective, documentarian Michael Moore announced he will be releasing his latest film, Michael Moore in Trumpland, on Wednesday with screenings in New York and Los Angeles to go along with its debut in the iTunes store. Said to have been finalized by Moore as late as this Monday, the film will be based on a one-man show the filmmaker tried to stage in an Ohio theater last month that was canceled for being too controversial. Earlier this month Moore found another venue in the state, and now the rest of the nation will have a chance to catch it as well. ALSO Laura Benanti reveals her method for impersonating Melania Trump You know Hollywood is serious about stopping Trump when it calls in the Avengers Michael Moore to release surprise Trump film in L.A. on Wednesday Planet Earth II is coming, right when we need it the most chris.barton@latimes.com Follow me over here @chrisbarton. Huntington Park City Council members voted Tuesday to ban new charter schools in the city until next fall. The 4-1 vote extended a 45-day moratorium passed last month after city officials complained about the number of requests for new schools and said they were concerned about increased traffic. 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. Advertisement There are about 30 schools including 10 charters within the citys three square miles, though some share campuses. In a September report to the council, City Manager Edgar Cisneros itemized what he saw as the problems new charter schools create. Communities within the vicinity of charter schools have experienced impacts to vehicle circulation, parking, and noise, he wrote. The report suggested that a high number of inquiries and requests from charters had prompted the call for a moratorium. The moratorium also applies to existing charter schools that want to move and expand in new locations, Cisneros said. But, although many charter schools have made inquiries, city records show only three in the last year actually said they planned to submit applications, said Huntington Parks economic development manager, Manuel Acosta. He could not give a count of the inquiries. Its unclear whether the city has legal authority to enact the ban. Only school districts, counties and the state can authorize or reject charter schools. Cities, however, do control zoning and can decide whether or not to grant permits. The California Charter Schools Assn. has said it may sue the city over the moratorium. The city is attractive to charters because its zoning policies are looser than those of other nearby cities, Acosta said. The moratorium, he said, will allow the city to spend time looking at other municipalities such as Long Beach and South Gate to see how theyve kept their charter counts low. Lets do some research and figure out why are we so popular? Acosta said in an interview. Huntington Park Mayor Graciela Ortiz said students in the city have enough choices already. Rather than pulling in students from other cities, she wants to see a greater focus on revitalizing businesses and opening parks to improve the quality of life for Huntington Park residents. Both charter advocates and opponents attended Tuesdays council meeting. Each side wore color-coordinated shirts and showed up carrying signs. On one end of the chamber, a woman sat holding a white poster that said, Give us a chance, save our charter schools. Close by in the crowded space, another woman stood with a yellow poster that read, Stand up to unregulated charter schools! Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli. Its one of those coping skills that come with living in earthquake country: Putting the risk out of your mind until that moment you feel the shaking. But this form of denial is being challenged thanks to social media and a push by some seismic safety experts to spread the word when the risk of an earthquake increases. Scientists say they cannot predict when earthquakes will strike. But they have long known that 50% of all large quakes are preceded by smaller quakes. Moreover, decades of research shows that small quakes near major faults such as the San Andreas can trigger bigger temblors. Advertisement So when a swarm of more than 200 small quakes several weeks ago began to hit the Salton Sea area, scientists immediately took notice. Because the quakes reaching magnitudes as great as 4.3 occurred so close to the San Andreas, the experts said the chance of a 7.0 or greater quake on the mighty fault increased significantly, from 1 in 6,000 in any given week to as much as 1 in 100 during that particular week. Until recently, those probabilities got little attention outside the seismic world. But this time, for a variety of reasons, the heightened risk blew up on social media, generating curiosity as well as a good amount of anxiety. This response pleased many earthquake experts, who have long struggled to get the public to focus more on the risk of a devastating temblor. They hope the Salton Sea swarm is the beginning of a much greater focus on operational earthquake forecasting, which involves assessing the changing risks of an earthquake and sharing that information with the public. This is, in some sense, a kind of seismic weather reporting, said Thomas H. Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, who sits on the California Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council. I dont see any reason why that information shouldnt be made available to the public continuously. The idea of earthquake forecasts has been controversial among scientists, with some arguing such pronouncements are nowhere near as certain as weather forecasts. Some remain skeptical about how useful it is to share these quake probabilities with the public. Government scientists are already working on a computerized forecast system focused on aftershocks, which could more quickly tell officials the higher chance of an earthquake after a significant seismic event strikes, said Morgan Page, a U.S. Geological Survey research geophysicist who also sits on the states earthquake prediction committee. Theres some trickiness to explaining earthquake risk. Scientists know that the southern San Andreas fault will eventually rupture again, and scientists believe it is overdue for a major quake. The faults southern end last ruptured more than 330 years ago, and its believed to rupture, on average, every 250 to 300 years. Some scientists say that even when the probability of a quake increases, the chances remain so slim that public warnings might be counterproductive. Were really talking about a probability increase from practically impossible to extremely unlikely, said Kelin Wang, a research scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada who has been a noted skeptic of operational earthquake forecasting. I dont think its very useful. But in California, many scientists say a large quake would take such a devastating toll that any preparations would be well worth it. You and I probably wouldnt carry an umbrella if the probability of rain was 1% to 5% [But] the consequence of missing a magnitude 7 or greater earthquake on the San Andreas is a very, very serious consequence, said James Goltz, a former emergency manager on earthquake hazards for the state. More information is better: If were completely sharing the information, rumors are a lot less likely, added seismologist Lucy Jones. The forecasts also help remind people of what they should do to prepare for an earthquake, she said, such as talking to your children about what to do if an earthquake cuts off phone lines. Other tips during a seismic advisory: Make sure you have stored water at home, or even consider filling up your bathtub with water for a day or two. If you have your cherished vintage grandmothers collectors plate displayed, consider taking it down for a while. Head to a hardware store to buy equipment to bolt bookcases to walls, strap down televisions and install safety latches on kitchen cabinets to prevent the risk of deadly head injuries during a quake. And refresh your memory of what to do if a quake does hit: Drop, cover and hold on. In the most recent swarm, San Bernardino officials decided to close down their seismically unsafe city hall for two days, which had already been scheduled to be vacated in the coming months because of its earthquake risk. Some of the worlds most deadly earthquakes have been preceded by smaller quakes. Just this spring, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck southwest Japan in April, killing at least 32 people, was preceded by a series of smaller temblors. And in 2011, the 9.0 earthquake that struck east of Japan and caused a devastating tsunami was preceded 50 hours earlier by a 7.2 earthquake, Jordan said. No warning was issued that a bigger earthquake and tsunami were possible. Part of the problem was that the official Japanese model said that a magnitude 9.0 earthquake in that part of the world was impossible. But an experimental earthquake forecast model, running in a lab in Tokyo, did show a higher probability of a larger earthquake like the kind that struck. Italy has already announced that it wants to establish an operational earthquake forecast system. And, as outlined by Jordan in a recent report, theres a tragic reason for that. In January 2009, the central Italian medieval town of LAquila was hit with increased seismic activity. In an effort to calm jitters, government officials held a news conference at the end of March to reassure the public. One official told reporters: The scientific community tells us there is no danger, because there is an ongoing discharge of energy. The situation looks favorable. The statement was wrong. Lulled into safety, there was little public concern after a 3.9 earthquake jolted LAquila before midnight on April 5, 2009. A few hours later, a 6.3 quake struck, and more than 300 died. Among the dead was the wife and 9-year-old daughter of a man who had persuaded his family to remain at home overnight, convinced by official pronouncements that smaller earthquakes did not mean a larger earthquake would come. Their apartment building collapsed during the main shock. Italian prosecutors later charged a government official and six members of a government advisory commission with manslaughter, in part for how they handled the situation before the largest quake struck. The initial convictions of the six commissioners were overturned on appeal, but the government officials conviction was sustained. He did not serve jail time. California began establishing procedures for earthquake forecasts back in the 1980s. Over the last three decades, about 10 advisories of increased earthquake probabilities have been issued. But none got the attention of the recent Salton Sea swarm. Part of the reason is the rise of social media people reacted to their family and friends sharing the same news, and a forecast that mightve been seen as abstract a few years ago suddenly seemed more real. People want authoritative information, Goltz said. People process information, they discuss it with their friends they make some kind of an assessment of the threat. And I think that if its of significance enough to them personally, then they do something about it. There were some problems with the rollout of last months earthquake advisory. The California Governors Office of Emergency Services did not post a public announcement on its press release website of the increased threat until about 39 hours after the first magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck on Sept. 26. Though scientists had told the state that the chance of a 7.0 or greater earthquake had increased, state officials said the probability of a magnitude 4.3 earthquake or greater had increased. The U.S. Geological Survey, on the other hand, released a statement with the correct numbers, and published it hours earlier than the state did. State officials changed the alert to warn of a 7.0 or greater quake three days after the news release was published, after an inquiry from The Times. The protocol is something that is always under evaluation, said Kelly Huston, a deputy director at the states Office of Emergency Services. Does that mean we think we did something wrong? No. But can we change it? We should always be looking at if theres a better way to do it. With the rise of social media, and the possibility that false information can spread, its important that authoritative announcements are sent out swiftly and accurately, scientists said. Now that things propagate so quickly, its more important that the proper information is out there, and the proper context, so that people understand whats going on, Jordan said. ron.lin@latimes.com MORE Earthquakes in California are discovered more than 15 miles deep. Heres what that could mean Get ready for a major earthquake. What to do before and during a big one How the moon and big tides could be a trigger for big earthquakes Firefighters battled a brush fire Wednesday that spread to 62 acres in the Kagel Canyon area of Lake View Terrace. The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. near 11700 Terra Vista Way, according to Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. 1 / 5 Nearly 100 Los Angeles firefighters were able to contain a five-acre brush fire in the 17000 block of Sesnon Boulevard in Granada Hills near OMelveny Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 5 Sandy Paz waters down the roof of her family home as a small wind driven brush fire threatens homes in Lakeview Terrace. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 5 Ottoniel Peralta holds his 18-month-old son, Caleb, as the boys aunt Sandy Paz waters down the roof of the family home in Lakeview Terrace. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 5 A Los Angeles firefighter sprays water onto a charred area as a fire burned near the 17000 block of Sesnon Boulevard in Granada Hills near OMelveny Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 5 Los Angeles fire crews tackle a brush fire in the Granada Hills area near OMelveny Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Some homes were threatened for a time, and residents of 20 homes were under a voluntary evacuation, Scott said. But water-dropping aircraft were aggressive battling the flames and preventing any homes from being damaged. After 500 personnel battled the blaze over two hours, the fire was knocked down and 95% contained, Scott said. Firefighters were expected to remain at the burn area overnight, Scott said. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning that extends until late Thursday, warning that strong winds and soaring temperatures increase the risk of wildfires. UPDATES: 5:20 p.m.: This article was updated with the fire being knocked down and 95% contained. 4:40 p.m.: This article was updated with details on the growth of the fire. This article was originally published at 3:35 p.m. For years, many Los Angeles residents have watched with alarm as homeless encampments spread across the city, from the sidewalks of skid row to alleys in South Los Angeles, behind shopping centers in the Valley and even on the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean. Next month, voters will have to decide whether these concerns are strong enough to approve a new tax to fight homelessness. The ballot measure culminated more than a year of discussion and debate at City Hall and beyond aimed at getting past the rhetoric and putting significant money behind solutions to the homeless crisis. Advertisement It marks a major concession from city leaders that they cannot deal with the problem with existing city resources and need property owners to help foot the bill to move people out of homelessness. Proposition HHH on the November ballot asks voters to authorize $1.2 billion in borrowing over 10 years to jump-start the construction of 10,000 apartment units with on-site social and clinical services for thousands of chronically homeless people. Dozens of homeless services agencies, for-profit and nonprofit developers, city and county officials, labor unions, clerics and business leaders are backing the measure as the prime feature of plans to end the homelessness crisis. Buoyed by several polls this year showing that homelessness has moved to the top of residents concerns, the Yes on HHH End Homelessness in L.A. committee plans a million-dollar campaign to secure the two-thirds majority needed for passage. The campaign is co-chaired by United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Opponents, who call the proposal a giveaway to the politically connected developers, have appeared at political forums but have not formed a campaign committee or raised funds. Advocates for the homeless and providers of homeless housing see Proposition HHH as the means to finally do right by thousands of people who live on the streets because of mental illness, disability or addiction, and at the same time to remove the blight of homeless camps. Prop. HHH is the most significant effort ever undertaken to end chronic homelessness in Los Angeles, campaign literature states. It builds the safe housing with on-site supportive services like mental health and substance abuse counseling that we need to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty in our city. That enthusiasm reflects more than a decade of frustration over unfulfilled plans to build thousands of supportive housing units. A mounting body of research has shown that such housing reduces the drain on public services by getting people permanently off the streets. But Proposition HHH is no quick or easy fix. The bond funds may be spent only on housing construction, not on homeless services, and targets only the most challenged of the citys estimated 28,000 homeless people. Because permanent supportive projects usually take three or more years to build, the earliest that the new housing would become available in significant numbers is likely to be 2020. Calling homelessness the greatest moral crisis that we face, Mayor Eric Garcetti said the bond is a critical piece of the citys homelessness plan, and makes up for the cuts the federal government and state have made in affordable housing. The construction funds will free other dollars for services, he said. To address other segments of the homeless population, the city has budgeted about $18 million this year for short-term housing for about 2,500 people, and hopes to create about 500 housing units for veterans in refurbished hotels by the end of 2017. Those funds would not come from the bond. Rather than a solution in itself, HHH is seen as a key element in a long-range countywide housing program outlined in January by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority one also involving aggressive new spending by the county. For short-term solutions, the city is pursuing a number of programs that essentially support street dwellers in place building lockers for their possessions, contracting for mobile showers and toilets and providing designated parking spaces for people living in vehicles. The county housing plan, projected to cost $1.4 billion, is designed to dovetail with the citys. Along with health and social services, it includes growing expenditures each year for rapid re-housing to put those who are homeless immediately into housing. Those measures would be partly funded by existing county revenues, but the Board of Supervisors is expected to seek a quarter-cent sales tax increase on the March 2017 ballot to complete the funding. Phil Ansell, head of Los Angeles Countys homelessness initiative, said the county is also requesting commitments from local housing authorities of about 1,000 federal housing vouchers each year for the chronically homeless. Combined, these efforts should begin to reduce street camps during 2017, Ansell said. For its part, Proposition HHH has one main aim: to dramatically increase the rate at which about two dozen mostly nonprofit developers are able to build subsidized housing for people whose history of homelessness and other impairments precludes their living independently. The city is negotiating an agreement under which Los Angeles County would fund the services. The housing includes space for on-site case managers and clinical services. Because of the added square footage as well as regulations associated with public financing, such housing generally takes longer to build, and costs more, than market-rate construction. The homeless authoritys analysis concluded that L.A. County needs 25,000 units of permanent supportive housing, about 9,000 of which already exist. Proposition HHH is designed to complete the citys portion of the remaining gap, estimated at nearly 10,000. Developers currently build about 300 units of supportive housing a year. The city hopes to triple that rate by contributing about $150,000 per unit about a third of the cost to supplement other local, state and federal grants, and federal tax credits purchased by investors. Up to 20% of HHH funds could be spent on conventional affordable housing, without services. The measure also allows spending to build or buy shelters, but does not specify a limit. That would be among the questions to be considered by a citizen advisory committee to be appointed by Garcetti and the City Council. In addition to priming the financing pump, Los Angeles officials are working on procedural changes to remove obstacles that can hold up projects for years. These include streamlining the planning and approval process, increasing the number of units that can be built without City Council review and providing excess city properties for development. Proposition HHH opponents, representing anti-tax and neighborhood groups, assail the measure for creating a long-term obligation with little immediate impact on the presence of homeless people on the streets. Bonds from the measure would add an average $9.64 for every $100,000 of a propertys assessed valuation annually for 29 years, the City Administrative Office estimated. Proposition HHH will not provide funds for operating homeless shelters, mental health or substance abuse treatment, or extra policing to protect residents from the ill effects of homeless encampments, opponents argue in a ballot statement. Jack Humphreville, budget analyst for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, contends the city should budget funds from existing revenues rather than seek a new tax. All the guys downtown are saying this is a priority; they get out the violins, and yet theyre not making a priority in the budget, Humphreville said. The homelessness plan proposed by Los Angeles City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana originally included leased housing for about 5,000 chronically homeless people at a cost of $800 million over 10 years. The City Council effectively abandoned that idea when it voted to raise money through a bond, which limits its use to capital projects. Ultimately, proponents of Proposition HHH acknowledge, permanently ending homelessness will depend on two factors that are largely beyond city or county control: the economy and the housing supply. A new recession could negate all the projections, said Santana. And even in an improving economy, the shortage of affordable housing in Los Angeles means there will always be homeless people. Based on the annual survey of homeless people, the homeless authority estimates that about 156,000 people are homeless at some point every year. In a tight rental market, three months is the average time required to relocate the newly homeless, meaning, the agency concluded, that nearly 14,000 people will always be homeless. Heavy investment in additional affordable and homeless housing development is needed in order for even this less than perfect equilibrium to be achieved, the agency concluded. doug.smith@latimes.com Twitter: @LATDoug ALSO California court may reconsider strong protections for government pensions Scientists can tell you when earthquakes are more likely to hit. But do you really want to know? Judge: Ex-LAPD sergeant violated ethics rules after stop of Django Unchained actress, but shouldnt be fined Rada approves at first reading bill restricting access of anti-Ukrainian printed materials from Russia Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada has passed at first reading the bill amending some laws to restrict access of foreign printed materials with anti-Ukrainian content to the Ukrainian market (No. 5114). An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that 250 lawmakers backed the decision on Thursday. On September 8, 2016 Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved a bill permitting the State Committee of Television and Radio Broadcasting to ban imports of books from Russia and Crimea with anti-Ukrainian content to Ukraine. "The bill is intended to introduce a mechanism for restricting access of anti-Ukrainian printed materials to the Ukrainian market," Head of the Committee Oleh Nalyvaiko said at a government meeting. It is proposed to describe the procedure for getting permits to import and spread these products in Ukraine. After five years of withering drought, government forecasters say California is once again headed for a warm and dry winter, especially in Southern California. The National Weather Service issued its winter outlook Thursday and predicted that La Nina conditions in the Pacific will affect the U.S. in a number of ways. Specifically, the U.S. will likely experience warmer and drier conditions than normal in the South, and colder and wetter than usual conditions in the far north. Advertisement La Nina is a cooling of the central Pacific that warps weather worldwide and is the flip side of the better-known El Nino, according to Mike Halpert, deputy director of the weather services Climate Prediction Center. For the South and California, the big story is likely to be drought, Halpert said. Winter is the states crucial wet season, when snow and rain gets stored up for the rest of the year. Halpert said the states winter looks to come up dry, especially in Southern California. Its probably going to take a couple of wet winters in a row to put a big dent into this drought now, said weather service drought expert David Miskus. He said it will take many, many years and its got to be above normal precipitation. The northern cold band that the weather service predicts is mostly from Montana to Michigan. Maine is the exception, with unusually warm weather expected. The prediction centers track record on its winter outlooks is about 25% better than random chance for temperature and slightly less than that for precipitation, Halpert said. Private weather forecasters are predicting quite a different winter. They foresee a harsher one for much of the nation, including a return of the dreaded polar vortex, which funnels cold Arctic air into the U.S. Judah Cohen of Atmospheric and Environmental Research in Lexington, Mass., forecasts an unusually cold winter for the eastern and middle two-thirds of the nation, and especially raw east of the Mississippi River. Cohen, whose research is funded by the National Science Foundation and closely followed by meteorologists, links North Americas winter weather to Siberian snow cover in October. He agrees that Maine will have a warm winter, and also predicts a warm Southwest. The private Accuweather of State College, Pa., calls for frequent storms in the Northeast, early snow in the Great Lakes, bitter cold in the northern tier and occasional cold in the middle. Like other forecasters, it predicts a warm and dry Southwest, with some hope for rain and snow from San Francisco northward. ALSO How you protect yourself when an earthquake hits might be all wrong A fix for L.A.'s homeless crisis isnt cheap. Will voters go for $1.2 billion in borrowing? Californias generous public pensions have been a promise that cant be broken. This court case could change that A Navy man in bandages and a neck brace pleaded not guilty from his hospital wheelchair Wednesday to charges that he was driving under the influence when his pickup flew off the San Diego-Coronado Bridge and killed four people at Chicano Park. A Superior Court judge, attorneys, a court reporter, bailiffs and two reporters crowded near Anthony Sepolio in a UC San Diego Medical Center conference room as he was arraigned on four counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two other DUI-related charges. Prosecutor Cally Bright said Sepolio had a 0.08% blood-alcohol level half an hour after the crash. That is the legal limit for drivers in California. Advertisement Sepolio and a friend had taken an Uber ride to a restaurant Saturday, where they had a bottle of wine and cocktails, Bright said. After the pair returned to his friends apartment, according to the prosecutor, she urged him not to drive home to Coronado because hed been drinking. Sepolios attorney, Paul Pfingst, said his client was not under the influence at the time and that his pickup had been cut off by another vehicle, causing him to swerve and go off the side of the bridge. Pfingst also said the bridges bad design allowed for such incidents. Superior Court Judge Eugenia Eyherabide set Sepolios bail at $2 million. Bright said he faces up to 23 years, eight months in prison if convicted of all charges. Sepolio, 24, is a Navy aviation technician stationed at North Island in Coronado. He lost control of his pickup while transitioning from northbound Interstate 5 onto the bridge about 3:45 p.m. Saturday. The pickup crashed through a barrier wall next to traffic lanes, soared over a bandstand and landed in the park, which at the time was packed with about 3,000 people. Killed were Cruz Contreras, 52, and his wife, Annamarie Contreras, 50, of Chandler, Ariz.; and Andre Banks, 49, and his wife, Francine Jimenez, 46, of Hacienda Heights. Sepolio and three other people were hospitalized with major injuries, Bright said during the hearing. Authorities said five other people were treated for lesser injuries. Pfingst said Sepolio suffered a fractured neck, broken left hand, broken ribs and other injuries. He sat silently through the 10-minute hearing, except to softly agree that his preliminary hearing could be set for Jan. 25. According to Pfingst, Sepolio was on pain medication but able to understand the proceedings. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Repard writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune Phil Chess, co-founder of a Chicago record label that amassed perhaps the most influential blues catalog of all time and launched the careers of Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters, has died. He was 95. Chess died overnight in Tucson, Ariz., his nephew Craig Glicken told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday. Chess and his brother, Leonard, founded Chess Records in 1950. Advertisement The label recorded not only blues artists but also the early rock n roll of Chuck Berry and Etta James rich vocal stylings. It was Chess Records that helped raise Chicago to its status as the capital of blues, recalled Buddy Guy. Phil and Leonard Chess were cuttin the type of music nobody else was paying attention to Muddy, Howlin Wolf, Little Walter, Sonny Boy, Jimmy Rogers, I could go on and on, Guy, who recorded at Chess, said Wednesday in a statement. The brothers started out with a liquor store, then ran the Macomba Lounge nightclub and music venue and eventually got into the music recording business, though neither had ever played an instrument. Chess Records first release was a Gene Ammons version of My Foolish Heart. Then came Muddy Waters Rollin Stone a song so influential it inspired the name of the English rock band and the magazine. Phil Chess was born Fiszel Czyz in Motol, Poland, on April 5, 1921. He changed his name after the family immigrated to the U.S. Phil served in the Army during World War II. When he returned home, he joined his brother working the bar and later forming Chess Records. For the next 19 years, they recorded a staggering lineup of Americas greatest blues, R&B and rock n roll musicians out of a two-story building at 2120 S. Michigan Ave., which still stands. They focused on a variety of genres jazz saxophone, minimalist blues, the seeds of rock n roll through artists like Ike Turner, whose Chess Records tune Rocket 88 is considered by some to be the first rock song. Keith Richards called 2120 S. Michigan Ave. hallowed ground; its where the Rolling Stones in 1964 recorded Its All Over Now, their first No. 1 hit. Neither played an instrument. Neither had even a bent for music, author Nadine Cohodas wrote of the Chess brothers in her 2000 book Spinning Blues Into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records. But they were entrepreneurs, and through the indigenous sounds of America blues and its progeny, jazz, rock and roll, and soul they found their fortune. Leonard died of a heart attack in 1969. That same year, Chess Records was sold and Phil moved to Arizona, where he worked in radio. Leonard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and both brothers are in the Blues Hall of Fame. Come election season, Colorado voters routinely face an eclectic array of ballot initiatives that has made it a national laboratory for big ideas. This is the place that first granted women the right to vote and more than a century later legalized marijuana. And this year, voters will choose whether the state will launch the nations first universal healthcare system and allow the terminally ill to end their own lives. But while this freewheeling exercise in citizen democracy is invigorating to many, others believe it has gone too far. Advertisement So they introduced Amendment 71 which many fear will change everything. Backed by a campaign called Raise the Bar, the measure would make it significantly harder to amend the state Constitution. It expands the area from which voter signatures must be gathered, while requiring future initiatives to pass by 55% of the vote rather than a simple majority. This ballot measure is going to ensure that our constitution is not held captive by the whims of the day Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper This may be arcane to most people, but for those involved in the initiative process, its a game-changer, said Seth Masket, political science professor at the University of Denver. Critics call it a naked power grab that would kill efforts to amend the Constitution by citizens, leaving it in the hands of the rich and powerful instead. Indeed, the amendment is heavily supported by the oil and gas industry which has been repeatedly targeted by anti-fracking initiatives. But a number of elected officials are also behind it, including Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper. This ballot measure is going to ensure that our constitution is not held captive by the whims of the day, Hickenlooper said. A small army of disparate interests have mobilized against it, including abortion rights groups, gun rights organizations, evangelicals, environmentalists and Tea Party activists. But they worry it may be too late. Right now, its a pretty uphill battle because 71 is being funded by the oil and gas industry with mountains of disposable income, said Tim Hoover, spokesman for the Colorado Fiscal Institute, a left-leaning policy center focusing on economics. Its one thing to raise the bar and another to launch it into outer space. Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, a libertarian think tank, said Amendment 71 is built on a faulty premise. Anyone who says its easy to change the Colorado Constitution is either incredibly wealthy or they never tried, he said. First you have to get it on the ballot and then get it past voters. The history of initiatives in Colorado is that most are overwhelmingly voted down. Even worse, he said, the amendment would destroy the ability of voters to rein in government. State law is where the government tells us what to do and the Constitution is where we tell politicians what to do, he said. What you have on 71 is overwhelmingly industry groups trying to protect themselves from citizens passing things they dont like. The director of the Raise the Bar campaign, Josh Penry, doesnt dispute that business is a major player. Thats not surprising, he said, because they are so often the targets of initiatives. This has become a cottage industry of special interests that use the amendment process to raise money and consolidate their political power, said Penry, a Republican and former minority leader of the Colorado Senate. Amendment 71 requires those seeking to amend the Constitution to collect signatures in each of the 35 Senate districts as opposed to setting up a table in Boulder or Denver and doing it all there. Under the current system, petitioners must gather signatures equal to 5% of the votes cast in the most recent election for secretary of state. In 2016, that would have been about 98,000 signatures. Amendment 71 would make petitioners collect at least 2%, or about 2,000 signatures, in each of the 35 state Senate districts, rather than in just a few metropolitan areas. Penry believes thats still easier than most other states. He said requiring 55% of voters to pass an initiative is necessary. There is a strong sentiment that the Constitution exists to protect our rights against the mob, from the passions of the hour, so we think it should require more than 50% plus one to change it, he said. Opponents point out that the 55% requirement would have sunk the 1893 initiative giving Colorado women the right to vote. That passed by 54.7%. The Denver Post has editorialized against the amendment. It expressed sympathy for the 55% standard but called collecting signatures in 35 districts a Herculean effort. The reason is that the system is costly, as signature gathering can easily cost $1 million or more. Next come the pricey legal battles that pop up when signatures are contested, the newspaper said. All that before a campaign spends a dime on getting out the message. Masket, the political science professor, said having too many initiatives on the ballot can overwhelm voters. Colorado has the most or nearly the most initiatives of any state because its easy to get something on the ballot, he said. Sometimes there are multiple initiatives on the same subject. That has a downside. If there are too many and they are too complex, voters often vote down everything, he said. ALSO DEA backs off a ban on kratom, a plant used to treat opioid addiction Yes, an after-school Satan Club could be coming to your kids grade school These 76-year-old twins have grown pot for decades. Heres why they oppose legalization On election day, voters in Pennsylvania will be touching the lighted buttons on electronic vote counters that were once seen as the solution to messy paper ballots. But in the event of a disputed election, this battleground state one of the few that relies almost entirely on computerized voting, with no paper backup could end up creating a far bigger mess. Stored in a locked warehouse near downtown Harrisburg, the 1980s-era voting machines used by Dauphin County look like discarded washing machines lined up in rows. When unfolded and powered up, the gray metal boxes become the familiar voting booth, complete with a curtain for privacy. Advertisement Much may rest on the reliability and security of these aging machines after an unprecedentedly combative presidential campaign that is ending with Donald Trump warning repeatedly of a rigged election and his refusal at Wednesdays debate to commit to accepting the results on Nov. 8. Court disputes over voting laws often divide justices along party lines The GOP nominee has specifically targeted Pennsylvania as a state where the election may be stolen, despite no evidence to back up such a claim and several polls showing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton well ahead of him here. The only way we can lose, he told a recent rally in Altoona, is if cheating goes on. Trumps talk has put extra pressure on election officials to make sure the voting is free and fair, and the tally is accurate and reliable. And there is little reason to doubt it will be. But computer experts says the old electronic voting machines have a hidden flaw that worries them in the event of a very close election. The machines do not produce a paper ballot or receipt, leaving nothing to be recounted if the election outcome were in doubt, such as in 2000, when the nation awaited anxiously for Florida to reexamine those hanging chads. The nightmare scenario would be if Pennsylvania decides the election and it is very close. You would have no paper records to do a recount, said Lawrence Norden, deputy director of the Brennan Center for Justices Democracy Program, co-author last year of a report on the risk posed by old voting machines. About three-fourths of the nations voters will be marking paper ballots, most of which will be counted electronically by an optical scanner, said Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting, a nonpartisan group that has advocated for paper ballots that can be counted electronically and recounted by hand as a way to ensure trust in a close election. California and most of the battleground states Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia among them have switched to voting systems with a paper trail. By contrast, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and South Carolina entrust their votes entirely to electronic touch screens. Pennsylvania is among those states that rely almost entirely on computerized voting, according to Verified Voting. Pennsylvania is using technology from the 80s made by the companies that dont exist anymore. In computer years, thats a very long time ago, Smith said. Pennsylvania election officials say they are well aware of the challenges. Gerald Feaser Jr., elections director for Dauphin County, agrees the older voting machines are not sophisticated, but he said that may be virtue. They cant be hacked, he said, because they were never connected to the Internet. Could the Russians hack our website on election night? Yes, he said. But nearly 500 voting machines across the county would be untouched and their vote tallies unaffected, he said. County election directors like Feaser nevertheless have a duty to make sure each of their voting machines is tested, working properly and correctly programmed for its precinct. Dauphin County has 162 polling precincts around Harrisburg and in the surrounding rural areas. Pennsylvania does not allow early voting, so the election begins at 7 a.m. on Nov. 8. Should it be legal to have a congressional district only one party can win? Marian Schneider, a voting rights lawyer who was appointed last year as Pennsylvanias deputy secretary for elections, said she was well aware of the problem with electronic machines. Still, the risk of tampering is very low, she said. But Andrew Appel, a Princeton professor of computer science, said that given a screwdriver and seven minutes with an electronic machine, he could install a vote-stealing program that would be hard to detect and shift a percentage of the votes. In states like Pennsylvania, these voting machines are delivered to polling places several days before the election to elementary schools, churches and firehouses, he said. That creates the risk of tampering. This is not just one glitch in one manufacturers machine. Its the very nature of computers, he told a House subcommittee last month. Feaser said state and local officials take precautions to ensure machines are kept secure and cant be tampered with. But Appel nevertheless recommends that the nation eliminate the use of paperless touchscreen voting machines after this years election. Other computer experts acknowledge the problem but do not see it as significant or ominous. Its true they have a potential vulnerability. You can put a bug in the software and switch some votes. But you would be talking about one machine and a few hundred votes, said Michael Shamos, professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Its not a systemic problem. These machines are not connected, and they are tested regularly. I have voted for years on these machines and do not have a security concern. In Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh and more than 1,300 voting precincts, election officials do random tests of voting machines on election day to check for tampering or irregularities. We randomly select 20 machines and pull them out of service, said Mark Wolosik, the county election director. We have an independent lab test them. We have been doing this since 2008 and havent found any problems, he said. Election officials and most party leaders Republicans and Democrats reject Trumps talk of the election being stolen or rigged. In Pennsylvania, polling places have a judge and two inspectors representing the two major parties to watch over the voting. And each side can have three designated poll watchers monitor them. They may challenge a voter who does not live in the area or is not who he says he is. There are a lot of eyes watching at the polls. Theyre Republicans and Democrats, said Ralph Teti, a Philadelphia lawyer and a Democrat who for many years represented the citys election board. They know the people in the neighborhood. The idea that you can bus people in from outside the area is just absurd. Michael Korns, the Republican chairman in Westmoreland County in western Pennsylvania, said he sees no reason to be concerned about the fairness of the vote counting. I dont believe there is any danger in the election being rigged. Thats just what people say when you lose, he said. For their part, the election officials say they would welcome newer voting machines, but the cost is the problem. The counties cant afford it. And these machines have worked well for us, Feaser said. In Pittsburgh, Wolosik said election officials are treating this election just like every other. We hope everything goes well on election day, he said. And the election is not close. david.savage@latimes.com On Twitter: DavidGSavage ALSO Trump undoes his third and best debate performance in just a few words Even lots of Donald Trumps supporters are starting to think hell lose the election In Ohio, little sign that Donald Trump has built the voter operation he needs In the nearly 40 years since California revived the death penalty, executioners at San Quentin have put 13 convicted murderers to death. But were they all truly the worst of the worst of the states killers? Were they all even killers? Theres a strong argument to be made that at least one of the executed inmates, Thomas Thompson of Laguna Beach, may, in fact, not have been guilty of murder. At the very least, there is strong evidence that the special circumstance rape that made him eligible for the death penalty didnt occur. So why was Thompson executed? Prosecutorial chicanery by the Orange County District Attorneys office, questionable testimony from jailhouse snitches and a defense attorney who failed at some of the basic tasks of trial, including challenging evidence, according to appellate rulings and a post-execution analysis. Thompsons 1998 execution points to one of the most compelling of the many reasons to abolish Californias death penalty under Novembers Proposition 62. A criminal justice system in which its often difficult to establish incontrovertible guilt should not be the vehicle for deciding life or death. Procedure trumped justice. Advertisement Thompson and his roommate, David Leitch, were both arrested several days after the partially clad body of 20-year-old Ginger Fleischli was found in an Irvine ditch on Sept. 14, 1981. Fleischli, who was Leitchs former girlfriend, had been stabbed several times in the head. She was last been seen alive two days earlier when she spent an evening bar-hopping and smoking hashish in Laguna Beach with Thompson and Leitch. Thompson and Fleischli wound up back at the Leitch-Thompson apartment, where Thompson (who over time offered different stories) said he passed out after they had consensual sex. Some time later that night, Fleischli was killed on the apartment floor next to where Thompson was sleeping. Both men were convicted of the murder in separate trials trials in which the same prosecutor pushed contradictory theories of what happened that night. In pushing the first theory during a preliminary hearing for both men, the prosecutor relied on four jailhouse informants, one of whom testified that Thompson had told them that he and Fleischli had consensual sex and that Thompson then stabbed her to death at Leitchs behest because Leitch feared Fleischli, aware of his drug habits, could ruin his hopes of reuniting with his ex-wife. In two pre-trial hearings, the court was told that Leitch was the only person...who has a motive to kill Fleischli. David Horsey: Proposition 62 and 66 cartoon But when the prosecutor put Thompson on trial, he laid out a completely different theory of the crime, arguing that Thompson had raped Fleischli and then killed her to silence her, and that Leitch merely helped dispose of the body. The prosecutor summoned two different jailhouse snitches who testified that Thompson had told them as much (one citing incorrect details that mirrored erroneous news accounts). The rape allegation added the special circumstance that made Thompson eligible for the death penalty. Yet Thompsons lawyer failed to challenge the autopsy report, even though he had an expert who offered a strong rebuttal during a preliminary hearing that a rape had even occurred. The lawyer, according to a later appellate ruling, also failed to fully challenge the two suspect informants. Two years later, the same prosecutor convicted Leitch using the original theory that Leitch had orchestrated the killing, and using the original snitches while excluding the witnesses who helped convict Thompson. Leitch had threatened Fleischli in the past, and fibers and a shoe print linked him and his car to the dumping of the body. So why wasnt this miscarriage of justice uncovered in the appeals process, and why wasnt the execution stopped? The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals did, in fact, throw out the conviction and harshly criticized the prosecutors use of two conflicting narratives of the same crime. But the U.S. Supreme Court, citing a missed deadline by the 9th Circuit, overruled that decision. Procedure trumped justice. Was Thompson innocent of murdering Fleischli? We cant know for sure. But he did not receive a fair trial. Prosecutorial game-playing and inadequate legal counsel led to a questionable conviction, and to the death sentence. Voters need to end the abominable system that makes such a mockery of justice by voting yes on Proposition 62. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Is Hillary Clinton, who is poised to shatter the nations highest glass ceiling, destined to then step out onto the glass cliff? The glass cliff, a phenomenon first described by British psychology professors Michelle K. Ryan and S. Alexander Haslam, is shorthand for a perilous situation that awaits women who reach the top of their professions. Researchers studying politics, business, law firms, school districts and regulatory agencies have all explored the glass cliff at work: A woman takes a leadership role in a hard-to-succeed situation; she faces extra pressure, scrutiny and criticism; then she falters. Clinton already is being shoved toward the precipice by opponents who want to delegitimize her presidency before the votes are even counted. Advertisement Donald Trumps campaign is staggering under the weight of multiple reports of his gross attitudes and behavior toward women. By repeating the unsupported charge that she is crooked and worthy of imprisonment, Trump is trying to make Clinton a loser of a president, even if she wins the election. Trump is trying to make Clinton a loser of a president, even if she wins the election. Women who have navigated themselves to leadership positions are all too familiar with the ways one can be set up to fail. Consider, first, that many women get their first top assignments in a moment of crisis or downturn. The task ahead is so difficult that many male colleagues didnt even apply. Still, women take the risk because they may never get another chance. Sometimes women beat the odds, as when Chief Executive Anne Mulcahy brought the Xerox Corp. back to life in the early 2000s. In other instances, no amount of hard work and talent can turn a bad situation into a success. Erin Callan was awarded the post of chief financial officer at Lehman Bros. and became the first woman on its executive committee as the bank teetered on the brink of disaster. She went down, as the bank did, and left the industry. In Clintons case, we have the first woman nominated for the presidency by a major political party. She indisputably has the talent and intelligence to occupy the most powerful office on Earth. Her experience as a lawyer, first lady, senator and secretary of State exceeds that of the last three presidents, before they were first elected, combined. In the last debate Trump himself praised her grit, noting, She doesnt quit. She doesnt give up. Then, two days later, his campaign launched a TV ad declaring she lacks the stamina to be president. It wouldve been more honest if Trump just came out and said Clinton cannot be president because she is female. Whenever anyone resorts to a physical criticism to question a womans abilities, what theyre really saying is that just being a woman is a problem. This is a favorite Trump technique. He uses it routinely to insult womens looks. He used it against Megyn Kelly of Fox News after a primary debate in August. No one could mistake Trumps comment that Kelly had blood coming out of her wherever for anything but what it was: a childish reference to menstruation. Trump insists that his attacks on Kelly, Clinton and others arent sexist. Such denial is a common tactic. The same people who insist theres no glass ceiling dismiss the idea of the glass cliff. They like it when women derail as leaders; it comports with their worldview. The glass cliff phenomenon has also been studied among African American leaders, who likewise sometimes get plum spots only when crises arise. Like women, they then find a lack of support, or even outright hostility, as they try to succeed. President Obama was dogged by the birther conspiracy that suggested he was secretly foreign-born and thus ineligible for the presidency. The most prominent birther of all was Trump, who didnt denounce this crackpot notion until recently and only barely. And then who did he blame for his five years of race-baiting? Hillary Clinton, of course. Trump failed to oust Obama in 2012, and he is failing in his attempt to destroy Clintons candidacy with misogyny. However, the amount of support both of his bigoted campaigns attracted tells us that too many Americans still believe only heterosexual white men are worthy of leadership. (Some Trump supporters are now tweet-advocating the repeal of the 19th Amendment the one that extended the right to vote to women.) Now, trying to fire up his base, Trump will shovel more of this ghastliness onto voters in the days before the election. When Clinton wins, she will make history and it will prove that Americans are better than Trumps pandering suggests. Thats just the beginning, though. Shell also need our support after inauguration day to keep her presidency off the glass cliff. Lynn OConnor Vos is chief executive of ghg | greyhealth group. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Although Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump discussed the Supreme Court at the debate Wednesday, they didnt convey how crucial filling its vacancies will be for our constitutional rights. Justice Antonin Scalias seat will almost certainly be left for the next president to fill. But there are three more justices who are 78 or older since 1960, 78 is the average age at which a justice has left the bench. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 83; Anthony M. Kennedy, 80; and Stephen G. Breyer, 78. Since 1971, when Richard Nixons third and fourth justices for the Supreme Court were confirmed, there have been five and sometimes as many as eight justices on the court who were appointed by Republican presidents. Now there are four appointed by Democratic presidents and four appointed by Republican presidents. The outcome of issues that intimately affect our lives will turn on who gets the chance to replace these justices. Abortion rights. If Scalia is replaced by someone who favors abortion rights, Roe vs. Wade will be more secure than it has been in decades. If Justices Ginsburg, Breyer and Kennedy are replaced by Hillary Clinton, abortion rights will be protected for decades to come and the court may revisit some of its rulings that allowed restrictions on abortions. Conversely, if even two of these four seats are replaced by Donald Trump, it seems certain that, as he said in the debate, there will be five votes to overrule Roe vs. Wade and allow states to prohibit abortions. Advertisement Affirmative action. On June 23, in Fisher vs. University of Texas, an opinion by Justice Kennedy upheld race considerations as an element of the universitys admissions policy. As with abortion rights, replacing Scalia with a Democratic appointee ensures a secure majority to allow such affirmative action programs. But if even two vacancies are filled by Trump, there will probably be five votes to eliminate all affirmative action Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas have made clear that this is their position. Campaign finance. Recent decisions striking down federal and state campaign finance laws, including Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which held that corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money in election campaigns, were 5-4 rulings. In each case, the majority comprised Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas and Alito. In other words, the court now is split 4-4 when it comes to campaign finance laws. A Clinton victory likely would mean, as she said in the debate, the overruling of Citizens United and a court far more willing to allow government regulation of campaign spending. A Trump victory would probably ensure exactly the opposite. Gun control. Few issues so closely correspond to ideology and political party affiliation as the meaning of the 2nd Amendment. Until 2008, the Supreme Court had never invalidated any law as violating the 2nd Amendment. The court had ruled that the right to bear arms was about a right to have guns for the purpose of militia service. But in District of Columbia vs. Heller, the court, 5-4, struck down a 32-year-old ordinance that prohibited private ownership or possession of hand guns. Scalia wrote the decision, joined by Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas and Alito. Again, the current court is probably split 4-4 on the meaning of the 2nd Amendment. If Clinton becomes president, her choice to fill Scalias seat is unlikely to extend gun rights and very well might make the majority necessary to overrule Heller. A Trump presidency would create a court committed to protecting personal gun rights and blocking firearm regulations. Separation of church and state. Views on the establishment clause also track political party ideology on issues such as the constitutionality of prayer in public schools, of religious symbols on government property, and of aid to parochial schools for religious instruction. Conservatives interpret the establishment clause narrowly, as merely prohibiting the government from establishing a church or coercing religious participation. Liberals see the clause as, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, creating a wall separating church and state. If Trump were to replace Scalia, Kennedy, Ginsburg and Breyer, there would probably be seven justices who would take the minimal approach. Conversely, if it is Clinton who has the chance to replace these justices, there likely would be six justices to enforce the wall interpretation. One of the longest lasting legacies of any presidency is whom he or she picks for the Supreme Court. John Paul Stevens served 35 years on the high court. Clarence Thomas has been a justice for 25 years, and he is only 68 years old. The Nov. 8 election will determine our rights for decades to come. Erwin Chemerinsky is the dean of the UC Irvine School of Law. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Hillary Clinton is getting a lot of grief for her answer to a question about gun control at her debate Wednesday with Donald Trump. But Clinton dodged what could have been a more lethal political bullet because Trump failed to press her aggressively on her claim that she has always supported an individual right to own a gun. Charles C.W. Cooke of the National Review mocked Clinton for suggesting that the Supreme Courts 2008 decision in District of Columbia vs. Heller, which affirmed an individual right to keep and bear arms under the 2nd Amendment, concerned a law designed to protect toddlers from guns. This is flatly incorrect, Cooke wrote. Heller, as anyone who has read it knows, revolved around the question of whether the government in Washington, D.C., could legally ban handguns entirely. It had nothing to do with toddlers. Advertisement Actually, one part of the ordinance arguably addressed the possibility that a 2-year-old might come upon a gun. That was a provision requiring that any lawful firearm in the home be disassembled or bound by a trigger lock at all times, rendering it inoperable. For that reason, PolitiFact, which has had to work overtime in this election, rated Clintons comments about the Heller decision in the debate as half true. Much more problematic if only Trump had been able to seize on it was Clintons insistence that I respect the 2nd Amendment [and] I also believe theres an individual right to bear arms. Trump did say that Clinton had been extremely angry about Heller, but (surprise) he didnt seem well-versed on the law struck down by that decision. He could have pointed out that, unlike Barack Obama, who welcomed the Heller decision in 2008, Clinton made a comment as recently as last year that seemed to condemn it. In remarks at a fundraiser captured on a leaked audiotape, Clinton said: The Supreme Court is wrong on the 2nd Amendment. And I am going to make that case every chance I get. Its not a smoking gun, but it sounds as if Clinton was echoing the usual liberal critique of Heller that the court erred in finding an individual right to bear arms rather than confining the right to a well-regulated militia. (In May, a campaign aide told Bloomberg Politics that Clinton thought Heller was wrongly decided.) By contrast, here is what Obama said in 2008: I have always believed that the 2nd Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice [Antonin] Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Obama was ahead of his time. Gun-control advocates who lambasted the court for the Heller decision increasingly are accepting it, and choosing to emphasize the leeway it allows for some regulation. This evolution is reminiscent of the way some in the pro-choice movement, who were initially aghast at the Supreme Courts 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey ruling upholding restrictions on abortion in Pennsylvania, later accepted the courts description of that ruling as a reaffirmation of the essential holding Roe vs. Wade. Hillary seems to have evolved in a similar fashion in her attitude toward Heller; but (not for the first time) Obama got there first. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Within the framework of the working visit of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to Maastricht town (the Netherlands), the president has met with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, where the two sides exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral relations issues. "It was agreed to enhance a bilateral political dialogue at all levels. The head of state expressed gratitude to the Hungarian government for the provision of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $3.6 million and treatment of Ukrainian military men, wounded in the ATO (anti terrorist operation) zone," the press service of the presidential administration said on Thursday afternoon. Poroshenko highly praised Hungarian support of the visa-free regime issue between Ukraine and the European Union, as well as the speedy ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. "In the context of the conflict settlement in Donbas, the sides discussed prospects for the continuation of economic sanctions against the Russian Federation as an effective tool to ensure full implementation of the Minsk agreements and the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine over the occupied territories," the press service said. The provided information says that interlocutors paid special attention to strengthening regional cooperation in the format of "Visegrad Four plus 1." To the editor: James Kirchicks opening statement, That Hillary Clinton would make a better president than Donald Trump should be evident to any mammal, is the very type of condescending remark that has driven so many into the Trump camp. Its the liberal notion that the unwashed multitude isnt intelligent enough make a rational decision on its own. (#NeverTrumpers need to get over themselves and vote for Hillary Clinton, Opinion, Oct. 14) Trump is a less than ideal candidate, and just about any mammal outside the political establishment would be just as appealing. And that is the point being missed by these so-called experts. The average citizen is so sick of the elitist, above-the-law, self-serving insiders running this country that a blowhard like Trump can win. Its not Trump the person that is appealing; its the concept that the status quo must change. As Trump would say, what do we have to lose? Advertisement P.G. Harvey, Mission Viejo .. To the editor: The #NeverTrump movement is totally bankrupt unless its adherents vote for Clinton. With only two serious candidates, the math is clear: If you dont vote for Trump and do vote for Clinton, your choice can make an impact. If you withhold your vote from Trump but give it to a third-party candidate, you have only half as much impact. Kirchick also makes the point that political opinion writers have a responsibility to inform voters as to which candidate is better. OK, but how? I doubt that anyone who doesnt understand the necessity of voting for Clinton to defeat Trump will ever read a thoughtful op-ed article in a quality liberal-leaning newspaper. Reading this article made me nod and smile, but I doubt it will have Kirchicks intended effect. Peter Vincent, Los Angeles .. To the editor: As one of the millions of Americans who cannot justify a vote for either Trump or Clinton, I found Kirchicks piece misguided and a little insulting. That Clinton is arguably more presidential than Trump is not nearly enough to justify his lecture on why #NeverTrumpers should support her. A candidate needs to deserve the votes he or she gets. While Trump is most of the negative labels that have been attached to him, Clinton is proven to be dishonest and in serious lack of sound judgment on several occasions. If I choose to withhold my vote from both candidates, as a registered Republican Ive essentially cast half a vote for her by default. But my choice not to give her the same level of support I would normally give to the Republican nominee has every bit as much legitimacy as those who opt to hold their nose and choose one of the two. Bob Cunningham, Riverside .. To the editor: As President Obama once said, The true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms nor the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals. By any measure, Trump does not have the insight or the dignity to embrace such a thought. #NeverTrumpers do indeed need to vote for Clinton or explain to their children and grandchildren just why they did not. Marcia Herman, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Wednesday night, Donald Trumps surrogates descended on the post-debate spin room like a horde of flying monkeys, declaring victory for their candidate and rattling off talking points amid a crush of cameras and microphones. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway was most sought-after, but there were plenty of other apologists for the Republican presidential nominee, including former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, Dr. Ben Carson and, in a cameo role, former Alaska governor and political celebrity Sarah Palin. Many of the large troop of females in tight dresses and fake eyelashes that Trump has drafted to speak for him were there, too, most notably Katrina Pierson, the rare brunette among many blondes who is famous for her uniquely odd arguments for Trumps most outrageous assertions. This time around, Pierson was defending her boss most notorious statement of the debate, his refusal to say if he would accept the verdict of the American people if he should lose the election. Pierson gamely tried to claim that Trump simply wanted to wait until all the votes were counted when it seemed pretty clear to most of the world including many appalled Republicans that he was threatening to recklessly cast doubt on the legitimacy of the next president and subvert American democracy. Advertisement 1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) Of course, no one would expect anything different from Pierson or expect any of the other surrogates, including those for Hillary Clinton (who, by the way, were outnumbered at least 3 to 1 by the Trump crew) to be purveyors of unscripted candor. And thats why I find spin rooms such a laughable exercise. No one is going to say anything new and surprising. It is a dance where everyone knows the steps. The surrogates say utterly predictable things for a horde of reporters who just need some sound to fill a few seconds of TV and radio time or a quote to plug into a deadline story. Its a symbiotic relationship, but not necessarily a healthy one. I almost never dip in to talk with one of these spokespeople. I generally cant think of a question for which I do not already know what their answer will be. Is there any doubt what Donald Trump Jr. was going to say when asked who won the debate? Does anyone think Clintons prime spinmeister for the evening, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, would judge Trump the victor? I did run into one person I wanted to chat with, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Watching the debate in the press room with a few hundred other journalists, my impression was that this third faceoff between Trump and Clinton was a bit more substantial and a shade less churlish than their first two encounters. Garcetti was surprised by my assessment. He had been inside the debate hall and found it to be a particularly nasty confrontation. The TV image apparently did not capture the palpable antagonism between the candidates that Garcetti witnessed. When the mayor said he had hoped to hear Trump flesh out his policies, it was my turn to be surprised. In a year and a half of campaigning, Trump has almost never bothered to go beyond boasts and random notions to delineate a serious plan for anything. Why would he start now? Like the rest of the sane world, Garcetti was shocked by Trumps refusal to say he would follow in the path of every other man who has lost a presidential election and ratify the result. But he was hopeful that, if and when Trump is defeated, the millions of people who are buying into his dark, dangerous musings about a stolen election would come around to acceptance. I trust the American people to return to a place where we can work together, Garcetti said. It is a hopeful thought and I dont think the mayor meant it as spin. Still, I am far from convinced we will recover from this campaign quite so easily. David.Horsey@latimes.com Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa endorses marijuana legalization initiative By Patrick McGreevy Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday endorsed a marijuana legalization initiative. ((Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) ) Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday became the latest high-profile politician to endorse an initiative on next weeks ballot that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in California. Villaraigosa is considering whether to run for governor in 2018 amid a field that already includes Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a leading proponent of Proposition 64. I took my time on this measure because I wanted to make sure it included protections for children and public safety, Villaraigosa said in a statement. In evaluating the measure in its entirety, I am convinced there are enough safeguards to make it a workable proposition. The Proposition 64 campaign welcomed Villaraigosas endorsement at a time when one recent poll indicated slightly fewer than half of Latino voters support the measure. Were glad to have it, said Jason Kinney, a spokesman for the campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Conservative group spends $3.5 million on Central Valley race once considered safe By Sarah D. Wire The Congressional Leadership Fund is pouring another $1.5 million into the race between Rep. Jeff Denham and Democrat farmer Michael Eggman. The group, which is endorsed by House Republican leaders, and works with the American Action Network, has now spent $3.5 million in the race. The race was initially viewed as an easy win for Denham (R-Turlock), but has become increasingly uncertain in recent weeks. The district is being closely watched as an indicator of how Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump might affect down-ballot candidates. Democrats have spent more than $6 million in the district. The Congressional Leadership Fund and American Action Network have spent $45 million in 32 districts nationwide so far and have aired ads in other California House races, including in the nearby 21st District race between Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) and attorney Emilio Huerta and the 7th District race between Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) and Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. The groups newest ad in the 10th District race begins running on television Tuesday. It calls Eggman, an almond and bee farmer, an extreme liberal and a rubber stamp for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) because he supports the Affordable Care Act. It previously ran an ad against Eggman that used news footage from the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack. ------------ FOR THE RECORD 2:14 p.m.: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to the Congressional Leadership Fund as the Conservative Leadership Fund. ------------ Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement The Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights leaders hold rally in support of Proposition 61 By Christine Mai-Duc The Rev. Al Sharpton kicks off a rally and march in support of Proposition 61, the California ballot measure that seeks to lower the price state agencies pay for prescription drugs. The Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders gathered at a rally Monday morning to support Proposition 61, the ballot measure that seeks to lower the price state agencies pay for prescription drugs. Sharpton appeared alongside black community leaders, including Marc Morial, former New Orleans mayor and head of the National Urban League, and Kevin Sauls, pastor of a South L.A. church. This issue is very simple, Sharpton said to a crowd of about 40 supporters. Its about the right of people to afford what they need, and they need to have accessibility that is affordable with prescription drugs. He likened the issue of prescription drug affordability to a civil right, and recycled the well-known Yes We Can slogan from President Obamas 2008 election to urge voters to pass Proposition 61. Sharptons appearance came a day after he and Morial stumped for the measure at seven different churches in South Los Angeles and the Bay Area. The significance of bringing in people of color is that we are the ones who disproportionately are impacted by the prices and impacted by the need for healthcare, Sharpton said in an interview afterward. I think its a civil right for people to be able to afford healthcare in the wealthiest nation in the world. Appearance of Sharpton, New Orleans mayor Marc Morial and LA pastor follows Sharpton's visits to two South LA churches Sunday for Yes on 61 pic.twitter.com/redBvU8WWZ Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) October 31, 2016 In a statement, No on Proposition 61 spokeswoman Kathy Fairbanks pointed to support for the opposition campaign from groups like the California NAACP, and the California League of Latin American Citizens. Higher drug prices resulting from Prop. 61 will decrease access to care, Fairbanks said. Thats a policy step in the wrong direction. The Rev. Al Sharpton at a Yes on Proposition 61 rally in downtown Los Angeles. (Christine Mai-Duc / Los Angeles Times) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Voters are being asked whether they want to cast more votes in future elections on big public works projects By John Myers (Russel A. Daniels / Associated Press) Voters casting a ballot for Proposition 53 on election day are, in effect, choosing more voting on more propositions in future elections. The ballot measure, bankrolled by a wealthy Stockton agribusiness owner, seeks to force voter approval of a particular type of borrowing for large public works projects. Its most likely impact, in the near future, would be ballot measures on a landmark water project and on Californias high-speed rail effort. The propositions backer, Dean Cortopassi, argues its all about more transparency when it comes to government debt. His critics suggest theres more to it than that. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement This congressional race could be one of the Republicans worst nightmares By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham represents the Modesto area in Congress and is up against Democratic beekeeper Michael Eggman, the same man he beat just two years ago by 12 points. Denham first won his seat in 2012 even as a majority of his constituents voted for President Obama. When Denham (R-Turlock) started this latest campaign, most observers thought he would probably win. But some now wonder if Denhams 10th District race will be an example of what Republicans fear across the country. Will conservatives expected to win actually lose because voters arent excited about Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump? Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Loretta Sanchezs day on the campaign trail: Two ribbons cut, one candle lit, and jabs made at her Senate rival By Phil Willon U.S. Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez shows Clifford Young, president of the West Valley Water District, where to cut the ribbon for the grand opening on a new water treatment plant Saturday. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) With less than two weeks to go before election day, U.S. Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez bounced from the Inland Empire to Monterey Park on Saturday as she tries to drum up support for her uphill Senate bid. Sanchez, the U.S. representative from Orange, started her day with a gaggle of other Inland Empire politicians at the grand opening of a $23-million water treatment system in Rialto, using the occasion to lay out her record on water issues during her 20 years in Congress. Sanchez told the crowd of about 60 that shortly after she was elected to Congress, two members of a local water board approached her about a way to deal with Californias serious drought. They said, we need to convince people that were going to take toilet water and were going to clean it up enough for people to drink it, Sanchez said. They said, we cant get anyone to champion this for us. Well, no wonder. Sanchez said they won her over, and she helped deliver federal funding for Orange Countys Groundwater Replenishment System to do just that. The system uses treated waste water to recharge the local groundwater basin and provides enough water for nearly 850,000 residents. After the event, Sanchez accused her rival in the Senate race, state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, of having little grasp of the complexities of Californias drought and water crisis. One of the biggest differences between my opponent and myself is that I actually talk about issues, I actually meet with people, I actually try to figure out whats going on, Sanchez said. Ive not seen anything about her. Ive not seen any policy. All I see is commercials on TV. U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Orange) officially opens the childrens Diwali celebration at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple in Chino Hills on Saturday. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) A few hours later, Sanchez raced over to Chino Hills to open the Kids Diwali Celebration at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple, a family-friendly event filled with carnival rides, booths and food. She thanked festivalgoers, saying they were setting a good example for the rest of the country at a time when the presidential election is filled with such meanness. This is a time where through tradition and through culture you can show Americans the better part of people, Sanchez said. You give the rest of us hope. After listening to Sanchez speak, Kay Mistry, a volunteer at the festival, said he still wasnt sure who he will vote for in the Senate race. He said he was aware that Harris, whose mother emigrated from India, went to a Hindu temple as a child. Im not sure that matters to me, said Mistry, 48, of Chino Hills. Im pretty conservative. Sanchez attends her second ribbon cutting of the day, this time for Halloween in the Park in Monterey Park. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) The Orange County congresswomans final stop of the day was in Monterey Park, where she helped cut the ribbon to open citys Halloween in the Park festival. After the ceremony, Sanchez mingled with the crowd, handing out campaign fliers. Arnold Jeung, 62, stuck the flier in his back pocket. He said he didnt know much about Sanchez or Harris. Im not sure what Im going to do, said Jeung, a Republican. I might not even vote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California Politics Podcast: The lowdown on the states big down-ticket races By John Myers Perhaps more than any other recent election season, races for seats in the California Legislature and U.S. Congress are being reshaped by the broad, national discussion. In short, its the Trump effect. On this weeks episode of the California Politics Podcast, we take an overview of some of states most closely watched down-ticket races. Theres new polling data in the U.S. Senate race that suggests a sizable number of voters will skip casting a ballot. Meanwhile, President Obama had endorsed candidates all the way down to the state Assembly level. Im joined by Marisa Lagos of KQED News and Anthony York, author of the Grizzly Bear Project website. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California, your official presidential write-in options include Bernie Sanders and Evan McMullin By Christine Mai-Duc Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is one of five officially certified write-in candidates for president in California. (Christopher Dolan / Associated Press) California Secretary of State Alex Padilla released the names of the five officially qualified write-in candidates for the presidential race in California, along with their vice presidential running mates. Contrary to popular belief, votes for write-in candidates only count when the candidate is officially certified. (That means votes for Mickey Mouse, Giant Meteor, or Chuck Norris will not be counted.) The officially qualified write-in candidates are: Laurence Kotlikoff for president and Edward Leamer for vice president Mike Maturen for president and Juan Munoz for vice president Evan McMullin for president and Nathan Johnson for vice president Bernard Bernie Sanders for president and Tulsi Gabbard for vice president Jerry White for president and Niles Niemuth for vice president Now, that doesnt mean that Sanders and the other candidates wanted to be recognized as official write-ins. California law only requires that 55 electors sign on to declare a person a write-in candidate, not that the person consent, according to a statement from the Secretary of States Office. A full list of each candidates electors can be seen here. Write-in votes for these candidates will not be reported until the counties send their final vote certifications after the post-election canvass period, meaning a write-in vote will take longer to count. You might be wondering: Does spelling count? The Secretary of State says election officials will accept a reasonable facsimile of the spelling of a candidates name. For example, Joe Smith and Joseph Smith would both be accepted. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Dueling ads aim to persuade Latinos on proposition to legalize marijuana in California By Patrick McGreevy With a poll indicating Latino voters lag in their support for a ballot proposition that would legalize recreation marijuana in California, the campaigns for and against the measure are launching dueling ads aimed at that large demographic. A poll Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California found that Proposition 64 is favored by a majority of likely voters in California, including a majority of all ethnic groups, except Latinos. Latinos support is just under half at 47%. The campaign against the ballot measure will launch its second ad on Spanish language television, titled Asusta or Scary on Halloween. The ad warns if approved, Proposition 64 could eventually lead to radio and television ads for marijuana candy. Federal law prohibits such ads on broadcast stations, and the initiative prohibits television advertising aimed at minors if federal law ever changes. The campaign in favor of the ballot measure said Friday it has launched new counter TV ads targeted to the Los Angeles area, where there is a large Latino audience. One ad, for Spanish language television, labels as falso, or false, the claims that there will be television commercials for marijuana candy. A second ad, in English, features a mother of teenagers saying she appreciates that Proposition 64 has important safeguards for families, like strict product labeling and child-proof packaging of all marijuana products and banning edibles that would appeal to a child. The two sides each claimed Friday that the polls are favorable to their cause. The polls highlight the lack of support by the Latino community because they know their neighborhoods will have to face the problems that recreational marijuana creates, said Andrew Acosta, a spokesman for the opposition campaign. Not true, said Jason Kinney, a spokesman for the Proposition 64 campaign. Polls show that Latino support for Proposition 64 and marijuana decriminalization has been increasing as they learn how communities of color are being disproportionately targeted for marijuana arrest and prosecution, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi endorses ballot measure to repeal the death penalty in California By Jazmine Ulloa (Win McNamee / Getty Images) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) on Friday announced her support for a proposition that would repeal the death penalty in California, calling the practice cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment to the Constitution. Even the most heinous of crimes can be punished without killing, she said. As Pope Francis said in his address to Congress, where he reaffirmed his advocacy for the global abolition of the death penalty: every human person is endowed with an unalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Pelosi is among a string of top political leaders, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and celebrities to come out in support of Proposition 62, which would replace the punishment with life in prison without parole and apply life sentences retroactively to death row inmates. The initiative is one of two competing death penalty measures on the Nov. 8 ballot. She also is among fewer political leaders to denounce the death penalty itself on moral grounds. I oppose the death penalty because too many defendants have not had access to appropriate legal counsel; because poor people especially in communities of color have been disproportionately charged with capital crimes and sentenced to death, compared with more affluent defendants; and, so many people have been exonerated with DNA evidence. It is time for us to take a moral stand. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Obama endorses Emilio Huerta in his Central Valley race against Rep. David Valadao By Sarah D. Wire (Sarah D. Wire / Los Angeles Times) President Obama on Friday endorsed 21st District congressional candidate Emilio Huerta, the Democrats campaign announced. I am proud to endorse Emilio Huerta for the United States House of Representatives, Obama said in a statement released by the campaign. In Congress, Emilio will be a fighter for Central Valley working families. Emilio isnt afraid to take on tough challenges, and hell fight for more and better access to clean water, good jobs with fair wages, and an education system that works for every child. Emilio is the kind of smart leader who will build on what weve accomplished and move our country forward, and thats why I know Californians can count on Emilio Huerta. Huerta, an attorney and son of labor rights icon Dolores Huerta, is challenging Rep. David Valadao in the Central Valley district. Obama had already endorsed six California Democrats. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was in the district Thursday to campaign for Valadao. Hes in the middle of a swing through California to support vulnerable House Republicans. David Valadao is exactly the type of representative Central Valley families and those involved in the agriculture industry need. He understands the issues impacting the area, because thats been his life. David was born in the Central Valley, he grew up there, he went to school there -- and he even met his wife there. In Congress, he has led the fight on water, veterans issues, and education, Ryan said in a statement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Advertisement Comedian Kathy Griffin pokes fun at tobacco company ads By Liam Dillon The tobacco industry-funded television advertisements against the Proposition 56 tobacco tax increase are ubiquitous. They all generally have the same message: The money from the tax hike would go to Medi-Cal, the states low-income healthcare program, and therefore benefit the doctors and insurance groups that are helping finance the measure. Comedian Kathy Griffin decided to spoof the advertisements follow-the-money message in a video she released on Twitter Tuesday. Hey @YesOn56...I had to get involved! #YesOn56 https://t.co/ZXURPBZYZP Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) October 27, 2016 Griffin highlighted that tobacco companies had funded the advertisement, which is clear when you read the fine print at the end. So in general just be careful of these opposite ads, Griffin said, dressed in a similar gardening outfit as the actress in the No on 56 ad. Or in general white ladies gardening. You can watch Griffins full spoof here: Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Los Angeles County Bar says expediting the death penalty system will compromise justice By Jazmine Ulloa The Los Angeles County Bar Assn. has joined opponents of a Nov. 8 ballot measure that intends to expedite executions in California, saying it would likely compromise access to justice at all levels of the court system. In a letter released late Wednesday, the organization, which comprises more than 20,000 members, said Proposition 66 would require appellate courts to hear initial death penalty appeals, without providing the roughly $100 million needed to fund additional judges, staff and resources. LACBA opposes Proposition 66 based entirely on its damaging effect on the operation of an already over-taxed judicial system, and most importantly, the resulting lack of access to justice for California citizens, states the letter signed by Margaret Stevens, the associations president. The association said it took no position on the death penalty itself, its effectiveness, morality or social merits. But its opposition to the ballot measure comes as top Los Angeles County officials, including Sheriff Jim McDonnell and Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, have announced their support. Proposition 66 has drawn wide support and funding from law enforcement officials and organizations that argue Californias death penalty must be preserved and reformed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown launches TV ad against Prop. 53s change to state revenue bonds By John Myers Its a nuanced pitch from Gov. Jerry Brown, asking California voters to oppose an effort that would give them a vote on future big infrastructure projects. But Brown has more than $15 million in campaign cash to make his case against Proposition 53, in a TV ad that began on Thursday. Proposition 53 asks voters to add revenue bonds of $2 billion or more to the list of government borrowing that requires statewide voter approval. Unlike general obligation bonds, which are paid back by taxpayer dollars through the states general fund, revenue bonds are paid back with fees charged to users of projects like bridges, dams and buildings. Brown takes aim in the ad at the fact that 53 is paid for by one millionaire, Central Valley agribusiness owner Dean Cortopassi. In an interview this week, Cortopassi called revenue bonds a blank check to sell debt forward into the future. Proposition 53 could force statewide votes on two high-profile infrastructure projects: Californias plan for a high-speed train system and the construction of twin underground tunnels to divert water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to Southern California. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New citizens can still register to vote Nov. 8 even though the California deadline has passed By Sophia Bollag Thomas Macariola, center, fills out a voter registration form after a naturalization ceremony on Oct. 26 in Sacramento, where a cardboard cut-out of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was among the witnesses. (Sophia Bollag / Los Angeles Times) Alex De Leon, a 30-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, was among more than 400 people who became U.S. citizens at a ceremony in Sacramento on Wednesday. After the program concluded, he walked outside and filled out his voter registration papers. The registration deadline to vote in the Nov. 8 election for most Californians was Monday. But a 2012 state law allows people like De Leon, who became citizens after the deadline, to register late. To vote, they must bring proof of citizenship and California residency to show to an official at a county election office. As a precaution against voter fraud, theyre not allowed to vote at a neighborhood polling place or with an absentee ballot. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A new poll shows Californians remain ready to legalize the recreational use of pot By Patrick McGreevy (David Zalubowski / Associated Press) A majority of Californias likely voters continue to favor legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, but the level of support has dipped from a reported 60% a month ago to 55% this month, according to a statewide poll released Wednesday night. The latest poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 38% of those surveyed oppose Proposition 64 and 6% are undecided. But the basic finding is that the initiative would still pass with a majority vote if the election were held today, according to Mark Baldassare, the institutes pollster and president. The numbers have been favorable, consistent, and exactly where we expected and wanted to be at this point, said Jason Kinney, a spokesman for the Proposition 64 campaign. The poll was conducted Oct. 14-23 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4% at a 95% confidence level. Proposition 64 is supported by 66% of Democratic likely voters and 56% of independents, but 60% of Republicans are opposed. Just under half of Latino likely voters (47%) would vote yes, while majorities of other racial/ethnic groups (65%) and whites (55%) would do so, the poll report said. Support is highest, at 78%, among those age 18 to 34. The opposition campaign said the campaign for Proposition 64 has turned voters away from the measure. It is clear that voters are realizing that Prop 64 is a 62-page mess that helps the marijuana industry tap into the California market, said Andrew Acosta, a spokesman for the campaign against the initiative. Those polled were also asked whether they have ever tried marijuana and, if so, if they used it in the last year: 18% said they have tried marijuana and used it in the last year, while 25% said they have tried it, but not in the last year. Updated at 9:30 am to include comments by the campaigns. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New poll shows Kamala Harris leading Californias U.S. Senate race by a 2-to-1 margin By Phil Willon U.S. Senate candidates Kamala Harris, left, points a finger toward rival Loretta Sanchez during their debate at Cal State L.A. on Wednesday, Oct. 5. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) With ballots already being cast, State Atty. General Kamala Harris leads by a more than a two-to-one margin over her rival in Californias U.S. Senate race, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. The survey showed that 42% of likely voters supported Harris, compared to 20% who favored her opponent, Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez. Among the remainder, 20% of voters were undecided and 18% said they will not vote for either candidate by election day on Nov. 8. The results are dramatically different that those in a PPIC released on Sept. 21, when Harris had just a 7-point lead over Sanchez. But the new poll numbers are closely aligned with results in the June 7 primary, when Harris received 40% of the vote and Sanchez came in second with 19% in a race with 34 candidates on the ballot. In a PPIC poll in July, Harris also had 38% support among likely voters and Sanchez 20%. From the start this has been a race in which Harris, who did very well in the primary, has had a large advantage, said PPIC President Mark Baldassare. Loretta Sanchez hasnt been able to, in any of our polls, get above 25% Unlike the PPICs surveys in July and September, the new poll included the ballot designations for the two Senate candidates, listing Harris as Attorney General of California and Sanchez as a United States Congresswoman. Both Harris and Sanchez are Democrats. There also have been a few major developments in the Senate campaign since Sept. 21, including the Oct. 5 Senate debate at Cal State Los Angeles where Sanchez caused a stir by dabbing as her finale. The following day, U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein endorsed Harris. Both Harris and Sanchez are trying to succeed Boxer, who is retiring after serving four terms in the Senate. According to the new PPIC poll, Harris is favored over Sanchez across all general income and education levels of voters, as well as among both men and women. Harris also leads in these major regions of the state: Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, Orange and San Diego counties, and the Inland Empire. Latinos are the only major cross-section of likely voters who favor Sanchez over Harris, by a margin of 41% to 33%, the poll shows. Harris also gained support from Republicans and independents over the past month, mostly likely from voters who previously said they would not vote. Still, more than a third of likely Republican voters said they would not vote for Sanchez or Harris, and 16% of independent voters also plan to take a pass. The two Democrats are facing off in the highest-profile contest between two members of the same party since California adopted a top-two primary election system. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Will the Defense Department fix the National Guard bonus repayment problem? California congressional reps are skeptical By Sarah D. Wire (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press) Some members of Californias congressional delegation arent satisfied with a Defense Department plan to verify whether thousands of California National Guard members fairly received bonuses for enlisting during the height of the Iraq war or must repay the money. They said Wednesday that they want a detailed plan by the time Congress returns in mid-November. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) organized a call so that Californias 53 House members could question the Defense Department about how it plans to fix the problem, which was first reported Sunday by The Times. Members werent sure exactly how many of their colleagues were on the call. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Wednesday ordered the Pentagon to pause efforts to claw back the enlistment bonuses. He said the suspension would continue until he was satisfied that our process is working effectively. Congressional members told The Times that Defense officials said they plan to increase the number of employees reviewing the cases and expect all of them will be examined by July. After the call, Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) said she was still outraged and wants a more detailed plan from the Defense Department. There was definitely a level of skepticism that they would move forward on this in a very fair and evenhanded way, Brownley said. Department officials told the delegation there are 13,800 questionable bonus cases in California. Of those, 4,000 have been cleared as properly eligible and 1,200 cases identified as possible fraud, meaning the guard member was not eligible or did not complete the contract. The department still must review the remaining 8,600 cases. (The case numbers relayed to members of Congress on Wednesday differ slightly from those provided to The Times by the department.) Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) said the Defense Department told members its plan is to clear up to 100 cases a day. They will give everybody a chance to go through the panels and make their case, she said, even the 1,200 identified as possible fraud. Brownleys staff said some Guard members were told to pay back more than $60,000. Many of the bonuses were at least $15,000. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) said that in many cases, Guard members werent spending money they knew they werent supposed to receive, and that the Pentagon should have the burden of proving the soldier knowingly took a bonus they werent supposed to get. In the vast majority of cases, soldiers accepted these bonuses in good faith, Schiff said. You dont call them up years later and say, We shouldnt have offered that and try to collect. The department will give the California members another briefing when Congress returns Nov. 14. Brownley said several members told the department they would go ahead with legislation to forgive the bonus debt for at least some Guard members if a detailed plan was not ready by then. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Latinos in California are motivated to vote against Donald Trump, and that could affect a lot of other races By Sophia Bollag Voters make their way in and out of a polling place at the House of Mercy in Los Angeles in November 2012. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Latinos make up the largest ethnic group in California, but are often underrepresented at the polls. This year, however, experts say they expect good Latino turnout in November, thanks largely to the heated presidential election that is motivating many Latinos to vote against presidential candidate Donald Trump and his anti-immigration rhetoric. They stand to have considerable impact on many down-ballot races in California, as well as on the outcome of many statewide propositions. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Tom Steyer is now the biggest donor in the effort to raise the tobacco tax By Liam Dillon Billionaire Tom Steyer is now the largest donor in the effort to raise the states cigarette tax by $2 a pack. With a $3.5-million donation to the Yes on Proposition 56 campaign Tuesday, Steyers total spending on the race has reached $11.3 million. Thats more than a third of the $31 million the primary Yes on 56 committee has raised and more than all the money raised during a similar, but failed, effort to increase the tobacco tax four years ago. Steyer, who is a major donor to state and national liberal causes, is the focus in two Yes on 56 television advertisements. Hes said hes motivated to spend to limit youth smoking and the memory of his mother, a smoker who died of lung cancer. Steyer also is frequently mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate for governor in 2018. The No on 56 campaign, which is almost entirely funded by tobacco companies, has raised $71 million. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California congressional reps say they didnt know so many Guard members were being forced to repay enlistment bonuses By Sarah D. Wire Some of Californias members of Congress say Californias National Guard did not explain in 2014 how many guard members were being forced to repay enlistment bonuses. On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter ordered the Pentagon to suspend all efforts to collect reimbursement from the nearly 10,000 California National Guard members who were improperly given bonuses as an incentive to reenlist at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier in the week, a senior California National Guard official said it told the states members of Congress two years ago the Pentagon was trying to claw back reenlistment bonuses from thousands of soldiers, and even offered a proposal to mitigate the problem, but Congress took no action. After The Times first reported the problem Sunday, most of Californias 55 members of Congress signed onto letters to Carter, or House and Senate leaders, asking for an immediate fix. On Wednesday, they praised the Defense Department for halting the clawbacks and said Congress needs to stop the process entirely and refund the Guard members who already have repaid money. Still, some members took issue with the California Guards characterization of what it told the California delegation two years ago. Staff in members offices said the Guard broadly mentioned the clawbacks in a 2014 letter detailing its policy goals for the year, but officials didnt meet with members of Congress in person or by phone, and didnt otherwise tell them about the scale of the issue. Such letters are fairly common from groups working with Congress. If they would have come and said, Youre going to have thousands of combat veterans having their wages garnished and tax liens being put on them, we would have been all over this, said Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine). That was never communicated to us. Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Los Angeles) said neither the Pentagon nor California Guard officials told him about the large number of soldiers ordered to repay bonuses, though his office had received complaints from individual soldiers. I have no record of receiving any formal notice of this widespread issue from any department federal or state. The only record I have is of individual cases of service members who approached my office to get help, and we are working with these individuals who have served our country to make sure they are treated fairly, he said. Several high-ranking members of the delegation said this week they first heard of the scope of the problem from The Times reporting. The California Guard also sent members of Congress a suggested provision that would have allowed debt waivers for the affected soldiers in the 2015 defense authorization bill. Reps. Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) and Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) initially pushed for the provision but later abandoned the effort, and it didnt appear in the final bill. Cook and Denham said they dropped the effort after being told the Pentagon already had the power to waive the debts. Guard officials said they were told the provision was discarded because waiving the debt would have cost the Pentagon money, requiring the estimated costs to be offset with cuts elsewhere in the defense budget. For the record: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Denham declined to discuss why he dropped the provision to waive the debt. He dropped the effort after being told the Pentagon already had the power to waive the debt. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Ted Cruzs old gang called into action to help California GOP By Phil Willon Ron Nehring, a former aide in Sen. Ted Cruzs presidential bid, chats with visitors at the California State Fair in Sacramento during his 2014 campaign for lieutenant governor. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Texas Sen. Ted Cruzs presidential bid may be history, but his supporters in California are banding together to help GOP candidates locked in tight down-ballot races. Ron Nehring, the former state GOP chairman who was a top Cruz booster, said the focus will be turning out Republican voters and recruiting volunteers to work on a list of hotly contested congressional and legislative races selected by the California Republican Party. Among those pinpointed are Vista Rep. Darrell Issa, who faces his toughest challenge since being elected to Congress in 2000, and Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, who is trying to unseat Democratic Rep. Ami Bera of Elk Grove. It is 100% exclusively boots on the ground, Nehring said. Michael Schroeder, who was co-chairman of Cruzs campaign in California and also served as the state GOP chairman, said Republican turnout in the Golden State is expected to be down because of the controversies surrounding GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Having Trump at the top of the November ballot also will motivate more Democrats to vote, and that could endanger GOP candidates in close races throughout the state, he said. Trumps campaign is a lost cause in California at this point, Schroeder said. Trump said he was going to drive Hispanic turnout, and I think hes right -- but not in the way hes hoping for. Californias Cruz alumni have a website and on Monday night held a conference call with 75 former Cruz organizers asking them to activate their local political networks to help with the effort, Nehring said. Other Republicans theyll work to protect or elect: Reps. Jeff Denham of Turlock, David Valadao of Hanford and Steve Knight of Palmdale. Assembly members Catharine Baker of San Ramon, David Hadley of Manhattan Beach, Tom Lackey of Palmdale and Young Kim of Fullerton. State Senate candidates Mike Antonovich of Glendale, Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita and Ling Ling Chang of Diamond Bar. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Central Valley congressional race shifts to a toss-up By Sarah D. Wire (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The 10th Congressional District race between Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) and Democrat Michael Eggman is now a toss-up, the nonpartisan analysts at the Cook Political Report announced Tuesday. The contest in the heavily Latino Central Valley district had been rated lean Republican, meaning the analysts thought Eggman had a chance, but they expected the third-term Republican to be reelected.The Cook Political Report now lists several California House districts held by Republicans as toss-ups, including Rep. Darrell Issas seat in the 49th District and Rep. Steve Knight in the 25th District. This is the second matchup for Denham and Eggman. Denham won their 2014 encounter with 56% of the vote, but this year, there is the added unknown of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps effect on other races and whether his unpopularity will drag down other candidates. For the record: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Rep. David Valadaos race in the 21st District is listed as a toss-up. It is listed as leaning Republican. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. Rep. Ami Bera: Soldiers who served our country should not be penalized for the mistakes of others By Sophia Bollag Urging @DeptofDefense today to immediately stop ordering @theCAGuard members to pay back their enlistment benefits. pic.twitter.com/Ti6bzWJias Ami Bera, M.D. (@RepBera) October 24, 2016 U.S. Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) wrote to top Department of Defense officials Monday urging them to stop asking veterans to repay enlistment bonuses. The Pentagon has ordered nearly 10,000 California Guard soldiers to repay bonuses that were improperly awarded to them, The Times reported Saturday. With his letter, Bera joined the chorus of lawmakers who have condemned the action, calling on the Pentagon to waive the soldiers debts. Soldiers who served our country should not be penalized for the mistakes of others, wrote Bera, who faces a tough reelection battle in his Northern California district. I urge the Department to halt the collection of these bonuses at this time to prevent placing more service members in financial hardship. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Crime victims oppose the death penalty in Yes on Prop. 62 ads By Jazmine Ulloa In new online ads released Tuesday by proponents of Proposition 62, which seeks to repeal the death penalty in California, crime victims urge voters to end the system and bring peace to grieving families. Proposition 62 would replace the ultimate punishment for murder with a sentence of life in prison without parole, ending a lengthy appeals process that some victims say has interfered with their healing. It is one of two competing death penalty measures on the Nov. 8 ballot. In one of two videos, which campaign officials say are geared toward swing voters, Beth Webb tells viewers she has had to face the death row inmate who killed her sister and seven others in a hair salon almost 50 times in court. Him sitting there, soaking up all of the attention, loving it, its disgusting, she says. The commercials come as proponents of the opposing measure on the ballot, Proposition 66, have released their own ads over the last few days, urging voters to reform the system, not end it. In one of those videos, a murder victims mother says no punishment other than the death penalty is appropriate for the twice-convicted sex offender who abducted her child. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Common, Russell Simmons, Shailene Woodley among celebrities pushing to legalize weed in California By Patrick McGreevy Common at the 2015 Academy Awards (Kevin Winter / Getty Images) Top celebrities including Common, Tim Robbins and the author of the Orange is the New Black memoir are joining forces in what they are calling Artists for 64" the effort to legalize recreational use of marijuana in California. A show of force announced Tuesday includes rapper and actor Common; music producer Russell Simmons; Ty Dolla $ign; actors Danny Glover, Olivia Wilde, Tim Robbins, Sarah Silverman, Shailene Woodley of The Divergent series, Jesse Williams of Greys Anatomy and Michael K. Williams of the HBO series The Wire; and Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Womens Prison. Jay Z, who last week put out a video calling the war on drugs an epic fail, also signed on to the effort. In California, the question on whether to legalize marijuana for adult use is a policy change that will have a lasting impact on historically marginalized communities, Glover, the star of films including the Lethal Weapon series, said in a statement posted on Artists for 64. Marijuana laws have been used as a tool by law enforcement to racially profile, harass, intimidate and criminalize mostly young African American and Latino men for decades. I am shocked and saddened by the harm that marijuana criminalization brings, especially for communities of color, Wilde said in a statement. The campaign against Proposition 64 said Hollywood celebrities are not the most credible endorsers, charging they are out of touch with the reality of drug abuse in many communities in the state. Today the No on Prop 64 campaign did a press event in Fresno with faith and community leaders who know that the problems that recreational marijuana creates will impact these communities and neighborhoods across California not Hollywood, said Andrew Acosta, a spokesman for the opposition campaign. In a video produced by Dream Hampton and included on the website, former Golden State Warrior Al Harrington talks about how marijuana helped him overcome pain and inflammation during a staph infection and helped his grandmother with her glaucoma. Im a California voter and Im voting `yes for Prop. 64, he says. Williams spoke from personal experience. Im in recovery and dont use marijuana, and my Christian faith is my rock when it comes to staying sober, he said in a statement. But I dont believe people should be arrested for marijuana anymore. California can lead the country by voting yes on Prop 64. Drug Policy Action, an advocacy group backing Proposition 64 to legalize the drug for recreational use, paid for the site. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias Congress members knew the Pentagon was trying to get back bonuses from soldiers, official says By David S. Cloud The California National Guard told the states members of Congress two years ago that the Pentagon was trying to claw back reenlistment bonuses from thousands of soldiers, and even offered a proposal to mitigate the problem, but Congress took no action, according to a senior National Guard official. What form that communication took and whether the members of Congress understood the scope of the problem at the time is unclear. On Monday, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying that Congress should pass legislation to halt the Pentagon debt recovery as soon as we gavel back into session after the Nov. 8 election. Other California congressional members, including Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also sent letters to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter about the matter. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Proposition 56 and the great vape tax debate By Liam Dillon (Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP/Getty Images) Turn on any TV in California and you know that all the talk surrounding the Proposition 56 tobacco tax has been about cigarettes. But if the initiative passes next month, e-cigarettes will also be taxed like traditional cigarettes for the first time a huge tax increase that could boost the price of a typical 30-milliliter bottle of e-liquid by $10. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State ethics watchdog asks court to force assemblymans campaign to turn over documents for investigation By Christine Mai-Duc Assemblyman David Hadley (R-Manhattan Beach) greets people after participating in a candidates forum in Torrance. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The campaign of Assemblyman David Hadley (R-Manhattan Beach) has delayed turning over documents related to an official investigation into his campaign practices, according to court documents filed by the state Fair Political Practices Commission. The investigation grew out of a complaint from Hadleys opponent, Democrat Al Muratsuchi, that claims Hadleys campaign was illegally coordinating with an independent expenditure committee that also supported Hadley. In a letter to the FPPC, Muratsuchi claimed Hadleys campaign and Spirit of Democracy, a group funded mostly by Republican donor Charles Munger, Jr., shared consultant Steven Presson during at least part of the primary campaign for Assembly District 66. In court documents filed Oct. 13, FPPC special investigator Garrett Micheels said he initially emailed Hadley Aug. 4, asking him to voluntarily provide certain records to the commissions enforcement division. The records requested included emails, letters and text messages between Jan. 1 and June 7 between Presson and the Hadley campaign, or any other individuals or groups concerning the Hadley race. The next day, Presson responded that the campaign would require a subpoena to avoid possible public exposure to sensitive emails within the Hadley campaign regarding our strategy. After a subpoena was issued on Aug. 12, Micheels said in court documents, Hadley retained attorney Steve Churchwell, who asked for extensions to produce the documents at least three times, but never provided the records. On Sept. 27, Hadley produced some of the documents, court filings say, but wrote to explain that he was withholding his communications with Presson because there are hundreds or thousands of such correspondences that contained sensitive/confidential campaign communications that he said he had not had the time to review. As of Friday, the FPPC says, they have not received the rest of the documents requested. There is only one reason Hadley would conceal documents, and that is because he is guilty and is trying to hide the evidence, said Mike Shimpock, a consultant for the Muratsuchi campaign. A Hadley campaign spokesman declined to comment and Churchwell did not return a request for comment. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New ads urge California voters not to repeal the last defense against killers By Jazmine Ulloa In two new television ads, police officers and prosecutors urge California voters not to repeal the death penalty on Nov. 8, calling it the last defense against killers. The commercials, released late Monday by the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn., are part of the No on Prop. 62, Yes on Prop. 66 campaign. The effort aims to defeat Proposition 62, which would replace the ultimate punishment for murder with life in prison without parole, and to support Proposition 66, which would change and limit how and how often death row inmates can appeal. The pro-death penalty campaign has drawn broad support and funding from law enforcement organizations across the state. The Correctional Peace Officers Assn. alone has donated nearly $600,000 since last September. Ive seen what the worst among us can do, killings so brutal families never recover, Sgt. Dan Cabral of the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs Assn. tells viewers in one ad. Its why we have a death penalty. The second ad features the case of serial killer Charles Ng, who has spent 17 years on death row for the rape, torture and slayings of at least 11 victims. This is cruel punishment for the families, Sharon Sellitto, one victims sister, says in the video. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP Rep. Darrell Issa returns fire after President Obama rips his campaign mailer By Phil Willon Vista Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said Monday he was disappointed but not surprised by President Obamas criticism of him for using the presidents photo in a campaign mailer. At a fundraiser in La Jolla on Sunday night, Obama said Issas primary contribution to Congress has been to obstruct and to waste taxpayer dollars on trumped-up investigations that have led nowhere. The president called Issa shameless for using his image in his reelection campaign. Im disappointed but not surprised that the president, in a political speech, continues to deny accountability for the serious scandals that happened under his watch where Americans died overseas and veterans have died here at home, Issa said in a statement released by his congressional campaign Monday. Youd be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks Ive done too much to hold Washington accountable. Ive worked with the administration on good legislation where it was possible, called out wrongdoing wherever I saw it and will continue to do so. Issa is running his toughest congressional campaign to date, an increasingly nasty race that has been declared a toss-up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Issas Democratic challenger in the 49th Congressional District, retired Marine Col. Doug Applegate, has criticized the congressman as a Washington insider and supporter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. In the political mailer sent out by the Issa campaign, the congressman said he was pleased with the president for signing legislation he co-sponsored that provides victims of sexual assault legal protections in the federal criminal justice system. At the Sunday night fundraiser, Obama ripped Issa as a guy who, because poll numbers are bad, has sent out brochures with my picture on them touting his cooperation on issues with me. Now that is the definition of chutzpah, Obama said. Issa once called Obama one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times. While chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, he led investigations into the Benghazi attack, the Internal Revenue Service scandal, the botched Fast and Furious gun sting and other actions by the Obama administration. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Democrats remember Tom Hayden for pursuits close to home By Michael Finnegan (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times) Top California Democrats remembered Tom Hayden on Monday as an influential activist whose pursuit of liberal causes extended far beyond his best-known work leading protests against the Vietnam War. Tom took up causes that others avoided, Gov. Jerry Brown said. He had a real sense of the underdog and was willing to do battle no matter what the odds. Hayden died Sunday in Santa Monica after a long illness. He was 76. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recalled Haydens work negotiating a gang truce in Venice, along with his contributions to an anti-sweatshop ordinance to prevent worker exploitation. Tom Hayden was a giant who never stopped pushing for peace and justice, and inspired a generation of change agents to bring new voices and overlooked perspectives to the decision-making process, Garcetti said. Hayden, classified by the FBI as a rabble rouser in the 1960s, was prosecuted by President Nixons Justice Department in the raucous Chicago 7 trial after violent clashes with police at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. His conviction was dismissed on appeal. He went on to serve in the state Assembly and Senate for a total of 18 years. John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, recalled two measures that Hayden got passed. One allocated $250,000 to buy tattoo removal machines for imprisoned youth so they could cut their gang ties. The other set up a program for parents to use tax-free accounts for savings dedicated to their childrens college education. These bills didnt get a lot of attention at the time, but they have had a far-reaching impact on young peoples futures, said Burton, who led the state Senate when Hayden was a member. The Senates current leader, Kevin de Leon of Los Angeles, said Hayden was well ahead of the curve on issues involving the environment, social justice, gang intervention and urban peace, access to higher education, domestic violence and much more. Hayden, he said, distinguished himself as a paragon of political integrity and a great intellect. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Secretary of States office holds voter registration drive at the Capitol on the last day to register in California By Sophia Bollag .@CASOSvote staff are outside the Capitol today to register new voters. Today is the deadline to register in CA. pic.twitter.com/vNovU1jNla Sophia Bollag (@SophiaBollag) October 24, 2016 The Secretary of States office is holding a voter registration drive outside the Capitol today, the last day to register in California before the November election. The offices staff registered about 20 people in the first couple of hours, said Milena Paez, who works in the offices elections division. Many people had also stopped by the booth to ask where their polling place is or check their voter registration status, she said. LaRhonda Sayles-Willis, who recently moved to the Sacramento area, said she saw the booth as she walked down the street and stopped by to see where she was registered. She ended up re-registering to vote to be on the safe side and said shes particularly motivated to vote for Hillary Clinton. I really oppose her opponent. I just dont like the guy, the 56-year-old said. I just dont think hes a good representation of the United States. Ada Avelar, 21, said she decided to register because she recently moved to the United States from Mexico City to attend Sacramento State University. Avelar is an American citizen. She said she saw the booth on her way back from having lunch with a friend and decided to register right there. I was like, its a sign, she said. I have to do it. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Assemblywoman Patty Lopez vows not to give up on reelection despite lack of party support By Christine Mai-Duc Patty Lopez watches as ballots are counted in her 2014 race against then-incumbent Raul Bocanegra, who she bested by fewer than 500 votes. ( (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)) On a recent weekend, with just three weeks to go until the November election, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon made a whirlwind tour of five of the most hotly contested races in the state, stumping for Democratic candidates. Assemblywoman Patty Lopez (D-San Fernando), who faces a stiff challenge from former Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, was not one of them. Instead, she spent part of her Saturday walking through a community street festival, handing out fliers with a handful of volunteers. Ive been blocked from my party, but my district knows who is Patty Lopez, she said. Sometimes I feel disappointed, but thats not stopping me from doing what I need to do. In 2014, Lopez shocked many when she eked out a win against Bocanegra by a margin of less than 500 votes. With six Democrats on the ballot in this years primary, Lopez received just 27.2% of the vote, a distant second to Bocanegras 44.4%. Despite this, and the fact that the California Democratic Party has endorsed her challenger, Lopez says she is a woman of faith who believes 100 percent that shell be reelected. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Obama says Darrell Issa is shameless for praising him in campaign mailer that is the definition of chutzpah By Sarah D. Wire At a California fundraiser Sunday night, President Obama called Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) shameless for using the presidents photo on a recent mailer and praising him after years of criticizing the Obama administration. Issa is facing an unexpectedly tough race this year as the eight-term Republican squares off against political novice former Marine Col. Doug Applegate. Issas primary contribution to the United States Congress has been to obstruct and to waste taxpayer dollars on trumped-up investigations that have led nowhere. And this is now a guy who, because poll numbers are bad, has sent out brochures with my picture on them touting his cooperation on issues with me, Obama told the crowd, according to a transcript, at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraiser in the La Jolla home of donor Christine Forester. Now that is the definition of chutzpah. The Vista Republican has been a frequent critic of Obama and has called him one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times. The campaign mailer said Issa was pleased with the president for signing legislation he co-sponsored into law. Issa was one of 40 House members who co-sponsored the legislation, which provides some sexual assault victims legal protections in the federal criminal justice system. The president is in Los Angeles today and Tuesday for a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live and two fundraisers, including a $100,000-per-ticket fundraiser at DreamWorks Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenbergs home tonight that is completely closed to the press. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print The district where water is more important than all other campaign issues By Sarah D. Wire (Sarah D. Wire/ Los Angeles Times) In Californias Central Valley, the nations most productive agricultural region, the drought drives everything. And the ongoing fight over how much water flows could be the reason Democrats havent been able to win in the 21st Congressional District with a national race even though 47% of registered voters there are Democrats. Heres a look at the role of water in the race between Rep. David Valadao, and attorney Emilio Huerta. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement What happens if both death penalty measures are approved by voters on Nov. 8? By Jazmine Ulloa (Pat Sullivan / Associated Press) California voters are weighing dueling death penalty propositions on the Nov. 8 ballot, one that seeks to repeal the system and another that aims to speed it up. If both pass with a majority, the initiative with the most yes votes would supersede the other. If both fail to garner the votes, then the status quo remains, a frustrating prospect for many as advocates on both sides of the issue say the system is broken. California has more than 740 inmates awaiting execution, the largest death row population in the country. Their appeals go directly to the state Supreme Court and take 25 years to process. Both capital punishment measures would require current prisoners to work and pay restitution to victims. But Proposition 62 would repeal the death penalty in California for first-degree murder and replace the sentence with life in prison without the possibility of parole. It also would apply retroactively to offenders already sentenced to death. Proposition 66 would designate lower trial courts to take on initial challenges to convictions and limit successive appeals to within five years of a death sentence. It also would require court-appointed lawyers who dont take capital appeals to represent death row inmates. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: Propositions, polling and parole By John Myers The fact that there are 17 propositions on the statewide ballot has not only made things hard on voters, its been almost impossible for pollsters to sample opinion on so many issues. But one new poll looks at some of the least talked about measures, and its our first topic on this weeks California Politics Podcast. The poll suggests a lot of voters remain undecided about several of these low-profile proposals. We also take a detailed look at one of the most contentious ballot fights, the effort by Gov. Jerry Brown to revamp state prison parole rules through Proposition 57. Im joined on this weeks episode by Marisa Lagos of KQED News. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In No on 62, Yes on 66 campaign ad, murder victims mother urges California voters to keep the death penalty By Jazmine Ulloa In three online ads released Friday, Sandra Friend tells California voters they should fix the states death penalty system, not end it. The 43-year-old mother has been a crime victims advocate since Robert Boyd Rhoades sexually abused and killed her 8-year-old son, Michael Lyons, two decades ago. She is now serving as one of the main voices behind a campaign that is working to defeat Proposition 62, which would repeal the death penalty, and in favor of Proposition 66, which seeks to speed up executions. Voters will weigh the dueling capital punishment initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot. Both would require current death row inmates to work and pay restitution to victims, but would take opposing approaches to what the measures both call a broken system. Rhoades, who abducted Lyons on his way home from school in Yuba City, is one of 740 death row inmates in California. Executions have been on hold since 2006, when the states lethal injection protocol was challenged in court. Friend tells viewers it has been difficult coming to terms with the fact that her son was murdered by a twice-convicted sex offender. I am living a parents worst nightmare, she says. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former state Sen. Ronald Calderon sentenced to 42 months in prison on corruption charge By Joel Rubin Former state Sen. Ronald S. Calderon was sentenced in Los Angeles on Friday to 42 months in prison after he pleaded guilty in a federal corruption case. The Montebello Democrat, who served in the state Senate for eight years ending in 2014, admitted in a plea deal in June that he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from undercover FBI agents and a hospital executive in return for official favors. Federal prosecutors had asked for a five-year sentence for a charge where the maximum possible penalty was 20 years. U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder, who handed down the sentence to Calderon, said five years was too severe but that a significant prison sentence was needed to punish Calderon and send a message to other elected officials that corruption will not be tolerated. The crime is significant, she said during the court hearing. This is a true public corruption case. Striking a defiant tone throughout, Calderon refused to admit any wrong-doing or to apologize during the court hearing. My goal was always to do the right thing for California, he said. At no point did I intend to break the law. He said he ultimately decided to plead guilty in order to spare his family the ordeal of a trial, but persisted in his innocence, saying he never agreed to any quid pro quo to benefit himself or his family. Unemployed and tens of thousands of dollars in debt, Calderon said professional relationships had been ruined as had his relationship with his brother. My reputation is destroyed, Calderon said. Snyder was unmoved. I did not really hear Senator Calderon accept responsibility or apologize, she said. It was really about himself. Calderon, 59, had pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud as part of a plea in which he admitted to accepting trips to Las Vegas, jobs for a son and daughter, and cash for him and his brother, former Assemblyman Tom Calderon. Tom Calderon was sentenced last month to one year in federal custody for laundering bribes taken by his brother. The Calderon family was politically powerful for decades in California. A third brother, former Assemblyman Charles Calderon, was not implicated in the corruption scandal. Ronald Calderons nephew, Ian Calderon, is a state assemblyman, the last family member in state elected office. He was not alleged to have any part in the corruption scheme. Assistant U.S. Atty. Mack E. Jenkins wrote a blistering brief opposing Calderons request to serve time with home detention or be released for the brief time he already spent in jail. Here, defendants trafficking in his legislative votes (for, by contrast, over $150,000 in benefits) caused a reverberation of negative effects throughout California and put a stain not just on his career, but on the reputation of the state legislature, Jenkins wrote. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Accusations fly in the congressional race for this Northern California swing district By Sophia Bollag Democratic U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, left, shakes hands with his Republican challenger, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, after their debate Tuesday in the race for the 7th Congressional District seat. (Jose Luis Villegas / Associated Press) Questions about character have been dominating the congressional race between Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) and Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. Both candidates have been plagued by allegations of wrongdoing. Beras father was recently sentenced to jail for illegally funneling money to two of his sons past campaigns. Jones faces allegations he sexually harassed a subordinate at the Sheriffs Department more than a decade ago, which he denies. Theyre competing in a divided district that leans Democratic, but not by much. In 2014, Bera beat his Republican challenger by less than a percentage point. This race is always one of the closest races in the country, he said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Loretta Sanchez says she got death threats after she voted against the Iraq war By Phil Willon Rep. Loretta Sanchez, after her speech Thursday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) U.S. Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez on Thursday urged ROTC cadets at UCLA to have the courage to challenge politicians who call for ill conceived uses of military force such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq. We need military leaders that understand the limits of our military power, said Sanchez, who has served in Congress for two decades and sits on the House Armed Services Committee. Why is it that every generation and every president has to learn that all over again? The Orange County congresswoman made the comments during an address to ROTC cadets at UCLAs Pauley Pavilion. Sanchez said her experience on the House Armed Services Committee made her question the long-term implications of the Iraq invasion, and whether the U.S. might find itself bogged down in a war in the Middle East. In 2002, Sanchez was among the 133 House members who voted against the authorization of military force against Iraq. It was a lonely time, Sanchez told the cadets. [When] I came back to Orange County, I was spit on. I received death threats. The congresswoman told the cadets the military is just one part of a national security strategy that includes intelligence gathering, diplomacy and the use of the countrys economic strength. Because so much is at stake, the use of our military should always be a last resort, Sanchez said. Sanchez is running against fellow Democrat and state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris for Californias U.S. Senate seat. She says her expertise on national defense and terrorism are among the reasons shes the most qualified candidate. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Tobacco companies claim proponents of cigarette tax will use the new revenue to enrich their top executives By Liam Dillon Tobacco companies have unveiled a new claim in their campaign against the $2-per-pack increase in cigarette taxes on the November ballot. In a television advertisement that debuted over the weekend, the No on Proposition 56 campaign contends that the doctors and health insurance groups financing the initiative wrote it to avoid external oversight over the money going to low-income patient care. They even exempted themselves from the new audit requirements, the ad states. They can use the new revenue to enrich their top executives, and theres no requirement to treat even one more patient. The claim rests on a part of the Proposition 56 initiative that creates new auditing rules to govern where the new tax money would go. But it ignores the litany of state and federal auditing requirements to which Medi-Cal, the states low-income health program, already is subject. First, heres a little background about how the money from Proposition 56 would get spent. Assuming fewer people use tobacco because of the tax increase, the tax would raise about $1.27 billion next year, according to an estimate from the Legislative Analysts Office. Of that amount, $710 million about 56% would go to Medi-Cal, primarily to increase the payment doctors and other healthcare providers receive when they treat patients. The remaining dollars go to back-filling current state and local sales taxes and other programs because fewer people will buy cigarettes, doctor and dentist training and anti-tobacco efforts. The initiative kicks in $400,000 a year to audit the agencies receiving the money. Beth Miller, spokeswoman for the No on 56 campaign, said that opponents like that state and local agencies will be audited if the measure passes. The criticism is that the provisions dont go far enough. It would have been nice to have those audit requirements also apply to those end users, so to speak: the hospitals, the insurance companies and the doctors, Miller said. Medi-Cal providers, however, get audited all the time. The states Department of Health Care Services does internal audits and investigations through an entire department of about 700 employees and a $50-million budget dedicated to reviewing the programs under its jurisdiction, including looking at the financial records of Medi-Cal providers. Beyond that, the California State Auditor has issued at least two wide-ranging audits involving Medi-Cal providers in the last five years on the states oversight of managed-care plans. And the federal Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General also audits programs and providers that receive federal dollars for low-income patients. One recent federal audit of California that examined pediatric dental providers happened last May. Miller contended that the audits required under Proposition 56 are more transparent than the existing state and federal programs. Mike Roth, spokesman for the Yes on 56 campaign, said the initiative has plenty of safeguards to ensure the tax money is spent wisely, including the auditing provisions. This is another desperate and deceitful red herring from tobacco companies, and it takes the cake as far as their flagrant lies about Proposition 56, Roth said. Heres the full ad: UPDATES: 3:03 p.m.: This post was updated to include the full video of the advertisement. This article was originally published at 2:00 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Central Valley congressional race that once leaned Republican is now a toss-up, report says By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The nonpartisan analysts at the Cook Political Report now say its a toss-up whether Republican Rep. Jeff Denham or Democrat beekeeper Michael Eggman will win the 10th Congressional District race. The race had been rated leans Republican since last fall, indicating that the analysts expected Denham to keep the seat, but felt Democrats had a chance. This is the second matchup for Denham and Eggman. Denham won in 2014 with 56.4% of the vote. Democrats have worked for months to tie vulnerable House Republicans to the rhetoric of their presidential nominee, Donald Trump, and this race is one where Trumps effect down the ballot could be most visible. Denham has said he disagrees with Trumps rhetoric, but hasnt backed off supporting him, a move that could prove unpopular in the Central Valley district where at least 40% of the population is Latino. Three Republican-held seats in California are now considered toss-ups. The other two are representing the 25th Congressional District, held by Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), and the 49th Congressional District, held by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista). Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Senate leader endorses gun control initiative despite differences with its author, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom By Patrick McGreevy California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, left, and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, applaud at Gov. Jerry Browns State of the State speech in January. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Despite political differences with its author, state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) on Thursday endorsed Proposition 63, which would expand Californias already tough gun control laws. Proposition 63 was proposed by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and would outlaw large-capacity ammunition magazines, require background checks for those buying bullets, require lost or stolen guns to be reported quickly, make stealing a firearm a felony and provide a process for newly convicted felons to relinquish their guns. De Leon and Newsom have both been working on gun control issues for years and both have aspirations for higher office. Newsom is running for governor in 2018. Some in the De Leon camp thought when the initiative was proposed last year that it was being used to try to take over an issue on which the senator has been a leader. The two disagreed earlier this year on the best way to achieve gun control aims, with De Leon publicly calling on Newsom to drop his initiative and allow the Legislature to act, and Newsom refusing, charging that the Legislatures proposals were not extensive enough. In the end, the Legislature approved several bills, including one by De Leon that requires background checks for ammunition purchasers, even though a similar proposal is included in the Newsom initiative. The Legislature also mandated that its background-check plan would supersede the one in Proposition 63. On Thursday, De Leon made no mention of the differences. Earlier this year, our Legislature passed the most sweeping and important package of gun safety laws in the nation, increasing nationwide momentum and grass-roots outcries for common-sense safeguards against gun violence, De Leon said in a statement. I endorse Proposition 63 because we must send a powerful and united message to the national Gun Lobby that California will not capitulate to political bullying or compromise the public safety, he added. The differences between the two politicians were highlighted noted by Richard Grenell, co-chairman of the Coalition for Civil Liberties, which is campaigning against the initiative. This is a prime example of why people should trust law enforcement on this question before self-interested politicians, Grenell said. Just a few months ago, de Leon asked Newsom to repeal Prop 63. De Leons statement was released a day after Newsom ruffled some feathers in the De Leon camp when he told the Sacramento Press Club that his initiative accomplishes things that state officials could not. Newsom noted that 11 other states have enacted the requirement that stolen guns be reported. There have been legislative attempts and they have failed multiple times here in the Capitol, Newsom said. The Legislature did approve such a bill this year, but it was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown in July. The political dispute between the two leading Democrats surfaced last year when De Leon acted to slash a third of Newsoms staff, notifying him that two Senate employees who had been on loan to the lieutenant governors office were being reassigned. UPDATED at 1:10 pm to include comment from opponent of initiative. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print No fight from the business community over the proposed tobacco and income tax hikes By Liam Dillon (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Business groups often make up a triumvirate with Republicans and taxpayer advocates against tax increases. But on the two tax hikes on the 2016 California ballot, major business leaders are mostly staying away from the fight. They tend to dislike the income tax extensions promised by Proposition 55, but arent campaigning against them. And some are even backing Proposition 56s cigarette tax increases. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Almost half a million Californians have already voted by mail, with a surge in some hotly contested races By John Myers (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Early data compiled from local elections officials shows a surge of ballots being returned in the mail, especially in some of the most closely watched races this election season. A report compiled by Political Data Inc. shows almost 408,000 ballots cast in just the first eight days of voting, with more than half of those ballots arriving in local election offices Wednesday. As weve reported before, election day in California is now more like an election month. A majority of the states voters cast their ballots away from traditional polling places, and political professionals can closely monitor which voters in any given race have turned those ballots back in. The report also shows strong early voting in some of Californias most talked about congressional races. In the hotly contested reelection race of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista), more than four times as many ballots have been returned so far compared to the 2014 general election. And even though Republicans have an eight-point registration advantage in Issas district, the ballots cast so far have skewed more Democratic. In early voting, the two major parties are almost even in the number of votes cast. Issa, facing a tough race against Democrat Douglas Applegate, recently sent out a campaign mailer trying to appeal to local voters who support President Obama. Compared to the first few days of the 2014 general election, substantially more ballots have also been cast in the Central Valley races featuring Reps. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) and David Valadao (R-Hanford). In both districts, Democratic voters are outpacing GOP voters in early ballot returns. While none of the data offers information on how those ballots were cast -- these are only totals received by county officials -- the early numbers may offer a glimpse at how energized some parts of the electorate are in this contentious campaign season. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement What will Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom focus on in his run for governor? Aging infrastructure among issues By Patrick McGreevy California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at an event in Los Angeles in April. (Nick Ut / Associated Press) Signaling that his gubernatorial campaign will shift into higher gear after next months election, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he is working on a plan to double spending on roads and other infrastructure since the Legislature failed to act this year. This is going to be something you will be hearing a lot more from me on over the course of the next number of months, a very aggressive infrastructure proposal, Newsom said in a speech to the Sacramento Press Club. The former San Francisco mayor is running for governor in 2018. He noted that the governor and Legislature did not reach an agreement on a transportation funding program in the face of a $130-billion backlog in state and local road repairs. Legislative Democrats proposed a $7.4-billion plan earlier this year that would raise the gas tax by 17 cents a gallon. Thats about twice the size of an earlier plan by Gov. Jerry Brown. Weve got to more than double our investment in infrastructure in this state, Newsom said, adding the problem has reached code red in California. Plans by the governor to use proceeds from sale of cap-and-trade credits have merits, he said. Separately, Newsom said he continues to support the vision of a high speed rail system for California but said I remain concerned about the finances. He said the private sector must step up to provide more of the money as the project cost has close to doubled from its original $33 billion price tag. Newsom acknowledged that he has work to do to introduce himself to voters outside his home base. I think a lot of the state really doesnt know me yet, he said, adding he sees it as a great opportunity to tell his story. He declined to comment on the gubernatorial candidacy of state Treasurer John Chiang and possible runs by former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer. Im not focused on those others, he said. Im focused on what we have before us. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. activist is building his AIDS organization into a political powerhouse with two November ballot measures By Christine Mai-Duc (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) When Michael Weinstein launched his AIDS Healthcare Foundation in the late 1980s, he had a coffee can for donations and a $50,000 budget to provide end-of-life care to those dying of the disease. Today, hes grown the nonprofit into a $1.2-billion operation that manages hundreds of clinics and pharmacies globally, and has quickly become a major political player in California, and, he hopes, nationally. AHF, as it is known, is sponsoring two initiatives on Californias November ballot: Proposition 60, which would require adult film actors to use condoms during sex scenes, and Proposition 61, which would bar state agencies from entering contracts to purchase drugs where the price is higher than that paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Thats quite a feat in a state as expensive as California, and in a political year as crowded as 2016. Were doing things on a scale that we havent before, Weinstein said in a recent interview from his office in a Hollywood high-rise. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement These janitors are giving up sleep to knock on doors for Hillary Clinton By Sarah D. Wire Yamilex Rustrian, left, of North Hollywood, and Leticia Soto of Los Angeles check Las Vegas addresses to visit to encourage voters to support Hillary Clinton. (Sarah D. Wire / Los Angeles Times) Early Saturday morning, Yamilex Rustrian sat with her mother and other janitors assembled at long tables in the old mortuary that is home to the SEIU United Service Workers West. They ate ham, cheese and bean sandwiches as they waited for the final workers to get off the late shift. At least one came still dressed in her blue smock. The group of janitors and their children made a quick trip to Las Vegas over the weekend to knock on doors for Hillary Clinton, and got home Sunday just in time for the late shift. Each had their reasons to join the more than 150 union members who made the trip. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Federal prosector seeks 5 years for former California Sen. Ron Calderon in corruption case By Patrick McGreevy A federal prosecutor has recommended that former state Sen. Ron Calderon be sentenced to five years in prison as part of a federal corruption case that rocked the California state Capitol. Assistant U.S. Atty. Mack E. Jenkins wrote a blistering brief urging the federal judge to not show leniency to Calderon, who in June entered a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Here, defendants trafficking in his legislative votes (for, by contrast, over $150,000 in benefits) caused a reverberation of negative effects throughout California and put a stain not just on his career, but on the reputation of the state legislature, Jenkins wrote ahead of Fridays sentencing date. The prosecutor noted that only one fellow politician wrote a letter of support for Calderon, a Montebello Democrat. In defendants plea agreement, he admitted to participating in two substantial and complex bribery schemes that entailed multiple forms of bribes, concealment and sophisticated money laundering, the prosecutor wrote. Here, defendant sold his vote not just to help pay for the expenses of living beyond his means, but for the more banal and predictable aims of corruption fancy luxuries, fancy parties and fancy people. An attorney for Calderon has asked the judge to sentence the former lawmaker to time already served in jail during his booking or home detention. Jenkins proposed that Calderon be sentenced to five years in custody, one year of supervised release, a $7,500 fine and 250 hours of community service. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A new Jay Z video says pot should be legal in California and calls the war on drugs an epic fail By Patrick McGreevy Rapper Jay Z has weighed in to support Proposition 64, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in California, calling the war on drugs an epic fail, in a YouTube video, which also describes how the effort filled prisons with young African American and Latino men. Young men like me who hustle became the sole villain, Jay Z says as the video depicts the deterioration of a neighborhood drawn by artist Molly Crabapple. The one-minute video was produced by the group Drug Policy Action from a longer animated video that addressed the general issue of drug prohibition, said Jason Kinney, a spokesman for the campaign. The shortened video, titled The War on Drugs from Prohibition to Gold Rush, ends with a new, written message urging people to vote for Proposition 64, adding, We can stop the harm on Nov. 8. Jay Z agreed to have the video tailored to the Proposition 64 campaign, Kinney said. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who helped qualify the initiative, praised the rapper on Twitter, writing Thank you, Jay Z, for your strong voice for social justice & co-creating this new @Yeson64 video! Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Bay Area congressman Eric Swalwell got married over the weekend By Sarah D. Wire View Instagram post Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) and Brittany Watts, a sales director at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, got married on Friday. They were married at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland. Before being elected to Congress, Swalwell worked in the courthouse as a prosecutor with the Alameda County district attorneys office. Here is the couples wedding announcement. The congressman also posted an image of the couple cutting their wedding cake on Instagram. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Los Angeles top elections officer talks about voter fraud and polling place intimidation in Reddit chat By John Myers The questions posed by Reddit users on Monday to the top elections officer in Los Angeles ranged from small problems over where to cast an early ballot to broader concerns about election security. Dean Logan, Los Angeles Countys registrar of voters, attempted to answer almost all of them during the hourlong online conversation. Asked about intimidation of voters at the polls, possibly inspired by criticisms over comments by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, Logan said the question has been popping up a lot in his office. We, of course, encourage people to observe all elements of the process, but any disruption of voters or intimidation of voters is unacceptable, he wrote. Another Reddit user asked whether all ballots mailed or dropped off at a polling place are counted. Any valid and timely received vote by mail ballot will be counted and included in the certified election results, Logan wrote. I am always surprised by this question. Logan said that officials mailed some 1.8 million ballots last week to Los Angeles Countys permanent absentee voters, with one-time requests for ballots by mail being sent out this week. Asked by one Reddit user about a potential way to commit voter fraud with absentee ballots, Logan said it is important to note that the voter doing so would be signing an oath under penalty of perjury. He also agreed with one questioners concern that voter turnout was too low, and suggested that a new state laws significant expansion of voting by mail may help. I think the model of voting we use is somewhat outdated and unfamiliar to new voters, Logan said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kamala Harris and her husband made $1.17 million in 2015, according to report on their tax returns By Phil Willon Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris files to run for the U.S. Senate in February at the Los Angeles County Registrar with her husband, Douglas Emhoff. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) The 2015 tax returns filed by U.S. Senate candidate Kamala Harris and her husband, Los Angeles attorney Douglas Emhoff, show that the couple earned $1.17 million that year, according to reports. Harris tax returns, which were viewed and first reported by the Sacramento Bee, also showed that the California attorney general and her husband paid $450,000 in state and federal income taxes. Harris campaign spokesman Nathan Click said journalists are being allowed to view the tax returns by appointment only. Harris rival in the Senate race, Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez, provided her 2015 tax return to the Orange County Register and will not make those tax records available to other journalists until after that news organization publishes its story, said Sanchez campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino. Harris and Sanchez have net worths that likely run in the millions, according to federal and state financial disclosures. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum reopens and his daughter and grandson get a tour By Christine Mai-Duc Christopher Cox, grandson of Richard Nixon, talks to reporters during a tour of the newly renovated Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum reopened Saturday, after a 10-month renovation that sought to reframe the narrative of the 37th presidents life and legacy. The $15-million remake brings to a close a more than decade-long effort to bring greater legitimacy to a library that historian and Nixon scholar Stanley Kutler once called just another Southern California theme park whose reality level was slightly better than Disneyland. We wrote about the librarys new exhibits a couple of months ago, and the challenge of building an unflinching portrait of a complicated man. In attendance were Henry Kissinger, Nixons former secretary of State, former California Gov. Pete Wilson and Nixons daughter and grandson, Tricia Nixon Cox and Christopher Nixon Cox. Times photographer Mark Boster attende The final presidential debate of 2016 was likely Donald Trumps last chance to halt Hillary Clintons surge in public opinion polls, with less than three weeks until election day and more than 2.3 million voters having already mailed in their ballots. Like the previous two debates, Wednesdays was full of interruptions and sharp charges, including Trumps contention that Clinton committed a very serious crime and Clintons claim that Trump is the most dangerous person in history to run for president. Heres what we learned: Ill keep you in suspense Trump had a chance to state clearly that he would accept the results of the election, regardless of who wins. But even as moderator Chris Wallace talked about the importance of the peaceful transition of power to America democracy, Trump would not yield. I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense, Trump said, after being asked for a second time whether he would pledge now to accept the voting results. Advertisement Thats horrifying, Clinton said. Supreme Court could help Trump, but abortion rights could help Clinton The Republican nominee has had a tough time locking down his party, one of the biggest reasons Clintons lead in the polls has grown steadily. But even Republicans who are skittish about Trump often point to the court as the issue that keeps them from voting for Clinton. The court came up earlier in the debate, when viewership is often highest. And Trump was happy to remind conservatives what is at stake particularly 2nd Amendment rights. The Supreme Court; its what its all about, he said, warning that the 2nd Amendment would be a a very, very small replica of what it is right now if Clinton wins. But the court is hardly a slam-dunk issue for Trump. He conceded, after some prodding, that his election could lead to a court that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision legalizing abortion. I do not think the United States government should be stepping in and making those most personal of decisions, Clinton said in response. Immigration remains a key divide The candidates did not smooth over any differences on this issue. Its been one of their biggest divides. Trump favors strict controls, a border wall and a strict deportation policy. He blames loose borders for illegal drugs, crime and economic problems, using language that Latinos have found offensive but has motivated many of his core supporters. We have some bad hombres here and were going to get em out, he said. Were getting the drugs. Theyre getting the cash. Clinton talks about immigration policy in terms of uniting families, criticizing Trump for a policy that would round up immigrants and send them out of the country on trains and buses. Its an idea that would rip our country apart, Clinton said. Trumps best debate This was probably Trumps best debate. He resisted several of Clintons attempts to bait him early, though he slipped a lot in the second half as he had before. He made the case for change and talked about trade and the economy. He forced Clinton to squirm a bit as she tried to defend perceived conflicts of interest involving the Clinton Foundation. Clinton scored some points too, especially in revealing Trumps temperament and reinforcing his issues with the treatment of women. But Trump also ensured that one of the most talked-about moments would be his refusal to agree to abide the election results, an issue that could keep many voters from moving to his corner. Partisans will debate who won. But neither candidate scored a knockout, which is more of a problem for Trump. noah.bierman@latimes.com Twitter: @noahbierman Donald Trump declined to say hed accept the results of the election, but voter fraud almost never happens Trump insists on border wall funded by Mexico, but logistical and geopolitical hurdles make it all but impossible Guest lists designed to provoke: Heres who Trump and Clinton invited to the final presidential debate Its the foundation of Donald Trumps presidential campaign: curbing illegal immigration and securing the border. He has in turn accused Hillary Clinton of supporting open borders. Under her plan you have open borders, Trump said at Wednesdays debate. You will have a disaster on trade, you will have a disaster with open borders. Advertisement Clinton brushed that aside, saying she did support border security measures. The difference, she said, was that she supports more judicious selection on choosing which illegal immigrants to send back. Yet the notion that Clinton supports open borders is misleading. The Democratic nominee does support immigration reform, which includes a path toward citizenship for the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. A recent study by the Pew Research Center has shown that the number of unauthorized immigrants in the country has held steady since 2009. Moreover, illegal immigration from Mexico has declined while increasing from Asia and Central America. She doesnt know what shes doing except open borders and let everybody come in and destroy our country. Donald Trump, during an immigration speech last month in Phoenix Clinton does support President Obamas executive actions that would temporarily protect nearly 5 million people in the country illegally from facing deportation. Those efforts Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals would defer efforts to deport people in the country illegally who have no felony convictions. Obamas moves were blocked in federal court. None of Clintons proposals suggests open borders that allow everybody to enter. Her plan calls for boosting border security and detaining and deporting those individuals who pose a violent threat to public safety. We have a secure border, she said at a Democratic debate last spring. Theres no need for this rhetoric and demagoguery that still is carried out on the Republican side. For more political news follow @kurtisalee kurtis.lee@latimes.com ALSO Trumps immigration speech decoded: What he said, what it means and how it would work Donald Trump wrestling with how and whether to deport 11 million people from U.S. Elite Republicans tried to ignore them. Now theyre shaping Donald Trumps immigration policy In his calls for a shutdown on immigration from Muslim-majority countries, Donald Trump has tried to tap into voters fears on terrorism and to draw a sharp contrast with Hillary Clinton, who believes the United States has a responsibility to accept more refugees from war-shattered Syria. Trump said tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are pouring into the country, and he warned that they represent a great Trojan horse that will spawn future terrorist attacks: Wait and see what happens in coming years. Thanks a lot, Hillary. Clinton has in fact called for the U.S. to admit many more Syrian refugees 65,000 next year, up from 10,000 permitted to enter the U.S. this year by the Obama administration. Advertisement At an appearance on Face the Nation in September 2015, Clinton said the U.S. should lead the world in helping to alleviate what she called the worst refugee crisis since the end of World War II. I think the U.S. needs to do more, she said, adding that she would begin immediately to put into place the mechanisms for vetting the people that we would take in. On Wednesday, Clinton reiterated her position: I am not going to slam the door on women and children, she said. Trump has promised to shut the door to refugees and lock it, at least right away. After first calling for a complete and total ban on Muslims entering the U.S., earning condemnation from Democrats and Republicans alike, he later adjusted his statements, saying he would temporarily suspend immigration from countries that have histories of spawning terrorists. No one would be admitted until they passed a tough new review, what he called extreme, extreme vetting. Hes said that should include some kind of ideological test to prove they share American values. Experts have said that such restrictions are probably legal the president has sweeping powers to decide who can and who cant enter the U.S. but question whether they would be effective, or would cause the gears of the refugee process to grind entirely to a halt. Trump hasnt specified what that test would look like, or how it would be different from the tough process, lasting up to two years, faced by Syrian refugees now. joseph.tanfani@latimes.com Twitter: @jtanfani Donald Trump needed a compelling victory in Wednesdays debate to alter the course of a campaign that has increasingly moved toward Hillary Clinton both nationally and in key states. He did not get it. The final debate was notable for delving into policy matters more than in two prior meetings, and for a more measured performance by Trump, in what was undeniably his best debate. But whatever good he might have done for himself was flattened in two moments in which he appeared unable to take responsibility for his actions and unwilling to put aside personal disappointment for the nations good. Advertisement 1 / 34 The debate concludes. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 2 / 34 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton leave the debate stage. (Robyn Beck / AFP-Getty Images) 3 / 34 Donald Trump is joined by his family after the debate. (Mark Ralston / AFP-Getty Images) 4 / 34 Hillary Clinton with supporters after the debate. (Mark Ralston / AFP-Getty Images) 5 / 34 During the debate. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) 6 / 34 Donald Trump at the final presidential debate Wednesday in Las Vegas. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) 7 / 34 Hillary Clinton. (Robyn Beck / AFP-Getty Images) 8 / 34 The audience at the Las Vegas debate. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) 9 / 34 Rouin Idley cheers for Hillary Clinton during a debate-watching party at Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times ) 10 / 34 A large crowd turned out for a debate-watching party at Holman United Methodist Church in L.A. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times ) 11 / 34 The candidates appear on a screen at the debate-watching party at Holman United Methodist Church. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times ) 12 / 34 Hillary Clinton answers a question. (Robyn Beck / AFP-Getty Images) 13 / 34 Donald Trump on the debate stage. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 14 / 34 Donald Trump makes a point in the debate. (Saul Loeb / AFP-Getty Images) 15 / 34 The debate stage in Las Vegas. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 16 / 34 Republican nominee Donald Trump speaks during the final presidential debate. (ROBYN BECK / AFP/Getty Images) 17 / 34 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton listens during the final presidential debate. (Robyn Beck / AFP-Getty Images) 18 / 34 Malik Obama, the half-brother of President Obama, attends the debate. (Robyn Beck / AFP-Getty Images) 19 / 34 Hillary Clinton makes a point. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) 20 / 34 The candidates take the stage. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) 21 / 34 Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News opens the final presidential debate. (Joe Raedle / AFP-Getty Images) 22 / 34 Melania Trump arrives. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) 23 / 34 Donald Trumps sons Eric and Donald Jr. await the debate. (David Goldman / Associated Press) 24 / 34 Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 25 / 34 Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) 26 / 34 Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) 27 / 34 The Rev. Jesse Jackson. (Paul J. Richards / AFP-Getty Images) 28 / 34 Former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attends the debate in Las Vegas. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) 29 / 34 Former Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta. (Paul J. Richards / AFP-Getty Images) 30 / 34 Hillary Clinton boards her campaign plane at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., to travel to Las Vegas for the third presidential debate. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) 31 / 34 Donald Trump at a rally in Grand Junction, Colo., on Wednesday. (George Frey / Getty Images) 32 / 34 The stage. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 33 / 34 Businessman Mark Cuban talks to reporters as he arrives for the debate. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) 34 / 34 Entertainer Wayne Newton and his wife, Kathleen McCrone, wait for the start of the debate. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The most immediate damage came with the line that dominated post-debate news coverage and is likely to be the debates most memorable moment: his refusal to say he would accept the results, win or lose, and conform to the countrys tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter He did so in a way that made him look defensive, blaming the media for being so dishonest and so corrupt, asserting that millions of people on the voting rolls should not be allowed to cast ballots, and calling Clinton guilty of a very, very serious crime he did not say what that should have banned her from the race. Would he accept the results?, asked moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. I will look at it at the time, Trump said. Elsewhere in the debate, Trump flatly denied saying things that many voters repeatedly have seen or heard on tape among them his suggestion that the women who have accused him of sexual abuse were too unattractive to be his targets, his mocking of a disabled reporter, and his support for invading Iraq more than a decade ago. Unfortunately for Trump, the videos of him saying and doing those things have circulated endlessly this campaign season. The candidates entered the debate with 20 days left before voters decide the election. The weeks spent on debates have given Clinton a significant lead, one that will be buttressed in the final three weeks by a get-out-the-vote effort that experienced hands in both parties see as superior to Trumps. In the first debate, Clinton repeatedly baited Trump over his fathers contributions to his business success, his refusal to release his taxes, his treatment of women and he rose to it. His problems at that first debate and in the ensuing week obliterated his efforts to grab support from restive Democrats who had been growing concerned about Clintons candidacy. The second debate descended into a spectacle that overshadowed both of them, but proved more damaging to Trump. Two days after the release of a 2005 video in which he made vulgar comments about his treatment of women, Trump invited as debate guests three women who had accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual offenses. But Trump showed little contrition about his own statements and didnt press his arguments against Clinton forcefully enough to pull himself out of the hole hed dug. By the time the final debate began, what had been a near tie in the race, according to the polling averages, had become a Clinton lead of more than 6 percentage points significantly more than the margin by which President Obama won reelection four years ago. The face-off did show growth on Trumps part. He was less defensive than in the first debate and more disciplined than in the second. But he also once again displayed what he has not been able to master, including the nuances of foreign policy and any detail beyond renegotiating trade deals, cutting corporate taxes and reducing regulations that would accomplish the enormous economic turnaround he says his policies would cause. Wallace gave Trump a chance to correct a misstatement he had made at the last debate, when he said that Aleppo, Syria, had fallen. Trump could have gracefully acknowledged the point, but instead was combative. Its a catastrophe. I mean its a mess, he said. When Wallace tried to interject, Trump added: Have you seen it? Have you seen it? Have you seen whats happening to Aleppo? Sir, if I may finish my question Wallace said. OK, so it hasnt fallen, Trump replied. Take a look at it. This has long been a campaign between two candidates with flaws that for many voters essentially canceled each other out. That has, until lately, kept the contest fairly competitive. That Trump has gotten this far is a testament to his feel for the discontent in many pockets of America and the willingness of angry voters to stick with him through his many frailties. He has been aided by Clintons stumbles, whether in castigating some of his supporters as deplorables or giving in to the desire for privacy that led her to use a private email system and, more recently, to hide her diagnosis of pneumonia. But the nearer election day looms, the more important it becomes for voters to be able to imagine the candidates presiding in the Oval Office. For Clinton, that closer look has coincided with one of the steadier patches of her candidacy. For Trump, it has coincided with a destructive period. One of Trumps most important needs in this debate was to put to rest his vulgar remarks about women caught on tape by Access Hollywood, and subsequent assault accusations by several. Wallace posed a question many voters have asked: Why would so many women unknown to one another make up all these stories? That was a line of questioning certain to surface. But Trump appeared unprepared to confront it. First, he asserted that the stories had been largely debunked, which they have not been. Polls show voters more likely to believe the women than Trump. Then he blamed Clintons campaign. And then he uttered a line that would be memorable to the suburban women he needs to win over. I didnt even apologize to my wife, whos sitting right here, because I didnt do anything, he said. I didnt even apologize to my wife, whos sitting right here, because I didnt do anything. Donald Trump Clinton did not perform impeccably. She occasionally went so far out of her way to try to bait Trump that she took on his role of talking over the moderator and interrupting. She faced repeated questions about her familys foundation from Wallace and from Trump, who called the charity a criminal enterprise. But she was quick to remind viewers of Trumps own foundation, which has been embroiled in controversies over its spending. Id be happy to compare what we do with the Trump Foundation, which took money from other people and bought a 6-foot portrait of Donald, she said. I mean, who does that? In the last moments that the candidates had on stage together in this campaign, Wallace threw in a surprise, asking each to make a final pitch to Americans. It was that moment that illustrated a key difference between the two: Clinton, disciplined, went after the voters she needed, of all stripes, ending with an assertion of her strengths over her flaws. Im reaching out to all Americans Democrats, Republicans and independents because we need everybody to help make our country what it should be, to grow the economy, to make it fairer, to make it work for everyone, she said, We need your talents, your skills, your commitments, your energy, your ambition. Trump, however, could not seem to get beyond his anger at Clinton and at his standing in the campaign. He portrayed an America depleted and disgusted, and focused on Clinton: All shes done is talk, he said of her appeals to African Americans and Latinos among the groups hes angered. He closed not with an assertion of the importance of electing him, but of his disdain for the woman across the stage and for the increasingly popular president she hopes to succeed. We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama, he said, and thats what you get when you get her. For more on politics cathleen.decker@latimes.com Twitter: @cathleendecker ALSO After all three debates, our analysts say Clinton emerged victorious An alternative look at the USC/L.A. Times poll now shows Clinton ahead by 5 points Letter from George H.W. Bush to Bill Clinton sparks longing for civility Updates on California politics Live coverage from the campaign trail Hillary Clinton challenged Donald Trump in their final presidential debate to condemn Russian email hacking that she alleges is aimed at influencing the election. He declined. Trump flatly rejected the findings of U.S. intelligence agencies that the Russian government was responsible for infiltrating Democratic Party emails, a major headache for Clinton in the campaigns closing weeks. Hillary, you have no idea whether Russia is responsible for the hacking, Trump said, adding that the U.S. also has no idea about it. I doubt it, he said. Advertisement On Oct. 7, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a statement saying the U.S. intelligence community was confident that the Russian government was responsible for the hacking. These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process, the statement said. Moreover, they said, the hacking was authorized by Russias top officials. For Trump, internal emails from Clintons campaign released by WikiLeaks a conduit for the Russian government, according to the U.S. government statement are evidence of two problems. First, he says, theyre proof of the Democratic nominees corruption. Second, the media is downplaying the revelations to help Clinton, he charges. The truth is a mixed bag for Trump. For starters, reporters havent been ignoring the emails, which were allegedly obtained by Russian hackers and provided to WikiLeaks stories about them have been on the front pages of major newspapers and in steady circulation on cable news. Politico, the Washington-based news site, even published a running blog about what its reporters unearthed. Follow live coverage of the final presidential debate on Trail Guide And Republicans and Democrats say Trump himself has made it hard for the issue to gain much traction. He often draws more attention to unfounded rumors that the election is rigged or his criticism of women who have accused him of sexual assault. As for the emails themselves, they exposed much that would seem to be expected about the inner workings of a presidential campaign but little that even hinted at corruption. One email shows Donna Brazile, then a Democratic Party official who was also a CNN contributor, sharing what appears to be a question before an event during the primary. From time to time, I get the questions in advance, she wrote. Brazile, now the head of the Democratic National Committee, has denied wrongdoing. A top campaign aide to Clintons Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders defended her as well, saying she gave guidance to both campaigns. Trump has sometimes overplayed the revelation, suggesting Clinton was fed questions before the more recent presidential debates. Another target for Trump has been emails that suggest Brian Fallon, a spokesman for Clinton, discussed her private email server with the Department of Justice, which was investigating whether Clinton had mishandled sensitive information. Trump said officials were helping Clintons campaign get prepared to cover up for her crimes. But the email from Fallon, a former Justice Department spokesman, shows a discussion about an open-records lawsuit, not the criminal investigation, and the information involving the court case was publicly available. The emails released by WikiLeaks have revealed some things that Clinton would have rather kept under wraps, including transcripts of paid speeches to investment banks, which she refused to release during the Democratic primary. During one closed-door event, she expressed support for open trade and open borders. Trump, who wants to restrict immigration and roll back trade agreements, has hammered her for the remark. Other comments have turned into anti-Clinton talking points, such as her statement that politicians need a public and a private position when handling delicate negotiations. Trumps supporters have suggested this shows Clinton is untrustworthy. chris.megerian@latimes.com Twitter: @chrismegerian ALSO One big reason the WikiLeaks emails arent as damaging for Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump Trump claims without evidence that the election is rigged, but officials say thats not how voting works Positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas have been shelled 30 times in the past 24 hours, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) said on its Facebook account on Thursday morning. Twenty-one provocations against the Ukrainian military were recorded near the city of Mariupol, where large-caliber machineguns, grenade launchers and small arms were used against the Ukrainian army's fortifications in the vicinity of Maryinka, Pavlopil, Lebedynske, Slavne, Shyrokyne and Starohnativka, and 82mm and 120mm mortars were fired in Krasnohorivka, the press center said, adding that 122mm and 152mm cannon artillery weapons were used in Vodyane. Ukrainian military positions came under fire five times in the Donetsk region, where machineguns, grenade launchers and infantry fighting vehicles were fired in Luhanske, and 82mm and 120mm mortars were used in Avdiyivka, it said. Four violations of the ceasefire were recorded in Luhansk region, the press center said. Small arms, machineguns and grenade launchers were used against the outskirts of Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka, and 82mm mortars were also used by militants in Stanytsia Luhanska, the press center said. Donald Trump faced a bipartisan chorus of criticism Thursday for suggesting he might ignore the results of the election if he loses, with President Obama denouncing the statement as an attack on the countrys democracy. When last night at the debate Trump becomes the first major party nominee in American history to suggest that he will not concede despite losing the vote and then says today that he will accept the results if he wins, that is not a joking matter, Obama said at a boisterous rally for Hillary Clinton in Miami. That is dangerous because when you try to sow the seeds of doubt in peoples minds about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy, Obama went on. Our democracy depends on people knowing that their vote matters. That those who occupy the seats of power were chosen by the people. Advertisement The president was just the most prominent voice among Democrats denouncing the GOP nominee. Vice President Joe Biden responded with gravity a threat to our democratic process, he declared at a campaign stop in New Hampshire and former President Bill Clinton with sarcasm. Wed all like that if life were like that, wouldnt we? he scoffed during a swing through Nevada. If we won every moment of every day. Speaking at Clinton rally in Phoenix, First Lady Michelle Obama suggested Trump was threatening the idea of America itself. Ever since he started sinking in polls, Trump has asserted without proof that the presidential election is rigged against him. Pressed during the third and final debate, he twice declined to say he would accept the outcome of the election if he loses. I will look at it at the time, Trump said. Ill keep you in suspense. On Thursday, he made light of his remarks, which drew gasps inside the debate hall and an angry rebuke from Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. I want to make a major announcement today, he said at a rally in Delaware, Ohio. I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win. Turning serious, he said, Of course I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. I will follow and abide by all the rules and traditions of all of the many candidates who came before me, he said, always. Democrats were not alone in chiding Trumps debate-night demurral. I didnt like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance, said Arizona Sen. John McCain, who lost to Obama as the GOP nominee eight years ago. A concession isnt just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leaders first responsibility. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah told the student newspaper at Brigham Young University that Trumps statements were frightening beyond my ability to describe... It delegitimizes the entire process in a way that is really dangerous. New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who is locked in a tough reelection fight owing, in part, to Trumps presence atop the ticket, said, The voters are going to decide this election and Donald Trump needs to accept the outcome. If there are reports that need to be investigated, they will be. Notably silent were the GOP leaders in Congress, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin who last week said he would stop defending Trump and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Other Republicans, who couldnt avoid it, did their best to elide the subject. Campaigning in Indiana on behalf of GOP Rep. Todd Young, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa said she could not speak for Trump. I hope that the election is fair, I dont want to make any accusatory statements out there and I hope that if it is fair, that we accept that, Ernst said. According to Politico, a spokeswoman later clarified that Ernst believes that while we must always protect against voter fraud, there is no evidence of any effort to rig this election. Young, who is running for Senate, neither supported nor criticized Trump. He said he missed the debate, because he was reading at the time. ALSO Its not just women and minorities. Donald Trump has a Mormon problem and heres how it could cost him Donald Trump undoes his third and best debate performance in just a few words Weve updated our electoral map: More states move away from Trump UPDATES: 5:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional quotes from Donald Trump. Donald Trump doubled down on his allegations of a rigged election during Wednesdays debate, declining in a major breach of democratic protocol to say hed accept the results of the election. His reasoning included an implication of widespread voter fraud, asserting that there are millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldnt be registered to vote. But Trump is vastly overstating how common voter fraud is, according to election experts. Advertisement Voter fraud in which a person casts a ballot despite knowingly being ineligible to vote is extraordinarily rare, according to a report by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School. The 2007 study examined elections where wrongdoing was alleged and found the rate of substantiated instances of fraud ranged between 0.00004% and 0.0009%. Another study by a Loyola law professor found just 31 instances of in-person voter fraud (in which one person pretended to be someone else) out of more than 1 billion ballots cast between 2000 and 2014. Trump has charged that individuals are voting multiple times in order to tilt the election away from him. But UC Irvine law professor Rick Hasen noted that such schemes are impractical to execute on a sufficiently large scale to sway the presidential races outcome. To vote five, 10 or 15 times one would have to either register five, 10, or 15 times in different jurisdictions or with false names or go five, 10 or 15 times to polling places claiming to be someone else whose name is on the voter rolls, in the hopes that this person has not already voted and you would not get caught, Hasen wrote this week. Trump has also cited a 2014 study by Old Dominion University professors that asserted noncitizens illegally vote at high enough rates to affect election results. The study estimated that 6.4% of noncitizens voted in 2008 and posited that noncitizen votes could have been a determining factor in President Obamas victory in North Carolina that year. But that report has been widely criticized by experts for problems in its methodology. Trumps allegations of a rigged system ignore the on-the-ground reality of how American elections are conducted. Elections are administered not nationally, but by states and localities more than 8,000 jurisdictions in total. The top elections officers in pivotal battleground states, including Ohio, Nevada and Colorado, are Republicans. Some of Trumps fellow Republicans are trying to downplay accusations of election fraud. GOP Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, both in heated races in their bids for reelection, affirmed the legitimacy of the elections process. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) has also chimed in. Our democracy relies on confidence in election results, and the speaker is fully confident the states will carry out this election with integrity, a spokesperson for Ryan said this week. However, many voters, particularly Trump supporters, share in the GOP presidential nominees cheating concerns. A Politico/Morning Consult poll found that more than 40% of voters and nearly three-quarters of Republicans think the election could be stolen from Trump because of fraud. ALSO Trump claims without evidence that the election is rigged, but officials say thats not how voting works Donald Trump has turned to scorched-earth campaigning. It could affect a lot more than the election Republicans, the debate commission and the media: Just some of the forces Trump says are working against him Four years ago, business leaders financed a multimillion-dollar campaign to oppose an initiative to raise income taxes on Californias highest earners. The same year, the California Chamber of Commerce was featured prominently in television advertisements against a ballot measure to increase the cigarette tax. Now, with new versions of both the income and tobacco taxes on the statewide ballot, money from the business community isnt there and neither is the same level of opposition. Instead, many business groups are reluctantly resigned to an extension of the higher income tax rates and, in some cases, are even promoting the cigarette tax hike. This isnt something that were taking on for self-interested, bottom-line reasons, said Micah Weinberg, president of the research arm of the Bay Area Council business group. We think that stopping youth smoking is an important thing to do. Advertisement Business leaders say their response to the Proposition 55 income tax extension and Proposition 56 tobacco tax increase has buoyed the chances of both measures passing. But they also contend that their positions say more about the specifics of the measures than any fraying of the traditional coalition between Republicans, taxpayer groups and business leaders against tax hikes. We absolutely will fight to the death on any future tax increases, said Rob Lapsley, president of business executive group California Business Roundtable, whose organization is neutral on Proposition 55. Four years ago, many large business groups supported Proposition 30, which raised the income tax rates of single filers making more than $250,000 a year to between 10.3% and 13.3% of total income through 2018. Proposition 55 seeks to extend those higher income tax rates through 2030 and is opposed by business organizations, including the California Chamber of Commerce and Bay Area Council which have flipped their position from the 2012 effort. The groups are critical of the measures reliance on the wealthiest taxpayers to fund such a large portion of the budget, as well as the Proposition 30 campaign breaking its pledge that the tax hike would be temporary. But neither business groups nor anyone else is spending money against Proposition 55, a big change from 2012. Four years ago, the campaign to oppose the tax and support a second, unrelated ballot measure raised $51 million. This time, state campaign finance records show only $3,000 raised by the No on 55 campaign, compared with $56 million from doctor groups, labor unions and others in favor. Business leaders said a campaign against Proposition 55 would be more difficult to execute than it was four years ago, citing the continued political appeal of a tax on the wealthy combined with the resulting boost to public school spending. Its also easier, they said, to persuade voters to maintain an existing tax than to raise one. I think there was a lot of polling and a lot of people sat down in rooms and said, This is not going to have a positive impact on the economy, but theres not a lot we can do at this time, said Gary Toebben, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, which took no position on Proposition 55. One key funder from four years ago who has taken a pass is Charles Munger Jr., a Palo Alto physicist and longtime donor to state GOP causes. Munger contributed just over $33 million to a campaign committee that opposed Proposition 30 and backed an unrelated measure. This year, Munger, who did not respond to a request for comment, has contributed $8 million to sponsor Proposition 54, an initiative requiring all bills to be in print for three days before the Legislature can pass them. Proposition 56, which would raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $2, is the third initiative of its kind since 2006 aiming to increase tobacco taxes. The previous two efforts failed after the tobacco industry spent more than $100 million combined to defeat them. In the prior campaigns, the opposition of the California Chamber of Commerce served as a well-known independent voice to which tobacco companies could point voters. But the organization declined to take a position on Proposition 56. Most of the revenue from Proposition 56 would go toward boosting the payments healthcare providers receive for treating low-income patients in the states Medi-Cal program. Allan Zaremberg, the chambers president and CEO, said his group was torn between its belief that those healthcare payments are too low and its historical reluctance to support tax measures targeting a specific industry. They dont cancel each other out, but they both have merit, Zaremberg said of the arguments on both sides. Other large business groups have gone further than the state chamber. Besides the Bay Area Council, chambers of commerce in Los Angeles, San Diego and other cities are also backing Proposition 56. Toebben, the head of the Los Angeles chamber, said that his members are concerned about rising healthcare costs due to smoking. Beyond that, public opinion has so turned against the tobacco industry that even grocery stores and other businesses that might benefit from cigarette sales dont want to be associated, he said. Sometimes businesses dont want to be known as supporting smoking, Toebben said. Theyre happy to provide the products if their customers want those products, but theyre not going to go out of their way to indicate that theyre proponents. Without the imprimatur of large business interests, tobacco companies now are wielding the opposition of industry groups, such as the California Manufacturers & Technology Assn., as well as anti-tax and law enforcement organizations in their No on 56 advertisements. The positions of chambers of commerce shouldnt be surprising, said Beth Miller, the spokeswoman for No on 56. Hospitals often are key parts of chamber boards and, unlike with the 2012 cigarette tax measure, they stand to benefit from the increase in Medi-Cal revenue should the measure pass, she said. Four years ago, members of the business community did not have a financial stake in the revenue from the tax, Miller said. Beyond the two tax measures on the state ballot this year, business leaders are warning that they will spend money to combat future proposals. Many said they were concerned instead about any future ballot measure campaigns to exempt commercial properties from the tax limitations put in place by Proposition 13 nearly 40 years ago. If that happens, Lapsley said, they can count on one of the most well-funded opposition campaigns they will have ever seen. liam.dillon@latimes.com Follow me at @dillonliam on Twitter ALSO If Proposition 55 passes, the state budget will rely even more on Californias highest earners Why opponents of increasing the tobacco tax arent talking about tobacco The anti-tobacco tax doctor is in: New ad from Prop. 56 opponents targets wealthy special interests Finally, theres something to laugh at in this glum election season. Thanks to the tobacco lobby. These poison peddlers are actually very serious. They dont mean to evoke laughter. But what theyre spewing is so disingenuous and hypocritical its a joke. The cigarette makers are bellyaching about the wealthy special interests doctors, dentists, hospitals, health insurers who are trying to tax grab on the Nov. 8 ballot. Whats being grabbed, of course, is a hefty tax hike on tobacco products. Advertisement Proposition 56 would increase the cigarette tax by $2 per pack. All other tobacco products, including nicotine-laced electronic cigarettes, would get equivalent tax boosts. That would raise an estimated $1 billion to $1.4 billion annually. Most of that money 82%, or up to $1 billion would go to the states Medi-Cal healthcare program for the poor. Anti-smoking programs would get 13%. The University of California would receive 5% for research on tobacco-caused diseases. You wont hear or read anything about tobacco taxes, however, in all of the anti-Proposition 56 TV ads and mailers. Tobacco is not a winning word. Its a turnoff for voters. So the tobacco strategists rail against taxes generally without mentioning that the only people who would pay them are smokers, tobacco chewers and consumers of the sweet, nicotine-spiked e-cigarettes. But the most inadvertently humorous aspect of the anti-56 campaign is the persistent crying over those so-called evil special interest doctors and dentists and healthcare facilities. Thats because theres hardly a bigger, more aggressive and potent special interest anywhere than Big Tobacco. Its the epitome of a wealthy special interest. It already has poured more than $66 million into the anti-56 campaign. Thats roughly twice as much as the measures sponsors have put up. During the past decade, tobacco companies have spent more than $203 million in California fighting proposed tax hikes on their products. Tobacco firms very narrowly beat back tax initiatives in the 2006 and 2012 elections. In 2012, Proposition 29 would have raised the cigarette tax just $1 a pack and used the money to create a new state cancer research entity. Opponents charged that liberal spenders were trying to create another bureaucracy. So this time, strategists eliminated that target by earmarking all the money for existing programs. Every legislative session, theres a bill introduced to increase tobacco taxes. And its blocked by the tobacco lobby, which controls most Republican votes plus those of some Democrats. Any tax increase requires a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature. Thats why California has one of the lowest state cigarette taxes in the nation, ranking 37th. Its 87 cents per pack. The highest is New Yorks, at $4.35. The national average is $1.65. On top of that, the federal government imposes a tax of $1.01 per pack. And there are state and local sales taxes. Updates from Sacramento So smokers are paying about $6 per pack these days, unless theyre buying through the black market. The anti-56 camp says nearly a third of cigarettes smoked in California are smuggled, and that would only get worse if taxes were hiked. Regardless of the tobacco lobbys fierce opposition, the Democratic-controlled Legislature summoned enough courage this year to pass some landmark bills, and Gov. Jerry Brown signed them. One increased the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. Another regulated e-cigarettes like other tobacco products. It also passed a bill that would have allowed counties to seek voter approval of local tobacco taxes, but Brown vetoed it. The main goal of raising tobacco taxes is to motivate smokers to quit which, of course, is why cigarette makers fight these proposals so ferociously. Researchers have found that for every 10% increase in the cigarette price, theres a 4% drop in use. With Proposition 56, theres also a secondary goal: to generate enough money to raise reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal providers. The governor and Legislature cut those rates by 10% during the recession and have refused to restore them. Consequently, many physicians, dentists and health facilities refuse to accept Medi-Cal patients, who make up about a third of the California population. These people often wind up in hospital emergency rooms, where care is extraordinarily expensive and bills are footed by taxpayers or passed on to privately insured citizens through higher premiums. If it is a critical issue facing California, then it should be addressed in the Legislature rather than putting a targeted tax on one industry, says Beth Miller, a spokeswoman for the anti-56 campaign. The prospect of higher Medi-Cal rates is what has motivated the California Hospital Assn. to donate $10 million to Proposition 56. The California medical and dental associations have contributed $1 million each. The Service Employees International Union is in for about $2.3 million. The biggest individual donor by far is San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer, a climate-change activist and former hedge fund manager whos a possible Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2018. He has donated $7.8 million to Proposition 56. Tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in California, Steyer says. When you raise the tax, smoking goes down. Another deception by the anti-56 campaign is that it would cheat schools by excluding the higher tobacco tax from the state revenue that determines education spending. Cheat? The initiative would have no effect, one way or the other, on the level of school funding. The anti-56 campaign not only is laughable, its shamefully cynical. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter ALSO Ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is backing Californias cigarette tax proposition How the campaign against tobacco tax says it affects California schools Updates from Sacramento Researchers with the Pew Research Center looked at nine major U.S. religious organizations and found that women rarely held leadership positions, both historically and presently. Among the groups looked at were American Baptist Churches USA, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Unitarian Universalist Assn. Women had previously led two of the nine institutions, while women currently helm another two of the organizations. Several religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not allow women to be ordained or serve in leadership positions. Q: Does the lack of women in religious leadership roles concern you? What, if anything, needs to be done to address the issue? The survey results do not cause me concern. Some groups included in this study dont fall within the bounds of Christianity. They are outside of the scope of my expertise so I cant comment on the proper role of women within their ranks. Regarding leadership within the Christian church, I believe the Bible is Gods revealed word to us and that it and not current cultural norms is our ultimate authority. I find two offices, or positions of authority, prescribed for leadership in the church: elders (or overseers) and deacons. The qualifications for these offices are clearly delineated in 1 Timothy 3:1-10 and Titus 1:5-9. One of the qualifications is that the elder or deacon be the husband of one wife as the New American Standard Bible translates it. Literally, this means a one-woman kind of man. Careful examination of the original language reveals that to hold either of these offices the person must be a grown man (not a boy, not a woman) who has the character trait of being devoted to one woman at a time. This does not require him to actually be married but it does literally mean that he has to be a man. In 1 Timothy 2:12 Paul the apostle placed a restriction upon those who teach the corporate gathering of the church (a responsibility often given to elders): I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. I find no biblical injunction against a woman teaching a group of women, so I encourage it. I understand that many people disagree with these restrictions, nevertheless the churchs standard must remain biblical and not politically correct. It is only reasonable to apply these qualifications to those who have authority over multiple churches, as in the case of denominational executives or bishops. That being said, there are plenty of women in leadership roles in the evangelical church and we need every one of them. They may not hold offices as pastors or deacons or evangelists, but they lead by example. They exemplify biblical leadership by sacrificially giving their time, talent and treasure for the cause of Jesus Christ. The church simply would not function properly without them. They are created in the image of God, valued by God and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ the same way men are. Nevertheless, women and men are not interchangeable. God created gender roles and responsibilities, and the more we honor them the healthier our churches and families and marriages will be. Pastor Jon Barta Burbank NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >> Yes, it does disturb me that religions have not had more women in leadership positions. But perhaps I shouldnt be surprised. In the good ol USA no women served on the Supreme Court until Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day OConnor in the 1980s. While I believe America leads the world in championing womens rights, women are still not considered equal to men here, but there is a gradual change, and we may soon even have our first woman president! (And even if we dont, the fact that Hillary Clinton is a leading contender for our nations highest office is a first. And the fact that Carly Fiorina over on the Republican side could feel that she had a chance is also a good sign.) I dont know what it is about religious institutions that wont put women in charge (for the record, my denomination, the United Church of Christ, has plenty of ordained female clergy). The claim is sometimes that Jesus chose only male disciples, so only men can do the job. I think thats bogus, and it allows the deep down fear of women or outright misogyny to masquerade behind the skirts of Jesus! The feminist Gloria Steinem stated one time: If the job doesnt require a penis, I want it. I love it that she made that statement, and I agree; what possible reason is there for not giving a woman every chance as a man? Come on, you Roman Catholics! Come on, you Mormons! You are being non-Christian in keeping your women down. Remember Jesus with Mary and Martha? Martha was busy in the kitchen and asked Jesus to have her sister, sitting at Jesus feet, to join her. But Jesus took Marys side! So what would Jesus do? In fact, what did Jesus do? He treated Mary as a full-fledged disciple. How can we not do the same? The Rev. Skip Lindeman La Canada Congregational Church La Canada Flintridge -- I have not read the entire Pew study so I am not sure which movements have women at their head and which do not, but I think that citing only congregational organizations as the sole source for such a study is too narrow. We need to look at religious service organizations, schools and universities as well. However, I do agree that the more conservative religious organizations and institutions have been reluctant to promote women into leadership positions, while the more liberal movements in Judaism such as Reform, Reconstructionist and Renewal have been ordaining women as Rabbis for the past 50 years and in American Christianity, ordained women leading pulpits has been going on since before the Civil War. Now, what can be done to change conservatives into liberals? As always, when I am unsure, I use text as my guide. Psalm 43: O send out your light and your truth let them bring me to your holy mountain and to your dwelling places. May Gods enlightening truth guide all those currently leading and all those, male and female, who seek the top of the mountain called leadership find their own Mt. Sinai, a place known for love, holy commandments and peace. Rabbi Mark Sobel Temple Beth Emet Burbank The ordination of LDS women is a much larger issue in the news and social media than it is among church members. In a Pew survey published last year, 87 percent of Mormon respondents including 90 percent LDS women said they did not support the ordination of women. Based on personal observation, I believe those percentages are low. To most church members the priesthood means more than holding certain church offices, but since the question has to do with leadership, I will address it from that perspective. The LDS church relies on lay members to fill all leadership positions. Every willing member is given opportunities to serve and, inevitably, some of these opportunities will involve a leadership role. Women hold leadership positions locally and at the worldwide level. They also have, for years, delivered sermons to the churchs global membership during our twice-yearly General Conference meetings and they help determine church policies locally and globally. A relatively small number of LDS women, perhaps influenced by secular feminist movements, have sought ordination to the priesthood. The church has reiterated that this is contrary to doctrine that the Lord has revealed for the church. But, to put that in some context, no one gets to pick the position in which they serve. We are called to these positions by church leaders, who are trained to make their decisions a matter of serious thought and prayer. In this way, we try to ensure that the choices are the Lords, and not those of any individual. It is wrong to interfere with this process because of personal desire or ambition. For example, it would be very inappropriate for a man to lobby to become a bishop. So inappropriate, in fact, that it would probably disqualify him from consideration. Most church members understand this and also accept that men and women play different, though equally important, roles in the church and in their families. Michael White The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints La Crescenta -- I served in American Baptist churches, and I know a little about the denomination. Overall, its considered rather liberal among Baptist expressions, in that it does ordain women and it has something of a dont-ask-dont-tell policy regarding certain other issues. The denomination had a small schism about a decade ago when a conservative California region split and formed a new identity that it felt was more biblical. The American Baptists recovered and continued, and today they have member churches with theological perspectives that lean right, left and all points in between. How this can be lies in the nature of Baptist churches generally, where denominational association is voluntary, and congregations maintain absolute autonomy. They decide if their denominational relationship is beneficial or not. When benefits become less than liabilities, churches may decide to remove themselves. But because churches are self-governed, they will call the pastors of their own choosing no matter what genderless ideals their denomination might promote. Now the singular issue of pastor qualification is not up for popular vote or contemporary preference. The Bible seemingly makes this a masculine position within the context of church, and most have followed this from time immemorial. Many leadership functions in the church currently are femininely manned, from board members and deaconesses, to womens ministry, youth and leading worship, but the role of Pastor is biblically understood to be a position incumbent upon men because they are men. Recently its been observed that the Bride of Christ (the Church) with its majority female membership and great feminine activity has actually driven away men (who prefer more masculine climes and less emotive singing and hand holding). Make the Pastor into a Pastor-ess and you will make it a womens club altogether. So its not about feelings, its about divine revelation that dictates a male pastorate. God is Our Father; Jesus is the Son (the second Adam) and his 12 male Apostles were specifically chosen from myriad disciples that included women. The New Testament Pastoral Epistles are addressed to men, and therein state do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man (1Timothy 2:12 NIV) and if a man wants to be a pastor he has a good ambition. For a pastor must be a good man (3:1-2 TLB). Many passages convey male qualification for this pivotal role, which has nothing to do with gender intelligence or capability. Today, denominations may allow for pastorettes, but they leave it to congregations to wrestle with the biblical implications of its seeming contrariness, and most will not be persuaded to fill their pulpits with ecclesiastical mothers. Rev. Bryan A. Griem Tujunga -- ALSO: Interfaith panel discusses religious extremism Op-Ed: Muslim Americans in their own voice In Theory: Can the pope comment on Trumps religion? The monk was hunched over the mandala, one of the oldest artistic traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, when he stopped unexpectedly. The brilliant sand painting was nearly complete, its rich, fine colors created an intricate pattern steeped in symbolism. He walked away from the creation and stood about 10 feet away. He hesitated for several seconds, then brought his hand up to his face and sneezed. Afterward, he offered a quick, wry smile then got back to work. An ill-timed sneeze would not be good next to exceedingly fine grains of sand. The monks of the Atlanta, Ga.-based Drepung Loseling Monastery visited Laguna Beach last week, culminating in the mandala ceremony at Neighborhood Congregational Church. If youve never experienced it, its a mixture of ancient tradition and modern day hero worship. The monks, after all, are treated like rock stars not with the trappings of fancy tour buses or backstage buffets. But they do get fawning attention from iPhone carrying Westerners. At the Christian church on Sunday there were more namastes than amens and more selfies than confessions. It was an iconoclastic sight that seemed absolutely normal for Laguna. The Neighborhood Congregational Church, which officially is part of the United Church of Christ, is known for its progressive and inclusive ministry. Rev. Penelope Mann pointed out during the ceremony that everyone is interdependent and beliefs should not be either or. It doesnt mean that other paths are not important to me or my journey, she said. The concept of a journey is fundamental to the mandala. The monks spend about a week working on the sand in whatever city they tour. For more information, visit drepung.org. In Sanskrit, mandala means world in harmony. There is a belief that whoever views the creation experiences profound peace and joy. Given its intricacy, its hard not to feel impressed, especially when you know its going to be destroyed within minutes of its completion. Officially, its called the deconstruction process. Symbolically, it brings home the point that life is temporary. Everything, in fact, has a beginning, middle and end. Still, its a little painful to watch the work wiped away. Amid bellowing and guttural chants, a monk takes a small whisk and wipes crescent shaped arcs into the sand, turning it from distinct colors and lines into an impressionistic flower with rainbow petals. Young children at the church had a front-row seat and looked crestfallen, wondering no doubt why the adults had lost their minds. Even the monks describe it as a painstaking process. Their fingers are curled and locked around the instruments for hours on end. Periodically, they unfurl their backs and stretch. Its during these moments when one remembers that yoga was invented in nearby Northern India probably for good reason. Yoga moms, in fact, are a popular demographic for the monk roadshow. For those practitioners who seek more than just exercise, the symbols of the mandala help empower a more enlightened existence, according to believers. This particular mandala (there are several types) invoked the teachings of the Medicine Buddha, who has unbiased compassion for all living beings. The goal is to eradicate the three poisons attachment, hatred and ignorance which are the source of all sickness and danger, according to material distributed at the ceremony. Despite the apparent holiness of the proceedings, however, there is no escaping modern indulgences. Truth be told, in the race for social media perfection, the number of cell phones outnumbered crosses. In the middle of the mandala deconstruction, people jockeyed for the best selfie angle. It was not about serene enlightenment; it was about looking good on Facebook. Clearly, the new generation values documenting spirituality more than experiencing it. During the closing ceremony in the church sanctuary, there were nine monks in their full maroon robes standing on the pulpit. They were blowing into their long trumpets, eyes closed in song and meditation. The only distracting thing were the well-meaning parishioners walking around the holy stage even behind the monks with their camera phones perched high like movie producers. Everything now has become a social media spectacle. The sacred becomes profane real time. Interestingly, the children at the event did not have cell phones. They just stood, eyes wide watching everything, trying to understand. They studied expressions; they smiled for no reason. On some level, they understood innately the beauty, peace and transformation. In the process, they could do the simple thing that seemed to elude the adults. The children felt. --- DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at hansen.dave@gmail.com. Laguna Beach Mayor Steve Dicterow publicly responded to critics who called attention to his decision to file for personal bankruptcy in September 2014, saying the business climate following the recession nearly forced him and his wife from their home. Dicterow, who is seeking reelection next month, said he and his wife voluntary filed for Chapter 11 reorganization of their debts two year ago. Its never been a secret in town, said Dicterow, an attorney who works as an aide to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa). Staff knew. Friends such as (Mayor Pro Tem) Toni Iseman tried to help in the process, even people who dont support me politically. We were doing OK, trying to negotiate with the mortgage company, but they refused to cooperate over 20 months. They finally posted a 30-day notice on the door, saying they were going to sell my house. Dicterow said his wife, Catrina, is disabled and that he did everything I could within reason and the law to protect her and to save the house to give her comfort. Dicterow explained his financial situation both at Tuesdays City Council meeting, where some of the public speakers questioned him, and in an interview with the Daily Pilot. An accumulation of personal debt and substantial reduction in work in the years preceding 2014 led to the bankruptcy, according to the couples bankruptcy court records. The Dicterows owed $1.15 million on their Laguna Beach house and a rental condominium in Laguna Woods, along with $283,170 in unsecured claims, such as credit card and student loan debt, according to the bankruptcy filing. My business, as thousands of others who had problems resulting from the 2008 economic crisis, was no longer profitable, Dicterow said referring to his former role as chief operating officer of an international motorcycle-racing circuit. I had to walk away and live off savings. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge approved a reorganization plan in November in which the Dicterows agreed to make payments on their debts. With Novembers election three weeks away, speakers at the council meeting asked why Dicterow did not list certain income sources on his Form 700, a disclosure document required of all public officials in California. As someone who strongly supports transparency and fiduciary responsibility, one must ask why Mayor Dicterow had not practiced what he preached, resident George Weiss said at the meeting. Dicterow, a co-partner with Laguna Intellectual Property Law Group, and general counsel for American Computer Optics, did not list either business on the form. Dicterow said he did not list American Computer Optics because the company is based outside of Laguna And, he added, that he just joined Laguna Intellectual Property this year and didnt know whether he needed to disclose that. Under state Fair Political Practices Commission rules, a public official may not have to report some forms of income It depends, the FPPCs communicationsdirector Jay Wierenga wrote in an email. Generally speaking, income derived from outside of the jurisdiction is generally not reportable. But it may be reportable, if the work involves a company or entity that does or potentially does business in the jurisdiction. William Levin, Dicterows law partner, called some speakers statements an unwarranted opaque attack. Im proud to have Mr. Dicterow as my partner, Levin said. He is one of the most honorable, ethical people I have ever met in life. I think youve got some special interests behind this. Immediately after Levin spoke, council candidate Judie Mancuso told the council she received an anonymous email circulating among Laguna residents that alluded to Dicterows bankruptcy and financial disclosure forms. I was not going to dive into it. I dont have the time, Mancuso said. Some of the residents Im associated with looked into it, and what they found was troubling. Mancuso said Dicterows financial judgment could impact the city. Steve has decision-making power over the finances of Laguna Beach, she said. If he has chosen wrong, bad decisions on his own finances, then maybe those same, wrong bad decisions might transfer over to the city. Dicterow said he has not missed a payment toward his reorganized debt. Nothing indicates impropriety, Dicterow told the Pilot. These are innuendos that are malicious and false. bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce A man and a woman who police say had a shotgun and methamphetamine in their car were arrested after a brief chase in Fountain Valley, authorities said. Police attempted a traffic stop on a car near the intersection of Edinger Avenue and Los Gatos Street at 11:32 p.m. Sunday, Fountain Valley police said. The car did not pull over immediately and led police on a quarter-mile chase until it stopped near the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Stilbite Avenue, police Sgt. Tony Luce said. Two people in the vehicle were arrested without resistance, Luce said. The driver appeared to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Luce said. Officers found a shotgun and other evidence they said was thrown from the car during the pursuit, Luce said. German Gaytan, 34, of Westminster was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence, evading police, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a short-barreled shotgun and being a felon in possession of a firearm, police said. Sara Morales, 18, of Huntington Beach was booked on suspicion of possession of a short-barreled shotgun and destruction of evidence, police said. benjamin.brazil@latimes.com Twitter: @benbrazilpilot The term 420 and April 20 has special significance for marijuana enthusiasts. If youre not in the counterculture know, let me clue you in. 4:20 p.m. is considered an acceptable time to smoke. Think of it as the cocktail hour for weed. A group known as the Waldos claim to have originated 420 in San Rafael in 1971. The group began meeting every day at 4:20 p.m. after school, and eventually began to use 420 as a code for marijuana so they could talk about pot in front of parents and teachers, according to High Times magazine. Many attribute the spread of the term 420 to followers of the band the Grateful Dead, who also had ties to San Rafael. April 20 is also a day of cannabis celebration worldwide, a fitting time to look at whats happening now with the laws. Ive written many articles about the legal dilemmas and benefits associated with medical marijuana, even for pets. Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Santa Ana continue to struggle with the concept of dispensaries and grower facilities. Up until now, the argument has been how to balance liberal California law, which permits the use of medical marijuana, with federal law, which does not. But could election year 2016 be the turning point for federal decriminalization? Many industry watchers believe so. The conversation nationwide was once only about medical marijuana. Now it has shifted to include recreational use, as cannabis becomes the next gold rush, or as insiders call it, the green rush. An April 20 article in Forbes looked at the economics and the upcoming 2016 elections, saying a 2014 Gallup poll showed that 51% percent of Americans favor pot legalization. That same day a New York magazine article stated that fully 58% of Americans believe pot will be legal nationwide in the next 20 years. Forbes goes on to say that legalization now could take away as much as $10 billion from cartels and that pot is the second most profitable cash crop in the United States after corn. It also says Colorado could see a windfall of $40 million in tax revenue generated by legalization of medical and recreational marijuana this year alone. Big business is paying attention. In 2012, I interviewed former Morgan Stanley investment banker Derek Peterson for another publication. His cannabis company, Terra Tech, was on the cutting edge of this boom. Last year, Terra Tech was poised to be the first public company to hold marijuana licenses in the U.S. Explaining that his company is publicly traded, he told me, Our market cap is approximately $100 million. Public relations firms, interior designers, hedge funds, investment bankers, business consultants, software designers, lawyers and high-powered lobbyists are among the many people and industries now specializing in this space. Los Angeles entrepreneur Jeremy Carr spent $120,000 developing a new app called BlazeNow, which in a few weeks will connect cannabis-related businesses, patients and customers. Carr hopes to surpass his biggest competitor, Orange County-based Weed Maps, and generate over $2 million in revenue by his second year. Locally, I checked in with Pati Cakes, O.C.'s self-proclaimed queen of cannabis baking. She tells me her patients, who are all over 50 years old, suffer with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other illnesses, and they benefit greatly from her edibles. On the 128th episode of her Hemp Radio podcast last week, her guest was none other than former Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Jim Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is now offering consulting services to this budding industry. I believe my skill set is looking at complex issues that require customized solutions, he told Pati Cakes. He said cannabis should be regulated like alcohol. Calling himself a solutioneer, Fitzpatrick said land-use issues are key when these businesses are working with cities. Fitzpatricks list of his services include fundraising, crafting best practices with cities and interfacing with government officials. It will be interesting to see if he can sway some of the non-believers, or at least the marijuana agnostics, on the council. Opponents of cannabis say its a gateway drug and these businesses shouldnt be allowed. But what about alcohol? Newport Beach and Costa Mesa have an abundance of establishments that serve booze. Some individuals take their first drink and never become alcoholic while others do. One could argue the same for pot a couple of tokes dont lead to dependency for many users. The marijuana train has left the station. This industry is growing rapidly. Cities need to figure this out before 2016. I have a feeling that just saying no isnt gonna fly. BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com. When Grace Carpenter passed away in 1971, the Glendale City Council adjourned in her honor, Supervisor Warren Dorn ordered the flag at the La Canada branch of the Los Angeles County Library lowered to half-staff and joint resolutions by State Senator H.L. Richardson and Assemblyman Frank Lanterman were passed by the legislature to honor her memory. Who was this woman and how did she earn this respect? She owned a local newspaper. She and her husband, Arthur, purchased a small neighborhood news sheet in 1928 and turned it into one of the leading suburban newspapers in the state. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Born in 1888, Grace Tansill Carpenter, granddaughter of a man who at one time owned three newspapers, began her journalism career as a society reporter and Washington, D.C., correspondent for the New York Press. She married Arthur Carpenter in 1910 and 10 years later, with three very young sons, they decided to leave the hubbub of Washington, D.C., behind and take up ranching in California. They spent three months driving across the country in a Model T Ford, visiting national parks along the way. They found a house, on the grounds of Gould Castle in La Crescenta. Arthur Carpenter became the propertys caretaker, and Grace Carpenter went to work as a reporter for the brand new La Crescenta Valley Ledger in 1922. The first edition of the La Crescenta Valley Ledger was published on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 1922, by Carroll Parcher. Yes, the same man who later published the Glendale News-Press. Along with coverage of the Improvement Clubs meeting and an article about the 200 students flooding into the grammar school, were these words: The La Crescenta Valley is growing. Homes are springing up almost over night. New acreage is being placed on the market and developed every week. Whether or not Grace Carpenter was involved in that first edition, she certainly was on board soon after, as she began working at the paper in 1922, according to June Doughertys Sources of History, La Crescenta. After six weeks, Parchers Ledger merged with the Record of the Verdugo Hills, founded in 1920 by Wallace M. Morgan. The new publication became the Record Ledger, serving the entire Verdugo Hills District: La Canada, Montrose, La Crescenta, Tujunga and present-day Sunland, according to Arthur Cobery, writing in the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley Ledger, March 2016. For a few months, until a linotype machine and cylinder press were installed in their Tujunga shop, type was set in Glendale and then taken to Tujunga to be made up into page forms, Cobery wrote. The page forms were then loaded into a car and returned to a printing plant back in Glendale. The Record Ledger lasted three years. Then, in September 1925, the Crescenta Valley Ledger was born. The Carpenters purchased the Ledger in 1928. Arthur Carpenter took charge of the mechanical side of the newspaper, while Grace Carpenter was publisher, reporter and advertising manager, Cobery noted. On other occasions, she acted as proofreader and telephone operator. And, last but not least, she was homemaker for three hungry males. The newspaper, later renamed the Ledger, continued to grow along with the community. By 1972, the paper had 165 employees. More about the Carpenters at a later date. :: To the Readers The Carpenter family left a priceless legacy, according to Arthur Cobery, writing in the Crescenta Valleys historical society newsletter. Copies of the old Ledgers provide a treasure trove of history relating to the beginnings and growth of the Crescenta Valley, he wrote. More than 20 years ago, bound copies of the Ledger, from 1929 to 1978, were placed in a storage room at Glendales Central Library on Harvard Street. Cobery was instrumental in having them microfilmed about 15 years ago. The microfilms are only available at the Glendale Central Library, according to Jo Anne Sadler, past president of the historical society, in an email. They were partially available at the La Canada Library but they did away with the microfilm reader last year, she wrote. When the new La Crescenta Library opened a couple of years back, they decided not to have a microfilm reader available and virtually no local history section. Now, the historical society with Fred Hoeptner as lead and the Friends of La Crescenta Library, along with the Los Angeles County Public Library System, are coordinating an effort to digitize the Ledger, which will then be available to anyone by computer through the county librarys website. About $15,000 to $20,000 is needed to complete the project. For more information or to donate to this cause contact Hoeptner at fredhep@earthlink.net. -- KATHERINE YAMADA can be reached at katherineyamada@gmail.com or by mail at Verdugo Views, c/o News-Press, 202 W. First St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Please include your name, address and phone number. The Ukrainian parliament has adopted the Joint Declaration of Remembrance and Solidarity with Poland over World War II events and Russia's current aggression against Ukraine. Corresponding resolution No. 5280 was backed by 243 lawmakers at a plenary session of the Ukrainian parliament on Thursday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. The mention of the Lithuanian Seimas was taken out from the text of the document passed by the Ukrainian parliament. It was planned earlier that the document will be adopted by parliaments of three countries - Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy said that relevant committees of the parliaments of Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania supported this declaration. However, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs Hanna Hopko explained: "There will be no more sittings of the [Lithuanian] parliament in its present composition. The new composition of the Seimas will start working only in the latter half of December of this year. Therefore, together with our Polish counterparts, we decided to adopt the declaration of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, to which the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania will be able to join later." The document describes a great historical sacrifice of the people of Poland and Ukraine to protect their freedom and independence. "Representatives of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine jointly and simultaneously pass this declaration of remembrance and solidarity to honor the memory of millions of lives lost by our people during World War II. They condemn the foreign aggressors who tried to destroy our independence," the draft declaration reads. The two countries' parliaments also said the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on August 23, 1939 between the two totalitarian regimes lead to the occupation of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union and mass repressions against the Ukrainian and Polish peoples. "We believe in the need to intensify unbiased historical research and the need to curb the forces that breed tension between our countries," the declaration reads. In addition, the document draws attention to the fact that "the implementation of aggressive foreign policy by the Russian Federation, the occupation of Crimea, support and conduct of military intervention in eastern Ukraine, violation of the basic norms of international law and agreements concluded with Ukraine, the Kremlin's failure to observe these agreements and waging hybrid information warfare are a threat to peace and security throughout Europe." The document also says: "We stress the need for united actions as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization against new threats and support the deepening of cooperation between the Alliance and Ukraine and its strategic goal of acquiring NATO membership. We call on all European partners to show unity and international solidarity and protect the united Europe from the external aggression." The Sejm of Poland is also scheduled to vote for the joint declaration on Thursday. Could the installation of cameras equipped with the technology to automatically record and store car license plate numbers, even at high rates of speed, be used to prevent burglaries in La Canada ? That will be up for discussion Monday, when the Public Safety Commission meets to decide whether to investigate installing automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, either at fixed locations or atop sheriffs patrol cars. Were just hoping to get some direction from the commission to see if this is something they want to pursue further or not, said Peter Castro, the citys public safety coordinator, who encourages the public to give feedback at Mondays 7 p.m. meeting in City Hall. --------------------- FOR THE RECORD 10/22, 12:34 p.m.: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the Public Safety Commission would be meeting Monday at 6 p.m. They will be meeting at 7 p.m. --------------------- Join the conversation on Facebook >> If commissioners decide in favor of pursuing the option, parameters such as kind, number, location and cost would have to be determined, Castro said. With installation costs, cell service, data storage and warranty fees factored in, the devices can be pricey the city of Rancho Palos Verdes partnered with neighboring cities to install cameras at 12 intersections at the cost of $650,000, according to city documents but officials agree the cameras are effective in locating criminals and people with outstanding warrants. Last year La Canada Flintridge had 106 commercial and residential burglaries, down slightly from 121 in 2014, according to data from the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department. The City Council has dedicated money in its annual budget for additional burglary suppression efforts. Adding cameras could be another tool at law enforcements disposal. The Crescenta Valley Sheriffs Station currently operates two patrol cars outfitted with ALPR technology, according to community liaison Deputy Eric Matejka. One was provided by the county, while the $21,150 cost of the second unit was shared by the sheriffs department and the city of La Canada Flintridge, which paid $11,150. Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 1 of this year, those two units scanned 185,376 license plates throughout the city. The recorded images were immediately sent to a cloud-based server that feeds a database that can be drawn upon when deputies are investigating incidents that may involve a vehicle plate or description. Out of those scans, 37 returned hits for drivers with outstanding warrants while another 21 plates that had been lost or stolen were located, Matejka said, recalling a recent case of a deputy who was driving down Angeles Crest Highway when the camera indicated a stolen car had just passed him going the other direction. They could be going freeway speeds in the opposite direction, and it will still take the plate and read it, Matejka said, assuring the information can only be accessed by deputies when a crime is involved. Another case was solved when a plate number caught by a La Canada High School surveillance camera was entered and returned a hit from a fixed pole camera installed outside the home of the suspect whod stolen 16 computers from the campus. It will pick up warrants, and it will pick up lost or stolen plates or stolen vehicles, said Deputy Cristina Cordoba, whos used the technology at the Crescenta Valley Station and in a previous job. It picks up (on) sex registrants, and it picks up any Amber Alerts. Cordoba pointed out the cameras on the stations SUV two mounted on the front scan plates in front of the vehicle, while two on the sides pick up the plates of cars parked in a lot formation. When a license plate matching one flagged in the database is found, an image and number shows up on a laptop screen inside the patrol car, along with the direction the vehicle is traveling. I can look at the picture and see, oh, that car just passed me, and I can go find that car, the deputy explained. Amanda Wahlquist, a crime analyst with the local station, says the technology helps narrow the scope of investigators focus to particular individuals or communities, while giving them broader access to data recorded in other cities or counties. It also helps analysts connect incidents in different areas that may be related to one another. The more information we can get, the more we can narrow it down, Wahlquist said. And instead of closing just one case, you may be able to close multiple cases and bring a little bit of restitution to your victims. The La Canada Flintridge Public Safety Commission meets Monday at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1327 Foothill Blvd., in La Canada. For more information, visit www.lcf.ca.gov/public-safety-commission. -- Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine On Tuesday, La Canada school officials thanked the La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation for raising money for the district, learned about a new program for elementary school entrepreneurs and lent their support to two ballot propositions aimed at financing public schools. Marilyn Yang, executive director of the Educational Foundation, bestowed upon La Canada Unified School District Supt. Wendy Sinnette and Board President David Sagal a presentation check from LCFEF made out to the district in the amount of $2 million. That figure represents the foundations fundraising efforts made during the 2015-16 school year, which include the groups annual spring gala, its annual Jog-A-Thon and the relatively new Spartan Spirit campaign, which allows donors to adopt seats at the La Canada High School auditorium. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Sinnette shared her sincere thanks to Yang and all members of the foundation in her superintendents remarks. On behalf of the entire district, I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation, the superintendent said. Were grateful to all of our generous donors. Sagal echoed Sinnettes appreciation, sharing a breakdown of where the $2 million is being spent in the current school year. About $911,000 is funding teachers salaries, especially at the elementary school level, to keep class sizes manageable. A total of $521,000 is going toward guidance and college counselor support at La Canada High School, while another $223,000 is supporting the continuance of art, music and drama programs at the districts elementary schools. With the remainder, about $237,000 has been dedicated for needed technology improvements, while $57,000 has been earmarked for course offerings for LCHS 7/8 students, including computer coding and enhanced science, math and writing instruction. LCUSD would not be the school district it is today without the help of the Educational Foundation, said Sagal, noting that he and wife McNally were both former LCFEF executive directors. We were both able to see first-hand how this dedicated community group of parents work to enhance the lives and educational experience of our children. Welcoming the X factor In a brief presentation board members learned about a new extracurricular activity being offered to second- through sixth-grade students at La Canada Unified elementary schools School-X. Developed by Paradise Canyon Elementary School parents Zach Jennings and Eric Lin, the nonprofit aims to offer programs that encourage kids to experience the thrill of bringing an idea or product to life and then seeing it through all phases of the design and build process. One offering, the young artisans program, teaches kids how to develop an idea and then brand, market and demonstrate their ideas live before potential customers at the Montrose Farmers Market. Those who participated in a recent summer pilot shared their products and respective pitches for board members Tuesday, while co-founder Jennings spoke of the organizations inception. We thought, what could we do to evolve a program to harness the power of these young kids ideas? Jennings said, describing his and Lins desire to help children succeed in life beyond college. In order to prepare them more, we felt that focusing on their ideas, their creativity (and) creative problem-solving was an important part of helping them prepare for the future. School-X plans to host a Shark Tank"-style competition for schools who currently participate with after-school clubs on Nov. 4 and will have its next Demo Day, where students pitch and sell their products and ideas at the Montrose Farmers Market on Dec. 11. Propping up props School board members also passed resolutions in support of two propositions going before voters in the Nov. 8 election Propositions 51 and 55. Proposition 51 authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds for the building and renovation of K-12 public school, charter school and community college facilities. Proposition 55 would extend a 2012 voter-approved tax on individuals who earn more than $250,000 annually, set to expire in 2018, by another 12 years. The tax, passed to help bridge gaps in state school funding that occurred in the wake of the Great Recession, currently brings in an additional $2 billion to $4.5 billion to K-12 schools and community colleges statewide. Were it to lapse, districts would have to determine how to close a new funding gap. Im very glad were doing this, board member Ellen Multari said. -- Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine We share lots of experiences with one another, some positive and some not. Everything we do, wherever we interact with one another, for better or worse, is a chance to build community. Thats why La Canadas One City, One Book is important. The event is not only about literacy. The idea of all of us reading the same book is a way to foster a sense of community. This years One City, One Book reading selection is Aline Ohanesians Orhans Inheritance, inspired by a story told by Ohanesians great-grandmother. Unlike the other women in the family, Ohanesians great-grandmother was a quiet person who usually communicated with gestures. In August of 1983, Aline Ohanesian was 8 years old. It was too hot to play outdoors in the San Fernando Valley, so she was inside the house. There were six of us on my aunts king-size bed, all under the age of nine: my brother and me and four cousins who were technically my aunts and uncles because they were the offspring of my grandmothers two younger brothers. We were the youngest members of an extended family where three and sometimes four generations interacted with fluid familiarity. On that day, all six of us were lost in the magic of Julie Andrews and the von Trapp children. My eyes watered as Captain von Trapp started singing Edelweiss. (Ohanesian, A., Hidden Stories, 2014.) Edelweiss. Edelweiss. Bless my homeland forever, was sung just before the von Trapp family was forced to flee their homeland. Thats when little Alines great-grandmother gestured to her. The little girl followed her into the next room. We sat on her twin-size bed, my mind still spinning with the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein. She asked me how many times Id watched The Sound of Music. I counted to seven on my fingers. I dont remember her exact words, but I know she alluded to my love of stories. I have a story too, she said. And then, the old woman, for the first and only time, told her own story. What I remember about her story is this: Nene was only 3 when she witnessed the public hanging of her father. Days later, her family and all the Armenian women and children of her village were deported and, over the course of several months, marched for hundreds of miles to the Syrian Desert. She remembered the care with which her mother had secretly sewn gold coins into the seams of her undergarments, how she was instructed to walk softly, so that the coins wouldnt make a sound. She described having to eat grass, and fishing for grains in the excrement of animals. She and two other family members made it to the Syrian Desert, where they watched thousands starve to death. When her tale ended, she patted my knee with her bony hand and instructed me to never forget. The great-grandmother never spoke about this again. Years later, this memory inspired Ohanesian, a graduate student, to write her first novel, Orhans Inheritance. Kudos to La Canadas One City, One Book committee for choosing Ohanesians book. As noted in last weeks Valley Sun, Aline Ohanesian will speak at La Canadas annual One City, One Book citywide book discussion, on Nov. 6, at 3 p.m., at the La Canada Flintridge Library, 4545 Oakwood Ave. -- ANITA SUSAN BRENNER is a longtime La Canada Flintridge resident and an attorney with Law Offices of Torres and Brenner in Pasadena. Contact her at anitasusan.brenner@yahoo.com. Follow her on Instagram @realanitabrenner, Facebook and on Twitter @anitabrenner. The last time I saw Kenny Wolf was October 2005. Each year, just about this time I think of him. October is National Disabilities Month. In 2000, Kenny was paralyzed following a climbing accident in Alaska. He lost 95% mobility in his legs, and a head injury severely limited his ability to speak. Longtime readers of this column might recall that several years ago I wrote a piece about Kenny that was titled The Seventh Summit. At the time he was confined to a wheelchair. Regardless, Kenny refused to accept his disability. The doctors said hed never climb again; Kenny was determined to prove them wrong. Each morning, Id see him on the track at St. Francis High School and watch him as he labored to leave the confines of his wheelchair. After standing, Kenny would use forearm crutches and amble around the track. Each movement was a struggle for him as he attempted to circumnavigate the track. I wrote that first column about him to highlight his courage as he attempted to overcome his disability. Kenny believed that one day he would walk again and fulfill a lifetime dream of climbing the seven summits, the highest peaks on the seven continents. In 1978, Kenny was my student and assisted me in the wilderness class I taught at Glendale College. At the time, the class was a grueling wilderness expedition and not for the faint of heart. Kenny would joke with the students. When something went wrong, hed sarcastically comment, Kill me. I encouraged Kenny to find a career in wilderness education. His physicality, wilderness skill sets, and emotional intelligence would have been perfect for Outward Bound or the National Outdoor Leadership School. Instead, he followed his dream and became a technical climber. I climbed with Kenny, mostly on the eastern slope of the Sierras. Together we attempted to summit Temple Crag. Kenny noticed the difficulty I had making the traverses and decided to abort the climb. He quickly surpassed the skills of the mountaineers who climbed in the central Sierra and moved to Alaska to guide expeditions up Denali, the highest peak in North America. I lost track of Kenny until his brother informed me of the accident. When leading his expedition up the west buttress route toward the summit of Denali, Kennys hex failed. He slid down the ice slope and into a crevasse. Kenny Wolf was a world-class mountaineer; he should have known better than to use hexentrics on snow, he should have used ice screws. What happened up there? We never got the full story. National Disabilities Month is a time for consciousness to the plight of those with disabilities and a time to restore dignity as to how we view them. Often the disabled are the beacons, showing us the way toward resourcefulness, hope, courage, patience, perseverance, dignity and humility. Being cognizant of their everyday heroism can be an epiphany. In Kennys case, the word disability had deeper implications. He lost the ability to express his feelings and manage the demons that he tried to bury. Kenny was no longer capable of feeling or fostering close relationships. There was no hope for fulfillment. He lived in disappointment and bitterness and found no joy, no kinship. I stopped going to the track at St. Francis. It was too difficult to watch a man who once could touch the sky and light the imaginations of mountaineers. He moved to Minnesota. Before he left, I went to see him at Hahamongna Park. There, he stared toward Mt. Wilson. Maybe to make me feel better, hed tried to make a joke. Hed shake his head, attempt to smile and say, Kill me. In 2005, I didnt correctly understand the real story about Kenny Wolf. It wasnt his courage that I should have written about. It was his vulnerability. In 2006, his brother called me and said that Kenny had taken his life. -- JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us. Many grown-ups fondly remember their beer-infused visits to Lake Havasu City, but the Arizona community is more than a spring-break destination for college kids. The lake attracts couples and families too. Its particularly pleasing in fall after the thermometer drops from summer highs that can reach the 120s. The tab for two can vary wildly: Soup, sandwiches and beer at Brew Shack will cost $25, but two nights aboard a houseboat will set you back nearly $1,600. Divide that by 10, however, and it works out to $80 per person per night. The bed Because this place is all about the water, why not consider sleeping on it? In fall and winter, Lake Havasu Houseboats ([800] 843-9218) rents a 60-foot vessel for $1,595 for two nights (the minimum stay). With two bedrooms plus berths, the boat can comfortably sleep 10. It offers all the comforts of home, including a full kitchen, and a sun deck with a slide that plops you into the lake. For landlubbers, the visitor center (422 English Village, Lake Havasu City; [928] 855-5655) can provide other lodging choices. Advertisement See the most-read in Life & Style this hour >> The meal The comfort food at Brew Shack (2018 N. McCulloch Blvd., Lake Havasu City; [928] 855-6768, closed Sundays) is both tempting and inexpensive. Owner Jerry Shackelford and his sister, Elizabeth, offer nearly 30 varieties of grilled cheese sandwiches, all priced at $6 or $7. The Bavarian includes bratwurst, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, and the Bombay Bacon is stuffed with bacon, cream cheese, mango chutney and dates. Also indulge in a steaming hot bowl of homemade tomato soup ($3); its delicious. For a fancier meal, Shugrues(1425 N. McCulloch Blvd., Lake Havasu City; [928] 453-1400) overlooks the transplanted London Bridge. The find The River Thames has had a bridge since AD 43, but the one standing in Lake Havasu City opened in 1831. London auctioned off the 1,000-foot bridge in the 1960s when the span was slowly sinking. Jan Kassies, who leads 90-minute walking tours, explained that the bridge reopened in the Mojave Desert 45 years ago this month after its 10,000 numbered blocks of granite were shipped from England and reassembled. Tours ($10 for adults, children 12 and younger are free) leave the visitor center at 11 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from October through April. The London Bridge was reassembled in Lake Havasu City. (Sura Ark / Getty Images ) The lesson learned Lake Havasu City has pleasant weather outside those scorching summer months. Novembers average high temperature is 74. That number climbs to 85 in April. travel@latimes.com Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado is only 90 minutes drive from tourist-friendly Durango, Colo., but many tourists never make the side trip. Do it. Mesa Verde has about 600 cliff dwellings, many dating to the 13th century. In 1906, it became the first national park to focus on something made by human hands. In honor of this years National Park Service centennial, the Travel section is posting 100 park travel ideas and tips based on trips staff travel writer Christopher Reynolds has taken, along with photo-op advice from Times photographer Mark Boster. Well post one per day through Dec. 31. Advertisement Follow Reynolds on Twitter: @MrCSReynolds See travel videos by Reynolds from around the world. ALSO Ride a tram to the top of St. Louis 630-foot Gateway Arch These big Yosemite trees are off-limits until next year They call it Death Valley and still, crowds come in summer. You shouldnt Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced Thursday that he was separating from the United States and embracing China as the new best friend of the Philippines. The 71-year-old president, famous for blunt, often profane rhetoric, announced his countrys realignment in a state visit to Beijing, where he was hailed as Chinas new brother. Your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States both in military, but also economics, Duterte said to thunderous applause at a forum inside the Great Hall of the People, the bastion of the Chinese Communist Party. Without the United States, he said addressing the Chinese audience, I will be dependent on you. Advertisement During the visit, China and the Philippines are signing agreements for $13.5 billion in trade deals. The Philippines also said China had committed itself to $9 billion in low-interest loans. And the Philippines offered to open negotiations with China over disputed fishing waters in the South China Sea, a surprising change of policy given that an international tribunal in The Hague had ruled in July against Chinas claim of historical rights to the waters. Duterte, who took office July 30, had other choice words for the United States during his Beijing visit. He said that America has lost now and suggested that he was also eager to cozy up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ive realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world China, Philippines and Russia, he said. And as an added slap, Duterte mimicked an American accent and said: Americans are loud, sometimes rowdy. Their larynx is not adjusted to civility. Duterte has been issuing increasingly anti-American rhetoric for months, mostly in reaction to U.S. criticism of a shoot-to-kill vigilante campaign against drug dealers and addicts. Since winning the presidential election in May, an estimated 3,500 people have been killed. Duterte doesnt like Western finger-wagging over human rights and he is not going to get that from China, said John Gershman, a professor at New York Universitys Wagner School of Public Service and a founder of the New York Southeast Asia Network. Maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world China, Philippines and Russia. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Still, the unequivocal declaration by Duterte in Beijing came as a surprise to the Chinese and the Americans, Gershman believes. As far as I can tell, the United States was unprepared. I dont think anybody could imagine this could happen, or happen this quickly, said Gershman. The Chinese must be very happy, but I dont think they could have dreamed of this opportunity. Chinese President Xi Jinping called the visit by Duterte a milestone. China and the Philippines are neighbors across the sea and the two peoples are blood brothers, Xi said. At least for now, Duterte made no reference to canceling the mutual defense treaty with the United States, which dates to 1951. The previous U.S.-friendly administration of Benigno Aquino III had agreed to allow the United States stepped-up access to Philippine military bases, and that agreement apparently remains in effect. Dutertes announcement is a blow to the Obama administrations much-heralded pivot to Asia. U.S. diplomats had pointed to warmer relations with Manila and tension between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea as evidence that the policy was succeeding. The State Department said Thursday that it is baffled by Dutertes latest suggestion that the Philippines was separating from the U.S. and that it is seeking an explanation of what the Philippine leader meant. Despite Dutertes increasingly fiery rhetoric aimed at the United States, coming as he made warm diplomatic gestures to erstwhile rival China, Washington remains rock solid in its commitment to the mutual defense treaty and to the two countries 70-year alliance, State Department spokesman John Kirby said. Dutertes hostility is inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship that we have with the Filipino people as well as the government there, on many different levels, Kirby said. We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the U.S., Kirby said. Its not clear to us exactly what that means in all its ramifications. Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will travel to Manila this weekend on a previously scheduled trip and will raise the issue with officials there, Kirby said. He said other countries in the region presumably Japan and South Korea are similarly confused by Dutertes outbursts and where this is going ... what it portends. ALSO Heres how the U.S. is dealing with Dutertes blitz of rants, insults and ultimatums Editorial: Dutertes murderous approach to law enforcement must end Duterte expresses regret for his Obama insult. But hes always had a way with words China and the Philippines have agreed to resume a dialogue on their dispute over the South China Sea, a senior Chinese diplomat said Thursday following talks between the countries leaders. The move appeared to be a diplomatic victory for Beijing several months after an international arbitration tribunal invalidated Chinas expansive territorial claims over the resource-rich waters in a case put forward by the Philippines. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing as part of a charm offensive aimed at seeking trade and support from the Asian giant by setting aside the thorny territorial dispute. Advertisement Duterte hailed a warming of relations with China and said that ties between them go back centuries. China has been a friend of the Philippines and the roots of our bonds are very deep and not easily severed, he told Xi in his opening remarks. Even as we arrive in Beijing, close to winter, this is a springtime of our relationship. So its about time to say goodbye, my friend. Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. President Rodrigo Duterte, on the Philippines ties to the U.S. Xi said the meeting had milestone significance. In a reference to the South China Sea temsions, Xi said that although we have weathered storms, the basis of our friendship and our desire for cooperation has not changed. Following the talks, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters that the leaders only touched on the topic briefly during their talks. Both sides agreed that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of the bilateral relationship, Liu said. The two sides agreed to return to the approach used five years ago of seeking a settlement through bilateral dialogue, he said. Philippine diplomats could not be immediately reached for comment. The talks had been suspended after China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, off the main Luzon island in the northern Philippines, and the Philippines launched the arbitration process under Dutertes predecessor. The Philippines has in the past insisted that the ruling form the basis for any negotiations with China, while Beijing has insisted on the opposite. Duterte was greeted by Xi with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of Beijing. The two leaders oversaw the signing of agreements between their governments. China has framed Dutertes visit as a step toward ending years of estrangement between the countries. Duterte has walked a tightrope in trying to mend damaged relations with China while defending his countrys claims in the disputed South China Sea. In Beijing, the Philippine leader known for his devil-may-care, profanity-laden speeches said Wednesday that he would not raise the issue, which has angered China, unless his Chinese counterpart first brought it up, out of courtesy to his host. As a matter of courtesy and in the Oriental way, you always wait, Duterte said ahead of a meeting with members of the Filipino business community in Beijing on Wednesday. Because I am a visitor, I cant destroy the goodwill by just blurting out something. He also signaled a major shift in reliance on the U.S., the Philippines long-standing defense treaty ally, telling the Filipino community members: So its about time to say goodbye, my friend. Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. The overtures to Beijing have drawn criticism of Duterte at home in the Philippines, where the public is wary of taking a deferential attitude to a country regarded as a bully. His visit is being watched by Washington for signs of just how seriously the new Philippine leader intends to pursue a shift away from Washington and toward Beijing, a move that could have a major impact on regional power dynamics. ALSO: American football is gaining traction in China Meet the Nightcrawlers of Manila: A night on the front lines of the Philippines war on drugs The U.S. may be the Great Satan in Iran, but some still want to win the U.S. visa lottery First there was a rocket, flying low, kicking up dust before it smacked the ground in a fiery bloom. Then an Islamic State suicide bomber gunned his car toward the Iraqi Kurdish fighters. The car exploded in a fireball crowned with a plume of black smoke, and the earth shook. Though dazed, the Kurdish troops recovered fast, loading a wounded comrade into an ambulance. Then all was calm once again. It has fallen on the Kurdish fighters, known as the peshmerga, to secure areas east and north of the Iraqi city of Mosul, Islamic States de facto capital and the heart of its once seemingly unstoppable caliphate, even as other Iraqi security forces advanced from the south. Advertisement In the early hours Thursday, four days into the long-anticipated campaign to take back the city, thousands of the Kurdish warriors gathered at three sites across the mountain ranges to Mosuls north. Their aim was to take 27 villages and deny the jihadists access to areas they once traversed with near-impunity, according to the peshmergas general command. Yet despite reports of rapid advances in the opening moves of the Mosul offensive, this was no thunder run. What emerged instead was a battle of fits and starts. Interactive: Click the video and drag your cursor for a 360-degree view. Even before a column composed of dozens of Kurdish armored vehicles, trucks and tanks threaded its way through the fields between the villages here, Islamic State launched two fixed-wing drones, one that was shot down by a burst of gunfire so intense it sounded like a drumroll. Meanwhile, artillery and warplanes from the U.S.-led coalition pummeled jihadist positions before advancing security forces encircled some of the villages, firing on anything that moved. Islamic State militants, though outnumbered, hid between buildings to lob mortar shells and rockets, shoot at soldiers or dispatch car bombs. We have to clean this area. Were used to fighting Daesh and know their strategy, said Gen Aziz Waisy, commander of the Kurdish Zeravani Special Forces, which spearheaded the attack from Mt. Nawaran, about 14 miles northeast of Mosul. Daesh is Islamic States Arabic acronym. The battle for Mosul: How to free 1 million residents without killing them The general, emerging from a Humvee that had moved up the column during a lull in the fighting, said this was the closest his units had gotten to the city. Were very motivated. We know that Daesh is an enemy we have to destroy, he said. In a vehicle nearby, one veteran fighter, 34-year-old Sadeq Raouf, sang popular Kurdish tunes and cracked jokes as small arms fire crackled and mortar shells dropped nearby at the rate of once a minute. Raouf and his colleague, a young fighter named Fakhr Din, would stop occasionally to fire their M-16s at buildings where they suspected the militants were bunkered. Later in the battle, Humvees and technicals established a perimeter, allowing bulldozers to create a berm to impede car bombers from approaching. Even here, the schizophrenic nature of the battle could be seen: One commander, a blue disposable razor poised before his face, squinted into a silver-framed mirror propped on his armored vehicle. He took one cautious swipe when the high-pitched whine of an incoming mortar shell drowned out the sounds of outgoing gunfire. It fell less than 10 yards away. He then continued to shave. An Iraqi fighter takes position on top of vehicle as smoke rises from the outskirts of Qayyarah, south of Mosul. (Bulient Kilic / AFP ) Yet there were losses in Thursdays operation. A visiting reporter saw two Kurdish fighters evacuated from the front line, one with severe head injuries. Local media spoke of at least five killed and others wounded, and there were unconfirmed reports of greater casualties. The Pentagon said Thursday that a U.S. service member was killed in a roadside bomb blast. The soldier had been assisting in the Mosul offensive, making him the first American casualty in the campaign, which has incorporated more than 5,000 U.S. troops who are officially acting in an advise and assist capacity to the various fighting groups in Iraq. U.S. and British special forces units, however, have taken a more active role . Officials would not comment on whether the soldier was embedded with the Kurdish fighters or other Iraqi security forces, but said that he was hit while traveling in a vehicle and that no one else was injured. Meanwhile, Iraqs elite special forces units mounted their own offensive in nearby Bartella, a Christian town just 13 miles east of Mosul, which Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati, a senior commander with the counter-terrorism forces, said was a main defensive line in front of the advancing troops. I declare to the families of Bartella and Mosul that we have achieved full control of the town of Bartella, Shaghati said in a news conference Thursday evening. Soldiers nearby, however, said that pockets of Islamic State fighters remained and that there was still a risk of car bombs. Disparate gunfire could be heard in the outskirts late Thursday, and one special forces operative had to be evacuated. The town, which was overrun by the jihadists in late 2014 during their blitz campaign to take large swaths of the Nineveh plains, was said to be deserted, Shaghati said. Many of its residents had escaped to the city of Irbil in the days after its capture. The fall of this town in our hands means we are ready for Mosul. We give tidings to our people in Mosul that we are on the way, Shaghati said. He insisted casualties on the government side had been minimal while more than 15 vehicles used by car bombers had been destroyed. Amaq, a news agency affiliated with Islamic State, said in a report Thursday that six martyrdom operations struck government forces in Bartella, a reference to the suicide attacks . The advances come as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi addressed a gathering of Western and regional diplomats in Paris to discuss plans for the future of Mosul after Islamic State has been ousted , saying that the campaign was progressing faster than planned. Iraq today is closer than any time in the past in its unity and determination to liberate this land from the terrorists. ALSO: In Turkey, you can be arrested for having this app on your phone The U.S. may be the Great Satan in Iran, but some still want to win the U.S. visa lottery A genocide overlooked: A Catholic priest works to bring attention to the mass killings of Yazidis UPDATES: 3:45 p.m.: This article was updated with a staff-written report. This article was originally published at 8:25 a.m. Omar Turki defied Islamic State and fled the city of Mosul on foot last month with his family of five, the youngest just 6 months old. Eager to escape the coming battle to free the city from the militant groups violent grip, the family had to cross a trench apparently designed to be filled with oil and set ablaze to foil the would-be liberators and walk through a minefield. Now living in a large camp set up by international aid workers 40 miles southeast of Mosul, Turki, 26, has been phoning relatives back home and warning them that, when Iraqi troops arrive for their assault, Islamic State militants will be merciless. Advertisement I told my family when the Iraqi army comes, just go to them so Islamic State dont use them as human shields, said Turki. Turkis perilous journey is about to be replicated by thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, as a coordinated assault by Iraqi and Kurdish forces begins on Iraqs second-largest city. Key to any success in reclaiming the city is ensuring the safety of up to 1.2 million civilians, the largest population of any urban battle so far in Iraqs war against Islamic State. Military commanders have urged civilians to shelter in their homes while the battle rages. U.S. B-52 bombers have dropped as many as 7 million leaflets around the city instructing civilians to tape over their windows in the shape of an X to keep them from shattering, disconnect gas pipes, hide valuables and stay low near the floor. Tell your children that the loud booms are just thunder, the leaflets advise. Already, 1,900 people have fled to camps in Iraq and 900 more to similar facilities in Syria, aid workers say. That tally will probably rise to 200,000 in the first two weeks of the offensive, whose initial operations began this week, and could reach 1 million by the time the operation concludes. The Iraqi government has said safe routes will be set up to help civilians evacuate, but local aid workers say they have not been informed of the plans. In Fallujah, there were passages that were said to be safe and they werent. We dont want that to happen, said Karl Schembri, spokesman for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which is operating in northern Iraq. Iraqi authorities faced criticism after the offensive over the summer in Fallujah, in western Iraq, for failing to protect, screen and funnel civilians through safe paths to temporary housing. A dozen men and boys were shot and killed outside Fallujah after surrendering to men who had appeared to be friendly because they were wearing military and federal police uniforms; 73 other men and boys from the same tribe are still missing, according to an Amnesty International report released Tuesday. In Saqlawiya, near Fallujah, militiamen seized about 1,300 men and youths, then transferred 600 to local officials days later bearing signs of torture, according to the report, based on interviews with more than 470 former detainees, witnesses and relatives of those detained, missing or killed. Fallujah has very important lessons that everyone should have learned from, said Schembri. The problem here is that the magnitude of this crisis the number of people, where they can flee to, where they can go to is huge, he said. Were talking about 1.2 million people, as opposed to the 84,000 in Fallujah. Humanitarian aid workers have no way of knowing whether its best to advise Mosuls residents to stay in their homes or flee only they can know that, as the battle unfolds, and those who elect to remain could eventually run out of supplies, Schembri said. Its a very bleak dilemma, whether to risk to stay or risk their lives leaving, so theres nothing to be confident about, [and] the longer this takes, the more desperate their situation will become, he added. Prime Minister Haider Abadi said at a briefing that he had not read the Amnesty International report about the problems in Fallujah but that Iraq has zero tolerance toward human rights violations. The situation in Fallujah wasnt really functioning, but those lessons have been incorporated, and we trust they will be upheld so that those who choose to flee can do so from Mosul, he said. If we do not uphold the protection of civilians, we risk rekindling the issues that brought [Islamic State] here in the first place. Another difficulty is how to detect Islamic State fighters among the civilians who flee the city. Some militant leaders have left Mosul ahead of the Iraqi offensive, but foreign fighters, who might be more easily recognized, appear to be staying, according to Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky, commander of the U.S. Armys 101st Airborne Division. Theyre not going to be able to exfiltrate as easily as some of the local fighters or the local leadership, Volesky told reporters on a teleconference call from Baghdad. Its difficult for them to blend into the local population. In Fallujah, he said, some militants dressed as women to escape. That didnt work for them. U.N. authorities are establishing 11 camps in the area to house as many as 120,000 people, but officials say they hope they wont see that many leave Mosul. The more civilians will feel protected inside Mosul, the less they will be displaced, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a visit to the Debaga camp this week. For those who feel they have to go because it is dangerous, also they have to be treated with dignity and respect. The camp was built for 20,000 people, but is already housing 31,700, including 655 displaced in the last two days. There are scores of cinder-block shacks and tents. Newly arrived men sleep in the mosque, women and children in the school. Camp workers try to keep it clean, but the sheer volume of new arrivals many with young children - has left the floors dirty and strewn with garbage. Rice and beans were served Wednesday, but many people said they were still hungry and thirsty. Even in the zoo its better than this, said a man who asked to be identified as Abu Mahmoud, 41. The father of four, who teaches at a trade school, paid a team of armed smugglers $400 to get his family out of Islamic State-dominated Hawija to the south last week. They survived Islamic State mines and sniper fire, he said, unlike a group of neighbors captured the same day, or a cousin killed by a mine while attempting the same journey two weeks ago. Thousands more are paying smugglers even steeper prices to flee west from Mosul into Syria. About 5,000 displaced people have fled from the Mosul area during the last two weeks to the Hol camp in northeast Syria. The camp was built to house 7,500 but currently is holding 10,000, according to Tarik Kadir, Mosul response team leader for the nonprofit Save the Children. He said 3,500 other people displaced from Mosul are waiting to enter at the Syrian border. Kadir said those fleeing paid smugglers an average of $2,500. Its only those who have money who are getting out, he said. Inside Mosul, preparations for the coming battle appear to be vigorously underway, according to residents who have fled, many of whom remain in communication with family members inside. Some Islamic State fighters have been broadcasting a call to arms for an impending holy war, and have moved into churches and mosques, apparently to avoid being targeted by airstrikes, Turki said. He said residents have been forced to shut off lights and generators at night, also to avoid airstrikes. Those caught with cellphones are killed. Turki said many residents, including his wifes family, have tried to move east across the Tigris River, where it might be easier to flee, but housing is scarce. Islamic State fighters recently fanned out across the west side and threatened to kill those caught moving, Turki said. Last month, he said, a smuggler who had helped families move was hanged. A woman who identified herself only as Um Menhal, interviewed at the Debaga camp, said Islamic State fighters this week were hiding in homes as the offensive advanced, and attempted to use her family and about two dozen others in their village south of Mosul as human shields before they managed to escape. She said her two brothers, both former police officers, have remained in Mosul and plan to join the fight to liberate the city. But they have only a couple hours of electricity every few days, and have gone days without bread. Um Iyad, 27, fled Mosul to a nearby village in June, then came to the Debaga camp two months ago with her four sons. She left behind her husband, a driver unwilling to part with a car he wouldnt be able to drive past Islamic State fighters. Hes now living amid mortar attacks and airstrikes without water, electricity or fuel oil, she said. Her parents have also remained, stockpiling food. My mom told us, I wont flee from here. If I die, I will die in my house, she said. When she last visited her parents and siblings in Mosul three months ago, Islamic State fighters had moved into their neighborhood, holing up in abandoned buildings. A slight figure in a tattered red gown embroidered with black flowers, Um Iyad was having trouble sleeping, constantly contemplating the fate of her city. Above the black veil that covered her face, her eyes filled with tears. I am so worried, she said. Times staff writer Hennessy-Fiske reported from Debaga camp and special correspondent Bulos from Irbil, Iraq. Times staff writer W.J. Hennigan in Washington contributed to this report. molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com @mollyhf On Monday, October 24, at 11.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Language and Information Security of Ukraine with the Use of Blockchain Technology Role of Money." The participants include expert in the field of computational and applied linguistics and lexicography, theory of intelligent language-information systems, founder of the national scientific school of linguistic technology, member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2012), Ph.D. (Technical Sciences) (1999), Ph.D. (Physical and Mathematical Sciences) (1979), laureate of the State Award of Ukraine in the field of science and technology Volodymyr Shyrokov; and founder of Bitcoin Embassy in Ukraine and the only dictionaries shop in Ukraine "Ukrainian Dictionaries", engineer economist Serhiy Panchenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. For more information call (097) 386 7772. As pivotal fighting unfolds in Syria and Iraq, NATO ally Turkey is showing itself to be more and more of a wild card, fueling complications on a pair of already chaotic battlefields. Turkeys military said Thursday that it had killed up to 200 Kurdish-led fighters in a series of overnight strikes north of the divided Syrian city of Aleppo. That claim was questioned by Kurdish commanders, who reportedly put the number of deaths in the low double digits, but said the strikes were continuing. Whatever the toll turns out to be, it was the latest instance of Turkey lashing out at American-backed forces in a volatile contested area suggesting the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will act aggressively to safeguard its own interests, even at the expense of the anti-Islamic State coalition in which it is a partner. Advertisement Erdogans government fears that Kurdish territorial gains inside Syria will embolden their autonomy-minded ethnic kin in southeastern Turkey particularly the fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which Turkey has branded a terrorist organization. We will not wait until the blade is against our skin. We will not wait for terrorist organizations to come and attack us. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Its a recipe for prolonged instability, said Aaron Stein, a resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, referring to the escalating clashes between forces arrayed against Islamic State in northern Syria. That pattern is on plain display as well in Iraq, where U.S.-supported Iraqi forces and Kurdish peshmerga fighters have launched a long-awaited offensive to dislodge the Sunni militant group from Mosul, the largest city under the groups control. Turkey insists it will play a part in the Mosul operation, worsening the power struggles that are likely if and when the city is retaken. The alliance is marked by festering feuds along ethnic and sectarian lines, which are playing out even amid the fighting and likely to flare fiercely afterward. Erdogans government, citing a previous deal with Baghdad, has deployed about 500 troops at a base north of Mosul, in defiance of the wishes of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi. That set off an angry verbal volley between the Turkish and Iraqi leaders in recent days, with Erdogan admonishing Abadi to know your place. Abadi responded with a derisive reference to the attempted coup against Erdogan in July, which the Turkish leader beat back in part with deft use of social media to rally his loyalists. In a sign of deepening tensions, an Iraqi court has issued an arrest warrant against the former governor of Nineveh, the Iraqi province of which Mosul is the capital, accusing him of paving the way for the Turkish military deployment in northern Iraq, news agencies reported Thursday. In Syria, the anti-Islamic State alliance is fraught with a central point of tension: Although it supports rebels seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Ankara government considers Kurdish forces to be a greater threat than Islamic State, and has acted accordingly. The airstrikes late Wednesday and early Thursday, detailed in a military statement carried by Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency, were the most significant single attack by Turkish forces on Kurdish-led fighters since the start two months ago of a Turkish military incursion into northern Syria. That action was ostensibly in support of Syrian rebels fighting Islamic State, but was also a clear warning to some Kurdish factions to not attempt to enlarge their existing beachhead along Syrias border with Turkey. Erdogan unleashed more bellicose rhetoric Wednesday, declaring in a speech that Turkey would not hesitate to act on its own to root out its enemies. We will not wait until the blade is against our skin, he said. We will not wait for terrorist organizations to come and attack us. Since the crumbling of a cease-fire last year, Turkish forces have been raking the PKKs southeastern mountain strongholds with airstrikes and artillery fire, killing hundreds of civilians in the process. In northern Syria, the Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, the U.S.-allied Kurdish militia, said in a statement Thursday that Turkish warplanes had aimed almost 20 overnight airstrikes at fighters from an affiliated group, Jaish al-Thuwar, which was pushing forward against Islamic State-held areas. Kurdish fighters have been moving east in the direction of Al Bab, which they and other Syrian rebels hope to capture from Islamic State. Turkeys military confirmed 26 strikes on areas that had recently come under YPG control, estimating that between 160 and 200 combatants had been killed. At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, who was due to visit Turkey on Friday, was asked whether the airstrikes raised concern about the alliance with Ankara. With respect to Turkey, our partnership is very strong in the campaign against Islamic State, he said. Were working with the Turks now very successfully to help them secure their border area. Stein, the analyst, called the clashes around Al Bab a microcosm of a much larger problem in Syria the hodgepodge of anti-Islamic State forces that are at one anothers throats. In the strangest of ways, he said, Islamic State, also known as ISIS, serves as a kind of buffer between them. When you remove ISIS, he said, you simply create conditions for more conflict among the anti-ISIS opposition. Times staff writer King reported from Washington and special correspondent Umar Farooq from Athens. ALSO: The battle for Mosul: How to free 1 million residents without killing them The U.S. may be the Great Satan in Iran, but some still want to win the U.S. visa lottery Russias bombing pause in Aleppo may be an effort to dial down the tension with U.S. A U.S. service member was killed Thursday by a roadside bomb blast while aiding the Iraqi-led operation to recapture the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants, the Pentagon said. The incident marks the first American death since the offensive was launched Monday, and the fourth U.S. service member killed in the two-year conflict against the Sunni extremists. U.S. officials did not disclose the location of the bombing or the victims name, but said he died while being evacuated to a hospital after the bomb exploded around 7 p.m. local time. Advertisement More than 100 members of U.S. special forces units are working close to the front lines by advising Iraqi commanders, calling in airstrikes and sharing intelligence, as Iraqi army and Kurdish militias push forward at multiple points. U.S. officials have emphasized that most of the 5,000 U.S. troops in Iraq are far from the front lines but that some are closer to the unfolding battle. The fourth day of the offensive saw the Iraqi army and Kurdish forces begin a predawn two-pronged movement from the northeast and the east backed by U.S.-led coalition air attacks and heavy artillery. Iraqi special forces reportedly encountered heavy fire from the militants. The group has used suicide bombers and thousands of buried bombs and booby traps to slow the advancing troops. Its a nightmarish, Home Alone-type scenario, said a U.S. official briefed on the battle. Staff writer Brian Bennett contributed to this story. william.hennigan@latimes.com Twitter: @wjhenn On Friday, October 21, at 13.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Results of the XI Annual Conference of Small Towns: Problems of Formation and Activities of United Territorial Communities." The participants will include Chairman of the Association of Small Towns of Ukraine, Mayor of the town of Ukrainka Pavlo Kozyrev, Head of the Novoukrainka United Community Oleksandr Korinny (Kirovohrad region), Head of Pyriatyn United Community Oleksiy Riabokon, and executive director of the Association of Small Towns of Ukraine Valentyna Poltavets (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. The multilateral trading system plays a key role in building global prosperity and in maintaining world peace, but the system is being jeopardized by political considerations. The looming issue is Article 15(a)(ii) in Chinas protocol of accession. At stake is the authority and credibility of the multilateral trading system. According to Mei Xinyu, a research fellow at Chinas Ministry of Commerce, who gave an exclusive interview to Peoples Daily Online, all member countries should uphold their commitments, and accept reality. Article 15(a)(ii) in the WTOs Accession of the Peoples Republic of China states: The importing WTO Member may use a methodology that is not based on a strict comparison with domestic prices or costs in China if the producers under investigation cannot clearly show that market economy conditions prevail in the industry producing the like product with regard to manufacture, production and sale of that product. However, in Article 15(d) there is a critical sentence which says China should effectively be granted market economy status, even if not in name: In any event, the provisions of subparagraph (a)(ii) shall expire 15 years after the date of accession. According to Mei, Article 15(a)(ii) forbids all member countries from treating China unfairly by using prices or costs in a surrogate country to determine value in anti-dumping cases Speaking on how China perceives the issue, Gary Clyde Hufbauer of the Peterson Institute for International Economics said before a US-China Economic and Security Review Commission hearing on Chinas market economy status in last February that, This sentence requires all countries to accord China market economy status on December 11, 2016, 15 years after Chinas accession; WTO members can no longer use surrogate costs and prices in [anti-dumping] cases. In other words, member countries have to uphold their international commitments, even if Chinas market economy status is not recognized. Mei says that the best result is to receive both market status recognition and relevant treatment, but the only benefit of market status in terms of trade is that foreign countries are obliged to use Chinese prices or costs in determining price comparability. The secondary goal, therefore, is to make the US and the EU keep their promises. If international commitments are abandoned, China can initiate WTO litigation, and also carry out moderate trade retaliation as a countermeasure. Mei pointed out that although Chinas dollar-denominated imports fell more than that of the EU in 2015, Chinas growth potential is still strong. He noted that trade protectionism and trade retaliation is never a one-way street, especially when the two sides are roughly equal in strength. In 2011, the GDP of China and the Eurozone were roughly equal, with each accounting for about 14.3 percent of the world total. In 2015, Chinas GDP accounted for 17.1 percent, and the Eurozone, 11.9 percent. Mei said that in such a situation China can make the EU understand the costs. Hufbauer reached a similar conclusion during his testimony to the USCC hearing on Chinas market economy status, saying that on balance the US would lose more than it gains from withholding market-economy status, because the decision will become a very large irritant in bilateral commercial relations and the benefit to domestic industries would be modest. Although the benefit of granting China market economy status outweighs the cost of denying the status, the US and the EU have reason to break their promises. In 2012 and 2013, the growth rate of US and EU exports outpaced the growth rate of imports. In 2014, however, the situation changed. The growth rate of US and EU imports outpaced exports by 0.4 percentage points, and the gap widened significantly in 2015, especially in the US. The widening imbalance of US and EU trade in goods with China could encourage protectionist policies. Even though a decision to restrict China by continuing to use surrogate costs or prices would come at a higher cost relative to granting China market economy status, some forces in the US and the EU are trying to ensure that Chinas non-market economy status remains in effect. In April 2016, US Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro announced the China Market Economy Status Congressional Review Act to ensure that Congress has the authority to approve whether or not China has become a market economy. Currently the US Department of Commerce is responsible for making that determination. According to DeLauro, There would be a devastating impact on American industry if there is a change in Chinas status. There is also serious concern in Europe about Chinas market economy status, even though daily trade flows between the two sides are well over a billion US dollars. In May 2016, the European Parliament adopted an unbinding resolution asking the European Commission not to grant market economy status to China, arguing that it will make it that more difficult for the EU to impose anti-dumping measures. Such protectionist measures would do more harm than good for world trade. The issue of market economy status is complex, but the basic foundation of the issue is simple. All WTO member countries promised 15 years ago to end the surrogate country approach against China by 2016, regardless of decisions on Chinas market economy status. Upholding this international commitment is important not just for China, but for the multilateral trading system itself. China realizes that it is up to individual WTO members to decide whether China is a market economy and respects their decision, but the country is not going to sit back and allow member countries to ignore the expiration of the special provisions in order to restrict Chinese trade for political considerations. All WTO member countries should observe their international commitments in order to safeguard the authority and credibility of the multilateral trading system, which has made a vital contribution to lasting peace and stability. On Oct. 15, three male foreigners in Shanghai attempted to enter the subway without tickets. After they were apprehended by a subway employee, the young men proceeded to curse out the employee, who asked them to leave. After a long argument, they finally left the subway. The incident, which occurred at 11:25 a.m. on Oct. 15, took place at Longhuazhonglu Station. Each of the foreigners carried a bike, which is also prohibited in the subway. After being caught, the young men at first refused to cooperate, saying they couldn't understand Chinese. The subway employee then spoke to them in English, reminding them to obey the rules. However, the three became agitated and started to yell. They finally left the station after a fellow passenger got involved, criticizing the foreigners in English. Though the foreigners were let off with a warning this time, fare dodgers in the Shanghai subway can be fined up to five times the maxiumum ticket price. They can also be assigned legal responsibility if they refuse to cooperate and cause public disorder. Students went home early Thursday due to a broken water main at Freedom High School. The students left the Bethlehem Township high school at 12:15 p.m. Busing was available for all students, as per an alert from Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy. Roy said the pipe is now repaired. After-school activities scheduled for the main part of the building are cancelled. Activities scheduled for the main gymnasium or outside areas will occur. Thursday night's program, "Community In Crisis: Battling the Drug Epidemic" will continue as scheduled. School will open as scheduled Friday. A broken sprinkler in 2014 poured water into the school's gym lobby for 20 minutes. The water was sucked up with vacuums from the hallway and lobby floor but didn't reach the gymnasium. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump, who has been warning about a rigged election, refused to say whether he would accept the results on Election Day. "I will look at it at the time," he said during the third and final presidential debate Wednesday in Las Vegas. "I will keep you in suspense." Trump's comments were at odds with those of his own running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press that the ticket "will absolutely accept the result of the election." Clinton called Trump's comments "horrifying." "That is not the way our democracy works" Clinton said. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election." She was echoed by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination against Trump and has refused to endorse him. "Mr. Trump is doing the party and country a great disservice by continuing to suggest that the outcome of this election is out of his hands and 'rigged' against him," Graham said in a statement. "If he loses, it will not be because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate." Trump has embraced voter identification laws that federal courts have said prevent minorities from voting but Republicans have defended as necessary to prevent in-person voter fraud, which has been shown to be virtually non-existent. The exchange over election results overshadowed a feisty debate that saw the two candidates clash on abortion, gun owners' rights, taxes and foreign policy. Trump insisted that he would appoint Supreme Court justices that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion and would uphold the Second Amendment. Clinton said she too supported the right to bear arms but insisted that preventing suspected terrorists from buying weapons or expanding background checks were not infringements on gun owners' rights. Clinton said she supported abortion rights, even toward the end of pregnancy when the life of the mother is at stake. "I do not think the United States government should be stepping in and making those most personal of decisions," she said. At one point, Trump said Clinton "should never have been allowed to run for the presidency based on what she did with emails and so many other things." And Clinton once again questioned Trump's fitness to be president. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook Presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton met for the last time before Election Day Wednesday, sparring over issues including immigration, gun violence and the economy. How did their comments stack up against the facts, figures and the candidates' own records? Here's a look. GUN VIOLENCE Clinton started out early in the debate claiming, "We have 33,000 people every year who die from guns." It's true that nearly 34,000 people died due to firearms in 2013, though the majority of them were suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trump also criticized Clinton's position on gun control, pointing out that Chicago, a city with strict gun laws, has a serious gun violence problem. But as the Washington Post notes, a lot of those crime guns come from neighboring Indiana. IMMIGRATION LIVE FACT-CHECK: Trump continues to mislead with talk that Clinton wants open borders. https://t.co/dMFq3LmYhH pic.twitter.com/AgqaPWUHzb PolitiFact Live (@politifactlive) October 20, 2016 Trump claimed Clinton was in favor of "open borders." Clinton contended she has "been for border security for years," calling Trump's comments a "rank mischaracterization" of her position. Trump's characterization of Clinton's position comes from leaked transcripts of speeches Clinton gave to Wall Street banks, in which she expressed support for a world of "open trade and open borders." But her platform explicitly says she is in favor of enforcing existing immigration laws. During the debate, moderator Chris Wallace pressed her on her comments -- for which she received a hefty fee -- Clinton said she was speaking specifically about energy policy. The New York Times concludes Clinton has sent "mixed messages" publicly and privately on open borders. Clinton later claimed Trump used undocumented workers to build Trump Tower, which the Times also found to be untrue. THE ECONOMY LIVE FACT-CHECK: Clinton says Trumps tax plan overwhelmingly helps the wealthy. True, experts say. https://t.co/Ey8AFkVcOk pic.twitter.com/g72Tn4FIVf PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) October 20, 2016 Clinton claimed Trump's economic plan would add $20 trillion to the national debt. The New York Times notes that the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center has found Trump's proposal would increase the federal debt by $20.9 trillion over two decades. Trump claimed Clinton's tax plan would double Americans' taxes, which Politifact ruled false. SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS Claims of sexual abuse by Trump have loomed large in the campaign in recent weeks, and the Republican candidate has denied them vigorously while also casting aspersions on Clinton over allegations against her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who has his own checkered history with women. "Those stories have been largely debunked," Trump said of the allegations against him. They haven't. At least 10 women have come forward since the last debate to accuse Trump of inappropriate behavior, and while the Trump campaign has produced some counter-evidence for some of the claims against him, none of them amount to a debunking. At the debate, Clinton noted Trump had said some of the women weren't attractive enough for him to assault them. "I did not say that," Trump interjected. He did say that. .@realDonaldTrump on sexual assault claims: "Yeah, I'm gonna go after you. Believe me, she would not be my first choice." pic.twitter.com/oNwUlznbNm POLITICO (@politico) October 14, 2016 After a woman came forward to the New York Times to claim Trump groped her on a plane, the candidate said she "would not be my first choice." When a People magazine reporter said he forced himself on her during an interview, Trump denied it, telling a crowd, "Check out her Facebook page, you'll understand." RIGGED ELECTION? Asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether he would accept the will of the people should he lose, Trump said, "I'll keep you in suspense." Ill keep you in suspense: Trump declines to say whether he would concede to Clinton if he loses. #debatenight https://t.co/5pky1ldi1H CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2016 Trump has consistently claimed the electoral process is "rigged." That claim has broadly included allegations that the Clinton campaign is being abetted by the media, but he has also alleged that the actual system of vote-counting has been undermined. There is very little evidence that is the case. Elections in the United States are held using a decentralized system managed by elections officials from both parties. And as the Los Angeles Times notes, Republicans are running the show in most swing states. S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The second victim in Wednesday's motorcycle crash in Monroe County has been identified as a 20-year-old woman from Luzerne County. Faith Villano, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, was still breathing when West End Ambulance arrived at the crash, Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen said Thursday. CPR was administered, but she was pronounced dead at 1:29 p.m. in the emergency department at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg. Villano was the passenger on a 2015 Harley-Davidson driven by 22-year-old Daniel G. Weir, of Effort in Monroe County. Allen pronounced Weir dead at 1:07 p.m. at the crash in the 600 block of Toll Road in the Effort section of Chestnuthill Township. Weir and Villano were in a relationship, according to their Facebook accounts. The crash occurred at 12:16 p.m. as Weir and Villano crested a hill headed north on Toll Road and came upon a 1997 Chevrolet Blazer stopped in their lane for a school bus. The southbound school bus was stopped and headed to pick up afternoon kindergartners, according to Allen and Pennsylvania State Police at Fern Ridge. Weir hit the brakes but lost control, and the motorcycle skidded before striking the driver's side rear of the Blazer, driven by 17-year-old Michael Buccieri, also of Effort. Weir and Villano were not wearing helmets, and both were thrown onto the road, authorities said. State police determined the crash was caused by Weir speeding, according to a news release. Allen ruled their causes of death to be blunt-force trauma and the manners of death accidental, following autopsies Thursday at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township. No one else was injured in the crash, and Buccieri was able to drive his vehicle from the scene, police said. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Talen Energy employee's work phone number helped investigators identify him as the man arranging sex with a 13-year-old girl, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office said. James M. Smith, 49, of the 3100 block of Alton Drive in Bethlehem Township, was arrested Wednesday night at an Allentown park, where agents said he was planning to meet a girl for sex. Smith reportedly told agents he knew the girl he was sending messages to online was 13, and that they arranged to meet in a park for sexual contact. Smith said he has a sex addiction, and "at times his addiction to sex overrides his ability to make good decisions," according to agents. Smith was charged with attempted statutory sexual assault, attempted aggravated indecent assault, attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, and criminal use of a communication facility. He was sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. On Aug. 26, an agent responded to a sexually explicit Craigslist ad from a man looking to have sex. In the ad, the man states he just wants to have sex, he can bring flowers, and he doesn't care if the respondent is on birth control. Th undercover agent emailed the man and stated he was a 13-year-old girl. Three days later, the ad-taker responded via Smith's email address, agents said. On Aug. 30, the two began communicating via Google Hangouts, and agents included a portion of the messages in court paperwork. In the four pages of messages, Smith and the "girl" discuss meeting at an Allentown park, and Smith explicitly details the sex acts he wants to perform. Smith also tells the "girl" he had a vasectomy. Agents said a meeting was arranged for Oct. 12, but Smith didn't show. The two still communicated afterward and arranged to meet Wednesday at a park. Before the meeting, agents said a nuclear security manager with Talen Energy confirmed the phone number in the Craigslist ad records was for Smith's desk at Talen. Agents confirmed Smith's Bethlehem Township address, and the 2011 Toyota Corolla registered to him. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Smith arrived at an Allentown park in his Toyota and was arrested. In an interview, Smith confirmed his work phone number and email address, which was used in messages with the undercover agent, prosecutors said. Smith reportedly told agents that for the past five years, he has looked for sexual partners via Craigslist, and he met and had sex with adults during that time. Smith told investigators a teen did respond to an ad in August, and that he enjoys talking with people online, adding "anyone who gives me attention, I will also give them attention," agents said. Smith said he was at the park to see who was "on the other end of the conversation," and that the only adult he thought would be there was the police, according to the agents. Smith admitted he did not think the person he was communicating with was an adult, and that the chats were not just fantasy, agents said. Talen Energy spokesman Todd Martin said Smith works at the company's Allentown office and supports plant operations. In light of the criminal investigation, and based on the company's policies and procedures, Smith is restricted from the office site at this time, Martin said. The company is cooperating with investigators, and referred questions about the investigation to the attorney general's office. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton Hillary Trump and Donald Trump. (SIA) Even if you didn't watch Wednesday night's third debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, you've probably picked up on the newsiest bit to come out of it -- that Trump won't necessarily accept the results of the election. Pressed on the subject by moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News, Trump repeated his suspicion of a rigged election. "I will look at it at the time," he said. "I will keep you in suspense." Clinton responded to Trump's many claims of "rigging" (even the Emmy Awards) by saying "he's talking down our democracy." There was little suspense, however, in this debate. No knockout punches. No major gaffes. Even Trump's "such a nasty woman" comment, made while Clinton was talking about keeping Social Security and Medicare afloat, didn't seem all that shocking, given the nature of this campaign. Still, there was plenty of substance, including candidates going back on the fitness-for-office issue. Clinton again attacked Trump for his alleged sexual aggression toward women. Trump said Clinton should not have been allowed to run for president, given her "crimes" using a private email server. The start of the debate provided a good primer on core issues: The Supreme Court, the Second Amendment, abortion. They got into it when discussing how they'd handle Syria and Iraq, the future of Obamacare, how the Clinton and Trump Foundations have handled, or mishandled, money. Did this debate help to turn pale colors on the swing-state map to brighter reds or blues? There are 19 days for the candidates to make the case for whatever undecided votes are still around. Who won this debate? Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to jump into the lively discussion in the comments section. [Katy Perry, file photo] Chinese e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba revealed on Oct. 17 that international pop star Katy Perry would be the global ambassador for upcoming Singles Day, or 11.11 the worlds biggest one-day online shopping event. The American superstar will also perform at a gala event in Shenzhen to kick off the shopping festival. Katy Perry was chosen because of her choice to use her music to inspire positivity among her audience. Whats more, her international profile perfectly fits the theme of the 11.11 gala, Alibaba said in a statement. With Perrys involvement, the e-commerce giant believes the gala will be promoted worldwide and bring attention to Chinas largest shopping day of the year. On last years Singles Day, Alibaba broke its own previous record with 91.2 billion RMB ($14.3 billion) in sales, or more than double the total online sales from Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Money combined, according to a Fortune report. Singles Day was first promoted by Alibaba in 2009. Later, noting the unprecedented sales volume, many other online retailers such as JD.com joined the promotion, turning the festival into an e-commerce battle. This year, JD.com has introduced the concept of Shopping Season as an alternative to compressing consumers shopping needs into a single day. Spreading out the deals may provide a better shopping experience, said Han Rui, JD.coms marketing operations director, in an interview with Chongqing Economic Times. The Laois branch of Down Syndrome Ireland celebrated its 21st anniversary at its centre at the Gort na n-Oir Community Centre in Abbeyleix over the weekend. Close to 80 people attended the event which saw the launch of the groups new website, www.laoisdownsyndrome.ie, which went live yesterday (Monday). Smile after smile dominated the celebrations as the party got underway with live music, refreshments, hot and cold food and a magician who entertained both young and old to make it a day to remember. Chairperson of the group Michael Gorman said the celebration marked a milestone for the goroup, We are delighted to be celebrating our 21st anniversary here today. Everyone is having a great time. We see ourselves as one big happy family and we want to acknowledge our members, volunteers and our dedicated team both past and present. We have an exceptional committee and todays celebrations are about everything that our families have achieved together. We offer a wide range of therapies for our members including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and chiropody to name a few. We also have families in our group with autism and other disabilities we do not limit ourselves when it comes to people who need help. All I can say is that I am very much looking forward to the next 21 years. We would like to thank everyone who helped to make this day such a success, he said. Ballycoolan man Gordon Bradley (82) has been involved in helping people with special needs for over 40 years. The brainchild behind the Kolbe Special Needs School in Portlaoise is a member of Laois Down Syndrome among several other groups. He spoke of what can be achieved with determination. We knocked on each of the then 25,000 houses in County Laois hoping to get a donation of one old pound towards building the Kolbe centre. We collected over 73,000. The health board had said they would match our total pound for pound. True to their word they did. At the launch I had the pleasure of saying that the centre was completely paid for. he said. Members of Laois Down Syndrome were presented with special 21st anniversary framed certificates along with 25 each in prize bonds. Those honoured were Clare Walsh, Ciara Abbott, Stephen Bergin, Leslie Bradley, Charlotte Lalor, Aoife Byrne, Caoimhe Campion, Joseph McGavin, Jack Carroll, Nicky Rea, Maria Delaney, Hope Allen, Elizabeth Donovan, Michael Dowling, Aoife Drennan, Lee Whelan, Laura Glynn, Eoin Gorman, Dylan Grady, Shane Greene, Aaron Harte, Leo Hyland, Aine Keegan, Sadhbh Lalor, Daniel Maher, Alex Miron, Aoife Sadlier, Emer Sinnott and Ellen Sherlock. A Laois woman who has recently won a national award for her courage in battling a rare and very painful skin condition is asking people throughout the county to help others with the disease by wearing a special butterfly tattoo this week. Emma Fogarty (32) from Ballyroan, has a severe form of the 'butterfly skin' disease EB which leaves 80% of her body covered in open wounds. The incredibly painful condition causes the skin layers and internal body linings to blister and wound at the slightest touch. Recent winner of the Hidden Heroes Courage Over Adversity Award, Emma is one of only 300 people in Ireland with EB. "The pain is truly awful, there are so many things I can't do because of EB, the condition effects every aspect of life," said Emma. October 24-29 is National EB Awareness Week and Debra Ireland, the charity which supports EB patients has partnered with Applegreen to raise vital funds to help people with EB through day to day family support and research to find a treatment for one of EBs most harrowing side effects extreme itch. The Itch Project is being carried out at the Charles Institute of Dermatology at University College Dublin. As a Patient Ambassador for Debra Ireland Emma campaigns for others with EB. Now Emma is asking Laois to help those living with this distressing condition by picking up a Debra Ireland EB butterfly temporary tattoo at any Applegreen store and sharing a selfie of their new tattoo on social media. "With EB every little bit can hurt, but in this case every little butterfly helps, so please show your support, go to any Applegreen, pick up a Debra Butterfly and text BUTTERFLY to 50300 to make a 4 donation, said Emma. DEBRA Ireland will receive a minimum of 3.25. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278. Actor Robert Sheehan, from Portlaoise, County Laois, is lending his support to the Debra Ireland butterfly tattoo appeal, along with a host of Irish celebs including fellow Hollywood actor Colin Farrell. Robert has supported Debra Ireland in the past, to help fellow Laois person, Emma Fogarty from Ballyroan. Emma has a severe form of the 'butterfly skin' disease EB (epidermolysis bullosa), and is the patient ambassador for Debra Ireland's EB sufferers. The campaign is up and running, with butterfly tattoos available in all Applegreen stations. People can pick up a Debra Butterfly instore, or draw on their own, text BUTTERFLY to 50300 to make a 4 donation, and post a photo of their tattoo on social media, with the hashtag #releaseyourbutterfly. "Tweet it, put it out on all sorts of social media, basically show that you are supporting patients with EB," said Sheehan. A past pupil of Patrician College Ballyfin, now the top European hotel Ballyfin Demesne, Sheehan starred in E4's Misfits and RTE's Love Hate. He is about to start filming a thriller Bad Samaritan in the US, with actor David Tennant, while his new movie, sci-fi action thriller Geostorm, is set for release next year. Debra Ireland is striving to end the heartache and pain of EB and the skin cancer it causes, by funding high level research programmes to find treatments and cures. Text costs 4. DEBRA Ireland will receive a minimum of 3.25. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278. The importance of remembering the sacrifice made by Michael Clerkin was emphasised by Portarlington Parish Priest Fr Tom Dooley in his homily at the anniversary Mass in St Michaels Church. Fr Dooley welcomed the dignitaries and large congregation to the 40th Memorial Mass for Garda Michael Clerkin. One of the greatests gifts that we have as human beings is the gift of memory. Memory is one of the most precious faculties that we all have. When someone we love dies we feel it necessary to connect our lives with the deceased and this is where memory is important. Memory fills us with the presence of our departed loved ones. In memory we are in touch with the spirit. It is that spirit we gather to remember Michael Clerkin 40 years after his death, he said. Readings were by Michael's brother and sister. In the prayers of the faithful, Jim Cannon prayed for Michael, his late parents, Michael and Mary and his brother and sisters. He also prayed for the people of Garryhinch and their trojan work on the night. Sgt Brian Jennings prayed for the surviving gardai and their families. Supt Joe Prendergast led prayers for peace in Ireland and that all members of the gardai who died on duty, as well as all serving members of the gardai, that they be kept safe on duty. The Mass was concelebrated by Fr Michael Noonan, Fr Eddie Lalor and Archdeacon Wesley Stephenson. Colaiste Iosagain in Portarlington has received the Cycle Against Suicide, Ambassador School Award, in recognition of the school's support of positive mental health promotion. Teachers Ms Nolan and Ms Browne, on behalf of the wellness team, with students Alex Butler and Leah Cooney, collected the award on September 23 at a ceremony in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. It was one of 83 schools around Ireland who completed the Ambassador School Programme, a Cycle Against Suicide initiative which is school-led. It involved the completion of Five Gears over a year, aimed at spreading the message Its OK not to feel OK; and its absolutely OK to ask for help. It was wonderful to attend such a positive event, and have the efforts of the students recognised. Our participation in the Ambassador School Programme had an enormously positive impact in our school, fostered a school-wide approach to the promotion of positive mental health, and provided incredible opportunities for student leadership, said Ms Nolan. Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, congratulated the schools. This is a hugely important issue that affects so many families, he said. Founder of Cycle Against Suicide is Jim Breen. Id like to thank each of the schools for their extraordinary commitment to breaking the cycle of suicide on the island of Ireland. Each of them has gone the extra mile to raise awareness of our message, empowering themselves and others to build resilience, and seek help when necessary. They are changing the mind-set, behaviour and culture of an entire generation. www.cycleagainstsuicide.com . [File photo] The standardization of traditional Chinese medical treatment has progressed significantly in recent years, with 10 new standards waiting to be established in 2017, including the controversial scraping treatment. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Technical Committee under the International Standardization Organization (ISO), a group that works to establish international standards for the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry, announced that it has been working on setting standards for 47 TCM treatments. Seven standards have already been established, including acupuncture, which is a key component of TCM, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Oct. 19. Traditional Chinese medicine and medical treatments have been spread and adopted in over 180 countries. The establishment of international standards for TCM can better improve the quality, safety and efficacy of these traditional practices and products, said Shen Yuandong, vice director of the traditional Chinese medicine technical committee, in an interview with Xinhua. The standard for Gua Sha, a scraping treatment, will be established in 2017. The 2,000-year-old treatment, used by many Chinese families as a home remedy for pain and other ailments, is a controversial therapy in Western countries due to the marks it creates on patients skin. "Gua Sha Treatment," a film made in 2001, to some degree alleviated misconceptions about TCM in Western countries. In the film, a Chinese-American couple who used Gua Sha on their child was accused of child abuse, losing their jobs and ending up homeless. The establishment of the new standard will ignite an intense hope for the development of TCM worldwide, dispelling misunderstandings of our traditional wisdom and treatments, a New York-based TCM practitioner surnamed Wang told Peoples Daily Online. David Graham, chairman of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Technical Committee, told Xinhua that the establishment of international standards for TCM will also be a good example for the standardization of other traditional treatments. With regional agreements and de-globalization on the rise, and new economic rules expected to be worked out, China, together with the U.S., should share its wisdom on global economic governance, according to experts at a seminar. China should and does have the ability to help craft international economic guidelines together with the U.S., as the two countries are representative of different developmental phases, according to Long Yongtu, China's former chief negotiator for entry into the World Trade Organization. Long made his remarks at a seminar held by Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization and Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The seminar was held on Oct.18. As some issues that have emerged in recent decades possess no clear precedents or rules for example, international trade, climate change and e-commerce it is constructive for both the U.S. and China to bring forward new ideas on the global economy, according to Long. China has benefited a lot from entering WTO, and has no intention of changing it, said Long. The rest of the world should rest easy about this. At the seminar, Long reiterated that the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), both initiated by China, are complementary to the existing global financial system rather than a challenge to it. Long pointed out that current international financial institutions including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank cannot meet the demands of infrastructure. Therefore, China established the AIIB to open doors to every country in the world. Echoing Longs sentiments, Scott Kennedy, deputy director of the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, also agreed that China has no aims to start from scratch, but rather prioritizes the concept of harmonious inclusiveness. Delivering his keynote speech at the seminar, He Yafei, former vice minister of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, agreed that the U.S.-dominated Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) is a positive approach for setting new international trade rules, but said that the U.S. wants to set up their own circle and avoid having China influence their rules. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Chinas accession to the WTO. In recent years, China has been blamed for dumping and imposing subsidies on exported goods. According to statistics from WTO, by October 2015, China had been involved in 33 cases as a responding party and 127 cases as a third party. Kennedy explained that government-dominated development and time-consuming communication between the government and civilians in China contribute to international trade friction. He also said that some countries take measures to protect their national interests for reasons including national security, environmental protection and health issues. Regardless, conflicts between different interest group are not good for international trade, Kennedy added. China has long pressed WTO member countries to fulfill their obligations under Article 15 of the Protocol on China's accession to the WTO. Article 15 requires WTO members to stop using an alternative calculation method in anti-dumping investigations against China after Dec. 11, 2016. He Ning, former director of the Department of American and Oceania Affairs under Chinas Ministry of Commerce (MOC), held the view that the result of the talks on Article 15 might not be positive. People should not politicize trade appeals, including those related to anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases, as those cases are about enterprises rather than China as a whole, said Long. The day after the seminar, WTO ruled that the U.S. had acted inconsistently with the organizations rules in regard to its countervailing and anti-dumping measures on certain products from China, according to the official MOC website. China applauded the WTOs decision. As the war in Syria enters its 7th year, one wonders how this nation, so broken by almost a decade of internecine and global proxy warfare, might ever hope to emerge from the resultant chaos and destruction and become a functional society again. It is a process likely to take decades, if it is even achievable at all. At some point, once some form of settlement is reached, the issue of justice and reconciliation among the various, warring groups must be addressed. As part of a multi-lateral, internationalist response to the atrocities committed by various actors, it is worth considering the role of international criminal justice. At the turn of the century, the international legal order appeared to be quickly adapting to an increasingly globalised world, with a growing consensus among both individuals and states that trans-national judicial bodies might now exercise jurisdiction over an ever expanding territorial sphere. The creation of an International Criminal Court in parallel with a proliferation of mixed judicial bodies in Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and, more recently, in Iraq, composed of both national and international judges and enforcing domestic as well as international criminal law, is demonstrative of the progress made. However, it is the establishment of the two ad hoc Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR) which provide the most relevant and empirical basis on which to assess how a post-conflict Syria might benefit from a revival of the international criminal justice framework. The conflicts in Rwanda, Yugoslavia and Syria are each separately rooted in decades, perhaps even centuries, of, at times, violent inter-ethnic and religious co-existence. While each conflict is manifestly different, broadly speaking, the establishment of the ICTY and ICTR expressed the commitment of the international community to help to establish truth and punish the perpetrators of war crimes. Both conflicts, in common with Syria, largely resulted from the deliberate incitement of ethnic and religious hatred and violence by which ruthless demagogues and warlords elevated themselves into positions of absolute power, creating a culture of impunity. While assessing the success of either tribunal is difficult even now, against the backdrop of both the war in Yugoslavia and the Rwandan genocide, and the killing and mass expulsion of tens of thousands in their respective aftermath, it is clear that both the ICTY and the ICTR have each made at least a modest contribution to post-conflict peace building. Perhaps their greatest achievement has been to destroy the prevailing culture of impunity, to impede the resurrection of the former government and to enhance the political attraction of criminal justice as an alternative to violence. These would be positive outcomes for a post-conflict Syria. The challenges to such a settlement however are vast. Despite the adoption of numerous international instruments affirming human rights and humanitarian standards, Assads brutal regime, complicit in some of the most heinous war-crimes perpetrated on the Syrian people during the conflict, has been bolstered by a geo-political order unable or unwilling to tackle his worst excesses. Any settlement with Assad at the helm or any arrangement which would allow Assads regime to avoid punishment would likely fatally undermine efforts to bring about a peaceful reconciliation of the Syrian people. Resolution of what is essentially a proxy war among competing foreign actors will require virtually unprecedented international cooperation and will demand that great powers, with divergent and competing interests, act together in pursuance of a just settlement for the Syrian people. The people of Syria, camped in their bombed out cities and towns or dispersed among refugee camps throughout the region and beyond deserve more than a grudging response to its refugee crisis. It is the moral responsibility of the international community to deliver a long-term, constructive response, one that recognizes both the far-reaching geo-political ramifications of the conflict as well as the irreparable damage caused to Syrian society. * Ciaran McGonagle is a Liberal Democrat member originally from Derry, Northern Ireland and based in Colchester. He is a solicitor working in financial services in the City of London. AROUND 80 middle-ranked gardai across the Limerick division are expected to begin a campaign of industrial action this Friday as a row over pay and conditions escalates. The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) confirmed details of the industrial action following a Special Delegate Conference on Monday. Members of the AGSI will refuse to use the garda PULSE system for 24 hours beginning at 7am on Friday while on Friday week (October 28) they will also refuse to carry out any administrative duties. Sergeants and inspectors will withdraw their labour on four consecutive Fridays in November - coinciding with strike action by rank-and-file gardai. We did not take this decision lightly, however we feel we have no choice but to show government how serious we are about restoring pay for our members. We also hope that senior garda management will respect our decision to take this action, said AGSI president, Inspector Antoinette Cunningham, who is originally from Knocklong. While this Fridays action will have a minimal impact on members of the public or general policing in Limerick, senior garda management are facing the prospect have having to police the city and county with just a handful of personnel on each of the four Fridays in November. In addition to Chief Superintendent David Sheahan there are currently just three superintendents in the Limerick division with one currently on long-term sick leave. Members of specialist units such as the armed Regional Support Unit (RSU) and probationer gardai are not being asked to take part in the industrial action while members of the Garda Reserves are likely form part of any contingency plan. General policing activities will be severely curtailed if the industrial action by members of the AGSI and GRA proceeds. There will be no gardai on the beat, investigations will be stalled, public services such as the processing of passport applications will cease and there will be minimal enforcement of road traffic laws. Court sittings across the city and county are likely to be affected by any industrial action along with operations at Shannon Airport The single biggest event locally which may is likely to be under threat is the highly anticipated clash between Munster and the Maori All Blacks which is due to take place at Thomond Park on November 11. The Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, has expressed her disappointment at the decision of members of both the GRA and AGSI to begin a campaign of industrial action. FINANCE Minister Michael Noonan has said there is a lack of money to deliver the Limerick/Cork motorway at present. Both Fianna Fail and Labour have criticised the government for failing to include the M20 project in the current budget, with TD Niall Collins saying: Once again the people of Limerick have been forgotten about. Speaking to reporters this week, Mr Noonan said: The full capital programme for roads is around 700m, but it is a priority, but it just cannot start yet due to a lack of money. He added: The Cork motorway was in the roads programme when the country collapsed into quasi-bankruptcy. None of the big projects were put in since them. The estimated cost for Limerick/Cork was 800m when I last looked at it. It probably is around 1bn now. But Mr Collins said: The Governments commitment to balanced regional development ring hollow when year after year, the M20 project is ignored. Its all well and good making promises in elections, but its time that those promises are kept, and delivered upon. "We need to reduce commuting times between Limerick and Cork. A motorway will do that, and much more. Lives will be saved as motorways are safer for everyone to drive on. Labour leader Brendan Howlin, whose party proposed 10m in its alternative budget to get the link to the planning stage, said its lack of inclusion represents a huge disappointment. I did the last capital plan under great constraints, and I think there is a significant under-investment in our infrastructure happening in Ireland right now. It is an artificial constraint. "I started the discussion with the European Council to exempt vital infrastructure from the fiscal rules. It makes no sense - when money can be borrowed at less than 1% - not to be investing in our road system, our education, our broadband, he said on a visit to the city this week. Former Education Minister Jan OSullivan added: There is going to be a new spatial plan and one of the ideas we would strongly commit to is we need to link the rest of the country to itself, not just link it to Dublin. "We are not going to get the balance between the east and the west right unless we have proper links across the country and between cities like Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. It is a good strategic road to put in place. Mr Noonan also defended the budget decision to promote newly built starter homes for first-time buyers and pointed out how a similar strategy was successful in the car scrappage scheme. The economists are saying we should have concentrated on the supply side. When theres a demand for something, it leads to increased supply. If we can give deposits to people, there will be an increased supply, he explained. Mr Noonan said when his former cabinet colleague Ruairi Quinn introduced the scrappage scheme back in the 1990s, the theory then was the motorcar business was in a poor state. OUR new series, Our Limerick Love Story, has reached the news-stands in New York and one couple living there were eager to pick up a copy. Laura and Shaun Murphy, from Kilmallock, have a love story unlike many others, in fact that paths crossed while one of them was still in the womb. The happy couple now live in White Plains, New York, and returned home this year to celebrate their big day in Kilmallock and in the Woodlands in Adare. They are pictured above with another Kilmallock man, Peter Cummins, manager of Moriarty's bar on McLean Avenue, Yonkers. If you would like to see your wedding or a love story dating back decades featured, please e-mail anne.sheridan@limerickleader.ie with some details. - The Limerick Leader is available every week in a number of stockists in New York, London, Birmingham and Manchester. Send us your pictures of you with the paper abroad for inclusion in the broadsheet. LIMERICK has received another jobs boost with the announcement by Redfaire that it is to expand its operations at Arthurs Quay. Redfaire, which helps companies use high-tech computer solutions and implement resource planning systems, announced details of the 40 new positions at City Hall on Thursday evening. It comes after the company helped develop a leading date management software tool. In addition to its operations in Limerick, the company, which is supported by Enterprise Ireland, also employs 77 at its other offices in Britain and France. Brian McInerney, the chief executive of Redfaire said: Redfaire is focused on becoming the best Oracle IT services company in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and building great software. I am incredibly proud of the Redfaire team and of the fact together, we are building a world class IT company in our hometown Limerick. Representatives from the Oslo office of Circle K, which is one of Redfaires major clients attended the jobs announcement along with Mayor Kieran OHanlon, and representatives of UL, LIT and members of the local business community. Minister Michael Noonan and Minister-of-State Pat Breen also attended the event. It is the partnership with Circle K which Redfaire puts its rapid growth down to. In early 2016, the firm won a contract with the international convenience store brand, which was previously known as Statoil Fuel and Retail. Circle K also recently acquired Topaz Ireland, and Redfaire currently offers round-the-clock support 365 days a year to its systems. Other client companies of Limerick-founded Redfaire include Bewleys and the Milanos restaurant group. The firm has also completed projects across the world from Panama to the Ivory Coast. Mr McInerney praised the help he received from its partners in Limerick. "The way everyone works to support companies like ours is what makes Limerick a great place to do business, he said. While recent jobs announcements have been from international companies supported by IDA Ireland, this investment comes after Redfaire partnered with Enterprise Ireland. Redfaire was founded by Limerick brothers Brian and Mike McInerney, plus Barry Yelverton, all of whom are LIT graduates. In the last four weeks, more than 700 new foreign direct investment jobs have been announced for Limerick. A Chinese couple who took a toilet seat from their hotel in Nagoya, Japan has become the subject of heated online discussion. According to a WeChat user, the couple, who was part of a Chinese tour group, took a multi-function toilet seat from their room. After realizing that the toilet seat was missing, the hotel contacted the group's tour guide and called the police. Mr. Yang, with the Ningbo branch of Shanghai's Spring Travel, said that the couple was part of a six-day group trip to Japan, which included a stay at Toyoko Inn in Nagoya. "They moved the two beds together and found the toilet seat under the bed. They thought it had been left by other guests who had stayed in the room, so they decided to take it with them," he said. After discovering the missing toilet seat, the hotel called the groups tour guide. "The tour group was on the way to another hotel. With the help of the tour guide, the couple mailed the toilet seat back to [Toyoko Inn]. They later sent a letter of apology," said Mr. Yang. Yang said the hotel has opted not to press charges against the couple. The tour group is still in Japan, and will return to China on Oct. 22. Parcel delivery could be the future of the U.S. Postal Service Oct 20, 2016, 7 AM Parcel delivery is the one segment of the mail that has grown substantially for the United States Postal Service, while first-class letters continue to decline. By Bill McAllister, Washington Correspondent If you live in an urban area, youve seen them dashing about your town on Sundays. Those little red, white, and blue postal trucks are delivering parcels for Amazon.com. To hear Postmaster General Megan Brennan tell it, those trucks represent the future of the United States Postal Service. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Parcel delivery, Brennan believes, is the future of the USPS. It is the one segment of the mail that has grown dramatically, while first-class letters continue to decline. Fueled by booming Internet sales, Amazon and other retailers are flooding the USPS with parcels. Two former senior analysts at the Postal Regulatory Commission, however, are raising a red flag over those Sunday deliveries. In a paper presented this past spring at a conference on e-commerce in France, Robert Cohen and John Waller argue that those Sunday deliveries probably are not profitable for the deficit-laden Postal Service. Asked about the paper, postal spokeswoman Sue Brennan defended the Postal Services negotiated service agreement with Amazon, which provides deep discounts for the companys large volume shipping. We are required by the PRC to be profitable on our competitive negotiated service agreements, she said. Our relationship with Amazon has been and continues to be profitable. Cohen, who was one of the PRCs most respected analysts, said, I believe what they say may be true in an overall sense. That does not mean that each individual activity is profitable. I believe that Sunday delivery is not and that parcel routes, in general, are not. Parcel routes are routes that carry only parcels and thats a key difference, according to the Cohen-Waller paper. The cost of delivering letters and parcels is much less when delivering them on letter routes than stand-alone parcel routes, the authors say. This is because of the significantly reduced per piece costs that arise from delivering the two products together, they say. It is the Postal Services major competitive advantage in the parcel business. Parcel routes, like the Sunday Amazon routes, are more like pizza delivery routes than the typical mail routes that carry the vast majority of parcels delivered by the USPS, the paper says. Parcels must bear the entire costs of trips on parcel-only routes, but on letter routes the costs are shared. Because the Postal Service has classified details of its agreement with Amazon as proprietary information, there are no public records detailing how profitable the Amazon-USPS partnership is. As a result, Cohen and Waller had to speculate as to what it might cost the USPS to deliver parcels for the Seattle-based firm. They estimated it costs the USPS an average of 40 to deliver a parcel on a typical letter route, based on the the Postal Services fiscal 2015 figures. But on a Sunday parcel delivery route, they put the delivery cost at $2.17. And thats using the cheap city carrier assistants whose productive hourly cost of $19.27 is well below that of regular city letter carriers whose cost is $46.09 an hour, according to their paper. United Parcel Service funded the paper, but the authors say they are responsible for the views in the paper. There is no doubt that Postmaster General Brennan will continue to press ahead with her vision of a parcel-heavy USPS. The Postal Service is already getting truck manufacturers to prepare prototypes of a new delivery vehicle that would be designed to carry more parcels than most of the small box trucks the USPS has on most city routes. For stamp collectors, the bad news in this is that large-scale parcel shippers will use either meters or specially printed indicia on those shipments, instead of stamps. Oct 19, 2016, 11 PM Actor and stamp collector Bela Lugosi was honored in his role as Dracula on a 32 stamp from 1997. By Michael Baadke Bela Lugosi, the actor famous for portraying the vampire Dracula in the 1931 film by the same name, was born Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasko on Oct. 20, 1882, in what is now the city of Lugoj, Romania. Lugosi starred in or was featured in more than 100 films, including several made in Hungary around 1915. His earliest U.S. appearances included The Silent Command in 1923, but he will forever be associated with Count Dracula, a role he first undertook in the 1931 film by Tod Browning based on Bram Stokers 1897 horror novel. Lugosi was also an enthusiastic stamp collector and a member of the American Philatelic Society. In Gregory William Manks 2009 book Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff: The Expanded Story of a Haunting Collaboration, there is a delightful picture of Lugosi showing his stamp collection to actress Anne Nagel, who appeared with him in the 1940 science fiction film Black Friday. Lugosi died of a heart attack on Aug. 16, 1956, at age 73. When the United States Postal Service issued its five 32 Classic Movie Monsters stamps on Sept. 30, 1997, one stamp honored Bela Lugosi as Dracula (Scott 3169). We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. "Thin blue mushroom" dish On Oct. 19, Hunan University's cafeteria officially started to serve a fried dish called "thin blue mushroom," referencing a popular online buzzword. The dish enticed many students to have a taste, selling out in just half an hour. Li Jianhong, manager of the cafeteria, described "thin blue mushroom" as a vegetable dish featuring stir-fried broccoli and mushrooms. The "blue" stands for broccoli, since Chinese for the color blue (lan) shares the same pronunciation a character in the Chinese for broccoli (xi lan hua). Li explained that students are likely to be attracted by the dish's name, and the components of the dish are quite healthy. The phrase "thin blue mushroom" was popularized online thanks to a video in which a young man in Guangxi expressed disappointment over his bad luck in love affairs. When spoken in the regional dialect, the Chinese for "sad and feeling like you want to cry" (nan shou xiang ku) sounds similar to "thin blue mushroom" (lan shou xiang gu). The phrase has even been registered as a company's brand in Shenzhen, with capital of 500,000 RMB. Some students at Hunan University spoke highly of the culinary innovation, while critics professed to be uninterested in the vegetable dish regardless of its name. Several students suggested adding some lean meat into the dish. The 16th Army Group of the People's Liberation Army launches a live ground-to-air missile drill on Oct. 18 at an unidentified location near the Bohai Sea in eastern China. The military drill aims to enhance the military's combat capabilities. (Photo/81.cn) Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday agreed that the two countries will properly handle differences and achieve full improvement and greater progress in bilateral ties. Calling the countries "neighbors across the sea," Xi said that though their relations have gone through twists and turns, the foundation of the China-Philippines friendship and the willingness to cooperate remain unchanged. China highly values its relations with the Philippines, and is ready to work with the country to cement political trust and mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences and become good partners, Xi said during talks with Duterte in Beijing. He said managing differences in the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation was an important foundation for the healthy and stable growth of China-Philippines relations. Both sides need to draw experiences from the past to open up promising prospects for the bilateral relationship, Xi stressed, calling on both sides to develop friendship and cooperation while properly handling differences. "China and the Philippines have had foundation for friendship for generations and no reason for hostility or confrontation. Both sides should spare no efforts to promote neighborly relations," Xi said. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and the Philippines have largely managed their differences on the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation, Xi said. "It is political wisdom and a successful practice worth passing down as well as an important foundation for the healthy and stable growth of China-Philippines relations." As long as both countries adhere to friendly dialogue and consultation, China and the Philippines can have candid exchanges on everything, manage differences well, carry out cooperation and shelve problems that are difficult to agree on, for a while, Xi said. Duterte, who is on a four-day state visit from Tuesday to Friday, said his talks with Xi were historical and helped to improve and develop bilateral ties. He believed his current visit will benefit the two peoples. The last state visit between the two countries' top leaders was five years ago, when Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, paid a state visit to China in September 2011. Beijing-Manila ties had deteriorated due to the South China Sea arbitration case brought by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, against China. Xi put forward four proposals in developing Beijing-Manila ties: to cement political trust, expand substantial cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen cooperation in regional and multilateral affairs. He called on both sides to enhance high-level exchanges in a bid to guide the development of ties, and boost exchanges and cooperation between the two governments, parties, parliaments and localities. China is ready to enhance cooperation with the Philippines under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, he said. Xi urged both countries to integrate their development strategies in a comprehensive manner to seek mutually beneficial results. China is willing to participate in the Southeast Asian nation's infrastructure construction, covering railways, urban rail transit, highways, ports and other areas, so as to benefit the Philippine people, according to Xi. China is also ready to encourage Chinese businesses to invest more in the Philippines to help the country's economic growth, said the Chinese president. China supports the efforts of the new Philippine government in fighting against drugs, terrorism and crime, and would like to conduct cooperation with the Philippines in these areas, Xi said. He also called for stronger bilateral cooperation in fisheries, education, the press, culture and tourism. Xi suggested the two sides hold activities next year to mark the 600th anniversary of the China visit of the king of Sulu, an ancient kingdom in the Philippine islands. China hopes to enhance coordination with the Philippines in multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Xi said. Duterte said China is a great country, and the long-lasting friendship between the Philippines and China is unbreakable. He appreciated China's great achievements, adding the two countries' development strategies are highly compatible and there was huge potential for cooperation. The Philippines appreciates China's strong support for its economic and social development and is willing to deepen bilateral exchanges at various levels, he said. Duterte called on the two countries to cooperate in the fields of economy and trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, disaster prevention and mitigation, tourism, aviation, media, drug controls, anti-terrorism, marine policing and culture. He hoped the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank could play a bigger role in the Philippines' economic growth. The Philippines is ready to enhance coordination with China in international and regional affairs and push forward closer China-ASEAN ties, said Duterte. The section of the Great Wall in Beijing's Huairou district is undergoing repairs for two months starting Oct. 19. In recent years, many tourists have climbed the section, damaging cultural relics in the process. Some experts are therefore calling for the government to release a construction plan for the area. The repair work is mainly targeting the sidewalls and watchtowers. Guo Dapeng, deputy director of the Huairou Culture Commission, explained that this section of the Great Wall hasnt been repaired for many years, and many of its bricks are loose. Climbers are therefore at risk of dropping off the cliff. Since the Great Wall is built across lofty mountains, repairs entail great costs and logistical difficulties. Materials are transported by mules halfway up the mountains. Then the workers must relay the materials to construction sites via riggings and slides. One worker explained they start to work at 6 a.m., breaking only to have lunch on the mountain. They must also feed over 20 mules. Each mule makes six to seven trips per day, carrying around 300 kilograms each time. Expert Dong Yaohui stated that protection of the Great Wall relies not only on repairs but also on regulations. Dong recommended that the government draft a formal plan for this section of the Great Wall, making it into a scenic spot and constructing a path for tourists, so as to discourage them from climbing on the wall itself. So far 30 percent of the planned repairs have been completed. (Xinhua) 19:53, October 20, 2016 CHONGQING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Military medical teams from China and Germanyon Thursday started a joint exercise to provide emergency medical aid after an earthquake. The exercise will see participants set up a joint command headquarters and send medical service teams to rescue and treat victims and carry out epidemic prevention work in a fictional country following a major earthquake. The exercise includes field exercise, academic exchange and final evaluations, with a focus on mass treatment of the injured, on-the-spot emergency treatment and critical air evacuation. The exercise is being held in a training base at the Third Military Medical University in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua) 19:56, October 20, 2016 SHANGHAI, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China needs to improve health care and offer tax exemptions in elderly care to tackle an aging demographic structure that will pose severe challenges in the coming decades, experts have said. The government should work to improve the health of the entire population and contain chronic diseases, so as to reduce health pressures in the future, Chen Wen, dean of the school of public health in Fudan University, told an aging seminar in Shanghai on Wednesday. The seminar, hosted by Fudan University and Columbia University, was attended by scholars and policymakers from home and aboard. It is important to invest in health, especially to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs), said Linda P. Fried, dean of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Most NCDs - for instance, 80 percent of strokes and heart diseases, and 40 percent of cancers - are preventable, Fried said, noting that in China, however, 80 percent of senior citizens' deaths were caused by NCDs. Investment in health is much more than just buying nutritional supplements or going to health education lectures, said Wen Yumei, a professor at Fudan University. "All areas, including prevention, early diagnosis, early treatment, nursing and recovery, should be integrated into one complete system," Wen said. Wu Yushao, deputy director of the China National Committee on Aging, proposed that the government offer tax exemptions for families who keep and take care of their elderly at home. "Letting senior people stay home where they can be taken care of by their children is China's most realistic policy on aging. Communal nursing homes and other institutions can only serve as a supplement," Wu said. Xi Zhiyong, chairman of Cherish Yearn, a company specializing in health care and nursing services for seniors, echoed Wu's view. "No matter how important and how rich we are, we all have to go home at the end of the day. Going home is the most beautiful journey in life," Xi said. China's population is aging. In 2015, about 222 million of the country's 1.3 billion citizens were 60 or older. That number is expected to grow at an alarming rate over the next few decades. Wu estimated that by 2053, China's population above 60 years old would climb to a staggering 487 million, or 34.8 percent of the country at that time. In addition, 40.63 million of China's elderly had partly or completely lost the ability to take care of themselves by the end of 2015, a great burden on families and society, Wu said. Cascadia Margin An exploration of the Cascadia margin between British Columbia and Northern California this summer aimed to map methane seeps in the region. Scientists aboard the Research Vessel Nautilus captured this seafloor image of a flounder and friend in June 2016 during a remotely operated vehicle dive. [Read full story on the discovery of methane seeps] Champagne bubbles The camera of a remotely operated vehicle launched from the Research Vessel Nautilus captures methane bubbles rising from a seep in Cascadia. Researchers exploring this region in June 2016 discovered about 500 previously unknown methane seeps, doubling the amount known to be along the U.S. West Coast. Sea life in Cascadia Starfish and other sea life on the ocean floor near newly discovered methane seeps in the Cascadia region. Methane seeps attract methanophiles, or organisms that live off the hydrocarbon gas. They thus form the basis of largely unexplored ocean ecosystems. Researchers aboard the Nautilus took temperature readings and seafloor and water samples from the seep site, as well as samples from bacterial mats growing around the seeps. Close-up on a seep A close look at a Cascadia methane seep reveals sea life and, sadly, seafloor litter. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas produced both by microorganisms living under the ocean floor and by geological processes as buried organic material decomposes under pressure. Little is known about the sources of the methane seen here. Crabby creatures A remotely operative vehicle camera captures a yellow crab and starfish on the seafloor in the Cascadia margin. This area is a geologically active subduction zone where the oceanic crust is pushing under the less dense continental crust of North America. Icy environment Methane ice lines a newly discovered methane seep off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. This ice is known as methane clathrate or methane hydrate, and it's made of methane molecules trapped between molecules of water. Around the seeps are bacterial mats made of organisms that live off the methane gas. Researchers discovered the bubble plume from this seep using sonar. The seep is in the middle of the Astoria submarine canyon, an unexpected spot for such a seep, according to researchers with the Ocean Exploration Trust. Bubbles and dots Methane bubbles, many surrounded by a skin of icy methane hydrate, flow upward from a seep in the Astoria submarine canyon. The white dots on the ocean floor were a mystery to researchers aboard the Nautilus, who collected some for analysis. Reach for the stars Starfish along the floor of Astoria canyon off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Drifting through The research scientists aboard the research vessel Nautilus saw animals swimming and drifting through the methane bubbles streaming from the seafloor in the Cascadia margin near Oregon and Washington. The scientists aren't sure why animals would be passing through the methane bubbles, but one researcher aboard Nautilus suggested they could be consuming bacteria coming from the seeps. [Read full story on the discovery of methane seeps] Champagne bubbles The methane bubbles streaming up from the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest coast appeared almost like champagne bubbles. The researchers watching the camera feed from their ROV commented on how many bubbles they were seeing at these seeps, with plenty of "wow" comments. The methane bubbles streaming up from the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest coast appeared almost like champagne bubbles. About 500 new streams of shimmering methane bubbles have been discovered off the Pacific Northwest coast. The discovery, which took place in June, will be a major topic for discussion at the 2016 National Ocean Exploration Forum, a congressionally mandated meeting about ocean exploration priorities that is taking place in New York and New Jersey on Oct. 20 and 21. The meeting, organized by Rockefeller University and Monmouth University, is half celebration of a year's worth of ocean discoveries and half planning committee for the years 2020 to 2025, said organizer Jesse Ausubel, the director of the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller. [See Stunning Images of the Discovered Methane Seeps] "It's been a good year," Ausubel told Live Science. Methane seeps Notable ocean explorations in the past year include a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) exploration of the Marianas Trench, which contains Earth's deepest spot; a dive to the USS Independence, a World War II-era aircraft carrier that was scuttled off the coast of San Francisco in 1951; and the discovery of mysterious species like a bizarre purple orb, which was collected near the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary off the California coast. The discovery of copious methane seeps in the Cascadia margin near Oregon and Washington was "at the top" of the list of 2016 discoveries, Ausubel said. "It's a scale question," he said. "We've known for a few decades that these exist, but it's turning out that they could be really extensive, and if they're very extensive, that starts to change your ideas about ocean life, because there are animals, mussels and sea worms and so forth, that can live off the energy" released by the seeps. As captured by a remotely operated vehicle that was launched from the research vessel Nautilus and operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust, the seeps vent silvery cascades of bubbles, often making it seem that the camera was bathed in champagne. The scientists aboard the research vessel Nautilus saw animals swimming and drifting through the methane bubbles streaming from the seafloor in the Cascadia margin near Oregon and Washington. (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: OET/Nautilus Live The discovery of approximately 500 new seeps doubles the number of known seeps that have been found off the U.S. West Coast. "It appears that the entire coast off Washington, Oregon and California is a giant methane seep," Bob Ballard, head of the Ocean Exploration Trust, said in a statement. Many unknowns Methane is a hydrocarbon, and is a potent greenhouse gas. According to NOAA, it has 23 times the warming potential of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. Twenty years ago, methane seeps were basically unknown, Ausubel said. Depending on how much is released from the vents off the West Coast and how it ends up in the water versus the atmosphere global climate models may need adjustment. To date, very little is known about the new seeps, including the methane's origin. Some oceanic methane comes from geological sources. Essentially, buried organic material is put under pressure, heats up and releases the gas through cracks in the ocean floor. A second source which comes from microorganisms called methanogens produces it as a byproduct. Methane seeps also host communities of methanophiles, which are organisms that live off the energy-rich gas. Researchers are also uncertain about how much gas the new Cascadia seeps releases. Some sites are more active during various parts of the tidal cycles, Bob Embley of the Pacific Marine Environmental Lab at NOAA told reporters today (Oct. 19). Figuring out the complexities of the system will require longer-term research. "It's hard to translate what we saw into volume or flux at this point," Embley said. Researchers hope that in the next generation of ocean exploration, scientists will be able to make the necessary fine-grained observations by turning to robotics, artificial intelligence and specialized sensors. For example, Ausubel said, a new technique called environmental DNA lets scientists comb water samples for DNA that is shed by passing creatures; they can then identify species in an area without necessarily observing those creatures directly. Small, drone-like devices are also increasingly allowing researchers to send cheaper missions into the deep. "There's a whole new style of exploration that's on the horizon," Ausubel said. Original article on Live Science. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The first computers cost millions of dollars and were locked inside rooms equipped with special electrical circuits and air conditioning. The only people who could use them had been trained to write programs in that specific computer's language. Today, gesture-based interactions, using multitouch pads and touchscreens, and exploration of virtual 3D spaces allow us to interact with digital devices in ways very similar to how we interact with physical objects. This newly immersive world not only is open to more people to experience; it also allows almost anyone to exercise their own creativity and innovative tendencies. No longer are these capabilities dependent on being a math whiz or a coding expert: Mozilla's "A-Frame" is making the task of building complex virtual reality models much easier for programmers. And Google's "Tilt Brush" software allows people to build and edit 3D worlds without any programming skills at all. My own research hopes to develop the next phase of human-computer interaction. We are monitoring people's brain activity in real time and recognizing specific thoughts (of "tree" versus "dog" or of a particular pizza topping). It will be yet another step in the historical progression that has brought technology to the masses and will widen its use even more in the coming years. Reducing the expertise needed From those early computers dependent on machine-specific programming languages, the first major improvement allowing more people to use computers was the development of the Fortran programming language. It expanded the range of programmers to scientists and engineers who were comfortable with mathematical expressions. This was the era of punch cards, when programs were written by punching holes in cardstock, and output had no graphics only keyboard characters. By the late 1960s mechanical plotters let programmers draw simple pictures by telling a computer to raise or lower a pen, and move it a certain distance horizontally or vertically on a piece of paper. The commands and graphics were simple, but even drawing a basic curve required understanding trigonometry, to specify the very small intervals of horizontal and vertical lines that would look like a curve once finished. The 1980s introduced what has become the familiar windows, icons and mouse interface. That gave nonprogrammers a much easier time creating images so much so that many comic strip authors and artists stopped drawing in ink and began working with computer tablets. Animated films went digital, as programmers developed sophisticated proprietary tools for use by animators. Simpler tools became commercially available for consumers. In the early 1990s the OpenGL library allowed programmers to build 2D and 3D digital models and add color, movement and interaction to these models. In recent years, 3D displays have become much smaller and cheaper than the multi-million-dollar CAVE and similar immersive systems of the 1990s. They needed space 30 feet wide, 30 feet long and 20 feet high to fit their rear-projection systems. Now smartphone holders can provide a personal 3D display for less than US$100. User interfaces have gotten similarly more powerful. Multitouch pads and touchscreens recognize movements of multiple fingers on a surface, while devices such as the Wii and Kinect (opens in new tab) recognize movements of arms and legs. A company called Fove has been working to develop a VR headset that will track users' eyes, and which will, among other capabilities, let people make eye contact with virtual characters. Planning longer term My own research is helping to move us toward what might be called "computing at the speed of thought." Low-cost open-source projects such as OpenBCI allow people to assemble their own neuroheadsets that capture brain activity noninvasively. Ten to 15 years from now, hardware/software systems using those sorts of neuroheadsets could assist me by recognizing the nouns I've thought about in the past few minutes. If it replayed the topics of my recent thoughts, I could retrace my steps and remember what thought triggered my most recent thought. With more sophistication, perhaps a writer could wear an inexpensive neuroheadset, imagine characters, an environment and their interactions. The computer could deliver the first draft of a short story, either as a text file or even as a video file showing the scenes and dialogue generated in the writer's mind. Working toward the future Once human thought can communicate directly with computers, a new world will open before us. One day, I would like to play games in a virtual world that incorporates social dynamics as in the experimental games "Prom Week" and "Facade" and in the commercial game "Blood & Laurels." This type of experience would not be limited to game play. Software platforms such as an enhanced Versu could enable me to write those kinds of games, developing characters in the same virtual environments they'll inhabit. Years ago, I envisioned an easily modifiable application that allows me to have stacks of virtual papers hovering around me that I can easily grab and rifle through to find a reference I need for a project. I would love that. I would also really enjoy playing "Quidditch" with other people while we all experience the sensation of flying via head-mounted displays and control our brooms by tilting and twisting our bodies. Once low-cost motion capture becomes available, I envision new forms of digital story-telling. Imagine a group of friends acting out a story, then matching their bodies and their captured movements to 3D avatars to reenact the tale in a synthetic world. They could use multiple virtual cameras to "film" the action from multiple perspectives, and then construct a video. This sort of creativity could lead to much more complex projects, all conceived in creators' minds and made into virtual experiences. Amateur historians without programming skills may one day be able to construct augmented reality systems in which they can superimpose onto views of the real world selected images from historic photos or digital models of buildings that no longer exist. Eventually they could add avatars with whom users can converse. As technology continues to progress and become easier to use, the dioramas built of cardboard, modeling clay and twigs by children 50 years ago could one day become explorable, life-sized virtual spaces. Frances Van Scoy, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Nature's noises (Image credit: natrot | Shutterstock.com) Whats that sound? Many scientists have come up with curious answers to explain some of the mysterious noises found in nature, while others are discovering strange new sounds from the extremes of the Earth and outer space. Here are 11 strange sounds that deserve to be heard. First up: They call it the "Bloop" The Bloop One of the most famous and powerful underwater sound events, known as Bloop, was recorded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1997. (Image credit: NOAA) Over the past 70 years, the worlds oceans have emerged as a valuable global listening device, first by networks of underwater microphones scanning for enemy submarines during the Cold War, and in more recent decades, by scientists studying the oceans and the internal structure of the Earth. One of the most famous and powerful underwater sound events, known as Bloop, was recorded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1997. The Bloop event lasted for about 1 minute and rose in frequency from a low rumble. It was detected by underwater microphones more than 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) away and was much louder than the noises made by any known animal. The rough location of the event that caused Bloop is in the sea near the Antarctic Circle, and NOAA now thinks that Bloop was caused by the sound of massive icebergs "calving," or splitting, from the end of Antarctic glaciers and falling into the sea. Several other distinctive underwater sound events have been identified and named by NOAA: a weird cooing sound dubbed "Julia" that was likely caused by an iceberg running into the seafloor, an event known as "Train" (because it sounded like train wheels against a track) that scientists think likely originated in Antarctica's Ross Sea, and a scratchy noise dubbed "Upsweep," which likely originates in the Pacific and has been picked up by hydrophones seasonally since 1991. Next up: A fishy chorus Aquatic choirs (Image credit: Vlad61 | Shutterstock.com) Scientists in Australia report that many different species of fish join in a mass chorus with their fellows at dawn and dusk, in much the same way as many birds. The researchers, from Curtin University in Perth, recorded vocal fish songs off the coast of Port Headland in Western Australia for 18 months, reported New Scientist (opens in new tab). They were able to make recordings of seven distinct choirs of fish, including overlapping foghorn calls made by Black Jewelfish and the "ba ba ba" sounds repeated by chorusing batfish. Most of the noises recorded by the scientists are just a single fish repeating the same call over and over. But, when two or more fish of the same kind can hear each other, often over a large distance underwater, they began to overlap their calls in a synchronous pattern. The researchers noted that sound plays an important role in many fish behaviors, such as breeding, feeding and territorial disputes. Next up: A lonely whale The Loneliest Whale The world's 'loneliest whale' was first recorded in 1989 by an American military network listening for nuclear submarines. It's been identified as a blue whale by the pattern of its calls, but it seems to have a uniquely high voice, with the main notes at a frequency of 52 hertz a low bass note to human ears. (Image credit: NOAA) The world's "loneliest whale" was first recorded in 1989 by an American military network listening for nuclear submarines. It's been identified as a blue whale by the pattern of its calls, but it seems to have a uniquely high voice, with the main notes at a frequency of 52 hertz a low bass note to human ears. Most blue whales speak in voices at frequencies between 10 and 40 hertz. This is how the Loneliest Whale picked up its lonesome eponym, because scientists and the media speculated that it was unable to communicate with all the other blue whales. It's possible that "Sad Moby" may be a hybrid whale, with one parent from a different whale species, which could cause a different body shape and a different call. But, recent research suggests the difference between the Loneliest Whale and all the rest of the blue whales in the world may be not such a big social challenge after all. The researchers say many idiosyncratic whale calls have been detected, and some studies suggest that groups of whales living in particular regions have distinct "dialects" of whale song that often differ in frequency. Later recordings have also found that the Loneliest Whale is now changing its tune the whale's call has been getting deeper for several years and now registers around 47 hertz. So, maybe it has cheered up a bit? Next up: Deep-sea sounds Deep noise In March 2016, NOAA released recordings of low moans, grumbles and occasional screeches from the deepest spot on Earth, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific Ocean. The sounds were recorded over more than three weeks by a titanium-encased microphone that had to be lowered slowly so it wouldnt be crushed by the pressure of the surrounding water, which is more than 1,000 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level. The microphone operated for 23 days at the deepest point of the ocean and captured the sounds several of different kinds of whales, passing boats and the rumble of nearby earthquakes. Researchers at NOAA say they want to understand if noises in the ocean from human sources are causing noise levels to rise in the deep ocean, and scientists want to study how these changes may be affecting animals that rely on echolocation, such as dolphins and whales. It's estimated the ocean is about 10 times noisier today than it was 50 years ago, thanks to the increase in shipping, submarines and underwater construction projects. Next up: Eavesdropping on Earth The Hum The ancient city of Taos in New Mexico. (Image credit: Josemaria Toscano | Shutterstock.com) Unlike the inaudible microseismic hum reported by ocean and Earth scientists, "The Hum" is a social phenomenon somewhere on the spectrum between conspiracy theory and annoying genuine mystery that has become famous enough to warrant having a "the" in its name, like The Rock. Many people around the world, but mainly in the United Kingdom and the United States, have reported being able to hear a faint low-pitched humming sound, sometimes compared to the sound of a distant engine idling or an electrical device, but no evident explanation for the sound can be found. Some people seem to hear The Hum more easily than others, and the phenomenon is often linked to a particular local area, such as the Taos Hum in New Mexico and the Bristol Hum in England. Doctors have suggested the experience of The Hum may result from people focusing too keenly on background sounds, as they try to listen for The Hum that they have heard other people talking about. Next up: Nature's rock show Earthsong This photo from NASA's Suomi NPP satellite shows the Eastern Hemisphere of Earth in 'Blue Marble' view. (Image credit: NASA/NOAA) Ocean waves beating against the shores of land around the globe cause a continual, slow sound vibration within the Earth, well below the levels of human perception, according to research published in 2015. This low "hum" of the Earth can't be heard, but it can be measured with very sensitive seismographs. Seismologists have known since the 1990s that the Earth rings with faint "microseismic" vibrations even when there are no earthquakes, which make our planet ring like a bell with strong sound vibrations. Research published in February 2015, based on computer models, found that ocean waves could generate faint seismic waves on the seafloor with very slow sound frequencies of between 13 and 300 seconds. The researchers think the longest waves cause the observed microseismic activity. Next up: "The Hum" Rock guitar A vibrational mode of Rainbow Bridge natural arch in Utah. New research has revealed that the delicately carved bridge sways in response to waves rippling on a lake nearby, and in response to human-induced earthquakes in distant Oklahoma. (Image credit: Jeff Moore) An iconic narrow arch of rock in southern Utah, the 300-foot-high (90 meters) Rainbow Bridge, has been shown to vibrate like a plucked guitar sting when stimulated by other sounds and geological vibrations in the local environment, such as waves on a nearby lake or distant earthquakes, according to a study published in September 2016 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. By making precise measurements of the vibrations of the massive sandstone arch and using those to create computer models of the structure, the researchers were able to identify some of the sources of local vibrations that cause a strong resonant response in the arch. The scientists hope that learning more about the stability of the Rainbow Bridge, and how it responds to vibrational stresses in its environment, can help preserve the rare and already ancient geological structure for as long as possible. Many visitors to the Rainbow Bridge have also reported hearing a distinctive humming sound in the area, and some claim to have recorded the sound. Next up: Listening to the northern lights Aurora sounds Brilliant northern lights dance above Earth as seen in this still from a video shot by astronauts on the International Space Station in 2012. (Image credit: NASA) The ephemeral sounds made by the northern lights have been heard by many skywatchers and winter wanderers, usually on very clear and still nights when the auroras are at their most powerful. The faint sizzling, popping and crackling sounds heard overhead during auroras have long defied a scientific explanation. The sounds are very faint when heard on the surface, so researchers have puzzled over how they could be made by the auroras, which occur high in the outer atmosphere, hundreds kilometers above the Earth's surface. Unto Laine, an acoustician in Finland, has been able to make the first known recordings of the sound of the auroras, and he now thinks he's found a scientific explanation. [Read full story about the sounds of the northern lights] By using an array of microphones to triangulate the location of the sounds, Laine pinpointed the origin of the eerie noises in a relatively low level of the atmosphere, at around 230 feet (70 meters) above the ground. Laine thinks the sounds are caused by regions of electrical charge building up in the atmosphere across a so-called thermal inversion layer, which can form in many areas on very calm and clear nights. When the layers of electrical charge are disturbed by magnetic storms that supercharge the northern lights, they discharge with a small spark in the atmosphere, causing a faint but steady popping or crackling sound that can be heard at the surface when conditions are right. Next up: To the moon! Moon music This photo of the Apollo 10 Command and Service Modules (CSM) was taken from the Lunar Module (LM) after CSM/LM separation in lunar orbit. (Image credit: NASA) Astronauts on the Apollo 10 command module heard "weird music" above the far side of the moon in 1969, according to NASA audio tapes from the mission. Transcripts of the tapes were released by NASA in 2008, showing the astronauts onboard talking about "outer space" music that can be heard inside the spacecraft. The sound stops after about an hour, and the astronauts discuss whether they should tell NASA controllers about the experience. At the time, the astronauts were out of contact with Earth because the command module's orbit had carried them over the far side of the moon, which permanently faces away from Earth. In February 2016, NASA made the audio recordings public in a documentary about the Apollo 10 mission a "dry run" for the Apollo 11 moon landings that occurred in the same year. NASA technicians and the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, who heard a similar noise on the far side of the moon, think the "music" may have been caused by radio interference between the instruments of the command module and lunar module when they were close together. Next up: A stormy planet Storms of Jupiter Before NASA's Juno spacecraft arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016, it crossed the boundary of the giant planet's powerful magnetic field at a speed of around 150,000 miles per hour (241,000 km/h). Crossing the boundary took 2 hours even at that speed, and the instruments aboard the spacecraft were able to record the sounds generated by the "bow shock" interaction of Jupiter's magnetic fields and the supersonic solar winds that pour out from the sun. The result is a recording of strange screeching and roaring sounds that echo the distant space storms raging around the largest planet in our solar system. Next up: A musical black hole When ancient humans interbred with Neanderthals, they inherited DNA that may influence modern Europeans' immune systems to this day, a new study suggests. The research found that inflammation and other immune responses work differently in Africans than they do in Europeans, in part because Europeans have inherited some of their genetic information from Neanderthals, which were at one time the closest living relatives of modern humans. The study showed that people of African ancestry may have a stronger inflammatory response to certain infections than people of European ancestry. For example, in one experiment, researchers investigated how people's immune cells would respond to Salmonella or Listeria bacteria. They compared these immune-cell responses in 80 African individuals with the immune-cell responses in 95 European individuals. They found that African ancestry was linked with a stronger inflammatory response, which reduced bacterial growth by more than triple the amount compared with the European cells. [9 Healthy Habits You Can Do in 1 Minute (Or Less)] But although a strong inflammatory response "can be life-saving in the face of infectious agents," when that response malfunctions or gets triggered at the wrong time, it can damage tissues or cause inflammatory diseases, said Luis Barreiro, a geneticist at the University of Montreal and a senior author of the new study. "Our results suggest that the immune systems of African- and European-descended individuals have evolved to better respond to the specific needs imposed by their specific environments," Barreiro told Live Science. "What is advantageous in one context is likely to be detrimental in another." Inflammation & health Previous research found that, when compared to people of African ancestry, people of European descent may experience infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, as well as autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and psoriasis, up to three times more often. In the new study, two independent groups of researchers wanted to investigate these ancestry-related differences. The group led by Barreiro, which compared how immune cells from people of African descent and those from people of European descent responded to germs, found that Europeans' and Africans' susceptibility to disease may differ, in part because Europeans inherited genes from Neanderthals. Barreiro and his colleagues also found that nearly 10 percent of the genes in immune cells called macrophages, which gobble up invaders in the body, responded differently to infections depending on people's ancestry. They also found that hundreds of these ancestry-related differences displayed signs that they evolved recently, suggesting that they helped Africans and Europeans adapt to their environments in some way. One possible explanation for this weaker inflammatory response in Europeans is that after modern humans migrated out of Africa, they were exposed to lower levels of pathogens, or harmful germs, "which reduced the need for strong, costly pro-inflammatory signals," Barreiro said. The shift toward less inflammation may have been favored because of the negative effects of too much inflammation, he said. Alternatively, Europeans may have a weaker inflammatory response because pathogens outside of Africa were generally less harmful than the ones in Africa, Barreiro said. [11 Surprising Facts About the Immune System] Ancient genes The scientists also noted that a small fraction of the ancestry-related differences they found were linked to genetic variants from Neanderthals. Recent findings suggest that the modern humans who migrated out of Africa about 60,000 to 120,000 years ago interbred with Neanderthals and other archaic human lineages that had left Africa before modern humans did. Prior work found that about 2 percent of DNA in people living outside Africa today is Neanderthal in origin. It remains uncertain how those Neanderthal genetic variants may influence the immune differences seen between Africans and Europeans, Barreiro said. The other research group analyzed how immune cells derived from 200 people of self-reported African or European ancestry responded to flu viruses and to molecules that trigger antibacterial reactions. This group also found that Neanderthals introduced genetic variants influencing responses to viruses into European genomes, said Lluis Quintana-Murci, a population geneticist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and a senior author of this study. Quintana-Murci and his colleagues also found that a single gene variant seen in Europeans but not in Africans reduced activity in 81 inflammation genes. This finding suggests that Europeans evolved to have this weaker immune response because it had a survival advantage, Quintana-Murci said. All in all, "these results have important medical implications, since they uncover mechanisms that might explain ethnic disparities" in immune disorders, and could lead to future treatments, Quintana-Murci told Live Science. The scientists detailed their findings online Oct. 20 in two studies in the journal Cell. Original on Live Science. A stunning, blue-and-green visualization of the globe allows viewers to see the world's wind and weather patterns as forecast by supercomputers around the world. The striking animation, called "earth," was designed by computer programmer Cameron Beccario, an engineering manager at the computer coding company Indeed Tokyo in Japan. The interactive graphic allows users to toggle between views that show the flow of wind; the movement of ocean currents and the height of waves; the air temperature; and the circulation of air pollutants around the globe. [101 Stunning Images of Earth from Above] The visualization of Earth draws from the huge assortment of data from myriad instruments floating in the planet's atmosphere, drifting along ocean currents and sitting in the soil. For instance, the model uses the National Centers for Environmental Prediction's Global Forecast System, which uses supercomputers to run a model that predicts weather four times a day. That model uses dozens of different types of measurements, from soil moisture to precipitation to ozone concentration. Other data, like sea-surface temperature, are gathered and updated every day from an array of instruments, including infrared satellites, moored buoys and ships just passing through a region. Carbon-dioxide measurements track the concentration of the greenhouse gas at the Earth's surface. A stunning visualization of the flow of wind and weather patterns across the globe. (Image credit: Cameron Beccario, earth.nullschool.net The visualization recently provided a view of Hurricane Matthew's destructive path, while another clip from "earth" revealed the location of monster waves over the course of a year. Yet another slice of the data reveals the path of the air pollutant sulfate as it traveled over the Pacific. Particulates of sulfate can block sunlight, thereby cooling the planet. But Beccario hopes people explore the site on their own. "The site is designed to be fairly sparse because I want visitors to discover their own insights. I think this is much more rewarding than being fed a particular narrative," Beccario said. The graphic was initially inspired by the wind map, a visualization of wind flowing across the United States created by artists Fernanda Viegas and Martin Wattenberg. "I thought that would be a great project to emulate and expand upon," Beccario told Live Science. "I've always been interested in science and weather, so this project was a great platform to explore those interests as well. I remembered thinking: What do the winds around Antarctica even look like?! I really wanted to see those patterns." Original article on Live Science. (Xinhua) 19:58, October 20, 2016 BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Public-private partnerships (PPP) funded transportation projects totaled 4.5 trillion yuan (667.6 billion U.S. dollars) as of April 2016, official data showed. The sector was the top destination for PPP investment by the same time, according to the Ministry of Transport (MOT), quoting data from the PPP center under the Ministry of Finance. Some 11 toll roads, to the tune of 70 billion yuan, were selected to pilot PPP in five provinces in 2015, the MOT said. The sector is expected to see rising investment throughout the13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), which calls for joint efforts from the ministry, financial institutions, science and technology research agencies as well as involvement of private investment, said MOT official Zhao Chongjiu. The rise of transportation PPP projects accords with the country's ongoing supply-side structural reform drive, said Hu Yuefei, vice president of Ping An Bank, calling it a "major shortcut" in upgrading the sector. China has explored infrastructure and public works PPP projects since late 2013, amid growing concerns over rising local government debt. PPP will become the leading investment model for China's transportation infrastructure projects, industry experts said. Enditem A small shift in the oxygen levels in the air could act as a "reset" button for the biological clock, according to a new study in mice. Mice in the study that were exposed to a brief dip in the levels of oxygen in the air that they were breathing adjusted more quickly to a new circadian rhythm than mice that received steady levels of oxygen, the researchers found. In other words, the dip in oxygen levels seemed to help the animals adjust to the mouse equivalent of jet lag, according to the study, which was published today (Oct. 20) in the journal Cell Metabolism. The thought of changing oxygen levels may sound scary; however, the oxygen levels to which the mice were exposed in the study were not so low that they were harmful. The levels used in the experiment were similar to the oxygen levels common on airplanes, the researchers, led by Gad Asher, a senior scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, wrote in their study. [10 Things You Didnt Know About the Brain] The research was aimed at developing a better understanding of a body's circadian rhythm, or biological clock. The clock is found in the brain of all mammals, and it somehow communicates with nearly every cell throughout the body, but scientists have not known how this communication happens. In mice, oxygen levels in the cells fluctuate throughout the day, according to the study. The researchers proposed that oxygen might be the missing signal. In several experiments, they found that oxygen levels in the cells of mice appear to increase at night, when they are active, and decrease during they day, when they are at rest. Next, the researchers set out to determine if changing the levels of oxygen in the air the mice were breathing could also change the circadian rhythm. In a lab experiment, the researchers changed oxygen levels in the air by 3 percent, and found that they were able to "reset" the circadian clocks of cells growing in lab dishes. Then, in an experiment in mice, the researchers exposed the animals to either oxygen levels that remained stable at 21 percent (this is the percentage of oxygen in the air we breathe at sea level), or levels that started at 21 percent, dipped down to 16 percent for 12 hours, then rose back to 21 percent, according to the study. At first, exposing the mice to fluctuating oxygen levels instead of steady levels had no effect on their circadian rhythms, they found. But when the scientists also added in jet lag by exposing the mice to "daylight" six hours ahead of schedule the difference in oxygen levels played a role. When the jet-lagged mice were exposed to the dip in oxygen, they were able to adjust to a new eating, sleeping and activity schedule more quickly than the mice that didnt experience any changes in oxygen levels, the researchers found. Because the study was done in cells and animals, it's not clear if the results also apply to humans. However, the researchers noted that oxygen levels on airplanes are lower than oxygen levels on the ground. Because some people report airsickness due to these lower levels, the aviation industry is apparently investigating an increase in oxygen levels on planes to 21 percent. Given the findings of the study, however, doing so could have a negative impact on jet lag, the researchers wrote. In future experiments, the researchers would like to see if higher levels of oxygen could also shift an animal's circadian rhythm. "I believe passengers [on airplanes] might be more enthusiastic to inhale oxygen-enriched air to alleviate jet lag in contrast to low oxygen" air, Asher said in a statement. Originally published on Live Science. (Xinhua) 10:09, October 20, 2016 SEOUL, Oct. 20 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has test-fired a projectile, believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile, but it appeared to have failed, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) was quoted as saying that the DPRK launched what is believed to be a Musudan missile at about 7:00 a.m. local time (2200 GMT on Wednesday) near an airport in the country's northwestern North Pyongan province. The launch appeared to have failed, the JCS said without elaborating further. The failed launch came less than a week after the DPRK test-launched a Musudan missile from the same place last Saturday. The Oct. 16 launch ended in failure as the missile exploded soon after its liftoff. Releases In this section of the Lockheed Martin Newsroom, you'll find our news releases. The releases are listed in chronological order and are archived by year. If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. BEIJING, Oct. 19 -- Peng Liyuan, Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife, held an audience with a group of German high school students and teachers Wednesday afternoon at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Beijing. Peng recalled her visit to Burg Grammar School in the German city of Essen, when she accompanied Xi to the country in March, 2014. She encouraged the German students to learn Chinese and soak up its rich culture, so that they, one day, may become envoys of China-Germanyfriendship. This is the year of China-Germany youth exchange. Peng hoped the initiative will encourage more young people to pursue exchange opportunities and learn from each other. The students said they were very interested in China and Chinese culture, and vowed to contribute to stronger Germany-China friendship. Family & Parenting, Local News, Health & Wellness, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: October 20 2016 Women giving birth in New Yorks 126 birthing hospitals will receive additional encouragement and support to help them breastfeed from birth. Albany, NY - October 19, 2016 - Women giving birth in New Yorks 126 birthing hospitals will receive additional encouragement and support to help them breastfeed from birth, thanks to recently updated regulations that promote breastfeeding. Despite the well documented health benefits to infants and mothers, the percentage of newborn infants exclusively breastfed in the first few days of life is only 44% in New York, well below the national target of 70%. Highlighting the importance of breastfeeding, one top goal of the New York State Prevention Agenda, is increasing the proportion of infants who are exclusively breastfed, and reducing disparities. The amended regulations (Section 405.21) require hospitals to place newborns with their mothers immediately after delivery, unless contraindicated. Studies find that infants who have skin-to-skin contact with their mothers have more stable heart and breathing rates, better temperature regulation and higher glucose levels. Both mother and infant are less stressed, and breastfeeding is more likely to be initiated. The amended regulations help ensure that we provide the support and encouragement new mothers need to breastfeed their babies and continue to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months, said Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard Zucker. Research shows that breast milk provides unique nutrients and antibodies that help protect babies from diseases such as ear infections, lower respiratory infections and diarrhea, and decrease the risk of asthma, diabetes and obesity later in life. For women, breastfeeding lowers their risk for breast and ovarian cancer, as well as diabetes. Besides the early skin-to-skin contact requirement, the new regulations require hospitals to discuss with patients the risks of early pacifier use. The use of pacifiers can interfere with the mothers ability to recognize early feeding cues and make it difficult to establish breastfeeding. Pacifier use is also associated with early termination of breastfeeding. Both the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that pacifier use be delayed until one month of age, and that after six months of age, infants should be weaned from using pacifiers because of the increased risk for ear infections. In addition, the amended regulations prohibit hospitals and affiliated clinics from giving out gift bags that contain formula marketing materials such as coupons or free samples to new parents, a practice associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding. Most hospitals in New York have already voluntarily stopped distributing free formula and marketing materials, but the amended regulations help ensure that the remaining hospitals do so, too. The new policies do not affect infants whose mothers have chosen formula feeding or for whom breastfeeding is medically contraindicated. Hospitals will still provide formula to those infants while they are in the hospital, and will be required to provide individual training in formula preparation and feeding techniques. The updated regulations are consistent with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the evidence-based policy and practice recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) which are required for hospitals to be certified as Baby-Friendly. These changes are also consistent with recommendations by major professional health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In addition, the updated regulations require hospitals to communicate their updated breastfeeding policies and procedures to staff every year. The updated regulations go into effect January 16, 2017. Although 87 percent of new mothers breastfeed, only 20 percent meet the national recommendation to exclusively breastfeed until an infant is six months old. More than 50 percent of women report not meeting their personal breastfeeding goals, in part, because hospital practices did not fully support them. In the past five years, many New York hospitals have improved breastfeeding support, with breastfeeding initiation increasing by 10 percent. Fifteen maternity care hospitals in the state are currently certified by Baby Friendly USA, and an additional 40 New York hospitals are working towards becoming certified. Baby Friendly Hospitals must demonstrate that they comply with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, provide recommended care for lactating mothers and their infants, pay market price for formula, and do not distribute commercial gift bags or formula samples. Local News, Crime, National & World News, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: October 20 2016 The event, which is in its tenth year, is co-hosted with the Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network. Hauppauge, NY - October 19, 2016 - Hundreds of law enforcement experts from across the nation will be gathering at the Upsky Long Island Hotel in Hauppauge on Thursday, October 20th for the Suffolk County Sheriffs Offices Annual Gang Intelligence Seminar. The event, which is in its tenth year, is co-hosted with the Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network. Sheriff Vincent F. DeMarco will give the opening remarks at the forum, which will feature presentations by experts in criminal street gangs on topics such as gang trends in Suffolk County and Interdicting and Circumventing the Gang Influences in Schools. The County Sheriff has made partnering with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies a priority of his Administration and he says the Annual Gang Intelligence Seminar gives officials the opportunity to share information on current trends and improve collaboration. DeMarco stated, The recent murder of two young women in Brentwood, as well as other individuals by suspected gang members, underscores the need for greater collaboration to suppress and prevent gang violence in Suffolk County. There must be a long-term commitment by law enforcement and a diversity of stakeholders working together to protect public safety in areas that are prone to gang proliferation, and this will be the focus of those attending our forum this year. Members of the media are invited to attend between the hours of 11:30 am and 1:30 pm to speak with Sheriff DeMarco and experts in gang-related intelligence about current topics and trends in Suffolk County. There will be limited access to the scheduled seminars. The Upsky Long Island Hotel is located at 110 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge, which located near Exit 53 (Wicks Road) off I-495. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases A passenger rushes away at the Guangzhou Railway Station in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province,during the 2016 Spring Festival travel rush. [Photo: Xinhua] New analysis is suggesting that China's internal migration, the so-called "floating population," hit 247 million last year, accounting for around one-sixth of China's overall population in 2015. To put it in the simplest terms: One out of every six people in China finds themselves migrating from one place to another. The National Health and Family Planning Commission report on the Chinese Floating People's Development Report 2016 suggests most of the migration still has people moving from the less developed central and western regions of China to the more developed eastern areas. Over half of the migrants were born after 1980, says the report. The report says the average age of the migrants is 29.3, 1.4 years older than the average in 2014. Authorities say the average age of migration is increasing, in part, because older people are moving into the major cities to live with their children. Analysis by the National Health and Family Planning Commission suggests around two out of every three people who migrated to a new city last year did so to take care of their grandchildren. This is creating additional concerns about the available care for seniors in many communities. The analysis also suggests the floating population in China will stay above 200 million in the coming decades, as urbanization continue to speed up. Hua Chunying at the new briefing on Oct. 19, 2016 [Photo: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs] China said on Wednesday that it is irresponsible for Japan to pressurize the UNESCO by withholding its dues and its attempts will not succeed. Hua Chunying, spokesperson with the Foreign Ministry, made the comments at a routine news briefing. Japan is reportedly holding back more than 40 million U.S. dollars it owes to the UNESCO after documents relating to the Nanjing Massacre were included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2015. The Nanjing Massacre is a heinous crime the Japanese militarists committed during the World War II and a historical fact recognized by the international community, Hua said. The inclusion of the documents to Memory of the World Register proves that they fully comply with the UNESCO's evaluation criteria, Hua said. "This will give full play to the positive role of the documents in helping remember history, cherish peace and safeguard human dignity." The files show the atrocities of Japanese invaders in China, who killed 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers from Dec. 13, 1937 to Jan. 1938. It is the duty of member states to pay membership fees to international organizations, Hua said, adding that Japan's words and behavior, once again, exposed its unwillingness to face up to history. "It is irresponsible for Japan to pressurize the UNESCO by withholding its dues and its attempts will not succeed." Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 22 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported Oct. 20. The Azerbaijani army positions located in Bala Jafarli village of the Gazakh district underwent fire from the Armenian army positions located in Vazashen village of the Ijevan district of Armenia. The Azerbaijani army positions took fire from the Armenian positions located near Yusifjanli village of Azerbaijans Aghdam district, Qarakhanbayli village of Fizuli district, Kuropatkino village of Khojavand district, Mehdili village of the Jabrayil district, as well as from the positions located on nameless heights of the Goranboy, Tartar, Fizuli and Jabrayil districts. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 Trend: The OSCE monitoring held on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops passed without incidents, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said. The monitoring was held Oct. 20 under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the line of contact near Ashagi Abdurrahmanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov, Simon Tiller and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Nepokrytykh. On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Jiri Aberle, Peter Svedberg and representative of the OSCE High Level Planning Group, Major Christian Hirsch. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva Trend: There are no discussions to change the OSCE MG format, however, Moscow can only hail constructive role of the OSCE MG member states, including Turkey, in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, said Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman. Zakharova made the remarks during a briefing Oct. 20, said a message posted on the Russian Foreign Ministrys website. It is a direct responsibility of all the members of the OSCE MG to facilitate the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Zakharova. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of the newly-appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to the country Erkan Ozoral October 20. The ambassador reviewed a guard of honor. Ozoral presented his credentials to President Aliyev. President Aliyev then had a conversation with the ambassador. The president hailed the fact that Ozoral has previously worked in Azerbaijan and will continue his activities as an ambassador to the country. President Aliyev expressed his confidence that the ambassador will spare no efforts to further develop Azerbaijan-Turkey bilateral relations. President Aliyev recalled with pleasure his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the World Energy Summit which was recently held in Turkey. Saying Azerbaijan and Turkey were the closest countries on a global scale in terms of historical ties and today's realities, the president noted that the countries work is to further develop this relationship both on international arena and in the bilateral format and to strengthen this unity. Ozoral hailed excellent relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, saying they reached the level of strategic cooperation and were based on brotherly ties. He thanked President Aliyev for supporting his country during the attempted coup d`etat in Turkey on July 15. The ambassador said his country has always strived to elevate its brotherly relations with Azerbaijan to a higher level. Ozoral said he was honored to take up his mission as an ambassador to Azerbaijan, adding he will do his utmost to contribute to strengthening the bilateral ties. The sides discussed prospects for the development of the bilateral relations in a variety of areas, including transport, tourism, construction, agriculture and healthcare. Culture / Events Forget the teasers, the day is finally upon us and the Raffles Marina is the place to be at this weekend. Oct 20, 2016 | By Vimi Haridasan The day is finally here and we are all set to present the most exciting luxury lifestyle event of the year in Singapore, the SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS. Later this afternoon, the organizers will welcome the media before throwing open the doors to the public tomorrow. If you have not heard or read about the lineup of partners (color us disappointed!), fret not as we will be providing you with a brief summary of what to expect this evening and tomorrow. Yes, we have something on tonight, even before the public reveal. After the exclusive media preview, the team behind World of Watches (WOW) will be hosting their anniversary party to commemorate 15 years of success. With pre-party drinks from 5pm, guests can look forward to a beautiful sunset at the Raffles Marina before the party begins. Also, here is a schedule for the transportation services to and from the Marina, from today till Sunday, October 23. On Friday, the fun begins from 2pm with various showcases open to guests. Staying true to its word of being an event for the whole family, SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS will be hosting a Kids Creative Workshop from 4pm. As the kids enjoy some fun in the Playeum Playroom, the adults can visit the Epicurio Wine Fair (well be updating with a list of wines you can expect soon so check back here) and Lifecycle Concepts Coastal Lifestyle zones. These two areas will offer a specially curated selection of wines and food for all. Apart from the gastronomic treat that awaits, the SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS will also offer two panels of speakers to share their thoughts on classic cars as well as the future of luxury. With Eli Solomon, a classic car enthusiast himself and an owner of several classic cars, Appreciating Classic Cars is set to be an enlightening experience. The second panel, The Future of Luxury with Luxuo (yes, we are on this panel!) and Swiss watchmaker deLaCour, will see watch and luxury lifestyle experts share their thoughts on the digital age and its impact on the world of luxury. On a more serious note, the regular activities featuring Art, Property, Cars, Watches, Fashion and Yachts begin tomorrow, from 2pm-8pm. You can find more information on these at the official website, linked below. Come sundown, the Raffles Marina will once again be transformed into the place to relax and let your hair down with the PALACE Fifth Anniversary Party from 6.30pm. Running till 8.30pm, the fun continues at the Jetcoin Friday Afterparty with none other than HED KANDI spinning tracks for the rest of the night. For more information, visit SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS. Style / World of Watches (WOW) Oct 20, 2016 | By Staff Writer The WOW Fall Issue is out now on newsstands in Singapore and the focus returns once again to the technical side of watchmaking. On the cover is the Bulgari Octo Ultranero Finissimo Skeleton, which shows off the maisons expertise in skeletonisation a skill melding art and science in an ultrathin calibre no less. A trio of technical reads anchor this issue, beginning with a look at how watchmakers double down in movement design to achieve performance improvements. More is better here, from twin balance assemblies to stacked hairsprings. The second feature examines the mechanics and reasons behind some seemingly redundant complications that are still around today, such as the sidereal time display, while the final one looks into recent improvements in escapement technology, and what they mean for chronometry and power management. Fancy some eye candy? Delve into an exclusive photospread showcasing Patek Philippes minute repeaters, pair it with a second one featuring watches with complex openworked dials, and top things off with a look at some gorgeous high complications. Then kick back with us as we talk shop with a trio of CEOs: Corums Davide Traxler, Glashutte Originals Yann Gamard, and Seikos Shinji Hattori. Managing Editor of WOW, Celine Yap, says, Talk of complications and other such technical matters may intimidate, but at WOW we strive to make such knowledge accessible to our readers, regardless of their familiarity with the subject at hand. Theres no need to shy away from or gloss over these topics we present them as they are. This remains our unique proposition, and explain WOWs enduring popularity. Olivier Burlot, CEO and Publisher, added, WOW turns 15 this year, and this issue is proof that theres no replacement for a well distributed magazine with excellent content that serves its readers. I look forward to celebrating the anniversary at the WOW Party taking place at Raffles Marina on 20 October. AdventureWomen Offers Insider's Journey to Tanzania for Female Travelers An expert on the region, Wineland has been programming adventure travel to Tanzania for 35 years. Her hand-crafted itinerary invites women on an 12-day/11-night journey to discover Tanzania's Secret Serengeti.Committed to both the land and people of the region, Wineland has spearheaded environmental conversation initiatives in Eastern Serengeti and co-founded Focus on Tanzanian Communities (FOTZC), an organization that supports education, women's empowerment, health care and other development initiatives in Tanzania. Judi will unveil her off-the-beaten-path itinerary, bringing fellow travelers up close for an immersive insider's experience. Witness breathtaking wildlife in the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, encountering lions, leopards, cheetahs, African elephants, giraffes, hippos and more. Explore the region's legendary landscapes and eco-systems with expert-guided expeditions through the Great Rift Valley, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti Plain. Accommodation in stunning private tented camps, including two-nights accommodation at Gibbs Farm- voted #2 hotel in Africa and the Middle East in Conde Nast Traveler's 2016 Readers' Choice Awards. Meet the semi-nomadic Maasai people by visiting one of Judi's friends at her "boma" (a settlement of circular mud homes) and a local school. Connect with the trail-blazing Enjipai Women's Group, a collaborative formed by Maasai women with great entrepreneurial spirit.Prices start at $6,995 per person, based on double occupancy.For more information on Judi Wineland's Secret Serengeti itinerary, please visit: www.adventurewomen.com/adventure-vacation/tanzania-secret-serengeti For a full list of programs, please visit: www.adventurewomen.com/adventure-vacations Thompson Nashville Opens The hotel is being ushered into Nashville by AJ Capital Partners and The Berger Company, premier investors, owners and developers of hospitality assets; along with Nashville-based MarketStreet Enterprises, the Master Developer of Music City's The Gulch neighborhood; Geolo Capital, co-owner of Thompson Hotels' parent brand Two Roads Hospitality; and ERG Enterprises, a global leader in distinctive project investments.Located in the heart of The Gulch, the 224-key luxury boutique hotel has an exciting culinary partnership with Chef John Besh's Our House Hospitality (OHH), bringing a long-awaited upscale, lifestyle experience to Music City.Thompson Nashville rises 12 stories and inhabits the crown jewel' site within The Gulch, the city's most up-and-coming and vibrant neighborhood. Stationed at the intersection of 11th and 12th Avenues, the hotel's arrival completes the development of the city block that is the longtime home to legendary music venue The Station Inn. It's also within a mile of other top cultural attractions, including the Ryman Auditorium, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.The hotel will debut with a lineup of Nashville-based friends and collaborators to showcase the best of the city's offerings, including memorable music, cool fashion and quality cocktails.Staying in tune with the soul of Music City, the nearbywill contribute musical moments throughout the hotel. Guests can put a needle to the groove on a vintage turntable in the lobby thanks to a vinyl library stocked with Third Man releases; utilize a Third Man-designed map of neighborhood stops to take on the walk from the hotel to their record store; and purchase vinyl records from the hotel's minibar. At L.A. Jackson, the hotel's rooftop bar, the label will DJ a vinyl night every Monday evening.On the fashion front, the hotel along with nationally acclaimed and locally adored premium denim brandare collaborating to offer guests an exclusive personal denim fitting and shopping experience. The package includes a one-on-one consultation with an imogene + willie denim specialist, an in-room fitting and styling session, and a pair of perfectly fitting, premium made imogene + willie jeans. Each pair of jeans purchased through the package will be authenticated with an imogene + willie x Thompson Nashville stamp, commemorating the guest's Nashville visit.In room, guests will notice many local touches, but one they can sip on is a custom cocktail in the minibar from, a newly launched bottled cocktail company crafted by a group of Nashville entrepreneurs. The custom minibar offering features two bottled cocktail mixes created specifically for the hotel, made with fresh ingredients and no preservatives.The story of the hotel's location is also told by a distinct design vision conceptualized and executed by award-winning studio Parts and Labor Design. The New York City-based studio created a concept that celebrates Nashville's creative spirit while also embracing a modern experience that is both nostalgic and fashion-forward. Upon entering the hotel, guests are greeted by a stunning inlay of a wooden compass rose, created by Patrick Hayes of the 1767 creative collection. The enormous piece is comprised of locally salvaged materials and also includes a brass detailing of the hotel's global coordinates, lending an immediate and precise sense of place. The lobby, which is filled with custom-designed light fixtures and furniture, embodies a vintage charm with a uniquely modern, creative slant.Thoughtfully sourced and curated art can be found throughout the hotel, and includes work from local up-and-coming artists such as Frances Berry, Amanda Brazier and Chris Coleman, curated in collaboration with Art Advisory Services.The hotel's spacious guestrooms include queen double and king rooms, suites, as well as a penthouse, which have a distinctly residential feel. All rooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows and warm, wooden floors, wallpaper from Flat Vernacular, as well as custom-designed rugs from a one-off collaboration between Tailor Made Textiles and Eskayel. Suites feature high-end wet bars and central hearths, which mirror the very soul of the hotelone of warmth, social connection, and easy luxury. The residential nature of the guest rooms carries through to the bathrooms where guests will find graphic floor tile offset with milky toned white tile walls and a hand-selected sculpture. The suites' bathrooms add to this palette with a claw foot tub that is aligned with a view directly out to the guestrooms' expansive windows.Thompson Nashville's commitment to high quality cuisine is evident in the dining outlets overseen by John Besh's Our House Hospitality. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Nathan Duensing, the hotel features three distinctive dining options: signature restaurant Marsh House, Killebrew coffee shop, and rooftop bar L.A. Jackson. Seafood is the soul of Marsh House's menu, showcased in both classic and contemporary preparations under the direction of Chef de Cuisine Justin Cameron. Killebrew serves up pastries and Revelator Coffee, while shareable small plates, Southern beer and refreshing cocktails complement the skyline view of L.A. Jackson. Our House Hospitality will also offer in-room dining to the hotel's guests.The hotel also hosts 6,185 square feet of meetings and events space on its second floor, comprised of three dedicated rooms and a 1,219-square-foot outdoor terrace. Floor-to-ceiling windows accentuate the open and airy nature of the space, and flower-like chandeliers and wood-clad thresholds gives this level a warmth and style of its own.Thompson Nashville guest amenities and services include oversized Thompson signature robes, 49 LG TVs, custom honor bars with local offerings, 400-thread-count SFERRA linens, exclusive D.S. & Durga bath amenities, 24-hour access to the fitness center, complimentary Wi-Fi access, valet parking, and more.Thompson Nashville's starting rates are from $399 a night. To celebrate the hotel's opening, Thompson Nashville will be offering a limited time introductory package of 20% savings on stays between October 2016 and January 2017, with rates starting at $247*. To inquire and reserve, guests may visit http://www.thompsonhotels.com/thompson-nashville Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 Trend: A delegation led by Khanlar Fatiyev, MP of the Azerbaijani parliament, head of the Azerbaijan-Australia interparliamentary friendship group, visited and laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. From the Azerbaijani side, the ceremony was attended by Chairman of Azerbaijani parliaments Committee on International and Interparliamentary Relations Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Party for Democratic Reforms Asim Mollazade, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Australia Rovshan Jamshidov and Honorary Consul of Azerbaijan in Western Australia Aydan Rzayeva. The delegation also visited the Kemal Ataturk Memorial in Canberra. On the same day, members of the Azerbaijani delegation met with Australias Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo. Addressing the meeting, Khanlar Fatiyev noted the readiness of the interparliamentary friendship group to provide the necessary assistance for the development of business between the two countries. The MP spoke about the importance of developing trade relations between Australia and Azerbaijan through the two countries economy ministries. He said that Australian entrepreneurs can get acquainted with investment projects, which are interesting for them in Azerbaijan. The Australian government, in turn, can present investment projects in the countrys northern part for Azerbaijani entrepreneurs. Steven Ciobo, for his part, said that Australian Trade and Investment Commission can make a huge contribution to the expansion of economic relations between the two countries. He called agriculture, food production, mutual investments and transportation among promising cooperation areas between Azerbaijan and Australia. Visa regime, student exchange, expansion of bilateral relations and other issues were discussed during the meeting with Australias Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Hon Alex Hawke. Detailed information about Azerbaijans ADA University was also given during the meeting. The Australian side showed great interest in cooperation with the university. Details added (first version posted at 10:48) Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of the newly-appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to the country Erkan Ozoral October 20. The ambassador reviewed a guard of honor. Ozoral presented his credentials to President Aliyev. President Aliyev then had a conversation with the ambassador. The president hailed the fact that Ozoral has previously worked in Azerbaijan and will continue his activities as an ambassador to the country. President Aliyev expressed his confidence that the ambassador will spare no efforts to further develop Azerbaijan-Turkey bilateral relations. President Aliyev recalled with pleasure his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the World Energy Summit which was recently held in Turkey. Saying Azerbaijan and Turkey were the closest countries on a global scale in terms of historical ties and today's realities, the president noted that the countries work is to further develop this relationship both on international arena and in the bilateral format and to strengthen this unity. Ozoral hailed excellent relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, saying they reached the level of strategic cooperation and were based on brotherly ties. He thanked President Aliyev for supporting his country during the attempted coup d`etat in Turkey on July 15. The ambassador said his country has always strived to elevate its brotherly relations with Azerbaijan to a higher level. Ozoral said he was honored to take up his mission as an ambassador to Azerbaijan, adding he will do his utmost to contribute to strengthening the bilateral ties. The sides discussed prospects for the development of the bilateral relations in a variety of areas, including transport, tourism, construction, agriculture and healthcare. This is the third in a series on the major policy ideas from Left and Right that should guide the next presidential administration's agenda. (For the opposing view, see Danyelle Solomon, "Time to Fix Our Failing Criminal-Justice System.") The most important criminal-justice reform that the next administration must undertake has nothing to do with policy and everything to do with rhetoric. Unless our nations top leaders stop pumping out the false narrative that we are living through an epidemic of racially biased police shootings, as FBI director James Comey warned this past weekend in San Diego, homicides will continue to spike in racially diverse cities as officers back off of proactive policing. Riots following fatal encounters between officers and blacks will become more frequent, and more attempts will be made on officers lives. Since the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri... the claim that black males are under constant lethal threat from racist, trigger-happy cops has become engrained in our national discourse. Last year, homicides rose nearly 12 percent nationwide in agencies reporting to the FBI, close to the largest one-year increase in half a century. In cities with populations above a quarter-million, homicides rose 14.5 percent; cities with populations between half a million and a million saw a 20 percent increase in homicides. The victims have been overwhelmingly black. The only thing that explains this increase is a change in policing. None of the usual root causes invoked to explain (or justify) crime has changed: Poverty and income inequality did not worsen; unemployment did not rise. The size of the crime-prone youth cohort did not expand, nor did the inner-city open-air drug trade. What did change was the ideological climate in which officers work. Since the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, the claim that black males are under constant lethal threat from racist, trigger-happy cops has become engrained in our national discourse. President Barack Obama routinely accuses the cops of treating blacks and whites differently. At the memorial service for five Dallas police officers gunned down in July 2016 by an assailant inspired by Black Lives Matter ideology, President Obama took the opportunity to declare that black parents were right to fear that something terrible may happen when their child walks out the door that he will be shot by a cop simply for being stupid. After the next Black Lives Matter-inspired assassination of police officers in July, this time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hillary Clinton told the NAACP that we need to root out implicit [police] bias and stop the killings of African-Americans. During a Democratic presidential primary debate in January, Clinton was asked if it was reality that police officers see black lives as cheap. She answered unhesitatingly: Sadly, its reality, adding, there needs to be a concerted effort to address the systemic racism in our criminal-justice system. We have a very serious problem that we can no longer ignore. This charge of racially biased policing, amplified relentlessly by the media, is dangerously false. Four academic studies came out this year, alone, showing that police officers are, if anything, less likely to shoot blacks than whites; there is no evidence that they are more likely to kill blacks. Twelve percent of white and Hispanic homicide victims are killed by the police, compared to the 4 percent of black homicide victims who are killed by police officers. Last year, whites made up 50 percent of all individuals fatally shot by the police; blacks were 26 percent of those victims less than would be predicted by the black violent crime rate. Police shootings will occur where officers most frequently encounter armed and resisting suspects, and that is in minority neighborhoods. Blacks make up 62 percent of all robbery defendants and 57 percent of all murder defendants in the nations 75 largest counties, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, though they are only about 15 percent of the population in those places. Blacks commit homicide at eight times the rate of whites and Hispanics combined. Black males made up 40 percent of all cop killers over the last decade, though they are 6 percent of the population. As a result, a police officer is 18.5 times more likely to be killed by a black male than an unarmed black male is to be killed by a police officer. However false, the narrative about racially biased policing has poisoned the atmosphere in which police work. Officers working in high-crime minority areas now frequently find themselves surrounded by hostile jeering crowds when they get out of their cars to conduct an investigation or make an arrest. Resistance to arrest is up; suspects are refusing to follow lawful orders. The number of officers shot at by suspects in Chicago rose 100 percent through the first nine and a half months of 2016, compared to the same period in 2015 and 2104. Nationwide, gun homicides of officers rose 50 percent through October 11, 2016, compared to the same period in 2015. In reaction to both the officially sanctioned narrative about lethal police racism and the animosity directed at them on inner-city streets, many cops have cut back on discretionary, proactive policing. Pedestrian stops dropped 82 percent in Chicago through September 2016, for example. Officers are simply driving by large crowds of youth hanging out on corners and fighting, having been told by the Obama Justice Department that it is racially oppressive to disperse such unruly groups. Never mind that the law-abiding residents of high-crime areas beg the police to clear the corners and restore order. The ongoing rise of homicides and shootings in racially diverse cities is the result of the police backing off. The best thing that the next president can do to lower the rising crime rate is to stop telling lies about crime and policing and to start telling the truth. He or she should recognize that policing today is data driven, that officers go to where victimization is occurring and where residents request help. Given the massive disparities in crime commission and victimization, policing will be heaviest in minority neighborhoods in order to save lives, the next president should explain. There is no evidence of systemic bias in the criminal-justice system; that myth has eaten away at the legitimacy of what is, in fact, one of the most scrupulously fair justice systems in the world. However much a president may yearn for a set of federal policies to tackle crime, Washingtons role in crime-fighting is negligible. Crime and policing are overwhelmingly local matters; the feds are as prone to making matters worse as they are to solving local crime problems. President Obama has been foisting implicit bias training on federal law-enforcement agencies and strong-arming localities into coughing up the dollars for it as well. But such training is a grotesque waste of resources, embodying an empirically false proposition: that officers are routinely shooting blacks out of implicit bias. Research shows just the opposite. Sadly, Hillary Clinton has embraced the junk science behind implicit bias training and promises to waste more taxpayer dollars on it. Officers are desperate for more training, but of the hands-on, tactical variety, helping them to make those agonizing shoot-dont shoot decisions. Local training dollars should be devoted to tactical assistance and to communication skills, instead. But to spend federal money on even these worthy causes merely reroutes local tax dollars to Washington, then sends them back again to the localities, minus the considerable administrative cost of this shell-game. In other words, its worse than a zero-sum proposition. The feds should simply stay out of funding local activities and certainly out of directing them. Federal criminal-justice reform, which focuses on federal drug laws, is motivated by the claim that those laws are, at the very least, discriminatory in impact, if not also in intent. It is the rationale behind criminal-justice reform that is most destructive. The country could survive some tweaking of federal drug-sentencing laws. But to de-legitimize law and order with a false charge of racism is to inflict lasting damage. The next president must make clear that any statutory lowering of federal drug-trafficking sentences is an experiment in de-incarceration, not a response to racism. The next Justice Department should articulate its standards for opening a pattern or practice investigation of police departments for systemic violations of civil rights. The Obama Administration has slapped more exorbitantly costly federal consent decrees on police departments following a pattern or practice investigation than any previous administration. The next Justice Department should open up its decision-making protocols for review. Besides telling the truth about crime and policing, the next president should also acknowledge the real cause of inner-city violence: the breakdown of the family. Government programs can rarely compensate for a boys fatherlessness, especially when it is the norm in a community. Here, again, there are few federal policies available to address this profound problem. But the federal bully pulpit can be a powerful means of starting a necessary conversation leading, ideally, to culture change. This piece originally appeared in RealClearPolicy ______________________ Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor at City Journal. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 Trend: A 3-year-old child was killed and three other people were injured in an explosion in a house in the Absheron District of Azerbaijan on Oct. 20. The explosion occurred as a result of gas leakage in a house in the Hokmali settlement in Absheron, Trends correspondent reported Oct. 20. The explosion injured Mushfig Gurbanov, 44, Shabruz Novruzova, 44, and their 12-year-old daughter Leyla Gurbanli. Their 3-year-old daughter Banuchichek Gurbanli died in the explosion. The injured were taken to the Republican Burn Center. Reportedly, they suffered heavy burns. An investigation is underway into the incident. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Azerbaijan may use the experience of the Netherlands in the spheres of production, processing and packaging of agricultural products, as well as for the development of poultry farming and vegetable growing, Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said. He made the remarks at a meeting with Ambassador of the Netherlands to Azerbaijan Onno Kervers, the countrys Economy Ministry said in a message. Mustafayev said that Azerbaijan and the Netherlands have ample opportunities for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, industry, transport, environment, education and others. The head of Azerbaijans Economy Ministry said that Dutch companies have invested 330 million manats in Azerbaijans economy. Currently, Dutch companies successfully operate in the areas of lakes restoration, water purification and other projects, Mustafayev added. He noted that at the same time good conditions have been created for entrepreneurs in industrial parks and zones and Dutch companies can take advantage of these conditions. The trade turnover of Azerbaijan with the Netherlands amounted to $90.4 million in January-September 2016, more than $32 million of which accounted for exports to that country, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. China's insane Housing Market Will Tumble and Crash in 2017 Summary * Whats behind the property fever in China? * The financial truth of the destocking of Chinas property market. * Use quantitative analysis to predict when the bubbles of Chinas housing market will burst. 1.What's behind the property fever in China? Before Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, the nobles in Pompeii carried on their extravagant lives without a care in the world. Humans have very narrow visions, oftentimes can only see people around them fiddling away the good times, and have no idea that their landmarks-such as Mount Vesuvius to Pompeian, can evolve into such a deadly force of mass-destruction. Since April 2015, the property price in China has been growing fast, and the trading volume per month and price YoY growth rate have broken all previous records by significant margins. This market rally is the strongest in the 18-years long bull market of China's housing market. Housing market speculation has become the talk of the town so much so that people would give up their own business or jobs for it. However, the real picture of China's economy couldn't be more depressing apart from the red hot housing market: the GDP growth rate has been falling steadily towards the historical lows since "Reform & Opening up"; the export values (rolling 12 months) YoY growth rate has been declining for the past 6 years and arrive at the level last seen in the aftermath of the 2009 global financial tsunami. If above facts were ignored, the period since April 2015 would be seen as the most prosperous by many, when the housing market is the hottest on record. China's housing market is truly reminiscent of Pompeii right before A.D. 79. Humans have very narrow visions, oftentimes can only see people around them fiddling away the good times, and have no idea that their landmarks-such as Mount Vesuvius to Pompeian, can evolve into such a deadly force of mass-destruction. However, the evolvement of the force of mass-destruction can be spotted well in advance by analyzing the macro financial economic data. In the 18 years long bull market of China's housing market, there are two market makers: local governments, and the institutional money which are property developers and their financial backers(banks, insurance companies and shadow banks). the retail investors are the residents-ordinary people enthusiastic about investing, the vanguard of which were nicknamed Chinese Damas. In the current housing market rally, how do the market makers and Chinese Damas (aka ordinary people) fare? Let's look at the below chart: Chart 1 2.The financial truth of the destocking of China's property market The destocking of property market is one of the 5 essential economic tasks in 2016 given by the central government, which are now one of the hottest trending economic topics in China. According to Chart 1, in this rally, the YoY growth rate of "Average House Price in China" now reached its highest level since the data was collected and also surpassed its previous record by significant margins, meanwhile the YoY growth rate of" Completed Investment in Real Estate Development" drops to the historical lows and stay there since April 2015 when the housing market started to take off. This means that institutional money has flown out of the property sector during this rally. If institutional money doesn't buy into this rally, who do? The situation is much like what transpired in the 2015-16 Chinese stock market turbulence. According to Chart 2, during the crazy rally of A shares from June 2014 to June 2015, the net capital flow (rolling 12 months) of China started to drop very quickly and turn negative in the late 2014 for the 1 st time since the data was collected. The hot money was flowing out of China at its highest speed, which is the total opposite of what happened in the previous rallies of A shares. According to Bloomberg, China suffered capital outflow of one trillion dollar in 2015. Hot money didn't buy into the crazy Rally, and it was Chinese Damas that were left holding the bags and suffered the heaviest loss in the end. Chart 2 CNNMFMRS: China Net Capital Flow(rolling 12 months), SHCOMP: Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index, Source: Bloomberg The examples among the institutional money, which do not buy into this housing market rally are plenty. Let me count two of the biggest: Wanda and Anbang. Before 2015, Wanda Group invested totally 15 billion dollars overseas, and in 2016, it invested 10 billion dollars outside China so far. Since 2014, Anbang Insurance group has invested a hefty sum of 13.5 billion dollars overseas. Wanda Group is one of the biggest real estate developers in China. The insurance industry which Anbang Insurance group belongs to is one of the most important funding sources for the housing sector. Now the biggest names among the institutional money who once were the biggest patrons of the property market, are moving their assets overseas on an unprecedented scale. This is one of the most fundamental reason why the YoY growth rate of "Completed Investment in Real Estate Developmen" stays at its historical lows during this housing market rally. The trend couldn't be clearer: The current market rally is the strongest one in the 18 years of China real property bull market. However, to the opposite of what happened in previous rallies, this time the institutional money is flowing out of the sector, and when netting out, the capital is flowing out of China as a whole at a speed unprecedented since "Reform & Opening up". While the institutional money is abandoning the sector, who is fueling the rally? Let's look at the below Chart: Chart 3 Completed Investment in Real Estate Development: YTD: YoY, FIs: New RMB Loans: Households: Medium & Long-term (ROLLing 12 months)/FIs: New RMB Loans: Medium & Long-term Loans (ROLLing 12 months)< RedLine, Right Axis> Data Source: Wind Info Be aware that the majority of "New RMB Loans: Households: Medium & Long-term" is home mortgage. According to Chart 3, ever since " New RMB Loans" data was collected from Dec 2009, " New RMB Loans: Households: Medium & Long-term (ROLLing 12 months)/FIs: New RMB Loans: Medium & Long-term Loans (ROLLing 12 months)" almost moved in tandem with" Completed Investment in Real Estate Development: YTD: YoY", which indicates that the institutional money and Chinese Damas almost leveraged up in line with each other in all the previous housing market rally.The current rally is an exception: "New RMB Loans: Households: Medium & Long-term (ROLLing 12 months)/FIs: New RMB Loans: Medium & Long-term Loans (ROLLing 12 months)" rises up with unprecedented speed while " Completed Investment in Real Estate Development: YTD: YoY" languishes at the historical lows. The institutional money is abandoning the housing sector and reducing its respective leverages, and meanwhile Chinese Damas are leveraging up at the unprecedented speed. So it is the financial truth of the destocking of China's property market. 3.Chinese Damas nearly run out of the room to grow their leverages T his April, about 77% of "FIs: New RMB Loans: Medium & Long-term Loans" are home mortgages---close to the previous record number: 81%; this May, the YoY growth rate of the home price in the First-tier Cities arrived at 26.36%--a new record. Even more shockingly, in July, nearly all of "FIs: New RMB Loans: Medium & Long-term Loans" are home mortgages. The current housing market rally is entirely fueled by the Chinese Dama's unprecedented leverages. How much further can Chinese Dama's leverages go? W e should also be aware that on the one hand, Chinese Damas are heavily restricted to exchange their RMB for dollars and shift their dollars aboard, and they end up buying up houses feverishly; on the other hand, the institutional money moguls are a privileged bunch who can easily exchange their rmb for billions of dollars and shift their assets aboard on a massive scale, and they end up reducing their exposures to China's housing market substantially. Similar situations happened in the previous crazy rally of A shares as well. According to Bloomberg, during the super strong rally and subsequent crash of A shares in 2015, the annual tally of China's capital outflows reached 1 trillion dollars. In this regard, China's housing market is not much different from A shares. There are all asset bubbles insanely leveraged up by Chinese Damas, which allow institution money to cash out. In the casino that is China's housing market, the institutional money has drastically cut down its exposures, and move its assets aboard on a massive scale; the local governments use the Local Debt Swap Program and the record number of "land kings" transactions to cash out and reduce their respective leverages; and there are only highly leveraged up Chinese Damas left holding the bag. So the question is how much further can Chinese Damas' leverages go? Let's see the below data from Economist Jiang Chao of Haitong Securities: When looking at the balance of total home mortgage and taking into account Housing Provident Fund, the average debt-to-income ratio of Chinese mortgage takers is close to 50% which is close to the level of the US before the subprime mortgage crisis. The new home mortgage/GDP ratio is also close to the historical high of the US. There's really no much room for Chinese Damas' leverages to grow substantially further. Right when Chinese Damas' leverages nearly get out of hand, Local governments in China announced a flurry of property market cooling measures, many of which are the strictest in the history. The situation is reminiscent of last April when China's financial authorities started to crack down shadow lending in the stock market. According to my prediction, if the government stands aside, China's housing market will reach its secular peak around the first half of the year 2017 and very likely enter a violent downward correction. The property market cooling measures will drastically reduce the number of potential house buyers who meet governments' criterions and slow down the growth of home mortgages. The government want the house prices of the First-tier and second--tier Cities to move sideways on the current high levels, and therefore force the money towards the housing market of the third-tier and fourth--tier Cities. That way, the destocking of property market could be carried out across the whole country. The local governments and institutional money across the country thus can decrease their exposures and leverages related to the property market, while the Chinese Damas are left holding the bag with really high leverages. If the housing market collapses, local governments and institutional money (central enterprises, state enterprises, privileged enterprises, and banks etc.) will be able to avoid as much damages as possible while the fortune of Chinese Damas will be dealt the deadly blow. So it is the ugly truth of the destocking of property market to help local governments and institutional money deleverage with Chinese Damas' leverages greatly increasing. 4.To predict when the bubbles of China's housing market will burst Chart 4 According to chart 4, since July 2005 when the data "Shenzhen: Price Indices of Newly Constructed Residential Buildings: Fixed-base" was first available, the variable of "Shenzhen: RMB and Foreign Currency: Deposits (rolling 12 months)" has been highly correlated to the variable of Shenzhen: Price Indices of Newly Constructed Residential Buildings: Fixed-base, the correlation coefficient of which is 0.94. Since Dec 2014, the variable of "Shenzhen: RMB and Foreign Currency: Deposits (rolling 12 months)" has gone up super exponentially obeying a power law increase. Running its data series through the Log-Periodic Power Law (LPPL) model, we can predict the YoY growth rate of "Shenzhen: RMB and Foreign Currency: Deposits (rolling 12 months)" will collapse around this December, and six month later around June 2017, "Shenzhen: Price Indices of Newly Constructed Residential Buildings: Fixed-base" will reach its secular peak and afterwards very likely enter a violent downward correction. Taking into account the government's manipulation and intervention, I made some adjustment to my prediction. My final prediction is the house price of Shenzhen will reach its secular peak in around August 2017 (the difference between the actual time and my predicted time is less than 10 months) and afterwards very likely enter a violent downward correction. Since the house price of Shanghai is highly correlated to that of Shenzhen, the house price of Shanghai will reach its secular peak in around August 2017 (the difference between the actual time and my predicted time is less than 10 months) and afterwards very likely enter a violent downward correction as well. The home price of China's housing market will reach its secular peak in around the second half of 2017 (the difference between the actual time and my predicted time is less than 10 months) and afterwards very likely enter a violent downward correction. 5.When it comes to the leverages, China's housing market is just like A shares Let's look at the below 2 charts: Chart 5 Chart 6 According to Chart 5, fromJuly 2014 when A shares started its previous rally to January 2016 when A shares found its bottom, "SSE Composite Index" had been highly correlated to "SSE: Balance of Margin Trading", the correlation coefficient of which is about 0.95. According to chart 6, from July 2014 when the home price in the First-tier Cities started to move sideways to consolidate its previous bottom to present days, "FIs: New RMB Loans: Households: Medium & Long-term (ROLLing 12 months)" has been highly correlated to "100 Cities Residential House Average Price: First-tier Cities", the correlation coefficient of which is about 0.98. When it comes to the leverages-especially Chinese damas' leverage, China's housing market is just like A shares. It is also highly alarming that shadow landing plays a critical role in both market rallies in A shares and China's housing market. Chinese home buyers are borrowing massive amounts of money to pay for down payments through the country's hard-to-track shadow banking system. It is possible for someone with no savings at all to take out a mortgage in China. Property developers, real estate agencies, and internet peer-to-peer lenders are active in this highly leveraged market, and they sell the loans as wealth-management products, to millions of individual investors in China. This is the Subprime mortgage of Chinese characteristics. The previous crazy rally of A shares had its notorious umbrella trust from shadow banks, and now the current insane rally of China's housing market has its subprime mortgage offerings from shadow banks. It looks highly likely the history will repeat itself again. In around the second half of 2017 (the difference between the actual time and my predicted time is less than 10 months), China's housing market will enter its secular bear market. Considering the very high leverage, the process could be very forceful. It will be reminiscent of the massive market crash of A shares in 2015. China's foreign reserve will face massive drawdowns. Its capital outflow will be really huge. In 2015 when China's stock market crash, the tally of capital outflow that year is 1 trillion dollars. When China's housing market forcefully unwinds its leverages in around the second half of 2017(the difference between the actual time and my predicted time is less than 10 months), the situation will be much worse. RMB will probably be devalued by around 10% next year. China's Mount Vesuvius-its insanely leveraged housing market, will be erupting. Dee Woo The chief economist of Beijing Zhonghua Yuan Financial Institute 2016 Copyright Dee Woo - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. COLLINSVILLE A Bassett man faces 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the 2010 death of Cory Sharon Thomas. Judge David V. Williams sentenced Lavest Michael Whisenton to 20 years in prison after hearing the plea. That term is set to be served at the same time as sentences totaling 80 years that Whisenton received in Patrick County on drug charges. The Henry County sentence resulted from a plea agreement, with Whisenton confessing during an interview on Sept. 25, 2015. On Nov. 17, 2010, the body of Martinsville resident Jason Lamont B.G. Miller was found buried in a shallow grave, about 75 yards behind an abandoned mobile home on Penrose Drive in Bassett. Miller had been missing for 28 days at the time of the discovery. A week after Millers body was found, the sheriffs office issued warrants for Cory Thomas and others in connection with the death. Thomas himself was charged with first-degree murder, robbery and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. However at the time, Thomas was the subject of a missing persons case, as nobody had seen him since Oct. 31, 2010. Speaking to investigators, Whisenton tied both cases together. A week before Halloween in 2010, Whisenton said he was at Campbell Courts Halloween festival when he got a call from Thomas. I got a call from Cory telling me to get my money. I was supposed to get my money for drugs I had sold for B.G. (Jason Miller), Whisenton stated. Whisenton went to a house on Pleasant Ridge Road to meet Thomas, then the two drove to Jarrett Drive and picked up Miller. The three men, along with a fourth man named Pat who had also been picked up, all went back to Thomass home in Otis Park. Whisenton testified that all four men started drinking while at Thomass home. The quartet then decided to go watch a dog fight on Penn Road, after being invited by a friend. When they got out of the vehicle at the dog fight, Whisenton said he followed a friend around back of the building. He testified that Cory Thomas was drunk by then and armed with a gun. I heard a shot, Whisenton said. When I looked, Corey had his gun out. Whisenton testified that he also saw the man identified as Pat shoot Miller. At that point, Whisenton told police he took the gun from Thomas, put it in a bag and then stayed away from Cory for three or four days. Corys sister finally made contact with Whisenton, saying her brother wanted to see him. The two met on Oct. 29 or Oct. 30 of 2010, discussing what happened to Miller. Then on Halloween 2010, Thomas called Whisenton, saying he wanted to hit a couple of licks, meaning drug sales, Whisenton said in his confession. Thomas picked him up and the two sold drugs in an area behind a local restaurant, before going to Belcroft Circle, to a residence where Whisenton had sold drugs before. They met a man there named Jeremy, who let them inside before going to another room. At that point, Whisenton said that me and Cory was arguing about B.G. (Miller). Whisenton also told investigators that Thomas mentioned he had sex with one of Whisentons relatives. That led to a fight between the two. Cory hit his head, Whisenton said. I picked him up and slammed him. I was hitting him in the face and ribs. When I got him on the ground, I dont know how many times I hit him. At some point, the man named Jeremy pulled Whisenton off of Thomas, urging him to stop before he killed him. Unsure if Cory was dying, Whisenton said he picked the man up, carried him to the vehicle they arrived in and put him in the back. He then went inside and, using bleach and paper towels, cleaned everything up. Whisenton then told investigators that he drove to an abandoned mobile home and laid Cory Thomas inside. After wiping down the vehicle, he left it at a place on Hwy 220, before getting a ride from a family member. The next day, Whisenton said he borrowed a vehicle from an ex-girlfriend to drive into North Carolina and pick up three to five bags of dirt. After dark, he went back to the mobile home, taped Cory Thomass hands to make him easier to carry and took him down a slope into the woods, where there was an abandoned cabinet in a shallow hole. He forced Thomass body into the cabinet, before covering the whole thing with the bags of dirt. Corys body was found on March 2, 2011, in a wooded area behind a home on Woodland Road in Bassett. Thomas mother, Carla Thomas, also testified Wednesday, saying the day my son died, I died too. I will never be a grandmother. That was all I had. She told Whisenton that you are worse than an enemy. You are the devil. Im so glad you wont be around to do this to anybody elses child. Lt. C.E. Spence of the Henry County Sheriffs Office gave a summary of Whisentons statement. Spence also described evidence found at the site where Thomas remains were concealed. Spence also said one man said Whisenton asked him for advice about how to get rid of Thomas body, saying, We got in a fight. Cory wouldnt shut his mouth. Spence testified a woman said Whisenton told her someone named John started choking Thomas but couldnt get the job done, so Whisenton had to beat him to death. Spence said he doesnt know who John is and has been given several varying descriptions of him. Whisenton had previously been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and concealment of evidence in the Miller case. According to online court records, Whisenton pleaded no contest to the concealing evidence charge, was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison, with three years suspended on condition of three years of supervised probation and other conditions. The commonwealth dropped the conspiracy charge. Paul Collins reports for the Martinsville Bulletin and can be reached at paul.collins@martinsvillebulletin.com. MARTINSVILLE Cooperation between localities is needed to boost the regions economy, according to speakers during a day-long program at the New College Institute on Wednesday. Collaboration is a group effort bringing ideas together so we can move our communities forward in a positive way, Henry County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Adams said during a regional summit sponsored by the West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WPPDC). More than 90 people attended the event. They included state officials and representatives of local governments, organizations and businesses in the planning district, which includes Martinsville, Danville and Henry, Pittsylvania, Patrick and Franklin counties. The WPPDC helps the localities with efforts to plan for their futures. The summit was designed to help break down some of the barriers to cooperation among regional leaders, according to WPPDC Executive Director David Hoback. On behalf of the planning district, Norfolk-based DecideSmart sent surveys to 150 community representatives in the region. Roughly 60 people returned the surveys. Based on their responses, their concerns in order of priority are improving economic development, workforce development, education, health care and technology availability, said Bill Leighty, a managing principal in the firm. Almost all of the respondents mentioned that thinking regionally is the key to dealing with those issues, said Leighty, who was chief of staff to former governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both of whom now are United States senators. Kaine is Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clintons vice presidential running mate. In terms of economic development, sustaining existing businesses was clearly the No. 1 priority among the responders, followed by attracting new ones, Leighty said. No matter how long it has been in a community, a company can employ workers from that locality as well as surrounding ones. Therefore, the company can benefit various places, such as through workers paying taxes and buying things in stores where they live, boosting their local economies. Economic development cant stop at any arbitrary line, whether it is a city, county or state boundary, said Karl Stauber, president and chief executive officer of the Danville Regional Foundation, which was established to invest proceeds from the sale of Danville Regional Medical Center in worthwhile community causes there. The Danville Regional Foundation is Danville-Pittsylvania Countys equivalent of The Harvest Foundation, which was created to invest proceeds from the sale of Memorial Hospital in Martinsville-Henry County causes. Harvest staff members were invited to the summit but none apparently attended, said WPPDC Deputy Director Leah Manning. Martinsville and Danville are not competitors for industries, Stauber emphasized. Rather, nations such as South Korea and Malaysia with emerging economies are their competitors, he said. A study done by the foundation indicated that regional collaboration can have the most impact on workforce development, the expansion of broadband Internet and developing leaders from among younger area residents. Among the studys findings, Stauber said, were that high school students need more opportunities such as internships to be exposed to potential careers and that although most schools and libraries have broadband connections, most students lack them at home. Service is unavailable where they live or it is too costly. Many institutions that helped to develop community leaders in the past such as prominent industries no longer exist in the area, Stauber noted. Developing leaders is essential to encouraging positive change, said Jane Kusiak, executive director of the Council on Virginias Future. Dont look too far into the past to focus on your communitys future, Kusiak advised summit participants. Stauber said that trying to again accomplish what was done in the past, even if efforts are made to do it better, will not work. We have to create new ways to help the regions economy grow and prosper as well as enable people to do whatever is needed to achieve progress, Kusiak said. And, we cannot let bureaucracies stand in the way of making progress for our people, she said. She referenced a comment made by the late theoretical physicist Albert Einstein: No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. Ninth District U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, attended part of the seminar and spoke briefly. He commended those attending for being willing to work together to achieve progress. Typically, citizens come out when theres an issue theyre interested in, Kusiak said. Its hard to get people to participate in projects involving a broad range of topics, she said. Other participants in the summit included Elizabeth Creamer, Gov. Terry McAuliffes workforce development advisor; state Technology Secretary Karen Jackson and Jay Langston of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Mickey Powell reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at mickey.powell@martinsvillebulletin.com. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Increasing number of tourists from the UAE in Azerbaijan may lead to improvement of business relations between the two countries, Head of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Rufat Mammadov said. He made the remarks Oct. 20 at Azerbaijan-UAE business forum. This year we witnessed a large influx of tourists from Arab countries, Mammadov said. A significant increase in the number of tourists from the UAE especially pleases us. I believe that this growth will improve business relations between our countries. Very often those who come to Azerbaijan as tourists think about starting a business here, as all conditions for it, as well as favorable business environment, have been created in the country, Mammadov noted. I would like Arab tourists to also think about it and consider Azerbaijan not only as a market for selling their products, but also as a platform for long-term activities, he added. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to $57.82 million as of Jan.-Sept.2016, which is 23.8 percent more than in the same period of 2015, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. As many as 223 companies from the UAE operate in Azerbaijan, and the volume of direct investments by the UAE in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan's economy is approximately $659 million. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Ukraine will provide 50 percent discount to the port dues for Kazakh vessels carrying transit cargos, Kazakh Investment and Development Ministry reported. The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine informed Kazakh party about this decision at the meeting within International Conference "Integrated Transport Corridors Europe - Asia" in Ukrainian city of Odessa. Creation of favorable conditions on the Trans-Caspian international transport route was discussed at this meeting, which was also attended by transport authorities of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Kazakh Ministry of Investment and Development continues discussing creation of economically favorable conditions on the entire length of the Trans-Caspian corridor with Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and then through Turkey and Ukraine to Europe. The agreement to create the Trans-Caspian International Transportation Consortium was signed in April in Baku by the railway authorities of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan. New competitive tariffs were introduced for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route since June 1, 2016. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Chipotle-Executive On Friday, participating Chipotle locations throughout the Massachusetts will host the "Be Bold, Be Bald!" fundraiser in support of the fight against cancer. (Gene J. Puskar) Are you willing to sport a chrome-dome for a good cause in this year's "Be Bold, Be Bald" fundraiser at Chipotle? Participating Chipotle Mexican Grill locations in Massachusetts are hosting a charity event on Friday from 11 a.m. until close, to honor people who are battling cancer. The annual fundraiser will have participating customers "go bald" by either wearing a bald cap or shaving their head in solidarity with people who are battling cancer. Participants who go bald or mention the event at the register will have 50 percent of the sale's proceeds donated to Be Bald, Be Bold! Be Bold, Be Bald was created by Small Army for a Cause; a non-profit organization founded by Boston-based advertising agency Small Army in honor the company's co-founder, Mike Connell, who passed away from cancer in 2007. Since the initiative's start in 2009, "Be Bold, Be Bald!" has raised almost $750K which has gone toward supporting over 40 different cancer organizations, according to Chipotle. Twitter-NFL Streaming In this Wednesday Nov. 6, 2013, photo, the Twitter logo appears on an updated phone post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) A growing list of companies like Disney and Salesforce have said they won't be buying Twitter. That puts the social network in a tight spot. Twitter almost has 350 million active users, but user growth has stalled (and in tech, if you aren't growing, you're dying). Twitter's stock has definitely felt the plunge. But Twitter remains heavily used by celebrities and the media -- the kind of influencers most social networks beg for. Maybe its best days are still ahead. What do you think? Vote below! PERSPECTIVES This is an unvirtuous cycle. If Twitter's stock continues to go down and hurt employees, they'll leave. And that will make turning the social network around even harder. And just to put it in perspective, the stock has dropped 27 percent in the last two weeks as more and more potential suitors walk away. MORE: Why Twitter's stock plunge is especially bad for its employees Twitter's trolling problem has been a thorn in its side since almost the beginning. And it may have finally cost the network, as reports suggest user harassment is one of the main reasons Disney walked away from the table. The idea that "Twitter is doomed" isn't new. This Verge article is from January 2016 and gives context on the tone Twitter had going into the year. Top executives were leaving the country, the new CEO had 2016 to turn it all around. Twitter is approaching 350 million active users. That's basically every man, woman and child in the United States. There are hiccups, for sure, but you can't count out the network. It still provides a unique kind of communication experience that can't be found anywhere else. Maybe Twitter needs to transform and embrace itself as a media company. If that's all that needs to happen, it could come out as one of the biggest media companies in the world. From the WSJ article "Chief Executive Jack Dorsey called the service the 'People's News Network.' ... Twitter increasingly is the place where content is born. Millions of people 'work' for Twitter by creating content that could dominate the next day's news cycle. Twitter also curates and amplifies this content, prompting comparisons with a social network." Twitter isn't just a media company, it's a one-of-a-kind media company with millions of people contributing to the platform. Yea, it's messy, but it's also where news breaks. In the information age, data is gold and Twitter is sitting on a fortune. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Sugar Consumption This file photo shows the nutrition label on a can of soda in Philadelphia. Philadelphia recently passed a tax on sugary drinks and in 2016, the government recommended we limit our intake of added sugars to 10 percent of daily calories, underscoring how significant elected officials believe the problem is. But while determining exactly how much sugar we're consuming is a complicated business, the data and industry trends indicate we've actually made progress in cutting back. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Several cities, including San Francisco and Boulder, have upcoming ballot propositions to create a tax on sugary drinks like soda. People who support the tax say it could reduce consumption and raise money to combat obesity. Opponents say the tax will hurt small businesses, limits personal freedom, and worry the tax money won't be used appropriately to combat health issues. Should you city tax soda? Read more and vote below! PERSPECTIVES This is not a soda tax, it's a grocery tax. Do we really need to tax every little thing we consume? WATCH: This Berkeley store will close due to their "soda tax." Thats because it's a Grocery Tax! Learn more here: https://t.co/bpjUgpsipy pic.twitter.com/bblENbMn7m No Grocery Tax SF (@NoGroceryTaxSF) October 13, 2016 Soda tax, gun tax, death tax, capital gains tax, exit tax... who do you think is gonna pay that? Middle class, that's who! https://t.co/E1kay2GLoK Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) October 15, 2016 Another big gulp of taxes in Chicago ... Toni Preckwinkle poised to pop soda tax, sez @GregHinz https://t.co/yISLuN2jXo via @crainschicago Craig Newman (@craignewman) October 13, 2016 Here's a strange political twist. Liberals and especially progressives tend to support the soda tax -- but not Bernie Sanders who called it "a regressive grocery tax that would disproportionately affect low-income and middle-class Americans." In the spirit of "follow the money," this Vox image shows where funding is coming from both sides of the soda tax campaign. Unsurprisingly, Big Soda is the source behind much of the anti-tax media spends. Many say it's bad information that you can't trust. The city of Berkeley created a soda tax in 2014 and researchers say it has indeed cut down consumption of soda, in some places by as much as 20 percent. Just look at what taxes on cigarettes have done to curb the number of smokers. Imagine how many lives could have been saved if that tax had been implemented earlier. Obesity and Type-2 diabetes can be life-threatening. The story of how a community stood up for children's health against one of the world's most powerful industries -- . The World Health Organization recently came out with a report suggesting cities should tax soda at a rate of up to 20% but many are balking at the idea. Almost all the critiques fall into the following categories: The tax will be felt disproportionately by the poor. The tax will impact small businesses. People may ditch soda, but they could pick up even worse drinks. Studies suggest milk will be consumed more which could increase overall caloric intake. A 2012 study suggests beer consumption could increase. The government shouldn't be able to tip the scales on what people drink. The money raised won't be spent appropriately. It's hard to trust any of the reasons or studies being used by the anti-tax side. Big Soda is using the same playbook as Big Tobacco from 20 years ago. .@CocaCola has been plotting to stop legislature that could save lives. Internal emails exposed. #Sodatax https://t.co/XeucXerRZj American Heart Assoc (@American_Heart) October 15, 2016 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Lemme by Phil Provencio.jpeg Mike Lemme. Photo by Phil Provencio. (Phil Provencio) Chicopee Comedian Mike Lemme is preparing for an off-off-Broadway run of 15 shows at the Under St. Marks theater in New York City, but is making a stop in Northampton first. Lemme will host two shows at The Oxbow Gallery on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. Lemme, who was named the 2008 Chicopee Elks Lodge Teenager of The Year, has warmed-up studio audiences for "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and spent time working on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and "CONAN." During his stay in Northampton, Mike will be joined by comedians Kim DeShieds and Jennifer Myszkowski. Lemme will also co-headline a show at The Hartford Funny Bone Comedy Club & Restaurant with Paul Spratt on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the show is a recommended donation of $10. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the nights of the performances. For more information, visit mikelemme.com. mohegan filer.jpg The Agawam Lioness Club is hosting a Nov. 13 bus trip to Mohegan Sun. The trip costs $30, which includes a bus ride to the Connecticut casino, $15 for food, and a free $15 bet. (Associated Press / File Photo) CORRECTION: The cost of the bus trip is $33, not $30, as was initially stated in the article below. AGAWAM Are you ready to roll the dice? If so, the Agawam Lioness Club wants you to join them on their bus trip to Mohegan Sun on Nov. 13. The trip costs $33 and the bus will leave Agawam High School at noon. When participants arrive at the casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, they will receive a $30 voucher from the casino. That includes a $15 free bet and $15 for food, according to Lioness Club officials. Reservations may be made by calling or emailing Lioness Rose Kieffer at 413-786-5134 or rosek3@comcast.net. Reservations may also be made by calling 413-786-1782. The nonprofit Lioness Club is based in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam. The organization raises money for local scholarships and various charities. ludlow police cruisers.jpg LUDLOW -- A federal civil rights lawsuit that seeks $1 million in damages has been filed against the town, Police Chief Paul Madera and five of his officers. The lawsuit stems from an incident at plaintiff Thomas Tzikas' automobile repair garage on July 1, 2013. Officers were called there for a report of a man inside the business after hours with a flashlight. It turned out to be Tzikas. Contacted on Wednesday, Madera declined to comment. In addition to the chief, Ludlow policemen named in the lawsuit are sergeants Brian Shameklis and Daniel Valadas and officers Stephen Ricardi, Sean Knox and Brandon Vigneault. Court records show that the lawyer representing the defendants said police acted properly. Tzikas' complaint, filed in U.S. District Court by Springfield attorney Dawn D. MacDonald of the firm Cooley Shrair PC, says he is seeking "damages for injuries suffered when he was assaulted and restrained against his will and for no lawful purpose." The complaint states that police were called to Delta Foreign Electric, 296 East St., for a report of a man inside with a flashlight after hours. Tzikas was there working late when heard loud knocking and male voices yelling in the rear of the building. "Plaintiff did not understand what the voices were yelling and he grew nervous and afraid," the lawsuit states. "He began looking for the phone to call 911 when he heard the yelling now in the front of the building, yelling, 'Open the door! Open the door!'" Tzikas announced that he was the owner andunlocked the door. When the officers entered, his lawsuit alleges, they pushed him to the floor and at least two "kneeled on his back, grabbed his arms, yanked them behind his back and put handcuffs on him." Tzikas had back problems for which he had previously undergone surgery, his lawsuit states. Meanwhile a police dispatcher had contacted Tzikas' brother, a co-owner of the business, who soon thereafter arrived at the garage and identified Tzikas. At that point the officers removed Tzikas' handcuffs and left, the lawsuit states. A trial date has not been set. An amended complaint filed in August by Tzikas' lawyer also alleges that items police seized from Tzikas at the time, including $97, were never given back. The day after the incident, Tzikas called the police station and asked to speak to then Lt. Thomas Foye, who was in charge of police evidence at the time. "During the call, Lt. Foye continuously interrupted Plaintiff and proclaimed that his officers had a very difficult job and praised them for their work the previous evening. Plaintiff then asked Lt. Foye where his $97 was and his missing license. Lt. Foye said, 'Watch it!' and proclaimed all his officers were honest and praiseworthy," the lawsuit states. In an unrelated matter, Foye was arrested by state police on Aug. 15, 2013, amid allegations he stole drugs from the Ludlow Police Department's evidence room. He subsequently pleaded guilty in Hampden Superior Court to tampering with substances, two counts of possession of a class B substance (cocaine and Oxycontin) and two counts of larceny of a drug. He was sentenced Oct. 29, 2014, to two years in prison followed by five years probation. Foye is not a named defendant in Tzikas' lawsuit. Images of war line the walls of the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery at Springfield Technical Community College, giving patrons insight into the lives of men and women occupying Middle East war zones. The "Endgame: Afghanistan" exhibit in Building 28 opened on Tuesday and will showcase war photographs of Southampton native Ben Brody until Nov. 12. Brody, who has been photographing and writing about the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2005, mostly works with the GroundTruth Project, a nonprofit organization that supports international correspondents and educates about global issues through enterprise journalism. According to the gallery's coordinator, Sondra Peron, the concept for the gallery came to be as she was creating an honors photography course at the school. "The conversation started because I was designing a course here at STCC called 'Picturing Atrocity: Images of War and its Aftermath,'" said Peron. "I had seen Ben's work in Vermont last year, and so I reached out to him and said might you be interested in a show, and that's when the conversation started from there." Peron, who is an adjunct faculty member in photography, added that she and Brody met over the summer to plan out and finalize the exhibit. While the class was cancelled due to low enrollment, the exhibit serves as peek into life in a war zone. Rather than depicting gory images of violence, Brody's work displays life outside of fighting and scenes from a more casual perspective. The exhibit features 15 pieces expanded to 6-by-4-foot images, filling up the walls of the gallery. Peron said she encouraged Brody to increase the size of the images and take up as much space as possible, thus sending a stronger message. "I enjoy large photographs," said Peron. "I think when it's appropriate it can really be very powerful. To go from seeing an eight-by-10 (inch) portrait (in Vermont) to a four-by-six (foot) is quite a leap." The exhibit is free and open to the public, open Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Nov. 10 at 11:30 a.m., Brody will speak about the exhibit at a reception. The event will also be free and open to the public. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Dubai may become a hub for the export of Azerbaijani goods to other countries of the Middle East, Head of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Rufat Mammadov told reporters in Baku Oct. 20. The UAE is a traditional partner of Azerbaijan, and our companies show great interest for the Middle East, Mammadov said. Given this interest and numerous appeals, we are planning to organize an export mission to Dubai within the mechanisms to promote the brand Made in Azerbaijan. The main objective is to export our products to Dubai, as well as other countries of the region through Dubai, he said. He said that Arab companies show interest for Azerbaijani products, mainly for production of agricultural and food companies, in particular for fruit juices produced in the country. Considering this, we also plan to put the country stand under the brand Made in Azerbaijan at one of the largest exhibitions of the region, Gulf Food, in 2017, Mammadov said. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to $57.82 million as of Jan.-Sept.2016, which is 23.8 percent more than in the same period of 2015, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. As many as 223 companies from the UAE operate in Azerbaijan, and the volume of direct investments by the UAE in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan's economy is approximately $659 million. shawn-rooney-family-photojpg-78ae419fe26f19bb.jpg Granby Police Officer Shawn Rooney is seen in this undated family photograph recovering from an injury at the Western Massachusetts Municipal Police Academy that occurred on Nov. 30, 2015. SPRINGFIELD -- A Granby police officer is seeking a criminal charge against the academy instructor who delivered a baton blow that cost him an eye and, according to the town's police chief, his career. A Massachusetts State Police investigation of the incident led to no charges against West Springfield Police Officer Robert Wise. However, Wise's license to teach at the academy was revoked and he was barred from training officers in his home department. Shawn Rooney suffered the career-ending injury during a defensive tactics drill 11 months ago. Earlier this month he filed his own application for a criminal complaint against Wise, seeking a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, alleging Wise is criminally responsible for his injury. At a probable cause hearing on Nov. 16 in Springfield District Court, a magistrate could determine whether a criminal case against Wise should proceed. Wise did not respond to a telephone message seeking comment. West Springfield Police Chief Ronald P. Campurciani said Tuesday that the incident has no bearing on Wise's employment as a West Springfield police officer. The chief declined to speculate on what may happen should the court decide in Rooney's favor at the November hearing. Calling Rooney's injury a "freak training accident," Campurciani said his reading of the state police investigation is that Wise had "no malice, or intent, to cause harm." Campurciani also said Rooney "is well within his rights" to seek the criminal complaint against Wise. But, he added: "The state police did not bring forth any charges, which they could have. They did not." Granby Police Chief Alan Wishart said previously that Rooney can no longer work as an officer as a result of his injury. Rooney's employment status remains unresolved. Rooney's attorney, Judd Peskin, argued in a written response to a request for comment that Wise should have been charged by state police following the agency's investigation. "It is a disgrace that he was not and that Mr. Rooney must, on his own, pursue justice," Peskin wrote. "It would be a travesty of justice to permit Officer Wise to continue to live his life undisturbed after intentionally shattering Mr. Rooney's." In the wake of Rooney's injury, state police were called to investigate the Municipal Police Training Council, the agency in charge of the police academy training exercises held at the Western Mass Regional Police Academy on the campus of Springfield Technical Community College. The MPTC is responsible for the development, delivery and enforcement of training standards for the state's municipal officers. Rooney told investigators Wise delivered "one strong strike" in a "stabbing motion" with the baton during an exercise in which Wise was playing the role of an unruly bar patron. Rooney's task was to bring him under control. Investigators determined Rooney was wearing a helmet but was not given protective eyewear for the drill. Moreover, the academy had no written academy policy on how the training was supposed to be conducted, the state police investigators found. According to documents filed as part of the state police investigation, about 24 uniformed officers employed by area cities and towns were observing the drill involving Wise and Rooney. The witnesses -- whose names were redacted in copies supplied to The Republican -- provided varying accounts of what happened. Peskin noted those witness accounts. "Fourteen of those statements stated without equivocation that Officer Wise intentionally stabbed Mr. Rooney. Six statements said Rooney 'lunged' his head into the upraised baton held by Officer Wise," Peskin wrote. He continued: "Setting aside for the moment the utter absurdity of someone lunging into the baton with such force that it both destroyed the eyeball and fractured the surrounding bone, four of those statements were in the form of memoranda from police academy employees to other police academy superiors, and two were from unidentified witnesses, who, we are confident, will eventually be identified as West Springfield police officers." In a written statement provided to The Republican on Wednesday, Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio said: "The state police earlier this year completed an administrative investigation into the Nov. 30, 2015 injury suffered by Officer Rooney at the MPTC Western Massachusetts Academy held at Springfield Technical Community College. That investigation included more than 30 interviews, as well as reviews of medical records, training documents, equipment and other relevant information. The administrative investigation found no evidence that the injury occurred during an adversarial altercation, but rather that it occurred during a training scenario. State police did not seek a criminal complaint in regard to the incident." Asked whether the city would be paying any potential legal defense costs for Wise, Mayor William Reichelt said that because the policeman was "not acting as an officer for the city" during the training exercise, West Springfield would not be responsible for paying. The MPTC revoked the training license of one instructor following the incident and suspended four others from performing instructional duties. West Springfield Police Capt. Mark Sypek, who has since retired, said earlier this year that Wise's license to teach at the academy had been revoked. Because of that action, Sypek said, Wise -- who was also involved in training West Springfield officers in defensive tactics, including baton use -- would no longer be training city officers. Reports out of Connecticut are that the state medical examiner has issued an official cause of death in the Oct. 11 crash of a small plane in East Hartford but it stops short of calling the death a suicide. The crash of the plane on a city street killed one person, student pilot, Feras M. Freitekh, and critically injured flight instructor Arian Prevalla. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded in its investigation early on that the crash was "an intentional act." There were reports following the crash that Freitekh and Prevalla argued and struggled for control of the plane just before the crash. According to the Hartford Courant, Chief Medical Examiner James Gill confirmed that the deceased was Freitekh and that the cause of death was due to burns and smoke inhalation. When the Piper PA-34 Seneca twin-engine aircraft burst into flames upon impact. Prevella was seriously burned. The Courant cites a statement by Gill in which he said the manner of death is "pending further investigation of the circumstances." The NTSB has already turned over the lead in the investigation over to the FBI. The FBI was initially looking to see if the crash was an act of terror, but that has been apparently ruled out. CBS News, citing the Associate Press, reported that investigators believe it was a suicide attempt, not terror-related. Freiteka, a Jordanian national first entered the U.S. in 2012 on a student visa to go to flight school. Freitekh returned to the U.S. in 2016, also on a student M1 visa, to attend the same flight school. The Courant cites sources who said he was distraught and feeling stressed over his poor performance at Hartford-based American Flight Academy. Fretekh already had his pilot's license and was taking advanced training. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Russia is ready to extend the duration of stay of Azerbaijani cargo carriers in its territory to 120 days, head of the international cooperation and transportation sector of the State Motor Transport of Azerbaijans Transport Ministry, Hidayat Aslanov said Oct. 20. According to the existing regulations, Azerbaijani citizens, including cargo carriers, are allowed to stay in the territory of Russia for up to 90 days without a permit, said Hidayat Aslanov. Those who do not abide by these restrictions are sanctioned and deported from Russia for a period of 3 years. In accordance with the decree of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, we appealed to the Russian side with a request to increase the length of stay for cargo carriers. Presently, a mechanism to distinguish cargo carriers from regular citizens must be created, said Aslanov. He added that Russia proposed to extend the duration of stay of Azerbaijani cargo carriers to 120 days as a solution. It is proposed to create a special permit for the cargo transporters, which will certify their activity. If this decision is made and approved at governmental level, we will send a request to Russian Interior Ministry on termination of sanctions against 150 Azerbaijani cargo transporters who were previously deported, said Aslanov. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Azerbaijans capital Baku will host the Azerbaijan-Ukraine business forum in November, said Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alexander Mishchenko. He made the remarks Oct. 20 during a tourism forum in Baku. Mishchenko said the officials of about 50 Ukrainian companies from various spheres of economy will visit Baku for the forum. A number of issues, including the construction of a plant for manufacturing the Ukrainian Antonov An-178 aircraft in Azerbaijan, as well as the construction of a medicine plant in Azerbaijan with the support of Ukraines biggest pharmaceutical company Indar, will be discussed during the forum, noted the ambassador. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Ukraine amounted to $234.7 million in January-September 2016, some $201.8 million of which accounted for imports from Ukraine, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. Details added (first version posted at 12:41) Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Dubai may become a hub for the export of Azerbaijani goods to other countries of the Middle East, Head of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Rufat Mammadov told reporters in Baku Oct. 20. The UAE is a traditional partner of Azerbaijan, and our companies show great interest for the Middle East, Mammadov said. Given this interest and numerous appeals, we are planning to organize an export mission to Dubai within the mechanisms to promote the brand Made in Azerbaijan. The main objective is to export our products to Dubai, as well as other countries of the region through Dubai, he said. He said that Arab companies show interest for Azerbaijani products, mainly for production of agricultural and food companies, in particular for fruit juices produced in the country. Considering this, we also plan to put the country stand under the brand Made in Azerbaijan at one of the largest exhibitions of the region, Gulf Food, in 2017, Mammadov said. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to $57.82 million as of Jan.-Sept.2016, which is 23.8 percent more than in the same period of 2015, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. As many as 223 companies from the UAE operate in Azerbaijan, and the volume of direct investments by the UAE in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan's economy is approximately $659 million. CEO Elon Musk announced Wednesday that the automakers Model S, X and forthcoming Model 3 sedan will start being outfitted with "the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver." Marco della Cava , USA TODAY Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/10/19/tesla-announces-fully-self-driving-fleet/92430638/ "The quality of veterinary services of the country is a sine qua non for the preservation of animal welfare..." Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, mark an International Day of the Girl Child through their Educating Linda program, which supports girl education (#yesforGirl Education) and ending child marriage (#EndChildMarriage) through helping young girls who are unprivileged but brilliant to continue their education. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and also an Executive Director of the song expressed, We at Merck Foundation mark Girl Child Day every day through our continuous efforts with our partners, African First ladies to implement Educating Linda program in their countries, which is a part of our More Than a Mother campaign. I strongly believe that an educated girl will lead a healthy life, save lives, build a stronger family, earn a better income, make informed choices, empower her community, lift her country and reduce inequalities. However, it has been seen that many girls drop out of the school due to many challenges such as: lack of necessities such as fees and uniforms. Therefore, as a part of Educating Linda program, in partnership with the African First Ladies who are also the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother campaign we have contributed to the future of 1000s of girls by providing with scholarships and essential school items in many African countries. Moreover, I am very happy and excited to share that to mark this important day, H.E. CLAR MARIE WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia, also the Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother, distributed essential school items to over 450 school-going girls in Liberia. The items were provided by Merck Foundation as a part of our Educating Linda project. More will be distributed in the near future, moreover we will provide scholarships to 20 unprivileged but brilliant Liberian girls to continue their school education. added Senator Rasha Kelej. As a part of Educating Linda Program, Merck Foundation in partnership with the African First Ladies has provided scholarships for young girls in many countries like Burundi, Central African Republic, DRC, Ghana, The Gambia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Merck Foundation has also provided 3,000 sets of essential school items for girls schools in many countries like Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, and Zambia. Each of the recipients gets a set containing 1 Ruler, 3 Pencils, 2 Erasers, 1 Sharpener, 1 Pen, 6 Color Pencils, 1 Triangular Ruler, 1 Protractor, and 1 Fabric Bag. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej further emphasized, In partnership with the African First Ladies, we have been building healthcare capacity through providing training to healthcare providers in many medical specialties. More than 1470 medical graduates have benefitted from this program so far. I am very proud that out of these over 650 are female medical graduates. This is close to 50% of the total beneficiaries, which is a great milestone for us. Moreover, we have emphasized on the importance of supporting girl education through Our Africa by Merck Foundation, a pan-African Tv program broadcasting across the continent and available on our social media. Merck Foundation has also announced the MARS Awards to appreciate and recognize Best African Women Researchers and Best Young African Researcher. The aim is to empower women and young African researchers, advance their research capacity and promote their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Mauritius has been appointed as the coordinator of the African Group at the World Trade Organisation. The African group consists of all 43 African WTO members and provides a forum to exchange views on how best to improve Africas participation in the WTOs multilateral trading system. The role of the coordinator is to speak as one voice on behalf of Africa at the WTO, thus strengthening the negotiating influence of the continent on issues of common interest. As coordinator, Mauritius will lead the African Group at Expert, Ambassadorial and Ministerial levels up to the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) that would tentatively take place in December 2021. Against the backdrop of the coming into force of the AfCFTA, this position will give Mauritius an opportunity to increase its engagement with other African countries, particularly on their trade interest. On 29 January 2021, the Honourable Minister Nandcoomar Bodha participated in a virtual WTO Informal Ministerial Gathering and expressed the views and expectations of the African Group for MC12. The Hon. Minister stressed the need for WTO to appoint a Director General at the earliest in order to facilitate preparations for the MC12. He further explained that Africa seeks, from the MC12, an outcome that would address Economic Recovery, Sustainability and Inclusivity. Other priority subjects for the African Group are the deepening of the Special & Differential Treatment principle, finding a just and fair outcome to the outstanding negotiations on fisheries and agriculture and the possibility of granting a TRIPS waiver in order to ensure that all WTO members receive timely and equitable access to affordable vaccines and therapeutics. The Ministers expressed their determination to maintain a credible multilateral trading system and to restore a fully functional WTO dispute settlement system. Several Ministers also supported new initiatives launched in response to global challenges such as the structured discussions on Trade and Environmental Sustainability. The meeting called for tangible outcomes, by MC12, on the Joint Statement Initiatives. Inter alia finalizing the process on Services Domestic Regulation and making substantial progress on E-commerce and Investment Facilitation as well as on Trade and Womens Economic Empowerment. In conclusion, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to engage in the preparations for MC12 in order to advance key issues. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Adesina received the African of the Year Award from the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA), in recognition of his bold leadership and the innovation of the Africa Investment Forum which opened up billions of dollars of investment into the continent. The ninth edition of the awards, organized by AABLA in conjunction with CNBC Africa, seeks to honour leaders who have contributed and shaped the African economy. The Africa Investment Forum (https://AfricaInvestmentForum.com/), inaugurated in 2018, has been a trailblazer in tilting investments into the continent. The second edition of the Forum which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa ended on 13 November. It was attended by over 2,000 delegates and secured investor interest worth $40.1 billion up from $37.1 billion the previous year. It is indeed a great honour, Dr Adesina said in remarks during the exclusive gala dinner held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, at which the awards were announced. Adesina added that he was overwhelmed to follow in the footsteps of his big brother President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who won the award in 2018. My heartbeat is to serve the people of Africa, Adesina said. The event was attended by an A-list of business leaders, government representatives including David Makhura, Premier of Guateng Province, who gave the opening address. The event also attracted some of South Africas leading personalities. Vibrant music was provided by The Muses, a south African all-female string quartet and Dr Victor And The Rasta Rebels. The awards are decided by a jury of continent-wide judges led by Sam Bhembe, CNBC Africa Non-Executive Director, following evaluation of a shortlist of finalists to determine the overall category winners. Bhembe said the award reflected how the winner would shape the future of the African continent, and that the winner would brace the cover of a special edition of Forbes Africa. In other categories of the 2019 awards, Nigerian Co-Founder of Kobo360, Obi Ozor won Young Business Leader of the Year; Naspers CEO: South Africa, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa took the Business Woman of the Year award; while Nedbank, won the Company of the Year award. Adesina dedicated his award to the people of Africa who inspire me... I do not work alone. He also said it was very rewarding to be at the helm of an organisation that paves the way to progress. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: The International Rating Agency S&P Global Ratings raised its long-term counterparty credit rating on Kazakhstan-based Kazkommertsbank (KKB) to 'B-' from 'CCC+', the agency reported on Oct. 20. The outlook is negative. The agency also affirmed the 'C' short-term rating. At the same time, S&P raised the Kazakhstan national scale rating on KKB to 'kzB+' from 'kzB-'. The upgrade reflects KKB's strengthened capitalization, as measured by our risk-adjusted capital ratio (RAC), thanks to small positive net income in the first half of 2016, the company said. The agency now expect the RAC ratio (4.5 percent on June 30, 2016) to remain comfortably above 3 percent in the next 18 months, contrary to the previous expectation that it would fall below this threshold. The forecast is based on a low growth rate in total loans and assets of 3-7 percent in 2016-2018, limited positive results, and the rebalancing of the loan portfolio to the retail and small and midsize enterprise (SME) sector from the construction and real estate industries. While S&P no longer considers the bank's financial commitments to be unsustainable in the long term, KKB's management team continues to face difficulty in developing new business while addressing a legacy of poor asset quality, amid unsupportive operating conditions in Kazakhstan and weak capitalization. The bank's profits also remain dependent on the continued performance of BTA, a workout entity to which it remains heavily exposed. The agency still views the bank as having high systemic importance in Kazakhstan, and that the government is supportive of the domestic banking sector. The assessment of the bank's systemic importance reflects its strong market share of 25 percent in total lending and 19 percent in retail deposits as of Sept. 1, 2016. KKB is also the largest recipient of funding under government support programs (430 billion tenge outstanding, including 250 billion tenge from Distressed Assets Fund for 10 years). S&P therefore incorporates in the ratings a two-notch uplift for government support. The agency also factors in its view that KKB remains a poor performer in its peer group, mainly local Kazakh banks. It notes, for example, KKB's higher credit risk than its peers, due to its highly concentrated exposure to BTA, and a track record of volatile profitability with losses posted in 2012 and 2015. The negative outlook on KKB reflects pressure on the bank's capitalization, profitability, and asset quality from the negative trends in the Kazakh economy and banking sector. The agency believes these trends will persist in the next 12 months, potentially undermining management's attempts to turn around the bank's profitability. S&P could take a negative rating action in the next 12 months if it observed material deterioration in the bank's asset quality or creation of significant additional provisions. This could significantly weaken its capital buffers, resulting in the projected RAC ratio declining to below 3 percent. A notable reduction in the bank's liquid assets, which raises concerns about the bank's ability to repay forthcoming wholesale debt repayments, will also be negative for the ratings. S&P would consider revising the outlook to stable in the next 12 months if it have greater confidence in the bank management's ability to deliver profitable growth and improve asset quality. This could be supported by stabilized operating conditions in the Kazakh banking sector. An outlook revision to stable would also hinge on KKB's ability to maintain stable funding and liquidity indicators and for the Kazakh government to continue supporting the bank. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Ukraine offers Azerbaijan to organize health tours to Truskavets for war veterans and people with disabilities, said Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alexander Mishchenko. He made the remarks Oct. 20 during a tourism forum in Baku. We want to arrange health improvement tours to Truskavets for war veterans and people with disabilities, he noted adding that the relevant negotiations are being conducted with Azerbaijans Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population. The ambassador added that Ukraine is also actively cooperating with Azerbaijan in the education sphere. About 6,000 Azerbaijani students are studying in Ukraine, said Mishchenko. Currently, we are also starting cooperation with Azerbaijan in order to ensure that our students can get education in your country in the energy sphere, as well as defend dissertations. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Ukraine amounted to $234.7 million in January-September 2016, some $201.8 million of which accounted for imports from Ukraine, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Azad Hasanli Trend: An international exhibition RecExpo II on real estate and investments will be held in Baku, 22-24 November 2016, event manager and Azerbaijani partner of the Turkish company, Ilkin Abdiyev, at the press conference, Oct. 20. According to Abdiyev, the event will be organized with assistance of Azerbaijans Committee on Property Issues and ElanExpo and Atlm Fuarclk companies. Around 100 real estate projects of Azerbaijan, Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus will be presented at the exhibition. Along with the 15 largest Azerbaijani companies, construction and investment companies from 10 countries -Turkey, UAE, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Hungary, Georgia and others will present their projects at the Baku Expo Centre," he said. According to Abdiyev, various prizes for the guests are anticipated, an opportunity to win a trip to Turkey in particular. At the same time, it will be possible to buy different real estate with discounts and by getting a mortgage, he added. In turn, Director of the press service of the State Committee on Property Issues Gulu Halilov stated that RecExpo II is the only specialized exhibition in Azerbaijan devoted to real estate. The main goal of the exhibition is to revive the real estate market in Azerbaijan, to increase the volume of local and foreign investments, as well as familiarize foreign investors with Azerbaijans real estate market and involve them in the privatization process in the country, said Halilov. In addition, the press service head said that information on a single electronic land registry, put up for privatization by public properties, as well as innovations in the field of property registration, e-services related to real estate, navigation systems and other projects, will be available on the stand of State Property Issues Committee. He added that a large conference on Real Estate Sector Investments will be held in Baku. Nov. 23. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AzadHasanli Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) paid compensations worth around 498.13 million manats to depositors of Dekabank, Kredobank, Zaminbank, Parabank, Caucasus Development Bank, AtraBank, Bank of Azerbaijan, Ganjabank, Texnikabank and Bank Standard, ADIF said in a message Oct. 15. Below is the list of closed banks and the volume of obtained compensations as of morning Oct. 20: Banks Paid compensations (million manats) Insured deposits (million manats) Bank Standard 232.47 460 Zaminbank 50.98 60 Dekabank 2.88 5.59 Kredobank 18.07 30.21 Caucasus Development Bank 1.88 2 Atrabank 14 14.55 Bank of Azerbaijan 24.09 24.2 Ganjabank 0.97 1 Texnikabank 119.98 122.6 Parabank 32.82 43.79 Acceptance of applications from insured depositors of DekaBank, KredoBank, Zaminbank and Parabank began Aug. 1, 2016 and the payment of compensations has been carried out since that day. Compensations to the insured depositors of Caucasus Development Bank and AtraBank are being paid starting from Aug. 23. Clients of Atrabank can receive compensations in the branches the deposits were placed in. However, those who concluded the contract in the Khazar branch must approach to the banks main office. Depositors of Caucasus Development Bank receive compensations at the banks main office. Payment of compensations to insured depositors of Bank of Azerbaijan has been carried out since Jan. 29, 2016 at branches of Muganbank and Rabitabank, and since Sept. 8 at ADIFs office. Clients of Ganjabank receive compensations since Feb. 4 at the branches of Rabitabank, Unibank and Kapital Bank. Payment of compensations to insured depositors of Bank Standard started Oct. 11, 2016 at the banks main office and its branches in the regions of Azerbaijan and will continue for one year. Depositors of Texnikabank can receive compensations since Feb. 12 at ADIFs office. The licenses of all the ten banks were cancelled during 2016 as the aggregate capital of these banks didnt meet the minimum requirements [50 million manats]. In general, they havent fulfilled the regulators instructions. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Azad Hasanli Trend: FINCA Azerbaijan does not plan to appeal to Azerbaijans Financial Markets Supervision Chamber to get a banking license, CEO of the non-bank credit organization Timothy Tarrant told Trend Oct. 20. Although FINCAs focus in the Azerbaijani market remains credit only, FINCA strategically would prefer to be able to offer all types of financial products to its clients, including deposit products. That being said, given the situation in the market in 2016, we believe it is not the right time strategically to increase product offerings, he said. At the same time, Tarrant expressed his hope that the financial markets will stabilize in Azerbaijan in 2017 and FINCA will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand its operational abilities. In the last years, FINCA repeatedly held meetings with representatives of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (which was a regulator of the banking sector prior to the Supervision Chambers establishment) to obtain a license for carrying out banking activities. FINCA Azerbaijan has operated in Azerbaijan since 1998 and it renders services to more than 150,000 clients. Alongside Azerbaijan, FINCA operates in 22 countries in Africa, Eurasia, South America, Middle East and South Asia. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AzadHasanli Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Azerbaijan will support any decision aimed at increasing the oil price, Natig Aliyev, Azerbaijani energy minister, told Trend October 20. The minister was commenting on the expectations from the November 30 OPEC meeting in Vienna. He said Azerbaijan has not yet received an invitation for the Vienna meeting. OPEC agreed to limit oil production in the range of 32.5-33 million barrels of oil per day at an informal meeting in Algeria on September 28. However, there is no agreement on specific limits for each of the OPEC member-state. A final decision must be made at the OPEC official meeting in Vienna on November 30. The organization expects a number of other oil-producing countries, especially Russia, to join the measures to stabilize the market. Oil prices have been decreasing on October 20. The price of December futures for the North Sea Brent oil mix decreased by 0.95 percent to $52.17 per barrel, while the price of December futures for WTI oil decreased by 0.98 percent to $51.31 per barrel as of 12:55 (GMT+4) on Oct. 20. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.20 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The future of connecting Israeli gas to the Southern Gas Corridor is unclear, to say the least, Sijbren de Jong, analyst at The Hague Center for Strategic Studies and expert in energy security told Trend Oct.20. Earlier, Cemil Ertem, advisor to the Turkish president, said that Turkey wants to connect Israeli gas supplies to the Southern Gas Corridor project. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor project. Other sources can also join this project at a later stage. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of TANAP and TAP. For the Israel-Turkey pipeline, there are essentially two routes possible: through Lebanese and Syrian waters or via Cypriot waters, de Jong said. The war in Syria rules out the first option, and the second route also is fraught with difficulties, he said, adding that so, the future of this pipeline is unclear. Should it be built however, then I see no difficulties to connect it to the TANAP pipeline, provided the necessary infrastructure gets built, the expert added. Error 404 Not Found You may have mis-typed the URL. Or the page has been removed. Actually, there is nothing to see here... Click on the links below to do something, Thanks! Take Me our of here by Richard Whitman , Columnist, October 19, 2016 Here we go again. Yet another agency promises to reinvent the ad agency by -- surprise -- doing things in a completely different way! This time it's the hilariously named Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious. The agency is based in Chicago and headed up by former Digitas creative strategist Mark Beeching. Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious (BGO) promises to think, work, and make money in ways never before done by agencies of the past. I'm told it's been set up in a way not to push marketing at CMOs, not to add to the noise, confusion, and cost of an increasingly messy agency marketplace. The agency will work with what they call an inside/out model. The agency will shape, buy, and orchestrate marketing from inside client operations which Beeching claims will be free from structures of legacy agency business models, cost structures, or turf wars. Of this new approach, Beeching said: "This isn't about selling brands more options. It's about helping them filter through the noise and understand what moves the needle. What to do. What not to do. How to do it. It's about ideas and execution freed from old agency bias and burdens." advertisement advertisement Yeah -- no one's ever done it that way before. Working with Beecham is another Digitas alum, Stephanie Sarofian, who said: "It's already a badly confused agency landscape for clients. It's a buyer's market. Why add to the problem and noise? Brands don't need more new approaches to marketing, but a new approach to the agency." Hammering home the approach, BGO financial guy Aaron Webber adds: "Agency change is smoke and mirrors or short-lived at best if you don't fundamentally change finances too." The agency plans to share risks and rewards in a variety of ways including performance-based remuneration as well as joint ventures with shared or full-risk ownership and funding by BGO. Gleefully slamming the status quo, head strategist Ron Gibori added: "We don't hide behind the facade of ad spends, mark-ups, and billable hours. We want to pull back the veil and get to work. We're very much an agency of record, of the collaborative economy, not agency zero-sum games, and freed up by our business/operating model to stay brilliantly small, transparent, and do what we believe in for clients, not push what we do." Right. Hey, you can't blame an agency for trying, right? Of course no one's really succeeded in doing anything radically new. Sure, plenty of agencies have slapped a new coat of paint on their exteriors but when you get right down to it, an agency's primary function is still to help a brand sell stuff by telling the right people about that brand in a way that makes those people want to buy the brand's product. Do we really need all this fancy buzzword bingo to convey what I just said in one sentence? by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, October 20, 2016 About 40 minutes into Wednesday night's debate at UNLV, Donald Trump looked to be on the way to his first clearly successful debate performance. He wasnt interrupting, he didnt sniffle, he stayed on message and appeared well prepared. Wrong! Then Foxs Chris Wallace, who was the most composed and effective of the presidential debate moderators, brought up Donald Trumps recent assertions that the election is being rigged in favor of Hillary Clinton. He raised the question of whether the GOP nominee would accept the results of the vote. Do you make the same commitment [as your running mate and daughter] that you will absolutely accept the result of this election? Trumps response, as Van Jones put it, made history. I will look at it at the time, began Trump, clearly unable to let go of his inner TV personality, hell bent on the dramatic. He continued in a back and forth with Wallace, until he was directly asked: "Are you saying youre not prepared now to commit to that principle [of a peaceful transfer of power]? advertisement advertisement What Im saying is that I will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. OK? What Donald Trump doesnt seem to understand, or more likely he just doesnt care, is that he is viscerally damaging our countrys democracy by questioning the integrity of 50 individual and independent elections offices throughout the nation. He has millions of adamant supporters who fiercely agree with his portrayal of the political and media elite. If he actually refuses to accept a loss on November 8, the fallout could be disastrous. A Clinton presidency looks increasingly likely, particularly in light last nights debate. Trump did next to nothing to expand his base of support, and Clinton had probably her best performance, with a perfect combination of offense and shunning attacks from her opponent. She successfully rebutted Trump when he attacked her 30-years in the public eye with a well crafted and practiced response comparing each of their lives over the decades. When more difficult questions about leaked emails came up, she successfully pivoted to Russia and Putin, effectively moving the conversation away from one of the toughest subjects throughout her campaign. Trump also missed a number of opportunities by not pressing the issue of the damaging video showing Democratic operatives talking about inciting violence at Trump rallies. Nor did he harp on the various positions Hillary Clinton has taken on trade, exposed by hacked speeches to international banks. Clinton got the sound bites in that she needed, calling Trump a puppet of Russias president Putin, which then dragged Trump into a typical childish retort: No, youre the puppet. In what was the strongest admonition of the Trump candidacy yesterday evening, Clinton propounded: You are the most dangerous person to run for president in the modern history of America. While that might actually be flattering to Trump, who dubbed his rival "a nasty woman," his candidacy likely wont be successful. Becoming hard to see how Trump can win the election, unless polls have been massively wrong all along, tweeted Nate Silver last night. by Philip Rosenstein , October 20, 2016 We have to assume Donald Trump is saying big league, though every time he says it, it really sounds like bigly. According to a Google Trends report, the second top trending search term during last nights debate in Las Vegas was bigly. The third most common fact-check question concerning Donald Trumps statements was: Is bigly a word? The search interest at the conclusion of the debate was dominated by Trump, with 70% of the searches, compared to Clintons 30%. In the final minutes of the debate, searches for early voting spiked 330%. The moment of the debate with the highest search interest was when Clinton told debate viewers to Google Trumps stance on Iraq. Donald Trump Iraq took the top spot in trending searches during the debate, followed by Bigly, Aleppo, 2nd Amendment and NAFTA. Top fact-check questions about what Hillary Clinton said were: 1) What is Roe vs Wade? 2) What happened at the Clinton Foundation? 3) What did Hillary Clinton delete? 4) Where do I find Clintons tax returns? 5) What is Clintons position on the Second Amendment? When tracking top fact-check questions on what Donald Trump said, Google Trends reported: 1) Did Donald Trump support the invasion of Iraq? 2) What did Justice Ginsburg say about Trump? 3) Is bigly a word? 4) Did Trump say such a nasty woman? 5) How many people did Obama deport? by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, October 20, 2016 California Attorney General Kamala Harris abused her power by arresting Backpage's CEO and two of its shareholders over alleged prostitution ads, they say in new court papers. CEO Carl Ferrer and shareholders Michael Lacey and James Larkin make that claim in a motion asking a California judge to dismiss all of the charges against them. "The AGs Complaint and theory of prosecution are frankly outrageous," they argue in papers filed Wednesday in Sacramento County Superior Court. "The AG seeks to impose criminal liability on a website simply because it published and received fees for third-party ads." Harris arrested Ferrer, Lacey and Larkin earlier this month on "pimping" charges stemming from Backpage.com's controversial escort ads. Ferrer was held in custody for one week, while Lacey and Larkin were incarcerated for four days, before being released on bail last week. Ferrer and the others argue that the charges against them violate the First Amendment as well as the federal Communications Decency Act, which immunizes Web sites from liability for crimes committed by users. advertisement advertisement They point out that Backpage has prevailed in several other high-profile lawsuits stemming from its ads. "The AG initiated this prosecution in the face of an unbroken line of cases holding that online forums for classified ads -- and specifically Backpage.com -- are protected by the First Amendment," they argue. "Government officials at various levels have attempted to censor such advertising forums in many ways, and each has been held to violate the Constitution." For instance, Backpage succeeded in striking down laws in three states -- Tennessee, Washington and New Jersey -- that would have prohibited Web site operators from selling ads that appeared to offer a "commercial sex act" with a minor. U.S. District Court Senior Judge John Nixon elaborated in the Tennessee case that the state law was trumped by Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, which provides that interactive services providers are not responsible when users create or post illegal content. Nixon added that the state law was unconstitutional because it applies to ads based on how they "appear," regardless of whether the ads actually feature people who are underage. Backpage has won other cases as well. Earlier this year, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that sex trafficking victims couldn't proceed with a lawsuit accusing Backpage of facilitating crime through the design of its online classifieds site. The court in that case ruled that Backpage was protected by the federal Communications Decency Act, which immunizes Web companies for crimes committed by users. Last year, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals also handed Backpage a victory by prohibiting Cook County, Illinois Sheriff Thomas Dart from continuing to try to persuade credit card companies to stop working with Backpage. But Backpage also lost a recent battle last year in Washington, where the state Supreme Court refused to dismiss a lawsuit against the company by three minors who said they were raped by adults who responded to ads on the site. That case could still be dismissed at a later date, but the court said the minors should have a chance to move forward with their allegations. Ferrer, Lacey and Larkin add that other courts have ruled that states violate the First Amendment rights of publishers and bookstores by charging them with crimes based on their distribution of unlawful material. "Criminal sanctions inhibiting free speech rights are among the most pernicious forms of government violations of the First Amendment," the executives say. "It is a basic proposition of First Amendment law that states cannot criminally punish publishers or distributors of speech without proof ... that a defendant knew that the specific speech that is the basis for criminal charges was unlawful." What's more, Harris previously admitted that she lacked the power to prosecute Backpage, Ferrer and the others argue. In 2013, Harris was among 47 attorneys general who asked lawmakers to amend the Communications Decency Act in order to stop sex trafficking on Backpage.com. "This case does not present a close question," the executives write. "The AG knows full well that Section 230 precludes the charges alleged in the complaint. Yet, she has brought them anyway, in a blatant misuse of prosecutorial authority." Harris is expected to respond to the motion early next month. by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, October 20, 2016 Nestle Toll House has chosen six young bakers from diverse backgrounds to show, by example, how rewarding it can be to surprise folks with a baked treat. Each day for 100 days, going through the peak holiday baking season, one or more of the Toll House Bakers will bake and deliver a goody to thank under-appreciated do-gooders or just brighten someones day. The group includes some chefs, along with enthusiastic amateur bakers who are involved in various worthy causes or community-oriented jobs. "With our bakers, we're making sure our actions speak louder than words and empowering others who share our passion to change the world one small act at a time, said Hyder Raheem, VP, Nestle Baking Division. advertisement advertisement The brand asked its social media fans to share ideas for baked-good recipients, and began the 100 days on Oct. 17, with a delivery of brownies to PAWS in Chicago. On day two, bakers delivered chocolate chip cookies to the Gildas Club in Chicago. In between the bakers @NestleTollHouse #BakeSomeGood postings about their activities, the brand is posting suggestions for other fans (Surprise the PTA w/ some Butterfinger Caramel Apples). Toll House will of course also encourage fans to share their own random acts of baking (so to speak) on its social media pages, including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, using #BakeSomeGood. The campaign will also include video and custom content on social, and a Bakers Blog at TollHouseBakesSomeGood.com (launching next week) where the six bakers will write about their experiences. Nestle Toll House recipes are also available at Nestles baking brands/recipes hub. Three agencies worked with the brands marketing team on the campaign: lead creative and digital AOR Resource/Ammirati; experiential agency GMR; and public relations firm Interfuse. Most women who used an experimental vaginal ring for HIV prevention report that the physical act of sex was largely unaffected by using the product, which is inserted monthly for continuous wear. This finding is among several insights gleaned about experiences of women who used the ring during the ASPIRE study, also known as MTN-020, announced at the HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) meeting in Chicago. ASPIRE evaluated whether the ring, which continuously releases the anti-HIV drug dapivirine, could safely reduce HIV infection among 2,629 women aged 18-45 years living in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Among participants randomized to receive the dapivirine ring, risk of HIV infection fell by 27 percent. A further analysis found that the ring reduced the risk of HIV infection by at least 56 percent among women who used it with greater frequency, and up to 75 percent or higher among those who used it consistently. Further exploration of the ring's clinical potential began in July 2016 through the large-scale HOPE (HIV Open-Label Prevention Extension) study, also known as MTN-025. ASPIRE, HOPE and their ancillary studies were primarily funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The nonprofit International Partnership for Microbicides developed the dapivirine ring and supplied it for the studies. "Women need an HIV prevention modality that offers safe, effective protection and is practical for use in their daily lives," said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "Women enrolled in the MTN-020/ASPIRE study reported that the experimental vaginal ring generally did not interfere with sexual intercourse, which is an encouraging sign that this product could appeal to a larger group of women at risk for HIV infection." The ASPIRE study staff interviewed 214 participants who used the ring to obtain qualitative data about their sexual experiences during the trial. A team led by Nicole Laborde, Ph.D., M.P.H., of RTI International in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, analyzed the participant responses. While most of these women found that the ring did not negatively affect the physical act of sex, some women said they were continually preoccupied with how their partners would react if they felt or discovered the ring. To address this issue, some women removed the ring before sex, a practice not recommended by study investigators. Other women limited sexual activities that they believed might heighten their partners' awareness of the ring, such as certain sexual positions and receptive oral or digital sex. Some women reported greater sexual satisfaction partially due to perceived protection provided by the ring. Other women reported diminished sexual pleasure associated with the worry that their male partners would notice the ring during sex. Additional analyses of the ASPIRE data revealed other patterns of experience among study participants. Because women who face intimate partner violence and other social harms more often find it difficult to adhere to the clinically proven once-daily antiretroviral drug Truvada as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, researchers investigated the connection between consistent use of the ring and these issues. While fewer than 5 percent of all ASPIRE study participants reported incidents of intimate partner-related violence or other social harms, women who did report violence or social harm within a month of the interview were nearly 2.5 times more likely to have low adherence to the ring. Younger age at enrollment, having a new primary partner and not disclosing study participation or ring use to the primary partner were significantly associated with reporting social harms. These findings, reported by a team led by Thesla Palanee-Phillips, M.Med.Sci, Ph.D., M.Sc., at the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa, indicate that more research is needed to determine strategies to mitigate low adherence in the context of intimate partner violence and other social harms in future studies of female-controlled prevention methods. The potential for women to suffer social harm and violence by sexual partners, along with other qualitative data from HIV prevention studies, suggest that some women may prefer methods of HIV protection undetectable by sexual partners. Additional new data revealed that a majority of women - 64 percent - disclosed the use of the ring to their male partners at the outset of the study, while 13 percent of study participants never revealed that they were using the ring. The investigators, led by Lulu Nair, M.B.Ch.B., M.P.H., of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre at the University of Cape Town, found that neither disclosing nor concealing use of the ring affected women's adherence to the product. "Sub-Saharan African women have a broad range of sexual experiences and relationship dynamics, and we are learning more about how these diverse behaviors and circumstances influence the use of the ring," said Dr. Palanee-Phillips, director of Network trials at the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa and protocol co-chair on the ASPIRE study. "While we have found that most women do disclose ring use to their primary partners, it is reassuring that adherence is not affected for the significant minority of women who choose to use it more discreetly." Researchers led by Ariane van der Straten, Ph.D., M.P.H., of RTI International also found that women's concerns about using an experimental vaginal ring for HIV prevention decreased significantly over the course of the study. At clinical visits, women were asked, "How worried are you about having a vaginal ring inside you every day for at least a year?" While 29 percent of women reported this concern at the start of the study, only 4 percent of participants did so at their final follow-up clinic visit. Specific concerns related to use, health, hygiene, sexual enjoyment and social approval also decreased significantly between the start and the end of the study. As research on the ring continues in the HOPE study, investigators will collect both quantitative and qualitative data from women at risk for HIV infection. All participants in HOPE will receive access to a package of HIV prevention services, including condoms, partner testing and counseling, and will be able to stay in the study regardless of whether or not they choose to accept the ring after their initial clinic visit. The study investigators believe this approach will shed light on the critical questions of whether participants like using the ring, and why. The ASPIRE study was funded by NIAID, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health, all part of NIH, and conducted by the NIH-funded Microbicide Trials Network. For more information about the dapivirine ring, visit www.IPMglobal.org. Learn more about ASPIRE by visiting ClinicalTrials.gov using study identifier NCT01617096 or about HOPE by using study identifier NCT02858037. Celgene has announced that adult patients in England and Wales with chronic plaque psoriasis will now have access to oral OTEZLA (apremilast) following a positive final appraisal determination from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).1 The decision is the conclusion of a NICE Rapid Review, and ensures patients in England and Wales join those in Scotland, who have been benefitting from access to OTEZLA since it was recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) in June 2015. Psoriasis, an inflammatory disease of the skin,4 is estimated to affect around 960,000 adults in the UK.5,6 Despite there being a number of effective treatment options available for psoriasis, evidence suggests that a substantial proportion of people with psoriasis recognise the need for new treatments.7 Professor Chris Griffiths, Professor of Dermatology, University of Manchester commented: "NICE's decision to recommend apremilast for the treatment of psoriasis is an important step forward in the management of a disease which for many patients can have a significant detrimental effect on their lives. Apremilast offers patients a much needed new oral treatment option that does not require routine laboratory monitoring. Clinical trials of apremilast demonstrated a reduction in severity of psoriasis and associated itching as well as improvement in hard to treat areas, such as the nails and scalp. The drug has the potential to fill an important gap in the psoriasis treatment pathway and its introduction is welcomed by patients and healthcare practitioners." Unlike current systemic treatments available for psoriasis, OTEZLA does not require regular laboratory monitoring or pretreatment screening,2,3 which may help reduce the burden of hospital visits for patients. NICE recognises the clinical benefit and innovation of OTEZLA by recommending it for use in England and Wales as an option for treating chronic plaque psoriasis in adults whose disease has not responded to other systemic therapies, including ciclosporin, methotrexate and PUVA (psoralen and ultravioletA light), or when these treatments are contraindicated or not tolerated, only if: the disease is severe, as defined by a total Psoriass Area Severity Index (PASI) of 10 or more and a Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of more than 101 OTEZLA, a tablet, has a novel mechanism of action reducing the activity of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4). PDE4 has been implicated in the process of inflammation. By reducing the activity of this enzyme, OTEZLA can help to modulate the inflammatory process associated with psoriasis.8,9 Over 100,000 patients worldwide have already been treated with OTEZLA.10 In clinical trials, treatment with OTEZLA for psoriasis showed a reduction in psoriatic skin plaques and other signs and symptoms of the disease including itch, skin pain and discomfort.11,12 OTEZLA also showed improvements in nail and scalp psoriasis2,12 and the quality of life in patients with psoriasis.2 Most adverse reactions were considered to be mild or moderate in severity. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms including nausea and diarrhoea were the most commonly reported adverse reactions in the Phase III clinical studies.2 In a longterm pooled analyses for patients taking OTEZLA up to 182 weeks, there was no increase in severity or frequency of adverse events.13 OTEZLA is currently undergoing NICE Rapid Review for active psoriatic arthritis. A positive Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD) recommending OTEZLA for use in the NHS was issued by NICE on 11th October 2016.14 A final decision is expected later this year. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.20 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Saudi Arabias policy of flooding the market with oil to try and squeeze out other producers from the market has failed, Sam Barden, the director of SBI Markets, an international commodity trading and advisory company, told Trend Oct.20. He noted that Saudi Arabias budget is in disarray and they need a higher oil price. The dynamics of the oil production have changed, said Barden, adding that Saudi Arabia is no longer the swing producer, instead the US shale oil industry is. I think the real issue, that no one seems to be talking about, and could be a talking point at the upcoming OPEC meeting, and the only real reason non-OPEC members might be interested in discussing, is the removal of petrodollar, he said. As we know, petrodollar is an instrument, which was put in place in the early 1970s by US and Saudi Arabia. Saudi would agree to only sell oil in US dollars and US would provide Saudi Arabias security, said Barden. This instrument is no longer useful or relevant in either the world or Middle East today, he said, adding that the US no longer can guarantee Saudi Arabias security alone, and Saudi Arabia no longer has enough muscle in the oil market to enforce dollar only in trading. Barden pointed out that the likelihood that oil from Iran will soon hit the market priced in euros is high, and this will be supported by both China and Russia. This will set the stage for an entirely new pricing, supply and demand paradigm in the global energy markets, he added. The old OPEC game led by Saudi Arabia is exactly that old, Barden said, adding that a new game is emerging: multi-lateral, multi-currency, trade based and not military based economic system. Advertisement Downward curvature of the penis (chordee) Abnormal spraying while passing urine Inability to urinate while standing "Using two unique populations of stem cells derived from the bone marrow, we were able to," said Dr. Arun Sharma, PhD, senior author and Director of Pediatric Urological Regenerative Medicine/Surgical Research, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "We also saw that new blood vessels were sprouting after the graft, which is important for tissue healing and growth."The novel use of stem cells and synthetic scaffolding material in this study follows Dr Sharma's earlier work in bladder tissue repair and regeneration."With this approach,," said Sharma, a sentiment echoed by Joceline Liu, MD, first author and Urology Resident, Northwestern Memorial Hospital.Hypospadias is congenital defect occurring in boys with the urethral opening on the underside of the penis, instead of being at the tip. It happens in 1 out of every 200 births.Symptoms includeIf untreated, it can cause complications during adult life, with difficulty in sustaining an erection and difficulties during intercourse.Hypospadias is usually diagnosed at birth, and surgical correction is performed between 3 to 18 months of age. Reconstruction is undertaken using graft tissue taken from the inner aspect of the child's cheek. This method may be associated with various complications, occasionally necessitating multiple operations.Congenital disorders such as hypospadias, malignancy, and trauma, of the genitourinary tract may cause considerable structural damage to the organ or functional loss, that needs correction by reconstruction or replacement of the damaged tissue.that have the potential to restore normal structure and function. Most of the tissue regeneration research has taken place in the past decade, and has found application in the field of urologic reconstruction surgery.. The current study used a synthetic scaffolding material that satisfied the criteria of an ideal scaffold such as being bioresorbable and biodegradable, and having favorable physical and mechanical properties. In addition, it should aid the proliferation of seeded stem cells and also ingrowth of native cells following implantation.. Due to the ethical issues involving the use of embryos to obtain stem cells, stem cells are being harvested from adult organs such as the bone marrow.Initial studies on animal models have yielded favorable results. The authors plan enlarge upon their initial research, and conduct animal testing followed by clinical trials before it can be tried on children."Before we can use it in children, however, we will need to conduct more studies in animal models, followed by future clinical trials. The findings of this study lay a promising foundation for continued research."Source: Medindia Advertisement Singhal told IANS that India needed to develop patient-centric pharma vigilance and foolproof systems to effective monitoring of drugs which are now critically endangering lives through side- and after-effects.Asked what exactly the convention wanted the government to do, Singhal said: "Reporting of the use of drugs should be prompt and proper. Patients themselves can come up and report their experiences of drug use.""At present, India does not have this system. We have advised concerned authorities to incorporate in the syllabus of pharmacy courses, monitoring and reporting of drug effects," he added.Researchers from Italy, Australia, Britain and other developed counties shared an alarming dimension of the problem and said that in developed countries more people are dying of drugs, their over-use and side-effects, than in accidents but monitoring of drugs use was not being done.Most drugs affect heart, liver or kidneys and brain too. That even aspirin could lead to stomach hemorrhage, came to notice 52 years after its formulation, the researchers pointed out.Although the World Health Organization was conducting selective monitoring, in India reporting and monitoring process was poor. Adverse drug reaction (ADR) centers are in Mumbai and Aligarh.Every medical college has a center affiliated with the central drug control organization. The Indian Medical Association too has started involving paramedical staff to report adverse effects of administered drugs.The conference delegates said that the Indian system of medicines should be standardized, as many Ayurvedic drugs were resulting in adverse reactions."The Jamnagar Ayurvedic University in Gujarat has started monitoring effects of various Ayurvedic medicines, but there was need for awareness rationalization of the whole system of medicines, including those used by Unani, as even today up to 75% of our population is using 'desi' medicines," Singhal told IANS.Source: IANS Introduction Jordan has been experiencing a severe shortage of qualified imams and preachers with a formal shari'a education. In March 2015, then-minister of religious endowments Hayel Dawood stated that about half of Jordan's 6,300 mosques have either no imam or an imam who is unqualified for the position.[1] This shortage has resulted in untrained local imams and preachers delivering Friday sermons in these mosques that contain extremist messages - including open expressions of support for terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria, and even attempts to recruit fighters to the Islamic State (ISIS). This issue has been widely covered in Jordanian and Arab media. In February 2016, worshippers in the Al-Mazar Al-Janubi district in Jordan's Al-Karak Governorate complained that several mosques there had no trained imams and were staffed by volunteers with no religious education and that their sermons are not in line with the mosque's religious message.[2] In 2014, the Ministry of Religious Endowments announced that it had fired 26 imams for various reasons, including leading prayers for ISIS or Jabhat Al-Nusra and spreading these groups' ideology.[3] In September 2014, the imam of a mosque in the Al-Russeifa district of the Al-Zarqa Governorate was arrested for calling on worshippers to help ISIS if it entered Jordan.[4] After Jordanian pilot Mu'adh Al-Kasasbeh was burned alive by ISIS in early 2015, several imams refused to lead memorial prayers for him, demonstrating their opposition to Jordan's participation in the international coalition to fight ISIS.[5] In recent years, the Jordanian regime has made efforts to combat extremism in the mosques. In 2014, it drew up a national anti-extremism plan that set out the responsibilities of various government offices and public institutions to fight it. Under this plan, the Ministry of Religious Endowments is tasked with: reorganizing its Preaching and Religious Guidance Administration and empowering it to select sermons that are in accordance with events and with the needs of the public and that convey moderate ideas; solving the shortage of preachers and imams; increasing oversight of mosques; improving training for mosque officials; taking steps to prevent extremists from preaching and from guiding worshippers; and cutting back on the number of mosques where Friday sermons are provided and transitioning to the model of "Al-Masjid Al-Jami'" ("central mosque"), as will be discussed further below. Additionally, in March 2015, the government approved measures ensuring that mosque imams are given proper shari'a training.[6] The issue of extremism in mosques made headlines again recently, after several imams ignored orders by Minister of Religious Endowments Wael Arabiyat to include in Friday prayers a prayer for Jordanian security personnel killed in a June 2016 ISIS attack on the Jordan-Syria border. Following this incident the minister of religious endowments launched the Central Mosques Program, as part of which there will be a mosque in each region that will be the only one offering a Friday sermon, led by a qualified imam and without the extremist messages commonly found in smaller mosques.[7] There has been criticism of the minister's plan to transition to the Central Mosque model. Opponents of this plan argued that the move is motivated by foreign interests and is aimed at a government takeover of the mosques and control of Friday sermons. They said that it will make it difficult for worshippers to get to mosques that are farther away, and will ensure that all the Friday sermons are identical and also irrelevant to the people's daily problems. This report will review the Jordanian regime's struggle with extremist mosque sermons, as well as the debate surrounding the implementation of the Ministry of Religious Endowments program for setting certain mosques across the country as Central Mosques. Imams' Refusal To Pray For Security Personnel Killed In ISIS Attack Triggers Responses On June 21, 2016, a car bomb targeted a Jordanian army post in the Al-Rukban area on the Syrian border, killing seven security personnel and wounding 14;[8] several days later ISIS announced, via its official news agency A'maq, that the attack had been carried out by one of its fighters.[9] Following the attack, Minister of Religious Endowments Wael Arabiyat ordered imams and preachers in Jordan to include prayers for the souls of those killed in Friday prayers.[10] However, according to reports on social media, a number of imams had refused to follow orders; this caused a stir on social media[11] and also triggered criticism in the Jordanian press. Minister Of Religious Endowments: My Office Will Work To Change The Misguided Views Of Some Imams Arabiyat quickly responded to the refusal to follow orders, stating that his office had received complaints from citizens that there had been no prayers for the victims at their local mosques. He stressed that the victims of the attack were martyrs and that everyone must pray for their souls, adding that as part of his anti-extremism strategy, which was also aimed at presenting the true face of Islam, the ministry would step up activity promoting? religious and ideological awareness among imams with the aim of changing any misguided views among them.[12] Several days later, ministry spokesman Ahmad 'Izzat said that the ministry had launched an investigation of the errant imams, and that it was already known that at over 200 mosques, there had been no prayers for the victims. He stressed that once the investigation is concluded, the ministry will take disciplinary measures against imams found to have refused to follow the minister's orders.[13] Minister of Religious Endowments Wael Al-Arabiyat (Al-Rai, Jordan, August 15, 2016) Former Jordanian Minister: ISIS Supporters Are Hiding Among Us - What Is Our Plan To Combat The Danger They Pose? Former Jordanian minister for political development and parliamentary affairs Muhammad Dawodieh wrote on Facebook that imams in two mosques in Amman, the Jordanian capital, had refused to follow the minister's orders to pray for the souls of the victims, and added that an imam in another mosque in the Marka area in Amman Governorate said that he would conduct these prayers although he opposed them. Dawodieh wrote: "This ISISist behavior complements the ISIS terrorist crime. Those who murdered our sons across the border and those who refrained from praying for them at home complement each other. There are criminal ISIS supporters hiding among us. Where is our cultural, political, and legal plan to combat the danger they pose?! This extremist behavior will quickly escalate to actual bloody terrorism."[14] Al-Ghad Writer: Extremists In Society Are A Domestic Threat In his column in Al-Ghad, Muwafaq Malkawi wrote that those with extremist views are no longer a minority in Jordanian society, that some of them are staffers at the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Endowments, and that their infiltration into these state institutions poses a real danger to society. He wrote: "They are not a minority; these people are a large group in society... The danger lies not only in their numbers, but also in the fact that some of them have infiltrated two sensitive and important institutions: the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Endowments... They constitute a hidden domestic threat... They teach our children in schools, and preach to them and guide them in the mosques. They openly sympathize with the violence carried out by terrorist groups that fight the homeland and the citizen, thus setting themselves against us and against our love of life. "They have been in our midst for many decades... We must not turn a blind eye to their massive influence on society, especially in light of the fact that there is only minimal oversight of what they do and how much contact they have with our children. We face a real danger, and ignoring it will no longer help. Even though a battle has been declared against the terrorist groups that we can see, we must still not forget those who live among us and who are trying with all their might and all subversive means at their disposal to build a front against our plan of loving life. Thus, their goals are the same as the goals of anyone attempting to bring destruction and chaos to Jordan. The fight against them must be top priority."[15] Al-Dustour Columnist: The Extremism In Society Endangers Jordan Al-Dustour columnist Hussein Al-Rawashdeh also wrote about extremism in Jordan, calling on the government to fight it: "The extremism developing in our society is not limited to a handful of imams who refused to pray for the souls of our martyred sons - even though that incident signals strongly that there are ISIS supporters at home... The results of public opinion polls and statistics also show that some among us are sympathetic to ISIS and other [terrorist] organizations. [Bad] enough that some 2,500 Jordanian fighters have joined the ranks of ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra in Syria and Iraq, and that according to a recent poll by the Center for Strategic Studies [at University of Jordan], sympathy [for ISIS and its ilk] is running at a dangerous 1%. Additionally, the Salafi-jihadi stream has 7,000 members or even more, and some its theoreticians still live among us. "If we examine the danger of the terrorist organization that claimed responsibility for the Al-Rukban attack [in which the Jordanian security personnel were killed]... and the danger of the extremist ideas that justify ISIS [ideology]... we will discover that our country is facing an unlimited and infinitely dangerous war, and that making do... with traditional solutions to deal with it is no longer sufficient... "We must demand that the government and other social institutions deal with the danger of extremism, which is developing and is no longer hesitant to show its face in public. [This must be done] not only by means of a strategy of allocating labor and tasks, and standard approaches, but also by means of a true revolution in religion, culture, politics, and education. We must change the terminology, and then smash extremism's objects of admiration... using persuasive answers that reassure [young people] about their identity, their reality, and their future and that sever their connection to the demons of extremism, wherever they may be. "Clearly, this task is difficult. But as part of the war that we are dealing with, it is a religious duty [to carry it out], and we must do so quickly and aggressively. Our victory in the war against terrorism will be based on our success in carrying out this task."[16] The Central Mosques Program: Ministry Of Religious Endowments Attempts To Combat Extremist Imams On July 11, 2016, Minister of Religious Endowments Wael Arabiyat met with the heads of religious endowment administrations from across Jordan to discuss the central role played by imams and preachers in the fight against extremist ideology. Arabiyat announced the implementation of the Central Mosques program, aimed at bringing worshippers together in large central mosques for Friday prayers led by a qualified imam. This program, he said, would end the establishment of improvised mosques led by unqualified preachers without proper religious training and allow worshippers to hear sermons based on principles, knowledge, morals, and guidance delivered by qualified clerics. According to Arabiyat, Jordan has thousands of mosques offering Friday prayers that need many qualified preachers to give worshippers real substance instead of empty words. He stressed that no mosques would be shut down, but that worshippers would come to the central mosques on Fridays for prayers conducted according to set criteria. He directed the head administrators to provide the ministry with a list of mosques that could be consolidated under the program.[17] The program was launched on July 15, 2016, with the head of the endowments administration in the Ma'an Governorate, Sheikh Bilal Al-Bahri, delivering a Friday sermon at the Maria Al-Qibtiyya[18] Mosque in the city of Ma'an. Referring to the program in his sermon, the sheikh linked the concept of a central mosque to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, and stated that the central mosques program was aimed at eliminating disagreement, hostility, and hatred by bringing Muslims together.[19] Sheikh Bilal Al-Bahri delivers a sermon at Ma'an mosque (alqalahnews.com, July 15, 2016) On August 5, the program was rolled out in Al-Balqa Governorate, where Arabiyat himself served as the Friday preacher at the Fatimah Al-Zahraa Mosque in the city of Al-Salt. In his sermon, Arabiyat said that Friday prayers at a large central mosque is a good practice aimed at uniting believers instead of dividing them, and stressed that the goal of the central mosques program was to bring religious discourse back to a path of moderation and rejection of extremism.[20] In July and early August, preparatory meetings for launching the program were held in several governorates.[21] At the same time, training began for imams and preachers on the topic of fighting extremist takfiri ideologies. On August 11, 24 imams and preachers from the endowments administration in the northern governorates of Al-Mafraq and Irbid completed a course in Al-Mafraq conducted by the center for a healthy society, which belongs to the Preventative Security Department of the General Security Directorate. The course was aimed at clarifying the dangers of extremist ideology, setting out methods to deal with it, and explaining the role played by imams and preachers in conveying messages to society via the pulpit.[22] Ministry Of Religious Endowments Promotes Its Central Mosques Program After announcing the central mosques program, Arabiyat began promoting it in meetings with ministry employees across the country. At one such meeting, he told imams, preachers, and religious guides from mosques in the Al-Karak Governorate that their role was to lead a moderate religious discourse and to combat oppression, crime, and takfiri ideas that he said have distorted the image of Muslims and Islam. The mosque, he added, plays a crucial role in bringing believers together to worship God, to learn about the dictates of the religion, and to condemn extremism and fanaticism. He also said that the imam needs to play a central role in supporting the army and security forces with a religious discourse that lionizes soldiers defending their homeland and the holy sites, and that his ministry would be training imams and working to improve the content and language of the sermons that they deliver so that the citizens can be faithfully served.[23] At another meeting, with imams, preachers, and religious guides in the Al-Zarqa Governorate, the minister stressed the crucial role played by imams in defending mosques, and the role of the mosque pulpit in instilling in the public an awareness of moderate Islam.[24] He also met with the secretary-general of the Conference of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ministers in Islamic Countries, Zaid Al-Dakan, presenting to him the central mosques program and stressing the need for creating enlightened discourse in the Muslim world in order to combat terrorism and counter those trying to harm the true image of Islam.[25] Arabiyat also praised his program in a series of interviews with local media. He told the daily Al-Dustour that he wanted to make central mosques into ideological and cultural lighthouses for the local population, adding that they, along with an enlightened Islamic discourse, will protect Islam.[26] In another interview with a local radio station, he added that the central mosques program had been under consideration for 15 years, and that his predecessors had decided to postpone implementing it.[27] In a comprehensive interview with the official daily Al-Rai, Arabiyat dismissed criticism of the program, stating that the program is based on ideological and religious foundations and is not aimed at large mosques but at mosques with only a handful of worshipers, and reiterating that the preachers at these mosques spread dangerous ideas. The central mosques, he said, would meet the need to intelligently curb extremism in religious discourse, and under the program preachers will be trained in topics such as religious law, Arabic grammar, education, and communication skills, including body language.[28] Al-Rai published several articles promoting the program. One, "Implementing the Central Mosques [Program] - To Avoid Misunderstandings," stressed that the sole purpose of the program is to actualize the public interest by consolidating mosques so as to prevent untrained preachers who are not employees of the Ministry of Religious Endowments from giving sermons. The article emphasized that the program is not bid'a, that is, innovation forbidden by Islam, and that similar programs had been implemented in the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, the Al-Azhar Mosque in Egypt, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and others. The article also stated that the ministry had no intention of shutting down mosques or preventing new ones from being built, and that worshippers who cannot reach the central mosque in their area are free to pray at a mosque of their choice but that there would be no Friday sermons at the smaller mosques because the Ministry of Religious Endowments cannot provide a preacher.[29] Another article stressed that attending a central mosque for Friday prayers was common in the ancient Islamic world, citing a professor of Islamic law from the University of Jordan in 'Amman.[30] Also to promote the program, the ministry's Fatwa Department issued a ruling stating that it was best to bring all worshippers together at a large central mosque so that they can pray in peace and security, that attending a central mosque for Friday prayers adhered most closely to the shari'a, and that there should not be too many mosques offering Friday prayers except when the central mosque is too crowded or too far away.[31] The ministry also posted on its website a suggestion for a Friday sermon on the topic of central mosques in Muslim society, complete with Islamic sources.[32] Criticism Of Centralized Mosques Program Despite the promotional efforts, the program was not overwhelmingly welcomed in the country, and most of the criticism came from the Muslim Brotherhood newspaper Al-Sabil and local websites. Several imams argued that the program's real aim was to tighten state control over the mosques and that it will serve the government's policy of silencing dissent. Another claim was that worshippers, particularly the disabled and elderly, would refrain from traveling to distant mosques.[33] Individuals who had reservations about the program wondered whether the ministry had considered security aspects, since such a large concentration of worshippers could become a target for attacks.[34] Majed Al-'Omari, a former official in the Jordanian union of imams, expressed concern that the program would result in preachers delivering similar sermons dictated by the administration and government, and that the sermon topics would be far removed from the daily reality of Muslims across the country and in the entire Muslim world.[35] Another concern was that all preachers would only be allowed to read aloud the sermon issued to them, as was proposed in Egypt.[36] Several opponents of the program even called on the minister to cancel it altogether.[37] The Program's Real Purpose Is To Take Over Friday Sermons Anis Khasawneh, an academic and Islamist political analyst, published several posts on Facebook, which also appeared on local websites, attacking Arabiyat and the central mosques program. In a July 29 post titled "Will the Minister of Religious Endowments Lose His Job over His Decision for Uniform Friday Sermons?!" Khasawneh wrote: "The decision by the minister of religious endowments for uniform Friday sermons and to consolidate Friday prayers in a limited number of mosques is provocative, burdens the citizens, and makes it difficult for them to worship. This decision can only be seen as a takeover of Friday sermons, and as coming between the faithful Muslim and Allah. Its real aims are clear, even if Minister Arabiyat disguises them as Sunnah [i.e., a religious custom that is regarded as positive but not mandatory] and claims that the central mosque is modeled after the activity of the Prophet. Indeed, worshippers in the north, center, and south of the kingdom already suffer greatly because many mosques have been shut down in order to force them to attend specific mosques in accordance with this decision - a decision like those of dictators and tyrants who fought the religion and did all they could to limit its spread and the role of mosques in dealing with the matters and problems of the ummah... "Minister Arabiyat, who is known for his ties to and bias in favor of the regime and the security apparatuses, is forcing the faithful to implement his decision and vision - as if the Jordanians were sheep or cattle that he, a young and inexperienced [government] minister set on pleasing the powerful in any way possible, is leading. Minister Arabiyat insists on following in the footsteps of the regime sheikhs in Egypt, like [former Egyptian mufti and Al-Azhar Council of Senior Scholars member] Ali Gomaa and Kamal Al-Helbawi [the former spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe who left the movement in 2012]... Minister Arabiyat has launched an improper practice that is contrary to Allah's words [Koran 2:114]: 'And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strive toward their destruction. It is not for them to enter them except in fear. For them in this world is disgrace, and they will have in the Hereafter a great punishment.' "This minister, who, maybe even on his own initiative, met in his office with the U.S. ambassador to Jordan,[38] wants to turn Islam and the good deeds related to the worship of Allah into modern rituals that take place only inside mosques... It is strange that the minister wants to marginalize Muslims in a Muslim country, while Israel does not interfere with Friday prayer locations and does not impose a uniform Friday sermon. In the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Germany - countries afflicted by extremism - Muslims and mosque-goers carry out their rituals and prayers on Fridays and other days with full freedom and no interference by authorities. We worshippers do not care about Minister [Arabiyat's] professional ambitions or his connections to the security apparatuses, since that is his [own] business, but we want to pray and perform our religious duty of worshipping Allah in our own mosques - most of which were not built by the Ministry of Religious Endowments, which also doesn't spend much to maintain them, leaving the citizens to carry most of the burden through donations and charity. "Many citizens today have promised to challenge the minister's decision, because it is illegitimate, against the people's beliefs, and is no way to treat the elderly, the sick, and anyone without means of transport... Yes, next Friday many will protest against this decision, by opening [smaller] mosques for Friday prayers, or even by praying outside [the mosques] in the blazing sun. We must not obey the words of one of Allah's creatures who calls for defying Allah; Allah's blessing does not extend to decisions that are difficult for Muslims to carry out and that hamper them in performing the duty of worshipping Allah. "Will the leaders hear [us], understand this situation, and remove the minister before things get worse, protests increase, and the situation ends bitterly???"[39] Anis Al-Khasawneh (Facebook.com/Prof.Anis, June 2, 2014) The Program Will Produce The Opposite Of What It Seeks To Achieve - And Mosques Will Be Established In Secret In another Facebook post, on August 9, Khasawneh wrote: "The major efforts by young Minister of Religious Endowments Dr. Wael Arabiyat to strengthen control of the mosques and their preacher pulpits, to restrict Friday prayers to central mosques only, and perhaps even to choose the topics of the sermons from a website designated for this purpose by the ministry all undoubtedly show that the government intends to consider mosques to be dangerous centers for fostering terrorism, violence, and extremism... "It is interesting what the minister said on TV a few days ago regarding religious extremism and children's fear of going to mosques. I have closely examined this dangerous statement, which has shifted Minister Arabiyat closer to Bashar Al-Assad, who speaks of terrorist incubators and institutions. Oh, young minister, the mosques are the safest place for our [young] generation and are a safe haven against deviation [from the straight path]. It is from the mosque pulpits that teens are educated in good deeds, proper behavior, and reverence for Allah... "I fear that these measures by the minister, and what will follow them - such as installing cameras and overseeing worshippers, imams, and those at Friday prayers, could lead to considering mosques to be suspicious places, or [terrorist] sleeper cells... The great danger is that the steps being taken by the government that Minister Arabiyat represents will lead to what we are already hearing about - that some worshippers are considering conducting Friday prayers secretly, in private locations and homes. [If that happens,] conducting prayers and selecting preachers will be only with the consent of a handful of worshippers... and prayers will be held in alternating locations to ensure that security apparatuses will not pester the worshippers. "Jordan's minister of religious endowments is pushing things in unhealthy directions, and his effort to take over the mosques could produce the opposite of what it seeks to achieve, and force people underground."[40] Shuttering Mosques Will Reduce The Ministry's Income - Which Is Based On Donations From Worshippers Jordanian writer Salah Amin Okasha addressed the possible economic damage the program could cause the Ministry of Religious Endowments if it shutters smaller mosques that are supported by donations from worshippers: "The central mosque [program] is being implemented, and [small] mosques are already closing their gates [and not offering] Friday prayers. I will not address the false claim of the author of this decision, namely that he is following the path of the Prophet and reviving it [except to say that]... it is wrong to compare the situation during the time of the Prophet... to ours, as the circumstances are different and worlds apart... "We are not interested in [the minister's] lofty goals, his aspiration to build bridges of love and trust between him and U.S. administration officials [such as] the U.S. ambassador, or his attempt to please [his superiors] in order to keep his position... It is also clear to all that the aim is not to create a uniform religious discourse, as that would be is a simple matter regulated by issuing internal memos and guidelines for Friday sermons... Mr. Minister, there is no doubt that the paucity of skilled and trained imams is not [such] a big problem, for there are many ways to address this gap, by means of a mechanism that the Ministry of Religious Endowments and the Ministry of Higher Education can adopt... "I am talking about the financial impact this [program] will have on the Ministry of Religious Endowments, which is not financially dependent on the Public Funding Law. The [ministry's] economic independence was aimed at facilitating the receipt and distribution of donations, which are the main source of income for the ministry. This is because most mosques in the kingdom are funded by [worshippers'] offerings, and their [ongoing] expenses, maintenance, and renovations [depend] on these offerings. "Friday is the day the offerings are collected. So what will happen when the mosques are closed?!... How will mosques in the kingdom pay their expenses? What will become of the mosques? Will you [Arabiyat] fund them from your own pocket? "I am telling you that your decision is a failure, by all the standards mentioned above. You will ultimately back down from it - not because you want to, but because you will have no choice once the ministry is unable to fund its expenses."[41] * Z. Harel is a research fellow at MEMRI. Endnotes: Ever looked at a swanky building, a hotel or a mall, being constructedthe labourers toiling it out in the harsh sun, lifting heavy material on their lanky shoulders, sweat dripping down their muscular yet malnourished bodies tanned from being too much in the sun. When the mall or the plush hotel is done, a security guard is positioned at the entry. Those very people, with their tattered clothes, dishevelled hair, and sunken cheeks are not allowed to enter. The labourers worked to raise a building for a price, and they keep paying it forever. Thats how the world works and capitalism functions. Its sad, its a bitter pill the working class swallows every day. Artist Daniel Garcia came up with a brilliant illustration titled Your Own Personal Slaves that points to the oppression and modern form of slavery that works to make our comfortable everyday lives possible. Facebook From the coffee we drink to the clothes we wear, hundreds of poor hands work tirelessly to make it happen. We pride ourselves in the lifestyle we have earned for us; we flaunt our clothes and our cars, but we never realise that its actually the less fortunate who are actually behind those flawless pieces. The modern consumers, even if unknowingly so, end up being a reason why workers, especially in the third world countries, work in deplorable conditions with a pay that hardly justifies the hard work they do. Sometime back, a report by Amnesty International revealed the horrific working conditions in Democratic Republic of Congo where workers, many of them underage, mine minerals used in smartphones. A documentary by Pulizter Center showed how young children in Congo are forced to work in mines in sub-human conditions, risking their health and lives itself. Reuters This is the sad paradox of our modern liveswe are consumers of luxury and technology, and even if we are sympathetic towards the plight of those less privileged, we might inadvertently be contributing to their misery. Daniels illustration is a stark reminder of that paradox and it is important that we spread the message. To see more of his work, check out his Facebook page or visit his website here. What's surprising and sad is that the illustration has been banned by Facebook for 'not meeting its community standards.' Guess it's up to us now to share the message. Details added (first version posted at 11:26) Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Joint construction of new power plants by Azerbaijan and Iran will enhance energy stability and export potential of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Etibar Pirverdiyev, head of Azerenergy OJSC, the largest electrical power producer in Azerbaijan, told reporters in Baku Oct. 20. Pirverdiyev said that its necessary begin implementation of this project as soon as possible. This project is very important for both Azerbaijan and Iran, Pirverdiyev said. The work on the project must be accelerated. Earlier, the Iranian parliament passed a bill on the joint construction of two power plants with the Republic of Azerbaijan. The hydroelectric power plants will be built near the Araz River borderline in the Iranian town Marazad and Azerbaijans Ordubad. Iran and Azerbaijan inked a MoU last December which covers cooperation in 12 various sectors including energy. Based on the signed document the two parties will cooperate in construction of power plants at Khoda Afarin and Qiz Qalasi dams on Araz river and following the issue of agreement on the construction of "Ordubad" power plant on the Azerbaijani side and "Marazad" power plant on the Iranian side as well as implementation of joint guideline on border rivers' water management. Iran and Azerbaijan also signed a MoU on energy swap. In accordance with the document, the final prices of purchase and sale of electricity between the two countries were determined. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov The British Navy aka the Royal Navy is currently tracking Russian warships that are currently heading towards the English channel and might be passing through. According to sources, the warships are heading towards Syria and will be used for the final assault on Aleppo. The Royal Navy sent a Type 45 Destroyer that sailed on Tuesday to keep an eye on the Russian fleet along with a Type 23 Frigate. They are being used to escort the Russian fleet in the Norwegian Sea, which is set between Iceland and Norway. "When these ships near our waters we will man-mark them every step of the way. We will be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keeping Britain safe. says the Ministry of Defence spokesman. The Russian Fleet will sail through the English Channel today and into the Mediterranean Sea to eventually reach Syrian shorelines. An anonymous source told Reuters that the Russian Warships are ready for the final assault on Aleppo and are equipped with fighter bombers. AP The source also said: "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. "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. "With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive." Russia has a track record of using ships to shadow ulterior motives and false flag operations which the British Government is not ready to take a chance with. Russia is known to conduct illegal activities through official channels in order to push their own agenda in the unstable region. NATO and the British navy are currently monitoring the Russian warships until they sail through the North Sea and the English Channel. Russia announced that the aircraft carrier being sent is to only reinforce their military presence in the eastern Mediterranean and are focused on conducting bombings in Syria. However, as a gesture of goodwill, Moscow announced a halt on raids by their Air Force for the evacuation of civilians from targeted areas. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.20 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The Southern Gas Corridor will be the catalyst to many interconnector projects, Vice President of Communications and External Affairs at BP Emily Olson said, according to the website of Global Business Club Ltd. Interconnectors are part of the strategic intent of this project and will open up the markets in the region, she added. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor project. Other sources can also join this project at a later stage. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of TANAP and TAP. The most important thing to recognize today is that the Southern Gas Corridor is well underway in all six countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Albania and Italy, said Olson. The offshore campaign and the Caspian SCP-EX, TANAP and TAP are all under development and coming together as well, which is an incredible milestone for a project of this size, she added. So what we really focus on is making sure that people understand this is a real project, not a pipe dream, said Olson. Between Azerbaijan and Georgia there are 27,000 people working on the project and this section is approximately 80 percent complete, she added. In TANAP, there are over 6,000 people working in Turkey, said Olson. Greece has also started construction and the Albanian section has been underway for more than a year now. TAP is even doing some early construction work in Italy. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Electricity export from Azerbaijan via the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge may reach 700 million megawatts, said Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev in his article published by the official press Oct. 20. The work on the creation of the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge is continuing, noted Natig Aliyev. The project will allow integrating energy systems of the three countries and entering the European market in the future. The volume of electricity export within the project may reach 700 million megawatts. The minister added that work is being carried out to connect the energy systems of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran. Technical and political situation for the projects implementation is satisfying, he said, adding that the emergence of a new market, electricity transit and swap with other countries are among the advantages of the project. Electricity will be exported from Russia to Azerbaijan and further to Iran via the North-South energy corridor. The connecting of the three countries energy systems will create an opportunity to expand export and import operations. Azerbaijan will strengthen its positions as an exporter and transit country. A memorandum of understanding on electricity swap was signed between Iran and Azerbaijan in December 2015. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu agreed to expand trade and economic cooperation, Kazakh foreign ministry reported Oct 20. The meeting of two ministers took place in Kazakh city of Almaty within the third meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group of two countries. The foreign ministers agreed to actively promote the expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries, and facilitate the effective work of the Kazakh-Turkish Intergovernmental Economic Commission, the ministry said. During the meeting the sides also discussed cooperation in tourism, transport and logistics, military-technical and defense industry, and fight against extremism and terrorism. Special attention was paid to the implementation of the agreements reached during the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Turkey in April and August 2016, as well as to preparation for the meeting of the Strategic Cooperation Council under the heads of two countries scheduled for next year. The parties also discussed cooperation in the investment sphere and prospects of creation of joint Kazakh-Turkish investment and infrastructure funds which will invest in joint projects. Idrissov invited Turkish companies to work in Kazakhstan and noted that it will open them an access to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union, Central Asia, Russia and China. Idrissov and Cavusoglu exchanged views on topical international and regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine. They expressed mutual interest in strengthening the cooperation within the framework of such multilateral formats as the UN, CICA, OIC, Turkic Council and others. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 20 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Russian mobile operator MTS branch in Turkmenistan announced an open request for proposals for the services of maintenance and repair of mobile generator sets. Proposals will be accepted until 17:00 (GMT+5), October 26 at: Chancellery, Main Office of the MTS Turkmenistan, 85, Avenue of Turkmenistans Hero A. Niyazov, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 744035. The organizer: Department of Procurement and Logistics Management Contact person: Vladimir Petrovskiy Phone: +99366 120023 Email: [email protected] Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Oct. 20 By Demir Azizov Trend: Uzbekistans Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting with Secretary General of Algerias Foreign Ministry Hassan Rabehi, said the Uzbek Foreign Ministry in a message Oct. 20. Rabehi has visited Tashkent to attend the 43rd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), according to the message. Topical issues of cooperation in bilateral and multilateral format were discussed during the meeting, said the message. The sides confirmed their mutual interest in progressive development of relations in political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian and other spheres, considering the creation of a stable contractual-legal base of the Uzbek-Algerian relations and the intensification of contacts at various levels as an important step, according to the message. A protocol on cooperation and consultations between the two countries foreign ministries was signed as a result of the meeting. Hassan Rabehi, for his part, congratulated the Uzbek side with the fruitful results of the completed 43rd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers and wished successful chairmanship under the slogan Education and Enlightenment: the Path to Peace and Creativity, which is important for the OIC member states. Tehran, Iran, October 17 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: John Roberts, energy security specialist at Methinks, believes that the efficiency of the Iranian companies that the Oil Ministry introduces as partner to foreign investors is much more decisive than their ownership. "The international companies that sit for talks with Iranians, they are in a position to judge if their partners really are effective companies. Whether they are private or public companies is less important than whether they are effective partners," Roberts to Trend October 17. The Iranian Oil Ministry recently introduced eight companies as obligatory partners of foreign investors that would like to work in Iran under the newly developed model Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC). However, the selection of the companies came with two shortcomings. One was that they did not initially meet the ministrys technological standards, so the ministry had to lower its threshold to have the eight companies pass. The other shortcoming was the companies ownership. It has turned into a major question for foreign investors in oil and other sectors whether once they sit for talks with an Iranian to-be partner the company is held privately or by the state. Many companies start talks with Iranian partners only to find later that they are held by entities close to power. This created many problems for international business with Iran as the government was under sanctions, and still continues to be a glitch as a set of primary US sanctions remain in place. "If the company is well run, if it operates on transparent grounds, and if its technologically competent to do the job it is supposed to do, it doesnt matter if its held privately or by the government," Roberts, who is the chief analyst of Natural Gas World reiterated. "You have to ask the question is a company private simply because the government has officially divested it or has it simply passed it on to people who are still very closely connected to the state. So what is important is effectiveness rather than nominal status." Regarding the IPC, the said it is yet to be found if Iran is in a position to attract the kind of investment it wants to. "The next year will tell us if the IPC is flexible enough to achieve its goals. The IPC has got interesting things to it that the foreign companies have come to look at. However, on the whole the foreign companies have not yet committed themselves to investment in Iran," he observed. "We know the IPC has enough to get talks started, but we dont know whether the contract itself and the way the Iranians wish to see it implemented is sufficient to ensure this country gets the kind of investment it really wants." Asked about the feasibility of Tehrans ambitions in the current global market, Roberts said, "Regarding global atmosphere, I think some of the ambitions can be met. JCPOA is a great help, but you need to know if you can do business in Iran given accessing finance and handling finance under continuing US financial restrictions." "Second is how realistic Iranians are. They talk about a stable 8-percent growth. That is remarkable for a country at this stage of development. China and India achieved that, but the more comparable Turkey, whenever it achieved that growth, it was followed by recession to zero or so. It never got sustained 8 percent growth." "So I think they are probably being over-ambitious. And my worry is if thats the kind of talk they believe they can achieve, what happens if they do not." Tehran, Iran, Oct. 20 By Mehdi Sepahvand, Dalga Khatinoglu Trend: Iran hasnt received any international aid yet, but it still commits to reduce CO2 emissions, based on COP21 agreement, Houshang Falahatian, the deputy of energy minister, told Trend. He said Iran has various projects on environmental protection, including adding 5-10 gigawatts of renewable power to grid, increasing the efficiency of current thermal power plants from 37 percent to 42 percent by converting them to combined-cycle power plants, etc. Irans nominal power generation capacity stands at about 76 GW, of which only 0.32 percent are renewables. The share of combined-cycle power plants in the countrys total generation also stands at 25 percent. Iran has committed to decrease CO2 emissions by 4 percent in 14 years itself by investing $17.5 billion. By absorbing further $35 billion of international investments, Iran says it can reduce CO2 emissions by 12 percent. If Iran spends a total of $52.5 billion, its emissions would fall by 230.4 tons cumulatively, and with realization of only $17.5 billion of domestic investment, the figure would stand at 76.8 tons by 2030. CO2 emissions in Iran during the fiscal year to March 2015: Sectors CO2 (tons) Housing, commercial, general 137.269 Industry 100.392 Transportation 150.173 Agriculture 12.474 Power plants 199.922 Refineries 2.011 Total 602.267 Falahatian said Iran also plans to stop operation of old power plants and also curb the liquid fuel consumption in power sector. Iran consumed 24 billion liters of diesel and mazut in power sector in a fiscal year to March 2013, but the volume reached 2.35 billion liters in the first half of current fiscal year due to more gas deliveries to power plants. Iran increased gas deliveries to power plants by 20 billion cubic meters per year since March 2013. Falahatian also said Iran is preparing to install a new generation of F-class and H-class power plants with more than 58 percent efficiency. "The F and H-class turbines would be manufactured in Iran in coming three years as well," he added. Recently, Iran has signed a deal with Germanys Siemens to purchase F-class turbines and received its first F-class Siemens turbine, to be installed on Bandar Abbas power plant. The sides have been negotiating to establish a joint venture to produce this kind of turbines in Iran. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Emil Ilgar Trend: Philippines plan to buy more oil products from Iran, Philippines Department of Finance said in a report. Philippines Secretary of Finance Carlos Dominguez discussed the issue with Iranian ambassador Mohammad Tanhaei. Currently Philippines do not intake Iranian oil, while it is importing almost 70 percent of its needs from Persian Gulfs Arab nations, like Kuwait, from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, according to official statistics. The Iranian government has expressed interest in working with the Philippines energy sector in the fields of oil exploration and the petroleum product trade, the Department of Finance (DOF) said in a statement. In return, Iran promised to source more bananas from the Philippines. We do want to improve our relationship with Iran, Dominguez said. Iran exported about 2.05 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude oil, 435,000 b/d of gas condensate and the more than 400,000 b/d of oil products like diesel and mazut in September. Tehran, Iran, Oct. 18 By Mehdi Sepahvand, Dalga Khatinoglu Trend: Irans biggest petrochemicals producer Persian Gulf Holding Company plans negotiations with German companies to attract investments, high technology and boost cooperation, Adel Nejad-Salim, managing director of the company, told Trend Oct. 18. Persian Gulf Holding Company was the first Iranian petrochemical company to sign a usance payment facility, amounting to 320 million euros with a foreign company after elimination of sanctions on Iran in January 2016. The company and Japans Marubeni signed the deal in September. The company eyes $1 billion usance payment facility deals with foreigners by March 21, 2017, said Nejad-Salim. Iran has started negotiations with Germanys Siemens, BASF and Linde to boost cooperation in petrochemical sector. Iran needs $52 billion investment to increase the petrochemical products output from the current 60 million tons per year (mt/y) to 130 mt/y by 2021. Nejad-Salim said the head of Irans National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Marzieh Shah-Daei is preparing to visit Germany on Oct. 20 and he would accompany her. He said the Persian Gulf Holding Company is negotiating with foreign companies to attract several billion dollars investment in coming years. BAD AXE A 55-year-old Kinde woman recently was injured in a two-vehicle accident that took place on North Van Dyke Road near the Northgate Shopping Center Tuesday afternoon. According to the Bad Axe Police Department, 78-year-old Sebewaing man Robert Ziel was making a left hand turn out of the parking lot and crossed all five lanes of traffic before striking a northbound vehicle, driven by Kimberly Schramski. Ziel and his passenger, 78-year-old Lucille Ziel, said they were leaving the parking lot and were trying to cross the road into the Tractor Supply Company parking lot. UPPER THUMB Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, on Thursday hosted the winners of his 2016 Be a Senator For a Day summer reading contest at the Michigan Capitol. Eight students from Huron, Macomb, Sanilac and St. Clair counties went to Lansing with their parents to participate in a mock swearing-in ceremony and committee hearing and a guided Capitol tour. 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. 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 Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. Everest Re Group, Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Emil Ilgar Trend: A Malaysian trade delegation, headed by minister for international trade and industry Mustapa Mohamed will visit Iran on Oct. 21. Mohamed will meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh as well as the Minister of Communications, Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi to discuss the ways of boosting trade turnover, IRNA reported Oct. 20. According to the report, a conference between the sides private companies will also be held in Tehran. Malaysians will discuss various fields of business with Iran. About 15 Malaysian companies will accompany Mohamed during his three-day visit to Tehran. Capital One Financial Corporation was founded in 1988 with the goal of revolutionizing the credit card industry. The companys ground-breaking services were data-driven, opened the doors of credit to millions of people, and today Capital One is one of the worlds largest banks. The companys commitment to connecting people with responsible credit helped to rank it 10th in the US in regard to total assets and 72nd globally. The company has nearly $400 billion in assets in late 2022 and operated a network of subsidiary institutions including Capital One bank. Capital One Financial Corporation is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and operates a network of branches and offices throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. Capital One Financial Corporation is the holding company for Capital One Bank (USA), National Association; and Capital One, National Association, which provides various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Capital One Financial Corporation operates in three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking. The Credit Card segment operates a wide range of revolving consumer credit cards while the Consumer Banking segment offers a range of traditional banking and investment products including auto and home loans, savings, and certificates of deposit. The Commercial segment offers business accounts, financing, commercial and multifamily real estate, and commercial and industrial loans. In the US, the company serves its clients through digital channels, branches, cafes, and other distribution channels located in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and California. Digital services include online accounts, account services, loan applications, and investments. Among the many features of banking with Capital One are fee-free checking accounts, cloud-based financial tracking services, and Capital One Cafes. The company operates more than 40 cafes across the US where anyone, not just account holders, can get a coffee or snack as well as improve their financial education. The cafes are equipped with ample public space, nooks for private work, and even event space for meetings. Capital One continues to advance the digital financial industry to this day. The company was among the first to move its operations to the cloud, doing so in 2012, and it is now developing machine learning, open source, and cloud technology applications to help detect and prevent fraud, secure accounts, and improve banking services. Capital One is committed to aiding the worlds fight against climate change. To that end, it is pursuing several avenues that include influencing its value chain, fostering a sustainable office culture that is in sync with its surroundings, promoting and financing sustainable energy projects, and transparency in regard to its climate goals. Globant S.A. operates as a technology services company worldwide. It offers e-commerce, new distribution capabilities, augmented revenue management, hyper connected operation, and conversational user experience services through reinvention studios; digital lending, commercial effectiveness, finance, sustainability, regulation analytic, transformation and post-merger integration, and payment and open banking services; and game and graphic engineering, UI and UX design, game as a service, DevOps, and online services, as well as high tech tools. The company also provides smart farming, image diagnosis, healthcare interoperability, genomics data processing, telemedicine and medical device, research and development, and precision medicine services; media and entertainment, and travel and hospitality services; cloud transformation advice, building cloud environment, moving workloads to the cloud, cloud support and operation, chaos engineering, and site reliability engineering services; and data strategies, insights, data platforms, MLOps, and data as a product services. In addition, it offers agile delivery, blockchain, business and cultural hacking, conversational interface, cybersecurity, design, digital sales and marketing, enterprise applications, internet of thing, metaverse, process optimization, quality engineering, salesforce, smart venue, UI engineering, and sustainable business solutions. Further, the company provides smart underwriting, monitoring, and digital collection services; digital experience platforms; product strategy, management, and delivery services; and strategic architecture consulting, platforms evolution, and augmented composable solutions. Additionally, it operates augmented coding and testing, StarMeUp, PagoChat, ShopChat, and Walmeric platforms. The company was formerly known as IT Outsourcing S.L. and changed its name to Globant S.A. in December 2012. Globant S.A. was founded in 2003 and is based in Luxembourg. GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom. Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Parkland Corporation operates food and convenience stores in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean region, and Central and South America. The company operates through four segments: Canada, USA, Supply, and International. The Canada segment owns, operates, supports, and distributes a coast-to-coast network of retail convenience, food, and fuel sites, as well as commercial cardlocks and bulk fuel facilities; and provides propane, heating oil, lubricants, and other related services to commercial, industrial, and residential customers. It operates 1,812 retail gas stations under the Ultramar, Esso, Fas Gas Plus, Chevron, and Pioneer brands; and a convenience store under the On the Run brand. This segment also delivers bulk fuel, bulk and cylinder exchange propane, heating oil, lubricants, and other related products and services to customers in oil and gas, construction, mining, forestry, fishing, and transportation industries under the Ultramar, Bluewave Energy, Pipeline Commercial, Chevron, Columbia Fuels, and Sparlings Propane brands. The International segment operates retail service stations under the Esso, Shell, and Sol brands; and delivers and supplies gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, propane, and lubricants. This segment also provides commercial solar and other renewable energy solutions. The USA segment operates a network of gas stations; and delivers bulk fuel, lubricants, and other related products and services under the Rhinehart Oil, Farstad Oil, Conrad & Bischoff, Tropic Oil and NFN National Fuel Network brands. The Supply segment manufactures transportation fuels; transports, stores, and markets fuels, crude oil, and liquid petroleum gases; and manufactures and sells aviation fuel to airlines. The company was formerly known as Parkland Fuel Corporation and changed its name to Parkland Corporation in May 2020. Parkland Corporation was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited. Read More Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iran has rejected allegations about having any role in attacking the US warships near Yemen waters. Claims on Irans role in missle attacks against the US warships in Red Sea are baseless, suspicious and fiction, Bahram Qasemi, spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry said, IRNA news agency reported Oct. 20. He made the remarks in response to recent comments of US Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of US forces in the Middle East, who said on Oct. 19 that Iran may be behind missile strikes on US Navy ships fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. "I do think that Iran is playing a role in some of this. They have a relationship with the Houthis, so I do suspect there is a role in that," said Votel. Meanwhile Qasemi said that the US government should be much more careful about the measures taken by those who have sunk themselves in the cruel war against the Yemenis and try to increase the tension and expand the war in order to rescue themselves. Earlier in Oct. 15 it was reported that a US Navy destroyer was targeted in a failed missile attack from territory in Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, the third such incident in recent days. Multiple surface-to-surface missiles were fired at the USS Mason sailing in international waters in the Red Sea but the warship used on-board countermeasures to defend itself and was not hit, one defense official said, Reuters reported. 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"We've not actually determined that happened," he said. "We're not able to call it." Davis' remarks were first reported Tuesday by Military Times. A spokesman for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Lt. Ian McConnaughey, told Military.com on Wednesday that the Mason received indications of possible inbound cruise missiles while it was operating with the Nitze in the international waters of the Red Sea. "USS Mason deployed appropriate countermeasures in response to the threat indications it was receiving," he said. "U.S. commanding officers are authorized and obligated to act in self-defense to threat indications that appear to endanger their ships. No U.S. ships were struck, and there were no injuries to our Sailors." On Wednesday, the Navy continued to review the details and analyze data related to the cruise missile threat "indications" received by the Mason on Oct. 15, McConnaughey said. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters Oct. 15 that the Mason had apparently come under attack a third time. "The [USS Mason] appears to have come under attack in the Red Sea again by coastal defense cruise missiles fired from the coast of Yemen," he said. It's not clear what might have triggered a possible false alarm for the Mason or what countermeasures were employed. A Navy official confirmed that the Mason launched a RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile and two Standard Missile-2s, as well as a Nulka decoy missile, in response to the first pair of cruise missiles launched from Houthi rebel-controlled territory on the coast of Yemen on Oct. 9. All these are measures designed to immobilize incoming missiles or lure them away from a real target, such as a ship. When a second pair of missiles targeted the Mason and other ships in the region Oct. 12, the Navy responded by launching a barrage of five Tomahawk missiles from the Nitze, destroying three radar sites in Yemen used to target the ships. -- Richard Sisk contributed to this report. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck. AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships are flying night combat missions in support of the offensive to take the last major stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq, a U.S. general said Wednesday. "They've been flying at night, supporting any nighttime operations that the Iraqis are doing" since the Mosul offensive started Monday, Army Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky said of the Apaches in a video briefing from Baghdad to the Pentagon. "That platform has a lot of capability to see a long range at night and use its weapons system in a standoff capacity to strike targets, and that's what they're doing," said Volesky, commander of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Operation Inherent Resolve and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The Boeing Apaches, armed with a 30mm chain gun and four hardpoints for Hellfire missiles, are the latest U.S. contribution to the offensive, including airstrikes, intelligence, HIMARS rocket artillery systems, .155mm artillery and more than 100 U.S. advisers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, or JTACs, moving forward with advancing columns to guide coalition warplanes. Volesky said he wanted to clear up a "misconception" that the JTACs were on the front line with friendly forces calling in airstrikes. "They're primarily at the brigade level, but they're not forward at the front line of the troops -- tip of the spear," he said. Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, has authority to place JTACs and advisers, mostly Special Forces, at the battalion level with the Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga, but he has yet to exercise that authority, Volesky said. Iraqis Dictate the Pace The pace and planning of the Mosul offensive is being dictated by the Iraqis and could take months to secure the city. It was the country's second largest city with an estimated two million residents before the takeover by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in June 2014, said Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command. Votel said at the Center for American Progress think tank on Wednesday that ISIS is an "adaptive enemy capable of adjusting to setbacks. I'll give you an example. The operation we did to Manbij in northern Syria took about 71 days to complete, from start to finish." He also noted the importance of the "'simultaneous application of pressure" in the effort to defeat ISIS, suggesting that U.S.-backed local forces could begin moving toward Raqqa, the self-proclaimed ISIS capital in northeastern Syria, at the same time as the Iraqis move on Mosul. "I think it's extraordinarily important, and we are certainly attempting to do that," Votel said. "I think what we've seen is, when we apply pressure on the Islamic State forces, they do squirt out. They try to go to other locations, they move leaders, they move the bulk of their forces, they try to relocate some of their operations." Volesky made a similar point in his briefing to the Pentagon. "We've seen movement out of Mosul" by ISIS fighters, he said. "A lot of leaders have left. All I can tell you is there are fewer Daesh fighters than there were yesterday and there will be fewer tomorrow," he added, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS. "They die pretty quickly" when they choose to make a stand, Volesky said of the ISIS fighters, but he acknowledged that they have used mortars, automatic weapons fire and Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices to blunt the advance of Kurdish and Iraqi forces as they move through mostly abandoned desert villages to the outskirts of Mosul. Drones and Tunnel Systems ISIS also has been using small off-the-shelf drones to conduct surveillance of the advancing forces, Volesky said. "They are using them and we've seen them." The U.S. is taking countermeasures against the drones, he said, but declined to give details. Reports from the field also suggested that ISIS fighters are making use of extensive tunnel systems to avoid airstrikes and then pop up on the flanks and to the rear of attacking forces. An ISIS fighter came out of a tunnel near the village of Abbas, southeast of Mosul, and used a rocket-propelled grenade to destroy an Iraqi army tank, the Kurdish Rudaw news agency reported. A BBC report and video showed an Iraqi general in a Humvee frantically ordering a U-turn on the approach to a village south of Mosul. The Humvee ran into a ditch, and the general scrambled for cover against ISIS automatic weapons fire. Signs of Friction Volesky said the Mosul offensive is the first time he has seen the Kurdish and Iraqi forces coordinate and cooperate on a common objective, but there were signs of friction on the third day of the advance. Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish Regional Government, said that the Iraqis had left the Kurds out of the political planning process for the occupation of Mosul once the city is secured. "We would have loved to have a political plan along with a military plan -- how to manage Mosul, how to administer Mosul -- because Mosul has a variety of religions, with ethnicities," Barzani told CNN, but he conceded that political planning would have delayed the offensive. The Kurds are also concerned by the presence outside the village of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul, of a Turkish military contingent, which has been training tribal fighters for a possible role in Mosul. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly called for the removal of the Turkish military presence in Iraq, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Abadi's demands. Turkish warplanes are ready to join the U.S. and coalition airstrikes on Mosul, but the U.S. has yet to give clearance, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported. Volesky made clear that the U.S. does not expect the Iranian-backed Shia Popular Mobilization Units, which are supporting the Iraqi Security Forces, to have any part in the occupation of Mosul. "We don't support them," Volesky said, and the government of Abadi has been "very upfront about it -- Abadi said there won't be any Shia PMU in Mosul." He said the PMUs are "made up of multiple groups, some of them recognized terrorist operations." Volesky said the offensive thus far is "on track" to meet its initial objectives, but The Wall Street Journal reported that Iraqi forces south of Mosul had been ordered to halt the advance for 48 hours to consolidate gains and coordinate the next steps. "I'm not telling the Iraqis to rush to Mosul," Volesky said, adding it is understandable that they would not want to "go so fast that they give combat opportunity to the enemy." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related Video: Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Fatih Karimov Trend Iran loudly calls for peaceful coexistence in the world and region, President Hassan Rouhani said. He made the remarks while addressing a ceremony on the National Exports Day in Tehran Oct. 20, state-run IRINN TV reported. Iran has no choice other than forming a constructive interaction with the world in order to boost its export, he said. He further said that constructive interaction with the world means establishing suitable ties with global community for exports, and import of capital goods and raw materials as well as employment of youth. Today, progress is not possible without having ties with the world, Rouhani underlined. He further said that Iran has no choice but to enter the competitive global market for boosting its exports. The Islamic Republic should prevail over foreign competitors in target markets in terms of quality, price and packaging of the products, he said, adding that reviewing the former export policies is vital in a world that the conditions for export of goods and service is evolving. Iran's non-oil exports (including condensates) surpassed $21.76 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year, indicating a rise by 6 percent compared to the same period of the preceding year. Iran exported some 59.132 million tons of non-oil goods during that period which is 25 percent more compared with the 6-month period of preceding year. A plan by the Marine Corps to include spiritual fitness as a component of professional military education is unconstitutional and must be stopped, the leader of a group dedicated to keeping religion out of the military says. Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, told Military.com he plans to assemble a class-action lawsuit if the Corps proceeds with its spiritual fitness initiative. Within 24 hours of Military.com breaking the news of the Marine Corps' plan to develop elements of noncommissioned officer and officer training devoted to personal faith, personal values and moral decision-making, Weinstein said he received more than 120 calls and emails from current and former troops distraught about these plans. While the chaplain of the Marine Corps, Rear Adm. Brent Scott, emphasized that spiritual fitness conversations would not focus on any particular religion and would address the needs of non-religious troops as well as those who ascribe to a faith, Weinstein said any sort of mandatory spiritual training would violate troops' religious liberties, and any sort of evaluation or test to gauge spiritual fitness would fall afoul of the first amendment to the Constitution. "This is nothing more than a Trojan Horse for fundamentalist Christians to proselytize to a captive audience," Weinstein said. "The moment we saw that, we reached out to our litigation team." Founded in 2005, the foundation frequently uses cease-and-desist letters and lawsuits to stop what its members perceive as unconstitutional proselytization or promotion of religion within the military. The group's actions have led to the removal of Bibles and religious texts from military displays and Department of Veterans Affairs waiting rooms, and curtailed alleged proselytization to troops from senior leaders and outside speakers. Weinstein said he was particularly troubled by Scott's statement that Marines often needed to look to a higher power in times of crisis. "If all you have to do is look within yourself, that runs kind of bankrupt over a period of time," Scott told Military.com. "Marines face mortality, life and death, and that's when those faith issues start to come up." This statement, Weinstein said, invalidates the beliefs of secular humanists in the Corps. "If you try to do something on your own, you're bankrupt," Weinstein said. "That's the straw that broke the camel's back." Scott declined to comment on Weinstein's threat to sue to allow the matter to proceed through official channels. Weinstein and his foundation raised alarms in 2011, when the Army developed a mandatory survey to assess troops' spiritual, emotional and social well-being. As a result of a high-profile outcry, he said, he had a number of meetings with Army leaders, and his feedback was taken into account. Any spiritual fitness training for the Marine Corps should be entirely optional, Weinstein said, and should be developed with input from outside sources such as his foundation to ensure it is inclusive of all viewpoints. If the current plans proceed, he said, he will seek injunctive relief in the 4th Circuit Court of Alexandria, Virginia, in order to begin a class-action lawsuit. "Congress did not authorize the Marine Corps to teach theology," he said. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck. The commander of an EA-18G Growler squadron was relieved from his post Wednesday after failing to meet standards, officials with Naval Air Forces announced. Cmdr. Aaron Tabor, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron 138, the "Yellow Jackets," based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington, was removed from his job by Capt. Scott Farr, the commander of Electronic Attack Wing Pacific, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, officials said. "The U.S. Navy holds those in positions of command to very high standards and accountable when those standards are not met," officials said in the release. "When a commanding officer fails to meet these high standards and his superior loses confidence in his ability to lead, the commanding officer is removed from command." Tabor was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1999, according to his official biography. He held positions in electronic warfare squadrons throughout his military career and also completed a tour as action officer as United States Africa Command, J-9 Directorate. He served as executive officer for the Yellow Jackets before taking over as commander. According to his biography, Tabor has completed over 1,800 flight hours and 94 combat missions. VAQ-138 deployed to the Philippines in June as part of an air contingent designed to promote interoperability and joint training at Clark Air Base. The Whidbey Island-based squadron will now be commanded by Cmdr. Chase Dale, who most recently commanded VAQ 140, according to a news release. --Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Service members' waistlines are wider than ever, and the three-star director of the Defense Health Agency says she is concerned -- but only from a health perspective. Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning, Navy Vice Adm. Raquel Bono said she had no reason to believe rising percentages of obese troops are creating a readiness crisis in the military. "We don't have any indication that this is impacting readiness, and I would go out on a limb and say that that is one of the hallmarks of being in the military -- is that we're always ready," she said. Military Times reported in September that almost eight percent of active-duty service members are now clinically overweight, up from just 1.6 percent in 2001. Some 2.3 percent of troops meet the definition for obesity, the outlet reported. Bono said it isn't clear what is making service members fatter than ever, but noted that the military is a microcosm of American society, where the growing obesity epidemic is well-documented. "Our level of activity has changed. I think our eating habits have changed," she said. "I think there are any number of reasons. The neat thing about this is, in the military we have an opportunity to impact most of the things we think are contributing to this." Bono mentioned initiatives in military chow halls and dining facilities aimed at bringing in healthier food choices. Some chow halls already use a "stoplight" system, with green indicators to highlight optimal food choices and yellow or red signs to indicate food with higher salt, sugar and fat content. Military morale, welfare and recreation programs are also providing more activities to encourage troops to be active, Bono said. "It really is a collective-type endeavor," she said. "I want to make sure our policies allow people to get the kind of advice and care that they need." But getting troops to take advantage of services and health aids, especially for prevention, remains a challenge without a clear solution. Bono noted that care providers have a wealth of information they can share with troops, from personal data such as body mass index and blood sugar to the science behind healthy lifestyle choices. But no program is mandatory across the total force to help troops maintain a healthy weight. "I don't necessarily have a forcing function I could use," she said. "But I am interested in finding out what might work in other areas." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck. The Defense Department is pushing state governments to adopt "interstate compacts" to make it easier for spouses to obtain professional licenses, such as those required for physical therapy. In the past, military spouses in careers that require a professional license, such as teaching or nursing, needed to meet benchmarks for their state-specific license before going back to work after moving to a new state. But the process can be lengthy and expensive, forcing spouses to put their careers on hold. Since 2008, the department State Liaison office's top goal for military spouse career issues was convincing all 50 states and the District of Columbia to pass laws easing professional licensing restrictions for military spouses through license reciprocity programs, fee reductions or temporary licenses. Now, with the signing of a New York state law last month that will go into effect early next year, all 50 states and the District have such a set of rules on the books. Despite that success, standards across states are still inconsistent and often come with large fees. Pentagon officials said Wednesday that they are turning their attention to developing interstate compacts for individual professions, such as physical therapists. "We see this as an opportunity not just for physical therapists. We see this as an opportunity to impact the other interstate compacts that are ongoing right now," said Marcus Beauregard, who heads department's state liaison office. "We're working with the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and the National Center for Interstate Compacts on specifically an interstate compact for physical therapists." Beauregard spoke Wednesday at a spouse and family forum hosted by Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. While all 50 states now have military-spouse specific licensing rules, 42 offer some kind of temporary license, while 37 offer an expedited licensing process, he said. The laws typically ignore some high-demand professions, such as teachers and lawyers, while offering inconsistent help for other careers, such as nursing. Beauregard said his office is working with researchers to examine the current state licensing rules to see if they are effective. "We're working now with the University of Minnesota to do a research study and test what the states have actually done," he said. "So that we can come back, basically, with some feedback to the states and let them know what we have found, and if we found that perhaps their change wasn't enough of a change." -- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton on Wednesday clashed over issues ranging from the Islamic State to Russia to guns. The candidates met on Wednesday evening in Las Vegas for their third and final 90-minute debate, which was hosted by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace. While many of the headlines immediately following the forum focused on Trump's comments that suggested he may not accept the election results if he lost -- "I will keep you in suspense," he said -- the candidates touched on military matters during yet another contentious debate. Indeed, they wasted little time staking out different positions on a number of issues, from the kind of justice they would like to see serve on the nine-member Supreme Court, which has a vacancy after Antonin Scalia died in February, to the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. ISIS When pressed by Wallace, neither candidate said they would seek to deploy U.S. ground troops in Iraq to hold territory retaken from ISIS militants. There are roughly 5,000 American service members already serving in the country. Clinton said she was "encouraged" by the military operation currently underway by Iraqi and Kurdish forces, with support from U.S. troops armed with such weapons such as AH-64 Apache gunships, to retake Mosul. Iraq's second-largest city was overrun by ISIS in June 2014. "I will not support putting American soldiers into Iraq as an occupying force," Clinton said. Such as move would serve as a "red flag" for militants to reconstitute themselves there, she said. Like during the first debate, Clinton also said she would target the group's leadership. Trump criticized Clinton and President Barack Obama for "losing" Mosul following the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. He also criticized U.S. officials for speaking about the offensive beforehand -- "whatever happened to the element of surprise?" he said -- and, in an aside, said the operation is politically motivated. "The only reason they did it is because she's running for office of president and they want to look tough," he said. Clinton responded, "I'm just amazed that he seems to think that the Iraqi government and our allies and everybody else launched the attack on Mosul to help me in this election." Russia An even more contentious exchange came when the candidates discussed Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said the Russian leader "has no respect" for Clinton. Clinton replied, "Well that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States." Trump said, "You're the puppet." Clinton said she found it "deeply disturbing" that 17 U.S. civilian and defense agencies concluded recent cyberattacks against her campaign and the Democratic National Committee were launched from "the highest levels of the Kremlin" and were "designed to influence our election." Trump said he doesn't condone the attacks. "I don't know Putin," the candidate said, later adding, "This is not my best friend." But, echoing previous criticism, he slammed Clinton for using a private email system to send classified messages while secretary of state. He blasted the Clinton Foundation as "a criminal enterprise" for taking millions of dollars from such countries as Saudi Arabia with poor records on human rights. When pressed by Wallace on the organization's alleged "pay to play" practices, Clinton didn't address the matter. Trump also referenced the case of retired Marine Gen. James Cartwright, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who, the Associated Press reported, may face imprisonment after pleading guilty to making false statements during an investigation into a leak of classified information about a covert cyberattack on an Iranian nuclear facility. "One lie," Trump said of the four-star general. "She's lied." On Syria, where the U.S. and Russia support opposing forces engaged in a bloody, five-year-old civil war, Clinton said the country "will remain a hotbed of terrorism" as long as the conflict continues, but she repeated her pledge to continue U.S. airstrikes to rout ISIS from Raqqa, the group's self-proclaimed capital. Trump, after splitting from his running mate Mike Pence on what course the U.S. should take in Syria, said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has aligned with Iran and Russia in the conflict to preserve power and was "much tougher and much smarter" than Clinton and Obama. Guns Trump said the Second Amendment, which guarantees citizens the right to bear arms, is "under absolute siege." He warned that if Clinton were elected president, the constitutional protection "will be a very, very small replica of what it is right now." Clinton said she supports the amendment, but "there can be and must be reasonable regulation," given the roughly 33,000 firearm-related deaths that occur in the U.S. each year. She called for "complete background checks" on would-be gun owners, and for closing loopholes related to buying firearms online and at gun shows. Clinton also said she opposed the Supreme Court's decision in the 2008 case, "District of Columbia v. Heller," in which the justices ruled 5-4 in support of an individual's right to own a gun for personal use. Clinton said the district "was trying to protect toddlers from guns." The plaintiff in the case was Dick Anthony Heller, a security guard who had been denied a license to keep his gun at home. The rise in mass shootings across the country, including at military sites from Fort Hood, Texas, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, has prompted some lawmakers to call for letting more service members carry concealed weapon on base. Leaders such as Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley have opposed the idea. Clinton also repeated her pledge to prevent individuals on the do-not fly list from acquiring firearms. "If you're too dangerous to fly, you're too dangerous to buy a gun," she said. The Senate in June voted against a proposal to bar gun sales to terrorism suspects. -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter met with his South Korean counterpart Thursday to discuss "extended deterrence" against North Korea that could include the permanent stationing of B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer bombers and F-22 Raptor fighters on the peninsula. The two leaders also renewed their commitment to placing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in South Korea but gave no timeline for when it would be activated. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the THAAD system should be operational in South Korea "as soon as possible." Carter and South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo spoke at a Pentagon news conference shortly after U.S. Strategic Command announced the detection of a failed intermediate-range Musudan missile test by North Korea. In a statement, StratCom said the attempted missile launch occurred near the northwestern city of Kusong. "The North American Aerospace Defense Command determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America," StratCom stated. In his remarks, Han said that his discussions with Carter included "various measures to promote extended deterrence" against North Korea. He said a working group is being set up to decide what that would entail. Speaking through a translator, Han said, "We discussed a lot of options, including permanently deploying U.S. strategic assets on a rotational basis." South Korean news outlets have said the deployments could include B-52 and B-1B bombers, and F-22 Raptor advanced fighters. Carter did not comment on future deployments but said of the failed missile launch, "As with previous tests we strongly condemn last night's attempt, which, even when failed, violated several U.N. Security Council resolutions, and affirm that this latest provocation only strengthens our resolve to work together with our Republic of Korea allies to maintain stability on the peninsula." The failed launch was believed to be the eighth time this year that North Korea has tested the Musudan missile, which is thought to have a range of 1,500 to 2,400 miles, capable of hitting targets in Guam and Japan. "Make no mistake -- any attack on America or our allies will not only be defeated, but any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response," Carter said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. The U.S. suffered its first combat death in the Mosul offensive Thursday when a service member died of wounds from the detonation of a roadside bomb. The service member, who was not identified, "died of wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device blast" in northern Iraq, according to a press release from Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. The release did not give a location for the incident but a U.S. official, speaking on grounds of anonymity, told USA Today that the service member was involved in supporting local forces in the drive to retake the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria stronghold in northwestern Mosul. More than 100 U.S. advisers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers to guide airstrikes have moved forward with the attacking forces in a support role, along with AH-64 Apache helicopters, according to the Defense Department. There are currently about 5,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, primarily to advise and assist Iraqi forces. The announcement of the death came a day after Army Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, commander of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Operation Inherent Resolve and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), said that U.S. advisers accompanying friendly forces were operating well behind the forward line of troops. The death was the fourth in combat for U.S. troops since they deployed to Iraq in 2014 to support the Iraqi forces against ISIS. In 2015, Army Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, 39, was killed during a raid with Kurdish forces on an ISIS prison compound. Last March, Marine Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin, 27, died in an ISIS attack on a firebase about 60 miles southeast of Mosul. In May, Navy SEAL, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Charles Keating IV, 31, was killed in a firefight after his quick reaction force came to aid an advisory team. The death of the service member in the Mosul offensive came a day after a U.S. military member was killed and another was injured in an insider attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. A U.S. civilian was also killed and two more American civilians were also wounded in the incident at a base in the capital of Afghanistan. The first U.S. casualty in the Mosul offensive was suffered on the fourth day of the advance in which Iraq's elite Counter-Terror Services units joined the fight and armored columns reportedly drove to within four miles of the city. Kurdish Peshmerga forces attacking from the east also opened a new front to the north of Mosul. ISIS sought to impede the advance through mostly abandoned desert villages with sniper, mortar and rocket fire, improvised explosive devices and VBIEDs (Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices). The CTS forces, which have received the most extensive training and best equipment from the U.S., led the successful assaults that retook the flashpoint towns of Ramadi and Fallujah in Anbar province. They were also expected to lead the assault into Mosul. U.S. and coalition aircraft took on targets of opportunity as the advance continued. CJTF-OIR said in a statement Thursday that three airstrikes near Mosul engaged two ISIS tactical units and two staging areas, destroying four vehicles, four ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, three containers, two mortar systems, a tunnel entrance, a bunker, an artillery system, a front-end loader, a weapons cache, a heavy machine gun and a tanker trailer. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that progress thus far was the result of a new unity of purpose and coordination between the Iraqi Security Forces and the Kurdish fighters. On Wednesday, Volesky, said he had never seen such cooperation between the Kurds and the Iraqis in his five tours in Iraq. In a video briefing to an international meeting in Paris on the future of Mosul, Abadi said "The forces are pushing towards the town more quickly than we thought and more quickly than we had programmed in our campaign plan." The Kurdish and Iraqi forces were "fighting harmoniously together," he said. As the advance continued, and fighting opened up on new fronts, there was growing concern in the U.S.-led coalition on the fate of the hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in Mosul who have been living under harsh ISIS rule since June 2014. Mosul was Iraq's second-largest city with a population of about two million before the ISIS takeover. About one million are estimated to remain, according to the United Nations. Abadi said he had instructed "the military on all the fronts to open corridors to citizens and IDPs (Internally Displaced People), to all the people who want to flee the fighting." Leaflets dropped over Mosul by Iraqi and coalition aircraft have also warned residents to seal their homes and to stay away from ISIS positions. Although Abadi praised the current cooperation among the attacking forces, there were still concerns in the coalition over the roles that will be played by the various factions once the battle for the city itself begins. Several reports said that the Shia Popular Mobilization Forces, which have links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, were moving towards the mostly-Sunni city behind the main columns. In a briefing to the Pentagon on Wednesday, Volesky said the coalition had been assured by Abadi that the PMF units would not enter the city. In the taking of Fallujah earlier this year, the PMF units remained on the outskirts where they allegedly committed atrocities on fleeing civilians while vetting" them to make sure they were not ISIS fighters, according to human right groups. The advancing forces also had yet to deal with the problem of the Turkish military presence on the outskirts of the town of Bashiqa to the north of Mosul. In increasingly testy exchanges, Abadi has called for the withdrawal of the Turks from Iraqi territory but his demands have been rejected by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The small Turkish military contingent outside Bashiqa has been training tribal fighters and Erdogan has demanded that they be included in the Mosul operation. Turkey has also been pressing for the coalition to allow its warplanes to join in airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was to meet Friday in Turkey with his Turkish counterpart, Defense Minister Fikri Isik, on the anti-ISIS campaign on the first stop of a week-long swing that will also take him to the United Arab Emirates and NATO ministerial meetings in Paris and Brussels. At a Pentagon news conference Thursday, Carter stressed that Turkey was a NATO ally and a member of the anti-ISIS coalition but anybody who operates in Iraq needs to do so with respect to Iraqi sovereignty. We work through issues as they arise. I expect that will continue." -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Orkhan Quluzade Trend: Five mortar shells fired from Syrian territory landed in Turkeys southern province of Hatay, Haber 7 newspaper reported Oct. 20. Reportedly, Hatay was shelled from the Syrian city of Afrin, which is under control of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) militants. The Turkish Armed Forces responded with artillery fire. In the morning of Oct. 20, the Armed Forces of Turkey destroyed 18 targets of People's Protection Units (YPG) and PYD terrorist groups. Around 160-200 militants were neutralized in the operation. Three mortar shells landed in the Turkish province of Osmaniye on Oct. 19, wounding two people. On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force with the support of the coalition aircraft launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the Islamic State (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh) militants in northern Syria. The operation was dubbed the Shield of the Euphrates. Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, the YPG and the PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade Political pundits to realize importance of PAT soon: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri PAT leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that philosophers and political pundits who have dismissed us as being unrelated to the prevailing political situation will soon be reminded of our importance, and inevitability. He said that we are keeping an eye on the political ebb and flow, adding that the second round of the Qisas movement will prove to be the last nail in the coffin of the rulers. He said that he has a clear understanding of the timing to initiate the second round of his movement. He said that when jackal fears death, he runs towards the city, in the same way, the lion of circus starts hatching conspiracies against the national security institutions. He said that he was certain that the PM would not renounce the thought of controlling the Pakistan Army like the Punjab Police. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri stated this while talking to the members of the central core committee from Canada yesterday. He said that the rulers released Cyril leaks under a carefully calibrated strategy to reduce the amount of pressure of accountability caused by the Panama leaks, Model Town tragedy and the NAP. He said that he is unable to understand as to why no action was taken on the proofs he presented regarding the Indians working in the factories of the rulers. He said that countries that are in a state of war, do the governments there create mountains of problems for their armies? He said that the days of the Sharif brothers in power are numbered and their politics will become part of the past soon. PAT Chairman said that the rulers failed to brush the Model Town case and the Panama leaks issue under the carpet in two years and six months respectively. He said that it was the PAT workers who rendered sacrifices in man and material against the oppressive system, adding that we would not let these sacrifices go in vain. He asked the people to mark his words that the rulers will be held accountable in the Panama leaks and the Model Town case and no motorway or orange line will be able to save them. He said that courageous and politically aware workers of PAT are clear with regard to the way forward of their struggle and no propaganda machinery has been able to cause any confusion. He said that Qisas, accountability, reforms and elections are the roadmap of our revolutionary struggle. He said that it is not the change of faces but the change of the system, which will change the destiny of the people. He said that Model Town tragedy tops the list of crimes of the present rulers. He said that while Panama leaks refers to merciless plunder of state resources, the Model Town tragedy is the killing of 14 innocent people in the broad day light. He said it has to be seen how far the perpetrators can keep themselves away from long hand of law. The Iraqi Armed Forces killed about 200 militants during a military operation aimed at liberation of the northern country's of Bartella from Daesh, CNN broadcaster reported. The CNN broadcaster reported citing Iraqi Maj. Gen. Maan Saadi that the government forces killed some 200 terrorists in the operation to retake Bartella. The operation to regain control over Mosul began in the morning of Oct. 17. In addition to Iraqs government forces, local Peshmerga paramilitaries participate in the operation. The operation is supported by international anti-terrorism coalition air force. Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq with a population of 1.3 million people, has been under the IS control for more than two years. Mosul was surrendered almost without a fight during the extremists attack in June 2014. The Islamic State considers Mosul as its main stronghold in Iraq. Baloch are patriotic people, fighting for Pakistans progress: PAT A high-powered delegation consisting of PAT Balochistan leaders and members of civil society visited the central secretariat of the party and held a meeting with central leaders Ahmad Nawaz Anjum and Sardar Shakir Mazari. Speaking on the occasion, Ahmad Nawaz Anjum said that the Baloch people are patriotic Pakistanis and they are fighting the war for Pakistans prosperity, integrity and progress. He said that Balochistan is rich in mineral and natural resources, adding that incompetent and corrupt rulers are responsible for backwardness and poverty in the largest province of Pakistan. He said that the road to Pakistans progress and prosperity passes through Balochistan. The delegation from Balochistan consisted of Ismail Noorzai, Bakhtiar Baloch, Syed Subhan Shah, Ghulam Rasool Qadri, Elahi Bakhsh Barwi, Muhammad Saleem Khan, Hafiz Hamid Advocate, and other leaders from Quetta, Pasheen, Loralai, Qalat, Chaghi and Khuzdar etc. Ahmad Nawaz Anjum said that the Baloch are hospitable, people-friendly and affectionate. He said that Balochistan alone can sustain the whole of Pakistan and for this to be possible, we need honest, credible and competent leadership that has the vision of peoples progress. He said that all of us have to make sure that fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution are available to all people of the country without any exception. He said that poverty from Balochistan and Pakistan can be eliminated provided we can put in place responsive and responsible political system that has the capacity to represent the aspirations of the people. He said that anti-people and corrupt rulers have no interest in the welfare of the masses. The PAT leader said that the poor are being crushed under the burden of poverty, heavy taxes, unemployment and price hike, elimination of the poor not the poverty continues to be the policy of the rulers. He said that in a country where rulers of the Panama leaks fame are present, how can institutions be independent? Sardar Shakir Mazari said on the occasion that a country whose half of population is forced to live under the poverty line, the members of legislatures have no qualms of receiving funds of worth billions of rupees in the name of development funds which end up in their pockets. He said that the stories of mega corruption from Surrey Palace to the Panama leaks are spread everywhere. He said that every third person of the country suffers from poverty and the country is ranked at 11th position on the global poverty chart and 60% of the families do not have access to adequate food. He said that WHO has described the food shortage as the biggest threat lurking in the background. Elkhan Nuriyev, specialist on regional security issues in Eurasia, Humboldt Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (2015), DAAD Senior Policy Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (2014) for International analytical center Rethinking Russia. On September 2016 the CIS Heads of State met in Bishkek for holding the jubilee summit, dedicated to 25th anniversary of the organization. Although the one-day summit went almost unnoticed by the expert community, the event was noteworthy for its success to achieve a consensus on what Russia considered the vital question of preserving the CIS as a full-fledged international organization. Whatever the critics say about current post-Soviet integration processes, the CIS remains a universal platform enabling the leaders of member states to discuss the pivotal issues of the post-independence transitions and to exchange views on the most urgent problems of international politics. The fact that the summit ended with the signing of several fundamental documents, including statements on a wide variety of regional security issues testifies to the member states unanimous desire to intensify multilateral cooperation between them. More to the point, the Bishkek summit vividly illustrated that the heads of state have given high relevance to the CIS activities related to security, economic, political and military aspects. The CIS has indeed managed to develop a strong legal framework in many areas, including the customs, transport, communication, let alone the promotion of closer integration in economy and security. The main advantage of the CIS, however, is the ability of this flexible organization to adapt itself to the new world realities. As the CIS is part of the international security system, the priorities for multilateral cooperation are selected according to the emerging challenges in contemporary international relations. Yet the main disadvantage restricting the role of the CIS is related to the lack of rapid response and timely action to resolve regional security issues in the post-Soviet territory. Given that the leaders are concerned about a resurgence of terrorism and extremism, the CIS retains an important role in addressing problems raised in the international arena. Within the CIS still lies untapped cooperation potential that needs to be discovered, embraced and nurtured. All the benefits and opportunities the member states have not so far used might give a fresh impetus to the joint efforts to combat terrorism and meet security challenges lurking on the horizon. Even a brief analysis of how Russia is responding to the changing strategic environment in its immediate region shows that Moscow feels concerned with the situation. As the Kremlin examines the real power situation in the international arena, the significance of the CIS becomes abundantly clear to the Russian Federation. President Vladimir Putin knows well that the security of Russia is inextricably linked to political and economic developments in the CIS countries. For that reason, the Kremlins concept of geopolitical standing suggests Russias special strategic relationships with the CIS member states, whether they share geopolitical interests and problems. Without doubt, Russia cannot simply shirk engagement in the CIS territory where Moscow wants to strengthen security arrangements with the post-Soviet states. Indeed, economics and politics in the CIS countries are in many ways determined by their relationship to Russia and vice versa. This means that the Russian factor remains considerable in the foreign policy strategies of the CIS nations. As a consequence, they see constant cooperation with Russia as the best solution both bilaterally and multilaterally. This is why the CIS signifies for the member states themselves as well. While highlighting the increased urgency of cooperation in combating international terrorism, the CIS heads of state have realized that there is strong need to protect their countries frontiers and turn them into an impenetrable barrier against would be adversaries of the post-Soviet states. Clearly, President Putins statements made at the jubilee summit in Bishkek underline his intention to improve the performance of the organization after Russia takes over the CIS presidency starting in 2017. Russia appears to be going to tackle the challenge of reformatting the existing framework of integration within the CIS. True, due to rapidly changing geopolitical realities the CIS in its current form cannot be retained but should be upgraded for the purpose of increasing its effectiveness, efficiency and relevance. Reforming the CIS really matters to Russia and other member states in terms of forging a much closer multilateral cooperation. One cannot therefore rule out the possibility that Russias CIS presidency in 2017 will significantly influence the subsequent development of the post-Soviet territory. To put it more bluntly, the results of the high-level meeting in Bishkek lay the ground for a hope that the next CIS summit scheduled for October 2017 in Moscow will make a resolute step to strengthen regional integration trends. If this be indeed so, weaknesses of the CIS can be turned into strong advantages of the organization. Strengthening security ties with the CIS countries is a prerequisite for Russias continued success in the twenty-first century. In order to enhance the CIS international standing and improve its image on the world stage, Moscow can make decisions that will advance the Russian agenda of geopolitical influence and wider economic cooperation. It will be therefore no surprise if the Kremlin initiates gradual process of redrawing the CIS with a new outlook that would not only gratify Russias interests, but also those of the member states. But for that to happen, serious steps need to be taken by Russia and other post-Soviet states to solve many knotty issues that bind the CIS countries together. This is why the year 2017 will prove decisive in the struggle to reshape the CIS and make regional integration much closer. dominos-headquarters-file.jpg Domino's CEO and President Patrick Doyle is planning to address students at the event from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at Domino's World Resource Center, 30 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Lobby F, in Ann Arbor. (Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News) ANN ARBOR, MI - University of Michigan sophomores, juniors and seniors are invited to Domino's headquarters to learn about internship and entry-level opportunities with the company. Domino's CEO and President Patrick Doyle is planning to address students, who will also learn about the company's business strategies and network with hiring managers, at the event from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at Domino's World Resource Center, 30 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Lobby F, in Ann Arbor. Lunch and a T-shirt are provided for participants, and faculty are also invited to attend the event. According to a press release, the company is hoping to fill a variety of internship openings across a variety of departments like accounting, business intelligence, human resources, information technology, marketing, supply chain, communications and international operations. Here's what to expect at the event: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.- Pizza lunch and networking with Domino's Team 12:30 to 1- Patrick Doyle, president and CEO 1 to 1:30- Jeffrey Lawrence, executive vice president and chief financial officer 1:30 to 2- DPZ Summers: Past Intern Presentations 2 to 2:15- Break 2:15 to 3- Executive Panel: Q&A 3 to 3:30- Domino's Career Fair Participants should bring an updated resume and wear business casual attire. For more information, visit the event page. Driskell_Walberg_2016.jpg U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, and Democratic challenger Gretchen Driskell, a state representative from Saline. (Courtesy photos) More than $4 million worth of campaign contributions have been pumped into one of the most closely watched congressional races in Michigan. U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg and challenger Gretchen Driskell each have raised more than $2 million competing for the 7th Congressional District seat. Considered a top battleground district, the district includes Jackson, Branch, Eaton, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties, as well as much of Washtenaw County, but not Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Driskell, a Democratic state representative from Saline and former Saline mayor, reported this week she raised $582,503 in the third quarter of 2016, which is more than $60,000 more than Walberg raised. However, Walberg has raised $2,157,230 altogether this election cycle, $73,598 more than Driskell. Walberg, a Republican from Tipton, is defending his seat in the Nov. 8 election against Driskell and Libertarian Ken Proctor. Read about the candidates in MLive's Voter Guide A finance report for Proctor was not available. "Our strong filing today shows that the hard-working families of the 7th District are ready for a representative who will work hard to help everyone succeed, not just those with money and power," Driskell said in a statement earlier this week, accusing Walberg of taking millions from special interests. "I'm proud of the incredible grassroots support we continue to build among hard-working parents, seniors and students across the district, with thousands of donors contributing," Driskell continued. "We plan to keep growing that support as we work to give our neighbors the representation they deserve." Stephen Rajzer, Walberg's campaign manager, said Walberg is focused on encouraging job creation, raising incomes and achieving results to help families, while Driskell has never passed a bill in Lansing and instead skipped votes multiple times to raise money with Nancy Pelosi in Washington, D.C. He points to more than a dozen state House votes Driskell missed on three separate dates this past year, including when she missed voting last October on a $1.2 billion road funding package. Driskell was in D.C. for congressional candidate training and meeting with members of Congress and party leadership. She called the roads vote an example of politicians pushing through a hastily conceived, last-minute, partisan plan. "Unfortunately I was on a pre-scheduled trip to D.C. for a candidate training and to meet with members when an early and unworkable version of the bill was brought to a vote without having been included on the agenda beforehand," she said. "When the final package was voted on, I voted no because the package raises taxes, increases registration fees, and cuts funding for education and other important programs. Voters in the 7th District deserve a representative who will work tirelessly to bring transparency and accountability to government." When she missed another series of votes on March 22, the National Republican Congressional Committee once again called her out, claiming she was in D.C. again for a fundraiser and putting her campaign ahead of her constituents. When it comes to representing constituents, Driskell argues Walberg doesn't represent the priorities of the 7th Congressional District. "Walberg has voted for every foreign trade deal during his time in Congress, costing Michigan tens of thousands of jobs," she said. "In Congress, I'll fight to stop foreign trade deals like TPP that outsource our jobs, fix bad deals like NAFTA that have forced our kids to leave Michigan to find work, and fight to protect Medicare and Social Security." Rajzer, Walberg's campaign manager, accuses Driskell of misrepresenting Walberg's position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. "Tim Walberg opposes TPP, and Gretchen Driskell knows that," he said. "Sadly, her entire campaign has been about misrepresenting Tim's record because she doesn't have one to stand on. Tim opposes TPP because it was poorly negotiated and doesn't protect Michigan workers and manufacturers." Of the $2.16 million in campaign donations Walberg has accepted, $991,069 has come from PACs and about $1 million has come from individuals. He had more than $1.1 million cash on hand as of Sept. 30 after reportedly spending nearly $1.4 million. Driskell reported receiving $453,194 from PACs and nearly $1.6 million from individual donors. She had more than $428,000 cash on hand as of Sept. 30 after reportedly spending nearly $1.7 million. View some of the top PAC and individual contributions for both Driskell and Walberg in the gallery below: WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP, MI -- Police have disclosed additional details on a crash that saw a motorcyclist die after striking a deer in rural Bay County. At about 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, Michigan State Police troopers and first responders were dispatched to the crash site on Wheeler Road, just west of Eight Mile Road, in Bay County's Williams Township. The first trooper who arrived on scene found the motorcyclist unresponsive. The trooper performed CPR on the man before other responders arrived, but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Medical personnel pronounced the man dead at the scene. Troopers have identified the man as a 62-year-old Midland County resident, but they are withholding his name pending next of kin notification. Investigators determined the motorcyclist was heading east on Wheeler Road when he collided with a deer. The man lost control of the bike and veered onto the south shoulder of the road. The motorcycle crossed over a private drive near Tri-City Motor Speedway before striking a cable barrier. The man was not wearing a helmet. Neither alcohol nor drugs are believed to be factors in the crash. An autopsy is planned to determine the man's cause of death. The deer was also killed in the collision. Bay County Road Commission workers removed its carcass. Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Auburn-Williams Fire Department, Monitor Township Fire Department, Mobile Medical Response and Auburn Towing. Bay County experienced a significant hike in deer-vehicle crashes from 2014 to 2015, according to the Michigan Deer Crash Coalition. In 2014, there were 426 crashes. That number went up 14 percent to 485 in 2015. Bay County ranked 42nd in the number of such crashes in 2015. Empty the shelter event at SPCA 03 Eleven pet rescue centers and shelters in the Metro Detroit-area will take part in the Emoty the Shelters drive this Saturday Oct. 22, 2016. (Mark Bugnaski | MLive.com) DETROIT, MI -- If you're looking to add a furry family member, this weekend might be the best time to do so. Grand Rapids-based Bissell Pet Foundation is hosting another Empty the Shelters adoption drive throughout the state of Michigan, where the nonprofit has agreed to pay the adoption fees for animals adopted at more than 50 shelters and rescue centers in the state. The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22 and aims to find good homes for cats and dogs in the state. Last month, Holly Kroeze, communications manager at Bissell, told The Grand Rapids Press just how many pets they hope to place in homes during the event. "We're hoping to adopt 1,200 pets in one day, and we really think that we'll be able to accomplish it," Kroeze said. "Most pets in shelters have never experienced living in a home, so this will give pets a second chance." The following shelters in the Metro Detroit-area are participating in the adoption drive: (Note: The Southfield and Warren locations require a pre-registration to adopt) All About Animals Rescue - 23451 Pinewood St, Warren, MI Almost Home Animal Rescue League - 25503 Clara Lane, Southfield, MI Happy Hearts Feline Rescue - 10905 E. Pleasant Lake Rd.Manchester, MI Humane Society of Monroe County - 833 N. Telegraph Rd. Monroe, MI Livingston County Animal Control and Shelter - 418 S Highlander Way, Howell, MI Macomb County Animal Control - 237 N River Rd. Mt Clemens, MI Michigan Humane Society Detroit - 7887 Chrysler Drive Detroit, MI Michigan Humane Society Rochester Hills - 3600 Auburn Rd. Rochester Hills, MI Michigan Humane Society Westland - 900 North Newburgh Rd. Westland, MI Michigan Humane Society Roseville (held at PetSmart) - 20530 E 13 Mile Rd. Roseville, MI Oakland County Animal Shelter - 1700 Brown Rd. Auburn Hills, MI Those interested in adopting a cat or dog are asked to bring photo ID and relevant documents to the adoption centers. For more information and a complete list of participating shelters, click here. DETROIT -- The sixth ship to bear the name USS Detroit arrived in the Detroit River last week and is awaiting its official commissioning ceremony this weekend. Prior to the ceremony that will officially bring the ship to life as a naval vessel on Saturday, Commander Michael P. Desmond shared information about the USS Detroit's crew and capabilities while aboard Thursday morning. The warship is only the fourth vessel of its particular type, a freedom variant littoral combat ship, Desmond said, built by Lockheed Martin, a Maryland-based defense company. "The ship displaces 3,300 tons," Desmond said. "It has up to 100 sailors embarked at any one time. [It] is highly maneuverable. "It has the capability to exchange mission modules based on the threat type. Surface warfare, mine warfare, submarine warfare -- those can be changed out ... in the span of four days if the logistics support is available." Joseph North, vice president and general manager of Littoral Ships & Systems for Lockheed Martin, said the USS Detroit was built with several different requirements in mind. "It needed to be fast, and this ship will go over 45 knots. It operates in shallow waters ... and it's got a very small crew on board, which led to a lot of automation that we brought in that's used actually a lot in commercial ships that are out there," North said. "We've done it in a modular approach here with a flexible hull ... [and] we're going to continue to build this original variant with the modular capability out through [a fiscal year 2017, 2018] time frame." Lockheed Martin currently has 13 ships under contract for the U.S. Navy and the company is proposing to build an additional 12, North said. North said around 40 percent of the workforce that constructed the Detroit were Michiganders, adding that roughly 800 people work on an individual hull throughout the life of its construction. The average length of time, from the moment the company is awarded the ship building contract to the vessel's water testing period prior to commissioning, is about three and a half years, North said. One of the ship's crew members, Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Harkless, is a Pontiac native. Harkless said he was proud to be part of the ship's commissioning. "It is something that is a one of a kind experience ... and the bonus of being from the area makes me even more proud than I probably ever could be, being from Detroit," Harkless said. "When I do get downtime, I just go walk around town," he said. "Detroit's shown that no matter how far we go down, we're always going to come back. We're going to come back better than we were before." Desmond said the Detroit will travel through lakes Erie and Ontario following its commissioning ceremony Saturday. From there, the ship will sail on through the St. Lawrence Seaway and eventually end up at Naval Station Mayport in Florida for additional trials and full introduction into the naval fleet of operations. "This is a fantastic community, a city filled with so many hardworking, patriotic, devoted, innovative Americans," Desmond said, "and we are so honored to be here to represent the city of Detroit." "I think we have one of the best crews, one of the best ships and we're associated with one of the best cities in America." Keith Montgomery.jpg Keith Montgomery Police arrested a man suspected of shooting at police and causing a barricaded-gunman situation in Detroit early Wednesday, Detroit Police Officer Jennifer Moreno has confirmed. He was arrested in Shelby Township about 1 p.m. Thursday. No further details were immediately available and a representative from the Shelby Township Police Department declined to offer any comment, or even confirm the arrest. The suspect, 25-year-old Keith D. Montgomery, allegedly visited his ex-girlfriend's home on the 900 block of Brentwood in Detroit on Wednesday. She called police about 2:45 a.m. When police entered, they say Montgomery became violent, opened fire and then escaped before police could set up a perimeter and call for backup. "It appears he was able to escape at the moment he fired shots at the officer," Detroit Police Commander Elvin Barren told media at the scene Wednesday. "The officers were able to get the women and the children out of the location, but the suspect may have been able to escape during that time frame." Barren said Montgomery initially threw cinder blocks officers when they arrived. More details on the arrest and any criminal charges will be updated as they are released. Ford's Garage.jpg Ford's Garage restaurant set to open in spring 2017 (Courtesy of Ford Land) A new 1920s service station-themed restaurant is coming to Metro Detroit in spring 2017, according to Ford Land, the real estate arm of Ford Motor Company. Ford's Garage, located next to the John D. Dingell Transit Center at 21367 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn, is under construction and will promote the Ford brand and feature a variety of gourmet burgers, more than 100 craft beers and a banquet room. The project sits on 13,206 square feet and will include retail space that will connect to west Dearborn's downtown commercial corridor, Ford Land announced. The 200-seat restaurant will also showcase Model T-era decor and a 10-pound hamburger called the Henry Ford Hub Cap. The site will also have a merchandise store with Ford apparel, accessories and a coffee shop. "This licensed partnership with the Ford's Garage team exemplifies the power of the Ford brand," said Jim Perozich, Ford vehicle personalization and accessories director. Billy Downs, co-founder of bd's Mongolian Barbeque and Grill and a Detroit native, will operate the Dearborn site. "Ford's Garage offers a truly unique dining experience," Downs said. "It is an honor to be part of the Ford Motor Company brand, especially here in Henry Ford's hometown." Ford's Garage currently has four locations in Florida. "We are proud to bring Ford's Garage to our hometown and celebrate Ford Motor Company's rich history with the community," Ford Land CEO Donna Inch said in a news release. "This development supports our long-standing commitment to building a thriving mixed-use community in Dearborn, and complements Ford's 10-year campus transformation plan." Photo gallery: Whole Foods in Ann Arbor (Melanie Maxwell | MLive file) DETROIT -- Health officials are investigating two cases of hepatitis A that may be connected to the prepared food section at Whole Foods Market in Detroit. The Detroit Health Department recommends that anyone who may have consumed prepared foods from the market at 115 Mack Ave. between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12 should consult their primary care physician and seek preventative care. The recommended treatment is a vaccine that helps prevent people who have been exposed to hepatitis A from developing the disease, according to the health department. "Whole Foods has been nothing but cooperative throughout this process." The first case was diagnosed in a Whole Foods employee who handles prepared food and the second was an area resident who consumed the food. Officials said it remains unclear how either case was contracted. The company issued a statement Thursday: "After a team member in our Whole Foods Market store in Detroit was diagnosed with Hepatitis A, out of an abundance of caution, we immediately contacted the Detroit Health Department and began reviewing food logs and safety procedures. While there is no definitive link that the second case is related to the occurrence in our store, we are cooperating fully with the Detroit Health Department to ensure the safety of our customers and team members." The health department is offering evaluations and possible preventive treatment at its clinics, located at 5555 Conner St. and 8726 Woodward Avenue. They will be open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday between Oct. 20 through Oct. 26. The city is working with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development in the investigation. Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease that can cause mild to severe illnesses, according to the World Health Organization. The infection is associated with a lack of safe water and poor sanitation or hygiene. Symptoms include: fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal, yellow eyes and skin, and dark urine. Moscow and Ankara are actively discussing the schedule of upcoming Russian-Turkish contacts, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksey Meshkov said, RIA Novosti reported. We are actively discussing the schedule of the upcoming Russian-Turkish contacts, and it will be arranged purely from the perspective of pragmatic interests of the Russian-Turkish relations, Meshkov told Russian reporters in the Italian city of Verona within the 5th Eurasian Forum. The deputy minister noted that he is not ready to talk about a specific date of the Russian-Turkish contacts yet, but noted with satisfaction the resumption of the contact mechanism, which existed before the crisis. The relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated sharply in late 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. In June 2016, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the death of a Su-24 pilot and expressed regret over the incident. After that, the two countries relations began to improve. IMG_8275.png News camera crews catch a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD as it rolls up to a news conference. General Motors gave the truck to Habitat for Humanity of Genesee County at the press conference Thursday, Oct. 20. (MLive.com | Molly Young) FLINT, MI -- General Motors gave a brand-new, Flint-made Chevrolet truck to Habitat for Humanity Thursday, Oct. 20. The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD will help Genesee County Habitat to haul supplies to job sites, where, among other things, they build and restore homes to create affordable housing options for area families, said Margaret Kato, executive director of Genesee County Habitat for Humanity. "A lot of times when we talk about Habitat for Humanity, we think about the houses - the affordable housing opportunities we provide for home ownership, and we think about the stories of those homeowners, but there's so much more behind the scenes of that," Kato said. Kato added that the donation will help show the people who do that work that they matter, and that their work is valued. "And this, today, is about the laborers - the people who work behind the scenes to make those things happen...This donation is ... giving a tool to our laborers ... to show to them that we recognize their value and we know how important it is to have that value here," she said. It's something the laborers have needed for months, according to Chris Smith, construction assistant for Genesee County Habitat for Humanity. "Several months ago, we communicated to Bill Dau (a GM executive that leads the plant's initiatives with Habitat for Humanity) our need for a newer construction vehicle, and he said be careful what you ask for, you just might get it," Smith said. "And now we have a beautiful new Chevy pickup." He added with a laugh: "Thank God it's a Chevy." The truck will be put to good use in building the community that built it, said Jim Scrimger, plant manager of GM Flint North American Tooling Center. "It's a Flint-built truck, born and raised right here in Genesee County," he said. "So this will be a great tool to haul supplies to build housing for the citizens of Genesee County." It's not the first time GM has worked with Habitat for Humanity of Genesee County, and it's just a testament to the growing partnership the two groups have, Scrimger said. "GM Flint Engineering and Tooling Center has had a strong partnership with Genesee County Habitat for Humanity for the last several years. We've had several projects ranging from anything from landscaping to complete home (restoration and reconstruction)," he said, noting that they helped build a community pavilion on Foss Avenue. He added: "GM and habitat both share the same philanthropic mission, which is to serve the communities in which we work and serve." FLINT, MI - Gasps and laughter broke out from an auditorium during the live screening of the third Presidential debate. Over 30 students, faculty and staff members of UM-Flint were joined Wednesday, Oct. 19, by community members in the Kiva on University of Michigan-Flint's campus to watch the debate. The event was sponsored and promoted through different clubs and organizations within the university. UM-Flint's sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Xi Chi chapter promoted the event using #BeTheVoice, which encouraged students to be aware of polling locations, how to register to vote and other useful information to be prepared for the upcoming election. "You need to be aware ... and able to advocate for what you think is right for our country ... and on a local level within your community," said Phaejare Thomas, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Xi Chi chapter and a senior nursing student at UM-Flint. The debate screening was followed by a discussion led by faculty members and members of the student debate team. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Police arrested eight pimps and recovered a human-trafficking victim in Metro Grand Rapids as part of a nationwide initiative to rescue juveniles being trafficked as prostitutes in the U.S. and overseas. Police also temporarily took seven adult prostitutes into custody and advised them of services in the community, such as job training, housing, counseling, medical help and education assistance, the FBI said. Area police agencies joined the FBI in Operation Cross Country X, or OCCX. Police conducted undercover operations in the Grand Rapids area. No juveniles were recovered but police gained information to track such operations in the future, the FBI said. "The success of OCCX in Michigan is due to the local, state and federal partners who share the same passionate commitment to disrupt and prevent the sexual exploitation of children and adults," David Gelios, special agent in charge of the Detroit FBI division, said in a statement. "While the recovery of juvenile victims of this exploitation remains our priority, the FBI will continue to fight this battle and conduct these operations as long as anyone is being commercially trafficked and exploited. Wyoming Police Chief James Carmody said police would "do what it takes to free our community of this unfortunate reality." The annual project is part of a national strategy to fight the sexual exploitation of children as prostitutes. The FBI said pimps and their victims - forced to work as prostitutes - often travel throughout the country. The enforcement effort gives the FBI and local police ability to "cast a broad net which gives law enforcement a better opportunity to identify, locate, and recover victims before they are moved to another area," the FBI said. "In addition, the intelligence gained from simultaneous operations conducted across the country gives investigators a better understanding of the criminal threat." The Grand Rapids task force is one of three in the state. The project is part of the FBI's Innocence Lost Initiative, which has resulted in the recovery of over 6,000 children in child-sex trafficking since its creation in 2003. It has resulted in many long prison sentences for those who exploit children, the FBI said. Kent County Undersheriff Michelle Young said that fighting human trafficking is "some of the most important work we will ever do as law enforcement officers." Across the country, police recovered 82 sexually exploited juveniles and arrested 239 pimps and their associates, the FBI said. The agencies taking part were police departments in Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming, sheriffs' departments in Allegan, Ionia, Kent and Ottawa counties, Michigan State Police, Child Protective Services, Homeland Security Investigations, Kent County Children's Assessment Center and the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Western District of Michigan. LAKE ERIE - Black Friday, the shopping event, is just over a month away. But if you want to hear the tale of the real Black Friday, read on. It was Friday, Oct. 20, 1916 when four large ships sank beneath the waves of Lake Erie in what is perhaps the most infamous killer storm in the Great Lake's history. Known as "Black Friday" today, the storm took the lives of about 50 men. Today marks its 100th anniversary. "I think it gets lost," said Mike Wachter, co-founder of Eriewrecks.com. "It doesn't get a lot of media attention. That happens on the east and west coast. To them, the Great Lakes are like little puddles." But those who doubt the fury of the Great Lakes would be foolish, especially in the early part of the 20th Century. Those were the days before radar and ship-to-shore radio was primitive. Shipping was a treacherous trade, with only the chance meeting with another lonely vessel as a connection to the mainland. Four ships sank on Lake Erie that day. The James B. Colgate, Marshall F. Butters, D.L. Filer and the Merida. Sailing in the face of a highly-localized storm formed by the convergence of two high pressure systems and a minor hurricane, the primitive ships were no match for 75 mph wind gusts and powerful waves. "This was Lake Erie's perfect storm," Wachter said. "That's what makes it so phenomenal." Each of the four vessels had their own struggle with the storm in the western part of Lake Erie. A few lived to tell the stories of the battle with the waves, but the final hours of others remain lost forever. The James B. Colgate, bound for Thunder Bay, slid beneath the waves around 10 p.m. off the coast of Blenheim, Ontario. Captain Walter J. Grashaw, found clinging to a life raft, was the lone survivor. The Marshall F. Butters, a wooden lumber carrier bound for Cleveland entered Lake Erie from the Detroit River. The wooden ship could not take the pounding of the waves and eventually sank. Fortunately, two nearby ships were able to rescue several of the men on board. The D.L. Filer, a wooden schooner, was headed from Buffalo to Saugatuck. It sank within sight of the mouth of the Detroit River. Only Captain John Mattison, one of several men who clung to the ship's mast overnight, was rescued The Canadian steamer Merida disappeared that night as well. All 23 of her crew were found dead the next day, floating in mid-lake. They were identified by their life vests bearing the name of the doomed vessel. Other gales have produced more casualties, but the loss of four large vessels and the dramatic rescues of the two captains, make Black Friday noteworthy. "There's an old saying that the captain should go down with his ship," Wachter said. "So for two of them to be the loan survivors in one storm is really unique." Wachter acknowledged several other Lake Erie storms in the late 1800s that certainly did their damage, but he has no problem saying there's never been rougher waters than in October of 1916. The wrecks of the James B. Colgate, Marshall F. Butters and the Merida have all been located in the years since Black Friday, but the D.L. Filer has yet to be formally identified. Cabelas.jpg (Courtesy Photo | Cabela's) SIDNEY, NE - Cabela's has initiated a nationwide recall of about 3,000 food dehydrators. The Sidney, Neb,-based company is a leading retailer of hunting, fishing, boating, camping, shooting, and related outdoor recreation merchandise. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission made the announcement today, Oct. 20. Cabela's initiated the recall after receiving nine reports of the product malfunctioning due to defective wiring. No injuries have been reported, but defective wiring can cause a build-up of heat, posing a fire hazard. The recall involves Cabela's commercial grade 80-liter and 160-liter food dehydrators. The 80-liter stainless steel dehydrators have model numbers 541549 and the 160-liter products have model numbers 541650. Model numbers are located on the back panel of the dehydrator. The products, which were manufactured in China, were sold at Cabela's stores nationwide and online at Cabelas.com from August 2016 through September 2016. Cost is $300 for the 80-liter model and $415 for the 160-liter model. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehydrators and contact Cabela's to receive a replacement product or a refund. The company can be reached at 800-237-4444 anytime, or www.cabelas.com. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 20 By Orkhan Quluzade Trend: Turkish police carried out an operation to detain a number of servicemen at an air-base in Konya as part of the fight against the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of involvement in the July 15 coup attempt, the Hurriyet newspaper reports. Forty servicemen have been detained as a result of the operation, the newspaper says. On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded. He also declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20. It was decided to prolong the state of emergency for 90 more days on Oct. 3. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade Turkish Ambassador to Russia said that an official representative of Turkish Foreign Ministry will visit Moscow next week, Sputnik International reported. An official representative of Turkish Foreign Ministry will visit Moscow next week to hold consultations with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Turkish Ambassador to Russia said on Thursday. "The representative of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Tanju Bilgic will visit Moscow next week for consultations with Maria Zakharova on the question of media," Umit Yardym said. He also added that the mayor of Istanbul is expected to visit Moscow on October 25. New Medical Wrap can Protect Injured Tissue for up to Three Days ACCSIL next generation surgical dressing (Photo : ONR) The U.S. Navy is working to develop what it hopes will be a breakthrough medical wrap that will cover limbs injured in combat or in accidents while mitigating damage and protecting injured tissue for up to three days. The next generation surgical dressing will be called the "Acute Care Cover for the Severely Injured Limb"( ACCSIL) and will be demonstrated within the next two years. It's being developed by the Navy's Office for Naval Research (ONR). Advertisement The wrap will comprise two main parts. The first is an outer cover that will conform to the shape of the injured limb; stop blood loss; retain body heat and block out dirt. The second is a "bioactive" inner layer coated with specially designed chemical compounds to release antibiotics and pain medication, keep tissue moist and prevent bacterial and fungal growth. ACCSIL's ability to preserve tissue for up to 72 hours will be the wrap's most valuable virtue, especially in remote combat zones where it might take several days to transport an injured warfighter to a military hospital. The wrap could also be a lifesaver in civilian scenarios like farming or automobile accidents, or terrorist attacks. Researchers noted that the moments after a traumatic limb injury resulting from an explosive blast are critical. Blood is lost, tissue begins to dry and deteriorate, and dirt and harmful bacteria enter the wound, increasing the risk of infection, limb loss or even death. "ACCSIL will be carried by corpsmen and medics, administered at the point of injury on the battlefield and used in conjunction with a tourniquet," said Dr. Tim Bentley, a program manager in ONR's Warfighter Performance Department, who oversees the research. "It will be lightweight, keep the wound fresh and maintain tissue condition for up to 72 hours, which is particularly important as we plan for future scenarios where prolonged field care will be required." ACCSIL is being designed by Battelle, an Ohio-based research and development organization, in partnership with ONR, the Naval Research Laboratory and the Naval Medical Research Center. "Successful development of this system will provide military medics with a solution currently unavailable to them," said Kelly Jenkins, director of advanced materials for Battelle's Consumer, Industrial and Medical business unit. "Current bandages aren't very good at keeping out bacteria, so a lot of medics improvise by using plastic wrap and lots of tape, which is actually really good at keeping the wound moist but not protecting or preserving tissue. ACCSIL will function much better." "The goal with this wrap is not healing but preservation," said Jenkins. "We want to try to stop time -- to keep the wound as fresh as when it first happened and give surgeons up to 72 hours to start treatment. Even if ACCSIL can't save the whole limb, we want to save enough of the limb to give the patient a good quality of life they might not otherwise have had in such a situation." "ACCSIL will be designed as a 'tactical to practical' tool," said Jenkins. "Not just for warfighters, but also for first responders and law enforcement. Urban warfare and domestic terrorism present a real need for a device like ACCSIL, which can dramatically improve medical treatment during such an event." Leaker Assange. (Photo : Getty Images) Fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange currently hiding at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London might have just six months left of asylum before his hosts decide to hand him over to the British government. Assange's protector, Ecuador's leftist president Rafael Correa, steps down as president in February 2017 and while polls in that country suggest his hand-picked successor, Lenin Moreno, will win the upcoming elections, there is no guarantee Moreno will continue Assange's asylum. The fugitive Assange is wanted on charges of rape by both Sweden and the United Kingdom. Advertisement What is writing finis to Assange's saga that began in 2012 when Correa in a fit of anti-American pique granted Assange asylum are the steadily warming ties between the economically distraught Ecuador and the United States. With Ecuador's economy in shambles because of low oil prices, the country's next president is widely expected to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial aid, and the U.S. is the fund's largest shareholder. The U.S. is also Ecuador's top trading partner despite Correa's anti-U.S. rhetoric. The terrifying writing on the wall for Assange made itself manifest two days ago when Ecuador cut-off his internet connection, rendering him unable to do his work of releasing damaging emails stolen by his allies, including the Russian government. Analysts noted most of the confidential data released by WikiLeaks have been anti-American. WikiLeaks has never released any stolen emails damaging to Russia or its megalomaniacal president, Vladimir Putin. Ecuador admitted to severing Assange's internet access on Oct. 18 to prevent him from meddling in the U.S. election. This action came after WikiLeaks published documents and messages hacked from the presidential campaign of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will become U.S. President after winning the election on Nov. 8. "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 WikiLeaks disclosed suggest Clinton's campaign worked to discredit a woman who accused her husband, former President Bill Clinton, of rape. WikiLeaks accused Department of State Secretary John Kerry of personally petitioning Ecuador to cut Assange's internet access. Officials in Washington have rejected the charge and deny that Kerry was involved in any way. Political analysts say that Ecuador's continuing to tolerate Assange revealing stolen emails from their London embassy risks putting Ecuador on Russia's side of an increasingly vicious cyberwar with the United States. "Before, the costs for Ecuador of hosting Assange were minor," said Santiago Basabe, a political analyst at the Latin American School of Social Sciences in Quito. "But they are growing bigger now because they involve questions of U.S. national security, its tense relations with Russia and the presidential elections." To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. Keep me signed in Thank you for posting your query We will send it across to the expert; watch this space for the reply. Your message will also be posted on our community on messageboard you are here: Related US military aid for Egypt seen continuing despite rights concerns The Obama administration has shifted more than $100 million in aid from Egypt to other countries, citing Egyptian impediments to its effective use. The State Department said Wednesday it had "redirected" $108 million of $150 million in unspent 2015 economic support funds from Egypt because of "process delays that have impeded the effective implementation of several programs." It said the money had been transferred "to other priorities and needs" without specifying what those were. The shift occurred earlier this year and did not involve security assistance. A number of lawmakers had called for some of the Egypt aid to go to Tunisia due to Egyptian delays on education and health programs. Search Keywords: Short link: business A December rally could redirect flows to EMs: Port Shelter Inv Richard Harris, Chief Executive, Port Shelter Investment Management says that among EMs, he likes Indonesia and India. China, he said, is a bit of question mark still as lot of new reforms are needed. business Will target 20% organic growth: Quess Corp In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Ajit Issac, CMD & CEO of the company spoke about the results and his outlook for the company. "Comtel acquisition will give us a good springboard in to developing a professional staffing business in the Pan Pacific area", he added. Egypt said it is mediating between the United Nations bodies operating in Syria and the Syrian authorities to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Aleppo. The Egyptian mission in the capital Damascus was given the green light by the Syrian government to intervene. The Egyptian charge d'affaires in Damascus will travel to Aleppo to oversee the evacuation of the injured and elderly, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday. "Egypt is also continuing with mediation efforts to allow the entry of humanitarian assistance to stricken areas in Aleppo," the statement added. Aleppo is one of Syria's hardest-hit regions by intensifying violence in recent months. Syria's five-year war has killed more than 300,000 and displaced over half the population. The denial of access to food, water and medicines has been used repeatedly as a weapon by all sides in the war. The ministry said the push is part of Egypt's comprehensive plan to deal with the Syrian crisis which includes "emergency moves to ease the humanitarian struggle of Syrians, attempts to reach a ceasefire across Syria and the resumption of political negotiations to reach a political solution." Last Saturday, Egypt backed a Russian resolution in the UN Security Council on Syria that made no mention of an end to air strikes on Aleppo, as well as a rival French resolution that did call for an end to strikes on the city. Both resolutions failed to pass. Earlier this week, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that Egypt's vote for the Russian resolution has had no effect on Cairo's relations with Riyadh, which was reportedly angered by Cairo's action. Search Keywords: Short link: How do you amass a fortune? If you asked Marcus Crassus, a Roman general and politician born in 115 BC, hed probably tell you to buy property. Its hardly ground-breaking advice. But Crassus didnt buy property the traditional way. Instead he bought extremely hot property, literally. Crassus made a fortune from buying Roman homes that were on fire at the time of purchase. Talk about buying a fixer upper. Once Crassus knew a house in the area had gone up in flames, he quickly rushed to the site. Standing outside the burning house, hed watch the owners cry in despair. There was no official Roman fire brigade at the time. If they couldnt put the fire out with a bucket of water, it was pretty much a lost cause. As you can imagine, Crassus offer was a fraction of the propertys value. How can you blame him? After all, the property was on fire. Every minute meant the house would cost more to repair. An overwhelming majority of homeowners accepted Crassus offer. They would rather get something for their burning homes than be left with a pile of ash. But how can you amass a fortune from buying burning homes? At some point or another Crassus would have had to sell for a profit. As soon as Crassus and the homeowners came to an agreement, hed tell his 500-strong private fire brigade to put the fire out. Thats right; Crassus had the only fire brigade in Rome. He also had a team of slaves who worked on restoring the homes to their pre-burnt condition. By buying problems and selling solutions, Crassus amassed a fortune. It sounds a lot like the strategy property investors use today. But one does wonder how all these fires got started in the first place Temperatures keep rising How many times have you heard that property prices are near the top? Many commentators and forecasters have tried to predict the top. However, the property cycle hasnt started its decline just yet. According to Corelogic, over the past 12 months [starting October 2015], combined capital city home values have increased 7.1% which is up from a recent low of 6.1% at the end of July. Its not an easy thing to predict the top of a cycle. The general idea is that the market tops out when rental yields are low and confidence is at all-time highs. But many of the naysayers who believed prices could climb in future have been proven wrong. Morgan Stanley called the peak in September last year. In September 2015, we called for a peak in housing market conditions, and flagged the risks from a looming oversupply and macro-prudential tightening, the equity research team said. According to news.com.au some economist and analysts are saying Australias housing price boom has hit its peak and some are even hinting at an impending recession. And this was in October last year. It would be extremely difficult to employ Crassus questionable property strategy in todays market. However, there is one similarity. Potential homeowners are entering a hot market. Gentrification Most of us want to live in locations that are convenient. We want stress free morning work commutes, and places which meet our lifestyle criteria. Thats why a lot of us are drawn to homes close to the city. They offer various employment opportunities. And theres never a shortage of restaurants, schools or public events. This is why housing close to the CBD is so expensive. More people want to live there, and its reflected in the prices. But if youre a first time homeowner, it can be tough saving enough for a hefty deposit. While it might be nice to buy your first home in Toorak, Brighton or on the Sydney Harbour, its not realistic. There are many more buyers in the market with more money willing to pay far higher for the luxuries on offer. This is why you might want to look at places which arent bombarded with demand. Try looking at suburbs which are gentrifying. Gentrification is a term used to describe the renovation and revival of deteriorated urban neighbourhoods. Its basically a suburb or area which is experiencing a transition. And this transition takes the form of low income earners moving out and high income earners coming in. Higher incomes will not only boost property prices, it also attracts new infrastructure. New shopping malls, transport options and other life style amenities will only drive property prices higher. But how do you know if an area is gentrifying? Not every suburb that looks rundown is going to suddenly be the next hottest suburb. However, looking through data such as household income, demographics and building activity within the area can be a good start. If you look at these figures over an extended period of time say, 10 years you could get a good idea if a suburb is gentrifying or not. The best part is that all this information can be found for free on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website. Sure, it takes times to go through the data and make sense of it all, but if you can buy in the right area at the right time, all your hard work will be rewarded. Just like Crassus, youll be able to build a property fortune, even in a hot market. Harje Ronngard, Junior Analyst, Money Morning PS: Most people think great deals in Aussie property are already all gone. This is the worst attitude to have. Why would you take financial advice from some self-proclaimed guru? Instead, why not do your own research and take control of your financial future. But where do you start? If youre interested in investing in property, check out Money Mornings property expert Callum Newmans report Australian Real Estate Game Plan. In the report, Callum reveals the eight letter word that really drives property values. Its the ultimate guide to help you start your future property plan, and its free ! To get your copy of Callums report, click here. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said four airlines applied this month to operate flights between Russia and Egypt, Russian news agency Tass said on Wednesday. Moscow grounded all civilian passenger flights to Egypt last year over security concerns after a Russian A321 airbus crashed in Sinai shortly after taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh. Russia and Egypt have since been in talks to resume air traffic. The Russian carriers which applied are Yamal, Azur air, Pegas Fly and Nordwind Airlines. They plan to run flights mainly from Moscow to the Red Sea resort cities of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, but have requested to fly from other Russian cities including St. Petersburg, Kazan and Ufa. An interdepartmental commission of Russias Transport Ministry has yet to approve the requests, the regulator said, adding that the decision will be made through voting. According to the agency, airlines IrAero and Pegas Fly also applied in September to resume flights to Egypt, but have not received a final say from the commission. All 224 people on board were killed in the October 2015 crash. Moscow has sent teams to inspect new security measures at Egyptian airports in preparation for the resumption of flights. Earlier this month, Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said Egyptian authorities were making headway in resolving Russia's concerns over the safety of flights to Egypt. A day earlier, Russias Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said that he hoped air travel with Egypt would resume by the end of this year. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey detained 40 soldiers from an air base in the central Anatolian city of Konya as part of investigations into July's failed military coup, Turkish media outlets said on Thursday. Detention warrants had been issued for 47 more soldiers from Konya, the private Dogan news agency said, in what was the third wave of action against suspected followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government blames for masterminding the coup attempt. More than 32,000 people are in jail and 100,000, including top military figures, have been dismissed from jobs in the security and civil services for their alleged links to Gulen's network. The cleric denies involvement in the putsch. Search Keywords: Short link: After about two years of battle, millions spent in advertising and voter fatigue, the wait is over. For those who have been chomping at the bit to cast a ballot for a favorite candidate, five early voting sites in Burke County open at 8 a.m. Thursday. Early voting locations will be: The Burke County Board of Elections office, located at 2128 S. Sterling St., Morganton. Morganton-Burke Senior Center, located at 501 N. Green St., Morganton. Glen Alpine Town Hall, located at 103 Pitt St., Glen Alpine. Rutherford College Town Hall, located at 980 Malcolm Blvd., Rutherford College. Hildebran Methodist Church, located at 110 S. Center St., Hildebran. Hours during early voting will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday from Oct. 20 through Nov. 4, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, according to elections officials. Election Day is Nov. 8, when voters will cast their ballot at their regular precinct. For those not registered or who need to change their address, folks will be able to register and vote on the same day during early voting. But it cannot be done on Election Day, said Debbie Mace, director of elections for Burke County. However, it appears people already have been preparing for an election that is sure to see a large voter turnout, given the massive interest in the presidential race, as well as the race for governor of North Carolina. Mace said her office has been flooded with requests for absentee-by-mail ballots and registration form requests in the last two weeks. Registered voters in Burke County has been hovering around 57,000 but is now around 59,000, Mace said. Those who register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day need to bring proper documentation that shows name and address of the person registering, Mace said. That can include a utility bill or a drivers license, she said. But voters already registered wont need an ID to cast a ballot this election. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in July ended voter ID requirements and restored 17 days of in-person voting in North Carolina. The ruling said North Carolina GOP lawmakers engaged in intentional discrimination against black voters through a 2013 ballot access law that required voter ID and reduced the number of early voting days to 10. Early voting is used disproportionately by Democrats and by black voters. Local offices and candidates on the ballot in November are: Burke County Board of Commissioners, three seats Republicans Johnnie Carswell (incumbent), Scott Mulwee and Jeff Brittain (incumbent); Democrats Jeff Morse, Emily Church and David Rust. Burke County Register of Deeds, one seat Democrat Laura Anderson and Republican Stephanie Norman. 46th District seat of the N.C. Senate, one seat Republican Warren Daniel (incumbent) and Democrat Anne Fischer. 86th District seat of the N.C. House of Representatives, one seat Democrat Tim Barnsback and Republican Hugh Blackwell (incumbent). Sample ballots can be found on the Burke County Board of Educations website at http://bit.ly/2cH8Ors. Call the elections office at 828-764-9010 or email burke.boe@ncsbe.gov with any election questions. Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946. Hillary Clinton's candidacy has sparked endless commentary about her gender, and rightly so. She is increasingly likely to be the first female president of the United States. That's a big deal even if the thought of it makes you curl up into the fetal position, you poor thing. Two other women have become increasingly visible in this presidential race: Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. In word and deed, the contrast in their recent public appearances in response to the video revealing Donald Trump's admission that he has engaged in sexual predator behavior illustrates how far women have come and how desperately some want to cling to our oppressive past. Anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention to this race knows by now what Trump said about women on the decade-old video first revealed by The Washington Post. The quickest of summaries: He believes he is entitled to touch, kiss and grope any woman he finds attractive, without her consent. The public backlash has been swift and enduring. Trump's dismissal of the recorded conversation as "locker room talk" and his repeated mocking of the growing number of his female accusers are further eroding his impossible dream of living in the White House. What's a campaign to do? On Oct. 17, his wife, Melania, agreed to talk to CNN's Anderson Cooper. This is the politics of old. When all else fails, summon the wife. I hesitate to lay claim to anything exceptional about me as a journalist, but this is a fact of my life and requires full disclosure: I am married to Sen. Sherrod Brown. I know a little bit about the prevailing low and constricting expectations for women married to politicians. Not because of my husband. He knew what he was getting into when he proposed to a newspaper columnist, and it wasn't blind compliance. This is an archaic notion of political spousedom cherished by politicos and too many of my colleagues in the media who continue to regard candidates' wives as either a prop or a problem. Melania Trump broke with her usual practice as the mute go-along to blame another man for egging on her husband and to double down on the "locker room" defense. Anderson Cooper: "He described it as locker room talk. ... You've sort of alluded to that, as well. Is that what it is to you, just locker room talk?" Melania Trump: "Yeah, it's kind of two teenage boys. Actually, they should behave better, right?" Cooper: "He was 59." Trump: "Correct. And sometimes I said I have two boys at home. I have my young son and my husband, so, but I know how some men talk, and that's how I saw it, yes." As Cooper stressed, Donald Trump was 59. That's my age right now. I keep thinking about that and all that I am expected to know by this age. And let's be clear: A teenager admitting to the behavior that Donald Trump was bragging about would be just as predatory and the behavior would be just as illegal. Fortunately, first lady Michelle Obama knew that the only response to Trump's behavior was to condemn it. Last week, she took the stage in New Hampshire. With a tremor in her voice, she opened her heart and delivered a speech as breathtakingly real as it gets. "I have to tell you that I can't stop thinking about this," she said. "It has shaken me to my core in a way that I couldn't have predicted. ... This wasn't just locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. ... And I have to tell you that I listen to all of this and I feel it so personally and I'm sure that many of you do, too, particularly the women the shameful comments about our bodies, the disrespect of our ambitions and intellect, the belief that you can do anything you want to a woman." This is the face and the voice of the new political spouse. She is using all of her power to help other women lay claim to their own, and she is going to help elect the first woman to be president of the United States. After watching the first lady's speech, I couldn't help but think it's probably a good thing her successor will not be a woman. We're going to need some time to get over how much we're going to miss Michelle Obama. Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and professional in residence at Kent State University's school of journalism. To find out more about Connie Schultz (con.schultz@yahoo.com), visit www.creators.com. Diplomats from Iraq, and some 20 other countries including Egypt are meeting in Paris to make a stabilization plan for Mosul, as the international military operation to free the Iraqi city from Islamic State group intensifies. The United States, Britain, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are among the countries due to attend the meeting to be co-hosted by Iraq. French President Francois Hollande is hosting Thursday's talks in Paris, aimed at coming up with a plan to protect civilians, distribute aid and address questions about governing areas newly liberated from IS. The offensive for Mosul Iraq's second-largest city and a bastion for IS is expected to take weeks, if not months, and some fear it could unleash sectarian tensions. Search Keywords: Short link: Kurdish forces launched a major assault on Thursday on a town held by the Islamic State group near Mosul, opening a new front in the offensive to wrest back the jihadists' last Iraqi bastion. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told an international meeting in Paris that the offensive was "advancing faster than expected" as it entered its fourth day. France and Iraq were co-chairing the meeting on the future of Mosul, which observers have warned could raise even greater challenges than the massive military operation to retake it. In some areas, the Iraqi advance was met by a trickle of civilians fleeing both the fighting and the jihadists who ruled them for two years but the feared mass exodus from Mosul has yet to materialise. The main target of the latest Kurdish push was the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Iraqi forces also pressed assaults towards the city from the east and south. Outside Bashiqa, Kurdish peshmerga forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes advanced in armoured vehicles and brought down two small drones IS was using for reconnaissance purposes. The peshmerga command issued a statement saying the "large-scale operation" was launched at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) near Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. "The objectives are to clear a number of nearby villages and secure control of strategic areas to further restrict ISIL's movements," it said, using an alternative acronym for IS. An AFP reporter in Nawaran, outside Bashiqa, saw one of the two drones neutralised by the peshmerga, a Raven RQ-11B model similar to a booby-trapped unmanned aircraft that killed two Kurdish fighters and wounded two French soldiers a week ago. "These drones belong to IS... So we shot this drone and brought it down. As you can see, the peshmerga destroyed it," said General Aziz Weysi, commander of the peshmerga's elite Zaravani task force. "These drones can do observation and can explode. They sent this one but it did not explode," he told AFP. Iranian Kurdish rebels of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) were involved in the operation alongside the peshmerga and apparently taking a frontline role. East of Mosul, where the peshmerga launched the offensive on Monday, Iraq's elite federal counter-terrorism service was taking control of Bartalla, a town whose mostly Christian residents fled the IS advance two years ago. "We started breaching Bartalla early today. There are only 750 metres (yards) to cover to reach the centre," Lieutenant General Abdelwahab al-Saadi, who is commanding operations in the area, told AFP by telephone. "There is resistance, we already blew up three car bombs today," he said. Bartalla, which lies less than 15 kilometres (10 miles) from the eastern edge of Mosul, saw fierce resistance from the jihadists earlier this week. Iraqi forces were also poised to attack nearby Qaraqosh, which was the largest Christian town in Iraq before IS swept across the Nineveh plain in August 2014, forcing everyone to flee. To the south, Iraqi forces were making steady gains, working their way up the Tigris Valley and meeting small numbers of fleeing civilians heading the other way. Dozens of men, women and children who escaped from the village of Mdaraj, south of Mosul, some on foot and others with vehicles, were waiting as police searched their belongings. "We snuck out," said a man who gave his name as Abu Hussein. He said that the huge plumes of black smoke from fires lit by IS to provide cover from air strikes had helped them slip out unnoticed. "We raised white flags and went towards them," Abu Hussein said, describing how they approached Iraqi security forces. The UN fears up to a million people still trapped inside Mosul could be forced to flee by the fighting, sparking a humanitarian emergency. But Iraqi forces are still some distance from the city limits and no major outflows of civilians have been reported yet. "Reports indicate that military activities remain concentrated in less populated areas, with no large-scale civilian displacement recorded at this stage," UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien said late Wednesday. The Iraqi prime minister told the Paris meeting on Mosul's future that the operation to retake it was making progress. "We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned," he said by video link. French President Francois Hollande told the meeting that jihadists were already leaving for Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. "We can't afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa," Hollande said. "We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate." Iraq's second city was seized by IS in June 2014. It touched off an offensive that saw the jihadists conquer about a third of the country and declare a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria. IS's rule has seen some of the worst war crimes in recent history and the task of reconciling all the components of the area's complex religious and ethnic mosaic is daunting. "Given the sheer size of Mosul -- and its experience of savage rule at the hands of the Islamic State -- revenge killing will likely be an issue in the days and months ahead," the Soufan consultancy said in a recent brief. "A massive effort will be required to begin to heal what is a truly fractured city and society," it said. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey's deputy prime minister says his country is "displeased" with the support the United States provides Syrian Kurdish fighters who are linked to Turkey's Kurdish rebels. Numan Kurtulmus also said Thursday that Ankara hopes that the new U.S. president will keep his or her distance from the militia and strive to maintain good ties with NATO ally Turkey. Kurtulmus told reporters: "whoever comes next to the U.S. presidency" understands the importance of maintaining ties with "a key regional country like Turkey and not an armed terrorist organization with a few thousand militants." Ankara views the Syrian Kurdish militia and its political wing as an extension of Turkey's own banned Kurdish independence movement. Search Keywords: Short link: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday called for a "robust and united" European approach to Russian "atrocities" in Syria, as she arrived for her first EU summit in Brussels. "We must show a robust and united European stance in the face of Russian aggression," May told reporters. "It is vital that we work together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling atrocities, its sickening atrocities in Syria." May said she brought a "clear message" to other EU leaders that Britain would continue to play its part in the bloc until it formally withdrew following June's shock Brexit referendum. "The UK is leaving the EU but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we'll be a strong and dependable partner after we've left," she said. "It's in the interests of both the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together, including at this summit." EU leaders meeting for the two-day talks are set to "strongly condemn" Moscow and call for a permanent end to hostilities in Syria, as Russia and the Syrian army begin a brief "humanitarian pause" in the battleground city of Aleppo. The leaders of France and Germany warned after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the summit that they could not rule out sanctions over the carnage. Search Keywords: Short link: Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. The developer of what is slated to be the highest tower in Winnipeg has been slapped with three class-action lawsuits that seek tens of millions of dollars worth of damages due to claims of overvaluation.The complaints leveled against the Toronto-based Fortress Real Developments focused on the companys use of syndicated mortgages. The method facilitates the participation of small investors contributing as little as $30,000 each, CBC News reported.The funds would then be accumulated into larger mortgages, and investors are lured in by assurances of 8 per cent returns. The lawsuits were filed in connection with previous Fortress projects in Ontarionamely, in Toronto, Barrie, and Burlington.Investors are provided with an inflated current value for the real estate investment. Ordinarily, appraisals are not carried out to determine the current value; if they are, the current value is arrived at based on a hypothetical future value dependent on certain milestones not yet achieved, according to Ontario Superior Court of Justice records of the latest suit filed against Fortress last month.The combination of the inflated property values and the second mortgage position are marketed by Fortress as putting the investors in a strong and secure lending position.Approximately half of the available condos in the 45-storey, 388-unit SkyCity towerscheduled to begin construction by 2017have already been pre-sold. Fortress is currently securing funds for the project, although its SkyCity pitch to investors has been accused of lacking critical pieces of information.As of press time, no defence has been filed by Fortress. In an October 17 housing roundtable overseen by Toronto mayor John Tory, young professionals voiced grave concerns over the citys long-running affordability crisis, which has seen more and more millennials, starting families, and first-time buyers getting priced out of the market.I want them stay here and I want them 20 years from now to still be here because they can raise their family here and create their careers here and that's why we have to deal with transit and why we have to deal with housing, Tory told CBC News.One of the roundtable participants was social media and marketing officer Sarah Robinson, who said that the prevalence of high-priced rental listings within Toronto is leaving her no choice but to look for options outside the city.It's to the point where [buying a house in Toronto is] not even a consideration to be honest, Robinson said. People talk about, Oh, what would you do if you won the lottery? For people who live in Toronto it's like, I would live in Toronto in a house, because it's so not possible.The allure of relocating outside the city has become a real concern for management and executives, Robinson added.It's not insurmountable, but it`s definitely a real fear for bosses, she said. And the bosses lose out on young talent and we have a lot to offer.Among the recent steps taken by the Toronto government are improvements in approval timelines, along with a major project that would aim to provide $106.3 million worth of living spaces over the next five years. To date, the venture has already identified 15 sites for development, 3 of which are already underway.We have to keep at it and we have to do more and we've got to have land from the other levels of governments to make sure that we can have even more of these units, Tory said. Turkish warplanes carried out deadly strikes on US-backed militias in northern Syria, including Syrian Kurdish fighters, a monitor said Thursday, action that is likely to raise tensions between the NATO allies. The army, quoted by the official news agency Anadolu, said the raids hit 18 targets north of the battered Syrian city of Aleppo, areas recently recaptured by the People's Protection Units (YPG) from the Islamic State (IS) militants group. It said the raids killed between 160 and 200 YPG militants. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Beirut, however, put the toll much lower at at least 11 fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-- a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters -- killed and 24 wounded. Tensions between the US and its NATO ally Turkey have heightened over Ankara's actions against the YPG, which Washington views as an effective force against IS in Syria. Ankara has repeatedly said it will not allow a "terror corridor" on its southern border and wants to prevent the joining of the Kurdish "cantons" of Afrin and Kobane. The strikes come on the eve of a visit to Turkey by US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter to discuss developments in the region including the Syrian conflict and the offensive to recapture Iraq's second city of Mosul which began this week. Ankara considers the YPG and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) as terror groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, has waged a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. In a statement, the Kurdish Rojava region in Syria condemned Ankara's actions as "blatant aggression", calling for the United Nations, Moscow and Washington to "put direct pressure on Turkey to stop its attacks". President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkey and Washington had been discussing a joint operation to take territory back from IS but has warned the US not to launch any offensive with the YPG. Michael Stephens, senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute said Turkey's actions were "a message and a warning to the YPG 'understand something, you won't join these two cantons up. There are going to be consequences'". "If there is a signal that that is what is happening, the Turks will fight it and they will use the premise of national security to do that," he told AFP. The strikes were part of Turkey's military operation in northern Syria launched on August 24. Ankara has sent in tanks and has been striking jihadist targets while supporting Syrian opposition fighters in their battle to retake IS-controlled territory. The goal of the operation was to remove IS from the Turkish border -- which last month Ankara said it achieved -- while also aiming to halt the westward advance of the YPG. Turkish media quoted the army saying shells fired on Thursday from YPG-controlled Afrin region hit uninhabited land in Hatay, southern Turkey, which the military responded to with howitzer fire. Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey would not "wait for terrorist organisations to come and attack us". "Instead of dealing with the flies, we will drain the swamp," he said in a speech in Ankara. Erdogan has previously said he wants to create a 5,000-square-kilometre (1,900 square-mile) safe zone in Syria by pushing further south in the operation dubbed "Euphrates Shield". Search Keywords: Short link: Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today A few passing clouds. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. A member of the US military was killed in a bomb blast in northern Iraq on Thursday, officials said, as Iraqi forces in the region continued their push on Mosul. US defense officials did not immediately identify the service member, or say whether he or she was one of the more than 100 US troops advising Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga as they advance toward Mosul, the Islamic State group's last stronghold, on multiple fronts. The US-led coalition fighting IS said in a statement that further information would be released "as appropriate" -- additional details often depend on when family members are notified of the death. An unnamed US official cited by CNN said the service member was medevaced off the battlefield but later died from the wounds. No other US troops were wounded, CNN said. The death is the fourth time a US military member has been killed in combat in Iraq since operations against IS began there in 2014. In May, Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Charles Keating was fatally shot during a pitched battle with IS near the village of Tal Asquf, north of Mosul. In April, Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin was killed by an IS rocket attack that also wounded eight Marines at an artillery position in the Makhmur area of northern Iraq. And in October last year, Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, an American special operations soldier, was killed during a joint raid with Kurdish forces against IS in Hawijah, a northern Iraqi town. Search Keywords: Short link: ODESSA The Permian Basin International Oil Show draws people from around the globe who want to see the latest technologies that make the complicated task of oil and natural gas extraction easier and more efficient. Several companies this year promoted pumps integrated with solar panels, which serves a few purposes. When companies do not have enough power and they have to do some type of chemical treatment, they can use the sun to power their metering to treat as needed, said Kyle Hunt of AGI Industries. Its an autonomous system that allows them to draw power from the sun to run the pump. Traditionally, pumps used at the wellhead to inject chemicals downhole relied on natural gas from the well itself to run pneumatic systems. In recent years, however, there has been a push by governments and companies, alike, to move away from natural gas amid growing climate change concerns because old-style pumps vent gas into the atmosphere. TXAM Pumps saw the change coming a decade ago. Our company found a need (10) years ago, especially with the TCEQ wanting to get away from natural gas emissions historically used with pneumatically actuated chemical injection pumps, TXAM Pumps Claud Rives said. We were one of the very first companies to come out with a solar-powered chemical injection pump. A solar pump system requires a solar panel to capture and convert sunlight into electricity and a battery to store power when the sun is hidden behind clouds, especially during storms and the winter months. Rives said TXAM Pumps perfected the use of solar technology. Through a lot of research and development, weve come up with packages that can go for three days with no sun. Industry conversion to solar makes sense for the local oil industry, he said. If you think about the places were from, solar is a no-brainer because we have ample sun in Texas. While Sidewinder Pumps makes products using solar panels, company representatives at the oil show said they werent entire sold on the change from natural gas. Pointing to more traditional offerings on display, Guy Chachere said, These use natural gas from the wellhead to run the pump. When they exhaust, they put (natural gas) into the atmosphere. The tree huggers were really complaining about that, so they said, No more emissions. And when it comes to cost savings, Chachere said there isnt any. This pump costs you $850; this (solar) system costs $3,000. Chachere added that he had issue with the message that solar technology, even in his own companys products, is really a cleaner alternative. My problem is with what theyre selling it as, that its green. Its not, he said, citing that lots of hydrocarbons are required in the intense manufacturing processes of solar panels and batteries. He also challenged the honesty of those promoting solar. I personally feel that its a snow job, thats its the answer because its green. Chachere said implementing a solar system requires a lot of planning. Solar systems have to be sized to fit the application and how many days of autonomy you want. If you dont size it up to meet the worst weather conditions possible in your geographic region, pumps are going to go down because the batteries will die. When that happens, your well goes down. When your well goes down, youre looking at a lot of money to get back online. He said many companies have experienced this and are getting away from solar and are going back to AC current, which can be costly when connecting a remote well site to the power grid. Truespec Energy Products Matt Glover, who sells Sidewinder products, agreed with Chacheres sentiments but said: It sounds like were against the solar pumps, but were not. We just dont think its the best in every application. He added that the benefit of solar pumps is not that theyre green, but that theyre self-sufficient, autonomous systems that dont require much manpower to maintain after theyre installed. While Flomore sells pneumatic, electric and solar pumps, Executive Vice President Rex Haymaker said the transition to solar is in demand. A lot of companies dont want air or gas emissions anymore, he said, adding, I think the future of pumps in the industry are either electric or solar. Theyre leaving the pneumatic pumps behind. Theyre dinosaurs. Haymaker spoke positively about solar pumps, particularly when combined with other technologies Flomore offers, such as its smart timer, which solves many problems that come with injecting chemicals. The timer automates when the pump operates and can be calibrated remotely to run in set conditions based on temperature and other factors. The pump can also be monitored remotely, eliminating the need to send a worker to the well site to check conditions and chemical levels. Haymaker said that the conversion to solar pumps is to be expected not only because of emissions concerns, but also because the oil field is always asking more and more of its vendors. For BenMark Supply Co., which manufactures self-contained solar pump systems that also have the benefit of protecting wildlife, employees Dan Mayo and Mike Holley both said they have seen a lot of interest in solar pumps from oil show attendees around the world, including from China. Holley said BenMark is focused on compliance. (Were) trying to stay ahead of the green curve. Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes. ODESSA Long billed as the working mans oil show, the Permian Basin International Oil Show does indeed play host to the working man. Whether dressed in their coveralls or wearing polo shirts bearing the corporate logo, they wander the Ector County Coliseum grounds looking at the exhibits. Mike Hall with Halliburton said he was making his second trip to the oil show and was impressed with what was on display. We do offer suggestions to supervisors on what the company should purchase, he said. The show is the biggest show Ive been to, said Jacob Miller, an engineer with Allied Energy Services. Fellow engineer Patrick Hahn agreed. The two said their company is exhibiting a blender used in fracturing operations and the two were looking at what other vendors had to show. The technology (on display) is amazing, said Jim Croop with Black Gold Rentals, who was walking through exhibits with coworker Abe Moya. Croop explained that they work on the high pressure side of the industry, providing equipment that protects drilling crews from hazards such as hydrogen sulfide gas and that helps keep wells under control. We look for ideas and also look at the competition and see whats new, Croop said. Were always trying to do better and have the upper hand. He added that the benefit of the oil show is to see the new technology and how its changed. Having so many companies under one roof was appealing to Tashana Carmichael, warehouse manager with Schlumberger. A lot of my vendors are here and Im training my replacement, so this is a chance to have so many of them in one place, she said. Of her first visit to the oil show, she said, Its a lot of stuff in one place. Its easier to evaluate what you see, the new technology, the new practices. Rowdy Darrough, crane technician with Elite Crane, was with other crew members visiting the Oil Show and said he was impressed at seeing a lot of new products. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Texas-Mexico border is long, dangerous and, at night, very, very dark. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations agents fly over looking for people crossing illegally into the United States and smugglers working with them. READ MORE: Number of immigrants caught at border surged last year The airborne agents often coordinate with officers on the ground to locate and catch people crossing, as well as anyone who may be in distress. While patrolling, the agents use night-vision goggles and are frequently armed. The issue of illegal immigration has been a hot topic for GOP nominee Donald Trump, who has promised to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and to make Mexico pay for it. READ MORE: Can't block this: Feds sue Texas man to clear route to border fence Polls have also showed that by harping on the issue, Trump has killed his chances with Hispanic voters in states such as Texas and Arizona. The agency took John Moore of Getty Images along for the ride as it patrolled the border near McAllen, Texas. Click through to see images of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations at work. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Send out the clowns. Target will stop selling clown masks amid a rash of reported clown attacks - real and fake - that have terrorized the United States in recent months, a company spokesman said. "Given the current environment, we have made the decision to remove a variety of clown masks from our assortment, both in stores and online," Joshua Thomas, the spokesman, said in an email. The Minneapolis-based retailer has 1,799 stores in the United States. The company did not clarify Monday whether the decision would affect all of its stores. But Target seemed to have quietly stopped selling clown masks on its website entirely. On Monday morning, searches for "clown masks" on Target.com turned up nothing. Links from search engines to clown masks that Target previously stocked simply led to a message that said, "Product not available." Clown costumes for children, oversize clown suits and "sexy clown" outfits are, however, apparently still available for sale. The retail giant's decision, just two weeks before Halloween, comes as the frenzy over "creepy clown" sightings and threats has reached a fever pitch. Across the country, scary-clown rumors have led to school lockdowns and arrests. Lynne Sladky/STF As The Washington Post's Ben Guarino reported in early October: "South Carolina was creepy clown Ground Zero in August, when emergency calls from residents of Greenville County prompted deputies to search an apartment complex and the nearby forest for criminal clowns. A clown, or someone dressed like one, was "trying to lure children in the woods," warned the property manager of Fleetwood Manor Apartments in Greenville. . . . "What began as reports from concerned parents to police mutated into memes, pranks and, in some cases, felonious hoaxes. Although there is little evidence that clowns are stealing children or planning attacks, clowns (or at least clown images and paraphernalia) have been associated with a recent rash of mischief and violent threats." The madness reached such a height that renowned horror author Stephen King had to step in on Twitter and, of all things, try to soothe people's fears. He tweeted, "Hey, guys, time to cool the clown hysteria--most of em are good, cheer up the kiddies, make people laugh." The corporate retailer is not the first to hit the brakes on clown-mask sales this year because of the creepy-clown scare. In Michigan, Crypt Keepers Halloween Emporium boxed up all of its less expensive clown costumes, lest customers get hurt - or try to hurt someone else - while wearing them, the Detroit News reported. "It's not worth the sale," owner Dave Douglas told the newspaper. "These people are causing an epidemic." That has not stopped people from buying clown masks wherever they can. Sales of clown masks, especially "evil" or "scary" ones, have spiked 300 percent this year, Halloween Express operations manager Brad Butler told the Wrap. "As to why we're selling more clown masks this year than last, I could speculate, but frankly my opinion doesn't matter," Butler told the site. "Truth is, I don't know." The creepy-clown craze has unnerved professional clowns, who say the pranks and threats have harmed their image. World Clown Association President Randy Christensen recently addressed the reports, saying that "whoever is doing this crazy stuff is not a clown." "We try not to focus on the negatives but try to provide a positive image of clowning," Christensen said. "If somebody dresses like a doctor . . . and comes at you with a chainsaw, he is not really a doctor." A few weeks ago, a woman in Tucson scheduled a "Clown Lives Matter" march in response to the social media frenzy, the Arizona Republic reported. Organizer Nikki Sinn told the paper that she wasn't a professional clown but was worried about the recent clown scares. "We want to make it be a fun, safe, upbeat night," Sinn told the paper. "I'm just trying to make it a little bit light so it isn't scary for anyone." But the march, scheduled for Saturday, had to be canceled after the event's Facebook page was bombarded with "numerous death threats and harassment," Sinn said. Islamic State militants must be brought to justice for the sexual enslavement of Yazidis in Iraq, a prominent American lawyer said ahead of the release of a film about the world's first conviction of rape as a war crime. "The Uncondemned" tells the story behind the first genocide trial in history and the three rural Rwandan women who overcame their fear and shame to testify about the atrocities perpetrated against them. "This film is particularly important given the scale of sexual violence in so many conflicts today," said Pierre Prosper, who led the landmark prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). "It's a reminder of our responsibility to act. We made legal history back in the 1990s - Rwanda showed us that this is a crime that can and should be prosecuted, but it feels as if the lesson has stopped there." Prosper, who later became U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes from 2001 to 2005, said a special tribunal like the ICTR should be set up to try militants involved in the mass enslavement of Yazidi girls and women. U.N. war crimes investigators said this year that Islamic State (IS) was committing genocide against the Yazidis, a religious community of 400,000 people in northern Iraq. "If there was ever a case for an international tribunal, it's this one. I'm puzzled by the slow action of the international community," Prosper told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Los Angeles. "If you are going to call it genocide, you have a responsibility to do something about it. That's the lesson we learned in Rwanda." Yazidi survivors of IS atrocities were among guests invited to the film's premiere in New York at the United Nations on Wednesday night. Tens of thousands of women were raped during Rwanda's 1994 genocide when extremist Hutu militiamen slaughtered 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the central African country. Although rape had been declared a war crime in 1919, it had never been prosecuted until the 1997 trial of a small-town Rwandan mayor Jean-Paul Akayesu. Prosper broke new ground when he also convinced the U.N. tribunal to recognise rape as an act of genocide. "When you are raping and abusing women, the fabric of society is destroyed - the women are clearly destroyed, but you are also destroying the men and boys," said Prosper, a partner in a U.S. law firm. "Rwanda is rebounding remarkably, but in the depths of people's eyes you can still see the impact it has had." Akayesu, who was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity, is serving a life sentence in a Mali prison. "The Uncondemned", which is scheduled for release in the United States on Friday, highlights the role of three key witnesses in securing his conviction. Prosper said the women, known only as JJ, NN and OO during the trial, showed the power of individuals to change the world when they had the courage to speak up. The film's director Michele Mitchell said making the documentary taught her the "incredible healing value of justice" for both individuals and communities. "One of the things witness JJ says in the film is 'keeping quiet kills you softly'." Mitchell said she was shocked that so little was being done to bring to justice perpetrators of sexual violence in conflicts in Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan and elsewhere. She hopes the film, which receives its British premiere next month, will spur the public to press politicians to take action. "Rape is still not taken as seriously as other crimes of war, and that needs to change," Mitchell said, adding that the term "sexual violence" underplayed the true nature and impact of the crime. "It's an act of torture, an act of power, an act of humiliation, and we have to start tackling it like it's an act of torture." Mitchell said rape cannot be dismissed as "just something that happens in war". "Rape is an act of deadly intent and in conflict it is used to destroy communities and people," she added. "We probably won't be able to stop it happening because it's just such an effective tactic, but we can make it a lot harder for people to get away with it." Search Keywords: Short link: French President Francois Hollande on Thursday warned British Premier Theresa May that if she wanted a "hard Brexit," then negotiations on Britain leaving the EU will be hard too. "I have said it very clearly; Madame Theresa May wants a hard Brexit, then talks will be hard too," Hollande said as he arrived for an EU leaders' summit, May's first since Britain's shock June vote to quit the bloc. Search Keywords: Short link: We have independently selected these offers and products because we love them and we think you might like them at these prices. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links. Items are President Vladimir Putin backs an armed OSCE mission to war-torn eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin said Thursday, in spite of objections by pro-Moscow rebels. "Putin agreed to the deployment of such a mission during the talks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, referring to Wednesday's four-way talks on the conflict with the leaders of Germany, France and Ukraine. "There is an understanding on the positive nature of the deployment of such a mission, but it needs to be worked out in the framework of the OSCE." The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) has 580 unarmed staff based in the conflict zone and has had its mandate extended to the end of March 2017. Despite Putin's endorsement of armed OSCE observers, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the process of ensuring local elections in the rebel-controlled areas needs to advance before an armed OSCE mission could be put in place. The idea of arming that mission does not sit well with the separatists' self-proclaimed "people's republics" in the industrial regions of Lugansk and Donetsk. One of the Donetsk separatist leaders, Denis Pushilin, told AFP that his self-proclaimed republic was against the measure and that it had not been agreed upon in 2015 peace agreements known as the Minsk accords. "The fact that we are against an armed OSCE mission is not only the personal position of the leadership of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic," Pushilin said. "It has been confirmed at rallies with several thousand people that took place on our territories." In June, more than 5,000 people took to the streets of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk to protest against the presence of OSCE monitors in the war-torn region, one of many rallies against the monitoring group. Merkel said Thursday that "no miracles" were achieved on the Ukraine crisis during the talks but said they had led to some progress on ending a deadlock in the peace process. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said all sides had agreed to draw up a roadmap by the end of November for applying the frayed 2015 Minsk peace accords following months of impasse. Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, is backing the pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine in a conflict 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. Search Keywords: Short link: Akufo-Addo should have apologised over hardship ... Moscow on Thursday accused Washington of hunting its citizens and vowed to fight extradition of a Russian arrested in Prague on suspicion of staging cyber attacks on the United States. Czech police said Wednesday that they had arrested a Russian citizen in collaboration with the FBI who was suspected of perpetrating cyber attacks on Washington. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists the arrest was "the latest example of the US law enforcement authorities hunting Russian citizens around the world." She confirmed for the first time that the name of the arrested man is Yevgeny Nikulin, as had been reported earlier by Russian media. Zakharova said the "foreign ministry and the Russian embassy in Prague are working actively with the Czech authorities to prevent the extradition of a Russian citizen to the US." Russia is providing the necessary consular and legal support and the arrested man has a lawyer, she said. "Naturally we will follow this situation," she added. The arrest came after Washington formally accused the Russian government earlier this month of trying to "interfere" in the 2016 White House race by hacking, charges the Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed. Czech police did not say whether the arrest was linked to these claims, however, while the White House said that it could not provide details due to the ongoing investigation. Zakharova accused the US of "departing from normal cooperation between law enforcement agencies." This "once again proves the political motivation of the claims against Russia and Russian citizens," she said. Hillary Clinton's campaign blames Russia for an embarrassing leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee. Russia has been accused of favouring Republican candidate Donald Trump -- who has praised President Vladimir Putin and called for better ties with Moscow. President Vladimir Putin on Sunday dismissed the US claims as a ploy to "distract" its voters from domestic problems. The Russian leader spoke after US Vice President Joe Biden told NBC television that Putin would receive a "message" over the alleged hacking. Russia's relations with the United States have fallen to a post-Cold War nadir over the conflict in Ukraine and stalled efforts to end the five-year Syrian war. Search Keywords: Short link: Cougar spotted in Sonora off Racetrack Road, 2015 View Photos Sonora, CA Along with Halloween and notes-to-selves to get that flu shot, October often brings reports of mountain lion sightings. Mother Lode law and wildlife officials say, if you see one, let them know right away. Mountain lions, also called cougars, pumas or panthers, are the largest of North Americas wild cats. Today, Clarke Broadcasting reached out to enforcement agencies after two calls in as many weeks came into the news center from local residents. Last week, someone reportedly saw a mountain lion near Soulsbyville Elementary. This morning, a school bus driver called to say she spotted one near Christian Heights Church. Tuolumne County Sheriffs spokesperson Sgt. Andrea Benson emphasizes, We stress that [people] call us, so we can go and check safety of people and get Fish and Wildlife out. According to Sonora Police Chief Mark Stinson, We havent received any calls [yet] but notoriously, October is a normal mountain lion sighting month for our city, unfortunately, and the sightings run throughout the cityin the past, of [reports] actually on Mono Wayup in the hills behind Sonora Regional Medical Center and Sonora Elementary School all the way up into the area of Elks Hill. So it is not uncommon to have sightings of mountain lions traveling through our area. Keep Kids, Domestic Animals, Livestock Off the Menu Certainly, the chief adds that it is always concerning when these predatory big cats are observed in areas of children. Recalling an incident a couple of years back, he shares, We actually had a temporary lock-down of Sonora Elementary School because one was spotted in the field directly behind the school. It brings concerns because these are predators that like to attack things if they are extremely hungry. Passing along a few timely tips, Chief Stinson advises, Normally, this time of year you want to keep your small pets inside, if you can. Dont let them wander too far out of sight and keep an eye on your livestock as well. Wildlife experts say that this time of year do not hike or run alone and consider carrying a walking stick, which may be come in handy if you have to defend yourself. If you spot a mountain lion, observe to see what kind of behavior it is showing and do not run away. If you think one is stalking you or about ready to attack, make yourself larger than you are, so you look like you are a predator of it and not game of it, the chief emphasizes. If facing a potential mountain attack, best practices include to shout in a low voice; do not crouch down but wave your arms or hold your coat open to increase your perceived size; maintain eye contact; if possible, throw sticks or rocks at it; also, pick up or otherwise restrain small children to keep them from running. If attacked fight back. While deer, if in stress, might sound more like human babies crying, Chief Stinson describes the sound of mountain lions as more of a high-pitched scream. Usually, they are most active at dawn and dusk, and at night when they hunt for food. You may report non-aggressive mountain lion sightings by calling local law officials. Or contact California Fish and Game at 916 358-2900. In the event of a potentially perilous situation always call 911. State of Jefferson View Photos There is a movement calling for the State of Jefferson to become the USAs fifty-first state and would include Tuolumne, Calaveras, Amador, El Dorado and nearly every county north of Sacramento. Joe Bick, local resident and advocate for the new State of Jefferson, was Thursdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Last January, those behind the movement were in Sacramento Declaring the Petitions of Separation to the Secretary of State for recording and then walked them over to the Legislators office for presentation. According to Bick, Tuolumne and the other counties included in the State of Jefferson have not had adequate representation in the California state legislature for the past several decades. The most expeditious way to restore representation is to create a new state where local issues by local people can be dealt with and representation will be restored. The Jefferson state movement is using the legal method of engineering a state split through the formula required by Article IV Section 3 of the US Constitution. This formula necessitates a greater than 50% majority of both houses of the state legislature and Congress approving the split in order to create a state out of an existing state or states. Bick stated that only nine representatives come from the twenty northern most counties of California. In comparison, thirty-five come from Los Angeles County alone. As go the large population centers, so goes the entire state. The formula to create a new state as outlined in Article IV Section 3 of the US Constitution is fairly simple but achieving the end result requires dedication and a thorough understanding of all parties involved. Jefferson must be shown to be a win-win for both the new state and California. For Jefferson, representation would be restored and how it chooses to govern itself will be determined within its borders. What remains of California will be two-thirds of its original land mass but greater than 95% of its population. This should enable the California legislature and governors office to be more efficient and effective in creating and executing laws that directly relate to the population they govern. The concentrated urban centers would benefit from a government that is familiar with the issues and solutions required of an increased population density. Those within Jefferson face completely different challenges that would best be met by those who share similar circumstances. Bick acknowledged that there are critics of the plan and he knows this is not be an easy task. Bick emphasized that the pursuit is legal and that a variety of concerns will be addressed at community gatherings. One of those community gatherings will take place this evening at 6 PM. This will be held at the Community Church in downtown Standard (next to Standard Pour). Several experts involved in the State of Jefferson movement will be on hand to talk and showcase their presentations and answer any questions from the public. For more information, log onto www.tuolumnecountysoj.com The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM. Britain has deployed warships to monitor a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels Thursday as they sailed through the North Sea and the English Channel reportedly en route to Syria's coast. The frigate HMS Richmond escorted the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its task group in the Norwegian Sea north of the U.K. between Iceland and Norway. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan has sailed from Portsmouth to monitor the group as heads south toward the North Sea. The Royal Navy regularly shadows ships, and is being supported in this instance by the Royal Air Force. Russia is one the few countries which have the capability to deploy such a force an aircraft carrier and supporting warships. "It's a clear and military signal that Russia is back on the international stage," said Peter Roberts, a senior research fellow for sea power and maritime studies at the Royal United Services Institute. The ships are sailing in international waters, so NATO forces such as those of Norway, the Netherlands and Britain will watch them go past without challenge. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said alliance navies would monitor the Russian ships "in a responsible and measured way." "We are concerned that the Russian carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which will increase humanitarian and human suffering," Stoltenberg said in Brussels. The Russian navy deployment will increase its firepower in Syria, where it has conducted an air campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's army for more than a year. It comes amid an offensive by Assad's troops on Aleppo, backed by Russian warplanes, which has caused international outrage. British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged her European Union partners to unite in condemning Russia's role in Syria and bring an end to what she called Moscow's "sickening atrocities" there. Russia announced a break in fighting in Aleppo on Thursday, and the Syrian military, using loudspeakers, called on residents to evacuate. There was no sign of such a move. The pause to allow supplies into the besieged city comes even as a U.S.-backed offensive intensifies to recapture the city of Mosul in Iraq from Islamic State militants. With turmoil in the Middle East, Russia is keen to show that it is capable of expeditionary warfare in Syria. "They are off to conduct a mission. They are off to conduct it off Syria," Roberts said. "They are very focused on their mission." Search Keywords: Short link: Two years ago, Floridians narrowly rejected an amendment that would have allowed legal medical marijuana in the state. The amendment is back for the 2016 ballot with a few minor tweaks, and renewed hope that voters this time will come out to make medical marijuana legal in Florida. The amendment needs to win 60 percent of the vote in Florida to be added to the Constitution. Florida lawmakers and the Department of Health would set the regulations. AMENDMENT 2 SUMMARY Allows medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating medical conditions as determined by a licensed Florida physician. Allows caregivers to assist patients medical use of marijuana. The Department of Health shall register and regulate centers that produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes and shall issue identification cards to patients and caregivers. Applies only to Florida law. Does not immunize violations of federal law or any non-medical use, possession or production of marijuana. The full text of the proposed amendment is available on the Florida Division of Elections website. It shows how the amendment would fit in with Florida's Constitution. The amendment would change Article X, Section 29. How does the 2016 amendment differ from the one in 2014? The amendment clarifies parental consent for minors. It also makes it clear that doctors are not immune from malpractice claims for negligently prescribing marijuana. Who benefits from the amendment? "Debilitating Medical Condition" includes people suffering from cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or comparable. Patients would only qualify if their physician determines that marijuanas potential benefits outweigh the potential harms. Could the amendment be interpreted to allow people to use marijuana for other reasons? The amendment specifically says it does not affect or repeal laws related to non-medical use, possession, production or sale of marijuana. Additionally, the law doesn't authorize the use of medical marijuana for anyone other than the qualifying patient. Doesnt Florida already have legal medical marijuana? The Florida legislature legalized one type of medical marijuana, a low-THC version called Charlottes Web, to help people suffering from epileptic seizures, cancer and other problems. Gov. Rick Scott signed the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014. Amendment 2 would open the door to more powerful strains of cannabis to be legally used in the state. Can patients grow their own medicine? No, only state-regulated medical marijuana treatment centers would be allowed to cultivate medical marijuana. Whats a medical marijuana treatment center? Medical marijuana treatment centers ensure that patients have safe access to their medical marijuana. They would be allowed to cultivate and sell medical marijuana to qualifying patients. They are also allowed to process it into related products, such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils or ointments. How will medical marijuana treatment centers operate? The "Use of Marijuana for Debilitating Medical Conditions" charges the Florida Department of Health with drafting rules for the operation of medical marijuana treatment centers. These rules must be finalized no later than six months after passage of the law. Will my insurance cover the cost of medical marijuana? Nothing in the language requires insurance providers to reimburse qualified patients for their medical use of marijuana. Would Florida recognize patients from other states? No. In order to qualify for protections, an individual must have a Florida medical marijuana card. Additionally, only physicians licensed in Florida may write medical marijuana certifications. Who is supporting this amendment and why? United for Care is again championing Amendment 2, with Orlando attorney John Morgan as the biggest advocate. The amendment also has wide support of Democratic and minority groups and unions. The group says medical marijuana is helping patients find relief from their pain in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The group says medical marijuana use has support among medical groups such as the American College of Physicians, American Nurses Association, American Academy of HIV Medicine and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Who is against the amendment and why? Vote No on 2 is funded by Drug Free Florida Committee, which is run by Republican fundraiser Mel Sembler and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. In addition, the group Dont Let Florida go to Pot opposes the amendment. The group is a coalition of health care, substance abuse, law enforcement and business groups, including Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida Police Chiefs Association and Florida Sheriffs Association. The groups say the amendment would make Florida one of the most lenient medical-marijuana states, meaning physicians would be able to authorize marijuana for any condition, at any time, to anyone, of any age. They also take issue with the fact that doctors don't "prescribe" the drug but provide a "physician certification." They say that will open medical marijuana to the kind of abuse we've seen with prescription drug "pill mills." Federal disaster aid has been expanded to three more Florida counties, including Brevard. Brevard among 3 counties now eligible for FEMA aid Putnam, Indian River counties also eligible Brevard Schools don't have to make up lost days Brevard and Indian River counties were made eligible for both individual and public assistance Wednesday, the governor's office and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said. Public assistance was expanded to Putnam County. Individual assistance provides funds for temporary housing, home repairs and living expenses to families and businesses while they rebuild. Public assistance funds emergency measures and debris removal. The deadline to file for disaster benefits in Brevard and Indian River counties is Nov. 21. The deadline for Putnam is Nov. 18. Brevard was among several Florida areas hit hard by Hurricane Matthew early on Oct. 7. It caused $24 million in beach erosion damage in that county alone. On Tuesday, as Gov. Rick Scott toured areas in Brevard, FEMA announced that individual assistance would be available for residents in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties. No makeup days for Brevard Schools Also on Wednesday, Brevard Public Schools said that Florida Department of Education had approved its request to waive makeup days because of Hurricane Matthew. That means the district will not have to make up the three school days lost to the storm. Juhayna Food Industries SAE's third-quarter net profit fell 34 percent due to dollar shortages and the Egyptian company's decision not to fully pass on higher import costs, Chairman Safwan Thabet told Reuters on Thursday. Juhayna, Egypt's largest dairy products and juices producer, reported a decline in net profit to EGP 58.19 million ($6.55 million) from EGP 88.23 million one year earlier. Juhayna's sales jumped 10.9 percent for the third quarter, to EGP 1.259 billion from EGP 1.135 billion one year earlier. Thabet said the jump only partly reflected the company's higher costs. "Sales increased in light of unusual conditions, and this is good. But the increase in cost was not fully passed on to the consumer," said Thabet. "We are increasing prices only slightly in order to maintain our customers." An acute shortage of dollars in Egypt has sapped businesses' ability to purchase from abroad and crippled manufacturers that rely on imported raw materials following a 2011 uprising that drove away tourists and foreign investors, vital sources of hard currency. Importers have had no choice but to turn to a black market to get dollars as banks ration meagre supplies for essential commodities. This has driven up costs, with businesses paying 15 Egyptian pounds or more per dollar in recent weeks versus an official rate of 8.8. Thabet said the company had begun work on reducing the proportion of imported raw materials it uses to 50 percent from 60 percent over the next year. Search Keywords: Short link: A three-day programme will celebrate the famed peacemaker in Cairo and Port Said Between 25 and 27 October, the Indian embassy in Egypt will hold a number of events in Cairo and Port Said celebrating the anniversary of the birth of India's famous peacemaker Mahatma Gandhi. The celebration will feature a lecture and a photo exhibition in the coastal city of Port Said, as well as a round table and a film screening at the premises of the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) in Zamalek, Cairo. "Gandhi's influence is eternal. He is an example and inspiration at a time in which we're facing challenges and violence. His values urge us to pause and think about how important it is to actively pursue peace," stated the Indian ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharyya in a recently issued press release. In Port Said, a photography exhibition will showcase images documenting key moments in Gandhi's life. The exhibit is organised in collaboration with Port Said governorate and the Suez Canal Authority. Gandhi visited Egypt in 1931, passing by Port Said on his journey by boat to England where he was due to attend a conference. Once in Port Said, Gandhi was welcomed by a delegation from Egypt's El-Wafd party. This visit will be the topic of a lecture that will follow the photo exhibition. Titled "A Return to History: Gandhi's Visit to Egypt on the Ship's Deck," the lecture will focus on Gandhi's visit to Egypt and the conversations that ensued with Egypt's intellectuals. In Cairo, MACIC will screen The Making of the Mahatma, a 1996 film focusing on the early life of Gandhi by filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Moreover, a roundtable titled "Gandhi in Tahrir" will highlight Gandhi's philosophies and their importance in today's world. The discussion will feature Mostafa El-Feki, Egyptian political analyst; Gamal Nkrumah, Al-Ahram Weekly's international editor; Hassan Nafea, professor of politics and economics at Cairo University; and Zakr Alrahman, director of the Indian-Islamic Culture Centre in India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on 2 October, 1869. His life and beliefs of 'no violence' constituted an inspiration in India and across the globe. In 2007, 2 October was designated as the International Day of Non-Violence by the UN General Assembly. Programme: Tuesday, 25 October Screening of The Making of the Mahatma (Shyam Benegal,1996) Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), Cairo Wednesday, 26 October A photography exhibition on Gandhi's life Lecture titled "A Return to History: Gandhi's Visit to Egypt on the Ship's Deck" Port Said, venue has yet to be announced Thursday, 27 October Roundtable titled "Gandhi in Tahrir" Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), Cairo Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), 2nd floor, 3 Abu El Feda St, Zamalek For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Four firefighters were injured and seven residents displaced Thursday morning in a four-alarm blaze that damaged three homes in San Franciscos Castro district and shot heavy smoke and flames into the air, officials said. The fire was reported at 12:15 a.m. at a home at Hattie and Market streets, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the San Francisco Fire Department. Firefighters on the scene observed heavy fire in one home, which quickly spread to homes on each side of it, he said. The hill that houses Coit Tower was under attack from San Francisco residents for decades, leading to mistrust, legal battles and at least one killing. When digging through copies of century-old papers, I never know what I will uncover, or where the story will take me. Last week I learned about the constant leveling of Potrero Hill. Now I find that the earliest San Franciscans repeatedly tore away at Telegraph Hill and ruined private property in the process. "Ten thousand pounds of powder exploded. Telegraph Hill shaken to its foundation yesterday afternoon," read an 1889 entry in the digital Chronicle archives. In the early days, some of the blasting history was sanctioned in order to provide ballast for ships or rocks for a seawall. Other explosions, as you'll see in the recited archives below, were criminal. There were even reports of inhabited houses tumbling off the cliff. The first mention of Telegraph Hill in digital newspaper archives was June 29, 1852. The article, reported a coroner's inquest into the death of a man named John Palmer, found in a tent on Telegraph Hill. His death was ruled to be the result of delirium tremens. That's a dubious, but not altogether unexpected find in the earliest days of San Francisco history. Above you'll find Telegraph Hill photos from the 1900s on. Below are some other noteworthy reports from the early days in one of San Francisco's signature neighborhoods: Reports of dynamite blasts on Telegraph Hill March 12, 1856 Through at Last "Montgomery Street between Broadway and Pacific, is at last, after four months labor, graded through, and in a few days the stones will be removed so that wagons can pass, with a gradual ascent from the centre of our city almost to the top of Telegraph Hill. The embankment at Broadway is very steep and dangerous, and there should be immediately placed there a strong and substantial fence. We learn that it is contemplated at an early day to grade Broadway, between Montgomery and Kearney Streets. The estimated cost of such grading is $20,000. Property there is now scarcely worth the owning; but on the grade being finished will be of great value," read the report. On April 4, 1856, there was a proposal to build a sea wall. It was said that it would make Telegraph Hill accessible and consequently valuable by terracing for business and residences. This would lead to more blasting. As early as the 1850's people were complaining about how disruptive and damaging the explosions were to the residents daily lives. You can read that in this first hand letter to the editor referencing ceremonial cannons once fired from the hill. January 29, 1857 - Firing cannon salutes on Telegraph Hill a nuisance "Editor: Permit me through your columns, on behalf of the residents in the neighborhood of Telegraph Hill, to protest against any more firing of cannon on that eminence. The firing in honor of Gwin's election was the cause of much damage. A great many of the schoolhouse windows were broken, as well as those of private dwellings. In my own house the greater part of the plastered ceiling of a bedroom fell to the ground, and three windows were broken. Again, I learn from a medical man who has patients in the neighborhood, that one of his cases has assumed a very serious aspect, in consequence of that senseless cannonade. Now that Telegraph Hill has so many dwellings on and near it, it is certainly not a fit place for such deafening demonstrations. I trust the proper authorities will take the same view of the matter," read the note signed by "a Citizen." Decades later, the blasting was still going on. March 4, 1889 A Heavy Blast. Ten thousand pounds of powder exploded. Telegraph Hill shaken to its foundation yesterday afternoon. "The city received another great shock at about 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon from the blasting process going on at Telegraph Hill. This is the second terrible blast that has startled the city around Telegraph Hill since the San Francisco Contracting Company got hold of the contract for filling up the section of seawall between Pacific Street and the Oakland ferry. On the 25th of last November they sent off a blast from which they hauled between 40,000 and 50,000 tons of rock to the seawall. A few weeks after that blast a half-dozen men were put to work running a tunnel under the hill to prepare for tearing out another big section of the quarry. About a week ago the tunnel was completed and everything around was made ready for the blast. About fifty of the men who were at work for the contracting company were told to be on hand at 6 o'clock on Saturday evening to do some track-removing. The men were ready, but the work to be performed was not the removal of track, but the loading of the charge that was to shake the hill to pieces. Shortly after nightfall two trucks followed Mr. Mertens, the superintendent, to the quarry. They were loaded with nearly 300 boxes of powder; containing fifty pounds each. Half an hour after the arrival of the powder at the quarry every pound of it - between 7000 and 10,000 pounds - was filled into three pits in the tunnel, one at the extreme end, about 130 feet from its mouth, and in tow others at the end of the drifts run inward from the main drift. The tamping was finished at 4:15 o'clock yesterday afternoon. In about ten minutes after the work on the tunnel ceased, and everything perishable was removed to a safe distance. The wires attached to the dynamite caps in each of the powder-loaded pits were trained away about a hundred yards from the mouth of the tunnel, and a battery attached to them. Several hundred people had collected by this time, and they were warned to retire to a safe distance. Everything being ready, Manager Mertens gave the electrician the word,and in a second the air for a hundred yards between the quarry and the warehouses was a block mass of falling rock," read the report. The shock was plainly felt in all the lower part of the city and many people thought it was an earthquake. It seemed to lift up Telegraph Hill and cracked many walls of buildings there, besides breaking innumerable windows and shaking foundations. The blast cost the contracting company nearly $2000, including the expense of cutting the tunnel; but as nearly 50,000 tons of rock are torn to pieces and ready for the seawall, they are elated at the results. March 15, 1891 Boys fire off a number of cartridges. Residents around the Telegraph Hill district are badly frightened "During Friday night some boys broke into a storehouse on Sansome Street, near Green, belonging to J.B. Chase & Co., the ballastmen and stevedores. From a locked box that they smashed open the thieves stole several dynamite cartridges and over 300 feet of fuse. They also appropriated several shovels, driving hammers and pinch bars. Bent upon mischief the explosives were taken to the top of Telegraph Hill and there a hole was found, into which the cartridges were inserted and the fuse lighted. The length of the fuse was the means of the dynamite not exploding during the night, but about 10 o'clock yesterday morning the neighborhood of Telegraph Hill, Battery, Sansome, Vallejo and Kearny Streets was startled by the explosion. Showers of rocks flew around and a lump weighing at least 100 pounds crashed through the roof of a tenement house occupied by an Italian family named Catalini. The rock fell on the cook stove, smashing it to pieces. Mrs. Catalini was washing clothes, and a chunk fell into the tub, splashing her with soap suds and giving her quite a fright. Windows and casements were broken in large numbers by the concussion, and the King Morse Cannery on Broadway suffered to a great extent in having nearly every pane of glass broken. Andreo Fannon, a boy who was passing along Sansome Street, was struck on the head and received a slight scalp wound. Willie Agnews, living in Filbert Street, also received a slight contusion from a rock. Captain T.P.H. Whitelaw was in Muir's blacksmith shop on Battery Street and a rock struck his hat, while his horse was hit on the flank by a jagged stone that inflicted a severe cut. Mr. Chase says that he has lost a number of shovels and other tools stolen by boys, who sell them to saloon-keepers on the waterfront for beer and liquor. The harbor police are on the lookout for the youthful burglars. It was a miracle that no one was killed. The only clew [clue] so far made known is that one of them was wearing a straw hat and lives on Telegraph Hill." August 19, 1895 Continued blasting "Residents of the city were frustrated by the continued blasting on Telegraph Hill, and wondered how much longer their houses could withstand the repeated shocks caused by dynamite. They called on the city for improvements to the neglected old observatory at the top of the hill, asked for electric street lights, and for the railroad officials to again operate the cable road which formerly ascended the west side of the hill." January 24, 1902 Neighbors protest against dynamiting on the hill Several neighbors got together and gave testimony against the Cushing-Wetmore Company on Telegraph Hill. They said that the company was blasting in the public streets, that there were charges of dynamite that were so large that the explosions shook the houses and caused fragments of rock to fall in their yards. No decision was reached, and further consideration was postponed pending a report by the Board of Public Works. January 25, 1903 An observation of all the years of blasting "From the summit one looks down upon a mighty rock, rugged and old, graven with deep scars of powerful dynamite blasting, where some vandals are endeavoring to destroy the city's landmark, criss-crossed with many narrow, tortuous passages, winding around the rock like a ribbon, to lose themselves in the steep descent to the water front." August 16, 1906 Made angry by blasting. People of Telegraph Hill are enraged by Gray Brothers' Dynamite explosion "A warrant was sworn out in Judge Shortall's court yesterday morning charging Harry N. Gray and his brother, G.F. Gray, with the violation of the ordinance against illegal blasting. The complaining witness was A. Olma of 1148 Montgomery Street. Harry Gray deposited $200 with the warrant clerk to guarantee his own and his brother's appearance in court this morning. The case involves the right of the first to continue blasting operations on the east side of Telegraph Hill north of Vallejo Street, between Montgomery and Sansome. Violent indignation because of blasting last Saturday evening about 5:30 o'clock is said to have brought the population of Telegraph Hill swarming to the verge of the cliff between Vallejo and Sansome Streets, with stones and brickbats and even pistols in their hands. According to the story told by the angry people a heavy blast of dynamite had been exploded without a moment's warning almost under their feet. The women, who suffered the most from fright, say that there was a a terrible explosion. Light buildings rose from their foundations, rocked and shook, debris fell in a shower on the roofs, and the side of the hill slid down toward Sansome street. Men coming home from work found their wives and children terrified and crying hysterically. Egilio Lucchesi, who has a lot fronting on Montgomery Street, has built himself a temporary dwelling on the back end of the lot and almost overhanging the cliff. His wife and six children were badly frightened by the explosion and imagined that their home was going to be destroyed. One child, a boy of 11, was struck with a piece of flying stone that broke the skin on his right temple. Mrs.. E. O'Malley says that former blasts in this place have deprived her of the rear fifteen feet on her lot on Vallejo Street, and that the explosion last Saturday shattered her nerves so that she has not yest recovered. A. Olma owns a lot at 1148 Montgomery Street and has performed the remarkable feat of making tomatoes and green beans grow on the hostile rocks of Telegraph Hill. He claims that the blast took about a quarter of his lot from him. It wsa he that waved a pistol and later caused the arrest of the Gray brothers. H.N. Gray says that a former Board of Supervisors passed a resolution revoking Gray Brothers' permit to blast on their Green Street property about a year and a half ago, and that the case was appealed to the Supreme Court. About six months ago the court decided that the resolution of the Board of Supervisors was illegal and forbade them to interfere with the blasting. This decision, he says, was based on another in the United States Court and gives them absolute permission to blast on their Green Street property. Gray said that they were grading their property, and added emphatically: "The Court's decision in our favor is final. Moreover, we are not hurting anybody nor interfering with anybody's right." February 14, 1910 Boys almost create panic with a stick of dynamite "Residents in the vicinity of Filbert and Sansome Streets on Telegraph Hill were startled last Saturday night by a loud explosion, followed by the sharp tinkle of falling glass. Many who had retired for the night sprang from their beds in alarm as the buildings rocked on their foundations. Others who had not gone to bed grabbed a few belongings and rushed to the street, expecting to see dwellings tumbling to the ground. When the excitement had subsided, and the crowd gathered to discuss the cause of the disturbance, it was found that some small boys of the neighborhood had secured a stick on dynamite from the powder house of a construction company working on the Sansome Street sewer, and while experimenting had exploded it. A search of the neighborhood failed to locate the culprits, although a number of badly scared youngsters were found, but whether their fright was on the general order of that of the grown-ups of the neighborhood or came from participation in the experiment, could not be learned. The windows of the old Scully dance hall on Sansome Street and a vacant residence at the crest of the hill suffered the worst from the shock, every window in both buildings being shattered. The windows of a dozen other houses also were broken by the detonation." Rage against the Gray brothers leads to murder It looked like the answer to when the protracted mayhem of blowing up poor, battered Telegraph Hill would be lost in history. I go through the archives chronologically, and came upon a recollection of the hill that was published in 1947. As the story went, it stated that the reason that the reason Telegraph Hill was reasonably safe in 1906, was due to how the "Italians and Spanish kept it from burning by quenching, with buckets of red wine and wine-soaked blankets, the flames that threatened their tinder-dry frame houses and board shanties." "The calamity interrupted the smooth and happy tempo, the tone, of life on the hill, and the cliff dwellers there had hardly recovered and settled down when the Gray brothers resumed dynamiting of the hill to obtain rock for their stone crushing plants." The explosion of August 6, 1906, was retold, relating how the blast had lifted houses from their foundations and showering the area with debris. While they had planted the dynamite on their own property, the explosion carried away 15 feet of one Vallejo Street lot and a quarter of a Montgomery Street lot, causing 50 residents to rebel. They told of how the blasts frayed every nerve, shattered windows and dangerously rained large rocks on the hill. A 12 room house, not vacant at the time, slid down the hill, toppled over the brink and crashed to splinters in Sansome Street 200 feet below. Broken water pipes sprayed streams of water all over the face of the cliff, and the air was filled with natural gas. A year after that incident, two entire lots crashed down the hillside in an avalanche of earth and stone. In 1909, while guns boomed at the Presidio for a Fourth of July celebration, a large blast shook every house on the hill, in spite of an injunction forbidding the Gray brothers to continue their destruction. They denied detonating dynamite and blamed the boom on the cannons at the Presidio. By this time, the Gray brothers were spending most of their time in court defending themselves against several attachment suits, contempt of court proceedings, and suits to collect unpaid wages to disgruntled employees. One of these employees, enraged by not getting paid, shot and killed the Gray brothers' cashier. After six years of blasting operations, a judge issued a permanent injunction against the firm. The now-scarred and defaced hill was saved. "Violence and a bullet brought an end to the firm of Gray Brothers in 1914, when a discharged employee, in an insane fit of rage, murdered George Gray. Much credit was given to the Outdoor Art League for stopping the Gray brothers. But, it wasn't until the 1920's that the city got around to paving a road to the top of the hill. According to SFGATE's neighborhood guide, the name Telegraph Hill came from a structure built on the top of the hill in the mid-1800's, which would visually signal the city with regard to the type of vessels passing through the Golden Gate. To read more about the neighborhood's history, please click here. The Telegraph Hill Dwellers site states that Telegraph Hill has had a series of names through its history. Allegedly the Spanish called it Loma Alta. Others referred to it as Clark's Point, Prospect Hill, Signal Hill, Windmill Hill, Goat Hill and Tin Can Hill. While focusing on the blasting that went on for decades, I couldn't leave out this bit of macabre history. January 2, 1857 The old graveyard on Telegraph Hill "During the late storm a miniature avalanche of rock and dirt occurred at a quarry on Telegraph Hill, in Sansome Street North of Vallejo. The fall exposed several coffins which were buried high up on the hill, and on examination it was found that a great number of graves were scattered about. A headboard in one place bore the following inscription: "Here lies the remains of James Anderson, seaman on board the U.S.F. Congress, a native of Canterbury, England, died July 16, 1847, aged 41 years.The coffins were in remarkable state of preservation. The old residents will doubtless recollect the time when these bodies were deposited in the earth, before the gold placers were discovered, and while Yerba Buena was a mere collection of adobe huts. The march of improvement is now destroying the old graveyard and cutting down the hill on which it lies, and it will soon be necessary to remove all the mould and dust of the old dead, and remove them farther from the hum and din of the busy city. The Coroner this morning took charge of the coffins and bones exposed by the late slide, and will remove them to a more appropriate place of repose." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jeanne Taylor, a petite socialite with a powerful presence whose energy and enthusiasm helped raise untold thousands of dollars for Grace Cathedral, died in her sleep at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 3. She was 85. Mrs. Taylor, who stood just over 5 feet tall, had stature as a longtime executive of the Lilli Ann Corp., a once-prominent, now-defunct San Francisco womenswear company, but was even more commanding when it came to her causes, thanks to a throaty voice, dramatic facial expressions and theatrical flair honed in a previous career as a TV personality. For decades, she chaired the cathedrals annual dinner-dance in the Fairmont Hotels Venetian Room, and cajoled wealthy friends to part with rarely worn clothing items that were put up for resale to benefit the cathedral. When I think of Jeanne Taylor, I think of the word cheerleader, said the Rev. Alan Jones, dean emeritus of Grace Cathedral. She always wanted things to work out. Shed been in television, been a designer, and always had the big picture. She didnt have to be front and center all the time. She was part of the chemistry that got people to volunteer and show up. Born Jeanne Briscoe in Holden, Mo., Mrs. Taylor was active in cheerleading and glee club as a teen, studied acting at the Ada Bates School of Drama and later won the Miss Kansas City (Mo.) Beauty Contest. Her pageant win led to acting gigs in national commercials, and talent scouts recruited her to host two interview and lifestyle television shows in the Midwest, produced by an aspiring director Robert Altman. Altman, heading to Hollywood, invited her to head west to pursue an acting career, but she turned the offer down. I considered it, but finally decided that was too much of a gamble. So I said no thanks, she said in 1980. Mrs. Taylor landed in California a different way by meeting and marrying a Sacramento man, Warren Taylor, while working on a promotion for a TV sponsor in Chicago. Their marriage lasted one year. After divorcing, she modeled for the Lilli Ann Corp., and worked her way up to head designer and then vice president. Among the prominent clients: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Joan Kennedy, the first wife of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy; Muriel Humphrey, the wife of Vice President Hubert Humphrey; and Bernice Brown, the wife of Gov. Edmund G. Pat Brown. While at Lilli Ann, she remarried. In a quirk of fate, her second husband bore the same last name as her first. Her marriage to Dr. Alexander Taylor lasted five years. She retired after 35 years at Lilli Ann, which closed in 1995. A member of the board at Grace Cathedral, Mrs. Taylor also supported the United Religions Initiative and was a long-standing member of the Most Venerable Order of St. John Hospital in Jerusalem. She also established a scholarship fund at her alma mater, Holden High. Mrs. Taylor, long active and often seen walking her little white dogs in Pacific Heights, injured her back in the past year and was relegated to a wheelchair. She never appeared in public without immaculate makeup on her porcelain complexion, a perfectly coiffed updo and streamlined, simply cut clothing, even at the funeral of her best friend, clothier Wilkes Bashford, in January. Chatty, witty, on top of fashion and the news, Mrs. Taylor was true class, said restaurateur Jorge Maumer, who lunched with her once a week for years. She was some character, too. My God, she was strong. Said the Rev. William Swing, retired bishop of California, Jeanne added beauty and vitality, and she lived the life of grace. Mrs. Taylor, who had no children, was predeceased by four siblings and is survived by a brother, Sam Briscoe, of Missouri. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday at Grace Cathedral. Mrs. Taylor requested that donations be made to Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., San Francisco, CA 94108 or the United Religions Initiative, P.O. Box 29242, San Francisco, CA 94129. Carolyne Zinko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: czinko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carolynezinko A key critique of JASTA is that it gives US domestic law precedence over the international agreements that regulate diplomatic relations, and overrides the sovereign rights and immunity of a country that protect it from being prosecuted. This criticism assumes that the sovereignty of all countries around the globe is generally respected, safe from legal or illegal breaches, the privacy of their citizens respected as long as they do not participate in illegal activities. It is an assumption that is incorrect in light of contemporary realities, especially in the age of the internet. With this in mind, we must launch a global debate to redefine sovereignty, taking into account the advances in technology that surround us, upon which we have come to depend. Unfortunately, no one can manage this now, whether within or outside the United Nations. It is clear that all IT-advanced countriessuch as the US, Russia, China, Britain, India, Israel and to some extent Iranwould resist this kind of dialogue because it could conclude with new criteria restricting the ability of these countries to penetrate other, less IT-developed states. What is certain here, is that even though these states are advanced in IT, they too can be breached. When presidential candidate Hilary Clinton was asked in the first debate with rival Donald Trump about the capabilities of the US in IT security and cyberwar, she said it is a great challenge for the US. Clinton said those who hack US government sites, companies and banks to retrieve information for profit or harm the interests of the US must know that the USs capabilities on this matter are better and greater. But she did not tell us what these better and greater capabilities can do to protect the US state against cyber attacks. Trump also did not clarify his vision of how to protect the USits sovereignty over its information and citizens data. In response to another question about confronting IS, Clinton said she had a plan that includes heavy military bombardment and eliminating IS capabilities online. The answer is a clear indication of her intention to ask US internet companies to become part of this confrontation in the interest of national securitynamely that these companies would work to control the actions of anyone considered to be an enemy of the US. What is interesting here, is that companies which began in the US but became global players, such as Google, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook, could become part of a strategy to violate the sovereignty of all governments and privacy of individuals on behalf of the US government. In fact, these companies breach the privacy of individuals around the globe every day, with users' consent. They provide free internet surfing and social media, but askin fact requireeach user to allow their personal data to be used for company purposes to improve free services such as internet surfing, email or iCloud. And of course, for use in advertisinga key source of income for these companies, according to their public justifications. If the user declines, they cannot use the site or download the app. This makes such companies more influential and powerful than any international agreements or national constitutions regulating and protecting the privacy of individuals; they can easily challenge governments. When the Indian government asked Facebook, which bought WhatsApp, to stop gathering and publishing private data on individuals using the app, Facebook administrators simply refused and viewed the request as interference in their operations. Many people dont really care about this, believing their private data is not worth much if it is made public or reused by known or unknown entities inside or outside their country. The vast majority of WhatsApp and Facebook users around the world have no idea how their personal information, which may contain work secrets whether they are in government or not, is being used. What happens to individuals also happens to governments, armies and companies, but in a more organised manner. The armies and intelligence agencies of major powers include special units for information warfare, focusing on two key elements. First, defense to protect the states information networks from foreign hacking; second, offense to hack the information networks of other countries. Hacking can be handled by an official institution or by pirates hired for the job. The result, simply, is that seemingly peaceful relations between countries do not mean there are no sovereignty violations or calculated pressure in areas of informatics. In fact, these breaches often happen without our awareness; When we are informed, the published versions are full of holes and often suspect. The writer is a political commentator. Search Keywords: Short link: Civil rights advocates filed a lawsuit in San Francisco on Thursday against the federal government in an attempt to get information about how many detained asylum seekers are denied parole and how such decisions were made. In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, the American Civil Liberties Unions Immigrants Rights Project, the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at UC Hastings College of the Law and others want to know why fewer asylum seekers are being offered parole. The groups hope to get statistics from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the parole decisions for detained asylum seekers from 2010 to now and documents detailing the process for coming up with those decisions, the ACLU of Northern California said. Weve seen a nationwide shift in detention policies for arriving asylum seekers who are found to have a credible fear of persecution, and we need this information to find out what has changed and why, said Angelica Salceda, an attorney with the ACLU of Northern California. The public has a right to know if ICE has reversed its policy. Asylum seekers who present themselves to immigration authorities at a port of entry are interviewed and have their cases reviewed, said Michael Tan, an attorney with the ACLU Immigrants Rights Project. If they are found to have a credible fear about being sent back to their country of origin, then theyre detained and referred for a full hearing in immigration court, Tan said. But in 2010, the agency created a directive that called for asylum seekers with no flight risk or danger to the community to be released pending decisions on their cases, according to the ACLU. Since at least 2014, however, such asylum seekers have been denied parole, they said. In 2012, the ACLU said, ICE reported granting parole to 80 percent of asylum seekers who established a credible fear. Just under 50 percent were granted parole three years later, the group said. The lawsuit was filed under the Freedom of Information Act. In two previous FOIA requests, ICE has released only partial records, Tan said. We are concerned that this turn toward locking up asylum seekers is meant to deter efforts by people who are fleeing persecution, extreme violence, and even death, he said. An ICE spokesman said that as a matter of policy the agency does not comment on pending litigation. Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz 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 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thanks to scientific advances, a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease is no longer akin to a death sentence. But with the only real cure being a kidney transplant, its a life-changing event that starts with coming to terms with the fact that your bodys ability to filter everyday toxins has shut down, threatening the viability of every other vital organ and increasing likelihood of heart attacks, blindness, and loss of lower limbs. That usually means months or years of being hooked up to a big machine that will clean your blood for you, three times a week, four hours at a time. RELATED: San Antonio's top-ranked small-sized workplaces So now, how do you make that all happy? asked Dr. M. Reza Mizani, president of the South Texas Renal Care Group, the 2016 winner of the San Antonio Express-News Top Workplaces award for small employers. The way Mizani sees it, it starts with the employees. Veronica Caramillo, Mizanis first hire 12 years ago, is now office administrator for a practice that has about 50 staff members, including 13 doctors in five main offices and several other locations specializing in all aspects of hypertension and kidney care. RELATED: San Antonio's top-ranked medium-sized workplaces He told me were going to hire a bunch of doctors and have a bunch of offices, and here we are, Caramillo said. Jennifer Vazquez, who left a hospital setting in 2009 to join the practice as a radiology technician, is now director of vascular care. Being in a hospital, you can sometimes be seen as a number; and here youre actually seen as a person, Vazquez said. They recognize your commitment, what youve done for the patients, what you do for the organization. And they allow you the opportunity to grow. Patients may not start out smiling many had no idea how vital the kidneys are before they failed but they tend to leave smiling, she said. Case in point, Adrian Aguillon, who during a recent visit was having his fistula, the site on his arm where the dialysis needle goes in, cared for by Dr. Qasim Ali Butt, an interventional nephrologist who said he was drawn by the all-encompassing nature of his subspecialty. Aguillons diabetes has left him blind but not without humor and spirited political views that he shared with attending staff. RELATED: San Antonio's top-ranked large workplaces I love coming here because these people are very professional, Aguillon said. Very caring. Id gone to other offices, but I just like to go where I feel taken care of. Mizani started his practice knowing he wanted it to grow. There was certainly a need due to a combination of Hispanic-Native American genetics and lifestyle, diabetes is prevalent in South Texas. In Bexar County, nearly 12 percent of the population has been diagnosed with it. On top of that, theres a huge sort of subpopulation that has very aggressive diabetes, Mizani said. Therefore, the complications of diabetes and one of them is kidney failure are so common. For the staff, he said its an extremely high task not to burn out. Quite honestly, they could go elsewhere and work and perhaps not be challenged so much on an every day and every second basis, he said. So to be competitive as an employer, you really need to go above and beyond. He said he strives to create a work environment where employees feel they have job security and the potential to advance. There are meetings where people talk about who they are and what their goals are. Theres a 401(k) contribution that kicks in up to 5 percent of annual compensation. Hes also keeping everyone apprised of the status of its renovations to the San Saba Medical Building, which will be San Antonios first all-services kidney care institute when it opens next year. And theres emphasis on humanizing what could otherwise be a very cold, clinical experience. When you turn around and put a face on that disease, you put a name on that disease, you make them so that theyre connected with the patient and family and their children, he said. Then it becomes Mr. or Mrs. So-and-So is ill with this illness. What can you do to help as a nurse, as a human being? Then, theres a connection. Click here to see the full list of winners. lbrezosky@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HealthTexas Medical Group provides primary care and prides itself on a hands-on approach to looking after patients. But the company also makes it a point to take care of its employees. HealthTexas Medical Group is the winner of the San Antonio Express-News Top Workplaces for midsize employers this year. It has made the Top Workplaces list for eight consecutive years, one of just seven companies to do so. HealthTexas also won the award for meaningfulness this year its employees feel theyre part of something bigger than themselves. The medical group started in 1994 with four doctors in two clinics and has grown to 48 doctors in 17 locations across San Antonio, as well as in New Braunfels and Boerne. Richard Reyna, CEO and president of HealthTexas, said the company prides itself on understanding the full scope of a patients medical care and needs. Doctors track visits to specialists so that health care and medications are coordinated among all doctors. If you go see a cardiologist, I know what he is up to, Reyna said Thats our forte. Where we really see our core competency in managing patients with high illness burdens. Employees who responded to the survey said they liked being a part of a team and enjoyed things such as the difference we can make in a persons life, even if its something as small as refilling a medication. Other employees said they werent micromanaged and liked that they had opportunities to learn on the job. I come to work with a smile on my face and love being a member of a team of people who I respect, one worker said. The company has a fundraising committee, and employees volunteer for organizations that include the American Heart Association, San Antonio Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. At a recent community health fair for people who fall between the cracks of the system and dont have any health insurance, 15 HealthTexas doctors volunteered their time to see patients, along with nurses and office staff who came to help. HealthTexas does salary surveys every year to make sure it pays competitive wages, conducts annual performance reviews, and offers employees annual pay increases. Benefits include employer-paid medical, vision and life insurance, as well as long-term disability, a scholarship program and a clinic manager training program. With employees in 17 offices, HealthTexas works hard to make sure everyone feels part of a team and the company culture. At weekly meetings, physicians discuss everything from business decisions to the latest medical research. The entire company gets together for events ranging from bowling nights to company picnics. A recent trip to Six Flags Fiesta Texas had 700 people employees and their families touring the park, many of them wearing shirts that read, My boss thinks Im kind of a big deal. Theres a holiday party, which is always in early January instead of December. We want to start the year with a party, Reyna said. Human resources manager Erica McDonald said HealthTexas sees the events as an investment and a way to make sure that people who work in 17 different locations feel part of the same team. Its not easy to do sometimes, but its fun. Its also an opportunity to come together and operate as one, McDonald said. A lot of organizations cut the fun budget. We add to it every year because its that important to our culture. As one of the employees said in the Top Workplaces survey, I love the people I work with. I believe that this company has my best interests at heart. Lastly, we are always having fun. Click here to see the full list of winners. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NuStar Energys culture and a family atmosphere landed it the No. 1 slot for the second year running on the Top Workplaces list among the largest employers in San Antonio. NuStar has been consistently at or near the top among employers with 500 or more employees in each of the last eight years research firm Workplace Dynamics has conducted the survey for the San Antonio Express-News. The company, which has more than 1,650 employees across the world, was spun off from Valero Energy Corp. in 2007. It has a 300,000-square-foot headquarters on the Northwest Side and operates an 8,700-mile network of pipelines, terminals and storage facilities. Valero founder and former CEO Bill Greehey, chairman of NuStar, created a culture that put employees first, and we carried that over when we came over here, CEO Brad Barron said in an interview. His theory has always been if you do more for your employees, your employees will do more for the community and for the company, and thats been proven time and time again. Barron said the companys turnover rate is low, around 2 percent. He attributed the companys high employee retention to NuStars competitive wages, fully paid health care and extensive community engagement. The average voluntary turnover rate across all sectors in the U.S. was 11.6 percent in 2015, according to Compensation Force. Nationwide theres more bad management than good, he said. Theres more people that lead with a stick than lead with a carrot, and we dont even lead with a carrot. We lead by really integrating employees with what we believe. The culture Greehey cultivated at Valero and NuStar has attracted some employees to the company, and drawn others back to it. Rick Webb worked for a refiner that was bought by Valero in 1997, but he wasnt part of the team Greehey took with him to NuStar. Valero sent Webb to London in 2005 for five years, but it wasnt the same without Greehey, Webb said. What I noticed was the culture (at Valero) had definitely changed when Mr. Greehey departed. Fortunately for me though, in 2010, I was able to come back home and have been here since, Webb, 53, said, referring to his move back to NuStar. Lisa Trefger also went through a merger when NuStar bought the AGE refinery she worked at on the South Side of San Antonio. She said it was scary when the acquisition happened but was relieved to find out NuStar was the buyer. Trefger said she knew wonderful things about Mr. Greehey and what he had done at Valero. They kept every single employee and really took a tremendous amount of care. It was kind of a holistic view of what the employee needed, not just what the company needed, said Trefger, who is now NuStars director of business analytics. NuStar also encourages employees to volunteer in their community. The volunteer aspect I think is one thing that keeps me here. Ive worked for a lot of different companies through my career and not one company I worked for really says, Hey, what board are you sitting on, and what are you doing? This company does that so then they also give you that freedom to use your skill sets and help the community, Trefger said. NuStar had offered 29-year-old Alejandra Huhn, a vendor master specialist, her first career opportunity when she graduated college in 2009 first as an intern and then a contractor. Theres a really big sense of community here and family here, so everyones really comfortable with each other, Huhn said. On top of that you get fair pay, you get amazing benefits you have just this incredible sense of community here. Click here to see the full list of winners. rdruzin@express-news.net Fifteen employers have won special awards in San Antonios Top Workplaces survey, having earned standout scores from employees on various aspects of the workplace. Three executives were recognized for their leadership. In the large-employer category, the honor went to Kahlig Auto Group President Clarence Kahlig. Randall Pawelek, chairman and CEO of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, won in the midsize-workplace category. For small employers, the award went to Anthony Tony Ridout, managing shareholder of the accounting and consulting firm RidoutBarrett & Co. JBGoodwin Realtors received the award for direction, reflecting that employees believe this company is going in the right direction. San Antonio Marriott Engagement Center won the managers award for my manager helps me learn and grow, my manager makes it easier to do my job well and my manager cares about my concerns. Overland Partners Inc. won for new ideas, as employees agreed that new ideas are encouraged at this company. The doers award went to South Texas Renal Care Group for doing things efficiently and well. HeathTexas Medical Group received the meaningfulness award because employees said, My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful. Advantage Behavioral Sciences Inc., which provides home- and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, earned the ethics award for operating by strong values and ethics. NuStar Energy received the clued-in senior management award, as employees agreed senior managers understand what is really happening at this company. Kiolbassa Provision Co. won the communication award for keeping employees well-informed about important decisions. Commercial real estate firm Transwestern received the appreciation award for making employees feel genuinely appreciated. Rackspace Hosting Inc. won the work/life flexibility award for giving employees the tools to balance work and personal life. The training award went to the San Antonio River Authority for offering career training to employees. Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union won the benefits award in recognition of the benefits package it extends to employees. Click here to see the full list of winners. Below are employee comments on each award winner: Leadership Kahlig: He seems to care about his employees and has high moral values, which is key. He is an astute businessman with great insight, knowledge and vision. Pawelek: Stands by his decisions and keeps the company honest and profitable. Ridout: The leader does an excellent job of providing a workplace and culture that employees want to come to each and every day. Direction JBGoodwin: I like that we are not trying to be the biggest; just trying to be the best. Managers San Antonio Marriott Engagement Center: My manager does listen to me and my concerns. (The manager is) sympathetic and constructive. I feel that I am able to come to my manager with any problem and receive help without any harsh criticism or judgment. New ideas Overland: Overland embraces the fact that all of the workforce makes up the culture and environment, so new ideas to improve and expand the current environment and business are encouraged. Doers South Texas Renal Care Group: Regardless of work loads, everyone always strives to complete the work goals in an efficient manner. Meaningfulness HealthTexas: The difference we can make in a persons life, even if its something as small as refilling a medication. Ethics Advantage Behavioral Sciences: No comments were available. Clued-in senior management NuStar: I am mostly impressed by the relationships that senior managers maintain with all employees across the country. Our senior managers are extremely knowledgeable in the operations of NuStar, and they are willing to share their knowledge and build relationships with younger employees like myself. Communication Kiolbassa: The company has a day off (of) production and the boss gathers everyone up and has a meeting to tell us whats going to happen in the future. (Management) also asked for our feedback and ways they can make Kiolbassa better. Appreciation Transwestern: The culture here makes you feel like you matter no matter what position you hold. There is a team-driven atmosphere and it feels like family. Work/life flexibility Rackspace: Rackspace is a work-hard, play-hard type of environment. As long as you get your work done in a timely fashion and take care of your responsibilities, having the flexibility you want/need is not an issue. Training SARA: SARA is flexible when funding training needed for the job and training for personal growth. Being able to grow as an employee and person is an extremely valuable asset. Benefits Randolph-Brooks FCU: The 401(k) is generous and the health insurance is a definite perk. Adam Hamilton, president of the Southwest Research Institute, told area executives that maintaining integrity within the organization and treating employees with respect are critical factors to becoming a great company. Without these, you wouldnt have a great workplace. Without these, you wouldnt even have a good workplace, said Hamilton, the keynote speaker at the San Antonio Express-News 2016 Top Workplaces awards luncheon Thursday. You have to genuinely care, not only about your mission at the organization, but also about the people you work with. Hamilton rose to the top of the 2,700-employee nonprofit organization after the institute bought his company Signature Science in 2001. SwRI was founded in 1947 by Texas wildcatter Tom Slick Jr., an adventurer who helped fund an expedition to find the Abominable Snowman in 1947. Hamilton is carrying on that legacy at the institute, which took the lead in NASAs New Horizons mission to explore Pluto and is working on a vaccine for Ebola. Hamilton, who assumed the helm in 2014, advised local employers to come to work every day with positive energy and to listen to employees. He also said thriving organizations are resilient and communicate clearly with their employees. People cant read your minds, Hamilton told an the audience of 715 attendees the Grand Hyatt Hotel. After that, collaboration and consistency must follow. Can you do that tomorrow, next week, next month? he asked. Bob Helbig of Philadelphia-based Workplace Dynamics, which surveyed employees at 138 companies on behalf of the Express-News for this years awards, said employees at winning organizations said they had confidence in their companys leadership and direction and felt appreciated by senior managers. These are all factors into organizational health, Helbig said. Employees are motivated to perform. They are more likely to stay. There is increased productivity, increased profitability. These are all good things. Helbig said organizations benefit from receiving worker feedback. Its good for business. Who wouldnt want to do business with a top workplace? Helbig said. Youre making a tremendous difference in peoples lives, he added. NuStar Energy was the 2016 winner in the large-employer category. Health Texas Medical Group of San Antonio took top honors among midsize workplaces cwhile South Texas Renal Care Group won the small-employer category. The process is instructive, Brian Yager, head of school at Keystone School, said after the luncheon. Keystone School has been ranked in the small-employer category the last eight years. It makes us think about what we do. The survey questions are interesting. Getting feedback from the employees is quite instructive, too. Then the award is an affirmation of our efforts. This is a feel-good thing for everyone, Yager said. The top 15 organizations in each size category were honored. A roundup of all the winners plus special and other awards will be presented in a San Antonio Express-News 2016 Top Workplaces special section to be distributed in Sundays edition. The information is available now online at www.mySA.com. dhendricks@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In 1998, there was a need for change in the fast-paced world of business banking. While there were plenty of big banks ready and willing to take a business money, it seemed that the personal attention and passion to partner with their clients to build a successful financial business model was missing. Thats when a group of entrepreneurial Texas bankers brought their vision of a better banking experience to life. With years of experience in the local banking industry and a refreshing take on customer service that had all but disappeared, these pioneers set out to establish a new way of banking. The result was the creation of Texas Capital Bank. From its inception, the business philosophy of Texas Capital Bank has resonated with clients and employees alike. At Texas Capital Bank, we are driven by our single-minded passion for serving businesses and the individuals and families who run them. To accomplish this mission, weve brought together the most talented, experienced and service-focused professionals in the state, said Shaun Kennedy, San Antonio chairman of Texas Capital Bank. Its those people who have helped develop a company culture in which we take great pride, a culture that values performance while respecting a healthy work/life balance, he added. Today, the business model of Texas Capital Bank has proven to be a very successful one. Texas Capital Bank is among the fastest growing and most successful financial institutions in the country with clients from coast to coast, said Kennedy. With branches located throughout Texas and 1,500 employees, it is clear that Texas Capital Bank serves not only the business community, but those who work for the financial institution as well. As part of the team at Texas Capital Bank, one can expect to find a positive and supportive work environment that comes along with an array of benefits and perks. Texas Capital Bank provides an attractive health benefits package as well as matching dollar-for-dollar to 6 percent of annual base salary on 401(k) plans, an Employee Stock Purchase Program, a Wellness Program and an Educational Assistance Program, said Kennedy. In addition, various training programs are offered to Texas Capital Bank employees to help keep their knowledge relevant and current in the financial industry as well as aid them in career development and growth. A career with Texas Capital Bank promises to be rewarding and satisfying, not only through the impactful work performed for clients, but also in building personal skills and knowledge, accompanied by a generous compensation and benefits package. But most importantly, the work culture found at Texas Capital Bank is second to none. We believe in treating our clients and each other with the utmost respect and kindness. And we believe in having fun along the way, Kennedy concluded. Editors Note: This content is made possible by Texas Capital Bank. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts there will be 1 billion smokers worldwide by 2025 a total that's about the same as today's except for the fact that tobacco consumption is falling in the West and rising in the East, especially in China. China, which has ratified the WHO Convention on Tobacco Control, will be an important player in the next round of tobacco control talks. The first step in that round, however, will revolve around the election of the WHO's next director-general. A 50-year-old woman whose decomposing body was found in her home near Hayward last week was stabbed to death, police said Wednesday after arresting her 28-year-old son in connection with the attack. LeMario Thomas was arrested about 12:30 p.m. Monday in Centralia, Wash., on suspicion of auto burglary shortly after arriving in Washington, then admitted to authorities that he also killed his mother, officials said. He had apparently fled California after the death of his mother, Patricia Carpenter, said Sgt. Ray Kelly, an Alameda County Sheriffs Office spokesman. A group of people in Centralia spotted Thomas trying to break into a car to get money and valuables, then immediately stopped him and called police, authorities said. Thomas told Centralia police officers that he killed his mother when they arrested him, officials said. Alameda County investigators went to Washington to interview Thomas and he confessed again to killing her. Anytime you have a child kill a parent or vice versa its just sad. Kelly said. Its really hard for the family. You end up losing two family members. A neighbor called police the night of Oct. 5 to report a foul odor and flies coming from the home Carpenter and Thomas shared on the 22300 block of Princeton Street in the unincorporated area of Alameda County. Neighbors told Alameda County sheriffs deputies that they hadnt seen or heard from Carpenter for more than a week and that her mailbox was filling up with letters. Deputies responded about 8:40 p.m. and forced open the door to Carpenters home, where they found her body in advanced stages of decomposition in the living room. Foul play had not been immediately suspected in her death because the body was so badly decomposed it was difficult recognize signs of trauma, Kelly said. An autopsy revealed Carpenter had been stabbed multiple times. A knife with what police suspect is blood on the blade and handle was found in Thomas room, according to the sheriffs office. The inside of the home was in disarray, police said. The evidence led officials to issue an arrest warrant for murder. Police investigating the slaying suspect that Thomas had anonymously called 911 on Sept. 28 to tip off officials. The CHP dispatch center in Sacramento had received an emergency call from an unknown number asking officers to be sent to the Princeton Street home to see what was inside. The caller hung up as the dispatcher tried to receive more information. Later, investigators played the tape for Thomas uncle and brother, who recognized the voice as his. Police did respond to the home after the September call, but after walking around the house and checking the windows, they found they did not have any legal justification to force their way in. The anonymous caller did not give any identifying information to add legitimacy to the report, Kelly said. Authorities believe Thomas killed his mother the same night or the night before calling 911, so the strong odor police later noticed in October was not present when they first responded because the body had not dramatically decomposed yet. Alameda County Sheriffs Office has submitted Thomas case to the district attorneys office for review. Thomas was in custody at Lewis County Jail in Washington awaiting extradition back to California. Chronicle staff writer Kimberly Veklerov contributed to this report. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gable Tostee, 30, was found not guilty of murder after 26-year-old Warriena Wright fell from his 14th floor balcony. The Queensland state Supreme Court also acquitted him of manslaughter in the case that has attracted widespread interest. RELATED: Gable Tostee 'Tinder murder' trial reveals new chilling details Prosecutors in the trial alleged that Tostee, after locking Wright out on his balcony in Brisbane, had intimidated and scared his date to the point that she fell trying to escape his apartment. The week-long trial was extended after jurors could not come to a unanimous decision. One juror was scolded by the judge for posting information on Instagram. Thursday, when the verdict was read, there were gasps in the courtroom, the Brisbane Times reports. The families of Tostee and Wright, including some jurors, wept. Tostee didn't speak after he was released, but his attorney said some words on his behalf. "He's relieved this matter is now behind him and he's looking forward to moving on with his life," Tostee's lawyer Nick Dore said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "He thanks all those people who have supported him through this and realizes just how tragic this has been for many people. At this stage, he's looking forward to putting it behind him and considering his future from here." Tostee and Wright, who met on Tinder, were on a date that spiraled out of control on Aug. 8, 2014. After drinking and being intimate, they began arguing. Tostee's phone recording of the night was played at the trial. The 199-minute recording revealed the moment he locked Wright on his balcony saying: "I'm gonna let you go, I'm gonna walk you out of this apartment just the way you are. You're not going to collect any belongings, you're just going to walk out. I'm gonna slam the door on you. If you try to pull anything I'll knock you out, I'll knock you the f--- out." Wright, a tourist from New Zealand, then climbed down the balcony. Her legs could be seen dangling by a neighbor in the unit directly under Tostee's. (Story continues below.) When she fell, Wright reportedly ricocheted off lower balconies. Forensic pathologist Dianne Little testified that Wright suffered 80 separate injuries and that her body had "folded over itself," making it impossible to determine her height. "Why does this sh--t keep happening to me?" Tostee said in a phone call to his dad that night. "I swear to God I didn't push her, I just chucked her out on the balcony because she was beating me up." Tostee faced life in prison if found guilty. The death will now be investigated by the Queensland coroner. "This was not a conventional homicide investigation. It was always acknowledged it'd be a very difficult investigation from the start," Homicide squad Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said. Jonathan Prime, HONS / Associated Press Inferno: Tom Hanks has to save the world again. Hes back as harried symbols expert Robert Langdon, who has to scurry around Europe looking for clues to unlock the keys to stopping a deadly virus that will wipe out half the worlds population. It involves deciphering Dantes The Divine Comedy, apparently. Felicity Jones is his sidekick in haste and peril. The first Brown adaptation since Angels & Demons in 2009, this was released in Europe last week to generally lousy reviews. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Where: 226 W. Bitters Road, 210-483-7600, maxandlouiesdiner.com On the menu: Starters, $5.95-$8.95; big salads, $6.95-$12.95; soups, $3.95-$5.95; sandwiches, $14.95; burgers, $10.95-$16.95; entrees, $14.95-$18.95; breakfast items, $6.95-$13.95; desserts, $4.95-$9.95; shakes and sundaes, $3.95-$6.95.. Fast facts: The main force behind this new restaurant, Drew Glick, who ran Drews American Grill from 2011 to 2014. The concept is a love letter and tribute to Glicks paternal grandfather, Louie Glick, and great uncle, Max Braverman, both immigrants who came to New York from Russia. Joining Glick in this venture is his wife, Wendy, and partner Ron Acosta, of Las Palapas restaurants. Right now, the restaurant offers lunch and a handful of breakfast items, but early morning breakfast hours are coming soon. Impressions: At Glicks former place, the Reuben sandwich was a thing of beauty. The Reuben at Max & Louies might not scale those epic heights, but its still pretty a darn good and gloriously messy dish. And its available with pastrami or corned beef or a mixture of both. The interior gleams with a polished stainless steel counter and edges on the furniture, while the walls include Manhattan scenescapes in rounded window-shaped frames. And if you have any memories of New York diners, youre going to want to get the egg cream basically a carbonated chocolate milk. Next time, Im coming for some matzoh ball soup. And a bagel with lox. etijerina@express-news.net Twitter: @etij This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Moshe's Golden Falafel, chef Andrew Weissman's casual Middle Eastern lunch counter, opened its second location downtown Wednesday. The new shop, at 300 E. Houston St., will be open at 11 a.m. daily and stay open until about 5 p.m., Weissman said. The $8 menu of spicy red and classic green falafel with freshly baked pita and a smorgasbord of extras is the same as the first location at 3910 McCullough Ave., but the downtown spot adds shawarma for $1. Slow-roasted, thinly sliced beef and lamb shawarma was added at the new location in response to customers' requests and to give business people downtown more protein options, Weissman said. Depending on how it's received, he might add shawarma to the Olmos Park menu as well, he said. The downtown shop will sell beer and wine when the liquor license comes through, and Weissman said he hopes to add delivery in the next few weeks. Despite the shop's quiet opening, it's already attracted the attention of customer Kay Hunter, who works at the Alamo Antique Mall nearby. "The last real food like this I had was on the streets of Jerusalem," she said. Weissman who started Moshe's with his wife, Maureen, last year said he approached the idea of opening a falafel shop for the same reason he's started other restaurant projects: to create the kind of food he likes to eat when he's on vacation. He said that falafel is one of his first stops whenever he visits New York City. To that end, Weissman said he'll be visiting New York to eat one last time at the Carnegie Deli before it closes at the end of this year. The purpose, he said: A quest to understand and create world-class pastrami and corned beef for the 24-hour restaurant he's planning downtown. Weissman, whose other restaurants include Osteria Il Sogno and the Luxury, is also working to open his new project, Signature, at La Cantera Resort & Spa on Nov. 21. Moshe's Golden Falafel is at 300 E. Houston St., 210-966-0333. The original location is at 3910 McCullough Ave., 210-994-9838. msutter@express-news.net Twitter: @fedmanwalking This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thousands of miles from the Texas heat, a Tyler native has swapped out S.O.S. messages in a bottle for Facebook Live to show his adventures on a chilly island where the only other living animals are bison and arctic hares. Mack McGowen is currently the sole human on Newfoundland's Brunette Island in Canada's North Atlantic Region. The lifelong outdoors man is a sort of guinea pig for a potential live documentary concept called Castaway LIVE. He was able to communicate with mySA.com via text message on Wednesday. "There is no noise here, no constant distraction, just the wind, waves and the beating of my own heart. That emptiness engulfs me, sharpening my vision on the essentials not food, shelter or fire but rather on faith and family," he said. David Raven, the project's producer, said in an interview the idea is a collaborative effort between himself, McGowen and Alvaro Cerezo, the show's producer. The initial plan did not include submitting McGowen to extreme conditions he had originally joined the team as a technology producer. RELATED: San Antonio family of four plans to leave their lives behind to spend year traveling U.S. in an RV The project had secured an original "primitive specialist" to participate in the beta run, but he decided against being involved weeks ahead of the launch. Faced with the possibility of scrapping Castaway LIVE, McGowen stepped in and bundled up to brave the elements. "McGowen kissed his wife and infant goodbye, and headed to Newfoundland to survive on the onset of the stormy, North Atlantic hurricane season, alone on Brunette Island," Raven told mySA.com. On Oct. 13, McGowen celebrated his 30th birthday alone on his first day on the island. Since then, he has amassed a fan base of Facebook Live viewers who watch his videos daily to check in with his day-to-day tribulations. RELATED: San Antonio daredevil nearly dies in Jacob's Well free dive, catches everything on camera Raven said the trio worked to find an island both remote enough to make for a "good deserted island" and still be close enough to nearby cell towers for a 4G connection. "It's a notch up from a live nature cam with a human," Raven added. McGowen has spent a little more than a week exploring and foraging off the land, eating things like berries and urchins. On Wednesday, he published a Facebook Live video, revealing the torrential weather he was stuck in with only a hooded jacket to guard him from the storm. RELATED: University of Texas graduate makes video of 'epic selfies' taken during his 3-year travels Raven said depending on the beta test's success, Castaway Live will become a multi-week wilderness survival experience streamed live 24/7. The audience would be able to help the castaway by inputting their knowledge of outdoor survival skills. McGowen is currently on his 8th day of the experiment and hopes to be home before Oct. 31 to witness his daughter's first Halloween. "A man does not live by bread alone and that truth has never been more sharply realized than here, in this lonely place," McGowen said. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye Washington Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both struggled in the final presidential debate to explain comments from their past. A look at some of the claims from the debate: CLINTON, on Trump's charge that she called for open borders in a 2013 speech to a Brazilian bank: "I was talking about energy." THE FACTS: She was actually talking about more than energy, but apparently less than an open border that immigrants can spill across at will, according to the partial transcript released by WikiLeaks. Clinton said in the speech that "my dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, sometime in the future with energy that is as green as sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere." The remarks suggest a broad interest in open trade but were not necessarily evidence that she would support the unfettered movement of people, as Trump charged. CLINTON: "I want to make college debt free." THE FACTS: Clinton might aspire to that lofty goal, but she has only proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. Even with expanded grant aid, room and board can lead students to borrow. Clinton would have the government pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Students would still need to foot the bill for housing and food, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. But Trump is correct that government would shoulder higher costs with Clinton's plan. Her plan would cost the federal government an estimated $500 billion over 10 years, with additional costs possibly for state governments. TRUMP: "Her plan is going to raise taxes and even double your taxes." THE FACTS: Clinton's plan wouldn't raise taxes at all for 95 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The very wealthiest would take the greatest hit, though a doubling is highly questionable. Two-thirds of her proposed increases would hit the top 0.1 percent of richest Americans, the center estimates. The main components of her tax plan: a minimum 30 percent tax on those earning at least $1 million a year, and a 5 percent tax surcharge for those earning more than $5 million a year. She would also cap the value of tax deductions and exclusions for wealthier taxpayers. CLINTON on her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: "It didn't meet my test." THE FACTS: It met her test when she was secretary of state and she promoted it worldwide. Hacked emails from Clinton's campaign, released Wednesday by WikiLeaks, showed that Jake Sullivan, her top foreign policy adviser, called her a "big champion" of the deal and worried about how to handle the issue in the face of Sen. Bernie Sanders' opposition. She later flip-flopped into opposition during the Democratic primaries against Sanders. Clinton says she no longer backs the proposed trade deal as written because it does not provide enough protections for U.S. workers on wages, jobs and the country's national security. Yet the final deal also includes some of the strongest labor protections of any U.S. trade agreement. Albany A state political scandal that ensnared people close to Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not so far dramatically affected voters' opinions of the governor, a new poll shows. A Siena College poll released Wednesday shows that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is viewed favorably by 56 percent of likely voters, and unfavorably by 41 percent of voters. Those numbers are a slight change from the governor's 57-39 favorable-unfavorable numbers in Siena's September poll, but fall within the narrow band in which Cuomo's poll numbers have fluctuated for more than two years, since even before he began his second four-year term in 2015. Only once since August 2014 have less than 50 percent of Siena surveyed voters said they have a favorable view of the governor (49 percent in July 2015). At the same time, only once have 60 percent of voters said they view him favorably (60 percent in January 2015). Other statewide polling has shown slightly lower, yet somewhat steady, numbers for Cuomo. Quinnipiac University, which polls New York voters statewide every few months as opposed to every month like Siena, has shown the governor bouncing between an approval rating of 58 percent and 43 percent between August 2014 and July 2016. Enter the latest political scandal that after about a month apparently has done little to sway voters. Joseph Percoco, a longtime Cuomo confidant and former aide, lobbyist Todd Howe, who also has ties to the governor, former SUNY Polytechnic Institute President Alain Kaloyeros and prominent developers with business before the state all have been caught up in a federal corruption case brought in late September. Howe has pleaded guilty to charges he faced and is cooperating with prosecutors. The others have maintained their innocence. Kaloyeros also is caught up in a separate state case related to alleged bid-rigging, along with prominent Albany developer Joe Nicolla, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge he faces. Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said he doesn't believe voters were intently focused on the scandal, given that the presidential election has sucked much of the air out of other political conversations. Still, he cautioned that as the scandal story continues to unfold after the Nov. 8 election, voters may shift more of their focus to the Cuomo connection. "We will see what effect this has over time because sometimes some stories take time and then it seeps in with voters," he said. "Or over time maybe voters say it doesn't affect the way they feel about the governor. We'll see. You've got to remember, a poll is a snapshot in time." On the presidential race, Siena continues to show Democrat Hillary Clinton crushing Republican Donald Trump statewide (54-30), even as a majority of voters say both candidates are not honest and trustworthy. In the other federal race on the ballot of statewide importance, Democratic U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer continues to lead comfortably over Republican Wendy Long (66-27). Siena polled 611 likely voters statewide this month. The margin of error is +/- 4.6 percent. mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @Matt_Hamilton10 Below are poll trends that include Cuomo's numbers since August 2014: SNY1016 Crosstabs by Matthew Hamilton on Scribd WASHINGTON Health insurance premiums may be going up by double digits in Connecticut and major insurers are abandoning some markets, but Health & Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell insists the Affordable Care Act Obamacare is here to stay. This is in the fabric of the nation, Burwell said at a reporters roundtable Wednesday before making a speech in which she announced the governments ambitious enrollment target for the year 13.8 million, a 1.1 million increase over the 12.7 million enrolled in the last period. Were not going back to a place where anybody who had a pre-existing condition isnt going to get insurance, she said. I dont think thats where the nation is going to go. The question is, how do we go forward and make the improvements that we want to and need to make? Open enrollment is Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, including for Access Health CT. The state exchange has signed up 849,000 enrollees 749,000 through expanded Medicaid and the remaining 100,000 through selection of competing insurance plans. Access Health CT has been held up as a model plan. But even Connecticut has suffered some of the choice and affordability issues afflicting plans in more rural (and less politically supportive) states. Two insurers, United Healthcare and HealthyCT, dropped out of Health Access CT for financial reasons. A third, ConnectiCare, announced it, too, would leave, but backtracked in September. ConnectiCares exit would have left Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as the marketplaces only insurer. There is no doubt that there are opportunities for improvement, but the ACA is a major step forward in reforming health care and ensuring its accessible and affordable for everyone, Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said in a statement Wednesday. Since its inception, nearly 850,000 Connecticut residents have enrolled in health care through our exchange, Wyman said. Were proud that Connecticuts exchange is held up as a national model for what works in the ACA, but more importantly, we now have among the lowest uninsured rates in the nation and are building a healthier state and a stronger economy. The problems are worse in many other states such as Minnesota, Oklahoma and Illinois, where premiums are scheduled to rise by 30 percent or more. Most individuals on the exchange in Connecticut will see an increase of 22 percent, said Wymans spokeswoman, Juliet Manalan. Republicans, including GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, have seized on the bad news to reiterate their position that Obamacare be repealed. Their substitute revolves around permitting insurance companies to sell policies across state lines, which critics charge would prompt a health care race to the bottom. Burwell nevertheless appeared upbeat about the prospects for a record Obamacare enrollment nationwide. Have we had challenges? Burwell said. Sure. Its a complicated thing. Weve been trying to do this for 100 years; you can go back to quotations from Teddy Roosevelt. Obamacare has succeeded in lowering the number of uninsured in the U.S. by 20 million, she said. Since 2013, the population signing up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act has proven to be sicker and in need of more costly treatment. Their enrollment has not been sufficiently offset by younger, healthier people even though the 2010 law imposes a tax penalty for those not having insurance. States such as Connecticut that embraced the Affordable Care Act and went forward aggressively to set up exchanges and expand Medicaid are seeing positive results compared to those that didnt, Burwell said. It does tend to work better in places where theres support, she said. In states that have expanded Medicaid, its estimated premiums (will be) 7 percent lower in marketplace. dan@hearstdc.com (Beijing) Fewer migrants are moving into big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, where living costs are high, but those cities still accommodate more than half of China's migrant population, according to a national report released Thursday. Migrants who settled in several of the country's top cities last year accounted for 54.9% of the people who migrated from one province or region to another, down from 56.8% in 2013, the report released by National Health and Family Planning Commission showed. By the end of 2015, China had 247 million migrants people who have left rural areas for cities, or left small cities for large metropolises, seeking employment and a better life. The number of migrants is about 18% of the country's total population, according to the report. The migrant population is also aging rapidly, with the average age rising from 27.9 years old in 2013 to 29.3 years old in 2015. Those over 60 accounted for 7.2% of the migrant population at the end of 2015, the report shows. The commission did not provide a figure for 2013. Forty-three percent of the elderly migrants said that they moved to cities because they needed to take care of their grandchildren or needed to be taken care of by their families. Contact reporter Li Rongde (rongdeli@caixin.com); editor Ken Howe (kennethhowe@caixin.com) Albany Alain Kaloyeros, the former president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, has received approval from a federal judge to travel to Pennsylvania for a job interview. "Dr. Kaloyeros has been invited to meet in Pennsylvania in connection with a potential consulting opportunity," says a letter from his attorneys filed earlier this week in federal court. Kaloyeros is facing state and federal charges related to a wide-ranging bribery and bid-rigging scheme involving several SUNY Poly development projects upstate. He was suspended when the criminal complaints against him and eight other individuals became public last month, and he resigned from his leadership post at the school last week. Kaloyeros is, however, seeking to resume his tenured teaching position a job that has placed him among the state's best-paid employees. The terms of his release allow Kaloyeros to travel freely in New York and New Jersey. Casey Seiler BRIDGEPORTPolice investigated reports of a firefight Wednesday night around 6 p.m. in the residential neighborhood along Whitney Avenue. Around three shell casings were recovered by 6:30 p.m. on the arterial street just off Capital Avenue, according to police on scene. Around eight shots were reportedly fired in total. Police are investigating the possibility that two guns were involved, possibly in a shootout between two parties. No victims were reported in the shootout, but theres a twist. One was shot and fled the scene and didnt immediately seek medical treatment. Multiple witnesses told police that they saw a vehicle with the same description flee the scene after picking up a woman who was reportedly injured in the shootout, according to police dispatch reports. No blood was immediately found at the scene. Over an hour after the shooting, police had not found a victim matching her description in local hospitals, despite it occurring just a few blocks from St. Vicents. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY An attorney for murder suspect Emanuel Harris said during an impassioned plea to jurors Thursday that his client was just trying to protect himself when he pulled a knife during a downtown brawl three years ago. They werent the hunters. They were the hunted, Dante Gallucci told jurors during closing arguments in state Superior Court in Danbury. And right or wrong, they were ready. Harris and his friends had been living lives of fear after clashing with other groups of youths. He was jumped, bumped, robbed and punched, and it happens on a regular basis, Gallucci said. These kids were living a life that I can only imagine. Harris is accused of stabbing Luan Pitol in the back during a fight between two groups of teenagers on Dec. 7, 2013. The groups had exchanged words after leaving the Harambee Center on West Street and met later at the corner of Wooster and Foster streets, where the fight broke out. Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Warren Murray painted a completely different picture, portraying Harris and his friends as armed and ready to ambush Pitol and his friends at the intersection. It was a late fall night and Pitol was going to party with his friends, Murray said during his own closing arguments in the case. The defense wants to portray Harris group as victims, but even people in his own group indicated he was ready to fight somebody. Murray pointed to testimony by Nigel Cole, a friend of Harris, who claimed that Harris said shortly before the fight that, Im not going to mess around, Im just going to start stabbing people. Harris was the only person identified by witnesses as stabbing people, Murray said, noting that two teenagers in Pitols group claimed they saw Harris stab Pitol during the brawl. Thats something to think about. Gallucci, however, took issue with at least one of the eyewitnesses, Luis Rodriguez, who did not come forward to give his account of what happened that night until two weeks ago after jury selection had begun. You were officially part of this case before he was, Gallucci told the jury. You see someone stab your friend and you wait more than two years before telling anyone? The defense attorney also attempted to cast doubt on Coles testimony, noting that he was granted immunity in the case in exchange for his testimony. Did he have something to worry about? Gallucci asked. We didnt hear a whole lot about what Cole did during the fight that day. He claimed that others in Harriss group might have been involved in the stabbing, including Daniel Jackson, who also had a knife, but claimed he stayed out of the brawl. Where was Jackson during the fight? The truth is we dont know, Gallucci said. The truth is we dont know who stabbed Pitol that night. Murray pointed to Facebook messages sent by Harris and other members of his group shortly after the fight that appeared to implicate him in the crime. I straight, Harris said in one of the Facebook messages. I had to be out because I stabbed two of them. Harris admitted on the stand to slashing Mike Martins during the brawl, an act he claims was self-defense, and said he thought he had also cut Rodriguez during the meelee. The jury began deliberating the case late Thursday. dperrefort@newstimes.com BALLSTON SPA -- A Saratoga County Jail prisoner injured a corrections officer and another inmate during a fight Wednesday, the sheriff's office said. William S. Cason, 33, of Hadley was arrested and faces two counts of felony assault, the department said. The officer and other inmate were treated by medical staff and released, the sheriff's office said. Cason was arraigned in Ballston Town Court and held in lieu of bail to reappear at a later date. He is incarcerated on unrelated charges, the sheriff's office said. TRUMBULLPolice searched Thursday for two suspected thieves who allegedly stole an ATM from inside the Westfield Trumbull Mall a broad-daylight burglary. Around 9 a.m., two men in dark clothing and ski masks unloaded a cart from their van and wheeled it about 80 feet into the mall between Macys and a JC Penny stores, according to police. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Glenville After working for about two decades as a laborer on road crew around the region, Joe Nichols moved inside in recent years to Mohawk Asphalt Emulsions because he wanted to be closer to his family, a relative said Thursday. Nichols, 56, of Amsterdam died late Wednesday afternoon from burns he suffered in an industrial accident at the Glenville plant. His job was loading and off-loading emulsions, a mixture of two or more chemicals that normally don't go together, for road paving projects, said Mike Quiri, his brother-in-law and a foreman with the Gorman Group, owner of Mohawk Asphalt Emulsions. On Monday, Nichols was performing what one fire official described as a routine task, loading a tanker truck for a paving job. Fumes from a holding-tank valve caught fire as workers heated it up with a blowtorch, fire and environmental officials said. Vapors of liquid asphalt ignited, causing the explosion and fire, authorities said. Nichols and another worker, who has not been identified, were seriously burned. Nichols and a second man were taken to the burn unit at Westchester Medical Center, Frank O'Connor, an attorney who represents the Gorman Group, said. The other man is listed in critical but stable condition. His family has asked that his name not be released, O'Connor said. A third worker, Brian Jones, suffered minor injuries and was treated at Ellis Hospital. Nichols had worked for the company for 24 years, O'Connor said. Quiri worked on the road with Nichols at job sites throughout the Capital Region for about 14 years. He said Nichols was the type of guy who did his job and mostly kept to himself. "He was a quiet and reserved guy," Quiri said. "He was always willing to do his share and everyone liked him." He said that the road crew, as part of the prep work, notifies residents the night before that streets are to close for paving and where they can park. They also are responsible for clean-up work, including removing blacktop from manhole covers and utilities, Quiri said. Nichols was married to Quiri's sister Karen for about 31 years. The couple lived in Nichols' hometown of Amsterdam and have a son and daughter, Quiri said. Federal officials are investigating the explosion at the Freemans Bridge Road plant. Six years ago, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the Gorman Group $1,500 for a safety violation on a Vermont paving project. pnelson@timesunion.com 518-454-5347 1 Oregon explosion: Firefighter Lt. Peter St. John is being hailed as a hero for evacuating a building before a powerful gas explosion in a Portland, Ore., shopping district. St John said Thursday that he was tossed up to 20 feet by the blast, which injured eight people Wednesday morning and ignited a fire that sent a plume of smoke over the city. Three firefighters, two police officers and three civilians were hurt. The blast reduced to rubble a 110-year-old building that housed a bagel shop and other businesses in the popular NW 23rd Street shopping area. Construction workers may have caused the blast by nicking a three-quarter-inch natural gas line outside the building. 2 Liquor bicker: Striking Jim Beam workers upset over extended work hours to keep up with demand for the brands whiskeys were presented a new contract offer Thursday that includes a company pledge to hire more employees, a union official said. About 250 union workers are scheduled to vote on the latest contract proposal Friday, said United Food and Commercial Workers union official Tommy Ballard. They walked off their jobs Saturday at Jim Beam distilleries at Clermont and Boston in Kentucky. Workers main complaint with the worlds leading bourbon producer was not money but time the union wants to see more full-time workers hired, rather than a greater reliance on temporary workers. SAN ANGELO Tens of thousands of monarch butterflies have been migrating through the Concho Valley in recent days, and a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist hopes Texans stop to appreciate what he terms is truly a royal procession. These are special insects, and they are moving through our country here in San Angelo in a big way, said Dr. Charles Allen who is headquartered at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo. There were literally thousands of them in the trees at the center here, probably 10,000 or more. And then a cold front moved through, and theyre all gone. Allen said San Angelo is a bit west of their annual migration route to Mexico with their main thoroughfare roughly paralleling Interstate 35 through Central Texas. The butterflies at the AgriLife center, which covered the large pecan and oak trees in places more densely than the leaves, seemed fearless and remained undisturbed by the many birds in the area. Allen said thats because they have a not-so-secret weapon, one of their two main features the entomologist said makes them special among all other animals. The monarch as a caterpillar feeds on milkweed. Along with nutrition, the larva obtains milkweed protective chemicals, which it holds within its body even as it changes into a butterfly. These chemicals affect anything that might want to eat it either later as a butterfly or as a larvae or caterpillar, he said. The compounds dont taste good, and birds eating them become sick, though they dont die, so they quickly figure out that this brightly colored insect thats floating peacefully through the air is not food, and they dont eat them. And not only will they not eat a monarch butterfly, they wont eat anything that even looks like a monarch, so a number of insects have evolved to look just like a monarch because they are afforded the same respect and protection. Thats pretty special. But theres something even more special about the monarch, Allen said. Its their incredible 2,000-mile migration, which is unique in all of the animal kingdom. All the monarch butterflies we see and enjoy in our area, in fact all those across the eastern half of the U.S. winter in a small area of only about 10 acres southwest of Mexico City, Allen said. But if that is not incredible enough, Allen said the butterflies being seen headed toward Mexico now have never been close to Mexico, nor have their parents or grandparents. He said each spring the monarchs leave Mexico heading north. They lay eggs on milkweed, the adults die, the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the milkweed and become butterflies. This cycle occurs three more times as they head up through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and on up through Minnesota, Michigan and finally Canada. The ones that emerged in September in Canada are the ones we are seeing now here in San Angelo, he said. They are the world-class travelers, the ones now heading to Mexico. They are the great, great grandsons and granddaughters, four generations removed from those ancestors that started the cycle just last spring. So none of these butterflies or even the three previous generations have ever been to Mexico, a roughly 2,000 mile one-way trip. And yet with a brain smaller than the tip of a fine pencil lead, they know right where to go. Allen said past experiments have purposely taken tagged butterflies 1,000 miles off course and even with that detour, they end up in Mexico on that roughly 10-acre plot. Its just an amazing feat, and thats another reason why monarchs are royal in my opinion, he said. No other insect or animal does that. Four generations out and they still know their way back to their historic overwintering grounds, a place this generation has never seen before. Its an amazing story. But all is not well in the kingdom of the monarch, Allen said. Their numbers are falling, and the proof of that is easy enough to determine. The number of monarchs are determined by measuring that small acreage in Mexico. Thats done from photos taken from airplanes or even via satellite. They measure the size of the land area that turns from the green of the foliage to the orange of the butterflies as the insects arrive and roost on the trees. By this we know their populations are down significantly, over 90 percent, from what they were 15 years ago. Fortunately, during the last two years we have seen their numbers recover somewhat, but they are still less than 50 percent of what they were before. One of the reasons is they are dependent on very large-trunked old forest trees at their overwintering site, Allen said. Those large trunks or boles are heat sinks, Allen said. And when the occasional cold snap moves through the area, heat radiating from those large trunks enable the butterflies to survive. The area is a preserve and very dear to the people of Mexico who celebrate the butterflies annual return, which coincides with the annual Dia de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead celebration. The monarchs are said to represent the souls of departed ancestors returning for the annual visit. But that area has been plagued by illegal logging activities, Allen said. Hopefully, the attention in the media and elsewhere is bringing the plight of the monarch into focus and will help the Mexican government protect those trees that are so important to the survival of this species. In the U.S., Allen said, a lawsuit filed in early 2016 to declare the monarch a threatened species targets farmers use of genetically modified crops and herbicides associated with the loss of milkweed, the larvaes primary food source. Its not a problem with the generation of monarchs that reproduce in Texas as we grow a lot of milkweed on our vast native ranges, he said. The problem comes with successive generations trying to reproduce once they reach the Corn Belt. Herbicides we are using there nowadays are really pretty effective on milkweed, so theres less of a food resource than there once was. Allen said this issue is currently being countered by a wide array of programs and media attention since the word got out that this butterfly is special and at risk. Now people are planting lots and lots of milkweed along roadsides and really any kind of a little patch thats not being used for something else, Allen said. Were seeing a groundswell of support now to preserve the monarch, he said. And I think if Im a judge, we are experiencing some of that success right now as the butterflies move through our Concho Valley area. Theyre migrating in huge numbers, and Im going to be really surprised if the acreage in Mexico thats colored orange does not show an increase now and hopefully for years to come for the regal and very special monarch butterfly. No matter how seasoned you are in the world of online marketing, its always smart to surround yourself with other pros. The good news is that there are countless marketers online who are willing to share their advice. The bad news, of course, is that its not always easy to distinguish between the true gurus and the wannabes. And thats where this list come into play. The marketing experts that follow have met at least the following criteria: They get results for their clients. Theyve been around longer than a year or two. No fly-by-night marketers on this list. They contribute to the marketing industry by consistently offering advice and new ideas for other marketers. Theyre trusted and respected by other top marketing experts. They contribute something unique to the marketing industry. Each of the experts below are marketing innovators in some small (or big) way. Ready to expand your marketing knowledge every day? The following 10 experts wont steer you wrong. 1. Neil Patel. The co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar and Kissmetrics, Neil Patel, a regular contributor to Entrepreneur, is recognized as one of the top 10 online marketers. His client list is impressive: hes helped grow the revenues of renowned brands such as NBC, Amazon, Viacom, GM and HP. Whether you want to grow in your knowledge of Web analytics, marketing or conversion, youll learn a great deal from him daily. Where to find him: Notable quote: Dont expect things to be handed to you or for doors to open up when you want them to. You have to be a go-getter and if you arent one, you better learn how to become one. Related: The 6 Online Marketing Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs 2. Avinash Kaushik. Avinash is an entrepreneur, author and speaker with a depth of knowledge that even the most seasoned marketers can learn from. The digital marketing evangelist for Google, Avinash helps marketers understand the complex world of data analytics. Hes the co-founder and CEO of Market Motive, and the author of two bestselling books: "Web Analytics 2.0," and "Web Analytics: An Hour a Day." Where to find him: Youll find a treasure trove of Avinashs knowledge on his blog, Occams Razor. Notable quote: Data is important. I believe it can help drive your business strategy smartly. But, a data-first strategy, defined as above, is nuts. It will only slow down your progress and allow your competitors to crush you like a bug (even if you are a top player in your market today.) You should reject data-first. You should accept data-with strategies. 3. Melissa Mackey. A marketer since 1988 and a PPC practitioner since 2002, Melissas got a whole world of online-marketing knowledge to share. Shes currently the Search Supervisor at gyro, the largest independent B2B agency in the world. Her expertise helps clients achieve maximum ROI from paid search. Besides busily serving gyro, Melissa has spoken regularly at marketing conferences such as PPC Heros HeroConf, Search Engine Strategies and SMX Advanced. In 2015, she became a Microsoft MVP for Bing Ads. Where to find her: Notable quote: I do this as well -- at a minimum, Ill visit competitor landing pages and take screen shots to share with our clients. Often, we get ideas from competitor landing pages -- or at least we learn what not to do. 4. Nadav Dakner. Nadav is a veteran online marketer and the founder and CEO of InboundJunction, an Israel-based content marketing company. He helps well-known brands boost their online visibility through the latest PR, SEO and social media strategies. Nadav specializes in influencer marketing and performance PR and also gives back to the marketing industry by sharing his knowledge of things that work, and things that dont. Where to find him: Contributor to The Daily Egg Contributor to KISSMetrics Notable quote: As your audience faces this sea of information, what theyre looking for isnt more. Instead, theyre looking for trusted and knowledgeable guides who can navigate them through the stormy, unorganized mess. In other words, showcasing other peoples content cements your own website as an authoritative voice. Not only that, but curation is one of the most effective ways to build relationships and generate influence within your industry. 5. Ian Cleary. Ian is the founder of RazorSocial, a provider of online training in content marketing and social media. With a focus on using the best tools and technology, his training helps companies and marketers achieve better social-media results. Ian is a regular speaker at marketing conferences around the globe, including Social Media Marketing World and Content Marketing World. Hes known as one of the leading social media specialists worldwide. Where to find him: RazorSocial blog Contributor to Entrepreneur Contributor to Social Media Examiner Notable quote: Influence is the new online currency. You build influence in your niche and you generate more money. It takes time to build influence, but its worth it. 6. Syed Balkhi. Syed was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30 by the United Nations. Specializing in viral growth, social media, lead generation and conversion marketing, when Syed has something to say, marketers listen. Related: 50 Online Marketing Influencers to Watch in 2016 Syed founded WPBeginner, the largest free WordPress resource site on the planet. Hes also the co-founder of OptinMonster, WPForms and List25. His focus is on using his success and experience to help others build and market businesses online. Where to find him: Syedbalkhi.com blog Notable quote: I often get asked about how many internal links should I have in my blog post. At minimum, it should be between two to three. You dont want to force the internal links in your articles, but really there is no limit to how many internal links you can have. If you have a lot of content on your site, then go for 10 to 15 internal links. As long as its helpful for users, youll find it beneficial for SEO. 7. Sujan Patel. Sujan Patel is the motorcycle-racing, skydiving cousin of Neil Patel. An inspiring workhorse, hes known for his 80-hour work weeks. Sujan co-founded Web Profits, an innovative growth-marketing agency that helps clients gain more customers and grow brand awareness. He is also a partner in several software companies, including ContentMarketer.io, Narrow and Mailshake. His more than 13 years of online marketing experience has earned the trust of clients such as Sony, Intuit, Turbo Tax and Sales Force. Sujans book on growth hacking, "100 Days of Growth," sold over 35,000 copies. Where to find him: Sujanpatel.com blog Contributor to Entrepreneur Notable quote: Successful companies arent the ones with the infrastructure and campaigns to quickly attract lots of new customers (even though, on the surface, they might seem enviable). Instead, its the companies that are able to keep those customers, long-term, that eventually win. Related: 5 Social Media Tools That Will Help You Reach Your Marketing Goals 8. Andy Crestodina. A Web strategist who believes in doing great work for people you love, Andy Crestodina has worked in Web design and interactive marketing since January of 2000. Hes known as being an evangelist for content marketing and ethical digital marketing. Besides co-founding Orbit Media, Andy also founded Content Jam -- Chicago's largest content marketing conference. His book, "Content Chemistry," is currently in its third edition. Hes also contributed his advice to practically every highly-read marketing website. Where to find him: Youll find a large collection of his articles and podcasts on Orbit Media. Notable quote: To be successful, websites must do two things: 1. Attract visitors, and 2. Convert those visitors into leads and customers. In order to do this, Web marketers must do two things: 1. Create content and 2. Promote it. Content makes the difference between success and failure on the web. 9. Heidi Cohen. As chief content officer of Actionable Marketing Guide, Heidis mission is to simplify the complex concepts behind todays evolving marketing challenges. In her consultancy, Riverside Marketing Strategies, she builds on her clients competencies to turn constraints into opportunities. Related: 5 Harsh Truths About the Internet Marketing World Heidi has taught graduate level marketing at a variety of universities. Shes a sought-after speaker at marketing conferences around the world, and takes part in top events every year. She has spoken throughout the U.S., Europe and South America. Where to find her: Find valuable insights with practical marketing tips and tactics at Actionable Marketing Guide. Notable quote: Use your video content as audio content. It already exists. Strip the audio out of your existing video. Voila, new enhanced content marketing. This is an easy way to extend the lifetime value of your existing content. It avoids the problem of once and done content. 10. Mari Smith. Nicknamed The Queen of Facebook, Mari Smith is known as one of the worlds most trusted social media marketers. She co-authored "Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day." She also authored "The New Relationship Marketing: How to Build a Large, Loyal, Profitable Network Using the Social Web." Facebook recently selected Mari to hire and partner with as the companys leading Small Business and Facebook Marketing expert. Forbes named her as one of the Top 10 Social Media Power Influencers four years in a row. Where to find her: Notable quote: More than 89 percent of users access Facebook on their mobile devices and they check Facebook 14 times a day. Those people have an intimate relationship with Messenger. When your company starts conversations with users, youre befriending them on that level. This is how to change business relationships into personal ones. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved The World Trade Organization sided with China in a key dispute with the U.S. over how Washington calculates anti-dumping duties that it imposes on certain Chinese products. China's victory, announced Wednesday, settled a complaint that Beijing filed against the U.S. in 2013 over tariffs on imported Chinese goods, including high-pressure gas cylinders made of steel, and pipes manufactured for the oil industry. Chinese exports covered by the ruling have a combined market value of $8.4 billion a year, according to a statement posted on the Chinese Commerce Ministry's website. China "welcomes" the ruling and now urges the U.S. to "respect WTO's assessment, correct the misuse of anti-dumping measures as soon as possible, and offer a fair-competition environment for Chinese companies," the ministry said. China agrees with the WTO's decision that certain U.S. measures, such as a calculation method called "zeroing," violated global trade rules. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), which defended the tariff system against the Chinese complaint, responded to the WTO decision by saying the U.S. will continue "to impose anti-dumping duties to address injurious dumping." One company hit by the tariff calculations that irked China was Beijing Tianhai Industry Co. Ltd. (BTIC), a steel-cylinder manufacturer whose top trading partners are in the U.S. The WTO ruling backed the Chinese argument that the tariff calculation method used by the United States against BTIC's goods was flawed. A source familiar with the company's operations and who spoke Thursday with Caixin said the method could have tripled the tariffs imposed on cylinders exported to the U.S. The WTO ruling ended one of many ongoing trade disputes between China and the U.S. Earlier this month, the USTR Office said it was asking WTO to examine China's "unfair export restraints" concerning 11 raw materials, including copper, lead and tin. Contact reporter Coco Feng (renkefeng@caixin.com); editor Eric Johnson (ericjohnson@caixin.com) Think back to the last time you were asked, What do you want to be when you grow up? Now think about why you gave the answer you did. Related: The 4 Biggest Myths Discouraging Women From Tech Careers When youre young, you dont know what you dont know -- and you cant aspire to be something you dont know either. Our early career preferences are shaped by what we read about or watch, what we learn in school and most directly, what we see the people around us doing for a living. Today, research suggests that the presence of role models isnt just essential to defining students dream jobs, but to rectifying the IT industrys gender disparity. Dispelling tech career stereotypes Only 23 percent of middle and high-school girls surveyed said they had considered pursuing IT careers, according to CompTIAs recent research report, Make Tech Her Story: What Needs to Change to Inspire Girls Pursuit of Tech Careers. Of the girls surveyed who hadn't envisioned IT in their future, 69 percent didn't know what these jobs entailed or what opportunities were available. Surprisingly, exposure to technology classes and fondness for video games arent the main differentiators between girls who contemplate IT careers and those who dont -- its role models. Although 37 percent of girls in the survey who knew a relative or friend who worked in IT, this number jumped to 60 percent among girls considering technology jobs. Many girls today narrowly associate IT jobs with working in consumer tech support roles, or spending hours alone in a cubicle, crunching numbers on a screen. But when girls have a friend or relative who works in the industry, their perception of IT starts to expand beyond the stereotypes. Ongoing mentorship from a passionate IT professional -- someone who can explain why she loves what she does -- gives girls a lens through which they can view their own futures. Related: Turning the 'Challenges' of Being a Woman in Tech Into Opportunities If we expect to fill the almost 600,000 new IT jobs projected to be created by 2024, we need to inspire a new class of equal parts boys and girls to follow these career paths. This requires giving girls information: details about what skills are needed to work in IT (beyond math and science), the jobs that exist (beyond coding) and the multiplicity of benefits these jobs offer (from competitive salaries to the ability to travel and help others). Role models are some of the most powerful vehicles for delivering this information. There are no strict criteria for who can be a strong role model. From founders to public servants, many women work in IT today whose stories can empower girls to consider this growing field. Here are four women with diverse backgrounds who take time (during and outside of their day jobs) to make the IT industry more open and supportive: Angie Chang Over the last decade, Angie Chang has worked tirelessly to create opportunities for women in IT. Her resume includes her having co-founded Women 2.0, an online and events-based community for female business and technology entrepreneurs, and having launched the Bay Area-chapter of Geek Girl Dinners, a group bringing local women in tech together for networking and talks hosted by brands like Microsoft and Facebook. Today, Chang is a vice president at Hackbright Academy, a software engineering school that aims to increase womens representation in the IT industry. Michelle Ragusa McBain Michelle Ragusa McBain is an 11-year Cisco veteran and mother of four devoted to making the technology sector more inclusive. Today, she serves as Ciscos global customer and partner experience manager, overseeing the companys alliance with Ingram Micro. Since 2014, Ragusa McBain has been the executive chair of CompTIAs Advancing Women in IT community, a group providing women with the resources they need to pursue and grow their IT careers, and helping technology employers create cultures that support a more diverse workforce. Jessica Williams Jessica Williams began her career by earning a masters degree in information systems and then building a background in systems integration. But a trip to a Spark & Hustle event opened her eyes to the world of entrepreneurship. In 2011, Williams founded Tech Biz Gurl, a technology consultancy that advises business owners on everything from launching WordPress sites to managing email marketing campaigns. Aside from holding Cisco and CompTIA certifications, Williams is a co-facilitator for WiSTEM, a 16-week educational program dedicated to assisting female technology entrepreneurs with funding, community and IT resources. Brenna Berman As the commissioner and CIO of Chicagos Department of Innovation and Technology, Brenna Berman has set a new national standard for open, agile and data-driven local government. Role models played a crucial role in her career (which includes more than 10 years at IBM): her uncle was a pioneering computer science professor who introduced her to computers as early as kindergarten. In addition to overseeing IT initiatives for the third largest city in America, Berman sits on the board of the Chicago Entrepreneurial Center, a nonprofit group that manages 1871, the citys startup community hub. In sum, for girls figuring about what to be when they grow up, information is power. Although parents and teachers play a major part in shaping girls preferences, role models are uniquely equipped to reshape girls perception of IT. Related: I Belong Here: 3 Ways to Attract More Women to STEM By sharing their stories and guidance, the women who represent today's small female fraction of the IT industry can make that industry more balanced tomorrow. Related: 4 Role Models Who Inspire Girls to Pursue Tech Careers Girls in Tech Offer Basics Boot camp To Its Global Entrepreneurs in Hyderabad Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Bad Axe Elementary School second-grade students pay attention to blacksmith Mike Juengling of Saginaw as he explains his technique during a Museum Day at the Pioneer Log Cabin Village in Bad Axe. Students took notes, and even took pictures, as they learned what life was like more than a century ago. Trenton, N.J. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's court date to answer a citizen's complaint that he failed to put a stop to the closure of lanes at the George Washington Bridge in 2013 has been moved to Nov 23. Documents filed in New Jersey Superior Court Monday and publicized Wednesday show Christie's attorney agreed the Republican governor's first appearance would be Nov. 23, rather than Oct. 24 in Hackensack. The document was signed by Christie attorney Craig Carpenito, assistant prosecutor John Higgins as well as Judge Roy McGeady. Carpenito did not immediately return a request for comment. Christie has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged in what federal prosecutors say was a political payback scheme. Two of Christie's former aides are on trial in the matter. The complaint, filed by retired Teaneck firefighter William Brennan, alleges Christie "knowingly refrained from ordering that his subordinates take all necessary action to re-open local access lanes" from Fort Lee that had been "closed with the purpose to injure Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich" for not endorsing Christie's re-election bid. The complaint claims residents were "deprived (of) the benefit and enjoyment of their community." Christie's office has called Brennan a "serial complainant with a history of abusing the system." Carpenito earlier told the judge that the complaint was "intentionally misleading" and that what Christie knew about the closures was already thoroughly investigated. Official misconduct is considered a second-degree offense in New Jersey and carries a possible sentence of five to 10 years. An initial court appearance originally was set for next week. The new date is the day before Thanksgiving. Three investigations into the scandal did not find evidence Christie authorized or knew about the lane closures. Federal prosecutors did not charge Christie after their investigation, a Democrat-led legislative panel failed to find evidence linking the governor to the plot and a 2014 taxpayer-funded report found the governor wasn't aware of the September 2013 closures until afterward. BAD AXE With hundreds of drug addicts in Huron County, the issue cannot be taken lightly, according to one Huron County commissioner. Clark Elftman said he consulted with the local police chiefs, the Huron County Sheriffs Office, the Huron County Health Department and other county agencies to come up with the number of addicts in the county, although he did not specify the number beyond hundreds. Elftman cited an article in his report to the board that said, legalizing marijuana guarantees more narcotics addicts, at the Huron County Board of Commissioners committee of the whole meeting. According to the article, it could take five years to get the issue of opioid addiction under control, Elftman said. Its just something that we cannot take lightly. Weve got to do whatever we can for the people of Huron County, he said. The sheriffs department is doing the best that they can, but theres a lot of work out there to be done. The addiction is overwhelming, Elftman said. Elftman also reported on the Huron County Child Advocacy Center, which is now being established. Its another step forward in the Child Advocacy Center. We need that so we can bring this stuff under control. Not under control in the aspect of were not going to have anybody using drugs, but well have the sheriffs department, DHS, health department everybody will have a centralized office. The Child Advocacy Center will be located in the Medical Care Facility, where there is office space available that includes audio and video recording capabilities. It will be open 24-7, and will be used for child abuse and neglect interviews. Sanilac, Tuscola and Lapeer counties have such centers, Elftman said. Financing will be considered for the advocacy center, as well as a program presented last week by Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski to curb drug abuse in the county, by the finance committee and in the 2017 budget, Commissioner Ron Wruble said. There are numerous petitions to the Michigan Tax Tribunal appealing the value of wind turbines, he added, which will cause a variable in the 2017 budget. Wruble said the 2017 budget process should be wrapped up by the end of November. In other business: Chris Prill, country director of computer information systems, reported on what it would take to make the countys website more accessible, and for the county to host pages for county municipalities. Technology has changed a lot since the county website was designed in 2004, he said. The site is not up to par in terms of mobile device accessibility. The site also does not have the capability to expand to municipalities that want to piggy back off the county site. He recommended that the board contract with Eztask, which will update the county site for about $4,000 the first year, and will maintain it for $1,500 annually after that. Hi-Tech, the company that built the site in 2004, quoted a price of $28,000 for the upgrade. Prill will conduct more research on possible Michigan municipalities that have used the Eztask service. Commissioner Sami Khoury suggested that the county look into safety zones for Craigslist exchanges, which would be monitored by cameras and patrolled by law enforcement. Elftman, who chaired the meeting because Chairman John Bodis was on vacation, proposed letting the public comment at the end of the monthly committee of the whole meeting. The committee of the whole is usually an update meeting and does not allow public comment. An open house will be held in Sebewaing from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 30 for all vacant buildings in the downtown area, Khoury said. Quito, Ecuador WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is finding himself in open conflict with his Ecuadorean protectors as the group's latest dump targeting Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign runs afoul of the South American government's goal of warming up to Washington. Ecuador's move to cut off his Internet access at its embassy in London was a stinging rebuke from leftist President Rafael Correa, who in 2012 heralded Assange as a digital-age Robin Hood and granted him asylum over protests from the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape. Correa's government said Tuesday that WikiLeaks' publication of a trove of damaging emails from Clinton's campaign had impacted the U.S. election in violation of Ecuador's traditional respect for other nations' sovereignty. Analysts say Correa is unlikely to now kick Assange out into the streets of London where he faces certain arrest. But allowing him to keep leaking secrets from the embassy risks putting the small Andean nation unwittingly on Russia's side of a brewing cyber-battle with the United States, Ecuador's top trade partner, at a time of deep economic stress. "Before, the costs for Ecuador of hosting Assange were minor," said Santiago Basabe, a political analyst at the Latin American School of Social Sciences in Quito. "But they are growing bigger now because they involve questions of U.S. national security, its tense relations with Russia and the presidential elections." The cascade of disclosures of Democratic operatives' hacked emails, including this week's publication of Clinton's speeches to Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs, has been hailed by Republican candidate Donald Trump as evidence of his rival's dishonesty. However, U.S. intelligence agents say the hack is the work of the Kremlin, although it's not clear how the files ended up with WikiLeaks. Regardless, Ecuador has plenty of reasons to try to curry favor with Washington. The oil-dependent, dollarized economy is fighting a recession made worse by low crude prices, a destructive earthquake in April and a strong U.S. dollar. Adding to the uncertainty is Correa's imminent departure from office after a decade in power that provided a sense of stability after years of coups and revolving-door presidencies. Analysts say whoever wins February's election Correa's preferred successor currently leads polls is almost certain to turn to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout. In such a scenario the support of the Washington, the biggest shareholder in the IMF, will be key in determining how severe an austerity program is required. Washington The fight for Mosul, launched this week by Iraqi security forces supported by U.S. air power and advisers, could take months and is likely to feature periods of fierce combat, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Wednesday. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said the duration of the battle will be determined in part by how the Islamic State group reacts and adjusts to the unfolding Iraqi offensive. He noted that the extremist group has had more than two years to prepare its defenses in and around the sprawling Tigris River city. The militants thus far have put up significant resistance in villages surrounding Mosul. They have sent trucks loaded with explosives careening toward the front lines and fired mortars to slow the Iraqi forces' advance since Monday. Iraqi soldiers are in the lead combat role; the U.S. is supporting them with a variety of aircraft, artillery and advisers, but the Pentagon has said repeatedly that none of the Americans are on the front lines. Speaking at the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank, Votel said Iraqi officials have publicly spoken of the Mosul battle lasting for weeks or months. He said he is comfortable with the Iraqis' timeframe and said it was important to credit the Islamic State with being an adaptive enemy capable of adjusting to setbacks. "I'll give you an example," he said. "The operation we did to Manbij, in northern Syria, took about 71 days to complete, from start to finish." That was completed in August. Votel noted that another key objective in Syria Raqqa, the self-proclaimed IS capital is about three times the size of Manbij. "Mosul is about three times the size of Raqqa," he said, suggesting that Mosul could be orders of magnitude harder than either Manbij or Raqqa. There had been speculation that offensives to retake Raqqa and Mosul might happen simultaneously. Asked about that, Votel repeatedly stressed the importance of what he called "simultaneous application of pressure." "I think it's extraordinarily important and we are certainly attempting to do that," Votel said. "I think what we've seen is when we apply pressure on the Islamic State forces, they do squirt out, they try to go to other locations, they move leaders, they move the bulk of their forces, they try to relocate some of their operations." He said the U.S. and its coalition partners could respond to that in various ways, including directing airstrikes at IS fighters seeking to move from Mosul to Raqqa. "I think it's extraordinarily important to apply pressure in many areas, Iraq and Syria," he added. Separately, another U.S. general said Islamic State fighters are likely to put up a stiff defense of Mosul but eventually lose their grip and morph into an insurgency. Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, commander of U.S. and coalition land forces in Iraq, said this transition from conventional combat to counter-insurgency is deemed so predictable that the U.S. training regimen for Iraqi security forces is already being adjusted to prepare them for insurgent threats. Volesky, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon via video link from his headquarters in Baghdad, also disclosed that U.S. Army Apache helicopters have entered the battle for Mosul. He declined to provide specifics. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 International Transmission Co. will be conducting its semi-annual aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission towers and overhead lines in central Michigan starting Monday, Oct. 24, to Friday, Nov. 4. Eyes in the skies will inspect towers, poles, wires, insulators and other equipment in all or parts of Midland, Barry, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Livingston, Montcalm, Oakland, Saginaw and Shiawassee counties. Prague A man identified as a Russian hacker suspected of pursuing targets in the United States has been arrested in the Czech Republic, police announced. The suspect was captured in a raid at a hotel in central Prague on Oct. 5, about 12 hours after authorities heard that he was in the country, according to police. The man did not resist arrest, but he had medical problems and was briefly hospitalized, police said in a statement. A police spokesman, said Wednesday that the arrest of the man, whose name has not been released, was not announced immediately "for tactical reasons." The police statement said "the man was a Russian citizen suspected of hacking attacks on targets in the United States," and that the raid was conducted in collaboration with the FBI after Interpol issued an arrest warrant. The arrest occurred two days before the Obama administration formally accused the Russian government of stealing and disclosing emails from the Democratic National Committee and other institutions and individuals. But law enforcement officials in Washington, who asked to remain anonymous, said on Wednesday that the suspect did not appear to be related to the hacking of the Democrats' emails or to organizations like DCLeaks or WikiLeaks. For the first time in its 44-year history, Sequoia Capital, one of the most vaunted venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, has hired a female investing partner for its U.S. operations. Sequoia had been wooing Jess Lee since 2012. Shes the co-founder and CEO of Polyvore, a shopping site for fashion and home decor. Yahoo acquired it last year for $230 million, and as Yahoo is now being bought by Verizon Communications, Lee agreed to join Sequoia. When she starts on Nov. 7, Lee, 33, will become the 11th partner and one of the youngest investing partners at the firm. In an email to Bloomberg, she wrote she was excited to join Sequoia to help the next generation of founders. Sequoia is among the worlds most respected firms because of its early bets on companies including Apple, Cisco, PayPal and Google. The firm has several female investors overseeing its global funds, but like many venture firms, its Silicon Valley headquarters is run by a group of older men. Women make up just 6 percent of the senior investment teams at top venture firms in 2016, according to researcher PitchBook Data, up slightly from 5 percent in 2010. Getting the first female venture capitalist into a top-tier partnership is a big deal, said Kate Mitchell, the co-founder and partner of Scale Venture Partners and the chairwoman of the National Venture Capital Associations task force on diversity. Whether that translates into a long-term commitment to better inclusion, only time will tell. As standard bearers in the industry, Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers have been lightning rods in the diversity debate. Kleiner Perkins, which was unsuccessfully sued by Ellen Pao for gender discrimination, has added several female investing partners over the last decade or so. In India and China, Sequoia has five female investing partners. In the U.S., Sequoia was slower. Sequoia Chairman Mike Moritz told Bloomberg TV last year he was working to find a female partner but that it was difficult and the firm wasnt prepared to lower standards. The statement sparked outrage. (He later clarified his remarks in an email to Bloomberg, saying, I know there are many remarkable women who would flourish in the venture business. Were working hard to find them.) Despite that apology, Moritz continued to stumble in discussing diversity in the technology industry. In remarks Wednesday at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit, Moritz referred to a female venture capitalist as a lady investor. Becoming a venture investor marks a turning point for Lee, a computer science graduate of Stanford University. Her first job after school was as a product manager developing features for Google Maps. Lee left Google to join fashion shopping and styling startup Polyvore as its first outside employee in 2008. She did everything from writing code to selling ads and finding office space, and in 2010, Polyvores three founders made her an honorary co-founder. In 2012, they asked her to become CEO. Lee fits a rare profile: an entrepreneur with a lot of success, yet young enough to have a long career ahead of her. Sequoia could potentially groom her for a leadership role. Her rare blend of product and design sensibility, leadership and grit will make her a tremendous asset to Sequoia founders and our team, Sequoia partner Roelof Botha wrote in an email. Sequoia added Mike Vernal as a partner in May, the first addition since the departure of Michael Goguen, a longtime partner who left this year after he was sued for alleged sexual abuse. (Sequoia quickly severed all ties with him, and Goguen countersued for extortion.) Botha said Sequoia may add one more partner; he was vague on timing and other details. If we have a more diverse group, we will make better decisions, he said. San Francisco Chronicle Business Editor Owen Thomas contributed to this report. Lizette Chapman and Sarah McBride are Bloomberg writers. Email: lchapman19@bloomberg.net, smcbride24@bloomberg.net (Bloomberg) -- For the first time in its 44-year history, Sequoia Capital, one of the most vaunted venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, has hired a female investing partner for its U.S. operations. Sequoia had been wooing Jess Lee since 2012 . She's the co-founder and chief executive officer of Polyvore, a shopping site for fashion and home decor. Yahoo! Inc. acquired it last year for $230 million, and as Yahoo is now being bought by Verizon Communications Inc., Lee agreed to join Sequoia. When she starts on Nov. 7, Lee, 33, will become the 11th partner and one of the youngest investing partners at the firm. In an e-mail to Bloomberg, she wrote she was "excited to join Sequoia to help the next generation of founders." Sequoia is among the world's most respected firms because of its early bets on companies including Apple and Google. The firm has several female investors overseeing its global funds, but like many venture firms, its Silicon Valley headquarters is run by a group of older men. Women make up just 6 percent of the senior investment teams at top venture firms in 2016, according to researcher PitchBook Data, up slightly from 5 percent in 2010. "Getting the first female venture capitalist into a top-tier partnership is a big deal," said Kate Mitchell, the co-founder and partner of Scale Venture Partners and the chairwoman of the National Venture Capital Association's task force on diversity. "Whether that translates into a long-term commitment to better inclusion, only time will tell." As standard bearers in the industry, Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers have been lightning rods in the diversity debate. Kleiner Perkins, which was unsuccessfully sued by Ellen Pao for sexual discrimination, has added several female investing partners over the last decade or so. In India and China, Sequoia has a total of five female investing partners. In the U.S., Sequoia was slower. Sequoia Chair Mike Moritz told Bloomberg TV last year he was working to find a female partner but that it was difficult and the firm wasn't prepared to "lower standards." The statement sparked outrage. (He later clarified his remarks in an e-mail to Bloomberg, saying, "I know there are many remarkable women who would flourish in the venture business. We're working hard to find them.") More for you Cloud computing brings big centers but few jobs to small towns Other VC firms, including Accel Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, General Catalyst, IVP, Mayfield Fund and Redpoint Ventures, still list only men among their U.S. partners, according to their web sites. Some investors in venture funds have said they apply pressure on firms to become more diverse at the partner level, but calling for change requires extreme diplomacy. "We always ask about the team, plans to add women and try, where appropriate, to introduce managers to women candidates," said Joelle Kayden, founder of Accolade Partners, which invests in venture firms including Andreessen Horowitz and Accel. She noted that in the past few years, more women have founded their own VC firms: Aileen Lee started Cowboy Ventures, and Theresia Gouw and Jennifer Fonstad opened Aspect Ventures. VCs and entrepreneurs say that more female investing partners has a trickle-down effect: Women venture capitalists are more likely to serve as role models to female entrepreneurs and identify potential in businesses that target women. Currently, the percentage of female entrepreneurs hovers around 30 percent, said Ross Levine, a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Becoming a venture investor marks a turning point for Lee, a computer science graduate of Stanford University. Her first job after school was as a product manager developing features for Google Maps. Lee left Google to join fashion shopping and styling startup Polyvore as its first outside employee in 2008. She did everything from writing code to selling ads and finding office space, and in 2010, Polyvore's three founders made her an honorary co-founder. In 2012, they asked her to become CEO. Lee fits a rare profile: an entrepreneur with a lot of success, yet young enough to have a long career ahead of her. Sequoia could potentially groom her for a leadership role. "Her rare blend of product and design sensibility, leadership and grit will make her a tremendous asset to Sequoia founders and our team," Sequoia partner Roelof Botha wrote in an e-mail. Botha said he and partner Alfred Lin heard Lee speak at a tech conference in 2012, were immediately impressed and began getting to know her. Botha invited her to join Sequoia when Yahoo acquired Polyvore last year; she wasn't interested. She said she felt loyal to her coworkers at Polyvore and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, whom she had known since her days at Google. This spring, conversations heated up again, and Lee accepted. Sequoia added Mike Vernal as a partner in May, the first addition since the departure of Michael Goguen, a longtime partner who left this year after he was sued for alleged sexual abuse. (Sequoia quickly severed all ties with him, and Goguen countersued for extortion and defamation.) Botha said Sequoia may add one more partner; he was vague on timing and other details. "If we have a more diverse group, we will make better decisions," he said. With Olivia Zaleski This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Conroe police arrested three men believed to be involved in the attempted robbery of Jeff's Jewelry in Conroe that left one robber dead earlier this month. Kadarius Krisshawn Royston, 23, Sedrick Jermaine Townsend, 36, and Coredarian Javonte Bailey, 20, face felony aggravated robbery charges for their alleged participation in the Oct. 3 failed heist. Javian Jackson, 21, who started shooting at employees, died in the doorway of the store after Jeff's Jewelry owner Jeffery Turner Jr. fired back at the robber. Jackson was one of four armed assailants who burst into the Conroe West strip center in the 4800 block of Texas 105 West. Jackson exchanged shots with Turner and was killed. RELATED: Deadly shootout haunts Conroe jeweler Conroe Police Lt. Dorcy McGinnis previously said four men dressed in all black entered Jeff's Jewelry around lunchtime and demanded jewelry, purses and other items. They opened fire on the store employees and customers. "There was a lot of gunfire," McGinnis said the day of the crime. Windows were broken out of the store, and police set up barriers around the crime scene. A manhunt ensued for the three other men. Conroe police found the abandoned getaway vehicle near Tink Calfee Road between West Fork Boulevard and Longmire. All three are in the Montgomery County Jail with a $150,000 bond each. Attorneys for Royston (arrested Oct. 12) and Townsend (arrested Oct. 10) could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. Bailey (arrested Oct. 14) did not have an attorney of record on the District Clerk's website. More than 4,200 criminal cases involving 15,000 pieces of evidence may have been compromised after a sprinkler malfunctioned Tuesday in the Houston Police Department's property room, according to Houston's criminal defense bar. Tyler Flood, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, said Thursday that defense lawyers in the organization have been given unofficial estimates by prosecutors overseeing some of the cases that may be affected. "It could really affect a lot of cases," Flood said. "It's an administrative nightmare for the DA's office." Authorities Thursday would not confirm those numbers, saying the clean-up is ongoing and official estimates would not be available for days. "At this time we have no comment other than we have made the defense bar and the public defender's office aware of the situation," said Jeff McShan, spokesman for the district attorney's office. The office is working with the Houston Police Department to get the situation under control, said acting Police Chief Martha Montalvo. "At about 12:15 p.m. (Tuesday), HPD Property Room commanders were advised of a sprinkler malfunction confined to a relatively small area in the property room freezer, which caused water damage to some cardboard boxes and envelopes that contain evidence," Montalvo said in a statement. "Most of the evidence is contained in a Ziplock bag or plastic container placed inside a box or envelope for storage." Montalvo said property room technicians are being aided by lab workers with the Houston Forensic Science Center to ensure evidence is handled properly and to repackage everything that was affected. "Until all affected items are opened and inspected, there is no determination if any evidence has or has not been compromised," Montalvo said. The Houston Forensic Science Center is an independent crime lab that was created in the wake of widespread problems with HPD's crime lab. Ramit Plushnick-Masti, a spokeswoman for the independent agency, said lab workers were invited in to help clean up and ensure that evidence is not cross-contaminated. Evidence in criminal cases has to adhere to a strict chain of custody to be admissible in court, and the HFSC lab workers would be qualified to maintain that chain. The disclosure comes on the heels of several evidence room snafus lately that have spurred talks of a centralized evidence room for all of the law enforcement agencies across Harris County. Last month saw public revelations that deputies at the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office improperly destroyed more than 20,000 pieces of evidence, forcing the district attorney's office to dismiss more than 150 pending criminal cases and potentially endangering more than 1,000 others. The mess, which began with deputies trying to clean out a stuffed property room, has prompted District Attorney Devon Anderson to call for a central depository for evidence. The DA's office is tasked with prosecuting thousands of cases across Harris County, which could originate from one of dozens of law enforcement agencies. brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjrogers This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Some Alamo Heights residents have expressed concern after a coyote was spotted and photographed in the area Wednesday. Claire Cavender told mySA.com that her cousin Chloe Odio snapped the photo of the animal who was standing in grass next to some trees near the intersection of Tuxedo Ave. and Canyon Dr. Cavender, who posted the photo on NextDoor, an online community Network, Wednesday, said she had never seen a coyote in Alamo Heights. RELATED: Possible mountain lion sightings in Stone Oak remain unconfirmed Not too long ago, I had a friend whos cat was eaten by a coyote in their backyard in Alamo Heights, Cavender said. It worries me a great deal because we have several small dogs that would be in danger if they ever came across one. Cavender said she thinks a lot of the coyotes live in the Olmos Basin area. RELATED: Dominion residents receive letter warning of mountain lion "And that coyote looked very healthy, which is scary, she said. The ones my friend and family have been skinny and sick looking. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, urban coyote sightings in the state have become more common due to housing development. RELATED: Spurs Coyote bags a bat terrorizing AT&T Center before the game People continue to expand housing subdivisions and other human development into what used to be open range wildlife habitat, especially on the expanding fringes of large metropolitan areas, the TPWD website reads. This is increasing the potential for encounters and conflicts between people and wildlife. The department suggests people need to be more informed on coyotes to be able to coexist with the animal. According to the department, humans should not feed coyotes when they see them and should keep pets, and their food and water inside, among other safety precautions. Staff writer Cory Heikkila contributed to this report. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 BANDERA A former deputy city marshal and county jailer pleaded guilty Tuesday to indecency with a child, a second degree felony, under a sentencing agreement that spared him prison time. Ruben A. Nino, 39, was placed on 10 years deferred adjudication probation by state District Judge Rex Emerson, fined $1,000, directed to perform 200 hours of community service and ordered to register as a sex offender, court records show. Nino had been slated for a jury trial here Tuesday until the last-minute plea deal was worked out, said prosecutor Stephen Harpold, noting the victims family was on board with the agreement. Harpold said the charges were not related to Ninos work as a peace officer. Nino, a Bandera resident at the time of his arrest, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Matt King, the Bandera County Sheriffs Office chief deputy, said Nino was employed as a jailer there between September 2005 and December 2011. He joined the city marshals office in June 2012 as a part-timer and three months later was given a full-time job, which he held until May 2013, according to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records. He also worked as a Bexar County deputy from January to July 2012, the records show. Harpold said the investigation of Nino began in March 2014 and that he was charged under a two-count indictment two months later. The indecency charge stemmed from an incident in August, 2012 involving a girl under 14, according to the indictment. Nino had also been charged in the same indictment with continuous sexual assault of a child for allegedly molesting the same girl between Sept. 1, 2008 and January 31, 2010. The latter charge was dropped as part of the plea deal, Harpold said, noting Nino indicated in court that he worked as a truck driver after leaving the city job. zeke@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Multiple law enforcement agencies made a large bust Wednesday that included more than 700 12-packs of Dos Equis beer, a marijuana plant and numerous firearms, according to a news release issued Thursday. Brothers Byron Arana, 32, and Wilmar Arana, 29, were arrested Wednesday and charged with a Class A misdemeanor of selling alcohol without a license, which is a TABC violation. The Austin Police Department, along with the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, seized more than $100,000 in U.S. currency, 20 various firearms, a large marijuana plant and most interestingly 719 12-packs of Dos Equis beer. RELATED: 4 children hospitalized after SUV falls from I-10 into S.A. River The seizure happened after APDs SWAT Team fulfilled a search warrant for a location in the 300 block of Old San Antonio Road in Dale, about 38 miles south of Austin. APD started investigating this case after $90,000 worth of alcoholic beverages were reportedly stolen in September from the Capital Distributing Company in September. APD Sgt. Maurice Forshee said in an interview with mySA.com that he had never seen this large of a quantity of alcohol stolen before. "It's unusual to see that much alcohol stolen and then recovered," Forshee said. RELATED: 27-year-old woman guilty of using Backpage.com to pimp 14-year-old girl He said he believes the thefts occurred over a period of a couple weeks. He also expects there to be more arrests in this case. "This is just the beginning of this investigation," Forshee said. The two suspects arrested face other pending charges stemming from the weapons recovery and the theft of the beer. The Bastrop County Animal Cruelty Unit was also called out to the scene to take care of animals that were found on the property, Forshee said. RELATED: Unsolved, brutal murder of S.A. restaurant manager in walk-in cooler now in DPS crosshairs Text "NEWS" to 72727 to sign up for breaking news from mySA twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NASA's Earth Observatory captured images of Haiti a week before and after Hurricane Matthew tore across the country, killing at least 1,000 people on the Caribbean Island and leaving more than a million people in need of aid. This level of devastation, NASA said, can be seen from space. "Generally in Haiti land is managed in very small patches, with a household having subsistence crops in a number of locations, often on steep slopes," Alexandra Morel, an ecosystem scientist at the University of Oxford, told NASA. "When I look at these images, I see what seems to be seriously denuded hillsides, which I assume are from crops and fallows being washed away." READ MORE: Hurricane's destruction puts schools on hold in Haiti The first two images captured the damage in the southwest coastal city of Les Cayes. The New York Times reported that 90 percent of the town's buildings were destroyed or damaged by the storm. More information can also be derived from what is shown just off of the coast, according to Peter Wampler, a geologist at Grand Valley State University who spoke to Earth Observatory. "You can see from the change in ocean color that a significant amount of debris has been washed away," Morel said. "I would conjecture that a good amount of topsoil, which Haitian farmers can't really afford to lose, is likely a large contributor to that." Click through above to see NASA's before and after pictures of Haiti. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As a mall in Hong Kong began to flood, one man had a cup of coffee to finish. Lovingly called "Uncle" by commenters, a photo of a man sitting, totally chill, in a Starbucks as water gathers around him has gone viral after TV Most, a local TV station in Hong Kong's Chai Wan district, posted the image Wednesday. RELATED: Mexican TV reporter gets carried through flood by residents, becomes meme-worthy, unemployed BBC talked to the 23-year-old woman who took the photo, who didn't think it would garner more than 2,000 shares and hundreds of comments. ? ????????X???? Kristy Chan told BBC she took the photo to show her family how bad the flooding had gotten. "Of course I didn't expect it would go viral," Chan said. "It was quite funny. Maybe he already has that many life experiences so the flood didn't bother him at all." RELATED: San Antonio native's perfect response to Internet meme featuring Trinity athlete wearing turban Since Wednesday, the image of the man has been photo-shopped into the final scenes of the Titanic, and someone added a shark to the water as the man remains calm, among others. Click through the slideshow to see the memes. Later, another man joins in, sipping coffee as Starbucks staff look on. Hong Kong experienced rainstorms and flash floods Wednesday and are preparing for Typhoon Haima Thursday, the South China Morning Post reported. At least seven people died in the Philippines over the past two days due to the Typhoon, the Associated Press reported. Although experts believe the typhoon is weakening, it is expected to head toward China. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Father John Jack ODonoghue, a longtime priest with the Archdiocese of San Antonio, touched many lives, inspiring parishioners and schoolchildren and helping them through troubled times, friends and colleagues said. ODonoghue, 80, died Oct. 14 after becoming ill and being hospitalized for more than two weeks. He had been pastor of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church since 1990, and was honored nationally in 1986 for his work as director of the San Antonio Permanent Diaconate Program a post he held from 1976 to 2009. Father Jack was a very humble man who was very determined and generous through his 80 years of life and 52 years of priesthood, said Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller. ODonoghue was often quoted in the Express-News on his perspectives on faith and perseverance in difficult times. We experience the resurrection each time we love after our love has been rejected, trust after our trust has been betrayed, try again after weve failed and hope again after our hopes have been crushed, he said at a crowded Easter Sunday service in 2000. More Information Father John "Jack" O'Donoghue Born: Feb. 14, 1936 in Dublin, Ireland Died: Oct. 14, 2016 in San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Jack and Nan O'Donoghue and brother Donal O'Donoghue Survived by: Sister Moira McGann; brothers Jim, Aidan and Patrick O'Donoghue; 11 nieces, seven nephews and their families. Services: Viewing on Monday at 4 p.m. and rosary at 7 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 600 Oblate Drive. Mass at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Blessed Sacrament with Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller presiding. See More Collapse A native of Ireland, ODonoghue learned early on in his studies to become a priest that clergy members were sought in the United States. He served as associate pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in San Antonio from 1964-1967; was spiritual director of St. Johns Seminary, then Assumption Seminary, from 1967-1975; and served as campus minister and chaplain at Incarnate Word College, and chaplain of the 149th Tactical Fighter Group at Kelly AFB. Michael Fierro, school principal at Blessed Sacrament, said ODonoghue built a strong fatherly relationship with his staff and helped guide them during difficult times through a discernment process that led to a solution that was best for the whole community. We had his trust to do whatever we needed to do, Fierro said. Bob Esparza, business manager at Blessed Sacrament, said ODonoghue carefully crafted eloquent, effective homilies, and was attentive to church business, asking questions and regularly wanting updates. He had a personality that just kind of drew you in, Esparza said. ODonoghue had been a beloved figure to the schoolchildren, leading Mass on Friday mornings and delivering nuggets of wisdom, Fierro said. News of his death came during the schools homecoming weekend. We explained to the kids that he was finally at home, Fierro added. shuddleston@express-news.net Twitter: @shuddlestonSA He is so congenial, it is disarming. So amiable and well-read, the conversation is insightful. Polite and restrained, courteous and thoughtful, he takes each question with careful consideration. He is a true gentlemen. Its hard to imagine someone so pleasant, so soft-spoken, so genteel, has threatened the head of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with criminal charges if she didnt release scientific data and emails. Or that someone so civil has issued subpoenas on the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts, who are investigating whether Exxon Mobil buried early research on climate change. He is a powerful man. He is the chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. The juxtaposition draws snickers in some corners because he has built quite a national reputation on climate change. Lamar Smith, climate change skeptic and head of House science committee. Goes together like coffee and Tang. Dont laugh. As David Roberts wrote in Vox a year ago, under Smiths leadership, the House science committee has waged open-ended, Orwellian attempts to intimidate some of the nations leading scientists and scientific institutions. Smith has a different description for his leadership. I see it as part of my responsibility as trying to hold this administration accountable, which is a full-time job, he says. What we are trying to do is to protect the First Amendment rights of scientists themselves and protect the scientists who engage in the pursuit of intellectual inquiry about climate change. He mentions the Karl study. Thats what politicos and scientists call a NOAA analysis that found no pause in global warming, a frequent claim among climate skeptics. I hope you saw the Nature article recently saying (Karl) was wrong and the consensus now is that there was a hiatus, he says, almost in passing. He does this sometimes. Injects doubt. The Nature study doesnt say there was a warming pause. One of its authors, Michael E. Mann, a distinguished professor in atmospheric sciences at Penn State even posted an open letter to Smith on Facebook, begging him to stop saying this stuff. Our study does NOT support the notion of a pause in global warming, only a *temporary slowdown*, which was due to natural factors, and has now ended, Mann wrote. Our recent work, which you fail to cite, indicates that the record warmth we are now experiencing can only be explained by human-caused global warming. It does not matter. These refutes of refutes of refutes go nowhere, and each year gets hotter. Smith agrees the climate is warming. I think that is probably the case, he says. He even thinks humans are having some impact. He just thinks the impact is greatly exaggerated and highly uncertain. But he bristles at the dire projections. The ones about melting ice and rising sea levels, the predicted flooding and drought, the famine in developing countries, Florida underwater. Real scientists dont make projections about what the climate is going to be like in 500 years, he says. I hand him the unanimous statement on climate change from Texas A&M Universitys Atmospheric Sciences Department. These are real scientists, I say. He reads it. We all agree with the following three conclusions based on current evidence: The Earths climate is warming, meaning that the temperatures of the lower atmosphere and ocean have been increasing over many decades. Average global surface air temperatures warmed by about 1.5 between 1880 and 2012. It is extremely likely that humans are responsible for more than half of the global warming between 1951 and 2012. Under so-called business-as-usual emissions scenarios, additional global-average warming (relative to a 1986-2005 baseline) would likely be 2.5-7F by the end of this century. He is unmoved. This is what I am talking about, he says. This is the end of the century, 85 years from now. I dont think they can say with any degree of high certainty what the weather is going to be like 85 years from now. He repeats his refrain about real scientists. He mentions a book he is reading, Lukewarming, a Cato Institute publication. More doubt. The conversation turns to other topics. The election. The border. Medicare. Trade. Eventually, we cycle back to climate change. I mention my kids and wonder about the consequences of this warmer world. What if he is wrong? He listens. He promises to send me his notes from Lukewarming. The gesture is not exactly reassurance, but it is civil and polite. jbrodesky@express-news.net It is a great statement about who we are as a city, about major businesses in our city and their view of the importance of quality public education. For the Nov. 8 election, the San Antonio Independent School District has two items on the ballot. One is to improve, renovate and expand buildings in 13 schools in the district seven major high schools, four middle schools, and two elementary schools. All 13 are schools in the most need of repair out of the 89 school campuses in SAISD. The second ballot item is a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) that will provide much needed campus improvements by creating 21st century classrooms on all 89 campuses, over the immediate years to come, to help improve student academic success. It will also provide money for after-school tutoring, expanded summer and enrichment programs again, to improve academics, broadening student opportunities and experiences. The SAISD Board of Trustees is very excited about what these two items will mean for our students if they are passed. Our confidence in Superintendent Pedro Martinez is strong and we all stand together on these initiatives. Homeowner property values in SAISD, overall, are very low. Because of this, what is amazing regarding these two items on the ballot is that they involve a tax of which almost two-thirds will be paid by the business community in SAISD. But no, thats not the really amazing part. The really amazing part is the enthusiasm with which the businesses have been demonstrating their support. The San Antonio Chamber, the Hispanic Chamber, Centro San Antonio, the South San Antonio Chamber and the San Antonio Restaurant Association are just some of the business organizations that have passed resolutions in support of these two ballot items. And, many of these business owners do not even live in the district. I believe that these facts demonstrate at least three things: Businesses in San Antonio recognize the importance of education. Businesses believe in the capabilities of our students, even though 92 percent live in poverty. Businesses are generous and strong about their support of a school district if they are convinced that the district has the focus in the right place with clear goals, with the right programs, with a strong and creative vision and with a leadership team that stands behind an extremely capable superintendent. Within this observation is a hope-filled situation. We witness that the businesses in our community are generously willing to take on the greater portion of this tax. We witness that grassroots organizations in the district are knocking on doors for voters support. We have parents who recognize the great needs of their childrens schools. Together we find ourselves standing in a position that unifies us allthe honest concern for the future of our children, our future leaders, our future workers. It is obvious that the politics at the top of the ballot for the Nov. 8 election has brought about confusion, disappointment, exasperation, deep questioning and exhaustion. But there are two items at the bottom of the ballot for those in SAISD the bond election and the Tax Ratification Election. These will have a positive impact on the community for decades to come. Our children are worth the trip to the polls. Patti Radle is president of the SAISD Board of Trustees. Nows the time for Texans with Medicare to check their health and drug coverage for 2017. Medicares open enrollment period runs through Dec. 7. Open enrollment is the best time to make sure your health and drug plans still meet your individual needs, especially if youve had any changes in your health. Insurers should have notified you of any adjustments in your health or drug coverage, or any changes in your out-of-pocket costs for next year. The average monthly premium for a Medicare Advantage plan will drop by $1.19 to $31.40, while the average monthly premium for a basic drug plan will inch up $1.50 to $34. Medicare Advantage remains a strong alternative for people who prefer to receive care through a private insurer rather than Medicares original fee-for-service program. Enrollment in the private Medicare Advantage plans is expected to grow by 1.2 million to 18.5 million people in 2017 about 32 percent of beneficiaries. Even if youre satisfied with your coverage, you may benefit from reviewing all your options. Shopping around may save you money or improve your coverage. Texans in Medicares original fee-for-service program can choose from 23 drug plans with monthly premiums ranging from $17 to $170.50. Look beyond premiums, though. The only way to determine the true cost of your coverage is to consider other factors, such as deductibles and copayments. Medicares website, www.medicare.gov , has the best tool to help you search for a new plan. Click on Find Health and Drug Plans. You can use the Medicare Plan Finder tool to compare your coverage and out-of-pocket costs under different plans. The quality of a health or drug plans customer service should be considered, too. To help you identify the best and worst, the Plan Finder provides star ratings for each plan. A gold star will show plans with the highest, five-star rating, while a warning icon will alert you to plans that have performed poorly. You may also call Medicares toll-free help line at 1-800-633-4227 or consult your Medicare & You 2017 Handbook, which you should have received in the mail. One-on-one benefits counseling is also available through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. In Texas, call 1-800-252-9240. Thanks to the health care law, youll enjoy more savings on your prescriptions in 2017 once you land in the coverage gap, known as the doughnut hole. Youll receive a 60 percent discount on brand-name drugs and a 49 percent discount on generic drugs while in the gap. The doughnut hole begins once you and your drug plan have spent $3,700 for your prescriptions. If youre having difficulty affording your medications, you may qualify for extra help with your drug coverage premiums, deductibles and copayments. Thirty-five percent of Texans with Medicare drug coverage now get such a break. To learn more about whether you qualify for extra help, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Just as youve always done each fall, your attention should be focused on whether youd like to make any changes in your Medicare health and drug plans. Theres no better time to check that coverage. Any changes you make will take effect Jan. 1. Bob Moos is Southwest public affairs officer for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Re: NAACP should rethink position on charter schools, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, Another View, Sept. 14: My position is the exact opposite of Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, superintendent of the George Gervin Acadamy. The NAACP was correct to want to see more evidence from public charter schools on the successful outcomes claimed for children of color. If public charter schools were consistently better than traditional public schools on student achievement, and post-secondary readiness, there would not have been the glaring need for the NAACP to ask for a moratorium. This is the heart of the issue. Gervin-Hawkins is my political opponent. I am a 100-percent advocate for the children and have a vested interest in their success, no matter where they attend school. I sit on the House Appropriations Committee; my very first committee meeting addressed the needs of public school funding. I believe that serving on this committee enables me to speak objectively about the needs of the school districts in House District 120. The most important reason cited by the NAACP is to ensure our public schools remain diverse and fully integrated as this was the outcome of Brown vs. Board of Education. The oldest civil rights organization knows the fight for full integration was not easy and many lives were sacrificed, by all types of people, to advance this important legal right. Charter schools became a draw for black and Latino families who wanted an improved free public school experience. Unfortunately, when charter schools received poor ratings as a rule and not the exception, people became concerned. Although there seems to be a great tug of war between public schools and public charter schools, I know that both are charged to provide our children with a quality education. Some approaches are the same, but there are a few areas that I believe we need to look at, as we make decisions on funding public schools and charter schools. We have to look at operations, accountability, funding availability, built in checks and balance for superintendents and the infrastructure that public and charter schools provide. When I compare the public school system to the charter school system, I see two very distinct operational styles. For the public school system, accountability, transparency, checks and balances are provided by a board that is elected by the voters; whereas, the charter school system selects their own board of directors. I do believe in an innovative approach to educating our children, which some charter schools provide, such as the IDEA Public Schools, which seem to excel with exemplary school ratings. This type of school is our local example of a school that defies the poor headlines charters have received across the country. As I walked the halls of my alma mater, Highlands High School, a public school, I recalled serving as the editorial editor of the school newspaper, participating in ROTC, the brigade and the dance team. It filled me with pride to know that the school has been rebuilt, and all of the innovative and fun learning opportunities that I once dreamed about as a student have come to fruition. Everyone has an idea of the best way to educate our children, and I wholeheartedly believe that we should provide the best education possible and place our kids in an environment where they can thrive. Whether it's a public school or charter school, both should maintain high standards, be fiscally responsible in handling tax dollars and provide both transparency and accountability. As a public official, I'm looking to educational institutions to perform and utilize our Texas dollars well. Laura Thompson, an independent, represents Texas House District 120. A parents most fundamental responsibility is to take care of his or her children. Parenting can be hard and can certainly be expensive. Most parents do place the well-being of their children at the top of their priority list. Unfortunately, however, some parents regularly fail to meet their obligation to support their children and must be reminded that their childrens care must come first. The Office of the Texas Attorney Generals Child Support Division works hard to make sure that parents pay their court-ordered child support. We are proud of the success weve had in this area; for years now, our agency has led the nation in both total collections and cost-effectiveness. During the last state fiscal year, we disbursed more than $4 billion to Texas families and collected more than $12 for every dollar spent on the program. That said, our work will not be done as long as there are children and families in Texas who are not receiving the support they need and deserve. We often hear from custodial parents who arent receiving child support, wanting to know what more can be done to hold the other parent accountable. On Sept. 1, our office launched an important new tool to use in guaranteeing parents provide for their children. Current Texas law allows for the nonrenewal of driver, professional and recreational licenses for failure of a noncustodial parent to pay his or her child support. These important remedies result in child support collections in previously nonpaying cases in the majority of these cases, the noncustodial parent begins making payments within 180 days of the enforcement action being filed. Under the new measure, noncustodial parents who havent made any payment toward their court-ordered child support in six months or more must make arrangements to pay this critical obligation to their children before they can renew their vehicle registration. The Texas Legislature authorized this enforcement tool back in 2007. It took time to get the technology in place to make all the necessary data-matching possible and develop the policies and procedures needed to ensure parents receive sufficient notice of a possible registration renewal block and have adequate time to make payment arrangements before the block is put in place. In just the first month of the program, our office received more than $77,000 in back child support payments. Some important things to understand about the provision: Noncustodial parents whose registration renewal may be denied will be notified by our office a full 90 days before renewal is due, with clear instructions on how to contact our office to make arrangements for child support payment. The notice will also include a dedicated phone number parents can call to make payment arrangements or for questions or concerns about the renewal block. Parents can also request that our agency review the renewal block if they believe there has been an error or can provide information that may impact their case or payment record. This plan doesnt require the full payment of everything owed for the registration renewal block to be lifted. It requires only that an acceptable arrangement be reached and that the noncustodial parent follows through on the agreement. Once a payment plan is agreed upon and the noncustodial parent makes a payment toward that plan, the denial of registration renewal block will be lifted, with the Department of Motor Vehicles updating their database the night the attorney generals office gives the all-clear. When considering what enforcement actions are appropriate to take when a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, its important to not lose sight of the struggles endured by children when parents neglect their most basic needs. For many families, child support helps make sure children have school supplies in the fall, a jacket in the winter and a warm meal on the table at supper. This new program is the latest addition in our child support tool belt. Not every tool works in every case, but every tool we have works in some cases. At the end of the day, we know this will result in more support paid for the benefit of our states most precious resource: our children. Ken Paxton is Texas attorney general and Mara Friesen is deputy attorney general for child support. There is simply no reason not to re-elect the incumbent to represent Congressional District 23 and plenty of reason to do so. By many measures, the freshman Republican congressman has done a good job. We recommend Will Hurd for a second term in Congress. He is challenged by the former Democratic incumbent in the district, Pete Gallego, who was defeated in 2014 in what was a strong year for Republicans statewide. We recommended Gallego at the time because he was a moderate Democrat in a swing district who, as a member of the minority party in the House, had done a credible job as a first-term member. Well, much the same can be said of Hurd, who, though he does not shy from the conservative label, is arguably a more moderate Republican than many in his House caucus and, inarguably, has been more successful than Gallego in pushing bills forward. That might be an unfair comparison. Hurd, even as a freshman, is a member of the majority House party. But its hard to argue with success by his count 10 bills making it to the House floor and five signed. Hurd has worked to provide protections to Border Patrol agents pay and to maintain infrastructure on the border and in military installations in his sprawling district. What sets Hurd, a former CIA operative quite familiar with national security needs, apart is his willingness to not align himself with the more extreme positions of his party. This makes him an anomaly in even the Texas delegation. Yes, he wants more border security but speaks out against Donald Trumps border wall from Gulf to the Pacific as expensive and ineffective. Of the 11.2 million undocumented immigrants here, he speaks of finding ways to adjust their status including those brought here as youngsters. He will better burnish his views here and better suit his district if he came out unequivocally for comprehensive immigration reform as proposed in 2013. He acknowledges human contributions to climate change. The nation, he said, needs to address climate change in a way not to hurt our economy. This is a far cry from the outright denial prevalent in his party. He knows that emissions have already come down and points to something Texas has in abundance natural gas as a means to improve. On refugees a contentious topic in Texas Hurd said the nation has bigger security worries. He is not for any ban, though he advocates strong vetting. And he has asked that Trump withdraw from the race. Before that he said he would not endorse Trump until he has a cogent national security plan and demonstrates he can respect minorities and women. It can be said that dysfunction has plagued the House and the Senate, as evidenced by its failure to pass appropriation bills in the regular order. And Hurd has been a member of the party in charge. But he isnt in leadership and evidences traits that point to a way forward for his own party traits in short supply in both houses of Congress and in both parties. In Hurd who has to tread carefully because of the nature of the district we see the beginnings of a more hopeful and inclusive GOP. In a swing district, both Hurd and Gallego can be said to be well suited to represent the 23rd. But Hurd has had a strong first term and deserves another. The South San Antonio Independent School District board is in dire need of change. The outcome of the Nov. 8 election will play a pivotal role in the future of the economically disadvantaged school district, which was placed under the supervision of a Texas Education Agency-appointed conservator early this year. In District 2, we recommend Louis Ybarra Jr., 42, owner of L&R Construction. He has three daughters attending elementary, middle school and high school in the district. He was part of a group of South San residents who united earlier this year to improve the quality of education in the district. Ybarras business background and involvement in his childrens education would be an asset in this position. In District 3, we recommend Lisa Perez Porter, 51, who also is a small-business owner and has a child attending school in the district. Perez Porter is the owner of Del Rio Tortilla Factory. She has a daughter about to graduate from South San High School and a son who attends a Catholic school. Having seen firsthand the educational shortcomings of some South San graduates who have sought jobs at her business, Perez Porter is committed to improving the quality of education in the district. In District 5, we recommend Eugene Anthony Polendo, 27. Polendo is seeking to unseat school board President Connie Prado, who has served for 18 years. A product of South San, Polendo is a structural engineer. He has bachelors and masters degrees in engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Polendo describes himself as an average student in high school, yet he had to take remedial classes at Alamo Colleges before he could transfer to his dream school. If elected, he wants to implement policy changes so that future South San grads do not have to go through the same thing. He would add a fresh perspective to the board. In District 7, we recommend Elda Lozano Flores, 65, a retired educator with 38 years experience in the North Side and South San independent school districts. A former classroom teacher who moved up the ranks to vice principal and principal, and spent the last several years of her career in the South San central office in charge of testing, Lozano Flores brings a different perspective to the table. Her husband is also a retired educator. Flores served on the San Antonio Public Library board for 15 years and knows the importance of consensus building to make policymaking boards effective. We urge voters to do their homework, research the candidates qualifications and make an informed decision. It seems like a very simple matter to me. If you are happy with the way Washington, the nation and the world have been going, then you should vote for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. If you are not happy with the status quo and want things to change, you should vote for Donald Trump and Mike Pence. William F. Malec Support for police When the police officers were killed in Dallas, I added a blue ribbon at the top of my American flag, which I fly every day, to show my solidarity with our police. Today, I added another blue ribbon in honor of the two officers recently killed in Palm Springs, California, to state, I stand in solidarity with our officers. Please join me in flying your flag with a blue ribbon. Nela Wilems, Boerne Judge with integrity Re: Contributions highlight flaw in court system, Gilbert Garcia, Oct. 12: Jason Pulliam is a great judge with an excellent reputation for honesty and ethical conduct. Our system of electing judges requires all judges and judicial candidates to raise money to finance their campaigns. Pulliam fully complied with all legal and ethical requirements under Texas law. His decisions are the result of thorough legal research and thoughtful deliberation. Our system of electing judges may be flawed, but Pulliams character and integrity are not. David Christian Disgusting term Re: Grab em is stirring voices of the violated, Nation & World, Oct. 12: The Express-News has confirmed in my mind that it is a trash publication by printing this article using a disgusting term that I shall not repeat. This newspaper owes its readers an apology for dipping into this new low. It truly is the San Antonio Depressed News. Susan Bhatia Hillary Clinton is criticizing one of the Supreme Court's biggest recent decisions. Clinton disagrees with the 2008 Heller decision that found the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to bear arms for self-defense. Clinton says she supports the Second Amendment but thinks the court prevented a reasonable attempt to make guns safer. It struck down the District of Columbia's requirements for a trigger lock on all guns. Republican Donald Trump says this is one of the reasons supporters of the Second Amendment don't trust Clinton. Donald Trump followed up his stunning refusal to commit to accepting the results of the presidential election by saying Thursday that he would accept them assuming he wins. I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win, Trump said at a campaign rally in Delaware, Ohio. He then softened that slightly, saying, I will accept a clear election result. But I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. His comments came a day after he said at the third and final presidential debate that he wouldnt necessarily accept the results of the Nov. 8 election, an unprecedented statement for a major-party nominee. I will look at it at the time, Trump said at the debate in Las Vegas. I will keep you in suspense. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said she was appalled. Thats horrifying, she said. I am appalled that someone who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that position. Trumps stance was contrary to that of his own running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who said over the weekend that the Republican pressidential nominee will absolutely accept the result of the election. It also contradicted what his daughter and close adviser Ivanka Trump said earlier Wednesday: Hell either win or he wont win, and I believe hell accept the outcome either way. Trumps comment overshadowed much of what was said in the third debate between the candidates. The 90-minute faceoff featured more substantive exchanges than the previous two debates, but there was no shortage of personal animosity. They didnt shake hands either before or after the debate, and when they referred to each other by name, they did so dismissively as Donald and Hillary. Clinton called Trump a puppet of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and said he had choked by not raising the subject of his proposed border wall when he met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. For his part, Trump leaned into the microphone when Clinton suggested he might try to avoid paying higher payroll taxes and said, Such a nasty woman. Much of the substance and even the vitriol, however, seemed destined to be lost amid the question of whether Trump, behind in nearly every national poll with less than three weeks to go until election day, will accept a defeat. Now, every Republican in the country is going to have to spend the next few days answering the question Are you going to accept the process of this election? instead of talking about something else, said Anna Sampaio, a professor of ethnic studies and political science at Santa Clara University. And theyre going to have a position thats opposite their nominee. Sampaio said Trumps continuing suggestions that the election could be stolen from him have racial undertones that play to the most radical elements of his conservative base. Trump and some of his supporters say that voter fraud is rampant in big cities like Chicago and Philadelphia. That invocation is meant to strike fear into the hearts of white voters, Sampaio said. Refusing to concede if he loses to Clinton could delegitimize the next president in the eyes of many of Trumps voters, said David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University. It is the most incendiary thing he has said. Trump was in a desperation mode going into the debate. He trails Clinton by nearly seven points nationally, according to an average of major polls by RealClearPolitics.com, and he is behind in nearly all the swing states. A few states that have long been Republican strongholds, such as Arizona, have become competitive. Trump is even in danger of losing Utah which hasnt backed a Democrat for president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 largely because conservative independent Evan McMullin has pulled within striking distance there. Analysts heard little Wednesday night that would change the trajectory of the race. Nothing, McCuan said. This is a status quo debate. Here are some of the other highlights: Clinton dodges tough questions: Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News pressed Clinton on her relationship with the Clinton Foundation, questioning the overlap its donors had with the work she did at the State Department. Clinton tried to pivot away from the question by talking about the foundations good works. In another exchange, Clinton slipped away from a question about how according to the cache of emails released by WikiLeaks she said in one of her paid speeches that she is in favor of open borders. She said she was referring to energy policy, then ripped Trump for refusing to condemn Russias suspected role in hacking into tens of thousands of Democratic Party emails. Both questions went to the heart of voter concerns about Clinton that she is untrustworthy and secretive. She still doesnt have a good answer on (the foundation) but (Trump) wasnt able to exploit it, Sampaio said. There were a couple of moments where he could have scored some points but didnt. But lets be real short of some sort of Herculean effort here, he couldnt do much that would help him to win. McCuan said, He had something there, but he couldnt focus on it. Hes not a disciplined candidate. Abortion wars revisited: In another nod to his conservative base, Trump said he would like to see the Supreme Court overturn the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion and return the issue to individual states. He also attacked Clintons support of a womans ability to have a late-term abortion if her health is in danger. If you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby, Trump said. That type of graphic description was in line among the most conservative and far-right supporters that there is no middle ground. Theres either ripping babies out of womens bodies or youre pro-life, said Kelly Dittmar, a professor of political science at Rutgers University and a scholar at its Center for American Women and Politics. Trumps standing with women: Since the release of a 2005 video in which Trump made lewd remarks about using his celebrity status to kiss or grope women, nine women have accused him of making unwanted sexual advances on them. On Wednesday, Trump accused all of them of making it up, either because they were seeking fame or because the Clinton campaign had put them up to it. The Democrats response was one of the more pointed of the evening. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger, Clinton said. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth; theres not a women anywhere who doesnt know what that feels like. That, and Trumps nasty woman interjection, will be all over the place among women, said Dittmar, an expert in studying gender politics. They will see it as part of a pattern of behavior with him. Media conspiracy: Trump brought his accusation that the media have it in for him to prime time, saying, The media is so dishonest and so corrupt, and the pile-on is so amazing. ... And theyve poisoned the mind of the voters. Trumps critics have countered that he might not be the nominee without the media coverage he received leading into the campaign. A Harvard University study found that Trump reaped the equivalent of $55 million worth of free advertising from positive or neutral coverage from eight top news outlets in the key period before the primary season started. On Wednesday, Clinton said Trumps complaints were part of a pattern of seeing rigging when things go against him. There was even a time when he didnt get an Emmy for his TV program three years in a row and he started tweeting that the Emmys were rigged against him, Clinton said. Trump interjected, Should have gotten it. Joe Garofoli is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli 1 U.S. sanctions: The U.S. government is sanctioning a Hezbollah commander and a number of other operatives and financiers linked to the Lebanon-based militant group. The executive order, announced Thursday by the Treasury Department, is a joint action with Saudi Arabia aimed at disrupting Hezbollahs worldwide commercial and financial infrastructure. Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai and a number of other individuals are named under the executive order. The State Department also added Tabatabai to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, acts of terrorism. The State Department said Tabatabai commanded Hezbollahs special forces and has operated in Syria and possibly in Yemen to provide training, materiel and personnel in support of its destabilizing regional activities. 2 PLO elections: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is pushing for leadership elections in his Fatah movement and the Palestine Liberation Organization before the end of the year, as part of what senior officials say is largely an elaborate attempt to block the return of an exiled rival backed by several Arab states. Abbass decision to hold such elections is a response to growing Arab pressure to take back Mohammed Dahlan, a former top aide and millionaire businessman who in exile forged close ties with leaders of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the region. The 81-year-old Abbas has no plans to step down or designate a successor, despite a recent health scare in which doctors ordered an unscheduled heart exam prompted by complaints of fatigue. WITH malls, shopping centres and spaza shops closed after being looted and vandalised, people are now selling bread at high prices. Brown bread sells from R20 while white bread is now selling from R25 to R50, depending on the seller. The demand for bread has been high and people have even gone to their Facebook groups, asking if anyone knows where they could buy bread. Daily Sun spoke to some bread sellers, who said they were selling it at high prices because it was hard to find. A seller from Protea Glen, Soweto, said one of his friends works at a bakery and since its closed, they can only buy bread from back doors at a higher price. Lets not forget about the petrol I use to go around delivering that bread. So our prices are high and we really dont enjoy selling at such high prices, he said. A seller from Naledi, also in Soweto, told Daily Sun someone supplied her with the bread, but refused to reveal more details about her supplier. She said she didnt loot the bread and it was fresh. She sells brown bread for R30 and white for R50. Some petrol stations were also looted so its hard to get fuel. A friend of mine sells it madala side so that obviously means she charges more because this isnt allowed, she said. People who had bought the bread told Daily Sun they didnt have much of a choice. We know that some of them looted this bread but at the end of the day, weve got families to feed and we cant cook pap in the morning, day and night, said Matshidiso Mokoena (41) from Emdeni. Ness Mahlangu (35) said she has four kids and bread was their staple food. She said when she asked where the seller got the bread, she was asked if she was taking it or leaving it. Since that day, I dont question anything. I just buy bread and eat with my kids. Zakaria Mthimunye (38) said even though the prices were high, he understood why. Unfortunately reduced production increases demand and increased demand increases price. Yeast and flour were not travelling as trucks are locked up by logistics companies in fear. So bread prices will rise, milk price will rise. It was alcohol. Now its food. Its bad, said Zakaria. DailySun Breaking News via Email ATLANTA NACS announced the election of its 201617 Executive Committee during its Board of Directors meeting at the NACS Show in Atlanta. Rahim Budhwani, CEO at Hoover, Alabama-based 6040 LLC, was named the association's chairman; he also chairs the NACS Executive Committee, which provides strategic direction and financial oversight to the association. Also named to the NACS Executive Committee were the following NACS retail members: Vice Chairman-Treasurer: Joe Sheetz, president and CEO of Altoona, Penn.-based Sheetz Inc. Vice Chairman, Legislative: Julie Jackowski, senior vice president and corporate general counsel and secretary of Ankeny, Iowa-based Caseys General Stores Inc. Vice Chairman, Convention: Wendy Chronister, CEO of Springfield, Ill.-based Chronister Oil Company (Qik-n-EZ) Vice Chairman, Research: Kevin Smartt, CEO of Austin, Texas-based Kwik Chek Food Stores Inc. Vice Chairman, Member Services: Jared Scheeler, managing eirector of Dickinson, N.D.-based The Hub Convenience Stores Inc. Vice Chairman, International: Frank Gleeson, region managing director and COO of Dublin, Ireland-based Aramark Ireland Vice Chairman: Ari Haseotes, CEO of Framingham, Mass.-based Cumberland Farms Inc. Also on the NACS Executive Committee are: BOSTON The debate over whether digital wallets and online payments will replace physical bills and coins continues, but at least one purveyor of digital payments thinks the end of cash is near, Forbes reports. inks the end of cash is near, Forbes reports. At the present, cash is not dead, said Lisa Falzone, CEO and cofounder of iPad-based point-of-sale system Revel at a Forbes Under 30 Summit. But [cash] will be dead soonits a slower death. However, Falzone did acknowledge that many of Revels retail customers still have large volumes of cash payments. As Fidelity Investments analyst Shilpa Mehra pointed out, If you [look at] the percentage of global transactions thats done in cash, its 85%. The news source writes that Revel will be taking its technology to the gas pump via a deal with Shell to install customized POS systems. Shell tested its first system at a pilot program in Thailand. For Falzone, once retailers see how much more information can be gathered digitally, switching to POS systems like Revels can help operators target customers with specific promos and other incentives. You have to make the mobile wallet a value add. You have to include online ordering, you have to include loyalty [programs], you have to include on-demand services, then youll have the mobile wallet take off, she said. Last month, new research found that worldwide, paying with plastic would overtake cash payments for the first time this year. ATLANTA More than ever, I truly believe that food is our future, said NACS 2015-16 Chairman Jack Kofdarali during his speech in todays NACS Show general session. But, he cautioned that while all signs are pointing toward food as the industrys future, it wont happen without work. Were going to have to fight for customers in an already crowded marketplace, said Kofdarali, who also serves as president of Corona, California-based J&T Management Inc., which operates stores in Southern California. Were also going to have to tell our story and correct misperceptions about our offer. And were going to have to address an increasingly long list of regulations that stand in our waywhether related to food or our other products. He said that it is eye-opening to travel from California to the East Coastand throughout Europeand see so many retailers executing at a very high level with food. Their focus is not just on food made fast, but on food that is really goodboth in taste and in quality, said Kofdarali. And heres the most important thing: Its making them money. Kofdarali shared regional breakout data from the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2015 Data that showed how high prepared food sales also push the sales of other items higher. Prepared foods is bringing in more customers, and retailers are selling more food and other items, he said. Over the past few years, especially during my time as NACS chairman, I have seen the future of retail, said Kofdarali, citing excellence in merchandising and branding, new concepts and fresh ideas. But that future also isnt guaranteedeven if we have the smartest business plans and the best executionbecause there is one other element that affects our businessand that is regulation. Kofdarali shared a few examples of regulations in his home state of California, from potential tobacco bans to warning labels on bottled water or fuel dispensers, to a litany of fuel-related regulations. But, he warned, whats happening in California is not happening in isolation. He said that just as weather patterns move west to east, so do regulationsespecially those emitting from California. There is no way any one company can ride out these legislative and regulatory storms moving east, but there is good news, he noted. NACS really serves as your umbrella to protect you, whether its bringing together our industry to speak as one voice on Capitol Hill, or telling our positive story through our reFresh initiativeespecially around food and nutrition. And NACS is also working to address these regulatory and legislative storms before they get too bigbut taking them on at the local level. Our NACS In-Store events bring elected leaders to stores in their community so that we can show them the positive impact that we have in their districtsand the negative impact bad legislation has on our businesses, he said. And NACS is continuing that outreach by working even more with the state associations that address local issues. After all, we cant take on all the issues we face by ourselves, he stressed. Kofdarali said that he is very optimistic about the industrys future and the role that NACS plays in shaping that future. If there is anything I have learned this past year, it is that we have a great story to tellabout how we make a difference in communities and about how we are great places to start a careeror start a business, he concluded. This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1055 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in financial realm. Please join us and participate via our Tip Jar, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year, and our fifth goal, more original reporting. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. TTP, TTIP, TISA CETA: Wallonia is adamantly blocking the EUs trade deal with Canada [The Economist]. CETA European Council president Donald Tusk warned that Ceta, the EU-Canada deal, could be our last free-trade deal if the EU is not able to convince that free trade is in our interest. He said that talks were still going to secure Belgian region Wallonias backing for Ceta before Friday. I hope that Belgium will once again prove that it is a champion in compromise-making, he said [EU Observer]. I suppose compromise means ka-ching, but I dont know enough about Belgian politics to venture a guess on whether that will work. TPP: CLINTON ADVISERS WALK THE KNIFES EDGE ON TPP: The hand wringing over Clintons stance on the TPP was even more evident in another batch of hacked emails posted by WikiLeaks on Wednesday. The exchange from Oct. 6, like other emails allegedly* from the account of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, is focused on the Democratic candidates statement following the conclusion of TPP negotiations last October and how to balance the former secretary of States previous support for the deal with demands from her base. The goal here was to minimize our vulnerability to the authenticity attack and not piss off the WH [White House] any more than necessary, wrote chief speechwriter Dan Schwerin when sending out a draft of the statement [Politico]. The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, youve got it made. * Politico, can we can get an asterisk on that allegedly? Something like * Bob from Legal made us put this allegedly in, after he got a call from John. What say? TPP: El Salvador Ruling Offers a Reminder of Why the TPP Must Be Defeated [The Nation (Re Silc)]. Last week, the tribunal at the center of the proposed TPP ruled against a global mining firm that sued El Salvador, but only after seven years of deliberations and over $12 million spent by the government of El Salvador. Equally outrageous, legal shenanigans by the Australian-Canadian firm OceanaGold around corporate ownership will likely prevent El Salvador from ever recouping a cent. [N]o one should be complacent about defeating the TPP. Despite Hillary Clintons professed opposition to the agreement, she is not picking up the phone to convince members of Congress to vote no. TPP: The Case for the TPP: Responding to the Critics [United States Chamber of Commerce]. These guys are rolling in dough. Is this really the best they can do? Claim: The TPP Will Undermine Regulations Protecting Health, Safety and the Environment.The COCs answer: ISDS has been included in approximately 3,000 investment treaties and trade agreements over the past five decades. These neutral arbitrators have no power to overturn laws or regulations; they can only order compensation. In the billions, right? No chilling effect there! TISA: Meanwhile, news out of Europe cast doubt on whether negotiators will actually finish TISA this year because the EU cannot agree on how to handle cross-border data flows. The European Commissions trade and justice departments have been squabbling for months over the issue, which Froman acknowledged is an important outstanding concern. EU trade officials want data flows included in the pact, opening up new markets for Europes data economy to expand, while data protection officials are more concerned about strong safeguards for privacy [Politico]. 2016 Days until: 18. Debate Wrapup I can tell what how the press stories will read from the headlines and the writers, so I wont bother to link to them. See the NC debate live blog for a rice bowl-free discussion. Trump had done well, delivering his best prepared and most substantive performance, but it wasnt nearly good enough to reshape the race. He came into Las Vegas trailing big time, and surely leaves the same way [New York Post]. Absent an unforeseeable black swan event that tips the table in his favor, Hillary Clinton is headed to the White House. Although Id bet the terrain is quite different today from the terrain Clinton imagined back when she was influence peddling at Goldman in 2015. Billmon comments: Clinton either narrowly won or it was a draw against a guy who has gone as far off the grid as Col. Kurtz. Even I find that remarkable. Billmon (@billmon1) October 20, 2016 And then theres this, which does seem to under cut the bizarre our electoral system is perfection itself narrative that Democrat loyalists are pushing: As U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary traveled overseas and suggested that Jeb stole the election for Bush in 2000. https://t.co/HHKSfT3hvE pic.twitter.com/IvcG3kdVHK Sean Davis (@seanmdav) October 20, 2016 UPDATE But the negativity in this campaign has been something else, and the debates have been very heavy on character attacks. In terms of the overall impact on the health of American democracy, I think theres one thing thats particularly concerning: These two candidates, whose personal conduct and character have been impugned over and over, both went through competitive primaries. There were other candidates. Clinton and Trump both won their nominations, fairly and decisively. But for people who might tune in sporadically, the conclusion that this is the best we can do might produce real dismay. [FiveThirtyEight]. Yes, its called a legitimacy crisis. The stream posted on his Facebook wasnt anything different than what people saw on CNN or Fox News or MSNBC, just a livestream of the debate, but more than 170,000 watched it at once. By the time the broadcast ended, more than 8.7 million had tuned in at some point. Compare that to the half a million views Time posted for its debate lifestream, or the nearly 900,000 who watched BuzzFeed News' [Independent Journal Review]. Welcome to the first broadcast of Trump TV. War Drums Anyone who believes the United States is not fighting enough wars in the Middle East can be happy this week. We have just plunged into another one. Twice in recent days, cruise missiles fired from an American destroyer have rained down on Yemen. The Pentagon, a practiced master of Orwellian language, calls this bombing limited self-defense' [Boston Globe]. American forces were already involved in Yemens civil war. Since 2002, our drone attacks have reportedly killed more than 500 Yemenis, including at least 65 civilians. We are also supplying weapons and intelligence to Saudi Arabia, which has killed thousands of Yemenis in bombing raids over the last year and a half including last weeks attack on a funeral in which more than 100 mourners were killed. But Im sure none of the mourners were women or people of color. So thats alright, then. Wikileaks Now we have the three [Goldman] transcripts. Everyone can read them, and everyone should. What they show is Clintons extraordinary understanding of our world its leaders and their politics, terrorist groups and their vulnerabilities, the interplay of global forces, and the economic well-being of Americans [RealClearPolitics]. This is the line the Moustache of Understanding took. Which is all you need to know, really Although this writer is a little vague on just how they are extraordinary. Walmart, Wendy Clark, Target and Apple: More WikiLeaked Clinton Campaign Messaging Secrets [Advertising Age]. The Trail Trump Holds On To 1-Point Lead As Debate Sparks Fly IBD/TIPP Poll [Investors Business Daily]. Incidentally, IBD sounds like the sort of publication Trump would read. Stats Watch Leading Indicators, September 2016: September was a respectable month for the economy based on the index of leading economic indicators, which rose within consensus [Econoday]. Septembers gain aside, this report has been up and down all year pointing on net to slow growth for the economy. But: The rate of growth is slowing on this index similar to most other leading indices. I just cannot get over the Federal Reserve thinking the economy is accelerating there is just no evidence [Econintersect]. Jobless Claims, week of October 15, 2016: Initial jobless claims moved higher in the October 15 week but the rise, up a tangible 13,000 to 260,000, is not due to the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew [Econoday]. Todays results will not raise expectations for strength in October employment but the sample-week gap is far from monstrous and levels for initial claims remain near historic lows. And: [A]bove than the consensus forecast of 250,000. The low level of claims suggests relatively few layoffs [Calculated Risk]. But: The trend of the 4 week moving average is continuing to marginally worsened. The trend of year-over-year improvement of initial unemployment claims is moderating and this trend historically indicates a weakening GDP [Econintersect]. And: Weekly jobless claims have not been market-moving for quite some time now. They have reached a low level and will probably only garner media attention if they continue to rise or if we start to get larger pops here and there that become harder to explain other than from seasonal issues [247 Wall Street]. Mission accomplished! Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey, October 2016: Solid strength finally appears in the details of the Philly Fed manufacturing report where new orders and shipments are both stand outs this month [Econoday]. [T]he strength in new orders points to wider strength ahead for the Mid-Atlantic manufacturing sector. These results, however, do contrast with weakness in the Empire State report earlier this week, setting up what should be an especially interesting run of anecdotal reports this month. And: [S]ignificant strength in this survey from new orders and stands in stark contrast to the New York Feds survey which fell further into contraction. But the trend in both surveys was improvement [Econintersect]. Existing Home Sales, September 2016: [S]urged 3.2 percent [Econoday]. The key single-family component leads the report. The new home market has been accelerating strongly and may now be lifting the resale market. And: above consensus expectations [Calculated Risk]. Housing Starts: September housing starts were weak, continuing their trend. They are one facet of secular stagnation, best seen as annual housing starts per 1000 people. After 7 years of economic expansion, they remain less than half of the previous peak (Jan 2006), and two-thirds of the average during the previous two expansions. They rose to the 1963-2007 lows and stalled [Seeking Alpha]. And: Starts very weak, but permits up. Its about permits, so well see if they level off or continue to rise [Mosler Economics]. Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index, week of October 16, 2016: Down [Econoday]. [T]he weakness in October readings does hint at slowing in consumer spending as well perhaps as the jobs market. Garbage Index: And then theres this [Mosler Economics]. Rail: Union Pacifics total freight volume declined 5.8%, led by a 14% drop in coal volume. Shipments in its intermodal business, which moves freight using a combination of trains and trucks, declined 6.7% and industrial products volume dropped 11%. Agricultural volume, which rose 11%, was the only exception [Wall Street Journal, Union Pacific Profit Falls 13% on Demand Woes]. Rail: Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. reported another steep decline in revenue and lower-than-expected earnings on Wednesday as a delayed grain harvest and a slump in commodity prices hampered shipping volumes [Wall Street Journal, Canadian Pacific Railway Results Miss Expectations]. Unusually wet and cold weather conditions have affected crop harvesting in western Canada, which CP said caused delays in exporting Canadas grain harvest to the U.S. and coastal ports. And: Railroads have also been hit hard by the lengthy slump in commodity prices, which have curbed shipments of bulk commodities such as grain and potash that figure heavily in CPs product mix [Wall Street Journal]. Shipping: As the economic downturns impact on global shipping becomes increasingly severe, more shipping companies are getting into financial difficulties and more vessels and crews are being abandoned deliberately by owners [Splash 247]. Splash will continue to report on the plight of abandoned crews around the world and is in discussions to create a high profile campaign to shame owners who have a track record of neglecting their crews. Shipping: The International Labour Organisation has promised to look into the reasons why more than two dozen cases of vessel abandonment reported in the media worldwide have not been included on its database, after Lloyds List highlighted the apparent discrepancy [Lloyds List]. Honey for the Bears: The U.S. material handling sector could be impacted by a moderate economic recession in 2017, but firms can withstand the pressure if they focus on providing long-term solutions to warehouse automation challenges, according to an economist who specializes in the industry [DC Velocity]. [Jason Schenker, president and chief economist at Austin, Texas-based Prestige Economics LLC] maintains that the material handling sector is nearing the end of a six-year up-cycle, an unusually long period, and that the next 15 months will be tough sledding as the U.S. tries to dig out from a 14-month-long industrial recession and China transitions from an investment to a consumption economy. Macroeconomic warning signs include lingering low oil prices; a stubbornly strong U.S. dollar, which has dampened demand for exports of material handling equipment; uncertainty about the presidential election; weakening new auto sales; and the rise of subprime auto loans, he told the group. Things are slowing up. [Capital expenditure] decisions will have to show a high [return on investment] to be justified. Industries are being very careful with their spend, Schenker said. Fodder for the Bulls: A major player in the world commodities business says the worst in markets may be overat least for producers. The chief executive of BHP Billiton Ltd. , the worlds biggest miner by market value, says there are early indications the glut in some sectors is easing, the WSJs Rhiannon Hoyle reports. The upbeat outlook from BHPs Andrew Mackenzie comes as production restraints are taking hold. The price of iron ore is up 35% this year, while metallurgical coal prices have tripled because of curbs to production in China and prices for oil and metals also have grown. Shipping providers have also regained some financial stability as theyve pared back capacity: the Baltic Dry Index, which measures bulk shipping prices, has tripled since hitting a historic low in February [Wall Street Journal]. The Bezzle: It Pays to Set the Menu: Mutual Fund Investment Options in 401(k) Plans [It Pays to Set the Menu: Mutual Fund Investment Options in 401(k) Plans]. We focus on the conflicting incentives mutual fund families face as service providers of 401(k) plans. While these families work with plan sponsors to create menus that serve the interests of participants, they also have an interest in promoting their own proprietary funds. We document significant favoritism in 401(k) menu decisions. We show that affiliated mutual funds are less likely to be removed from a 401(k) menu and that the sensitivity of fund deletions to prior performance is less pronounced for these proprietary funds. The Bezzle: Through the Kleptocracy Initiative, the U.S. also seizes the assets of corrupt officials and, where appropriate, repatriates these corrupt proceeds. In early 2016, for example, the DOJ filed civil complaints seeking close to a billion dollars in forfeitures related to assets alleged to be those of a corrupt official [The FCPA Blog]. The Kleptocracy Initiative Sounds like it only applies to other countries? Odd. The Bezzle: Tesla Motors Inc., preparing for a future of self-driving cars, has begun equipping all its new vehicles with the hardware required to make them entirely capable of driving themselves [Wall Street Journal, Tesla Expects to Demonstrate Self-Driven Cross-Country Trip Next Year]. Its not the hardware thats the problem Todays Fear & Greed Index: 35 Fear (previous close: 38, Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 36 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Oct 20 at 11:39am. Stop flirting. Try for 29, at least! Black Injustice Tipping Point Watts, Lowndes County, Oakland: The Founding of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense [Verso Books]. Excellent overview, lots of good detail. U.S. police chiefs group apologizes for historical mistreatment of minorities [WaPo]. [Terrence M. Cunningham, the chief of police in Wellesley, Mass,] president of Americas largest police management organization on Monday issued a formal apology to the nations minority population for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in societys historical mistreatment of communities of color.' In the recording, the teacher asks: Am I racist? And I say yeah. I dont want to be. Its not like I choose to be racist, but do I do things because of the way I was raised. To be white is to be racist, period, the teacher says [WaPo]. Well, at least thats a more nuanced statement than irredeemable. 66-Year-Old Woman Shot, Killed by Police in Bronx Home: NYPD [NBC New York]. Health Care Some names floated as likely contenders for HHS secretary [in a Clinton administration], CMS administrator and other posts include former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Neera Tanden, Chris Jennings, Ann OLeary, Dr. Atul Gawande and Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey. While some hope Sylvia Mathews Burwell will continue on as HHS secretary, thats seen as unlikely [Modern Health Care]. Neera Tanden?! Im torn between dread at the outcomes and glee at the clusterf*cks to come Class Warfare In [William Darity, Jr.s] his view, the capacity of parents and grandparents to invest in their children is contingent on their wealth position [iNet]. The real driver of inequality, then, is not an individuals level of education and productivity, but the resources that parents and grandparents are able to transmit. Hence: [S]tratification economics. Might go down easier than class warfare, I dunno. What drives white-collar criminals? Often, these are successful people who possess great wealth, have impeccable education, and hold much influence within their respective industries, yet they risk it all by breaking the law [ProMarket]. Incentives specifically play a big role in fostering white-collar crime, according to Soltes, especially when financial managers are pressured to succeed and have to make rapid decisions one after the other, their potential victims far from view. I was doing exactly what I was incentivized to do. We wouldnt have gone through all this trouble if we just wanted to cheat, says Enron CFO Andrew Fastow in the book.' Mike Konczal has an interesting piece on how the progressives are unlikely to win over Trumps base of white, male, working class voters even if they take their concerns to heart and propose policies that will help them Konczal might well be right, but I want to entertain the possibility that he is wrong [Dani Rodrik]. I will say that Konczal knows how to generate buzz. More: Konczal might well be right, but I want to entertain the possibility that he is wrong. If left-liberals take for granted that the white middle class is essentially racist, hate the federal government, oppose progressive taxation, dont think big banks and dark money are a problem and so on, then indeed many of the remedies that progressives have to offer will fail to resonate and there is little that can be done. But why should we assume that these are the givens of political life? A large literature in social psychology and political economy suggests that identities are malleable as are voters perceptions of how the world works and therefore which policies serve their interests. A large part of the rights success derives from their having convinced lower and middle class voters that the government is corrupt and inept. Cant progressives alter that perception? Note that Rodrik has exactly the same conflation of progressive, left, and liberal that Konczal does. Je repete: Liberals (and conservatives) want to divide the working class, and they use their distinctive flavors of identity politics to do so. The left wishes to unite them. And both liberals and conservatives will deny that identity is malleable (Clintons irredeemables) not only because to admit that would smash any number of rice bowls, but because it would smash their social functions as factions. What should give the left hope in Rodriks rejoinder hope that Konczal is, quite naturally, attempting to strangle in its cradle is the notion that identity is malleable; Occupy, with the 99% concept, proved that. Thomas Frank, with his 10%, takes the same approach. Of course, 99 and 10 dont add to 100, so theres some analytical work to be done, but the way forward beyond identity politics is clear. News of the Wired Between 1959 and 1989, leading Soviet men of science and state repeatedly ventured to construct a national computer network for broadly prosocial purposes [Aeon]. Consonant with Glushkovs greater life-work commitments, the network plans reflected a deliberately decentralised design. This meant that, while Moscow could specify who received which authorisations, any authorised user could contact any other user across the pyramid network without direct permission from the mother node. Well worth a read; reminds me of Project Cybersyn, Allendes project destroyed in the coup Henry Kissiner thought so much of. Your dynamic IP address is now protected personal data under EU law [Ars Technica]. Europes top court has ruled that dynamic IP addresses can constitute personal data, just like static IP addresses, affording them some protection under EU law against being collected and stored by websites. Icelands Pirate Party (Piratar) has issued an up-front refusal to work with either of the two current governing parties after the next elections in a move unprecedented in Icelandic political history [Iceland Monitor]. These early elections have come about as a result of the corruption revealed to the world by the Panama Papers, explains Pirate MP Birgitta Jonsdottir. Five ministers have been exposed as corrupt since the current government took power. And: Icelands Left-Greens in last-minute election surge [Iceland Monitor]. According to this new poll, if the Pirates and Left-Greens could reach an agreement they could together capture 39.9% of the vote just 10% away from a parliamentary majority and significantly healthier than the current government score of 32.2%. * * * Readers, feel free to contact me with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, and (c) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. And heres todays plant (PR): PR writes: STOP TTIP modified roadsign spotted in Wallonia (part of Belgium, currenty blocking CETA). I have seen others of these in the last few days. I guess Ill have to declare modified roadsigns honorary plants! By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends most of her time in India and other parts of Asia researching a book about textile artisans. She also writes regularly about legal, political economy, and regulatory topics for various consulting clients and publications, as well as writes occasional travel pieces for The National. We called him the Obamamometer or at least I did and it quickly caught on in our circle because it described his behavior so well. Near the end of class time, just in time for the last word, his arm would rise. Hed wait to be recognized. A pause setting his audience on seats edge (or at least the ones whod never heard him speak before), and then in his mellifluous voice, hed intone, Rain is wet or something equally banal, with the gravity otherwise due to a proposition from Wittgenstein. Always the last word. Always uttered with utter conviction. And never, never despite sitting through two classes with him did I ever hear him say anything even remotely interesting. The Obamamometer took the ideological temperature of the room, and then unfailingly said something with which no one could possibly disagree but which no other person would bother to say, because it was both so vapid and blindingly obvious. So, what does this have to do with Naked Capitalism? Stick with me, please because I do have a point. And I believe its an important one: How crucial it is to support this website, a fount of critical thinking, and the very opposite of the Obamamometer. Moving forward into the new Millennium, after his well-judged speech at the 2004 Democratic convention, I remember several bemused conversations with other Harvard Law School (HLS) classmates. We werent really surprised that Barack was running for the United States Senate as his ambition and monumental self-regard were always apparent. Nor did anyone miss that he had one eye trained on the Presidency ahead. But why were the media lapping him up? After all, at that point, what had the man accomplished? Hed spent several years teaching part-time at the University of Chicago Law School, but produced no major scholarly work. Hed served as a state legislator in Illinois, and also published a well-received and well-written autobiography. And of course, hed scored the achievement that first brought him to national attention first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Not trivial accomplishments, to be sure. Yet neither did they herald the second coming of Christ Jesus and that was how he was being heralded. This is not going to end well, I remember thinking at the time. At that point, and with the benefit of hindsight, I reassessed whether there was more to being an Obamamometer than was apparent to other HLS classmates forced to listen to his blather back in his student days. Was being able to zero in on the essence of public opinion that of the lowest common denominator such a bad characteristic to have in a small d democratic system? Maybe expressing essential core political truths however trite was the quintessence of political wisdom? Or at least Barack Obama seemed to think so. For those of us whose political thinking was formed by witnessing Maggie Thatcher in her heyday that political model seemed at best naive. Imagine the Iron Lady sitting down and negotiating with her enemies. For her, politics accorded more with the model expressed by William Connolly politics concerned essentially contested concepts. You were never going to get to yes with your political enemies. Instead, groups compete for scarce political benefits, in what was often a zero sum game. And Maggie didnt waste time negotiating with herself. So when Barack Obama was elected President, and soon put in place an economic team consisting of former Clintonites and Rubinites, I and other HLS classmates werent all too surprised by what followed. We saw those promises of hope and change as empty banalities, rather than the transitional political program many Obama supporters had voted for. Its a fairly straight line from the rhetoric of the 2008 election, through the many policy disappointmentsfailure to close Guantanamo, the inadequate stimulus program, continued hawkish foreign policy, the foreclosure crisis, the growth and consolidation of already too big to fail banks, rampant accounting control fraud, no accountability in the C suite, the false promise of Obamacare, the horror of the unaccountable drone programto this 2016 train wreck of an election. You can only disillusion people so much, and you then end up with what we have: two widely loathed major presidential candidates. I first discovered Naked Capitalism in 2007 as the financial crisis started to fester. And I had the pleasure of first meeting Yves a couple of years later. Ive been content to lurk on the site without commenting for years, reading posts and the excellent comment threads, with Yves either crossposting or publishing the occasional article Id co-authored. Naked Capitalism has long been part of my daily routine its usually the first thing I look at in the morning, for its essential links feature. And its often the last thing I look at at night. More recently, Ive been honored to be asked to contribute more original writing to the site, as well as compile links and do other site DJ tasks. Naked Capitalism is the antithesis of the Obamamometer. It covers topics that the mainstream media generally either ignore or gloss over. And not only does Naked Capitalism cover them, but it does so rigorously and analytically, focusing on arguments, and evidence, and seeing beyond personalities and mere rhetoric. Ive long marvelled at how a small website, thinly staffed, can provide insightful coverage that much larger media organizations miss. Now seeing things at closer quarters, Im even more amazed at the quality of coverage Yves, Lambert, and other regular and occasional contributors turn out. Crucial to the success of this site is the commentariat, the regular readers who read posts carefully and take time to comment. Theyre attuned to skewering weak arguments and eviscerating analytical flaws. I know from experience, the commentariat forces contributors to think about posts deeply and to post their very best work. Keeping this community going requires funding. And thats where you can help. The more you can contribute, the greater will be Naked Capitalisms ability to continue to produce the coverage you expect. So, dont be an Obamamometer. Reject sloppy thinking. Eschew the conventional wisdom. Please contribute whatever you can to support what Naked Capitalism provides: critical thinking and focused analysis, giving no quarter. Any amount helps. If you can give a little, give a little. If you can give a lot, give a lot. Whether thats $5, $50, or $5000, visit the Tip Jar, to learn how to to donate by check, credit, debit card, or Pay Pal. And if you prefer to send a check, drop Yves an email at yves@nakedcapitalism. Put Check is in the mail in the subject line and tell her how much is en route so she can include your contribution in her running tally. Were entering especially dark times, whoever gets elected next month. This scorched earth campaign is going to leave the next likely President whether it be Clinton or Trump gravely wounded. I worry deeply about what lies ahead. We need Naked Capitalism to help us see our way. And you, regular readers, by giving whatever you can, can help make it possible for the site to continue to promote the very best in independent and critical thinking. A Tipperary school has taken another step as part of a journey to embrace a unique history. A poignant commemoration event was held at the Abbey school in Tipperary Town to unveil a memorial to forty past pupils of the Erasmus Smith Old Abbey Grammar School which operated on the same site from 1680 up to the Irish Civil War who died in the Great War. The ceremony marked another special day in the history of the school located on a site that has been a centre for religious and educational activity for over 700 years. Pupils participated in a moving ceremony with music, poetry and readings from the era performed. Historian Dr. Des Marnane addressed the pupils and invited guests on the sacrifices of the forty men and a memorial was unveiled in their honour. The memorial was unveiled by Andrew Forrest, Principal of the High School Rathgar, an Erasmus Smith school, with a shared history with the Abbey. It was another milestone for the Abbey which in recent years have conducted a number of ceremonies to remember its past. Those events included the unveiling of a plaque by President Mary McAleese to mark the site of the Old Abbey Erasmus Smith Grammar School, the unveiling of a plaque in h onour of John McCarthy, a past pupil of the Old Abbey, who was present at the meeting in Thurles when the GAA was founded, and in 2006 an archway to commemorate the Augustinians and their rold on the site from around 1300 was officially opened. Those commemoration events were described by the Abbey Principal John Kiely as part of a journey embarked upon by his predecessor John Heffernan. This is another step in the journey we have been on for the last twenty years of revisiting our past. This is a timely reminder that there was a Grammar school and that past pupils fought and died in the Great War. It took us a long time to get to this poin. It is a very proud day for the school. It is the right thing to do, it shows the confidence within the school body that we can take that step said Principal Kiely. The new Clonmel water scheme will take between three and five years to complete - if it gets the go-ahead. John Fogarty, County Council executive engineer told a meeting of Clonmel Borough District that Irish Water had allowed the council to appoint Dublin-based consulting engineers Nicholas O'Dwyer to carry out a full scope review of the scheme. The timeframe for completion would be three to five years. Sean Keating, Director of Services said that although consultants had been appointed it had yet to be confirmed that the scheme would proceed. It was hoped that adequate funding would be provided to move it ahead to construction. Mr. Keating said that the scheme would extract water from the river. John Fogarty said the plan was to blend the water taken from the river with water from the Glenary scheme. There would be definite improvements in the quality of water for those people who had hard water at present. In the winter the water was soft because it was mostly made up of rain water but in in the summer it was harder. Cllr. Siobhan Ambrose said it was important that the message wouldn't go out that those who had hard water, which had caused such distress on the northern side of the town, would no longer have hard water. However the hardness of the water would be reduced when it was blended with water extracted from the Suir. Fannie Mae is preparing to offer immediate representation and warranty relief to lenders that use its suite of automated quality-assurance technology. The benefit will be unveiled as part of a marketing campaign dubbed "Day 1 Certainty." That name will serve as an umbrella brand for a variety of Fannie Mae tools, including Desktop Underwriter, Collateral Underwriter and EarlyCheck, according to sources familiar with the initiative. The government-sponsored enterprise filed applications to register the service marks "Day 1 Certainty" and "Day One Certainty" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in July. The filings describe "desktop computer software in the field of mortgages, namely, for use in providing a waiver or an end to a representation or warranty obligation in an electronic mortgage loan system." In addition, the website domains Day1Certainty.com and DayOneCertainty.com were registered this month by advertising agency Bloomfield Knoble. The Dallas firm's previous work for Fannie Mae includes KnowYourOptions.com, a website for distressed borrowers; the Home by Fannie Mae mobile app; and the redesign and rebranding of HomePath.com, Fannie's real estate owned property sales website. The circumstances under which representation and warranty waivers will be granted are not completely clear. Some aspects of the loan file that lenders currently warranty may be eligible for immediate waivers, while others may not. The Federal Housing Finance Agency is said to have approved the plan only this week, and an official announcement is expected next week during the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention in Boston. Representatives from Fannie Mae and the FHFA declined requests for comment. The plan would go a long way toward alleviating concerns about repurchase risk and encourage lenders to remove self-imposed overlays to the GSEs' credit standards that limit consumers' access to mortgages. To be sure, repurchase requests at Fannie and Freddie Mac have dropped significantly since they peaked in 2012, as delinquencies rates have decreased and the GSEs implemented new policies to limit lenders' liabilities. For example, the GSEs created a "representation and warranty framework" that took effect in 2013, which lets lenders off the hook for repurchases three years after eligible loans are acquired. That framework was amended in 2014 to clarify certain guidelines and again in 2016 to include an independent dispute resolution process. The first group of loans eligible for the rep and warrant sunset period just recently matured to the point where lenders can take advantage of it. Yet Fannie may have felt like more reassurances were needed to encourage mortgage lenders not to be overly cautious in credit decisions. Lenders can obtain insurance for repurchases on the private market, and coverage is typically contingent on all of a lender's loans undergoing quality reviews, said Justin Vedder, executive vice president at CastleLine Risk and Insurance Services. While not familiar with the Fannie's plans, Vedder speculated that it would be difficult to provide blanket coverage in return for use of quality control tools. "It's difficult to assess a file quickly," said Vedder. "There are some things in the origination process that are black and white, but some things are gray." Over the past few years, Fannie and Freddie Mac have been updating existing technologies and integrating them with new tools for lenders to validate loan data and eligibility prior to closing and sale to investors. Desktop Underwriter, Fannie's automated underwriting system, was made free for lenders to use and recently updated with the inclusion of trended data credit reports. Collateral Underwriter, an automated appraisal review tool, was released in 2015. EarlyCheck, a loan data validation tool, was launched in 2010. The tools rely in part on technology and data developed through the Uniform Mortgage Data Program, a joint initiative by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to institute a variety of loan data and collection standards. Currently, there are UMDP datasets for appraisal and loan delivery requirements, and new datasets are in development for the closing disclosure and uniform residential loan application, commonly known as form 1003. The technologies are free for lenders to use, but the GSEs have so far not required lenders to use them. Freddie has already organized its technology suite under the brand name "Loan Advisor Suite," and earlier this year said it is seeking to offer similar rep and warranty relief to lenders, contingent upon the FHFA's approval. Lenders have begun using the tools in hopes they would improve the loan sales process, and they wouldn't mind getting some rep and warrant relief as well. "We have just started using some tools but anticipate that as we work them into the loan manufacturing process we will see an efficiency lift in the underwriting flow," said Alice Carmack, executive vice president of credit risk at Bay Area lender First Cal. "We would love for them to do more." BancorpSouth in Tupelo, Miss., reported higher third-quarter earnings after net interest and fee revenue improved from a year earlier. The $14.6 billion-asset company said Wednesday that it earned $37.8 million, up roughly 10% from a year earlier. Net interest revenue rose about 3% to $114.6 million as the net interest margin dropped eight basis points to 3.51%. Total loans climbed 4% to $10.7 billion as the consumer mortgage portfolio increased almost 7% and construction, acquisition and development loans rose 13%. Noninterest revenue jumped more than 12% to $70.9 million; the primary reason was the swing to a positive mortgage servicing rights valuation adjustment of $1.8 million from a negative adjustment of $5.3 million a year earlier. Excluding the MSR valuation adjustments, mortgage banking revenue totaled $10.5 million, up roughly 38% from a year earlier. Noninterest expense totaled $129.5 million, about 2% higher than a year earlier as salaries and employee benefits increased by about 1% to $82.1 million. BancorpSouth did not record a provision for credit losses after posting a $3 million credit a year earlier. Total nonperforming assets fell 10% to $102.3 million. Last week, BancorpSouth said that it once again had to withdraw applications to buy two banks, Ouachita Bancshares in Monroe, La., and Central Community Corp. in Temple, Texas. The deals were initially announced in early 2014 but have been delayed first by issues over BancorpSouth's compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and then over problems with its Community Reinvestment Act performance. In August the bank's CRA rating was retroactively downgraded from "satisfactory" to "needs to improve." Both sellers have agreed to extend the deadlines of their agreements until the end of 2017. Dan Rollins, BancorpSouth's chairman and chief executive, said in the earnings press release that the company was "disappointed" at the length of time it is taking to complete those deals but was "pleased" by the continued commitment from Central Community and Ouachita. Three projects aiming to build Moldovas defence capacities were launched on 6 October 2016. Two projects concern cyber defence and the third seeks to promote the role of women. Developed within the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme, the projects support implementation of the Defence and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative for Moldova. Cyber defence laboratory The first project is related to the launch of the e-Research and Education Laboratory for Cyber Defence at the Moldova Technical University. The cyber environment provides us with great opportunities, but it is also connected with serious threats, emphasised Valentin Amariei, Vice Rector. Serghei Popovici, General Director of the Center for Special Telecommunications, added that the lab will have a major impact on the defence sector of Moldova as it represents a common space where participants can obtain capabilities to respond to current threats. The launch of this high-end laboratory will benefit both system administrators from the public sector as well as students from the Technical University of Moldova. The project is supported by NATO, the embassies of Estonia and the United States as well as national institutions involved in the project. Computer Emergency Response Team The second project relates to the creation of a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) at the Moldovan Ministry of Defence, which will be an instrument for efficient counteracting of various cyber threats and vulnerabilities. The aim is to enhance the cyber defence capabilities and the protection of the military critical infrastructure, through the provision of equipment and software as well as by sharing best practices, capacity-building and policies. Ian Davies, Principal Scientist at the NATO Communications and Information Agency, explained that hundreds of millions attacks are detected every day in NATOs cyberspace. However, they can be drastically reduced using sophisticated technologies. It is the experience we have gained in building and operating the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability that we are sharing with the Moldovan MoD and General Staff to support the development of their computer incident response capability, he explained. Promoting the role of women in peace and security The third project focuses on assisting the Moldovan government and civil society to develop a National Strategy for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and related Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. Such projects create platforms between the government and civil society, emphasised Elena Marzac, Executive Director of the Information and Documentation Centre on NATO in Moldova, which will support project implementation along the Ministry of Defence and the US-based Inclusive Security Institute (ISI). In the long run, the project is expected to strengthen the role of women in Moldovan society. Cooperation between Moldova and NATO The Moldovan government hosted an event to mark the launch of the three new projects. It was attended by senior officials from the State Chancellery, foreign diplomats, NATO delegates, representatives of national institutions and the Technical University of Moldova, as well as press and media. Roman Cazan, Deputy Secretary General of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, welcomed NATOs strengthened cooperation with Moldovan stakeholders. Michael Gaul, Senior Advisor in NATOs Emerging Security Challenges Division, underlined that these projects will further enhance the cooperation between Moldova and NATO, will be significant in strengthening Moldovas defence and security sectors and will have a value beyond defence by positively impacting capabilities of the young generation and the Moldovan society at large. Emil Druc, Head of Multilateral Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration stressed that the launch of those three projects represents a practical advantage of cooperation between NATO and Moldova and is of national importance. Fear of dying while waiting for an organ transplant outweighs fear of receiving one from a drug user Big Pharma's role in the opioid epidemic (NaturalNews) The tragic increase in overdose deaths associated with the nation'sis providing an unexpected benefit: a spike in the number of organs available for transplant.The percentage of organs coming from donors who have overdosed has been rising steadily over the past few years. Nationwide, the number has tripled from 4 to 12 percent since 2010, and in New England the number has jumped from 4 to 26 percent in the same period - in New England, more than 1 in 4now come from overdoses.Alexandra Glazier, president and CEO of the New England Organ Bank, toldThe explanation for the sharp increase in donations in New England isn't entirely clear. Although overdose rates are high in that region, they are not the highest in the country.FromAlthough cases of HIV and hepatitis B or C are more common among IV drug users, hospitals are required to test the organs prior to transplant and to inform patients if there is a risk of contracting these diseases.The fear of becoming infected with one of these viruses may have lessened in recent years, since there effective treatments for them are now available.The fact that many patients face a danger of dying while awaiting a transplant is likely to outweigh the fear of contracting a disease from one that becomes available.In fact, organs donated by drug users may be healthier overall - many overdose victims are young and not necessarily addicts. Some may even be first time users who unfortunately injected a deadly amount.But even with the increase in organs coming from overdose cases, demand is still greater than supply, and the lists of patients awaiting donations continue growing longer.There may be more potential organs available from overdose victims than are actually harvested, due to the fact that many opioid addicts don't carry identification and are not in touch with family members who could grant consent.At any rate, it's often a difficult subject for family members to contemplate - imagine having to make the choice of removing a son or daughter's body from life support so that their organs can be collected for donation, even if their brain waves show no activity.Opioid overdoses are still on the rise in the United States and have become a full-scale epidemic . The CDC estimates that 78 people die every day in the US from an opioid overdose.Many of those overdoses were from, which means Big Pharma is killing tens of thousands of people each year. Prescriptions for powerful opioid drugs like OxyContin have skyrocketed over the past couple of decades - since 1999, opioid prescriptions have quadrupled, and so have overdose deaths resulting from them.Recent studies have shown that prescription opioids can be a "gateway drug" leading to heroin use, and so, Big Pharma is not only responsible for the spike in overdoses from prescription opioids, but those from illicit heroin as well.It's time to acknowledge who the real drug pushers are and put them behind bars. Astronomers reexamining data from Voyager 2 has observed evidence indicating the existence of two tiny, never-before-seen moons lurking within the dark rings of Uranus. Their observations, published in the Astronomical Journal, revealed a wavy pattern in two of Uranus' rings, Alpha and Beta. The astronomers suggest that these quasi-periodic optical depth variations may have caused by two undiscovered moonlets orbiting the giant gas planets. According to the report from Smithsonian, this is not the first time that astronomers observed wavy patterns in the rings of Uranus, Previously, astronomers observed similar ripples in the rings of Uranus caused by two of the planet's other moons, Cordelia and Ophelia. The gravitational pull of the moons are forcing dust particles into narrow rings, forming the wavy pattern. In a report from New Scientists, Mark Showalter of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California commented that the two tiny moons are certainly very plausible. Showalter has discovered moons around Saturn, Neptune and Pluto. He is also responsible for the discovery of several rings and two new moons, named Mab and Cupid, of Uranus in 2005. Astronomers believe that if the two new moons in Uranus exist, it will be very small, between 2.5 and 8.5 miles across. Due to their size, astronomers believe that the cameras mounted at Voyager 2 are not powerful enough to pick them up. The dark color of the rings and most of the other existing moons of Uranus suggests that the new satellites are also dark in color. The next thing to do is confirm the existence of the two new moons by examining observations of Uranus conducted by the Hubble Space Telescope. If by chance the data sent back by Hubble is still inconclusive, the best bet for finding out the existence of the planet is sending Uranus' very first orbiter. The wavy pattern in the Alpha and Beta rings of Uranus was observed by planetary scientists Rob Chancia and Matthew Hedman when they are reexamining data gathered by Voyager 2 during its flyby in the planet in 1986. During its flyby, Voyager 2 detected 10 previously undiscovered planets. At present, the total number of moons in Uranus stands at 27. Peru's environmental agency is currently looking into the mysterious deaths of some 10,000 endangered Titicaca frogs in the south of the Peru. According to United Press International, the frogs were found floating lifeless in the shallows and washed up along the shoreline of Lake Titicaca. The report added that it was environmental activists with the Committee Against the Pollution of the Coata River who alerted authorities about the problem. The Technical Forestry and Wildlife Management (ATFFS) Puno, decentralized office of the National Forest Service and Wildlife (SERFOR) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAGRI), took immediate action after receiving an alert about the deaths of the frogs. At first, it was thought that 100 frogs were only affected. But later investigation revealed that there are an estimated 100,000 Titicaca frogs that died. In a released statement, officials with the Peruvian National Forestry and Wildlife Service wrote: "Based on the statements of the villagers and those found samples days after the incident, it would be about 10 thousand frogs affected by a distance of about 50 kilometers from the Ccacachi bridge to the mouth of Lake Titicaca." A campaign group says pollution in the River Coata is to blame for the deaths. In an initial investigation did by experts, presence of solid waste and sludge formation was observed in the body of water. As quoted by CNN, La Republica, a Peruvian newspaper reported that residents living near the Coata River Basis believe sewage runoff coming from Juliaca has played a role in the frog deaths. Meanwhile, samples of the water have already been gathered for further investigation. The Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius coleus) whose population has declined by 80 percent in the past years, is one of the largest aquatic frogs in the world. National Geographic explorer Jonathan Kolby, a PhD student who studies frogs in Latin America said it has "amazingly baggy skin, which gives it the common name scrotum frog." Just recently, New Zealand's independent environmental watchdog of the Parliament has released a report regarding the emissions of the agricultural sector of their country and this has been urging the government to take the lead in resolving the issue. But despite the report's call for their attention, NZ's Environmental Minister Nick Smith still refused to give his comments. On a report produced by Dr. Jan Wright, Parliament Commissioner for the Environment (PCE), figures on the greenhouse gases emitted by the agriculture sector called for New Zealand Government's considerations on giving extra attention to the issue. According to Newshub, Wright suggested that the research component of the country should be intensified, gearing towards improving agriculture with less GHG emissions, including the possible development of a methane vaccine that can help reduce animals' gas emissions. Genetically modified feeds for livestock to decrease production of gas and raising low emission animals were also mentioned. But aside from these technical aspects of reducing GHGs from the agriculture sector, Dr. Wright has also magnified the use of non technological breakthroughs such as increasing the number of trees which breathes in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Overall, the report was described as a "reality-check" for the New Zealand Government to include emissions from agriculture in line with their agreements on the previous Paris Climate Agreement. Despite the rattling throws of information, Environmental Minister Smith that responding to Wright's paper was Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett's responsibility. "You would need to put questions of government policy to her," Bennet said on a news article. Meanwhile, New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Has Research Centre (NZAGRC) Director Harry Clark took the findings on the lighter side while looking forward to more choices for better agriculture. "The more options we have to reduce agricultural greenhouse gases, the easier it will become for New Zealand to achieve its 2030 emission target signaled under the Paris Agreement of a 30% reduction in emissions compared with 2005," Clark said. Just after the Korean War ended in 1953, Korea's trade volume amounted to a paltry US$385 million. Exports totaled just $39.6 million, while imports amounted to $345.4 million, and aid shipments from the U.S. and the UN accounted for 60 percent of imports. The only goods Korea was able to sell abroad were minerals such as tungsten and iron ore, and seafood. It manufactured very little in a few primary industries, which is typical of poor countries. As part of rebuilding, Korea sought to build factories to supply its own flour, sugar and cotton rather than relying on imports. That led to the country meeting its own needs, but there was hardly anything left over for export. In 1959, Korea's exports actually decreased to $19.2 million compared to the war period. The top objectives during the 1960s were to increase exports by expanding factory output and building more factories if there were not enough goods to ship abroad. From 1965 until 1979, President Park Chung-hee convened 152 meetings to come up with ways to boost exports. As a result, exports rose from $100 million in 1964 to $1 billion in 1971 and $10 billion in 1977, paving the way for Korea's rapid economic growth. There seems to be less importance placed on exports these days, but the fact remains the same that they continue to be the main pillar supporting the economy. They were the main reason why Korea was able to emerge faster than expected from the impact of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the global financial crisis in 2008. Last year, the country exported $467.4 billion and imported $425.7 billion, leading to a trade surplus of $41.7 billion. Exports, imports and the trade surplus were at record highs last year, and Korea now ranks seventh in the world in terms of exports and ninth in terms of trade volume. This year, exports are expected to rise above $500 billion, leading to a trade volume of $1 trillion. In just 58 years since the end of the Korean War, trade volume has grown 2,600 times. On the other hand, 90 percent of Korea's GDP is reliant on exports, causing the country's economy to be highly vulnerable to external conditions. Other problems are Korea's persistent trade deficit with Japan, increasing reliance on exports to China and decreasing the proportion of exports by small and mid-sized companies. Korea needs to come up with a new economic, industrial and trade strategy so that it can grow from an export powerhouse to a true economic powerhouse. A study presented during the 2016 Clinical Congress has highlighted on their results regarding the preferences of cancer patients on choosing the right treatment for them from the world wide web. It goes to show that what actually convince them is the way webpages were arranged, and not actually on the crucial information made available on the site. Focusing on websites featuring cures for pancreatic cancer, the research team led by Astorina Storino, MD, of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston has carefully analyzed the clients and web-users' perception on the health pages that they visit. "We know from our prior work that patients are utilizing the Internet to obtain health information, so as physicians advocating for pancreatic cancer patients we want to know that this online information is accurate and understandable," Storino said on a press release. To understand possible website preference, Storino and her colleagues recruited ten people who participated voluntarily. They were given a method of evaluation, following the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) as their instrument. SAM tries to quantify the website's layout, content's appropriateness, readability of the texts, effectivity of visual aids, learning stimulation as well as cultural appropriateness. Participants were also asked on how likely they would recommend the website. Interestingly, the research team found out that websites with highest SAM scores were those having pictures and videos posted on their webpages. Mostly, the websites with the most user-friendly layout was preferred and more likely to be recommended. It was also noted that websites which usually have this type of layout are those that feature pancreatic cancer treatments with less reliability. Websites featuring clinical trials, considered to have the highest accuracy in providing the details and information, ranked the lowest. Read: Summary of the study presented during the 2016 Clinical Congress The most important finding is that the volunteers focused on how user-friendly the websites were and if they had pictures or not. The fact that having a friendly layout was what got the attention of patients is a shocking finding," said Dr. Storino on an article. "This finding is important because it implies that patients select user-friendly websites and assume they are accurate, relying on website creators to obtain accurate information" Co-author Tara S. Kent, MD, MS, FACS and assistant professor from Harvard Medical School has also expressed appreciation on the results of their study. She mentioned that learning the preference of the people can trult guide practitioners to guide their patients well in using online sources. "We now know that pictures are important to online users so we could identify or create websites that provide accurate information and enhance usability with pictures; and as a surgeon, I can suggest websites to patients and families that I have already vetted for accuracy, and that I think they would like," said Dr. Kent added. The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners in Austin decided to revoke the license of Kristen Lindsey , a veterinarian who killed a cat with a bow and arrow and bragged about it online. The post read: "My first bow kill lol. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through its head! Vet of the year award...gladly accepted." Following the gruesome post, Lindsey was fired from her position at the Washington Animal Clinic in Brenham where she sued to work and was put under investigation by the Austin County Sheriff's Office last April, MySanAntonio.com said. On June 2015, an Austin County grand jury decided not to charge Lindsey with a crime. Telegraph reported that Lindsey thought the cat was a feral cat. However, she later found out that the cat, named "Tom" actually belongs to her neighbor and was just wandering around on her property. Lindsey's license will be suspended for a year and it will be followed by four years of probation. She will also undergo additional training in animal welfare. Meanwhile, Brian Bishop, her lawyer, told Associated Press that on her area, it was common for people to kill feral cats. She also came into the defense of Lindsey saying she only did it to protect her own cat as feral cats carry diseases. Bishop said she appeal the suspension. "This case would never have gone forward but for the fact that we live in a social media age," Bishop said. Defense fund lawyer David Rosengard, told the board that the way she handled the feral cat was inappropriate as per veterinary practice: "Her understanding of how to deal with stray cats failed to comply with Texas law, failed to comply with the standards of veterinary practice here in the state of Texas, and that is, of course, her responsibility that she has to live up to," USAToday writes, quoting Rosengard. China' space missions are on a roll! After successfully placing its second space lab into orbit last month, China also managed to send two astronauts to space to manned the experimental space station Tiangong-2. The two astronauts docked on the Chinese space lab Tianong-2 aboard the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft. The rocket left China last Monday, Oct. 17 and successfully docked to the space lab on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Both Jung Haipeng and Chen Dong, Chinese Taikonauts, will complete the longest Chinese mission in space for more than 30 days. During that period, they will be performing scientific experiments inside the experimental space station. Tiangong-2 is positioned 393 kilometers above the planet, according to a report. The Chinese space station commander Jing Haipeng was to one who opened the latch of Tiangong-2 for the first time since it had been sent to space. Astronaut, Chen Dong, followed suit. Making them the first Chinese astronauts to man a Chinese Space Station. Dong is on his first mission to space and is reportedly ecstatic to become part of the mission. China has been adamant in claiming that it is aiming to become the next space giant. The failed Tiangong-1, now spiraling back to Earth, and the existing experimental space station, Tiangong-2 are part of the bigger Chinese dream of mounting its own space station. Reports say that the space station will be sent to space module by module and Tianong-2 will part of it. The space mission of the two astronauts will be in preparation for the launch of the biggest module of the Chinese space station. The International Space Station (ISS) is set to retire in 2024, and if China's new space station is operation by then, it could be the only active space station by 2024. If the current mission of two astronauts will succeed, China will be able to successfully mount a space station in orbit in the next few years. China first sent humans to space 13 years ago and since then, the nation continuously worked for the realization of its dream of becoming the next space giant. With massive government support, the Chinese space agency's future in the space industry looks bright. Three astronauts will replace the existing crew inside the International Space Station (ISS). After two Chinese astronauts arrived on the Chinese experimental space station, Tiangong-2, three astronauts also left the Earth aboard a Soyuz rocket for their mission to the International Space Station (ISS). "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," a NASA official said in a press release. The new set of astronauts will take command of the space station starting this Friday, Oct. 21 until February 2017. Two Russian cosmonauts, Sergey Ryzhokiv and Andre Borisenko and one NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough left for the ISS aboard Soyuz MS-02 in Kazakhstan after being delayed for more than two weeks. Initially, the crew transport mission was supposed to launch last Sept. 23 but was postponed due to a reported technical glitch. The issue, according to reports, was not related to the spacecraft but something with the launch system, a short circuit to be exact, according to a report by Times Magazine. "Roscosmos has decided to move the launch of Soyuz MS-02 ship planned for September 23 due to technical reasons after holding tests on the Baikonur Cosmodrome," a Roscosmos official said in a statement. The three astronauts will replace the current ISS crew on duty in space namely NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. The three mentioned astronauts are scheduled to leave the ISS and return to Earth on Oct. 29. Reports say that the Soyuz rocket reaches the orbit in nine minutes. The spacecraft will travel for two days in order to reach the International Space Station (ISS). During this mission, the Russian rocket will not only transport astronauts from Earth to the ISS; the flight will also help the Russian and Roscosmos engineers to study and observe the systems of their new and innovative Soyuz spacecraft. Currently, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin is the commander of the ISS. The three astronauts sent to space by the Soyuz rocket are part of Expedition 49. A rocket by Orbital ATK, along with the Cygnus cargo ship will allow scientists to play with fire in space in an experiment. Last Monday, Oct. 17, an Orbital ATK rocket was sent into space from Virginia. The rocket was carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft full of International Space Station (ISS) supplies payload. Aside from the usual payload, the spacecraft is also carrying unusual scientific equipment for an experiment where fire is involved. The Cygnus will unload the payload onto the ISS and will then be sent to a course back to Earth. It will burn upon contact with the atmosphere, destroying with it the trash sent from the space station. But before that happens, scientists will trigger the equipment aboard the cargo ship that will ignite a fire inside the spacecraft. "Understanding how fire spreads in a microgravity environment is critical to the safety of astronauts who live and work in space," a NASA official said in a press release. "And while NASA has conducted studies aboard the space shuttle and International Space Station, risks to the crew have forced these experiments to be limited in size and scope," the official added. The fire can be observed and will not cause the destruction of the cargo ship. This is the second time an experiment like this was conducted. Last June, NASA conducted the same experiment. The agency said that experiments like these are vital in deep space explorations. "Our first spacecraft fire safety test is complete! Understanding how fire spreads in a microgravity environment is critical to the safety of astronauts who are on the Journey to Mars," a NASA official said in a statement. The last experiment is the second installation of the series of tests and is called Saffire-II. Scientists will ignite a fire inside a four-foot long controlled box. Many different materials will be burned inside the controlled environment to be able to study different reaction. This experiment will help scientists understand how fire behaves in outer space and in microgravity. This is vital in NASA's deep space exploration especially the journey to Mars. Based on the former experiments aboard the ISS, scientists found out that fire in space can burn in a low and cool level, according to a report. Cygnus is expected to dock with the ISS this coming Sunday, Oct. 23, right after the three new ISS crew arrive on Friday. The crew will unload the Cygnus and will be sent back to its course a few days after. Aside from delivering goods to the ISS, Cygnus will also serve as a better experimentation venue in microgravity instead of the ISS, for a safer and wider scope in the study of fire in microgravity. One of the pillars of human technology is the creation of stone tools. However, a new study reveals that human beings are not the only creatures on Earth that could yield these tools. Archeologists in Brazil reveal that bearded capuchin monkeys can make these tools too. The study, published in the journal Nature, refutes previously acclaimed assumptions that the creation of stone tools is a distinct Homo skill set which has been used to trace ancient humans in the absence of fossils. The study observed that bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) at the Serra da Capivara National Park in Brazil have a behavior of hitting a stone to quartz cobbles, which chips off parts of the stone, creating sharply pointed tools called stone flakes. "In terms of a technique of making flakes, this is a very similar technique to what has been hypothesized was the technique to make the very earliest archaeological flakes," Tomos Proffitt, an archaeologist at the University of Oxford, told CS Monitor. "It's an incredibly interesting behavior. Another species is making sharp, conchoidally fractured flakes, an artifact that we only ever thought is unique to hominins," he added. This discovery shows that the production of these archaeological stone tools, which are vital to human history, is no longer unique to the human lineage. Proffit says that the tools made by capuchin monkeys could easily pass as Hominin-made stone tools to the naked eye. To further attest this claim, in July 2011, archeologists Sonia Harmand and Jason Lewis of Stony Brook University have unearthed stone tools that are significantly older than our genus. In an interview with Discover Magazine, Harmand reveals that their local guide in Kenya's Lake Turcana spotted stone tools that are sticking out of an eroding creek bed. Upon closer observation, Harmand observed that the said tools dated more than 2.7 million years ago as evidenced by the layers of sediment they were embedded from. Using paleomagnetic dating, the archaeologists determined that the stone tools were made 3.3 million years ago, which are older than Oldowan, the earliest known stone tool assemblage at 2.6 million years old found in Gona, Ethiopia. Meanwhile, paleoanthropologist John Shea of the Brook University, who is not a part of the study, says the capuchin monkey-made stone flakes' similarity to ancient human-made stone flakes is because stone fractures could easily be produced by simply hitting rocks. What makes the two different is the purpose of making them. "They're producing objects that are visually similar to the most distinctive component of human stone tool technology. Humans use the flakes to cut things, capuchins don't," he said. The Great Pyramid of Giza is hiding more secrets than previously thought. A team of researchers studying the ancient Egyptian tomb of pharaoh Khufu, built in 2560 BCC, has discovered two secret rooms, or cavities, hiding in the great structure. The researchers discovered the secret chambers through Scan Pyramids Mission, a new technology that scanned the pyramid using muography, thermography and 3D simulation. Scan Pyramids Mission is a collaboration between the Heritage Innovation Preservation of the HIP Institute, Ministry of Antiques of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University. Read: Proof of Time Travel? Hieroglyphs Show Ancient Egyptians Use Electricity 4000 Years Ago In an interview with Discover Magazine, Mehdi Tayoubi, co-director of the Scan Pyramids mission, describes how the new technology works. "Just like X-rays pass through our bodies allowing us to visualise our skeleton, these elementary particles, weighing around 200 times more than electrons, can very easily pass through any structure, even large and thick rocks, such as mountains," Tayoubi said. By using Scan Pyramids and muography, the team detected two previously unknown chambers located behind the pyramid's descending corridor and on the North Eastern edge of the Pyramid. Read: World's Oldest Pyramid Was Found - And It's In Kazakhstan In a press release, the researchers wrote, "We are now able to confirm the existence of a void hidden behind the North Face, that could have the form of at least one corridor going inside the Great Pyramid. The precise shape, size, and exact position of this void is now under further investigation." However, the researchers are not stopping there. They are still completing investigations of various architectural hypotheses using 3D simulation, collecting more data. Results and analysis are expected to come out in early 2017, Telegraph reports. Actress Shailene Woodley pleaded not guilty in a North Dakota court to criminal trespass and riot charges after her arrest in a protest against the Dakota Access pipeline. Court records show the "Divergent" star entered her pleas on Tuesday through her attorney Alexander Reichert. Woodley and 26 other activists were arrested Oct. 10. She live-streamed her protest on Facebook. The Standing Rock Sioux want construction of the $3.8 billion pipeline halted, saying it could taint the water supply and encroach on tribal burial sites. Protests supporting the tribe have been going on for months. Woodley could face 60 days in jail and $3,000 in fines if she is convicted of criminal trespass and engaging in a riot. One person died and three others were injured in a three-vehicle crash in San Jose late Wednesday, police said. The collision was reported at 7:30 p.m. in the area of Summerside Drive and McLaughlin Avenue. When officers arrived a female victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Three other victims were transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, according to police. No other information was immediately available. Korea's export dependence on China has reached an all-time high. Experts warn that such a heavy reliance on a single market could become a costly mistake. The Korea International Trade Association on Monday said China accounted for 26.1 percent of Korea's total exports of US$559.6 billion last year. The proportion in 2012 was 24.5 percent. Exports to China were led by mobile phones, car parts and semiconductors. As the economies of advanced markets showed signs of recovery, exports of finished products made in China grew, raising demand for Korean-made parts there. Korea achieved a $60.6 billion trade surplus with China, compared to the overall trade surplus of $44.2 billion. But experts caution that growing exports to China are a double-edged sword because its economic growth is tapering off and Beijing is shifting its growth policy from quantity to quality. Shin Seung-kwan at KITA said, "We need to expand other export markets such as India and Brazil while working to tap into the Chinese consumer market." A four-alarm fire displaced seven people from three buildings in San Francisco's Castro District early Thursday morning in a blaze that injured three firefighters. San Francisco Fire spokesman John Baxter said the blaze was under control at 2 a.m., about two hours after it broke out at 27 Hattie Street. One firefighter was taken to the hospital, he said, and two others were treated and released at the scene. Luckily, he said, none of the displaced residents were hurt. Were happy to say there were no civilian injuries, he said. While the three-story building was vacant, Baxter said, one building next door was occupied by an elderly couple, and the other adjacent building was believed to be occupied by five adults and a child, fire crews said. NBC Bay Area He said the elderly couple ran outside with just their pajamas on, and were able to find somewhere to sleep for the rest of the night. Red Cross officials were also there to help. The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known, but Baxter said it does "not look nefarious." Market Street was shut down in both directions from the 2000 block to the 6000 block. And Hattie Street was also closed during the firefight. Fifty years ago this weekend, two Oakland college students felt the need to stand up to power and patrol African-American neighborhoods from what they deemed as acts of police brutality. This weekend, that slice of history will be honored in earnest in Oakland the birthplace of the movement. "It's surreal," former Panther activist Saturu Ned, 67, told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday as he was preparing for a host of activities to be held Thursday to Saturday at the Oakland Museum of California. Visitors Flock to Museum to See Black Panther Exhibit Ned worked alongside Panther co-founders, Bobby Seale and the late Huey P. Newton, met at Merritt College and set up their headquarters and newspaper at what is now a bakery on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Oakland. They called their group the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The reason for the word panther is described on a wall at the museum, which has been especially busy this week with tours of children and visitors flocking to see old photos and artwork from the movement.[[397956951, C]] "The panther is a fierce animal, but he will not attack until he is backed in a corner; then he will strike out," Newton once said. The Panthers drew the ire of many Americans at the time because some party activists carried guns and took to violence to make their voices heard. But the party was also known for fighting racism and societal ills when members took up the cause of serving pancakes at breakfast time to needy children and creating a school for the poor in Oakland.[[397957381, C]] Today, the party activists, now in their 60s, are looking back fondly on their activism and are trying to impart to young Black Lives Matter protesters that fighting injustice should be done with love. A full list of activities and "All Power to the People" exhibit through Feb. 12 at the Oakland Museum of California, can be found here. San Jose police late Wednesday said they are investigating a homicide. Officers just after 8:40 p.m. responded to the Regional Medical Center, located at 225 N. Jackson Ave., for a report of a person shot. The victim was later pronounced deceased at the hospital, according to police Police late Wednesday said they were still trying to locate the crime scene. No suspects have been identified or apprehended, police said. The victim's identity was not being released by police late Wednesday. An investigation is ongoing. The incident is San Jose's 39th homicide this year. No other information was immediately available. Anyone with information is asked to contact San Jose police at 408-277-5283. Students at a high school in San Francisco's Excelsior District returned to class Wednesday following a shooting that took place in the parking lot Tuesday afternoon, according to San Francisco Unified School District officials. Four 15-year-old students, three males and one female, were injured in the shooting that occurred around 3:15 p.m. just as June Jordan School for Equity at 325 La Grande Ave. was letting out for the day. Police on Wednesday said one suspect pulled out a gun in the school parking lot and began shooting as everyone ran. As many as four suspects then fled west on Brazil Avenue. One student suffered life-threatening injuries in the attack, but district officials today said all four are recovering. Students said the entire school joined together for a peace circle on Wednesday morning. The school's co-director, Jessica Huang, participated in the peace circle. In addition to safey, Huang said she wants every student to feel valued, which is why she wore a Black Lives Matter shirt on Wednesday. Interim Superintendent Myong Leigh said she understood that the shooting was committed by a "small group of outsiders unaffiliated with the school" who appeared to be targeting a particular student for reasons that remain unclear. Police have said the other students injured in the attack appear to have been bystanders. Leigh said the incident had "shaken everyone in the community." "I need to state emphatically that this isolated event, although awful, should not be viewed as a negative reflection on JJSE," Leigh said, describing the school as an intentionally small school that emphasizes social justice, preparation for college and "rigorous, independent thinking." The school has a "strong tradition" of coming together to discuss challenging topics, and will also provide trained counselors following Tuesday's shooting, Leigh said. NBC Bay Area's Michelle Roberts contributed to this report. Vice President Joe Biden says Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is "questioning the legitimacy of our democracy," by claiming that the election may be "rigged" and he may not accept its results. "The things Donald Trump is saying and doing is a threat to the democratic process," Biden said during a campaign stop for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. "He's attacking the very essence of the notion that we have a democratic system." Biden added that Trump's assertion in Wednesday's debate that the U.S. doesn't know who is behind the hacks of the Clinton campaign emails undermines the legitimacy of U.S. intelligence officials. "He's said our country has no idea," Biden said. "He's sending a message saying America is weak, they're crippled, they cannot move forward. That's how he's keeping support in Russia. He says as a major party candidate, for the world to hear - playing into the hands of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin - that our country has no idea. Can you fathom any presidential candidate ever having said that? Biden said it's entirely possible that Trump is "so stupid" that he doesn't understand the damage he is doing. "Ladies and gentlemen, this guy is far beyond a bad character with women," he said. He also said Trump has made so many "asinine assertions" that a debate over policy ideas has been drowned out. Thursday's visit to Nashua was one of three New England stops for Biden this week. He was in Boston Wednesday and will be in Vermont on Friday speaking about the White House's Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Donald Trump said at a rally Thursday that he will "totally accept" the results of the presidential election "if I win." "I will accept a clear election result, but will also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result," Trump declared at a campaign stop now in Delaware, Ohio. The latest comments came after Republicans slammed Trump for his refusal at the final presidential debate Wednesday night to say he will honor the results of the November election should he lose and braced for a fresh political headache with less than three weeks left until Election Day. Trump's alarming rejoinder about accepting the results "I will tell you at the time" sent shockwaves through the presidential campaign, with Trump's supporters struggling to explain his remarks and fellow Republicans seeking even more distance from their own nominee. The distraction deprived Trump of the comeback moment he sorely needed, despite an otherwise mostly measured and poised performance in Wednesday's third and final debate. "I will keep you in suspense," Trump said ominously when asked whether he was committed to upholding America's centuries-old tradition of the election's loser conceding. He repeated unfounded allegations of impending, widespread voter fraud. Trump "saying that he might not accept election results is beyond the pale," Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake tweeted Wednesday. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement that "Mr. Trump is doing the party and the country a great disservice" by suggesting the election is rigged, while Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake called the New York billionaire's statements "beyond the pale." Without mentioning Trump, Sen. John McCain of Arizona issued a statement about the U.S. elections system on Thursday, saying: "There have been irregularities in our elections, sometimes even fraud, but never to an extent that it affected the outcome. We should all be proud of that, and respect the decision of the majority even when we disagree with it. Especially when we disagree with it." Even Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a staunch Trump supporter said, "Not accepting the results I think is just - it's a stupid comment. I mean, come on, get over yourself." The Republican National Committee, whose chief mission is to get the GOP nominee elected, was put in the remarkable position of disputing its own candidate, with a spokesman saying the party would "respect the will of the people." Even some of Trump's most ardent supporters felt it was a step over the line. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee said it was "imperative that Donald Trump clearly state" he'll accept the results. Clinton, for her part, called Trump's comments "horrifying." Her running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, said Thursday on NBC's "Today" show that Trump's comments were "shocking." Kaine told host Matt Lauer that a peaceful transfer of powers is a "pillar" in American democracy. "We should not have somebody running for president who is gonna try to pull the pillar down, which Donald Trump was basically trying to do last night," Kaine said. Trump's remarkable comments came just hours after his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, said on CNN "that we'll certainly accept the outcome of this election." And Trump's daughter Ivanka, arguably his most influential adviser, said earlier Wednesday that her father would "do the right thing" when she was asked if he would concede after a defeat in November. The debate answer left his own team scrambling in the aftermath of the debate. Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, at first responded to questions about the comment by saying he "would accept the results, because he'll win the election." "So, you know, absent widespread fraud and irregularities, then, we'll see," Conway said. "What he's saying is we have to see what happens." She later rejected the outcry over Trump's comment, saying it's "not fair" to suggest Trump is undermining the prospects of a peaceful transfer of power. "You've got to listen to everything he said," she argued. "Al Gore did not accept the results of the elections and he said he would. He actually conceded to George W. Bush on election night in 2000 and then called and retracted his concession." Conway reiterated her comments Thursday morning on ABC's "Good Morning America." "It's just that he can't say what's going to happen if the election is very tight," she said. Gore pulled back his concession only after updated vote count results in Florida showed the state too close to call, throwing the outcome of the election into doubt. When the U.S. Supreme Court later halted a recount, leaving Bush ahead in Florida and giving him the election, Gore conceded and asked the country to accept Bush as the nation's next leader. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another of Trump's top allies, said the Republican nominee had good reason to be suspicious about potential fraud. "There are indications of a lot of fraud around by the Clintons," Giuliani said. In fact, there is no proof that voter fraud is a widespread problem in the United States. A study by a Loyola Law School professor found that out of 1 billion votes cast in all American elections between 2000 and 2014, there were only 31 known cases of impersonation fraud. Meanwhile, President Obama hailed Clinton's debate performance: "Outstanding 3 for 3 debate sweep for @HillaryClinton! Nobody has ever been more prepared to be @POTUS." Nancy Pelosi also tweeted: "From one #NastyWoman to another, you were an inspiration last night, @HillaryClinton." The White House also contrasted Donald Trump's refusal to commit to accepting the election results with Obama's promise to follow tradition and escort the winner to the Capitol for the inauguration, regardless of who wins. White House spokesman Eric Schultz said aboard Air Force One "that will be some car ride" if Trump wins. But he said it is in the best interest of the nation. He was speaking as Obama flies to Miami to encourage enrollment in health insurance coverage and to campaign at a separate event for Clinton. The third presidential debate was to focus on debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hotspots and fitness to be president serious and somber topics. But that did not factor in the unpredictability of this long and often nasty campaign. In the week and a half since the second debate, Donald Trump was accused of sexual misconduct by nine women, allegations he denies; repeatedly warned of a rigged election without evidence and turned his ire on his party's most senior official, House Speaker Paul Ryan. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, faced questions raised by leaked information supposedly from John Podestas emails made public by WikiLeaks and allegedly stolen by Russian hackers from the Clinton campaign chairman's personal account. Here are some of the top moments from the final debate before Election Day. Accepting the Results? Trump, who has warned of a rigged election that will deny him a victory, refused to say whether he would accept the results of the presidential election. "I will look at it at the time," he told debate moderator Chris Wallace, provoking a gasp from some in the audience. When Donald Trump was asked at the third debate whether he will accept the election results, he said I will look at it at the time. Explaining his stance, he repeated a frequent accusation that the media was corrupt. "I will tell you at the time," he said. "I'll keep you in suspense." Clinton called the statement "horrifiying." 'Such a Nasty Woman' As Clinton discussed how she would continue to finance Medicare and Social Security, she said she would not cut benefits but would raise taxes on the wealthy. Her Social Security payroll contribution would rise, she said. "As will Donalds, assuming he can't figure out how to get out of it," she said, in a dig at Trump, who reportedly used a $916 million loss to avoid paying personal federal income tax for years. "Such a nasty woman," Trump retorted. Earlier in the debate, Trump said, "no one respects women more than I do," a claim he often makes. Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump was using scare rhetoric during an exchange about late-term, partial-birth abortion in Wednesdays presidential debate. After Clinton explained why she had opposed legislation that banned such procedures, Trump said that in that case you can take baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the... Sexual Misconduct Returns Trump denied at the debate that he engaged in any sexual misconduct, after nine women have accused him of doing so in the last 10 days. "I didn't even apologize to my wife who is sitting right here because I didn't do anything," he said. He said he believed that Clinton's campaign had gotten the women to step forward together at a politically opportune time. Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger, Hillary Clinton said at the debate on Oct. 19, 2016. Donald Trump responded by saying, Nobody has more respect for women than I do. Nobody. Clinton said his response to the allegations was to mock the appearance of his accusers, saying they were not attractive enough or not his first choice. "Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger," she said. Trump pivoted to a charge that Clinton had illegally destroyed emails on her private server. Clinton, for her part, avoided a question about whether what her husband had done was worse. [NATL] Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail 'We Need a Wall' Trump promoted one of his biggest selling points: building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, which he has said Mexico would pay for. Drugs are flowing across the border, he argued, and he said he would stop it by sending drug dealers back. "We have some bad hombres here," Trump said. I want to build a wall. We need the wall, Donald Trump said on the issue of immigration during the third and last presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 19, 2016. We have some bad hombres here and were going to get them out. Clinton responded that when Trump met with the Mexican president, Enrique Pena Nieto, he failed to raise the issue at all. "He choked," she said. Wallace asked Clinton about a speech that she had made to a Brazilian bank in which she dreamed of open borders to which Clinton responded that she was talking about energy and an electric grid. In a tit for tat, Trump taunted Clinton with wanting a wall but failing to get one built because, he said, she never got anything done. Clinton argued that she voted for a border security plan that called for wall in some places and then accused Trump of using undocumented labor to build Trump Tower. Anyone who complained was threatened with deportation, she said. Who's Putin's Puppet? When the hacking of Clinton's emails came up at the debate, the conversation quickly pivoted to the leader of Russia, and Trump and Clinton debated who Vladimir Putin really wants as president. Trump repeated a frequent refrain from his stump speeches: "Wouldn't it be nice if we got along with Russia?" Then he said that Putin "has no respect for [Clinton], he has no respect for our president." Clinton countered that Russia and the U.S. would get along with Trump as president "because he'd rather have a puppet as president." "You're the puppet," Trump parried. The candidates talked over one another, before Wallace interjected to ask if Trump would condemn Russia if they did hack a Clinton campaign email, as the Obama administration has said. "Of course I condemn. I don't know Putin," Trump replied, then continued, "Putin has outsmarted her or Obama at every single step of the way." The one thing you have over me is experience, Donald Trump told Hillary Clinton at the final debate on Oct. 19, 2016. But its bad experience. No Handshakes The debate began on a less than cordial note. As they did at the second debate, the candidates stepped behind their lecterns without a handshake. It ended the same way. Clinton stepped forward to shake Wallace's hand, then straight into the crowd. Meanwhile, Trump waited behind his lectern. New Contentious Guests Trump again invited some uncomfortable guests for the Clinton side, among them Leslie Millwee, a former Arkansas television reporter who has come forward to accuse Bill Clinton of sexually assaulting her while he was the states governor in 1980. An interview with Millwee was published on the right-wing website Breitbart on Wednesday. At Sunday's debate, Trump showcased three other women who have accused Clinton of sexual misconduct: Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick. Other guests invited by Trump to attend the Wednesday debate in Las Vegas: former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Patricia Smith, the mother of an American killed in Benghazi, Libya, during the 2012 attacks on a U.S. diplomatic compound. Smith, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, has said she holds Clinton accountable for "murdering" her son Sean. The potential embarrassment for the Clintons reportedly prompted organizers to change the way the families would enter the debate hall so as to avoid any awkward handshakes. [[397735511, C]] Ward Room's Campaign Round-Up is a weekly column dedicated to keeping you in the know about the upcoming 2016 elections. Check the Ward Room blog for continued coverage. This week, Democratic super PAC, Leading Illinois for Tomorrow, released a new ad tying Gov. Bruce Rauner to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Bruce Rauner, Donald Trump and Illinois Republicans help themselves while they take away funding for education and public safety, the ads narrator says. Illinois has real problems, but the Trump-Rauner Republicans are making it worse. The 30-second spot shows actors portraying Rauner and Trump stealing food from patrons at Bucktown's Club Lucky restaurant and then skipping out on the check after dinner. Democrats have a real plan that continues President Obamas priorities and wont let Trump and the Rauner Republicans take whatever they want, the narrator adds. Since Oct. 11, LIFT has spent over $3 million on three ads, the Chicago Sun-Times Lynn Sweet reports. Two of those ads link Rauner to Trump. Earlier this month, state Sen. Daniel Biss, who serves as LIFTs chairman, explained the groups motivation. The purpose of LIFT is to explain the stark choice voters will be presented with this fall, Biss said in a statement. Illinois has serious problems, but Rauner and the Republicans are making them worse. Rauner has repeatedly said he is staying out of the presidential race. After being asked about Trump earlier this month, Rauner told the Sun-Times hes not endorsing him. The governor's office did not immediately respond to Ward Room's request for comment on this story. U.S. Senate Dates for the final U.S. Senate debates between incumbent Republican Mark Kirk and Rep. Tammy Duckworth have been set, according to the Chicago Tribune. The candidates will first square off at the University of Illinois at Springfield on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. The final debate is set for Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. 10th Congressional District Rep. Bob Dold released a new campaign ad Monday highlighting his commitment to helping a young epileptic girl gain access to CBD oil, which is derived from a cannabinoid found in cannabis. The ad is named after Sophie Weiss, a young girl from Round Lake who was suffering over 500 seizures a day. Sophies mother, Lisa Weiss, was unhappy with the side effects her daughter suffered from prescription drugs and wanted to instead give Sophie CBD oil. However, federal law made it impossible for Lisa to access the oil in Illinois. So her mother turned to Dold. Bob told us he was going to help with the federal investigation, Weiss says in the ad. It wasnt an empty promise. He stood behind us. Dold worked to ensure access to CBD treatments and, as a result, Sophie is able to go to school, play with friends and engage in conversations. When we needed him, Bob Dold was there. Weiss said. I almost always vote a Democratic ticket, but Ill be voting for Bob Dold. Notable Contributions -House Speaker Michael Madigan reported nearly $198,000 in contributions Tuesday. Additionally, the Democratic majority fund, which Madigan controls, reported $101,400 in contributions Tuesday. On Monday, the Madigan-controlled Democratic Party of Illinois fund reported $45,600 in contributions. -Campaign finance reports covering July through September were due Monday, according to the Chicago Tribune. Heres a look at some of the recent filings: --House Speaker Michael Madigan has $9.4 million on hand from four combined political funds. --Gov. Bruce Rauner has $5 million on hand. He raised $5 million in Quarter 3 and has spent $15 million. --Mayor Rahm Emanuel has $670,000 on hand. He raised $425,000 in Quarter 3. --Attorney General Lisa Madigan has $2.4 million on hand. She raised $330,000 in Quarter 3. --Secretary of State Jesse White has $421,000 on hand. He raised $32,000 in Quarter 3. Family members and friends gathered at a vigil for a Chicago woman murdered two years ago in Chicago Wednesday night. Alexandria Burgos, a college student and big sister, was shot and killed in a home in the same Belmont Cragin neighborhood that mourners released balloons and prayed Wednesday. Burgos, family says, wanted to work with kids in juvenile detention and help others. Her parents beg for someone who knows anything about their daughters murder to speak up. This could be you, she was just sitting in a kitchen waiting for her brother, Burgos father, Rafael Burgos, said. This code of silence needs to stop, people must come forward and cooperate with the police. Her mother says the family misses the daughter they still mourn and seek justice for. She would laugh and make everyone else laugh in the room, said Milagros Burgos. Police say no one has been charged in the killing and they have no new leads. The Chicago Teachers Union's House of Delegates has approved a tentative contract agreement with the city after averting a strike earlier this month. The agreement now needs to be ratified by all union members. The CTUs House of Delegates took an important step forward today in recommending that teachers ratify this tentative agreement," said Emily Bittner, communications director for Chicago Public Schools, in a statement. "After negotiating closely with President Karen Lewis and the CTUs leadership, we believe that this is a fair contract for both parties because it would give teachers a raise, improve their quality of life in the classroom and most importantly, allow students to continue building on their monumental achievements. At the razor's edge of the midnight deadline for a threatened teachers strike, the union announced weeks ago that it had come to a potential contract agreement with Chicago Public Schools. Part of the agreement involves additional revenue in TIF money. CPS had originally offered $32 million but now the mayor's office confirms $175 million will be set aside with $88 million of it going to Chicago Public Schools. Late last month, the union's governing body announced plans to strike on Tuesday, Oct. 11, after teachers voted nearly unanimously to authorize a strike this month. The union said 95 percent of members voted in favor of a strike amid an ongoing contract battle with Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Board of Education. This should come as no surprise to the Board, the mayor or parents because educators have been angry about the school-based cuts that have hurt special education students, reduced librarians, counselors, social workers and teachers aides, and eliminated thousands of teaching positions, the union said in a statement. The contract battle has been going on for months. Striking points include funding for teachers and schools. The district had previously offered raises, but asked teachers to pay more towards pensions and health care. Instead, the Chicago Teachers Union wanted the city to use surplus tax increment dollars to fill the financial gaps. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's effusive message of friendship on his visit to Beijing this week has handed China a public relations bonanza just three months after Beijing suffered a humiliating defeat at an international tribunal. The state-owned Chinese media that sought to portray Duterte's predecessor and the arbitration panel as American puppets this summer have now rolled out what Chinese media scholars describe as a rare welcome for the Philippine president, who this week downplayed his country's dispute with Beijing over South China Sea territory. But the overtures have drawn criticism of Duterte at home in the Philippines, where the public is wary of taking a deferential attitude to a country regarded as a bully. As his visit unfolded this week, Chinese state media aired a series of interviews in which Duterte -- who has repeatedly voiced strident criticism of the United States -- lavished his Chinese hosts with conciliatory words and pleaded earnestly for economic aid. Zhan Jiang, a journalism professor at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, said he has rarely seen a state visit accompanied by so many interviews from state media. "The visit has strategic significance and China wants to express its welcome, but Duterte also has a message to convey and he's willing to give that same message to different Chinese outlets over and over," Zhan said. "In the years I've followed the Chinese media I don't think I've ever seen that." In a 12-minute China Central Television interview broadcast Wednesday, Duterte cast the two countries as bound as brothers by the South China Sea and mentioned his own Chinese ancestry -- his grandfather was an immigrant from Xiamen Province -- which, he said, explains his personal sincerity. Developing his country's economy was more important than exacerbating tensions with China over the South China Sea, as other U.S.-backed Southeast Asian neighbors would have him do, he said. "They say that all the nations would weigh in by my side, (but) I said it is close to a third world war," he told CCTV. "What would be my point in insisting on the ownership of that body of water when the world is exploding?" Someday, he added, the South China Sea will just be known as the China Sea. "One hundred years from now, it's really meaningless," he said. "The oceans cannot feed us all. Your fish is my fish." School was canceled for all students in south suburban Alsip Thursday as police search for an armed man who exchanged gunfire with Chicago police overnight. A message posted to Alsip School District 126s website said classes were canceled a precautionary measure due to a community emergency situation. No one is in danger, but to keep our children and parents safe, we are cancelling school, the statement read, adding that classes are expected to resume Friday. The suspect is one of three who fired at officers on Chicagos South Side before leading them on a chase into the south suburbs. The two other suspects were in custody Thursday morning as the hunt continued for the third. Police responded to the 11800 block of South Lowe in Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood around 2:40 a.m. after officers on patrol heard gunshots from a rifle and another caliber weapon. Upon arrival, officers saw men inside a silver Toyota firing at a group of individuals in the street. A 22-year-old man had been shot in the leg by the men, according to police. Then men then turned the gunfire to the officers, but no one was hit, police said. One of the officers returned fire, but missed as well. The car of men then sped off, racing westbound on 119th before crashing on the side of the road in the 4400 block of West 119th Street in Alsip, police said. Three men got out of the vehicle and began to lead officers on a foot chase. Two of the men were caught by police, but the third suspect had not been found by Thursday morning. One weapon was recovered in the crashed vehicle, police said. Surrounding roads on Lowe and 118th and 119th streets were blocked off as Area South detectives continue to investigate the shooting. The two-year anniversary of the shooting death of Laquan McDonald was met with protests and calls for change from hundreds of demonstrators. With some declaring Oct. 20 Laquan Day, protesters are expected to gather for a day of action to commemorate his life. An event is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Chicago Police Headquarters, where demonstrators are set to speak out at a Chicago Police Board Hearing, demanding the termination of all police officers involved with falsifying police reports in efforts of covering up [McDonalds] death. Seventeen-year-old McDonald was shot 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014, by a Chicago officer. Police claimed at the time McDonald has lunged at them, but dashcam video released last year showed McDonald apparently walking away when he was shot. Officers at the scene said McDonald was told numerous times to drop his knife, but the dashcam video of the shooting had no audio. Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder in McDonald's death; he had pleaded not guilty. Several other officers involved in the case face administrative charges, including making a false report. Many have questioned the handling of the case over the last two years, with a grand jury set to consider whether or not police officers lied in connection with the shooting. A woman who witnessed the fatal police shooting has filed a federal lawsuit claiming she was detained by police and pressured to change her story shortly after the shooting. Two years ago Laquan McDonald lost his life tragically and unnecessarily," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. "His death was a wake-up call for our city on an issue that has challenged the city for decades, and brought a renewed commitment to a public conversation about policing and community relations. But more than just breaking from the past, we will continue working together across the city to build a brighter future by restoring trust between residents and our officers, and implementing the reforms necessary to prevent this from happening again. More than 600 people have said on Facebook they plan to attend the Thursday evening event. A photographer from the United Kingdom filed a federal lawsuit in Chicago Tuesday against Donald Trumps campaign over its use of his photo of a bowl of Skittles in a controversial advertisement against Syrian refugees. David Kittos, a refugee himself from Cyprus, posted the photo to the image sharing website Flickr in 2010. He says it was reprehensibly offensive to discover it had been used without authorization by Trumps team last month, according to the copyright infringement lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Heather Blaise, an attorney for Kittos, said the suit was filed in Chicago to get a more favorable jury pool. Trump campaign representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday evening. The ad was tweeted Sept. 19 with Kittos photo underneath the words: If I had a bowl of skittles [sic] and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful? Thats our Syrian refugee problem. Widely viewed as dehumanizing of a humanitarian crisis, the ad caused an uproar across social media and prompted a statement from the candys parent company Wrigley: Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We dont feel its an appropriate analogy. We will respectively refrain from further commentary, as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing. Twitter removed the photo Sept. 27 after Kittos lawyers reported the infringement. The student pilot who died in a plane crash in East Hartford on Oct. 11 died of smoke inhalation and heat and fire injuries, according to the office of the chief medical examiner. Federal investigators have called the crash an "intentional act." A senior law enforcement official familiar with the investigation previously told NBC News that the student pilot, Feras M. Freitekh, was arguing with his instructor and the crash appears to have been a case of suicide, not terrorism. Officials indentified him through fingerprints and the manner of his death is pending further investigation of the circumstances, according to the office of the chief medical examiner. Freitekh was killed and his instructor, Arian Prevalla -- the owner of American Flight Academy in Hartford -- was injured when the twin-engine Piper PA 34 they were in crashed on Main Street, near the Connecticut headquarters of military jet-engine maker Pratt & Whitney, and burst into flames. The National Transportation Safety Board previously said the crash that killed Freitekh and seriously injured Prevalla appeared to have been the result of an intentional act. A senior law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told NBC News, Prevalla told investigators that Freitekh, a Jordanian national, was at the controls at the time of the crash. Some kind of argument or struggle for the controls ensued, the official said, and the plane crashed. The instructor did not know why it happened. Police searched Freitek's Hartford-area home but did not find anything to indicate any terrorist interests or sympathies, a senior federal official told NBC News' Pete Williams. He was also not on any terrorism watch list, the official added. Prevalla has undergone surgery and he is recovering in the hospital. Two people wanted for homicide in Georgia were taken into custody in Waterbury this morning. Hartford police said the Hartford Fugitive Task Force had received information that 29-year-old Kendra Tillery and 18-year-old Malik Golden might be in hiding in Hartford and driving a 2006 Chevrolet Impala with Georgia license plate RC15118, so they started searching for them. After following up on leads in Hartford and East Hartford, police received information this morning that Tillery and Golden had relocated to Waterbury, police said, so the task force and Waterbury police responded to 918 Woodstock Road at 7 a.m. and found the two suspects sleeping in the Impala, police said. For the two nights before they were caught, Tillery and Golden had been sleeping in the car in various location in Hartford, police said. They were transported to the Waterbury police department and charged as fugitives from justice. They will soon be extradited to Georgia to face the homicide charges, according to Hartford Police. Donald Trump is no longer saying he will accept the result of the presidential election in November, which would be a break from one of the oldest and most fundamental American political traditions. One of Trump's main talking points at rallies in recent days has been his allegation that the election is being rigged he has offered no evidence and debate moderator Chris Wallace asked at Wednesday's debate if he would accept the result on Nov. 8. "I will look at it at the time," Trump said, suggesting that the media's reporting on the current state of the election is distorted and that Clinton should be disqaulified for office. Wallace explained the political tradition that the losers of elections in the United States concede to the winner, keeping the peace, then asked again if Trump would accept the result. Trump said, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." Hillary Clinton quickly replied to Trump's remark, saying "that's horrifying." [NATL] Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail Clinton said that not accepting losses is common for Trump, saying he was even bothered by losing an Emmy Trump interjected, "Should have gotten it." "This is how Donald thinks," Clinton said, as some in the audience at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas laughed. "It's funny but it's also really troubling." Both Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and vice-presidential candidate Mike Pence said earlier Wednesday they believed Trump would accept the result. "We'll certainly accept the outcome of this election," Pence said on CNN before the debate. [[397694491, C]] "I believe he'll accept the outcome either way," Ivanka Trump said at a summit on women in Southern California. Trump has also said he'll accept the result of the election, but his new response the culmination of days of complaints about the election being rigged marked a major and possibly unprecedented change in American politics. Immediately after the debate, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus told NBC's Hallie Jackson that Trump will accept the results of the election. He later released a statement that did not mention the controversy, but called Trump "the only candidate ready to shake up Washington and give a voice back to the American people." Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway reacted to the remark on MSNBC by saying Trump would accept the results because he will win. When Chris Matthews pressed her on what would happen if he lost, she pointed to Al Gore challenging the 2000 election results in Florida though Gore sought a recount only when the vote totals showed a margin of less than 2,000 votes, and he never called the result into question beforehand. The one thing you have over me is experience, Donald Trump told Hillary Clinton at the final debate on Oct. 19, 2016. But its bad experience. The reaction online was swift, with many people, even Trump supporters, repudiating the comment. "Based on that answer alone, I hope Mr Trump loses all 50 states. He deserves to. He is attacking democracy itself," tweeted a scholar at the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute. [[397735511, C]] Already not a fan of Trump, Jerry Springer, the former talk show host and mayor of Cincinnati, tweeted that he is "an outrage" for not saying he would accept the election. "Is he planning a coup?" Nine police officers shot and killed a Houston attorney who was randomly shooting at people in his neighborhood, police say. Houston police on Wednesday updated the investigation into the Sept. 26 incident in which Nathan Desai was killed by officers. Authorities are trying to determine why Desai, who had a concealed handgun permit, randomly shot at people and vehicles. A police statement said officers and Desai exchanged gunfire for about 30 minutes as he took cover behind a tree. Police from Houston, Bellaire and West University Place shot at or fatally wounded Desai, who died at the scene. No officers were hurt. Desai, who wore a replica of a World War II Nazi general's uniform, had no known criminal record or history of mental illness. A former Fort Worth high school teacher is facing up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of production of child pornography. Matthew Anthony Keller, 24, taught at Southwest High School in Fort Worth, according a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Police said the investigation began after a parent of a 15-year-old discovered a relationship between the teen and Keller. Police said the parent was even more worried after discovering that Keller planned to fly from Fort Worth to visit the minor in Macomb County, Michigan, where the teen lives. Police obtained a search warrant at Kellers residence in Watauga. There, they said they found an explicit video of the 15-year-old after seizing Kellers computer, the press release said. Keller was arrested in July. On Wednesday morning, he pleaded guilty to one count of child pornography and now faces between 15 and 30 years in federal prison along with a $250,000 fine. Project Safe Childhood was the nationwide initiative that led the effort to prosecute Keller. The project aims to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, the press release said. Keller is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2017, according to U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means. The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office along with the Macomb County Sheriff's Office said they are still investigating. In the wine capital of Texas, a push for liquor stores could change the landscape in Grapevine. On Nov. 8, Grapevine voters will decide whether to allow liquor stores in the city. A petition for the ballot measure was submitted in the spring by Citizens for Total Wine and More. The Political Action Committee gathered more than 5,300 signatures supporting the liquor store. In July, Grapevine City Council decided to send the issue to a public vote. "It's not what a wholesome community wants. It's not what we worked for all of these years. It's not Grapevine," said City Councilwoman Sharron Spencer. "The big threat is where liquor stores can go. It can go by our schools, by our churches, and by our day cares. It's not just the change on what it can do to businesses. That is only a piece of it." Downtown Grapevine, which has a dozen wineries, prides itself with a small town charm and a unique area where visitors can shop, eat and drink wine. "I don't think Grapevine needs liquor stores. I don't think it's something the city needs," said Farina's Winery and Care owner Gary Farina. "We love Grapevine the way it is and we want to preserve that. I don't understand why you would want to take the risk of changing the fabric of the community. It's not necessary." Total Wine and More said customers have asked for more locations. "We have over 10,000 customers in Grapevine and the Southlake area who currently shop at our Arlington and Lewisville locations," said manger Dan Kobiske. "At one point, Arlington and Lewisville were prohibited from selling spirits in their cities, but overwhelmingly passed the approval." Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate told voters in a letter: "A large out-of-state company is threatening our way of life. They want to build liquor stores in Grapevine to line their pockets." Tate said if the measure passes, liquor stores will be located near schools, churches, and neighborhoods. He also said liquor stores will hurt locally owned businesses and increase violent crime. Officials were concerned because the powerful typhoon struck at night and is expected to hit towns and cities amid power outages. After Cagayan, Haima is forecast to blow across the mountainous province of Apayao and then lash Ilocos Norte province before exiting into the South China Sea Thursday morning. "We can't go out because the wind is so intense, trees are being forced down," Councilor Elisa Arugay told DZMM radio from Camasi village in Penablanca. Haima, which has sustained winds of 225 kilometers (140 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 315 kph (195 mph), made landfall at Penablanca town in Cagayan province shortly before midnight, weather officials said. Many villages lost power and intense winds tore tin roofs off houses. Super Typhoon Haima slammed into the northeastern Philippine coast late Wednesday with ferocious winds and rain that rekindled fears and memories from the catastrophe wrought by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The government's weather agency raised the storm warning to the highest level in six northern provinces, which meant that powerful winds could inflict "very heavy to widespread damage" and whip up storm surges of up to five meters (16 feet), enough to engulf shanties in many rural communities. "We are possibly dealing with a typhoon that is even stronger than Typhoon Yolanda," said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, referring to the local name for Haiyan. "We must, therefore, brace ourselves for the possible effects of a typhoon of this magnitude." Many of the provinces are still recovering from powerful Typhoon Sarika, which left at least two people dead and displaced tens of thousands of villagers last weekend. The region was spared from a major disaster due in part to the storm's speed, officials said. In Beijing, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte urged people in the typhoon's path to heed orders by disaster agencies, including abandoning coastal communities prone to storm surges. Duterte is on a state visit to China and is to fly home Friday. "We only pray that we be spared destruction such as in the previous past which brought agony and suffering to our people, but we are ready," Duterte said at a news conference. A massive evacuation was underway in the northern provinces, especially in landslide-prone towns which often become isolated due to toppled trees and mudslides. Thousands of villagers, helped by police and army troops, clambered on trucks with their children and bags of clothes, sleeping mats and cooking pots to be taken to emergency shelters. Haima, locally known as Lawin, was hurtling westward at a speed of 25 kph (15 mph) with a vast rain band 800 kilometers (500 miles) wide that could bring heavy to intense rain in Luzon, including its central rice-growing plains. About 20 typhoons and storms lash the Philippines each year, adding to the many burdens in a country that is also threatened by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and considered one of the world's most disaster-prone nations. In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines with ferocious power, leaving more than 7,300 people dead or missing and displacing more than 5 million others after leveling entire villages. A Georgia family's attorney says a school contract worker is to blame for an injury that resulted in the amputation of a 13-year-old boy's leg. The boy's mother, Lawanda Thomas, said the incident happened on September 12 at the Edgewood Student Services in Columbus. Thomas said her son, Montravious, wanted to leave the classroom but allegedly was told that he could not. That's when, she said, her son was physically assaulted by a school contract worker. The family's attorney, Renee Tucker, said that Montravious was picked up by the waist and slammed to the floor three times. "He picked him up around his waist and body slammed him to the floor," Tucker said. "We know he attempted to leave the class a couple more times, and he was picked up two more times around his waist and body slammed to the floor." Read more on this story at 11Alive.com. A Dallas County inmate who escaped custody last week has been arrested by U.S. Marshals in San Antonio, officials said. Edgar Jaquez-Moreno, 24, had last been seen Oct. 19 while on work detail outside the fenced area of the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Jaquez-Moreno was accompanied by guards while on the detail, officials said. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Dallas Police Department joined the sheriff's department in searching near the jail, which is located along West Commerce Street near the Trinity River west of Downtown Dallas, but Jaquez-Moreno was nowhere to be found. The sheriff's department said Jaquez-Moreno is a non-violent offender, but details about additional charges he now faces have not been released. The third and final presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton started and ended without a handshake at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas Wednesday night. The candidates shared their views on abortion, international trade, Obamacare, border security and deportation. "I want to build a wall. We need a wall... We have some bad hombres here and I want to get them out," said Trump. Clinton pointed to Trump's campaign discourse regarding building a wall between Mexico and the United States. However, she recalled when he met with the Mexican president, he didn't discuss it. "He choked," Clinton said. #Badhombres began trending on Twitter shortly after this exchange. Clinton said of Russia and U.S. relations that Putin would get along with Trump as president "because he'd rather have a puppet as president." "No, puppet. You're the puppet," Trump fired back, sparking plenty of puppet-related gifs and memes. Toward the end of the debate, Trump said he would wait to see what happened before accepting the election results. "She's such a nasty woman," Trump added. Not long after, Twitter timelines included #NastyWomen. Chicago activitist Marcos Mateo Ochoa tweeted, "To all my fellow #badhombres and #nastywomen remember you have the power to vote!!! #debatenight #debate" Here's the top tweets from the third presidential debate: Saying they want to boost competition in the airline industry, Obama administration officials issued new regulations Tuesday aimed at providing passengers with more information to compare the performance of air carriers and the cost of flights. The Department of Transportation also said it was proposing that airlines be required to refund fees when checked bags are "substantially delayed." The government already requires airlines to refund fees for bags that are lost, but the proposal would go a step further by including delayed bags. Transportation officials said they haven't yet defined what constitutes a substantial delay. Congress directed the department in an aviation bill passed over the summer to require airlines to refund checked bag fees to passengers whose luggage is delayed 12 hours or more for domestic flights or 15 hours or more for overseas flights. However, the department has some flexibility in how it ultimately writes the regulation. The department also issued several final rules aimed at giving passengers better information when they purchase tickets and for judging the performance of air carriers. One of the new rules would force airlines to report flight delays for all the planes that fly under their banner. Major carriers haven't been including flights operated by their regional airline partners in their performance reports to the government. Consumer advocates say that can make major carriers' records look better than they really are, since the regional flights are more likely to be delayed. Currently a dozen of the largest airlines report performance data. Under the new rule, Air Wisconsin, Allegiant, Endeavor, Mesa, Envoy, Republic and Shuttle America will also have to report performance data. Another rule would prohibit online ticketing services from favoring one airline over another in response to consumer searches for flight information. Airlines will also have to report how many wheelchairs they mishandle. It's the first time they have had to report that information. "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," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Airlines for America, a trade association for major carriers, warned that the changes could harm customers by "re-regulating" how airlines sell their products, driving up the cost of air travel. "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," said Nicholas Calio, the association's president. The new rules are mostly a "big win" for passengers, said Charlie Leocha, president of Travelers United and a member of the department's consumer advisory panel. But he noted that the department had delayed final action on some of the rules for more than two years. Leocha also criticized the department's plans to start a separate rulemaking process to explore whether airlines should be required to share information with ticket agents on fees for services like checked bags, advance seat assignments and priority boarding. The department has already sought public comments on the matter and consumer advocates had hoped the government was finally ready to take concrete action. "If DOT is planning on starting from scratch, it will be an enormous retreat from overall airline pricing transparency," Leocha said. It appeared cruel and ill-advised to many who saw the tearful young teen standing on a corner holding a vulgar and humiliating sign. Others thought it would teach the girl a harsh, but needed lesson in "sexting," or exchanging sexually explicit text messages and photos. And, after a witness posted photographs on social media, the issue became grist for debate. "I'm 13 I ask for d--- pics" read the hand-printed sign, using vulgar slang for male genitalia. The girl held it for several hours in Riverside at the corner of Magnolia and La Sierra avenues, according to witness accounts. "You could see tears running down her face," said Krista Wilson, who described being jolted when she saw a photo posted on Facebook in a public group focused on Riverside County events. Wilson said she was moved to drive over to check on the girl, and found her still there and still holding the sign. "Grown men were reading it and laughing," Wilson recalled with disgust. Parked nearby was an SUV, a woman in the driver's seat watching the girl. Wilson, 22, presumed she was the mother, but decided against approaching her. Another person who came upon the scene recalled hearing the girl speak toward the SUV. "I saw her bawling her eyes out, just saying she didn't want to do this," said Kaceylynn Zambrano, 25. "Public shaming should not be done," Wilson said. Among the hundreds commenting online, not everyone agreed. "To the people blaming the mother. If she did nothing and something happened to this girl, first thing y'all will say is where was her mother and what she should have did," commented Darwin Williams, Jr. in the thread on the Facebook public group called, "What's Really Going on in Riverside County." Others expressed the opinion the shaming would deter her from further "sexting." Wilson and several others who thought such discipline verged on being criminal, called Riverside Police, and an officer responded. The officer spoke with the girl's mother at length, and concluded the mother's action did not constitute child abuse, according to Lt. Melissa Bartholomew. The County Department of Public Social Services was also contacted, and Riverside police provided information, Lt. Bartholomew said. DPSS has not yet responded to request for comment. It was Bartholomew's understanding that a social worker was contacting the mother with help on parenting strategies. No one answered the door when NBC4 went to a location believed to be the family residence. No question early adolescent "sexting" requires parental action, said Elizabeth Davis, PhD, Professor of Psychology at the Riverside campus of the University of California. It is risky and can quickly have enormous negative social impacts, she said. However, research shows shaming is not only ineffective as a means of trying to change behavior, but also harmful, particularly for children and adolescents, according to Davis. "The line between who they are and what they did is really blurred for teens," Davis said, likening shaming to "heaping self doubt on something already volatile." It is important, Davis said, for parents to talk with their children, and try to determine what factors led to the inappropriate behavior. In some cases, it may be bullying or other outside pressures that need to be tackled. A 50-year-old woman was killed by a Takata air bag inflator in California, the 11th confirmed fatality tied to ruptures in the company's air bags in the United States, officials said Thursday. The woman was driving a 2001 Honda Civic when she was killed Sept. 30 in Riverside County, according to a news release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The air bags can inflate with too much force, which can cause their metal interiors to rupture and spew shrapnel into the vehicle. The problem touched off what is now the largest auto recall in U.S. history. More than 69 million inflators have been or will be recalled in the U.S. and more than 100 million worldwide. More information about the Takata air bag recalls can be found here. The government urged people to go to safercar.gov and enter their vehicle identification number to see if their car or truck is being recalled. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Three people, including a child, were injured in a drive-by shooting Wednesday night in North Miami. The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. near Northeast 128th Street and 12th Avenue. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the victims were shot in the hand, foot and knee. One patient was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital as a trauma alert. 18 YEAR OLD JEAN LOUIS MARDOCHEE SAYS HE WAS OUTSIDE LOUNGING ON A BACK BUMPER, TEXTING SOMEONE... JUST BEFORE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED. "The car came and it's slowing down... They started shooting... I started running, and I moved my arm, and I got hit right there." THE HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR CAME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL LAST NIGHT WITH A BANDAGE STILL ON HIS ARM. "Pow pow pow..." A BULLET ALSO HIT PIERRE JOSEPH'S EIGHT YEAR OLD GRANDSON IN THE LEG... THE BOY WAS OUTSIDE HIS FRONT DOOR PLAYING BALL. JOSEPH HEARD HIM WAILING. "My grandson hurt, I'm hurt too." Pierre Joseph MARDOCHEE ALSO TOLD US HIS FAMILY FRIEND WAS SHOT... BUT ALL THREE VICTIMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE OKAY. BEFORE MARDOCHEE HEADED TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING, HE TOLD US HIS EIGHT YEAR OLD NEIGHBOR IS ON HIS MIND. "I'm scared, and I'm sorry for him." 18 year old Jean Louis Mardochee says he was outside sitting on a car bumper, texting someone just before the shooting happened. "The car came and it's slowing down, Mardochee told NBC 6s Julia Bagg. They started shooting, I started running and I moved my arm and I got hit right there." The high school junior came home from the hospital last night with a bandage still on his arm. A bullet also hit Pierre Joseph's eight year old grandson in the leg. The boy was outside his front door playing ball when Joseph heard him wailing. "My grandsons hurt, Im hurt too, he said. Mardochee also told us his 35-year-old family friend was shot, but all three victims are expected to be okay. Before Mardochee headed to school this morning, he told us his neighbor is on his mind. "Im scared, and Im sorry for him." North Miami police said they are still searching for suspects. A Jacksonville woman is accused of leaving a child in a hot car for at least 40 minutes outside a nursing home. One media outlet reports the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says 25-year-old Katy Gross was arrested Tuesday and charged with child abuse. An arrest report says a man called police after noticing a small child sweating inside a car that wasn't running at the Lanier Terrace Nursing Home. Police say the child was in the car from at least 9:45 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. with no air. Officers said the child was "very hot and sweaty,'' but did not have to be taken to the hospital. The child's age is unknown. Investigators say Gross worked at the nursing home. It's unclear whether she was working at the time of the incident. Band, orchestra, chorus, jazz band, they're all popular programs in public schools. For some students, those electives are the incentive that makes school exciting every day. For others, music opens doors to college and careers. These programs, however, are expensive. At Norland Middle School, for instance, the band uses instruments that are decades old. Drums with torn skins, horns with broken valves, these are common sights in many school band rooms, especially for schools in the inner city. So imagine how excited the kids at Norland Middle were when they walked into their band room and saw a huge pile of boxes in the middle of the room. It was Christmas in October: the boxes were filled with brand-new instruments, and the kids dove into the pile, pulling out shiny new trombones, tubas, trumpets, drums, and clarinets. $72,000 worth of musical equipment, delivered in one day. This was the first installment of the Harmony Project, the brainchild of Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. "All kids should have the same, equal access to greatness, and music is part of that greatness," Carvalho said, explaining the basis for the Project. Carvalho carved out $500,000 from the budget to spread music to schools in disadvantaged areas. Right now, seven schools in two feeder patterns, those of Norland High School and Northwestern High School, are receiving the musical infusion. These are schools in which many students can't afford their own instruments, and there are no wealthy PTSA groups to raise money for the band. "I think the more you invest in your children, the return on that investment is something that you cannot put a price tag on," said Ronald Redmon, the principal at Norland Middle. It's not just new instruments. The schools are also getting new sheet music and laptop computers loaded with Smart Music software which helps students learn to play. "If you look at these kids now and you see the excitement that they have, they cant wait to play the instruments, so its gonna help the program in the long run," said Dr. Damon Richardson, band director at Norland Middle. For many kids, this will be the first time they'll be able to take instruments home with which to practice their skills. Carvalho says in addition to becoming better musicians, research shows that students who play music tend to do better in other academic areas as well. So there are plenty of benefits to justify the investment in music. That's why Carvalho is planning on expanding the Harmony Project to other schools in coming years. After supporting him for much of his career in politics, one South Florida newspaper is turning away from U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. The Miami Herald, in its list of endorsements for the upcoming elections, announced it would support Rubios challenger, Democratic Party nominee Patrick Murphy. The newspaper cited Rubios decision to run for re-election after initially saying he would not while running for the Republican Partys Presidential nomination while saying Rubios continued support for the partys nominee, Donald Trump, is another reason to pull support. Mr. Trumps candidacy is a test of character, and Sen. Rubio is failing that test. How can voters believe hes sincere when he says he does not share Mr. Trumps awful views on Mexicans, immigrants, Muslims, women, etc., yet at the same time stands by his endorsement of the New York billionaire, the paper wrote. His act is unconvincing. It reeks of political convenience rather than political conviction. In recent days, Rubio has broken from the Trump campaign on several issues disagreeing with the nominee that this years elections will be rigged while also encouraging fellow Republicans to not gloat over the continued release of emails by WikiLeaks from the Presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton Murphy is in his second term as a member of the U.S. House, representing a district that includes much of the Treasure Coast and northern Palm Beach County. Most polls show Rubio with the lead, but the race tightening in recent weeks. Rubio is holding an event in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, where he will be joined by U.S. Senator Corey Gardner, a Republican from Colorado. A police officer died in a shooting rampage in northern Seoul on Wednesday. The heavily armed assailant, Seong Byung-dae (46), was being pursued by police after a frenzied assault and shot the officer around 6:30 p.m. The officer, identified by his surname Kim (54), was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead around an hour later. According to police, 15 separate calls were made starting around 6:20 p.m. saying that someone was assaulting a victim with a hammer and that gunshots were heard. The calls were made by witnesses who saw Seong arguing with an elderly estate agent. When the estate agent tried to escape, Seong assaulted him with a hammer and tried to shoot him. When the police officer arrived at the scene, Seong shot him in the back. A Florida teenager severely beaten over the weekend was taken off life support and died Monday night, but police still don't know exactly how he died. Witnesses said the victim, identified as Roger Trindade, 15, was jumped by a group of teens. Winter Park Police Chief Michael Deal said Trindade was unconscious when officers found him. The boy was taken to a hospital, where he was put on life support. Authorities said Trindade was removed from life support Monday night. According to Deal, the boy showed little sign of trauma, and it's still unclear what caused his death. Police said they don't believe the incident was gang-related or racially-motivated. No arrests have been made, but police said they have identified multiple juvenile suspects, some of whom are students at Winter Park High School where the victim also attended. Read more on this story at WESH.com. Three adults have been arrested after a fistfight broke out while students were being picked up at Cocoa High School. Cocoa police tell news outlets that 40-year-old Kellie Rhynes, 21-year-old Cedric Rhynes and 25-year-old Brittany Canada were all charged with battery and disruption of a school function following Wednesday's incident. Police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez says some students were getting into a vehicle during dismissal when Kellie Rhynes, driver of the car behind the other vehicle, got out to confront them for taking so long. Words were exchanged and police say Rhynes punched the other driver. Martinez says the responding officer, Amanda Torello, crashed into a ditch after another vehicle pulled in front of her. Torello was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. A 20-year-old driver and his friend were both killed when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the woods on Long Island late Tuesday, authorities said. Zachary Powell and Christian Goody were both killed when Powells Infiniti sedan left the roadway while trying to weave through traffic on Moriches Riverhead Road in Northampton, according to authorities. Another passenger, 19-year-old Ashley Picozzi, was taken to Stony Brook Hospital after the crash and remained in serious condition Wednesday evening. Authorities said that speed appears to have played a role in the crash, but drugs or alcohol were not thought to have been involved. Powells family declined to comment to NBC 4 New York on Wednesday. What to Know Four firefighters and a civilian were injured in a top floor apartment fire in Hamilton Heights, officials said One firefighter suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital with the other 3 firefighters, who suffered minor injuries The cause of the fire is not yet known Four firefighters were injured battling a fire that broke out at an apartment building in upper Manhattan on Thursday morning, fire officials said. Plumes of smoke rose up from the Hamilton Heights building after the fire erupted in a top floor apartment there shortly before 1:15 a.m. Fire officials said the fire may have spread to the roof of the six story building at 605 W. 141st Street, although this wasnt immediately clear. Onlookers watched as dozens of firefighters attempted to control the fire. They were dousing it with water at 1:30 a.m. and it was under control by 2:32 a.m. Fire on the block. A photo posted by Gina Boyer (@gina_boyer) on Oct 19, 2016 at 10:48pm PDT Four firefighters were injured, including one who suffered serious injuries. The other three firefighters had minor injuries. All four of them were taken to an area hospital, officials said. The seriously injured firefighter was in stable condition by 4 a.m. One resident was briefly trapped in the fire but was ultimately able to get out with only minor injuries. He or she refused medical attention. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Detective Mel Maurice's Wednesday afternoon played out like a scene out of "Hawaii Five-0" The NYPD aviation unit officer flew two miles offshore in a police chopper, rappeled down into a boat as it rocked in the surf, then finished things off with a high-stakes rescue. And like any good action scene, there was a surprising twist. The woman was pregnant, and she had just gone into labor. "I never thought I'd be helping a pregnant woman on a fishing boat," he said. Maurice was one of several officers who helped bring a woman back ashore after her water broke aboard a chartered fishing boat Wednesday afternoon. She was able to get into a waiting ambulance without any injuries and was able to make it to a hospital to deliver the baby. Maurice and the rest of the NYPD chopper crew began flying out to the boat off the coast of Queens after getting a distress call about a pregnant woman in distress. The initial plan was to hoist the expectant mother to the chopper -- but the crew changed plans because they were worried about injuring the woman or her baby. "Me and the pilot were able to hoist Mel through this four-foot hole onto the bow of the boat," said crew chief Craig Coogan. When Maurice got down onto the boat, he said he took the mother's vitals and waited for a harbor unit boat to pull alongside. When it got there, he and other rescuers helped the family onto the rescue boat. "She was good," Maurice said of the mother. "She was pretty calm. This was pregnancy No. 8 for her so she's definitely a pro at it." Chopper 4 footage caught responders helping the mother into an ambulance after the rescue boat made it ashore. Maurice said that the NYPD is always prepared for the unexpected, like helping the expecting. "It's what we do," he said. "It's who we are. We're police officers. We're here to help people." Temple University has formed a collaboration with Thomas Jefferson Universitys Center for Medical Cannabis Education & Research to encourage research and education initiatives related to medical uses for marijuana. The initiatives will involve physicians and scientists working at Temple and Jefferson, along with researchers elsewhere in the state and the nation. The universities will co-present the Carolina Cannabinoid Collective Conference on from Oc. 28 to Oct. 30. The event will feature more than 100 of the countrys leading cannabinoid researchers, who will gather in Philadelphia to address recent developments and discoveries in the field. The keynote speakers will be Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of hematology-oncology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and Yasmin Hurd, a professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and pharmacology and systems therapeutics and director of the Center for Addictive Disorders at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. To read full article, click here. Officials in a New Jersey shore town have agreed to pay a proposed $369,000 settlement with an openly gay former police officer who filed a discrimination lawsuit. The Press of Atlantic City reports the Cape May City Council decided on Tuesday night to approve the payment to Steven Pascal. Pascal claimed in his 2013 lawsuit that the police department created a hostile, anti-gay work environment and wrongly fired him. Most of the settlement will be paid by the city's insurer. City officials previously planned to pay $50,000, but said in a statement Wednesday the joint insurance fund may reduce the city's contribution. No one admits wrongdoing under the settlement. The allegations can't be brought back to court. City attorney Anthony Monzo couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Some customers in Korea and the U.S. who bought Samsung's combustible Galaxy Note 7 phone are filing class-action lawsuits claiming they suffered financial losses due to the recall. Bloomberg on Tuesday reported that three U.S. customers who bought the Note 7 filed a lawsuit against Samsung at a district court in Newark, New Jersey. Class-action suits entitle other victims to compensation if a handful of victims win a court case on their behalf, so Samsung could see the amount of compensation snowballing. A day after a single-engine plane crashed in the backyard of a Camden County home Wednesday afternoon, trapping two people in the wreckage, police identified the pilot and his passenger and revealed the extent of their injuries. The aircraft landed upside down in the backyard of a home along Linden Avenue in Lindenwold shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday after somehow missing houses. [[397623721, C]] Lindenwold Police said the 66-year-old pilot Wayne Gilchrist of Marlton, New Jersey suffered severe facial cuts that "required a large number of stitches." His daughter told NBC10 that he received hundreds of stitches and would need reconstructive surgery. She said he was only able to communicate with his hands as he was treated. Gilchrist's passenger, 72-year-old David Misek of Cherry Hill suffered a broken hip upon impact that would require surgery, said police. Both men were listed in stable condition at Cooper University Hospital, said police. Due to the severity of Gilchrist's injuries, investigators hadn't interviewed him as of Thursday morning but they had spoken to Misek who told them that the plane "experienced an unknown mechanical issue prior to the crash," said police. [[397656531, C]] Gilchrist's daughter called her father, a cancer survivor, a hero for avoiding homes. "It looks like it came between four homes kind of on a diagonal, struck some trees and then ended up on the ground," said Lindenwold Police Chief Tom Brennan. [[397664831, C]] As SkyForce10 hovered overhead a short time later, you could see firefighters from Lindenwold and Cherry Hill working on the aircraft that crashed into some trees and split into two. "You could tell something wasn't right," said Willie Jones who heard the plane go down. "It was too low. The sound was too low." After more than 30 minutes, crews pulled both men from the upside down cockpit. No one on the ground was hurt. "It's kind of crazy," said Cydnei, who lives next door to the yard where the plane crashed. "There are so many houses and trees around here but somehow it managed to miss like everything." [[397700441, C]] Officials say the plane took off from Flying W Airport in Medford, New Jersey but it's unclear where it was headed. A search of the FAA registry shows the plane is a 1946 Ercoupe 415-C registered to a man from Chesapeake City, Cecil County, Maryland. Investigators said 911 calls alerted them to the crash. Besides the wreckage, crews also needed to clean up a fuel leak, said investigators. They hoped to clear the wreck Thursday, said police. It had been about 45 years since the last time a plane went down in Lindenwold. Federal investigators would determine to specific cause of the crash. A former eastern Pennsylvania police officer accused of making up a story about having been attacked and thrown down a highway embankment a year ago has been sentenced to probation as part of a plea agreement. Forty-two-year-old Melissa Ruch pleaded guilty Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court to false reports to law enforcement-falsely incriminating another. Prosecutors withdrew a second count as well as charges of false alarm and furnishing authorities with false information. A judge ordered her to spend 12 months on probation and pay restitution, including medical and prosecution costs. The former West Penn Township officer said she was attacked by a large man in September 2015 on Route 309 near the top of the Blue Mountain in West Penn Township. State police said they found inconsistencies in her account A gunman shot and killed a teenager in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia Wednesday night. The unidentified victim, who police say was in his late teens, was on the 3500 block of Wallace Street at 6:33 p.m. when a gunman opened fire. The teen was struck once in the right shoulder. He was taken to Presbyterian Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:49 p.m. No arrests have been made and a weapon has not been recovered. The name Alton B. Parker is probably unknown to most of the voters who will cast their ballots for president Nov. 8, but in 1904, he was as famous as either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Parker, a New York state judge, was the Democratic nominee for the nation's highest office that year. He lost to Theodore Roosevelt in a landslide. While the country might have forgotten Parker, Russell Rubert of King of Prussia has not. Rubert can even name Parker's running mate. It was Henry G. Davis, who, at 80, might be the oldest man ever to stand for the vice presidency. Rubert, president of the Norristown Preservation Society and a board member of the King of Prussia Historical Society, is an avid collector who has turned his home on Hillview Road into a showcase for View Master viewers, antique telephones, and, most recently, political campaign buttons, which he has painstakingly mounted on a pair of display triptychs. "I haven't counted them," he said in an interview, "but I've got at least a couple for every candidate from at least the 1896 election on up." According to Rubert, 1896 was the year campaign buttons began to be mass-produced. It was also the year Republican William McKinley beat Democratic William Jennings Bryan in the race for the White House. Not all of Rubert's buttons are genuine. Many are reproductions, which he sometimes prefers because they are less expensive than the originals. The oldest he has been able to verify as authentic, which dates from 1920, is a metal lapel pin embossed with the name "Cox," for James M. Cox, who ran unsuccessfully against Warren Harding. In a visual pun, it is shaped like a rooster. Another authentic jewel, from 1936, bears the name of Republican Alf Landon and is trimmed with felt sunflower leaves, symbol of Kansas, Landon's home state. "You never know," Rubert said about an item's authenticity, but "the Alf Landon one, that's undeniable." Rubert has built his collection by haunting garage sales and flea markets, and of course, cruising the internet. "The internet has been the big thing," he said. "I don't go out searching for them all the time, because if I did that, I'd have a million buttons." He also has a few selection criteria to keep his collection from getting too big. For example, he purchases only those buttons officially issued by a campaign, a limitation he deems essential in an age when anyone can make their own buttons using a computer at home. Nevertheless, the number of presidential hopefuls over the years ensures an ever-expanding collection, especially since it includes many candidates who did not win their party's nomination. One button, from 1976, displays the names of Ronald Regan and Pennsylvania Sen. Richard Schweiker, who lost the Republican nomination that year to Gerald Ford and Bob Dole. Another, from the 1968 primaries, promotes Hubert Humphrey for president with Robert F. Kennedy as his running mate. Rubert also owns several issue-oriented buttons, such as once from 1940 opposing Franklin Roosevelt's unprecedented run for a third term. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, his favorite comes from Richard Nixon's 1972 campaign. He voted for George McGovern that year, he said, but he likes the button for its stark typeface and its rich colors. It was also easy to find on the web. "Blue and red Nixon buttons were all over the place," he said. A man of such varied interests brings a great deal of prior knowledge to the art of collecting, but Rubert is still occasionally surprised by what he learns. In addition to presidential campaigns, he collects buttons from Pennsylvania's gubernatorial races, and not long ago, he discovered he had overlooked a small item of recent political history. "I try to keep up," he said, "but I didn't know some guy named Mike Stack is lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania." Convicted ex-congressman Chaka Fattah of Philadelphia has been cleared of four of 22 counts of his corruption case based on post-trial motions. Fattah was convicted in June of orchestrating several fraud schemes to raise money for his campaign and personal spending. Several aides and advisers were also convicted. His lawyers argued that a Supreme Court decision later narrowed the definition of bribery. However, U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle found that Fattah took "extraordinary" steps to seek an ambassadorship for a friend who had given him money, even hand-delivering a letter to President Barack Obama. But the judge agreed in Thursday's ruling to acquit Fattah of four bank and mail fraud counts. The 11-term Democrat does not yet have a sentencing date. Defense lawyers did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Friday, Wild Nothing and Spooky Cigarette are at Music Box; the Dear Hunter, Eisley and Gavin Castleton play at the Irenic; Kero Kero Bonito, Goto80 and Slime Girls take over the House of Blues Voodoo Room, while Seven Lions, Pegboard Nerds, Unlike Pluto and Grum are in the main room of House of Blues; Diablo Dimes and Ypsitucky hit Bar Pink; The Crawdaddys, the Hiroshima Mockingbirds, Alvino & the Dwells, DJs GirlGroupGirl and Richard Whig are at the Casbah; Crywolf, Birthday and DJ Skullcrusher are at Soda Bar; Majid Jordan and DJ TJ take over the Observatory North Park; Skilled Mechanics and Rituals of Mine are at the Belly Up; and Eva O, Squirrelly Arts, Element aA440 and Bell Tower Bats perform at the Merrow. Get your dance on with the 2Pac 20th Anniversary featuring Greyboy, Dimitri and Tramlife at Blonde; F---ing in the Bushes at the Whistle Stop; Cedric Gervais at Omnia; Cosmos Midnight at Bang Bang; Vinai at Bassmnt; or Adam Salter at El Dorado. Start your Saturday with Ye Scallywag featuring NOFX, Bad Religion, Goldfinger, Against Me! and Wakrat at Waterfront Park; or Lol Tolhurst will be reading from and signing his new book Cured: The Tale Of Two Imaginary Boys at the Casbah. Later that night, Lol will guest DJ at Club Sabbat at Numb3rs with yours truly in the front room while Severin DJs in the back room. Elsewhere, the Moth and the Flame, Young Rising Sons and 888 play at Soda Bar; Wild Child and Dazed and Confused are at the Belly Up; and Glass Elf and JO Passed hit Bar Pink. Dance options include Emo Nite at the Casbah; Booty Bassment at the Whistle Stop; MakJ at Omnia; Yolanda Be Cool and Bixel Boys at Bang Bang; and Twrk at Bassmnt. Sunday, Violent Femmes headline at the Observatory North Park; the Proclaimers and Jenny O perform at the Belly Up; Chicano Batman, SadGirl and Madly play at the Casbah; Kishi Bashi and Busman's Holiday are at the Irenic; D.R.I., Kaustik, Christ Killer and Mexico City Rollers hit Soda Bar; Jesse LaMonaca and Sam Bybee are at Sycamore Den; Holy Sons and Nurses take over the Hideout; Kissed Alive, Cheap Tricked and Groove Kitty play at House of Blues; and A-Trak is at Quartyard. Have a great weekend and Ill see you on the dance floor. Robin Roth is a familiar voice in the San Diego scene. She is on the air weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 91X, plus she promotes and spins all over town. Follow Robin on Twitter or submit your DJ listings here. A East County pastor was gunned down after serving a resident an eviction notice, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's office. Paul David Carr, 61, pleaded not guilty in court in the shooting death of his landlord for the past four years, Craig Hodson, 55, a pastor at Grace Baptist Church of Jacumba, according to Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lazar. When Hodson first served the eviction notice to the home on the 36500 block of Old Highway 80, Carr tried to fight it with an attorney, according to Lazar. The location is approximately 58 miles east of San Diego, just south of Interstate 8, in Boulevard, California. On Sunday, however, just hours after church services, Hodson followed up with the eviction notice, handing Carr a notice of clean-up procedures. "It was at this time, a few minutes later that night, where the defendant actually armed himself with a handgun, walked down to the garage where Mr. Hodson had been cleaning out some items of his and shot him twice fatally, killing him on scene," Lazar said. When deputies arrived, they found Hodson, 55, lying on the ground in front of a garage. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, deputies said. Despite first aid, Hodson succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on scene. Family and friends told NBC 7, Hodson is a father of 11 children and has several grandchildren. He had been a local propane driver before he turned to ministry full-time, friends said. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. Lazar said Carr admitted to the shooting when deputies showed up Sunday night. Carr is being held on $1 million bail. Immigration, terrorism, religion, scandal. There are three weeks before the November 8th election. Have you spoken to your children about what is going on? Its challenging, said Annette Boelter, mother of a third grader, a junior high school student and a high school student. Psychologist and San Diego School Board member Dr. John Lee Evans said, We absolutely need to talk to our children, no matter what the grade level. You don't need to overexpose them to things they may not know about, but that's why the first question is what do you know about what's going on. What have you heard? Evans said children are paying attention. They are hearing about the election, and some may be frightened. We might be picked up in the middle of the night, taken away from our home, our religion may not be allowed anymore in this country, things like that. They don't realize one person doesn't have all the power, Evans said. Parents say they have used the election for teaching moments. We do talk about it, said Boelter. We talk about how the choices you make now affect you later. She added, having boys, teaching them to respect women is really important. This presidential more than prior races is playing out on social media and students have access to that through mobile devices. Donald Trump dominated the Twitter conversation Thursday surrounding the third and final presidential debate. Twitter says that the Republican nominee was the subject of nearly 60 percent of the tweets sent about the candidates. The social media platform says the top tweeted moment was Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's discussion about treatment of women. The second most tweeted was Trump's refusal to say if he'll accept the results of the election should he lose. U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Tuesday reaffirmed his government's commitment to a "pivot to Asia" in deploying its most advanced weapons in the region. Writing in Foreign Affairs magazine, Carter said, "The Pentagon is continuing to place some of our best military personnel in the region and deploying some of our most advanced capabilities there." "We plan to do more, not less, in the Asia-Pacific for decades to come," Carter added. Carter also said the U.S. is increasing the number of ships and augmenting their lethal capabilities, while investing in nuclear-powered submarines, advanced undersea drones, and state-of-the-art equipment for cyber, space and electronic warfare. Many of these weapons were deployed here during the annual joint exercises with South Korea after North Korea's recent nuclear test. The Obama administration's "pivot to Asia" seeks to shore up U.S. hegemony in the region against the rising military power of China and has led to an accelerating arms race. Washington is deploying some 60 percent of its naval and air force resources and modernizing the U.S. Forces Korea and Japan. Carter said the two countries' agreement in July to deploy a U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery here in an effort to defend against North Korean ballistic missiles will contribute to stability and peace in Asia-Pacific. A flaw in the ballots in San Diego could impact the results of an important local issue up for a vote in November, NBC 7 learned on Wednesday. The issue has to do with what kind of pen you use to votea ball point pen or felt-tip pen. "If you use the wrong pen, you could be voting inadvertently," said Sherri Lightner, San Diego City Councilmember for Distict 1. When voters head to the polls in November, they could end up jotting down "yes" or "no" on Measure K without intending to cast their vote that way. That's because the line for Measure E on the other side of the ballot lines up perfectly to the line for Measure K. If you use a wrong pensuch as a felt-tip pen, your answer could bleed through to the "yes" or "no" box for Measure K. If passed, Measure K would require that the top two candidates who garnered the most votes in the June primary in the running for City Council, city attorney and mayor go head to head in the November runoff. Currently, candidates who receive the more than 50 percent of the votes in June win the election without a runoff. A spokesperson for the Registrar of Voters told NBC 7 that workers manually inspect ballots for flaws similar to this one. The spokesperson said that if a voter had marked "yes" on Measure K, but there is ink bleeding into the "no" box from the other side, the machine would kick the ballot out. A worker would then review the ballot to make sure the intended vote was tallied up correctly. Councilmember Lightner says this is not a sufficient method. "But how do you interpret?" Lightner said. "This is almost akin to which way is the chad hanging? Which way did the voter intend if you in fact do have a 'yes' on E bleeding through to a 'no' on K and you vote 'yes' on K. What did the voter intend?" However, reprinting the ballots is not an option with the November 8 election so close. But Lightner said voters must be informed about the flaw. "Today, we're asking the Registrar of Voters communicate with voters in the City of San Diego, alerting them to this problem and recommending the use of appropriate pens on the ballot," Lightner said. The issue only impacts people in the City of San Diego. Election officials will be reaching out to voters in the coming weeks about using a pencil or ballpoint pen to fill out the ballot and not a felt-tip pen. For the final presidential debate, many San Diegans gathered at watch parties across the countysome even went to watch it on the big screen at the Edwards Mira Mesa Theater Wednesday night. Republican presidential candidate faced off with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary for the last time before the November 8 election. The debate became heated at times, with both candidates talking over one another but most of the points did come through. Policy questions regarding issues such as immigration, ISIS and abortion took center stage. NBC 7 spoke with some voters after the debate who said they were disappointed by what they heard. I think it was more comedy than anything else, said Al Stanzione, an independent voter. "Hes got some good ideas, but I dont like either of them, to be honest. And Hillary is so dishonest. Others told us they are still have not made the decision on who they will be their pick for president come November 8. "Im not too sure who Im voting for. Im still undecided," said Margot Wright. Wright, a democrat, said she is concerned about candidates appointing Supreme Court justices that can impact Roe V. Wade. Meanwhile, Trump's comments about immigration did raise some eyebrows at a watch party for local democrats. We have some bad hombres here and we're going to get them out," Trump said during a discussion about illegal immigrants in the U.S. Voter Jenny Wynne told NBC 7 his comments showed how he viewed certain people in America. Trump's past business dealings and the firestorm over lewd comments he made about women in a decade old tape is not an issue for all voters. You cant look at what Donald did as business person and builder in the same light or what he did 20 years ago as what he'd do today," explained republican Phyllis Kaiser. Some Trump supporters listed off Clinton's history, concerns over her honesty and her husband's legacy as the reason they are voting for the businessman. Seeing Bill Clinton made the Three Strikes Law, thats a problem, said Candice Bell, who plans to vote Trump. And democrats havent done anything for black people at all. We have cops shooting us in the street we have black poverty, and blacks not getting work." Detectives discovered several explosives devices and items inside a Chula Vista apartment following an investigation into a fire. David Wasson, 32, was arrested in connection to the fire that began around 2 p.m. on Monday inside a unit at the Seawind Apartments on 4th Avenue near Naples Street. According to the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD), detectives found Molotov cocktails, ammunition, gasoline, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and manufactured "zip" guns inside the apartment during an investigation. Witnesses told police they saw a man running away from the building after the fire began. Others, like resident Cindy Wallace, reported hearing multiple explosions coming from the apartment. Cell phone video of the fire also appeared to show an explosion inside the apartment. Wallace told NBC 7 that she was able to get out of her apartment safely with the help of two Good Samaritans. She was given oxygen by paramedics but declined to go the emergency room. Two people suffered burns from the fire, including Wasson, police said. The fire also displaced approximately 20 residents in the apartment complex and caused about $225,000 dollars in damage. Wasson was later arrested and taken to UCSD Hospital for treatment. Police say he initially lied to officers about his identity but they were able to identify him. Wasson also had an outstanding felony warrant. He claimed that the fire began while he was cooking and his shirt also caught fire, according to police. He removed his shirt and threw it onto gasoline containers inside the apartment before running away. Fire officials found what they believed to be possible explosive devices inside the apartment--prompting a response from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Bomb/Arson Unit. Chula Vista police confirmed on Wednesday the existence of the explosive devices. The discovery has shocked some residents who spoke with NBC 7. I really do want to move, that is scary, resident Vanessa Jennings said. Its shocking to see that, to hear about it. In something as small as this, as to why you have that kind of thing--ammunition I can understand to a certain degree, but IED's and stuff like that. Why is that in your apartment? Why, why? resident Austin Schieck said. At this time, police say Wasson is not involved with any criminal or terrorist group. The cause of the fire is "undetermined," officials said. Wasson will be in a Chula Vista court on Friday for his arraignment. Community leaders and members met for a Town Hall meeting in Ocean Beach Wednesday to discuss a controversial construction project. The new multi-unit housing project will be going up at the corner of Ebers and Greene streets. But many residents and the Chair of the Ocean Beach Planning Board claim the building violates city codes and size restrictions. Many gathered at the Town Hall meeting in hopes of getting the City of San Diego to issue an order to stop construction. "Maybe the people downtown, the mayor, the code compliance people, will take a look at themselves and realize that what they approved is not right in anyway shape or form," said neighbor Allison Rush. The idea for a meeting grew out of the rally held on Saturday against the projectresidents want to follow in in Point Loma's footsteps where residents had forced San Diego's mayor to order "stop work" on a four-story building. John Ambert, Chair of the OB Planning Board and Jon Linney, Chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board organized the Town Hall. Opponents of the project say their next step is to reach out to San Diego city officials. The next regularly scheduled Ocean Beach Town Council meeting will be held October 26 at 7 p.m. Qualcomm Inc. said it is bringing a fifth-generation modem to market, offering a way for wireless devices to communicate at ultra-fast speeds over dedicated radio frequencies. Fast 5G service is expected to become common in 2018 or 2019. Qualcomms Snapdragon X50 5G modem will initially support operation in millimeter wave spectrum in the 28 gigahertz band. Qualcomm said its offering will help manufacturers build the next generation of cellular devices, and help operators study how to deploy 5G networks. The news about the X50 modem was one of the technical announcements the San Diego corporation issued Oct. 18 as a trade show got under way in Hong Kong. Additional stories from the San Diego Business Journal are available here. Sign up for their free daily email newsletter. New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan was wedged between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Thursday evening at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, calling his seat "the iciest place on the planet." And while the two presidential candidates traded sharp barbs on the dais, in private, Dolan revealed, they demonstrated a kindness toward each other rarely seen in public. In an exclusive interview with the "Today" show Thursday, Dolan described a touching moment after he asked Clinton and Trump to pray with him. "After the little prayer, Mr. Trump turned to Secretary Clinton and said, You are one tough and talented woman, Dolan said. Clinton responded, "Donald, whatever happens, we need to work together afterwards." Though the two candidates "are kind of awkward together," Dolan noted "the purpose of the evening is to break some of the ice, and thanks be to God, it works. The annual white-tie gala in Manhattan, often the last time the two presidential nominees share a stage before Election Day, is traditionally a time when campaign hostilities are set aside. It wasn't this year. Trump and Clinton offered tough takedowns of one another, with many in the well-heeled crowd turning on the Republican nominee midway through his remarks and showering him with jeers. Trump, who had drawn big laughs earlier in the speech, appeared to lose the room as he repeatedly dug in with caustic swipes at Clinton, drawing rare boos at a charity event meant to raise money for impoverished children throughout New York. He appeared to straddle the line when he talked about how "listening to Hillary rattle on and rattle on" has made him better appreciate his longtime nemesis Rosie O'Donnell. But he then seemed to cross it when he referred to her as "corrupt" during a lengthy riff on the FBI's investigation into her use of a private email server as secretary of state. "Hillary is so corrupt she got kicked off the Watergate Commission. How corrupt do you have to be to get kicked off the Watergate Commission? Pretty corrupt," he said to loud boos and at least one call demanding he get off the stage. He then almost appeared to segue into the standard attack lines of his rally speeches, setting aside jokes to bring up material contained in hacked Clinton campaign emails. "Hillary believes that it's vital to deceive the people by having one public policy and a totally different policy in private," he said to growing jeers. "Here she is tonight, in public, pretending not to hate Catholics." Clinton also veered into personal digs, making one joke in which she said the Statue of Liberty, for most Americans, represents a symbol of hope for immigrants. "Donald looks at the Statue of Liberty and sees a '4,'" Clinton joked. "Maybe a '5' if she loses the torch and tablet and changes her hair." Trump and Clinton sat one seat apart for the evening, with New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan acting as the only buffer. And when they entered and took their seats, they did not greet each other or make eye contact, though they did shake hands at the conclusion of the roast. Most eyes were on Trump, who infamously glowered through Obama's jokes at his expense during the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner and is not known for being self-deprecating. Some of his jokes landed well, drawing laughs from both the crowd and Clinton. His biggest laughs came as he talked about Michelle Obama getting rave reviews for a recent speech. "They think she's absolutely great. My wife Melania gives the exact same speech, and people get on her case," he said to whoops and laughs. And some of his attack lines flashed a sense of humor that has been mostly absent from the grueling campaign. Clinton was the first one to laugh when Trump joked that she had bumped into him earlier in the night "and she very simply said 'Pardon me'" an unsubtle reference to the Republican nominee's frequent declarations that his opponent should go to jail. Clinton, meanwhile, was more self-deprecating than Trump, joking that she's taken a break from her "usual nap schedule" to attend and suggesting that the audience should be pleased she's not charging her usual fee for speaking in front of potential donors. But she also got in some digs at Trump, a few of which drew scattered jeers. Clinton said she understood why Trump was leery of teleprompters because they can be difficult to follow and "I'm sure it's even harder when you're translating from the original Russian." The dinner is named after the former New York governor, who was the first Catholic to receive a major party nomination for president when he unsuccessfully ran in 1928. And fittingly for an event named after a man nicknamed "The Happy Warrior," the occasion has produced dozens of memorable presidential jokes and sincere moments of goodwill that have remained largely absent from the 2016 campaign. "I can't wish my opponent luck," John McCain said in 2008, turning toward Obama, "but I do wish him well." Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Catherine Lucey contributed reporting. Less than a day after receiving CPR training, a Washington woman put it to use to help save a life. Danette Purvis hadnt planned to take a CPR class, but when she showed up for her cosmetology class at the Bennett Career Institute one night and learned they were offering free CPR training, she decided to join in. As it turns out, that training couldnt have come at a better time. The very next day, Purvis was in a meeting at work in Dupont Circle when she noticed her coworker, Kenneth Miles, having what looked like a seizure. I immediately grabbed his arm and shook him. No response, Purvis said. Everything went completely dead. He was not moving, not breathing or anything. At that point, her training from the night before instantly came back, she said. She began chest compressions to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat and called for an AED, just like shed been taught. I wasnt even nervous when I did the CPR, Purvis said. Soon after, paramedics showed up and took Miles to the hospital. He is still recovering there but is expected to be OK, thanks in part to Purvis quick thinking. Purvis called the timing of her CPR training a divine intervention. I mean, the day before, I got the CPR training, and then the next day hes having this attack. Im like, nobodys gonna believe this if I tell them this, she said. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser honored Purvis, along with several other coworkers and first responders who helped Miles, with a badge of thanks in a ceremony at the Engine 9 Fire Station on U Street NW. Were grateful that she stepped up to the plate to take the training, Bowser said. Ms. Purvis, that person may not have been alive but for your quick action and your ability to get trained and to get over your own fear. The training Purvis received was part of Mayor Bowsers Hands on Hearts initiative to provide free, hands-only CPR training to citizens throughout the District. Launched a year ago, the initiative has already trained about 12,000 people. We want to train even more. We want to take the mystery out of doing CPR, Bowser said. Its easy and it can save a life. Miles wasnt at the ceremony on Wednesday because he is still in the hospital, but Purvis said she visited him on Sunday. He asked about what happened, and I told how he had us nervous, she said. He just kept thanking me and saying how grateful he was. Purvis said she plans to continue her CPR training so she can become certified, and she encourages other D.C. residents to do the same. This [training] is something good. And it does need to get around the city, she said. "The main reason behind most of Kim Jong-un's vicious purges is his perception that he had been snubbed," an intelligence source said. "Any apparent sign of wavering loyalty or nonchalance by officials agitated Kim's inferiority complex due to his young age." Since Kim took power in late 2011, he has executed more than 100 high-level officials. NIS chief Lee Byung-ho told lawmakers during a National Assembly audit of the spy agency that Kim has resumed his purges and 64 people have been publicly executed so far this year. North Korea is experiencing growing unrest amid leader Kim Jong-un's reign of terror, the National Intelligence Service here said Wednesday. Lee said the North's security and intelligence agencies, which are in charge of monitoring dissent, "are now just intent on making money. There were incidents in some parts of North Korea where residents stormed the regional offices of the Workers Party to protest after electricity and water supplies were halted." The NIS chief said rising public discontent has increased the number of defections by around 20 percent this year. The NIS estimates that North Korea suffered a US$200 million decline in hard currency earnings after a UN Security Council resolution in March. Pyongyang has seen commercial transactions shrink by half due to the losses. Prices of the city's signature cold noodles dropped by 50 percent, but there are still no takers. Yet the regime spent nearly $200 million testing nuclear weapons and firing missiles to flaunt its defiance, and another $200 million on luxury vehicles, a helicopter and thorough-bred horses. As sanctions against North Korea continue, the coffers of Room 39, which manages Kim's slush funds, are drying up, the NIS said citing accounts. North Korea is desperately flogging fishing rights to China. Some 2,200 Chinese trawlers operate in North Korean waters, up two-fold compared to previous years, and the North made an $58 million from selling fishing rights, up 50 percent compared to previous years, the NIS said. Recent floods in North Korea exacerbated discontent. "Floods in North Hamgyong Province were caused by dams suddenly opening their gates due to heavy rainfall," Lee said. "It's an unprecedented disaster, but North Korea got only around $17.5 million in aid from the international community due to its nuclear provocations." A couple was charged repeatedly for months after canceling personal training sessions at their Maryland gym following a family tragedy. My husband was trying, I think, to keep me more motivated, Desiree Berry said about their decision to pay $675 for 15 personal training sessions, and additional cost to their monthly membership at Fitness Evolution. But they cut that plan short when there was a death in their family. We had a tragic event, unexpected death of one of our young boys, and kind of lost track of everything that was going on, Berry said. Not knowing when they would return to the gym, she canceled her membership and personal training sessions. Her contract included an auto-renewal payment for the personal training unless she submitted a written notice of cancellation within 30 days of the last payment, which she did on Nov. 30, 2015. But the charges did not stop, and she was charged for three more months at $675 each. I tried to go and speak to the manager, Berry said. He wasnt there. They said they would take a message, he would call me. Her repeated attempts to talk to management went unanswered. So she filed a complaint with Maryland's Attorney General's Office, which sent her a letter stating Fitness Evolution never responded to any calls from its office. After Berry contacted NBC4 Responds, she got a call from the company's vice president. Id say within a week we had gotten a response or some activity where we had been for months with nothing, she said. Fitness Evolution agreed to refund the couple $2,500. The company said this one case is an opportunity to improve its system. Berry said she wishes she paid closer attention to her bank statements earlier and paid better attention to the gym contract. When Hillary Clinton warned about the dangers of the ``alt-right'' in an August speech, she was referring to people like Poolesville, Maryland, native Matthew Heimbach. Directly, it turned out. ``Hillary noted me by name on her website,'' said Heimbach, a self-described white nationalist who sounded giddy at the mention. At 25, Heimbach's profile as a racial provocateur is on the rise. Despite his age he has been agitating about race for years, long before Trump ran for president. Though he is an avowed Trump supporter, Heimbach is first and foremost a product of Maryland, a liberal state still struggling to come to terms with its Confederate-friendly past. ``(Trump) is taking hate groups mainstream and helping a radical fringe take over the Republican Party,'' Clinton said in a speech on Aug. 25. ``The names may have changed. Racists now call themselves `racialists.' White supremacists now call themselves `white nationalists.' The paranoid fringe calls itself `alt-right.' But the hate burns just as bright.'' Heimbach says he is not a racist, despite calling himself one in a 2014 ``Nightline'' interview that he argues was edited to quote him out of context. He also claims he is not anti-Semitic, but posed at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington with a sign that read: ``Six million? More like 271,301.'' The reference to Heimbach on Clinton's campaign website appears on a page dedicated to explaining Trump's ties to the ``white supremacist `alt-right.''' The following quote from a 2013 Heimbach speech called ``I Hate Freedom'' is featured: ``The `freedom' for other races to move freely into white nations is nonexistent. Stay in your own nations, we don't want you here.'' Part of what sets Heimbach apart from others who traffic in race-based appeals is his willingness to argue his case with anyone, particularly those repulsed by his ideas. ``He's very media savvy,'' said Ryan Lenz, editor of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch blog. ``He knows how to talk to people and make himself seem what he is not. He uses media to elevate his image. Meanwhile, he is hiding from the realities of his hate. And believe me, Matthew Heimbach does hate.'' Heimbach's actions at a Trump rally in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 1 make it hard to argue with Lenz. In one of the first videos of violence at a Trump campaign event, Heimbach, who is baby-faced, heavy-set and with close-cropped black hair, is seen repeatedly shoving Kashiya Nwanguma, a black female protester, on the auditorium floor. He was not arrested and charged in the incident, but was later sued in civil court by Nwanguma. In response to the charges, Heimbach said: ``They're another attempt by the far left to bog us down by using law-fare (sic),'' playing on the word ``warfare.'' In June, Heimbach organized but did not attend a joint rally in Sacramento, California, of his Traditionalist Worker Party and a local skinhead group that turned bloody when anti-fascist counter protestors arrived. Ten people were injured, two with critical stab wounds according to the Sacramento Fire Department. Where Heimbach goes from here will answer the question of whether he is an anomaly made prominent by Trump, or a future far-right leader who remains on the political scene after this year's presidential election. ``If Hillary wins, the Republican establishment will be totally discredited,'' he said. ``The `alt-right' will be the only option for the white working class. We will be become their de facto voice.'' Heimbach is actively preparing for the possibility. In 2018, he plans to run for a state legislature seat in Paoli, Indiana, where he moved in 2013. And Heimbach believes he can win. ``There is a clear path to electoral victory,'' he said. ``If I can just get a sizeable percentage of people who are disgusted with Democrats and Republicans to vote again, I can win the seat.'' There is also his charisma to consider. Speaking with Heimbach _ who is widely described as friendly, well-spoken and accessible _ is disorienting. He is genial, smooth and adept at presenting his views as simple solutions to complex problems, and not an improbable return to race-based segregation. Yet all his purported solutions lead to the same thing white supremacists have been seeking for years: a homeland for whites only within the United States. ``America is big enough to divide,'' said Heimbach, citing the breakup of the Soviet Union into different ethnic-based republics as a model for what could happen in the U.S. ``We'll take any patch of dirt. We're not asking for people to follow us. We're asking to opt out.'' He intends to pursue this end by political means. In addition to his own candidacy in 2018, Heimbach plans to field a slate of Traditionalist Worker Party candidates for local, state and county offices in regions he considers friendly to his cause, specifically in rural Appalachia. ``We don't have to win to win,'' said Heimbach, referring to the idea of preventing Republican candidates from holding on to their seats. ``If you support free trade, amnesty, gun regulation, more money to Israel, if we can go ahead and knock you out of office, we're going to have a disproportionate impact on American politics.'' Heimbach's Traditionalist Worker Party has yet to field a candidate in any race. However, Heimbach said he has already recruited seven candidates to run for state or local offices in Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana. For now, Western Maryland is not in Heimbach's sights, but he hopes to run candidates there one day. ``Western Maryland doesn't like being under the control of Annapolis,'' said Heimbach. ``We'd like to work with people there to have their own state, or join West Virginia so they can be a part of state that more reflects their values.'' ``There's no easy answer to why someone becomes radicalized,'' says Patrick James, a researcher and project manager for the Profiles of Individual Radicalization project at the University of Maryland. ``But they tend to come from a middle-class background.'' Heimbach's father, who did not return calls for comment, was a history teacher at the local high school in Poolesville, Maryland. The town's population is 5,000, almost 90 percent of whom are white and with a median family income of $150,000, nearly double the state median, according to the Maryland Department of Planning. At Poolesville High, Heimbach became interested in history and learned about Maryland's seditious side during the Civil War. Although Maryland never seceded from the Union, its proximity and ties to the South were well known. Its state song, ``Maryland My Maryland,'' was written in 1861 at the start of the Civil War and includes a lyric about how the state ``spurns the Northern scum.'' Poolesville was founded by a man named John Poole, whose house is now a historic site in town. According to Heimbach, there is a framed quote on the wall in the house from a Union commander that reads: ``Poolesville was most treasonous town in the entire south.'' During high school, Heimbach also discovered Confederate ancestors in his family tree and claimed that Poolesville had voted for segregationist George Wallace repeatedly. According to the Montgomery County Board of Elections, which could only locate polling going back to the 1976 presidential primaries the last time Wallace ran for President, Poolesville cast only 29 votes for him out of a total of about 400. However, there is evidence of a local Poolesville group that tried to stop desegregation there in 1956. ``There was a huge part of our local history that was ignored based on political correctness,'' said Heimbach. After high school, he attended Montgomery College just 30 minutes away from Poolesville. It was where he began to despise what he called the ``social justice warriors'' on campus. By the time he transferred to Towson University in 2011, Maryland's liberal side had gotten under his skin. ``If you can't make it at Towson with political differences, you can't make it anywhere,'' said Richard Vatz, the Towson professor who briefly served as a faculty adviser to a student group Heimbach started there called Youth for Western Civilization. Heimbach saw it differently. ``Towson was Montgomery College on steroids,'' he said. So was it old vs. new Maryland that led Heimbach to be called part of a ``hate movement'' by a candidate for president? ``More often radicalization is driven by some kind of emotional need,'' says James, ``a quest for significance, the need to be someone.'' In response, Heimbach said: ``I think that's dismissive of the legitimate political, economic and social concerns of white millennials.'' Emotional or otherwise, Heimbach's attention-seeking efforts began in earnest at Towson, where he formed the White Student Union, escalating his race-based provocations by chalking a series of slogans around campus that included, ``White Pride,'' ``White Guilt is Over'' and ``Celebrate Your European Heritage.'' Despite Towson's standing as the safest school in the Maryland collegiate system for crimes per capita in 2014, Heimbach and other members of the White Student Union embarked on campus night patrols in 2013 to prevent black-on-white crime. The ensuing attention included a widely seen profile by Vice Media that landed Heimbach firmly on the larger white nationalist scene. Upon graduation he doubled down, joining the neo-Confederate League of the South, attending events with the Aryan Terror Brigade and the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement. He twice addressed the annual conference hosted by Stormfront, one of the biggest Internet forums for hate speech. He has also traveled abroad, visiting with far-right groups in Europe, including Greece's Golden Dawn, the Czech Workers' Party and the New Right Party in Romania. All of it in apparent preparation for what is happening now, or per Heimbach's master plan, in 2018. By then, it will be more clear whether he is the next David Duke, to whom he's so often compared, or merely as Lenz said: ``The consummate glad hander of the racist right.'' A man who pleaded guilty to killing his ex-girlfriend in the parking lot of a Target store in Maryland was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The family of Marie Folasade "Sade" Adebayo said "justice is served" after the sentencing, Meagan Fitzgerald reported. "We are so pleased with the judge's decision," said the victim's mother, Cassandra Atkins I know it's not going to bring her back, but this is a start for the closure." Donald Bricker Jr. twice confessed to shooting Adebayo, 24, in Germantown in June 2015 and told the judge he was guilty in December. Bricker was supposed to be sentenced in April but instead fired his attorney and asked to withdraw his plea. A judge denied his request in July. Bricker, a registered sex offender, "circumvented" the system and purchased an antique-style weapon that operates using black powder through the mail, prosecutors said. Bricker used the replica antique firearm to kill Adebayo the same day he received it, Assistant States Attorney Debbie Feinstein said. "As a convicted sex offender, he was prohibited from owning a firearm, but because of a gap in the law, he could order online a black powder revolver," State's Attorney John McCarthy said. The case motivated McCarthy to try to change state law. "To close the gap that exists in Maryland handgun laws that would allow a person on sex offender registry to purchase a handgun," he said. A video of investigators interviewing Bricker shortly after the slaying shows him confessing. All I can remember is her getting out the passenger side door, and then I shot her and then I shot her again, he said. Asked why he shot her, he said he didnt know. At sentencing, prosecutors showed video of the moments Bricker shot and killed her, including a shot from point blank. "Just seeing my sister get out of the car and be gunned down by the coward, it really hurt," her sister Tiffany said. "How dare you! How dare you!" Adebayo's mother said as she looked at Bricker while delivering an emotional speech. "I feel like I'm drowning in the ocean gasping for air." "You had the opportunity to listen to her mom pour her heart out," the judge said. "Not one time did you apologize to that woman for taking her baby girl." Adebayo, a graduate of the University of Maryland, had dated Bricker for about six months, her family said. The couple broke up, but she agreed to meet him in the Target parking lot to talk. Witnesses outside the store heard Bricker and Adebayo arguing in a car. Bricker shot Adebayo when she got out of his truck and then stood over her and shot her again at close range, prosecutors said. Her mother never met Bricker and said her daughter didn't know he had been convicted of rape in 2008 and was a registered sex offender. Adebayo dreamed of helping others by becoming a counselor, her family previously told News4. Earthquakes may be unusual in Maryland, but emergency management officials are urging residents to know what to do when one happens. The Maryland Emergency Management Agency is asking residents to take part in the Great SouthEast ShakeOut on Thursday. The nationwide drill will show participants proper earthquake preparedness and safety techniques. The ShakeOut is held every year in October. In 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia was felt in areas of Maryland. A 2.2 magnitude earthquake also occurred at night in Anne Arundel County last year. Emergency responders say the safe response to an earthquake is to drop to the ground, take cover under a table or desk and hold on to it as if a major earthquake were happening. You have just a few more months to visit Bao Bao at the National Zoo. The 3-year-old giant panda is moving to China within the first few months of 2017 to enter the its panda breeding program, the National Zoo said Thursday. All panda cubs born at the zoo move to China by the time they turn 4. Bao Bao will turn 4 Aug. 23, 2017. "We are sad to see her go, but excited for the contributions she is going to continue to make to the global giant panda population, said Brandie Smith, associate director of animal care sciences at the zoo in Washington, D.C. Bao Bao's keepers are already preparing her for the trip by getting her acclimated to a travel crate. While an exact date for her departure was not given, the zoo says Bao Bao will move in late winter. The zoo says it's better for pandas to travel in the winter months when its cool. A team will travel with Bao Bao to ensure she's comfortable throughout the trip. The zoo is planning a farewell party for Bao Bao, but details about the public celebration have not been released. Bao Bao is the second of three surviving cubs born to Mei Xiang during her time at the zoo. She now weighs 180 pounds and is classified as a "sub-adult.'' Pandas can begin breeding between the ages of 4 and 6. What to Know Parents of a 4-year-old boy with special needs say they were told video from a school bus shows their son being molested. They were told the same thing happened to another child on the bus. A former Prince George's County school bus driver told News4 she reported seeing Patopie inappropriately touching the victims in November. A school bus aide accused of molesting special education, pre-kindergarten children on a Prince George's County school bus has been indicted, according to the Prince George's County state's attorney. Michael Patopie, 38, of Capitol Heights inappropriately touched two students while they were on a school bus in November 2015 and in May 2016, police said. He was indicted on multiple counts of child abuse, sexual abuse, assault and sex offenses. A former Prince George's County school bus driver told News4 she saw Patopie inappropriately touching the victims in November 2015 and reported it to her supervisors. Months later, she anonymously reported the incident to Child Protective Services (CPS). CPS then alerted the parents of one of the victims, a 4-year-old boy with special needs. The victim's parents were told bus cameras caught the abuse and they were shown enough video to identify their son, but they had not seen the alleged abuse. The parents said they were told the same thing happened to another child on the bus. According to charging documents, the second victim is 5 years old and reported the alleged abuse to his mother. The children involved have verbal delays and trouble communicating. The bus was carrying students from James Ryder Randall Elementary School in Clinton, Maryland. An unrelated investigation found students in the schools Head Start program were forced to hold objects over their heads for a long time as punishment in June. Prince Georges County Police confirmed they are investigating the incident, which was reported to CPS May 24 and to police June 20. The boy reported more information to police in August, according to sources. The boy's father said the incident happened in November. PGCPS CEO Dr. Kevin Maxwell said he didn't find out until August, when school started. Seven months ago, the community was horrified after learning a former teachers aide was reportedly sexually abusing students at another county school. One of the Boston Police officers wounded in a shooting last week in East Boston is out of the hospital. The department confirms Richard Cintolo is home after being discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital. Cintolo and fellow officer Matt Morris were shot last Wednesday after responding to an apartment in East Boston. The suspected gunman, Kirk Figueroa, was killed in the incident. "So happy to see Richie sent home," Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said, according to a tweet from the department. "Matt's getting better. Thanks again to everybody for all the support & prayers." A new Massachusetts law is giving rape survivors more time and options. Rape kits will now be preserved longer as evidence, thanks to the efforts of 25-year-old Amanda Nguyen's courageous efforts. "I remember walking out of the hospital ... and feeling so alone," said Nguyen, who was raped several years ago in Massachusetts. She underwent a highly invasive and time-consuming exam to gather physical evidence needed for a rape kit. But she wasnt ready to go after her attacker. So twice a year, she went through the traumatic experience of asking for an extension to preserve the kit. "I remember feeling more despair, after having to fight the Massachusetts criminal justice system to save my kit from destruction," she said. In Massachusetts, this critical evidence is destroyed after only six months if charges aren't filed, even though the statute of limitations is 15 years. "I don't have an answer to why six months, and the answer could be it's random," Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said. So Nguyen wanted this to change. She started a sexual assault survivors organization called "rise," and she spent countless hours lobbying lawmakers until she finally watched her bill become state law. Hospitals will now have to tell sexual assault survivors this evidence will be preserved for 15 years. It immediately applies to kits already in police departments. Why it took this long is complicated and political. "I don't have a good answer for that one," Gov. Charlie Baker said. "You know how many bills there are, and how hard it is, " said State Rep. Cynthia Creem. Regardless, Nguyen says she's just getting started, and this recent Harvard grad says she's now trying to get the law changed in all 50 states. "It is good, not only in my own personal development, but for the community around me to keep on pushing the boundaries," Nguyen said. State officials have yet to lay out how much it will cost to preserve the rape kits for a longer period of time. Earlier in the month, President Obama signed a similar bill at the federal level. A new Facebook page has become a place where Vermonters and people from all over the country are channeling love and support for the friends and family of five teenagers killed in a wrong-way crash earlier this month. The "Harwood Strong" Facebook page celebrates the lives of high schoolers Eli Brookens, Janie Chase Cozzi, Liam Hale, Mary Harris, and Cyrus Zschau. The childhood friends grew up in the small central Vermont towns that form the Harwood Union school district. "My prayers are with the five families," Chris Long, a defensive end for the New England Patriots, said in a video message recently shared on the Harwood Strong page. "I've got your back. I'm definitely thinking of you and I know you guys will rally together to get through this." The teenagers were killed the night of Oct. 8, when they were riding in the same car together on Interstate 89. Police said Steven Bourgoin, 36, was driving the wrong way on the interstate when he crashed into the teens' vehicle. The police investigation is still ongoing. Chittenden County prosecutors have charged Bourgoin with five counts of second-degree murder, alleging his actions were intentional and lacked regard for the value of human life. Bourgoin's defense attorney entered pleas of not guilty on his behalf. He is awaiting a competency hearing to determine if he is mentally fit for the court process. Rather than focus on the criminal allegations or the circumstances of the teenagers' tragic deaths, the Harwood Strong Facebook page aims to promote community building, support, and love. It attracted nearly 4,200 likes by late Wednesday afternoon. The page is filled with photos, videos and messages from around the state telling the small towns of the Harwood school district that they are loved and are never alone in their grief. Among the many posts on the page is a video from Hazen Union High School in Hardwick, in which Hazen's student body is seen from above gathering in the shape of a heart. Another post shows a drawing of a heart which famous rock musician Grace Potter shared on social media. Potter, who is a Harwood graduate, wrote last week that "words cannot express my heartbreak for the families of the 5 young people who were killed in the crash." One visitor to the Harwood Strong Facebook page shared a photo of a rainbow, noting it was seen in Waterbury Center the morning after the memorial service for Eli Brookens. That Facebook user, Kristin Brynga, wrote that she took the rainbow as a sign that Eli "got where he was going and he is okay," signing her message with a heart. Liz Schlegel, one of four moms from the Harwood community who are behind the Facebook page, told necn they wanted to establish the online destination as a positive and supportive way to channel the caring energy that emerged following the crash and a candlelight vigil held for the teens at the school. Schlegel and her friends also share information on memorials and fundraisers, including one held Wednesday evening at the Mad River Barn inn and restaurant in Waitsfield. "I have never met a more caring or action-oriented community," Heather Lynds of the Mad River Barn told NBC 5 News before the fundraiser. The goal of the new Facebook page is to keep that energy up; to remain "Harwood Strong." A Hillary Clinton mannequin dressed in an orange jumpsuit and placed behind bars was stolen from a Hanson, Massachusetts, business on Tuesday. According to the Enterprise News, the $350 mannequin was on display in from of Sullivan's Inc. a motorcycle accessory business located on Franklin Street. Owner Bob Sullivan called the police once he noticed the mannequin was missing. Sullivan replaced the mannequin with a cardboard cutout of Clinton on Wednesday morning. There are no known suspects at this time. A Southington man who police said was drunk and speeding during the crash that killed two young Meriden children in Bristol in December has pleaded no contest to charges connected to the crash and accepted a deal that will put him in prison for 15 years. Michael Luponio, 26, was charged in the Dec. 13 crash that killed 7-year-old Veronica Martinez and her 4-year-old sister, Ivette Martinez, agreed to a plea deal and he pleaded no contest on Tuesday. The agreement with the plea deal is that Luponio would be sentenced for 30 years, but will serve 15 years with a five-year probation. NBC Connecticut reached out to his public defender, but the public defender was not immediately available. Police said Luponios blood alcohol level was .24 percent, or three times the legal limit and authorities also said he was also speeding and did not have motor vehicle insurance. Veronica and Ivette Martinez were in the car with their mother, Kayla Torres, a 31-year-old nurse, who was driving home after a late shift at work when Luponio crossed over the center line of Middle Street just after 12:30 a.m. and hit Torres' car, according to police and family members. A family is grieving the loss of two young girls in a car crash in Bristol and the family still has questions about the deadly collision The girls were pronounced dead shortly after being admitted to Bristol Hospital. Family members said Wednesday that Kayla Torres has since moved out of state. Luponio was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, three counts of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and having no insurance. Bond has been set at $500,000 and Luponio had not posted it as of 11:49 a.m. He is due back in court on Dec. 15. A man is in custody after a 13-year-old boy was shot while he slept in his bed Wednesday night in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Police confirm 19-year-old Christian Garcia was apprehended by Massachusetts State Police in Andover Thursday. Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes announced on Twitter that Garcia would be booked by state police before being transferred to his department. The victim, who has been identified as Juan Lopez Delgado, was shot in the shoulder, according to police. His cousin tells necn the boy was asleep in bed at his Bellingham Street home at the time. The bullet, his cousin says, came through the window and hit him in the shoulder. The child was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and is in stable condition. He underwent surgery and is expected to be OK. Garcia is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning at Chelsea District Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney. A Lawrence, Massachusetts, man is facing kidnapping and rape charges after he allegedly grabbed a 13-year-old who was walking to school and sexually assaulted the child. According to Lawrence Police, the teen was dragged into an apartment and sexually assaulted on Thursday morning while walking to South Lawrence East Middle School. Police have not released the child's gender. Angel Mateo, 21, of Phillips St., is charged with kidnapping and aggravated statutory rape. He is set to be arraigned Friday in Lawrence District Court. Mateo was restricted to the area. Police say he had a GPS ankle bracelet for pre-trial probation, but was not a sex offender. Police said they received a call at 10:17 a.m. for a report of an abduction and sexual assault. The student told police they were walking to school in the area of Boxford and Phillips streets when they were grabbed from behind by an unknown man and forcibly carried into a nearby apartment, where the sexual assault occurred. The victim said the suspect held them captive for over two hours before finally releasing them. The teen eventually made it to school and was able to contact their mother. The mother then called police. The child provided police with information leading to Mateo's arrest. The victim was treated at a local medical facility and has since been released, police said. The suspect's landlord says Mateo lives with his mom and another woman. He says he asked the tenants to move out over excessive noise. The animal cruelty case out of Pelham New Hampshire is turning into the largest case of its kind the town has ever seen. The dogs are finally on the long road to recovery after being removed from a home in deplorable conditions. Pelham animal control officer Allison Caprigno said over the course of two weeks, police took 16 dogs and eight puppies out of a home on Jonathon Road. She added, some were locked in the bathroom, others in small cages, and the house was covered in feces and urine. Caprigno said, "it's definitely hard. At the end of the day we're getting them out of these situations." She told necn, the dogs didnt have enough food or water and added that "bathroom breaks outside were few and far between." The homeowner had upwards of 40 dogs and police are still trying to track down 15 of them. The man's neighbor said he was a nice guy and never expected anything like this. He said, "he might have gotten in too deep into rescuing and didnt know how to get out." Police say the homeowner was taking in dogs from rescues across the country. Eventually the homeowner will be charged with several counts of animal cruelty, but theres still a long way to go in this investigation. Police are asking anyone with information to give them a call. The man Vermont State Police say was the shooter in the killing of a Wardsboro man has been released without being charged. Police are continuing to investigate the Tuesday incident in which they say 57-year-old Kevin Parker shot his 42-year-old neighbor Kirby Staib, both of Gilfeather Road in Wardsboro, following an altercation on the property of another neighbor. State Police Capt. J.P. Sinclair told the Rutland Herald the investigation into the death of Staib is continuing. Sinclair said he needs to be 100 percent sure before commenting on the motive. He says Parker cooperated with police and was released with no restrictions. Staib was found dead on the lawn of another neighbor's home. Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more Norfolk ministry coaching duo are guest speakers Former church leaders and now freelance ministry coaches, Jonathan and Paige Squirrell, are the guest speakers at the next dinner of Norwich FGB on Monday, November 21. Read more Bringing light to Halloween Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year. Read more First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more Executive assistant and nursery manager jobs SOUL Church is a vibrant, welcoming and growing church in Norwich. They are seeking an organised and versatile Executive Assistant to provide key support to the churchs Senior Pastors, as well as a qualified Nursery Manager to head up SOUL Nursery. Read more Halloween light in Gorleston church On Halloween this year, St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston will be preparing to welcome around 200 families to experience their Light on a Dark Night event. Read more An opportunity for Norwich to pray for the nation Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Read more Norwich church seeks musicians Kingdom Ambassadors International Church is appealing for instrumentlists, keyboardists and guitarists to be part of their worship experience. Read more Please keep Rishi in your prayers Andy Bryant urges us to pray for our political leaders, especially the new Prime Minister, and avoid unhelpful judgementalism. Read more Emilys art boosts growing Yarmouth foodbank A pupil at a primary school in Bradwell has been selling her pictures in order to raise money for the Yarmouth and Magdalen Foodbank, which is expanding its capacity and is seeking more volunteers. Read more Patrick Regan helps Norwich to bounce forwards On Saturday St Stephens in Norwich hosted Bouncing Forwards as part of a national tour by the mental health charity Kintsugi Hope. Read more Painting and biblical feasting in Overstrand There will be opportunities to improve your painting skills and indulge in some biblical feasting next month at the Pleasaunce in Overstrand in North Norfolk. Read more National award for Dereham Christian bookshop The Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham has won a national award for providing boxes of Christian books to 21 local schools. Read more Norma's care home jigsaw challenge complete A resident at Norwich-based care home Corton House has completed an incredible 70 jigsaw puzzles in celebration of the homes 70th anniversary this year. Read more The digital business era has brought with it a number of new tools and technologies, such as software-defined networking (SDN), Internet of Things (IoT), mobility and the cloud. These innovations enable businesses to increase their level of dynamism and be more distributed, but they also increase the complexity of securing the business. Old-school security methods and tools do not work in an environment where the perimeter is eroding and resources are becoming more virtual and cloud-centric. + Also on Network World: Always be prepared: Monitor, analyze and test your security + To combat this, security professionals have embraced the concept of segmentation. The number of segmentation providers has exploded over the past few years, including VMware repositioning its NSX network virtualization product as a micro-segmentation solution. Whether its called micro-, hyper- or nano-segmentation, the concept is the samecreate secure zones for connected endpoints. If one of the endpoints is breached, the malware wont spread laterally across the data center. There has been tremendous innovation in the ease of implementing segmentation over the past few years. It used to be if a company wanted to segment its network, it would have had to manually program VLANs and ACLs one device at a time, which isnt scalable in large or even medium networks. Todays segmentation solutions are dynamic and agile, so they meet the requirements of modern data centers. However, applying segmentation policies assumes theres an understanding of what to segment. Some things might be obvious, such as all IoT devices or guest network, but after the low-hanging fruit, the process of figuring out what to segment becomes more difficult. Its been my experience that 99 percent of companies arent even fully aware of what open connections there are between the servers, workloads, applications and cloud resources. Now toss in dynamic infrastructure such as virtual machines and containers, and the process becomes exponentially more difficult. Any organization considering implementing a segmentation solution should deploy a tool that provides the necessary visibility to understand how things are connected. GuardiCore provides visibility into application and network layers GuardiCore is a data center security company that, as part of its Centra security platform, addresses the application visibility gap that most companies have today. While some vendors offer visibility tools as part of their suite of products, many of them are limited to Layer 4 visibility, which, although useful, does not provide granular visibility into applications. The strength of GuardiCore is that it provides visibility of both network and application layers. It works in multi-vendor environments with support for all the major data center vendors, including Cisco, VMware, OpenStack, CheckPoint, RedHat and Docker. The product also extends to the public cloud with support for Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. GuardiCore Reveal, a core component of the GuardiCore Centra security platform, provides granular process -level visibility into workloads and applications to give security teams the ability to discover, monitor and visualize activity inside the data center, as well as control the traffic through the use of micro-segmentation policies. The Reveal dashboard shows all open communications between workloads, which helps understand the relationship between the workloads and associated risks. Another strength of GuardiCore Reveal is the automation capabilities. Once the software is installed, it scans all of the process-level activity and network events, correlates the information and builds the visual map. At this point, administrators can easily drill down into individual applications and workloads using a dynamically generated list of attributes discovered in the environment. Attributes include information not only from the guest operating systems and hypervisors, but also from orchestration that manages the data center. This makes it easy to define applications and security groups that are essential components for a holistic and granular segmentation plan. If implemented correctly, segmentation tools do a great job preventing breaches from spreading laterally but wont actually find the breach. GuardiCore maps out normal operating flows. Any anomalistic traffic can indicate a breach, and the security team can begin the remediation process. GuardiCore plus a segmentation tool such as NSX provide a strong security one-two punch where the visibility map is used as the input mechanism to segment the data center. If the environment is breached, the secure zone controls the blast radius, giving the security team ample time to use GuardiCore to find and eliminate the threat Distrust in the U.S. voting process and the presidential election has reached an all-time high, with many concerned their ballots wont be counted. Voters can rest easy, though, when it comes to voting technology. Ballot errors are almost non-existent, said the CEO of voting system builder Clear Ballot. + Also on Network World: Hacking the Election: Myths & Realities + Clear Ballot, a venture-backed company in Boston, builds an end-to-end voting system that includes precinct voting, accessible voting to serve disabled voters, central tabulation, consolidation and reporting, and an election management system, all using commodity off-the-shelf hardware. Most voting systems are built using proprietary hardware and software platforms. Because the voting system relies on commodity hardware, acquiring and setting up a ballot verification system is straightforward. Since 2013, Clear Ballot has verified 5 million ballots across the country during voting audits. Clear Ballots software in combination with commodity hardware is a parallel ballot tabulation system that recounts ballots using algorithms written independently by Clear Ballot. Asked about his experience with voting error, Clear Ballot CEO Larry Moore said: Ballot errors are less than a tenth of a percent. Voter intent can be troublesome, but can usually be resolved by officials looking at the image of the ballot. Much larger errors are introduced by the manual transcription, and roll-up of precinct votes, that are always reported as unofficial until verified after the election. Asked about the controversy creating distrust in this presidential election, Moore quoted Christopher Hitchens and said: What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. Ballot error most often occurs due to the design limitations of optical scanning by certified voting systems that are used in 80 percent of the elections. These systems count marks inside the ovals very well. They are not precise enough to assess voter intent when ballots are not clearly marked, however. In close races, trying to assess voter intent can result in time-consuming, costly and error-prone handcounts to resolve contests. Remember the hanging chads controversy in the 2000 Florida presidential election? Clear Ballots software indexes ambiguous ballots for election judges to assess on a computer screen to determine each voter's intent. Conditions that affect ballot error rate I asked Daniel Lopresti, chair of the department of computer science and engineering at Lehigh University, to comment on Moores claims because he participates in the PERFECT Project. PERFECT stands for Paper and Electronic Records for Elections: Cultivating Trust. The project is building software tools for reliable paper ballot processing, as well as developing frameworks for large-scale ballot studies: examining usability issues involving paper ballots and performing reliable and trustworthy recounts of hardcopy election records. PERFECT is partially funded by the National Science Foundation. Lopresti said Moores number was reasonable, but he was careful to point out conditions that could increase the error rate. He cited several instances where weather, humidity and proper maintenance of voting equipment caused higher error rates. Voters who do not understand how to mark the ballots and correct mistakes also cause errors, which can be corrected in a recount if the voters intent can be discerned from the ballot. Also, poor ballot design can confuse voters and lead to a mistake that is hard to discern in a recount. Steam Networks strong partnership with Gardner Leader AWARD-winning Newbury-based law firm Gardner Leader enjoys the best in data communications by choosing fellow Newbury business Stream Networks as its communications provider. Stream Networks is a business communications provider that comprises a team of specialists who have broad experience in a fast-moving, highly-technical world. Gardner Leader is taking advantage of the next generation network owned and operated by Stream by using it as its connectivity provider across its four sites in Berkshire. This includes a point-to- point ethernet service, which acts as a reliable and consistent data link to aid inter-site communications to support the growth and flexibility of the business. Stream boasts a unique offering, both as a carrier integrator and network developer, ensuring that the best option for communications is consistently reached. Whether services are taken as standalone or, as in the case of Gardner Leader, as part of a wider network, Stream has the capability to work with businesses of all sizes and respond to demands quickly and professionally. Neil Prevett, practice and IT director at Gardner Leader, said: Working with Stream Networks has been of great benefit to Gardner Leader. Throughout every process Stream were transparent to the fullest, ensuring that any problems we encountered during the fibre installation were handled efficiently and to our satisfaction. We have had, and continue to enjoy, a strong working relationship with Stream Networks at all levels. Our technical queries are always dealt with to a high standard and in a prompt manner; something that is very important to us. We benefit from an increased internet performance and reliability, which allows the business to take advantage of new technologies whilst emphasising a focus on our core business operations and providing the best client service. The investment we have put into our network with Stream now means we are in a position to embrace further cloud technologies. As Stream also own and manage their own cloud infrastructure, we know our data remains in the UK and under the control of an ISO27001 organisation. Advice from Emma Ladd, senior associate in the corporate and commercial team at Gardner Leader MOST businesses process data for some purpose, whether it is to deal with payroll, maintain their customer database or process customer orders online. However, the landscape under which they will do so is set to change in the next two years. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a huge piece of legislation that was set to replace the UKs 1998 Data Protection Act from May 2018. It marks a tough new era in EU-wide data protection, with new powers for data regulators and much stricter operating boundaries for businesses that process personally identifiable information about individuals. UK companies who imagine that Brexit will have changed the need for them to comply, should ignore the new requirements at their peril. It is possible that the GDPR will remain binding on the UK if it leaves the EU but becomes part of the European Economic Area (EEA). Even if there is a full exit (ie out of the EEA as well), the Information Commissioner has stated that, irrespective of Brexit, the underlying reality on which the policy is based has not changed, so we can expect to see any new legislation which is brought in by the UK Government to be equally as stringent. In a world of competing priorities, data protection is not always a key business focus, but businesses will need to make sure that they understand the changes that the GDPR will make and check that their approach to data protection is up to scratch. We recommend that businesses, whatever their size, who trade in the EU or want to be able to transfer personal data in from the EU, use the requirements of GDPR as a minimum standard to be applied to their business. The main provisions of the GDPR include: Consent an individual will have to make a positive action that demonstrates their consent, in order for their data to be collected. The consent can be withdrawn at any time, as individuals have the right to be forgotten. They also have the right to copies of any data being processed about them. Transparency more information will have to be provided by the processor from the outset about how data will be used and how long it will be kept for. Accountability there is a shift from risk management to compliance so organisations will have to be able to show that they are actively complying with the GDPR, not just identifying risks. Breaches in future, there will be a statutory obligation to notify the Information Commissioner and the individuals affected, if there is any risk to an individuals personally identifiable information as a result of any breach. The courts will be able to impose a range of sanctions, including warnings (only for first time offenders and only for non-intentional non-compliance), regular data protection audits and fines of up to 20 million (or four per cent of worldwide turnover, if greater). Children no one under 13 can give their consent to the processing of personal data in relation to online services, so parental consent must be obtained. Depending on what rules the UK sets, parental consent may also be required for children under 16. Businesses should start planning for the changes now and take advice on what it means for them. Gardner Leader can help to ensure that you understand the regulatory landscape and how it applies to the business and help to implement changes that need to be made. By Emma Ladd, senior associate in the corporate and commercial team at Gardner Leader LLP, in Newbury, Thatcham and Maidenhead. Follow @GardnerLeader, call (01635) 508080 or email www.gardner-leader.co.uk Store reopens following yesterday's death AN investigation into the death of a contractor at IKEA Reading yesterday (Wednesday) is still ongoing. A man was killed at the Calcot store while working on a hydraulic goods lift, IKEA has confirmed. Thames Valley Police is conducting an investigation into the accident, which occurred at around 2am on Wednesday. The man has not been identified at this stage. No arrests have been made. Deputy retail manager, IKEA UK and Ireland, Javier Quinones, said: We can confirm that the incident was related to a third-party contractor who was undertaking works on a hydraulic goods lift in the loading bay at the back of the store. "At this stage we cannot comment any further on the cause of the incident until we have the results of an investigation being conducted by IKEA, the contractor, Thames Valley Police and Environment Health Officers. The store will open from 9.30am for browsing and shopping from 10am. Thames Valley Police said it was investigating the accident alongside Environmental Health. The Health and Safety Executive is not involved in the investigation. After a baby is born, labor isnt over. The placenta that fed the baby during pregnancy now needs to be pushed out along with the rest of the umbilical cord. This process is called the third stage of labor. Women may get to choose from having a third stage that is physiological or actively managed. The physiological one means delivering the placenta naturally. With an actively managed third stage, your doctor or midwife will give you an injection for your placenta in the thigh immediately after baby is born, or once the shoulders are out but before the cord has been cut. With hospital births, it is common to have a third stage that is managed. Who Needs Injection for Placenta Delivery? You may be advised to have a managed third stage of labor if you have had a complicated pregnancy, are at risk of bleeding or have delivered three or more babies already. You should have an injection in the following conditions: Pregnancy or labor that has heavy bleeding Pregnant with twins Polyhydramnios or conditions that cause an over-stretched womb History of retained placenta or heavy bleeding Anemia A placenta that is low-lying A labor that is very long or very fast Labor that is induced or uses synthetic hormones Birth by caesarean or assistance If you have any questions or concerns about whether to choose a managed third stage labor, you should speak with your doctor. How Does Injection for Placenta Delivery Work? Commonly a woman is given Syntocinon when her third stage of labor is actively managed. With the use of Syntocinon, the uterus will continue contracting after the baby is born. This will help the placenta come away from the uterine wall. Additionally, Syntocinon will help stop bleeding from the womans womb, which can help with postpartum hemorrhage prevention. when her third stage of labor is actively managed. With the use of Syntocinon, the uterus will continue contracting after the baby is born. This will help the placenta come away from the uterine wall. Additionally, Syntocinon will help stop bleeding from the womans womb, which can help with postpartum hemorrhage prevention. Another drug is Syntometrine. This is a little different from Syntocinon and used only if the woman has an increased risk of a postpartum hemorrhage or when the Syntocinon isnt working. Advantages Third stage of labor that is managed tends to be quicker. It dont require you to push unless you feels the need. With your uterus contracting, your doctor or midwife will gently push on your stomach while pulling the umbilical cord. A decreased risk of heavy bleeding immediately after birth is main advantage of having an injection. In addition, it will be less likely for the mother to become anemic after delivery. Disadvantages However, there are a few disadvantages for a mother who opts for a managed third stage of labor: Once an injection for placenta has been administered, a mother may feel faint, sick or have a headache. In some cases, she may be unable to hold her baby or vomit because of how sick she feels. Estimates are between 1 in 8 and 1 in 3 for those who will experience these side effects. Some women see significant blood pressure changes. Some think there is a higher risk for the placenta to be stuck in the uterus. If this happens, it will need to be removed by an operation. It is common practice to give the injection as the shoulders emerge. But it doesnt have to be given that quickly. If the cord gets clamped before it stops pulsing, the infant wont get the benefits that come from a natural third stage of birth. It has been shown that early cord clamping can increase the risk of an infant becoming anemic. Additionally, the blood from the cord and placenta is heavily oxygenated and helps the babies while they establish breathing on their own. Moreover, this blood is full of stem cells, which may play a key role in recovery from birth. Other Mothers' Experience I got the injection for placenta with my two labors. With me, I didnt want to labor over a placenta, I was tired and ready for it to be over. With my first, who was a forceps delivery, I bled like a heavy period for several weeks. Now with this one, Im bleeding lighter and its only been five days. I was up and showering shortly after birth, which felt amazing. I easily recommend it, though you can decide. Remember, it can depend on how you feel, how your labor is and if youre exhausted. My iron was low leading up to labor, so I had the injection. My OB also recommended it because I had a D&C just a year ago when I lost quite a bit blood during the procedure. For me personally, the injection was safer. Im undecided on what Ill do with this pregnancy and still need to meet with my midwife to discuss it. By Associated Press SACRAMENTO: California's 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 can't 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 bank's 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 general's 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 general's investigation yields results for unanswered questions that Californians have," she said in a statement. Hirt's 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 month's 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. Hirt's sworn statement cites information first developed by the Los Angeles City Attorney's 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. SACRAMENTO: California's 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 can't 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 bank's 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 general's 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 general's investigation yields results for unanswered questions that Californians have," she said in a statement. Hirt's 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 month's 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. Hirt's sworn statement cites information first developed by the Los Angeles City Attorney's 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. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Canadian pension fund manager CDPQ will invest more than Rs 1,000 crore to acquire a sizeable minority stake in TVS Groups third-party logistics arm and also buy out the existing private equity investors Goldman Sachs and KKR. Goldman Sachs, since 2008 had invested Rs 120 crore in two tranches and KKR invested Rs 240 crore in the company in 2012. As per the agreement, CDPQ will purchase most of their joint stake (held by KKR and Goldman Sachs) while TVS family members and management will acquire the remaining stake. TVS Logistics, which clocked revenues of about Rs 4,200 crore last financial year, has set a target of achieving Rs 5,700 crore in this yearOur target is to triple that revenue in the next three to five years, R Dinesh, Managing Director, TVS Group said. CDPQ, adds another acquisition in India, increasing the investments in India, including buying a 30 per cent stake in Edelweiss ARC, which will also commit significant additional capital for financing acquisitions and expansion of the company, a joint statement released by the two companies said. Dinesh said that the TVS Logistics is a very dynamic company and has been growing very fast over the last few years, CDPQ President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Sabia, through a video message, said, we are convinced that the company has grown under the leadership of Dinesh. We are coming on board to help it grow not only in India but also internationally. NEW DELHI: Canadian pension fund manager CDPQ will invest more than Rs 1,000 crore to acquire a sizeable minority stake in TVS Groups third-party logistics arm and also buy out the existing private equity investors Goldman Sachs and KKR. Goldman Sachs, since 2008 had invested Rs 120 crore in two tranches and KKR invested Rs 240 crore in the company in 2012. As per the agreement, CDPQ will purchase most of their joint stake (held by KKR and Goldman Sachs) while TVS family members and management will acquire the remaining stake. TVS Logistics, which clocked revenues of about Rs 4,200 crore last financial year, has set a target of achieving Rs 5,700 crore in this yearOur target is to triple that revenue in the next three to five years, R Dinesh, Managing Director, TVS Group said. CDPQ, adds another acquisition in India, increasing the investments in India, including buying a 30 per cent stake in Edelweiss ARC, which will also commit significant additional capital for financing acquisitions and expansion of the company, a joint statement released by the two companies said. Dinesh said that the TVS Logistics is a very dynamic company and has been growing very fast over the last few years, CDPQ President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Sabia, through a video message, said, we are convinced that the company has grown under the leadership of Dinesh. We are coming on board to help it grow not only in India but also internationally. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Amidst the issue of the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya coming back into the limelight, the Vishwa Hindu Praishad (VHP) on Wednesday claimed that only concern is about the timing of building a grand complex at the Janmabhoomi. The VHP claimed that it would be ready to slug it out if the political parties attempt to take the issue of construction of the Ram temple to the Parliament on the lines of the Shah Bano case. The judiciary has already clarified the critical aspects concerning the issue of the birth place of the Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Some political parties may drag the issue to the Parliament. We are ready to fight it out within the two Houses of the Parliament, said Dr Surendra Jain, the joint secretary of the VHP. He claimed that the carving of the stones have been completed at the workshop in Ayodhya for the grand temple. We have ready materials to construct the base and the first floor. The day we get a go ahead we can begin construction of the temple, said Jain, who added that the stones have been sourced from the mines in Rajsthan. Joining on the raging issue of triple talaq, Jain said that the All India Muslim personal law board must change its stand and allow the women of the minority community equal rights. NEW DELHI: Amidst the issue of the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya coming back into the limelight, the Vishwa Hindu Praishad (VHP) on Wednesday claimed that only concern is about the timing of building a grand complex at the Janmabhoomi. The VHP claimed that it would be ready to slug it out if the political parties attempt to take the issue of construction of the Ram temple to the Parliament on the lines of the Shah Bano case. The judiciary has already clarified the critical aspects concerning the issue of the birth place of the Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Some political parties may drag the issue to the Parliament. We are ready to fight it out within the two Houses of the Parliament, said Dr Surendra Jain, the joint secretary of the VHP. He claimed that the carving of the stones have been completed at the workshop in Ayodhya for the grand temple. We have ready materials to construct the base and the first floor. The day we get a go ahead we can begin construction of the temple, said Jain, who added that the stones have been sourced from the mines in Rajsthan. Joining on the raging issue of triple talaq, Jain said that the All India Muslim personal law board must change its stand and allow the women of the minority community equal rights. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Dusanlu, the youngest of former Chief Minister Kalikho Puls three wives, is likely to be fielded by Arunachals ruling alliance partnersthe Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) and the BJPas their joint candidate in the November 19 bypoll. We (PPA) have decided that one of Puls three wives should be the joint candidate of the PPA and BJP. We will soon sit together with them (BJP) and take a call, PPA chairman Kamen Ringu told Express. As regards the choice of candidate, we have left it to Puls three wives. They have to decide who among them will contest and under the banner of which party, he said. But Dusanlu claimed that both the PPA and BJP knew she would contest the polls. They know I am the one who will contest the polls. I have already started the groundwork, she told Express. The BJP confirmed it would be a joint candidate. It will be a joint candidate since the BJP and PPA are in the alliance. The chief minister is away in Tawang. Let him return. We will discuss it and decide, BJP state president Tapir Gao said. The Congress has not taken any decision yet on whether to contest the polls, the partys state unit chief Padi Richo said. The bypoll for the Hayuliang Assembly seat was necessitated after Pul was found hanging at his official residence in Itanagar on August 9. A forensic report, submitted last week, confirmed the initial suspicion that he committed suicide. Dusanlu said her family would soon collect a copy of the forensic report from the police. GUWAHATI: Dusanlu, the youngest of former Chief Minister Kalikho Puls three wives, is likely to be fielded by Arunachals ruling alliance partnersthe Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) and the BJPas their joint candidate in the November 19 bypoll. We (PPA) have decided that one of Puls three wives should be the joint candidate of the PPA and BJP. We will soon sit together with them (BJP) and take a call, PPA chairman Kamen Ringu told Express. As regards the choice of candidate, we have left it to Puls three wives. They have to decide who among them will contest and under the banner of which party, he said. But Dusanlu claimed that both the PPA and BJP knew she would contest the polls. They know I am the one who will contest the polls. I have already started the groundwork, she told Express. The BJP confirmed it would be a joint candidate. It will be a joint candidate since the BJP and PPA are in the alliance. The chief minister is away in Tawang. Let him return. We will discuss it and decide, BJP state president Tapir Gao said. The Congress has not taken any decision yet on whether to contest the polls, the partys state unit chief Padi Richo said. The bypoll for the Hayuliang Assembly seat was necessitated after Pul was found hanging at his official residence in Itanagar on August 9. A forensic report, submitted last week, confirmed the initial suspicion that he committed suicide. Dusanlu said her family would soon collect a copy of the forensic report from the police. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Indias bid to become member of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is likely to be taken up with New Zealand Prime Minister John Keys during his visit here. New Zealand, along with Turkey, Brazil, Austria and Switzerland, had expressed reservation at a non-signatory country to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entering NSG. India has blamed only one country (read China) for scuttling its entry to the group of countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling exports of material, equipment and technology to other countries. India is going to underline its track record in nuclear non-proliferation to impress upon New Zealand to change its stand. What we are telling all our partners we will tell New Zealand also that why NSG memebrship is important for India. Predictability and access are two key issues necessary to achieve our clean energy goals, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. The New Zealand Prime Minister will be starting his three-day India visit on October 24. India will be strengthening its case by showcasing that it has ratified the Paris Agreement and nuclear energy is imperative to meet the goals of the Agreement. International agencies will not be making big investments unless they have this assurance that predictability and transparency that the rules will not change midway, Swarup explained. New Zealand had taken a principled stand against Indias bid saying a criteria needed to be formulated for assessing the entry of non-NPT signatories to the group. India is the first applicant for the membership of NSG which has not signed the NPT that make legally binding commitments on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. India has refused to sign NPT contending it to be discriminatory and has instead highlighted its credentials in the field of non-proliferation. Indias record is impeccable and we have all the credentials to be in NSG and I Hope that at the end of the day the 48 members will see the logic that Indias entry will only strengthen the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, Swarup added. Prime Minister Key will arrive in Mumbai on October 24 and will be meeting with the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra. In Delhi, Prime Minister Key will hold one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee. NEW DELHI: Indias bid to become member of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is likely to be taken up with New Zealand Prime Minister John Keys during his visit here. New Zealand, along with Turkey, Brazil, Austria and Switzerland, had expressed reservation at a non-signatory country to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entering NSG. India has blamed only one country (read China) for scuttling its entry to the group of countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling exports of material, equipment and technology to other countries. India is going to underline its track record in nuclear non-proliferation to impress upon New Zealand to change its stand. What we are telling all our partners we will tell New Zealand also that why NSG memebrship is important for India. Predictability and access are two key issues necessary to achieve our clean energy goals, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. The New Zealand Prime Minister will be starting his three-day India visit on October 24. India will be strengthening its case by showcasing that it has ratified the Paris Agreement and nuclear energy is imperative to meet the goals of the Agreement. International agencies will not be making big investments unless they have this assurance that predictability and transparency that the rules will not change midway, Swarup explained. New Zealand had taken a principled stand against Indias bid saying a criteria needed to be formulated for assessing the entry of non-NPT signatories to the group. India is the first applicant for the membership of NSG which has not signed the NPT that make legally binding commitments on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. India has refused to sign NPT contending it to be discriminatory and has instead highlighted its credentials in the field of non-proliferation. Indias record is impeccable and we have all the credentials to be in NSG and I Hope that at the end of the day the 48 members will see the logic that Indias entry will only strengthen the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, Swarup added. Prime Minister Key will arrive in Mumbai on October 24 and will be meeting with the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra. In Delhi, Prime Minister Key will hold one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Calling Pakistans decision to issue a blanket ban on the Indian media content a show of lack of self-confidence, India on Thursday said that there was no blanket ban on Pakistani artistes from its side but decision will be taken on individual cases after assessing security situation and local sentiments. The strain in Indo-Pak ties have spilled over to Bollywood as the film industry became latest battleground for thee two countries. Indian political parties calling for boycotting of Pakistan artistes and ban on movies in which they have acted. As far as Government of India is concerned there is no blanket ban on Pakistani artists. In the prevailing atmosphere and security considerations and taking into considerations of local organisers we will deal with it on case to case basis. There is no blanket ban on Pakistani artists, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. A day after Karan Johan vowed to not to hire actors from Pakistan in response to a declaration by a leading Indian Cinema Group to not to screen films with Pakistani cast, Pakistan government has also banned Indian media content from its airwaves, a decision that the Indian establishment termed as unfortunate. This shows lack of self-confidence on the part of Pakistan. It is unfortunate, Swarup said in his comment on the ban. The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), amidst increasing Indo-Pak tension, has issued a blanket ban on airing of Indian TV and radio content that will come into effect at 3 pm on October 21. The licenses of those found violating the ban will be suspended. The authority also decided to revoke the unilateral rights give to the Indian media by the Pervez Musharraf government in 2006. India Pakistan relation has nosedived as New Delhi went into a diplomatic blitzkrieg to isolate Islamabad. It also got thumbs up for its BIMSTEC outreach at the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Goa. On Thursday, India reiterated its commitment to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC); but added that actions of one country were impeding its progress. The Bay of Bengal Initiative of Multi-Sectroal Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has been moving forward on the issues of connectivity and economic integration, getting the tag of most favoured sub-regional grouping or is being dubbed as SAARC minus Pakistan. Without commenting on that MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the Indian Governments priority to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region. Our interest in SAARC remains intact but our concern is that the connectivity, trade, including MFN (Most Favoured Nation) and cooperation. But terror free atmosphere needed for these initiatives and it is not there due to the actions of one country in our neighbourhood, Swarup said. Getting its claim supported by other member countries that pulled out of the SAARC Summit scheduled in Islamabad has bolstered Indias condition to address the problem of terrorism first. We remain committed to SAARC and its principles. Our intention is not to throw out the baby with the bath water. It is in cleaning up the bath water, the Spokesperson said. NEW DELHI: Calling Pakistans decision to issue a blanket ban on the Indian media content a show of lack of self-confidence, India on Thursday said that there was no blanket ban on Pakistani artistes from its side but decision will be taken on individual cases after assessing security situation and local sentiments. The strain in Indo-Pak ties have spilled over to Bollywood as the film industry became latest battleground for thee two countries. Indian political parties calling for boycotting of Pakistan artistes and ban on movies in which they have acted. As far as Government of India is concerned there is no blanket ban on Pakistani artists. In the prevailing atmosphere and security considerations and taking into considerations of local organisers we will deal with it on case to case basis. There is no blanket ban on Pakistani artists, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. A day after Karan Johan vowed to not to hire actors from Pakistan in response to a declaration by a leading Indian Cinema Group to not to screen films with Pakistani cast, Pakistan government has also banned Indian media content from its airwaves, a decision that the Indian establishment termed as unfortunate. This shows lack of self-confidence on the part of Pakistan. It is unfortunate, Swarup said in his comment on the ban. The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), amidst increasing Indo-Pak tension, has issued a blanket ban on airing of Indian TV and radio content that will come into effect at 3 pm on October 21. The licenses of those found violating the ban will be suspended. The authority also decided to revoke the unilateral rights give to the Indian media by the Pervez Musharraf government in 2006. India Pakistan relation has nosedived as New Delhi went into a diplomatic blitzkrieg to isolate Islamabad. It also got thumbs up for its BIMSTEC outreach at the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Goa. On Thursday, India reiterated its commitment to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC); but added that actions of one country were impeding its progress. The Bay of Bengal Initiative of Multi-Sectroal Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has been moving forward on the issues of connectivity and economic integration, getting the tag of most favoured sub-regional grouping or is being dubbed as SAARC minus Pakistan. Without commenting on that MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the Indian Governments priority to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region. Our interest in SAARC remains intact but our concern is that the connectivity, trade, including MFN (Most Favoured Nation) and cooperation. But terror free atmosphere needed for these initiatives and it is not there due to the actions of one country in our neighbourhood, Swarup said. Getting its claim supported by other member countries that pulled out of the SAARC Summit scheduled in Islamabad has bolstered Indias condition to address the problem of terrorism first. We remain committed to SAARC and its principles. Our intention is not to throw out the baby with the bath water. It is in cleaning up the bath water, the Spokesperson said. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday ordered Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing JNU student even as its Vice Chancellor and some other top officials were allowed to leave their offices after being under siege by agitating students for over 20 hours. The agitating students, who have been accusing the JNU administration of not doing enough to trace All India Student Association (AISA) member Najeeb Ahmed, said they have not softened their stand and allowed Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and others to leave their offices only to attend a scheduled meeting of the Academic Council. Spoke to Commissioner of Police Delhi regarding the incident. I have instructed him to constitute a special team to locate the student, said Singh. As the students protest over the missing student entered the sixth day, the Home Minister directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace Najeeb who went missing on Saturday following a brawl with a group of ABVP supporters in a JNU hostel. The students did not allow the V-C and around 12 other officials to come out of the administrative building since on Wednesday afternoon though mediapersons were allowed to go inside it. JNU teachers association criticised the confinement of the VC and others. This is complete anarchy by the Left brigade in JNU. Many of the officials inside have serious medical conditions they were also not allowed to go out and even their families were not allowed to visit them, said Hari Ram Mishra, Sanskrit teacher. The V-C warned the students of strict action over the illegal confinement. The V-C said several rounds of talks were held to convince the students about sincerity of the university authority to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their illegal activities. Rejecting allegations of inaction, he said the administration had written to the police about the missing student and an inquiry by the university will be expedited and guilty punished. Later, Delhi Police said they have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to trace Najeeb. Speaking on the incident, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, said, It is wrong to confine V-C and other officials. All activities should be done within the law. An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station after the police received a complaint from the students guardians. JNU students union president Mohit Pandey said, He has gone missing after the scuffle with ABVP members. They definitely know about his whereabouts. We will continue with our agitation till he is traced. Alok Singh, president of JNUs ABVP unit, said, From the beginning of the issue, they have been claiming that ABVP has a role in this. We have nothing to do with this. We had our suspicion on Qasim who is Najeebs roommate and had demanded action against him in the past. Meanwhile, former JNUSU joint secretary and ABVP member Saurabh Sharma has received a threat letter alleging his role in the missing case. (With inputs from PTI) NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday ordered Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace a missing JNU student even as its Vice Chancellor and some other top officials were allowed to leave their offices after being under siege by agitating students for over 20 hours. The agitating students, who have been accusing the JNU administration of not doing enough to trace All India Student Association (AISA) member Najeeb Ahmed, said they have not softened their stand and allowed Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and others to leave their offices only to attend a scheduled meeting of the Academic Council. Spoke to Commissioner of Police Delhi regarding the incident. I have instructed him to constitute a special team to locate the student, said Singh. As the students protest over the missing student entered the sixth day, the Home Minister directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace Najeeb who went missing on Saturday following a brawl with a group of ABVP supporters in a JNU hostel. The students did not allow the V-C and around 12 other officials to come out of the administrative building since on Wednesday afternoon though mediapersons were allowed to go inside it. JNU teachers association criticised the confinement of the VC and others. This is complete anarchy by the Left brigade in JNU. Many of the officials inside have serious medical conditions they were also not allowed to go out and even their families were not allowed to visit them, said Hari Ram Mishra, Sanskrit teacher. The V-C warned the students of strict action over the illegal confinement. The V-C said several rounds of talks were held to convince the students about sincerity of the university authority to locate Najeeb but they were continuing with their illegal activities. Rejecting allegations of inaction, he said the administration had written to the police about the missing student and an inquiry by the university will be expedited and guilty punished. Later, Delhi Police said they have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to trace Najeeb. Speaking on the incident, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, said, It is wrong to confine V-C and other officials. All activities should be done within the law. An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station after the police received a complaint from the students guardians. JNU students union president Mohit Pandey said, He has gone missing after the scuffle with ABVP members. They definitely know about his whereabouts. We will continue with our agitation till he is traced. Alok Singh, president of JNUs ABVP unit, said, From the beginning of the issue, they have been claiming that ABVP has a role in this. We have nothing to do with this. We had our suspicion on Qasim who is Najeebs roommate and had demanded action against him in the past. Meanwhile, former JNUSU joint secretary and ABVP member Saurabh Sharma has received a threat letter alleging his role in the missing case. (With inputs from PTI) By PTI NEW DELHI: The protests in JNU over a missing student turned volatile today with the agitating students locking down the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials in the administrative building. "We have been locked inside the building since 2.30 PM. There is a female colleague with us who is unwell as she is diabetic," JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said tonight. The VC and other senior officials are locked for more than eight hours as the students are lying down outside the administration block saying the officials were free to walk over them. The JNU students union defended its stand claiming there has been no "illegal detention". "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside," Mohit Pandey, President, JNUSU said. Police officials were seen outside the campus awaiting a nod from the administration to enter the premises. A large number of students had gathered 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," the JNUSU President said. 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. Meanwhile, at least 12 students were summoned earlier in the day by JNU administration to appear before the proctorial committee in connection with a case involving a missing student amid protests by students who claimed 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. The vice chancellor and other top JNU officials briefed the media for the first time since the disappearance on October 15 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. NEW DELHI: The protests in JNU over a missing student turned volatile today with the agitating students locking down the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials in the administrative building. "We have been locked inside the building since 2.30 PM. There is a female colleague with us who is unwell as she is diabetic," JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said tonight. The VC and other senior officials are locked for more than eight hours as the students are lying down outside the administration block saying the officials were free to walk over them. The JNU students union defended its stand claiming there has been no "illegal detention". "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside," Mohit Pandey, President, JNUSU said. Police officials were seen outside the campus awaiting a nod from the administration to enter the premises. A large number of students had gathered 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," the JNUSU President said. 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. Meanwhile, at least 12 students were summoned earlier in the day by JNU administration to appear before the proctorial committee in connection with a case involving a missing student amid protests by students who claimed 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. The vice chancellor and other top JNU officials briefed the media for the first time since the disappearance on October 15 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. Santwana Bhattacharya By AYODHYA:The day when the Congress prince came to Ayodhya marked off a significant point in Uttar Pradeshs campaign calendar with a few interesting twists. His visit to the Hanuman Garhi temple, which was widely expected to connote a return to soft Hindutva, was balanced off in the evening with a signature Congress manoeuvre, as the partys vice-president rounded off the day by offering a chadar at a local dargah. Beyond the optics, the day also registered the highest footfalls seen during Rahul Gandhis Maha Kisan Yatra. From the temple visit, through the road show and khaat sabha -- where again TV crew filmed poor locals walking away with the cots -- the roads from Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar and elsewhere were crowded with the citizenry of the Awadh countryside homing in for the events. Almost as if he was emboldened by the sight of the crowds, Rahul also upped his rhetoric to more ambitious levels. Instead of merely using the visible levels of poverty in these parts as a weapon of critique against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he actually offered himself as an alternative. If you vote us to power in UP and Delhi, we will see to it that all your financial troubles will be over. Sonia Gandhi and I will ensure that all your loans are waived off, he said at his Khat Sabha. The temple itself proved to be a carefully chosen venue. An apt site for the choreographed show of piety that the party strategists had in mind -- with a historical resonance. For, Hanuman Garhi is a temple that even Indira Gandhi had visited -- the grandson was merely retracing those steps. The elderly chief mahant, Gyan Das, in fact, remembered those visits. When do people go to temples, mosques and churches? When they are in distress. Indira had come when she had lost power in 1977. The mahant turned out to be far from a Hindutva hardliner. Speaking to New Indian Express, he sounded almost like an old Congress hand. If you are a true Hindu, you will respect all religions. That is our tradition. Out of earshot of party leaders, he confided that there was a difference. Indira ek paripakv neta thhi. (She was a mature leader.) Also, that he had met UP CM Akhilesh Yadav too - keen to show himself as without political loyalties. He too is a good person. After the days political events, the RaGa caravan travelled some 75 km from Ayodhyas twin city Faizabad to Kichaucha Sharif near Akbarpur, the dargah of 14th century Sufi saint Hazrat Makhdoom Sultan Syed Ashraf Jahangir Semnani. In a quiet affair, they performed the ritual offering of chadar in the presence of the chief priest Syed Moinuddin Ashraf. For the benefit of the small gathering outside, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad emerged out and said, There wont be any speech. This is not political. We have only come to seek blessings...this is the Congress culture. AYODHYA:The day when the Congress prince came to Ayodhya marked off a significant point in Uttar Pradeshs campaign calendar with a few interesting twists. His visit to the Hanuman Garhi temple, which was widely expected to connote a return to soft Hindutva, was balanced off in the evening with a signature Congress manoeuvre, as the partys vice-president rounded off the day by offering a chadar at a local dargah.Beyond the optics, the day also registered the highest footfalls seen during Rahul Gandhis Maha Kisan Yatra. From the temple visit, through the road show and khaat sabha -- where again TV crew filmed poor locals walking away with the cots -- the roads from Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar and elsewhere were crowded with the citizenry of the Awadh countryside homing in for the events. Almost as if he was emboldened by the sight of the crowds, Rahul also upped his rhetoric to more ambitious levels. Instead of merely using the visible levels of poverty in these parts as a weapon of critique against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he actually offered himself as an alternative. If you vote us to power in UP and Delhi, we will see to it that all your financial troubles will be over. Sonia Gandhi and I will ensure that all your loans are waived off, he said at his Khat Sabha. The temple itself proved to be a carefully chosen venue. An apt site for the choreographed show of piety that the party strategists had in mind -- with a historical resonance. For, Hanuman Garhi is a temple that even Indira Gandhi had visited -- the grandson was merely retracing those steps.The elderly chief mahant, Gyan Das, in fact, remembered those visits. When do people go to temples, mosques and churches? When they are in distress. Indira had come when she had lost power in 1977.The mahant turned out to be far from a Hindutva hardliner. Speaking to New Indian Express, he sounded almost like an old Congress hand. If you are a true Hindu, you will respect all religions. That is our tradition.Out of earshot of party leaders, he confided that there was a difference. Indira ek paripakv neta thhi. (She was a mature leader.) Also, that he had met UP CM Akhilesh Yadav too - keen to show himself as without political loyalties. He too is a good person.After the days political events, the RaGa caravan travelled some 75 km from Ayodhyas twin city Faizabad to Kichaucha Sharif near Akbarpur, the dargah of 14th century Sufi saint Hazrat Makhdoom Sultan Syed Ashraf Jahangir Semnani. In a quiet affair, they performed the ritual offering of chadar in the presence of the chief priest Syed Moinuddin Ashraf.For the benefit of the small gathering outside, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad emerged out and said, There wont be any speech. This is not political. We have only come to seek blessings...this is the Congress culture. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In a major setback to the successor states of AP and TS, the project-wise allocation of Krishna River waters will be done only between the two states. Maharashtra and Karnataka states will not be involved in this process, Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal) said in its order delivered on Wednesday in Delhi. The Tribunal wants AP and TS to file their statements on project-wise allocations within four weeks. The case is listed for December 14. Both AP and TS had argued that the project-wise allocations could not be done in isolation with the upper riparian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. However, Maharashtra and Karnataka argued before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal that the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act would not be applicable to their states. The Central government too indicated that the Tribunal make project-wise allocations between AP and TS as per the AP Reorganisation Act. Considering all the arguments, the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal delivered its order on Wednesday, stating that the project-wise allocation should be done between AP and TS. Even though Section 89 of AP Reorganisation Act may not be strictly referable to Article 262 of the Constitution, but in the background of the peculiar facts of the case, it may not be considered totally divorced of it. In that view of the matter, we feel that the question referred under section 89 can be entertained by this Tribunal, the Tribunal observed on Wednesday. State government advisor (irrigation) R Vidyasagar Rao said that the Tribunal did not consider the arguments of TS government. He said the state government would take future course of action soon on the order. Telangana advocate general J Ramachandra Rao said the order of the Tribunal was not final. He added that they would challenge the Tribunals order in Supreme Court. This matter stands finally disposed off. The successor states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh shall file their statement regarding clauses (a) and (b) of Section 89 of Act No 6 of 2014, within a period of four weeks, the order stated. HYDERABAD: In a major setback to the successor states of AP and TS, the project-wise allocation of Krishna River waters will be done only between the two states. Maharashtra and Karnataka states will not be involved in this process, Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal) said in its order delivered on Wednesday in Delhi. The Tribunal wants AP and TS to file their statements on project-wise allocations within four weeks. The case is listed for December 14. Both AP and TS had argued that the project-wise allocations could not be done in isolation with the upper riparian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. However, Maharashtra and Karnataka argued before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal that the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act would not be applicable to their states. The Central government too indicated that the Tribunal make project-wise allocations between AP and TS as per the AP Reorganisation Act. Considering all the arguments, the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal delivered its order on Wednesday, stating that the project-wise allocation should be done between AP and TS. Even though Section 89 of AP Reorganisation Act may not be strictly referable to Article 262 of the Constitution, but in the background of the peculiar facts of the case, it may not be considered totally divorced of it. In that view of the matter, we feel that the question referred under section 89 can be entertained by this Tribunal, the Tribunal observed on Wednesday. State government advisor (irrigation) R Vidyasagar Rao said that the Tribunal did not consider the arguments of TS government. He said the state government would take future course of action soon on the order. Telangana advocate general J Ramachandra Rao said the order of the Tribunal was not final. He added that they would challenge the Tribunals order in Supreme Court. This matter stands finally disposed off. The successor states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh shall file their statement regarding clauses (a) and (b) of Section 89 of Act No 6 of 2014, within a period of four weeks, the order stated. Anil S By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On Thursday VS Achuthanandan, Keralas Fidel Castro turned 93. And he turned up at the Kerala State Legislative Assembly at 8.30 a.m. attending the first session in full vigour, not missing an opportunity to pounce on the Congress-led Opposition. Age, for him, seems just a number. In the morning CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, his close confidant in the party and veteran Congress leader AK Antony called up the old warhorse to convey their wishes. When Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan informed the House about this significant milestone in the veteran legislators life, it was met with applause from both the Treasury and the Opposition benches. Apart from the greetings, there were hardly any birthday celebrations organised. The crew of the film Campus Diary, in which the nonagenarian debuted with a cameo as himself, had turned up to greet their star at Kowdiar House, his official residence. A true Communist, even at the age of 93 VS continues his fight. On Thursday, he defended the Left government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, once his bete-noire, in the Jacob Thomas resignation controversy. Highlights of VS life Founder-leader of CPM VS Achuthanandan is the most popular CPM leader in Kerala. Hes also the oldest living Communist in India. VS, who started his career as a trade union leader, was in the forefront of land struggles in Kerala demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act. Was at the forefront of the well known Punnapra - Wayalar struggle. A tireless fighter, he has been imprisoned many a time. During one of such period, policemen pierced his sole in both legs with a bayonet at Poonjar station lock-up. Achuthanandan spent about five-and-a-half years in jail and four years underground in total. Hes the only leader alive today among the 32 CPI national council members who walked out of the historical CPI meet in 1964 to found the CPM. A long-term CPM state secretary (from 1980 to 1992), VS has been known for his unshakeable stand and rigid nature in dealing with issues. Later, he became a Polit Bureau member till he was dropped from the PB in 2009. VS turned out to be one of the most popular Left leaders in the state towards the end of 1990s. Three time opposition leader - 1992-96, 2001-06, 2011-16 Kerala Chief Minister during 2006-11 despite his bete noire and current chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan having been then state secretary. CPMs most popular leader in the past three elections. In 2011, he was initially denied a seat by the party but later had to field him following public pressure. He was also the star campaigner for the 2016 assembly polls which saw a Left wave in Kerala. Currently chairman of the Kerala State Administrative Rerforms Commission. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On Thursday VS Achuthanandan, Keralas Fidel Castro turned 93. And he turned up at the Kerala State Legislative Assembly at 8.30 a.m. attending the first session in full vigour, not missing an opportunity to pounce on the Congress-led Opposition. Age, for him, seems just a number. In the morning CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, his close confidant in the party and veteran Congress leader AK Antony called up the old warhorse to convey their wishes. When Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan informed the House about this significant milestone in the veteran legislators life, it was met with applause from both the Treasury and the Opposition benches. Apart from the greetings, there were hardly any birthday celebrations organised. The crew of the film Campus Diary, in which the nonagenarian debuted with a cameo as himself, had turned up to greet their star at Kowdiar House, his official residence. A true Communist, even at the age of 93 VS continues his fight. On Thursday, he defended the Left government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, once his bete-noire, in the Jacob Thomas resignation controversy. Highlights of VS life Founder-leader of CPM VS Achuthanandan is the most popular CPM leader in Kerala. Hes also the oldest living Communist in India. VS, who started his career as a trade union leader, was in the forefront of land struggles in Kerala demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act. Was at the forefront of the well known Punnapra - Wayalar struggle. A tireless fighter, he has been imprisoned many a time. During one of such period, policemen pierced his sole in both legs with a bayonet at Poonjar station lock-up. Achuthanandan spent about five-and-a-half years in jail and four years underground in total. Hes the only leader alive today among the 32 CPI national council members who walked out of the historical CPI meet in 1964 to found the CPM. A long-term CPM state secretary (from 1980 to 1992), VS has been known for his unshakeable stand and rigid nature in dealing with issues. Later, he became a Polit Bureau member till he was dropped from the PB in 2009. VS turned out to be one of the most popular Left leaders in the state towards the end of 1990s. Three time opposition leader - 1992-96, 2001-06, 2011-16 Kerala Chief Minister during 2006-11 despite his bete noire and current chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan having been then state secretary. CPMs most popular leader in the past three elections. In 2011, he was initially denied a seat by the party but later had to field him following public pressure. He was also the star campaigner for the 2016 assembly polls which saw a Left wave in Kerala. Currently chairman of the Kerala State Administrative Rerforms Commission. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said the government was open to initiating peace talks to end the political violence in Kannur. However, Pinarayi also targeted the BJP/RSS alleging that the outfits were deliberately causing violence in the district. Initially, talks can be held at the district level and later, if needed, there can be talks at the state level involving the Opposition leader too according to his convenience. But, before the talks those concerned should take a call against violence and murder, said Pinarayi. He was responding to a suggestion from former CM Oommen Chandy, who sought CMs intervention to hold peace talks. There are attempts to create provocation. Though six peace talks were convened, the BJP either stayed away or remained non-cooperative. Theres a deliberate campaign from certain corners to create violence, he said. Pinarayi also denied the talks that Governor P Sathasivam expressed concerns over the situation in Kannur. During the UDF rule, 16 CPM/DYFI/SFI activists were killed in Kannur against 8 RSS/BJP workers. The claim that there was no political violence during the UDF rule is an attempt to cover up facts, he said. Pinarayi said earnest efforts were needed to put an end to violence in Kannur. There could be different opinions and approaches. Instead of emotional reaction, focus should be on progress and development. Those belonging to various political parties should not kill each other. They should keep in mind that those in other political parties might join ranks with them later, Pinarayi said. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said the government was open to initiating peace talks to end the political violence in Kannur. However, Pinarayi also targeted the BJP/RSS alleging that the outfits were deliberately causing violence in the district. Initially, talks can be held at the district level and later, if needed, there can be talks at the state level involving the Opposition leader too according to his convenience. But, before the talks those concerned should take a call against violence and murder, said Pinarayi. He was responding to a suggestion from former CM Oommen Chandy, who sought CMs intervention to hold peace talks. There are attempts to create provocation. Though six peace talks were convened, the BJP either stayed away or remained non-cooperative. Theres a deliberate campaign from certain corners to create violence, he said. Pinarayi also denied the talks that Governor P Sathasivam expressed concerns over the situation in Kannur. During the UDF rule, 16 CPM/DYFI/SFI activists were killed in Kannur against 8 RSS/BJP workers. The claim that there was no political violence during the UDF rule is an attempt to cover up facts, he said. Pinarayi said earnest efforts were needed to put an end to violence in Kannur. There could be different opinions and approaches. Instead of emotional reaction, focus should be on progress and development. Those belonging to various political parties should not kill each other. They should keep in mind that those in other political parties might join ranks with them later, Pinarayi said. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition bench comprising UDF and Kerala Congress(M) MLAs staged a walkout from Assembly on Wednesday over the political violence and murders in Kannur. Accusing the CPM of playing a prime role in the killings, the opposition slammed the LDF government for its total ineptitude and insincerity in ending the mayhem. Even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans offer to hold district and even state level talks to restore peace in Kannur was, while welcomed, taken with a pinch of salt by the Opposition. Moreover, his stand that peace talks would not achieve desired results unless the RSS changed its mindset, his refusal to mention, let alone admit, to any wrongdoings of CPM cadres in the incidents and his attempts to shift the blame on RSS further infuriated the Opposition, which also saw Vijayans remarks - that an ongoing campaign was underway to malign Kannur by projecting that it had the sixth highest murder rate in the state - as his attempts to play down the seriousness of the issue.Congress MLA K C Joseph wondered, How was Kannur peaceful when UDF was in power, but is seeing only unrest when the Left is ruling the state? Is the LDF government giving strength to Gandhijis killers? When a few young MLAs of the ruling bench engaged in a shouting match to disrupt his speech, the Opposition reacted strongly. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said attempts by baby MLAs like A N Shamseer and others to make running commentary while Joseph spoke should not be allowed. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition bench comprising UDF and Kerala Congress(M) MLAs staged a walkout from Assembly on Wednesday over the political violence and murders in Kannur. Accusing the CPM of playing a prime role in the killings, the opposition slammed the LDF government for its total ineptitude and insincerity in ending the mayhem. Even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans offer to hold district and even state level talks to restore peace in Kannur was, while welcomed, taken with a pinch of salt by the Opposition. Moreover, his stand that peace talks would not achieve desired results unless the RSS changed its mindset, his refusal to mention, let alone admit, to any wrongdoings of CPM cadres in the incidents and his attempts to shift the blame on RSS further infuriated the Opposition, which also saw Vijayans remarks - that an ongoing campaign was underway to malign Kannur by projecting that it had the sixth highest murder rate in the state - as his attempts to play down the seriousness of the issue.Congress MLA K C Joseph wondered, How was Kannur peaceful when UDF was in power, but is seeing only unrest when the Left is ruling the state? Is the LDF government giving strength to Gandhijis killers? When a few young MLAs of the ruling bench engaged in a shouting match to disrupt his speech, the Opposition reacted strongly. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said attempts by baby MLAs like A N Shamseer and others to make running commentary while Joseph spoke should not be allowed. Aishik Chanda By SINGUR: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjees struggle came a full circle after 10 years and five months on Thursday when she handed over 90 acres of the total 997.11 acres of land acquired by the then Left government for Tata's car project to 2,216 farmers and initiated the process of physical handover of land to the farmers. Of the 997.11 acres, the land is fit for agriculture in 932 acres. In some 65 acres, concrete structures have to be removed. The process of land return would be completed by November 10, the TMC supremo said after symbolically commencing agriculture by sprinkling mustard seeds on the land. Land records to all the 10,436 farmers and 800 cheques to uncompensated land-losers were distributed on September 14. Singur would be a model for land struggle for the rest of the world. A monument for the Singur farmers would be built here, she said. Recalling her 26-day hunger strike, the West Bengal Chief Minister said, Back on September 24, 2006, I had just asked about transparency in cheque distribution and we were attacked. Later, it has come to fore during survey that bogus cheques were issued then. Education Minister and Mamatas close aide Partha Chatterjee said, Mamatas 26 days of hunger strike, 14 days of dharna and martyrdom of 10 people have not gone waste. Likening Singur land struggle with pre-independence Tebhaga movement, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee said, The struggle was of Mamata Banerjee, the victory is of Singur farmers. The Supreme Court had on August 31 ordered that Tata acquired land in Singur to be returned back to the farmers within 12 weeks.The bench also ruled that the land acquisition process in Singur for the car project was faulty and was not for public purpose. "Most of the portion of the Nano car shed has been razed to the ground. Only a small structure is left which will also be demolished in next few days," a senior state government official said. SINGUR: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjees struggle came a full circle after 10 years and five months on Thursday when she handed over 90 acres of the total 997.11 acres of land acquired by the then Left government for Tata's car project to 2,216 farmers and initiated the process of physical handover of land to the farmers. Of the 997.11 acres, the land is fit for agriculture in 932 acres. In some 65 acres, concrete structures have to be removed. The process of land return would be completed by November 10, the TMC supremo said after symbolically commencing agriculture by sprinkling mustard seeds on the land. Land records to all the 10,436 farmers and 800 cheques to uncompensated land-losers were distributed on September 14. Singur would be a model for land struggle for the rest of the world. A monument for the Singur farmers would be built here, she said. Recalling her 26-day hunger strike, the West Bengal Chief Minister said, Back on September 24, 2006, I had just asked about transparency in cheque distribution and we were attacked. Later, it has come to fore during survey that bogus cheques were issued then. Education Minister and Mamatas close aide Partha Chatterjee said, Mamatas 26 days of hunger strike, 14 days of dharna and martyrdom of 10 people have not gone waste. Likening Singur land struggle with pre-independence Tebhaga movement, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee said, The struggle was of Mamata Banerjee, the victory is of Singur farmers. The Supreme Court had on August 31 ordered that Tata acquired land in Singur to be returned back to the farmers within 12 weeks.The bench also ruled that the land acquisition process in Singur for the car project was faulty and was not for public purpose. "Most of the portion of the Nano car shed has been razed to the ground. Only a small structure is left which will also be demolished in next few days," a senior state government official said. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister on Wednesday left for New Delhi on a day's visit to meet foreign envoys and seek their presence in the upcoming 'Make in Odisha' Conclave in the State beginning from November 30. The CM will seek cooperation from ambassadors of different countries to make the proposed conclave a success. Earlier, the CM had invited Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to attend the plenary session of 'Make in Odisha' conclave in the City on December 1. 'Make in Odisha', an ambitious initiative by the State Government, is similar to the NDA Government's 'Make in India' programme aimed at attracting investment for creating job opportunities in the State. BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister on Wednesday left for New Delhi on a day's visit to meet foreign envoys and seek their presence in the upcoming 'Make in Odisha' Conclave in the State beginning from November 30. The CM will seek cooperation from ambassadors of different countries to make the proposed conclave a success. Earlier, the CM had invited Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to attend the plenary session of 'Make in Odisha' conclave in the City on December 1. 'Make in Odisha', an ambitious initiative by the State Government, is similar to the NDA Government's 'Make in India' programme aimed at attracting investment for creating job opportunities in the State. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: The State BJP on Thursday filed a complaint against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik holding him responsible for the SUM Hospital fire mishap that claimed 21 lives. A delegation of BJP leaders led by State Vice President Samir Mohanty lodged the complaint with Capital police station requesting legal action against the CM for allowing the hospital to run despite several discrepancies. Directly holding the Chief Minister responsible for the fire mishap and other developments after the incident, complainant Mohanty said the hospital had flouted fire safety protocols and it was allowed to function without fire safety certificate. Since Chief Minster holds the Home portfolio and police and fire services come under his department, he should be held responsible for the inaction of officials that led to such a tragic mishap, he said and demanded police action. Zone-1 Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Asim Panda confirmed that a complaint had been received by the Capital police. "It is being looked into," he said. Meanwhile, BJP activists took out a rally from the State party office and staged a protest meeting at Master Canteen Square demanding resignation of Chief Minister and sacking of Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. BJD spokesperson Sashibhusan Behera rubbished allegations against the CM. He said BJP is doing politics by dragging the name of Chief Minister and Health Minister into it. A probe by RDC (central range) is on and action would be initiated against the officials who are found guilty, Behera added. On the other hand, Medical Superintendent of SUM Hospital Dr Pushparaj Samantasinghar, who was admitted in SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack on Wednesday after he complained of chest pain soon after his arrest in connection with the fire mishap, was released from hospital on Thursday. He was produced at the SDJM court earlier today. He was later taken to Khandagiri police station. Police sources said he would be produced in the court shortly. Two days back, three employees, including two engineers and fire safety officer of the hospital were produced in the court. Earlier on the day, Dr Manoj Ranjan Nayak, trustee of Siksha O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs SUM Hospital had surrendered at Khandagiri police station. He was later arrested and taken to an isolated location for interrogation. The arrests were made on the basis of the complaint lodged by Central Range fire officer B B Das. They have been booked under sections of 304, 308, 285 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). BHUBANESWAR: The State BJP on Thursday filed a complaint against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik holding him responsible for the SUM Hospital fire mishap that claimed 21 lives. A delegation of BJP leaders led by State Vice President Samir Mohanty lodged the complaint with Capital police station requesting legal action against the CM for allowing the hospital to run despite several discrepancies. Directly holding the Chief Minister responsible for the fire mishap and other developments after the incident, complainant Mohanty said the hospital had flouted fire safety protocols and it was allowed to function without fire safety certificate. Since Chief Minster holds the Home portfolio and police and fire services come under his department, he should be held responsible for the inaction of officials that led to such a tragic mishap, he said and demanded police action. Zone-1 Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Asim Panda confirmed that a complaint had been received by the Capital police. "It is being looked into," he said. Meanwhile, BJP activists took out a rally from the State party office and staged a protest meeting at Master Canteen Square demanding resignation of Chief Minister and sacking of Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. BJD spokesperson Sashibhusan Behera rubbished allegations against the CM. He said BJP is doing politics by dragging the name of Chief Minister and Health Minister into it. A probe by RDC (central range) is on and action would be initiated against the officials who are found guilty, Behera added. On the other hand, Medical Superintendent of SUM Hospital Dr Pushparaj Samantasinghar, who was admitted in SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack on Wednesday after he complained of chest pain soon after his arrest in connection with the fire mishap, was released from hospital on Thursday. He was produced at the SDJM court earlier today. He was later taken to Khandagiri police station. Police sources said he would be produced in the court shortly. Two days back, three employees, including two engineers and fire safety officer of the hospital were produced in the court. Earlier on the day, Dr Manoj Ranjan Nayak, trustee of Siksha O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs SUM Hospital had surrendered at Khandagiri police station. He was later arrested and taken to an isolated location for interrogation. The arrests were made on the basis of the complaint lodged by Central Range fire officer B B Das. They have been booked under sections of 304, 308, 285 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). By Express News Service CHENNAI: Atleast eight people including women died and two others are battling for their life at the hospital after a spark at a cracker shop in Sivakasi spiralled into a fire that gutted the shop and the adjacent building. Initial reports said the fire started when crackers were being unloaded from a truck on Thursday afternoon. The crackers stored in the place quickly caught fire leading to a blaze that took over an hour to douse. By then, the shop and a scanning centre next to it were gutted. Fire service personnel and others managed to rescue 10 injured persons, who were rushed to the government general hospital in Sivakasi. However, eight of them, including women, suffered fatal injuries, and died soon afterwards. Officials said the other two are battling for their life at the hospital. Preliminary investigation pointed to carelessness on the part of the shop owner, the officials added. Sivakasi, the cracker hub of India, has come alive ahead of the Deepavali (Diwali) festival that is just a fortnight away. There were few minor incidents that were reported this season, but todays accident is the worst so far. CHENNAI: Atleast eight people including women died and two others are battling for their life at the hospital after a spark at a cracker shop in Sivakasi spiralled into a fire that gutted the shop and the adjacent building. Initial reports said the fire started when crackers were being unloaded from a truck on Thursday afternoon. The crackers stored in the place quickly caught fire leading to a blaze that took over an hour to douse. By then, the shop and a scanning centre next to it were gutted. Fire service personnel and others managed to rescue 10 injured persons, who were rushed to the government general hospital in Sivakasi. However, eight of them, including women, suffered fatal injuries, and died soon afterwards. Officials said the other two are battling for their life at the hospital. Preliminary investigation pointed to carelessness on the part of the shop owner, the officials added. Sivakasi, the cracker hub of India, has come alive ahead of the Deepavali (Diwali) festival that is just a fortnight away. There were few minor incidents that were reported this season, but todays accident is the worst so far. By Associated Press BUENOS AIRES: Tens of thousands of Argentines marched in the capital of Buenos Aires on Wednesday to condemn violence against women, the latest public outcry following the brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl who was drugged, raped and tortured. Lucia Perez was killed in the coastal city of Mar del Plata earlier this month. Authorities say she was forced to consume cocaine, and was later raped and impaled by two men who have been arrested. The prosecutor investigating the crime called the attack "an act of inhuman sexual aggression." The demonstrators, including schoolchildren and women with children in strollers, braved the heavy rain to gather at the iconic Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires. Chanting slogans and carrying banners and flags, they marched to the pink presidential palace at the Plaza de Mayo square. "I'm here to demand justice for my grandchildren," said Helga Scumlitz, 74, who was moved to join the march after she heard about the gruesome killing of Lucia Perez in the news. "What's happening is horrible. And it's happening every day." The demonstration, which is being echoed across Argentina and in other Latin American countries, was organized on social media by women's groups under the slogans NiUnaMenos, meaning "Not one less" and "Black Wednesday." "I heard about this girl who was raped to death. It's so unfair and it should never happen again," said Malena Resino, a 14-year-old student who joined the march with her classmates after school. "I'm very proud that so many people joined because together we can achieve something." There were 275 gender-based killings of Argentine women in the past year, according to Casa del Encuentro, a women's rights group and shelter. In 40 of those cases, women had reported attacks by men, and some even had restraining orders. "How many more like Lucia are out there and nothing has been done?" Marta Montero, the mother of Lucia Perez asked during an interview with local radio Vorterix. Demonstrators, who dressed in black to mourn Perez and other victims, also staged a brief work stoppage earlier in the day as a sign of protest. "It's important that not only women but also men join this movement. Our husbands are here wearing black and are supporting the protest," said Monica Pavicich, 59, who demonstrated with her work colleagues in downtown Buenos Aires. Similar marches against gender-based violence also took place in Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. A large banner carried by protesters in one of the main avenues of the Chilean capital read: "Furious and in mourning." More than 25,000 people were estimated to have demonstrated in Santiago and more than 20 other cities throughout the country. Hundreds of people gathered at Mexico City's Angel of Independence monument. Many of them had purple and black handprints painted on their bodies to protest gender violence. Diana Echeverria, a 23-year-old student, said she was forced to flee her home state of San Luis Potosi after she was sexually abused a year ago. "The authorities refused to help me," she said. "They told me that this is what life is like." BUENOS AIRES: Tens of thousands of Argentines marched in the capital of Buenos Aires on Wednesday to condemn violence against women, the latest public outcry following the brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl who was drugged, raped and tortured. Lucia Perez was killed in the coastal city of Mar del Plata earlier this month. Authorities say she was forced to consume cocaine, and was later raped and impaled by two men who have been arrested. The prosecutor investigating the crime called the attack "an act of inhuman sexual aggression." The demonstrators, including schoolchildren and women with children in strollers, braved the heavy rain to gather at the iconic Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires. Chanting slogans and carrying banners and flags, they marched to the pink presidential palace at the Plaza de Mayo square. "I'm here to demand justice for my grandchildren," said Helga Scumlitz, 74, who was moved to join the march after she heard about the gruesome killing of Lucia Perez in the news. "What's happening is horrible. And it's happening every day." The demonstration, which is being echoed across Argentina and in other Latin American countries, was organized on social media by women's groups under the slogans NiUnaMenos, meaning "Not one less" and "Black Wednesday." "I heard about this girl who was raped to death. It's so unfair and it should never happen again," said Malena Resino, a 14-year-old student who joined the march with her classmates after school. "I'm very proud that so many people joined because together we can achieve something." There were 275 gender-based killings of Argentine women in the past year, according to Casa del Encuentro, a women's rights group and shelter. In 40 of those cases, women had reported attacks by men, and some even had restraining orders. "How many more like Lucia are out there and nothing has been done?" Marta Montero, the mother of Lucia Perez asked during an interview with local radio Vorterix. Demonstrators, who dressed in black to mourn Perez and other victims, also staged a brief work stoppage earlier in the day as a sign of protest. "It's important that not only women but also men join this movement. Our husbands are here wearing black and are supporting the protest," said Monica Pavicich, 59, who demonstrated with her work colleagues in downtown Buenos Aires. Similar marches against gender-based violence also took place in Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. A large banner carried by protesters in one of the main avenues of the Chilean capital read: "Furious and in mourning." More than 25,000 people were estimated to have demonstrated in Santiago and more than 20 other cities throughout the country. Hundreds of people gathered at Mexico City's Angel of Independence monument. Many of them had purple and black handprints painted on their bodies to protest gender violence. Diana Echeverria, a 23-year-old student, said she was forced to flee her home state of San Luis Potosi after she was sexually abused a year ago. "The authorities refused to help me," she said. "They told me that this is what life is like." By Associated Press BARTELLA: Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by the Islamic State group, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The addition of the elite troops, also known as counterterrorism forces, marked a significant intensification of the fight for Iraq's second-largest city. As they advanced, attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. IS militants unleashed nine suicide car and truck bombs against the advancing troops, eight of which were destroyed before reaching their targets, while the ninth struck an armored Humvee, Lt. Col Muntadhar al-Shimmari told The Associated Press. He did not give a casualty figure, but another officer said five soldiers were wounded. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information. The special forces entered the town of Bartella, a traditionally Christian village that fell to IS in 2014, around midday. The fighting thus far has been concentrated in a cluster of towns and villages outside Mosul that are mostly uninhabited and littered with roadside bombs planted by the militants, which has slowed the Iraqi advance. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul , where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where IS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and is expected to take weeks, if not months. The Kurdish forces known as peshmerga, who are also taking part in the offensive, announced a "large-scale operation" to the north and northeast of Mosul on Thursday. "The operation will be in three fronts," the peshmerga said in a statement, and follows recent gains by the Kurds to the east of Mosul and Iraqi security forces to the south. Peshmerga forces stationed on mountains northeast of Mosul descended from their positions and charged toward the front line. They used bulldozers and other heavy equipment to fill trenches and moved armored vehicles into the breach after about an hour of mortar and gunfire at IS positions below in the village of Barima. Military operations also appeared to be underway in the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from the town early Thursday. A day earlier, Bashiqa was pounded by airstrikes and mortar fire from peshmerga positions high above. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, speaking by video link to diplomats meeting in Paris, said the Mosul offensive was moving "more quickly than we thought." He also vowed to protect civilians fleeing the fighting and said the government "will not allow any violations of human rights." He said most residents of the region have welcomed the advancing forces. The Islamic State group captured Mosul and the surrounding area during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremists and their last major urban bastion in Iraq. Amer al-Jabbar, a 30-year-old soldier with the Iraqi special forces, said he was happy to be taking part in the assault on Bartella and hoped to avenge two brothers killed while fighting for the security forces. "I had one brother who became a martyr in 2007 and another who became a martyr in 2014," he said. "I want to avenge them and I'm ready to die." Iraq's U.S.-trained special forces are seen as far more capable than the mainstream security forces that crumbled as IS advanced in 2014. The special forces, including the vaunted "Golden Division," have played a central role in liberating several cities and towns over the past year, including Ramadi and Fallujah, in the western Anbar province. More than 25,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began Monday after months of preparation. They will be advancing on the city from several directions. The special forces advanced in some 150 Humvees decked with Iraqi flags and Shiite religious banners. Ali Saad, a 26-year-old soldier, said the Kurdish forces had asked them to take down the religious banners, but they refused. "They asked if we were militias. We said we're not militias, we are Iraqi forces, and these are our beliefs," he said. Mosul is a Sunni majority town, and many fear the involvement of the Shiite militias in the operation could stoke sectarian tensions. The Shiite militias have said they will not enter the city itself, but will focus on retaking the town of Tel Afar to the west, which had a Shiite majority before it was captured by IS. The U.S. military is carrying out airstrikes and artillery shelling in support of the operation. More than 100 U.S. forces are embedded with the Iraqis, and hundreds more are playing a supporting role in staging bases. Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the top commander of U.S. land forces in Iraq, said Wednesday that U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters are striking IS targets in support of the operation. The deployment of U.S. attack helicopter crews brings added risk for American troops. BARTELLA: Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by the Islamic State group, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. The addition of the elite troops, also known as counterterrorism forces, marked a significant intensification of the fight for Iraq's second-largest city. As they advanced, attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains. IS militants unleashed nine suicide car and truck bombs against the advancing troops, eight of which were destroyed before reaching their targets, while the ninth struck an armored Humvee, Lt. Col Muntadhar al-Shimmari told The Associated Press. He did not give a casualty figure, but another officer said five soldiers were wounded. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information. The special forces entered the town of Bartella, a traditionally Christian village that fell to IS in 2014, around midday. The fighting thus far has been concentrated in a cluster of towns and villages outside Mosul that are mostly uninhabited and littered with roadside bombs planted by the militants, which has slowed the Iraqi advance. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul , where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where IS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is the largest operation launched by Iraqi forces since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and is expected to take weeks, if not months. The Kurdish forces known as peshmerga, who are also taking part in the offensive, announced a "large-scale operation" to the north and northeast of Mosul on Thursday. "The operation will be in three fronts," the peshmerga said in a statement, and follows recent gains by the Kurds to the east of Mosul and Iraqi security forces to the south. Peshmerga forces stationed on mountains northeast of Mosul descended from their positions and charged toward the front line. They used bulldozers and other heavy equipment to fill trenches and moved armored vehicles into the breach after about an hour of mortar and gunfire at IS positions below in the village of Barima. Military operations also appeared to be underway in the town of Bashiqa, northeast of Mosul. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from the town early Thursday. A day earlier, Bashiqa was pounded by airstrikes and mortar fire from peshmerga positions high above. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, speaking by video link to diplomats meeting in Paris, said the Mosul offensive was moving "more quickly than we thought." He also vowed to protect civilians fleeing the fighting and said the government "will not allow any violations of human rights." He said most residents of the region have welcomed the advancing forces. The Islamic State group captured Mosul and the surrounding area during a lightning advance across northern Iraq in 2014, and IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the formation of a self-styled caliphate from the pulpit of a Mosul mosque. Mosul is the largest city controlled by the extremists and their last major urban bastion in Iraq. Amer al-Jabbar, a 30-year-old soldier with the Iraqi special forces, said he was happy to be taking part in the assault on Bartella and hoped to avenge two brothers killed while fighting for the security forces. "I had one brother who became a martyr in 2007 and another who became a martyr in 2014," he said. "I want to avenge them and I'm ready to die." Iraq's U.S.-trained special forces are seen as far more capable than the mainstream security forces that crumbled as IS advanced in 2014. The special forces, including the vaunted "Golden Division," have played a central role in liberating several cities and towns over the past year, including Ramadi and Fallujah, in the western Anbar province. More than 25,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shiite militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began Monday after months of preparation. They will be advancing on the city from several directions. The special forces advanced in some 150 Humvees decked with Iraqi flags and Shiite religious banners. Ali Saad, a 26-year-old soldier, said the Kurdish forces had asked them to take down the religious banners, but they refused. "They asked if we were militias. We said we're not militias, we are Iraqi forces, and these are our beliefs," he said. Mosul is a Sunni majority town, and many fear the involvement of the Shiite militias in the operation could stoke sectarian tensions. The Shiite militias have said they will not enter the city itself, but will focus on retaking the town of Tel Afar to the west, which had a Shiite majority before it was captured by IS. The U.S. military is carrying out airstrikes and artillery shelling in support of the operation. More than 100 U.S. forces are embedded with the Iraqis, and hundreds more are playing a supporting role in staging bases. Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the top commander of U.S. land forces in Iraq, said Wednesday that U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters are striking IS targets in support of the operation. The deployment of U.S. attack helicopter crews brings added risk for American troops. By AFP WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia on Wednesday that seizing the city of Aleppo will not help end the Syrian civil war and may further radicalize opposition forces. Speaking as officials from the US, Russia and Syria's neighbors met in Geneva to seek ways to restore a ceasefire in the civil war, Kerry said Russia's bombardment of rebel-held areas was a mistake. Moscow argues that it is supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against Al-Qaeda-linked "terrorists" and blames Washington for failing to separate moderate rebels from the hardliners. But, speaking in Washington after talks with his South Korean counterpart, Kerry said: "Every bomb that's dropped by Russia and the Assad regime is radicalizing more and more people." After the collapse last month of a short-lived US and Russian-brokered truce, the Syrian regime launched a major offensive against the rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo, home to an estimated 250,000 civilians. "If Russia and Assad succeed in taking Aleppo, the fundamental dynamic of this war does not change," Kerry said, warning Russia to recommit to the search for a viable ceasefire deal. "If you don't have a political settlement you can't have peace and so Russia needs to understand this is not making things better, it's making things worse. "And we have put on the table an opportunity for Russia to make a different choice, a simple choice," he continued. If Russia halts its own bombing and orders Assad to halt his offensive, Kerry argued, then international powers can work with moderates on the ground to isolate extremists. WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia on Wednesday that seizing the city of Aleppo will not help end the Syrian civil war and may further radicalize opposition forces. Speaking as officials from the US, Russia and Syria's neighbors met in Geneva to seek ways to restore a ceasefire in the civil war, Kerry said Russia's bombardment of rebel-held areas was a mistake. Moscow argues that it is supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against Al-Qaeda-linked "terrorists" and blames Washington for failing to separate moderate rebels from the hardliners. But, speaking in Washington after talks with his South Korean counterpart, Kerry said: "Every bomb that's dropped by Russia and the Assad regime is radicalizing more and more people." After the collapse last month of a short-lived US and Russian-brokered truce, the Syrian regime launched a major offensive against the rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo, home to an estimated 250,000 civilians. "If Russia and Assad succeed in taking Aleppo, the fundamental dynamic of this war does not change," Kerry said, warning Russia to recommit to the search for a viable ceasefire deal. "If you don't have a political settlement you can't have peace and so Russia needs to understand this is not making things better, it's making things worse. "And we have put on the table an opportunity for Russia to make a different choice, a simple choice," he continued. If Russia halts its own bombing and orders Assad to halt his offensive, Kerry argued, then international powers can work with moderates on the ground to isolate extremists. By The Daily Telegraph Theresa May will today (Thursday) use her first European Council to warn that Britain's vote to leave the EU must be respected and that there will be no second referendum. The Prime Minister will tell leaders over dinner in Brussels that she is "absolutely clear" that Britain will leave the European Union as she seeks to dispel suggestions in "certain quarters" that the UK could stay in. She will also say that she wants both a "strong Britain" and a "strong European Union" after Brexit, and stress that it is in everyone's interests that the process is "smooth and orderly". Mrs May yesterday admitted that negotiations may take longer than two years, meaning that the UK may not leave the EU until after April 2019. Mrs May told MPs for the first time that she could apply for an extension to European rules, which set a two-year deadline. She said: "Parliament will have its say but these will be lengthy negotiations over the course of those two years or more - Parliament will have its say in a whole variety of ways, not least of course in relation to the Great Repeal Bill." It yesterday emerged that Angela Merkel has banned her officials from speaking to the UK before the formal process of leaving the EU begins amid concerns about revealing Europe's negotiating position. A senior European diplomat told The Daily Telegraph that the council will be "critical" for Mrs May after her speech at the Conservative Party conference when she announced plans to end the supremacy of European courts over Britain and signalled that she is prepared to leave the Single Market. "She absolutely needs to demonstrate that she is serious about pushing this negotiation forward in a win-win manner before it is too late to rescue the situation," the source said. Meanwhile, support for the UK Independence Party has halved since the Britain voted to leave the European Union while Mrs May has extended her lead over Jeremy Corbyn, a new poll has found. The Conservatives have an 18 point lead over Labour, according to the latest Ipsos MORI poll. Theresa May will today (Thursday) use her first European Council to warn that Britain's vote to leave the EU must be respected and that there will be no second referendum. The Prime Minister will tell leaders over dinner in Brussels that she is "absolutely clear" that Britain will leave the European Union as she seeks to dispel suggestions in "certain quarters" that the UK could stay in. She will also say that she wants both a "strong Britain" and a "strong European Union" after Brexit, and stress that it is in everyone's interests that the process is "smooth and orderly". Mrs May yesterday admitted that negotiations may take longer than two years, meaning that the UK may not leave the EU until after April 2019. Mrs May told MPs for the first time that she could apply for an extension to European rules, which set a two-year deadline. She said: "Parliament will have its say but these will be lengthy negotiations over the course of those two years or more - Parliament will have its say in a whole variety of ways, not least of course in relation to the Great Repeal Bill." It yesterday emerged that Angela Merkel has banned her officials from speaking to the UK before the formal process of leaving the EU begins amid concerns about revealing Europe's negotiating position. A senior European diplomat told The Daily Telegraph that the council will be "critical" for Mrs May after her speech at the Conservative Party conference when she announced plans to end the supremacy of European courts over Britain and signalled that she is prepared to leave the Single Market. "She absolutely needs to demonstrate that she is serious about pushing this negotiation forward in a win-win manner before it is too late to rescue the situation," the source said. Meanwhile, support for the UK Independence Party has halved since the Britain voted to leave the European Union while Mrs May has extended her lead over Jeremy Corbyn, a new poll has found. The Conservatives have an 18 point lead over Labour, according to the latest Ipsos MORI poll. By The Daily Telegraph Russia has begun its biggest surface deployment since the end of the Cold War as it prepares to effectively end the war in Syria on the eve of the US election, Nato officials warned last night (Wednesday). The Kremlin is sending the full might of its Northern Fleet and part of the Baltic Fleet to reinforce a final assault on the city of Aleppo in a fortnight, according to Western intelligence. The final bombardment is designed to shore up the Assad regime by wiping out rebels - paving the way for a Russian exit from the civil war. The assault on the city will also serve to highlight US inaction in the run-up to election day and may aid Donald Trump. Yesterday, ahead of this morning's debate with Hillary Clinton, his presidential campaign released a letter from defence experts backing plans to increase the size of the US military. Royal Navy warships are due to escort a group of eight Russian warships, including the country's only aircraft carrier, as they sail past the UK on their way to the Mediterranean. Senior Royal Navy officers expect the task force to sail through the English Channel as early as today in a show of strength dismissed as "posturing" by defence sources. But a senior Nato diplomat said the deployment from the Northern Fleet's base near Murmansk would herald a renewed attack in Aleppo. "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. "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 additional military firepower is designed to drive out or destroy the 8,000 rebels in Aleppo, the only large city still in opposition hands, and to allow Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, 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. Mr Trump has consistently praised Mr Putin as a strong leader and has promised a closer relationship with Russia if he wins the Nov 8 US election. He has suggested that, if elected, he would meet the Russian president before the inauguration in January. Mr Putin has returned the compliment, calling the Republican nominee "outstanding and talented" - one of his closest political allies, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, urged Americans to vote for Mr Trump, calling him a "gift to humanity". Barack Obama said earlier this week that Mr Trump's admiration of Mr Putin was "unprecedented in American politics". Mr Obama said: "Mr Trump's continued flattery of Mr Putin and the degree to which he appears to model many of his policies and approaches to politics on Mr Putin... is out of step with not just what Democrats think but out of step with what up until the last few months, almost every Republican thought." The Royal Navy has deployed two warships to meet the Northern Fleet group, led by the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The frigate HMS Richmond is already escorting the group off the coast of Norway, while the destroyer HMS Duncan was last night on its way. HMS Dragon is due to sail to meet two Russian corvettes travelling towards the UK from the direction of Portugal. Photographs of the vessels, taken on Monday, were released by the Norwegian military. 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". Russia has begun its biggest surface deployment since the end of the Cold War as it prepares to effectively end the war in Syria on the eve of the US election, Nato officials warned last night (Wednesday). The Kremlin is sending the full might of its Northern Fleet and part of the Baltic Fleet to reinforce a final assault on the city of Aleppo in a fortnight, according to Western intelligence. The final bombardment is designed to shore up the Assad regime by wiping out rebels - paving the way for a Russian exit from the civil war. The assault on the city will also serve to highlight US inaction in the run-up to election day and may aid Donald Trump. Yesterday, ahead of this morning's debate with Hillary Clinton, his presidential campaign released a letter from defence experts backing plans to increase the size of the US military. Royal Navy warships are due to escort a group of eight Russian warships, including the country's only aircraft carrier, as they sail past the UK on their way to the Mediterranean. Senior Royal Navy officers expect the task force to sail through the English Channel as early as today in a show of strength dismissed as "posturing" by defence sources. But a senior Nato diplomat said the deployment from the Northern Fleet's base near Murmansk would herald a renewed attack in Aleppo. "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. "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 additional military firepower is designed to drive out or destroy the 8,000 rebels in Aleppo, the only large city still in opposition hands, and to allow Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, 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. Mr Trump has consistently praised Mr Putin as a strong leader and has promised a closer relationship with Russia if he wins the Nov 8 US election. He has suggested that, if elected, he would meet the Russian president before the inauguration in January. Mr Putin has returned the compliment, calling the Republican nominee "outstanding and talented" - one of his closest political allies, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, urged Americans to vote for Mr Trump, calling him a "gift to humanity". Barack Obama said earlier this week that Mr Trump's admiration of Mr Putin was "unprecedented in American politics". Mr Obama said: "Mr Trump's continued flattery of Mr Putin and the degree to which he appears to model many of his policies and approaches to politics on Mr Putin... is out of step with not just what Democrats think but out of step with what up until the last few months, almost every Republican thought." The Royal Navy has deployed two warships to meet the Northern Fleet group, led by the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The frigate HMS Richmond is already escorting the group off the coast of Norway, while the destroyer HMS Duncan was last night on its way. HMS Dragon is due to sail to meet two Russian corvettes travelling towards the UK from the direction of Portugal. Photographs of the vessels, taken on Monday, were released by the Norwegian military. 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". P K Balachandran By Express News Service COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has rejected Indias offer to set up solar energy plants at Sampur in Eastern Sri Lanka. The Indian offer had been by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he met Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Goa earlier this month. The Secretary to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Power, Suren Batagoda, told Express on Thursday, that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will execute the solar power project at Sampur, and India will set up a 500 MW power plant at Kerawelapatiya near Colombo on the West coast using Liquefied Natural Gas as the fuel. The government-owned Daily News had reported that the CEB engineers had wanted to do the solar power project themselves. Government has now given its consent to this proposal. India had offered to do the solar power projects as it has emerged as the leader for the Global Solar Energy Alliance floated by Prime Minister Modi along with the French President in 2015. India has an ambitious target to install 175GW of renewable energy by 2020 and make renewable energy sources account for 40 percent of the power produced by 2030. When Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had put up solar plants to generate 500 MW. COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has rejected Indias offer to set up solar energy plants at Sampur in Eastern Sri Lanka. The Indian offer had been by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he met Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Goa earlier this month. The Secretary to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Power, Suren Batagoda, told Express on Thursday, that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will execute the solar power project at Sampur, and India will set up a 500 MW power plant at Kerawelapatiya near Colombo on the West coast using Liquefied Natural Gas as the fuel. The government-owned Daily News had reported that the CEB engineers had wanted to do the solar power project themselves. Government has now given its consent to this proposal. India had offered to do the solar power projects as it has emerged as the leader for the Global Solar Energy Alliance floated by Prime Minister Modi along with the French President in 2015. India has an ambitious target to install 175GW of renewable energy by 2020 and make renewable energy sources account for 40 percent of the power produced by 2030. When Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had put up solar plants to generate 500 MW. By Associated Press BEIRUT: Hundreds of residents left a formerly rebel-controlled suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus Wednesday, as government and Russian forces prepared to open corridors out of the contested city of Aleppo in the hopes of facilitating an exodus from its rebel-held quarters. Aleppo's besieged eastern quarters experienced relative peace for the second consecutive day in the run-up to the hoped-for evacuation Thursday, after weeks of bombardment left the area in ruins. Russia's military has promised two corridors will be opened for militants to flee to the neighboring rebel-held province of Idlib, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m, while other corridors will allow civilians to move to government-held areas. The government's overture to rebels and civilians trapped in Aleppo's east follows a pattern of evacuations around the country that the U.N. has likened to "forced displacement." On Wednesday, some 2,000 residents of the once autonomous Moadamiyeh suburb of Damascus were carried by government buses to Idlib as part of an arrangement to restore government control after three years of siege at the hands of the military. Hassan Ghandour, a former Moadamiyeh resident who liaised between the suburb and besieging forces, said Wednesday the evacuees included 700 gunmen. He said the government is to release all detainees from the suburb in exchange for the evacuation. Several activists also left with the convoy. Wassim al-Ahmad told The Associated Press it would be "impossible" to live again under government authority, saying he didn't trust official promises for amnesty. Some of those remaining in Moadamiyeh struck a defiant tone. "I'm not going to settle anything with the government," said local resident Mahmoud, who declined to give his family name out of safety concerns. "I'm going to stay in my home." "I've spent five years of my life besieged here. I've been through war, siege, starvation ... bombardment, and poison gas I've survived with all this so I can stay here." The suburb and two other areas around the capital were gassed with sarin poison in 2013, according to a U.N. investigation. A Human Rights Watch report concluded the government was the most likely culprit. Some 28,000 people remain in Moadamiyeh, down from a pre-war population of 105,000, according to the government. In Aleppo, government buses queued at checkpoints leading to the besieged east prepared to take evacuees to Idlib on Thursday, according to the media arm of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside the government in Syria. The government's foreign ministry said soldiers were withdrawing from the designated corridors to reassure evacuees. It is unclear how many people will take up the government's offer after weeks of siege and bombardment pulverized the east and shattered its medical network. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 640 people, including 128 children, have been killed in rebel-held parts of Aleppo and the surrounding rural areas since a truce brokered by the U.S. and Russia collapsed on September 19. It said 88 people, including 14 children, were killed in retaliatory shelling on government-held Aleppo. Bassam Heji, a member of the Nour el-Din al-Zinki rebel faction, said the Russian offer is a "trap" that only reflects its intention to "exterminate" the residents of the eastern, rebel-held Aleppo neighborhoods. The arrangement follows a proposal by the U.N. Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to allow al-Qaida-linked militants to leave Aleppo in exchange for a truce and local autonomy for the city's eastern districts. Rebels, along with many residents, rejected the offer. Russia and Syria moved ahead unilaterally with the evacuation arrangements without making any promises for an extended cease-fire or self-administration, although Russian President Vladimir Putin has held out the hope of an indefinite halt to his country's airstrikes on Aleppo after meeting with the French and German leaders, who condemned Moscow's actions in the Syrian city. Russia had promised an eight-hour pause on Thursday in attacks on the city by Syrian government forces under the cover of Russian air power in order to allow suffering civilians to leave and to give rebels safe passage. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes. We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo," Putin said after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande in Berlin. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government would work with Russia's government to evacuate the al-Qaida-linked Fatah al-Sham Front, formerly known as Nusra Front from the east. Erdogan warned about the possibility of an influx of at least one million people to Turkey in the event of a population movement from Aleppo. "We cannot pay this cost. Those who incite this must sit down with Turkey and talk," he said. Elsewhere, a 44-truck convoy delivered food aid and health supplies to the rebel-held pocket of Douma, east of Damascus, the U.N. and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said. The suburb and surrounding towns are besieged by pro-government forces. Kurdish-led forces meanwhile pressed their campaign to drive Islamic State militants from areas in northern Aleppo province, expanding the front line with rival Turkish-backed opposition fighters also operating in the area, according to local rebels and activists. The Russian military accused a U.S.-led coalition airstrike of killing six civilians in Hassajek, hours before the announcement that the village had been taken from IS. Despite the brief lull in the fighting for Aleppo, most of the surrounding province has become Syria's hottest theater of combat, showcasing the complexity of the terrain where rival forces are vying for control. In the area of Hassajek, three rival groups are battling IS: the Kurdish-led forces, Turkey-backed Syrian rebels and troops loyal to the government of President Bashar Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Kurdish-led forces, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, gained control of Hassajek, killing at least 10 IS militants in fighting there. One of the fighting units in SDF, the Rebel Army, said in a statement that the clashes with IS militants continued for the third straight day further to the south. It said its troops also seized weapons and ammunition from IS. The advance by the Kurdish-led forces has widened the front line between them and rival Syrian rebels, who in recent weeks have pushed into northern Aleppo backed by Turkish tanks and aircraft, driving out the Islamic State group from villages and towns it controlled. The Turkey-backed offensive also aims to undercut Kurdish aspirations for a contiguous and independent east-to-west stretch of territory in Syria. The Russian military's Reconciliation Center in Syria said the strike Hassajek also wounded four people and destroyed two houses. Russian military surveillance spotted two Belgian F-16 fighter jets over the area at the time of the strike, the center said, adding that Russian and Syrian warplanes were not flying over the area. Russia's Tass news agency reported from Brussels that the Belgian defense minister denied Belgian aircraft had struck the area. BEIRUT: Hundreds of residents left a formerly rebel-controlled suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus Wednesday, as government and Russian forces prepared to open corridors out of the contested city of Aleppo in the hopes of facilitating an exodus from its rebel-held quarters. Aleppo's besieged eastern quarters experienced relative peace for the second consecutive day in the run-up to the hoped-for evacuation Thursday, after weeks of bombardment left the area in ruins. Russia's military has promised two corridors will be opened for militants to flee to the neighboring rebel-held province of Idlib, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m, while other corridors will allow civilians to move to government-held areas. The government's overture to rebels and civilians trapped in Aleppo's east follows a pattern of evacuations around the country that the U.N. has likened to "forced displacement." On Wednesday, some 2,000 residents of the once autonomous Moadamiyeh suburb of Damascus were carried by government buses to Idlib as part of an arrangement to restore government control after three years of siege at the hands of the military. Hassan Ghandour, a former Moadamiyeh resident who liaised between the suburb and besieging forces, said Wednesday the evacuees included 700 gunmen. He said the government is to release all detainees from the suburb in exchange for the evacuation. Several activists also left with the convoy. Wassim al-Ahmad told The Associated Press it would be "impossible" to live again under government authority, saying he didn't trust official promises for amnesty. Some of those remaining in Moadamiyeh struck a defiant tone. "I'm not going to settle anything with the government," said local resident Mahmoud, who declined to give his family name out of safety concerns. "I'm going to stay in my home." "I've spent five years of my life besieged here. I've been through war, siege, starvation ... bombardment, and poison gas I've survived with all this so I can stay here." The suburb and two other areas around the capital were gassed with sarin poison in 2013, according to a U.N. investigation. A Human Rights Watch report concluded the government was the most likely culprit. Some 28,000 people remain in Moadamiyeh, down from a pre-war population of 105,000, according to the government. In Aleppo, government buses queued at checkpoints leading to the besieged east prepared to take evacuees to Idlib on Thursday, according to the media arm of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside the government in Syria. The government's foreign ministry said soldiers were withdrawing from the designated corridors to reassure evacuees. It is unclear how many people will take up the government's offer after weeks of siege and bombardment pulverized the east and shattered its medical network. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 640 people, including 128 children, have been killed in rebel-held parts of Aleppo and the surrounding rural areas since a truce brokered by the U.S. and Russia collapsed on September 19. It said 88 people, including 14 children, were killed in retaliatory shelling on government-held Aleppo. Bassam Heji, a member of the Nour el-Din al-Zinki rebel faction, said the Russian offer is a "trap" that only reflects its intention to "exterminate" the residents of the eastern, rebel-held Aleppo neighborhoods. The arrangement follows a proposal by the U.N. Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to allow al-Qaida-linked militants to leave Aleppo in exchange for a truce and local autonomy for the city's eastern districts. Rebels, along with many residents, rejected the offer. Russia and Syria moved ahead unilaterally with the evacuation arrangements without making any promises for an extended cease-fire or self-administration, although Russian President Vladimir Putin has held out the hope of an indefinite halt to his country's airstrikes on Aleppo after meeting with the French and German leaders, who condemned Moscow's actions in the Syrian city. Russia had promised an eight-hour pause on Thursday in attacks on the city by Syrian government forces under the cover of Russian air power in order to allow suffering civilians to leave and to give rebels safe passage. "We informed them of our intention to continue, as much as possible, considering the situation on Syrian territory, a pause in the air strikes. We are ready to do this for as long as there are no clashes with rebel formations entrenched in Aleppo," Putin said after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande in Berlin. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government would work with Russia's government to evacuate the al-Qaida-linked Fatah al-Sham Front, formerly known as Nusra Front from the east. Erdogan warned about the possibility of an influx of at least one million people to Turkey in the event of a population movement from Aleppo. "We cannot pay this cost. Those who incite this must sit down with Turkey and talk," he said. Elsewhere, a 44-truck convoy delivered food aid and health supplies to the rebel-held pocket of Douma, east of Damascus, the U.N. and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said. The suburb and surrounding towns are besieged by pro-government forces. Kurdish-led forces meanwhile pressed their campaign to drive Islamic State militants from areas in northern Aleppo province, expanding the front line with rival Turkish-backed opposition fighters also operating in the area, according to local rebels and activists. The Russian military accused a U.S.-led coalition airstrike of killing six civilians in Hassajek, hours before the announcement that the village had been taken from IS. Despite the brief lull in the fighting for Aleppo, most of the surrounding province has become Syria's hottest theater of combat, showcasing the complexity of the terrain where rival forces are vying for control. In the area of Hassajek, three rival groups are battling IS: the Kurdish-led forces, Turkey-backed Syrian rebels and troops loyal to the government of President Bashar Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Kurdish-led forces, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, gained control of Hassajek, killing at least 10 IS militants in fighting there. One of the fighting units in SDF, the Rebel Army, said in a statement that the clashes with IS militants continued for the third straight day further to the south. It said its troops also seized weapons and ammunition from IS. The advance by the Kurdish-led forces has widened the front line between them and rival Syrian rebels, who in recent weeks have pushed into northern Aleppo backed by Turkish tanks and aircraft, driving out the Islamic State group from villages and towns it controlled. The Turkey-backed offensive also aims to undercut Kurdish aspirations for a contiguous and independent east-to-west stretch of territory in Syria. The Russian military's Reconciliation Center in Syria said the strike Hassajek also wounded four people and destroyed two houses. Russian military surveillance spotted two Belgian F-16 fighter jets over the area at the time of the strike, the center said, adding that Russian and Syrian warplanes were not flying over the area. Russia's Tass news agency reported from Brussels that the Belgian defense minister denied Belgian aircraft had struck the area. By PTI BRUSSELS: NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern today that a Russian aircraft carrier battlegroup could join attacks on Syria's besieged city of Aleppo. Warships from NATO member Britain were shadowing the battle group through the North Sea and Stoltenberg said NATO navies would closely monitor the warships in "a responsible and measured" way as it headed to the Mediterranean. "We are concerned Russia's carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which increase human and civilian suffering," Stoltenberg said at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "What creates concern now is that this group may be used to... increase attacks on Aleppo," the former Norwegian premier said after talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. "NATO navies will in a normal way monitor Russian ships and do so in a responsible and measured way as they always do because this is the way we follow Russian military actions," he added. A Royal Navy spokesman told AFP earlier the eight-strong group including the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was the biggest deployment of Russian naval assets seen off British shores in recent years. Britain's HMS Richmond frigate and the HMS Duncan air defence destroyer were monitoring the task group, which included the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer. The deployment comes after Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of its Northern Fleet, would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to boost Russian naval forces in the area. Russia launched a bombing campaign in September last year in support of long-time Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and deployed a naval contingent to back up the operations which have focused on rebel positions in Aleppo. BRUSSELS: NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern today that a Russian aircraft carrier battlegroup could join attacks on Syria's besieged city of Aleppo. Warships from NATO member Britain were shadowing the battle group through the North Sea and Stoltenberg said NATO navies would closely monitor the warships in "a responsible and measured" way as it headed to the Mediterranean. "We are concerned Russia's carrier group will support military operations in Syria in ways which increase human and civilian suffering," Stoltenberg said at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "What creates concern now is that this group may be used to... increase attacks on Aleppo," the former Norwegian premier said after talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. "NATO navies will in a normal way monitor Russian ships and do so in a responsible and measured way as they always do because this is the way we follow Russian military actions," he added. A Royal Navy spokesman told AFP earlier the eight-strong group including the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was the biggest deployment of Russian naval assets seen off British shores in recent years. Britain's HMS Richmond frigate and the HMS Duncan air defence destroyer were monitoring the task group, which included the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer. The deployment comes after Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of its Northern Fleet, would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to boost Russian naval forces in the area. Russia launched a bombing campaign in September last year in support of long-time Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and deployed a naval contingent to back up the operations which have focused on rebel positions in Aleppo. Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P. Dominicans wearing rosaries and cappelli romani (Roman hats) Blessed Venvenuta St. Dominic, no Habit Rosary, 1593 St. Dominc wearing the Rosary, by Coello St. Rose of Lima with a Rosary 15861617) would have worn her Rosary around her neck, as that was the practice among Dominicans in Peru during her time. This, even though he has all the rest of her dress incorrect, painting her in the habit of a cloistered nun, rather than in the Tertiary habit she would have worn, with a white veil, no scapular, white tunic, and black mantle. In the wake of a recent post on St. Martin de Porres, which included a discussion of the Tertiary (Third Order) habit that the oldest painting of his shows him wearing, a commentator asked when the Holy Rosary became an official part of the Dominican habit. This seemed an easy question to answer, but it proved more complicated. The first thing I did was to look in the most recent version of the(2014), appendix 3, which describes our habit. It says absolutely nothing about the Rosary. Perhaps then, the Rosary was dropped after the major revision of our Constitutions in 1968. I checked there in appendix 3: nothing on the Rosary.But my quandary was resolved by a message from Fr. Martin Wallace, ho called my attention to n. 50 of the 1969 Constitutions which says. "The habit of the Order consists of a white tunic with a white scapular and capuce, with a black cappa and capuce, a leather belt and rosary." And so n. 50 reads for all revisions of the Constitutions up to the present age, even though Appendix 3 in each addition never mentions it. This legislation is virtually identical to that no n. 601 of the Pre-Vatican-II constitutions of 1954 and 1932, although these specify that the Rosary is to hang from the belt. These norms descend from n. 892 of the 1924 Constitutions, which mentions the Rosary but says nothing of where it is worn. And this legislation is the first official entry of the Rosary into the Constitutions as part of the habit. It was undoubtedly introduced as part of the reform of the older law (as witnessed in Jandel) in the wake of the new Code of Canon Law in 1917.So what of the Rosary and the habit before that date? I find that, in 1879, the founder of my Western Dominican Province , Fr. Francis-Sadoc Vilarrassa, a noted canonist of his time, wrote, commenting on the, Though there is not any ordinance as to the wearing of Rosaries, it seems were are bound to wear them in virtue of the ancient and universal custom of the order. So before 1924 Dominicans wore the habit Rosary, not because of legislation, but because of custom with force of law. How custom become law is no our topic here, but rather the question is when did the custom arise and when did it become universal.In the thirteenth century, the practice of reciting set numbers ofs (Our Fathers) was already a popular lay devotion. I have collected examples of this from the lives of Italian saints and blesseds of the period in my book Cities of God . My favorite is the Dominican blessed, Benvenuta Bojani (1254-1292) From the age of seven to twelve, she said 100s ands daily, doing 100 prostrations in honor of the Lords Nativity and a second 100 prostrations in honor of his Resurrection. To this she later added 1000s in honor of the Blessed Virgin, except on Saturdays, Our Ladys special day, when she doubled the number. So she was not only sayings but alsos.In our primitive constitutions (ca. 1220), theor lay brothers (now called cooperator brothers) were required to say set numbers ofs for the various canonical hours, which they could not sing with the clerics because they normally were illiterate and had manual labor to do to support the community. But in 1252, the Provincial Chapter of Dacia, held at Lund in what is today Sweden, made the first attempt to add a 100s to the 100s lay brothers said in their suffrages for dead. This did not last, but by the early 1300s, 100s ands had became thesuffrage for a dead member of their community. Then, in 1366, the General Chapter at Rome first addeds to alls that thesaid instead of the Divine Office. After some back and forth, this practice was finalized by the early 1400s. But none of this was the Dominican Rosary as we know it, with 15 decades of 1, 10s, and a. As far as we can tell, that form, with a set of 15 mysteries to meditate on, first appeared in the writings of Dominic of Prussia (13821461), a Carthusian monk. So, the custom of wearing the Rosary has to datethe mid-1460s.Famously, Bl. Alan de la Roche, O.P. (d. 1475) promoted the devotion to the Rosary throughout the last 16 years of his life, preaching and writing about it. In 1470, he founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. Later legends (recorded only after his death) ascribe to him visions of Our Lady, the Rosary, and St. Dominic, supposedly dated to about 1460, so the earliest date for Dominican habit Rosaries would be the late 1400s. And, indeed, the earliest image I know of showing a rosary is a woodcut dated to that period. It also shows Dominic, though not wearing it, and I reproduce it here.There is nothing that I have found that indicates any Dominican wearing of, or legislation on, the Holy Rosary, however, for another 100 years. By then, I understand that in the 1540s, Fray Domingo Betanzos , O.P. (d. 1549), first provincial of the Dominican province of Mexico, required friars of that Province to wear a Rosary around their necks. This practice would then spread with Spanish Dominicans to South America, and eventually to the Philippines and the Far East. This is the first example of wearing of the Holy Rosary with the habit, although it is not universal and not on the belt. On September 1569, the Dominican Pope, Saint Pius V, acknowledged as a pious belief the legends linking Dominic and the Holy Rosary, usually connected with Alan de la Roche, in his bull Consueverunt Romani Pontifices , which also granted indulgences for those saying it and meditating on the mysteries. Then in 1571 comes the first-known mention of the Rosary in any legislation of the Order as a whole The General Chapter at Rome in that year urged the promotion of the Rosary in preaching. This is not surprising, as that was the year of the great victory over the Muslim invasion of Christian Europe at the Battle of Lepanto, a victory that Pope Pius ascribed to praying the Rosary.By 1583, however, the General Chapter at Rome first mentioned the recitation of the Holy Rosary in an ordinance of the whole order; it allowed lay brothers and Tertiaries () to replace the 100s ands in suffrages for the dead with five decades of the Rosary. In 1596, the order gave the title Our Lady of the Holy Rosary to the new province of the Philippines and the Orient. However, I find no evidence that the Spanish Dominion practice of wearing the Rosary around the neck had spread any beyond the Spanish missions. In 1593, for example, a title page of Spanish catechism still shows St. Dominic without any habit Rosary, as you can see to the left.Nevertheless, as is clear from the image of the elderly St. Martin de Porres I featured in my earlier post that, in the Spanish Dominions at least, the wearing of a Rosary around the neck had become common, even customary. Then, in 1670, at the Rome Chapter, the daily recitation of the Rosary in choir by all friars, priests as well as lay brothers, was mandated, a requirement that remains to this day when not impeded by pastoral responsibilities.Artistic evidence in the later 1600s suggests that it is in that period that the wearing of the Rosary, now on the belt, finally became a universal custom. It is very difficult to trace the introduction of customs, but artistic representations are usually a good indication, and it is in the 1660s and 1670s, that artists first begin to portray Dominican saints wearing a Rosary. A good example from this period is the painting to the right by the Spanish late-Baroque painter Claudio Coello (164293), which shows St. Dominic wearing the Fifteen-Decade Dominican Rosary. I do not claim that this is the earliest example of this iconography, only the earliest I have found. If a reader knows of a dated earlier example, I would be happy to add it to this post.It is interesting that the same artist knew that St. Rose of Lima (It certainly was so by the 1700s, as I know of no images of Dominicans from that century or later without it. If, however, anyone knows an image of that late date showing a Dominican without a habit Rosary, let me now and I will add it to this post. Vote now! Who is The Daily News Athlete of the Week for Oct. 24-30? Champaign, IL (61820) Today A shower is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A shower is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Beckman Coulter Life Sciences further demonstrates its expertise in clinical flow cytometry with the launch of ClearLLab LS Lymphoid Screen Reagent, Europes first CE-marked 10-colour, 12 antibody reagent combination for leukaemia and lymphoma analysis. ClearLLab's products hot tubes The ClearLLab LS Lymphoid Screen delivers greater confidence in results with a faster turnaround time (TAT). It eliminates 14 manual workflow steps, while streamlining five others; and is available through a dry unitized, ready to use formulation. ClearLLab has been specifically designed for the fast and accurate identification of haematolymphoid cell populations on the companys Navios flow cytometer. Mario Koksch, vice president and general manager of Beckman Coulters Cytometry Business Unit said: Beckman Coulter provides lab scientists with the tools they need to standardise and streamline workflow when using high content flow cytometry in clinical decision-making. By eliminating 14 workflow steps, we empower them to achieve much faster and more consistent turnaround times. Flow cytometry offers significant advantages over other cell-based techniques, such as precision, speed, the preservation of cell viability and cellular functions, and simultaneous measurements of multiple cellular parameters. As Dr Kosch explained: If survival rates are to be improved, we need to be able to diagnose life-threatening haematolymphoid diseases as quickly as possible. With ClearLLab LS Lymphoid Screen, the lab now has the means to speed up the delivery of patient results to clinicians, while having added confidence in their accuracy. The ClearLLab LS Lymphoid Screen is the first of an advanced range of Beckman Coulter clinical flow cytometry products which will cater to different global workflow requirements over the next five years. It is compatible with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2008-revised classification of myeloid neoplasms and acute leukemia. WHO, in collaboration with the European Association for Haematopathology and the Society for Haematopathology, made important changes to the classification of these diseases, including new criteria for the recognition of some previously described neoplasms as well as clarification and refinement of the defining criteria for others.1 Beckman Coulters clinical flow instruments The Navios (www.beckman.com/coulter-flow-cytometry/instruments/flow-cytometers/navios) delivers increased accuracy and resolution even for dim stains and quantitation, able to maintain a high yield of processed signals, more than 90 per cent, even at 25,000 events per second. The instrument incorporates 12 detectors which include 10 fluorescence detectors and two light scattering detectors. Simultaneous measurements of integral, peak and width are available for all scatter measurements and up to 10 fluorescent parameters. The ClearLLab product line also includes five panels of pre-mixed cocktails in liquid format for those customers carrying out flow cytometry characterisation of hematolymphoid neoplasia on Beckman Coulters FC 500 instrument. Delaware Technology Park celebrated the opening of its new 10,000 square-foot laboratory incubator located on University of Delawares STAR Campus. A wide range of regional leaders representing government, academia and private industry attended the celebratory event. The new space, called [email protected], is home to twelve promising science-based entrepreneurial companies. DeNovix Inc. was acknowledged for laboratory equipment donated to [email protected]s shared services portfolio. Mike Bowman, President of the Delaware Technology Park, and one of leaders that drove the incubator from its inception stated, As a world-class supplier of speciality instruments, DeNovix is a welcome collaborator for [email protected] tenants. Access to state-of-the-art instrumentation enables young companies to grow and scale more quickly. Bowman thanked DeNovix during his opening remarks of the ribbon cutting ceremony. The DeNovix DS-11 FX+ is ideal for installation in a research facility like [email protected] Start-up companies frequently make tough budget choices and often have to use equipment that isnt fit for their specific needs or that isnt the latest technology, said Fred Kielhorn, CEO of DeNovix. We didnt want our fellow Delaware-based companies to have to compromise anything about their research and technology commercialization efforts. Our instrument is easy to learn, extremely sensitive and highly flexible. Since DNA, RNA and protein quantification are core to so many life science workflows, the DS-11 FX+ will help these companies for years to come. The well-attended event featured remarks from U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams, U.S. Senator Christopher Coons, Congressman John Carney, Delaware Governor Jack Markell and University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis. During a facility tour, the officials visited the shared services laboratory where the DeNovix instrument is installed. Senator Coons and Congressman Carney had the opportunity to experience a hands-on demonstration of the DS-11 FX+ from Kielhorn. Both Congressmen commented positively about the compact size and the smart-phone-like user experience. The patented DeNovix DS-11 FX+ combines absorbance and fluorescence technologies to deliver the most flexible and complete system available for nucleic acid and protein quantification. DeNovix SmartPath Technology enables rapid and accurate 1 L UV-Vis quantification over an industry-leading dynamic range of 0.75 ng/L dsDNA to 37500 ng/L. The addition of fluorescence also enables researchers to measure picogram concentrations of sample with increased specificity in one compact instrument. The DS-11 FX Series features full Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet connectivity allowing users to easily export data via email, a USB drive, to network drives or network printers, or print cryotube labels with an optional printer. Measurements are made using DeNovix highly rated, custom Android operating system and a high-resolution, glove-compatible touch screen. Intuitive EasyApps software featuring pre-configured and custom applications make the DS-11 Series easy to use as well as powerful and flexible. Leading medical device design and manufacturing company ITL is unveiling something exciting at MEDICA tradeshow in Dusseldorf, Germany this November. The project, which has been dubbed the concept car of diagnostics, encompasses a world of medical possibilities and applications in one device. ITLs device employs the newest technologies in the field from near-field communication (NFC) and wireless charging to an associated tablet app and Bluetooth data transmission, to show visitors what is possible and where the industry is going next. Mechanical Engineer Sukie Whitehall, a recent graduate of the University of Birmingham and one of the key members of the project team said, The idea behind it is that the device can invoke some creativity in our clients and people who might want to work with us in the future. This is a demonstrator of where the market is going and we believe that when visitors interact with it at the show they cant help but apply their own ideas and think about future applications. She added: The project also shows that we have a team of very capable industrial designers and engineers at ITL who can make groundbreaking ideas a reality. This project is not a product in its own right, but instead an illustration of creative ideas, exploration of possibilities and physical embodiment of future technologies in MedTech and IVDs. ITL is an experienced full-service subcontract company, celebrating 40 years in the medical and diagnostic sector next year. Their portfolio includes in-vitro diagnostics (IVD), point-of-care devices, cancer staging and treatment, surgical robots and next generation DNA sequencing. Steve Hope, the companys New Product Development Manager, will be at ITLs stand at MEDICA from 14-17th November. He said: We look forward to seeing peoples reactions to our project, and in particular how they interact with it. The motivation behind this venture was start a conversation about innovation and get people to think about it differently we want them to question how they can use this technology and to do something new or to future-proof existing products. ITL will be on Stand H20, in Hall 3 at MEDICA. As well as demonstrating the latest innovation, the team will be giving advice, staging competitions and giving visitors a chance to win free Kentish beer. To learn more about the project from ITLs Sukie Whitehall watch ITLs YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/PHI7U73QqE8 Sufferers of hypersensitivity to common antibiotics like penicillin and amoxicillin will soon find help with a new allergy detector, a low-cost, bio-photonic device that will be 6 times faster and 100 times more efficient than current technology, providing more targeted treatment for millions of patients. Over 2.5 million people in Europe and more than 5.4 million Americans suffer from hypersensitivity to Beta Lactam Antibiotics (BLCs), the most commonly prescribed drugs that contain the penicillin family, with up to 10 percent of people reporting an allergy. Despite its effectiveness, many people avoid penicillin and its relatives fearing a severe allergic reaction, where symptoms can include wheezing, coughing, breathing problems, tissue swelling, or in some serious cases anaphylaxis, requiring urgent medical attention. Currently, anaphylaxis leads to 5001,000 deaths per year in the United States, 20 deaths per year in the United Kingdom, and 15 deaths per year in Australia. It is thought that drugs may be accountable for as many as 1 in 2 anaphylactic deaths. With existing in-vitro allergy detection technology delivering a waiting time of over 3 hours and a cost of 30 per allergen, a team of European researchers running the Horizon 2020 project COBIOPHAD (Compact Biophotonic Platform for Drug Allergy Diagnosis), aim to improve this with their scanning device employing the latest photonics technology. Similar in size to a small notebook computer, the detector, which could be used in hospitals in as little as five years, examines a tiny plasma sample from the patients blood, producing a result in less than 30 minutes and at a cost of 2.40 per allergen, a twelfth of the current price. It works by reading a compact disc-like cartridge with a laser, similar to the way an everyday CD ROM drive in your computer works. The cartridge contains pre-loaded Beta Lactam reagents which will recognise a specific Immunoglobulin E (IgE), (the antibody contained in blood that plays a vital part in manifestation of allergy), and a secondary tracer antibody. When the patients blood sample is run across the cartridge, if there is a positive response the lgE will recognise the antibiotic and the laser will read the reaction product, leading to an unambiguous detection. The intensity of this signal is related to the levels of hypersensitivity within the patient for ten different targeted Beta Lactams. Although similar laser-reading tests exist, the COBIPHAD device distinguishes itself not only in terms of speed, cost and size, but also because it has the potential to look at a greater number of samples per disc by testing different drugs at different compartments of the cartridge and avoiding contamination. Exploitation Manager, Dr Ian McKay explains: The COBIOPHAD device aims to take drug hypersensitivity detection into a new era: compared to current tests our device can deliver a rapid diagnosis of the main allergenic BLCs in less than half an hour, making it 6 times faster. With an improved in vitro diagnostic (IVD), we offer a much more patient-friendly alternative to the invasive and risky in vivo testing. Current IVDs, developed with bulky auto-analysers and based on classical technologies, show poor sensitivity (less than 40%) and detection limits (more than 0.2 kU per litre), analyse only five beta-lactam antibiotics and give false-positive and negative results. The COBIOPHAD approach must reach a sensitivity of 80% with a detection limit below 0.1 kU per litre. It deploys an increased multiplexing capability, looking at more samples per disc and examines a greater number of BLCs per sample. As a result the overall system is a hundred times more efficient. With savings of 27.60 per patient amounting to a colossal 69 million per year from European sufferers, and by significantly reducing the costs from additional hospitalization from allergic reactions to certain drugs creating potential savings in this area of up to 4500 per patient, the COBIOPHAD team have large scale ambitions. Earlier this year the COBIOPHAD project received a grant of 3,734,780.64 from the EU via the H2020 and the Photonics Public Private Partnership. Concluding at the end of 2018, COBIOPHAD is made up of a number of high profile European organisations, including Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Montpellier (France), Dr. Fooke-Achterrath Laboratorien GMBH (Germany), DAS Photonics (Spain), Fundacion para La Investigacion del Hospital Universitario de la Comunidad Valenciana (Spain), Optoelectronica (Romania), Stiftelsen Sintef (Norway), EurExploit Ltd (UK), STRATEC Consumables (Austria) and Biotronics 3D Limited (UK) Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), sometimes referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a mysterious, debilitating and misunderstood disease that affects an estimated 1 million Americans, will be the focus of an international conference on October 27-30, 2016. The biennial meeting targeting researchers, clinicians, patients and others impacted by CFS/ME, will be held at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The conference is organized by the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (IACFS/ME). Fort Lauderdale-based Nova Southeastern University (NSU), home of the world-renowned Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, is the host institution for the biennial conference. Hundreds of scientists and clinicians will discuss and debate the characteristics of this illness, its relationship to other illnesses such as fibromyalgia, and the best ways to diagnose and treat it. A portion of the conference is devoted to patients and their families wanting to learn more about the latest discoveries in this field. Sessions will highlight advances in many areas, including brain abnormalities, post-exertional exacerbation of symptoms, fatigue, sleep, pain, immune system defects, viruses, pediatric cases and potential treatments. Highlights of the conference include: Alison Bested, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada: speaking on how to diagnose and treat CFS/ME and multiple chemical sensitivities Nancy Klimas, M.D., director, NSU Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, professor and chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology, NSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, USA: moderating a panel of clinicians addressing difficult clinical cases Vicky Whittemore, Ph.D., program director, Synapses, Channels and Neural Circuits Cluster, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH staff, USA: discussing renewed CFS/ME research program and secrets to getting research funded ystein Fluge, M.D., Ph.D., senior consultant, and Olav Mella, M.D., Ph.D., professor, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway: giving the latest updates on their trials of rituximab as a disease-modifying treatment for CFS/ME A day-long series of talks aimed at patients and their caregivers: hear from national and international experts. The public is also welcome to attend all four days of the conference. The conference will be held at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort located at 321 N. Lauderdale Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For additional information about the conference and to register, visit: http://www. iacfsme. org. Additionally, host institution Nova Southeastern University's Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine is holding a pre-conference seminar on Wednesday, October 26 at 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. focusing on "Complex Neuro Inflammatory Conditions: Gulf War Illness (GWI) and CFS/ME." The seminar will include a panel discussion of leaders from the Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Open Medicine Foundation to examine the power of collaboration in understanding these complex medical conditions. Separate registration is required. The World Health Organization and health partners urgently require support from the international donor community to contain the spread of acute watery diarrhoea/cholera in Yemen. A total of US$ 22.35 million is required by the Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene clusters, of which US$ 16.6 million is immediately required. As of 17 October, a total of 340 suspected cases have been reported, of which 18 have tested positive forVibrio cholerae in Taiz, Al-Hudaydah, Aden, Al Bayda, Lahj, and Sanaa governorates. Patients are currently receiving treatment. No deaths have been reported. More than 7.6 million people are living in the affected areas, and more than 3 million internally displaced persons are especially vulnerable to the outbreak. The health of these populations is already compromised as a result of food shortages, increased malnutrition and lack of adequate health services. Without a sustained multisector response, cases of acute watery diarrhoea/cholera are likely to increase, with up to 76 000 additional cases across 15 governorates, including 15 200 severe cases requiring admission for cholera treatment. As a result of the ongoing conflict, two thirds of Yemenis do not have access to clean water and sanitation services are limited, especially in cities, further increasing the risk of catching cholera. This is further aggravated by a decline in the national health systems capacity to respond to the cholera outbreak due to critical shortages in resources. As of October 2016, only 45% of all health facilities in Yemen remain functional due to shortages in health staff, medicines and medical supplies. With the overall goal of reducing mortality and morbidity related to acute watery diarrhoea/cholera, health cluster partners aim to reach 3.8 million at-risk people through: Strengthening surveillance system; Providing access to health care services; Providing support for central public health laboratories; and Improving knowledge of people at risk. Since the beginning of the outbreak, WHO has provided 10 diarrhoeal disease kits for Sana'a, Al-Baidha, Aden, Taiz, and Al-Hudaydah governorates, sufficient to meet the needs of approximately 1000 patients with severe acute watery diarrhoea/cholera and 4000 mild cases of acute watery diarrhoea. WHO has also distributed chlorine tablets to disinfect water sufficient to meet the needs of 23 000 households for one month. To strengthen surveillance case detection and response to the current outbreak, WHO has trained epidemiological and laboratory surveillance coordinators in 16 out of Yemen's 23 governorates on notification, reporting, control and prevention of cholera. Ongoing efforts by WHO and partners to respond to the outbreak must be urgently scaled up to respond to the outbreak, and this is only possible if additional funding is available. New Delhi: Around 32 lakh debit card holders in India have been affected by one of the largest ever breaches of financial data in the country, Economic Times reported today. Customers of the State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, YES Bank and Axis Bank are among those affected and the banks will either replace their cards or ask them to change their security codes. The fraudsters were able to steal information by way of malware introduced to Hitachi Payment Services, which provides ATM and point of sale services. Mastercard and Visa debit cards constitute around 26 lakh cards while 6 lakh cards are RuPay cards, Economic Times said, quoting unnamed sources. YES Bank, in a statement, said that "there is no evidence of a breach or compromise on YES Bank ATMs". The bank also said that its ATM network and payment services are completely safe to use. Banks had been receiving complaints from customers about misuse of their cards, including purported use in ATMs in China. The banks in turn alerted Visa and Mastercard. A forensic audit is being conducted by payment security specialists SISA. SBIs Chief Information Officer, Mrutyunjau Mahapatra, was quoted by ET saying that the bank had blocked 6 lakh debit cards as a precautionary measure. Mahapatra said that the SBI network of ATMs had not been breached. A spokesperson for HDFC bank was also quoted as advising their customers to use only HDFC ATMs. Meet the famous CPL (APF) Lee Minwei at Changi Airport. Say hello to our good looking officer when you see him! https://t.co/bj5yFOEwUa pic.twitter.com/CMvmKqt7Wo Certis CISCO (@Certis_CISCO) October 14, 2016 After the Internet went gaga over a blue-eyed Pakistani chaiwala Arshad Khan, social media users are now drooling over a hot security guard on duty at Singapore's Changi airport.A photo of Lee Minwei, 22, a corporal in Certis Cisco, was shared by the agency on Twitter on October 14. Soon after his image came to notice, he became an instant hit with netizens. People were mesmerized by his boyish charm and innocent look.Within hours, the 22-year-old heartthrob became a celebrity after his photos, in which he is seen reviewing security at the airport, went viral.Social media users demanded that his identity be revealed and that details about him be disclosed.Finally giving in to people's demand, on October 17, authorities at the Changi airport posted a picture of Minwei and details about him on their verified Facebook page.The authorities at the airport caption the image with a note which read, "Lee Minwei, 22, is a Corporal in the Auxiliary Police Force at Certis Cisco. Being part of the team that upholds security at Changi Airport is something Minwei is both passionate about and deeply interested in."I really enjoy learning more about the security measures at Changi, and keeping others safe. Also, seeing travellers and tourists excited to go on their trips makes me happy too. That's why I always smile more at work, and hopefully it helps brighten up someone else's day."He agrees that his most interesting experience from working in the airport the past 7 months, is his sudden online popularity, after a Twitter picture of him on duty, went viral."There are times when tourists ask me to take photos with them, but I never expected something like this to happen. It was really quite a shock. My friends and family tease me a lot, but I have a feeling my younger brother is slightly jealous. I think my three siblings and I are all attractive in our own way. We took after our parents' good looks my mother has really beautiful eyes.""I am single, but not actively looking for a relationship right now because I want to focus on my career. I believe things will happen naturally if it's meant to be, and if the right girl comes along." #FacesofChangi (sic)."As of filing this story, the Facebook post had over 11,000 shares and more than 36,000 likes.So, if you are planning a trip to Singapore, remember to meet Minwei who works at Terminal 2 of the Changi airport, as revealed by the authorities on Facebook. New Delhi: Controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma on rejected allegations of purported defence leaks by BJP MP Varun Gandhi to him saying the emails and photographs being circulated are "fabricated" and questioned the motive of the releases made on Thursday. "At the outset, I deny all the allegations contained in the aforesaid 7-page letter. I also deny all the allegations levelled by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan today at their press conference. "Allen is a known forger and he had in the past also morphed some photos of another individual and I had filed a case of criminal defamation against Allen in Patiala House Court on February 6, 2012. The case trial is on and the matter is subjudice," Verma said in a statement issued on Thursday night. He said the so called "emails and photos are fabricated as I had not issued nor photographed Gandhi nor referred to him anywhere. "These are attempts on part of Allen to defame me, and others named in the letter. Allen is a known forger and there is a suit pending under sections of Information Technology Act and forgery at Patiala House courts which is subjudice therefore, this new act today orchestrated by Allen is true to his nature of character assassination by forgery and deceit. "I will be initiating a suit for criminal defamation against C Edmonds Allen and maybe against Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav shortly," he said. He questioned as to why Allen did not disclose these contents, made public today, when a joint team of CBI and Enforcement Directorate visited the latter in New York in 2012. "Why is it that Allen did not provide these photos or talked about the angle of blackmailing of Gandhi to the CBI and ED? Why now after four years when last month I was granted bail by Honourable Courts?," he said. With regard to the Scorpene deal, Verma said the "Delhi High Court had on January 13, 2016 dismissed the PIL filed by Bhushan on Scorpene Submarines purchase in which I was implicated as a party by Bhushan, as it had no merit. "Bhushan suppressed the above fact of dismissal of his PIL in this issue in his tweet of last week and also in (Thursdays) press conference. The act of Bhushan tantamounts to contempt of court," he said. About 150 companies, including some big ones like Deloitte and Tata Consultancy are camping in Vijayawada to pick the best job aspirants from just one community - Kapu.At a three-day mega job mela held at a college campus there from October 19-21 the Andhra Pradesh State Kapu Welfare and Development Corporation is asking candidates from the Kapu caste to come forward and apply for jobs."If you are a young Kapu looking for a job, then attend the mela and make use of the opportunity created by CM Chandrababu Naidu," says the banner.Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chinarajappa, who inaugurated the job mela in Vijayawada on Wednesday, said the government is committed to the welfare of the community. Over the three days, the companies are expected to absorb over 10,000 students.But others are questioning - most of them privately, considering the political clout of the Kapu community who number more than 25% of the population in AP - the very concept, saying it will create caste conflict."This is nothing but mere politics. If the government is genuinely interested in creating jobs then it should look into all communities and identify those who are in need. What is happening now will only create bitterness between communities," says Jaya Prakash Narayana, political analyst and chief of the Loksatta Party.Earlier in January, an agitation by Kapu community seeking inclusion in the Backward Classes category turned violent at Tuni where protesters went on a rampage setting on fire a passenger train, police station and private vehicles.Since then, the government has been making efforts to meet their various demands, the main one being to include Kapus in the list of Backward Castes. The job mela is seen as an attempt to buy some time and peace."The Kapus are demanding inclusion in the BC quota, but that state government is not doing anything. They are trying to dilute the issue. It's not right on the part of the government to use caste for political advantage," says YSR Congress MLA Shrikanth Reddy.Those who are against the Vijayawada event say that though they were very much in favour of social justice for the Kapus they are against caste-based job mela which create unncessary divisions. New Delhi: With eight more birds succumbing to bird flu in Delhi, authorities on Thursday shut down the popular Deer Park and warned people not to touch any dead bird. Deaths of two more birds each were reported in Delhi Zoo and Deer Park while three dead birds were spotted in Sundar Nagar, near the zoo, and one in Tughlakabad in the city's deep south. Giving details, Delhi's Animal Husbandry Minister Gopal Rai said the total number of deaths of migratory birds in the capital since last week had touched 18. "We are trying our level best to control the situation before it gets bad. For now, citizens need not worry and just be careful and alert," Rai said. "Reports of dead birds have come from various areas including Sundar Nagar, Tughlakabad and Deer Park. Deer Park has been closed for reasons of safety," Rai said, adding he will visit the park on Friday at 2 pm. "I appeal to the citizens not to touch any dead bird and to instead inform the Animal Husbandry Department on the Helpline," he added. The government fears that the deaths may be due to H5 influenza virus which causes avian or bird flu. Rai said 50 samples from the zoo, various bird sanctuaries in the city and poultry markets in Delhi had been sent to labs for analysis. Both the Delhi zoo, closed on Tuesday, and the Deer Park will remain shut until normalcy returns. On Wednesday, the Delhi government announced a Helpline (011-2389 0318) to report cases of bird flu and seek help. Rai said he would write to the concerned ministers of neighbouring states urging them to take precautionary steps and to coordinate with the Delhi government in its attempts to curb the outbreak. The Delhi government has set up a 23-member committee to coordinate work among various departments and to probe the reasons behind the bird deaths since last week. The committee will be headed by Development Commissioner Sandeep Kumar. On Wednesday, Rai set up six rapid response teams to visit various places including bird sanctuaries and poultry markets. On Thursday, Rai increased their number to 10. All leave in the concerned departments have been cancelled. The first deaths of two migratory birds were reported on October 14 in the Delhi Zoo, where six more birds were found dead the next day. One more bird each died on October 17 and 19. Samples of the eight birds were sent to a lab in Jalandhar and to Bhopal, which confirmed the presence of H5 influenza virus. Bengaluru: The mid-November wedding of Karnataka mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy's daughter has set tongues wagging in Bengaluru, with the invitation card going viral on social media. The invitation card comes in a box, with a small screen that pops up with a personalised, customised video-song that the entire Reddy family is seen singing and acting to. The video features Reddy in traditional gear with a heavy gold chain around his neck, while his wife Lakshmi Aruna, also decked up in silks and gold, start off the video with a rendition of athithi devo bhava. Sources in his office told CNN-News18 that the lavish wedding is scheduled for November 16, at the Bengaluru Palace, while a reception will also be held on the previous evening at the same place. Though his hometown is Bellary in north Karnataka, Reddy, who is on bail since January 2015, has been prohibited from going to Bellary or Ananthpur (where his mining company Obalapuram Mining Company operated from) as a bail condition. However, there has been a relaxation in bail conditions to allow him to go to Bellary between November 1 and November 21 to invite friends and family and later for post-wedding rituals like satyanarayana puja. Over 10,000 people are expected to attend the wedding of his daughter Brahmani with businessman Rajeev Reddy, who also makes a brief appearance in the wedding video-invite. While speculation is rife about Bollywood stars also being enlisted to entertain guests with an elaborate dance performance at the wedding, official sources did not confirm this. Reddy shot to fame for allegedly controlling all mining activities a large chunk of it illegal in Bellary and Ananthpur between 2008 and 2011 when the BJP ruled over Karnataka. An MLC and minister for tourism at the time, Janardhan Reddy was arrested in 2011 after the Karnatkaa Lokayukta submitted its final report on illegal mining in the state. BS Yeddyurappa, who was chief minister at the time, and currently state BJP president, was also forced to step down from office after the report indicted him. The Reddy family has always been known to live it up, with reports of seizure of huge quantities of gold as well as private helicopters during the CBI investigation. Reddy, got bail in January 2015 after over two years in jail as an undertrial in the 3,000-crore scam that rocked the state and its politics. Separately, he has also been under investigation for allegedly trying to bribe a judge in Telangana to get bail in some of his earlier cases. On Board Air India One: Amidst escalating Indo-Pak tension over Pakistan's continuing support to cross border terror, Algeria has unequivocally conveyed that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and terrorism in all forms have to be eradicated. Algeria has conveyed this to Vice President Hamid Ansari during his two-day visit to the North African country. During the bilateral talks, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told the Vice President that his country fully supports India's position on Jammu and Kashmir, a senior official accompanying Ansari said. However, Pakistan's name was directly not taken by either side. New Delhi has always been maintaining that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and blames Pakistan for sponsoring cross border terrorism in the border state. In an on board briefing, the Vice President said that during his five-day two-nation tour, the issue of terrorism was discussed with the top leaderships of both Algeria and Hungary. Asked whether the issue of a third country's support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was figured in the bilateral talks with the two countries, Ansari said, "Everyone knows which one is the third country. Obvious is obvious. No need to take any country's name." The Vice President said that in his discussions with Hungary and Algerian leaderships, menace of terrorism was discussed and their view was that it is a disease for the entire world and it has to be eradicated in all forms and manifestations. Bhubaneshwar: Three days after the Bhubaneshwar fire tragedy at SUM hospital that claimed 21 lives, Manoj Nayak, the trustee of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust which owns the facility surrendered before the Odisha police on Thursday, Police Commissioner Y B Khurania said. "Manoj Nayak surrendered at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation," Commissioner of Police, Y B Khurania told reporters. Nayak surrendered at the Khandagiri Police Station at about 3.30 AM. He was taken to an undisclosed destination where the police officers were interrogating him. The FIRs filed in relation to the case had not mentioned the owner although four officials of the hospital were arrested on Wednesday. Last evening the Police had issued a Look Out Circular in the name of Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the charitable trust. The police had informed all the airports and railway stations to ensure that Nayak and his wife Saswati do not escape from the state capital. The Ministry of Home affairs was also apprised about the police action in this regard, Khurania said. "We may go for arrest of more people during course of investigation," he said. (with inputs from PTI) Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday said the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has backed its stance over Kashmir by adopting a resolution upholding Kashmiris' right to self-determination. OIC Foreign Ministers met in Tashkent on October 18-19 for the 43rd Session and adopted a very strong resolution on the "grave human rights situation in Kashmir", Pakistan Foreign Office said. While upholding Kashmiris right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the grouping reaffirmed its unwavering support to the just cause of Kashmiri people, expressed deep concern and condemned in strongest possible terms the unabated killing of defenceless Kashmiris. The grouping said that demonstrations by unarmed Kashmiris, despite curfew in the wake of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani s death is a referendum against India, it said. It also rejected Indian attempts to equate the indigenous freedom movement of Kashmiris in Kashmir with terrorism. Stressing that "Jammu and Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India", the grouping said its resolution is indispensable for realisation of the dream for peace in South Asia. Condemning in strongest possible terms the unabated killing and brutality let loose in Kashmir, the grouping expressed shock at the deadly silence of world community. They also condemnned prolonged detentions of Kashmiri leaders by India and violations of freedom of movement and expression. Acknowledging that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are the party principle to the dispute, the resolution said they should be included in Pakistan-India dialogue process. The grouping regretted that India is not allowing OIC fact finding Mission to visit Kashmir or responded favorably to the offers of the Good Offices Mission by the OIC. They called upon India to implement numerous UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir which declare that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people, to join India or Pakistan, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. They reminded "the international community of its obligations to ensure the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and fulfill the promises made by it with the people of Jammu and Kashmir". Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday warned of "appropriate action" if India violates the Indus Waters Treaty and said it is closely monitoring the situation, amid reports that New Delhi may revisit the key water sharing accord. "Appropriate action will be taken in line with the Treaty in case of any violation by India," Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing. Pakistan was keeping a close eye on the situation, Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. Zakaria's remarks come amid reports that India may review the 56-year-old Indus Waters Treaty. He said that India is making "desperate attempts" to divert attention from the "atrocities and human right violations" being committed in Kashmir. He said Pakistan is highlighting Indian brutalities in Kashmir at world fora and there has been "very substantive outcome" of these efforts but the international community remains concerned about the situation. Responding to a question, he claimed that India violated ceasefire on the Line of Control for more than 90 times this year. The notion of isolating Pakistan is "ridiculous", Zakaria said, adding that India's "negative attitude" has been exposed, which is the biggest hurdle in the way of regional development and prosperity. He also termed the Indian treatment to the Pakistani artistes as "very disappointing and highly regrettable" as he deplored India's decision to "use SAARC for its political ambition", according to the report. Zakaria also referred to a media report quoting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who described tensions between India and Pakistan as a "very, very hot tinderbox" and offered to be "the mediator or arbitrator". Zakaria noted that though Pakistan does not comment on media reports usually, in this case it welcomed the mediation offer. "We continue to urge our American friends including those in the administration to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute," he said. "And definitely Pakistan has welcomed in the past also any role of mediation, we welcome such offers," he added. Ahmedabad/New Delhi: The Gujarat High Court on Thursday acquitted 14 persons out of 31 convicted by a lower court and confirmed life sentence of 17 others, in the 2002 post-Godhra Sardarpura massacre case in which 33 people were burnt alive. The Sardarpura massacre was one of the nine key post-Godhra riots cases the probe for which was handed over to a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT). A division bench of justices Harsha Devani and Biren Vaishnav confirmed the life imprisonment of 17 persons. However, 14 of the 31 convicted by the lower court were acquitted by the high court due to lack of evidence and contradiction in witnesses account. In all, 76 accused were arrested in the Sardarpura case, in which 33 people, including 17 women and 11 children, were torched alive by a 1,500-strong mob on the intervening night of February 28 and March 1, 2002. Of the 76, two died during pendency of trial, while one was a juvenile. The court had framed charges against 73 accused in June 2009 and initiated trial in the case. Besides the conviction of 31, the lower court had acquitted 42 others. The SIT later challenged in high court the acquittal of 31 of these 42. However, the HC on Thursday upheld the Mehsana district court order acquitting 31 out of these 42. Meanwhile, the 17 were convicted by high court for murder, attempt to murder, rioting and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. The HC also upheld the decision of lower court to not accept the "conspiracy theory" put up by the prosecution, which had alleged that the attack on minority community was pre-planned and a conspiracy was hatched following the Godhra train burning incident. Thirty one persons were earlier awarded life sentence along with a fine of Rs 50,000 each in the verdict passed by special SIT court judge S C Srivastava while hearing the matter on November 9, 2011. Thirty-three people of the minority community were burnt to death at Sardarpura in Mehsana district a day after the Godhra train burning incident in which 59 people, mainly karsevaks, were burnt to death on February 27, 2002. The people of minority community took shelter in a 'pucca' house of one Ibrahim Sheikh. However, the mob torched the house after pouring petrol on it, in which 33 people, including 22 women, were charred to death. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: 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. New Delhi: A Supreme Court-appointed Committee has recommended immediate reduction of the stray dog population in Kerala to a manageable level on a war footing. The committee was appointed after a string of attacks by stray dogs led to demands for culling in the southern state, with animals rights groups warning against any such move. The committee called the situation in the state very grave and said failure to arrest the rising stray dog population will lead to the people taking matters in their own hands and resort to unauthorized culling. In some places in the state, people under the leadership of members of local authorities have started culling of stray dogs, setting off on a path of confrontation with animal lovers, who have started internet campaigns against the move. The total dog population in the state is 9,23,359, of which stray dogs are 2,68,994. The Committee, headed by former Kerala High Court judge S Siri Jagan, in its page report, has also informed the Supreme Court of the reason behind local politicians arranging open culling of stray dogs and expressing willingness to go to jail. Police seized the drone camera and an I-Pad from the accused. A day after the pilot of a private airline reported seeing a drone near the city airport, three persons on Wednesday were 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.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. After the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) decided to boycott the Law Commission questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code (UCC), one of the most prominent leaders of the Christian community has now said that by raking up this issue, often left untouched by the previous governments, the present government has misplaced priorities when there are other aggravating issues such as poverty and rural-urban divide staring at us.Speaking exclusively to News18, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, says, The timing of bringing up the issue of UCC has been wrong. We have other higher priorities like poverty eradication, rural development, education of the poor, and upliftment of the backward communities. This issue of a uniform code certainly calls for a dialogue, but maybe, in the long run, the priorities are clearly different.Amid brewing uncertainties among various communities since the government declared its idea of discussing and implementing a Uniform Civil Code, Cardinal Cleemis says instead of a uniform code, the priority of the government should be to implement a Uniform Civil Programme, which would entail development work in various sectors so that the country could become the superpower it is aiming to be.The UCC certainly does not come first while discussing ways to develop the present population. Then why resort to this controversial concern now?We should aim at a uniform programme to eradicate poverty, accelerate urban development and work towards reducing rural backwardness, he says.Recently, there have been deliberations within the legal community about the repercussions of such a code and if it would affect the personal laws of various communities. Cardinal Cleemis sought to allay such fears within the Christian community, but pointed out, We are open to suggestions of reforms and a dialogue on this uniform code, but we will not tolerate any deviation from the Constitution. The Constitution must be followed in its entirety.His statement comes closely on the heels of a heated debate on whether such uniform code would be in conflict with Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom to practice and propagate ones religion.In March 2016, Fox News World reported that anti-Christian violence in India was at an all-time high with nearly 30 incidents of religiously motivated violence against the community in just over two months. Cardinal Cleemis says that until a healthy relationship exists between the religious and the political community, such incidents would be hard to tackle.If a Hindu is attacked, we need to feel his pain beyond being a Christian or a Muslim. We should stop entertaining the superiority complex of the majority. Government must work towards making people believe that India has space for everyone without adjustments or compromise, he says.Cardinal Cleemis says that while the Catholic Bishop Conference of India would look into the Law Commission questionnaire and was open to a dialogue, he says the discussion would also take into account the fear prevalent among the other minority communities. AIMPLB member Maulana Wali Rahmani has said the questionnaire is biased against Muslims.If other communities feel that the UCC would prove to be a danger to them, then we are sympathetic to their fears. All of us have the right to practice and propagate our religion, and there should be no system which would create a fear in our minds with regard to our existence.Cardinal Cleemis says that if the freedom to believe in any faith fails to exist, it would be detrimental to the political parties as well. If reform is the objective of the UCC, then that reform has to come from within the community first. But the freedom to believe in any faith must not die, because in that case even some political parties would not exist.When asked about the governments noble intention to bring equality through the UCC, Cardinal Cleemis says, Before you come and clean my house, let me clean it first. Let me put it in order. Then, you are welcome. BJP MP Varun Gandhi was allegedly honey-trapped and leaked defence secrets to middleman Abhishek Verma and arms manufacturers, charge he denied on Thursday.The sensational claim was made by New York-based Edmonds Allen, an American whistleblower and one-time associate of Verma, in a letter to the Prime Ministers Office last month.The purported letter was released at a press conference here on Thursday by Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav.Allen has alleged that Verma "blackmailed" Varun, a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, into sharing sensitive information on crucial arms matters.Varun rejected these charges, saying he has not met Verma since 2004 and threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. I met Abhishek Verma when I was 21 and never again. There is no proof against me and whatever is being said is wrong and without substance, he said."The entire information presented does not contain an iota of proof that either I had access or shared any communication regarding sensitive information to Verma."Allen, who was a partner of Verma, fell out with him in 2012. Verma is facing trial in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case.Bhushan alleged that despite having all the details, BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it.India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft."Any action against Thales may have jeopardised the Rafale deal. Moreover, contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircrafts, the government bought 36 aircrafts, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy," Bhushan said.However, Bhushan and Yadav did not take Varun's name during the press conference and instead asked journalists to refer to the letter. They claimed to have withheld photographic evidences pertaining to the matter.Allen wrote to the PM, Defence Minister, CBI and the NSA with all the details on August and September this year.Varun said that he last met Verma when he was a post graduate student in London at the age of 22 years."I am going to turn 37 now. I have never met him since I entered public life in 2004. The only reason why I even know of him is because his parents were members of parliament and was a respected family. I knew them as many other leaders knew them," he said.Asked if he had come across any sensitive information during his tenure on the consultative committee on defence, he said, "Any MP who has been on that committee knows that not even 0.1 percentage of any confidential information is shared with the committee."Reacting to the report, Abhishek Verma called the purported photographs morphed. In regards to the so-called explicit photos of Mr. Varun Gandhi, which Allen claims are in existence since 2002 and claims he is in possession of the same since long. why was Allen quiet about it till last month? Why is it that Allen did not provide these photos or talk about the angle of blackmailing of Mr. Gandhi to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate? Why now after four years when last month I was granted bail by honourable courts (sic)? he said.(With PTI inputs) Mumbai: As the Censor Board gave the clearance for release of the politically controversial film 31st October to Delhi High Court after deletion of some objectionable scenes, lead actor Vir Das voiced happiness at the decision. "It would be really unreasonable to stop the film's release. I am happy that the film is releasing. One can criticize a film only after watching it completely. A film involves not only us, but also a unit of 400 people. Before creating any controversy, one should consider the bigger picture. I am happy that the government body is standing by us to release the film," Das told IANS. Vir Das, known for his comedy roles, plays the lead character Davinder Singh in the film, based on the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi including the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Sharing his experience, Das says, "It is the story of a father who protects his family from the riots. If in real life, I would be able to become at least 50 per cent of him(Davinder Singh) as a protector-father, I would feel like a good human being. Internalizing the character of Davinder Singh changed me as a person." The film based on a true story in the backdrop of the anti-Sikh riots, is written and produced by Harry Sachdeva and directed by Shivaji Lotan Patil. Asked if his political views influenced his performance in the film, Das says, "I had to blindfold myself from my political opinion. If you watch the film, you would understand that it is a human story, where all the action of Davinder Singh is for survival in a turmoil situation, where his individual political decision does not matter. So I played the character from the humanitarian perspective, that has nothing to do with my political views." Sharing his outdoor experience, Das says, "We were shooting in a small village, outside Ludhiana. Every day we would get invitation from the villagers for lunch, dinner, snacks etc. Sharing bread and mingling with them helped to get the nuances of the character right, whether the authentic Punjabi dialect or body language. It was a fulfilling experience." Mumbai: Karan Johar is "stressed out" and he has said all what he feels, said director-choreographer Farah Khan on Wednesday reacting to Karan Johar's video message clarifying his stand on Pakistani artistes working in India. "We were shooting together yesterday. Karan is a dear friend of mine. I know he is stressed out and he has said it all what he feels," she said when asked about controversy over Ae Dil Hai Mushkil which features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in an important role. "Karan will never do anything that is not patriotic. All of us feel like that. The statement has finally arrived and it says it all. Now matter should be put to rest," she added. "There are a lot of things that bother us. Let's not get into those things because whenever we open our mouth we get into trouble," Farah said. Farah, who has opened a dance school was speaking to the media at an interaction session with the students on Wednesday. Quizzed, according to her who is the best dancer in Bollywood, the 42-year-old choreographer said Govinda is the best as his dance brings a smile on her face and she feels happy to see him grooving. Talking about her dance school, she said, "I have 25 years of experience in choreography. I will share all the experience with the students in a 12-week course." "When I came to the Industry there was no such professional institute. It would take a long time to become a dance director. There are so many good dancers but they don't have the technical knowledge. So my expectation is after this course they become better in their job," she explained. New Delhi: Immediately after meeting Union Home minister Rajnath Singh over the controversy surrounding Karan Johar's Ae Dil hai Mushkil, President of Producers Guild Mukesh Bhatt told the media on Thursday that he feels safe after getting an assurance of a great Diwali release and that the film will be screened without any violence. Bhatt and Apoorva Mehta from Dharma Productions arrived in the capital on Wednesday to meet the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the smooth release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. BJP MP Babul Supriyo, who is also an Union Minster too addressed the media before the meeting and stated that 'law and order situation' surrounding the film's release will be discussed in detail. Supriyo termed MNS a party of Goons and said "No one should be allowed to take law in there hands." "MNS is a goons party. They have been openly saying they will break multiplexes. They should not have the power to say they will take law in their own hands", Supriyo told News18 Before meeting Rajnath Singh, Mukesh Bhatt spoke to the media and said, "MNS has threatened us. I am sure the govt will understand our situation. I have come here as a citizen. I have full faith in my government. I am sure they will support me." Ae Dil Hai Mushkil featuring Fawad Khan in a cameo role, ran into trouble after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) said they won't let any movie featuring Pakistani artistes release in India. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. MNS continued their protests as the party rejected Johar's statement that he will not "engage with talent" from Pakistan in future. The Maharashtra government has, however, assured protection to cinemas where the film will be screened from Diwali weekend. Minutes after former Uttar Pradesh Congress state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi quit the party and joined hands with the BJP, former Union minister Kapil Sibal described her as a "migratory bird" who left with his money."They are migratory birds, they come and go," was Sibal's response when CNN-News18 caught up with him shortly after Joshi announced her resignation.In a dramatic disclosure, he also said that Joshi had made up her mind to quit a while back and had left with his money.She came to me seeking funds for her election. I gave her the money. Then she joins the BJP," he alleged.Sibal also hit out against Joshi for questioning Rahul Gandhis khoon ki dalali jibe. There was nothing wrong in what was said by Rahul. Rita Joshi was only looking for some justification for her action."Joshi, however, denied Sibal's allegations saying the money was constituency development fund which was not utilised."Since he is an MP from Uttar Pradesh and I was an MLA from the state, I had asked for funds for development of my constituency. The money was not utilised. While leaving, I sent him an email saying the money is no longer required," she told CNN-News18.Joshi, 67, daughter of late Congress veteran Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, joined the BJP on Thursday in the presence of party president Amit Shah at the party headquarters in New Delhi.Joshi, was said to be unhappy with the Congress leadership over the projection of Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh, rued the present state of affairs in the party, alleging that it is in such a bad shape that it has contracted out its working to strategist Prashant Kishore.Noting that she had spent 24 years out of 27 years of her political career in Congress and only 10 months in Samajwadi Party, she said, "The decision to quit Congress was not easy. However, I took it in the interest of the nation and the state (UP)."Her joining BJP is expected to give a boost to the party's efforts to consolidate Brahmin voters as it looks to capture power in the state following a gap of over 15 years.The assembly polls in UP are due early next year. Ruling Samajwadi Parry and BSP have been in the power by turn all this while.(With PTI inputs) Delaware (Ohio): Will totally accept the results of presidential elections if I win, Republican candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday, hours after squaring off against Hillary Clinton in the third and final debate where he left the door open on a prolonged battle."What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. OK?" he had said when asked by moderator Chris Wallace if he was not prepared to commit to a peaceful transition of power after the November 8 elections.Trump's refusal, which his Democratic rival called "horrifying, was the standout remark of their third and final debate. It ratcheted up claims that Trump has made for weeks and has intensified in recent days that the election is being rigged against him."That is not the way our democracy works," Clinton said during the debate. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election."A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought former Secretary of State Clinton won the debate and 39 percent said Trump, a former reality TV star making his first run at public office, was the victor. Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton are going head-to-head one last time on Thursday morning (IST) in the third Presidential debate in Las Vegas. While both candidates have remained mired in controversies Trump because of his lewd remarks about women and Hillary Clinton because of the email controversy Donald Trumps campaign has suffered multiple blows after various accusations of harassment surfaced. From News Media to US House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan, Donald Trump has lashed out at everyone holding them responsible for his continuous debacle in poll after poll. He even went on to declare the electoral process as rigged with no evidence to corroborate. Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons performance in the last two debates has been praised widely, but the latest emails leaked by WikiLeaks offer a glimpse into Clintons changing stand on various issues depending on personal and professional space. Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. Renowned British organist and choir director Martin Neary will make his second trip to Lynchburg this weekend for a series of events with St. John's Episcopal Church. This appearance follows Nearys initial visit to the Hill City in 2013, which was met with a great response and became one of the most successful events the church has ever held, says Peggy Howell, organist and choir master at St. Johns. It was just amazing. Every choir member was very taken with him, she says. He has a way of getting people to get to their peak and really expects a lot and can draw a lot out of the experience. Everyone learned a lot from him, and I learned a lot from him. Im looking forward to doing that again. The audience response to Neary during the 2013 performance led Howell to bring him back for an informal talk. In this talk, which takes place on Friday, Neary will share anecdotes from his time in music and play sections of his recordings. Highlights of Nearys 65-year career include singing at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and serving as the Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey from 1988 to 1998. During that time, he acted as the musical director for the funeral service of Princess Diana, for which he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order. He has released several albums, received a Grammy nomination, and played and conducted concerts all over the world, including at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kremlin, the Royal Festival Hall in London and at the 2004 BBC Proms, one of Englands biggest summer concert series. He's pretty famous, says Howell. In church music, but not just church music because he has been very involved in the early music scene in England. Hes a real specialist in working with choirs. On Sunday, Neary will conduct St. Johns choral festival concert Lighten Our Darkness, which features combined performances by the churchs choir, Cantate Childrens and Youth Choir of Central Virginia, the Randolph College Chorale, and St. Paul's Choir. Music from this event will include Benjamin Brittens 17-minute cantata Rejoice in the Lamb with 18th-century text from a poem by George Herbert. He still has his total love for what he does and when he's conducting ... hell sort of dance on the podium, Howell says of Neary. So much of himself comes through with his conducting and that of course inspires the choir to dance in their singing, to bring everything to what they do. APPOMATTOX Appomattox County is about the get its first solar energy farm. The Appomattox County Board of Supervisors approved 3-2 two conditional use permits for New Energy Ventures to build a 78-acre solar farm off U.S. 460 eastbound in Spout Spring. Wreck Island Supervisor Bryan Moody and Board Chairman Sam Carter cast the dissenting votes on both permits. The project only would use about 50 acres of a 190-acre parcel owned by George Carsons estate and 27.7 acres of a 108-acre parcel of land owned by Danny Moon next door. The California-based company does not own those properties but has a lease-option agreement with each property owner. The project will include 57,000 solar panels using a fixed-tilt configuration, which are broad solar panels that do not move. Total capital costs are estimated between $17 million and $20 million. The solar farm can produce enough electricity to service about 4,500 homes. Jack Sterne, agent for New Energy Ventures, said the construction of the solar farm would create about 180 temporary jobs for the county. If the company finds a buyer, the farm would be operational by November 2017. Sterne said during the public hearing the company is looking to Dominion to buy the energy for its South Creek substation, about 1.5 miles east of the project. It also becomes a draw for a lot of industries that are interested like data centers. In conversations with [Bedford County Developer George Aznavorian], companies that want to move into Thomasville may be interested in purchasing green energy, Sterne said. Aznavorian plans to bring retail, apartments and a senior living community to the old Thomasville plant. No one spoke for or against the 15-megawatt solar farm Monday night. The parcels currently are zoned Agricultural, and the remaining land would be used for cattle grazing and timber operations. New Energy also operates a solar farm in Prince George County. In other business: n Supervisors approved a letter of support to be sent along with an application for a Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Urgent Need Block Grant. Appomattox County should learn by November if it received the grant to pay for the repair and rebuilding of homes damaged by the February tornado. Construction would start after January 2017 if the grant is received. Of the almost 200 structures damaged, only 45 building and electrical permits were requested, according to Community Development Director Johnnie Roark. However, fixing shingles or siding does not require a permit, he said. n Supervisors approved conditional use permits to allow for the operation of a day care center at Jesus Center Church outside Appomattox and a landscape supply business in the town of Appomattox. n Supervisors approved rezoning land on Police Tower Road from Industrial to General Commercial in order to allow for the operation of an automobile dealership and manufacturing of automotive gaskets and seals. Floyd Hampton Franklin, Jr., 59 of Madison Heights, Virginia, died on Tuesday, October 11, 2016, at his residence in Madison Heights, Virginia.Born Saturday, March 9, 1957, in Lynchburg, Virginia, Floyd was a son of the late Floyd Hampton Franklin Sr., and Jeanette Jackson Franklin.In addition to his mother, Floyd is survived by a son, Roman Bronze Franklin; a daughter, Shaneeka Williams, of Lynchburg; twin sister, Floydette Walker, of Washington D.C.; two sisters, Ramona J. Franklin, of Lynchburg and Ruth C. Taylor and her husband, Larry, of Lynchburg; two brothers, Allen Franklin and Michael Franklin, both of Lynchburg; his loving companion, Angela Lynn Williams, of Lynchburg, and numerous other family members.Floyd was a great father, son and brother. A people person he loved to help others, especially those in need. He was a person of strong faith in his God. A practical joker he would always lift up those around him.A celebration of Floyd's life will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2016,atthe Chapel of Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 5 until 7 p.m.Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Madison Heights, is assisting the family. To send condolences please visit tharpfuneralhome.com. To hear the howls of protest from conservatives, youd think the emails released by WikiLeaks demonstrates Hillary Clintons campaign is a nest of anti-Catholics. Fortunately for her, the emails, which are 4 to 5 years old, tell a more interesting tale about the struggles inside the Catholic Church in the period before the ascendancy of Pope Francis. All journalism relying on WikiLeaks should note our government has accused Russia of trying to influence the American election. Voters need to be wary of Vladimir Putins apparent preference for Donald Trump. But given the storm the Catholic emails have provoked, readers might want to make up their minds by consulting the full texts. In one 2012 exchange between John Podesta, the founding president of the Center for American Progress and now Clintons campaign chairman, and Sandy Newman, president of a group called Voices for Progress, Newman expressed the anger of many liberals at the time that conservative Catholic bishops were making the Affordable Care Acts contraception mandate central to a critique of President Obama. Among other things, Newman (who is not part of the Clinton campaign) called for a Catholic Spring, in which Catholics themselves demand the end of a middle ages dictatorship and the beginning of a little democracy and respect for gender equality in the Catholic Church. Of course many Catholics took offense, especially at the middle ages dictatorship line. Podesta didnt comment on it. He referred instead to progressive Catholic organizations formed after the 2004 election, when conservative bishops seemed to side with George W. Bush. We created Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good to organize for a moment like this, Podesta said, referring to himself and his progressive Catholic allies. But I think it lacks the leadership to do so now. Likewise Catholics United. Like most Spring movements, I think this one will have to be bottom up. Ironically, a Spring movement arose in the church but from the top, with Pope Francis election in 2013. Also many of the conservative Catholics inclined to denounce the Clinton camp have been critical of Francis it gives new meaning to the term more Catholic than the pope while more liberal Catholics like Podesta have championed him. I should say Ive known Podesta for years and often heard him speak with affection for the church. In response to this controversy, he told me in an email as a lifelong practicing Catholic, I take very seriously the social and moral teachings of the church. Turning to Trumps assertion that His Holiness, Pope Francis, was disgraceful for standing up for immigrants, he said Trump may want to apologize for his attacks on Pope Francis before he levels attacks against us. The other exchange, between John Halpin and Jennifer Palmieri both were at CAP then, both are Catholic, and Palmieri now is Clintons communications director was spurred by a report Rupert Murdoch and a top Wall Street Journal editor had decided to raise their young children as Catholics. Noting how many leading conservatives are Catholic, Halpin wrote: Its an amazing bastardization of the faith. They must be attracted to the systematic thought and severely backwards gender relations and must be totally unaware of Christian democracy. Palmieri replied: I imagine they think it is the most socially acceptable politically conservative religion. Their rich friends wouldnt understand if they became evangelicals. Podesta was copied, but didnt respond. If anyone should be offended by Palmieris email, its either evangelicals or the wealthy. As for Halpin, he wrote Thursday my intention in this private note was not to insult Catholics or people of faith. He added: Im a progressive Catholic who was reacting in a private email to the arguments of leading conservatives who often misuse Catholicism to defend their agenda. Liberals can be just as guilty of this as conservatives. Thats what makes Catholic social teaching powerful. As a progressive Catholic, I have three reactions. To non-Catholic liberals, Id suggest resisting casual put-downs of the church, much as they would criticize digs at other faiths. To conservatives in the Catholic hierarchy, Id suggest they ponder the high costs of tying a church with a rich tradition of social teaching to one side in our political debate. And Id suggest everyone view this episode as part of an ongoing argument among more liberal and more conservative religious people. Its a contest that will long outlast this election. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Email ejdionne@washpost.com or follow him on Twitter @EJDionne. Where are the economists? The answers can only be found when economists and government work more closely to influence policy said Terrence Farrell, Chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Board. Farrell was the keynote speaker at the recently concluded Conference on the Economy hosted by the University of the West Indies Economics Department. Theres a lot of work that needs to be done to move this country forward. We need better policies and better policy making, which means asking the right questions and getting the right people-real professional economists-to answer those questions. Farrell told the audience that while there were individual examples of excellent academic work being produced by the university, it had for the most part become weak in research and innovation and an undergraduate degree factory. Moreover, he said, there was now a cadre of economic pundits, with no training in the field who frequently pronounced on areas they were not qualified to, something they would not do with other professions. Farrell said the situation was made worse because they were often consulted by media. He believed part of the problem was that economists had no professional certification of their own and he outlined his own personal standards for someone to be designated an economist. I do not personally regard someone as an economist who does not have a post-graduate degree in Economics from a good university so that they are equipped with a good grasp of economic theory, an in addition, who had 3 to 5 years of practice doing economic work which requires that person to understand where economic data come from, how they constructed and how data should be used and not abused. The Economic Development Advisory Board chairman also advocated that instead of working in isolation, economists must partner with other academic fields to find solutions for some of the more challenging problems this countrys economy was facing. And according to Farrell, while macroeconomic issues received much attention, in his time at the Development Board, several matters at the microeconomic level were cropping up time and again but not receiving the attention they needed. Wealth and income distribution was one of these areas. Farrell questioned the disparity between data that suggested the country was among upper middle income countries and other evidence which indicated otherwise. Poverty levels are reportedly high and stubbornly so, underemployment is apparently also high, said Farrell. He also mentioned this countrys informal economy, which he said he was beginning to believe was a higher percentage of GDP than previously thought. This countrys unfunded pension system was another. An unfunded pension is one which a company or government pays out of current funds and not those which have been contributed to over a period of time. Farrell said it appears government has opted to kick the can down the road. Postponing the problem does not make it get any better, he said, Indeed, it gets worse as retired persons are living longer and social justice will require that public services pensions be periodically adjusted to compensate for increases in the cost of living. In effect, unfunded pension liabilities, like debt service, mortgage future government revenues. Many of this countrys subsidies also operated inefficiently said the economist with unintended consequences such as hidden subsidies and crossed subsidised operations which ultimately cost government and the people the subsidies were designed to help most. Farrell concluded his address by saying that economists needed to influence the discourse on economic issues. We have ceded the field to others, or we dilute the analytic rigour of what we say to such an extent that we run the risk of making statements that are wishy washy and without theoretical or empirical foundation. But he also said that government needed to meet economists half way, since their inability to impact on policy was not entirely their fault. Policy making based on research and professional input is lacking within Government. He also called for the proper constitution of the National Statistical Institute, the body meant to replace the CSO, as better statistics would put policy makers in a better place to make decisions. The Neighbourhood Crime Watch Programme Without a doubt, one of the most pressing and visible areas of concern in our country today, is the scourge of criminal activity. The NCW is intended for anyone who would like to feel safer in their home and in their community. It encourages neighbours to get to know one another, to watch out for one another, and to call the police when something just doesnt seem right. The programme relies on the willingness of people to get involved, stay informed about problems in the community and work together to find solutions. NCW is a programme that was initiated locally over 20 years ago, under the purview of the then Crime and Delays in Judicial Hearings Committee (which became the present Crime and Justice Committee). The objectives of the programme include the establishment of an effective mechanism to facilitate and maintain Crime Watch group formation and community development; implementation of an ongoing general education and awareness programme aimed at highlighting the importance of NCW groups; providing general tips on improving personal and community safety and; facilitating partnerships between the various stakeholders including communities, communitybased organisations, the police and business. The concept of the NCW was developed in the United States and has been in existence for well over three decades. Statistics have shown that wherever a strong and vibrant neighbourhood watch exists, there is a drastic reduction in criminal activity. A Crime Watch group must not be construed as a vigilante group, however, but one that allows the community to become the eyes and ears of the police, assisting them to be more effective in preventing and detecting crime. While the programme seeks the involvement of the entire community, roles and responsibilities are clearly defined to ensure a smooth transfer of information to the police. Training for watch groups is also provided to improve on observation, accurate information-gathering and timely reporting. Community ties become stronger through the programme as a result of Neighbourhood Crime Watch meetings, school visits and social functions. Signage sponsored by corporate investors is erected in participating communities, notifying everyone that a Neighbourhood Crime Watch is active in the area. Any community group interested in starting a Neighbourhood Crime Watch can contact the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce for more information. A member of the TT Chambers Crime and Justice Committee will be more than willing to visit at a mutually convenient date and time to talk about the programme and how to set it up. Interested parties can contact Halima Khan on 637 6966, extension 1227. Digital technology Not only have they changed the way we communicate but theyve changed the way we run business, spend our free time and understand the world too. In 2014, GSMA Intelligence reported that mobile phones devices had officially surpassed the number of people in the world, and this number is multiplying five times faster than we are. Mobiles are now the most common digital gadget in the world. Todays organisations are increasingly dependent on technology. And it is this dependency that accountants and finance professionals can use to their advantage. The digital evolution in society has expanded the role of accountants. Today, finance professionals are not just enthusiastic adopters of emerging technologies. For many organisations, they are the first point for call when the firm is looking for advice on their use and implementation for their strategic goals and decision-making processes. Knowledge of digital technology is an area in which professional accountants need to possess skill and competency. Knowledge of new mobile and cloud business models, block chain, digital currencies and payment mechanisms, and new routes to investment such as crowd funding are increasingly needed in the industry. Additionally, finance professionals need to possess the ability to apply technology to analysing, interpreting and presenting financial and nonfinancial data (including big data). For example, as technology enables more visual reporting, professional accountants will need to use video and other innovative digital tools to produce better and more informative reports, faster. The way individual accountants respond to emerging technologies will shape the future of their careers and those with and for whom they work. The profession can take a more proactive than reactive approach to digital technologies by thinking ahead. By embracing the new normal, the profession can actively reshape it, rather than simply being reshaped by it. As organisations continue to integrate digital technologies into their practices, they must be aware of cybercrime. Cybercrime is a very broad category thats used to describe any crime committed using a computer or network. Criminals make extensive use digital evolutions such as e-mail, Internet banking, online systems and mobile technology just like everyone else. Cybercrime can damage both individuals and organisations as criminals commit financial or identity theft. The quick, invisible and often remote manner of these crimes occur often means that individuals or organisations can easily put themselves at an increased risk simply by ignoring a warning sign or having inadequate controls to protect their own systems. It is inevitable that as technology continues to evolve, the cost and complexity of cybersecurity will also continue to increase. This will create an increasing role for internal audit and for the growing number of accountants who have chosen to develop expertise in this area. As gatekeepers of financial data security, all finance professionals will need to ensure that: the growing threat to individual users and small and mediumsized entities is recognised the workforce is educated/aware of existing and emerging risks and the need for vigilance constant monitoring identifies and assesses technology-related business risks defences are updated as necessary to mitigate and reduce risks, and the value of specialist tools and expertise is recognised from board level down. The profession has always been a force for good, influencing the evolution of business ethics and values, the development and setting of standards, and prioritising financial stewardship and integrity. It is this force for good that also needs to be applied to digital technologies as they evolve in organisations processed. They need to understand these well enough to gauge their potential impact on business, on the profession, and the relationships between them. There are common challenges, such as the need to maintain constant awareness, and to consider factors such as affordability, regulation and risk. Many of them also create common opportunities, such as the potential to reduce costs or to develop new and improved business processes or products. Another area where evolution of technology causes concern is social media. It is becoming progressively more difficult to constrain and control the amount of internal company information that seeps into the public domain. But similarly, social media is increasingly accepted as outlets for formal company announcements. For example in the US, regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) allows companies to use social media outlets such as Facebook or Twitter to announce key information, in compliance with Regulation Fair Disclosure, as long as investors have been notified as to which social media will be used to disseminate such information. Ultimately the business environment is being made increasingly fast-paced by many factors including the new business models and processes enabled by digital technologies. The world needs for forward-thinking professionals that use technology to their advantage, combining technical excellence with high ethical standards and management skills, to ensure organisations thrive on a global stage. Leadersin business as well as in operationsare going to have to prepare their organisations by investing in new skills and by thinking hard about how they want to restructure the way the company works. That means they will have to become students of technology, not just passive observers, and advocates for change, not just consumers of tools and software. This may bring confusion and uncertainty for business leaders who are not prepared to change. But for those who are ready to adapt, it is going to be a very exciting next few years. A tip for service As a direct result of the increased nature of our travel patterns, we are faced with dealing with a number of related vagaries that are coloured by the culture of the location where we may have to conduct business. One such notion is that of the provision of gratuities to persons attending to our travel-based services, from the airport shuttle service, to the restaurant wait staff, to the hotels attendants. Many persons may not fully appreciate the importance placed on what is referred to as tipping or gratuities. One may wonder exactly the impact of this on the business process, however, when on business, as per my last article, you must assume you are always under the microscope, and should operate on the side of ethical, decent practice. In Trinidad and Tobago for instance, the provision of gratuities is still growing on us as I have seen many a person, continue to question why a tip should even be provided many times still thinking that two dollars should suffice. I always maintain the service provision principle. If the service received as par excellence, then the provider should be recognized and appreciation demonstrated. It is same to utilize the 10 20% of the total bill as a guide. The appropriation of a gratuity varies in different parts of the globe. In the United States, the provision of a gratuity is welcomed by just about every level of service- based staff. It is received as recognition of the standard of service delivered by the staff. As such, most restaurants will provide a gratuity guide for the benefit of the customer, with a sliding scale based on the standard of service delivered. For example, if the service was good, you provide a gratuity of 10% of the total bill. If it was excellent, you provide a gratuity of 20% of the total bill. It is important to note that these are provided within the bill as a general guide; however, you can use your discretion. For other areas of service staff within the United States, a similar scale can be applied, of course guided by your discretion. It is also important to understand that the calculation of the gratuity in your currency of exchange may place you in a less than desirable position. I recall having dinner at a restaurant in Miami, and one of the persons at the table decidedly stated Ill get the tip whilst waving two dollars confidently in the air. In his mind, two US dollars equated to twelve TTD dollars which he felt was sufficient. Of course he was quietly and quickly advised that we are not in Trinidad and Tobago, and two dollars was just that: two dollars. In the Americas (From Argentina to Venezuela), it is customary to provide a gratuity between 10 15% of the total bill if within the restaurant setting. For other areas of service delivery, including hotel staff, taxi services etc, and your discretion should be used as a guide. It is important to also ascertain the weight of your currency of choice (exchange rate). For example, you do not present a gratuity in a currency that may not be used or that has a depreciated rate to the service provider. I recall on one of my visits to a country in South America, I attempted to pay a taxi in another currency (which carried a heavier rate of exchange than the countrys currency). Thinking I was doing something of benefit to the taxi driver, he educated me stating that the bank would have given him a significantly lower rate of exchange, hence short changing him. The learning never assume, sometimes, a simple conversation or question to the service provider can quell an unpleasant scenario and be of benefit to both parties. European countries welcome the provision of gratuities, with a range from 5-15% of the total bill presented. Asian and Pacific countries also welcome the provision of service- based gratuities, between the ranges of 0 15% based on the level of service provided. The exceptions are China and Japan. In China, service excellence can be rewarded with a 3% gratuity, and it must be noted that it is not a customary practice in this region. In Japan, tipping or the provision of gratuities is not customary and is viewed as an insult. A saving LINQ news-medical.net. In the view of Dr Lana Boodhoo this is one way TT can seek to further diversify its economy. Dr Boodhoo is a consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist. The national scholarship winner obtained her postgraduate training (PhD) from the University of London for her research in atrial fibrillation. She also pursued specialist training at Liverpool, England in the new field of cardiac electrophysiology, which deals with the assessment and treatment of heart rhythm problems. Boodhoo returned to Trinidad in 2009, as the Caribbeans first resident electrophysiologist and has since set up the regions first heart rhythm clinic at the San Fernando General Hospital. She has also performed the first cardiac ablations in the public sector and the countrys first implants of MRI conditional pacemakers. As a consultant at the St Augustine Private Hospital and Westshore Medical Private Hospital she is set to introduce another first in the country. Boodhoo introduced Reveal LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitoring System less than three months ago. This, Boodhoo explained, could help doctors diagnose and treat irregular heartbeats that might be related to unexplained fainting. What has been described as the smallest heart monitor on the market, detects and records abnormal heart rhythms for up to three years. The device is ultra discreet and involves less complications in implantation. It took sometime to get the device into the country due to approvals from the telecommunications authorities because the information from this device can be transmitted wirelessly or the patient can come in and the information will be downloaded. Although there was some bureaucracy, Boodhoo and her team persisted. The device continuously monitors the heartbeat and allows for huge improvement in diagnostic process for patient with infrequent fainting, Boodhoo said. It is, however, her wish that the medical advancements in the countrys private sector runs pace with what occurs in the public sector. She said, I think cardiology, locally, as in all fields of medicine, there are huge limitations that we face in terms of access to technology and even when technology is available, importing that technology. Particularly, in an age where revenue, resources and foreign exchange is becoming less. These problems are more amplified in the public sector. I think to some extent they are surmountable in the private sector where we have less bureaucracy. The private sector has been at the forefront of advances in the country. She said it was important that the country was still at the fore of medical technology with the private sector only being two years behind in medical advancements, globally. The device would cost about TT $20,000 but the implant curbs the further expense of having to do constant tests because of unexplained fainting. Patients could keep the implant for three years after which a diagnosis would have been made. The patient does not have to remove the device as it is so nondescript it can remain indefiitely, Boodhoo said. Boodhoo aims to keep on pace with medical technological advancements happening globally. She said the private hospital is soon to implement new mapping technology which allows for the building of virtual 3D reconstructions of various chambers of the heart, which is going to increase the complexity and number of procedures we currently perform and bring us right on par with the quality of care in developed countries in the world. For her, access to things like 3D technology enables the local medical field to widen the scope of procedures that are able to perform. She said complex heart procedures potentially opens the door to having patients from other countries which could be a potential source of foreign exchange in advancing medical tourism in TT. The burgeoning field of medical tourism needed to be done in conjunction with the private sector. It is a field that we do need to look at that would go a long way to TTs economic diversification. However, its growth was dependent upon technology being accessible. The sector, she added, had to have feasible cost models and had to be attractive to foreign markets. We have to provide a very enabling environment. When patients come here for a procedure we have to ensure they are safe, comfortable and can move about without fear....It is something which is feasible and there should be that imperative to get that going, she said. Visit Mystery Pools The Morne La Croix countryside is full of natural resources with a diversity of rivers, gorges, and waterfalls. Its hidden beauty remains preserved since access is restricted by its mountainous and complex terrain. The Marianne River flows on its eastern side, with its source originating from Brasso Seco. Further downstream along its channel, there is Avocat Waterfalls and 3 Pools. Deep down in the valley, on the western end of the village, there is the Limon River which passes through the village through uncharted territory to exit on the North Coast at Yarra Bay. The river plunges several steep escarpments to form beautiful waterfalls and gorges. Concealed along its tributaries are other waterfalls and there is the picturesque 3 Sprout Falls which has three overflows. The exploration to the Mystery Pools will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours and starts 1 km from the village at the 15-and-a-quarter mile post on the Arima, Blanchisseuse Road. The trail descends to the river and there is the option to relax and enjoy the nearby pools or explore further upstream to locate the fall. The return to the village is a moderate ascend and via the same route. On Sunday Island Hikers visit the Mystery Pools of Morne La Croix. Assembly: 7 am at corner of OMeara Road and Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Arima. Next to FT Farfan Depart: 7.45 am Rating: 4 moderate (easy downhill and gradual uphill return) Swimming: optional life jackets provided but if you have one bring it along. Estimated hiking time down to the river and fall: 1- 11/2 hours Note: please bring a change of clothing. For more info: islandhikers. com Waves rough-up Toco, Tobago There were no reports of loss of life or injuries to any persons, and fishermen reported no undue damage to their boats or persons in the areas said to be affected by the swells Pigeon Point, Buccoo and Castara. Director of the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) Allan Stewart, said that the swells did cause damage to coastal areas. Stewart said an assessment of the damage was being done and he could not at this time provide any details about the impact of the swells. He said TEMAs teams were out at Pigeon Point, Castara and Buccoo. He confirmed that there was no loss of life as a result of the swells. Yesterday, a group of men sitting at the closed fishing depot on the Pigeon Point Road, some of who operate small itinerant businesses in the area, took the onslaught of the swells in stride. It is a normal occurrence, not unexpected, one man said, while another said that it just pass through, nothing to worry about at the end of the day. And though the businessmen also agreed that the swells hitting Pigeon were a normal occurrence at this time of the year, they were surprised at the magnitude, and the damage it wrought on their businesses, with some estimating thousands of dollars on damages, Manager of Conrado Resort and Restaurant, Laurence Ruiz, said the outside deck of the restaurant ,which is located directly on the beach front ,was partially destroyed by the swells. We actually had to sandbag the area to stop the water from coming in, it was terrible. The entire deck, which is the area where we would have all our meals, is filled with sand deposits. We even had water going into the bar area but there is no comfort really as we still have another three days of this, according to the MET office bulletin. The deck will remain cordoned off, he said. On Tuesday, the Meteorological Office issued a release stating that long swells were forecast to affect the coastline of Trinidad and Tobago. The Met Office said the swells were being generated by a disturbance in the Northern Atlantic Ocean and were forecast to affect the coastlines for the next two to three days. These long period swells may be low amplitude but as they approach shallow waters, the wave heights can increase sharply. These swell conditions may lead to battering waves which will include localised disruption to sea bathing and near shore coastal activity, especially sheltered coastlines, and the north coast, the release read. Ruiz said that he knew that Tobago was hit by such swells annually during the months of October and November and that he did have precautions in place. Every year, during the months October and November we have the annual spring tide, this is nothing new but its the first time we have ever experienced it to this magnitude. If Tuesdays wave is anything like a prelude of things to come, I dont know. We are now applying for a certificate of clearance to have a proper retaining wall erected so that our property will be safeguarded, he said. For bar owner Rene Anthony, popularly known as Basso, who operates Renmars restaurant and bar, clean-up efforts would not begin at his place until Friday. My entire place is filled with sand. The bar, the restaurant, the bathroom, the dining area, you name it. Today is no business as usual for me, he said. Anthony said he noticed the swells building around 3pm on Tuesday, at which point he closed his business. Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Tourism, Tracy Davidson Celestine, on a visit to Pigeon Point, said the Division would be teaming up with other Divisions and allied agencies to assist with clean-up efforts. Homeless: You cannot stop Gods work A person feel to do a good, he in a certain religion and he feel to do a good, he spend a little money to feed the helpless, how you could stop that? asked Hosein, who has made a home for himself out of the lower compartment of a grocery cart on the pavement behind the historic Trinidad Government Railways Engine No 11 on Harris Promenade. Hosein has lived on the streets for the last five years. After his parents died, his sister, he said, sold their parents house and left the country with the money, leaving him homeless. The tradesman, who said he is unable to find sustainable work, expressed a deep dislike for his namesake, San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein and said the Mayor will never receive his vote. But he reluctantly agreed that the idea to funnel all the homeless to one location to be fed was a good one. Punishing the public for random acts of kindness, on the other hand, was overblown. Sitting near Hoseins cart was Lloyd Khan, 42, who said he has lived on the streets since he was 14 years old. How you could stop that? If people want to feed us on the streets you cannot do that. During its Statutory meeting on Tuesday, the San Fernando City Council passed a bye-law that will make it illegal for the public to feed persons on the streets of San Fernando. The public is instead asked to feed the homeless at established facilities like the Court Shamrock Centre for Socially Displaced Persons and the almost complete Shelter for the Socially Displaced being built near the waterfront in San Fernando. Mayor Hosein said to Newsday that many have since shared with him their love for the idea. I have received many calls from people telling me they like the idea. Groups that share food on a Sunday and what not said that they liked the idea of all of them going to a central location. The Mayor insisted that the bye-law is not meant to punish the public for their good deeds, but to encourage them to funnel their good deeds in a manner that he believes would be mutually beneficial for both the homeless and the public. We have to inform and sensitise the public on it. Dont think we just going to start fining people just so. I believe in consultation. Indeed, some passers-by in the City agreed with the bye-law and its intentions. Franklin Bhola, 64, said, We cannot throw them (the homeless) away, we cannot illtreat them, and we cannot be vex with them. Everybody has their story and circumstances. But I think it would be a good idea to house everybody in one specific area for the public to do good for them instead of having them scattered all over. Petronella Ramoutar also welcomed the idea, saying, Making them go to one place will clear them off the streets. Not everyone agrees with the bye-law, however. A Facebook commenter, Denith McNicolls, shared with Newsday that the bye-law seemed misdirected. It is really just about not looking at them (the homeless) rather than finding a solution, it seems. To deny them the opportunity to eat because of where theyre eating is absolute garbage. The thrust to direct the homeless away from the streets and into centres is not without its obstacles, however, the main being that their numbers are quickly outpacing the capacity of the established centres. Trevor Brathwaite, the manager of the Court Shamrock Centre, said that the maximum capacity of the Centre is 50, but they are only able to service 30 people on their current budget. The Centre is completely funded by the Government, and according to Brathwaite, the Governments grant has increased not one cent since their founding 18 years ago. This affects the morale of his staff, he said, as they often encounter salary problems. But, he said, it is a labour of love. Toco fishermen counting losses He said one Grande Riviere fisherman in particular, Keon James, 31, a father of three, suffered losses of approximately $90,000. Rough waters, with waves as high as 25 feet in some instances, pounded the shorelines in Matelot and other fishing communities along the north-east coast on Tuesday destroying about 25 fishing boats and nets. Apart from the boats, there is a serious problem with the nets and those losses are heavy, he said. Rondon, who is the councillor for Toco/Fishing Pond, said he had been asked by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture to compile a preliminary estimate of the losses. Meanwhile, the TT Meteorological Service said the swells which affected the shorelines of the north coast were generated by a distant disturbance in the Northern Atlantic Ocean and are forecast to affect coastlines for at least the next 24 to 36 hours. The Met Service said Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models forecast northerly swells with periods or wave intervals in excess of 13 seconds. This means that the time between successive swell crests will be 13 seconds or more, the Met Service said. These long period swells may be low amplitude but as they approach shallow waters, the wave heights can increase sharply. These swell conditions may lead to battering waves which will include localized disruption to sea bathing and near shore coastal activity especially the North coast of Trinidad and the sheltered coastlines of Tobago. Oil workers to protest today In a statement late yesterday evening, the OWTU said that from 8 am, workers will down tools and take to marching in front of the Pointe-a-Pierre roundabout to express their disgust at Petrotrins inaction about what they insist is a security crisis. The union said that even before the death of Curtis Pierre by suicide last week, after he jumped into one of the companys oil storage tanks in Point Fortin, it has been raising the issue of safety with the company but to no avail . After a meeting with members, the OWTU said it decided to protest to highlight the severity of the situation and compel Petrotrin to respond. In a statement to Newsday late yesterday evening, however, Petrotrin said the reason for the strike was because of a breakdown in wage negotiations at the Ministry of Labour . In light of the low oil prices and the need for Petrotrin to sustain and increase its current oil production levels, the Company will do all in its power to manage this situation in order to fulfill its obligations to all stakeholder, the company said. Petrotrin added that after the OWTU had informed of its intention to strike, the company notified Inland Offshore Contractors Limited (IOCL), one of its three main contractors that provide marine transport to the companys Trinmar operations off the southwestern coast . Reliable transport is critical to ensuring our effectiveness in servicing our offshore installations . Petrotrin is therefore monitoring the situation closely and contingency measures will be implemented as required to limit the impact of the expected disruption in service, the company said. Energy Minister Nicole Olliverre told Newsday that it was unfortunate that the union would take such action, especially given the current situation of falling production at Petrotin. The Ministry will be monitoring the situation closely, she added . Mafeking parents continue protest The frustrated parents are claiming that for many years students have been in danger from a faulty electrical system. From 7 am, the parents and children marched in front of the 50-year-old building to voice their concerns. Speaking to Newsday, PTA public relations officer Brian Francis said the school has been neglected over the years and enough is enough. This has nothing to do with politics as some people may say. The fight today is for an education for children in an environment conducive to learning. These children cannot work in this environment, it is not safe, he said. Francis said the electrical problem has been ongoing over the years but within the last two weeks it has worsened, forcing the early dismissal of classes. He said pupils and members of staff are at risk on the compound. What if a fire starts because of this faulty electrical problem? Are they waiting for a fire to occur and act? he asked. Francis added that the building needs urgent rewiring. They must replace all the old wires and upgrade this electrical system or the problem will persist. This building is a hazard and parents are not going to send their children to school until this problem is rectified. He said other problems at the school included overcrowding and broken furniture. This building has been in existence for the past 50 years and there has not been any significant extension done to it while the schools population is a growing one, so the students are cramped in classes, he said. Many times, Francis said, students are left without seating accommodation. We have to go to the music room or library to get chairs and tables to bring to the classes just to accommodate the students. The uniforms of these children are also damaged because the furniture is old and dilapidated. Member of Parliament for Mayaro, Rushton Paray, in a media release, said on Tuesday, while at the Standing Finance Committee on Education, he had informed Education Minister Anthony Garcia of the parents concerns. Paray said he was disheartened by the lack of urgency in addressing the matter since 336 students are currently being denied their fundamental human right of receiving a quality education. He appealed to the relevant authorities to hasten their response to this matter since the well-being of the students is of utmost importance. When Newsday contacted the Education Ministry, an official said the ministry was aware of the problems and is currently addressing the issues. MTS workers frustrated This follows a protest yesterday morning outside MTS head office in Aranjuez, where dozens of workers demanded completion of negotiations, which have reached an advanced stage after two years of meetings. The Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) represents MTS daily and monthly paid staff, exclusive of the security division staff. Speaking with Newsday, TIWU President General, Roland Sutherland, explained that the decision to gather outside the CPOs office was made after MTS Chief Executive Officer, Lennox Ramrattansingh, informed the union yesterday afternoon that MTS cannot sign off on the collective agreement until its approved by the CPO. When we met MTS management a month ago (September 20), we agreed to accept their offer of a ten percent salary increase, (which) they first made back in September 2015 shortly before the general election. We told MTS to draft an agreement and bring it to our next meeting on September 29 but management cancelled that and has not set up a new meeting since. Sutherland explained this is what prompted todays (yesterdays) protest __ the workers; mainly women who are single parents, are getting very tizic (very upset) that talks might (stall) after we finally reached agreement on everything. Workers having been informed that forward movement depends on the CPO, not MTS management. Sutherland told Newsday this is why they intend to meet outside Lewis office at about 9 am tomorrow. MTS workers will gather outside the CPOs office in their numbers on Friday to ensure that the CPO does what shes supposed to do. EMSU head says NUGFW treated lifeguards badly However, EMSU president, Jamiele Sydney said part of the reason was because NUGFW did not deal specifically with the laws covering emergency service personnel, so they could only do so much in representing lifeguards because of the unions constitution. Sydney, a licensed paramedic, explained that his union represents emergency personnel including monthly and daily paid workers such as hospital staff, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and lifeguards. He noted the union was formed in October 2015, certified in April 2016, but was yet to be recognised to negotiate with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). The EMSU has planned to bring the needs of the lifeguards to the attention of the Ministry of National Security on Monday October 31 at 9am in the form of a protest in front of the Ministry on Abercromby Street. Move lifeguards from Natl Sec to Local Govt He said that the Ministry of National Security under Minister Edmund Dillon is unable to properly and effectively manage the lifeguards with a view to improving service offered to the public. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday Lambert discredited Governments assertion during the recent budget debate that there are enough lifeguards to patrol the beaches of Trinidad and Tobago. Lambert said, We consider it to be the abandonment by the Ministry of National Security as it relates to the lifeguards and to a lesser extent, the facility workers at Maracas and wherever there are lifeguards throughout the country. This morning, we are here because of the fact that the Ministry of National Security was given the portfolio of overseeing the lifeguards and the facility workers at Maracas and elsewhere. And since they came into office on September 2016, we have had one meeting with the then Permanent Secretary in the month of May of 2015 with the intention of having a subsequent meeting in the month of July 2015. He said that previously, lifeguards used to be under the Ministry of Local Government and then it was transferred to the Ministry of Tourism. So it look like National Security took over from the Ministry of Tourism. And from the day National Security took over, it has been problems. We are saying as the National Union of Government and Federated Workers, we are of the view very strongly that the Ministry of National Security cannot operate lifeguards and also the facility workers. There is sufficient problems taking place in the country as it relates to crime, murders and all these sort of things that it appears to us the Ministry of National Security is unable to take care of. How then could they take care of and manage civilian workers such as lifeguards? Lambert also refuted the statement made during the recent Budget debate that there are enough lifeguards across Trinidad and Tobago, saying that the National Security Ministry has no clue with regard to what is taking place with lifeguards and the plethora of problems facing lifeguards on a daily basis. TTUTA head: Avoid the mudslinging People must know the truth and assess candidates suitability for leadership posts in the union. Sinanans appeal came in response to allegations made by a candidate that the union had agreed to a wage freeze for the period 2014- 2017. I understand that people have been spreading misinformation by telling people that we have agreed to a wage freeze. But we have not even started negotiations as yet, he told Newsday. The union yesterday issued a media release condemning the action. It has been brought to the attention of the association that there may be misinformation regarding the 2014- 2017 salary negotiations emerging on the campaign trail as we approach the October 20, 2016, election of national officers, Sinanan said in the release. He said following the signing of the agreement between TTUTA and the CPO for December 2011-2014, proposals for the period 2014 to 2017 were developed and submitted to the CPO in February/March last. To date, the CPO has not yet responded to those proposals, he said. Sinanan said that in July, at a meeting with the CPO, the issue was discussed and the CPO had indicated that a formal response would be given in September in the hope that the negotiations could begin before the end of the financial year. To date, such response has not been received, he said. It must be emphasised that no discussions or negotiations have taken place between TTUTA sand the CPO for the period 2014 to 2017. Further, if and when there is to be any agreement between the CPO and TTUTA, such agreement must be sanctioned by the general council. Sinanan said it was irresponsible and mischievous for any candidate contesting the election to say that the TTUTA leadership has agreed to a wage freeze for the period 2014 to 2017, and worse yet is keeping such agreement a secret from the membership. Dow Just Had Its Best Month Since 1976 (Newser) "Why are our lives so different, just because of where we are born?" That's the question posed to the Washington Post by Suh, a 30-year-old North Korean woman now being held in a Bangkok detention center after being busted by local cops while trying to cross from Laos to Thailand. And this is only her most recent travail: Suh and two other women interviewed by the Post were trying to flee their lives as sex "video chatters" in China, an online profession many women are sucked into after first escaping North Koreaeither by willingly getting sold to Chinese men to get out of their home country, or after being tricked into thinking they were being hired for jobs in China, only to end up as human trafficking victims. Purchasing North Korean women is big business in China for men who can't find wives any other way: The asking price for women between 15 and 25 can near $12,000. Life in China is impoverished and dangerous for these North Korean nationals: They can be deported back to their home country if they're caught, per Radio Free Asia. North Korean women trying to survive there often fall into the online "video chatting" business, allowing them to bring in some extra cash from the safety of their own homes. But it's a demeaning, demoralizing trade. "I felt so disgusting," Suh says. And it's what led Suh (who brought her 18-month-old daughter with her, but had to leave her 5-year-old daughter behind) and the two other women to try to escape once morethis time to Laos, then to Thailand, where they wouldn't have been able to be repatriated back to North Korea. The two women being detained with Suh want to eventually make it to South Korea, but Suh is applying for asylum instead in "the strongest country on Earth": the United States. (Their sad story here.) (Newser) A Florida grandmother tells WFLA she's about to be evicted and put out on the street, all because she allowed her 1-year-old grandson to move in with her. The Pine Haven Mobile Home Park is a retirement community with a no-kids-allowed policy. But Donna Souza's daughter is battling a drug addiction and can't care for her son Bryson. Souza allowed Bryson to come live with her last year. "I dont want him put in foster care," she says. "He doesnt deserve that." On Monday, she says she got an eviction notice giving her 30 days to move out. Wheres their compassion?" Souza asks WFLA. "This is an innocent child; its not his fault." The owner of the mobile home park says other residents have complained, and all residents need to follow the rules. He says he worked with Souza, giving her multiple warnings, including a six-month grace period, before Monday's eviction notice. But Souza says she's "terrified" for Bryson's future. "I cant go into the streets with the baby," she says. (Read more eviction stories.) (Newser) Police in western Texas are asking for the public's help in finding Zuzu Verk, a 22-year-old university student who has been missing for more than a weekand is believed to be "endangered." Police in the city of Alpine say the reward for information leading to Verk's whereabouts or safe return has been upped to $30,000, reports the Dallas Morning News. CBS 7 reports they asked for anybody with "information about seeing a grey 2006 Jeep Liberty and a 2004 Mazda Miata convertible with a beige top being driven between the hours of midnight and 10:00am on Wednesday October 12" to come forward. Verk, a Sul Ross State University student described as being white, 5 feet tall, 110 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes, hasn't been seen since last Tuesday night, when she went to the movies with a group of friends and her on-again/off-again boyfriend, police say. She had a midterm scheduled for Oct. 12 but didn't show up for it. WFAA reports that the boyfriend's residence has been searched, and police say he is one of several "persons of interest in the case." Says Capt. Darrell Losoya, "The residence of the boyfriend was Zuzu's last actual known location." Policewho've asked local landowners to check their properties for anything suspicioussay teams have searched more than 200 square miles of Brewster County on the ground and from the air. (Read more missing person stories.) (Newser) Donald Trump made headlines late in Wednesday's debate by refusing to say he would accept the results of the November election if he loses to Hillary Clinton. It's a "startling break with American democratic tradition," declares the Washington Post. Clinton, meanwhile, called his resistance "horrifying," reports the AP. Trump spent the days leading up to the debate warning voters that the election will be "rigged." Asked whether he would accept the results, he said, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." Clinton then jumped in. "Chris let me respond to that," she said, referring to moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News. "That's horrifying. I am appalled that someone who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that position. Trump's comments contradicted pledges by his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, as well as his daughter, Ivanka. (See other big lines of the debate here.) (Newser) Ecuador may be claiming its decision to cut Julian Assange's internet was all its own, but that's not the story some US officials are telling. Intelligence sources tell NBC News that the US government quietly communicated to Ecuador that Assange is tied up with Russian hackingofficials say he knows the files he's releasing through WikiLeaks come from Russian intelligence, though he's not taking part in any hacking himselfand shouldn't be allowed to continue. The information helped bring about what one official describes as Assange's "eviction notice," sources say. Assange himself says Secretary of State John Kerry pressured Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa during a meeting last month to take action against Assange. A State Department rep, however, says "any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down WikiLeaks is false." The AP notes Ecuador, whose economy is struggling, might simply have chosen not to risk its relationship with the US, its largest trade partner. Either way, WikiLeaks is still tweeting links to hacked emails from Democratic officials, including John Podesta. And though Assange is still offline, he's at least on top of the news. London-based Canadian comedian Bobby Mair tweeted a photo of himself holding a megaphone on Wednesday with the caption, "I'm outside the Ecuadorian Embassy about to read the Internet to Julian Assange," per the Washington Post. He then did just that. (Read more Julian Assange stories.) (Newser) Iraqi special forces charged into the Mosul battle Thursday with a pre-dawn advance on a nearby town held by ISIS, a key part of a multi-pronged assault on eastern approaches to the besieged city. As they advanced, attack helicopters fired on the militants and heavy gunfire echoed across the plains, the AP reports. A military spokesman says the elite forces advanced on the abandoned, traditionally Christian town of Bartella with the aid of US-led coalition airstrikes and heavy artillery on the fourth day of a massive operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. "God willing, we will take this town today," he says. The militants fought back, unleashing at least four suicide car bombs against the advancing forces, one of which blew up after it was struck by tank fire. The special forces are expected to lead the way into Mosul, where they will face fierce resistance in an urban landscape where ISIS militants are preparing for a climactic battle. The offensive is expected to take weeks, if not months. The Kurdish forces known as peshmerga, who are also taking part in the offensive, announced a "large-scale operation" to the north and northeast of Mosul on Thursday. (The UN warns that the fight for Mosul could cause the year's biggest humanitarian crisis.) (Newser) Stopping to pick up a stray penny off the ground may not seem worth the effort, yet one bank is trying to change that mindset by placing 100 fake pennies across the country worth $1,000 apiece. Ally Bank says it's hoping to encourage Americans to look for opportunities to save through its "Lucky Penny" promotion, which launched this week, the AP reports. The lucky pennies carry a copper color like real pennies, but they feature the Detroit-based bank's logo instead of Abraham Lincoln's head. The flip side of the coin lists its value at 100,000 cents. "The initiative seeks to demonstrate the importance of valuing every cent, while encouraging Americans to look for opportunities to save," the bank says in a press release. The pennies have been placed in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, DC, Miami, Denver, Detroit, and San Diego, as well as in Charlotte, NC, and Austin, Texas. The coins can be redeemed online until the end of the year. Clues and news are available on the promotion's website and by following the #AllyLuckyPenny hashtag on social media. (Read more pennies stories.) (Newser) A sweet tooth and some extremely bad luck have spelled trouble for an alleged robber in Connecticut. Police say that Donald Newman-Smith robbed a convenience store in Stamford of $800, then decided to head to a local bakery to splurge on fancy cookies and espresso. The problem is he flagged down someone to ask for directions en route, and that person just happened to be an investigator heading to the crime scene, reports the Stamford Advocate. When the investigator watched the surveillance tape a short time later, he recognized the suspect, headed to the bakery, and arrested Newman-Smith outside the shop enjoying his snack. He faces first-degree robbery charges. (Read more weird crimes stories.) (Newser) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is done with us. "I announce my separation from the United States," he declared Thursday on a visit to Beijing, adding that he will instead seek a military and economic alliance with China, Reuters reports. "I've realigned myself in your ideological flow," he told his audience, adding that he hopes to add another major player to the mix. "I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the worldChina, Philippines and Russia," he said. "America has lost." The White House downplayed the move, with a spokesman saying the US remained a strong economic partner of the Philippines. Duterte has bristled at US condemnation of his bloody war on drugs, personally insulted President Obama, and threatened to leave the "stupid" UN. While he's been throwing barbs at the US, Duterte has apparently been sending flowers to Beijing. He was greeted by a full marching band upon his arrival in Beijing (Obama didn't even get a staircase), and his finance minister plans to ink $13.5 billion worth of economic deals while on the current visit to China. The deal is an especially important diplomatic victory for China, the Wall Street Journal reports, because it signals the Philippines is ready to come to the negotiating table and resolve what has been a major territory dispute over Chinese military bases in the South China Sea. (Read more Philippines stories.) (Newser) Gable Tostee has been acquitted of murder charges stemming from the 2014 death of 26-year-old tourist Warriena Wright, who fell to her death from his balcony after meeting the Australian 30-year-old on Tinder. After a long night of drinking, the pair ended up on less-than-friendly terms, and Tostee locked Wright on the balcony. Drunk and locked out of his apartment, Wright, who was visiting from New Zealand, tried to climb down the fire escape, but fell. Prosecutors argued Tostee was guilty of murder or manslaughter because he had intimidated Wright to the point that she feared for her own safety. But, as the BBC reports, a Queensland jury didn't buy that argument, acquitting Tostee of all charges after four days of deliberations. The piece of evidence at the heart of the case is an hours-long recording Tostee secretly made of the conversation between the two. The recording shows a charged night that included consensual sex, multiple arguments and bouts of physical violence, and several instances of discussing death, even including the idea of falling off the balcony. Minutes before locking her out on the balcony, Tostee can be heard on the recording claiming that Wright had attacked him. "You're lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony," he says. "If you try to pull anything, I'll knock you out." The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has other relevant excerpts from the recording. Prosecutors argued the recording proved that Tostee had terrified Wright to the point that she tried to run away from him, while defense attorneys argued Tostee was trying to protect himself from a drunk and unstable woman. (Read more crime stories.) (Newser) Democrats outraged about Donald Trump's potential refusal to acknowledge the results of an election are forgetting the 2000 election, Joe Scarborough argued on MSNBC Thursday. Scarborough accused the media of "bath[ing] in hypocrisy" and pummelling Trump with an unfair, "holier-than-thou" attitude, reports the Hill. The same people who are accusing Trump of heinous offenses against democracy are the same people who wouldn't accept that George W. Bush's win over Al Gore was legit, he says. He also points out that "just six months ago," Bernie Sanders supporters were complaining of a rigged primary system. Others have been using the 2000 election as an example of a candidate who wouldn't accept results, but Philip Bump at the Washington Post writes that the situations were different. "Gore's fight was a fight over counting ballots, not over an allegation that the election itself was unfair," he writes. Yes, Gore recanted his election night concession, but that was because the counting process was in chaos. Once the Supreme Court weighed in, he ended the fight. And in his subsequent concession speech, Gore was civil and congenial, saying that in past in contested elections, "both the victor and the vanquished have accepted the result peacefully, and in the spirit of reconciliation. So let it be with us." (Trump said Thursday he will accept the results, if he wins.) (Newser) A 1993 letter from George HW Bush to Bill Clinton is suddenly back in the news, being hailed as a great example of grace in defeat and a reminder of what a peaceful transition of power looks like. The letter, which is mentioned in autobiographies by both former presidents, was written after Clinton defeated Bush in the 1992 presidential election, according to US News & World Report. It went viral after Wednesday's presidential debate, in which Donald Trump declined to commit to accepting the election results, Time reports. "I wish you great happiness here," Bush writes, welcoming Clinton to the Oval Office. "Don't let the critics discourage you or push you off course." But perhaps the most important part of the letter is the ending, which reads: "You will be our president when you read this note. ... Your success now is our country's success. I am rooting hard for you. Good luck." The letter, currently housed in Bush's presidential library, left social media users longing for the days of political civility, the Los Angeles Times reports. "Disagreements between candidates don't have to go the way this election has," writes one Twitter user who shared a photo of the letter. "A long, long time ago, in a land far far away, politics had grace," US News & World Report quotes another Twitter user as saying. (Also going viral: Trump "book reports.") (Newser) You've probably gotten pretty used to seeing the Peanuts characters on MetLife sales and marketing materials, in its commercials and other ads, and prominently displayed on its blimp. But after 31 years of using Snoopy & Co. in its advertising, the life insurance business is parting ways with the characters, the Wall Street Journal reports. MetLife first began using the Charles Schulz cartoons in an attempt to connect with US customers, but next year, the company will be spinning off much of its US life insurance business into a company called Brighthouse Financial, and from there on out MetLife will mostly only sell to corporate clients in the US. "We brought in Snoopy over 30 years ago to make our company more friendly and approachable during a time when insurance companies were seen as cold and distant," says a MetLife exec in a statement, per USA Today. MetLife spoke to more than 55,000 customers in eight countries as it decided on a new marketing approach; its new logo will feature a blue and green "M" symbol and the tagline, "MetLife: Navigating life together." Snoopy won't disappear immediately; MetLife acknowledges it may take some time to get the characters off of all the materials, including notepads and business cards, on which they appear. As for the blimps, after this year MetLife won't be using them at all. "We have great respect for these iconic characters," the exec says. "However, as we focus on our future, it's important that we associate our brand directly with the work we do and the partnership we have with our customers." The Journal has more in the MetLife changes, which were made in order to help the company do better financially in the face of stiff federal regulations. (Read more MetLife stories.) (Newser) Paula Grzelak-Schultz returned to her car the morning after a night of drinking to see what we all fear: a slip of paper under the windshield wiper. Lucky for Paula, it wasn't a ticket or an angry note about her leaving her car there overnightit was a letter from the bar in Sherwood Park, Canada, in whose lot she was parked. "I'm not sure if you had consumed alcohol at our restaurant or not," read the letter from Original Joe's, "but we wanted to thank you for not drinking and driving. Enclosed is a voucher for 1lb of our delicious chicken wings. Please accept this as a thank you for being responsible." Jay McLean, the managing partner of the pub, says he's been leaving similar notes for others who park overnight for about a year now, since hearing about another bar doing so, reports Global News. Grzelak-Schultz, whose Facebook post about the incident has been shared more than 8,000 times, says she'll definitely be returning to the business, notes Mashable. "Not just because of the voucher, but because of how well this guy treats his patrons." (A driver in Texas who apparently couldn't stop drinking and driving just paid a heavy price in jail time.) (Newser) Approximately 65,000 gay and bisexual menonly 15,000 of whom are still livingconvicted under Britain's "gross indecency" and "buggery" laws will be pardoned, USA Today reports. According to the Independent, the pardons, which were announced Thursday, come as an amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill. The amendment is being called the "Turing Law" after Alan Turing, whoalong with Oscar Wildewas one of the most famous victims of Britain's anti-gay laws, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The invaluable WWII code breaker was chemically castrated after his conviction and committed suicide shortly thereafter. Turing was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, and his great niece, Rachel Barnes, tells the Independent it's "absolutely right" that all others convicted under the laws, which were done away with in 1967, be pardoned as well. While the dead will be pardoned automatically, the 15,000 or so men still alive can apply to be pardoned. But not all of them are interested. George Montague tells the BBC he wants an apology instead, arguing that to be pardoned is to admit to wrongdoing in the first place. "I was not guilty of anything," he says. The British government says a pardon is the best tool available to make things right. (Read more homosexuality stories.) Boko Haram released 21 of the more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls the terror group kidnapped in April 2014. The girls were finally reunited with their families in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, on Sunday after more than two years in captivity. There were no words about the girls since the night Boko Haram - which, roughly translated, means "Western education is a sin" - stormed a school on April 14, 2014, where the young women were preparing for exams. About 276 girls were abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014; 50 managed to escape on the night of the kidnapping. CNN reported that the 200 others were taken prisoner, either forced to marry Boko Haram fighters, or serve as slaves to the militants. Those who refused endured more than two years of servitude, washing, fetching water and cooking for Boko Haram. The girls, nearly all of them Christians, lived in grass huts and were forced to convert to Islam. At first they ate rice and maize. But then food became scarce. During their captivity in the forest, a few of them died. The Nigerian government negotiated the freedom of the abducted girls with the help of the Swiss government and the Red Cross, according to The New York TImes. The terms of the deal are a little shady: Some sources say the girls were released as part of a prisoner exchange, others have said Boko Haram received ransom payments. The Nigerian government has denied any swap, and said it wasn't "aware" of any payments made to the group. Franc24 reported that the Swiss government refuted the ransom allegations. Negotiations will continue Monday to free the remaining girls, but sources tell CNN that only 83 out of the 197 left are being negotiated for. The Nigerian government is currently negotiating with a Boko Haram splinter group that is more closely affiliated with ISIS. Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015, has started to fracture, and that seems to have helped create the conditions for the release of the first 21 girls. Google has released its first ever Smartphone, and it is amazing. The Google Pixel is the first ever Smartphone where Google made its hardware and software and everything about it. Everything that is in Google will be on your Google Pixel. According to Wired, Google Pixel is a bit better than iPhone. It is very much like iPhone with the outer surface but it has its advantages, and Google Assistant is far better than Siri. They also said that Google Pixel is every traveler's best friend as it is very helpful when traveling. Google apps like the maps and trips, especially the Project Fi. CNET has shared some tips as to how to use Google Pixel better. They have shared some secrets how to use the apps of Google Pixel better. Like, for example, with the Google Assistant, you can customize as to where and from whom you want to get news from. Also, another example is enabling 4k for your photos and videos. Since Google Pixel lets user store as many and as big photos and videos, users should allow it. They should set up Google Photos first before doing so. However, Wall Street Journal's writer has a different opinion. They have compared most specs of the two phones and though Google Pixel has many advantages like with the quality of the photos and battery life. It also lost some factors to iPhone like the water resistance part; Google Pixel is not waterproof unlike most phones nowadays. Another part people do not like about the Google Pixel is that it will access your every information available on Google. However, that part will be helpful when it comes to Google Assistant, so it is fine. The price of Google phone is $650 for the 5-inch Pixel and $770 for the 5.5-inch Pixel XL. Many people have been waiting for an iPhone that is run by Android, and here it is. A collaborative community of world-leadings scientist have a meeting in London on 13 and 14 of October discussing how they will going to build this "Human Cells Atlas ", this is a collection of maps that will describe and define every cell in the human body whether healthy or diseased. The discovery of the "single-cell genomics" pushed these scientists to put this ambitious goal of mapping out all human cells within reach. This project will enable us to realistically envision and comprehensively understand the human cellular in terms of health and diagnosing, monitoring and treating disease. It will really empower the global research community and impact biology and medicine. Challenges in Biomedicine without Human Cells Atlas Cell is the basic unit of life yet we know little about it. Do you know how many cells do we have in our body and how important it is? Like a map, it helps us be in the right direction and without it we will be lost and as well as without maps of different cell types, where they are located in the body, and the genes they express, we cannot describe all cellular activities and understand the biological networks that direct them. "The cell is the key to understanding the biology of health and disease, but we are currently limited in our understanding of how cells differ across each organ, or even how many cell types there are in the body," said Sarah Teichmann, Head of Cellular Genetics at the Sanger Institute. Status of Human Cells Atlas Project The London meeting will help establish the first phase of the initiative. They already have a funding commitment from the Chan-Zuckeberg Initiative. The company that aims to cure, prevent or manage all disease by the end of this century. "The Human Cell Atlas would be a transformative technology that advances all of science," CZI President Cori Bargmann told the assembled researchers. A new era on human cellular understanding is about to unfold once the "Human Cells Atlas" project has been completed. Google has finally opened its doors in New York! With Google's recent offerings, it is finally ready to take the next step. While pop-up means a temporary store, it is still a big leap for this tech brand considering that Apple and Microsoft are both dominating New York. Google launched a pop-up store at 96 Spring St. in the Big Apple, New York City. In an article by Alison Ledger of Event Magazine UK, "The pop-up is shrouded in mystery and has discreetly been announced via its Made By Google website on a page with a url that includes the word 'pop-up' and a Google Map location directing people to 96 Spring Street in New York City." With marketing materials "Made by Google" like billboard posters, rectangular statues, and whatnot, the company is earnest in advertising its most recent offerings. On top of that, Google is going to be competing hard against the Apple's iPhone and Amazon's Echo. Knowing Google full well, the company has been known to produce not just great products but effective marketing schemes, too. In an event held last Tuesday, October 4, 2016, Google introduced a couple of products including the new Pixel and Pixel XL, Daydream View VR headset, Google Home smart speaker which resembles the Amazon Echo, and Chromecast Ultra that bears the 4K HDR streaming, along with the Google Wifi which introduces several networks with multiple routers. All these new offerings can be found in Google's new Pop-Up store in New York. With this recent news, clearly, Google means serious business. If the company really wants to take matters like Apple does, it also has to enhance its customer experience. The pop-up shop is definitely a big help by enhancing a personal experience, which adds to the consumer's insight of Google devices. New Delhi: US Presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are facing off each other in the final debate on Wednesday night (USA time) before the voting on November 8. The debate which is taking place in University of Nevada, Las Vegas is the last chance of Democratic and Republican nominees to sway voters in their favour. So far, recent allegations of sexual harassment have created a serious dent in the public support for Donald Trump, while Clinton has registered a comfortable lead, accord9ing to reports, and she will looking to maintain it. Democratic party nominee Clinton has a nine point lead over her Republican rival, according to Bloomberg Politics poll in which the former secretary of state got 47 per cent support while the controversial real estate billionaire received 38 per cent backing in a four-way race. As it happened: #Trump when asked on his comment of rigged election,wont he respect results?: I will tell you at that time, I will keep u in suspense #Trump: You took money from Saudi Arabia (for Clinton Foundation), you talk of women rights, they throw gays off buildings #Hillary Clinton accuses Donald Trump of causing a pattern of divisiveness in America, he incites violence, she says #Nobody has more respect for women than I do: Donald Trump. Audience laughs, moderator asks for silence #Clinton campaign hired people to cause violence in Republican rallies, say Trump #Hillary lists out her achievements as Secretary of State while Donald Trump was hosting TV programmes & in private business #Trump: The problem is you talk but don't do anything. 6 billion dollars were gone when you were Sec of State. Where did it go? #Hillary: There is only one person who has shipped jobs to Mexico & that is Donald. Donald has bought China steel and aluminium #Trump: US is stagnant,our jobs are not growing.Our products r coming in from China,Vietnam. We are producing nothing #Trump: India is growing at 8%, China is growing fast, but we are growing at 1% and it is going down #Clinton: I do not want to raise taxes, I want to invest education. Cutting taxes on riches does not work. #Donald Trump: Her plan is to raise taxes. Her tax plan is a disaster. We are going to do great things for education #Hillary: He'd rather believe Putin than intell agencies of our country. Trump: She doesnt like Putin coz he has outsmarted her #I don't know Putin, but if Russia works with US against ISIS it will be good: Trump #Clinton demands Trump to clear stand on Putin #Hillary Clinton on her comment on "open borders": I was talking about energy when I said that. You are quoting from Wikileaks #Trump 's plans for immigration would rip families and our country apart: Clinton #Will introduce a comprehensive immigration plan with path to citizenship: Hillary Cinton #Clinton wanted the wall: Trump #Republican nominee reiterates need for wall to stop inflow of drugs and illegal trafficking #Abortion rights: Democratic nominee supports planned parenthood, Trump pro-life #Nominees discuss gun ownership; Trump vows to strengthen it #I support second ammendment: Clinton #Nominees skip handshake again #Debate to begin shortly For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New York: A top Indian-American woman academic and president of the University of Houston was appointed as member of the US Department of Homeland Security's Academic Advisory Council on Wednesday. The appointment of Renu Khator, Chancellor of the University of Houston System and president of the Universityof Houston (UH), was announced by US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. The council, which is made up of 23 members, including college presidents, academic leaders and inter-agency partners, provides advice and recommendations to the secretary on matters related to homeland security and the academic community. Since its formation in 2012, members have issued more than 120 recommendations in the areas of academic research and faculty exchange, campus resilience, cyber security,international students, Department of Homeland Security (DHS)academic programmes and recruitment of current students and recent graduates. Khator, who will serve a four-year term on the council,was selected by DHS based on her expertise in higher educationleadership and University of Houston's leadership in homelandsecurity research. University of Houston is the lead institution for the DHS Center of Excellence for Borders, Trade and Immigration Research, awarded in late 2015, and one of only three universities in Texas with dual designation by the National Security Agency and the DHS for its educational and research programmes in cybersecurity and cyber defense. "Serving on this council is both an honour and a serious responsibility," said Khator. "There can be no more important task than maintaining thesafety of our country. Through research, innovation andworkforce development, higher education must continue to playa vital role in helping DHS meet that crucial objective," she said. "What President Khator brings is not only a deepunderstanding of the issues facing our campuses but also afirm grasp of the mission of DHS through her work at theUniversity of Houston," said Trent Frazier, executive directorof the Office of Academic Engagement. "DHS and OAE are excitedto further collaborate with her." Khator joined the University of Houston System in 2008 andoversees a four-university organisation that serves nearly 70,000 students, has an annual budget that exceeds USD 1.7billion and generates nearly USD 6 billion economic impact onthe Greater Houston area each year. Khator, who holds a Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Purdue University, serves as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Board of Directors and was president of the American Council on Education. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor and other office staff were held in the administrative block for over 15 hours, VC Jagadesh Kumar has appealed the students to come and talk rather than confining their teachers like this. He said it is wrong to physically confine them as it is only going to affect the university. Six days after MSc first year student Najeeb Ahmed went missing from the campus the situation got more critical after students from JNU Student Union held University's Vice-Chancellor and other officials in the administrative block hurling their protest against management for not meeting their demands. The students are demanding the VC to file a new copy of FIR in the missing case. VC Jagadish Kumar while confirming the hostage briefed the situation on Twitter and asked the students to let them go. He also refered to the medical condition of some of the office staff insisting their need of medication. I appeal to the agitating JNU students to please come to the table for discussion. Our first concern should be to locate missing student. a M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 The JNU students union defended its stand claiming there has been no "illegal detention". Agitating JNU students should realize it is wrong to physically confine their own teachers like this. This will only affect our JNU. a M. Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) October 19, 2016 "We have not illegally confined anybody in JNU administrative building. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for people inside," Mohit Pandey, President, JNUSU said. Police officials were seen outside the campus awaiting a nod from the administration to enter the premises. A large number of students had gathered 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," the JNUSU President said. 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. Meanwhile, at least 12 students were summoned earlier in the day by JNU administration to appear before the proctorial committee in connection with a case involving a missing student amid protests by students who claimed 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. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Pakistani forces violated ceasefire at three points along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir during night between Wednesday and Thursday. However there was no loss or damage to India side on any site. Late on Wednesday night, Pakistan attacked the BSF camp in Bebiya. The BSF troops retaliated. According to reports, the BSF suspects infiltration attempt. At least six intruders were hiding in bushes, waiting for a chance to infiltrate. Pak troops opened fire to give them cover for crossing the border, but BSF jawans immediately returned the fire, forcing intruders to flee back to Pak side, BSF officials said. In another sector, Pakistan fired 25 rounds of small weapons and 2 small mortars at International Border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua, BSF retaliated. The cross fire continued for almost 3.30 minutes. The site of most frequent ceasefire violation, the BG sector of Rajouri also witnessed similar situation on Wednesday night. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A major cyber-attack at the back-end system of a bank has suspected to compromised at least 32 lakh debit cards used in ATM that are suspected to have exposed card and PIN details to malware at the back end. The worst hit banks by the breach are HDFC Bank, SBI and its subsidaries, Yes Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank. According to a report in Times of India, the problem relates to the feared breach in the systems of Hitachi Payment Services, which manages the ATM network processing for Yes Bank. The matter came to light around July. The private bank maintained that no compromise had been detected in its ATM network and that the measures were proactive. Yes Bank has undertaken a review of its ATMs, and there is no evidence of a breach or compromise. Yes Bank continues to work with relevant stakeholders, including other public sector and private banks, and NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), to ensure utmost safety and security of its ATM network and payment services which are completely safe to use," it said. Read: Thirteen useful tips to secure your 'plastic money' transactions Debit Cards of several banks affected The data breach has not only compromised accounts of Yes Bank customers but also other leading banks like SBI, which has recalled 6.25 lakh cards as a precautionary measure, the reports said. The steps taken by the bankers include asking customers to change the PINs of their ATM-cum-debit cards, which has now gone up one level to changing cards as well, if the customers do not comply. The reason why a large number of banks are impacted is that Yes Bank, despite having a small number of ATMs, sees a large number of third-party transactions on its machines. According to bankers, the breach effected in such a way that anyone using the said banks ATMs in the region might stand to get affected. As per briefing by SBI to agencies, compromise happened at payment switch from where data is being leaked. All cards that have similar digital chip series and design are being changed as precautionary measure. After asking its customers who may be potentially hit, the largest lender State Bank of India has also started a process to block the cards of those who did not change the security code at its own cost, its spokesperson said on Wednesday. Card network companies NPCI, MasterCard and Visa had informed various banks about a potential risk to some cards owing to a data breach. Accordingly, we have taken precautionary measures and have blocked cards of certain customers identified by the networks, SBI said in a statement this evening. We came to know about security breach and proactively recalled affected cards as we did not want our customers to be at any risk. There was no breach in our system. We are now issuing EMV-based debit cards which cannot be compromised, SBI deputy managing director and chief operating officer Manju Agarwal told PTI. She, however, declined to give the number of debit cards the bank has recalled. SBI has nearly 20 crore debit cards. There were media reports that said SBI had recalled 6.25 lakh debit cards due to malware-related security breach. SBI further emphasised that its systems are absolutely fine and not compromised at and that existing cardholders are not at any risks. We are in the process of issuing new cards at no cost to those cardholders whose cards have been blocked. This is a cards industry incident and not an SBI only incident, an SBI statement said. However, all the bankers were quick to claim that the breach has not led to any monetary losses to anyone and all the measures being taken are to safeguard the system against any potential threat. When contacted, an RBI official said the central bank is seized of the matter and is looking into the issue. Bankers said the problem was first discovered between May and July, and banks have resorted to recall the affected debit cards from September. RBI has issued advisory that banks be more careful in future. Data processes of one private bank was compromised which affected other banks customers well. Customers who used that banks ATM stand to get potentially affected, said another public sector banker. (With Inputs from PTI) Should banks have informed customers when the breach was detected a month ago? For all the Latest Business News, Economy News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Seoul: North Korea on Thursday conducted what appeared to be its second failed test in a week of a powerful medium-range missile that experts warn could be operationally deployed as early as next year. South Korean and US military monitors said the missile --believed to be an intermediate range Musudan exploded shortly after take-off at around 6:30 am Pyongyang time. The attempted launch came just hours before the start ofthe third US presidential debate a timely reminder of the challenge North Korea's fast-moving nuclear weapons programme will pose to the next occupant of the White House. It also followed a meeting in Washington between the USand South Korean defence and foreign ministers, at which USSecretary of State John Kerry stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by the North would be "met with an effective andoverwhelming response". Kerry also confirmed the imminent deployment of asophisticated US missile-defence system in the South to deterthe growing North Korean missile threat. It was the second failed launch in less than a week ofthe Musudan, which has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres. The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea andJapan, while the upper range would include US military baseson Guam. "Our military strongly condemns North Korea's continued illegal provocative actions and are fully prepared for the possibilities of further provocation," the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The last Musudan test on Saturday was denounced by the UN Security Council which is currently debating a fresh sanctions resolution against Pyongyang over its fifth nuclear test carried out last month. The missile has now been tested eight times this year but only once successfully. A Musudan launched in June flew 400 kilometres into theSea of Japan (East Sea), and was hailed by leader Kim Jong-Unas proof of the North's ability to strike US bases across "the Pacific operation theatre". Despite the string of failures, some experts believe the missile is moving swiftly towards operational deployment. According to John Schilling, an aerospace engineer specialising in rocket propulsion, the aggressive launch schedule, while multiplying the risk of failure, also increases the information gleaned from each test. "If they continue at this rate, the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile could enter operational service sometime next year much sooner than had previouslybeen expected," Schilling wrote recently on the 38 Northwebsite of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bhubaneswar: Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the Sum Hospital where 21 people were killed in a fire mishap, was on Thursday arrested after he surrendered before police in Bhubaneswar. With the arrest of Nayak, the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy now stands at five. Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation, Commissioner of Police, Y B Khurania told reporters. Sources said Nayak surrendered at the Khandagiri Police Station at about 3.30 AM. He was taken to an undisclosed destination where the police officers were interrogating him. Last evening the commissinorate of Police had issued a Look Out Circular in the name of Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the charitable trust. Also read: Four officials arrested in a major hospital fire that claimed 20 lives The police had informed all the airports and railway stations to ensure that Nayak and his wife Saswati do not escape from the state capital. The Ministry of Home affairs was also apprised about the police action in this regard, Khurania said. We may go for arrest of more people during course of investigation, he said. The police issued LOC after Union Health Minister J P Nadda made it clear to the state government that persons responsible for the fire tragedy should not not go scot free. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also assured the state that all the guilty persons would be taken to task. Also read: PM Modi, CM Patnaik express grief over loss of lives in massive blaze Two days ago, the police had arrested four senior officials including the medical superintendent of Sum Hospital Pushparaj Samantasinghar. They were booked under section 304. 308, 285 and 34 of IPC. The four officials were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state governments fire service department. A case was registered against the authorities of Sum Hospital which has been accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of state government to improve its firefighting mechanism. The hospital does not possess a fire safety certificate. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: One of Indias largest private lenders, Axis Bank, was informed of the security breach though an unexpected telephone call a month ago, a report said. According to a report published by Economic Times, the bank received a call from an engineer at Kaspersky Lab, the well-known Moscow-headquartered cyber security firm, who rattled off the names of several Axis computers which, he claimed, have been breached. The Kaspersky man said his firm had stumbled on the information in the course of a separate probe. When an Axis team looked into the banks servers, it found out that there was indeed an unauthorized login by an unnamed, offshore hacker, the report said. While, Axis Bank filed a preliminary report about the breach to RBI a month ago, the matter has only recently come into light after SBI reportedly recalled approximately 6.25 lakh debit cards, following the same breach. The Axis bank subsequently hired EY, the audit and advisory firm, to carry out an investigation, the report said. After the matter came into light, the bank on Wednesday disclosed that there was no loss to its customers from the recent cyber-attack. The malware attack was detected in time and was duly informed to the regulator RBI, Axis Bank said in a statement. The bank's internal monitoring mechanism identified such a threat recently and all steps have been undertaken to neutralise the same, it said. "We stay committed to our customers and it is always been our endeavour to ensure that our customers' interests are always protected. There has been no loss to our customers," it added. As a responsible financial institution, it said, the bank proactively communicate potential threats to the regulator to maintain broader systemic integrity. Meanwhile, SBI and its subsidiary banks blocked about 6 lakh debit cards due to a malware-related security breach as part of precautionary measures after being informed of potential risks to those cards. In July, state-owned Union Bank of India was also hit by cyber-attack but successfully averted the theft from USD Nostro account. Also read: Do you use debit cards of any bank? Read this as 'suspected' security breach feared in back-end system When contacted, RBI official said the central bank is seized of the matter and is looking into the issue. Bankers said the problem was first discovered between May and July, and banks have resorted to recall the affected debit cards from September. Also read: Thirteen useful tips to secure your 'plastic money' transactions Should banks have informed customers when the breach was detected a month ago? New Delhi: US Presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump locked horns for one final time at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas which played host to the final presidential debate on Wednesday night (USA time) before the voting commencing on November 8. The third debate at Las Vegas was the final opportunity for the Democratic and Republican nominees to put across their political agenda's to the American voters and get them to tilt in their favour. Donald Trump's presidential race took a big blow after recent allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against him. Here is a look at the ten major takeaways from the third presidential debate which unfolded between the two presidential nominees at Nevada on Wednesday night (USA time). 1. Clinton has voters backing, stands to gain on Trump's mass deportation plan On immigration, Trump declared that we have some bad hombres in the United States. Clinton has an effective counter describing Trumps extreme mass deportation plan. Given that more than 70 percent of voters disagree with his immigration approach, this was a winning issue for her. 2. Hillary slams Trump's proposal for 'open borders' with Russia Clinton engaged Trump into a debate of open borders into a discussion of Vladimir Putin. She said that Trump would rather believe Vladimir Putin than our intelligence and military agencies sworn to defend us. Remarkably, Trump refused to specifically concede Russia is hacking Democrats on his behalf. 3. Hillary says that Trump cant be trusted with Nuclear weapons Hillary lambasted Trump over his irresponsible stance on NATO and nuclear weapons and reminded him of having to forcefully defend his comments on NATO and nuclear weapons. This is just another lie! Trump spat out. Im just quoting you, Clinton said quietly. She provided a powerful reminder that Trump is completely unfit to be commander in chief of the US defence forces. 4.Clinton attacks Trump on his 'rich tax' cut theory Given a chance to talk about jobs, Trump bizarrely reverted to a discussion about NATO. Clinton effectively slammed him on big tax cuts for the rich. Trump insisted we could grow at 8 percent because India (a partially developed country!) does. 5.Trump cuts a sorry figure when accused by females over his lewd comments on women Trump was in a spot of bother for about 50 minutes in the debate when asked about female accusers. He claimed the womens stories had been debunked. Thats a lie. He accused Clinton of putting the women up to it, and actually bragged that he had 'NOT' apologized to his wife, because the claims were not true. Clinton calmly recited his own words, rebuking him for defaming women to make himself feel big. With Trump insisting it was all fiction (but accusing Clinton of instigating violence at his rallies) and desperately trying to change the topic to Clintons emails, she plowed forward, condemning Trump for inciting violence, insulting a federal judge, etc. 6. Trump attacks Clinton on Foundation work, Clinton deflects topic to Trump's tax return falsies As the debate moved to the Clinton Foundation and potential conflicts of interest, Clinton took the opportunity to praise the Clinton Foundations work. She then pivoted to list the misconduct documented in The Posts David A. Fahrentholds reporting. When he tried to insist he had given generously to charity (and falsely denied using his foundations money to settle business disputes), he gave Clinton the opportunity to slam him for not releasing his tax returns. Trump once again defended himslef on tax evasion and seemed to blame Clinton for not taking away the tax provision he used. 7. Trump puts up a brave facade, says election rigged Trump once again refused to promise he would concede the election if he lost. I will look at it at the time, he said. Wallace sounded incredulous; Clinton blasted him and recounted that whenever things dont go his way he claims things are fixed. Hers was a calm and devastating performance. There is a certain rough justice in his pounding the final nail in his political coffin. He has always been his worst enemy. 8. Trump blames Clinton for making political gains overs Iraq and Syria When the conversation turned to Iraq, Trump tried to insist for the umpteenth time he opposed the Iraq War; Clinton pointed out he did not. He outrageously argued the effort to retake Mosul was aimed to help Clinton in the election, which Clinton promptly brushed away with a reminder that nutty conspiracy theories are nothing new for him. Later in the discussion on Syria, he seemed almost to concede the election, telling Clinton Lotsa luck with her no-fly zone plan. 9. Chris Wallace plays the moderator's role to perfection: Chris Wallace was masterful, asking more relevant questions than were asked in the other debates combined. He took on both the candidates without unduly interfering. His performance should be studied by future moderators. Actually, the debate commission might consider giving him all the debates to moderate. 10. Hillary takes a dig at Trump's mental acumen and political inexperience Clinton needed simply not to have a disaster in order to lock down the election. Instead, she was error-free and eviscerated Trump, helping to remind voters what a Trump is. She won hands down and now has a shot to win by a very large margin. Also Read: Final US Presidential debate: Will disclose my reaction on rigged elections after results, say Trump For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Hyderabad: A meeting of the Telangana Cabinet would be held on Friday to discuss the construction of Secretariat and sharing of Krishna River water. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to hold the Cabinet meeting in the Secretariat on Friday, a release from his office said on Thursday. The Cabinet meeting is likely to discuss construction of new secretariat and the decision of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on sharing of Krishna waters (with neighbouring states). The state government is reportedly contemplating building a new secretariat. The present one reportedly has Vastu defects. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has claimed to have sold a record one million smartphones in India. The company reached the historic milestone during the last 18 days in the ongoing Diwali festive season despite boycott calls of Chinese goods in the country. The Beijing-based company now aims at becoming largest smartphone vendor in India in the next three to five years. Incidentally India is also the fastest growing mobile phone market in the world. State-run China Daily reported that the company in its internal letter announced that the company has sold one million smartphones in the first 18 days of this month in India. Founder and CEO of Xiaomi Lei Jun said, "India is an extremely important market in Xiaomi's globalisation strategy. It has become our largest market outside of the Chinese main land. The announcement comes after its arch-rival Huawei Technologies Company Limited said it would start assembling phones in India from October under the Make in India initiative. The move highlights Xiaomi's latest efforts to revive declining sales as the Chinese smartphone market, its home turf, is reaching saturation, the report said. It came in the midst of anxieties among Chinese investors over growing calls for boycott of Chinese goods in India following China's blocking of India's move to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UN and blocking India's bid to become the member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). In September, Xiaomi became the third-largest smartphone vendor within India's top 30 cities with 8.4 per cent market share, the firm quoted data from International Data Corporation (IDC) as saying. "We will continue investing in India-expanding our supply, and further improving our after-sales service," Lei said. Launched in 2010, Xiaomi achieved a rapid rise by seizing the e-commerce boom in China to sell handsets directly to consumers. But as online sales of smartphones reached its peak, it is struggling with declining sales and facing mounting pressure from rivals such as Oppo and Vivo, the report said. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured the safe and hassle free release of film 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' in theatres on October 28 after a delegation comprising Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and others met him in Delhi. Taking in cognizance the recent round of events regarding the release of the film and the protest it is facing, Rajnath Singh promised to provide his full support to the filmmakers and ensured that the film will be released safely. Bhatt who is the President of Film & Television Producers Guild of India, after before meeting Singh had said, As a delegation, I came to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh as we were afraid that the law and order situation is going out of control especially in Mumbai. So we requested the Home Ministry to give as an assurance and tell the Chief Ministers of the state to make sure that the law and order remains intact during the release of our film 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' on October 28." Rajnath Singh also assured that there will be police protection outside cinema halls in Maharashtra to avoid any situation of violence. After meeting the Home Minister, Bhatt looked satisfied and briefed about the assurance. He said, The ministry has assured us that we will get all support needed for the safe release of the film. We want to celebrate Diwali like we do and I am confident that I am safe and secure as the government has assured us their 100 percent support. The families need not worry regarding their safety during their visit to watch the film." Although Director Karan Johar will skip the meeting as he is busy with the post-production of the film in Mumbai. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Trace Gas Orbitor (TGO) successfully went into orbit around the Red Planet, but scientists lost contact with Schiaparelli moments before landing on the surface of Mars. India was the last country to receive a signal from the Schiaparelli lander, a tiny European craft which scientists believe may have reached the surface of Mars, but may not have survived the impact. Ground controllers waited on Thursday on the status of the lander, which is part of a $1.3 billion European Mars Mission. The "Schiaparelli" lander, a trial-run for a Mars rover was scheduled to land at 1448 GMT Wednesday (8:18 pm (IST)). Hours later, the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the craft came down, but it was not emitting any signal. "The lander touched down, that is certain," ESA's Schiaparelli manager Thierry Blancquaert told Agence France-Presse. "Whether it landed intact, whether it hit a rock or a crater or whether it simply cannot communicate, that I don't know," he said from mission control in Darmstadt, Germany. Blancquaert said he was "not too optimistic" of receiving a clean bill of health. This would be Europe's second failed Mars landing in a row.The British-built Beagle 2 robot lab disappeared without trace after separating from its mothership, Mars Express, in 2003. Schiaparelli had travelled seven months and 496 million kilometres (308 million miles) onboard the European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to come within a million kilometres from Mars on Sunday, when it set off on its own mission to reach the surface. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New York: New York City declares October 19, 2016 as Waris Ahluwalia day inrecognition of the Sikh-American actor and designer for his"powerful" message of countering ignorance and advocating for religious understanding and tolerance. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio honored Ahluwalia at aspecial reception at his official residence Gracie Mansionhere yesterday to celebrate the festival of Diwali. de Blasio presented Ahluwalia a proclamation that declared October 19, 2016 in the city of New York as 'Waris Ahluwalia Day'. Lauding Ahluwalia's talents of being a fashion designer,writer, actor and model, de Blasio said as a Sikh, Ahluwalia"proudly wears his Dastar (turban) wherever he goes and so hesends a powerful message to our city to our country ofcountering ignorance, celebrating inclusion and advocating forreligious understanding and tolerance in everything he does." Addressing a gathering of over 300-400 Indian-Americans and other people from the South Asian community, de Blasio extended a special greeting to his "Sikh brothers and sisters"and under scored that an attack on any community and individual because of their faith is an "attack on all of us." "We believe that when any community is attacked, anyindividual is attacked because of who they are, because oftheir faith, because of where they come from, the attack onone is an attack on all of us," de Blasio said. Joined by his wife First Lady Chirlane McCray, Ahluwaliaand others members of his administration on a stage erected in the sprawling lawns of the Gracie Mansion, de Blasio saidwhenever any community is affronted, the New York PoliceDepartment is present to protect that community. "Whenever there is a hate crime, we will call it a hatecrime and act on it as a hate crime, protect the people and say it is unacceptable in the city of New York to act in any bias fashion against any people of the city." Amid loud cheers and applause, the Mayor said a special Diwali guide will be distributed to New York teachers through the Department of Education to help them educate students inthe city about the "meaning" of the Indian festival of lights. Ahluwalia thanked the Mayor for the "incredible honor"and said that while Diwali has been celebrated for centuries,this year its message of triumph of good over evil is "more important and relevant than ever." He said while he has called New York City home ever since he moved here from India as a child, after the 9/11 terror attacks, "people would glare at me with anger and hate as I walked down my own streets, in my own hometown. "That was very confusing for me," he said, adding that six months after the 9/11 attacks, he was assaulted and nearly lost vision in his right eye. The Mayor and his wife began the reception by lighting the traditional lamp. The city's First Lady was dressed intraditional Indian attire of a yellow salwar kurta. India music, including popular movie songs played in thebackground. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, who have launched protests over missing student Najeeb Ahmad, cornered Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday reacted saying, "It seems that some students go to JNU not for studying, but for doing politics only." "It is very wrong to confine the vice-chancellor and other officials of the university. JNU is a big institution. Students should concentrate on studies. They should carry all their activities within the frameworks of law and order," Rijiju said. "I have spoken to Rajnath Singh about the incident," he added. Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor has issued an ultimatum to students to let the administration work. "We have been confined illegally in the administration building since 2.30pm yesterday (Wednesday). We had a series of meeting with the students explaining the number of steps that we have taken in search of the missing student. However the students are very adamant and not letting us go out of this building. They said they have several demands and the administration has to concede those," he said addressing a press conference. ALSO READ | JNU student missing row: VC, other officials come out of 'captivity' after a day of confinement "One of the demands is that we should contact the police which we have already done. We have written several letters to the police and our officials are in regular touch with the police in search for Najeeb Ahmed. The other demand that was made is that the entire incident should be investigated. The chief proctorial office is already investigating and if anyone is found guilty we have assured the agitating students that they will be punished as per the university rules. Students also demanded from the administration to make an appeal to Najeeb to return which we already have done," he added. A cash reward of Rs 50,000 has been announced by the Delhi Police on any information on the missing JNU student. Najeeb Ahmad went missing on October 15 after being allegedly assaulted by ABVP activists on October 14 during a mess election campaign at Mahi-Mandvi hostel. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In yet another attack on the ruling government, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi during a public meeting of his party alleged that Modi government is trying to convert India into Hindu rashtra with its attempt to impose a Uniform Civil Code. The statement came from Hyderabad MP while addressing a public meeting organized by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to oppose UCC. Owaisi said that by interfering in the Muslim Personal Law, the government was trying to show that Muslims were second class citizens. Stating pluralism and diversity as the strength of the country he said any attempt to destroy secularism would weaken it. ALSO READ: (Muslim sects criticize government, unite to protest against interference in personal law) The meeting took place on Wednesday and was attended by leaders of all sects of Muslims and various schools of Islamic thought. The speakers in the meeting reiterated that Muslims would never tolerate any attempt to interfere in Muslim Personal Law. Owaisi also ridiculed the affidavit filed by the central government in the Supreme Court and said that by comparing Muslims with that of Pakistan, government is insulting not just us but the entire country. Owaisi pointed out that Pakistan was not a functional democracy firstly and other countries mentioned in the affidavit have either monarchies or were no comparison to India. ALSO READ: (What is Uniform Civil Code?) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Three nations hunt for an Indian Kerala man, Sajeer Mangalachari Abdullah, a key Islamic State (IS) recruiter in Afghanistan. Ever since the National Investigation Agency arrested six Kerala men earlier this month on allegations of planning terrorist attacks, sleuths of three nation India, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates are on lookout for this ISIS recruiter, reported Indian Express. As per the reports, Abdullah now holds key position in recruiting Indian jihad volunteers to the terror outfit in Afghanistans Nangarhar province which has its capital in Jalalabad. Faced with heavy bombardments of US-led forces into the terror bastions in Raqqa and Mosul, the terror group is now routing to new locations in Afghanistan and is also asking interested volunteers to stage attacks at home, providing detailed do-it-yourself instructions on manufacturing explosive devices. An Indian intelligence official said Nangarhar is about as close as you can get to a black hole. Its the perfect place to go if you want to disappear. Even Afghanistans intelligence services have next to no on-ground reach there. As per the reports, the men who recruited Abdullah were all educated professionals. The key figure in the cell was Doha-based Manseed Bin Mohamed who moved to West Asia from Panoor in Kerala five years ago, NIA source informed. As per some Telegram conversations encrypted by NIA officials, Mohamed is the key recruiter of the ISIS, he has recruited several like-minded men, all from the educated middle-class: Swalih Muhammad, a researcher with an automobile manufacturing major in Chennai; Safwan Pookatil, a graphic designer working for the PFI daily Thejas; Ramshad Neelangan Kandiyil, a chartered account based in Kozhikode; his cousin, engineering drop-out Jaseem Neelangan Kandiyil; small-time businessman Rashid Ali. Before flying to the terror-heaven, NIA alleges that Abdullah instructed volunteers to plan strikes against Israeli tourists in Kodaikanal, and also on leaders of the BJP and judges who had delivered anti-Muslim verdicts. Abdullah facilitated the travel of 21 Kerala residents, including eight minors, to Nangarhar, quotes Indian Express. The terror outfit has been adamant of firming up its base in India and raising concerns in NIA , as per the initial reports, 67 Indians are known to have joined . For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a tragic incident, a 24-year-old Nagpur based radio jockey Shubham passed away after he suffered a heart attack during his live show. He was soon rushed to the hospital after a cardiac arrest. After which doctors declared him dead. According to Nagpur Times, Shubham complained of chest pain to his office guard at around 9.30 am on Thursday. Following which his co-workers took him toHitech Hospital. Shubham was in quite critical condition, sensing which the doctors referred him to Mayo hospital where he died while undergoing treatment. Shubhams other RJ friends were also quite shocked after his sudden death. They all remember Shubham as someone with full energy and liveliness. Shubham was also quite much involved into his profession as it was only his interest that kept him going. If his fellows are to be believed Shubham didnt even had any bad habits like smoking, drinking that could be one of the reasons behind heart attack. The main cause behind his sudden death will only be disclosed after the post-mortem reports are out. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Paris: Iraqi forces are advancing faster than expected in a major offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic State jihadists, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Thursday. We are advancing faster than we had expected and planned, Abadi said, speaking on a videoconference link to an international meeting co-hosted by France and Iraq on the future of Mosul following the start of the offensive this week. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had warned on Tuesday that the battle to retake Iraqs second-biggest city could take months. French President Francois Hollande told todays meeting that the jihadists were already fleeing to Raqa, their stronghold in neighbouring Syria. We cant afford mistakes in the pursuit of the terrorists who are already leaving Mosul for Raqa, Hollande said, adding: We cannot allow those who were in Mosul to evaporate. The long-awaited offensive on Mosul was launched on Monday, with some 30,000 troops involved in Iraqs largest military operation since the pullout of US troops in 2011. Representatives from around 20 countries including the US, Turkey, Gulf states and EU member states are attending the Paris meeting co-chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Todays talks come ahead of a meeting in Paris next Tuesday of the coalitions defence ministers to assess progress in the Mosul offensive. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter will be among 13 ministers at the talks, an aide to Le Drian said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: British physicist Stephen Hawking has warned that the creation of powerful artificial intelligence may turn out to be the worst thing ever to happen to humanity despite its potential benefits. The world-renowned physicist has often been cautious about AI, raising concerns that humanity could be the architect of its own destruction if it creates a superintelligence with a will of its own. Speaking at the opening of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI) at Cambridge University, he was also quick to highlight the positives that AI research can bring. Hawking praised the creation of the academic institute dedicated to researching the future of intelligence as crucial to the future of our civilisation and our species. The institute will attempt to tackle some of the open-ended questions raised by the rapid pace of development in AI research. The potential benefits of creating intelligence are huge. We cannot predict what we might achieve when our own minds are amplified by AI, Hawkings was quoted as saying by The Guardian. Perhaps with the tools of this new technological revolution, we will be able to undo some of the damage done to the natural world by the last one industrialisation, he said. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Actor Akshay Kumar has offered help to the ailing producer of his first film, Ravi Shrivastava. Shrivastava was the producer of the first project Akshay signed as an actor in 1991. The movie titled aDwarpaal,a was shelved and he made debut with 1992 film aSaugandha. aYes sir, my team has reached out to him...Already taken care of,a the 49-year-old actor wrote on Twitter in reply to one of his followers, who shared the link of the article on the ailing producer. Shrivastava, was the one who helped Akshay in getting a role in aSaugandha. According to the reports, the producer is suffering from kidney failure and needs money for the transplant. Shrivastav is bed ridden right now.A Yes sir, my team has reached out to him...already taken care of YY https://t.co/14w1oS3k9d a Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) October 20, 2016 @akshaykumar producer Ravi Shrivastava , who was your old friend ,needs ur help . please read this https://t.co/HaOxeEpFWN a sanyog shrivastava (@sanyogs) October 20, 2016 For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Amid reports of its system being hacked leading to huge data theft of bank customers, Hitachi Payment Services today said its system was not compromised, quoting an interim report by an external audit agency appointed by it. A major security breach at the Hitachi Payment Services, that manages ATM networks of private sector banks, forced other lenders to block or recall debit cards of their customers to prevent them from falling prey to financial fraud. In all, 32 lakh debit cards were recalled by banks. Hitachi Payment Services managing director Loney Antony said some of the banks to whom the company provides payment services, had reported such unauthorised transaction towards the end of July. It had then conducted an internal enquiry which did not reveal any security breach. In September, the banks again reported suspicious transactions to the company after which an external audit agency was appointed. We had appointed an external audit agency in the first week of September to check the security of our systems for any breach or compromise based on a few suspected transactions that were highlighted by banks for whom we manage their ATM networks. The interim report published by the audit agency in September, does not suggest any breach or compromise in our systems, Antony said. He said that the final report is expected by mid-November. Following the incident, some banks like SBI have recalled around six lakh cards, while others like Bank of Baroda, IDBI Bank, Central Bank of India and Andhra Bank have already replaced their debit cards as a pre-emptive measure. Some lenders like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Yes Bank have asked customers to change their ATM pin numbers. HDFC Bank also advised its customers to use its own ATMs for carrying out transactions. New Delhi: BJP MP Varun Gandhi was at the centre of a controversy over allegations that he had leaked defence secrets to middleman Abhishek Verma and arms manufacturers after being honey trapped, a charge he stoutly denied. At a press conference here, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav released a letter written by Edmonds Allen, a New York-based lawyer, to the PMO last month that Varun was honey trapped and compromised by Verma. He alleged that Verma blackmailed Varun, a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, into sharing sensitive information on crucial arms matters. Varun rejected these charges, saying he has not met Verma since 2004 and threatened to file a defamation suit against Bhushan and Yadav over the charges. The entire information presented does not contain an iota of proof that either I had access or shared any communication regarding sensitive information to Verma, Varun said. Allen, who was a partner of Verma, fell out with him in 2012. Verma is facing trial in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case. Bhushan alleged that despite having all the details, BJP government did not blacklist Thales, the company that sold scam-tainted Scorpene submarines, as Dassault acquired it. India recently signed a deal with Dassault for 36 Rafale aircraft. Any action against Thales may have jeopardised the Rafale deal. Moreover, contrary to previous announcements of getting 126 aircrafts, the government bought 36 aircrafts, paying double the price for individual units. It certainly appears to be the case that something is fishy, Bhushan said. However, Bhushan and Yadav did not take Varuns name during the press conference and instead asked journalists to refer to the letter. They claimed to have withheld photographic evidences pertaining to the matter. Allen wrote to the PM, Defence Minister, CBI and the NSA with all the details on August and September this year. Varun said that he last met Verma when he was a post graduate student in London at the age of 22 years. I am going to turn 37 now. I have never met him since I entered public life in 2004. The only reason why I even know of him is because his parents were members of parliament and was a respected family. I knew them as many other leaders knew them, he said. Asked if he had come across any sensitive information during his tenure on the consultative committee on defence, he said, Any MP who has been on that committee knows that not even 0.1 percentage of any confidential information is shared with the committee. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Jammu: Strongly batting for resuming India-Pakistan dialogue, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Thursday visited the Zero Line along LoC and interacted with border dwellers. People of J&K cannot live in an atmosphere of animosity and uncertainty anymore. Wars havent and wont resolve inherently the political issues between India and Pakistan, he said at Gali-Maidan on Zero Line along Line of Control. The National Conference leader visited Gali Maidan, the most adversely affected region in the recent mortar shelling, against the advice of the security apparatus. He hoped that better sense would prevail upon New Delhi and Islamabad that mutual cooperation and peace is imperative for growth and prosperity in the region. Farooq interacted with border dwellers at Sabjian, Chandak and Sabjian. He expressed solidarity with the people, saying they had been facing the brunt of border skirmishes valiantly. Wars will not only cause human loss, it will also shatter the economy of the region and the costs of confrontation will be borne by generations to come, he said, adding that dialogue has no substitute. He also hit out at the ruling combine of PDP-BJP. Public anger has been the highest in South Kashmir, where PDP garnered a significant number of seats based on its lies of being opposed to the BJP, he alleged. We cannot afford to be bystanders, being the party of masses and with the legacy of sacrifices that we have made, Farooq said and urged the party cadre to meet this challenge with fortitude and dedication. The NC chief also cautioned the people against the divisive forces who have miserably failed to govern. They will try to sow seeds of hatred and mistrust among various segments of society as a diversionary tactic and the people must be beware of such attempts, he added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In one of the biggest bank security breach where about 3.2 million debit cards may have been compromised, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued a detailed statement. The agency has said that it has received complaints from banks that debit cards have been fraudulently used in China and USA. NPCI stated its position as under: # The genesis of problem was receipt of complaints from few banks that their customers cards were used fraudulently mainly in China and USA while customers were in India. Apprehending that this could be a case of card data compromise, all the ATMs / PoS terminals in India and three card networks RuPay, Visa and MasterCard worked in a collaborative manner in the month of September 2016. # It was established through the analysis post such frauds were reported that there was a possible compromise at one of the payment switch providers system. Based on the analysis, NPCI and other schemes identified the period of compromise and the possible card numbers which could have been compromised during that period. Also read: 32 lakh debit cards affected by security breach: HDFC, SBI, Yes Bank, ICICI and Axis worst hit # Though there were no complaints from any of the RuPay cardholders, NPCI as a domestic utility for ATM payments has taken the lead role for proactive steps in discussing the matter with various banks and card networks. # The complaints of fraudulent withdrawal are limited to cards of 19 banks and 641 customers. The total amount involved is Rs. 1.3 crore as reported by various affected banks to NPCI. Cards of all these complainants are related to other card schemes. There is no RuPay cardholder who had lodged any complaint for such fraudulent usage. Also read: Finance Ministry seeks information from banks after reports of major security breach of debit cards # All affected banks have been alerted by all card networks that a total card base of about 3.2 million could have been possibly compromised. Out of this 0.6 million are RuPay cards. # It was suspected that a compromise was at switch level which is PCI-DSS certified. Hence, subsequently PCI Council (the international body which sets standards on for PCIDSS) was persuaded to conduct a forensic audit of the switch of one bank which is likely to be the point of compromise. The forensic study is in progress and NPCI is in touch with relevant stakeholders. Also read: SBI and its subsidiary banks block 6.25 lakh debit cards after suspicious transactions at third-party ATMs # Based on the advisory issued by NPCI and other schemes, it is gathered that banks have advised their customers to change their debit card PIN. In situations where customers could not be contacted, the cards have been blocked and fresh cards are being issued by member banks. # NPCI is closely working with all stakeholders and once the forensic investigation is over and the root cause is identified, we will issue a further set of recommendations as precautionary measures to member banks. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistans special envoys Thursday apprised the UK lawmakers about the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir and sought the British governments help to resolve the issue. The envoys comprising Senator Abdul Qayyum and MP Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh met with the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee at the British parliament in London. The envoys apprised the Select Committee on the on-going gross violations of the human rights and atrocities being committed in Kashmir, Foreign Office said in a statement. Qayyum emphasised that the status quo in Kashmir was now not an option. He called for non-discriminatory application of the universal declaration of human rights for durable peace and security. The ongoing conflict could potentially impact Pakistans efforts against terrorism, and would adversely affect regional and global peace efforts, he said. He said that in the globalised environment, peace and war could not be compartmentalised. Qayyum said that if peace was essential in Kabul, it was also essential in Srinagar. He claimed that Kashmir was in fact most explosive global flash point since it is a bone of contention between two nuclear powers like India and Pakistan, in the proximity of two other nuclear powers China and Russia. The envoy urged the British government to help resolve this dispute in the interest of global peace. Qaiser underscored that the ongoing conflict on Kashmir between the two neighbours had hampered progress and development in the region. He urged the UK government and the parliamentarians to play an active role in halting alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir. Both envoys also called for a fact-finding mission either from the United Nations or from the UK parliament to visit Kashmir on both sides. Member of the British Parliament Yasmin Qureshi was chairing the meeting. She told the envoys that the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir were already on the agenda of the Committee and she had personally asked the Committee to hold an independent inquiry into the issue. She added that the Committee members would call upon the UK government to act as a mediator in resolving the dispute. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced last month to send special envoys to leading world capital to highlight the Kashmir issue. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Twenty20 chief coordinator Sabu M Jacob has said his party is against mixing politics with religion. Hillary Clinton ignoring husbands possible black lovechild, CNN ordered to blackout story Danney Williams has been claiming that Bill Clinton is his father for his entire life. His mother, a black woman named Bobbi Anne Williams, was working as a prostitute in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1984 when she met Bill Clinton for the first time. When Bobbi Anne was 24, Bill Clinton was jogging by her housing complex and stopped to introduce himself. Several days later, Clinton encountered Bobbi Anne again while jogging. This time, he offered her $200 to have sex with him behind the bushes. Bobbi Anne recalls 13 total sexual encounters with Clinton, and she is sure that he is the father of son Danney, who has no doubts himself about being Bill Clintons son.It was common knowledge in the Little Rock area. Everywhere he went, people were saying, Thats Bill Clintons son right there and proceeded to talk about common attributes between the two. Now, Williams has 5 children of his own, whom he repeated tells they will one day get to meet their grandfather. Bill, however, has been ignoring him since day one or maybe not. Williams states that Arkansas state troopers used to place cash in their mailbox on a repeated basis, along with an annual Christmas gift. The cash, which was $700 per drop off, and gifts continued until Bill Clinton went on to be elected President of the United States. The Williams have tried to confront the Clintons on many occasions throughout the years. Theyve had several close encounters, but always fell short. Weather being chased away by security guards, getting a door slammed in their face by Hillary Clinton herself, or just bad timing. Williams was upset that he was placed in foster care while step sister Chelsea had it all. Williams dropped out of High School to work and support his siblings. He wants his father to acknowledge his existence, and show the love a father should. CNN has been ordered to blackout the story, while both Clintons refuse to acknowledge that Williams exists. The Williams have been unsuccessful in attempts to obtain a DNA test to confirm Bill Clinton is the father. In 1999, the Clintons tried to sweep this under the carpet by having tabloid, Star Magazine, publish a false DNA test results claiming that Clinton is not Williams father. The paternity test never took place, and interesting enough, that tabloid is owned by a donor to Bill Clinton. The Clintons are in denial as usual. Sources: DailyMail.com DrudgeReport.com Submit a correction >> Despite the state reaching a 100 percent inspection rate of licensed child day care providers, four infants died in the care of others this year. The number is three times higher than the previous year in which one child died and a troubling shift from 2014 and 2013 in which no children died in state-licensed day care places. For grieving parents, and compassionate people, even the death of one child is too many. Identifying a cause or trend is elusive. A correlation would seem to exist between frequency of inspections and the safety of children, so the high number of deaths is puzzling as well as disturbing. A recent Hearst Connecticut Media review shows an improving record of inspections since the Office of Early Childhood was created in 2013 and the budget was increased by $1 million in recent years to hire more inspectors. Only 38 percent of the nearly 2,500 day care homes were inspected in 2013, with the rate rising to 48 percent the following year, and 87 percent in 2015. All of the states nearly 4,000 day care providers will be inspected at least once this year, officials said. Of the four infants who died in day care this year two are considered victims of homicide with manslaughter charges filed against the owners, one in Stamford for blunt force trauma and the other in Fairfield for an overdose of Benadryl. Investigations continue into the other two infant deaths in Norwalk and Sterling. The question is: Could these deaths have been prevented? It will be asked at legislative hearings, no doubt, in the next session of the General Assembly that convenes in January. Several members of the Committee on Children want to look at oversight of the system, the frequency of inspections and possibly simplifying the 150-item inspection list so the focus can be on safety and health first. Those are good first steps. The early childhood office also is proposing new rules that would require day care providers to broaden issues they must report. Now they have to notify the state if a child is hospitalized or has signs of abuse or neglect. The early childhood office is recommending the providers also report fractures, burns and concussions. Specific cases need to be explored thoroughly to ensure lawmakers dont overlook any true causes even as they introduce related laws with the best intentions. The Fairfield and Sterling day care homes were unlicensed. Efforts must be made to find and report such operations so they can be brought into compliance for safety. Vigilance with surprise inspections, and follow-ups to make sure any violations are corrected quickly, are mandatory. With almost 4,000 state-licensed day care providers, most would appear to be caring for the thousands of children in a safe manner. When parents must chose a day care provider for their precious babies, however, they need assurances that all are qualified, responsible and safe. Breakdown in Sri Lankan national grid resulted in partial outages Sri Lanka,Indo-Pak/Pakistan,Business/Economy, Thu, 20 Oct 2016 IANS Colombo, Oct 20 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Power and Energy Ministry said that the recent island-wide partial power cuts was a result of a breakdown in a critical transmission line in the National Grid and not due to a malfunction in the Norochcholai coal power plant. The Ministry statement issued late Wednesday said that a channel used to transfer power had malfunctioned which resulted in an emergency shutdown of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, Xinhua news agency. The plant, located in the outskirts of the capital, is Sri Lanka's only coal-fired power plant which supplies almost 50 per cent of the power demand of the country. According to experts in the electricity sector, the breakdown in the transmission line in the National Grid, highlighted the urgency to upgrade Sri Lanka's National Grid. A senior engineer, at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant said that the plant was connected to Sri Lanka's National Grid via two transmission lines in different directions. The Engineer explained that on October 15, one transmission line connecting to the plant was under maintenance while the other had tripped. The power loss of the Grid resulted in the emergency shutdown of the three units in the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant. The Ministry said that presently the staff of the Ceylon Electricity Board were attempting to recover the units at their earliest to provide an uninterrupted power supply in Sri Lanka. The Ministry also rejected reports blaming the Norochcholai Power Plant for malfunctioning which led to partial power cuts. The Ministry further said that two previous power cuts earlier this year was also a result of a breakdown in the National Grid and an explosion of a transformer and not due to any malfunction in the Norochcholai Power Plant. --IANS ksk/vm TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - 407 International Inc. (the "Company") announced today revenues of $321.3 million for the third quarter of 2016, compared to $277.6 million for the same period of 2015. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"1 totalled $284.9 million for the third quarter of 2016 as compared with $236.8 million for the same period of 2015. The Company reported net income of $115.9 million for the third quarter of 2016 as compared with $97.9 million for the same period of 2015. The Board of Directors declared an eligible dividend of $0.268 per common share, payable on or about October 20, 2016 to shareholders of record on October 20, 2016. Effective January 1, 2017, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Andres Sacristan as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of 407 International. Mr. Sacristan has more than 18 years experience in the transportation and toll-road industry and is currently Cintra's Director for Europe and New Markets managing a portfolio of 18 international projects. Mr. Jose Tamariz, who has served as President and CEO of 407 International since his appointment in 2009, will continue in his role until the new appointment takes effect. Mr. Tamariz, who has worked for Cintra since 1999, has been appointed Director for Europe and New Markets based out of Cintra's headquarters in Madrid, Spain. 407 International Board Chair, Mr. David McFadden, Q.C., on behalf of the Board, thanked Mr. Tamariz for his leadership during a time of very positive change and strong growth, "The Company has enjoyed solid results under Mr. Tamariz's leadership. Mr. Tamariz ensured the Company's highway and customer operations and toll highway services adapted to meet the growing needs of increased traffic and new business, while continuing to enhance the overall financial position of the Company." 407 International Inc. is owned by Cintra Global Holding Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovial S. A. (43.23%), by indirectly owned subsidiaries of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (total 40%), and by SNC-Lavalin (16.77%). News releases are available at www.407etr.com. Highlights Unaudited Three-month period Nine-month period ended September 30 ended September 30 2016 2015 2016 2015 Selected Financial Information (in millions) Revenues $ 321.3 $ 277.6 $ 837.4 $ 748.8 Operating expenses 36.4 40.8 107.5 113.6 Depreciation and amortization 26.9 22.2 79.7 64.3 Interest and other expenses 100.4 80.3 275.8 245.6 Income before tax 157.6 134.3 374.4 325.3 Income tax expenses 41.7 36.4 99.5 88.1 Net income $ 115.9 $ 97.9 $ 274.9 $ 237.2 Traffic Total trips (in thousands) 33,535 32,319 92,813 90,403 Average revenue per trip $9.42 $8.43 $8.93 $8.08 Average workday number of trips 433,213 419,392 405,354 398,553 Total vehicle kilometres (in thousands) 753,864 703,852 1,966,126 1,882,003 Number of transponders in circulation at September 30 1,325,166 1,256,930 1,325,166 1,256,930 1 EBITDA is not a recognized measure under International Financial Reporting Standards and investors are cautioned that EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to net income or cash from operating activities as an indicator of the Company's performance or cash flows. The Company's method of calculating EBITDA may differ from other companies' methods, and may not be comparable to measures used by other companies. EBITDA less depreciation and amortization, interest and other expenses and income tax expenses, results in net income. SOURCE 407 International Inc. For further information: Investors: Geoffrey Liang, Chief Financial Officer, Tel: 905-265-4070; Media: Kevin Sack, Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Government Relations, Tel: 905-264-5374 Abstract of the study wins "Scholar-in Training Award" for presentation at the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy in Boston in October of 2016 EDMONTON, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - OncoQuest Inc. ("OncoQuest"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic products for the treatment of cancer, today announced positive results from its pre-clinical pharmacology studies using its Anti-MUC1 antibody, MAb AR20.5, against pancreatic cancer in a human MUC1 expressing transgenic mouse model. The pre-clinical studies are being conducted at the Eppley Institute for Cancer and Allied Disease at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, under the direction of Dr. Michael Hollingsworth. The results will be presented at the upcoming AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy in Boston in October of 2016. The study concludes that the combination of MAb AR20.5, together with a checkpoint inhibitor and a TLR-3 agonist based immune adjuvant, induced rejection or significant inhibition of tumor growth when challenged with MUC1 expressing pancreatic tumor cell lines. The MUC1 specific immune response is persistent, and can be adoptively transferred to other mice, which protects them against subsequent tumor challenge. The author of the abstract, Dr. Kamiya Mehla, has won a Scholar-in-Training Award based on the quality of the abstract. "The pancreatic cancer market is among the highest unmet therapy needs within the overall oncology market," said Dr. Madi Madiyalakan, Chief Executive Officer of Quest PharmaTech Inc. and OncoQuest. "OncoQuest's combinatory immunotherapy technology has the potential to help cancer patients generate a clinically meaningful immune response to the disease, which is being investigated with our lead product, oregovomab, in ovarian cancer. We are encouraged by the positive pre-clinical results, which will help guide on the clinical development of our second product using our anti-MUC1 antibody, AR20.5, as a therapeutic treatment for pancreatic cancer." About Anti-MUC1 MAb AR20.5 Anti-MUC1 MAb-AR20.5 is a novel immunotherapeutic drug for investigational use in the treatment of patients with malignancies expressing the tumor-associated antigen known as MUC1. MAb-AR20.5 binds with high affinity to MUC1, recognizing the tandem repeat peptide sequence DTRPAP of the high molecular weight MUC1 glycoprotein. MUC1 is expressed on many adenocarcinomas including pancreatic, breast, lung, colon and prostate as well as in multiple myeloma. A Phase I clinical study has established bioactivity associated with dosage along with a favorable safety profile. OncoQuest is developing this antibody in conjunction with OncoVent Co., Ltd. ("OncoVent), a Chinese joint venture between OncoQuest and Shenzhen Hepalink, for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. About OncoQuest OncoQuest is a subsidiary of Quest PharmaTech Inc. (TSXV-QPT), and is a privately held, Canadian based pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapies for cancer. OncoQuest's technology platform includes a panel of tumor antigen specific monoclonal immunoglobulins including CA125, MUC1, PSA and Her2/neu; and the application of combinatorial immunotherapy to enhance tumor specific immunity and clinical outcome. OncoQuest's lead product, oregovomab, is currently undergoing a confirmatory phase IIb clinical trial involving 80 ovarian cancer patients in Italy and the United States. Additional clinical studies are underway or planned for oregovomab in combination with other therapeutic modalities for the treatment of pancreatic and ovarian cancers to identify optimal design for a product registration trial. OncoQuest's MUC1 program has already undergone a phase I clinical trial in breast cancer patients. OncoQuest's next-generation products are based on immunoglobulin E licensed from UCLA, Stanford University and Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc. These antigen-specific monoclonal IgE antibodies are currently in preclinical development. OncoQuest's current clinical and preclinical programs are funded by a U.S. $13 Million private placement made to Hepalink USA Inc., a subsidiary of Shenzhen Hepalink. SOURCE Quest PharmaTech Inc. For further information: Contact Dr. Madi R. Madiyalakan, Chief Executive Officer, OncoQuest Inc., Tel: (780) 448-1400 Ext. 204, Email: [email protected], Internet: www.oncoquestinc.com; For further information on OncoVent: Dr. Yuenian Eric Shi, Chief Executive Officer, OncoVent Co., Ltd., Email: [email protected]; Investor Relations: Amato and Partners LLC, E-mail: [email protected] OTTAWA, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada is committed to supporting First Nations' long-term visions for the future of their communities. The Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, congratulated First Nations in British Columbia who came together in Cranbrook, BC, to attend the 12th annual Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) workshop, which ended today and was co-hosted by aqam (St. Mary's Band) and INAC. The Government of Canada is investing approximately $3 million this fiscal year to support 48 First Nations in British Columbia in their comprehensive community planning process. These plans help communities engage their membership in addressing areas such as infrastructure, health, culture, social issues and the economy. Once complete, Comprehensive Community Plans can be used to help guide community development and prioritize community investment. Quotes "It is clear that Comprehensive Community Planning is essential to building stronger, healthier and more sustainable communities. By bringing youth and elders and all members of the community together to establish their priorities. First Nations are better able to identify their needs, build on their strengths and prepare for the future." The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs "The aqam Strategic Plan, ka kniwitiyaa, opened with the following quote, 'Our Community Strategic Plan will inspire us for years to come. It helps us realize a better future is possible for our people. We are very proud of ka kniwitiyaa'...over five years later and this still rings true. The leadership of aqam is led by the vision and goals shared by our Community and we continue to work toward achieving each and every one with pride." Nasukin Jim Whitehead aqam Quick Facts The 48 communities to benefit from the 2016-17 investment are: Ahousaht, Ashcroft , Blueberry, Bonaparte, Cook's Ferry, Ditidaht, Doig River , Ehattesaht, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, Gitxaala, Hupacasath, Iskut , Katzie, Kitsumkalum, Klahoose, Kwakiutl, Kwiakah, Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwa'mis, Lake Babine, Lax kw'alaams, Little Shuswap Lake, Lower Kootenay, Lower Nicola , Lower Similkameen, Musqueam, Namgis, Nazko, N'Quatqua, Nuxalk, Old Massett , Pacheedaht, Penticton , Prophet River , Shackan, Shuswap, Shxwa:y, Skwah, Sts'ailes, Stz'uminus, Sumas, Tlatlasikwala, Tl'etinqox, T'Sou-ke, Wei Wai Kai , Wei Wai Kum , Wuikinuxv, Yunesit'in Government. , Blueberry, Bonaparte, Cook's Ferry, Ditidaht, , Ehattesaht, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, Gitxaala, Hupacasath, , Katzie, Kitsumkalum, Klahoose, Kwakiutl, Kwiakah, Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwa'mis, Lake Babine, Lax kw'alaams, Little Shuswap Lake, Lower Kootenay, , Lower Similkameen, Musqueam, Namgis, Nazko, N'Quatqua, Nuxalk, , Pacheedaht, , , Shackan, Shuswap, Shxwa:y, Skwah, Sts'ailes, Stz'uminus, Sumas, Tlatlasikwala, Tl'etinqox, T'Sou-ke, , , Wuikinuxv, Yunesit'in Government. Since 2004, INAC has contributed approximately $20 million for Comprehensive Community Planning in BC and 80 First Nations have completed plans to help guide community development and prioritize community investments. for Comprehensive Community Planning in BC and 80 First Nations have completed plans to help guide community development and prioritize community investments. aqam (St. Mary's Band) is celebrating its 10th anniversary of the completion of its CCP which has led to successful initiatives ranging from the construction of their school and gymnasium to the creation of employment opportunities for their members. Associated Links You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds or e-mail. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.aandc.gc.ca/subscriptions. SOURCE Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada For further information: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 613- 697-8316; Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160 CHICAGO, IL, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - The Boyd Group Inc. (the "Boyd Group" or "Boyd") today announced the October 17, 2016 opening of a new collision repair center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The center is well located on a high traffic intersection in close proximity to Interstate 69. It is about five miles southwest from a Gerber Collision Center on Merkler Street in Fort Wayne. "We are very pleased to be opening this location which provides increased capacity in northwest Fort Wayne and allows us to better serve customers and our insurance partners," said Tim O'Day, President and COO of the Boyd Group's U.S. operations. "With 24 locations, we now have a solid footprint in Indiana which will drive increased brand recognition and customer loyalty." The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Kim Allen at the contact coordinates below for more information. About The Boyd Group Inc. The Boyd Group Inc. (the "Company"), directly and through subsidiaries, is one of the largest operators of non-franchised collision repair centers in North America in terms of number of locations and sales. The Company operates locations in five Canadian provinces under the trade name Boyd Autobody & Glass (http://www.boydautobody.com), as well as in 20 U.S. states under the trade name Gerber Collision & Glass (http://www.gerbercollision.com). The Company uses newly acquired brand names during a transition period until acquired locations have been rebranded. The Company is also a major retail auto glass operator in the U.S. with locations across 31 U.S. states under the trade names Gerber Collision & Glass, Glass America, Auto Glass Service, Auto Glass Authority and Autoglassonly.com. The Company also operates a third party administrator, Gerber National Claims Services ("GNCS") that offers first notice of loss, glass and related services. GNCS has approximately 5,500 affiliated glass provider locations and 4,600 affiliated emergency roadside services providers throughout the U.S. For more information on The Boyd Group Inc. or Boyd Group Income Fund, please visit our website at (http://www.boydgroup.com). SOURCE Gerber Collision & Glass For further information: Stephen Boyd, Vice President, Corporate Development, Tel: (204) 594-1776, [email protected]; Kim Allen, Director of Business Development, Tel: (847) 410-6003,[email protected] OTTAWA, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - At the request of the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston will travel to the Middle East from October 29 to November 6. They will conduct State visits to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from October 29 to November 1, and to the State of Israel from November 1 to 3. They will also visit the West Bank on November 4 and 5. Their Excellencies will then return to Canada on November 6. "Sharon and I are very much looking forward to visiting Jordan, Israel and the West Bank," said the Governor General. "Accompanied by a delegation of Canadian leaders in education, business and civil society, we aim to strengthen our ties with our regional partners, with a special focus on innovation, development, security and humanitarian needs." Their Excellencies will also have the opportunity to visit the following holy sites: Mount Nebo (near Madaba); the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ (Bethany Beyond the Jordan); the Western Wall (Jerusalem), the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque (Jerusalem); the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem); and the Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem). State Visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan October 29 to November 1 In the capital city of Amman, Their Excellencies will be officially welcomed by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Governor General will meet with His Excellency Dr. Hani al-Mulki, Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He will take part in a discussion on the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in Jordan. The Governor General will also visit the Queen Rania Teacher Academy. Their Excellencies will visit the Zaatari refugee camp, which is located 10 kilometres east of Mafraq, to meet with Syrian refugees, as well as with representatives of the Ministry of Interior's Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate and of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which jointly manage the camp. The Governor General will participate in a round-table discussion with mayors and municipal leaders to discuss the pressures put on municipal services delivery and infrastructures when welcoming refugees. Her Excellency's program will focus on the work being done by non-governmental organizations in the region that are receiving Canadian support. In Hadada, she will meet with a local woman entrepreneur who was able to open a small shop with the help of CARE International. In Fuheis, she will visit a Caritas Health Clinic to see how medical services are being provided to refugees and Jordanian families as a result of Canada's help. State Visit to Israel November 1 to 4 Their Excellencies will be officially welcomed to Israel by His Excellency Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, and Mrs. Nechama Rivlin, First Lady of Israel. In Jerusalem, Their Excellencies will lay wreaths on the tombs of Theodor Herzl and Shimon Peres, and visit Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre. The Governor General will be the first Canadian to plant an olive tree as a symbol of peace at the Grove of Nations. He will visit the Israeli Legislative Assembly, meet with its speaker and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Governor General will meet with His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Their Excellencies will also visit the Institute for Medical Research IsraelCanada. In Kadima Zoran, the Governor General will visit Phinergy, an Israeli technology company that has developed an aluminum-air battery in partnership with a Canadian company. In Haifa, Her Excellency will visit Hand In Hand, a bilingual preschool that welcomes both Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking children. Their Excellencies will take part in a discussion on student diversity at Technion University, where the Governor General will also receive an honorary doctorate and deliver an address on innovation. Visit to the West Bank November 4 and 5 In Ramallah, the Governor General will be greeted by His Excellency Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority. The Governor General will inaugurate a temporary forensic science laboratory supported by Canadian funding. In Bethlehem, Their Excellencies will visit the Church of the Nativity. They will also visit the Al Shurooq School for Blind Children, which benefits from a solar power project funded by Canada. The Governor General will attend a panel discussion at Bethlehem University on environmental innovation in agriculture. Mrs. Johnston will visit a Canadian-funded project that empowers vulnerable women by helping them develop small businesses and providing them with better access to markets. Members of the public will be able to follow the Governor General's visits to Jordan, Israel and the West Bank online at www.gg.ca, where speeches, photos and videos will be posted, as well as via Facebook and Twitter. This itinerary is subject to change without notice. To obtain the latest updates, please visit www.gg.ca. Follow GGDavidJohnston and RideauHall on Facebook and Twitter. SOURCE Governor General of Canada For further information: Media information: Julie Rocheleau, Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-998-7280, [email protected] TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - The life of Kenojuak Ashevak, a pioneer of modern Inuit art, is now a Heritage Minute, the 85th in the collection. Shot on location in the artist's home community of Cape Dorset, Nunavut, this Minute is the first to be produced and released in three separate languages: English, French, and Inuktitut. A founding member of Cape Dorset's famed Kinngait Studios (West Baffin Eskimo Co-op), Ashevak's work gained almost immediate attention when her first print, "Rabbit Eating Seaweed" (1958), was featured in the Cape Dorset Print Collection and Catalogue. It was the beginning of a decades-long career that saw her travel as far as Europe and Japan promoting Inuit art. A companion of the Order of Canada, Kenojuak Ashevak remained one of the world's most prominent Inuit artists until her death on January 8, 2013 at the age of 85. "Kenojuak Ashevak is renowned worldwide for her works of art, and for her role in bringing Inuit art to the forefront," said Anthony Wilson-Smith, President and CEO of Historica Canada. "We're delighted to now bring Canadians the personal story of an artist of such achievement." The "Kenojuak Ashevak" Heritage Minute is embargoed until October 20, 6 a.m. EST. At that time it can be shared and embedded through this link. Stills from the Minute can be downloaded here. This Heritage Minute was produced by Historica Canada and Fifth Town Films, and utilizes animation by e.d. Films to bring Ashevak's most famous prints to life. It was written and directed by filmmaking duo Tess Girard and Ryan J. Noth, and stars Miali Buscemi (The Embargo Project, Ce qu'il faut pour vivre). The Heritage Minutes are made possible through funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. Historica Canada thanks Canadian North airline for its generous donation of travel vouchers for this project. Historica Canada is the country's largest organization dedicated to enhancing awareness of Canadian history and citizenship. SOURCE Historica Canada Image with caption: "Miali Buscemi as Kenojuak Ashevak in Historica Canada's new Heritage Minute. (CNW Group/Historica Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161020_C3774_PHOTO_EN_800262.jpg For further information: Andrea Hall, Communications Coordinator, [email protected], 416-506-1867 ext 261 Shop small and make a big difference on October 22nd TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - This Saturday, October 22nd take the time to say "thanks" to the many independent businesses that make Canada's communities unique. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) hosts Canada's Small Business Saturday to encourage consumers to shop at their local, small, independent businesses, and help entrepreneurs promote their businesses online. "Small business Saturday is about honoring local, hard-working small business owners and showing support for the many small businesses that bring life to our communities," said Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB's Senior Vice-President of National Affairs and Partnerships. "Small, independent businesses are fundamental to a strong and growing economy. They employ more than 70 per cent of the private sector labour force and create the bulk of new jobs." Looking to show your support? Visit the new and improved shopsmallbiz.ca website and search for the independent businesses in your community. You can also find out about events, leave reviews for individual businesses, and learn more about how small businesses are making a difference in your neighbourhood. Independent business owners can get involved in Small Business Saturday by creating a profile for FREE on shopsmallbiz.ca that will allow them to showcase their business and offer deals to customers. They also have the ability to promote an event in their local community, and can get involved in social media through: The Small Business Saturday initiative is brought to Canadians in partnership with Interac Association and Acxsys Corporation. "On Saturday, October 22nd, every Canadian can play a part in supporting local jobs and economic growth by shopping small," said Caroline Hubberstey, Head, External Affairs, Interac Association and Acxsys Corporation. "We encourage Canadians to visit the new shopsmallbiz.ca to find out more about how CFIB is connecting them to the hidden gems right in their own backyard," she added. CFIB is Canada's largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses with 109,000 members across every sector and region. SOURCE Canadian Federation of Independent Business For further information: To arrange an interview with Corinne Pohlmann, please contact Kiara Morrissey at 416-222-8022, 647-464-2814 or [email protected] SAINT-LAURENT, QC, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Inspired by Canadian Paralympic wheelchair rugby player David Willsie, the Canadian Paralympic Team and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, employees at McKesson Canada have donated $10,000 to the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, helping support future generations of Canadian Paralympians. This past summer, McKesson Canada launched a six-week team employee challenge called "Road to Rio." Employees from across Canada competed in various physical activities for wellness points. Fifty-two teams participated, raising $10,000 for the Canadian Paralympic Foundation. McKesson Canada served as the official pharmacy partner of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, where the company was also proud to sponsor Canadian Paralympic wheelchair rugby player David Willsie. "We were inspired to support David through his participation in the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games because he embodies leadership values that we believe deeply in at McKesson," said Genevieve Fortier, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Public Affairs, McKesson Canada. "We are so impressed by David's commitment to physical wellness, his mental resilience and by the many sacrifices he made throughout his life and career. We need more athletes and leaders like David, that's why we decided to also support the Paralympic Canadian Foundation as they develop the next generation of Canadian athletes." As the newly established philanthropic arm of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Paralympic Foundation of Canada's goal is to ensure that the programs, equipment and people are in place to propel more Canadians with a disability all the way from the playground to the Paralympic podium. "Our sincere thanks to the employees of McKesson Canada for their donations," said Jim Westlake, Chair of the Paralympic Foundation of Canada. "This investment will go towards furture parasport athletes, helping support and nurture the next generation of Paralympic champions. As we celebrate Canada's success in Rio and look ahead to future Games, we look forward to working with supporters such as McKesson Canada to help Canada become a world leading Paralympic nation." McKesson Canada continues to invest resources in an effort to become the healthiest health care company in Canada. McKesson Canada is taking a holistic approach to building a culture that places physical and mental health as well as wellness at the centre of the employee experience. About McKesson Canada Founded more than 100 years ago, McKesson Canada is dedicated to delivering vital medicines, supplies and information technologies that enable the health care industry to provide patients with better, safer care. Our solutions empower pharmacies, manufacturers, hospitals and other health care institutions by enabling them to get closer to the millions of patients they serve every single day, while contributing to the quality and safety of care in Canada. About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca SOURCE MCKESSON CANADA For further information: For more information, please contact: Elizabeth Huart, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, McKesson Canada, Tel: 514-832-2587, Email: [email protected]; Alison Korn, Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Tel: 613-569-4333 ext. 243, Cell: 613-298-4927, Email: [email protected] OTTAWA, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - WHAT: Oceana Canada will host its first science symposium Rebuilding Abundance: Restoring Canada's Fisheries for Long-Term Prosperity. The symposium will address why Canada's fisheries are performing well below potential and create a vision for a prosperous and sustainable future. WHY: Canada's fishing industry is in a critical state. Oceana Canada is bringing together world-renowned experts to help map out a vision for a healthy and prosperous future for our oceans and fisheries. WHO: The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Sam Waterston , actor and member of Oceana's Board of Directors Alexandra Cousteau, Senior Oceana Advisor Leading Canadian and international fisheries experts WHEN: The symposium will take place Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. 5 p.m. from Minister Dominic LeBlanc will speak at 9:15 a.m. will speak at Sam Waterston will speak at 9:40 a.m. will speak at Keynote address by Dr. Daniel Pauly will take place at 10 a.m. will take place at Alexandra Cousteau will speak at 12:30 p.m. For a full list of speakers, please visit www.oceana.ca/en/event-speakers WHERE: Confederation II Room at The Westin Ottawa Hotel, CF Rideau Centre, 11 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ont., K1N 9H4 (613) 560-7000 MORE: For more information, please visit: oceana.ca/RebuildingAbundance Twitter: @OceanaCAN Official symposium hashtag: #oceans4us SOURCE Oceana Canada Image with caption: "Oceana Logo (CNW Group/Oceana Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161019_C2400_PHOTO_EN_799966.jpg For further information: and/or interview opportnities, please contact: Robyn Lobay, PUBLIC Inc., 647.208.3865, [email protected], HALIFAX, OCT. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - At a special ceremony held aboard HMCS Sackville, the last of 123 Canadian corvettes to sail in the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Mint today unveiled a new two-dollar circulation coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. This coin, which was revealed before guests including veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic, has begun circulating today and Canadians can now start looking for it in their change. "The Government of Canada is proud that the Mint is issuing a circulation coin which recognizes that 75 years ago, Canada emerged as a leader in the Battle of the Atlantic, to protect the shipping lanes essential to the Allied war effort and help ensure victory in the Second World War," said the Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance. "Through the honourable tradition of issuing remembrance-themed coins, the Mint is ensuring Canadians never forget that the peace and freedom they are privileged to enjoy today were hard-won by the service and sacrifice of our veterans." "The Mint is privileged to be able to use its coins to share the inspiring stories of our veterans' selfless defense of our values," said Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "On the 75th anniversary of a turning point for Canada in the Second World War, our new two-dollar circulation coin is giving millions of Canadians yet another story worth holding onto as we remember how our veterans, in the armed forces and the merchant navy, helped win the Battle of the Atlantic." The reverse image of this new circulation coin features the artwork of Canadian maritime artist Yves Berube. It depicts the many crucial actors in Canada's victory in the Battle of the Atlantic: an anti-aircraft gunman positioned on the deck of a Corvette; an Allied aircraft hunting enemy submarines; as well as a merchant ship whose vital cargo is protected by a nearby navy vessel on convoy duty. Limited to a mintage of five million coins, the two-dollar circulation coin commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic will be available in general circulation, as well as through public coin exchanges at the Mint's Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver boutiques, or through an online coin exchange at www.mint.ca/battleatlantic (limited to Canada only). About the Royal Canadian Mint The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit. www.mint.ca Images of this coin are available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4amcxdwij6ii1an/AAAwZsvPUkiZrgfe1b0YCNj-a?dl=0 SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint Image with caption: "From left: Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic and Maritime Forces Atlantic, Steve Wessel, President, Nova Scotia and Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, Royal Canadian Mint Board of Directors member Kirk MacRae, and Canadian Naval Memorial Trust Director Lt Cdr Jim Reddy (retd) unveil a $2 circulation coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic in Halifax, NS (October 20, 2016). (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Mint)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161020_C1309_PHOTO_EN_800738.jpg Image with caption: "Battle of the Atlantic veterans aboard HMCS Sackville on October 20, 2016 for the Royal Canadian Mints unveiling of the $2 circulation coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. From left: Norman Crewe (Canadian Merchant Navy), Captain Angus McDonald (British Merchant Navy), J. Vernon Toole (Royal Canadian Navy) and Captain Earle Wagner (Canadian Merchant Navy). (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Mint)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161020_C1309_PHOTO_EN_800740.jpg For further information: Media are asked to contact: Alex Reeves, Senior Manager, Communications, Royal Canadian Mint, Telephone: 613-949-5777, [email protected] MONTREAL, Oct. 19, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Mayor of Montreal, the Honourable Denis Coderre, drew up a positive balance of his mission to South America, which took place from October 12 to 18. The Mayor visited Bogota (Columbia) where he attended the 5th World Council of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders 2016. He then flew to Quito (Ecuador) where he participated in the 3rd United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development (Habitat III). These high-profile events led to several productive meetings with key leaders of international organizations involved in urban challenges and with some 300 mayors and other local leaders from around the world. "The leadership and pro-activity of Montreal on the international scene for these two major events are vital. Not only did we contribute to the adoption of the New Urban Agenda as part of the Habitat III Conference, which will meet the urbanization challenges of the 21st century or the next 20 years, but we also highlighted the Montreal expertise and achievements in various fields, including sustainable development, "Living Together" and metropolitan governance. We have also engaged in discussions with various participating cities for future cooperation and partnerships. This was an excellent opportunity to show our urban diplomacy," said the Mayor of Montreal. Bogota: Summit of Local and Regional Leaders The Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, which was organized by the Congress of United Cities and Local Governments, with "Local Voices for a Better World" as a theme, brought together more than 3,000 representatives of cities, metropolises and regions, civil society, the business community and academic sector. The Mayor of Montreal took part in several panels, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) panel, titled "Champion Mayors for an Inclusive City," accompanied by the Secretary-General of the organization, Angel Gurria. On the margins of the summit, the Mayor of Montreal presided over a meeting of the board of directors of Metropolis, the world association of metropolises, of which he is the president, and which led to the adoption of the association's strategic guidelines. He also attended a meeting of the UCLG Executive Office, of which he is the Vice-President. Mayor Coderre took advantage of the platform provided by the UCLG general meeting to reiterate to the members of the association his invitation to participate in the 2017 Metropolis World Congress, which will be held in Montreal next June, coinciding with Montreal's 375th anniversary. Quito: Habitat III Conference The 3rd United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development (Habitat III) takes place until October 20, in Quito (Ecuador), with "Sustainable Urban Development: The Future of Urbanization?" as a theme. This high-profile event is vital since it is held every 20 years. The Mayor of Montreal contributed to the discussions on the New Urban Agenda that was adopted as part of the conference which focuses on the challenges posed by the fight against poverty and inequalities, and identifies the new challenges for the next 20 years. He helped in the advancement of priority challenges for Montreal and Metropolis, as part of several meetings involving the environment, climate change and resilience, social economy, as well as the private sector and partners for sustainable development. He also promoted the ICLEI World Congress International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, to be held in Montreal in 2018. Together with other mayors, Mayor Coderre pleaded in favour of increased participation of cities within international bodies. As part of a ceremony organized under his initiative, the Mayor of Montreal, along with other mayors, emphasized the outstanding work of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, especially in acknowledging the increasing role of urban and city issues in terms of world challenges. SOURCE Ville de Montreal - Cabinet du maire et du comite executif For further information: Source: Marc-Andre Gosselin, Attache de presse, Cabinet du maire et du comite executif, 514 290-1194; Information: Francois Goneau, Relationniste, Service des communications, 514 868-5859 2016: THE YEAR THE COUP IS COMPLETE? By Chuck Baldwin October 20, 2016 NewsWithViews.com For all intents and purposes, the American people lost control of their government with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. With the exception of Ronald Reagan, every President since Kennedy has been completely controlled by the establishment elite that ordered Kennedys murder. A retired Air Force Brigadier General friend of mine (who, before he retired, probably flew every jet the Air Force had and who had been assigned to both the White House and Pentagon during his illustrious career) told me in no uncertain terms that he was convinced that President Kennedy was assassinated by government insiders (with the help of the mob, of course) for two reasons: 1) he intended to disband the CIA, and 2) he intended to dismantle the Federal Reserve. The assassination of President Kennedy and subsequent cover-up was much more than a killing; it was a coup. Every President since President Kennedy was selected by the power elite, not elected by the people. Oh, the people went to the polls and voted, but the election was already decided. The power elite completely controlled the mainstream media, and for the most part, the mainstream media rigged the election in favor of the desired candidate. Again, the only exception was Ronald Reagan. Reagan was such a tremendous orator and communicator (his dashing good looks and professional acting experience didnt hurt either) that he was singularly able to thwart the coercive power of the media elite. However, thanks to the so-called Religious Right, the elite were able to convince Reagan to pick the globalist Neocon G.H.W. Bush as his Vice President instead of the staunch anti-establishment senatorial icon Jesse Helms of North Carolina. I say thanks to the Religious Right because as the executive director of the Moral Majority of Florida from 1979 through 1989, I WAS THERE. I witnessed the despicable sellout firsthand. In my opinion, the leaders of the Religious Right sold their proverbial souls to the devil when they made the conscious decision to support George H.W. Bush as Reagans running mate. I seriously doubt that Reagan would have selected establishment insider G.H.W. Bush had Bush not obtained the support of the Religious Right. Ill say it outright: deep inside of me, I blame the Religious Right for all of the mess that has resulted from Reagans decision to pick Bush as his Vice President. Reagan was so popular, he could have picked Humpty Dumpty as his running mate, and he would have won. He didnt need Bush. But the establishment needed Bush. And with pressure from the power elite and with the surrender of the Religious Right, Reagan acquiesced. And Bush spent his entire eight years in the Reagan White House doing everything he could to undermine Reagans efforts. And, sadly, he often succeeded. Mark it down: ALL of the problems we have had since Reagan have stemmed directly from George H.W. Bush. Bush I gave us Bill Clinton, Bush II, Barack Obama, and now Hillary Clinton. It all goes back to Bush I. And Bush I goes back to the power elite surrounding the Kennedy assassination. (A CIA operative, what business did Bush have even being in Dallas the day Kennedy was killed?) Since the 1990s, I have tried to warn the American people that the Clintons and Bushes are ONE GIANT CRIME FAMILY. Why in the world do you think the entire Bush family is supporting Hillary Clintons bid for the White House today? Wake up, folks! When the power elite got away with killing President Kennedy, the American people lost their autonomy over their country. America has been largely in the hands of the power elite ever since. I truly believe that Reagan was the only President since Kennedy that was not controlled by the power elite. But put Bush in his White House and add the assassination attempt on Reagan soon after his election, and Reagans independence was sorely compromised. And please understand this: the way the power elite normally rigs the presidential election is by making sure that only their candidates make it to the general election. Thats why in most elections the bias and animus of the establishment was not as obvious as it is this year: because they owned both the Democrat and Republican presidential candidates. Therefore, it really didnt matter to a tinkers dam which one of them was elected. The globalist establishment agenda of the power elite would continue regardless of which one was elected. Enter 2016. Regular readers of this column know that I have not been timid in saying I believe that Donald Trump is a very flawed candidate. But I also believe that just as John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan were not controlled by the establishment elite, neither is Donald Trump. I truly believe Trump is outside the reins of the power elite--and, therefore, is a huge threat to the establishment. And the reaction of the establishment elite to Trumps nomination is further evidence that this is true. In my entire life--and Ive lived for more than a half-century and have been involved in national politics since 1979, as a Moral Majority director, as a successful national radio talk show host, as an independent candidate for President in 2008, and of course, as a nationally published columnist--I have NEVER seen anything like this presidential campaign. The national media and virtually everyone in the establishment elite have stripped off their masks and have cast aside their phony facade of fairness and objectivity and have swarmed on Trump like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Everyone in the country has now seen the political, media, and business establishments for who and what they are. The pretenses are gone. The establishment elite is determined to destroy Trumps candidacy and make sure that Hillary Clinton is put in the White House--even if they must rig the elections to do it. Can one imagine how the national media would have reacted had Wikileaks released all of that damning information on Trump? Yet, since the information indicts Clinton, the media has a total blackout on the story. There is no doubt it my mind that the ONLY way Hillary Clinton could win this election is if the elections are rigged in her favor. There is NO OTHER WAY. While Donald Trumps supporters are filling up the largest stadiums in city after city, Hillary Clintons supporters are barely filling up phone booths. Heck! Hillary is BARELY campaigning at all. There is no doubt the woman is physically ill, but theres much more to it than that. Im certain Hillary has been told by the establishment elite that she doesnt need to campaign, because they are going to make sure she wins by hook or by crook. And please understand this: I am not talking about the candidacy of one evil person, Hillary Clinton. I think it is very sophomoric to make this election all about Hillary. Lyndon Johnson was evil; Richard Nixon was evil; the two Bushes are evil; Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are evil. Im talking about a giant cabal of evil people who are using these political puppets for their own nefarious purposes. And, yes, Hillary and the rest are WILLING to be used for evil; so in my opinion, the cabal and the individual are equally culpable. To use a scriptural analogy: it was Satan who manipulated Judas Iscariot to betray Christ, but that does not excuse Judas eager complicity one iota. And Jesus plainly said so. Plus, always remember that the conspiracy takes its time and is intelligent enough to work within the political winds of the country and natural machinations of their chosen servants to accomplish their diabolical purposes. Their work is almost always incremental, not spontaneous. My point is, it seems clear to me that what began with the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 may now be coming to fruition in 2016: the completion of the coup. What the cabal accomplished under cover of darkness in 1963, it is now doing in broad daylight: it is stealing a government from the American people in full view of the entire world. If my observation is remotely accurate, it means the establishment elite is finally prepared to bring down the curtain of their agenda to destroy the independence and liberty of the United States. And Hillary Clinton is the one (she has ALL of the character traits and skills they need) to finish what so many others have started and worked toward. If the elite succeed in putting Hillary Clinton in the White House, it is doubtful that America will survive intact. America will have no more national borders. In no time, the United States will look like a Third World country (in many communities, it already does). Barring divine intervention, we will never have real elections again; the Christian faith will be forced underground; the Constitution will be thoroughly expunged; and no principled adherent of the Constitution will be able to work as an employee of the government. Clintons very FIRST appointment to the Supreme Court will give anti-gun, anti-borders, anti-Christian globalists a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. In short, the American experiment will be over. And this is not to mention the very real possibility of impending nuclear war with Russia (that Vladimir Putin has said is almost inevitable if Hillary becomes President) that a Hillary Clinton presidency poses. See this column I wrote previously: A Threat To All Humanity And the VERY FIRST evidence of this new totalitarian America will be Hillarys attack against the Second Amendment. She will use unconstitutional executive orders to ban semi-automatic rifles and large capacity magazines. And she will illegally institute a national database of gun owners. Come on, folks, get real! Even if the Republicans remain in control of Congress, do you REALLY think Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan are going to mount ANY meaningful resistance to the globalist agenda? McConnell and Ryan are globalists themselves. They WANT Hillary to win. Even FBI Director James Comey is in on the conspiracy to protect Hillary. Of course, it is reported that Comey has also been on the receiving end of financial payments from the Clinton Foundation. Is it any surprise, therefore, why he refused to recommend charges be brought against Hillary for criminal acts that had any of the rest of us committed, we would surely be in prison? In the strongest terms, I urge readers to understand that if you want a firearm--especially a semi-automatic rifle or Glock-type pistol--you had better get one now. I mean NOW! And that goes for the large capacity magazines to fit those firearms also. The DAY after Hillary is selected (not elected) President, the price of all things gun will skyrocket, and availability will plummet. If you thought the rout on guns and ammo back in 2013 was rough, you aint seen nothin yet! Back on August 10 of this year, I wrote this on my Facebook page: Humanly speaking, the ONLY thing standing between us and tyranny is an armed U.S. citizenry. And when I say armed, I am referring mostly to the ownership of semi-automatic rifles. No other instrument is capable of defending the liberties of the American people. I'll say it plainly: people who do not possess a semi-automatic rifle are incapable of defending liberty. Should the American citizenry ever surrender their semi-automatic rifles, the entire Western world would be plunged into a new Dark Ages--lasting perhaps a thousand years. I repeat: the ONLY thing standing between freedom and oppression is an American citizenry armed with semi-automatic rifles. If Hillary Clinton is elected in November, the government attack on our semi-automatic rifles will be UNPRECEDENTED in U.S. history. In all likelihood, possession of semi-automatic rifles will be banned. Even if the Republicans hold onto the House and Senate, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell will sell out our Second Amendment liberties to a Clinton White House faster than you can Rumpelstiltskin. Right now, semi-automatic rifles are flying off the shelves and manufacturers are not able to keep up production to meet the demand. If you plan to purchase a semi-automatic rifle, the clock is ticking on how long you will have the opportunity to obtain one. And this brings up another very important point. If you plan on obtaining a semi-automatic rifle, you MUST be prepared to be an outlaw when that rifle is banned. There is NO reason to buy one only to then turn around and allow your government to take it away from you. So, if you are NOT prepared to be a lawbreaker in order to KEEP your semi-automatic rifle, don't even bother to buy one. It is of NO USE to you or to liberty. But you can believe this: there are millions of Americans (including yours truly) who are NEVER going to willingly surrender our semi-automatic rifles--LAWS OR NO LAWS. Every month sets a new record for the sale of "Black Guns" (AR-type semi-automatic rifles). And you can bet that most of these people are well aware of our government's intention to ban these rifles down the road and are completely prepared to defy any law that would attempt to do so. In fact, that is the very reason they are buying them. The clarion call "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country" was never truer. And the best way you can currently do that is to go out and buy a semi-automatic rifle (and as much ammunition as you can), practice with it, and determine to not let ANYONE take it away from you. And if you live in a State or community that denies your right to own a semi-automatic rifle, why in the name of liberty are you still there? See and Like my Facebook Page here From a spiritual perspective, I believe all of this is divine judgment upon a careless, indifferent, prosperity-driven, statist, Zionist Israel-worshipping American Church. Modern Zionism and Talmudic Judaism are nothing more than the Phariseeism of the New Testament. And it is just as evil now as it was then; and never forget that Neoconism is mostly owned and operated by Zionism and Talmudic Judaism. By worshipping Zionist Israel, the modern Church is actually worshipping in the synagogue of Satan. (Rev. 2:9; 3:9) It is no coincidence that the Churchs indifference to the assault against religious liberty in 1962 and 63 happened simultaneous to its indifference to President Kennedys assassination. The Church has been mostly indifferent and cowardly ever since. Had the pulpits of America come alive with righteous resistance at any point since 1963, there would not even be a Hillary Clinton or an establishment elite to contend with today. I say again, the failure of America is the failure of Americas pulpits. And speaking of states, a Hillary Clinton presidency will doubtless demand that the only peaceful remedy to the assault against our liberties by this gaggle of grotesque and ghoulish gestapo will be SECESSION (yes, I believe it could be a peaceful separation). Its long overdue. Secession would mean that the states and the citizens within those states would no longer pay taxes to Washington, D.C. It would mean the National Guard in those states would become a State Guard. It would mean the citizen militia within the states would be reactivated (they should never have been deactivated). And it would mean that the political bands connecting the states to Washington, D.C., would be TOTALLY DISSOLVED. Secession is the one act that the globalists and establishment elite are counting on to NOT happen. They believe the Spirit of 76 is DEAD in America. They are convinced that Americans will do what the citizens of Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, etc., have done: peacefully surrender their weapons to the central government when ordered to do so. I am convinced that as soon as the first State declares independence from Washington, D.C., a domino effect will immediately ensue, and MANY states will do likewise. I am further convinced that when states begin seceding, an influx of freedom-loving American citizens into those states will take place like nothing this country has ever seen. All of this has been a LONG TIME in the making. From the establishment elites assassination of John F. Kennedy to Lyndon Johnsons Gun Control Act to G.H.W. Bushs installment of modern Neoconism to G.W. Bushs unconstitutional invasion of Iraq to Barack Obamas open invitation to illegal aliens to the overt rigging of a presidential election in favor of Hillary Clinton: the coup seems just about complete. P.S. Again, I strongly urge readers to obtain the book my attorney son and I wrote entitled To Keep Or Not To Keep: Why Christians Should Not Give Up Their Guns. The title of the book refers directly to Christians, but it applies to absolutely EVERYONE, Christian or not. Maintaining the means of self-defense is much more than a constitutional right (which it IS); it is a DIVINE DUTY. But since it is largely pastors and churches that are sheepishly going along with this its-Biblical-to-give-up-your-guns claptrap, somehow the truth of Natural and Revealed Law regarding the sacred duty of self-defense must be explained and disseminated. Truthfully, I dont know of another book like this one. There are plenty of books that deal with the right to keep and bear arms from a constitutional perspective but hardly any that deal with the subject from a scriptural perspective. If pastors and Christians do not awaken to this cardinal truth, our liberties are toast. Please order as many of these as you can and distribute them to as many people as you can, because it seems obvious that the power elite are going to put our allegiance to the sacred principles of self-defense to the ultimate test--perhaps sooner than you can imagine. To order To Keep Or Not To Keep: Why Christians Should Not Give Up Their Guns here. [If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link.] [I also have many books and DVDs available for purchase online. Go to Chuck Baldwin Live Store] 2016 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved Share This Article Click Here For Mass E-mailing Chuck Baldwin is a syndicated columnist, radio broadcaster, author, and pastor dedicated to preserving the historic principles upon which America was founded. He was the 2008 Presidential candidate for the Constitution Party. He and his wife, Connie, have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Chuck and his family reside in the Flathead Valley of Montana. See Chuck's complete bio here. E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com Website: ChuckBaldwinLive.com Home For all intents and purposes, the American people lost control of their government with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. With the exception of Ronald Reagan, every President since Kennedy has been completely controlled by the establishment elite that ordered Kennedys murder. The hypothetical giant planet 9, which is thought to be about 10 times more massive than Earth, will be discovered within 16 months or so, astronomer Mike Brown predicted. The researchers, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown, discovered the planets existence through mathematical modeling and computer simulations but have not yet observed the object directly. The researchers have found evidence of a giant planet tracing a bizarre, highly elongated orbit in the outer solar system. The object, which the researchers have nicknamed Planet Nine, has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and orbits about 20 times farther from the sun on average than does Neptune (which orbits the sun at an average distance of 2.8 billion miles). In fact, it would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the sun. Im pretty sure, I think, that by the end of next winter not this winter, next winter I think that therell be enough people looking for it that somebodys actually going to track this down, Brown said during a news conference Wednesday (Oct. 19) at a joint meeting of the American Astronomical Societys Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) in Pasadena, California. Brown said that eight to 10 groups are currently looking for the planet Artists illustration of Planet Nine, a world about 10 times more massive than Earth that may lie undiscovered in the outer solar system. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) The evidence for Planet Nines existence has continued to grow over the past nine months, as several different research teams have determined that the orbits of other small, distant objects appear to have been sculpted as well. One team, led by Renu Malhotra of the University of Arizona, discussed four such objects at the DPS/EPSC meeting Wednesday. And Browns team, led by Elizabeth Bailey of Caltech, announced at the meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 18) that Planet Nine appears to have tilted the orbits of all eight official planets by 6 degrees relative to the sun. Astronomers have said Planet Nine is perhaps four times wider than Earth, and such an object would be easily visible with professional-grade equipment if it were relatively close to Earth, Brown explained. In addition, planets on highly elliptical orbits spend most of their time near aphelion, since theyre traveling most slowly on this part of their path, he said. An object four times bigger than Earth thats located at 1,000 AU would have a magnitude of about +25 on astronomers brightness scale, Brown added. This is well within reach of the giant telescopes, he said. The Subaru telescope, I think, on Mauna Kea, [in Hawaii] the Japanese national telescope is the prime instrument for doing the search. But there are a lot of other people who have clever ideas on how to find it, too, that are trying with their own telescopes. SOURCES- Caltech, Space.com Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has declared that any cow confiscated under the State Grazing Regulation Law will be slaughtered and... Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has declared that any cow confiscated under the State Grazing Regulation Law will be slaughtered and shared to the people as part of the Stomach Infrastructure policy of his administration.The governor who disclosed this on Thursday in Ado Ekiti during the inauguration of Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (EGEM) said herdsmen caught grazing their cattle beyond the 6.00 pm risks six months jail while their animals will be confiscated.Fayose explained that the setting up of the EGEM force was a further step to nip the killing of innocent people and destruction of their means of livelihood by armed herdsmen in the bud.The EGEM men thrilled the audience with their parade while local hunters also performed at the ceremony. Some of the marshals displayed placards some of which read No To Terrorism By Herdsmen, Fayose Is Working, Ekiti Is Moving, among others.Fayose who were an olive green long sleeve shirt with a camouflage fez cap to match explained that the marshals are not to carry arms and therefore would collaborate with security agencies empowered by law to carry arms to tackle armed cattle rearers.He said: We have a right to life and to survive and holding things for our survival especially peasant farmers, whose means of livelihood are taken away by cattle feeding on their crops. If the gains of peasant farmers are taken away in a jiffy, that is condemnable.We will bring to a permanent end, the situation whereby some people take away the means of livelihood of others.On August 29, 2016, the Anti-Grazing Bill was passed by the House of Assembly and the bill was signed into law by me on August 30. Some people go as far as grazing in the night when farmers are no longer at their farms.Any cattle found grazing after the time stipulated by the law will be confiscated by the government.Such cattle will be sold or killed on the spot and shared to people as part of our Stomach Infrastructure programme, he said.The governor had Wednesday last week personally stopped open grazing along Afao Road and supervised the arrest of a cow on his way to commissioning projects in Ikole Ekiti.Fayose contended that 10, 000 cattle could not compensate for the life of the human being lost to a conflict between herdsmen and local farmers.While frowning at cattle rustling by some people, Fayose added that the law was in the interest of cattle rearers too, as their operations would be streamlined.The governor added that the phone numbers of the marshals would be made public and warned the marshals against going beyond their mandate.This is not an opportunity to harass or intimidate innocent people. You are to enforce the law and not to break it. Anybody found going beyond his bounds would be dealt with accordingly, he stressed.In her opening remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Modupe Alade, said the law had helped in curbing incessant attacks on local farmers by herdsmen and feasting on crops by cattle.The Chairman, Hunters Association, Ikole Local Government, Joseph Osasona, commended Fayose for the initiative.Osasona recalled that it was the prompt intervention of the governor in Oke Ako-Ekiti early in the year when some armed herdsmen attacked the people, that sent a strong signal to lawbreakers to stay away from the state.He noted that it was inhuman for anybody to jeopardise the lives and means of livelihood of others because he wants to rear cattle. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has sacked 29 senior officers for compromising the national economy. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has sacked 29 senior officers for compromising the national economy.Last week, the service sacked 17 junior officers for drug abuse, bribery and forgery.In a statement on Thursday, Wale Adeniyi, spokesman of the service, said the senior officers were sacked after a disciplinary panel found them guilty of offences bordering on corruption and theft.Twenty-nine senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been dismissed for various acts of gross misconduct. The dismissed officers are among forty-four (44) senior officers who were punished for actions capable of compromising national economy and security, he said.Ten other officers were retired from service, while the appointment of one was terminated. Four officers were given written warnings to be of better conduct while another four officers who were investigated and tried for some offences were exonerated.Adeniyi explained that four of the officers who got the hammer were of the rank of deputy-comptroller; five assistant-comptroller; seven chief superintendent, and four superintendent, among others.He said the process leading to the actions taken on the officers was painstaking and in line with the public service rules (PSR).All the officers were served with queries indicating offences committed, before they made appearances before the special investigation committee. The committees recommendation was discussed and approved by the customs management, Adeniyi added.The recommendation was thereafter referred to the presidency for ratification, in the absence of a substantive board for the Nigeria Customs Service. All the officers affected in the exercise have been communicated accordingly.The comptroller-general warned officers that punitive sanctions will continue to be used to discipline officers who refuse to embrace change.Officers affected in this exercise were investigated for involvement in improper examination and release of containers without proper documentation and payment of duties, illegal release of goods in advance before the arrival of vessels, collection of bribe to release prohibited items, release of export prohibitions, fraudulent sale of seized items, use of fake certificates and bribery to secure auctioned goods. IND vs NZ 2022: Kuldeep Sen Gets Maiden Call-up in Shikhar Dhawan-led ODI Squad, Hardik Pandya to Captain in T20Is 'We Tried to Hurry up With Jasprit Bumrah For T20 WC And Look What Happened': Chetan Sharma 'KL Rahul Has Gone Into a Shell And His Mind is Clouded': Robin Uthappa Backs Indian Opener Highlights Australia vs Ireland, T20 World Cup 2022: AUS Beat IRE by 42 Runs In a shocking blow to democracy in United States, Donald Trump on Wednesday refused to say he would accept the result of next month'... I will look at it at the time, the Republican nominee said, referring to the election results. When he was further pressed by moderator Chris Wallace to answer the question directly, Trump said, I will keep you in suspense.Trump has ramped up accusations in the past week that the presidential election will be rigged, presenting without evidence a claim that undermines the legitimacy of the democratic process. Election officials and members of both parties have condemned and dismissed Trumps claims. President Obama on Tuesday called them irresponsible and unprecedented.Asked on Wednesday whether her father would concede if he loses, Ivanka Trump said he would accept the outcome either way. Earlier this week, Trumps running mate, Mike Pence, said, We will absolutely accept the result of the election.During Wednesday nights debate, Trump said Hillary Clinton should not have been allowed to run for president.In that respect I say that its rigged, he said. She should never have been allowed.Clinton responded, calling Trumps comments horrifying.I, for one, am appalled someone who is nominee of one of our major parties would question the integrity of our election process, she said. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused Justice Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court of trivialising serious allegation... Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused Justice Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court of trivialising serious allegation levelled against him.The minister added that those faced with serious allegation should treat the issue with the seriousness it deserved.Amaechi, who is also a former governor of Rivers State, stated this in a statement he personally signed in Abuja on Wednesday.He was reacting to a statement credited to Justice Okoro where he accused the minister of begging him(the judge) to help influence the outcome of the governorship election cases involving Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia States.Justice Okoro had alleged in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, that Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom, Mr. Umana Umana visited him and pleaded with him to help them influence the outcome of the governorship election cases involving the three states that were then pending before the Supreme Court.The judge also alleged that the former governor allegedly said that President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC were interested in the cases.He alleged that his refusal to grant the request was responsible for his arrest by the Department of State Services a few days ago.Justice Okoro was among the judges that were arrested by the DSS for alleged corruption. President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has urged electoral bodies to embrace independence and fairness during electoral processes. President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has urged electoral bodies to embrace independence and fairness during electoral processes.This according to him, is in order to reflect the true will of the people as that is more essential than arguments concerning the length of a leaders tenure.Dr Jonathan made the comments while speaking at a symposium organised by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday.Also in attendance are the former leader of Mauritius Cassam Uteem and the Former Prime Minister of Senegal, Aminata Toure who would also be part of a discussion panel later on.The event which is themed: Current Democratic Realities in Africa, Where Are We Headed Beyond The Vote, was flagged off by South Africas Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa.Mr Ramaphosa said although Africa has recorded progress in boosting democratic value, there is still a lot of work to be done. The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that any governor or political leader that fails to appreciate the political and economic ... The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that any governor or political leader that fails to appreciate the political and economic relevance of non-indigenes in the society does so at his own peril.Governor Wikes opinion was made when a group called indigenes without boarders met with him at the State Government House in Port Harcourt, the states capital.While acknowledging the role that non-indigenes who are residents in the state played in the 2015 elections that led to his victory, Governor Wike said the people will continue to enjoy full participation in the politics and the economy of the state.The National Leader of the group, who is also a Commissioner in the State, Emeka Onowu noted that the appointment of a woman from Edo State as the Chief Judge of the state was an indication that anyone who meant well could aspire to be anything in the state.In January, the Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, sworn-in the newly appointed Justice Adama Iyayi-Laminkanra as the new Acting Chief Judge of River State.This follows the retirement of Justice Daisy Okocha, as the first female Chief Judge of the State.Mr Wike reaffirmed his administrations commitment to continue to accord women their rightful positions in government, no matter the circumstances.He noted that women would continue to enjoy more than 35 per cent of appointments in his administration; noting that women occupy about 70 per cent in different positions. Tunde, a younger brother of the slain founding Editor of Newswatch Magazine, Dele Giwa, says the familys pain has yet to be assuaged 30... Tunde, a younger brother of the slain founding Editor of Newswatch Magazine, Dele Giwa, says the familys pain has yet to be assuaged 30 years after Giwas murder because the killer has not been brought to justice.He said the family continued to live in pain seeing that Giwas killer, who everyone knows was still around and walking freely.Tunde, who made a passionate appeal to journalists in the country not to allow the case to be forgotten, said just like every other Nigerian, he knew Giwas killer and could mention his name.Tunde spoke on behalf of the Giwa family on Wednesday at a colloquium organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council to mark the 30th anniversary of Dele Giwas death.Also present on the occasion, which held at the Multipurpose Hall, Radio Lagos/Eko FM, Ikeja, were Giwas widow, Funmi, and his daughter, Aisha, who was said to be only a few months old at the time Giwa was killed.Tunde, who described his slain elder brother as the breadwinner of the family, said the family had not remained the same since he was murdered.He called on journalists in the country to help the family get justice.Tunde said, You people should help us to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of Dele Giwa. Everybody knows the person that killed him. Hes there walking freely around. I can mention his name if you want.Please, help usThe day I see the killer arraigned in court, I will be the happiest person on earth.In his welcome address, the Chairman of the NUJ, Lagos State Council, Mr. Deji Elumoye, said it was sad and regrettable that 30 years after Giwa was killed by a letter bomb, no arrest had been made and no one had been prosecuted.He said it was sad that journalists had become the most conspicuous butt of inhuman treatment not only in Nigeria but on the entire African continent.He demanded, on behalf of the NUJ, that the Federal Government should order the Inspector-General of Police to reopen investigation into Giwas assassination.It is a matter of worry that journalists could become subjects of attacks in the course of carrying out their duty as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm.Not quite long ago, a photo journalist, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka, and the Executive Director and Chairman, Badagry Prime, were killed with the complicity of security agents. Patience Jonathan, former first lady, says it took her 15 years to save up the $15million dollars that has now been frozen by the Economic... Patience Jonathan, former first lady, says it took her 15 years to save up the $15million dollars that has now been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).In September, it emerged that Mrs. Jonathan was the subject of an EFCC investigation regarding the source of the money, but she maintained innocence even though the four individuals representing the companies linked with the alleged laundering had pleaded guilty to the charge in court.The companies Seagate Property Development & Investment Co. Limited; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Development Company Limited pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder $15 million.Directors of the companies are domestic workers of Waripamowei Dudafa, Jonathans special adviser on domestic affairs.Patience had previously clarified that the $15m was for her foreign medical bills and other private expenses, and even branded the EFCC a big thief for going after her money.But in a suit she filed against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, which had earlier given the federal government a seven-day ultimatum to prosecute her, Patience explained that she got the money from gifts from people she could not even remember, over a 15-year period.There has been a running battle between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Mrs Jonathan with respect to the release of her legitimately earned funds which were deposited in accounts opened in the names of certain companies by one of her husbands aides without her authorization, her attorneys had written to the court, according to SERAP.The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years, which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns, which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria.The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons, some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira. In order to preserve the value of these funds, which she did not require for any purpose at the time, she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja.It was when the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010 that she began to think about banking these gifts, which had now grown to large sums in United States Dollars. In 2010, she therefore summoned one of her husbands domestic aids, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited.Unknown to her, the said Dudafa, in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds, decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this, she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question.Patience explained that when Dudafa was arrested in 2016 and detained, she had no fear for the funds, as she realised that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts.It was therefore a rude shock to her when she discovered that a no transaction order had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Dudafa, she added.She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalized and led to the plaintiffs vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter. Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 325,640 Euros and $30,000 (About N175m) in cash about to b... Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 325,640 Euros and $30,000 (About N175m) in cash about to be smuggled into the country from Greece and Austria.The cash, concealed inside envelopes and shoes, was seized at the Murtalla Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos during the screening of passengers on a Turkish Airline flight.Two suspects were arrested.NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said Edos Nicholas was found in possession of 279,190 euros and Hallowell Prince Lovely was found in possession of 46,450 euros and 30,000 dollars.Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) directed the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation of the Agency, Mrs Victoria Egbase, to take over the investigation.Abdallah said: This is a suspected case of money laundering. Criminal groups seek to conceal the origin of illegally obtained money. 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 revealed that both suspects were frequent travellers who are the target of International Drug Trafficking Organisations.It was learnt that Edos, who claimed to be working in a bakery in Austria said the money was given to him. The money does not belong to me. It was given by different people in Europe to give to their relatives. I have been living in Vienna, Austria for over 15 years.Hallowell reportedly claimed that the money belonged to people and that he was asked to deliver same to the recipients in Nigeria. I live in Athens and I work in an African shop. I have lived there for 12 years. The money belongs to many people and some of them are my friends he stated. Offices of Nigerias ombudsman, the Public Complaints Commission, PCC, have been shut down nationwide because the commission cannot pay fu... Offices of Nigerias ombudsman, the Public Complaints Commission, PCC, have been shut down nationwide because the commission cannot pay full salaries of its workers.The commission, which was created to address complaints by aggrieved citizens or residents in Nigeria against administrative injustice, has for almost a year battled neglect by government, resulting in poorly paid salaries.In a telephone interview with newsmen, the chairperson of the commissions labour union, Dorcas John, said the salaries of workers at the PCC had been slashed by over 50 per cent since the beginning of this year.She said although the commission started having problems with paying salaries about two years ago, the problem worsened since the start of 2016.We have been having issues of non-payment of salaries from January till now. They slashed our budget by 50 per cent. Both overheads, capital and everything. Its no longer funny. Staff can no longer pay their childrens school fees. They pay us only about 40 per cent or sometimes 50 per cent and thereabouts of our salaries.As we speak, we have written a circular which was distributed through all the states of the federation. We have ordered that all our offices in states of the federation be shut down, she said.Mrs. John is the chairperson of Nigeria Civil Service Union at the commission, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress.She alleged that the problem was caused by governments decision to put the PCC under the control of the National Assembly, two years ago.I am just returning from the National Assembly where I told them that there is a conspiracy between them, (National Assembly), Budget Office and the Ministry of Finance.We were under the presidency and during that period, this never happened. But they said we are an Ombudsman organisation (a government agency that investigates complaints by private persons against the government). They said that all over the world, ombudsmen are always under the parliament, so they hijacked us and put us under the National Assembly, said Mrs. John.She added that there was no attempt by the commission to formally address staff about its challenges before the slash of workers salaries.They did not tell us anything. They just slashed the salaries, she said.The chief commissioner of the PCC, Emmanuel Ogbile, neither picked his calls nor responded to text messages when contacted on the matter.The PCC was established in furtherance of its enabling act in 2004. Nigeria international Ogenyi Onazi has concluded plans to take his former club Lazio to FIFA over unpaid wages.A source close to the player said that the hard working Trabzonspor of Turkey midfielder is not happy that he is being owed two months salary by the Italian Serie A club."Onazi is taking Lazio to FIFA over-unpaid salary,the source told newsmen.He is not happy with them and has contacted Lazio over the issue but it seems they are not ready to pay. He served them letter to this effect already."He is owed May and June salaries. President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged the full support of the Federal Government for the Royal Destiny Trust programme of the newly ins... President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged the full support of the Federal Government for the Royal Destiny Trust programme of the newly installed Oba of Benin, Ewuare II.Buhari, represented by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, made the pledge at the coronation of the Oba in Benin on Thursday.The president who congratulated the new monarch also prayed for his success.On behalf of the president and government of the federal republic of Nigeria, I congratulate you on this momentous and historic occasion.We assure you of our full support, especially for the royal destiny trust programme for youth employment and poverty alleviation which your royal majesty has set out, Buhari said.Buhari who described the late father of the new Oba as a principled and forthright Nigerian, who contributed to the development of the country, urged Oba Ewuare II to sustain the legacy left behind by his ancestors. It is the responsibility of this illustrious legacy that your royal majesty bear from this day forward.Consequently, this ceremony is not merely a celebration of the pump and pageantry of history.Your walk through your kingdom to this place of your coronation speaks of the great obligation of privilege; the obligation of protecting the cultural rights of the people and promoting their wellbeing.We are gratified that your meritorious service as Nigeria ambassador to various nations and your sterling works in the oil and gas industry stand you in good stead to fulfill these obligations.All of those who know you are convinced that you will discharge these responsibilities with great wisdom and integrity that your great ancestors have all displayed.The president also congratulated Gov. Adam Oshiomhole on being the first Edo man to hand over staff of office to a new Oba.Today, your name finds a notable place in the rich history of Edo monarchy, he said.NAN The book Muhammadu Buhari-The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria by Professor John Paden is not only an intellectually lazy work, it ... The book Muhammadu Buhari-The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria by Professor John Paden is not only an intellectually lazy work, it is also a fallacious document hastily put together to paint the protagonist in the borrowed garb of an effective leader who is cleaning the Augean Stable of misrule and corruption in Nigeria, but my question is this how can you fight corruption with lies?I have taken my time to x-ray the book and I cannot help but agree with the national leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress that Paden has done a great disservice to the truth. If I were Paden, I would consider a career in fiction writing. His talents are much better suited for that than to scholarly and investigative work.On page 52 of the book, Professor Paden declares that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan declared for the April 2011 Presidential election on Saturday, 18th of September 2011. But for a man who was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University, Paden did not show much scholarliness because if he did, he would have established that Dr. Jonathan made world history by being the first ever Presidential candidate to make his declaration on the social media platform, facebook, on Wednesday the 15th of September, 2016, a feat which was featured on the New York Times, the Washington Post and in several international news media.If this was the only error in the book, one could forgive Paden, but the errors go on and on. For example on page 53, Paden, without citing any proof or evidence, called Dr. Jonathans margin of victory in the South-south and Southeast nonsensical, but then he goes ahead to accept President Buharis margin of victory in the North as valid even though they mirrored Dr. Jonathans margins in the South. On page 55, Paden called to question Jonathans handling of the economy but then in page 60 he admits that the 7% GNP growth Nigeria attained under Jonathan was impressive.Does Paden suffer from a split personality? Here he is calling into question former President Jonathans ability to manage an economy that he himself admits generated an impressive growth yet he is praising a President Buhari under whom Nigeria has gone into recession.I dont get it Paden! Perhaps Paden should have written a book singing Jonathans praises instead of President Buharis! Then he attacks Dr. Jonathan in page 55 over the 2012 attempt to remove fuel subsidies and pointed to the street protests that broke out in reaction, but curiously failed to mention that such protests were instigated and led by the then opposition members including President Buharis former running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who was openly at the fore front of the protests and Malam Nasir Elrufai, who coordinated activities during the Occupy Nigeria protests. This is nothing short of intellectual dishonesty. On page 59, Paden says President Jonathan had signed a pledge in 2011 to run for only one term.This is just a lie and betrays the fact that Professor Paden might have replaced investigation with gossip as a means of gathering information.I make bold to say that if Professor Paden can produce a copy of the signed pledge then I would give him a million dollars! On page 65, Paden goes ad hominem saying President Jonathan seemed more focused on hanging onto power by looting the public treasury. The above is nothing short of libel. But before he is made to answer for his lies in court, let me ask Paden a simple question.If what he wrote about Dr. Jonathan looting the treasury is true, then how come Nigeria was able to have what he himself agrees was an impressive economic growth and how come Nigeria made progress on the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index?On page 67, showing his inability to give credit to whom it is due, Paden accused Jonathan of appointing partisan and dishonest Resident Electoral Commissioners for States so they could assist the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rig elections but praised INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega for his honesty.What he failed to mention is that it was President Jonathan who nominated and appointed the honest Jega without having ever met him and that it is this same honest Jega that was fully in charge of posting officials to states to serve as Resident Electoral Commissioners and who (along with his board) had power to recall and discipline any REC.Then on page 68, Paden outdid himself as a liar when he said faced with these results, would Jonathan concede, or would he challenge the results in court? Paden continues on his lying spree by saying inter alia that several former African heads of state held private meetings with Jonathan.they insistedthat he accept the results.Not yet done with his fallacies, Paden continues there was considerable international pressure on Jonathan, including by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Western Diplomats.All these are the figment of the imagination of either Paden or his sources. To prove that Paden is a liar, I will quote Mansur Liman, the editor of the BBC Hausa Service in Nigeria, who was at the INEC Elections Result Center in Abuja WHILE results were being released.Mr. Liman testified verbally on the BBC Hausa service and in writing on its website that while results were still being AWAITED and BEFORE INEC had declared Buhari as winner of the election, he had placed a call to the Buhari campaign and testified that his contact within the Buhari campaign told me that Gen Buhari had just received a phone call from his rival, in which the president conceded and congratulated him.Testifying further, Mr. Liman said that the report he received indicated that the president (President Jonathan) took the decision to make the call without consulting anyone.They told me that if he had talked to some of his advisers, they would have objected. This is a direct testimony from a man on the ground with timelines and records that can stand up in court.Are we to jettison his eyewitness and substantial documentary evidence for the unsubstantiated lies of Paden?But even without taking into account Limans testimony, I traveled to London after making calls to one of the Archbishop of Canterburys closest and most senior aides and after a face to face interview with one of the people involved I have established beyond reasonable doubt that the Archbishop of Canterbury DID NOT Call Dr. Jonathan to mount pressure on him to concede.Paden lied!! This is a direct quote from an official in the Palace of Lambeth when I interviewed him on Padens claims-that is nonsense. The Archbishop did not call to put pressure on President Jonathan to concede. He called AFTER President Jonathan had conceded to congratulate him for conceding! I urge Nigerian newspapers to reach out to the Palace of Lambeth to investigate John Padens claims themselves.Both Paden and his source are liars! If anybody has a history of problems conceding when he was defeated, that person is none other than President Muhammadu Buhari himself.In his three previous unsuccessful attempts at the Presidency, not once did Muhammadu Buhari ever concede much less congratulate the victor. Instead, his comments when he lost were at best uncharitable and at worst unpatriotic! But oh, there are more lies in Padens book. On page 195, Paden lies again when he said that in May of 2016 while Dr. Jonathan was in the US, he had to cancel some of his public engagements because of protests by Nigerians living abroad. This lie is so easy to disprove.Dr. Jonathan did not cancel any events. He could not attend two events in California and he asked me to represent there. The two events were his Keynote speech at the California State University in Sacramento and his leadership award by two California cities. The truth of the matter is that Dr. Jonathan took ill and it was the officials of Nigerias mission in New York who actually took him to hospital.Both Dr. Paden and President Buhari can call the head of Mission in New York to confirm if this is true. And lies are not the main problem of Padens book.The main problem is that for a book on President Buhari, Padens book places too much focus on blaming others for the Presidents shortcomings. One would have thought that such a book would at least talk of President Buharis achievements, but on second thought, when you have a President who has little or no achievements, I suppose you would have to make do with lies and accusations as fillers for a book on him otherwise such a book would be very slim.Let me end by saying that no matter how close Professor Paden thinks he is to President Buhari, he cannot be as close to him as the Presidents own wife and mother of his kids.After he finished giving his procured and false whitewashed verdict of the President, the Presidents wife gave the real verdict on President Buhari just a week ago as follows: if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before. I will never do it again.No wonder that while Paden devotes over 60 pages of his 284 page book to former President Jonathan, he only devotes a few sentences in two pages (36-37) to the Presidents wife, Aisha Buhari. Of course, he tried unsuccessfully not to call too much attention to the one person who could disprove all the lies in his book. Thank God for the courage of Aisha Buhari. A former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has revealed that the choices of candidates would contest under the Peoples Democra... A former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has revealed that the choices of candidates would contest under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag in the state in 2011 ignited what appeared like a conflict between him and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.Noting, however, that Obasanjo is his senior both in age and experience, the ex-governor revealed that whenever he is ready for Obasanjo, he would go and prostrate to the ex-president and ask of what we are going to do.Recall that a former Senior Special Assistant to then president, Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, had in May revealed that his relationship with the Otta farmer turned sour after he started working for Jonathans second term, explaining that he kissed and prostrated before Obasanjo when he visited Otta farm.Giving insight into the conflict between him and former president when he featured on a radio programme, Podium, on Sweet FM, Abeokuta, Daniel said I opined (during the 2011 election) that we should use one stone to kill two birds by picking a Muslim from Ogun West, to assuage the people of Ogun West who have continuously complained that they cannot be governor and the Muslim community who were also agitating at that time.Daniel continued, That I felt was the winning formula then. Obasanjo disagreed insisting that religious factor should not be an important issue for that position at that time.It was a principled disagreement. Some extraneous factors also created a communication gap which did not help matters, the former Ogun governor said, adding that that development led to what appeared like a face-off between him and the former president, who hails from Ogun state.I have told you earlier that I am a man of principles. Baba Obasanjo is also a man of principles. We attended the same school. We were trained to be very strong on principles.Beyond that, Baba remains Baba. I am a thorough-bred Yoruba man. In terms of age, he is my senior.In terms of experience, he is my senior. I have ruled only Ogun state and he has ruled the entire country Nigeria.Check it out and you will discover that there is no other person that I have celebrated when I was governor more than Baba Obasanjo.Anytime I am ready for Baba, I will go to him and ask of what we are going to do. I will prostrate for the old man.The last time I was in his house, he gave me bush meat. We joked and we moved on. I think it is people who for various other reasons throw spanners between people.We have no issues. The relationship may not be described as excellent but it is good.Have you ever heard me publicly disparage Olusegun Obasanjo? You know the people who abuse Baba. Even in newspaper advertorials. I am a thorough-bred Yoruba man and that is the difference. ATLANTIC CITY -- A 17-year-old city youth was arrested Wednesday for a shooting earlier this week that left a woman injured by flying debris, police said. Police responded to a report of shots fired in the 1100 block of Adriatic Avenue shortly after 5 p.m. Monday. The suspect had fled but several shell casings were located. As officers were investigating they were sent to New Hampshire and Melrose avenues, where a jitney bus had been struck by gunfire. A female passenger suffered minor injuries from glass shattered by bullets. On Wednesday, assisted by the public, the Violent Crimes Unit identified the teen suspect, who was later picked up in the 200 block of North South Carolina Avenue. He has been charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was being held at the Harborfields detention facility. LINDENWOLD -- One of the two men injured in a plane crash Wednesday told investigators that the two-seater "experienced an unknown mechanical issue" before crashing into a backyard on East Linden Avenue, according to police. Both occupants, Wayne Gilcrist and David Misek of Cherry Hill, were listed in fair condition Thursday morning, according to a Cooper University Hospital spokeswoman. The vintage plane, an ERCOUPE 415-C, was traveling from an airport in Medford when it landed upside down in the backyard of 506 East Linden Ave. at 12:47 p.m. It took emergency responders approximately 20 minutes to cut the plane apart and extricate the two men, Lindenwold Police Chief Tom Brennan said Wednesday. Lindenwold Det. Christopher Sherrer said in a statement Thursday that the pilot, Gilchrist, 66, had such a severe cut on his face from the crash that officers were not able to get a statement from him. The injury required a "large number of stitches," Sherrer said. While local officials said he lives in Marlton, the plane's owner said Wednesday that Gilchrist lives in Delaware. The passenger, Misek, 72, of Rockingham Road, is scheduled to have surgery on his broken hip. He was able to tell investigators about the moments leading up to the crash and the mechanical failure. This is the first hint authorities have given about the cause of the crash. Eric Weiss, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the agency will continue to investigate the crash based on information gathered at the scene from Federal Aviation Administration officials. The first information on the crash from the NTSB will likely be released in a preliminary report seven to 10 days from now. Another, more complete report will come out approximately nine months from now, and a full "probable cause" report will be released in a year or so. The FAA will not be releasing any more information on the crash, a spokeswoman said Thursday. After the two men were removed from the plane and taken to the hospital Wednesday, the streets around the crash scene were swarmed for hours with police and fire officials and spectators looking at the wreckage. Around 4 p.m., East Linden and Hawthorne avenues reopened and only one officer remained on scene by the plane. Sherrer said an officer will remain there to ensure people stay away from the hazardous wreckage and to make sure it does not catch on fire. The pieces of the plane are expected to be removed today, after the owner's insurance company OKs the move. The plane is owned by Daniel Lee McCaffrey of Maryland. He told NJ.com Wednesday that he rented the plane to his friend, Gilchrist, who said he wanted to take a friend in New Jersey for a ride. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. TRENTON -- The state agency that oversees New Jersey's student loan program may soon be forced to forgive the debt of borrowers who die, even if the loans were co-signed by a parent of family member. The state Senate on Thursday passed a bipartisan bill (S743) requiring full forgiveness of NJCLASS loans in the event of death or total and permanent disability, a practice already commonly applied to federal student loans. The Assembly approved the bill last month, and it now goes to Gov. Chris Christie for consideration. If approved, the new law would cost New Jersey roughly $1.5 million annually, according to state projections. "A parent's worst nightmare is losing a child, and if that unfortunate event should occur, the last thing a parent should have to face is someone calling to collect money for student loans," said Senator James Beach (D-Camden), one of the bill's sponsors. The agency that oversees New Jersey's student loan program -- the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority -- doesn't actually finance the loans. The money comes from Wall Street bonds, and HESAA regulations allow for automatic loan forgiveness only if the borrower dies and there is no cosigner. While HESAA recently forgave more than 150 loans in cases where the co-signer proved financial hardship, other co-signers have been forced to pay off the debt of a child or family member who died. Beach called those collections unethical. Another sponsor, Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) denounced the practice as "incomprehensible." "Addressing this issue is about compassion," Sarlo said. "But it's also good public policy." Lawmakers called for a probe of HESAA after a joint investigation by The New York Times and ProPublica revealed HESAA has some of the nation's strictest terms for student loans. The agency said it attempts to ensure that each case is handled with "appropriate compassion for the individual circumstances of the borrower." If signed by Christie, the law will take effect immediately. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- Three men who admitted involvement in the beating death of a Jersey City college student last year were sentenced Thursday to state prison terms ranging from four to seven years, as the victim's friends and family members urged the court to impose stiff punishment. Indicted in January on murder charges in connection with the July 9, 2015 killing of Robert Hayes, Eric Santiago, Jonathan Tejada and Edgardo Mendez later took plea deals that saw Tejada and Santiago convicted of second-degree reckless manslaughter and Mendez of third-degree aggravated assault. Judge Ronald D. Wigler sentenced Tejada to five years in prison on the manslaughter charge, and Santiago to seven years. Mendez, who attorneys said played a less direct role in Hayes' fatal injuries, was sentenced to four years in prison on the aggravated assault charge. Robert Hayes, 20, was a student at New Jersey City University when he was beaten to death in Newark in July 2015. (File photo) Hayes, 20, was a student at New Jersey City University at the time of his death. The Newark native was found unresponsive, beaten and naked near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Verona Avenue. He died of his injuries later that day at University Hospital. Prosecutors have said that Hayes knew Santiago and Tejada, and that the events leading to his death involved two separate altercations with the men. Mendez was said to be present for only one of those altercations. All three men, shackled before the court, apologized to the family. "This was never meant to happen," Tejada said. A long line of Hayes' friends and family members approached to the court to describe their loss, some expressing incredulity at the seemingly light prison terms facing his killers. But Wigler said state law specifies a sentencing range of only five to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter charge to which Santiago and Tejada had pleaded guilty. Hayes' father, Robert Carpenter, spoke of visiting the crime scene and seeing his son's blood on a telephone pole. "I know you have your (sentencing) guidelines, but put them in a room where they have to deal with themselves and their Lord," Carpenter said. "It takes a little time for a man to be changed." Hayes' mother, Jacqualine Hayes, held up a large poster of her late son in his hospital bed after the attack. "I want you to look at what you did to my boy," she told the defendants, whose heads remained bowed. "Can't look at him? You did then." Santiago's attorney, Robert Guido, told the court that while the men had intended to assault Robert Hayes, there was no intent to kill him. "It wasn't a mistake, it was intentional, but it wasn't intentional murder," he said. Before sentencing the three men, Wigler told the court he was confident there was "not a number of years" that would satisfy everyone in the courtroom, noting that prosecutors frequently take criticism for plea deals whose origins aren't well understood by the public. "This truly is in a tragedy," the judge said. "Probably when you (the defendants) woke up that morning, it was not your intention to take a life." Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- Authorities have arrested a man who they say shot and killed a grocery store employee earlier this week. Joshua A. Choice, 24, of Newark has been charged with murder, possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a handgun in connection with the Oct. 18 shooting death of Felix Rosario, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced in a release Thursday. Joshua A. Choice (Courtesy Essex County Prosecutor's Office) Rosario, 55, a manager at the Dalbert Grocery Store, was shot and killed at about 9 a.m. at the West Runyon Street store, authorities have said. It is unclear what prompted the shooting. Choice was arrested Thursday in the Bronx, N.Y. by an FBI Fugitive Task Force and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, authorities said. He is being transported to the Essex County jail, where he will be held on $750,000 bail, officials said. The investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing, the prosecutor's office said. Jessica Mazzola may be reached at . Follow her on Twitter . Find . NEWARK -- Ask residents and visitors the best places to see art and appreciate jazz in Newark, and you might hear answers like NJPAC, the Newark Museum, or Rutgers-Newark's jazz lounge, Clement's Place. Now, you can add the parking lots for some of those cultural landmarks to the list. A Newark parking company has partnered with two local artists to beautify their properties by painting murals on kiosks in their lots, paying homage to the city's prominent role in both art and music. The project, sponsored by the J&L Parking Corporation and Newark's Downtown District, "will help residents and visitors alike re-imagine the role of a commercial parking lot within the greater urban landscape," a statement from J&L President Jose Lopez said. Three kiosks in lots near the Prudential Center and Newark City Hall will soon have colorful murals depicting a few of the city's famed jazz musicians, including Sarah Vaughan, Wayne Shorter, and James Moody. "Downtown Newark is the epicenter of arts and culture in New Jersey," said Newark Downtown District CEO Anthony McMillan. "The mural project with J&L Parking Corp. is a perfect example of private businesses supporting the revitalization of downtown Newark through beautification." The city's growing number of parking lots have been a point of contention for some residents, who argue the properties are islands for crime at night, and that their land usage does not fit with the city's master plan, which calls for underground parking and development to be a mix of commercial, office and residential projects. In September, a group of residents, who call themselves "PLANewark," were able to convince an appellate court judge to reverse the approval of a variance given to a company who planned on building a parking lot on McWhorter Street in the Ironbound section. But J & L officials say they want their parking lots to be viewed as public spaces; a destination rather than a necessity. "Commissioning local artists to transform our kiosks into vibrant works of art" is a way for the company to celebrate "the Newark community, its 350th anniversary, and its cultural legacy in a unique and unexpected way," Lopez said. After reviewing a "highly competitive" list of local artists, Steve Green and Burnett Grayson III, both of Yendor Productions in Newark, were chosen for the project. "I am honored to be chosen for this unique project. Jazz and art are synonymous with one another in Newark," said Green. "This mural project is not only good for the city but for the artists. This city is rich with great artists. The 'Jazz Notes' Art project allows us to be recognized," Grayson added. The inspiration for the project, according to Lopez, came from Downtown District's Newark Murals and the positive energy it created throughout the city. "We wanted to celebrate Newark in our own way," Lopez said. "We have deep roots in Newark and came up with an initiative to challenge the notion that parking lots cannot actively engage the community." Lopez said his company will continue to seek out partnerships for public art projects, because they feel a "responsibility to promote Newark and give back to the neighborhoods where we work." "Our family immigrated to Newark in pursuit of the American Dream and we are committed to supporting the city and its promising future," said Lopez. "Creating art programs that support talented local artists and highlight what the city of Newark has to offer aligns with our commitment to the community." Michael Anthony Adams may be reached at madams@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelAdams317. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- Three men who have admitted to their involvement in the beating death of a New Jersey City University student last summer are expected to be sentenced Thursday in state Superior Court. Robert Hayes, a 20-year-old New Jersey City University student was found unresponsive, beaten and naked in Newark's North Ward on July 9, 2015. He was pronounced dead at University Hospital later that day. (File photo) Eric Santiago, Edgardo Mendez and Jonathan Tejada were indicted in January on murder charges in connection with the death of 20-year-old Robert Hayes. All three are expected to appear before Judge Ronald Wigler in Newark for sentencing on charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault. A passerby found Hayes unresponsive, beaten and naked on July 9, 2015 near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Verona Avenue in Newark. Hayes, of Newark, was pronounced dead later that day at University Hospital. Tejada was arrested later that month, and Mendez was arrested in September 2015. Santiago wasn't arrested until December, when he was captured in Florida and extradited back to New Jersey. On July 22, just over a year after Hayes' death, Santiago and Tejada both pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Mendez pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault, according to court records. Prosecutors have said Hayes knew both Santiago and Tejada, and that the events leading to his death began with a fight between the three. Santiago and Tejada later returned with Mendez and attacked Hayes, who sustained fatal injuries, prosecutors said. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. UPDATE : Someone will have to handle the Giants' kickoffs, extra points and field goals on Sunday against the Rams in London with the embattled Josh Brown being left home due to his domestic violence debacle. But who? Because Ben McAdoo made it sound like the Giants have no idea who the hell will be their kicker at Twickenham Stadium at this point. "We're kicking the tires on a couple of guys. There are some options out there," McAdoo told WFAN's Mike Francesa. "There are some guys who have some experience, who have actually kicked overseas. We've been on the phone with them, and we'll see how it shakes out." McAdoo added the Giants "have their eyes on a couple of guys right now, and we still have some time until the plane takes off." But that doesn't matter, because McAdoo said whoever the Giants would add to the roster to step in for Brown would not fly to England with the team. "No one is going to be able to jump on the flight with us," McAdoo said. "There are plenty of airports that can get to London. We'll see how it goes." Randy Bullock, who kicked for the Giants in Week 1 when Brown was suspended by the NFL, is still a free agent. As is veteran Robbie Gould. McAdoo also said the Giants have capable emergency kickers on their roster. "We have a few guys that can handle it. I'm sure 13 could, once he gets his hip back in order, go out and kick some balls. He's pretty talented in that way," McAdoo said, referring to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. But Beckham will almost assuredly not kick, even if he was not battling a hip pointer. If the Giants were to rely on an emergency kicker - and McAdoo told Francesa the team does plan to add a kicker by Sunday - it would likely be punter Brad Wing. But special teams coordinator Tom Quinn declined to confirm if Wing could kick when asked Thursday. "We have a couple of emergency guys," Quinn said. "We have some guys that can kick a ball." James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook. WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Vietnam treasures ties with China: Politburo member The Party and State of Vietnam always treasure the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with the Party and State of China, Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat Dinh The Huynh stated. Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat Dinh The Huynh (L) and Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping He added that that is based on the countrys foreign policy of peace, independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, and intensive international integration while meeting Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing on October 20 as part of his three-day visit to the country. At the meeting, Huynh congratulated the Chinese Party, State and people on their achievements in Party building and comprehensive reform as well as national management and development following the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He expressed his hope that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee headed by General Secretary Xi, Chinese people will gain more attainments in socialism building and door opening path to soon achieve the target of building a well-off society. The Politburo member noted with joy developments in bilateral ties, especially the outcomes reached during the official visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the State visit to Vietnam by Xi Jinping in 2015, and especially the official visit to China by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in September 2016. The official suggested the two countries seriously and effectively actualise common perceptions reached by their Party and State leaders, intensify political trust, improve the efficiency of pragmatic cooperation across fields and enhance people-to-people exchange. He also called on the two sides to make effort in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, take no actions that complicate and expand the disputes, stringently observe the agreement on the basis principles guiding the settlement of sea-related matters, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), work together with other ASEAN member countries to soon reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), while patiently seeking basic and long-term solutions to the problems in the spirit of respecting each others interests and complying with international law. For his part, Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping hailed Huynhs visit and the meeting between the two Politburo officials and sent regards to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang and other senior Party and State officials. He cherished the success of the 12 th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), displaying his belief that under the leadership of the CPV led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnamese people will successfully fulfill targets and tasks set in the Congresss Resolution and obtain more achievements in the reform process as well as socialism construction. As neighbouring socialist nations led by the communist parties, Vietnam and China share a lot of similarities, he said, adding that the two countries Party and State leaders have reached various common perceptions to orient the bilateral ties. Expressing his delight at recent fruitful developments of the bilateral relations, the host affirmed that China will work together with Vietnam to boost the relationship in a healthy and stable fashion. The leader urged the two sides to increase the exchange of delegations as well as experience in Party building and national leadership and management, and push forwards the relations between the two Parties and States. The same day, Huynh held talks Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. The two sides informed each other about situations of their Parties and countries, and screened achievements as well as problems still existed in the Vietnam-China relations in recent years. They compared notes on measures to fully and seriously realise agreements and perceptions reached by the two countries Party and State leaders in a bid to raise the efficiency of the pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors. Regarding the East Sea issue, Huynh asserted Vietnams stance on handling the disputes by peaceful measures and on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS) and fully respecting diplomatic and legal procedures. He appealed the two countries to exactly and fully realise the joint perceptions and agreements in the spirit of words going well with deeds and seriously follow the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related matters and the DOC, towards reaching the COC. Huynh also called for joint efforts to soundly address issues concerning fisheries and operations of fishermen, take no actions that complicate and broaden the disputes, not use or threaten to use force and not militarise in the sea. Following the talks, Liu Yunshan hosted a banquet for Huynh and his entourage. While in China, Huynh also had meetings with representatives of agencies under the CPC Central Committee and visited the Vietnamese Embassy in the country.-VNA